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departments 6 Letter from the Editor Diversity makes us strong, our culture keeps us strong.
8 News Nuggets
16
Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere— and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers.
13 Legal Corner Vape rules, regulations and trends—San Diego attorney Lance Rogers helps sift through the smoke.
14 Strain & Edible Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains & edibles currently provided by your friendly neighborhood collective.
20 Destination Unknown Spanish Barcelona offers great art, culture, history and so much more.
features
21 Profiles in Courage
Hot, young hip-hop sensation Mac Miller is on fire!
10 All Wrapped Up We cover all the latest in San Diego MMJ news.
Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical cannabis patient.
ON THE COVER: Photo by Ian Wolfson
12 Miracle Man
22 Cool Stuff
Stan Rutner beats cancer— thanks to MMJ.
From iPhone macro lenses to surfboards and Hisptirs, if it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it.
24 Recipes Easy and Delicious—ease into Fall with these tasty dishes and dips.
26 shooting gallery Here are the green-friendly things we saw you doing around town.
28 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture. 4 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
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SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 5
letter from the editor
Vol 5 IssUE 3
CULTURE Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
Editor-In-Chief
www.iReadCulture.com
Evan Senn
Arts & Entertainment Editor Ashley Bennett
Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Jake Browne, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Carolina Duque, Charmie Gholson, Michael Gifford, James P. Gray, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Meital Manzuri, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Keller O’Malley, Denise Pollicella, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Arrissia Owen, RJ Villa, Simon Weedn
Photographers
Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, Eric Fowler, John Gilhooley, Amanda Holguin, Seneca Knight, Khai Le, David Elliot Lewis, Kim Sidwell
Interns
Dulce Balandran, Kim Johnson, Derek Obregon
Art Director
Steven Myrdahl
Pride and Passion In the face of adversity, our diversity gives us strength
T
he revolution of cannabis and the struggle to access our freedoms is evolving. There are stories in our newspapers, online and on television every day on how cannabis is helping the world. Dr. Sanjay Gupta came out on one of the most credible news channels in the world and explained how he was wrong for misjudging the benefit of cannabis as a medical option. A fiveyear-old girl in Colorado finally gets relief from her incredibly frequent and intense seizures, and another man’s cancer is cured—all thanks to the natural relief of cannabis. Illinois has also recently become the 21st state in the U.S. to legalize medical cannabis. The world is changing every day, and it is important to keep up with it. Here at CULTURE, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of this revolution. With change there is, of course, some trepidation— the future is uncertain. But, the best of best roll with the punches, and adapt. I have faith in the people of this great nation, and given time, I believe the people will make sure our government’s legislature reflect the opinions of the people it serves, and cannabis will be accepted. Good things happen when you
Director of Sales & Marketing Jim Saunders
Regional Manager Beau Odom
open your eyes and mind to diverse views of the world; when you celebrate what makes people live well. Living well can mean something different for everyone. Regardless of our differences of race/ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, political affiliation, as a community we welcome diversity. A culture of inclusion and support makes a stronger community. And thus a stronger humanity. As CULTURE’s first female Editor-In-Chief, I want to take this time to remind us about what makes America so spectacular, in the first place—its diversity and its adaptability. I am proud to continue in this tradition of great journalism, up to the minute news, entertainment and amazing original content in the nation’s #1 cannabis lifestyle magazine, as we lead this revolution to freedom and compassion. I hope that this will remind you of what makes us strong, and an even stronger community—a symbol of our pride and passion. CULTURE, it’s our lifestyle.
Sincerely, Evan A. Senn
Editor-In-Chief
6 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Graphic Designers
Vidal Diaz, Tommy LaFleur
Office Manager Iris Norsworthy
Office Assistant Jamie Solis
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Account Executives
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IT Manager
Serg Muratov
Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes 20,000 papers at over 500 locations throughout San Diego. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark of Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. 3047 University Ave | #202 San Diego | California | 92014 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 951.284.2596 www.iREADCULTURE.com
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THE STATE During a summit in San Diego the former city mayor Bob Filner and U.S. attorney Laura Duffy came face to face over enforcement issues surrounding medical cannabis The two officials have been disagreeing over the issue of cultivation and distribution of medical cannabis in San Diego. The summit included law enforcement, healthcare and education officials alongside former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), who publicly battled addiction during his terms in Congress. Kennedy spoke to the local media saying “I literally think if you can bring the U.S. Attorney’s office, the mayor’s office and local political leaders here together, this could be a real win. Not only for San Diego, but for the rest of the country.” The current of “Smart Approaches to Cannabis”, a nonprofit bipartisan organization that researches standardizing and regulating medical cannabis, Kennedy emphasizes a new model for San Diego to address all concerns surrounding medical cannabis. Filner wishes to enforce a more strict regulation on prescriptionbased cannabis, while Duffy is pushing for community involvement to make decisions. Other issues include the possible backlash of taxing cannabis, as taxes from tobacco and alcohol cover only 10% of society’s costs, according to NBC San Diego. 8 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Gulf War veteran sues San Diego after medical cannabis bust leads to lost custody of children
San Diego couple loses custody of two children after cannabis use. Michael Lewis, a Gulf-War veteran, and his wife Lauren Taylor are suing San Diego County after their two young children were taken by Child Services for one year, according to the New York Daily News. Lewis claims that his time in the war exposed him to chemical weapons, leaving him with excruciating migraines. The veteran applied for a medical cannabis prescription to deal with the pain. On August 5, 2011 the police received a tip that the couple was running an illegal daycare center at their home exposing children to cannabis. After investigation, it was clear that although a daycare center was not being facilitated, cannabis was present at the home in proximity of their two children, ages two and four. Lewis assured officers that the cannabis was obtained legally through a prescription and his children were never exposed to it. Three days later police returned to the home and removed the children to the Polinsky Center, a shelter for abused children in San Diego. Lewis and Taylor are suing seven officers and the City of Coronado for civil rights violations,
battery, false imprisonment and negligence. Lewis claims that the police butchered his character, making claims that the veteran was a drug dealer and a danger to his children.
THE NATION
begin working on obtaining signatures in an attempt to gain a spot on the 2014 ballot. ARM, as well as various other pro-medical cannabis collectives, are gearing up in preparation of the 2014 Arkansas vote. The group needs 62,507 signatures to be eligible. Medical cannabis efforts soldier on without Congress’ help. Illinois joins 19 other U.S. states in its acknowledgement of cannabis as a therapeutic product, containing medicinal values. Once the law is fully put into practice, it will be among the dozen states that license the production and dispensing of medical cannabis. It should be noted, two states—Washington and Colorado—are in the process of licensing the commercial production and sale for recreational purposes, according to The Daily Caller. It kind of goes without saying, but times are changing. Whether or not federal law will catch up with the changing of times soon is still in question.
Business symposium To focus on legalization of medical cannabis Arkansas voters could see multiple proposals to legalize medical cannabis on ballots
Residents of Arkansas may be seeing the phrase “medical cannabis” on their ballots more than once in the coming months, according to the Kansas City Star. Recently, a measure from a group called Arkansas for Responsible Medicine (ARM) inched their way closer to state voters when Attorney General Dustin McDaniel certified its popular name and ballot title. The ARM organization can now
Huge possibilities await the cannabis industry in the coming years. In Illinois alone, the NCIA suggest 1,000 new jobs generated due to the
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recent legalization of medical cannabis. These jobs include a demand for individuals who can produce and package products like lotions and lozenges for patients uninterested in inhaling cannabis, as well as opportunities for people involved in accounting who can specialize in cannabis revenues. The list continues adding software providers, insurance providers as well as attorneys all being reputable fields in demand by the cannabis industry.
to the BBC. Chances look highly promising for the President’s approval, as the initiative to legalize cannabis wasn’t spearheaded by activists—but by the President himself. Upon its approval, Uruguay will be the first country in the world to fully legalize the growing, selling and recreational use of cannabis.
Guards
THE WORLD
by Hito Steyerl
Uruguay has taken a leap to legalize cannabis
Uruguay’s president has taken a huge leap in favor of cannabis. A bill to legalize cannabis has been passed by the House of Representatives and is expected to be approved by the Senate and signed off by President Jose Mujica, according
by the numbers
1
The amount of cannabis (in pounds) found hidden amongst a recent shipment of liquid fabric softener coming into San Diego from Mexico: 2,000 (Source: San Diego Union Tribune)
2
Number of San Diego Medical Cannabis Task Force leaders who signed a letter urging the City Council to ammend the medical-cannabis ordinance: 4 (Source: San Diego City Beat)
and put into state custody for no feasible reason other than the presence of cannabis in the home: 1 (Source: San Francisco Chronicle)
6
The amount of mature and immature plants a medical cannabis patient is authorized to have at any given moment according to California state law: 6 and 12 (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
9
The percentage of studies solely focusing on the beneficial effects of cannabis, as calculated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta: 6 (Source: Fox News)
10
Amount it costs (in dollars) to produce a pound of “pharmaceutical grade” cannabis vs. its value at retail price: 1,000 vs. 7,500 (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
11
Percent of surveyed physicians who would approve the use of medical cannabis for a woman suffering from pain related to breast cancer: 76 (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
3
Amount of money San Diego resident Walden Keyes invested into the Mission Beach Collective to “help people like his parents who rely on medical cannabis:” $40,000 (Source: Fox News)
12
Percent of Americans who say the federal government should not enforce anti-cannabis laws in states that have opted for a new approach: 64 (Source: San Diego City Beat)
4
7
Number of jobs the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) foresees will be generated due to the legalization of medical cannabis in Illinois: 1,000 (Source: NCIA)
The percent of people who are in favor of making medical cannabis legal, as seen in recent ABC News-Washington Post poll: 81 (Source: USA Today)
5
8
14
Number of websites managed by HempMedsPx, a company spearheading and coordinating the standardization of the cannabis industry in regards to marketing and promotion: 2,300 (Source: The Wall Street Journal) Approximate time (in years) the two and four-year-old children of a San Diego medical cannabis patient were taken
The average percent range of roadway fatalities dropped within the first year of medical cannabis legalization in a state: 8 to 11 (Source: The Boston Globe)
13
The percent of total global hemp fiber produced in China: 51 (Source: www.ipsnews.net)
What do you get when you merge officers of the law with our revered cultural treasures? A film that’s way better than Night at the Museum, that’s for sure. Berlinbased filmmaker and writer Hito Steyerl often dabbles with video essays, which often include recorded video, event reenactments and first-person voiceovers. From these inspirations she made a correlation with men from military and law enforcement backgrounds and the security guards who keep watch over cultural treasures of museums. The 20-minute short film Guards follows the patrol of various officers, walking the quiet halls of a gallery while recalling memories of their past combat experiences. One particular individual featured in this film, Ron Hicks, currently works as a security guard for the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego. Hicks proudly reenacts a stakeout he once worked on while on a Special Reaction Team as a Federal Police Officer. Now that’s some artistic dedication!
IF YOU GO
What: Guards by Hito Steyerl. When/Where: Thru Dec. 8. Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 1100 & 1001 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Info: Admission is $10. Check out www.mcasd.org for more info. SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 9
FLASH
San Diego Cannabis Wrap Up The Good, the Bad and the By RJ Villa
Lighter Side
The Good . . .
This summer, the publicly traded San Diego based Medical Marijuana Inc. and CanChew Biotechnologies (OTC PINK: MJNA) began moving forward with MedChewRX, a combination CBD/THC gum that will be sold and marketed as a pharmaceutical drug. CanChew Biotechnologies focuses on the treatment of pain and other medical disorders with the application of chewing gum-based cannabis/cannabinoid medical products. It’s anticipated to take approximately three years of clinical trials to get Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency approval for MedChewRX.
The Bad . . .
San Diego Americans for Safe Access reported a few stories last month that are showing that our local courthouse has started taking a hardened stance against the rights of MMJ patients. Judge Peter Gallagher reiterated in court that federal law trumps state law on the issue of medical cannabis by way of the Supremacy Clause in the US Constitution. Victor Marion was found guilty by Gallagher at bench trial earlier this year for manufacturing concentrated cannabis. His attorney Lance Rogers will appeal the verdict and file a motion to release Marion on bail while his appeal is pending. In another case, attorneys Rogers and Logan Fairfax argued that their clients’ right to privacy was violated when Sheriffs flew over their property, spotted a small cannabis garden and then lied to a judge about the size of it in order to file for the search warrant. Dennis and Deborah Little are seriously ill medical cannabis patients. Last year the Narcotics Task Force raided the Littles’ home, which resulted in charges of felony cultivation and felony possession of marijuana with intent to sell. Rogers informed David M. Rubin, the judge who signed the warrant and
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also heard the arguments to quash and traverse it, that Deputy Matt Stevens misrepresented the size of the garden. Stevens failed to investigate whether the Littles were legal patients and did not utilize his own department’s resources to ascertain if the Littles had a permit through the San Diego County Sherriff’s medical marijuana regulation program. Prosecutor George Lloyd stated it is not the job of law enforcement or the District Attorney’s (DA) office to determine if the law has been broken. Lloyd claimed that all medical cannabis cases must go before a jury and that is where guilt or innocence should be decided. This shows us that the agenda of DA Bonnie Dumanis is still to convict ill patients and to use tax payers dollars to fill the court with medical cannabis cases, against public opinion.
The Lighter Side . . .
Medical cannabis attorney, Mark Bluemel has been a busy man defending the rights of MMJ patients. San Diego Chapter of Americans For Safe Access reported only days after the Tim O’Shea case was dismissed in state court in the interest of justice. Bluemel announced that in the federal arena, charges were dropped against his clients, Gary Maddox, the landlord and co-defendant in the Ronnie Chang case. Maddox’s office was raided in 2011 along with Chang’s collective. The federal government wanted to seize the property because Maddox had rented it to Chang to be used as a MMJ collective, even though the act is legal under California state law. As the case against Maddox went on the US prosecutors offered him a deal to plead guilty to a crime he did not commit and forfeit his property or go to prison for up to five years. The Maddox family is happy that the charges have been dropped and are hoping the same courtesies will be extended to Chang. As the sole defendant in this case, Chang remains in federal custody where he has been for almost two years. c
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BUZZ A CULTURE Magazine EXCLUSIVE
Cannabis Cures
Cancer Stan and Barb Rutner say cannabis
saved their lives By Roberto C. Hernandez
Stan and Barb Rutner are no strangers to cancer. The married couple, both in their 70’s, have run into it before. It struck Stan in the lungs first. Manifesting as a persistent cough, a doctor later revealed cancerous nodes in the lungs were the real culprits. As if that wasn’t enough of a blow, doctors later discovered worse news for Stan: brain cancer. Like before, the Rutners were able to successfully battle—and beat—cancer. But this time, they turned to a less invasive, more permanent treatment and solution—medical cannabis. CULTURE spoke with Stan, Barb, their daughter Corinne and her husband John about this intense and life changing experience with cannabis. While cancer is a very serious disease, both of your previous bouts with it provided you with some great perspective, correct? Stan: While it was taken very seriously, there was also an element of “Here we go again.” Barb: With both Stan and I, since we’ve been through cancer so much, cancer has become kind of business as usual. You know? Stan: We’ve got another chore to do, or another wheelbarrow full of dirt to carry up. You know it was just a job to do and that was all we concentrated on. Stan’s health and quality of life began to decline, even with treatment in full swing. Barb: He was wiped out. He was very thin. After radiation to his brain, he got radiation pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs due to radiation therapy), so pneumonia. [T]here were three hospital visits, and on the third they kept him for a week and started him on oxygen 24/7. And then he went into palliative care. With little options left to try, Stan and Barb’s daughter
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Corinne and her husband John started thinking outside the box. Barb: Corinne suggested a cannabis capsule infused with coconut oil; they’re yellow capsules that he started taking. He started taking those in early November of 2011 and he took, in the beginning, about a third of a capsule in the morning, and it was just about a week or two later that he was able
to give up the extra oxygen that he had had 24/7. Barb, you’ve told me before how stark and significant the changes were in Stan as a result of his use of medicinal cannabis. Barb: At one point, he was using a walker and then gradually he was able to help with a move, and loading a pickup truck. Now he walks up stairs, does exercise classes and doesn’t get out of breath. He takes a nap most afternoons, but his strength is so much better than it was. It’s remarkable. Eventually, after several months, a brain scan came back negative. No cancer. Same for the lungs? Barb: On January 27, 2013 we received the results of Stan’s brain MRI in an email from his oncologist, stating simply: “IMPRESSION: No evidence of recurrent disease.” The lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain in the
summer of 2011 (and nearly taken his life) was GONE! The doctors call him a miracle man. We are deeply grateful to his “team” of doctors, friends and family, but we’ll always believe that cannabis turned the tide. Stan and Barb Rutner
{Corinne and her husband John on Stan’s experience} Looking back, are you convinced that cannabis works as an anticancer medicine? Corinne: I’m 100 percent, no question, that his brain tumor is gone because of the cannabis oil. John: There is no doubt in my mind that cannabis pulled my father-in-law out of the wasting stages of cancer and enabled him to gain strength and in turn fight this horrible cell malfunction with success. While many would say that the chemo and radiation could have played a part, he would never have lived long enough to find out without cannabis oil. c
Corinne Rutner and John Malanca were so inspired by cannabis’ purported ability to treat—and cure—cancer, they started United Patients Group, an organization and web reference site devoted to sharing information and resources about medical cannabis to those looking for answers. www.unitedpatientsgroup.com
Photos by John Gilhooley
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legal corner
By Lance Rogers, Esq.
Clearing the Air On the Growing
Vaporizer Industry
T
here is a smoking revolution going on throughout the country, as people throw away their packs of Marlboro Reds in exchange for e-cigarettes. However, these devices are not just being used by tobacco smokers. Both aromatherapy aficionados and medical cannabis patients are fueling what may be the next billion dollar industry. In this article, we will look at three common uses for vaporizers or e-cigarettes and some of the legal issues surrounding these particular uses.
Essential Oils
The use of vaporizers for the consumption of essential oils is becoming more and more popular. Essential oil is the concentrated liquid or “essence” of a plant such as sandalwood or lavender which is extracted from the plant itself. The oil can be used as a perfume for aromatherapy purposes or inhaled for recreational or therapeutic purposes. Those businesses that sell devices specifically designed for the consumption of essential oils do not face as many legal hurdles as other vaporizer devices and should therefore follow similar business practices as other retail establishments with one important consideration. Businesses should be extremely cautious when making any medical or therapeutic claims regarding the efficacy of essential oil treatment. Such claims may cause the devices to be considered “medical devices” under either state or federal law and may also expose the manufacturer and retailer to tort liability for making unsubstantiated medical claims.
Liquid Nicotine
Over the past few years, more and more people have been switching from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes for consuming liquid nicotine. Although there is currently little data on the long-term effects of using e-cigarettes, it is generally alleged that they are less dangerous than traditional cigarettes because users do not inhale the harmful carcinogens that are produced from burning plant material. With the amount of state taxes levied on cigarettes, e-cigarettes can also be more cost effective for consumers. Last, the liquid vapor produced by ecigarettes does not create the same odor of smoke as traditional cigarettes so people who vape are able to do so in places that traditional cigarettes are
banned, such as restaurants, bars, and other common areas. As of the date of this article, the California State Legislature was debating Senate Bill 648, which would prohibit using e-cigarettes in those places where smoking is currently prohibited. The stated intent of the draft legislation is to regulate electronic cigarettes in the same manner as tobacco products.
Concentrated Medical Cannabis
The business activity most fraught with legal risk is the production and sales of devices specifically designed, marketed and/or used for the consumption of medical cannabis. Paradoxically, these devices may be the most beneficial use for vaporizers in that they help seriously ill individuals use cannabis for medical purposes without the risk of consuming harmful carcinogens. A common criticism of medical cannabis is that the smoking process itself is unhealthy regardless of the medical benefits. Vaporizing is a solution to that problem. Despite the complex patchwork of legal and regulatory requirements, the vaporizer industry is booming. Those entrepreneurs interested in investing in a new vape business should structure their business model in a manner that mitigates overall risk as much as possible. c
Lance Rogers is an attorney licensed to practice in California and Federal courts. The Law Offices of Lance Rogers, APC is a full-service law firm in San Diego with expertise in business litigation, corporate law, criminal defense and civil rights litigation. www.lrogerslaw.com.
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strain & edible reviews
Master Yoda Cocoa-N-Cream White Chocolate Bar by Dank Grasshopper At Nature’s Alternative you can find Master Yoda Cocoa-N-Cream White Chocolate Bar by Dank Grasshopper. It is a mouthwatering white chocolate bar infused with quality medication. The Master Yoda strain is a cross between OG Kush and Master Kush, providing the pain relief properties of an indica and the uplifting effects of a sativa. A subtle suggestion of vanilla in the white chocolate sets the stage for the raw organic cocoa nibs. It is a powerful blend of dietary fiber, magnesium, iron, phenylethylamine “focused and alert,” anandamide “the bliss molecule,” theobromine “dilates the blood vessels” and antioxidants “absorbing the free radicals.” Raw cocoa is also known to have mood improving attributes that stimulate the brain to release particular neurotransmitters that can trigger emotions. The Master Yoda Cocoa-N-Cream White Chocolate Bar is available in 80 mg and 160 mg. “Do or do not . . . there is no try.”
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Firewalker OG Mari-Medic Farmacy in Pacific Beach helps you handle a great disturbance in the Force with their strain of Firewalker OG. This Fire OG and Skywalker hybrid strain is the best of both worlds that offers both body and cerebral effects. The nugs are dark green in color like the surface of the Endor moon, with a large amount of red hairs. The flavor has more of an OG taste to it, attributed to the heavy hitting OG Kush and San Fernando Valley OG parents from the Fire OG side. It smokes with good lung expansion; clean, piney and sharp. Firewalker OG is an indica dominant strain that instantly relaxes the body, helping alleviate stress and anxiety. The Skywalker in the strain keeps you alert and able to function throughout the effects, making this a really good daytime medication. You can go about your business on this strain and move along . . . move along.
Medicated PB At Medicated Collective in Pacific Beach, you can find their signature strain Medicated PB. The P in this strain comes from her Master Kush and Afghani parents. The B in this strain comes from its Bubble Gum and Kush parents. This combination of well respected parent strains make Medicated PB’s flavor and effects an overpowering delight of the senses. The effects first begin in the head, eventually settling in a relaxing body effect. The flowers tight and dense indica structured nugs have a light green coloration, with a healthy collection of orange hairs peeking out from behind the frosted sugar leaves. Breaking open a nug of Medicated PB and it gives off an almost candied-sugary smell. Its smoke matches the smell, a very sweet and juicy bubblegum taste. The cerebral effects coupled with the body make this strain perfect for treating arthritis, migraines, muscle spasms and nausea. 14 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
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Photo by Ian Wolfson
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The music Mac Miller makes has the seriously cool spirit you only get growing up fast on the city streets. If you lacked a proper electrical source you could keep everything in your icebox chilled by plugging it in to Mac Miller’s latest album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, an audio joy ride full of spine-vibrating bass, kick-ass lyrics and the kind of beats that can make driving fast and cool on any highway in America easy. Culture was fortunate to talk to Mac Miller about life in the success lane as he tours from city to city in support of his latest and greatest creation, Watching Movies with the Sound Off. Born Malcolm James McCormick in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the young hip hop artist released But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy in 2007 at the tough age of 15. Shortly thereafter he signed up with Rostrum Records and released a series of mixtapes that proved that the powerhouse from Penn state had the potential to easily knock down other hip hop heavyweights with stunning grooves and hard-hitting lines that belied his youth and revealed and man who knew how to handle a mic for any crowd, anywhere. In 2011, the young musician unveiled his first LP, Blue Slide Park, a certified gold album that hasn’t stopped gaining fame since it hit the web. His second LP, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, released just a couple months ago, in June 2013, has taken his career to a whole new creative stratosphere.
Mac Miller is the kind of artist who isn’t afraid to talk about drugs, and what he has to say isn’t a simple yes or no. His answers possess a stark integrity which a person only gets after walking up and down that particular road, and it isn’t always fun. Does the mighty Mac Miller care about cannabis? In a conversation with online music journalist AndPop, the artist spoke honestly when asked about what him and his friends talk about when he uses cannabis. “When we get high we talk about, fuck, big, prolific shit,” Mac Miller says. “When I’m high with my homies, we always talk about deep shit … conspiracy theories and religion craziness, science . . . ” Mac Miller isn’t the first modern musician to confess to finding philosophy with the assistance of cannabis. Like most guys, when he smokes with his friends he’s serious about it. “We’re not dumb,” he says, describing some of the deep talks he’s had while medicating. “We don’t just talk about bitches and alcohol and weed, man. We have thoughts.” When Mac Miller raps about cannabis, he’s just talking about life in his particular big city. That’s what his lyrics are all about. “It’s just about everyday life. That’s what we try to do. We try to talk about what we do every day. So if we’re smoking a lot of weed every day, then we’re going to rap about smoking a lot of weed every day. But I just bring a message of positivity that can speak to as many people as possible.” SEptember 2013 • CULTURE 17
career, and he really knows my style so it’s easy to put together.
Although you are still a very independent artist, the work you have done has already given you some serious fame and fortune. At this point in your career, after everything you’ve done, what is the most important thing to you? Well I think it’s about not getting too big too quick. That’s the key to staying a real person even with success. I’m taking things step by step. Everyone wants to go straight from point A to Z, not realizing that everything in between is just as important if you want to be able to make it. A lot of your music is upbeat. I like how you write a lot about the fun, cool details every person experiences growing up. I also like how you rap about the hard times, too. Do you sometimes feel like you have to perform some sort of happy act, because of the lighter material on your previous albums? A lot of people see an artist as a person that’s always happy, always positive, but there are a lot of ups and downs in this world. There are a lot of valleys. Sometimes things aren’t awesome, but you have to go through every step of it. It’s tough when everyone expects you to just be that happy guy. I rap about that, too. Listening to Watching Movies with the Sound Off made me realize how much your style had changed since anything you did before 2010. It had a very relaxed sense of confidence. I think this album came to me at a point when I didn’t want to accomplish anything. The first album had to be big. I wanted to really accomplish something. With this one, I felt like I had more time to think about what I was saying. It must have been cool being able to make an album without the pressure of it being the absolute totally greatest epic hit of your young human existence or else. I did Watching Movies with the Sound Off mostly for fun. 18 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Have you had any training? Watching a lot of your moves, it seems like you’ve done a lot of improvisational comedy or even stand-up comedy. Does that just come from spending a lot of time onstage and being interesting during interviews? I guess I’ve practiced a lot doing shows. I really like comedy. I listen to a lot of stand-up on the road. Aside from music, humor is something that’s always been interesting to me. I’ve watched a lot of stand-up comedy and things like that on YouTube and the radio.
This seems a lot less commercial than your previous hits. A lot of the material on the new album seems a lot more personal. I wanted to create an album that had more purpose to it than just trying to be successful. Some people say West Coast, some people say East Coast, but we both know that there are many different hip hop styles out there to choose from. How would you classify your hip hop? I think it’s just a little bit of everything, even beyond hip hop. I’m just trying to do everything I can. I hope nobody can classify my style or me. It’s very cool that you aren’t afraid to talk about the downside in your music or during interviews. Now that you’ve been around, what’s the worst thing can happen to you as an artist? Writing a song you really like. Sometimes you think no one
likes it but you. It’s tough when people don’t like it at all. How do you get through that? You make a song that is just the real you. When you are creating music and putting your soul into it, then you realize it doesn’t matter who likes or doesn’t like it. Some of my favorite songs don’t get a lot of hits. Other songs might get popular, whether I think they deserve it or not. Your music videos not only have some very stylish cinematography, but are also very funny. Whoever your working with really knows how to get some good shots from you, and the jokes you work in from your lines are genuinely funny. Everything we do is just kind of made up at the last second. I don’t get directed to do anything. Everything I do comes from me. I work with a director I’ve worked with my whole
A lot of other hip hop artists have turned their acting ability into some serious film roles, like Ice Cube, Common, Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent. Have you ever thought of trying that, yourself? You’ve had plenty of experience, because of the number of music videos you have on YouTube cannot easily be counted. If the right stuff came through I’d definitely do it. I don’t mean maybe. I’ve talked about it with a few people, but I haven’t heard anything interesting yet. I’d do a film if it was a good one. Now that you are older, tougher and wiser, what veteran advice would you offer to a young artist who wants to make it in an industry that isn’t always nice to the people in it? I would tell them to not listen to anyone. You have to trust yourself with every decision, whether it’s your image or your music or your life. You are going to go through life surrounded by people who are going to tell you things like they really know who you are, but you have to know yourself to handle that and actually make it. c V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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destination unknown
By David Jenison
The Herculean City of One of the oldest paradise cities has something for everyone
T
he mighty Hercules captured the hellhound Cerberus, slew the multi-headed Hydra and stole the man-eating horses of a giant, but did you know he also founded the city of Barcelona? According to legend, one of his ships got lost on its search for the Golden Fleece, and when Hercules found his men on the beautiful Catalan coast, they asked him if they could stay. Granting their wish, Hercules and his men founded Barca Nona, which would become present-day Barcelona. The story has as much basis in reality as a Kardashian series, but it highlights the diverse cultural history that energizes Spain’s second city. Foreign rulers have included the Carthaginians, the Visigoths, the Moors and the Charlemagne-era Franks, and Julius Caesar once governed the country. Traces of these cultures remain with ancient Roman ruins and dense concentrations of Gothic architecture, while national hallmarks include late 19th-century Moderenista works like Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia
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church. Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí is associated with nearby Figures, but the country’s other art icons, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró, both spent time in Barcelona soaking up its ethos. Many impressive sights are found in Ciutat Vella (“Old City”), whose sections include the once-sketchy El Raval (think NYC’s East Village), the trendy La Ribera and its medieval heart, Barri Gòtic, featuring the famous pedestrian street La Ramba. The coastal La Barceloneta neighborhood, whose Mediterranean beach landed ink in Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote, recently inspired National Geographic to name Barcelona the No. 1
beach city in the world. While the culture and architecture span many eras, Barcelona’s commercial profile is modern with dynamic clubs, restaurants, bars, fashion boutiques, wine havens, chocolate shops and gourmet markets. Likewise, within an hour’s drive, visitors can enjoy Roman-style thermal baths, the prestigious Penedes wine region, the Hamptons-style Sitges, the mountaintop Montserrat monastery and El Cellar de Can Roca, currently rated the No. 1 restaurant in the world. Barcelona sounds hot, but is it blazin’? According to the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), Barcelona ranks fifth on its list of the world’s top cannabis travel destinations. America’s premier financial network, whose love of green apparently extends beyond Wall Street, directed smokers to Barri Gòtic hot spots like La Rambla, Carrer Escudellers and Plaza Real, the latter of which is the starting point for cannabis-themed walking tours. Down the way from Carrer Escudellars, George Orwell Plaza (a.k.a. “Plaza Trippy”) was a top smoke spot until officials installed a 24-hour video surveillance system to establish more control over the area. Clearly that is as darkly ironic as President Choom Gang cracking down on medical cannabis, but Barri Gòtic makes up for it with the Hash Marihuana Cañamo & Hemp Museum. Barcelona is also a major convention destination, and this includes cannabisthemed expositions. For several years, the city hosted the Highlife Fair, one of the largest cannabis events in Europe. Spannabis is currently the top annual event in Barcelona, and it will celebrate its 12th anniversary next March. The Highlife folks are giving them competition, though, launching the GROWMED medicinal fair last year in Valencia. Other national events include Spannabis Malaga and the Expo Cannabis in Madrid. The country even has an annual Medical Cannabis Bike Tour from Madrid to Valencia to raise awareness about medicinal use. Spain was one of the first European countries to decriminalize cannabis, and those who wish to medicate in Barcelona will find the city has first-rate plants from Morocco. However, Spain’s laws against trafficking are severe so never take stashes in or out of the country. c
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profiles in courage
Are you an MMJ patient from San Diego with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.
WHY DID YOU START USING MEDICAL CANNABIS?
Patient: Steve Green
AGE: 34 Condition/ Illness: Epilepsy, chronic pain and muscle spasms.
Using medical cannabis since: 2010
I had tried all the other traditional forms of controlling my epilepsy, and I was beginning to get proof liver enzyme failure. The side effects of the list of prescription drugs made me incapable of functioning normally.
DID YOU TRY OTHER METHODS OR TREATMENTS BEFORE CANNABIS? I tried several different diets—ketogenic, gluten-free etc. I also tried a series of pharmaceutical anti-convulsion, anti-seizure medications. As far as my neurologist was concerned I had tried everything there was to try.
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR PROBLEM FACING MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS?
Law enforcement issues, misuse of power and the lack of education. I think education is the most important thing though. Most people that I’ve had the chance to speak with say that they would prefer a natural medicine like cannabis if it would stop their pain or their debilitating condition.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT CANNABIS AS MEDICINE?
I would tell them that I was also skeptical when my doctor recommended medical cannabis. It’s hard to believe the something so basic that grows from the ground can be used to control such complicated neurological disorders and so many other wide ranges of varying diseases and conditions. I would also point them in the direction of learning more about the compounds that are in cannabis and not referring to the stereotypical thoughts. I would tell them my story and offer them other people’s stories as further evidence. c
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cool stuff MicroMax LED Pocket 100X Microscope For iPhone Make your bland days at work more exciting. You’ll uncover wonders with this microscope, which fits easily onto the back of a special iPhone 5 case, for easy snapshots and viewing of the microbial world. Think of the up-close textures and life you’ll discover on your keyboard, the communal bathroom door handle or even that cricket that lives under your desk. You might look odd but you’ll get some respect when your coworkers have seen their office equipment . . . up close. ($19.99) www.thinkgeek.com
Hipstirs by Matthew Hoffman Enjoy the limited edition stir-stick creation by artist Matthew Hoffman’s Hipstirs! There’s only 100 of these little neon beauties available, shaped in the likeness of human hip bones and packing the brightness of five flourescent colors. Put your left and right “hip” in, and shake it all about. ($30.00) www.colossalshop.com
“High Life” Chronic Classic Pintail Noserider Surfboard This 10-foot, one-of-a-kind surfboard by well known surfer Caleb Wilborn is beyond cool in our opinion. This monster noserider has authentic cannabis leaves added into the face of the board. This custom gem is brand new and is ready to be ridden and cherished. ($1699.00) surfboardsbycaleb.com
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Sandy Moriarty is the author of Aunt’ Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Body & Mind and a Professor of Culinary Arts at Oaksterdam University. She is also the co-founder of Oaksterdam’s Bakery.
Menu:
VEGETABLE & BEEF KABOBS BÉARNAISE SAUCE CRANBERRY WINE SAUCE
By Aunt Sandy
VEGETABLE & BEEF KABOBS
Takin’ It Easy
CRANBERRY WINE SAUCE 1 1/2 cup cranberries 1 cup cannabis infused simple syrup 1/4 cup orange juice 1/3 cup red port wine 1/8 teaspoon salt In a 3 quart saucepan, whisk all ingredients together over medium heat mixture to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves 4 1 pound of beef, top round steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks 2 medium sized onions cut into quarters and separated into pieces 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 tablespoons Cannabis Infused Oil 1 tablespoon chili sauce 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1 medium zucchini 1 medium sized yellow straight neck squash 1 medium sized red pepper 1 medium sized green pepper 1/2 cup Cannabis Infused Italian Dressing In a medium sized bowl, mix the first seven ingredients. Cover mixture and refrigerate at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. One hour before serving, prepare grill for barbecuing. Cut zucchini and yellow squash into 1 inch chunks. Cut red and green peppers into 1 inch pieces. On 2 long skewers alternately thread zucchini, yellow squash and red and green peppers. On 2 other skewers alternately thread beef chunks and onions, reserving the marinade. Place the vegetables and meat skewers on grill over medium heat, cook 10 minutes, brushing the vegetables with cannabis infused Italian dressing and the meat skewers with the remaining marinade, frequently and turning the skewers occasionally, until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked to preferred taste. To broil in the oven about 3 hour before serving, marinade the beef about 30 minutes before preheat broiler. Cut vegetables and arrange on the skewers as above using all metal skewers. Place arranged skewers on rack in broiling pan. Broil for about 15 minutes, turning and basting occasionally.
BEARNAISE SAUCE 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon minced green onion 11/2 teaspoon tarragon 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup Canna Butter 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
In a double-boiler top, combine wine vinegar, green onion, tarragon and pepper. Over high heat bring to boiling. Boil 3 minutes as the mixture reduces. Place double-boiler top over hot not boiling water in the bottom pot. Whisk in egg yolks and cook beating constantly until mixture thickened slightly. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until butter melts and sauce thickens. Stir in parsley. Serve hot as a dipping sauce.
Legal Disclaimer Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
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For our complete recipes go to ireadculture.com.
Summer has been fun but it’s easy to get bored of that same old summer flavor. So let’s give ya some easy and tasty choices! With a variety of dips and sauces to pair with some delicious skewers—take some time to take it easy. Make the transition into fall by embracing some new tasty eats in celebration of easy livin.’
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Shooting Gallery
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Slightly Stoopid @ Sleep Train Amphitheater
(Photos by Eric Fowler)
Rebelution w/ Matisyaho and Zion 1 @ SDSU Open Air Theater
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(Photos by Eric Fowler)
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entertainment reviews Goldfrapp Tales Of Us Mute Records English electronic act Goldfrapp have returned to delight the masses with their sixth, and perhaps most sonically vast, studio album, Tales Of Us. Ever stylistically diverse, Goldfrapp’s last full length release, Head First saw the group embracing the most danceable of ‘80s pop as their muse. However, the new record sees the duo returning to sparser, ambient, acoustic ideas from their fourth record Seventh Tree, as well as their debut Felt Mountain. Tales Of Us draws on these previous influences and blends them with incredible string arrangements to create a record of ten songs that are absolutely stunning in their fragile beauty. Vocalist Allison Goldfrapp’s sultry, breathy, pure voice dances and floats like snowflakes being carried on the breeze that is Will Gregory’s productions and compositions. While the record is certainly not devoid of foot stompers, one comes in the form of the dusky tune “Thea,” the vast majority of the album is dominated by pristine, delicate stunners like “Annabel” and the lead single “Drew.” While fans of the groups previous, more dance oriented work, might find this record a bit lacking in that department, anybody that listens to Tales Of Us will certainly mesmerized by the record’s sublimely gorgeous song craftsmanship. (Simon Weedn)
Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook: The Easy Way to Identify and Enjoy Marijuana Strains By Matt Mernagh Green Candy Press
As medical cannabis becomes more mainstreamed and more easily accessable throughout our great nation; sometimes even for the experienced patient, the plethora of choices can be a bit overwhelming. Enter Canadian medical marijuana activist, journalist and web-caster Matt Mernagh with his new educational text, Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook: the Easy Way to Identify and Enjoy Marijuana Strains, to make selecting the right type of cannabis an easier task for you. Mernagh takes the reader through a journey of 150 strains that they’ll most likely encounter, reviews them much like a music critic reviews a record, and includes hi-res, full color photos, to help you distinguish one type from another. The book does a good job of making sure to note strains with specific medical benefits, such as chronic pain relief. It might have been interesting to see the author give a bit of background on each strain but Mernagh accomplishes exactly what he sets out to do with Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook; clearing away some of the residual haze from medical cannabis strains for his readers and making finding that perfect plant much more simple. (Simon Weedn)
Oblivion Universal Pictures Dir. Joseph Kosinski While designed with beautifully epic visuals and sound design, the sci-fi adventure film Oblivion with Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman ultimately proved to be like a gorgeously wrapped present that leaves you slightly confused. The epic and intricate story could have been better suited for a miniseries, because, edited down into a film, some of the interesting details about the character’s stories seem to get lost. Yet, the film’s design is so gorgeous and lush that if you love visual effects and futuristic space adventures, you can just enjoy the ride. Tom Cruise impressively helmed this film for the most part on his own, but he had quite an impressive cast supporting him, including the magnificent Morgan Freeman and the badass Nikalaj Coster-Waldau, better known as Jamie Lannister. It was nice to see the stunning Olga Kurylenko in a lead role, since she first awed adventure-film audiences in Centurion as the intimidating Pict warrior Etain. English actress Andrea Riseborough, who played the famous Wallis Simpson in Madonna’s W.E., perfectly embodies the future here in this film. In the end, even when the unwieldy script made this film a bit confusing, the visual effects ended up saving it from “oblivion.” (Joy Shannon) 28 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
Vampire Weekend in concert Has it already been seven years since Vampire Weekend brought it’s amazing alternative indie tunes to our ears? The band got together back in 2006 and came into our view in 2007, (far before the terrible craze of that vampire movie Twilight). Not that the name really matters, because it was inspired by a film project that lead singer Ezra Koenig worked on in college. That same year, Vampire Weekend found itself celebrating it’s place on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Best Songs of the Year with “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” an optimistic, upbeat song that paved the way for the band’s awesome musical future. However during this time, the band was subject to the interpretation of their music by critics, one of which claimed that it was the “whitest band in the world” (when in reality, the band consists of Ukranian, Persian, Italian and Hungarian backgrounds). Following years of great success with it’s first official album Vampire Weekend (2008), and Contra (2010), comes the long awaited Modern Vampires of the City (2013). The band continues to keep great, upbeat energy while Ezra breathes emotion into its melody, making this an especially amazing performance.
IF YOU GO
What: Vampire Weekend in concert. When/Where: Sep. 30 at the Open Air Theatre, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego. Info: Tickets $15-$35. Call (619) 594-5200 or visit www.sdsu.edu for more info.
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Chuck Shepherd's
Newsof the
Weird LEAD STORY—ROACH MOTEL ; At age 20, Kyle Kandilian of Dearborn, Mich., has created a start-up business to fund his college expenses, but it involves a roomful (in the family home) of nearly 200,000 cockroaches. The environmental science major at University of Michigan-Dearborn breeds species ranging from the familiar household pests, which he sells on the cheap as food for other people’s pets, to the more interesting, exotic Madagascar hissing roaches and rhino roaches, which can live for 10 to 15 years. (Kandilian told the Detroit Free
Press in July that of the 4,000 cockroach species, only about a dozen are pests.) Why not choose a more conventional “pet”? Because “[m] ammals smell,” he said. (Missing from the Free Press story: details on the likely interesting initial conversation between Kyle and his mother when he asked if he could have 200,000 cockroaches in the house.)
CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE ; A 55-year-old woman in the Netherlands seemed to be experiencing orgasms emanating from her foot, she said, and Dr. Marcel
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Waldinger of Utrecht University (writing in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, online in June) produced a possible explanation. The applicable left foot nerve enters the spinal cord at about the same level as the vaginal nerve, Waldinger wrote, and the woman’s recent foot injury might have caused the nerves to cross. The woman reported “five or six” orgasms per day that felt exactly like “regular” orgasms and, she said, were making her feel terribly guilty and embarrassed. After treatment with a nerve anesthetic, she reported being orgasm-free (in the foot, at least) for eight months. ; The intersection of West Gateway Boulevard and North Congress Avenue in Boynton Beach, Fla. (pop. 60,000), is nine lanes wide, busy even at 11pm on Sunday night, as it was at that time in July when a 2-year-old girl darted across, a combination of good fortune and sometimesrare Florida driver alertness allowing her safe arrival on the other side without a scratch. “It’s a miracle,” said Harry Scott, who witnessed it. “I’m telling you the truth.” Mom Kayla Campbell, 26, was charged with felony neglect, as she appeared “oblivious,” said police, to the child’s absence from home. ; An unnamed restaurateur from Nagoya, Japan, has filed a lawsuit against an affiliate of the country’s largest organized crime syndicate, Yamaguchigumi, demanding a refund of “protection” money she had been paying for more than 12 years (in total, the equivalent of about $170,000). The affiliate, Kodo-kai, burned down a bar in 2010, killing people, in a similar protection arrangement that went bad, and the plaintiff said she, too, was threatened with arson when she decided to stop paying. According to an expert on Japanese “yakuza,” a relative of one of the victims of the 2010 fire may also sue Kodo-kai.
UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT ; In June, following his guilty plea in Corpus Christi, Texas, to possession of child pornogra30 CULTURE • SEptember 2013
phy, Jose Salazar, 70, offered to perform public service to reduce the 12-year sentence a federal judge had handed him. Salazar said he “had a lot to offer society,” according to an Associated Press story, and could be “useful” in mentoring children. ; At Atherstone, England’s, Twycross Zoo, a program is underway to try to teach quarterton giant tortoises to speed up. An extended outdoor pen had been built for Speedy (age 70), Tim, 40, and Shelly, 30, but that meant it took a longer time to round them up for bed at the end of the day. The Leicester Mercury reported in June that zoo officials were trying to use the lure of food to get the tortoises to significantly improve their way-under-1-mile-per-hour gait. ; Actually, It Might Enhance the Experience: The British sex toy manufacturer Ann Summers issued a recall in June of a certain model of its popular Ultimate O Vibrator because of a problem with the electrical charger. The company said it was being cautious but that the risk of danger is low.
INEXPLICABLE ; Tina Marie Garrison, 37, and her son Junior Lee Dillon, 18, of Preston, Minn., were charged in June with stealing almost $5,000 worth of gopher feet from the freezer of a gopher trapper in Granger, Minn., and selling them for the local offered bounty of $3 per pair. Garrison, Dillon, and the victimized trapper were friends, and it was not clear why the thinly populated gopherfoot market would not have deterred Garrison and Dillon. ; Louann Giambattista, 55, a 33-year-veteran American Airlines flight attendant, filed a lawsuit against the company in July alleging that it had subjected her to baseless hassles because of co-workers’ accusations that, argued her attorney, were wrongly “making her out to be a nut.” One of the accusations was that she was “hiding rats in her underwear.” 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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