Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Hackers: Fuck Donald Trump

A number of radio stations across the nation are being forced to defend themselves, claiming that an alleged hack resulted in the airing of an anti-Trump song on their airwaves.  On Monday, community radio station Sunny 107.9 issued an apology after YG’s FDT (Fuck Donald Trump) started playing on its station. They claimed that their internet had been 'hacked', denied it was their broadcast and insisted they "do not take political views."

Another station in San Angelo Texas was soon reported to be playing the song.  Other stations claiming to be affected by similar hacks are:  Nashville's WMGC El Jefe 96.7, Evansville's WIAH 103.5 Mother of the Redeemer,  Louisville's WCHQ 100.9 Crescent Hill, and Salem, SC's  WFBS Sunny 107.9.   Seattle’s pirate radio station 101.9 is apparently continually playing the song intentionally.   For your edification, check out the tune below:


Sunday, January 29, 2017

Shocking Assassination In Myanmar

Ko Ni, advisor to Daw Suu
A leading lawyer and adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party was murdered this morning at Yangon airport in Myanmar.

Ko Ni was returning from Indonesia where he was part of a delegation attending a senior leadership meeting in Jakarta. He was waiting for a taxi outside the airport at around 4:30pm when he was shot in the head and killed.

According to a police report,  the shooter is a 53-year-old man from Mandalay. The suspect, reported to be named Kyi Lin, has been arrested and is being questioned by police. No motive is yet known, in what otherwise appears to be a rare outbreak of political violence.  A family member said Ko Ni was holding his grandson when he was killed.  A cab driver named Nay Win, who tried to stop the gunman was also killed, according to Zaw Htay, spokesman for President Htin Kyaw.  A picture of the shooting was captured by a bystander and is being widely shared on social media.


Ko Ni was one of few prominent Muslims in a country dominated by Buddhists-- it is not clear if that was a factor in his death.  Assassinations are extremely rare in Myanmar.  Ko Ni, an expert in constitutional law, had been outspoken over the military's  powerful role in governing Myanmar, despite handing over power to Suu Kyi's civilian administration in April, 2016.

"My father was often threatened and we were warned to be careful, but my father didn't accept that easily. He always did what he thought was right," said Yin Nwe Khine, daughter of the victim.  "A lot of people hate us because we have different religious beliefs, so I think that might be why it happened to him, but I don't know the reason."

Saturday, January 21, 2017

One of the Least-Watched Inaugurals Ever

By all accounts, Trump's inaugural parade was one of the most embarrassingly least-attended ever.  Howard Fineman reported that Trump workers were so desperate to fill the stands, they started roaming the subway stations, handing out free passes to traditionally coveted seats to train riders.  It didn't work.  The whole affair had the energy of a funeral.  It was widely believed that there were more people in the parade itself than were in the stands.  The bleachers next to the presidential viewing stand were virtually empty.

On TV, the Trump inauguration pulled in 31 million viewers-- less than Obama's ceremony, and even those of Nixon and Carters.