Good Friday morning. And thank you. Why? Because 5 Things just hit 50,000 subscribers! It’s a great way to start the year, and we appreciate the support. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
1. Russia hacking
The US government knows who passed hacked DNC emails from Russia to Wikileaks. This info is part of the classified report given to President Obama on Russia’s hacking into the 2016 election; President-elect Trump gets the same report today. Intelligence agencies also intercepted congratulatory messages from Russian officials expressing happiness at Trump’s win. The agencies say this proves the Russians carried out the hacks to ensure a Trump victory.
2. Mexico border wall
Guess who’s going to pay for Trump’s much-ballyhooed border wall on the Mexican border? Not Mexico. Trump’s going to ask Congress for the money, which would break one of his biggest campaign promises. Team Trump says it already has the authorization to build the wall, thanks to a law passed during the Bush years. Democrats are sure to dispute that. But if the wall does get built, Mexico might end up paying for it after all, since Trump has also suggested the Mexicans could reimburse the US.
3. Facebook Live beating
The four people suspected of torturing a man with special-needs — and streaming it on live on Facebook — have been charged with a hate crime. The victim is white and the suspects are black. In the Facebook Live video, they also spewed racial slurs while the man was beat, kicked and cut. The graphic, 30-minute video is so stunning that even President Obama commented on it, calling it “despicable.” The suspects will appear in court today.
4. Mexico gas protests
Gas prices are up 20% in less than a month in Mexico. Officials said back in December that prices would need to be raised to help stabilize the economy. As you might imagine, that’s not going over well. There have been protests — some peaceful, some not — against the price hikes. There’s also been looting of stores and the theft of gas from some stations. But Mexicans are upset about more than just gas. They’re ticked off at government in general, including the way President Enrique Peña Nieto has handled the drug war.
5. Winter weather
The South’s about to get socked with snow. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm watches for Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas, but there will also be snow and ice coming down in Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia. Schools are closing early; airlines are ready to cancel flights if needed. And of course folks flocked to grocery stores to buy all of the milk and bread they could get their hands on.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
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Ask and you shall receive
Little girls don’t need their parents or Santa to get them a fancy dollhouse or cookies. They can just ask Alexa.
Chris Brown vs. Soulja Boy
What happens when a fading pop star and a one-hit wonder take their social media feud to the real world? They settle it in the boxing ring, of course.
Do the twist
Here’s one way to combat global warming. Build an apartment building and cover it with 23,000 trees and shrubs. Then twist it like a strand of DNA.
4/20 on 1/20?
Inauguration Day, January 20, might have a little something extra, if a marijuana activist succeeds in giving away 4,200 joints in Washington.
Later this morning …
End of the Obama economy
The last jobs report of Barack Obama’s presidency comes out this morning.
AND FINALLY …
Jazz, Jazz baby
Postmodern Jukebox is back with another jazz cover of a pop hit. This time they go way back and rework Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby.” (Click to view)
