2 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 3
18
departments 6 Letter from the Editor Diversity makes us strong, our culture keeps us strong.
8 News Nuggets Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere— and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers.
features 10 50 Shades of Gray It’s not all black and white with AZ Checkpoints.
12 Miracle Man Hot, young hip-hop sensation Mac Miller is on fire! ON THE COVER: Photo by Ian Wolfson
Stan Rutner beats cancer— thanks to MMJ.
14 Destination Unknown Spanish Barcelona offers great art, culture, history and so much more.
15 Profiles in Courage Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical cannabis patient.
22 Cool Stuff From iPhone macro lenses to Hisptirs, if it’s a cuttingedge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it.
24 Recipes Easy and Delicious—ease into Fall with these tasty dishes and dips.
26 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture.
28 News of the Weird Yeah, these news tidbits are weird as hell—and absolutely true.
4 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 5
letter from the editor
Vol 5 IssUE 3
CULTURE Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
Editor-In-Chief
www.iReadCulture.com
Evan Senn
Arts & Entertainment Editor Ashley Bennett
Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Jake Browne, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Carolina Duque, Charmie Gholson, Michael Gifford, James P. Gray, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Meital Manzuri, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Keller O’Malley, Denise Pollicella, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Arrissia Owen, Simon Weedn
Photographers
Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, Eric Fowler, John Gilhooley, Amanda Holguin, Seneca Knight, Khai Le, David Elliot Lewis, Kim Sidwell
Interns
Dulce Balandran, Kim Johnson, Derek Obregon
Art Director
Pride and Passion In the face of adversity, our diversity gives us strength
T
he revolution of cannabis and the struggle to access our freedoms is evolving. There are stories in our newspapers, online and on television every day on how cannabis is helping the world. Dr. Sanjay Gupta came out on one of the most credible news channels in the world and explained how he was wrong for misjudging the benefit of cannabis as a medical option. A fiveyear-old girl in Colorado finally gets relief from her incredibly frequent and intense seizures, and another man’s cancer is cured—all thanks to the natural relief of cannabis. Illinois has also recently become the 21st state in the U.S. to legalize medical cannabis. The world is changing every day, and it is important to keep up with it. Here at CULTURE, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of this revolution. With change there is, of course, some trepidation— the future is uncertain. But, the best of best roll with the punches, and adapt. I have faith in the people of this great nation, and given time, I believe the people will make sure our government’s legislature reflect the opinions of the people it serves, and cannabis will be accepted. Good things happen when you
Graphic Designers
Vidal Diaz, Tommy LaFleur
Director of Sales & Marketing Jim Saunders
Office Manager Iris Norsworthy
open your eyes and mind to diverse views of the world; when you celebrate what makes people live well. Living well can mean something different for everyone. Regardless of our differences of race/ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, political affiliation, as a community we welcome diversity. A culture of inclusion and support makes a stronger community. And thus a stronger humanity. As CULTURE’s first female Editor-In-Chief, I want to take this time to remind us about what makes America so spectacular, in the first place—its diversity and its adaptability. I am proud to continue in this tradition of great journalism, up to the minute news, entertainment and amazing original content in the nation’s #1 cannabis lifestyle magazine, as we lead this revolution to freedom and compassion. I hope that this will remind you of what makes us strong, and an even stronger community—a symbol of our pride and passion. CULTURE, it’s our lifestyle.
Sincerely, Evan A. Senn
Editor-In-Chief
6 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Steven Myrdahl
Office Assistant Jamie Solis
Social Media Manager Jamie Solis
Account Executives
Jon Bookatz, Gene Gorelik, Justin Marsh, Beau Odom, John Parker, Dave Ruiz, Paulina Porter-Tapia, Kim Cook, April Tygart
IT Manager
Serg Muratov
Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes 20,000 papers at over 400 locations throughout Arizona. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark of Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. 2175 Sampson Ave. | Suite 118 Corona | California | 92879 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com
CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 7
spot on the 2014 ballot. ARM, as well as various other pro-medical cannabis collectives are gearing up in preparation of the 2014 Arkansas vote. The group needs 62,507 signatures to be eligible.
Business symposium To focus on legalization of medical cannabis other relative methods of tracking and accountability. This idea has been in research for quite a few years, a one-ofa-kind dispensary specifically engineered with medical cannabis in mind.
Arizona Medical Cannabis List of 48 StateAuthorized Dispensaries Released by DHS
THE STATE Endexx Secures Exclusive World Wide Rights for Medical Cannabis Dispensing Technology
Vending machines have been conveniently providing all sorts of goods with the press of a few buttons. Junk food, vegetables, cigarettes—even anything from replacement headphones to iPads. So the thought of a vending machine that offers medical cannabis and related products isn’t that farfetched, especially when it comes to your average MMJ prescription. The company Endexx, through its owned subsidiary Dispense Labs LLC. and its newest agreement with AutoCrib Inc., plans to have a variety prescriptions as well a recreationally related edibles, concentrates and vaporizers available via dispense systems, according to The Sacramento Bee. The machines are estimated to have between 800-1000 individually packaged items, as well as an image and description for each item displayed for the customer. Not to mention the technology of biometric fingerprinting for patient verification and 8 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Things are continuing to look up since the state officially legalized medical cannabis within its borders. As of the beginning of August, 55 dispensaries have received state approval—plus a pending 38. Many are on board for the growing successful businesses that medical cannabis can bring. One particular judge from Maricopa County Superior Court eliminated the deadline for businesses who needed to renew their business licenses for 2014, leaving almost all of the 98 total legal dispensaries will be given the time they need to open according to state law. It was announced recently that more than 90 percent of MMJ patients in Arizona (there’s an estimated 39,000) live within a convenient 25 miles of a store. That’s an average of about 408 patients per store, compared to a fluxuating number of 159 with the neighboring industry in Colorado due to recent dispensary closures, according to
the Phoenix New Times. Although it’s hard to tell whether or not Colorado’s business will drop once Arizonian dispensaries begin to rise upon opening in the next few months.
THE NATION
Arkansas voters could see multiple proposals to legalize medical cannabis on ballots
Residents of Arkansas may be seeing the phrase “medical cannabis” on their ballots more than once in the coming months, according to the Kansas City Star. Recently, a measure from a group called Arkansas for Responsible Medicine (ARM) inched their way closer to state voters when Attorney General Dustin McDaniel certified its popular name and ballot title. The ARM collective can now begin working on obtaining signatures in an attempt to gain a
Huge possibilities await the cannabis industry in the coming years. In Illinois alone, the NCIA presume 1,000 new jobs generated due to the recent legalization of medical cannabis, according to CBS. These jobs include a demand for individuals who can produce and package products like lotions and lozenges for patients uninterested in inhaling cannabis, as well as opportunities for people involved in accounting who can specialize in cannabis revenues. The list continues adding software providers, insurance providers as well as attorneys all being reputable fields in demand by the cannabis industry.
Medical cannabis efforts soldier on without Congress’ help
Illinois joins 19 other U.S. states in its acknowledgement of cannabis as a therapeutic product, containing medicinal values. Once the law is fully put
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
into practice, it will be among the dozen states that license the production and dispensing of medical cannabis. It should be noted, two states— Washington and Colorado—are in the process of licensing the commercial production and sale for recreational purposes, according to The Daily Caller. It kind of goes without saying, but times are changing. Whether or not federal law will catch up with the changing of times any time soon is still in question.
look highly promising for the President’s approval, as the initiative to legalize cannabis wasn’t spearheaded by activists—but by the President himself. Upon its approval, Uruguay will be the first country in the world to fully legalize the growing, selling and recreational use of cannabis.
“ReMix, ReMaster: 2013 Season Kick-Off”
THE WORLD Uruguay has taken a leap to legalize cannabis
Uruguay’s president has taken a huge leap in favor of cannabis. A bill to legalize cannabis has been passed by the House of Representatives and is expected to be approved by the Senate and signed off by President Jose Mujica, according to the BBC. Chances
by the numbers
6
The amount of mature and immature plants a medical cannabis patient is authorized to have at any given moment according to California state law: 6 and 12 (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
1
Number of medical cannabis dispensaries legally approved to operate in Arizona, as of August 2013: 55 (Source: Phoenix New Times)
10
The percentage of studies solely focusing on the beneficial effects of cannabis, as calculated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta: 6 (Source: Fox News)
11
Amount it costs (in dollars) to produce a pound of “pharmaceutical grade” cannabis vs. its value at retail price: 1,000 vs. 7,500 (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
12
Percent of surveyed physicians who would approve the use of medical cannabis for a woman suffering from pain related to breast cancer: 76 (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
2
Amount of registered medical cannabis patients in Arizona: 39,000 (Source: Phoenix New Times)
7
13
Number of jobs the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) foresees will be generated due to the legalization of medical cannabis in Illinois: 1,000 (Source: CBS)
Percent of Americans who say the federal government should not enforce anti-cannabis laws in states that have opted for a new approach: 64 (Source: San Diego City Beat)
4
The average percent range of roadway fatalities dropped within the first year of medical cannabis legalization in a state: 8 to 11 (Source: The Boston Globe)
8
14
5
9
15
3
The distance a medical cannabis patient must live from a dispensary in order to be legally authorized to grow cannabis: 25 (Source: The Daily Chronic)
The amount (in nanograms) per milliliter of cannabis an Arizona driver is allowed to have in their system before being legally categorized as impaired: 5 (Source: AZ Capitol Times) The number of state approved dispensaries in Arizona, as of August 2013: 55 (Source: Phoenix New Times)
Square foot measurement of Middletown, Connecticut’s first city owned factory for growing cannabis: 15,000 (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
The percent of people who are in favor of making medical cannabis legal, as seen in recent ABC News-Washington Post poll: 81 (Source: USA Today) The percent of total global hemp fiber produced in China: 51 (Source: www.ipsnews.net)
The creativity in Mesa is so intense it’s nearly palpable. From glass and ceramic artists everywhere, to performances and musicians around every corner, this place is chalk-full of amazing expression and exhibition. Mesa Arts Center will kick off its 2013 Fall Season with “ReMix, ReMaster”, a street festival event that coincides with Mesa Contemporary Arts Mueum’s Opening Reception. Fun for all ages, activities include: Farmers mART of Inedible Produce in glass, metal & clay by Mesa Arts Center Studios in MCA Museum Courtyard, graffiti mural performance by Such and Champ Styles, artist demonstrations in the art studios and new Mesa Arts Center Outdoor Stage, Urban Renaissance Premiere Performance by Vessel, picture pourself in a pasterpiece photo stations, Founding Resident company performances in select theaters, music by DJentrification, food vendors & cash bar.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: “ReMix, ReMaster: 2013 Season Kick-Off” street festival WHEN/WHERE: Fri, Sep. 13, 6pm. Mesa Arts Center. 1 E. Main St., Mesa. INFO: Free and open to the public. For more information visit www.mesaartscenter.com
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 9
FLASH
Beyond Borders
Arizona’s struggle to find balance between By Chris McDaniel
law and legislature
W
ith federal law in direct conflict with state laws concerning medicinal cannabis, patients possessing valid cards who find themselves at Border Patrol checkpoints in Arizona may still be at risk of being stopped and their medication confiscated. “Border Patrol agents sometimes confiscate personal property, sometimes without legal authorization or justification,” said Staff Attorney James Duff Lyall of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona - Tucson Office. “As far as risk of arrest and/or confiscation, an additional problem is that Border Patrol agents working at vehicle checkpoints do not generally understand what legal authority they have and in what ways their authority is limited—the law is complicated and they aren’t lawyers. This often results in unlawful questioning, searches and detentions.” And while the state of Arizona will not charge valid medical cannabis patients for possessing cannabis or related paraphernalia in court, the patients could still be prosecuted in federal court. However, “in practice, the U.S. Attorneys have shown little interest in wasting limited resources to federally prosecute extremely low level drug charges,” Lyall said. In Yuma County, which borders both California and Mexico in south10 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
western Arizona, the Border Patrol maintains permanent checkpoints on both Interstate 8 and U.S. Highway 95, the only major thouroughfares leading out of the area. In advance of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, which was approved by state voters in Nov. 2012, even people possessing valid MMJ cards in other states were not protected once they crossed the border. “Before the Medical Marijuana Act was in effect, there was no such thing as a visiting patient,” said Jon Smith, Yuma County Attorney. “If they were stopped at the checkpoint, they would be cited for possession of paraphernalia, or possession of marijuana, and the fact that they had a card from another state wasn’t a defense.” That meant patients faced the same laws as recreational users, although those busted with small amounts of personal use cannabis at the checkpoints in Yuma County almost exclusively receive misdemeanor citations.
Got Rights?
Since Border Patrol agents continue to seize any cannabis and/or paraphernalia they came across at the checkpoints, this led to a case which may now be headed to the US Supreme Court. The case revolves around Valerie Okun, whose three-fourths of an ounce of medicinal cannabis, as well as some hashish, was taken from her nearly two years ago at a Border Patrol checkpoint on I-8 east of Yuma. Okun was not prosecuted by the Yuma County Attorney’s Office because she possessed a valid medical cannabis card issued in California. Once she was cleared of wrongdoing, Okun asked the court to return the cannabis that had been seized from her. The judge presiding over the case agreed to the request, but Ralph Ogden, who was the Yuma County Sheriff at the time, refused to comply. Ogden made this decision based on recommendations from his attorneys, who stated that Arizona law requires any cannabis seized in connection with a drug offense be forfeited to the State. The court ruled that since Ikun is a legal medical cannabis user, the State had no right to take away her pot.
Operation Citation—a cannabis bust initiaive started in 2007—is still active in the Yuma Sector, is a joint initiative between the Border Patrol and the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO). As part of the effort, the Border Patrol agents who handle the drug sniffing dogs at the checkpoints are cross-certified by the sheriff’s department to issue citations which can then be prosecuted on the state level. In 2008, the number of citations issued and prosectued skyrocketed to 1,334. That number continued to grow over the next two years, reaching a peak of 1,790 in 2010 - the same year voters approved the AZ Medical Marijuana Act. With the new law in effect during 2011, the number of citations given out at the checkpoints that were prosecuted fell to 1,354. The large
drop was because a number of those caught with marijuana were valid MMJ cardholders from Arizona or other states. While they were issued citations, the Yuma County Attorney’s Office generally declined to prosecute because Arizona now recognized the legal right of patients from within the state and from other states to possess cannabis. The declining trend continued in 2012 with, only 750 citations given out that were prosecuted, a drop of over 50 percent from the previous year. Official year-to-date statistics for 2013 concerning citations issued at the Yuma County checkpoints are currently unavailable. Despite the fact valid MMJ patients are not prosecuted on the state level for possessing legal amounts of cannabis, following the implementation of the AZ Medical Marijuana Act, Border Patrol agents continued to seize any cannabis and paraphernalia they came across at the checkpoints. If any valid medical marijuana patient traveling through Arizona “feels that they have been mistreated at a checkpoint or in any other encounters with Border Patrol or state law enforcement, they should contact the ACLU of Arizona,” Lyall concluded. c V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 11
BUZZ A CULTURE Magazine EXCLUSIVE
Cannabis Cures
Cancer Stan and Barb Rutner say cannabis
saved their lives By Roberto C. Hernandez
Stan and Barb Rutner are no strangers to cancer. The married couple, both in their 70’s, have run into it before. It struck Stan in the lungs first. Manifesting as a persistent cough, a doctor later revealed cancerous nodes in the lungs were the real culprits. As if that wasn’t enough of a blow, doctors later discovered worse news for Stan: brain cancer. Like before, the Rutners were able to successfully battle—and beat—cancer. But this time, they turned to a less invasive, more permanent treatment and solution—medical cannabis. CULTURE spoke with Stan, Barb, their daughter Corinne and her husband John about this intense and life changing experience with cannabis. While cancer is a very serious disease, both of your previous bouts with it provided you with some great perspective, correct? Stan: While it was taken very seriously, there was also an element of “Here we go again.” Barb: With both Stan and I, since we’ve been through cancer so much, cancer has become kind of business as usual. You know? Stan: We’ve got another chore to do, or another wheelbarrow full of dirt to carry up. You know it was just a job to do and that was all we concentrated on. Stan’s health and quality of life began to decline, even with treatment in full swing. Barb: He was wiped out. He was very thin. After radiation to his brain, he got radiation pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs due to radiation therapy), so pneumonia. [T]here were three hospital visits, and on the third they kept him for a week and started him on oxygen 24/7. And then he went into palliative care. With little options left to try, Stan and Barb’s daughter
12 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Corinne and her husband John started thinking outside the box. Barb: Corinne suggested a cannabis capsule infused with coconut oil; they’re yellow capsules that he started taking. He started taking those in early November of 2011 and he took, in the beginning, about a third of a capsule in the morning, and it was just about a week or two later that he was able
to give up the extra oxygen that he had had 24/7. Barb, you’ve told me before how stark and significant the changes were in Stan as a result of his use of medicinal cannabis. Barb: At one point, he was using a walker and then gradually he was able to help with a move, and loading a pickup truck. Now he walks up stairs, does exercise classes and doesn’t get out of breath. He takes a nap most afternoons, but his strength is so much better than it was. It’s remarkable. Eventually, after several months, a brain scan came back negative. No cancer. Same for the lungs? Barb: On January 27, 2013 we received the results of Stan’s brain MRI in an email from his oncologist, stating simply: “IMPRESSION: No evidence of recurrent disease.” The lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain in the
summer of 2011 (and nearly taken his life) was GONE! The doctors call him a miracle man. We are deeply grateful to his “team” of doctors, friends and family, but we’ll always believe that cannabis turned the tide. Stan and Barb Rutner
{Corinne and her husband John on Stan’s experience} Looking back, are you convinced that cannabis works as an anticancer medicine? Corinne: I’m 100 percent, no question, that his brain tumor is gone because of the cannabis oil. John: There is no doubt in my mind that cannabis pulled my father-in-law out of the wasting stages of cancer and enabled him to gain strength and in turn fight this horrible cell malfunction with success. While many would say that the chemo and radiation could have played a part, he would never have lived long enough to find out without cannabis oil. c
Corinne Rutner and John Malanca were so inspired by cannabis’ purported ability to treat—and cure—cancer, they started United Patients Group, an organization and web reference site devoted to sharing information and resources about medical cannabis to those looking for answers. www.unitedpatientsgroup.com
Photos by John Gilhooley
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 13
destination unknown
By David Jenison
The Herculean City of One of the oldest paradise cities has something for everyone
T
he mighty Hercules captured the hellhound Cerberus, slew the multi-headed Hydra and stole the man-eating horses of a giant, but did you know he also founded the city of Barcelona? According to legend, one of his ships got lost on its search for the Golden Fleece, and when Hercules found his men on the beautiful Catalan coast, they asked him if they could stay. Granting their wish, Hercules and his men founded Barca Nona, which would become present-day Barcelona. The story has as much basis in reality as a Kardashian series, but it highlights the diverse cultural history that energizes Spain’s second city. Foreign rulers have included the Carthaginians, the Visigoths, the Moors and the Charlemagne-era Franks, and Julius Caesar once governed the country. Traces of these cultures remain with ancient Roman ruins and dense concentrations of Gothic architecture, while national hallmarks include late 19th-century Moderenista works like Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia
14 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
church. Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí is associated with nearby Figures, but the country’s other art icons, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró, both spent time in Barcelona soaking up its ethos. Many impressive sights are found in Ciutat Vella (“Old City”), whose sections include the once-sketchy El Raval (think NYC’s East Village), the trendy La Ribera and its medieval heart, Barri Gòtic, featuring the famous pedestrian street La Ramba. The coastal La Barceloneta neighborhood, whose Mediterranean beach landed ink in Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote, recently inspired National Geographic to name Barcelona the No. 1
beach city in the world. While the culture and architecture span many eras, Barcelona’s commercial profile is modern with dynamic clubs, restaurants, bars, fashion boutiques, wine havens, chocolate shops and gourmet markets. Likewise, within an hour’s drive, visitors can enjoy Roman-style thermal baths, the prestigious Penedes wine region, the Hamptons-style Sitges, the mountaintop Montserrat monastery and El Cellar de Can Roca, currently rated the No. 1 restaurant in the world. Barcelona sounds hot, but is it blazin’? According to the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), Barcelona ranks fifth on its list of the world’s top cannabis travel destinations. America’s premier financial network, whose love of green apparently extends beyond Wall Street, directed smokers to Barri Gòtic hot spots like La Rambla, Carrer Escudellers and Plaza Real, the latter of which is the starting point for cannabis-themed walking tours. Down the way from Carrer Escudellars, George Orwell Plaza (a.k.a. “Plaza Trippy”) was a top smoke spot until officials installed a 24-hour video surveillance system to establish more control over the area. Clearly that is as darkly ironic as President Choom Gang cracking down on medical cannabis, but Barri Gòtic makes up for it with the Hash Marihuana Cañamo & Hemp Museum. Barcelona is also a major convention destination, and this includes cannabisthemed expositions. For several years, the city hosted the Highlife Fair, one of the largest cannabis events in Europe. Spannabis is currently the top annual event in Barcelona, and it will celebrate its 12th anniversary next March. The Highlife folks are giving them competition, though, launching the GROWMED medicinal fair last year in Valencia. Other national events include Spannabis Malaga and the Expo Cannabis in Madrid. The country even has an annual Medical Cannabis Bike Tour from Madrid to Valencia to raise awareness about medicinal use. Spain was one of the first European countries to decriminalize cannabis, and those who wish to medicate in Barcelona will find the city has first-rate plants from Morocco. However, Spain’s laws against trafficking are severe so never take stashes in or out of the country. c
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
profiles in courage
Are you an MMJ patient from Arizona with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.
WHY DID YOU START USING MEDICAL CANNABIS?
Patient: Steve Green
AGE: 34 Condition/ Illness: Epilepsy, chronic pain and muscle spasms.
Using medical cannabis since: 2010
I had tried all the other traditional forms of controlling my epilepsy, and I was beginning to get proof liver enzyme failure. The side effects of the list of prescription drugs made me incapable of functioning normally.
DID YOU TRY OTHER METHODS OR TREATMENTS BEFORE CANNABIS? I tried several different diets—ketogenic, gluten-free etc. I also tried a series of pharmaceutical anti-convulsion, anti-seizure medications. As far as my neurologist was concerned I had tried everything there was to try.
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR PROBLEM FACING MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS?
Law enforcement issues, misuse of power and the lack of education. I think education is the most important thing though. Most people that I’ve had the chance to speak with say that they would prefer a natural medicine like cannabis if it would stop their pain or their debilitating condition.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT CANNABIS AS MEDICINE?
I would tell them that I was also skeptical when my doctor recommended medical cannabis. It’s hard to believe the something so basic that grows from the ground can be used to control such complicated neurological disorders and so many other wide ranges of varying diseases and conditions. I would also point them in the direction of learning more about the compounds that are in cannabis and not referring to the stereotypical thoughts. I would tell them my story and offer them other people’s stories as further evidence. c
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 15
16 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 17
Photo by Ian Wolfson
18 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
The music Mac Miller makes has the seriously cool spirit you only get growing up fast on the city streets. If you lacked a proper electrical source you could keep everything in your icebox chilled by plugging it in to Mac Miller’s latest album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, an audio joy ride full of spine-vibrating bass, kick-ass lyrics and the kind of beats that can make driving fast and cool on any highway in America easy. Culture was fortunate to talk to Mac Miller about life in the success lane as he tours from city to city in support of his latest and greatest creation, Watching Movies with the Sound Off. Born Malcolm James McCormick in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the young hip hop artist released But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy in 2007 at the tough age of 15. Shortly thereafter he signed up with Rostrum Records and released a series of mixtapes that proved that the powerhouse from Penn state had the potential to easily knock down other hip hop heavyweights with stunning grooves and hard-hitting lines that belied his youth and revealed and man who knew how to handle a mic for any crowd, anywhere. In 2011, the young musician unveiled his first LP, Blue Slide Park, a certified gold album that hasn’t stopped gaining fame since it hit the web. His second LP, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, released just a couple months ago, in June 2013, has taken his career to a whole new creative stratosphere.
Mac Miller is the kind of artist who isn’t afraid to talk about drugs, and what he has to say isn’t a simple yes or no. His answers possess a stark integrity which a person only gets after walking up and down that particular road, and it isn’t always fun. Does the mighty Mac Miller care about cannabis? In a conversation with online music journalist AndPop, the artist spoke honestly when asked about what him and his friends talk about when he uses cannabis. “When we get high we talk about, fuck, big, prolific shit,” Mac Miller says. “When I’m high with my homies, we always talk about deep shit … conspiracy theories and religion craziness, science . . . ” Mac Miller isn’t the first modern musician to confess to finding philosophy with the assistance of cannabis. Like most guys, when he smokes with his friends he’s serious about it. “We’re not dumb,” he says, describing some of the deep talks he’s had while medicating. “We don’t just talk about bitches and alcohol and weed, man. We have thoughts.” When Mac Miller raps about cannabis, he’s just talking about life in his particular big city. That’s what his lyrics are all about. “It’s just about everyday life. That’s what we try to do. We try to talk about what we do every day. So if we’re smoking a lot of weed every day, then we’re going to rap about smoking a lot of weed every day. But I just bring a message of positivity that can speak to as many people as possible.” SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 19
career, and he really knows my style so it’s easy to put together.
Although you are still a very independent artist, the work you have done has already given you some serious fame and fortune. At this point in your career, after everything you’ve done, what is the most important thing to you? Well I think it’s about not getting too big too quick. That’s the key to staying a real person even with success. I’m taking things step by step. Everyone wants to go straight from point A to Z, not realizing that everything in between is just as important if you want to be able to make it. A lot of your music is upbeat. I like how you write a lot about the fun, cool details every person experiences growing up. I also like how you rap about the hard times, too. Do you sometimes feel like you have to perform some sort of happy act, because of the lighter material on your previous albums? A lot of people see an artist as a person that’s always happy, always positive, but there are a lot of ups and downs in this world. There are a lot of valleys. Sometimes things aren’t awesome, but you have to go through every step of it. It’s tough when everyone expects you to just be that happy guy. I rap about that, too. Listening to Watching Movies with the Sound Off made me realize how much your style had changed since anything you did before 2010. It had a very relaxed sense of confidence. I think this album came to me at a point when I didn’t want to accomplish anything. The first album had to be big. I wanted to really accomplish something. With this one, I felt like I had more time to think about what I was saying. It must have been cool being able to make an album without the pressure of it being the absolute totally greatest epic hit of your young human existence or else. I did Watching Movies with the Sound Off mostly for fun. 20 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Have you had any training? Watching a lot of your moves, it seems like you’ve done a lot of improvisational comedy or even stand-up comedy. Does that just come from spending a lot of time onstage and being interesting during interviews? I guess I’ve practiced a lot doing shows. I really like comedy. I listen to a lot of stand-up on the road. Aside from music, humor is something that’s always been interesting to me. I’ve watched a lot of stand-up comedy and things like that on YouTube and the radio.
This seems a lot less commercial than your previous hits. A lot of the material on the new album seems a lot more personal. I wanted to create an album that had more purpose to it than just trying to be successful. Some people say West Coast, some people say East Coast, but we both know that there are many different hip hop styles out there to choose from. How would you classify your hip hop? I think it’s just a little bit of everything, even beyond hip hop. I’m just trying to do everything I can. I hope nobody can classify my style or me. It’s very cool that you aren’t afraid to talk about the downside in your music or during interviews. Now that you’ve been around, what’s the worst thing can happen to you as an artist? Writing a song you really like. Sometimes you think no one
likes it but you. It’s tough when people don’t like it at all. How do you get through that? You make a song that is just the real you. When you are creating music and putting your soul into it, then you realize it doesn’t matter who likes or doesn’t like it. Some of my favorite songs don’t get a lot of hits. Other songs might get popular, whether I think they deserve it or not. Your music videos not only have some very stylish cinematography, but are also very funny. Whoever your working with really knows how to get some good shots from you, and the jokes you work in from your lines are genuinely funny. Everything we do is just kind of made up at the last second. I don’t get directed to do anything. Everything I do comes from me. I work with a director I’ve worked with my whole
A lot of other hip hop artists have turned their acting ability into some serious film roles, like Ice Cube, Common, Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent. Have you ever thought of trying that, yourself? You’ve had plenty of experience, because of the number of music videos you have on YouTube cannot easily be counted. If the right stuff came through I’d definitely do it. I don’t mean maybe. I’ve talked about it with a few people, but I haven’t heard anything interesting yet. I’d do a film if it was a good one. Now that you are older, tougher and wiser, what veteran advice would you offer to a young artist who wants to make it in an industry that isn’t always nice to the people in it? I would tell them to not listen to anyone. You have to trust yourself with every decision, whether it’s your image or your music or your life. You are going to go through life surrounded by people who are going to tell you things like they really know who you are, but you have to know yourself to handle that and actually make it. c V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 21
cool stuff MicroMax LED Pocket 100X Microscope For iPhone Make your bland days at work more exciting. You’ll uncover wonders with this microscope, which fits easily onto the back of a special iPhone 5 case, for easy snapshots and viewing of the microbial world. Think of the up-close textures and life you’ll discover on your keyboard, the communal bathroom door handle or even that cricket that lives under your desk. You might look odd but you’ll get some respect when your coworkers have seen their office equipment . . . up close. ($19.99) www.thinkgeek.com
Hipstirs by Matthew Hoffman Enjoy the limited edition stir-stick creation by artist Matthew Hoffman’s Hipstirs! There’s only 100 of these little neon beauties available, shaped in the likeness of human hip bones and packing the brightness of five flourescent colors. Put your left and right “hip” in, and shake it all about. ($30.00) www.colossalshop.com
Audiowood Barky Turntable If a record plays in the middle of a forest with nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound? It will if you’re spinning your vinyl on this made-to-order item that bridges the gap between naturalistic aesthetics and the needs of music aficionados. Each turntable is handmade from ash, and each one is thoroughly unique. Mother Nature never sounded so good. ($1,500) www.audiowood.com
22 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 23
Sandy Moriarty is the author of Aunt’ Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Body & Mind and a Professor of Culinary Arts at Oaksterdam University. She is also the co-founder of Oaksterdam’s Bakery.
Menu:
VEGETABLE & BEEF KABOBS BÉARNAISE SAUCE CRANBERRY WINE SAUCE
By Aunt Sandy
VEGETABLE & BEEF KABOBS
Takin’ It Easy
CRANBERRY WINE SAUCE 1 1/2 cup cranberries 1 cup cannabis infused simple syrup 1/4 cup orange juice 1/3 cup red port wine 1/8 teaspoon salt In a 3 quart saucepan, whisk all ingredients together over medium heat mixture to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves 4 1 pound of beef, top round steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks 2 medium sized onions cut into quarters and separated into pieces 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 tablespoons Cannabis Infused Oil 1 tablespoon chili sauce 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1 medium zucchini 1 medium sized yellow straight neck squash 1 medium sized red pepper 1 medium sized green pepper 1/2 cup Cannabis Infused Italian Dressing In a medium sized bowl, mix the first seven ingredients. Cover mixture and refrigerate at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. One hour before serving, prepare grill for barbecuing. Cut zucchini and yellow squash into 1 inch chunks. Cut red and green peppers into 1 inch pieces. On 2 long skewers alternately thread zucchini, yellow squash and red and green peppers. On 2 other skewers alternately thread beef chunks and onions, reserving the marinade. Place the vegetables and meat skewers on grill over medium heat, cook 10 minutes, brushing the vegetables with cannabis infused Italian dressing and the meat skewers with the remaining marinade, frequently and turning the skewers occasionally, until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked to preferred taste. To broil in the oven about 3 hour before serving, marinade the beef about 30 minutes before preheat broiler. Cut vegetables and arrange on the skewers as above using all metal skewers. Place arranged skewers on rack in broiling pan. Broil for about 15 minutes, turning and basting occasionally.
BEARNAISE SAUCE 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon minced green onion 11/2 teaspoon tarragon 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup Canna Butter 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
In a double-boiler top, combine wine vinegar, green onion, tarragon and pepper. Over high heat bring to boiling. Boil 3 minutes as the mixture reduces. Place double-boiler top over hot not boiling water in the bottom pot. Whisk in egg yolks and cook beating constantly until mixture thickened slightly. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until butter melts and sauce thickens. Stir in parsley. Serve hot as a dipping sauce.
Legal Disclaimer Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
24 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
For our complete recipes go to ireadculture.com.
Summer has been fun but it’s easy to get bored of that same old summer flavor. So let’s give ya some easy and tasty choices! With a variety of dips and sauces to pair with some delicious skewers—take some time to take it easy. Make the transition into fall by embracing some new tasty eats in celebration of easy livin.’
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 25
entertainment reviews Goldfrapp Tales Of Us Mute Records English electronic act Goldfrapp have returned to delight the masses with their sixth, and perhaps most sonically vast, studio album, Tales Of Us. Ever stylistically diverse, Goldfrapp’s last full length release, Head First saw the group embracing the most danceable of ‘80s pop as their muse. However, the new record sees the duo returning to sparser, ambient, acoustic ideas from their fourth record Seventh Tree, as well as their debut Felt Mountain. Tales Of Us draws on these previous influences and blends them with incredible string arrangements to create a record of ten songs that are absolutely stunning in their fragile beauty. Vocalist Allison Goldfrapp’s sultry, breathy, pure voice dances and floats like snowflakes being carried on the breeze that is Will Gregory’s productions and compositions. While the record is certainly not devoid of foot stompers, one comes in the form of the dusky tune “Thea,” the vast majority of the album is dominated by pristine, delicate stunners like “Annabel” and the lead single “Drew.” While fans of the groups previous, more dance oriented work, might find this record a bit lacking in that department, anybody that listens to Tales Of Us will certainly mesmerized by the record’s sublimely gorgeous song craftsmanship. (Simon Weedn)
Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook: The Easy Way to Identify and Enjoy Marijuana Strains By Matt Mernagh Green Candy Press
As medical cannabis becomes more mainstreamed and more easily accessable throughout our great nation; sometimes even for the experienced patient, the plethora of choices can be a bit overwhelming. Enter Canadian medical marijuana activist, journalist and web-caster Matt Mernagh with his new educational text, Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook: the Easy Way to Identify and Enjoy Marijuana Strains, to make selecting the right type of cannabis an easier task for you. Mernagh takes the reader through a journey of 150 strains that they’ll most likely encounter, reviews them much like a music critic reviews a record, and includes hi-res, full color photos, to help you distinguish one type from another. The book does a good job of making sure to note strains with specific medical benefits, such as chronic pain relief. It might have been interesting to see the author give a bit of background on each strain but Mernagh accomplishes exactly what he sets out to do with Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook; clearing away some of the residual haze from medical cannabis strains for his readers and making finding that perfect plant much more simple. (Simon Weedn)
Oblivion Universal Pictures Dir. Joseph Kosinski While designed with beautifully epic visuals and sound design, the sci-fi adventure film Oblivion with Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman ultimately proved to be like a gorgeously wrapped present that leaves you slightly confused. The epic and intricate story could have been better suited for a miniseries, because, edited down into a film, some of the interesting details about the character’s stories seem to get lost. Yet, the film’s design is so gorgeous and lush that if you love visual effects and futuristic space adventures, you can just enjoy the ride. Tom Cruise impressively helmed this film for the most part on his own, but he had quite an impressive cast supporting him, including the magnificent Morgan Freeman and the badass Nikalaj Coster-Waldau, better known as Jamie Lannister. It was nice to see the stunning Olga Kurylenko in a lead role, since she first awed adventure-film audiences in Centurion as the intimidating Pict warrior Etain. English actress Andrea Riseborough, who played the famous Wallis Simpson in Madonna’s W.E., perfectly embodies the future here in this film. In the end, even when the unwieldy script made this film a bit confusing, the visual effects ended up saving it from “oblivion.” (Joy Shannon) 26 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Art of Video Games” “The
The earliest video games are still powerful memories in the minds of those who spent countless hours playing them. It’s hard to picture a terribly old video game like Pong as a form of artistic expression, however games such as those have evolved, paving the way for games of the future. Digital beauty in a moving setting, created in the complexities of code and creative expression has brought us from the world of 8-bit to the world of freely expressed video game entertainment. Through a variety of in-game stills and video records, 80 monumental games from the last 30 years will be on display in “The Art of Video Games: Explore 40 Years of Video Games as an Artistic Medium.” From games with goals of consuming as many white dots (and fruit) without getting caught in PacMan to the complex intricacies of intergalactic relationships explored in Mass Effect, each game has contributed much to the medium. To get an in-depth look at each game, check out The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect, a guidebook that briefs the reader on many of the games featured in this Smithsonian exhibit ($40). And you thought video games were just about getting the most kills.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: “The Art of Video Games” WHEN/WHERE: Thru Sep. 29. Phoenix Art Museum, Steele Gallery, 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. INFO: Tickets are $8. Check out www.phart.org for more info.
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
let’s do this Our picks for the coolest things to do around town First Friday Art Walk, Sep. 6
Lace up the sneakers and head out on the town. Phoenix’s First Friday is HUGE and will take a while to get to all the stops. Start early, stay late and above all; buy art. Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix artlinkphoenix.com
Love Walk, Sep. 14
Support commendable charities while walking off the stress of your work week. Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix www.phoenixzoo.org
Oddball Fest starring Dave Chappelle and Flight of the Conchords, Sep. 22
Dave Chappelle and Flight of the Concords under one roof? For obvious reasons, we’ll say this show just may be the most hysterical thing to come through Phoenix this century. Just saying. AK-Chin Pavilion, Phoenix www.livenation.com/venues/14282/ak-chin-pavilion
Peep Me XOXO, Sep. 14
Feeling frisky? The “Peep Me XOXO” peep show might scratch that itch. Gypsy Bar, Phoenix gypsybarphoenix.com
Community Yoga Project, Sep. 14
Bring a mat, some water, and a friend. You’re all set. Civic Space Park, Phoenix phoenix.gov/parks/civicprk.html
2013 Night Flight Golf, Sep. 20
It’s a glow in the dark golf course set up for adults! That’s just bloody genius. Palo Verde Golf Course, Phoenix phoenix.gov/recreation/rec
16th Annual Ballet Under the Stars, Sep. 28
This is a rather enticingly romantic event. Surprise your special someone with tickets to this to get some brownie points. You’re welcome. Steele Indian School Park Memorial Hall, Phoenix www.balletaz.org
Chile Pepper Festival, Sept. 28
For the love of all things hot, succulent, tender, fantastically marinated with the perfect kick of spice—yes. Chile Pepper Festival coordinators, we thank you. ARTS Market, Phoenix rooseveltrow.org/events/chile-fest SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 27
Chuck Shepherd's
Newsof the
Weird LEAD STORY—ROACH MOTEL ; At age 20, Kyle Kandilian of Dearborn, Mich., has created a start-up business to fund his college expenses, but it involves a roomful (in the family home) of nearly 200,000 cockroaches. The environmental science major at University of Michigan-Dearborn breeds species ranging from the familiar household pests, which he sells on the cheap as food for other people’s pets, to the more interesting, exotic Madagascar hissing roaches and rhino roaches, which can live for 10
28 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
to 15 years. (Kandilian told the Detroit Free Press in July that of the 4,000 cockroach species, only about a dozen are pests.) Why not choose a more conventional “pet”? Because “[m] ammals smell,” he said. (Missing from the Free Press story: details on the likely interesting initial conversation between Kyle and his mother when he asked if he could have 200,000 cockroaches in the house.)
CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE ; An unnamed restaurateur from Nagoya, Japan, has filed
a lawsuit against an affiliate of the country’s largest organized crime syndicate, Yamaguchigumi, demanding a refund of “protection” money she had been paying for more than 12 years (in total, the equivalent of about $170,000). The affiliate, Kodo-kai, burned down a bar in 2010, killing people, in a similar protection arrangement that went bad, and the plaintiff said she, too, was threatened with arson when she decided to stop paying. According to an expert on Japanese “yakuza,” a relative of one of the victims of the 2010 fire may also sue Kodo-kai.
UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT ; At Atherstone, England’s, Twycross Zoo, a program is underway to try to teach quarterton giant tortoises to speed up. An extended outdoor pen had been built for Speedy (age 70), Tim, 40, and Shelly, 30, but that meant it took a longer time to round them up for bed at the end of the day. The Leicester Mercury reported in June that zoo officials were trying to use
the lure of food to get the tortoises to significantly improve their way-under-1-mile-perhour gait. ; Actually, It Might Enhance the Experience: The British sex toy manufacturer Ann Summers issued a recall in June of a certain model of its popular Ultimate O Vibrator because of a problem with the electrical charger. The company said it was being cautious but that the risk of danger is low.
INEXPLICABLE ; Tina Marie Garrison, 37, and her son Junior Lee Dillon, 18, of Preston, Minn., were charged in June with stealing almost $5,000 worth of gopher feet from the freezer of a gopher trapper in Granger, Minn., and selling them for the local offered bounty of $3 per pair. Garrison, Dillon, and the victimized trapper were friends, and it was not clear why the thinly populated gopher-foot market would not have deterred Garrison and Dillon.
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 29
30 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 31