The Last Letter

Source: http://scary-story.com/entry/death/2014/09/29/the-last-letter.html

I spent several days of that summer out of city. When I returned home I noticed mail box stuffed with letters to the top. There were about thirty of them. Letters without return address, some heavy and wet to the touch as if they were in the water or, rather, filled with water within.  

My name and address were on all envelopes. Strangely enough, they were scrawled across the envelope with red ink for the most part. Letter smelled decaying meat and garbage. Frankly speaking, I didn’t want to take them home, but curiosity turned out to be stronger than disgust. I hurry-scurry managed to take letters into the house and spilled them in a sink in the kitchen to save home from this stench. 

I chose from the heap least moist and more or less neat letter and opened it. There were photos – pictures of strangers with punctured eyes, knocked-out teeth, mouths long-drawn in a crazy smile and cut open throats. What I saw made me sick. I didn’t what to think what was in other letters. I feverishly opened letter by letter and little by little I gathered a heap of photos with mutilated people - bodies with cut off limbs, lying on operating tables dissected bodied with taken away organs, hung people with bowelled guts, bleeding… Traces of blood and dirt could be seen on some wet letters. 

I caught a sight of dimly familiar person in one picture. And the more letters I opened, the more familiar faces I saw. I had seen some people at work, with some people I had gone to school. I found photos with mutilated bodies of my close friends and family in last letters.  

When I kept the last letter I was stricken with sudden understanding, but I had no choice. I opened it and saw… myself. As opposed to the rest of envelopes I was alive in the picture, my eyes were all right, hands and feet were in place. But… 

Numbing, I understood that the pic was taken at the threshold of my house – right before I took my accursed mail.  

I heard steps behind the back. 

10 expert tips for first-timers at the gym

Hitting the gym for the first time can be a real daunting proposition. Everything may seem new to you and you may occasionally feel as though you have landed on a complete new planet. You may even find yourself unsure to perform the most basic exercises. And then again how to use the equipment can be another big challenge. Here is how you can use the treadmill effectively. If you have joined the gym for the first time you may experience soreness of muscles that can also put you off. But do not worry if you can’t do too much at this stage. Everyone starts this way. Here are some useful tips by Althea Shah, Vice President, Marketing & Fitness Expert, Gold’s Gym that will help you commit to a gym membership and improve your fitness.

#1 Find a partner: First of all, you don’t have to do it alone. Drag someone along with you. It could be your family member, a friend or a colleague. You will feel more comfortable as you have someone familiar with you. Not to mention, the added bonus of being able to keep each other motivated. You will obviously make it to the gym when you know that your partner is waiting to workout with you.

#2 Join a beginner’s class: Check the schedule of the gym and sign up for a beginner-level class that sounds appealing. Joining a class for beginners can help if you feel unsure of how to proceed with your workout. Many gyms offer a wide selection of group classes that include yoga, aerobics, step aerobics and dance-style workouts such as zumba. Remember, you’re likely not the only gym newbie in the class. As you exercise in a class, you might feel more confident and even find a future workout partner. Read how zumba aids in weight loss.

#3 Consult a professional: Make an appointment with the fitness adviser of the gym. It could be the manager, head trainer or fitness manager. They will guide you and make a program for you keeping in mind your fitness level and your goals.

The fitness adviser may ask you to do a fitness assessment test before you start. The trainer will take your body measurements and a few simple tests to analyse your physical abilities. Ask for a few sessions with a trainer so you can follow his guidance to understand the routines. Ask the personal trainer everything you want to know about the gym. From knowing how to use the equipment to the correct technique of lifting weights. It’s not to make a fool of yourself or anything, but to avoid serious injury, in the long run.

 #4 Workout gear: Dress as comfortably as you can so that you can move easily. Avoid an overabundance of material since you’ll be sweating. Wear tracks, t-shirts with good supporters, and good quality shoes that fit well. Carry a hand towel and a sipper water bottle to the gym. Make sure you keep sipping water before and through your workouts. Also, do not forget to pack your soap or shampoo if you plan to take a shower there after the exercise. Some gyms provide basic toiletries free of charge. Here are 5 common workout wear errors.

 #5 Do a good warm up: Always do a good warm up before starting your workouts. As your body is not accustomed to workouts you are likely to get soreness in your body because of the lactic acid build up. Warming up before the gym increases the blood flow in the muscles that can further prepare you for a workout. It also increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients in the muscles that prevents one from running out of breath easily.

#6 Start slowly: If you push yourself too hard at first, you may be forced to abandon your program because of pain or injury. It’s better to start slowly and progress gradually. Do not step on the scale too often as it is not going to show you immediate results.

#7 Set goals: Start with simple goals and then progress to longer range goals. Remember to make your goals realistic and achievable. It’s easy to get frustrated and give up if your goals are too unrealistic.

#8 Track your progress: It may help keep an exercise diary. Record what you did during each exercise session, how long you exercised and how you felt post your workout. Recording your efforts can help you work toward your goals — and remind you that you’re making progress. Here are 8 mobile fitness apps that will help you track your progress.

#9 Eat right: The pre-workout meal should be focused on protein and carbohydrates. Remember to eat at least 60-90 minutes before exercise to allow the body time to digest and make the nutrients available to the body during exercise. Snack on a fruit or drink some fruit juice. The post-workoutmeal should ideally contain a sports drink. It will quickly replace energy stores and replenish the lost nutrients. The post-workout meal should be heavy on protein and carbohydrates. Whey protein powders are ideal because it can be processed and utilised by the body quicker. Here is how you can select a protein powder.

#10 Reward yourself: After each exercise session, take a few minutes to sit down and relax. Reflect on what you’ve just accomplished. Savour the good feeling that exercise gives you. This type of internal reward can help you make a long-term commitment to regular exercise. External rewards can help, too. When you reach a longer range goal, treat yourself to a new pair of walking shoes or new tunes to enjoy while you exercise.

Image source: Getty Images

Source: https://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/10-expert-tips-first-timers-150600629.html

Follow these 9-steps to ensure a healthier heart

Scientist at the Vanderbilt University has compiled a list, the acts on which if followed can ensure a healthier heart.

Health educator Stacey Kendrick suggest to following these 9 steps:

1. Be heart smart by limiting your intake of saturated and trans fats. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that no more than 10 percent of our daily calories contain saturated fat and to try to take in as little trans fat as possible. Reduce your saturated and trans fat intake by choosing lean meats such as chicken breast, pork tenderloin and fish, as well as reduced or fat-free dairy products. Avoid processed foods and baked goods, which tend to contain a lot of trans fats.

2. Being at a healthy weight is important because obesity increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Instead of going on a diet, think about making healthy changes in the way you live. Take small steps, including being active each day and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Even a 5 to 10 percent weight loss can lead to a heart healthier you.

3. Use oils that are lowest in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol - such as canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil. Be sure to use them sparingly, because they contain 120 calories per tablespoon. Include a squeeze of lemon juice for a flavorful addition without added calories or fat.

4. Found in chocolate, red wine and coffee, presence of plant-based nutrients called flavonoids have potential influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot. Aim for a moderate 1-ounce portion of dark chocolate and stay away from choices containing added caramel, marshmallow or other ingredients that make it less than heart smart.

5. Eating at home instead of dining out is a great way to eat a more heart healthy diet because you can have more control over how food is prepared. Try altering preparations such as baking instead of frying, using herbs instead of salt for a flavor boost and adding low-fat instead of full-fat cheese.

6. Aim for three 10-minute bouts of activity each day, which is proven to be effective. Take a brisk walk before work or during a lunch break, walk in the mall or take the stairs.

7. Too much salt can raise blood pressure, leading to an increased risk for heart disease. The American Heart Association guideline for salt intake is 1,500 milligrams per day. Rinsing canned foods such as vegetables, tuna and beans with water can reduce the sodium by up to 40 percent.

8. According to the American Heart Association, adopting a more physically active lifestyle can be just as effective as some antihypertensive medications. Physical activity can also boost your levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and keep weight in the recommended range. Aim for 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity aerobic activity each day.

9. Starting a regular physical activity program is a great way to reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. If you have been inactive for a long time or have a chronic health condition be sure to check with your health care provider first. Then, find an activity you enjoy doing. You will be more likely to stick with it long term. Gardening, walking, dancing and swimming are all great options. 

Source: https://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/9-steps-ensure-healthier-heart-090716650.html

Lose weight while burning more muscle energy

Researchers have developed a targeted approach to override the "energy saving" mode and allow muscle to burn more energy, even during low to moderate exercise.

The new findings may provide the basis of a therapy that could help people to overcome the body's natural resistance to weight loss.

"This study shows for the first time that this energy efficiency can be manipulated in a clinically translatable way," said Denice Hodgson-Zingman from the University of Iowa and co-author of the study.

"While such an approach would not replace the need for a healthy diet or exercise, it could jump start the process of weight loss by overcoming the initial hurdles imposed by our energy-efficient physiology," Denice noted.

An earlier study found that a protein called ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel is a powerful modulator of energy efficiency in skeletal muscle even during low-intensity activity.

Now, the team has shown that altering the activity of the KATP protein causes skeletal muscles to become less efficient and burn more calories.

For the study, the team made a compound called a vivo-morpholino, which suppresses production of KATP.

Injecting this compound into the thigh muscles of mice produced a local loss of the protein but did not affect the protein in other organs or even in neighbouring skeletal muscles.

The injected muscles burned more calories than untreated muscle without significantly affecting the muscle's ability to tolerate exercise.

"By making skeletal muscles less energy efficient, they burn more calories, even while doing normal daily activities," said Leonid Zingman from the University of Iowa and co-author.

"With this intervention, the benefits of exercise in burning calories could be accessible to a broader range of people by making the calorie burning effects of skeletal muscle greater even at low levels of activity that most people would be able to undertake," Zingman said.

The study appeared in the journal Molecular Therapy.

Source: https://in.news.yahoo.com/lose-weight-while-burning-more-muscle-energy-063204605.html

He brought his own!! :)

A squirrel is living in a pine tree, when one day it starts to shake and rock. 

So he looks outside and he sees a large elephant trying to climb up the tree. 

"What the hell!" the squirrel exclaims. "What the hell do you think you're doing climbing up this tree?!" 

The elephant responds. "I'm climbing up here to eat pears." 

The squirrel is befuddled. "You moron! This is a pine tree! There are no pears!" 

The elephants stares at him for a moment before replying, "I know. I brought my own."
 
Source: ajokeaday.com

Down there

There was a man and a woman who lived on a run-down farm in the middle of nowhere. The husband was a mean and cantankerous old man who took pleasure in making his wife’s life miserable. He seldom spoke to her and when she said anything, he would tell her to shut up.

One day, the man was digging a well on his property and his wife was helping him. All of a sudden, the bottom dropped out of the deep hole. The man was puzzled and wanted to see what had happened, so he told his wife to go back to the house and fetch a flashlight.

When she came running back with it, he switched the flashlight on, tied it to a rope and lowered it down into the hole. It went down and down, but no matter how much rope he let out, it never seemed to reach the bottom.

The man started pulling the rope back up, but it got caught on something. He started pulling on it, but it felt like something was pulling back. Frustrated, the man gave it a big tug and suddenly, the rope was almost yanked out of his hands.

Eventually, he managed to pull the rope up, but when he got to the end of it, the flashlight was gone. 
Instead, there was a small, white pouch attached to it. With trembling hands, he opened it and to his surprise, a chunk of gold tumbled out along with a handwritten note.

He picked up the note and tried to read it, but it was written in a language he couldn’t decipher, so he tossed it away. He told his wife he was going into town to buy more flashlights and ordered her to keep an eye on the hole while he was away.

As soon as he was gone, she hurried back to the house and rummaged through the cupboards looking for a dictionary. Then, she took a big piece of ham out of the fridge. She also grabbed a pen and paper and wrote a note. When she returned to the hole, she put all these items in a bucket, tied it to a rope and lowered it down.

The woman waited for a while and then she pulled the rope back up. It seemed much heavier and twice she had to stop to take a rest. When she finally hauled the bucket back up, she was shocked to see that it was filled to the brim with sparkling jewels. There was also another note and this time, it was in English.

It read: “Send more food”.

She hurried back to the house and hid the jewels where she was sure her husband wouldn’t find them.

When the man returned, the back of his pick-up truck was filled with flashlights. He put a few of them in the bucket and lowered them down, but when he pulled the rope back up, he was outraged to find that the bucket wasn’t filled with gold or jewels, just a few broken flashlights.

He flew into a violent rage, stomping on the remains of the flashlights and cursing at the top of his lungs. Then, he ran back to the house and fetched his shotgun.

He told his wife he was going to go down into the hole and give them a piece of his mind. She begged him not to go, but he was so furious, he wouldn’t listen. He attached a big oil drum to the winch on the back of his pick-up truck. Then, he climbed into the drum.

He gave his wife orders to lower him down, and after ten minutes, bring him back up again. She threw the switch and the man was lowered down in the oil drum.

The woman stared at her watch as ten whole minutes passed, then she flicked the switch and the winch began to drag the oil drum back to the surface. She peered into the drum, but her husband wasn’t there. Instead, it was filled with gold bars, jewelry and coins. Sitting on top of them was another note.

It read: “Thanks for the meat”.

Source: http://www.scaryforkids.com/down-there/

8 Feet Tall

My grandparents lived in Japan. Every Summer, my parents would take me there on holiday to visit them. They lived in a small village and they had a big backyard. I loved to play there during the Summer. When we arrived, my grandparents always welcomed me with open arms. I was their only grandchild, so they spoiled me.

The last time I saw them was the Summer when I was 8 years old.

As usual, my parents booked a flight to Japan and we drove from the airport to my grandparents house. They were delighted to see me and had a lot of little presents to give me. My parents wanted to have some time by themselves, so after a few days, they took a trip to another part of Japan, leaving me in the care of my Grandma and Grandpa.

One day, I was playing out in the backyard. My grandparents were inside the house. It was a hot Summer’s day and I lay down on the grass to rest. I stared up at the clouds and enjoyed the feeling of the soft rays of the sun and the gentle breeze. Just as I was about to get up, I heard a strange sound.

“Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po…”

I didn’t know what it was and it was hard to figure out where it was coming from. It sounded almost like somebody was making the noise themselves… as if they were just saying, “Po…Po… Po…” over and over again in a deep, masculine voice.

I was looking around, searching for the source of the noise when I suddenly noticed something on top of the tall hedges that enclosed the backyard. It was a straw hat. It wasn’t resting on the hedge, it was behind it. That’s where the sound was coming from.

“Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po…”

Then, the hat began to move, as if someone was wearing it. The hat stopped at a small gap in the hedge and I could see a face peering through. It was a woman. But, the hedges were high… almost 8 feet tall…



I was surprised at how tall the woman was. I wondered if she was wearing stilts or some sort of huge high heeled shoes. Then, a split second later, she walked off and the strange noise disappeared with her, fading into the distance.

Bewildered, I got up and wandered back into the house. My grandparents were in the kitchen drinking tea. I sat down at the table and, after a while, I told my grandparents what I had seen. They weren’t really paying attention to me, until I mentioned that distinctive sound.

“Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po…”

As soon as I said that, both of them suddenly froze. Grandma’s eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth with her hand. Grandpa’s face became very serious and he grabbed me by the arm.

“This is very important,” he said, in an intense voice. “You must tell us exactly… How tall was she?”

“As tall as the garden hedge,” I replied, beginning to get scared.

My grandfather bombarded me with questions… “Where was she standing? When did this happen? 

What did you do? Did she see you?”

I tried to answer all his questions as best I could. He suddenly rushed out to the hallway and made a phonecall. I couldn’t hear what he was saying. I looked over at my Grandma and she was trembling.
Grandpa came barging back into the room and spoke to my grandmother.

“I’ve got to go out for a while,” he said. “You stay here with the child. Don’t take your eyes off him for a second.”

“What’s going on, Grandpa?” I cried.

He looked at me with a sad expression in his eyes and said, “You’ve been liked by Hachishakusama.”
With that, he hurried out, got into his truck and drove off.

I turned to my grandmother and cautiously asked, “Who’s Hachishakusama?”

“Don’t worry,” she replied in a shaking voice. “Grandpa will do something. There’s no need for you to worry.”

As we sat nervously in the kitchen waiting for my grandfather to come back, she explained what was happening. She told me there was a dangerous thing that was haunting the area. They called it “Hachishakusama” because of its height. In Japanese, “Hachishakusama” means “Eight Feet Tall”.

It takes on the appearance of an extremely tall woman and it makes a sound like “Po… Po… Po…” in a deep, male voice. It appears slightly diffently, depending on who sees it. Some say it looks like a haggard old woman in a kimono and others say it is a girl in a white funeral shroud. One thing that never changes is its height and the sound it makes.

A long time ago, it was captured by monks and they managed to confine it in a ruined building on the outskirts of the village. They trapped it using 4 small religious statues called “jizos” that they placed at the North, South, East and West of the ruins and it wasn’t supposed to be able to move from there. Somehow it managed to escape.

The last time it appeared was 15 years ago. My grandmother said that anyone who saw Eight Feet Tall was destined to die within a few days.

It all sounded so crazy, I wasn’t sure what to believe.

When Grandpa came back, there was an old woman with him. She introduced herself as “K-san” and handed me a small crumpled piece of parchment, saying, “Here, take this and hold it.” Then, she and Grandpa went upstairs to do something. I was left alone in the kitchen with my grandmother again.

I needed to go to the toilet. Granny followed me to the bathroom and wouldn’t let me shut the door. I was beginning to get really frightened by all this.

After a while, Grandpa and K-san took me upstairs and brought me into my bedroom. The windows were covered in newspaper and lots of ancient runes had been written on them. There were small bowls of salt in all four corners of the room and a small Buddha figure placed at the center of the room on top of a wooden box. There was also a bright blue bucket.

“What’s the bucket for?” I asked.

“That’s for your pee and poo,” Grandpa replied.

K-san sat me down on the bed and said, “Soon, the sun will be setting, so listen carefully. You must stay in this room until tomorrow morning. You must not come out under any circumstances until 7 o’clock tomorrow morning. Your grandmother and your grandfather will not speak to you or call you until then. Remember, do not leave the room for any reason until then. I will let your parents know what is going on.”

She spoke in such a grave tone that all I could do was quietly nod my head.

“You have to follow K-san’s instructions to the letter,” Grandpa told me. “And never let go of the parchment she gave you. And if anything happens, pray to Buddha. And make sure you lock this door when we leave.”

They walked out into the hallway and after saying goodbye to them, I closed the bedroom door and locked it. I turned on the TV and tried to watch, but I was so nervous, I felt sick to my stomach. Grandma had left some snacks and rice balls for me, but I couldn’t eat them. I felt like I was in prison and I was very depressed and scared. I lay down on the bed and waited. Before I knew it, I was asleep.

When I woke up, it was just after 1 AM. All of a sudden, I realized that something was tapping on the window.

“Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap…”

I felt the blood draining from my face and my heart skipped a beat. I desperately tried to calm myself down, telling myself it was just the wind playing tricks or maybe the branches of a tree. I turned up the volume on the TV to drown out the tapping noise. Eventually, it stopped altogether.

That was when I heard Grandpa calling me.

“Are you OK in there?” he asked. “If you’re scared you don’t have to stay in there all alone. I can come in and keep you company.”

I smiled and rushed over to open door, but then, I stopped in my tracks. I had goosebumps all over my body. It sounded like Grandpa’s voice, but somehow, it was different. I couldn’t tell what was, but I just knew…

“What are you doing?” Grandpa asked. “You can open the door now.”

I glanced to my left and a chill went down my spine. The salt in the bowls was slowly turning black.

I backed away from the door. My whole body was trembling with fear. I fell to my knees in front of the Buddha statue and clutched the piece of parchment tightly in my hand. I started desperately praying for help.

“Please save me from Hachishakusama,” I wailed.

Then, I heard the voice outside the door saying:

“Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po…”

The tapping on the window started up again. I was overcome by fear and I crouched there in front of the statue, half-crying and half-praying for the rest of the night. I felt like it would never end, but eventually it was morning. The salt in all 4 bowls was pitch black.

I checked my watch. It was 7:30 AM. I cautiously opened the door. Grandma and K-san were standing outside waiting for me. When she saw my face, Grandma burst into tears.

“I’m so glad you’re still alive,” she said.

I went downstairs and was surprised to see my father and mother sitting in the kitchen. Grandpa came in and said, “Hurry up! We’ve got to get going.”

We went to the front door and there was a large black van waiting in the driveway. Several men from 
the village were standing around it, pointing at me and whispering, “That’s the boy.”

The van was a 9-seater and they put me in the middle, surrounded by eight men. K-san was in the 
drivers seat.

The man on my left, looked down at me and said, “You’ve got yourself in quite a spot of trouble. I know you’re probably worried. Just keep your head down and your eyes shut. We can’t see it, but you can. Don’t open your eyes until we’ve got you safely out of here.”

Grandpa drove in front and my dad’s car was following behind. When everyone was ready, our little convoy started moving. We were going fairly slow… around 20km/h or maybe less. After a while, K-san said, “This is where it gets hard,” and started muttering a prayer under her breath.

That was when I heard the voice.

“Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po…”

I clutched the parchment K-san had given me tightly in my hand. I kept my head down, but I peeked outside. I saw a white dress fluttering in the breeze. It was moving along with the van. It was Eight Feet Tall. She was outside the window, but she was keeping pace with us.

Then, suddenly she bent down and peered into the van.

“No!” I gasped.

The man beside me shouted, “CLOSE YOUR EYES!”

I immediately shut my eyes as hard as I could and tightened my grip on the piece of parchment. Then the tapping began.

“Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap…”

The voice became louder.

“Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po…”

There was tapping on the windows all around us. All of the men in the van were startled and on edge, muttering nervously to themselves. They couldn’t see Eight Feet Tall and they couldn’t hear her voice, but they could hear her tapping on the windows. K-san started praying louder and louder until she was almost shouting. The tension inside the van was unbearable.

After a while the tapping stopped and the voice disappeared.

K-san looked back at us and said, “I think we’re safe now.”

All of the men around me breathed a sigh of relief. The van pulled over to the side of the road and the men got out. They transferred me into my dad’s car. My mother held me close and tears were running down her cheeks.

Grandpa and my father bowed to the men and they went on their way. K-san came to the window and asked me to show her the piece of parchment she had given me. When I opened my hand, I saw that it had gone completely black.

“I think you will be OK now,” she said. “But just to be sure, hold onto this for a while.” She handed me a new piece of parchment.

After that, we drove straight to the airport and Grandpa saw us safely on the plane. When we took off, my parents breathed a sigh of relief. My father told me he had heard about “Eight Feet Tall” before. Years ago, his friend had been liked by her. The boy disappeared and was never seen again.

My father said there were other people who had been liked by her and lived to tell about it. They all had to leave Japan and settle down in foreign countries. They were never able to go back to their homeland.

She always chooses children as her victims. They say it’s because children are dependant on their parents and family members. This makes them easier to deceive when she poses as their relatives.

He said the men in the van were all blood relatives of mine, and that’s why they had been sitting all around me and why my father and Grandpa had been driving in front and in back. It was all done to try and confuse Hachishakusama. It took a while to contact everyone and get them all together, so that was why I had to be confined in room all night.

He told me that one the little Jizo statues (the ones that were meant to keep her trapped) had been 
broken and that was how she escaped.

It gave me the chills. I was glad when we finally got back home.

All of this happened more than 10 years ago. I haven’t seen my grandparents since then. I haven’t been able to so much as set foot in the country. Afterwards, I would call them every few weeks and talk to them on the phone.

Over the years, I tried to convince myself that it was just an urban legend, that everything that happened was just some elaborate prank. But sometimes, I’m not so sure.

My grandfather died two years ago. When he was sick, he wouldn’t allow me to visit him and he left strict instructions in his will that I wasn’t to attend his funeral. It was all very sad.

My grandmother called a few days ago. She said that she had been diagnosed with cancer. She missed me terribly and wanted to see me one last time before she died.

“Are you sure, Grandma?” I asked. “Is it safe?”

“It’s been 10 years,” she said. “All that happened a long time ago. It’s all forgotten. You’re all grown 
up now. I’m sure there won’t be a problem.”

“But… but… what about Hachishakusama?” I said.

For a moment, there was silence on the other end of the phone. Then, I heard a deep masculine voice saying:

“Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po… Po…”

Source: http://www.scaryforkids.com/eight-feet-tall/

Beautiful Skin

This happened far up north, where the nights are long and the days are short and it snows all year round and the ice is always thick on the ground. There was a mother and daughter who lived together in a small house in the middle of nowhere.

The young girl was very beautiful and the old woman was not. They were inuit people… eskimos, some people call them… and they lived on the ice.

During the day, the girl would hunt for seals and when she caught one, she would bring it back to her mother. The old woman would skin it and gut it and after she cooked it over the fire, they would eat.

At night, when the harsh wind was blowing and the ice was creaking and groaning outside, the old woman would sit and comb her daughter’s hair in front of the fire and tell stories about the olden times and people long dead.

For a long time, they lived happily like this, until one day, a man appeared.

One morning, in Spring, the daughter was out hunting when she saw a tall, dark stranger approaching over the snow. She ran back to the house and told her mother what she had seen. Together, they went out to greet the stranger.

He was a young man and he was tall and handsome. He said he had lost his way in the snow and needed a place to stay before it grew dark. The two women welcomed him into their house and set about fixing him a meal.

The young man stayed with them longer than expected. Over time, he fell in love with the girl and she fell in love with him. They decided to get married and they lived together in the little house with the girl’s mother. At night, the old woman would lie awake and listen to them kissing and cuddling in the dark.

One day, the girl told her mother that they were going away. She said the young man was going to take her to his village and they would live there together as man and wife. The old woman didn’t say anything. She thought about how it would be to live alone in the house with the cold wind blowing outside and the ice craking and groaning all through the dark nights. She wondered how she would find food to cook.

One day, when the young man was out hunting, the old woman told her daughter that she wanted to comb her beautiful hair. She said that the girl should look her most beautiful for her husband when he came home.

The girl sat cross-legged on the floor at her mother’s feet. The old woman began to comb her daughter’s hair. She combed and she combed until it shone in the light of the lamp. Then, she took the girl’s hair and began to twist around into a long braid. She wound it round the girl’s neck and pulled and pulled, tighter and tighter, until she strangled her daughter to death.

The old woman took a knife and carefully skinned the young girl’s face. When she was done, she dragged her daughter’s bloody, faceless body out of the house and buried her in the snow. Then, she mopped the floor and trampled down the red snow and covered up all traces of what she had done.

When the young man came home, he found his wife in bed waiting for him. The old woman was nowhere to be seen. He climbed into bed with the girl and they began to kiss. Their kisses grew more passionate and when the young man caressed her cheek, the girl’s skin came off in his hands.

A look of horror came over the young man’s face. He couldn’t understand what was going on. 

Terrified, he clawed and scratched at his wife’s face and her skin came off, revealing the old 
woman’s face underneath. He screamed and leaped out of the bed and, gasping and heaving, he ran out into the snow.

He ran and ran until he was just a speck in the distance and the old woman watched him flee as tears flowed down her wrinkled cheeks.

Source: http://www.scaryforkids.com/beautiful-skin/

Tripping Bathroom

The bathroom in our company is a little strange. It’s a place where a lot of people trip and fall. The strange thing is, there is nothing there to trip over.

Yesterday, my friend Yuki was in the bathroom. When she came out of the stall, she tripped over and fell on the tiled floor. She scraped her knee really badly.

We took her to the break room and helped her put a band-aid on her bleeding knee.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“Yes, I guess so,” Yuki replied weakly.

“You really are careless,” laughed Sakura, one of our co-workers.

“It’s not my fault,” Yuki protested. “Sato-san from the sales department fell in the bathroom last week. And the week before, so did Honda-san.”

“And even though you knew that, you still fell?” Sakura said. “You’re so clumsy. How do people keep tripping in there? You need to be more careful.”

I couldn’t say anything. I didn’t want to be the one to tell the others.

A few days later, Sakura was in the bathroom. When she came out of the stall, she fell too. She said it felt as if she tripped over something, even though there was nothing there.

“Now who’s the one that’s careless?” Yuki chuckled.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Sakura complained. “When you step out of that stall, it’s as if something’s there… Last time, when you tripped in the bathroom, didn’t you feel like you tripped over something?”

“What do you mean?” asked Yuki.

“There’s nothing there,” said Sakura, “but it still felt like… Oh, I don’t know… Maybe it’s just my imagination.”

“Midori, when you go to the bathroom, be careful,” they told me. “It would be weird if all three of us had band-aids on our knees.”

I laughed nervously and assured them I would be careful.

But I know I won’t trip and fall. That’s because I’m the only one who can see them…

The dead women lying on the bathroom floor…
… tripping everyone who comes out of the stalls.



Source: http://www.scaryforkids.com/tripping-bathroom/

Can you find these words?

Below you will find 15 well-known six letter words, with only their endings remaining. Can you determine the words?

...rnt
...few
...ryo
...yme
...rak
...urd
...ynx
...mpi
...hom
...ovy
...lpt
...hma
...voy
...web
...mur

Source: brainbashers.com

Airplane joke :)

A pilot is flying a small single engine plane with a lot of really important execs on board into Seattle airport. There is fog so thick that visibility is 10m, and his instruments are out. He circles looking for a landmark and after an hour, he is low on fuel and his passengers are very nervous. 

At last, through a small opening in the fog he sees a tall building with one guy working alone on the fifth floor. 

Circling, the pilot banks and shouts through his open window: "Hi, where am I?" 

The solitary office worker replies: "You're in an airplane." 

The pilot executes a swift 275 degree turn and executes a perfect blind landing on the runway five miles away. Just as the plane stops, the engines cough and die from lack of fuel. The stunned passengers asked the pilot how he did it. 

"Simple," replies the pilot, "I asked the guy in that building a simple question. The answer he gave me was 100 percent correct but absolutely useless; therefore, that must be Microsoft's support office, and from there, the airport is just 5 miles away on a bearing of 87 degrees!"

Source: ajokeaday.com

Have you ever taken a bathtub test?!

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. 

"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub; we then offer a teaspoon, a teacup, and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub." 

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup." 

"No." said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?"

Source: ajokeaday.com

Here's something to start your days with!!

"The scoreboard can't make you a loser. If you walk off the field with your head up, you don't lose. You don't hang your head for nobody. People in the stands think you're the greatest or the worst - their opinion doesn't make a difference. The only opinion that makes any difference is your own opinion of yourself. Nobody can make you a loser." 

- Dan Marino, Sr.

20 Year Old Burger? Men lay claim to world's oldest burger

 

Two Australian men claim to have the oldest burger in the world - at a staggering 20 years old.

In 1995 Adelaide residents Casey Dean, 14, and his mate Eduard Nitz, 13, stopped off at their local McDonald’s to pick up some burgers.

Among them was a Quarter Pounder with cheese they’d bought for another kid. That kid never turned up, but they didn’t eat his burger. Ever. Now the boys have become men and the burger has turned 20. “We’re pretty sure it’s the oldest burger in the world,” Dean said.

Source: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-wtf-news-its-weird-true-and-funny/20150219.htm

Museums ban selfie sticks

 

The Museum of Modern Art in New York is the latest to ban the extendable device, which allow users to hold their phones far away to take group pictures.

The clampdown follows a similar ruling against the selfie stick by the Cooper-Hewitt and SmithsonianDesignMuseum.

A spokesman for the museum said: "‘You can, just by looking at (it) imagine the havoc a selfie stick might wreak in this kind of space."

"‘They could pose a danger to visitors or our objects on view."

Other museums that have banned the gadget  - dubbed "the wand of narcissus" - include the National Gallery of Art, The Smithsonian and the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC.

Source: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-wtf-news-its-weird-true-and-funny/20150219.htm

Saudi cleric reveals sun rotates around Earth

 

A Saudi Arabian cleric has made a groundbreaking discovery that could redefine science in the 21st century -- the Earth does not rotate. What’s more, the sun is orbiting the static body, not the other way around. The breakthrough was made by Sheikh Bandar al-Khaibari, who delivered his thesis during a recent lecture in the United Arab Emirates, having been asked by a student about the movement of the planet.

The Sheikh replied that Earth is “stationary and does not move,” explaining his research by noting that airplanes would not be able to reach their destination were the Earth spinning on its axis.

Source: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-wtf-news-its-weird-true-and-funny/20150219.htm

Woman changes her name 'Abcdefg Hijklmn Opqrst Uvwxyz’

 

A Colombian woman has officially changed her name to all the 26 letters of the alphabet, in order, “Abcdefg Hijklmn Opqrst Uvwxyz.” The 36-year-old teacher, who lives in Bogota, had been fighting red tape for more than 2 years to get approval on the name, and has finally got the right to call herself Uvwxyz, or as her friends now call her Abcdefg. It is not the first time the Colombian woman has changed names as she made a habit of it and had previously named herself Ladyzunga Cyborg.

Source: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-wtf-news-its-weird-true-and-funny/20150219.htm

Meet Muscle Barbie

Teenager Julia Vins has the delicate facial features of a porcelain doll - and the ripped physique of The Hulk. Julia has an army of fans in her native Russia for her unconventional combination of good looks and rippling muscles. The 18-year-old -- who likes to take topless pictures of herself -- even holds three world power-lifting records.

She said: “People know me as Muscle Barbie - I like this comparison. It’s nice.”

Source: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-wtf-news-its-weird-true-and-funny/20150219.htm

My wife said she wanted to see 50 Shades of Grey

My wife said she wanted to see 50 Shades of Grey. 

So I took a photo of her hair!

Source: ajokeaday.com

Post Tortoise Politician

While stitching a cut on the hand of a 75-year-old farmer, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. 

Eventually the topic got around to politicians and their role as our leaders. 

The old farmer said, "Well, as I see it, most politicians are 'Post Tortoises'." 

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post tortoise' was. 

The old farmer said, "When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a tortoise balanced on top, that's a post tortoise." 

The old farmer saw the puzzled look on the doctor's face so he continued to explain. 

"You know he didn't get up there by himself,

he doesn't belong up there,

he doesn't know what to do while he's up there,

he's elevated beyond his ability to function,

and you just wonder what kind of idiot put him up there to begin with."

Source: ajokeaday.com

7 Survival Hacks That Might Save Your Life

#1 Emergency soda can oil lamp

Materials required: Olive oil, soda can, and a paper towel.
Fill the soda can halfway with the olive oil. Lightly roll up a paper towel for a wick and place it into the mouth of the can. Light the "wick." Your oil lamp should stay lit for several hours.

via http://youtu.be/

#2 Soda can lantern

Materials required: Soda can, knife, and candle.
Cut a vertical slit down the soda can's center and then pull out the sides so that it looks a bit like a window with open shutters. Place the candle inside the "window" and enjoy.

via http://youtu.be/

#3 Emergency water filter

Materials required: A skinny strip of torn cloth and two containers.
Fill one container with dirty water and run the strip of cloth from the dirty water container to the empty container. Eventually the water will migrate from one container to the other, leaving the dirt and debris behind. The water will need to be boiled as a final step.

via http://youtu.be/

#4 Easy cooking

Materials required: Empty egg carton and charcoal.
Load the egg carton with charcoal and set it on the grill. Close the carton and light it at its corner.

via http://youtu.be/

#5 Natural mosquito repellent

Materials required: Basil and/or Rosemary.
If you forgot your bug spray and the mosquitoes are starting to come out, just toss some Basil and/or Rosemary onto the coals. Fresh or dried herbs will both do the trick.

via http://youtu.be/

#6 Sewing needle and leaf compass

Materials required: Leaf, needle (or some other type of metal fragment), water.
Rub the needle against your clothing (from eye to point) many times. The rubbing action will magnetize your needle. Set the magnet on top of a floating leaf, and it will spin towards a northerly direction.

via http://youtu.be/

#7 Solar powered box micrwave

Materials required: Cereal box, scissors, and aluminum foil.
Cut a door into a cereal box, and line the door and the inside with aluminum foil. Place your food inside the lined box and set your solar cooker in a sunny spot.

via http://youtu.be/

Source: http://likes.com/facts/7-survival-hacks-that-might-save-your-life?v=j2aGNRn3k1cBRh4iVoIb1PP41yojn20fO