7 Burgers To Try In Durango by Ballantine Communications

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BURGERS TO TRY IN DURANGO

Plus: A look at the history and cultural impact of everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite meal ever

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Also: The Trump effect on music, stouts vs. porters, your brain on cannabis, and adult playgrounds

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DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 2 Number 5

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Chief Executive Officer

Douglas Bennett V.P. of Finance and Operations Bob Ganley V.P. of Advertising David Habrat V.P. of Marketing Kricket Lewis

The Biker, the Gypsy and the Vaquero

From the Editor

This week, Style Fetish features Steve Mendias (above), longtime Durango manabout-town, musician, drummer and motorcycle enthusiast.

Love it or Hate it

Sound

Founding Editors David Holub

17 Pages

Steven Fenster, neurobiologist and associate professor of biology at Fort Lewis College, gave a recent talk about the science behind marijuana’s effects on your brain.

David Holub dholub@bcimedia.com 375-4551 Staff writer Anya Jaremko-Greenwold anya@bcimedia.com 375-4546 Contributors

18 Weed

Dan Groth

Cooper Stapleton

Heather Narwid/DGO

»» Steve Mendias in a simple cut-sleeved tee worn as a vest over a striped tee. Mendias said he likes to wear the striped shirt while riding for added visibility, but under-layers it to tone down the stripes.

Cyle Talley Robert Alan Wendeborn Advertising 247-3504 Reader Services 375-4570

DGO is a free weekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314.

Seeing Through the Smoke 18

Netflix and chill ‑ 420 edition 19

21 Happening

Christopher Gallagher

Heather Narwid

20 Savage Love

Katie Cahill

Jon E. Lynch

Beer

16 Stage

10 This is your brain on cannabis

Editor/ creative director

Album Review 7 9

Amy Maestas

Bryant Liggett

Downtown Lowdown

Get Smart about the power of sport Well, it happened. The Cubs ended 108 years of futility and have unleashed the wrath of Cthulu. Listen to FLC professor and historian Duane Smith and musician Terry Double, both lifelong Cub fans, tell you about what’s so great about fandom.

Tell us what you think!

23 Horoscope/ puzzles/ Bizarro

11 Needed in Durango: Adult playground For many of us mere mortals, the gym gets boring and, as childless adults, we’re unwelcome on the playground. What is one to do?

/dgomag

/dgomag @dgo_mag

ON THE COVER One of Durango’s best burger’s, the double cheeseburger from Grassburger. Jerry McBride/BCI Media

Got something on your mind? Have a joke or a story idea or just something that the world needs to know? Send everything to editor@dgomag.com

DGO Magazine is published by Ballantine Communications Inc., P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302

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[CTRL-A] [ love it or hate it ] David Holub |DGO editor

Mornings Love it

The lovable, delicious burger reflects so much about America

hen I meet someone new, I have a batch of ice-breaker questions I like to trot out: When was the last time you punched someone in the face? Or, aside from driving while impaired, if you were going to be arrested for anything in the next year, what do you think it would be? But my favorite is, how many hamburgers would I have to eat before your opinion of me changed? The burger question always prompts clarifying inquiries before people answer, mostly having to do with the size of the burger or if it’s grass-fed beef. Answers have ranged from three (are you kidding? I could and will eat three burgers while sleeping) to nine (in that response, the person would think poorly of me if I ate between five and eight burgers, but if I ate nine, I’d become their personal savior). I like the burger/opinion question because I fantasize daily about eating nine burgers, but also because it’s entirely plausible that I’d start eating hamburgers and not know when to stop. I’m not alone. Americans eat three burgers per week, which amounts to 50 billion a year. For a time, McDonald’s famously updated its signs noting how many burgers it had sold (which prompted Jerry Seinfeld to say “Why is McDonald’s still counting? How insecure is this company? ... ‘Ooh, 89 billion sold? All right, I’ll have one!’ I’d like to tell the CEO of McDonald’s, “Look. We all get it, okay? You’ve sold a lot of hamburgers. Whatever the number is, just put up a sign, ‘McDonald’s: We’re Doing Very Well.’”). McDonald’s stopped updating its burgers-sold number in 1994 at 99 billion but estimates put that number now at well over 300 billion. If burgers aren’t about numbers, they seem to be about something that isn’t satisfying hunger. Jogging my brain for hamburger-related memories produced quite a few, like how I put on 10 pounds easy one summer when the girl I was with wanted to collect all the Teenie Beanie Babies that came McDonald’s Happy Meals

but didn’t eat meat, so I had to take quite a few cheeseburgers for the team. I remember watching a friend in college eat the dinner-plate sized, onepound “Belly Buster” hamburger – bun and mound of fries (which came on a separate plate) and all – at Fat Albert’s in Greeley. When eating sliders, I like imagining they’re regular-sized burgers and I’m a giant. Once I went through the McDonald’s drive-thru and my friend had ordered a salad, which came with an exercise DVD. I remember thinking that the DVD should have come in the bag with the two double cheeseburgers I’d ordered. I bet if you went through your memory, you’d find similar hamburger-related stories. Because, save for the non-meateaters among us, hamburgers are loved by all – a favorite food of children and adults alike. And if there’s one food that is most closely associated with America, it’s the hamburger, reflecting something about us as people. One reason is that the history of fast food and the history of the automobile are closely intertwined. Take McDonald’s: Ray Kroc transformed a small California burger joint owned by two brothers named McDonald into a fastfood empire using assembly-line-type concepts to assemble and serve burgers and fries, similar to how Henry Ford revolutionized auto manufacturing. And there’s a reason why the burger chains we still know and love began popping up in the ’50s: Car culture. As Michael Pollan writes in “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” fast food and, in turn, the hamburger, was practically invented to be eaten while driving. The term “fast food” may refer to the speed in which it was cooked and assembled, but as driveins gave way to the drive-thru, who knew how fun it could be to eat at 65 mph? Unable to recall ever really having a bad one, maybe we love hamburgers so much because they’re almost impossible to mess up. Perhaps that’s why you can’t find a restaurant that doesn’t have a burger on its menu. That you gotta love.

As sheriff Jim Hopper uttered on “Stranger Things”: “Mornings are for contemplation and coffee.” I don’t know where I first heard it, but it makes sense to me: I like writing in the morning best, before the world and all its nonsense has weighed me down and filled my head; my daily tasks and obligations haven’t yet crushed my spirit, the world’s difficult people haven’t yet enraged me. All my energy – mental and physical – is at full strength. I love the quiet of morning, all the humans and animals just beginning to stir. I love a lazy morning, mainly because being lazy is fun, but mornings are the only time of day where it is socially acceptable to be lazy. The only thing that makes a normal lazy morning better is a snuggle-inducing, pattering drizzle outside. Apart from it being the only part of the day where you can hit the snooze button and sleep another hour, I love mornings because there’s nothing like brewing a pot of coffee and making a leisurely breakfast full of carbohydrates, eggs any style and assorted breakfast meats. Oh, and more coffee and contemplation. —— David Holub

Hate it Some people are early birds, some night owls. In a 2014 comparative study done by researchers at the University of Barcelona, it was decided that morning people were more resistant to fatigue and frustration, which tended to translate into lower levels of anxiety, depression and the likelihood of substance abuse. Evening people were more impulsive and adventurous, plus more likely to suffer from insomnia, ADHD and other mental disorders. However, creative people also tended to be night owls. My circadian rhythm has always branded me a night owl. I’ve tried to change my habits, but it doesn’t work. I’ve long since felt most alert, creative and productive in the evenings. 11 p.m. was a peak time for getting school assignments done. Even now, I want to stay up until 2 and sleep until noon, but society is structured around making life easier for larks. Mornings are a horror I have to contend with on a daily basis. I hate everything about the morning. My brain and body aren’t awake early – even my stomach refuses sustenance until at least 11 a.m. It’s so cold, especially in the winter; slipping out of a warm bed into a room that reeks like death’s icy breath is an unusual form of torture. I know sunrises are gentle and lovely and quiet, but I’ve only seen a couple in my lifetime. I prefer to watch the moon and stars and blazing sunsets. I like being up when it feels like the rest of the world is in Dream Land. —— Anya Jaremko-Greenwold

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[Expert Advice on Trivial Affairs]

Get Smart | Cyle Talley

On the power of sport Well, it happened. The Cubs ended 108 years of futility and have unleashed the wrath of Cthulu. Listen to FLC professor and historian Duane Smith and musician Terry Double, both lifelong Cub fans, tell you what’s so great about fandom. How long have you been a Cubs fan?

and down and tied and – God! – just wonderful.

Duane Smith: That’s a good story. My dad was a Japanese POW from 1941 to ’45. Meanwhile, we lived in a little town in Illinois and I started listening to Cub games on the radio. When he got back home, he asked me what I’d like to do and I told him that I’d like to go to a Cub game. Over the next few years, we went to 15 games before they ever won one with me there. I thought I was a jinx! But I was hooked. I was in love.

What’s important about sports? DS: If you watch the news, you don’t come away real happy. With sports, you’re going to win some and be happy. But even if you lose, you know you’re going to be happy again. I don’t imagine Cleveland fans are too happy right now because it was a bitter defeat, but they’re a fine, fine team. They’ll have a day. Sports reflect life. You have good days, you have bad days; you struggle along and hope that you’ll come out better in the end. That’s not very deep or philosophical, but neither am I, basically. You’ve gotta have a break from what’s going on in the world and baseball’s mine.

Terry Double: [laughs] Seventy years! The last time they were in the World Series, 1945, was the year I was born. My family are all Cubs fans. I have five brothers and we’re a very close family, and so because the Cubs were in the Series, we decided to get together, watch some games and drink too much. It was like being in heaven!

TD: Nothing is important about sports, and everything is important about sports. I think it keeps your spirits up and it gets exciting when your team wins. And why baseball?

Why the Cubs? Why a team with a century of futility to its credit? DS: I have no rational, really. You couldn’t possibly think of a reason to follow them for as long as I have. They’ve lost so many games! My dad started it, I guess. I have no rational answer to your very good question, but I think it’s just my dad and that connection. I sort of liked getting a rough time about it, too, maybe. Having to defend my choice and my team. Kinda fun! It became an obsession. I have stacks of Cub yearbooks, baseball magazines, hats, here’s my throw pillow! Double TD: I’ve always been a Cub fan. I was at the ballpark the day that the black cat got loose on the field! That was one of the supposed curses on the team, and I was there. I used to come home from school and Mom would be watching the game on WGN and she’d have a bottle of Meister Brau and the laundry and she’d be doing the ironing while rooting for the Cubs. It was a historic series. What did you think of when they won Game 7?

»» David Holub/DGO; images via Shutterstock

DS: It was amazing. Game of the century. After all these years, I was really in a state of shock. I thought of my dad. I was all choked up. I thought of all of those people who followed the Cubs and wanted so badly to see them win it, but didn’t for whatever reason. I was one of the Smith lucky ones. It was like Christmas. Maybe I thought about people who used to scoff at me, too. I wasn’t going to gloat, because I’d been gloated at for all these years. You know, I really felt badly for some of their great players, like Ernie Banks who didn’t get to see them win it, too. TD: This is the best World Series I’ve ever seen. There’ve been some great ones certainly, but this was the best one I’ve ever seen. That seventh game was up

DS: I love baseball in all aspects and I like to think that I helped a lot of people discover the beauty of the game. It’s a wonderful pastime. I’ve always wanted to hook kids on baseball. I taught a class at Fort Lewis called Baseball and the American Dream; I’ve given talks in town and written plenty of articles for the Herald. For a while there, I was covering Spring training for them, but then they figured out that I seemingly was only going to Cub games! I’ve been thinking ever since you called, “What am I going to say?” I wish that I had something brilliant or insightful to say, but I just enjoy baseball thoroughly, and if you’re not a baseball fan, boy, you can’t figure it out. TD: Baseball is slower, it’s not ruled by a clock and it’s got a lot of strategy. You’ve got to know a little, got to read a little, even about stats and stat keeping. But if you invest in it, baseball becomes dynamic in a way that no other sport can match. It becomes riveting. You’re locked into every pitch. You’re locked into the moves that the manager is making. You’re locked into men on base and the possibility of a steal or a pick-off. It’s a beautiful game. It’s elegant. It’s exciting. It’s fast. It’s hard. It’s got it all. Cyle Talley just wanted an excuse to talk Cubs with two very fine gentlemen. If there’s anything you’d like to GET SMART about, email him at: cyle@cyletalley.com

�� Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | 5

[sound]

Downtown Lowdown | Bryant Liggett

Youth revolted against Reagan and might against Trump, too

he Trump win could be great for American music. If Ronald Reagan was the catalyst for the first round of hardcore punk that flourished during his first term, then Trump should inspire and invigorate a new generation of musicians that will make great music in what’s already a buyer’s market of new music. Punk musicians had an axe to grind against Reagan in the 1980s. As the first wave of punk rock was fading and new wave was dancing toward the mainstream – as much a skinny-tie fashion statement as a genre – bands with a political mindset like Stiff Little Fingers and The Clash were giving way to youth with loads of shitty equipment and even more angst. Here in America, Reagan, a former actor and celebrity, was running for president with a back pocket full of name recognition. Some heard promises before (and again recently) of cutting back government while dispelling scientific ideas about the environment. He also sided with the wackos who felt they could dictate what women do with their bodies, while hearkening back to a greater time, all while selling arms and being generally shady. It was a time of art, attitude and opinion that came in a whole musical package. The artwork via crude show fliers are a statement themselves; »» Reagan Youth Xeroxed images and cut-outs made long before Photoshop revealed a fascinating underground and active music scene nationwide, featuring a network of bands railing against Whatever via a network of kids putting on shows coast to coast. From old movie imagery to Polaroids, to hundred times over Xeroxed newspaper pictures, no art was above use. You see it now in the artwork for shows at Sweet 101, and it’s why so many people

Bryant’s best Friday: Blues with Missy and the Bluetones, 6:30 p.m. No cover. The Balcony Backstage, 600 Main Ave. upstairs. Information: 422-8008. Sunday: Bluegrass and folk with Blue Moon Ramblers, 7 p.m. No cover. Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Information: 3757150.

now are familiar with the artwork of Raymond Pettibon. If you’re not, Google the name and learn something. It was all straightforward music with little lyrical ambiguity. It was bleak, it was rude, and it was mean, hopeless, and at times immature. And it’s still great. “Hahaha, you’re all gonna die and you voted for that guy” were words from the Circle Jerks,

while Reagan Youth, Government Issue, Black Flag chimed in with anti-Reagan talk. Even bands like Canada’s D.O.A., and Dayglow Abortions had plenty of opinion to offer about the state of American politics. Now almost 40 years later, there are presently a few hints that are all too familiar of that past. We’re also at a time where music critics, fans, filmmakers and anthropologists digging into the 1980s are finding that was a kick-ass time for music; it’s getting some mainstream coverage in the last few years via documentaries on various scenes in cities and even some docs focusing on some of the heavy-hitting bands. Abortion, the war on drugs and immigration are all in question, and I’m sure the hardcore bands of 1982 would all have something to say. I’m writing like bands haven’t continued to use their art to question current events; that’s not the case. The current political state should only give way to more angry kids standing to the right of the far left, not stoned to the gills watching the world through bloodshot eyes, but to form bands, be focused, get organized and make some rowdy, angry and fun music with three chords and the truth. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.

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[sound] What’s new Fruit Bats,“The Glory of Fruit Bats” Available: Friday, Nov. 25 via Easy Sound Recording Co. in very limited quantities on vinyl (with a redeemable digital download) at your local independent record store, for Record Store Day: Black Friday. This past May, Eric D. Johnson surprised his utterly devout throng of fans by dusting off the Fruit Bats moniker for the first time in five years to release “Absolute Loser.” His latest proper Fruit Bats album since “Tripper” (which was his last of four Sub Pop releases), “Absolute Loser” is a fantastic record that will rightly be on (or atop) many a

just so happens that Durango has a kickass independent record store for you to peruse, and if you’re reading this online, I hope your town has one or two indie retailers for you to visit as well.]

critics’ Best of 2016 list, mine included. [Record Store Day: Black Friday is an attempt to corral the post-Thanksgiving, pick-your-favorite-secular-holiday shopper to encourage what you all should be doing anyway and that is SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL, INDEPENDENT RECORD STORE(!). Record labels and bands offer special releases and reissues to entice you into spending your money at the mom-and-pop shop on the kickoff to holiday shopping (fork-in-my-eye). It

gift to fans of his music. According to Johnson’s camp, “The Glory of Fruit Bats” is “a totally new collection of originals sprinkled with a few cover songs ... performed, produced, engineered and mixed by Johnson in Portland, Oregon, over the course of one week, the record is the latest installment in Fruit Bats’ vast catalog of lost folk hits and existential makeout music.”

So, the Fruit Bats’ latest label, Easy Sound Recording Co., is getting in on the RSD: Black Friday fun by releasing a wonderful addendum to “Absolute Loser.” When considering this latest set of recordings, it’s by no means thrown together, but rather a well-articulated

Recommended for those that lean toward indie-tinged folk and Americana, such as Fleet Foxes, Kevin Morby, Blitzen Trapper, Ugly Casanova, Dawes or Middle Brother.

with this aptly-named record. It’s loud, it’s fast, it sounds like nothing else that came out in 1982. Venom single-handedly cemented the aesthetic, style and sound of hundreds of bands and it’s an aesthetic that still hasn’t been

transcended. Some try to escape, but if you find something described as “black metal,” there will be goat heads, there will be tremolo picking and the band members will have heard this record.

—— Jon E. Lynch KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu

New at Southwest Sound This week we celebrate Record Store Day: Black Friday, so I’m going to go over some of the cool and interesting exclusive titles we will be carrying on that day. Come down early before everything is gone. 1. Jerry Garcia,“Reflections” We start with a reissue of “Reflections,” the third Jerry Garcia solo album. It included the entire 1976 lineup of The Dead on backing instrumentation and veered hard toward the folk-rock side that Jerry cemented as his sound on following releases. Jerry and The Grateful Dead, in a way, helped make the Southwest what it is. They have such a massive influence on not only the music of the area but the attitude as well. If you can go a day without seeing the famous “American Beauty” skull or the dancing bears while walking downtown, I will both question your eyesight and your ability to tell the truth. 2. Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Jabba Flow” This is a weird one. Remember in “The Force Awakens” when Han and co. walk into that cantina and there’s a weird bar blues jam happening in the background? This is a vinyl copy of that song. Upon seeing its release, I threw on the 30-minute version I found on YouTube and looked up some details. Some pretty cool stuff going on here. So, for one, J.J. Abrams did vocals for the song, and on top of that, Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the damn thing.

That’s the guy who won a Pulitzer Prize for writing “Hamilton.” Why? I do not know. But it is a catchy song, so does it really matter? 3. Napalm Death/Melt Banana,“Like Piss To A Sting” Napalm Death and Melt Banana are two of the quintessential acts of extreme music today. I actually just saw Napalm Death in Farmington with about 50 other people. We don’t get shows like that all that often. Napalm Death invented grindcore, the combination of hardcore punk rock and death metal into a genre more extreme than either of its forebears. Melt Banana is a Japanese grind band that adds in sugary female vocals and abrasive electronics to the mix to really ramp up the sound and test just how much the listener can handle. 4. South Park,“Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics” I hope we all have seen the episode this record comes from. Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo sits by the fire and introduces songs performed by the South Park Kids, Santa Claus, Jesus, Satan, Chef and even Adolf Hitler. I grew up with this record, as my parents don’t care much for traditional Christmas music. If you want your kids to grow up singing songs sung by talking feces and end up like me, then put this one on on Christmas morning. 5. Venom,“Black Metal” As Napalm Death invented grindcore, so too did Venom invent black metal

—— Cooper Stapleton

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�� Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | 7

[Sartorial over-enthusiasm with Heather of Sideshow]

Style Fetish | Heather Narwid

THE BIKER, THE GYPSY AND THE VAQUERO

»» Talking

style with Steve Mendias

This week, Style Fetish features Steve Mendias, longtime Durango man-about-town, musician, drummer and motorcycle enthusiast. I’ve been a fan of Steve’s style since way back, when he was the drummer for Lawn Chair Kings. He currently fronts the elusive band Papa Otis & the Primitives, playing greasy, gritty garage-rock. Steve’s response when I asked about his style was “I’m just a dude.” We dug deeper to learn more. Steve told me he grew up in Texas, riding Sears mini-bikes as a little kid and jumping them on the BMX bike track. An early sighting of his first biker gang formed a lasting impression and made him want to get into motorcycles. “Six or seven 1970s hippie chopper dudes roaring by a scared kid on a tiny motorcycle by the side of the road. My jaw dropped, and I thought: Holy. Shit.”

old Levis. Tell us about your Harley Davidson Shovelhead motorcycle you built. I love my rat bike. Found it in an old pawn shop. Harley Davidson and Indian both made bikes for WW2. When the war was over, the servicemen brought their bikes home and began customizing, racing them and starting bike clubs [Intrigued? For more about how and why motorcycle clubs were formed check out Hunter S. Thompson’s 1966 book “Hell’s Angels” and the 1953 film “The Wild One”]. My bike is in this classic style of stripping the bike of everything unnecessary. They call them “bobbers.” My friend, Mike Kunz, of Bear Mountain Motorcycle Shop in Durango, helped me get it together. I’m about ready to paint a pinup girl on the oil tank. True love.

Two films that have influenced Steve’s biker style are 1969’s “Easy Rider” and 1953’s “The Wild One,” both classic motorcycle films. He appreciates both Peter Fonda’s all-black leathers and Dennis Hopper’s hippie cowboy vibe in “Easy Rider.” Lee Marvin’s rival gang leader Chino was crazy, antisocial and “more interesting” to Steve as a style influence than Brando’s Johnny in “The Wild One.” The Chino character rocks a bold, black-and-white striped tee, goggles and a tight leather vest along with a military surplus leather pilots hood.

How does the motorcycle influence your style? It’s very therapeutic to head out on the road on a bike with just bedding and a tent to sleep in the high desert. It dictates what you wear and how you wear it to keep warm. I choose a certain look and pieces that have a history and romance with the nomadic travelers like the Biker, the Gypsy and the Vaquero.

In a motorcycle jacket, Steve personally prefers the sleeker, collarless European cafe-racer style. “It has a cleaner look, and you can add a scarf easier than with the Ramones-style biker leather,” he said. Do you have any style icons and or favorite vintage style era? I like to draw from rockabilly culture, motorcycle history and biker culture, old-world gypsy, traditional Mexican culture, Native American Navajo and Apache tribes and Old West style. I like to wear patterns and fabrics like the stripes, pin-dots and paisleys as seen in Old West movies: silk neckties and long scarves, boots worn with slim, three-piece fitted suits with a cool collared vest that never covers up the belt buckle. Lately I’m really into the vaquero, the Mexican cowboy. They wore this long scarf around their necks, but when it warmed up it was worn hanging down tied from the waist – a little more panache. I fixate on the old photos up in the Durango library; even when people were poor they were well-dressed and well-accessorized. Everyone wore hats. I also love contemporary Native Amercan designer Bethany Yellowtail. Where do you get your clothing?

Courtesy of Jade Mendias

»» Steve Mendias sports a brocade gambler vest over track suit jacket with leather three-point suspenders and motorcycle jeans. His hat is a 1940 Stetson Deluxe, so-called “Godfather” style, found at Old Colorado Vintage in downtown Durango. Nym Mendias wears tall, strappy motorcycle boots with an antique-style can-can skirt, gypsy shawl, metal medallions belt and a beaded flapper-style headband.

I love the stuff you get at the Sideshow, used clothing shops, thrift stores and so forth. I found the coolest pair of old 1950s pointy toe Tony Lama cowboy boots that fit as if I wore them in a past life. If I can’t find something, sometimes I’ll make it. I have a bunch of old work Levi’s and an idea to work them into augmented denim “Papa Otis brand” jeans, customized for motorcycle riding. They will have ribbed denim patches on the knees and shins, some leather, additional pockets and will be upcycled from

Does the music you listen to inform your style ? I love garage punk, rockabilly and Mexican folk to name a few. I just got back from a trip to Albuquerque and saw garage punk doo-wop duo, King Khan and the BBQ Show at the Sister Bar. They wear strappy S&M outfits and masks with blond wigs. WILD! Didn’t know that Sundays are cruise night downtown Central- Route 66. Lots of classics and low riders doing burnouts. Very inspiring. Heather Narwid owns and operates Sideshow Emporium, a vintage and modern clothing store for men and women. Sideshow is located in Durango at 208 County Road 250 (west of Bread and north of Rocky Mountain Pawn at 32nd Street, in with the Vault and Core Value Fitness)and is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. She has had a scar on her shin since 1986 from a fantastically awkward 6 mph moped “crash.” Questions or comments about style or clothing? Email her at sideshowdolores@gmail.com.

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[beer]

First Draughts | Robert Alan Wendeborn

The difference between stout and porter? Now you’ll know

hen most people think of stout, they think of Guinness, and when they think of porter, they think of... either, well, nothing or any number of beers, because there isn’t a beer as singular to porters as Guinness is to stout. I still think of Ska’s Ten Pin (R.I.P.) or Santa Fe Brewing’s State Pen Porter, but there isn’t a national or international brand that is associated with the style. Why is that? And what’s the difference between the two anyway? To start, let’s talk about the difference in modern styles: There isn’t one. There is no difference between porters and stouts in modern beer. In the guidelines for judging the two

beers, the only difference is the word “coffee” or “coffee-like” when talking about the roastiness of the stout, the idea being that porters are slightly less toasted. Both are going to be dark, possibly opaque, medium- to full-bodied, with a thick sturdy head and roasted malt character. What this usually translates into for a brewer is roasted barley as opposed to roasted malted barley or dark malts. The use of unmalted roasted barley gives the beer more of a burnt, coffee-like aroma and flavor, as well as imparting more color for its weight compared to dark malts. Unmalted, roasted barley also has a tie to history. During different times in history, whether to maintain strong tax revenue on malted barley or to

control the end product, using unmalted barley was illegal in England. When the ban was lifted, it was used in porters made with higher alcohol content using mostly pale malts. Using more pale malt and smaller portions of roasted barley and dark malts allowed for greater efficiency (this greater efficiency also helped porter become one of the first beers with worldwide appeal, as England shipped porters all over the world). These stronger alcohol, more roasty beers were given the name, stout porters. So even in the past, there wasn’t a difference. Stouts were just strong porters. So, historically, the only difference is the stout will have higher alcohol content, and slightly more roasty

aroma and flavor. But Guinness Draught’s ABV is 4.1-4.3 percent. How is that a “stout”? Well, that’s marketing. Porters have so fallen out of fashion that stout as a style has stepped on porter’s turf. It’s very similar to the distinction between a pale ale and session IPA (I’ll probably get in more shit for this claim than the port = stout claim, but pour a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and tell me a session IPA has more hops). Enough people believed in the distinction enough that it became ingrained into our brains as a difference. Robert Alan Wendeborn is a former cellar operator at Ska Brewing and current lead cellar operator at Tin Roof Brewing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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This is your brain on cannabis »» Fort Lewis College professor Steven Fenster on the effects of marijuana,

scientific studies and how this isn’t your father’s weed

Steven Fenster, neurobiologist and associate professor of biology at Fort Lewis College, gave a recent talk about the science behind marijuana’s effects on your brain. Following this student lecture, given as part of Animas Hall’s “Welcome to your Life” series, Fenster gave DGO the lowdown on the difference between compounds THC and CBD (the two main ingredients of marijuana), why weed is stronger now than ever and just how much cannabis really changes the inner workings of your noggin. We know about the short-term effects of cannabis. Has there been research about the long-term effects, or is that ongoing?

There’s many different kinds of compounds in cannabis that we don’t even necessarily know about.

They’re difficult studies to do, but there is some emerging evidence, at least in adolescents, that heavy and chronic cannabis use can change the brain. They’ve started to advance the brain imaging study field; now they use a technique called Functional MRI which allows real-time imaging of the brain to see what happens when people ingest cannabis. Thinking back to my own childhood, I knew kids who were using cannabis at ages 12 and 13, and that’s a really critical age for brain development. From age 12 to 16, the brain is very sensitive to the effects of these drugs. It’s not until the age of 20 or so that our brains have reached their maximum maturity – not that brain cells can’t change, but in terms of growth.

People are critical about marijuana being classified as a Schedule I drug, like heroin. Is it as dangerous as all that, or mislabeled?

Some studies have shown that people who are heavy users have lower IQ scores. But for those surveys, you have to ask a bunch of teenagers whether they’re using pot or not, which is always going to be difficult. And if you’re a heavy user in high school, you’re less likely to finish your high school education and get your degree. But there’s just not a lot of long-term studies looking at the effects of marijuana. Can marijuana bring out dormant mental illnesses in people who are already genetically predisposed? When you talk about cannabis, you’re actually talking about a plant that has hundreds of different types of substances in it. The two that are the most well-studied are THC and CBD or “cannabidiol.” There is some evidence THC can lead to psychosis in certain individuals, and that includes paranoia, schizophrenia, maybe even depression. You’re putting THC into your body, it’s interacting and perhaps interfering with the neuronal processes in your brain. They’ve actually looked at people who have the classic type of schizophrenic episode – and this happens to people usually between the ages of 18 and 29 years old. Those who end up having these psychotic episodes as a result of marijuana, their behavior is a little different. They seem to be able to socially adjust to that kind of psychosis more, whether it’s an altered sense of reality or depression. They don’t have as severe disorders as someone who might’ve had it from some other trigger or type of development. So there’s definitely evidence to indicate that THC may be a compound causing that type of psychosis. At least that’s what we think!

Fenster

I’m of the opinion that it’s mislabeled. The use of marijuana doesn’t correlate well with its classification. It’s an old one, the whole idea from the ’50s and ’60s of “reefer madness.” The caveat to that is that we have seen in the past 20 years the content of THC has dramatically increased in marijuana strains. Growers have identified strains with a higher content, then bred those strains. Strains with a high content of THC have a decrease in the other active compound, the cannabidiol. And there’s evidence to indicate that you need a balance between THC and cannabidiol in order to mitigate those potential psychosis effects. If you look at Europe, where marijuana is more of a hashish, that tends to have a better ratio of THC versus CBD. But the problem is, people want the really good stuff, the stuff that’s going to get you stoned, and of course the growers will respond to that. We have seen in the United States alone that the average THC content back in the late ’80s was less than 3.4 percent overall in cannabis strains. But by 2014, we’ve seen it increase to greater than 12 percent. That’s four times as much! I’m not for or against marijuana legalization. I think there are a lot of benefits. But what people need to understand is the marijuana you buy now in Colorado, or that you buy illegally in another state, has a much higher content than your dad’s marijuana. And if it’s high content, it could potentially have negative effects like psychosis, it could be more addictive and it could affect a young person’s brain development. It’s not like if you go to the liquor store and buy a bottle of Jim Beam, and you know exactly how much alcohol is in that whiskey. As far as I know, a lot of the dispensaries are getting better at trying to put that information on the label now; my students who frequent the shops say they will put the THC content on there sometimes. If cannabis is legalized in more states, will funding for research be easier? Trying to get funding from the federal government

now? Forget it. It’s a Schedule I drug. But I hope so. We just had a change in the pres»» Shutterstock idential administration, so I don’t know what Donald Trump will do. With Obama, he hasn’t changed it, though he’s alluded to the fact that he would’ve. My feeling, given the conservative nature of Congress right now, is that’s not going to happen for the next four years. Of course, they support alcohol and pain killer use, all this other stuff that’s probably way worse for your body. Marijuana has never been shown to kill anybody, though it is an addictive substance. About 10 percent of users become addicted in some form. But it’s less harmful than pain killers or opioids. There can be some symptoms of withdrawal, but way less. Even if you’re just a casual alcohol user, if you tell a doctor you drink two beers a day, they’ll watch you for withdrawal symptoms. People still need to understand any type of substance that provides pleasure, if you overdo it, you can become addicted. What about positive medical benefits? There is evidence to indicate that cannabis can, in Continued on Page 11

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[weed]

[As needed in Durango]

From Page 10

some instances, reduce chronic pain. That’s one of the reasons we’ve had more states approve medical marijuana use. It’s less addictive than pain killers. Another good thing that’s happening in this state is there are clinical trials using CBD to treat certain severe forms of epilepsy. “Charlotte’s Web” is a strain of marijuana bred with a very low content of THC and a high content of CBD. There was a doctor in Denver who got approval to use this on a little girl named Charlotte who had a severe form of epilepsy. She was having hundreds of seizures a day, and it reduced them to one or two per week. CBD doesn’t get you high, it doesn’t seem to have much of a psychotic or euphoric effect. They’re in the process of doing more trials now, and a lot of this is preliminary data. There’s still a lot of research to be done about cannabis with brain development, addiction, psychosis, pain management. Hopefully at some point in time, it’s not a Schedule I. This interview has been edited and condensed for space and clarity. — Anya Jaremko-Greenwold DGO Staff Writer

Adult playground Maybe you’re one of those exceptional people who loves hitting the gym. Maybe you get up at 5 a.m. every morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed like an annoying, hyper-fit squirrel. But the average American is overweight (OK, Durango might be an exception to this rule) and for the rest of us mere mortals, the gym gets boring. Plus, you might only get an hour or two a day for physical activity, what with all of life’s demands. So what does Durango need? An adult playground. This is not a new idea. These are already “a thing” in cities the world over. Designers have noted the importance of play for improving productivity, stimulating the imagination and plain ol’ exercise. So let’s admit it: Gyms can be kind of depressing. They are very sterile, often lacking color or pleasant décor. An adult playground, on the other hand, could be bursting with color, influenced by the indoor delights of Stompin’ Ground and Discovery Zone from the ’90s (remember those?) They were mostly inhabited on special occasions, like kiddie birthday parties. But what if they were adultsized? You’d probably jump at the chance to romp around. Our adult playground must also have an outdoor portion (it’s not practical for ALL of this to be built outdoors, seeing how long our winters last). Remember the bliss you felt in school when it was time for recess and you were finally set free to twist the tire swing up tightly and spin yourself until you couldn’t see straight, or climb on top of the monkey bars (where you weren’t allowed) like a heathen? You could get that feeling back. The adult playground might be built next to a kids’ playground, so parents could use the fitness equipment while their children play within easy view. Picture fresh air, no televisions, the sun on your face. We shouldn’t outfit it with just slides or merry-

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go-rounds – those items aren’t wildly effective from an exercise perspective, though they can be excellent for a very gentle workout, if you’re considering older folks who can’t do high-impact stuff. The ideal playground would have multiple climbing walls, outdoor gym equipment built to withstand the elements (like benches, leg press and leg curl machines, recumbent and stationary bikes), obstacle courses (with lava underneath, naturally), zip lines or other aerial designs, and swings of some sort that could accommodate a large adult or maybe even two (because swings are enchanting flight-simulators no matter what your age). For inspiration, take a look at the 600,000 square-foot urban playground in the City Museum of St. Louis, Missouri. Built in the former home of the 10-story International Shoe Company and designed by artist/sculptor Bob Cassilly, the playground has a sky-high jungle gym, two repurposed airplanes, 10-story slides, a rooftop Ferris wheel, subterranean caves, hundreds of feet of tunnels and ball pits. What could be better? I personally can’t think of anything. Apparently on Friday and Saturday nights, they kick the kids out at 9 p.m. and open the bar – making it the perfect spot for a date night or group fun with friends. Let’s make it happen. —— Anya Jaremko-Greenwold DGO Staff Writer

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[eat]

DURANGO’S MOST INTERESTING BURGERS »» There’s a lot of tasty

burgers in this town - but which are the most unique?

By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold DGO STAFF WRITER

or a small town, Durango has more than its fair share of yummy burgers. It would be impossible to compare them all, so we’ve rounded up seven of the weirdest and most original. Keep these in mind for your next food adventure.

Grassburger Address: 726 1/2 Main Ave.

Carver Brewing Company Plate Restaurant

Hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily

Address: 42 County Road 250, #400

Grassburger made its Durango debut in 2014, selling burgers that are both healthy AND cheap. The sandwiches are quite small, so you feel full but never bloated, though if you’re especially hungry or full-bodied, you might want to order the ¼ pound “double.” You can get a single 1/4 pound “Grassburger” for just over 5 bucks. The beef is 100 percent grass-fed, making it a third fewer calories than grain-fed. Grass-fed beef also has more vitamins and less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, so it can help lower your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The cattle lead happy, natural lives before they’re killed for your pleasure, and you can sleep easy.

Hours: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily, closed Mondays

Eolus Bar & Dining

Steamworks Brewing Company

Address: 919 Main Ave.

Address: 801 E 2nd Ave.

Hours: 4:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. daily

Hours: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily

OK, Eolus is pretty fancy. This is probably where you invite a hot date to impress her (on pay day) or where your parents take you out when they come to visit, especially if you’re an impoverished college student. But for the distinctiveness of their Lobster Burger ($26), the price might just be worth it. The cheeseburger includes beef from James Ranch, half a lobster tail, a house baked local whole wheat bun, smoked tomato aioli, shredded romaine, special sauce and pickles. Have you ever eaten lobster and beef simultaneously? Now might be a good time to start.

Ah, Steamworks. You might guess the burger we’ve chosen will be greasy and cheesy like all the best pub food, but you’d be wrong. They serve a vegetarian quinoa burger (it’s pronounced ‘keen-wah,’ by the way) with a house-made quinoa patty, mushroom, spinach, feta, ale braised onion, tzatziki sauce and a sesame brioche bun ($10). In case you didn’t know, quinoa is a very healthy grain crop known for its edible seeds. It is gluten-free, high in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids.

Plate reopened back in April (it was Main Event Sports Bar & Grill before, but has remained under the same ownership) and talented chef Tyler Henderson competed on Food Network’s “Chopped” this past August. Green Chile is an essential spicy add-on here in the Southwest, but Plate steps it up a notch with their Green Chile Popper Burger ($15), which features a Black Angus patty, a tempura fried ball of green chiles, two cheeses, Applewood smoked bacon, hydroponic Bibb lettuce, heirloom tomatoes and a New Mexican telera roll.

Address: 1022 Main Ave. Hours: 6:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily Carver’s might be best known for their breakfasts (they’re packed in the mornings!) but this isn’t a burger you’ll want to eat first thing in the a.m. Carver’s Tatanka Burger ($14.50) is a buffalo burger with bacon, mushrooms, green chiles, queso fresco and garlic aioli. Made with meat from the American bison, a leaner (and more expensive) meat than beef, buffalo burgers are healthier than your standard beef option, with less cholesterol and fat. Bison are grass-fed, allowed to roam, and are not given hormones, antibiotics or other chemicals, whereas beef varies on these issues, with many cattle unfortunately fed on grain and injected with hormones.

Animas Brewing Company Address: 1560 E 2nd Ave. Hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Sun., 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Fri. & Sat., 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sun. A cozy, rustic-cabin-inspired spot tucked next to Rotary Park on the river, Animas Brewing has great beer – but don’t overlook the food. Three of their burgers combine 50/50 splits of two types of meat, a rare feat (and all of them are $10.50). The J.W. pairs El Dorado beef and house smoked brisket with onions, cheese and sarsaparilla BBQ sauce; the Reub is El Dorado beef plus fresh corned beef topped with beer kraut and cheese; and the Hanz couples beef and ale brats with onions and horseradish cheddar.

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Seasons Address: 764 Main Ave. Hours: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m./4 p.m. -10 p.m. Mon. - Fri., 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. Sat./Sun. This American bistro serves the most expensive burger on our list: the ‘Gastro’ Burger ($29) with L.B. Co-Op beef (Local Brands Farm & Ranch Markets in Southwest CO), seared foie gras, Sunnyside Farms egg, crispy onion strings, lemon aioli and a house-baked onion bun. Foie gras (pronounced ‘fwah-grah’) is made from the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened for your digestive inclinations. It’s a well-known delicacy in French cuisine, and seems a very extravagant thing to have on a burger – but maybe you’re looking for a little something special? Well, you’ve found it.

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BEHOLD THE BURGER

AMERICANA ON A BUN »» Its origins are debatable, but its place in history and pop culture isn’t By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold DGO STAFF WRITER

As is customary with any prized food dish, it’s difficult to determine exactly who invented the hamburger and when. There are countless versions of the story, and varied styles of the burger itself. Everyone wants credit, but complete proof is scarce. The most popular assumption is that it originated in Hamburg, Germany – but that’s not necessarily the case. Modern historians have concluded the earliest burger ancestor was actually devised by Mongol horsemen in the 1200s, who stashed raw meat beneath their saddles while riding »» The third McDonald’s restaurant built, opening in 1953, and oldest one still open for business. across Asia. Post-ride, the pounded meat was tender enough to be this hamburger, but so did Charlie eaten raw. (Yuck. Desperate Nagreen of Seymour, Wisconsin, a 15-year-old kid who made a similar times, I guess). Fast forward sandwich at the Outagamie County to the 1840s, when German Fair the same year. In 1900, Louis emigrants sailing on the HamLassen of Louis’ Lunch in New burg-America Line (a transHaven, Connecticut, served ground atlantic shipping enterprise beef cooked on a vertical boiler, established in Hamburg) ate sandwiched between two pieces of toast; the Library of Congress minced, salted beefsteak and officially credits Lassen for selling dubbed it “Hamburg steak,” a the first hamburger in the U.S. In delicacy which later became 1916, a fry cook named Walter Anmainstream in the U.S. derson created the squat bun made But this convoluted saga didn’t end once it reached our side of the pond. In 1885, Frank and Charles Menches served a ground-beef sandwich at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York. Naturally, the brothers claimed they invented

especially for hamburgers, and five years after that, he co-founded White Castle, the world’s first burger chain (and the legendary destination of our favorite movie stoners, Harold

Wikipedia

Courtesy of Greg Rajan

»» A burger from Louis’ Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut. According to some, including the Continued on Page 15

Library of Congress, Louis’ Lunch was the first restaurant to serve hamburgers in 1900.

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[eat] From Page 14

and Kumar). More burger chains germinated after that. Burger King opened in 1954 and gave us the Whopper in 1957 and McDonald’s was founded the next year in 1955 (the famed Big Mac arrived in 1967). Wendy’s came along in 1969 (their burger is my favorite, but it doesn’t have a snappy name). A National Institutes of Health report showed that from 1962 until 2006, obesity in American adults aged 20-74 more than doubled. The average adult weighs over 26 pounds more now than they did in the 1950s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The obesity epidemic’s timing lines up suspiciously with the advent of cheap and delicious fast food burgers. But in 2016, we’ve cleverly countered the calories and questionable nutritional content with veggie, turkey and bean burgers. Many people claim these taste as good as a real burger, a starry-eyed notion I find difficult to believe. At this point, burgers have become a cultural staple in America, beacons

of freedom and patriotism. The simple meat-and-bread combo was expanded upon and improved in a thousand different ways, and pop culture has responded to the phenomenon in kind. In “Pulp Fiction,” Samuel L. Jackson shared a tense and memorable Big Kahuna burger breakfast with a man he is threatening. (The fictional Hawaiian-themed fast food restaurant appears in several of Tarantino’s films). The burger was memorialized further in the ’90s Good Burger sketch on Nickelodeon’s “All That” starring Kenan and Kel; as a favored treat at Luke’s Diner on the WB’s “Gilmore Girls”; by Morgan Spurlock scarfing McDonald’s burgers for a month in his documentary “Super Size Me”; on “The Simpsons” at imaginary chain Krusty Burger, founded by the always-sinister Krusty the Clown; and on Fox’s animated sitcom “Bob’s Burgers,” where burgers with punny titles appear in each episode on the restaurant’s chalkboard (some of the best: “Poutine on the Ritz Burger” and “The Cauliflower’s Cumin From Inside the House Burger”).

Want to know how to cook your own perfect burger at home? Plate Restaurant sous chef Jeff Potts explains how to prepare the perfect American classic at dgomag.com/videos

»» Morgan Spurlock scarfed McDonald’s burgers for a month in his documentary “Super Size Me.”

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[stage]

Trump thinks artists owe him respect.

THEY DON’T. Alyssa Rosenberg THE WASHINGTON POST

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The “Hamilton” cast’s address to Vice President-elect Mike Pence at last Friday’s performance is likely to be the first of many artists’ dissents to the Trump-Pence administration’s stated values and priorities. And it’s inevitable that artists who speak out in the future will be attacked, and perhaps even marginalized, as the Dixie Chicks were after Natalie Maines’ criticisms of President George W. Bush on the eve of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. We can debate whether or not President-elect Donald Trump’s Twitter tantrum in response to the plea from the stage of the Richard Rogers theater is a distraction from more important issues, like Trump’s extremist Cabinet choices and his immediate disregard for the basic ethics standards that govern the position that will soon be his. But a moment like this one offers us an opportunity to think in a clearer and more sophisticated way about the relationship between art and artists and politics and policy. There’s a tendency to treat artists, as well as professional athletes, as immune from the vicissitudes of politics. Because they’re wealthy, that reasoning goes, reversals of policy won’t really affect them. They’ll always be able to pay lawyers who can secure their legal status in the country, or afford birth control, or they live in atmospheres so rarified that they’re protected from the everyday grind of racial discrimination. And even if artists do feel personally affected, this line of thinking continues, artists and athletes are obligated to confine themselves to entertaining. Daring to use their platforms to do or advocate for anything that might mildly perturb their fans is a violation of an unspoken contract. This is a silly and fundamentally immature line of thinking, one that tries to shrink the roles of people who have a unique capacity to expand our thinking beyond partisan canards. If you’re so vulnerable that you can’t

Hamilton LLC

»» Actor Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays Aaron Burr, the nation’s third vice president, in “Hamilton,” speaks from the stage after the curtain call in New York, Friday. Vice President-elect Mike Pence is the latest celebrity to attend the Broadway hit “Hamilton,” but the first to get a sharp message from a cast member from the stage.

tolerate any opinion or action in your cultural idols that doesn’t conform exactly to your preferences, then your relationship to art is fundamentally brittle anyway. Beyond the question of our ability to see artists as individuals with personal stakes in politics, this is a vital time to remember that art doesn’t simply appear in a vacuum. What art gets made, who gets to make it and how it gets distributed are all questions that are determined by politics. A show like “Hamilton” came to fruition in New York in part because the city and state have the theatrical infrastructure – in this case, Vassar College and the Public Theater -- to incubate the musical, and to give Miranda time to fine-tune it before it made the jump to Broadway. (Tax policies that give wealthy people incentives to donate to nonprofits like the Public are a help, too.) The show has been able to draw on the talents of actors like Jonathan Groff and Javier Muñoz because of the theater community’s historical status as a welcoming place for LGBT people. “Hamilton” catapulted performers like Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs to national prominence because Miranda didn’t feel that he had to limit himself

to white actors in casting the white Founding Fathers. And when “Hamilton” became a massive Broadway hit, with tickets to sold-out shows going for extortionate prices at resale, and jammed lotteries for the small number of tickets available daily, Miranda and his colleagues designed performances for the hopefuls. Live theater is expensive to produce, and it relies on people who can pay high ticket prices for support, though some theaters that will be hosting the “Hamilton” national tour have been more extortionate than others. It’s difficult to make a production like “Hamilton” fully accessible to everyone who wants to see it, at least not in person. But even if they couldn’t bridge the gap between the ticket haves and have-nots, the daily performances were a lovely democratic gesture. Political concerns aren’t, then, some distracting canker eating away at the arts. Political concerns are fundamental to the circumstances in which art is produced. It’s entirely proper that the cast of “Hamilton” should defend the values that informed their work, and the circumstances and institutions -- including the First Amendment – that made their show possible.

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[poetry] Ornate Feelings, by Dan Groth

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Hash Cartridges & Disposables Durango artist Dan Groth first moved to town in 1998, but bounced around a bunch before moving to Portland in 2004. He has been back in Durango since 2011. See more of his work at dangroth.com.

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»»8. Idiot America, by Charles Pierce (Paperback) »»9. Settle for More, by Megyn Kelly (Hardcover) »»10. Little Critter: Just a Special Thanksgiving, by Mercer Mayer (Paperback)

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�� Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | 17

[ weed ] Seeing Through the Smoke Christopher Gallagher

Thank NORML as you puff, puff and pass the turkey

United States; ... [and a] lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision”) alongside cocaine and heroin. NORML’s first big movement was the dissemination of information concerning Title II, Part F of the Comprehensive Drug Prevention and Control Act, a commission headed by former Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Raymond P. Shafer, which concluded that, “(T)he criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use. It implies an overwhelming indictment of the behavior which we believe is not appropriate. The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior, a step which our society takes only with the greatest reluctance,” a de facto recommendation for decriminalization that was ignored by President Nixon at the national level. The work NORML undertook following the Shafer Commission led to cannabis decriminaliza-

tion laws being passed in 11 states during the 1970s. In 1972, NORML brought its first lawsuit against the Drug Enforcement Agency with the goal of rescheduling cannabis for medical use, a legal action that was illegally mothballed by the government for more than a decade and a half; the eventual decision on the case, made in 1988 by the DEA’s own Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis Young, ruled that “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis, marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical care,” a decision that set the stage for the Associated Press incredible nationwide expansion of first, medical (starting with a San Francisco ordinance) and now, recreational cannabis legalization in the last 25 years. NORML’s 46-year crusade saw its single biggest victory realized on Nov. 7 with the passage of recreational cannabis ballot initiatives in four states: California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada, and medical initiatives in an additional four states. So, today, unless you live in the Deep South (excepting Florida, which passed a medical law during this election) your access to and, indeed, quality of cannabis can be traced very directly to the National Organization for the Repeal of Marijuana Laws; be sure to send blessings and thanks their way as you puff, puff and pass the turkey. Christopher Gallagher lives with his wife and their four dogs and two horses. Life is pretty darn good. Contact him at chrstphrgallagher@gmail.com.

244411

ith discussions these days of “Pilgrims” and “Indians” inevitably leading to Columbus, genocide, dispossession and a whole bunch of other topics that do nothing positive to aid digestion, today we’re going to settle into the sweet zone and give true thanks to a group of people that all of us fans of Mary Jane can appreciate – the National Organization for the Repeal of Marijuana Laws, better known as NORML. Based in Washington, D.C., and founded in 1970 by Keith Stroup, the nonprofit group of affiliated, international, national and state cannabis advocates is guided by their mission, “to move public opinion sufficiently to legalize the responsible use of marijuana by adults, and to serve as an advocate for consumers to assure they have access to high quality marijuana that is safe, convenient and affordable.” With well over 150 chapters worldwide, NORML is in the vanguard of lobbying to change laws regarding cannabis across the United States and Europe, with expansion into Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Jamaica. NORML has been in the fight for the long haul; the group’s inception in 1970 coincided with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act, the most virulent anti-cannabis legislative actions since the days of Henry Aslinger and Reefer Madness. The CSA established marijuana as a Schedule I chemical (defined by “a high potential for abuse; ... no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the

18 | Wednesday, November 23, 2016 • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[Netflix and chill — 420 edition]

November Commuter of the Month Anthony Savastano rides his bike to work downtown every day. He has only driven his car 10 days during the last two years. He says: “Riding my bike is more fun than driving a car. It’s on par with a cup of coffee in the morning when it’s chilly out. Sometimes I have to put in long hours at the office and biking home helps alleviate stress and clear my head.”

‘Children of Men’ People are using the word “apocalyptic” a lot lately. It’s probably because a xenophobic, racist, sexist, white supremacist has been elected president of the Free World, and everybody’s freakin’ out. But no matter where your politics stand (I think it’s clear where mine do, but I don’t want to proselytize), Alfonso Cuarón’s “Children of Men” is both relevant and worthwhile. The film demonstrates what a true apocalypse might look like, sans zombies, nuclear warfare or rapidly spreading infectious disease. Set in Britain, the story details the condition of our world in the year 2027, when the youngest person on the planet has recently died and women are no longer capable of having children. No reason for this international case of infertility is ever given. The world Cuarón presents as our future is gray in color, claustrophobic and covered in graffiti, not to mention rife with chaos, death and scant signs of hope on the news. Things have gotten so bad the government finds it prudent to hand out “suicide kits” and regular rations of anti-depressants. Theo (Clive Owen) is the story’s reluctant hero, both ruggedly handsome and pissed off. His ex-wife, Julian (Julianne Moore, whose red hair is the brightest color in the movie) is a political activist who enlists Theo to smuggle a young refugee named Kee toward the elusive “coast.” This mission

is of the utmost importance because – spoiler alert! – miracle of miracles, Kee is pregnant. Kee and Theo must meet up with a mysterious entity called “The Human Project,” who we assume will treat Kee kindly and protect her from those who wish to use the baby for “political purposes.” In a world where no one is trustworthy, flooded with corruption and violence, a new baby signifies the much-needed reemergence of innocence and optimism. At one point, we watch Kee sitting alone on the swing set of a deserted playground outside some elementary school with broken windows. A world missing the sound of children’s play is a pretty pathetic one to behold. It’s a noise you might not relish until it’s gone. “Children of Men” won critical acclaim for its incredible single-shot chase sequences. There is constant gunfire, rioting, screaming and rarely a quiet moment to be had - save for in the presence of a wonderful character named Jasper (Michael Caine, playing the role based on John Lennon), the only one unaffected by the surrounding madness. He resides in a woodsy cottage filled with all the things that still make life worth living: books, cats, music and marijuana. If I were stuck at the end of the world, I’d want to end up like this guy. I’m guessing most Durangoans would. —— Anya Jaremko-Greenwold DGO Staff Writer

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�� Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | 19

[love and sex]

Savage Love | Dan Savage

Oh the vore-or: Getting a grip on my boyfriend’s fetish I’m a very sex-positive girl and I finally convinced my boyfriend to open up about his fetishes. I could tell he was ashamed and torn about sharing them with me, but I’ve been with my fair share of guys and surfed the net for years, and I was convinced nothing would shock me. Well, it turns out he’s into soft vore. I’m not gonna lie, I was a bit put off, but of course I didn’t tell him. I started looking for information about his fetish, and it’s not as uncommon as I thought. I stumbled upon many websites for like-minded people, and my understanding of it is that vores really long for intimacy and protection. Is my interpretation correct? Also, after learning about it, I realized it’s less extreme than some of the stuff we usually engage in, like heavy BDSM, so I want him to feel fulfilled. Is there any way I can help him “act out” his fetish? He would like to be the eatee. Fully Understanding Lover’s Longings Vore, for readers who aren’t familiar with the term, refers to a spectrum of kinks that involve being eaten alive or eating another creature alive. Vore is divided between “soft” and “hard,” kind of like BDSM. Soft vore doesn’t require simulated bloodshed (it mostly involves fantasies of being swallowed whole), whereas hard vore involves the (imaginary!) ripping of flesh and the (simulated!) shedding of blood. Large creatures capable of swallowing and/ or devouring humans are important to this kink, as you’ll discover if you do an image search for “vore” on Google. Since most vore fantasies involve creatures that qualify as fantastical beasts, i.e., large and nonexistent beasts (megakinkfauna?), vore fetishists are forced to construct elaborate fantasy narratives, build their own creatures or seek employment at the Jim Henson Company (where they can sneak in after hours and repurpose vore-scale Muppets) in order to get off. Before you can determine which way to go – assuming your boyfriend wants to “act out” his fantasies in the first

place – you’ll have to get more details. Is he into the intimacy and protection aspects of vore? Is it an extension of a mouth and/or pregnancy fetish? Does an interest in bondage factor in? Learning more about what gets him going – besides the whole being eaten alive thing – is the first step. Once you know exactly what it is about vore that turns him on, FULL, begin your explorations with roleplay and dirty talk. Ramping things up slowly is always a good idea with varsity-level kinks, so try sexting each other and/or creating dirty vore stories together over e-mail. If your boyfriend wants to get physical, start with mouthy things like biting, licking, sucking, etc., combined with dirty talk about digesty things like chewing, swallowing, gastric juicing, etc. If everything goes well, you try to bring his fantasies to life using props, costumes and stage blood. Try zipping him up in a sleeping bag to simulate being in a stomach – filling it with a gooey liquid will make it feel more like the inside of some fantastical beast’s stomach – but be careful not to smother him if you do “full enclosure.” (Smothering someone to death, intentionally or unintentionally, is bad. #TheMoreYouKnow) Finally, FULL, I want to commend you for not freaking out when your boyfriend shared his kink. You listened calmly, you did a little research and you gave it some thought. For that, I’m upgrading your GGG card to platinum. Any advice for a first-time sex-toy buyer? I’m looking into vibrators, but I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on something that doesn’t do it for me. Very Into Buying Electronics “VIBE should go to a sex shop in person so she can physically pick up and turn on the models she’s considering buying,” said Erika Moen. “If possible, go to a shop that advertises itself with any of the following words: feminist, queer, LGBTQ+, sex-positive, woman-friendly,

trans-friendly or inclusive, as these places tend to be staffed by people who are passionate and genuinely invested in helping folks of all walks of life.” Moen and her partner, Matthew Nolan, have been making the “Oh Joy Sex Toy” comic for three years, which combines reviews of sex toys with really awesome/hilarious/radically-inclusive sex ed. And Moen, who has personally tested hundreds of sex toys, wants you to rub one or two out before you go shopping. “VIBE should pay attention to the kind of action that feels good or gets her off,” said Moen. “Does your clit like super-direct focus? The smaller the head of the vibrator, the more laser-like the precision. Do you like lots of overall, engulfing stimulation that covers a lot of ground? The larger the head, the more surface area it’ll cover and the vibrations will be more generally distributed across the entire vulva, from outer labia to clit.” For best results, Moen recommends buying two toys, VIBE, if you can swing the expense. “Get a generic bullet vibe first,” said Moen. “They’re about $15 to $20 – it’s a model that has a control box you hold in one hand and a cord that connects to a simple vibrating egg shape that you hold in your masturbating hand. Try it out at home, and then based on how you did or did not enjoy it, purchase a more expensive, high-quality model ($60 to $120) based on the kind of vibrational stimulation you learned you want (or don’t want) from that first cheaply-made model. Personally, I recommend the Minna Limon and Vibratex’s Mystic Wand for smaller-sized, decently powered vibrators. And then the big guns that’ll blast you to the moon and back are the Doxy and Vibratex’s Magic Wand (formerly known as the Hitachi Magic Wand). Best of luck to you!” “Oh Joy Sex Toy: Volume Three,” a new collection of Moen and Nolan’s terrific column/comic, was recently released by Limerence Press. Follow Moen on Twitter @ErikaMoen.

A friend and I want to go to the inauguration in January with the intention of standing with our backs to the ceremony as a peaceful protest statement. A handful of people doing this won’t say much, but if hundreds/ thousands of people did this, it could send a message to the world that the majority of us did not vote for him and are not supporting his hate. Do you feel this would be a worthwhile action to try to organize (along with giving money and time to organizations that support social justice) and, if so, would you give voice to this idea to your readers/listeners? Peaceful Protester I’m torn. On the one hand, we need to stand against Trump and what he represents and his inauguration. Like his campaign and his nomination, his election is an outrage. On the other hand, flying is expensive and lodging in DC isn’t cheap. Perhaps our registering-our-opposition-to-Trump money could be better spent? There’s nothing about going to DC that precludes making a donation to the American Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org) or the National Center for Lesbian Rights (nclrights.org) or the International Refugee Assistance Project (refugeerights.org), of course, and symbolic acts of resistance (demonstrations, zaps, protests) often inspire people to engage in practical acts of resistance (donating money, monkey-wrenching discriminatory “registries,” urging local elected officials to not cooperate with anti-immigrant/anti-Muslim directives). So if heading to DC to protest on Inauguration Day feels right and necessary, PP, you have my full support. But I’m going to spend the day making donations, baking cakes and sucking [rooster]. Dan Savage is a nationally syndicated sex advice columnist writing for The Stranger in Seattle. Contact him at mail@savagelove.net or @fakedansavage on Twitter and listen to his podcast every week at savagelovecast.com.

20 | Wednesday, November 23, 2016 • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[happening] Head start holiday shopping at DAC We all know they exist. The jag-off who buys all their presents at Walgreens on Christmas Eve. Don’t be that asshat. Instead, head over to the Durango Arts Center, 802 East Second Ave. From this Friday through December 23rd, the Barbara Conrad Gallery will be transformed into the Winter Solstice Invitational Artisans’ Market. The market will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. More than 40 regional artists will be represented at the holiday bazaar. Fine arts and crafts to be showcased include (but aren’t limited to) jewelry, ceramics, paintings, note cards, photogra»» Mosaics by Janet Grenawalt at the 2015 Winter Solstice Artisans’ phy, ornaments, Market at the Durango Arts Center. textiles, wood and metal works and calendars. There’s something there for every budget. Put down that half-wrapped frozen burrito. Don’t gift it. Get yourself over to the Artisan’s Market to give the gift of local art. Jerry McBride/BCI Media file photos

»» Hats by Julia Klema at the 2015 Winter Solstice Artisans’ Market at the Durango Arts Center.

Wednesday

For more more information, go to http://durangoarts.org/winter-solstice-artisans-market/.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

8:15-9:15 a.m., Boys and Girls Club, 2790 Main Ave., (next to Durango Community Recreation Center), $5, props provided, 259-0385.

Durango Community Thanksgiving Dinner, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., La Plata County

Open mic, 7-11 p.m., Steaming Bean, located downstairs at the Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, theirishembassypub. com.

Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

Henry Stoy, piano, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-

Bluegrass Jam, 6-9 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, theirishembassypub.com.

Friday

Sunrise Yoga adult classes, 7-8 a.m. or

Two-step dance lessons, 6:30-7:30

p.m., $10, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., 799-8832. Geeks Who Drink trivia, 6:30 p.m.,

BREW Pub & Kitchen, 117 W. College Drive, 259-5959. Pub quiz, 6:30 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub, 900

Main Ave., 403-1200. Pingpong and poker tournament, 8

p.m., Moe’s, 937 Main Ave., 259-9018. Karaoke with DJ Crazy Charlie, 9 p.m.,

Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., 3752568.

1-mile kids run, 10 a.m., FLC Clock Tower, www. imathlete.com/events/durangoturkeytrot.

Winter Solstice Artisans’ Market opening, featuring more than 40 regional

artists and their work, Nov. 25-Dec. 23, Durango Arts Center, 802 East Second Ave., 2592606. San Juan Mountains Association’s Trees for Conservation fundraiser opening day, noon-6 p.m., hours this sea-

son will be noon-6 p.m. Sunday-Friday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, D&SNGRR parking lot on College Drive. Pete Giuliani Band, noon, Purgy’s

Slopeslide, 1 Skier Place. Singing with Santa, caroling procession,

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Saturday

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Sunday Pierre Bakery, 601 Main Ave., 385-0122. Irish music jam session, 12:30 p.m.,

Holiday Bazaar, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Breen Com-

Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, www.theirishembassypub.com.

munity Building, 15300 Highway 140, 7495338 or 749-9896.

Jazz church (experienced musician drop-in session), 6 p.m., Derailed Pour

Indies First Day and Small Business Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., local authors and

House, 725 Main Ave., 247-5440, www.derailedpourhouse.com.

literary personages working as booksellers include Chuck Greaves, Mandy Mikulencak, Herald A&E Editor Katie Chicklinski, DGO Editor David Holub and more, buy a recommended book from a guest bookseller at 15% off, free digital audiobook from Libro.fm., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave., 247-1438,www.mariasbookshop.com. Henry Stoy, piano, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-

Thursday

5:45 p.m., First National Bank of Durango to Buckley Park, DowntownDurango.org/SingingWithSanta.

Durango Turkey Trot race, presented

Andy Janowsky, 5:50-10 p.m., Diamond

by Mercy Regional Medical Center, 5-mile race,

Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Larry Carver, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Pierre Bakery, 601 Main Ave., 385-0122. Black Velvet duo, with Nina Sasaki and

Karaoke, 8 p.m., 8th Avenue Tavern, 509

East Eighth Ave., 259-8801.

Monday Four Corners Arts Forum, 9 a.m., KDUR

91.9/93.9 FM, www.kdur.org. Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Ska

Brewing Co., 225 Girard St., yoga and a pint of beer for $10, www.skabrewing.com. Spoken Word, 7-9 p.m., Steaming Bean,

located downstairs at the Irish Embassy Pub, Continued on Page 22

�� Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | 21

[happening] Writers Descend on Maria’s

Where should we

DGO tonight?

What do writers do when they aren’t writing? They hangout out at bookshops. Join local authors this Saturday from 10 to 4 p.m. at Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave. in Durango. Booknerdin’ will abound as inkslingers recommend their favorite authors and books to the public. If you end up liking what you hear, any book bought by a local author’s rec will be 15 percent off. Bonus: You can get a free audiobook download from Libro.fm. Want to make sure you meet a certain author? Here’s the schedule: 10 a.m. - noon: Katie Chicklinkski, Dave Stiller 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Phil Duke, Chuck Greaves, David Holub Noon - 2 p.m.: Sharon Mehesy/Eberly Mehesy, Megan Kinney 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.: Mandy Mikulencak, Patty Templeton 2 p.m. - 4p.m.: Cheryl Clay, Shaila Van Sickle The cost is free. Unless you buy books ... and you should buy books. Local books. Bestselling books. Buy all the books. For more information, check out http://www.mariasbookshop. com/indies-first-day.

Your #1 source for what’s going on around Durango dgomag.com/calendar

From Page 21

Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200, theirishembassypub.com.

900 Main Ave., 403-1200, theirishembassypub. com.

Geeks Who Drink trivia, 6:30 p.m.,

FLC Music Student Recital: Shishan Wong, flute, 7 p.m., Roshong Recital Hall,

www.fortlewis.edu/music.

Tuesday

Scenes From The Musical Stage, 7

p.m., free, Roshong Recital Hall, FLC. Ping-pong and poker tournament, 8

Brewing Co., 225 Girard St., 247-5792, www. facebook.com/SuperTedsTriviaAtSkaBrewing.

Karaoke with DJ Crazy Charlie, 9 p.m.,

Open Mic Night, 8 p.m., Moe’s, 937 Main

The Fort Lewis College Jazz Ensemble and The Pan-American Ensemble, 7 p.m., $5 adults/$1 children, Community

Concert Hall, FLC, 247-7657, www.durangoconcerts.com.

Wednesday

to the DGO calendar with

Pub quiz, 6:30 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 403-1200.

Super Ted’s Super Trivia, 6:12 p.m., Ska

Ave., 259-9018. Fort Lewis College Jazz Ensemble and Pan-American Ensemble Concert.

+ Add an Event

BREW Pub & Kitchen, 117 W. College Drive, 259-5959.

Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt Display, 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Student Union

Building lobby, FLC, 799-2081. Bluegrass Jam, 6-9 p.m., Irish Embassy

p.m., Moe’s, 937 Main Ave., 259-9018. Wild Horse Saloon, 601 East Second Ave., 3752568.

Submissions To submit listings for publication in DGO and dgomag.com, go to www.swscene.com and click “Add Your Event,” fill out the form with all your event info and submit. Listings at swscene.com will appear both at dgomag.com and in our weekly print edition. Posting events at swscene.com is free and takes about one business day to process.

22 | Wednesday, November 23, 2016 • • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A discussion with a partner or close friend will be super-intense this week. However, the bottom line is that you want to make things better for everyone. This you all can agree on. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) At work this week, you’ll have intense relations with foreign countries or people from other cultures. You are enthusiastic about introducing reform and ways to expand. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) This is a great week to make ambitious vacation plans. In fact, all your ideas to socialize and explore the arts and enjoy yourself are exciting! CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Bizarro

You have great real-estate opportunities and chances to improve your home

in the coming year. This week is a good week to start thinking about what you want to do. LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) Your enthusiasm for something is the energy that will carry you through. That’s because everything basically starts in your mind, doesn’t it? VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) This is an excellent week to think of how to boost your income now and in the future. Trust your moneymaking ideas. You can do this. LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) Because lucky Jupiter is in your sign this year for the first time since 2004, you are on a roll! Make the most of this opportunity to explore your good fortune. SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21)

Powerful things are taking place in your life now, which affects your view of the world. This is why you want to explore your inner world more deeply.

this year. You are getting an inkling of what is going to happen by what you are planning this week.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21)

The support you receive from others is undergoing a major overhaul. The bottom line is simply this: It has to benefit you. Make sure this happens.

You might join a group or be involved with people who will change your way of looking at things. They will expand your world and affect your future goals.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20)

BORN THIS WEEK

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18)

You are charming, quick-witted and intelligent. You also are cooperative and helpful. This year is strong. In 2017, something you’ve been involved with for about nine years will end or diminish to make room for something new. It also will be a year of service to others, plus a wonderful year to travel. Get ready for a fresh, new cycle waiting in your future!

Big travel plans or an introduction to a belief system might change your life

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) This year, you have a chance to really boost your reputation in the eyes of others. This week, you begin to see ways to do this.

[Best of Twitter] I get that we’re a society of inconsistencies but we really gotta figure out whether we’re swiping these cards or inserting them, I’m fed up Hanif Abdurraqib @NifMuhammad

People saying Trump “tweets to distract” remind me of how my mom thought our dog knew when it was his birthday. Hayes Davenport @hayesdavenport

Literally the most powerful men in the world are whining on Twitter because a cast of diverse actors said “Please think of us, sirs.” Tauriq Moosa @tauriqmoosa

�� Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | 23

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2016

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