Culture Magazine NorCal March 2016 by Culture Magazine

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

contents 03.16 Vol 7 IssUE 9

EXCITING AND ELECTRIC AWOLNATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aaron Bruno speaks exclusively with CULTURE about eclectic inspiration, independence and getting creative with cannabis.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

ON THE COVER: Photo provided by Red Bull Records

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

contents

inside

03.16

70 features 66

The Complexity of Organic Cannabis Regulators begin weighing in on pesticides like never before.

The Emerald Isle Wants Green Too! Ireland is making headway in medical cannabis access.

Industry Insider Cannabis Attorney Christian Sederberg is one of the pioneers behind Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legal cannabis scene.

Determination Down Under

Spiritual And Hilarious

More people use cannabis in Australia than anywhere else in the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and now, legal access is on the way.

Comedienne Bobbie Oliver talks about how embracing Taoism and cannabis has shaped her career.

Embracing Heritage Gaelic Storm has been mixing traditional Irish music with modern influence for 20 years.

online Exclusive!

departments news

reviews 66 Cool Stuff 70 Strain, Edible & Concentrate Reviews in every issue 76 Shooting

18 News Nuggets 20 By the Numbers 22 Political Push

68 Entertainment Reviews

Gallery 78 Growing Culture 80 Destination Unknown 82 Profile in Courage 88 NorCal Now!

90 News of the Weird

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

84 Recipes

d Scientists Isolate

The 'Paranoia Gene' in Cannabis Smokers d Facebook Attacks

Cannabis Collective Pages

Vol 7 IssUE 9

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

CULTURE M

Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett Editorial coordinator Victoria Banegas Editorial Contributors Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Anthony Herrold, Pamela Jayne, Heather Johnson, Joe Jatcko, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Tyler Markwart, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson Art Director Steven Myrdahl production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Jonathan Ibarra Regional Manager Gene Gorelik Account Executives Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Cole Garrison, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Chris Thatcher, April Tygart general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson director of digital media Brian Gingrich digital media Editor David Edmundson Ctv Contributors Anna Logan, Chris Salazar Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla

Culture速 Magazine is published every month and distributes 30,000 magazines at over 600 locations throughout the Bay area. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture速 Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 2175 Sampson Ave. | Suite 118 Corona | California | 92879 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com

CULTURE速 Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

/freeculturemag

/iReadCulture

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

NEWS

nuggets Proposed Excise Tax Could Bring in $100 Million in Annual Revenue for California Northern California Senator Mike McGuire has introduced Senate Bill 987, which would impose a 15 percent state-wide sales tax on medical cannabis, according to Redding Record Searchlight. McGuire estimates that SB-987 will ring in $100 million annually and is intended to help out with costs regarding cannabis legislation in local governments. The bill would direct 30 percent of this tax revenue to The Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulations, which in turn would distribute the funds to local governments to help pay for costs of regulating the booming medical cannabis industry. The rest of the estimated income would go into public programs, with 20 percent towards maintaining state parks and 10 percent towards county substance abuse programs.

Pharmacies in Croatia Set to Distribute Cannabis Capsules Cannabis capsules are expected to hit pharmacy shelves in Croatia sometime this month, according to Total Croatia News. With the help of a Canadian manufacturer, the Institute of Immunology will be distributing capsules with small amounts of cannabis oil, at less than one tenth the cost of capsules on the black market. According ˘ to Vecernji List, a monthly dose of capsules on the black market costs 15,000-20,000 kuna ($2,224-$2,965 USD). Director of the Institute of Immunology, Dr. Nevenka Kovac, states that their capsules will only cost patients 1,500 kuna for a monthly dose. Although there is not currently a set price on cost of the capsules, Kovac states that it will be determined based off of transportation costs and profit margins. Medical cannabis has been legal in Croatia since October 2015, however, substances like cannabis capsules will only be available to those suffering from AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, cancer and Dravet Syndrome.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Medical Cannabis Clinics in Sacramento Now Allowed to Grow Indoors It’s a new day for medical cannabis clinics in Sacramento as they are now permitted to grow plants indoors. The Sacramento City Council voted to approve the movement on February 2, which will allow indoor grow sites in warehouses, located in designated agricultural zones, that are 22,000-square-feet or less in size, according to Fox 40. This movement is expected to bring millions of dollarsworth of tax revenue to the city. One of the directors at Cana-Care, Lanette Davies states, “This industry brings in millions of dollars. The average dispensary brings $104,000 a year in extra tax revenue to the city per dispensary.” Although this is good news for the cannabis community, some business groups worry that this motion will scare off developers from surrounding neighborhoods. The city has given itself a 45-day moratorium, enough time to put legislation in place.

Senate Bill 73 Will Allow Patients to Legally Medicate in Utah Things are looking up for medical cannabis patients in Utah. With the efforts of Senator Mark Madsen, Senate Bill 73 was approved and will allow patients to ingest cannabis with recommendation from a certified physician. Under SB-73, cannabis can be ingested through vaporizing, oils and edible consumption, but smoking the plant is prohibited. Illnesses that qualify patients to legally use medical cannabis under SB73 include Alzheimer’s, AIDS, ALS, cancer, Crohn’s disease, PTSD, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis and chronic pain. Senator Madsen tried to make medical cannabis legal last year during a legislative session but was defeated in the senate. This year’s bill was approved because it was equipped with research from stakeholders, state agencies and industry leaders, as reported by KUTV. Like other medical cannabis markets, Utah’s will be highly regulated for patients, doctors and collectives.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

The number of Californian cities that medical cannabis delivery service Eaze delivers to: (Source: The Columbian)

NEWS

The percentage of tax on future commercial cannabis cultivation for medical or recreational use, according to a new ballot initiative in progress for Sacramento: (Source: The Sacramento Bee)

The minimum number of people that will be hired to work for the newly appointed California “cannabis czar,” Lori Ajax: (Source: San Francisco Gate)

The number of patients that were served by cannabis delivery service Eaze over the last five months in Palo Alto and Stanford: (Source: San Jose Mercury News)

The number of years that HempCon was held in San Jose, excluding this year when it was relocated: (Source: San Jose Mercury News)

1,721

The number of residents in Chicago, Illinois who qualify to receive medical cannabis from medical collectives throughout the state: (Source: ABC 7 Chicago)

4,000

The amount of money, in billions of dollars, that was made from legal cannabis sales in the U.S. in 2015: (Source: CNBC)

5.4

The estimated amount of medical cannabis, in tons, that was consumed last year in (Source: Arizona Daily Star) Arizona:

CCIA’s 1st Annual Policy Conference

What: CCIA’s 1st Annual Policy Conference. When/Where: Tues, March 29. Sheraton Grand, 1230 J St., Sacramento. Info: For details, visit www.cacannabisindustry.org.

California Cannabis Association (CCIA) is the state’s leading entity in ensuring that the industry works collectively to advocate for cannabis locally and state-wide. Through education, CCIA strives to act as a resource for lawmakers pertaining to all areas of the cannabis industry while helping entrepreneurs and other experts maintain their ventures in the cannabis industry. Seeing that its members are busy maintaining their cannabis ventures, CCIA offers a variety

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

of events for networking and education. With changes in California’s cannabis policies coming about, it is time for members to buckle down and get legitimate insight, this is where the CCIA’s 1st Annual Policy Conference comes in. Not only will this event provide information on current cannabis policies in California, it will help members determine solutions to any problems their businesses may face with these changes. Act now, join CCIA to maintain a sustainable and safe business.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

NEWS

POLITICAL PUSH

California’s Cannabis Capitals:

Oakland and Humboldt by Sean Donahoe

As California’s cannabis industry steadies itself after the last few months of municipal freakouts, with ban after ban sweeping the state, let’s spend some time looking at the progress made in some friendlier territories. At the county level, there can be no other leader than legendary Humboldt County, heart of the famed Emerald Triangle and home to more than 4,000 outdoor cannabis farms. At the city level, the city of Oakland is home to Oaksterdam University and the famed Harborside Health Center. In both of these jurisdictions, elected officials and city staff understood well over a year ago that their respective local ordinances needed updating to prepare for new medical cannabis license types and for adult use legalization (likely) right around the corner. After many public meetings and with substantial effort by staff, both of these communities will soon have new regulations governing a newly expanded licit cannabis industry. Up north, the grassroots industry organization California Cannabis Voice Humboldt began hosting barbecues and informational sessions a year and a half ago, establishing personal and trusted relationships with members of

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

their Board of Supervisors and sending speakers to Rotary Club and local Chamber of Commerce meetings. Ongoing compliance outreach efforts of the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and a collaborative county staff has brought previously cautious cannabis farmers into the public eye as new, comprehensive medical cannabis cultivation ordinance was drafted, debated, re-drafted, debated again and ultimately approved. The resulting law allows for up to one acre of cannabis canopy per parcel to be cultivated in an environmentally sound and for-profit manner while staying true to the Emerald Triangle specialty of highend connoisseur, sun-grown cannabis flower. Farms are developing brand identities and listing their strains in catalogs to pick and choose from, while groups of farms are teaming up to form agricultural cooperatives to help better distribute and market the county’s famed bounty. In Oakland, the mayor and City Council have appointed a Cannabis Regulatory Commission which holds its meetings in the council chambers in city hall. We have been holding meetings since 2014 on the subject of adding licenses for cultivation,

manufacturing, testing laboratories and other activities to our existing dispensary ordinance, as well as adding more dispensaries licenses and delivery-services licenses. The majority of our conversation has not concerned operating conditions nor application procedures, which takes up the bulk of the conversation in most other jurisdictions. Back in February 2015 we laid out several proposed business activities and appropriate license types for each, then spent much of the rest of the year on other matters. From our experience, the most pertinent questions to consider revolve around zoning and placing business activities in appropriate parts of the city. Little more needs to be considered by local governments as they begin implementing the state MMRSA framework, yet cities and counties will likely continue to screw it up. Not a week goes by that we don’t see a city attempt to create guidelines for testing laboratories or a sheriff’s office attempt to determine how much cultivation yield a farmer should be allowed to produce. These types of micromanagement of commercial activity is frustrating to witness, yet it goes on and on. Hopefully, other California counties and cities learn to let the state agencies sweat the hard stuff and stick to that realm of decision-making that they are uniquely positioned to fullfill. Humboldt and Oakland should serve as an example to the rest of the state of what to do, while from Long Beach to Yuba there are so many examples of what local governments should not do. Not every locality has a homegrown activist organization or an appointed panel of experts, so it will be fascinating to local governments stumble their way towards better public policy. c

Marijuana Investor Summit The leading forum in the fastgrowing cannabis industry, Marijuana Investor Summit seeks to connect cannabis business owners, investors and hopefuls in order to create a sustainable market. This year, the event moves from Colorado to Northern California. Seeing that California is a hot bed for cannabis start-up companies, the Marijuana Investor Summit hopes to increase exposure for all participants through networking and other activities. While this summit serves as a great opportunity to create beneficial connections, it also serves as a leading resource in cannabis education, helping those who participate to understand the industry better. Come out and enjoy the resources and connections Marijuana Investor Summit has to offer, from business networking to panels to a fun Friday night party, this event has a variety of activities to offer that will not leave you disappointed. WHAT: Marijuana Investor Summit. WHEN/WHERE: Thurs, March 3-Sat, March 5. Hilton Union Square, 333 O’Farrell St., San Francisco. INFO: For tickets and details visit www. marijuanainvestorsummit.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

Organic Rules

Just in time for planting season, state regulators weigh in on pesticides like never before

by David Downs

Washington State regulator Erik Johansen gives lots of public talks to farmers about pesticide use, and he expects a mute shrug or maybe one or two questions in response. Not with cannabis. “The enthusiasm for me to be there is just—they line up afterward to shake my hand, and they thank me,” said the Department of

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Agriculture policy assistant. “Cannabis growers have as many questions as you have time to answer. If you have handouts, every last one will be gone. They’re hungry for information.” Fact is: America’s amateur and professional cannabis gardeners are getting more state guidance than ever before. Medical and recreational cannabis laws in 35 states

have forced officials to weigh in on what should be allowed on cannabis crops—which can be tainted with dangerous chemical sprays. State agencies are responding with unprecedented, official lists of allowable pesticides. These guidelines are rudimentary, but they’re a historic start. State agencies in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and beyond are now routinely posting and updating

lists of approved pesticides. California’s Water Board released a modest, one-page list. Colorado’s allowable pesticides list is 26 pages long, and Washington’s list is 22 pages long. Oregon released a list of 257 allowed pesticides on February 5. America now has a patchwork of cannabis pesticide laws, with two New England states mandating their programs be completely organic. >>

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

California’s Allowable Pesticides And Uses Sulfur Mites, flea beetles

Neem oil Mites, powdery mildew

Predatory nematodes Root diseases

Potassium bicarbonate; sodium bicarbonate Powdery mildew

Azadirachtin Aphids, whiteflies, fungus gnats, leafminers, cutworms

This guidance is the first minor step in cleaning up America’s cannabis supply. Thousands of consumers will likely sicken themselves or others either applying or consuming pesticides on cannabis. Significant amounts of black market cannabis, as well as medical and recreational supplies are tainted, experts say. Under total prohibition— cultivators face little official consequences for spraying. Some farmers will do anything to save the valuable crop, which is subject to infestation from dozens of pests and diseases.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

The United States’ first medical cannabis law in 1996 and adult use law in 2012 have helped ignite efforts to clean up legal supplies. Since cannabis is still federally illegal, no pesticide is federally approved for use on cannabis. So states are guiding growers to the most benign active ingredients already allowed for use on analogous crops like tobacco or herbaceous herbs. They’re adapting EPA guidelines of “minimal risk” natural pesticides exempt from mandatory approval—often essential oils, and beneficial molds, fungus, insects or

other animals. “Until things change federally—it’s kind of tough,” said Johansen who developed Washington’s allowed list. “It’s not a perfect system, but it’s a system that at least tried to address [the issue] by allowing things that are fairly low in toxicity.” Legalization regimes have also begun mandating testing of supplies, which have helped reveal commonly banned pesticides in use. Colorado’s mandatory pesticide screening has resulted in 19 product recalls in 19 weeks as of early February, affecting hundreds

of thousands of items in circulation, from vaporizer cartridges to edibles. In January, an Oregon lab caught the pesticide abamectin in supposedly organic “Guardian Mite Spray.” Washington State regulators verified the finding, leading to a national advisory and the pulling of Guardian from store shelves. Washington fined two commercial cultivators in the last year, but guidelines can have the most effect on home growers who now have a concise list of allowed products to use, Johansen said.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

Just Getting Started “There’s no reason at this point to open this industry to chemical dependency. That’s where the states should be right now. It’s a huge opportunity. I wish we had these opportunities in some other crops that don’t need pesticides.”

Washington cannabis farmers now have about 80 allowed active pesticide ingredients, versus about 1,000 for an apple farmer. The state is under pressure to add more allowed chemicals. “I think we’re being fairly conservative and there’s a reason for that. We just don’t have data to go any further,” Johansen said. Consumers who want to ensure they are inhaling clean products must either grow their own according to new guidelines, or buy products that come with an independent, third party certification for “organic”grade cleanliness. In Washington, two

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

companies—Certified Dank and Clean Green—provide such certifications. “It’s tough right now, to be honest with you,” said Johansen. “I think we’re beginning to get a handle on it. The industry by and large has been very supportive.” In California, the Department of Pesticide Regulation will help set standards for allowable levels of pesticide residue this year, officials told CULTURE. Jay Feldman at the non-profit Washington D.C. advocacy group Beyond Pesticides said America has a golden opportunity to ensure the next major legal crop is fully organic. Colorado’s 26-page list is already too lax, Feldman said. States are giving users a false sense of security, when regulators should be enforcing federal law that no pesticide has been evaluated, let alone approved, for use on cannabis. Copying EPA recommendations from tobacco “is really un-protective of public health and the environment,” he said. “I would say it’s worse than nothing.” Beyond Pesticides advocates banning all pesticides on cannabis, except organic ingredients listed as OMRI-certified (minus registered pesticides) as well as the EPA’s “minimal risk” “25b” list. Cannabis has a chance to be a global agricultural role model, instead of another dirty crop, he said. “There’s no reason at this point to open this industry to chemical dependency,” Feldman said. “That’s where the states should be right now. It’s a huge opportunity. I wish we had these opportunities in some other crops that don’t need pesticides.” c

Usual Suspects Banned Pesticides Commonly Found in Cannabis Myclobutanil: Fungicide. Active ingredient in notoriously popular Eagle 20 pesticide. World Health Organization (WHO) considers it “slightly hazardous.” Label warns of nervous system problems and toxic fumes.

Imidacloprid: Insecticide. Found in popular Merit and Mellet brand pesticides. WHO considers it “moderately hazardous.” Considered moderately toxic in ingested or inhaled.

Abamectin and the avermectin chemical family: Insecticide. Found in Avid and Lucid pesticide brands. The Pesticide Action Network lists avermectin as a “bad actor,” and Avid is labelled as “harmful if inhaled.”

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

Medical Cannabis Gains Headway in Ireland Dr. James Linden is working hard to get Irish patients access to medical cannabis

by Victoria Banegas

In last year’s March issue of CULTURE, we told the story of Dr. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, who introduced cannabis as a medicine in 1839. Over 100 years after O’Shaughnessy revealed to the western world the medical benefits of cannabis, his homeland remains in opposition of his findings, as cannabis is still medically illegal in Ireland. Cannabis became illegal in Ireland and the rest of the U.K. in 1928 following the 1925 Dangers of Drugs Act. However, doctors were able to prescribe cannabis for a while, until 1971 when the Misuse of Drugs Act was passed. Since then, cannabis has remained strictly illegal in Ireland, making access to the plant nearly impossible. Luckily, another Irishman and doctor, James Linden, has been leading the Dublin-based research firm GreenLight Health in a quest to make medical cannabis legal in Ireland, by highlighting its effects on various medical conditions. >>

3434

March March 2016 2016iReadCULTURE.com iReadCULTURE.com

With a number of people in Ireland suffering from conditions like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), glaucoma and cancer, the black market is their only source to turn to for medicine. As of last year, being in possession of a substance like cannabis resulted in a €2,750 fine and up to 12 months in prison. Seeing these ludicrous penalties, Linden and his group began working a campaign to address this issue to the government. With hopes of utilizing some fundraiser money for its campaign, GreenLight Health created a page on fundraising Indiegogo, where they were only able to raise €147. Although the amount of financial support shown to GreenLight Health was null, the team has found other investors, Linden told CULTURE. In an effort to revolutionize Ireland’s medical cannabis market, Linden and the team at GreenLight Health have been working hard, “researching and developing effective and affordable cannabis medicines,” according to Linden. As the only Irish pharmaceutical company dedicated to producing medical cannabis products, the team is currently implementing a trial of supplements designed to treat joint and muscle pain, as well as arthritis. Not only does GreenLight Health hope to improve the lives of those affected by conditions that are seemly only treatable with cannabis, the company hopes to create 500 research and development jobs within the next five years. When asked why he decided to start up a cannabis research firm, Linden explained in the podcast Newstalk, “Cannabis gives people relief from symptoms of cancer but it also gives people relief from chemotherapy but there is also research that shows THC, one of the cannabinoids in cannabis . . . directly impacts tumors and can kill cancerous cells.” He finished by saying, “that kind of research is breaking through and we realize that there’s an opportunity in Ireland, an English speaking country, good pharmaceutical exporting country, great knowledge based around research, door steps of Europe and America, to get a very interesting cannabis research and development company going here.” While medical cannabis remains unobtainable for patients, in November 2015, the Irish government revealed plans to move towards decriminalization of substances like cannabis. Chief of Ireland’s national Drug Strategy Aodhán

“Not only does GreenLight Health hope to improve the lives of those affected by conditions that are seemly only treatable with cannabis, the company hopes to create 500 research and development jobs within the next five years.” Ó Ríordáin, even expressed plans to open injection rooms as a way to show empathy towards heroin addicts. If empathy can be given to addicts of a substance with no known medicinal value, patients in need of medical cannabis in Ireland should not have to suffer much longer. Hopefully, with efforts put forth by Linden and his team, patients will have access to effective and cost affordable medicine without having to pay the penalties. c Photo by Patricia Hofmeester

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

“I believe people in this country should have an option to use a substance that’s objectively less harmful than alcohol and not face the collateral consequences of using that substance.”

I ndustrynsider I Cannabis Attorney

Christian Sederberg by R. Scott Rappold

If you live in Colorado and enjoy cannabis, the next time you walk into a store and make a legal purchase, you can thank a lawyer. Specifically, you can thank Christian Sederberg and Brian Vicente. They’re the Denver attorneys who helped

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

guide Colorado from the dark depths of cannabis prohibition to a system of regulation and taxation that is a model for the rest of the nation. Yes, the voters approved medical and then recreational use, but as they say, the devil is in the details, and the lawyers made sure the nascent cannabis industry had a strong voice in how legalization was rolled out. And from the Rocky Mountains to the nation’s capital to the United Nations, the work has only begun. “I believe people in this country should have an option to use a substance that’s objectively less harmful than alcohol and not face the collateral consequences of using that substance,” said Sederberg, 37, whose chrome-domed, bespectacled mug you might recognize from any number of television appearances. “It really should be an individual choice and the people who suffer most are not upper or middle class folks, its generally people of lower socio-economic status and people of color who have taken the brunt of the prohibition model.” >>

Photos by Joel Meaders

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

it Began in college It could be argued that Colorado’s cannabis revolution began on the campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder. It was there in 2005 cannabis advocate Mason Tvert coordinated a successful student voter initiative to make the penalties for cannabis the same as for alcohol. That same year Denver voters approved possession of up to one ounce. Sederberg, himself wellacquainted with cannabis growing up in Denver and studying law at CU-Boulder, graduated that year. Though he was strongly procannabis, he went to work for a big law firm, handling corporate and real-estate transactions and all the regulations they entail. Not exactly Perry Mason type of lawyering. He was on a ski trip in 2009 with Vicente, his friend and fellow attorney who had founded Sensible Colorado four years earlier to advocate for legalization. Vicente suggested they start a law firm focusing on cannabis law. Colorado’s voter-approved medical cannabis system was exploding, thanks to a relaxation of regulations on the number of patients dispensaries could serve and the fact the Obama Administration had indicated the federal government wouldn’t interfere if properly regulated. Sederberg sensed the opportunity to be part of something special. “If there was going to be statewide regulatory system they were going to need business lawyers,” said Sederberg. In May of 2010, he quit his job. He hasn’t looked back.

A maze of regulations Corporate law paid pretty well. Sederberg discovered cannabis law did not. “At first there were zero dollars coming in. I had to borrow money from my parents for rent,” he recalled. That didn’t last. Dispensaries and growers were facing tight deadlines to comply with everchanging laws. The requirement

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

“I feel like the luckiest person in the world to be able to work with the people I work with.” of vertical integration—meaning dispensaries had to grow most of their own—was resulting in plenty of “shotgun weddings” between the two. Local governments were enacting their own rules or banning dispensaries outright. Along with representing individual businesses, he became a “citizen lobbyist,” testifying at legislative hearings, sitting on task forces and speaking for the industry at city council meetings. “In 2010 our structure was really truly the first full, top-down, state-regulated and locallyregulated system,” said Sederberg. “And a system of collecting taxes and having an enforcement arm that can address licensing issues and putting this in the hands of responsible business owners that are regulated by the government is really the reason why we were ultimately allowed to proceed.” By 2012, Colorado cannabis advocates had decided it was time to take another stab at full legalization. Voters had rejected such a measure in 2006, but much had changed. Hundreds of medical dispensaries around the state had not caused an increase in crime or major societal problems. Attitudes towards cannabis were changing, and a Presidential election year promised a big turnout. If you’re reading this, you probably know how it turned out. Cannabis won.

Devil in the details Sederberg and Vicente were both key players in the legalization campaign and the laborious process of determining what form it would take. Yes, cannabis was legal to possess, but when it came to how >>

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

“The thing we’re obviously most proud of is the fact that we were told the sky was going to fall. We were going to get marijuana legalization and it would have such a negative impact on business and the growth of the state and that simply hasn’t been the case.”

it would be grown and sold to the adult public, the devil was once again in the details. Sederberg was appointed to the governor’s Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force. Though Washington had also approved recreational cannabis, Colorado, with its existing medical cannabis infrastructure, was to be the test case, and the world was watching. Four years later, he gives Colorado a grade of A-. “The thing we’re obviously most proud of is the fact that we were told the sky was going to fall. We were going to get marijuana legalization

and it would have such a negative impact on business and the growth of the state and that simply hasn’t been the case,” said Sederberg. “If you look at the way it was rolled out in Washington and Oregon, it went nowhere as smoothly as ours did. Not that it was smooth, but I think people look at our program and say, ‘Wow. They’ve done it in a way that works. Needs work but really does work.’” Some concerns remain, including rules that prohibit former felons from being involved in the industry; a requirement that owners be longtime Colorado residents; a lack of oversight on

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

pesticides in grow operations; the lack of banking options for cannabis businesses; and the ban on public use that basically gives tourists nowhere to legally consume.

Taking it global These days, the VicenteSederberg law firm has offices in Denver, Boston and Washington D.C. They travel often; Sederberg has spoken at the United Nations about cannabis and visited Uruguay. He points out that, though lawyers occasionally get a bad name, they have been involved in pretty much every

major policy change in the nation’s history. He’s proud to be part of this one, and for the record, is having much more fun than he did as a corporate lawyer. “I feel like the luckiest person in the world to be able to work with the people I work with . . . To be able to be really at the forefront of something that involves the intersection of entrepreneurship, social justice, criminal justice and really something that is fundamentally changing the way the United States operates. It’s an incredible privilege that I make sure to tell myself not to take for granted.” c

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

Australia Slowly Integrating Legal Medical Cannabis into Its Culture

“Our cannabis reforms started in the 1980s in South Australia. We have had two decades of creeping liberalization of our cannabis laws at the state/territory level. I think this process will accelerate now, but that it will still take a couple of decades before Australia taxes and regulates cannabis in all states and territories.”

The legalization movement is taking place all across the globe by Victoria Banegas

In 2012 The New York Times published an article stating that Australians consumed more cannabis than any other people in the world. Come 2016, and the country’s love and support of the plant seems not to have changed. A bill was presented to Australian Parliament on February 3, that would allow the cultivation of cannabis for medical and scientific reasons, according to Reuters. If approved, the bill will create a national licensing and permit outline that will allow individuals suffering with conditions like chronic pain to participate in a clinical trial to determine the effects of medical cannabis. This is a big step in cannabis medicine as several Australian states have allowed research on cannabis, but growing the plant has remained illegal. Reuters reports that the country received imported cannabis from international sources, but high prices and export barriers caused shortages in supply and limited access for patients. Australia’s Health Minister Susan Ley states that, “Allowing controlled cultivation locally will provide the critical missing piece for a sustainable legal supply of safe medicinal cannabis products for Australian patients in the future.” Cannabis became illegal in Australia at the 1925 Geneva Convention, a

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

meeting organized by the League of Nations to discuss the use of cocoa, opium and eventually cannabis. Australia’s Director of Alcohol and Drug Law Reform Foundation stated that the meeting was intended to make each plant illegal, except for scientific and medical purposes. Ben Mostyn, a lawyer and founding member of the Australian Drug Law Reform Initiative at the University of New South Wales told Vice this only happened because no one was really familiar with cannabis at the time and Australia gave in to pressure from the U.S. and the League of Nations to make the plant illegal. As years passed, cannabis use in Australia was little known until the 1960s. Substantial use of the plant during this time encouraged Australian officials to consider increasing penalties for those caught in possession of cannabis. Luckily, in 1977, an Australian Senate committee recommended to decrease penalties for those in possession, eventually leading to decriminalization of cannabis in some Australian states in the ‘90s, and the 2000 cannabis cautioning scheme, which allowed authorities to give a warning to first time offenders for possession of cannabis. Fast forward to 2015, the Andrews Government in Victoria legalized locally cultivated cannabis, with the intent to

make the plant accessible to children with intractable epilepsy by 2017, according to The Premier of Victoria. Currently, over in Melbourne, The Austin Hospital is currently seeking 60 children volunteers suffering from intractable epilepsy to participate in a study that will analyze the effects of CBD on their condition. Although these steps are being taken towards the legalization of medical cannabis, recreational legalization like that in Colorado and Washington will take many years and much effort to achieve in Australia. President of Australia’s Drug and Law enforcement, Dr. Alex Woodak told Australian magazine The Vine “Australia will not see ballot initiatives on taxing and regulating cannabis like Colorado and Washington states,” adding. “Our cannabis reforms started in the 1980s in South Australia. We have had two decades of creeping liberalisation of our cannabis laws at the state/territory level. I think this process will accelerate now, but that it will still take a couple of decades before Australia taxes and regulates cannabis in all states and territories.” The current bill that was recently presented to Australia’s Parliament is another stepping stone in the country’s quest to acceptance and overall legalization. The Australian Parliament has until the end of March to decide just what will happen with the legalization of cannabis. c

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

A Successful Journey Comedian Bobbie Oliver opens up about Taoism, failure and cannabis by Jasen T. Davis

Bobbie Oliver knew she wanted to do stand-up comedy from a very early age. “When I was 19 years old, I used to watch The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” she says. “I was so in love with Gary Shandling, The Smothers Brothers and other comics, but when I saw Roseanne Barr on television I realized I could do standup, too.” Success was not easy for Bobbie, but she learned that comedy was a

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

voyage, not a destination. “My goals were immature when I was new to the art form.” Like most comics new to Los Angeles, The Tao of Comedy author and comedian wanted to be on television, but as she performed and eventually began to teach stand-up, she realized that within the art of the joke, there were essential truths about living life waiting to be discovered. “When I started to get into Buddhism

and Taoism I didn’t make the connection to how it would affect my comedy until I started teaching and people started to ask me questions and I had to come up with answers for them,” she says. “That’s when I realized that I was dealing with something that was organic, similar to the principles of Buddhism and Taoism. I had taken comedy classes, but the books I had read didn’t seem to grasp that concept.” >>

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

One concept she had learned to appreciate both onstage and in her study of the Tao was mindfulness, the idea of being in the moment, totally aware. To Bobbie, part of the Tao is that we are all unique. A stand-up comic doesn’t need to craft a character, they are their persona. “People would say, what is your persona? I started young, and I’ve been doing comedy for 27 years now. There are things I’ve learned in just the last 10 years. When you search for your persona, you are searching for your one true self,” she says. ”God turns himself into myriad things to see himself from that point of view. That is our job. You are doing a disservice to your true self if you adopt a persona. That’s why so many comedians go wrong; they try to do an impression of a person instead of being themselves.” Bobbie teaches comedy and presents shows at her own place, The Tao Comedy Studio. Part of her training is the concept that a standup comic shouldn’t just be a hollow joke machine, but a force of justice for the oppressed in a world of prejudice. “I teach that comics should punch-up,

they shouldn’t punch-down. Don’t make jokes about homeless people. Make fun of the system that put them there.” In a proper joke, homeless people aren’t the target . . . they are the ones pulling the trigger. “It used to be that the audience was only straight white dudes. They would tell jokes about

“If it wasn’t for pot I’d be dead or in jail. I’d be in a totally different place right now if I couldn’t smoke it.”

Asians or black people. But now a lot of marginalized audiences are starting to be heard and comedy has changed,” she says. “Mean comedy is wrong. Standup comics should be using their powers for good, not evil.” Having fought for a career in a town dominated by men, Bobbie has made it easier for women by presenting an all-female show for females only. Males are not allowed. “I wanted to give women a place to where they could just share experiences with each other and bond. Since there are like 20 spots in a lineup and just one woman, other women won’t get a chance to perform,” she says. In addition to

giving women greater opportunity, the event also serves as group therapy where female comics can bond. “If you put even one man in the room, women start to get competitive. I noticed that when no men were in the audience, it was a more positive, spiritual experience.” Although she is not a canna-comic, believes that Bobbie cannabis cures a lot of ills that pharmaceuticals can’t, and she has tried many solutions during her long, turbulent career in the entertainment industry. “If it wasn’t for pot I’d be dead or in jail. I’d be in a totally different place right now if I couldn’t smoke it,” she says. c

www.bobbieoliver.net | www.TheTaoOfComedy.com

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

Keeping the Irish Spirit Alive Irish band Gaelic Storm creates music for the people by Simon Weedn

“. . . the music just seems to bring the past alive and helps inspire this innate sense of coming together.”

For many, it might be hard to believe that 2016 marks Gaelic Storm’s 20th anniversary as a band. What started out as a small group of friends playing their traditional Irish music at their favorite pub quickly burgeoned, with a little help from an appearance in the movie Titanic, into one of the most well-known and successful Celtic bands to rise out of America. While deeply rooted in Irish and Scottish musical influences, Gaelic Storm has distinguished themselves from the rest of the Celtic scene by not only composing great volumes of original material, instead of relying on tried and true traditional songs like countless other Celtic acts, but also by incorporating aspects of other musical traditions as well. Though the band’s line-up has undergone a few changes over the years, Gaelic Storm continues to be helmed by its two founders, Patrick Murphy and Steven Twigger, and the group remains just as strong and powerful, both on recordings and in concert. In light of this month’s St. Patrick’s Day holiday, CULTURE reached out for a conversation with Steven Twigger to hear all about the attraction and charm of Irish music, the band’s inspirations, and of course, his opinions on cannabis.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Though a lot of your music is composed of original material, your sound is obviously very rooted in classic and traditional Irish music. What is it about that style and sound that you think people continue to find so alluring? Steve Twigger: You know, I think it’s a connection to the past. Especially in America here, people are fairly obsessed with their heritages. As one would be, this is a vast country and you can become anonymous very quickly here. So, to root themselves in their own history is an important part of connecting. The songs themselves are based on a storytelling tradition; a lot of our songs are story driven, so that’s easily relatable as well. Then, of course, there’s just the great party spirit of the jigs and reels that we play. Additionally, the Scottish pipes are just stirring in nature. So, I don’t know, the music just seems to bring the past alive and helps inspire this innate sense of coming together. >>

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

We heard that your album Chicken Boxer was inspired by a trip to Ireland to reconnect with your roots. Have there been any other experiences that you or the band has had in recent years that have seriously inspired or affected your song writing? For that album, Patrick and I went off to Ireland and traveled around; I believe we did 1,100 miles in a week. As you said, a lot of songs came from that, and continue to come from that experience. But, we meet amazing people along the way all the time that inspire us. As we gotten older we’ve lost a few good friends, which inevitably happens, and songs like “What A Way To Go” are inspired by that, by the spirit of somebody else’s life. Songs like that are about the common experience. We get people that come up to us after our shows, shake our hands, and just say, “Thank you, thanks for the music it got me through this

band time,” or, “It helped me celebrate this good time.” People get married to our songs; people get buried in our songs. Just to know that we’re part of that very serious nature of life, we take that very seriously, because of that we try and take inspiration from our fans. They can just be ordinary people and ordinary lives, but we try and put that into song. You all tour the country extensively and get to see a wide variety of people and social movements. What are your thoughts on the cannabis legalization movement, happening around the globe? I’m not against it in the slightest, let alone for medical purposes. Anything that helps people I’m all for. It makes sense to me to legalize it, there are way too many people filling up the jails for what I’d consider minor offenses. Any type of musician is around marijuana all the time, everybody knows

“Anything that helps people I’m all for. It makes sense to me to legalize [cannabis], there are way too many people filling up the jails for what I’d consider minor offenses.”

that it’s all out there, and I’m all for legalizing it generally, and very specifically medically if it helps. Besides your current tour, does Gaelic Storm have any other ambitions for 2016? We started a documentary towards the end of 2014 where we started filming a tour up through Utah, The Rockies and way on up through Idaho and Washington State, and we interviewed various interesting people we met along the way. We did this to show the world all of the kinds of various characters we meet while we’re on the road. So, this is going to be an ongoing project, and what we thought was maybe going to be a yearlong project might turn out to be a five year project. Eventually though, we’d like to cover the whole country and show people the diversity of people whom we encounter. It’s tentatively titled, American Crossing. c www.gaelicstorm.com

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

By Addison Herron-Wheeler

Everyone in the 21st century is familiar with the feeling of

Aaron Bruno is no stranger to being in the limelight, but has

being roped into an awkward social situation and wanting

always preferred the D.I.Y. ethics of underground subgenres,

to leave to work on a craft, see a significant other or just go

an ethos Bruno brings to his high-profile status as leader

home and sit in front of the television. AWOLNATION has

of this wildly successful new band. While AWOLNATION

created an ode to that loner mentality with his musicâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;his

may be experiencing pop stardom, Bruno keeps his feet

very name references the urge to suddenly go AWOL and

planted firmly on the ground. In between hiding out and

disappear, and reaching a whole nation of people who want

making awesome music, Bruno took the time to chat with

that same thing. As a seasoned hardcore and punk musician,

CULTURE about music, cannabis and success. >>

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Photos provided by Red Bull Records | Live photos by Matthias Heschl

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

How does having a background in punk and rock inform what you do as the leader of an electronic band? How do you think those influences and the electronic elements of the band work together? I feel pretty lucky that I went down that path—I took that road in a lot of ways because it gave me a completely different perspective than someone who is aspiring to be in a big rock band or a big pop artist. I didn’t ever take those aspirations too seriously, but I felt at home in the hardcore scene and the punk rock scene. At that time, there was no way to really promote your band online; you had to go to local high schools, flier cars and get in trouble for that, or go to other concerts of minor bands, so if

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

nothing else I learned how to operate as a functioning band and how to do everything on my own, so the work ethic of that was great, feeling like it was you against the world. Those are things that are invaluable to me, and on an artistic or more musical tip, I feel there are a lot of great parts in a lot of the songs that I listened to my whole life that people haven’t heard, so I am lucky I have a library from that world of influences that maybe others wouldn’t pull from. I feel like it’s an advantage for sure.

Do you listen to mostly electronic music or rock? Have you always had an eclectic taste in music? I never listen to just one kind of music—I think there

is greatness in all forms and genres of music. I spend a lot of time trying to explore and look for new music—at least new to my ears. I am constantly trying to search for something that will mature my songwriting and craft. That’s always the hardest question to answer; I think it takes time to really decide if something lasts the test of time.

What is it like being signed to Red Bull Records? You’ve referred to that relationship as more of a “partnership” than a typical record deal— what do you mean by that? There are ups and downs just like everything else, but I think there would be a lot more downs if I was with a more traditional label. When they came to me they were

still new and hadn’t had any success with any of their bands yet. It has been really nice to kind of work together and navigate the wild west of the industry while we try to figure out how to have a presence in such an oversaturated marketplace. I didn’t want to do another major label deal because I had been involved in two prior and they didn’t work for me. When they came to me they offered to allow me to continue down this tunnelvision path I had in my mind which was to make a record with no compromises where I controlled the whole thing. It wasn’t that I had ego or wanted to be thought of as a solo artist—I just felt I didn’t want to have arguments and deal with the stress of having >>

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

other bandmates. My other band had broken up and I saw that as an opportunity to just go at this alone and really put it all on the line and utilize everything I had seen along the way.

Rumor has it the band name comes from your high school nickname. How did that nickname come about, and what made you decide to use that as the band name? The nickname came from my name being Aaron and a play on the first letter of the word, like a lot of rappers that came up at that time. As a joke, I called myself that, and then it became somewhat relevant when I realized I am bad at saying goodbye and getting out of a social situation where you have anxiety and want to disappear but can’t. I find that your good friends will understand when you are in a situation where you just want to leave and you do. At a certain point I attached “Nation” to it because I thought you might as well go for it and I have this ambitious movement in my mind that I never thought would actually happen, and then six years on we have somewhat of that ambitious dream before us. I just figured there had to be a hypothetical nation of people who had the same feelings on certain issues in life, and that is sort of what the name means to me at this point. But everyone has an interpretation of what the name means, so I don’t want to change what that means to anyone in general. Sometimes it is disappointing to discover the meaning behind names or songs, so I want to remain deliberately vague about it.

Which album do you feel best represents your career, and how do you feel your sound has changed since AWOLNATION first got together? I am in love with the newest record and very proud of it artistically—I think it is one of the best records >> 60

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com march

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

in years. Why do it if you don’t believe what you are producing is one of the best records of all time? I believe it; I really do; I don’t think anyone else is going to think so, but I still do believe it. I know a lot of artists who say they don’t like their records and I can appreciate that and relate to it, but it can be interpreted strangely because if you don’t think your music is good, does that mean you think your fans are lame for liking the music? I have a philosophy in my mind that I am very proud of the music I put out there.

What do you have in the works now—are you releasing a new album? I am of course producing and working and writing with two different artists—one’s name is Iron Tom and I am halfway done with their record—they are about to get some sort

of record deal and I just love them—I became kind of part of them. I threw everything I have into their songs—it has been a labor of love like everything else and has been my pleasure to mentor these kids who haven’t had the influence or help I had. I am very passionate and excited about the six songs they already have. People can look forward to hearing some of their stuff in spring or summer.

What do you have going on as far as tour plans or other projects? We are about to go on this arena tour with Fall Out Boy—they are so big that I don’t know if I’m even helping promote the tour (laughs). They have had this incredible career through the ups and downs and have lasted for a long time. It will be the first time we’ve played for a pop audience and gained

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

a few fans. I am still trying to get used to us being a headliner—a lot of times when we headline one of these bigger shows I am surprised that we are headlining.

Do any of you use cannabis recreationally or medically? Has cannabis ever been a theme in your music? I was completely sober until I was 21, when I had my first sip of alcohol and smoked weed for the first time. It seems to be the opposite for most people— they get in trouble at a young age and get caught smoking weed when they are 14, where I was too much of a nerd and was too afraid to try mindaltering stuff. It wasn’t until I was 21 and felt comfortable trying that stuff. It was a great experience, and there are so many benefits to it, obviously— but just like anything else, too much of any other thing can dumb down it being good.

It’s a weird question because I’d like to say it’s a good thing for everyone but it doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. Sometimes you are in a good headspace and sometimes you are not. There have been ups and downs, but mostly I find it to be a wonderful thing. And creatively speaking, everybody knows it’s great. Having said that I will tell you there have been many times that I thought something was incredible I had worked on and then listened with a sober mind and it was awful. (Laughs) It’s about finding the balance.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers? I always want to thank anyone who took the time to read this or be part of this interview and took the time to care about what I think in any way—it’s a pretty interesting feeling. c

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

REVIEWs

For More Products Go To www.iReadCulture.com

1. Times Hemp Company T-Shirts

3. BULLET Bluetooth Earpiece

North America’s premium hemp apparel brand. From cut and sew to fabric dye, every manufacturing process is done by small business owners in L.A.’s Fashion District. Times Hemp Company is on a mission to utilize and promote the industrial use of hemp and other organic materials with their great hemp apparel. PRICE: $35 MORE INFORMATION: www.timeshempcompany.com

The BULLET Bluetooth Earpiece is said to be the smallest of its kind, featuring lightweight design at 3.5g and it's also comfortable. It will allow you to not only take calls with its built-in microphone, but also stream music when you aren’t chatting up a storm. It uses CVC noise reduction, and has crystal clear sound. While it has a battery that will keep going for about six hours, it makes sure you won’t be without as it comes with a capsule for charging that can juice it up four times over. PRICE: $150 MORE INFORMATION: schatzii.com

2. Neyya Smart Ring Finally, one ring to rule all. The Neyya Smart Ring uses gestures such as swiping and tapping to let you have full control over presentations, calls, music, camera and more. It’s like a universal remote for your life! From your T.V. to mobile phone; and it’s ready to go, right out of the box. It also has the capability to give you notifications through vibration for smartphone alerts and reminders. There are options of silver sterling titanium or a medallion gold finish. PRICE: $139 MORE INFORMATION: www.myneyya.com

4. Thync System 2

iReadCulture.com 66

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

GET YOUR CLICKS

HERE

A wearable technology that can give you relaxation and calm you down or can boost your activity and give you energy. Thync uses neurosignaling to activate specific cranial and peripheral nerves to influence a shift to a state of relaxation or energy in just minutes. From the elegant and curved design and fit of the lightweight module, to the bio-friendly materials used in the strips, to the simplicity and groundbreaking technology of the app, Thync is one of the first to comfortably and effectively aid an active lifestyle through wearable tech. PRICE: $199 MORE INFORMATION: www.thync.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

REVIEWs

entertainment

BOOK

WEED: The User’s Guide: A 21st Century Handbook for Enjoying Marijuana

Release Date: March 8 Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC

GAME

Tom Clancy’s The Division

David Schmader Sasquatch Books

Dev. Ubisoft Massive Pub. Ubisoft

In this busy and growing contemporary canna-culture craze, author David Schmader explores the cannabis culture in every facet, for a new and interested generation and audience. WEED explores the history, the uses, the medical and recreational effects and varieties of cannabis, as well as cannabis etiquette, what to do if you’re not having a good time while using, and what to do to keep yourself entertained while enjoying cannabis. With humor and factual information, this is a great new user’s guide to all things cannabis. (Alex Bradley)

New York is ravaged by a horrible smallpox virus that is spread on the infamous shopping holiday, Black Friday— five days later, the entire U.S. Government collapses. In The Division, you play as a member of a group of tactical agents who must prevent the fall of society at all costs. This thirdperson shooter offers highly detailed setting, including destructible environments and a unique weather system, and free-roaming capabilities that allow players to truly immerse themselves in the world. Team up with friends to take out those who are infected with the virus, as well as those behind its unleashing. (Nicole Potter)

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

MOVIE

Black Mass MUSIC

Warner Brothers Pictures Dir. Scott Cooper

In My Mind

Just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, one of the most brilliant and dark depictions of Boston’s Irish Mob, Black Mass, is on the shelves. With a story that seems almost too scary to be real, Black Mass handily showcases not only its stars’ acting abilities, but truly brings to life one of the most terrifying marriages of law enforcement and organized crime. Featuring such megastars as Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon and Johnny Depp, Black Mass takes viewers on a ride through the seedy bars, dark alleys and criminal underbelly of Boston’s Southie neighborhood circa the 1970s and ‘80s. (Simon Weedn)

Many listeners have become very familiar with the voice and style of BJ The Chicago Kid. BJ has brought a distinctive voice and soulful character wherever he goes. It comes as no surprise that The Chicago Kid’s debut album, In My Mind, is a tour de force of modern R&B, soul and hiphop, that features a relative "who’s who" of contributing artists and producers. In My Mind is a home run of a first outing for BJ The Chicago Kid. With songs and content this extraordinary, let’s hope we don’t have to wait another 10 years for the follow up. (Simon Weedn)

BJ The Chicago Kid Motown

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

REVIEWs

strain, edible & concentrate

Mochi Nugrun Shatter Attention true medical cannabis aficionados, HTP Group in Vallejo has a rare treat: Mochi Nugrun Shatter from Beezle and Sherbinski415 themselves. This is from some of the best buds, from one of 2016’s hottest strains, Mochi, subject to high-quality solvent extraction. The resulting shatter has a phenomenal amount residual terpenes that instantly verifies it’s Mochi. Mochi is leading breeder Sherbinski’s cross of Gelato and Sunset Sherbet, yielding a pungent, creamy berry, gas aroma with maximum knockout indica effects. This shatter performs like a brittle sap at room temperature—with a superb, light, gold, glassine color. Dabbing best showcases this product, and Mochi Nugrun Shatter vapes up like the hyper-clean distilled soul of Mochi itself, truly next level. Patients are inhaling high-THC extracts to quickly treat severe symptoms of pain and wasting without the smoke and irritation of raw flowers.

Available at: HTP Group in Vallejo.

Cookie Monster Get ready to engage Beast Mode! Cookie Co. 415’s Cookie Monster flower keeps it monstrous with a big, dense size, a burly, furry resin coating and swirling dark purple look. The aroma matches the size— we got huge, rich, gassy, sweet, purple, spicy hash notes that funked up the room. Cookie Monster really evoked the best of Girl Scout Cookies family’s scrumptious, complex smell—an original mix of an OG Kush, Durban Poison and purple indica. The Cookie Monster nugs were sticky, but perfectly dried and cured and seemingly too nice to pick apart and mash into the grinder. The ground smell was worth it, and Cookie Monster smoked big, thick and heavy, with massive, sweet-fuel-grape-pepper aroma. Patients vape or smoke high-potency indica flowers for a variety of reasons including nausea, appetite, pain and insomnia.

Available at: Cookie Co. 415 in San Francisco.

Blueberry Lemonade Gummies San Francisco’s resident baykers at The Baykery elevate their gummy game with these friendly, versatile Blueberry Lemonade Gummies. These Gummies come as half-dollar sized disks of fresh, translucent, gelatin goodness in several flavors. They have a fresh, light, vaguely fruity smell and a dry, clean professional feel with a floppy give. Ensconced in a darkened, resealable pouch, The Gummies taste fresh and well-made, with a prominent berry lemonade front note and no real trace of medicine. They’re great for beginning patients at San Francisco dispensary Grass Roots, with 50mg THC per package, and 25mg THC per gummy—equal to two standard 10mg doses of THC. Patients are ingesting these easy-to-dose edibles for a wide variety of indications, including agitation, insomnia, alzheimer’s or dementia, without having to smoke.

iReadCulture.com 70

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

GET YOUR CLICKS

HERE

Available wherever: Baykery Products are Carried.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

REVIEWs

Blueberry Muffins Blue Dream fans—this is your jam. Valley Health Options serves up dessert all day with this excellent cut of Blueberry Muffins—a cross of Diesel Berry and Super Silver Sour Diesel Haze. We instantly cued in on its light-green leaf, light blond pistils, smooth and dense look, dusty and caked in trichomes, and its smell—an electrifying blueberry. Blueberry Muffins’ genetic mix of Diesel, Floral Line and Haze is what makes it such a great Blue Dream analog. It grounds into a fine white powder and smokes light, grassy and mild, with the aftertaste of a hazy cherry AK. The Diesel and Haze gives it an uppy, focused effect—good for daytime book work and weekend cleaning. Patients vape or smoke hybrid flowers for a wide array in indications including daytime pain, nausea and stress, surveys show.

Available at: Valley Health Options in Sacramento.

Available at: various collectives throughout Northern California.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Punch Combo Punch Edibles prides itself on producing medicated edibles made with absolute shatter concentrates. Lab tested for potency and purity, Punch Edibles deliver both with quality ingredients and amazing taste. The Chocolate and Peanut Butter Punch Combos available in Bakersfield and in many collectives are well worth seeking out. Rich flavorful chocolate overlaying creamy peanut butter looks ever so tempting as you unwrap the freshness retaining foil wrapper. There are 225mg THC in every combo. Each combo bar is scored for nine separate pieces with each piece containing a modest 25mg THC. Consuming the entire bar could be a bit much for all but the most seasoned edible aficionados. Better to start out with just a couple and go from there. Beginners should definitely only consume one piece. They are so tasty that you will want it all, but play it cool and take it slow.

Fatty’s 3x Crazy Gorilla Glue #4 Pre-Roll Premium pre-roll maker Fatty’s ups the ante with their “3x Crazy” line, 100 percent flower, fortified with solvent-free wax, hash and kief. Pre-rolls are surging in popularity due to their ease of use and recognizable form factor. Often made with subpar plant material, pre-rolls are rightly eyed with suspicion by aficionados. Fatty’s 3x Crazy Gorilla Glue #4 stands up to scrutiny. The tightly rolled, consistent, quality pre-roll is coated in kief. We didn’t get a ton of terpenes from the sealed tube, but lighting the dense, potent pre-roll offered more than enough flavor. The GG#4 rosin wax, hash and kief give the pre-roll a thick smoke and slow burn on par with a cigar, and it can medicate several patients at once. Patients are smoking hybrid flowers fortified with extract for severe stress, PTSD, appetite and PMS, among other issues.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Available wherever: Fatty's Pre-Rolls are carried.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

REVIEWs

Available at: Airfield Supply Co. in San Jose.

White Widow CO2 Extract A classic strain in an ultra-modern extract form, White Widow CO2 Extract from Airfield Supply Co. in San Jose is lab-tested at three times as strong as the strongest flowers. Made by Wonder Extracts, this is a gold, semi-solid, gel that works best on dabbers. It’s very pure and consistent and high-quality, the result of fractional distillation, which removes most of the plant material while retaining most of the cannabinoids; and, it’s solvent-free. We got very little in the way of original White Widow terpenes in the oil, rather a faint CO2 hash smell. White Widow CO2 extract vaped ultra-light, and ultra-strong with a muted sweet note and ultra-strength, instant psychoactive effects. Patients are dabbing or vaping high-THC oils for serious conditions like cancer pain and nausea while still avoiding the smoke and carcinogens of raw flowers.

Cherry Orange Limeade Spring has already sprung with this sweet, citrus-flavored daytime medication for a variety of conditions. Carried by Caliva and grown outdoors by Mother’s Gardens, Cherry Orange Limeade is light-green-colored and medium density—a 70 percent sativa cross of the citrus-flavored Cali O and the very on-trend Black Lime. Cherry Orange Limeade terpenes leap from the jar, a bouquet of delicious, fruity, citrusy notes. Grinding unlocks more tangerine notes. The strain has a hint of Orange Hi-C taste, with quick-acting and pleasantly uplifting effects that aren’t racy, making the strain sought after by patients in need of mood support. Mild-to-moderate pain patients report love for this strain. Patients smoke these versatile hybrid flowers for a wide variety of reasons, from mild anxiety to severe HIV, anorexia and cancer.

Available at: Caliva in San Jose.

Girl Scout Cookies Rosin

Available at: Theraleaf in San Jose.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Behold, the future of extracts—solvent-free, but with all the facets of the best shatters we love. Carried by Theraleaf in San Jose, this Girl Scout Cookies Rosin shows what happens when extract artists push past quick and easy butane hash oil. Rosins are special extracts made with heat and pressure and dry screening, and little else. The method has swept through hashmaking circles, and this Girl Scout Cookies Rosin shows how far the practice has come. It’s perfect shatter: Consistent, clear, brittle and room temperature. We didn’t expect or find a huge terpene profile, but Girl Scout Cookies Rosin vaped very flavorful and clean. The only taste difference was an evanescent note of phytol—or green grass—long after the hit was over. These rosins can be multiple times as potent as raw flowers are and becoming a go-to option for patients who want a fast-acting high-THC formulation without the use of flammable solvents.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

SHOOTING GALLERY

CannaCon

photos by Duncan Rolfson 76

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN

by Ed Rosenthal

Last month, I planted 35 different varieties in six-inch round containers. They include 3/8-inch braided nylon wicks that hang down into a reservoir of water/nutrient solution. This provides passive irrigation, keeping the soil moist by replacing it, as needed using capillary action. I carried out my plan to have the plants grow vegatatively for 10 days, and then force the plants to flower by changing the lighting regimen from continuous light to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. I kept to the schedule, despite some unanticipated problems. I had prepared the soil using fibrous and chunky coir, previously used planting mix and homemade compost. As soon as the plants came in contact with the mix they began showing symptoms of various nutrient problems including Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and Iron (Fe) deficiencies as well as unidentified fertilizer burn. At first I thought it was only a Ca/Mg deficiency, which sometimes occurs even in fertilized water here in the Bay Area, because of the low natural mineral content. This is common in water derived from snow run-off, the San Francisco East Bay’s water source. I decided to add extra Ca and Mg to the water using a fertilizer composed of the two minerals. This solved some of the problems but there were still signs of overfertilization as well as Fe deficiency. Analyzing the symptoms further, I realized that the planting mix was the cause of the problems. The coir had been washed before it was used so I didn’t

Nutrient Problem Symptom Ca-Necrosis of edges and then interior of new as well as older leaves. It appears as brown dried spots. Mg-Leaves in the middle first and then in upper leaves as well, the veins remain green while the tissue between turns yellow. Fe-Upper leaves grow bright pale yellow. Fertilizer burn-Leaves curl downward or upward, sometimes look ultra-dark green.

COURAGE

DESTINATION

Testing The Varieties: Part 2

think that it was excess salts left from the manufacturing process. Other plants were growing in combinations of my aged used planting mix so I didn’t think that was a problem. That left the homemade compost. It had been slow aged for over a year and was crumbly with a healthy earthy odor. However, it was probably absorbing the nutrients from the fertilizer and preventing the plants from getting proper nutrition. The solution: run nutrient water solution through the containers three times over the next few days. This provided extra nutrients to the planting mix so that it would absorb as much as it could use. At the same time, the roots were able to absorb nutrients directly from the water. Within days the new growth showed signs of total recovery. I decided to move the plants to a larger space because they were growing more vigorously than I anticipated, even though they were flowering. I removed them from the grow tent and the 35 plants were placed in a four-foot by eight-foot tray in a greenhouse giving them just a little less than a square foot per plant to finish flowering. Right now they are getting natural light enhanced with eight hours of a 1000W HPS lamp on a track. Another lamp will be added shortly. c

TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK ED® Use spring light to enhance your garden. During the spring, south facing windows, sun patios and greenhouses receive light at an oblique angle, so the light penetrates into the space from the side. In the southern tier of the country they can be placed directly outdoors when the temperature rises into the high 60s. If you are just starting plants or are growing just a few plants you can save electricity by moving the plants from the electrically lit grow area and placing them in the sunlit space. The plants are returned to the electrically lit area when they become shaded.

Copyright by Ed Rosenthal. All rights are reserved. First North American Magazine rights only are assigned to culture Magazine. No other reproduction of this material is permitted without the specific written permission of the author/ copyright holder.

PROFILE

Next month: Flowering in full bloom!

The garden, one week the light period was reduced to 12 hours to force flowering.

THC Bomb one week after the light period was reduced. Notice that the plant was suffering from nutrient deficiencies.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

The garden two weeks later.

THC Bomb beginning to flower, and in recovery.

The garden a month from beginning flowering.

THC Bomb in full flowering and recovered.

THC Bomb close-up showing somewhat arrested flower development.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

culture

iReadCulture.com

HERE

RECIPES

growing

Time to Go: Spring Weather: Mild, cardigan weather $$$$$

if you go:

Illinois Lights Up for Spring Illinois is known for baseball, farm fresh produce and road trips in spring, but this year, the “Land of Lincoln” has one more reason to visit: 25 newly-opened cannabis collectives. Although Illinois’ medical cannabis law went into effect in 2013, it took until late Fall 2015 for about nine collectives to go online in Evanston, Schaumburg, North Aurora, Addison and Ottawa while another dozen have opened in the greater Chicagoland area this winter. In Spring, Illinois comes alive again with loads of outdoor adventures. Baseball used to be the state’s most popular pastime, but new trends are emerging including farm-to-table experiences at top notch eateries such as Elburn’s Heritage Prairie Farm, Fairbury’s Slagel Family Farm,

Caledonia’s Kinnikinnick Farm and Effingham’s Epiphany Farms. Illinois is also a place to explore some of the nation’s best craft breweries and distilleries. In Chicago, check out Revolution Brewing or tour J.K. Williams Distilling in East Peoria. While there’s no mountains to climb in this plains state, Illinois is the perfect place for cyclists, rock climbers and even aquatic escapes and underground cave networks. Don’t miss Savanna’s Mississippi Palisades State Park, Harrisburg’s Garden of the Gods and Madison’s Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Ready to head to Illinois farm land or the urban sprawl of Chicagoland this spring? Illinois has finally weathered its cannabis storm and is heading hopefully into the smooth waters of being a cannabis-friendly state. c

Actual medical cannabis dispensaries are so new to Illinois that it’s hard to gauge how a visitor should react. To get “licensed,” MMJ patients meet with a certified physician, fill out an application, pay $100 (fee is reduced to $50 for veterans) and provide an inordinate amount of documentation including an annoying fingerprint check and passport-sized self portrait. And even though Illinois’ has finally opened its dispensary doors, a historic anti-prohibition law was recently filed in the Illinois General Assembly. State Rep. Ken Dunkin filed House Bill 4276, which would allow adults 21+ to legally grow and consume cannabis. Illinois NORML says the bill also allows for “licensed retailers, commercial growers as well as private non-commercial production of cannabis.” The bill has some political backing as while lawmakers in Illinois are looking to add revenue to their state budgets and finding ways to create jobs, a recent study shows legalization in Illinois could add up to the beleaguered state’s $90 million in annual tax revenues.

Fun-Filled Facts Celebrate Spring’s colorful beauty by attending the annual Chicago Flower & Garden Show. This year, the show heads to Chicago’s renovated Navy Pier from March 12-20. The show features 20 lush and fragrant gardens created by top landscape architects. There’s also art, free activities for kids, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and loads of shopping for garden gadgetry. 1

PROFILE

COURAGE

DESTINATION

UNKNOWN

by Sheryll Alexander

GET YOUR CLICKS

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Illinois surprisingly has more than 100 wineries and vineyards located all over the state and even in Chicago itself. Just find the official Illinois Wine Country map to road trip through the state’s many vineyards or plan a wine-themed romantic escape to one of the state’s charming winery-based B&Bs. 2

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

culture PROFILE

COURAGE

DESTINATION

UNKNOWN

RECIPES

growing

Carlos Castro

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Age: 27 Condition/ Illness: Lower spine nerve damage, fractured L1-L5 and S1 Using medical cannabis since: 2010

Why did you start using cannabis? I was at home still bedridden from my fractures and injuries and I was on pain medication— vicodin and morphine— and it always left me in depression, always feeling bad and with intense headaches. One day, my brother said “Why don’t you try marijuana? Maybe it will help with your pain.” When I did, not even five minutes later, my pain was subsiding and I wasn’t feeling depressed, and I was able to eat fine. Then, after a while, I let go of my pills and just stayed with the medical cannabis. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. I started seeing significant changes in my mood, I wasn’t

depressed as much and now, I’m able to sleep at night without any pain. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? Yes I was on vicodin and morphine for awhile. I hated the feeling of it. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? The closed-minded people that don’t see past the “stoner” stereotypes. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? I would say it works and I’m proof that it can really make a difference for people. Don’t judge so quickly and pick up a magazine, read an article about it, look online for more answers. You will be surprised by the great benefits of medical cannabis. c

Are you an MMJ patient 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.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

culture

Canna-Pickled Vegetable

Infused Berry Perserves

RECIPES

growing

Canna-Dijon Mustard

For more of these recipes go to ireadculture.com

DESTINATION

UNKNOWN

Infused Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad

PROFILE

COURAGE

Roasted Red Pepper Canna-Hummus

Infused Kumquat Marmalade

March 20162016 february iReadCULTURE.com iReadCULTURE.com

Sweet & Spicy Infused Nuts

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

Menu:

Sweet and Spicy Infused Nuts Infused Kumquat Marmalade All About the Olive Tapenade

2 lemons, juiced 8 cups water, or as needed Directions

Payton Curry has a thriving non-cannabis restaurant called Brat Haus in Arizona, and works with dispensaries coast to coast developing local sourced, organically driven edible kitchens. He is hoping to broaden awareness of what he calls a “nutrient-rich vegetable” by writing the upcoming Nutritional Cannabis Cookbook. He teaches medical cannabis patients how to cook with cannabis and has partnered with the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona to provide free cannabis and cannabis cuisine classes to parents of sick children and the sons and daughters of aging parents. Payton has also just launched a raw cannabis juicing platform, which Payton says “showcases the abilities of marijuana to oxygenate aging blood cells and improve motor function all without being psychoactive.”

Finely chop the kumquats and oranges, combine them into a large pot. Add 3 cups of water per each cup of fruit. Let soak in a cool place for 12 hours, or overnight. Bring the fruit mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the rind is very tender. Remove from heat, and measure cooked fruit. Add one cup of sugar to the pot for every cup of the fruit mixture. Mix in the lemon juice, about 1/4 cup. Return the fruit to the pan, add in infused honey, and bring to a boil once again. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the gel stage is reached (the temperature of the marmalade should be between 220 to 222° when checked with a kitchen thermometer). Remove from heat, and skim foam from the surface. Transfer the mixture to sterile jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and seal immediately. Process any unsealed jars in a water bath for 10 minutes. Refrigerate until needed, or after seal has been broken.

All About the Olive Tapenade Ingredients 1 cup mixed olives, pits removed

culture

4 tablespoons cannabis-infused honey

2 oranges, rinsed, sliced and seeded

growing

6 cups sugar, or as needed

Charcuterie boards are classic artisanal creations, with house-made pickles, roasted nuts, pâtés, cheeses and meats. You can usually find them at your local craft cocktail lounge or new hip neighborhood restaurant. Well, these boards are also some of the most fun ways to cater your own party with sophistication and ease. Cannabis Chef Payton Curry created the perfect cannasseur’s charcuterie and cheese board exclusively for CULTURE. Good for both canna-friendly guests and non-cannabis using guests alike, we’ve got the perfect charcuterie and cheese board with a few classic and easy cannabis-infused details like roasted nuts, fruit preserves, artisanal potato salad, pickled vegetables and tapenade. With a little help from your friendly grocer, you can find no-stress, high end breads, meats and cheeses to finish off this versatile platter.

24 kumquats, rinsed and thinly sliced

RECIPES

Recipes by Payton Curry

Ingredients

UNKNOWN

Infused Kumquat Marmalade

DESTINATION

The Cannasseur’s Charcuterie and Cheese Board

Trou Normand 140 New Montgomery St., San Francisco (415) 975-0876 www.trounormandsf.com The Table 1110 Willow St., San Jose (408) 638-7911 www.thetablesj.com La Note Restaurant Provençal 2377 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley (510) 843-1525 www.lanoterestaurant.com

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Sweet and Spicy Infused Nuts Ingredients

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 cup raw nuts (your choice of nuts)

Directions

1 tablespoon cannabis-infused olive oil t

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chunky. Allow to rest overnight before serving.

1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions Preheat oven to 325°. Toast nuts on a sheet pan in your preheated oven for about 7-10 minutes. Once the natural oils have come out, pull nuts out of the oven and drop temp to 225°. Toss nuts in medicated oil, and then the sugar/spice mixture while they are hot. Return nuts to the oven on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 10-15 minutes.

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.

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com

Local eateries with similar dishes

3 tablespoons cannabis-infused olive oil t

PROFILE

2 garlic cloves

COURAGE

2 tablespoons white onion, chopped

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

NORCAL NOW! event listings

Open Mic Night, Every Tuesday

This fun, humble little café brings Italy to the heart of downtown San Jose. Enjoy a hot Panini and a cappuccino while local performers showcase their talents. Caffé Frascati, San Jose caffefrascati.com

Together, Skizzy Mars is touring across the U.S. to promote his music. Head over to his website to sample the album, and them see him live! Social Hall, San Francisco skizzymars.com

featured event

Totem and Taboo, Ends March 20

Inspired by Sigmund Freud’s book of the same title, this play tells the story of Ralph, a pain killer-addicted, stay at home dad. Aside from juggling household duties, Ralph is busy working on a complex book, and finding little luck getting it published. Central Works Theater, Berkeley centralworks.org

“Jean Epstein,” Through April 10

A prominent filmmaker during the interwar period, Jean Epstein created revolutionary films that integrated experimental techniques. Berkeley Art Museum, Berkeley bampfa.org

Skizzy Mars, March 6

In anticipation of the release of his new album, Alone

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

“Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective,” March 12-May 30

Including over 130 pieces produced over the course of five decades, “Oscar de la Renta: The Retrospective” showcases the designer’s influence in the fashion industry. With a diverse selection of garments, the exhibit is thematically organized, from Spanish, Russian and garden influences, to red carpet ensembles. de Young Museum, San Francisco deyoung.famsf.org

165th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival, March 12

Historically tied to the city of San Francisco, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival is an event that all people of different cultures can enjoy. Enjoy live performances, food, crafts and more activities that showcase Irish culture.

Steve-O, March 18-20

We all know that Steve-O is a pretty crazy guy based off the stunts he’s performed in the Jackass series. Cobb’s Comedy Club, San Francisco cobbscomedy.com

Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco uissf.org

Justin Bieber, March 15

Justin Bieber’s latest album Purpose, reveals a new more mature sound. Sure we loved the teeny bopper pop songs Bieber released when he was a teenager, but his new sound is something we’re not as ashamed to admit to liking. Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento sleeptrainarena.com

Legends of Hip-Hop, March 18

Throwing it way back, this concert features some of the biggest names in hip-hop

from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Some of the artists featured on the line-up include Coolio, Salt ‘n Peppa, Candy Man and Sir Mix-A-Lot. Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento sleeptrainarena.com

They Might Be Giants, March 25

They Might Be Giants (TMBG) has been around since 1982, and are known for their awesome, often educational, pop-rock hits. Any nerd who loves Weezer or The Aquabats! definitely has a place in their heart for TMBG. The UC Theater, Berkeley theuctheater.org

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

Chuck Shepherd's

News of the

Weird

LEAD STORY—STREAMING NEWS u (1) The “public art” statues unveiled in January by Fort Myers, Florida, Mayor Randy Henderson included a metal structure by sculptor Edugardo Carmona of a man walking a dog, with the dog “lifting his leg” beside a pole. Only after inspecting the piece more closely did many observers realize that the man, too, was relieving himself against the pole. Carmona described the work as commentary on man and dog “marking their territory.” (2) A recent anonymously authored “confidential” book by a National Football League player reported that “linemen, especially,” have taken to relieving themselves inside their uniforms during games, “a sign that you’re so into the game” that you “won’t pause (even) to use the toilet.” CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE u The popular Nell’s Country Kitchen in Winter Haven, Florida, was shut down again (for “remodeling,” the owner said) in December after a health inspector found that it had been operating for two weeks without its own running water—with only a garden hose connection, across its parking lot, to a neighbor’s spigot. It had also closed for a day earlier in 2015 because of mold, roach activity and rodent droppings (although management insisted that business had immediately picked up the day they reopened). u Oklahoma Justice: In 2004, abusive boyfriend Robert Braxton Jr. was charged with badly beating up the

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

three children of girlfriend Tondalo Hall, 20, with injuries ranging from bruises to fractured legs, ribs and a toe. Braxton got a deal from Oklahoma City prosecutors, pleaded guilty, served two years in prison, and was released in 2006. Hall’s plea “bargain” resulted in a 30-year sentence for having failed to protect her kids from Braxton, and she’s still in prison—and in September 2015 (following a rejected appeal and a rejected sentence modification), the Pardon and Parole Board refused, 5-0, even to commute her sentence to a time-served 10 years. GREAT ART! u Mike Wolfe, 35, of Nampa, Idaho, finally brought his dream to life for 2016—a calendar of photographs of “artistic” designs made by shaving images into his back hair. He said it took him about four months each for enough hair to grow back to give his designer-friend Tyler Harding enough to work with. (January, for instance, features “New Year” in lettering, with two champagne glasses; July’s is a flag-like waving stripes with a single star in the upper left). “Calend-hairs” cost $20 each (with proceeds, Wolfe said, going to an orphanage connected to his church). UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT u Jamie, 29, and Abbie Hort, 21, an unemployed couple drawing housing and other government benefits, won a United Kingdom lottery prize in December 2014 worth about $72,000, promptly spent it all (including “some” on “silly” stuff, Abbie admitted), and according to a January press report, are angry now that the government will not immediately re-institute their benefits. Abbie said, as lottery winners, she and Jamie “deserved to buy some nice stuff” and go on holiday, but that now, except for the

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

large-screen TV and Jamie’s Ralph Lauren clothes, the winnings are gone. Said Jamie, this past Christmas was just “the worst ever.” u Public relations spokesman Phil Frame, 61, was arrested in Shelby Township, Michigan, after a Jan. 1 Sheriff’s Office search of his computer and paper files turned up child pornography. The Detroit News reported that Frame had already been questioned about child pornography, in September, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and for some reason apparently was not intimidated enough (or was too lazy) to clear out his files. (The Homeland Security investigation is still ongoing). WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME (1) Neighbors in Inola, Oklahoma, complained in December and January about a Union Pacific train that had been parked “for

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

weeks” while tracks up ahead were under repair. Not only does the train block a traffic intersection, it triggers the ringing of the crossing signal. “It’s annoying, yeah,” said one resident, apparently a master of understatement. (2) At a ski resort in western Vorarlberg, Austria, recently, as the ski lift was temporarily stopped (to address a problem elsewhere on the lift), one occupied lift basket came to rest directly in front of the industrial-strength artificial-snowmaking machine, drenching the two passengers in a severalminutes-long blizzard (of which, yes, Internet video exists). WAIT, WHAT? u Fort Worth, Texas, firefighters, responding to a suspected blaze in January at a grain elevator, encountered smoke on the structure’s eighth floor—along with a man “juggling flaming batons.”

No explanation was reported (except that the man “did not belong there”). A department spokesman said his firefighters “put (the man’s) torches out.” u In December, animal protection officers in Halland County, Sweden, confiscated two cats that the officers found being “mistreated” in a home—coddled (by two women) as babies in “pushchairs” and spoonfed while strapped in high chairs. Both cats had been encouraged to suck on pacifiers, and one woman reportedly allowed the cats to suckle her breast. The public broadcaster SVT reported that the cats were removed from the home because they were not being allowed to develop “natural animal behavior.” UNDIGNIFIED DEATHS u (1) A 40-year-old man driving a stolen truck was killed after a brief high-

speed police chase on Jan. 14 in Alameda County, California. Police noted that the man had pulled to the side of Highway 238 to flee on foot, but fell to his death off a cliff—landing on the grounds of the San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery. (2) A coroner’s hearing in Folkestone, England, in January determined that a 16-year-old boy had died of accidental asphyxiation from spray deodorant. According to the boy’s mother, he preferred massive application of the spray instead of bathing, and police recovered several dozen empty spray cans in his room. UPDATE u Marie Holmes, that 2014 Powerball winner in North Carolina whom News of the Weird had reported in September rapidly running through her winnings by bailing her boyfriend out of jail (alleged drug dealer

Lamarr “Hot Sauce” McDow), had already tied up $9 million on two arrests. In January, Hot Sauce was arrested again (only for “street racing,” but that violated his bail conditions), and Holmes was forced to fork over another $12 million (as bond basically doubles with each violation, but Holmes would get about 90 percent back—if Hot Sauce shows up for court). (Holmes earlier addressed her critics on Facebook: “What y’all need to be worried about is y’all money ....”) A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC (OCTOBER 2011) u Refreshing the Witness: A convenience store clerk, Ms. Falguni Patel, was giving testimony in the witness box in the September (2011) trial of a man charged with robbing her in Hudson, Florida, two years earlier when she began shaking and then passed out. A relative of Patel’s approached, removed

her sneaker and held it to Patel’s face, without success. The relative explained that Patel was subject to such blackouts and that sniffing the sneaker often revived her. (After paramedics attended to her, Patel took the rest of the day off and went back to court the next morning). NEWEST FASHIONISTAS u In January, the upscale Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana introduced stylish hijabs and abayas aimed at Muslim women unafraid to call attention to themselves as they exercise their obliged modesty. D&G’s marketing effort even accessorized models’ headscarves and cloaks with stilettos and oversized, gaudily framed sunglasses. It was clear from the suggested retail prices that D&G would be pitching the line mainly in the wealthy Persian Gulf countries like United Arab Emirates.

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016

March 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

iReadCULTURE.com march 2016