23 Desember 2009

The Fountain of Fair Fortune

High on a hill in an enchanted garden, enclosed by tall walls and protected by strong magic, flowed the Fountain of Fair Fortune.

Once a year, between the hours of sunrise and sunset on the longest day, a single unfortunate was given the chance to fight their way to the Fountain, bathe in its waters and receive Fair Fortune for evermore.

On the appointed day, hundreds of people travelled from all over the kingdom to reach the garden walls before dawn. Male and female, rich and poor, young and old, of magical means and without, they gathered in the darkness, each hoping that they would be the one to gain entrance to the garden.

Three witches, each with her burden of woe, met on the outskirts of the crowd, and told one another their sorrows as they waited for sunrise.

The first, by name Asha, was sick of a malady no Healer could cure. She hoped that the Fountain would banish her symptoms and grant her a long and happy life.

The second, by name Altheda, had been robbed of her home, her gold and her wand by an evil sorcerer. She hoped that the Fountain might relieve her of powerlessness and poverty.

The third, by name Amata, had been deserted by a man whom she loved dearly, and she thought her heart would never mend. She hoped that the Fountain would relieve her of her grief and longing.

Pitying each other, the three women agreed that, should the chance befall them, they would unite and try to reach the Fountain together.

The sky was rent with the first ray of sun, and a chink in the wall opened. The crowd surged forward, each of them shrieking their claim for the Fountain’s benison. Creepers from the garden beyond snaked through the pressing mass, and twisted themselves around the first witch, Asha. She grasped the wrist of the second witch, Altheda, who seized tight upon the robes of the third witch, Amata.

And Amata became caught upon the armour of a dismal-looking knight who was seated on a bone-thin horse.

The creepers tugged the three witches through the chink in the wall, and the knight was dragged off his steed after them.

The furious screams of the disappointed throng rose upon the morning air, then fell silent as the garden walls sealed once more.

Asha and Altheda were angry with Amata, who had accidentally brought along the knight.

“Only one can bathe in the Fountain! It will be hard enough to decide which of us it will be, without adding another!”

Now, Sir Luckless, as the knight was known in the land outside the walls, observed that these were witches, and, having no magic, nor any great skill at jousting or duelling with swords, nor anything that distinguished the non-magical man, was sure that he had no hope of beating the three women to the Fountain. He therefore declared his intention of withdrawing outside the walls again.

At this, Amata became angry too.

“Faint heart!” she chided him. “Draw your sword, Knight, and help us reach our goal!”

And so the three witches and the forlorn knight ventured forth into the enchanted

garden, where rare herbs, fruit and flowers grew in abundance on either side of the sunlit paths. They met no obstacle until they reached the foot of the hill on which the Fountain stood.

There, however, wrapped around the base of the hill, was a monstrous white Worm, bloated and blind. At their approach, it turned a foul face upon them, and uttered the following words:

Pay me the proof of your pain.

Sir Luckless drew his sword and attempted to kill the beast, but his blade snapped. Then Altheda cast rocks at the Worm, while Asha and Amata essayed every spell that might subdue or entrance it, but the power of their wands was no more effective than their friend’s stone, or the knight’s steel: the Worm would not let them pass.

The sun rose higher and higher in the sky, and Asha, despairing, began to weep.

Then the great Worm placed its face upon hers and drank the tears from her cheeks. Its thirst assuaged, the Worm slithered aside, and vanished into a hole in the ground.

Rejoicing at the Worm’s disappearance, the three witches and the knight began to climb the hill, sure that they would reach the Fountain before noon.

Halfway up the steep slope, however, they came across words cut into the ground before them.

“Pay me the fruit of your labours.”

Sir Luckless took out his only coin, and placed it upon the grassy hillside, but it rolled away and was lost. The three witches and the knight continued to climb, but though they walked for hours more, they advanced not a step; the summit came no nearer, and still the inscription lay in the earth before them.

All were discouraged as the sun rose over their heads and began to sink towards the far horizon, but Altheda walked faster and harder than any of them, and exhorted the others to follow her example, though she moved no further up the enchanted hill.

“Courage, friends, and do not yield!” she cried, wiping the sweat from her brow.

As the drops fell glittering on to the earth, the inscription blocking their path vanished, and they found that they were able to move upwards once more.

Delighted by the removal of this second obstacle, they hurried towards the summit as fast as they could, until at last they glimpsed the Fountain, glittering like crystal in a bower of flowers and trees.

Before they could reach it, however, they came to a stream that ran round the hilltop, barring their way. In the depths of the clear water lay a smooth stone bearing the words:

“Pay me the treasure of your past.”

Sir Luckless attempted to float across the stream on his shield, but it sank. The three witches pulled him from the water, then tried to leap the brook themselves, but it would not let them cross, and all the while the sun was sinking lower in the sky.

So they fell to pondering the meaning of the stone’s message, and Amata was the first to understand. Taking her wand, she drew from her mind all the memories of happy times she had spent with her vanished lover, and dropped them into the rushing waters. The stream swept them away, and stepping stones appeared, and the three witches and the knight were able to pass at last on to the summit of the hill.

The Fountain shimmered before them, set amidst herbs and flowers rarer and more beautiful than any they had yet seen. The sky burned ruby, and it was time to decide which of them would bathe.

Before they could make their decision, however, frail Asha fell to the ground. Exhausted by their struggle to the summit, she was close to death.

Her three friends would have carried her to the Fountain, but Asha was in mortal agony and begged them not to touch her.

Then Altheda hastened to pick all those herbs she thought most hopeful, and mixed them in Sir Luckless’s gourd of water, and poured the potion into Asha’s mouth.

At once, Asha was able to stand. What was more, all symptoms of her dread malady had vanished.

“I am cured!” she cried. “I have no need of the Fountain let Altheda bathe!”

But Altheda was busy collecting more herbs in her apron.

“If I can cure this disease, I shall earn gold aplenty! Let Amata bathe!”

Sir Luckless bowed, and gestured Amata towards the Fountain, but she shook her head.

The stream had washed away all regret for her lover, and she saw now that he had been cruel and faithless, and that it was happiness enough to be rid of him.

“Good sir, you must bathe, as a reward for all your chivalry!” she told Sir Luckless.

So the knight clanked forth in the last rays of the setting sun, and bathed in the Fountain of Fair Fortune, astonished that he was the chosen one of hundreds and giddy with his incredible luck.

As the sun fell below the horizon, Sir Luckless emerged from the waters with the glory of his triumph upon him, and flung himself in his rusted armour at the feet of Amata, who was the kindest and most beautiful woman he had ever beheld. Flushed with success, he begged for her hand and her heart, and Amata, no less delighted, realised that she had found a man worthy of them.

The three witches and the knight set off down the hill together, arm in arm, and all four led long and happy lives, and none of them ever knew or suspected that the Fountain’s waters carried no enchantment at all.

The Tale of the Three Brothers

The Tale of the Three Brothers


There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.

And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.
So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.
Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.
And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.
Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death’s gifts.
In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.
The first brother travelled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, he sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.
That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother’s throat.
And so Death took the first brother for his own.
Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry before her untimely death appeared at once before him.
Yet she was silent and cold, separated from him as though by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her.
And so Death took the second brother for his own. But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.

22 Desember 2009

Happy Mother's Day

DAFTAR SEJARAH DI DUNIA YANG DIRAHASIAKAN

Banyak fakta-fakta sejarah yang sengaja disembunyikan dari pengetahuan masyarakat luas. Mungkin karena adanya keburukan atau kejahatan yang dilakukan oleh penguasa pada masa lalu atau bisa juga untuk menyembunyikan konspirasi-konspirasi jahat untuk kepentingan-kepentingan politik dan ekonomi kelompok-kelompok tertentu. Atau barangkali karena ada kejadian yang memang tidak tercatat dengan baik. Selain itu terdapat juga fakta-fakta mengagumkan yang ada sepanjang sejarah dan bisa menambah pengetahuan kita.

Inilah fakta-fakta tersebut :

* Adanya manusia berwajah kera tak berekor yang mempunyai volume otak dua kali lebih besar dibandingkan dengan manusia berwajah kera tak berekor lainnya, dan mereka membuat perkakas untuk pertama kalinya sekitar 2 juta tahun yang lalu. Mereka terbagi dalam empat ras yang berbeda setelah 1 juta tahun kemudian dan salah satunya kemudian meninggalkan benua Afrika. Mereka kemudian dapat berbicara dengan bahasa sekitar 400.000 tahun yang lalu dan pada waktu itu mereka sudah tersebar di benua Afrika, Eropa dan Asia.
* Akhirnya sebuah kelompok besar orang Asia bermigrasi dari benua Asia ke Amerika, ketika benua Asia dan Amerika terhubung di bagian utaranya. Kemudian mereka tinggal di seluruh bagian utara dan selatan benua Amerika, yang mungkin dikenal sebagai bangsa Indian – penduduk asli Amerika yang salah disebutkan namanya oleh Columbus, karena Columbus mengira ia sudah sampai di India, sehingga ia menyebut mereka Indian atau orang-orang India.
* Patung raksasa Sphinx di Mesir diperkirakan dibangun sekitar tahun 8000 SM (Sebelum Masehi) oleh bangsa berkulit coklat gelap di Afrika utara, 4000 tahun sebelum munculnya peradaban di Mesir. Ukuran waktu dihitung berdasarkan kikisan air hujan pada patung batu tersebut. Cara ini adalah cara yang lebih akurat untuk mengukur usia patung batu tersebut.
* Daerah Brazil ditemukan lewat jalan laut sekitar tahun 531 SM atau bisa jadi sebelum masa itu oleh bangsa Phoenicians. Bangsa Phoenicians merupakan bangsa pertama yang berdagang melintasi samudera. Mereka tinggal di sekitar Lebanon (merupakan kota berbudaya pertama di dunia) dan mereka telah melintasi samudera Atlantik dari benua Afrika dan mengadakan kegiatan perdagangan dengan masyarakat lokal di sana selama bertahun-tahun. Masyarakat lokal tersebut benar-benar datang dengan berjalan kaki dari Cina bertahun-tahun sebelumnya.
* Cleopatra (69 sampai 30 SM), Ratu Mesir masih berusia 16 tahun tapi dikenal memiliki nafsu seks yang abnormal (maniak seks) dan waktu itu dia sudah menjadi istri Julius Caesar. Cinta pertamanya adalah saat dia berusia 12 tahun dan dia mempunyai kuil yang khusus ditempati pacar-pacarnya dan melakukan pesta seks di sana. Cleopatra kemudian melakukan bunuh diri ketika berusia 38 tahun.
* Bangsa Cina menyeberangi samudera dengan kapal besar dan menemukan Meksiko sekitar tahun 459 M dan juga negara-negara lainnya.
* Bangsa Vikings dari Eropa utara mempunyai daerah jajahan kecil di sekitar pantai timur Amerika sekitar tahun 900 SM.
* Orang Eropa selatan pertama yang menemukan Amerika utara di tahun 1472 adalah seorang Portugis bernama Joao vas de Corte Real di suatu misi penemuan yang rahasia. Tetapi bangsa Phoenicians barangkali mengunjungi Amerika utara jauh sebelum itu. Dan Columbus datang pertama kali dua puluh tahun kemudian, tahun 1492 dan dia menyebut Haiti untuk Hispaniola!
* Mills Darden (AS tahun 1798 - 1857) berat badannya 463 kilo, sedangkan istrinya hanya 46 kg
* Antonio Meucci (1808-1889) dari Italia menemukan telepon 1849 dan Alexander Graham Bell, yang sebenarnya bekerja pada Meucci, mempatenkan salinannya pada tahun 1876 dan mengakui sebagai penemuannya!
* Sir Joseph Wilson Swan mematenkan untuk pertama kalinya bola lampu pada tahun 1878 di Inggris. Dan Thomas Alva Edison membuat sedikit tiruan yang lebih baik, kemudian ia berusaha untuk mendapatkan paten atas tiruan bola lampunya tersebut di Amerika sekitar satu tahun kemudian. Thomas Alva Edison memperkenalkan bahwa bola lampu listrik adalah hasil penemuannya. Tetapi pada tahun 1892 Perusahaan Edisons merger dengan Swans dan menjadi General Electric dan setelah itu mereka menggunakan metoda asli dari hasil temuan Swans untuk membuat bola lampu.
* Ilmuwan terkenal Nicola Tesla (1856-1943) menemukan radio pada tahun 1893 dan mematenkannya, berarti Marconi bukanlah penemu sesungguhnya.
* Keempat buah cerobong kapal Titanic ternyata sebuah tipuan, hanya agar tampak seperti benar-benar empat buah!
* Charles Lindberg memang manusia ke-82 yang terbang melewati samudra, tetapi ia adalah yang pertama yang melakukannya sendirian.
* Negara Vatican didirikan tahun 1929 dengan bantuan seorang diktator fasis, Mussolini yang ingin mendapatkan dukungan dari gereja.
* Penjahat-penjahat paling kejam: Herman Webster Mudgett (1860-1896) yang dikenal sebagai Dr. Harry Howard Holmes telah membunuh sekitar 150 wanita muda, namun ia mengaku "hanya" membunuh 27 orang. Dia menyewakan kamar-kamar di "istana" miliknya di Chicago, yang sebenarnya adalah sebuah rumah horor. Di sana dibuatkannya lorong-lorong rahasia yang berkelok-kelok menembus dari suatu ruangan ke ruangan lainnya, setiap kamar juga dilengkapi dengan lift rahasia, setiap kamar tidur dibikin kedap suara, kolam-kolam asam (barangkali untuk melumatkan mayat), kamar gas, suatu meja pembedahan yang dilengkapi dengan alat meregangkan tubuh manusia, krematorium pribadi, dan suatu gudang bawah tanah (bunker) yang sangat besar dimana ditemukan banyak bagian tubuh manusia yang terpotong-potong. Ia menjual tulang rangka dari korban-korbannya tersebut kepada sekolah-sekolah kedokteran. Korban-korbannya digantungnya selama 10 menit sebelum mati.
* Albert Fish (1870-1936) seorang kanibal memakan sedikitnya lima belas anak-anak, namun dia hanya dihukum untuk dua kasus pembunuhan dan korban terakhirnya adalah seorang anak berusia sekitar sepuluh tahun bernama Grace Budd, yang dipotongnya dalam ukuran-ukuran kecil dan kemudian dimasaknya dengan potongan-potongan wartel dan bawang. Di dalam surat kepada ibunya ia menulis "ini adalah keledai kecilnya yang dipanggangnya di dalam tungku".
* Ibu berusia paling muda di dunia adalah seorang anak dari Peru bernama Lina Medina yang saat ia mengandung berusia lima tahun tujuh bulan. Dia kemudian melahirkan seorang bayi laki-laki yang sehat dengan operasi sesar pada bulan Mei 1939 dan ayah si bayi tidak pernah ditemukan. Orang tuanya pertamakali curiga Lina Medina mengidap semacam tumor, tetapi ternyata dia hamil sejak berusia 4 tahun dan sudah mendapat haid sejak usia tiga tahun. Lina berkembang secara normal dan mendapatkan anak kedua pada tahun 1972, 33 tahun setelah anak pertamanya dilahirkan.
* Otto Hahn, seorang Jerman membuat ledakan bom atom pertama pada tahun 1938.
* Ketika menginvasi Belgia, Jerman untuk pertama kali melakukan serangan dengan menggunakan pasukan payung dengan sejumlah boneka untuk membingungkan musuh (Jerman pertama kali tidak menggunakan boneka untuk serangan pasukan payungnya ketika menginvasi Norwegia) ditambah pesawat layang unik yang dilengkapi dengan bom yang benar-benar efisien. Ini dilakukan untuk menghancurkan jembatan-jembatan yang paling penting dan untuk menguasai tempat-tempat "yang hampir mustahil" untuk direbut seperti benteng Eben Emael.
* Semua gagasan gila namun berhasil dengan baik telah dikembangkan oleh si genius jahat, Hitler dan semua adalah ide-ide aslinya sendiri. Hitler benar-benar seorang pecinta perang, dan ia benar-benar mendesain untuk pertamakalinya hampir segala sesuatunya sehingga menjadikan Jerman memiliki kekuatan tempur yang mengerikan. Dari mulai setiap detil seragam pasukan perang dan tanda kepangkatan, sampai metoda latihan perang yang kompleks tapi efektif, semuanya adalah idenya sendiri. Walaupun sangat jahat tetapi semua yang dilakukannya sangat mengagumkan.
* Ketika Inggris memulai rencana untuk menginvasi Norwegia, bebapa bulan sebelumnya Jerman juga melakukannya hal yang sama dengan suatu armada laut yang sangat besar yang berkumpul di laut utara., Tetapi ketika pasukan Inggris bertemu dengan angkatan laut Jerman didekat Oslo, Inggris berbalik arah untuk kembali Norwegia. Namun hanya sedikit pasukan yang terlibat dalam pertempuran itu.
* Pahlawan terbesar di dalam Perang Dunia II adalah Michel Hollard dan ia adalah penguasa tunggal yang memulai organisasi intelijen paling efisien di Prancis bernama "Reseau Agir" yang mempunyai 60 orang agen rahasia yang ditempatkan di tempat-tempat strategis di seluruh Prancis. Ia sendiri yang mengumpulkan dan megirimkan informasi dan sesama agen saling tidak mengenal. Ia kemudian menyusup ke Prancis melalui perbatasan Swiss, yang "mustahil" untuk dilintasi. Karena ia tidak percaya dengan informasi militer secara pasti, sebelum tahun 1942 ia menyeberangi perbatasan yang paling tersukar di dunia sebanyak 94 kali. Hollard adalah orang yang menemukan semua basis misil V1, beberapa bulan sebelum misil-misil itu selesai dibuat. Misil-misil itu dibuat dengan sistem keselamatan yang ekstrim dan terukur, dibuat hanya dalam masa 4 bulan dan tidak seorang pun dari tenaga kerja Jerman itu yang mengetahui tujuan dari instalasi tersebut. Tetapi Hollard berhasil menemukan semuanya dan ke-44 basis misil tersebut dibom sehingga hancur berkeping-keping, beberapa hari sebelum pekerjaan mereka selesai. Basis-basis ini dibangun untuk mengirimkan 5000 misil setiap bulan dan akan menjadi 50.000 buah super bom sebelum "D-Days" (=istilah untuk hari H pertempuran yang sesungguhnya, yakni tanggal 6 Juni 1944, ketika pasukan sekutu mendarat di Normandy untuk menyerang Jerman yang menduduki Prancis – Buku Donald L.Miller : Bhs. Ind atau Bhs.Ing) dan sedikitnya 20.000 buah misil akan menghantam kota London, namun akhirnya hanya menjadi 2400 serangan secara keseluruhannya. Hollard ditangkap pada tahun 1944 disebabkan pengkhianatan seseorang. Ia disiksa oleh Gestapo, tapi dia tidak mengatakan apapun. Dia dikirim ke Neuengamme, salah satu kamp konsentrasi yang paling buruk. Tetapi Hollard melakukan balasan dengan menyembunyikan lebih dari 1.000 bagian-bagian senjata yang harus dirangkaikan kembali oleh para narapidana, dan ia kemudian berhasil selamat setelah tembak-menembak di kamp tersebut.
* Pembunuhan massal – sesuai dengan laporan dari Majelis Tinggi AS bernama "Laporan Walter" yang dibuat pada tahun 1971 berjumlah antara 323 dan 617 juta orang yang dibunuh oleh pemerintah China, dari tahun 1949 sampai 1971. Sedangkan laporan Hsiao Mieh menyebutkan hanya 51-55 yang kejadian yang mengakibatkan 5 sampai 10 juta orang menemui ajal. Radio yang resmi di Peking melaporkan sejumlah "keberadaan yang sudah usang" dalam beberapa bulan dan jumlah terbesar 2.326.000 orang dalam satu bulan. Antara 8 dan 10 juta orang dibunuh oleh pemerintah Soviet. Dalam laporannya Jezjovtsjina pada tahun 1936 sampai 1938 sedikitnya 19 juta orang lebih, meninggal antara tahun 1921 sampai 1960 di dalam penjara Soviet yang terkenal. Terdapat paling sedikitnya 27 sampai 29 juta orang atau lebih dari 25% adalah orang keturunan Yahudi.
* Nazi Otto Adolf Eichman menyatakan siap mati untuk tanggung jawabnya atas pembunuhan paling sedikit 5,7 juta orang Yahudi. Tetapi pembunuhan oleh Nazi atas sekitar 8 juta orang Yahudi ditambah 6 sampai 10 juta warganegara yang lain (kebanyakannya adalah buruh dan orang-orang miskin) sehingga totalnya menjadi sedikitnya 12 sampai 18 juta orang telah dibunuh mati. Pembataian ini juga mendapat “bantuan” dari kelompok-kelompok lokal seperti partisan-partisan berkebangsaan Litauan yang membunuh sekitar 229.052 orang Yahudi di Luthuania dan beberapa kejadiannya difilmkan oleh Nazi sebagai bagian propaganda dan perintah baik sebagai propaganda dan instruksi untuk einsatzgruppe.
* Semua pembunuhan massal yang mengerikan ini secara umum dimaksudkan untuk mengurangi populasi. Termasuk juga upaya murah dan mudah seperti menciptakan kelaparan secara sistematis, dan kerja keras yang mematikan di dalam kapal-kapal tua besar yang kemudian ditenggelamkan. Perkiraan angka-angka ini lebih rendah dari kenyataan sebenarnya (dengan dokumentasi yang lengkap), seperti yang diperkirakan oleh para sejarawan bahwa pada kenyataannya angka-angka tersebut pasti lebih tinggi dari itu.
* Bom atom yang kedua yang dijatuhkan oleh AS di atas Nagasaki pada tahun 1945 berasal dari tipe yang berbeda dari yang pernah diuji dampaknya oleh angkatan udara AS. Mereka tidak memberi Jepang waktu untuk menyerah dan memilih dua kota ukuran yang sama ukurannya. AS tidak berencana mecegah kerusakan yang parah di Hiroshima dan Nagasaki, misalnya dengan menggunakan bom konvensional saja, tapi mereka benar-benar bermaksud menghancurkan hampir setiap kota di Jepang dengan ledakan bom. Cukup aneh beberapa artikel mengenai "bom atom" jarang menyebutkan tentang pengeboman kedua yang dilakukan di Nagasaki (atau mengenai jumlah korban di sana) dan pada kenyataannya Jepang sesungguhnya tidak mampu untuk melawan serangan itu. Untuk menyerang pesawat pengebom itu saja mereka tidak bisa. Tetapi para pemimpin Jepang masih enggan untuk menyerah, bahkan setelah pengeboman yang kedua atas Nagasaki. Seandainya kaisar Jepang memerintahkan kepada pihak militer Jepang untuk menyerah sebelumnya, mungkin pengeboman itu tidak perlu terjadi.
* Almarhum Haji Muhammad (HM) Azharie adalah sosok kelahiran Palembang asli yang dulunya berdomisili di Jalan Fagih Usman Lr Tangga Raja RT 13 RW 03 No 308, 2 Ulu Laut Palembang. Sosok bapak 13 anak inilah dengan perannya sebagai saudagar Palembang yang hilir mudik Palembang - Bengkulu yang dengan kemurahan hatinya dan jiwa besarnya ikut berperan “menyembunyikan” sosok Bung Karno di kediamannya di 2 Ulu dan berkat jasanya pula, Bung Karno pada masa pengasingan di Bengkulu dapat “lolos” ke Jakarta via Palembang.
* Berdasarkan laporan John Perkins, maka Richard Nixon, Presiden AS ke-36, mengatakan Indonesia tidak boleh jatuh ke tangan Uni Soviet atau China. Bak gayung bersambut Korporatokrasi disambut kleptokrasi Rezim Orde Baru. Pola ini membuat konspirasi lingkaran setan utang pembangunan. Sebagian besar utang digunakan untuk membangun proyek infrastruktur yang dikerjakan korporatokrasi sekaligus memperkaya kleptokrasi. Kongkalikong korporatokrasi- kleptokrasi tampak dari proyek Paiton yang nilainya USD3,7 miliar.Harga listriknya 60% lebih mahal daripada di Filipina atau 20 kali dibandingkan di AS.
* Dana Paiton berasal dari utang yang disalurkan export credit agencies di Barat. Korupsi dimulai ketika 15,75% saham megaproyek tersebut disetor kepada kroni dan keluarga kleptokrasi. Pembebasan lahan sampai monopoli suplai batu bara dilakukan tanpa tender. Ternyata, nilai proyek Paiton tergelembungkan 72% dan Indonesia selama 30 tahun harus membayar ganti rugi 8,6 sen dolar AS per kwh sementara kemampuannya cuma 2 sen dolar AS.
* Padahal, Presiden Soekarno atau Bung Karno (BK) sangat antikorporatokrasi. Terbukti, sejak 1951 Bung Karno lewat kebijakannya (UU No 44/1960) membekukan konsesi minyak bumi bagi MNC.Pembekuan itu membuat tiga besar (Stanvac,Caltex, dan Shell) meminta negosiasi ulang.Tapi,Bung Karno mengancam,“ Saya berikan Anda waktu beberapa hari. Akan saya batalkan semua konsesi jika tak memenuhi tuntutan saya.”
* Kejahatan yang belum terbongkar paling besar (sedikitnya hingga tahun 1996) adalah ketika gerombolan dari militer Amerika dan beberapa warganegara sipil Jerman, mengambil cadangan emas milik negara Jerman pada tahun 1945 serta barang-barang lainnya yang bernilai sekitar 400 juta dolar.
* Paul Anderson, atlet angkat berat dari AS yang memenangkan medali emas pada tahun 1956, berhasil mengangkat barbel seberat 3.000 kilogram pada tahun 1957 hanya dengan punggung nya dan William Pagel, mengangkat barbel lebih berat 500 kilogram dari Paulus Anderson sambil menaiki dua-empat meter tangga.
* Manusia terkaya di dunia selama dua puluh tahun adalah tokoh terkemuka dari sebuah usaha pengiriman yaitu si introvert Daniel K Ludwig (1897-1992) yang mempunyai sejumlah kekayaan sedikitnya 3.000 juta dolar pada tahun 1977 (yang akan menjadi sekitar 12.000 juta dolar pada tahun 1997). Dia banyak mendermakan kebanyakan dari kekayaannya untuk riset penyakit kanker. Anda dapat membandingkannya dengan kekayaan Howard Hughes yang "hanya" 1.373 juta dolar pada tahun 1976. Sedangkan syeikh dari Kuwait berhasil menghasilkan kekayaan sejak tahun 1974 lebih dari 3.800 juta dolar setiap tahun dan seorang maharani dari India, sekitar dua kali lipat kekayaan Ludwig, sebelum pemerintah India menyatakan mengambil seluruh hartanya dengan cara menarik pajak. Si Maharani tersebut mempunyai gudang bawah tanah yang lengkap di dalam istana-istananya yang diisi dengan sejumlah emas dan batu permata. Kemudian pemerintah India menetapkan bahwa memiliki emas secara pribadi adalah ilegal, dan dia tidak pernah telat membayar pajak. Dia juga dikenal suka mengadakan pesta kaum jetset. Lalu adalah Sultan dari Brunei sebagai orang terkaya di tahun 1997 dengan kekayaan sekitar 38.000 juta dolar. Pada tahun 2007 tercatat William Gates III sebagai orang terkaya dengan jumlah kekayaan sekitar 56.000 juta dolar, jumlah tersebut adalah hartanya yang tersisa setelah ia dermakan hampir separuhnya yang pada tahun 2000 tercatat lebih dari 118.000 juta dolar. Ingvar Kamprad, seorang Swedia pendiri IKEA akhirnya menjadi orang paling kaya ke-4 pada tahun 2007 dengan jumlah kekayaan sekitar 33.000 juta dolar.
* Usia rerata dari pernikahan anak-anak perempuan di India pada tahun 1980 hanya 14,5 tahun.
* Internet dibuka untuk setiap orang pertama kali pada tanggal 30 April 1993 seperti www (World Wide Web) and link yang menjadi kunci kesuksesannya.
* Seorang Inggris yang mengalami tekanan buruk, akhirnya sadar kembali pada tahun 1997 setelah 8 tahun koma.
* Usia rerata dari pernikahan untuk anak-anak perempuan di Yaman atau Jemen (salah satu negera di tanah Arab) pada tahun 2005 adalah 14,3 tahun dan pada 1999 batasan usia tersebut ditetapkan dengan undang-undang pernikahan dari 15 tahun ke usia awal pubertas, sehingga anak-anak perempuan bisa dinikahi pada usia 9 tahun. Tetapi bagian yang benar-benar buruk adalah kebanyakan pernikahan-pernikahan tersebut diatur dengan tanpa memperhatikan perasaan mereka. Bahkan anak-anak perempuan tersebut banyak tidak mengetahui tentang sex (dengan alasan ajaran agama) sehingga pengalaman pertama mereka memasuki perawinan berakhir dengan suatu goncangan emosi!
* Mengenai keajaiban alam. Ada sebuah sungai yang terdapat di bawah tanah, terletak sedikit di bawah sungai Nil – ukurannya enam kali lebih besar dari sungai Nil. Sungai Nil sendiri dialiri 1360 juta meter kubik air setiap harinya.
* Air terjun yang paling tinggi di dunia adalah Salto del Angel di Venezuela yang tingginya 979 meter.
* Orang-orang yang melakukan penebangan pohon-pohon di dalam hutan (di kebanyakan negara) hanyalah untuk dijadikan kayu bakar atau membuka lahan pertanian baru. Pepohonan di hutan hujan berfungsi menahan air hujan di dalam tanah dan membersihkan udara untuk kita bernafas. Tetapi hutan yang gundul di beberapa negara-negara beriklim tropis akan mudah disapu air apabila hujan lebat yang bisa mengabiskan sumber ikan di pantai dan bisa mengubah tanah menjadi padang pasir. Di negara Haiti hutannya hijaunya tinggal 5%, juga di beberapa negara lainnya, bahkan lebih sedikit lagi. Sedangkan pohon tertinggi di dunia adalah redwood yang tingginya 113 meter, di AS.
* Burung yang dikenal sebagai merpati berjalan di atas tanah dari Amerika Utara telah dibunuh dari 5.000 sampai dengan 10.000 juta dalam 1880.
* Zaman es berikutnya akan datang kira-kira 100 sampai paling lama 4000 tahun, menurut variasi terakhirnya dan kita sekarang berada di bagian akhir dari masa hangat ke-20, yang dimulai bahwa tahun 9000 SM.
* Takhyul. Ditiadakannya jalur no.13 di dalam bangku pesawat udara, tidak ada penomoran lantai ke- 13 di beberapa negara (khususnya USA), tidak ada kamar nomor 13 di hotel-hotel dan raja Swedia menolak untuk makan bersama dengan 13 orang pada satu meja!
* Beberapa mitos palsu yang populer. Seperti kisah bajak laut di masa lalu dalam kenyataan sebenarnya hampir tidak pernah menyuruh tawanannya dengan "hukuman terjun ke laut" seperti yang sering ditampilkan di dalam cerita film. Dan hanya sedikit bajak laut yang mencari harta karun, karena para bajak laut biasanya hanya saling membagi barang rampasan dengan sesama temannya dan berfoya-foya menghabiskannya pada pelabuhan yang berikutnya. Jadi hampir tidak ada peta harta karun dalam kehidupan nyata. Kecuali kisah tentang tenggelamnya kapal Spanyol yang memuat emas.

19 Desember 2009

May it be

May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home

Mornie utulie (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

May it be the shadows call
Will fly away
May it be you journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun

Mornie utulie (darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie (darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now


Enya


A promise lives within you now




Dibalik-Mu

Aku selalu percaya pada-Mu
Dari dulu
Ketika ku terpuruk dalam kekalahan, kegagalan,
Aku selalu yakin bahwa Engkau
Yang Maha Pengasih lagi Maha penyayang
Memiliki rencana yang lebih besar
Rencana yang akan membuatku puas,
Bahagia akan hasil yang kucapai,
Tuhan,
Kapankah itu?
Aku berusaha
Berusaha
Terus......
Hingga mata perih membuka
Dan lelah tak tertahan
Aku percaya aku bisa mendapatkan apa yang aku inginkan
Tapi kehendak-Mu lain
Aku kalah,
Gagal,
Lagi
Aku ingin menangis
Seseorang disana yang berbohong pada diri, hati dan Engkau
Termulyakan
Tercapai impian
Dan aku
Tersudut
Terpuruk
Hingga kapan?
Kapankah takdir kemenanganku ada?
Aku hanya percaya...
Bukankah Kau yang menyuruhku percaya?
Bahwa setiap kepercayaan akan membawa keberhasilan?
Bahwa jika aku percaya maka keajaiban akan datang,
Aku berusaha...
Berusaha...
Mencoba bersikap kstaria
Tetapi...
Aku terpuruk
Apakah aku harus melakuakn seperti yang mereka lakuakan agar aku dapat mencapai kemulyaan?
Menggapai impian?
Aku selalu percaya
Percaya
Aku percaya
Dibalik ini,
dibalik kegagalan ini
Dibalik kekalah ini
Kau akan mengangkatku
Lebih daripada yang aku inginkan
Lebih daripada mereka
Dan aku bahagia
Puas
Bersyukur padamu
Aku percaya
Bahwa Kau....
Memiliki apa yang aku inginkan
Yang akan Kau kucurkan ketika aku lulus dalam ujian

Aku percaya

................Aku percaya

..........Aku percaya .................. Aku percaya

....Aku percaya .............Aku percaya

Aku percaya..... Aku percaya

..................Aku percaya
........................Aku percaya...... Aku percaya

Aku percaya..... Aku percaya....... Aku percaya

...........Aku percaya............. Aku percaya

......Aku percaya


Aku percaya


Aku percaya Kau-lah dibalik semua
Dan Kau akan membalik semua
Untukku
Dan berik aku kesabaran tak terbatas layaknya kesatria tangguh
Kesabaran dan ketabahan
Yang membawaku menuju kemenangan

18 Desember 2009

SELAMAT TAHUN BARU 1431 H



SELAMAT TAHUN BARU 1431 H


SEMOGA TAHUN INI LEBIH BAIK DARIPADA TAHUN KEMARIN
APA YANG KITA CITA- CITAKAN, SEMOGA PADA TAHUN INI BISA SEGERA TERCAPAI.
SEMOGA YANG PUNYA HAJAT ATAU KEINGINAN, DAPAT SEGERA TERCAPAI.
YANG MAU MENGAHADAPI UJIAN SEMOGA DAPAT LULUS DENGAN NILAI MEMUASKAN.


AMIN.....


11 Desember 2009

The upside down of Tali Putri Phenomenon in Simbiosis with Euphorbiaceae

Abstarct



Muhammad Abdul Manaf, Muhammad Aunu Rofiq
The upside down of Tali Putri Phenomenon in Simbiosis with Euphorbiaceae. MTsN Kediri 2
Advisor (1) Ahmad Jaelani.M.Pd Advisor (2) Enik Kurniawati, S.Pd

Key Words : Tali Putri, Parasitisme, Upside Down Fenomena, Cassava tree

Tali Putri is one of Parasite Obligate. On other hand, the researcher sees other phenomenon in Tali Putri parasitisme where Tali putri die when they live in Euphorbiaceae, that’s Cassava tree.so that, the research problems are why Tali Putri died in Euphorbiaceae and how are the comparative between growth and development of Tali Putri in Euphorbiaceae. The purposes of the research are to know how is the growth and development of Tali Putri in Euphorbiaceae and to compare with Beluntas, also looking for and which species happens upside down simbiosis fenomena. This research used five specieses of Euphorbiaceae, that’s Cassava tree (manihot esculenta Cra ntz), Jarak Kepyar (Ricinus communis L.) Jarak Pagar (Jatropha curcas L), and Euphorbia (Euphorbia milli Ch.DesMoulins). for cassava tree used two variant, those are Doro Ijo and Betik Urang.
This research is done in Gondang Village, Plosoklaten distric and kediri regency East Java. It was conducted for about five months. Starting on March 2008 till June 2008. The research methods are descriptive Qualitative with observation and literature study. Consult with the lacture from Brawijaya university in Malang. There are nine treatments of planting tali Putri to Euphorbiaceae.
The research findings show that Tali Putri can live in Cassava tree (manihot utilisma Pohl), jarak kepyar (jatropha curcas L). In Euphorbia (Euphorbia milli Ch. Des Moulins) Tali Putri can not live and stand on nine days. The most fertile Tali Putri is in Doro ijo cassava. Upside down fenomena happens in Betik urang Cassava. This differance in Euphorbiaceaeis the color of Tali Putri, degress of growth and development.

The using of Papaya Skin Waste in optimalizing Coconut Oil Purification

Abstract


Erneny Idawati, Rizky Putri Hardayanti.
The using of Papaya Skin Waste in optimalizing Coconut Oil Purification
MTsN Kediri 2. Advisor (1) Enik Kurniawati,S.Pd. Advisor (2) Nur Farida, S.Pd

Key Words : Coconut, Papaya

Nowdays, the need is very expensive. The price of Fried Oil is more expensive. Besides, people are lazy to make coconut oil by their selvis. It is because of the time is long and little Oil. Those become our background of our study.
The purpose of study is to know whether papaya skin waste can be used to optimalizing and purification of coconut oil.
The reaserch methods are comperation between pure coconut oil and coconut oil added with papaya skin and also comperati oblondo and between pure coconut oil with papaya skin and comporation between the price of Coconut oil and coconut oil that is sold. The sample is taken from the seller of coconut.
The research finding shows that coconut oil added by papaya skin is more pure and many. It shows that papaya skin can be used to optimalize and pure the coconut oil.

Extract Pletekan Leaves (ruellia tuberosa) as the Alternative to reduce Diabetes Fate.

Abstract


Safitri Nindya Kirana Sunyoto, Debita Tejo Saputri
Extract Pletekan Leaves (ruellia tuberosa) as the Alternative to reduce Diabetes Fate.
MTsN Kediri 2. Advisor (1) Enik Kurniawati,S.Pd Advisor (2) Nur Farida,S.Pd

Key Words : Pletekan leaves, Diabetes Fate.

Pletekan is kind of clump which doesn’t get any attentions from the sociaty. Mostly live at the edge of street and usually grow in rainy season. At this time, many people doesn’t understand yet the usage of Pletekan. Those are being bases of our research. We try to exploit Pletekan leaves in order it can be used by sociaty. Those become our background of our research.
Millitus diabetes is kind of deseas which has different Metabolic Glucosecaused by insulin reduction. Mellitus Diabetes can only be restrained by insulin injection and medecine in which more expensive price. It can be destruct our kidney with along used. So that, people need the cheaper alternative medecine to cure Mellitus Diabetes fate and doesn’t take side effect.
In this research, we used twelve rabbits as samples. Those are devided to be four variants. Each of contents three rabbits (A,B,C,D). A variant is the control in which we don’t do the treatment. B variant is given five grams Pletekan leaves. C variant is given ten grams. D variant is given fifteen grams. While, the main food is given leafy which the total consume is adjusted by the need of rabbit color each.
This reaseach was conducted for eight months starting on February 2008 till October 2008. The data collection is experimental to twelve rabbits as the samples. Then, analyzed and noted rabbits conditions before and after treatments. Such as attitude, weight,sugar’s fate, and total calory. Data collection is secunder done by literature study. The data is revised, reduction, analyzed, presentation of data, conclusion and research report.
Based on the research findings, we get the result : (1) Pletekan leaves is one alternativeto reduce sugar’s fate/ diabetes. (2) extract Pletekan leaves can reduce diabetes or sugar’s fate because it cause flaconoid. (3) Pletekan leaves can reduce the weight to obecity victims who get diabetes Mellitus tendency. (4) C variant is the best variant to reduce sugar’s fate for diabetes mellitus victims of other treatments/variants.


The benefit of leafy plant (Ipomea Aquatica) as Biocumulator metal and Bioindicator to water pollution

Abstract

Iqlima Kurnia Dewi, Endah Rosalia Dewi
The benefit of leafy plant (Ipomea Aquatica) as Biocumulator metal and Bioindicator to water pollution. Advisor (1) Enik Kurniawati,S.Pd. Advisor (2) Nur Farida, S.Pd

Key Words : Leafy, metal, liquid waste

The purposes of this study are to know whether leafy can grow in the water that is poluted and can be bioindicator. To know the influence of solution that has metal to the growth of leafy. To know the change of metal ion fate after its absorbtion by leafy plant. To know the capacity absorb in leafy’s root part.
The reasearch methods arefirst, field experimental by compareting three variants of metal waste as the absorbent. We analyze the data in Sains Laboratory of MTsN Kediri 2 and Politeknik Malang in chamical Faculty. Second, the experimental by compareting three variants waste as bioindicator plant.
The reasecrh findings are first, leafy plant can grow in the water that is poluted and can be as bioindicator. Second, leafy plant phisically after giving metal is faded, not fresh, has strong root. It causes the metal is corosive. Third, the change of ion fate after absorbtion by leafy plant is metal Pb. Before treatment the fate is 3,703 ppm, after treatment the fate is 2,302 ppm, Cu before treatment is 155,9 ppm, after treatment the fate is 0,007 ppm, and Ag before treatment is 5860,32 ppm, fourth, the capacity absorb in part of leafy’s root is 33 ppm. So that, leafy plant can be spoken as bioacumulator.


TALI PUTRI (Cuscuta sp.)

1.Sistematika

Tali putri memiliki sistematika Kingdom Plantae, Divisio Spermatophyta, Kelas Angiospermae, Subkelas Dycotiledonae, Ordo Solonales, Famili Convolvulaceae, Genus Cuscuta, Spesies Cuscuta sp. (Backer, van den Brink 1968:483) .

2. Nama

Nama sinonim tali putri adalah Cassytha capillaries F.Viil., Cassytha filiformis L.
Di Jawa, tali putri dikenal dengan nama sangga langit (Sunda), tali putri (Jawa).

3. Deskripsi

Baik pada Stachytarpheta maupun pada Barleria, khususnya yang dipakai sebagai pagar hidup, sering terdapat tali putri, Cuscuta sp., suatu tanaman berbunga (Convolvulaceace) yang bersifat sebagai parasit obligat.

a. Akar

Akar merupakan batil penghisap yang terbentuk dari epidermis batang induk dan terpenetrasi ke dalam berkas pengangkut inang dengan tekanan atau ekskresi fermentasi. Haustorium sejati baru tumbuh kemudian, berasal dari endogen kortek dari sebelah luar perisikel ( Singh, 1978). Batil penghisap mengeluarkan enzim, seperti diastase yang dapat menghidrolase tepung dan bahan potensial makanan di dalam tubuh inang ( Walker, 1950). Melalui sel transfer yang terdapat di dalam haustorium Cuscuta sp. dapat dengan mudah menyerap bahan organic dan anorganik inangnya. Menurut Walswinkoln (1978) di dalam semang terdapat sel transfer yang akan meningkatkan efisiensi dalam menyerap larutan apoplas inang.

b. Batang

Cuscuta sp. yang mempunyai batang seperti benang yang sering membentuk kumpulan kusut yang berwarna kuning atau merah jambu, membelit pada batang tanaman inang, dan membentuk alat pengisap (haustorium) yang masuk kedalam jaringan kulit maupun jaringan kayu (Semangun,1994:729).

c. Daun, Bunga, Buah dan Biji

Daun hanya dalam waktu singkat langsung berubah menjadi bentuk seperti sisik kecil ( Agrios, 1996).

Bunga kecil, tersusun seperti setukal benang kusut, banci, aktinomorf. Tajuk bunganya tumpul, seluruh tajuk bunga mempunyai panjang 2-3 mm, berwarna putih. Sisik dibawah benang sari tidak keluar dari tabung tajuk bunga. Kelopak 1,5-2 mm, bagian-bagiannya tidak saling menutupi. Kelopak terdiri atas 5 atau 4 daun, kelopak yang bebas atau berlekatan , berwarana putih atau merah jambu, berbentuk lonceng atau hampir bulat, dengan 5 atau 4 taju-taju. Benang sari 5, tangkai sari pendek tertanam pada pangkal mahkota, berseling dengan taju-taju. Di daerah benang sari terdapat sisik-sisik yang berlekuk atau berbulu mata. Bakal buah menumpang, beruang dua dengan sempurna atau tidak sempurna, masing-masing dengan 2 bakal biji. Tangkai putik 2, bebas atau berlekatan. Buahnya buah kendaga berbentuk bulat, kerung, atau bedaging, berisi 1-4 biji. Buah bergaris tengah 3-4 mm (Semangun,, 1994:729). Biji dengan lembaga yang melingkari endospermanya, lembaga tanpa daun lembaga, (Tjitrosoepomo, 2004). Berwarna abu-abu sampai coklat kemerahan. Tekstur biji kasar. Rata-rata setiap tumbuhan menghasilkan 3000 biji (Agrios, 1996).

d. Habitat dan Penyebaran

Cuscuta sp. tersebar luas dari Afrika sampai Asia, Cina Tengah dan Selatan, Jepang, sampai Asia Tenggara dan Australia Utara. Cuscuta sp. tumbuh terutama di pantai dan daerah-daerah yang langsung berada di belakang pantai, sering membentuk selimut tebal di balik belukar. Kadang-kadang, varietas ini dijumpai di darat, tetapi tidak lebih dari ketinggian diatas 600 m dpl. dan dijumpai baik pada daerah-daerah lembab dan kering. Umumnya terdapat pada tinggi 5-500 m dari permukaan air laut (Backer Bakhuizen van den Brink, 1965:485).

Parasit ini terutama dipencarkan oleh manusia sendiri, yang mengangkapnya sebagai tumbuhan yang menarik (seperti tembakau), dan tidak mengetahui bahwa sebenarnya adalah parasit. Cuscuta sp. juga dapat dipencarkan dengan bijinya.

e. Perkecambahan dan Tahap pertumbuhan

Perkecambahan biji merupakan awal kehidupan Cuscuta sp. tanah. Biji berkecambah ditanah lalu membelit tumbuhan yang sesuai yang terdapat didekatnya (Semangun,1994:748).

Biji berkecambah dari musim semi, menghasilkan tanaman muda yang hidup independen hanya sepanjang cadangan makanan di dalam biji masih ada. Tanaman muda membentuk sistem perakaran sangat pendek dan membelitkan batangnya berhubungan dengan tumbuhan hijau terdekat. Jika kontak dengan inang cocok, maka haustorium akan berpenetrasi ke dalam jaringan vibrovaskuler. Bahan makanan dan air diserap oleh haustorium dan ditransport ke batang Cuscuta s.p untuk pertumbuhan dan repruduksi. Segera setelah kontak dengan inang mapan, dasar tali putri layu dan kering sehingga kehilangan hubungan dengan tanah. Jika tidak ada inang yang cocok, akan kering dalam waktu 3-4 minggu. Cuscuta s.p dapat menjalar dari satu tumbuhan ke tumbuhan lain membentuk masa yang tidak larut dan secara gradual mengurangi pertumbuhan inang. Tumbuhan inang yang terinfeksi menjadi lemah, vigornya turun, hasil panen jelek (Grieve, 2007). Beberapa manfaat tali putri diantaranya adalah untuk pengobatan disentri, kencing manis, susah buang air besar, dan penyubur rambut.

Gambar Tali Putri


Tali Putri pada pohon jarak

Tali Putri pada Ketela Pohon

Tali Putri pada pohon jarak

Tali Putri pada pohon jarak kepyar (Ricinus communis)


Tali putri pada beluntas (Plucea indica)

26 November 2009

GOBLIN

GOBLIN



One night, Grady pierce goes to the tavern. The tavern is filled with ghost that night. But Grady does not much care as long as the bartender keeps pouring the drinks. He sits alone without any people around him. No one he knows. Another visitor does not care each others. They just want to drink that night, so does Grady. Fifteen minutes later, someone touch him, he is Aaron noel. The man who always take Grady up to his home when he was drunk.
That night Grady does not want Aaron to take him up. Because he feels that he can go home by himself. Grady is in tavern for enough time, the bartender drops the bill beside his glass. It is mean that Grady should go home now. After paying, Grady stands up, step outside and laughing loudly.
He starts to walk to go home. He mutters as long as street. Suddenly he pauses at the curb. Then crosses over and moved on up the street. He goes to the close shops. He feels miserable tonight. He feels there is someone behind him, someone stare at him. He shouts but no one answer, just breeze makes him narrow his eyes. He sees something move at the mouth of s narrow alley about thirty feet back. He shouts again, but no one answer.
He continues his step. Suddenly he stops and heard the breathing. He looks around, but no one there. Grady shouts again many times, someone answer very quiet. Directly, Grady feels the fire around his neck, and the warmth flowing over his chest. He sees the face of the thing that had killed him.
In another place, exactly in the Jefferson memorial, Fox mulder, one of agent FBI prefers this place when he wants time to think. When he eats his sandwich and a plastic cup of soda just about empty, he sees a tall man, Hank webber comes to him and they smile each others. Webber comes to ask about the case that has to solve. That is HELEVITO case. The case is about murder.
Actually Mulder is not in his duty, he is taking his vacation. But the case needs to be solved to avoid more victims. This murder is not caused by people but by something invisible and Mulder is expert in. For the first time he refuses it. But Webber tries to make sure him to take this duty. Finally Mulder agrees to do it.
In another day, there is someone, Corporal frank ulman goes to the tavern. He is drunk. When he wants to go home, he lays down until someone drop in to the hospital. He drink too much.
In the morning, he feels need to get fresh air. He decides to walk around hospital. He walks from corridor to corridor but no one there and heard nothing. He comes in one long and quiet corridor. In the end of corridor he sees a strange woman. He calls that woman but she does not answer and the woman’s face disappear suddenly.
One day, Fox mulder goes to the basement of the J. Edgar Hoover building to discuss his job, that is about HELEVITO, an invisible case. A few minutes later, Barreli and Arlen Douglas, Mulder’s friends come in. When they are discussing about the case and about the witness of murder, Hank come in. They are one team to solve HELEVITO case. The team actually less one person, Dana Scully, she is in her vacation. A half hour later, they are very surprised, because Dana Scully already stands up at the threshold. Dana comes back early from her vacation. They shake hand each others. And then the telephone is ringing, Mulder’s boss is calling. He has to go to meet the boss.
The next day, Mulder and Douglas try to seek witness. They go to one of tavern. Over there, they meet Rosemary, she is witness of Grady death. They ask her about what she saw that night. But she is pretend knowing nothing, she says that she know nothing. She looks frightened and directly goes away from them.
Because they do not get any information, they decide to go out from that tavern. When they in valley, they see the tweed man. Mulder is suspicious, he calls that man. But after that man heard someone call him, he is gone. And then they decide to come back to the office.
When arriving in the office, Scully is already waiting for them. Dana tells that she receive package from FBI headquarters. The package is gun for HELEVITO case. They feel confused about that case. Because they did not get any witness yet. They feel so tired that day, so they decide to go home and continue tomorrow.
Mulder gets home very late. He directly goes to sleep. In his sleep he gets a strange dream. In his dream, he sees a bright light in his home, fire around his body, and a few minutes his house is exploded. He sees a black man stands of in front of his house and bring a gun. He wakes up directly.
In the morning Mulder goes to the office. He meets Dana and tells about his dream last night. Dana says, maybe this is a key to solve that case, this prove that an invisible man is real, and do not worry, we have a good gun for force that man.
At that day, Mulder, Dana, Andrews, and Webber go to marville town to finish HELEVITO case. For the first time, they visit Hawk, the owner of tavern in that town. They ask about what happen here. Because the town very quiet and lonely. Hawk tells that after Grady death, the town very quiet. Everybody frightened to go out from their home. There is an invisible man who makes trouble. But no one knows exactly who is he. When Hawk is telling, Dana takes a piece of paper near her, this says GOBLIN, the name of ghost in this town.
They decide to walk around that town and invite Hawk to look for and finish the GOBLIN. As long as the street they see nothing. It is very quiet place. Somebody died here. Some poor guy bled to death here. Hawk tells that Grady was found there, a couple of feet in, sitting against the wall. Even with the rain, it like he took a shower in his own blood. It is unthinkable concept. Mulder suggest to meet Elly Lang, she is spiritual woman who has this theory.
They visit Elly lang. They can meet Elly in the first floor queen apartment. Mulder comes in the room and the others waiting outside. Mulder ask to Miss Elly about goblin. Miss Elly invites Mulder to know about goblin in daydream. They close their eyes. Miss Elly tells that Goblin lives in the woods, her voice was low, harsh, the rasp of a childhood Halloween witch. And then they open their eyes. Mulder asks about the night Grady pierce died. Grady was died because he never listen Elly’s advice. Elly advices him to avoid profanity when he met Goblin and do not go out when Goblin appeared. But Grady never listen her advice. And the result Grady was killed.
While waiting Mulder talk with Elly, Dana and friends waiting out of the room. Dana looks at the quiet corridor, she sees Grady walk away in corridor. She is surprised. When Mulder finish and go out, Dana tells what she sees last time. Directly, they ask to Elly. Elly tells that Goblin is coming. Mulder asks how Goblin is. Goblin is black. It has no color at all. They have to be careful with Goblin. Because it is not real but invisible.
Major Joseph Tonero is one of member FBI who does not believe with ghost. When he goes to California, he met Rosemary. She was witness of Goblin. She ever knew Goblin killed man. When Joseph and Rose enter to an apartment, he saw something in the corridor. He knew someone in black cloth. He walked to them. Rose looked frightened. She spoke in muttered voice, Goblin is coming. They have to run out and save themselves from Goblin. After that event, Joseph has just believed that Goblin is real.




FORMAL GREETING

FORMAL GREETINGS.


Hello.
Hello.
Hello, how are you?
Hello, I’m fine. What about you?
Hello, how are you today?
Hell, I’m fine. And you?
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too.
How do you do?
How do you do?

Good morning.
Good morning Sir..
Good afternoon.
Good evening.

INFORMAL GREETINGS.

Are you fine?
I’m fine.
I’m okay.
I’m feeling great.Hi.
Hi, how are you?
How’s life?
How’s your day?

THE BASICS FOR GETTING BY.

It doesn’t matter.
See you later.
Bye-bye.
Good bye.
See you.
See you soon.
See you later.
See you tomorrow.
See you on Monday.
See you next month.
Okay.
That’s okay.
Just a second.
Just a minute.
Just a moment.
A moment please.
Wait a moment please.
Hello!
Yes.
No.
sure.
That’s sure.
Are you sure?
I’m sure about it.
Maybe.
Please.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thanks a lot.
You are welcome.
I’m sorry.
That’s all right.
That’s okay.
That’s fine.
That would be fine.

Would that be alright?
Yes, that would be alrighte.
Please phone me.
Okay, I’ll phone you.
See you.
See you soon.
Hoping you are fine.
Hoping all things are fine.
Hoping the best for you.
I’m happy to see you.
I’m please to meet you.
I’m exited to meet you.
I’m glad to see you here.
It’s a pleasure to meet you.
Do you speak English?
Yes, I speak English.
Yes, I speak English fluently.
Yes, I am a native speaker.
Yes, I speak good English.
Yes, I speak a little English.
No, I don’t speak English.
Do you understand English?
Yes, I understand.
Yes, I understand English.
No, I don’t understand English.
Yes, I understand a little English.
Yes, I understand English very well.
Yes, I am a native speaker of English.
Yes, I am a native speaker from English speaking country.
Yes, I am a native speaker from United States.
Yes, I am a native speaker from Canada.
Yes, I am a native speaker from England.

Copyright: Martin W. All Right Reserved.

HOW TO SAY HELLO

Hi everybody. This is Mr. Duncan in England.
How are you today?
Are you OK? … I hope so!
Are you happy? … I hope so!
In today’s lesson, we’re going to talk all about saying:
“Hello” and “Goodbye”
When we first meet someone,
Whether it is a person we know
Or someone we are meeting for the first time
we will normally use a simple sentence
A greeting is a friendly way of opening a conversation
Or as a way of letting the other person know that we have seen them.
There are many ways to say hello.
“Hello”
“Hi here”
“Hello there”
“Hey, how are you doing?”
“What’s up?”
“We sometimes use a double greeting …”
“Hi there, hey how are you doing?”
“Hello, how have you been?”
“It’s good to see you, how’s life been treating you?”
If you are meeting someone for the first time, you can say: “Good to meet you”
“It’s nice to meet you”
“Good to meet you”
“It’s nice to meet you”
“I’m pleased to meet you”
“Good to meet you”
“It’s nice to meet you”
“I’m pleased to meet you”
‘it’s a pleasure to meet you”
These sentences are often used after the ather person has been introduce to you.
If you are meeting someone you have not seen or heard from for a long time, then you can show a real surprise and shock.
“Oh my God, it’s you!”
“Aahh, where have you been?”
“My goodness, long time no speak”
“Wow, it’s so good to see you again”
“Is it really you? When did we last meet?”
“Wow, as I live and breathe, it’s my best friend from school”
If you are in a hurry in which to make your greeting.
“Hi, sorry. I can’t stop”
“Oh hi there, look I’m a bit pushed for time …”
“Hi, sorry. I can’t stop”
“Hello there, look I’m on my way to work …”
“Maybe catch up with you again soon”
“Hey’ I would love to stop and chat … but I really have to dash”
This type or greeting is common these days because we are all in such a big hurry to get some place …
We sometimes use the word “hello” as a way of showing surprise or as a way of expressing a sudden interest in something.
“Hello, what’s going on here?”
“Hello, I did not know he had a girlfriend”
“Hello, what’s going on over there?”
“Hello, sometthing is wrong here …”
“… he took my money!”
Here in the UK, people will often greet each other by talking about the weather.
“Hello, isn’t it a lovely day?”
“Hello. what about this terrible weather?”
“Hello, did you hear the storm last night?”
In many countries people will ask abut the family.
“Hello, how’s the family.”
“Hello, how’s your wife doing?”
“Hello, how are the kids?”
In China, people often greet each other by asking if they have eaten their lunch or dinner or ask them where they are going.
The word “hello” can also be used informally as a way of expressing sarcasm or annoyance.
“Hello, did you understand what I said?”
“Hello, was that too difficult for you to read?”
“Hello, did you see me waving at you?”
“Hello, do you not recognise me?”
“Hello, what time do you call this? You are late!”
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
That I shall say goodnight, till it be morrow”
That’s Shakespeare, that is.
Saying Goodbye.
There are many ways to say goodbye.

“See you around”
“Farewell”
“Ta-ra”
“See you again”
“Ta-ta for now”
“catch you later”
“Goodbye” “Bye”
“Bye for now”
“Bye-bye”
“See ya”
“So long”
“Ciao”
“Later”
“Cheerio”

You will often hear me say “ta-ta” at the end of my English lessons.
This expression is mostly used in certain parts of the UK.
It is a friendly, fun way to say goodbye.
Well I have come to the end of this lesson so I must bid you a fond farewell.
Until next time we meet here on the super-duper internet highway.
This is Misterduncan in England saying … thank you for watching me, teaching you … and … Ta-ta for now.

ASAL USUL KOTA PARE

ASAL USUL KOTA PARE


Oleh: gita dya O.

Berawal dari nama, yang disebut pare, tetapi orang-orang mengira kalau pare adalah sayuran yang digunakan untuk obat. Tetapi setelah dicari kebenaranya, nama pare berasal dari …..
Dulu zaman perang atau orang menyebutnya dengan zaman penjajahan dulu pare adalah tempat pelerenan atau peristirahatan, karena dulu ada orang sedang bertempur, lalu istirahat terus sedang bersembunyi dari musuh, orang itu selalu selamat. Dan ada juga orang yang hampir terkena tembekan lalu bersembunyi di pare, lalu orang itu terselamatkan. Dan dulu waktu terjadi gunung kelut meletus, dan terjadi banjir, semua daerah yang berada di sekitar pare banjir, tetapi setelah melewati pare, akhirnya berhenti atau leren.
Orang-orang bilang, pare adalah tempat berhentinya musibah. Dan alhamdulilah selama ini, pare belum-belum terjadi musibah apapun, dan juga termasuk kebesaran dari Allah.
Di pare banyak tempat-tempat yang mengingatkan kita pada pahlawan yang sudah membela Negara Indonesia ini, khususnya kota pare, contohnya TMP atau di maksud taman Makam Pahlawan, apabila kita merasa kangen dengan pahlawan-pahlawan kita bisa mendoakan atau ziarah kubur disana, tempatnya sangat strategis, dan ada juga tugu pahlawan, yang terletak di tengah-tengah jalan atau sebelahanya alun-alun kota pare, apabila hari-hari bebas atau hari libur disana sangat ramai oleh pengunjung sekitarnya

KEEPING OUR BODY HEALTHY

KEEPING OUR BODY HEALTHY


Oleh: Anita Nur Hidayah


Having a healthy body is a dream of everyone. The healthy body has a great value and can not be changed with anything. We can not buy it with our money. All you can do is take care of them. There are there ways to keep our body healthy.
The first, do exercise. We have to do exercise everyday, if we want to get a healthy body. It is not a must for us to join a fitness club or pay much money to get a healthy body. We ca do exercise by jogging around our house, cycling or other activities which can burn our fat and it also does not need much money to get the healthy body. It is very advantageous for our body. It also can be done by everyone.
The second., eat the nutritious food. Eat nutritious food is very important for us to keep our body become healthy. There are many kinds of the nutritious food, not only fish and meat but also vegetables, like spinach, tomato, cabbage, etc. We also can get cholesterol if we eat too much meat. And of course cholesterol is not good for our body. Beside that, we also have to eat regularly. Eat there times a day to give the strength for our body.
The last, sleep enough. Sleeping enough is an effort to keep our body become healthy. It is suggested for us to take a rest or sleep after we do all our activities. It is done in order to make our body become fresh again. We should not sleep too late at night or stay up and talk all night because it can make our body become tired the next day. It will make our body become easy to get sick.
The all steps above are the activities that we can do easily. Do exercise; eat the nutritious food and sleep enough are good ways to keep our body become healthy.

ASAL-USUL DESA KELUTAN

ASAL-USUL
DESA KELUTAN

FINA SAIDATUS SARIFAH, MAN 2 Kota kediri



Pada zaman dahulu. Ada sebuah desa yang warganya tengah memanen hasil tanamanya dan hasil panen warga sangat melimpah seminggu setelah panen hujan menguyur desa tersebut selama 3 hari, akibat dari hujan yang sangat deras dan lama, air sungai berantas sangat meluap dan banjirpun datang pada desa tersebut, banjir tersebut berlansung sangat lama dan kebutuhan warga tercukupi dari hasil panen. Jika warga igin makan-makanan yang lain maka mereka menukarkan baranganya kepada tetangganya mereka mengunakan sampan atau perahu kecil untuk berjalan ke rumah tangganya .
Setelah beberapa lama warga merasa resah karena hasil panenya sudah menipis untuk kebutuhannya. Dan hasil panen itu hanya cukup untuk 7 hari saja. Di saat resah atau bingung melanda datang seorang pemuda yang bernama Kelut. Warganya memangilnya dengan sebutan Raden Kelut karena sikapnya yang ramah, baik hati arif dan bijaksana. Sejak kedatangan Raden Kelut air yang mengenang di desa tersebut surut setelah 5 hari dari kedatanganya, setelah air surut atau tidak ada, warag melakukan aktifitasnya seperti saat sebelum banjir datang dan warga mengangap peristiwa ini sebagai keajaiban karena kedatangan kelut.
Di desa tersebut Raden Kelut mendapat perhatian yang baik dan para gadis desa tersebut banyak yang ingin di persunting oleh Raden Kelut. Setelah beberapa singgah di desa tersebut Raden Kelut melamar putri Tatan anak dari sesepuh desa. Putri Tatan sangatlah cantik parasnya dan baik budi pengkertinya. 3 hari sebelum pernikahan Raden Kelut dan putrid Tatan dilaksanakan hujan kembali sebelum mengguyur desa tersebut. Keresahan dan kesedihan melanda warga desa kalau akan terjadi banjir lagi.
Hujan menguyur desa itu selama 2 hari dan air mengenang sudah 1 jengkal dari tanah. Seorang dari warga menemui Raden Kelut untuk membatalkan pernikahannya mugkin akan terjadi petaka besar kalau-kalau Raden Kelut dan putri tatan menikah. Tapi Raden Kelut tidak menagapinya.
Raden Kelut dan putri tatan melaksanakan pernikahannya dengan segala persiapan, dan saat pernikaha dilangsungkan hujan tiba-tiba datang begitu derasnya. Warga sangat takut dan seorang dari warga berkata kepada Raden Kelut ”segeralah batalkan pernikahan ini”’ karena akan terjadi petaka dari pernikahan kalian. Tetapi Raden Kelut tidak mengubrisnya.
Setelah pernikahan raden kelut dan Putri Tatan genangan air agak meningi, warga semakin takut tapi lama kelamaan genangan air semakin telah surut walau tidak semua tempat di desa tersebut tergenang air. Setelah beberapa lama akhirnya Putri Tatan mengandung pada upacara Selapan, Raden Kelut menyuruh warga untuk berkumpul di rumah Putri Tatan. Raden Kelut dan warganya menbajatkan doa dan syukur atas diberikan Allah SWT. Dan setelah itu Raden Kelut menuju tanah becek dan luas yang berada agak jauh dari rumahnya di iringi warga Raden Kelut megeluarkan bungkusan yang berisi bijih beras ketan dan menyebarkanya di tempat tersebut. Dan Raden Kelut berkata kepada warga ”berhubung saya sudah lama singgah di tempat ini saya bermaksud pulang ke singgahsana saya dan saya akan mengajak Putri Tatan dan rawatlah tanaman ini” tanaman ketan ini akan berguna untuk kalian nanti.
Upacara pelepasan Raden Kelut dan Putri Tatan dari desa tersebut dilaksanakan. Sebelum mereka pergi salah satu dari penduduk desa berkata untuk mengenang jasa Raden Kelut dan Putri Tatan kita namakan desa ini menjadi sebuah desa yang bernama ”KELUTAN” dan sebagai tanda desa ini berada di bagian paling wetan atau timur dari daerah kulon atau barat sungai berantas.


LIGHT YEARS

LIGHT YEARS

By: James Salter


We dash the black river, its flats smooth as stone. Not a ship, a dinghy, not one cry of white. The water lies broken, cracked from the wind. This great estuary is wide, endless. The river is brackish, blue with the cold. It passes beneath us blurring. The sea birds hang above it, they wheel, disappear. There are houses of stone along the banks, no longer fashionable, and wooden houses, drafty and bare. There are still estates that exist, remnants of the great land parcels of the past.
A car comes up the driveway, back from the city. The driver is named Viri goes inside, only for a moment until he is heard the news: the pony has gotten loose. He is furious and asked where the pony was. He called the pony’s name: Ursula. He cried and goes around finding her. Suddenly, his wife is named Nedra said to him that Ursula was near the kitchen door, tranquil, dark, eating an apple. Then, he leaded her to the shed. Outside the kitchen he stamped dirt from his shoes.
His daughters called through the door, they asked where Ursula was. He asked that she went out for a walk. They wait for something further. He is a storyteller, a man of wonders. They listen for sound, expecting the door open. They said that her legs were wet, she was trying to get the onions on the bottom and their father said that he think she was swimming, there are no onions there. They explain it to each other outside the door. They wait for him, to little girls squatting like beggars. The pony fascinated them. It frightened them. They are ready to run if it makes an unexpected sound. They often watched her; they listened to her jaws. This mythical beast, fragrant in the darkness, is greater than they are, stronger, cleverer. They long to approach her, to win her love.
It was the autumn of 1958; their children were seven and five. Franca was seven and Danny was five. Nedra was working in the kitchen, her rings set aside. She was tall, preoccupied; her neck was bare. She wore her wrist watch, her best shoes. Beneath the apron, she was dressed for the evening. She is dressed in her oat-colored sweater, slim as a pike, her long hair fastened. People were coming for dinner. She is twenty eight. Her dreams still cling to her, adorn her; she is confident, composed, she is related to long-necked creatures, ruminant, abandoned saints. She is careful, hard to approach. Her life is concealed. It is through the smoke and conversation of many dinners that one sees her: country dinners, dinners at the Russian tea Room, the Café Chauveron with Viri’s clients, the St. Regis, the Minotaur. Guests were driving from the city, Peter Daro and his wife; Catherine. The Daro arrived in darkness. The doors of their car slammed faintly. A few moments later they appeared at the entrance, their faces bright. Peter brought the wine. They go to begin the conversation. Peter told them about his experience fished for trout. Then, Peter asked Viri where he got the wine. The wine is marvelous. He said that he got it in the small shop, Fifty-Sixth Street, next to Carnegie Hall.
Nedra played the record, she said that a song is about a girl whose father wants her to marry one of her nice suitors but she does not want to she wants to marry the town drunk because he will make marvelous love to her every night. Peter watched her. There were moments when it seemed she revealed everything. She was carrying on a separate conversation with Peter, as if the two of them were closest,as if she understood him utterly. When she said good night her face seemed already washed, as if in preparation. The wine had made her sleepy.
Catherine said as she drove home with her husband that Peter should matty someone like Nedra. Peter did not understand what she means. Catherine said that she just mean it was obvious he would like to go through all that and she thought he should; Nedra is a very generous woman. But, Peter said that Nedra is the most selfish woman on earth.
Someday, Viri went to meet Mr. Conrad who was Peter gave his name. He wanted him to make him a shirt. They talked about how was Peter now before he already to ask about how shirt he wants. Viri wanted him to give a pocket on his shirt because he needed to carry a pencil. Mr. Conrad asked him how many shirts he should make. Viri answered three shirts and he said that he was going to send him many customers; he gave the name of one that is Arnaud Roth.
In a phone booth he composed a familiar number. He talked to Arnaud that he must meet someone named Mr. Conrad. He also said that Arnaud would thank to him until the end of his life. But, Arnaud asked him what he was going to do for him. He answered that he was going to make him shirts.
At the party, Nedra said that Bruce Ettinger is beautiful. He also said that Viri had the best shirt but Bruce had the best smile. Viri offered her something to drink. She answered that nothing too strong. Eve was across the room in a thin, burgundy dress that showed the faint outline of her stomach. She was pale, elegant, slutty. The man was facing was shorter than she was. His name is Arnaud. Arnaud was coming toward them. He greeted Nedra, he leaned to kiss her. He asked where Viri was. Nedra said that he was wearing the exact same shirt. Then, Viri came to them. They were coming to the film. Viri had a conversation with Faye Massey. When he talked to Faye, he saw the girl on the couch had risen and was talking to someone. He could not keep sight of her. He hung back. He touched deBaque on the elbow. He asked about the girl. deBaque said that her mane is Kaya. She came with George Clutha. She is looking for a job.
In the summer the Viri went to Amangansett. Peter and Catherine join them, together with their little boy and Kaya as Viri’s new employee. Peter rises and walks slowly, without a word, into the sea. Viri joins him.
In the restaurant, Viri seated with a girl name Kaya. After that, they went to her apartment. There was one large room. Then, without reason, she kissed him. They began to making love. After all, she asked him what he should go back to the office. He commended her back to office after him, but then he decided to go with her. He could feel her love plainly. She was his, he understood it. He had never felt happier, more sure.
Marcel-Maas lived in an unfinished stone barn, much of it built with his own hands. He was a painter. He had a gallery that showed his work, but he was largely unknown. His daughters named were Kate and Nora. Viri and Nedra were in his house. Then, Jivan came. Jivan was Marcel’s friend. He recognized to Viri and Nedra.
He come to Viri’s house, he brought them gifts. He entered the house confident but correct, like a relative who knows his place. Nedra gave him wine, she was easily kind. Nedra asked Viri to light the fire, but Jivan offered to do it. They go to lunch until dinner. At dinner, Jivan told them about his father ever said to him that he does not gamble. Never!
Nedra told Jivan about things that she loves about marriage. First, she loves the familiarity of it. Then, she love money, she likes a lot of money. She said that she should have married someone with money that Viri would never have any. There was no movement, none at all except for a slow distending to which she reacted as if to pain. She was rolling, sobbing. Her shouts were muffled. He did nothing, then more of it and more. Afterwards it was as if theyhad run for miles. They lay near each other, they could not speak. She lay like a woman sleeping. Her back was bare, her arms above her head, her hair loose. He touched this back as if it were something purchased, as if he had discovered it for the first time. She could never be without him, she had told him that. There were times she hated him because he was free in a way she was not; he had no children, no wife.
Nedra said to Viri that she had met the most marvelous man named Robert Chaptelle. He is a writer. He is French. She wanted Viri to read a book. She would give the book when she was finished.
In the morning, Viri goes to Kaya’s apartment but there he knew her with someone else. He met her then, but she did not want to talk. His eyes were filling with tears. He could not tell her what he felt. He said that he could not do anything without her. He could not go back to work
Nedra goes to Eve’s house. She talked to her that she would like to go to Europe. It would be marvelous. Eve said that she would stay in Rome with Arnaud. He would send him some handkerchiefs which he likes.
On Christmas Eve, it was cold and windy. In the driveway, Jivan, his arms filled with presents, was passing the lighted windows. A glimpse of white bookshelves, children whose voices he could not hear, Nedra smiling. They sat by the fire as Viri read. Jivan was quiet, he felt like a guest. His mistress was untouchable. She was in the midst of ritual and duty.
There was no dinner; they were too busy with last minute things. Viri and Nedra work together. Jivan was helping and the girls wrapping the gifts in their rooms. The lights stayed on until after midnight. It was a great celebration, the greatest of the year. Nedra had changed the sheets. They went to bed contented. Her sense of order was satisfied. She was tired, fulfilled. They slept. The house was in darkness, its rooms ghostly. The fire had gone out, the dog slept, the cold fell on the roof in brittle white spots.
Her father was visiting. He was sixty-two. It was his birthday, he gave his granddaughters dolls. A friendly game in the warmth of the kitchen. How carefully she arranged things for him, how thougtful she was. This coughing salesman who was her father, she accepted him wholeheartedly. He asked nothing of her other than an occasional welcome. He never outstayed it. He wrote no letters, his life was passed in an automobile going from customer to customer, in bars where women slurred their speech, in the house from which Nedra had escaped years before, a house from which one could not imagine her: ancient furniture, a shade on the back door. A house without books, without curtains, the basement smelling of coal dust. Here she grew, day by day, a child who even at sixteen gave no hint of what she was about to become, till suddenly in one summer she shed it all and disappeared. In her place was a young woman who had inherited nothing, in which everything was unique, as if she were a message or the bearer of one numinous, composed, not a blemish on her body, not a flaw.
She received a letter from her father written on small sheets of lined paper. It thanked her for the three days he had spent there. He had caught a cold on the way home. He had made good time, though, even better than on the trip up. She was a good poker player; she must have inherited it. There are no real friends, he warned.
Summer at Amagansett, she was thirty-four. She lay in the dunes; in the dry grass she had lost her interest in marriage. There was nothing else to say. It was a prison. She bored with happy couples. She does not believe in them.
Arnaud came that summer. He drove up with Eve in a white convertible, giving little waves when the front wheels went up on a stump and lifted the nose of the car three feet in the air. It was the summer of lunches and marvelous cigars. They decided to smoke Palma.
She wrote to Jivan that she there without him, she could not feel this if she did not love him and feel his love strongly. She had mail from Robert, who was in Verengeville. His cards began without a salutation; his hand writing was illegible and dense. He told her about his schedule.
They were divorced in the fall. For Nedra, it was as if her eyes had had been finally opened; she saw everything, she was filled with a great, unhurried strength. It was November. Their last night together they sat listening to music-it was Mendelssohn-like adying composer and his wife. The room was peaceful, filled with beautiful sound. The last logs burned.
The next day, she left to Europe. The car stood before the house in the late afternoon. From afar it seemed like any other departure. Like one of the thousand that preceded it. She said goodbye to them. She started the engine. She turned on the radio and left quickly. The road was empty. The lights of nearby houses were on. Viri was left in the house. Every object, even those which had been hers, which he never touched, seemed to share his loss. He was suddenly parted from his life. That presence, loving or not, which fills the emptiness of rooms, mildens them, makes them light-that presence was gone. The simple greed that makes one cling to a woman left him suddenly desperate, stunned. A fatal space had opened, like that between a liner and the dock which is suddenly too wide to leap; everything is still present, visible, but it cannot be regained.
That winter Nedra was in Davos, which she had been mistakenly told she would find an interesting town. At lunch one day she was introduces to a man named Harry Pall. He poured wine generously into his glass, and then gestured with the bottle toward hers. He asked her where she stayed. She answered in Davos. He would come by for her at seven.
She returned to the hotel in the late afternoon. She prepared his eyes in the mirror.
Nedra was ill. She did not admit it except to feel uncomfortable suddenly in the city. She wanted the open air, she wanted the invisible. She was forty-seven. Her hair was rich and beautiful, her hands strong. It seemed that all she had known and read, her children, her friends, things which had at one time been disparate, contending, were quiet at last and had found their place within her. A sense of harvest, of abundance, filled her. She had nothing to do and she waited.
She woke in the silence of a bedroom still cool and dark. She was not sleepy, she was aware the night had passed. She small, gnarled branches of the apple trees were stirring in a soundless wind. The sun was not yet up. The sky to the west was the deepest blue, with clouds almost too brilliant, too dense. In the east it was almost white. Her body and mind were rested, they were at peace. They were being readied for a final transformation she only guessed.
That summer Franca came to visit her mother once more. They sat beneath the trees. Nedra had money; she had brought some good wine. They nostalgia about Ursula, she wanted to sell her. But, Nedra said that her father would not permit it. She looked at her daughter, a feeling of envy and happiness swept her, a gust of it thick as air. They talked of the house, of days long past, the hours lay beside them like a stream that barely moved. All around stretched the wide farmland made thrilling by hidden sea.
They lay in the holy sun which clothed them, the birds floating over their heads, the sand warm on their ankles, the backs of their legs. Nedra listened as Franca’s clear voice described the landscape of Russia, on and on, grew weary at last and stopped. They lay in silence, like lionesses in the dry grass, powerful, sated. Nedra told her that she love her very much. It was the true love. She glad her come that year. Franca took the hand and kissed it. Franca said that there is a wonderful Greek restaurant there, she wanted go there with her sometime.

Nedra died like her father. She felt ill. Abdominal pains. For a while they could diagnose nothing. The x-rays showed nothing, the many test of blood. Franca was there alone without had husband. Danny had her children with her, little girls of two and four who had hardly known their grandmother. Eve stood near them. Her face was wet with tears. She said to Danny that her children were beautiful when it was over. Then, they said goodbye to everyone, they accepted murmured regrets, they lingered and started back to the city finally in a hired car.
It was a spring when Viri returned. He drove up from New York on a warm day. He had come alone. He looked around, everything unchanged seemed terrible to him, a gas station with its wooden building, the very land. His mind grew numb. He tried not to think of things, not to see them. The fort had fallen, the children were gone. He walks toward the river, placing his feet carefully. His suit is too warn and tight. He reaches the water’s edge. There is the dock, unused now, with its flaking paint and rotten boards, it’s under pilings drenched in green. Here at the great, dark river, here on the bank.
It happens in an instant. It is all one long day, one endless afternoon, friends leaves, he stand on the shore. He thought that he was ready, he has always been ready, and he was ready at last.