Put The Paint Brush Down
ByI got a bit of the spotlight yesterday in the form of a long winded “explanation” regarding the Linda Cumberbatch email campaign. If the web link provided in a comment by someone calling them self “Friend of Linda” was supposed to clear the air on the matter, it did anything but.
It was an odd post since it took great care not to mention me by name, or the name of this website, in the body of the post; yet, I am referred to generally as “You” and “Your” throughout the web page — even attributing direct quotes from my post.
Wow! I ask one seemingly innocent and simple question and I get a whole web page dedicated to me.
All this adds up to the Linda Cumberbatch camp suggesting that I either do not have all of my facts straight or that I am being less than truthful. Ordinarily, if this was some run of the mill jerk-off trying to engage in a flame war I would beg off, certain it is not worthy of my time or energy. But, since these remarks are undersigned by a candidate who wishes to make policy for the City of DuPont, well then, I think a response is in order.
I need to state that I will generously operate under the assumption that the words on Linda’s webpage are her own; and the same is true with her research and interpretation.
The first and most important point regarding the explanation of candidate Linda Cumberbatch is that she never directly answered my question. “Where did you obtain my email address?”
Instead, Linda chooses to obfuscate by saying:
The email address you are referring to by which you received my emails is an email address anyone can see and add to their own email address book simply by reading your messages on a prominent online newspaper website. It is not an unpublished email address and one that can be comprehended to mean a media contact email address because it is on a newspaper’s website.
Yes, Linda, but is that where you obtained the address? For those of you that do not know what Linda is talking about, she is referring to my blog that appears in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. I am flattered that Linda chooses to read my blog in the P-I instead of locally, but that answer seems too convenient. After all, if you Google my name and add the word “DuPont” to the search, lo and behold, that is the first hit you will get. But for the moment, let’s take this at face value.
Let’s assume that Linda went searching for emails to compile her email distribution to fill her address book. That doesn’t explain how and why she obtained other email addresses. In fact, there is a term for what that practice is called: Harvesting. Strictly speaking, the practice is mostly legal, if not unseemly.
Linda states that she has been collecting email addresses for years. All sorts of email addresses; but she is quick to point out that none of the email addresses were obtained from either City of DuPont or ROA distribution lists. Linda also firmly states that the email she sent is not SPAM because it is political in nature. She cites a link to the Wikipedia definition of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.
This point I am not so sure about. Others have written me to tell me they felt it was SPAM and others said political email can still qualify as SPAM. All this is a game of semantics. As you wish.
Linda is referring to the section regarding “Sending behavior compliance.” In this section, she is using an unattributed fact that states:
The content is exempt if it consists of [citation needed]:
- religious messages;
- political messages;
- content that broadly complies with the marketing mechanisms specified in the law; or
- national security messages.
What she conveniently omitted from her argument on her webpage is this part:
The bill permits e-mail marketers to send unsolicited commercial e-mail as long as it adheres to 3 basic types of compliance defined in the CAN-SPAM Act: unsubscribe, content and sending behavior compliance[.]
This is no minor oversight. While it is true that Linda sent something that can be regarded as political, what she is in violation of, by her own admission (Linda’s words in bold italic), are:
- A visible and operable unsubscribe mechanism is present in all emails (from “Unsubscribe Compliance”). However, I have taken steps to include a notification in all future emails that will now appear at the bottom which states that anyone receiving the messages from me can reply back to the message or contact me directly to be removed from the email list.
- A message cannot be sent to a harvested email address (from “Sending Behavior Compliance”). I have been compiling a list of email addresses from emails sent to me from friends, constituents and media contacts. Some of the email addresses in the list are public email addresses and many are private email addresses.
There is much more to the convoluted and ineffective law Linda chose to cite, but it is really beside the point.
I really didn’t care that Linda Cumberbatch decided to send an email blast telling her corner of the world that she was running for council again. I am immune to unsolicited and intrusive email just in the course of trying to maintain relationships or conduct normal business. We get hundreds without a second thought (let’s hope Linda doesn’t save phone numbers in her caller ID in the same fashion).
This circumstance was odd because it was an unexpected validation of this website, or at least the blog appearing in the P-I. Let’s face it, Linda Cumberbatch’s views on the direction of DuPont, Washington are generally incongruent with mine.
So, at face value, I suppose I have to accept that explanation two weeks after I inquired.
The story of not getting my email responses is a different matter entirely. Here, she claims, that she never got my email. As someone astutely pointed out, “The dog ate [it].” Gone. Poof. Into the ether.
Worse, Linda’s choice of words cast doubt on my claim altogether.
Email you claim you sent me
I can tell you that I have spoken with my IT representative and have been informed that your emails to my electlindac@gmail.com email account were not received to the account which is why you did not receive a response to the emails you claim were sent. Your emails didn’t even appear in the “Spam” folder of the email account and I have no other way to determine what happened to the email you claim you sent.
Well, I did send the email. I have included a copy of the transmission here and here. Seems odd that Linda claims she got other emails but not mine.
The problem is Linda Cumberbatch also didn’t respond to the following email either.
Begin forwarded message:
From: Scott Schenck
Date: June 17, 2009 8:14:41 PM PDT
To: Elect Linda C
Subject: Re: Campaign Kick-off
Dear Linda Cumberbatch,
Why am I getting this email? I did not subscribe to get mails or notices about your election. Can you please tell me where you obtained this email address?
I need to know who is sharing my email address for purposes of campaigning here in DuPont. Never in the past, including presidential elections, have I received emails without first subscribing to the candidate for campaign messages. Something is not right about you sending me this message.
Please share with me how you decided who to send email to for this purpose.
Sincerely,
Scott Schenck
On Jun 13, 2009, at 4:12 PM, Elect Linda C wrote:
Hi!
I am running for DuPont City Council Position 1 this election year!!! See attachment for kick-off party and more information.
I’ll see you soon!
Linda
I wonder why this email also wasn’t answered. Could it be that the Google servers were not operating between June 15th and June 18th? Or, could it be Linda did not know how to, or want to, respond to the mailing list query?
Which is it Linda? Did this email make it through to the Team Cumberbatch servers?
Perhaps it is time that you have a word with your IT representative, Linda. This isn’t starting out so well.
I suppose I got my “explanation” but others have not. I am now curious what you are going to tell them.
I look forward to getting this behind you so we can focus on issues.
I still have not received a response from Linda, I will share it as well when I get a direct response from Linda. It appears she is primed and ready to communicate in the way that is already not working in DuPont.
Before I end up on her mailing list, I had never sent her an email, so I have the same question, where did she get my address? And why no response when I asked the question?
If she would have looked at dupontwa.com she would have never hired him. I’m surprised text link click-ads were not in the email.
In any case when a citizen such as RD asks you how you got my email, JUST REPLY. Sweet Jesus why would we elect someone who can’t figure out the REPLY button.
Can we do a write in? REALDUPONT – ELECT FOR CHANGE ‘09.
The explanation just shows the mentality of “I’M RIGHT” “You’re Wrong” and let me show all the people how smart I am. That campaign just got the life sucked out of it by entering into a blog war with an established local blogger. Perhaps in the next election she will have more of a voice in her own campaign.
Linda is part of the old way of doing things. It has been established that the old way is unsatisfactory to the people of DuPont. So what should Linda do now? Dig in and resist change, or do what her opponent already does and communicate with the people on a volunteer email list? I can’t wait for the “Ask Linda” part of her website to open.
Linda needs to come clean on this. The scrutiny level of Dupont politics and government has changed since you were last in office, eh Linda? The majority of Dupont populace is fed up with this! Mikey G is offering you a last chance to explain yourself. Why do I think city hall is behind Lindagate.
Ah Lindagate. Business as usual. She has not changed, should fit right in with Coffey and the rest of them.
Several weeks ago, I saw Linda Cumberbatch out at Farelli’s with Penny Coffey, John Ehrenriech, and the new guy Mike Grayum.
Reminds me of the time she wanted the police to crackdown on speeders on McNeil st. So they did and ticketed a member of her family. Then the next morning she couldn’t believe the police were ticketing anyone for speeding.
Somethings never change. Mike is not the only email she has harvested and I assume Mike hasn’t received any bounces from his previous sent emails. Perhaps you can send an email to the google/gmail staff and say you’re concerned that your emails are not getting through to gmail users. I’m sure they can trace your email for destination verification.
Perhaps she skirted the CAN SPAM. But did she VIOLATE the Gmail ToS/Policies:
Gmail Program Policies
Updated as of September 12, 2008
To uphold the quality and reputation of Google Gmail, your use of Gmail is subject to these program policies. If you are found to be in violation of our policies at any time, as determined by Google in its sole discretion, we may warn you or suspend or terminate your account.
Prohibited Actions
In addition to (and/or as some examples of) the violations described in the terms of service, users may not:
Generate or facilitate unsolicited commercial email (”spam”). Such activity includes, but is not limited to
sending email in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act or any other applicable anti-spam law
imitating or impersonating another person or his, her or its email address, or creating false accounts for the purpose of sending spam
data mining any web property (including Google) to find email addresses
sending unauthorized mail via open, third-party servers
sending emails to users who have requested to be removed from a mailing list
selling, exchanging or distributing to a third party the email addresses of any person without such person’s knowing and continued consent to such disclosure
sending unsolicited emails to significant numbers of email addresses belonging to individuals and/or entities with whom you have no preexisting relationship
Send, upload, distribute or disseminate or offer to do the same with respect to any unlawful, defamatory, harassing, abusive, fraudulent, infringing, obscene, or otherwise objectionable content
Intentionally distribute viruses, worms, defects, Trojan horses, corrupted files, hoaxes, or any other items of a destructive or deceptive nature
Conduct or forward pyramid schemes and the like
Transmit content that may be harmful to minors
Impersonate another person (via the use of an email address or otherwise) or otherwise misrepresent yourself or the source of any email
Illegally transmit another’s intellectual property or other proprietary information without such owner’s or licensor’s permission
Use Gmail to violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others
Promote or encourage illegal activity
Interfere with other Gmail users’ enjoyment of the Service
Create multiple user accounts in connection with any violation of the Agreement or create user accounts by automated means or under false or fraudulent pretenses
Sell, trade, resell or otherwise exploit for any unauthorized commercial purpose or transfer any Gmail account
Modify, adapt, translate, or reverse engineer any portion of the Gmail Service
Remove any copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights notices contained in or on the Gmail Service
Reformat or frame any portion of the web pages that are part of the Gmail Service
Use the Gmail Service in connection with illegal peer-to-peer file sharing
Security
You must promptly notify Google of any breach of security related to the Services, including but not limited to unauthorized use of your password or account. To help ensure the security of your password or account, please sign out from your account at the end of each session.
Account Inactivity
Google will terminate your account in accordance with the terms of service if you fail to login to your account for a period of nine months.
sending unsolicited emails to significant numbers of email addresses belonging to individuals and/or entities with whom you have no preexisting relationship
Linda with flip flops, turning of the facts and half truths and just plain lying like that don’t waste your time with DuPont politics go nation and go away PLEASE.
You get all this evasiveness PLUS a full court press to raise your taxes if Linda is elected. I can hardly wait.
Funny, I had no idea who this Linda was. Now I have a reason to go vote against her. I love this site!
You and the rest of the citizens of Dupont.
Amazing, I never got an email from Linda, but now I know all about her.
VOTE NO LINDA.. Looks like WEBMASTER is up to his old tricks with the NOW UPDATED statement. Weird.. Check out the site..
UPDATE 6/28/2009 3:15pm
I have been made aware today that the question still remains as to where I got this person’s email address. To be clear, I have seen your messages on the newspaper website I mentioned above and that is where it came from since it is on that website.
In reference to your most recent message in which another person has claimed they too have sent a message to me and not received a reply I have checked and can confirm that his message too has also not been received to my email account. In regards to where I got that email address from, sir, you have emailed me before several times when I was on the Council so that is how I got your email address.
I want to be sure anyone who sends me an email gets a reply. If anyone sends me an email and does not receive a reply within 24 hours (sorry, the 2 hours shown before was a typo), please call my home number at (253) 964-0651. I have not had any other reports besides these two who have said they sent an email and did not get a reply.
By tomorrow the “Ask Linda” feature on my website will be working and this issue of emails not being replied to should be behind us so we can concentrate on real issues in DuPont.
Queen Linda cannot lower herself to even mention the names of the people involved or the websites involved. Careful if you call her, she will be collecting your phone number too.
Sort of like she is saying, “that’s my story and I am sticking to it.”
LAME.
Get real Linda same ole stuff. You can join Coffey on the council and again roll your eyes and pretent you are listening. We need BRIGHT YOUNG BLOOD on this council who really cares not just lip service!!!!!!
For the record, I have never sent an email to Linda Cumberbatch when she was a council member. The whopper keeps getting bigger.
I suppose that Google’s gmail servers cannot deliver emails with any reliability either.
Linda’s hoping that there will be another scandal coming soon for SOMEONE else to take the heat off. Maybe she should give up some dirt on the Mayor or some of the rest should be easy to do take just look at them and their Lakewood lead pipe union pals.
So now the other email writer is a liar too? Does that make it a conspiracy? Why would anyone write “Ask Linda” now when it appears she cannot even address the issue at hand? Is she setting up that feature just to record IP addresses now?
No thanks.
If it’s like his other site he will be logging IP’s for his own personal gain. DuPont needs a new community site and not some click-ad palace of cookies and JAVA alerts warning you every minute.
Rumor Mill, Town Talk, now we get Ask Linda. I already know what to expect, and it is not straight shooting.
Linda never answered the question. Then it took 2 weeks for her or ’someone’ to respond, but still, he or she did not answer the question. Sounds like the current city council. Talking in circles gets you nowhere.
The rambling response is the craftsmanship of the Rumor Mill Webmaster… no point what-so-ever, and very full of himself. It was a simple question needing a simple answer. What ever happened to saying “I messed up, and I’m sorry.” Then it’s over and done with. Linda might be a nice person, but her communication skills lack. Think about this…the Mayor wants to make communications a priority. City staff does nothing with their website. We occasionally get an e-newsletter from the City full of typos and fluff. Roger is the only council member who regularly sends out alerts to citizens telling us what is going on at City Hall. He gets it. The rest of them do not.
Vote for Roger.
Roger is the only logical person for that position. Linda again wants to be in the inner circle where she can do nothing like the other members.
It is obvious that the Mayor wants Roger W off the council and has recruited Linda C to run against him. I would not be surprised if the Mayor endorses Linda Cumberbatch, but doing so would be unethical. Let’s see what she does.
Linda would be the Mayor’s YES vote whenever she needs it.
WESTMAN ‘09
http://www.rogerwestman.com
What is the point of Ask Linda? Why not just email her? I don’t see how at that widget helps with anything, since it’s moderated?
Roger gets the win for most current page style. rogerwestman.com