And the media item today most likely to both help generate interest in a drug previously not too popular and also most likely speed up changes in its legal status is the front page article in Wednesday June 27th's San Francisco Chronicle about the Mexican "sacred weed," Salvia Divinorum, with a bold heading about the LEGAL, INTENSE, HALLUCINOGEN that reportedly "when chewed or smoked causes intense hallucinations comparable to LSD or "magic mushrooms" and "is available all over the Bay Area, mostly in smoke shops and herbal stores."

It's also sold over the Internet. For $15 to $50 a hit users get high that sends them into a dreamlike state for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or two. The article appears online under the heading "The Legal Hallucinogen" at sfgate. My guess is that it will all sound most appealing to those looking for a new high (except for the $50 a hit part !!!!) especially due to the fact that it is still legal, just like LSD was up until 40 years ago -- the end of the Summer of Love.

The Chronicle article goes on to mention how many videos of folks gettin' twisted on this short but intense high drug are being posted on YouTube. This fact will no doubt send the curious (like myself) to search on YouTube where my quick SEARCH this morning under "Salvia divinorum" netted a total of 173 video postings including "Her Salvia Divinorum Trip 20 X First Time" --  a homemade video of a girl getting wasted and being filmed by her male friend.

Vestron Video VA5108

Raedon Home Video RD023

Out today is the newest album from Sinead O'Connor. She has been busy the last decade or so putting out albums in every possible genre. After her first two amazing albums "The Lion & the Cobra" and "I do Not Want What I Haven't Got," she released an album of standards, "Am I Not Your Girl." The next album "Universal Mother" would be the last of the signature style she had created with the first two. After this was an amazing gospel style album "The Gospel Oak EP" which she had an amazing tour behind. After the mediocre "Faith & Courage" came an album of traditional Irish Songs "Sean-Nos Nau." Her next studio album was a reggae album "Throw Down your Arms." Not being anything close to a fan of reggae, I actually really liked this album. So now we have her newest album "Theology." The album consists of two discs. An acoustic "Dublin Sessions" disc, and a full band disc "London Sessions." The album does not really fall into any category. But it is for sure a Sinead O'Connor album.

There is nobody really like Sinead. Her amazing voice and style have always been one to make people love or hate her.
I have always been on the love side since I first heard "Mandika." I put it on the first make your own cassette compilation that I bought at the mall in the late 80s.  She has never hidden her political views and has often got into trouble because of it . I would love to see a documentary of her much like the one of the Dixie Chicks. Most artists seem to keep their beliefs to themselves in order to sell more records. Sinead is the second biggest selling artist in Ireland. Next to Enya of course.

If you turn on your favorite radio station or webcast Tuesday, June 26th, and you are surprised to hear nothing but dead-air, pure silence, be forewarned that it will not be technical difficulties you're experiencing. Rather, it will most likely be that your favorite webcast or radio station is participating in the national planned "day of silence" in protest of the new webcasting rates that look likely to go into effect within three weeks and, if so, will have serious consequences on streaming music online. As you already know, the future of Internet radio is in immediate danger because royalty rates for webcasters have been drastically increased by a recent ruling and are due to go into effect on July 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). So in protest, traditional and online radio stations are going silent. In addition to the 'silent-treatment' protest, some stations around the country, including WFMU in Jersey City, will make their protest by not going silent, but rather by boycotting all RIAA/Sound Exchange music and only playing indie artists outside the RIAA governed titles.

For more information about this important day of protest that will affect how we listen to new music in the future, visit here or SaveTheNet. To find out more about participating in the actual day of silence contact dayofsilence@savenetradio.org. There are also many benefit events planned to help raise awareness, including one in San Francisco (home of numerous webcasters, including the wonderful, electronic music "extremely independent" SomaFM) at the Bottom of the Hill this Sunday (July 1st: 6PM-10PM) that is being organized by Reapandsow, SomaFM, SonicLiving, myopenbar.com, and BAGeL Radio. Meantime, you reading this should seriously consider calling your Congressional Representatives right now to voice your opinion on this important issue.