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Lady Laughter
Lily Tomlin’s decades-long career never goes out of style On the cover: Photo by Jenny Risher
features
departments
12 ANOTHER APPROACH Seattle officials are considering adopting new MMJ regulations.
6 letter from the editor It’s a very green time of the year.
14 NO LIFT-OFF Israel’s high-free cannabis is on the cutting-edge.
8 NEWS NUGGETS Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere—and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers
16 BURNING LEARNING Tracking the most cannabis-friendly colleges in the country. 20 MAMA MIA! How mothers are majorly getting into the movement. 22 FULL WEED AHEAD Turbo Fruit’s ode to the herb gets downright volcanic.
26 DESTINATION UNKNOWN From sandless beaches to Russian tourists— Mũi Né is one quirky destination. 28 PROFILES IN COURAGE Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical marijuana patient near you. 30 Strain & Edible Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains and edibles currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary. 40 COOL STUFF From Infyniti Scales to the doubleduty Stacker Hydro LED Grow Box, if it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it. 42 RECIPES Leave the candy for the kids— this Halloween-themed menu is a real treat!
46 | Entertainment Reviews 56 | Guide to Advertisers 58 | News of the Weird 4 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 5
Letter from the Editor iREADCULTURE.com
Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
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Year of the Green Harvest is upon us. More states are preparing to join our compassionate family. And it’s an election year. Is it me or is this shaping up to be a year full of potential? Take a look around: our medical marijuana lifestyle and community is thriving. All across this great nation there is movement forward, progress being made and political advancement. Let’s start with harvest. With a fresh batch of crops flooding your local access points and collectives, there are a whole host of new strains available to patients and their needs. Check out David Down’s story in this month’s issue about the latest discoveries being made about what specific strains can be used to treat a specific medical condition. For patients, this type of information is important—if not critical. On the legislative front, the situation is no less different. Voters in Massachusetts will be asked to approve the legalization of cannabis for medical use. The situation’s the same in Arkansas. Kentucky is thinking about becoming an MMJ state. Like I said, our lifestyle is thriving. This November voters will be asked to choose their political leaders. Sure, Obama and Romney
are keeping tight-lipped about MMJ—and Paul Ryan has mastered the art of flip-flopping on this issue—but its refreshing to see the candidates from two other major parties (Jill Stein of the Green Party of the United States and Gary Johnson with the Libertarian Party) speaking candidly and earnestly about the importance of medical marijuana rights. In the halls of Congress, no less than four bills designed to protect patients as well as our compassionate industry are being considered Three states—Oregon, Colorado and here in Washington—will have legalization measures on the November ballot. Our lifestyle continues to be embraced by the mainstream. Case in point: Lily Tomlin—the subject of this issue’s cover story—is starring in a new Reba McEntire show for ABC, playing a mother who uses medical cannabis. Yes, it’s a challenge—our community continues to be afflicted with cease-and-desist letters and pigheaded law enforcement action. But if you read the signs like I do, it’s clear that while we might lose a battle here and there . . . we are most assuredly winning the war. Medical marijuana is here to stay. The rest of the country is just catching up. c
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OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 7
News Nuggets THE STATE
ACLU: Pot laws cost state half-billion over decade
Law-enforcement efforts at keeping Washington cannabisfree cost the state’s taxpayers more than $211 million over the past 10 years, the American Civil Liberties of Washington announced in a recently released study. Every one of the state’s 39 counties spent at least $100,000 from 2000 to 2010 enforcing marijuana laws, the report stated. King County taxpayers footed the biggest bill, shelling out nearly $35 million over that time period. Pierce County followed, with $21 million spent. The ACLU’s figures were based on data on multiple Washington law-enforcement agencies and organizations, and included the costs of arresting, prosecuting and warehousing alleged marijuana offenders.
Latest pro-pot project targets Seattle City Hall
Activists with the Responsible Marijuana Project, a pro-cannabis legalization group known for its street-theater-style political actions, have announced the targets of their next campaign: Seattle City Hall. The grass-roots group recently launched “Project Green Light,” a multi-faceted drive aimed at pressuring city officials and city-affiliated agencies like police unions to drop their opposition of legalization. Members of the project will stage costumed performances around the city, 8 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
put up posters, deploy chalk art, canvas door-to-door and generally engage in raising the blood pressure of marijuana prohibitionists. Other recent Responsible Marijuana projects included peppering the Burke-Gilman Trail with “Free Marijuana” posters and hosting a “New Jim Crow” book club.
Oregon newspaper: I-502 will lead to thousands of arrests
Passage of a marijuana legalization measure in Washington could result in the driving-under-the-influenceof-drugs arrests for tens of thousands of Oregonians, an Oregon newspaper editorial warned its readers. In a September editorial, the Salem Weekly newspaper cited a provision in Washington’s Initiative-502 that sets a limit of 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood for drivers in the state— anyone caught driving above that limit would be arrested on a charge of Driving Under the Influence of Drugs. Since more than 54,000 Oregonians are medical marijuana patients, and with some 275,000 Oregonians driving to and from Washington every day, passage of I-502 will almost certainly lead to DUID charges against thousands of drivers from the neighboring state, the Weekly reasoned. Recent polls show the Washington measure leading significantly among likely voters.
THE NATION Statewide legalization measures leading in polls
November is set to go down as one of the greenest months in U.S. history, as several major statewide cannabis measures facing American voters enjoy big leads
going into the elections. In Washington, 57 percent of registered voters surveyed said they plan to vote yes on Initiative-502, which would regulate the production and use of small amounts of cannabis for recreational purposes. Some 47 percent of likely voters in Colorado say they’ll support the legalization bill Amendment 64, compared to 38 percent opposed. Finally, Question 3, which would bring medical marijuana to Massachusetts, has gathered the support of 58 percent of likely voters, with just 27 percent opposed. In Montana, a referendum on a 2011 law many see as a de facto repeal of the state’s medical marijuana program appears headed to go down on the side of pro-compassionate use forces. The law registered
only 46-percent support among Montana voters in the latest poll.
VP candidate Ryan’s big pot day
Both presidential candidates have carefully avoided the subject of marijuana legalization this election season, but for one glorious day in September, we at least got to hear where one vice-presidential challenger stood on the issue—in fact, we heard all three of his stances. Republican VP candidate Paul Ryan announced his first stance when he told Colorado radio station KRDO that he believed medical marijuana legalization was a matter for the states to decide. The statement represented
OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 9
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not only a break with Ryan’s boss, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who doesn’t believe in medical marijuana, but also a 180-degree flip by Ryan himself. Just a few months ago, he voted against giving states the right to decide on medical cannabis legalization. Or at least the statement would have represented all that, had Ryan’s staffers not retracted the statement just a few hours later, saying the candidate had misspoken, and provided Ryan’s third policy position of the month on the subject: Apparently, the congressman does not believe marijuana should be legal under any circumstances.
THE WORLD Major cannabis rally squashed in Germany
What could have been the largest pro-cannabis public demonstration in Germany’s long history was shut down last month by a local government agency claiming the event would have been “of a
commercial nature.” The Cologne demonstration and parade had been planned for weeks and involved multiple cannabis advocacy groups, including the pro-compassionateuse organization Cannabis Als Medizin. But a local permitting council squashed the plan, saying that by listing major business sponsors on their websites, organizers had turned the event from political to commercial in nature. Several organizers told reporters they believe the council’s decision was made purely to silence unpopular speech.
By the Numbers
1
Number of Starbucks locations in Seattle: 139 (Source: Seattle Times).
5
Number of registered Republican voters in Washington surveyed who say they plan to vote for I-502: 33 (Source: September SurveyUSA poll).
Ratio of Americans older than 11 who admit to having used cannabis in the previous year: 1 in 10 (Source: Christian Science Monitor).
6
Number of dispensaries that would be allowed in Massachusetts should voters there approve Question 3 in November: 35 (Source: Telegram.com).
11
Number of Americans who admit to having used cannabis at least once in their lifetimes: 100 million (Source: Christian Science Monitor).
7
12
Number of Montana residents registered with the state as medical cannabis patients as of spring 2011: 30,000 (Source: New England Cable News).
2
Estimated number of Seattle dispensaries in September, following the federal assault on the medical cannabis industry: 117 (Source: Seattle Times).
4
Number of registered Democratic voters in Washington surveyed who say they plan to vote for the legalization measure I-502: 70 (Source: September SurveyUSA poll).
Number of U.S. citizens who have been cited or arrested since 1970 for violating marijuana law: 21 million (Source: Christian Science Monitor).
13
Estimated number of Seattle medical cannabis dispensaries in July: 145 (Source: Seattle Times).
3
10
8
Number of Montana residents registered with the state as medical cannabis providers as of spring 2011: 4,800 (Source: New England Cable News).
9
Maximum number of patients a Montana medical cannabis caregiver can have under state law passed last year: 3 (Source: Montana Department of Public Health).
Number of hours in September that GOP vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan was on record as supporting cannabis legalization before he reversed his position: 18 (Source: Westword.com).
Flying Lotus in concert If you wanted top-notch, progressive instrumental hiphop during the ’90s you could turn to good ol‘ reliables like DJ Shadow . . . or maybe the meta cut-and-paste jobs of DJ Spooky would suit your needs. Flash forward to the ’00s and the guy who’s producing the most cosmicallyinduced, no-rules beatscapes this side of, well DJ Shadow, is the guy warping samplers and drum machines under the alias Flying Lotus—whose new album, Until the Quiet Comes, is slated to come out later this month. Late-night TV viewers are likely familiar with Lotus since he’s responsible for composing Adult Swim’s “bumper music.” But music fans who can appreciate FL’s cerebral loops and squelchy sci-fi noises know him for his groundbreaking IDM-inspired debut, 1983. Subsequent releases have dabbled into free jazz and space funk (Cosmogramma, Patter+Grid World), but Flying Lotus’ strengths have always been grounded in the limitless—and organic—possibilities between his laptop and his sampledelic musings. (Matt Tapia)
IF YOU GO
What: Flying Lotus in concert. When/Where: Oct. 23 at Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Info: Tickets $25. Go to www. stgpresents.org.
OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 11
FLASH
A Changing Landscape Seattle city officials propose new regulations— to benefit residents and access points {By Stephanie Bishop}
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wants to allow these businesses to thrive and grow. The Seattle City Council last month announced new proposed regulations for medical cannabis gardens after a wave of federal cease-and-desist letters were sent to several businesses. The proposal would limit MMJ activities in single-family and multi-family residential zones along with areas such as Pioneer Square, the International District and Harborfront. The growing, processing or dispensing of cannabis in such areas would be limited to 45 plants, 72 ounces of useable pot and “an amount of cannabis product that could reasonably be produced with 72 ounces of useable cannabis.” The proposal—which has already accumulated its share of proponents and opponents—will
Say What?
At the same time that Washington residents are hotly debating the pros and cons of legalization measure Initiative 502, the Seattle City Council is already moving forward with efforts to regulate its local compassionate industry. “We need the city’s support to push forward a system of reasonable regulation,” says Northwest Patient Resource Center CEO John Davis. “A regulated market is what’s needed for safe access to medical cannabis.” Currently, there are more than 100 medical cannabis collective gardens currently established within Seattle city limits. In a statement published on the “Medical Marijuana Ordinance” page of its website, the city clearly states its support for these businesses, expressing an intent to move forward with further regulation in a fair and safe manner for the benefit of patients in need and the community as a whole. In 2011, the council voted 8-0 to allow the city to regulate cannabis in spite of the plant’s current status as a federal Schedule I drug and Gov. Christine Gregoire’s partial veto of SB 5073—intended as an overhaul of the state’s MMJ laws. Seattle has enjoyed millions in tax revenues generated by medical cannabis and clearly
“I think it’s really absurd to be criminalizing possession or use or distribution of marijuana.” —Judge Richard Posner, Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
be open to public feedback in December. It will be considered by the city’s Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee, which is chaired by Councilman Nick Licata, who is in favor of such zoning regulations. Licata did not respond to CULTURE’s requests for comments and interviews for this story. “I hope access point operators and neighborhood residents
will agree that they each can benefit from the consistency and accountability that these regulations will provide,” he said via a press release. “By regulating the market, we take organized crime out of the market,” access point owner Davis says. “As business owners, we want to bring together a model the federal government will eventually respect.” c
The Evolution
of Access
At one point, the law allowed patients to establish a relationship with a provider who either grew or obtained medicine for them. Access points opened in Seattle originally under the understanding that each patient designated the business as their provider while the patient acquired medical cannabis in a private oneon-one basis. Most businesses set up commercial spaces with a large waiting room and smaller consultation rooms. Recently these businesses have transitioned to a collective garden model designed to track the cannabis from seed to sale rather than relying solely on tracking individual patient visits. Collective gardens are patient co-ops—or private clubs—limited to 10 patients. Businesses are allowed to produce 15 plants (24 dry ounces) per patient with a copy of each patient’s qualifying paperwork and photo ID. Businesses are not permitted to distribute medicine outside of their membership base.
OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 13
FLASH
Moment
of Clarity Israel’s new strain: all of the medicine, none of the head change {BY Jasen T. Davis} As effective as cannabis is for treating illnesses and ailments such as Alzheimer’s disease, seasonal allergies, asthma, loss of appetite, cancer, migraines, arthritis, cocaine addiction and multiple sclerosis, not everyone who makes use of the plant for its medicinal qualities always wants the psychoactive effects cannabis can cause. Such patients include the elderly, non-smokers and people who have never used marijuana in their lives. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the chemical compound responsible for marijuana’s mindaltering effects. What if we eliminated marijuana’s high from the equation? That’s exactly what Israeli scientists working at Tikkun Olam, a medical cultivator in Tsfat, Israel, have successfully done, having bred a virtually THC-free strain of marijuana that’s effective for treating pain without altering cognitive capabilities. Dr. Zach Klein,
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head of development at Tikkun, is one of the men responsible for a strain called Avidekel that has nearly zero THC, but is enriched with the cannabidiol (CBD), another beneficial ingredient in cannabis. His team created the high-free option for patients who prefer mental clarity. “Sometimes the high is not always what they need,” Klein says. “Sometimes it is an unwanted side effect. For some of the people it’s not even pleasant.” What Avidekel does have is 18.5 percent CBD. This means this strain still has the powerful beneficial effects of cannabis, such as its anti-inflammatory properties. Ruth Gallily, professor of immunology at Hebrew University, is glad that this option is available. Over the course of 12 years she’s studied the effects CBD on medical cannabis patients. She also studied Avidekel, measuring the results in a series of clinical trials. Dr. Gallily is a strong proponent of cannabis, having seen the beneficial effects with all the scientific method she has at her disposal. “The cannabis plant, enriched with CBD, can be used
for treating diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, liver inflammation, heart disease and diabetes,” she says. The fact that cannabis is less harmful than over-the-counter drugs is another reason patients prefer the plant over pills, Gallily adds. Dr. Klein came up with the idea for Avidekel after treating patients in nursing homes with cannabis for their medical issues. “We were using a very high THC plant with almost no CBD,” he says. “For the patients in the nursery, it was sometimes so much THC that they couldn’t cope with the mind-altering effect. Some of them couldn’t use the cannabis at all.” Klein noticed that plants high in CBD (and low in THC) were more effective. “When we started using CBD, the picture changed. Patients who couldn’t stand the effect of THC were able to use this cannabis with CBD,” he says. “One of the things cannabinoids [like CBD] are capable of doing is lowering the psychoactive effect of THC.” Cannabis—Klein adds—also has far less negative side effects than pharmaceuticals, which can be a major plus for patients. “Some painkillers have side effects: They can cause addiction and are poisonous for the human body,” Klein says. “Patients with kidneyrelated problems can’t use the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . . . Avidekel has no known side effects.” As the studies continue, researchers are proving that not only is cannabis extremely effective for treating a variety of serious ailments, it can be “customized” to achieve very specific effects (more antiinflammatory, less psychoactive). Avidekel can be one more option for patients who need all the help they can get. c
Bone Up In many ways, Israel is a medical marijuana pioneer. More than 10,000 patients have received the government’s official approval to use cannabis to treat their diseases or conditions, such as cancer and chronic pain, according to a recent NPR report. Israeli doctors first began using the plan to help patient at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center’s bone marrow transplantation department. “We see many beneficial effects from the medical cannabis and therefore we are very open to use it,” says Reuven Or, the department’s director.
OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 15
BUZZ
Degree of Success A rundown on some of the most cannabis-friendly campuses in the nation {By David Jenison}
What is more humorous than discovering that Mrs. Dick Cheney (Lynne) and the South Park creators attended the same university? How about the fact that their school—University of Colorado Boulder—just got named the No. 1 cannabis college in the nation! Based on 122,000 student surveys, Princeton Review’s college rankings include a “Reefer Madness” section, and a campus in Washington (and a few other compassionate states) all made the list! Evergreen State College (#6) Located in Olympia, Washington this 4,500-student school was described as “a hippie college . . . that drew every weirdo in the Northwest” by ’70s alumnus and Simpsons creator Matt Groening. Of course, he attended Evergreen at the same time as Seinfeld’s “Kramer” (Michael Richards), and not every school names its sports teams after a local clam. Evergreen students are more likely to celebrate 4:20 than 4/20, so maybe the school deserved better than a No. 6 ranking? University of Colorado Boulder (#1) Following last year’s honors as Playboy’s top party school, UCBoulder now rocks the Reefer Madness at No. 1. This is a surprise since the CU staff used “stinky fish fertilizer” to suppress this year’s 4/20 smokeout. Ironically, the 4/20 site also hosted President Obama last month, though talk of college roof hits was noticeably absent from the speech. As far as alum, only one can say her VP
16 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
hubby shot a 78-year-old man in the face, but the 26,000-student campus can claim Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak, (Sid and) Nancy Spungeon and possible Cartman-inspiration Jonah Hill. Colorado College (#14) No. 14 on the Reefer roll call? Say it ain’t so. Last year’s crowned college dropped 13 spots, but it is still nice to see a Reefer school in Colorado Springs, home to Focus on the Family and more Christian music than the penthouse suite in heaven. The 2,000-student school also ranked No. 12 for “Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians,” so how is it we’re name checking the Cheneys again? Mama Cheney and daughters Elizabeth and Mary all did their undergrad here, so forget gay marriage—Dick should be coming out for MMJ! University of California Santa Barbara (#10) We’re not sure what a hydrology major is, but we like how it sounds, and UCSB owns the 10
spot. The 19,000-student school claims such diverse alums as Michael Douglas, Jim Rome, former ambassador Joe Wilson and Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton. Like most people, you probably assumed Sean Hannity went to DeVry, but the right-winger hosted a college radio show here and even worked with the evil ACLU after homophobic comments got his ass canned. This beachside school has been partying ever since. UCSB also landed a pair of No. 7s on the Hard Liquor and Party School lists. University of California Santa Cruz (#2) Jello Biafra was born in Colorado, but the Dead Kennedys singer pursued higher education at
UC Santa Cruz, as did Rebecca Romijn, Andy Samberg and Klingon linguist Marc Okrand. Yes, that’s Klingon as in Star Trek. The forest-set school landed the No. 2 spot with good reason. You don’t see Bringham Young launching an online Grateful Dead archive or offering classes on Bob Dylan and the Beatles. The 16,000-student UCSC also hosts the annual First Rain event, a 23-year tradition in which students run naked through the campus during the first heavy rains of the year (we mentioned Rebecca Romijn went here, right?). As far as their popular 4/20 smokeout, a student named “Elly” told ABC News, “Everyone gets together and it’s a celebration of happiness and peace and springtime.” c
Getting Schooled
For you trivia buffs, here are the 15 other cannabis-friendly colleges in the country, according to The Princeton Review: Eckerd College in Florida (#3), Skidmore College in New York (#4), Green Mountain College in Vermont (#5), Warren Wilson College in North Carolina (#7), New York University in New York (#8), State University of New York – Purchase College in New York (#9), Bard College in New York (#11), West Virginia University in West Virginia (#12), Lewis & Clark College in Oregon (#13), University of Vermont in Vermont (#15), Guilford College in North Carolina (#16), Ithaca College in New York (#17), Sarah Lawrence College in New York (#18), Grinnell College in Iowa (#19) and Reed College in Oregon (#20).
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OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 19
Not
BUZZ
Kid-ding Around Considering Moms for Marijuana’s membership, children figure prominently in the group’s philosophy. The group believes “our children should be educated on all aspects of cannabis; from the thousands of medical, recreational, industrial, agricultural, environmental, spiritual and economic benefits—to the repercussions, risks and history associated with the cannabis plant.” And good parenting always prevails when it comes to children’s exposure to cannabis: “Marijuana should not be used by developing minds under the age of legal consent, without parental guidance, as well as the recommendation and continuous evaluation by a licensed medical physician.”
Maternal
Instinct Moms for Marijuana lends a hand to show that cannabis cares {By Lainna Fader} Women—mothers in particular—are becoming a powerful new force in the ongoing campaign to legalize marijuana, with 8-year-old international advocacy group Moms for Marijuana leading the way. Founded eight years ago by Serra Frank, a student and mother of two, Moms for Marijuana seeks to educate ignorant lawmakers and the largely misinformed public about the safe use and the multitude of benefits the plant has to offer. The group—which has chapters across Southern California—also seeks to eliminate the stereotype that all marijuana smokers are dreadlocked hippies wasting their life away listening to reggae in their dorm rooms by presenting a more conservative, professional face to the movement. “It was a really good place for
20 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
me because it’s a really positive group,” says Tricia Smith, leader of the chapter from Yakima County, Washington. She wholeheartedly believes that marijuana cured her stage-four cancer, which she fought without chemotherapy or radiation 20 years ago. It’s hard to believe, she admits, but it’s true, and she wants others who are in pain to know her story before resigning to suffering. “[Moms for Marijuana is] an informationspreading group and that was important to me because education was lacking in the cannabis field, which is filled with bigotry and hate and special interests.” Denver Chapter leader Lanette Johnson swears she was staunchly anti-drug until she turned 40. “I knew that it was medically legal here in Colorado, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about that because I grew up so antidrugs,” she explains. “I’ve spent
a lot of time in the health care field—I was the kind of person who needed proof. I believed in Big Pharma and scientific research.” But when traditional medications failed to provide her any relief from her chronic pain disorder, she gave medical marijuana a shot. It changed her life. But she decided to be open with her children about her usage, which proved tricky. Her younger son, who was still living at home at the time, aced the D.A.R.E. program while in school, so when she came to him and explained to him that she needed to use marijuana to manage her pain, he told her, “Wait, I don’t understand.” Seventy-five years of propaganda is still doing its job, Johnson realized. So she decided to offset the “half-assed” truths espoused by the program officers and teach her son about the very real health
benefits of medical marijuana. “In Colorado, it’s such a part of our culture now, “ she explains. “It’s part of our lives. We see it everywhere. It’s part of our economy. It might as well be legal—for all intents and purposes.” Moms for Marijuana continues to grow rapidly; its network is now global, which chapters all around the world. Moms for Marijuana has over 25,000 fans on Facebook and 6,000 on Twitter, and its online success has inspired the launch of a second community called Dads for Marijuana. “There is a need for this, for people who to say, ‘Hey, listen, it’s not just teenagers who use this and it’s not just for recreational usage,’” says Johnson. “We need to be realistic and honest about this plant. It has wonderful opportunities.” c www.momsformarijuana.com
OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 21
TUNES
“It is just ridiculous that it is illegal.” —vocalist Jonas Stein
Photo by Tyler Kohlhoff
For Butter or Worse Turbo Fruit’s cannabis tributes include the truly volcanic {By David Jenison}
Thar She Blows!
role in the new Wanda Jackson video. “My vocals are a little different this time. There are a few songs where I do a single track of vocals, where typically I like to double them. I am one of those singers who doesn’t always
Say What?
“I was in Minneapolis for a show, and my friends up there were like, ‘You’re never going to believe this, man! There is a strain of weed called Turbo Fruit!’“ laughs vocalist and guitarist Jonas Stein. “When we got into town, we played the show, and they totally hooked us up. It was a pretty magical experience. It was not quite as good as us, but it was pretty good.” This Nashville-based band—filled out by bassist Dave Tits, drummer Matt Hearn and guitarist Kingsley Brock—formed in ’06 when Stein still strummed the six-string for Be Your Own Pet. Two years later, Pet split and Turbo Fruits kicked into high gear. The band released albums in ’07 and ’09, but it took out a loan to self-finance its third disc, Butter. The band spent eight days in Austin, Texas recording with producer and Spoon drummer Jim Eno, and the final product exceeded everyone’s expectations. As fate would have it, the singer gave a friend a copy, which then got into the hands of Serpent and Snakes, the new record label by fellow Nash Vegas rockers Kings of Leon. Turbo Fruits signed with the label earlier this year, and the new album, Butter, comes out Sept. 11. “We really wanted to go in there, do our job and make it sound great,” says Stein, who talked with CULTURE while on set playing a
“Marijuana should definitely be legalized.” —Mamas and the Pappas member Michelle Phillips
Turbo Fruit’s credibility as a cannabis-friendly band is clearly evident due to two facts: 1) The group’s own publicist outed the band’s leaf-loving ways, saying, “They are big consumers and fans of the herb . . . many of their interviews reference blazing.” 2) Turbo Fruit’s 2007 song “Volcano,” which references a high-end, popular brand of vaporizers. Vaporizers—which come in different forms—heat up cannabis and turns it into vapor instead of smoke. Hence, it’s considered one of the healthiest way to ingest marijuana without having to smoke it.
22 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
feel comfortable in the studio, but I pushed my comfort level throughout this experience.” The singer also praises the producer’s effort to make sure the band was ready. He continues, “Since we had such limited time in the studio, Jim stressed that we needed to play the songs more times than we thought we needed to, and he wanted us to tour all the way to the studio so we’d play the songs non-stop. We rehearsed our asses off, and the songs were so tight that we often did one or two takes and had a keeper.” Stein says he doesn’t smoke cannabis as much as he used to, but references appear in songs like “Mama’s Mad Cos I Fried My Brain” and “Volcano,” a tribute to the wellknown German-made vaporizer. Not surprisingly, the singer is a big proponent for medical marijuana and legalization. “It is just ridiculous that it is illegal,” he exclaims. “Marijuana is a threat to moneymaking companies, and that is the problem. You can produce paper faster with hemp, it is another drug that keeps you from buying booze and it’s another smoke that keeps you from buying cigarettes. Those are the companies that provide the funds for Reefer Madness propaganda, so it has been skewed from the beginning. Many years from now, this will just be a blip in history, but right now we are stuck in the middle of it.” c
OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 23
24 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
In light of recent reports of people turning to cannabis to treat their fibromyalgia, CULTURE took a look at a condition that is estimated to afflict roughly 5 million Americans:
Common symptoms of fibromyalgia include fatigue, difficulty sleeping, muscle weakness, headaches and chronic pain all over.
The disorder has no universally accepted treatment or cure. Thus, you will need to count on your family and loved ones for emotional support.
Give yourself 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Getting enough rest may help ease the pain and fatigue. So can moderate exercise, such as using a treadmill or yoga.
If you feel its right for you, consider using cannabis to treat fibromyalgia’s often debilitating symptoms. Consult with your doctor or a physician knowledgeable about medical marijuana.
OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 25
Destination Unknown
Story and photos by Dennis Aregenzia and Grace Cayosa
If the exhilaration/terror of being dragged by a kite over deep water and swimming tourists doesn’t appeal, then there are Mũi Né’s red sand and white sand dunes just outside of town. In an ironic twist, the sandiest dunes don’t actually touch water, as Mũi Né beaches are subject to persistent heavy erosion that results in large stretches of concrete-tiled “beach,” thin swaths of real beach, and luxuriously maintained but exclusive resort beach. The red dunes rise up quite suddenly from the roadside and are, not surprisingly, reddish, pounded by wind and manned by cute Vietnamese kids offering plastic sheets for “sand surfing” (at a small
matter that you will continue to discover for several days afterwards, and 2) taking photos of atmospheric sand dunes in a windstorm is guaranteed to sand-blast your camera. The white dunes were more forgiving, if not a little harder to find. For those of us whose sand dune experience is limited to beach berms and movies, the white dunes are pretty amazing. Imagine taking thousands of tons of white sand, dropping them on a giant patch of flat scrub brush, and letting the results ripple beautifully. Granted, it’s not vast like the Sahara or the Gobi, but if you sit strategically between dunes—perhaps resting
bursting culinary experience. As previously mentioned, there’s just one main road going through Mũi Né, and as evening falls, you will find several open air seafood “restaurants” setting up on the beach side of the road. Owing much to its original identity as a fishing village, these dining establishments feature an impressive array of the day’s catch, including giant tiger prawns, shark, eel, periwinkle snails, conch, scallops and, of course, fish. It’s a simple affair: select your [still moving] dishes and then turn away as the barbeque man delivers the death blow via a quick THWAP! on the ground. Drinks are cold, condiments simple, tissues plenty and the seafood, ridiculously cheap and flavorful. When it’s time to medicate, the green is easy enough to find via xe om (motorcycle taxi) drivers—who also gladly offer prostitutes as well—and the cannot-be-specifically-named shishka clubs. However, local quality is generally mediocre, sporting more than the occasional seed, twig and whatnot, and the bribe price can be disproportionately high if the taxi driver you bought your stash from decides to turn around and report you to the police. Thus, many travelers pack their own. The quirks of Mũi Né—wind surfing near sandless beaches; sand surfing on inland dunes; gorging on affordable bounty from the sea;
fee, of course). We learned two very important lessons at the red dunes, both of which are blindingly obvious in hindsight, but hey, we were caught up in the joy of travel: 1) sand surfing is a sure-fire way to fill your netherbits with particulate
from the arduous climb—you could easily convince yourself that a nomad camel caravan is about to crest the hill. Once you’ve worked up a massive appetite cavorting in the sand, head back to town for a gut-
watching leggy Russian beauties catwalk between their 5-star resort and the Russian-owned trinket store in dental floss bikinis and stilettos—combine for a unique Vietnamese-cum-Little Moscow experience. Have at it. c
Double Impact
Vietnam’s MÙi Né mashes up tropical beauty with touches of Little Moscow The storefront sign reads: ТУРФИРМА. Now, one of us is monolingual, the other has a touch of dyslexia, and we’re both standing on the same southern Vietnamese coast, but we’re 100 percent certain that the sign is neither bizarro English nor bad Vietnamese, and that’s because we are in Mũi Né, a one-road resort town defined by gusting sea winds, sand dunes and Russian snowbirds. Located almost exactly between party beach Nha Trang and party city HCMC (aka Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon), Mũi Né has become increasingly popular as a Russian winter getaway (thanks to ТУРФИРМА or “tourist agencies”) and as the wind sport destination in Southeast Asia due to consistently strong sea breezes for more than half the year. Experienced kiteboarders and windsurfers flock to this town between October and May for a chance to launch off Mũi Né’s ever-shrinking beaches and make serious hang time, while beginners simply want to survive the first wipeout with dignity. The surge of the curious has given rise to several kitesurfing schools and shops, all easily identified by the presence of tan, toned instructors effortlessly assisting the floundering.
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Profiles in Courage
Photo by Kristopher Christensen
Patient: Jocelyn Smith AGE: 32 Condition/ Illness: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia and ADHD Using medical cannabis since: October 2011
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Are you an MMJ patient from Washington with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.
WHY DID YOU START USING MEDICAL MARIJUANA?
I have been on a lot of medication for my conditions and related complications since I was 15. After taking them for so long, you get familiar with how they affect your body and how harsh they can be. I did some research and sought advice from a friend in the profession of wellness. I decided to try [cannabis] for the first time in over a decade and the results were successful! The main symptoms of both of these conditions are sleep deprivation and pain . . . I have tried both indicas and sativas and found sativa to be more effective. This stimulates me much like Adderall, an ADHD medication, in the evening. It calms down my [hyperactivity] and allows me to focus better. I am also able to get a full night’s sleep.
DID YOU TRY OTHER METHODS OR TREATMENTS BEFORE MARIJUANA? After trying several psychiatric sleep aids, I found myself groggy, depressed and moody in the mornings. I am also steroid dependent due to my adrenal (disorder). If you have ever researched corticosteroids, you will find there are as many side effects as good ones.
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR PROBLEM FACING MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS?
Currently, the government is taking action against dispensaries and related providers to shut them down. Many patients are terminally ill and depend on the current process . . . There is much judgment and criticism against patients and I feel it’s important to educate the population, give demonstrations, show statistics and keep writing films and documentaries wherever permitted.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE? Do your research. Analyze the data. You will be surprised at the results! c
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iREADCULTURE.com
Strain & Edible Reviews
PATIENT Sativa
A sativa strain’s cerebral, euphoric effects are often described as energetic or uplifting. Best for daytime use.
GET YOUR HITS HERE
INFO Indica
Indica strains are often characterized by strong aromas and flavors with heavy sedating effects. Recommended for evening use.
Alaska Thunder Fuck
Alaska Thunder Fuck—aka ATF—is a legendary strain and, according to legend, is a cross of Northern California Bagseed and Russian Ruderalis with a bit if Afghani in the mix. It certainly is a rugged, ragged-looking sativa, but maybe that’s what you’d expect to come from Alaska during the 1970s. Either way, ATF is very high in THC content. This fine example from North Seattle’s The Green Skunk was extremely strong with two-hour body-numbing effects. This strain is not especially activating by sativa standards and should probably be used in the evening by patients, as you’ll feel a bit deflated as the effect wears off. ATF is excellent for pain relief, anxiety and insomnia.
Auntie M’s Cakebombs
You know the deal with edibles: They can be more than what you were looking for. Too strong in effect, too racy in the mind and very high in calories what with all the super-sugary, frosted concoctions in the Puget Sound region. There are some edibles we know of that must rival a Big Mac in calorie count. Not so for this fine, in-house produced edible from Puget Sound Health Alternatives in Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood. Auntie M’s Cakebombs are labeled at 130 calories per dose—in our experience, very low for medicated edibles— and are one of the most consistent pain killing performers we’ve tried in a while. These tasty treats are low in sugar and infused with strong hash oil. Their effects comes on strong at about one hour, but it comes on in a subtle manner without a hint of body rush or agitation, making them an excellent choice for day and night pain relief. Credit the Berry Kush in the hash oil of the Chocolate Mint Cookie flavor for that. Auntie M’s come in one-packs and four-packs and are only available at PSHA, so get yourself over to the West side of Queen Anne Hill.
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Jack’s Haze
There’s little mystery about this hybrid of two renowned strains the moment you hear its name: You know it will be a strong sativa. Jack’s Haze—available at Cannabis Club Co-op in Tacoma—is a cross of Jack Herer and Super Silver Haze, each a go-to medicine in the patient community and each a burly sativadominant strain. We like this 90/10 sativa/indica hybrid’s powerful pine and citrus nose—and we like it even more that it’s sweet in flavor and gentle to smoke. You’ll like that as, with the best sativas, Jack’s Haze produces a sharp, clear head high that allows you to stay focused while inducing an energizing effect, one of creative thinking and music grooving, if you know what we mean. This is an excellent daytime medicine for pain treatment and spasms. J Haze is also known for anti-depressant and anti-anxiety properties. Something tells us that this is a strain that would be ideal during times of decreasing sunlight in the Pacific Northwest.
Momma Cassie’s 1,000MG Hash Oil Tincture
The guys at Fremont’s Canna Rx stand out amongst their peers for their unwillingness to have petroleum solvent extracts (i.e., BHO) in their house, so it’s no surprise that they’d actually turn around and produce one of the best tinctures in Western Washington. We cannot say for certain because there are so many tinctures in Western Washington these days. Sure, tinctures don’t get you hella high and aren’t as sexy as dried flowers and other extracts. Historically in America, cannabis tinctures were over-the-counter medicines, used by many as global relaxants and as treatments for migraines and anxiety. But Prohibition ended that. Canna Rx is bringing back a bit of an American tradition with an isopropyl alcohol extraction tincture that—drum roll—actually works. One or two droppers of this will induce swift, subtle relaxation and we’re told it works well for headaches. We noticed substantial improvement in muscle spasms as well. This tincture is only available at Canna Rx, so if tinctures are your way of medication, then this is a must-try.
Northwest Blackberry
Each time you run into a localized strain name, you need to pay attention because somewhere in the Northwest an elder grower has tweaked an already outstanding hybrid—Blackberry in this case—and produced a new hybrid somehow better suited to patients. Northwest Blackberry is an 80/20 indica/sativa hybrid and, while the exact genetics are unknown, its effects are easy to anticipate because this strain produces thick coats of trichomes. Tested by Cannatest and proudly grown by Bully Pharm, this example from the U District’s Urban Roots checks in at 18.5 percent THC. So, yes, this indica will definitely kill overall pain and dampen muscle spasms–plus it’s strong enough to take a bite out of anxiety and insomnia. You might expect a strain with Berry lineage to be an odor bomb, but not so in this case. Northwest Blackberry has a nice light, dank fruitiness that sticks around on the palate long after exhalation.
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“I don’t know how we can have one law and the feds can have another, and can come in and do whatever they want to do.”
Photo by Brett Patterson
—On the federal crackdown
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9 to 5, the hugely-successful ’80s comedy starring Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton was on television the night before I interviewed Lily Tomlin. I’d forgotten what a zany flick it was—particularly the scene where the trio share a joint and fantasize about offing their boss. In the blockbuster hit, Tomlin is—as usual—hilarious as the talented but underpaid, underappreciated and, when it comes time to get a long-awaited promotion, overlooked head secretary Violet Newstead. In real life Tomlin may have been underpaid on a few occasions, but she’s gotten lots of appreciation and enjoyed success on the stage and on screens both small and silver over the decades. And the smoky session in 9 to 5 isn’t the only time the comedian/actress—who was named by TIME Magazine as the “New Queen of Comedy” in 1977—has played a marijuana-using character. Just this past year, she played a pot-smoking mother on HBO’s hit Eastbound & Down and Web Therapy with Lisa Kudrow. This fall, Tomlin will play a mother who uses medical marijuana on a new ABC comedy Malibu Country starring Reba McEntire. She is truly a one-of-a-kind talent who has created dozens of memorable characters over her epic career . . . and she’s not done yet. I heard you’re from Detroit originally. Well I was in New York at the time. I would have gone from Detroit to anyplace. So when was this? I guess it was 1962. I got my Equity [theatrical actors’ union] card by getting into a mime show. Of course I was never trained as a mime . . . you better ask me direct questions or I’ll just meander. Sure, but I want to hear more about this. The whole mime thing fascinates me. (Laughs) Yeah, okay! I’d had success in college in Detroit at Wayne State University where I was in pre-med—which was a total joke. So I got into a college play where I had a walk-on, and I had to improve it every night and it was like a sensation. I was just fooling around, you know. Because I put on shows
all my life since I was a little kid in my apartment house. I didn’t know that people did that for a living. So when I got the opportunity to fool around on the stage, it was just normal to me; it just felt right. Seems like it’s worked out. You’ve won just about every award they made. You’ve got Grammys, Tonys, BAFTAs, Emmys and you’ve been nominated for an Oscar. Did I forget any? Yeah, you are. You’re just missing a load of them. Heh-heh. Well it’s a very impressive list of awards, and I don’t think there are that many comedians who have been recognized for their work in so many mediums. Would you say you’re a restless person creatively? Somewhat. (Laughs). Less so than I was when I was 30. I would like to be more creative in my own life. OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 35
How do you choose what you’re going to do next? It’s kind of broken field stride. Some stuff comes to you happily. You want something more off-the-wall or something you haven’t done. The only current things at the moment are I’ve been playing Lisa Kudrow’s mother on Web Therapy [on Showtime], which I really get a kick out of because it’s improv’d and it’s so off-the-wall. It’s very over-the-top. I play a very upperclass Bostonian who’s out of her mind. And then I’m also—I don’t know if you know this show— Eastbound & Down on HBO. Kenny f*#king Powers? Brilliant show. Oh, God. I didn’t even know it was on the air. I got this bid to do [Season 3]. Anyway, so I watched the whole first two seasons and loved Kenny Powers. I just fell in love with him. The first episode is such a classic, when his major-league career is over and they show him in a classroom being trained to be a substitute teacher. The guy behind him is on the phone talking about him and he says, “You’ll never guess who’s sitting in front of me. Kenny f*#king Powers! Yeah, he looks like shit. He looks like a big bag of mashedup assholes.” I use that one as much as possible. He’s just outrageously great. So I did a couple of those. I see you’re doing your famous one-woman shows around the country this year and into 2013. What do you have planned? It’s kind of my version of standup, but I always do characters. So I do 10 or 12 characters. And I use some multimedia in the show where I put pieces together sort of satirizing being a celebrity or a person who doesn’t know who she is because she does so many people. And I have clips where characters interrelate . . . I just try to make it fun. I wouldn’t mess with Ernestine myself. Your kooky characters are kind of your trademark. 36 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
“I don’t use everyday. I’m not that fresh and hip.” —On marijuana
Where do you get the inspiration for these crazy creatures? I don’t know. Sometimes they’re just wonderful serendipitous surprises. You get a notion for something and it just sort of springs to life. And other times you work like hell to make something make sense. And then of course I’ve done a lot of specials—in the old days with the television specials—and I would get a concept for a special and then I would try to people it. I did one special back in the ’80s, Lily For President?, when Reagan was in the White House. You know—an actor playing the president. I did everything. I was the filmmaker, I was the President, I was the secretary. Not many people can pull off a one-man or one-woman show. Just getting up on stage and letting it rip. The gun goes off and you just start. How do you go about creating one of those? Do you ever get blank page syndrome?
No, but I always say that to Jane [Wagner] my partner. She always says she has to face the empty page, and I say I have to face the full one! Yeah, of course. You think you’ll never think of anything again as long as you live, and you feel totally out of it. But then you get an idea, you get so inspired. I mean every time I decided to try a different culture type I’d be so excited—just on fire. I found an old box of tapes from when I was working on Edith Ann [Editor’s note: one of Tomlin’s characters, a precocious 5-year-old girl]—years and years ago—you know, cassettes. And I thought, “What are these?” And they were nothing but me talking into a tape recorder as Edith Ann. Just improv’ing; trying to create a life for her. And I’m like obsessive [going into character] for hours! Let me ask your opinions about some issues. I know you’re an advocate for marijuana legalization. Yes, yes. Of course. What do you think about the federal crackdown going on right now? I just don’t get it. I don’t know how we can have one law and the feds can have another, and can come in and do whatever they want to do. I wonder why the feds making such a big deal about it. Why
dialed In
One of Lily Tomlin’s memorable characters— which appeared on ’70s sketch comedy show Laugh-In—was Ernestine, an obnoxious and arrogant telephone operator who delivered very questionable customer service while manning a switchboard. With a severe hairdo and her “one ringdingy” one-liner, Ernestine was the last person you wanted to pick up the line when you dialed 0.
do they care? I don’t either. Why do they care about half what they care about? Any favorite kinds of cannabis? Strains? I wish I was that sophisticated. Do you have a doctor’s recommendation? No, I don’t! Can you get me one? I don’t have anything like that. I have to rely on the kindness of strangers. I don’t use everyday. I’m not that fresh and hip. Are you still an Obama fan? Well, I’m more realistic about it because I don’t know how anybody could have done much more. He comes in with a liability, too, because he’s the first black president, and I think he actually thought that what worked as an organizer in Chicago in the neighborhoods would somehow work with Congress. That he could negotiate in good faith? And come to some kind of compromise; some kind of nice understanding. Well, they’re just lethal. You were talking about your partner Jane before. You’ve been together for a while now. Have you ever thought about getting married? No. Not necessary? Well, we’ve been together so long and people tell me it’s wonderful to have these public commitment ceremonies and have your friends over and all that. But we would never even get there on time. And I don’t even want to start. Where do you go with the wardrobe? How long have you been together now? 40 years. So, I guess marriage seems kind of redundant at this point? (Laughs) It does. I think we might like it . . . but it takes so much planning. c www.lilytomlin.com
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thoroughly modern lily Lily Tomlin’s comedic—and dramatic—accomplishments span the decades. Here are some selected highlights from this talented actress’ resume:
1966 Lily Tomlin makes her first national television debut on The Garry Moore Show. Who knew tap dancing barefoot could get you a job!
1972 Her album This Is a Recording peaks at No. 15 on Billboard’s Hot 200 albums list and wins her a Grammy for Best Comedy Recording.
1977 Tomlin appears on the cover of TIME magazine as “The New Queen of Comedy.” That same year she also debuts her solo Broadways show Appearing Nitely.
1980 9 to 5 debuts on screens across the country, immortalizing every secretary’s fantasy: getting revenge on your boss— and smoking a joint afterward!
1986 Jane Wagner’s The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe earns Tomlin a Tony Award.
1993 Tomlin is nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role in the television miniseries And the Band Played On, a docudrama about the early days of the AIDS epidemic.
1994 Tomlin begins voicing the character of Ms. Frizzle on the animated kid’s show The Magic School Bus. Lucky kids.
2002 Lily Tomlin plays Deborah Fiderer, executive assistant to the President, in The West Wing. She goes on to earn three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.
2011 Showtime launches Web Therapy, in which Tomlin plays Putsy Hodge, a moneytroubled, cannabis- loving mother to Lisa Kudrow’s character.
2012 Malibu Country—a new TV show in which Tomlin plays a medical marijuana-using mother—will debut on ABC this November.
Compiled by Gabriela Mungarro
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Cool Stuff The Stacker Hydro LED Grow Box
Who wouldn’t like to grow like a pro? The Stacker Hydro LED Grow Box makes it easy for at-home cultivators who want to save space and energy. Equipped with two fullcycle grow chambers, full-spectrum lights and double the air filters, The Stacker is efficient (50 percent less power usage), allows for continuous growing and is available for soil and hydro. ($3,450) www.cabinetgrow.com
Infyniti Scales
Throw that lame keychain scale in the garbage! If precision is important, get a digital scale. But if you’re a baller, then Infyniti Scales’ line of officially licensed weighing products featuring Easy-E and the Notorious B.I.G. are sure to get plenty of hip-hop hooray. Pick up the 2Pac scale—it’s made to look like a CD case—and you’ll feel like a heavyweight. ($49.99) www.infynitiscales.com
CannaPlex Tolerance Reduction & Respiratory Health Supplement
Finally—a “vitamin” for patients! CannaPlex capsules help your body utilize cannabinoids more effectively. In other words: they help keep your tolerance from building up too much so you don’t have to increase the amount you ingest, which is good for your lungs. Why aren’t all vitamins like this? ($14.95, 10-capsule box) www.cannaplex.com
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CULTURE Recipes By Aunt Sandy
Why should kids have all the fun? Forget about the costumes and candy— this Halloween-themed menu is bloody delicious all on its own.
Sandy Moriarty is the author of Aunt’ Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Body & Mind and a Professor of Culinary Arts at Oaksterdam University. She is also the co-founder of Oaksterdam’s Bakery.
Menu:
Bloody Cocktail Bloody Mary Spider Cheese Ball Paella Pumpkin Bread Honey Canna Butter
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Paella
Makes six servings. 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut into medium pieces Salt and pepper 1/2 cup Cannabis Infused Olive Oil** 2 chorizo sausages, sliced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips 1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced 1/2 teaspoon of saffron threads 1 1/2 cup parboiled short grain rice 3 cups chicken stock (more if needed) 12-16 extra large shrimp, peeled and de-veined 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano 1 teaspoon minced fresh chives 3 teaspoon thinly sliced scallions
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a paella pan or large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken and chorizo on both sides. Reduce heat to medium. Add bell pepper strips and onion and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic, saffron, rice and stock. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is al dente. Add the shrimp, herbs and scallions. Cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque and liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Spider Cheese Ball Makes 16 servings.
Bloody Mary Ice 1 shot of Cannabis Infused Vodka 3 shakes of Worcestershire sauce 2 dashes of celery salt 1 dash Tabasco sauce (or horseradish) Tomato juice Stalk of celery Fill glass with ice. Add the vodka, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt and Tabasco sauce. Fill the rest of the glass with tomato juice. Garnish with the celery stalk. (Note: to make Cannabis Infused Vodka, add about 1/2 ounce of marijuana buds to a quart of vodka, store in a cool dry place, shake daily, let it soak for about two weeks and strain.)
Bloody Cocktail Sugar (dyed black with food coloring) Ice 1 shot of Cannabis Infused Vodka 1 shot of grenadine syrup 7 Up soft drink Rim glass with sugar, add ice, vodka and syrup. Fill glass with 7 Up.
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese 8 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 cup Canna Butter* 3 tablespoons apple cider 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/2 cup poppy seeds 1 10-ounce package of refrigerated breadsticks 1 egg white, lightly beaten 6 ripe olives, sliced Assorted crackers
In a large bowl let the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Canna Butter stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add apple cider and nutmeg. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Stir in red onion and red pepper. Cover and chill for 4 hours. Place poppy seeds on a sheet of waxed paper. Shape cheese mixture into a ball and roll in the seeds to coat. Let stand 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. For spider legs unroll the breadstick dough and cut each piece in half. Arrange each piece on the baking sheet bending each piece into a “z” shape. Brush breadsticks with beaten egg whites and sprinkle generously with remaining poppy seeds. Bake for about 10 minutes until browned. Place cheese ball on a large serving plate. Arrange six breadsticks around the cheese ball for spider legs, gently pushing breadsticks into the ball to secure. Use the olive slices as eyes (two or six). Secure the “eyes” with broken pretzel sticks. Serve with crackers. OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 43
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Honey Canna Butter
Pumpkin Bread
1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup soft Canna Butter* 2 eggs 1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin 1/3 cup water or milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts 1/3 cup raisins Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ground cloves. In a large bowl beat the sugar, Canna Butter and two eggs until light and fluffy. Add and beat in the pumpkin. Divide the sifted dry ingredients into three separate batches and add each batch to the egg-sugar-butter mixture, alternating with the addition of the water (or milk) and vanilla. Do not over beat. Fold in the XXXX and raisins. Pour batter into a greased pan and bake for about 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy with your Pumpkin Bread 1 cup Canna Butter* 1/4 cup honey Soften the Canna Butter. Add the honey and whip. Serve with bread.
CANNA Butter* 1 cup unsalted butter 1 ounce low to average quality dried leaf marijuana or 1/2 ounce average dried bud 4 cups water Bring water and butter to boil in a small pot, lower heat to simmer. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Mash and stir frequently to extract all THC from the plant material. After cooking, use cheesecloth to strain the butter/water mixture. Pour about 2 cups clean boiling water over the leaves in the strainer to extract every last drop of butter. Squeeze plant material well to remove as much liquid as possible. Chill the butter/water mixture in the refrigerator until the butter has solidified (1 to 2 hours). Separate butter from water and keep butter in the refrigerator (or freezer for longer storage) until needed.
Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil** 1 cup olive oil 1 1/4 ounces low to average quality dried leaf marijuana 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.
Legal Disclaimer
Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
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Entertainment Reviews 10.6.3 OGX Montage One Stimulus One Music If boring, sold-out rap is an enemy that must be destroyed, Montage One has declared war with 10.6.3 OGX, an album straight from the hip-hop underground that is not the same ol‘ banal dross you’ve heard on the radio too many times before. Produced by MasterKraftsmen, Alchemist and others, Montage One’s latest full-length (release date: Sept. 25) features more than two dozen high-caliber artists including Phil The Agony, Planet Asia, Krondon and Madlib, making the work an instant collector’s item for the fan who wants it all. Montage One’s talent as a decorated lyrical veteran of the Likwit Crew and Gold Chain Military is on full display here, with songs like “Beat2Def,” a roaring blitzkrieg of a single full of groovy ’70s funk organ tones and wicked scratches that knock you down with the rhymes and out with the beats. Track “Return of the Assassin” also delivers with ominous opening acoustics, thunderous bass and that violent gangster-style you know you love. (Jasen T. Davis)
Henry Hemp #1 “Attack of the Spider-Mite Men” Story and art by Mike Tucker Revolutuck Comics Marijuana prohibition is serious business . . . but don’t they say humor is the best medicine (after cannabis)? With a gee-whiz approach to superhero storytelling, splashes of saturated colors and a wry sense of humor, Henry Hemp #1 comic book gleefully mixes Illuminati conspiracies, Jack Herer’s platform, gray aliens—heck, there’s even a black helicopter—into a tongue-in-cheek meta-fable promoting the salvation of the world through hemp and cannabis. The plot: an evil scientist (“Doctor Man-Spider-Mite . . . Head . . . Guy . . .”) attempts to take over the mystical land of Weedom with an invasion of hybrid spider-mites, prompting activist Henry Hemp to transform into Super Hemp to fend off the attack. Blending pulp-era dialogue (“Let me assure you that evil is very real.”), square-jawed optimism (“There will always be dark forces trying to put out the light of love, happiness and joy.”) and the ethos of underground comix, Attack offers comic relief and sobering facts: a story of a world under siege by anti-marijuana forces is all too real. (Matt Tapia)
Jimi Hendrix Jimi Plays Berkeley: Berkeley Community Theatre, Saturday May 20, 1970 Legacy Some people are meant to sing. Some people are meant to create. Jimi Hendrix was unquestionably a man born to play guitar. Old fans and new recruits alike will have something to gain from watching this pseudo-documentary on the artist. Presented with footage of the man performing live alongside reactions from audience members, this film encapsulates what Hendrix meant to people and how he affected them. The audience experiences this as well: watching Hendrix perform his classics (“Purple Haze,”“Voodoo Child,” etc.) alongside improvised riffs and the most mind blowing rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” proves that Hendrix was one of the most talented men to walk the planet—he was his music. The special features are scarce here, with only an interview with live-sound engineer Abe Jacobs and the uninterrupted concert performance serving as extras. This DVD has healthy nostalgia for long-term fans, and powerful material for new converts. You owe it to yourself, as a listener of music, to pick this up. (Joe Martone) 46 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
Alanis Morissette Sure, Alanis Morissette might have written a song called “Mary Jane” back in the day, but it wasn’t until 2009 that the Canadian artist admitted to using cannabis for creative stimulation, saying, “I’ve often felt telepathic and receptive to inexplicable messages my whole life. I can stave those off when I’m not high. When I’m high—well, they come in and there’s less of a veil, so to speak. So if ever I need some clarity . . . or a quantum leap in terms of writing something, it’s a quick way for me to get to it.” She even agreed to a photo shoot at one point that showed Morissette standing in the middle of a marijuana garden. The “Ironic” artist just released new album Havoc and Bright Lights, and she’s currently touring to support the record, including a show at The Moore Theatre. Will she continue to speak publicly about cannabis and its role in her life? Maybe. She definitely didn’t have any hang-ups playing a doctor on hit Showtime drama Weeds. And at one point she dated a medical marijuana advocate and hemp activist. So, Alanis’ cannabis credentials are pretty solid. She oughta know. (Matt Tapia)
IF YOU GO
What: Alanis Morissette in concert. When/Where: Oct. 5 at The Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle. Info: Tickets $27-$92.50 Go to www.stgpresents.org.
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Liner Notes
By Kevin Longrie
Every year, private collectors buy and sell some of the world’s most valuable pieces of art. Picasso, Rembrandt and others have passed hands in the auction houses of the super rich. But you don’t have to have deep intellectual or artistic taste to want to spend a lot of money in an auction house; you could just buy ELVIS’ soiled underwear. At an auction in early September, several items from the King went up for grabs, including a pair of stained underwear worn at a show in 1977 and a Bible cherished by Mr. Presley for most of his life. The Bible was given to him in 1957 by an aunt and uncle. No word on who bought him the drawers. The Bible sold for £59,000 (about $94,000) to an anonymous call-in bidder. This was over double the reserve price set on the item. One reason that the item fetched so high a price is that the pages had annotations by the King about the King of Kings. That’s meta. The underwear, however, failed to meet the reserve price of £7,000. The sad part is not that no one was willing to fork over £7,000 for some used underwear worn by Mr. Viva Las Vegas himself; it’s that somebody out there was willing to spend £5,000 on them. I’m pretty sure they have vending machines in Japan for this kid of thing, bud. Cee Lo Green has been keeping busy in the entertainment industry. Once merely a voice, now he’s entering his third season as a coach on The Voice. He’s also recently signed a deal
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with NBC to create new projects for the network, including a scripted show that is somewhat based on his life: Everybody Loves Cee Lo? The show, in the earliest possible stages of development, would be written by Ali Leroi (Everybody Hates Chris) and would highlight his home life and his music career. He’ll probably have a zany best friend. There haven’t been many plot details released (because frankly the show is little more than an idea at this point), but if I had to guess I’d say it’ll unfold something like this: Cee Lo will see someone driving around town with the girl he loves. Conflict and comedy will ensue from that point forward. Dr. Dre is now the wealthiest man in hip-hop thanks in no small part to his headphones, Beats by Dr.
Dre. The headphones, which now account for more than half the sales of high-end headphones ($100+) in the United States, have given Dre the cash boost he needed to unseat Jay-Z, who previously topped the Forbes list. Jay-Z, it appears, should’ve been watching his throne. HTC, the mobile electronics company, paid 300 million for a controlling interest in Dre’s company last year, of which the Dr. himself collected 100 million. This also proves the importance of a doctoral degree; runners up on the list like P. Diddy, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne do not have the credentials of the good Dr. Dre. They say great minds think alike. Genius is drawn to itself. Hemingway and Fitzgerald were
friends. That’s certainly the case with E.L. James, writer of the popular BDSM trilogy 50 Shades of Grey and the members of the Black Eyed Peas. In an interview with The Sun, James said that when she was writing the now famous sex scenes in the trilogy, she would often be listening to sexy songs to psyche herself up. “I have songs that I write sex to,” she said.” One of them is The Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Sexy.’ That is a very sexy song.” Yes, in order to write sexy things, James decided to listen to “Sexy” by the Black Eyed Peas because it is sexy. It’s a difficult line of logic to follow, but the results are apparent. One in every five books sold this year was from the 50 Shades trilogy. Though the song itself does not appear anywhere in the trilogy, there is still time to add it to the film’s soundtrack. c
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Failure is Not An
Option Now, books aren’t just for rolling papers anymore. A new book entitled Too High to Fail by Doug Fine is getting some serious attention from some pretty well-known sources. Noted cannabis advocate and political comedian Bill Maher couldn’t give the book enough praise, and writer Michael Pollan tweeted Fine telling him the book was “very important.” So, what’s this book about? At 300 pages, Too High to Fail goes in-depth about how marijuana could revitalize the economy and how it could change everything. While this sounds like every conversation we’ve ever had with everyone else, Too High to Fail researches the history of the plant, the success of legal medical marijuana and all the potential impacts the crop could have on America. Besides, when has Bill Maher ever been wrong (aside from those few occasions on his show)? (Joe Martone) c
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Harold & Kumar . . .
Help Obama? Considering President Obama failed to keep his medical marijuana promises, it seems odd to many that the Commander in Chief recently turned to actors Kal Penn and John Cho— known from the Harold & Kumar movies—to reach out to younger voters. A new television ad starts with Obama making a serious phone call, counting on the mysterious person on the other end of the line to help America . . . as the camera pans over and reveals Penn on the other end, sitting on the couch with Cho. The two are clearly invoking their stoner icon roles, chilling on the couch, laughing at cartoon sound effects. The connection is very deliberate, but is Obama courting the MMJ vote? On the bright side, at least he’s belatedly acknowledging marijuana culture. Romney can’t even handle alcohol or tobacco, much less marijuana. It’s going to be a sad November. (Joe Martone) c
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Word Up
Trichomes
Many of CULTURE’s strain reviewers will wax poetically about milky trichomes or gush about leaves bejeweled with forests of glistening trichomes . . . but did you ever wonder what a trichome exactly is? Trichomes are basically hair-like or bristle-like structures that can be found on marijuana as well as many other plants (plus certain microorganisms). They serve various important functions, such as helping plants with water absorption or as a defense against insects (lots of “hairs” prevent bugs from infesting). Some glandular trichomes, which secrete chemical compounds, can also provide a chemical defense. Here are some more trichome talking points:
The sticky coating of trichomes contains very important cannabinoids such as THC and CBD—some of marijuana’s active ingredients. While a thick layer of trichomes may indicate a potent plant, it’s not a guarantee. Cannabinoids are produced inside the heads of trichomes. Concentrates, such as hash, consist of compressed trichomes harvested from cannabis plants. That’s why it’s called a “concentrate”—it’s concentrated marijuana. There are three types of marijuana trichomes: bulbous, capitatesessile and capitate-stalked. Bulbous trichomes are the smallest (they’re made up of only a few cells) and consist of a “foot,” a “stalk” and a “head.” Capitate-sessile trichomes are larger, have a globular “head” and a spherical shape. Capitate-stalked trichomes are the most abundant and form during flowering. The color of trichomes (white, milky, etc.) can indicate if a plant is ready to be harvested. c OCTOBER 2012 • CULTURE 55
Guide to our Advertisers LYNNWOOD
Georgetown Health Club. 206466-5779
HypeHerbally Holistic Health. 425-582-9385
Greenside Medical. 206-380-3129
OLYMPIA
Greenwood Alternative Medicine. 206-457-8917
D3 Medical Club. 360-742-8067 Olympia Alternative Medicine. 360-705-9415 The Healing Center. 360-515-0258
Med Source Patient Network. 425-743-7704
SEATTLE
New Millennium. 206-725-8451
Altercare. 206-329-2223
North Seattle Medical Collective. 206-462-5353
Canna Pi. 206-763-1171 Canna Rx. 206-588-1637
Puget Sound Health Alternatives. 206-402-5082
Cool, Calm, Collective. 206-3655737
Seattle Cross. 206-387-HEMP (4367)
CWC Gardens. 206-682-3015
Seattle Quality Collective. North Seattle: 206-257-4941. South Seattle: 206-722-0969
Dockside Co-op. 206-420-4837
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Happy Wayz Medibles. 206-3989581
Seattle’s Best Alternative Care. 206-687-7425 Sea Shore Collective. 206-6877787
PRODUCT AND SERVICES Canna Law Group. www.cannablislawseattle.com. 206-826-9371
Sensable Patient Network. 206388-2198
Cannabis Clothing Co. 206-5356291
The Green Skunk. 206-417-1973
CannCast. www.canncast.com
Tree House Collective. 206-3302046
DirecTV. 425-406-6218
Urban Roots. 206-527-5154 West Coast Wellness. 206-4203296 TACOMA Budding Health. 253-268-0507 Green Solutions. 253-495-6159 Nature’s Resource Center. 253572-5544 The Cure Collective. 253-6044607 The Herbal Connection. 253-2564251
Kush Bottles. www.kushbottles. com. 888-920-5874 Silver Surfer Vaporizers. www. silversurfervap.com. THCjobs. www.thcjobs.com Weedfinder. www.weedfinder. com EVALUATIONS Advanced Holistic Health. Seattle Locations: 508 3rd Ave W., Suite B and 11231 Roosevelt Way NE | Bellevue Location: 14648 SE Eastgate Way, Suite A. 888-508-5428
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Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird LEAD STORY— INTRUDER (NOT) ALERT
; Are We Safe? In August, Daniel Castillo’s Jet Ski broke down in New York City’s Jamaica Bay, forcing him to swim to the nearest shore—at JFK International Airport. As Castillo roamed the grounds, he somehow failed to disturb the airport’s $100 million, state-of-the-art Perimeter Intrusion Detection System of cameras and motion sensors, stumbling into the Delta terminal before an employee noticed him. This happened two weeks after the nownotorious “peace” protest of nun Megan Rice, 82, and two colleagues,
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who cut through fences at the Oak Ridge (Tenn.) nuclear reservation’s Y-12 facility that houses more than 100 tons of highly enriched uranium. They braved numerous (though apparently unmonitored or malfunctioning) alarms and sensors for up to two hours before a lone guard stopped them.
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
; Challenging Business Models: (1) In June, owners of the legal brothel Stiletto in Sydney, Australia, revealed their multimilliondollar expansion to create the country’s (and perhaps the world’s)
first “mega-brothel.” (2) Shortstay “love hotels” proliferate in Brazil, but in July in the city of Belo Horizonte, Fabiano Lourdes and his sister Daniela were about to open Animalle Mundo Pet, which they described as a love hotel for dogs. Owners would bring their matingready canines to rooms that feature the dim lighting and heartshaped ceiling mirrors traditional in love hotels (to appeal to the party paying the bill, of course). ; Oh, Dear: New York City is the scene this summer of a particularly nasty turf war among ice cream trucks vying for space on the city’s choicest blocks. Most aggressive, according to a July New York Post report, are the drivers of Mister Softee trucks. Said a Yogo frozen yogurt vendor, “If you see a Mister Softee truck, you know bad things are coming,” including, reported the Post, such hardball tactics as cutting rival trucks’ brake lines.
CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE
; The Treasury Department’s inspector general reported in
August that the IRS doled out more than $5 billion in fraudulent income tax returns in 2011 (owing to its mission to provide refunds promptly without first vetting the claims). The agency “refunded” $3.3 million to a single address in Lansing, Mich. (supposedly the home of 2,137 different tax filers) and nearly $4 million to three Florida addresses (518 to one in Tampa, 741 to one in Belle Glade, and 703 to a post office box in Orlando). In all, refunds were claimed by, among others, 105,000 dead people.
SCIENCE ON THE CUTTING EDGE
; “Pheromone parties” attract men and women seeking romance not via often-insincere conversation but based on the primal-scent signals emitted by each other’s slept-in T-shirts. Organizers have staged parties in New York City and Los Angeles and plan to expand, according to a June Associated Press report. The organizers’ initial conclusion: People prefer lovers with a somewhat-different genetic
makeup than their own, but not too different. ; In a study published in August, women with the felineoriented Toxoplasma gondii parasite in their systems showed an elevated risk of depression and suicide perhaps caused by the brain’s being deprived of serotonin. Since toxoplasmosis is most often passed via handling of cat feces, women’s fondness for and time spent with cats might thus put them at greater risk than previously believed. (T.gondii is believed capable of reproducing only inside cats’ intestines, and might, hypothesizes prominent Czech scientist Jaroslav Flegr, have learned that the surest route to the intestines is by hacking into the brains of delicious rats and mice.) ; 100 Pounds or “15 Minutes”? Wesley Warren Jr., 47, of Las Vegas, suffers from rare elephantiasis of the scrotum, which accounts for about 100 of his 400 pounds and severely hampers urination and sex. The Las
Vegas Review-Journal reported in October 2011 that Warren was on the verge of accepting an offer to cover the expensive corrective surgery, but when the newspaper followed up in June 2012, it found him hesitant because he had become accustomed to his celebrity status (TV’s The Learning Channel and “Tosh.0” program and Howard Stern’s radio show). Said he, “It was fun going to Los Angeles (for “Tosh.0”) in the big van they sent for me.”
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
; In July, the U.K.’s Wildlife Aid Foundation took in a dying, parasite-infested cuckoo bird, but by the time it had been nursed back to health, it had missed its species’ winter migration toward Africa. Consequently, according to BBC News, the foundation bought an airline ticket for a handler to carry the bird to Italy, where satellite tracking indicated it could meet up with the end of the migrating flock, and the handler released it.
; Latest Orangutan News: (1) Jungle Island zoo in Miami uses tricked-out iPads so that orangutans can order food by pointing at their choices on a screen. As zookeeper Linda Jacobs noted, “They have all the intelligence they need (but not) developed vocal chords and voice boxes.” (2) A Taru Jurug Zoo official in Central Java, Indonesia, reported in July that “Tori,” its famous, 13-year-old cigarettesmoking orangutan, had been moved with her boyfriend to an isolated island with recreational facilities so she could kick her nicotine habit. At Taru Jurug, visitors kept enabling her by tossing her cigarettes.
PERSPECTIVE
; It has been well known to the U.S. Congress that the Postal Service is guaranteed to run an estimated $5 billion deficit by the end of the year. Still, since the 112th Congress was convened in January 2011, no remedial legislation has been formally offered. However, during that time period, legisla-
tors have introduced 60 bills to rename post offices in their districts (passing 38 of them, which represent 17 percent of the legislation passed on all subjects during that time).
LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS
; Not Ready for Prime Time: (1) The thief who snatched the brand- new bike from Wheelworks in Belmont, Mass., in August got away, but police saw surveillance photos of him when he returned to the store two hours later and asked to see some locks (presumably so he could secure the bike he had just stolen). Incredulous employees gave chase, but the thief ran faster. (2) Kristen DeCosta, 30, was charged with 17 recent burglaries around Somerset, Mass., in August. According to Police Chief Joseph Ferreira, DeCosta is perhaps the only perp ever not to understand that, since she was wearing a GPS ankle monitor (from an earlier arrest), all 17 break-ins were tracked.
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UPDATE
; Bill Dillon, 52, was featured in News of the Weird in May 2009 and April 2012 for having served 27 years in a Florida prison for murder after a fanciful conviction based largely on “testimony” of doghandler John Preston’s “wonder” German shepherd that seemingly found precise, impossible scents exactly where prosecutors needed to find them. It wasn’t until 2009 that one central Florida judge challenged Preston—and exposed the dog’s incompetence. Dillon was exonerated, Florida’s governor apologized, and the state legislature provided generous financial compensation. And on July 18, musician Dillon accepted an invitation from the Tampa Bay Rays to sing the National Anthem before a game, including the now-ironic lyric, “And the land of the free.”
UNDIGNIFIED DEATHS
; (1) Jacob Kost, 23, was charged with murder after allegedly running down a man with his truck in Cornelius, N.C., in June following a barroom altercation. According to police, the two men were challenging each other as to which one had the best truck. (2) Within the space of a month, in Deep Gap, N.C., and Park City, Utah, 4-year-olds were killed when gravestones fell over on them. The North Carolina girl was at play in June at a Bible study camp.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
; The seaside city of Qingdao, China, is (as described in August by NPR) “not a vacation community for superheroes” even though many beachcombers wear masks while lounging and sunbathing. The garments are “face-kinis,” or light cloth coverings that protect against the “terror of tanning.” While Western cultures celebrate skin-darkening, many Chinese associate it with lower-status, outdoor occupations, and a pale skin suggests having lived a pampered life. ; Fine Points of the Law: (1) Italy’s highest court ruled in July that one man’s telling another, in front of others, that he has “no balls” can be criminal conduct that warrants 60 CULTURE • OCTOBER 2012
payment of damages. Said Judge Maurizio Fumo, such a comment places at issue male virility as well as competence and character. (2) In August, after an eight-day trial, a court in Hamburg, Germany, awarded money damages to a man who called another an “asshole” (arschloch) in a parking-space dispute and fixed the payment at the equivalent of about $75,000. (Courts in Germany can base the amount of damages on the transgressor’s income.) ; A centuries-old practice of China’s upper crust continues today, reported Slate.com in August, except with a bit more circumspection. Rich and/ or powerful people on trial or convicted can still get away with hiring replacements to serve their sentences—but because of ubiquitous Internet videos, only if the replacements facially resemble the perps. Since the rich person winds up paying for his conviction (though a relatively small price), Slate called the practice (ding zui) sort of a “cap-and-trade” policy for crime.
LATEST RELIGIOUS MESSAGES
; Prayer failed for Leslie Burton, 26, and Terrell Williams, 22, in St. Paul, Minn., in July. As they sat in the back seat of a police car while officers searched their own car, the pair, touching hands (according to the cruiser’s video camera), quietly begged divine intervention that the guns in their car not be found. However, not only were the guns spotted, but a subsequent strip search revealed a baggie of suspected Ecstasy pills in Williams’ rectum.
QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENTS
; The mayor of Triberg, Germany, touted his town’s new public parking area in July by noting that 12 of the spaces were wider and welllit, compared to the others, and would be reserved for female drivers. The harder-to-access “men’s spaces” required maneuvering at an angle around concrete pillars. “(M)en are, as a rule, a little better at such challenges,” the mayor said, predicting that the men’s
spots would become a visitors’ “attraction” for the town. ; Bright Ideas: New signs were posted on doors of single-use restrooms in two medical clinics in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in July and immediately confused a transgender activist interviewed by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News. Three silhouette figures appear on the door: a man, a woman, and what is supposedly a gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender (which is a half-man, half-woman with the right-hand side of the figure wearing a dress and with sloping shoulders and the lefthand side with the thicker pant legs of a man). Said the activist, “I understand they were trying to . . . make people feel included, but . . .”
FINE POINTS OF THE LAW
; Finally responding to defense lawyers, the U.S. Department of Justice acknowledged that it has been trying to keep certain North Carolina inmates locked up even though judges had declared them legally innocent. About 60 prison-
ers, according to a June USA Today investigation, were victims of an incorrect interpretation of federal gun-possession law supposedly rectified by a May 2011 U.S. Court of Appeals decision, but the Justice Department had continued to demand holds, for 12 months, arguing that somehow it still needed time to consider the men’s records. (Some of the inmates are serving time for multiple counts and would only be eligible for sentence reductions.) In August, the department, sportingly, said it would stop opposing release of the men who had been ruled innocent more than a year earlier.
LEAST COMPETENT PEOPLE
; Not Into Politics: Lowell Turpin, 40, was arrested in Anderson County, Tenn., in July after he became jealously enraged at a stranger’s photo on his live-in girlfriend’s Facebook page and, demanding to know who the man is, allegedly punched her in the face and smashed her computer. According to the police report, it was a campaign photo of Mitt Romney.
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