cannabisnews.com: Up In Smoke 





Up In Smoke 
Posted by FoM on April 19, 2002 at 11:50:11 PT
By Dave Sommers, Staff Writer
Source: Trentonian 
A successful bong company which sold hundreds of water pipes with names such as "Sneezy," "Dopey," "The Behemoth," "Tallboy" and Garthog," was shut down yesterday following a two-week investigation which began when the designer water pipes began showing up at local pot parties, said officials.Jason Greenwald, 27, and Lynette Salsbury, 24, owners of Half-Baked Ideas, Inc., on Madison Avenue, in Warminster, allegedly shipped thousands of bongs to head shops across the country since the company moved to Bucks County from New York sometime last year, officials said.
Investigators yesterday expressed amazement at the size of some bongs which sold for more than $400 and stood more than six feet high.One bong, confiscated inside the factory, stood taller than Bucks County District Attorney Diane Gibbons as she announced the arrests at the Bucks County Courthouse."Police hauled more than two U-Haul truckloads of bongs and other items from the company warehouse," Gibbons said.According to the company brochure, the company in 1994 built a 12-foot high, 2,000-pound bong to commemorate Woodstock's 25th anniversary.Another bong on display yesterday was allegedly signed by Tommy Chong, who made a series of comedic Cheech & Chong marijuana movies with partner Cheech Marin back in the 1970s.The company website -- http://www.halfbakedideas.com -- was linked to other marijuana related cybersitesbefore it was shut down by police.Greenwald and Salsbury were arraigned on charges of possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, and criminal conspiracy and eventually released on $250,000 unsecured bail.The couple, who are reportedly engaged and live on Belgrade Crescent, in Yardley, could face huge fines and up to 10 years in prison if convicted and sentenced on the harshest offenses. Gibbons said police were tipped off to the company through an informant who was busted at a party with a bong bearing the Half Baked company logo.One pipe discovered inside the warehouse reportedly was so large it had to be dissembled in order to be moved."Our most recent commission was to construct a special pipe for the Jane's Addiction reunion show in New York City," a Half Baked company brochure said.During the raid, police uncovered records indicating Half Baked Inc. did business with more than 700 companies nationwide, much of it via the Internet, said Gibbons.The financial records indicated Half Baked manufactured hundreds of bongs each week, and had been operating in Bucks for about a year.Prior to that, the company was located in New York, officials said.Gibbons noted that Greenwald took over the company in 1999 from his brother Adam Greenwald, who died from a drug overdose.Salsbury took care of the record keeping part of the business, while the company's six employees did most of the actual manufacturing, police were told."While lots of comedians like to make light of drug use, this is a deadly serious business," Gibbons said in response to the brother's death.In addition to selling bongs, Half Baked also sold products designed to alter a person's urine test, police said.The investigation was coordinated by Northampton police Lt. Mike Clark, county detectives, and Warminster police."This is the first time in county history police have busted a manufacturing company rather than a retail outlet," Gibbons said."This company was able to move huge loads (of products) over the Internet without attracting the attention of police," she added.Gibson said it is difficult in a drug paraphernalia case to prove that the operator intended the products be used for drug purposes.The defendants, who reportedly graduated from Council Rock High School, could not be reached last night for comment. Location: Warminster, Pa. Source: Trentonian, The (NJ)Author: Dave Sommers, Staff WriterPublished: April 19, 2002 Copyright: 2002 The TrentonianContact: news njtimes.comWebsite: http://www.trentonian.comHalf Baked Ideashttp://www.halfbakedideas.comCannabisNews Articles - Paraphernalia http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/paraphernalia.shtml
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on April 21, 2002 at 22:53:41 PT
el_toonces 
Welcome Home! Let us know all about the conference when you have time. I'd be so tired if I would have gone. Thanks for the link too!
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Comment #15 posted by el_toonces on April 21, 2002 at 22:35:46 PT:
Sorry about the link error....
...to the Alchemind soceity's test page case. It should not be underlined and the "space" should be an underscore, to wit: www.alchemind.org/DLL/indefense_priv.htmCheck it out, and be well.PS "There's no place like home, there is no place like home........"
Alchemind's nitrous test case
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Comment #14 posted by Dan B on April 21, 2002 at 17:56:59 PT
Works of Art / Novelty Items
I have to say that if a twelve foot bong (or even a six-footer) does not qualify as at least novelty item, if not a work of art, nothing does. As such, restricting the right to manufacture such an item is a direct infringement on free speech. Furthermore, all similar but smaller versions of the giant version can be construed as minitiarizations designed to be sold to those who cannot afford the larger novelty item but would like to own a replica in honor of the larger work of art (much like one can buy a small replica of Michelangelo's statue of David). Neither manufacture nor ownership of said work of art/novelty item can be construed as an engagement in illegal activity. As genuine works of art, such items are inherently protected under the first amendment. The ACLU needs to get on this case ASAP. Dan B
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on April 20, 2002 at 08:18:35 PT
el_toonces and Everyone!
Happy Happy Joy Joy!!! It's our day!!!! Have a great time today and I saw on the schedule that Woody Harrelson and Bill Maher are speaking. I wish there was at least an audio feed but maybe they'll get on to post later. I haven't found anything on C-Span yet either and if anyone does please post the link. Tell Dr. Russo a Big HIGH from me!
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Comment #12 posted by el_toonces on April 20, 2002 at 08:13:58 PT:
The closer they get to the 1st amendment...
...the more protection we will receive from even the fiercest and most extreme jurists. For example, contrast the way the courts have viewed claims by OCBC -- based on a mere 'common law' defense -- to claims made by physicians who want to discuss medical cannabis with their patients -- as in Conant v. McCaffrey -- and you can see the greater protection courts afford first amendment related claims.This is why I am excited about the Alchemind's society plan for a test case involving the right to pursue and express ideas (in a scholarly setting) of a graduate student in philosophy who needs to replicate some of the nitrous oxide work of William James for his doctoral thesis. In most states, this gas is NOT a controlled substance, but buying, using or possessing it WITH THE INTENT OF altering consciousnesses, is illegal.I came across this at the NORML Conference and today hope to meet and talk with Mr. Boire of the society and their thoughts about litigating this as a test case on the issue of the first amendment, the right to think and express ideas, and find out more.For now, all I know is on their site, vindelicet - www.alchemind.org/DLL/indefense priv.htm.Happy 4-20 everyone!El
http://www.alchemind.org/DLL/indefense priv.htm
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Comment #11 posted by dddd on April 19, 2002 at 19:13:22 PT
Patrick...
,,,I hope you dont think they dont ;"...... know who and where you are! ....."......I think,,that they can know who and where,,ANYTIME they want!...Shame on them if they dont know about loose cannons like 4q...
..
..here's the test,,to tell if they are out there..The test to tell if they are searching for "keywords",,with hi-tech software snooping....here's the "test",,,;..What ya do,,is get some 4q guy,,to write a post that has alot of "key" words....something like;"..Drug smuggling child porn terrorist molester exstacy dealer skinhead hacker cyber-terrorist drug offender,,anti united we stand ,radical violent protester........
..you know what I mean,....?...It's an easy test to give,,,,But if you pass,,and your worst fears are confirmed,,,,well,,,all I can say is;"I told ya So!"....dddd
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on April 19, 2002 at 18:10:30 PT
I bookmark pages I use
I by pass many front pages because many of them have flash and need cookies and I don't use java or cookies unless I absolutely must. That doesn't make any sense to me what the big deal would be. 
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Comment #9 posted by Patrick on April 19, 2002 at 17:34:24 PT
Actually
I think the objection by this attorney to skipping his "front door" is that typically the index.html page is where all the code/cookies are planted to identify you/your computer and scarf all your personal data. They can't take advantage of you completely if they don't know who and where you are! It gets scarier day by day my friend.
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Comment #8 posted by overtoke on April 19, 2002 at 17:32:57 PT:
What Next?
Police also found Bic Lighters showing up at these same Pot parties...The water pipes have just as many 'legal' uses as the lighters.Cops are stupid.
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Comment #7 posted by Patrick on April 19, 2002 at 17:29:08 PT
Hey 4q
Thanks for those "deep links"From the second one…Legal experts say that deep linking can violate U.S. and European copyright and trademark laws. "When someone provides a link without my permission, which grants a user access to a part of my website without going first to my site's home page, the user may experience something different from what I intended when I established my website," Bruce Sunstein, an intellectual property law attorney, said.Sorta the same way when employers demans a cup-o-piss. It grants an employer access to a part of my PRIVACY that is something different from what I intended when finding a job to pay my taxes.
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Comment #6 posted by qqqq on April 19, 2002 at 17:14:31 PT
...Still not convinced?..
..OK...then look here.http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0%2C1283%2C51887%2C00.html?tw=wn_ascii
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Comment #5 posted by qqqq on April 19, 2002 at 17:09:52 PT
...Hmmmm
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/134438173_passport18.html
.....somewhat disturbing...wouldn't you agree?..
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Comment #4 posted by Dankhank on April 19, 2002 at 16:20:03 PT:
Faith
I have faith in the hackers, matter of fact, I am going to enroll in some computer classes, too.
Hemp N Stuff ...
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Comment #3 posted by qqqq on April 19, 2002 at 16:00:30 PT
....CRACKPOT PREDICTIONS!!!
,,,,Yup,,,,Patrick is right to be worried,,,;"..... ,I worry about the ability of this site and sites like mapinc.org to remain online."..
...just watch,,,,within th next 5 years,,the internet,as we now know it will be very different!.. ..I aint kiddin'!..
...and in case your curious,,,hjere's some details about my crackpot theory....;
..The internet will not be censored,or controlled by our government,,at least not directly,,but it will be controlled by corporate monsters ,,like Verizon,,SBC,,AOL,,etc..these companies will own enough internet access providing companies,,that they will be able to configure,and instigate certain special filters that restrict access to any "terrorist,,drug sites of Evil-doers".....in other words,,it will be similar to network TV ownership...
...Maybe five years is too short,,,how bout ten years,,,but,,mark my crackpot words!,,;;the "web",,and the internet will soon be taken over by the same corporations who now own most all other media!........ 
...The end is Near!..........
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Comment #2 posted by Patrick on April 19, 2002 at 15:31:25 PT
1st Amendment???
Virtual child porn is now a legal form of freedom of speech and expression but marijuana related sites are not? Gee thanks Supreme Court for your wisdom!!! Now, after reading this article, I worry about the ability of this site and sites like mapinc.org to remain online.The company website -- http://www.halfbakedideas.com -- was linked to other marijuana related cybersites before it was shut down by police.Better start arresting potato and apple farmers on drug paraphernalia charges too.Greenwald and Salsbury were arraigned on charges of possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, and criminal conspiracy and eventually released on $250,000 unsecured bail.First pipe I ever smoked was fashioned from an apple and a potato will work in a pinch but are not as flavorful! Better raid every hospital in the country and confiscate those hemostats. Err, I mean raid the manufacturer of the hemostats. IDIOTSYep the anti's are waging an offensive and it ain't just in Canada.
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Comment #1 posted by professional391 on April 19, 2002 at 15:07:07 PT
Wha?
I don't understand- what was illegal about their activity?
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