text:
Maintaining this website (which you are enjoying for free!) takes a lot of time and resources.
Please show your support for all our hard work by telling your friends about Sarah's books —and by buying them yourself, too, of course!
Woman's Exchanges as Training Schools and Markets for Work (1894)
By P.G. Hubert, Jr.
Exerpted from The Woman's Book Volume I, Charles Scriber's Sons: New York. 1894. pp. 29-36
According to the most recent estimates, about three thousand women find employment in New York City alone in doing needle-work or embroidery of a character which may come under the class of art work. The Woman's Exchanges which have sprung up all over the country within the last thirty years have helped greatly to educate public taste in this matter of fine needle-work, and have also given invaluable instruction to a whole army of earnest workers.
The Ladies' Depository Association, organized in Philadelphia in 1833, was the first society organized with the end in view of disposing of the handiwork of women of taste who could make pretty and useful things, but who, for one reason or another, failed to make money out of their art. The system upon which this original Woman's Exchange began work was very similar to that followed by the seventy-five Exchanges in operation in 1894. All sorts of work which a woman of refinement is likely to know how to do, or to be able to learn, such as delicate needle-work, fine baby-clothes, embroideries, sofa-cushions, paintings on silk for screens, panels, fans, etc.; decorated china, menus, calendars, embroidered portières and curtains, rag-dolls and all kinds of preserves, cakes, and delicacies for the sick—these were the things which were placed upon sale in the Depositories of that day. And they still remain the staple articles to be found in the Exchanges.
In 1878 the New York Exchange for Woman's Work was organized, its object and business being to aid women who are reduced in circumstances to help themselves in any proper manner, and especially by maintaining in New York City a permanent place for the sale of their work. It was at this time that the Exchange idea really took root and became a power for good in the community, and from the impulse given by the society in New York there have sprung up in sixteen years throughout the United States seventy-five Exchanges using its By-Laws, Rules, etc.
Some friends of the best of our Exchanges believe that the more completely the idea of charity is eliminated from the system the better it will be for the Exchange and its workers. Upon the other hand, it is said that not more than two such Exchanges have ever paid expenses, and so far as the large cities are concerned, that in New Orleans is the only Woman's Exchange which has made a profit upon its operations. In their case a fund was given to them. The good done by such Exchanges cannot be measured by the actual sales of the Exchange; in many instances the women who have succeeded well in disposing of their products through the Exchange have eventually found that they could do even better in regular business, and there are many instances in which a thriving business owed its origins to humble beginnings at some Woman's Exchanges.
The Exchange is a benevolent society, and while it cannot as a society be self-supporting, through its educating instances many of its beneficiaries become self-supporting. If the Exchange accepted nothing but the highest grade of work in all its departments, and ran its business as a shop and charging the usual high commissions, etc., it might be able to pay. But the idea of the Exchange is to help just those women to whom the ordinary shop is closed, either because their work is not sufficiently good, or because they do not know how to adapt it to the tastes of the buying public.
The ideal Exchange trains women unaccustomed to work to compete with skilled laborers and those already trained. It accepts whatever work they may do if there is a chance of sale; criticizes the work and indicates the vocation for which the applicant is best adapted. If the work is disposed of, present needs are provided for, also the means of continuing work, and if the criticisms and suggestions already given are heeded the new work offered for sale will be an improvement on that first brought. A large part of the time of a clerk at the Woman's Exchange in New York is taken up in writing letters of advice to persons whose work either cannot be accepted and put on exhibition by the Exchange, or when a suggestion as to color, finish, etc., will make it better. For instance, a girl sends in a lot of embroidered pen-wipers which show exquisite workmanship, but so crude a choice of colors as to render them eyesores; the Exchange sends them back with a letter advising as to color, and perhaps enclosing a sample of work that has proved successful. And so with the whole list of articles sold by the Exchange. The work is thus largely an educational one, and if the Exchange must be made self-supporting, this feature—perhaps its most valuable feature—must be dropped. The average shop-keeper has no time to give advice to beginners.
One important change for the better that has marked the influence of the Woman's Exchanges, where they have been properly conducted, has been the gradual diminution of false pride concerning work by women. To some extent the Exchange still appeals to women who wish to make money by stealth, so to speak, and as a rule the names of persons who send articles for sale are known only to the officers of the Exchange. So many thousands of refined women have learned to look upon the Exchange as a friend in adversity that this feeling of false pride is to some extent dying out. A woman may confess that she sends her embroideries and fine needle-work to the Exchange, although she might hesitate to have it known that her handiwork went to a regular shop. The Exchange is thus the opening wedge into a useful business life.
Many Exchanges were organized solely with the view of helping people in distress, and one or two stipulated in their circulars that the material they offered for sale came exclusively from women who had been in better circumstances. This stamped the Exchange's work as one of charity, and by so doing lessened its value. The moment it was considered a sign of poverty to make articles for the Exchange there was disinclination on the part of many women to try the Exchange at all. The daughter of a well-to-do family was found fault with by certain friends because she sent some of her handiwork to the New York Society of Decorative Art, and put her own name in the corner of a little water-color picture she exposed for sale. Her explanation was that she did it precisely because it was known that she did not need money. Other young women, who she knew were in sad straits for money, would follow her example, but would not take the lead.
The extent to which Woman's Exchanges have helped people in need may be seen from the following figures: In twelve years the New York Exchange for Woman's Work has paid out $417,435; in eight years the Cincinatti Exchange has paid $175,130; the New Orleans Exchange, in ten years, $173,223; the Boston Exchange, in six years, $148,588; the St. Louis Exchange, in eight years, $55,000; the San Francisco Exchange, in five years, $50,000; the Providence Exchange, in six years, $19,250. A moderate estimate of the amount of money paid to women by the different Exchanges of the country during the last ten years, is one million dollars; and what this represents in comfort and happiness, only those who have had something to do with such instituations have any adequate idea.
In 1893 the New York Exchange for Woman's Work sold $48,966, of which sum $26,316 was for fancy-work, embroideries, and needle-work; $12,199 was for cake; $2,116 for preserves; and $8,334 came from orders for sewing or fancy articles, cakes, preserves, etc. The number of consignors among whom this $48,966 was distributed was about two thousand, so that, upon the average, each woman received nearly $25. This seems a small sum, but, on the other hand, it must be remembered that in many a home a little surplus, even of $20 or $30, at the command of the woman of the family, means comfort, where penury would prevail without it. This sum of twenty dollars may represent the half-penny of Mr. Micawber's famous illustration; that if one's income be eleven pence half-penny, and the expenditure a shilling, the result is abject misery; while, if the income is a shilling, and the expenditure eleven pence half-penny, the result is absolute bliss. Twenty dollars in some country-homes where money is scarce though food may be plenty, may pay off the taxes of the year. It may make the difference of stout shoes for a delicate child; it may furnish school-books to children whose whole after-life may be dwarfed by their need; it might give magazines and weekly papers to people starving for some glimpse of the world beyond their village.
So many thousands of intelligent women would like to know how they may make a few dollars for pressing needs, that some account of the methods and aims of the two institutions in New York, which accept and sell woman's home-work upon commision, may be of interest here. With the older and better known of these institutions, the Exchange for Woman's Work, the fundamental purpose was to help only persons in distress, women and girls in actual need, and this principle is still paramount.
A serious obstacle in carrying out this purpose, has been the dishonesty of women who took advantage of the Exchange to earn money which they really did not need. The Exchange is not designed to furnish women with pin-money, and all consignors are required to state that they need the money for the support of themselves or those dependent upon them. As the Exchange takes consignments from all parts of the country—the largest proportion of its consignors living out of the city, and some of them so far off as California—it is often difficult to find out the true condition of many of the women who sell a good deal of work through the Exchange. When cases of violation of the rules are proven, the name is crossed off the books. One woman who kept her carriage, sent work to the Exchange until the truth was discovered. This principle of the Woman's Exchange has been the subject of much criticism, as unbusiness-like, and apt to stamp all its consignors as objects of charity. They are not objects of charity, say the managers, inasmuch as they pay a fee of ten per cent. upon all sales. Moreover, after several experiments in the direction of allowing any woman to enter articles for sale, it was decided to follow the original plan, and try to make sure that only women who needed the money for their support should profit by its aid. If no restrictions were insisted upon, the well-to-do woman, often with better taste and better means, would crowd out the work of her poorer sister.
The Woman's Exchange, so far as its means allow, tries to help every poor woman, no matter how little she knows or can do. During the hard times of 1893-1894, when hundreds of women brought up in luxury were thrown upon their own resources through the failure of father or husband, numberless instances have been present to the officers of the Exchange in which women who needed and asked for work, knew nothing that could be turned to account. To meet such cases a Suggestion Committee was organized and an Information Bureau. Any woman can come before the Suggestion Committee and tell her story; the members listen, put questions, and make suggestions. As an instance of what the Suggestion Committee can do, a young girl came before this body and confessed she could do nothing, not even sew; she added, in a hopeless tone, that the only thing she knew about was taking care of dogs; she lived in the country, a few miles from New York, and dogs were her pets.
"You can take care of dogs, and know all about them?" said a member of the committee. "Well, perhaps we can send you some dogs." And now this young woman makes quite a little income by the care of pet dogs and birds that patrons of the Exchange leave in her hands when they go to Europe or out of town.
The managers try to make New Yorkers feel that when they need the services of a woman, they may find what they want by applying at the Exchange. Thus a number of women are always registered there as ready to do something for which they are peculiarly fitted. One young girl will read to invalids at fifty cents an hour; another will do shopping, and some do marketing for large families; another will take care of children, or dust valuable bric-à-brac, etc.
A good business has also sprung up in violets, which several of the women connected with the Exchange raise at their country homes and send into the city every day.
Most women know how to cook, or think they do, and so the restaurant and kitchen of the Exchange, where luncheon is served from twelve until three o'clock every day, have become important parts of the institution. Through suggestions given by an accomplished cook scores of women have learned how to make bread, cake, and fancy dishes that will sell in competition with bakers' products. In one village of five hundred inhabitants a young girl, who came to the Exchange knowing nothing, now makes and sells forty loaves of bread daily, besides cake. Another woman, under similar circumstances, sells one hundred loaves a day.
One woman earned five hundred dollars in one year from the sale of jellies and pickles, and still another does equally well with mince-meat. A woman who had to get credit for a barrel of flour, succeeded in selling ten dollars' worth of bread and rolls every day.
It has been said that the consignors of the Woman's Exchange received, in 1893, an average of nearly twenty-five dollars apiece; but of course many women who devote most or all of their time to the work, make more important sums. Thus, four hundred and eighteen dollars were paid to one consignor for decorated china; one woman received for screens and decorated frames, one thousand one hundred and five dollars; children's wrappers brought five hundred and forty-eight dollars to one consignor; chicken jelly, pies, and such dainties to the amount of one thousand two hundred and forty-seven dollars was bought from another. These figures do not, however, represent profit, as the cost of the material has to be deducted.
When the managers of the Exchange find one of their former consignors established in a prosperous business of her own, they are proud of the achievement, and they have a right to be. Some consignors have become manufacturers on a small scale, one woman, who devised and patented a species of perfumed pin-ball made in imitation of an apple, having established a sale for it all over the country.
With the single exception of the Woman's Exchange of New Orleans, it does not appear that such Exchanges have been made self-supporting. Enough has been said of the work in New York to show why this can never be the case there. The education and helping of women to do work for which they may be fit, costs money and brings in nothing to the Exchange. The expenses of the New York Woman's Exchange, during 1893 were, in round numbers, twenty thousand dollars, of which only seventy-five hundred dollars came from the commissions upon sales and the profits of the lunch-room; the remaining twelve thousnad five hundred dollars were derived from sources which a business house would not recognize as legitimate—such as donations, subscriptions, readings, concerts, etc.
Some critics of the Woman's Exchange system, as typified in that of New York, the most prosperous of all such institutions, believe that if the idea of charity could be eliminated; if the word "gentlewoman" could be dropped from the reports; if the bylaw restricting the consignors to self-supporting women could be done away with, together with the idea that the Exchange is to help women only when misfortune comes, the results would be beneficial. They would do away with donations and charity balls as means of raising money, and they would take all articles offered for sale, no matter what the maker's circumstances, provided the articles were sufficiently good. In other words, they would place the Exchange upon a purely business basis, in the belief that it would thus cease to be "a palliative for the ills of the few," and become "a curative for the sufferings of the many."
On the other hand, those who believe in the Exchange idea hold that as the Exchanges have a benevolent and educational, as well as a commercial, end in view, they are warranted in accepting such subsidies as the public may contribute. Why should their beneficiaries be considered objects of charity any more than those who obtain their proficiency through any of our endowed institutions, colleges, etc.? It is true that those who come to the Exchange for training and assistance are handicapped by the necessity of supporting themselves, and are compelled to gain late in life the special training which in early youth seemed unnecessary. That the institution limits its assistance to a special class is as legitimate as it is for others to limit their field of usefulness to helping the blind, or the deaf mutes. From the political economist's view, it is as necessary to help the needy gentlewoman as it is any other member of society, and the problem of how to do it is one of the most difficult. It is not strange, therefore, if the methods adopted to accomplish this result are often the subject of debate. There is little in the way of precedent, because, while many understand and sympathize with the needs of the poor gentlewoman, there are few who have had the courage to initiate any scheme for her help. Many of the criticisms now made of the Exchange system would be heard no more had it its own building or an endowment fund, such as similar institutions have.
The Society of Decorative Art of New York was organized in 1879, virtually upon this latter basis. Its object is to provide a place for the exhibition and sale of art work, the diffusion of a knowledge of such work among women, and their training in artistic industries. Its managers try to induce art workers to master thoroughly the details of some kind of decoration of commercial value; to suggest to those who have worked without success some practical direction for their labor; to enter into business relations with manufacturers and importers, and obtain orders from dealers in decorated pottery and porcelain, cabinet-work, draperies, embroideries, and other articles of household art. The Society receives and sells potteries, china, tiles, plaques, embroideries, hangings and curtains, decorated table and other house linen, articles for infants' wardrobes, painted panels, fans, decorated menus, invitations, etc. A charge of ten per cent. is made by the Society upon all sales.
Thus it will be seen that in practice the Society differs but little from the Woman's Exchange. It undertakes to do less, but there are no restrictions regarding the circumstances of the consignor. As with the Exchange, consignors are known by number and not by name.
The Society maintains a large workroom in which orders for sewing and embroidery are executed, the receipts from this source in 1893 being about twenty-five thousand dollars, and most of the money going to women much in need of it. One order made up was for a layette costing two thousand five hundred dollars. In one year, seven thousand and forty-one articles were sent in by consignors, of which number one thousand nine hundred and twenty-four were declined as not up to the standard of the Society. The sum of sixteen thousand five hundred and twenty-eight dollars was paid to consignors. The largest amount paid to one person was five hundred and twenty-one dollars for baby-wrappers; the next largest was four hundred and forty-two dollars for frames and doilies made by a woman seventy years old.
The Society maintains a Committee on Aid to Workers, through which many women utterly destitute receive designs and materials. The advantage of having a specialty has been widely recognized. One young woman has devoted herself for several years to making fancy pen-wipers. Another organized a regular business in linen sachets, employing assistants, and sending out her work put up in satin-lined boxes. With the help of the receipts she was able to pay the expenses of a medical student through the entire course.
With regard to decorative work, needle-work, and embroidery done for the regular shops as a means of getting a livelihood, such work is wretchedly paid and not to be relied upon as permanent. Most of the large houses making a specialty of such material employ their own force of girls, who work under the eye of forewomen, thus insuring a uniform necessary when work is sold in large quantitites. When pieces of embroidery are bought from outsiders the price is often at starvation-rates. One woman who receives twenty dollars at the Woman's Exchange for a certain kind of embroidery cushion cannot get more than eight dollars for the same thing in the regular shops. The wages paid by the shops to work-women range from two dollars a week to girls learning the business, to eight dollars a week for experts. Only the forewomen ever receive more than that, and the hours are from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M.
It is a common thing for the New York Woman's Exchange to send detailed information as to methods and results to persons in other cities who may desire to establish similar exchanges, and last winter one of the officers of the Exchange was sent to a Southern city to organize the business of a new exchange. The following rules of the New York Exchange will give further insight into the methods pursued, and may be of interest to those who think of trying this notable help to working-women:
1. We receive work through a subscriber to the funds of the Society to an amount of not less than five dollars for the current year.
2. Each subscriber of five dollars may enter the work of three (3) persons for one year.
3. Our commission is ten per cent. on the price received.
4. All work is received subject to the approval of the Managers.
5. Wax and feather flowers, hair, leather, spatter and splinter, and cardboard work, are too perishable and unsalable to be accepted.
6. Articles will not be registered until express and mail charges have been paid on them. Articles are registered between the hours of 11 A.M. and 4 P.M. Packages left at other hours must be marked by the consignor, with name, address, and price.
7. Consignors must call or send for their articles at the expiration of one year from the date of their entry. If not sent for within a month after that time, the Society will not hold itself responsible for them. No articles can be withdrawn between December 15th and 27th. Articles cannot be re-entered. Articles sent for by a consignor must be described.
8. The Society does not hold itself responsible for losses, having taken all reasonable precautions against fire and theft.
9. All letters containing information about articles sent to the Exchange should be addressed to the Society, and under the rules which are applied to other consignors.
10. Articles which ladies are obliged to part with are received only upon the recommendation of an officer of the Society, and under the rules which are applied to other consignors.
11. In the cake and preserve department there is a standard, and none can enter cake or preserves without first sending samples of their work. Pickles, preserves, and jellies are sampled every year.
12. No preserves are received before October 1st or after April 1st.
13. No worsted goods are received after June 1st, until October 1st.
14. Prices put upon articles cannot be changed during the year.
15. Consignors desiring articles returned by mail must take all risk, and must give three days' notice for withdrawal of any article.
16. Work is not received from gentlewomen whose circumstances do not make it necessary for them to dispose of their handiwork.
17, Cash payments are made on Saturdays to consignors in the Cake and Preserve Department, and on Wednesdays to all other consignors.
18. Consignors must put their own prices upon the articles they send.
If you liked this article you might also enjoy these:
A Fortune Found In A Pickle Jar (Fiction—1889)
A Man in the Kitchen: The Difference Between A "Betty" And the Other Kind (1889)
An Old Maid's Paradise (1889)
A Woman Without Cares or Children (1889)
Individuality and Equality (1894)
Woman's Cycle (1896)
Woman's Work for Woman (1889)
Back to Historical Articles Index
In a seaport town in the late 19th-century Pacific Northwest, a group of friends find themselves drawn together —by chance, by love, and by the marvelous changes their world is undergoing. In the process, they learn that the family we choose can be just as important as the ones we're born into. Join their adventures in
The Tales of Chetzemoka
To read about the exhaustive research that goes into each book, click on their "Learn More" buttons!
A Rapping At The Door
The Wheelman's Joy
Victorian Cycling Poetry and Words About Wheels
Words For Parting
Victorian Poetry on Death and Mourning
Quotations of Quality
A Commonplace Book of Victorian Advice, Wit, and Observations on Life
True Ladies
and Proper Gentlemen
Victorian Secrets
(Non-fiction)
For words of wit and advice sage,
I hope you'll like my author page!
History lessons, folks who dare,
Please do share it while you're there!
https://www.facebook.com/ThisVictorianLife
If you enjoy our website and appreciate what we do,
please consider making a cash donation.
Everything helps, and is appreciated!
Search this website:


text:
Home > Companies > Ingram Micro Romania
Ingram Micro Romania
ingrammicro.ro
Ingram Micro Distribution (Romania) provides a wide range of high-tech products, services and solutions, including servers, storage systems, networking, data security, data center and virtualization, data capture, as well as voice, data and video communication products, along with maintenance and professional services.
2023 8th International Conference on Cloud Computing and Big Data Analytic
CIoT 2023: Conference on Cloud and Internet of Things 2023
Cloud computing drug development
GOLDMAN MULLS INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC FINANCIAL CLOUD
finextra.com | February 05, 2020
The memo, written by co-chief information officer Marco Argenti - himself hired from AWS in September last year - evokes the emergence of a vertical cloud platform built specifically with the financial services industry in mind, as opposed than the generic cloud offerings presented by AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.In the same way Amazon Web Services (AWS) was conceived, both as an internal product to streamline Amazon.com's operations and as an external product to offer the same bene...
SERVERLESS COMPUTING READY OR NOT
networkworld.com | January 15, 2020
Until a few years ago, physical servers were a bedrock technology, the beating digital heart of every data center. Then the cloud materialized. Today, as organizations continue to shovel an ever-growing number of services toward cloud providers, on-premises servers seem to be on the verge of becoming an endangered species.Serverless computing is doing its share to accelerate the demise of on-premises servers. The concept of turning to a cloud provider to dynamically manage the allocation of mach...
NEW DIVVYCLOUD REPORT FINDS BREACHES CAUSED BY CLOUD MISCONFIGURATIONS COST ENTERPRISES NEARLY $5 TRILLION
DivvyCloud | February 19, 2020
-DivvyCloud, the leading provider of security and compliance automation for cloud and container environments, today released its 2020 Cloud Misconfigurations Report, which substantiates the growing trend of data breaches caused by cloud misconfigurations and quantifies their impact on companies and consumers around the world. DivvyCloud research found that nearly 33.4 billion records were exposed in breaches due to cloud misconfigurations in 2018 and 2019, amounting to nearly $5 trillion in cost...
ARMIS SELECTS RADWARE TO DELIVER CLOUD SECURITY FOR AWS
Radware Ltd. | December 30, 2021
Radware® a leading provider of cyber security and application delivery solutions, announced that Armis, a leading unified asset visibility and security platform provider, chose Radware's Cloud Native Protector to safeguard its Amazon Web Services environment. This born-in-the-cloud business adopted Radware's solution to fortify its cloud security posture and identify potential vulnerabilities before they evolved into threats. Armis' security platform en...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
The Capitol Hill Report
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham Crucial to Defeating Kagan
Written by Gun Owners of America Published: 13 July 2010
Senator Lindsey Graham was one of nine Republicans to vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
During the course of her confirmation hearings, Sotomayor told the Senate and all Americans that she would respect the Heller decision and the individual right to keep and bear arms.
The assurances made by Sotomayor, not surprisingly, were meaningless. Less than a year after her confirmation hearings, Sotomayor signed a dissenting opinion in the McDonald case that stated, "I can find nothing in the Second Amendment's text, history, or underlying rationale that could warrant characterizing it as 'fundamental' insofar as it seeks to protect the keeping and bearing of arms for private self-defense purposes."
Of course, this surprised no one, and GOA had warned all Senators that this type of decision could be expected from Sotomayor. But Sen. Graham voted for her anyway.
Now the Senate is debating the confirmation of Supreme Court justice nominee Elena Kagan.
During her hearings last week, Kagan ducked and dodged questions about the Second Amendment, and she refused to declare whether she believes the Second Amendment protects an individual right.
While Kagan blathered on and on about precedent and "settled law" with regard to the Supreme Court decisions in Heller and McDonald, this in no way precludes her from ruling that almost any gun law — including gun owner registration, purchasing limits, waiting periods, private sale background checks, and more — are consistent with the Constitution.
As GOA attorney William J. Olson, who testified at the hearings, noted: "If [Kagan] were to go on the Court, with what we know about her now, she could be the most anti-gun justice on that Court." (Click HERE for video of that testimony.)
Sen. Graham claims to support the Second Amendment. Well, if that's the case then there is NO WAY he can vote to confirm anti-gun radical Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court of the United States!
Lindsey Graham got burned by Justice Sotomayor, but has he learned his lesson? It is imperative that gun owners contact Sen. Graham right away and urge him to come out now against the confirmation of Elena Kagan.
Several Senators have already issued statements that they intend to vote against Kagan. Sen. Graham should join them in opposing a nominee who is extremely hostile to the Second Amendment.
ACTION: If you are a South Carolina voter, contact Senator Lindsey Graham and urge him to oppose Elena Kagan for the U.S. Supreme Court. Please ask your family and friends to do the same. A prewritten letter is provided below for you to copy-and-paste or to guide your own comments.
Sen. Lindsey Graham
Webform — http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EmailSenatorGraham
—– Pre-written letter —–
Dear Senator Graham:
You claim to be a supporter of the Second Amendment. If that is the case, there is NO WAY that you can vote to confirm radical anti-gunner Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court.
During her confirmation hearings last week, Kagan ducked and dodged questions about the Second Amendment, and she refused to declare whether she believes the Second Amendment protects an individual right.
As GOA attorney William J. Olson, who testified at the hearings, noted: "If [Kagan] were to go on the Court, with what we know about her now, she could be the most anti-gun justice on that Court."
I urge you in the strongest possible terms to oppose Elena Kagan and join a filibuster of her nomination.
We Are Still A Few Votes Short Of Killing The Kagan Nomination


text:
Long segment ileal transposition leads to early amelioration of glucose control in the diabetic obese Zucker rat
Jodok Matthias Grueneberger
Tobias Fritz
Cheng Zhou
Sebastian Meyer
Iwona Karcz-Socha
Tomasz Sawczyn
Dominica Stygar
Matthias Goos
Ulrich Theodor Hopt
Simon Küsters
Article file
- Long segment.pdf [0.23 MB]
Grueneberger J, Fritz T, Zhou C, et al. Long segment ileal transposition leads to early amelioration of glucose control in the diabetic obese Zucker rat. Videosurgery and Other Miniinvasive Techniques. 2013;8(2):130-138. doi:10.5114/wiitm.2011.32925.
Grueneberger, J., Fritz, T., Zhou, C., Meyer, S., Karcz-Socha, I., & Sawczyn, T. et al. (2013). Long segment ileal transposition leads to early amelioration of glucose control in the diabetic obese Zucker rat. Videosurgery and Other Miniinvasive Techniques, 8(2), 130-138. https://doi.org/10.5114/wiitm.2011.32925
Grueneberger, Jodok Matthias, Tobias Fritz, Cheng Zhou, Sebastian Meyer, Iwona Karcz-Socha, Tomasz Sawczyn, and Dominica Stygar et al. 2013. "Long segment ileal transposition leads to early amelioration of glucose control in the diabetic obese Zucker rat". Videosurgery and Other Miniinvasive Techniques 8 (2): 130-138. doi:10.5114/wiitm.2011.32925.
Grueneberger, J., Fritz, T., Zhou, C., Meyer, S., Karcz-Socha, I., Sawczyn, T., Stygar, D., Goos, M., Hopt, U., and Küsters, S. (2013). Long segment ileal transposition leads to early amelioration of glucose control in the diabetic obese Zucker rat. Videosurgery and Other Miniinvasive Techniques, 8(2), pp.130-138. https://doi.org/10.5114/wiitm.2011.32925
Grueneberger, Jodok Matthias et al. "Long segment ileal transposition leads to early amelioration of glucose control in the diabetic obese Zucker rat." Videosurgery and Other Miniinvasive Techniques, vol. 8, no. 2, 2013, pp. 130-138. doi:10.5114/wiitm.2011.32925.
Grueneberger J, Fritz T, Zhou C, Meyer S, Karcz-Socha I, Sawczyn T et al. Long segment ileal transposition leads to early amelioration of glucose control in the diabetic obese Zucker rat. Videosurgery and Other Miniinvasive Techniques. 2013;8(2):130-138. doi:10.5114/wiitm.2011.32925.
Current diabetes estimates suggest a general prevalence of 6.4% with remarkably higher rates for Europe and North America [1]. About 95% of these patients suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [2]. Besides life-style changes, conventional diabetes therapy relies mainly on long-term pharmacological treatment. Due to the progressive nature of the disease, most patients eventually require insulin therapy [3]. Initially mainly performed for weight loss, bariatric surgery remarkably leads to an improvement and even remission of T2DM before significant weight loss has occurred [4]. In light of this potential, indications for classical obesity surgery are expanded and new techniques implemented, although sufficient animal research is not available at present. The Diabetes Surgery Summit Consensus Conference (New York, 2008) strongly urges more research in this area with emphasis on efforts to advance pathophysiological understanding [5].
The current hypotheses of T2DM remission after obesity surgery are based on the foregut and hindgut theories. According to the hindgut hypothesis, fast delivery of nutrients to the terminal ileum leads to the secretion of incretins [6]. Today, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) are thought to be the pathophysiologically relevant incretins in this context [4-6]. Glucagon-like peptide 1 is known to stimulate insulin release from pancreatic -cells and inhibit secretion of glucagon from a-cells. Glucagon-like peptide 1 further improves peripheral insulin sensitivity and promotes -cell proliferation [7]. Peptide YY lowers gastric and small intestinal motility, resulting in a longer mouth-to-caecum transit time. Peptide YY 3-36 further suppresses appetite and promotes weight loss [8]. The foregut hypothesis, claiming that bypassing the first part of the intestine will lead to reduced secretion of anti-incretins, is pathophysiologically less well characterized to date.
Initially designed as weight loss surgery, an ileal transposition (IT) was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats by Koopmans et al. after having observed notably reduced food intake after jejunal-ileal bypass [9]. The operation physiologically evokes hormonal alterations due to stimulation of enteroendocrine GLP-1 and PYY-secreting L-cells, which are located at a higher concentration in the terminal ileum [10].
As the development of the IT operation progresses, the operative technique needs to be more clearly defined. Current rodent studies are mainly based on transposition of the distal 10 cm of the ileum [11-15]. The aim of the current study was to establish a long segment IT (distal 50% of the ileum, approx. 20 cm) in the diabetic obese Zucker rat, investigating body weight, glucose control and changes in GLP-1 and PYY secretion.
Diets and animals
Eleven to twelve-week old male diabetic obese Zucker rats (Crl:ZUC-Leprfa) were purchased from Charles River Breeding Laboratories (Wilmington, MA). Rats were housed individually and maintained on a 12/12 light/dark cycle with free access to water and rat chow diet (Provimi Kliba AG, Kaiseraugst, Switzerland). Chow contained 24% protein, 4.9% fat, 7% crude ashes, 4.7% crude fibre, lysine (13.6 g/kg), calcium (12 g/kg), methionine (4.5 g/kg) and phosphorus (8.3 g/kg). Rats were fasted overnight before surgery and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). All animal experimental protocols were approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Freiburg.
Experimental protocol
Rats were purchased and left to acclimatize with free access to food and water for 7 to 8 days. A total of 4 OGTTs were performed to assess glucose metabolism. Relative to surgery, time points were –7, 0, 14 and 20 days (Figure 1). The first and third OGTTs included blood collection from the right tail vein for hormone analysis. Before surgery, rats were randomly assigned to the IT or sham surgery group using sealed envelopes. On postoperative day 21, blood for additional hormone analysis was collected simultaneously from the aorta and portal vein. Euthanasia followed the last procedure on postoperative day 21 with a lethal intracardiac dose of potassium chloride.
Body weight was recorded daily for 14 days following surgery and every second day for the remaining time period. Food and water consumption were recorded for 7 days postoperatively.
Animals were fasted for 12 h. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained using isoflurane 2% (Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Wiesbaden, Germany) and oxygen flow at 2 l/min under spontaneous breathing. After a midline incision of 4-5 cm to gain abdominal access, the total length of the small intestine was determined (86.1 ±6.47 cm, n = 20). Thereafter, Bauhin's valve was identified and the first transection was conducted approximately 5 cm orally. To account for interindividual differences, the length of the transposed segment was defined as one-quarter of the total length of the small intestine (~ distal 50% of ileum). Therefore, the second division of the ileum was performed 20 cm (21.5 ±1.6 cm, n = 20) orally to the first transection. All anastomoses were performed as interrupted end-to-end extramucosal anastomoses using Prolene 6/0 (Ethicon), as described earlier by our research group [16].
For IT, the first anastomosis was subsequently formed as an end-to-end ileoileostomy in order to restore ileal continuity, excluding the transposed segment. As the next step, the ligament of Treitz was identified and the jejunum divided 5 cm aborally. The ileal loop was then interpositioned in an isoperistaltic fashion forming two end-to-end anastomoses (Figure 2). Mesenteric openings were closed with Prolene 6/0 (Ethicon).
For sham surgery, a division of the small intestine with subsequent anastomoses was performed at the 3 corresponding positions (5 cm and 25 cm orally to Bauhin's valve and 5 cm aborally to the ligament of Treitz) without IT. Fascia and skin closure were performed as a continuous suture using Monocryl 4/0 and Vicryl 4/0. Postoperative analgesia was ensured via subcutaneous carprofen (Rimadyl, Pfizer, Switzerland) injection (4 mg/kg) at the beginning of the operation. Animals were fasted on day 1 after the operation with free access to tap water. Oral food was continuously increased to free access until day 6 (3, 6, 10, 15 γ rat chow on day 2, 3, 4, 5 respectively) [16].
Oral glucose tolerance test and blood collection from tail vein
In total, four OGTTs were performed (Figure 1). The OGTT 1 and OGTT 3, conducted at –7 and 14 days relative to surgery, included a blood sample collection 30 min after glucose load for hormonal measurement. The OGTT 2 and OGTT 4, performed at 0 and 20 days, did not involve blood sampling.
For OGTTs, anaesthesia was induced and maintained using isoflurane 2% and oxygen flow at 2 l/ min under spontaneous breathing. The OGTT was initiated after placement of an orogastric tube (central venous catheter, Arrow International Inc., USA) infusing a 40% glucose solution to a dosage of 1.5 g/kg. Glucose was determined via tail snip at 0, 10, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min using a glucometer (Ascensia Elite, Bayer Corp., Germany).
Hormonal assessment
For hormonal evaluation, access to the tail vein was gained via a 2-cm incision above the tail vein. Then the vein was dissected and cannulated using a 26 gauge cannula. Blood was drawn via the cannula at 0 and 30 min after oral glucose was given, using tubes containing 10 µl EDTA (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, USA) and 4 µl DPP-4 inhibitor (DRG Instruments GmbH, Marburg, Germany). After centrifugation at 4000 U for 10 min at 4°C, samples were snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at –80°C until analysis. Insulin, GLP-1 (7-36) and PYY (3-36) were measured by sandwich ELISA.
In brief, for GLP-1 (7-36), samples were added directly to a streptavidin-coated microtitre plate (DRG Instruments GmbH, Marburg, Germany). Subsequently, a mixture of a biotinylated specific GLP-1 antibody and a horseradish peroxidase-conjugated GLP-1 antibody was added to form a "Streptavidin–Biotin-Antibody–GLP-1(7-36)–HRP-conjugated-antibody" immunocomplex after incubation. For detection, each well was incubated with a substrate solution and measured in a microplate reader. For PYY (3-36), goat anti-rabbit IgG-coated microplates were used (DRG Instruments GmbH, Marburg, Germany). Determination was based on a competitive immunoreaction between sample PYY and biotinylated mouse PYY with a specific PYY (3-36) rabbit anti-mouse antibody. Detection was based on HRP substrate reaction. High-range rat insulin ELISA was a solid phase two-site enzyme immunoassay using HRP reaction for detection (DRG Instruments GmbH, Marburg, Germany).
Final blood collection from the aorta and portal vein
Blood sampling from the aorta and portal vein (PV) was conducted at 21 days post surgery. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained as described above. After abdominal access was gained via a midline incision, the aorta and PV were dissected. Blood collection was performed using a 24 and 21 gauge cannula for the portal vein and aorta, respectively. Samples were treated as described above. Potassium chloride was injected intracardially for euthanasia (2 mmol/kg bw).
Statistical analysis was conducted using Prism 5 for Mac OS X (GraphPad Software, Inc.). Area under the curve (AUC) was applied when comparing OGTTs. Due to incomplete data at 120 min, 90 min AUC levels were used for statistical evaluation. The Mann-Whitney-U test was used for group comparison. Curves were analysed with two-way ANOVA, where applicable. Values of p < 0.05 was considered significant.
Oral glucose tolerance tests
Oral glucose tolerance tests were conducted with and without simultaneous blood collection. Preoperative comparison of these two groups revealed significantly impaired glucose control when blood collection was conducted simultaneously, although OGTTs were otherwise performed under identical conditions (area under the curve (AUC) pre OP: 564.6 ±268.5 mmol/l × min vs. 230.8 ±91.77 mmol/l × min, p < 0.0001, Table I). Whereas OGTT 2 and 4 data showed a common glucose peak at 10 min, blood collection delayed the glucose peak to 60 min (Figure 3). Further statistical analysis was hence conducted comparing only OGTTs 1 and 3 (with blood collection) and OGTT 2 and 4 (without blood collection) in order to exclude blood collection as a confounder.
Evaluating OGTT 1 and 3, IT animals presented with a significantly reduced AUC compared to preoperative data, therefore showing an amelioration of glucose control as early as 2 weeks postoperatively (AUC: 314.7 ±229.0 mmol/l × min vs. 564.6 ±268.5 mmol/l × min, p < 0.05, Table I, Figure 3 B). This effect could be reconfirmed 3 weeks postoperatively, again showing a significant reduction of AUC compared to preoperative data (AUC: 230.8 ±91.77 mmol/l × min vs. 135.5 ±59.27 mmol/l × min, p < 0.01, Table I, Figure 3 A). Reduction rates in AUC for IT animals were 41% and 44% at 2 and 3 weeks, respectively.
In sham animals, no improvement in glucose metabolism was noted at 2 and 3 weeks postoperatively (AUC OGTT 1 vs. 3: 564.6 ±268.5 mmol/l × min vs. 451.4 ±327.6 mmol/l × min, p = 0.154 and OGTT 2 vs. 4: 230.8 ±91.77 mmol/l × min vs. 207.5 ±106.1 mmol/l × min, p = 0.460, Table I).
Fasting glucose
Fasting glucose levels were not significantly different between sham and IT animals (3.96 ±0.41 mmol/l vs. 4.12 ±0.42 mmol/l, p = 0.479; 4.03 ±0.50 mmol/l vs. 4.11 ±0.58 mmol/l; p = 0.943 at 2 and 3 weeks). Compared to preoperative data, 3-week fasting glucose levels did not differ in sham or IT animals (sham: 4.57 ±0.77 mmol/l vs. 4.03 ±0.50 mmol/l; p = 0.110; IT: 4.57 ±0.77 mmol/l vs. 4.11 ±0.58 mmol/l; p = 0.121).
Body weight development was largely parallel in both groups (Figure 2). Weight was lowest at postoperative day 5 corresponding to the slow feeding in the first postoperative days. IT animals, however, had limited ability to regain body weight. Until the end of the experiment, sham animals gained significantly more weight (50.22 ±20.93 γ vs. 16.4 ±25.93 g; p < 0.01).
Ileal transposition surgery had a significant impact on GLP-1 secretion. Glucose-stimulated GLP-1 levels were significantly higher in the IT group compared to preoperative data and to sham animals (18.52 ±14.22 pmol/l vs. 5.07 ±2.44 pmol/l and 5.75 ±3.73 pmol/l, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, Table II, Figure 4 A). Sham animals displayed no change in stimulated GLP-1 levels (7.20 ±4.55 pmol/l vs. 5.75 ±3.73 pmol/l, p = 0.606). Unstimulated GLP-1 levels remained unchanged in both groups with no apparent trend. Glucose significantly stimulated GLP-1 secretion only in IT animals (7.50 ±4.37 pmol/l vs. 18.52 ±14.22 pmol/l, p < 0.05, Table II).
Peptide YY
Peptide YY levels showed a similar pattern, but revealing distinct differences. Glucose stimulated levels also proved to be higher for IT animals compared to preoperative data and to sham animals (164.0 ±62.26 pmol/l vs. 115.9 ±41.64 and 129.7 ±64.62 pmol/l respectively; p < 0.05 for all, Table II, Figure 4 B). Furthermore, unstimulated PYY levels were significantly elevated in IT compared to sham animals (145.0 ±46.76 pmol/l vs. 110.0 ±19.38 pmol/l; p < 0.05). In contrast to GLP-1, glucose could not significantly raise PYY levels in the IT group (p = 0.863, Table II). SHAM animals displayed no change in respect to preoperative data (unstimulated 134.6 ±36.83 pmol/l vs. 110.0 ±19.38 pmol/l, p = 0.071; stimulated 115.9 ±41.64 pmol/l vs. 129.7 ±64.62 pmol/l, p = 0.821, Table II).
Insulin secretion did not differ between IT and sham animals for unstimulated and stimulated data (Figure 4 C). Glucose failed to stimulate insulin pre- and postoperatively (preop. 12.07 ±7.19 nmol/l vs. 18.22 ±12.99 nmol/l, p = 0.070; IT: 9.95 ±9.73 nmol/l vs. 12.66 ±6.70 nmol/l, p = 0.136; sham: 10.27 ±7.94 nmol/l vs. 15.65 ±13.37 nmol/l, p = 0.382, Table II).
Hormonal assessment in aorta versus portal vein
Simultaneous determination of hormone levels in the aorta and PV revealed significantly higher levels of GLP-1 in the portal vein of IT animals (7.78 ±2.30 pmol/l vs. 12.41 ±5.3 pmol/l, p < 0.05, Figure 4 D). In sham rats, GLP-1 levels were equal in aorta and PV (6.07 ±3.25 pmol/l vs. 8.74 ±4.45 pmol/l, p = 0.235). Although a significant difference in arterial and PV levels was detected only in IT animals, direct comparison of arterial and PV GLP-1 levels of sham and IT animals revealed no significance (portal: 8.74 ±4.45 pmol/l vs. 12.41 ±5.3 pmol/l, p = 0.237; arterial: 6.07 ±3.25 pmol/l vs. 7.78 ±2.30 pmol/l, p = 0.161).
Ileal transposition surgery is an upcoming new procedure targeting the operative remission of T2DM. Widely accepted, IT overall leads to an amelioration of glucose control based on enteroendocrine hormone stimulation [11, 12, 14, 15].
Inter-study comparison of single effects of IT is, however, limited since the study design varies considerably and the postoperative time-point of data sampling is particularly relevant due to rapid incretin secretion changes within the first postoperative months. In this respect, Wang et al. noted a continuous increase of fasting GLP-1 levels after IT over a time period of 6 months [15]. In the current study, a long segment transposition was performed with analysis concentrating on immediate postoperative changes.
In University of California at Davis type 2 diabetes mellitus (UCD-T2DM) rats Cummings et al. found a 3-fold increase in stimulated GLP-1 and PYY secretion 1 and 3.5 months after surgery. Furthermore, fasting PYY levels were elevated 8-fold in IT animals [12]. Although a quantitative rise in GLP-1 secretion is well established for most animal models, Patriti et al. could not record a such a change in glucose-stimulated GLP-1 secretion following IT in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, demonstrating a more prolonged GLP-1 response to oral glucose than in sham-operated animals [13]. Culnan et al. conducted a similar experiment in Zucker rats comparing a short (10 cm) IT group with sham-operated animals over an 8-week observation period. Analysing incretins in postoperative week 7, GLP-1 plasma levels were elevated 3-4 fold in this model. After long segment IT, GLP-1 secretion was already elevated 3-fold 2 weeks after transposition. Therefore, the changes in GLP-1 serum levels reported by Culnan et al. were reached 5 weeks earlier, indicating a benefit for long segment IT [11]. Simultaneous analysis of GLP-1 in aorta and portal vein indicate a partly elevated enteric GLP-1 secretion for fasted animals also. This effect, however, is counterbalanced due to the large first-pass effect known for GLP-1, leading to equal peripheral GLP-1 levels in the fasting state [17, 18]. Accordingly, fasting glucose levels remained unchanged in IT and sham animals.
In contrast to GLP-1, fasting PYY levels were also elevated after long segment IT, and glucose could not further increase PYY secretion. Taking into account that GLP-1 and PYY are co-localized in over 80% of L-cell granules, it seems plausible that the mechanism of secretion is similar [19]. Possibly a change in granule composition occurs after IT, indicating alternate regulations of PYY and GLP-1. Cummings et al. noted significantly elevated PYY mRNA expression in the transposed segment, whereas proglucagon mRNA, a precursor of GLP-1, remained unchanged, indicating PYY regulation at an earlier level [12].
Studies show consistent amelioration of glucose control following IT as a result of increased incretin production, yet the quantity of changes reported again varies considerably. Cummings et al. note only a moderate reduction in AUC of 17%, performing an OGTT 1 month after IT [12, 14]. For GK rats, Patriti et al. demonstrated a significant decrease of the AUC compared to sham animals 45 days postoperatively. The fact that glucose control was still equal for IT and sham animals 30 days postoperatively in the same study again indicates that the effect of IT increases in the first postoperative months [13]. In the parallel trial examining Zucker rats, Culnan et al. revealed a 60% reduction of the AUC after OGTT in IT animals 7 weeks postoperatively [11]. Long segment IT led to amelioration of glucose control as early as 2 weeks postoperatively. Restrictively, improvement of glucose control was noted only compared to preoperative measurements. Blood collection from the tail vein led to largely altered, yet reproducible glucose curves. Although blood sampling was performed under general anaesthesia, this effect was most likely due to operative stress resulting from the venesection. Certainly, blood collection and OGTTs should be conducted separately in future trials in order to exclude this confounder.
Insulin levels were determined in IT and sham animals as a direct mediator of glucose control. Interestingly, previous analysis of insulin and insulin action in diabetic animals revealed that the GLP-1 effect after IT mostly relies on improved peripheral insulin sensitivity [14]. Although GLP-1 is known to directly stimulate insulin secretion, insulin levels remained unchanged or even decreased after IT, as previously demonstrated for Zucker rats [11, 14]. In our model, transposed animals presented with a 20-30% reduction of insulin secretion compared only to preoperative controls. Apparently, operative trauma and postoperative food restriction still exert a large effect on glucose control during this short observation period. Sham animals hence also presented with partly improved glucose tolerance, therefore diminishing statistical significance when comparing insulin and glucose parameters between sham and IT animals in this early postoperative time frame.
Weight change after IT remains controversial. Initially, IT was considered to achieve similar effects to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass [9, 15]. More recent IT studies in different rodent models, however, consistently reveal no impact of IT on body weight [11-13]. Our data suggest an impaired weight regain for IT animals in the immediate postoperative period. However, weight curves overall proceed virtually in parallel, thus calling a major impact of IT on body weight into question. The IT group's impaired capacity to regain body weight after surgical trauma seems plausible, since fat resorption is limited after IT due to a truncated enterohepatic cycle, and PYY is known to suppress appetite [8, 20].
In the current study, long segment IT could be established in Zucker rats. Quantitatively large increases in GLP-1 and PYY secretion were detected early after the operation, consequently leading to rapid glucose control. Changes in GLP-1 secretion and glucose control were similar to Culnan's analysis in Zucker rats, but were detected considerably earlier. It remains to be determined whether adaptive alterations, as suggested by Wang et al. [15], lead to an additional increase in incretin production in our model, thus clearly demonstrating a superiority of the long segment transposition. Interesting questions regarding the adaptive capacities of the transposed segment as well as pathophysiological changes in peripheral insulin sensitivity remain. Certainly, considerable research is essential before we will be able to safely perform an isolated ileal transposition in humans, since it proves to be a complex metabolic operation.
.The authors thank Olivia Sick and Silke Hempel for assistance in statistics and ELISA measurements.
1. Shaw JE, Sicree RA, Zimmet PZ. Global estimates of the prevalence of diabetes for 2010 and 2030. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2010; 87: 4-14.
2. National diabetes information clearing house (ndic) national diabetes statistics: http://diabetesniddknihgov/DM/PUBS/statistics/, 2007.
3. Campos C. Treating the whole patient for optimal management of type 2 diabetes: considerations for insulin therapy. South Med J 2007; 100: 804-11.
4. Thaler JP, Cummings DE. Minireview: hormonal and metabolic mechanisms of diabetes remission after gastrointestinal surgery. Endocrinology 2009; 150: 2518-25.
5. Rubino F, Kaplan LM, Schauer PR, Cummings DE. The diabetes surgery summit consensus conference: recommendations for the evaluation and use of gastrointestinal surgery to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Surg 2010; 251: 399-405.
6. Rubino F, Gagner M. Potential of surgery for curing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Surg 2002; 236: 554-9.
7. Nauck MA. Unraveling the science of incretin biology. Eur J Intern Med 2009; 20 Suppl 2: S303-8.
8. Ballantyne GH. Peptide yy(1-36) and peptide yy(3-36): Part I. Distribution, release and actions. Obes Surg 2006; 16: 651-8.
9. Koopmans HS, Sclafani A, Fichtner C, Aravich PF. The effects of ileal transposition on food intake and body weight loss in vmh-obese rats. Am J Clin Nutr 1982; 35: 284-93.
10. Holst JJ. The physiology of glucagon-like peptide 1. Physiol Rev 2007; 87: 1409-39.
11. Culnan DM, Albaugh V, Sun M, et al. Ileal interposition improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in the obese Zucker rat. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2010; 299: G751-60.
12. Cummings BP, Strader AD, Stanhope KL, et al. Ileal interposition surgery improves glucose and lipid metabolism and delays diabetes onset in the ucd-t2dm rat. Gastroenterology 2010; 138: 2437-46.
13. Patriti A, Aisa MC, Annetti C, et al. How the hindgut can cure type 2 diabetes. Ileal transposition improves glucose metabolism and beta-cell function in goto-kakizaki rats through an enhanced proglucagon gene expression and l-cell number. Surgery 2007; 142: 74-85.
14. Strader AD, Clausen TR, Goodin SZ, Wendt D. Ileal interposition improves glucose tolerance in low dose streptozotocin-treated diabetic and euglycemic rats. Obes Surg 2009; 19: 96-104.
15. Wang TT, Hu SY, Gao HD, et al. Ileal transposition controls diabetes as well as modified duodenal jejunal bypass with better lipid lowering in a nonobese rat model of type 2 diabetes by increasing glp-1. Ann Surg 2008; 247: 968-75.
16. Marjanovic G, Holzner P, Kulemann B, et al. Pitfalls and technical aspects during the research of intestinal anastomotic healing in rats. Eur Surg Res 2010; 45: 314-20.
17. Hansen L, Deacon CF, Orskov C, Holst JJ. Glucagon-like peptide-1-(7-36)amide is transformed to glucagon-like peptide-1-(9-36)amide by dipeptidyl peptidase iv in the capillaries supplying the l cells of the porcine intestine. Endocrinology 1999; 140: 5356-63.
18. Deacon CF, Wamberg S, Bie P, et al. Preservation of active incretin hormones by inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase iv suppresses meal-induced incretin secretion in dogs. J Endocrinol 2002; 172: 355-62.
19. Nilsson O, Bilchik AJ, Goldenring JR, et al. Distribution and immunocytochemical colocalization of peptide yy and enteroglucagon in endocrine cells of the rabbit colon. Endocrinology 1991; 129: 139-48.
20. Tsuchiya T, Kalogeris TJ, Tso P. Ileal transposition into the upper jejunum affects lipid and bile salt absorption in rats. Am J Physiol 1996; 271: G681-91.
Received: 6.02.2012, revised: 1.09.2012, accepted: 18.09.2012.
Copyright: © 2013 Fundacja Videochirurgii This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license.


text:
Foo Fighters will Play in Madison Square Garden, a First Post-Pandemic Concert
Home | Guides | News | Foo Fighters will Play in Madison Square Garden, a First Post-Pandemic Concert
BY Stephan Cartello • 16, June 2021
This is a call to all New York music fans: Foo Fighters will play the first concert at iconic Big Apple arena Madison Square Garden since the coronavirus pandemic began later this month, the rock mainstays announced Tuesday.
Foo Fighters will take the Madison Square Garden stage on June 20, marking the venue's first show since March 10, 2020, when an all-star group featuring Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge and others paid tribute to the Allman Brothers Band.
"We've been waiting for this day for over a year," said Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl in a statement. "And Madison Square Garden is going to feel that HARD. New York, get ready for a long ass night of screaming our heads off together to 26 years of Foos."
Big MSGMusic returns to Madison Square Garden on June 20, when the venue will host Foo Fighters.
The Garden's first concert in more than 460 days will host a full-capacity audience of vaccinated fans. The event follows several New York Knicks basketball games held at the arena, including three playoff games in late May and early June that each hosted approximately 15,000 fans.
"The Garden is ready to rock," said MSG Entertainment executive chairman and CEO James Dolan in a statement. "We've been waiting for this moment for 15 months and are excited to finally welcome a packed house of roaring, fully-vaccinated Foo Fighters fans to Madison Square Garden."
Prior to the pandemic, Foo Fighters announced "The Van Tour 2020," which was to honor the band's 25th anniversary but was nixed due to the pandemic. Earlier this month, the group announced six cheekily named dates for its 26th anniversary for late July and early August, with promises of "a crapload more" to come. Foo Fighters' summer itinerary also currently includes headlining slots at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and BottleRock.
For its part, MSG Entertainment has been busy in recent weeks, announcing the post-pandemic reopenings of other hallowed properties, including Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre. Both will host full-capacity, vaccinated audiences later this month, the former with Tribeca Film Festival's closing event and the latter with two solo shows by Phish's Trey Anastasio.
[[ first_name ]] and [[ likes.length - 1 ]] like it
ДИСКОТЕКА 80-х in New York
Thursday, Mar 9 at 9:00 PM SKY WISE
Saturday, Feb 11 at 8:00 PM JCC KleinLife
ТЕАТР ШАЛОМ "СЕМЬ РАЗ ОТМЕРЬ" in New York
Sunday, Nov 12 at 7:40 PM Oceana Theater
Wednesday, Jun 14 at 8:00 PM Palace of Fine Arts
Monday, Feb 20 at 9:00 AM Sahalie Ski Club
Tuesday, Feb 14 at 9:00 PM Klaw Restaurant
ШОУ "ДВЕ БОЛЬШИЕ РАЗНИЦЫ!" in New York
Monday, Oct 30 at 7:00 PM Oceana Theater
Saturday, Feb 4 at 11:00 AM ESSENCE Theatre-Studio (Stage)
Halloween at VIP Club part two
Kvartal 95 live in concert in LA
Mumiy Troll Live in Concert
https://eventcartel.com/events-and-concerts-guides/news/foo-fighters-will-play-in-madison-square-garden-a-first-post-pandemic-concert/


Nearly two years ago, Michigan began implementing a Medicaid Estate Recovery Program. "Estate recovery" means that people who receive Medicaid assistance in the nursing home, through the MI Choice or PACE programs, face the prospect that when they die the State could come back against their estates and seek repayment for the costs paid by the State for their care.
The term "probate assets" refers to assets that pass through the probate administration process. To explain what "probate assets" are, it is easiest to describe the arrangements that cause assets to pass at death through non-probate means. These include: through trust, by beneficiary or "transfer on death" designations, by joint ownership, and by life estate. Assets that pass at death by any of these arrangements would not be probate assets and not be subject to estate recovery under Michigan's current estate recovery law.
Michigan's estate recovery law also excluded people who began receiving Medicaid assistance prior to September 30, 2007 (the day the law was passed), and provided that estate recovery would only be applied to Medicaid recipients who received written notice of the program when they first applied for benefits.
Shortly after Governor Snyder took office in January 2011, efforts by the State to finally implement the estate recovery program began in earnest. Among other things, the State contracted with a company, Health Management Systems, Inc. ("HMS"), a company which operated the estate recovery programs for several other states. Under the terms of the contract, HMS would operate Michigan's estate recovery program and would receive a percentage of all funds collected.
In the summer of 2011, family members of Medicaid beneficiaries began receiving notices and questionnaires following the death of the Medicaid beneficiary, which documents were designed to allow them to determine whether they had grounds to pursue collections.
Initially, HMS and the Michigan Attorney General's office aggressively pursued collections in several matters. Ultimately, in a proceeding in which the Medicaid beneficiary's family was represented by Chalgian and Tripp Law Offices, a case was heard and decided in Clinton County regarding one of the central issues in many of these lawsuits. The issue was whether the State could collect against an estate of a person who began receiving assistance at a time prior to when Michigan was giving written notice of the estate recovery program. The Judge ruled against the State and HMS in that matter, finding that because no written notice was given at the time the Medicaid beneficiary first applied for services, the State had no right to collect.
Over time this decision caused the State to dismiss several other outstanding cases, and it appears that now all cases involving Medicaid beneficiaries who began receiving assistance prior to the fall of 2011 have been dropped or settled.
For people entering the Medicaid long term care system after approximately November 2011, written notice has been provided to them regarding estate recovery, and this important defense is no longer viable.
Because the only asset that people who receive Medicaid typically own when they die is their house, early on in the process (back in 2007 when the law was passed) it became clear to attorneys practicing in this area that one way to avoid probate, and thereby estate recovery, which would not run afoul of other Medicaid eligibility rules, was the use of a so-called "ladybird deed".
So what we have today is a lenient estate recovery program that can be circumvented in most cases through appropriate planning, which often includes a "ladybird deed" – at least for single people on Medicaid. While some at the State and HMS may be frustrated that they aren't collecting what they hoped to collect through this program, the fact is that the law was written to allow for people to avoid the reach of estate recovery and that is what is happening. As a result, to the extent the State is collecting anything through this program, it is from people who have no heirs and/or who failed to plan appropriately (i.e., the "low hanging fruit").
Of course, there are some in the State and HMS who would like to change the law so that Michigan no longer has a lenient program and so that arrangements, like ladybird deeds, would not allow the Medicaid beneficiary to avoid estate recovery. There seems to be a reasonable likelihood that such a law could be passed in the future. Accordingly, people who have family members on Medicaid should pay careful attention to any changes in these laws and should not assume that a ladybird deed will necessarily protect their home if such changes occur.
The biggest issue with current estate recovery program is not that people who receive Medicaid assistance are required to repay the State for their care costs, because, as discussed above, that isn't really happening. Rather, the big concern about estate recovery is that it is scary and confusing. As a result, people who do not need to be in nursing homes, and who haven't applied for Medicaid, are doing foolish things with their assets believing that if they don't take these steps, they may lose their homes.
Making matters worse are the ever-present senior seminar scam programs which have jumped on the "estate recovery" development as a new opportunity to scare seniors into buying legal and financial products they don't need and which, in most cases, are contrary to their best interests (most commonly annuities, and "living" or irrevocable trusts). The world of long term care, Medicaid, and now even Veterans benefits, has become a hotbed for these bad actors.
As a result, the real damage of estate recovery is not so much the program itself, but the fear it creates in the aging community, and particularly the fact that it makes senior citizens vulnerable to making very bad decisions about their resources. Further, ladybird deeds themselves are at best an imperfect mechanism for most traditional estate planning situations, and should usually not be created where someone is not already in a nursing home or on the MI Choice or PACE programs.
In conclusion, only people who are, or who have a loved one who is, seeking Medicaid assistance in a nursing home, or through MI Choice or PACE, should worry about the Michigan estate recovery program. If in fact they do need Medicaid assistance through these programs, there are standard approaches that can protect their assets under current law. Seniors should avoid falling prey to "educational" sales seminars that seek to create fear about the topic. When advice is needed they should consult with an attorney who specializes in this practice area.
Learn what to ask and how to prepare when caring for your aging parents.


This summer, why not garden with wildlife in mind? May is Garden for Wildlife Month, so the timing couldn't be better to attract more birds, butterflies, beneficial insects and other critters to your outdoor spaces. Whether you garden on a city balcony or a large suburban yard, here's advice on how to make a wildlife habitat.
Creating a wildlife habitat is important all four seasons. But it's especially important now, because these habitats provides a natural source of food, water and protective cover for the migratory birds and butterflies at this time of year, according to David Mizejewski, naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, which has certified more than 150,000 wildlife habitats over the years.
My friend Victoria Williams built a certified wildlife habitat in her front yard in Boise, Idaho, about 10 years ago, and she's glad she did.
The family proudly displays the National Wildlife Federation sign in their garden, with native arrowleaf balsamroot growing nearby. Many of their garden adventures and nature encounters are covered in the blog Williams writes with her husband called Our Life in Idaho.
Whether you hang bird feeders or plant native shrubs and trees, you'll want to add at least three food sources for different types of wildlife. These include everything from berries and nuts to sap and pollen. You can also add feeders for butterflies, hummingbirds and deer.
Your habitat will need at least one source of water, whether it's a birdbath, fountain, lake, pool, river or wetland. This provides valuable water for different wildlife, and is an important way to attract birds and other animals to your garden.
To protect wildlife from people, predators and bad weather, include at least two types of shelter in your garden. This might be anything from the bushy shrubs in the Williams' front yard to roosting boxes, evergreens, meadows or wooded areas.
You'll also want to support the entire lifecycle of a species in your habitat, advises National Wildlife Federation. Provide at least two places for wildlife to mate and give birth, as well as raise their young. Some good spots are wildflower patches, meadows, mature trees, wetlands, dead trees or bushy shrubs.
When your garden includes these four wildlife-friendly elements, it's ready for certification by National Wildlife Federation. For a $20 fee, you'll receive a personalized certificate, one-year subscription to National Wildlife magazine and a monthly e-newsletter. Plus, you'll join tens of thousands of citizens nationwide in supporting Mother Nature.
During the month of May 2014, the National Wildlife Federation will plant one tree for every garden certified as a wildlife habitat.
You can also build awareness of wildlife conservancy by displaying an official Certified Wildlife Habitat sign in your garden. Select a classic sign like the Williams did for $30. Or, splurge for an elegant, personalized wall sign for $125.
Don't want certification? No problem. Just by creating a wildlife habitat with food, water and shelter, you're already helping to support a healthier ecosystem in your garden and community.
How are you attracting wildlife to your garden?
Would You Join a Community Garden?


text:
Mark Lebovitch
Mark Lebovitch Discusses Liberty Media/Sirius XM Shareholder Lawsuit on Market Playground Radio
BLB&G partner Mark Lebovitch was a guest on top internet radio business show "Market Playground Radio" on Tuesday, September 03, 2013 at 8pm.
Mr. Lebovitch is the lead attorney representing a class of Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ:SIRI) investors, along with a public pension fund client, against Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ:LMCA), its billionaire Chairman John Malone and other members of Sirius XM Radio's Board of Directors. He will discuss the lawsuit which alleges that Malone and Liberty Media used a 2009 minority investment agreement in Sirius XM Radio to improperly take control of the company in January 2013 without paying a takeover premium or allowing investors to vote on the deal.
The program is available for archival listening via the link or iTunes:
Playground Radio – Mark Lebovitch, Partner, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013, 8pm Eastern
Mr. Lebovitch is primarily responsible for the firm's corporate governance litigation practice, focusing on derivative suits and transactional litigation. He has prosecuted numerous high-profile cases on behalf of institutional investors to preliminary injunctions and to trial, obtaining billions of dollars for investors and achieving unprecedented corporate governance improvements. Mr. Lebovitch also prosecutes securities litigations, and in that capacity was the lead litigation attorney in In re Merrill Lynch Bondholders Litigation, which settled for $150 million, and is a member of the team prosecuting In re Bank of America Securities Litigation, which has settled for $2.425 billion to shareholders. In recognition for his many achievements, Mr. Lebovitch was named one of Lawdragon's "500 Leading Lawyers in America."
Press Coverage: Williams Companies Stockholder Litigation Trial Challenging Novel Anti-Shareholder Corporate Governance Provision
BLB&G Partner Mark Lebovitch Quoted in Fortune magazine on Business Roundtable's Repudiation of Shareholder Primacy
The New York Law Journal Names Mark Lebovitch Its 2019 "Attorney of the Year"
The National Law Journal Names Mark Lebovitch and Jeroen van Kwawegen 2018 Plaintiffs' Lawyers Trailblazers
Law360 Names Mark Lebovitch a "Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar"
BLB&G's Mark Lebovitch Selected an Adviser on ALI's "Restatement of the Law, Corporate Governance" Project
Forbes Highlights Pivotal Role of Private Shareholder Litigation in Checking Corporate Misconduct
BLB&G Named A Top Securities Practice by Law360
Law360 Names BLB&G a 2018 "Securities Group of the Year"


text:
Presented By Bears Insider
Matt Nagy last week mentioned the upcoming stretch of the NFL season will see the league's good teams separate from the not-so-good teams. The Bears are 3-3; there's a strong chance we'll know for sure if this team is a viable playoff contender by the time they take off from LAX after playing the Rams in mid-November.
Going a little further into the Bears' schedule, though, it doesn't look as difficult as it did before the season started:
I can't scream loud enough for #Bears fans right now so hopefully caps lock works:
THE BEARS NEXT 7 OPPONENTS ARE 4-21 SINCE WEEK 4
— Slavko Bekovic (@SBekovic) October 23, 2019
The Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles are not the Super Bowl contenders many predicted they'd be two months ago. The Chargers are 2-5, while the 3-4 Eagles are dealing with a horrendous defense and a volatile locker room.
Are the Detroit Lions good? They've been competitive, and were a few yards and a few atrocious officiating decisions away from beating legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers. But they're a team trending toward separating to the bottom of the league.
The Rams have been a mess recently, even with their blowout win over the full-fledged tire fire that is the 2019 Atlanta Falcons. The New York Giants? They're not good, though they get Saquon Barkley back this week. And the Dallas Cowboys are less than two weeks removed from losing to the New York Jets.
But aren't those six teams looking at the Bears and saying "hey, they're not as good as we thought" too?
Counterpoint, Slav: The Bears are 0-2 since Week 4. https://t.co/Cm1McPBkSZ
— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) October 23, 2019
Nagy believes one victory can be a spark, the kind of thing that could set off a 10-game winning streak — a belief based on his experience with the 2015 Kansas City Chiefs starting 1-5 before ripping off 11 wins in a row, including in the playoffs.
But the Eagles or Rams or Chargers or Lions believe the same thing, and can reasonably view a worse-than-expected Bears team as an ideal opponent for that spark. Nagy is leaning on the culture built inside Halas Hall to make sure the Bears are the one to harness that energy, and not those other underperforming teams.
The Bears can hope for that spark, but there's also evidence the separation between 2019's contenders and the Bears has already begun.
The Bears are 18th in Football Outsiders' DVOA, ahead of two future opponents (the Chargers at 22, the Giants at 27) but behind the Eagles (15), Lions (13) and Rams (11). The Bears' final four opponents are all currently ranked in the top six by DVOA: Dallas (4), Green Bay (5), Kansas City (3) and Minnesota (6).
"There are a bunch of teams in the NFL going through struggles right now and the expectations are high because of everything we did last year," quarterback Mitch Trubisky said. "But reality is we're in the same spot – 3-3 – we were in that spot last year."
This is different than last year, when the Bears were in DVOA's top 10 after a Week 7 loss to the New England Patriots dropped them to 3-3. That team had the luxury of facing teams that had already separated themselves into the non-contender pool in the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Lions. Their final four games came against a bad Giants team, a Packers team that'd just fired its coach, an even worse 49ers team and then a listless Vikings team.
"Last year we were 3-3 and went 12-4," wide receiver Taylor Gabriel said. "So that's just us thinking positive, going throughout this week, being positive, grinding and even working harder, I feel like we'll be OK."
Maybe all the Bears need is to beat the Chargers and Eagles to jump-start this season and navigate an easier-than-expected schedule through the end of November. But maybe all the Chargers and Eagles need is to beat a worse-than-expected Bears team to jump-start their seasons, too.
Because the time for separation is near in the NFL, and that may not be a good thing for the Bears.
"The message that we've had is get tighter, believe in one another, keep trusting, right, and bond together and then when you get that one win, it just sparks," Nagy said, snapping his fingers. "It's crazy. It's just absolutely crazy how that works. So we gotta do that."
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of the Bears.


Gov. Kayode Fayemi of the western Nigerian state of Ekiti on Monday announced the disbandment of the state-owned football club, "The Fountain FC of Ado-Ekiti''.
In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Pastor Micheal Awopetu, the governor also announced the formation of a new club to be known as "Ekiti United FC".
The governor also disclosed the constitution of a new management board that will manage the affairs of the new club.
The board is to be chaired by the senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, with popular football philanthropist, Dr Isaac Ayodele, as vice chairman.
The other members are Mr Deji Olowolafe of the State Sports Council, Messrs Gbenga Oyedele and Steve Alabi, and representatives of the Sport Ministry.
He said the changes were made to arrest the dwindling fortune of professional football in the state and to re-brand its football team for better performance.
Meanwhile, the General Manager of Ekiti State Sports Council, Mr Olukayode Adewunmi, has expressed gratitude to the governor for the changes.
"The initiative of the state government is a welcome development,'' he said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ado-Ekiti.
Why disband & float another one? some of these governors don't really know what they are doing.
Mr Fayemi, you have no business floating or running a football club, if you want one, wait till after you leave office to float one, Okay. This is not part of your duties.


This project continues the development and support of ERPLAB Toolbox, a Matlab-based open source software package for the analysis of event-related potential (ERP) data. ERPs provide information about brain activity related to perception, cognition, emotion, and action with millisecond resolution and are widely used to study a broad range of basic and translational science issues in psychology, neuroscience, psychiatry, neurology, and related fields. There has been an explosion in ERP research, but progress has been hampered by the limited abilities of commercial ERP analysis software and the lack of full-featured open source ERP analysis packages. This situation has slowed the development of new directions in ERP research, instead encouraging researchers to continue with existing approaches supported by the built-in functions of the available commercial analysis packages. ERPLAB Toolbox directly addresses these problems. It adds all the main ERP processing routines to an open source EEG processing package, EEGLAB. ERPLAB builds on EEGLAB by adding powerful tools for the subsequent stages of ERP analysis. All ERPLAB tools can be accessed from the GUI, and they can also be accessed from Matlab scripts to provide automation and customization. ERPLAB provides powerful but easy-to-use tools for the basic and advanced analysis procedures that are commonly used by ERP researchers. In addition, ERPLAB can be easily extended by anyone with rudimentary programming skills, making it possible for researchers to create innovative new data processing and analysis procedures and link ERPs with other types of biological data. ERPLAB has been publicly available for 4 years, and in that time it has been downloaded over 10,000 times and has been cited in 165 publications (a number that is increasing exponentially). It has been used to replace expensive commercial software for conventional analyses, and it has been used as a platform for developing new analysis procedures and for linking ERP data with other open source toolboxes. In the proposed funding period, we will continue to provide basic support and develop new features that reflect trends in basic, translational, and clinical research. We will focus on four themes: increased workflow efficiency; new tools for single-trial analyses; advanced statistical tools; and additional documentation and examples. Our goal is to give researchers free, open-source tools that allow them to conduct innovative, state-of-the-art, high-impact research on normal and disordered brain function.
The software developed in this project will allow researchers to more accurately quantify and interpret brainwave data recorded from healthy individuals in basic science studies and from patients in translational and clinical science studies. It will allo research on normal and abnormal brain function to progress more rapidly, leading to a better understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of mind and brain.


text:
John Santos Sextet
Photo by Tom Ehrlich, courtesy of the artist
The John Santos Sextet is one of the premier Latin jazz ensembles in the world. Born in San Francisco, bandleader Santos was raised in the Puerto Rican and Cape Verdean traditions of his family and surrounded by the fertile musical environment of the Bay Area.
Across a career spanning five decades, he has been recognized for his achievements as a composer, producer, percussionist and Afro-Latino music educator. He is a seven-time GRAMMY nominee, 2012 San Francisco Latino Heritage Arts Award winner, and SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director (2013 and 2014). Since 1984, he has written, recorded, and published more than 100 original compositions, mostly on his Machete Records, and has performed with masters such as Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Cachao, Eddie Palmieri, Francisco Aguabella, Susana Baca, Lalo Schifrin, and Carlos Santana.
Santos has served on the Smithsonian's Latin Jazz Advisory Committee and is a faculty member at the California Jazz Conservatory. There is a PBS documentary in progress about his work.
John Santos, percussionist, bandleader
John Calloway, flute player
Marco Diaz, pianist, trumpeter
David Flores, drummer
Melecio Magdaluyo, saxophonist
Saul Sierra, bassist
Armenian Public Radio & TmbaTa
Preston & Helena Arrow-weed
Bambu and DJ Phatrick
Banda Brillo de San Miguel Cuevas
Bobi Céspedes
FandangObon
Grupo Nuu Yuku
Low Leaf
Meklit
Salar Nader
Radio Bilingüe
Marta and Stan Rodriguez
Homayoun Sakhi
Youth Speaks
Artist List
Para Todos Ustedes by Los Pleneros de la 21
Music of Cuba
The Cuban Danzón: Its Ancestors and Descendents
Music of the Bay Area: Traditional and Contemporary Sounds
Filosofía Caribeña: Transmitting Afro-Cuban Sacred Traditions through Song


Last edited by songhong on Fri 13 Apr, 2012 12:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by songhong on Fri 13 Apr, 2012 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by songhong on Fri 13 Apr, 2012 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.


text:
I have been married twice and have three children from my second marriage: Natalie called Lili, Isabella called Ella and Theodor. My first wife Nicole Schaenzler became an author and wrote a notable biography of Klaus Mann, the son of Thomas Mann. My second wife, Jennifer Hymer, is an American new music pianist whom I met in 1991 during my stay in California. We divorced in 2012.
I was born into a family of Hungarian refugees who had come to Germany in 1956, notwithstanding some rather sobering experiences during WWII. My father János Hajdu made a career as professor of theoretical physics at the University of Cologne, my mother Anna Hajdu née Varró, more of a francophile, gave in and later became a teacher a community college. My grandmother Katalin a native of Transylvania who used to be a pianist and teacher at the Franz-Liszt academy in Budapest and had met Hungarian greats such as Bartók, Kodaly, Ligeti or Kurtág, was an important influence, despite the fact that she was never content with my piano technique—irreparably spoiled by years of practicing the classical guitar. My father's cousin André Hajdu studied composition in Budapest where he befriended Ligeti and Kurtág and in 1956 became a student of Milhaud and Messiaen in Paris. After years in France and Tunesia he ended up in Israel to become one of the most influential music teachers of his generation.
I my youth I used to be a goal keeper for the field hockey team of Rot-Weiss Köln. Due to fast reflexes I even made it several times into the NRW selection and also played one game in the German B-Jugend national team. With Rot-Weiss Köln I was NRW champion twice and participated once in the national championship, beaten by only one team. In my teens I was also an active mountain climber who had climbed the Snow Dome of the Barre des Écrins. By age 17, I knew that music was going to be my future, though.
It was in Cologne where I was exposed to various influences relating to contemporary music. You couldn't escape it; the city was filled with people who had dedicated their lived to the pursuit of strange music. My piano teacher Günther Hempel had played with Karlheinz Stockhausen, whose daughter Majella I had met a party and dated a for a few weeks in 1975. My father's secretary was an American composer named Suzanne Krebs who had studied with Ralph Shapey and Henri Pousseur and had come to Cologne to attend classes with Kagel and Stockhausen. At her parties I regularly met some of the big names of the Cologne music scene: Robert HP Platz, Kristi Becker, Clarence Barlow, Carin Levine.
Yet my first university degree was in biology, which I had chosen to satisfy my parents' desire for stability and my curiosity for natural science. Cologne had been a center for genetic research and some of its professors were close friends of my family: Benno Müller-Hill (I beamed when his name was mentioned in my high school biology class) and Klaus Rajewsky. After a year in the lab—despite a straight A exam—I finally decided to leave biology and dedicate myself to composition—not that I hadn't been warned about the stony and occasionally frustrating path I was about to embark on.


The Times' annual Bracket Survivor contest is back for a 13th edition. The free event follows the NCAA Tournament and awards prizes to the top finishers. Click on the link below and complete the ENTIRE bracket.
However, as in year's past, the large field will be trimmed to 16 (top scores using 1 point per win in first round and 2 points in second round) following as the NCAA Tournament does the same. The 16 survivors will be placed in a bracket for the single-elimination portion of the contest.
You must create an account at CBSSports.com (it's free).
Use #BracketSurvivor on social media.
The deadline to enter is the first tip on Thursday.
If you have any problem, email Roy Lang III (rflang@gannett.com).
If you are a member of the media, send an email to Roy Lang III after your entry is complete to enter Media Survivor.


Q: When will the next Ælven book be available?
Yes, there's more. A fourth Blood of the Kindred book has been drafted but is not yet scheduled for publication. Maybe in 2015.
A: A fourth Wisteria Tearoom (Patrice Greenwood) mystery will come out in July 2015.
Coming in print soon: Galveston (P. G. Nagle, The Far Western Civil War book 3).
The Shadow Conspiracy III has been postponed, but when it comes out from Book View Café it will include another Marie LaVeau story.
A: Coyote Ugly and Other Tales is a collection of mixed short fiction and is available as an ebook and in paperback. See Other Titles for more information.
Q: Does your short story "Coyote Ugly" have anything to do with the movie?
A: The only thing they have in common is the source of the title, an old joke that progresses from "one bag ugly" to "two bag ugly" to "coyote ugly." The story came out in 1994, years before the movie. Alas, no movie option money for me from this one.
Q: Can you [give me various kinds of writing help]?
A: Two blogs you must follow if you're serious about being a professional writer: Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. Be prepared to have your favorite myths busted.
There's lots of advice out there. The first thing I will advise any new writer is to be aware of the difference between mainstream publishing, self-publishing, and vanity press. Particularly the last two can confuse newcomers. Here's a very clear article on that from Writer Beware.
Joe Konrath posted a wonderful encapsulation of the publishing industry on his blog.
Kate Elliot wrote a wonderful and detailed blog posting called Advice for first-time sff novelists. Actually it's great advice for any genre novelist, and there are gems in there for most any writer.
For those of you wanting advice on finding an agent, I highly recommend you read Dean Wesley Smith's Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing blog series, especially the posts about agents. You will learn things about agents that you never realized.
Laura Resnick has written lots of advice for writers. Check her Writer's Resource Page. She's also published a book about her writing adventures, Rejection, Romance and Royalties: The Wacky World of a Working Writer.


Many local citizens are familiar with the Press Newsboys Band, and some may be aware of the Newsboys School, probably the only one of its kind in the world. But other, lesser known activities and events became available to those hardy lads.
When George G. Booth of Detroit purchased the Evening Press in 1892, life for Grand Rapids newsboys was transformed.
The annual foot race started in front of the Evening Press office, located on Pearl St. near the river. The boys dashed off half a minute apart and were required to deliver papers to 20 different points around downtown. All contestants were presented with jack knives.
When the new Press building was constructed in 1906, at the corner of E. Fulton and Sheldon, there were no public swimming pools in the city. The Press decided to install a pool in the basement, and provide swimming lessons for its boys.
The Evening Press circulation department directed all this activity. When those newsboys became 'Old Newsboys,' they never failed to remember.


I am not sure if you have been following the dialogue this week about the state of our educational system. I participated in the Teacher Town Hall Meeting Sunday afternoon. There were some interesting posts and over 2,000 teachers from across the nation participated. I am posting the link to this discussion for anyone interested in browsing through it all. You can also post comments if you care. This is a link that was provided for the participants; you won't find it linked from any of their other web pages. I would encourage anyone to post your thoughts. Maybe someone is listening.


text:
"Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas." -Albert Einstein
Emily's Math 221 Page
Math 221 Blog
What's Math Got to Do with It?
Exemplar
Quadrilaterals Connect Four
This week I really wanted to play a math game, and on the course page under extra resources I saw my professor posted "Quadrilaterals Connect Four". I love the original game of connect four and thought a math version of connect four would be fun.
In the directions it says two teams of two are needed to play the game successfully. Unfortunately the only person willing to play this exciting math game with me was once again my good friend, Tony. (He likes math, he's a math major) So, I did not see any harm in altering the game rules/directions a little bit and make it a two person game.
To prepare for the game I cut out two sets of the game cards, one set for me, and the other set for Tony. I colored one set of cards blue, for tony and the other set of cards orange, for me.
After getting the cards ready, I printed out the Connect Four game board. Each square has a description. Ex: "It has at least one pair of parallel lines"
After prepping for the game I explained the game rules to Tony. The game is exactly like connect four, but using quadrilaterals.
Each team should take their cards and place them face down. When it is their turn, they turn over the top card and place it where it belongs on the game board.
Ex: I pulled a rectangle from the card pile, the rectangle can go on the "I has angles which are 90 degrees" box.
The winner of the game gets four quadrilaterals in a row either diagonally, vertically, or horizontally.
Here is an example of a winning game board in which I won the game.
Tony and I played several games in which he won some and I won some. It was a lot of fun and got a little competitive. Overall, I thought it was a great activity.
Reflection: I thought this was a great activity to help review the different quadrilaterals. I think this activity would be good for grades 3-5. I think it should be played when reviewing for an assessment, but I don't think it should be played when first learning the different quadrilaterals. The one bad thing about the game was the terrible grammar and sentence structure on the game board, I would definitely fix that as a teacher, because for some reason it bothered me immensely!
Feedback: Were my directions clear? How could I change up the rules of the game to make the game better?
Source: http://www.collaborativelearning.org/quadrilateralsc4.pdf
John Golden link
You were clear, and gave good coverage of the benefits of the game. The only alteration I can think of is a way to make the game board different each time, without being too much of a mess. Maybe a first round of placing the rules then playing your quads. Or shuffling the rules and dealing them in.
5C's: +
GVSU Sophomore
Elementary Education-Social Studies