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Friday, December 7, 2012

Military Drones Prowl US Skies

Military drones used to track terrorists or insurgents in Afghanistan have also been flying across the U.S. homeland. Newly released documents show U.S. drone flights by the Air Force, Marine Corps and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for the first time.

The Air Force has tested drones in U.S. skies ranging from hand-launched Ravens to the larger Reaper drones responsible for targeting and killing people overseas ? all recorded through the Federal Aviation Administration licenses required to fly in national airspace. That information became public through a Freedom of Information Act request from the nonprofit digital rights organization Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

"The FAA recently announced it wants to slow down drone integration into U.S. skies due to privacy concerns," the EFF said. "We are hopeful this indicates the agency is finally changing its views."

But the advocacy organization noted that the FAA documents don't show any oversight of how drone flights could affect the privacy and civil liberties of Americans.

The advocates run a U.S. drone census that aims to track drone flights made in the homeland by the U.S. military, law enforcement agencies, local police departments and universities. Part of that effort has involved requesting the FAA to release documents showing what agencies and organizations applied for licenses to fly drones in U.S. national airspace.

Drones flown by the Air Force near places such as Virginia Beach, Va., have the cameras and sensors to track moving ground targets for hours at a time. The Reaper drone capable of both spying on people and firing missiles at them has spent much of its time prowling the skies above Nevada, California and Utah. [Rise of the Drones: Photos of Unmanned Aircraft]

Some Air Force operators have even practiced surveillance missions they might carry out in Afghanistan by tracking civilian cars on the highways, according to a New York Times report.

The Air Force proved the most accommodating by allowing the related FAA records to go public. The Marine Corps chose to redact so much material from the records that the EFF had a difficult time figuring out the Marines' drone programs.

On the civilian side, the drone records show how many U.S. law enforcement agencies want to use drones for spying on drug activities in the war on drugs.? But some police departments ? specifically the Orange County, Fla., sheriff's department and Mesa County, Colo., sheriff ? chose to withhold some or most of the information about drone flights by claiming that public information could threaten their police work.

The FAA released the new batch of documents more than a year and a half after the EFF filed its Freedom of Information Act request, but has yet to release more than half of the available drone records. The EFF called that "unacceptable."

"Before the public can properly assess privacy issues raised by drone flights, it must have access to the FAA's records as a whole," the EFF said.

This story was provided by TechNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow TechNewsDaily on Twitter @TechNewsDaily, or on Facebook.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/military-drones-prowl-us-skies-204238872.html

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China Warns Vietnam on Oil Exploration

BEIJING ? China on Thursday demanded that Vietnam stop unilateral oil and gas activity in a naval area claimed by both nations, after a spat between the two countries flared up earlier this week.

The state-run Vietnam Oil & Gas Group said Monday that two Chinese fishing vessels cut the cables of a Vietnamese vessel doing seismic oil exploration work in the South China Sea.

"We cannot accept Vietnam's statements," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hong Lei said at a news briefing Thursday, according to a transcript posted on the ministry's website.

"According to our initial understanding...the incident occurred between Vietnam and China's Hainan island in overlapping sovereign waters of the two countries. The Chinese fishing vessels were engaged in ordinary fishing activities, and were unreasonably dispelled by Vietnamese navy ships," he said.

"Vietnam should stop its unilateral oil and gas activities in this area, and stop interfering with Chinese ships," Mr. Hong said.
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Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

Source: http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/122616/China_Warns_Vietnam_on_Oil_Exploration?rss=true

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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Can Murder Be Tracked Like An Infectious Disease?

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Can Murder Be Tracked Like An Infectious Disease?
A study in Newark, N.J., found that homicides committed over a quarter century spread out very much like an infectious disease epidemic. Using this information, cities might be able to predict when and where murders will occur.

Source: NPR
Posted on: Thursday, Dec 06, 2012, 8:24am
Views: 0

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125733/Can_Murder_Be_Tracked_Like_An_Infectious_Disease_

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A Brief Guide To Snoring Relief - Health Care

It?s hard to find information about reducing snoring, because it?s not something that people tend to talk about. This is the best article for anyone who wants to stop snoring!

In order to cut down on snoring, keep your head up while sleeping. Make sure your head gets adequate support by lying on a firm, thick pillow. You could also stack a couple of pillows together. Snoring will be less likely when you keep your head elevated and thus increase the amount of air you take in.

One way to combat snoring is to sleep on your side. Snoring is known to increase when sufferers sleep on their back. Stomach sleeping is not comfortable normally, as this places undue stress on the neck. Sleep on your side to help open up your breathing, which can reduce snoring.

Exercise Helps

You need to exercise if you want to reduce the amount of snoring that takes place throughout the night. Exercise helps to make your breathing more regular and may help prevent snoring. The exercise helps in two ways. Your stress is reduced, and your breathing system is kept in tip-top shape. High levels of stress can also alter your breathing patterns and increase the likelihood that you will snore.

Perhaps an internal nasal dilator would reduce your snoring. Nasal based snoring can be a headache for certain people. It fits into your nasal passage and keeps it open through the night. For people who have this specific condition, this can ease the snoring problem.

If you are plagued by snoring problems, see if you can make some changes to when you eat. Going to bed on a full stomach can lead to snoring. You should not eat foods that are too rich or too many dairy products, as they can increase the amount of mucus that builds up in your body. Also, a good remedy to help soothe your throat right before bedtime is to drink a little bit of tea with honey.

One good way to prevent snoring is to inquire at your pharmacy about over-the-counter snoring remedies. Prescription medications also exist, but they are usually more expensive than over-the-counter treatments. These medications reduce swelling in the nasal passages, and treat other factors that affect your breathing, as well.

Dairy Products

To help stop you from snoring while you sleep, you should not eat any dairy products right before bedtime. The reason dairy products should be avoided is that they cause you to produce mucus that facilities your snoring. The dairy that produces mucus may cause your airways to be blocked, which could lead to excessive snoring.

Snoring can cause a myriad number of health problems. This causes the brain to become deprived of oxygen causing high blood-pressure. This can cause damage to the carotid arteries, adds to plaque formation throughout the arteries that carry oxygen to the brain and can lead to stroke. Even if the risk is small, this is still a compelling reason to treat your snoring.

Try not to fall asleep in a supine position. This sleeping position can result in your throat relaxing and the soft palate to descend. As a result, you end up snoring more. If you are someone who snores, then the best possible position to prevent this is by sleeping on your side. Nevertheless, any position other than the back is better.

Keeping your weight under control is an important factor in avoiding snoring. While body weight does not always play a role in snoring, excess fat in the neck can place more pressure on your airways, which contributes to snoring. If you are even a few pounds overweight, this may be the culprit.

This article has offered you many different possibilities for you to reduce your snoring, and you should feel confident you are going to succeed. Use what you?ve learned from the tips above, and you?ll experience a noticeable improvement in your snoring very quickly.

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Source: http://www.healthcarecenteradvice.com/2012/12/05/restful-sleep-a-brief-guide-to-snoring-relief/

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Netflix shares rise on optimism about Disney deal

This combination of AP file photos shows the Walt Disney logo in Burbank, Calif. on June 2, 2006, and Netflix's headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif., on March 20, 2012. Netflix shares have been on a magical ride since Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, when the company announced a deal that puts some Disney staples in its library immediately, and will allow Netflix to show the studio's movies shortly after they leave theaters in several years. (AP Photo/File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Netflix this week may have found in Disney the happiest place on earth. Shares have been on a magical ride since Tuesday when the company announced a deal that puts some Disney staples in its library immediately, and will allow Netflix to show the studio's movies shortly after they leave theaters in several years.

THE SPARK: The multi-year licensing agreement announced this week is a breakthrough for Netflix as it tries to secure more exclusive programming for its popular service that streams video over high-speed Internet connections. The Los Gatos, Calif., company will better be able to compete with traditional pay-TV channels such as HBO, Starz and Showtime.

THE BIG PICTURE: Under the agreement, Netflix's streaming service gets the exclusive U.S. rights to offer Disney's movies during the period normally reserved for pay-TV channels. That period typically starts about seven months after movies leave theaters. The subscription service can then usually show the movies for an 18-month stretch.

Starz, which failed to renew its deal with Disney, retains the rights to all Disney movies released in theaters through 2015, with Netflix picking them up on films released in 2016 and beyond. Disney's direct-to-video movies will come to Netflix next year, while classic films will be released to Netflix immediately.

The deal marks the first time that one of Hollywood's major studios has sold first-run rights to Netflix instead of a premium TV network. But the privilege comes at a hefty price. Financial terms weren't disclosed, but analysts estimate that Netflix will pay Disney more than $350 million annually.

The cost of the deal will require Netflix to accelerate its subscriber growth or consider raising its prices ? something that management vowed not to do after rankling customers with rate hikes last year. And CEO Reed Hasting seems committed to landing compelling movies and TV shows to attract more customers, rather than taking that risk again.

THE ANALYSIS: Stifel Nicolaus analyst George Askew backed his "Hold" rating for the stock, calling the move a "bold step."

"Exclusive content will strengthen Netflix' subscription business model and we applaud the company for this action," Askew wrote.

In order to justify the estimated price tag, Askew believes Netflix will need to add an additional 3.7 million new annual U.S. subscribers, up from about 25 million today, which will be tough and could put the company's profitability at risk.

Caris & Co.'s David Miller was less optimistic and cut his rating for Netflix shares to "Below Average" from "Average." With the on-demand part of the deal not taking effect until 2016, he questioned whether it will do much to boost the company's subscriber growth over the next two years.

Just over two years ago, Netflix shares were pushing toward $300. On Monday, before the deal was announced, Neflix shares could be had for $76.

THE SHARES: Up nearly 3.4 percent, or $2.80, to close Thursday at $86.17. Shares are at a seven-month high.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-12-06-US-Netflix-Mover/id-943c92a695854e86a4e1d4b919789068

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Indexes Nudge Down, as do Many Housing Stocks | Daily Business ...

Wrangling in Washington over the impending fiscal cliff once again stifled U.S. stocks as the three major indexes ended below the break even line. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped -0.1 percent, -13.82 points, ending the day at 12,951.78. The Nasdaq moved down -0.18 percent, -5.51 points, to close at 2,996.69, while the S&P nudged down -0.17 percent, -2.41 points, to close at 1,407.05. The Yahoo! Finance Manufactured Housing Composite moved down -0.12 percent to close at 1197.4. Housing stocks we track closed mixed or even. Universal Forest Products, Inc. gained the most of tracked stocks, +1.69%, +0.62, to close at 37.16. Deer Valley fell the most of tracked stocks, losing -4.62%, -0.03, to close at 0.61. Affiliated Managers Group 127.44 -0.86 -0.64 percent. Cavco Industries 50.04 -0.02 (-0.04%). Clayton Homes, Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, as well as MH home-building, lending and other housing suppliers parent company Berkshire Hathaway 130,890 -1,000. (-0.76%). Champion, Liberty Homes, and Palm Harbor all remained unchanged. Drew Industries 31.96 +0.16 (+0.50%). Equity LifeStyle Properties 66.20 +0.26 (+0.39%). Louisiana Pacific Industries 17.34 +0.10 (+0.78%). Nobility Homes remained unchanged at 5.50. Patrick Industries 16.40 -0.59 (-3.72%). Skyline Corp. 3.90 -0.07 (-1.76%). Sun Communities, Inc. 39.58 -0.32 (-0.80%). Third Avenue Value Fund (Dec. 3) 49.15 -0.03 (-0.06%). UMH 10.18 +0.03 (+0.30%).

(Graphic credit: CNNMoney and RealTick)

Source: http://www.mhmarketingsalesmanagement.com/blogs/daily-business-news/indexes-nudge-down-as-do-many-housing-stocks/

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Legitimate Debt Relief Programs Best Settlement Company Reviews

www.unitedfinancialrelief.com

Sounds too good to be true, right? A program that can reduce your debt, give you a lower monthly payment, and resolve your debt in a few short years? Sign me up for three of those! It does, however, beg the obvious question, is Debt Settlement a Scam? The answer; no, Debt Settlement, like Bankruptcy or Credit Counseling, is one of many legitimate debt relief programs used to help people in a financial hardship. In fact, for people who are struggling with credit card payments, it can be the most necessary and helpful debt relief program available. So why does something so beneficial have some asking, is Debt Settlement a Scam? Debt Settlement is not the best option for everyone, and it?s the responsibility of the Debt Settlement company that reviews your situation to make sure you are right for the program. Then, it is necessary for them to review both the positive and negative attributes of a Debt Settlement program. It is also crucial they don?t exaggerate what results you will see when in the program.

Settlement Percentages:

The national average Debt Settlement companies are able to achieve in a settlement hovers around 50%. If a company quotes you a settlement percentage lower than this figure, they?re likely attempting to fabricate numbers in an effort to enroll you in their program. In addition, settlement percentages are partly based on your personal creditor mix (the specific creditors you owe). Therefore, a critical step in the process is to evaluate your creditors and how much is owed. For example, United Financial Relief categorizes each creditor and gives legitimate estimates for settlements based on historical data. Unfortunately, most companies skip this imperative step.

Don?t allow yourself to be sold on low percentage estimates. If a company quotes you a 30% settlement but can only get a 60% settlement, the monthly payment you were initially on won?t be adequate and you could be in severe trouble with your creditors because you?re unable to pay. It?s easy to tell you what you want to hear, but it?s best to choose a company that can give you an accurate quote with a reasonable payment.

Fees:?

Every Debt Settlement company charges a fee for their services, but following reforms made by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2010, absolutely no fees can be charged until a debt has been settled. If a company charges you an upfront fee of any kind, they are not FTC compliant and they are enforcing unethical behaviors.

Once a settlement has been reached, a Debt Settlement company may collect their fee. Typically, one can expect a flat fee between 18% and 25%. While there are companies that charge less than this average, be wary. Debt Settlement is not a cheap process and it?s far more prudent to pay a little more to have your finances handled properly.

Program Length:

Typical Debt Settlement program lengths vary between 24 and 48 months. Be wary of companies that are willing to offer you a program longer than that.

Industry Accreditation:

Unless a company is blatantly deceptive, industry accreditations are simple to acquire if a fee is paid. There are few measures put forth in order to ensure a company is offering legitimate debt relief programs. For instance, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a business and isn?t government sanctioned. Each BBB chapter has a board of directors who make decisions for each region. For example, what qualifies a company as reputable in Maryland may not be recognized in Dallas. What qualifies as an ?A? rating in one part of the country, may only be a ?C? elsewhere. In fact, the BBB came under severe scrutiny a few years ago when all it took to get an ?A? rating was a simple membership fee. For more information on this, take a look at 20/20?s investigation into the unlawful practices of the Better Business Bureau http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo8kfV9kONw.

Along with exposing the BBB?s practice of charging for grades, this investigation details how a white supremacy group and a terrorist group were able to purchase an accreditation with an ?A+? rating. As this shows, while the BBB can be a valuable source for consumers, it?s more beneficial to base an opinion on reviews, how many complaints a company has received, and how many of those remain unresolved.

Debt Settlement is one of many legitimate debt relief programs necessary for those struggling with a financial hardship. But it?s important to find a company that is straightforward about whether you should be in a settlement program in the first place. If you?re looking for a good place to start, call United Financial Relief today at 1-888-534-5010 or visit them at www.unitedfinancialrelief.com .

Source: http://www.nationalnewstoday.com/money-and-investing/is-debt-settlement-a-scam-what-to-look-for-in-legitimate-debt-relief-programs-best-company-reviews.php

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