SAfrican official: Mandela better from pneumonia

FILE - In this Wednesday, July 18, 2012 file photo, former South African President Nelson Mandela as he celebrates his 94th birthday with family in Qunu, South Africa. A South African official says Mandela is breathing "without difficulty" after having a procedure to clear fluid in his lung area that was caused by pneumonia. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, July 18, 2012 file photo, former South African President Nelson Mandela as he celebrates his 94th birthday with family in Qunu, South Africa. A South African official says Mandela is breathing "without difficulty" after having a procedure to clear fluid in his lung area that was caused by pneumonia. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam, File)

Children look through a fence at a portrait of former president Nelson Mandela in a Park in Soweto, South Africa, Thursday, March, 28, 2013. 94-year-old Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, has been hit by a lung infection again and is in a hospital, the presidency said. Mandela, has become increasingly frail in recent years and has been hospitalized several times in recent months, including earlier this month when he underwent what authorities said was a scheduled medical test. The Nobel laureate is a revered figure in South Africa, which has honored his legacy of reconciliation by naming buildings and other places after him and printing his image on national banknotes. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

A worshipper atop a hill overlooking Johannesburg offers Good Friday prayers and prayers for the quick recovery of former president Nelson Mandela Friday, March 29, 2013. A lung infection that has plagued Nelson Mandela has struck again, prompting doctors to admit the 94-year-old former president to a hospital late at night. The presidency said Friday that Mandela was making "steady progress" during hospital care. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

Worshippers atop a hill overlooking Johannesburg offer Good Friday prayers and prayers for the quick recovery of former president Nelson Mandela Friday, March 29, 2013. A lung infection that has plagued Nelson Mandela has struck again, prompting doctors to admit the 94-year-old former president to a hospital late at night. The presidency said Friday that Mandela was making "steady progress" during hospital care. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

A child stands in front of a portrait of former president Nelson Mandela in a Park in Soweto, South Africa, Thursday, March, 28, 2013. 94-year-old Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, has been hit by a lung infection again and is in a hospital, the presidency said. Mandela, has become increasingly frail in recent years and has been hospitalized several times in recent months, including earlier this month when he underwent what authorities said was a scheduled medical test. The Nobel laureate is a revered figure in South Africa, which has honored his legacy of reconciliation by naming buildings and other places after him and printing his image on national banknotes. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? Nelson Mandela is breathing "without difficulty" after having a procedure to clear fluid in his lung area that was caused by pneumonia, the spokesman for South Africa's president said Saturday.

Mandela, the 94-year-old former president and anti-apartheid leader, had a recurrence of pneumonia, said presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj. South African officials had previously not specified that Mandela had pneumonia, saying instead that he had a lung infection.

Mandela's medical team reported that the increasingly frail ex-leader "had developed a pleural effusion which was tapped," the office of President Jacob Zuma said in a statement. "This has resulted in him now being able to breathe without difficulty. He continues to respond to treatment and is comfortable."

Pleural effusion is a buildup of fluid around the lung that can make it harder to breath. Doctors usually drain it with a tube.

The president's office thanked all who have prayed for Mandela and his family and have sent messages of support. Well-wishers included Kazempe Tambala, a street vendor in the Johannesburg township of Soweto.

"He's still our hero," Tambala said. "We wish him all the best. Get well soon, Mandela! We still love you here in Soweto."

Mandela was admitted to a hospital near midnight Wednesday night in the capital, Pretoria. It was his third trip to a hospital since December, when he was treated for a lung infection and also had a procedure to remove gallstones. Earlier this month, he spent a night in a hospital for what officials said was a scheduled medical test.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been particularly vulnerable to respiratory problems since contracting tuberculosis during his 27-year imprisonment for fighting white racist rule in his country.

The elderly are especially vulnerable to pneumonia, which can be fatal. Its symptoms include fever, chills, a cough, chest pain and shortness of breath. Many germs cause pneumonia.

Many South Africans are including Mandela in their prayers on the Easter weekend, and spokesman Maharaj said expressions of concern have poured in from around the world. On Thursday, President Barack Obama said he was worried about Mandela's health, but noted he was as strong physically as he has been in leadership and character.

Mandela became South Africa's first black president in 1994 after elections were held, bringing an end to the system of white racist rule known as apartheid. After his release from prison in 1990, Mandela was widely credited with averting even greater bloodshed by helping the country in the transition to democratic rule.

Zuma's office has said doctors were acting with extreme caution because of the Mandela's advanced age.

Mandela is a revered figure in his homeland, which has named buildings and many other places after him and uses his image on national bank notes. He is also seen around the world as a symbol of reconciliation.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-30-AF-South-Africa-Mandela/id-67cbbfe870dc40d6a73ef3f7e2a31aae

Fred Willard Emmy nominations 2012 Ramadan 2012 Michelle Jenneke batman Colorado Shooting News joe paterno

Crowdfunding Investing

Wouldn?t you like to have been Brian Epstein, discovering the Beatles?? Or one of the original investors who backed George Lucas? first Star Wars movie?? That would be quite the return on your investment, wouldn?t you say?

Well soon you could be one of the early discoverers of the next music superstar, or an early financier behind the next movie blockbuster, or a part-owner of the next social media craze? and share in their enormous profits.

Artists and entrepreneurs around the world?in all disciplines from music to film to art to video game design to publishing to technology?are bursting with talent that will sadly go to waste if they rely on traditional funding.

Recording companies, movie studios, banks, venture capital firms, and angel investors simply do not have enough money to back all the pitches they receive.? They have to be selective, picking only the cream of the crop.

Yet those who are escorted back out still have talent and ideas worthy of development.? Well, now there has arisen a new form of fundraising that is reaching out to struggling startups looking for their big break.? And just about anyone can become a backer for almost any amount they choose to invest.

The concept is called ?crowdfunding?, and it is rapidly gaining attention as a legitimate liaise between startups and financial backers.

As Hongkiat.com succinctly defines it, ?Crowdfunding ? is a funding method where common people ... the crowd ? fund your personal or business project with their own money.?

This is more than your simple donation petition.? ?The main difference between crowdfunding and donation,? the site explains, ?is that crowdfunding is tied to the American JOBS act that allows online sales of small stock to a huge pool of investors, although the act has not been passed yet.?

?The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, passed [by Congress] almost a year ago,? elaborates the San Francisco Chronicle, ?will let privately held companies sell up to $1 million a year in unregistered stock to mom-and-pop investors using the Internet and social media. But they can't start until the SEC completes the regulations.?

Selling stock or part-ownership in a project or business is essential to attracting financing. ?Under current regulations, the only ways to do this are to either go public and issue shares on an exchange?which is hugely prohibitive financially?or to sell shares to accredited, high-net worth individuals.? A private company or individual is not permitted to sell shares to the general public at large? currently, that is.

Well this is what the SEC is looking into: new regulations to permit an individual or private company to sell stock publicly to anyone.

But the SEC needs to find a comfortable degree of regulation here.? Under-regulation could send out an open invitation to misrepresentation and outright fraud, while over-regulation will close the door on far too many business hopefuls, defeating the entire purpose for which crowdfunding has arisen in the first place.

The San Francisco Chronicle chronicles some key points under consideration?

? ?The crowdfunding provision creates an exemption that will let companies sell up to $1 million in unregistered stock every 12 months to an unlimited number of investors who need not be accredited.

? ?The transaction must go through an intermediary, either a broker or a funding portal. The intermediary must register with the SEC and a self-regulatory organization, make sure investors understand the risks and conduct a background check on the company's officers, directors and large shareholders. They are also supposed to make sure investors don't exceed their investing limit.

? ?The most one person can invest in all crowdfunded securities combined in one year is:

- The greater of $2,000 or 5 percent of annual income or net worth (excluding a home) if the person's annual gross income or net worth is less than $100,000, or

- 10 percent of annual income or net worth, up to $100,000, if the person's income or net worth is at least $100,000.?

Although crowdfunding is not permitted just yet, there are already many crowdfunding portals actively accepting registration as a fundee looking for financing or as a funder offering financing.

Stay on top of the hottest investment ideas before they hit Wall Street. Sign up for the Wealth Daily newsletter below. You'll also get our free report, Wealth Daily's 2013 Gold Outlook.

As one such portal?iCrowd?puts it:

?? you will not be able to invest until then.? [But] that doesn't mean that iCrowd is closed off to you. ?You can use this time to review small companies, understand what makes them tick, and provide advice--especially if you have an expertise of use to the business.? How many opportunities do you have today to make such a difference??

Indeed, the majority of crowdfunding sites offer a good deal more to investors than just the prospect of joint-ownership in the project of their choosing. They also offer the opportunity to provide expert advice in whatever capacity they are adept.

?The power of this collective knowledge is awesome!,? exclaims iCrowd.? ?Become a contributor and add your own thoughts and ideas to discussions about potential investments. Provide answers to questions from the iCrowd community. Join an Advisory Board to offer your advice. Ask your own questions to understand more about investing.?

Ultimately, crowdfunding is more of a collective incubation program where experts and investors can meet promising new talent in any category?from the arts, to technology research and development, to new business start-ups.? And you control the degree to which you become involved, from simple investor to coach and guide.

Indeed.? Once the soon-to-be SEC regulation is in place, the discoverer of the next superstar talent or ground-breaking enterprise just might be you.

Joseph Cafariello

Media / Interview Requests? Click Here.

Source: http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/crowdfunding-investing/4046

deer antler spray

Google Maps updated with Contacts search, faster local search

Google Maps has recieved it?s first updated since its launch in December. Version 1.1 includes Google Contacts search, improved local search, and the choice between miles and kilometers for distance units. The English language version of the app is now available the following countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.

Google Contacts search allows you to search for a friend?s name and have their address appear in your search if you have thier address saved. You will be taken to that address on the map when you tap their name. Search has been improved with the addition of quick search icons. Tapping the search bar will cause the app to display icons for restaurants, coffee, bars, and gas stations. Tap the right-most icon to be given more quick searches. Tapping your chosen icon will automatically take you to a nearby establishment.

The update is live on the App Store. Grab it and let us know what you think.

Source: Google Maps blog

• Free - Download Now

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/TNtW4MRREWo/story01.htm

hossa the cell dickclark gavin degraw gavin degraw

DOE: Budget cuts may slow nuclear waste cleanup

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Cleanup of radioactive waste at nuclear sites across the country ? including one in Washington state where waste tanks may be leaking 1,000 gallons per year ? would be delayed under automatic spending cuts set to take effect Friday.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu says the cuts would delay work at the department's highest-risk sites, including the Hanford Nuclear Reservation near Richland, Wash., where six tanks are leaking radioactive waste left over from decades of plutonium production for nuclear weapons.

It was not clear Thursday whether cleanup of the leaking tanks would be affected by the spending cuts. Overall cleanup efforts at Hanford ? one of the nation's most contaminated sites ? would be curtailed, Energy Department spokesman Dan Leistikow said.

A report by Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee said more than 1,000 mostly private workers at Hanford could be furloughed. Hanford and other Energy Department defense sites where radioactive waste is stored would be forced to suspend or delay cleanup activities and even shut down some facilities, the report said.

At Hanford, the retrieval of radioactive waste from leak-prone underground tanks would be delayed, the report said.

The federal government built the Hanford facility at the height of World War II as part of the Manhattan Project, which built the atomic bomb. The site, along the Columbia River, holds at least 53 million gallons of highly radioactive waste ? enough to fill dozens of Olympic-size swimming pools. Many of the tanks are known to have leaked in the past. An estimated 1 million gallons of radioactive liquid already leaked there.

Other high-risk sites facing work delays are the Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee, Savannah River Site in South Carolina and the Idaho National Laboratory.

The Energy Department is facing an estimated $1.9 billion in spending cuts, including about $400 million for the Office of Environmental Management, which oversees the cleanup at Hanford and other former military sites.

The automatic cuts also would slice $900 million from the National Nuclear Security Administration, which is responsible for maintaining and securing the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile.

The agency's acting administrator said more than 5,000 private contractors and about 1,800 agency workers could be furloughed under the program cuts, which are scheduled to take effect Friday unless the White House and Congress can come to a budget agreement.

The spending cuts would affect all aspects of the agency's work, acting administrator Neile Miller told Congress this month. That includes "the safety and security of the (nuclear) stockpile, the facilities that maintain that stockpile, and the people and processes that provide the nuclear forces that provide us all with security," she said.

Specifically, the cuts could force furloughs of more than 600 mostly private workers at the Pantex plant in Texas, where excess nuclear weapons are dismantled, and 1,000 mostly contract workers at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where a break-in last year by three anti-nuclear protesters ? including an 82-year-old nun ? raised questions about the NNSA's oversight of private contractors. The agency announced in January that a new contractor has been hired to manage nuclear weapons facilities at the Tennessee and Texas sites.

Furloughs and 10 percent salary cuts also are likely at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab in California. A memo to employees from lab director Parney Albright called the cuts "unfortunate," but said the furloughs and salary cuts would allow the lab "to maintain continuous business operations and, especially, safe operations in an environment of unpredictable staffing."

__

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/doe-budget-cuts-may-slow-nuclear-waste-cleanup-000909111--politics.html

aubrey huff the killers julianne hough brandy michael pineda charles taylor bruins