Arts & Culture

PONTIN | The Burning Soul of Psychedelia

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It can be tempting to trace the roots of psychedelic culture back to the plant-eating, headband-wearing hippies of the 1960s, but doing so neglects an extensive and riveting past. Historical accounts tell of smoking hemp seed in Ancient Greece, consuming mushrooms in the Aztec Empire and the Viking cultures of Scandinavia and chewing peyote in Native American societies across the United States.

Opinion

SEX ON THURSDAY | Shroomgasm

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The first time I did shrooms was with my R.A.. We sat in their room during an idyllic February break, measuring out the grams of psilocybe cubensis mushrooms on a tiny scale. Snow was still on the ground, but there was no need to wear a coat. It was hard to imagine that such a small amount of fungus could change our perception of the waking world.  

I liked the taste of it, its earthy mouthfeel reminded me of eating preschool, sandbox dirt. Anticipation rose up in my stomach, preparing for the effects to start kicking in over the next half hour.

Uncategorized

The Violence Abroad that is Coming Home to Roost

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As we wind down from Spring Break, it seems appropriate to turn a critical eye to that perennial destination for Spring Breakers, Mexico. On March 5, Cornell’s communications office sent out an email alerting us all to the State Department travel alert for Mexico and the continuing violence there. Violence in Mexico has been escalating since the government launched a crackdown on corruption and the drug cartels, even going so far as to order the military into the streets.

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Ithaca SWAT Team Raids Collegetown House for Drugs

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Some Collegetown residents on Friday evening witnessed an unusually dramatic scene unfold, as police stormed an apartment in search of drugs.
At approximately 7:30 p.m., the Ithaca SWAT team and Tompkins County Sheriff executed a narcotics-related search warrant at a house on the 200 block of Linden Avenue.
About 10 armed SWAT team members unloaded from a bus, crossed the street in a single file and dispersed around the house. Fully equipped with bullet proof vests and helmets, the team separated, with one member watching each exit.
With guns drawn, roughly five officers gathered at one entrance. After a brief pause, the door blew down with a bang. Several SWAT team members rushed in yelling, “Police!” while one officer guarded the door.