Juan Ramón Bernhardt Coradin (born August 31, 1953 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) is a retired professional baseball player whose career spanned 13 seasons. Bernhardt spent parts of four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees (1976), and the Seattle Mariners (1977–79). As a member of the inaugural Mariners team in 1977, he hit the team's first home run. Over his major league career, he compiled a .238 batting average with 46 runs scored, 117 hits, 19 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, and 43 runs batted in (RBIs) in 154 games played.

The majority of Bernhardt's career was spent in the minor leagues. He began his professional career in 1971 with the Class-A Key West Sun Caps. In the minors, he would go on to play for the Class-A Fort Lauderdale Yankees (1972–73), the Double-A West Haven Yankees (1974–75), the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs (1975–76), the Triple-A San Jose Missions (1978), the Triple-A Spokane Indians (1979), the Triple-A Iowa Oaks (1979), the Triple-A Tabasco Plataneros, the Triple-A Campeche Piratas/Alacranes (1981–83), and the Triple-A Aguascalientes Rieleros. He served as a player-manager from 1981 to 1982.

Professional career

New York Yankees
On August 1, 1970, Bernhardt signed with the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent. Bernhardt made his professional baseball debut in 1971 in the Yankees minor league organization. With the Class-A Key West Sun Caps that year, he batted .249 with 25 runs scored, 82 hits, 15 doubles, two triples, one home run, and 31 runs batted in (RBIs) in 97 games played. Defensively, Bernhardt played 54 games at third base, 28 games at first base, five games in the outfield, and three games at shortstop. During the 1972 season, Bernhardt was assigned to play with the Class-A Fort Lauderdale Yankees of the Florida State League. In 121 games played that season, he batted .288 with 128 hits, 18 doubles, two triples, and two home runs. In the field, Bernhardt played first base, third base, and in the outfield.

Bernhardt continued playing with the Class-A Fort Lauderdale Yankees in 1973. In only 37 games played that year, he batted .337 with 34 hits, four doubles, and one home run. After the season, the New York Yankees purchased his contract, adding him to their 40-man roster. Bernhardt attended spring training with New York in 1974, but was assigned to the Double-A West Haven Yankees before the start of the regular season. With West Have that year, Bernhardt batted .201 with 20 runs scored, 37 hits, six doubles, one triple, three home runs, and 19 RBIs in 60 games played.

Bernhardt split the 1975 season between the Double-A West Haven Yankees, and the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. At the Double-A level, he batted .319 with 51 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, and one home run in 41 games played. In the field, he played third base, and first base. During his time with West Haven that season, he led the Eastern League in batting average. After his promotion to the Chiefs, Bernhardt batted .303 with 22 runs scored, 90 hits, 19 doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 44 RBIs in 79 games played. Defensively, he played 33 games at third base, 33 games in the outfield, and 16 games at first base. Combined between the two clubs, Bernhardt's batting average was .309.

In 1976, Bernhardt began the season with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. However, in July, the New York Yankees purchased his contract from the minor leagues when Elliott Maddox was placed on the disabled list. Bernhardt made his debut in Major League Baseball on July 10, against the Chicago White Sox, where in one at-bat, he went hitless. His first hit came on July 17, in a game against the Texas Rangers. In August, he was sent back to the minor leagues. In September, the Yankees attempted to trade Bernhardt in exchange for Rico Carty, but nothing ever came of it. In the majors, Bernhardt batted .190 with four hits in 21 at-bats. In the minor leagues, he batted .303 with 41 runs scored, 115 hits, 24 doubles, eight home runs, and 57 RBIs in 101 games played.

Seattle Mariners
During the 1976 Major League Baseball expansion draft, Bernhardt was selected by the Seattle Mariners from the New York Yankees. Bernhardt made the inaugural Mariners team out of spring training in 1977. During his first game of the season, Bernhardt got five hits, including a home run, in five at-bats. Not only was it Bernhardt's first career home run, but it was also the first home run in Mariners history. On the season, Bernhardt batted .243 with 32 runs scored, 74 hits, nine doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 30 RBIs in 89 games played. Defensively, he played 21 games at third base, and eight games at first base. The majority of his playing time, 54 games, was spent as a designated hitter in the Mariners lineup.

Bernhardt split the 1978 season between the major leagues and the minor leagues. With the San Jose Missions, who were the Seattle Mariners Triple-A affiliate at the time, he batted .274 with 13 runs scored, 26 hits, three doubles, two home runs, and 16 RBIs in 25 games played. Bernhardt made his season debut in the majors on May 12, in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. With the Mariners that year, he batted .230 with 13 runs scored, 38 hits, nine doubles, two home runs, and 12 RBIs in 54 games played. Bernhardt would only play one more game in the major leagues, coming on April 8, 1979 in a game against the California Angels, he got one hit in one at-bat. After that, the Mariners sent Bernhardt to the minor leagues where he played with the Triple-A Spokane Indians. In 98 games with Spokane, he batted .271 with 43 runs scored, 106 hits, 18 doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 49 RBIs.

Later career
In early-July 1979, the Seattle Mariners traded Bernhardt to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Rich Hinton. Bernhardt spent the rest of that season with the Iowa Oaks, who were the Triple-A affiliates of the White Sox at the time. In 25 games with the Oaks, he batted .305 with five runs scored, 18 hits, two doubles, one triple, and six RBIs. That season would prove to be Bernhardt's last in the United States, however, from 1980 to 1983, he played in the Mexican League. In 1980, he joined the Triple-A Tabasco Plataneros. From 1981 to 1982, Bernhardt was the player-manager for the Triple-A Campeche Piratas/Alacranes Mexican League team, who represented Campeche, Mexico. His final professional baseball season was in 1983 when he again played with the Campeche Triple-A team, and the Triple-A Aguascalientes Rieleros, who were also members of the Mexican League.

References
General references

Inline citations

External links

1953 births
Living people
Alacranes de Campeche players
Chicago White Sox scouts
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Fort Lauderdale Yankees players
Iowa Oaks players
Key West Sun Caps players
Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
Major League Baseball designated hitters
Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball third basemen
Mexican League baseball managers
New York Yankees players
Piratas de Campeche players
Plataneros de Tabasco players
San Jose Missions players
Seattle Mariners players
Spokane Indians players
Syracuse Chiefs players
Rieleros de Aguascalientes players
West Haven Yankees players

Juan Bernhardt


Nuapada district is an area of Odisha state in India. Nuapada town is the headquarters of the district. It has one subdivision: Nuapada, and five blocks: Khariar, Sinapali, Boden, Komna, and Nuapada. Nuapada District has three Notified Area Councils: Khariar, Khariar Road, and Nuapada, six tehsils and more villages such as Gandabahali, Tukla, Hatibandha, Duajher, Bargaon, Tarbod, Udyanbandh, and Larka.

Major cities, towns, and villages
 Nuapada
 Khariar

 Khariar Road
 Sinapali
 Komna
 Boden
 Gandabahali

 Hatibandha
 Tukula
 Udyanbandha

History
The district of Nuapada was a part of Kalahandi district until early March 1993, but for administrative convenience, Kalahandi District was divided into two parts — Kalahandi and Nuapada vide State Government Notification No. DRC-44/93/14218/R dated 27 March 1993. Nuapada District now comprises one sub-division Nuapada, six tehsils (Nuapada, Komana, Khariar, Sinapalli, Boden and jonk) and five community development blocks (Khariar, Sinapalli, Boden, Nuapada and Komna).It is believed that the District of Kalahandi formed in ancient time a part of Mahakantara territory. During 4th century CE, when Samudra Gupta led his campaign through this region a king named Vyaghraraja was ruling over Mahakantara. After Vyaghraraja, the Nala kings like Bhavadatta Varman, Arthapati and Skanda Varman ruled over this region up to about 500 CE.

In the 6th century CE a new kingdom developed in the Kalahandi tract under King Tustikara, but very little is known about other kings of his family.The Nuapada area was by that time under the kings of Sarabhapuriya dynasty whose copper plate record and gold coins are available. This region came under the occupation of the Somavamsis of South Kosala during the 8th century CE when Mahaivagupta Balarjuna was ruling from his headquarters at Sripur.

In the 9th century CE when the Somavamsis were ousted from the Sripur region and organized a new kingdom in Sonepur-Sambalpur tract, the Kalahandi portion continued to be under their rule. In fact, Mahabhabagupta Janamejaya occupied the Trikalinga territory (Koraput area) through Kalahandi. In the middle of the 10th century CE the Somavamsi dominion embraced the whole of Orissa under Yayati II Mahasivagupta. His son Udyotakesari divided this dominion and placed the western part (Kosala) under the rule of a collateral branch. Kalahandi was included in the Kosala kingdom the capital of which was Jajatinagar near Sonepur.

The rule of the Somavamsis in Kosala collapsed by the invasion of Rajendra Chola in 1022 CE and after that the territory came under the rule of the Telugu Cholas. In 1038 CE Vajrahasta V of Eastern Ganga dynasty became powerful in Parlakhemundi region and after the death of Rajendra Chola in 1044 CE he assumed independence and occupied the hilly territory including Koraput and Kalahandi.

The Gangas ruled over Kalahandi for a long period. The stone inscription at Narla reveals that one Madanamahadeva was ruling over Kamalmandala in 1231 CE apparently as a feudatory of the Gangas. Tradition preserved by the Durbar of Kalahandi reveals that the Nagas commenced their rule in Kalahandi from Vikram sambat 1062 or CE 1005. If the tradition is to be believed it may be said that the Nagas ruled over Kamalmandala as feudatories of the Gangas till 14th century CE after which they owed allegiance to the Suryavamshi Gajapatis.

It is not known when Kamalmandala became known as Kalahandi. The earliest reference to the name Kalahandi is found in the Dadhivaman temple inscription dated in Yugabda 4819, i.e., CE 1718. In British records this territory was called Karond. This territory assumed independence after the downfall of the Gajapatis of Orissa in 1568 CE According to tradition the Kalahandi kingdom commanded sovereign power over eighteen garhs before it was occupied by the Bhonsles of Nagpur in the middle of the 18th century CE In 1803 when the Marathas were defeated by the British and the coastal regions of Orissa as well as the Patna-Sambalpur group of states came under the British, Kalahandi, very probably, continued under the Marathas. The Patna-Sambalpur group was subsequently restored to Raghujee Bhonsla II in 1806. The Marathas of Nagpur became subordinate to British power after the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818. But Kalahandi continued to be under Maratha rule till 1853, when the Nagpur state lapsed to the British Crown as Raghuji III died without an heir. The Chauhans were ruling over Khariar since about the time of Rama Deo, the first Chauhan king of Patna. In 1590 CE Gopal Ray, a scion of the Patna family became the king of Khariar and started a line of semi-independent kings in that territory. Khariar came under the Marathas in 1741 CE and the British occupied it in 1818. In 1905 when the District of Sambalpur and some feudatory states including Kalahandi were amalgamated with Orissa Division of Bengal, the Government of the Central Provinces opposed merger of Khariar with Sambalpur and in 1906 Khariar became a part of the Mahasamund tehsil. When the separate province of Orissa was formed in 1936, Khariar was added to Orissa and was made a sub-division (Nuapada sub-division) of Sambalpur District. On the 1st January 1948, Kalahandi along with other feudatory states of Orissa except Mayurbhanj, merged with Orissa and on that date the new District of Kalahandi was formed with the ex-states of Kalahandi, Patna and Sonepur. On the 1st November 1949, Patna and Sonepur together constituted a separate District and the Nuapada sub-division of Sambalpur was added to the District of Kalahandi.

Geography
Nuapada district is in the western part of Odisha, lying between latitude 20° 0' N and 21° 5' and between longitude 82° 20' E and 82° 40' E. Its boundaries extend in the north, west and south to Mahasamund district in Chhattisgarh and in the east to Bargarh, Balangir and Kalahandi districts. The district has an area of 3407.5 km² and the administrative headquarters is located at Nuapada.

The plains of Nuapada subdivision are fringed by rugged hill ranges stretching southward, which belong to the main line of the Eastern Ghats and contain extensive plateaus of about 4000 ft (1200 m) in elevation.

Economy
Due to the conspicuous absence of any industry, the economy revolves around agricultural activities. Three major irrigation projects — the Upper Jonk, the Sunder dam, and the upcoming Lower Indira Irrigation Project — provide support to 45,000 acres of land. Rice is the main crop in the entire district. Other crops like corn (maize), cotton, and onion make up a major share of crops under cultivation. More than 10,000 households migrate to other states in search of better employment opportunities every year after the harvesting season is over. Though the district is tops in MGNREGS implementation, the advance provided by labor contractors before Nuakhai festival lure ignorant laborers into the plot. Due to unregistered and uninformed migration, protection of migrant laborers has become a challenge to the government. In 2006, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Nuapada one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). it is one of the 19 districts in Odisha currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

Demographics

In the 2011 Indian census, Nuapada district had a population of 610,382. roughly equal to the nation of Solomon Islands or the US state of Wyoming. This gives it a ranking of 524th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 14.28%. Nuapada has a sex ratio of 1020 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 58.2%. 4.99% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 13.46% and 33.80% of the population respectively.

At the time of the 2011 census, 58.02% of the population in the district spoke Odia, 23.72% Sambalpuri, 15.04% Chhattisgarhi and 1.68% Hindi as their first language.

Politics

Vidhan Sabha constituencies

Nuapada district is part of Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency. The MP of Kalahandi is Basanta Kumar Panda from the BJP.

The following are the two Vidhan Sabha constituencies of Nuapada district and the elected members of that area.

References

External links

1993 establishments in Orissa
Districts of Odisha

Nuapada district


Charles A. Shibell (August 14, 1841 – October 21, 1908) was a teamster, miner, hotel owner, customs inspector, recorder, and Pima County, Arizona County Sheriff and a contemporary of Wyatt Earp and his brothers. Shibell promised a job as Deputy Sheriff to Earp, but when Earp announced his support for Bob Paul as the next sheriff, Shibell appointed Earp's antagonist Johnny Behan to the position instead.

Personal life

Charles Alexander Shibell was born on August 14, 1841, to George and Mary Agnes (Byrne) Shibbell in St. Louis, Missouri where he attended public school. He attended Iowa College (later renamed Grinnell College).  In 1860, he left Iowa for Sacramento, California, where he got a job as a clerk in a general store. He later moved to the Southwest where he married Mercedes Sais Quiroz in 1868. Mercedes had been kidnapped as a child with Larcena Pennington Page in March 1860 by Apache Indians. She was later traded for Apache prisoners. Mercedes and Charles Shibell had four children: Mamie A., Lillie M., Charles B. and Mercedes A., before his wife died in 1876 at age 26. In 1877, Shibell married Nellie Norton and they had two children, Lionel J. and Orpha.

Professional life

In 1862, just as the Civil War was beginning, he joined Col. James H. Carleton's California Column. He worked as a civilian teamster and was with the Union forces when they re-captured Tucson, Arizona, from Confederate forces on May 20, 1862. He followed the force to the Rio Grande and remained there until January 1, 1863, when he returned to Tucson. He worked for the federal government transporting supplies  from the headquarters at Tucson to Ft. Yuma. In 1864, the troops were ordered to the Rio Grande where they would be mustered out, and Shibell remained in Tucson.

In June 1864, he went to work at the Cerro Colorado Mine as a silver miner about  southwest of Tucson. In May 1865, he moved to the Sonoita River about  south of Tubac, Arizona, participating in the cowboy business before operating his own cattle ranch. His ranch was repeatedly attacked by Apache Indians and he lost cattle on several occasions to the Indians, until two or three of his men were killed. Unable to withstand the Apache's attacks, he left the area in 1867 and returned to Tucson. He became a Customs Inspector for the next two years. He may have been a participant in the Camp Grant Massacre on April 30, 1871, during which 144 Aravaipas and Pinal Indians were killed and mutilated, almost all of them women and children.

He then opened a stagecoach stop named Desert Station on the road  northwest of Tucson which he maintained through 1872. He also resumed the teamster business that year between Tucson and Yuma.

In 1874, Shibell, a lifelong Democrat, developed an interest in politics. In January 1875, he was appointed a Pima County Deputy Sheriff by Tucson Mayor William S. Oury and held the office for two years.

He ran for Sheriff in 1876 and held that office for four years, until 1881. He was responsible for enforcing the law for 3,000 citizens spread out over  on the extremely remote border with Mexico, a wide-open area on the edge of the American frontier.

On August 19, 1878, Shibell and a citizen posse tracked Arizona and New Mexico Territory road-agent William Whitney Brazelton, who was suspected of repeated stagecoach robberies in the Tucson area, to a meeting place where he expected to receive supplies from a confederate named David Nemitz. Nemitz warned that Brazelton "would not be taken alive unless by artful strategy." Shibell gave orders to shoot on sight if needed, and Brazelton was killed during the confrontation in a mesquite bosque along the Santa Cruz River approximately three miles south of Tucson. Shortly thereafter, Brazelton's body was photographed by pioneer Tucson photographer Henry Buehman and copies of these were available for sale to the general public. Additionally, John J. Valentine Sr. Wells, Fargo & Co. would, as a direct response to Brazelton's criminal actions in Pima County, send special agent and future sheriff of said county, Bob Paul, to investigate on their behalf." Shibell was reelected Sheriff in 1878.

On July 27, 1880, Shibell appointed Wyatt Earp Deputy Sheriff in Pima County, when Tombstone, Arizona, was still part of Pima County, making Earp the primary law enforcement officer for most of eastern Pima County.

Election overturned

Shibell ran for reelection as Pima County Sheriff in the November 2, 1880, election against Republican Bob Paul. The region was strongly Republican and Paul was expected to win. Whoever won would likely appoint someone from the same political party. Republican Wyatt expected he would continue in the job.

Shibell was supported in his reelection bid by a loosely organized federation of outlaw Cowboys, mostly Southerners, who strongly opposed Wyatt Earp and the Republicans generally. A cowboy in that time and region was generally regarded as an outlaw. Legitimate cowmen were referred to as cattle herders or ranchers.

Elections were held on November 2, and it was expected that Democrat Shibell would be defeated by Republican Bob Paul, who Wyatt had supported during the campaign. Shibell won the election by a 58-vote margin.

On November 19, Bob Paul filed suit and accused Shibell of ballot-stuffing in the San Simon precinct, since the precinct delivered a 103 to 1 vote for Shibell in a precinct that contained only about 10 eligible voters. The trial was transferred to Tucson's district court and began in January 17. On January 20, 1881, the  Arizona Star reported, "There has been some big cheating somewhere, and by some persons. It was clear that there had been reckless counting at Tombstone, fraud at San Simon and a careless election board at Tres Alamos." A recount was held and this time Paul had 402 votes and Shibell had 354. Sixty-two were kept from a closer examination.

James Johnson later testified for Bud Paul in the election hearing and said that the ballots had been left in the care of Democrat Phin Clanton. Meanwhile, a week after the election on November 9, 1880, Earp resigned. The position of undersheriff was now open, and Shibell immediately selected Democrat Johnny Behan to serve as Tombstone area undersheriff.

In February 1881, the San Simon results were thrown out by the election commissioners, but Shibell filed an appeal.  He was finally removed from office in April and replaced by Bob Paul.

Operates hotels

When his term as Sheriff ended, he bought and ran the Palace Hotel (later renamed the Occidental Hotel). In 1884, he opened a store until 1887 when he was once again appointed deputy sheriff under Sheriff Eugene O. Shaw. He was deputy sheriff until January 1, 1889. On February 22, 1888, Shibell along with U.S. Deputy Marshal William K. Meade and deputies pursued men suspected of robbing a Southern Pacific train deep into Mexico. When they finally notified Mexican authorities of their purpose in Mexico, they were arrested for entering the country illegally.

It was during his second appointment as deputy sheriff that Shibell challenged an old friend, a former guide and scout for the U.S. Army named Albert Franklin Banta, the reputed discoverer of Meteor Crater, to track down a fugitive 900 miles into Old Mexico and back. He returned with his prisoner, saying he "had one horse shot; missed being assassinated three or four times, but I am here yet, telling the story."

In 1888, Shibell was elected as the Pima County Recorder, a position he held until 1902. Shibell died in Tucson on October 21, 1908.

References

External links
 David Leighton, "Shibell St. named for 1870s sheriff," Arizona Daily Star, Sept. 4, 2012

1841 births
1908 deaths
Cowboys
American deputy sheriffs
People from St. Louis
Arizona sheriffs
Arizona Democrats
Ranchers from Arizona

Charles A. Shibell


"Let's keep the Goan tradition and culture alive, worldwide"

Ful Maillam Tallier
With a flower on your head

Type: Dulpod

Source: Lourdinho Barreto. Goemchem Git. Pustok 2,

Musical form: Binary

Literary form: Social Comment

Translated by: Alfred Noronha, Panaji, Ilhas, Goa, 26.05.2005

Ful maillam tallier,

With a flower on your head,

Cheddva tuka apoila mallier. (bis)

My girl, you are called upstairs.

Bhat gailam suroi,

We have sown raw rice,

Cheddva tuka zai toxem miroi. (bis)

My girl, have whatever fun you want.

Ho rupoi cholona,

This rupee is fake,

Cheddva tujem bendd go alona. (bis)

My girl, your waist is not swaying.

Ho rupoi khuim khotto,

It seems this rupee is false,

Cheddva tuzo kupar go mottho. (bis)

My girl, your lover is fat.

Chandnem udelam,

The moon has risen,

Cheddva tujim dhamp go zonelam. (bis)

My girl, shut your windows.

Polleiat

Dulpod Goenche

Sondorbh

Konknni
Dulpod
Romi panam

Ful Maillam Tallier - Dulpod


D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear (also known as Sniper: 23 Days of Fear in Washington D.C.) is a 2003 TV movie created by USA Network based on the Beltway sniper attacks of 2002.

The films chronicles the period when John Allen Muhammad (played by Bobby Hosea) and Lee Boyd Malvo (played by Trent Cameron) went on a serial killing spree in October 2002 in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland, all parts of the Washington Metropolitan Area, the entire area of which was held in a "grip of terror."

Plot
In October 2002, Chief Charles Moose (played by Charles S. Dutton) of the Montgomery County Police Department, heads an effort to track down those responsible for a recent string of murders in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Unable to give anything but small pieces of information at various press conferences held during the 23 dark days, Moose finds himself vilified and derided in many corners as ineffectual and incompetent. Indeed, quite a few newspapers outside the area targeted by snipers came right out and called for Moose's resignation. But the chief's dogged persistence ultimately paid off and — in the sort of twist that a professional writer of thrillers might dismiss as inconceivable — the two men arrested for the carnage turned out to be the archetypal "least likely suspects."

Release
D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear originally aired on the USA Network on October 17, 2003, just as John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo's murder trials were getting underway.

References

External links

2003 films
2003 television films
Films scored by Mark Snow
Films about snipers
Crime films based on actual events
Films directed by Tom McLoughlin
Films set in 2002
Films set in Montgomery County, Maryland
Films set in Virginia
Films set in Washington, D.C.
USA Network original films
Films set in Frederick County, Maryland

D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear


Big Sable Point Light is a lighthouse on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in the U.S. state of Michigan.  It is located within Ludington State Park just north of the city of Ludington.  First constructed in 1867, it continues to be an active navigational aid.

History

On July 28, 1866, Congress appropriated $35,000 for a new lighthouse at Big Sable Point.  Approximately  was deeded from the State of Michigan to the U.S. at no cost and in early 1867 construction began, making it the first light station in the area.

Built in 1867, the  tower was originally made of yellow cream brick. It has a focal plane of .  The building was made of so-called Cream City Brick.  The brick deteriorated and was thereafter covered with boiler plate in 1900.

Construction materials were brought up by ships.  The first road to the site was not completed until 1933.

Because the brick deteriorated from exposure to the elements, a steel plate encasement was installed in 1900 at a cost of $3,225.  The yellow brick now encased in steel plate was difficult to see and a daymark was needed.  Several changes to the daymark over the years were made.  Currently, the tower is painted white with a black watch tower and a black band around the middle of the tower.  Despite the artist who colorized this historic post card coloring the middle third of the lighthouse red there is no evidence it has ever been any color other than black.

It was the last Great Lakes Lighthouse to get electricity and plumbing, which came in the late 1940s.

The original lens was a third order Fresnel lens, inscribed "Sautter & Co., Constructeurs." It was removed in 1985, and is now on display at the Rose Hawley Museum at White Pine Village.  The lighthouse follows a design first used at New Presque Isle Light, which was also used on several other lights on the Great Lakes.

After the light was automated, the keeper's house was severely vandalized.

In 1986, the lighthouse station was leased to the Foundation for Behavioral Research. The foundation has worked with the Big Sable Lighthouse Association to preserve the buildings.

Lighthouse keepers were: Alonzo Hyde, Sr. (1867–1869), Alonzo W. Hyde (1869–1871), Newton Bird (1871–1873), Burr Caswell (1874–1882), Hans Hansen (1882–1887), James Rich (1887–1888), Tomas Bailey (1889–1893), George Blake (1899—1903), Samuel Gagnon (1905–1923), Joseph Kimmers (1922–1923), Leweilyn Vanatter (1923–1936), George Rogan (1936–1949), David Sauers (1949–1954), Henry Vavrina (1955–1965), Homer Meverden (1965–1968).

In the middle of the 20th Century, 1949, Big Sable was electrified.  It was the last Great Lakes light to give up wicks.  This paved the way for automation and the elimination of the Lighthouse keeper's job.

The fog horn, which was steam and then diesel.

Buildings at the lightstation included the tower and dwelling, fog signal building, boat house, barn, three oil houses, two privy's and a Diaphone fog signal.  The fog signal building fell into the lake due to erosion in 1943.

The site is the subject of constant erosion, so that keeping the foundation in place and the water away from undermining it has been a recurrent and expensive battle.

Listed as Big Sable Point Light Station in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 as reference #83004296.  It is also on the state inventory list.

A historical marker in front of the lighthouse reads:

Called Grande Pointe au Sable by French explorers and traders, Big Sable Point was an important landmark for mariners traveling a treacherous stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline between Big Sable Point and present-day Ludington. In 1855 twelve ships wrecked in that area. Commerce linked to the burgeoning lumber industry required Big Sable Point be suitably lighted. State Senator Charles Mears pressed the legislature to ask the federal government for a light station at Big Sable. In 1866 the U.S. Congress appropriated $35,000 for a lighthouse, which was built the following year. As the lumbering era waned, steamers carrying coal foodstuffs and tourists continued to rely on the lighthouse for navigation.

The Big Sable Point Lighthouse is one of the few Michigan lights with a tower reaching . Completed in 1867 Big Sable's tower measured  high. In 1900 the deteriorating brick tower was encased in steel. The keeper's dwelling, which once housed a single family, has been enlarged over the years, resulting in the present three-family residence. Indoor plumbing and heating and a diesel electric generator were added in 1953. In 1953 power lines were extended to the Point. In 1966 the tradition of light-keeping begun in 1867 by Alonzo A. Hyde and his wife Laura ended when the station was fully automated. Big Sable Point Light Station is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Current status and access

The lighthouse was transferred to state ownership on November 1, 2002.  The site manager is the Sable Points Light Keepers Association.

Take state highway M-116 north from Ludington to Lakeshore Drive.  Proceed north for  to Ludington State Park.  A vehicle permit is required and a fee collected.  It is under the care of the Sable Point Lightkeepers Association, which was formed in 1986.  The organization has been instrumental in restoring the light and associated buildings.  A volunteer keeper program makes is possible for volunteers to live and work in the lighthouse for two week periods.  There is a waiting list to do this.  Tours are available, and events do occur (a calendar is available).

Bus transportation is available June 24, July 13 & 29, August 12 & 26th and September 23, 2017.  Buses travel from the State Park Rangers House inside the State Park to the lighthouse is from 12pm to 5pm.  Round trip cost is $5.00 per adult rider and $2.00 for children 12 and under. Otherwise, access requires a  walk up the beach or hiking trail.

Big Sable Lighthouse is open daily May 8 through November 4, 2017 from 10am to 5pm. Cost to climb the tower is $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children 12 and under. Gift shop and video room are open to all at no charge.

See also
Lighthouses in the United States

References

Further reading

 .

  .

External links

 Big Sable Point Lighthouse in the Ludington State Park
 Big Sable Point Light official site.
 Huelse, Klaus -- Meine Leuchtturm-Seite: Leuchttürme USA auf historischen Postkarten -- ''Historic postcard images of U.S. lighthouses, Historic Post Card View — "Point Sable Lighthouse".
 Interactive map of Lights in Northern Lake Michigan, mapped by Google.
 Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light, Big Sable Light.
 Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association.
 Satellite image of 'Big Sable Point' at Google Maps.
 U.S. Lighthouses, Big Sable Point Light.
 U.S. Coast Guard Search & Rescue Index
 Big Sable Point Lighthouse - United States Lighthouses

Lighthouses completed in 1867
Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
Michigan State Historic Sites
1867 establishments in Michigan
National Register of Historic Places in Mason County, Michigan

Big Sable Point Light


Abednigo Valdez "Shaka" Ngcobo (10 May 1950 – 1 November 2014) was a South African association football player who played in South Africa for Penarol, Minnesota Kicks, Denver Dynamos and Kaizer Chiefs.

Club career
Ngcobo was born in Cato Manor near Durban, South Africa, and started played amateur soccer at a young age for African Bush Rangers, Rand Koreans, Union Jacks. He later joined Zulu Royals and African Wanderers in the new NPSL for blacks in 1971. In 1972, Ngcobo was recruited by Kaizer Chiefs' Ewert Nene when he scored 6 goals against them in a friendly match. In 1974, he won the league and the BP Top 8 and in the same season he scored a hat trick in a 7–1 win over Moroka Swallows. He left for Denver Dynamos in 1975 after leading Chiefs to their first ever league title the previous season with Kaizer Motaung and Patrick Ntsoelengoe. Motaung scored seven goals that season, providing one assist, Ntsoelengoe scored five goals and four assists and Ngcobo netted five times, while delivering six assists. The following season, Ngcobo and Ntsoelengoe both moved to Minnesota Kicks. In 1976 where he won the Benson and Hedges Trophy, Sales House Cup and the BP Top 8 he set a new record of the fastest goal scored in 10 seconds in a 3–1 win over Moroka Swallows on 11 October 1976 in Vosloorus. In February 1980, before being named the 1979 Footballer of Year, he scored against Highlands Park in that famous Mainstay Cup Final replay and he scored a 13-minute hat-trick against Moroka Swallows. He went AWOL for trials in Uruguay with Penarol organised by Mario Tuani along with Goodenough Nkomo upon returning he was fined R1000. He later played for Penarol being striker partners with young Venancio Ramos and Fernando Morena. After suffering from niggling knee injuries later in his career, Valdez retired in December 1984.

International career
Ngcobo played for the SA Black XI in 1973 in a match against a team billed as the UK All Stars. He played in a second match against another All Stars side in 1979, at the Rand Stadium.

Style of play
Former Marabastad Sundowns player and older brother of Zane Moosa, Essop "Smiley" Moosa said " 'Shaka' had great speed and he was unbelievably strong. He could play both as a striker and as a winger, the last position being his best, I felt. He was also a fantastic goalscorer, he had a very educated left-foot, but he could score with both feet." Former Chiefs captain between 1975 and 1986, Ryder Mofokeng said "he could dribble past defenders, he could pass, he could cross and he could shoot. He was one of the best all-round strikers South Africa had."

After retirement
Ngcobo ran a taxi business in Alexandra and lived with his wife Khanyisile and his daughter.

Death
He died of a heart attack at his home on 1 November 2014, after complaining of chest pains early that morning and died a few hours later.

References

1950 births
2014 deaths
South African men's soccer players
South African expatriate men's soccer players
South African soccer managers
Men's association football forwards
Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players
Soccer players from Durban
North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players
Minnesota Kicks players
Denver Dynamos players
South African expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Peñarol players
Expatriate men's footballers in Uruguay

Abednigo Ngcobo


Andrea Müller (born 29 June 1974) is a German female former track and field athlete who competed in the pole vault. She was active during the early stages of the formal acceptance of women's pole vault into international programmes by the International Association of Athletics Federations. She briefly held the world record for the event, with a clearance of  in August 1995. The former holder, Daniela Bártová, improved upon that the same month.

Internationally, she was a bronze medallist in the event at the 1994 Goodwill Games and took a silver medal at the 1997 European Cup. She was also a finalist at the 1996 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the 1997 Summer Universiade. She set a career best height of  in May 1997, which was a European record.

She was twice national champion in the pole vault, taking the title at the German Athletics Championships in both 1994 and 1997, with Christine Adams winning in the intervening years.

International competitions

National titles
German Athletics Championships
Pole vault: 1994, 1997

References

External links

Living people
1974 births
German female pole vaulters
World record setters in athletics (track and field)
Competitors at the 1994 Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games medalists in athletics

Andrea Müller


The Grammy Award for Best Music Film is an accolade presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally named the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality videos or musical programs.

Criteria
Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position". In order to qualify for this category, concert/performance films or music documentaries must be released theatrically or for sale to the public for the first time or first appearing on television or online during the current eligibility year. Dramatic feature films and biopics are not eligible.

Prior to 2024, films were only considered eligible for this category if they featured a minimum of 51% performance-based material. As of the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, this requirement has been removed entirely.

Background
The category was preceded by the Grammy Award for Video of the Year, which was presented in 1982 and 1983, awarding long form videos (or video albums as they were known back then) in the budding music video market. Along with the similar honor Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video, this award was first presented in 1984. From 1984 to 1985, the accolade was known as Best Video Album, but in 1986, it was renamed to Best Music Video, Long Form. From 1998 to 2012, it was named Best Long Form Music Video, before changing to Best Music Film since 2013.

In 1988 and 1989, the award criteria were changed and the video accolades were presented under the categories Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video. The awards were returned to the original format in 1990. Except in 1988 and 1989, the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video recipients included the artists, directors, and producers associated with the winning videos. The Best Music Film category is one of two categories in the Best Music Video/Film Field. The other one is Best Music Video, which recognizes stand-alone videos of one song or performance. In 2024, the Field was abolished and both categories were moved to a Children's, Comedy, Audio Book Narration & Storytelling, Visual Media & Music Video/Film Field.

Multiple wins and nominations
Singers Madonna and Sting hold the record for the most wins as a performer in this category, with two each, while there have been three films about The Beatles among the winners. However, in two instances, The Beatles were not recognized as individual winners. To date, three directors won the award twice: David Mallet, Jonas Akerlund and Bob Smeaton. Beyoncé holds the record for the most nominations with five. The British pop rock group Eurythmics and Coldplay hold the record for the most nominations as a performer without a win, with three each. Although Beyoncé also held four losing nominations, she won with her fourth nomination with Homecoming in 2020.

Recipients
In 1984 and 1985, only the artists were presented with an award. In 1986 the award went to the artist(s) and the video director(s). From 1987 onwards, the award has been presented to the artist(s), video director(s) and video producer(s). (Nominations list performing artists only).

 Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
 Director(s) are only indicated if they were presented a Grammy Award.
 Award was not presented. Music video categories presented that year included Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video.
 Award not presented to the performing artist (only to video director(s) and video producer(s))
Director unknown; award presented to video producers only

Notes
≈ indicates an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature winner
± indicates an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature nominee

See also
 List of Grammy Award categories
 List of most expensive music videos
 One shot (music video)

References

External links
Official site of the Grammy Awards

Long Form Music Video

Grammy Award for Best Music Film


Georg Philipp Schmidt von Lübeck (January 1, 1766 – October 28, 1849) was a German poet.

He was born in Lübeck as member of a merchant family with long tradition. He studied law in Jena and Göttingen 1786 to 1790, then he changed to theology and in the end to medicine. In Jena he made friends with the writers Sophie Mereau and Johann Gottfried Herder.  After some journeys through Germany he worked as civil servant for the Danish government until 1829.

His most famous poem is Der Wanderer. It was set to music by Franz Schubert.

References

1766 births
1849 deaths
German poets
Writers from Lübeck

Georg Philipp Schmidt von Lübeck


Digital divide is the gap between parts of the world where access to information technology is very different.  Developed countries have plentiful internet, mobile phones, computers and Wi-Fi.  Other parts of the world do not.  It is the difference of people that can access the internet, and the people that cannot.

Problems
A digital divide can be born for many reasons like socioeconomic problems (few people are rich and many are poor), racial problems (there is a majority or a minority that controls the other), or geographical problems (in the cities there are technologies but there are not in rural areas).

Countries on the rich side of the divide include Canada, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Europe and Australasia.  They have big communication infrastructure, and most people can afford computers and other technology.  On the poor side is Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, where there are many social problems.  Technology has a long way to go before getting interest in those countries, because of problems like the price of technology and the fact that sometimes there are not any resources to help.

Inner conflict
In some parts of the world there is a large digital divide. Sometimes it is just in half of a country, or just a region, for example Africa. As with other things like education or transport, some people have things that others don't have. There are big cities where technologies are cheap and there are many villages and rural communities where there is no digital/electronic technology. In this case the digital divide creates other problems. Because a part of the country is rich and another part is poor, there are often problems with trading and connections.
Technology
Social issues

Digital divide


HASA (highly accelerated stress audit) is a proven test method developed to find manufacturing/production process induced defects in electronics and electro-mechanical assemblies before those products are released to market. HASA is a form of HASS (highly accelerated stress screening) – a powerful testing tool for improving product reliability, reducing warranty costs and increasing customer satisfaction.

Since HASS levels are more aggressive than conventional screening tools, a POS procedure is used to establish the effectiveness in revealing production induced defects. A POS is vital to determine that the HASS stresses are capable of revealing production defects, but not so extreme as to remove significant life from the test item. Instituting HASS to screen the product is an excellent tool to maintain a high level of robustness and it will reduce the test time required to screen a product resulting in long term savings. Ongoing HASS screening assures that any weak components or manufacturing process degradations are quickly detected and corrected. HASS is not intended to be a rigid process that has an endpoint. It is a dynamic process that may need modification or adjustment over the life of the product.

HASS aids in the detection of early life failures. HASA's primary purpose is to monitor manufacturing and prevent any defects from being introduced during the process. A carefully determined HASA sampling plan must be designed that will quickly signal when process quality has been degraded.

External links
 cotsjournalonline.com – COTS Journal HALT/HASS Testing Goes Beyond the Norm

Electronic engineering
Quality management
Environmental testing

Highly accelerated stress audit


The Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE) mission is a lunar orbiter concept which will be used to identify the coming redshift from first hydrogen atoms just as the first stars began to produce light. DARE will use the redshifted 21-cm transition line from neutral hydrogen (1420.00 MHz emissions) to view and spot the formation of the first glowing objects of the universe.

Also, this is the period ending of the Dark Ages of the universe.  The orbiter will explore the universe as it was from around 80 million years to 420 million years after the Big Bang. The mission will deliver data of the formation of the first stars, the beginning of black hole accretions, and the reionization of the universe. Computer models of galaxy formation will also be tested.

This mission might also add research on dark matter decay. The DARE program will also provide information for developing and deploying lunar surface telescopes that add to exoplanet exploration of nearby stars. It is expected to launch in either 2021 or 2022.

Background
The period after recombination occurred but before stars and galaxies was created is called the "dark ages". During this time, most of the matter in the universe is neutral hydrogen. This hydrogen has yet to be observed, but there are experiments underway to detect the hydrogen line produced during this era. The hydrogen line is produced when an electron in a neutral hydrogen atom is excited to a state where the electron and proton have aligned spins, or de-excited as the electron and proton spins go from being aligned to anti-aligned. The energy difference between these two hyperfine states is  electron volts, with a wavelength of 21 centimeters. When neutral hydrogen is in thermodynamic equilibrium with the photons in the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the neutral hydrogen and CMB are called to be "coupled", and the hydrogen line is not observable. It is only when the two temperatures are not same, or decoupled, that the hydrogen line can be observed.

Theoretical motivation
The Big Bang produced a hot, dense, nearly homogeneous universe. As the universe expanded and cooled, particles, then nuclei, and finally atoms formed. At a redshift of about 1100, equal to about 400,000 years after the Big Bang, when the primordial plasma filling the universe cooled enough for protons and electrons to combine into neutral hydrogen atoms, the universe became optically thin by which photons from this early era no longer interacted with matter. We detect these photons today as the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The CMB shows that the universe was still smooth and uniform.

After the protons and electrons combined to produce the first hydrogen atoms, the universe contained a nearly uniform, almost completely neutral, intergalactic medium (IGM) for which the most amount of matter component was hydrogen gas. With no glowing sources present, these are known as the Dark Ages. Theoretical models predict that, over the next few hundred million years, gravity slowly condensed the gas into denser and denser regions, in which the first stars eventually appeared, marking Cosmic Dawn.

As more stars formed, and the first galaxies formed, they flooded the universe with ultraviolet photons capable of ionize hydrogen gas. A few hundred million years after Cosmic Dawn, the first stars produced enough ultraviolet photons to re-ionize essentially all the universe's hydrogen atoms. This is called the Reionization era which is the hallmark event of this early generation of galaxies.

The beginning of structural complexity in the universe caused a remarkable transformation, but one that we have not yet looked into. By going even farther back than what the Hubble telescope can see, the truly first structures in the universe can be studied. Theoretical models suggest that present measurements are beginning to find the last part of Reionization, but the first stars and galaxies, in the Dark Ages and the Cosmic Dawn, currently lie above our understanding.

DARE will make the first measurements of the birth of the first stars and black holes and will measure the properties of the invisible stellar objects. Such observations are important for placing current measurements in a proper context, and to understand how the first galaxies grew from earlier generations of structures.

Mission
DARE's mission is to measure the shape of the redshifted 21-cm signal over a radio bandpass of 40–120 MHz, observing the redshift range 11–35, which correlate to 80–420 million years after the Big Bang. DARE orbits the Moon for 3 years and takes data above the lunar farside which is the only location in the inner Solar System proven to have no human-generated radio frequency problems.

The science instrument is set to a RF quiet spacecraft bus and is made of a three-element radiometer, including electrically-short, tapered, biconical dipole antennas, a receiver, and a digital spectrometer. The smooth frequency response of the antennas and different measurements used for DARE are important in removing the intense cosmic foregrounds so that the weak cosmic 21-cm signal can be detected.

Similar projects
Besides DARE, are other similar projects are proposed to also study this area such as the Precision Array for Probing the Epoch of Reionization (PAPER), Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), and the Large Aperture Experiment to Detect the Dark Ages (LEDA).

Related pages
Reionization
Wouthuysen–Field coupling

References

Further reading

Other websites
 JPL Helps Shoot for the Moon, Stars, Planets and More

Big Bang
Cosmology

Dark Ages Radio Explorer


Anna Gonsalves Paes de Azevedo (Salvador de Bahia, Brazil; 1612—The Hague, Netherlands; 21 December 1674), or Anna Paes, was a Brazilian plantation owner.

Daughter of the Portuguese plantation owner Jeronimo de Azevedo and Isabel Gonsalves Paes; married in 1630 to Portuguese army Captain Pedro Correia da Silva (d. 1630), and 1637 in Recife to Charles de Tourlon (d. 1644), commander of the guard of the Dutch governor John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen, and in 1645 in Recife to Gijsbert de With (1611–1692), councillor in the Dutch colonial legal court of Brazil.

Anna Paes was given one of the largest sugar plantations in Brazil as a dowry upon her first marriage in 1630. In contrast to most Portuguese colonists, she remained when Portuguese Brazil became conquered by the Dutch and became an important member at the court of the Dutch governor John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen, with whom she was said to have had an affair. During the war with the Portuguese, she declared loyalty toward the Netherlands, and left for The Hague when Brazil was taken by Portugal in 1654.

In Brazil, "Dona Anna Paes" became a legendary figure, often used in literature. She is the subject of a novel by Luzilá Gonçalves Ferreira.

References
 http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/DVN/lemmata/data/Paes
 Michiel van Groesen, Gonsalves Paes de Azevedo, Anna, in: Digitaal Vrouwenlexicon van Nederland. URL: http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/vrouwenlexicon/lemmata/data/Paes [13/01/2014]

17th-century Brazilian businesswomen
1612 births
1674 deaths
17th-century women landowners

Anna Gonsalves Paes de Azevedo


Abdominal obesity, also known as central obesity and truncal obesity, is the human condition of an excessive concentration of visceral fat around the stomach and abdomen to such an extent that it is likely to harm its bearer's health. Abdominal obesity has been strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other metabolic and vascular diseases.

Visceral and central abdominal fat and waist circumference show a strong association with type 2 diabetes.

Visceral fat, also known as organ fat or intra-abdominal fat, is located inside the peritoneal cavity, packed in between internal organs and torso, as opposed to subcutaneous fat, which is found underneath the skin, and intramuscular fat, which is found interspersed in skeletal muscle. Visceral fat is composed of several adipose depots including mesenteric, epididymal white adipose tissue (EWAT), and perirenal fat. An excess of adipose visceral fat is known as central obesity, the "pot belly" or "beer belly" effect, in which the abdomen protrudes excessively. This body type is also known as "apple shaped", as opposed to "pear shaped" in which fat is deposited on the hips and buttocks.

Researchers first started to focus on abdominal obesity in the 1980s when they realized it had an important connection to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Abdominal obesity was more closely related with metabolic dysfunctions connected with cardiovascular disease than was general obesity. In the late 1980s and early 1990s insightful and powerful imaging techniques were discovered that would further help advance the understanding of the health risks associated with body fat accumulation. Techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging made it possible to categorize mass of adipose tissue located at the abdominal level into intra-abdominal fat and subcutaneous fat.

Abdominal obesity is linked with higher cardiovascular events among South Asian ethnic population.

Health risks

Heart disease
Abdominal obesity is typically associated with a statistically higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes (see below). With an increase in the waist to hip ratio and overall waist circumference the risk of death increases as well. Metabolic syndrome is associated with abdominal obesity, blood lipid disorders, inflammation, insulin resistance, full-blown diabetes, and increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It is now generally believed that intra-abdominal fat is the depot that conveys the biggest health risk.

Recent validation has concluded that total and regional body volume estimates correlate positively and significantly with biomarkers of cardiovascular risk and BVI calculations correlate significantly with all biomarkers of cardio-vascular risk.

Diabetes
There are numerous theories as to the exact cause and mechanism in type 2 diabetes. Central obesity is known to predispose individuals for insulin resistance. Abdominal fat is especially active hormonally, secreting a group of hormones called adipokines that may possibly impair glucose tolerance. But adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory adipokine, which is found in lower concentration in obese and diabetic individuals has shown to be beneficial and protective in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Insulin resistance is a major feature of diabetes mellitus type 2, and central obesity is correlated with both insulin resistance and T2DM itself.  Increased adiposity (obesity) raises serum resistin levels, which in turn directly correlate to insulin resistance. Studies have also confirmed a direct correlation between resistin levels and T2DM.  And it is waistline adipose tissue (central obesity) which seems to be the foremost type of fat deposits contributing to rising levels of serum resistin. Conversely, serum resistin levels have been found to decline with decreased adiposity following medical treatment.

Asthma

Developing asthma due to abdominal obesity is also a main concern. As a result of breathing at low lung volume, the muscles are tighter and the airway is narrower.  Obesity causes decreased tidal volumes due to reduced in chest expansion that is caused both by the weight on the chest itself and the effect of abdominal obesity on flattening the diaphragms. It is commonly seen that people who are obese breathe quickly and often, while inhaling small volumes of air. People with obesity are also more likely to be hospitalized for asthma. A study has stated that 75% of patients treated for asthma in the emergency room were either overweight or obese.

Alzheimer's disease
Based on studies, it is evident that obesity has a strong association with vascular and metabolic disease which could potentially be linked to Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies have also shown an association between mid-life obesity and dementia, but the relationship between later life obesity and dementia is less clear. A study by Debette et al. (2010) examining over 700 adults found evidence to suggest higher volumes of visceral fat, regardless of overall weight, were associated with smaller brain volumes and increased risk of dementia. Alzheimer's disease and abdominal obesity has a strong correlation and with metabolic factors added in, the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease was even higher. Based on logistic regression analyses, it was found that obesity was associated with an almost 10-fold increase risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Other health risks

Central obesity can be a feature of lipodystrophies, a group of diseases that is either inherited, or due to secondary causes (often protease inhibitors, a group of medications against AIDS). Central obesity is a symptom of Cushing's syndrome and is also common in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Central obesity is associated with glucose intolerance and dyslipidemia. Once dyslipidemia becomes a severe problem, an individual's abdominal cavity would generate elevated free fatty acid flux to the liver. The effect of abdominal adiposity occurs not just in those who are obese, but also affects people who are non-obese and it also contributes to insulin sensitivity.

Ghroubi et al. (2007) examined whether abdominal circumference is a more reliable indicator than BMI of the presence of knee osteoarthritis in obese patients. They found that it actually appears to be a factor linked with the presence of knee pain as well as osteoarthritis in obese study subjects. Ghroubi et al. (2007) concluded that a high abdominal circumference is associated with great functional repercussion.

Research published in The Lancet (2023) found that high levels of visceral fat were related to poorer cognitive performance. The findings suggest that maintaining a healthy weight and metabolic health may be important for preserving cognitive function.

Causes

Diet

The currently prevalent belief is that the immediate cause of obesity is net energy imbalance—the organism consumes more usable calories than it expends, wastes, or discards through elimination. Some studies indicate that visceral adiposity, together with lipid dysregulation and decreased insulin sensitivity, is related to the excessive consumption of fructose. Some evidence shows that in regards to juveniles, when free fructose is present as children's fat cells mature, it makes more of these cells mature into fat cells in the abdominal region. It also caused both visceral fat and subcutaneous fat to be less sensitive to insulin. These effects were not attenuated when compared to similar glucose consumption.

Intake of trans fat from industrial oils has been associated with increased abdominal obesity in men and increased weight and waist circumference in women. These associations were not attenuated when fat intake and calorie intake was accounted for. Greater meat (processed meat, red meat, and poultry) consumption has also been positively associated with greater weight gain, and specifically abdominal obesity, even when accounting for calories. Conversely, studies suggest that oily fish consumption is negatively associated with total body fat and abdominal fat distribution even when body mass remains constant. Similarly, increased soy protein consumption is correlated with lower amounts of abdominal fat in postmenopausal women even when calorie consumption is controlled.

Numerous large studies have demonstrated that ultra-processed foods have a positive dose-dependent relationship with both abdominal obesity and general obesity in both men and women. Consuming a diet rich in unprocessed food and minimally processed food is linked with lower obesity risk, lower waist circumference and less chronic disease. These findings are consistent among American, Canadian, Latin American, Australian, British, French, Spaniard, Swedish, South Korean, Chinese and Sub-Saharan African populations.

Obesity plays an important role in the impairment of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism shown in high-carbohydrate diets. It has also been shown that quality protein intake during a 24-hour period and the number of times the essential amino acid threshold of approximately 10 g has been achieved is inversely related to the percentage of central abdominal fat. Quality protein uptake is defined as the ratio of essential amino acids to daily dietary protein.

Visceral fat cells will release their metabolic by-products in the portal circulation, where the blood leads straight to the liver. Thus, the excess of triglycerides and fatty acids created by the visceral fat cells will go into the liver and accumulate there. In the liver, most of it will be stored as fat. This concept is known as 'lipotoxicity'.

Alcohol consumption
A study has shown that alcohol consumption is directly associated with waist circumference and with a higher risk of abdominal obesity in men, but not in women. After controlling for energy under-reporting, which have slightly attenuated these associations, it was observed that increasing alcohol consumption significantly increased the risk of exceeding recommended energy intakes in male participants – but not in the small number of female participants (2.13%) with elevated alcohol consumption, even after establishing a lower number of drinks per day to characterize women as consuming a high quantity of alcohol. Further research is needed to determine whether a significant relationship between alcohol consumption and abdominal obesity exists among women who consume higher amounts of alcohol.

A systemic review and meta-analysis failed to find data pointing towards a dose-dependent relationship between beer intake and general obesity or abdominal obesity at low or moderate intake levels (under ~500 mL/day). However, high beer intake (above ~4 L/wk) appeared to be associated with a higher degree of abdominal obesity specifically, particularly among men.

Other factors
The prevalence of abdominal obesity is increasing in Western populations, possibly due to a combination of low physical activity and high-calorie diets, and also in developing countries, where it is associated with the urbanization of populations.

Other environmental factors, such as maternal smoking, estrogenic compounds in the diet, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be important also.

Hypercortisolism, such as in Cushing's syndrome, also leads to central obesity. Many prescription drugs, such as dexamethasone and other steroids, can also have side effects resulting in central obesity, especially in the presence of elevated insulin levels.

Diagnosis

There are various ways of measuring abdominal obesity including:
Absolute waist circumference (> in men and > in women)
Waist–hip ratio (the circumference of the waist divided by that of the hips of >0.9 for men and >0.85 for women)
Waist-stature ratio (waist circumference divided by their height, >0.5 for adults under 40 and >0.6 for adults over 50)
Sagittal Abdominal Diameter

In those with a body mass index (BMI) under 35, intra-abdominal body fat is related to negative health outcomes independent of total body fat. Intra-abdominal or visceral fat has a particularly strong correlation with cardiovascular disease.

BMI and waist measurements are well recognized ways to characterize obesity. However, waist measurements are not as accurate as BMI measurements. Waist measurement (e.g., for BFP standard) is more prone to errors than measuring height and weight (e.g., for BMI standard). BMI will illustrate the best estimate of one's total body fatness, while waist measurement gives an estimate of visceral fat and risk of obesity-related disease. It is recommended to use both methods of measurements.

While central obesity can be obvious just by looking at the naked body (see the picture), the severity of central obesity is determined by taking waist and hip measurements. The absolute waist circumference  in men and  in women and the waist–hip ratio (>0.9 for men and >0.85 for women) are both used as measures of central obesity. A differential diagnosis includes distinguishing central obesity from ascites and intestinal bloating. In the cohort of 15,000 people participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), waist circumference explained obesity-related health risk better than BMI when metabolic syndrome was taken as an outcome measure and this difference was statistically significant. In other words, excessive waist circumference appears to be more of a risk factor for metabolic syndrome than BMI. Another measure of central obesity which has shown superiority to BMI in predicting cardiovascular disease risk is the Index of Central Obesity (waist-to-height ratio, WHtR), where a ratio of >=0.5 (i.e. a waist circumference at least half of the individual's height) is predictive of increased risk.
Another diagnosis of obesity is the analysis of intra-abdominal fat having the most risk to one's personal health. The increased amount of fat in this region relates to the higher levels of plasma lipid and lipoproteins as per studies mentioned by Eric Poehlman (1998) review.
An increasing acceptance of the importance of central obesity within the medical profession as an indicator of health risk has led to new developments in obesity diagnosis such as the Body Volume Index, which measures central obesity by measuring a person's body shape and their weight distribution. The effect of abdominal adiposity occurs not just in those who are obese, but also affects people who are non-obese and it also contributes to insulin sensitivity.

Index of central obesity
Index of Central Obesity (ICO) is the ratio of waist circumference and height first proposed by a Parikh et al. in 2007 as a better substitute to the widely used waist circumference in defining metabolic syndrome. The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III suggested cutoff of  and  for males and females as a marker of central obesity. The same was used in defining metabolic syndrome. Misra et al. suggested that these cutoffs are not applicable among Indians and the cutoffs be lowered to  and  for males and females. Various race specific cutoffs were suggested by different groups. The International Diabetes Federation defined central obesity based on these various race and gender specific cutoffs. The other limitation of waist circumference is that it the measurement procedure has not been standardized and in children there are no, or few, comparison standards or reference data.

Parikh et al. looked at the average heights of various races and suggested that by using ICO various race- and gender-specific cutoffs of waist circumference can be discarded. An ICO cutoff of 0.53 was suggested as a criterion to define central obesity. Parikh et al. further tested a modified definition of metabolic syndrome in which waist circumference was replaced with ICO in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database and found the modified definition to be more specific and sensitive.

This parameter has been used in the study of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.

Central obesity in individuals with normal BMI is referred to as normal weight obesity.

Sex differences
There are sex-dependent differences in regional fat distribution.

Males are more susceptible to upper-body fat accumulation, most likely in the belly, due to sex hormone differences. When comparing the body fat of men and women it is seen that men have close to twice the visceral fat as that of pre-menopausal women.

In women, estrogen is believed to cause fat to be stored in the buttocks, thighs, and hips. When women reach menopause and the estrogen produced by ovaries declines, fat migrates from their buttocks, hips, and thighs to their belly.

50% of men and 70% of women in the United States between the ages of 50 and 79 years now exceed the waist circumference threshold for central obesity.

Central obesity is positively associated with coronary heart disease risk in women and men. It has been hypothesized that the sex differences in fat distribution may explain the sex difference in coronary heart disease risk. Even with the differences, at any given level of central obesity measured as waist circumference or waist to hip ratio, coronary artery disease rates are identical in men and women.

Management

A permanent routine of exercise, eating healthily, and, during periods of being overweight, consuming the same number or fewer calories than used will prevent and help fight obesity. A single pound of fat yields approximately 3500 calories of energy (32 000 kJ energy per kilogram of fat), and weight loss is achieved by reducing energy intake, or increasing energy expenditure, thus achieving a negative balance. Adjunctive therapies which may be prescribed by a physician are orlistat or sibutramine, although the latter has been associated with increased cardiovascular events and strokes and has been withdrawn from the market in the US, the UK, the EU, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

A 2006 study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, suggests that combining cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise with resistance training is more effective than cardiovascular training alone in getting rid of abdominal fat. An additional benefit to exercising is that it reduces stress and insulin levels, which reduce the presence of cortisol, a hormone that leads to more belly fat deposits and leptin resistance.

Self-motivation by understanding the risks associated with abdominal obesity is widely regarded as being far more important than worries about cosmetics. In addition, understanding the health issues linked with abdominal obesity can help in the self-motivation process of losing the abdominal fat. As mentioned above, abdominal fat is linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Specifically it is the deepest layer of belly fat (the fat that cannot be seen or grabbed) that poses health risks, as these "visceral" fat cells produce hormones that can affect health (e.g. increased insulin resistance and/or breast cancer risk). The risk increases considering the fact that they are located in the proximity or in between organs in the abdominal cavity. For example, fat next to the liver drains into it, causing a fatty liver, which is a risk factor for insulin resistance, setting the stage for type 2 diabetes. However, visceral fat is more responsive to the circulation of catecholamines.

In the presence of type 2 diabetes, the physician might instead prescribe metformin and thiazolidinediones (rosiglitazone or pioglitazone) as antidiabetic drugs rather than sulfonylurea derivatives. Thiazolidinediones may cause slight weight gain but decrease "pathologic" abdominal fat (visceral fat), and therefore may be prescribed for diabetics with central obesity.
Thiazolidinedione has been associated with heart failure and increased cardiovascular risk; so it has been withdrawn from the market in Europe by EMA in 2010.

Low-fat diets may not be an effective long-term intervention for obesity: as Bacon and Aphramor wrote, "The majority of individuals regain virtually all of the weight that was lost during treatment." The Women's Health Initiative ("the largest and longest randomized, controlled dietary intervention clinical trial") found that long-term dietary intervention increased the waist circumference of both the intervention group and the control group, though the increase was smaller for the intervention group. The conclusion was that mean weight decreased significantly in the intervention group from baseline to year 1 by 2.2 kg (P<.001) and was 2.2 kg less than the control group change from baseline at year 1. This difference from baseline between control and intervention groups diminished over time, but a significant difference in weight was maintained through year 9, the end of the study.

Society and culture

Myths
There is a common misconception that spot exercise (that is, exercising a specific muscle or location of the body) most effectively burns fat at the desired location, but this is not the case. Spot exercise is beneficial for building specific muscles, but it has little effect, if any, on fat in that area of the body, or on the body's distribution of body fat.  The same logic applies to sit-ups and belly fat. Sit-ups, crunches and other abdominal exercises are useful in building the abdominal muscles, but they have little effect, if any, on the adipose tissue located there.

Colloquialisms
A large central adiposity deposit has been assigned many common use names, including "spare tire", "love handle", "paunch", and "potbelly". Several colloquial terms used to refer to central obesity, and to people who have it, refer to beer drinking. However, there is little scientific evidence that beer drinkers are more prone to central obesity, despite its being known colloquially as "beer belly", "beer gut", or "beer pot". One of the few studies conducted on the subject did not find that beer drinkers are more prone to central obesity than nondrinkers or drinkers of wine or spirits. Chronic alcoholism can lead to cirrhosis, symptoms of which include gynecomastia (enlarged breasts) and ascites (abdominal fluid). These symptoms can suggest the appearance of central obesity.

Deposits of excess fat at the sides of one's waistline or obliques are commonly referred to as "love handles".

Economics
Researchers in Copenhagen examined the relationship between waist circumferences and costs among 31,840 subjects aged 50–64 years of age with different waist circumferences. Their study showed that an increase in just an additional centimetre above normal waistline caused a 1.25% and 2.08% rise in health care costs in women and men respectively. To put this in perspective, a woman with a waistline of 95 cm (approx 37.4 in) and without underlying health problems or co-morbidities can incur economic costs that are 22%, or US$397, higher per year than a woman with a normal waist circumference.

See also
 Bariatrics, the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity
 Lipoatrophy, the term describing the localized loss of fat tissue
 Muffin top
 Normal weight obesity, normal BMI with excessive fat, usually centrally localized
 Panniculus, hanging belly fat
 Steatosis, also called fatty change, fatty degeneration or adipose degeneration

References

Further reading

External links

Abdomen
Medical conditions related to obesity
Medical signs
Obesity
Tissues (biology)

Abdominal obesity


TV UNAM (stylized as tvunam and tv•unam, formerly written teveunam) is an educational television network owned and operated by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City.

Programming on TV UNAM generally consists of educational telecourse programs for UNAM students, plus public affairs, documentary and cultural programming. Some TV UNAM programming can also be seen on the nationwide Edusat service.

History
The UNAM began broadcasts on XHUNAM-TV analog channel 60 on December 5, 2000, in Mexico City in order to pave the way for their own television network. It broadcast for five years before being renewed in 2005 as a digital-only station, the first in Mexico.

As part of the project, UNAM's DGTU (Dirección General de Televisión Universitaria or TV UNAM) began the broadcast of TV UNAM on October 24, 2005, on cable and satellite TV systems, including Cablevisión in the Valley of México and satellite TV provider SKY, and later Dish México. (As of 2014, TV UNAM is now required carriage for all cable systems in Mexico alongside several other public and cultural stations.) With the help of the government-owned OPMA public television network (now Sistema Público de Radiodifusión del Estado Mexicano (SPR)), it expanded its coverage as an over-the-air digital subchannel. TV UNAM is generally on the air daily from 8am to as early as midnight (longer on some nights, especially if there is a movie or concert scheduled).

Although XHUNAM-TDT continues to operate on digital channel 20 in Mexico City, it has largely been used for experimental transmissions and does not broadcast the programming of TV UNAM. SPR's Mexico City station XHSPR-TDT carries it on channel 20.1.

References

National Autonomous University of Mexico
Public television in Mexico
Spanish-language television stations in Mexico
Television channels and stations established in 2005

TV UNAM


This type of music originates from the Rajasthan, one of the states of India and home to several important centers of Indian musical development, including Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaipur.  The region's music shares similarities both with nearby areas of India and the other side of the border, in the Pakistani province of Sindh.

Overview
Rajasthan has a diverse collection of musician castes, including langas, sapera, bhopa, and Manganiar. There are two traditional classes of musicians: the Langas, who stuck mostly exclusively to Muslim audiences and styles, and the Manganiars, who had a more liberal approach.

Traditional music includes the women's Panihari songs, which lyrically describes chores, especially centered on water and wells, both of which are an integral part of Rajasthan's desert culture.  Other songs, played by various castes, normally begin with the alap, which sets the tune and is followed by a recital of a couplet (dooba). Epic ballads tell tales of heroes like Devnarayan Bhagwan, Gogaji, Ramdeoji, Pabuji and Tejaji. The celebration of changing seasons is also very central to folk music of Rajasthan. Celebration of the coming of the Monsoon or the harvest season are central to most traditional folk songs. Songs also revolve around daily activities of the local people for instance a song about not sowing Jeera (Cumin) as it is difficult to tend. Or for instance another song about Podina (Mint) and how it is liked by various members of the family (an allegorical reference to a local liquor extracted from mint is also made). Every day common themes are the center of traditional rajasthani folk music.

One of the most famous Rajasthani Maand singers is Allah Jilai Bai of the Bikaner Gharana.

Notable musicians
Allah Jilai Bai
Kheta Khan
Meme Khan
Seema Mishra
Prakash Mali
Chotu Singh Rawna
Anupriya Lakhawat
Hemraj Goyal
Dapu Khan
Ila Arun

See also
Jaipur-Atrauli gharana
Rapperiya Baalam
Musical Instruments of Rajasthan
Veena Music

References
 Monograph on Langas: a folk musician caste of Rajasthan. by Komal Kothari.  1960.
 Folk musical instruments of Rajasthan: a folio, by Komal Kothari. Rajasthan Institute of Folklore, 1977.
 Bards, ballads and boundaries: an ethnographic atlas of music traditions in West Rajasthan, by Daniel Neuman, Shubha Chaudhuri, Komal Kothari. Seagull, 2007. .

Rajasthan

Music of Rajasthan


Fulano de Tal was a north-American latin rock band, formed in 1995 in Miami, Florida. The original band members were: Elsten Torres (Lead Vocals, Guitar, & Songwriter), Brendan Buckley (Drummer, programming, vocals), Julian Adam Zimmon (Guitars), and Leo Nobre (Bass guitar, Background vocals). John Michael Falcone (Bass guitar, Vocals) replaced Leo in 1996.  Fulano de Tal recorded two full-length albums. The name of the band is the Portuguese/Spanish variant of the American term "John Doe". The first album was called Normal and it was released in April 1997 through BMG/RCA records. At the time, Fulano was the first north-American latin rock band to be signed to a major label. The band toured extensively throughout the United States and some Latin American countries during the years of 1997 and 1999. In 2000, the band released their sophomore effort, Etc. through the independent label: Radio Vox/DLN. It was also in 2000 that the band separated. Brendan and Julian joined pop/superstar Shakira as part of her touring band. Elsten Torres released the Grammy nominated album, Individual in 2006 under the name "Fulano", but it was his first solo album although both Brendan and Julian joined in the production and performance of the album.

Discography

Revolución
Revolución (in English – Revolution) is the first recording by singer/songwriter; Elsten Torres under the artistic name of "Fulano De Tal". Released in 1994 under the independent label, "Radio Vox". This EP contained one song in different genres. The version called, "mix de la tierra" was released as a single and also as a music video. The song received a great deal of critical and commercial attention because of its theme. The song was a protest song, regarding the Cuban rafters situation of the mid 1990s. There are also two English versions of the song, as well as a more pop version of the song in both English and Spanish.

Revolución – (Elsten Torres) – 4:06 (mix de la tierra)
Revolución – (Elsten Torres) – 5:30 (mix del cielo)
Revolution - (Elsten Torres) – 4:06 (acoustic pissed off mix)
Revolution - (Elsten Torres) – 5:32 (the island is gonna blow mix)
Revolución – (Elsten Torres) – 3:37 (version sangre)

Personnel
Guitars & Lead Vocals: Elsten Torres aka Fulano De Tal
Percussion & chants: Frank Lord
Electric guitars: Cesar Lemos
Bass: Julio Hernandez
Programming and Keyboards: Rodolfo Castillo

Normal
Normal is the major label debut album of Fulano De Tal. Released in 1997 under the BMG/RCA label, this album was the first major release of any Latin Rock artist from the U.S.A. Songs released from the album included Cristina Maria, No Soy Gringo, and Los Demas. The band members were: Elsten Torres, Brendan Buckley, Julian Adam Zimmon, and John M. Falcone. They began touring throughout the U.S., Canada and Latin America for over 2 years until the release of their next album.

 Cristina Maria - 4:39
 No soy gringo - 3:30
 Los Demas - 4:51
 Estados Unidos - 4:38
 Inquietud - 3:39
 Afuera de mi cabeza - 3:22
 Duele - 4:02
 Complicated - 3:38
 Selfish - 5:29
 No quiero trabajar - 3:48
 Normal - 6:48
 Cuando me muera yo - 4:45

Personnel
Guitars & Lead Vocals: Elsten Torres
Drums, Percussion & Background vocals: Brendan Buckley
Electric guitars: Julian Adam Zimmon
Bass: John M. Falcone/Leo Nobre

All songs written by: Elsten Torres except, "Complicated" – by. Brendan Buckley/Elsten Torres

Etc.
Etc. is the second album of Fulano De Tal, and released in 2000 under the Radio Vox/DLN label. After the success of the band's major label debut, the band was disappointed with the labels direction, so they opted out of their contract and released the Indie album, "Etc", shortening its name to "Fulano". "Etc", was also very well received by the critics and fans. It consists of recordings done in both large studios and home studios. Shortly after the albums' release the band went back out on the road for a short summer tour but the band broke up right after the end of the tour. Band members: Brendan Buckley and Julian Adam Zimmon joined pop-superstar, "Shakira's" touring band. "Etc" spun one hit "Caramelo" that was later covered by Mexican Rock/Pop Superstar Diva; Alejandra Guzmán.

 Caramelo - 3:41
 En Nombre De - 4:51
 Ella - 4:21
 No Doubt About It - 5:37
 Waiting For A Dead Man - 5:36
 If You Say So - 4:01
 Se Le Quedo - 4:01
 Malas Palabras - 4:33
 Sitting Pretty - 3:49
 Los Demas - 4:51
 Everybody Wants To Be The Same - 3:52
 Sopa Y Pan - 3:32

Personnel
Guitars & Lead Vocals: Elsten Torres
Drums, Percussion & Background vocals: Brendan Buckley
Electric guitars: Julian Adam Zimmon
Bass: John M. Falcone/Leo Nobre

Rock music groups from Florida
Musical groups established in 1995
Musical groups disestablished in 2000
Musical groups from Miami
American Latin musical groups
1995 establishments in Florida
2000 disestablishments in Florida

Fulano de Tal


Appointment scheduling software or meeting scheduling tools allows businesses and professionals to manage appointments and bookings. This type of software is also known as appointment booking software and online booking software.

History
Appointment scheduling software is a type of computer software designed to facilitate the management and organization of appointments and schedules. It has become an essential tool for businesses and individuals seeking to streamline their appointment booking processes and enhance efficiency. This section provides an overview of the evolution of appointment scheduling software, from early manual methods to modern cloud-based systems.

Early Beginnings
The origins of appointment scheduling software can be traced back to the early days of computer technology. In the 1960s and 1970s, as computer systems became more accessible and sophisticated, organizations began to explore ways to automate various administrative tasks (see also: Digital Revolution (this version)). Initially, appointment scheduling was handled through manual methods, such as appointment books or calendars, which were prone to errors and time-consuming to manage.

The Rise of Electronic Scheduling
The emergence of electronic scheduling marked a significant milestone in the evolution of appointment management. In the 1980s, computer-based systems started to gain popularity, allowing businesses to store appointment information electronically. These early solutions were typically simple databases or spreadsheet programs that provided basic functionality for storing and retrieving appointment data.

Advancements in the 1990s
With the advent of personal computers and the widespread adoption of the internet in the 1990s, appointment scheduling software experienced notable advancements. Software developers recognized the need to provide more comprehensive features and user-friendly interfaces. This led to the development of dedicated scheduling applications that offered improved functionality, such as automated reminders, conflict detection, and integration with other software systems through iCalendar.

Online Scheduling and Web-Based Solutions
The 2000s witnessed a significant shift towards online scheduling solutions. The proliferation of the internet and advancements in web technologies allowed for the development of web-based appointment scheduling software. These solutions offered users the convenience of accessing their schedules from any internet-connected device, eliminating the need for local installations and data synchronization.

Integration and Automation
As appointment scheduling software matured, developers focused on integrating it with other business tools and automating various processes. Integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, email marketing platforms, and payment gateways became common, enabling businesses to manage appointments seamlessly and streamline related activities. Automation features, such as online booking and reminder notifications, further enhanced efficiency and customer experience.

Mobile and Cloud-Based Solutions
The rise of smartphones and mobile applications in the late 2000s and early 2010s spurred the development of mobile scheduling apps. These apps provided users with on-the-go access to their appointment schedules, as well as the ability to book, reschedule, or cancel appointments from their mobile devices. Additionally, cloud-based solutions emerged, enabling users to store their appointment data securely in the cloud and access it from multiple devices.

Modern Innovations
In recent years, appointment scheduling software has continued to evolve with the incorporation of advanced technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms have been leveraged to optimize scheduling, minimize conflicts, and improve appointment routing. Virtual assistants and chatbots have also been integrated into scheduling software, enabling automated customer interactions and self-service booking.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and subsequent social distancing measures prompted the development of new features to support remote appointments and virtual consultations. Video conferencing integrations and telehealth capabilities have become essential components of many modern scheduling solutions.

Types of software
Customer appointment management scheduling software falls under two categories: desktop applications and web-based systems (also known as software as a service or cloud-based systems). Note that many cloud-based software providers offer desktop and web-based appointment scheduling services.

Desktop
Desktop applications are programs that are usually licensed and installed on end-user maintained computer hardware.  Such programs are generally very robust in terms of features and reporting, and can often be customized, but one downside is that desktop applications often do not have an online portal for staff or customer access. As well, installed applications may require ongoing maintenance, support, and upgrading by the end-user.

Desktop-based scheduling applications are often used in environments where data privacy and security are critical. They are commonly found in industries with sensitive data, such as healthcare or finance. Also, businesses that don't rely heavily on remote access or real-time updates may opt for desktop-based solutions.

Web-based
Web applications are usually provided by a third-party service provider that offers appointment scheduling tools and features as a hosted software solution, usually provided via a web browser.  One common benefit is that customers are provided the option of booking their own appointments.  This facilitates appointment scheduling over the web as customers can access their usual professionals' schedules at their convenience 24/7 and make appointments online through the Internet. This type of software does not require any update since the updates are directly implemented to the cloud.

Web-based scheduling applications are suitable for businesses and industries that require remote access, collaboration, and flexibility. They are commonly used by companies with distributed teams or when clients need to book appointments from different locations.

Mobile
Appointment scheduling mobile apps are available for smartphones. User can browse through the app to look for the most suitable service provider (keeping both quality and budget in consideration) and can request an appointment for the same. Some mobile applications use the same app for both customers and providers while some have different apps for both. Various industries have been using such apps with success.

Mobile scheduling applications are ideal for businesses and professionals who need to manage appointments and schedules while being frequently on the move. Industries like field services, health and wellness, and delivery services often benefit from mobile scheduling apps.

Features
Regardless of whether the application is desktop-based or web-based, most appointment scheduling software has these primary functions:
Online availability 24/7
Integrated customer relationship management system
Ability to monitor the booking statistics
Schedule access control
Ability to accept online payments
Automated reminders and notifications via email/SMS
 Ability to book meeting room or equipment

Various applications with differing pricing models are available. While the traditional software licensing model of a one-time licensing fee predominates for desktop applications; subscription-based, advertising-based, per-use, fee-per booking and free web-based systems are also available.

Customer appointment management software
Customer appointment management (CAM) is a type of appointment scheduling software targeted towards companies with large mobile workforces that automatically routes and schedules in-home service appointment arrivals. The software is delivered to businesses over the Internet using the software-as-a-service model.

CAM software is powered by proprietary algorithms that learn mobile employees' work patterns to accurately predict a service technician's time of arrival and narrow a customer's wait window to 60 minutes.

CAM software applications are browser-based systems and provide scalability and flexibility, eliminate up-front, high-cap expenditures and require no dedicated IT support or ongoing maintenance. Its SaaS open architecture allows for flexible pricing models, deployment speed, and ease of use.

Dock scheduling software
In the logistics and supply chain industry, appointment scheduling software may also be called dock scheduling software. Dock scheduling software allows organizations to manage and control the flow of shipments to and from dock doors at a plant, production facility, warehouse, distribution center, or shipping facility. Dock scheduling provides a way to manage inbound and outbound loads. Designated appointments are integral to dock scheduling, providing logistics carriers, suppliers, and vendors time slots for where and when shipments should be brought to dock doors.

See also
Automated planning and scheduling
Digital calendar
Employee scheduling software
Project management software
Time and attendance
Time tracking software
Workforce optimization

References

Administrative software

Appointment scheduling software


Picketts Lock or Pickett's Lock is an area of Edmonton, in the London Borough of Enfield. It is bordered by River Lee Navigation to the east, Pickett's Lock Lane to the south, Meridian Way A1055 to the west and the Ponders End industrial area to the north. The area takes its name from Pickett's Lock, a lock on the nearby River Lee Navigation.

History

Historically the land was marshland and the hamlet here was known as Marshside. During the twentieth century the land was used for sand and gravel extraction which helped to form the waters known as the Blue Lakes.

The area was used by local people for outdoor pursuits such as shooting, angling, and ferreting, and is described in Terry Webb's book An Edmonton Boy:  "My playground, the River Lea has now been changed into part of the Lee Valley Regional Park; it's been changed into an official playground but it's not the same with things being done for you."

After World War II the lakes were used for landfill. The former gravel workings were a key site for investigation of Pleistocene interglacial deposits.

During the late 1960s the area  was acquired by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) to form part of the Lee Valley Park. The Pickett's Lock Sports Centre designed by the Williamson Partnership with J.M.V Bishop of the (LVRPA) It was described in the Buildings of England as being "three large white functional boxes arranged around a central swimming pool, linked by generous circulation areas. Made a little less bleak by additions of 1993-4: restaurant, cafe and cinema, and an entrance block by Fitzroy Robinson & Partners". Also included were a nine-hole golf course and outdoor sports facilities and was completed by 1973 as the largest centre of its kind in Europe. One of the earliest International Events held at the centre was the first World Age Group Trampoline Championships which were organised by Ted Blake.  In later years, land including a disused sewage farm to the north of the centre was used to extend the golf course, and includes a man-made water known as Ponders End lake .

National Athletics Stadium
It  was announced on 24 March 2000 that the site known then as the Lee Valley Leisure Centre was to be the location of the National Athletics Stadium. Shortly afterwards, on 3 April 2000, it was also announced that the site would be the venue of the 2005 World Athletics Championships. The proposed stadium had a capacity of 43,000 and an original cost of £87m and included new training facilities for athletes as part of the design for the  High Performance Centre. The project was completely abandoned by the Government in October 2001 on the grounds of increased costs and inadequate transportation links. Ultimately, the UK had to forfeit the right to host the 2005 World Athletics Championships. However, the LVRPA, Sport England and UK Athletics went ahead with plans to create the most modern athletics training venue in the south of England on the site to be known as the Lee Valley Athletics Centre which was formally opened in 2007 and forms part of the Lee Valley Leisure Complex. The original 1973  Pickett Lock Sports Centre closed in 2002 and was demolished in 2004.

In popular culture
The now demolished Picketts Lock Sports Centre is featured in the BBC comedy Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, with Michael Crawford roller-skating in and around the centre.

References

External links
London High Performance Centre
House of Commons, National Athletic Stadium Summary
Picketts Lock bid Scrapped
MPs Attack Picketts Lock Fiasco
UK National Athletics Stadium
Picketts Lock information

Geography of the London Borough of Enfield
Sport in the London Borough of Enfield
Lee Valley Park
Edmonton, London

Picketts Lock