Zeena Nackerdien
Bio
As a scientist, writer, and digital archaeologist I like to roam the Internet of Things, spread facts, wisdom, fun, and clickbait. Enjoy!
Stories (4)
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A Spray of Dope
Sometimes the volumes of information available by just one or two clicks can confuse both experts and non-experts, especially when it comes to the contentious topic of marijuana. To partake or not to partake; to vape or not to vape; to ingest in any form or to steer clear in favor of approved medications; to bypass the local drug dealer and head to a marijuana-friendly state; to scrupulously abide by the letter of the law, until the law becomes so arcane that mere mortals are left scratching their heads. Those are all questions that can cloud the judgment of a healthy person, let alone someone affected by mental or physical pain. Even proponents of taking “just the right amount of marijuana,” because of a purported greater benefit/risk profile compared to other medications, warn about not taking “too much at too young an age,” lest one’s neural wiring becomes totally tangled and a generation of stoners are left unable to control themselves, let alone the country. Of course, that opens up a can of worms, about how sober individuals are governing their respective domains right now, but I digress.
By Zeena Nackerdien9 years ago in Potent
How To Forget the Fog of War
“How many wars is the US really fighting?” blares the headline of a 2015 article. The answer, according to the author, Nick Turse, is that US Special Operations forces have already deployed to 135 nations, carrying out roles as advisors, performing secret operations, or actively engaged as the tip of the spear in war. Some of these operations have taken place in hot spots of the world like Afghanistan and Iraq. The seemingly imminent destruction of ISIS in Mosul bears testimony to the bravery and skills of all the soldiers who have taken up arms. Their victories will no doubt be cause for much relief, celebration, and national accolades for those that went above and beyond the call of duty; however, long after the fanfare and the last tweets have disappeared into the ether, some families will welcome soldiers with "invisible wounds" home. They will bear permanent mental scars of war.
By Zeena Nackerdien9 years ago in Potent
Fake Weed
Picking Your Poison Are you a consumer? Do you ponder the merits of sativas versus indicas and hybrids? Are the exotic names ranging from Nova to the Queen of Cali an added turn-on? Where can you find the perfect herbal blend that would energize and relax the body at the same time? Or are you a breeder? Did it take years of painstaking work cultivating ever-more potent plants while keeping abreast of evolving laws? Do you wax rhapsodic at the sight of the crystal-like trichomes that contain all the good stuff? Or could it be that you only care about relieving pain and that berry or other infusions into your ganja are just the proverbial cherry on top of the cannabis cake. Never fear. Look no further than the Internet to find guides to the best or most potent weed strains. Stoners will wax lyrical about their favorite products at informal and formal events.
By Zeena Nackerdien9 years ago in Potent
A Brief History of Pot
Gateway drug or non-addictive medical panacea? The pot debate has continued to stoke the passions of recreational and medicinal users and their opponents for millennia. While the fate of marijuana legalization and decriminalization hang in the balance, its medical use has been an accepted fact for centuries. Based on 2015 estimates, 22.2 million Americans listed themselves as current marijuana users – reflecting an increase in use over more than a decade [1]. So why are we so fascinated with the dried form of the plant genus, Cannabis?
By Zeena Nackerdien9 years ago in Potent
