Can you recite the alphabet backward? If you can, then you are in the minority according to the Wii Bureau of Statistics.

According to the results of the question on the Wii Everybody Votes Channel, only 32.1% of Canadian Wii users said they could, while 67.9% said they couldn’t, which surprised me because I don’t think it’s that difficult.

Question: Can you recite the alphabet backward?

National prediction accuracy: 71.5%

If you’re a Facebook user, and many people are, you should check out Darin’s recent post about setting your Facebook privacy settings. Recent changes Facebook have made likely mean that much more of your information is available to search engines like Google than you realize.  Darin talks about how to get things locked down to a safer level and why you’d want to do this. Remember, the Internet never forgets!

The Ottawa Sun is reporting that Jayhaed Saadé’s pirate radio station is off the air. It’s unclear what finally caused the plug to be pulled, just that he was being “forced to go off air”. Industry Canada’s threat of fines in the order of $5000/day probably played a role.

I didn’t hear his last broadcast, but people in the Digital Home forum said that someone could be heard in the background telling him to turn it off. Whether it was his father or someone from Industry Canada is unknown. He apparently is confident that his application for a broadcast license will be granted, something that most of the posters in the forum think is highly unlikely.

(more…)

Yesterday’s Ottawa Sun had an update on the pirate radio station being run by Jayhaed Saadé out of his dad’s business in Greely. Apparently, Saadé Jr. was being interviewed by the reporter when he found himself served with a second cease and desist notice.

“They’re telling me I have to take it down. I’m not taking it down,” he said Wednesday, minutes after the encounter.

This despite the fact that the letter from Industry Canada says he could face fines of $5000 a day and up to a year in jail. Absolutely incredible, not to mention stunningly stupid.

Georges Saadé, his father, finally seems to be realizing that they can’t win. According to Saadé Sr., both he and his wife have told Jayhaed to turn it off. Junior, it appears, is now not only ignoring cease and desist orders from Industry Canada, but also his parents.

“He’s hard-headed. He won’t do it,” Georges said Friday afternoon. “I know it’s not good for him to have it on anymore. I want him to turn it off.”

I’m not sure why this is such a hard thing to achieve. If his parents are really serious about him turning off the transmitter, they could flip the breakers, and if necessary get an electrician to completely disconnect the power.

What Junior doesn’t seem to realize is that the next time Industry Canada knocks at the door, it’ll probably be with police in tow and an order to surrender everything related to the operation of the pirate radio station, which could include Junior’s computers, mixers, the antenna, and everything else. And while he would probably have his computer returned and maybe the mixers, he won’t get the transmitter or antenna back. I’m not sure exactly how much it cost, but 2000 watt FM broadcast transmitters are not cheap.

I doubt he’s read my other posts about this, but maybe he’ll see this one: Hey Jayhaed, it’s one thing not to have any respect for the government, and another to not have any respect for your family. Have you thought about the impact a $5000/day fine would have on your family? What about if your dad has to do jail time because of your actions? It’s not worth it, kid. Turn off your illegal transmitter now and spare your family all this potential grief.

A tip o’ the hat to Bob (VA3QV) for writing about the story in the Ottawa Sun.

TAF CYOW 082038Z 0821/0918 25006KT P6SM FEW030
BECMG 0821/0823 VRB03KT
FM090300 07008KT P6SM BKN100
BECMG 0909/0911 09015KT
FM091100 08015G30KT 2SM -SN OVC012 TEMPO 0911/0914 6SM -SN OVC030
FM091400 09020G30KT 1/4SM +SN BLSN VV001 TEMPO 0914/0918 1SM -SN
BLSN OVC008
RMK NXT FCST BY 090000Z=

Looks like it’s going to be windy (30 knots or 55 km/h) and snowy tomorrow, starting about the same time everyone’s going to be driving to work. Whee.

On Friday, I said:

Should he be fined? Not if he stops broadcasting, but if he continues then he should. If he does continue, I wouldn’t be surprised if Industry Canada confiscated the unlicensed transmitter.

At last report, the pirate radio station I wrote about that being run by Jayhaed Saadé is still on the air, despite having been told to cease and desist by Industry Canada.

If asked that question now, my answer would be: Yes, he should be fined to the maximum extent of the law, which is at least $5000 and possibly more. And all of the equipment should be confiscated, including the antenna and tower. Wading through a thread on the Digital Home forums, it appears I’m not alone in this sentiment.

The Ottawa Sun had a story that said he’s running a 2000 watt transmitter. Combined with his antenna, the footprint of his pirate station has a radius of at least 30km, with reports coming in from as far away as Franktown. And despite what Jayhaed has said in the Digital Home forum thread, he is interfering with other stations. CBC has a story where their reporter is unable to receive CBC Radio 1 (91.5 MHz) in close proximity to the transmitter, which you can watch here (it starts after the obligatory ad). (To put it in perspective, the maximum power a  licensed amateur radio operator with many more qualifications than Saadé has can run is 1000 watts.)

He is apparently applying for a license, which I hope he doesn’t obtain. Industry Canada would effectively be rewarding him for breaking the law if they were to grant him an FM broadcast license. They need to make an example of him and show that they’re serious when it comes to pirate radio stations.

But the problem isn’t just Jayhaed Saadé — it’s his father, Georges. Georges Saadé is actively encouraging him to ignore the cease and desist order from Industry Canada and knowingly break the law. Some people have even suggested that the Children’s Aid Society should investigate Georges Saadé for contributing to the delinquency of a minor by encouraging him to continue running his pirate station.