Death of Kim Jong Il...

It was just after midday on a cold December Monday in South Korea's capital when news of Kim Jong Il's death filtered through.
Though the reclusive North Korean leader had been plagued with health problems in recent years, the announcement was greeted with general astonishment in Seoul, according to a journalist from the country's largest newspaper.
When Kim Jong Il, his oldest son, succeeded him, North Korea was crippled economically, having lost one of its main trading partners when the Soviet Union collapsed. Kim largely ignored the massive problems at home and focused on shoring up the regime's position and investing in the military as a bulwark against the wealthy, U.S.-backed south.

Earlier Black Friday start times draw midnight crowds!!!

After years of opening times closer to sunrise, several big-name stores let in customers in to shop at midnight on Black Friday. 

At Best Buy in Dunwoody, the earlier start time did not stop a line of shoppers from building up across the parking lot, creating a frenzy when the doors opened at midnight.

By the time the door-buster deals were over at 7 a.m., the atmosphere was relatively calm, compared to what many people were expecting.

"Since it opened so early, it was really easy I guess," shopper Chelsea Kong-Ho said.  "But a lot of things were sold out."

Best Buy and other stores have tried different tactics to control the crowds, which tend to get intense when so many people are chasing a limited number of discounted flat screen TVs and computer notebooks.

"We do control the crowd, we let 100 people in at a time," said Best Buy General Manager Daniel Sheehan.  "Just seeing the people wait outside, there were people waiting outside since Wednesday night.  It's always the sight to see."

Mexican authorities find 8 bodies in Veracruz!!

Authorities found eight bodies in a remote area in the Mexican coastal state of Veracruz Tuesday, officials said. An anonymous tip led investigators to the scene, near a river that is a popular tourist attraction in the municipality of Boca del Rio, the Veracruz state government said in a statement. In recent months, violence has surged in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, which is the third most populous state in Mexico, with more than 7 million residents. In September, 35 bodies were abandoned in a roadway during rush-hour traffic in a popular tourist area of Boca del Rio, two days before a meeting of high-ranking state prosecutors and judges there. In October, Mexican federal authorities announced plans to step up security in the state to help local police fight organized crime. Several days later, a total of 32 bodies were found in three locations in Boca del Rio. More than 43,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon began a crackdown on cartels in December 2006, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

A decade of war!!:(

A decade of WAR?? Yes.... Ten years ago, in the wake of 9/11, the U.S. led the invasion of Afghanistan to capture Osama Bin Laden and defeat the Taliban.

On Sept. 14, 2001, President George W. Bush arrived at the smoldering remains of the World Trade Center. The two tallest buildings in New York had been leveled by two jumbo jets hijacked by terrorists from al-Qaeda, a jihadist movement seeking worldwide Islam through violence.

The world, barely recovered from the shock of 9/11 and seeing iconic buildings in New York and Washington in flames, did not really question the logic of this decision by Bush.

Steve Jobs, Apple founder!!

Visionary behind Apple dies!!!

Steve Jobs, the visionary who led a mobile computer revolution with the creation of wildly popular devices such as the iPhone, was mourned Thursday by admirers and competitors as much of the world awoke to news of his death.
Jobs' death was announced Wednesday by Apple, the Silicon Valley company he co-founded with Steve Wozniak. He was 56.
"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," Apple said in a statement: "Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor."