The Chinese Cultural Revolution was an attempt to reshape the culture and position of China. From start in Oct. 1966, to finish about 10 years later, the Mao (a political leader of the Communist Party) teachings were dispersed all over China. In order to move forth with his (Mao) new plan, he had to recruit a massive swarm of advocates to put the decision into action. Mao and fellow political leaders traveled to numerous schools rousing students to volunteer to broaden the Cultural Revolution. Mao’s Red Guard was of high value, which pressured students into wanting to join.
Mao and his army of student volunteers, the Red Guard, marched through towns holding banners and singing of the “new” China they were creating. Their goal was to attack the “four olds”, Chinese ideas, culture, customs, and habits. The Red Guard destroyed many factors of these “four olds” like history, paintings, literature, even Temples. But soon confusion occurred. Red Guards started to doubt that their mission was the right thing. They saw the overall goal changing over time. These thoughts were the start of the decline of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, although much damage and change had already occurred. And finally after much revolt and the death of Mao Zedong, the revolution ended in Oct. 1976.
Our old house on the water, in Kaneohe, was home to many spirits, ghosts, and ancient Hawaiian legends. Our family would hear and see these supernatural beings almost everyday, but mainly during the time that darkness swallows the earth. The confinement felt as if a pair of endless, erratic, eyes were embedded in the ceiling, watching our every blink, as our eyes gradually slipped into a deep sleep. Almost like the house itself, had carried on each generation of residents like a book carries on its history. But, the house didn’t convey a heart-dropping-stomach-tingling-experience. The spirits never attempted to hurt us, they just presented many mind-blowing reminders that they were too, present in the house.
The encounter began when my mom spotted an orange flame out of the corner of her eye. The night was still, with dead winds, and dangerous silence. My mom put me down for bed and returned to the movie she and my dad were watching. A half hour later, the movie ended and my mom shut off the television as the credits reeled from the bottom to the top of the screen. My parents flicked off all of the house lights and headed for the bedroom. A reflection emerged on the back window, like a line of bright yellow carpenter ants scurrying across the glass. There was just one problem, carpenter ants aren’t flaming yellow. My parents stood in a daze, as they watched the mysterious lights float by, wondered where the lights were coming from, and feared the events that would follow. “Wait, that isn’t a reflection”, my dad thought to himself. It was miniature torches floating slightly above the water in the distance. Once my dad caught a quick glance at the tiny figures carrying the torches it hit him, “Night Marchers!”
“What did you say Lou? What is it?” my mom questioned.
“Karrie, do not look them in the eye or you will go blind” as he rushed to turn her away from the window, her eyes glued to the traveling flames. My dad grew up on Big Island, so he knew all about the remarkable Hawaiian legends. The Night Marchers were the second ghostly presence in the house. From that time on, the dead winds and silent nights brought with them more than stillness. They brought the Night Marchers.
Our beautiful earth. Why would anyone want to harm this diverse place? It produces the air we breathe everyday, it is our provider. So what can we do in return? We can take care and cherish the world. It may seem like a big responsibility, but the job is not impossible. If everyone picked up just three pieces of trash everyday, the world would be about 136 billion pieces cleaner each week! Image what we could do in a year! We just have to make time to start this domino effect.
The millions of tons of trash being dumped each year significantly influence the Pacific Ocean and its marine life. The atolls, northwest of our Hawaiian Islands are becoming extremely damaged and seem to be the magnet of all the trash in the Pacific. Recent studies have shown that majority of the local sea birds stomachs are filled with trash. They easily mistake the plastics and debris for food and even feed it to their babies which commonly kills them. Luckily this issue has been recently brought up and much more effort has been put in.
The issue comes back to why it is important to protect our earth. The earth provides life and beauty and peace, we aren���t much without it. Any little thing can help, so the next time you see a piece of trash rolling towards a drainage ditch, pick it up, it will only do good!
Now I’m sure you’re wondering why I put this video on my blog. And I’m sure you’re expecting me to talk about how funny and amazing this video is, but I am not going to do that.
13,203,301… that is the number of views this video has. 13,203,301 are more views than the entire population of Pennsylvania! Honestly, I cannot believe how many people have spent the time to watch this Ok Go video. Don't get me wrong, I think it’s really interesting and have probably watched it about three or four times. But as I was comparing the amount views of this video, to the views of the videos like, The African Dream, or Make Poverty History I found that they only have 3,405 views. If you think about it which is more important, watching four guys dance on treadmills or seeing what tremendously terrible tragedies are occurring in Africa right now as you read this? If 13,203,301 people watched just one of the inspiring Africa videos, I think the level of motivation put into saving Africa, would be WAY GREATER! There is so much to learn, and so much that even I don't know. Sir Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is power”… and therefore we can do anything!
If you only listen to the beat of these songs they will be the average song you would hear on the radio. But if you carefully listen to all the words, these songs are deeper than tune, and they tell the truth. They aren’t happy, but are honest. The lyrics talk about kids that are struggling in America as well as the entire world. But what I like most about these two songs, are they both send out a message. The message is that although you may not think so there are people who know how you’re feeling and someone does care about you. In Runaway Love, it mentions that everything is going to be ok, giving children confidence to deal with their situations.
These songs weren’t made to win best album, but to help the kids who have to live with these problems. It not only gives them advice, but hope, and without hope we are without attempt, attempt to make it better. I trust that these songs will one day save a life and turn it into a dream. Or they might just be an inspiration to get through each day. Whatever they are, they will lend a hand, no matter what. “So close your eyes, it's going to be ok”.
Last night I was watching a movie on TBS that gave out a superb message. It was an impacting idea created by a seventh grade boy. Although this movie was not based on a true story I would like to think that we could make it come true.
The idea was from the movie, Pay It Forward. A boy named Trevor was given a assignment by his social studies teacher, to “change the world”. He thought hard about how someone so small, like himself, could change the world. As he was biking home, he came upon a homeless man and decided to take the man home with him. He wasn't afraid and his mom wouldn't notice, being that she was an alcoholic and didn't act as a responsible parent. Trevor was trying to help the homeless man get back on his feet again as a start for his assignment. Then the idea, of how he could change the world came to him:
This is an actual clip from the movie which I believe, shows us that it is possible to change the world. All you have to do is come up with an idea and put it into action.
Eventually, Trevor's idea of "Pay It Forward" spread and a reporter visited to get his story. He interviewed Trevor asking how he had come up with the idea and if he was proud of himself. Trevor just shrugged happily and said that it made sense to help others who could then help more people. And that so many people could be affected by this chain of thought. Trevor was so happy to see what an affect Pay It Forward had on his community. All this time he thought his idea was just a failure.
As he was leaving the interview, he saw a classmate being beat up by a couple of boys in the hall. When he went to help, one the bullies.... I cannot tell you the ending. Maybe it's because it is too sad or maybe because the emotions can't possibly be expressed in words. I would strongly suggest watching this movie because it is a great example of how, even what seems to be impossible, really is possible.
Look around you. What do you see? Have you ever stopped to realize how lucky you are? Even to have a roof over your head, or a bed to lie on. Imagine only having a blanket. And now picture that life for a six year old. This is the story of a child in every country of our world. There are children who are forced to survive on their own. Who don't know what it’s like to have a mother or a father. Children that don't come home to dinner on the table, but a mat to weave, so that maybe they can sell it to a man passing by. Children who work all day for just 50 cents. Kids who would die to go to school, but their families cannot afford it. Or maybe children that have all the potential in the world, but throw it away for the easy way out. Kids who are blessed to have what they do but cannot see beyond what more they can get. Kids who were meant to grow up and create a cure for cancer, but instead choose drugs. Children who are bullied to a point of suicide. Children that are broken down day after day by adults, who know better. Why does it have to be this way?
Doesn't this tell you that something is wrong? That something needs to be done? We all must protect the children. Because the children are the adults of the future, and the leaders of tomorrow.
The Chinese Cultural Revolution was an attempt to reshape the culture and position of China. From start in Oct. 1966, to finish about 10 years later, the Mao (a political leader of the Communist Party) teachings were dispersed all over China. 
