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contents 02.16 Vol 7 IssUE 8
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HONEST AND OPEN Dedicated actress, dancer and celebrity, Katie Morgan, doesn’t hold back in CULTURE’s exclusive interview.
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ON THE COVER: Photo by John Gilhooley
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inside
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48 features 48
Do It Yourself Get kinky this Valentine’s Day and make your own edible Canna-Brief Jerky, Infused Candy Nipple Tassels and more!
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Sexy VDay Edibles This breakdown provides a list of all of the best lovecentric cannabis edibles available near you!
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The Love Doctor Dr. Terri Orbuch has dedicated her life to finding out why couples work well together—and cannabis can play a big part in that.
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Canna-Weddings Check out how well matrimony and cannabis mix with these new trends.
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It’s Getting Hot In Here Explore the mind of Dr. Nick Karras, a sexologist who’s eager to educate readers on using cannabis for sex.
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Positive Influence The DABSTARS Crew and its phenomenal success is making an impact on the cannabis community!
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Spreading The Love Seattle-native Kjell Nelson can adapt to any music style he needs for Cabin Games.
online Exclusive!
departments news
26 Access Point Highlight 36 Entertainment Reviews 71 Profiles in Courage
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d Smoking on the Clock:
14 News Nuggets 16 By the Numbers 20 Local News 24 Legal Corner
reviews
28 Company Highlight 30 Strain & Edible Reviews 32 Cool Stuff
in every issue
72 Recipes
68 Growing Culture 70 Destination Unknown
74 Washington Now!
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75 News of the Weird
Colorado Companies Permit Cannabis Smoke Breaks d Alaska Groups Give
Free Cannabis to Veterans
Vol 7 IssUE 8
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CULTURE M
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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 Justin Olson Account Executives Greg Andes, Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Ryan Dunn, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Yolanda Imoberstag, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, 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 25,000 magazines at over 600 locations throughout Washington. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture速 Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 815 1st Ave | #220 Seattle | Washington | 98104 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com
CULTURE速 Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
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/freeculturemag
/iReadCulture
/iReadCulture
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NEWS
nuggets Washington’s Department of Health Discusses Rescheduling Alternatives for Cannabis
When Governor Jay Inslee signed the Cannabis Patient Act, he vetoed the part of the legislation that would have removed cannabis as a Schedule I substance in Washington. However, Inslee asked the Washington Department of Health (DOH) to bring him a draft resolution for the next legislative session, according to The Stranger. With this request in mind, the DOH came up with three options for rescheduling cannabis within the state, adding a fourth in a November meeting. The options were as follows; 1) Make no changes, 2) Make cannabis a “legend” drug by re-scheduling to II, III, IV or V and regulating it like medicine, 3) Make no changes but specifically exempt cannabis purchased, grown or sold through the state’s existing system and 4) Remove medical cannabis from scheduling entirely. While the DOH found a number of loop holes concerning each option, Commissioner Tim Lynch came up with a fifth alternative. Leave cannabis as a Schedule I substance, but de-schedule medical cannabis, so a distinction is made and it can be regulated as a pharmaceutical. This alternative passed with 9 of the 15 commission’s votes but still needs to be approved by the governor.
NCAA Alleviates Penalties for Athletes Who Test Positive for Substance Use As cannabis use throughout the U.S. continues to increase and views on the plant shift to a more positive light, the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) is also changing its stance concerning cannabis and other “recreational drugs.” According to an investigation by the Associated Press (AP), the NCAA has cut back penalties for athletes who tested positive for substances like cannabis to nearly half. Of the 57 schools that the AP analyzed, it was found that since 2005, 23 of those schools have cut back on penalties or allowed athletes to test positive several times before being suspended or dismissed, according to The San Diego Tribune. While recreational cannabis is legal in Oregon and Washington, penalties for athletes at state colleges have been alleviated. According to The San Diego Tribune, in the past, if an athlete tested positive for cannabis three times at Oregon State, they would be dismissed. Now, if an athlete tests positive three times, they are given one more chance. At Washington State, suspension for an athlete testing positive three times used be a year, it is now only 30 days long.
Seattle Sends Out 14-Day Notice for Medical Access Points Recently, the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board is sending out 14-day notices for access points in Seattle to either get a license or essentially close up shop. The notice states that there are too many applicants and not enough licenses available, giving access points only 14 days to move their business out of Seattle or assume full liability that they may not receive a license, and in that case, will be forced to close, according to King 5. Originally, access points expected to have until July 1, 2016 to make the necessary arrangements if they were not granted a license. With a total of only 21 licenses to go around, the notice has caused a lot of panic in access point owners whose businesses are at risk, ““It’s beyond frustrating. It’s absolutely beyond frustrating,” says local access point owner Maryam Mirnateghi. “To ask me to sign away my rights or lose my application? That’s extortion.” Currently, there are 100 access points operating in Seattle that are hoping to qualify for a license.
U.S. Dependence on Mexican Cannabis Drops Due to loosening cannabis regulations in the U.S., growers in Mexico are seeing less profit in cultivating cannabis. In 2008, the cannabis users in the U.S. depended on Mexico for up to twothirds of its cannabis supply, but that amount has dropped, as growers begin to pop up throughout the U.S. Mexico now contributes to less than one third of the U.S.’s cannabis supply, according to the Los Angeles Times. Sinaloa’s agricultural secretary, Juan Guerra, states that although farmers do not want to abandon their “illicit crops,” drops in profit are forcing them to. Over the past four years, the amount of money cannabis growers in Mexico receive per-kilogram has dropped from $100 to $30. With the variety of craft cannabis strains available in recreational and medical markets in the U.S., it is easy for cannabis lovers to let go of Mexican crops which are typically low grade and full of seeds, according to High Times writer, Danny Danko. 14
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NEWS
The number of delivery services that would be allowed to operate out of currently existing licensed recreational stores in Seattle, if the newly proposed House Bill 2368 and its accompanied pilot program is approved: (Source: KIRO 7)
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The current number of cannabis producers and processors approved to operate in Washington: (Source: King 5)
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The number of days that the Liquor and Cannabis Board recently has been giving medical cannabis access points to either get licensed or close down their business, by letter, going against the original July 2016 deadline: (Source: King 5)
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The estimated number of retail cannabis licenses that will become available to applicants once the Liquor and Cannabis Board has increased currently the allowed number of licenses: (Source: Northwest Public Radio)
The distance, in feet, that access points are allowed to be located from places such as libraries, parks and other sensitive areas: (Source: King 5)
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The percentage of Tennessee residents who support the legalization of medical cannabis: (Source: Sun Times)
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The estimated percentage of decline in income for Mexican cannabis farmers due to the decriminalization and legalization of the herb in the U.S.: (Source: Breitbart)
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CannaCon
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(Source: The Washington Times)
What: CannaCon. When/Where: Thurs, Feb. 18-Sat, Feb. 20. International Conference Center, 2211 Alaskan Wy., Seattle. Info: Visit www.cannacon.org for details.
In 2015, CannaCon brought in 11,000 attendees with it’s over 200 exhibitors and 50 educational sessions. As the biggest industry insider in the cannabis community CannaCon lives up to its standard of being a global enterprise for cannabusinesses, investors, entrepreneurs and community partners. Not only is CannaCon a great outlet for those in the cannabusiness industry, it serves as an educational provider and business opportunity for individuals
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The number of medical cannabis patients that participated in New York’s newest cannabis program on the first day that it became legal:
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looking to start a business or simply mingle with those dedicated to creating a thriving cannabis community. To get a glimpse of what CannaCon has to offer, visit cannacon.org to view images from last year’s event and checkout this year’s guest speakers, seminars and exhibitors. As the cannabis industry continues to rapidly evolve, CannaCon is the biggest and most resourceful cannabis convention, an opportunity that is not to be missed.
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NEWS
LOCAL
“Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic”
Canna-bust? Too much product may drop prices
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by Emily Manke
n yet another turn in Washington State’s tumultuous cannabis market, experts are now saying there is a state-wide cannabis surplus. Data supplied by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board indicated that from July 2014 to November 2015, licensed producers grew approximately 16,000 more pounds of cannabis than retail stores sold. Which means there is a whole lot of unsold cannabis sitting on retail shelves. So what does that mean for the emerging cannabis market in Washington State? Experts are predicting that prices will drop significantly due to the cannabis surplus. With so much extra product, it is easy to surmise that retailers will begin to sell at clearance prices, driving down the overall price point of cannabis. But is that really the case? And if so, how did this predicament come about? CULTURE talked to the president of producer/processor Plan C Farms, Brandon Caffrey, about what he thinks caused the cannabis surplus, and how he thinks it will have an effect on local business. On what caused the surplus in Washington State: “There are a couple of things. One, originally the state wanted to have 400 retail stores, and with all the local moratoriums and local municipalities not allowing cannabis stores in their area definitely plays a part in the supply and demand curve. Also, the state didn’t really put a
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limit on how many producer\processors could get into the business,” Caffrey told CULTURE. “In addition to that, you’ve got the once a year outdoor dump of product on the market. So I think those are the main contributors.” On how it will affect new processors like Plan C, coming into the market: “It all comes down to two things. Number one, do you have a good plan in place? There are a lot of good growers who aren’t good business people, and a lot of good business people, who aren’t good growers. So you need both.” “Secondly, we have four different retailers we work with, and from what they tell me, if the quality is there for indoor, they are selling through their supply. There is a place for everyone in the market; outdoor, indoor and greenhouse. But for now, high-quality indoor is selling.” Despite dire predictions from industry experts, producers in Washington have plenty to be optimistic about. At last count, well over one million dollars worth of cannabis is sold each day in Washington, according to the WSLCB. And as Caffrey, who has an extensive business background, said, in any new industry, there are going to be people who try and fail to succeed. As supply and demand for cannabis in Washington State levels out, producers who grow quality product, and are business savvy, have the best chance of weathering the storm. c
With the abundance of personal portraits we see on a daily basis, from “selfies” to family photos, we rarely stop to think of the significance associated with such images. Inspired by conditions, historical and present, Kehinde Wiley plays on the implications of the portrait and how it represents the identity of an individual. With patterned backgrounds comprised of lively colors, Wiley depicts “normal” people from the African American community. These portraits often depict individuals in urban attire, posed with props or in some obscure way, that sometimes play off historical references. Wiley sees this as a chance to represent the black community and bring forth society’s habit of constantly misrepresenting its culture. Masterfully done, “A New Republic” is a stunning body of work that twists traditional portraiture while hinting at social commentary. WHAT: “Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic” exhibit. WHEN/WHERE: Thurs, Feb. 11-Sun, May 8. Seattle Art Museum, 1300 1st Ave., Seattle. INFO: Visit www. seattleartmuseum. org for details.
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NEWS
legal corner
NEW RULES IN WA
“Proponents of residency requirements typically argue that they serve as a deterrent against ‘big marijuana,’ and that they ensure localized ownership and control. Those in favor of opening up investment to outof-staters typically assert that increased access to capital gives cannabis business owners better options to start and grow their businesses.”
by Hilary Bricken
After six public hearings held in November of last year, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) voted to revise draft rules to align the medical and recreational cannabis markets in the Evergreen State. If adopted by the WSLCB, these new proposed rules will mean big changes for Washington’s cannabis market. The new rules will remove the six-month residency requirement for financiers, thus allowing much greater participation in Washington State’s cannabis industry by outof-staters. WAC 314-55-010 (8) defines a financier as: Any person or entity, other than a banking institution, that has made or will make an investment in the licensed business. A financier can be a person or entity that provides money as a gift, loans money to the applicant/ business and expects to be paid 24
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back the amount of the loan with or without interest, or expects any percentage of the profits from the business in exchange for a loan or expertise. The current WSLCB rules mandate that a financier is a true party of interest and that they, along with their spouse, must pass a criminal and financial background check in addition to demonstrating no less than six months of residency in Washington State. According to the WSLCB’s summary sheet regarding the new proposed rules, though the WSLCB will keep the current financier definition, amended sections WAC 314-55-020 and WAC 314-55035 would no longer require that financiers be considered true parties of interest subject to the six-month residency requirement. It is important to note that all of the other qualifying conditions remain for financiers, including
having to pass criminal and financial background checks. Reasonable minds may disagree on whether lifting the restriction on out-of-state investors is good or bad for Washington’s industry. Proponents of residency requirements typically argue that they serve as a deterrent against “big marijuana,” and that they ensure localized ownership and control. Those in favor of opening up investment to outof-staters typically assert that increased access to capital gives cannabis business owners better options to start and grow their businesses. This new set of rules will be subject to public comment, with the first hearing scheduled on February 10, 2016 in Olympia. The WSLCB will then likely adopt the rules on or by February 24, 2016. And, if adopted, the new rules become effective March 24, 2016. c
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REVIEWs
access point highlight
The Center for Palliative Care (The CPC)
74 South Lucile St., Seattle, 98134 www.thecpc.org | (888) 972-1555
What does your access point offer clients that they can’t find anywhere else? What do you specialize in, if anything? We are a knowledge and research driven organization that specializes in precise, quantifiable and consistent cannabinoid therapy. When patients come to The CPC they are asked to step back from the cannabis conversation and define their health habits and goals. From that point we can connect them with resources that will guide them through the process of learning how
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cannabis will facilitate a deeper level of health and wellness. Often times, people dealing with health issues are in a polarizing space. They are either talking in terms of numbers and test results that have little to do with emotion and mind, or they are expected to exhibit boundless optimism and strength around family and friends. The CPC provides patients a depth of interaction. We operate a consultative model in a private space. We encourage everyone to pause, speak frankly, set goals, and proceed with purpose. A returning patient visit averages
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27 minutes. An initial consultation at The CPC averages almost 90 minutes. How and when did your access point start up? In the early 2000s, one of the founding members broke his neck in a snowboarding accident. During rehabilitation he was consuming almost 1,000mg of prescription medication day. It inevitably ended him up in a different kind of rehabilitation, which lead him to seek out alternatives to the pharmaceutical paradigm of injury recover and overall health and wellness. He met his business partner and co-founder in the mid 2000s. They began assisting friends and family who were seeking to explore therapeutic cannabis and eventually applied that knowledge into the development of The CPC and its products.
With the changing landscape of MMJ and recreational cannabis, what are the biggest challenges you face in this industry as an access point? Luckily, the biggest challenge to our progress as an organization is exactly what motivates us. That challenge is raising the standard of the cannabis industry through forward thinking practices driven by the needs of our patients. This has been more straightforward in the past when we were able to operate with and among our medical cannabis community that valued compassion and cooperation. After July 2016, we are being forced to operate within the I-502 market. This market is driven by competition, return on investment, flashy promotion and packaging and values more often found in standard consumer markets. Our new challenge will be to maintain our ethos and value driven actions while still remaining competitive and fiscally viable within this new arena.
Any sneak peeks on new products or news you’d like to share? Before we have to transition out of the medical market, our goal is to give away thousands of CBD clones to patients, and educate them on how they can legally grow their own medicine. After this, we will offer CPC products on various state regulated markets. Stay tuned and check our website for more info. Also, it isn’t new but it is relatively unknown, suppositories. We have worked with patients fighting colorectal cancer, endometriosis, or digestive uptake issues. Our solution has been cannabis suppositories that deliver cannabinoids directly to target areas and provide for higher rates of absorption. The Kettle Falls Five (KF5) are fellow Washington patients facing federal prison time for growing legal cannabis in accordance with Washington state law. Look for absolute oils, The CPC, and KF5 products on the market that have committed 10 percent of proceeds to their defense. c
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REVIEWs
company highlight
Mana Gardens @ManaGardens How would you describe your company? What is your specialty? Mana Gardens is committed to growing the finest sinsemilla we can, prioritizing high quality over quantity. We specialize in growing hydroponics while maintaining delicious tasting buds. Nothing is rushed or un-flushed. Our unique grow system is able to produce double the amount of product using the same space, electricity and time frame. This is great for the environment, for consumers and the bottom line return for investors.
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What do you offer consumers/clients that others don’t? We love great tasting and strong smelling buds! We try to grow strains that will taste delicious vs. buds that are only high in THC. I would rather have a few tasty beverages instead of one shot of Everclear that burns on the way down. We also grow for fragrance; we want our flowers to smell amazing! The aroma should smack you in the face when you open your baggie and take your first whiff. How and why did your company start up? Our founder always knocked it out of the park with growing
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his own buds, and his patients wanted more. Placing a name on the garden helps people recognize what we grow. Someone else might grow Purple Nepal but have you tried Mana Gardens’ Purple Nepal? What are the goals and vision moving forward for your company? Where do you see your company in five years? Definitely the goal for 2016 is to move into the recreational market as a producer/processor. We want to bring the quality of flowers we see in the medical side to the rec market. We love bringing cannabis to her fullest genetic potential. What words of advice would you offer anyone seeking to enter
the world of cannabis business? More specifically . . . what is unique to this type of work / this industry, in your opinion? For someone looking to start growing, we would tell them to keep it simple. You don’t need a thousand different additives. Stick to your basic three-part nutrient solution. The biggest errors we have seen have been mental errors. Don’t forget to do the basic chores and tasks like pH the water, plug in the pumps, and water the plants. If you get too stoned and forget, your grow will suffer. Also, growing is not like most other business, the plants don’t care if it’s the weekend, if you’re tired, or it’s Christmas. They need what they need, when they need it, on their schedule.
What do you hope to accomplish in the MMJ industry? The name of our Garden, Mana, is a Hawaiian word referring to the internal life force that exists in everything. We want patients to be able to harvest the mana of the cannabis plant that we grew to help them. At the same time, bringing the pleasure and enjoyment that comes from a truly high quality flower. Any sneak peeks on new products or news you’d like to share? We do have some new strains coming out. Our latest strain Diablo Kush is ridiculous, and is our new favorite— super dense, light gas/ kerosene scent, brightgreen and potent. Keep an eye out. c
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REVIEWs
strain & edible
Lava Rocks Dutch Treat Tahoma Flavors Sativa created a truly unique product with these highly potent little treats. The Lava Rocks come in a glass container, topped with a cork, and sealed with wax for ultimate freshness. This unique presentation gave us the hint that we were in for something special. So did the 50 percent THC prominently displayed on the label. Shaking these rocks around in the glass, the sound gave the impression of something much more dense and compact than flower. The smell and taste was typical for Dutch Treat, fruity, and piney with an indistinct earthy flavor and scent. That’s because the Dutch Treat flower is rolled in Dutch Treat extract for an impressive final effect. We sampled the Lava Rocks using a water pipe, and let’s just say a little went a long way. The effect was strong and immediate—while it was intense, and true to its strain, it was also energizing and joyful. Lava Rocks might be a little too intense for anyone with a low tolerance, moderate to heavy cannabis users will enjoy these heady morsels.
Available wherever: Tahoma Flavors products are carried.
The Pez Available at: Tacoma Holistic Collective in Tacoma.
Upon popping open the signature Squeezetops container from THC, the first thing that hit us was the smell. An alluring fragrance of an incredibly refreshing, sweet, pine wafted out of the container immediately upon squeezing. The next thing we noticed (aside from the generous portion, thanks THC!) was the almost neon orange hairs covering the flower so generously it almost looked furry. Underneath all of those beautiful hairs is sugar leaf with an incredibly healthy amount of crystals. The leaves are light green, and the flower is remarkably dense. We sampled this flower using a water pipe, and noticed right away that the flower was smooth to smoke, easy on the lungs. The sweet and tart flavor gave a new meaning to the name, The Pez. After consuming The Pez, we noticed pretty soon after that the body effect was pretty intense and pleasurable. The relaxation wasn’t just physical, it’s an overall relaxation perfect for anyone trying to just chill out. The Pez probably isn’t suitable for daytime use unless you’re stuck at home trying to heal.
CBD Capsules Extra Strength With such a powerful medicine, in such a small size, it’s always helpful to have as much information as possible concerning cannabis capsules. The CPC provides just that. The four 100mg capsules came with an attractively designed and highly educational little fold out. Dosage, directions, recommendations and even a handy little terpene chart. Following the directions, we took one capsule each on empty stomachs, with a tiny bit of nut butter. After waiting the recommended 60-90 minutes, the impact was evident enough that everyone was happy with the one 100mg dose. These Extra Strength CBD Capsules provided relaxation and pain relief, without any of the brain fog that can be present with high THC cannabis products. This would be the perfect product for long term management of any number of painful ailments.
Available at: All Natural Wellness Collective (ANWC) in Tacoma.
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Available at: The Center for Palliative Care (CPC) in Seattle.
Wet Dream This strain has a lot going for it, and this particular sample embodied all of the strain’s goodness perfectly. The lime green flower is so crystal-laden it almost appears white. Long, bright-orange hairs protrude all over the bud, a stark contrast to the snowy sugar leaves. The smell is intoxicatingly earthy, with hints of citrus and savory herbs. We consumed this exquisite flower using a water pipe, and it was smooth and tasty, the flavors consistent with the fragrance. Wet Dream is famous for its euphoric and energetic effect, and this flower lived up to all of its strains potential. There’s no doubt that Wet Dream is strong, but its strength comes with an almost vitamin or caffeine like energy boost that makes it perfect for all kinds of uses. Daytime, nighttime, working out or going out, this multi-faceted strain will provide just the state of mind you need to live the dream.
GET YOUR CLICKS
HERE
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REVIEWs
For More Products Go To www.iReadCulture.com
3. Glance App Make your love life a little more exciting with the Google Glass and iPhone compatible app, Glance. This app allows users to see what their partner sees during intimate moments as well as get alternative angles by utilizing the camera on their phone. Users of Glance will also be able to record with the iPhone app, so they can have a home movie to watch later. The Google Glass feature is easy and convenient to use, all one has to do is say “Ok Glass it’s time” and let the magic unfurl. A fun alternative to the old camera and tripod, helping you get all the right angles. PRICE: FREE MORE INFORMATION: www.glanceapp.info
1. DRUMi: Foot-Powered Washing Machine From Toronto based company, YiREGO comes the environmentally ethical Drumi. Drumi is a 15 pound, 22-inch-tall foot-powered washing machine that uses only five liters of water and no electricity. Sure that doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, but according to YiREGO, the typical laundry cycle uses up to 50 liters of water and 500 watts of power. Not only does Drumi use significantly less water and power, it can wash up to five pounds of clothes and each cycle only takes about five minutes! Drumi is the new alternative to washing clothes, allowing users to spend less on water, electricity and save time, with its innovative design. PRICE: $239 MORE INFORMATION: www.yirego.com
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2. AutoBlow 2 Revolutionizing personal experiences, AutoBlow2 allows any guy to sit back and enjoy the pleasures of oral stimulation. Conveniently created so you don’t have to use your hands too much, the AutoBlow2 comes with the option of including a handle for secure grip and it works automatically. Available in three sizes, A, B and C, AutboBlow2 is for guys of all sizes (measure accordingly). When using the AutoBlow2, a water-based lubricant is recommended, followed by a thorough cleaning afterwards, ensuring you get quality pleasure every time. According to customer reviews, this is an upgrade from the original! PRICE: $159 MORE INFORMATION: www.autoblow2.com
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4. Sense by Hello Sense is a remarkable device that monitors your sleep patterns, and provides detailed logs on each night’s sleep that can be viewed on any Smartphone. Simply place Sense on your nightstand, along with a small sleep tracker on your pillow, and it can detect the current room temperature and light levels and recommend what needs to be changed in order to get a quality night of sleep. Your tossing and turning, snoring and any other issues during sleep will be reported, helping you gain knowledge on why you’re not getting restful sleep, and how to change it. PRICE: $129 MORE INFORMATION: www.hello.is
iReadCulture.com
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HERE
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entertainment
BOOK
Cannabis in Canada: The Illustrated History
Release Date: Feb. 23 Available on: PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Dana Larsen, Patrick Dowers Self-Published In author Dana Larsen’s new book, Cannabis in Canada: The Illustrated History, Larsen offers a fact-filled account of Canada’s relation to industrial hemp dating from the mid 17th century, and to medical cannabis dating from the mid 19th century. Canada has gone back and forth with cannabis’ legal status for centuries and Larsen details the 350 years of legal Canadian hemp in this entertaining illustrated book. Even more entertaining, Larsen sent each one of the Liberal Members of Parliament a copy of the book, and a small gift of one gram of cannabis, in the hopes of sparking a conversation in their offices. (Alex Bradley)
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GAME
Far Cry Primal Dev. Ubisoft Montreal Pub. Ubisoft The Far Cry video game series is taking a step far back from its normal first person shooter series. In Far Cry Primal, you’re a human hunter living in the Stone Age left to fight off gargantuan mammoths and sabertooth cats. Players rise up in the ranks of their tribe by crafting classic weapons such as spears, axes and bows and taming many of the animals in this time period, from badgers to owls and saber-tooth tigers. Defend yourself against other enemy tribes, all of which are fighting to survive in this savage land. (Nicole Potter)
MOVIE
Guidance Search Engine Films Dir. Pat Mills What happens when an aging, alcoholic, former child-star living in denial about his sexuality and cancer diagnosis decides to fabricate an identity in order to become a high school guidance counselor? Guidance follows David Gold as he desperately attempts to gain some semblance of control over his life by helping students. As one might imagine, all types of shenanigans ensue when Gold encourages students to be themselves, with a little bit of help from cannabis and alcohol. For some laughs with some substance behind them, Guidance is definitely one to check out. (Simon Weedn)
MUSIC
Emotional Mugger Ty Segall Drag City Ty Segall has built an incredible reputation for himself for not only playing some of the more interesting and powerful psychedelic, garage rock out there, but also writing and releasing it at an incredibly prolific rate. So, it should come as no surprise that Mr. Segall has recently returned this winter to deliver his eighth studio in album in eight years entitled, Emotional Mugger. Listening to Segall attempt to marry pop with garage rock, two somewhat opposing elements of his style, continuing to push his sound in new directions while never losing the qualities that made him endearing to begin with. (Simon Weedn)
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“I prefer smoking to drinking. Like, if I’m going to chill, I’ll either have a joint or a joint and a glass of wine.”
Photos by John Gilhooley Makeup by Aimee Tureaud Hair by Elizabeth Hall Conley
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Getting intimate and talking cannabis with actress
Katie Morgan by Jamie Solis
Cannabis and pornography are two lucrative and sometimes taboo industries with many similarities. Both industries cater to adult appetites; they are both held to different regulations from state to state, but most importantly—cannabis and pornography are two industries that the talented adult film actress, Katie Morgan, knows all too well. Whether or not you watch adult films, chances are Katie Morgan has made an appearance in your living room at one time or another. Best known for her nine HBO specials and a star role in Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Katie Morgan has successfully attained mainstream status while still catering to those who enjoy watching her have sex onscreen. Following her role in Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Katie took a seven-year hiatus from shooting hardcore adult films to instead focus on other endeavors like hosting parties, doing podcasts, performing burlesque shows all across the country and making special appearances. Last September, Katie Morgan fans everywhere rejoiced as she made her much-anticipated re-entry into the hardcore adult film industry. While many fantasize about this adorable, blonde bombshell trademarked for her highpitched voice and busty figure, Katie also has an outgoing and bubbly personality that is complimented by her affinity for two of our favorite things—animals and cannabis. Katie sat down with CULTURE to discuss her career, views on the ever-changing porn industry and of course, her love for cannabis. Whether you’re following her on Twitter to see hilarious and adorable posts or you are guilty of drooling over her countless adult films, it is time to get a little more intimate with Katie Morgan. >>
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“I don’t grow myself, but if somebody wanted my input or wanted to name [a strain of cannabis] after me, I would be totally down for that. It should be an orange sativa.” You’re back into shooting hardcore adult films after a seven-year hiatus following the release of Zack and Miri Make a Porno. How is it to be back filming adult videos? Oh my God, it’s so much fun. It really is. I just missed it, and I realized that I could do it again. Like, I didn’t think I couldn’t, but I had been gone for so long, and so much had changed. But then I went to AVM Expo last year and met a bunch of new people, and it just felt like it was time to come back. It’s been so much fun! That’s so exciting. How are your fans responding? Oh, huge! I did the Exotica Convention at the end of last year, and we were busy the whole time. I don’t think I’ve ever taken that many pictures right in a row. It was so much fun! You’re one of the only adult film actresses who attained mainstream status with nine HBO specials, your role in a feature film and more. What do you personally consider to be your greatest accomplishments? I think definitely the HBO shows. I had a nine-year relationship with them, and we did nine specials, and that’s really my thing. I’m quite proud to be that naked girl from HBO. 42
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Would you also say your 2013 induction into the Adult Video News (AVN) Hall of Fame is up there with your greatest accomplishments? Oh yes, that was huge. I still can’t believe it when people say that. It’s amazing, and that was such an honor. And actually AVN continues to be awesome. I came back as a performer this year in September, which was not in time for anything to come out for AVN nominations, but they’ve asked me to be a co-host the red carpet for the award show. How was it working with Kevin Smith for filming Zack and Miri Make A Porno? It was amazing. I was and still am a fan from way back. I like Clerks and Dogma and all that. So I was already a fan of his, and then Seth Rogen was an added bonus, and when I first auditioned for it I read lines with Seth and Kevin, and I thought I was going to freakin’ die, and that was before I got the role. It was surreal. Kevin was great. He actually ended up introducing me to the guy I married a couple years later, and he got ordained and married us. You regularly perform sexy burlesque shows across the U.S. What are those like? Well that’s really what I ended up busy doing the last seven years and still; I’ve been on a very extended feature dancing tour where I go out anywhere from one to three weekends a month, and I do big burlesque shows. Lots of poor ostriches died for my costumes, but they’re beautiful, and then I throw them on the floor. So I do a threesong set that starts out really burlesque, and it ends kind of more hardcore rock ‘n’ roll. >>
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Can you tell us about your new affiliation with Nexxxt Level Talent Agency? I was actually really excited to see that there was a boutique style agency happening and that it was two people I have known. I’ve known Andre Madness and Jonathan Morgan like right from the beginning. Jonathan used to come over and play at my poker game when we lived out in L.A. He was like one of my close friends. Then last year, same thing, at the AVN Expo they said they were starting this agency, “We’re only going to take 20 girls. We’re going to keep it small, so everybody gets that extra attention.” And I said, “That’s exactly what I need.” So I signed on with them, and it’s been really great. I have not had a free second. I’m enjoying it—all the back and forth. I haven’t been to L.A. this much in a couple years, and I missed it because I’m from there, so it’s kind of nice. It’s like getting to go home again.
“I’m kind of a functional smoker. I really prefer the sativa like, ‘Let’s do the laundry and write a song,’ as opposed to ‘Let’s eat brownies and watch movies.’ The sativa especially I find really focuses me, because I’m kind of all over the place normally.” Do you spend about equal time between Vegas and L.A.? I definitely spend any free time I have at home because I have all the pets and the family at the house, but when I travel, sometimes I travel cross-country for the shows, but all the adult stuff is in L.A. still. You mentioned you have pets. What kind of pets do you have? I have a little bit of a zoo. I have dogs and cats and parrots and ferrets and a wallaby and some sugar gliders and frogs and turtles. I was a pet store manager before I did porn. What are your views on the legalization of cannabis for medical and/or recreational use? On legalization, I am totally pro both medical and recreational. Pornography and cannabis both have a history of some social and political opposition toward their legalization. Do you see any parallels between the industries that would be the reason for this? I feel like that can be said for anything that society has historically told us is taboo. Even alcohol had an era of prohibition. >>
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I’ve seen on your social media that you’re pretty open about your love for cannabis. What is your preferred method of consuming cannabis? I’m really just getting into the vaping now with oils. For the most part I’m kind of old school. I like the whole process of grinding and rolling joints and stuff. Do you like edibles? Sometimes, but I’m kind of a functional smoker. I really prefer the sativa like, “Let’s do the laundry and write a song,” as opposed to “Let’s eat brownies and watch movies.” The sativa especially I find really focuses me, because I’m kind of all over the place normally. Everyone pictures that you smoke weed and you just lie down and melt, and I have the absolute opposite reaction. Are there any other reasons you choose to consume cannabis? It’s also to relax. I prefer
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smoking to drinking. Like, if I’m going to chill, I’ll either have a joint or a joint and a glass of wine. I don’t like the drunky feeling. I don’t like anything that makes me feel out of control of myself. When did you start consuming cannabis? Is it something you’ve always done? No, well because I had the whole arrest thing back in 2001, and I got the whole federal felony. I was out on bail and probation for like three years with full drug testing and all that—no smokey, no smokey. But then once I was off bail and everything started legalizing, it was kind of awesome. One week ago, I got to play the legal game in Colorado. I happened to go to Denver for a family wedding, and my kid brother and I got weed legally and smoked it. The experience was so weird. Just to be able to land in the city and drive on over to the dispensary was kind of amazing. It was like, the future is now!
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In your experience, is cannabis use is prevalent in the porn industry? It’s kind of funny actually. It used to be a lot more prevalent when I was in the first time, and until the condom laws and everybody really cracking down on stuff, I noticed a lot less people talk about it. They don’t really smoke it on set like they used to. Has the industry gotten stricter in all senses after the new laws? I wouldn’t say strict necessarily, but more professional. We’re trying to make it more like a real work place and not a party. Have you heard about other adult film stars having their own star-branded designer cannabis strains? Is this something you have considered? I would totally be into that. I mean, I don’t grow myself, but if somebody wanted my input or wanted to name one after me, I would be totally down for that. It should be an orange sativa.
Some professionals in the porn industry have crossed over to the cannabis industry. Do you think the two industries go hand in hand? Sort of—I would say [cannabis and porn go hand in hand] the same as it does when people are branding vodka or tequila . . . just like anything extra that you can put your name on and have to promote that’s in the same kind of party vein. I host parties as much as I feature dance. It’s for when you go and you’re the host of the party, you have something to promote like, ‘Here’s my vodka. Here’s my weed.’ Like, of course that goes hand in hand, but I think that goes with celebrities, not just porn. What can our readers look forward to from you in the future? Definitely look for my dance tour. I will probably be coming to a city near you at some point. I go just about everywhere from Fargo to Florida. c
thekatiemorgan.com
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Sexy Edible Fun
Fun and flirty D.I.Y. projects for you and your lover Canna-Brief Jerky Infused edible meat undies for men are pretty strange and hard to come by, but we figured out how to D.I.Y. them, and infuse them with cannabis for a little extra fun! Made from scratch with ground beef, and delicious and custom meat seasonings, these jerky briefs are perfect for a fun night in with your lover, and every part of them can be eaten off! Find the custom D.I.Y. recipe on ireadculture. com.
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Canna-Caramel Panties Instead of the storebought twisted candy rope undies, why not let your partner eat caramel and cannabis-infused candy panties right off you? These panties are delicious, and though the recipe is involved, the final result us well worth it. As your bodies heat up, the stiff caramel becomes warm and easy to eat and gently peels off your most sensitive and delicious parts. Find the custom D.I.Y. recipe on ireadculture.com.
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Romantic CannaMarshmallow Rope Handcuffs Looking to do something extra special for your Valentine this year? Try making our cannabisinfused marshmallow rope handcuffs. You can playfully take turns being locked up, and being saved! The recipe takes some time to make, but these make for an unforgettable experience for you and your lover. Find the D.I.Y. recipe at ireadculture.com.
Canna-Candy Nipple Tassels
D.I.Y. Infused Custom Chocolate Penis
Titillate your partner with your ta-ta’s as you wear hunger-inducing, homemade nipple tassels! Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to embrace the sweetness of your relationship, and your lover’s sweet tooth, with this simple but effective way to turn sexy time into dessert time. Feel free to get wild with these infused edible wearables, specifically designed to add extra fun to the bedroom and satiate your appetite. Find the custom D.I.Y. recipe on ireadculture.com.
Nothing is sexier than looking down at your partner when they’re giving you all sorts of oral attention. Return the favor with a twist and make a D.I.Y. Cannabis Infused Edible Chocolate Penis, made from a mold of their very own phallic member. Complete the mold, fill it up with chocolate and when the time is right, have your partner watch as you lick and nibble an identical edible mold of their penis. Before you know it, they’ll be squirming for you to use your moves on the real thing—and in the meantime, you get to eat a delicious infused chocolate treat. Win-win! Find the custom D.I.Y. recipe on ireadculture.com.
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VDay’s Sexiest Edibles for Just the Right Dose by Sheryll Alexander
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When it comes to romance, sex and edibles—more is not better. So here’s our list for getting the most delectable edibles and not overdoing it. Who wants to become a vegetable in bed when you set out to be a lion/ness? Made with 70 percent cacao The Goodship’s Deep Dark Chocolate Bar is sustainably sourced and has a 10mg THC content per-serving. As one of Seattles’ finest edible companies, The Goodship offers a variety of scrumptious edibles for you to incorporate into your special VDay date. Other products offered by The Goodship include its Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie, Coffee and Dark Chocolate Bar and the Saigon Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Cookie. Delicious, chocolatey and fruity, Evergreen’s Chocolate Raspberry 4.20 Roll is a bite-sized taffy chew, with a THC content of 10mg. You and your partner will love the fast acting properties of this all-natural treat, giving you more time to partake in a Valentine’s Day romp. These rolls are also available in caramel, mint and dark chocolate. If you and your partner are looking for a break from chocolate, try Gummiez’ cannabis-infused Fruit Gummies. These edibles are easy to consume for proper dosage and come in a wide variety of candies from ribbons to gum drops. Colorful and fruity, Gummiez are perfect for making kisses sweet and refreshing. Dosages vary from 10mg, 25mg, 50mg, 100mg and 250mg so check with your provider to see which product will work best for you. There’s nothing better than relaxing with the one you love. For a great calming effect, try Magic Kitchen’s Koko Gems. Each package comes with “six magical pieces” of individually wrapped chocolates at 10mg each. Available in dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate, these treats are creamy and rich, great for playfully feeding one another. As one of Seattle’s finest edible producers, Spot’s CBD Chocolate Bars are naturally made from scratch with love! These chocolates come with a 1:1 CBD:THC ratio, with the option of buying a 100mg high
Making Your Own Edibles?
CBD squares (10pc) or two pieces packaged together with a content of 5mg CBD:THC each. Making dosing easy, Spot’s CBD Chocolate Bar is ideal for couples old and new to edible consumption, allowing for an ideal cannabis infused night in. Hard on the outside, creamy on the inside, Verdelux’s chocolate Bon Bombs are 10mg THC edibles, perfect for setting the mood on Valentine’s Day. Your partner will love how these chocolates oozes into their mouth after taking a bite, as well as the soothing body effects. These decadent chocolates come in classic milk chocolate, mint milk chocolate honey caramel and vegan-friendly milk chocolate. In today’s explosive (and hopefully orgasmic) edibles market, you really can have your THC, your CBD, have it in your cake and eat it next to your beloved too. c
For those who are considering creating their own sexy cannabis confections, the secret is in the butter. Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook puts together recipes from the world’s top cannabis chefs, most notably a big section on each chef’s nolonger-confidential canna butters. Try Cannabis Kitchen’s “majoon love balls” (a round Arabic aphrodisiac treat adapted by renowned chef Chris Killam using honey cannabis butter) or chef Emily Sloat’s “hash hive balls,” which are a no-bake sweet treat made with chocolate, butterscotch, nuts and chow mein noodles ready in a half hour. Colorado’s premiere cannabis bakery, Sweet Mary Jane, came out with a dessert cookbook not surprisingly titled Sweet Mary Jane: 75 Delicious Cannabis-Infused HighEnd Desserts. These sumptuous edibles are available in the bakery’s Boulder shop, online or as a recipe you can bake at home including the bakery’s signature Queen of Tarts, OMG Brownie Cheesecake, Lemon Love Bars and Sweet Temptation Mango Sorbet. iReadCULTURE.com february 2016
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“. . . it’s not the big changes, but it’s the small, consistent changes that are important and lead to happiness.”
Doctor of Love Dr. Terri Orbuch opens up about cannabis, communication and love
by Addison Herron-Wheeler
Love is a beautiful thing–but anyone who has ever been in love, or at least a committed relationship, knows it can
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also be a ton of hard work. Relationships need attention, care, redefining and reevaluating almost every day in order to work successfully. Thankfully, there are people like Dr. Terri Orbuch who dedicate their lives to figuring out what
makes couples tick, work and fall apart. Culture landed an exclusive interview with “The Love Doctor,” and Orbuch spilled all her secrets about love and communication, cannabis as a healing herb and relationship research. >>
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How did you get started as a “The Love Doctor,” and what do you do? I am a professor, a researcher, a marriage and family therapist. I started in academia doing all of those roles and positions, and I had a research project that’s been following the same 373 couples for over 30 years. I’ve been looking at what keeps people together and happy and what breaks couples apart. I was teaching students and doing counseling for couples and individuals. About 11 years ago, I was reading self-help books and doing research, and what I was finding out in research was not the same thing that I was seeing in the books I was reading. I
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noticed when I was doing my own research that a lot of these books I was reading were perpetuating a lot of myths. So, I decided in 2004 to come out as The Love Doctor. I trademarked the name, and what I found in this long term study on marriage and divorce, is that it is important to take this information and bring it into the popular press in an accessible way. I am a relationship expert whose advice is science-based.
What do you think are some of the biggest problems that face couples, and how can they be solved? I like to ask, “What are the simplest steps that individuals and couples
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can do to make their relationships happier over time, or to find love, or find a healthy relationship?” I do this because I have found that when individuals focus on what they can do right or what is going well in their relationship rather than what is going wrong, they are much more likely to find love, or to keep love, and be happy in that relationship over time. I have a book on that topic, the book I just came out with, 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great. It’s really for all relationships, whether you are married or not. You hear a lot that what it takes to have a good relationship is hard work. I find that it is actually the small things and changes in couples that make people happy
and create positive changes over time. So it’s not the big changes, but it’s the small, consistent changes that are important and lead to happiness.
You wrote a book about how to have a good marriage, and another about having a healthy relationship–what are some of the keys to a good marriage and/or relationship, and why are they so important? It is important to have healthy disagreements, otherwise known as fighting fair. Don’t dismiss the other person’s feelings or comments, and it’s ok to take a time out if you think you are too upset or too irritated. >>
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What type of research on love do you do, outside of your work as a counselor? The ongoing research project I am working on has many different components–it started almost 30 years ago with 373 married couples. 46 percent of those couples have divorced over time, which is exactly the natural average. So that is one part of the long-term research study—what keeps people together and happy over time. But I also follow the divorced individuals—what breaks couples apart, how people deal and cope with divorce, and what are some things that individuals and couples can do to find new love again. So the second part of that is really looking at the effects of
divorce on individuals and children, but also what divorced individuals can do, and what the people in my study did to find new love again. I also looked at parent-child relationships, how to have a healthy parent child relationship, and what topics can parents share with their children about relationships. Some other topics are what to do to have a healthy relationship, dating tips, and how to find love.
What role do you think cannabis can play in helping couples have a healthy relationship? I’m an advocate for using cannabis for medical reasons, so that if it is medically prescribed, if someone has an illness, a physical ailment,
“. . . cannabis sometimes can allow us to let go of our past, let go of these unrealistic expectations, and let go of the stress that is placed on us. So I think cannabis allows us to be fully present, less stressed, and allows us at times to let go of those “should” statements.”
a long-term disability, and if it has been shown research-wise to help the pain, help the individual cope with any of those physical ailments, I’m definitely an advocate.
What positive qualities do you think cannabis has for love and sex? I think sometimes society puts unrealistic expectations on individuals, either in relationships, out in the workforce, as a parent, or in regards to sexuality. Society places expectations on us, and tells us what we should be doing to be happy. Often these expectations lead to frustrations, they lead to stress, and they lead to disappointment. So the more we can let go of these expectations, the more likely we can be present in our relationships, and present in our sex lives. And cannabis sometimes can allow us to let go of our past, let go of these unrealistic expectations, and let go of the stress that is placed on us. So I think cannabis allows us to be fully present, less stressed, and allows us at times to let go of those “should” statements. I have to say that is not the case with everyone, but with some people it allows them to do that. c drterrithelovedoctor.com
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CannaWedding Wonder The growing trend of cannabis weddings by Sheryll Alexander
Cannabis at weddings is a fascinating trend in personal expression and enjoyment, and it’s about to become a booming industry. From creating full on “weed bars” with everything from budtenders pairings strains to each meal’s course to cannabis flower buds showing up in the bride’s
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bouquet, the cannabis wedding is definitely an innovative emerging lifestyle trend. Of course, ground zero for the cannabis wedding biz is Colorado, but Washington and Oregon are fast becoming cannawedding innovators. In reality, couples have been exploring cannabis clandestinely at their weddings for decades.
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Today, however, legalization is marrying cannabis to the business of getting married. Digital entrepreneur and documentary filmmaker Niki Usbay McDonald saw the trend starting, years ago, and decided to get busy. She created a website catering to couples who are seeking cannabis providers, consultants and services for their upcoming nuptials. So,
she created and branded LoveandMarij.com. At Love and Marij, canna-loving couples can explore wedding vendors who understand their needs when it comes to venues, hotels, florists, photographers, DJs, limos and much more. McDonald says she has helped couples source everything they would need for a bud bar. >>
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“The wedding industry is a $300 billion business and— right now—cannabis accounts for zero. We are looking to change that.” For example, her Love and Marij business has helped a Colorado couple outfit a “cigar and herb bar.” Or, how about the Seattle couple who met in a dispensary and had cannabis added to their bouquets and other gifted items because their venue would not allow smoking onsite? One Oregon couple even set up a secret cannabar in the middle of a magical forest for their toking guests. Love and Marij is also a place for wedding guests. Here, family and friends can shop for cannabis-themed wedding items such as goldfoiled rolling papers, hemp bath bombs, mini “hitters,” gold-covered lighters, a sophisticated line of evening bags and accessories to hide your stash in style and a customizable wedding party thank you gift called “pot pockets,” which is an embossed three-joint carrier that extinguishes a lit doobie when the case is closed. However, McDonald is marching confidently towards the entrepreneurial altar with her Love and Marij Cannabis Wedding Registry. Eventually, 21-and-older guests will be able to purchase a couple’s favorite strain as a wedding gift or as part of the wedding party puffing ritual. For now, however, this world’s first cannabis wedding registry is signing up dispensaries who want
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to sell to weddings and other offshoot parties. What does this canna entrepreneur see in her crystal ballroom for the future of cannabis weddings five years or even a decade from now? “The wedding industry is a $300 billion business and–right now– cannabis accounts for zero,” explains McDonald. “We are looking to change that.” And she’s not just stopping at a website. McDonald is helping the ignorant media, by holding marketing mixers and even a Cannabis Wedding Expo to educate companies on how to provide wedding- and media-friendly marketing materials to couples, journalists, editors and even venture capitalists. “We want to show the world cannabis really does pair with classy weddings,” she says. For example, McDonald says “mainstream” engaged couples get preferential treatment all along the wedding route from buying the engagement ring to picking out the menu, hotel and cake, among many other “perks” and discounts couples are offered before they sign a contract. Plus, these cannabis experts are also on hand to craft cannabis experiences for all wedding events such as the engagement party, the bridal shower and the bachelor and bachelorette parties. As for now, McDonald
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says—at least in legal states—those who are planning weddings may want to consider creating a supportive space for toking guests. “At every wedding, the smokers always miss out because they are not incorporated into the scene,” she says. “It’s time we all celebrated together.” McDonald says she foresees these “weed weddings” as just the beginning. “I think the next level is cannabis food and wine pairings.” In fact, she is working with cannabiz
Cultivating Spirits to craft a “food-and-cannabis tasting experience for venues and dispensaries.” The future certainly seems bright for “weed wedding” providers as five more states potentially go legal in 2016, including the California goldmine. McDonald of Love and Marij calls it a “revolution” and “the turnaround.” Only time will tell if this marketing niche will work well in this groundbreaking, new canna-weddings world. c
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great for enhancing your imagination and increasing your empathy.” Dr. Karras realized that applying the psychological effects of cannabis to heal the rifts in the relationships some couples had was far more useful than just prescribing a pill for a hard-on.
sexuality, but the more I go into it and the deeper I write, it is about finding your passion in life. It is about finding your personal passion. I’m trying to get people to get back to their body. In Eastern medicine, you listen to the body because it has the answers,”
“Cannabis is great for enhancing your imagination and increasing your empathy.”
Cannabis and Sexology A Coach for Couples and Cannabis
by Jasen T. Davis
Dr. Nick Karras is a practicing sexologist and author of The Passionate High: A Lovers Guide to Cannabis, the book for couples who seek to improve their relationship using one of humanity’s oldest herbal aphrodisiacs. “I was a hippy during the ‘60s,” Dr. Karras said. “I’ve lived a very sexual lifestyle. I was always fascinated by the body and sexuality.” Dr. Karras makes a living as a coach for men and women who want to connect (or re-connect) in new ways, but his book isn’t just about smoking cannabis and getting laid, it’s about overcoming inhibitions and establishing deeper relationships. While attending a professional mixer for experts in the field of human sexual relationships, Dr.
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Karras encountered many scientists who believed drugs like Viagra were the final answer for couples experiencing emotional difficulties in regards to intimacy. When he surveyed countless medical charts about the supposed success rate of pharmaceuticals, the doctor reasoned that cannabis would produce superior results. “The real question was, why aren’t people having sex? Why don’t people get erections?” he asked. The one element that Dr. Karras noticed that was missing from the sexual relationship many couples had was empathy stating, “After a while, sex for some couples is problematic. You tell them to drink a glass of red wine, or to have a date night, but what really needs to happen is that you have to reframe what sex is. Cannabis is
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“Why are parties with cannabis smokers different than parties with alcohol? Why do people like accountants report that they function better when they’ve smoked a little weed?,” Dr. Karras asked. Questions like these prompted him to recommend cannabis to the couples he worked with, with positive results. “Physically, cannabis is incredible for what it does to the body. All of your senses are elevated. Inhibitions are dropped. It opens up a whole new way of thinking,” he says. “I’ve even had couples tell me that even though they didn’t have sex, they still had a great, romantic evening.” Dr. Karras points out that The Passionate High isn’t just for couples practicing sex with cannabis; it is a useful tool for anyone who wants to know more about themselves. “The book has an emphasis on
he said. “The body is a part of the soul. My book gives reference to that. How can anyone take cannabis and use it to become a better, nobler person.” That is not to say every story Dr. Karras has to tell about couples on cannabis is perfect. “I’d tell couples to get their card and go to the dispensary, but now there are so many tinctures and edibles that it is easy to overdo it. One person is stripped naked, talking to God while their partner is curled up on the bed having a panic attack,” he says. “I remind them that while you cannot overdose from cannabis and die, you still have to be careful. But it brings out our emotions and vulnerability. That can be a good thing for a lot of relationships.” Dr. Karras has noticed that both people don’t have to try cannabis to heal an ailing relationship. “There have been cases where one person smokes out and opens up, creating empathy” he says. “They are able to let go of their inhibitions, and if just one person can do that that it can be enough to help both partners.” c
You can find out more about Dr. Nick Karras, his research and his books at passionatehigh.com and nickkarras.com.
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“When we started, every single one of us was volunteering our time here . . . all working towards a common goal, to promote our brand, and promote cannabis.�
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Living the Lifestyle DABSTARS Crew is building a brand and an empire in the cannabis community story and photos by Duncan Rolfson
With millions of followers, both locally and internationally, and a thriving media outlet, The DABSTARS have definitely honed what it is to be a successful concentrate-focused lifestyle brand. Since its inception in 2014, The DABSTARS crew has traveled the world over, creating and promoting some of the most memorable cannabis events and products, all the while remaining a grass-roots media outlet for everyone interested in cannabis. You may have met one of the core members at an event, dispensary or gathering, which include: Hype man and founder Jonah Tacoma, co-founder and Jonah’s lovely partner-in-crime Dani Green Fox (Miss High Times 2015), podcastcorrespondent and videographer David OnOne, production member Randy Spencer and the teams quintessential drone-operator Brian Workman.“We never would have guessed this is where we’d be today,” says the crew. With big plans for 2016, CULTURE was lucky enough to catch up with Tacoma and find out how it’s shaping up, and where their brand is going in the future. With the ability to consistently draw huge crowds and inform the masses about innovative new companies and tech, not to mention a relentlessly focused team at their back, Tacoma and Fox are a power couple
who aren’t surprised by anything. Instead, spreading the word about canna-companies, promoting their own DABSTARS brand and working to advance their podcast content and reach are all pertinent to the powerhouse duo. While social-media has been the rocket-to-success for companies like this, DABSTARS fully comprehends this concept stating, “Every measurable amount of promotion gets a measurable amount of returned views.” Organically reached, and consistently excited masses of people flock to their social media accounts weekly, to the tune of seven million. While DABSTARS has certainly planted the seed to create an empire, things weren’t always this way. “When we started, every single one of us was volunteering our time here . . . all working towards a common goal, to promote our brand, and promote cannabis,” said Tacoma. Now with the group’s popularity within the cannabis community, DABSTARS currently has national and international branding deals that are in the works, including a potential partnership with number one cannabis investment firm, The ArcView Group. Tacoma expresses his excitement towards the group’s potential investors sharing that DABSTARS plans to open lounges and dispensaries in Colorado and Oregon among other ventures stating, “2016 is going to be a big year for us.” With such an immense following, and a successful brand DABSTARS has been blessed and busy. Currently, the group is working on its new radio show that will feature regularly scheduled interviews with cannabis advocates like Tommy Chong and George Jung, whose life was the basis of the Johnny Depp film, Blow. Yes, they’ve got their hands full with the DABSTARS brand, and radio show, among many
other projects. But, getting tangible, community-focused content on their podcast is also on the priority list of everyone aboard, and stepping into the DABSTARS HQ assures you of nothing less than that. The cannabis community has known for quite some time that this was one hard working group of grass-roots individuals, but their repertoire, and daily schedules reflect that of a much larger crew, comparable to that of a Silicon Valley start-up. When asked what their biggest joys in the industry were, they humbly responded, “The positive reactions we get from so many people; hands down, there’s nothing like it.” So, keep your eyes out for the DABSTARS throughout 2016 as they spread their positive influence on the cannabis community by connecting with their supporters and helping to lay down the foundation for a growing cannabis industry. c
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Better Beats How Kjell Nelson is taking over the Seattle Music Scene by Emily Manke
Even if you’ve never heard of Kjell Nelson, if you listen to music from the PNW, you’ve probably heard him. The prolific Seattle producer has lent his talents to a number of up and coming Seattle acts. When Nelson’s not producing for his group the Hightek Lowlives, he’s helping make beats for a variety of artists for local label Cabin Games. The sounds of Nelson’s beats and production reflect the diversity of the artists he works with. From haunting grunge for the track he produced for The Ghost Ease, to the afro-futuristic-soul sounds of Hightek Lowlives, all the way to the straight up hip-hop beats of Silas Blak, Nelson can adapt to seemingly any music style. Obviously making all of this music takes time, lots of time. So getting Nelson to leave the studio is difficult, to say the least. CULTURE met him at “The Cabin”, Cabin Games home recording studio in South Seattle. We talked about his music, where he grew up and of course, cannabis.
When did you get started in playing music? I started in school, literally playing clarinet, and bass clarinet. Then I got involved with rock bands, playing drums, and computer music. And that’s where I am now. Where are you from? From Seattle, born and raised. Grew up in Montlake, lower Capitol Hill. What artists have influenced your work? Producers influenced my sound more than players. Cause I can make whatever sound I want to make, with exceptions. So definitely Quincey Jones, Teddy
Riley. A bunch of the stuff I grew up on is music produced in the 80s. Has the cannabis culture in the PNW impacted your art? If so, how? Well I can tell you for sure that, I don’t know how it has affected my sound, but having medical, and all cannabis around constantly is definitely a reality. It has kept us in the studio 24/7 if we need to without complaining. Without going crazy. Do you have a favorite piece of work to appreciate while under the influence of cannabis? All of it. c
www.cabingam.es | hightek-lowlives.com 66
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culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN DESTINATION COURAGE IN PROFILES 68
Testing The Varieties: Part 1 by Ed Rosenthal
As a consumer you might have some experience with strains like Gorilla Glue and OG Kush. If not, it’s easy enough to look at their stats and read some reviews before purchasing for consumption, or you can buy grams of each and compare the medicines yourself. It’s a little different when choosing varieties to grow. I live in an area with many dispensaries that sell clones. They have a huge selection of varieties, between 10 and 50 in each shop. So there are about 75 varieties to choose from. When choosing new varieties to grow either for personal use or distribution there will be new sets of concerns. Some of the questions that may come up are: What is its branching habit? How much does it grow after forcing? What’s the time until ripening? Which do best under the methods you use?
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Comparative yields. These are some questions that might be answered by conducting a plant trial. The test I am designing is to develop a template and a model for testing. With the proliferation of hybrids and varieties, plant trials are essential for growers to determine what they plan to grow. Other trials may be used to: Choose the best progeny from propagated seeds Test the effect of new cultivation practices on the varieties being grown Choose the best plant to clone from purchased seeds Test different cultivation practices Test different fertilizers and fertilizer regimens
I am developing this model of testing to minimize time, labor, energy and space, making it feasible for ordinary gardeners, small and large, to run a relatively extensive test fairly easily.
The Design The experiment is contained in a five-inch by five-inch garden tent. It has a vertical hanging OG metal halite 860-watt lamp in a sophisticated air-cooled reflector that is controlled by a timer. This limits the heat released into the garden. Excess heat is controlled using a small recirculating air conditioner (AC) installed in the sidewall that sits on a table outside. The air is enriched with CO2 using a 20lb tank regulated by a sensor set to keep the space at 1200 PPM during the lit hours. A small
oscillating fan keeps the air in the space circulating continuously. A recording thermometer, that shows the high and low temperature, is hung from the tubing so it is at canopy level. The temperature is set never to go below 60 degrees. The plants are planted in two-quart six-inch containers that are filled with a mixture of 50 percent coir, and about 25 percent each homemade, aged compost (derived from plant leaf, fruit drop and food waste) plus some used planting mix from previous projects. A double-ended 3/8” braided nylon wick extends from either end of the opposite facing holes at the bottom of the container. It trails into the tray below. The ends of the wick are stopped from fraying using twist-ties. The 35 containers sit on a wooden pallet placed inside a 4’ x 4’ tray that is filled with rainwater that has been pH’d to 6.0. A one-part complete hydroponic vegetative formula 7-9-5 with potassium silicate has been added to the water at 700 PPM. The water is circulated in the tray using two small water pumps, a minimum of 300 to max of 1000 gallons per hour (GPH). It is aerated using four air-stones that are powered by a small aquarium pump. An aquarium heater rated for 40 gallons keeps the water at 70 degrees. The tray sits on a piece of 1/2” thick Styrofoam that creates a barrier between it and the cold cement floor.
Getting the Garden Going Label each plant using a plastic marker that is placed in the container and an additional identifying tag attached to the stem. Mark them with a soft pencil—ink often fades.
The tent is ready to go. It is lit by a 1000w HPS lamp and has AC, CO2, air circulation a hybrid planting mix/hydro system.
Each of the 35 plants is in a 6” container with a wick that draws water up using capillary action.
Place the plants in the containers. The stem should not be placed deeper than it is when you start. If need be, use a skewer or other means of supporting the stem upright. Water after potting with diluted vegetative stage fertilizer water, 400 PPM. This is one of the few times you will do this. In the future, the plants will draw water/nutrient solution up the nylon wick, as they need it. Set the light on continuously for one week. Then turn it off for one day to spur the plants to transition from growing vegetatively to flowering. The next day, turn the light back on, but use a timer so the space receives 12 hours of light and 12 hours of total darkness daily. Keep up this light/dark regimen for the next month. During the dark period the plants require uninterrupted darkness. Do not open the curtain or door or turn the lights on during the dark period—even for a moment. The only light that can be safely used during the dark period is laser or LED green. Add water to the tray as it is used. Instead of using vegetative formula, use a complete hydroponic flowering formula such as 7-9-5 at 700 PPM. Add pH water as needed. At the same time you change the flowering cycle, change the fertilizer to flowering stage formula. Drain the tray and add the new water/nutrient mix. Make sure the heater doesn’t blow or radiate directly on the leaves. During the lit period the ideal leaf temperature is about 85 degrees. Use a surface temperature thermometer to check leaf temperature. Then adjust the AC and heater to keep the leaf temperature between 75 degrees and 85 degrees. During the dark period the temperature should not fall below 60 degrees. Use an electric heater to raise it, if needed. c
Each plant is tagged twice- in the container and on the stem. Use a pencil because inks run and fade.
Plants were placed in their new containers keeping the stem at the same depth it was in the starter cube.
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.
The planting medium is is a mix of coir, previously used mix and homemade compost.
Plant list Ghost OG THC Bond GSC Mendo Kush Kosher Kush Gorilla Glue Dead Head Gorilla Blue #4 Larry OG Candyland Platinum Purple Blue Dream Blue Dream Dream Queen Pruple Urkle ACDC White Fire Alien OG GDP Sunset Sherbet x5-13 Fire OG Purple Diesel Chisel Harlequin LA Fire Harlequin GDP Blue Berry Cookies Black Jack San Fran Valley OG Train Wreck Double Dream Head Band Pure OG Kush Sour Diesel Tahoe Cure
The plants are being watered with diluted nutrient/ water solution with beneficial mycorrhizae added. This helps the cube make close contact and settle in the mix.
Excel Chart helps keep the records orderly.
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culture
iReadCulture.com
HERE
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Time to Go: Spring Weather: Mild temperatures, with light breezes and occasional showers. Budget: $$$$$
if you go:
Delaware Sparks Up for Winter Romance
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by Sheryll Alexander
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GET YOUR CLICKS
Delaware finally has a single medical cannabis dispensary, but this tiny state’s pretty peninsula with its romantic town-meetscountry vibe holds a special place for medicating couples during winter’s season of love in February. Given the state’s tiny populous and Delaware’s headquarters to chemical giant DuPont, it’s no wonder “The First State” (it was the first state to ratify The Constitution) took until last year to help its many thousands of medical cannabis patients and their caregivers with an actual legal cannabis-for-sale storefront. Fortunately for travelers ready for a quick romantic getaway, Delaware sits smack dab in the center of what is known as the “Northern Corridor.” This three-state conjunction of what is known as The Delmarva Peninsula can be easily accessed from Northern and Southern states via Interstate Highway
95 (I-95) as well as Washington DC, Baltimore (via Annapolis over Hwy 50’s Chesapeake Bay Bridge), Philadelphia and even New York by riding New Jersey’s coastal city ferries. Southern-style food and high culture go hand in hand in this scenic rolling hills state. During the day, take a road trip to First State National Historical Park as well as some of the nation’s finest museums. Delaware is also home to wildlife refuges, lighthouses and architecture from American Revolutionary times to the great mansions of The Great Gatsby era. This February, check out some of Delaware’s top events such as fivecourse paired craft beer dinners at the historic Cape May Lewes Ferry (February 19), a colorful Chinese New Year Celebration at CITY Delaware Art Museum and don’t miss Wanda Sykes perform at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino (starting February 26). c
The big news is Delaware has its first real medical cannabis dispensary. Wilmington’s First State Compassion Center opened in June 2015 to provide “licensed” patients with mostly premium flower bud strains as edibles are still deemed illegal in Delaware. However, the bigger news may be Delaware’s brand new decriminalization law has gone into effect as of December 17, 2015. The new law will cut down on Delaware’s alarmingly high number of cannabis possession arrests by reclassifying possession from a felony to a misdemeanor for those age 21 (with prior arrests) and over carrying up to one ounce to a civil violation (and a $100 fine) for those with no criminal record. “Personal possession of marijuana paraphernalia” was also decreased from a crime to a civil violation while smoking out in your car and or in public remain misdemeanors.
Fun-Filled Facts The moneyed class from Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York all flock to their mansions and cottages (and luxe boutique hotels) along Delaware’s beach resort towns (Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island) because it is but a short road trip away and yet the peninsula makes you feel like you are on the edge of the world. 1
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Although not billed as a cannabis-friendly inn, Rehoboth Beach’s The Homestead Bed and Breakfast is an adults-only property. Located three miles from the beach and the town’s quaint boardwalk, “The Homestead” welcomes pets and a stay here comes with daily breakfast. 2
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Shoppers abound
from neighbouring states in Delaware’s many designer shops and big box stores as this is a rare tax-free state.
culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN DESTINATION COURAGE IN PROFILES
Emalee Hyde
Age: 25 Condition/ Illness: Jaw bone arthritis, severe allergies Using medical cannabis since: Age 21
Why did you start using cannabis? I began using cannabis in attempt to treat debilitating symptoms caused by an allergy that went undiagnosed for nine years. I experienced chronic and debilitating migraines, for which no pharmaceutical “solution” ever provided relief. A friend suggested cannabis, and it helped relieve my painful symptoms by turning them into at most, a mild discomfort. I knew that I had stumbled upon something much greater than myself and was hungry to learn more about its medical properties and benefits. Later in life, I learned about the allergy and did not need to consume cannabis for my chronic allergic reactions. Once I hit 22, I started experiencing pain in my face and jaw. After seeing a specialist, I was diagnosed with jaw bone arthritis. I became a medical cannabis refugee by leaving Florida to move to Colorado to obtain a legalized, natural medicine. I consume cannabis every day to keep my jaw fully functional and
to keep any discomfort at very minimal levels. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? I have tried almost every medication and treatment for migraines and pain management. Nothing works as well, fast, safely or effectively as cannabis. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? Legal access to a quality controlled medical plant. Prohibition puts so many people in jail or in the ground due to the political and street warfare that is waged just within a black market system. The legalized market must have strict quality control standards to ensure each crop provides a safe yield with no pesticides or microbial inconstancies that could potentially harm the very patients the plant was grown to help treat and/or cure. What do you say to folks that are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? If someone is skeptical, education is key. There are many valuable sources, such as NORML or PUBMED, that trumpet the medical benefits of this plant with many studies to back up their claims. 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.
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Hemp Heart Pancakes Passion Fruit Mimosa Heart-Shaped Avocado Toast with an Egg
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This year, Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday which means that there’s no need to rush, in order to celebrate the love. You don’t have to worry about sending flowers to your special someone at their office, or rushing off to a romantic dinner right after work—take it easy this year. Start the day off on the right foot, with a simple and thoughtful breakfast for the love of your life! With the help of cannabis, you can turn this special morning into a full day of relaxation and romance. Begin with a simple heart-shaped avocado toast, made with cannabutter, and impress your lover with some “heartfelt” pancakes, which utilize delicious and healthy hemp hearts, and wash it all down with a romantic and a delicious Passion Fruit Mimosa made with cannabis simple syrup. Valentine’s Day may be an overly commercialized holiday, but there’s plenty of ways to make it uniquely romantic for you and your significant other.
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Hemp Heart Pancakes Serves
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Ingredients 6 tablespoons hemp seeds 4 eggs 2 bananas, mashed 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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2 teaspoons cannabis-infused vegetable oil t
Instructions
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Add the hemp seeds, eggs, banana, cinnamon and vanilla extract into a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Grease a skillet with cannabis-infused oil, and set its heat at medium-low. Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of batter into the skillet and allow it to spread out into a flat circle. Cook the pancake for about 1 to 2 minutes before flipping and cooking another 30 seconds. Continue until all batter is used. Serve the pancakes immediately, while they’re still warm. You can serve them with maple syrup or top with raspberries, blueberries or strawberries.
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t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com
Local eateries with similar dishes The London Plane 300 Occidental Ave. S, Seattle (206) 624-1374 www.thelondonplaneseattle.com
Lot No. 3 460 106th Ave. NE, Bellevue (425) 440-0025 www.lotno3.com Serves
2
The Buttered Biscuit 1014 North St., Sumner (253) 826-6099 www.thebutteredbiscuit.com
Heart-Shaped Avocado Toast with an Egg Passion Fruit Mimosa
Ingredients 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of cannabutter t
Ingredients
1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons passion fruit juice concentrate or passion fruit juice, to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice sea salt pepper 2 eggs 2 pieces of multigrain bread
Serves
2
1 teaspoon cannabis-infused simple syrup t 8 ounces champagne fresh strawberries or raspberries for garnish, optional
Instructions Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, twist to separate, and remove & discard the pit. Scoop out the avocado flesh. Add it to a small bowl, and mash with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice. With either a sharp bread knife, or a large heart-shaped cutter, cut out two heart shapes from the slices of bread. In a non-stick pan, add 1 teaspoon cannabutter, and fry one egg at a time, sunny-side up, to your liking. Set aside eggs when done. In a hot pan (could use the same one), add 1 tablespoon cannabutter. When sizzling, add your heart-shaped bread to the pan and toast on both sides until golden brown. To serve, cut the edges off the fried egg, to create a 3-inch egg-round. Spread your avocado mash on your heart-shaped toast, and place egg-round onto avocado toast; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Instructions Pour 1 tablespoon passion fruit juice concentrate and 1/2 teaspoon infused simple syrup in each of two champagne flutes. Add 4 ounces champagne to each flute. Garnish (optional) and serve.
Legal Disclaimer Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
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event listings
washington NOW! Beacock’s Swing Band will be playing live music, giving a genuine ’40s feel. Pearson Air Museum, Vancouver friendsfortvancouver.org
“How Ghosts Sleep,” on view through March 6 Nearly a year after the installation was set up, Sam Vernon’s “How Ghosts Sleep,” will soon be ending its run at the Seattle Art Museum. Vernon’s process is very structural but the end result is obscure, with references to textiles and patterns that Vernon adapts from historical books. Seattle Art Museum, Seattle seattleartmuseum.org Shanghai Circus, Feb. 7 Celebrating 2,000 years of Chinese acrobatics, juggling and contortion, Shanghai Circus comes to Spokane for one night. Enjoy this colorful show filled with elaborate costumes and graceful performers. INB Performing Arts Center, Spokane wcebroadway.com Mardi Gras Mayhem, Feb. 9 The Peculiar Pretzel Men present authentic swamp jazz to Seattle in celebration of Mardi Gras. This is a live music performance featuring top burlesque acts. Columbia City Theater, Seattle columbiacitytheater.com Fort Vancouver Sweetheart Dance, Feb. 13 Go back to the 1940s at this Valentine’s weekend event.
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featured event
Joel McHale, Feb. 19 As the most memorable host of E! Entertainment’s The Soup, Joel McHale has gone on to take part in various sitcoms and films. The Paramount Theater, Seattle stgpresents.org Everett Film Festival, Feb. 19-20 Conducted by a “band of visionary women” the Everett Film Festival introduces an array of films from the U.S. and internationally. This festival was created in appreciation of thought-provoking and innovative women filmmakers. The Everett Performing Arts Center, Everett everettefimfest.org
Brad Paisley, FEB. 12
Country singer, song writer and guitarist, Brad Paisley has earned numerous awards throughout his career, including three Grammys. Join Paisley on his “Crushin’ It” world tour. Spokane Arena, Spokane tacomadome.org
Metric, Feb. 21 Metric is a Canadian rock band, with synth filled songs lead by singer Emily Haines. In Support of its new album Pagans in Vegas, the band is headlining its North American/Canadian tour. Moore Theater, Seattle stgpresents.org
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The Wintergrass Music Festival, Feb. 25-28 Dedicated to keeping traditional American acoustic music relevant, The Wintergrass Music Festival preserves this music form through presentation and education. Bringing together a community of Bluegrass musicians, this fest keeps up the spirit of this folk music style. Hyatt Regency, Bellevue wintergrass.com
“Forbidden Fruit: Chris Antemann at MEISSEN,” Feb. 26-May 29 In 2012, Oregon artist Chris Antemann participated in the MEISSEN Porcelain studio art program, where she created a variety of unique sculptures. This exhibit showcases her porcelain masterpieces, inspired by the Garden of Eden and 18th century banqueting traditions. Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue bellevuearts.org
Chuck Shepherd's
News of the
Weird LEAD STORY—NEW WORLD ORDER u In December, Canada’s supportive organization The Transgender Project released a biographical video of the former Paul Wolscht, 46 and the father of seven children with his ex-wife, Marie, describing his new life as not only a female but a 6-yearold female, Stephoknee Wolscht. She told the Daily Xtra (gay and lesbian news site) that not acting her real age (even while doing “adult” things like working a job and driving a car) enables her to escape “depression and
suicidal thoughts.” Among the trans-age’s favorite activities are (coloringbook) coloring, creating a play-like “kingdom,” and wearing “really pretty clothes.” Stephoknee now lives with the couple who adopted her. UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT u Thee, Not Me: American “millennials” (those aged 18 to 29) continue a “longstanding tradition,” The Washington Post wrote in December, describing a Harvard Institute of Politics poll on their views on war. Following the recent Paris terrorist attacks, about 60 percent of U.S. millennials said additional American troops would be needed to fight the Islamic State, but 85 percent answered, in the next question, that no, they themselves were “probably” or “definitely” not joining the military.
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EXCEPTIONAL FLORIDIANS u (1) Police in St. Petersburg reported the December arrest of a 12-year-old boy whose rap sheet listed “more than 20” arrests since age nine. He, on a bicycle, had told an 89-year-old driver at a gas station that the man’s tire was low, and when the man got out to check, the boy hopped in the car and took off. (2) A driver accidentally plowed through two small businesses in Pensacola in December, creating such destruction that the manager of one said it looked like a bomb had hit (forcing both—a tax service and a casket company—to relocate). The driver told police he was attempting to “travel through time.” COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS u (1) Breen Peck, 52, an air traffic controller who has been having career troubles in recent years, was arrested during a
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traffic stop on New York’s Long Island in December when officers found illegal drugs in his car. “That’s meth,” he said. “I’m an air traffic controller.” “I smoke it to stay awake.” (2) In a “she-said/he-said” case, wealthy Saudi businessman Ehsan Abdulaziz, 46, was acquitted of rape in December in England’s Southwark Crown Court, apparently persuading jurors of “reasonable doubt” about his DNA found in the alleged victim’s vagina. Perhaps, his lawyer said, Abdulaziz was still aroused after sex with the other woman in the apartment and accidentally fell directly upon the alleged victim lying on a sofa. IRONIES u Christopher Manney was fired from the Milwaukee Police Department in 2014 after shooting a black suspect to death in a case bearing some similarity to 2015 shootings that
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produced “Black Lives Matter” protests—not fired for the shooting (adjudged “not excessive force”) but for improper actions that preceded the shooting (not announcing a valid reason for a pat down and conducting a not-bythe-book pat down). Two days before the firing, he had filed a disability claim for post-traumatic stress disorder from the shooting and aftermath, and in November 2015 the city’s Annuity and Pension Board, following city law, approved the claim. Thus, Manney, despite having been subsequently fired, retired with full disability, with basically the same take-home pay he was receiving when fired. WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME u In November, a 62-yearold customer at Ancient City Shooting Range in St. Augustine, Florida, was hit in the lower abdomen
area by another shooter, 71, because the victim was standing behind the target (“for some reason,” was all a fire-rescue spokesman would say). The shooter thought the man was elsewhere on the property. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS u Oops! (1) Jasper Harrison, 47, working inside the storage unit in Edgewater, Florida, where he grows his marijuana, heard a helicopter overhead on Dec. 9, panicked, and called 911 to turn himself in to preempt what he presumed was a SWAT raid. Actually, the helicopter belonged to a local news station headed elsewhere, but police later arrested Harrison based on the 911 call. (2) Lloyd Franklin, 34 and suspected in a North Carolina double murder, fatally shot himself in a Bensalem, Pennsylvania, motel room in November
when police knocked on the door. However, cops actually had come to arrest another man in the room on a parole violation. THE CONTINUING CRISIS u Elaine Williams, 47, was arrested in December in North Forsyth, Georgia, and charged with trying to buy a baby for her daughter, 14, via an ad on Craigslist. Williams said her daughter said she “wanted a baby and would get one with or without (my) help.” (Bonus: Williams lives near Jot Em Down Road).
correct “banh mi” sandwich should be a “crispy baguette with grilled pork, pate, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs” and not, he complained, “ciabatta bread, pulled pork and coleslaw.” Said Japanese student Tomoyo Joshi, sushi with “undercooked rice and lack of fresh fish is disrespectful.” (Cafeteria managers told The Washington Post they were proud of their commitments to other cultures, to local farming, sustainable foods and animal-treatment concerns).
u Easily Disrespected: Two foreign students at the liberal arts Oberlin College complained in a recent school publication that the cafeteria selections— supposedly “inclusive” of world cultures—were actually denigrating other cultures by offering inferior versions of national dishes. Vietnamese student Diep Nguyen wrote that the
THE ARISTOCRATS! u (1) A customer had to be dragged from a burning sex shop by firefighters in the notorious Reeperbahn “sin” section of Hamburg, Germany, in November when he refused orders to evacuate. He had shut himself inside a private booth to watch a film (“Throbbin Hood”) and was heard complaining
(while coughing from smoke inhalation), “I haven’t finished yet.” (2) Police in Richmond, Virginia, announced in December that high school math teacher Kenneth Johnson III turned himself in for several recent residential shoe thefts. Each time, the shoes taken from homes were returned to their owners but with “bodily fluids” added. UPDATE u Road to Nowhere: The “Bridge to Nowhere” played an outsize role in politics a decade ago as an example of uncontrolled government spending (before Congress killed it). (Ketchikan, Alaska, planned a sleek international airport on nearby, uninhabited Gravina Island, but needed a sleek $450 million bridge to get there). These days, reported Alaska Dispatch News in November, the original 3.2-mile, $28 million access road on Gravina Island, built to access the bridge, now
just ends in a “scrub forest.” One optimistic state official said the road gets “more use all the time”—boaters come for “hunting and fishing, berry picking, things like that. It’s actually a nice road.” A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC (JUNE 2011) u A prison guard is “the greatest entry-level job in California,” according to an April (2011) Wall Street Journal report highlighting its benefits over those of a typical job resulting from a Harvard University education. Starting pay is comparable; loans are not necessary (since the guard “academy” actually pays the student); and vacation time is more generous (seven weeks, five paid). One downside: The prison system is more selective: While Harvard accepts 6.2 percent of applicants, the guard service takes fewer than 1 percent of its 120,000 applicants).
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