Netflix asks Congress to amend video legislation

WASHINGTON?? Netflix on Tuesday urged a panel of U.S. senators to support legislation that it said would allow the company's U.S. users to share information on Facebook about the TV shows and movies they are watching through Netflix's service.

The movie provider launched a Facebook application last year that makes recommendations for users based on the Netflix viewing habits of their friends also using the social networking site. But the app was not offered to Netflix's U.S. subscribers.

"Unfortunately, we have not elected to offer our Facebook application in the United States because of ambiguities in the Video Privacy Protection Act," the company's general counsel David Hyman told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on privacy, technology and the law on Tuesday.

The two-decades old law prohibits video providers like Blockbuster from disclosing consumers' video rental information without written consent. Legislators pushed for the law after Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork's video rental records were published in a newspaper during his failed confirmation hearings in 1987.

Netflix has argued that it is unclear under the law whether consumers can give ongoing consent to have information about the movies and TV shows they instantly watch shared.

"The friction that this ambiguity creates places a drag on social video innovation that is not present in any other medium, including music, books and even news articles," Hyman told lawmakers.

Netflix backed legislation introduced by Representative Bob Goodlatte that would amend the law to allow consumers to opt-in on an ongoing basis to share their TV and movie viewing history without needing to consent every time the information is shared. The bill passed the House of Representatives last December in a 303-116 vote.

But Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said the bill could gut an otherwise model privacy law, and argued that Netflix's claim that the law prevented integration with Facebook was false.

"It's not just the friends of that individual to whom the specific movie viewing will be disclosed. It's also to Netflix business partners and it's also potentially to law enforcement," Rotenberg said of the House bill's broader implications.

Lawmakers also took issue with how the House bill would amend the Video Privacy Protection Act.

Senator Patrick Leahy, lead author of the 1988-enacted law, characterized the House action as "dominant corporate interests (enticing) a check off in order to receive what may seem like a fun new app or service."

"A one-time check off that has the effect of an all-time surrender of privacy does not seem to me the best course for consumers," he said at the hearing.

Senator Al Franken, chair of the subcommittee which held the hearing, criticized the House bill as it would undo consumers' ability to give case-by-case permission to video companies about what they do and don't want shared.

He also expressed a need for any updates to the law to include language that makes it clear that video streaming histories are covered under the Act, not just rentals of VHS tapes, DVDs and similar materials.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46212362/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

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Women are better at parking than men

By msnbc.com staff and wire

After years of enduring sexist jokes and taunts from their male counterparts, women drivers can finally take heart -- a new study suggests they?re actually better at parking than men.

Covert surveillance of car parks across the United Kingdom shows that, while women may take longer to park, they are more adept than men at maneuvering into a parking space, and when they park they are more?likely to leave their vehicles in the middle of a parking bay.

The month-long study, conducted by the U.K.?s National Car Parks, was carried out amongst 2,500 drivers and looked at various aspects of parking -- including technique, accuracy and time taken to park -- in order to produce a ?parking coefficient? -- an overall score of how well a driver parks.

The overall score for women drivers was higher than for male drivers. Women also fared better when it came to finding empty spaces, were more accurate in lining themselves up before starting a parking maneuver, and were more likely to use a driving instructor?s favored method of reversing into a parking spot.

?Women fared better in many areas of the scoring,? the report said. ?This is despite the fact that, when questioned about their beliefs, only one fifth (18%) thought they were better parkers than men and less than a third (28%) of women believed they were better parkers than their partners.?

What do you think? Are women better at parking? Share your thoughts on Facebook.

Related:

Insurance study: Women are better drivers than men?

{"contentId":"10271872","totalVotes":"10"}

Which gender is better at parking?

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Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10271872-women-are-better-at-parking-than-men-study-suggests

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U.S. Border officer fires gun in skirmish, possibly (Reuters)

TUCSON, Ariz (Reuters) ? A U.S. Border Patrol agent fired a gun while breaking up a drug-smuggling attempt on the Arizona-Mexico border, authorities said on Tuesday, possibly injuring at least one person in Mexico.

The incident occurred on Monday morning close to the border fence in Nogales, Arizona, the Border Patrol's Tucson sector said in a statement.

"A Border Patrol agent fired a service weapon east of Nogales while responding to illegal narcotics activity. Authorities are investigating claims that at least one subject was injured," the statement said.

It added that local, federal and international authorities were investigating the incident in the city, which flanks the namesake city of Nogales, in Mexico's northern Sonora state.

Manuel Johnson, a special agent with the FBI's Phoenix field office, said the incident was being treated as an assault on a federal officer.

Calls to Nogales Police Department seeking further details were not immediately returned on Tuesday.

The Nogales International newspaper cited Nogales Police Chief Jeffrey Kirkham saying he was told the Border Patrol agent fired in self defense after being pelted with rocks.

The newspaper said police in Nogales, Mexico, told a local radio station there that they had interviewed a man being treated for gunshot wounds to the abdomen and left forearm at the city's hospital.

Frustrated by tighter security on the U.S.-Mexico border, illegal immigrants and drug traffickers regularly pelt U.S. agents with rocks and other missiles.

Last January, a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Nogales was involved in a shooting that resulted in the death of a teenage boy trying to cross illegally into Arizona.

(Reporting By Tim Gaynor; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Greg McCune)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mexico/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120131/us_nm/us_arizona_border

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Kuwait opposition seeks gains in new parliament

In this Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 photo, a Kuwaiti woman gestures during an election rally at candidate Mohammed Al Sagr's campaign head quarters in Sulaibikhat, Kuwait. Almost 300 liberal, Islamist and independent hopefuls are running in Thursday's snap elections called after parliament was dissolved for the fourth time in less than six years. (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari)

In this Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 photo, a Kuwaiti woman gestures during an election rally at candidate Mohammed Al Sagr's campaign head quarters in Sulaibikhat, Kuwait. Almost 300 liberal, Islamist and independent hopefuls are running in Thursday's snap elections called after parliament was dissolved for the fourth time in less than six years. (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari)

In this Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 photo, Kuwaiti candidate Mohammed Al Sagr gives a speech during a rally at his campaign headquarters in Sulaibikhat, Kuwait. Almost 300 liberal, Islamist and independent hopefuls are running in Thursday's snap elections called after parliament was dissolved for the fourth time in less than six years. (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari)

In this Sunday, January 29, 2012 photo Kuwaiti candidate Mishari Al Azemi gives a speech at his campaign headquarters in Feiha, Kuwait. Almost 300 liberal, Islamist and independent hopefuls are running in Thursday's snap elections called after parliament was dissolved for the fourth time in less than six years. (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari)

KUWAIT CITY (AP) ? Kuwait is heading into elections in much the same combative style that gripped the last parliament: Opposition groups pressing for even a bigger voice against the nation's Western-allied rulers and domestic tensions running so high that one group torched the campaign tent of a rival.

Thursday's voting for the 50-seat assembly ? one of the most outspoken elected bodies in the Gulf ? will test how much Kuwait's ruling family and its backers can hold back a growing array of challengers, including hard-line Islamists and young liberals inspired by the Arab Spring.

An expected strong showing by opposition groups also could bring major distractions for Kuwait's leadership as the nation regains its role as the main base for American ground troops in the Gulf following the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq last year.

Although Kuwait's key government posts are firmly in the hands of the ruling Al Sabah family, the country's parliament stands out in the Gulf as one of the few elected groups that openly confront the leadership over issues such as cronyism, free expression and alleged corruption.

Kuwait's emir, Sheik Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, dissolved parliament and called elections in December after months of political showdowns that included opposition lawmakers demanding to question the prime minister over an alleged payoff scandal and protests that culminated in anti-government mobs storming parliament.

About 400,000 Kuwaitis are registered to vote in what will be the first parliamentary election since May 2009. The more than 280 candidates include 23 women, including re-election bids by four lawmakers who were the first women in the assembly. Pro-government lawmakers had a slight edge in the last parliament.

Opposition groups have gained strength in recent years over claims that Kuwait's rulers have tried to muzzle dissident voices, and complaints that the country has failed to keep pace with the Gulf powerhouses Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in the past decade.

Kuwait's tensions have roots years before the Arab Spring protests, but factions such as Kuwait's Fifth Fence movement have drawn encouragement from the push for reforms and more accountability from officials around the region.

In late November, the emir selected Defense Minister Sheik Jaber Al Hamad Al Sabah as the new prime minister, replacing the long-serving Sheik Nasser Al Mohammad Al Sabah. He had survived several no-confidence votes in parliament, but was the target of a growing campaign for his dismissal over allegations that government officials funneled payoffs to bank accounts outside the country.

"Despite the wealth of the country, Kuwait has been witnessing a decline in the quality of services and government operations," said Kuwait-based political analyst Shafiq Ghabra. "The youth today are aware, and they are adamant on building the nation. If they are dissatisfied with the performance of the parliament, they will make their opinion heard."

The campaign has taken on increasingly bitter tones as Kuwait's powerful tribes jockey for position.

On Monday, thousands of angry members of the al-Mutairi tribe burned down a tent that served as headquarters of candidate Mohammad al-Juwaihel after he allegedly insulted the tribe in a televised speech.

Al-Juwaihel has alleged that many tribes are not "true Kuwaitis" because of ancestral roots in Saudi Arabia that allow them to obtain dual citizenship and have access to the cradle-to-grave welfare systems of both countries.

Hundreds of protesters believed linked to the al-Mutairi stormed the building of private Watan TV early Wednesday during a debate that included an ally of Al-Jawaihel. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

In recent weeks, riot police also have clashed with protesters who claim Kuwait is depriving them of citizenship and rights. The rallies defied orders by authorities to halt the demonstrations, which are led by descendants of desert nomads who are considered stateless by Kuwait. They seek access to the oil-rich nation's extensive benefits such as free health care and state jobs. The stateless residents can't vote.

The U.S. military plans to boost the number of troops stationed in Kuwait following the pullout of American forces in Iraq in December.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-02-01-ML-Kuwait-Election/id-0aed3841c4ae4f94824f800497fb9542

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Justin Bieber Set To Host 'Saturday Night Live'?

Photo: Getty

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678151/justin-bieber-set-host-saturday-night-live.jhtml

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Eurozone unemployment ends 2011 at record high (AP)

BRUSSELS ? Unemployment in the 17-nation eurozone ended 2011 at 10.4 percent, a new record high for the single currency since its launch at the start of 1999, official figures showed Tuesday.

Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, said the rate in December was unchanged, as November's was revised upwards from a previous estimate of 10.3 percent.

Unemployment has been steadily rising over the past year ? in December 2010, it stood at 9.5 percent ? largely becaues of Europe's debt crisis.

The biggest increases over 2011 were recorded in Greece, Cyprus and Spain. All three, to various degrees, have had to impose tough austerity measures ? such as public sector layoffs and spending cuts ? in an effort to regain investor confidence lost during the crisis.

The agency said just under 16.5 million people were unemployed in the eurozone, up 751,000 on the year before.

The highest unemployment rate remains in Spain, where 22.9 percent of the working population were without work, though Greece is nearing with 19.2 percent rate. The lowest rate in the eurozone is Austria's 4.1 percent.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_economy

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Stock futures slip as Germany, Greece wrangle over budget (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Stock index futures fell on Monday as concerns grew about the state of Europe's finances as Greece and Germany sparred over budget measures for Athens.

Bank stocks led the way lower after a report that Germany was pushing for Greece to give up control over its budget policy to European institutions as part of discussions over a second bailout package.

The issues in Greece added to uncertainty ahead of a Monday summit where European Union leaders will sign off on a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone. The leaders are expected to agree on a balanced budget rule in national legislation.

While sentiment has improved over the euro zone lately, with the S&P 500 up 4.7 percent this month, many investors still view the region with caution as setbacks in solving its sovereign debt issues could hamper international economic growth and erode domestic bank profits.

"The inability of Greece and Germany to agree on a budget deal increases the likelihood that Greece will have to leave the euro zone, an event that would be a shock to the system," said Oliver Pursche, president at Gary Goldberg Financial Services in Suffern, New York.

"In addition, while we could still rally on good news, the recent GDP data was disappointing and earnings have been mixed."

U.S.-listed shares of Barclays Plc (BCS.N) fell 3.2 percent to $13.64, and Deutsche Bank (DB.N) sank 4.8 percent to $42.47. European shares were down 0.7 percent while an index of European banks (.SX7P) lost 2.6 percent.

Standard & Poor's late Friday issued negative ratings on three brokerage firms, including Jefferies Group Inc (JEF.N), citing the impact of a prolonged crisis in Europe.

S&P 500 futures fell 8.7 points and were below fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures lost 79 points and Nasdaq 100 futures sank 16 points.

Issues in Europe have taken a backseat to the focus on corporate earnings in recent weeks. So far a majority of companies have topped analyst consensus expectations, though by a lower rate than previous quarters.

Gannett Co (GCI.N) and McKesson Corp (MCK.N) are scheduled to report Monday, with Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) and Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) on tap for later this week.

Swiss engineering group ABB (ABBN.VX) agreed to buy U.S. electrical components maker Thomas & Betts Corp (TNB.N) for $3.9 billion in cash, sending shares of the company up 22 percent to $70.87 in premarket trading.

Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) is shaking up the leadership of its investment bank as it looks to find its footing in a difficult market environment. The stock fell 2 percent in premarket trading.

Economic indicators on tap for Monday include December personal income and consumption data, as well as a measure of U.S. Midwest manufacturing. Income is seen rising 0.4 percent after a 0.1 percent rise in November, and consumption is forecast to rise 0.1 percent from November.

U.S. stocks trimmed losses to end little changed on Friday, as investors saw dips in the market as an opportunity to buy into what has been a strong first month of 2012.

(Editing by Padraic Cassidy)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/bs_nm/us_markets_stocks

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