Man who performed world's first successful kidney transplant dies at 93

BOSTON (AP) ? Dr. Joseph E. Murray, who performed the world's first successful kidney transplant and won a Nobel Prize for his pioneering work, has died at age 93.

Murray's death in Boston at Brigham and Women's Hospital was confirmed Monday by hospital spokesman Tom Langford. No cause of death was immediately announced.

Since the first kidney transplants on identical twins, hundreds of thousands of transplants on a variety of organs have been performed worldwide. Murray shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990 with Dr. E. Donnall Thomas, who won for his work in bone marrow transplants.

"Kidney transplants seem so routine now," Murray told The New York Times after he won the Nobel. "But the first one was like Lindbergh's flight across the ocean."

Murray's breakthroughs did not come without criticism, from ethicists and religious leaders. Some people "felt that we were playing God and that we shouldn't be doing all of these, quote, experiments on human beings," he told The Associated Press in a 2004 interview in which he also spoke out in favor of stem cell research.

In the early 1950s, there had never been a successful human organ transplant. Murray and his associates at Boston's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, now Brigham and Women's Hospital, developed new surgical techniques, gaining knowledge by successfully transplanting kidneys on dogs. In December 1954, they found the right patients, 23-year-old Richard Herrick, who had end-stage kidney failure, and his identical twin, Ronald Herrick.

Because of their identical genetic background, they did not face the biggest problem with transplant patients, the immune system's rejection of foreign tissue.

After the operation, Richard had a functioning kidney transplanted from Ronald. Richard lived another eight years, marrying a nurse he met at the hospital and having two children.

"Post-operatively the transplanted kidney functioned immediately with a dramatic improvement in the patient's renal and cardiopulmonary status," Murray said in his Nobel lecture. "This spectacular success was a clear demonstration that organ transplantation could be life-saving."

Murray performed more transplants on identical twins over the next few years and tried kidney transplants on other relatives, including fraternal twins, learning more about how to suppress the immune system's rejection of foreign tissue. One patient who received a kidney transplant from a fraternal twin in 1959, plus radiation and a bone marrow transplant to surpress his immune response, lived for 29 more years.

But it was the development of drugs to suppress the body's immune response, a less radical approach than radiation, that made real breakthroughs in transplants possible. In 1962, Murray and his team successfully completed the first organ transplant from an unrelated donor. The 23-year-old patient, Mel Doucette, received a kidney from a man who had died.

Murray continued a long career in plastic surgery, his original specialty, and transplants. He was guided by his own deep religious convictions.

"Work is a prayer," he told the Harvard University Gazette in 2001. "And I start off every morning dedicating it to our Creator."

Murray told the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004 that he continued to get letters from patients he helped years earlier and from relatives of those who died during the early efforts.

"They often say ... that they are happy to have played some small part in the eventual success of organ transplants," he said, praising the courage of his patients and their families.

Murray was honored at the 2004 Transplant Games, for athletes who have received organ transplants, along with Ronald Herrick, the man who had donated a kidney to his twin brother a half-century earlier.

Murray's interest in transplants developed during his time in the Army during World War II when he was assigned to Valley Forge General Hospital in Pennsylvania while awaiting overseas duty. The hospital performed reconstructive surgery on troops who had been injured in battle.

The burn patients, who were often treated with skin grafts from other people, intrigued Murray.

"The slow rejection of the foreign skin grafts fascinated me," Murray wrote in autobiography for the Nobel Prize ceremony. "How could the host distinguish another person's skin from his own?"

The hospital's chief of plastic surgery, Col. James Barrett Brown, had performed skin grafts on civilians and noticed that the closer the donor and recipient were related, the slower the tissue was rejected. A skin graft between identical twins had taken permanently.

Murray said that was "the impetus" of his study of organ transplantation.

Murray was ever the optimist and kept on his desk a quotation, "Difficulties are opportunities," his son Rick Murray said.

"It reflects the unwavering optimism of a great man who was generous, curious, and always humble," Rick Murray said in a statement released by the hospital.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/transplant-doc-nobel-winner-murray-dies-boston-021318579.html

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Syrian rebels capture air base near Damascus

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian rebels captured a helicopter base just outside Damascus Sunday in what an activist called a "blow to the morale of the regime" near President Bashar Assad's seat of power.

The takeover claim showed how rebels are advancing in the area of the capital, though they are badly outgunned, making inroads where Assad's power was once unchallenged. Rebels have also been able to fire mortar rounds into Damascus recently.

The director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said rebels seized control of the Marj al-Sultan base on the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday morning. He said at least 15 rebels and eight soldiers were killed in the fighting that started a day earlier. The rebels later withdrew from the base.

Rebels appear to be trying to take over air bases and destroy aircraft in order to prevent the regime from using them in attacks against opposition forces around the country.

The rebels have no protection against the attack helicopters and fighter jets that have been blasting their positions.

Rebels have been attacking air bases in different parts of Syria, mostly in the northern regions of Idlib and Aleppo.

In the battle at the base outside Damascus, Abdul-Rahman and Damascus-based activist Maath al-Shami said rebels destroyed two helicopters with rocket propelled grenades and captured a tank. They say the base, which is on the eastern outskirts of Damascus, houses several radar positions.

"This is a blow to the morale of the regime, because it is close to the heart of the capital," said Abdul-Rahman, referring to the base that is about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from Damascus.

Al-Shami said the rebels withdrew from the base after they captured some ammunition. He said they feared counterstrikes by regime aircraft.

An amateur video posted online showed rebels walking next to two destroyed helicopters. At least three other helicopters appeared undamaged. Black smoke billowed in the distance.

Another video showed several radar posts on hills inside the large compound. Parked military trucks stood inside as rebels roamed freely.

The activist videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting about the events depicted. Syria restricts the access of reporters.

The Observatory also reported violence in other parts of Syria, including the country's largest city of Aleppo in the north and the capital itself.

The Local Coordination Committees, another activist group, said residents found 12 bodies in the Damascus suburb of Daraya, scene of heavy clashes between rebels and government troops over the past few days.

State TV said troops clashed with al-Qaida militants in Daraya, killing some of them and confiscating a mortar that they were using in their attacks.

Assad's regime blames the revolt on a foreign conspiracy. It accuses Saudi Arabia and Qatar, along with the United States, other Western countries and Turkey, of funding, training and arming the rebels, whom it calls terrorists.

Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with an uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime, inspired by other Arab Spring revolts. It quickly morphed into a civil war that has since killed more than 40,000 people, according to activists.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-rebels-capture-air-near-damascus-140725464.html

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App of the Week: Instead

App Name: Instead

Price: Free

Available Platforms: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (requires iOS 5.0 or later), Android

What does this app do? With Black Friday and Cyber Monday bookending the holiday weekend it is hard to imagine getting through the next few days without spending money in the spirit of the season. Whether you dole out your dollars for gifts or in some other way, such as a post-turkey cocktail with friends, likely you will be reaching into your pocket and opening up your wallet at some point. For those who want to donate some of their hard-earned money as opposed to spending it, there's an easy way to give in a small, manageable way.

Instead, a micro-donation app developed by Ovenbits, LLC, gives consumers an opportunity to donate money from their mobile device to their favorite non-profit instead of spending that $20 on lunch or that $3.00 on a latte while out and about with friends.

Once you launch the app, Instead walks you through three steps on how it works: pick something to give up - that second cup of coffee, for example - choose how much to give, and then select a non-profit to which to donate. Tap on the "About" button, select "Donation Transparency," and the app explains exactly how your money is parceled out: 95 percent of your donation goes to the charity you select, and the remaining 5 percent goes to credit and debit processing fees as well as operational fees such as server maintenance and application hosting. Your donation, according to website, goes first to instead, inc, a registered 501(c)3, and from there the company sends a check to your chosen non-profit.

Select the "Give" button, choose the amount you wish to donate, and even type in what you're giving up in place of your donation. The app provides a list of charities to choose from, such as The American Cancer Society. You can also suggest an organization to be added to Instead's database. Submissions are reviewed by a volunteer committee.

Is it easy to set up? This is a lightweight app that allows you to log in with your Facebook account. The app makes a point of stating your donations through Facebook can remain private. However, you can skip that step and proceed without logging into Facebook, too.

Should I try it? Instead encourages you to develop your charitable giving muscle by showing you how easy it is to make small donations from time-to-time by giving up things you likely won't miss anyway. Your payment, in the end, is processed through your browser, not the app itself, and therefore requires an extra step. If you've already sacrificed an impulse buy or gave up splurging on a night out at the movies, however, the hard part is over.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/app-week-instead-115111002--abc-news-tech.html

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Google's 'gallery for everyone' lets you take over Times Square, say thank you for...

Google's 'gallery for everyone' lets you take over Times Square, say thank you for...

What would be a neat trick to round off a perfect holiday with friends, family, and -- if you're lucky -- some bargain-priced tech? How about getting your smug, contented face up on the screens in Times Square? Not got the big corporate budget? No worries, as Google's here to pick up the tab as part of a Chromebook promotion, and possibly make it happen for you. Submit a picture at the source link, along with a snappy "For... " caption, and you could find yourself, your mom, your cat, or football team up there for all to see. We were going to submit one of our own, but, well y'know, we're still wearing the t-shirt.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Via: Chromebook (Google Plus)

Source: Gallery For Everyone


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/QoRLRkTpQX8/

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NC Governor Pat McCrory: Family Law Reform For Shared Parenting

NC Governor Pat McCroryFathers and Families is asking NC Governor Pat McCrory to start talking with NC Senate and House leaders about bringing the presumption for Equally Shared Parenting to NC Children so that they can experience direct support, love, guidance, and nurturing from both parents and extended families. As a reader of this article, be it a non-custodial parent, step-parent, grandparent, or other interested party, it is important to widely share this article with other NC non-custodial family members on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and other networks to help rally them around this issue. Governor Pat McCrory needs to hear from NC non-custodial families numbering in the millions that they are tired of being marginalized in their childrens lives as visitors 5 days a month. NC Governor Pat McCrory needs to understand that having two equal parents at the table for children that are providing emotional, physical, psychological, and direct financial support to them brings far greater resources and opportunities than any big government enforcement agency like child support enforcement can ever deliver. Fathers and Families strongly believes that in situations where custodial parents who are receiving expanding social services like educational assistance, housing assistance, food assistance, medical assistance, job assistance, and other programs which is creating havoc on the NC budget, that there will be less of a need for these programs when you have the non-custodial parent and extended family in the lives of children. NC Governor Pat McCrory needs to understand that currently in the NC Family Law system, non-custodial parents and families are pushed to the margins of kids lives and can only offer financial help to their children.


Fathers and Families did not endorse Candidate McCrory in his run for the Governor, nor is the posting of this video meant to imply an endorsement for future elections. This video is here to remind Governor McCrory of NC non-custodial family struggles as outlined below.

Governor Pat McCrory and the NC Family Law System

  • Governor McCrory must understand that the current family law courts are about one parent winning, and the other parent losing. This system sets the stage for further despair, animosity, anger, and anxiety for the non-custodial parent and extended family after a divorce. Father and Families believes that no one parent should win in the court system, and that courts should reward two parents for working together for the betterment of the children.
  • Governor Pat McCrory and the NC Legislature must understand that the current Family Law system puts NC children at an economic disadvantage for decades. Currently, the average child custody battle costs EACH parent about $20,000 and statistics show that these parents will fight two in eighteen years. Additionally, parents will find minor contempt battles, child support enforcement battles, custody modification battles, and other battles costing more money. Fathers and Families believes that NC Parents spend at a minimum of $100,000 over the life of the minor child. Fathers and Families would like to see this money go towards a child?s education, healthcare, a home, or to start a business.
  • Governor Pat McCrory and The NC House and Senate needs to understand that the current NC Family Law System pits two parents against each other in an attempt to win a court battle. NC Parents are using every means available to win and this has dramatic negative effects on children. Through Shared Parenting, there is nothing to win because both parents will be equalized. When NC Judges change the current stage from ?OK, You guys fight it out and whoever has the most dirt loses? to that of ?You both are going to present a shared parenting plan for the benefit of the child and whoever does not abide by it loses? then you will see less conflict between parents.
  • Consistently, more and more studies show that children who have significant access to fathers (the usual non-custodial parent) do better in school, have less emotional problems, are able to resist drugs, and avoid pregnancy until later in life.
  • Governor Pat McCrory must understand that we believe hundreds of thousands of NC non-custodial parents do not have the money for an attorney to seize visitation rights to their children, or advocate for them in the courts. There should be no pay wall for a parent to see his/her children.
  • Governor Pat McCrory and NC Representatives and Senators must understand that 40% of children born today in NC come from non-married parents, and under current law, the biological father has zero rights and access to the child unless he can find $5000-7000 and hire an attorney to legitimate the children. This is assuming if he is ever aware that he has a child.
  • Governor Pat McCrory and the NC Legislature needs to understand that NC non-custodial families are going bankrupt hiring private attorneys at $5000 per incident when custodial parents get free government lawyers each time child support wants to be modified by the custodial parent.
  • Governor McCrory and NC Representatives should be aware that whenever a custodial parent gets into trouble financially, social service is able to save them using housing assistance, job assistance, food assistance, medical assistance, psychological assistance, other assistance programs and tax incentives. When non-custodial parents get into trouble financially, they go to jail. Governor, would it not make more sense to strengthen BOTH parents for the good of NC children?
  • Fathers and Families is sending the message to NC Governor Pat McCrory that it is time to stop ALL NC adoptions until amended legislation is in place protecting a biological father from having a child he did not know existed from being adopted out. Consistently, we are hearing more and more fathers tell us that they learned about a biological child of theirs being adopted out because the mother of the child refused to help adoptions agencies discover the father. Fathers and Families is not against adoptions, but we do believe that a biological parent?s natural love outweighs an adoptive family?s love. This issue not only affects NC Fathers, but the many women in paternal families who have a natural love for their biologically related children.

Republican Governor Pat McCrory

Statement on Positive Outcomes with NC Shared Parenting

Fathers and Families believes there are many positive outcomes for NC children in families with shared parenting, and we are asking Governor Pat McCrory to review this information when considering legislation surrounding it.

  • First and foremost, despite the breakup of a marriage, NC Children still have a family. Equally Shared Parenting is the next best thing to preserving that feeling of knowing that you have a mother, father, grandparents, and aunts and uncles that are consistently in your life. Under current NC Law and in the family law courts, non-custodial parents and extended families are pushed far into the margins of a child?s life.
  • A NC Equally Shared Parenting initiative means less drain on Welfare and Low Income Assistance programs. When NC non-custodial parents, step-parents, and other family members are brought into equality with the custodial parent and have considerably more time to directly support children, there will be 50% more resources and opportunities to meet kids needs, thus decreasing the need for public assistance.
  • Governor Pat McCrory should know NC Family Law reform and equally shared parenting creates more free time for custodial mothers to further a college education (or add to formal education), learn a trade, start a business, or pursue social endeavors.
  • Equally Shared Parenting will allow fathers the opportunity to put into action fatherhood initiatives have taught them. Why have a fatherhood initiative if you are never going to allow these parents to put what they learned into action?
  • Mandating shared physical custody or equally shared parenting will lead to a reduction in bitter, destructive child custody battles, which put intense emotional strain on children following a divorce or separation. Fathers and Families believes that Governor Pat McCrory surely understands the importance of this.
  • NC Shared Parenting will decrease domestic violence. Many times prior, during, and after a divorce, one parent will fear losing touch with their kids because it is widely known in NC that there is a system that mandates that one parent has the majority of time with the children, and the other parent does not. In NC, 85% of parents are fathers in a State that has no presumption for which parent gets custody. Additionally, Family Law Judges consistently allow a custodial parent to move a child hundreds of miles away from a non-custodial family. This fear, anxiety, despair, and emotional struggle unfortunately leads to domestic violence.

Statement on Social Security Title IV-D Legislation

Fathers and Families wants Governor Pat McCrory to understand that the Social Security Act, Title IV, Part D, and specifically section 458 which is entitled ?Incentive Payments To States? is a revenue stream for NC Social Services Jobs, Programs, and Services. In NC, for each dollar collected by Child Support Enforcement, the State gets back a match amount of federal money that is then used to replenish Welfare money. While at face value this may seem positive, it actually isn?t because the State of NC has become dependent on this money and NEEDS non-custodial parents as far from their children as possible so that they pay greater child support money and trigger greater federal money. Fathers and Families has faith in Governor McCrory, the NC Senate, House of Representatives, and Family Law Judges to find an alternative way to fund Social Services outside of separating kids from half of their family.

Statement For The Argument That Fathers Just Want Shared Parenting To Lower Their Child Support

The argument that Fathers just want to have equal parentage and access to their children to lower child support is a clever argument by those opposed to shared parenting because it tries to rope others into believing the stigma that all Fathers are Deadbeat. The fact is, if this were about money then Fathers would be screaming the loudest AGAINST shared parenting because the fact is, under Shared Parenting Fathers will expend far greater dollars when they have their children equal amounts of the time. This argument is an attempt to socialize responsible fatherhood in with paying a big government enforcement agency money so that Title IV-D funds will be generated back to the State of NC. The greater responsibility in fatherhood is directly supporting children financially, emotionally, physically, and psychologically. This is something that child support enforcement doesn?t offer. Therefore, we encourage Governor Pat McCrory to resist this argument when the opposition and Family Law lobby meets with you.

Statement On Shared Parenting in NC Not Being Needed Because There Is Proof Fathers Do Not Want Shared Parenting

Many groups who oppose equally shared parenting say that fathers give up custody and equal parentage in agreements outside of a court room 80% of the time and this proves that the majority of fathers prefer not to be equal parents. Again, while this is true, the fact is that fathers know that if they go into a family court and ask for equal parentage or joint physical custody/shared parenting, that they will lose and most likely end up with less than what is being offered outside of court and made a deal they were not comfortable with. Why go to a Family Law court and spend $20,000 just to lose and see less of your children that what is being offered outside court for free even if it is not optimal? Again, we encourage Governor Pat McCrory to resist this argument when the opposition and Family Law lobby meets with you.

Opposition Governor Pat McCrory Is Likely To Receive From Those Opposed To Shared Parenting and NC Family Law Reform

  • American Bar Association/NC State Bar: If Governor Pat McCrory decides to encourage the NC Senate and House to consider Shared Parenting in NC, he is going to meet serious resistance from Lawyers and Judges. While they will have a myriad of cherry picked reasons why shared parenting is dangerous for children, the fact is under shared parenting, without parents fighting for 18 years NC lawyers are not receiving their enormous retainer fees and hourly fees that are charged in Family Law cases. NC Judges will resist Family Law reform and shared parenting because it will take away their discretion in what they say is needed because every case is different. Unfortunately, with 100% discretion comes the ability to abuse the system and legislate from the bench or allow biases to come into play without an accountability.
  • Governor Pat McCrory will undoubtedly meet resistance from ?Womens Rights Groups? like the National Organization For Women? who also will bring cherry picked statistics and reasons why Family Law Reform and Shared Parenting is a bad idea for Women and Children. The immediate problem we see for these organizations is that for decades they were about advancement for equality, but in Family Law they are asking for inequality. To Fathers and Families this smells of disingenuous agendas and politics at play. Furthermore, and this is important, there are a LOT of women who are hurt in a divisive Family Law system. These women include step-mothers, paternal grandmothers, aunts, female step-children, now adult female children, and even custodial mothers with male children who will find themselves marginalized later in life if we do not have Family Law reform in NC.
  • Domestic Violence Groups in NC will also oppose any type of Family Law Reform and Shared Parenting because they feel that Shared Parenting means that Fathers will have greater access and chances to kill and hurt children and former spouses. In addition, these groups will have their own set of cherry picked statements and professionals in the radical Womens groups with what seems like compelling data. However, Fathers and Families asks Governor Pat McCrory to use some common sense around domestic violence. First, custodial mothers and women hit, intimidate, and use control every day and nobody in these groups are talking about them crossing some hurdle to be with their kids. And, if you believe THEIR statistics that more domestic violence is committed from men, does it really matter WHO is doing it the most? The problem is Domestic Violence, not which gender is doing it the most. And, in reality, does Governor McCrory really believe that the best way to de-escalate a father from committing domestic violence is to completely alienate him from his children, see them moved hundreds of miles away, and watch as the women in his family get hurt? Fathers and Families is appealing to Governor Pat McCrory not to give into the gender warfare and politics surrounding Domestic Violence by those who want to make it a political football for their agendas.

Statement on False Allegations of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse

Fathers and Families hears daily from many non-custodial families, be it fathers, mothers, and men and women in the extended family who tell us that the majority of child custody battles and child support enforcement cases today involve some type of false allegation of Domestic Violence or Abuse in the hopes of gaining a tactical advantage in the NC Family Courts. Given the emotion surrounding these issues, many NC Judges are allowing these false allegations to proceed to conviction to ?be on the safe side.? The problems with this is, that a simple allegation in NC can lead to complete alienation of children from their fathers, step-mothers, grandmothers, aunts and uncles, and step-siblings.

Governor Pat McCrory and NC Non-Custodial Family Voters

Undoubtedly Governor Pat McCrory is aware of the divorce statistics in NC, and rate at which parents are having children outside of marriage. With that, Fathers and Families believes that roughly HALF of the NC population has either a direct tie or indirect tie to a NC non-custodial family member who sees the struggle they endure within the NC Family Law system and courts. Furthermore, Governor McCrory needs to understand that non-custodial families come from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, political party affiliations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. And, one can clearly see that many WOMEN in non-custodial families are equally hurt in the NC Family Courts unless we bring about reform for the presumption for Equally Shared Parenting.

How You Can Help Send The Message To Governor Pat McCrory That Family Law Reform in NC Is Needed, And That Shared Parenting Is In The Best Interest of Children.

1) Contact the Governor via email and send him to this blog, and be sure to show your support for Fathers and Families Shared Parenting mission: (Coming Soon Once The Newly Elected Governor Has a Website Up)

2) Call Governor McCrory personally and tell him your story as a non-custodial family member: (Coming Soon)

3) Send a message to the Governor on his Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PatMcCroryNC

4) Using Twitter, tweet this blog to the Governor under his Twitter name: @patmccrorync ? Be sure to add the Twitter hashtags #ncleg #ncga and #ncpol to the end of your tweet.

5) Find your local NC Representative and Senator and email them a link to this blog: For House Representatives: http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/memberList.pl?sChamber=House and for State Senators: http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/memberList.pl?sChamber=Senate

6) Extensively share this article on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and other networks.

7) Help Support Fathers and Families: http://www.fathersandfamilies.org/give-a-gift

8) Join Fathers and Families on Facebook

9) If you have a website or blog, please copy and paste the code below into your site to help support Governor Pat McCrory in bringing Equally Shared Parenting and Family Law reform to NC

Ask Governor Pat McCrory To Support Equally Shared Parenting in NC.

Source: http://www.fathersandfamilies.org/2012/11/24/nc-governor-pat-mccrory-family-law-reform-for-shared-parenting/

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The Role of Procurement in the Selection of Outside Counsel

My friend Dr. Silvia Hodges recently asked me to contribute to a book she was compiling and editing, Buying Legal: Procurement Insights and Practice, published by the Ark Group in association with Managing Partner.? The book is a collection of articles from 32 leading authorities discussing the increasing partnership between the corporate legal department and the corporate procurement function to select and manage legal expenses, including outside counsel.? The book is divided into two parts, Section A is designed to benefit outside counsel and Section B is for in-house counsel and procurement professionals.? However, I recommend that anyone involved in the buying or selling of legal services would do well to read the entire book.

The involvement of procurement in the purchasing of legal services is swiftly becoming the ?new normal.? And not just for sourcing low-end, routine or commoditized legal services ? but increasingly for higher-stakes legal work too!?This critical new report will equip law firms and in-house legal and procurement teams with the necessary tools to make these new relationships successful.

It?s packed with original research, case studies, opinion pieces, practical approaches, and checklists that address the key challenges and opportunities that buying and selling legal services creates ? from relationship building and management, to financial and strategic decision-making. Industry leaders, Riverview Law, Wragge & Co LLP, PwC, Dechert LLP, Kennedys Law LLP, Corporate Executive Board, Institute for Supply Management, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Validatum, Vantage Partners LLC, Trusted Advisor Associates and many more provide insightful case studies and advice on key topics, including:

  • Benchmarking the procurement of legal services
  • Pricing and negotiation strategies
  • Bulk buying of legal services
  • Understanding the requirements of the procurement department
  • Successful complex tendering
  • Current trends in the procurement of international legal services
  • Procurement departments? sourcing strategies
  • Building relationships with the CPO
  • The role of procurement in purchasing legal services
  • The positive and negative effects of discounts
  • Top tips for successfully procuring legal services
  • Trusted tactics to get the most from spending on outside services
  • Demonstrating law department value through analytics
  • Using technology to source legal services; and much more

The chapter I submitted is titled ?Why CEOs Love Procurement? and discusses how corporations continually seek a competitive cost advantage.? This is particularly critical in challenging economies or markets when revenues are flat or declining.? A modern CEO doesn?t just look at growing revenue or decreasing overhead, but looks to lower the cost of goods sold and service delivery.? For law firm leaders faced with declining demand, increasing price pressure and competition from above and below, it?s critical to understand the role of procurement in managing a corporation?s expenses.? Lawyers who believe procurement is a euphemism for ?selecting the lowest cost provider? are misguided.? Differentiation on factors other than price are critical, yet most lawyers and most law firms market in ways that are indistinguishable from the competition.? As I wrote a few years ago when I first tackled the role of procurement:? ?A law firm that can demonstrate its prowess in managing to a budget through effective project management, that keeps the client fully informed of any changes to expectations, that staffs appropriately and doesn?t ?overwork? matters or expect clients to subsidize young associate training, is in a better position to present clear, quantifiable evidence of its higher rates.?

You can purchase the book online here or here.

Source: http://www.corcoranlawbizblog.com/2012/11/procurement/

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House to consider limited GOP immigration bill

Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks to reporters after the House Republicans voted for their leadership for the next session of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012. He is flanked by Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., left, and Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., right. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks to reporters after the House Republicans voted for their leadership for the next session of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012. He is flanked by Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., left, and Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., right. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(AP) ? House Republicans still smarting from their poor showing among Hispanics in the presidential election are planning a vote next week on immigration legislation that would both expand visas for foreign science and technology students and make it easier for those with green cards to bring their immediate families to the U.S.

Republican leaders made it clear after the election that the party was ready to get serious about overhauling the nation's dysfunctional immigration system, a top priority for Hispanic communities. Taking up what is called the STEM Jobs Act during the lame-duck session could be seen as a first step in that direction.

The House voted on a STEM bill ? standing for science, technology, engineering and mathematics ? in September, but under a procedure requiring a two-thirds majority. It was defeated, with more than 80 percent of Democrats voting against it, because it offset the increase in visas for high-tech graduates by eliminating another visa program that is available for less-educated foreigners, many from Africa.

Republicans are changing the formula this time by adding a provision long sought by some immigration advocates ? expanding a program that allows the spouses and minor children of people with permanent residence, or green card, to wait in the United States for their own green cards to be granted.

There are some 80,000 of these family-based green cards allocated every year, but there are currently about 322,000 husbands, wives and children waiting in this category and on average people must wait more than two years to be reunited with their families. In that past that wait could be as long as six years.

The House proposal would allow family members to come to the U.S. one year after they apply for their green cards, but they wouldn't be able to work until they actually got the card. It applies to the families of green card holders who marry after getting their residency permits.

Bruce Morrison, a former Democratic congressman from Connecticut who chaired the House immigration subcommittee and authored a 1990 immigration law, said the bill neither increases the number of green cards nor gives people green cards early. But people "get the most important benefit of being able to live legally in the United States with their spouses."

Morrison, an immigration policy lobbyist who advocates for groups such as American Families United, called the bill a stepping-stone to more comprehensive immigration reform, That Republicans initiated it "to me is a positive gesture that they want to do business on this subject," he said

Megan Whittemore, spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., a key proponent of the STEM Act, said the bill is "family friendly, helping spouses and minor children who would otherwise be separated from their families for extended periods of time."

The bill will be taken up this time under normal procedures requiring only a majority vote, and it is almost certain to pass the Republican-led House. It remains to be seen whether it will engender enough Democratic support to give it momentum as it heads to the Democratic-controlled Senate.

It would give 55,000 green cards a year to doctoral and masters graduates in the STEM fields. The measure, strongly backed by U.S. high-tech companies, would make it easier for people trained in the United States to put their skills to work for American companies rather than non-American competitors.

But the legislation would still eliminate the Diversity Visa Lottery Program which gives out a similar 55,000 green cards a year to those from countries, including many in Africa, with traditionally low rates of immigration to the U.S. That prompted the House's Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus to all come out against it in September.

The three caucuses said Republicans were trying to increase legal immigration for people they want by ending immigration for people they don't want.

Crystal Williams, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said the bill is a message from Republicans that "we are here and we are ready to talk about immigration reform."

But she said she doubted it will make much progress in the Senate during the short lame-duck session. People "are now starting to think about broader reform," she said, adding that a limited bill that doesn't increase visas won't get a lot of support.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-11-24-Congress-Immigration/id-f12bd84b52e44dbda627749aa8738c74

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Lawsuit against Madonna dismissed in Russia

FILE - U.S. singer Madonna performs during her concert at concert Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia, in this Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 file photo. A Russian court has dismissed a lawsuit that sought millions of dollars in damages from Madonna for allegedly traumatizing minors by speaking up for gay rights during a concert in St. Petersburg. (AP Photo/ Olga Maltseva, File)

FILE - U.S. singer Madonna performs during her concert at concert Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia, in this Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 file photo. A Russian court has dismissed a lawsuit that sought millions of dollars in damages from Madonna for allegedly traumatizing minors by speaking up for gay rights during a concert in St. Petersburg. (AP Photo/ Olga Maltseva, File)

Plaintiffs present video of a Madonna concert during a court hearing in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. The court is considering an appeal by Russian activists who claimed that Madonna was promoting homosexuality in violation of a local law. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

(AP) ? A Russian court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit that sought millions of dollars in damages from Madonna for allegedly traumatizing minors by speaking up for gay rights during a concert in St. Petersburg.

The ruling came after a one-day hearing that bordered on the farcical. During it, plaintiffs claimed that Madonna's so-called "propaganda of perversion" would negatively affect Russia's birthrate and erode the nation's defense capability by depriving the country of future soldiers. At one point, the judge threatened to expel journalists from the courtroom if they laughed too much.

In the end, the Moskovsky district court in St. Petersburg threw out the Trade Union of Russian Citizens' lawsuit and the 333 million rubles ($10.7 million) it sought from the singer for allegedly exposing youths to "homosexual propaganda."

Madonna did not attend the trial, and her publicist Liz Rosenberg said Thursday the star wouldn't comment about it.

Anti-gay sentiment is strong in Russia, particularly in St. Petersburg, where local legislators passed a law in February that made it illegal to promote homosexuality to minors. Six months later, Madonna criticized the law on Facebook, then stood up for gay rights during a concert in St. Petersburg that drew fans as young as 12.

"Who will children grow up to be if they hear about the equal rights of the lesbian lobby and manly love with traditional sexual relations?" one of the plaintiffs, Darya Dedova, testified Thursday. "The death rate prevails over the birth rate in the West; young guys are becoming gender neutral."

The plaintiffs submitted evidence about gay culture drawn from Wikipedia pages, claiming that a real encyclopedia could not have articles about homosexuality.

"We aren't against homosexual people, but we are against the propaganda of perversion among minors," Dedova told the court. "We want to defend the values of a traditional family, which are currently in crisis in this country. Madonna violated our laws and she should be punished."

Madonna, who performed in Moscow and St. Petersburg in August as part of her world tour, also angered Russian officials by supporting jailed members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot. The American said during her Moscow concert that she would "pray for them," then turned around so the audience could see the words "Pussy Riot" written on her back. The singer also donned a ski mask similar to those worn by Pussy Riot.

Despite international outrage, three of that band's members were sentenced to two years in jail on hooliganism charges for performing a "punk prayer" at Moscow's main cathedral, during which they pleaded with the Virgin Mary to deliver Russia from President Vladimir Putin. One of the Pussy Riot members was later released from jail on appeal, but the other two were sent to prison camps to serve their sentences.

___

Seddon reported from Moscow.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-11-22-Russia-Madonna-Trial/id-7972d832b5994847ae71d27941f6f88e

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Early Adopter: Build This Knock Hockey Table

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 5/10
AGES: 8+
BUILD TIME: 2 Hours
PARTS COST: About $40

PARTS/CUT LIST


? One 2 x 4?foot piece of smooth ?-inch plywood (base); the project shown here uses birch, but you may choose to use maple or even pine, provided the surface is level and uniform
? 2 pieces of 1 x 4 pine, 48 inches long (long rails)
? 2 pieces of 1 x 4 pine, 25? inches long (short rails; the arched goals will be cut out of these rails)
? Two 3?-inch squares of 1 x 4 pine; these are cut in half diagonally to form the corner bumpers
? Two 1?-inch squares cut from 1 x 4 pine (goal blocks)
? One 2?-inch-diameter circular piece cut from 1 x 4 pine (puck)
? Two 12-inch-long pieces of 1 x 4 pine cut to desired shape and size for hockey sticks

PREP THE BASE, CUT OUT THE GOALS, AND ATTACH ONE SHORT RAIL


1. Use fine (120-grit) sandpaper to smooth out any sharp edges or corners on the base. Prime the top, bottom, and sides with latex paint and let dry. Add two light coats of colored gloss paint to one side of the base and let dry. We chose a bright blue spray paint. You may opt for a brush or roller; just be sure that the finishing coat is uniform so that the playing surface is slick.

2. On the center of the face of each short rail, make marks ? inch from the bottom and 1 inch from the top. Place additional marks 2? inches on either side of the bottom-center spot. Draw a line connecting the three marks along the bottom of each short rail, and then freehand an arc connecting the ends of that line with the top-center mark. These are the goal outlines. Drill ?-inch pilot holes at the end of each line, then cut out the goals.

3. Apply beads of wood glue along the bottom of the inside face of one short rail and along one short edge of the base. Center and press the rail against the base. Drill two 1/16-inch pilot holes about 2 inches from the outer edges of the goal, ? inch from the bottom of the rail. Drive 1?-inch 4d galvanized nails into the pilot holes.

ATTACH THE LONG RAILS, SECOND SHORT RAIL, AND CORNER BUMPERS


1.Apply beads of glue to the bottom and one end of one long rail, and to the edge of the short rail protruding to the side of the base. Press the long rail against the base and the short rail. Drill four pilot holes through the rail into the base. Add three more pilot holes vertically along the edge of the short rail into the end of the long rail. Nail the long rail into place. Repeat on the other side.

2.Attach the second short rail, using the same method as above. Glue the corner bumpers into the corners.

AFFIX THE GOAL BLOCKS, AND PAINT THE BLUE LINES


1. Mark a spot 9 inches from each short rail, on center with the goal. Apply glue to the bottom of each goal block, and place one corner flush with each spot. Drill two ?-inch pilot holes through each block into the base, and drive a ?-inch No. 8 screw into each hole.

2. Make two marks 18 inches from each short rail, and mask off a ?-inch space to the side of each mark. Paint, let dry, remove tape.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/toys/early-adopter-build-this-knock-hockey-table-14774066?src=rss

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Small Business Saturday Los Angeles: Our Favorite Gift Shops ...

After you're done stampeding the big box stores for Black Friday, consider showing some love to LA's mom-and-pops on Small Business Saturday -- American Express' push for folks to "shop small" and support local businesses during the holiday season.

In support of Small Business Saturday (and your gift list), we're highlighting our favorite boutiques around town. These stores cover everyone from on-trend fashionistas to gourmands to globetrotters, so finish eating those leftovers and pound the pavement in search of the perfect present!

  • For Trendy Friends

    Clare Vivier 3339 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90026 <strong>Hours</strong>: Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

  • For Gourmands

    Silverlake Cheese Store 3926 West Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90029 <strong>Hours</strong>: Mon - Sat (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.), Sun (11 a.m. - 5 p.m.)

  • For Globe Trotters

    Flight 001 8321 W. 3rd Street Los Angeles, CA 90048 <strong>Hours</strong>: Mon ? Sat (11a.m. ? 6 p.m.), Sun (11 a.m. ? 5 p.m.)

  • For The Host

    Short Cake 6333 W. 3rd St. Stall #316 Los Angeles, CA 90036 <strong>Hours</strong>: Mon - Sat (8 a.m. - 9 p.m.), Sun (8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.)

  • For Style Mavens

    Jonathan Adler 8125 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046 <strong>Hours</strong>: Mon ? Fri (10 a.m. ? 7 p.m.), Sat (10 a.m. ? 6 p.m.) and Sun (Noon - 5 p.m.)

  • For Dapper Gents

    Brightwell 2876 Rowena Ave Los Angeles, CA 90039 <strong>Hours</strong>: Weds - Sun (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.)

  • For The Whole Family

    Lost + Found 6320 Yucca Street Los Angeles, CA 90028 <strong>Hours</strong>: Mon - Sat (10 a.m. ? 6 p.m.)

  • For Bohemians

    Baltic Crossroads 3929 Fountain Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029 <strong>Hours:</strong> Mon - Sun (11 a.m. - 7 p.m.)

  • For Home Makers

    DL Rhein 3303 Motor Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90034 <strong>Hours:</strong> Mon - Fri (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.), Sat (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.)

  • For Paper Plane Makers

    Urbanic Paper 1644 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice, CA 90291 <strong>Hours:</strong> Mon - Sat (10 a.m. - 7p.m.), Sun (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.)

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/23/small-business-saturday-los-angeles_n_2177742.html

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