Cortland Coleman

An email was sent to Sprint customers this afternoon inviting them to print the message and bring it to a local Sprint store in order to purchase a new Samsung Instinct, Sprint's answer to the iPhone, one day before the phone goes on sale to the general public.

 

DivShare had a major security breach compromising user log-in information including DivShare subscribers' passwords. If you use DivShare, change your password immediately. If you use that same password for other sites or services, change those passwords as well. Here is the notice you never want to receive from a web services company.

Thanks for being a part of DivShare. Late last night we were alerted of a security breach that allowed a malicious user to access our database, which included user e-mail addresses and other basic profile information. No financial information has been accessed by any unauthorized parties. We have taken extreme measures to secure the site in the last 24 hours and are currently in the process of rolling out new security precautions, which is why many files were unavailable earlier today. We apologize for this inconvenience and for the oversights that allowed this security breach to take place. We take the security of all data and files very seriously and are embarrassed and regretful that an intrusion was allowed to take place on our watch.

Please rest assured that no financial information whatsoever has been compromised. While we are not aware of what data has actually been accessed or copied, the database included user e-mail addresses and other data you may have saved to your profile, such as your first name. We are not aware of any files being accessed without permission, but we recommend that you change your account password and the passwords on any private folders as a security precaution.

We can’t apologize enough for allowing this breach to take place. We know how important security is for all our members and their files, and we are taking every precaution available to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. We ask for your patience as we roll out new security upgrades in the coming days, and we pledge to keep your files and user information under the tightest security possible from here on out.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at support@divshare.com with any questions or concerns. Yours,

The DivShare Team

The western United States is leading the way in recycling compact fluorescent light bulbs. The dirty little secret of CFL's is the mercury they contain, mercury that could seriously harm someone who comes in contact with the substance. Yes, the bulbs are great for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but don't break a bulb anywhere near growing children - the effects of mercury on the nervous system are catastrophic. There is a massive amount of opportunity in CFL recycling, but it's great to see the western U.S. providing leadership and vision here at home. Maybe this will even spark a little healthy competition with eastern states.

If you're familiar with this poster then you know the work of legendary psychedelic artist Alton Kelley. He and fellow artist and close friend Stanley Mouse defined the look of a generation and helped to brand the era, the people and, of course, the Grateful Dead. Kelley's loss at age 67 is sad news to the art world and the rock-and-and-roll world. Hopefully, Jerry's welcoming him at the pearly gates.

The major oil companies have been endlessly touted their committment to renewable energy sources in a carbon-restrained world, but is their resolve borne out in their investments? Not quite. According to the Dow Jones (certainly no Mother Jones):

"As the companies continue to garner plenty of cash from high oil prices, which reached record highs of more than $123 a barrel this week on the New York Mercantile Exchange, they continue to steer their funds to share repurchases
and avoid any major jump into unconventional fuels."

How are oil companies using those windfall profits? They're investing in their core business - oil. That's not surprising, but it does indicate two things:

1. Greenwashing is big business for some businesses, and

2. It's going to take smaller companies truly dedicated to clean energy to significantly alter the landscape of energy generation in 21st century America.

Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon doesn't mind a fight. In fact, he's tangled with governors, environmentalists and NBA fans. McClendon is not a typical CEO and Chesapeake is not a typical natural gas company. The business he co-founded with $50,000 has seen massive shifts in the market and stock price, but is now worth $25 billion. Chesapeake is in a fortuitous spot thanks to the anticipated decline of coal, booming international development and smart choices early on in natural gas. But, McClendon's not finished yet. Read this entertaining article to learn more about his plans for clean energy, the (Oklahoma!) Sonics and your bank account.

China is a bit touchy about honest, free media reporting from Tibet. Yesterday, the quasi-communists tightened travel to the country on media outlets planning to cover the Olympic torch's ascension of Mt. Everest, located in Tibet. Today, Chinese officials suddenly demanded early payments for travel from media outlets wishing to cover the event billed by China as "the brightest point in the torch relay." Unprepared to meet such awkward, hasty demands, many media outlets scrambled to cough up the cash. However, even that wasn't good enough. Apparently...

The situation descended into farce when the Olympic official tasked with collecting payments refused to accept the fees from organisations including AFP and other international news agencies as he headed to the airport to purchase the tickets.

"I'm sorry, it is too late. I am going to the airport now," said Xu Xianhui, a Beijing Games media official.

It was not immediately clear if the refusal to accept payment was part of an official government decision to keep reporters out of Tibet.

If it wasn't so tragic it would be hilarious. 

Below is a press release from New Jersey State Senator Jennifer Beck. I love it when people call it like they see it. It's a reminder that things are rarely as they appear, but don't tell that to a frothing, professional politician. Enjoy!

Corzine To Parks Employees And Advocates:
Political Cronies On Our Payroll Are More Important Than You

Senator Jenifer Beck issued the following statement regarding Governor Corzine's plan to fire park rangers and close state parks even while patronage jobs remain on DEP's payroll.

"Governor Jon Corzine's conscious decision to keep patronage cronies on the payroll at DEP even while he is firing park rangers and closing parks is beyond unconscionable."

The following personnel at DEP are just two of the many patronage cronies Jon Corzine hired since becoming Governor and who he continues to insist are more important than parks employees.

1) Former Executive Director of the Arizona Democratic Party

A former executive Director of the Arizona Democratic Party (Cortland Coleman) was appointed a "confidential secretary" at DEP on July 7, 2007 for $75, 000. He didn't even live in New Jersey when he was hired. You can find out all about this hire by going to his website, http://cortland.squarespace.com/, where you can find his resume and a description of his new duties at DEP – "Wrote speeches, talking points and background briefing papers for agency leadership."

2) Caretaker at Drumthwacket Paid for with the Parks Budget

A former employee of Jon Corzine's U.S. Senate office (Elizabeth Mattson) was hired in the first week of Corzine's term as a "Caretaker, Drumthwacket" for $63, 252.30. She is paid out of the parks budget – the same budget where rank and file employees are being fired, resulting in closed parks.

Two of my favorite teams, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Clinton political machine, scored major victories yesterday. Both have been counted out several times in the past, yet both keep winning and coming back for more. Let's hope they can build on their momentum, keep winning and go for their respective ultimate prizes: Lord Stanley's Cup and the White House (remember, Obama fans, this is about the White House, not the nomination).

Google is about to simplify an industry that's ripe for change and in need of an ease-of-use
revolution. Early next week, the company will unveil a new automation system for running radio stations. The software, known simply as Google Radio Automation, is backed by a SQL database and features useful widgets that greatly simplify on-air production and processes, including recording, library searching and more. The system also features one-touch podcasting ability and sharing that allows stations to easily and quickly share media with local outlets, syndicators, etc.

Google Radio Automation looks like a great system that will make tons of radio engineers, board operators and producers very happy, in addition to making tons of money for Google since AdSense for Audio is baked into the system. Well done.

AOL may do what Microsoft has been unable to: buy Yahoo. Meanwhile, News Corp. may join Microsoft in their bid for the big Y in the sky. Both companies seem to be thrashing about a bit in an effort to buy some innovation and interest. That's certainly been the strategy at Yahoo. It will be fun to see how this plays out. I certainly wouldn't count out Microsoft just yet, especially with the assistance of Murdoch and Co.

Politicians around the world are feeling pressure to forgo the opening session at the summer olympics in Beijing to protest China's record of human rights abuses in Tibet. This is, of course, nothing new for China. It started in 1949 when China invaded Tibet and claimed the country as its own with little opposition from the international community. Monks, students and farmers have all been abused and murdered during China's tortuous reign in Tibet. I was so shocked by the rampant abuses in the country that I founded the Arizona State University chapter of Students for a Free Tibet in 1996. Twelve years later, the fight continues. Hopefully, the international community is watching more closely this time and getting the message.

Boycott the opening ceremony at the olympics to protest China's illegal occupation of Tibet and the ongoing abuse of the Tibetan people.