A SHORT MORAL STORY

Two Basket Weavers

A wealthy king decided to hold a contest among two highly skilled basket weavers. Ultimately, he wanted to determine who could weave more baskets in a day. The two women would contest for the fastest weaver, with the winner to be awarded a large sum of money as a prize.

It started early in the morning, on the day of the contest, with the two women set to weave their best.

However, one of the women seemed faster than the other, and in only five hours, she had woven two baskets. Meanwhile, the other woman became jealous as she was still on her first basket. 

Shorty, the king came to inspect the two busy women. And then, quite unexpectedly, he said to the faster woman.

"Your baskets are a bit smaller than the required size. You didn't follow the contest rules, therefore you must start all over again. Remember that you don't have much time left"

The jealous woman was so gladdened by what the king had said and she silently mocked the faster woman. She knew it was a great opportunity for her to win the contest.

However, the faster woman wasn't discouraged by her plight. With so much determination and commitment, she started all over again, hoping to achieve success.

By the end of the day, the two women were made to stop weaving as the contest was over. It was time to know the winner.

The other woman had excellently made ten baskets. Everyone was impressed by her skills.

But to the greatest surprise of all, the woman who was made to restart hers, had woven eleven baskets. She still won.

The king who couldn't contain his astonishment and curiosity, asked the faster woman. 

"You had very limited time. Come on, tell me how you won?"

The woman smiled and said. 

"Magic starts to happen once you start believing in yourself"

Many of us tend to give up when things get too hard. We allow disappointments to cripple our self esteem and kill the passion to pursue our dreams. We are afraid to start all over again as we think it's always too late. However, we need to understand that the moment we start believing in ourselves, we start creating confidence. And with confidence, we can do anything in life.

DO YOU KNOW

Who controls the internet?

The internet is a decentralised global network owned and managed by governments, private companies, non-profit organisations and individual users. It is not controlled by any single entity. The internet's technical infrastructure is maintained by organisations like ICANN for domain names and IP addresses and RIRs for IP address allocation. ISPs provide internet access. 

Internet governance involves multiple organisations and entities globally and nationally. The IGF facilitates policy discussions, while governments and regulatory authorities have jurisdiction over internet-related matters within their territories. However countries may have varying levels of control and regulations over internet access and content. Some impose censorship and surveillance. In summary, the internet is a complex network with a collaborative governance structure involving numerous stakeholders. While decentralised,  individual countries have different degrees of control and regulations over their Internet environments. 

SPORT WITH MUSIC AND DANCE

Bossaball

Bossaball is a unique and dynamic sport combining elements of volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, capoeira, music and dance. It was invented in Spain in 2004 by Filip Eyckmans, who sought to create an engaging and entertaining team sport.

Bossaball is played on an inflatable court that features trampolines on each side of the net. The court is divided into different zones, including the attacking and back zones. The objective of the game is to score points by hitting the ball over the net and into the opponent's court in a way that the opposing team cannot return it. Teams consist of three to five players on each side, with one player positioned on the trampoline to gain height and perform aerial acrobatics to spike or block the ball. The other players on the ground use any part of their bodies (except for their hands) to keep the ball in play, combining elements of soccer and volleyball. 

What makes Bossaball unique is the incorporation of music and dance. Each team has its own designated "Samba referee", who provides the rhythm with musical instruments and leads the team in dance moves during the game. The lively atmosphere created by the music adds to the fun and excitement of the sport. 

AFRICAN STORY

"This is good"

An old story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"

One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!" to which the king replied, "No, this is not good!" and ordered him to be sent to jail. 

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should never have entered. Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to it. As they were about to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way. 

As he returned home, the king was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. 

"You are right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. 

"And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad of me to do this."

"No," his friend replied, "This is good! If I had not been in jail, I would have been with you."

PLANTED IN A CONTAINER

Bonsai

Bonsai is a Japanese term which literally translated, means "planted in a container". It originated in the East about 1000 to 500 BC. This Eastern art became more prevalent in the Han, T’Sun and the Tang Dynasties in China. Tomb paintings depict the Crown Prince Zhang Huai having movable landscapes carried around for his personal enjoyment in 706 AD. Bonsai was a sign of wealth and royalty. It was initially introduced to Japan by the Zen Buddhist monks from mainland China. The art was elitist among the rich where the art was perfected over many years. It was only after World War II that the art of bonsai was adopted by Western culture. Bonsai uses only plants species where the trees’ leaf size shrinks and reduces if the trees’ roots are limited to a smaller space. 

Fruit on a bonsai doesn’t reduce in size. The small bonsai is capable of growing normal-sized fruit because it’s genetic.

Different pots are used for different bonsai styles. Pots are not readily available at shops and nurseries. 

Bonsai Styles

Yose-ue (Forest style): Multiple trees and their root systems grow together. The most developed tree is in the middle of a large, shallow pot.

Hakidachi (Broom style): These bonsai are normally shedding trees with fine, straight branches. They grow at a third of a tree’s height. They form a ball shaped top in winter.

Chokkan (Formal upright style): Branches are grown to taper off. This is important as it must be clearly noticeable. This style often occurs naturally in nature.

Moyogi (Informal upright style): This is a very common bonsai style where the trunk is manipulated to form an s-shape where branches extend at every turn of the trunk.

Shakkan (Slanting style): The bonsai is meant to depict a tree, leaning in one direction to show the natural forces of wind.

Kengai (Cascade style): Some trees grow downwards, often due to snow or rocks in nature. This bonsai needs a deep, tall pot as the trunk grows downwards below the soil line.

SekiJoju (Growing on a rock style): The bonsai grows on rocks as it moulds into the cracks of the rock.

Han-Kengai (Semi-cascade style): This is similar to Kengai cascade style, but the branches don’t grow below the container.

DO YOU KNOW

 What happens when you sneeze?

Sneezing is your body’s way of expelling foreign matter such as dust, pollen or smoke from the nostrils to prevent them from travelling to the lungs and causing harm. When the delicate lining of your nose detects one of these contaminants it instantly sends an electrical signal to the brain. 

The brain sends signals to all the parts ofthe body that are needed to help you sneeze. Your chest muscles, diaphragm, abdominals, vocal cords and the muscles in the back of your throat all work together to help expel the irritant. 

In most cases, your eyes are forced shut, the tongue moves to the roof of the mouth and the muscles brace for the sneeze. 

Sneezing pushes water, mucus, and air from your nose with an incredible force and in the process the foreign matter is removed.

SCARY MYTHICAL CREATURES

Vampires

Have you ever wondered where the myth of the vampire originated? Why did so many people believe that such a scary creature really existed? Why are we so fascinated by these monsters today?

What is a vampire?

Vampires are mythical creatures that usually feed on the blood of living creatures (eeuw!). Vampires were originally described as bloated and ruddy. The pale and gaunt version of today only appeared in literature in the 1800s.

In fact, the term ‘vampire’ was not popularly used until the 18th century after there was an influx of vampire superstition into Western Europe from areas like the Balkans and Eastern Europe where vampire legends were popular.

Vampires in literature

Literature had and still has a huge influence on the vampire myth. The charismatic and sophisticated vampire of modern fiction was born in 1819 with the publication of The Vampyre by John Polidori. Bram Stoker’s Dracula, written in 1897, is thought of as the most important vampire novel. It provides all the basics for the modern vampire legend. The massive success of this book started the vampire genre which is still popular today. Think Twilight, for example, although some literary snobs will pull up their noses at the mere mention of it…

How to become a vampire

In modern mythology, the way to become a vampire is to be bitten by a vampire (ouch!). The original ways to become a vampire were even more ridiculous. A dead body was feared to become a vampire if a dog or cat jumped over it. A body with a wound not treated with boiling water was also believed to become a vampire. Doesn’t that sound silly?

Vampires do not make good friends

Vampires were believed to bring misfortune or death to family members or close neighbours. So people who knew the person before they became a vampire would be thought of as being in danger.

Vampire defense 101

According to legend, vampires can be warded off by garlic, a branch of wild rose and hawthorn, or by sprinkling mustard seeds on the roof of your home. A vampire would be forced to spend all night counting the seeds. 

Sacred items such as a crucifix, rosary or holy water were also believed to keep vampires at bay. Vampires are not able to walk on holy ground, such as churches and temples, nor are they able to cross running water. 

Some traditions claim that vampires cannot enter a house unless invited by the owner, but once invited, they could return at anytime.

Vampires are also vulnerable to sunlight so are mainly active during the night.

A proven myth 

In the 18th century the vampire controversy raged on for many generations. Many people believed in vampires and many people were accused of vampirism. People often dug up graves to make sure that the bodies were actually dead (gross!). Empress Maria Therese of Austria sent out her personal physician to investigate claims of vampires. When the doctor concluded that vampires did not exist, the empress passed a law that stopped people from opening graves. This ended the vampire ‘epidemic’. What a relief!

Popular theories:disease and other things

A popular theory as to why people believed in vampires is because they did not know what happens to a body after death. 

Another theory relates to outbreaks of illnesses, such as TB and a form of the bubonic plague, which would infect a family or small community. The illness would take the life of one member of the community, and others would become sick. The lack of understanding of how disease spread caused people to believe that a vampire was the cause of the misfortune.

The most likely disease to have caused the vampire legend is rabies. Vampires were thought to be able to turn themselves into bats and wolves. Bats and wolves are sometimes carriers of rabies. They could spread the disease among humans. Many of the symptoms of rabies are similar to that of identifying a vampire. People affected by rabies are very sensitive to garlic and strong light. The disease can also lead to sleep disturbance, where the person suddenly becomes nocturnal. According to legend, a rabid man cannot look at himself in the mirror. This led to rumours that vampires have no reflections.

Modern medicine has come a long way since then. A doctor can easily tell if a person is ill. No one need sprinkle mustard seeds on the roof to keep the sick person away!

Vampires in pop culture

Today, there are many films and books about vampires, and not all of them are scary monsters. Count Von Count from Sesame Street is a lovable vampire who loves to count (and not just mustard seeds!). Ernest the vampire is a sweet vampire, who lives alone in a big castle, is easily frightened by his nightmares, and has a hard time keeping his pants from falling down!

The next time you are afraid of the dark, just remember that vampires only exist in our imaginations.