The Show Your Friends and Family Must See
“The best gardeners of my generation are not hybridizing roses, are not working with orchids. They are working with this incredibly valuable and incredibly interesting plant called cannabis.”
–Michael Pollan
Before Michael Pollan’s best-selling books about food and the food industry, he wrote a fascinating volume about humanity’s symbiotic relationship with plants, called “The Botany of Desire.” That book is now a PBS special, airing for the first time this week, on October 28 at 8 p.m. If you have friends, family, coworkers, etc., who’ve never thought about our relationship with marijuana beyond the latest hysterical news story, this is the show they need to see.
The program traces the evolution of our relationship with four plants: the apple, the tulip, the potato, and cannabis. And they aren’t as different as you might think. For example, both the apple and cannabis (now, of course, generally called marijuana in this country) have alternated between being treasured and being reviled.
The segment on marijuana (you didn’t really think we’d be focusing on tulips, did you?) is not a brief for ending prohibition. What it is, though, is a remarkably insightful and thoughtful look at how humans have related to this plant, what it’s taught us about our own physiology, and how we have helped it spread throughout the world. Though the marijuana segment is just one quarter of a two-hour program, it may be the best exploration of marijuana ever shown on U.S. television.
And yes, the segments on tulips, apples, and potatoes are pretty good too.
Tagged with: Media and Michael Pollan and The Botany of Desire by the author
37 comments
I’ve had this on my schedule for some time now. Can’t wait to watch this!
Whoa, nice! Thanks for posting this! I’ll watch for sure
DVR set. Thanks for the post.
8pm on wednesday.
dude, isn’t that the time slot for america’s next top model?
conflict arises… no dvr — what to do?! =]
Thanks Bruce. If you hadn’t posted this article I would probably have never thought of watching this. Now my dvr is set and I can’t wait to see it!
Wow, “the best exploration of marijuana ever shown on U.S. television”? I guess I need to see this. Thanks for the heads up Bruce.
Alright!!! : ) The best path to the real world. I’m saying that because it is better than political shit.
I’m saying that because it is better than political shit.
Haha, what isn’t?
I think they should have put the cannabis first so we can toke and enjoy and then the food afterward for the munchie craving… just a thought…
thank you Bruce and thank you to whoever invented DVR…..
Well… I am a poor college grad going into a different field and degree who doesn’t have a DVR so I will be doing it the old fashioned way… watching it.
I’m not sure on this, but I think historians tell us that wheat was the first cultivated plant. If this is true, it has to be a lie. I think Cannabis had to be the first cultivated plant in human history. Those big ol’ seeds are just too easy to germinate. Any human-like ape could easily figure that out. And of course we know the rewards for the effort.
all set to record. Thanks for the heads up. I like receiving tips like this for TV cannabis discussion in any form, makes it very easy to ensure I’ll catch it. Keep it up Bruce & MPP!
i feel bad for those who dont have DVR…. trust me, once you go DVR….. you never want anything else…. the $15 a month is well worth it!!! literally all you need to do to record something is hit the record button…. and you can watch other programs while tou are recording….. this technology should be available for FREE…. since we can make hard drives the size of a 1 gram bud…. buttt nooooooo everyones gotta be a greedy prick and make as much money as possible…… fuckin america…. i love the country but i FUCKING hate the government
DVR’s are available without the monthly fee.
I have an older RCA scenium that works just like a VCR, but is digital. You don’t get the easy one button season record option which is what you pay monthly for, but it does the job just fine.
I think the new version of windows, or the media center of windows has a built in DVR as well (without the monthly fee)
BTW I will also watch this. Thanks for the heads-up
Sounds interesting. Thanks for the heads up!
Political Policy fails to Science and Logic
Logical and Sensible Policy regarding Medical Marijuana was and still is Long Overdue! A plant that eases pain, stops nausea, calms anxiety, relieves asthma attacks, kills some cancers, halts tumor growths and so much more without the ill side effects that synthetic medications have. The Facts have been covered up and lied about for too long! This policy shift is a baby step toward a Humane Policy that will exist one day as more Political policy fails to Science and Logic. Marijuana is Non-Lethal and absolutely can not kill you. What medicine or legal alternative can you prove to be non-lethal?
i agree if Bruce says this is a great program im setting the dvr. on a sad not this was one of three head lines in redding ca paper today.
Biggs man arrested on suspicion of pot possession
17000 bail set the guy was driving down a road that was known to be a stolen car dumping ground so police said this was cause. guy had over 20 grams and one vicodin. whole life ruined.
It breaks my heart every time I hear someone has been busted over of possession of marijuana.
Then again, it keeps putting a face on the entire battle and gives me, and maybe others, the energy to keep up the good work of ending Prohibition.
Cool.
I like how they imply cannabis somehow “knows” producing THC helps it thrive lol. God put it there so we plant it EVERYWHERE lol.
Can’t wait to see the show. Sorry ’bout the guy busted for a lousy 20g. FFS less than 100g. in my state(Ohio) is a 100$ fine and no jail time. Of course the weather here sucks ass 1/2 the year…
Thanks Bruce, DVR set. You should focus on educating Congressman Ed Whitfield (R) about cannabis. My wife and I each wrote him about supporting H.R. 2835, the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection act. He said, “This bill is currently awaiting consideration before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. As a Member of this Committee, I will have the opportunity to review this legislation during the hearings process. I believe that Congress must make sure that any law does not hurt law enforcement’s efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking. I recognize that some people argue that marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes; however, according to the Food and Drug Administration(FDA), there is no accepted medical use for marijuana and they have not approved marijuana to help treat any condition or disease. Nevertheless, I look forward to learning more about this issue as we consider this legislation in Committee with various experts on both sides of this issue”. It is clear to me from other comments he has made that he will vote no on this bill and any other pro marijuana bills that are brought before him. He is one of the reasons we in Kentucky will remain in the dark ages for as long as they have any say so. Senator Mitch McConnell (R) Has basically the same view, if not worse.
@Just Legalize It: Hah yeah I agree that DVR is fantastic. And hey, if you don’t want to buy a TiVo, or rent a DVR from your cable company, anybody can build a DVR into a computer. All you need is a video capture card and some TV Guide software — which you can find for free.
It takes some initial expenditure for the equipment, but you never have to pay an extra dime per month, and you get the satisfaction of a nice high-tech DIY setup.
okay…just got back from 10 days in mexico (where the natives assure me that so far, the legalization of all drugs hasn’t taken hold…people are still getting busted : ( …) so anywho…no tv, no radio…for 10 WHOLE DAYS!! ( not complaining) and where do I go for news when I get home? ..here of course…and wow…what news! This has been a busy country! Thank you Thank you for the heads up on this program, I may have missed it otherwise. Only problem now is trying to decide what to delete to make room for it on my tivo ( for sure keeping “In Pot We Trust”…that one needs to be aired nationally…I MAKE people sit down and watch it…here’s an idea, every MPP supporter needs to send a copy of it to NBC, CBS, and ABC and demand it be aired in primetime!…see who the bravest network is)…okay…again, thanks Bruce!
@ElisaG: I haven’t heard of “In Pot We Trust”. Is it available anywhere online?
Knew this guys name was familiar to me. And yea, I should have caught it earlier but it’s difficult to remember everyone.
Corporate Agribusiness: Gagging Michael Pollan
Gagging Michael Pollan
By Martha Rosenberg
Counter Punch, Oct 26, 2009
Even if agribusiness could shut Michael Pollan up, the outspoken author of Omnivore’s Dilemma and a journalism professor at University of California, Berkeley, it still has the Los Angeles Times to contend with.
Last week, the Times blasted California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo for downgrading a scheduled Pollan lecture because it received pressure from David E. Wood, a university donor who happens to be chairman of the Harris Ranch Beef Co.
“Agribusiness gets plenty of opportunities to preach its point of view at agriculture schools such as Cal Poly, where the likes of Monsanto and Cargill fund research,” the Times wrote, calling the 800-acre Harris Ranch, near Coalinga, whose “smell assaults passersby long before the panorama of thousands of cattle packed atop layers of their own manure,”–”Cowschwitz.” Ouch.
And agribusiness has the University of Wisconsin-Madison to deal with.
The land grant, ag-based university, in the middle of dairyland, clearly doesn’t remember its roots. It gave Pollan’s In Defense of Food, another anti-agbiz screed according to industry, free to all incoming freshmen as part of its common book read program where everyone reads the same book, Go Big Read, in August.
“I have not seen the students this excited about something in years,” Irwin Goodman, horticulture professor and vice dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences told the Associated Press as the James Beard Award-winning book was discussed in French and political science classes and included in an exhibit on the history of food.
Rhayader: I saw “In Pot….” on Showtime and recorded it on tivo and to my dvd recorder. In fact, that documentary is how I found out about MPP (I’m kind of surprised you can’t purchase it through MPP…what about that Bruce? ). I’m pretty sure you can watch it on Netflix and possibly you can get it from Amazon…and check your local library (you can rent it for free if they have it). It follows 4 MMJ patients (one of Whom, Irv Rosenburg is one of the last remaining recipients from the IND program)…be prepared though, the situation surrounding the young mother will break your heart…but please do find it and watch it!
Unfortunately it’s not available on Netflix — that’s what I was hoping for. I guess I’ll have to find a torrent!
(By the way, anybody who does have a Netflix account should check out a documentary called ‘The Union: The Business Behind Getting High”. It’s available for instant streaming.)
Berry berry interestink. As a PBS junkie I would have expected to just happen across this as a matter of course. But I thank you for the heads-up.
Checking the TV listings, I see it’s on at 7 MST.
thanks bruce. will check it out
My tv is pre programed already.
Set to record, thanks Bruce.
check out the website for this show, which has a link above. Fascinating! Thanks, Bruce.
BUD FROM KY @#23
You should respond to your Congressman and give him an education on the subject. The first thing you need to bring to his attention is that it is not the FDA that determines whether there are medical uses for marijuana. Explain to him that this decision is made by the DEA (the department that receives money to eradicate it). furthermore the DEA must take direction from the Department of Health and Human Services that is required to decide whether there are currently accepted uses for treatment in the US. If the DHHS says there are medical uses than the DEA HAS TO reschedule. Without this direction the DEA is free to leave things alone (oh yeah and continue to receive billions anually to eradicate marijuana). PLease then go on to explain to your congressman that the Department of Health and Human Services has held a patent on cannabinoids (the active ingrediants in marijuana) indicating their NEURODEGENERATIVE PROTECTIVE qualities and has held this patent since 2003. How can DHHS hold a patent that states that cannabinoids can help in treating Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and Stroke, but still say that there are no uses for treatment???
Another angle you can take with him is his lack of support on the current Healthcare debate. As a Republican he probably believes that the Government should not get involved with doctor and patient decisions, and if so this is a rational reason not to support National Healthcare. However it then goes against logic that he would also not support HR2835 when it would do the same thing… it would remove the government from making treatment decisions that a doctor and patient should be making.
Good Luck… I look forward to hearing what he says!!!
Excellent advice DarthNole, hope Bud from KY sees it. I copied and pasted it to use also.
Wanted to let people know that between innings of the World Series I switched over to watch part of The Botany of Desire. Fantastic what I saw, simply great. Thanks MPP for being so on top of it all.
There’s information in that video we all can use to further the end of Prohibition.
Here are clips from the show:
http://retwt.me/1FMNk
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