RonnySimulacrum

That is life?....what is the fucking time 508am...shit i should get a job?

Greetings We are preparing a web-site for ‘The Forbidden Fruit’ Documentary. It is not going to be anything too flash for starters, I would like to keep it simple. However I am really keen to have a page with a list of artists associated with the project, with links to some of their work. I think some of the art I have been exposed to while doing this project has been great and we would like to do our best to get it the recognition it deserves. I am aware that some of you have not arranged interviews or sent me your work in a form that can then be incorporated into the documentary. This is not a problem at all at the moment, but we will be going into post-production next year. So we would still very much like to arrange something with those who are still working on things or we have lost communication with. But all I need for now is your full name or name of studio and a link or two to your work. If you feel like doing a little bio feel free we will try and fit it in, but no more than 100 words. Hope this site will be of some help to you, and will bring a lot of people to experience your gift. As I believe it will. If you know of any other Oz psychedelic artists please send them our way, it can be visual, music, poetry, writing, performance etc. Kind regards Jonathan Carmichael And Ben Lee @ [email protected]

Thank gomaos. Have you got another story for us or are you out of condoms---are i mean paper.

Were is Bill Hicks when we need him? Owe yes that is right he was killed by the same government agency as Terenc McKenna. At lest William S. Burroughs was able to evaded THEM all his life....Just. Wander who is next? Any one know? [This message has been edited by RonnySimulacrum (edited 13 November 2002).]

“If I knew what a hallucination was I would know what reality was. I have examined the topic thoroughly, and i assert that it is impossible to have a hallucination; it goes against reason and common sense. Those who claim to have had them are probably lying (I have had a few myself)” Philip k. Dick (1966) I interviewed a very paranoid and major conspiracy theory meditation teacher. Who clamed that the hallucinations he had whiles meditating were fare better to that of mushrooms or LSD from his experience. He seemed to really recent any form of substance altered states. I also interviewed a schizophrenic poet how clamed that his schizophrenic Hallucinations where very different from his mushroom hallucinations. One of my best friends is also a little paranoid/depressed sometimes and he seems to hallucinate during waking life for too day every couple of months. He gets all irritated and kind of just stops for the two days

I know it is to fucking long; But if you did read it, your comments would be appreciated Thanks

Nice and descriptive.......so did the condom brake or what?

Part 2 All bullshit that follows is copyright to Jonathan Carmichael/shaman-australis etc, 2002. IS THIS NATURAL SELECTION In exactly the same place, some time in the future in the same parallel universe. NOTE: The notice board in the lobby now reads as follows: FUCK YOU ALL BOB you are my wife Aids is what the Christian refer to as Justice S11-Afghanistan- “God came on you, fuck him and receive eternal fellatio...Women need not apply”. “Miss Sheffield can you please stop burning your eggs” Mr. History puts down his GameBoy and picks up his bong Well I have had some time to think about how all of this shit that surrounds us may have come about. So I wrote a poem and left it in my toilet for no one to see. Don’t they get it? We are the great Gaian shit Yes we are, and that is all we are All these people and their fucked up ideas All forms of religion and 'science' have it backwards. All the animals, all the plants, all of the organisms in the world throughout time have absorbed elements from their environment and secreted them in some form. From a dolphin down to an amoeba...they absorb, consume ...excrete, expel, shit. Everyone tells himself or herself that we, ‘humans’ are the peak of evolution. That mankind is the pinnacle of nature, that we are the chosen and we are somehow superior to the rest of the environment. That we are the only sentient and conscious being in the universe. The cutting edge of genetic evolution. Bull fucking shit, they have it all wrong, we are what the great Gaian mother has rejected, excreted, WE ARE THE GREAT GAIA'N SHIT. The parasite. We are the only organism that needs to speak–judge–catalog-understand The rest of the environment is relatively speaking silent, and tranquil. They gives and then takes equally, each individual organism is geared towards an exchange that maintains stability in the system. The organism is connected in a big intersecting process, but we are very different, we know that but we are unable to admit that this is because WE are the rejected. We are just the shit of the universe, a shit that may come in different flavors but we are all just nature’s shit, pleading for respect, praying with words that flood our constructed world of disorder..............we are one big bog, the bog of entropy. We think we have lost something and try in our life to reclaim it, but the truth is that it is pushing us away, those spirits or gods as we call them are pushing us through their digestive system...we are rearing owe head out of the arse-end of the colon. It is quite obvious to me at this point as I watch my newly acquired television that someone has activated an economically motivated ‘apocalypse media virus’. How has this occurred and how does it function you may ask. My theory is something to this effect; Int. Pentagon. Basement. Day Deep below the pentagon. A dark room with only a dim red light, a massive rectangular table, a map of the world with some darts in it. Four figures surround the table, one on each side. Man with no Face. We need something to kick start our economy that is not expanding Dwarf 1 We could go to war with a another nation, that ought to get the $$$$$’s flowing Man with no Face Yes I think that is as good idea, but I think they may be on to that one. Dwarf 2 Well we could blow something up on our side of the fence and then head off and invade some other poor, economically depraved country. Placing the blame for our destruction on someone else and their inferior beliefs. Man with no Face Getting there man. There are a few places in our very fine and FREE country that could do with a make over. Green Man with Cigar I have one for us, it’s a real goody. Man with no Face Well? Out with it boy or you will never get your ‘flux capacitor’ back. Green Man with Cigar We could just simulate an attack on ourselves and go blow the fuck out of some shitty nation with one of those really stupid religions and the people would assume that it is the end and go and buy all those irrelevant fetish goods we produce in the name of freedom. The economy ought to be back on track in weeks. Dwarf 2 That wouldn’t work smartly, they could check and see if we actually destroyed something in our own country. Man with no Face The Little one has a good point Mr. Let me go home. Green Man with Cigar The solution is simple, just destroy someplace people would never want to go, or could not confirm due to reasons of national security, for example; right here, the Pentagon. Man with no Face Hell, they never did work out that Sadam Hussain was just some guy on welfare we paid to take a lot of pictures of did they? Dwarf 1 No. Your Facelessness. Dwarf 2 The plan has merit, but who is today’s enemy? The Man with no Face picks up a dart from the table and throws it at a map of the world on the wall. Green man with Cigar Bingo, who did we hit? Dwarf 2 Hawaii Man with no Face That is no good, the war will be over in a day. Your turn Mr. Let me go home. Mr. Let me go home picks up a dart and throws it at the map Dwarf 1 Looks like it landed in the right part of the map. Dwarf 2 pulls his chair out and moves it over to the wall with the map on it and jumps up on the chair. Green man with Cigar Well what is it? Man with no face Spit it out, we are losing money by the minute, son. Dwarf 2 It looks good, just let me get the dart out...Afghanistan it is. The man with no face turns to Mr. let me go home Man with no Face Jolly good shot old chap. Now get those boys over at ‘Might and Magic’ onto the explosions and the rest will be history. If we aren’t selling enough commodities by the end of the month due to paranoia and patriotism then we can always add a bit of bio terrorism into the mix, or think about throwing another dart. Dwarf 1 So are we actually going to blow up the Afghani’s, in reality Man with no face The answer to that my friend is irrelevant Shrieks of haunting laughter echo out the room. Green man with Cigar Ah Sir! I have one last question. Man with no face Yes what is that? Green man with Cigar When do I get to go home? Man with no face I have told you a hundred times, when we finish de-engineering your ship. Green man with Cigar Yes, I have heard that for 50 years now, but who the hell is going to put it back together for me? Can you tell me that? CUT TO Cause and effect...I tell you Just imagine you could turn your life into a movie, an image, the currency of the postmodern masses. I think I will end my story this way, it is the cool thing to do nowadays isn’t it? Int. Melbourne. Centrelink office. Day There is a big queue of people lined up to hand in their forms. The lady behind the desk screams “next” in a drone voice. Lucifer wearing a lovely pin stripe suit steps up from the head of the queue and hand his form to the lady. Lucifer Ahh.. I was told that I was not allowed to move to a district that has a lower unemployment rating than the one I was currently living in. Lady Yes that is true sir, unless you can prove it is for real employment reasons. For example you have acquired some paying part time work in the region. Lucifer I was thinking about moving home where there is no employment, no stability and absolutely no system. And the only guiding principle is entropy. Lady I am very regretful to inform your sir, that if you where to do this Centrelink would discontinue your payment. Lucifer reaches into his pocket and withdraws a half empty pack of Marlboro Reds and lighting one up with his Zippo he walks out of Centrelink blowing smoke at all the pregnant women that stand in line. Int. Melbourne. Three-story apartment block. Day. Mr. History looks over at his friend who is eating a Four-and-Twenty-Pie ™ and starring down at the cars going past on the street below. Then Mr. History slowly tilts his head up and blows smoke up into the vent. Our protagonist look up from the window and turns to Mr. History. Protagonist I imagine there is an UN-‘free’ world somewhere, where people could discuss things freely. FADE TO BLACK

Do a rain dance, naked of course, it will be raining in minutes. I did it last week. [This message has been edited by RonnySimulacrum (edited 13 November 2002).]

? [This message has been edited by RonnySimulacrum (edited 10 November 2002).]

We do not get cable up on owe hill, Was it good? Is it going to be on again? If so when?

I was wondering If you lovely people would be able to tell me in a critical fashion what it was that you liked about or disliked about A Fungimentery. I realize that this documentary was approaching the topic of Magic Mushrooms from a very different angle but would appreciate knowing where, it you think it seceded or failed. What important issues were missing etc. What was negative or miscued. What you would like to see covered in TFFDoco that was absents from or irrelevant to Fungimentery. kind regards

Firstly I sincerely apologize for having a joke at your expense Bluemeanie at a page not too distant from here. It was meant as a joke and not a direct attack on your personal ideology. I promptly removed it. I appreciate your comments above and think that there is really no such thing as bad criticism. You have helped us to understand how we are being viewed by some people using ethnogens, this is extremely important to us. I had been surfing this site sometime before I made any post here. I started using this site and a similar one to gain an understanding and ideas for the documentary. Yes, on one hand I am looking for people who are willing and feel they have something to say on the topic. GOOD or Bad depending on which side of the fence one is standing. But also I started this Topic area to gain criticism and further understanding on a very broad subject. To let people have an active involvement and comment on how we are approaching things. This has been the case, some comments including your own have greatly shaped our direction and understanding. The terrific bonus that sites like this offer that cannot be found anywhere else is a uniquely Australian perspective. One of the central notions of the documentary is to provide a cultural, visual and health-scientific perspective on the topic of Australian (more specifically Victorian) magic mushrooms. Marginalising---now this is a very interesting and important issue. Firstly we have received many calls from non internet based ethnogen users who have been able to access information through us that they where unaware of. Or internet based users who were not aware of some really great and helpful sites. I have received calls from people for instance that have seen our poster, or through word of mouth and have called us very exited and happy, for they were not aware of other people that thought about things similar. We have exchanged numbers, given emails out and given a lot of information and sources of information out that have helped people come together or learn more and change their practices in a more beneficial manner. The documentary is getting some people that were separated to come and talk with others and exchange information. This may not be such a big thing for internet users but it is a very big thing for some other people. We also find that many people find it re-assuring that they are not alone, that there are others doing similar things. We are making more people sing together not braking the choir up. Secondly, yes we could make a documentary that creates stereotypes and marginalises. That could create a media reaction, leading to subjugation of mushroom users, but it is not the intention and not likely. I will use a well known minority group as an example. We could make a documentary about gay man that marginalises, segregates, criticizes, oppresses, discriminates and pushed some neo-genocide ideology against Gays without even having to leave my house and I certainly would not need to include the voice of even one gay man to do so. Or I could make a social document that attempts to expose the stupidity of discriminatory behavior and lack of protective public policy’s and civil rights for homosexuals, demonstrate its historical decent and educate people about the hardships that can face them on a daily bases. To brake down the notion of heteronormativity. This would not act as a marginalising social text, it would be an educational one, allowing some, but not all gay men to have a voice-Letting them actively speak for themselves. Why would this be a marginalising text, it would act to inform and challenge commonsense notions and beliefs. Marginal individuals are acquitted by the brilliant queer theorist Michel Foucault with madness in his essay ‘Madness and society’. He argues among other things that psychotropic drug users are a marginal group, a group that is viewed by the Western politic and capitalist societies as mad, but it is from this group that social reform is emerging. Another central premise of the documentary is to try and de-mystify psychoactive drug users as being madman, we hope to challenge this construction, this stereotype and this commonsense notion, NOT TOO CONFIRM IT. If people do not wish to speak about their recreational drug use in any form that is perfectly fine and understandable, but some people are prepared to stand up and speak out about culturally constructed Western oppression. It is not about expectance or justification or glorification it is about being who we are and having a discourse of owe own. We plain on screening the documentary to some members of the ethnogenic community before it goes to air, and we will re-edit it after that screening based on their comments. This is an active text, you are contributing and shaping it. It is not meant to be an outsiders doco based on critics of passive observations. We are cultural journalists, our field is cultural theory and film. If we were scientists we would approach the issue as scientists do, and go and publish journal articles. We do not expect everyone to agree with our approach or the need for a documentary, but when we have seen very young school kids out in the field with a bag of the wrong mushrooms, we began to feel there was a need for something like this. There needs to be some educated visual text out there for the masses. DO NOT FORGET ONE MAN DIED THIS MUSHROOM SEASON IN VICTORIA BECAUSE HE ATE THE WRONG THING, WE DO NOT THINK THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN AGAIN. If someone would like to have a psychedelic experience, they should be able to access information easily.

I am sorry, it was meant as a joke----really I can now see that it was not appropriate. So I have withdrawn the wrighting and hope that a small but bad taste joke dose no sting to hard when it should not have. Regards Ronny [This message has been edited by RonnySimulacrum (edited 02 November 2002).]

Thank you very much Rioso...you have made my day 3 times over. [This message has been edited by RonnySimulacrum (edited 03 November 2002).]

*********** MUSHROOM UPDATE ************ For those whom it may concern…. So far our research has lead us to speak with the three main academics in the field of Mycology, so as far as Melbourne is concerned, we are happy that we have spoken to them all, and they have got to contribute to this documentary. After our initial outburst upon the community things have finally started to slow down (for good or for bad, we cannot tell!!) However, now is still your chance, if you do want to share your experiences, we have the time to speak with you. We have had a tremendous response from artists Australia wide, however, as far as actually obtaining works that we can use, so far, very few works have actually reached us in the format we need. We of course have plenty of visuals, but on a personal note, I think it would be a shame not to showcase some of the wonderful home grown talent on offer. The chance is out there, just give us a call! There will be website posted soon to keep an eye on, I will put the URL out possibly next week, so feel free to forward it too all interested. Lastly, a big thank you to all who have helped out so far, all input is much appreciated, it’s good to know there are so many learned people out there with information share. Keep it up, regards. Ben Lee & jonathan Carmicael [email protected]

During the time we have been working on the documentary it has repeatedly come up that if we just focus on Melbourne/Victoria we will be missing some of the most vital spokes people in the country, on this topic. On the other hand to attempt an in-depth national documentary with in the space of 42 minutes is nothing but ignorant. Struggling with shoestring budget and attempting to maintain a sharp focus on Psilocybe type mushrooms and their relevant cultural phenomena, we have devised a concept that will give the documentary a national input and still keep the subject mater fairly localized. We are looking for freelance digital filmmakers from within the Ethnobotany community, or Anthropology and/or Visual arts, to volunteer to interview some relevant experts within their state or region. The material collected will be incorporated into the Forbidden Fruit documentary and other relevant projects. The work collected will be fully credited and may help them meet contacts that they can then use to there advantage (e.g. the interviewees and/or we can do some work for them in Melbourne in the future). We will coordinate the work to some extent, by its content base only, and the rest would be left up to their own ingenuity in regard to presentation style. What I mean by this is we have some people we specifically would like to interview and some specific questions we would like to put to them, beyond that you can collect what you like in the boundaries of the overriding ideology of the project. Which is simply; The object of the documentary is to play varying discourses off of one another to provide a large range of radically differing opinions and understandings of the same object/myth – the magic mushroom. More specific details of the project will be provided to interested parties. Already obtained relevant material can be incorporated as long as the submitter has permission to submit it for screening e.g.: have received permission from the person who owns and the person who is in the relevant footage (usually the Producer owns these rights) What we are specifically asking is for volunteers to collect about 2-4 hours of footage that will amount to about five minutes or less of screen time depending on its quality and relevance. This may sound a big ask, but anybody who has done this kind of work before will know this ratio is pretty normal in the digital documentary world. This kind of information will also give insight to those of you that have taken an interview or are thinking about it, to how the project will all go together. If you are asking yourself, I am interested in this but do I meet the criteria? Well here it is: 1. Understand that this is a serious documentary. Understand that we are not looking for a load of footage of people that are Buzzing like Fridge’s. 2. Understand the subject matter and its varying political and cultural angles. 3. Must be familiar with interviewing techniques and handling diverse people of varying backgrounds in a serious, empathetic and understanding way. 4. Be familiar and capable of framing good and useable shots. 5. Have a good microphone, and a DAT recorder or Mini Disc (unless using balanced XLR in) 6. Preferably some sound and lighting experience. 7. Must have a MINI DV/DVCAM camcorder (or better!), that can produce true 16:9 on 4:3 ratio CCDs. E.g. Sony PD100/150 3CCD MINI DV with a 16:9 Anamorphic adapter converter lens. 8. Be Flexible, enthusiastic, have own transport and have some time to set aside for the project over the next 3 months. If you meat the criteria and are still interested let us know. This is an opportunity for filmmakers to get some interview experience on a diverse and interesting topic matter, regularly considered by the mainstream as taboo. It is also a chance for us to include a national input and incorporate varying people, information and knowledge on the subject, to get the stories told and issues raised in a serious fashion. This could of course form a base for any independents own projects, and a platform for them to start compiling their own catalogue of source material for future use. If this sounds like you, or you know somebody who may be interested in participating in this film work we would be delighted to hear from you. Please show your interest and/or ask us some questions.

There have been some interesting developments. Update coming soon. Thanks for your continuing interest

If any one knows where to get a copy please let me know. It is invaluable.

The good thing about making a video bluemeanie is that you can include things about cultivate psilocybe that would give no one away or be incriminating.....but just demonstrate that it can be done by showing some close up footage that dose not have the people that have cultivation the mushrooms in shot. Like shots of too hands and some agar culture or a pressure cooker. But I a some you are aware of this. Then we get some voiceover from some guy on the other side of the world to go with it and there we have it....we do not even need to show the process, just have some one walk us throw it in words (this is legal any way). Is John Allen in Australia? Long term and experienced users is something i am really pushing for, but they have to come forward. I am not telepathic.....not yet anyway I am hoping to get hold of Dr Tom May soon, I was wandering if you would help me prepare some hard core questions.........He think he is the best mycologist in the state......lets find out. You can come to the interview if you would like. Thanks for the tips.

****** MUSHROOM DOCUMENTARY UPDATE ***** For those of you who are interested, the project seems to be coming together at great pace pace, the interest so far has been far and wide. It is rather unfortunate at the moment that some of our greatest interest is coming from beyond our shores. This of course presents itself with many logistical problems when in comes to including these individuals in our documentary. However this is really a positive sign. Our research is certainly proving that Melbourne appears well and truly upon the psychedelic map. There are many areas where we are in need of some willing people who have interest and/or practical experience who are willing to talk to us. Some of these include: - Anyone who has been prosecuted for psilocybin offences, or perhaps hospitalised. - Any growers willing to take us through and show us the visuals of the funghi - Users to show us preparation and storage techniques. - phenomenology experiences/ specific personal mushroom experiences/ theories. - Experience related to any religion (world or otherwise) - Trance or psy-trance DJ's who use psilocybin - Mushroom inspired artwork/representations (any medium) - Any specific Aust. researcg, eg. Mycological papers/journal articals, neurophsychological work etc. - Anyone who is able to discuss the specific connections between psychedlic drugs and the New Edge technology and culture. Don't forget, it is a very visual documentary, However, if you feel that you have some very pertinant info, and/or stories to tell us, then of course we can obscure your identity to protect your public standing within our community. Thank you for all your resposes and interset so far, keep it coming, we're interested in anything that you have to say! (email) [email protected]

Thank-you all for your ideas and comments, they have been very useful. Some thoughts on some of the issues raised; What do the cops know? Here I am specifically referring to what the Victorian police department knows. In the early 80s a forensic scientist produced a thesis titled “Analysis of Hallucinogens in Psilocybe-type mushrooms”. His thesis covers a variety of different topics, but its prime purpose was to develop different techniques for extracting and measuring the potency of the substances Psilocybe and Psilocin in Subaeruginosa. Furthermore to investigate how stable the substances were in a variety of differing conditions over time, there is also some notes on synthesis. This information was gathered for help in prosecuting “a person [that] has been charged with selling or trafficking 0.1 gram or above of psilocybin or psilocin” (86). I have spoken to the author, who still works for the police and he is willing to speak for the documentary about the police and Magic Mushrooms, but we have to get it cleared by his supervisor. Unofficially however, he did tell me that in the 80s the Victorian police where expecting an epidemic breakout in Pscilocybin consumption, and I guess judging by the research, the establishment of a network of people that would sell Magic Mushrooms/Psilocybe and Psilocin to the masses. However as far as he is concerned this never eventuated. Unofficially the uses of Magic mushrooms according to my source were and are not a major concern to the Victorian police department. The most important thing to note here is that the research and prosecution information is not focused at the users of the ‘drug’ but its distributors. If magic mushrooms are not on the agenda at the top of the pyramid, then they are very unlikely to be an issue at the bottom, e.g. in the minds of the individual policeman. So there is little the police department in Victoria does not know about magic mushrooms, but they simply do not consider their usage to be a major public health issue. Will a documentary on Magic Mushrooms create unwanted attention or bad press that may effect our stash? The documentary is an independent production outside the normal systems of the mass media machine. We hope to get the documentary on SBS, which is only watched by 5% of the population in Australia. This is not considered to be mass exposure, and if you watch SBS you will know a documentary about people using magic mushrooms or other Hallucinogens is not very controversial subject matter. SBS often puts on other programs that challenge the government and ‘commonsense’ notions in a much more radical way. Hallucinogenic drug use is small fry. We also will be entering the documentary in film festivals, again these completions are run by the educated art elite. They have all been introduced to the concept of psychedelics and know where they fit into culture. So from my understanding this documentary will not be seen by the kinds of people who are going to somehow tell the government to tell the police department to go get those mushroom eaters. If you do not want bad press come forward and show that you are educated and perfectly normal members of society----not stoners-----YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN IMAGE------We can not blame others for stereotypes if we are not willing to try and correct them. I also thought that if we released the documentary when it is not mushroom season then any hype would die down by the time they came back into season, minimising any dramatic media attention. Mushroom takers in social space and nightclubs There have always been people taking hallucinogenic ‘drugs’ and going out into social space-that is half the fun. Hallucinogenic drug uses at an outdoor Rave event is a given, everybody knows, everybody goes. In the last few weeks I have seen many people in Melbourne rave clubs on them—always funny. Often people go out to places like Belgrave and Warrandyte on mushrooms too. Try Looking up a tree in you local suburban park and you will probably see someone who ‘knows where it is at’ at least once a week. Mushrooms are not some kind of sacred unknown, people know about them and they just think it is normal (too an extent), as long as you do not specifically interfere with their night. The worst kind of person generally in public is a drunken aggressive one, Not a mushroom taker that minds his or her own business. If you are wondering about the types of people I have already interviewed here is a vague list: Mycologist Neuroscientist Photographers Indigenous Australians Writers Schizophrenics Meditation teachers New Age and witches I am negotiating with many other people but if you have any ideas about who I should defiantly speak to one the subject let me know, and if you wold like to get involved you know how to find us. [email protected] [This message has been edited by RonnySimulacrum (edited 13 August 2002).]

I would love any suggestions on the kinds of topics and information that the enthobotany community would like to see covered in the documentary. Put another way what is it that the magic mushroom means to you? Historically Scientifically Culturally Etc. Further more how has using Magic mushrooms changed your approach and views on life/culture? I am specifically interested in the different types of people (class/ideology) that have been effected by the ‘Drug’. Come on let me know where you would like to take this project-what you think it should cover. I have only just started shooting and have time to devote to other suggestions.