Florida School Shooting: Victim Peter Wang Held Door Open For Others

'Funny, caring, selfless'

At least 17 people are dead after a 19-year-old man opened fire at a high school campus in Parkland, Florida.

The attack began at 14:30 local time (19:30 GMT) on Wednesday {14 February 2018} at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, about an hour north of Miami.

Buenos Dias


What a Horrible & tragic way to spend Valentine's Day.
It is with a heavy heart & dried off tears that I bring you this senseless tragedy of which many heroes arose. From Peter Wang, to the teachers, to the janitor, to the police responders. A huge Thank You & Salute to each & every one of them.

This is the worst shooting since 2012, when gunman Adam Lanza attacked Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
He shot dead 20 young children and six adults before killing himself.


It is the sixth school shooting incident in 2018 that has either wounded or killed students, according to the advocacy website.Is this now becoming a TREND? School Shooting? With so many in such short periods of time, it's hard to believe that more and more disturbed people are thinking the only way to vent their, anger, pain & torment is to shoot up a school?

I researched South African School Shooting as well:

Soweto school

Soweto, South Africa

September 19, 1994

0

An 18-year-old student shot and wounded seven of his schoolmates with a rifle, after he had been reprimanded. The youth then escaped in his father's car.[128]

Soweto school	Soweto, South Africa	July 29, 1999	3	Teacher Charles Raboroko shot and killed three of his colleagues in the staffroom at Anchor Comprehensive High School in Soweto. When he tried to escape he was hindered by angry students outside the school, whereupon he hid in a classroom, where he was later arrested by police. Raboroko was said to have borne a grudge against one of his victims, Henry Lebea, whom he killed with five shots in the head.[129][130]
Welkom school	Welkom, Free State, South Africa	August 31, 2009	2	Jaco Stiglingh, a teacher at Gimnasium High School in Welkom, South Africa shot and killed deputy principal Johan Liebenberg, 53, inside his office before turning the gun on himself and committing suicide.[131]

Ngqeleni school	Ngqeleni, Eastern Cape, South Africa	January 26, 2010	2	After an argument a 25-year-old man shot and seriously wounded his girlfriend, who was working as a clerk at Jongingaba Junior-Secondary School. A 12-year-old girl was also killed inside a classroom by a stray bullet, before the gunman tried to escape. He was later caught and killed by an angry mob.[132]
Spes Bona High School	Cape Town, South Africa	May 14, 2013	1	17-year-old Enrico Martin was shot in the head while he was entering Spes Bona High School. He later died in a hospital. Authorities believe that the attack was gang-related. No arrests have been made.[133][134]

This is a SERIOUS CONCERN! We need to change this way of normalized thinking around mass school shootings!

And while Peter is the focus of this post I'd like us all reading this now to take a moment of silence & prayer for each and every one of these 17 victims killed.

Alyssa Alhadeff, a student and soccer player

Scott Beigel, a geography teacher. The 35-year unlocked his classroom door to let students take shelter in his classroom when he was struck by a bullet and killed.

Martin Duque, a 14-year-old freshman & Nicholas Dworet, a senior

Aaron Feis, who worked as an assistant football coach and security guard. "He selflessly shielded students from the shooter when he was shot."

Jaime Guttenberg, a student & Luker Hoyer, a 15-year-old freshman

Chris Hixon, athletic director and wrestling coach

Cara Loughran & Gina Montalto

Joaquin "Guac" Oliver & Alaina Petty

Meadow Pollack & Helena Ramsey

Alex Schachter, 14 & Carmen Schentrup

Peter Wang, 15 was killed after holding the door open for others to escape
 

"I don't want this to ever happen to anyone else again. The fact is there are 17 families that now have empty rooms…"

~said David Hogg, a student who survived the shooting

This quote really stuck with me, it brings about such profound sadness and mourning for those families & the lives lost, all in one sentence. 17 empty rooms, 17 smiles that will never be seen again, 17 souls no longer on this plane of existence. As I look through these faces, some caught in unique moments of pure joy & happiness, I realize just how precious & unpredictable life really is. 

This is footage taken At the time of the shooting.

***

The suspect was Nikolas Cruz, a former student at the school who had been expelled. He escaped with fleeing students but is now in police custody.
Police say Cruz, an expelled former student, was heavily armed when he began his massacre at the Florida high school.

What's worse is that the FBI was warned about Cruz. He was reported. 

He entered the premises wearing a gas mask and armed with a rifle, smoke grenades and ammunition, setting off a fire alarm so that students would leave the classrooms and come out into the corridors
Cruz killed three people outside the school, before gaining access through one of the school's teaching buildings and killing a further 12.

Two others died from their injuries later on at nearby hospitals.
The attacker has now confessed to police.
"Cruz stated that he was the gunman who entered the school campus armed with a AR-15 and began shooting students that he saw in the hallways and on the school grounds," a court document read.

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Witnesses told of how Wang, who was part of the Royal Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program had selflessly held open the door to enable others to flee before himself.

Peter's bereft cousin, Aaron Chan, was in the school at the time of the shooting and saw Wang helping classmates to escape while dressed in his grey ROTC uniform.

"He wasn't supposed to die. He was supposed to grow old with me," Aaron told First Coast News.

"He is so funny, caring and selfless,'' added Lin Chen, Wang's 24-year-old cousin.

Chen, who flew in from Louisiana to be with the family, continued: "He is so brave. He is the person who is genuinely kind to everyone. He doesn't care about popularity. He always liked to cheer people up. He is like the big brother everyone wished they had."

Can you imagine for a moment that you were Peter Wang? Can you empathize on those last moments of his? Or can you imagine if this was Your Kid, Your Child, Your Son??
You hear the gunshots, your body becomes flushed with adrenaline but every instinct you have is screaming out in terror for you to run, to find any way possible out of the school right now! But instead you use every ounce of strength you can muster to stifle that. Your ROTC training kicks in and suddenly you're on auto pilot, holding the door open & helping others get to safety FIRST.
Could you do that? Do you think this is how you would react?

Hundreds gathered on Thursday for a prayer vigil at Parkridge church, in Parkland, Florida

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words 

• I’d love to keep connected with you! 

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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Deadpool Vs. Spawn: Let's Compare

So who came first? 

Spawn or Deadpool?

Who intro'd their premiere Anti-hero first? Image Comics or Marvel?

Both these characters have become widely known as their respective Comic giant's ultimate Anti-Hero fantastico. Let's take a look at some similarities first:

I can't help but wonder if these traits are exactly what makes them so popular with readers, I can agree that they are what make them super awesome to me :-)

Mind orgasmic powers aside, their personalities and willpower are what stand out as they use these to overcome some of their most challenging moments.
After doing the above table, I gawked at it, shocked at how many similarities there are.

Granted Spawn is more physically brutal, darker & serious in nature. He's also regarded as an Occult Anti-Hero. While Deadpool is mostly cray-cray in the hay-hay, often breaking the 4th wall. Which is frickin' Epic!

So without further ado, the answer to the question is........(Drum roll please)............................................................

Deadpool!!! Tadarattada!!

Deadpool's first appearance was February 1991.
Spawn's first appearance was May 1992.

Crazy how close their debuts are hey? Deadpool comes out in February, then a little over a year later, Spawn debuts. 

Let me start by saying I'm huge fan of Todd McFarlane (I mean who isn't). But it does beg the question, did Deadpool's fame influence the creation of Spawn? Did Todd McFarlane use those same characteristics to come up with the deadly Hellspawn? 

Furthermore, McFarlane had enjoyed superstar status among comic fans with his work on Spider-Man, which had featured McFarlane's name prominently as both writer and artist. Which ties in with a similar post I did regarding Superman Vs. Spiderman: Let's Compare.

According to Todd, he created the character Spawn when he was 16, and spent "countless hours" perfecting the appearance of each component of the character's visual design. Whereas if you look at Deadpool's creation by artist/writer Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, a lot of the influence came from DC's character, Deathstroke. Other influences include, what Danny DeVito's character was to Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in Twins, Deadpool was intended to be to Wolverine. They also used mannerism from Spiderman, in the way that he makes jokes during battle. 

Now that we know what their similarities are, who came first & their creation stories. Can we still say that one influenced the other? 

I'm a major fan of the Spawn artwork & graphic detail yet I'm also a major fan of Deadpool's signature traits & mannerisms. His dialogue is mad hilarious at times. Plus the dude dates Death & breaks the 4th wall! I love it. Both have gotten their own Feature-Length films which only further popularized their characters & comics. So in all fairness, it's a win-win. 

On a side note, a guy began a comment debate on Facebook about whether or not Deadpool can be labelled as a Superhero since he's classified as an Anti-Hero? 

There were some solid points made for each side of the debate. 

I define it as Deadpool is a Superhero under the sub-category of Anti-Hero. 

Interested to hear others thoughts on this, so comment below. 

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

The Flash (TV Series): Review

"My name is Barry Allen, and I am the Fastest man alive."

The fastest man alive isn’t a just comic book anymore.   

Barry Allen wakes up 9 months after he was struck by lightning and discovers that the bolt gave him the power of super-speed. With his new team and powers, Barry becomes "The Flash" and fights crime in Central City. 

Barry Allen: What is happening? What is going on? 

Cisco Ramon: You were struck by lightning, dude. 

Barry Allen: What? Lightning gave me abs?

A well-adapted version of a fan-favorite comic book series, the Flash has well-rounded characters, unique plots, and twists with the right amount of spectacular superhero vs. super villain showdowns.

Although during certain fights you can clearly see, that the Flash is pure CGI, the rest of the show makes up for this. Grant Gustin as the Flash, heavily carried the show in the first season, with Cisco Ramon a close second. But since then, more characters have started to show some promise. Doctor Harrison Wells in this second season is way more entertaining and provides a much-needed depth to the character.

I was pleasantly surprised when Grant Gustin sang on the show, though too short a scene, it was still pretty cool. Only through minimal investigation (Google) did I find out that the he acted in the TV Series, Glee. More of that singing, I say. I enjoy how Barry has to use this one power of Super Speed in different ways in order to take on the baddies. To say that they have practically thought of every which way to use the speed force is an understatement. Who knew having a hero with one power would be so popular and yet there you have it.

What is it with the super powered always falling madly in love with the human women? Seriously, it’s got to stop. What do they even do for them I wonder? I was almost bouncing with joy in the new animated Justice League films because Superman wasn’t all into Lois Lane for a change. More on that in my next post.

The show was well received by critics. The Website, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 96% approval rating with an average rating of 7.4/10 based on 55 reviews. I agree.

I’m not too jazzed that so many people know this guy’s secret but I am open minded about it, maybe it is time for a change. Often when things like this happen the shows barely address it. The TV Series Chuck is a prime example, do you know the number of times Chuck should have gotten shot or worse? It’s insane. It makes the whole government assassin genre look like nerd play. Don’t get me wrong I loved the show, yet it annoyed me at how trivial they make lethal matters. It’s the same with the Flash. Hello? Someone get kidnapped already or at least show that keeping the Flash’s secret is a tough thing to do.

I love Cisco’s portrayal in this series. He’s such a fan boy when it comes to the villains and the heroes. It’s no wonder why he’s so popular. Plus if you read the comic books, you’d realize he’s one of the most powerful characters there is, in the Flash-verse. Can’t wait for him to truly discover that on the show!

Bring on the popcorn and get ready for a comic book fantasy world come to life. It’s no Superman or Spiderman but it is its own! The Flash, oh yeah.

DeviantArt Cred: marconelor

Personal rating: 7/10

In the days to come, I will add more reviews of my favorite TV shows and Movies. 

Let me know your thoughts about the show. All views are welcome.

If you enjoyed this post, I’d be honored if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook/Tumblr. Thank you!

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Top 10 Best Superheroes of All Time

A Superhero is defined as is a type of heroic character who possesses extraordinary talents, supernatural phenomena, or superhuman powers and who is dedicated to a moral goal or protecting the public.

So without extraneous explanation, here are the 

Top 10 Best Superheroes of All Time:

1. Batman

DeviantArt Cred: AndyFairhurst

Begrudgingly I had to list him as Number 1 for the sheer popularity of the character. Having appeared in numerous films, comics, animated movies/Tv series & video games in every year without fail. Batman is the closest to a realistic superhero for humanity, in fact, it is his very humanity that they cling to. Who doesn't want to see a badass human take on bad guys & win? We've all consumed every Batman adaption with vigor for the uniqueness of the character & his impressive skills. Batman's greatness strength lies in his being a detective above all else. Who else could have a contingency plan to take out the entire Justice League, including Himself!?

Origin: DC Comics created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger.

2. Superman

DeviantArt Cred: Stevegoad

If it were up to me, he would be unanimously number One on this list but alas humans relate to humans. Been a fan of Superman for as long as I can remember. Yes, there are quirks that I'm not overjoyed by but I would be remiss if I didn't. On my 19th Birthday, I even got a Superman Tattoo! It's not only that he has the power but how he uses it, the way in which he values mankind above himself. Stronger than any god, but with the heart of the most humble human, Superman is a hero unlike any other I have seen. He is always willing to do or sacrifice anything to protect humanity.

Origin: DC Comics created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster.

3. Goku

DeviantArt Cred: Cuete

As with the other two above, none have been more widely accepted & fan'd over than this trio. They have shot to stardom becoming Premiere Heroes in their own respective right. Anime is one of the most breathtaking art forms on this planet, producing the legend that is Goku. He is light-hearted, friendly & altogether hilarious but come time for a fight, he's all showdown material. Willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good on more than one occasion. This character will be remembered for a very long time to come indeed. Goku is an alien, who's species is known as Saiyans, battle-hungry warriors who grower stronger still with each fight. But like Superman, Goku's time on earth has made him absolutely attached to humanity and it's survival. 

Origin: Manga Series created by Akira Toriyama.

4. Spiderman

DeviantArt Cred: Alentrix

How could any list worth its salt, not include this dude? Spiderman is funny, witty, all bells of intelligent, superpowered & rocking the American flag colors. Guarding over the ever popular city of New York is an added bonus. As with the best superheroes, his origin story is one filled with great loss but developed into insurmountable heroship. I should mention that like the previous 3, Spiderman possesses an indomitable Will. Able to always follow through on convictions without

doubt. It is their greatest character trait that gives us all goosebumps to watch. 

Origin: Marvel Comics created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko.

5. Deadpool

DeviantArt Cred: PatrickBrown

OOoooh Yeah! After that blockbuster this valentines day that brought holy hell down on box office records, how could anyone say they do not know this dude? As a comic book fan, you'd be cray cray in the hay hay not to have known this guy before the movie. One of the very few characters to break the fourth wall, date Death itself & use guns in a superhero fight. He's the classic anti-hero with a mind that no one can control. There's just so much to love about this guy, he's like Spiderman & the Punisher had a baby. You get all of the killing & all of the hilarious banter. I've never been bored reading a Deadpool comic. 

Origin: Marvel Comics created by artist/writer Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza.

6. Iron Man

DeviantArt Cred: GabeFarber

Another fan favorite for all the reasons they love Batman. He's rich, suave, highly intelligent & by combining those traits...he gave us one hell of an entertaining superhero. Iron Man's suit is every tech-lovers fantasy, it's also aesthetically bad ass. I think what also appeals is a number of screw ups this guy goes through. I mean he created Ultron after all and out of all of the heroes probably suffers from the most hubris. That's what makes it fascinating to watch. Arrogance & Charm are in, Moral compass is out. Tony does have his redeeming qualities of course, when the chips are down he's who you want in your corner. 

Origin: Marvel Comics created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & Don Heck.

7. Naruto Uzumaki

DeviantArt Cred: Quirkilicious

Naruto has most assuredly been a sleeper hit, starting off with a slow following then taking off without warning. The show has built up quite an impressive worldwide base of loyal followers. Uzumaki, Naruto is similar to Goku in that everything outside of battle is light-hearted & fun. Bring on any battle & you can't help but root for this guy as his sheer tenacity overcomes the most impossible of odds. If ever an underdog story you love, this is the show for you. He will make you laugh, cry, cheer, bleed, holler & hoot. Naruto has one of the strongest willpower I have ever seen. 

Origin: Manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto.

8. Wolverine

DeviantArt Cred: PatrickBrown

His violent escapades have made him a titular anti-hero in many a fan's heart. With a badass look & temper to boot, The Wolverine was all people could talk about at one point. Without him, there wouldn't have been such a widely accepted film version of Deadpool. Always at odds with his memory loss & de-accelerated aging, Logan is always viewed as the lone wolf type without any roots. In his ferocity, he is unique to the heroes listed before him, called the Beserker Rage for a reason. 

Origin: Marvel Comics created by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita, Sr.

9. Hulk

DeviantArt Cred: MarkHRoberts

 Another character known for his rage & violent tendencies. Together with the Wolverine, the pair are among some of the most misunderstood characters. With other heroes often taking sides against them, believing them too dangerous to be left unchecked. The Hulk is regarded as one of the most physically powerful in the Marvelverse, whose strength only increases with his rage. In truth, sometimes all we want to see is a hero go all out frenzy mode to take out some bad guys. It's the inhibition of it all that appeals. 

Origin: Marvel Comics created byStan Lee and Jack Kirby.

10. Thor

DeviantArt Cred: GENZOMAN

I came across this quote in my research: "He's a God as Strong as the Hulk, energy output on the level of the silver surfer, heart of CaptAmerica, fighting skills of Black Panther and he's a God!"

Haha interesting analogy hey? 

Here we have an honest to legend god in the midst and he's become a superhero. If that's not cool I don't know what is. You don't see Appolo or Osiris flying around to stop bad guys, now do you? 

My favorite quote is from the Avengers movie: "Shakespeare in the park?" 

Thor is the half-blooded God of both Odin & Gaea, as such he is far more powerful than your average Asgardian. His feats of accomplishment range out of text and extraordinary within the Marvelverse. Like Superman, he has to greatly stifle his power in battle least he break the Earth in two. On occasion too, he has been known to let loose and it has been glorious to watch. 

Origin: Norse Mythology firstly. Secondly, Marvel Comics created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller-plotter Jack Kirby.

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If we must take a tally here, we've got DC Comics at 2 characters, Anime/Manga at 2 characters & Marvel Comics at a whopping 6 characters! Well, I'll be a son of a gypsy Queen, who would've thunk it? 

In the next post, I will list Top Ten Best Supervillains of All Time.

If you enjoyed reading this post, check out this post on Superman Vs. Spiderman!

I would be honored if you would share/like/comment below. 

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words

• I’d love to keep connected with you! 

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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

The Light & The Dark: Open Letters to the Anonymous

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Dear Ignorance, lend me your Ears!

After many conversations with you, I have finally realized that nothing I say, do, write or paint will evoke an epiphany in your condescending thoughts. You, who constantly bash on the withering souls because you don’t understand what it’s like to have your heart on your sleeve and a broken heart without choice. Because you see, every time I step into the distorted play we call reality, when I enter the world, YOUR world, I refuse to bow down to your social standards, morals, and beliefs. Because I will not hide the way I feel, I will not wear a mask and sacrifice who I am so you can feel comfortable. I will no longer stand by as you torment another person’s thoughts again and again with sayings like

“Get over it”

“Have you ever tried to just, not be like that all the time?”

“Attention Seeker, that’s all you are”

Because I’ve been there. I’ve stood at the edge of insanity, and pulled myself back into sanity with sheer strength and faith in a God. Who, I am pretty sure has big things in store for me. I’ve been there, seeing someone slowly kill themselves, poisoning their body with any kind of feel-good drug to get away from the never-ending circle of lies, despair and trickery that mental illness just so happens to carry with it. But you see mental illness isn’t satisfied with being alone. No. Misery loves company, and company it will bring.

Feelings of inferiority, check. Self-hatred, check. Loneliness, check. Addiction, check. Anger, check. Anxiety, check. 

Then again maybe you are reading this saying, why? Why is she writing this to me? Maybe because I know that playing house while posting status updates with a ~LifeIsBeautiful~ hashtag and an edited picture of a sunrise, you barely took two seconds to appreciate, is not the way to find happiness. Because life is fucking beautiful, but I don’t look for it in a hashtag, I look for it in the dark. I look for it in the ashes left behind from where a Phoenix just arose. I look for it in the eyes of a human being in so much pain, that they feel they can’t even take one more breath, but they do in any way.

So maybe you won’t understand this post because there are no hashtags, no edited quotes with an inspirational saying. That’s okay. But just know, that I’ve risen from a dark, cold prison named depression. I’ve defeated my own thoughts and broken through the restraints of every instinct in my body. And I will not idly stand by to watch you break down the struggling, I won’t let you interfere with their healing anymore. Barking out your irrelevant comments and destructive criticism. I am strong enough to stand against you and your ignorant thoughts.

With not so much love,

~That person you made The Comment to, but probably don’t even remember.

Great minds think alike but fools never differ.

****************

Dear Wandering souls, lend me your hearts!

I am writing this because I believe your story Must be heard. That too many of us have become unbridled with our focus on the negative. We turn on the news and all we see is how much this beautiful earth has been tarnished. I need them to see you, I need them to feel what I’ve felt.

Remember that interview? I do, you sat in quiet peace while the ladies did all the talking. I shook your hand and that was all I thought of it. In surprise, I got hired and your wisdom was revealed. You knowingly gave authority away without attachment. Which in turn gave them a sense of purpose apart from their daily, monotonous duties. It was the first mark of a True leader if I ever saw one. Before you, I had never known what it meant to be appraised or encouraged to do anything. At most I had to previously force-feed my own ambition. In the days and weeks to come you gave me purpose, tasks that were not meant for a lowly new employee. It pushed me to do more, learn more and above all, it made me actually enjoy something that I never thought I would. 

Before you I believed everything was all about me this, me that. I should have this, or I didn’t get that because of this. Upon sideward glances, I noticed something new. No one felt lower than you, no one inherently avoided you. They gravitated to you and you shepherded them to be better. In those moments, you taught me to not be better than my fellow man but be better than my previous versions. That by helping others get what they want, automatically gets you what you want. I have carried this with me always. A number of times you pulled up your sleeves and jumped into the trenches with us was truly astounding. You didn’t need to do it yet you did. In truth, before you, I had only heard of the word Mentor. You weren’t just someone to aspire to be but someone to inspire them all. 

We would have never found that funding to help the children’s hospital without those late nights you pulled, combing through the never-ending financials. We would have never all come together as a unit of singular motivation to find homes for those that had never known of one. I shudder to think of what would have happened to all those wandering souls had you not been there. Thank you for teaching me the value in appreciating every soul, no matter the flaw. If that was what it meant to be a real man, then you rocked it in spades.

In the wake of your silence, I have written this poem.

Let the dead raise again,

And Death I shall becometh, lay your smoky ring upon my finger.

You are the entity of inevitable choice,

And from Chaos we were all born. It's what binds us, keeps us and forgets us...

There is but only one face I would condemn all of my humanity.

So I say this now. Yes, Hear Me!

Bring me the Doors of thyself,

So I may retrieve what was taken.

Lay claim to my soul and punish my sin,

But deny me none, for Death I shall becometh.

In this tiny little sphere of ours, within the ever expanding sheer mass of the World, you have done more for humanity than they will ever know. Know that in the abyss of darkness, you were that speck of light to break through and free us.

So I know now that I must continue, I must live with the legacy you created. I promise you I will never falter or fail in this mission. Every child saved will know your name, they will come to have hope again and overcome the adversity thrust upon them. They will have hearth again, I swear it against all damnation. I will live every day in honor of your greatness, bringing the Light to all those shackled with the darker parts of humanity.

In finality, I am humbled by the destiny you left me with. Yes, we will soar, we will Phoenix.

This I lay my promise, this I lay my heart.

Find peace my brother.

~"Be kind to one another."~ Ellen DeGeneres

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“The Light & The Dark: Open Letters to the Anonymous”

By

Enricoh Alfonzo & the impeccably talented, Sumarie SteenKamp.

I am so honored to have her guest blog on this post. You don’t have to guess to know that her outstanding work is the first letter.

Sumarie is a web-designer by profession with a passion for words unlike any other that I have ever met. She devotes her spare time to helping friends and promoting other bloggers (I know right? Literary Saint).

If you're interested in taking part in The Blog Tag, either follow the link or click on the image below which will take you to the Facebook group. Breaking News* A new website is also in production!

The Panama Papers: Who leaked the biggest leak in history?

Hero or Whistleblower?

Patriot or Traitor?

Imagine working a 40 hour, sometimes even a 60 hour week. You’re drained…. mentally and physically, then at the end of the month, you see that your paycheck is taxed even more for the overtime you put in or the bonus you’ve been given. As a hard working citizen, we all feel the right to earn more than what we’ve been getting yet we still have hope that all this tax we pay is going towards making our environment a better place.

Come a crisp April 2016 morning, you wake up to find your phone abuzz with notifications for something called The Panama Papers. Upon reading, you’re outraged. “I have to pay taxes and these wealthy bastards haven’t?”

I can understand that outrage. It’s only natural to feel slighted. We slave and slave away, just to earn that middle-class figure only to have it taxed and then there are people out there who earn boat loads of money yet somehow find a way Not to pay taxes. How is that fair?

The Panama papers is the largest data leak in history, dwarfing the data released by the Wikileaks organization in 2010. For context, if the amount of data released by Wikileaks was equivalent to the population of San Francisco, the amount of data released in the Panama Papers is the equivalent to that of India! 11.5 million Documents, 2.6 TB in total. That’s two thousand, six hundred gigabytes! My president can’t even pronounce that! Seriously just Google: “Zuma can't count”

The most astounding part is that the documents were actually made available in early 2015! For a whole year, a consortium of journalists kept this information under wraps. And who said there was no journalistic credibility left in the world? Oh right I was one of them. My bad.

The consortium having been researching the hell out of these documents and Still, have ways to go.

Here is a categorized list of all the current names released from the Panama papers records.

The biggest fall-out since the release has been Icelandic Prime Minister, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson stepping down due to the mounting protest from the people. Booyah! You sow what you reap buddy. He denies that his stepping down had nothing to do with his conscience but we all know the truth.
Furthermore, Africa loses $50 billion a year due to tax evasion and other illicit practices and its 50-year losses top a trillion dollars.

But I’m not here to talk about what the Panama Papers are now about the recent findings. Those can all be found here and there and everywhere, just hashtag #panamapapers

P.s xxxxx Let’s be honest here, it’s no surprise to see who was listed, it’s the same politicians and professionals we’ve suspected for years. I suppose Jackie Chan would be the greatest surprise. Although let me point out that not every person listed is involved in illegal activity. Least of all a tax haven. The company did do some legal activity (only some). What I really would have liked to have seen, is the Pope or the Dalai Lama! Now that would be a brilliant twist. Hey if you literally saw what priests and religious figures get paid, you would question them too.

So Who leaked the biggest leak in history?

Here’s the best, best part, nobody knows!! As with the public polls of Edward Snowden, many should be grateful to this “John Doe” whistleblower for finally providing more than tangible proof that the rich and powerful are avoiding taxes, laundering money and in some cases supporting horrible acts of war.

Mossack Fonseca, the company at the heart of all of this, claims to be above reproach (way to dig your own grave). They say that they’re the victim of a hack to their email servers. Pffttt. Way to try and save face #MOSSUCK

I don’t buy that, it’s the easy way out. Do you?

Could this John Doe actually be a Jane Doe or could it be a group of John and Jane Does? Who knows?

Why did he/she choose the German newspaper?

All I know is that this makes for brilliant creative writing and I’m going to get right to that while this hype is hot! What did he/she/they have to go through to get this data leaked to the world? What obstacles did they face? Was it happenstance or a mission that lead him/her/them to the documents? Was he/she/they former employees of #MOSSUCK Fonseca? Or maybe former clients? So many great questions to fictionally answer.

Well wherever he/she/they are, we owe them a great deal for thanks for being so brave. I mean Vladimir Putin is no man to be trifled with nor are the other powerful people the Panama Papers list. They could be on the run for the rest or their natural born lives. What fun!

This just goes to show, NO ONE is above reproach and EVERY ONE has something to hide, even something as little as “Who ate my double-creamed and frosted sundae?!”

I’m definitely writing a short story on this. Will update this post and create a new one as soon as it’s finished. If you would like to join in, let’s connect J

What are your thoughts on all of this drama? Share your thoughts with me, all thoughts are welcome.

If you enjoyed this post, I’d be honored if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook/Tumblr. Thank you!

Update 2016/04/19*

This Post was Shared/Featured in the French Online Press: http://panamapapers.press/

So honored by this!

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Update 2016/04/20* Irvin Joel of the Tracking Courier Website, is a regular follower of this blog. Upon reading this post, he became inspired to research more on the Panama Papers news. Using his unique skills, he has created an impressively brilliant InfoGraphic displaying the Panama Papers news in One picture.

The Tracking Courier Website is a great website for tracking your shipment, package or consignment from multiple international courier services for free.

So Honored by this!

By Irvin Joel

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Update 2016/05/12*

The beloved Emma Watson has been named in the leaked documents detailing individuals with offshore companies and accounts!

But the Harry Potter actress says she only set up a company in the British Virgin Islands to protect personal details about herself. In a statement to the Spectator, her representatives wrote:

• "Emma (like many high-profile individuals) set up an offshore company for the sole purpose of protecting her anonymity and safety. U.K. companies are required to publicly publish details of their shareholders and therefore do not give her the necessary anonymity required to protect her personal safety, which has been jeopardised in the past owing to such information being publicly available."

Update 2016/12/01*Whistle* can you believe we're in December already? Feels like only yesterday I wrote this post.
Over the past eight months, governments have reported using Panama Papers to help recoup or seize tens of millions of dollars in unpaid taxes or other assets, including more than $80 million in Colombia, $1 million in Slovenia and 375 pounds of silver bullion in Australia. Billions more are being traced for potential tax evasion.

What do you feel? Guilty or not Guilty?

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres