http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/826059,CST-NWS-bagban05.article


City may ban little baggies
COUNCIL | They're 'Marketing 101' for drug dealers, cop says

March 5, 2008
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
Tiny plastic bags used to sell small quantities of heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and other drugs would be banned in Chicago, under a crackdown advanced Tuesday by a City Council committee.

Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) persuaded the Health Committee to ban possession of "self-sealing plastic bags under two inches in either height or width," after picking up 15 of the bags on a recent Sunday afternoon stroll through a West Side park.

Lt. Kevin Navarro, commanding officer of the Chicago Police Department's Narcotics and Gang Unit, said the ordinance will be an "important tool" to go after grocery stores, health food stores and other businesses. The bags are used by the thousand to sell small quantities of drugs at $10 or $20 a bag.

Navarro referred to the plastic bags as "Marketing 101 for the drug dealers." Many of them have symbols, allowing drug users to ask for "Superman" or "Blue Dolphin" instead of the drug itself, he said.

Prior to the final vote, Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) expressed concern about arresting innocent people. He noted that extra buttons that come with suits, shirts and blouses -- and jewelry that's been repaired -- come in similar plastic bags.

Burnett was reassured by language that states "one reasonably should know that such items will be or are being used" to package, transfer, deliver or store a controlled substance. Violators would be punished by a $1,500 fine.

Health Committee Chairman Ed Smith (28th) said the ban is part of a desperate effort to stop what he called "the most destructive force" in Chicago neighborhoods.

"We need to use every measure that we possibly can to stop it because it is destroying our kids," he said.

Futuremark tries to trademark 'PWNAGE'
Author: Tim Smalley
Published: 3rd March 2008


If Futuremark's PWNAGE trademark request is approved, what will happen to words like LOL, ROFL, etc?

In what might be one of the strangest trademark applications we've seen in a long while, Futuremark Corporation recently filed papers with the US trademark office for the word 'PWNAGE'.

If it is approved, Futuremark's request will cover an extremely wide slice of the digital entertainment market, including (but not limited to) the following:

"Computer game software for communication devices; computer game software and computer game programs enabling users to play games with mobile phones and personal digital assistants; computer software and programs enabling users to communication devices to simultaneously access databases and global computer networks; software enabling transfer of data between mobile communication apparatus..."

What's interesting is that one of the requests is for "Computer software development," so one has to assume this is something related to the recent Futuremark Game Studios announcement.

It'll be disappointing if this makes it through, because it's such a commonly used word in the geek world and if it does get accepted, I wonder how long it'll be before 1337, ROFL, LOL and such are trademarked.

That said, I would be surprised if it is approved, especially given that Pure Pwnage—a series of Internet-distributed "mockumentary" videos—has been around since 2004.

What are your thoughts on Futuremark's move? Share them with us in the forums.

PHOENIX — A Mesa teenager says he fatally shot his father last month because he wouldn't let him use the Internet, police reports show.

According to a Mesa police report released Wednesday, 15-year-old Hughstan Schlicker told a homicide detective that he considered committing suicide in front of his father after finding a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition in the garage of their home, but decided to murder his father instead and then commit suicide.

Hughstan apparently surprised 49-year-old Ted Schlicker, who was standing in the kitchen when the boy approached him from behind, the police report said.

Police arrested Hughstan after the slaying at the Pueblo Seco Condominiums and accused him of first-degree murder.

After the slaying, "the defendant first called his friend and told her what he had done. He told her he was going to kill himself but she told him not to. She convinced him to call the police and deal with the situation," the report said.

Hughstan told detectives that he used the Internet to communicate with his friends and since his father took the Internet away, he was "just so depressed all the time," the report said. Specifically, Hughstan said he hated his father because he was restricting his use of the MySpace Web site, MyFOXPhoenix reports.