Video: After Katrina, a promise is kept

We'll focus on?efforts to help veterans find?jobs and deal with health and family problems. "One of the great blessings in my life has been the exposure I've received to the military?active duty, in the field and veterans,"?says Brian Williams. "They are America?s genuine heroes, and it's a privilege to use our platforms at NBC News to honor all that they have done."

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40153870/vp/45780497#45780497

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The American Cancer Society Lost a Few More Supporters | Friendly ...

Not to rehash that whole controversy again, but here?s a story worth sharing, courtesy of blogger vnectar:

I said [to my husband,] ?Hey honey, I did a good deed today! I convinced K. not to donate money to the American Cancer Society!?.

Then I started laughing because I realized that I would sound like a monster to anyone not aware of the drama surrounding the ACS and an atheist organization who wants to donate an assload of money to them, but isn?t allowed.

Anyway, K. is organizing an event at work to raise money for a specific kind of cancer, so when she mentioned donating to ACS, I countered with links to stories about the drama and suggested a smaller charity that?s specific to the kind of cancer she?s raising money for. She agreed that the ACS isn?t worthy of her efforts, which made me feel a bit victorious.

There was no good reason for the ACS to reject money just because it came from atheists, and I hope that someone at the organization was reprimanded for turning away half a million dollars that could have gone toward a worthy cause.

But if they don?t want atheist-tainted money, there are other groups we can give our money to. And we will.

vnectar concludes her post with this:

? I realized that the ACS has no idea that their behavior is costing them donations from other avenues that aren?t at all atheist-related.

How do we let them know?

Simple: If the opportunity arises, we tell people why we?re no longer making contributions to the ACS. We point them toward other groups which focus on similar issues. We refuse to let the ACS get away with discrimination.

Also: The American Cancer Society still has a Facebook page and it?s been lacking atheist input lately?

?

***Update***: The ACS has responded again. And again, it?s neither accurate nor satisfactory.

Source: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/12/21/the-american-cancer-society-lost-a-few-more-supporters/

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Report: Nintendo 3DS Sales In Japan To Pass The 4 Million Mark Earlier Than Expected

It's a common platitude in the gaming industry: it's the killer titles that make or break a video game system. One case in point is Nintendo whose 3DS sales in Japan, one of the biggest video game markets in the world, are expected to cross the four million mark two months earlier than expected. Just two weeks ago, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said this will happen "in February next year", but Japanese business daily The Nikkei is now reporting that cumulative domestic sales of the 3DS will reach four million before year-end. The newspaper is referring to stats from Tokyo-based market research company Enterbrain, which says Nintendo managed to sell a weekly record of 390,000 systems between December 12-18 (and 380,000 units between December 5 and 11).

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/O3U6pahWS4c/

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Son of late North Korean leader leads mourning (AP)

PYONGYANG, North Korea ? North Korea's anointed heir Kim Jong Un led a solemn procession of mourners Tuesday to the glass coffin of his father and longtime ruler ? a strong indication that a smooth leadership transition was under way in the country known for secrecy and unpredictability.

Weeping members of North Korea's elite filed past the body of Kim Jong Il, which was draped in red cloth and surrounded by stony-faced honor guards and dozens of red and white flowers.

State media fed a budding personality cult around his youngest known son, hailing him as a "lighthouse of hope" as the country was awash in a "sea of tears and grief."

In a dreamlike scene captured by Associated Press Television News, Kim's coffin appeared to float on a raft of "kimjongilia" ? the flowers named after him ? with his head and shoulders bathed in a spotlight as solemn mustic played. Various medals and honors were displayed at his feet.

The bier was located in a hall of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, a mausoleum where the embalmed body of Kim Jong Il's father and North Korean founder Kim Il Sung has been on view in a glass sarcophagus since his death in 1994.

Kim Jong Il's 27-year-old son and heir, Kim Jong Un, wore a black Mao-style suit, his hair cropped closely on the sides but longer on top, as he walked with much older officials in suits and military uniforms.

Stepping away from the group, Kim Jong Un bowed deeply, his expression serious, before circling the bier with other officials.

The announcement Monday of Kim's death over the weekend raised acute worries in the region over the possibility of a power struggle between the untested son and rivals in an impoverished and reclusive country with a nuclear program.

But there have been no signs of unrest or discord in Pyongyang.

With the country in an 11-day period of official mourning, flags were at half-staff at all military units, factories, businesses, farms and public buildings. The streets of Pyongyang were quiet, but throngs gathered at landmarks honoring Kim.

Outside one of the capital's main performance centers, mourners carried wreaths and flowers toward a portrait of Kim Jong Il. Groups were allowed to grieve in front of the portrait for a few minutes at a time.

"We will change today's sorrow into strength and courage and work harder for a powerful and prosperous nation, as our general wanted, under the leadership of the new general, Kim Jong Un," Pyongyang resident U Son Hui told The Associated Press.

Kim Jong Il died of a heart attack on Saturday caused by overwork and stress, according to North Korean media. He was 69 ? although some experts question the official accounts of the date and place of his birth.

A state funeral is set for Dec. 28 in Pyongyang, to be followed by a national memorial service the next day, according to state media. North Korean officials say they will not invite foreign delegations and will allow no entertainment during the mourning period.

Since Kim's death, the media stepped up their lavish praise of the son, indicating an effort to strengthen a cult of personality around him similar to that of his father and ? much more strongly ? of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung.

The Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday described Kim Jong Un as "a great person born of heaven," a propaganda term previously used only for his father and grandfather. The Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party, added in an editorial that Kim Jong Un is "the spiritual pillar and the lighthouse of hope" for the military and the people.

It described the young Kim as "born of Mount Paektu," one of Korea's most cherished sites and Kim Jong Il's official birthplace. On Monday, the North said in a dispatch that the people and the military "have pledged to uphold the leadership of comrade Kim Jong Un" and called him a "great successor" of the country's revolutionary philosophy of juche, or self-reliance.

Young Koreans, the North reported, "are burning with the faith and will to remain loyal to Kim Jong Un."

Concerns remain, however, over the transition.

South Korea put its military on high alert and experts warned that the next few days could be a crucial turning point for the North, which though impoverished by economic mismanagement and repeated famine, has a relatively well-supported, 1.2 million-member armed forces.

South Korea offered sympathy to the North Korean people, but the government said no official delegation will be sent.

Kim's death could set back efforts by the United States and others to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Concerns are also high that the young and untested Kim Jong Un may feel he needs to prove himself by precipitating a crisis.

Kim Jong Il was in power for 17 years after the death of his father and was groomed for power before that. Kim Jong Un only emerged as the likely heir in the past year.

Absent from any mention by the state media were Kim Jong Il's other sons, Kim Jong Nam and Kim Jong Chol. Kim Jong Nam, the eldest, is widely believed to have fallen out of favor after embarrassing the government in 2001 by being caught trying to enter Japan on a fake passport, saying he wanted to visit Tokyo Disneyland. He reportedly enjoys gambling and has lived in Macau.

North Korea conducted at least one short-range missile test Monday, South Korean officials said. But they saw it as a routine drill.

"The sudden death of Kim Jong Il has plunged the isolated state of North Korea into a period of major uncertainty. There are real concerns that heir-apparent Kim Jong Un has not had sufficient time to form the necessary alliances in the country to consolidate his future as leader of the country," said Sarah McDowall, a senior analyst with U.S.-based consultants IHS.

Some analysts, however, said Kim's death was unlikely to plunge the country into chaos because it already was preparing a transition. Kim Jong Il indicated a year ago that Kim Jong Un would be his successor, putting him in high-ranking posts.

President Hu Jintao of China offered his condolences at North Korea's embassy in Beijing as the government hinted at an early invitation for a visit by Kim Jong Un.

China's response to Kim Jong Il's death highlights the government's growing emphasis on North Korean ties despite its annoyance at the North's refusal to reform its listless economy and its recurring provocative acts against South Korea that raise tensions in the region.

___

Reported from Pyongyang by Associated Press Television News senior video journalist Rafael Wober. Associated Press writers Foster Klug, Hyung-jin Kim, Sam Kim and Eric Talmadge in Seoul, as well as Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee, contributed to this story.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111220/ap_on_re_as/as_kim_jong_il

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Church Fire Could Be Arson

Investigators believe a fire that broke out at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in University Heights could be a case of arson.

The fire in the staging area of the church on Adams Ave. was reported around midnight, according to firefighters.

The fire was knocked down quickly.

The cause was believed to be suspicious in nature.

"We do our own investigation after the initial knock down and were unable to find the cause determination. So the mast unit came out to investigate the fire," said Chuck Adams from the San Diego Fire Dept.

Posted Wednesday, Dec 21, 2011 - 8:10 AM PST

Source: http://feeds.nbcsandiego.com/click.phdo?i=4bfffa7017347b8e9aaf5e5cb93391a4

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Fed proposes rules to tame Wall Street risk-taking (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The Federal Reserve proposed new rules on Tuesday to restrain risk-taking by the largest U.S. banks as it tries to make the financial system more resilient against future crises.

The proposal, required by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial oversight law, includes new capital and liquidity rules for the largest banks that would roll out in two phases and not likely go further than international standards.

The plan issued on Tuesday closely follows statements the Fed has made in recent weeks to calm Wall Street concerns that U.S. standards may be more aggressive than those of other nations, putting U.S. banks at a disadvantage.

Some analysts were hoping the Fed would provide more details in its proposal and that in many areas it simply echoed the law, leaving the specifics for later.

"This is pretty much a book report on the Dodd-Frank bill," said Paul Miller, a bank stock analyst at FBR Capital Markets.

The Fed said both the capital and liquidity requirements would be implemented in two phases.

The first phase would rely on policies already issued by the Fed, such as the capital stress test plan it released in November.

That stress test plan will require U.S. banks with more than $50 billion in assets to show they can meet a Tier 1 common risk-based capital ratio of 5 percent during a time of economic stress.

The second phase for both capital and liquidity would be based on the Fed's implementation of the Basel III international bank regulatory agreement.

That standard brings the Tier 1 common risk-based capital ratio requirement to 7 percent, plus a surcharge of up to 2.5 percent for the most complex firms.

"They're basically following the guidelines from Basel on the capital buffer. There were really no big surprises," said Gerard Cassidy, bank analyst at RBC Capital Markets.

One area still unclear is how much the surcharge will be for banks that are above $50 billion in assets, but are not in the group of eight institutions considered globally systemic. A Fed official told reporters they have yet to make a decision on the issue, but if these banks eventually face a surcharge, it will likely be a small amount.

The KBW Bank Index of stocks closed up 4.1 percent, a slight gain over where it was prior to the Fed's release.

The rules, once finalized, will apply to all banks with more than $50 billion in assets, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Bank of America.

Most large U.S. banks already meet the Basel III requirements scheduled to fully go into effect in 2019.

For its liquidity requirements, the Fed is waiting on the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision to flesh out its own liquidity recommendations before setting out U.S. requirements.

The central bank said it initially would hold U.S. banks to a qualitative liquidity standard.

Under the Fed plan, banks would have to assess, at least once a month, what their liquidity needs would be for 30 days, for 90 days, and for a year, during a time when markets are stressed. They would be required to have enough liquid assets to cover 30 days of operations under these circumstances.

The proposals released on Tuesday are aimed at ensuring that financial firms have enough capital and liquid assets on hand to weather a future financial crisis. During the 2007-2009 crisis, taxpayers put up $700 billion to bail out the financial system, partially through capital injections into banks.

THREE MONTHS OF LOBBYING

The rules will be out for public comment until March 31, 2012, giving Wall Street time to argue that being forced to keep so much cash on hand it will hurt lending and the economic recovery.

Executives, including JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon, have complained that regulators are littering the financial landscape with rules, without properly analyzing their economic impact.

A Fed official on Tuesday said the agency does not have an estimate on how much the capital and liquidity standards will impact U.S. economic growth.

But he said the net benefit to the financial system outweighs the cost to Wall Street and any short-term decrease in credit availability.

The rules proposed will not only apply to the largest U.S. banks. They will also cover any financial firm the government identifies as being important to the functioning of financial markets and the economy.

The government has yet to decide which non-banks, such as insurance companies and hedge funds, meet this standard.

When such companies are designated, the Fed said it may "tailor" the rules, which were drafted mostly with banks in mind, to better fit that particular company or industry.

The law also requires the Fed to write tougher standards for foreign banks with operations in the United States. Fed officials said on Tuesday they would release those proposals soon, and that they would apply to about 100 firms.

UNTANGLING THE BANKS

The Fed rules also try to limit the dangers of big financial firms being heavily intertwined. It would limit the credit exposure of big banks to a single counterparty as a percentage of the firm's regulatory capital.

The credit exposure between the largest of the big banks would be subject to an even tighter limit. A bank with more than $500 billion in consolidated assets could not have a credit exposure of more than 10 percent to another bank of that size.

"I would be surprised if it caused anybody to change their financing arrangements," said Dwight Smith, a partner at Morrison & Foerster LLP in Washington. "This requirement is not going to force anybody to get smaller."

Further, the Fed proposal requires banks to bolster their capital if it appears they are heading into trouble, such as being overexposed to risky assets.

The rule outlines four phases of this "remediation" process that a bank or other large financial organization would go through if it hits certain triggers signaling weakness.

If a bank does not bounce back after following through on requirements such as a capital boost, the regulators could then restrict dividends, compensation, or even recommend the institution be seized and liquidated.

The Fed did not provide details about how much of the remediation process would be made public.

(Reporting By Dave Clarke; additional reporting by Lauren Tara LaCapra, David Henry in New York and Alexandra Alper in Washington; editing by Tim Dobbyn and Andre Grenon)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111221/bs_nm/us_fed_banks

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Iraqi National Pleads Guilty to Terrorism Charges in Kentucky (ABC News)

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