Heroes’ first season only ended a few months ago, but fans don’t have to wait until it starts up again this fall to get their fix.

Emmy Award-nominated Heroes, Season One will be released on DVD and HD-DVD August 28. Heroes, created by Tim Kring, tells the story of seemingly ordinary people who discover they have special powers, and take saving the world as their destiny.

The special powers rang from the mundane, like flying, to the innovative, painting the future.

Airing Monday nights on NBC, Heroes quickly became a fan favorite during the broadcast season. It’s is comprised of an ensemble cast highlighted by Santiago Cabrera, Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia to name a few. NBC also announced a six-episode spin off of the series called Heroes: Origins to air during the 2007-2008 season .

I walked in skeptical; after falling in love with the original movie and then once again with the Broadway play I was ready to be disappointed by the newest form of my favorite (well, maybe not my favorite, but top 5) musicals, but I left pleasantly surprised.

The newest ensemble was able to capture the sheer joy of the musical without crossing over into the over-showy cinema take on a classic, for example: Chicago, 2002.

Nikki Blonsky is the perfect Tracy Turnblad; she captures the whimsical dance enthusiast turned civil rights activist and makes it hard for the audience not to fall in love with her.

Although Blonsky shines I believe the breakout star of the movie is Elijah Kelley as Seaweed. His voice is the kind that is so magnetic it gives you ‘goose bumps’ and his presence on the camera brought me back to the Broadway stage unlike any of his fellow cast mates.

The only cast member that disappointed was John Travolta as Edna Turnblad. Honestly I don’t understand how he is getting such good reviews.

Maybe I was spoiled. I did see the original cast on Broadway, which was highlighted by Harvey Fierstein. Travolta’s voice fell flat and he didn’t command the same attention as Fierstein, or really any attention at all.

Hairspray is the kind of movie that keeps the audience in a euphoric mood by intermixing a great story with up-beat ballads such as “Hey Momma Welcome to the 60s.”

Grease for our generation? Maybe if Grease wasn’t based entirely in superficiality and had a legitimate message. Hairspray, on the other hand, surpasses movie/musical expectations.

Season one of “Ugly Betty” will be released on DVD August 21. “Ugly Betty” was this season’s breakout hit on ABC’s competitive Thursday night line up. Betty quickly gained attention as a provocative new series holding the time slot just before the popular “Grey’s Anatomy.” Based on Columbian telenovela’s Yo Soy Betty La Fea, Betty tells the story of Betty Suarez, a not so typical fashion newcomer, breaking into the cutthroat work of fashion writing. Suarez gets an assistant job at "Mode" a Vogue-like fashion magazine where her appearance does not quite meet expectations and her mere presence sparks drama among her fellow staff members. Betty stars America Ferrera, soon to be staring in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" (2008), along with Eric Mabius, Alan Dale, Tony Plana, Ana Ortiz, Ashley Jensen, Becki Newton, Mark Indelicato, Michael Urie, Kevin Sussman, Rebecca Romijn and Vanessa Williams.

Editor’s note: The names of some interview subjects have been changed for their comfort and protection.

This is a Blast Magazine Enterprise piece.

Sitting up against a mound of pillows legs stretched over a deep blue comforter Mike and his girlfriend are like any other couple studying on a Sunday afternoon. She is frustrated that she hasn’t mastered her Italian flash cards and keeps repeating verb conjugations. Their feet are flirtatiously entangled while Mike stares intently into a large history notebook.

With a slam of a flash card she gives Mike a frustrated look and he intuitively reaches for a blue box that’s sitting on the nightstand. He pulls out a blue and green swirled pipe followed by a bag of marijuana. A smile crosses Mike’s face as he fills the pipe and passes it to his girlfriend. She lights it, breaths in deeply and the room fills with a thin fog of smoke.

Mike then lights the pipe, breaths in, chuckles and said, "I smoke every day and I make dean’s list. Smoking quiets everything in my mind so I can concentrate."

The days of the “stoners” lying on the grass in hippie attire, munching on snacks and going nowhere with their lives has disappeared. The typical “stoner” has been replaced with a well-dressed, put-together college student who does well in school and blends in seamlessly with the rest of the student body. The magical marijuana that allowed the cast of the movie “How High” to ace their Harvard entrance exam may be closer to the reality then once believed. Students are smoking cannabis while studying, writing papers and taking tests and doing extremely well while they’re at school.

Scientist and doctors have been searching for data to back up this phenomenon, but have only come to a few contradicting theories. There is evidence to back up the hypothesis that marijuana has no negative long-term memory effects on a smoker, even a long-term user. Yet, there is little tangible evidence to the short-term effects of cannabis smoking.

"I have seen this claim made," said Dr. Lester Grinspoon author of several books on the subject including Marihuana Reconsidered and retired faculty member at Harvard Medical School. "I have come across it in anecdotal literature but there is little hard science."

The stereotype that intellectual cannabis smokers are diverging from can be seen in Kevin Smith’s infamous stoner characters Jay and Silent Bob, who hang out in front of a convenient store all day only moving to smoke a joint around back.

The "stoner" label can also be seen in the movie "Dazed and Confused" as the main character decides to throw away his chances with the football team, joint in hand.

"I think there is a stereotype that people who smoke pot are stoners, and I don’t consider myself a stoner," said Mike. "With the whole stoner connotation comes the idea that you are not able to do well in school when you’re high and I do very well in school."

***

Acclaimed as a gateway drug marijuana is the most common used illegal drug in the United States according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Marijuana, which attracted 2.6 million new users in 2002 alone, has no long-term effects or addiction.

"There is no physical dependency so you can stop smoking whenever," said James Scorzelli a psychology professor at Northeastern University who specializes in drug addiction.

Marijuana is an unusual drug because there is no withdrawal associated with quitting smoking marijuana. It also is an abnormal drug because there are no long-term effects other than the respiratory ramifications that go along with smoking anything.

"Marijuana does not have any permanent toxicity to the brain. It returns to the same as someone’s who does not smoke," said Harrison Pope, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard University, who has studied the residual effects, the effects of marijuana after you stop smoking, at McLean Hospital.

The general effects of marijuana can be harmful, but not everyone experiences the same negative or positive effects when smoking.

"In terms of the effects of marijuana there is an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, loss of precision skills, short term memory loss, paranoia, relaxation, calmness, a heightening of emotion," said Scorzelli. "If your happy then you become more happy if you are stressed then you become more stressed. Other effects are sleepiness, poor coordination, and increase in apatite."

***

There is no explanation for the increased concentration some associate with smoking marijuana.

Scientist have come across little consistency in their findings because the drug effects people in different ways. Some believe that marijuana works like Ritalin or Adderall and allows students who have attention deficit disorder to clear their minds and concentrate on their work. Others connect the ability to study while under the influence and then recall the information during an exam to a psychological learning theory called state dependent learning.

"State dependent learning is that if a person studies under a condition and takes a test some suggest that they would be able to remember that information while in that state," said Dr. Ethan Russo founder of Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics.

State dependent learning is a psychological theory that can be applied to studying information in any state whether under a chemical influence such as marijuana or an emotional state for example depression. The theory also states that if you learn information while under the influence of a drug then you might not be able to recall it again until you are under the influence again.

Some believe that this theory can be incorporated with the Q theory, another psychology term, in order to explain the effects of marijuana on learning.

"States of drug intake can be Q’s and the Q’s guide certain behavior," said James Stellar, dean of Northeastern University’s college of arts and sciences and psychology professor.

"If you do a certain drug with someone you begin to associate the drug with the person. Almost to the level that if person X always gives you a drug when you smell their cologne you can revert to the behavior of the drug.”

Therefore it can be inferred that the state of mind you achieve through smoking along with the smell and feelings that relate to the experience could work as a Q to remembering the information studied.

"For some people it is useful, for example a student who has hyperactive ADD syndrome," said Grinspoon. "I have several patients who suffer from the syndrome who have trouble organizing their thoughts."

Dr. Grinspoon has worked with many patients who suffer from this syndrome. The problem that people who have ADD face while studying is the inability to concentrate or focus on the task at hand.

"There is one case with a student who used marijuana and then was willing to not use marijuana for a few weeks. It is true, we took it away and it did impact his success in a negative way."

The science behind the intellectually beneficial effects of smoking marijuana may remain a mystery simply because the areas of the brain it is associated with, one being the endocrine system are newly discovered and are not fully understood.

"There are lots of very bright people who use marijuana and they have the impression this is useful to them," said Grinspoon."I find it difficult to say yah or nay on the whole, it can be less than useful for many youth… there is certainly not a dispute that some people have used it in a constructive way with their school work."

***

The main evidence behind the idea that students are able to study, take tests and write papers high on marijuana is based in the anecdotal testimony given by people who regularly follow this practice.

"When I was in college I started interning at high times, I went to classes high and took a lot of tests high and I did very well," said Bobby Black writer for High Times, a magazine based on marijuana culture. "One class I took was logic, mathematical and philosophical, and the teacher loved my input."

Black contributes some of his success in the class, scoring A’s on both his midterm and final, with the increase in concentration and efficiency he gained when smoking marijuana.

"Being high can help you even more because when your brain gets an idea, on an idea, it really runs with it, it can help you focus like you forget about everything else," said Black. He also point out that this practice does not work for everyone, "If your not used to smoking all the time then you can’t function, but if you do it everyday its your regular phase, it’s like a switch."

While some students study, take tests and write papers purposely under the influence of marijuana others have experienced the intellectual effects purely because of circumstance.

"It’s not something that I do on purpose. I know it helps some people focus, for me it’s I have to study and I am high," said Sarah, a junior political science major.

Sarah is an example of someone who is able to learn and recall information while under the influence of marijuana. This ability can be accredited to the state dependent learning theory. Smoking is not an essential factor in her studying, which can be the case for someone who suffers from ADD who uses marijuana to clear the head.

"Sometime I can relate to the material more, sometimes I have been procrastinating for a while and I just happen to be high. It’s sort of something I can do, not something I have to do to concentrate," said Sarah. "It is easier for me to write papers, the thoughts flow better."

Sean, a sophomore political science major, who does not directly attribute his academic success to smoking marijuana, has seen a decline in his grades since he was forced to quit for his co-op’s drug test.

"Its been six weeks since I quite smoking and my grades are lower, I don’t know if it is because I quit or my classes just got harder," said Sean. "My personal opinion is that it has no bearing on how well you do or how well you study. I don’t think it has an effect, negative or positive."

Though there is some ambiguity on their reliance of smoking marijuana while doing school work, all agree that smoking does help them clear their minds, focus on their work, and organize their thoughts.

"Don’t let anyone tell you that people who smoke all the time aren’t logical," said Black. "I work high all the time and I get everything done."

***

The legalization of marijuana is a debate across the country, drawing opinions from regular smokers, government officials, medical experts and the general public. Many organizations have formed for the sole purpose of legalizing marijuana.

"We support the decriminalization of marijuana for consenting adults," said Jessica Goshor, director or member service for The National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws called NORML. "We participate in lobbying on a state national and local level."

The future of marijuana, the people who use it and the ability to obtain it is unknown. Some people believe that the legalization of marijuana is imminent based on the lack of dependency and its popularity. Others believe the day when you can buy a joint at the corner store will never come.

"I think that it has the potential to help a lot of people," said Megan, a junior criminal justice major. "I also understand that there are a lot of other drugs that have been proved to be the same if not less harmful as marijuana that are still illegal. Like some of the studies that proved ecstasy is harmful have been disproved, so if you legalize marijuana you would have to legalize that too."

The decriminalization of marijuana means that first-time offenders found with a small amount of marijuana intended for personal use will not receive fines, prison time or a record. In Massachusetts where possession of marijuana is considered a misdemeanor the same offender can receive six months in jail and a fine of $500.

"12 states in the U.S. including states as close as Maine have already decriminalized 1 ounce or less of marijuana," said Bill Downing Director of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition Inc. "They comprise almost half of the population of America, so half of the people in the US live in states that have decriminalized marijuana."

Downing explains that many first- time offenders in Massachusetts do not receive the maximum punishment. "Most people’s cases have been continued without finding for a period of time, usually 6 months, then it is usually dropped and the person will only have to pay court fees which is from $60- $100."

Where a person lives can determine the charges they will be faced with. Those in who live in a city are at a greater risk because of the close proximity to schools, elderly housing and public housing. This puts students in an urban school setting, like Northeastern at a greater risk for being charged with the crime of possession with intent to distribute.

"I think legalizing it is a good idea for a number of reasons," said Sarah. "It could be better regulated and taxed, so it could benefit the government; in some ways it’s like alcohol, lifting the prohibition helped. I think it will never happen because of the federal government and the Christian Evangelists who are running the show."

The new college "stoner" that has broken the mold could soon be able to smoke legally. The potential national legalization of marijuana may not be imminent, but there are many states that are working toward or have successfully decriminalized possession of marijuana.

"I think that it adds to my quality of life and my educational experience," said Megan, who regularly does her school work while under the influence of marijuana. "There are a lot of people who feel the same way and I think that will lead to the legalization."

March 10 marked the 200th day that freelance journalist Josh Wolf has been in prison for refusing to comply with a Grand Jury subpoena asking him to turn over an unedited version of July 8, 2005 video footage of a protest in San Francisco. It also requested his testimony regarding the event.

Wolf was initially jailed on August 1, 2006, and was released 30 days later. He was jailed again September 22 and has remained there since.

The idea of journalists being used as an arm of the law may appear far-fetched, but increasingly, there are reports of journalists called to court to reveal their sources, hand over unused notes or video, and even to testify directly.

Currently, 31 states have a journalism shield law in effect. Such laws are meant protect the act of journalism from legal interference. Four states offer some protection for journalists, but 17 offer no protection whatsoever. There is also no federal shield law, and thus, no concrete protection for a journalist called into federal court.

In 2005, New York Times reporter Judith Miller was detained for 85 days for refusing to reveal her confidential source, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, in the case involving the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.

Miller’s status as a journalist was not called to question. As a staff member at the New York Times, the court didn’t have to think twice about her occupation, they only had to balance the importance of the information and how it was obtained.

The perception of a journalist and the changes in the type of journalism that is being streamed to the general public can have an affect on the ability to protect their rights.

Advances in the field of journalism have corresponded with new technologies, and this is forcing the courts to examine laws pertaining to journalism in a new way. With the fading presence of traditional print journalism and the expansion of online journalism, which carries fewer regulations, the courts must not only look at the information about which they are inquiring, but also the legitimacy of who they are seeking it from.

"A number of people would raise the question: is Josh Wolf a journalist?" said Robert Ambrogi, a media and technology lawyer and author of Media Law: A Blog about Freedom of the Press.

In the landmark 1972 case of Branzburg v. Hayes, Supreme Court Justice White wrote in his majority decision that even the “lonely pamphleteer” should be considered on the same level as the professional journalist.

This “lonely pamphleteer” has transformed into the modern day blogger or independent journalist. This blogger may not be completely objective or on the payroll of a major news organization, but he does participate in the act of journalism and news gathering.

"For me there is no question he is a journalist,” said Ambrogi. “Yes, he did have clear political leadings….although we are taught in journalism school to be neutral and objective most great journalists aren’t neutral or objective. The fact that a journalist has political leanings one was or the other does not make them any less of a journalist.”

Journalist groups also stand behind Wolf, regardless of his outspoken political ties, because he was participating in journalism during the July 8, 2005 protest.

"I do back him up. I do not think journalists should be considered arms of the law even though his activities muddy the water" said Christine Tatum, president of Society of Professional Journalists, an organization that pledged $15,000 towards Wolf’s legal fees.

Wolf’s independent style of journalism and blogging also comes into question when examining his ability to be protected as a journalist, regardless of his political ties.

"It is particularly hard these days to figure out where to draw the lines," said Robert Bertsche, a media lawyer.

Bertsche refers to the blurred definition of a journalist in an age where technology allows anyone with a computer to report on what’s around them and get their opinions out there to the general public.

Bertche also brought up the argument that, as the classification of a journalist grows, so does the publics suspicion and this could make it harder for a shield law to be passed out of fear for who it will be protecting.

"At a time when the notion of the press is getting wider with new technologies…there is some degree of the press turning against the press; established press turning against the others," said Bertche.

Others look not toward the person doing the reporting, but rather the method of the reporting and dissemination of the news.

"People are caught up in who is a journalist, but the question is: was the person practicing journalism at the time?" said Tatum.

Regardless of the aims of state shield laws, the fact remains that the U.S. has no federal shield law, and despite a reporter’s promise to sources, there is no real protection for that confidentiality.

"The problem is with Josh’s case is that there is no shield law, it doesn’t matter if he is a blogger or working for 60 Minutes," said Lucy Dalgish, Executive Director Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Media lawyers across the country are working to get shield laws aimed at the protection of journalists enacted in their states. In Massachusetts, which is one of the 17 states that does not have a shield law, there is a bill proposed to the legislature that will likely have a public hearing this fall.

This bill, and others like it, are based on the idea of a balancing test between how the information is collected, the importance of the information and alternative means to obtaining it, all resulting in whether or not it is essential for a journalist to be subpoenaed.

There are many advantages to a balancing test, including the level of confidentiality of the source and also the importance of the information.

"What are the circumstances? What is the need that we are talking about? Is it a reporter who is the only witness to a murder or is it a reporter who has information that can be obtained from another source?" said Bertsche.

The specifics of a shield law are important. If everything is not spelled out in black and white, some feel as though it could create potentially confusing problems. The drafting of a shield is extremely important, and some experts argue what should be spelled out and what should be left to these balancing tests.

"When you create a shield law, it is important you determine who is protected. You’re essentially allowing the government to decide who is a journalist and who isn’t.” said Dan Kennedy, professor of journalism at Northeastern University and author of the Media Nation blog. “Shield laws should be used to define journalism, not journalists, and if you draft it that way there isn’t really a problem.”

There is also concern that if a broad shield law is passed, it could potentially provide an excuse for the common person to keep from doing their civic duty. The reporter’s privilege, if vague, go beyond the scope of those it is designed to protect.

Yet there remains a strong counter argument.

"Reporters are in the business of finding out facts and if we are going to make it easy for a lawyer or prosecutor to go to a journalist to obtain information. Then we are diverting from the reporters job of bringing information to the public," said Bertsche.

This diverting could be counter productive to the first amendment, because it could potentially cut off the flow of information to the public.

The desire for the instillation of a federal shield law that would protect journalists of all styles is one of Wolf’s main objectives.

"Josh is doing this so other journalists don’t have to, said Liz Wolf-Spada, Wolf’s mother. “One of his goals for this is to create a federal shield law…one not just for traditional journalists but also journalists on the web.”

Many do not believe that this will happen anytime soon. When asked if she believed that a federal shield law would be enacted in the near future Dalglish said: "It is not going to happen soon enough to help Josh."

The media attention surrounding this case has also been minimal in comparison to similar cases, and this could hinder any chance of legislation resulting from Wolf’s case.

"I don’t think there is that support at the federal level, and I don’t think the level of outrage regarding Josh Wolf is as high as I would expect it to be," said Bertsche.

Despite what’s going to happen in the future or the new definition of journalism, the reality remains: Josh Wolf is the longest imprisoned journalist in history for failing to comply with a subpoena.

"They went to mediation on the eighth and emerged with no result. They may try mediation again," says Wolf-Spada concerning the recent court proceedings involving her son’s case.

If the case isn’t brought again before mediation, Wolf can face up to 18 months in jail total. That is the longest amount of time the Grand Jury is allowed to hold someone in jail without being charged with a crime.

"A shield law is generally used for a reporter to protect confidential sources, but with Josh Wolf its not about confidentiality he never promised anyone confidentiality, there is no source to protect…it isn’t clear whether a shield law would protect him," said Ambrogi. "The government hasn’t said why they want the information…it’s a scary case to me."