This Week in Psychedelics

"This Week in Psychedelics" is a Reality Sandwich column that follows the multifaceted media appearances of this class of chemicals and their effects in popular culture. Like the facebook page.

• Journalists describe an "upside" to hurricane Irene: better conditions for wild "magic mushrooms" in NY and NJ. (Village Voice, Huffington Post)
• Authorities are so far "powerless" to stop the flourishing drug trade on the anonymous online market "Silk Road." (Straight Furror, Stuff)
• A 67-year-old woman is believed to be the first Norwegian to receive compensation for adverse effects of an LSD treatment in the 1960s. (News in English)
  
• University of Hawaii at Manoa student newspaper features a "Just Say Know" article on psilocybin and LSD use. (Kaleo)
• A Wired magazine article debunks the stereotype that marijuana makes you stupid. (Wired)
• Avatar star Michelle Rodriguez searched for "spirituality through meditation, prayer and natural substances like Ayahuasca" while filming a documentary in Peru, after which she headed to Burning Man "to continue the mind exploration." (Global Grind)
  
• Karen O describes her new "psycho opera" as "a psychedelic ride laced with catharsis." (Huffington Post)
  
• Rolling Stone interviews comic book writer Grant Morrison (The Invisibles, Batman, Superman, the X-Men) on magic, psychedelic drugs, and his new book Supergods, which presents a unique take on the cultural significance of superhero comments. (Yahoo)
• "Psychedelic artists" Alex and Allyson Grey will live paint with other visionary artists at an Atlanta gathering in October. (Emory Wheel)
• Simon Posford from Shpongle ("not since the Grateful Dead has a brand of popular music been so lovingly associated with psychedelics") talks to David Jay Brown about psychedelics and music. (Huffington Post)
  
• Taiwanese animation company Next Media Animation made a video retrospective of Steve Jobs' career, including an LSD-fueled brainstorming session. (WebProNews)
• Johnny Depp is starring in his second Hunter S. Thompson adaptation, playing an alcoholic journalist who takes LSD and writes for a failing Puerto Rico newspaper. (Huffington Post)
• DJ Shadow's new music video for "I'm Excited" features Africa Boy on an "Altered States-esque psychedelic trip through space and time." (MOG)
• Three students at Oklahoma State University plead guilty for attempting to manufacture DMT and mescaline and for possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia. (Daily O'Collegian)