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JUST CHILLIN‘ With his track record of hit movies, albums and television shows, Ice Cube is still cooler than you. On the cover: Photo by Eric Williams
features 12 FLASH FORWARD Sensible Washington readies a new legalization campaign for 2013. 16 AB-NORML? Something is very, very wrong with the leadership of America’s oldest legalization group, critics say. 18 OPERA MEN Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey dust off Quadrophenia!
departments 6 letter from the editor The truth shall set you—and the rest of our community—free. 8 NEWS NUGGETS Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere—and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers
26 Strain & Edible Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains and edibles currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary. 34 COOL STUFF From the Bootube to Happy Daddy accessory tools, if it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it.
22 DESTINATION UNKNOWN It’s not overrun by tourists yet— so enjoy Slovenia’s treasure troves of glacial peaks and medieval castles.
36 Recipes The leaves are turning color—are you ready for some football?!
23 PROFILES IN COURAGE Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical marijuana patient near you.
40 | Shooting Gallery 42 | Entertainment Reviews 46 | Events Calendar 52 | News of the Weird
4 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 5
Letter from the Editor iREADCULTURE.com
Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
GET YOUR HITS HERE
Vol 4 IssUE 3
Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
Editor-in-Chief
Roberto C. Hernandez
Managing Editor Lynn Lieu
Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Stephanie Bishop, Jake Browne, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Stacy Davies, Philip Dawdy, Alex Distefano, David Downs, James P. Gray, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Meital Manzuri, Jane Mast, Sandra Moriarty, Assia Mortensen, Damian Nassiri, Paul Rogers, Jeff Schwartz, Lanny Swerdlow, Arrissia Owen
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Nothing But the Facts Here’s a fact: Throughout human history propaganda has been used to push one political agenda or another. Sadly, much of this propaganda has been done for evil and despicable purposes. Think about the Communist witch hunts during the ’50s and how they blacklisted writers and intellectuals and political “undesirables.” Think about the propaganda Hitler and his goons spread against our Jewish brothers and sisters. Think about the propaganda used by the North Korean government to keep its citizens in check. The list goes on and on. Sadly the propaganda against marijuana—medical or otherwise—is no different. I can understand someone disagreeing with me or having a different opinion about medical marijuana—I don’t expect everyone to embrace it like I do. But what I don’t like is when lies and misinformation—that’s what propaganda is, isn’t it?—are used to suggest that marijuana use is inherently harmful or dangerous. Unfortunately, this happens. Despite medical and scientific evidence that says otherwise, our opponents will ignore those facts and push lies and misinformation. What’s also sad is when the ignorant, pundits or the media seize upon tragic events and link them to cannabis to—what.—suggest marijuana was responsible or played a role? Bullcrap. Just a few days after the Miami face-chewer
incident, media outlets like USA Today and BBC News posted headlines proclaiming that marijuana had been found in the attacker’s system. Sadly, the same thing happened in the wake of the dreadful shooting in Aurora as well as the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Gifford in Arizona. In both incidents, people went out of their way to play connect-the-dots between an atrocious event and cannabis. The use of marijuana is linked to violence and crime? That is definitely not a fact. Even so-called experts don’t have the facts. Someone who was quoted in USA Today, Dr. Patricia Junquera from the University of Miami, essentially blamed cannabis for the face-chewing episode—or a mixture of cannabis and mental illness. “It could have been the strain of marijuana . . . such as sativa,” she said. Really? Marijuana could cause someone to royally flip out and chew someone’s face off? Really, Dr. Junquera? Bullcrap. To suggest cannabis could cause someone to go all Dawn of the Dead doesn’t know marijuana from margarita. Backed by years of research and science, marijuana can safely treat and bring legitimate relief to people suffering from many conditions and diseases. And that’s a fact. Educate yourself about medical marijuana. Do your homework. Get to the truth. Get the facts. c
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6 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 7
News Nuggets THE STATE Libertarian Party VP candidate endorses Sensible Washington
Jim Gray, the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate for vice president and a major player in the drug legalization debate, has endorsed the cannabis advocacy group Sensible Washington. Gray, a retired Superior Court judge from Southern California, said his endorsement extends to a proposed legalization initiative Sensible Washington seeks to put on the 2013 ballot. His support of the group was seen as a slight against I-502, a legalization measure which Sensible Washington hotly opposes. Gray is the author of the 2010 book, Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed: A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs.
Federal dispensary crackdown hits Washington
Washington became the latest compassionate-use state to become a battleground in the federal government’s ongoing war against medical marijuana, with the DEA sending letters to 23 cannabis dispensaries ordering them to shut down. The letters, sent in August, claimed the dispensaries were located within 1,000 feet of schools. Dispensary operators were given 30 days from receipt of the letters to close their doors. Hundreds of dispensaries in other states, such as Colorado, received similar letters since the crackdown began in October.
NAACP endorses Initiative 502
Two major cannabis legalization 8 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2012
measures— Initiative 502 in Washington and Amendment 64 in Colorado—have received the endorsement of regional chapters of the NAACP. The group, formerly known as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, noted that black people are arrested in disproportionate numbers for alleged marijuana crimes compared to whites. The Washington endorsement came from that state’s NAACP chapter, as well as those in Alaska and Wyoming. I-502 has already been endorsed by numerous organizations, including the King County Bar Association, the Green Party and the Washington Democratic Party.
THE NATION Study: Cannabis may help in easing bipolar disorder
Patients with bipolar disorder showed significant improvement after using cannabis, according to the results of a new collaborative study by three New York medical institutions. The study compared the cognitive performance of 50 people with bipolar disorder and a history of marijuana use with that of 150 people with the same disorder and no history of cannabis use. Those who had used marijuana showed “significantly better neurocognitive performance, particularly on measures of attention, processing speed, and working memory” than the other group, the study revealed. The research was conducted by the Zucker Hillside Hospital in Long Island, and the Mount Sinai
School of Medicine and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York.
Facebook allows ads for marijuana legalization Following nearly three years of just saying no to the “Just Say Now” cannabis legalization campaign, Facebook is now allowing ads from the group to run on its pages.
The about-face follows an online petition drive by Facebook users calling for Facebook to reconsider its policy of rejecting ads by Just Say Now, an online legalization campaign by the website Firedoglake.com. More than 15,000 people signed the petition, and the group’s cause was taken up by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California. Facebook originally instituted the ban in 2010, forcing Just Say Now to take down its messages. The social networking shot down the campaign’s advertizing efforts again in 2011. Despite the lifting of the ban, Facebook officials insist the website’s policy prohibiting ads that promote illegal activity have not changed.
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THE WORLD
Grandmothers and children grow potent strain in Swaziland
With the working-age population in Swaziland decimated by the ravages of HIV/AIDS, the very old and very young in the southern African nation have turned to growing a valuable new crop: a highly potent strain of cannabis called Swazi Gold. The market in the strain has become so important to the survival of its new growers— mostly grandmothers and orphaned children— that Swaziland is now home to more cannabis cultivation than the vastly larger nation of India, according to a recent report in The New York Times. That’s often made the difference between life and death for the subsistence farmers, most of who have lost family members to the AIDS epidemic. Marijuana cultivation remains illegal in Swaziland, a nation of about 1.4 million people, forcing the growers to walk long distances to secret farmlands and deal with corrupt police
311 & Slightly Stoopid in Concert
officials and ruthless middlemen, the Times reports. The growers are hardly getting rich off their product: An average crop of Swazi Gold will yield the growers under $400, which is about the cost of sending a single Swazi child to school for a semester.
By the Numbers
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Number of cannabis plants eradicated in Washington by law-enforcement officials in 2011: 325,000 (Source: DEA).
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Number of U.S. athletes to be expelled from the 2012 Olympic Games after testing positive for cannabis use: 1 (Source: US Olympic Committee).
1
Number of Washington dispensaries to receive ceaseand-desist letters from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in August: 23 (Source: DEA).
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Number of marijuana plants eradicated nationwide by law-enforcement officials in 2010: 10.32 million (Source: DEA).
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Number of marijuana plants eradicated nationwide in 2011: 6.7 million (Source: DEA).
Number of Washington likely voters surveyed in July who said they plan to oppose I-502 in November: 37 (Source: July Public Policy Polling survey).
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4
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Number of cannabis plants eradicated in Washington by law-enforcement in 2009: 600,000 (Source: US Drug Enforcement Administration).
Reported number of online accounts created to grant law-enforcement officials and employers access to Arizona’s medical marijuana patient registry: 2,646 (Source: Phoenix New Times).
12
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Number of Washington likely voters surveyed in July who said they plan to support the legalization measure Initiative 502 in November: 50 (Source: July Public Policy Polling survey).
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Percentage decrease in the marijuana plant eradication nationwide from 2010 to 2011: 35 (Source: DEA).
Approximate number of patients listed on Arizona’s medical marijuana patient registry: 40,000 (Source: Phoenix New Times).
Reported number of online accounts created for the Phoenix Police Department, granting them access to Arizona’s medical marijuana patient registry: 851 (Source: Phoenix New Times).
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Cost in dollars of medical cannabis registration card, valid for two years, in New Jersey: 200 (Source: New Jersey Department of Health).
Think we can call this a reggae-rock doubledip? Well, even if we can’t, it’s obvious the Rasta gods have smiled upon us as 311 and Slightly Stoopid have teamed up to deliver a feel-good, herb-friendly touch to your traipsing through King County. Stopping by Marymoor Park for a dose of Jamaican-flavored wattage, expect nothing but oldies and goodies from this Unity Tour stop. Expect Stoopid to bust out some jams from the just-released Top of the World. Speaking of jams, with a 24-year history behind it, Omaha-bred 311 has got plenty to choose from its extensive playlist. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been “Down” since the ’90s or if amber is the color of your energy, frontman/ guitarist/songwriter/ boy toy Nick Hexum and Co. have got your back catalogue covered. Just don’t be surprised if you see your girlfriend in front of the stage, by the guardrail, seconds after Hexum takes off his shirt. Trust us, he will. (Matt Tapia)
IF YOU GO
What: 311 and Slightly Stoopid in concert. When/Where: Sept. 5 at Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy., Richmond. Info: Tickets $49.50.Go to concertsatmarymoor. com.
SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 11
The Controversy
FLASH
Photo by Jon Miller
Back to the
Future Another proposed measure to reform Washington’s marijuana policy may be considered for 2013 {By Stephanie Bishop}
Say What?
At a time when the pros and cons of Initiative-502 are being debated, another proposed measure to reform Washington’s marijuana policy is making its presence known with promises of coming before voters in 2013. Legalization nonprofit group Sensible Washington is offering a new way to end prohibition and is currently collecting signatures for Bill 1149, which proposes to repeal current and existing state civil and criminal penalties regarding marijuana use and possession. Although the initiative did not collect enough signatures to make it on the 2012 ballot, volunteers are hopeful for the future.
“It is unfortunate Washington voters will not have an alternative to I-502 on the ballot this year,” state volunteer coordinator for Sensible Washington, Jared Allaway, tells CULTURE. “I am so proud of the volunteers who worked tirelessly to get this in front of voters this year. Efforts will continue with citywide initiatives to make cannabis offenses the lowest priority for law enforcement in communities around the state.” News of this new proposal comes at a time when I-502 (spearheaded by legalization group New Approach Washington)—set to ap-
“I use it to control the nausea which comes with the [migraine] headaches.” —Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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pear on the November ballot—is prompting heated debate. Ever since Washington voters approved Measure 692 in 1998— which allows residents to use their medical marijuana recommendations as an “affirmative defense” when accused of processing, transporting or using cannabis within the state—distribution of MMJ has evolved from individual grow gardens with limits on how many plants can be cultivated to commercial access points. SB 5073 defines a system of safe access for patients by allowing for distribution centers and collective gardens. Currently retail establishments exist only in cities where local authorities are unwilling to work with federal agencies to close the businesses and prosecute business owners. Last year, the parts of the bill outlining these approved systems of distribution were vetoed by Governor Christine Gregoire after U.S. Attorneys responded to her request for the bill’s approval with a letter reiterating the current status of marijuana as a Schedule I drug, considered to have no medicinal benefit and harmful to society. It threatened to arrest and prosecute anyone involved in the execution of such a law including local and state employees issuing licenses for associated businesses. I-502 also defines a system of access: state-regulated retail outlets, licensing system for businesses and product tracking for quality control. Business owners
At the center of Initiative-502’s controversy sits the DUI limitations proposed for drivers. Currently, cases involving cannabis consider any amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive chemical compound in cannabis) detected in the blood as evidence that can be used by prosecutors against the defendant. Qualified medical marijuana patients are allowed an “affirmative defense” to avoid prosecution. Prior to I-502 being proposed, there was no set limit on how many nanograms of active THC was considered enough to verify cannabis use and establish impairment. The initiative sets the limit at 5 nanograms— and critics argue that this will lead to sober patients with marijuana in their systems (it can take up to a month or longer to rid the body of ingested marijuana) being arrested for being under the influence.
would be able to apply for one of three licenses for an annual fee of $1,000: retail outlet, marijuana producer (grower) and marijuana processor of cannabis oils, hash and infused edible products. If passed I-502 allows anyone 21 and older in Washington to obtain up to 1 ounce of flowers, 16 ounces of cannabis-infused products and 72 ounces of liquid infused product at a retail outlet. The future remains to be seen, but in the case of Washington State, the power is in the hands of the voters come November . . . and beyond. c
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BUZZ
Say what you want about the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, it’s the first—and, for most of its existence, the only— name in cannabis legalization advocacy. Founded in 1970 by attorney Keith Stroup, the organization has over the years become synonymous with pot policy reform, so much so that Americans who know next to nothing about cannabis or cannabis politics know about NORML and its mission. But much has changed in the nearly 43 years since NORML came into being, starting with NORML itself. The little nonprofit has grown into a massive network of 135 chapters, an army of committed volunteers and more than 450 lawyers—all theoretically working toward the Holy Grail of full marijuana legalization. Stroup remains on board, ostensibly as legal counsel but really as the voice behind the group’s executive director, Allen St. Pierre. NORML has a 16-member governing board with a new chairman, Tennessee native Paul Kuhn. But when people talk of the organization’s leadership, they’re talking about Stroup and St. Pierre. So it’s no coincidence that now, with states like Colorado poised to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for the first time since 1937, serious marijuana advocates are asking serious questions about the leadership, effectiveness and even the relevancy of NORML in the 21st century. These questions aren’t exactly new—NORML has always had its critics. But what’s different is who’s asking them—highly respected civil rights activists, lawyers on NORML’s Legal Committee and even members of NORML’s own board—and the way they’re being asked: publicly. 16 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2012
Changing Landscape
Other changes have taken place since NORML set up shop, not the least of which being the rise of medical marijuana. The advent of medical cannabis coincided with the appearance of other big players on the legalization stage. Some—like the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and Americans for Safe Access (ASA)—are focused exclusively on cannabis reform, and others—like the Drug Policy Alliance and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition—are committed to lifting prohibitions against all drugs. Suddenly, NORML and its companion nonprofit, the NORML Foundation, were no longer the only game in town. And as the landscape changed, questions arose about NORML—including criticisms aimed squarely at Stroup and St. Pierre, who’s served as NORML’s executive director for the past seven years. Fed up with what they perceive as damaging blunders on St. Pierre’s part and infuriated by what they describe as an arrogant leadership style intolerant of dissent, critics are now openly criticizing the leaders’ performance. Some are flat-out asking for St. Pierre to step down or be removed. “NORML is an organization that needs reform . . . It’s not functioning as it should, and hasn’t for a long time,” says Douglas Hiatt, a longtime cannabis legalization activist, criminal defense attorney and, for nearly a decade, a member of NORML’s Legal Committee. Hiatt’s falling out with NORML’s leadership is intimately tied to the NORML board’s endorsement of Initiative-502, a Washington state cannabis legalization measure that goes before voters in No-
vember and that Hiatt and many other activists vehemently oppose. If it passes, Washington cannabis users will finally be able to legally consume small quantities of the drug, sales of which would be taxed by the state. Critics of the initiative describe it as a colossal sellout on the part of NORML, a “Machiavellian masterpiece” designed to appeal to pot-averse soccer moms but which leaves hemp supporters and marijuana growers out to dry and could expose thousands of users to felony DUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs) arrest through a provision allowing drivers to be blood-tested for THC. Jeffrey Steinborn, a NORML board member and criminal defense attorney based in Seattle, describes I-502 as “a tragedy.” But if I-502 was such a bad initiative, then why did the NORML board vote to endorse it?
Reform Fatigue
“My position is not popular among all the board members at NORML,” Steinborn says. “Along with our endorsement, we all agreed we would publish a statement listing our concerns over the law. Unfortunately, that statement of our concerns never got out. I have no idea why not. “I think there is something going on in the movement that I would call ‘reform fatigue’ . . . I think our reformers have been working so long, they’ve just kind of given up and were ready to get on the first train they thought would take them to their destination, regardless of how many people are ground up under the wheels of that train.” There’s theory for why NORML en-
dorsed I-502. In 2010, Sensible Washington was poised to place its own legalization measure—Initiative 1068—on the ballot. Co-written by Hiatt, Steinborn and others, the measure would have removed state criminal penalties on marijuana possession, use and cultivation, and contained none of the DUID provisions. According to Hiatt, NORML switched support from I-1068 to I-502 after that measure got strong financial backing from the initiative’s strongest backer—travel writer and TV personality Rick Steves. This behind-the-scenes hardball wasn’t just a low act on the part of the I-502 campaign, he says. It was NORML selling out the marijuana community—literally selling out, he says, because NORML switched its support after receiving Steves’ donation. That donation, Hiatt and others say, represented a bribe in all but name.
The Last Straw
But while critics of NORML were angered by the board’s endorsement of I-502 and other internal matters, it was St. Pierre’s statements earlier this year regarding marijuana that sent them howling for his head. To insiders, St. Pierre’s disdain for what he sees as the excesses of the compassionateuse industry was no secret. But to the average marijuana user, the column that ran Jan. 20 in Celebstoner.com under St. Pierre’s name was a stunning revelation. “Defending the ‘medical’ cannabis industry is so yesterday,” the column began. “Why not acknowledge the political and legal farce it is and focus on the real problem at hand: ending cannabis prohibition?” St. Pierre went on to claim the medical marijuana industry opposes cannabis legalization and was a sham, and accused the MMJ community of being “intellectually dishonest.” For medical cannabis patients, caregivers and providers, the Celebstoner column was a kick in the gut—considering the federal government essentially makes the same accusations against the
MMJ industry. For those whose dissatisfaction with St. Pierre was already at the breaking point, it was the final straw. “What concerns me more than anything is the idiotic remarks by Allen St. Pierre, in which he says [that] medical pot was a sham,” says Dennis Roberts, a highly respected criminal and civil-rights attorney and a longtime NORML Legal Committee (NLC) member most famous for having helped defend the Chicago 7 and Angela Davis. “It was really so stupid, so shortsighted and offensive. A lot of people [have said] to me, ‘What’s the matter with NORML? I won’t give them a penny of my money now.’” None of this surprises Don E. Wirtshafter, a former NORML board member and Ohio legalization advocate who moderated the I-502 debate at Hempfest in which Stroup participated. “NORML, as an organization, has created 10 times more refugees than it has numbers . . . Some of the NORML refugees started the Marijuana Policy Project,” he says. “Rob Kampia and Chuck Thomas walked out of NORML and started the MPP because they couldn’t stand the lack of organization.” In fact, Kampia and Thomas were fired from NORML in 1995 by director Richard Cowan after calling for institutional changes.
“Being Dishonest”
St. Pierre responded to criticisms against him and NORML by suggesting they were isolated complaints from troublemakers. Even the Celebstoner column was the work of troublemakers, he says. “I didn’t speak to the media,” he says. “What you’re quoting from was from the list-serve, which was sent to Celebstoner by a dissident Legal Committee member who’s since resigned . . . I didn’t write it for Celebstoner. I didn’t edit it. I had nothing to do with it.” Warren Edson, a board member of Colorado NORML—the Legal Committee St. Pierre refer
to—and a guiding force behind that state’s medical marijuana law, resigned—along with his wife, Georgia and Mile High NORML director Scott Greene—from the organization in protest of St. Pierre’s missive. But St. Pierre did write it, and when asked about the views stated in it on the medical marijuana industry, the director was no shrinking violet. Simply put, the executive director of NORML and the NORML Foundation fundamentally agrees with the federal government’s position on medical marijuana: Compassionateuse laws are being subverted by pot profiteers for their personal enrichment, the very notion of dispensaries as medicinal outlets is a joke, selling cannabis for medical or any other purposes is illegal and anyone who gets busted for trafficking in medical marijuana has only themselves to blame. “For anyone to go and say, ‘I have the ability to sell marijuana to anyone for money,’ and to
at the Medical Cannabis Cup was called ‘God’s Pussy,’ that’s when I stopped believing in the honesty of medical cannabis.” NORML founder Stroup, while more guarded in his remarks, fundamentally agreed with St. Pierre. “Again, I’m glad we continue to support medical-marijuana use all across the country, but I think it’s important that we not try to game the system and act like healthy people are sick in order to get pot.” Nonetheless, Stroup and St. Pierre’s views on medical cannabis didn’t stop NORML from entering into a trade agreement last year with WeedMaps, a company and website that primarily connects medical marijuana patients with medical marijuana providers. In return for WeedMaps’ updating NORML’s website, the nonprofit runs a banner ad of the for-profit company’s various online entities at the bottom of NORML’s home page. Asked about the incongruity of NORML financially benefiting
Defending the ‘medical’ cannabis industry is so yesterday
from the very industry its founder and executive director find so troubling, Paul Kuhn, the nonprofit’s new board chairman, says he sees no conflict. “[St. Pierre’s] statement was not against profiteers, or, if it was, it was about profiteers that game the system,” Kuhn says. Our agreement with WeedMaps was reached a long time ago, well before this year. It really consisted of needing our website updated, and the folks at WeedMaps were offering the work. We could not afford it. “I would hope marijuana smokers want NORML and any other organization to take the money that’s available to help advance the cause,” he adds. “The sources of those funds are just logically going to be from the businesses in the same movement.” c
—NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre
extend that to say what they did was a compassionate act, that they were a caregiver, just stretches the definition of the word to the limits of credulity,” St. Pierre says, “It’s the difference between intellectual honesty and being dishonest,” he adds. “When the name of the winning medicine
For the full story, go to www.ireadculture.com.
SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 17
TUNES
Fantastic Four
Regarding the Mod scene, Townshend reflects on The Who’s connection to the British youth subculture it was so strongly attached to in the early days: “Mod was over in the South of England by the spring of 1965, and in a sense the band had changed, too. We were less pure, less an R&B band and becoming more of a singles-oriented pop band. So there is an irony in the fact that, when I decided we needed to reconnect with that vitally important and colorful period of our career, and our lives as young men trying to pursue a dream of becoming famous and respected, I realized I would need a double album [Quadrophenia]. I’m pleased to hear about artists who uphold the album as an art-form.”
The Grand Ole
Rock Opera Classic rock forefathers The Who revisit the album that made music history {By David Jenison} The Who’s members are widely considered the Fathers of the Rock Opera, so with artists now performing classic albums in their entirety, it is time to bring back one of the greatest concept albums of all time. This fall, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will bring Quadrophenia back to the stage with a full North American tour. “I always feel proud of my achievement as the writer, that I put it all together and gave the band a third wind,” says The Who guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend. “The real high point for me is always the final song ‘Love Reign O’er Me.’ Roger and I now stand almost alone together, representing not only the original band, but also its Mod audience, and of course all our other early fans. We are connected by it, in what is the most clear-cut prayer for redemption, and it feels like an acknowledgment that rock music has managed to deal with the highest emotional challenge: spiritual desperation.” Last year, vocalist Roger Daltrey toured the group’s first rock opera, 1969’s Tommy, while Townshend dealt with various hearing ailments. The Quadrophenia tour is that much more special since it features both founding members. The Quadrophenia storyline resolves around the fictional character Jimmy the Mod, a mentally unstable schizophrenic. “In 1972, I was 28 writing about London and Brighton in 1963 and 1964 when the band was just starting,” Townshend says of the album, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year. “I was still young enough to remember how it felt to be 16 or 17 and at war with my parents, bosses and authority. I could still remember that feeling of struggling to fit in, something that happened to me when I was even younger, around 14, and everyone around me seemed to
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have got their lives on track. This is such a universal experience for young people that it has echoed.” When the album was released in 1973, The Who was arguably at its peak. “We had a really fantastic period of success, and what we needed in a sense was to find our reflection in our fans,” says Townshend. “That is kind of what that album became about. We just went into the studio, recorded the songs, the band was in peak condition I have to say, the songs were good, everything fell into place [and] the mix worked out very well. Looking back at it now . . . we weren’t trying to be Mods, we never felt like we were Mods in the first place, but we reconnected with our audience. I think we really did.” The technology at the time limited The Who’s ability to perform the rock opera as it would have liked, but the group got the chance 26 years later when it staged a Quadrophenia concert at Hyde Park in London. Soon after, the band performed the album for six-straight nights at Madison Square Garden and followed with a full tour. After that, the rock opera was put to bed until 2010, when The Who brought back Quadrophenia for a special Teenage Cancer Trust benefit concert at the
Royal Albert Hall. Townshend recalls listening to the music at rehearsals and still feeling the connection. “Just as a piece of music, it does stand up, but it offers a journey,” he explains. “There is a poignancy in the way that it connects me to my younger days. It is certainly not nostalgia. I don’t have any nostalgia for the Mod days, but there is a poignancy to being awakened to all those feelings. The Who were very young when we started, in 1963 and ’64, playing to those audiences. We were just kids, and some our audience was even younger. For me, at the Albert Hall, it was like, wow, this is a real connection with having [done] exactly what I wanted to do in the ’70s and we did it again reconnecting with the crowd.” As far as performing full albums, Townshend wonders if modern technology actually contributed to the current trend. He concludes, “Maybe the preponderance of singles on the Internet has made the album feel special again? Maybe the old way of listening to music—in longer sittings—is finding its way back into vogue? A journey, for example, is an opportunity to listen to something longer, and easy-to-carry mobile music has made that possible.” c
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Destination Unknown
Picturesque
Playground
The Slovenian town of Bled offers lakeside fun and gorgeous alpine peaks
The contents of Mitt Romney’s Swiss bank accounts might be the best-kept secret in Europe, but the runner-up could easily be the town of Bled in northwest Slovenia. Save for the last surviving Sasha Vujacic fans, most people wouldn’t know Slovenia from Slovakia, and that is the point. Tourism has yet to overrun this former Yugoslav state like it has neighboring Croatia, even though Slovenia’s natural assets range from Mediterranean beaches to the Julian Alps. Still, the
22 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2012
idyllic town of Bled, nestled near the Italian and Austrian borders, is the country’s understated star. Surrounded by mountains and forest, the glacial waters of Lake Bled provide the postcard-ready pictures that define the town’s immediate charm. In the summer, the lake becomes a playground for boaters, swimmers and divers, while February attracts would-be “polar bears” for the annual Bled Winter Swimming Cup race. The winter also hosts skiing, snowboarding and even frozen-lake diving (scubaholic.si).
Story by David Jenison Photos Courtesy of Slovenian Tourist Board
Lake Bled features the country’s only natural island, Bled Island, with 99 steps leading from the water to a 15th-century baroque church. For those getting hitched on the island, tradition calls for the groom to carry the bride up the entire stairway, which could make for the most awesome before-after Weight Watchers commercial ever. Still, tradition also says the bride must remain totally silent for the entire ascent, no matter what her new mother-in-law did to offend, so it might be a fair trade. Dating back 1,000 years, the mountaintop Bled Castle is another picturesque gem with a drawbridge and moat seemingly ripped from a Hollywood epic. The medieval castle features a finedining restaurant overlooking the lake, a reconstructed Gutenberg printing press and a wine cellar where tourists can fill and cork their own take-home bottles. While the castle’s wine won’t make Chateau Margaux tremble, Slovenian winemaking actually predates the grape-pressing traditions of France and Spain. Food & Wine magazine heaps considerable praise on vineyards like Edi Simcic, Marjan Simcic, Cotar, Sutor and the Hemingway-loved Movia, though a high national consumption keeps most of the wine inside its borders. Local activities include golf, fishing, thermal springs, rafting, horseback riding and culinary delights (try the famous vanilla-andcream pastry kremna rezina), but the Daniel Boone types should head to Slovenia’s only national
park, Triglav, easily accessible from Bled. The trek features gorgeous alpine peaks, lush scenery and running waters that feed both the Adriatic and Black Seas. Equally impressive is the Vintgar Gorge, a one-mile ravine that cuts through jagged vertical rocks and impressive waterfalls with a user-friendly wooden walkway. The 1,000-foot-long caves of Babji Zob (Hags Tooth), located under a large tooth-shaped pillar protruding from a mountain peak, is another highlight with gorgeous stalactites and spiral formations. Those who party hard will have a better time in the capital city, Ljubljana, or in club-happy Belgrade about seven hours to the east. Lake Bled, on the other hand, is better known for the water’s alleged healing powers, which have attracted Central European emperors and Austro-Hungarian monarchs since the 1800s. This makes Bled an ideal place for patients. Cannabis traditionally comes in from Albania and Morocco, but a homegrown boom is on the rise. A study of 11 European nations published last year in the Croatian Medical Journal found that Slovenia topped the list in perceived marijuana availability. Possession for personal use is typically just a misdemeanor fine, if that, as respectful cannabis use is generally tolerated. This makes Bled the perfect low-key town to unwind, enjoy nature and medicate in peace. c www.slovenia.info
Profiles in Courage Patient:
Gary L. Hull
AGE: 54
WHY DID YOU START USING MEDICAL MARIJUANA?
It has no side effects compared to pharmaceutical medications. It may not be a cure for my injuries, but it does help me cope with my pain and my agonies.
Condition/ Illness:
DID YOU TRY OTHER METHODS OR TREATMENTS BEFORE MARIJUANA?
Using medical cannabis since:
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR PROBLEM FACING MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS?
Traumatic brain injuries, depression.
Photo by Kristopher Christensen
Are you an MMJ patient from Washington 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.
Age 12 or 13
Oxycontin three to four times a day, Soma . . . temazepam, lorazepam, Xanax. Every one of those pharmaceuticals did something to me that was harmful . . . My saving grace has been music and cannabis and God.
[When medical cannabis became legal], right then we should have flooded them with education, we should have opened up the same number of collectives we have now . . . We should have been ahead of the game.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE?
I educate them. You can only tell them so much. People are going to be ignorant no matter what. People are going to have closed minds to alternative medication. c
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Strain & Edible Reviews
iREADCULTURE.com GET YOUR HITS HERE
Blue Crush
This strain, developed in-house by Sensable Patient Network in Ballard, is one of the better sativas we’ve run into in a long time. It’s a cross of Blueberry (an indica) and two sativas, which the collective won’t identify and which we won’t even try to guess at. You won’t care either because Blue Crush, a 90/10 sativa/ indica, delivers all the usual effects of a strong sativa—a powerful head high and a sense that you’re a bit out-of-body. Even better, it does so without generating the distractions that sativas are often heir to. So you can use this strain just about any time for pain relief, anxiety and as an awesome daytime medicine, given its almost Zen calmness. It’s grassy on the nose with a hint of berry and tastes wonderful on exhalation. Blue Crush tests at 17 percent THC (it feels stronger actually) and 2 percent CBD, according to the collective. Whoever created this hybrid earns high grades for coaxing such a high CBD count out of a sativa.
Blue Dream
Blue Dream is consistently one of the most popular medical strains in all of medical cannabis-dom and for good reasons. It nukes pain and anxiety and is perfect for daytime use, since it doesn’t produce the unwanted distractions of most big sativas. And it smells gorgeous with its intense berry and skunk nose and spiciness on the palette. What’s more, its effects run two to three hours. Despite its reputation as a sativa, this Cali-developed strain is actually a 60/40 sativa/indica hybrid of Haze and Blueberry. The sample we tried from Lacey Cross in Lacey had all the intense odors of classic Blue Dream. In light of all the variations of Blue Dream that we’ve encountered over the years, this is one of the smoother examples we’ve smoked in the Puget Sound region of late.
Black Out Brownies
Brownies infused with cannabutter are a dime a dozen in western Washington these days. Some work very well, others hardly at all. Wicked Delights’ Black Out Brownies fall into the “very well” category. And the “made with extra strong butter” category. That’s right, this is a very strong brownie and will rub out pain in all but the toughest of cases—we can vouch for that ourselves. But if there’s one thing we hate about super-strong edibles, it’s that they produce major agitation and can make the mind wander too much. But this tasty, dripping-with-butter brownie from Olympia’s Northwest Alternative Care manages to create four to six hours of effects without putting you on a hamster wheel of mental sprinting. That’s medicine in our book. Enjoy.
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Raspberry Kush
We’ve never been sure of the genetics of Raspberry Kush— and we don’t care. It’s a strain that’s almost odorless and you won’t miss a bit of the interplay of berry and dank notes common to Berry and Kush crosses. That’s because this is a powerful indica that straight-up gets its painkilling job done with Marine-like efficiency. Don’t use this one during the day, unless of course you work nights. This Raspberry Kush from Greenwood Alternative Medicine, one of North Seattle’s best collectives, is super potent and—we use this term rarely—a definite couch-lock experience. We mean this in a good way because you will not be feeling much pain at all and those anxieties that gripped you, well, they are just gone now. Obviously, this is a great strain for general pain relief and it’s also known to handle spasms and migraines quite nicely.
Happy Wayz Medibles’ Happy Hashers
We truly love the medicated suckers that have popped up, seemingly all over the MMJ world in western Washington. They are highly effective delivery systems for patients who do not smoke or who require high doses of THC to address pain issues and make dose titration simple. These Happy Wayz Medibles’ Happy Hashers, from Cool Calm Collective in Lake City, are some of the best we’ve encountered so far: it’s not too sweet, the flavors are all flavorful—you’d be amazed at how many cannabis candies taste bad—and they were clearly made by someone who knows what they’re doing with candy (candy making is an art). But perhaps you’re more interested in the fact that this little gem packs 200 milligrams of hash oil. Onset is quick with a warming effect kicking in at 15 minutes. Full effect hits at an hour, followed by four hours of complete pain relief. All without any hint of agitation and mental activation. Oxycontin just met its worst nightmare.
Green Crack
Most everyone we know in the medical cannabis world hates the name of this strain—could “crack” be any less medical?—but no one doubts its potency. Simply put, Green Crack is one of the most intense medical cannabis strains of which we know. It’s a special Super Skunk #1 phenotype crossed with, in this case, Sweet Leaf indica. Green Crack has a reputation for producing intense, cerebral head highs, and this example from Natures Resource Center in Tacoma is true to the norm. It tests at 19 percent THC and 1.1 percent CBD (the latter quite high for a sativa), according to the collective, and its effects are both highly activating and thought-inducing. True to its Skunk lineage, its big buds smell sweet and skunky. This strain is excellent for pain relief (you won’t even feel your body) and anxiety along with muscle spasms.
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Remember the days when rappers just . . . rapped? That’s so old school. Nowadays they are also practically required to produce movies, act, write screenplays, direct and run record labels. Some of them even design clothes or headphones or star in reality TV shows. Chris Brown recently came up with the brilliant idea of selling Pit Bull Terriers online for a $1,000 a pup (He should probably stick to music). And, like so many other successful artists who started in hip-hop, Ice Cube has diversified his repertoire. The nation was introduced to a young artist calling himself Ice Cube (along with future household names Dr. Dre and Eazy-E) with the advent of N.W.A.—the outfit that practically invented gangster rap. In 1986, N.W.A. detonated Straight Outta Compton on an unsuspecting populace and managed to piss off all the right demographics—endearing them to millions. After months of ferocious infighting, N.W.A. expired from largely selfinflicted wounds in 1991, the same year Ice Cube impressed the hell out of everyone with a brilliantly understated performance in John Singleton’s Academy Award-winning Boyz N The Hood. Since then Cube’s boomeranged back and forth from the screen to the studio, appearing in a slew of movies and television shows, releasing nine studio albums and making guest appearances on tracks by dozens of fellow artists. His first attempt at screenwriting spawned the Friday franchise and—yes—he’s even got his own line of clothing. The man gets around. Usually in a convertible with hydraulics. I wanted to talk about your acting career because since your debut as Doughboy in Boyz N the Hood, acting has become a major part of your career. Is acting something you enjoy? Yeah, I do. I like it. For a creative person like [me], it’s a great way to create on a three-dimensional level. Music is kind of straight audio. You get to do a few videos, but nothing like painting on the canvas of a movie screen. I gotta say I thought you really killed it in Three Kings—which
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I had no expectations going in, and has really become one of my favorite films. Yeah, Three Kings was real cool in a lot of aspects. You know we see these kinds of shots all the time. You watch CSI or whatever and you see these shots of the camera going inside the body. But Three Kings was the first time you really seen stuff like this. You’ve spent some time behind the camera yourself. You’ve written screenplays and di-
rected. Is that something you want to do more of? Yeah, eventually. One thing I learned about directing is that you have to be totally committed to one project for the duration. That’s one thing that kind of slid me more towards the producing route. And writing and acting. Because then I get a chance to be involved in more than one project. But I definitely will get back behind the camera at
some point because when you see something in your head nobody else can really deliver it for you. I hear that you like to read a lot. What have you been reading lately? You know, I’ve been writing so much . . .
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like the corporations that run private prisons, for example. That’s what I’m saying. Since the criminalization of it makes more money for the government than the legalization of it—at this point—it’ll stay a criminal thing. But these vending machine [that dispense medical marijuana to medical marijuana patients] things might be a good idea.
Tell me about what you’re writing. I’m writing the fourth Friday movie, which is funny as hell, and then I’m helping to put together this N.W.A. movie. You’ve been working on that for a while, haven’t you? Yeah, we’ve been working on it for about a year . . . and some change. Because we [are] trying to tell everybody’s story and be as accurate as possible and as entertaining as possible, so it’s taking a little more time—which is cool because I want to get it right. So that’s been occupying my time. But as far as reading . . . Quincy Jones’ autobiography [Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones]. Stuff like that.
What vending machines? They came out with a vending machine where they can get their tax on it. Really? I didn’t know about that. Come on, man. You gotta be up on it! Do you use the medicine yourself? I plead the Fifth.
All by yourself? Yup. Just me and my engineer. And I’ll bring people in as I need them, but I don’t need a crew. I think about all that stuff when I’m at home at my [in-house] studio. I know all my ideas before I get in there. Then I go in and do it how I feel it. It sounds like you have a lot of different stuff going on with the writing, producing, acting and making tunes. But I wouldn’t do them all at the same time. If I’m
Photo by Eric Williams
Your new album, Everything’s Corrupt, is almost completed. Tell me about how you work in the studio. I don’t like nobody in the studio with me.
“For a creative person like [me], it’s a great way to create on a three-dimensional level.” On making movies acting, the record has to wait until I’m done. And if I’m doing music, then the acting has to wait. I’m in the process of doing music and writing this movie so I don’t wanna do nothing but that. I don’t want to be a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I’m sure you know all about the federal crackdown on medical marijua-
na. I’m pretty sure I know the answer to this question, but I’m gonna ask it anyway: Where do you stand on the question of legalization? They’ll legalize it once they’ve figured out how to make all the money on it. So you think it’s just a question of economics? Because keeping it illegal makes a lot of people rich too—
Smoke Signals
So, I guess it would be a waste of time asking if you have any favorite strains or if you like any of the baked goods? Nah, I don’t have favorites. They’re like my children. Hey, here’s an interesting fact I discovered when I was looking you up online. Did you know the biggest neutrino particle detector in the world is located at the South Pole and they call it IceCube? I don’t doubt it. I think it’s kinda cool you got name-checked in a cutting-edge science experiment. I am science. c www.icecube.com
When Ice Cube took on the role of Craig in 1995’s Friday, it was a dramatic departure from the Doughboy character he previously embodied in Boyz N The Hood. In Boyz, Doughboy is a high school dropout, ex-con, pistol-packing misanthrope with no redeeming qualities . . . until the very end. Craig, while definitely a layabout, also spends most of his time trying to stay out of trouble and avoid the ghetto pitfalls of his friends and neighbors. But only one flick had Smokey. And you know this!
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Cool Stuff Bootube
Talk about going back to nature! Glass is so yesterday—try Bootube, a certified organic pipe made of timber-grade black bamboo (plus beeswax and hemp seed oil) and a glass-on-glass stem. Because it’s made of natural wood, each handcrafted piece is unique—it’s just like medicating deep in an exotic rainforest in Maui. ($100 per foot) thebambootunnel.com
ShaveTech
Shaving’s a time-grubbing chore . . . but ShaveTech wants to make it a joy. This sleek, portable shaver’s got a feature no other grooming accessing comes with: you can charge it using a USB port! No more hunting for electrical outlets (a single charge lasts about 30 minutes) the next time you need a baby-face for that Monday morning presentation. ($39.99) www.shavetech.com
Happy Daddy Tools
If you use glassware to medicate you know it can be a pain to keep everything clean and tidy. Happy Daddy tools, however, are here to make a patient’s life easier with The Grindson (a pick used to clean out your grinder), the Bowl Buddy (use to clean rims and bowls) and Big Buddha (use to dip into oils, etc.) Don’t worry. Be happy. ($10-$12) happydaddyproducts.net
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CULTURE Recipes By Aunt Sandy
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.
The end of summer might be bittersweet for some, but the onset of autumn is always time to celebrate. Whip up this delish menu—perfect to keep you nourished for the start of the football season (thank you, NFL!) And since Sept. 26 is Johnny Appleseed Day, we’ve added a tooth-teasing Apple Cannabis Crisp just to sweeten the deal.
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Menu:
Happy Trail Mix
Cannabis Crusted Salmon Garlic Mash Fresh Green Beans Apple Cannabis Crisp
Happy Trail Mix 1 cup of Rice Chex cereal 1 cup of Corn Chex cereal 1 cup of Wheat Chex cereal 1 cup small pretzels 1 cup Canna Butter* 1 tablespoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt Cannabis (crushed buds) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the Chex cereal and pretzels in a large mixing bowl. In a medium bowl or saucepan, melt the Canna Butter and stir in garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Place the cereal and pretzels on a cookie sheet and pour half the butter mixture over them with a spatula or spoon. Toss the remaining butter mixture well. Bake the trail mix for 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and repeat the previous step using the remaining half of the butter mixture. Let cool and add some crushed cannabis over the top and toss together.
Fresh Green Beans
1 lb. green beans 1 tablespoon melted Canna Butter* 1/4 cup of slivered almonds Salt and pepper to taste Snip the ends off the green beans and cut in half. Drop them into boiling water, reduce the heat once. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes, and drain. Add the Canna Butter, garnish with the almonds and add salt and pepper and serve.
Cannabis Crusted Salmon Makes four servings.
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 cup Happy Trail Mix (crushed to a fine consistency) 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon cannabis (crushed buds) 1/4 cup Canna Butter* 4 salmon steaks (about 1/2 lb. per person) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, salt, pepper, Happy Trail mix, cheese and cannabis. Wipe the salmon dry and dredge in the flour mixture, then set aside. In a 9x13 baking pan, melt the Canna Butter in the preheated oven. When the butter is melted and hot, place the dredged salmon steaks into the pan. Baste the upper surface of the salmon with some of the butter in the pan. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Turn over and reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake until tender, about another 15 minutes. SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 37
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Garlic Mash
1 large clove of garlic Olive oil 6 medium-size potatoes (about 2 lbs.) 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons Canna Butter* 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup hot milk or cream Cut the top off the large clove of garlic, drizzle the top with olive oil and place in a baking dish. Bake in a 350-degree oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside. Wash, peel and remove blemishes from the potatoes. Cut into quarters and cook covered for 20 to 40 minutes in 4 cups of boiling water, adding 1/2 teaspoon salt. When the potatoes are tender, drain well and add the Canna Butter, 1 teaspoon of salt and hot milk or cream. Mash with a fork or potato masher until potatoes are creamy. Squeeze the baked clove of softened garlic into the potatoes and mix well.
Apple Cannabis Crisp
Makes SIX servings.
4 cups tart apples, pared, cored and sliced 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup Canna Butter* 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the apples into a 9-inch pie pan or dish and add the lemon juice. In a large mixing bowl add the remaining ingredients and work the mixture with a pastry blender or your fingers. Lightly blend them so they do not become oily. Spread the crumbly mixture over the apples. Bake for about 30 minutes. Serve hot.
CANNA Butter* 1 cup unsalted butter 1 ounce low to average quality dried leaf marijuana or 1/2 ounce average dried bud 4 cups water Bring water and butter to boil in a small pot, lower heat to simmer. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Mash and stir frequently to extract all THC from the plant material. After cooking, use cheesecloth to strain the butter/water mixture. Pour about 2 cups clean boiling water over the leaves in the strainer to extract every last drop of butter. Squeeze plant material well to remove as much liquid as possible. Chill the butter/water mixture in the refrigerator until the butter has solidified (1 to 2 hours). Separate butter from water and keep butter in the refrigerator (or freezer for longer storage) until needed.
Legal Disclaimer
Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
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Shooting Gallery iREADCULTURE.com GET YOUR HITS HERE
Seattle Hempfest 2012 (Photos by Audrey King)
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Entertainment Reviews Tomorrows Bad Seeds The Great Escape UrbanTone Who says the ’90s are dead? Well, the calendar. But if you need a little time capsule with a slight modern flair, you should pick up Tomorrows Bad Seeds’ new album The Great Escape. Playing the record immediately takes the listener back to the age of Sublime and Third Eye Blind. It’s like they never left. However, the title track (first on the list) is sort of misleading when it comes to the tone of the album. It’s a rocking rebel anthem that makes you want toIF YOU GO kick the ass of any authority figure. Then, the album slips into a somber, far more chill feeling (“One Way,” is a must-add for medicated listening) that, while not bad, is really jarring. Despite the change, the rest of the album is a fun, relaxing and sometimes a deep experience ( “Ballerina Girl”). Worth a listen, even in the 21st century. (Joe Martone)
Marijuana Pest & Disease Control Ed Rosenthal Quick American Publishing When it comes to cultivation, there’s no better friend to the grower than Ed Rosenthal. The man’s been doing god’s work for decades, showing us mere mortals how to grow top-quality herb in ways that are effective and easy to follow. And that’s the charm of Marijuana Pest & Disease Control. With the depth of knowledge of a clinical researcher but with the warmth of a trusted friend, Rosenthal breaks down the essentials with clear, lucid prose and practical instructions—all overseen by an ethos he clearly spells out in the book: “One rule of thumb for controlling pests is to begin with the least invasive methods.” In other words, don’t go for the chemical big guns right off the bat. Need a recipe for making compost tea? Ed’s got you covered. Want to know how to avoid root rot? It’s here. Pick up this book. Your plants will thank you. (Matt Tapia)
Marley Magnolia Pictures Dir. By Kevin McDonald In the decades since Bob Marley’s death in 1981, he’s become such an icon that it’s easy to lose sight of the man behind the legend. Marley remedies that, focusing on his biography in exhaustive detail—from his childhood as the mixed-race son of a Jamaican woman and English soldier to the early musical struggles of the Wailers to his eventual stardom and too-sudden death. Marley is heard from in archival interviews but his story is mostly told by those who knew him—family members, bandmates, girlfriends, even a nurse who treated him at a German hospital in his final days battling cancer. The most powerful moments are when we see him perform in concert footage at various pivotal points in his career. A nice coda is also provided with an end-credit sequence showing fans today from one country after another singing and dancing to his songs of freedom. (Omar Aziz)
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Sylvia Writers and filmmakers have spilled plenty of ink detailing the many flavors of man-dog relationships. From Charles Schulz’ poignant a-boy-and-hisdog musings from the Peanuts comics strip to the twisted interplay between the MMJ patient played by Elijah Wood and Wilfred in the titular FX series, there’s no end to how canines and their human masters fascinate the creative mind (let’s just not count Marley & Me, OK?). Set in the ’90s, Sylvia by A.R. Gurney (directed by Elliot Weiner) delves into the same territory, detailing the story of how middle-aged New Yorker Greg finds the titular pooch (a street-smart half-Lab/ half-poodle played by an actor à la Wilfred), and how that dog ends up being perceived as a threat to Greg and Kate’s marriage. If you enjoy your drama with dollops of comedy and rife with tender moments, the modern romantic tale told by Sylvia is sure to make us look at our own relationships and make us question the old adage “Man’s best friend.” Take a bow (wow), Sylvia. (Matt Tapia)
IF YOU GO
What: Sylvia. When/Where: Sept. 7-30 various times at Tacoma Little Theatre, 210 N. I St., Tacoma. Info: Go to www.tacomalittletheatre.com or call (253) 272-2281.
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Liner Notes
By Kevin Longrie
It’s an election year and tensions are running high. Democrats and Republicans are tearing each other apart. President Obama, seeing the momentum of the Romney campaign, decided to call on the one constituency that would help him not only get reelected, but also repair the country’s deep-rooted issues. That constituency is DJs. Obama for America created a new program called DJs for Obama in which those recordspinning beat-makers go out into the world (whether real or digital) and tell people, “Hey, like, just vote for Obama already.” One of the DJs called on to make a change is DJ Rashida, who, according to Wikipedia, is unfortunately NOT Rashida Jones. “Our platform is to a lot of young people,” DJ Rashida said. “Knowing
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myself as a young person, I didn’t really know what the power of my vote was. No one should underestimate the impact they can have.” DJ Rashida sounds quite practical about the whole thing; but there are other DJs that are treating the task in a more sacred, rarified manner. “DJing is about motivation, celebration, inspiration,” said DJ Cassidy, who DJed for Obama’s inauguration. “DJs are in front of so many crowds every night of all ages, races, genders. When you think about it, that’s what this election is all about: people from every background, race and creed joining together to celebrate what makes America great and all that Obama has done to make it even greater.” Think back to your civics class. Remember how often your government teacher would compare national elections to the act of
DJing? Cassidy is on point. Look for the announcements of these campaign groups for Obama soon: Film Composers for Obama, Child Prodigies for Obama and Stevedores for Obama. Drake and Chris Brown, who got into a fight at a nightclub earlier this year, are being sued $16 million by the club’s owner who claims that his club got negative press from the ordeal. Their litigation teams will have to maneuver around the “there’s no such thing as bad publicity”
defense and the “Seriously? $16 million for a bar fight?” defense. Tony Parker, who was not involved in the tussle but was there that night, sued the club owners for $20 million to an eye injury he sustained. I, for one, hope that these kinds of cases keep being brought before a judge so we can all sit back and revel in the spectacle of rich people suing each other. Shakedowns are the best. Ron Howard is directing JayZ. I’m going to let that sink in for a bit. c
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Events Calendar iREADCULTURE.com Thru Sept. 3 What: American Youth Circus Organization Educators Conference. When/Where: Various times at Sanca, 674 S. Orcas St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $14 children, $19 adults. Go to www.sancaseattle.org or call (206) 652-4433. Thru Sept. 3 What: “Avatar: The Exhibition.” When/Where: 10am5pm every day at EMP Museum, 325 5th Ave. North, Seattle. Info: $12-$15. Go to www.empmuseum. org or call (206) 770-2700. Sept. 4 What: Old 97’s with Those Darlins and Rhett Miller in concert. When/Where: 7pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $22.50. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151. Sept. 5 What: Linkin Park and Incubus in concert. When/Where:
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GET YOUR HITS HERE
6:30pm at Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma. Info: Tickets $39.50$65.50. Go to www.tacomadome. org or call (253) 593-7620. Sept. 6 What: Yelawolf with Grynch and Kagah in concert. When/Where: 7:30pm at Knitting Factory, 919 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Info: Tickets $20. Go to sp.knittingfactory.com or call (509) 244-3279. Sept. 6 What: Silversun Pickups in concert. When/Where: 6:30pm at the Marymoor, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy., Richmond. Info: Tickets $35.Go to concertsatmarymoor.com. Sept. 6 What: Melvins Lite in concert. When/Where: 8pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st
Send Listings to calendar@ireadculture.com
Ave.., Seattle. Info: Tickets $18. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151. Sept. 7 What: My Morning Jacket in concert. When/Where: 6:30pm at the Marymoor, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy., Richmond. Info: Tickets $39.50.Go to concertsatmarymoor.com. Sept. 7 What: The Hives with Fidlar in concert. When/ Where: 8:30pm at The Showbox SoDo, 1700 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $25. Go to www. showboxonline.org or call (206) 652-0444. Sept. 7 What: We: A Collection of Individuals screening. When/ Where: 9pm at Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $16 advance, $20 at the door. Go to www.stgpresents.org.
Sept. 8 What: F**ked Up and Lightning Bolt in concert. When/ Where: 6pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave.., Seattle. Info: Tickets $10. Go to www. showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151. Sept. 9 What: The Tallest Man on Earth with Strand of Oaks in concert. When/Where: 7:30pm at The Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $20 advance, $22.50 at the door. Go to www. stgpresents.org. Sept. 12 What: Pat Metheny Unity Band with Chris Potter, Antonio Sanchez and Ben Williams in concert. When/Where: 7:30pm at Martin Woldson Theater at The FOX, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Info: Tickets $36-$40. Go to www.martinwoldsontheater.com or call (509) 624-1200.
SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 47
Sept. 14 What: O’Neil present Jeremy Jones’ Further screening. When/Where: 6:30pm and 9pm at Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $15 advance, $20 at the door. Go to www.stgpresents.org.
Sept. 17 What: Iration with The Expendables and Cisco Adler in concert. When/Where:7pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $18.50. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151.
Sept. 14 What: Tainted Love in concert. When/Where: 8pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $15. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151.
Sept. 18 What: Bob Mould plays Copper Blue and Silver Age in concert. When/Where: 7pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave.., Seattle. Info: Tickets $20. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151.
Sept. 14 What: Hot Chip in concert. When/Where: 8pm at The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $30 - $33. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Sept. 15 What: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros in concert. When/Where: 7pm at the Marymoor, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy., Richmond. Info: Tickets $35. Go to concertsatmarymoor.com. Sept. 15 What: The Head and the Heart in concert. When/Where: 8pm at The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $26.25. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Sept. 15 What: Atmosphere with I Self Devine and Carnage in concert. When/Where:8pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $25. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151. Sept. 15-16 What: Tacoma Fall Wedding Expo. When/Where: 9:30am at Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma. Info: Tickets $16. Go to www.tacomadome.org or call (253) 593-7620. Sept. 15-16 What: Gameday Extravaganza—College Edition! When/Where: 9am at The Showbox SoDo, 1700 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: All ages 20,000-squarefoot tailgate party with football games and full bar for those over 21. Go to www.showboxonline. org or call (206) 652-0444. Sept. 17 What: Anthrax and Testament in concert. When/Where: 7:30pm at Knitting Factory, 919 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Info: Tickets $27. Go to sp.knittingfactory. com or call (509) 244-3279. 48 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2012
Sept. 18 What: Animal Collective with Micachu and The Shapes in concert. When/Where: 8pm at The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $27.25 advance, $30.25. Go to www. stgpresents.org. Sept. 19 What: Anthrax with Testament and Death Angel in concert. When/ Where:7pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $29.50. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151. Sept. 20 What: HistoryLunch 2012. When/Where: At The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle. Info: Free. Go to www. stgpresents.org. Sept. 21 What: Serj Tankian with Viza and Mother’s Anger in concert. When/Where:8pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $25. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151. Sept. 22 What: The Shins in concert. When/Where: 8pm at The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $31.25. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Sept. 22 What: Wheedle’s Grove in concert. When/Where: 8pm at Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Info: Subscriber’s exclusive. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Sept. 22 What: Kreator and Accept in concert. When/Where: 7pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave.., Seattle. Info: Tickets $29.50. Go to www.
showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151.
Paul Chambers. Tickets $40. Go to www.stgpresents.org.
Sept. 22 What: STG present Wheedle’s Groove with Acapulco Gold. When/Where: 9pm at Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $19. Go to www.stgpresents.org.
Sept. 27 What: MiMOSA with Tipper and Starkey in concert. When/Where:9pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $26.50. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151.
Sept. 23 What: Matisyahu & The Dirty Heads in concert. When/ Where: 7:30pm at The Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $27.50-$37.50. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Thru Sept. 23 What: “The Marioni Family: Radical Experimentation in Glass and Jewelry.” When/ Where: At Tacoma Art Museum. 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. Info: Go to www.tacomaartmuseum.com or call (253) 272-4258. Sept. 24 What: Tegan & Sara in concert. When/Where: 8pm at Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $35. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Sept. 26 What: GROUPLOVE in concert. When/Where: 7:30pm at The Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle. Info: With Alt-J. Tickets $20 advance, $22 at the door. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Sept. 26 What: Kimbra in concert. When/Where: 9pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave.., Seattle. Info: Tickets $20. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151. Sept. 26 What: Garbage with Screaming Females in concert. When/Where: 7pm at The Showbox SoDo, 1700 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $35. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 652-0444. Sept. 27 What: George Thorogood and The Destroyers in concert. When/Where: 8pm at Knitting Factory, 919 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Info: Tickets $27. Go to sp.knittingfactory.com or call (509) 244-3279. Sept. 27 What: 2012 Decibel Festival. When/Where: 8pm at The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle. Info: With Orbital and
Sept. 27-28 What: 2012 Decibel Festival. When/Where: 8pm at Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Info: With Shpongle, Fidelity and more. Tickets $27. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Sept. 28 What: Chanticleer in concert. When/Where: 8pm at Martin Woldson Theater at The FOX, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Info: Tickets $22-$32. Go to www.martinwoldsontheater.com or call (509) 624-1200. Sept. 28 What: Bloc Party in concert. When/Where: 8pm at The Showbox SoDo, 1700 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $25. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 652-0444. Sept. 28 What: Spotlight Series: Chanticleer in concert. When/ Where: 8pm at Martin Woldson Theater at The FOX, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Info: Tickets $22-$32. Go to www. martinwoldsontheater.com or call (509) 624-1200. Sept. 29 What: DJ Shadow with Bonobo (DJ set) and eprom in concert. When/Where: 9pm at The Showbox SoDo, 1700 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $28.50. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 652-0444. Sept. 29 What: Stephanie Miller Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour with John Fugelsang and Hal Sparks. When/Where: 8pm at The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $25-$150. Go to www.stgpresents.org. Sept. 30 What: Joss Stone in concert. When/Where:7pm at The Showbox at The Market, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $35. Go to www.showboxonline.org or call (206) 628-3151. SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 49
Guide to our Advertisers LYNNWOOD
Cool, Calm, Collective. 206-365-5737
HypeHerbally Holistic Health. 425-582-9385
Dockside Co-op. 206-420-4837
OLYMPIA
Greenside Medical. 206-380-3129
D3 Medical Club. 360-742-8067 Lacey Cross. 360-493-0420
Greenwood Alternative Medicine. 206-457-8917
Northwest Alternative Care. 360-352-1242
Happy Wayz Medibles. 206-398-9581
Olympia Alternative Medicine. 360-705-9415
Have a Heart CC. 206-257-4500
The Healing Center. 360-515-0258
SEATTLE
Puget Sound Health Alternatives. 206-402-5082
Altercare. 206-329-2223
Sea+Weed. 206-725-0400
Canna Pi. 206-763-1171
Seattle Quality Collective. North Seattle: 206-257-4941. South Seattle: 206-722-0969
Canna Rx. 206-588-1637
50 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2012
Med Source Patient Network. 425-743-7704
Sensable Patient Network. 206-388-2198 Tree House Collective. 206-330-2046 Urban Roots. 206-527-5154 West Coast Wellness. 206-420-3296
TACOMA Budding Health. 253-268-0507 Cannabis Club. 253-507-4725 Green Café. 253-302-4106 Nature’s Resource Center. 253-572-5544 The Cure Collective. 253-604-4607 The Herbal Connection. 253-256-4251
PRODUCT AND SERVICES Canna Law Group. www.cannablislawseattle.com. 206-826-9371 Cannabis Clothing Co. 06-535-6291 CannCast. www.canncast.com DirecTV. 425-406-6218 Dixie Elixirs & Edibles. www. dixiex.com. 866-920-4262 Kush Bottles. www.kushbottles. com. 888-920-5874 Silver Surfer Vaporizers. www. silversurfervap.com. THCjobs. www.thcjobs.com
EVALUATIONS Advanced Holistic Health. Seattle Locations: 508 3rd Ave W., Suite B and 11231 Roosevelt Way NE | Bellevue Location: 14648 SE Eastgate Way, Suite A. 888-508-5428
SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 51
Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird LEAD STORY— FREEDOM UNDER ATTACK
; First Amendment Blues: (1) A bar in Horry County, S.C., named the Suck Bang Blow filed a lawsuit in May challenging the county’s new ordinance prohibiting motorcyclists’ “burnouts” (engine-revving with back-tirespinning, creating smoke—and enormous noise). The bar claims that burnouts are important expressions of its customers’ “manliness and macho” and as such are protected by the First Amendment. (2) Luigi Bellavite complained to reporters in Mountain View, Colo., in July that the theft of his “Vote Satan” yard sign ought to be prosecuted as a “hate crime” under state law—as he is a member of the Church of Satan. Police called it an ordinary theft.
GOVERNMENT IN ACTION!
; Miniature golf is remarkably simple to play, requiring neither experience nor much exertion, and even toddlers can negotiate their own brand of fun on the course. However, in March, a set of “accessible design” standards went into effect, under the Americans With Disabilities Act, governing such things as the “slope” of courses (maximum 1:4 rise on some holes), the maximum length of the blades if artificial turf is used, and the minimum area of the “tee-off” landing (48 inches by 60 inches, with a slope not steeper than 1:48). ; The only unlimited-issue U.S. visa allowing fast-lane entrance for certain foreign workers is the O-1, available to those 52 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2012
(e.g., scientists, technology engineers) who, in the opinion of the State Department, demonstrate “extraordinary ability.” Reuters reported in June that an O-1 recently went to British journalist Piers Morgan, whose extraordinariness seems limited to replacing Larry King on his CNN interview program, and another to Shera Bechard, Playboy’s Miss November 2010, whose other accomplishment seems to be the creation of an online photo-sharing experience called “Frisky Friday.” ; Forgetful: (1) USA Today, quoting a Pentagon official, reported in July that, during the last decade, the Pentagon had paid “late fees” totaling $610 million for not returning leased shipping containers by the due dates. (2) A Government Accountability Office report in July revealed that the federal government’s vast properties include about 14,000 offices and buildings that are vacant (or nearly so), but which the government still pays to maintain (at about $190 million a year). (A large building in Washington, D.C.,’s Georgetown—among the most valuable real estate in the city—has sat mostly unused for more than 10 years.) (3) The Miami-Dade County, Fla., government confirmed in April that it had discovered, in storage, 298 brand-new vehicles that had been purchased in 2006-2007, but which had never been used.
POLICE REPORT
; New Mexico is an “open carry” state, with otherwiselaw-abiding adults authorized to display loaded handguns in public. However, in the town of Vaughn (pop. 500, located
mid-nowhere), perhaps the only ones not authorized to carry are the town’s two police officers. Chief Ernest Armijo had been convicted in 2011 of criminal nonsupport of a wife and two sons, and among the conditions of probation was the prohibition on gun possession. Deputy Brian Bernal has his own domestic issue: a conviction for family violence that bars him, under federal law, from carrying. ; Most people who call an FBI field office would be in serious trouble if they left an answeringmachine message for a named agent, along with the caller’s name and telephone number, in a message consisting of at least 13 F-word epithets threatening to “break (the agent’s) (F-word) neck.” However, when Thomas Troy Bitter left the message at the San Diego field office, according to a July report in OC Weekly, the agency, after initially charging Bitter, quietly dropped the prosecution with no further repercussions. OC Weekly speculated that Bitter is a confidential informant whom the FBI was late in paying. ; Specialist Perps: (1) In May, Chicago police arrested a man they believed had just minutes earlier used a Bobcat frontend loader to crash through the window of a Family Dollar store and steal two cans of deodorant and a handful of gift cards (and nothing else) and walk away. (2) Police in Lorain, Ohio, were looking in June for a man about 18 years old who had been seen on surveillance video breaking into the same Sunoco convenience store several times recently and taking up to $600 worth of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
GREAT ART!
; Paris designer Jean-Emmanuel “Valnoir” Simoulin’s latest project combines his boyhood fascination with jacket patches and the societal fascination with body modification. He said he will sew patches featuring his band’s next album directly onto the skin of his own back. “It’s a nostalgic project about my teenage-hood, when I had an iron faith (in) black-metal (music).”
PERSPECTIVE
; People With Too Much Money: The dogs could not care less, but the luxury doghouse market is thriving, according to a June New York Times report. “Many of them have carpeting, heating and airconditioning, indoor and outdoor lighting, elaborate . . . entertainment systems,” wrote the Times, and some even have solar panels. But, said one owner, “Maggie’s never been in (hers). She’s a house dog.” Although walmart.com offers upscale houses for $4,400 to $4,600, the more tony ones can go for more than $25,000. Top-shelf interior designers have created dog beds suspended from the ceiling and houses in which the music kicks on only as the dog enters (meaning that it almost never kicks on).
RECURRING THEMES
; It has been reported variously as an urban legend and a true story, but a well-documented July report in Chinese media, picked up by CNN, looks, unfortunately, authentic. A 13-year-old boy in Shandong Province was severely injured by a prank at an auto repair shop at which he worked. Doctors at Bayi Children’s Hospital in Beijing confirmed that the coworkers had inserted the nozzle of an air pump into his rectum and shot air into the intestines, inflating his belly, damaging his liver, kidneys and stomach, and sending him into a coma for eight days. Doctors deflated him, but at press time, he remained in intensive care.
LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS
; (1) Police in Lewiston, Idaho, discovered in July that someone had passed a counterfeit $1 bill recently. A veteran officer told the Lewiston Tribune that counterfeiting a $1 bill is so stupid that he had seen only one in his life, made by a junior-high student to pay off a bully. (2) In June, firefighters were called to a trolley stop in National City, Calif., to free the arm of a 17-year-old boy after he got it stuck when he reached up a vending machine slot to try to steal a soda. The rescuers employed axes, crowbars, an air chisel and a rotary saw. SEPTEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 53
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