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departments
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Chin-Win Situation Jay Leno reveals what’s made him the Titan of Tonight all these years
6 Letter from the Editor It takes time and hard work to get to the promised land—but we’re getting there. 8 News Nuggets Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere—and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers 18 Strain & Edible Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains and edibles currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary.
On the cover: Photo courtesy of NBCUniversal
26 Destination Unknown From sandless beaches to Russian tourists— Mũi Né is one quirky destination.
features
27 Profiles in Courage Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical marijuana patient near you.
12 Money Matters The state Supreme Court will weigh in on the legality of MMJ sales. 16 American Pickers Steep Canyon Rangers battles banjos with Steve Martin.
28 Cool Stuff From Scrips CBD Capsules to Cloud Vapez, if it’s a cuttingedge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it. 30 Recipes Feel patriotic with this Veterans Day-Thanskgiving menu mashup. 34 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture. 37 Event Listings Our wrap-up of some of Michigan’s coolest events. 37 Guide to Advertisers These are the most compassionate people you’ll ever meet.
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letter from the editor
Vol 4 IssUE 5
Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
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Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Roberto C. Hernandez
Managing Editor Lance Farrell
Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Ashley Bennett, Jake Browne, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Stacy Davies, Rev. Dr. Kymron de Cesare, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Charmie Gholson, James P. Gray, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Meital Manzuri, Jane Mast, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Keller O’Malley, Paul Rogers, Lanny Swerdlow, Arrissia Owen
Inching
Toward
Sanity
Photographers
Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Amanda Holguin, Khai Le, David Elliot Lewis, Mark Malijan, Patrick Roddie, Michael Seto, Kim Sidwell
Interns
A news items caught my eye the other day. I heard that opening arguments had just been made before the U.S. Court of Appeal in an effort to convince the federal government— unfortunately, MMJ’s staunchest foe—to re-schedule marijuana. Americans for Safe Access, a national patients-rights advocacy group that has been leading various pro-MMJ campaigns since its formation 10 years ago, is leading this charge. So why is re-scheduling marijuana a big deal? Marijuana, in the eyes of the government, is a Schedule I drug, which is another way for the feds (via the Controlled Substances Act—thanks, Nixon) to judge cannabis as dangerous as cocaine and heroin and with no medical use whatsoever. Schedule III drugs include Vicodin, Schedule IV drugs include Valium and Xanax, Schedule V drugs include cough medicine. This is the basic reason why the feds say they can trump a state’s MMJ laws any day of the week; they say federal law (marijuana is illegal for any purposes) overrides state law (marijuana is legal to use as medicine). So if ASA is successful in getting marijuana rescheduled, then that could open the door, the argument goes, to ushering in a whole new
era for reform across the country. Imagine that—marijuana treated the same way as Robitussin (Schedule V). Or maybe considered a legal alternative to Temazepam (Schedule IV). Gone is the federal government’s ace in the whole. Gone is the whole “no medical use” propaganda. No more raids. No more abuse. No more nonsense. It’s what they call a “game changer.” Will this happen tomorrow? Of course not. These things take time. Months. Sometimes years. And this isn’t the first time we’ve tried this. Meanwhile, at the state and local levels, activists and advocates are pushing for similar goals: to get our government officials and law enforcement officers to open their eyes and free their minds; to view cannabis on the basis of science and research, not stigma and politics. And every victory we score for cannabis rights and access is a victory won because of the backbreaking labor and energy of millions of activists (like ASA), patients, caregivers, lobbyists, professionals, doctors, lawyers and advocates. And these people need support. So, support your medical marijuana community. Support your local dispensary. Support your caregiver. Support elected leaders with common sense. Most of all, let’s support one another. As we inch towards sanity, we’re going to need all the help we can get. c
Yensil Chung, Kevin Keckeisen, Joe Martone, Gabriela Mungarro, Derek Obregon, Jaime Solis
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THE STATE Lawsuit: Michigan LARA not following state law
Lawyers for a U.S. Navy veteran have filed a lawsuit against officials with the Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Agency (LARA), alleging the agency has failed to properly carry out the provisions of the state’s medical marijuana law. Martin Chilcutt, founder of the group Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access, says LARA continues to process medical marijuana patient applications too slowly and has failed to set up a review panel for establishing new qualifying medical conditions for patients. Under Michigan’s 2008 compassionate-use statute, LARA is responsible for administering the state’s medical marijuana program. The lawsuit asks for a court order compelling the agency to properly administer the program, or face contempt-ofcourt charges.
Kalamazoo scales back marijuana enforcement
Lighting up in Kalamazoo just became a little less risky after the City Commission approved an ordinance directing local police to ticket people found in possession of marijuana rather than arrest them. The new law didn’t 8 CULTURE • NOVEMBER 2012
decriminalize pot possession in Kalamazoo—it’s still a misdemeanor offense, punishable by fines or imprisonment, or both. But arrestees will no longer face the ignominy of being hauled away in cuffs, but instead receive an order to appear in court. The more lenient policy does not apply to Western Michigan University campus, where campus police recently released a report showing marijuana possession arrests up over last year.
authorities, who had declared it a public nuisance.
THE NATION
declared it a public nuisance.
Connecticut MMJ law takes effect
Supreme Court hear dispensary arguments
Michigan’s highest court heard oral arguments in October on whether the state’s medical marijuana law allows cannabis to be sold in dispensaries. The case before the Supreme Court stems from a ruling by the state appellate court last year that said nothing in the 4-year-old law allowed medical cannabis patients at a Mount Pleasant dispensary to sell their home-grown medicine to other patients. Attorneys for the dispensary argued that since the law says nothing about dispensaries, the transactions should be allowed, while Isabella County prosecutors say the law’s silence on such shops means state prohibitions on marijuana sales remain in place. The dispensary was shut down by Isabella County
counsel for Americans for Safe Access, accused the DEA of ignoring 200 scientific studies when it refused to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I narcotic with no medical benefits to a less stringent category. Americans for Safe Access and other pro-medical cannabis groups want the court to reconsider its classification of marijuana.
U.S. appeals court considers reclassifying marijuana
In a case with enormous potential ramifications for the nation’s cannabis community, the U.S. appellate court in Washington, DC, is considering a major challenge to the federal government’s claim that marijuana is a dangerous drug with no redeeming medical value. Evidence in the challenge, stemming from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s denial of a cannabis rescheduling petition a decade ago, was presented in October to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. Joe Elford, chief
With a tick of the clock, Connecticut became the 17th star in the union allowing residents to legally use marijuana for medicinal purposes. The Palliative Use of Marijuana Act, which the state’s Democratic governor signed into law five months ago, took effect on Oct. 1. Physicians can now recommend cannabis is a therapeutic treatment
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for patients with certain serious illnesses, and patients can obtain a medical cannabis ID card by registering with the state. The state Department of Consumer Protection must submit a set of regulations by July 1 to the General Assembly for state-licensed dispensaries. Until then, qualified patients can possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis at any one time for their medicinal needs.
Vancouver officials to either come up with a plan for regulating cannabis gardens or allow patients to grow them anywhere in the city’s borders. The City Council delayed action on the requirement for 18 months, but has at last scheduled a workshop on the proposed ordinance for Nov. 19. If approved, the ordinance would allow patients to group as many as 45 marijuana plants for medicinal use.
THE WORLD Vancouver inches closer to cannabis gardens
Qualified medical cannabis patients would be allowed to grow cannabis for up to 10 people, under a proposed ordinance to be considered this month by the City Council of Vancouver, BC. A state law passed last year directed
by the numbers gan, as of Sept. 29: 25,199 (Source: Michigan LARA).
6
Number of registered Montana medical marijuana patients in September 2009: 3,921 (Source: Great Falls Tribune).
7 1
Percentage of registered cannabis patients in Michigan who reported using the drug for severe pain, muscle spasms or nausea: 90-plus (Source: Michigan Department of Community Health).
Number of registered Montana medical marijuana patients in January 2011: 28,000plus (Source: Great Falls Tribune).
4
Number of active medical cannabis providers in Michigan, as of Sept. 27: 26,896 (Source: The Huffington Post).
5
Number of registered medical cannabis providers in Michi-
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Number of these studies that the U.S. Justice Department admits meets federal criteria for valid studies: 15 (Source: Bloomberg Businessweek).
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Number of federally accepted medical uses for cannabis: 0 (Source: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration).
Number of ex-DEA chiefs who held a conference call in October demanding President Obama denounce pot legalization measures in three states: 9 (Source: Seattle Times).
Number of active medical cannabis patients in Michigan, as of Sept. 27: 130,965 (Source: The Huffington Post).
3
Number of scientific studies to conclude cannabis has medical benefits: 200-plus (Source: Americans for Safe Access).
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Number of registered medical cannabis in Michigan, as of Sept. 29: 121,043 (Source: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs [LARA]).
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Number of authorized Montana medical marijuana caregivers in September 2009: 1,403 (Montana Department of Public Health).
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Number of authorized Montana medical marijuana caregivers in September 2011: 4,833 (Montana Department of Public Health).
“Echoes of Silent Spring: 50 Years of Environmental Awareness” It’s a surprise Rachel Carson isn’t a household name. She is credited for starting the environmental sustainability movement half a century ago. Her ground breaking book, Silent Spring— which inspired President John F. Kennedy to launch the very first investigation into the negative effects of pesticides on plants and animals—is now being celebrated by our modern environmental movement: “Echoes of Silent Spring: 50 years of Environmental Awareness” at the Michigan State University Museum. The exhibit features engaging collections along with the new Silent Spring Trail, which incorporate the natural habitats of MSU where Carson examined the dying plants and animals published in her book. Join us in recognizing a feminist icon who first introduced the going green trend. (Jamie Solis)
IF YOU GO
What: “Echoes of Silent Spring, 50 Years of the Environmental Awareness” Exhibit. When/Where: Through Dec. 30 at the Michigan State University Museum, 409 W. Circle Dr., East Lansing. Info: Free admission. Go to museum.msu. edu/?q=node/739.
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FLASH
The Rules of
Transaction State Supreme Court to Decide if Medical Marijuana Sales are Legal
Thanks to the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (MMA), marijuana patients and caregivers had a safe marketplace in Mt. Pleasant’s Compassionate Apothecary. No longer subject to horticultural vagaries, certified patients were able to obtain the consistent medicine required to manage their pain and illnesses. “Honestly, I thought it was like an answer from God,” Darcy Norris says of Compassionate. Norris, a lupus patient experiencing severe pain, vomiting, and nausea, depended on medical marijuana to obtain relief. Her caregiver was not always able to supply her with cannabis, so a dispensary like Compassionate was an answer to her prayers. Her safe and affordable access came to a screeching halt when Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick filed for an injunction against Compassionate operators Brandon McQueen and Matthew Taylor in December 2010. Without a single complaint from local citizens, Burdick claimed Compassionate was a public nuisance and argued that patient-to-patient transfers or sales of medicinal cannabis were not permitted under the MMA. After Burdick failed to convince a trial court, the Court of Appeals overturned the circuit court’s proaccess verdict in August of 2011, citing the absence of instructions
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Compassionate Apothecary attorney Mary Chartier
from the MMA on how patients can obtain medical marijuana if they don’t have a caregiver. In their ruling, the Court of Appeals determined (wrongly, some said) that “sale” and “medical use” to be mutually exclusive terms and ruled Compassionate exceeded the narrower access allegedly intended by the MMA. McQueen and Taylor appealed this controversial ruling. Appearing before the state Supreme Court on Oct. 11, Lansing-based Compassionate attorney Mary Chartier argued the Court’s departure from the plain language of the MMA action indicated a desire to “legislate from the bench.” This “judicial activism” thwarts the will of the Michigan electorate and denies safe access to thousands of qualified patients, she insisted. “I don’t think it harms the community to have an entity such
Say What?
{By Lance Farrell}
“I think it’s really absurd to be criminalizing possession or use or distribution of marijuana.” —Judge Richard Posner, Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
as [a dispensary],” she contended, hands when you go to a dispenbut what the Court of Appeals did sary to get meds? was to “foreclose affordable and The state, however, argued safe access for patients.” for a more exclusive reading of The Court, Chartier continued, the MMA statute, and claimed ignored explicit MMA language that compensation is allowed which clearly defines medical to recoup only caregiving costs, use to include the transfer of not the fees Compassionate had marijuana between collected from its qualified patients members. and caregivers. Though McIn State v. Queen and Taylor’s McQueen, Burdick right to operate claimed transfers are a dispensary is limited to caregiver currently under and patient relationreview, the case ships established is ultimately not only through formal about dispensaries, When prosecutors registration proceChartier concluded. argued that this state’s dures. This is about making Medical Marihuana Act Chartier also it easier for caregivdoes not allow patientcontested the state’s ers and patients to to-patient sales or assertion that sales conduct transactransfers of medical canwere not permitted tions involving a nabis, the consequences under the MMA. state-approved of that flawed line of “Attaching a price to medicine. Accordreasoning would be a transfer is immateingly, Chartier is grave to patients. If, in rial under the MMA,” not sympathetic to fact, such sales were ilshe argued. retrograde efforts legal, patients would be Chartier said to block safe and facing a felony charge, a was inconsistent to affordable access. possible 4-year sentence argue that sales at “Who I am and/or a $20,000 fine, pharmacies across most sympathetic according to a post on Michigan are lawful, to is the cancer Lansing-based Newyet at the same time patient who can’t burg Law’s blog. Even deny similar sales in gain access to the the state’s Department regards to compamedication she of Licensing and Regularable transfers for needs. That’s who I tory Affairs acknowlmedical marijuana am sympathetic to,” edges that money can patients. If money Chartier said. change hands when it can change hands The Supreme states that a “caregiver when you get meds Court is expected to may receive reasonat CVS, why can’t announce a ruling in able compensation for money change July 2013. c services provided to assist with a qualifying patient’s medical use of marihuana.”
Foreign Exchange?
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BUZZ
Seventeen states—and Washington, D.C.—have legalized medical marijuana. This annoys the daylights out the DEA and Office of National Drug Control Policy, who refuse to acknowledge marijuana has any medicinal properties and work hard to maintain a state of complete prohibition. This month, voters in three U.S. states — Colorado, Oregon and Washington—will decide whether or not to legalize marijuana for adult use (recreational or otherwise), potentially prompting a head-to-head clash with the federal government in a states’ rights battle. Former DEA heads are already calling on the current administration to put an end to reasonable cannabis legislation—but big-picture activists have long ignored the trumpeting calls of wrongheaded pot prohibitionists. Sensible drug policy reform does not turn our children into drug addicts or unravel the moral fiber of our society. Committed Michigan activists in five cities have gathered enough signatures to decriminalize possession of cannabis, allow for dispensaries and make marijuana law enforcement the police’s lowest priority. The five ballot questions—in Flint, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Grand Rapids and Ypsilanti— are all up for vote this month. Chuck Ream, who is overseeing at least one of these, says that this same strategy was used to put our statewide medical marijuana law (MMA) in place. “In the past, we won five local city initiatives in Michigan,” Ream tells CULTURE, “and eventually those gains resulted in our statewide medical law.” Ream predicts such efforts will “win all five of the city contests by a large majority! And that must also result in major policy change on the state level. We want at least statewide ‘decrim’ because we live in a democracy, and this will make it clear that voters want fundamental cannabis law reform.”
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This city already relaxed its cannabis laws with a “Lowest Law Enforcement Priority” (this makes marijuana offenses the police department’s lowest priority) win last year by a 2 to 1 margin. This time, local voters will be asked a simple question: “Shall the Kalamazoo City Charter be amended such that three (3) medical cannabis dispensaries are permitted within the city limits?” In 2010, a court of appeals decision effectively shut down many of the safe access dispensaries across the state, with the exception of a few counties. That case is headed to the Michigan Supreme Court. Until the ruling is issued, patient-to-patient transfers of medical cannabis are considered illegal.
Similar to Kalamazoo’s current state of affairs, Ypsilanti residents will vote on the following question: “Shall the Ypsilanti City Charter be amended such that the use and/or consumption of one (1) ounce or less of usable marijuana by adults 21 years or older is the lowest priority of law enforcement personnel?” Chuck Ream, political director of this LLEP initiative, says the “reaction was extraordinarily positive. People would rather be protected from robbery or murder than have the police chasing some kid for pot. Everyone wanted to sign even if they were not from the city of Ypsilanti.”
In Flint, which by the way holds the honor of being the murder capitol of the country, organizer Brian Morrissey reports that the decriminalization campaign is going quite well. The initiative would decriminalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana (and marijuana paraphernalia) on private property for adults 19 and older. “Two online polls have happened,” he told CULTURE via email. “One in July on MLive.com in which 76 percent of readers voted yes, one on WDZZ, an R&B radio station popular in the middle-aged African American community, in which the proposal received a 94 percent yes vote.”
The Detroit measure seeks to remove penalties for adults over the age of 21 if they are in possession of one (1) ounce of marijuana or less. This bill would allow possession, but not impact the ability to grow or distribute cannabis. Local residents collected over 6,000 signatures in 2010 to put this measure on the city ballot, but the city clerk refused to put it up for a vote, claiming it conflicted with state drug laws that make marijuana illegal. The Michigan appellate court ruled in February that the city was wrong to deny the petition a place on the ballot. An appeal was made to the Michigan Supreme Court, which confirmed the original ruling. Both Detroit police officials and state police in Metro Detroit have declined to comment on the law, but just-resigned Chief Ralph L. Godbee Jr., said he opposes the measure. Godbee stepped down last month after admitting he had an improper relationship with a female internal affairs officer.
Grand Rapids is quite conservative, yet support for reform is at an-all time high. The proposed amendment to the city’s charter would “decriminalize possession, control, use or gift of marijuana, through a Charter amendment prohibiting police from reporting same to law enforcement authorities other than the City Attorney; prohibiting the City Attorney from referring same to other law enforcement authorities for prosecution; prohibiting City prosecution except as civil infractions enforced by appearance tickets with a maximum fine of $100 and no incarceration; waiving fines if a physician, practitioner or other qualified health professional recommends the defendant use marijuana; and providing an affirmative defense to prosecution for defendants intending to use marijuana to relieve pain, disability or discomfort.” If approved, this would change the city’s laws so that possession of marijuana would be a civil infraction punishable with only a $25 fine for the first offense. Fines would increase modestly for subsequent offenses. c
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TUNES
Bluegrass Roots With a boost from Steve Martin, the Steep Canyon Rangers made America rediscover the banjo {By Liquid Todd} The Steep Canyon Rangers is probably most recognized as “the band with Steve Martin,” but the group developed is music reputation way before Martin joined the fun. Woody Platt, Graham Sharp, Mike Guggino, Charles R. Humphrey III and Nicky Sanders released their first album Old Dreams and New Dreams under the Steep Canyon Rangers moniker back in 2001 and continued to release four more records before being nominated for “Album and Gospel Performance of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association—and before Steve Martin jumped on the banjo bandwagon in 2009. It was during a broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion that Martin began playing with the band. Along with actor-turned-musician, the Steep Canyon Rangers took its newly formed show on the road to the Hardly Strickly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco, Carnegie Hall in New York and Benaroya Hall in Seattle and in later years to Bonnaroo and A Capitol Fourth celebration. Last year, Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers recorded Rare Bird Alert and were recognized as Entertainers of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. CULTURE recently chatted with guitarist/vocalist Woody Platt to discuss the group and working with Martin.
Evening Star
Comedian and actor Steve Martin is no stranger to cannabis. One of his oft-quoted bits from his standup during the ’60s was this gem: “I used to smoke marijuana. But I’ll tell you something: I would only smoke it in the late evening. Oh, occasionally the early evening, but usually the late evening—or the mid-evening. Just the early evening, mid-evening and late evening. Occasionally, early afternoon, early mid-afternoon or perhaps the late-mid-afternoon. Oh, sometimes the early-mid-lateearly morning . . . But never at dusk.” Martin also pretended to sell marijuana at a fictional NYC park during a skit earlier this year on The David Letterman Show.
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What have you learned from Steve Martin? We’ve played a lot of shows as the Steep Canyon Rangers but doing it night after night after night you just naturally get more comfortable. And when you watch Steve working on stage it kind of rubs off on you. It just seems like we’ve become better entertainers. Tell me honestly: Is Steve really a great banjo player? Yes he is and I’ll tell you why. It’s because he has his own style. And it’s a great style. He can impress an audience with his speed and with the melodies that he plays. Everything he plays he wrote and when you hear him come on the radio you know it’s him. He’s never copied anybody. He learned how to play his own way and it’s good. It’s really well-executed. How would you say bluegrass is doing in America as a genre? . . . I think—the traditional side of the music is maybe suffering a little bit—trying to maintain that traditional core sound and fanbase. But at the same time I think the way the roots of bluegrass have kind of grown out and turned into these branches and different styles of music . . . there is a lot of that. So in the broad sense it’s doing really well. Every living art form needs to be able to evolve and accept and be influenced by new ideas and new sounds. Otherwise it’s just a museum exhibit. Absolutely. And bluegrass has done that and is constantly doing that. And even the players who grew up in the traditional format—a lot of them have branched out and are taking it in new directions. So I think the genre on the whole is really healthy because of the impact it is having on the music scene on a much larger scale. c www.steepcanyon.com.
IN CONCERT
Appearing Nov. 4 at the Wharton Center in East Lansing.
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strain & edible reviews GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Ace of Spades It’s possible Ace of Spades came by its name because its shimmering, dark purple buds, once they are ground up, look similar to the evening sky. Then again, maybe “Spade” refers to the increased mobility of this indica-dominant hybrid—working in your garden or backyard will suddenly become a very enjoyable task. Whatever the case, we found the samples from Ann Arbor Wellness Collective beautiful and fresh. A TGA Subcool cross of Black Cherry Soda and Jack the Ripper, Ace of Spades smells of earth and pine berries, with notes of chocolate and ammonia. The samples we reviewed had frosty, dark purple buds formed into grape-like clusters. Laced with orange pistils, the buds were also slightly spongy to the touch. The smoke was smooth and spicy in the mouth, and the head effects were felt almost immediately after ingestion. Purportedly a 70/30 indica-sativa cross, this strain revealed the strength of the sativa side early on, giving way to a relaxed indica stone toward the end. Smoking left us energized and focused for 90 minutes of pain-free outdoor work, at the end of which we remained clear-headed and active-minded. We neither slumped into couchlock nor did our heads ever soar out of reach. Never overpowering, Ace of Spades makes for a good, productive daytime medicine.
Bubba Jones Fresh from Your Choice Meds in Montrose and We Grow in Flint comes Bubba Jones, a cross between sativa-dominant Casey Jones and Bubba Kush, an indica well-known for its subtle and manageable stoney effects. Kinda like Michigan, the Bubba Jones buds were wildly shaped and frosty, firm and crispy, but not overdry. The smell—at first unremarkable— became skunkier as days went on. The smoke was smooth and never harsh, and initially we experienced a heady high with a slight buzz felt throughout the body. Over time, waves of energy could be felt coursing down the torso and into heavy limbs. A mellow mood eventually set it, though there were never those dull feelings that some indicas can impart. You could definitely feel the transcendent sativa experience, especially at the outset, but the anxiety associated with strong sativas was not to be found with Bubba Jones. We found ourselves in a dreamy state—without ever feeling sluggish—and knew we’d have no trouble sleeping. Bubba Jones sets up a happy balance between the creative and thoughtful sativa influences and the pain-reducing, sleep-inducing benefits of an indica. This is a potent and complex strain.
MedHead Peanut Butter Cups If the classic Reese’s commercial had included a third option in its famous collision—as Lansingbased MedHead has done with its thc-infused Peanut Butter cups—who knows how many we would have eaten back in the day. Our first thought after eating this treat and sinking our teeth into its creamy and scrumptious peanut butter core was “Yum!” Then we sat back and waited for the effects to creep in. But waiting for an edible to kick in can be a bit like watching a pot come to boil. But our patience was rewarded. We began to notice light-headedness and spots of euphoria beginning to trickle in after the first hour, and felt the full effect before the second hour began. Once the medication reached full strength, our bodies buzzed with radiating waves of pleasure, and we felt creative—not lethargic—for many hours. Four hours after downing this edible, the heady high rolled on. We began to notice a spaciness encroaching after the sixth hour, and our head became a meandering mindscape. The eventual result: a restful night’s sleep. With 75MG of concentrated THC infused into each milk-chocolate cup, MedHead Peanut Butter Cups are an excellent example of how tasty and delightful an edible can be. Recommended for patients looking for long-lasting (and delectable) medication that provides you with prolonged relief from chronic pain while allowing you to be functional as well. 18 CULTURE • NOVEMBER 2012
In light of recent reports of people turning to cannabis to treat their fibromyalgia, CULTURE took a look at a condition that is estimated to afflict roughly 5 million Americans:
Common symptoms of fibromyalgia include fatigue, difficulty sleeping, muscle weakness, headaches and chronic pain all over.
The disorder has no universally accepted treatment or cure. Thus, you will need to count on your family and loved ones for emotional support.
Give yourself 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Getting enough rest may help ease the pain and fatigue. So can moderate exercise, such as using a treadmill or yoga. Illustration by Vidal Diaz
If you feel its right for you, consider using cannabis to treat fibromyalgia’s often debilitating symptoms. Consult with your doctor or a physician knowledgeable about medical marijuana.
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Photo courtesy of NBCUniversal
by Liquid Todd
Jay Leno has had a long history with late night television. Beginning in 1987, Leno was only substitute hosting for Johnny Carson on the show that would become synonymous with Leno’s name. Five years later, Leno began his reign over The Tonight Show sparking up controversy with David Letterman, then host of Late Night with David Letterman. This story would then forever be embedded in television history through a book and movie. In 2009, Leno’s contract with NBC for The Tonight Show expired and he was succeeded by Conan O’Brien, former host of Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Leno went on to host a new show The Jay Leno Show, which debuted later that year.
Then when ratings weren’t as expected for both shows NBC began changing timeslots, which prompt O’Brien to issue a press release stating, “I believe that delaying The Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting.” In January 2010, O’Brien left The Tonight Show and Leno once again took the throne. Despite this long—sometimes convoluted—relationship with late night television . . . it was always his love of the stage that kept him going. In 2008, Leno was quoted saying that he was living solely off of his income as a stand-up comic. Now, he’s hitting the road once again and, just kicked off a series of standup gigs in Las Vegas, part of The Mirage Hotel Casino’s “Aces of Comedy” events through November 2013. CULTURE got a chance to talk to Jay about performing live, his love of standup and how it all relates to rebuilding automobile engines . . .
How are you? Tell a few jokes. Try to make a living. You spend a lot of time on the road and I noticed that most of your gigs are in casinos. I’m on the road about 160 dates a year and probably about 100 of them are in casinos. Well, that’s where the shows are; that’s where the theaters are. Are there any special challenges to doing casino shows? Are the crowds any different? Actually the great things usually about casinos is they have the best sound, the best lights. You
“You know, when I started out I was never dirty enough to be a ‘dirty comic.’”
know a lot of times when you do—you know—the function room at the local Holiday Inn you walk out there and say “Hi [feedback noise] my name is [feedback noise]. Hey, can we fix this mic? [feedback noise]. They have terrible sound. You know when you play theaters—that’s what they do. They’re usually union guys. They know what they’re doing. They got sound. They got lights. That’s the best. The nightmares are the outdoor shows. You know you’re in the half shell someplace and it’s windy and some people can’t hear . . . so you look forward to casinos. They’re the best. Considering you also host The Tonight Show, doing 160 dates a year isn’t exactly a light schedule . . . It’s not hard. I mean . . . when you’re trying to carry a couple hours of material in your head you have to do it, like you can’t just run a marathon once a year. If you’re going to run a marathon you gotta run every week. Sure, but isn’t being the host of The Tonight Show and doing NOVEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 23
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that famous monologue every weeknight to an audience of millions of people practice enough? The stage is not a normal place to be. The more you’re on stage and the more you’re in front of people the more normal it seems. Like I always read these studies that say most people would rather swim in shark-infested waters than stand in front of a crowd or whatever . . . you always hear those things. And that always sounds so bizarre to me because it seems like the easiest thing in the world. But if you’re not on stage for two to three weeks at a time and suddenly you walk out there it seems very foreign. You get thrown by someone coughing or someone heckling . . . but when you do it every day it becomes second nature. That’s why you do it every day. So do you think you’ll ever hang it up and stop doing standup or are you gonna keep going out there right up until the end? No, that’s what I’ve always done. You can stop doing TV, you can stop being in movies—you can stop doing all those things—but you really don’t stop doing . . . I mean I started out as a standup and that’s what I’m going to end up as. Do you feel like you have a responsibility to keep it clean and family-friendly when you do stand-up because of your position? I’m sort of a big-tent performer. My attitude has always been I try to appeal to the most people possible. And sometimes it works to your benefit, sometimes it doesn’t. You know, when I started out I was never dirty enough to be a “dirty comic.” So why have “f@#k” and “sh*&” in your act when it doesn’t add that much to it. Because if you just take it out you’ll appeal to another whole side of the audience. Do you have anything special planned for your live shows coming up? Dancing girls? Pyrotechnics? Jungle cats?
“The stage is not a normal place to be. The more you’re on stage and the more you’re in front of people the more normal it seems.” Or are you going to do it old school—just you and a microphone? Me and a microphone. Yeah that’s pretty much what it is. You know it’s just sort of pure standup. That’s what I like. When I go see performers that’s what I like: one-man shows . . . you know, there’s so much gimmickry in movies and stuff. I know all these big action films are exciting, but to me they’re not as good as a tight little movie where it’s two people just . . . just acting. And when I see a comedian I like to see . . . you know we very rarely use our human one-on-one skills anymore. Everything now seems to be involving the Internet or texting or whatever it might be. And the idea of having one-onone communication with people in a room where it’s very intimate . . . I like that. There’s definitely something magical about seeing someone perform live—like seeing a band create music out of thin air. Yes, that’s right. You know looking in the window of a nightclub and seeing a band and hearing it through the window is totally different that being on the other side of the window and being in the room and absorbing it. In both instances you’re hearing the music—you’re just hearing more when you’re on the other side of the glass because you’re sharing it with other people. And that’s basically, hopefully, what comedy is. You’re a legendary car and motorcycle collector. Do you have any favorites? Well if I had a favorite I wouldn’t
have so many cars. I like restoring cars—fixing them up—and I enjoy the mechanical process. You know, when you’re a comedian somebody thinks you’re funny, and somebody doesn’t. And they’re both right because it’s subjective. But when something’s broken . . . when an engine is apart and you put it together and you make it run people can’t say it’s not running. ’Cause, look it’s right there. It’s running. It’s a clear-cut, yes-or-no answer. ’Cause there are people who say, “Oh, I love Jay Leno,” and there are other people who say, “Oh, I can’t stand that guy, he sucks.” Well okay, I can’t argue with either one of them. You both have your own opinion and you’re both correct. But the guy who says I suck can’t say the car isn’t running, you know? Let me ask you a few current events questions. What do you think the biggest news story of the year has been so far for comedians? Hmm. There’s not just one, you know. The story changes every day. The gay rights thing is pretty good. You can [get] a lot out of that. Obviously conservative vs. liberal is really funny. There’s a lot of material there with Romney and Obama. It’s hard to pick one because yesterday’s jokes are just gone. They’re not funny at all because you did them yesterday. But anything involving men behaving badly. Everybody knows a brilliant, yet fatally flawed progressive congressman? Most people don’t know anyone who has nuclear weapons in their backyard or anything like that, but everybody knows a guy who behaves badly. The guy’s in a position of authority—it’s even better. c IN CONCERT Appearing at The Mirage Hotel Casino Nov. 23, and Feb, 8, April 12-13, June 14, Aug. 13 and Sept. 20, all 2013 dates.
Lighting Up A
Jay
In this interview for CULTURE, Jay Leno seemed pretty noncommittal to the medical cannabis cause (When pressed on the issue, he said, “Ah, I don’t care one way or the other. I mean anybody who wants marijuana can get it, so it’s not an issue I have any interest in.), but that hasn’t always been the case. Just two years ago, with pro-pot pundit Bill Maher (the cover boy for our January 2012 issue, by the way) as a guest, Leno did opine about efforts to legalize marijuana “Here’s my thing on the issue,” Leno told Maher in March 2010. “I’ve nothing against legalization.” Leno went on to say, “I say decriminalize it,” he told Maher. “But once you bring in Philip Morris, once it become a business, and advertising and all that nonsense starts . . . If you want to grow it in your backyard and you want to smoke it, you get it from your friend, that’s fine. I just don’t want to see it in stores and don’t want to see the guy saying [mimicking a television commercial pitchman], ‘This is the best high you’ll ever have.’”
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destination unknown
By David Jenison
Final Countdown? Over 3,000 years before cannabis probably helped inspire the Book of Revelation, the Mayan calendar began its long count to the 21st of December 2012. On that day, the calendar ends . . . some say so does the world. If you enjoyed partying like it’s 1999, imagine the Mundo Maya parties as the 5,125year calendar counts down its final hours. Sure, anthropologists say the local governments are whoring out their sacred sites to irreverent tourists, but if the Mayans didn’t want a party, why did they schedule doomsday for a Friday night? If you’re prime to act like a Mayaniac, here are the five best places to do it. Palenque, Mexico
Do you save your old Phish ticket stubs or remember when Burning Man was free? If so, Palenque should be your new second home. This jungle-clad town boasts magic mushrooms in the fields and locals who smoke scorpion tails. Early birds can board the Space Mother Ship: Popul Vuh party (Dec. 14-16), but everyone else can turn on, tune out and drop fungi at the Mayan temples.
Copán Ruinas, Honduras
As early as last year, the Honduran government promoted Copán as the place to be in 2012. At present, the tourist-hungry locals are unhappy with the lack of largescale events, but that certainly makes the city more appealing to culture seekers. The so-called “Athens of the Maya world” is rich in architectural splendor, and local attractions include the Mayan-themed Luna Jaguar Spa Resort.
Riviera Maya, Mexico
The tourist mobs invading Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum will probably make the locals hope this really is the end. Spring break is about to look tame on the Yucatán
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A Mayan Party 5,125 Years in the Making
Peninsula! With beautiful beachfront ruins, Tulum will host the Mayan Holidaze party and the 48-hour Time and Space Festival, while Cancún can expect frat-house beer bonging by dudes in Quetzalcoatl tees. In Playa del Carmen, the UK’s Crosstown Rebels will host the Day Zero party with 24 straight hours of dance music at a lakeside Mayan temple. Break out the glow sticks!
San Ignacio, Belize
The Cayo District in Western Belize offers a celebration amidst vast forest, canoeready rivers, thunderous waterfalls and stunning caves. A special event is planned at the Xunantunich ruins, and jungle lodges like duPlooy’s offer Apocalypto specials. San Ignacio is also the reason why Guatemala didn’t make our list. Tourists visit the country’s breathtaking Tikal temples on daytrips from Flores, but San Ignacio also offers daytrips, and the Cayo is a more beautiful place to stay. In fact, the area has been called “a slice of Eden,” so why not end it all in a place reminiscent of where it all began.
Chichén Itzá, Mexico
In 2007, the towering El Castillo temple was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and it is the birthplace of the Mayan calendar. Make no mistake, this place is going to be NYE-in-NYC packed. Guatemalans and Salvadorans might complain that Mexico landed
Photos courtesy of the Mexico Tourism Board
three spots on this list while their countries got none, but Mexico simply produces better tourist-fleecing events. Speaking of which, the Synthesis 2012 party is a hippie-yuppie mashup with DJs, folk music, drum circles, a yoga village and a Friday night party at the temple. The event costs $500 a pop, but don’t be jealous if you can’t go. Chichén Itzá should be ground zero for a Mayan apocalypse, so take comfort in knowing these partiers will get lit up first. c
profiles in courage
WHY DID YOU START USING MEDICAL MARIJUANA? I started using MMJ because it minimizes the amount of pain killers and muscle relaxers that I’m usually supposed to take. My doctor’s prescribed daily dose is four hydrocodone/Norco, four tizanidine, one Norflex and one omeperazole, along with on Xanax and other psych meds.
Patient:
Majli Escobar
AGE: 29
Condition/ Illness:
DID YOU TRY OTHER METHODS OR TREATMENTS BEFORE MARIJUANA? I have tried treating my extreme anxiety with relaxation therapy upon request from my psychiatrist. I was also given numerous physical therapy and chiropractic sessions, which only took the edge off for the time being.
2009
Photo by Kristopher Christensen
Sprained neck and lower back, gastrointestinal problems, herniated discs, anxiety and depression
Using medical cannabis since:
Are you an MMJ patient from Michigan 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.
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR PROBLEM FACING MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS? The biggest issue we can face as MMJ patients is that somehow, even in the 21st century, we are still frowned upon for choosing to medicate naturally. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE? All I can say to those that are skeptical about using MMJ as a form of medication is, “Don’t knock it till you try it!” c
NOVEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 27
cool stuff Irie Nation T-Shirts Ever since Irie Nation Radio launched with a mission to expose any and all people to conscious reggae music, the positive vibrations have been echoing in the dancehall ever since. Show your pride by wearing one of these beefy Irie Nation T-shirts. They’re colorful, comfy and ital to your fashion sense. ($14.20-$20) www.irie.fm/shop
Scrips Concentrated Hemp CBD Extract Capsules Call it medical marijuana . . . like you’ve never seen it before. Made from CBD oil extracted naturally from the hemp plant, Scrips CBD capsules deliver powerful relief from anxiety, spasms, nausea and other ailments—but without any psychoactive effects (they’re THC-free). New and older patients, as well as those that want to skip the head change, have a new groundbreaking choice. ($22 for 2-pack, $230 for 30-pack, $420 for 60-pack) dixieelixirs.com
Cloud Vapez With all the vape pens flooding the market, Cloud made sure to design a vaporizer that stands head and shoulders above the rest. It’s advantages—besides being discrete and travel-friendly—include its ease of use (you’ll be medicating in 10 seconds flat) and—this is the dealmaker—you can refill it with your own medicine. Vape technology just underwent a major paradigm shift. ($75) cloudvapez.com
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By Aunt Sandy
With Veterans Day and Thanksgiving nearly upon us, CULTURE decided to give these holidays a special twist this month. Inspired by classic military grub (“chipped beef” or “shizzle on a shingle”) and opting for a creative use of Turkey Day leftovers, Aunt Sandy has come up with this innovative menu to share with our loved ones as the holidays approach.
Menu:
Beef Bourguignon Stew Sweet Pear Tamales Beer Nuts à la Cannabis Waldorf Salad Apple Cider Beer
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.
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Beef Bourguignon Stew MAKES 6 servings Families love to cook together for the holidays. Here is a yummy recipe they can make together and also give as an appetizing gift for Christmas! 3 cups Canna Butter* 12 small onions 2 lbs. of lean boneless stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 1/2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 pepper corns 1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon thyme Red wine 1/2 cup water 1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup cubed potatoes 1 cup sliced mushrooms Chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add 2 cups of Canna Butter to sauté pan. Peel and add onions. Remove onions and set aside. Add the stewing beef and sauté until light brown. Sprinkle meat with flour. Place all ingredients, including onions, in an ovenproof baking dish. Add salt, pepper corns, the bay leaf, garlic and thyme. Add enough liquid to cover the meat, using a 3:4 ratio of red wine to water. Cover and simmer for about two hours. To make the stew liquid, add water, 1 cup of Canna Butter, carrots, potatoes and mushrooms during the last hour of cooking.
Sweet Pear Tamales Makes 8 servings 8 large dried corn husks 1/2 cup Canna Butter* softened 2 cups masa flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 2 cups pear nectar 2 firm but ripe pears, peeled, pitted and diced Place corn husks in a large bowl of hot water. Place a plate on top to keep them submerged. Let stand for at least 15 minutes. Beat all remaining ingredients, except pear nectar and pears, in a large mixer bowl. Slowly beat in pear nectar, adding enough to make a fluffy masa dough, stir in pears. Drain husks and pat dry. Spread equal amounts of the masa dough down the center of each. Fold in the sides, then the pointed end of each husk. Place open side up in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Cover and steam for 1 hour. Best served immediately. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of brown sugar.
Waldorf Salad Makes 6 servings 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced apples 1 cup grapes, halved and seeded
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil**
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve NOVEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 31
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Apple Cider Beer
1 ounce of Cannabis Infused Simple Syrup***, chilled 2 ounces of apple cider, chilled 5 ounces of your favorite beer, chilled In an 8-ounce glass, pour and mix all ingredients. Thirst quenching!
Beer Nuts à la Cannabis 1 can beer nuts 1/2 cup Canna Butter* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour beer nuts onto a cookie sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush Canna Butter all over nuts. Place in the oven for 4 minutes. Remove and repeat process a second time. Cool and serve as an appetizer.
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.
Cannabis Simple Syrup*** 1/2 oz cannabis buds 1 cup sugar 1 cup water In a saucepan, sauté the buds in sugar and water over medium heat for 20 minutes. Strain the buds. Pour the remaining green-colored syrup into a glass container. Let it cool and refrigerate. Pour over fruit or fruit salad and let the syrup fully absorb.
Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil** 1 cup olive oil 1 1/4 ounces low to average quality dried leaf marijuana 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.
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.
NOVEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 33
entertainment reviews Until the Quiet Comes Flying Lotus Warp Records Until the Quiet Comes is an electronic jazz journey that confirms the literal Coltrane DNA running through FlyLo’s veins. On his followup to 2010’s Cosmogramma, the artist-producer imagines musical dreamscapes with cascades of irregular drumbeats, fuzzy basslines and atmospheric tones. The album paints an ethereal setting yet embraces motion, tension and texture. Psychedelic touches move the music between a dream and a trip, but the shifts are smooth and emotive. Guest vocalists—Erykah Badu and Thom Yorke— add fragile nuance to tracks without overpowering them or trying to create a radio single. More jazz than hip-hop, Until the Quiet Comes could be the score to Inception if it were a silent film. Critics, hipsters and yoga gurus gush over FlyLo like tween girlies at a One Direction concert, but don’t hold it against him. His freeform expressions are more urban-Paris chic than Starbucks-barista crusty. (David Jenison)
Cannabis Indica Vol. 2: The Essential Guide to the World’s Finest Marijuana Strains S.T. Oner Green Candy Press Once again, the bud brainiacs behind Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Sativa have ushered in a whole new reference work that’s worth its weight in Acapulco Gold (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun). Cannabis Indica Vol. 2 comes jam-packed with detailed descriptions of some of the most lung-expanding, visually stunning examples of God’s perfect plant. Offering tidbits of advice for growers (Cherry Hemingway can explode with 10 feet of growth if cultivated outside), but also providing helpful suggestions to the medically infirm (Cripit is excellent for strong pain relief and fighting nausea), this is a well-rounded book whose cumulative info is only surpassed by its stunning full-page photography. Whether you’re patient or just a cannasseur, let’s hope this witty reference book lands on your coffee table soon Highly recommended. (Matt Tapia).
Clearing the Smoke: The Science of Cannabis Montana PBS Dir. Anna Rau Governor Romney put the bull’s eye on Sesame Street, but Big Bird wouldn’t be the only casualty of a defunded Public Broadcasting Service. Last year, PBS Montana produced Clearing the Smoke, arguably one of the best modern documentaries on cannabis science. Many people roll their eyes when longhaired hippies talk about medicinal benefits, but this documentary looks to the doctors, researchers and scientists doing the actual lab tests on how cannabis’s unique chemical compounds affect the brain and body. The latest studies show potential to treat some of the worst diseases, including cancer, yet the government inexplicably goes out of its way to hinder further research. The documentary also shares personal stories of cannabis-related relief, which reminds viewers of all the suffering that takes place while Capitol Hill plays political games. This is the perfect DVD for that skeptic in your life. (David Jenison)
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Pretty Lights in concert
The lights aren’t going to be any prettier than the Lights that will be brightening up the Compuware Arena later than this month. Derek Smith a.k.a. Pretty Lights is bringing his Illumination Tour to Michigan for what promises to be a smorgasbord of bass dropping wattage and eye-searing laser showcases. Old-school beats and funky samples stacked atop synth squiggles and dubstep twists might not seem to go together . . . but the renowned digital sample-surgeon makes it all work. PL might call his type of tunes “Electro Hip-Hop Soul” but we’ll just describe his setlist as one comprised of “Digi-Funky Beats.” If the Chemical Brothers’ clubby bombast was cross-bred with Break Science’s (a Smith label mate) sonic sampledelia, you might get a sense of what a night spent shaking that boo-tay to Pretty Lights’ glitch-vintage muse feels like. And in true form, Smith will make his music available for download just prior to the show—you know, to keep fans up to date and free to enjoy his tracks without visiting that pesky ATM for more Andrew Jacksons. Just tip your artist with a small donation, too, to keep the music flowing. (Derek Obregon)
IF YOU GO
What: Pretty Lights in concert. When/Where: Nov. 17 at Compuware Arena, 14900 N. Beck Rd., Plymouth. Info: The show is general admission and 16+. Visit compuwarearena.com.
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event listings Our picks for the coolest things to see and do around town. Royal Drummers & Dancers of Burundi, Nov. 4
Indulge yourself in the cadence of ancient Burundi wisdom, passed down through generations of drummers and dancers. Feel radiating energy from the drummers’ technical rhythmic performances, complete with leaping, dancing and other visually stunning tricks—they make twirling drumsticks in the air and around their necks look effortless. Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University, Lansing www.whartoncenter.com
Matisyahu in concert, Nov. 8
Releasing his first album back in 2004 as a proud Hasidic Jew— complete with a full beard that would make the Whiskers Wars dudes jealous—the image of Matisyahu was original and confusing at the same time. Eight years later and with the release of his new album, Spark Seeker, fans are shocked with the artist’s decision to shave off his beard. You’ll get your chance to investigate if his message of truth remains the same. EMU Pease Auditorium, Ypsilanti www.blindpigmusic.com
guide to our advertisers ANN ARBOR Ann Arbor Wellness Collective. 734-929-2602 Arborside. 734-213-1420 Green Bee Collective. 734-929-2553 OM of Medicine. 734-369-8255 BURTON Hemphill Wellness Center. 810-820-3812 Meme’s Green Dream. 810-234-8100 DETROIT Helping Hand Holistic Center. 313-733-6693 FLINT The Green Bean. 810-232-4400 We Grow Education Center & Collective. 209-200-1849 MONTROSE Your Choice Meds. 810-639-6331 WATERFORD Metro Detroit Compassion Club. 248-618-7302 YPSILANTI CannaCure. 734-484-1990 Depot Town Dispensary. 734-340-2941
PRODUCTS & SERVICES American Medical Marijuana Association/AMMA. www.amma-usa.com Beste’s Lawn and Patio Supply. www.besteshydroponics.com Cannabis Attorneys of Mid-Michigan. www.cannabisatto ryneysofmidmichigan.com Cloud Vaporizer. www.gotvape.com Cones. www.smokecones.com Galactic Gardens. Flint. 810-922-6643 Iron Laboratories. www.ironlabsllc.com JD Lightings Hydroponic. www.jd-lightings.com Hydro Kare. Flint. 810-407-8120 Kush Bottles. www.kushbottles.com MedHead. Edibles. www.mimedhead.com Medical Marijuana Supplies. www.420Packaging.com Michigan Organic Solutions. Flint. 810-820-8953 Northern Lights Hydroponics & Garden Supply. www.northernlightshydro.net THC Jobs. www.thcjobs.com
Kathy Griffin in concert, Nov. 9
Though her show on Bravo, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, garnered the actress-comedian a cult-like, LGBT-friendly fanbase, those in the know can recall when she was just a supporting member of the Suddenly Susan cast during the late ’90s. She’s funny, she’s raunchy and she’s been banned from The View—but not here in Detroit! Fox Theatre, Detroit www.olympiaentertainment.com
Metalocalypse: Dethklok, Nov. 10
Metalocalypse from Cartoon’s Network’s Adult Swim programming brings a lot more to the table than just animated dark humor each night. If you’re familiar with the cartoon that follows the wildly famous metal band, Dethklok, you’ll be pleased as punch to see a real-life incarnation. This won’t be the first time, surely, you’ve wished cartoon characters could come to life. The Fillmore Detroit, Detroit www.thefillmoredetroit.com
Michigan Food, Beer & Wine Festival, Nov. 10-11
Come for the savory samples of Michigan’s food, beer and wine presented by Country Smoke House and Townsquare Media. Stay for the exciting games, live music and educational seminars—or you can choose to hang around for more gourmet meats and specialty brews. Either way we won’t judge you. Perani Arena & Event Center, Flint www.wcrz.com
Compiled by Jamie Solis
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Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird LEAD STORIES
; For September’s Digital Design Weekend at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, artists Michiko Nitta and Michael Burton commissioned soprano Louise Ashcroft to sing, altering pitch and volume while wearing a face mask made of algae. According to the artists, since algae’s growth changes with the amount and quality of carbon dioxide it receives, Ashcroft’s voice, blowing CO2 against the algae, should vary the growth’s “taste” as to bitterness or sweetness. After the performance, the audience sampled the algae at various stages and apparently agreed. The artists said they were demonstrating how biotechnology could transform organisms.
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
; Jordan and Bryan Silverman’s start-up venture, Star Toilet Paper, distributes rolls to public restrooms in restaurants, stadiums and other locations absolutely free—because the brothers have sold ads on each sheet. (Company slogan: “Don’t rush. Look before you flush.”) Jordan, with 50 advertisers enlisted so far, told the Detroit Free Press in August that he came up with the idea, of course, while sitting on the can at the University of Michigan library. ; First-World Problems: After an international trade association reported that women bought 548 million pairs of shoes in 2011 (not even counting those used exclusively for sports), the manufacturer Nine West has decided to start its own cable TV channel with programming on “various aspects of footwear,” according to an August New York Times report. 38 CULTURE • NOVEMBER 2012
Programs will feature celebrities rhapsodizing about their favorite pair, women who hoard shoes (purchasing many more than they know they’ll ever wear even one time), tips on developing one’s stiletto-walking skills and shoe closet designs. It’s about a “conversation,” said a Nine West executive, “not about a shoe.”
LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS
; Scorpion antivenom made in Mexico sells in Mexico for about $100 a dose, but for a while over the last year, the going rate in the emergency room of the Chandler (Ariz.) Regional Medical Center was $39,652 a dose, charged to Marcie Edmonds, who was stung while opening a box of air-conditioner filters in June. She received two doses by IV and was released after three hours, to later find a co-pay bill of $25,537 awaiting her (with her Humana plan picking up $57,509), according to the Arizona Republic newspaper. The Republic found that Arizona hospitals retailed it for between $7,900 and $12,467 per dose—except for Chandler. Following the newspaper’s report, Chandler decided to re-price the venom at $8,000 a dose, thus eating a $31,652 “loss.” ; Among the least-important effects of last summer’s drought in the Midwest: Officials overseeing the annual Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw said there would be fewer high-quality cow patties. Said chairperson Ellen Paulson: “When it’s hot, the cows don’t eat as much. And what was produced, they just dried up too quick.” A few patties had been saved from the 2011 competition, but, she said, “It’s not like you can go out and buy them.”
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