Sabtu, 13 Agustus 2016

Bill And The Boom Box Rocket

Source : http://www.kidsgen.com/short_stories/bill-and-the-boom-box-rocket.htm


Box Rocket Once upon a time there lived a boy named Bill, who always dreamed of flying to the moon.

One summer evening when Bill was trying to go to sleep, he was bothered by his big brother Ron. Ron was playing his new boom box too loud. The only way Bill could go to sleep was to put on some headphones and play a tape. His favorite tape had the sound of the ocean waves splashing up on shore.

As he lay there in bed with his eyes closed pretending he was lying on the beach under a full moon, he began to daydream about flying to the moon in a rocket ship.

The rocket ship was not very big--just big enough for two astronauts. He and his brother Ron were co-astronauts.

Bill called out to Ron, "Navigator ready?" Ron called back in the headset, "Yes, navigator ready."

"Mission control ready?" Bill asked into the headset. "Mission control ready. We will begin countdown in T minus ten seconds, nine seconds, eight seconds" . . . Bill's heart began to race . . . "two seconds, one . . . BLASTOFF!"

Bill and Ron were thrown back into their seats. They could feel the skin on their faces being stretched back towards their ears. Then they felt like they weighed 100 pounds apiece. Their rocket ship zoomed up into the sky so fast everything out the window was just a blur. It seemed like just a couple of minutes had gone by when everything got really smooth and quiet. They were now in outer space!

Bill was sitting in the front seat and Ron was in the back. Bill asked Ron, "What does it look like out the back?" "It looks like earth is just a blue and white ball. You can see the clouds and oceans, but you cannot see any cities or trees."

Ron asked Bill, "Can you see the moon coming up?" "Yes, I see it," Bill said. "I think we will be there in about 30 minutes if my calculations are correct. We're going 25,000 miles per hour and it is about 50,000 miles to the moon." "Cool," said Ron. "I think I will play my GameBoy and listen to some music on my boom box." "You brought your boom box?" Bill was obviously annoyed. "You know I don't go anywhere without my boom box," said Ron. He turned on the music and the boys listened. The time quickly passed.

"Mission control to Bill," came over the headsets. "Bill here." "You will need to prepare for landing in two minutes," said the voice. "Roger, we'll be ready," said Bill. "Here we go. Hold on, it looks like it might be a rough landing." The rocket ship came in very rough. So rough that both Bill and Ron's airbags deployed. Finally, they came to rest. "Bill, are you O.K.?" asked Ron. "Yes, I'm O.K., but that airbag hit me in the face like a rock-hard pillow. I think my nose would be bleeding if I didn't have on this helmet. Let's take a look around and see if the rocket ship is O.K." "Good idea," said Ron.

They put on their moon walk suits. The moon walk suits were big and heavy. They had built in air conditioners to cool them when the sun was on them and a heater to warm them up when they were in the shade. Since they were in outer space, it would go way below freezing in the shade and get so hot you could get burned in the sun. When they stepped outside, they felt like they were floating on air. They only weighed about six pounds each. So when they walked, it was as if they bounced. They bounced up about ten feet with each step. They quickly gathered up some moon rocks as souvenirs. Then they began to inspect the rocket to make sure it was flyable for the return trip. Things did not look good. The portion of the ship that housed the rocket starter was heavily damaged. The batteries that turned the starter were completely destroyed. They began to fear that they might be trapped on the moon. "What are we going to do?" asked Ron. He looked scared. "I don't know," Bill answered. "Let's call Mission Control and see if they have any suggestions."

They went back inside and tossed the moon rocks aside. They called Mission Control. "We will get back to you" was the answer. They needed time to think. "We only have enough food and water for one more day," Ron reminded Bill. "Yeah, we will really need to conserve it." They nervously sat in their seats and waited for Mission Control. No reply. After awhile, Bill jumped up and said, "I've got it! Give me your boom box." Ron said, "What? Are you crazy?" "No just give it to me," said Bill. Ron surrendered his boom box. Bill took it and turned it on real loud and smiled. Ron looked sad. He just knew that Bill was losing his mind.

Then Bill turned off the music and flipped the boom box upside down. He opened the battery compartment and took out the eight large batteries. "I think we can tape these together and make one big battery that will start the rocket," said Bill. "Hand me that duct take from the tool kit." "Sounds like a good idea to me," said Ron. Bill lined up the batteries in two rows of four and taped them together in a bundle. He took a piece of tape and connected a wire to the batteries on each end. He hooked one up to the starter. He took the other wire and ran it back up to his seat in the front. Bill told Ron to get in his seat. "If I touch the wire to the metal on the dashboard, the starter should work and we can blast-off." Ron hoped that he was right. "Are you ready?" Bill asked Ron without waiting for an answer. "Here goes!" As he touched the wire to the dashboard, they could hear the roar of the rocket. Before they knew it, they were zooming back through space towards earth. "Yippee!" how they both yelled.

Just then, Bill's mom pulled the headphones off of his head and told him to go on to sleep. It was easy for Bill to get back to sleep, because he hoped he could pick up his rocket ship dream right where he left off.
Read more at http://www.kidsgen.com/short_stories/bill-and-the-boom-box-rocket.htm#xfS343QBoBwRlrbF.99

Zika Virus

Source :
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/zika-virus-symptoms-prevention

The Zika virus has arrived in the United States, with mosquitoes in South Florida spreading the virus. It causes birth defects in babies born to pregnant women, the CDC says.
That agency has issued travel warnings for pregnant women in countries where the disease is spreading. But the CDC says cases in Florida are not expected to be explosive or widespread.
The virus is mainly spread by mosquitoes, although some cases are sexually transmitted.
What is Zika? How can you avoid it? WebMD answers your questions.

What is the Zika virus? How do you catch it?



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How Does Zika Damage a Baby’s Brain?

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aedes albopictus mosquito
The Zika virus, first identified in Uganda in 1947, is transmitted by the same type of mosquito that carries dengue fever, yellow fever, and chikungunya virus. A mosquito bites an infected person and then passes those viruses to other people it bites. Outbreaks did not occur outside of Africa until 2007, when it spread to the South Pacific.
The CDC has confirmed Zika can spread through sex, usually after a person traveled to an area where Zika has broken out, got the virus, and gave the virus to a sex partner who did not travel. Infected women and men can both pass the virus to sex partners -- even if they haven’t shown symptoms of infection, the CDC says.
The CDC is aware of a report that Brazilian scientists have found the virus in the saliva and urine of infected people, CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, told reporters, but more information is needed.

What are the symptoms of Zika?

The disease can cause fever, rash, joint pain, and redness in the whites of the eye. But most people won’t know they have it.
“Only about 1 in 5 people with the virus will exhibit symptoms,” says Amesh Adalja, MD, a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. “The vast majority have no symptoms at all.”
Zika has “never been thought of as a severe infectious disease until now,” Adalja says.

Is Zika similar to other mosquito-borne illnesses, such as dengue fever, chikungunya, or West Nile virus?

All can cause a variety of flu-like symptoms that range in severity and can last from a few days to more than a week. As with Zika, few people infected with dengue or West Nile will show any symptoms.

Kisah Nabi Adam

Source : https://kisahmuslim.com/2544-kisah-nabi-adam-alaihis-salam.html

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala memberitahukan kepada para malaikat tentang penciptaan Adam ‘alaihis salam, Dia berfirman:
“Sesungguhnya aku hendak menjadikan seorang khalifah di muka bumi.” (QS. Al Baqarah: 30)
Yakni makhluk yang satu dengan yang lain saling menggantikan. Demikianlah Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala memberitahukan kepada para malaikat tentang penciptaan Adam sebagaimana Dia memberitahukan perkara besar sebelum terwujud.
Kemudian para malaikat bertanya kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala meminta diterangkan hikmah diciptakannya manusia, karena para malaikat mengetahui bahwa di antara manusia ada yang membuat kerusakan di bumi dan menumpahkan darah. Menurut Qatadah, mereka mengetahui demikian karena mereka melihat makhluk sebelum Adam, yaitu jin dan Hin (sekelompok jin atau golongan jin yang lemah). Menurut Ibnu Umar, dua ribu tahun sebelum Adam diciptakan, jin sudah ada (menempati bumi), lalu mereka menumpahkan darah, maka Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala mengutus satu pasukan malaikat, lalu mereka mengusirnya ke jazirah laut.”
Menurut para malaikat, jika hikmah diciptakannya manusia adalah untuk beribadah kepada Allah, maka sesungguhnya mereka telah beribadah kepada-Nya, mereka berkata,
“Mengapa Engkau hendak menjadikan (khalifah) di bumi itu orang yang akan membuat kerusakan padanya dan menumpahkan darah, padahal Kami senantiasa bertasbih dengan memuji Engkau dan mensucikan Engkau?” Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala berfirman, “Sesungguhnya Aku mengetahui apa yang tidak kamu ketahui.” (QS. Al Baqarah: 30)
Dia mengetahui maslahat yang lebih kuat dengan menciptakan Adam dan keturunannya, karena akan ada di antara mereka yang menjadi para nabi dan rasul, para shiddiqin, para syuhada, para ulama dan orang-orang yang mengamalkan agama-Nya, yang mencintai-Nya, dan mengikuti para rasul-Nya.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala menciptakan Adam ‘alaihis salam dari tanah di bumi dan airnya, lalu membentuknya dengan bentuk yang sebaik-baiknya, kemudian Dia tiupkan ruh ke dalamnya, maka jadilah dia sebagai manusia yang hidup yang terdiri dari daging, darah, dan tulang. Hari penciptaan Adam ‘alaihis salam adalah hari Jumat, Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam bersabda,
خَيْرُ يَوْمٍ طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمْسُ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ فِيهِ خُلِقَ آدَمُ وَفِيهِ أُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَفِيهِ أُخْرِجَ مِنْهَا وَلَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ إِلَّا فِي يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ
“Sebaik-baik hari yang matahari terbit padanya adalah hari Jumat. Pada hari itu Adam diciptakan, pada hari itu ia dimasukkan ke surge, dan pada hari itu ia dikeluarkan darinya, dan Kiamat tidaklah QS.adi kecuali pada hari Jumat.” (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)
Beliau shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam juga bersabda,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَ آدَمَ مِنْ قَبْضَةٍ قَبَضَهَا مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْأَرْضِ فَجَاءَ بَنُو آدَمَ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْأَرْضِ فَجَاءَ مِنْهُمْ الْأَحْمَرُ وَالْأَبْيَضُ وَالْأَسْوَدُ وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَالسَّهْلُ وَالْحَزْنُ وَالْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ
Sesungguhnya Allah Ta’ala menciptakan Adam dari segenggam yang digenggam-Nya dari semua tanah di muka bumi. Oleh karena itu, anak cucu Adam hadir sesuai keadaan tanah (warna dan tabiatnya), maka di antara mereka ada yang berkulit merah, putih, hitam dan antara itu. Ada pula yang lunak, keras, yang jelek dan yang baik.” (HR. Tirmidzi, ia berkata, “Hadis ini hasan shahih.” Hadis ini dishahihkan pula oleh Syaikh Al Albani dalam Al Misykat (100) dan Ash Shahiihah (1630). Menurut penyusun Tuhfatul Ahwadzi, hadis ini diriwayatkan pula oleh Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Hakim dan Baihaqi)
Setelah Adam hidup dan bisa bergerak, maka Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala mengajarkan kepadanya nama-nama segala sesuatu, Dia berfirman,
“Dan Dia mengajarkan kepada Adam nama-nama (benda-benda) seluruhnya,” (QS. Al Baqarah: 31)
Menurut Ibnu Abbas, yaitu nama-nama yang biasa dikenal manusia, seperti manusia, hewan, tanah, tanah yang datar, laut, gunung, unta, keledai dan lain sebagainya seperti umat-umat dan lain-lain. Menurut Mujahid, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala mengajarkan kepadanya nama setiap binatang, setiap burung dan segala sesuatu. Menurut Ar Rabii’, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala mengajarkan kepadanya nama-nama para malaikat.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala ingin menunjukkan keutamaan Adam dan kedudukannya di sisi-Nya kepada para malaikat, maka Dia tunjukkan kepada malaikat segala sesuatu yang telah diajarkan kepada Adam, Dia berfirman:
“Sebutkanlah kepada-Ku nama benda-benda itu jika kamu mamang benar orang-orang yang benar!” (QS. Al Baqarah: 31)
Para malaikat pun menjawab,
“Mahasuci Engkau, tidak ada yang Kami ketahui selain dari apa yang telah Engkau ajarkan kepada kami.” (QS. Al Baqarah: 32)
Maka Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala memerintahkan kepada Adam untuk memberitahukan kepada mereka nama-nama benda yang tidak diketahui para malaikat; mulailah Adam menyebutkan nama-nama benda yang diperlihatkan kepadanya, ketika itu Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala berfirman kepada para malaikat,
“Bukankah sudah Aku katakan kepadamu, bahwa sesungguhnya Aku mengetahui rahasia langit dan bumi dan mengetahui apa yang kamu lahirkan dan apa yang kamu sembunyikan?” (QS. Al Baqarah: 33)
Kemudian QS.adilah dialog antara Adam ‘alaihis salam dengan para malaikat sebagaimana yang diceritakan Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam kepada kita:
خَلَقَ اللَّهُ آدَمَ وَطُولُهُ سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا ثُمَّ قَالَ اذْهَبْ فَسَلِّمْ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ مِنْ الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَاسْتَمِعْ مَا يُحَيُّونَكَ تَحِيَّتُكَ وَتَحِيَّةُ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ فَقَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَقَالُوا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ فَزَادُوهُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ فَكُلُّ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى صُورَةِ آدَمَ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ الْخَلْقُ يَنْقُصُ حَتَّى الْآنَ
“Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala menciptakan Adam dengan tingginya 60 hasta, kemudian Dia berfirman, “Pergilah dan ucapkan salam kepada para malaikat itu, lalu dengarkanlah salam penghormatan mereka kepadamu; sebagai salammu dan salam keturunanmu.” Maka Adam berkata, “As Salaamu ‘alaikum.” Mereka menjawab, “As Salaamu ‘alaika wa rahmatullah,” mereka menambah “wa rahmatullah.” Maka setiap orang yang masuk ke surga mengikuti rupa Adam, dan bentuk makhluk senantiasa berkurang (semakin pendek) hingga sekarang.” (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala memerintahkan para malaikat untuk sujud kepada Adam untuk menghormatinya, maka mereka pun sujud kecuali Iblis, ia menolak sujud dan bersikap sombong terhadap perintah Tuhannya, lalu Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala bertanya kepadanya –sedangkan Dia lebih mengetahui-,
“Wahai Iblis! Apa yang menghalangimu sujud kepada yang telah Ku-ciptakan dengan kedua tangan-Ku. Apakah kamu menyombongkan diri ataukah kamu (merasa) termasuk orang-orang yang (lebih) tinggi?” (QS.. Shaad: 75)
Lalu Iblis menjawab dengan angkuhnya,
“Aku lebih baik daripadanya, karena Engkau ciptakan aku dari api, sedangkan dia Engkau ciptakan dari tanah.” (QS.. Shaad: 76)
Iblis tidak menyadari padahal tanah lebih baik daripada api, tanah lebih bermanfaat daripada api, karena pada tanah terdapat ketenangan, mudah diolah dan menumbuhkan tanaman, sedangkan pada api terdapat keadaan yang tidak terarah, ringan, cepat dan membakar.
Maka Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala menjauhkan Iblis dari rahmat-Nya dan menjadikannya terusir dan terlaknat, Dia berfirman,
“Maka keluarlah kamu dari surga; sesungguhnya kamu adalah orang yang terkutuk,– Sesungguhnya kutukan-Ku tetap atasmu sampai hari pembalasan.” (QS.. Shaad: 77-78)
Kemudian Iblis semakin benci kepada Adam dan keturunannya, dia bersumpah dengan nama Allah untuk menghias keburukan kepada mereka, dia berkata, “Demi kekuasaan Engkau, aku akan menyesatkan mereka semuanya,—Kecuali hamba-hamba-Mu yang ikhlas di antara mereka.” (QS.. Shaad: 82-83)
Maka Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala berfirman kepadanya,
“Sesungguhnya Aku pasti akan memenuhi neraka Jahannam dengan jenis kamu dan dengan orang-orang yang mengikuti kamu di antara mereka semuanya.” (QS.. Shaad: 85)
As Suddiy menceritakan dari Abu Shalih dan Abu Malik dari Ibnu Abbas, dan dari Murrah dari Ibnu Mas’ud serta dari beberapa orang sahabat, bahwa mereka berkata, “Iblis dikeluarkan dari surga dan Adam ditempatkan di surga, maka Adam berjalan-jalan di surga sendiri tanpa ada pasangan yang dapat menenteramkannya, ia pun tidur, ketika bangun, ternyata di dekat kepalanya ada seorang wanita yang duduk, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala menciptakannya dari tulang rusuknya.
Adam lalu bertanya kepadanya, “Siapa engkau?” Ia menjawab, “Seorang wanita.” Adam bertanya, “Untuk apa engkau diciptakan?” Ia menjawab, “Agar engkau dapat merasa tenteram denganku.” Lalu para malaikat berkata kepadanya melihat ilmu yang dimiliki Adam, “Siapa namanya wahai Adam?” Ia menjawab, “Hawa’.” Mereka berkata lagi, “Mengapa (disebut) Hawa’?” Adam menjawab, “Karena ia diciptakan dari sesuatu yang hidup.”
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala memerintahkan Adam dan istrinya Hawa’ untuk tinggal di surga dan memakan buah-buahan yang ada di sana serta menjauhi sebuah pohon sebagai ujian kepada keduanya, Dia berfirman,
“Wahai Adam! diamilah olehmu dan istrimu surga ini, dan makanlah makanan-makanannya yang banyak lagi baik di mana saja yang kamu sukai, dan janganlah kamu dekati pohon ini, yang menyebabkan kamu termasuk orang-orang yang zalim.” (QS. Al Baqarah: 35)
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala juga memperingatkan Adam dan istrinya agar tidak tergoda oleh Iblis serta mengingatkan permusuhan Iblis kepada keduanya, Dia berfirman,
“Wahai Adam! Sesungguhnya ini (iblis) adalah musuh bagimu dan bagi istrimu, maka sekali-kali janganlah ia sampai mengeluarkan kamu berdua dari surga, yang menyebabkan kamu menjadi celaka.” (QS. Thaha: 117)
Mulailah Iblis berpikir tentang cara menyesatkan Adam dan Hawa’, setelah berhasil menemukan caranya, maka ia pun melakukan rencananya itu, ia pun mendatangi Adam dan Hawa’ dan berkata,
“Wahai Adam! Maukah saya tunjukkan kepada kamu pohon kekekalan dan kerajaan yang tidak akan binasa?” (QS.. Thaha: 120)
Maka Adam dan Hawa membenarkan ucapan Iblis itu karena sumpahnya, dimana menurut keduanya tidak mungkin ada seorang yang berani bersumpah secara dusta dengan nama Allah, maka Adam dan Hawa’ pun pergi mendatangi pohon itu dan memakan buahnya. Ketika itulah terjadi peristiwa yang mengejutkan, keduanya terbuka auratnya dan telanjang karena maksiatnya dan keduanya pun merasa malu dan sedih sekali, segeralah keduanya mendatangi pepohonan dan memetik daun-daunnya untuk menutupi auratnya, maka Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala berfirman kepada Adam dan Hawa’,
“Bukankah Aku telah melarang kamu berdua dari pohon kayu itu dan Aku katakan kepadamu, “Sesungguhnya setan itu adalah musuh yang nyata bagi kamu berdua?” (QS.. Al A’raaf: 22)
Ketika itu Adam dan Hawa’ sangat menyesal sekali karena telah bermaksiat kepada Allah, segeralah keduanya bertobat dan beristighfar, keduanya berkata,
“Ya Tuhan Kami, kami telah menganiaya diri kami sendiri, dan jika Engkau tidak mengampuni kami dan memberi rahmat kepada kami, niscaya kami termasuk orang-orang yang rugi.” (QS.. Al A’raaf: 23)
Setelah Adam dan Hawa’ menyesal dan beristighfar, maka Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala menerima tobatnya dan memerintahkan keduanya untuk turun ke bumi dan hidup di sana.
Mulailah Adam hidup di bumi dan membuka lembaran perjalanan hidupnya yang baru di sana. Di bumi itu, Adam memiliki banyak keturunan, ia mendidik dan mengajarkan mereka serta memberitahukan mereka, bahwa hidup di dunia merupakan ujian dan cobaan, dan hendaknya mereka berpegang teguh dengan petunjuk Allah serta berwaspada terhadap tipu daya setan. Ia juga mengajak keturunannya agar menyembah Allah, memberitahukan kepada mereka tentang kebenaran dan keimanan, memperingatkan mereka akan bahayanya syirk, kemaksiatan, dan bahayanya menaati setan sampai ia wafat.
Ketika Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam dimi’rajkan ke langit, maka Beliau bertemu Nabi Adam ‘alaihis salam di langit pertama dan dikatakan kepada Beliau, “Ini adalah bapakmu Adam ‘alaihis salam, maka ucapkanlah salam kepadanya.” Maka Beliau mengucapkan salam kepadanya dan Adam ‘alaihis salam menjawab salamnya dan berkata, “Selamat datang anak yang saleh dan nabi yang saleh.” (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)
Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam juga memberitahukan kepada kita, bahwa manusia akan mendatangi Adam ‘alaihis salam dan berkata, “Wahai Adam, engkau adalah bapak manusia. Allah menciptakanmu dengan tangan-Nya, meniupkan  ruh (ciptaan)-Nya kepadamu, dan memerintahkan para malaikat untuk sujud kepadamu dan menempatkanmu di surga, tidakkah engkau memberikan syafaat untuk kami kepada Tuhanmu, tidakkah engkau melihat keadaan kami ini dan apa yang menimpa kami? Tetapi Adam ‘alaihis salam tidak bisa memberikannya dan menyebutkan uzurnya. Ia malu kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala karena pernah memakan pohon yang dilarang-Nya sehingga ia menyuruh mereka pergi mendatangi nabi yang lain.
Wallahu a’lam, wa shallallahu ‘alaa nabiyyinaa Muhammad wa ‘alaa aalihi wa shahbihi wa man waalaah.
Marwan bin Musa
Maraaji’: Mausu’ah Al Usrah Al Muslimah (dari situs www.islam.aljayyash.net), Qashashul Anbiya’, Al Maktabatusy Syamilah dll.

Time Love

Source : http://www.kidsgen.com/short_stories/time_love.htm

Once upon a time, in an island there lived all the feelings and emotions : Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to them that the island would sink! So all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a boat. Love said,
"Richness, can you take me with you?"
Richness answered, "Sorry Love, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat and so there is no place here for you."

Love next asked Vanity who was also sailing by. Vanity was also ready with the same answer.
"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, take me along with you."
"Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!", sadness said in a sullen voice.

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so preoccupied with her happiness that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. An overjoyed Love jumped up into the boat and in the process forgot to ask where they were going. When they arrived at a dry land, the elder went her own way.

Realizing how much was owed to the elder, Love asked Knowledge another elder, "Who Helped me?"
"It was Time," Knowledge answered.
"Time?" thought Love. Then, as if reading the face of Love, Knowledge smiled and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

Read more at http://www.kidsgen.com/short_stories/time_love.htm#vQFgxCMXFFuTEx0F.99

The Crooked Hyena

Source : http://www.kidsgen.com/short_stories/crooked_hyena.htm

In a thick bamboo jungle, two young pandas had started their new life. Both of them were very cute and chubby. They were born only a few days ago. Their mother had lovingly christened them Jackie and Mickey.

Jackie and Mickey were pretty young and weak. They were not even big enough to take care of themselves. Therefore their mother said, "Kids, you are growing now, you should be able to differentiate between a friend and a foe."

"Mother, who are friends and foes?" asked Jackie and Mickey.

"One who helps us and stands by us in all our odds is our friend. And one who harms us, kills innocent animals and birds, is our enemy. Do you understand anything?" asked their mother.

"Yes mother, we do understand. We will maintain a safe distance from our enemies and not even let them come near us, "Jackie and Mickey assured their mother.

"Good, my children. I was expecting the same understanding from both of you. Now I can leave you alone as you have grown wise, "said their mother and she gave her children a hug.

image: http://www.kidsgen.com/short_stories/images/panda2.gif
The next day Mother Panda went to visit her sister. She left Jackie and Mickey alone and went away.

All this while a Hyena was keeping an evil eye on Jackie and Mickey. He was looking for a right opportunity for the past few days. The Hyena's mouth watered when he saw the young and chubby pandas. With their mother away, the Hyena found that much-awaited opportunity.

The Hyena came near the bamboo and said, "Hello friends, what are you doing on the bamboo. Come near me, I will sing you a song and take you both for a jungle-ride."

The pandas were surprised to hear the Hyena. On seeing the dangerous -looking Hyena down-below, Jackie whispered, "This cannot be our friend. He has a big teeth. Our mother had asked us to stay away from enemies. We have to be careful and don't have to go near the Hyena.

On hearing what Jackie had to say, Mickey cried aloud, "You wicked Hyena ,you are our enemy, you want to eat us to satisfy your hunger. We will never get down."

"Are you out of your mind? Believe me I am not your enemy, I am your friend, "the Hyena tried to convince the young pandas.

Mickey heard the Hyena and understood clearly that his intentions were not correct. He thought, "This devil will not leave us peacefully. We have to think about some other trick to get rid of him for some time."

Suddenly his eyes fell on the bamboo and he said, "Our mother had advised us not to make friends with anybody till flowers bloomed on the bamboo. So you will have to wait till the bamboo flowers."

"All right then, I will wait. All the young children should obey their mothers, "said the crooked Hyena grimacing.

The Hyena realized that his luring the young pandas had back-fired. Totally dejected, he went away. Jackie and Mickey heaved a sigh of relief as the Hyena went away. They once again got busy eating fresh soft leaves of bamboo.

image: http://www.kidsgen.com/short_stories/images/hyena.gif
The flowers bloomed on the bamboo within a week's time.

The Hyena's happiness knew no bounds and he said aloud to himself, "Wonderful, flowers on the bamboo have brought me good luck. Now both the young pandas have to be friends with me. I will lure them away and feast on them."

The Hyena once again came to the pandas and said, "Now the flowers have bloomed on the bamboo. Hurry up and get down to shake hands with me."

Mickey was very upset and was at his wit's end as to how to get rid of the beast this time. Jackie however, was least afraid of the Hyena. He was busy sharpening a thick bamboo pointed at both its ends. When the bamboo became pointed, he hurled it towards the Hyena.

He pointed towards the pointed bamboo and said, "We can become friends only when you put the bamboo in your mouth and jump from that cliff."

The flabbergasted Hyena asked, "But why should I jump with bamboo in my mouth? Can't we become friends without this exercise?"

"Absolutely not. Our mother had said that if the Hyena does not jump with the bamboo in his mouth ,we should not be friends with him. If you have to be our friend then you have to do as I say", said Jackie very seriously.

The Hyena became thoughtful. He was thoroughly trapped in Jackey's trap. If he refused to do what was being told, he had to retreat. Finally, under compulsion he decided to jump with the bamboo in his mouth.

Despite his reluctance, the Hyena inserted the pointed end of the bamboo in his mouth and climbed the cliff and jumped.

The moment he landed on the ground, the Hyena shouted loudly in pain, "Oh my God! I am dead. The bamboo has pierced through my neck."

The panda brothers jumped with joy. Meanwhile the Mother Panda had also returned after visiting her sister. She saw the Hyena writhing in pain. Jackey and Mickey told her everything. When she came to know everything, she applauded her sons and said, "Well done, you have proved that both of you are brave and intelligent and can defend yourself from prying enemies."

The Hyena, with the bamboo stuck in his mouth, was in a really bad shape. He ran away as fast as he could and was never seen in the jungle again.
Read more at http://www.kidsgen.com/short_stories/crooked_hyena.htm#9ZGz4IdX5jJybEcE.99

Why Are My Feet Burning ?

Source : http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/burning-feet-causes-treatments

A burning sensation in your feet may be caused by nerve damage in the legs, also called neuropathy. Although many medical conditions can cause burning feet, diabetes is the most common. Most burning feet treatments focus on preventing further nerve damage and reducing pain.

Causes of Burning Feet

Most often, neuropathy is the cause of burning feet. Damaged nerve fibers are more likely to become overactive and misfire. The damaged nerves send pain signals to the brain even though there is no wound.
In most people with neuropathy, the leg nerves become damaged first. These people often have tingling and numbness in the feet as well. Many people complain that their feet are overly sensitive to touch (hyperesthesia) and can have varying degrees of burning pain. It can range from mild to disabling.




Diabetes and alcohol abuse are by far the most common causes of neuropathy in the legs. Many other conditions can cause neuropathy or a burning sensation in the feet:

Besides neuropathy, infections and inflammation of the feet can also cause a burning sensation. The most common of these is athlete's foot, an infection of the skin caused by fungus.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) also commonly causes burning feet. The poor circulation of blood to the feet may frequently cause pain, tingling, and burning feet, especially while walking.
Weeks or months after gastric bypass surgery, some people experience a burning feet sensation. Poor absorption of B vitamins after gastric bypass can cause neuropathy in the legs and a sensation of burning feet.

Diagnosing Burning Feet

Most people who have burning feet have a likely cause (such as diabetes) that can be identified. For these people, the diagnosis of burning feet due to neuropathy is straightforward, and additional testing is not needed.
In a few people whose burning sensation is sudden, rapidly worsening, or has no explainable cause, further testing may be needed to make a correct diagnosis. These tests may include:
  • Electromyography (EMG). A test of muscle function using recordings of electrical activity inside the muscles. A probe may be placed on the skin, or a needle may be inserted into the muscle, for an EMG test.
  • Nerve conduction study. A nerve conduction study tests the ability of nerves to transmit impulses. A nerve is stimulated, and the response in the muscle controlled by that nerve is measured.
  • Laboratory tests. Sometimes, tests of blood, urine, or spinal fluid may be suggested to help diagnose the cause of burning feet. Vitamin levels can be checked with a simple blood test.
  • Nerve biopsy. Very rarely, a doctor may suggest cutting out a piece of nerve tissue and examining it under a microscope.

TUSK Sinopsis

Source : http://movienthusiast.com/tusk-2014/


Dwillogi The Human Centipede milik Tom Six menawarkan cerita horor tentang eksperimen sinting dari dokter bedah dan tukang parkir sakit jiwa yang terobsesi menyatukan beberapa manusia menjadi kelabang raksasa. Ya, itu adalah tontonan horor yang gila, lalu apa hubungannya dengan Tusk? Garapan teranyar Kevin Smith (Clerks, Zack and Miri Make a Porno dan Cop Out) ini memang tidak ada hubungannya dengan The Human Centipede, tetapi ia punya konsep yang sama edan-nya ketika menghadirkan premis body horor modern yang diadaptasi dari cerita dari SModcast Smith yang tidak kalah disturbing-nya.
Wallace Bryton (Justin Long) dan Teddy Craft (Haley Joel Osment, ya, ini bocah kecil dalam The Sixth Sense dan A.I) adalah pasangan pembawa acara dari sebuah podcast (radio internet) The Not-See Party yang disetiap siarannya selalu mengolok-olok dan mempermalukan video-video viral. DI suatu kesempatan, Wallace harus terbang ke Manitoba, salah satu kota kecil di Kanada guna mewancarai salah satu sumber ejekannya. Sayang orang yang dituju keburu meninggal bunuh diri karena malu. Putus asa karena tidak mendapatkan berita buat radionya, Wallace tanpa sengaja mendapatkan tawaran menarik dari tulisan dari papan pengumuman yang tertempel di toilet bar, tawaran tempat tinggal gratis dan jaminan, sebuah cerita terbaik yang pernah ada. Tertarik dan ketimbang pulang dengan tangan kosong, Wallce kemudian mendatangi kediaman pemilik cerita, seorang pria tua bernama Howard Howe (Michael Parks) yang tinggal di pinggiran Manitoba.  Dari sini mimpi buruk Wallace pun dimulai.
Spoiler Alert!
Susah untuk tidak sedikit membocorkan premis Tusk ketika menuliskan ulasannya, jadi sebelum meneruskan membaca lebih baik perhatikan peringatan di atas ketimbang kamu menyesal seperti kebanyakan karakter dalam film horor yang membandel.
Seperti yang saya bilang di atas, Tusk sedikit banyak mengingatkan saya pada dwilogi The Human Centipede, kenapa? Keduanya punya konsep serupa, tentang manusia sinting yang terobsesi ‘membinatangkan’ manusia lain. Jika karkater dalam dua film Tom Six begitu memuja kelabang a.k.a kaki seribu, maka di sini, antagonis Smith memilih walrus, ya, kamu tidak salah membaca, W-A-L-R-U-S. Jadi sekarang kita tahu mengapa Smith memberi judul horornya ini “Tusk” alias “gading” atau “taring” dalam bahasa Indonesia.
Premis Tusk memang terdengar mengerikan sekaligus aneh dan konyol. Jika menyatukan manusia dari anus ke anus saja untuk menjadikan mereka sebagai kelambang sudah terdengar ‘sakit’ meskipun secara medis bisa dilakukan, di Tusk, Smith menugaskan karakter psycho yang dimainkan gemilang oleh aktor veteran Michael Parks untuk menipu korbannya, dalam kasus ini ada Wallace Bryton malang yang harus menerima mimpi terburuknya ketika kakek tua itu berhasil membiusnya dan satu persatu meng-oprek tubuhnya menjadi seekor walrus jantan lengkap dengan gadingnya. Memang idenya susah untuk diterima akal sehat, tetapi ini horor, terkadang genre ini memang punya kegilaannya sendiri dan Smith tahu itu.
Untuk sebuah body horror, Tusk memang punya tema gila dan menijikan, mentransformasi manusia menjadi separuh binatang itu terdengar sakit jiwa, meskipun harus diakui dalam mempresentasikannya, Smith terkesan terlalu santai dan masih kurang maksimal. Sampai separuh filmnya, Smith memang berhasil menyembunyikan erat-erat premisnya dengan lebih banyak menonjolkan komedinya. Kita tidak pernah tahu apa yang terjadi setelah percakapan panjang antara Wallace dan Howard. Howard menepati janjinya, memberikan Wallce sebuah cerita hebat dari pengalaman hidupnya, dan ketika cerita Howard berujung dengan pershabatannya dengan seekor walrus yang di beri nama Mr. Tusk, dari sinilah Tusk mulai menarik.
Tetapi ketimbang langsung pada pokok ceritanya, Smith memilih untuk menghabiskan banyak durasinya melalukan flash back yang melibatkan sahabat sekaligus rekan kerjanya, Teddy Craft dan kekasih cantiknya, Ally (Génesis Rodríguez), masalahnya, itu bukan kilas balik yang penting. Kebanyakan hanya diisi percakapan tidak penting dari tiga karakternya yang sebenarnya dengan mudah dipersingkat. Lalu transformasi habis-habisan Wallce menjadi “Mr.Tusk” tidak didukung konstum dan make-up meyakinkan, sehingga imbasnya, Tusk terkesan menjadi horor “bodoh” yang murahan. Tetapi bukan berarti ia tidak menyenangkan untuk ditonton. Berbekal ide gila dan penampilan yang sama gilanya dari Michael Parks, Tusk masih cukup menarik untuk ditonton, terutama di seperempat akhirnya ketika segala flachback itu mulai menghilang dan ketika Smith menampilkan cameo kejutan dari Johnny Deep yang sempat tidak saya percayai ketika ia mau memerankan detektif alkoholik Guy Lapointe nyentrik di horor ‘murahan’ macam ini.