Nevada school shooting: Teacher killed by 'nice kid' who was bullied, girl says

No one knows why he picked this day, this time, these victims.

It was the first day back from fall break at Sparks Middle School. Students milled about, waiting to hear the morning bell.

Within moments, two 12-year-old students were wounded. A beloved teacher and military veteran lay dead. And the young shooter -- armed with his parents' gun -- took his own life, silencing any way of understanding what he was thinking.

'I think he took out his bullying'

Before Monday morning, the young gunman seemed like the antithesis of a school shooter.

"He was really a nice kid," schoolmate Amaya Newton told CNN. "He would make you smile when you were having bad day."

But for whatever reason, the boy, whom authorities have not identified, took his parents' handgun to school, a federal law enforcement source said.

"I believe it was because I saw him getting bullied a couple of times, and I think he took out his bullying," Amaya said.

Amaya said she thought the two students at the Nevada school were friends of the shooter.

"It's too early to say whether he was targeting specific people or just going on an indiscriminate shooting spree," Reno police Deputy Chief Tom Robinson said.

Surviving Afghanistan, but not school

True to his character, Mike Landsberry rushed to help others when chaos erupted.

The retired Marine, a popular math teacher at Sparks Middle School, tried to help when the two wounded students were shot.

A witness told the Reno Gazette-Journal that Landsberry was trying to intervene when he was killed by the shooter.

"That was the kind of person that Michael was," his brother, Reggie Landsberry, said. "He was the kind of person that if somebody needed help, he would be there."

Sparks Mayor Geno Martini remarked at the irony.

"It's very unfortunate that (the life of) someone like that, who protected our country over there and came back alive ... had to be taken at his work, at a school," Martini said.

Landsberry joined the Marine Corps in 1986, attained the rank of corporal and served as a field wireman, Marine spokeswoman Maj. Shawn Haney said.

On his school website, the teacher posted pictures of himself hiking in the wilderness and standing with a weapon beside an armored vehicle.

"One of my goals is to earn your respect while you earn mine," he wrote in a message to students. "I believe that with mutual respect that the classroom environment will run smoothly."

A Facebook memorial page for the teacher had more than 10,000 "likes" by early Tuesday morning. Thousands more honored him on a "Rest Easy Mr. Landsberry" page.

Reigniting the national debate

Both of the wounded students were hospitalized in stable condition Monday night, Sparks Deputy Chief Tom Miller said.

Authorities have not released their names.

Sparks Middle School will be closed for the rest of the week as the shooting reignites the national debate over gun violence and school safety.

Last week, a student at an Austin, Texas, high school killed himself in front of other students.

In August, a student at a high school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, shot and wounded another student in the neck.

Another shooting took place at an Atlanta middle school in January, though no one was hit.

That same month, a California high school student wounded two people, one seriously.

The Nevada shooting also comes almost a year after a gunman killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, igniting nationwide debate over gun violence and school safety.

Since the Newtown shootings last December, proposed school security plans across the country have included arming teachers, adding armed security guards and bringing bulletproof backpacks and whiteboards.

Some teachers have even started taking self-defense and combat classes in case a shooter enters their school. One class teaches how to escape or take cover but focused most of its four hours on how to fight and disarm an attacker -- something few educators have ever considered how to do.

Teachers train to face school shooters

The mother of a student killed in Newtown said Monday's shooting reinforces the need to find solutions to keep students safe.

"The unthinkable has happened yet again, this time in Sparks, Nevada," Nicole Hockley said in a statement. " It's moments like this that demand that we unite as parents to find common sense solutions that keep our children -- all children -- safe, and prevent these tragedies from happening again and again."

But what those solutions are will remain fuel for perpetual debate.

Builders of Obama's Health Website Saw Red Flags

Crammed into conference rooms with pizza for dinner, some programmers building the Obama administration's showcase health insurance website were growing increasingly stressed. Some worked past 10 p.m., energy drinks in hand. Others rewrote computer code over and over to meet what they considered last-minute requests for changes from the government or other contractors.

As questions mount over the website's failure, insider interviews and a review of technical specifications by The Associated Press found a mind-numbingly complex system put together by harried programmers who pushed out a final product that congressional investigators said was tested by the government and not private developers with more expertise.

Project developers who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity — because they feared they would otherwise be fired — said they raised doubts among themselves whether the website could be ready in time. They complained openly to each other about what they considered tight and unrealistic deadlines. One was nearly brought to tears over the stress of finishing on time, one developer said. Website builders saw red flags for months.

A review of internal architectural diagrams obtained by the AP revealed the system's complexity. Insurance applicants have a host of personal information verified, including income and immigration status. The system connects to other federal computer networks, including ones at the Social Security Administration, IRS, Veterans Administration, Office of Personnel Management and the Peace Corps.

President Barack Obama on Monday acknowledged technical problems that he described as "kinks in the system." He also promised a "tech surge" by leading technology talent to repair the painfully slow and often unresponsive website that has frustrated Americans trying to enroll online for insurance plans at the center of Obama's health care law.

But in remarks at a Rose Garden event, Obama offered no explanation for the failure except to note that high traffic to the website caused some of the slowdowns. He said it had been visited nearly 20 million times — fewer monthly visits so far than many commercial websites, such as PayPal, AOL, Wikipedia or Pinterest.

"The problem has been that the website that's supposed to make it easy to apply for and purchase the insurance is not working the way it should for everybody," Obama said. "There's no sugarcoating it. The website has been too slow. People have been getting stuck during the application process. And I think it's fair to say that nobody is more frustrated by that than I am."

The online system was envisioned as a simple way for people without health insurance to comparison-shop among competing plans offered in their state, pick their preferred level of coverage and cost and sign up. For many, it's not worked out that way so far.

Just weeks before the launch of HealthCare.gov on Oct. 1, one programmer said, colleagues huddled in conference rooms trying to patch "bugs," or deficiencies in computer code. Unresolved problems led to visitors experiencing cryptic error messages or enduring long waits trying to sign up.

Congressional investigators have concluded that the government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, not private software developers, tested the exchange's computer systems during the final weeks. That task, known as integration testing, is usually handled by software companies because it ferrets out problems before the public sees the final product.

The government spent at least $394 million in contracts to build the federal health care exchange and the data hub. Those contracts included major awards to Virginia-based CGI Federal Inc., Maryland-based Quality Software Services Inc. and Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

CGI Federal said in a statement Monday it was working with the government and other contractors "around the clock" to improve the system, which it called "complex, ambitious and unprecedented."

The schematics from late 2012 show how officials designated a "data services hub" — a traffic cop for managing information — in lieu of a design that would have allowed state exchanges to connect directly to government servers when verifying an applicant's information. On Sunday, the Health and Human Services Department said the data hub was working but not meeting public expectations: "We are committed to doing better."

Administration officials so far have refused to say how many people actually have managed to enroll in insurance during the three weeks since the new marketplaces became available. Without enrollment numbers, it's impossible to know whether the program is on track to reach projections from the Congressional Budget Office that 7 million people would gain coverage during the first year the exchanges were available.

Instead, officials have selectively cited figures that put the insurance exchanges in a positive light. They say more than 19 million people have logged on to the federal website and nearly 500,000 have filled out applications for insurance through both the federal and state-run sites.

The flood of computer problems since the website went online has been deeply embarrassing for the White House. The snags have called into question whether the administration is capable of implementing the complex policy and why senior administration officials — including the president — appear to have been unaware of the scope of the problems when the exchange sites opened.

Even as the president spoke at the Rose Garden, more problems were coming to light. The administration acknowledged that a planned upgrade to the website had been postponed indefinitely and that online Spanish-language signups would remain unavailable, despite a promise to Hispanic groups that the capability would start this week. And the government tweaked the website's home page so visitors can now view phone numbers to apply the old-fashioned way or window-shop for insurance rates without registering first.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee was expected to conduct an oversight hearing Thursday, probably without Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testifying. She could testify on Capitol Hill on the subject as early as next week.

Uninsured Americans have until about mid-February to sign up for coverage if they are to meet the law's requirement that they be insured by the end of March. If they don't, they will face a penalty.

On Monday, the White House advised people frustrated by the online tangle that they can enroll by calling 1-800-318-2596 in a process that should take 25 minutes for an individual or 45 minutes for a family. Assistance is also available in communities from helpers who can be found at LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov.

Kelly Clarkson ties the knot with Brandon Blackstock

She tweeted the news.

Kelly Clarkson is celebrating a big moment!

The singer married fiancé Brandon Blackstock Sunday, and she reported the happy news on Twitter Monday afternoon. Clarkson also shared an adorable picture of Blackstock planting a sweet kiss on her head. And she looks stunning in her long-sleeve lace wedding dress by Temperley (she tweeted thanks to the designer).

The ceremony took place at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn.

Clarkson had said in August that the two had scrapped their big wedding plans because of their busy schedules, instead opting to elope. It seems like they stuck with the low-key plan.

The Stronger singer, 31, is now stepmom to music-exec Blackstock's two children.

Eyes on Apple for new iPads at US event

Apple is on Tuesday expected to show off slick new iPads to take on rival tablet makers during the prime year-end holiday shopping season. 

The culture-changing California company has revealed little about an invitation-only event in San Francisco, but analysts believe a spotlight will shine on the iPad line.

"Job One for Apple is to get something out there on the large-size iPad that gets people excited, then obviously from a specification focus, the Mini needs to catch up with what everybody else has done," NPD analyst Stephen Baker told AFP.

"There are a lot of other things happening in that large-size tablet space and there is a huge amount of choice in smaller devices."

Industry tracker Gartner on Monday forecast that global tablet shipments will reach 184 million units this year in a 53.4 % rise from last year.

The high-end of the market, where iPads dominate, has seen people opting for small tablets which cost less than full-sized models, according to Gartner.

"Continuing on the trend we saw last year, we expect this holiday season to be all about smaller tablets as even the long-term holiday favorite - the smartphone - loses its appeal," said Gartner research vice president Carolina Milanesi.

The iPad remains the largest-selling tablet, according to surveys, but its market share is being eroded by rivals using the Google Android operating system.

Apple is also under pressure to adapt to the popularity of premium tablets with high-quality screens in the seven- to eight-inch (18- to 20-centimeter) range where the Mini competes.

This has analysts confident that Apple on Tuesday will show off a Mini with screen quality on par with that of its full-sized iPad.

Emailed invitations to the Apple event revealed little other than the time and place, and bore the message: "We still have a lot to cover."

A graphic in the shape of an iPad showed Apple's iconic logo under a shower of colorful leaves.

Unconfirmed reports are that Apple unveilings will include a full-size iPad that will be thinner than its predecessor and boast improved capabilities.

Scrutiny of Apple's supply chain has industry trackers thinking the new iPad will get "narrower, thinner, and lighter" and possibly be built with processors at least as powerful as those used in the freshly-launched iPhone 5S.

Some analysts will be watching whether new iPad models have 64-bit processors as engines in a significant boost that would enable tablets to handle more heavy weight programs and games.

And analysts agreed that top-end, full-size iPads may also get the fingerprint recognition security feature that has been a hit in the iPhone 5S.

"It sounds jaded, but tablets are a maturing market," said Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman-Epps.

"We expect few surprises in this category that Apple kickstarted only three years ago," she continued.

"It will be difficult for Apple to move the needle on new tablet sales, as the strongest growth is coming from emerging markets where customers are more price-sensitive."

Apple was also expected to discuss its latest computer operating system and its Mac Pro desktop work station at the event.

Eyes on Apple for new iPads at US event

Apple is on Tuesday expected to show off slick new iPads to take on rival tablet makers during the prime year-end holiday shopping season. 

The culture-changing California company has revealed little about an invitation-only event in San Francisco, but analysts believe a spotlight will shine on the iPad line.

"Job One for Apple is to get something out there on the large-size iPad that gets people excited, then obviously from a specification focus, the Mini needs to catch up with what everybody else has done," NPD analyst Stephen Baker told AFP.

"There are a lot of other things happening in that large-size tablet space and there is a huge amount of choice in smaller devices."

Industry tracker Gartner on Monday forecast that global tablet shipments will reach 184 million units this year in a 53.4 % rise from last year.

The high-end of the market, where iPads dominate, has seen people opting for small tablets which cost less than full-sized models, according to Gartner.

"Continuing on the trend we saw last year, we expect this holiday season to be all about smaller tablets as even the long-term holiday favorite - the smartphone - loses its appeal," said Gartner research vice president Carolina Milanesi.

The iPad remains the largest-selling tablet, according to surveys, but its market share is being eroded by rivals using the Google Android operating system.

Apple is also under pressure to adapt to the popularity of premium tablets with high-quality screens in the seven- to eight-inch (18- to 20-centimeter) range where the Mini competes.

This has analysts confident that Apple on Tuesday will show off a Mini with screen quality on par with that of its full-sized iPad.

Emailed invitations to the Apple event revealed little other than the time and place, and bore the message: "We still have a lot to cover."

A graphic in the shape of an iPad showed Apple's iconic logo under a shower of colorful leaves.

Unconfirmed reports are that Apple unveilings will include a full-size iPad that will be thinner than its predecessor and boast improved capabilities.

Scrutiny of Apple's supply chain has industry trackers thinking the new iPad will get "narrower, thinner, and lighter" and possibly be built with processors at least as powerful as those used in the freshly-launched iPhone 5S.

Some analysts will be watching whether new iPad models have 64-bit processors as engines in a significant boost that would enable tablets to handle more heavy weight programs and games.

And analysts agreed that top-end, full-size iPads may also get the fingerprint recognition security feature that has been a hit in the iPhone 5S.

"It sounds jaded, but tablets are a maturing market," said Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman-Epps.

"We expect few surprises in this category that Apple kickstarted only three years ago," she continued.

"It will be difficult for Apple to move the needle on new tablet sales, as the strongest growth is coming from emerging markets where customers are more price-sensitive."

Apple was also expected to discuss its latest computer operating system and its Mac Pro desktop work station at the event.

Herpes virus genome traces the ancient path of human migration

To confirm the theory that humans spread out from Africa tens of thousands of years ago, all you have to do is follow the cold sores. Or, to be more precise, follow the mutation patterns encoded in the genome of the virus that causes those cold sores.

That's what researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison did: In the journal PLOS ONE, they describe how they sequenced the genomes of 31 samples of herpes simplex virus type-1 to reconstruct how it hitchhiked on humans as they dispersed around the world.

The results match the pattern proposed by the "Out of Africa" theory, which has become the most widely accepted scenario for ancient human migration. The analysis showed that African strains of the virus contained the most genetic diversity — suggesting that they had the oldest roots.

“The viral strains sort exactly as you would predict based on sequencing of human genomes. We found that all of the African isolates cluster together, all the virus from the Far East, Korea, Japan, China clustered together, all the viruses in Europe and America, with one exception, clustered together,” senior author Curtis Brandt, a professor of medical microbiology and opthalmology, said in a UW-Madison news release.

“What we found follows exactly what the anthropologists have told us, and the molecular geneticists who have analyzed the human genome have told us, about where humans originated and how they spread across the planet,” he said.

The findings reflect the view that a small human population passed through a "bottleneck" to get from Africa to the Middle East, then went their separate ways to Europe and Asia, and eventually to the Americas.

Almost all of the samples from the United States were linked to European strains, but one sample from Texas was more closely linked to Asia. Brandt and his colleagues said that particular sample may have come from someone who picked up the virus during a trip to the Far East, or perhaps from someone with Native American heritage whose ancestors passed over a "land bridge" between Asia and North America.

“We found support for the land bridge hypothesis, because the date of divergence from its most recent Asian ancestor was about 15,000 years ago," Brandt said. “The dates match, so we postulate that this was an Amerindian virus.”

The researchers said HSV-1 strains are ideal for tracking long-term migration patterns because they're easy to collect, usually not lethal, and capable of forming lifelong latent infections. Because the virus is spread by close contact, through kissing or exposure to saliva, it tends to run in families. And because the viral genome is so much simpler than the human genome, it's cheaper to sequence.

"While preliminary, our data raise the possibility that HSV-1 sequences could serve as a surrogate marker to analyze human migration and population structures," the researchers say.

Horror abuse of child stars

A famous 1980s child star has published a tell-all book about the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of older men in Hollywood, warning parents of the underground horrors of the child actor industry. 

Corey Feldman appeared in movies Stand By Me, The Lost Boys, Gremlins and The Goonies.

He recalls in his new book, Coreyography, how he and fellow child star Corey Haim were told by adults they trusted in the industry that it was normal for older men and young boys to have sexual relations.

Feldman first met Haim on the set of The Lost Boys when they were just 14: they soon realised they were both being abused by Hollywood power players.

Feldman reports that Haim told him he had been sodomised when "innocent and ambitious" and just 14 by an older male on the set of the 1986 film, Lucas.

This man who abused Haim now "walks around, one of the most successful people in the entertainment industry, still making money hand over fist," Feldman writes in the book.

Feldman said he sought out adult role models at work due to a dysfunctional home life, with his mother dying his hair blonde at age four and torturing him about his weight, the Daily Mail reported. He was his family's breadwinner at age seven. 

These 'role models' took advantage of their power: Feldman says he was abused by an assistant hired by his father when he was in his early teens. He says the man, who was in his early 20s, took him out on the town and gave him a cocktail of pills.

He writes that the man he refers to as "Ron" put a hand on his thigh and ended up having oral sex with the "petrified" and "revolted" Feldman that night. 

The relationship with Ron lasted several years, but Feldman also formed relationships with other men during this time, many of whom turned out to be paedophiles.

In one especially sad moment in the book, which is being released on October 28, Feldman reflects on a picture taken at his 15th birthday of him and Haim with five older men - he says all five men were paedophiles, and all of them had abused them.

"Slowly, over a period of many years I would begin to realise that many of the people I had surrounded myself with were monsters," he writes of his early career in Coreyography.

The two child actors went on to make nine films together, they also partied heavily, their increasingly damaging antics driven by the horrors of their abuse.

Feldman developed a dependence on drugs after discovering his mother's cocaine stash, and snorted 3.5 grams every two days, before later moving onto heroin.

Haim's dependency was even worse - relapsing several times before dying of pneumonia in 2010 aged just 38.

Feldman relapsed in 1995, but he said since then he's been clean. He now works on low-budget horror films and, with ex-wife Playboy model Susie Sprague,  has a 9-year-old son - who he will not be encouraging into child acting.

"People always ask me about life after childhood stardom. What would I say to parents of children in the industry?' he writes.

"My only advice, honestly, is to get these kids out of Hollywood and let them lead normal lives."

Feldman says Michael Jackson was one of the few people who treated him with respect. As a teenager desperate for normalcy, Feldman called Jackson, who he had been introduced to by Steven Spielberg.

"I was shattered, disgusted, devastated. I needed some normalcy in my life. So, I called Michael Jackson," he recalls.

"Michael Jackson's world, crazy as it sounds, had become my happy place. Being with Michael brought me back to my innocence. When I was with Michael, it was like being 10 years old again."

He insists in the book that Jackson never abused him or tried to touch him sexually.

Baldness treatment a 'step closer'

Scientists say they have moved a step closer to banishing bald spots and reversing receding hairlines after human hair was grown in the laboratory.

A joint UK and US team was able to create new hairs from tissue samples.

Far more research is needed, but the group said its technique had the "potential to transform" the treatment of hair loss.

The study results were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

There are baldness therapies including drugs to slow the loss of hairs, and transplants, which move hair from the back of the head to cover bald spots.

The scientists at the University of Durham, in the UK, and Columbia University Medical Centre, in the US, were trying to actually grow new hairs.

Their plan was to start with material taken from the base of a hair and use it to grow many new hairs.

Tricky feat

But human hair has been tricky to grow despite successes in animal studies.

Whenever human tissue was taken from the dermal papillae, the cells which form the base of each hair follicle, the cells would transform into skin instead of growing new hairs.

However, the group found that by clumping the cells together in "3D spheroids" they would keep their hairy identity.

Tissue was taken from seven people and grown in 3D spheroids. These were then transplanted into human skin which had been grafted on to the backs of mice.

After six weeks, new hair follicles formed in five out of the seven cases and some new tiny hairs began to form.

Prof Colin Jahoda, from Durham University, told the BBC a cure for baldness was possible but it was too soon for men to be hanging up the toupee.

"It's closer, but it's still some way away because in terms of what people want cosmetically they're looking for re-growth of hair that's the same shape, the same size, as long as before, the same angle. Some of these are almost engineering solutions.

"Yeah I think it [baldness] will eventually be treatable, absolutely."

He added: "It's hard to say exactly how long that would take, but the fact that we've done it now should reawaken interest."

Any future therapy would involve transplanting cells which have been grown in the laboratory so safety is a concern.

There would be a risk of infection and the cells could become abnormal, or even cancerous, while being grown.

Baldness cures may not be the first application of the research. Prof Jahoda believes the findings will be used to improve the quality of skin grafts used after severe burns.

Prof Angela Christiano, from Columbia University, said: "This approach has the potential to transform the medical treatment of hair loss.

"Current hair-loss medications tend to slow the loss of hair follicles or potentially stimulate the growth of existing hairs, but they do not create new hair follicles.

"Our method, in contrast, has the potential to actually grow new follicles using a patient's own cells."

Las Vegas nightclub shooting kills 1, injures 2

A man who wanted his money back after paying to enter a Las Vegas nightclub shot three people, killing one, when the club management refused to make a refund, police said on Monday.

The suspect, who was wounded when several patrons and club employees wrestled him to the ground during a resulting melee, was hospitalized early Monday but will be taken into custody as soon as he was released, said Jose Hernandez, an officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

"Right now he is facing several charges, including murder," said Hernandez.

Police did not identify the gunman.

The incident began about 5:30 a.m. when the suspect entered an after-hours club at the Bally's resort on the Las Vegas strip. After initially hesitating over whether to pay the cover charge required for entry, the man did pay and entered the club, but he quickly became dissatisfied and asked club employees for a refund, police said.

An argument ensued and the man pulled out a handgun and began shooting. A club manager, a club security officer and a club patron who tried to tackle the gunman to the ground were all shot.

Hernandez said one of the three men shot died after being taken to the hospital.

Netflix customer gains reinforce growth hopes, shares jump

Netflix, with over 100,000 Irish customers, gained more subscribers than expected with help from original series like "Orange is the New Black.”

The news sent its shares up 11pc, to a record high.

Netflix quadrupled profit in the third quarter as it added a higher-than-expected 1.3 million customers to its subscription video streaming service in the United States.

The company, which has invested heavily in original series such as political satire "House of Cards," said it had 31.1 million U.S. streaming users from July to September.

For the last three months of the year, Netflix said it expects to add about the same number of US. streaming customers it signed up a year earlier, and will end 2013 with 32.7 million to 33.5 million users.

"That keeps the view alive that this company has a larger subscriber base and has pricing leverage in its corner to extract more value," said Janney Montgomery Scott analyst Tony Wible, who rates Netflix a "buy."

Shares rose 10.6pc after-hours to $392.50, up from their close of $354.99 on the Nasdaq. The stock has racked up successive highs since September, as investors bet on its growth prospects.

During the quarter, Netflix released critically acclaimed prison drama "Orange is the New Black," part of its push into original programming to attract customers to its $8-a-month movie and TV streaming service.

Its original series slate generated buzz during the quarter, with 14 Emmy nominations and three wins for shows including "House of Cards."

The company said it will double investments in original programming in 2014, when it will air second seasons of both "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black." Spending on original shows will remain below 10pc of its global content expenses.

Netflix was added in September as an option on cable set-top boxes through two companies in Europe. CEO Reed Hastings, in a webcast after the earnings release, said he was "hopeful" Netflix could reach a similar deal with Comcast Corp or other U.S. cable operators.

MOMENTUM

Wall Street also singled out the company's growth abroad. It added 1.4 million customers in international markets, bringing its reach in foreign territories to 9.2 million, and said it will launch in unspecified new countries next year.

Netflix reported earnings-per-share of 52 cents, beating the average of 49 cents projected by Wall Street analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Net income for the quarter reached $32m, up from $8m a year earlier, Hastings and CFO David Wells said in a letter to shareholders.

Standard & Poor's equity analyst Tuna Amobi said Netflix appeared to be gaining traction in some of its newest markets, and noted that "Orange is the New Black" will end the year as the company's most-watched original series.

"There is not a whole lot not to like. There is a whole lot of momentum behind the story," Amobi said. "They appear to have turned an important corner for potentially sustained subscriber growth."

Amobi said he had a "hold" rating on Netflix shares because of their valuation after the year's stock run-up. Before the earnings release, Netflix shares had gained 283pc this year, far exceeding the 23pc gain in the S&P 500.

Twenty-three of 35 Wall Street analysts had a "hold" rating prior to Monday's earnings release. Six rated Netflix a "buy" and six recommended "sell." Skeptics question whether Netflix can grow quickly enough to justify its high share price and pay the cost of movies and TV shows, original programming, and its push into foreign territories.

Ten years ago, Netflix was the highest-performing stock on the Nasdaq when it was delivering video only through DVDs mailed in red envelopes, a business from which it is now moving away.

At that time, "we had solid results compounded by momentum-investor-fueled euphoria," Hastings and Wells said in their letter. "Some of the euphoria today feels like 2003."