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40 Hot, young hip-hop sensation Mac Miller is on fire! ON THE COVER: Photo by Ian Wolfson
departments 6 Letter from the Editor Diversity makes us strong, our culture keeps us strong.
8 News Nuggets
features 14 Fiber Optic Will America ever change the way they look at hemp?
16 A Global Affair
Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere— and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers.
28 Destination Unknown Spanish Barcelona offers great art, culture, history and so much more.
The World Anti-Doping Agency relaxes regulations on athletes using cannabis involved with the Olympics.
30 Profiles in Courage
20 Miracle Man
32 Strain, Edible &
Stan Rutner beats cancer—thanks to MMJ.
Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical cannabis patient.
Concentrate Reviews
Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains, edibles A Giant Leap and concentrates currently Artist Mike Giant gets real provided by your friendly with CULTURE. neighborhood access point.
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24 Royal Flush Hot new hip hop star Freddie Gibbs plays the hand he’s been dealt— and he’s winning.
46 Cool Stuff From Audiowood Barky Turntable and iPhone macro lenses to Hisptirs, if it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it.
48 Recipes Easy and Delicious—ease into Fall with these tasty dishes and dips.
54 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture.
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SEPTEMBER 2013 • CULTURE 5
letter from the editor
Vol 5 IssUE 3
CULTURE Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
Editor-In-Chief
www.iReadCulture.com
Evan Senn
Arts & Entertainment Editor Ashley Bennett
Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, 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, Joy Shannon, 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
Kim Johnson, Derek Obregon
Art Director
Steven Myrdahl
Graphic Designers
Pride and Passion In the face of adversity, our diversity gives us strength
T
he revolution of cannabis and the struggle to access our freedoms is evolving. There are stories in our newspapers, online and on television every day on how cannabis is helping the world. Dr. Sanjay Gupta came out on one of the most credible news channels in the world and explained how he was wrong for misjudging the benefit of cannabis as a medical option. A fiveyear-old girl in Colorado finally gets relief from her incredibly frequent and intense seizures, and another man’s cancer is cured—all thanks to the natural relief of cannabis. Illinois has also recently become the 21st state in the U.S. to legalize medical cannabis. The world is changing every day, and it is important to keep up with it. Here at CULTURE, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of this revolution. With change there is, of course, some trepidation— the future is uncertain. But, the best of best roll with the punches, and adapt. I have faith in the people of this great nation, and given time, I believe the people will make sure our government’s legislature reflect the opinions of the people it serves, and cannabis will be accepted. Good things happen when you
open your eyes and mind to diverse views of the world; when you celebrate what makes people live well. Living well can mean something different for everyone. Regardless of our differences of race/ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, political affiliation, as a community we welcome diversity. A culture of inclusion and support makes a stronger community. And thus a stronger humanity. As CULTURE’s first female Editor-In-Chief, I want to take this time to remind us about what makes America so spectacular, in the first place—its diversity and its adaptability. I am proud to continue in this tradition of great journalism, up to the minute news, entertainment and amazing original content in the nation’s #1 cannabis lifestyle magazine, as we lead this revolution to freedom and compassion. I hope that this will remind you of what makes us strong, and an even stronger community—a symbol of our pride and passion. CULTURE, it’s our lifestyle.
Sincerely, Evan A. Senn
Vidal Diaz, Tommy LaFleur
Director of Sales & Marketing Jim Saunders
Regional Account Manager Justin Marsh
Account Executives
Jon Bookatz, Gene Gorelik, Beau Odom, John Parker, Paulina Tapia-Porter, Dave Ruiz, Kim Slocum, April Tygart
Office Manager Iris Norsworthy
Office Assistant Jamie Solis
Social Media Manager Jamie Solis
IT Manager
Serg Muratov
Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes 25,000 papers at over 600 locations throughout Washington. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark of Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. 815 1st Ave | #220 Seattle | Washington | 98104 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 951.284.2596 www.iReadCulture.com
CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
Editor-In-Chief
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SEPTEMBER 2013 • CULTURE 7
2014 Arkansas vote. The group needs 62,507 signatures to be eligible.
Business symposium to focus on legalization of medical cannabis
is the largest pro-cannabis gathering in the country with around 250,000 guests at the three-day event.
THE NATION
DEA raids in Seattle target medical cannabis dispensaries
THE STATE Seattle cops handed out doritos at cannabis rally
Seattle law enforcement is using creative ways to reach out to participants at the Seattle Hempfest, according to Kiro Television News. Police officers handed out free bags of Doritos to festival-goers attached with information about Initiative 502. The initiative is the latest to pass, allowing small amounts of legal cannabis for consumption, for adults 21 and over. The bag of chips feeds into the “munchies” myth that is said to come with consuming cannabis—a tongue-in-cheek ploy by the Seattle Police Department to get people more well-informed about the initiative. “It’s meant to be funny, and ultimately our No. 1 goal is community outreach and public education,” said Sgt. Sean Whitcomb about the outreach at Hempfest. Whitcomb says there is still confusion about the initiative and hopes to make the legalities more clearly to cannabis-users. The festival 8 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2013
The Drug Enforcement Agency sent officials to medical cannabis dispensaries in and around Seattle recently, according to the United Press International. The state of Washington has legalized small amounts of cannabis for locals 21 and over. Despite the law being enacted over a year ago, at least five dispensaries in the Puget Sound region were searched by agents, detaining cannabis plants from business owners. One business owner Casey Lee recounted the ordeal, asking why the agents were raiding the dispensary. “And they said, ‘Well you guys are state legal, but you are still not federally legal,’ that’s all they could tell me.” However, the DEA agents claim that the raids were justified and are part of a two-year investigation. Another dispensary spoke out about the incident on their Facebook page. “We’re not sure if they’re going out to the other collectives but we’re just letting you know that we were raided and we’re OK and we’re fine and we’re not in jail.”
Arkansas voters could see multiple proposals to legalize medical cannabis on ballots
Residents of Arkansas may be seeing the phrase “medical cannabis” on their ballots more than once in the coming months, according to the Kansas City Star. Recently, a measure from a group called Arkansas for Responsible Medicine (ARM) inched their way closer to state voters when Attorney General Dustin McDaniel certified its popular name and ballot title. The ARM collective can now begin working on obtaining signatures in an attempt to gain a spot on the 2014 ballot. ARM, as well as various other promedical cannabis collectives are gearing up in preparation of the
Huge possibilities await the cannabis industry in the coming years. In Illinois alone, the NCIA presume 1,000 new jobs generated due to the recent legalization of medical cannabis, according to CBS. These jobs include a demand for individuals who can produce and package products like lotions and lozenges for patients uninterested in inhaling cannabis, as well as opportunities for people involved in accounting who can specialize in cannabis revenues. The list continues adding software providers, insurance providers as well as attorneys all being reputable fields in demand by the cannabis industry.
Medical cannabis efforts soldier on without Congress’ help
Illinois joins 19 other U.S. states in its acknowledgement of cannabis as a therapeutic product, containing medicinal values. Once the law is fully put into practice, it will be among the dozen states that license
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the production and dispensing of medical cannabis. It should be noted, two states— Washington and Colorado—are in the process of licensing the commercial production and sale for recreational purposes, according to The Daily Caller. It kind of goes without saying, but times are changing. Whether or not federal law will catch up with the changing of times any time soon is still in question.
President’s approval, as the initiative to legalize cannabis wasn’t spearheaded by activists—but by the President himself. Upon its approval, Uruguay will be the first country in the world to fully legalize the growing, selling and recreational use of cannabis.
2nd Annual High Times U.S. Cannabis Cup
THE WORLD Uruguay has taken a leap to legalize cannabis
Uruguay’s president has taken a huge leap in favor of cannabis. A bill to legalize cannabis has been passed by the House of Representatives and is expected to be approved by the Senate and signed off by President Jose Mujica, according to BBC. Chances look highly promising for the
by the numbers
6
The amount of mature and immature plants a medical cannabis patient is authorized to have at any given moment according to California state law: 6 and 12 (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
1
Years since a voter approved mmj legalization initiative began in Washington: 15 (Source: The Washington Post)
7
The average percent range to roadway fatalities dropped within the first year of medical cannabis legalization in a state: 8 to 11 (Source: The Boston Globe)
2
Number of years a Washington man will spend on probation after supplying medical cannabis to military veterans illegally: 5 (Source: The Huffington Post)
4
The estimated amount (in dollars) a violator will likely pay for using medical cannabis in a public setting: 103 (Source: The Christian Science Monitor)
5
The estimated number of people in attendance at the 2013 Seattle Hempfest: 250,000 (Source: The Seattle Times)
The percentage of studies solely focusing on the beneficial effects of cannabis, as calculated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta: 6 (Source: Fox News)
11
Amount it costs (in dollars) to produce a pound of “pharmaceutical grade” cannabis vs. its value at retail price: 1,000 vs. 7,500 (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
12
Percent of surveyed physicians who would approve the use of medical cannabis for a woman suffering from pain related to breast cancer: 76 (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
13
3
Amount of cannabis (in ounces) a person 21 or older is legally authorized to carry at any given moment: 1 (Source: www. seattle.about.com)
10
8
Number of jobs the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) foresees will be generated due to the legalization of medical cannabis in Illinois: 1,000 (Source: CBS)
9
Square foot measurement of Middletown, Connecticut’s first city owned factory for growing cannabis: 15,000 (Source: The Sacramento Bee)
Percent of Americans who say the federal government should not enforce anti-cannabis laws in states that have opted for a new approach: 64 (Source: San Diego City Beat)
14
The percent of people who are in favor of making medical cannabis legal, as seen in recent ABC News-Washington Post poll: 81 (Source: USA Today)
15
The percent of total global hemp fiber produced in China: 51 (Source: www.ipsnews.net)
Everyone remembers when cannabis was legalized in Washington last November. It was a monumental time for cannabis lovers everywhere, as it will always be remembered as the month that made “The Evergreen State” even more green! High Times is happy to bring back the High Times Cannabis Cup for a second year, and Washington couldn’t be more thrilled. Not only does the expo return to celebrate a great victory for medical cannabis patients and recreational users everywhere, it’s also the perfect opportunity to learn from the best of the industry. Everything from professional growers and industry innovators to new oils, concentrates and edibles will be present. Longtime cannabis supporter and singer Redman will be in attendance to open for Slightly Stoopid in concert at the WaMu Theater. Not to mention the competition where various indica, sativa, hybrids, edibles and concentrates are judged and awarded. Informational and highly fun.
IF YOU GO
What: High Times U.S. Cannabis Cup When/Where: 12pm. Sep. 7-8 at Fremont Studios, 155 N. 35th St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $50-$270. See medcancup.com for more details.
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FLASH
The Battle for
American Hemp
Decriminalizing the
perfect plant
By Stephanie Bishop
S
ince the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 effectively banned the production and use of agricultural hemp, American farmers and activists have been working to repeal prohibition laws. There are many chapters to this sordid tale and most do not know the real efforts behind bringing industrial hemp products to U.S. to end user markets in spite of the federal ban to grow agricultural hemp here in the United States. The general public is beginning to understand the difference between cannabis and hemp; however, most do not know the true benefits of hemp. Nutrition and the many benefits of body care products are perfect examples of these misperceptions. Hemp seed and hemp oil is the best source of protein known to man. Both offer a full daily supply all essential and non-essential amino acids, omega
Food
for Thought
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3s and 6s in the exact ratio for optimal human digestion, macronutrients, micronutrients, potassium, magnesium and more in just three tablespoons. As a topical, hemp seed oil soaks right into the skin or hair follicles for immediate results combating dry skin, balancing pH levels and protects the skin and hair against sun damage. October of 2001, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), without allowing for public notice and required public comment, issued an interpretive ruling banning hemp seed and oil food products containing any trace amounts of tetrahydro cannabinol or (THC), the psychotropic components found predominately in the Cannabis plant. The minimal amounts of THC in hemp foods have absolutely no psychoactive effect, no more than trace amounts of opium found in poppy seeds consumed on many bread items or alcohol found in
fruit juices consumed by millions of children in the United States daily. When the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) received word of the DEA’s ruling, they pulled many hemp food and body care companies together to fight the ruling in court. Almost immediately a judge approved the HIA and Organic Consumers Association’s motion to stay the ruling allowing hemp foods and body products to remain on the shelves in thousands of retail establishments nationwide while the case was litigated. It took several years before the DEA would issue their final ruling, which would attempt to permanently ban hemp seed and hemp oil from being imported into the United States. The language in the final interim rule exempted hemp body care and fiber products from DEA control, however, the language allowing for importation of these products effectively destroying the
manufacturer’s ability to obtain hemp oil for their products. Once again, The HIA and several other hemp companies in conjunction with the Organic Consumers Organization and Dr Bronner’s Soaps moved to appeal the decision. February 2006 brought resolution when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued the unanimous decision in favor of the HIA. Judge Betty Fletcher wrote, “[T]hey (DEA) cannot regulate naturally-occurring THC not contained within or derived from cannabisi.e. non-psychoactive hemp is not included in “Schedule I.” The DEA has no authority to regulate drugs that are not scheduled, and it has not followed procedures required to schedule a substance. The DEA’s definition of “THC” contravenes the unambiguously expressed intent of Congress in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and cannot be upheld.” c
Today, hemp foods and hemp body care products can be found in most grocers across the U.S. thanks to the efforts of HIA’s team of experts, however, the battle is far from over. American Farmers are still fighting to restore agricultural hemp to American farmlands and they need everyone’s help! The HIA and VoteHemp both have sections of their websites listing all of the things ordinary citizens can do to bring a to change the draconian laws disallowing hemp written to appease major corporations who viewed the plant as direct competition to their industries. Once farmers are allowed to grow hemp, the cost of body care products and foods will diminish drastically as companies no longer have to import the raw hemp for their products.
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FLASH
A Higher Standard “out-of-competition”
The Olympics’ World Anti-Doping Agency relaxes rules on By Jasen T. Davis
M
illions of medical cannabis patients around the globe face discrimination at work, on the road, in schools and in the courts, but there’s one place it’s getting a little better: on the Olympic winners’ podium. On May 11, the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) amended its rules to raise the level of allowable traces of cannabis found in athletes’ urine from 15 nanograms per mililiter to 150 nanograms per mililiter. In a statement, WADA says they increased the limit because they don’t care what athletes do in their off-time, but they don’t want them to compete high. The effect of the change is that athletes have more personal freedom, experts say. A light “weekend” cannabis
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user who stays clean for two days before an in-competition test probably won’t face WADA consequences like suspensions of three months to a year, or the loss of a medal. (However, daily users might need up to three weeks abstinence to get under the 150 ng/ml limit, studies show.) Athletes and activists say raising Olympic standards for traces of cannabis use is a step in the right direction, but the race toward real equality is going to be an ultramarathon. Many athletes wonder why WADA considers cannabis a “performance enhancing drug” at all, especially given cannabis’ rising prominence in sports therapy. After decades of doping scandals, the Olympics created a formal drug monitor in 1999 called WADA. WADA seeks to ban
cannabis use
substances that meet at least two of three criteria: they enhance performance, they present a health danger; or they violate the “spirit of the sport.” WADA added cannabis to its list of banned substances (which include testosterone, speed, cocaine, heroin, etc.) in 1999, after Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in snowboarding in 1998. All Olympic athletes are subject to random drug tests with no notification. All athletes who make it to first, second or third place also have to pee in a cup. Rebagliati’s urine came back positive for 17.8 ng/ml of THC-COOH (a molecule created when the liver metabolizes THC—the main active molecule in cannabis). Officials yanked his gold.
Rebagliati appealed, arguing the cannabis metabolites in his urine were the result of secondhand smoke. In arbitration, officials restored his medal on a technicality: cannabis was not yet on the list of banned substances at the time of the contest. “I’m the only person to lose a gold medal and get it back again,” Rebagliati tells CULTURE. WADA’s relaxed, new attitude to “out-of-competition” cannabis use is part of a shift in society, Rebagliati said. Twenty U.S. states have medical cannabis laws and two have ended cannabis prohibition. Canada has a national medical cannabis system and more and more countries—like Colombia, Uruguay, not to mention The Netherlands, etc—every year break with the U.Sled cannabis prohibition. c
A number of studies show the naturally occurring components in cannabis like cannabidiol relieve pain and reduce inflammation. “Cannabis is a huge painkiller, a huge antiinflammatory, perfect for post-operation recovery,” Ross said. Ross’ Gold is developing a CBD-rich line of topicals for sore muscles and pains. “A lot of athletes could profit from cannabis use to relax sore and beaten bodies,” Gieringer said. The correlation between snowboarding—with its epic falls—and cannabis use is probably more than a vestige of its counter-cultural roots. “Cannabinoids play a major role in the extinction of fear memories by interfering with learned adversive behaviors,” the AJSM reports. “Athletes who experienced traumatic events in their career [like, say, a huge spill] could benefit from such an effect.”
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BUZZ
Photos by John Gilhooley
A CULTURE Magazine EXCLUSIVE
By Roberto C. Hernandez Stan and Barb Rutner are no strangers to cancer. The married couple, both in their 70s, have run into it before. Barb battled bouts with breast cancer—twice. And about 20 years ago, Stan, a retired dentist with a thriving mini storage business, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. “I just thought I had a cold, flu, type thing. That was it . . . I wasn’t thinking cancer at all,” Stan recalls. Fortunately, after treating the lymphoma for about six months, it— like Barb’s successful battles with breast cancer—became a thing of the past. By 1989, it was a closed chapter. But in 2011, it came back. Like before, it struck Stan in the lungs first. Manifesting as a persistent cough, a doctor later revealed cancerous nodes in the lungs that
Regarding the chemotherapy and radiation that Stan underwent in March and April of 2011 for the lung cancer, what were the downsides? Barb: Nausea, fatigue, weight loss. What tipped you off to the fact that Stan might have acquired brain cancer after you had already found the lung cancer? Barb: His speech became labored and garbled. And when I called the doctor, she knew immediately what was going on . . . and then they did the scan. While cancer is a very serious disease, both of your previous bouts with it provided you with some great perspective, correct?
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Stan: While it was taken very seriously, there was also an element of “Here we go again.” Barb: Yeah, I’ll interject something too. With both Stan and I, since we’ve been through cancer so much, cancer has become kind of a business with us. So, it’s sort of sometimes like business as usual. You know? Stan: We’ve got another chore to do, or another wheelbarrow full of dirt to carry up. You know it was just a job to do and that was all we concentrated on. The cancer and treatment took their toll on Stan, can you tell us how? Barb: Short term memory loss . . . Stan: Yeah, yeah. My handwriting
were the real culprits. “Yeah, [my doctor] was really diplomatic. He says, ‘You’re in deep shit.’ Or words to that effect,” Stan recalls. “Yeah, he didn’t sugar coat it at all,” Barb adds. As if that wasn’t enough, doctors later discovered that the cancer had metastasized to his brain. Like before, the Rutners were able to successfully battle—and beat— Stan’s cancer. But this time, after going through chemotherapy and radiation, they wanted to find a natural medicine that would improve Stan’s quality of life and maybe even prolong it. Medical cannabis did all that and more, surpassing anything they could have hoped for. CULTURE spoke with Stan, Barb, their daughter Corinne and her husband John about this intense and life changing experience with cannabis.
is getting better but it was awful at that time, I mean it was illegible, totally. Stan’s health and quality of life began to decline, even with treatment in full swing. Barb: After that he was wiped out. He was very thin. So we finished radiation to his brain on June 25, and on July 13 he entered the hospital for the first time with radiation pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs due to radiation therapy), so pneumonia. There were three hospital visits during that time, and on the third they kept him for a week and started him on oxygen 24/7. And then he went into palliative care.
Things got bad. At one point, Stan was given six months to live? Barb: Yeah, yeah, I accepted it. He went on to hospice, I mean if you could’ve seen him at that time you would’ve understood. He entered hospice in August. [Generally] when you enter hospice they know you’re diagnosed with less than six months to live. But, Stan was given only weeks to live at that time. Throughout it all, the Rutners tried everything to beat Stan’s cancer. Barb: During the course of his radiation/chemotherapy treatment, [Stan] also had Reiki treatments and acupuncture. And he did attempt
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of doctors, friends and family, but we’ll always believe that cannabis turned the tide.
to do creative visualization but found that he wasn’t very good at it (Laughs). I had used it extensively when I was having breast cancer and it worked very well for me, but it wasn’t working for him. But he did quite a bit of alternative medicine.
Stan: No hesitation at all. Here I’m dying and getting nothing to change the course of things and so this thing has a pretty good track record in—what do you call it—in a non-medical world, so hey let’s try it. Got nothing to lose.
With Stan wasting away coupled with the grimmest of life expectancies, Stan and Barb’s daughter Corinne and her husband John started thinking outside of the box. Hearing that cannabis was an effective treatment for patients suffering from the crushing effects of chemotherapy and the pain that is common with cancer, John and Corinne decided to give it a shot.
About a week or two later, after trying the cannabis-based medicines, did anyone notice improvements? Stan: Everything improved. Barb: He started gaining weight. Stan: Sleeping better. Barb: Getting stronger. Stan: Yeah!
Barb: Corinne and John were becoming interested in medicinal cannabis but we were concerned that Stan was wasting away. He had lost so much weight and so we were anxious to get his appetite improved and help him with the nausea. So Corinne suggested a cannabis capsule infused with coconut oil; they’re yellow capsules that he started taking. He started taking those in early November of 2011 and in the beginning, he took about a third of a capsule in the morning, and it was about a week or two later that he was able to give up the extra oxygen that he had had 24/7. Was there ever a concern about using a plant that some view as non-traditional . . . or consider an outright illegal drug by the federal government? Barb: [Addressing Stan] You weren’t skeptical, were you?
Barb, you’ve told me before how stark and significant the changes were in Stan as a result of his use of medicinal cannabis. Barb: At one point, he was using a walker and then gradually he was able to help with loading a pickup truck and getting things moved. Now he walks up stairs, he does exercise classes, he doesn’t seem to get out of breath and he takes naps most afternoons. But his strength is so much better than it was. It’s remarkable. Eventually, after several months, a brain scan came back negative. No cancer. Same for the lungs? Barb: On January 27, 2013 we received the results of Stan’s brain MRI in an email from his oncologist, stating simply: “IMPRESSION: No evidence of recurrent disease.” The lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain in the summer of 2011 (and nearly taken his life) was GONE! The doctor calls him a miracle man. We are deeply grateful to his “team”
{Corinne and her husband John on Stan’s experience . . . } Could you tell your father was getting worse? Corinne: You know, I never saw it. He’s very healthy. Both my parents are young. My mom is 76 now, my dad is 79, but this was two years ago. February, my dad was diagnosed, but he looked great. 100 percent great, you would have never known, so when he told me it was a shock. I was surprised when he had a little bout with a cough, but it didn’t even seem to last very long. But he apparently took himself in and got a chest x-ray and they had said that they thought it was pneumonia, early stages, and when they cleared it up; they wanted to recheck him again because they saw some concerning spots. Were you a medical cannabis patient at the time your father decided to turn to cannabis? Corinne: I knew nothing about cannabis. I’ve always been one of the straight-laced people. So, if I didn’t have John, I have to say we would have never asked that question. We started my dad on a coconut oil infused capsule. We had heard you can freeze and cut them, so you don’t have to give the whole capsule. So you can actually cut those capsules and start out slow. Looking back, are you convinced that cannabis works as an anticancer medicine? Corinne: I’m 100 percent, no question. I believe that his brain tumor is gone because of the cannabis oil. John: There is no doubt in my mind that cannabis pulled my father-in-law out of the wasting stages of cancer and enabled him to gain strength, and in turn, fight this horrible cell malfunction with success. While many would say that the chemo and radiation could have played a part, he would never have lived long enough to find out without cannabis oil. c
“When Corinne’s mom (Barb Rutner) said to her, ‘You saved your father’s life.’—boy, that is a gift that Corinne will cherish the rest of her life,” said John Malanca, Barb and Stan Rutner’s son-in-law. “And if we can pass that on from our [web]site and do that to pay it forward, oh man. And that’s why we take so much pride in what we do and we speak to patients on a daily basis.” Corinne and John were so inspired by cannabis’ purported ability to treat—and cure—cancer, they started United Patients Group, an organization and web reference site devoted to sharing information and resources about medical cannabis to those looking for answers. It’s a discrete forum where you can talk directly to an expert about medical cannabis; find a beginner’s guide to using medical cannabis, and resources on everything from state laws to how to obtain a medical cannabis card. The team behind United Patients Group can also direct you to reputable marijuana clinics in your area and information on how cannabis can help ease the pain of specific health issues. unitedpatientsgroup.com
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BUZZ
www.mikegiant.com
Giant Personality Mike Giant opens up about his new book, his Zen lifestyle and his ever-evolving
I
By Joy Shannon
n Buddhism they say “the path is the goal.” That path is pursuing enlightenment by living consciously in everyday life. If ever an artist embodied that pursuit, it’s Mike Giant. Giant, who expresses his artistic vision in numerous mediums from tattoos and graphic design to large-scale graffiti works, has built his life around his art, meditation and conscious living. He’s an outspoken advocate for various causes close to his heart like jumping cars with his bike and the benefits of medicinal cannabis. Having just published the biggest of his numerous art books to date called Eternal; Giant has reached an exciting new height in his art career. The book is a “cross section”
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artwork
of his “graffiti, tattoos, photography, commercial illustration, (and) mixed media work” over the about the last twenty years. Now Giant has relocated to Los Angeles from San Francisco with his clothing company Rebel8 and is embarking on new art work inspired by a new city. He is experimenting with creating music for the first time, continues to deepen into his meditation practice and is totally open to a new chapter in his creative life. Giant has been praised for his clean and confident line work, which one can see across the multiple mediums in which he works. He credits his style with having been developed from encouragement of his parents, who gave him magic markers when
he was a child to draw with: “I use sharpie markers for just about everything that I do on paper. It’s kind of a kid’s tool, it’s not really a professional art tool, but it’s always worked, so I stuck with it.” From working with a tool that one cannot erase, he developed a style that is not only visible in his ink drawings, but also in his tattoos and graffiti work. Giant finds balance and fulfillment in creating within these multiple mediums: “There’s something about being so constricted to work on a tattoo and then go out on a street and paint as big as I can. I need that balance.” Much in the same way that Giant finds the Zen approach to using spray paint, inking a drawing
or inking a tattoo, Giant has found a way to integrate his meditation practice into his art practice, “I sit on meditation cushions a certain way when I do the formal (meditation) practice and just about a year or two ago I started using the same cushions to sit when I draw, so my body knows that I mean business when it’s in that pose.” Additionally, Giant is openly an advocate for medicinal cannabis legalization, which can be seen in some of his artwork: “I’m a cannabis user. I’m really open about that too. I think it’s great. I think it’s the best medicine. I can’t take regular pharmaceutical drugs now because it wrecks my stomach, so cannabis is the only medicine that I can really use now. I think it’s really preposterous that a plant is illegal. I don’t like tomatoes. If it was up to me I would make tomatoes illegal, even though people love tomatoes, but that’s ridiculous for me to think that I have the power to just decide. It’s the same.” Giant has explored the use of cannabis and its effect upon his art practice: “I lived in Amsterdam for a while and was able to experiment between indicas and sativas and really have a good personal understanding of how those effect my life in general. I’m glad that America now is finally catching up.” In the end, when Giant reflects on how he incorporates all of his life experiences into his multifaceted artwork, he muses “It’s the only way I know how to do it. “ c
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FLASH
He Got
Game New hip hop royalty
Freddie Gibbs is on the move
Multiple Personalities
By Dan MacIntosh www.freddiegibbs.com
F
reddie Gibbs has an unusual recent success story. Apparently, he doesn’t need any major label system to achieve strong sales, as his new album ESGN debuted at #7 on iTunes’ hiphop charts as a self-released record with virtually no radio play. So, just how did he do it? “I think it’s just due to perseverance, man,” Gibbs explains. “I just expect my core audience, that’s been with me since day one, to really grasp my music. And it seems like more people are grasping it. Every new fan is a blessing. I’m not tripping no matter what way it goes. I’m glad that people are receiving the music well.” The album’s acronym title stands for ‘Evil Seeds Grow Naturally,’ but the way it’s written out on the CD cover—in bright neon red, no less—looks a whole
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lot like one particular sports and entertainment cable channel. Not surprisingly, Gibbs is also a big sports fan. “I’m watching ESPN right now,” says Gibbs over the phone. He didn’t have to clear his album title with that particular network, however. “Hell no!” he replies, when asked if he checked with the TV giant first. “As long as I didn’t call it ‘ESPN,’ it’s all good. It’s totally different.” Gibbs would rather talk about sports, than sports business, anyway. “It’s probably a three-way tie,” Gibbs says, when pressed to name his favorite sport, “between basketball, baseball and football.” Gibbs is from Gary, Indiana, which has always traditionally been a basketball state. But this man loves all three major American sports, equally. “I played all three,” he recalls. “I’m probably best at football.”
About the real meaning of ESGN, Gibbs explains, “It just embodies everything about what I do and what I am. I think I’m the natural bad guy, the black sheep of this industry, so I want to convey that with my brand. That’s the hand I’ve been dealt.” Whether good or bad, Gibbs certainly never slows down. In fact, he just finished a collaboration album with Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper and music producer, Madlib. “It’s called Cocaine Piñata,” Gibbs says. “It comes out in the fall, and it’s definitely a different experience for me. It was a challenging experience working with Madlib. And that’s what I’m up for, a challenge. It made me better as an MC. It made me take my lyrics to a level I hadn’t taken them to before because I’d never rapped on those obscure types of samples.” c
Gibbs truly enjoyed working with Madlib—a well-known L.A. based sampling genius. Madlib took a turn away from hip-hop music in the early 2000s, beginning a series of releases from Yesterdays New Quintet, a jazz-based, hip-hop and electronic-influenced quintet made up of alter egos or fictional musicians played by Madlib. Over the next several years, through several record releases on Stones Throw and other labels, the growing number of pseudonyms and fictional players came to be known as Yesterday’s Universe. Playing instruments live in his studio and then sampling and rearranging the results, the first Yesterdays New Quintet long-player, Angles Without Edges, dropped in 2001. Madlib, who is no stranger to pseudonyms, went so far as to name each of the fictitious players in his group (Monk Hughes, Ahmad Miller, Joe McDurfey, and Malik Flowers, if you’re curious).
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DRINKRESPONSIBLY
CULTURE
Much like medicated food, these drinks are extremely potent—avoid drinking the whole thing in one gulp. Aside from the directed consuming information on the bottle’s label, try drinking a small dose and wait a while to see if you’ll need more later on.
Keep your medicated drink away from kids or other unsuspecting drinkers. Many of these bottles look similar to your average bottle of Gatorade, soda bottles or other beverages at first glance. Whether you’re actively drinking it or even when it’s unused in the refrigerator, make sure you’ve labeled the bottle or keep it out of reach.
Most of the beverages will likely be labeled with information about the cannabis used to make the drink. If it’s not, be sure to research the drink’s target ailments or ask an expert for help finding the right drink for you.
Like any other medicated edible, the best way to stay safe is to only drink at home or in a trusted environment. It takes between 45 minutes to an hour for the effects to start. Never drink a dose when you know you’ll be driving, at work or in public areas when your medicated drink kicks in.
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Illustrations by Vidal Diaz
Whether you’re medicating with medibles or with cannabis-infused beverages, they are still medication and should be used with caution. There are many different tastes and styles available when it comes to medicating with beverages. Juices, tea, lemonade and many more concoctions are at your fingertips that assist in healing a number of ailments. Here are some tips on drinking medicated beverages safely:
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destination unknown
By David Jenison
The Herculean City of One of the oldest paradise cities has something for everyone
T
he mighty Hercules captured the hellhound Cerberus, slew the multi-headed Hydra and stole the man-eating horses of a giant, but did you know he also founded the city of Barcelona? According to legend, one of his ships got lost on its search for the Golden Fleece, and when Hercules found his men on the beautiful Catalan coast, they asked him if they could stay. Granting their wish, Hercules and his men founded Barca Nona, which would become present-day Barcelona. The story has as much basis in reality as a Kardashian series, but it highlights the diverse cultural history that energizes Spain’s second city. Foreign rulers have included the Carthaginians, the Visigoths, the Moors and the Charlemagne-era Franks, and Julius Caesar once governed the country. Traces of these cultures remain with ancient Roman ruins and dense concentrations of Gothic architecture, while national hallmarks include late 19th-century Moderenista works like Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia
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church. Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí is associated with nearby Figures, but the country’s other art icons, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró, both spent time in Barcelona soaking up its ethos. Many impressive sights are found in Ciutat Vella (“Old City”), whose sections include the once-sketchy El Raval (think NYC’s East Village), the trendy La Ribera and its medieval heart, Barri Gòtic, featuring the famous pedestrian street La Ramba. The coastal La Barceloneta neighborhood, whose Mediterranean beach landed ink in Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote, recently inspired National Geographic to name Barcelona the No. 1
beach city in the world. While the culture and architecture span many eras, Barcelona’s commercial profile is modern with dynamic clubs, restaurants, bars, fashion boutiques, wine havens, chocolate shops and gourmet markets. Likewise, within an hour’s drive, visitors can enjoy Roman-style thermal baths, the prestigious Penedes wine region, the Hamptons-style Sitges, the mountaintop Montserrat monastery and El Cellar de Can Roca, currently rated the No. 1 restaurant in the world. Barcelona sounds hot, but is it blazin’? According to the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), Barcelona ranks fifth on its list of the world’s top cannabis travel destinations. America’s premier financial network, whose love of green apparently extends beyond Wall Street, directed smokers to Barri Gòtic hot spots like La Rambla, Carrer Escudellers and Plaza Real, the latter of which is the starting point for cannabis-themed walking tours. Down the way from Carrer Escudellars, George Orwell Plaza (a.k.a. “Plaza Trippy”) was a top smoke spot until officials installed a 24-hour video surveillance system to establish more control over the area. Clearly that is as darkly ironic as President Choom Gang cracking down on medical cannabis, but Barri Gòtic makes up for it with the Hash Marihuana Cañamo & Hemp Museum. Barcelona is also a major convention destination, and this includes cannabisthemed expositions. For several years, the city hosted the Highlife Fair, one of the largest cannabis events in Europe. Spannabis is currently the top annual event in Barcelona, and it will celebrate its 12th anniversary next March. The Highlife folks are giving them competition, though, launching the GROWMED medicinal fair last year in Valencia. Other national events include Spannabis Malaga and the Expo Cannabis in Madrid. The country even has an annual Medical Cannabis Bike Tour from Madrid to Valencia to raise awareness about medicinal use. Spain was one of the first European countries to decriminalize cannabis, and those who wish to medicate in Barcelona will find the city has first-rate plants from Morocco. However, Spain’s laws against trafficking are severe so never take stashes in or out of the country. c
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profiles in courage
Are you an MMJ patient from 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?
Patient: Steve Green
AGE: 34 Condition/ Illness: Epilepsy, chronic pain and muscle spasms.
Using medical cannabis since: 2010
I had tried all the other traditional forms of controlling my epilepsy, and I was beginning to get proof of liver enzyme failure. The side effects of the list of prescription drugs made me incapable of functioning normally.
DID YOU TRY OTHER METHODS OR TREATMENTS BEFORE CANNABIS? I tried several different diets—ketogenic, gluten-free, etc. I also tried a series of pharmaceutical anti-convulsion, anti-seizure medications. As far as my neurologist was concerned I had tried everything there was to try.
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR PROBLEM FACING MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS?
Law enforcement issues, misuse of power and the lack of education. I think education is the most important thing though. Most people that I’ve had the chance to speak with say that they would prefer a natural medicine like cannabis if it would stop their pain or their debilitating condition.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT CANNABIS AS MEDICINE?
I would tell them that I was also skeptical when my doctor recommended medical cannabis. It’s hard to believe the something so basic that grows from the ground can be used to control such complicated neurological disorders and so many other wide ranges of varying diseases and conditions. I would also point them in the direction of learning more about the compounds that are in cannabis and not referring to the stereotypical thoughts. I would tell them my story and offer them other people’s stories as further evidence. c
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strain, edible & concentrate reviews
Radioactive Gooey Red Velvet Cookies Usually, we’re not big fans of cannabis cookies, mostly because you need to eat at least two to get relief and we’re not always interested in having our stomach full. But we really liked these Radioactive Gooey Red Velvet Cookies because they are tasty, melt-in-your-mouth treats loaded with white chocolate chips and a bit of cream cheese that aren’t overly filling. But, more importantly, one cookie proved to be strong enough to offer four solid hours of pain relief that was calm and smooth without a hint of the rushiness that sometimes comes with edibles. Each cookie contains 1/2 of one gram of cannabis, so they are strong little cookies from the jump. No surprise that coming from the All Natural Wellness Collective in Tacoma that these cookies are made with all natural ingredients right down the cannabisinfused coconut oil butter blend. Enjoy these. We sure did.
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www.iReadCulture.com
Dutch Treat CO2 Oil This is the sweetest concentrate we’ve tasted during the entirety of the concentrate revolution in Washington State—and we’ve tasted some sweet concentrates. It’s smooth on intake with immediate effects that are very calming and soothing almost like a benzodiazapine. It comes from Tacoma’s 8th Wonder and is strong yet clear headed. If this is any indication of where CO2 extractions are headed, count us in, because strong and smooth with no possibility of solvent residue is the future we want. We also found it to be an excellent pain killer when we ingested a small bit.
Ruder We were both skeptical and dubious when we ran into this hybrid of Ruderalis and an unknown strain. Ruderalis is one of the three cannabis genotypes—sativa and indica being the others—but it’s better known for its autoflowering qualities and lower THC levels than it is for being a medical strain. Now that we’ve tried what the Clear Choice Collective in Tacoma likes to call “Ruder” and counts as Private Reserve, we’re convinced Ruderalis has a place in medical cannabis. As it turns out, Ruder is actually quite strong with deep pain relieving qualities and a calming, anti-anxiety effect. It’s lightly musky and grassy in odor with buds that are extremely dense and hard and packed with red hairs. While it’s not Captain Couch Lock, it is certainly not a daytime medicine. Although we’re not sure what Ruderalis brings to the table here, we sure do like the overall effect.
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Brownie Destroyer
Cookie Dough Cookie Dough is a phenotype of the uber popular Girl Scout Cookies strain and, as with the entire GSC “line,” there’s no agreement on this one’s precise genetics. And we are not going to stick our nose into that argument. From Maple Valley’s Top Choice Wellness, this Cookie Dough has a very pronounced minty sweet aftertaste that sticks around for several minutes— longer than any strain with which we’re familiar. Effects set in quickly are quite strong in classic indica dominant fashion. Cookie Dough is the right choice for pain and stress relief and our guess is that it will absolutely deck anxiety. Even better is that its effects lasted an entire two hours, but we’re guessing most patients will spend those hours firmly glued to their seat cushions. So, as with other strong indicas, don’t use this one during the day—unless the day is your night.
OK, “Brownie Destroyer” sounds intimidating and the note on its label stating that The Destroyer contains 135 milligrams of THC confirms said intimidation. We tried but half of one brownie and while we weren’t exactly destroyed, our aches and pains were completely eliminated for four-plus hours. In other words, this brownie from Tacoma’s Emerald Pharms is very strong. Thankfully, it is overly packaged in child deterrent packaging—no, you would not want a child anywhere near this medicine. The brownie itself is very nice and not overly cake-like and comes frosted with chocolate. Its cannabis flavor is quite mild,especially for an edible containing so much THC. What was truly remarkable was that for an offering as strong as this one, its effects were very calming and blissful, so it will be great for pain, anxiety and stress. But keep in mind that it’s so strong that you should keep its use far away from complex tasks.
Deadhead OG Shatter We have decades of experience with all things cannabis and dabbing this great shatter made us say, “Whoa!” This Deadhead OG shatter had an instant effect and provided very deep pain relief with an almost out-of-body feel to the experience that left us a bit wobbly (so proceed with that caution in mind). And its effects lasted an entire three hours. From Georgetown Health Club in Georgetown, this shatter is molasses in color and crackly. You’ll need to cut off a small piece and use the heat of your fingers to mold it to your dabbing accessory. But you’ll manage.
Crystal Mountain Kush We first ran into this hybrid last year in the hands of a now-defunct collective, so we’re glad to see it pop up elsewhere since Crystal Mountain Kush is excellent medicine. It’s one of the best new local hybrids we’ve encountered and that’s saying something what with the feverish pace of experimentation among area growers—and we have loads of respect for the quality of that experimentation. From Ancient Medicine, in Tacoma, Crystal Mountain Kush is strong, commonly testing at 19 percent THC, and while it clearly has cerebral effects, they are of the clear-headed variety (hence the “crystal” in its name). It’s an excellent pain killer and we found it quite effective at shutting down spasms, likely due to its 0.4 percent CBD content. Patients with anxiety issues will like it as well. A hybrid of Chem Dawg 4 and OG Kush, we would really like to see it in more collectives because more patients need access to its wonderful properties. 34 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2013
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Kryptonite OG As the name implies, Kryptonite is a strong strain, but is it Superman strong? In our opinion, heck yes. Soon after exhalation, effects set in almost immediately and continue a solid 90 minutes, which is on the long side for dried flowers. Spanaway’s House of Cannabis—with a name like that, it would be our favorite house in Spanaway—tells us that this is a custom strain, although there are other “Kryptonites” out there, do not confuse this one with Kryptonite OG. This Kryptonite is definitely a heavy indica and must have some Afghani in its lineage—just look at all those red hairs packed into those dark leaves. We found it to be excellent for overall pain and spasticity, as well as having very relaxing qualities, making it a good choice for anxiety and stress. Keep Kryptonite’s use to evenings, however, as this one is a couch locker.
Moby Dick Hash We love old school hashish the way we love old school indicas—both are great for patients. Moby Dick, however, is a sativa dominant hybrid of Haze and White Widow. Here in concentrate form from Rainier Valley’s 420 Collective, it is strong and spacy with a sweet, smoky flavor upon combustion. Two hits were all we needed to remove any sense of pain from our body while experiencing deep relaxation. We imagine that vaporized the effects might be even stronger and this hash is easily shaped for whatever device you use. 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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Photo by Ian Wolfson
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The music Mac Miller makes has the seriously cool spirit you only get growing up fast on the city streets. If you lacked a proper electrical source you could keep everything in your icebox chilled by plugging it in to Mac Miller’s latest album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, an audio joy ride full of spine-vibrating bass, kick-ass lyrics and the kind of beats that can make driving fast and cool on any highway in America easy. Culture was fortunate to talk to Mac Miller about life in the success lane as he tours from city to city in support of his latest and greatest creation, Watching Movies with the Sound Off. Born Malcolm James McCormick in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the young hip hop artist released But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy in 2007 at the tough age of 15. Shortly thereafter he signed up with Rostrum Records and released a series of mixtapes that proved that the powerhouse from Penn state had the potential to easily knock down other hip hop heavyweights with stunning grooves and hard-hitting lines that belied his youth and revealed and man who knew how to handle a mic for any crowd, anywhere. In 2011, the young musician unveiled his first LP, Blue Slide Park, a certified gold album that hasn’t stopped gaining fame since it hit the web. His second LP, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, released just a couple months ago, in June 2013, has taken his career to a whole new creative stratosphere.
Mac Miller is the kind of artist who isn’t afraid to talk about drugs, and what he has to say isn’t a simple yes or no. His answers possess a stark integrity which a person only gets after walking up and down that particular road, and it isn’t always fun. Does the mighty Mac Miller care about cannabis? In a conversation with online music journalist AndPop, the artist spoke honestly when asked about what him and his friends talk about when he uses cannabis. “When we get high we talk about, fuck, big, prolific shit,” Mac Miller says. “When I’m high with my homies, we always talk about deep shit … conspiracy theories and religion craziness, science . . . ” Mac Miller isn’t the first modern musician to confess to finding philosophy with the assistance of cannabis. Like most guys, when he smokes with his friends he’s serious about it. “We’re not dumb,” he says, describing some of the deep talks he’s had while medicating. “We don’t just talk about bitches and alcohol and weed, man. We have thoughts.” When Mac Miller raps about cannabis, he’s just talking about life in his particular big city. That’s what his lyrics are all about. “It’s just about everyday life. That’s what we try to do. We try to talk about what we do every day. So if we’re smoking a lot of weed every day, then we’re going to rap about smoking a lot of weed every day. But I just bring a message of positivity that can speak to as many people as possible.” SEPTEMBER 2013 • CULTURE 41 SEptember
career, and he really knows my style so it’s easy to put together.
Although you are still a very independent artist, the work you have done has already given you some serious fame and fortune. At this point in your career, after everything you’ve done, what is the most important thing to you? Well I think it’s about not getting too big too quick. That’s the key to staying a real person even with success. I’m taking things step by step. Everyone wants to go straight from point A to Z, not realizing that everything in between is just as important if you want to be able to make it. A lot of your music is upbeat. I like how you write a lot about the fun, cool details every person experiences growing up. I also like how you rap about the hard times, too. Do you sometimes feel like you have to perform some sort of happy act, because of the lighter material on your previous albums? A lot of people see an artist as a person that’s always happy, always positive, but there are a lot of ups and downs in this world. There are a lot of valleys. Sometimes things aren’t awesome, but you have to go through every step of it. It’s tough when everyone expects you to just be that happy guy. I rap about that, too. Listening to Watching Movies with the Sound Off made me realize how much your style had changed since anything you did before 2010. It had a very relaxed sense of confidence. I think this album came to me at a point when I didn’t want to accomplish anything. The first album had to be big. I wanted to really accomplish something. With this one, I felt like I had more time to think about what I was saying. It must have been cool being able to make an album without the pressure of it being the absolute totally greatest epic hit of your young human existence or else. I did Watching Movies with the Sound Off mostly for fun. 42 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER SEptember 2013
Have you had any training? Watching a lot of your moves, it seems like you’ve done a lot of improvisational comedy or even stand-up comedy. Does that just come from spending a lot of time onstage and being interesting during interviews? I guess I’ve practiced a lot doing shows. I really like comedy. I listen to a lot of stand-up on the road. Aside from music, humor is something that’s always been interesting to me. I’ve watched a lot of stand-up comedy and things like that on YouTube and the radio.
This seems a lot less commercial than your previous hits. A lot of the material on the new album seems a lot more personal. I wanted to create an album that had more purpose to it than just trying to be successful. Some people say West Coast, some people say East Coast, but we both know that there are many different hip-hop styles out there to choose from. How would you classify your hiphop? I think it’s just a little bit of everything, even beyond hip-hop. I’m just trying to do everything I can. I hope nobody can classify my style or me. It’s very cool that you aren’t afraid to talk about the downside in your music or during interviews. Now that you’ve been around, what’s the worst thing can happen to you as an artist? Writing a song you really like. Sometimes you think no one
likes it but you. It’s tough when people don’t like it at all. How do you get through that? You make a song that is just the real you. When you are creating music and putting your soul into it, then you realize it doesn’t matter who likes or doesn’t like it. Some of my favorite songs don’t get a lot of hits. Other songs might get popular, whether I think they deserve it or not. Your music videos not only have some very stylish cinematography, but are also very funny. Whoever your working with really knows how to get some good shots from you, and the jokes you work in from your lines are genuinely funny. Everything we do is just kind of made up at the last second. I don’t get directed to do anything. Everything I do comes from me. I work with a director I’ve worked with my whole
A lot of other hip-hop artists have turned their acting ability into some serious film roles, like Ice Cube, Common, Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent. Have you ever thought of trying that, yourself? You’ve had plenty of experience, because of the number of music videos you have on YouTube cannot easily be counted. If the right stuff came through I’d definitely do it. I don’t mean maybe. I’ve talked about it with a few people, but I haven’t heard anything interesting yet. I’d do a film if it was a good one. Now that you are older, tougher and wiser, what veteran advice would you offer to a young artist who wants to make it in an industry that isn’t always nice to the people in it? I would tell them to not listen to anyone. You have to trust yourself with every decision, whether it’s your image or your music or your life. You are going to go through life surrounded by people who are going to tell you things like they really know who you are, but you have to know yourself to handle that and actually make it. c V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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cool stuff MicroMax LED Pocket 100X Microscope For iPhone Make your bland days at work more exciting. You’ll uncover wonders with this microscope, which fits easily onto the back of a special iPhone 5 case, for easy snapshots and viewing of the microbial world. Think of the up-close textures and life you’ll discover on your keyboard, the communal bathroom door handle or even that cricket that lives under your desk. You might look odd but you’ll get some respect when your coworkers have seen their office equipment . . . up close. ($19.99) www.thinkgeek.com
Hipstirs by Matthew Hoffman Enjoy the limited edition stir-stick creation by artist Matthew Hoffman’s Hipstirs! There’s only 100 of these little neon beauties available, shaped in the likeness of human hip bones and packing the brightness of five flourescent colors. Put your left and right “hip” in, and shake it all about. ($30.00) www.colossalshop.com
Audiowood Barky Turntable If a record plays in the middle of a forest with nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound? It will if you’re spinning your vinyl on this made-to-order item that bridges the gap between naturalistic aesthetics and the needs of music aficionados. Each turntable is handmade from ash, and each one is thoroughly unique. Mother Nature never sounded so good. ($1,500) www.audiowood.com
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By Aunt Sandy
Sandy Moriarty is the author of Aunt’ Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Body & Mind and a Professor of Culinary Arts at Oaksterdam University. She is also the cofounder of Oaksterdam’s Bakery.
Takin’ It Easy Summer has been fun but it’s easy to get bored of that same old summer flavor. So let’s give ya choices! With a variety of dips and sauces, and some scrumptious sides in honor of National Rice Month—take some time to take it easy. Make the transition into fall by embracing some new tasty eats in celebration of easy livin.’ Whether it’s just a side of delicious risotto or a mouthful of succulent steak kabobs, this month, take some time to remember how to take it easy. 48 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2013
Menu:
VEGETABLE & BEEF KABOBS BÉARNAISE SAUCE LEMON CAPER BUTTER SAUCE CRANBERRY WINE SAUCE MUSHROOM RISOTTO RICH RICE PUDDING
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. V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
VEGETABLE & BEEF KABOBS Serves 4 1 pound of beef, top round steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks 2 medium sized onions cut into quarters and separated into pieces 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 tablespoons Cannabis Infused Oil* 1 tablespoon chili sauce 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1 medium zucchini 1 medium sized yellow straight neck squash 1 medium sized red pepper 1 medium sized green pepper 1/2 cup Cannabis Infused Italian dressing In a medium sized bowl, mix the first seven ingredients. Cover mixture and refrigerate at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. One hour before serving, prepare grill for barbecuing. Cut zucchini and yellow squash into 1 inch chunks. Cut red and green peppers into 1 inch pieces. On 2 long skewers alternately thread zucchini, yellow squash and red and green peppers. On 2 other skewers alternately thread beef chunks and onions, reserving the marinade. Place the vegetables and meat skewers on grill over medium heat, cook 10 minutes, brushing the vegetables with cannabis infused Italian dressing and the meat skewers with the remaining marinade, frequently and turning the skewers occasionally, until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked to preferred taste. To broil in the oven about 3 hour before serving, marinade the beef about 30 minutes before preheat broiler. Cut vegetables and arrange on the skewers as above using all metal skewers. Place arranged skewers on rack in broiling pan. Broil for about 15 minutes, turning and basting occasionally.
CRANBERRY WINE SAUCE
LEMON CAPER BUTTER SAUCE
1 1/2 cup cranberries 1 cup cannabis infused simple syrup 1/4 cup orange juice 1/3 cup red port wine 1/8 teaspoon salt
4 Canna Butter** 1 tablespoon capers 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1/2 teaspoon salt Dash of ground red pepper In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve hot.
In a 3 quart saucepan, whisk all ingredients together over medium heat mixture to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
BEARNAISE SAUCE 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon minced green onion 1 1/2 teaspoon tarragon 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup Canna Butter** 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
In a double-boiler top, combine wine vinegar, green onion, tarragon and pepper. Over high heat bring to boiling. Boil 3 minutes as the mixture reduces. Place double-boiler top over hot not boiling water in the bottom pot. Whisk in egg yolks and cook beating constantly until mixture thickened slightly. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until butter melts and sauce thickens. Stir in parsley. Serve hot as a dipping sauce. SEPTEMBER 2013 • CULTURE 49
MUSHROOM RISOTTO 9 ounces of assorted mushrooms 6 cups of water 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 vegetable bouillon cube 1/2 cup Canna Butter 1 small onion, minced 1 1/2 cup arborio rice 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese Prepare mushrooms and slice, set aside. In 3 quart sauce pan over high heat, bring water, lemon juice, salt and vegetable bouillon to boil. Reduce heat to medium to maintain a simmer. In a large sauce pot over medium heat, add in 4 tablespoons Canna Butter, cook onions and mushrooms until tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice; cook stirring frequently until rice grains are opaque. Add 2 cups of simmering bouillon mixture to rice, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue cooking adding remaining bouillon mixture, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring until rice is tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Stir into rice—mushrooms, onions, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and 4 tablespoons of Canna Butter, stirring until cheese is melted.
RICH RICE PUDDING 7 cup infused Canna Milk*** 1 cup regular long grain rice 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*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.
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In a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, rice, sugar and salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until rice is very tender. Pour rice mixture into medium sized bowl, refrigerate until well chilled
In a small bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat heavy cream and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. With spatula, gently fold whipped cream into rice mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
**Canna Butter
***Canna Milk
1 cup unsalted butter 1 ounce low to average quality dried leaf cannabis or 1/2 ounce average dried bud 4 cups water
1 cup whole milk or cream 1/8 ounce of finely ground cannabis (the finer the grind, the better this will work) Add the milk to a pan or a double boiler over medium heat until it is gently simmering. Lower heat and stir cannabis in. Allow the mixture to continue simmering for about an hour.
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.
Allow to cool and then strain with cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Pour into an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed. Use before the sell by date on the milk used.
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entertainment reviews Goldfrapp Tales Of Us Mute Records English electronic act Goldfrapp have returned to delight the masses with their sixth, and perhaps most sonically vast, studio album, Tales Of Us. Ever stylistically diverse, Goldfrapp’s last full length release, Head First saw the group embracing the most danceable of ‘80s pop as their muse. However, the new record sees the duo returning to sparser, ambient, acoustic ideas from their fourth record, Seventh Tree, as well as their debut, Felt Mountain. Tales Of Us draws on these previous influences and blends them with incredible string arrangements to create a record of ten songs that are absolutely stunning in their fragile beauty. Vocalist Allison Goldfrapp’s sultry, breathy, pure voice dances and floats like snowflakes being carried on the breeze that is Will Gregory’s productions and compositions. While the record is certainly not devoid of foot stompers, one comes in the form of the dusky tune “Thea,” the vast majority of the album is dominated by pristine, delicate stunners like “Annabel” and the lead single “Drew.” While fans of the groups previous, more dance oriented work, might find this record a bit lacking in that department, anybody that listens to Tales Of Us will certainly mesmerized by the record’s sublimely gorgeous song craftsmanship. (Simon Weedn)
Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook: The Easy Way to Identify and Enjoy Marijuana Strains By Matt Mernagh Green Candy Press
As medical cannabis becomes more mainstreamed and more easily accessable throughout our great nation; sometimes even for the experienced patient, the plethora of choices can be a bit overwhelming. Enter Canadian medical marijuana activist, journalist and web-caster Matt Mernagh with his new educational text, Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook: the Easy Way to Identify and Enjoy Marijuana Strains, to make selecting the right type of marijuana an easier task for you. Mernagh takes the reader through a journey of 150 cannabis strains that they’ll most likely encounter, reviews them much like a music critic reviews a record, and includes hi-res, full color photos, to help you distinguish one type from another. The book does a good job of making sure to note strains with specific medical benefits, such as chronic pain relief. It might have been interesting to see the author give a bit of background on each strain but Mernagh accomplishes exactly what he sets out to do with Marijuana Smoker’s Guidebook; clearing away some of the residual haze from medical cannabis strains for his readers and making finding that perfect plant much more simple. (Simon Weedn)
Oblivion Universal Pictures Dir. Joseph Kosinski While designed with beautifully epic visuals and sound design, the sci-fi adventure film Oblivion with Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman ultimately proved to be like a gorgeously wrapped present that leaves you slightly confused. The epic and intricate story could have been better suited for a miniseries, because, edited down into a film, some of the interesting details about the character’s stories seem to get lost. Yet, the film’s design is so gorgeous and lush that if you love visual effects and futuristic space adventures, you can just enjoy the ride. Tom Cruise impressively helmed this film for the most part on his own, but he had quite an impressive cast supporting him, including the magnificent Morgan Freeman and the badass Nikalaj Coster-Waldau, better known as Jamie Lannister. It was nice to see the stunning Olga Kurylenko in a lead role, since she first awed adventure-film audiences in Centurion as the intimidating Pict warrior Etain. English actress Andrea Riseborough, who played the famous Wallis Simpson in Madonna’s W.E., perfectly embodies the future here in this film. In the end, even when the unwieldy script made this film a bit confusing, the visual effects ended up saving it from “oblivion.” (Joy Shannon) 54 CULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2013
“Sitting for History: Exploring Self-Identity Through Portraiture” The world of portraiture has evolved greatly since the 1800s. Before the 19th century, if you wanted a picture taken of you with your family, the whole gang would have to sit completely still for countless minutes to get a decent shot. Even then, someone would end up looking slightly possessed from this complicated process. To avoid this potential result, you may have opted for hiring an illustrator or painter to immortalize a portrait of your clan--but then you were left wondering the entire time you sat there if the artist was highlighting your best attributes. Fortunately, things are much different in this day and age. Digital cameras have escalated the volume in which portraits are taken and few individuals are forced to rely on talent and skill to perfect the process. Come check out the dramatic progression of portraiture at “Sitting for History: Exploring Self-Identity through Portraiture.” From the fabulous Frida Kahlo who painted her own self portraits as a way to express her inner-vision, to the common “selfie” you constantly see on the internet, all portraits remain essential in our personal perceptions and identities, as well as the development of our self-obsessed culture overtime.
IF YOU GO
What: “Sitting for History: Exploring Self-Identity through Portraiture” When/Where: Thru Jan. 12, 2014 at the Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. Info: Admission $10. Go to www.tacomaartmuseum.org or call (253) 272-4258. 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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A
ctress Anna Faris is setting aside her typecast blonde-girl acts for an opportunity to really let her inner comedienne shine. Most recognize Faris from her humble beginnings as a main character in the horror spoof comedy movie Scary Movie (2000) as well as other movies on her track record such as Just Friends, Waiting . . . and The House Bunny, most of which feature innocently one-dimensional characters. Of course our favorite Anna Faris hit is the Sundance Film Festival project Smiley Face (2007) where her character devours an entire plate of cannabis-infused cupcakes (a role she was awarded “Stoner of the Year” at High Times magazine’s Stony Awards back in 2008). Now, Faris plans to trade in her roles of ditzy blonde for personas with more depth and the potential to grow—although she will of course keep up that classic comedy charm. Last August, Faris and her husband Chris Pratt (who plays the dumb but lovable Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation) welcomed their son Jack into the world. Now shes trying her skills at television. This newfound career in television begins with CBS’s comedy series called Mom (debuts this September) where Faris plays Christy, a 40-year-old waitress who is a recovering alcoholic, mother of two—her life just hasn’t gone quite as planned. Although the premise sounds dark , Faris’ acting experience certainly brightens up the mood. She welcomes a role with more depth, which is a golden chance to mix her experienced comedy talent with a character that has a future of progression. c
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let’s do this Our picks for the coolest things to do around town 2013 Bumbershoot Festival, Thru Sep. 2
What once began as a small cultural gathering in 1971 has now exploded into a massive celebration of all things music and art, paving the way for the growth of culture in the surrounding area. Popular musicians attending this year’s event (like Tegan and Sara, Death Cab For Cutie and Fun) only further proves that this festival is da bomb. Seattle Center, Seattle bumbershoot.org
First Friday Art Walk, Sep. 6
The first weekend of the month is cause for celebration; spend it wisely! Downtown Issaquah likes to call itself “Historically Hip” and it’s got a little bit of everything—interactive art demonstrations and live music ramping up excitement for its 12th anniversary of its art walk. Downtown Issaquah www.downtownissaquah.com
Celluloid Seattle: A City at the Movies, Thru Sep. 8
Seattle is steeped in history and many of the city’s landmarks and businesses have been featured in film over the decades. “Celluloid Seattle” compiles the various images of Seattle in film and portrays how much “going to the movies” has really changed. Museum of History and Industry, Seattle www.mohai.org
Kid Cudi, Sep. 11
Whether he’s the lead singer in his own single or working with other artists like Jay-Z, David Guetta, Shakira and even Michael Bolton, Kid Cudi has a ubiquitous presence in the modern hiphop scene. Chances are that listening to any radio station will reveal a number of songs featuring his music and catchy tunes. WaMu Theatre, Seattle www.centurylinkfield.com
Cruise In, Sep. 12
There’s no such thing as a car lover’s museum without a monthly car show! Gather together in appreciation for a variety of locally owned collector’s cars. Rain or shine, the pristine paint jobs and rumbling engines will still be top-notch condition. Le May Museum, Tacoma www.lemaymuseum.org
Daniel Tosh, Sep. 13-14
Few comedians can get away with blatant humor regarding issues that are touchy (including racist, sexist and homophobic humor) but that’s just Tosh. Between his hit Comedy Central TV show Tosh.0 or stand-up routine, his mocking humor is every-
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thing but politically correct—and its hilarious so long as nobody takes it seriously. Paramount Theatre, Seattle www.stgpresents.org
2013 Intiman Theatre Festival, Thru Sep. 15
Theatre gets a bad rap for being overly optimistic and perpetuating cheesy love stories—but c’mon, those musicals were written over 50 years ago. Seattle is bringing a fresh new perspective to musical theatre with four plays, which offer a variety of fresh, entertaining content. Intiman Theatre, Seattle www.intiman.org
A Day To Remember, Sep. 17
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, nor can you define a band by just a single genre. A Day to Remember was a pioneer in the success of merging emo, hardcore and metal sounds together. The band may be 10 years old but its not too late to enjoy a sound that is so typically mid-2000s. WaMu Theatre, Seattle www.centurylinkfield.com
Blondie, Sep. 17
This band rocks out to the classics from the mid-1970s (creators of extremely catchy tunes like “Heart of Glass” and “Call Me”) like it was yesterday. The band’s current Blast Off Tour features songs from their new album, Ghosts of Download. New songs from a 40-year-old band is pretty impressive.
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Marymoor Amphitheatre, King County www.concertsatmarymoor.com
Wild Belle, Sep. 21
This brother and sister singing duo has an unmatchable sound; mainly because their music reaches from one end of the spectrum to the other (psychedelic pop, ska and jazz are listed as a few of Wilde Belle’s musical range). Hey, if Conan liked them when they appeared on his show, it’s got to be good right? The Crocodile, Seattle www.thecrocodile.com
Dane Cook, Sep. 25
Cook’s comedy has always been about his outrageously exaggerated stories of everyday life (like adults cutting in line or working part time at a video store) but his tales never cease to split sides. He’s also the voice of Dusty Crophopper in Planes, but we’ll just stick to enjoying his stand-up. Paramount Theatre, Seattle www.stgpresents.org
Booze-n-Bites Tour, Wed-Sat Thru Sep. 28
This “carefully choreographed food ballet” is one for the books. Take a stroll through the area’s five best restaurants which include a number of delicious appetizers, wine and cocktails. This is quite a way to enjoy the local food scene! Pike Place Market, Seattle www.savorseattletours.com
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Chuck Shepherd's
Newsof the
Weird LEAD STORY—ROACH MOTEL ; At age 20, Kyle Kandilian of Dearborn, Mich., has created a start-up business to fund his college expenses, but it involves a roomful (in the family home) of nearly 200,000 cockroaches. The environmental science major at University of Michigan-Dearborn breeds species ranging from the familiar household pests, which he sells on the cheap as food for other people’s pets, to the more interesting, exotic Madagascar hissing roaches and rhino roaches, which can
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live for 10 to 15 years. (Kandilian told the Detroit Free Press in July that of the 4,000 cockroach species, only about a dozen are pests.) Why not choose a more conventional “pet”? Because “[m] ammals smell,” he said. (Missing from the Free Press story: details on the likely interesting initial conversation between Kyle and his mother when he asked if he could have 200,000 cockroaches in the house.)
CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE ; A 55-year-old woman in the
Netherlands seemed to be experiencing orgasms emanating from her foot, she said, and Dr. Marcel Waldinger of Utrecht University (writing in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, online in June) produced a possible explanation. The applicable left foot nerve enters the spinal cord at about the same level as the vaginal nerve, Waldinger wrote, and the woman’s recent foot injury might have caused the nerves to cross. The woman reported “five or six” orgasms per day that felt exactly like “regular” orgasms and, she said, were making her feel terribly guilty and embarrassed. After treatment with a nerve anesthetic, she reported being orgasm-free (in the foot, at least) for eight months. ; The intersection of West Gateway Boulevard and North Congress Avenue in Boynton Beach, Fla. (pop. 60,000), is nine lanes wide, busy even at 11pm on Sunday night, as it was at that time in July when a 2-year-old girl darted across, a combination of good fortune and sometimes-
rare Florida driver alertness allowing her safe arrival on the other side without a scratch. “It’s a miracle,” said Harry Scott, who witnessed it. “I’m telling you the truth.” Mom Kayla Campbell, 26, was charged with felony neglect, as she appeared “oblivious,” said police, to the child’s absence from home. ; An unnamed restaurateur from Nagoya, Japan, has filed a lawsuit against an affiliate of the country’s largest organized crime syndicate, Yamaguchigumi, demanding a refund of “protection” money she had been paying for more than 12 years (in total, the equivalent of about $170,000). The affiliate, Kodo-kai, burned down a bar in 2010, killing people, in a similar protection arrangement that went bad, and the plaintiff said she, too, was threatened with arson when she decided to stop paying. According to an expert on Japanese “yakuza,” a relative of one of the victims of the 2010 fire may also sue Kodo-kai.
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UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT ; In June, following his guilty plea in Corpus Christi, Texas, to possession of child pornography, Jose Salazar, 70, offered to perform public service to reduce the 12-year sentence a federal judge had handed him. Salazar said he “had a lot to offer society,” according to an Associated Press story, and could be “useful” in mentoring children. ; At Atherstone, England’s, Twycross Zoo, a program is underway to try to teach quarterton giant tortoises to speed up. An extended outdoor pen had been built for Speedy (age 70), Tim, 40, and Shelly, 30, but that meant it took a longer time to round them up for bed at the end of the day. The Leicester Mercury reported in June that zoo officials were trying to use the lure of food to get the tortoises to significantly improve their way-under-1-mile-per-hour gait. ; Actually, It Might Enhance the Experience: The British sex toy
manufacturer Ann Summers issued a recall in June of a certain model of its popular Ultimate O Vibrator because of a problem with the electrical charger. The company said it was being cautious but that the risk of danger is low.
INEXPLICABLE ; Tina Marie Garrison, 37, and her son Junior Lee Dillon, 18, of Preston, Minn., were charged in June with stealing almost $5,000 worth of gopher feet from the freezer of a gopher trapper in Granger, Minn., and selling them for the local offered bounty of $3 per pair. Garrison, Dillon, and the victimized trapper were friends, and it was not clear why the thinly populated gopher-foot market would not have deterred Garrison and Dillon. ; Louann Giambattista, 55, a 33-year-veteran American Airlines flight attendant, filed a lawsuit against the company in July alleging that it had subjected her to baseless hassles because of co-workers’ accusa-
tions that, argued her attorney, were wrongly “making her out to be a nut.” One of the accusations was that she was “hiding rats in her underwear.”
STRANGE OLD WORLD ; The Best of the International Press: (1) In July, the governor of Gorontalo province in Indonesia decreed that female secretaries should be replaced immediately with males. He was responding to a recent excessive spate of extramarital affairs by male bureaucrats with their female secretaries. (“[O]ld women who are no longer attractive” could also be hired, he said.) (2) Japanese media were abuzz in June describing the social trend of teenagers who lick each other’s eyeballs as a sign of dating commitment (roughly equivalent, said the website Japan Crush, to “getting to second base”). Health authorities said it is also an excellent way to spread “eye chlamydia” and conjunctivitis.
PEOPLE WITH ISSUES ; (1) Gerard Streator, 47,
pleaded guilty in June in Waukesha, Wis., County Court to public lewdness and placed on probation after his arrest last year of going through the motions of intercourse with a discarded couch on a public street. An off-duty police officer thought initially that he had caught a couple, but on closer inspection, he realized Streator (who was aroused) was alone. (2) The day before, in Ostersund, Sweden, a 35-year-old man was arrested after a surveillance camera revealed him to be the one who repeatedly punctured Per Edstrom’s bicycle’s tires and who that evening was seen sitting on the bicycle pleasuring himself.
UNDIGNIFIED DEATHS
; (1) A 28-year-old man was accidentally killed in Shelby, N.C., in April. Police say he had trespassed on a salvage lot at 5 a.m. and was underneath a wrecked car trying to steal a catalytic converter when the jack slipped, and the car fell on him. (2) A 42-year-old man was shot and wounded while on his front porch in Antioch, Calif., on
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Friday morning, June 28. He was treated and released, but then walked out on his porch the next morning and was again shot, this time fatally.
A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC ; When Alcoa, Inc., prepared to build an aluminum smelting plant in Iceland in 2004, the government forced it to hire an expert to assure that none of the country’s legendary “hidden people” lived underneath the property. The elf-like goblins provoke genuine apprehensiveness in many of the country’s 300,000 natives (who are all, reputedly, related by blood). An Alcoa spokesman told Vanity Fair writer Michael Lewis (for an April 2009 report) that the inspection (which delayed construction for six months) was necessary: “[W] e couldn’t be in the position of acknowledging the existence of hidden people.” (Lewis offered several explanations for the country’s spectacular financial implosion in 2008, including Icelanders’ incomprehensible superiority
complex, which convinced many lifelong fishermen that they were gifted investment bankers.)
RECURRING THEMES ; To commemorate its 500th “deep brain stimulation” surgery in May, UCLA Medical Center live-Tweeted its operation on musician Brad Carter, 39, during which he was required to strum his guitar and sing so that surgeons would know where in his brain to plant the electrical stimulator that would relieve his Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Carter had developed hand tremors in 2006, but the stimulator, once it is properly programed and the surgery healed, is expected to reduce his symptoms, restore some guitarplaying ability, and reduce his medication need. (And, yes, patients normally remain conscious during the surgery.) ; Firefighters are not infrequently called on to extricate adventurous men from sex toys, but one “armor-plat(ed)” device,
six inches in diameter, into which the 51-year-old German entrapped himself in July in Ibiza, Mallorca, was especially challenging, according to the Diario de Mallorca newspaper, and took two hours and a dose of anesthesia toward the end. The saw blade the emergency workers used wore out during the rescue and had to be replaced, along with two sets of batteries. The man was kept overnight at Can Misses hospital, but was otherwise OK. ; Americans stage dog shows, and Middle-Easterners stage camel beauty contests, and in June, the annual German Holstein Show took over the city of Oldenburg, with the two-day event won by “Loh Nastygirl,” topping bovine beauties from Germany, Luxembourg and Austria. The event is also a showcase for the cow hairdressers, who trim cows’ leg and belly hair (to better display their veins). Said one dresser, “It is just like with us people—primping helps.”
Groomed or not, cows with powerful legs, bulging udders and a strong bone structure are the favorites. ; Fruit of any kind retails for outlandish prices in Japan, but some, such as Yubari cantaloupes, are so prestigious that they are often presented as gifts to friends or colleagues, and it was only mildly surprising that a pair of the melons sold in May for the equivalent of about $15,700 at auction at the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market. The melons appeared to be perfect specimens, with their T-shaped stalk still attached. The record melon-pair price, set in 2008, is about $24,500 measured at today’s exchange rate. ; Still Unclear on the Concept: Briar MacLean, 13, of Calgary, Alberta, was reprimanded by school officials in May (and then also lost an appeal) after he stepped between two students because one, holding a knife, was bullying the other. The vice
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principal appeared to regard Briar’s action as equal to that of the bully, telling Briar’s mother later that the school does not “condone heroics,” and that it was “beside the point” that Briar might well have prevented a slashing (which could have occurred if he had left the boys behind to go find a teacher). ; First-World Crises: It is not quite to the level of the $15,700 Japanese melons, but the behavior of women descending upon New York City stores in June for the annual “sale” on designer shoes is nonetheless a spectacle. The event makes the city’s upscale commercial district look like “an insane asylum of very welldressed women,” reported The New York Times. The shoes’ everyday prices require, wrote the Times, “the willful suspension of rational thinking.” The average transaction at Barneys is $850, still far below, for example, a pair of wicker-basket-like sandals ($1,995 by Charlotte Olympia) or a certain Christian
Louboutin pump ($1,595— $4,645 if in crocodile). Prices are so unhinged, according to the Times, that standards from the iconic “Sex and the City” designer Manolo Blahnik are now low-price leaders, holding at about $595. ; Among the oldest classic stories in News of the Weird is the hapless burglar or bank robber who inadvertently incriminates himself at the scene of the crime. Recently, (1) Korey Harris, a defensive lineman for West Virginia University’s football team, was arrested in July for a home invasion he allegedly committed while wearing his practice sweatpants emblazoned with his jersey number (96). (2) Police in Boston are confident that Zachary Tentoni is the man who robbed a woman in the yard of Harbor Middle School in June because, as he grabbed her purse and fled, he dropped two bags he was carrying. Among the contents: Tentoni’s birth certificate and a letter from his mother.
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