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departments
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Bob Speaks!
Pop culture icon Kevin Smith dishes on his secret to staying organized. On the Cover: Photo by Ben Leuner/AMC
6 Letter from the Editor Our federal government is wrong . . . but not always. 10 News Nuggets Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere—and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers. 22 Strain & Edible Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains, edibles and concentrates currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary. 34 Legal Corner Attorney Hillary Bricken delves into the latest coming out of Olympia. 36 Destination Unknown It’s wet, it’s wild—welcome to the playground for the rich and beautiful: Uruguay’s Punta del Este. 38 Profiles in Courage Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical cannabis patient near you.
features 14 The Changing Landscape The taxman cometh? The latest in our state’s proposed MMJ bills. 16 Awesome Octo Yoko Ono is still going strong—at age 80! 18 Totally Technical This time, The Dillinger Escape Plan had more freedom to be creative.
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40 Cool Stuff From a Waffle-Making Typewriter to the CYCO Platinum Series Mini Pro Kit. If it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it. 44 Recipes Spring has sprung—and so will this light and refreshing menu inspired by Mother Nature’s greenest season. 48 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture. 50 Let’s Do This Our wrap-up of some of Washington’s coolest events. 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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letter from the editor
Vol 4 IssUE 11
CULTURE Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
A
Study in
Contradiction
Editor-in-Chief
Roberto C. Hernandez
Arts & Entertainment Editor Evan Senn
Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Stephanie Bishop, Hilary Bricken, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Philip Dawdy, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Carolina Duque, James P. Gray, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Dan Macintosh, Meital Manzuri, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Paul Rogers, Jeff Schwartz, Alan Shackelford, Lanny Swerdlow, Arrissia Owen, Simon Weedn
Photographers
Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Amanda Holguin, Audrey King, Khai Le, David Elliot Lewis, Ryan Mazrim, Patrick Roddie, Kim Sidwell
Interns
Joe Martone, Derek Obregon
Cannabis has no medicinal value. Cannabis has medicinal value. Which one of these statements is true? Ask someone who has studied cannabis and you’ll get a pretty clearcut answer: the chemical compounds of the cannabis plant offer a whole host of health benefits. It does have medicinal value. But ask some of the narcocrats running the federal government— say the Drug Enforcement Administration, the White House, etc.—and you’ll get the same ol‘ party line, ripped straight from the pages of the Controlled Substances Act: “no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.” And yet . . . and yet . . . our own federal government contradicts itself. Yes, the same government that tells us cannabis cannot be used as medicine is the same government that provides hundreds of pre-rolled joints to the four surviving participants of its Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program—a program that’s been in place since the 1970s and was specifically set up to provide Americans with government-grown cannabis to treat a medical disorder. When President Obama was interviewed by Barbara Walters last year, all he could lamely say when asked
about legalizing cannabis is stuff like: “this is a tough problem” and “there are a number of issues that need to be considered.” Meanwhile, as patients suffer through life, seek relief and clamor for access to a plant that grows naturally, there are other folks who spend their time sharing and dispensing the truth. Just ask the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health, and these agencies will talk to you about cannabis’ “direct antitumor effect” or about the patients who were able to “obtain relief” for their cancer or neuropathic pain . . . thanks to cannabis-derived medicine. Talk to the National Center for Biotechnology Information or the National Library of Science and they’ll share with you info about how “moderate marijuana use is associated” with reducing the risk of cancer. Did I mention that these last four organizations I just mentioned are part of the federal government? The same government that says the exact opposite? So if our own government can’t make up its mind—who can patients turn to and trust with factual, relevant, propaganda-free information about medical cannabis? You’re holding it in your hands right now, my friends. Enjoy this issue. c
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that—around March 2014—at state-regulated retail outlets. For some, the delay is no big delay. “So we don’t open the retail shops until March. What is three months? This is a monumental, global event with international repercussions,” said Ezra Eickmeyer, a lobbyist for the Washington Cannabis Banks and MMJ industry Association, told The Olympian. still stuck “between a rock Draft rules are expected to me and a hard spot” made public this month with The medical cannabis industry public hearing scheduled for late continues to face serious banking July, and taking effect in August. issues, KOMO 4 ABC News reports. Potential producers, processors Since cannabis is illegal under and retailers could start applying federal law, any banks accepting for licenses in September. MMJ-related funds from collectives and access points— Some bars pushing the even if it’s state-sanctioned— envelope, allowing cannabis would be considered a form of use on premises money laundering—punishable Despite statewide laws that ban by millions in fines. Some access smoking in the workplace and in points even keep cash away public places, some Washington from their medical cannabis bars are OK with cannabis use by to prevent the money from their patrons, according to The absorbing the plant’s smell, and Seattle Times. “I’ve been running tipping off banks. a bar a few years now, and “Right now, it doesn’t make people would always go outside sense to me to take the risk,” David around the corner, into the Straus, president and CEO of shadows, to smoke up,” Jeff Call, Seattle-based Fortune Bank, told owner of Stonegate Pizza & Rum KOMO 4. “The banks are between Bar—which hosts a second-story a rock and a hard spot.” lounge where only vaporizing is allowed—in Tacoma. “People Recreational cannabis shouldn’t have to hide.” supplies possibly not Frankie’s Sports Bar and Grill available until March 2014 in Olympia allows members of Washington state officials have its private smoking room to use delayed issuing cannabis growing tobacco or cannabis. and processing licenses—part of the legalized recreational industry ushered in by Initiative 502—until Dec. 1, several months later than anticipated, The Olympian reports. Initially, licenses for producers, for example, were slated to be granted in mid August. The delay means that growers, for example, wouldn’t be able to start growing until December and the end product wouldn’t come to market for at least three months after
THE STATE
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that qualified patients can receive the medicinal plant. This bill also requires a background check for business owners, as well as documentation of how much MMJ a facility receives and from Attorney General: which state-registered grower Massachusetts towns and they get it from. If passed, HB cities cannot enact MMJ 3460 would also require MMJ bans Cities and towns in Massachusetts outlets to test their cannabis products for impurities. cannot enact bans on MMJ dispensaries, according to a decision from the office of Maryland Gov. Martin Massachusetts Attorney General O’Malley says he is likely to Martha Coakley, according to 90.9 approve cannabis “research WBUR. Such a ban—Coakley’s centers” decision read—would “frustrate Maryland might become the the purpose” of the medical next compassionate state. State cannabis law—Question 3— lawmakers last month approved voters approved last November. a bill that would allow MMJ Cities, however, are permitted programs to set up shop at to enact zoning bylines and other participating medical research dispensary regulations, according centers in the state, USA Today to Assistant Attorney General reports. Gov. Martin O’Malley has Margaret Hurley. Hurley said said he expects to sign the bill Massachusetts’ MMJ law “could into law. The programs are not not be served if a municipality expected to be operational until could prohibit treatment 2016. centers within its borders, for if one municipality could do so, presumably all could do so.”
THE NATION
Oregon introduces new medical cannabis regulations
Oregon’s largely unregulated medical cannabis industry could be facing some changes. State lawmakers have proposed HB 3460, a bill that aims to regulate surplus MMJ as well as ensuring
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A participating medical research center would be required to specify the types of conditions it would treat and the criteria by which patients would be allowed to participate. The center would provide all patient and caregiver data to the state health department. The department could make this data available to law enforcement. State Delegate Dan Morhaim told USA Today that Sinai Hospital in Baltimore and John Hopkins have expressed an interest in participating or are considering it. “Maryland has taken a small step in the right direction, but more steps are necessary for patients to actually obtain the medicine they need to alleviate their suffering,” Amanda Reiman, a policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement.
THE WORLD UK researcher: Crime and drug use do not increase because of cannabis reform
Foes of cannabis—who claim that there is a distinct link between cannabis use and crime—have no friend in UK criminologist Alex Stevens. The criminology professor recently refuted several media reports claiming that reducing penalties for cannabis possession has led to increases in drug use, crime and health problems. Saying such statements are unfounded and based on faulty data, among other things, Stevens says cannabis use and crime actually decreased since the plant was reclassified in 2004 by the government as a less dangerous substance. Steven cited the British Crime Survey—which estimated crime fell by 17 percent since 2004— and the “Survey of Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England,” to back up his conclusions.
by the numbers
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The estimated amount of time (in months) that recreational cannabis will be available at retail outlets once licenses are granted: 3 (Source: The Seattle Times).
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The percentage of Americans who say cannabis should be legalized: 52 (Source: Pew Research Center).
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The amount of private capital (in millions of dollars) that Seattle-based Leafly is prepared to use to scout out cannabis startups: 5 (Source: CNN).
The percentage of Americans who say cannabis should remain illegal: 45 (Source: Pew Research Center).
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The estimated number of cannabis users in Uruguay: 150,000 (Source: Bloomberg BusinessWeek).
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The monthly cannabis “ration” (in grams) that a Uruguayan 18 years+ could register for from the federal government: 30 (Source: Bloomberg BusinessWeek).
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The fine (in dollars) for using cannabis in public under Initiative 502’s rules: 103 (Source: Puget Sound Business Journal).
The percentage of Americans who supported legalization in 1969: 12 (Source: Gallup Poll).
The estimated dollar amount (in billions) that legal cannabis sales will generate this year in the U.S.: 1.5 (Source: The Huffington Post).
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4
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Senate Bill 5887’s proposed excise tax (percentage) on the wholesale sale of medical cannabis: 20 (Source: The News Tribune). SB 5887’s proposed tax (percentage) on the retail sale of medical cannabis if the grower is also the processer or dispenser: 10 (Source: The News Tribune).
in 1991: 78 (Source: Christian Science Monitor).
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The percentage of Americans who were pro-legalization in 1991: 17 (Source: Christian Science Monitor).
9
The percentage of Americans who were against legalization
The estimated dollar amount (in billions) that legal cannabis sales will generate by 2018: 6 (Source: The Huffington Post).
“Love Me Tender” Mo’ money, mo’ problems. Money is what makes the world go ‘round; we treasure it, seek it and mourn it when it’s lost or spent. However, paper and coin currency is simply just that; paper and metals. In Bellevue’s “Love Me Tender” exhibit, a variety of artists challenge society’s value of currency and closely examines what it truly stands for. Artists redraw images on bills, weave them into tapestries and shred them to describe their own perception of the power that money symbolizes. One of artist Mark Wagner’s pieces consists of shredded one-dollar bills attached to the base of a push broom. In place of a president, James Charles redraws a Planet of the Apes-esque humanoid ape wearing a Devo-inspired energy dome hat and captioned as “Devolution.” Or gaze in appreciation at Maximo Gonzalez’s meticulously shredded and weaved currency that creates a beautiful cream, red and orange paper tapestry. Each piece more powerful than the next, messages like “Live Free or Die” spelled out in folded American bills will make any observer think twice about the value and “love” that society connects with tender.
IF YOU GO
What: “Love Me Tender” exhibit. When/Where: Thru May 26, Bellevue Arts Museum, 510 Bellevue Wy., Bellevue. Info: For details, go to www. bellevuearts.org.
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FLASH
An Evolving
Process Taxes, trademarks and arrest protection—the proposed bills affecting patients and adult users {By Stephanie Bishop} November 2012’s election season left legislators with an enormous task; regulate cannabis for the purpose of responsible adult recreational use in one of the two states where it was approved by voters. Since then, legislators in Washington State have come a long way, bravely navigating the unknown waters
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of legalization by introducing many state bills to mitigate issues rising as the tight reins of prohibition loosen and a new age begins in the United States. Voters in this state already passed initiatives allowing for safe access to cannabis for medical purposes, and some cities now have moratoriums allowing for collective gardens or small
access points available only to qualified patients with current recommendations. Currently, these access points follow state law while adhering to local policy without a centralized regulatory agency. Lawmakers’ first consideration is how to separate a healthy medical cannabis market from a new recreational one. Proponents of MMJ have been quite vocal about keeping the two markets completely separate. After all, regardless of the fact that the end product originates from the same plant, medical patients use cannabis in very different ways. MMJ patients are alleviating the pain and symptoms of specific ailments whereas recreational users would likely be more concerned with flavor and potency. SB 5887 is a bill to tax medical cannabis, tighten rules on dispensing medicine and making recommendations and put MMJ regulation under the jurisdiction of the state Liquor Control Board. Majority Leader Rodney Tom (D-Mercer Island) and Sen. Ann Rivers (R-La Center) are both supporters of the bill and its corresponding budgetary bill. Senate Bill 5034, a budgetary bill for fund appropriation, proposes Amendment 224, which would designate regulatory control over medical cannabis to the Liquor Board for the purpose of appropriating administrative funds. MMJ activists support HB 1084, which adds arrest protection for patients who fall in the 24-ounce, 15-plant limit when facing law enforcement. Currently, patients enjoy an affirmative action defense usable in court should they face with cannabis possession and/or cultivation charges. The bill awaits a committee hearing. House Bill 1808, introduced by Democratic Rep. Christopher Hurst and Republican Rep. Terry Nealey, outlines “proper disposal of legal amounts of marijuana inadvertently left at retail stores holding a pharmacy license.” The bill was written to address issues arising when a recreational user drops
Clearing the Record
Recreational users are also benefiting. House Bill 1661 addresses criminal prosecution. The bill would allow anyone over the age of 18 charged with possession of 40 grams or less to have the conviction removed from their record if they were convicted within a designated date range specified by the proposed legislation.
their cannabis in a store where their pharmacy license requires no federally prohibited substances be onsite at any given time. HB 1976, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Morris (D-Mount Vernon), calls for a tax of $3.60 per $1,000 of assessed value of “all trademarks, trade names, brand names, patents and copyrights related to marijuana.” Currently, intellectual property is taxed when a business is sold. The taxable amount is determined by the total amount of the sale. This bill proposes to assess the value of intellectual property before it is sold for the sake of collecting taxes. Makers of more popular strains would pay more taxes. The bill remains controversial for these reasons. All of these bills are currently working through the legislative process. Anyone can get involved by calling their state legislator offices to let elected officials know which of these bills they support. For full texts and timeline updates visit www.leg.wa.gov. c
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BUZZ
This year has been a milestone for artist and visionary Yoko Ono. Not only did the pop icon celebrate her 80th birthday just a couple of months ago, she has also achieved success in the realm of album charts with a new single burning up the clubs. Not bad for an octogenarian(!) “Hold Me,” a single from Ono’s ongoing remix series recently jumped to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Dance/ Club Play chart. Cowritten and produced by the Grammynominated Dave Audé. But the activist’s work and efforts on various artistic, political and social causes (she and husband John Lennon rallied for women’s rights and prison reform, for example) go back decades— and even included cannabis rights at one point. When poet and activist John Sinclair was arrested for minor possession (giving two joints to undercover cops) in Michigan, Ono and Lennon performed at a 1971 “Freedom Rally” as a show of support. c
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TUNES
Killer
Music The Dillinger Escape Plan returns to school the metal masses {By Alex Distefano}
a rabid fan base, built through relentless touring over the past 15 years and five studio albums of some of the most genre-bending, mind-altering, über-technical “metal” the world has ever heard. While definitely heavy, the band’s sound isn’t easily categorized. Though many have attempted
Say What?
With an eagerly anticipated album out this month, The Dillinger Escape Plan has an entire year and a half of sold-out touring ahead itself, according to vocalist Greg Puciato. “This is the first time in almost 10 years that we’ve recorded a record back to back with the same lineup and that made a huge difference for us as a band,” Puciato says of new album One Of Us Is The Killer. “When you have to get a new member, you have to teach them everything from scratch. This time around we had more freedom to be creative, and nothing to do between tours except to write music with [people] we already knew that were in the band.” The Dillinger Escape Plan— also featuring founding member/ guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Liam Wilson, drummer Billy Rymer and guitarist James Love—has
“The only thing pot does for me is it gets me to stop thinking. Sometimes I have a brain that needs to be turned off. Some people are just better high.” —Justin Timberlake
to label the band, Puciato merely says his band’s discography pivots around an insane amount of precision, passion and insanity/ intensity that go into every one of Dillinger Escape Plan’s live shows. The band is also scheduled to participate in Revolver Magazine’s Golden Gods Awards, a metal awards show, and will perform along with Stone Sour, Anthrax, Metallica and other heavy acts. “Last year we were nominated and won—which was a surprise,” Puciato says. “We’re playing this show because it’s a cool opportunity to get in front of a more metal audience again. We’ve never played with Slayer or done Ozzfest or [Rockstar Energy Drink] Mayhem [Festival]. And I feel like the traditional metal crowd knows the least about us. That’s kinda funny, since we’re considered a metal band but never spent much time catering
to that tag. In fact, we ran against it deliberately so we would never get stuck because you never know—10 years ago we might want to sound like Portishead.” In June, The Dillinger Escape plan is scheduled to perform at the Orion Music + More festival in the Midwest, which features Metallica, Deftones and other marquee bands. “Playing with Metallica is something I thought of as a kid,” Puciato says. “It was the end-all be-all at that time of my life . . . We’ve been doing this for many years now but we’re still humble and stoked to share the stage with Metallica.” c www.dillingerescapeplan.org
Green Letter Date
Talk about perfect timing. The Dillinger Escape Plan is exhausted from its nearly perfect performance at the three-day New England Metal & Hardcore Festival, which took place on (wait for it) April 20. With that date in mind—plus a lineup that included Opeth, Katatonia, Terror, Hatebreed, Suicidal Tendencies, DRI, Shadows Fall, Anthrax, Municipal Waste and Exodus—frontman Greg Puciato admitted more than one member of the band was thoroughly satisfied with that day, and that performance. “We couldn’t be happier to play this year; there were so many great metal bands all three days. Ten years ago we used to do a lot of metal shows like that then we tried to break out of that to avoid getting pigeonholed into being that type of metal band. But now it feels good to go back to play for those crowds again.”
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Give It A Rest
While cannabis can be used to help people diagnosed with cancer and AIDS, many patients and medical professionals have found that ingesting the plant can also have an affect on insomnia and sleeplessness. While not fatal, lack of sleep is a very serious condition—one that can have a major impact on your physical (and mental) well-being, influence your productivity and general quality of life. If you are considering using MMJ for insomnia, here are some things to keep in mind.
If you prefer flowers, note that an indica’s sleep-inducing effects will kick in fairly quickly. That two-hour movie you put on—well, you might not make it through the end.
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Consider using indica or indica-dominant strains. Sativa strains are the ones that are typically uplifting and energizing—some patients find them useful as daytime medicine. Indicas, on the other hand, generally make you sleepy.
Edibles take longer to kick in (as little as 45 minutes, as long as an hour or two). Therefore ingest well in advance. Edibles tend to be pretty potent, so plan on getting a good (and long) night’s sleep. V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
Illustrations by Vidal Diaz
Insomnia can be dangerous if left unchecked. High blood pressure, stress, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and other ailments have been linked with insomnia.
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strain & edible reviews GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Hash Oil Hard Candies One of our favorite collectives in Seattle—its dried flowers are legendary—scores again with a straightforward candy that’s low calorie, 100 percent organic and vegan. Puget Sound Health Alternatives in Interbay uses hash oil extracts of various house-grown top-shelf sativas to create a gentle, subtle effect in these tasty candies. The collective reports that cancer patients in particular love the pain killing effects. We loved the effect, too: non-overbearing, relaxing, low in cerebral effects but packing a punch against pain—all without winding us up after the manner of some infused products. In other words, it works without requiring the all-in investment of time that some edibles demand. These candies are exclusive to PSHA, so pay them a visit.
Cherry Pie Whoever had the big idea to cross Grand Daddy Purple with OG Kush had the long, rainy nights of a Puget Sound winter in mind. You know: the nights that make you want to forget about how it’s pitch black for 16 hours, gray for the other eight hours of puddle jumping and how there’s so much moisture in the air that your joints ache. Cherry Pie— from Fire House Collective in Tacoma—is as perfect a strain for those nights as we know of. Its lineage makes it a super indica, and its dark cherry and green colored buds just make you want to take a bite. This strain is as tasty combusted as it looks with a pronounced peppery spice on the finish. An excellent pain killer with effects lasting well over one hour. For you wintertime insomniacs, Dark Cherry will help you get your drowsiness on.
The White Named for its trichome-slathered, frosty goodness, The White is one of our favorite medical cannabis strains on its own or crossed with Chem Dawg or OG Fire, but its precise origin is shrouded in a certain mystery. Suffice to say that The White, available from The Healing Center Organization in Greenwood, is one of those miracle bagseed varieties that likely originated in Afghanistan or Pakistan (most experts claim an OG Rascal heritage). With its high THC profile (it’s generally a 20 percent-plus strain) and effects that last two hours or more, maybe you don’t care about this excellent strain’s provenance. What you will care about are its strong pain killing and anti-spasmodic qualities, of which it has both in abundance. For such a burly indica, The White doesn’t glue you to your couch, although its effects can be a bit on the cerebral deceleration side. This excellent strain has the hallmark of light citrus and pine puffing out of small, tight buds.
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Herojuana OK, we’re not big fans of street drug references in medical cannabis strains (i.e., Green Crack), but we’ll make an exception in Herojuana’s case because, well, it has “hero” in its name. And what’s heroic about this Afghani crossed with an unknown indica is that it has a whopping mule kick of THC to it—definitely a member of the Over 20 Percent Club. So without a doubt this one is great for pain killing and, like most Afghani crosses, it stimulates appetite. In looks, this example from Tacoma’s All Greene Collective Garden is almost classic Bubba Kush with medium-green leaves intermixed with deep red hairs. And like most Kush strains, it’s not an odor ogre but instead is understated in nose and flavor. It’s pleasant to combust and while it does induce a bit of somnolence, it doesn’t take you all the way into the Land of Couch Lock.
Loaded Chocolate Bar It’s High CBD Month around here, as here comes a tasty milk chocolate bar from the same folks who make the fine Loaded Soda line of infused products. This one—the Loaded Chocolate Bar available at Herbal Healing in Ballard—is packed with 12 milligrams of CBD and a scant 4 milligrams of THC. That means you’ll likely experience very few cerebral effects from even a whole bar (unless you’re a newbie patient), but you will experience that nice, blissful sensation, one that’s akin to floating on water. Goodbye to body pains and inflammation. Hello to ethereality. For us, it induced a bit of sleepiness that took us into a brief rest from which we emerged devoid of aches. Can OxyContin top that? Um, no. This really ought to call this chocolate bar a “bliss bar” because that is how you end up feeling, making it a good candidate for anxiety issues.
Girl Scout Cookies For a strain this well known (popularized by Bay Area rapper Berner) and adored, you’d expect its genetics to be totally nailed down and collectives to be flooded with offerings of dried flower and clones. But no. This hybrid of OG Kush, Durban Poison and Cherry Kush is still hard to find in Western Washington, although sightings are more common of late. Girl Scout Cookies is a very strong strain, one that always obliterates our pains and aches and is smooth in its power. This example from Trees Collective in North Seattle has that telltale minty aroma and taste that drives almost everyone wild about this strain. We’re suckers for its flavor as well. GSC is a definite evening medicine and can certainly shift your day down into first gear and give rise to much introspection. But that’s what evenings are for.
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concentrate reviews Amnesia HandPressed Hash While Seattle isn’t Marrakesh, it’s hardly the hash desert around here. The fact that this hash from 420 Collective in South Seattle is traditional, hand-pressed and made in-house makes us pine for the days before more modern extraction methods—especially since this one is so strong. Of course, that’s partly because it’s taken from the Amnesia strain, a sativa-dominant hybrid—and, well, it lives up to its name. Combusted, it’s the knockout, forget-your-name champion of all time. Dabbed, it’s just as strong, tasteless on uptake with an earthy, hash-y flavor on the finish. Super effective on pain symptoms and insomnia, its effects last a solid two hours. Just keep a name tag around.
Harlequin This is officially one of our favorite oils in Western Washington and, no surprise, it comes from Fweedom Collective in North Seattle, which has a long track record of getting things right for patients. Here, they’ve taken the high-CBD, low-THC sativa strain Harlequin and run it through a tamisium extraction (Google that term) and produced an oil that tests higher in CBD than anything we’ve ever seen before—a jaw-dropping 41 percent. It provides that hippie, blissful feeling that high CBD strains are known for and utterly nukes pain and body inflammation. Sweetly floral in flavor, this one is worth checking out.
Trainwreck Wax This is one extract that shows real craftsmanship. Just looking at its comfort foody, peanut buttery consistency tells you its effects will be good and easy to handle for dabbing, where it’s low on the cough index and sweet in flavor. What’s even nicer about this wax from Puyallup’s The Herbal Collective is that, by sativa standards, its effects are not mentally distracting, so while this Trainwreck wax is very strong, you’ll still be able to engage in daytime tasks. And your pain? That will be gone in a single puff. Legal Disclaimer
The publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical cannabis concentrates. The reviews listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only when medical cannabis is not a violation of state law. Please consume responsibly. Concentrates are legal and covered under Washington’s State Medical Use of Cannabis Act (Measure 692), SB 6032 and SB 5798, and are considered a form of medical cannabis (WRC 69.50.101). Without a medical professional’s recommendation, possession of concentrates can be a felony (WRC 69.50.204).
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Being Blunt
On the Screen Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie screening May 15 at the Moore Theatre in Seattle.
Filmmaker and cannabis icon Kevin Smith dishes about why he converted to the cannabis cause by David Jenison
If Hollywood horror movies taught us anything, it’s don’t bully the wrong kid if don’t want him to slash everyone to bits at the high school reunion. Enter Kevin Smith, the indie filmmaker who got a seat at the Hollywood table but not on a Southwest airplane. The indie icon plans to retire the director’s chair in 2014, but he’s basically donned a hockey mask for his current slate of podcasts and live events. He humorously trashes Bruce Willis, Tim Burton, Jon Peters and others he worked with, and God help the person who admits too much, like the assistant who said Prince shops for his clothes in the boys department. His regular podcasts include “Hollywood Babble-On” and “Jay and Silent Bob Get Old,” and his classic Q&A events are often released on DVD. Many of his films are stoner classics, but if he gets his wish to make Clerks 3, it will actual be his first comedy movie as a regular cannabis user. Naturally, this interview begins with Smith’s late-age conversion.
You did not become a regular cannabis user until Seth Rogen got you into it at age 38. This begs the question, what references did you use for your stoner characters and dialogue? What a great question because, in looking back, the present me wants to call out twentysomething-year-old Kevin Smith as a f@#kin’ fraud. “You don’t know what you are talking about, man!” When I watch those movies now and hear the references to weed and stoner culture, it is clearly written by somebody who thought, “I don’t know what I’m talking about, but I’ve heard these words.” Now I would re-write it a bit different, and those flicks would spend a lot more time talking about weed. There would always be this moment when someone soliloquies like Linus talking about Jesus in A Charlie Brown Christmas, but in this instance, the soliloquy would be about weed and how good it is and how everyone should get off its back. Thank God I didn’t have that much education [on weed], or we would have spent a lot more time dealing with it back in the day. As far as references, a lot of it was just guesswork, and some was based on stuff [Jason] Mewes would say during his brief tenure as a stoner before moving on to heavier stuff. I based the character of Jay on who he was at age 16 or 17. That was Mewes as a crazy force of nature. There was a panel in this
old Dennis the Menace cartoon book where the neighbor Mr. Wilson saw Dennis walk by and said, “There goes that Mitchell kid. He’s like a sonic boom with dirt on it.” I loved that, and I always remembered it, so whenever I heard of Mewes, I was like, “There he goes. He’s a sonic boom with dirt on it.” I lost the thread of the question. What were we talking about again? What references you used for your stoner characters. Oh God, we got so far-flung from that. Basically, it was the Jason Mewes of my youth. I remember everything he would say. Your brain freezes things that it recognizes as currency, and you cannot spend it because you don’t know it yourself. Whenever I heard something, I was like, “I’m going to pack that away. This is inside information. This is one of those stoners, and he knows the terminology.” It was like having an insight into a
“Naturally, [cannabis] should not just be for people who are terminal cases. It should be for anybody.”
culture that I wasn’t a part of, but it was definitely a young, 16-year-old Jason Mewes who fully informed all my marijuana references in those movies, even up to the ones later in life. By Clerks 2, I still wasn’t a stoner. Was I? No, I did Zack and Miri [Make a Porno] after that. Do you believe in the legitimacy of medical marijuana use? Oh, hands down, absolutely, in terms of the physical comfort, in terms of inducing appetite in those who don’t have. Set aside the physical medicinal, the psychological medicinal you cannot discount. What it can do for somebody, where it can take them, and I’m not just talking about, “Hey man, it’ll take you on a whacky high journey.” Think about the people for whom medical marijuana is usually recommended, and you are talking about extreme cases. I don’t think I’ve encountered anything in my life that has made me more okay with the notion that one day I’m going to pass from this world than marijuana. If someone is going through something medically traumatic or facing down their end, heavens, [give them] anything that is going to make the transition easy. Naturally, it should not just be for people who are terminal cases. It should be for anybody. It rearranges your mind. At least it did for me. For years, people fed me the same propaganda that you’ll smoke weed and sit there on MAY 2013 • CULTURE 29
the couch and just watch movies, but for me, it is a great organizer. How does cannabis make you more organized? If you think about the brain as a series of folders that you keep creating, weed for me is like a program that puts them all in order alphabetically and allows you to prioritize what is important. That is how I’ve been able to spin so many plates the last few years. My medicinal problem is that I have problems sleeping, and if that is doing it for somebody who has mild medicinal needs like myself, imagine what it can do for people who have absolute medicinal need. Instead of filling them with yet another synthetic narcotic put together chemically in a lab . . . I don’t want to get all stoner on ya, but there is a reason it just grows naturally. It doesn’t have to be produced. It’s not like, “It can only grow in a certain place.” I think nature is always trying to take care of us, and it provides at all given times. We have cannabinoid receptors in the brain, which don’t have many other uses. It points to, I believe the idea that weed is something we are all naturally supposed to be ingesting. Of course, it has a cultural stigma, but that seems to be slowly sliding away. Tell me about the Q&A events you do around the country. I grew up listening to comics. My father worked at the post office, and he would bring home all these comedy records. He said he bought them from a friend who sold them out of his trunk at lunchtime, but I bet my old man took a few from the Colombia Records Club as they came through the mail. I love comedians, and I have too much respect for what they do to ever consider myself in the same league. Those cats have a real job, and I’m a carpetbagger. I just consider myself, “Oh, I made those movies and answer questions about them,” but the podcasts and live stuff enable me to be more like a comic. I am able to be more observational and tell more 30 CULTURE • MAY 2013
“I believe the idea that ‘cannabis’ is something we are all naturally supposed to be ingesting. Of course, it has a cultural stigma, but that seems to be slowly sliding away.” stories, like, “When I was working on the Prince documentary . . .” You really take it to celebrities in these events. Is the idea to let people see what happens behind the curtain in Hollywood? Yeah, totally. You should pull back the curtain. When I started doing the Q&As, I always felt I needed to answer questions the way I would have wanted them answered. I have been to a few panels and Q&As, and nobody wants to dish. For me, I would want to know details. I would want to know who is an asshole and who is not. You also have “Hollywood Babble-On” with Ralph Garman, which features segments like Movies That Will Suck. How do you pick which segments you do each week? Ralph is definitely the author of “Hollywood Babble-On,” and I’m the guy who sits there and reacts. The content changes every week based on the news, of course, but we hit all the favorite bits. I know he swapped out Creepy Clown for doing the Green Lantern oath
through a variety of different voices and characters. You can totally expect David Bowie, and I’ll be grabbing my own boobs and trying to suck them, as per usual. Do you think Clerks 3 will happen? I’m happy to do the movie. I love these characters, and I built my entire adult life—in the imaginary world, in the real world—on the backs of Dante and Randal. I have stories to tell, and I have one that closes it all up. Jeff Anderson, who plays Randal, absolutely has to signoff and jump onboard. He is Randal. It’s not like you can just recast him, and why would
Too Fat to Fly
What’s the price of cheap airfare? Apparently, harassment and discrimination. Smith was removed from a flight after being judged that he was too obese to fly safely, though Southwest tried to justify this with contradictory (and privacy violating) statements. Smith dubbed them “The Greyhound of the Air” and has not flown with them since.
you want to? It is a journey that a few of us have taken together over the last 20 years. That would be me, Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson, Brian O’Halloran, Scott Mosier and David Klein. If I can keep that core together, I have something special to begin with, but I couldn’t imagine doing it without Jeff. His whole thing is, “I didn’t want to do the second one, and then we did it, and I liked it a lot. But for the same reason I didn’t want to do the second one, and now at the crossroads of the third, why do we need to do it? Is there a need to tell the story?” I guess he is our Jiminy Cricket who keeps us honest. We are hopefully slowly cruising toward a 2014 start and finish, so I essentially have a year to convince him. The story is good. The story will convince him once he reads it—hopefully, hopefully—but I have a backup plan. Russians don’t take a dump without a backup plan, as they told us in The Hunt for Red October, so you always got to have something to back you up. 2014 is the 20th anniversary of Clerks, and we’re going to mark it in some way. Hopefully it will be with a movie, but if not, it will be with something else. c www.facebook.com/ YesThatKevinSmith, seesmod.com/groovymovie 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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By Hilary Bricken
Say What?
legal corner
“I don’t consider [cannabis] to be any worse than having a beer.” —James Franco
Washington Senate Bill 5887:
A Blending or a Battlefield? Since the passage of Initiative 502, more than 25 cannabis-oriented legislative bills have dropped in the Washington legislature. Clearly, the legislature has taken an acute interest in the fate of cannabis in this State, for both the medicinal and recreational industries. Among the proposed bills, one of the most controversial is Senate Bill 5887 (SB 5887). While various political groups and policy makers are in support of SB 5887, there is also opposition to it from significant portions of the MMJ community. SB 5887 ultimately proposes a quasi-merging of regulations for both medical and recreational cannabis, under which the state Liquor Control Board (LCB) would be tasked with licensing and regulating dispensaries, processors and growers (while also overseeing nearly identical licensing on the recreational front). Specifically, the bill: p Contains a 20 percent excise tax on the wholesale sale of medical cannabis or a ten percent 10 percent tax on the retail sale of medical cannabis if the grower is also the processor or dispenser; p Distinctly separates “dispensaries” from “collective gardens,” whereby dispensaries would be licensed by the LCB and collec-
tive gardens would not be subject to such licensing; p Adjusts membership access to collective gardens for qualifying patients to 10 patients per day (rather than 10 patients at any time); p Mandates that qualifying patient recommendations are valid for up to one year if the patient is 18 or older and, if under 18, that the qualifying patient’s recommendation is valid for up to 90 days; p Requires the recommending health care provider to insert into the patient’s medical record a statement saying “the patient may benefit from treatment of a terminal or debilitating medical condition . . . or its symptoms with medical use of cannabis.”; p In contrast to current MMJ laws, provides immunity from arrest and prosecution for qualifying patients based on compliance with State law; p Allows cities, counties and towns to regulate dispensaries, processors and producers through the enactment of zoning ordinances, health and safety requirements, business license requirements, and business taxes.
According to Sen. Ann Rivers, “[s] ignificant problems could arise if the state’s two marijuana markets are too different.” Rivers also testified in front of the legislature on April 16, stating that “[SB 5887 is] the beginning of a very full and robust discussion about this issue . . . What this bill is about is a loophole that allows folks to sidestep Initiative 502.” The opposition to SB 5887 testified during the same hearing, objecting to increasing taxes on the medical industry, arguing that cannabis should be treated the same as other prescription drugs that are not normally taxed. The opposition also made the case that the LCB should not be charged with regulating medicine (as the LCB remains an enforcement—not a medical—agency). Undoubtedly, what SB 5887 shows us most is that medical and recreational cannabis are on a potential collision course (at least as far as the legislature is concerned). With this legislative session ending on April 28, SB 5887 has little chance of even getting a vote. As I-502 regulation and licensing proceed, there will be a continued push in the legislature to amend medical cannabis law, and a clone of SB 5887 will almost surely be introduced next session.
The Canna Law Group is a practice group of Seattlebased law firm, Harris & Moure, pllc. The Canna Law Group focuses on cannabis business law and litigation under both medical and recreational cannabis laws in Washington state. The Canna Law Group can be contacted via phone or web at (206) 224-5657 or www.cannabislawseattle.com.
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destination unknown
Czech Vantage
Point
Uruguay’s Punta del Este offers travelers South Beach-style sights and soundtracks “If you want to get wild on the beach, the place to come is Punta del Este,” said actress Natalia Cigliuti in a 2001 Wild On E! episode showcasing Uruguay’s top destination. That year, LeBron James played for the Fighting Irish, the first Harry Potter debuted in theaters and Shaggy topped the music charts (twice), while Punta del Este’s international draw was primarily from Buenos Aires and south Brazil. The crowds were wild and wealthy, but it was media outlets like E! that took the town global. A dozen years later, North American and European jetsetters join the Punta crowds for a party that’s sexier, ritzier and more exclusive than ever. “It is a playground for rich and goodlooking people,” says Tamie Sheffield, a world traveler who brokers tickets to select Playboy Mansion parties. “Punta was just for South Americans before, but now it’s worldwide. If you happen to be ‘in the know,’ the villa parties are absolutely insane.”
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Punta del Este is a South Beach-style city that sits on a peninsula, but the designation typically refers to a stretch of coastline extending 20 miles northeast to Jose Ignacio. Along the way, La Barra is a Hamptons-meets-Ibiza town whose famed Bikini Beach overflows with perfectly bronzed Brazilian and Argentine women and self-important men trying desperately to meet them. DJs spin house music on the sand to provide a daytime soundtrack, and when the clock strikes midnight, meticulously groomed crowds flock to the local clubs. Punta’s fame clearly stems from its glitterati-packed nightlife and unfairly blessed bodies because the local beaches are solidly mediocre. Still, the scene goes bonkers from mid-December to early March, and to quote the Lonely Planet travel guide, “Tan it, wax it, buff it” before even considering a visit. With an underwhelming beach, Punta sounds like a hotspot with a limited shelf life, but its enduring legacy is diverse and multi-generational. Brigitte Bardot, the
By David Jenison
Rat Pack and Che “Freakin‘” Guevara were all early fans, and more recent visitors include Bob Dylan, Madonna, Robert De Niro, Simon Le Bon and Leonardo DiCaprio. Colombian singer Shakira rocks a ranch in Punta, and Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bundchen are rumored to have vacation homes. The travel press now calls it the “St. Tropez of South America,” though there are drawbacks to a crowd that admires Kim Kardashian more than Exene Cervenka. Punta del Este, for some, sounds more hellish than shelling out $17 to see Schwarzenegger in The Last Stand. Rented sports cars, yacht-packed marinas and the $100-million Trump Tower construction all feel faker than that rug sitting atop ol‘ Donald’s dome. Still, CULTURE readers who disdain the “scene” may soon have another reason to visit. By the year’s end, Uruguay is likely to become the first country to legalize cannabis. Uruguayan president Jose Mujica is the leading proponent for a new law that would allow citizens to purchase, possess and/or grow established legal amounts. The 77-year-old leader, who donates 90 percent of his salary to charity, believes that cannabis prohibition enriches organized crime, promotes violence and drains the state coffers, and the government launched a three-month public forum on April 4 to educate its citizens. Proactive ideas include a National Cannabis Institute that directs the income from sales into education and health. The proposed law only applies to citizens, so Amsterdam-style “coffee shops” may not emerge, but it is a symbolic step for a continent weary of ineffective U.S. drug war tactics. In the meantime, cannabis is readily available in Punta del Este, and discreet smokers are typically left alone. c
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profiles in courage Patient: Jakki H
AGE: 32
Condition/ Illness:
Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Using medical cannabis since: 2003
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 started using medical cannabis because of my NF1, which is a tumor disorder that causes tumors to grow along the nervous system. My disease is very painful and unpredictable, my neurofibromas range in size and location on my body. I have had eight surgeries to remove countless tumors throughout my body; from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet—some weighing as much as 8 pounds.
Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis?
I have always had chronic pain, and for years had been misdiagnosed. I have been given pretty much every pharmaceutical for pain—from patches, to shots, to pills . . . I have found healthier ways to ingest my medicine, such as vaporizing with my Extreme Q or eating my favorite edibles like the Peanut Butter Swirl Trikom Treats I eat to relieve my pain and relax my nerves in a safe, healthy and delicious way.
What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients?
I believe that, unfortunately, most people are ignorant to all the benefits of this plant, and if their only source of information is a media that refers to medical cannabis as “pot” or “weed” and the medical edibles I eat—like Trikom Treats—as “pot laced” brownies and not seriously as medicine, it is unlikely anyone will give this wonderful plant the chance and credit it deserves.
What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine?
First I mention [that] I understand their reservations and then share my story with them about how it has completely helped me cope in a natural way with the pain I experience daily. c
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cool stuff Waffle-Making Typewriter Typewriters may be retro . . . but waffles never go out of style! Enter Chris Dimino’s Waffle-Making Typewriter— made with the body of an actual Smith-Corona Coronamatic typewriter. It started off as a one-off and will soon be mass-produced. Would you like some maple syrup to go with your QWERTY? www.chrisdimino.com
DabR If reliability, durability and versatility are the hallmarks of tomorrow’s portable vaporizers, than DabR has the market cornered today. Capable of vaporizing everything—herbs, flowers, oils, waxes—this pen vape is truly a four-in-one accessory that handles any patients’ needs under all circumstances. Flowers or extracts— DabR goes above and beyond. ($99.95) www.dabrusa.com
Cyco Platinum Series Mini Pro Kit Leave amateurs in the dust. If you’re serious about becoming a homegrower, arm yourself with the Cyco Platinum Mini Pro Kit, available at Green Thumb Indoor Garden Supplies in Tacoma. It’s a one-stop, all-in-one package that provides all the nutrients and user-friendly necessities you’ll need from start to harvest. Your thumb just got greener. ($153) greenthumbindoor.com
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By Aunt Sandy
Menu:
Soupe a l’Oignon (French Onion Soup) w/Infused Croutons Spring Green Salad w/Italian Dressing Apple Crisp Sweet Tea
Whether spring brings us sunshine or snow, it’s always a good time to celebrate the season that reminds us of nature’s fabulous powers of renewal and rebirth. To ease us away from winter’s grip, we’ve come up with this light, refreshing menu. Season’s greetings.
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. 44 CULTURE • MAY 2013
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Soupe a l’Oignon (French Onion Soup) Serves eight 1 1/2 lbs. (about 5 cups) yellow onion, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons Canna Butter* 1 tablespoon Cannabis Infused Oil** 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon sugar 3 tablespoons flour 2 quarts of boiling brown stock (or canned beef bouillon) 1/2 cup dry white wine, cognac or dry sherry Salt and pepper to taste Cook onions slowly over low hear in a heavy bottom, 4-quart covered saucepan with the Butter and Oil for 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to medium and stir in salt and sugar (it helps the onions to brown). Cook for 45 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions have turned an even, deep golden brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for three minutes. Turn off the heat and blend in the boiling stock (or bouillon). Add the wine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer partially covered for 45 minutes. Set aside uncovered until ready to serve. Then reheat to simmer. Garnish with Infused Croutons.
Infused Croutons 1 French baguette 1/2 cup Canna Butter* Garlic salt Slice the baguette into cubes, enough to make about three cups. In a skillet, melt the Butter. Toss in the bread cubes and toast until they are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Season with garlic salt.
Spring Green Salad Serves eight Iceberg lettuce Red leaf lettuce Spinach Romaine Endive Watercress, etc. Wash a selected choice of greens for your salad and dry well. Break into pieces and put it into a large salad bowl. Garnish your salad with your choice of cherry tomatoes, olives, beets, carrots, cucumber, fennel slices, celery, red or yellow peppers, onions, nuts, pickles, capers, etc. Serve with Infused Croutons and Italian Dressing.
Italian Dressing
4 tablespoons wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 12 tablespoon Cannabis Infused Oil** 2 pinches of pepper 1/2 tablespoon minced parsley 1/2 tablespoon minced chives 1/2 tablespoon minced tarragon 1/2 tablespoon minced basil
Pour all of the ingredients together in a jar. Replace the screw top on the jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to blend thoroughly. MAY 2013 • CULTURE 45
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Apple Crisp Serves SIX 4 cups sliced tart apples 2 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup Canna Butter* 1/2 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon cinnamon Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Bake in an ovenproof dish that you can serve at the table. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pare, core and slice apples into a 9-inch pie pan or dish and add lemon juice. Work the flour, brown sugar, Butter, salt and cinnamon with a pastry blender or with your finger tips. The mixture must be worked so that it does not become oily. Spread these crumbly ingredients over the apples. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold and garnish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Sweet Tea 4 bags of your favorite tea 1 quart of water 1/4 cup Cannabis Infused Simple Syrup*** Ice cubes Spring of mint, lemon wedge, etc. as garnish
Combine water and your favorite tea bags in a glass jar. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the tea bags and add Syrup. Serve over ice cubes. Garnish with mint, a lemon wedge . . . or Infused Rum.
Cannabis Infused Oil** 1 cup cooking oil 1 1/4 ounces low to average quality dried leaf cannabis or 3/4 ounce average dried bud Place cannabis in a slow cooker. Add oil. If necessary, add a little extra oil in order to just cover the cannabis. Cook on low for six to eight hours, stirring often. Strain through cheesecloth to remove plant material. For further purity, strain through a coffee filter. Store in the refrigerator for up to three months.
Canna Butter* 1 cup unsalted butter 1 ounce low to average quality dried leaf marijuana or 1/2 ounce average dried bud 4 cups water Bring water and butter to boil in a small pot, lower heat to simmer. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Mash and stir frequently to extract all THC from the plant material. After cooking, use cheesecloth to strain the butter/water mixture. Pour about 2 cups clean boiling water over the leaves in the strainer to extract every last drop of butter. Squeeze plant material well to remove as much liquid as possible. Chill the butter/water mixture in the refrigerator until the butter has solidified (1 to 2 hours). Separate butter from water and keep butter in the refrigerator (or freezer for longer storage) until needed.
Cannabis Infused 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.
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 She & Him Volume 3 Merge Records Hipster queen Zoey Deschanel, and neo-folkster/alt-country genius M. Ward have returned with their ensemble She & Him, to bring us their third installment of original and gorgeous material. Volume 3, much like their previous two albums, is a wonderful return to the glory days of classic, large-sounding pop records, like the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds or any album that Phil Spector produced. Volume 3 also shows Ward and Deschanel evolving their sound to incorporate more contemporary influences and styles. The enveloping sonicsoundscapes of soaring string arrangements and swirling background vocals are still intact, along with vintage-toned guitars and basses. The record seems to be less of a tribute to their influences than previous efforts, and more of a distinctive vision for the duo that draws on classic stylings while creating something wholly unique. Volume 3 shows continued growth from She & Him and proves that the group is more than just a pair of famous names, but instead a songwriting and production duo of which to be in awe. (Simon Weedn)
Memoirs of Dennis Peron: How a Gay Hippy Outlaw Legalized Marijuana in Response to the AIDS Crisis By Dennis Peron & John Entwistle, Jr. Medical Use Publishing House Upon first impression, Dennis Peron comes off like a disrespected pothead, complaining about the way life has (mis)treated him at the start of his biography, Memoirs of Dennis Peron: How a Gay Hippy Outlaw Legalized Marijuana in Response to the AIDS Crisis. However, when this wide-ranging book eventually gets to the section where Peron fights for passage of California’s Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, where marijuana is “legalized” as medicine— particularly to help heal the pain and suffering caused by the AIDS epidemic in Peron’s San Francisco hometown—his image is subtly transformed from that of a loser, into a true leader. This book is part biography, part marijuana legalization manifesto and Peron (with John Entwistle’s editorial help) sometimes cannot decide if he’s writing a political opinion piece or a life story. However, it’s difficult to blame Peron for his tendency to digress because political causes are his life story, so the book would be incomplete without these various activist elements. With these editing flaws aside though, this book nevertheless offers an essential historical snapshot of one peaceful warrior in America’s lengthy war on cannabis. (Dan MacIntosh)
Cloud Atlas Warner Bros. Siblings Lana and Andy Wachowski (The Matrix Trilogy) return, along with Tom Tykwer (The International, Run Lola Run), to direct what was thought to be an un-makeable film adaptation of bestselling novel Cloud Atlas. Along with an exquisite cast of stars including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon and Hugh Grant, who take on a variety of rolls, the Wachowskis and Tykwer majestically weave together six unique stories that stretch across the fabric of time to show how the actions of an individual can ripple out to affect the actions of those in the future. In what can be best described as a period-piece meets folk-tale meets sci-fi action movie, the directors manage to create a film that is both lucid and well thought out. The only thing that can take a bit of getting used to is the narrative style, which jumps between periods and stories from time to time, without warning. However, for the viewer who can adjust to the unique storytelling, the reward is a gorgeous and epic tale, which not only dazzles the eyes, but also presents an interesting philosophy on human existence. For these reasons, Cloud Atlas is definitely not one to miss. (Simon Weedn) 48 CULTURE • MAY 2013
The xx
Despite being one “x” shy of a suggestive triple-x band name, The xx is a very mellow indie-pop group that got its start in England. Having met at the very same English school that brought together such musical acts as Hot Chip, Burial and Four Tet, it’s no surprise that The xx has taken off. Most bands strive for extreme energy to keep their audiences involved, however The xx employs very steady beats and quietly spoken lyrics. Nothing short of a love affair between eclectic synth and ambient melodies, The xx certainly stands out compared to its musical competitors which has helped gained it entrance into festivals like Coachella, Sasquatch, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. The band’s debut album xx (2009) notably won the Barclaycard Mercury Prize, honoring the album with the title of Best British and Irish album of the year (other past winners include Franz Ferdinand, The Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse). Now with a similarly successful album, Coexist, released late last year, audiences will find a range of music to enjoy at The xx’s upcoming show.
IF YOU GO
What: The xx in concert. When/Where: May 27-May 28, The Paramount Theatre, 901 Pine St., Seattle. Info: For details, go to www. stgpresents.org.
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let’s do this Our picks for the coolest things to do around town Tyler, The Creator, May 8
He was in born into a world that needed some inspiration, so Tyler did what he knows best—he created. His music is full of brutally honest vocals and sick beats that shoot straight for the dome. The Knitting Factory, Spokane sp.knittingfactory.com
Seattle Beer Week, May 9-May 19
The Decibel Magazine Tour, May 19 Crank up the half stacks and get your ass-kicking boots on. The big names of Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Immolation and Cretin are charging into town. El Corazon, Seattle www.elcorazonseattle.com
Sixty Second Film Festival, May 19
Finally, a week that’s dedicated to the one thing I love— beer! Live adventurously by trying something new on tap that you’ve never heard of. If you cant make it out, at least crack open a cold one at home . . . it is beer week. Various locations, Seattle www.seattlebeerweek.com
Anyone can be a filmmaker in this one-of-a-kind festival that is perfect for any budget. It doesn’t matter if you have a professional camera of a Smartphone—just make sure your film is only 60 seconds long. Vashon Theatre, Vashon www.sixtysecondfilmfestival.com
Comics Under the Influence, May 12
Pepper, May 23
This is the best idea in comedy since they introduced the rubber chicken. Take five comics and let them do a set . . . sober. While they’re waiting for their next turn, they get plastered and do a second set drunk! Cheers. Tacoma Comedy Club, Tacoma www.tacomacomedyclub.com
The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect, thru May 12
Gaming has reached an all time high and we’ve sure come a long way. Relive everything from the simple dots and joystick of Pac-Man to the full-blown 3D worlds of all the first-person shooter and RPG games that invade your console today. EMP Museum, Seattle www.empmuseum.org
Put some Pepper in your life with a band that knows how to have a good time. It takes a mellow island sound and mixes it with a little bit of reggae to create songs that are guaranteed to get you groovin’. The Knitting Factory, Spokane sp.knittingfactory.com
42nd Annual Northwest Folklife Festival, May 24-May 27 Make it your new tradition to celebrate all of the diversity that the heart of Seattle has to offer. There will be music from practically every genre, an uncommon marketplace, sidewalk artists and craft vendors galore. Seattle Center, Seattle www.nwfolklife.org/festival/
MGMT, May 15
Bellevue Jazz Festival, May 29-June 2
Life in Color: The Worlds Largest Paint Party, May 18
5th Annual Kustom Kulture Festival, May 31
Leave your boring management at the office and go for some exciting new management by the good fellows at MGMT! It’s one giant euphoria of shape-shifting psychedelic pop you don’t want to miss out on. The Showbox Sodo, Seattle www.showboxpresents.com
A once in a lifetime experience full of high energy music, art and dance will blow you away—DJs, stilt-walkers and fire shows are only the warm up to prepare you for the giant paint blast of color. Tacoma Dome, Tacoma www.tacomadome.org
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Can’t get enough of that swing, smooth and blues classics? Celebrate the creative power of jazz music with Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Kendrick Scott Oracle, Cascante y su Tumbao and much more. Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue www.bellevuejazz.com
Come watch a pinup pageant in a tiki, surf and beach party setting that’s all about the style of the 50s and 60s. A car show, poker run and 15 live bands will only add to the already amazing Pin-up Paradise on Roost’R Island. Clearwater Casino Resort, Squamish www.rockitroost.com
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Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird
LEAD STORY— UNDOCUMENTED LIVING
; Undocumented immigrant Jose Munoz, 25, believed himself an ideal candidate for President Obama’s 2012 safe-harbor initiative for illegal-entry children, in that he had been brought to the U.S. by his undocumented parents before age 16, had no criminal record and had graduated from high school (with honors, even). Since then, however, he had remained at home in Sheboygan, Wis., assisting his family, doing odd jobs and,
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admittedly, just playing video games and “vegging.” Living “in the shadows,” he found it almost impossible to prove the final legal criterion: that he had lived continuously in the U.S. since graduation (using government records, payroll sheets, utility bills, etc.). After initial failures to convince immigration officials, reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in March, Munoz’s lawyer succeeded—by submitting Munoz’s Xbox Live records, documenting that his computer’s Wisconsin location had been accessing video games, day after day, for years.
GOVERNMENT IN ACTION!
; Among the lingering costs of U.S. wars are disability payments and compensation to veterans’ families, which can continue decades after hostilities end. An Associated Press analysis of federal payment records, released in March, even found two current recipients of Civil War benefits. Vietnam war payments are still about $22 billion a year, World War II, $5 billion, World War I, $20 million, and the 1898 SpanishAmerican war, about $1,700. ; Each year, Oklahoma is among the states to receive $150,000 federal grants to operate small, isolated airfields (for Oklahoma, one in the southern part of the state is so seldom used that it is primarily a restroom stop for passing pilots). The payments are from a 13-year- old congressional fund for about 80 similar airfields (no traffic, no planes kept on site), described by a February Washington Post investigation as “ATM(s) shaped like (airports).” Congress
no longer even requires that the annual grants be spent on the actual airports drawing the grants. ; During the massive February Southern California manhunt for former Los Angeles cop Christopher Dorner, nervous-triggered LAPD officers riddled an SUV with bullets after mistakenly believing Dorner was inside. Instead there were two women, on their early-morning job as newspaper carriers, and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck famously promised them a new truck and arranged with a local dealership for a 2013 Ford F-150 ($32,560). However, the deal fell through in March when the women discovered that Beck’s “free” truck was hardly free. Rather, it would be taxable as a “donation,” reported on IRS Form 1099, perhaps costing them thousands of dollars.
GREAT ART!
; Sculptor Richard Jackson introduced “Bad Dog” as part of his “Ain’t Painting a Pain” installation at California’s Orange County Museum in February. Outside, to coax visitors in, Jackson’s “Bad Dog’s” hind leg was cocked, with
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gallons of yellow paint being pumped onto the building. “We’ll see how long it lasts,” he told the Los Angeles Times, “but you never know how people will react.” “Sometimes, people feel they should protect their children from such things, then the kids go home and watch South Park.”
; Career-Ending Jobs for Runway Models: British “design engineer” Jess Eaton introduced her second “high-fashion” collection in December at London’s White Gallery, this time consisting of supposedly elegant bridal wear made in part with roadkill, cat and alpaca fur, seagull wings and human bones.
; Australian dilettante David Walsh’s 2-year-old Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart is acquiring a reputation for irreverence. Among the exhibits is Greg Taylor’s “My Beautiful Chair,” which invites a visitor to lie next to a lethal injection chair and experience a countdown, mimicking the time it takes for execution drugs to kill (and then flashing “You Are Dead”). Also, at 2 p.m. each day, a “fresh fecal masterpiece” is created by artist Wim Delvoye, in which a meal from the museum’s restaurant is placed into a transparent grinder that creates slush, turns it brown, and adds an overpowering defecation-like smell. The resulting “masterpiece” is channeled into (also transparent) vats.
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION
; U.S. political consultants may recommend to their candidates gestures such as wearing an American flag lapel pin. In India, the advice includes creating the proper suggestive name for the candidate on the official ballot. Hence, among those running for office this year (according to a February Hindustan Times report): Frankenstein Momin, Hamletson Dohling, Boldness Nongum and Bombersing Hynniewta, and several Sangmas (related or not): Billykid Sangma, Mafiara Sangma, Rightious Sangma and Winnerson Sangma. More confusing were Hilarius Dkhar and Hilarius Pohchen and especially Adolf Lu Hitler Marak.
PERSPECTIVE
; Some Third-Worlders eat dirt because they are mentally ill or have no meaningful food. However, diners at Tokyo’s upscale Ne Quittez Pas eat it because it is a trendy dish prepared by prominent chef Toshio Tanabe. Among his courses are soil soup served with a flake of dirty truffle, soil sorbet and the “soil surprise” (a dirt-covered potato ball). (Spoiler alert: It has a truffle center.) Tanabe lightly precooks his dirt and runs it through a sieve to eliminate the crunchiness.
POLICE REPORTS
; In some jurisdictions, a driver can be presumed impaired with a blood alcohol reading as low as .07 (and suggestively impaired at a reading below that), but according to a WMAQ-TV investigation in February, some suburban Chicago police forces allow officers to work with their own personal readings as high as .05. (While officers may be barred from driving at that level, they may not, by police union contract, face any discipline
if they show up for work with a reading that high.)
READERS’ CHOICE
; In March, Jose Martinez pocketed an $8,000 settlement with California’s Disneyland after he was stranded on a broken It’s a Small World ride for a half-hour in 2009. Because Martinez is disabled, he could not easily be rescued and was forced, he said, to listen to the “It’s a Small World” song on an endless loop until help arrived. (2) A woman and her son doing yard work at their home in Texarkana, Texas, in March “cleverly” dealt with a menacing snake by dousing it with gasoline and setting it afire, but of course it slithered away—under brush next to their house. Moments later, according to an Associated Press dispatch, the home caught fire and burned down, and their neighbor’s house was heavily damaged.
SNAIL MAIL: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT
; Wait . . . What? A startup com-
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pany in Austin, Texas, also serving San Francisco, promises to take its customers’ incoming U.S. mail three times a week, photograph it and deliver it back to the customers via mobile phone app, for $4.99 a month. The company, Outbox, provides some value-added services, removing the customer from junk-mail lists and paying bills. Still, Outbox’s unorthodox business model assumes that a growing number of people absolutely hate opening, filing or discarding pieces of paper. Co-founder Will Davis told CNN in February that at least he does not fear competition: “No one is crazy enough to do what we’re doing.”
OOPS!
-- College basketball player Shanteona Keys makes free throws at a 78 percent rate for her career, but on Feb. 16, she weakly shanked one of those 15-foot shots, causing it to thud to the floor about eight feet short of the rim—the worst collegiate free-throw attempt of all time, according to several sports commentators who viewed the video. Keys
explained to Deadspin.com that she always brings the ball close to her face when she shoots, “and my fingernail got caught on my nose, so I couldn’t follow through correctly.” Her Georgia College (Milledgeville, Ga.) team lost to rival Columbus State, 70-60. ; Research Hurts: Between 2002 and 2010, according to the March BJU International (formerly British Journal of Urology), an estimated 17,600 patients came to U.S. hospital emergency rooms reporting genital injuries from trouser zippers (presumably by accident, but researchers took no position on that). Seven authors (six from University of California, San Francisco) took credit for the report, funded by a National Institutes of Health grant, and found that “zip” wounds were only about one-fifth of emergency penile injuries.
FAMILY VALUES
; Rachel Hope and Parker Williams, both apparently intelligent and attractive, decided to procreate and fully raise a child together—even though neither has
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romantic intentions toward the other. Their relationship is likened to a business one, according to a February New York Times profile, in which they do their respective biological duties, separately, and then each basically outsources half the subsequent child-rearing to the other. Said another parent in a similar relationship: “When you think about the concept of the village, and how the village was part of child-rearing for so many cultures . . . it makes total sense.”
THE CONTINUING CRISIS
; Professor Peter Froehlich, who teaches computer science classes at the highly competitive Johns Hopkins University, contractually grades “on a curve,” automatically marking the highest grade an A, with other grades trailing based on their proximity to the class’s best. One clever student tried to organize the entire class for December’s final exam, to persuade everyone to do no work at all—thus rendering the “high-
est” grade a zero, meaning an A for everyone. (Of course, if a single student broke ranks, everyone except that student would receive an absolute zero.) Fortunately for the students, according to InsideHigherEd.com, the class held together, and a shocked professor Froehlich nonetheless honored his contract, giving everyone an A (but subsequently closing the loophole). ; Thieves broke into the home of Earlie Johnson in Muskegon, Mich., in February and made off with several flat-screen TVs, but what really irked him was that they also stole his entire DVD pornography collection, consisting, he said, of the films of every African-American porn star since the 1970s. (“I’m not no scum bag guy, pervert, or nothing like that,” he told WZZM-TV. “I just thought it was cool to own my own porn collection. It keeps my relationship (with his fiancé) fresh and tight.”) As soon as the news of Johnson’s misfortune spread, several adult video companies donated DVDs to help restore the collection.
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