Help the World

I was just reading an article about Mother Teresa on Wikipedia. She left her family at the age of 18 (she never saw them again), and embarked on a journey to help the poor and unwanted people in the world. We seriously need more people like Mother Teresa in the world now more than ever.
Current events, such as the genocide in Darfur and general discomforts of people in the world really disturb me. All the people in the world are human beings just like us, and no matter what, we have to help them some way or another. Looking at infants and young children suffering without food or water for days, or watching poor people who cannot afford medical aid being refused treatment really angers me.
To help these people, the following actions can be taken:

1. When you buy canned food, buy a few extra (they usually only cost a dollar each) and save them. Send them to your local humanitarian aid organization to be sent into unfortunate countries.
2. Buy items made by people from other countries, such as those made by people in Africa living without food or water. True, the items are very expensive, but they are hand made and crafted out of love. Also, you can help this person at least eat and feed the family.
3. Be conscious of the world. Do you really need that new Benz, or those $200 jeans? Make wise choices and don't spend money unnecessarily. Those jeans only fit you for a certain time period. The joy that comes from helping a young child receive an education is priceless.
4. Every Halloween, kids get so much candy that usually ends up in the trash. Instead, keep some for yourself, and send the rest over to a local organization that sends candies and toys to kids around the world.
5. Don't throw away those toys and old sheets that your child used to have when he/she was little. If you think the items are in good condition, donate them. You can make another child happy for the first time.

Just doing these things (you probably already know them) will do a lot to help our neighbors and friends across the world. Not everyone can be like Mother Teresa, but we can at least try.

Anberlin's New Album Cities

Anberlin is the 4th most listened to artist on my iPod. For some reason, of all the bands I listen to , Anberlin appeals to me the most- the guitar is phenomenal, the lyrics are good enough to not bore me the next time I hear the song, and the drummer is always in sync with the vocals and guitars.

I have been listening to Anberlin since 2003, when their first album Blueprints for the Black Market came out. I remeber the first time I popped in the CD, I was taken away by the first song, Readyfuels. Since then, I became a huge fan of Anberlin. Their next album, out in 2005, Never Take Friendship Personal was another success. Songs such as Paperthin Hymn and The Feel Good Drag are still some of my favorite songs of all time. In just a couple of years, Anberlin had composed itself into ears of its listeners.

So, I just couldn't wait till Cities came out in mid-February 2007. The first track is a small intro, and then the second track plays. Track two, 'Godspeed', has amazing guitar and vocals, and Track 3, 'Adelaide', soon became my favorite song from the album. Over these four years, Anberlin has matured from a new band into a fanbase of thousands across the world. Their songs appeal to all, and ratings for Cities have been really great, with most at four out of five or higher.

Next time I run, I am definitely going to listen to Anberlin again. Their songs never lose quality, and now, more than four years later, everytime I listen to Readyfuels, it feels as though I am listening to a new song. Check out their new album at purevolume.com.

(Artist: Anberlin, Genre: Alternate Rock, Label: Tooth & Nail Records)

Book Review: Rich Dad, Poor Dad

I found this book while browsing the New York Times bestseller list. The book, by Robert Kiyosaki, had numerous positive reviews, so I decided to request it from my library.

When I got the book, I was very surprised. The author wrote the book in such a way that it was hard to put it down. He also presented his material with easy to understand language, and cleared up many of my myths about money. Robert Kiyosaki's 'Rich' and 'Poor' dads both helped him be the rich multi-millionaire he is today. However, I don't agree with many of his arguments concerning the differences between rich and poor people. He says that all rich people are business owners, while poor people are the workers. If everyone was a business owner, no business would work. And his worst statement was how talent is always underpaid if you work for someone. If a scientist works for a medical firm, does that mean that the scientist is underpaid?

I rate this book a 4 out of 5. It helps the reader work towards his/her goal to get rich by educating themself, investing, and making money work for them.

Sky Touching Water

This is a picture I took on my Sony F717 of Lake Erie.

Cleveland Public Library

Last Saturday, I went with my parents to the Cleveland Public Library(CPL). Its a huge library, with two buildings and stuffed with books, CDs, DVDs, movies, etc. The first time I went to CPL was to do research for a research paper I was assigned in school. Ever since then, I get all my reading materials from CPL. If you live in the Cleveland area, Cuyahoga County, or Media County, you should definately go to http://www.cpl.org, the library's web page. You will find thousands of books, movies, CDs, anything. And if you find anything interesting, you can always put it on hold and pick it up at a library near you.

I live in Cuyahoga County, and if I am bored or need good books, I go 15 miles north to CPL. Its better than my county's library. I found many old and new movies and songs. There are books in almost a hundred languages, and they have an externsive software collection. I know I am getting too much into this, but going to CPL is much better than going to the mall or Best Buy.

Band of Brothers (TV show)

Recently, I watched all ten episodes of the Band of Brothers. It first aired on HBO in 2001, and is available on DVD and VHS. It tells the heroic and brave story of Easy Comany, from the 506th paratrooper regiment. It begins with the regiment's training and ends when Easy Company captures Hitler's Eagles Nest.

Very dramatic and moving, it brings awe that soldiers had the courage to risk their lives for their country. Band of Brothers was produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. Most of the events in the series is accurate because the veterans from the 506th were interviewed prior to filming. Band of Brothers contains amazing scenes and has awesome CGIs.

My rating for Band of Brothers would be a 9.5 out of 10. Too much cursing and blood/gore. Nice story, though.

Book Review: The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown is probably the best written book I have read in the past few years. Thrilling, suspenseful, and also very informative, it captures the readers' attentions. I got the book from the library yesterday, and it was really hard to put down the book. The plot winds through many twists and turns, and the many brainteasers and puzzles boggled my mind. For anyone interested in the topics of the Holy Grail, puzzles, and secrets encoded in paintings, this would be a good read.

I rate the DaVinci code a 9 out of 10.