Fleetwood Mac Tickets Take Off Online at BuyAnySeat.com

Tickets to Fleetwood Mac’s upcoming 34-city North American Tour are creating traffic spikes in search traffic online for seats, said Felina Martinez at ticket marketplace BuyAnySeat.com. The tour kicks off April 4, 2013 in Columbus, Ohio and is the band’s first trek since 2009.

Denver, CO (PRWEB) December 22, 2012
It’s hard to believe that it has been 45 years since Fleetwood Mac’s first album, and 35 years since they band released their best-selling Rumours album, which has sold over 20 million copies in the U.S. to date.
But like other iconic 60’s bands lately, Fleetwood Mac is heading back out on the road again. The group’s 34-city North American tour kicks off April 4, 2013 in Columbus, Ohio. The tour stops in numerous cities including New York, Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The trek’s final concert is slated for June 12, 2013 in Detroit.
“Internet traffic for Fleetwood Mac tickets has been spiking,” said Felina Martinez at online ticket marketplace BuyAnySeat.com. “Part of this surge of new traffic may be related to the Holiday season and gift giving, but we believe it’s also due to the band’s legions of loyal followers of all ages around the globe.”
“Since Fleetwood Mac fans span all nationalities and age groups from pre-teens to those in their 70’s and 80’s, we’re proud to be able to offer buyers a complete selection of Fleetwood Mac tickets, with a worry-free guarantee to protect their purchase,” said Martinez.
“To access the continuously updated selection of tickets we have available, fans can go to BuyAnySeat.com and search for Fleetwood Mac – then select their tickets,” said Martinez.
Fleetwood Mac is a British-American rock band formed in London in 1967 by Peter Green, who had been playing in the blues band John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. He named the band in an attempt to entice Mick Fleetwood and John McVie to join him. While Fleetwood joined right away, McVie did not join for several weeks.
After years of member additions and departures, and tumultuous times within the band, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the group – and the band finally found mainstream success with the 1975 release of a second self-titled album. The album became the band's first number one album in any country and their first multiplatinum album. This newfound success was repeated two years later with Rumours, which has become their best selling album thus far.
The next two albums, Tusk and Mirage, were not as successful as Rumours, despite an 18-month worldwide promotional tour. The albums still reached number four and number one respectively, and both reached double-platinum status.
The album Tango in the Night was released in 1987 and became the band’s best-selling album since Rumours, and ranked 3x platinum in the U.S. and 8x platinum in the U.K. The 90’s decade was one of limited success for the band, with the two albums released failing to chart very high in the U.S. The band's fortunes improved again with the release of the 1997 live album The Dance, which reached number one in the U.S. and 5x platinum status. The band also saw a modest success with 2003's Say You Will. (Sources: Official Website, fleetwoodmac.com and Wikipedia.com)
Both Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham released solo albums and toured last year. The band itself hasn’t released an album since 2003, but did tour together in 2009. Insiders say Christine McVie unfortunately will not be joining the tour this time. But for fans, there’s always hope.

Read More..

iPhone and iPad Affiliates Program Launched by iGearUnlimited

Leading online iPhone and iPad case maker iGearUnlimited is generating buzz with an affiliate program through Share-A-Sale. With two-tier commissions of 15% and 30%, it’s believed to be one of the most generous in the marketplace.

Chicago, USA (PRWEB) December 22, 2012
Internet companies often use independent sales people known as affiliates to help spread the word and generate sales. The best affiliate programs are those offering a popular product line along with a generous commission structure. With iGear’s very popular iPhone and iPad cases and with two-tier commission rates, its program is shaping up to be one of the most promising around.
iGear’s signature products include custom printed and laser engraved iPhone and iPad cases. Recognized as a leader in the industry, iGear uses only the best and the most advanced UV flatbed printing technology. iGear phone cases feature high resolution printing, vibrant colors, no peeling, and no fading. iGear is a G7-certified Master Printer, ensuring extremely accurate and consistent color. The company’s custom iPad cases have won accolades from various review sites, and is touted to be the world’s most perfect case for Apple’s iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, and iPad Mini.
Other products include the company’s Racer bamboo case. Made of 100% solid bamboo, the Racer protects all sides and all corners of the iPhone 5, offering super-lightweight protection with an extremely thin profile. A new laser engraving option on the bamboo case allows customers to personalize the phone case with their own artwork. iGear also offers probably the only 3D laser etching technology available on the market, allowing customers to engrave 3-dimensional artwork using grayscale images.
The iPhone Tough Case is considered to be the most rugged case for iPhone 4, 4S, and 5 — it has even protected an iPhone 5 from a 32-foot free fall to a concrete driveway, while the phone keeps recording video the whole time. The company’s iPad Mini Portfolio Case is among the first cases available on the market, and offers simple, elegant protection at an economical price.
iGear’s new affiliate program is provided by Share-A-Sale.com, one of the most recognized names in Internet affiliate management, ensuring accurate sales tracking and timely commission payments. The two-tier structure allows affiliates to make direct sales to earn a generous 15% commission, and at the same time recruit additional affiliates to greatly increase their reach with a 30% commission on the down-line’s earnings.
“We’d like to richly reward the affiliates who bring us sales...” says Jimmy Sun, president of iGearUnlimited. “Our affiliates are always proud to showcase some of the best and most popular products in the industry while earning a generous commission.”
Interested affiliates are encouraged to visit iGear’s affiliates details page at iGearUnlimited.com. With just a few steps, affiliates can sign up with Share-a-sale.com and start earning commissions.
About iGearUnlimited.com

iGearUnlimited.com is powered by Sunrise Digital, an Inc. 5000 company established in 1988 and employs the most advanced equipment and technology, such as G7-certified HP Indigo and UV flatbed presses, laser engraving, and digital die-cutting, to create best-in-class color printing, P.O.P. retail displays, and signage products. A privately-owned enterprise, the company is based in Chicago and sells products worldwide.

Read More..

LG unveils gorgeous new HDTV models with Google TV 3.0

Google TV 1.0 and Google TV 2.0 haven’t drawn much attention in the marketplace at this point, but that won’t stop Google TV 3.0-packing HDTVs from swarming the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada next month. LG (066570) is among the first to take the wraps off of new televisions with the third major iteration of Google’s (GOOG) software baked in, and it will be bringing 42-, 47-, 50-, 55- and 60-inch models to CES 2013 next month.
[More from BGR: Sprint salesman refuses to sell iPhone to customer, says his ‘fingers are too fat’ to use it]
Split into two lines — GA7900 and GA6400 — the sets feature ultra-thin bezels surrounding LG’s vivid display panels along with a new stand, integrated OnLive gaming and a redesigned Magic Remote with an integrated QWERTY keypad.
[More from BGR: First photos of BlackBerry 10 ‘N-Series’ QWERTY smartphone leak]
“LG is committed to providing diverse home entertainment options that offer the most satisfying user experience and the latest LG Smart TVs with Google TV do just that,” CEO of LG Electronics’ home entertainment business Havis Kwon said. “They deliver a stellar user experience by merging the latest Google TV platform with LG’s proven Smart TV technology. The result is a comprehensive system that is groundbreaking in its simplicity.”
LG’s full press release follows below.
LG Expands Google TV Line-Up For 2013
To Be Introduced at CES 2013, Seven New Models to Offer Most User-friendly Way to Search and Discover Amazing Content
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Dec. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Building on the success of its Smart TVs with Google TV, LG Electronics (LG) is expanding its 2013 Google TV lineup to seven models in five screen sizes for 2013 – including premium models featuring LG’s popular CINEMA SCREEN design, the company announced today.
The extended LG Google TV lineup, which will be officially introduced at next month’s 2013 International CES® in Las Vegas, encompasses two model series (GA7900 and GA6400) designed to deliver an outstandingly intuitive user experience, various sizes and new design to better meet consumers’ expectations.
Google’s latest platform and LG’s redesigned Magic Qwerty Remote work together to enhance the effectiveness of Voice Search and the PrimeTime quick guide. The updated Home Dashboard also adds to the user experience by offering convenient, streamlined access to premium video on-demand, such as HBO GO, content from YouTube and more apps*. Discovering exciting new content from the rich pool of choices available on LG Google TV has never been easier. Additionally, the premium models will incorporate LG’s advanced CINEMA SCREEN design for an undeniably sleek and modern finish.
“LG is committed to providing diverse home entertainment options that offer the most satisfying user experience and the latest LG Smart TVs with Google TV do just that,” said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of the LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. “They deliver a stellar user experience by merging the latest Google TV platform with LG’s proven Smart TV technology. The result is a comprehensive system that is groundbreaking in its simplicity.”
LG Google TV aims to redefine the user experience. The new Home Dashboard offers varied types of “cards” that act as folders to display apps and other content. The new “My Interest” Card can even display useful information including real-time weather and customizable news.
The entire user interface can be navigated using the redesigned Magic Qwerty Remote, which combines a complete keyboard with the convenient benefits of the Magic Remote’s point-and-click control. The enhanced natural language recognition incorporated in the revamped remote is a perfect match with Google’s outstanding search functionality so that broadcast TV or Internet content can be found with only one vocal command. Consumers can use search terms like “romantic comedy” to get results.  Consumers can also tell it to switch to a specific channel number, station or website with one voice command, eliminating extra scrolling and controller clicking. The overall voice-based capabilities multiply the effectiveness of the PrimeTime quick guide to provide an ultimate user experience and make browsing through the more than 100,000 available movies and TV episodes on LG Google TV a breeze.
The LG Smart TV with Google TV offers superb connectivity options and can connect to a variety of devices wirelessly. The latest YouTube app update for Android, smart phones and tablets can be automatically paired with Google TV over the same home network via Wi-Fi, making it easy to send videos from your device to your TV with just the touch of one button.  Gamers will be pleased to know that LG Google TV will offer the OnLive® app pre-installed, which transforms the TV into an incredible gaming platform without the need for a separate console. The app makes hundreds of high quality video games available instantly from the cloud.
The embedded dual core CPU enables easy menu navigation, fast Internet browsing and video streaming. The additional processor power allows the TruPicture XD Engine to process images more quickly and precisely, resulting in richer colors, deeper contrast and greater overall picture clarity. Also offering CINEMA 3D TV functionality, the LG Google TV employs FPR technology to give movie buffs and gamers a great 3D effect.
The GA6400 series will be available in 42-, 47-, 50-, 55- and 60-inch class screen sizes (42.0-, 47.0-, 50.0-, 55.6- and 59.8-inch diagonals, respectively).  LG applied its CINEMA SCREEN design to its 2013 premium GA7900 series (47- and 55-inch class screen sizes) to offer a sleek, modern look for discerning consumers who want the Google experience, but don’t want to sacrifice on aesthetics. This design further minimizes width of the bezel, giving the TV a streamlined appearance while creating the impression of a borderless display. Along with the LG Google TV’s unique stand design, it integrates perfectly with interior design of a living room.
*Smart TV devices include HDTVs, Blu-ray Disc Players and Network Home Theater Systems. Internet connection and certain subscriptions required and sold separately. Content and services vary by product and are subject to change without notice.
*For a small percentage of the population, the viewing of stereoscopic 3D video may cause discomfort such as dizziness or nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms, discontinue using the 3D functionality and contact your health care provider.
*Designs, features and specifications subject to change without notice.

Read More..

Verdant Analysis Announces Financial Analysis Marketplace

Investment Technology Company, Verdant Analysis, Announces Marketplace for Portfolios, Analysis Models and Financial Models

(PRWEB) December 26, 2012
Verdant Analysis, developer of financial modeling and investment analysis software will be launching its Verdasis Marketplace in early 2013.
Verdant Analysis currently lets users build portfolios of U.S. and Canadian publicly traded securities and to analyze them using analysis templates. Users build the templates, which can contain an unlimited number of financial statement line items.
When the template is applied to the portfolio, the user exports the results to excel or Google docs and then builds financial ratios, regressions and equations.
Starting in early 2013, Verdant Analysis will begin rolling out the Verdasis Marketplace, a platform to allow users to buy and sell portfolios, analysis models and financial models.
Analysis Models are similar to Analysis Templates in that they produce financial ratios, regressions and equations. However, where the user must build Analysis Templates themselves, Analysis Models give the user the final result without the need to specify line items and perform mathematical operations on a spreadsheet.
Financial Models are composed of multiple Analysis Models.
“We’ve always allowed users to build sophisticated models and apply them to multiple securities at once,” says Jennifer Cameron, CEO. “The Verdasis Marketplace will accelerate the process of financial analysis, stock screening and financial modeling, with a price point low enough to allow users to continually refine and develop their investment techniques.”
“If someone has built a proprietary financial model that utilizes several sheets, dozens of mathematical computations and hundreds of data points, it likely requires maintenance and maybe subject to breakage. Hard-coding it into an analysis or financial model makes a lot of sense as it can be used over and over with multiple securities without having to enter new data every time and with no loss of integrity.”
The company will also custom design portfolios, analysis models and financial models for use in the Verdant system.
The first iteration of the Verdasis Marketplace will permit users to buy Portfolios, Analysis Models and Financial Models. Eventually the company will open up the marketplace for users to sell their portfolios and models.
“We envision a true marketplace that brings together many buyers and sellers,” says Cameron. “We believe the creative insight of our users will make the Verdasis Marketplace truly dynamic.”
About Verdant Analysis (http://www.verdasis.com)

Verdant Analysis develops investment technology for users performing fundamental analysis and macro-economic quantitative analysis. Our mission is to help investors and financial professionals obtain superior insight into North American public companies, with the outcome of improved financial or investment decision making.

Read More..

Introducing TicketHurry - A Safe, New Way to Buy Tickets Online

Online shoppers can breathe easy, TicketHurry is a safe, low-priced marketplace for tickets to any event.

(PRWEB) December 26, 2012
Everyone has heard the news stories: “concert ‘A’ has sold out within a matter of seconds, demand is sky high!” These headlines seem dire but never again should fans lose hope in seeing their favorite performers live. Even when Ticketmaster and the local box office are sold out, TicketHurry has consumers covered. Reports almost never highlight those sources as only being a slice of the concert pie, which means crazed fans can buy up the stock almost immediately. TicketHurry collects tickets from a wide assortment of official ticket brokers, offering the seats that were unavailable at the box office. However ticket shopping can be confusing, and a common question among first-time buyers is “is it safe?”
To that question they may receive opposing answers but each are easily debunked. The world can be a dangerous place, so yes, sometimes websites are scams that should not be trusted. Fortunately websites take time to build, so in many cases the validity of a business can be discerned by the effort put into the website - which will seem obvious at first glance. Most ticket-selling marketplaces are completely legit and professional, and even offer protection against any complications with the event purchase. If you ever run into any problems with a ticket purchased through TicketHurry, they will investigate it and issue a full refund. The tickets will typically arrive by mail, or give the option to print and go; just as is standard from Ticketmaster. This should alleviate concerns for ticket buyers, who can now rest easy knowing they won't miss their favorite artists. Most major events that have been announced as sold out from the box office are still available, with tickets just waiting for a new home!

Read More..

Volunteers track Santa's progress, answer calls

Most of the thousands of children who call the annual Santa-tracking operation at a Colorado Air Force Base on Christmas Eve ask the usual questions: "Where's Santa, and when will he get here?"
So volunteer Sara Berghoff was caught off-guard Monday when a child called to see if Santa could be especially kind this year to the families affected by the Connecticut school shooting.
"I'm from Newtown, Connecticut, where the shooting was," she remembers the child asking. "Is it possible that Santa can bring extra presents so I can deliver them to the families that lost kids?"
Sara, just 13 herself, was surprised but gathered her thoughts quickly. "If I can get ahold of him, I'll try to get the message to him," she told the child.
Sara was one of hundreds of volunteers at NORAD Tracks Santa who answered more than 88,000 calls by Monday evening, program spokeswoman Marisa Novobilski said.
First lady Michelle Obama, who is spending the holidays with her family in Hawaii, also joined in answering calls as she has in recent years. She spent about 30 minutes talking with children from across the country.
The calls into NORAD this year were on pace to exceed last year's record of 107,000.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint U.S.-Canada command responsible for protecting the skies over both nations, tracks Santa from its home at Peterson Air Force Base.
NORAD and its predecessor have been fielding Christmas Eve phone calls from children — and a few adults — since 1955. That's when a newspaper ad listed the wrong phone number for kids to call Santa. Callers ended up getting the Continental Air Defense Command, which later became NORAD. CONAD commanders played along, and the ritual has been repeated every year since.
After 57 years, NORAD can predict what most kids will ask. Its 11-page playbook for volunteers includes a list of nearly 20 questions and answers, including how old is Santa (at least 16 centuries) and has Santa ever crashed into anything (no).
But kids still manage to ask the unexpected, including, "Does Santa leave presents for dogs?"
A sampling of anecdotes from the program this year:
___
THE REAL DEAL: A young boy called to ask if Santa was real.
Air Force Maj. Jamie Humphries, who took the call, said, "I'm 37 years old, and I believe in Santa, and if you believe in him as well, then he must be real."
The boy turned from the phone and yelled to others in the room, "I told you guys he was real!"
___
DON'T WORRY, HE'LL FIND YOU: Glenn Barr took a call from a 10-year-old who wasn't sure if he would be sleeping at his mom's house or his dad's and was worried about whether Santa would find him.
"I told him Santa would know where he was and not to worry," Barr said.
Another child asked if he was on the nice list or the naughty list.
"That's a closely guarded secret, and only Santa knows," Barr replied.
___
TOYS IN HEAVEN: A young boy who called from Missouri asked when Santa would drop off toys in heaven.
His mother got on the line and explained to Jennifer Eckels, who took the call, that the boy's younger sister died this year.
"He kept saying 'in heaven,'" Eckels said. She told him, "I think Santa headed there first thing."
___
BEST OF: Choice questions and comments wound up posted on a flip chart.
"Big sister wanted to add her 3-year-old brother to the naughty list," one read.
"Are there police elves?" said another.
"How much to adopt one of Santa's reindeer?"
____
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR: NORAD got calls from 220 countries and territories last year, and non-English-speakers called this year as well.
Volunteers who speak other languages get green Santa hats and a placard listing their languages so organizers can find them quickly.
"Need a Spanish speaker!" one organizer called as he rushed out of one of three phone rooms.
___
HE KNOWS WHEN YOU'RE AWAKE: At NORAD's suggestion, volunteers often tell callers that Santa won't drop off the presents until all the kids in the home are asleep.
"Ohhhhhhh," said an 8-year-old from Illinois, as if trying to digest a brand-new fact.
"I'm going to be asleep by 4 o'clock," said a child from Virginia.
"Thank you so much for that information," said a grateful mom from Michigan.
___
CHRISTMAS EVE IN AFGHANISTAN: Five U.S. service personnel answered calls from Afghanistan for about 90 minutes through a conferencing hookup.
"They had a great time," said Novobilski, the program spokeswoman.
NORAD wanted to set up a call center in Afghanistan but that proved too complex, she said.
___
HEY, MR. ELF: "Mr. Elf," said one caller, "This is Adam, and I've been really good this year."
___
FOR GEARHEADS: For people who want to know the specs of Santa's sleigh, NORAD offers a trove of tidbits, including:
Weight at takeoff: 75,000 GD (gumdrops).
Propulsion: 9 RP (reindeer power).
Fuel: Hay, oats and carrots (for reindeer).
Emissions: Classified.

Read More..

Lawmakers play waiting game with 'fiscal cliff' deadline in sight

With only a week left before a deadline for the United States to go over a "fiscal cliff," lawmakers played a waiting game on Monday in the hope that someone will produce a plan to avoid harsh budget cuts and higher taxes for most Americans from New Year's Day.
Though Republicans and Democrats have spent the better part of a year describing a plunge off the cliff as a looming catastrophe, the nation's capital showed no outward signs of worry, let alone impending calamity.
The White House has set up shop in Hawaii, where President Barack Obama is vacationing.
The Capitol was deserted and the Treasury Department - which would have to do a lot of last-minute number-crunching with or without a deal - was closed.
So were all other federal government offices, with Obama having followed a tradition of declaring the Monday before a Tuesday Christmas a holiday for government employees, notwithstanding the approaching fiscal cliff.
Expectations for some 11th-hour rescue focused largely on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, in part because he has performed the role of legislative wizard in previous stalemates.
But McConnell, who is up for re-election in 2014, was shunning the role this year, his spokesman saying that it was now up to the Democrats in the Senate to make the next move.
"We don't yet know what Senator Reid will bring to the floor. He is not negotiating with us and the president is out of town," said McConnell's spokesman, referring to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat. "So I just don't know what they're going to do over there," he said.
Two-day-old tweets on leadership websites told the story insofar as it was visible to the public.
House Speaker John Boehner's referred everyone to McConnell. McConnell's tweet passed the responsibility along to Obama, saying it was a "moment that calls for presidential leadership."
Reid's tweet said: "There will be very serious consequences for millions of families if Congress fails to act" on the cliff.
The next session of the Senate is set for Thursday, but the issues presented by across-the-board tax hikes and indiscriminate reductions in government spending, were not on the calendar.
The House has nothing on its schedule for the week, but members have been told they could be called back at 48 hours notice, making a Thursday return a theoretical possibility.
However, aides to the Republican leaders in Congress said there were no talks with Democrats on Monday and none scheduled after negotiations fell off track last week when Boehner failed to persuade House Republicans to accept tax increases on incomes of more than $1 million a year.
"Nothing new, Merry Christmas," an aide to Boehner responded when asked if there was any movement on the fiscal cliff.
But a senior Obama administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said White House aides were talking with Senate Democratic staffers about the situation.
SCALED-BACK EXPECTATIONS
If there is some last-minute legislation, Republicans and Democrats agreed on Sunday news shows that it will not be any sort of "grand bargain" encompassing taxes and spending cuts, but most likely a short-term deal putting everything off for a few weeks or months, thereby risking a negative market reaction.
A limited agreement would still need bipartisan support, as Obama has said he would veto a bill that does not raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans.
On Monday, Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison urged fellow Republicans to be flexible.
"We're now at a point where we're not going to get what we think is right for our economy and our country because we don't control government. So we've got to work within the system we have," she told MSNBC.
Two bills in Congress could conceivably form the basis for a last-minute stopgap measure.
Last spring, Republicans in the House passed a measure that would extend Bush-era tax cuts for everyone, reflecting the party's deep reluctance to increase taxes.
The Democratic-controlled Senate passed a bill in August, extending lower tax rates for everyone except the wealthiest Americans - a group defined at that point as households with a net income of $250,000 or above. Obama has since increased that to $400,000 a year, in an effort to win Republican support.
Analysts say Democrats might be able to get the backing of enough Republicans in both the House and Senate, especially if they are willing to raise the number to $500,000.
Under that scenario, lawmakers might also put off spending cuts of $109 billion that would take effect from January and agree to Republican demands for cuts in entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, the government-run health insurance plans for seniors and the poor.
However, with only a few work days left in Congress after Christmas, there is a good chance that no deal can be worked out and tax rates would then go up, at least briefly, until an agreement is reached in Washington.
"We may go off the cliff on January 1, but we would correct that very quickly thereafter," Democratic Representative John Yarmuth told MSNBC.
The prospects of the United States going over the fiscal cliff dampened enthusiasm on Wall Street for a "Santa rally" in the holiday season, when stocks traditionally rise.
The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 51.76 points, or 0.39 percent, in Monday's shortened holiday session.
Failure to work out tax rates in the coming days would cause chaos at the Internal Revenue Service, said analyst Chris Krueger of Guggenheim Securities.
"Next weekend is going to be a total, total debacle," he said. The IRS is unlikely to have enough time to revise its tables for withholding taxes.
"The withholding tables are sort of like an aircraft carrier, you can't turn the thing on a dime." he said.

Read More..

Bush spokesman says former president will spend Christmas in hospital after developing fever

Former President George H.W. Bush will spend Christmas in a Texas hospital after developing a fever and weakness following a monthlong, bronchitis-like cough, his spokesman said Monday.
A hospital spokesman had said the 88-year-old would be released in time to spend the holiday at home, but that changed after Bush developed a fever.
"He's had a few setbacks. Late last week, he had a few low-energy days followed by a low-grade fever," Jim McGrath, Bush's spokesman, told The Associated Press. "Doctors still say they are cautiously optimistic, but every time they get over one thing, another thing pops up."
He said the cough that initially brought Bush to the hospital on Nov. 23 is now evident only about once a day, and the fever appears to be under control, although doctors are still working to get the right balance in Bush's medications. No discharge date has been set.
"Given his current condition, doctors just want to hang on to him," McGrath said. He didn't know what had caused the fever.
Bush's son, George W. Bush, the 43rd president, has been among the visitors at the hospital.
Being in the hospital for such a long time has not been easy for Bush, who is accustomed to being active, McGrath said. But the president has said he's determined "not to get grumpy about it."
"He's just the most relentlessly positive person," McGrath said, and "he does enjoy joking with the nurses."

Read More..

Venezuela's Chavez improving after surgery: officials

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is improving after a cancer operation in Cuba and has started exercising, officials said on Monday, amid doubts over whether the former soldier is in good enough health to continue governing.
Vice President Nicolas Maduro said he had spoken by phone with Chavez, who was walking and doing exercises as part of his treatment.
"We've gotten the best present we could get this Christmas: a phone call from our commander president," Maduro said on state television.
Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said earlier in the day that Chavez had "shown a slight improvement in his condition," without providing details.
Chavez has not been heard from in two weeks following a fourth operation for an unspecified type of cancer in the pelvic region. The government has said he suffered post-operatory complications including unexpected bleeding and a lung infection, but offered few details about his actual condition.
His death, or even his resignation for health reasons, would upend the politics of the South American OPEC nation where his personalized brand of oil-financed socialism has made him a hero to the poor but a pariah to critics who call him a dictator.
His allies are now openly discussing the possibility that he may not be back in time to be sworn in for his third six-year term on the constitutionally mandated date of January 10.
Opposition leaders say a delay to his taking power would be another signal that Chavez is not in condition to govern and that fresh elections should be called to choose his replacement.
They believe they have a better shot against Maduro, Chavez's anointed successor, than against the charismatic president who for 14 years has been nearly invincible at the ballot box.
But a constitutional dispute over succession could lead to a messy transition toward a post-Chavez era.
Maduro has become the government's main figurehead in the president's absence. His speeches have mimicked Chavez's bombastic style that mixes historical references with acid insults of adversaries.
Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who lost to Chavez in the October presidential vote, slammed Maduro in an interview published on Sunday for failing to seek dialogue with the opposition at a time of political uncertainty.
"Maduro is not the one that won the elections, nor is he the leader," Capriles told the local El Universal newspaper. "Because Chavez is absent, this is precisely the time that (Maduro) needs help from people (in the opposition camp)."
Chavez has vastly expanded presidential powers and built a near-cult following among millions of poor Venezuelans, who love his feisty language and social welfare projects.
The opposition is smarting from this month's governors elections in which Chavez allies won 20 of 23 states. They are trying to keep attention focused on day-to-day problems from rampant crime to power outages.

Read More..

Netflix says video streaming service hit by outage

Families across the United States will have to rely on other sources of entertainment after Netflix's video streaming service was hit by a Christmas Eve outage.
The company based in Los Gatos, Calif., apologized in a company tweet for the outage Monday night.
The company says on its Twitter page that the outage was caused by "some of Amazon's cloud infrastructure." Netflix says it was working with Amazon engineers to restore the outage, which a company spokesman told the Wall Street Journal stretched "across the Americas."
Attempts to reach Netflix by The Associated Press were unsuccessful.

Read More..