ballzac

lol :D

My mum went and said it was awesome. These reforms amaze me for the fact that they are SO unpopular and the government usually manages to convince the public that bad ideas are good ideas (gst, mandatory detention). These reforms may actually be a blessing in disguise. They could be the undoing of this government.

I have trouble sleeping. I'm not really an insomniac, as I always end up getting enough sleep. I just can't sleep at the right times. I used to be a baker and this certainly compounded the problem as it was full time night shift. I have tried sublingual melatonin tablets and I didn't find them helpful at all. I tried them for a few weeks and only noticed that when I AM tired it just made me feel worse, rather than helping me sleep. But I often have trouble switching of my brain when I need to sleep. I have tried a valerian sleep formula too and I noticed no effects whatsoever. The only thing that has ever helped has been mj, but I don't use that anymore, and so my sleeping's been pretty bad for the last eight months or so. I have thought about trying prescription sleeping pills, but had heard about the hangovers and whatnot, and thought I'm probably better off trying meditation or something to help me learn to turn my brain off.

Hey everyone. I got a question for ya. I don't have a digital camera, so to get pics to post on shroomery.org I need to bring the mushrooms home and take poor quality pics with my cam, by which time the mushrooms are looking pretty sad and becoming harder to identify. I can however take decent quality pictures with my analogue camera on location and scan them once I've had them developed. I was just wondering what the legality is with these pictures. I'm sure that most operators and employees of these photograph places couldn't care less what the photos are as long as they're not child pornography, but I'm just curious what would happen if the photo people thought that all these photos of fungii looked a little suspect and called the cops. Does anyone else use an analogue camera and a scanner to get pics for shroomery? Thanks people

okay, thanks guys. I guess I don't have much to worry about, but I might get a digital camera anyway. I didn't realise you could pick them up so cheaply these days! #drools over Carl Zeiss lens# Oh yeah, I was actually contemplating taking photos to club x to be developed as I have taken photos there before ;) but I figured they might think that photos of naked mushrooms was just a little TOO kinky:P

Hey all. I was wondering what precautions need to be taken when handling deadly species. I would like to bring home and document every find I make, including species that I know or suspect to be dangerous. With species such as amanita phalloides is it dangerous to even just touch it? And what could I do to prevent the spread of the spores of such species when I pick, transport and handle them? Thanks.

ummm... I'm sorry, I don't feel that I need to justify myself to anyone, and I am going to ignore all further replies that question my motives to avoid any hostility developing. I've been made to feel somehow bad when I don't think I've done anything wrong. I hope there's no hard feelings from you guys. There isn't from me. Thanks El. I'll have a look for that vid.

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Yeah I've got that, it's not a bad doco. BTW I don't think I really am looking at the experience from 'outside'. When I see people on psychedelics, I identify with them and feel a connection. It can make me laugh, it can make me excited, and it brings back good memories. I don't think that can possibly go against the 'purpose' of psychedelics.

Yeah that too, but descriptions never do it for me. Genuine accounts always sound phony, but when you actually see someone off their head, you know it's real!

Because it's been five years since I've had a psychedelic (not by choice), and even though I 've had them scores of times, I have a trouble really remembering exaxtly what it's like, and of course it's impossible to really remember anyway 'cos you can't concieve it when you're not on it. But seeing other people off their heads is the closest I can get to reminding me what it's like. It comforts me somehow . And thanks for that link C12. I never tried salvia but it sounds interesting. After seeing those videos it definately looks interesting and I'd like to try it, but it's illegal here now isn't it? Not all that popular, so it's probably hard to find on the street. Also, yeah I've tried Limewire, but there were only a couple of things on there. Also a video search on altavista.com without much luck.

Okay, A lot of people have made some really good points and obviously know what they're talking about, and I'll probably repeat some of what's been said, but I think I have some things to add. As has been said, NEVER EVER use standard sugar (sucrose) unless you want your beer to taste like sickly pee.Even many commercial brewing sugars are just sucrose (including one of the coopers ones) and some are a combonation. Always read the ingredients. You CAN use maltose, dextrose, glucose or maltodextrin. I use maltose in the form of Light Dried Malt Powder. I believe that yeast has the most profound effect on the flavour of beer. Much more so than the type of sugar! NEVER use the yeast sachet that comes with a kit. Spend the extra five bucks on a sachet of really good yeast. I use Saflager. Liquid cultures are also available. Hops is also a great consideration, especially with a pilsner. I know nothing about henbane, but I assume you are using it (partly) to bitter the beer instead of hops. This is fine. However, pilsners MUST be dry hopped to be a pilsner. Dry hopping is when hops are added to the wort AFTER the boil. This adds flavour and aroma but not bitterness (during the boiling adds bitterness and not flavour). I usually add it in two stages. Half goes in as soon as the wort is off the boil, and the rest goes in when the wort has cooled to pitching temperature (the temperature at which the yeast is pitched, or added to the wort). This brings out different aromatic compounds. If I recall correctly, Pilsener Urquell use a third stage which is added five minutes or so prior to the completion of the boil. Only noble hops are ever used for dry hopping. These are expensive for bittering because they contain less alpha acids and therefore require more to get the same level of bitterness, but they are perfect for dry hopping as they don't have some of the nastier flavours that high alpha varieties have. The variety that MUST be used for a pilsner is Saaz. For a good flavour/aroma about 100g/25L (4Oz/Gal) is fine if you are using pellets, and I just dump it into the carboy (not in a bag) for the best flavour. It will just become part of the sediment, although you might find the odd speck in your beer if you are using pellets. Many purists never use high alpha varieties for anything, and spend the extra on the Noble varieties for bittering. I find this to be unnecessary and use green bullet or pride of ringwood for bittering. The recipe you have given is actually more of a mead than a pilsner as it contains honey, and does not contain the saaz. I hope this has helped, and I'll let you know if I think of anything I've forgotten.