Extra Grapes!!

PHISHING FOR CREDITS

Computer hackers have found a new target. Instead of stealing corporate funds, hackers are now phishing for carbon emission certificates. News reports say hackers launched an impressive attack against numerous companies in Europe, New Zealand and Japan, stealing 250,000 carbon credit permits from six companies worth more than $4 million. Under environmental cap-and-trade laws, companies get a certain amount of credits in an effort to mitigate greenhouse gasses. Companies can then buy more credits from another company with a surplus for a higher cost. They can also buy credits from individual investors, which is exactly how these hackers sold the stolen credits for an undisclosed sum. The buyers of the stolen credits have not been named, but they likely believed the transactions were legit.  

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has threatened to fire one of the country's top senators after he publicly questioned Putin's success in handling the economic crisis. Reuters says Sergei Mironov is a long-time Putin ally, and had at one point called for changes to the constitution that would have allowed Putin to serve a third term as president. But Putin's party showed no favor to Mironov, calling him a rat and accusing him of turning on Putin, saying, "The only reason he has a political career is due -- as he has said himself -- to the fact that he was a warm supporter and admirer of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin."

DOUBLE WHAMMY

A 51-year-old woman has been arrested after multiple warnings about calling 911 for non-emergencies. The Florida woman called the emergency line three times about her missing cell phone before police were sent to her house. The woman said her husband had her phone and would not return it. While at her house, the police officer called her number and left after he heard the phone ringing in the home, and warned her again not to call 911. But she did. And when deputies searched her prior to placing her in the patrol call, they found the cell phone in her pocket.