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Lion King
Snoop retires his rap rep— and rises as reggae royalty On the Cover: Photo by Matt Carr/Getty Images
18 Something Very Wrong Here A recently released state audit says MMJ regulators are doing a terrible job. 20 Thor the Love of the Plant New evidence suggests Vikings were cultivating hemp. 24 Still Qualified Sublime With Rome comes to help Vail chill out. 28 Friends With Benefits Los Amigos Invisibles decides to get downright repetitive. 30 Growing Gains If you’re thinking about cultivating on your own property, here are some helpful tips.
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departments 10 12
News Nuggets
Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere—and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers.
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Letter from the Editor
When you’re trying to spread the message of peace—do as Marley did.
Destination Unknown
Skip the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors, China’s Guanxi Province is the place to be.
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Profiles in Courage
Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical cannabis patient near you.
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LEGAL CORNER
Ann Toney reveals how cops can force you to take a blood test if they smell something suspicious.
Strain, Edible & concentrate Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains, edibles and concentrates currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary.
Cool Stuff
From Kush Bottles’ Neon Collection to the SneakAPuff, if it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it.
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98 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture.
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Recipes
For an extra special day we came up with an extra special menu.
let’s do this
Our wrap-up of some of Colorado’s coolest events.
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108 | NEWS OF THE WEIRD 8 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
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letter from the editor
Vol 4 IssUE 10
Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
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Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Roberto C. Hernandez
Managing Editor Jake Browne
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Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Ngaio Bealum, Sarah Bennett, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Carolina Duque, Alex Distefano, David Downs, James P. Gray, Victor Hussar, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Meital Manzuri, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Keller O’Malley, Tommy Purvis, Paul Rogers, Jeff Schwartz, Lanny Swerdlow, Arrissia Owen, Simon Weedn
What
About
Bob?
Photographers
Steve Baker, Gregory Cannon, Kristopher Christensen, Michael Gifford, John Gilhooley, Khai Le, Ryan Mazrim, Kim Sidwell
Interns
Joe Martone, Dean Mayorga, Derek Obregon
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Steven Myrdahl
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Vidal Diaz, Tommy LaFleur
When I first heard that Snoop had been “reborn,” I wasn’t surprised. Many musicians and celebrities— rappers are no exception—reach a point in their career where they reinvent or reboot their identity. And when I heard that Snoop was embracing Jamaican culture and music—the Rastafarian movement, no less— and declared himself the reincarnation of Bob Marley, again, I wasn’t really surprised. After all, Marley was arguably one of the globe’s most earnest, credible, culturally relevant and politically steadfast artists of all time. Virtually single-handedly Robert Nesta Marley was the man who “introduced the world to the mystic power of reggae” as Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner wrote in 1994. He was the man who made the world aware of the Rastafari Movement. He was the tireless artist who spread love and understanding—as well as social change and justice—to the world’s stage. If you’re going to say that you are the reincarnation of someone, Bob Marley’s a great choice. It’s easy to understand Bob’s power and legacy. First, Bob Marley taught us about the power of universal love. His own parents literally decided to “get together and feel alright,” as the Third World superstar was the result of
biracial love; his father was White, his mother was black. “Me don’t deh pon the black man’s side nor the white man’s side. Me deh pon God’s side,” is how Marley once reflected on his own identity. Marley, by any definition, was the real deal. After an assassination attempt on his life in 1976 proved unsuccessful, what did Bob do? Two days later, the injured Marley performed right on schedule at a concert aimed at (ironically enough) defusing tensions between Jamaica’s two warring political parties. Marley’s response: “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?” And lastly, Marley reveals something that Rastafarian and MMJ culture have in common: utter respect and reverence for a plant that is the “healing of the nations.” Not only can cannabis help Rastas tap into Jah, the plant is also used as natural medicine. Rastas turn to ganja to treat fevers, colds, stomach aches and pain. It is from Bob Marley’s cultural and artistic legacy that Snoop Lion arises. And so I embrace Mr. Broadus’ reinvention. Some may not. Others will decry it. That’s what happens when you try something risky, or strike out into new territory. Sometimes, little darling, you just need to stir it up. Now it’s time to celebrate—have a happy 420, everyone! c
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THE STATE MMJ patient and advocate Damien LaGoy passes away
MMJ advocate—and patient— Damien LaGoy passed away last month, according to Westword. LaGoy succumbed to complications from AIDS on March 23. He was 53. LaGoy was well known for standing up to medicinal cannabis causes and fighting for patient and dispensary rights. Two years ago, he signed on to a lawsuit challenging Colorado’s MMJ regulation, alleging that some of its provisions (such as not allowing felons to be caregivers) amount to local bans, which violate the state constitution. Three years ago, LaGoy spoke to the Colorado Board of Health after the agency decided to eliminate MMJ fees for indigent patients. LaGoy was on a fixed income. “He was a friend, he was a freedom fighter, and he changed Colorado forever,” Sensible Colorado executive director Brian Vicente, who served as LaGoy’s attorney, told Westword. “He will be missed.” With LaGoy’s help, and Sensible Colorado’s work, activists in 2007 helped overturn a five-patient limit caregivers had to abide by. Two years later, they successfully teamed up again to fight “emergency” restrictions on caregivers.
expected to vote on whether or not to license recreational cannabis sales, The Denver Post reported. Between now and then, the Amendment 64 committee is scheduled to hear from opponents and proponents of recreational cannabis. One council member, Charlie Brown, told the Post he was concerned about cannatourism. “Do we want Denver to become a pot-tourist spot? Is that going to be a reality?”
THE NATION
New York lawmaker Diane Savino pushes new MMJ bill
Deputy Attorney General: Colorado will need plenty of money to properly regulate retail industry
Colorado’s recreational cannabis regulators will need a sufficient source of funding to adequately police the plant’s retail market, Deputy Attorney General David Blake told lawmakers last month, according to The Willits News. “If (the regulation of) this industry is not fully funded, it will be a huge problem for the state of Colorado,” Blake, who also sat on an Amendment 64 task force entrusted with creating rules for the recreational market, said. Blake’s comments came on the heels of a recent that concluded that the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division’s oversight of the MMJ industry was inadequate, flawed and mismanaged, among other failures. At press time, the Amendment 64 task force was slated to hold its final meetings March 28 and decide on industry structure, taxes, cannabis potency and marijuana tourism.
criminal offenses,” NORML stated during the bill’s testimony. The bills aim to move the state’s MMJ program from the Department of Public Safety to the Department of Health. One bill contains amendments pertaining to confidentiality, physician requirements, plant transfers and registration requirements.
Hawaii moves forward toward a better MMJ program
Paradise just got a little greener, as Hawaii continued to inch closer towards decriminalization and improvements to the state’s 13-year-old MMJ program, according to Maui Time and Hawaii Reporter. Last month, the state Senate approved SB 472 SD2, which makes possession of up to an ounce of cannabis a civil violation subject to up to a $1,000 fine, instead of a criminal misdemeanor. “Amending state law to make these offenses a fine-only, non-criminal infraction will significantly reduce state prosecutorial costs and allow law enforcement resources to be refocused on other, more serious
State Sen. Diane Savino is gaining support for a new bill that could bring medical use to New York, writes the MMJ Business Daily. Savino plans to introduce the measure soon, basing the program on models currently in use in other compassionate states such as Colorado and Connecticut. She hopes it would fly through the Assembly but might meet opposition from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is not an advocate. “This is purely political . . . Nobody wants to be the drug governor,” he
Denver City Council to vote on licensing recreational cannabis sales in May
Will private smoking clubs or similar businesses flock to Denver with Amendment 64 still looming? That’s the question the Denver City Council is looking into. In May, council members are 12 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
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announced recently. While New York decriminalized minor possession in 1977, paradoxically, the city had the highest arrest rates for possession than any other city in the world by 2008.
Efforts to legalize medicinal cannabis in Florida gear up
Florida may be enlisting some new medical assistance for its elderly population, according to Bay News 9. State Sen. Jeff Clemens has introduced a bill that would permit those with debilitating medical conditions to use cannabis, with a doctor’s permission. SB 1250, also known as the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act, is named after the Florida advocate who uses the treatment for her amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The bill was introduced the day after a poll indicated the 70 percent of Floridians support the medical use of the plant. A prominent Orlando attorney, John Morgan, recently announced his efforts to spend $3.5 million to get MMJ legislation on the 2014 ballot. Morgan says his father used cannabis for a number of medical issues before he died due to cancer.
THE WORLD Copenhagen officials say legalization will mean “decreased gang criminality”
Officials in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, are pushing to legalize cannabis by first launching a three-year trial, according to The Copenhagen Post. The idea is that “the legal sale of cannabis will result in decreased gang criminality, more prevention and a better life for average cannabis users,” according to the city. The trial may also involve importing cannabis from England as well as Colorado and Washington. “We realize, of course, that there are a lot of international conventions and regulations to deal with, but we think it is possible,” Mikkel Warming, Copenhagen’s deputy mayor for social affairs, told The Post.
by the numbers
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The distance (in feet) that a recreational-cannabis store must keep away from parks, playgrounds and sensitive areas in Washington state: 1,000 (Source: The Spokesman-Review).
1
The amount (in millions of dollars) Colorado state regulators spent on a seed-tosale tracking system, including video surveillance: 1.1 (Source: Associated Press).
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The number of patients and supporters that rallied together in Jackson, Michigan, to protest the closure of MMJ distribution centers: 200 (Source: The Compassionate Chronicles).
2
The amount of money (in dollars) Colorado regulators still needed to spend on this tracking system: 400,000 (Source: Associated Press).
4
The estimated number of licensed dispensaries in Denver: 207 (Source: THC University).
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The estimated number of liquor stores in Denver: 204 (Source: THC University). 14 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
The distance (in feet) that medical cannabis businesses and activities must keep away from residential districts, etc., in Westborough, Massachusetts: 500 (Source: The Westborough News).
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The percentage of voters in Nevada who approved MMJ legislation in 2000: 65 (Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
12
The number of registered MMJ cardholders in Nevada: 3,645. (Source: Nevada Department of Health and Human Services).
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The estimated amount of money (in millions) that it would take to bankroll an MMJ constitutional amendment in Florida for the 2014 ballot: 10 (Source: Orlando Sentinel).
3
The amount of money (in millions of dollars) in application fees that the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division took in one summer weekend in 2010: 8 (Source: The Denver Post).
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8
The percentage of Hawaii residents who support their state’s medical cannabis program: 81 (Source: Maui Time).
9
The percentage of Hawaii residents who feel possession of small amounts of cannabis should not be a criminal offense: 58 (Source: Maui Time).
“The Fine Art of Talking About Sex”
Artist Maya Gurantz’s video installation The Whore’s Dialogue premieres at the Museum of Contemporary Art this month. Gurantz is a Los Angeles-based video and performance artist. Inspired by the story-telling characters in the Marquis de Sade’s 120 Days of Sodom and the extinct pornographic literary form, this piece is an extensive and provocative multi-channel video installation that enacts a ritual of the transmission—through language and the expertise of performance—of sexual knowledge between women. The Whore’s Dialogue is an outdated and unremembered form of written pornography. “This artwork meditates on the experienced performer, our sometimes unwilling immersion into the rituals of sexuality, and the corruptions underlying our complicity in all such rituals.”
IF YOU GO
What: “The Fine Art of Talking About Sex.” When/Where: April 11 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 1485 Delgany St., Denver. Info: Runs through June 23. Visit www.mcadenver. org.
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FLASH
Epic
Fail?
State Audit: Problems galore with the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division {By Jake Browne} In a scathing new report, the Colorado State Auditor blasted the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division (MMED) over almost every area of its purview. Recently released, the legislative audit committee noted egregious errors in everything from licensing to expenditures, including $4,200 for four office chairs. Here’s the breakdown:
Licensing
More than two years after the agency began, 40 percent of the original applicants are still waiting for approval. In a random sampling of 35 “new applications,” auditors found approved businesses operating within 1,000 feet of a school, with expired local approval, with cancelled surety bonds and owners with criminal records or tax delinquencies. All of these are illegal and no explanation was given as to why they were given the right to open. The average time to get licensed if you applied before the moratorium took effect? 688 days, with the longest running over 800. The report attributes that to burdensome on-site inspections (which aren’t required by law) being performed by an agency with 15 full-time staff members as of Oct. 12, 2013. That’s 64 dispensaries, grows or infused products manufacturers per employee to clear the backlog. Most of those employees serve in office positions, however.
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Occupational Licenses
To get a job working in a facility that grows, manufactures or sells MMJ products, you currently need a badge from the MMED, an idea that the auditor’s report wants to toss out altogether. The Division was incredibly lenient handing out these work permits, issuing them before background checks were returned in some cases, and in one case approving someone who had previous been arrested for felony aggravated robbery and felony menacing with a deadly weapon. That’s if you could get an appointment: the division went six months without opening up a date, even though walk-ins were secretly encouraged (which MMED management denies). While it’s fortuitous for many looking to get involved in the industry to leave with a badge, the information they left behind could haunt them for years. When the auditors requested a sample of occupational licenses, 36 percent were missing documents
that could contain sensitive information such as Social Security numbers or past criminal history. With 4,859 approved badges, that’s over a 1,000 potential files lost or leaked.
Monitoring
By and large, monitoring doesn’t exist. While many decried regulation efforts as “Big Brother”-eque, the seed-to-sale tracking system is still underfunded by $400,000 and no camera monitoring systems are in place. In fact, with staffing concerns it looks doubtful the latter ever gets off the ground. The MMED is reporting it doesn’t currently review any of the documents sent in regarding transportation of meds, inventory sheets or patients changing providers, let alone engage in wide-scale tracking.
Disposal
The old jokes about a cop taking your weed only to smoke it himself later will likely be lobbed at the MMED as the audit reveals that no records exist as to the date or amount of cannabis the division nabs—or if it was ever destroyed. Additionally, the facility they store the products destroyed off-site is less secure than the dispensaries they were taken from.
Financial Management With regards to fees, the findings
show that they’re essentially made up, with no figures to justify them. For example, it takes two hours to finish an occupational license versus 1.5 hours to complete a grow license. The cost difference: $75-$250 for occupational, $1,250 for a grow.
Expenses
Of the more egregious findings, four office chairs for $4,200, seven desk extenders for $28,000 and $10,000 a year in cell phones and plans that were not in use. The auditors Googled furniture at a more reasonable cost, but the best part is who was responsible for overcharging them in the first place: Colorado Correctional Industries, a division of the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Use of Vehicles
Overpurchasing a fleet by a dozen or so SUVs is one thing, but allowing staff to use them as company cars is something entirely different. The department is accused of misrepresenting directors as “Peace Officers” to dodge taxes, backdating required commuting authorization forms and more. This is the MMED as it currently stands, and the agency that the Amendment 64 Task Force recommended recently to oversee the adult-use markets. c
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BUZZ
Horns O Plenty Evidence suggests that hemp cultivation was part of Viking culture {By Victor Hussar} The Vikings were warriors, pirates, explorers, traders and sailors that terrorized medieval Europe between the 6th and 11th centuries. These fearsome, well-armed and violent men sailed on craft known as longships from as far as Sweden, Norway and Scandinavia to assault monasteries, villages and castles all throughout France, Ireland, Britain and beyond. Apparently, they also grew their own hemp. Because Viking culture survived and thrived for as long as it had, archaeologists have gone to great lengths to study them. Rune stones inscribed with the names and deeds of famous warriors in the language of the “Norsemen,” another term for these adventurous people, can be found in Russia, the Middle East and Germany. However, archaeological digs reveal a people more complicated than the usual horn-helmeted stereotype. New evidence indicates that, just like a lot of other cultures, Vikings cultivated the hemp plant. Vest-Agder County is a cold, harsh, rocky region located in the
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southern part of Norway long known to be a place once inhabited by the Vikings. Many remains of settlements have been found there, including one known as the Sosteli farmstead. While evidence that Vikings were familiar with cannabis has been found before, the remains here indicate that Vikings planted it, too. Seeds and leaves have been found in graves where the bodies of Vikings were buried, but researchers weren’t sure if hemp was merely an agricultural product for these practical, barbaric people—or if it was used for its psychoactive or medicinal properties. “The other instances were just individual finds of pollen grains. Much has been found here,” says Frans-Arne Stylegar, an archaeologist and curator for Vest-Agder County. Much like the ancient Chinese, Vikings living in Vest-Adger Country probably grew hemp for its fibers. They probably didn’t grow it for smoking. “We don’t know if hemp could have been used as a drug. Most of it was probably used in textile production,” reports archaeologist Marianne Vedeler, who
works at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, Norway. In any case, what is significant is that evidence taken from the peat moss surrounding the farmlands around Sosteli showed intentional signs of planting, which proves that these Vikings didn’t trade for their hemp—they grew their own. Catherine Jessen, a geologist who specializes in the study of pollen, works at the National Museum of Denmark where the peat soil study took place. She confirmed the presence of cannabis by examining findings left over from a dig that had been performed in the 1950s. “The samples had been forgotten, so it was really exciting to discover them,” says Jessen. After hemp seeds had been found in the soil sample, Jessen and Stylegar published their findings in the science journal Viking for peer review. While we don’t know if the Vikings ingested cannabis for medicinal effects, we do know that they grew the plant for the same reasons other cultures did. Cannabis has been with us since the dawn of civilization. c
Made in
China
The Vikings were certainly not the first and oldest human civilization to grow cannabis for use and/or consumption. That credit might possibly go to the Yang-shao, a Neolithic culture that existed around the Yellow River in China 6,500 years ago. Just like the people living in the Chou Dynasty 3,000 years later, the ancient Chinese grew hemp for rope, clothing, fishing nets and other, similar uses. It is certainly ironic that today possession of just a few grams of cannabis will get you the death penalty in the city of Beijing.
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TUNES
What
They Got
O Perf N STAG orm E 13 a ing Ap t Sp r rin il Back to V g ail.
Sublime With Rome start a musical riot in Vail {By David Jenison} Vail celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, but before the Colorado ski and snowboard season ends, Sublime with Rome will headline the Spring Back to Vail party later this month. The World Pond Skimming Championship is part of the three-day event, and it challenges skiers to launch themselves from a ramp and hydroplane across a frigid pond without sinking. SWR frontman Rome Ramirez is pondering the challenge. “That is pretty bad-ass, and I have never even skied before, so this would even be funnier [for people] to watch,” laughs Ramirez before sending out some local love. “Colorado is one of the states where the most fans come out and interact with us, so it is always a blast.” Drummer Bud Gaugh left the group in late 2011, so bassist Eric Wilson is the only original member, but this Rocky Mountains show will feature the band’s standard mix of Sublime classics and new material from 2011’s Yours Truly. After frontman Bradley Nowell passed away in 1996, Gaugh and Wilson continued playing Sublime songs as the Long Beach Dub Allstars for another five years. In 2009, the duo joined forces with Ramirez, then 20 years old, and started playing the songs again under the Sublime name. Using the original moniker caused a stir, prompting the name change to Sublime with
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Rome, but most fans welcomed the band. Nearly four years later, the nostalgia has turned into an escalating fanbase. “We plan on taking the band as far as we can take it,” says Ramirez, adding that they will start recording a new album by the year’s end. “We will always, always, always retain the roots of the band, play their classic music and stay within the vein on new songs, but we will also challenge ourselves as artists to grow.” Ramirez grew up with Sublime posters on his wall, so the music naturally influenced his style, but he claims he isn’t trying to channel Nowell when writing new material. “I feel like that would be 100 percent unoriginal of me, so I just try to write the best music I can with these guys,” he explains. “I try not to take in all the criticism and the comparisons when I am in the studio because I don’t think it helps me write any better.” Given to the chance to show-
case his talents with SWR, Ramirez is now penning tunes for other artists like Enrique Iglesias, and he expresses gratitude for the chance to escape what he calls a string of “shitty jobs.” Ramirez is disappointed, however, that this will be the first year in which SWR is not playing a 420 show. “If we are not playing, I
am probably going to stay at my house and medicate,” says Ramirez, then changing topics to medical marijuana. “I am a huge advocate. I have friends who used to be asthmatic who started smoking marijuana, and now they don’t have to go buy inhalers.” c sublimewithrome.com
Walmart . . . Weed? Sublime with Rome guitarist/vocalist Rome Ramirez says he prefers a
middle ground between cannabis’ sometimes conflicting status here in Colorado and beyond. “I like the median where it is legal but not legal; you can get busted but it’s just a slap on the hand,” he explains. “What I don’t want is to see it get mass produced by Philip Morris and put inside a carton and sold at liquor stores. Then there would be Pepsi Marijuana, and I could see a Hannah Montana brand sold only in Walmart. That would just be the worst shit in the world.”
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TUNES
They
Love the ON STAGE Performing April 17 at the Bluebird Theater in Denver.
Still inspired by retro sounds LOS Amigos Invisibles isn’t afraid of pushing its music {By David Jenison}
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boom, Los Amigos Invisibles emerged in the early ’90s with a street-party sound grounded in acid jazz, disco and funk. Discovered in the states by David Byrne (Talking Heads), the band soon went global performing in over 60 countries and relocating to NYC in 2001. Two decades after their Caracas-based launch, Los Amigos continue to innovate with their new album, Repeat After Me. “We don’t fear anything sound wise,” says Cheo, born Jose Luis Pardo. “We play cumbia, drum ‘n’ bass, house, funk, dance. We don’t have any fears of where we push the music.” Though steeped in the band’s signature disco-funk sound, Repeat After Me expands the musical palate to appeal more to international audiences. The romantic “La Que Me Gusta” is certainly accessible even in Spanish, but nearly the half the tracks are in English. The band even channeled Duran Duran and
Human League on the electrodance “Hopeless Romance.” Band members tracked Repeat After Me during stops in New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Caracas. “We spend the whole year playing live,” explains Cheo. “For us, that is more important than radio singles so the songs need to work in the live show, on the dance floor. For example, there is a build up in the middle of the song ‘Sexappeal,’ and we made it longer because it really worked live.”
Whether in concert or on record, Los Amigos masterfully creates a party music vibe, so it’s fitting that Cheo supports medical marijuana. He concludes, “I support it, definitely. People should be able to do whatever they do, and if you are allowed to drink alcohol, you should be allowed to smoke marijuana. I don’t see the difference at all.” c beta.amigosinvisibles.com
Not Commercial Sounding
“When we did Commercial, it was our attempt to do the most pop album we could do,” says Cheo of Los Amigos Invisibles’ Latin Grammy-winning 2009 album. “It worked well in Latin America, but it didn’t really work in the U.S. On [Repeat After Me], we tried to do music that sounds more like the stuff we listen to. We weren’t trying to do Commercial [again], but we did want to reach a more Anglo crowd, which is one of the reasons we wrote more in English. We have lived here for 12 years, and most of us live our daily lives in English, so it feels more natural than it did 10 years ago.”
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Illustration by Vidal Diaz
During the ’70s energy crises, Venezuela was a cosmopolitan country riding high on inflated oil revenues, but the 1980s oil glut crippled the economy and set the stage for the Bolivarian Revolution. This dramatic shift changed the country’s place in the world, but for a group of Venezuelan teens, it sparked an artistic renaissance that inspired Los Amigos Invisibles. “We were such a rich country in the ’70s that artists like the Police, Queen and Michael Jackson all came here, and people preferred to see them than a Venezuelan band,” recalls Los Amigos guitarist and songwriter Cheo. “In the ’80s, the country couldn’t afford to bring as many artists, so people started doing stuff in Venezuela. There was a huge boom of singers, movies and productions, and we suddenly had all these musicians we loved.” Inspired by the ’80s music
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Illustration by Vidal Diaz
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destination unknown
Czech
Tranquility Now China’s southeastern Guanxi Province offers natural, serene attractions—but avoid the tourists! Imagine a classic, serene Chinese landscape. What does it look like? If your answer includes Shaolin monks fighting in Snake Style or the Five Deadly Venoms, you are completely AWESOME, but clearly distracted by popular culture. If, however, you imagine a tranquil river running through unusually pointy, fog-draped hills, then you are actually thinking about the city of Guilin, in China’s southeastern Guanxi Province. Guilin and its section of the Li River rank as one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, right up there with the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. In fact, those oddly angled green hills— made of limestone, and called karsts. The karst topography is the city’s MVP; without it, Guilin is just a medium-sized Chinese city filled with osmanthus trees and really good chili sauce. Elephant Trunk Hill and Camel Hill are limestone hills that—surprise—look like an elephant and a camel, while Solitary Beauty
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Peak has amazing panoramic views from its summit. Inside the karst terrain, Seven Star Cave and Reed Flute Cave were both formed by dissolving limestone, the latter a Vegas-worthy spectacle of neon-lit stalactites and stalagmites. Not far from Guilin is another area attraction: the Longji rice terraces, also known by its more kickass name, “The Dragon’s Backbone.” These terraces are an engineering feat and are seriously
PHOTOs & story by Dennis Argenzia & Edengrace Cayosa gorgeous, especially when filled with water in spring or with young green rice plants in summer. After a visit to the rice terraces, tourists often take the extremely popular boat ride down Li River to nearby Yangshuo. It is this stretch of river that is commemorated on Chinese currency: clear calm water framed by majestic karsts and shrouded in mist. Water buffalo play at the river’s edge. Fisherman fish in contemplative silence, interrupted only by the sound of . . . megaphones on a passing 50-person boat. Word of advice: choose the slower, smaller 6-person “bamboo” rafts (and by “bamboo,” we mean PVC pipe); their lack of speed means that you are eventually left behind to enjoy the amazing scenery and take pictures without being photobombed by a boat hull. Boat (and bus) passengers disembark at Yangshuo, a formerly quaint town whose center is now transformed into a tourist cliché. If the presence of McDonald’s is highly offensive to you, take the initiative and rent a bicycle, or just walk. Yangshuo is blessed with the same beautiful terrain as Guilin, and dirt paths will quickly take you out of the West Street tourist crush and into the serenity of rice paddies, charming farming villages and, eventually, the Yulong River, a small tributary of the Li River. At the photogenic Yulong River, you can opt to either rent a [real] bamboo raft and join the domestic tourists in raft-to-raft water fights, or just stand on the Dragon Bridge, watching newlyweds float by during their raft photo shoot. The more adventurous will push on to Moon Hill, where a steep climb by stone steps or by scaling the rock face is rewarded with stunning views of the Yulong River valley. You can enjoy these views with a bit of cannabis that is peddled in Yangshuo. Strangely, most dealers are not taxi or rickshaw drivers, but little old women who really want to sell you something! As always, please practice common sense and remember that China has some very harsh consequences if you are caught. c
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profiles in courage Patient:
Robyn Bollay
AGE: 51
Condition/ Illness:
Uses a pacemaker, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, stroke/coma survivor, chronic pain, in remission from Addison’s disease.
Using medical cannabis since: 2001
Photos by Kristopher Christensen
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Are you an MMJ patient from Colorado 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? I started using cannabis when, [at] 15 years old, [I was] directed by [a] doctor to use edibles for asthma. Then I stopped at 23 years old, started again at 40 years old. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? I had gotten eight pre-cancerous polyps in [my] colon due to narcotics and other medications. Now I am off 15 medications due to cannabis. I tried epidural steroid injections, radio frequency therapy, medications prescribed by doctors—the whole medical gambit with seven doctors. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? I think that the FDA rescheduling cannabis is one of the most important things, and for the patients to be active in our community, standing for our rights . . . educating those who are in the dark about medical marijuana laws and the benefits of this natural herb’s reality. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? I’d like to explain to them that medical cannabis isn’t just for smoking. Cannabis can be ingested orally in cannabutter, sprayed under tongue, vaporized or delivered topically into the skin directly. c
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By Ann Toney
Say What?
legal corner
“If marijuana makes him feel better, stimulates his appetite, reduces his nausea from chemo, who am I to take it away from him?” —Dr. Mehmet Oz
Give and Take
The
Colorado has much to celebrate this April 20, or “420.” While it remains illegal under federal law, under our state constitution Coloradoans can not only cultivate up to six cannabis plants and up to two (2) ounces for medical purposes (if properly registered with our state health department); we can now also cultivate up to six plants and up to one (1) ounce for recreational use. Ahh, life is good in Colorado. What we are not hearing about though during this glorious time is the Legislature is planning a punitive measure for us if a law enforcement officer thinks one of us is driving while our
ability is impaired by cannabis. Under the law, if you drive on a public roadway you have agreed ahead of time that if asked by a law enforcement officer to take a test of your blood because the officer suspects drug impairment, you will take the test. If you do not do so and “refuse” to take the blood test, then you will lose your license for a minimum of one (1) year. What is being proposed now, though, under the new “Driving Under the Influence of Drugs” law (which considers five nanograms of cannabis in your system a sign of impairment) is that if you are asked to take the blood test and then refuse, your blood will be forcibly taken from you. If you do not submit willingly, they can and will hold you down and take your blood. This is currently the law in some other states and your Legislature is proposing this for you. So, you are driving and are stopped for whatever reason. The law enforcement officer smells
cannabis and reports some other indicia of impairment like “red and glassy eyes.” The officer arrests you and asks you for a blood sample. You don’t want to give one. Too bad. You can and will be forced to provide a blood sample and you will have no choice in the matter. It can and will be drawn forcibly from you. Afraid of needles? Too bad. Later it is determined that you were innocent? So what. The government knew that without obtaining a blood draw they may not have enough evidence to prove impairment (five nanograms) beyond the standard “smell” evidence. With the forced blood draw they can at least insure that they will have some evidence from your blood results to show a jury. What the media has been silent on is the extreme and invasive measures the government can go to, taking personal cells from your body to make sure they have evidence in their prosecution. c
Ann Toney, P.C. is a Denver-based law firm that focuses on medical cannabis business law and cannabis defense; and defending people charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs (DUI/DUID). Ann Toney can be contacted via phone or web at (303) 399-5556 and www.medicalcannabislaw.com.
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strain & edible reviews GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Blueberry Bar The reason the most popular edible used to be brownies is pretty clear: it’s hard to see how green they turn out. Cookies? There’s no hiding from the truth! We knew we were in for it when the Blueberry Bar entered our field of vision at Mind Body Spirit Wellness in Lakewood. Tamper-proof packaging surrounds this rather sizeable delicacy, but we were reticent to try more than a quarter at a time due to the hue of the crust. The bakers strike a nice balance between fruit topping and crust, with a sweet crumble on top that adds a nice texture and balance to the blueberry. We found the listed 100 mg dosage quite accurate, with most reviewers enjoying the calming and relaxing effects that set in within 30 minutes of ingestion. Others noted that the smooth blueberry flavor and salty-sweet crust made it easy to consume even when their stomachs weren’t necessarily cooperating.
Gummy Bear OG If there’s something scary, rest assured, a company is out there working on a gummy version of it. Sharks? Spiders? Worms? They’ve got you covered. The Herbal Cure in Denver has one of Mother Nature’s most ruthless killing machines immortalized in its house cross of Jillybean and Bubblegum: Gummy Bear. There’s an amazing brightness to what sounds like a sugary-sweet Trainwreck, but this strain comes off tasting like a fresh-off-the-vine Concord grape with a finish of fir trees and juicy strawberries. A great cure left the light green and burnt orange haired nugs almost squishy to the touch. These nugs might as well have been covered with whatever makes candy sour, because the effects were immediately energizing and rambunctious. If you’re looking for a Pixy Stix before recess, look no further, as we felt like we could outrun a bear; playing dead was not an option.
Sage and Sour In the medical marijuana world, “SAGE” has less to do with wisdom than it does one well-coined acronym: Sativa Afghani Genetic Equilibrium. The formula (haze + indica = awesome) gets a reworking at Colorado Springs’ New Horizons, as Sour Diesel is added to the equation to make Sage and Sour. You’ll notice the almost neon orange hairs shooting out in every direction from behind the camo-green leaves, but the smell is truly unique. Big spice notes of incense and black pepper give this strain the smell of something similar to cured meats. Instead of Thai Stick, think beef jerky, only gassier from the Diesel once it’s broken up. The effects were balanced initially, with an uptick in body movement and a lightness in the limbs that was noticed by our rigorous team of samplers and reviewers. While the cerebral effects fell away after an hour or so, the impulse to move did not. Ditch the math book and get outside, nerd!
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Afgooey On the hit show Seinfeld, Jerry waxes poetic about the black and white cookie. “Two races of flavor living side by side in harmony. It’s a wonderful thing, isn’t it?” We couldn’t help but think he was really talking about Afgooey, a classic combination of Afghani #1 and Maui Haze. We picked up a branch (seriously) from Good Meds Network in Lakewood and Denver, and would have taken a whole plant if they offered. Cherry and oak notes are strong up front, with fresh cut pine lingering somewhere behind—but little of the buttery Haze notes you’d expect. The Haze was prevalent, however, for the first half hour, as we experienced racing head effects that were a mix between anxious energy and raucous goofiness. Thank goodness for the Afghani kicking in a short time later, as we were able to focus our efforts for the common good. We think Jerry would have applauded.
Blaze The world’s most popular psychoactive substance doesn’t come from that skunky smelling plant in your basement, but rather a variety of products, including tea leaves, guarana seeds or coffee beans. You guessed it: caffeine. Combining it with our readers’ favorite, good ol‘ fashioned MMJ, just makes sense. Enter Colorado Medical Marijuana Supply, Inc.’s Blaze from L.E.A.F. Aspen, which packs 100 mg into a pocket-sized blue-tinted bottle designed to keep sunlight out and cannabinoids happy. Instead of going the 5-Hour Energy route, Blaze gives you the ability to mix its syrup with your favorite beverage. If medicating in public were legal, it’d be great to toss in a club soda at your favorite evening hot spot and get your groove on. The two mix surprisingly well, giving great body effects without too much head distraction to get in your way, and the Red Bull-esque flavor is one of the best masking agents we’ve tried to cover that cannabis flavor that can leave some drinks more bong-water than bona fide refreshment.
Colorado Crippler The once sleepy mining town of Cripple Creek is now thriving due to a controversial ballot measure to approve casino gaming—sounds like a familiar story, right? With tax season almost over, grab your refund and pick up some Colorado Crippler from The Healing Canna in the Springs. A 50/50 hybrid that combines Grape Hash Plant and Blue Cheese, you simply won’t find this strain anywhere else. Like any good cheese plate, it combines the funk and mustiness of the Blue Cheese with the sweetness of vine fruit, making it more of a trip to the French Pyrenees than the Rockies. Covered in trichomes, we’d recommend threshing these royal purple and forest green nugs with a grinder, or else you’re panning for gold with Swiss cheese. Most reviewers found their energy levels and pain relief closer to the indica end of the spectrum, so avoid a long day in the mines if you can.
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strain & edible reviews GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Violator Kush
Rock N Roll Carmels We all know that guy: the guy who claims that he can smoke a whole preroll and be un-phased. The guy who can eat five of your favorite edibles and run a marathon. Who is that guy? We challenge him to try both of the Rock N Roll Carmels from Standing Akimbo in Denver and see who has the last laugh. Or he may laugh uncontrollably for a while. At 100 mg a piece for this roughly quarter-sized caramel, it’s a feat that you can fit that much medicine into this size of candy. The bigger bonus, however, is that it’s still a dang tasty treat. Silky and almost melting when it hits your mouth, it has a slightly slippery texture with a rich, slightly burnt flavor that reminds you of Grandma’s candy dish. Only they’re not small, wrapped rocks posing as candy. We gambled with a half a caramel . . . and wished we could have taken back the bet. Start small with these tiny dervishes. You’ll thank us.
Colorado voters passed MMJ laws in 2001, then adult-use laws in 2012—and we certainly expect patients to follow the spirit as well as the letter of these laws. But for those who want to pretend otherwise, here’s a cheer with some Violator Kush. From Herbal Remedies in Denver, this Barney’s Farm classic checks in as a 90-percent indica-dominant hybrid. Don’t be fooled by the almost Durban Poison-like lemon cleaner smell—these triangular, tight nugs are all Kush. We loved an initial head buzz that was creative and talkative, and we were quick to make notes of our more clever ideas, as a strong body buzz left us with a long time to think about them. This is a great strain for those looking to medicate before a long event they won’t be able to slip out of, or just need to sleep without tossing and turning.
Skywalker OG It’s not easy being a Skywalker: you’re an outcast, different from everyone else and you’re the last of your kind. The only guy you can relate to is Bigfoot. Enter Skywalker OG from Denver’s Earth Group Colorado, the kind of a strain everyone can identify with: potent. Big things come in these small, dense nugs, giving off a traditional OG whiff of space age rubber and futuristic pine trees on a distant, frozen planet. Make sure to take your time breaking up Skywalker, as the average bowl will make you feel like you started smoking a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. About as far from the name as possible, we felt grounded and sedated, with a heavy buzz that made focus great but productivity difficult. Best for sleeping off a tough lightsaber battle, we would not recommend this strain before sunset, no matter how many suns your planet has.
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Mandarin Sunset Spring has sprung, which means we’ll be seeing fewer bags of Cuties Clementines at the grocery store, and our lives will be a little less bright as a result. If you’re looking to replicate that same smell year round, stop by New Age Medical in the Highland area of Denver and grab a bag of Mandarin Sunset. A cross of Orange Skunk and Herojuana, this super floral indica has all the notes of fresh citrus mixed in with a subtle hint of five-spice powder, fitting for the name. While the hairs are closer to a reddish hue, you’ll be drawn to the smattering of trichomes on the purple and lime-green leaf. For all of the lightness associated with the smell and taste, we were unprepared for the crushing indica zone we soon entered, with an almost numbness descending across our bodies. Muscle spasms and deep pain were mitigated within minutes, but be prepared to order extra delivery.
Magic Bars Magic can be cool (David Blaine), kind of cheesy (most of Vegas) or desperate (Criss Angel), but courtesy of Love’s Oven in Denver, it’s now delectable as well. The bakery’s Magic Bars are what your mom would call a “kitchen sink” bar, as there’s everything but that included in the ingredients. A mix of chocolate, butterscotch, walnuts, graham cracker crust, coconut and probably 10 other things, it’s a lot going on, yet it all works. Better still, you think about the cannabis flavor exactly zero times. The bar itself was moist after several days in the fridge, which is rare as baked goods have a tendency to harden up under those circumstances. It’s also a great dosage (150 mg), as we tend to see most items top out at 100 mg or multiples of it. There’s a nice sativa-like kick to the right dose, making us feel like doing some baking ourselves and having the focus to follow a recipe. We’ll leave that to the pros, though. Like Love’s Oven.
OG Bubba It’s hard to associate “medical” with the name “Bubba,” although we’d probably enjoy a Dr. Bubba, M.D. show more than we’d care to admit. Time and time again, though, it’s one of the highest rated indicas for severe pain and sleep disorders. If you’re looking for the big guy, this is the biggest OG Bubba we’ve seen in a while at Advanced Medical Alternatives in Denver (two locations). Traditionally, this is a genetic that produces an abundance of smaller nugs. What we found was a nug the size of a baby’s fist. Lighter on the trichs than usual, we found rich resin glands as we pared back the dark periwinkle sugar leaf, releasing a very Bubba NASCAR track rubber into the office. A few puffs were like a blow dart to the neck: we noticed a lowering of the eyes and slowing of speech almost immediately. Small waves of nervousness, likely due to high amounts of THC, came and went, but eventually the OG Bubba slowed enough for a nap.
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concentrate reviews Kali Diesel Pie Crust A pie is only as good as the crust, which is why we don’t make a lot of pies. If Paula Deen is looking for an internship, we’ll take her. IVXX Infuzionz has a clever workaround, though, in its Kali Diesel Pie Crust—a unique mix of shatter and earwax—that you can find at The Green Solution in Northglenn and Lakewood. Combining the sativa powers of Kali Mist and Sour Diesel, the nearly blonde wax sits on top of sheer amber flakes of shatter, making this a dabber’s dream, as it’s easy to play with sans instruments. Terpenoids were well maintained, giving a gassy diesel fume to the nose and on the exhale, with a hint of sweetness from the Kali Mist. Small dabs will leave you ready to skip a text message and just call someone—novel thought—as you’ll find yourself chattier than usual. Great for energy, try Kali Diesel Pie Crust in the morning, unlike an actual pie.
Platinum Sour Diesel Would a Diesel by any other name sound as sweet? No, not if Platinum is involved. This shatter from Native Roots Apothecary in Denver is freaking gorgeous, looking more like shards of orange candy than concentrate. Clear golden amber chunks broke up easily from the small plastic container, which made it a joy to work with, even if it is slightly sticky to the touch of a warm hand. Please, don’t cool your hands. The flavor is straight up D, like you were working as an old timey gas station attendant and had a nozzle malfunction. The effects were similar, too: this is a real bodymover, putting some spring in your step as you tackle the day. We did notice that a big dab can leave you a little anxious, so avoid the Platinum Sour Diesel before bed—if you want to sleep, that is.
Dieselrella Attack of the Diesel! There’s a reason so many excellent concentrates are made from the Diesel lineage: the flavor straight-up works. We liked where Gaia Plant Based Medicine went with its own reimagining, though, throwing some NYCD and Cindy ’99 together for a more indica version of everyone’s favorite tasty treat. We loved the texture of Dieselrella—it’s almost like peanut butter that rolls right off of your fingers without leaving much residue (if any) behind. The Cindy adds some really nice bright notes to the nose, too: grapefruit, blood orange and, of course, that signature Diesel hanging around all of it. It burned super clean on a paddle, giving us a great initial head buzz before setting more squarely around our torsos. Great for patients with severe pain; it washed away deep aches and pains without bringing our day to a halt, or without experiencing much crash later. Legal Disclaimer
The publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical cannabis concentrates. The reviews listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only when medical cannabis is not a violation of state law. Please consume responsibly. Under Colorado Constitution’s Article XVII and the Colorado Medical Marijuana Code, “medical marijuana” is considered any “usable form of marijuana” which is defined as “any mixture or preparation” from “the seeds, leaves, buds and flowers of the plant (genus) cannabis” that is appropriate for medical use. (Colo. Const. Article XVIII, Section 14)
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Last summer, the artist formerly known as Snoop Dogg held a press conference at a Caribbean restaurant in New York City. The lanky superstar, who would turn 41 a few months later, reintroduced himself as Snoop Lion and declared, “I have always said I was Bob Marley reincarnated.” Had another artist made this declaration, the Marley family might’ve been up in arms, but that isn’t the case with the reggae icon’s sons. Rohan Marley appeared at the press conference in support, and Damian appears in the Reincarnated documentary about Snoop’s transformation. Even the eldest son, Ziggy, recently said the Dogg-to-Lion change “could be good” on the Grammy red carpet. “I feel I have always been a Rastafari,” Snoop continued. “I just didn’t have my third eye open, but it’s wide open right now.” The documentary hit theaters last month in limited release, and the Reincarnated album debuts April 23, arguably three days later than it should. The reggae project is a creative left turn for the multiplatinum-selling artist, and it begs several questions that Snoop answered for CULTURE last month over the course of an exclusive album-listening party, a documentary screening and interview sessions. 54 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
“Ready to Come Home”
Snoop Lion arrives fashionably late to a West Hollywood recording studio not far from the medical marijuana dispensary he recently made famous (more on that later). In person, the man born Calvin Broadus embodies everything his fans would expect. He has a friendly energy and chill vibe and smokes cannabis faster than Bukowski downed whiskey. As wisps of smoke fill the studio like a fog machine gone awry, Snoop takes CULTURE back to the journey’s genesis and his reason for rolling cameras. “[It’s] because my fans have always been right on my side and always been there with me through the good, the bad and the ugly,” explains Snoop, who reportedly shelled
out $200,000 to document the experiences in Reincarnated. “What I wanted to do was, I found a great spot in my life where I was at and I wanted to take them along with me. I wanted them to be a part of this journey with me so they wouldn’t feel left behind when everything begins to change and it feels a little different. So that way whether they do or they don’t, they know the backlight will be on so that whenever they’re ready to come home, they can come on in.” In 1972, Marley traveled to
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Photo by Willie Toledo
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London and sought help from Island Records founder Chris Blackwell. Forty years later Snoop traveled to Jamaica to record the Reincarnated album in a studio owned by Blackwell, who also dropped by the recordings. Diplo’s Major Lazer team produced the album, and Snoop says the former Philadelphia schoolteacher nailed the sound. “Diplo brought funk,” the Lion roars. “He brought beats that was banging. He brought writers, arrangers, soul. He brought a spirit that could match mine. I could throw ideas off of him that would eventually work. He brought a sense of urgency to create something that I was looking for—not to clash but to complement. A lot of times when you bring somebody in on a project and you tell them to do the whole project from top to bottom, then you start to add your influences and what you feel, it becomes a clash. We never had a clashing moment. We always saw eye-to-eye. I feel like that’s why we got the best out of the project.”
Welcome to the Jungle
The Reincarnated documentary looks at the music-making process, but deeper themes emerge as Snoop explores Rastafarian ideologies, visits the musically significant Trenchtown and joins a holy ceremony at a Nyabinghi temple. He was given the Ethiopian name Berhane, meaning “light,” but that is not the name Snoop ultimately embraced. Bunny Wailer, the 65-year-old core member of the Wailers (with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh), endorsed the “Snoop Lion” name, which made it a lock. “This is the Snoop Lion. Take it two times and pass it around,” says Snoop. “Love is love.” Getting more serious, Snoop adds, “I feel like it is a growth, transformation into a full-grown artist/man/entrepreneur. The Dogg has had his run for 20 years. In a dog’s life, I’d probably be 140 years old now . . . I had my run with the Dogg for a long time to where the Lion is definitely necessary right now for what we’re going through. I feel like we’re living in a jungle and the only way to deal with the jungle is bring out the King of the Jungle— which is the Lion—who is willing to address every situation and still keep the party flowing. But at the same time, [we should] address some real issues that we really have before us that we don’t pay attention to. We as rappers that have a lot of power should use our power in the righteous way to create some awareness; to bring some attention to some things that need to be fixed.”
Staying Creative
In a separate interview, Reincarnated film director Andy Capper tells CULTURE, “The most compelling things about the transition were what prompted it. People forget how much Snoop has gone through in his life. There’s been a lot of pain and drama and strife, and I think Reincarnated is him putting out positive vibrations into the world rather than his old gangsta stuff, which is generally perceived as quite negative. The Dogg will always be there, but the Lion is a way of promoting peace, love and unity in a world full of hate. That’s what this film is—Snoop’s life story transposed with making a new album.” Snoop foresees a return to hip-hop, but today’s tough times call for something else. Every artist is making a party record, he explains, but the world currently looks nothing like a party, so he wanted to pause the party long enough to address the suffering. Likewise, switching musical platforms is an ideal way to highlight his overall change from Long Beach gangbanger to youth football-coaching family man living in the suburbs of Southern California. “I started to hear myself saying the same things. Repetition. I’ve never done that,” says Snoop. “I’ve always been one to stay creative. I always come with something new and different and original and authentic. It felt like I got to the point where it’s not that I couldn’t, but it wasn’t relevant. I wasn’t that guy anymore to be rapping about standing
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The Most Powerful Shit
While the documentary traces Snoop’s artistic change, the film has another side that can only be described as cannabis cinema. On several occasions, participants broke out nugs so big they looked like props from a Peter Jackson film, and Snoop even hiked into the mountains to pick fresh cannabis like a Birkenstock-wearing granola cruncher. The locals lined up to share homegrown goodness, while the Lion doled out California green like the West Coast ambassador he’s always been. “The main issue with cannabis use was trying to function as a human being after smoking Snoop’s weed,” says Capper about his challenges as director. “It’s the most powerful shit out there.” Still, Capper believes the film shows the spiritual and productive side of medicating. “We just showed the film in Mexico City, and a lot of the kids in the crowd told me they thought it was a great political statement in regards to the legalization of marijuana,” Capper continues. “The issue is definitely getting more attention.” Snoop, who claims to have a “platinum” MMJ card, has been an active medical marijuana proponent on the media circuit. In an early 2010 Lopez Tonight appearance, he said, “I feel like [MMJ legalization] is a great situation. I feel like the whole world would be a better place if the whole world would just open up and do that.” Snoop rejoined George Lopez later that year and remarked, “I really believe it would take California to another level . . . it is the best 58 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
piece of medicine that they’ve ever created. I used to go to the store and buy Anacin and Bufferin and Bayer, but it is nothing like this medical marijuana, man.” The rapper also appeared on Chelsea Lately and explained his medicinal needs: “I was having migraine pains and my vision was getting blurry.” In early 2012, he even gave Congressman Ron Paul a quasi-endorsement on Facebook that clearly had more to do with the Republican’s pro-legalization stance than his view that carjacking is a “hip-hop thing.”
Snoop’s biggest MMJ endorsement, however, came earlier this year when a GQ magazine writer joined him joined him at a local collective in West Hollywood. “Dr. Dina,” the MMJ pioneer who inspired the Nancy Botwin character on Weeds, runs the dispensary and customized the sativa-dominant strain Snoop Lion Executive Branch just for the rapper. Having known each other since the Doggystyle days, Snoop gave her the “Dr. Dina” nickname, and she gave him his first MMJ recommendation letter in 2005 (and again every year since). While the documentary reinforces Snoop’s status as a leading cannabis advocate, the film lacks a verbalized defense that the Lion reboot isn’t merely a marketing gimmick. Snoop does not act defensive in any way, but dissent has emerged from none other than Bunny Wailer. In a recent demand letter, Wailer called the transformation a fraud, while the Rastafari Millennium Council wrote the stinger, “Smoking weed and loving Bob Marley and reggae music is not what defines the Rastafari Indigenous Culture.” In Snoop’s defense, Wailer and the Council both say they are so deeply wounded that only American greenbacks can ease
Snoop isn’t the only musical artist to re-tool his/her sound or public persona in response to some new cultural, religious or artistic inspiration. While Bob Marley’s Rasta ways made quite an impression on the now-former rapper, the newly-minted Snoop Lion wasn’t the first to re-imagine himself. Check out these two other switch-ups:
From Prince to The Artist
Fans of His Purple Majesty likely did a double-take when the Man From Minneapolis ventured into unpronounceable realms. Fonts hated Prince.
From Cat Stevens to Yusuf Islam
Islam came calling and the singer-songwriter went back to his roots and, for a while, discontinued his pop career.
their pain. Combined with Wailer’s whole-hearted on-screen embrace, the righteous indignation is suspect at best. Rohan Marley weighed in on the charges last January telling Eagle 106.3 radio, “I am more than pleased with Snoop’s reincarnation . . . We do and will continue to support him on his journey.”
A Better Person, A Better Musician
The movie allows people to make up their own minds, but when it comes to discussing Bunny Wailer, Snoop keeps the Dogg tied up and opts for the Lion’s path. “I felt his blessing was necessary because he was the last remaining Wailer,” says Snoop. “To me, the Wailers were the group that was most similar to [my early hip-hop group] 213 [which also included Warren G and the deceased Nate Dogg]. In parallel to that, it’s a journey. You feel like these are two different groups, but they feel and walk and talk the same way. They’re just speaking a different language. Once they get on the same communication wavelength, everything is love. That’s what it was about. It was about an overdue meeting or relationship that was overdue. He had been following me like I’d been following him and following the Wailers. It was a matter of us finally meeting and blessing each other with presence and love and kind words as far as where we should go and where [we] want to take this thing to.” As demonstrated by his positive response, Snoop seems to value his new perspective as much as his new album. “That’s what it was all about,” the Lion concludes. “That’s what it is to this day—trying to live and learn and trying to become a better person and a better musician. So when I’m making my music, the music that I made I’m proud of in the past. But I want to make music that can get me on stage at the Essence Awards, at the Oscars and possibly in the White House.” President Obama, the ball’s in your court. The Lion awaits. snooplion.com
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CULTURE Editor in Chief Roberto C. Hernandez and contributor Jamie Solis contributed to this article.
Snoop’s Journey Continues
on the corner selling drugs, having a gun in my pocket, getting into gang activities because I don’t live that life anymore. From a third person it sounds awesome, but at the same time I’m not living like that anymore. And then I got kids. I got a football league. I got lives that I deal with. I look at life. I look at my grandparents and my grandmother and my mother and how proud they are of me from what I’ve done, and they still haven’t been able to see me perform in a manner that I can perform without cussing.”
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The woman they now call “Dr. Dina” is a mover and a shaker in the medical cannabis movement and a consultant to the stars, most famously to Snoop Lion (formerly Snoop Dogg), who is credited with bestowing the medically-inspired nickname upon her. She’s worked alongside multiple nonprofit dispensaries in three different states, and even inspired the Nancy Botwin character from Showtime’s Weeds. Ironically, Dr. Dina (Editor’s note: Dr. Dina is not a boardcertified physician) was originally staunchly skeptical about the benefits of medical cannabis. That was the case until she saw the good this plant could do—with her very own eyes. Her personal transformation was initialized by an ex-boyfriend that knew a Northern California woman working at a dispensary; one that had convinced him of cannabis’ medicinal value. “You listen to the Grateful Dead,” she ribbed him back then. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She went from being a skeptic 60 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
to being a believer a few years later, however, when she witnessed how MMJ improved the life of a friend tragically struck with testicular cancer. That friend asked Dr. Dina to put him in touch with her Northern California dispensary because the nausea prevented him from even keeping down his pharmaceutical meds. Dr. Dina and her friend ended up paying a visit to a Northern California doctor—the friend nauseous and vomiting the whole drive there. “There was a line around the block to see this doctor,” Dr. Dina recalls, describing this memorable journey. “[My friend] couldn’t stand, so we had to buy an office chair down the street at an Office Depot to roll him in because we didn’t have a wheelchair. “ Finally, they got in to see the doctor, obtained a recommendation for MMJ and purchased some at a dispensary. What she saw next, amazed her. “After smoking a joint, instantaneously—within five minutes—color came back to his face. He stopped dry heaving. He
looked at me and he said, ‘Oh my god. Give me the pills. Let me try to take the pill.’ He kept smoking and took the pills, and it was the first time that had happened. So, right there, in front of my, eyes I said, ‘Wow, this is really amazing!’ Here’s someone that’s dying of cancer. There’s no way he should be turned away for this. Right off the bat, I realized that medical marijuana is great for people that are really, really sick. That’s when I realized that people who are
really, really sick shouldn’t have to get in a car and drive to San Francisco to see a doctor so they wouldn’t go to jail.” This experience prompted Dr. Dina to take action. “That’s what inspired me in 2003 to open the first doctor’s office [that could recommend medical cannabis],” she says. “And once we got that open, it was like every patient that came in had a different incredible story that blew me away.” c
Dr. Dina wants to see the Obama administration do more to loosen federal restrictions on cannabis use. “I believe that he absolutely could do more,” she states. “I think that it’s time that we stop taking people to jail for weed. I think that is the No. 1 biggest issue with our country. If we look at the jails, they’re overcrowded with people that you’re making criminals out of because they had a little bit of pot . . . they refuse to admit that there’s any benefit to marijuana.” V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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Missouri
Longtime medical cannabis champ Rep. Mike Colona reintroduced a bill in the state legislature in March that would allow patients with HIV/ AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating conditions to use and possess cannabis for medical purposes if their doctors recommend it. Homegrowing, caregivers and stateregistered dispensaries would provide the plant. The bill would put the question to voters on the November 2014 general election ballot.
Those suffering from severe pain, nausea, wasting, depression, anxiety and numerous other serious medical conditions may see relief yet in a handful of the 32 states where medical cannabis remains illegal. At least nine state bills could alter existing medical cannabis language in states where it is legal, or green light the plant in new states altogether. Below CULTURE highlights pending medical marijuana legislation in the U.S. 66 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
Hawaii
The Hawaiian House passed two medical marijuana bills, House Bills 667 and 668, that could improve the state’s existing medical marijuana program, setting possession limits of five ounces and seven plants.
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Minnesota
A recent Public Policy Polling survey found that 65 percent of state voters support medical cannabis. State lawmakers are preparing a bipartisan bill legalize the plant for residents with cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS, and should be introduced in the coming weeks, though a vote is not expected until 2014.
Maryland
Michigan
Thanks to a new bill—HB 4271, the Medical Marijuana Provisioning Center Regulation Act, introduced in the House in February—the situation for patients and dispensaries could change for the better should the measure move forward.
Maryland’s governor’s office suggested it would support a pending medical marijuana bill sponsored by Del. Dan K. Morhaim (D), a Baltimore County doctor, to allow academic medical centers in the state to operate “compassionate use programs” beginning in 2016.
Illinois
Sixty-three percent of Illinois voters support medical cannabis, and in March a medical marijuana bill won a House committee vote. House Bill 1 would allow qualified patients to obtain marijuana from one of up to 60 dispensaries, and license 22 cultivation centers.
Arkansas
Activists are trying to run a medical cannabis ballot initiative in Arkansas this spring, with a vote in 2014. In March, the Attorney General refused to certify the initiative, citing vagueness, and activists responded by suing. A 2012 Arkansas MMJ initiative garnered 49 percent of the vote.
New Hampshire
Twice vetoed by the governor there, activists hope the third time is the charm as the New Hampshire House advanced a medical cannabis bill in March that would allow up to five dispensaries, possession of up to two ounces, as well as homegrowing of up to three mature plants, in a minimum 50 square-foot area.
Florida
Florida defends its reputation as a medical cannabis backwater this spring. Hours after Sen. Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) filed medical cannabis bill SB 1250, Florida cops raided the patient advocate the bill was named after, one Cathy Jordan, who illegally grows and uses cannabis to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease—a condition for which a number of states approve the plant for. SB 1250 would exempt seriously ill Floridians from criminal penalties for using cannabis, allow them to possess up to four ounces and grow up to eight plants, as well as license and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities. Seventy percent of Floridians support MMJ.
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here’s a loosely translated quote from Victor Hugo that goes “nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come.” I believe it’s an excerpt from his signature novel, Wikiquote, but regardless, it’s an apt description of the medical cannabis movement. Cannabis has been used medicinally since at least 2737 BCE. Across cultures and continents, the plant provided relief from the symptoms of rheumatism, cholera, arthritis, gout, malaria and—more recently—for multiple sclerosis, as well as easing the pain caused by HIV medication and chemotherapy. Its medical benefits were not contested by doctors or religious mystics. The 20th century culture of the United States, however, created a climate that spurred on a widespread and often racially charged backlash against cannabis users. In 1937, the federal government enacted the Marihuana Tax Act, which made non-medical use of marijuana illegal, but also prohibited its cultivation—or even the growth of hemp. Cannabis’ enemies turned the plant into a symbol of a rebellious subculture rather than a medicine. Debate persisted through the following decades, but the medical benefits of cannabis went legally unrecognized for 59 years. California may have been the first state in the union to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, but the functionality of the MMJ industry in Colorado arguably contributed to the passage of a widespread legalization bill, whereas such efforts in the Golden State were previously defeated. In 2000, the same year George W. Bush was elected, Coloradan voters passed Amendment 20. Codified in article XVIII, section 14 of the Colorado state constitution, the amendment allowed possessors of a Medical Marijuana Registry Identification card with a strictly qualified medical condition to possess up to two ounces and grow up to six plants. The earliest dispensaries in Colorado were often little more than delivery services, as reports of Bush administration raids on dispensaries elsewhere made local caregivers understandably nervous to stick 70 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
their necks out with a retail location. The burgeoning industry was furthermore hindered by 2004 legislation that restricted caregivers to serving only five patients. Sensible Colorado sued the state to overturn the law and finally happened in 2007. In 2009, the proliferation of dispensaries and the subsequent boom in the MMJ industry was largely a result of Barack Obama’s election. President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder vowed not to prosecute the sale of cannabis if the retailers complied with state laws, which is why hundreds of green crosses popped up in empty storefronts across Denver within the few months following the election. The Colorado Department of Health developed a regulatory framework for the medical marijuana industry in August 2009, but the issue has been at the center of a game of legal back-and-forth ever since. The definition of caregiver has changed, and dispensaries have scrambled to keep up with a Kafkaesque litany of regulations that have forced many dispensaries to close up shop. In the meantime, the Obama Department of Justice has raided more dispensaries than Bush’s ever did. The Obama administration’s failure to follow through on its campaign promise alienated many patients and caregivers in the MMJ business. As such, dispensaries have taken down their “Hope” and “Change” posters, and one rarely sees Obama’s face emblazoned on water pipes anymore. Though news anchors seem constitutionally incapable of getting through a story about MMJ without resorting to lame punnery, the science of medical cannabis has convinced many former skeptics, thanks in large part to the testimonies of gravely ill patients who find relief through this ancient, venerated plant. Our MMJ industry faces many opportunities and many challenges ahead. The passage of Amendment 64—which will create a statesanctioned, voter-approved recreational cannabis marketplace—may be a game-changer. Thanks to the efforts of activists like Brian Vicente, Rob Corry, Miguel Lopez and Mason Tvert to name only a few, Colorado’s cannabis history will continue to evolve to the benefit of our state’s citizens and, specifically, our patients and caregivers. c
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Medical defenses to criminal penalties for certain cannabis crimes like possession and cultivation now exist in 18 states (welcome, Massachusetts!) and Washington D.C. Though laws vary widely from state to state, generally a doctor must recommend cannabis, and the most common conditions for which it is recommended are: cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, wasting, severe pain, nausea, vomiting, seizures, muscle spasms and multiple sclerosis; though many more exist. State ID cards are often mandatory, but not always. Below, CULTURE outlines the law in all existing MMJ states, from the liberal to the very strict.
California
Can possess and grow as much cannabis as is medically necessary (though SB 420 guidelines are set at six mature and 12 immature plants, and eight ounces of plant material). No mandatory registration with the state required. Hundreds of private dispensaries are subject to local laws restricting location and operation.
Colorado
May possess two ounces and grow six plants. State-regulated dispensaries/access points number in the hundreds; mandatory state registration; over-the-counter (adult-use, or recreational) sales to any adult over 21 begins next year.
Washington
Can possess up to 24 ounces and 15 plants. Dispensaries/access points are largely illegal, though some operate under the “collective gardenâ€? concept which allows a coop to serve 10 patients. Possession of under an ounce of cannabis for by adults 21 and older was legalized last year. Retail (adult-use) sales are slated for 2014. 72 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
Oregon
Can possess up to 24 ounces and homegrow up to six mature plants. No dispensaries/access points allowed.
Arizona
Can homegrow 12 plants if 25 miles from a dispensary. Dispensaries are state-run and have not opened . . . yet.
Michigan
May possess 2.5 ounces and grow up to 12 mature plants. A recent state Supreme Court ruling essentially determine that dispensaries/access points were illegal (though a bill has been filed that would allow sales).
Hawaii
Can possess up to three ounces and four immature plants. No dispensaries/access points allowed.
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Alaska
May grow six plants and lawfully possess one ounce. No dispensaries/access points allowed. A full-scale legalization bill has been filed in the legislature.
Nevada
Can homegrow and possess up to one ounce, and three mature plants. Caregivers can have 24 ounces, six mature plants. No dispensaries/access points allowed.
Montana
Can possess one ounce and homegrow four mature plants. Dispensaries/access points and advertising are not allowed.
Delaware
May possess up to six ounces; no cultivation allowed. State-run dispensaries/access points are on-hold.
Connecticut
Can possess up to 2.5 ounces; no homegrowing. State-regulated dispensaries/access points are currently delayed.
Massachusetts May possess a “60-day supply” and can only homegrow if they prove hardship. State-run dispensaries/access points are set to open in 2014.
New Jersey Maine
May possess 2.5 ounces and six mature plants. The state operates a handful of dispensaries and grows.
Vermont
Can possess up to two ounces and grow two mature plants. Four state-run dispensaries/ access points are open.
Can possess two ounces; no homegrowing, State-run dispensaries/access points report delays opening and severe medicine shortages.
Washington D.C. May possess two ounces; no homegrowing. The opening of dispensaries/access points has been delayed. c
Rhode Island
May possess up to 2.5 ounces and 12 plants; a handful of staterun dispensaries/access points are also open.
New Mexico
Can possess up to six ounces, and homegrow four plants with state approval. A few state-run dispensaries/access points vastly under-serve New Mexico’s patients, critics report.
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CULTURE takes a look at some of the Centennial State’s most compassionate elected officials and what each has done to improve compassion
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U.S. Rep Jared Polis
Polis has long been a leader among progressive liberals in Colorado that view the Drug War as one that has clearly failed. Elected to the 2nd district in 2008, he’s represented Boulder well, even to the chagrin of some in Denver’s northern (and more conservative) suburbs, such as Westminster or Thornton. On the federal level, he introduced 2011’s Small Business Banking Improvement Act, aimed at giving banking access to state-licensed dispensaries by amending the Bank Secrecy Act, as well as co-sponsoring bills that would allow them to make standard tax deductions and protect those entities and individuals from federal prosecution of any kind. While the bills didn’t gain much traction, Polis had clearly tossed his hat into the circle. In 2012, Polis supported the Truth In Trials Act introduced by U.S. Rep. Sam Farr (D-California), and representatives Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) and Ron Paul (R-Texas), that would allow MMJ patients on federal trial an affirmative defense; their actions were legal under state law. Again, little progress was made, which Polis blames on special interests in Washington. In a February Reddit “Ask Me Anything” on the subject, he called out “the law enforcement industrial complex. All those on the gravy train of the Drug War which means parts of law enforcement and their private sector vendors.” Calling people out is second nature for Polis, one key trait in a pro-cannabis politician. When University of Colorado President Bruce Benson claimed that Amendment 64 could cost the school up to a billion dollars in federal revenue, Polis took to Twitter and accused him of lying. One of Polis’ true highlights, however, came in his now viral questioning of Drug Enforcement Agency head Michele Leonhart on whether cannabis is more dangerous than a drug like crack. With Leonhard claiming that “all drugs are bad,” Polis blasted her on how she could possibly be the head of the DEA. We’re clueless, too. This past February, he introduced a bill to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act altogether.
U.S. Rep Diana DeGette
When Amendment 64 passed in Colorado, Rep. DeGette wasted no time letting the feds know where she stood on the issue. Although she remained neutral on the topic during the election, she was quick to stand up for canna-businesses in Colorado, noting in a press release that “we’ve witnessed the aggressive policies of the federal government in their treatment of legal medicinal marijuana providers. My constituents have spoken and I don’t want the federal government denying money to Colorado or taking other punitive steps that would undermine the will of our citizens.” Hence, the introduction of the Respect States’ and Citizens’ Rights Act to make Colorado, Washington and any other state that opts to legalize cannabis immune from federal drug laws. Framing the issue as one of states’ rights garnered bi-partisan support, but the bill ultimately died in committee. As more states fall in the MMJ fold, it’s an idea worth revisiting.
Sen. Pat Steadman
Denver’s own Sen. Pat Steadman saw that banking was becoming a huge issue for the medical cannabis industry early in 2012, after the few remaining institutions closed their door to the “green” coming in from dispensaries. His proposal— which would have allowed for centers to band together and create their own quasi-credit union—was squashed after law enforcement and bankers spoke against it, and it failed 5-2 to get out of the Senate Finance Committee. Additionally, he’s also stood up to Rep. Steve King—the man responsible for the multiple iterations of a Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) bills—and claimed he didn’t think a nanogram standard would make Coloradans any safer. c
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“Marriage equality and marijuana laws passed?” tweeted Star Trek actor George Takei last November on election night. “Now we know what Leviticus really meant by, ‘A man who layeth with another man must be stoned.’” Takei is a reliable supporter of liberal causes, which is fitting for a man who entered this world on April 20. Much like being born on Christmas, 420 babies can have twice the birthday fun, and “Mr. Sulu” is not the only celeb with added spark to beam up on his birthday. Oscar-hoarding actress Jessica Lange is the most prestigious 420 star, though Edie Sedgwick is the most appropriate having inspired the likes of Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan. Carmen Electra probably thought every day was April 20 during her marriages to Dennis Rodman and Dave Navarro, while Crispin Glover (Back to the Future) played “Roach” on Happy Days around the time the 420 tradition first began. While it is unlikely that Joey Lawrence’s birthday inspired his music single “Rolled,” 420 could have motivated Andy Serkis to demand “the precious” in the Lord of the Rings series. Latin music legend Tito Puente and romantic crooner Luther Vandross would have turned 90 and 80 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
62, respectively, on April 20, while Swedish House Mafia member Sebastian Ingrosso will turn 30. Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Randy Moss, Michael Vick, Santonio Holmes, Ricky Williams and Olympic gold medalists Ross Rebagliati and Michael Phelps should have been born on April 20, but basketball stars Danny Granger and Allan Houston were. Other 420 pros include Dodgers manager Don “The Hit Man” Mattingly and cosmic daredevil Felix Baumgartner. Since Michele Bachmann missed by two weeks, the most notable 420 politician is Robert F. Wagner, the three-term NYC mayor who famously broke with Tammany Hall (once run by “Boss” Tweed) in the late ’50s. Burmese President Thein Sein, who enacted surprising reforms since becoming the President of Myanmar in 2011, also claims a 420 birthdate. Victoria’s Secret Angel Miranda Kerr, Catalan painter Joan Miro and college heir William DeVry also celebrate April 20 birthdays, but only one 420 kid topped Leonardo DiCaprio in People Magazine’s 1998 “Most Beautiful People” online poll. Though coming off Titanic, Leo got sunk by the late, great Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf. We can thank The Howard Stern Show for that one. c
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Imagine The Big Bang Theory broadcasting a 420 episode. It would probably resemble these four science all-stars who embrace a green-friendly cosmos. Carl Sagan
Most people think Biggie Smalls when talking Brooklyn blunts, but the dudes rockin‘ science know Brooklyn native Carl Sagan blazed like Halley’s Comet. The revered astrophysicist advised on everything from NASA space missions to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and his epic 13-part series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage was the second-hottest thing on TV in 1980 (kind of hard to beat “Who shot J.R.?”). Calling himself Mr. X in the 1971 book Marihuana Reconsidered, Sagan wrote that cannabis “helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.” Per his biographer, Sagan also smoked a lil‘ something from Eve’s garden when he wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dragons of Eden. After his death, his widow Ann Druyan eventually became President of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).
Francis Crick
According to legend, the famed Brit was tripping balls on LSD when he burst into his Cambridge home blabbering about spirals twisting in opposite directions. After his wife sketched out the image in his head, they grabbed his research partner, James Watson, and drank to their grand discovery: the double helix structure of DNA. While the acid part of this story might just be a colorful urban myth, Crick did receive the Nobel Prize for co-discovering the structure of DNA, and he was certainly a strong proponent of cannabis. He co-founded the pro-marijuana organization SOMA, and he argued that cannabis removed the filters that limit abstract thought. 82 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
Margaret Mead
How do you go from TIME magazine’s “Mother of the World” to a Florida governor calling you a “dirty old lady”? You just have to be one of the world’s foremost anthropologists testifying before Congress in favor of legalizing cannabis. That dirty old lady had 28 honorary doctorates, authored about 40 books, served as the president of two major scientific organizations and earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom. (The insulting governor, by contrast, headed up Floridians for Nixon.) The biggest surprise is that Mead, who favored legal access for anyone 16 years and older, told Newsweek that she’d only tried marijuana once.
John Schwarz
The average high school grad expected President Bush to get pummeled on science, but who thought a leading scientist would compare a President Obama policy to the Catholic Church’s persecution of Galileo? John Schwarz is the award-winning physicist who moved string theory into the scientific mainstream. Last November, he called out the President’s hypocrisy in a biting editorial about the government’s dishonest stance on medical marijuana research. The piece contrasted the President’s call for scientific objectivism on stem cell research with the government’s evidence-free indoctrination that cannabis can only be bad. After calling out the White House, Dr. Schwarz headed to D.C. last month to headline the 4-day National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference, whose theme was “Bridging the Gap Between Public & Policy.” c
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Ferris Bueller’s legendary day off can’t hold a candle to April 20 in Colorado. Hot off legalization here and in Washington, it’s time for us to celebrate the fruits of our labors, and gird up for the challenges to come. Here’s just a smattering of the ways CULTURE readers will be celebrating.
April 20-21 Denver Civic Center Park 4/20 Rally
Optimistically commencing at 9am, well before many heads shamble out of bed, the 28th annual 2013 Denver Civic Center 4/20 Rally— the nation’s biggest 4/20 event—combines political action with the convivial atmosphere of a huge block party. The tightly scheduled two-day event alternates between key-note speeches from several notable legalization advocates—such as Miguel Lopez and Rob Corry—with live performances from DJ Arjitech and hemp fashion shows. No self-respecting cannabis enthusiast should miss the massive 4:20pm smoke-out, which is not only a cloudy spectacle to behold, but a demonstration of cannabis activism at its most pungent. Plus, there’s a wonderfully transgressive thrill about smoking in front of sour-faced police officers that only a gathering of this magnitude could offer. Free to attend. Civic Center Park, Denver 420rally.org www.facebook.com/pages/ 420-Rally/104447806260934
High Times US Cannabis Cup 2013
High Times brings its famous cannabis cup to EXDO for the inaugural US Cannabis Cup. There’s an outdoor medicating area, and the
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two-day event culminates with the muchhyped awards ceremony. Tickets are $32 for one day and $58 for a weekend pass. EXDO Event Center, Denver www.cannabiscup.com
Special 4:20 Early Show w/Method Man & Redman
What better way to ring in the holiday than with a live performance from two of hiphop’s most blunted icons? Tickets are $42 in advance and $45 day of show. Cervantes’ Masterpiece, Denver www.cervantesmasterpiece.com
Mile High Comedy Show
Want to laugh at something besides the echo chamber of your Kush-addled mind? Denver Comedy’s own Fine Gentleman’s Club brings its unique comedic stylings to the Walnut Room, so you can enjoy some pizza between guffaws. The yucks will kick off with a series of clips from stoner films, followed by stand-up by Bobby Crane, Nathan Lund, Chris Charpentier, Sam Tallent and Brent the Great. If you get hungry— you might, you know—a full-service “Cereal Bar” featuring Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms and Apple Jacks! We’d go just for this! Tickets are $12. The Walnut Room, Denver www.thewalnutroom.com www.milehighcomedy.org
Slightly Stoopid & Cypress Hill in concert
As of March, tickets for these two leaf-embracing rock and rap acts were already sold out, but if you’re the optimistic sort, try driving out to Morrison for a chance at getting insane in the membrane. Associated with the High Times US Cannabis Cup. Red Rocks, Morrison www.redrocksonline.com
The Motet w/Ozomatli in concert
Here’s a concert option for refined stoners and jam band fans . . . who are often one and the same. Tickets are $30. Fillmore Auditorium, Denver www.fillmoreauditorium.org
Twiztid - Abominationz 420 Celebration
If you’re a fan of Insane Clown Posse, then you’ll feel right at home with Twiztid’s brand of nihilistic hip-hop. Blaze Ya Dead Homie, ill e. gal and Scum are also on the roster. The Roxy, Denver www.theroxydenver.com
Final Note:
Stay away from the CU Boulder Campus. Norlin Quad used to host a massive 4/20 celebration, but University brass has cracked down in recent years and the campus is closed to anyone without a student ID. Highway 36 will also be lined with police officers on the lookout for stoned drivers.
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MardiGrass (Australia)
Held annually since the early ’90s, MardiGrass takes place in the Australian town of Nimbin and features events like the Bong Throw, Pot Poetry and the Million Marijuana March. This year’s event (May 4-5) features music acts like Anarchist Duck and the Rusty Datsons as well as the first-ever “Let’s pretend we’re in Colorado minute.” Purchase a Golden Bud wristband for entrance to exclusive areas like the Hemp Bar and Mullaways Magic Medicine Tent.
High Times Cannabis Cup (Amsterdam)
Cannafest (Prague)
Last month, we highlighted the Czech capital as the “Amsterdam of the East,” and the city lives up to its rep with Cannafest. Celebrating its third year last November, the event features Dutch seed vendors, art, concerts and workshops. There is even cannabis cinema, which last year included Stoned in Suburbia, Strain Hunters: India Expedition and the acclaimed Super High Me. Thanks to Prague’s more lenient laws, Cannafest draws an international crowd from eastern countries like Ukraine, Slovakia and Poland.
Celebrating its 26th year this November, the Cannabis Cup is the ultimate tasting party. Events happen around the city during the five-day fest, and the Judge’s Pass allows regular folk to assist in picking the best buds. Barney’s and Green House won the most awards as of late, though Wiz Khalifa’s “Daytoday” videos suggest he personally likes The Bulldog.
Full Moon Party (Kho Phangan)
Spannabis (Barcelona)
World Hemp Congress (Slovenia)
Expocannabis (Madrid)
Potential Big Newcomer: High Times U.S. High Times US Cannabis Cup (Denver)
Portugal may have decriminalized cannabis, but neighboring Spain has the parties. Celebrating its 10th year last February, the three-day Spannabis event featured the Cannabis Champions Cup and sciencedriven lectures like “Protocol for the Preparation of Medical Cannabis” and “Latest Biomedical Research on Cannabinoids.”
Apparently one cannabis event is not enough for the Spaniards. Each fall, Expocannabis comes to the capital city with vendors, speakers, workshops and nighttime partying. A second event, Expocannabis Sur, takes place in the early summer (May 31 to June 2) in Picasso’s hometown, Malaga, on the shores of the Mediterranean. No, U.S. citizens don’t need a visa to visit Spain. 86 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
Most backpackers know the Thai island for its infamous Full Moon Party, though Kho Phangan throws equally wild parties throughout most of the month. Mushrooms are popular during the night of the werewolves, but the island is always packed with cannabis-loving Australians.
Per the Slovenia Times, cannabis is widely used and tolerated in Slovenia, making this an ideal country to host the World Hemp Congress. The annual event primarily focuses on hemp, though 2012 workshops like “Medical Marijuana” and “Cannabis in Agriculture and Industry” demonstrate its inclusivity. The Congress is held in Lendava near the border of Hungary and returns this summer on August 24 - 28.
April 20 will mark the first-ever US Cannabis Cup! The two-day event, held at the EXDO Event Center in Denver, will feature outdoor medicating areas. The opening night features a Cypress Hill and Slightly Stoopid concert at Red Rocks, while the second night is the awards show. c
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7:10
4:20 for hash oil aficionados. 7:10 is “oil” upside down and backwards. Upside down and backwards is usually what happens to someone when they smoke a lot of hash oil. Some people like to combine 7:10 and 4:20 by smoking cannabis and hash oil at 11:30.
BHO Contrary to popular belief,
BHO does not stand for Barack Hussein Obama. It stands for Butane Hash Oil. BHO is made by filling a large glass tube with plant material and shooting butane gas through the tube. The butane freezes the glands on the cannabis and creates a kind of goo. BHO contains a very high amount of THC compared to regular cannabis or cold water hash. However, it is illegal to make BHO in some MMJ states, although it is not illegal to possess. Also, making BHO is more than a little dangerous.
Bubble bags
Gear used to make cold water hash. Usually a set of bags with different-sized screens at the bottom of each bag. Place some cannabis and some extremely cold water in the bags and stir it up a bit. The cold water freezes the THC molecules and they fall off of the buds. Strain the cold water through the bubble bags, and you get cold water hash. This is a very easy (and safe) method for creating concentrates.
Bubble hash Generally any kind of really good concentrate. So called
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because it “bubbles” when subjected to flame. Hashish that isn’t composed of pure THC glands may catch fire or even crackle when lit.
Budder A form of hash oil. Called budder because it looks a little like crystallized butter.
Butane hash
Same as BHO.
CO2 Carbon Dioxide can also be used to make concentrates similar to BHO. Coals One way to smoke concentrates is to heat a coal (usually it’s the kind of coal used to light hookahs) and place a dab directly onto it, using a “whip,” or any kind of tube, really, to inhale the smoke. Cold water hash A form of hash typically made by using bubble bags, although it is possible to make cold water hash using two mason jars, a strainer and a coffee filter. Concentrate Any kind of hashish.
Dabber The tool, usually metal, used to scoop a “dab” of concentrate onto on the coal or the nail. Dab (or Dabs) A glob of errl. Also known as “dunk.”
Dome The glass sphere that sits
around the nail and keeps the smoke from escaping. V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
Earwax A kind of concentrate. It’s called “earwax” because it looks like earwax and some cannabis aficionados love gross names.
Rig A metal device that enables a water pipe user to smoke hash oil without a nail.
Errl What the Tin Man needs. Or hash oil. As in: “Ermagarhd! Errl Dabs!” Full Melt Very pure concentrate. Called “full melt” because when burned it leaves no residue.
Shatter A thin sheet of BHO. Called shatter because it is very brittle. Skillet The metal, flat thingy that goes on your rig or swing. Heat it, dab it . . . yeah. Swing Attached to your rig or water
Hashish/Hash The THC-filled resin glands of the cannabis plant. There are many different ways to make hash. People usually put a modifier in front of the word “hash” to give an indication of what method was used in the making of said hashish: Finger hash, scissor hash, cold water hash, et. cetera.
pipe. Called a swing because you can swivel it.
Tain Short for Butane. Torch Flame source for heating
nails.
Honey Oil Another term for
hash oil.
Kief The THC glands of the cannabis
Vape pen A portable vaporizer
plant. Kief is usually made using a dry sifting method. Good for sprinkling on bowls and joints. When kief is compressed and the resin glands pop and coagulate, it’s called hashish.
similar to an e-cigarette. Vape pens usually contain some sort of electronic heating system and a cartridge holding hash oil. Vapor pens are a very unobtrusive and virtually smoke-free way to consume concentrates.
Nail A water pipe attachment. A nail
Wax Hash oil that has a waxy consistency.
is usually made out of glass or titanium. The nail is heated until it is red hot, then a dab is placed on the nail and the smoke is inhaled.
Whip Flexible tube used to inhale vapors. Usually from a coal. c
Phoenix Tears
(a.k.a. Rick Simpson oil) A cannabis concentrate.
Rick Simpson has a very specific method for creating this concoction. You can find it online.
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here is an urban legend that Ben & Jerry’s sold cannabis Green Tea ice cream at California music festivals in the ’60s and ’70s. Heat, flavor and texture issues make this unlikely, but the rumors probably started with the same satirist types who recently claimed Compassion Crunch and Patients & Pralines were the company’s new MMJ flavors. Still, where there is smoke, there is usually fire, and founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield certainly give hints that they enjoy 420. In poll after poll, Ben & Jerry’s is the favorite ice cream of medical cannabis users, and the Vermont-based company comes up with ideal flavors for the MMJ demographic. For example, Bonnaroo Buzz, made for the famous Tennessee music festival, debuted in scoop shops a few years ago on April 20. To quote VH1. com, “Ya coulda just dropped the pretense and called it Eat This, Potty McPotpot (Pot).” The name is being changed to Coffee Carmel Buzz, which suggests the Buzz is more important than the Bonnaroo. According to the Rutland Herald, Vermont leads the nation in marijuana use with nearly half of all young adults smoking at least once a year. The point is that a Vermont-based company doesn’t name flavors Half Baked and Magic Brownies without grasping the larger implications. Plus, consider some of the entertainers the company honored with their own flavors: Phish, Willie Nelson, Jerry Garcia, Wavy Gravy and the Dave Matthews Band. What’s next, Dr. Dre’s Chronic Chocolate? 92 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
In an interview with High Times, B&J spokesperson Sean Greenwood admitted that “Ben and Jerry are hippie guys [that] grew up in that peace love kind of time,” but stated that celeb flavors are based on the person’s humanitarian activism. Maybe Bonnaroo Buzz was supposed to be Bono Buzz, but it is true that Stephen Colbert donates all the profits from his AmeriCone Dream flavor to charitable causes. Cohen and Greenfield typically speak out on their political views. They introduced the Peace Pop in 1991 in protest of nuclear arms spending, and the Chubby Hubby flavor was briefly renamed Hubby Hubby in support of gay marriage. This begs the question, if they are pro-420, why would the founders be secret cannabis activists? Last December, in a conference call hosted by the nonprofit Bolder Giving, Cohen explained: “I actually deliberately stayed out of that issue when I was working on trying to reduce the Pentagon budget because I thought that would be used against me. [Legalization] is an incredibly important thing to do. From a point of view of racial justice, it’s [essential].” Cohen also noted, “I thought that, after the election, things were going in a great direction with the two states legalizing recreational marijuana, but then I heard the Obama administration is fighting. All I can say is that I am a big supporter.” The duo will hopefully be more active in the future, but in the meantime, watch for B&J’s annual Free Cone Day, which happens each year around the middle of April. The timing is certainly curious. c V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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Half Baked (1998) Dave Chapelle stars and cowrote the script, Mike D’s wife directed and the list of cameos include Jon Stewart, Snoop Dogg, Tommy Chong and Willie Nelson. This flick needs to headline your 420 movie night.
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Dazed and Confused (1993) Cannabis abounds on the last day of school in 1976 Austin. A perved-out Matthew McConaughey and bullying Ben Affleck provide the pre-fame smirks, but Rory Cochrane steals the show as Slater the philosphizing stoner.
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Up in Smoke (1978) The original stoner classic follows the misadventures of Cheech & Chong, which start with the pair smoking the biggest joint ever seen in theaters.
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Bongwater (1997) Like D&C, this film features several pre-fame stars, including a potdealing Luke Wilson, a hippie Jack Black, an overly artsy Alicia Witt, a naughty Brittany Murphy and the Adam-and-Steve couple Andy Dick and Jeremy Sisto.
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Grandma’s Boy (2006) Cannabis smoking, video games and grandma boinking all come together in this Adam Sandlerproduced film that won the top movie prize at the High Times Stoney Awards.
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Friday (1995) Gangsta rapper Ice Cube showed his comic side when he co-wrote and co-starred in this comedy classic that spawned two sequels and turned Chris Tucker into a star.
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Super Troopers (2001) The Broken Lizard crew nail it in this irreverant tale of deviant northeastern patrolmen. The opening scene, in which the officers mess with a trio of stoned teens, is absolutely hilarious.
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Smiley Face (2007) Canna comedies tend to be male dominated, but Anna Faris breaks the mold after devouring a plate of cannabis cupcakes. Supporting stars include Jane Lynch and Happy Daze, er, Days mom Marion Ross.
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Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) Filmmaker Kevin Smith is to cannabis what Martin Scorsese is to Italian meatballs, and making Jay and Bob the lead is a stoner’s delight right from the opening rap.
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Head (1968) Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees, and we’re stoned. The cleancut popsters put a dent in their wholesome image by starring in this psychedelic, stream-of-consciousness comedy co-written by Jack Nicholson. c
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cool stuff Wicked Laser There are laser pointers . . . and there are Wicked Lasers so cutting-edge, even George Lucas got jealous. These are the most powerful handheld lasers commercially available; cool enough to fuel Star Wars fanboy fantasies from here to Episode VII . . . and powerful enough to ignite your favorite medicine. (from $299.95) www.wickedlasers.com
Kush Bottles Neon Collection Keeping your medicine safe and sound is important. Lucky for us, Kush Bottles’ new exclusive Neon Collection offers just the thing to store your flowers with pop-top containers (BPA-free, medical-grade plastic) available in eight different colors. Taste the rainbow. www.kushbottles.com
SneakAPuff Patients are always in need of a discreet method to ingest medical cannabis—and the makers of the SneakAPuff have answered your prayers with this dugout that’ll fool fellow patients into thinking you switched to cigarettes. Talk about camoflauge. Just load up the holder (looks like box of smokes), insert the one-hitter (looks like a cigarette), twist and you’re ready to teach the Marlboro Man a thing or two about a real American value: freedom. ($19.99-$44.99) sneakapuff.com
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Menu:
By Aunt Sandy
Chicken Cordon Bleu w/Mushroom Sauce Garlic Mashed Potatoes Green Bean Bundles Chocolate Chip Cookies
If we’re going to be celebrating the greenest day of the year, let’s kick it up a notch with this fabulously rich and fulfilling menu. Treat yourself right . . . after all, 420 is a special occasion . . . and only comes once a year.
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. 98 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Serves eight 8 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup milk 4 (1-ounce) slices cooked deli ham, cut in half 4 (1-ounce) slices Swiss cheese, cut in half 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/3 cups fine dry breadcrumbs 4 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4 teaspoon softened Canna Butter* Vegetable oil Place each piece of chicken between two sheets of wax paper. Flatten each breast to quarterinch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine eggs, salt, pepper and milk mixture. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon softened Canna Butter over each breast. Place a ham slice and cheese slice in center of each piece. Fold short ends of chicken over ham and cheese and roll up, beginning with the unfolded side. Secure with wooden picks. Dredge chicken in flour, dip in milk-egg mixture and coat well with breadcrumbs. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Fill a heavy skillet with about a half-inch of vegetable oil and heat. Add rolled-up chicken and pan fry over medium heat. Drain well and place in a baking dish in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Mushroom Sauce if desired.
Mushroom Sauce 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can mushroom sauce 1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream 1/2 cup Canna Butter* 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/3 cup dry sherry Combine all ingredients, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until thoroughly heated. Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes Serves eight 5 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 head of garlic 1/2 cup Canna Butter* 1 tablespoon Cannabis Infused Oil** 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened Salt to taste Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside. Cut garlic horizontally and place in a baking pan. Drizzle with Cannabis Infused Oil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender. Using a fork, remove skin and mash garlic. Mash potatoes. Add garlic, Canna Butter, cream cheese, sour cream and salt, blending well. Spoon into a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish. When ready to serve, heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes. APRIL 2013 • CULTURE 99
Green Bean Bundles Serves eight 3 14 1/2-oz. cans of whole green beans, drained 8 slices bacon 6 tablespoon Canna Butter*, melted 1/2 cup brown sugar 3 cloves garlic, minced
Gather beans in bundles of 10 and wrap each bundle with a half slice of bacon. Arrange bundles in a lightly greased 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan. Mix melted Canna Butter, brown sugar and garlic in a small bowl and spoon over bundles. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 more minutes.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes two to three dozen depending on the size. If you want to make an extra special treat, use these cookies and a few scoops of vanilla ice cream to make ice cream sandwiches! 1 cup Canna Butter*, softened 1/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 5 1-ounce packages instant vanilla pudding mix 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 12-oz. package semi sweet chocolate chips
Beat Canna Butter and sugars until light and fluffy, blend in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, pudding mix and baking soda. Add to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls on to ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Place on wire racks to cool.
Cannabis Infused Oil** 1 cup cooking oil 1 1/4 ounces low to average quality dried leaf cannabis or 3/4 ounce average dried bud Place cannabis in a slow cooker. Add oil. If necessary, add a little extra oil in order to just cover the cannabis. Cook on low for six to eight hours, stirring often. Strain through cheesecloth to remove plant material. For further purity, strain through a coffee filter. Store in the refrigerator for up to three months. 100 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
Canna Butter* 1 cup unsalted butter 1 ounce low to average quality dried leaf marijuana or 1/2 ounce average dried bud 4 cups water Bring water and butter to boil in a small pot, lower heat to simmer. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Mash and stir frequently to extract all THC from the plant material. After cooking, use cheesecloth to strain the butter/water mixture. Pour about 2 cups clean boiling water over the leaves in the strainer to extract every last drop of butter. Squeeze plant material well to remove as much liquid as possible. Chill the butter/water mixture in the refrigerator until the butter has solidified (1 to 2 hours). Separate butter from water and keep butter in the refrigerator (or freezer for longer storage) until needed.
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. V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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entertainment reviews Iron & Wine Ghost on Ghost Nonesuch Records
Ghost on Ghost, Iron & Wine’s fifth studio outing, is a noticeable contrast to Beam’s last two albums. As Iron & Wine’s last album, 2011’s Kiss Each Other Clean, was essentially Sam Beam’s attempt at what might be considered a mainstream pop album, it’s no surprise that the release might have been an anxious endeavor to create. However, Ghost on Ghost may succeed where Kiss Each Other Clean failed, by creating a highly produced and well polished Iron & Wine album that still sounds as relaxing and unintimidating as Beam’s first two acoustic records. The one true constant through all of Beam’s work that is just as present as ever on Ghost on Ghost is the man’s beautiful—at times ethereal—warm wind on an autumn day voice that appears just as strong and majestically now as it did at the beginning of his career. Additionally, the new record sees Beam still experimenting with his sound by incorporating jazzier influences. All in all, Ghost on Ghost seems to show Beam having a good, fun time on this record. Ghost on Ghost is what Beam described as a “reward” to himself after his experiences with making his last two albums, and that feeling of relaxation and relief certainly shines through. If anyone was concerned about the direction Beam was headed, this release should put those worries to rest. (Simon Weedn)
Rastafarian Children of Solomon: The Legacy of the Kebra Nagast and the Path to Peace and Understanding By Gerald Hausman Bear & Co. If your knowledge of Rastas begins and ends with your worn copy of Bob Marley’s Legend . . . then, my friends, you need a culture bomb thrown at your front door. No, dear friends, the ideas and concepts behind the Rastafarian movement that took root in Jamaica during the 1930s go way beyond reggae music and giant spliffs—though they are connected. Here, author and storyteller Gerald Hausman tells the stories of Rastas, or the “Children of Solomon,” in his and their words. From farmers to healers, to Rasta elders and fisherman, Hausman uses colorful words and first-hand experience to powerfully describe his subjects: “Mackie [McDonough] knows his history, his story; and his face is a finely carved mask of inscrutable character. He can stare down a stump, as the expression is, and he fears no man or woman . . .” Or in the case of Horace “Winston” Churchill: “His twinkle-eye and easy smile could charm a snake, and probably have.” Hausman’s Rastas leap beyond the confines of any mere album cover. Even Bob’s. (Matt Tapia)
Alanis Morissette Live at Montreux 2012 Eagle Rock
Alanis Morissette’s debut international album, 1995’s Jagged Little Pill, was commercially gargantuan (selling over 33 million copies) to the point of overshadowing the thoughtful Canadian-American singer’s very robust career since. Filmed in high-def at Switzerland’s famed Montreux Jazz Festival last July, this 17-song set serves as a reminder both of Pill’s potency (including album standouts “Ironic,” “Head Over Feet” and breakthrough single “You Oughta Know”) and Morissette’s rare staying power (featuring songs from her most recent album, 2012’s Havoc and Bright Lights). Though her very worthy backing instrumentalists can evoke one of those safely “rockin‘” suburban church bands, and the Montreux crowd is more polite than impassioned, this competently-shot concert finds the inner-peace-exuding Morissette in fine, sometimes snarledflecked voice and versatile mood, from a furrowed-brow take on “Oughta Know” to a positively beaming “You Learn.” Choosing to document a performance at a revered jazz fest suggests an ongoing quest for credibility in the lingering wake of a blockbuster pop hit. (Paul Rogers) 102 CULTURE • APRIL 2013
The Gaslight Anthem in concert The Gaslight Anthem brings back a form of rock ‘n’ roll that steers clear of any type of Auto-Tune or beat programs—we’ll take the sound of real guitars any day! The band’s latest album, Handwritten, was the perfect way to get back to cranking the Marshall stacks past 10 after lead singer/guitarist Brian Fallon had a brief stint performing stripped-down, acoustic versions of old Gaslight songs in his melancholy side-project, The Horrible Crowes. Fallon may have needed a break from rockin‘ out, but going without it fueled a re-energized urge to reclaim it. TGA reached deep into the soul of rock by recording Handwritten in Nashville with producer Brendan O’Brian (who’s worked with Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, AC/DC and many more of the greats). The purity of O’Brian’s methods helped lead to a more personal album that’s full of reflection, but still has the “’59 Sound” that helped TGA break from the punk rock underground.
IF YOU GO
What: The Gaslight Anthem in concert. When/Where: April 29 at the Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. Info: Tickets $20.75-$25. Go to www.ogdentheater.net or call (303) 832-1874 for more info.
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Let’s Do This Our picks for the coolest things to do around town Cold War Kids, April 3
Anticipation has been heightened ever since Miracle Mile was released. Cold War Kids isn’t thawing out anytime soon and its best to see the band now because things are about to get real Cuban Missile Crisis with its next album. The Gothic Theater, Englewood www.gothictheatre.com
DSTILL: An American Craft Spirit & Cocktail Showcase, April 3 This year, don’t do the usual bar-hopping. Instead check out this showcase of craft distillers and food inspired by their drinks. You will be able to discover what are otherwise hard-to-find spirits and even buy a bottle of some of a new favorite. McNichols Civic Center, Denver www.dstill.com
SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody, April 4
Inspired by the book that made every woman a literary enthusiast, SPANK! is also reaching it’s own level of acclaim. Ladies can bring their girlfriends or their man for a night that is described as non-stop comedy. Paramount Theatre, Denver www.paramountdenver.com
Feminism & Co. (Boobs), April 4 This will be the most mature conversation you will ever hear about “the girls. ” This event is an analysis about how breasts function in visual, medical and maternal culture. Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver www.mcadenver.org
Prohibition Party & Brew Fest, April 7 In celebration of the 80th anniversary of the end of Prohibition (the other one!), the Oriental Theater is housing about 25 different craft brewers. Party like its 1933 with over 150 beers for your choosing. The Oriental Theater, Denver www.theorientaltheater.com
Good vs. Evil: An Evening With Anthony Bourdain & Eric Ripert, April 14 Anthony Bourdain is like a culinary rock star, if there is such a thing. Known for his wild personality and frankness, Bourdain will be sharing—alongside fellow chef Eric Ripert—the stories of what really happens in the kitchen. Macky Auditorium Concert Hall, Boulder macky.colorado.edu
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Dilated Peoples w/Grynch and Common Market, April 19 Dilated is a group with an incredible amount of respect among hip-hop purists. Going to one of their shows might just remind you of why you fell in love with beats and rhymes in the first place. Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver www.cervantesmasterpiece.com
Taste of Pearl, April 21
Jo Koy, April 25-27 He is a regular on Chelsea Lately but if you didn’t know, Jo Koy is just as funny on his own. Look up his skit about his Filipino mother playing Wii and you’ll know what I mean. Comedy Works, Denver www.comedyworks.com
Vampire 5K, April 26
Described as one of the state’s most prestigious culinary events, Taste of Pearl allows attendees to enjoy the paring of some of the best restaurants and wineries. Just remember to drink with your pinky up. Downtown Boulder, Boulder www.boulderdowntown.com
Before vampires glittered in the light, they we’re frightening, blood-sucking nightmares. As a participant in the 5K run, you can either be the hunter or the hunted as both teams start separately and eventually converge in a run for survival. Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver www.vampire5k.com
Talib Kweli, April 21
A Weekend with Pablo Picasso, thru April 28
With Talib’s new album, Prisoner of Conscious, coming out soon, you know this veteran has some new bangers to perform. Pop radio won’t play this conscious music—so be sure to check TK live and in effect. Summit Music Hall, Denver thesummitmusichall.com
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Funny, innovative, beautiful—Herbert Siguenza’s portrayal of the famous Cubist painter is all of these things. Audiences are allowed to enter into intimate moments of Picasso’s life and get better understanding of the inspiration behind his masterpieces. Denver Center, Denver www.denvercenter.org
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Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird LEAD STORY—HOLY HANDGUNS
; One of the many decisions greeting Pope Francis, as Salon. com pointed out, is whether to officially recognize a Patron Saint of Handgunners—as urged by a U.S. organization of activists for more than 20 years. According to legend, St. Gabriel Possenti rescued an Italian village from a small band of pillagers (and perhaps rapists) in the 19th century by shooting at a lizard in the road, killing it with one shot, which supposedly so terrified the bandits that they fled. No humans were harmed, activists now point out, signifying the handgun was obviously a force for good. The head of the St. Gabriel Possenti Society has noted that, however far-fetched the “lizard incident” may be, it was rarely questioned until U.S. anti-gun activists gained strength in the 1980s.
CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE
; Though Americans may feel safe that the Food and Drug Administration approves a drug only for certain specific uses, the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York ruled in December that drug company salespeople have a First Amendment right to claim that drugs approved for only one use can be marketed for nonapproved uses, as well. Doctors and bioethicists seemed outraged, according to the Los Angeles Times, generally agreeing with a University of Minnesota professor who called the decision “a complete disgrace. What this basically does is destroy drug regulation in the United States.” ; Denials of disability allowances in the town of Basildon, England,
near London, are handled at the Acorn House courthouse, on the fourth floor, where afflicted people who believe they were wrongly rejected for benefits must present their appeals. However, in November, zealous government safety wardens, concerned about fire-escape dangers, closed off the fourth floor to wheelchair-using people. Asked one woman, turned away in early February, “Why are they holding disability tribunals in a building disabled people aren’t allowed in?” (In February, full access resumed.) ; Among the helpful civic classes the city government in Oakland, Calif., set up earlier this year for its residents was one on how to pick locks (supposedly to assist people who had accidentally locked themselves out of their homes), and lock-picking kits were even offered for sale after class. Some residents were aghast, as the city had seen burglaries increase by 40 percent in 2012. Asked one complainer, “What’s next? The fundamentals of armed robbery?” (In February, Mayor Jean Quan apologized and canceled the class.) ; We Must Kill This Legislation Because Too Many People Are for It: In February, the North Carolina House of Representatives Rules Committee took the unusual step of pre-emptively burying a bill to legalize prescription marijuana (which 18 states so far have embraced). WRAL-TV (Raleigh-Durham) reported Rep. Paul Stam’s explanation: Committee members were hearing from so many patients and other constituents (via phone calls and emails) about the importance of medical marijuana to them that the representatives were feeling “harassed.” APRIL 2013 • CULTURE 109
INEXPLICABLE
; Two teachers and three student teachers at a Windsor, Ontario, elementary school somehow thought it would be a neat prank on their eighth-graders to make them think their class trip would be to Florida’s Disney World, and they created a video and PowerPoint presentation previewing the excursion. The kids’ exhilaration lasted only a few days, when they were informed that plans had changed and that they would instead be visiting a local bowling alley. Furthermore, the teachers captured the students’ shock on video, presumably to repeatedly re-enjoy their prank. (When the principal found out, she apologized, disciplined the teachers, and arranged a class trip to Niagara Falls.) ; Solutions to Non-Problems: (1) Illinois state Rep. Luis Arroyo introduced a bill in March that would ban the state’s restaurants from serving lion meat. (2) Georgia state Rep. Jay Neal introduced legislation in February to ban the
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implantation of a human embryo into a nonhuman. Rep. Neal told the Associated Press that this has been a hot issue in “other states.”
UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT
; Imprisoned British computer hacker Nicholas Webber, 21, serving time for computer fraud, hacked into the mainframe at his London prison after officials allowed him to take a computer class. Like most prisons, the Isis facility attempts to rehabilitate inmates with classes to inspire new careers, but apparently no one made the connection between the class and Webber’s crime. (One prison staff member involved in the class was fired.) ; Dustin Coyle, 34, was charged with domestic abuse in Oklahoma City in January, but it was hardly his fault, he told police. His ex-girlfriend accused him (after she broke up with him) of swiping her cat and then roughing it up, punching her, elbowing her and sexually assaulting her. Coyle later lamented to police that she and he were supposed
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to get married, but for some reason she changed her mind. “If she would just marry me, that would solve everything,” but, according to the police report, he would settle for her being his girlfriend again— or a one-night stand.
THE REDNECK CHRONICLES
; Gary Ericcson, 46, was distraught in January at being charged with animal cruelty in shooting to death his beloved pet snake. He told the Charlotte Observer that he is not guilty, as the dear thing had already passed away and that he shot it only “to get the gas out” so that other animals would not dig it up after he buried it. He said he was so despondent (fearing that a conviction will prevent him from being allowed to have even dogs and cats) that in frustration he had shot up and destroyed a large cabinet that housed his Dale Earnhardt collectibles.
PERSPECTIVE
; First-World Products: The DogTread Treadmill is a modification
of the familiar exercise machine in homes and health clubs, with special features for dog safety—a helpful invention in a nation in which over half of all pet dogs are too fat. (A somewhat higher percentage of cats is overweight, but it is unlikely that marketing a cat treadmill has ever been considered.) The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention points out that pets can develop type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis, and that the problem stems from insufficient exercise and overindulgent owners. (The DogTread Treadmills sell for $499 to $899.)
READERS’ CHOICE
; (1) Teri James, 29, filed a lawsuit recently in San Diego against San Diego Christian College because it fired her for being pregnant and unmarried— a violation of specific employee rules. She said the firing was obviously illegal gender discrimination because her job was quickly offered to the next-most-qualified candidate—James’ fiance, who was openly cohabiting with James
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all along and is the baby’s father. (2) In a Philadelphia courtroom in February, alleged assault victim John Huttick was on the witness stand tearfully describing how miserable his life has become since he lost his left eye in a barroom fight with the defendant. Right then, however, his prosthetic eye fell out. The judge, certain that it was an accident, quickly declared a mistrial (especially since two jurors, seated a few feet away, appeared sickened).
DOPING ON ICE
; Leaders of the ice-fishing community, aiming for official Olympics recognition as a sport, have begun the process by asking the World Anti-Doping Agency to randomly test its “athletes” for performance-enhancing drugs, according to a February New York Times report. However, said the chairman of the U.S. Freshwater Fishing Association, “We do not test for beer,” because, he added, “Everyone would fail.” Ice-fishing is a lonely, frigid endeavor rarely employing strength but mostly requiring guile and strategy, as
competitors who discover advantageous spots in the lake must surreptitiously upload the hauls lest competitors rush over to drill their own holes. Urine tests have also been run in recent years on competitors in darts, miniature golf, chess and tug-of-war, and in 2011, one chess player, two minigolfers and one tugger tested positive.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
; A frequent sight on Soweto, South Africa, streets recently is crowds of 12-to-15-year-old boys known as “izikhotane” (“boasters”) who hang out in their designer jeans, “shimmering silk shirts, bright pink and blue shoes, and white-straw, narrow-brimmed fedoras,” according to a February BBC News dispatch. Flashing wads of cash begged from beleaguered parents, hundreds may amass, playing loud music and sometimes even trashing their fancy clothes as if to feign an indifference to wealth. Since many izikhotanes’ families are workingclass survivors of apartheid, they
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are mostly ashamed of their kids’ behavior. “This isn’t what we struggled for,” lamented one parent. But, protested a peerpressured boaster, “(Y)ou must dress like this, even if you live in a shack.” ; India’s annual “Rural Olympics” might be the cultural equivalent of several Southern U.S. “Redneck Olympics” but taken somewhat more seriously, in that this year, corporate sponsorships (Nokia and Suzuki) helped fund the equivalent of about $66,000 in prize money for such events as competitive pulling using only one’s ears or teeth. “We do this for money, trophies, fame and respect,” one ear-puller told The Wall Street Journal in February. This year, in the four-day event in Punjab state, the 50,000 spectators could watch a teeth-lifter pull a 110-pound sack upward for about eight seconds and an earpuller ease a car about 15 feet. ; Weird Japan: (1) A generous local businessman recently graced the city of Okuizumo with funding
for replicas of two Renaissance statues (Venus de Milo and Michelangelo’s David) for a public park. Agence France-Presse reported in February that many residents, receiving little advance warning, expressed shock at the unveiling of “David” and demanded that he at least be given underpants. (2) Fax machines, almost obsolete in the U.S., are still central to many tech-savvy Japanese families and companies (who bought 1.7 million units last year alone), reported The New York Times in February. Families prefer faxes’ superiority to e-mail for warmly expressing Japan’s complex written language, and bureaucrats favor faxes’ preserving the imperative of paper flow.
LATEST RELIGIOUS MESSAGES
; The 14 guests at a jewelry party in Lake City, Fla., were initially incredulous that home-invader Derek Lee, 24, meant to rob them, but when they saw that he was serious (by putting his gun to the head of one woman), the hostess went into action. “In the name of
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Jesus,” she shouted, “get out of my house now!” Then the guests chanted in unison, “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!” over and over. Lee, frightened or bewildered, sprinted out the door empty-handed and was later arrested.
sexual advances. (According to a former judge at the Saudi Board of Grievances, Saudi authorities have issued standards for fatwas, thus urging people to ignore “unregulated” ones such as Skeikh Daoud’s.)
; The president of the National Black Church Initiative told the Associated Press in January that its pastors are generally free to ordain new pastors as they wish, and that consequently Bishop Wayne Jackson of Detroit did nothing wrong in his ordination ceremony (which was surreptitiously video-recorded and uploaded to YouTube), even though it consisted of Jackson in robes, praying while lying on top of the new bishops, who were also praying. (The AP noted that Bishop Jackson had been the target of that’s-so-gay YouTube comments.)
; In January, Lhokseumawe City, Indonesia, drafted new ordinances, including one that prohibits women from riding motorcycles with their legs straddling male drivers, since that would tend to “provoke” them. A proponent said the ban “honor(ed)” women “because they are delicate creatures.” Immediately, some authorities denounced the legislation, pointing out that riding “side saddle” is much more dangerous in cases of sudden swerves and collisions. As of press time, the mayor had not decided whether to implement the ordinance.
; Yet Another Fatwa: Saudi cleric Sheikh Abdullah Daoud, in an interview in February on al-Majd TV, decreed that female babies should wear full-face veils (burkas) to help shield them from
QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENTS
; In February, an off-duty Tampa police officer and an off-duty sheriff’s detective from nearby Hernando County were awarded
the sheriff’s office’s highest honor, the Medal of Valor, for exemplary bravery in an October incident in which a 42-year-old naked woman was shot to death by the officers. The woman was holding a gun and had made threats, and a 5-year-old boy was inside a truck that she wanted to steal. However, even though a neighbor had simply wrestled the woman down earlier, the officers still thought their only move was to shoot to kill. Said the woman’s brother, “They shot a mentally disturbed, naked woman. Is that valor?” ; In 2011, Julian Pellegrino pleaded guilty to DUI involving serious bodily injury to Mark Costa in Chicopee, Mass., and was sentenced to serve 18 months in jail, but that did not deter Pellegrino from filing a lawsuit in December, demanding $1.1 million for Costa’s somehow “caus(ing)” his car to collide with Pellegrino’s. Pellegrino (with a broken neck) was actually more seriously injured than Costa, who sued back, asking nearly $200,000. (In 2010, while Pellegrino was awaiting
disposition of the case with Costa, he pleaded guilty to another DUI.)
FETISHES ON PARADE
; Paul Jamrozik, 63, was arrested in Upper Darby, Pa., in January and charged as the man who lured a 12-year-old boy into his home and, under the guise of pretend-podiatry, spritzed his feet with athlete’s-foot spray and tickled them before performing an exam of his ears and nose with medical equipment. When the kid asked to leave, according to the police report, Jamrozik withheld his shoes until he promised to bring his friends by the next day to be examined.
LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS
; Lee Wildman, 35, and Adrian Stanton, 32, pleaded guilty in connection with a burglary at Durham (England) University’s Oriental Museum, in which they heisted artwork worth the equivalent of about $2.7 million and hid it in a field in April 2012. However, they have been unable to help
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authorities locate the bounty (even with the reward of sentence-reduction)—because they have forgotten exactly where they stashed it. Eventually, hikers unconnected with the case discovered it and notified police. Said Judge Christopher Prince, “This is not an offense that can be described as sophisticated.”
READERS’ CHOICE
; (1) Two brothers, celebrating a winning lottery ticket in Wichita, Kan., in February, bought a stash of marijuana, but then, attempting to light a bong using butane lighter fluid, one accidentally blew up the family home. That brother was hospitalized with second-degree burns, and the other was arrested for marijuana possession. (2) Megan Thode, 27, went to trial in February in Easton, Pa., suing Lehigh University, accusing a professor of illegally discriminating against her with a C-plus grade in a class in 2009 in the school’s graduate counseling program, in which a B was the minimum required to continue. Thode demanded $1.3 million for future damage to her career (but not a tuition refund—as she had
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matriculated for free because her father is a Lehigh professor). Four days after the trial began, the judge ruled against her.
MAKING OUTSOURCING WORK FOR YOU
; A Verizon risk team, looking for data breaches on a client’s computers, discovered that one company software developer was basically idle for many months, yet remained productive—because he had outsourced his projects to a Chinese software developer who would do all the work and send it back. The employee earned several hundred thousand dollars a year, according to a January Los Angeles Times report, but paid the Chinese worker only about $50,000. The risk team eventually learned that sensitive company information was flowing to and from Chinese terminals, leading the company to suspect hackers, but that traffic was merely the U.S. employee (obviously, “ex-employee” now) sending and receiving his workload. The U.S. man showed up for work every day, but spent his time leisurely web-surfing.
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THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
; One of Britain’s most famous “madams” announced in January that she was coming out of retirement to set up a brothel exclusively catering to disabled people and the terminally ill. An ordinary brothel would be illegal in the town of Milton Keynes (45 miles from London), but Becky Adams insists that the government could not shut hers down without illegally discriminating against the disabled. ; Advances in the Service Sector: (1) In January, the Japanese marketing firm Wit Inc. began hiring “popular” young women (judged by the extent of their “social network” contacts), at the equivalent of $121 a day, to walk around with advertising stickers on their thighs. (The stickers would be placed on the erotic “zettai ryouiki”—the Japanese mystical area between the hem of a short skirt and the top of long socks.) The women must be prepared to endure men hovering closely to read the ads. (2) According to news reports in November,
New York City physician Jack Berdy was doing a brisk business administering Botox injections (at up to $800) to poker players who were hoping to prevent facial expressions that might tip their hands. ; Ingenious: (1) London’s The Independent reported in January that Dean Kamen (who famously invented the Segway, a standing, battery-powered scooter) had developed, along with a Pennsylvania medical team, what appears to work as a “reverse feeding tube” that will vacuum out up to 30 percent of any food in the stomach before it is digested and converted into calories. After installation of the stomach “port,” the diner could operate the device without daily medical help. (2) The Polish cosmetics company Inglot announced in January a nail polish ideal for Muslim women, in that it can withstand the five-times-daily hand-washing required for prayers. (Normally, devout women wear nail polish only during their menstrual periods, when the hand-washing is not required, but polish thus signals menstruation and therefore embarrasses modest women.)
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