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The Return of Reefer Madness (subs. or ad viewing req.)
From Salon: "The U.S. drug czar's office is running ads implying that smoking marijuana can lead to insanity. But pushing dubious science is no way to persuade teenagers not to do drugs."
Do new technologies make us more intelligent?
Short answer: no. Here's a good, thoughtful summary of Neil Postman's
argument that new technologies don't fundamentally alter our minds but,
rather, shape how society defines intelligence. (Via Mindhacks)
Victoria's Secret
Mimi Swartz, The New Yorker
Interesting profile of one of Prada's top saleswoman, from 1998
Piracy twofer:
Just enough piracy
Argues that companies would make more money if they just accepted some privacy (like shoplifting) as a cost of doing business.Piracy is Progressive Taxation, and Other Thoughts on the Evolution of Online Distribution
Posted by Carrie McLaren on 09/27/2005 | Permalink
Comments
Hey Carrie! Great to have you back!. Got worried there for a minute - thought maybe you smoked a joint, put on some ballyhoo jazz, and er... got the "jitters." Please keep up the great work - we love you guys and this site!!
Posted by: Jim | Sep 27, 2005 8:02:38 PM
hey Jim, thanks, that's sweet of you to say. I've just been really busy, is all. Gotta get some dollars coming in here...
Posted by: carrie | Sep 27, 2005 10:26:24 PM
"Reefer Madness" was not a government-supported film!
Considered THE archetypal sensationalized anti-drug movie, but it's really an exploitation film made to capitalize on the hot taboo subject of marijuana use. Like many exploitation films of the time, "Reefer Madness" tried to make a quick buck off of a forbidden subject while skirting the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930. The Code forbade the portrayal of immoral acts like drug use. (The illegal drug traffic must not be portrayed in such a way as to stimulate curiosity concerning the use of, or traffic in, such drugs; nor shall scenes be approved which show the use of illegal drugs, or their effects, in detail.)
The film toured around the country for many years - often being re-edited and re-titled ("Tell Your Children", "Dope Addict", "Doped Youth", "Love Madness", "The Burning Question"). It was re-discovered in the early 1970s by NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and screened again as an example of the government's demonization of marijuana. NORML may have been confused about the film's sponsorship since one of the film's distributors, Dwain Esper, testified to the Arizona Supreme Court that "Reefer Madness" was not a trashy exploitation film but was actually sponsored by the U.S. Government - a convincing lie, but a lie nonetheless.
Posted by: Skip | Sep 28, 2005 8:39:28 AM
