Events

211 – Publius Septimius Geta, co-emperor of Rome, is lured to come without his bodyguards to meet his brother Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Caracalla), to discuss a possible reconciliation. When he arrives the Praetorian Guard murders him and he dies in the arms of his mother Julia Domna.

324 – Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor.

1154 – Henry II of England is crowned at Westminster Abbey.

1490 – Anne, Duchess of Brittany, is married to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor by proxy.

1606 – The ''Susan Constant'', the ''Godspeed'', and the ''Discovery'' depart England carrying settlers who found, at Jamestown, Virginia, the first of the thirteen colonies that became the United States.

1776 – Thomas Paine publishes one of a series of pamphlets in the ''Pennsylvania Journal'' titled The American Crisis.

1777 – American Revolutionary War: George Washington's Continental Army goes into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

1796 – French Revolutionary Wars: Two British frigates under Commodore Horatio Nelson and two Spanish frigates under Commodore Don Jacobo Stuart engage in battle off the coast of Murcia.

1828 – Nullification Crisis: Vice President of the United States John C. Calhoun pens the ''South Carolina Exposition and Protest'', protesting the Tariff of 1828.

1900 – Hopetoun Blunder: The first Governor-General of Australia John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun, appointed Sir William Lyne as premier of the new state New South Wales, but he is unable to persuade other colonial politicians to join his government and is forced to resign.

1907 – A group of 239 coal miners die during a mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, Pennsylvania.

1912 – William H. Van Schaick, captain of the steamship ''General Slocum'' which caught fire and killed over 1,000 people, is pardoned by U.S. President William Howard Taft after three-and-a-half-years in Sing Sing prison.

1916 – World War I: Battle of Verdun – On the Western Front, the French Army successfully holds off the German Army and drives it back to its starting position.

1920 – King Constantine I is restored as King of the Hellenes after the death of his son Alexander I of Greece and a plebiscite.

1924 – The last Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is sold in London, England.

1932 – BBC World Service begins broadcasting as the BBC Empire Service

1941 – World War II: Adolf Hitler becomes Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the German Army.

1941 – World War II: Limpet mines placed by Italian divers sink the and in Alexandria harbour.

1946 – Start of the First Indochina War.

1956 – Irish-born physician John Bodkin Adams is arrested in connection with the suspicious deaths of more than 160 patients. Eventually he is convicted only of minor charges.

1961 – India annexes Daman and Diu, part of Portuguese India.

1963 – Zanzibar gains independence from the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy, under Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah.

1964 – The South Vietnamese military junta of Nguyen Khanh dissolved the High National Council and arrested some of the members.

1967 – Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt is officially presumed dead.

1972 – Apollo program: The last manned lunar flight, ''Apollo 17'', crewed by Eugene Cernan, Ron Evans and Harrison Schmitt, returns to Earth.

1975 – John Paul Stevens is appointed a justice of The United States Supreme Court.

1981 – Sixteen lives are lost when the Penlee lifeboat goes to the aid of the stricken coaster Union Star in heavy seas.

1983 – The original FIFA World Cup trophy, the Jules Rimet Trophy, is stolen from the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation in Rio de Janeiro.

1984 – The Sino-British Joint Declaration, stating that the People's Republic of China would resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and the United Kingdom would restore Hong Kong to China with effect from July 1, 1997 is signed in Beijing by Deng Xiaoping and Margaret Thatcher.

1986 – Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union, releases Andrei Sakharov and his wife from internal exile in Gorky.

1995 – The United States Government restores federal recognition to the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indian tribe.

1997 – SilkAir Flight 185 crashes into the Musi River, near Palembang in Indonesia, killing 104.

1998 – Lewinsky scandal: The United States House of Representatives forwards articles I and III of impeachment against President Bill Clinton to the Senate.

2000 – The Leninist Guerrilla Units wing of the Communist Labour Party of Turkey/Leninist attack a Nationalist Movement Party office in Istanbul, killing one person and injuring three.

2001 – A record high barometric pressure of 1085.6 hPa (32.06 inHg) is recorded at Tosontsengel, Khövsgöl Province, Mongolia.

2001 – Argentine economic crisis: December 2001 riots – Riots erupt in Buenos Aires.

Births

1554 – Philip William, Prince of Orange (d. 1618)

1587 – Dorothea Sophia, Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg (d. 1645)

1683 – Philip V of Spain (d. 1746)

1699 – William Bowyer, English printer (d. 1777)

1714 – John Winthrop, American astronomer (d. 1779)

1778 – Princess Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte, daughter of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI (d. 1851)

1784 – Marcus Morton, 16th and 18th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1864)

1796 – Breton de los Herreros, Spanish playwright (d. 1873)

1813 – Thomas Andrews, Irish chemist (d. 1885)

1817 – James J. Archer, Confederate general (d. 1864)

1820 – Mary Livermore, American journalist and women's rights advocate (d. 1905)

1831 – Bernice Pauahi Bishop, Hawaiian philanthropist (d. 1884)

1852 – Albert Abraham Michelson, Prussian-born American physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1931)

1853 – Charles Fitzpatrick, Canadian politician, lieutenant-governor of Quebec (d. 1942)

1861 – Italo Svevo, Italian author (d. 1928)

1865 – Minnie Maddern Fiske, American actress (d. 1932)

1875 – Carter Woodson, American historian and author, founder of Black History Month (d. 1950)

1888 – Fritz Reiner, Hungarian-born American conductor (d. 1963)

1894 – Ford Frick, American baseball commissioner (d. 1978)

1895 – Werner Dankwort, German diplomat (d. 1986)

1895 – Ingeborg Refling Hagen, Norwegian author and teacher (d. 1989)

1899 – Martin Luther King, Sr., American Baptist minister and father of Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr. (d. 1984)

1901 – Rudolf Hell, German inventor (d. 2002)

1901 – Fritz Mauruschat, German footballer (d. 1974)

1902 – Sir Ralph Richardson, English actor (d. 1983)

1903 – George Davis Snell, American geneticist, Nobel laureate (d. 1996)

1905 – Irving Kahn, American financial analyst and investor

1906 – Leonid Brezhnev, leader of the Soviet Union (d. 1982)

1907 – Jimmy McLarnin, former Welterweight Champion (d. 2004)

1909 – W.A. Criswell, American (Baptist) preacher (d. 2002)

1910 – Jean Genet, French writer (d. 1986)

1915 – Édith Piaf, French singer and actress (d. 1963)

1916 – Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, German political scientist (d. 2010)

1916 – Roy Ward Baker, English film director (d. 2010)

1918 – Professor Longhair, American blues musician (d. 1980)

1920 – Little Jimmy Dickens, American country singer

1920 – David Susskind, American TV talk show host (d. 1987)

1922 – Eamonn Andrews, Irish-born television presenter (d. 1987)

1923 – Gordon Jackson, Scottish actor (d. 1990)

1924 – Carlo Chiti, Italian race car engineer (d. 1994)

1924 – Doug Harvey, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1989)

1924 – Gary Morton, American comic; widower of Lucille Ball (d. 1999)

1924 – Edmund Purdom, English actor (d. 2009)

1925 – Tankred Dorst, German dramatist

1925 – Robert B. Sherman, American songwriter

1925 – William Schutz, American psychologist (d. 2002)

1926 – Bobby Layne, American football player (d. 1986)

1926 – Herb Stempel, American game show contestant

1927 – James Booth, English actor and screenwriter (d. 2005)

1928 – Nathan Oliveira, American artist (d. 2010)

1929 – Bob Brookmeyer, American jazz musician

1929 – Howard Sackler, American screenwriter (d. 1982)

1932 – Salvador Elizondo, Mexican writer

1933 – Kevan Gosper, Australian athlete

1933 – Cicely Tyson, American actress

1934 – Rudi Carrell, Dutch entertainer (d. 2006)

1934 – Al Kaline, American baseball player

1934 – Casper R. Taylor, Jr., American politician

1934 – Pratibha Patil, Indian politician

1935 – Barbara Bostock, American actress

1935 – Bobby Timmons, American jazz pianist (d. 1974)

1935 – Joanne Weaver, American baseball player (d. 2000)

1936 – Marian McKnight, American beauty pageant contestant (Miss America 1957)

1940 – Phil Ochs, American folk singer (d. 1976)

1941 – Maurice White, American singer and songwriter (Earth, Wind & Fire)

1941 – Lee Myung-bak, South Korean politician

1942 – Rufus, French actor

1943 – Ross M. Lence, American political scientist (d. 2006)

1943 – General James L. Jones, American military figure

1944 – William Christie, American-born French musician (Les Arts Florissants)

1944 – Mitchell Feigenbaum, American mathematical physicist

1944 – Richard Leakey, Kenyan paleontologist, conservationist and politician

1944 – Alvin Lee, English singer and musician (Ten Years After)

1944 – Tim Reid, American actor

1944 – Zal Yanovsky, Canadian guitarist (The Lovin' Spoonful) (d. 2002)

1945 – Elaine Joyce, American actress

1946 – Rosemary Conley, English businesswoman, author and broadcaster

1946 – Robert Urich, American actor (d. 2002)

1947 – Jimmy Bain, Scottish musician

1947 – Charlie Van Dyke, American actor and radio disc jockey

1948 – Ken Brown, Canadian ice hockey player

1949 – Nancy Kyes, American actress

1949 – Sebastian, Danish musician

1951 – Alan Rouse, British mountaineer (d. 1986)

1952 – Walter Murphy, American composer, pianist and arranger

1955 – Lincoln Hall, Australian mountaineer

1955 – Rob Portman, American politician, senator elect from Ohio

1956 – Tom Lawless, American baseball player

1956 – Phil Harris, American fisherman (''Deadliest Catch'') (d. 2010)

1957 – Cyril Collard, French film director (d. 1993)

1957 – John Gulager, American film director

1957 – Kevin McHale, American basketball player

1958 – Limahl, English singer (Kajagoogoo)

1958 – Steven Isserlis, English cellist

1959 – Ivan Vallejo, Ecuadorian mountaineer

1960 – Mike Lookinland, American actor

1960 – Michelangelo Signorile, American writer

1960 – Derrick Jensen, American author and activist

1961 – Eric Allin Cornell, American physicist, Nobel laureate

1961 – Matthew Waterhouse, English actor

1961 – Reggie White, American football player (d. 2004)

1962 – Gary Fleder, American film director

1962 – Jill Talley, American actress

1963 – Jennifer Beals, American actress

1963 – Til Schweiger, German actor

1964 – Arvydas Sabonis, Lithuanian basketball player

1964 – Béatrice Dalle, French actress

1965 – Chito Martínez, Belizean baseball player

1965 – Jessica Steen, American actress

1966 – Chuckii Booker, American singer, musician and producer

1966 – Robert MacNaughton, American stage and screen actor

1966 – Alberto Tomba, Italian alpine skier

1966 – Eric Weinrich, American ice hockey player

1967 – Criss Angel, American illusionist

1967 – Frankie Lam, Hong Kong actor

1969 – Richard Hammond, English television presenter

1969 – Tom Gugliotta, American basketball player

1969 – Kristy Swanson, American actress

1969 – Villano IV, Mexican professional wrestler

1971 – Tyson Beckford, American model

1971 – Liz Cho, American television reporter

1971 – Amy Locane, American actress

1972 – Alyssa Milano, American actress

1972 – Rosa Blasi, American actress

1972 – Warren Sapp, American football player

1973 – Takashi Sorimachi, Japanese actor

1973 – Zulfiya Zabirova, Russian cyclist

1974 – Mikko Paananen, Finnish bassist (HIM)

1974 – Joe Jurevicius, American football player

1974 – Felipe Lopez, Dominican basketball player

1974 – Jake Plummer, American football player

1974 – Ricky Ponting, Australian cricketer

1975 – Russell Branyan, American baseball player

1975 – Michiel van den Bos, Dutch composer

1975 – Jon Smith, British writer

1975 – Olivier Tebily, Ivorian footballer

1977 – Jorge Garbajosa, Spanish basketball player

1978 – Patrick Casey, American screenwriter and actor

1979 – Kevin Devine, American musician

1979 – Paola Rey, Colombian actress

1980 – Iman Ali, Pakistani model and actress

1980 – Jake Gyllenhaal, American actor

1980 – Chris Haslam, Canadian skateboarder and bassist (Kobra Triangle)

1980 – Marla Sokoloff, American actress

1982 – Maurice Williams, American basketball player

1982 – Tero Pitkamaki, Finnish javelin thrower

1983 – Casey Crescenzo, American Rock Artist

1983 – Matt Stajan, Canadian ice hockey player

1984 – Ian Kennedy, American baseball player

1985 – Gary Cahill, English footballer

1985 – Neil Kilkenny, English-born Australian soccer player

1985 – Lady Sovereign, English musician

1986 – Ryan Babel, Dutch footballer

1987 – Karim Benzema, French footballer

1988 – Peter Winn, English footballer

1988 – Paulina Gretzky, American singer and model

1988 – Alexis Sánchez, Chilean footballer

1989 – Valdimar Bergstað, Icelandic horse rider

1989 – Hamza Riazuddin, English cricketer

1990 – Greg Bretz, American snowboarder

1991 – Declan Galbraith, English singer

1992 – Iker Muniain, Spanish/Basque footballer

Deaths

211 – Publius Septimius Geta, Roman Emperor (b. 189)

401 – Pope Anastasius I

1111 – Al-Ghazali, Islamic philosopher (b. 1058)

1075 – Edith of Wessex, wife of Edward the Confessor

1327 – Agnes of France, Duchess of Burgundy

1370 – Pope Urban V (b. 1310)

1737 – James Louis Sobieski, son of John III Sobieski, and pretender to the throne of Poland (b. 1667)

1741 – Vitus Bering, Danish-born explorer (b. 1681)

1745 – Jean-Baptiste van Loo, French painter (b. 1684)

1749 – Francesco Antonio Bonporti, Italian priest and composer (b. 1672)

1751 – Louise of Great Britain, wife of Frederick V of Denmark (b. 1724)

1807 – Friedrich Melchior, baron von Grimm, German writer (b. 1723)

1813 – James McGill, Scottish-born Canadian businessman and philanthropist (b. 1744)

1814 – Joseph Bramah, British inventor and locksmith (b. 1748)

1819 – Sir Thomas Fremantle, British naval officer and politician (b. 1765)

1848 – Emily Brontë, English author (b. 1818)

1878 – Bayard Taylor, American author and poet (b. 1825)

1915 – Alois Alzheimer, German neuroscientist (b. 1864)

1916 – Thibaw Min, King of Burma (b. 1859)

1927 – Ashfaqulla Khan, Indian independence movement figure (b. 1900)

1932 – Yoon Bong-Gil, Korean activist (b. 1908)

1933 – George Jackson Churchward, British locomotive engineer (b. 1857)

1938 – Stephen Warfield Gambrill, American politician (b. 1873)

1939 – Hans Langsdorff, German naval officer (b. 1894)

1944 – Abbas II of Egypt (b. 1874)

1944 – Rudolph Karstadt, German entrepreneur (b. 1856)

1946 – Paul Langevin, French physicist (b. 1872)

1953 – Robert Millikan, American physicist, Nobel laureate (b. 1868)

1968 – Norman Thomas, American socialist (b. 1884)

1982 – Dwight Macdonald, American social critic (b. 1906)

1984 – Joy Ridderhof, American missionary (b. 1903)

1986 – V. C. Andrews, American author (b. 1923)

1988 – Robert Bernstein, American comic book writer (b. 1919)

1989 – Stella Gibbons, English author (b. 1902)

1991 – Joe Cole, American rock music roadie (b. 1961)

1993 – Michael Clarke, American drummer (The Byrds) (b. 1946)

1996 – Marcello Mastroianni, Italian actor (b. 1924)

1997 – Masaru Ibuka, Japanese industrialist (Sony) (b. 1908)

1997 – Jimmy Rogers, American blues guitarist (b. 1924)

1998 – Mel Fisher, American treasure hunter (b. 1922)

1998 – Antonio Ordóñez, Spanish bullfighter (b. 1932)

1999 – Desmond Llewelyn, Welsh actor (b. 1914)

2000 – Rob Buck, American guitarist (10,000 Maniacs) (b. 1958)

2000 – Milt Hinton, American jazz double bassist (b. 1910)

2000 – John Lindsay, American politician (b. 1921)

2000 – Pops Staples, American singer (The Staple Singers) (b. 1915)

2000 – David Dewayne Johnson, American convicted murderer (b. 1963)

2001 – Marcel Mule, French saxophonist (b. 1901)

2002 – Arthur Rowley, English footballer (b. 1926)

2003 – Peter Carter-Ruck, English lawyer (b. 1914)

2003 – Hope Lange, American actress (b. 1933)

2003 – Les Tremayne, English-born American actor (b. 1913)

2004 – Herbert C. Brown, English-born American chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1912)

2004 – Renata Tebaldi, Italian soprano (b. 1922)

2005 – Keith Duckworth, English mechanical engineer (Cosworth) (b. 1933)

2005 – Vincent Gigante, American mafioso (b. 1927)

2008 – James Bevel, American civil rights activist (b. 1936)

2008 – Kenny Cox, American jazz musician (b. 1940)

2008 – Dock Ellis, American baseball pitcher (b. 1945)

2008 – Carol Chomsky, American linguist (b. 1930)

2008 – Michael Connell, American political consultant (b. 1963)

2009 – Giridharilal Kedia, Indian entrepreneur (b. 1936)

2009 – Hossein-Ali Montazeri, Iranian dissident cleric (b. 1922)

2009 – Kim Peek, American savant (b. 1951)

2010 – Trudy Pitts, American jazz organist, pianist, and vocalist (b. 1932)

2010 – Anthony Howard, English journalist (b. 1934)

Holidays and observances

Christian Feast Day:

*O Radix

*Pope Anastasius I

Liberation day (Goa)

Opalia (Roman Empire)

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation (International)

External links

BBC: On This Day

On This Day in Canada

----

Category:Days of the year Category:December

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Name	Kim Jong-il
Office	Supreme Leader of North Korea
President	Kim Yong-nam
Premier	Hong Song-namPak Pong-juKim Yong-ilChoe Yong-rim
Term start	8 July 1994
Predecessor	Kim Il-sung
Office2	Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea
Deputy2	Jo Myong-rok (1993–2010) Chang Sung-taek (2010–)
Term start2	9 April 1993
Predecessor2	Position established
Office3	Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army
Term start3	24 December 1991
Predecessor3	Kim Il-sung
Office4	General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea
Term start4	8 October 1997
Predecessor4	Kim Il-sung
Office5	Chairman of the Central Military Commission of Worker's Party of Korea
Term start5	8 October 1997
Predecessor5	Kim Il-sung
Birth date	February 16, 1941Vyatskoye, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (Soviet records)February 16, 1942Baekdu Mountain, Japanese Korea (North Korean records)
Party	Workers' Party of Korea
Spouse	Kim Young-sookSong Hye-rimKo Young-heeKim Ok
Children	Kim Sul-songKim Jong-namKim Jong-chulKim Jong-un
Relations	Kim Il-sung (father, deceased)Kim Jong-suk (mother, deceased)
Alma mater	Kim Il-sung UniversityUniversity of Malta
Signature	Kim Jong-il Signature.png }}

Context	north
Hangul	김정일
Hanja
Rr	Gim Jeong(-)il
Mr	Kim Chŏngil }}

Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, born 16 February 1941 (Soviet records) or 16 February 1942 (North Korean records), is the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). He is the Chairman of the National Defense Commission, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, the ruling party since 1948, and the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, the fourth largest standing army in the world. In April 2009, North Korea's constitution was amended and now implicitly refers to him as the "''Supreme Leader''". He is also referred to as the "''Dear Leader''", "''our Father''", "''the General''" and "''Generalissimo''". His son Kim Jong-un was promoted to a senior position in the ruling Worker's Party and is heir apparent.

Childhood

Birth

Soviet records show that Kim Jong-il was born in the village of Vyatskoye, near Khabarovsk, in 1941, where his father, Kim Il-sung, commanded the 1st Battalion of the Soviet 88th Brigade, made up of Chinese and Korean exiles. Kim Jong-il's mother, Kim Jong-suk, was Kim Il-sung's first wife.

Kim Jong-il's official biography states that he was born in a secret military camp on Baekdu Mountain in Japanese Korea on 16 February 1942. Official biographers claim that his birth at Baekdu Mountain was foretold by a swallow, and heralded by the appearance of a double rainbow over the mountain and a new star in the heavens.

In 1945, Kim was three or four years old (depending on his birth year) when World War II ended and Korea regained independence from Japan. His father returned to Pyongyang that September, and in late November Kim returned to Korea via a Soviet ship, landing at Sonbong (선봉군, also Unggi). The family moved into a former Japanese officer's mansion in Pyongyang, with a garden and pool. Kim Jong-il's brother, "Shura" Kim (the first Kim Jong-il, but known by his Russian nickname), drowned there in 1948. Unconfirmed reports suggest that 5 year old Kim Jong-il might have caused the accident. In 1949, his mother died in childbirth. Unconfirmed reports suggest that his mother might have been shot and left to bleed to death.

Education

According to his official biography, Kim completed the course of general education between September 1950 and August 1960. He attended Primary School No. 4 and Middle School No. 1 (Namsan Higher Middle School) in Pyongyang This is contested by foreign academics, who believe he is more likely to have received his early education in the People's Republic of China as a precaution to ensure his safety during the Korean War.

Throughout his schooling, Kim was involved in politics. He was active in the Children's Union and the Democratic Youth League (DYL), taking part in study groups of Marxist political theory and other literature. In September 1957 he became vice-chairman of his middle school's DYL branch. He pursued a programme of anti-factionalism and attempted to encourage greater ideological education among his classmates.

Kim is also said to have received English language education at the University of Malta in the early 1970s, on his infrequent holidays in Malta as guest of Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.

The elder Kim had meanwhile remarried and had another son, Kim Pyong-il (named after Kim Jong-il's drowned brother). Since 1988, Kim Pyong-il has served in a series of North Korean embassies in Europe and is currently the North Korean ambassador to Poland. Foreign commentators suspect that Kim Pyong-il was sent to these distant posts by his father in order to avoid a power struggle between his two sons.

Presidium member and party secretary (1980–1994)

By the time of the Sixth Party Congress in October 1980, Kim Jong-il's control of the Party operation was complete. He was given senior posts in the Politburo, the Military Commission and the party Secretariat. When he was made a member of the Seventh Supreme People's Assembly in February 1982, international observers deemed him the heir apparent of North Korea.

At this time Kim assumed the title "Dear Leader" (친애하는 지도자, ''chinaehaneun jidoja'') the government began building a personality cult around him patterned after that of his father, the "Great Leader". Kim Jong-il was regularly hailed by the media as the "fearless leader" and "the great successor to the revolutionary cause". He emerged as the most powerful figure behind his father in North Korea.

On 24 December 1991, Kim was also named supreme commander of the North Korean armed forces. Since the Army is the real foundation of power in North Korea, this was a vital step. Defense Minister Oh Jin-wu, one of Kim Il-sung's most loyal subordinates, engineered Kim Jong-il's acceptance by the Army as the next leader of North Korea, despite his lack of military service. The only other possible leadership candidate, Prime Minister Kim Il (no relation), was removed from his posts in 1976. In 1992, Kim Il-sung publicly stated that his son was in charge of all internal affairs in the Democratic People's Republic.

In 1992, radio broadcasts started referring to him as the "Dear Father", instead of the "Dear Leader", suggesting a promotion. His 50th birthday in February was the occasion for massive celebrations, exceeded only by those for the 80th birthday of Kim Il Sung himself on 15 April.

According to defector Hwang Jang-yop, the North Korean goverment system became even more centralized and autocratic during the 1980s and 1990s under Kim Jong-il than it had been under his father. In one example explained by Hwang, although Kim Il-sung required his ministers to be loyal to him, he nonetheless and frequently sought their advice during decision-making. In contrast, Kim Jong-il demands absolute obedience and agreement from his ministers and party officals with no advice or compromise, and he views any slight deviation from his thinking as a sign of disloyalty. According to Hwang, Kim Jong-il personally directs even minor details of state affairs, such as the size of houses for party secretaries and the delivery of gifts to his subordinates.

By the 1980s, North Korea began to experience severe economic stagnation. Kim Il-sung's policy of ''juche'' (self-reliance) cut the country off from almost all external trade, even with its traditional partners, the Soviet Union and China.

South Korea accused Kim of ordering the 1983 bombing in Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar), which killed 17 visiting South Korean officials, including four cabinet members, and another in 1987 which killed all 115 on board Korean Air Flight 858. A North Korean agent, Kim Hyon Hui, confessed to planting a bomb in the case of the second, saying the operation was ordered by Kim Jong-il personally.

In 1992, Kim Jong-il's voice was broadcast within North Korea for the first time during a military parade for the KPA's 60th year anniversary in Pyongyang's then Central Square (Kim Il-sung Square at present), in which Kim Il-sung attended with Kim Jong-il by his side. After Kim Il-sung's speech, his son approached the microphone at the grandstand and simply said: "Glory to the heroic soldiers of the Korean People's Army!" Everyone in the audience clapped and the parade participants at the square grounds (which included veteran soldiers and officers of the KPA) shouted "ten thousand years" three times after that.

Ruler of North Korea

On 8 July 1994, Kim Il-sung died, at the age of 82 from a heart attack. However, it took three years for Kim Jong-il to consolidate his power. He officially took the titles of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defense Commission on 8 October 1997. In 1998, his Defense Commission chairmanship was declared to be "the highest post of the state", so Kim may be regarded as North Korea's head of state from that date. Also in 1998, the Supreme People's Assembly wrote the president's post out of the constitution in memory of Kim Il-Sung, who was designated the country's "Eternal President". It can be argued, though, that he became the country's leader when he became leader of the Workers' Party; in most Communist countries the party leader is the most powerful person in the country.

Officially, Kim is part of a triumvirate heading the executive branch of the North Korean government along with Premier Choe Yong-rim and parliament chairman Kim Yong-nam (no relations). Each nominally has powers equivalent to a third of a president's powers in most other presidential systems. Kim Jong-il is commander of the armed forces, Choe Yong-rim heads the government and Kim Yong-nam handles foreign relations. In practice, however, Kim Jong-il exercises absolute control over the government and the country.

Although Kim is not required to stand for popular election to his key offices, he is unanimously elected to the Supreme People's Assembly every five years, representing a military constituency, due to his concurrent capacities as KPA Supreme Commander and Chairman of the DPRK NDC.

Economic policies

The state-controlled economy of North Korea struggled throughout the 1990s, primarily due to the loss of strategic trade arrangements with the Soviet Union and strained relations with China following China's normalization with South Korea in 1992. In addition, North Korea experienced record-breaking floods (1995 and 1996) followed by several years of equally severe drought beginning in 1997. This, compounded with only 18% arable land and an inability to import the goods necessary to sustain industry, led to an immense famine and left North Korea in economic shambles. Faced with a country in decay, Kim adopted a "Military-First" policy (선군정치, Sŏn'gun chŏngch'i) to strengthen the country and reinforce the regime. On the national scale, this policy has produced a positive growth rate for the country since 1996, and the implementation of "landmark socialist-type market economic practices" in 2002 kept the North afloat despite a continued dependency on foreign aid for food.

In the wake of the devastation of the 1990s, the government began formally approving some activity of small-scale bartering and trade. As observed by Daniel Sneider, associate director for research at the Stanford University Asia-Pacific Research Center, this flirtation with capitalism is "fairly limited, but — especially compared to the past — there are now remarkable markets that create the semblance of a free market system." In 2002, Kim Jong-il declared that "money should be capable of measuring the worth of all commodities." These gestures toward economic reform mirror similar actions taken by China's Deng Xiaoping in the late 1980s and early 90s. During a rare visit in 2006, Kim expressed admiration for China's rapid economic progress.

Foreign relations

In 1998, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung implemented the "Sunshine Policy" to improve North-South relations and to allow South Korean companies to start projects in the North. Kim Jong-il announced plans to import and develop new technologies to develop North Korea's fledgling software industry. As a result of the new policy, the Kaesong Industrial Park was constructed in 2003 just north of the de-militarized zone, with the planned participation of 250 South Korean companies, employing 100,000 North Koreans, by 2007. However, by March 2007, the Park contained only 21 companies — employing 12,000 North Korean workers. As of May 2010 the park employs over 40,000 North Korean workers.

In 1994, North Korea and the United States signed an Agreed Framework which was designed to freeze and eventually dismantle the North's nuclear weapons program in exchange for aid in producing two power-generating nuclear reactors. In 2002, Kim Jong-il's government admitted to having produced nuclear weapons since the 1994 agreement. Kim's regime argued the secret production was necessary for security purposes — citing the presence of United States-owned nuclear weapons in South Korea and the new tensions with the US under President George W. Bush. On 9 October 2006, North Korea's Korean Central News Agency announced that it had successfully conducted an underground nuclear test.

2008 health and waning power rumors

In an August 2008 issue of the Japanese newsweekly Shukan Gendai, Waseda University professor Toshimitsu Shigemura, an authority on the Korean Peninsula, claimed that Kim Jong-il died of diabetes in late 2003 and had been replaced in public appearances by one or more stand-ins previously employed to protect him from assassination attempts. In a subsequent best-selling book, ''The True Character of Kim Jong-il'', Shigemura cited apparently un-named people close to Kim's family along with Japanese and South Korean intelligence sources, claiming they confirmed Kim's diabetes took a turn for the worse early in 2000 and from then until his supposed death three and a half years later he was using a wheelchair. Shigemura moreover claimed a voiceprint analysis of Kim speaking in 2004 did not match a known earlier recording. It was also noted that Kim Jong-il did not appear in public for the Olympic torch relay in Pyongyang on 28 April 2008. The question had reportedly "baffled foreign intelligence agencies for years."

On 9 September 2008, various sources reported that after he did not show up that day for a military parade celebrating North Korea's 60th anniversary, US intelligence agencies believed Kim might be "gravely ill" after having suffered a stroke. He had last been seen in public a month earlier. A former CIA official said earlier reports of a health crisis were likely to be accurate. North Korean media remained silent on the issue. An Associated Press report said analysts believed Kim had been supporting moderates in the foreign ministry, while North Korea's powerful military was against so-called "Six-Party" negotiations with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States aimed towards ridding North Korea of nuclear weapons. Some US officials noted that soon after rumours about Kim's health were publicized a month before, North Korea had taken a "tougher line in nuclear negotiations." In late August North Korea's official news agency reported the government would "consider soon a step to restore the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon to their original state as strongly requested by its relevant institutions." Analysts said this meant "the military may have taken the upper hand and that Kim might no longer be wielding absolute authority."

By 10 September there were conflicting reports. Unidentified South Korean government officials said Kim had undergone surgery after suffering a minor stroke and had apparently "intended to attend 9 September event in the afternoon but decided not to because of the aftermath of the surgery." High ranking North Korean official Kim Yong-nam said, "While we wanted to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the country with General Secretary Kim Jong-Il, we celebrated on our own." Song Il-Ho, North Korea's ambassador said, "We see such reports as not only worthless, but rather as a conspiracy plot." Seoul's ''Chosun Ilbo'' newspaper reported that "the South Korean embassy in Beijing had received an intelligence report that Kim collapsed on 22 August." The ''New York Times'' reported Kim was "very ill and most likely suffered a stroke a few weeks ago, but US intelligence authorities do not think his death is imminent." The BBC noted that the North Korean government denied these reports, stating that Kim's health problems were "not serious enough to threaten his life," although they did confirm that he had suffered from a stroke on 15 August.

Japan's Kyodo news agency reported on 14 September that "Kim collapsed on 14 August due to stroke or a cerebral hemorrhage, and that Beijing dispatched five military doctors at the request of Pyongyang. Kim will require a long period of rest and rehabilitation before he fully recovers and has complete command of his limbs again, as with typical stroke victims." Japan's Mainichi Shimbun said Kim occasionally lost consciousness since April. Japan's ''Tokyo Shimbun'' on 15 September added that Kim was staying at the Bongwha State Guest House. He was apparently conscious "but he needs some time to recuperate from the recent stroke, with some parts of his hands and feet paralyzed". It cited Chinese sources which claimed that one cause for the stroke could have been stress brought about by the US delay to remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

On 19 October, North Korea reportedly ordered its diplomats to stay near their embassies to await “an important message”, according to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, setting off renewed speculation about the health of the ailing leader.

By 29 October 2008, reports stated Kim suffered a serious setback and had been taken back to hospital. The New York Times reported that Taro Aso, on 28 October 2008, stated in a parliamentary session that Kim had been hospitalized: "His condition is not so good. However, I don't think he is totally incapable of making decisions." Aso further said a French neurosurgeon was aboard a plane for Beijing, en route to North Korea. Further, Kim Sung-ho, director of South Korea's National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed parliamentary session in Seoul that "Kim appeared to be recovering quickly enough to start performing his daily duties." The Dong-a Ilbo newspaper reported "a serious problem" with Kim's health. Japan's Fuji Television Network reported that Kim's eldest son, Kim Jong Nam, traveled to Paris to hire a neurosurgeon for his father, and showed footage where the surgeon boarded flight CA121 bound for Pyongyang from Beijing on 24 October. The French weekly ''Le Point'' identified him as Francois-Xavier Roux, neurosurgery director of Paris' Sainte-Anne Hospital, but Roux himself stated he was in Beijing for several days and not North Korea.

On 5 November 2008, the North's Korean Central News Agency published 2 photos showing Kim posing with dozens of Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers on a visit to military Unit 2200 and sub-unit of Unit 534. Shown with his usual bouffant hairstyle, with his trademark sunglasses and a white winter parka, Kim stood in front of trees with autumn foliage and a red-and-white banner. ''The Times'' questioned the authenticity of at least one of these photos.

In November 2008, Japan's TBS TV network reported that Kim had suffered a second stroke in October, which "affected the movement of his left arm and leg and also his ability to speak." However, South Korea's intelligence agency rejected this report.

In response to the rumors regarding Kim's health and supposed loss of power, in April 2009, North Korea released a video showing Kim visiting factories and other places around the country between November and December 2008. In July 2009, it was reported that Kim may be suffering from pancreatic cancer.

In 2010, documents released by Wikileaks stated that Kim suffers from epilepsy.

Successor

Kim's three sons and his son-in-law, along with O Kuk-ryol, an army general, have been noted as possible successors, but the North Korean government has been wholly silent on this matter. Kim Yong Hyun, a political expert at the Institute for North Korean Studies at Seoul's Dongguk University, has said, "Even the North Korean establishment would not advocate a continuation of the family dynasty at this point." Kim's eldest son Kim Jong-nam was earlier believed to be the designated heir but he appears to have fallen out of favor after being arrested at Narita International Airport near Tokyo in 2001 while traveling on a forged passport.

On 2 June 2009, it was reported that Kim Jong Il's youngest son, Jong Un, was to be North Korea's next leader. Like his father and grandfather, he has also been given an official sobriquet, The Brilliant Comrade. It has been reported that Kim Jong Il is expected to officially designate the son as his successor in 2012. However, there are reports that if leadership passes to one of the sons, Kim Jong Il's brother-in-law, Chang Sung-taek, could attempt to take power from him.

Re-election as DPRK leader

On 9 April 2009, Kim was re-elected as chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, and made an appearance at the Supreme People's Assembly. This was the first time Kim was seen in public since August 2008. He was unanimously re-elected and given a standing ovation.

2009 imprisonment and pardoning of American journalists

In March 2009, the North Korean military detained two American journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who were working for the US independent cable television network Current TV, after they allegedly crossed into North Korea from the People's Republic of China without a visa. The two reporters were found guilty of illegal entry and subsequently sentenced to twelve years of hard labor. Reporters Without Borders characterized the trial and sentencing as a "sham trial", and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton initially stated that the charges against the journalists were "baseless".

On 4 August 2009, former US President Bill Clinton met with Kim Jong-il during a "solely private mission to secure the release of Euna Lee and Laura Ling." According to the KCNA, Clinton conveyed a verbal message to Kim from President Barack Obama, a claim denied by the Obama administration. Clinton and Kim had "an exhaustive conversation" that included "a wide-ranging exchange of views on the matters of common concern," KCNA reported. KCNA also reported that the National Defence Commission of North Korea, of which the Dear Leader is the Chairman, hosted a dinner in honor of Clinton, but did not go into detail about what was discussed at the reception. In the early morning hours (UTC+9) of 5 August, KCNA announced that Kim Jong-il had issued a pardon to Lee and Ling.

2010 and 2011 foreign visits

Kim was reported to have visited the People's Republic of China in May 2010. He entered the country by his personal train on 3 May, and stayed in a hotel in Dalian. Kim travelled to China again in August 2010, this time with his son, fueling speculation that he is ready to hand over power to son Kim Jong-un. He returned to China again in May 2011, marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between China and the DPRK. In late August 2011, he travelled by train to the Russian Far East to meet with President Dmitri Medvedev for unspecified talks.

Cult of personality

Kim Jong-il is the centre of an elaborate personality cult inherited from his father and founder of the DPRK, Kim Il-sung. Defectors have been quoted as saying that North Korean schools deify both father and son. He is often the centre of attention throughout ordinary life in the DPRK. On his 60th birthday (based on his official date of birth), mass celebrations occurred throughout the country on the occasion of his Hwangap. Many North Koreans believe that he has the "magical" ability to "control the weather" based on his mood. In 2010, the North Korean media reported that Kim's distinctive clothing had set worldwide fashion trends.

One point of view is that Kim Jong Il's cult of personality is solely out of respect for Kim Il-sung or out of fear of punishment for failure to pay homage. Media and government sources from outside of North Korea generally support this view, while North Korean government sources say that it is genuine hero worship. The song "No Motherland Without You", sung by the KPA State Merited Choir, was created especially for Kim in 1992 and is frequently broadcasted on the radio and from loudspeakers on the streets of Pyongyang.

Personal life

Family

There is no official information available about Kim Jong-il's marital history, but he is believed to have been officially married once and to have had three mistresses. He has four known children:

Kim Sul-song (daughter)

Kim Jong-nam (son)

Kim Jong-chul (son)

Kim Jong-un (son)

Kim's first wife, Kim Young-sook, was the daughter of a high-ranking military official. His father Kim Il-Sung handpicked her to marry his son. They had one son, Kim Jong-nam (born 1971) who is Kim Jong-il's eldest son.

His second mistress, Ko Young-hee, was a Japanese-born ethnic Korean and a dancer. She had taken over the role of First Lady until her death — reportedly of cancer — in 2004. They had two sons, Kim Jong-chul, in 1981, and Kim Jong-un (also "Jong Woon" or "Jong Woong"), in 1983.

Since Ko's death, Kim has been living with Kim Ok, his third mistress, who had served as his personal secretary since the 1980s. She "virtually acts as North Korea's first lady" and frequently accompanies Kim on his visits to military bases and in meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries. She traveled with Kim Jong Il on a secretive trip to China in January 2006, where she was received by Chinese officials as Kim's wife.

Kim Jong-il is also reported to have a younger sister, Kim Kyong-Hui (김경희).

Personality

Like his father, Kim has a fear of flying, and has always traveled by private armored train for state visits to Russia and China. The BBC reported that Konstantin Pulikovsky, a Russian emissary who traveled with Kim across Russia by train, told reporters that Kim had live lobsters air-lifted to the train every day.

Kim is said to be a huge film fan, owning a collection of more than 20,000 video tapes and DVDs. His reported favorite movie franchises include ''Friday the 13th'', ''Rambo'', ''Godzilla'', and Hong Kong action cinema, and any movie starring Elizabeth Taylor. He is the author of the book ''On the Art of the Cinema''. In 1978, on Kim's orders, South Korean film director Shin Sang-ok and his actress wife Choi Eun-hee were kidnapped in order to build a North Korean film industry. In 2006 he was involved in the production of the Juche-based movie ''Diary of a Girl Student'' – depicting the life of a girl whose parents are scientists – with a KCNA news report stating that Kim "improved its script and guided its production".

Although Kim enjoys many foreign forms of entertainment, according to former bodyguard Lee Young Kuk, he refused to consume any food or drink not produced in North Korea, with the exception of wine from France. His former sushi chef Kenji Fujimoto, however, has stated that Kim has sometimes sent him around the world to purchase a variety of foreign delicacies.

Kim reportedly also enjoys basketball. Former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright ended her summit with Kim by presenting him with a basketball signed by NBA legend Michael Jordan. Also an apparent golfer, North Korean state media reports that Kim routinely shoots three or four holes-in-one per round. His official biography also claims Kim has composed six operas and enjoys staging elaborate musicals. Kim also refers to himself as an Internet expert.

US Special Envoy for the Korean Peace Talks, Charles Kartman, who was involved in the 2000 Madeleine Albright summit with Kim, characterised Kim Jong-il as a reasonable man in negotiations, to the point, but with a sense of humor and personally attentive to the people he was hosting. However, psychological evaluations conclude that Kim Jong-il's antisocial features, such as his fearlessness in the face of sanctions and punishment, serve to make negotiations extraordinarily difficult.

The field of psychology has long been fascinated with the personality assessment of dictators, a notion that resulted in an extensive personality evaluation of Kim Jong-il. The report, compiled by Frederick L. Coolidge and Daniel L. Segal (with the assistance of a South Korean psychiatrist considered an expert on Kim Jong-il's behavior), concluded that the “big six” group of personality disorders shared by dictators Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Saddam Hussein (sadistic, paranoid, antisocial, narcissistic, schizoid and schizotypal) were also shared by Kim Jong-il—coinciding primarily with the profile of Saddam Hussein. The evaluation also finds that Kim Jong-il appears to pride himself on North Korea's independence, despite the extreme hardships it appears to place on the North Korean people—an attribute appearing to emanate from his antisocial personality pattern. This notion also encourages other cognitive issues, such as self-deception, as subsidiary components to Kim Jong-il's personality. Many of the stories about Kim Jong Il's eccentricities and decadent life-style are exaggerated, possibly circulated by South Korean intelligence to discredit the Northern regime. Defectors claim that Kim has 17 different palaces and residences all over North Korea, including a private resort near Baekdu Mountain, a seaside lodge in the city of Wonsan, and a palace complex northeast of Pyongyang surrounded with multiple fence lines, bunkers and anti-aircraft batteries.

Finances

According to the ''Sunday Telegraph'', Kim has US$4 billion on deposit in European banks in case he ever needs to flee North Korea. The Sunday Telegraph reported that most of the money was in banks in Luxembourg.

Official titles

Party Center of the WPK (1970's)

Vice-Chairman, WPK Central Committee (1972–80)

Dear Leader (''Chinaehanuen Jidoja'') (late 1970s-1994)

Intelligent Leader (1973–84)

Member, Presidum of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK

Secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea (1980–94)

Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army (25 December 1991-)

Marshal of the DPRK (1993-)

Chairman, National Defense Commission of North Korea (born 1993)

Great Leader (''Widehan Ryongdoja'') (July 1994-)

General Secretary, Workers Party of Korea (born 1997)

Supreme Leader of the Republic (born 2009)

See also

List of Korea-related topics

Sinuiju North Korean Leader's Residence

North Korea

Notes and references

Further reading

Jasper Becker, "Rogue Regime: Kim John Il and the Looming Threat of North Korea", Oxford University Press (October 2006), Softcover, 328 pages, ISBN 0-19-530891-3

Michael Breen, ''Kim Jong-il: North Korea's Dear Leader'', John Wiley and Sons (January 2004), hardcover, 228 pages, ISBN 0-470-82131-0

Bradley Martin, ''Under The Loving Care Of The Fatherly Leader: North Korea And The Kim Dynasty'', St. Martins (October 2004), hardcover, 868 pages, ISBN 0-312-32221-6

Kim Chol U, ''Army-Centred Politics Of Kim Jong Il'', Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 2002, Softcover, 98 pages

Kim Jong Il Brief History, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 1998, Hardcover, 149 pages

Kim Jong Il Short Biography, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 2001, Hardcover, 215 pages

Pae Kyong Su, Kim Jong Il The Individual Thoughts And Leadership Vol. 1, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 1993, Softcover, 225 pages

Pae Kyong Su, Kim Jong Il The Individual Thoughts And Leadership Vol. 2, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 1995, Softcover, 164 pages

Nada Takashi, Korea In Kim Jong Il's Era, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 2000, Softcover, 163 pages

Li Il Bok, The Great Man Kim Jong Il, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 1989, Softcover, 167 pages

Ri Il Bok, The Great Man Kim Jong Il Vol. 2, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 1995, Softcover, 84 pages

Jo Song Baek, The Leadership Philosophy Of Kim Jong Il, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 1999, Softcover, 261 pages

Guiding Light General Kim Jong Il, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang, North Korea, 1997, Softcover, 357 pages

External links

 – Foreign Languages Publishing House, Pyongyang DPR Korea (1998)

Born in the USSR – Kim Jong-il's childhood.

The many family secrets of Kim Jong Il

(also includes photos of Kim during his youth)

Kim's family tree

BBC, North Korea's secretive 'first family'

BBC, Profile: Kim Jong-il

BBC, Who will succeed N Korea's Kim Jong-il?

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Category:1941 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of the University of Malta Category:Anti-Revisionists Category:Communist rulers Category:Current national leaders Category:Heads of state of North Korea Category:Leaders of political parties in North Korea Category:Members of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea Category:Military brats Category:North Korean billionaires Category:People from Khabarovsk Krai Category:People with epilepsy Category:Stroke survivors Category:Workers' Party of Korea politicians Category:Marxist theorists Category:Kim Il-sung family

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Landscape	yes
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Tramar Dillard
Born	September 17, 1979 Carol City, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Rapper, Songwriter, Actor
Genre	Southern hip hop, Pop rap, R&B;, Dance
Years active	2006–present
Label	Atlantic, Poe Boy
Associated acts	Brisco, Timbaland, David Guetta, Ke$ha, T-Pain, Akon
Website	}}

Tramar Dillard (born September 17, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida ("flow rider"), is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, ''Mail on Sunday'', in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from ''Mail on Sunday'': "Elevator" and "In the Ayer". In 2009, his second album ''R.O.O.T.S.'' was released; its most successful single "Right Round" was at the top of the Hot 100 for six weeks. Since then, he has released his third studio album titled ''Only One Flo (Part 1)'', which will see a sequel titled ''Only One Rida (Part 2)''.

Early life

Tramar Dillard was born in the 187th Street projects of Carol City, Florida. His single mother raised him and his seven sisters, some of whom sang in a local gospel group. Dillard's brother-in-law was a hypeman for local rap group 2 Live Crew, and, while in Ninth Grade, Dillard formed his own amateur group with some friends called the Groundhoggz. His work with 2 Live Crew member Fresh Kid Ice attracted attention of DeVante Swing, a member of the band Jodeci. However, he was rejected by several of the major labels, so he sought many other jobs outside of music. After graduating from high school in 1998, he studied international business management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for two years and attended Barry University for two months. He returned to Florida to continue pursuing his music career after receiving a phone call from a representative of the independent label Poe Boy Entertainment. Dillard signed with Poe Boy in 2006, and as Flo Rida he began affiliating with other artists, such as Rick Ross, Trina, T-Pain, and Trick Daddy. A promotional street single entitled "Birthday", featuring Rick Ross, was his first significant release. He made his debut guest appearance with the song "Bitch I'm from Dade County" on DJ Khaled's album ''We the Best'', which featured Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross, Brisco, C-Ride, and Dre.

Music career

''Mail on Sunday'' (2007–08)

Flo Rida's first single was "Low", featuring T-Pain. It was his first official single from his debut album ''Mail On Sunday'' and the soundtrack to the movie ''Step Up 2: The Streets''. "Low" reached #1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. "Elevator", featuring Timbaland, "In the Ayer" featuring will.i.am, and "Roll" featuring Sean Kingston followed and all charted on the Hot 100 and other charts.

After the success of ''Mail on Sunday'', Flo Rida made guest performances on other R&B;, rap, and pop singles, including "Move Shake Drop" by DJ Laz, "We Break the Dawn" by Michelle Williams, the remix of "4 Minutes" by Madonna, "Running Back" by Australian R&B; singer Jessica Mauboy, "Feel It" by DJ Felli Fel, and the remix of "Speedin'" by Rick Ross. During the summer of 2008, he did live performances on the Fox dance competition program ''So You Think You Can Dance'' in the US and 2008 MuchMusic Video Awards in Canada. He appeared on the albums ''We Global'' by DJ Khaled, ''Gutta'' by Ace Hood, and ''The Fame'' by Lady Gaga, among others.

''R.O.O.T.S.'' (2009)

According to ''Billboard'' magazine, Flo Rida began recording his sophomore nine months after ''Mail On Sunday''. The album is titled ''R.O.O.T.S.'' and was released on March 31, 2009. The first single "Right Round" featured Ke$ha and was released for airplay in January 2009. "Right Round" jumped from number 58 to the top spot in one week in late February. The song broke a record for the most digital one week sales in the U.S., with 636,000, beating the previous record he had set himself with "Low". "Right Round" sampled "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)", a 1985 hit by Dead or Alive. The second official single was "Sugar", which featured R&B; singer Wynter Gordon. The song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other singles were "Jump" featuring Nelly Furtado, which reached #54 on the Hot 100 and was the promotional single for the animated film ''G-Force'', and "Be On You" featuring Ne-Yo, which reached #19 on the Hot 100. In addition to singles from his own album, Flo Rida made guest performances on "Feel It" by DJ Felli Fel, "Starstruck" by Lady Gaga, and "Feel It" by Three 6 Mafia. "Bad Boys", the first single by winner of British reality show ''The X Factor'' Alexandra Burke that featured Flo Rida, debuted at #1 on the UK Singles Chart in October.

''Only One Flo (Part 1)'' (2010)

Flo Rida's third album ''Only One Flo (Part 1)'' was released on November 24, 2010. In March 2010, Flo Rida announced on Twitter that the album would be titled ''The Only One''. ''Billboard'' reported that ''The Only One'' was to be a double album. "Club Can't Handle Me", produced by David Guetta, was the first official single and reached #9 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United States. Flo Rida also made guest appearances on "iYiYi", a song by Australian teen singer Cody Simpson, and on the song "Out My Video" by Bulgarian singer LiLana. Flo Rida collaborated with UK girl group The Saturdays, recording a new version of the girl's single, "Higher".

In December 2010, the Associated Press reported that Flo Rida had created his own label, International Music Group, inspired by Nicki Minaj's signing with Lil Wayne's. He has signed an 18 year-old rapper, Brianna and Git Fresh to International. Currently Flo Rida teamed up with Malaysian singer, Mizz Nina in Take Over. They shoot Take Over in Miami, Florida.

''Only One Rida (Part 2)'' (2011)

On August 29th, 2011 Flo Rida released his new single off the album Only One Rida (Part 2), called Good Feeling, which is now out now on the US iTunes store. The Album is due out later in 2011. A track called Hangover is rumored to be the second Track, Taio Cruz is featured on it. Inna, Starboy Nathan will be featured on the record, too.

Legal issues

On June 9, 2011, Flo Rida was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida for DUI and driving with a suspended license. Flo Rida was released from jail after he posted $2,000 bail and obtained a signed court order allowing him to travel to Asia for a series of previously scheduled concerts in Bangkok over the weekend.

Discography

''Mail on Sunday'' (2008)

''R.O.O.T.S.'' (2009)

''Only One Flo (Part 1)'' (2010)

''Only One Rida (Part 2)'' (2011)

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Type	! Award	! Result
		Breakthrough Performer
Favourite Male Hip-Hop Artist
	Best New Artist
Rookie of the Year
	Breathrough Artist
	Choice Breakout Artist
Choice Rap Artist
APRA Awards
MOBO Awards
MTV Video Music Awards	Best Hip-Hop Video ("Right Round" with Kesha)
NT Indigenous Music Awards
People's Choice Awards
Teen Choice Awards	Best Hip-Hop Rap Track ("Right Round" with Kesha)
	APRA Awards
Grammy Awards	Best Rap Album (''R.O.O.T.S.'')
People's Choice Awards	Hip-Hop Artist of the Year

See also

List of Miami rappers

References

External links

Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:African American rappers Category:American dance musicians Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Barry University alumni Category:Electro-hop musicians Category:Hip hop singers Category:Rappers from Miami, Florida Category:University of Nevada, Las Vegas alumni

ar:فلو ريدا bg:Flo Rida ca:Flo Rida cs:Flo Rida cy:Flo Rida da:Flo Rida de:Flo Rida es:Flo Rida fa:فلو رایدا fr:Flo Rida ko:플로 라이더 id:Flo Rida it:Flo Rida he:פלו ריידה lv:Flo Rida hu:Flo Rida nl:Flo Rida ja:フロー・ライダー no:Flo Rida pl:Flo Rida pt:Flo Rida ro:Flo Rida ru:Флоу Райда fi:Flo Rida sv:Flo Rida th:โฟล ไรเดอ tr:Flo Rida vi:Flo Rida zh:佛罗·里达

fullname	Taarak Mehta

Taarak Mehta is an Indian columnist/journalist best known for the column ''Duniya Ne Undha Chasma'' in Gujarati Language. The humorous weekly column first appeared in Chitralekha in March 1971 and ever since has been looking at contemporary issues from a different perspective. In 2008 SAB TV, a popular entertainment channel in India, started a show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah that is based on the column. Taarak Mehta is against translating his column for the English-speaking readers. “Idioms lose meaning. My columns can be adapted but not translated,” he said in an interview to The Statesman newspaper in India.

Bibliography

Duniya ne Oondha Chashmah

Aa Duniya Panjarapole

Action Reply ½

Albelun America Vanthelun America

Bagicha Ni Hadvi Havama

Bahero Hase Be Vay...!

Champaklal Tapuni Jugalbandhi

Betaj Batali Baj Popatlal Taraj

Taarak mehta ka oolta chashmah

References

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=26&id;=245516&usrsess;=1 publisher= The Statesman | accessdate=2009-04-20

http://www.glamsham.com/dramas/features/tarak_mehta.pdf - contains a lot of information about Tarak Mehta

Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)