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© iStock.com/cnythzl
Simulation steps
In the previous steps we discussed briefly what simulations are and how they are created. However, most of the time people using simulations in their work do not actually write them, they simply make use of already existing pieces of software. From the user perspective, the simulation process can be thought of as consisting of three linked steps: pre-processing, running of a simulation and post-processing.
The pre-processing stage takes care of the model settings and input data. Different simulations require different inputs - simple models do not require much input (e.g. our traffic and wolf-sheep predator models), but most of the useful simulations deal with a large amount of data. Usually, the input data comes from real-world observations, measurements and experiments. Let us take weather modelling as an example. How do you think numerical weather prediction works?
To make a forecast it is necessary to have a clear picture of the current state of the atmosphere and the Earth's surface. Moreover, the quality of the forecast strongly depends on how well the numerical model can deal with all this information. Now, where do all these data points come from? They are gathered by various weather stations, satellite instruments, ships, buoys… and so on.
It's not hard to imagine that all of these may record and store their measurements differently. That is why the pre-processing step is necessary - it prepares the data for further procedures, so that they can be easily and effectively used. This may mean simply making sure all the data is in the same format, and there are no invalid data entries, or performing more complicated operations such as removing noise from data, or normalising the data sets. The pre-processing stage ends when a simulation is ready to be launched.
Quite often, especially on a large machines, once the simulation has been started it runs until the end or until a certain, significant point in a calculation (we call these checkpoints) has been reached, and only then the output is produced. We have mentioned the batch submission procedure in earlier weeks, but just to reiterate - once an user submits their executable along with required input files to the submission queue, the job gets scheduled by a job scheduler, and some time later it runs and generates its output. In other words, you do not really see what is happening in the simulation and cannot interact with it.
There are a number of reasons why supercomputing facilities use this approach but the main ones are:
1) a machine is a shared resource but most users want/need an exclusive access to the compute resources;
2) most of the applications are written in a way that require dedicated resources to scale efficiently;
3) the whole system must be utilised as fully as possible (even during weekends and public holidays!) otherwise its resources are being wasted.
The point is that real-time visualisations (in situ visualisations), although slowly making their appearance, are not really used in a large scale simulations run on supercomputers. Downloading data to off-site locations (i.e. off the compute nodes of a supercomputer) allows interactive visualisations to be performed, without issues caused by limiting batch-mode workflows necessary on supercomputers. This means that to see what has happened during the simulation, i.e. to create a step-by-step visualisation of the simulation, it is necessary to save a lot of data at each time step.
The post-processing stage extracts the results of the simulation and puts them into a usable form. Initially, the typical output of any kind of simulation was simply a string of numbers, presented in a table or a matrix, and showing how different parameters changed during the simulations. However, humans are not very good at interpreting numbers. It is much easier to understand the results presented using graphs and animations, than to scan and interpret tables of numbers.
For example, in weather forecasting it is common to show the movement of rain or clouds over a map showing geographical coordinates and timestamps. Nowadays, it is common for the simulation outputs to graphically display large amounts of data.
What do you think may be required to perform the pre- and post-processing steps? Do you think they have to be done on the same machine the simulation is run on? Do you think these steps have different hardware or software requirements than the execution step?
Share and discuss your ideas with your fellow learners!
© EPCC at The University of Edinburgh
Supercomputers - what are they?
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Scratch to Python: Moving from Block- to Text-based Programming
Learn how to apply the thinking and programming skills you've learnt in Scratch to text-based programming languages like Python.
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This fabric, with a strong personality and structure, offers both two-tones and plain fabric options. Its special textural provides with a handcrafted touch to any upholstered element.
Maintenance Vacuum clean regularly. Don't wash. Don't remove the Rough from the product. Treat spillages immediately. Professional dry clean or wipe clean with a pH neutral soap and a damp cloth.


This episode we discuss the ongoings at ScandalPalooza, why Greg Sargent is a pendejo and how @DefendWallSt and I schooled him on the twitters, a breaking news flash from Albany California at Occupy the Farm, and Matt Dawson (@SaintRPH) debuts his new Lois Lerner Tax Return commercial, and talks about crazy Imams telling crazy Muslims to molest grocery checkers! WOW!!!
The show usually airs on 10pm on the FTR online radio network every Thursday at 10PM EST. Join us in the chat room!
If you'd like previews of the show, listen to THIS… and also THIS….
Tweets from my argument with Greg Sargent on twitter: UNO DOS TRES!
Tweets from DefendWallSt with Greg Sargent on twitter: UNODOSTRES!


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Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine - Endocrinology, Gerontology, & Metabolism
Practices at Stanford Health Care
Julie Chen, MD, is a clinical assistant professor in endocrinology at Stanford University. Dr. Chen graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She then completed her internal medicine residency at the University of California, San Diego and endocrinology fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center. She is double board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology.
Dr. Chen practices general endocrinology but her clinical interest include thyroid disease/thyroid cancer, pituitary disease, and disorders of the bone. She also has a special interest in medical education and has developed online teaching resources for the endocrine fellowship program.
Administrative Appointments
Associate Program Director, Endocrinology Fellowship Training Program, Stanford University School of Medicine (2019 - Present)
Alpha Omega Alpha, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (2013)
Medical Education: Albert Einstein College of Medicine (2013) NY
Board Certification, American Board of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology
Board Certification, American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship, Stanford University Medical Center
Residency, University of California, San Diego
MD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
BA, University of California, Berkeley
University - Academic staff Department:&nbspMedicine - Med/Endocrinology Position: Clinical Assistant Professor
Clinical Endocrinology Clinic at Hoover Pavilion 211 Quarry Rd Ste 205 2nd Fl Palo Alto, CA 94304
Clinical Endocrinology Academic Office 300 Pasteur Dr Rm S025 MC 5103 Stanford, CA 94305
Clinical Stanford Women's Cancer Center 900 Blake Wilbur Dr 1st Fl MC 5854 Palo Alto, CA 94304
Shifting Trends and Informed Decision Making in the Management of Graves' Disease. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association Seib, C. D., Chen, J. n., Iagaru, A. n. 2020
Not applicable for invited commentary.
View details for DOI 10.1089/thy.2020.0114

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


52. Human rotaviruses are characterized by which of the following statements?
which of the following statements?
54. Rotavirus is a double-stranded RNA virus with a double-walled capsid.
Which one of the following statements best describes rotavirus?
one of the following is a function of the enzyme reverse transcriptase?
entity in 1933. Which of the following best describes SLE?
would be most useful in establishing a diagnosis?
in tissue culture when the cells are stimulated with which of the following?
effects of viruses on host cells?
may be contraindicated in which one of the following diseases?
fever. Which of the following diseases is most likely based on these symptoms?
the following statements best characterizes HCV?
detected after hepatitis B infection?
during the early convalescent phase of HBV infection (window phase)?
infectivity and DNA polymerase activity?
and not usually in the peripheral circulation?


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Chiang Saen Lake () is a natural freshwater lake in Thailand, it is located in Yonok Subdistrict, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai Province, northernmost Thailand.

According to the folklore, the legend of Singhanavati (ตำนานสิงหนวัติ), it used to be an ancient kingdom known as Singhanavati or Yonok. The kingdom was destroyed by a sudden flood from earthquake in one night. Submerged the entire town in a what is known today as "Wiang Nong Lom" (เวียงหนองหล่ม, "drowned town") an archaeological swamp south of the lake.

This lake has a total area of 2,711 rais (1,071 acres). It was originally just a small swamp, until a dam was built to block the waterway overflow until a large lake was formed known as Nong Bong Kai (หนองบงคาย). On April 4, 1985, it was declared as Nong Bong Kai Non-hunting Area.

The lake is home to large flocks of migratory waterfowls which are most plentiful and can be seen at their best from November through February. Bird species found here are lesser whistling duck, grebe, common pochard, watercock etc.

There is a campsite for visitors. Chiang Saen Lake is regarded as the northernmost lake in Thailand.

See also
Singhanavati
List of protected areas of Thailand
List of Ramsar wetlands of Thailand

References

Lakes of Thailand
Ramsar sites in Thailand
Geography of Chiang Rai province
Tourist attractions in Chiang Rai province
 Non-hunting areas of Thailand

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Working Mothers by the Numbers in 2018
There are 50 million parents in today's workforce and more dual-earner households, single parent homes and female breadwinners in 2018 than ever before.
Despite this, a recent survey from Ovia Health featured in NBGH's recently released Parent Package found that only 65 percent of women working at companies with 1,000 or more employees feel supported in balancing their work and family lives.
The survey also found statistics that showcase more could be done to meet the mark:
These numbers matter to large employers, because attracting and retaining the right talent is a top priority. While nearly one in three women do not return to work for their large employer after having a baby, 40 percent said their employers could have done things differently, such as providing more flexibility, to keep them in the long run.
When new mothers feel supported by their employer, they are likely to return to work, decreasing the need for interviewing, hiring and onboarding a new employee– a process that costs companies significant time and money.
How are you supporting parents at your organization?
If you're an NBGH member – Download the Parent Package to see how your benefits compare to other organizations.
Not an NBGH member? Contact NBGH to learn more about membership and the resources available through member benefits, including the Parent Package.


The out basket: Two of the three spots Robert asked about were Kitsap County projects, so I asked county public works for a comparison.
Jeff Shea, traffic engineer for the county, said, "Discussion papers I've reviewed talk about the costs of signal hardware being offset by the additional cost of right-of-way needed for a roundabout.
"Although cost is a major factor when making the decision on what type of intersection control to use, there are many other factors that play into the decision. Also, while construction costs may be similar, the ongoing costs of maintenance and electricity for signals are also a consideration when making the choice between signals and roundabouts.
"Each intersection has unique characteristics, and both signals and roundabouts have pros and cons, depending on the application.
"Collision rates are generally lower in a roundabout than at signalized intersection, and the severities of the collisions are usually minor. Fewer vehicles are required to come to a complete stop in a roundabout, and because of slower speeds they provide some traffic calming benefits. Reduced speed through the intersection allows for safer pedestrian crossing in most instances.
"They do take up a lot of space, and present some challenges to bicyclists. In some instances they restrict access to adjacent properties and some multi-lane roundabouts have a learning curve (for drivers) before they achieve optimum efficiency.
"Traffic signals take less space and can generally be built within existing rights-of-way unless additional lanes are constructed. In many applications, signals can be programmed to allow continuous progression of traffic flow. They can be programmed to facilitate the majority of traffic flow and usually have minimal affect to access property adjacent to the intersection.
"Signals require regular maintenance and are more expensive to maintain. Signals are susceptible to power surges and outages and create a challenge for motorists when they are not working properly.
Two state transportation departments (NY and VA) along with British Columbia and Alberta boast "roundabouts only" policies–roundabouts unless unfeasible (i.e., over 90% of typical intersections). Why? Anything but a roundabout generates serious injuries at a 900% greater rate (Insurance Institute of Highway Safety study of US roundies 2001). A fatality occurs once a year per 135 signals, about six die at signals today while the French roundabout rate (over 30,000 roundabouts there) would drop that would drop that to about one.
Plus roundabouts do everything else better–less delay for all users, less energy use, less pollution, sharply increased walker safety, and less scenic blight, etc.
No where does he talk about the cost to MOTORISTS. IMHO (and others) stop lights (not traffic signals) are THE reason America has to import foreign oil. And that's just the cost of fuel. Then there is wear and tear to vehicles, air pollution (gas engines emit virtually no pollution when traveling at highway speeds) and,,, time. We spend a fortune of our time stopped for lights. Did I mention accidents? Gridlock?
I lived in England for two years where roundabouts are utilized a lot. One of the detractions noted above are for bicyclists and pedestrians. The British overcome that at many roundabouts by having either overhead walkways like in Ghorst or pedestrian tunnels under the roundabout. I found the tunnels to be most useful when running or riding a bike as the slopes were significantly less to go a 10-12 feet down as opposed to the 20+feet up that is needed to allow trucks to get under the crosswalks. Also provided shelter if the rain was really coming down. We should consider those options when building roundabouts.
Stop lights are just another way to play to stupid drivers who can't figure out a roundabout. If you can't figure it out you shouldn't drive. But there is too much money for a municipality to make at intersections with stop lights for them to do away with it in most places.
I love roundabouts. The new one at lake Flora road has made that area alot safer. It is a very busy area, and now people have to slow down, its great!!!
Now we need more lighting in this area, There should be lights at corners to county Roads so you can see where you are turning, and if there are any people on the corner, because for some reason people walk around in the dark in dark clothes and you can not see them when you are making a turn onto a road that has no light.
Will someone please add Round-A-Bout questions and training in how to SLOW down for them and use them properly to driver training and licenseing. The one in Gig Harbor is horrible at Burnham Dr and those coming down the hill come very close many times to hitting those wishing to get to Canterwood Dr.


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Hypnotist puts crowd to sleep
By Julie Mullet, Writer • September 29, 2015
UA students volunteered to perform hilarious and embarrassing acts in front of the EJ Thomas Hall auditorium on Sept. 23. Renowned hypnotist and UA favorite Michael C. Anthony instructed all those who...
PigPen comes to E.J. Thomas Hall
By Samantha Hickey , News Editor • September 21, 2015
In spite of a lukewarm audience, PigPen Theatre Co. instantly brought life to E.J. Thomas's Stage Door when they stepped on stage on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The band's unique sound, humor, and smooth...
Knight Foundation announces $250,000 grant
Following $120,000 to E.J., $20,000 for service-learning projects
By Spencer DeVeau , News Writer • April 13, 2015
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is at it again. Last Wednesday, April 8, the Knight Foundation announced a $250,000 grant to The University of Akron. UA can use the grant for whatever...
Pianists strike UA chords
By Jaclyn Scarborough, Writer • March 16, 2015
Music filled the air on Sunday, March 15 at E.J. Thomas as 39 pianists showcased their incredible talents at MonsterPianos! It was billed as a piano recital, but it was presented on a much larger scale. Eight...


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L'Union sportive Montfaucon est un club de football féminin français basé à Montfaucon-Montigné, aujourd'hui localité de Sèvremoine, une nouvelle commune du Maine-et-Loire.

Les Montoises atteignent pour la première fois de leur histoire la Division 1 en 1980, après plusieurs saisons passées dans les divisions de la Ligue atlantique. Elles ont évolué durant dix saisons en première division de 1974 à 1989.

L'équipe fanion du club évolue aujourd'hui dans les divisions départementales du district du Maine-et-Loire.

Histoire

Palmarès
Le tableau suivant liste le palmarès du club actualisé à l'issue de la saison 2011-2012 dans les différentes compétitions officielles au niveau national et régional.

Bilan saison par saison
Le tableau suivant retrace le parcours du club depuis la création de la première division en 1974.

Articles connexes
 Championnat de France de football féminin

Notes et références

Club féminin de football en France


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South Korea's Largest Multi-Billion Dollar Conglomerates Enter The Cryptocurrency Market
March 26, 2018 cryptoAddm Altcoins
South Korea's largest multi-billion dollar conglomerates in various sectors including insurance, telecommunications, gaming, and Internet are entering the cryptocurrency market by funding up-and-coming exchanges.
The country's leading corporations have funded such exchanges as Korbit, Bithumb, and Upbit to be involved in the South Korean cryptocurrency exchange market, and be at the forefront of Blockchain development.
NHN and OKCoin
NHN Entertainment Corporation, better known as NHN, is a $1.2 bln company founded in 2013 which operated under the name Hangame Communications from 1999 to 2013. Alongside Nexon, NHN remains the largest gaming conglomerate in South Korea, with a market valuation of 1.29 trln Korean won.
On March 21, local cryptocurrency-focused media outlets reported that the NHN funded OKCoin – formerly the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in China prior to the country's cryptocurrency trading ban in 2017 – was to launch OKCoin Korea.
In an interview with Blockchain Media Korea, OKCoin Korea president Cho Jeong-hwan stated that the company is finalizing plans and infrastructures to expand its cryptocurrency exchange to South Korea. Cho noted that OKCoin Korea would likely open within March and that the exchange would enable 60 cryptocurrency-to-Korean won pairings, which is far more than on Bithumb, which currently has the most cryptocurrency listings at 12.
Cho emphasized that all of the sophisticated technologies utilized to run OKEx, the third largest cryptocurrency exchange in the global market behind Binance and Huobi, would be integrated into the underlying system of OKCoin Korea.
The OKCoin Korea team is said to start with full-time employees and developers, and the company plans to expand its team aggressively as it grows rapidly within the South Korean market. NHN Investment Partners, a subsidiary firm of NHN Entertainment, has invested an undisclosed amount in the project, to ensure that OKCoin Korea can focus on its launch and sustaining its platform without financial struggles.
Initially, the original OKCoin trading platform, which operated in China before moving to Hong Kong was advanced by 100 developers. Because of this, President Cho and the multi-billion company in NHN acknowledge that the current team of 20 developers is not sufficient to run a major cryptocurrency exchange, and the team's capacity would increase exponentially in the future.
Kakao and Upbit
Essentially, the ambitious plan of OKEx to expand its services into South Korea is the company's only path to directly compete with Upbit, the forth largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, and the biggest exchange in South Korea.
Upbit is operated by Dunamoo, a subsidiary company of Kakao that runs KakaoStock, the most popular stock brokerage application and index in South Korea. In the beginning, Kakao, being the largest Internet company in South Korea, refrained from directly entering the cryptocurrency market, possibly due to regulatory uncertainty.
As such, Kakao dove into the cryptocurrency market through Dunamoo by launching Upbit in October 2017. Upbit is a cryptocurrency-only exchange which adopts cryptocurrency trade pairings from US-based exchange Bittrex. Within months after its launch, Upbit started dominating the local market as the first cryptocurrency-only trading platform in South Korea.
As Upbit grew exponentially, Kakao executives joined the Upbit team in order to lead the company into the global cryptocurrency market. In February 2018, South Korean newspaper Chosun reported that Kakao communications director moved to Upbit to facilitate the company's growth.
The unforeseen success of Upbit led Kakao to aggressively target the local cryptocurrency market. As Cointelegraph previously reported, Kakao has already talked to regulators about its plans to integrate cryptocurrencies to serve more than 12,000 merchants and over 100 mln users, and to launch its own initial coin offering (ICO).
However due to the current ban on domestic ICOs, Kakao may conduct its token sale outside of South Korea – a plan which local financial authorities including the Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Choi Jong-ku have criticized.
FSC Chairman Choi said:
"Even if there is no prohibition on cryptocurrency or digital asset trading, there is a possibility that it [Kakao ICO] may be regarded as fraud or multi-level sales according to the issuance method. Since the risk is very high in terms of investor protection, the government has a negative stance on the ICO."
Consequently, the South Korean government could legalize ICOs in the future as hinted by several authorities, to ensure that its Blockchain sector demonstrates a growth rate that is on par with other regions like Japan and the US.
SK Telecom, Nexon, and Korbit
Nexon, the largest gaming company in South Korea with a $11.5 bln valuation, acquired Korbit, the third largest cryptocurrency exchange in the local market, for $120 mln. NXC, the parent company of Nexon, purchased 65.19 percent of Korbit, becoming the majority owner of the company.
The company told TechCrunch in an interview:
"NXC has been reviewing and investing in startups with digital idea and technology and this investment was made with our positive view on the growth cryptocurrency industry."
SK Telecom, South Korea's biggest telecommunications company with a valuation of $17 bln, was the first major investor in Korbit alongside billionaire investor Tim Draper. NXC likely purchased just over 65 percent of the company because SK Telecom and other angel investors like Draper were not willing to sell their shares of the company.
Korean exchanges and conglomerates
Currently, South Korea's largest cryptocurrency exchanges Korbit, Bithumb, Upbit, and up-and-coming exchange OKCoin are all invested or owned by the conglomerates who have close ties with regulators and the South Korean government. The backing of multi-billion dollar companies decrease the possibility of cryptocurrency exchanges South Korea of becoming insolvent and being non-compliant with local regulations.
Conclusively, the stability of leading cryptocurrency exchanges could allow the South Korean market to continue growing at an exponential rate with sufficient capital and resources to compete against the global cryptocurrency market.
Previous Post:New EOS Fund Pools $325M From Novogratz & Block.one – Blockchain News
Next Post:How to make money through CryptoCurrency especially Bitcoin (Ft. Deepak Lodha)


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Tandara Alves Caixeta (Brasília, 30 de outubro de 1988) é uma jogadora de voleibol do Brasil. Joga atualmente no Osasco Voleibol Clube e também é oposta da Seleção Brasileira.

Foi campeã da medalha de ouro olímpica em Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2012, na cidade de Londres. Após ter ficado de fora da edição de 2016, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro no Brasil. Ela, novamente, assumiu a titularidade da equipe para o ciclo que compreende os Jogos Olímpicos de 2020, na cidade de Tóquio.

Carreira

Disputou sua primeira Superliga em 2005, aos 16 anos, pela equipe Brasil Telecom, alcançando a 6ª posição na competição por duas temporadas. Na temporada 2007/2008, a jogadora foi contratada pela equipe Finasa/Osasco, no time paulista conquistou o seu primeiro título - Campeonato Paulista 2007 - e foi vice-campeã da Superliga.

Na temporada seguinte, Tandara Caixeta se transferiu para a tradicional equipe de Pinheiros e teve a oportunidade de atuar como titular durante praticamente toda a competição, ajudando a equipe a chegar na quinta colocação.

Aos 20 anos, com propostas para jogar no exterior, a jogadora decidiu pela visibilidade dos times brasileiros e se mudou para o sul do país para ser destaque da equipe da Cativa, de Brusque-SC, com a qual conseguiu alcançar os playoffs da Superliga. Individualmente, Tandara foi a terceira maior pontuadora do torneio com 428 pontos e foi eleita a melhor defensora do campeonato.

No final de 2010, a brasiliense voltou para o estado de São Paulo ao acertar com o Vôlei Futuro, de Araçatuba, jogando ao lado de Paula Pequeno, Fabiana, Joycinha e Stacy. Correspondendo às expectativas, Tandara anotou 358 pontos na Superliga, e ajudou o seu time a chegar ao terceiro lugar.

Em 2011 foi convocada para a Seleção Brasileira de Novas que disputou a Copa Yeltsin, na Rússia, sua atuação -era reserva, mas chegou a marcar 22 pontos em uma partida- fez com que fosse convocada para o Pan-Americano de Guadalajara, conquistando a medalha de ouro na competição, sendo responsável pelo ponto final contra as cubanas.

Na temporada 2011/2012 voltou a jogar pelo Osasco,  sendo a segunda melhor sacadora da competição, anotou 314 pontos e foi eleita a MVP  da grande final, que deu o título para a sua equipe.

Foi convocada para os Jogos Olímpicos de 2012, em Londres. A Seleção Brasileira de Voleibol Feminino terminou a disputa com a medalha de ouro.

Na sua volta ao Brasil, Tandara foi contratada pelo Sesi-SP. Já em2013/2014, passou a integrar o Vôlei Amil, de Campinas, equipe que acabou eliminada nas semifinais da Superliga Feminina pelo time Unilever Rio de Janeiro, Tandara foi a principal jogadora da competição, marcou 470 pontos e teve o melhor saque. Nessa temporada a brasiliense quebrou o recorde de pontos em uma só partida, marcou 37 pontos contra o Praia Clube, batendo os 36 pontos de Fernanda Garay e Karin Rodrigues, o mais impressionante é que nessa temporada os sets eram de 21 pontos e não 25 como nas edições anteriores.

Na temporada de  2014/2015, Tandara foi para o Praia Clube, e no meio dos playoffs,  descobriu-se grávida do jogador Cléber Mineiro, sendo impedida de participar da temporada da seleção. Após o nascimento da filha Maria Clara em setembro, lutou para voltar à forma e disputar a Superliga já no mês seguinte. Eventualmente assinou com o Minas para a temporada 2015/2016.

Em 2016 assinou com Vôlei/Nestlé (Osasco) para temporada 2016/2017 sagrando-se campeã paulista e vice-campeã da Superliga, onde foi eleita a melhor sacadora e maior pontuadora, com 430 pontos. Foi convocada para a Seleção Brasileira em 2017, conquistando o título do Montreux Volley Masters e do Grand Prix.

Para temporada 2017/2018 renovou seu contrato com Osasco, sendo uma das referências de passe, saque e ataque da atual edição da Superliga. Recebeu premiações individuais, como maior pontuadora anotando incríveis 626 pontos, melhor atacante e melhor jogadora. Nessa mesma temporada, foi responsável por 39 pontos na partida do Osasco contra o Minas Tênis Clube, em cinco sets jogados, figurando como atual recorde de pontos em uma única partida na Superliga Feminina.

Para a temporada 2018/2019 Tandara foi contratada pela equipe chinesa Guangdong Evergrande. Na época, sofreu uma lesão durante sua experiência internacional.Mesmo com o revés físico, a jogadora foi a responsável pela ofensiva do time, culminando em 202 pontos totais na competição (mesmo com a lesão antes das fases finais) e uma média de 5,18 pontos por set.

Na temporada 2019/2020, Tandara foi contratada pela equipe do Sesc RJ, comandada por Bernardinho, onde mesmo ficando de fora de alguns jogos por problemas físicos, foi a sexta maior pontuadora da Superliga (campeonato terminou antecipadamente, antes do início das fases finais, devido a Covid-19) com 299 pontos e com uma média de 5,16 pontos por set, destacando-se novamente no cenário nacional. Na temporada seguinte retornou ao Osasco. Além disso, nessa temporada no time carioca, Tandara quebrou seu recorde de pontos por jogo, marcando 40 pontos na final da Copa Brasil de Vôlei, que figura atualmente como o recorde de maior pontuação em um único jogo, em quadras brasileiras, em ambos os naipes. O interessante é que essa marca foi atingida em apenas 4 sets, o que faz o feito ser ainda mais impressionante. O recorde de 39 pontos ainda é recorde exclusivo da Superliga, ou seja, Tandara é a detentora de ambos.

Para a temporada 2020/2021, Tandara retornou ao Osasco Voleibol Clube, time ao qual defendeu por inúmeras oportunidades. Figurou como pilar do time, sendo referência no ataque mais uma vez, o que lhe rendeu o posto de Melhor Oposta da Competição, segunda maior pontuadora (com 409 pontos) e maior média de pontos por set na competição (4,93 pontos por set).

Esteve entre as convocadas para os Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2020, realizados em 2021, que foram adiamentos devido aos efeitos da Pandemia de COVID-19, na cidade de Tóquio no Japão. Na decorrer da reta final da competição, Tandara foi acusada de uma potencial violação antidoping ocorrida durante um teste realizado em julho de 2021, ainda no Brasil. A jogadora embarcou de volta do Japão para o Brasil, antes mesmo da vitória da Seleção Brasileira contra a Seleção da Coreia do Sul, por 3 sets a 0, pela semifinal da competição, do qual ela acabou sendo substituída no jogo pela jogadora Rosamaria Montibeller. A jogadora afirma a sua inocência e pretende buscar auxílio legal, nas cortes superiores que regem o esporte, para revogar a pena. Os resultados dos julgamentos ainda não são definitivos, pois a atleta ainda recorre contra a acusação em um processo que corre em segredo de justiça.

Recordes e força física
Tandara é altamente conhecida pela sua força física e por ser uma jogadora que pontua em grande escala. Essa fama decorre dos inúmeros recordes que a mesma tem quebrado ao longo de sua carreira, sendo alguns deles aqui citados:

 37 pontos marcados na Superliga 2013/2014 (recorde de pontos na época; sets de 21 pontos);
 39 pontos marcados na Superliga 2017/2018 (recorde atual do campeonato);
 40 pontos marcados na final da Copa Brasil de Vôlei 2020 (recorde do campeonato e maior pontuação registrada em quadras brasileiras);
 626 pontos marcados na Superliga 2017/2018 (maior pontuação em uma única temporada; é o recorde atual);
 Maior pontuadora da Superliga em 4 edições:
 417 pontos na Superliga 2012/2013, atuando pelo Sesi-SP;
 470 pontos na Superliga 2013/2014, atuando pelo Campinas Voleibol Clube;
 430 pontos na Superliga 2016/2017, atuando pelo Osasco Voleibol Clube;
 626 pontos na Superliga 2017/2018, atuando pelo Osasco Voleibol Clube.

Além dos recordes, a potência em seus ataques também é uma característica marcante de seu estilo de jogo. Aqui cita-se alguns desses ataques potentes acima de 100 km/h:

 106,9 km/h: jogo do Brasil x China, na fase final da Liga das Nações de Vôlei de 2018;
 106 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Tailândia, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei de 2021;
 105,9 km/h: jogo do Brasil x China, na fase final da Liga das Nações de Vôlei de 2018;
 105,7 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Sérvia, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei 2018;
 105,5 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Turquia, na fase final da Liga das Nações de Vôlei de 2018;
 105,1 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Polônia, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei 2018;
 104 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Japão, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei 2018;
 103,2 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Holanda, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei 2018;
 102,9 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Turquia, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei de 2021;
 101,3 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Polônia, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei 2018;
 100,8 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Tailândia, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei de 2018;
 100,6 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Holanda, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei 2018;
 100,1 km/h: jogo do Brasil x Polônia, na fase de grupos da Liga das Nações de Vôlei 2018;
 100 km/h: jogo do Brasil x China, na final da Copa dos Campeões de 2017.

Títulos pela Seleção

Medalhas de Ouro
Campeonato Sul-Americano Sub-18 2004
Campeonato Mundial Infanto-Juvenil 2005
Campeonato Mundial Sub-18 2005
Campeonato Sul-Americano Sub-20 2006
 Campeonato Mundial Juvenil 2007
 Pan-Americano Guadalajara 2011
Torneio de Alassio 2013
Campeonato Sul-Americano 2013, 2015 e 2017
 Jogos Olímpicos Londres 2012
 Montreux Volley Masters 2013 e 2017
 Copa dos Campeões 2013
 Grand Prix 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 e 2017

Medalhas de Prata
 Copa Pan-Americana 2007
Grand Prix 2011
Copa Yeltsin 2011
Grand Prix 2012
 Copa dos Campeões 2017
 Liga das Nações 2021

Medalhas de Bronze

Grand Prix 2011
Copa Yeltsin 2011
Copa dos Campeões 2017
Campeonato Mundial 2014

Prêmios Individuais

 MVP da final da Superliga 2011-2012
 Maior Pontuadora Superliga 2012-2013
 Maior Pontuadora Superliga 2013-2014
 Melhor Saque Superliga 2013-2014
 MVP Campeonato Paulista 2016
 Melhor Saque Superliga 2016-2017
 Melhor Atacante Superliga 2016-2017
 Maior Pontuadora Superliga 2016-2017
 Craque da Galera Superliga 2016-2017 (Voto Popular)
 MVP Sul Americano de 2017
 Melhor Oposta Copa dos Campeões 2017
 MVP do Torneio Internacional Final Four (Representando Vôlei Nestlé)
 Melhor Atacante do Torneio Internacional Final Four (Representando Vôlei Nestlé)
 MVP Campeonato Paulista 2017
 Maior Pontuadora Copa Brasil de Vôlei 2018
 MVP  Copa Brasil de Vôlei 2018
 MVP Superliga Nacional 2017-2018
 Melhor Atacante da Superliga 2017-2018
 Melhor Oposto da Liga das Nações de Voleibol Feminino de 2018
 Melhor Oposto da Liga das Nações de Voleibol Feminino de 2021
 Melhor Oposto da Superliga Feminina 2020/2021

Ligações externas
 Dados no Sports Reference
Autora de ponto decisivo na final, Tandara começou no vôlei depois de frustração do pai

 Tandara mostra história emocionante e tenta ir aos Jogos de Londres
 Time Brasil: Tandara Caixeta
 Tandara integra seleção da primeira fase da Superliga
 Com 37 pontos, Tandara supera dupla e bate recorde da Superliga feminina
 Tandara supera marca de 400 pontos na Superliga

Voleibolistas olímpicos do Brasil
Voleibolistas nos Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2012
Voleibolistas do Distrito Federal (Brasil)
Medalhistas do Brasil nos Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2012
Campeões olímpicos do Brasil
Voleibolistas do Praia Clube Uberlândia
Voleibolistas do Osasco Voleibol Clube
Voleibolistas do Rio de Janeiro Vôlei Clube


text:
God Defend New Zealand
This afternoon, as I was thinking about the 2nd test between New Zealand and India that starts tonight it suddenly struck me: I talk a lot about New Zealand on this blog.
I am not sure if I talk about them more than England, or India, or Australia, or any other major test playing nation, but I do talk about them more than other of the "fringe" test playing nations: the West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka Bangladesh, Zimbabwe…etc. And I really do not understand why this is. I am not particularly enamored with any of their former or current cricketers, and actually I think that their former captain, Daniel Vettori, looks like a complete doofus in his glasses (note: I wear glasses). I have also never visited the country, and honestly know very little about it other than Lord of the Rings, rugby, Flight of the Choncords, and sheep. Oh, my sister has visited there once, as has my friend Arzu, and both have said it is just wonderful. And now that I think about it, the few interactions I have had on Twitter with New Zealanders have been beyond pleasant.
And so it is odd that I write about their cricket so much, and sad that I know so little about their cricketing past, and so little about their history overall.
Therefore, I present to you, dear reader: a brief history of New Zealand, using cricket as a backdrop.
(Two quick fun facts first. Actually, not really "fun" as much as important and awesome):
1. In 1984, at the height of the Cold War, New Zealand banned nuclear weapons. Sea, land, and air space became what are known as "nuclear free zones." This is the opposite of, say, Pakistan, which takes such odd and immense pride in its nuclear weapons program, and I think a fantastic vanguard for western civilization. More info here.
2. In 1893, they became the first nation to grant women the right to vote. 25 years before the United States passed the 19th amendment.
Now on to the history:
New Zealand was one of the last pieces of land settled by humans, due to its remoteness – initially settlement did not begin until 1280 CE. In 1642 when it was "discovered" by the Dutch, the Maori aboriginal culture was the dominant culture of the land.
Europeans began to immigrate and dominate the landscape over the next 200 years, culminating in a treaty between the British in the Maori in 1837 and the imposition of British Law. It was also about this time that Charles Darwin reported seeing a game of cricket being played by freed Maori slaves.
The first recorded game took place in 1842 in Wellington.
In 1852, New Zealand created its first representational government separate, though still subservient to, British Authority. This is followed by a long period of Maori resistance; resistance that would continue for many, many decades.
In 1907, Britain granted New Zealand Dominion status, 20 years later the national cricket team toured England, and three years later they were granted test status, playing, and losing, their first test to England in January 1930 at Christchurch.
In 1947, a year which saw their cricketers play England again at Christchurch, securing a draw this time, New Zealand parliament passed the Statute of Westminster Act, thereby giving their parliament full control of the country, and the ability to amend their constitution, but not releasing them completely from British control. That would not happen until 1986, when the Constitution Act ended the British right to pass laws for New Zealand. 1986 was also a banner year for the Kiwi cricketers: playing six tests (three against Australia in New Zealand and three against England in England) where they won two and drew four, losing none.
Throughout the 20th century, being a westernized nation, New Zealand experienced many of the same ebbs and flows as the rest of the western world: the influenza outbreak, World War One, the Great Depression, World War Two, as well their own version of a civil rights movement. (I want to read much, much more about the Maori people, and I apologize profusely for not including them more in this brief history than I did). Along the way, their cricket team played in 354 test matches, winning 71 and losing 148. They also had their heroes in Bert Sutcliffe, Jack Cowie, Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe, Chris Cairns, and the aforementioned Daniel Vettori.
They also have made their share of noise in one-day tournaments: making the semi-finals of the World Cup SIX times, and losing every time. In 2000, they won the Champions Trophy, and in 2007 they made it to the semi-finals of the inaugural World T20 Championship – which they lost.
Finally, one cannot discuss New Zealand cricket without bringing up the underarm incident. That video has over 6.7 million views on YouTube. Amazing.
The last words I will leave to New Zealand's own Neil Finn and his band Crowded House…this is easily one of my favorites songs from the 80s:
(I would link to the proper video but it makes you watch a Justin Bieber ad):
Two Teams to Watch
After beating England in the second ODI by 80 runs today in Southampton, South Africa are now the number one side in the world: in all three formats.
They also dominate the Player Rankings in the Test category: Amla is the second best batsman; Steyn and Philander are one and two in the bowling category; and Kallis is the number two all rounder.
In other words, no other country comes close to South Africa's dominance of world cricket over the last two years.
Yes, I know, they have a dismal record in knockout competitions, but that is really the only strike against them. And I honestly believe they will make a great deal of noise at the World Twenty20s next month. If they win in Sri Lanka, then that last strike is gone. And if they have a better year than England did as world Test number one, then they surely will have cemented themselves as one of the best all around sides ever.
They can win the short game, they can win the long game. They can win on friendly pitches and they can win on alien pitches.
And, finally, and least importantly to some but most importantly to the game itself, they do it with style. Who doesn't like watching Amla bat? Steyn bowl? No one. That's who.
It is going to be an interesting next 12 months for two of cricket's quietest test nations: South Africa and New Zealand. The former to prove themselves one of the best ever, and the latter to prove themselves one of the present day elite nations.
I know my latter sounds ridiculous, especially considering how they were dismantled by India in the first test a few days ago, but if they can win a couple big matches (and they have A LOT of big matches over the next year) and if they can get over the semi-final hump at the World Twenty20, then I think all of cricket will need to start paying attention to New Zealand.
The Saffers and the Kiwis: two teams to watch over the next year.
Speaking of…
Yesterday this blog received its most impressions ever in one day – the total was nearly five times my normal daily traffic, and more than double the old record. But what was driving it all is a complete mystery.
This is what I do know:
– The vast majority of the visitors were from the United States
– The vast majority of the visitors came directly to my home page
That's it. That's all WordPress Stats can tell me. No referrers, nothing.
And what's weird is that I have not posted since Tuesday. Hell I did not even tweet yesterday.
I am blogging about this because if you, dear reader, know where the traffic all came from, please let me know in the comments. Please. Seriously. The mystery is killing me.
And speaking of mysteries:
Today I tuned into Willow.TV hoping to watch some of the first ODI between England and South Africa, but instead I saw rain. And so I switched over to ESPN3 for the Sri Lanka Premiere League. The match was a group stage game between Wayamba United and Kandurata Warriors.
I must say, it was a joy to watch. The cricket was not the best in the world, but it was joyful, loose, and entertaining all the same. United sliced through the Warriors' openers, leaving them at one stage 14-3. But an 80 off of 51 for the shockingly odd looking Australian, Chris Lynn, gave the Warriors hope, setting a target of 150 for United to chase…which they couldn't do; falling two runs short.
I hope to watch more SLPL in the future. The knockout stages start on August 28th and the final is on August 31st. Considering today is the 24th, probably a good thing I tuned in when I did, otherwise I might have missed the whole thing.
And speaking of domestic T20 competitions, the semi-finals and the final of the Friends Life T20 is on August 25th in Cardiff. Sussex versus Yorkshire in the first semi-final, and Hampshire versus Somerset in the second. The possibility of rain notwithstanding, it should be a great day of cricket. Unfortunately, I will not be able to watch it, because Willow TV is not showing any county cricket whatsoever this summer.
And speaking of cricket I cannot watch, the new-look India is playing New Zealand in a test match at Hyderabad. And, again, I have been unable to watch. Now I freely admit that the main reason I cannot watch this match is the time difference. However, I cannot stress enough how unfortunate it is that it is not available for legal streaming here in the states. Someone, somewhere, is missing out on a fantastic business opportunity. Willow TV could double their subscribers over night. Heck they might even make enough dough to finally update their website. And personally, I love watching test cricket on the subcontinent, but with the exception of Bangladesh, I never, ever get to watch it. Ever.
*UPDATE*: Cheers to Devanshu from Deep Backward Point for letting me know that India versus New Zealand is on Willow TV. Huzzah!
*FURTHER UPDATE*: According to their website, Willow TV is going to be showing the following series:
New Zealand in India, Indian domestic cricket, England in India (!!!), Pakistan in India, and Australia in India, on top of all the other cricket they already show. Fantastic!
And gosh were they planning on telling anyone?
*EVEN MORE UPDATE*:
I posted this blog at 3:05 central time. I received an e-mail at 3:39 central time from Willow announcing the changes.
A real shame.
On the pitch however, the post-Dravid and post-VVS India are looking more than just okay against a weakened New Zealand side. Despite the fact that England have fallen off as of late, I am still excited to see what they can muster against these young Indian cricketers this fall.
And speaking of cricket I can watch: I found out two days ago that the entire ICC World Twenty20 will be available live here in the states on ESPN3. Every ball. Free. On the Internet. Lovely.
And speaking of lovely, and speaking of VVS, and speaking of Dravid:
Miss you guys.
Yesterday, in one of the more interesting days of test cricket in a very long time, South Africa defeated England at Lord's to end the hosts year long reign as the number one test side in the world.
It is South Africa's turn at the top of the table now, and we will see what they can do with it.
England, for instance, became number one after white washing India at home last summer. After which they promptly collapsed. Losing to Pakistan, drawing with Sri Lanka, beating West Indies (though hardly convincingly), and losing to South Africa.
And so what's next for the saffers?
Australia in November for three tests, then back home to host New Zealand for two and Pakistan for three. Then, in July of 2013, they head to Sri Lanka for three.
And so in the next year the number one test side will play 11 tests against four different sides. The total ICC test points for those four sides (current totals): 11,604.
As a comparison, England, in their year as number one, also played 11 test matches against four different sides. The total ICC test points for those fours sides (current totals): 11,493.
In other words, South Africa's next 12 months are going to be just as difficult as England's previous 12, and it will be quite interesting to see how they handle the pressure of being number one.
The first series, against Australia, is one that I am already looking forward to. Now I am no expert on the ICC points system, but as near as I can tell, if India whitewashes England this fall (entirely possible), then Australia can become number one with a three test white wash of South Africa. (Please correct me if I am wrong).
How crazy would that be? Not two years removed from the horror that was the 2010-11 Ashes Series, Australia could once again be the number one test side.
Like I said, I am looking forward to it already. I really do love the Australia cricketing summer. Not because I like Australian cricket. Far from it, really. In fact, I find most Australian cricketers rather disagreeable. Instead I love the Australian summer because I have mentioned before, the matches correspond so well to my schedule here in the States. The majority of the matches are on during prime time evening hours. I watch more cricket during the Australian summer than during any other time of the year.
The South African series consists of three tests (ugh), Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. All three should make for fantastic viewing.
That's the thing about cricket: always something to look forward to.
Melancholympics
Melancholympics (noun): that feeling of emptiness one experiences on the Monday after the Olympic Closing Ceremonies
I find the Olympic Closing Ceremonies very depressing. Not because of the aging rock stars or any other of the standard closing ceremony ridiculousness, but for a couple other reasons.
First of all, it's like putting the Christmas tree away when you are a kid. That thing that you had spent months looking forward to is all of a sudden utterly and completely over. I really do love the Olympics, and I am sad when they are over, in other words.
Secondly, and most importantly, because they only happen every two years, the Closing Ceremonies really do make one evaluate their own mortality, their situation, their life in general. Where will I be in two years when the Opening Ceremonies in Sochi kickoff? What about in four years when the summer games open in Rio?
Four years is a long time. A lot can change. Positive change, negative change, neutral change. It's kind of scary when you think about it.
It just makes me melancholy. Will the people I love still be here in two years? In four?
There is a line in a really great Erin McKeown song called "Daisy and Prudence" that goes: "This is a moment we'll mark time by."
And, well, I guess I mark time by the Olympics.
Tomorrow, more cricket, I promise.
Programming Notes
As I mentioned over on Twitter, the U19 World Cup and the Sri Lanka Premiere League are both available to US viewers in their entirety on ESPN3.
I have my issues with ESPN. Their sports as entertainment rather than athletics mission (see their idiotic "Who's More Now?" campaign from a few years back), as well as their east coast bias have always turned me off. But ESPN3 is one thing they do very, very well.
Let me backtrack a bit: I don't have cable. I watch all my cricket via Willow.TV, and all my other sport via ESPN3 or I head on down to the Pub. (My pub here in Minneapolis is The Local, if you ever happen to visit.) (And let me know if you do, I will buy you a drink.) (I do not watch illegal streams. It is a personal choice. I do not think you are a bad person if you do).
Despite this handicap, and despite the fact the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championships are only on ESPN's family of networks, and despite the fact that ESPN is a cable only network, I was able to large nearly every kick of the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012: thanks to ESPN3. It is a fantastic product. It is sport for everyone. I do not think that ESPN's motives are pure, of course, but they come across as so. Sport for the masses, not just for the elite. And they show everything: not just the big four, but also cricket, and rugby, and football, and Formula 1, and polo (horses, not speedos), and boxing, and lacrosse, and tennis, and on and on and on. There is no west coast bias, there is no flash, there is no "entertainment". It is not American centric. It is just sport. Turn it on and watch.
And to top it all off: the streams are of the highest quality. They rarely freeze, and they always work, unlike other legal sport streams. (Cough, WillowTV, cough).
All of this brings me to NBC's Olympic coverage. Despite the fact that NBC is a free, over the air channel, and despite the fact that NBC owns the rights to every Olympic event, I have been unable to watch the vast majority of the Games.
The flagship over-the-air channel has shown nothing worth watching. During the day it is mostly volleyball or water polo. And at night it is tape delayed events that I already know the outcome to. (Sure I could go on Internet Blackout but going spoiler free during the Olympics is damn near impossible).
And while they do have online streaming available, you cannot watch it unless you have cable. I could not pay for it even if I wanted to, and I would have wanted to.
It is the opposite of ESPN3. It is the opposite of the Olympic spirit. It is sport for the elite. Sport for rich people. It is Target Field, while ESPN3 is the Metrodome (local reference, sorry). And it just makes me sad. Because I love the Olympics.
Over the years I have been a staunch defender of NBC's Olympic coverage. But no more. And I hereby put out an official request:
Dear ESPN,
Please purchase the USA Television rights for the Olympics.
Yuvraj
Big news this morning out of Mumbai: Yuvraj Singh has been named to India's T20 squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand as well as the T20 World Cup next month. This is just delightful news. It really is amazing to me how far the world has come in the treatment of cancer. Now instead of thinking "death sentence" when we hear the word, we instead think of Lance Armstrong, Mario Lemieux, Dave Callaghan, Eric Abidal, and now: Yuvraj Singh.
Unfortunately, it is not always good news. Cancer still kills. A little research brought me to New Zealand wicket-keeper, Ken Wadsworth. He played in 33 tests for his country, scoring over 1,000 runs. His last test was February 13-17, 1976 against India in Wellington. He took four catches and New Zealand beat India by an innings and 33 runs.
Six months later, at the age of only 29, Wadsworth was dead of skin cancer.
There was also South African Tufty Mann, who died in 1952 of abdominal cancer. As well as a whole host of other cricketers who died in their prime. Some in war. Some from on the pitch accidents. Some from car accidents.
All too young.
And this is why we should all celebrate Yuvraj's comeback. As cricket fans, as humans. It is a triumph over a disease that has killed millions, and it is a triumph of the human spirit. Cancer still kills, and so we all need to celebrate those that beat it.
Welcome back, Yuvraj:


Maybe this is me being a bit of a spoil sport, but I sort of tend to turn my nose up at fake video game leaks. That is, unless they're done really well.
The last few months have seen two good ones. First, we had one person go to great lengths to fake Rayman for Super Smash Bros., and now we have another duo that perfectly trolled Zelda Symphony goers this weekend.
Fans who went to this particular show with their Nintendo 3DS handhelds with them might have been StreetPassed by a gamer with a really interesting recently played entry. That entry was The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess 3D.
Those people, of course, took to the Internet and posted shots of their recent Pass on social networks and thought, maybe, they would be the source of a huge Nintendo goof. The idea being that some Nintendo employee accidentally took their 3DS to a concert with a currently unannounced game in their recent history.
What really happened? TaDavidID and ChrisX930 used a homebrew app that they named "The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess 3D" on their systems. They took them to the symphony and let fellow StreetPassers see their most recently played game and run with the rumor.
Here's Chris on Facebook with a video of his work in action.
Here he is on Twitter briefly talking about how the whole thing basically works.
You can't name it "a hack".
It's just a completely selfwritten homebrewapp. If I "play" this app, it will shown as "recently played"
Pretty incredible, if you ask me.
Now, do we actually want Twilight Princess 3D?


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It is the darkest time of the year for most of us. The days are much shorter and at least once every three days someone during the past two weeks has opened the curtains or door in my house after 5:00 PM and said "My goodness! It is dark already!" I have to wonder what mankind thought centuries ago, long before scientists had given the seasons names and we understood the rotation of the planets around the sun and what the twinkling lights in the night sky really are.
It is said that in trying to explain their natural world, people created the myths of religion. Some of the greatest mysteries of nature that are explained in mythology are the origins of mankind, the four seasons, and how flowers got their colors and names. Basically, these myths were told because with the intention to bring people together. Stories were told to help people understand difficult ideas and help people in a community to think in the same way.
Advent is that time of year which seems a bit bipolar. If you are religious, most scripture readings discuss the end of the world, the end times as they are known. The end time (also called end times, end of time, end of days, last days, final days, or eschaton) is a future time-period described variously in the eschatologies of several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which believe that world events will reach a final climax. Eschatology is a part of theology concerned with the final events of the history of the world and/or mankind. Succinctly put, it is the doctrine of last times or things.
Advent is, however, the season that ushers in the highest order of a miracle possible – the human birth of a deity or deity-related offspring. A miracle is something which is statistically and scientifically impossible, as we understand such things and their realistic possibilities. A miracle is not easily explained by natural causes alone and quite often has the result of changing lives.
The myths told to explain the natural existence of the world and mankind were no less miraculous than those of various religions and their messiah or savior. This year the miracle of light in the Jewish tradition, Hanukah, began on Gregorian calendar date as the First Sunday in Advent. Both are symbolically celebrated with the lighting of a candle.
At this time of year when darkness is most prevalent in the natural world in the Northern Hemisphere, the symbolism of light is important. Ninety percent of the world's population lives in the Northern Hemisphere and so most people are in the darkest time of the year now. Light also plays a prominent role in the discussion of the end times.
The Abrahamic faiths maintain a linear cosmology, with end-time scenarios containing themes of transformation and redemption. In Judaism, the term "end of days" makes reference to the Messianic Age and includes an in-gathering of the exiled Jewish diaspora, the coming of the Messiah, the resurrection of the righteous, and the world to come. Hanukah is the celebration to commemorate the lasting of one night's oil for a lamp to give light miraculously lasting eight days.
Some sects of Christianity depict the end time as a period of tribulation that precedes the second coming of Christ, who will face the Antichrist along with his power structure and usher in the Kingdom of God. A popular theme in Christianity is that each person is "the light of the world". Christians are encouraged not to hide their faith or the good works it should encourage.
In Islam, the Day of Judgement is preceded by the appearance of the al-Masih al-Dajjal, and followed by the descending of Isa (Jesus). Isa will triumph over the false messiah, or the Antichrist, which will lead to a sequence of events that will end with the sun rising from the west and the beginning of the Qiyamah (Judgment day). Since the sun normally rises in the east, the change would be miraculous in proclaiming the end of the world as we currently know it.
Non-Abrahamic faiths tend to have more cyclical world-views, with end-time eschatologies characterized by decay, redemption, and rebirth. In Hinduism, the end time occurs when Kalki, the final incarnation of Vishnu, descends atop a white horse and brings an end to the current Kali Yuga. In Buddhism, the Buddha predicted that his teachings would be forgotten after 5,000 years, approximately the year 2300 ACE on the Gregorian calendar. After this great turmoil is to follow, according to the Buddha. A bodhisattva named Maitreya is expected to appear and rediscover the teaching of dharma. The ultimate destruction of the world will then come through seven suns. Again, the proclaiming of seven suns will bring great light to the darkness of the end times.
Advent is considered a time of preparation. Then what, you might ask, are we to prepare? Should we become doomsday preppers? For four seasons the National Geographic Channel had a program entitled "Doomsday Preppers". The program explored those preparing for a great apocalypse, the end of the world, and their efforts to survive such. As one who has walked through a category five hurricane and been caught in a tornado, I can appreciate their wanting to be prepared. The truth is, though, we all face catastrophes each week.
Advent for me is a time to prepare for living, not the end of it all. I think it is to our advantage to see beyond the turmoil and notice the everyday miracles that exist within life's daily grind, the routine of living that has both joy and disorder. During this series we will discuss those everyday miracles and hopefully begin to see more of them in our own living.
Some people claim such everyday miracles are simply matters of coincidence. A coincidence is a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances that have no apparent causal connection with one another. Not much different than the definition of a miracle, huh? Sometimes our coincidences are very mundane. I took the dog out at 2:58 AM and noticed how brightly the constellation Orion appeared in the night sky. I came inside to see a movie about this constellation start on television. It was not really life-changing but it was a neat little coincidence that as the characters told two different myths about the same three stars (known as Orion's belt), I could look out my window and see them in the night sky. For a moment, the fictional characters and I were connected.
I admit that I expected some backlash for basin an entire series on a set of Scriptures. I take great pride in that this blog is not directed toward one particular culture, belief system, gender, or age group. However, I did not expect criticism for using words that several feel are simply "too old". It begs the question: Can real wisdom ever be out-of-date?
In 2011 the Rev Bob Burton, rector at the parish All Saints of the Desert in the Diocese of Arizona addressed the topic of true wisdom. "True wisdom has nothing to do with being nice. There, is however, an element of foolishness in being wise. Paul addresses this issue … "Do not deceive your selves. If you think you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise." What does Paul mean by this statement? Being a Christian today one may be considered to be a fool in the eyes of the world. In reality, however, being a fool for Jesus one may gain spiritual insight which is true wisdom.
"For example, true wisdom is responding to the challenge Jesus presents to us in today's gospel of loving our enemies. Loving our enemies may be considered to be a foolish notion in the eyes of the world. However, as Christians, it is what Jesus calls us to do. Loving one's enemies is characterized in the story about two monks living in China, one elderly and the other a young novice to their particular monastic order. The younger monk had recently visited a nearby city where he had been the victim of hurtful comments. These comments greatly offended the younger monk as he struggled to regain the peace and serenity that is supposed to characterize a person with such a holy vocation.
"The older monk was exhibiting true wisdom. He was teaching patient restraint of a practical type. The type of restraint helps us keep our heads cool to diffuse emotionally charged situations. Had the younger monk been offended by the tiger that had tried to eat him, he might have felt compelled to seek the tiger out and let him know exactly what he thought about him. That would have gotten the younger monk absolutely no where, the tiger would have gotten a meal, which would have only increased the tiger's appetite for human confrontation. As Christians, one way of exhibiting true wisdom in responding to the challenge to love our enemies is to practice patient restraint in the name of Jesus and like the younger monk when faced with potential adversaries get completely out of their way.
I don't think real wisdom ever goes out of date although how we apply it may and should change. Life is a series of evolutions. That is true regardless of which Creation story you believe or whether one is spiritual, atheist, or religious. The worth and value of the words known as the beatitudes is as real today as when they were first shared. I hope you join me on the journey of learning to be grateful for the goodness in our lives during this series. Goodness is ever present, I believe, even in the worst of times. It is simply up to us to take on the challenge, follow the life experiences, engage in welcoming the lessons the life offers. Sometimes our worse days are merely steps along our journey to decode the meaning of our life. That is a quest that never goes out of date and we are never too old to appreciate living.
Someone asked me if I identified with the Thinking Woman. LOL! It is an interesting question and I will succinctly say "Yes, I do", although probably not for the reasons one might assume. I think most if not all women would like to be thought of as "thinking women". I would feel complimented of someone identified me as a "thinking woman". However, I actually was not considering that aspect when I thought to answer affirmatively. The Thinking Woman or Spider Woman we discussed yesterday wove stories. In other words she was a story teller and weaving stories into modern-day life illustrations is one of the main purposes of this blog. The other purpose is to start conversation and get you the reader to think.
Today we conclude our series on the mythologies of the world. Thank you for your time and comments. During the season of Pentecost, a Christian church calendar season that celebrates the Holy Spirit, we have discussed ancient and not-so-ancient mythologies from the world, exploring and celebrating the spirits of mankind. During our mythical world tour we also discovered how very diverse cultures had very similar deities.
Storytelling has long been used to instruct and illustrate, to educate and to recreate. We may think of mythology as an old art form but its principles are still being used today. Take for instance the talk given by Dr. Robert McNeish of Baltimore, Maryland in 1971. Dr. McNeish was a science teacher who happened to deliver a sermon at his church one Sunday. His text was very similar in its usage of the spirit of one group of animals to illustrate life lessons. Since its original speech, the text has been used by others who have become much more famous than the originator. Still, the lessons are just as valid.
Geese flying in V-formation have always been a welcome sign of spring, as well as, a sign that heralds the coming of winter. Not only is this a marvelous sight, but there are some remarkable lessons that we can learn from the flight of the geese; all they do has significance. As each goose flaps its wings, it creates uplift for others behind it. There is 71% more flying range in V-formation than in flying alone. Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of purpose can get there more quickly.
Whenever a goose flies out of formation, it feels drag and tries to get back into position. Lesson: It's harder to do something alone than together.
When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies at the head. Lesson: Shared leadership and interdependence give us each a chance to lead, as well as an opportunity to rest.
The geese flying in the rear of the formation honk to encourage those upfront to keep up their speed. Lesson: Encouragement is motivating.
We need to make sure our "honking" is encouraging and not discouraging. When a goose gets sick or wounded and falls, two geese fall out of formation and stay with it until it revives or dies. Then they catch up or join another flock. Lesson: We may all need help from time to time. We should stand by our colleagues in difficult times.
I don't know why Dr. McNeish was speaking at his church nor do I know why he had selected geese to discuss. Having lived in the region and having had hundreds of geese fly over my house and property, I can tell you that sight is both beautiful and …well, messy at times. Geese will stop for a night or two and takeover an area. Once they claim a picnic spot as their own, they can be very territorial and aggressive. They are, no doubt, beautiful birds and it is really lovely to see them in the familiar "V" formation.
If Dr. McNeish had simply gotten up at his church and stated five facts, I'm sure his speech would not have been as memorable. His use of a well-known, beautiful waterfowl animal made the talk interesting. Illustrating the actions of geese and then comparing those actions to our own took away any defensiveness the listener might have felt.
The lessons from geese are life lessons about teamwork. People who share a common direction and sense of purpose can get there more quickly. They also encourage people to work together without feeling lesser for asking for help. It's harder to do something alone than together. Geese need each other for protection, direction, and basic living. Shared leadership and interdependence give us each a chance to lead, as well as an opportunity to rest. We all like applause. It is not something simply for performers on a stage. We all need motivation in order to continue on a positive path. Encouragement is motivating. No one is perfect and no one person can do everything. We may all need help from time to time. It is easy to be popular when you have no problems but a true friend is one who will stand by you when you are having difficulties. True friends see our hearts, not just our outer shell. We should stand by our colleagues in difficult times.
Mythology is not just something from our past. We are writing new mythologies every day, not just in our actions but in how we live. Tomorrow we begin a new series. Leonard Cohen once wrote that "Prayer is translation. A man translates himself into a child asking for all there is in a language he has barely mastered." Tomorrow we will begin Advent and during Advent we will explore that language, the language of prayer. Lest you think you already know all there is to know about prayer, stay tuned. You might just be surprised!
The Thinking Woman is not just an American Indian myth, although she is prominent in the cultural oral tradition of many different tribes. The Greek mythological character Penelope's name literally means "webbed vision" or "web on her face". In some cultures, Thinking Woman is called Thought Woman. The Pueblo called her Thinking Woman; The Navajo Referred to her as Grandmother Spider Woman or "Na'ashje'ii'sdfzq'q"; the Hopi Indians knew her as 'Sonukfang".
I will be the first to admit I am not a huge fan of spiders. I probably border on having arachnophobia, in fact. I am amazed, nonetheless, at their ability to weave such fine webs and marvel at their ability to use such delicacy to capture their prey. We've discussed the Spider mythology of African cultures and, as mentioned before, even the Greeks made reference to the web of life. It is in the mythologies of the Western hemisphere that we really see the emphasis on the connectedness of mankind.
Many cultures have always referenced a female creator spirit. Some historians and archaeologists feel that Christianity is the influence behind male creator deities but, in truth, we have no real basis for this. While it is an undeniable fact that women bear children, they cannot do so without a male. In mythology science takes a back seat so some believe the first creator made the world from a discard blood clot while others believe the universe was woven from a great spirit's imagination.
The Keres tribe believed that in the beginning there was only one being, a spider named "Sus'sistinako". Being all alone, she sent her thoughts out into the galaxies or space. With these thoughts, Sus'sistinako wove together the universe. Under the earth she placed the Corn Mother, "Iatiku". Credit was given to Iatiku for creating the physical and emotional elements of the world, even the concept of fun called Koshare, a clown supposedly made from her own discarded skin cells.
Like another deity we recently discussed, Iatiku was two-fold. One part stayed underground and it was to this characterization that the dead returned. The other piece of Iatiku lived in the world and gave life to it. Iatiku had her own myth which featured her two daughters. One was named after her mother with the other named Nautsiti. Eventually, daughter Iatiku became the mother of the Indians while Nautsiti became the mother of the "whites" or Europeans.
The Thinking Woman or "Tse Che Nako" spun her webs from her imagination. Her stories became real as she continued to spin, organizing life into patterns that continued to grow in size and complexity. Her webs continue to be woven and, the Pueblo believe, we become part weaver and part storyteller as we also are part of the web.
So what web will you weave today? Do you believe as Loftin does that weaving uncovers what was already present? It is an interesting concept, I think. Our lives are a web of interconnected relationships, even for those who feel disenfranchised. No one becomes born alone. Our very introduction to this universe took at least two people – the female and male parents. And because infants are unable to feed themselves or even find food, none of use reached the age of five or six years without the help of others.
No matter how independent we think we are, we need those who make up the strands of our webs of living. "What might we see, how might we act, if we saw with a webbed vision? The world seen through a web of relationships…as delicate as spider's silk, yet strong enough to hang a bridge on." In her book "From a Broken Web", theologian Catherine Keller posed these thoughts.
No matter how delicate or ethereal a spider's web might appear, they actually are very strong. I think sometimes we underestimate the webs in our own lives. We might not want to "bother" someone and ask for help. Perhaps it is the fragility of our own ego that prevents us from doing so. At this time of year, depression is at its highest. We need our webs to give us strength.
Today when someone mentions the word 'web", a spider is not the first thing that comes to mind. "Web" is the nickname for the Internet, the World Wide Web of technology that connects us all whether we like it or not. I read a statistic that is probably an exaggeration but it mentioned that an infant's vital information will be posted on the "web" within an hour of its birth.
Today the myth of the Thinking Woman or Spider Woman is most often seen in the weavings of the southwestern Indian tribes. The pattern of the cross of the Spider Woman has become an important and popular symbol. The cross represents balance with the unification of the four directions or elements of the world. In the middle, though, is the most important element for it is the unifying force, the center.
Ecologists reference a great web of life and even physicists have an entanglement theory. There really is no denying that we are all connected. Neith was the primal weaver of ancient Egypt while Celtic mythology references the web of Wyrd. In India the great jewel net of Nedra has each gemstone reflecting every other gem. The Greeks believed the great weaver spirit gave Theseus a thread to lead him through his personal labyrinth. The original myths of Thinking Woman told of her sitting on one's shoulder, whispering correct choices. Psychologists might call this our subconscious while some religious people might consider it an example of a guardian angel. Perhaps she is there with us, guiding us through the labyrinth of our own lives. Clearly we all need to be Thinking Men and Women, living to weave a web that benefits all.
The Alaskan Inuit are a very interesting group of indigenous people. For one, they are not just an ancient culture, they are a modern one. Many of the tribe live as their ancestors did, in spite of the modern world being all around them. For another thing, the Inuit mythology has no gods, no deities. Today's Inuk, the singular form for a member of this culture, is thought to be descended from the Thule culture around 1000 ACE. The Thule culture denotes those indigenous people who did not settle in the Alaskan tundra but continued their migration eastward. Some left the tribe and headed south, inhabiting the lower regions of Canada and becoming part of the Algonquin and Iroquois groups of tribes. The majority continued their travels until their reached Greenland and interacted with the Vikings.
Today's Inuit are a group of similar indigenous people who live in the Arctic areas of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. While many use the designation Eskimo as a synonym for the Inuit, this is really not correct. Eskimo is a group term which includes the Inuit as well as the Yupik and Inupiat tribes. Most Canadian and Greenland Inuit consider the term "Eskimo" to be derogatory as they see themselves as distinctively different cultures. Oral languages of these people are not do distinctive, however. Inuit languages are classified in Eskimo-Aleut language families while Inuit sign language is spoken in Nunavut, the northernmost section of Canada newly formed as the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Further differences between Eskimo and Inuit are noted in the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982 which refers to the Inuit as "a distinctive group of Aboriginal Canadians who are not included under either the First Nations or the Metis." Those Inuit in Greenland are citizens of Denmark but not of the European Union.
So what spirits were important to the Inuit? As with all of the indigenous people who inhabited and became the earliest of settlers and immigrants in North America, animism was an important part of life. Animism is a belief that things in the universe possess souls. [ A typical modern-day descendant living the ancient customs will apologize to a table leg that is kicked, recognizing the spirit within the table and respecting it.] The Inuit believed deeply that there were spirit masters of the animals they hunted and shared space with on the planet. Qayaq is the mythology of a hero who could transform himself into all sorts of living creatures – animals, birds, and fish. His journeys are told in an epic cycle of Alaskan Inuit tales, portraying his journey of discovery and mastery of the environment and natural world. In short, his story is an illustration of the process of learning by being.
Qayaq wandered all over and had many different adventures, overcoming enemies and making new friends. IF ever caught and eaten, he would be reborn and continue his journey. Sadly, when he did return home, he discovered his parents had died during the course of his explorations. In grief he turned himself into a hawk, spreading his wings to fly over the land from which his family had been born.
Today in the United States of America it is Thanksgiving Day. It is a day for people to celebrate and give thanks for all they have. The first such festivity was supposedly between different cultures – the American Indians of Massachusetts and the Pilgrims. It was a day of peace and sharing, a time to give thanks for a harvest and, I'm sure, to pray for the future.
The story of Qayaq is one that encourages us to step outside of our comfort zone and live. It also warns of being so focused on the future that we forget the past and our own heritage. The world is a glorious place and we all hope to make it better. However, we should not and cannot forget the blessing of the past. They are the cornerstones of the future.
Today I will give thanks for my life and the ability to live. It is not a perfect life but is continually offers lessons and chances to be reborn and to rebuild. I will also give thanks for each of you. You are my environment and are shaping the future by your own living. My wish for you is a healthy life, one full of prosperity and joy. Most of all, I will give thanks that we have a future. Spread you wings and soar, my friends. We can make it great!
They were called the poles that held up the sky. To many in modern times they represent religious beliefs or perhaps identification. Totem poles were much more than the first name badges, however. They were a type of family tree. They represented what a family believed in and who, to a stranger, might offer hospitality. It was easy to identify which families shared similar totems or beliefs and what those beliefs were. Common to the indigenous people of the northwestern part of North America, totem poles often traced the lineage these "First Families" felt they had with animal ancestors.
A common representation found on totem poles is that of the raven. There are many myths that feature the raven and in British Columbia, the mythology begins with the world covered in darkness.\ and the Kungalas tribe. The chief of this tribe and his wife had a son they loved very much but unfortunately their son died. Every morning the chief and his wife, accompanied by the entire tribe would grieve by the son's corpse. One morning a young man who seemed to glow was found sitting where the corpse had been. The chief's wife was convinced her son had come back to life and when asked by the chief if he was their son, the young boy answered affirmatively.
The tribe was overjoyed at the return of the chief's son but the boy would not eat. Finally a slave called Mouth-at-Each-End offered the boy a piece of whale meat. The boy ate it and then began eating everything else in sight. The son, in an effort to save his tribe from starvation, decided to send his reborn son away. He gave the boy a raven blanket as well as berries and fish eggs to scatter on the land so that he himself would never be hungry.
The legend tells that the young man put on his raven blanket, which was nothing more than a complete skin from a human-sized raven, and flew up to what the Kungalas called the sky world, a world much different from theirs, a world of light. He waited by a fresh water stream until the daughter of Chief-of-the-Skies happened along. The boy changed himself into a leaf and when the girl partook of the water, she swallowed the leaf. Soon thereafter a young baby was born to the girl. The baby was the darkling of the Sky People but he would never stop crying. They finally deduced he wanted to play with the ball in which daylight was kept.
The lad played with his ball of light for several years but one day put it on his shoulder and ran to the hole in the sky where the ball had once been. Putting on the raven suit, he flew the ball of light back to earth. He found the Kungalas by the Nass River eating what the natives called olachen or candle-fish. He asked them to throw him a fish but they refused. He then told them he wanted to make a trade – the ball of light for the fish. The clan refused and began shouting insults at him. The boy in anger cut the ball open, throwing light upon all the ends of the earth.
The myth addresses a common concept of ravens being trickster spirits and, as any farmer can tell you, there might be some truth to that. What I find most interesting is that the type of fish the people were eating at the end when the boy returns to earth is so specifically identified. The candle fish has many names such as olachen, eulachon, hooligan, oolichan, or ooligan. Found along the Pacific coast of the northwest coasts of both the United States of America and Canada. The name eulachon is a Chinook tribal name but some of the other names come from English and Irish names.
The candle fish during spawning season packs on an extra fifteen percent of body weight and if caught, was sometimes dried and then used as a candle. It is a very greasy fish and they were often processed for their oil. The oil was then traded and the trade routes were often called grease trails. The fish eats smaller fish along the ocean floor and is an integral part of the aquatic food chain of the region as well as being a staple of the tribes in the area.
The boy wanted to trade one small beam of light for the sun he had stolen from the Sky People. Would he have made the trade? We will never know. He was considered a trickster so perhaps not. By refusing the simply give up a fish which gave them both artificial light and sustenance, the Kungalas gained sunlight. Many might say they made the better trade.
We should not forget the name-calling aspect of this story, though. None of the tribe's people seem to have tried explaining their refusal. Instead they laughed at such a suggestion. All too often in today's world we are very quick to judge and yes, some engage in name-calling. When we offer an option perhaps not thought of by the masses, we are considered to be instantly wrong. When someone doesn't go along with the proposed scheme, they are called stupid or a spoil=sport.
Not every scheme is a winner and there are certainly enough unscrupulous people out there that it makes good sense to be leery. Good communication is also vital whether we are agreeing or refusing. Can grief return a loved one to life? Science would tell us no but maybe we need to look at how we are defining "life". The chief's son, if he had not died, would have become the leader and it was the duty of every leader to lead the tribe into a better future than before and to provide for the living. Certainly having the sun in their lives helped…until it got too hot as in yesterday's story.
Most of us have lost a beloved family member. We have a variety of ways to keep that person's memory alive. Some make scrapbooks while others dedicate memorials or establish scholarship funds. The simplest thing is to live a life that would have made that loved one proud. When we lose a loved one it seems as if the sun of our own personal lives has gone dark. Finding our own way back into the light can be difficult.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day for Americans and, while many will celebrate with friends and family, some will be alone, left to grieve as the tribe did in loss of a loved one. I fervently hope that if you are one of those who will be sitting in the dark, that you find a glimmer of light. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or assist at a soup kitchen. Being alone is not a crime nor is it shameful. Being alive, though, should be celebrated and we all have things for which to give thanks. And even if you are staying home tomorrow, give thanks that you have a home. You will get to have your celebratory holiday meal in your comfortable clothes or maybe even in your pajamas!
The raven has had something of a misnomer for hundreds of years. A member of the Corvus genus, ravens, along with crows which are a close cousin, are actually some of the most intelligent birds on earth and ravens live an amazing thirty years. In the colonial period of the U.S.A. ravens and crows were an integral part of both agriculture and urbanization.
The light is not just about being bright in the company of others but walking in goodness and peace. If you are reading this, you are a blessing to me. We may not all seem to give light to others like the candle fish could, but you sustain me and are a bright light to me. Daily I give thanks for you. It is one of my prayers that you are blessed and walk in peace.
The Cherokee tribe lived in the southeastern section of the United States, in lands now known as North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee with some in the northern part of Alabama. Many know of the Trail of Tears, a tragic event some believe to be only a myth but regrettably was all too real. The Trail of Tears speaks of a relocation process conducted by the federal government in which Cherokee and Choctaw Indians were forcibly marched from northern Alabama to Oklahoma under the watchful eye of unsympathetic and caring military personnel. The Indians were given no proper attire for the journey nor adequate food and over two-thirds perished along the way.
Long before the tribe was decimated by the deaths of those along the trail of tears, they had a mythology about death. The climate of their homeland is hot and very humid. The sun shines quite a great deal in this part of the world and, in the Cherokee story about the origin of death, the Sun deity plays a major role. Her heat became too much for the Cherokee to bear so a plan was devised to kill the Sun. Unfortunately, as plans sometime do, something went wrong and instead of killing the Sun, they killed her daughter.
The Cherokee legend tells of how as a young deity, the Sun had a lover who would visit her at night so that his face remained hidden. One night, tiring of the mystery, the Sun rubbed ashes on her lover's face to try to identify him. The next night, as her brother the Moon rose high in the sky, the Sun saw spots on his face and realized he was her lover. The Moon was ashamed and vowed to always stay away from the Sun. The Cherokee liked the Moon and often smiled at it which angered the Sun. They only squinted at her and complained of her heat. The more angry she became, the hotter her heat on the people and so, they decided to kill her.
The plan was for two men to turn into snakes and when the Sun stopped to eat lunch at her daughter's house, they would strike. Unfortunately, the sun shone so brightly they could not see. The adder spit at the Sun but the copperhead snake just crawled out of the house. Two more men were turned into snakes, this time being a Ukrena snake and a rattlesnake. When the door of the daughter's house opened they struck but killed the daughter of the Sun instead of her mother.
The grief-stricken Sun loved herself away and the world became dark, losing all heat with crops dying in the field. The people needed to retrieve the Sun's daughter from the Darkening Land where she was dancing with ghosts. The people captured the daughter and placed her in a box. They knew not to open the box but the Sun's daughter pleaded and begged and finally, thinking she needed food and air to breathe, they relented. The box opened and the Sun's daughter flew out, having been transformed into a redbird.
The men returned without her daughter and Sun's grief was so over-whelming she flooded the world with her tears. Finally, a drummer began to play a rhythm that brought comfort to the Sun. First she smiled and then she laughed as light once again filled the world. The Sun still shines brightly on us all but we still cannot fully gaze upon her without shielding our eyes.
For the Cherokees, the lessons from the story are not so much about death but about living. First, life sometimes requires things that are not comfortable but they are necessary. Mankind had no real need to look at the sun and we still are unable to do so, although we do experience and reap the rewards of its presence in our lives. There is also a lesson to do what one is told, in this case not to open the box. Sometimes, though, the best intentions do not result in positive actions. When that happens, we need to turn to our faith. The Cherokee used drums to connect with the rhythms of the earth and the spirits. The drummer used his skills and instrument to help the Sun find balance, just as we should do with our beliefs.


On 10 May 1994 the European Union offered South Africa a package of measures to send a strong political signal to the incoming government and to the South African population, thus proving its firm determination to support the transition towards democracy and its willingness to contribute to the reconstruction and economic development of South Africa after the elections. This package consisted of two parts namely a series of short term implementations to take place with immediate effect to help South Africa's development and transition, and an offer to negotiate a comprehensive long-term relationship with South Africa should the new government so request. South Africa accepted the European Union's offer to negotiate a long-term relationship, and in response requested membership of the structure governing the Union's relations with the rest of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in the Caribbean and Pacific, namely the Lome Convention. Due to various incompatibilities South Africa was not allowed to join this organisation. In its place the European Union offered to negotiate an agreement with South Africa that would lead to a Free Trade Area. This agreement was in keeping with the rules as laid down by the World Trade Organisation. It envisaged the lowering of tariffs and trade barriers between the Union and South Africa over a period not exceeding 12 years, allowing for asymmetry in terms of time constraints in implementation only. South Africa saw this type of agreement as inconsistent with the desire expressed by the European Union to support the countries development and the integration of the Southern African region. In its place the South Africa proposed a new concept in trade agreement, this concept, known as the Trade and Development Agreement, embodied both trade liberalisation and support for Development. This agreement would introduce a new paradigm of thought to govern trade between developed countries and developing countries within the World Trade Organisation's rules. This research explores the events that unfolded in these negotiations. It attempts to discover whether, in the current global environment, it is possible, or beneficial, for the developed world to act in an altruistic manner towards another state in order to assist its development.


We are collecting canned and nonperishable food every week.
We welcome persons of any race, ethnic or faith background, ability, family structure, gender identity, sexual orientation, and all others who may have felt excluded from worshiping in a church setting.
Our vision is to be a Christ centered church growing in faith with each other, trusting in God and increasing our love and support for one another and our neighbors throughout the world.
Bible Studies, Lenten Studies, Book Studies.
Interested in jouning our Sunday School? Contact us today!
Community Food Drives, Church in the Park Backpacks for Students, Shawl Ministry, Deacons Fund and more!


You may be aware we have been working on developing Special Landscape Areas – Supplementary Guidance. This draft supplementary guidance has been prepared to support Local Development Plan Policy ER6 "Managing Future Landscape Change to Conserve and Enhance the Diversity and Quality of the Area's Landscapes".
To help us identify the landscapes within Perth and Kinross which are worthy of designation the Council asked you to let us know where your favourite landscapes and places are. They may have been well known hills, straths or glens, the kinds of places you might choose to take a friend visiting the area. They may have been more hidden, special places or, alternatively, landscapes that are important in people's everyday life. It was open to anyone who lived, worked or visited Perth and Kinross and allowed them to tell us the name and location of up to five of their favourite landscapes or places and why they liked them.
The information we received on people's favourite landscapes and places was used to inform the technical appraisal which was carried out, using an approach developed by Scottish Natural Heritage and Historic Scotland. The work was carried out by landscape specialists LUC and STAR Development Group.
Prior to consideration by the Council all supplementary guidance is subject to public consultation. Comments received through the consultation process will be analysed and where appropriate the guidance amended before it is reported to the Council. Following consideration by the Council the supplementary guidance will require approval by Scottish Ministers before finally being adopted by the Council.
The consultation period runs for a period of 8 weeks from 28 November until 19 January 2015. This extended period takes into account of the break over the festive period.
Should you have any questions or wish to discuss the matter do not hesitate to contact me.