2
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
3
C
NOVEMBER 2015
Contents 14
46
40
AND FREE 30 FEARLESS A MAN OF MANY TALENTS
48
Jesse Ventura spills about his fruitful career as an actor, wrestler, governor and his strong passion for cannabis legalization.
Features
ON THE COVER: Photo by Lauren B. Falk
36 . INDUSTRY INSIDER Master Bong is an entertaining professional when it comes to creating DIY cannabis devices out of everyday items.
6 . Letter from the Editor
NEWS
8 . News Nuggets 11 . By the Numbers 14 . SD Collective’s Supplier Loses License and Creates Hurdle for Patients 16 . legal corner
38 . Harvesting How-To Learn the basic steps for your perfect personal harvest. 40 . IT’S HARVEST TIME
Cannabis use in Pagan rituals has a fascinating history that goes back centuries.
reviews
42 . INFECTIOUS MELODIES Long-time reggae musician Pato Banton is extremely passionate, friendly and a huge fan of cannabis.
20 . STRAIN, EDIBLE &
concentrate ReviewS 26 . Cool Stuff 27 . Entertainment Reviews
44 . Holiday Gift Guide The best gift ideas for your favorite cannasseur!
Departments
45 . Growing Culture 46 . Destination Unknown 47 . Profiles in Courage 48 . Recipes 50 . News of the Weird
Portland Wants to Establish a 'Green Light District' for Cannabis
20
Canada's Newly Elected Prime Minister is ProRecreational Cannabis
GET YOUR CLICK HERE SEE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE
27
4
CULTURE // November 2015
WEB Exclusive!
www.iReadCulture.com
VISIT US AT
Look out for these icons to find out what website-only extras you’re missing out on!
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
5
Vol 7 IssUE 5
/freeculturemag
/ireadculture
/ireadculture
letter from the editor
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
Give Thanks “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”
N
-John F. Kennedy
ovember is a tumultuous month for nature, for politics, for your emotions, your busy schedule, and even your finances. The weather is changing, throwing your health and body clock into upheaval; you’re preparing for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, juggling family members, cooking, party planning and trying to save some money, all while trying to remain humble and gracious. With Veteran’s Day and Election Day this month, you’re worried about your future, your past and what’s best for your family, your community and the country. In this season of change, we watch the leaves change color, and we watch the politicians fight for our votes as we start to envision hope in our national future. We can see glimmering hints shining through the issues, arguments and strides toward a better tomorrow, taken one step at a time. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton both spoke up in favor of medical cannabis access at the Democratic Debate, and Sanders even came out in support for further cannabis legalization and criminal justice reform. Furthermore, many states are revisiting their older medical cannabis regulations, and some states—like Ohio and Maine—may be the next on the legal recreational cannabis train.
6
CULTURE // November 2015
Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson, Rick Thompson
Hemp and CBD are becoming legal and more accessible in the South, and many different states are enjoying the fruits of their very first legal hemp harvest. Even in the chaos of all the events taking place this month, we are given opportunities to be thankful in these busy events and bask in our freedoms, our ever-evolving community and the hope of nationwide legal access to cannabis in the near future. Election Day is a reminder of how hard we all fought for equal rights and the democracy of this great nation, and the inevitability of cannabis legalization; Veteran’s Day is a reminder of our rights in this country, and all our loved ones who sacrificed their lives so that we may continue to have those freedoms; Thanksgiving Day, of course, is a reminder to celebrate community, and give your time, energy and love to people without expecting anything in return, and to be thankful for the lives we lead. Even Black Friday can serve as a reminder to be thankful for the invention of capitalism and competition in this country (and amazing sales). As surprising as it may seem sometimes, November is all about giving thanks, observing the change all around us, and looking ahead into the future. Try to remember to stop every once in a while during your hectic schedule and be thankful. c Sincerely,
Evan A. Senn
Editor-In-Chief
Art Director Steven Myrdahl Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Tommy LaFleur Regional Manager Beau Odom Account Executives Greg Andes,Callie Belo, Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Ryan Dunn, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Yolanda Imoberstag, Emily Musser, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Chris Thatcher, Paulina Porter-Tapia, April Tygart Office Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson digital media Editor Kimberly Johnson Ctv Video Editor Deonica Panlilio Ctv Contributors Anna Logan,Chris Salazar Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes 20,000 magazines at over 500 locations throughout San Diego. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 3047 University Ave | #202 San Diego | California | 92014 Phone 888.694.2046 Fax 888.694.2046 www.iREADCULTURE.com
CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
7
C STATE _______________________
NEWS NUGGETS
San Diego Approves 11th Legal Cannabis collective
The San Diego Planning Commission has approved the county’s 11th legal cannabis collective, which aims to open in Stockton, east of downtown. The dispensary is one of 36 prospective facilities to open up in San Diego County since an ordinance was approved in 2014, allowing the legal operation of medical cannabis businesses. The 10 collectives that were previously approved include one in Mission Valley, Otay Mesa, Mira Mesa, San Ysidro, eastern Pacific Beach, Barrio Logan and Midway District, while Kearny Mesa has three, according to the San Diego Tribune. The Stockton collective will be a 4,412 squarefoot facility and has taken the last available opportunity to obtain approval in Council District 8. Although the city is working to open new legal medical cannabis collectives, action is still being taken against the remaining facilities that are being run illegally throughout the city.
Santa YsabEL Tribe’s Contracts Cannabis Enterprise
The Lipay Nation of Santa Ysabel is allowing a county-licensed medical cannabis collective to use a former casino facility that the tribe closed in February of last year to cultivate cannabis for medical patients. According to an email sent to tribe members in late September, representatives from the Santa Ysabel Tribal Development Corporation, Santa Ysabel Tribal Cannabis Regulatory Agency and U.S. Attorney’s Office agreed upon this enterprise throughout the course of several meetings. A member from the District Attorney’s office was given a walkthrough of the facility, as well as full descriptions of how the cultivation center will be set up. Modification has already taken place on the former casino facility, which will be renamed Santa Ysabel Botanical Enterprise Facility. Although this enterprise seems like another small step in the acceptance of medical cannabis amongst tribes, tribe member June Sortore, finds the
8
CULTURE // November 2015
tribe’s actions hypocritical since personal cultivation of cannabis is not currently allowed on the tribe’s reservation, even for medical patients, according to East County Magazine.
__________________________
NATION South Dakota Tribe to Open World’s First Cannabis Resort A small Native American tribe in Flandreau, South Dakota, known as the Santee Sioux, has already begun making plans to open the world’s first cannabis resort on its land. Due to high competition and the residual effects of the recession affecting the Santee Sioux’s casino business, the tribe was searching for new ways to increase customer traffic, according to the New York Post. As a result, the leaders of the tribe have decided to grow their own cannabis and sell it in a smoking lounge that will feature bar and food service, arcade games and eventually expand to offering slot machines and an outside music venue. The tribe estimates that this venture will bring in $2 million a month, which will add to income generated from casino revenue. The resort is expected to begin business in January of 2016, with the first sale expected to take place on New Year’s Eve.
__________________________
World Cannabis Cultivation Legalized in Victoria, Australia
Victoria has become the first Australian state to legalize the cultivation of medical cannabis for patients suffering from conditions such as cancer, HIV/Aids, epilepsy and chronic pain. This came after the Victoria Law Commission’s Report on Medicinal Cannabis was approved by Parliament. The report includes 42 recommendations on how to safely cultivate, manufacture and transport cannabis within Victoria, as well as patient eligibility and the need for ongoing research, according to Premier of Victoria. While the government only fully accepted 40 of the recommendations, the other two were accepted in principal, which will allow medical cannabis to be conveniently accessible for patients in need. Eligible patients will be granted access to cannabis products such as oils, tinctures and vaporizable liquids but will not be able to legally ingest cannabis in smokable form. Medical cannabis is expected to be fully legal in Victoria by 2017 with children suffering from severe epilepsy given priority access. c VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
9
10
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
C
+
by the numb3rs
11
The updated number of collectives that are now approved to operate in San Diego: 11 (Source: San Diego Union Tribune)
4,462 20,000 19 20 158.8 The estimated number of patients that San Diego’s first legal collective, A Green Alternative, has registered in there system as of this printing: 4,462 (Source: A Green Alternative)
The amount of space, in square feet, that this year’s Potluck Medical Cannabis Expo & Concert will use for the event: 20,000 (Source: San Diego Reader)
The number of pages contained in the details of recent San Diego City audit that discusses improvements to code enforcement with local medical cannabis collectives, among other issues: 58 (Source: San Diego Union Tribune)
The number of years that it took for California to begin regulating the cannabis industry since it first legalized medical cannabis, as of this month: 19 (Source: The Cannabist)
The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that is being used to help the cannabis legalization campaign in Ohio: 20 (Source: Tribune-Review)
The number of people, in millions, who use cannabis around the world, according to the United Nations: 158.8 (Source: The Telegraph)
60
The estimated amount of money, in millions of dollars, that Arizona would make annually through taxes if recreational cannabis was legalized: 60 (Source: The Huffington Post)
PotLuck Medical Cannabis Expo and Concert San Diego is finally welcoming one of its first major PotLuck Medical Cannabis Expo and Concerts since the approval of collectives last year. Hosted in a 20,000 square-foot venue, there will be many collectives, manufacturers and advocates in attendance. Medical cannabis patients are welcome to speak with and discover new businesses to purchase their medicine from. The presence of giveaways and raffles is also enticement to check out this event, as well as other unique entertainment such as glass blowing, painting and live music from The Routine and Sankoh and the Rockaway Kings to enjoy. Early birds are rewarded too, so those who are the first 300 to enter the event get a neat swag bag.
IF YOU GO
What: PotLuck Medical Cannabis Expo and Concert. When/Where: Sun, Nov. 15. 12pm-5pm. 18+. Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, 1441 Quivira Rd., Regatta Tent, San Diego. Info: Visit www. potluckexpo.com for details.
November November 2015 2015 // // CULTURE CULTURE
11
12
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
13
C
Search for Justice
O by Pamela Jayne
Over the summer, one of the suppliers to San Diego’s first legal cannabis collective was raided, just weeks before harvest, without cause or provocation. No arrests were made, and the stolen plants have yet to be returned. Dr. David Blair, co-owner of A Green Alternative (AGA) in Otay Mesa, told CULTURE that he has a simple message to the city of San Diego, “We’re doing everything to the letter and the intent of the law. Please work with us. We didn’t mess up, you did. But that’s okay. Let’s work together for a solution.” This heartfelt plea is in response to the raid on the company Grassroots, which is still growing medical grade cannabis exclusively for AGA, despite the unexpected raid in June. The plants that were taken were monetarily worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, but for patients, the medicine that those plants provide, is priceless, and in many cases, even life-saving. While AGA has a dozen other suppliers, ensuring that there will never be a lack of medicine, the raid on Grassroots has left Dr. Blair justifiably upset, especially because of the litany of flimsy excuses that were given. First, they claimed to be checking to see if there was a drug tunnel on the premises, and then that the city needed to inspect for electrical work. Now, the most recent claim is that they must relocate to an agricultural zone, which AGA’s land planner and attorneys are currently in search of. “We’re enhancing the city. We have paid more than $100,000 dollars in sales tax, to date,” proclaimed the calm, but clearly upset Dr. Blair, who seems
14
CULTURE // November 2015
Battling contradictory efforts, medical cannabis access seems limited and the fight seems daunting
to be caught in a “Catch 22” of sorts, between the county and the city of San Diego. When CULTURE asked Dr. Blair if he felt as if the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing when it comes to communication between the city and the county, he said, “That’s exactly the truth. The city doesn’t know what the county is doing, and the county doesn’t know what the city is doing. There is no communication.” After being the first to successfully complete the arduous and expensive process of being granted one of the very few conditional use permits required to legally operate a medical cannabis collective in San Diego, the owners of A Green Alternative expected a smooth path, which is why Dr. Blair is so exasperated by the actions of law enforcement. “We did everything we were supposed to do. We offered even more than the city required.” The owners and dedicated staff of A Green Alternative are continuing to serve nearly 5,000 patients, with no disruption of supply. Their attorney, Lance Rogers, Senior Counsel for the Cannabis Business and Criminal Defense Divisions
of Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara LLP, and one of the country’s leading authorities on cannabis law, is handling all of the legal hassles that A Green Alternative is being unfairly subjected to. As much as our leaders claim to be compassionate towards medical cannabis patients and providers, the sad truth is that their compassion fades when the news cameras stop rolling. If they really cared about the well-being of their constituents, they would ensure that raids, such as the one on Grassroots, would not happen. Thankfully, the local media stepped in and reported the story. Had they not, this miscarriage of justice may never have been brought to light. In the words of local cannabis activist, Terrie Best, “You can not legislate an entire industry and then leave them to fight rogue law enforcement that never got the memo. Hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars went into crafting and instituting regulations for medical cannabis businesses only to have it all dismantled because the police won’t cooperate? The city and county are both vulnerable to a lawsuit if they cannot rein in their own cops!” c VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
15
C r e n r co l a g le by Kimberly Simms
Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act
Preparing for the Future
T
he California Legislature reached a historic agreement on a comprehensive regulatory framework for the cultivation and distribution of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products in the state of California. The medical cannabis regulation is based upon the passage of three bills: Assembly Bill 266, Assembly Bill 243 and Senate Bill 643. Collectively, these bills are the “Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act.” Under the “Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act” (MMRSA), the Bureau of Marijuana Regulation will be established within the California State Department of Consumer Affairs. The Department of Food and Agriculture will license cultivators, the Department of Public Health will license manufacturers and certified testing labs and the new Bureau will license distributors, collectives and transporters. The Department of Consumer Affairs and other regulatory agencies have until January 2017 to adopt rules overseeing the industry, and those rules are expected to go into effect in 2018. Businesses may continue to operate as they do today until at least January 1, 2018, when the formal state licensing process is expected to begin. At that point, existing businesses could continue to operate until their application has been acted on. There are many components of the MMRSA that still need to be determined. There are questions as to what the specific rules and requirements for licensing will look like. Another question on everyone’s mind is how much it will
16
CULTURE // November 2015
cost to obtain a license. We do know that all license fees will be set on a scaled basis by the licensing authorities, dependent on the size of the business. Another huge uncertainty is whether cities will continue to ban cannabis activity; or if the new regulatory framework will be the needed push to finally enact local land use and zoning ordinances. Remember, this new regulatory framework requires a local permit in order to be eligible for a state license, so it’s imperative that we begin to lobby our cities for proper zoning and permitting now. Despite some of the uncertainty, there are steps that you can begin to take in order to prepare your business for the changes that lie ahead. Below, you will find a checklist that the Law Office of Kimberly R. Simms prepared to help with the transition.
General Advice:
• Read the bills! The new laws regulate every aspect of your business. It’s your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the content. • Begin to strategize with your legal team to determine what corporate structures will best suit your business goals. • If you have a criminal record, try to get it expunged. Criminal background checks will be required for applicants and the issuing agencies have a lot of discretion to deny a license based on criminal history. • Keep accurate records of your commercial cannabis activity. Many cannabis businesses are very lax about record keeping. Under AB-266, a
licensee will have to keep detailed records of commercial cannabis activity. • Write operating procedures. All applications seeking licensure to cultivate, manufacture or distribute cannabis will include a detailed description of the applicant’s operating procedures for all of the following.
Cultivators:
• Build in the cost of quality assurance, inspection and testing into your overhead costs. • Lab test dried flower. Dried flower shall, at a minimum be tested for concentration, pesticides, mold and other containments. • Switch to tamper-evident packaging. • Update your packaging and labeling to meet the requirements of AB-266. • Become familiar with the Department of Pesticide Regulation and the State Water Resources Control Board. They will be developing regulations in connection with indoor and outdoor cultivation.
Manufacturers:
• Build in the cost of quality assurance, inspection and testing into your overhead costs. • Lab test extracts at a minimum for concentration and purity of product. • Switch to tamper-evident packaging. • Update your packaging and labeling to meet the requirements of AB-266.
Collectives:
• Establish security requirements to both deter and prevent unauthorized entrance into areas containing medical cannabis. • Develop standards for inventory control and reporting. • If you will have more than 20 employees, understand what a labor peace agreement is all about. • Determine whether you want to obtain a Type 10 or 10A license. c VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
17
18
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
19
STRAIN + edible + concentrate Xtractology Pure Kush Solvent Free Pre-Filled Cartridge
The Xtractology Pure Kush Solvent Free Pre-Filled Cartridge from Cali Coastal Collective is verified by SC Labs as being 79.94 percent THC, 0.2 percent CBD, and 1.46 percent CBN. The balance of this combination makes this cartridge an ideal tool for all patients. Xtractology offers many options, aside from their cartridges—shatters, live resins and pull and snap extracts. But back to this Pure Kush Cartridge . . . it tastes pure and kushy, the exhale is overwhelmingly kushlike, and its medicinal effects are undeniable. Patients will feel instant relief from physical ailments, and will also enjoy a mentally uplifting effect.
Available AT: Cali Coastal Collective in Pacific Beach.
Gold Aces
Available THROUGH: California’s Kindest Delivery in San Diego.
These nugs are as dense as they come. They’re tight, like rocks, with a pretty lime-green color, a ton of orange hairs and emerald colored leaves. Gold Aces’ flavor is pleasantly spicy, but also earthy with a hint of citrus. The expansion is impressive, and followed by a cerebral effect, quickly followed by a full body, physically relaxing experience. This hybrid tested at 25.79 percent THC. The Gold Aces from California’s Kindest is a sure bet to alleviate pain and stress, and provide rest and relaxation.
Crown OG
This Cannabis Cup award-winning strain is a super strong sativa provided by Empire Collective. The Crown OG is aesthetically stunning with great structure and gorgeous coloring. Its bright green hues and even brighter orange hairs are draped with shining trichomes. Its aroma is clean and sweet, with a bit of citrus in the nose, and also a hint of a gassy, fuel scent. The flavor is absolutely excellent. It coats the tongue with a crisp, clean, unmistakably OG flavor. The expansion is explosive, and the effects are immediate, both cerebrally and physically. Almost instantly, couch-lock sets in and provides relief from pain, and is valuable in treatment of insomnia.
Available AT: Empire Collective SD in Spring Valley.
Sugar Cookies
Available AT: Left Coast Collective in Pacific Beach.
20
CULTURE // November 2015
Just when you think you’ve had the best of the Cookies, along comes yet another variation of the infamous strain. Sugar Cookies from Left Coast Collective lives up to its namesake, and then some. It sports solid nug structure, royal purple coloring accented by a ton of trichomes, and dark, emerald green leaves. It is also incredibly dense, with an enticing, sweet, floral and earthy flavor. It hits hard, but not harsh, and tastes amazing, having a refreshingly sweet and clean flavor. The effects are physically relaxing, and yet cerebrally uplifting, which makes it great for both pain relief, and mental relaxation. Cookie fans are going to love this strain!
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
21
Green Crack Concentrate
This deep, amber-colored cannabis concentrate is CO2 extracted from only the finest Green Crack available. This absurdly potent extract is now available at House of Dank 619 in San Diego, as a part of their three grams for $100 special, this is a deal not to be missed! It is perfect for vape pens or dab rigs. Either way, it tastes incredible. It’s a hard hit, but a clean one, it has a nice clean candy like flavor, and the exhale smells divine! Experienced dabbers will appreciate the potency of this concentrate, and the medicinal benefits it provides. It is heavily sedative, long lasting and highly recommended.
Available AT: House of dank 619 in San Diego.
Oakor Slips - Medicated Peppermint Breath Strips
Available AT: various collectives throughout California.
Let’s be blunt; time is valuable, and the more multi-tasking we can do in this fast-paced era, the better. When medicating on the go comes into play, the ingenious technology of breath strips proves itself to be one outstanding option in the flourishing market of infused edibles. Compact, effective and with an additional complimentary function of freshening one’s breath, Oakor Slips are highly recommended to experience this notable moment in cannabis-infusion. The company offers 10mg sativa, 10mg indica and a 20mg extra strength hybrid option, all accessed in a discrete and highly compact 10-count container. Because the Slips are put under the tongue and absorbed, the consumer reaps the benefits of the delta 9 THC nearly immediately. Simply open the pack, remove the paper backing and place the breath strip underneath the tongue; within minutes, the Slip disappears, leaving noticeable and distinct full body effects. Reach for the sativa option to relax the nerves and percolate the mind before a creative conversation, or grab the indica option in order to target chronic pain.
Xzibit Lol Taffy Tropical Punch
Limitless Care Collective, located on Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach, now carries Xzibit’s Lol Taffy, which is the medical cannabis version of Laffy Taffy. Gooey, chewy and sinfully sweet, the 40mg single dose tropical punch flavor is a knockout! This edible is the perfect choice to satisfy a sweet tooth while also medicating to treat pain, tension, and insomnia. Xzibit’s Lol Taffy is available in four flavors, and is made with hybrid cannabis extracts. The effects set in fairly quickly and are long lasting, which is ideal for any patient in need of deep sleep or pain relief.
Available AT: Limitless Care Collective in Pacific Beach.
Spanky OG Available AT: Point Loma Patients Consumer Cooperative in Point Loma.
22
CULTURE // November 2015
This 100 percent indica from Point Loma Patients Consumer CoOperative tested at a whopping 32.6 percent THC by SC Labs. It is frosty in appearance, with tight nug structure, green coloring, and a plethora of orangish-red hairs. Its aroma is earthy and pungent. It has a deep earthy flavor followed by a serious punch to the lungs that quickly leads to several hours of sedation, which is perfect for advanced patients in need of deep sleep and pain relief.
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
23
24
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
25
cool stuff Small FlowerHouse PlantHouse™
The FlowerHouse PlantHouse™ creates a convenient and effective way to nurture and protect your tender plants against damaging environments. For the green thumb in your life, this little PlantHouse™ will improve and aid in the growth and life of any plants! UV-resistant, waterproof Gro-Tec™ material features rip stop protection as well. Compact and lightweight, the PlantHouse™ allows for optimum ventilation, while also protecting your plants from pests.
Brinno GardenWatch Time Lapse Camera
PRICE: $159.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.brinno.com
PRICE: $28-$350 MORE INFORMATION: www.flowerhouses.com
Now, you can geek out with your own garden! A time lapse camera that will allow you to literally watch your garden grow. The Brinno GardenWatchCam is a weather-resistant, time lapse camera that will help you easily capture cool video of activities that regular snapshot photography takes forever to do. Imagine capturing a flower blooming, a house being constructed or your little sproutlings growing up right before your very eyes.
PRICE: $349.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.mytrimmer.com
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
mega CVault
PRICE: $93.95 MORE INFORMATION: www.theCvault.com
26
CULTURE // November 2015
The ultimate storage solution container for your herb, the mega CVault is made from food grade stainless steel and is airtight and impenetrable by light when secured. This bad boy is durable, super lightweight and commercial quality. This really is the only container you need for curing and storing your green. Each mega CVault comes with Boveda too. Never mold again!
The Magic™ Trimmer
Enough with the high-price, barely effective trimmers of the world. The Magic™ Trimmer is the only trimmer that the professionals trust, and the only one you’ll ever need. The detailed patent-pending design safely removes the trimmings from your plants in a fast and effective way, and its hand held power trimming is precise to your movement, so you can truly control the trim. Seriously, The Magic™ Trimmer stands out against all other trimming machines—it’s affordable, it’s small and handy, cuts all kinds of plants safely and gets the job done fast and right, the first time.
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
entertainment Release Date: November 10 Available on: PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Fallout 4 Dev. Bethesda Game Studios Pub. Bethesda Softworks
The Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness Steve DeAngelo North Atlantic Books
It’s been many years since the last release of a Fallout game, but the arrival of Fallout 4 has prove to be the most massive title in the franchise yet. Players will venture forth into a post-apocalyptic earth 200 years after war has subsided, complete with radioactive damage that has ravaged the world. Explore the open world setting of Boston to complete quests, collect and make all sorts of weapons, and travel the grief-stricken landscape with your lovable canine companion, Dogmeat!
American Tragic Wax Idols Collect Records
The world of independent music is filled with a variety of striking, outspoken, intellectual figures, but few are as outstanding, strong and deep as Hether Fortune, the mind behind West Coast post-punk group, Wax Idols. Taking only a two-year break between albums, Wax Idols return with possibly it’s most beautiful, focused and well-produced album to date, American Tragic. American Tragic is a brilliant step forward for a band which continues to push the post-punk genre well past its traditional boundaries. (Simon Weedn)
Jurassic World Universal Pictures Dir. Colin Trevorrow
Helmed by newcomer director/ writer, Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed), and led by rising superstar actor, Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, Guardians of The Galaxy), Jurassic World rewards longtime Jurassic Park devotees in a major way. Not only does the film take viewers into some strange future, where the world has become so jaded and unimpressed with dinosaur cloning that scientists begin to genetically modify dinosaurs into super-saurs, Jurassic World delivers everything you could hope for in a mega blockbuster, and is by far one of the best monster romps in years. (Simon Weedn)
The Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness is Steve Angelo’s masterpiece and call to action. The Cannabis Manifesto has reached number one for the categories of Government Social Policy, Politics & Social Sciences and Medicine & Herbal Remedies on Amazon. Steve DeAngelo has co-founded some of the largest companies in cannabisHarborside Health, Steep Hill Lab and The ArcView Group. DeAngelo produces a radical treatise, arguing that there is no such thing as recreational cannabis use. He encourages using cannabis for wellness and the responsibility of cannabis smokers. (Benjamin Adams)
+ Cannafest Prague Going on its sixth year now, the International Trade Fair of Cannabis and Medicinal Herb, or Cannafest, will be especially exciting this year as CULTURE will be one of many exhibitors expected to participate in this year’s celebration. Alongside CULTURE, hundreds of international exhibitors will be featured at this year’s event, offering up an array of cannabis products and resources. Visitors are encouraged to attend various conferences, film showings and live performances, with the option of taking a break and getting a relaxing hemp message or hanging out in the fest’s “Chillout Zone.” For those who can’t get enough of Cannafest, two after parties are taking place during the run of the festival, giving visitors the chance to mingle with cannabis enthusiasts alike. Bigger and better than ever, don’t miss out on this year’s Cannafest, aiding in the growth of the cannabis industry, culture and awareness. (Victoria Banegas)
IF YOU GO
What: Cannafest Prague hemp and cannabis fair. When/Where: Fri, Nov. 6-Sun, Nov. 8. Prague Exhibition Grounds, Výstaviště 67, 170 90 Praha 7, Czech Republic. Info: Visit www.cannafest. com for details.
November 2015 // CULTURE
27
by R. Scott Rappold Before there was Trump, “the Donald,” tough-talking celebrity-turnedpolitician, shaking the political establishment to its core, there was Jesse “The Body” Ventura. A Vietnam veteran, actor and former professional wrestler, Ventura was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998, the most successful candidate of Ross Perot’s Reform Party before or since. The man who fought an alien alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator and preferred the bad guys in his heated color commentary on WrestleMania proved just as feisty as governor, battling both major parties for four years before stepping aside. But he was only getting started. Not one to fade into the sunset, he has attacked the partisanship of American politics and exposed government lies and cover-ups in half a dozen bestselling books and several internet shows. He is a staunch advocate of cannabis reform and though he’s been out of office for 12 years, he remains a force in American politics, waiting on the outside for a time when America might again be fed up with the two-party system. And 2016 just might be that time. CULTURE recently caught up with the 64-year-old Ventura by phone from his half-year home in Minnesota. He talked at length about his storied political career, his love of cannabis and how he could be the game-changer in next year’s election. >>
30
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
Photos by Lauren B. Falk
November 2015 // CULTURE
31
“How can the government t e l l yo u w h at o r w h at n ot to use, as far a s w h at yo u want to ingest i n y o u r b o d y, a s l o n g a s yo u don’t harm a n yo n e e l s e ? ”
Could you tell us a little bit about your new book? It’s a rehash of an old one, American Conspiracies, but we’ve added about four more chapters. That’s one good thing in general about the government. If you wait four or five years, you can do four or five more chapters on them because they’re good for about one a year. It seems to be that way. You spend a good part of your time in Mexico? I spend probably half the year or more there. I bet you’re a not big fan of (Mexican-bashing presidential candidate) Donald Trump. I’ve actually known Donald for 25 years now, and I do respect Donald. I don’t agree with him on everything, especially on the immigration policy, but that’s just one issue. I love what he’s doing, the fact that he’s fracturing the Republican Party, and I love what Bernie Sanders is doing to the Democrats. As you know, I’m fiercely independent and I’ve written a book called Democrips and Rebloodicans, where I’ve equated them to being the same as the L.A. street gangs. In fact, I apologized to L.A. street gangs for using their names that way. On certain issues, Democrats are maybe a little bit closer to you. They’re coming around on cannabis legalization and some other issues. Do you identify with them at all? I’m fiscally conservative and I’m socially liberal. That puts me on the conservative side of lesser government because I feel we have far too much government overseeing us. I’m closer to being Libertarian . . . I’m absolutely a believer in ending the war on drugs, which is also a Libertarian viewpoint. The war has been a miserable failure and always will be. In what’s supposed to be a free country, it comes down to this: How can the government tell you what or what not to use, as far as what you want to ingest in your body, as long as you don’t harm anyone else? Did you ever partake in cannabis as a young man? Of course. I grew up in the ‘60s. Anyone that would tell you they didn’t and they grew up in the ‘60s is either lying or they didn’t grow up in the ‘60s . . . I remember one time a friend of mine who sold me an ounce had to apologize six times
32
CULTURE // November 2015
because it cost $12 instead of $10. The standard thing in those days was $10 a lid, and a lid was an ounce of pot. Can you imagine? Ten bucks. The first time I tried it I said, “This is way better than drinking. They’re not even comparable.” And I drank way before I touched pot. Were you a hippie? No. Not a bit. I enlisted right after high school in the United States Navy and became a frogman and a Vietnam veteran . . . The culture went beyond the hippies. The whole generation wound up (smoking pot.) After you left the military, did you ever partake, like when you were in the wrestling world? Absolutely. I wrestled in Hawaii before they made it illegal and everyone in the nation wanted to get Hawaiian. That was the primo of the primo in the ‘70s. Because it’s grown over there and I don’t know what the volcanic soil does to it but it makes it very good. I’m also old enough today to know that when they spread this stuff about the dangers, that the pot today isn’t like the pot of the ‘60s because it’s more powerful, that’s actually a positive. If it’s more powerful it doesn’t require you to smoke nearly as much, does it? And that makes it healthier, doesn’t it? Were you always political, or was it after the acting slowed down that you decided to get into politics? I think I was always aware politically, because my father made me so. My father had six bronze battle stars in World War II and my mother was also a World War II veteran, so I come from a family of all veterans. My dad was opposed to the Vietnam War before the hippies were . . . I had a father who, at the dinner table, would get worked up. I remember times my mom would send him to the basement because he’d get so worked up over Vietnam or whatever the issue might be, so being from my dad, I can see where it comes from. Was your father a big part of your decision to run for mayor and then governor? No, I had no intention to ever seek office. The run for mayor happened because the city council wanted to access a storm sewer curb and gutter tax and we didn’t need it . . . Then I realized the city of Brooklyn Park had a massive good old boy network, headed >> VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
33
by the 25-year incumbent mayor. As I got more involved locally, one day I was there and I looked at him and I had the podium and I said, “You’re going to make me run, aren’t you?” And his buddy on the council burst out laughing and said, “You couldn’t win.” And I left the city hall that night with the usual attitude that nobody tells me I can’t do something. So I was running for mayor. I ended up beating the 25-year incumbent 66 percent to 33 percent. How do you feel about what you accomplished as mayor and how did that lead you to run for governor? We rousted out the good old boy network. It took us three elections to do so. Then I moved on. Because I don’t believe public service should ever be a career, like most of these guys get re-elected for 30 years. I think that’s ridiculous . . . Then I moved to my ranch out in Maple Grove and I was doing just fine. I was doing morning talk radio four years later and Minnesota had billions of dollars of surplus; too much money. The economy was great at the end of the Clinton years and the state had, I don’t know, three billion dollars more than they budgeted for. And instead of returning it to the taxpayers, they spent it. I got outraged on talk radio, I said, “Wait a minute. They set the budget. They have no right, because the economy is powerful and they’re taxing us too much, then, to just collect this money and spend it above and beyond their budget?” I kind of backed myself in a corner. I kind of threw it out there and said, “Maybe I should run for governor?” And boy that took off like wildfire. Are you going to run for president in 2016? I don’t know. I’ll wait until the pikers are gone. Who’d be stupid enough to jump in now? The Libertarians have their convention next June and that’s where they’ll pick their candidate and if you get in next June you’ll have ballot access for pretty much the whole country and then you only have
34
CULTURE // November 2015
to run until November. It’s all about timing. So when these other two gangs get down to one, whoever their guy is, then you jump in and you beat them and you steal the election. So you’re considering a run as a Libertarian? Yeah. It’d be the only way I could get ballot access. You’ve got to get ballot access and the libertarians have it. All you have to do is go to their convention in June and if they pick you as the nominee, then you’re off and running. Then the key is to force them to let you in the debates. I was polling only 10 percent (when he joined the Minnesota gubernatorial race) which would not get me into the debates today. And yet in Minnesota, 10 percent at Labor Day and I won the election in November. It took me only two months. Two months and three debates and I destroyed them. Let me do that in the presidency and we’ll see a repeat of it . . . If I ran, I would run on one issue. I would make
the Libertarians agree I’m not part of their party but I’ve got their endorsement to run, and I’m not a member of their party. I could use this to win. I would challenge the American people to elect the first president since George Washington, the father of our country, who does not belong to a political party, and I believe you could win on that alone right now. You’ve been known for so many different things–a wrestler, actor, governor and writer. How do you hope you’re remembered? I don’t care. They were all important to me at the specific times I lived them. I’m 64 now, and if I live to 80 or 85, if I’m lucky, I don’t want to say “woulda coulda shoulda.” I never planned anything out. I just live life and when you come to a Y in the road you make a decision and you go that way and you see what happens. I had no vision ever. I didn’t have a vision that much of even being a pro-wrestler—it just kind of fell into place.
Now that you’re 64, you still feel like you ain’t got time to bleed (the title of one of your books and a famous quote from the film Predator)? Now that I’m 64, I don’t even worry about it. I got an offer to do a film and I turned it down. I don’t feel like acting anymore . . . I’m pretty happy doing my internet show right now. It gives me the freedom to talk about what I want to talk about. I can say anything. Nothing’s censored. You can call bullshit “bullshit” without worrying about being fined. Do you think we’ll ever see national cannabis legalization or do you think we’ll see it go state by state? The federal government should get out of it completely and they should leave up to each state like they do alcohol. Alcohol is governed by each state, whether they have dry counties, what the drinking age is, and how they handle it. There’s no reason to have the federal government involved in any way, shape or form. It’s going well in states like Colorado, Oregon and Washington . . . I’ve been through Colorado quite often because there is a sense of freedom there that I really enjoy feeling. I tip my hat to Colorado and the people of it and for having the courage to do what they did . . . It’s long overdue. It’s too many jobs. And that plant itself has too many uses to be eradicated. I love to say this to all the religious people out there: If you believe in God, then you believe that God created every plant on this planet. Well I don’t think He created marijuana for us to eradicate it. I think He created it for us to use it. Religious people should look at it from that perspective when they take a stance on marijuana. Do you still partake yourself every now and then? Only if I’m in Colorado. (Laughs.) There’s a good political answer for you. Only if I’m in Colorado, that way I can’t get in any trouble, right? c VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
35
“If you get stuck doing the same thing over and over again, you’re not challenging yourself.”
Decently blazed on his couch on a sunny afternoon, Master Bong dives into his pizza. Some people eat the crust, others give it to the dog, Master Bong produces a drilling tool and after a few minutes of tinkering, loads up one side of the pizza crust with a bud of Animal Crackers and smokes it. “You can eat it, you smoke out of it. Domino’s puts cheese in the middle of it, I hollowed it out and smoked it,” he says after exhaling a cloud of smoke at the camera. Meet the “MacGyver of Marijuana,” a 30-year-old wild child who has turned a love of making pipes out of unlikely items into an internet sensation. With millions of views on his YouTube channel and 91,000 “likes” on his Facebook page, he’s had the marketing know-how to channel this by R. Scott Rappold popularity into a business that pays the bills and allows him to have a slew of employees. “For me, it’s like sometimes you’re going to come into a situation where you’re out in the world and you don’t have (a smoking device) on you,” says Master Bong in a phone interview. “Or you just broke your bong. You lost your pipe. You broke your vaporizer. You need to have the skill set. If you don’t, how do you smoke?” He goes on to say, “It’s also just about being creative. If you get stuck doing the same thing over and over again, you’re not challenging yourself. You’re not switching things up. Life can get kind of boring.”
Master Bong
36
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
Master Bong, whose first name is Jake and whose last name he declines to give, came to pipe and bong-making as a teenager, too young to buy one in a head shop. “I wasn’t quite of age yet. We were always figuring out creative fun ways to make devices to smoke out of. I was the person in my crew who was kind of heading that up,” he says. A few years later, he was in college studying to be a social worker but his heart wasn’t in it. He’d had some success with an internet and social media marketing side business and decided to turn that talent toward his passion: Cannabis. In 2008, he shot a short video of himself carving a pipe out of an apple and posted it to YouTube, sporting an afro and sunglasses. Other instructional videos followed, from a gravity bong to a bell pepper bubbler. After all, this was stuff he and his buddies were doing for fun anyway. People at a party might all be toking up, but when everyone gets together to puff out of a hollowed-out watermelon, they might become friends. “You can see how it just brings people together, especially people who wouldn’t normally kick it together, just like cannabis does,” he says. In 2010, he decided it was time to devote himself entirely to his Master Bong alter ego and dropped out of college.
An Internet celebrity
As his videos grew in popularity along with the rising tide of cannabis legalization, he noticed a change. Rather than having to buy his own gear, companies paid him to feature their products in his videos. People might not know or recognize Master Bong, but the dude with the afro was becoming a cannabis celebrity. “Sometimes now, I wish I didn’t have my brand set up like this because when I go to an event and it’s 100 degrees out, I’m not comfortable,” he says. “But it’s a brand. It’s very recognizable.”
With a regular output of a dozen videos a month, Master Bong has expanded his repertoire to celebrating everything about the cannabis lifestyle, from growing tips to recipes to general silliness. In fact, his most-viewed video, with 1.6 million views, is on how to roll a Swisher Sweets blunt. But being the “MacGyver of Marijuana” is still his bread and butter, even if individual projects have been less than successful. For example, there was the golf club pipe. The thing was so slim you had to suck incredibly hard to get a hit. Although his products aren’t always great for smoking with, he always makes them work, even if it takes a couple rips from a sponsored-product bong to get there.“We’ll figure out a way and sit there until it works,” he says.
Never stop dreaming
Master Bong never stops thinking of new ways to smoke. He talks about his desire to turn a swimming pool into a massive bong, or to publish a book—complete with carving tools—on 101 ways to make household smoking instruments. Passionate about his pipes and bongs, Master Bong keeps the non-perishable smoking devices he makes, in hopes of creating somewhat of a Master Bong Museum when he finally buys a house. The day Master Bong can afford a house can’t be far off, if it’s not already here. It all started with him and a “horrible flip camera.” Today he has an assistant to check his emails and someone to operate the camera. He once had to pay his own way to attend industry events. Now he wouldn’t dream of buying his own plane ticket or paying to attend an industry event. While he certainly enjoys making a living out of Master Bong, instead of social work, he also loves being able to inform and entertain people.“No matter what you do . . . Maybe you’re an artist, maybe you’re a musician, maybe you want to play sports, whatever it is, follow your heart and passion and it’s going to work out; and getting paid to do that is the American dream.” c
November 2015 // CULTURE
37
The Harvest How-To A step-by-step guide to harvesting your cannabis by Addison Herron-Wheeler
Harvest season is here, and that means it’s time for all the growers who have lovingly cultivated their cannabis plants for months to finally get to reap the benefits of all their hard work. But proceed with caution— cannabis is quite literally a delicate flower, and if treated too roughly or clipped or cured incorrectly, all that love and care could go to waste at the last minute. Here is how to get the best results from harvesting and curing your plants and avoid any nasty mistakes.
1. Cut With Love and Care
Actually harvesting cannabis is by far the simplest part of the harvest process—one simple snip of the stalk is all it takes, and then the hard work begins with the curing and trimming process. Just make sure that you cut in the right place—make the incision below the first intersection of branches, and be sure to cut all the way through the first time.
2. Set Aside Your Initial Trim for Hash
Once you’ve cut off your plant, now it’s time to get rid of the trim so the plant can cure. But don’t just throw all the stuff you cut off away without looking at it carefully first. Any leaves and seemingly useless parts that look crystalized and are covered in trichomes can be sent off to be made into bubble hash, and making hash with the trim will make your yield go a lot further.
3. Dry According to Local Conditions
Once you have done the initial trimming of your plant, it is time to hang it up to dry. If you live at a high elevation during a dry time of year with no snow, the best bet is to leave on some of the bigger leaves until the plant is more dried out. If you live at sea level and 100 miles or less from the ocean, or if there is snow on the ground, then the best bet is to cut off as many leaves as possible so that the plant does not stay too moist and become moldy.
4. Observe and Adjust Accordingly
The drying process can take as long as 30 days, and the plants should be checked regularly during that time to make sure they are curing properly. More leaves might need to be trimmed off if they are too moist, and plants can be hung alongside moister, less cured plants if they are too dry so that they can absorb some of the water.
5. Check out the Final Product
Once all that hard work is done and your plant is properly dried and cured, it’s time for the fun part—testing the product. This is when you’ll learn if the cannabis you grew is truly up to snuff and worthy of being shared. Enjoy, and happy harvesting! c
38
CULTURE // November 2015
Source: John Hunt, owner of Green and US Healthy Dispensary VISIT AT Wellness iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
39
The Ritualistic Harvest Pagan Rituals Involving Cannabis By Addison Herron-Wheeler
Hindu Hemp Lore It’s that time of year when magic is in the air–Halloween is just behind us, the harvest is upon us and we feel the most in touch with our pagan roots. Many of the pagan, ancient and classic religious traditions that still exist today, or cultural rituals involved in harvesting, use cannabis in their practices. Here’s a look at how religions and cultures across time and the planet have used cannabis as a sacrament, a healing herb and a part of their daily lives and rituals.
European Paganism
Cannabis, love and sex go hand in hand, and this has been the case since the days of the ancient Germanic pagans. According to “The History of Hemp in Norway,” an article published in The Journal of Industrial Hemp by Jan Bojer Vindheim, cannabis and fertility have long been associated in ancient Norse mythology. The herb was associated with Freya, the goddess of love, and was consumed and harvested at the ironically titled “High Festival,” where fertility was celebrated. The Norse people believed that Freya’s feminine, erotic energy was contained in the flowers of the plant, which would give sexual power to those who consumed them. The article also points out that two ancient Norwegian women were discovered with hemp seeds in their pouch and a hemp cord on their persons, alluding to more practical uses for the cannabis family as well. >>
40
CULTURE // November 2015
Many Hindus still embrace hemp as a part of their religion–on the festival day of Holi, bhang or cannabis flowers are ritually consumed. According to Mia Touw’s The Religious and Medical Uses of Cannabis in China, India, and Tibet, Hindu mythology states that Shiva created cannabis from his body in order to purify the elixir of life that helped to kick start the world. Another version of the myth states that when the elixir of life touched the ground, the cannabis plant sprang up. Therefore, as long as you are imbibing cannabis in a ritualistic manner, as a sacrament, some Hindus believe it can cause insights about the future and cleanse past sins.
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
Central Asian Mysticism
There is much historical evidence that the people of Central Asia have been turning to cannabis for thousands of years, both in ritual and relaxation. The ancient Greek Historian Herodotus recorded in his book Histories that the Scythians, a group of ancient Iranian Nomads, would make steam baths out of cannabis. They would erect crude saunas out of animal skin stretched around poles, put some hemp seed on hot coals, and then stand inside the booths soaking up the steam and the euphoric effects. Additionally, according to Martin Booth’s Cannabis: A History, Tarim mummies from ancient Northern China have been discovered with bags full of cannabis buried in their tombs. It is believed that these men were shamans, and wanted to bring their sacred herb with them into the next world so they could continue practicing their craft. The shaman mummies have also been found with bowls and various other hemprelated items in their tombs, suggesting that this ancient people ate and imbibed cannabis as well as used hemp for fiber.
Cannabis Rites in Africa
Sikhism and Sacred Smoke
Those who practice the Sikh religion today more than likely abstain from cannabis–the modern Sikh teachings outline that intoxication is a distraction from true understanding of God and something that only gets in the way of faith. However, cannabis is a hugely entrenched part of their history, and there are sects of the religion that still stand by its healing powers today. According to the spiritual blog Amrit World’s interpretation of Sikh lore, the Sikhs who fought in the Second Battle of Anandpur in 1701 were being persecuted and constantly pursued by Mughal forces. Because of this, the warriors were always on the run and did not have good access to food, sometimes having to resort to eating things like tree bark. When this happened, they turned to the plentiful weed, bhang or cannabis, to deal with the pains caused by eating such a poor diet. They also used it to help with pain when they became injured in combat and had to remain on the run. As a result, some Sikhs today still ritually use cannabis, and an exception for imbibing is often made on certain holidays. c
When it comes to the history of Africa and cannabis, the roots go a lot deeper than the relatively recent advent of the Rastafari religion. Alfred Dunhill, the British historian who spent time studying the history of cannabis in Africa and wrote The Pipe Book, claimed that Africans have used gourd pipes to smoke cannabis since ancient times. The Baluka tribe also formed a hemp-smoking cult at one point in time, called the Riamba, in order to smoke cannabis together in community and honor the herb. According to Pogge and Wissman, two explorers who chronicled the Bashilenge tribe in 1881, there were both clubs of hemp smokers and religious cults. The tribe allegedly referred to themselves as “sons of hemp” and used “hemp” as a greeting when addressing each other. Members of the religious cannabis cults would show their devotion by smoking as frequently as possible, and believed that the magic of hemp would outweigh the negative energy they built up when they had to do things like go to war. They also passed around a guard to smoke out of as a kind of peace pipe whenever making important agreements or deals. The continent also has a history of using the plant for healing purposes since ancient times across various countries.
November 2015 // CULTURE
41
Belting it out with
Banton Passionate reggae artist Pato Banton has been a leading legend in the genre for decades, and is still going strong by Pamela Jayne Pato Banton is an internationally renowned reggae star, known for infectious melodies, lyrics overflowing with wisdom and energetic live shows. His contributions to reggae music, began in the 1980s and have cemented his rightful place in the top tier of the genre. The only thing more intense than his work ethic, is his sincere compassion for his fellow human beings. Pato’s mission is not to achieve fame and fortune, but rather, to enhance the lives of his fans, not only through music, but also through one-on-one interaction. He opens his home for spiritual counseling and fellowship, even giving out his personal phone number to keep in close contact with fans worldwide. He is also extremely passionate and vocal about the cannabis plant and its many benefits. CULTURE was recently blessed to spend an afternoon speaking with this extraordinary person, and we are excited to share the experience with you. What message do you want your fans to receive from your music? I think the most important message for me right now is to encourage my fans to recognize themselves as sons and daughters of God and to be the best they can be in this lifetime. You are an inspiration to people across the world. Who inspires you? What inspires me is my love for truth. My love of God keeps me focused on living a good life, a right life and doing the right thing. People inspire me to serve. I have a lot of people who stay in touch, many of my fans have my phone number. Being in touch with so many different people, and understanding that
42
CULTURE // November 2015
different people have different needs . . . To me the greatest thing you can do in this world, is to inspire people to be happier. You’ve been in the music industry for quite awhile. What have been some of the highlights of your career so far? One of the best times of my career was having the opportunity to go in the studio with Sting. I recorded two songs and two videos with Sting. I was number one on the British charts for four weeks straight after recording a song with UB40. I was entered into the British Hall of Fame. The BBC in the UK gave me a lifetime achievement award for my dedication to reducing crime in my city.
What are your personal thoughts on cannabis? When I look at cannabis, I see it as a natural herb. I’ve never in my entire life had the viewpoint that cannabis is a drug, or a criminal substance. In the history of mankind, cannabis has been considered one of the most beneficial plants on the planet. Not just for ingestion, but also for its uses for fiber and for oil. There’s such a long list of uses for this beautiful plant. I think the real criminals are the ones who made cannabis into a criminal substance, and I know that this was brought on by the pharmaceutical industry. Cannabis should be totally decriminalized, and should be allowed to be grown by anybody, anywhere in the world for whatever they want to do with this plant. And
there should be no compromise in that way of thinking. What do you have coming up in the future? We are going to do a Northwest tour, from Los Angeles up to Seattle in the last two weeks of November. I will also be speaking at the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, MA. They’ve invited me there to speak on the 18th of November. Anything else you would like to say to CULTURE readers? I would like to say to the readers, just stay positive. Life is a struggle, but never give in, just stay positive. Don’t just exist, find a purpose, find a cause you believe in and support that cause. Live a life of purpose. c VISIT US ATpatobanton.com iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
43
RYOT® Multi Chamber Locking Box
RYOT® Multi Chamber boxes feature an interior (removable) open topped monofilament 100 mesh screened box with additional storage for all your other small smoking accessories. Fully loaded, RYOT® boxes make for the perfect home smoking station with their durable hand crafted wood construction, removable and adjustable storage dividers and sleek and discreet design, load it up with other goodies from RYOT®! (Photo includes RYOT® Grinder sold separately). Visit www. RYOT.com and use Promo Code RYOTXMAS to receive 20 percent off your next purchase.
Gift Holiday
Vdab200 EverSmooth Portable Vaporizer
Introducing the world’s first “Load n’ Go!” portable vaporizer for heavy oils, waxes and shatters of all kinds, the Vdab200 provides 200 puffs that are truly EverSmooth™. The QanTeq engineers have outdone themselves with a Controllable Dispensing Chamber that holds one full gram and allows you to twist the patent-pending steel top a quarter-turn to fill the dual coil heater cup with NO MESS and NO HASSLE! This unit comes with a heavy duty adjustable battery to get the temps right where you like ‘em. Visit www. vdab200.com to order.
44
CULTURE // November 2015
G UI D E ! 2015
Kannastör® GR8TR™ Grinder
The GR8TR™ Grinder by Kannastör® is the most versatile grinder on the market. Offering not only interchangeable grinding plates for both vape and traditional grounds, but also offering several storage options, Easy Change Screen™, and handy configurations such as a storage puck, and storage sifting jar. The Kannastör® GR8TR™does it all and includes a limited lifetime warranty. Visit www.kannastor.com and use Promo Code Holiday420 to receive 20 percent off your next purchase.
The SmokeBuddy
Just in time for Christmas! The Smokebuddy company has just now released Smokebuddy glow-in-the-dark, available in two sizes, Original and JR; and in two colors: White that glows green, and blue that glows blue! The Smokebuddy is a personal air filter designed to reduce second hand smoke and odor, simply blow your smoke in and clean air comes out on the other side. Original smoke buddy is good for about 300 uses and Smokebuddy JR is good for about 150 uses. Glow in the dark original $24.95 | Glow in the dark Jr $19.95 20 percent OFF use discount code CULTURE Smokebuddy.com
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
by Ed Rosenthal
growing culture
E
EXPERIMENTING WITH LIGHTING —The Harvest
arlier in the season, I set up a garden in a greenhouse that received light only from the front and the top, far less than the total amount of light the plants could use. An induction fluorescent was mounted on a sidewall that delivered light only to the middle of the garden. The plants close to either the front or rear door received no light from the fixture. The plants under the light were harvested September 3rd. The controls were harvested 12 days later but by that time the weather had changed. Oakland, a coastal city, experiences high humidity because the ocean heavily influences it. With the temperature dropping at night to 55° and the plants spending a large part of the time in the 55° to 70° range, it was almost inevitable that the plants would be attacked by powdery mildew (pm). We tried controlling it using a 10 percent milk solution and herbal fungicides, but the attack was overwhelming. The second part of the harvest was not worth our collection efforts because of the looser buds resulting from late September’s lower light levels and widespread attacks of powdery mildew. So, the use of supplemental light resulted in higher yields of the light enriched plants, and also decreased ripening time, saving the crop from the onslaughts of fall weather.
The uncut plants were hung in an unheated room for about three weeks. The temperature in the space stayed in the cool range of about 60°70°. The buds dried but retained some pliability; perfect for smoking- not over-dried to stale and crisp. Then a friend manicured the four plants. The two Jack hybrids weighed 68 grams and 87 grams respectively. Two unknown hybrids weighed 80 grams and 53 grams, respectively, a total of 288 grams, about 10 ounces. All the buds were moderate size but tight and fully loaded with trichomes. The buds were placed in clean glass jars and will be stored in a refrigerator at about 45°, which will keep them fresh. The point of the beginning garden experiment was to see if flowering could be induced using far red light of 730 nm after dusk. This experiment was unsuccessful, but inadvertently I noticed I was conducting another experiment, enhancing light intensity using electrical lights. The result: Plants that received supplemental lighting during the normal light period produced bigger buds and the time to ripening was reduced by two weeks. The upshot: Expect plants grown in shade or under cloud cover to yield less in more time. However, you can improve yield and shorten ripening time with nominal supplemental light. c
TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK ED®
T
he possibly frantic days of harvest are over. The plants have dried and been manicured. Now you might have some time to deal with the leaf and trim that you have saved. There are so many ways that it can be used: Tincture-Make a tincture by soaking the grass in high-proof alcohol such as Everclear or
over-proof rum for a week. Shake occasionally. You can use it as a drink or concentrate it into drops. Salve-easily made by mixing ground leaf or buds in glycerin, aloe and alcohol or into a commercial salve. Use it externally for pain relief. Kief-Rub leaves or buds over a silk or metal screen.
Kief screens are available in many shops. Marijuana Butter or Oil Make this by slowly simmering the leaf/trim in butter or oil for a few hours. Strain the leaf and use. Water hash-Shake leaf/ ground bud in a jar with water and ice for 5 minutes. Let settle. Pour out the water and leaf. The THC containing glands remain at the bottom of the container. Dry and use.
1
Plants hanging in a cool room to dry and cure. The process takes about three weeks.
2 Close-up of buds hanging.
3 Branches trimmed from stem, ready to manicure.
4 Three of the varieties have been manicured. The fourth is about to be transformed.
5 All the buds were tight.
6 The Jack hybrid produced some tight long buds with great color and mixed aroma.
7 The cups runneth over. More jars are needed to store the buds.
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.
November 2015 // CULTURE
45
Arizona
destination unknown
SEE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE
by Sheryll Alexander
Arizona Comes Alive A as Fall Cools Down IF YOU GO:
Fun-Filled Facts 1 Arizona has the most ghost towns of
any state (about 275!). Ghost towns are typically free to visit and are mostly concentrated in the central northwest and southeast regions of the state. 2
3
46
Starting November 27, visitors can enjoy “Silent Night” or Las Noches de las Luminarias at Scottdale’s pretty Desert Botanical Garden. With the Sonoran Desert as a backdrop, the gardens are set aglow with no less than 8,000 hand-lit luminaria bags for viewing a pop-up outdoor art gallery into the warm serene night.
Surprisingly, Arizona is also a haven for electric vehicles (EVs). The state’s official tourism bureau, Travel Arizona, even provides EV road trip guides with places and tips for charging from L.A. and San Diego as well as points within Arizona. CULTURE // November 2015
Arizona is fast becoming a mecca for medical cannabis patients with legalization on the lips of every cannabusiness out there. The sheer number of dispensaries is quite astounding given the ultra conservative politics of this dry state. Although Arizona went medical in 2010, it took a couple of years for the new pro-cannabis law to form into a Californialike system of medical cannabis doctor recs along with viable and reliable dispensaries to pop up. Now, thankfully, Arizona’s medical cannabis program has taken shape and has blossomed into a rather safe haven for those seeking healing (and legal) relief in the form of just about every cannabis product imaginable from flower buds to edibles to CBD oils. Arizona’s current medical cannabis law also includes a cool grow provision: Residents living more than 25 miles away from a legal dispensary can tend (in a locked, enclosed space) up to 12 plants.
Time to Go: Fall, Winter or Spring Weather: Warm in Fall and Winter with occasional rain in Spring Budget: $$$$$
rizona is truly an inspirational locale to medicate with its almost ethereal skies, mountains, valleys, canyons and waterways and is most especially enjoyed when the heat has subsided in late fall. A medical cannabis state since 2010, Arizona is coming into its own with now hundreds of cannabis dispensaries focused on the more populated cities of Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. One of the best things about a getaway to Arizona is ease of transport. The Phoenix airport (one of the busiest in the nation) is located smack dab in the middle of the state and has some of the most affordable flights anywhere. Snow birds hit their rental car right after getting off the plane because all of Arizona can be yours with your own wheels. In November, Arizona’s top towns burst with foodie autumn harvest energy from farmer’s markets to farm festivals to farm stands to food truck frenzies. The state also celebrates the cool fall season with hiking in the early mornings to hitting lots of outdoor music and arts events such as the Mesa Music Festival (November 12-15). While there, visit the famed Mesa Art Center for no less than five art exhibits of actor, comedian and cannabis activist Cheech Marin’s vast Chicano art collection (free through December 10). Although Arizona is not yet a recreational state, this scenic state is fast on its way to legalization and is certainly a pleasurable place to visit while medicating during the Southwest’s temperate fall season. c
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
Seth Green profile in courage
Age: 25 Condition/ Illness: Cerebral Palsy, Seizures, Scoliosis, Stroke, Anxiety, Depression, Multiple Sclerosis.
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.
When did you start using medical cannabis? I started using cannabis when I got into high school. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? Yes, seizure medication and anxiety and depression medications. The seizure medications were actually making me have more seizures and the depression medication made me feel like a completely different person. So, I just gathered up all meds and threw them away. I’d rather suffer than take man-made pills that poison my body. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? Getting the elected officials that are funded by pill companies out of office. The elected officials control the access of cannabis for so many people, and the pharmaceutical
companies have so many politicians in their back pocket, at this point in time. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? That they need to open up their minds more and think of the big picture. There are millions of people suffering needlessly, or overdosing on pills. There have never been any deaths from cannabis; it is all-natural and helps treat hundreds of illnesses. Cannabis has been proven to be safer than man-made medications. We need to let the people who choose cannabis over pharmaceuticals have a real say in what goes on; they are the ones that are taking a safe medication and want real and safe access to healing, for all. That will not only help in the medical field, but it could potentially bring millions of dollars to states that need it for roads, schools and more. c
November 2015 // CULTURE
47
recipes
Menu:
Pumpkin Soup with Sage Pesto Turkey meatballs with Cranberry Glaze Spicy Citrus Brussels
Turkey meatballs with Cranberry Glaze 1 pound of lean ground turkey 1 tablespoon cannabis-infused olive oil t ½ cup finely chopped onion (1 medium onion) ¼ cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs 1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning 1 can (16 oz) jellied cranberry sauce ½ cup water
PREPARE TO FEAST KICK THANKSGIVING UP A NOTCH
As we move into the holiday season once again, we’re reminded that it’s that time of year to take a step back and be thankful for everything that life brings to the table—especially when it comes to food! This Thanksgiving, immortalize that warm, fuzzy feeling of happiness that we associate with the holiday with hearty soups, creamy mashed potatoes, tasty stuffing and turkey galore—all of which are classic culinary staples. Take those typical flavors and spice up a few of our modern recipes that come with a healthy dose of cannabis, and enjoy the relaxing, euphoric food coma that you deserve.
In medium bowl, mix all ingredients except cranberry sauce and water. Shape mixture into about 45 (one-inch) balls. Heat infused oil in 10inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs; brown meatballs on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes (or until thermometer inserted in center of meatballs reads 165°F). Slowly stir in cranberry sauce and chicken water. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until cranberry sauce is smooth.
Spicy Citrus Brussels 2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise 1½ tablespoons cannabis-infused olive oil t
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes Coarse salt 2 teaspoons lemon zest 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 450°, with racks in middle and lower third. Divide brussels between two baking sheets and toss each with oil and red pepper flakes. Lightly sprinkle coarse salt over brussels. Roast until browned in some spots and tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes, stirring and rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to a serving dish and top with lemon zest and lemon juice. 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.
48
CULTURE // November 2015
t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
serves
Pumpkin Soup with Sage Pesto
4
Soup
1 large sugar or pie pumpkin, cut in half and seeds removed and reserved (plus 4 small ones if you are making the pumpkin bowls) 1 tablespoon cannabisinfused olive oil* salt and pepper 6 tablespoons canna butter* 2 small shallots, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
4 cups chicken broth 1 cup coconut milk + 1 cup water (or 2 cups water) 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more or less to your liking) 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Sage Pesto 1 head garlic (or you may sub 1 clove raw garlic) 1 cup fresh parsley 1/2 cup fresh sage 1/4 cup shelled pistachios 1/4 cup cannabis-infused olive oil*
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (if you do not like blue cheese, substitute with feta or parmesan) 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut your pumpkin in half or into fourths and de-seed. Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet, rub the pumpkin with 1 tablespoon infused olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop off the top portion of the garlic head to reveal cloves. Peel any excess paper/ skin off from the bulb of garlic. Pour about a teaspoon of infused olive oil on top the garlic cloves and cover with foil. Roast both the pumpkin and garlic together on the same baking sheet for 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fork tender and the garlic is golden brown and soft. Remove from the oven and allow everything to cool five minutes. Squeeze garlic out of the paper skin into a small bowl, mash well with a fork and set aside. Grab the pumpkin and add it to a food processor (or mash extremely well) and puree with 1 cup of the chicken broth. Puree until completely smooth. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the canna butter and shallots. SautÊ the shallots until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and cook another 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree, remaining chicken, coconut milk, water, cayenne, nutmeg, maple syrup and crushed red pepper. Bring the soup to a low simmer and simmer 15-20 minutes. While the soup cooks, make the pesto. Put the roasted garlic, parsley, sage and pistachios in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped and then stream in the infused oil. Add the cheese and pulse a few more time until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls (or your roasted pumpkins) and top each bowl with a dollop of pesto and if desired, drizzle with coconut milk. Enjoy!
SEE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE
November 2015 // CULTURE
49
Chuck Shepherd's
News of the
Weird
LEAD STORY—A PAPER DRONE u The Federal Aviation
Administration recently granted (likely for the first time ever) an application to fly a paper airplane. Prominent drone advocate Peter Sachs had applied to conduct commercial aerial photography with his “aircraft” (a Tailor Toys model with a tiny propeller and maximum range of 180 feet), and the agency, concerned with air traffic safety, accommodated by treating the request (unironically?) under the rules for manned flights (that, among other restrictions, Sachs must not exceed 100 mph and must engage a licensed airplane pilot to fly it). “With this grant,” said the “victorious” Sachs, “the FAA has abandoned all logic and sensibility.”
QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENTS u Because temperatures
were in the high 90s the last weekend in August, tourists visiting the historical Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland were greeted by the outdoor sprinkler system dousing them near the gates. It was intended as relief, said operators, to keep guests from fainting, but, as one Israeli visitor said, “It was a punch to the gut”—too reminiscent of Auschwitz’s gas chamber. (Jewish prisoners had been marched calmly to their deaths under the pretense that they were only being taken for showers).
NEW WORLD ORDER u Digital World: (1) The North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction announced in July that it would be experimenting with online phys ed courses for high schoolers. Students would watch videos on certain
50
CULTURE // November 2015
activities, then engage in them, and later self-report their (as the agency calls it) “mastery.” (2) British police warned in August of a brand-new sex crime based on the iPhone app AirDrop. The app sends text or photos instantly to nearby AirDrop users (who choose to receive from “contacts” or from “everyone”). Thus, perverts can “flash” strangers by posting nude pictures of themselves to reach AirDrop users set carelessly (or purposely!) to “everyone.”
NAMES IN THE NEWS u Charged with choking and
punching his fiancee: Mr. Daniel Gentleman, 28 (Prescott, Arizona, May). Charged with killing her husband and burying his body in a manure pile on their farm: Ms. Charlene Mess, 48 (Attica, New York, April). Charged with sexual assault: Mr. Huckleberry Finn (Keene, New Hampshire, July). And prominent in the news (confusingly so) when the Food and Drug Administration approved the socalled “female Viagra” drug Addyi in August: FDA spokesperson Dr. Janet Woodcock.
LEAST COMPETENT PEOPLE u “Selfies” continue to take
their devastating toll on Americans. On Aug. 30 in Orient, Maine, driver Jordan Toner, 29, attempting to lean into a seven-person selfie among his passengers, crashed into a tree, causing numerous injuries. On Aug. 24, Alex Gomez, 36, of Lake Elsinore, California, tried to take one after draping an angry 4-footlong rattlesnake around his neck. The predictable bite was damaging but not fatal. On Sept. 1 in Houston, a 19-yearold man taking selfies while VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
clumsily fondling his handgun is no longer with us.
RECURRING THEMES u In June, News of the Weird
mentioned a drug dealer in Marseille, France, who was distributing loyalty cards to his best customers (fill 10 squares, get a discount). In August, a small-time cannabis dealer in the central France town of Villeurbanne pushed the envelope further by taping 1-gram samples to handlettered leaflets (offering home delivery for 100-euro orders, along with his first name and phone number). The man was of course arrested, with the local police superintendent musing about the man’s “very special” business model.
u More “Slow TV”: Norwegian TV viewers have somehow given strong ratings to a series of seemingly interminable programs (a continuous camera on a salmon-fishing vessel, 12 hours of live log-burning with commentary, five hours of knitters spinning their way to a world record, 100 straight hours of chess-playing, a five-day stretch from a cruise ship), and in August were presented another such gift. The Norwegian caviar company Mills said it would live stream, on a YouTube channel, nearly 11 months of fish eggs aging 24/7 in barrels—7,392 hours of “programming.” u People With Issues: Alexander Carlsson, 25, was jailed in Sanford, Florida, in August on federal child pornography charges, but also told agents that he is a “clopper,” which identifies him, he said, as one who masturbates while gazing at figurines and pictures depicting Hasbro’s My Little Pony toys. READERS’ CHOICE u A thief grabbed the purse of
an elderly woman shopping with her husband at a Fred Meyer store in Spokane, Washington, on July 23 and fled through a parking lot. They had no chance to catch the man, but he happened to run right by hospital nurse Heidi Muat, 42,
who surmised the situation and started after him. The thief quickly saw that Muat could outrun him, and he gave up the purse, which Muat returned to the couple. Muat later revealed her alter ego: On her Spokannibals Roller Derby team, she is known as Ms. “Ida B. ChoAzz.”
A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC (FEBRUARY 2009) u Though India is recognized
as a world leader in promoting the health benefits of urine, its dominance will be assured by the end of the year (2009) when a cow-urine-based soft drink comes to market. Om Prakash, chief of the Cow Protection Department of the RSS organization (India’s largest Hindu nationalist group), trying to reassure a Times of London reporter in February, promised, “It won’t smell like urine and will be tasty, too,” noting that medicinal herbs would be added and toxins removed. In addition to improved health, he said, India needs a domestic (and especially Hindu) beverage to compete with the foreign influence of CocaCola and Pepsi.
YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER WAS RIGHT u In September, Tennessee
Attorney General Herbert Slatery concluded that records of an investigation need not be released to the Memphis City Council—because there was no comma. The law requires the records’ release “only in compliance with a subpoena or an order of a court.” Slatery said if there had been a comma after “subpoena,” a council subpoena would get the records, but without the comma, only court subpoenas. And in July, Andrea Cammelleri prevailed on her parking ticket challenge because there was no comma. A West Jefferson, Ohio, ordinance banned parking of any “motor vehicle camper, trailer.” A state appeals judge ruled that, with a comma after “vehicle,” Cammelleri’s truck would have been banned, but without it, only campers and trailers were.
November 2015 // CULTURE
51
52
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
53
54
CULTURE // November 2015
VISIT US AT
iReadCulture.com
November 2015 // CULTURE
55