Allan J. "Alonzo" Wind's Blog, page 4

Agent Orange is a Great Moniker for the Monster

I recently heard Spike Lee with Kara Swisher on her podcast Sway. It’s a great podcast by the way, complementing the one Kara Swisher does with Scott Galloway on PIVOT with New York Magazine Media. Spike Lee was continuously funny, enthusiastic and opinionated.

Spike Lee refuses to say Trump’s name. He calls Trump “Agent Orange.” This strikes me as a brilliant and meaningful way of describing the monster.  It connotes the poison and venom sprayed across Vietnam and SE Asia during the way, and the permanent disfigurement and death as a result of this poison.  Why give evil any more than it is due? Why give evil publicity and further oxygen? It strikes me that Agent Orange is a great way to refer to the former Resident when you must, without the psychic and social burden of actually invoking his most evil name. Try it out: “Agent Orange”  I may pick it up myself into regular conversation in the future.

Incidentally @karaswisher asks @spikelee a bit about his 2020 movie Da 5 Bloods. It sounds brilliant also. I have seen it listed on Netflix but not yet seen it.  It’s about 5 vets of color who return to Vietnam, and I gather it is definitely a must see piece.

 

I also just saw that Spike Lee has on HBOMax the musical production film David Byrne’s American Utopia.  That too looks to be a must see and must hear. I really liked the Talking Heads when I was in college, and I am curious to see my reaction to Byrne’s current musical as well as dramatic work.

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Ouchie Fauci # 1

I managed to get my first Pfizer vaccine today. I really am so happy about it, but will be much happier when my family is able to get their own jabs. Its not been easy in Virginia compared to other states. The supply as well as the logistics systems seem to compare poorly. Even affluent Fairfax County has had a hard time getting beyond the group of 65 and above and those with pre existing conditions.  I’m told by some physician friends that there is more vaccine than capacity to vaccinate, which is inexplicable at this stage of the game.  I hope you have been able to protect yourselves and your loved ones. Getting a jab means a lot for each of us but it is a public service as well, by limiting the chance that you might somehow pass the disease on some day.

The vaccine was painless of course. We will see how Ouchie Fauci # 2 is since they say it often affects far more that time around.  But it still will be well worth it if it helps move us and our friends, family and society forward to a far better place.

 

 

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Happy Coronaversary

It’s hard to believe it has been one year since the fragmentation of our lives into the Coronaverse.  On the one hand it seems too short a time; on another it sounds far too long to imagine. I want to be optimistic that we now face in the short term a better future for now. And yet we keep seeing examples of extraordinary selfishness and resistance to a  respect for science and reality. They can’t seem to grasp at all that we really got off easy, for now. This COVID 19 episode, as Fareed Zakaria, Bill Gates and so many others have reflected upon, has really been a warning bell for us. The next pandemic, and there surely will be another and in far less time than we can imagine now, could needlessly cut short the lives of far more than have suffered this time. Let’s hope not, and let’s hope that despite the witlessness of so many Republican politicians in Washington and outside of it, we will not see another horrific surge hit before we start to approach the end of this painful episode.

For my part, I am trying to continue to focus on some things that are important and hardly talked about – the lifestyle choices and wellness pursued to help the body better face what comes next. I enjoy my walks and forest baths, and hope someday soon to be able to return to a safe gym environment as well.  For now, let’s hope we don’t have to face another Coronaversary for quite some time.

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Audio Recording Experiment

I’ve been recording and editing the audio files of each chapter for my new book. I am going to try an experiment here and upload the initial introduction, which is about 8 minutes long. Let me know what you think. I hope to see this available on Audible before the end of the month.

Have a great day!

https://enableennoble.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Andean-Adventures-Title-Dedication-Introduction-effects.mp3

 

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Extraterrestrial

I’ve been reading some recent books that I’ve enjoyed or anticipate enjoying. I recently finished Avi Loeb’s Extraterrestrial.

I know reviews have been mixed, but I enjoyed this book. Perhaps it is because of the science he goes into. Perhaps the provocative questions he asks in a socratic sort of way. Perhaps it is because of the uniqueness of his story. While Avi Loeb obviously can’t offer any sort of definitive answers he certainly is persuasive about what the true shape and most likely origin of the artifact are. I found it an enjoyable read and for those who want to jump into more details there are plenty of footnotes and references.

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We Must End this Uncivil War

So stirring were these words and so much of the inaugural address yesterday.  The entire ceremony was welcome and uplifting and surely a moodchanger for so many across the country. Several times I found myself moved to near tears. The young Amanda Gorman was so impressive. Even Lada Gaga hit it out of the park in one of the better renditions of the National Anthem I ever heard.

Thank God we are where we are now. But there is so much to do. And though I don’t like to use fighting or martial language too often, I have to agree with Joe Scarborough this morning on his MSNBC show with Mika. Democrats – and all true democrats! – must not turn a blind eye. We must consciously and methodically move to hold the insurrectionists inside Congress and outside Congress accountable. Those who actively supported this most uncivil war should be examined carefully and punished. Those in Congress who repeatedly supported the big lie were not exercising free speech – they were yelling “fire” in a crowded movie theatre. They should be expelled, their seats vacated in Congress, and new elections called for them. We must all actively support those Republicans, Independents and Democrats who rejected the Trumpian coup attempt, and have rejected the promotion of white supremacy, right wing extremism, violence of any kind from the right or the left.  It is time to act and act decisively. It is the only way we will make it clear to all that we are dedicated to fully end this most uncivil war, which started before Trump but found its final flowering in his froth and furor.

 

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Truth Decay

I haven’t posted in a number of weeks. There have been different reasons piling on top of each other but all enhanced even more by the recent events of the attempted coup here. Having lived and loved in many countries over the years where coups are not unusual, it has evoked revulsion and disgust to see it happen here. It was perhaps inevitable – the consequences of the total decay in truth and reality for so many Americans.  This even predates Trump… I remember Colbert’s old TV show where his political character invented presciently the term “truthiness” to refer to reality from the Bush White House.  Yet of course it got so much worse under the incumbent terrorist monger.  It’s taking some time to process it all.  I suspect we haven’t seen the end of it, or perhaps even the worst of it.  What will happen tomorrow in Richmond, in Lansing, in other state capitals?  The chatter is out there.

I confess to see terrible events like the terrorist attack of the white supremacists on January 6 in such a way as always expecting the other shoe to drop. I’m amazed the death toll has not been greater.  Perhaps it won’t be until truly the streets are drenched in blood that most will be forced to back away from the guns and violence that so much makes up the American character.  I hope not. I hope I am not anticipating something that will be far worse.  But it seems that lessons are not learned until something truly terrible happens.  Sandy Hook, Littleton CO, Orlando and Parkland in FLA were all terrible at each point. As were the many other attacks. It seems like we must endure something that may even be worse than the reality of 3000 dead every day from the Pandemic that the terrorist monger has also foisted on the American people.  God protect us, and I hope I am wrong.

I am optimistic over the medium term for what Biden and Harris will mean.  So I will post again regularly, and I hope to put out a newsletter update also soon.  I have been slowly recording the Audio version of ANDEAN ADVENTURES and I have held back on the newsletter until I could announce it is done and at least almost ready to upload.  Hopefully I can finish that by tomorrow afternoon.

Stay safe, stay healthy and be mindful of these terrible and trying times.

 

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Goodreads Giveaway

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Andean Adventures


by Allan J. "Alonzo" Wind

Giveaway ends January 20, 2021.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Goodreads Giveaway

The Spanish edition of my book, AVENTURAS ANDINAS, is included in a Goodreads giveaway. A limited number of ebooks will be provided free from those randomly selected entries. Feel free to click on my website to find the giveaway widget or go to my Goodreads authors page. If you are interest, good luck! It ends soon.

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