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A Good Day-Day
Comic and actor Mike Epps opens up about why cannabis is an alternative medicine.
features 12 Shifting Landscape You’ve got to have patience to keep up with our everevolving MMJ laws. 16 Pulp Friction Quentin Tarantino’s body of work has always included our favorite plant. 18 Hit Man Mike Tyson doesn’t pull any punches. 22 Waiting to Exhale Brazilian artist Fernando de La Roque’s art is literally smokin‘. 24 Sister Act Haim’s folk-pop ways catch the fancy of fans and critics alike.
departments 6 Letter from the Editor Some people just don’t understand the real meaning of pain and suffering. 8 News Nuggets Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere—and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers 26 Healthy Living Cannabis can intervene when the pain and illnesses of growing older creep up on us. 30 Strain & Edible Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains and edibles currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary. 40 Destination Unknown Visit Luang Prabang, Laos, for a glimpse of laidback locals and rice-hungry monks. 42 Profiles in Courage Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical cannabis patient near you. 44 Cool Stuff From the Barracuda Cone Filler to the GravityLight, if it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it. 46 Recipes Feeling presidential? You will be after sampling this inaugurationinspired menu. Happy Presidents Day! 50 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture.
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letter from the editor
Vol 4 IssUE 8
CULTURE Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Roberto C. Hernandez
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, Dan Macintosh, Meital Manzuri, Jane Mast, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Paul Rogers, Jeff Schwartz, Alan Shackelford, Lanny Swerdlow, Arrissia Owen
Photographers
Understanding
Pain If you’re human, you’ve experienced pain. Everyone does. Chances are, you might be in pain right now—which is likely the reason why you turned to God’s green plant for relief. And pain can take many forms. It can range from the soul-killing pain you undergo battling cancer, chemo and radiation treatments. There’s the excruciating, down-to-the-last-white-hot-nerve pain of a broken back or a cluster headache. There’s the profound pain and discomfort of diabetes, multiple sclerosis and muscle spasms. And there’s the crippling psychological pain of stress and anxiety. To paraphrase country music and cannabis icon Willie Nelson, stress “is the biggest killer on the planet, and the best medicine for stress is marijuana.” So, there are all types of pain, and, thank goodness, we can use cannabis to tackle it. Unfortunately, the fact that we experience pain and some of us opt to legally use a plant instead of an opioid to treat it doesn’t sit well with some people. Exhibit A: Arizona lawmaker John Kavanagh. The state legislator recently proposed a measure for the 2014 ballot that would rescind that state’s Medical Marijuana Act, which passed in 2010. What’s Kavanagh’s problem? Well, several things, but he’s upset over the fact that MMJ cardholders in Arizona say they use cannabis for, among other things (and those “other things” include cancer, hepatitis, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease and nausea)—
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Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Amanda Holguin, Audrey King, Khai Le, David Elliot Lewis, Ryan Mazrim, Patrick Roddie, Michael Seto, Kim Sidwell
pain! Yes, pain. More than 30,000 patients list cannabis as their med of choice for chronic pain. Ah-ha, Kavanagh (a former cop) must have thought, since, in his mind, “vague, ill-defined, impossible-to-disprove” pain complaints suggest abuse. “This is what critics feared: that [Arizona’s MMJ program] would be abused by people saying they had a bad back, and that’s apparently what we’ve gotten,” he told media outlets. So—let me follow the argument here—because lots of people decide to treat their pain with a plant instead of a pill, that’s bad and grounds for potentially shutting down an entire state’s voter-approved MMJ system?!?!?! Kavanagh’s so wrongheaded he won’t even allow an exception for cancer patients to use cannabis if his measure was successful. Wow. What do the “real” experts say about chronic pain? According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Such pain affects more people than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Pain costs our country anywhere from $560 billion to $635 billion in health care costs each year, according to 2010 data. Besides the terminal conditions, lower back pain, headaches/migraines and neck pain are the most commonly reported types of pain. Pain is real. Your pain is your own. Only you and your doctor can make a decision about how to treat it. And if you’re lucky to live in an MMJ state, you have the right to use cannabis for the health benefits it provides—don’t let others take that choice away. Never mind what John Kavanagh—and other wrongheaded prohibitionists—say. He’s just being a pain. c
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that cannabis use is forbidden on the premises, according to King 5 News. Apartment management officials last month issued a threepage notice that stipulated that neither cannabis nor cigarette smoking was allowed inside the 77 Central apartment complex— even with doors and windows closed. Furthermore, apartment residents are required to notify management if a neighbor is violating the agreement. If residents fail to sign the agreement then they will be considered eligible for eviction. Filmmakers behind I-502 Some tenants have come out documentary asking for and criticized the move. “It’s like your support the Gestapo,” tenant and MMJ Filmmakers behind a patient Alexander Aversano told documentary showcasing the King 5 News in reference to the passage of Washington’s Initiative ban. 502 say they are nearly done, and are currently raising funds to cover the costs of postproduction. The deadline for the 45-day fundraising campaign, through Indiegogo, is Feb. 17. The goal is to raise $36,000. At press time, the campaign had raised nearly $2,000. The documentary, Evergreen: The Road to Legalization in Liquor Control Board Washington, examines the seeking feedback regarding controversial ballot initiative that I-502 implementation made Washington the first state Washington’s Liquor Control in the country to legalize small Board has been charged with amounts of cannabis for adults 21 putting Initiative 502 into and over, among other provisions. action—and it wants input from Colorado approved a similar the public. measure last year, too. The film The board recently announced includes interviews with experts, government officials and cannabis patients, as well as Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes and U.S. Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson.
THE STATE
a series of public forums where people can give their thoughts and opinions on how the legalized cannabis market will take shape and the specifics of how it will be regulated and taxed. I-502 legalized possession of one ounce or less for adults 21 and over and was passed last November with 56 percent of the vote. The measure also legalized state-regulated, privately-run retail stores to sell cannabis. The forums will take place across the state, including ones scheduled for Feb. 7 in Vancouver, Feb. 12 in Spokane, Feb. 19 in Mount Vernon and Feb. 21 in Yakima. For more info, go to liq.wa.gov.
THE NATION
liq.wa.gov.
Arizona lawmaker trying to repeal state’s MMJ program in 2014
people who really use it as a medicine, people who are tired of taking painkillers and other pills that just do more damage to the body,” weGrow owner Sunny Singh told KTAR-FM. Kavanagh says the state Department of Health Services’ breakdown of MMJ applicants shows 90 percent of patients cited using cannabis for severe and chronic pain as opposed to terminal illnesses or cancer, for instance. Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Act passed in 2010.
Cannabis Unity Conference scheduled for the nation’s capital In an effort to continue pushing the cannabis cause and fighting for patients’ rights, Americans for Safe Access, (ASA), has announced a “Unity Conference” aimed at bringing together activists and experts.
State Rep. John Kavanagh is proposing a ballot measure for 2014 that could end Arizona’s medical cannabis program, radio station KTAR-FM reports. The lawmaker alleges there is evidence that suggests provisions of Proposition 203 are being subverted by recreational users. But patients and activists slammed Kavanagh’s proposal. “We see a lot of patients,
Mercer Island apartment complexes cracks down on smoking
While Washington’s legalization honeymoon is still ongoing, tenants of a Mercer Island apartment complex are being told 8 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
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The “Bridging the Gap Between Public & Policy – Americans for Safe Access National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference is scheduled for Feb. 22-25 in Washington, D.C. The event is also geared as a networking opportunity that will include exhibitors, scholarships and other events. Some of the discussions and presentations include “The Science of Medical Cannabis” and “Lobby Day,” in which ASA supporters will get an opportunity to advocate to members of Congress via face-to-face meetings.
THE WORLD More Mexican leaders leaning on the side of legalization
From a country long decried as the source of black-market cannabis, Mexico’s own political leaders—prompted by developments in Colorado
and Washington—appear to be leaning towards a more commonsense approach to regulating the controversial plant. The country’s new president, Enrique Peña Nieto, recently told CNN that legalization measures in the United States might prompt his administration into “rethinking the strategy.” The governor of the Mexican state of Colima has proposed a legalization referendum. A left-wing lawmaker, Fernando Belaunzaran, has introduced a national legalization bill. Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera called for a national legalization forum right before voters in Washington and Colorado approved measures allowing minor cannabis possession for adults 21 and over.
by the numbers cannabis business: 63 (Source: The Olympian).
Department of Public Health and Human Services).
5
9
6
10
The number of county prosecutors who have dismissed minor possession cases, post-I-502: 9 (Source: The Seattle Times).
1
The approximate number of phone calls received by the state Department of Revenue—a starting point for new businesses—regarding getting into the cannabis industry in the wake of Initiative 502: 100 (Source: The Olympian).
The number of medical conditions that qualify MMJ patients in Connecticut: 11 (Source: Hartford Courant).
The number of pages of regulations governing Washington D.C.’s, MMJ program: 96 (Source: The Washington Post).
The number of comments the Washington State Liquor Control Board received regarding rules and regulations to obtain a cannabis growers license, post-I-502: 160 (Source: The Seattle Times).
3 4
The number of emails received by the state Liquor Control Board from people interested in getting started in the
The total number of plants that cultivation centers in Washington, D.C., can grow: 95 (Source: The Washington Post).
11
2
The number of phone calls received by the state Liquor Control Board from people interested in getting started in the cannabis business: 160 (Source: The Olympian).
The number of MMJ cardholder in Montana who rely on cannabis providers: 5,211 (Source: Department of Public Health and Human Services).
12
The estimated number of Israelis who were licensed to use medical marijuana in 2009: 400 (Source: The New York Times).
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The percentage of Iowa residents who support the medical use of cannabis: 64 (Source: Des Moines Register Iowa Poll).
8
The number of MMJ cardholders in Montana as of November 2012: 8,404 (Source:
The estimated number of Israelis who are currently licensed: 11,000 (Source: The New York Times).
STS9 in concert
No, this isn’t an Ed Wood movie. Well, the band’s music might resemble one, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sound Tribe Sector 9 is one of those rare instrumental bands that consistently tours and has plenty of acclaim to its name. Also, unlike many instrumental bands, describing the band can be damn difficult as its music dips into almost every single genre: rock, funk, jazz, electronica, psychedelia, hip-hop . . . the list goes on. If you have the need to compulsively categorize everything, or you just want to have an awesome evening, you should come to the Showbox and see these guys live. You don’t have to worry about bands not sounding good live as opposed to a recording because everything they have is an exactly what they used for the recording. No need to fret about bad voices or lyrics—there are none! This is the perfect show for any postValentine’s recovery.
IF YOU GO
What: Sound Tribe Sector 9 in concert. When/Where: Feb. 22 at Showbox SoDo, 1426 1st Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $25.50 advance, $30 at door. Go to www.showboxonline. com or call (206) 628-3151.
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FLASH
Two Sides of the Coin From Seattle to Spokane, the law and which dispensary rules to follow just keep a-changin‘ {By Stephanie Bishop} Medical cannabis access point owners and their counsel spend many hours deciding whether to structure their business by local policy or to adhere to the ambiguous language of the law itself. The Cascades divide Washington State between east and west— but they are also metaphors for the division between different scenarios found in the world of medical cannabis. In Seattle, cannabis businesses thrive and are accepted by local officials who have worked with patient providers to decide how best to interpret the law and implement a responsible program in their community. For example, Cannabis Farmers Markets—where growers come together to work directly with patients—opened in Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle, offering a new kind of access. These events happen almost every weekend today. East of the mountains, Spokane and the Tri-Cities operate under a far different environment. During April and May of 2011, the area sustained waves of federal enforcement. Businesses choosing to continue to provide safe access to patients in this area received indictments and found themselves in front of federal judges defending
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their business approach in the grey area of ever-changing state laws. Regardless of what side of the mountains one resides in, current law stipulates that cannabis providers are only allowed one person at a time to be served at an access point or dispensary. Qualified patients were served one at a time in private consultation rooms after signing in at a reception room’s waiting list. But after Gov. Christine Gregoire signed SB 5073 into law—after axing key provisions (creating a confidential patients registry, allowing for “cannabis food processors,” legalizing and regulating dispensaries)—the new language specified that only
one person could be designated to a provider with a 15-day waiting period between patients. In Spokane, prosecutors attempted to use this language as a layer in their case against two defendants to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt they had distributed a Schedule I drug illegally. The cases were brought to trial before SB 5073 changed the language of the law. In the case of Scott Shupe and the associates of the CHANGE access point, the conviction was overturned based on the ambiguous language in the law. At the time, serving one patient at a time was an acceptable business model for local authorities and therefore proved Scott Shupe was working legally supplying quality medical marijuana to Spokane’s medical cannabis patients. In the case of Adam Assenberg and Compassion for Patients,
Bad to Worse King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg wasn’t thrilled when Gov. Christine Gregoire gutted SB 5073. Among other things, it required cannabis providers to wait 15 days in between serving patients. 15 days! The provision was originally meant to apply only to unlicensed providers rather than dispensaries, which were to be regulated by the state, according to Seattle Weekly. But since the governor took out the dispensary sections, the 15-day rule would apply to all providers. “In many ways, this is much more restrictive than the current law,” Satterberg told the Weekly. We couldn’t agree more.
prosecutors moved to dismiss charges based on the theory of “one patient at one time, for a moment at a time” as interpreted after the Shupe ruling. Courts ruled this business model was legal according to the vague wording of the medical marijuana law in effect at the time of the ruling. The current language in the law leaves no room for “one patient at one time” policies as a layer of protection in either state law or local policy. Access points and dispensaries in Washington State cannot expect to be able to use this grey area as defense in future cases. In Seattle, collective gardens have adapted their business models according to the prosecuting attorney’s policy. Shortly after SB 5083’s partial veto, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg worked with legislators to establish regional interpretation and acceptance of the law. He helped make it so each municipality could basically decide if they want access points or not in their area. This act sparked a long series of city council meetings everywhere in the state, all with different outcomes. With Initiative 502—which legalizes possession of under an ounce of cannabis by adults 21 and older and authorizes state-regulated, privately-run retail cannabis stores—expected to go into effect next year, grey areas are even more convoluted with opportunities for misinterpretation on both law and policy. c
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BUZZ
Unchained Reaction Quentin Tarantino’s new hit . . . sounds very familiar {By David Jenison}
Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino smoked cannabis in France. At least that is what the famed director told Howard Stern during an interview in 2009. Apparently, Pitt even handed Tarantino a Coke can to use as a smoking device after giving him a chunk of hash. Fans of the Tarantino-penned True Romance would say that sounds familiar. In honor of Tarantino’s new hit Django Unchained, we compiled a list of the top cannabis scenes from his films, starting with Mr. Pitt’s sweet inhale: In True Romance, the perpetually stoned Floyd (Pitt) smokes cannabis out of a homemade bong crafted from a Honey Bear bottle. We’re not saying this helped Pitt’s career, but he did follow with the star-making Interview with a Vampire. “I’m carrying the weed in one of those little carry-on bags,” says Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) in a classic line from Reservoir Dogs. He was describing how he nearly got busted taking a marijuana brick into a train station. In the same Reservoir Dogs scene, Mr. Orange recalls the great cannabis drought of 1986 when “people were living on resin . . . smoking the wood in their pipes for months.” Pulp Fiction features a Bruce Willis/Ving Rhames scene in a pawnshop (think Deliverance) in which all the clocks are set to 4:20 p.m., a subtle reference to 420. “Tell me again about the hash bars?” asks Jules Winnfield (Samuel Jackson) in a classic Pulp Fiction scene with Vincent Vega (John Travolta), who had just returned from Amsterdam. Remember when George Clooney & Co. first entered the Titty Twister in the Tarantinopenned From Dust Till Dawn? The house band, Tito & Tarantula, is playing “Angry Cockroaches” with the oft-repeated charge to “fumando marijuana.” Texas Ranger Earl McGraw (Michael Parks) is a reoccur-
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ring character in Tarantino films who utters multiple cannabis references, including this From Dusk Till Dawn gem: “Them damn burritos ain’t good for nothing but a hippie, when he’s high on weed.”
Ordell Robbie (Jackson) calls two characters “a couple of Cheech and Chongs” in Jackie Brown. Bridget Fonda and Robert DeNiro play these characters meaning that, yes, the Raging
I don’t need pot to write, but it’s kind of cool.
Bull hits a bong on screen. In that same scene, Robbie lectures Melanie Ralston (Fonda) that smoking too much will rob her of ambition, to which she responds, “Not if your ambition is to get high and watch TV.” Lastly, enjoy these words of wisdom from Ms. Ralston to Louis Gara (DeNiro): “Coughing’s good! It opens up the capillaries. You know, when you cough you’re pulling in air, or in this case, smoke, into parts of the lungs that don’t normally get used. So, coughing’s good, it gets you higher.” Tarantino said he doesn’t smoke on the set, but in an interview for the December issue of Playboy, he offered up this creative tidbit: “Say you’re thinking about a musical sequence. You smoke a joint, you put on some music, you listen to it and you come up with some good ideas. Or maybe you’re chilling out at the end of the day and you smoke some pot, and all of a sudden you’re spinning a web about what you’ve just done. Maybe you come up with a good idea. Maybe it just seems like a good idea because you’re stoned, but you write it down and look at it the next day. Sometimes it’s f@#king awesome.” Tarantino, who had recounted smoking cannabis at a rave on the Great Wall of China in an earlier Playboy interview, adds, “I don’t need pot to write, but it’s kind of cool.” c
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BUZZ
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ON STAGE Appearing March 14 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle and March 15 at the INB Performing Arts Center in Spokane.
There are two types of performers that a smart ass is better off not heckling: comedians and ear-biting boxing champs. Nevertheless, the so-called “Baddest Man on the Planet” has had a few such moments with his new one-man show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth. “I was on stage and someone started talking, and I didn’t know what it was,” recalls boxing icon Mike Tyson. “It was someone saying, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ That was on Broadway.” Iron Mike has not had to deliver any Michael Spinks-like takedowns as of yet, but it doesn’t mean he won’t. “It depends on what mood
I am in and how I woke up that day,” he laughs. “I might do one of those rock ’n ‘ roll dives out into the audience. You never know.” In reality, a Tyson 2.0 has emerged that seems more inclined to avoid conflict. In recent years, the notorious fighter has returned to the spotlight with appearances in The Hangover movies, Entourage and the Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen, among others. Upon seeing Chazz Palminteri’s acclaimed one-man production of A Bronx Tale, Tyson found his new calling. He wanted to emulate that same format but with his own largerthan-life tale. The autobiographical Undisputed Truth debuted last April
with a six-day run at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and followed with a Broadway production in August. His wife Kiki Tyson wrote the show, and Spike Lee directed it. Following these two successful runs, a national tour was announced. “It is going to be a rollercoaster of emotions, my life, when I explain the story,” says Tyson of Undisputed Truth. “I am sure people understand about loss and victory and triumphs and mistakes and heartbreak—everything you have to experience to be a complete human being and to function in this world.” Tyson also made sure the show didn’t gloss over any of his worst moments.
He continues, “My wife, who wrote it, tried to sugarcoat it at first. I had to explain that the people know this guy, not the guy you fell in love with. She had to write it down as I explained it to her, the kind of guy I was back then.” Tyson even compares the one-man show to stepping into the ring. “I have the same anxieties, the anxiety of failing,” says Tyson. “Whether it is a fighter or an entertainer, when his name gets announced, the only person he hears is the person who is not applauding. He does not hear the 50,000 who are. The doubt, the fear of being a failure is there.” c www.tysononbroadway.com
“Biggest Regret”
Mike Tyson racked up an impressive 50 professional wins, but it would have been 51 if the boxer didn’t test positive for cannabis following his TKO of Andrew Golota. During the conversation, Tyson says he had smoked to calm his nerves before the Detroit-area fight in 2000, admitting he did not expect Golota to quit after just two rounds. Tyson has a long history with cannabis, even saying in 2010 that his “biggest regret” was not smoking with old pal Tupac Shakur, who was murdered in 1996 after the Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. When asked about a new Mike Tyson strain of medical cannabis, he even corrects the record by stating, “There has always been a strain called Mike Tyson, even when I was fighting in Baltimore.”
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BUZZ
End Game
Photos by Patricia Kalil
Fernando de La Roque isn’t the first artist to use cannabis for artistic purposes. Pittsburgh tattoo artist Cliff Maynard opts for a similar style—using the ends of mostly-smoked joints (some call them “roaches”). He’s made images of Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, John Lennon, Jack Herer and Snoop Dogg (I’m detecting a cannabis-friendly pattern here, hmmmmm . . .). Sort of re-defines the meaning of the term “art supplies.”
The Blow By Blow Brazilian artist Fernando de La Roque uses smoke as his medium {By Jasen T. Davis} Fernando de La Rocque is a controversial visual artist who makes illustrations by painting with cannabis smoke. “I blow marijuana smoke though a stencil onto very highquality paper,” he says. The particles are absorbed by the paper, resulting in deceptively simple-looking, golden-hued designs that are as controversial as they are beautiful. Born in Rio de Janeiro, where he lives and works today, de La Rocque has used his innovative technique to create art that draws attention to the status of cannabis in his country, where the plant is still outlawed by the government. “Honest people are being seen and treated as criminals by the society because marijuana is against the law,” he says. The artist is pleased that his work is helping the cannabis legalization movement in Brazil. 22 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
“Marijuana users are put in the same [category] as criminals, but for the most part people who use it are family people . . . productive, good people, good professionals that pay for their own grass with the money [from] their work,” de La Rocque says. His artistic explorations began when he was young. “Since I was a kid I used to play more with materials than with toys,” he says. When he was 15, the artist found a Mad magazine interactive puzzle that required readers to blow tobacco smoke onto the paper to test their lungs. The young de la Roque tried it, and noticed that the results had
Capitao Maximiliano O Presenca, Photo by Patrícia Kalil
potential as the paper changed colors with each puff. “I adapted the technique using a joint,” he says. The artist eventually graduated with a degree in sculpture from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where he also works as a teacher. He is currently represented by the Artur Fidalgo gallery in Copacabana, where many of his smoke paintings have sold for the equivalent of thousands of American dollars. Each painting takes several hours to finish and requires as many as five joints’ worth of smoke to complete. Rocque’s last art exhibition is called “Blow Job – Work of Blowing,” was on display at the La Cucaracha gallery in Rio. “The name plays with provocative words to call attention to the technique I created,” he says. The illustrations are all of religious and political icons, including one of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who smoked plenty of cannabis throughout
Não Consigo Parar de Pensar na Velhinha que Restaurou Jesus, photo by Patrícia Kalil
Ars est celare artem, concept by Fernando de la Roque and Patricia Kalil
his athletic career, and another of Pope Benedict XVI, who declared that cannabis smoking was a sin. This combination makes each illustration a study in controversy. The act of risking arrest each time—using an illegal substance to create art—underlines the sentiments de La Rocque expresses through his work. While cannabis is still illegal in Brazil, activists are currently working to reform the system. “There are many people from different areas gathering forces to try legalization in Brazil, following the examples of Amsterdam, California and now our South American neighbor, Uruguay,” he says. De La Rocque’s exhibit has gathered attention the world over thanks to the medium he uses and the message he’s made. “I have had so many positive feedback, more than I imagined, and I’ve sold almost all the pieces I’ve made for the exhibition,” he says. Considering the serious risk he takes each time he creates, his art is certainly worth the reward he’s receiving. c fernandodelarocque. blogspot.com 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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TUNES
Sibling
Riffery
The three sisters in Haim are just maintaining a family tradition
{By Liquid Todd}
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are all asked to name their three favorite artists. And when I say Este (bass), Danielle (vocals, lead guitar) and Alana (guitar, keyboard) come from a musical family I don’t mean their parents liked music and there were a couple of old guitars laying around the house. Their father put drumsticks in their hands when they were only 3 months old and they all can play the drums. “On weekends it was all practicing. We called it ‘Haimtime.’ Saturday and Sunday. We couldn’t hang out with our friends,” Este recounts. “We had a super-close family and our dad was, like, ‘Why would you want to hang out with your friends when you have sisters. Why would you leave when you have sisters to hang out with in the house?’” And they played together—
Say What?
You can stop searching for that perfect threeJewish-sisters-in-aband because Haim is here and it is—quite simply—a whole lot of fun. The group plays catchy, retro rock with great skill and seem to throw itself into pretty much every situation with an infectious mix of anythinggoes enthusiasm and spit-take humor. I got a chance to talk to Haim in New York City and instantly fell in love with these three California girls who charmed my socks off without breaking a sweat. The Haim sisters are from a very close-knit, musical family that doesn’t seem to have the usual sibling rivalries and petty disputes—especially when you consider how much time they spend together. Also, most musical acts with siblings or teenagers are cloying and contrived but Haim come off as genuine and un-manufactured which seems to have caught the attention of its growing legion of fans as well as cynical, jaded music journalists like me. And I’m not the only one who has noticed. The girls just made the BBC’s Sound of 2013 list—voted on by UK music writers and industry insiders who
“I think of all the moodaltering substances that we partake in legally all day long, [cannabis] is far less offensive.” —Ani DiFranco
and not just in the living room. With dad on drums, mom on guitar and the sisters playing everything else they started touring with their family band, Rockinhaim, when Alana (the youngest) was only four and kept at it for almost 15 years. “We performed about once a month. Our first show was at Canter’s deli,” Alana says. “We played all covers—songs our parents loved . . . like the Eagles.” In the five years since their split from the family (which Danielle jokingly describes as “amicable”) the Haim sisters spent some time apart—Este graduated from UCLA and Danielle toured with Julian Casablancas from The Strokes— but in 2010 they came back together to record their first EP, Forever, which they released as a free Internet last year. Haim’s major label debut on Columbia is scheduled for a spring release. “We just started writing our own songs and we found out that it was really fun,” Danielle says. “We’d never really tried it before because we had this band with our parents and we were playing all these cover songs that we just grew up to love.” c haimtheband.com
Big Score
The
The video for the band’s first single, “Don’t Save Me,” alternates between the Haim sisters performing the song and playing a three-onthree basketball game on a darkened court with three huge guys who can dunk and aren’t afraid to throw a few dirty elbows. Hilarity—and a bloody nose or two—ensue. Trying to decipher the latest video invariably leads us to wonder if mind-altering substances were involved, but the girls of Haim claim to not indulge, although they don’t hesitate to state their support for legalization. “I pass on grass . . . I pass it to my friends. I’m diabetic and it just makes me get the munchies so I can’t do it,” Este says. “It’s fine though,” Danielle says. “It’s a plant. It comes from the ground. If you’re responsible. Do it.”
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healthy living
By Alan Shackelford, M.D.
How
Cannabis Can Help
Seniors
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which most people develop by age 60. Weakened discs can also bulge or herniate and press on adjacent nerves, causing severe pain due to nerve compression. Diabetes also affects older people more frequently, and can cause neuropathic pain, a kind of nerve pain that can be very difficult to treat. All of these symptoms respond extremely well to medical marijuana, and most people who use it for pain are able to significantly decrease and in many cases to stop their non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and narcotic pain medicines. We have seen many instances of older people again being able to become active again, working in their gardens, taking walks—in short, to become much more functional using medical marijuana instead of multiple prescription medications. Various forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease affect mostly older people as well. The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not known, but oxidative damage due to free radicals may play an important role in its development. And while there is no effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, excellent research conducted in the late 1990s showed that certain substances found in marijuana are such powerful antioxidants that they might
Say What?
The United States has always had something of a youth culture. Advertisers frequently target consumers under 30 and—with the possible exception of pharmaceutical companies—largely ignore the largest demographic group in the country: the Baby Boomers, the 76 million people born between in the United States between 1946 and 1964. Older Americans are one of the fastest growing demographic groups. By 2012 100 million Americans will be over the age of 50. Aging brings with it not only wisdom and experience, but for many people illness and pain. The average 75-year-old suffers from three chronic medical conditions and takes five or more different medications. Some medication side effects can be serious, such as bleeding caused by aspirin, abnormal heart rhythms that can result from some non-steroidal antiinflammatory medications or even death from prescription narcotic medications. Adverse reactions to medications may cause as many as 100,000 deaths in the United States every year. It is important to note that no deaths from the use of marijuana have ever been reported in the more than 4,000 years of recorded history of its use. Recent estimates are that 60 percent of all adult Americans have some form of chronic or recurring pain, with 88 percent of seniors suffering some form of chronic pain. Joint pain due to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is common, as is neck and back pain caused by degenerative disc (DDD) and joint disease (DJD),
There “are some benefits to marijuana, and this is more than just anecdotal evidence now.” —Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN
prevent Alzheimer’s disease. The research was so compelling that a patent was issued to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the use of those cannabinoids to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, and to protect the central nervous system form damage from strokes and trauma. Every treatment has some side effect. In the case of cannabis, the side effects are few and mild. These include euphoria soon after its use, interference with short-term memory (though this is short-lived, and some research suggests that memory may be enhanced overall), interference with REM sleep and nausea at high doses and bronchitis if smoked. Someone once said that getting old isn’t for sissies. That’s true. Aging brings with it certain physical problems that can make life difficult. Medical cannabis can make many of those problems much more bearable for many people, and enhance rather than diminish their quality of life with little risk, and potentially tremendous benefit. c Alan Shackelford, M.D., graduated from the University of Heidelberg School of Medicine and trained at major teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School in internal medicine, nutritional medicine and hyperalimentation and behavioral medicine. 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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strain & edible reviews GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Pineapple Upside Down Cake This edible may just win the award for the longest lasting effect ever, as a full dose lasted us a very solid six hours of epic pain relief. We’re very experienced with cannabis and its effects, so if it hit us that hard we would recommend easing into this tasty Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Tacoma’s Cannabis Club with perhaps a half dose. While its label says it contains less than one gram of useable cannabis, our guess is it’s actually quite close to an entire gram as it’s simply that strong. We also need to warn you not to operate a car while under its effect. Yes, this sweet cake is strongly psychoactive, too. You don’t hear us complaining; you won’t complain either.
Purple Cream Although Purple Cream has been around for a decade, its lineage is a bit of a mystery. Some growers speculate that it’s a phenotype (meaning variant) of Purple Erkle or even a hybrid of it and Grand Daddy Purple. Whatever its parentage, Purple Cream, available at Medsource Patient Network in Lynnwood, is all indica with dark green and purple flowers and, you guessed it, a definite grape odor (OK, grape meets sandalwood). Purple Cream is definitely a strong painkiller, lasting a solid two hours in noticeable effect, and it also delivers hammer blows to anxiety and insomnia, as any good indica should. It is also a great stress reliever and is reputed to help with eating disorders. We hardly ever see this strain around (our guess is someone got their hands on a rare cutting) and we would sincerely like to see that change. Until then, get thee to this Lynnwood collective.
Dutch Treat Dutch Treat is one of the most popular of all medical cannabis strains for two simple reasons: it works great on pain and anxiety and it’s a robust sativa-dominant that’s perfect for daytime use. The trouble is that we’ve run into lots of very average Dutch Treat in Western Washington over the last few years and that’s because, let’s face it, not every medical grower produces good medicine with every strain. Whoever flowered this beauty at Fremont’s CannaRx did a fabulous job, producing a Dutch Treat that has the strain’s telltale odors of pine and citrus and an excellent smoke that led us through a carefree, pain-reduced two-hour stretch of an otherwise nasty Seattle day. We imagine it’ll do the same for you.
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Buddha’s Gift We all know why we like indicas, right? This preference is obviously tied to the genotype’s consistent ability to reduce pain and inflammation, and drive off anxiety while inducing euphoria and induce sleepiness. This hybrid of two wonderful indica-dominant strains (The Gift and God Bud) and an excellent Thai-based sativa (Buddha) does all the things you would want an indica to do—and it does them well. We found painkilling effects lasting 90 minutes and a certain drowsiness setting in. Nosed closely, Buddha’s Gift has a gorgeous but not overpowering purple smell, courtesy of The Gift’s Grand Daddy Purple lineage. It’s pleasant to smoke as well. This strain, from Emerald Pharms in Tacoma’s South End, isn’t well-known or referenced much on the Internet. Something tells us that will soon change . . .
Cloud 9 Cannabis Cotton Candy We’ve long been leery of cannabis-infused cotton candy because, to be brutally honest, we have run into many examples that were great candy but offered very little medical effect. So we were pleasantly surprised when this medible company’s offering actually delivered good, deep pain relief from only a half-dosage with a strong effect for two hours. Each dose of Cloud 9 Cannabis Cotton Candy—available in Snohomish County—contains 500 milligrams of kief (making us wonder what the heck was or wasn’t in those other cotton candies), and is one of the few edibles we’ve tried that let us function normally during the daytime. Less experienced patients may want to reserve this for evening use until they become accustomed to strong meds, however. It’s also an effective treatment for spasms, migraines and anxiety.
Blueberry Hash We really like this sativa-dominant hybrid of two classic Northwest strains, Hash Plant and Blueberry, because it delivers strong painkilling and anti-anxiety effects that kick in immediately. That’s our kind of medical cannabis! Blueberry Hash—from Rainier Valley’s Tree House Collective—also is a bit unusual for sativadominants in that while being quite activating, it also offers a low-key sense of euphoria without the distraction-induction of many sativas. So you can medicate and actually complete tasks. Even better, it levels out Hash Plant’s harshness on the palette (the strain is well-known for its “coughiness”) and turns it into a mellow, fruity smoke. Neither parent strain is a huge odor bomb, and together they result in a medium green flower with a gentle berry smell. But we’ve always said that cannabis does not need to be odoriferous in order to produce a medical effect. This strain certainly proves that principle.
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Comedy may have saved Mike Epps’ life. Sure, many performers believe comedy rescued them from the wrong path, but Epps’ tale is not about some abstract future danger. A group of armed men robbed him and ordered him into the trunk of their car. With the stereo cranked to drown out any calls for help, they started to drive around town, possibly looking for a place to shoot him and dump the body. Epps had to think fast. “They were blasting the music the whole time, but the moment they cut the music, I started kicking on the seat,” Epps recalls. “They asked what my problem was, and I said I wanted them to play that song again. They started laughing and let me go. Without my sense of humor, there is no way to know which way this would have went. When it looks like your ass is not going to make it, you better use everything you got.” The Hoosier State native first made a name for himself with the Def Comedy Jam tour and broadcast, but he caught a huge break when Ice Cube cast him as Day-Day Jones in the two Friday sequels. As happened with Chris Tucker after appearing in the original Friday, Epps quickly became a hot commodity, and he racked up several big screen credits with major releases like The Hangover, Hancock, The Fighting Temptations, Soul Men, The Honeymooners and a pair of Resident Evil films. The self-professed “hip-hop comic” also hosted the last four BET Hip-Hop Awards and appeared in movies alongside rap royalty like Cee Lo Green, Method Man, Mos Def, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. Fittingly, one of Epps’ routines is even sampled in the Eminem and Royce da 5’9” track “I’m on Everything.” Epps, who reprised his Black Doug character for this summer’s The Hangover Part III, is currently on a stand-up comedy tour entitled Mike Epps Live. As befits a hip-hop comic, Epps recruited iconic rapper and beat boxer Doug E. Fresh to join him on select dates. Comedians like Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy were far edgier in their stand-up routines than they were on the screen. How are your shows different? I am one of those spontaneous comedians who works off emotional content. Whatever my day was like, whatever I’ve seen, you might 34 CULTURE • FEBRUARY february 2013
get 30 minutes of that first. For example, I saw a pimp with a few of his hos, and they all had Christmas spirit, and I told him, “Merry Christmas to you and your hos.” I talked about that at the show. Wow, I never saw that watching Happy Days. As a performer,
you have a lot of crossover with hip-hop. How does hip-hop music and Mike Epps’ comedy fit together? The era that I grew up in is hiphop. Back in the day, Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor were doing comedy in a funk era. People were playing funky music and
wearing bell-bottoms and afros. That is [why] Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy were compared to comedians like Dave Chappelle and myself. We are products of hip-hop as the music influences our comedy and our comedy influences the music. On my way to a comedy show, I’m listening 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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to 2Pac or 2 Chainz. You could call me a hip-hop comic. That is why Richard Pryor was saying, “Jive turkey” and “You dig” while the comics now are saying “Word up” and all kinds of slang like that. Everything that we do outside comedy influences our art. There are all kinds of rumors that the N.W.A. movie might soon be underway. Ice Cube was a controversial figure when the group came out in the ’80s, and a lot of people probably forgot that. Do you think an N.W.A. biopic would help or hurt Ice Cube in trying to get Last Friday made? I don’t know anything about the politics right there, sir. I cannot answer them questions right there. I just play my part in the movie and keep it pushing. I am not married to none of that shit. It’s a role that I played in a movie. If people like to see me play in Friday movies, I just come and do my job. Last Friday would be the final movie in the Friday series. Do you have any new information on the status of the movie or on what Day-Day Jones might be doing? I don’t know if they are going to do the movie. I don’t want to lie to my fans or hype them up to think they’re going to do another Friday. That Friday series, I keep saying it, but it’s like Dr. Dre putting out his [Detox] album. You have become a mainstay with the BET Hip-Hop Awards. How is it hosting an awards show compared to a regular stand-up performance? That goes back to your question about hip-hop. That is a perfect example of why they both benefit and service each other. There is nothing in the world like someone cracking a good joke in between songs. It is a perfect segue and hook. That is why they keep using me for the awards show. You opened the 2012 BET Hip-Hop Awards in character as President Obama. What is it like to portray the President knowing that he might actually see it? It was really fun. To play Obama is fun because you get the chance to say some shit that you would like 36 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
to hear him say. You know what I mean? I know he’s not going to say this, but let me say it for him. Speaking of Obama, after the results came in on election night showing that Washington and Colorado legalized cannabis, you tweeted, “It feel like I can sell [cannabis] in the middle of the street!” Can I assume you were in favor of these propositions? Yes, you can assume. It is real. Do you believe in the medical use of cannabis? I do believe in medical use because so many of us Americans have a lot of mind-altering problems, and we all know that the pill world is really big and makes a whole lot of money. Not everybody can take pills. Some people’s stomachs cannot handle the pills or they cannot handle them mentally. Marijuana is an alternative. If you do not want to take pills, you
Shining
Star If you think you’ve seen all Mike Epps has to offer, you haven’t seen him shine in his most recently released movie, 2012’s Sparkle, a remake (the original was released in 1976) starring Whitney Houston that told the story of The Supremes during the Motown era. For the role, the comedian adopted a new persona that’s crude, lewd and abusive. The role was also noteworthy as it happened to be the last film with the legendary Houston before her passing.
You could call me a hip-hop comic.
can smoke something and calm down or dig deep into something. When it comes to comedy, do you think there is something inherently funny about smoking cannabis? Yes, it is very funny. When I smoke [cannabis], I get a chance to have some options on my thoughts. When you smoke, you sometimes makes decisions that are not exactly the ones you really wanted to make, but they can be the best decisions. It ends up being the best move for you versus the move you wanted to make. It just turned out all good. You portray Richard Pryor in the upcoming Nina biopic about soul legend and activist Nina Simone. Is it difficult to play such a comedic legend? It was definitely not easy to capture a guy like that because he was so complex and a crazy motherf@#ker. For a minute, I thought I had to be crazy to play him. Then I thought about it and realized if I go crazy to play Richard Pryor, it defeats the art. I really don’t do that kind of acting where I become something for weeks at a time before it’s time to shoot some shit. I like to challenge my art by not becoming that until it is time. That’s what I think. You tackled a dramatic role in The Supremes-inspired remake of Sparkle, which came out last August. Do you see yourself pursing more dramas? I have many shades of myself, and
I really love doing drama. I think comedians can make some of the best dramatic actors. I do want to do more dramatic parts, but I want to be selective and do the right dramatic parts. I don’t want to do them just because they are in my face and I want to prove myself. It just has to be something that I love. Anything you can tell us about Black Doug’s role in the new Hangover movie? Yeah, I’m playing another black guy in the movie again. I’m playing Black Doug. I think the third installment is really going to be good. To be brought back into a large comedy, the biggest comedy movie ever, is impossible for me to top. That is the biggest shit I might ever do unless they want to cast me in the next Avengers movie. It was an honor to come back and work with those guys. Do you have anything else coming up? At the end of the year, I plan to put out Still Can’t Catch Me. It is a documentary of my journey to become a comedian. I’m going to show Hollywood who I really am because they don’t know who the f@#k I am. They just cast me and deal with me face front. I have been keeping it a secret as to who I really am, but I am getting to that point where I want to show them where I come from and how I did it. I think it will be out in winter 2013. c
mikeepps.com 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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V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
1970
Michael Elliot Epps is born into a family with eight siblings. No wonder appealing for attention came so natural to him.
Late 1980s
After dropping out of high school and spending 18 months behind bars, Epps vows to pursue a career in entertainment after hearing his comedic idol, Richard Pryor.
2008
Jim Jones & Skull Gang Present: A Tribute to Bad Santa, Starring Mike Epps is dropped. That has to be the longest name for a Christmas-themed rap album ever!
2009
Epps releases comedy album, Funny Bidness, which includes an ode to women who love food: “Fat Girls.”
1995
Epps’ career begins on the Def Comedy Jam Tour.
2000
Mike Epps plays the lottery-winning, lovable yet wimpy wannabe gangsta Day-Day Jones in Next Friday.
2010
The comic begins hosting the BET Awards (Nicki Minaj gets the New Artist nod). Let’s hope he leaves the roller skates and Puffy’s metallic jacket at home for this year’s show.
2011
2002
Epps co-executive produces All About the Benjamins with fellow costar Ice Cube.
2006
Epps is the voice of Moe “Mo Gunz” Jackson on the “Wingman” episode of The Boondocks.
Epps and Tupac Shakur’s mother celebrate the deceased rapper’s 40th birthday party. Epps regularly supports the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation for the Arts in Atlanta.
2012
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destination unknown
Story and photos by Dennis Argenzia and Grace Cayosa
Lush Landscape Travel through Luang Prabang for eco-minded tourism and religious traditions
5:31 a.m.
Through barely open eyes, we spy a silent, steady march of orange figures just below our window. An army of not-dead Kennys have come to visit us in our fuzzy dream state. But they’re not Kenny, and we’re not in South Park.
One Day Earlier
We find ourselves standing on a peninsula where the Khan and Mekong rivers meet, and thinking, “Weird, this kind of looks like Los Angeles.” Or at least, like a French-inspired outdoor mall somewhere in the county. But we remind ourselves that we’re in Southeast Asia, and this place—Luang Prabang—predates any tweener hangout by at least a hundred years. Once the political capital of Laos, Luang Prabang now holds the more relaxed title of cultural capital. It is home to gold-leafed Buddhist wats (temples), traditional Lao stilt houses, teak-trimmed French colonial architecture, lush green landscape and some of the most laidback locals you will ever meet. We start our day with an elephant ride just outside Luang Prabang. As a rule, elephants pressed into the service of man usually get a bum deal. But at the Elephant Village Sanctuary, abused pachyderms get a second life. As a bonus, local employees learn trade skills, and eco-minded tourists get a short ride atop nature’s Monster Truck of mammals. After a 60-minute jungle stroll, during which our beloved elephant decided to tear her own route back to the village, we were transported by boat to the nearby Tad Sae waterfall. Now, we love water40 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
falls, but Tad Sae appeared strangely fake. It is a stepped limestone waterfall, but looks suspiciously like a theme park contractor decided to build foam pools for blue dye water. We were assured they were real, and then were promptly whisked back to Luang Prabang. We dawdled the rest of the day away in prime tourist manner—wandering the quaint streets, practicing English with young Laos at Big Brother Mouse, getting wicked foot massages from steel-armed local women—until the night market finally opened. The night market is the place to get all sorts of goodies: wax-lined paper parasols, Buddhist prints, “I Heart Beer Lao” T-shirts, whole fried fish on a stick and, of course, green stuff. Cannabis is readily available from tuk tuk and mototaxi drivers, and is clearly wild grown. Quality is generally good, but seeds can be a problem. On paper, Laotian law treats drug possession very seriously: possession of up to 22 pounds of marijuana is legally punishable by a maximum fine of US$2,500 and 10 years imprisonment. For quantities over 22 pounds, punishment is death. In reality, practicing discretion should keep you safe, and if not, a steep bribe should set you free. Early the next morning, we witness
an endless column of orange-clad monks shuffling quietly by our balcony. This is tak bat, or the Theravada Buddhist tradition of silent alms giving. Every morning, the monks leave their monastery, lined up with the most senior person in front, and travel along a set route through Luang Prabang, silently receiving small offerings of food—usually sticky rice—in their bowls. Through tak bat, the monks get their daily meal rations, and the givers earn merit (the religious karma kind, not the Boy Scout kind). There are definitely rules: men can stand, but women must kneel or sit, and both must be respectfully lower than the monks; don’t wear shoes, shorts or tank tops; don’t touch the monks; and, for heaven’s sake, shut up. This is a silent tradition. Rejuvenated by alms giving, awesome French baguettes and Laotian coffee, we rent a motorbike for the day. Our first stop is the Pak Ou caves, about an hour’s ride north and full of Buddha statues, followed by the Kuang Si waterfalls. These are the impressive big brother of the Tad Sae: larger pools, taller falls. You can even climb 200 feet to the top of the main cascade, stand in the rushing water and look over the edge. Yeah, we thought of death too. Our day ended with a minor crash and a rushed repair job. We were certain our passports would be withheld . . . until we heard the singing. It was our motorbike vendor, happily buzzed on Beer Lao. Motorbike and passport were exchanged with a smile, and we watched him ride off, steady and loud, into the beautiful Lao night. c
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profiles in courage Patient: Jon Otto
AGE: 47
Condition/ Illness:
Photo by Michael Gifford
Anxiety, agoraphobia, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, aortic aneurysm, enlarged left ventricle
Using medical cannabis since: April 2012
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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.
Why did you start using medical cannabis?
I knew from past experience that cannabis may not kill the pain, but knew it would at least make me forget about it. I also knew cannabis would turn a raging fight-or-flight anxiety attack into a sit-back-and-relax Big Mac attack in about 90 seconds . . . MMJ has, without a doubt, saved me from many more ugly situations and places.
Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis?
Yes indeed. I have been fighting this spine of mine for a quarter-century and have run the gamut medically from every nerve block shot known to mankind, manipulations [and] many prescription narcotics which I’m happy to report that, due to MMJ, I am down to one pain medication. For me [and] my friends, that is fantastic! I am down to one anxiety med as well. Again, unheard of for me.
What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients?
The biggest issue facing MMJ patients is really two-fold. First is general lack of acceptance of the American people that marijuana is, in fact, medicine and may very well have saved or prolonged one of their loved one’s lives, or at least made their final months bearable if given the opportunity, which brings my second point: uniform laws nationwide. I pray those that have a need for MMJ and cannot legally get it are able to do so soon. I started signing petitions back in the ’70s and will stop when my heart does.
What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine?
To the skeptical one: Reefer Madness was propaganda! If you or someone you love is wasting away to nothingness due to no appetite—step out of the box [and] give MMJ a chance. c
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cool stuff Barracuda Cone Filler Isn’t it about time you made life a little easier? How about taking the work out of filling your pre-roll cones by hand? Enter the Barracuda Cone Filler. Slide on the cone, scoop up some herbs, pack it in, twist it and—voila!—time to medicate. (MSRP $5.99) www.conefiller.com
GravityLight Designed as an alternative to kerosene lamps in Third World countries, the bleeding-edge GravityLight utilizes the universal power of attraction between objects to illuminate the future. A bag filled with rocks and dirt and suspended by a cord below the light provides weight that is then converted into energy—about 30 minutes worth. Truly “green” technology. (MSRP: $5) www.gravitylight.org
Sumo Lounge Time to ditch that ‘ol bean bag. Sumo Lounge has mastered the science and art of comfort to provide weary bones the perfect way to relax and unwind after a long day. To say this is a super-comfy bean bag—made of rip-proof nylon—is a total understatement. This might just be the best bean bag chair (or piece of furniture!) you’ve ever sat on. Chairs, you’ve been warned. ($229, Sumo Couple Microsuede) www.sumolounge.com
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By Aunt Sandy
Just a couple of weeks ago, we celebrated President Obama and the 57th Presidential Inauguration. With this timely event in mind— plus the fact that Steven Spielberg’s historical drama Lincoln made it on quite a few bestmovies-of-the-year lists, we bring you a dinner menu drawn from The Great Emancipator’s 1865 inauguration.
Menu:
Oyster Stew Broiled Venison Steak Pot Roast Charlotte Russe Cake Lemon Ice
Sandy Moriarty is the author of Aunt’ Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Body & Mind and a Professor of Culinary Arts at Oaksterdam University. She is also the co-founder of Oaksterdam’s Bakery.
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Pot Roast
1 beef roast (about 6 lbs.) Water 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons Canna Butter* 1/4 cup flour for dredging Place beef roast in a pot with just enough water to cover it. Set the roast over a slow fire and allow it to stew for an hour. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to stew it slowly until the meat becomes tender. Add onions. Do not replenish the water as it boils away. Once the meat reaches desired tenderness, remove the meat from the pot and pour the remaining gravy into a bowl. Add the Canna Butter to the empty pot and dredge your meat with flour. Return the meat to the pot to brown, turning it often to prevent it from burning. Take the gravy in the bowl and skim off the fat. Then pour the gravy in with the meat and stir in a spoonful of flour that’s been moistened with a little water. Let the gravy boil with the meat for 15 minutes and then pour the gravy into a gravy dish. Serve the meat hot on a platter.
Oyster Stew Broiled Venison Steak 4 4-oz. venison steaks Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons currant jelly 2 tablespoons Canna Butter* Broil venison steaks, turning often. When steaks are cooked thoroughly, season with salt and pepper. Mix melted Canna Butter with currant jelly and pour the mixture over the steaks. Serve hot.
2 quarts of oysters Hot water (about 1/2 cup) Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons Canna Butter* 1 pint of milk Oyster crackers Drain the liquid from the oysters. In a saucepan, add the hot water and salt and pepper. Once it comes to a boil, add the oysters. Let it come to a boil again, add the Canna Butter. Once the butter melts, stir in the milk. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Serve hot with oyster crackers. Hint: If you need to thicken up the stew, add more crackers. FEBRUARY 2013 • CULTURE 47
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Lemon Ice
6 lemons 1 large sweet orange 1 pint Cannabis-Infused Simple Syrup** Juice the orange and all the lemons. Grate the rind of three lemons and the orange. Steep the juice in the lemon and orange rind for a couple hours. Strain the juice through a towel and add a pint of Cannabis Infused Simple Syrup. Stir in the syrup until it is dissolved and put it in the freezer for three hours. Scrape the ice with a spoon until it is finely crushed and serve.
Canna Butter*
Charlotte Russe Cake
1 cup unsalted butter 1 ounce low to average quality dried leaf marijuana or 1/2 ounce average dried bud 4 cups water Bring water and butter to boil in a small pot, lower heat to simmer. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Mash and stir frequently to extract all THC from the plant material. After cooking, use cheesecloth to strain the butter/water mixture. Pour about 2 cups clean boiling water over the leaves in the strainer to extract every last drop of butter. Squeeze plant material well to remove as much liquid as possible. Chill the butter/water mixture in the refrigerator until the butter has solidified (1 to 2 hours). Separate butter from water and keep butter in the refrigerator (or freezer for longer storage) until needed.
Cannabis Simple Syrup** 1/2 oz cannabis buds 1 cup sugar 1 cup water In a saucepan, sauté the buds in sugar and water over medium heat for 20 minutes. Strain the buds. Pour the remaining green-colored syrup into a glass container. Let it cool and refrigerate. Pour over fruit or fruit salad and let the syrup fully absorb.
2 tablespoons gelatin Cold milk 2 cups rich cream 1 cup milk Whipped cream 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 1/2 tablespoon Canna Butter* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Lady fingers or sponge cake 4 eggs 4 tablespoons sugar Lemon or vanilla flavoring Whip the cream until stiff in a large bowl or dish and set on ice. Soak the gelatin in a little cold milk for two hours. Boil the milk and pour it gradually over the gelatin until it is dissolved and strain. Once the cream is cold, add the whipped cream one spoonful at a time. Sweeten the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract and add the Canna Butter. Line a dish with lady fingers or sponge cake. Pour in the cream and set it in a cool place to harden. To make the meringue for the top, beat egg whites with sugar and lemon or vanilla flavoring. Spread mixture over the top and brown slightly in the oven.
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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entertainment reviews La Costa Perdida Camper Van Beethoven 429 Records In the recent movie This Is 40, actor Paul Rudd rocks a vintage Camper Van Beethoven shirt he dug up from his own collection. For CVB, this is actually 30, and Rudd is one of many Generation Xers giving the indie rockers their due on their 30th anniversary. The pioneering Northern California group recently released its first new album in nine years, La Costa Perdida, and the name certainly fits. The album conjurors up images of a hippie Brian Wilson trying to make a Pet Sounds-sized leap with Hunter S. Thompson producing. The harmony-packed “Northern California Girls” is the lead single, but “Too High For the Love-In” is arguably the best song with a psychedelic-teased riff and crazy-ass lyrics, including a “make me a sandwich” chant. The title track also stands out with a quirky, upbeat folk narrative that epitomizes CBV’s trademark depth and diversity. (David Jenison)
Hempology 101: The History and Uses of Cannabis Sativa 4th Edition By Ted Smith The International Hempology 101 Society To bring us up to date on the history of cannabis, author Ted Smith takes us waaaaay back in time when ancient civilizations (not surprisingly) revered the plant’s psychological, physiological and spiritual properties just as much as we do today. And while Smith does a great job detailing how cannabis figured prominently in Vedic, Mesopotamian and Hellenistic traditions, Hempology 101 is no dry, imposing academic tome suited for clinical scholarship. Rather, it’s a coherent plainspeak examination of virtually every facet of the plant’s existence: from the “Hemp For Victory” era, the many uses, products and materials (“hempcrete?”) that can be derived from the plant, its links to counterculture and—surprise, surprise—its medical benefits. Well-researched and with informative flair, Hempology 101 does an intensely readable job of boiling down the ins and outs of cannabis sativa clearly and intelligently. (Matt Tapia)
Thrive: What on Earth Will it Take? Clear Compass Media Dir. By Foster Gamble Ever wondered what it would be like to be part of a movement that aims to improve humanity’s lot in life. Then feel free to look into what the Thrive Movement has to say about human history, forgotten secrets and ways to liberate ourselves through knowledge. In the documentary, director Foster Gamble narrates about how we humans are destroying our own world before leaping headlong into a voyage of discovery that is familiar to those steeped in The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Raiders of the Lost Ark and “ancient astronauts” theories. While the computer graphics could use an uptick in production values, Gamble charges ahead and makes connections between something called the “Vector Equilibrium”—a pattern showing the primal structure of space—and the I Ching, the Hebrew alphabet, Kabbalistic thought and the Cheops Pyramid, among others. It is the secret of the “Vector” that can help us access the “life force” and transform our society . . . and our minds. (Matt Tapia)
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The Doors: Live in the Bowl ’68 screening As much as we wish we could bring Jim Morrison back from the dead for one more concert alas, it cannot be. However, the Bing Cinema does have a fair substitute: playing the psychedelic rock band’s best performance ever captured on film. Further, The Doors’ performance at the Hollywood Bowl has been spruced up a bit—it’s been digitally remastered, put into high definition with the latest surround sound, and they’ve added in the lost negatives for an extra, long-believedmissing-until-now rendition of “Hello, I Love You.” It’s almost like being at an actual concert. Technical aspects aside, The Doors were one of the best bands in the history of music. Seeing them again, even in recorded form, is a gift and a must for anyone who calls themselves a fan of music. Abduct anyone who hasn’t listened to them yet and have them sit through this with you—the nonbelievers will be easy converts. Help them break on through.
IF YOU GO
What: Music Legends: The Doors: Live at the Bowl ’68 screening. When/Where: Feb. 16 at Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Info: Tickets $4. Go to www. bingcrosbytheater.com or call (509) 227-7638.
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Let’s Do This Our picks for the coolest things to do around town Soundgarden, Feb. 7
Just like any dysfunctional relationship, Soundgarden has reunited, overcoming band members’ creative differences from over a decade ago. Letting bygones be bygones, these guys have returned to their hometown and they’re bringing the OG grunge of “Black Hole Sun” and “Jesus Christ Pose” that we’ve been desperately missing. Paramount Theatre, Seattle www.stgpresents.org
Andre Nickatina, Feb. 8
Not all artists can brag about holding MTV’s No. 1 spot for best MCs—but Andre Nickatina sure can. Known for songs littered with cannabis references, the quick-hitting rapper known for his underground credentials will be delivering some new tracks off release, Where’s My Money? Temple Theatre, Tacoma www.tacomaslandmark.com
The Belltown Burlesque Revue, Feb. 9
If you find yourself lonely around the holiday of love, we have something to arouse your mood. After all, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about love when it can be about sex. Come see the playfully sexy Whisper De Corvo and many other lovely ladies (nearly) bare it all. The Re-Bar, Seattle www.rebarseattle.com
Pike Brewing 5th Annual ChocoFest, Feb. 10
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, keep in mind that foreplay doesn’t get any sweeter than enjoying delectable chocolates and malty brews with your boo. It’s something you’ll both enjoy and a sure way to satisfy your lover. The Pike Brewing Company, Seattle www.pikebrewing.com
Post Alley Film Festival, Feb. 16
Set aside some time to celebrate empowered and creative filmmaking females. Enjoy a day of all things woman, stimulating short films, as well as a silent auction, raffle and a wine reception following the showing of captivating features. The SIFF Film Center, Seattle www.siff.net
Seattle Rock Orchestra Performs Smashing Pumpkins, Feb. 16
It’s an alternative grunge composer’s dream—Smashing Pumpkins’ top hits, including “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” brought to another level of intensity and backed up by Seattle’s one-of-akind rock orchestra. Rock out as you continue to wonder, how
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exactly is the world a vampire? The Neptune Theatre, Seattle stgpresents.org
The Woman in Black, Feb. 22
This horrifying play tells a spooky story about an old English town that is haunted—a scenario that results in the death of several innocent young children. For the morbid at heart that want to see something shockingly scary . . . this is the theatrical performance for you. The Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood www.lakewoodplayhouse.org
Pennywise, Feb. 23
Pennywise is coming down from celebrating its silver anniversary (can you believe that this American rock band has been together for a quarter-century?!?!?) and are ready to bring its years of experience playing serious anthems like “F@!# Authority” and “Bro Hymn.” Plus former singer Jim Lindberg’s back, baby! The Showbox Sodo, Seattle www.showboxonline.com
Seattle Wine and Food Experience, Feb. 24
How’s this for taste bud titillation: exotic wines and gourmet food.
Throw in dozens of craft beers, spirits galore and countless ciders, including Granny Smith and Cherry Poppin’ Cider. They might call this a “premier showcase,” but I call it dying and going to foodie (and beer-ie) heaven. seattlewineandfoodexperience.com
BAM Biennial 2012: High Fiber Diet, Thru Feb. 24 We all know that it’s important to eat a high fiber diet, so why wouldn’t the same go for making quality artwork? Whether it’s fabric, yarn or thread (or quilting, knitting and sewing), celebrate the versatility (and abundance) of fiber and its indelible connection to the worlds of craft and design. www.bellevuearts.org
A Silent Film w/Gold Fields and Royal Teeth, Feb. 24 If melodic, uplifting indie rock is your cup of tea, make a beeline for the Croc this month for sets from A Silent Film, Gold Fields and Royal Teeth. If you don’t end up clapping along (and dancing along) to this live show, call a doctor—you may not have a heart. The Crocodile, Seattle www.thecrocodile.com
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Cannabis may not be the only organic substance with health benefits. Psilocybin mushrooms—you may know it by a more popular names: magic mushrooms or shrooms— have been shown to contain an active compound that may be a treatment for anxiety in terminal cancer patients and help with addiction. While rumor has it that the mushroom may have been used since prehistoric times—they’ve been depicted in rock art—and that many cultures have used it in religious rites, the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) has been studying a synthetic version of the active psychoactive compound in the mushrooms: psilocybin. While the studies are not complete, early research in the ’50s and ’60s showed that it might help fight addictions and ease end-of-life fears, according to a recent Time.com article. Today, scientists have treated over 150 volunteers in 350 drug-trial sessions. According to the article, “like previous psychedelic experimenters, today’s volunteers often report profoundly mystical experiences” and in some studies have reported after use that they no longer considered themselves as overly anxious or worried people. Currently, the studies on tobacco addiction and alcoholism have just begun with encouraging results. c
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The rights of medical cannabis patients are under attack everywhere— even in MMJ states. It can be especially challenging when you’re also a parent (read: Child Protective Services). But even with court decisions or legal opinions that say just because some parents uses cannabis for health reasons doesn’t mean that they are drug users or abusers, there are still risks. Here are a few tips (thanks, Americans For Safe Access):
If you grow at home, lock up your cultivating room. Also, have no more cannabis on hand than your condition or MMJ state allows. If you’re only allowed to possess six mature plants, only have six mature plants.
Use discretion when you medicate—don’t do it in front of your child (Consider medicating after your child goes to bed, for example). Never drive with your child after medicating.
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Illustration by Vidal Diaz
While we all want to be honest, do not volunteer information about your MMJ status to a family court judge or CPS. However, if directly asked about cannabis use, you should inform officials that you are a patient.
Keep all medicine out of plain sight, and inside child-proof containers in an inaccessible place. Always.
Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird LEAD STORY— THREE-STAR ROOM THAT’S A DUMP
; The usual 20,000 or so visitors every year to Belgium’s Verbeke Foundation art park have the option (365 of them, anyway) to spend the night inside the feature attraction: a 20-foot-long, 6-foothigh polyester replica of a human colon created by Dutch designer Joep Van Lieshout. At one end, of course, another body part is replicated (and gives the installation its formal name, the Hotel CasAnus). The facility, though “cramped,” according to one
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prominent review, features heating, shower and double bed, and rents for the equivalent of about $150 a night. The 30-acre art park is regarded as one of Europe’s “edgiest” art destinations.
FRAGRANCE OF WAR
; Updating “The Smell of Napalm in the Morning”: A cosmetics company in Gaza recently began selling a fragrance dedicated to victory over Israel and named after the signature M-75 missile that Hamas has been firing across the border. “The fragrance is pleasant and attractive,” said the company owner, “like the missiles
of the Palestinian resistance,” and comes in masculine and feminine varieties, at premium prices (over, presumably, the prices of ordinary Gazan fragrances). Sympathizers can splash on victory, he said, from anywhere in the world.
COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS
; Giuseppe Tedesco took the witness stand in Newton, N.J., in December and swore that all six shots that hit his girlfriend, Alyssa Ruggieri (one of them fatal), were “self-defense” “accidents.” After she discovered his .25-caliber handgun in sofa cushions, he said he reached for it and in the struggle was shot in the hand, but he still managed to grip the gun tightly, and the pair tumbled down some stairs. During the struggle, “both” hands shot Ruggieri twice. Despite their injuries, they both maintained their vice-like grips on the gun, he said, and “they” shot Ruggieri twice more. The final shot, he said, came with Ruggieri holding the gun point-blank at his face, and when he pushed it away, “they” fired another shot that hit
Ruggieri in the temple. (At press time, the trial was continuing.) ; The issues director of the fundamentalist American Family Association told his radio audience in November that God’s feelings will be hurt if America stops using fossil fuels for energy. “God has buried those treasures there because he loves to see us find them,” said Bryan Fischer, who described Americans’ campaigns against fossil fuels as similar to the time when Fischer, at age 6, told a birthday-present donor that he didn’t like his gift. “And it just crushed that person.” ; Retrials and appeals are sometimes granted if a convicted criminal demonstrates that he received “ineffective assistance of counsel.” Among the reasons that the lawyer for convicted Joliet, Ill., quadruple-murderer Christopher Vaughn offered in his November motion was the ineptness of other lawyers (but not himself ). Specifically, he argued, the lawyers for the convicted wife-killing police officer Drew Peterson put on such
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a disgusting case that they gave all defense lawyers a bad name. (The website LoweringTheBar.net pointed out that Vaughn lawyer George Lenard himself violated a lawyers’ “kitchen sink” standard by overlisting 51 separate reasons why his client deserved a new trial.)
CHUTZPAH!
; Mauricio Fierro gained instant fame in December in Sao Paulo, Brazil, as the reported victim of a car theft (captured on surveillance video) when he dashed into a pharmacy. He went to a police station to file a report, but encountered the pharmacy owner making his own report— that Fierro was actually robbing him at the moment the car was taken. More surveillance video revealed that while Fierro was standing outside the pharmacy, wondering where his car was, a man ran by and stole the stolen cash. Fierro then immoderately complained to the police even more about Sao Paulo’s crime rate and lack of security. Afterward, Fierro admitted to a local
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news website that in fact he had stolen the very car that he was reporting stolen.
THE CONTINUING CRISIS
; Former undercover cop Mark Kennedy filed for damages in October against the London Metropolitan police, claiming posttraumatic stress syndrome based on the department’s “negligence” in allowing him to have such a robust sex life on the job that he fell in love with a woman whose organization he had infiltrated. Kennedy’s wife has filed for divorce and is also suing the department, and 10 other women (including three of Kennedy’s former lovers) have also filed claims. ; Sarah Childs won a restraining order in Denham Springs, La., in December, forbidding the town from shutting down her “Christmas” lights decoration. The large outdoor display (in a neighborhood with traditional Christmas displays) was the image of two hands with middle fingers extended.
; In a 3-2 decision, the Board of Adjustment in the Seattle suburb of Clyde Hill ruled that a homeowner must chop down two large, elegant trees on his property because they obstruct a neighbor’s scenic view of Seattle’s skyline. The board’s majority reasoned that the complaining neighbor (who happens to be former baseball all-star John Olerud) would otherwise suffer a $255,000 devaluation of his $4 million estate. (Olerud was ordered to pay for the tree removal and to plant the neighbor two smaller trees in place of the majestic ones).
PEOPLE WITH ISSUES
; (1) New York’s highest court ruled in November that subway “grinders” (men who masturbate by rubbing up against women on trains) cannot be charged with felonies as long as they don’t use force to restrain their victims (but only commit misdemeanors that usually result in no jail time). (2) Police in Phuket, Thailand, announced that their all-points search for a public masturbator
who harassed a restaurant’s staff had produced no suspects—although a spokesman said they did find “a few people (nearby) who were masturbating in their vehicles, but none of them were the man we are looking for.”
PERSPECTIVE
; (1)Update: Four months have passed since News of the Weird mentioned that at least 60 North Carolina prisoners have been improperly incarcerated—legally innocent based on a 2011 federal appeals court decision. (Still others are at least owed sentence reduction because they had been convicted of offenses in addition to the incorrect one.) A June USA Today story revealed the injustice, and the federal government took until August to release holds on the inmates, but since then, only 44 of the estimated 175 affected prisoners have been correctly adjudicated. USA Today reported in December that the recent delay has been because of the obstinacy of some North Carolina federal judges, including cases involving citizens by now wrongfully locked
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up for more than 18 months. ; (2) Human rights activists have for years deplored the preferences for male offspring in India and other nations—ranging from cultures that marginalize female babies to some that practice discreet infanticide of girls. Increasingly, though, because of “advances” in science, Westerners can buy expensive in vitro fertilization procedures that use a laser to breach a fertilized embryo to determine whether it contains XY chromosome pairs (i.e., males) or larger XX ones so that only the desired-gender embryos are chosen. Noted Slate.com in September, such procedures are illegal in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom (except for bona fide medical reasons), but legal in the United States. ; (3) “Fulton Jail Will Get Working Cell Locks,” read the Dec. 19 Atlanta Journal-Constitution headline. The county commission serving Atlanta had finally voted to break a longstanding 3-3 tie that prevented buying new jailhouse locks—even while knowing
that inmates could jimmy the old ones at will and roam the facilities, threatening and assaulting suspects and guards. The three recalcitrant commissioners were being spiteful because a federal judge had ordered various improvements to the jail, costing $140 million so far, and the three vowed to spend no more. The 1,300 replacement locks will cost about $5 million—but will not be installed right away.
LEAST COMPETENT PARKING ENFORCERS
; (1) The week before Christmas, a Nottingham, England, officer wrote parking tickets to drivers of two ambulances that were taking too long to board wheelchairusing schoolchildren who had just sung carols for an hour downtown to raise money for the homeless shelter Emmanuel House. (Following an outpouring of complaints, the Nottingham City Council revoked the tickets.) (2) An ambulance on call, with lights and siren, pulled into the parking lot of Quicky’s convenience store
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in New Orleans in November to treat a customer, but one employee nonetheless obeyed what he believed to be his employer’s no-parking rule and applied an immobilizing “boot” to the ambulance. The man, Ahmed Sidi Aleywa, was later fired. A co-worker said Aleywa was an immigrant who had said he was not familiar with “ambulances.”
LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS
; Recurring Themes: (1) Marquis Diggs, 29, entering the county administration building in Jersey City, N.J., in December for a hearing in family court over his mother’s restraining order against him, became the most recent drug possessor not to have realized that he might be subjected to a search. Police confiscated 32 baggies of “suspected marijuana.” (2) Cleland Ayison, 32, got a sentencing break in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in December when federal judge William Dimitrouleas pitied him. Ayison got only house arrest and community service because his crime—trying to pass a U.S.
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Federal Reserve note with a face value of $500 million—was so “silly.”
READERS’ CHOICE
; Ironies: (1) A 20-year-old man’s life ended when he was shot to death in an altercation in San Bernardino, Calif., on Friday, Dec. 21, while attending a Mayan-inspired “End of the World” party. (2) The next night, in Fort Worth, Texas, a 47-year-old drummer collapsed of a seizure and died onstage. He had played with several bands, including Rigor Mortis. ; (2) Unlucky Gary Haines, 59, was arrested in December in Charlotte County, Fla., after he was spotted stealing a trailer by hitching it to his own truck and driving off with it. The “spotter” was the trailer’s owner, David Zehntner, who was out flying in his private plane and happened to be passing over his property at the moment Haines was hitching up. He easily followed Haines from the air and called in Haines’ destination to police. (2)
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Jason DeJesus, 36, and Chanelle Troedson, 33, who share an upscale 4,600 square-foot home (with pool and courts for playing tennis and beach volleyball) in Morgan Hill, Calif., were arrested in December and charged with luring a 50-year-old handyman to their home, forcibly detaining him, and requiring him to make various repairs for them over a six-hour period (before he managed to escape and notify police.)
GOVERNMENT IN ACTION
; The Philadelphia Traffic Court has been so infused with ticket-fixing since its founding in 1938 that a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court report on the practice seemed resigned to it, according to a November Philadelphia Inquirer account. One court employee was quoted as defending the favoritism as fair (as long as no money changed hands) on the grounds that anyone could get local politicians to call a judge for him. Thus, said the employee, “It was the (traffic) violator’s own fault if he or
she didn’t know enough” to get help from a political connection. Traffic Judge Christine Solomon, elected in November 2011 after a career as a favor-dispensing “ward healer,” said the ticket-fixing was “just politics, that’s all.” ; More than 200 school districts in California have covered current expenses with “capital appreciation bonds,” which allow borrowers to forgo payments for years—but at some point require enormous balloon payments. A Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that districts have borrowed about $3 billion and thus are on the hook for more than $16 billion. “It’s the school district equivalent of a payday loan,” said California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, a former school board member who said he’d fire anyone who sought such loans. (Some defenders of the loans pointed to schools’ occasional need for immediate money so they could qualify for federal matching grants—which, to the districts, would be “free” money.)
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