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inside
contents
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CULTURE M
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Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett
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managing Editor Jamie Solis Editorial Contributors Matthew Abel, Benjamin Adams, Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Cole Garrison, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Keira Fae, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Pamela Jayne, M. Jay, Heather Johnson, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, R. Scott Rappold, Paul Rogers, Ed Rosenthal, Lanny Swerdlow, Jefferson Van Billiard, Simon Weedn, Laurie Wolf, Zara Zhi Photographers Kristen Angelo, Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Tonya Perme, Josué Rivas Art Director Steven Myrdahl production manager Tommy LaFleur
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Graphic Designer Tanya Delgadillo sales director Justin Olson
No Time Like the Present Advocates like Hanford-based Brian Neves Jr. believe growing industrial hemp should be added to California’s long list of successfully cultivated products.
departments
8 News Nuggets 14 Strain & Concentrate Reviews 10 By the Numbers 20 News of the Weird
bakersfield Jon Bookatz sales manager Account Executives Kim Cook, Eric Bulls, Cole Garrison, Teddy Helms, Beau Odom, Chris Thatcher, Vic Zaragoza general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson
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digital content manager David Edmundson digital marketing Alazzia Gaoay manager Ctv Contributors Quinn Marie Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
2175 Sampson Ave. | Suite 118 Corona | California | 92879 Phone/Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com
CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
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NEWS
nuggets Porterville Considers Regulating Recreational Cannabis Businesses
Tehachapi Extends Ban on Recreational Cannabis Operations The Tehachapi City Council voted to extend its current ban on outdoor cannabis cultivation and the sale of recreational cannabis. The original interim ordinance was enacted for just 45 days, but this recent vote makes the ban last for an additional 10 months. The decision was made following the passing of Proposition 64, which permits recreational cannabis possession for adults ages 21 and over. Although the city is able to ban outdoor growing, extending this ordinance will not hinder adults who would like to grow up to six plants in their residence for personal consumption. Tehachapi is just one of the dozens of California cities who have moved to restrict recreational cannabis operations in order to give officials time to weigh in on the issue and eventually decide on a permanent solution.
Porterville City Council discussed the various possibilities for regulating recreational cannabis activities within the city limits during a December 20 meeting. “We can make some restrictions very limited, we can ban outdoor cultivation, we cannot ban indoor cultivation of six plants,” Portervillle City Attorney Julia Lew said. “Now we can have some reasonable regulations that if you wanted to have a permitting system, there are some cities that are doing the permitting, but it has to be easy for them so it doesn’t result in prohibition.” One councilmember suggested creating a strong outreach program for education regarding indoor cultivation of cannabis for recreational purposes. This program would also serve as a permitting process required if people want to cultivate cannabis, in order to educate the public on how to grow while avoiding safety concerns like fire hazards. The city officials discussed limiting Porterville’s current Municipal Code regarding medical cannabis cultivation, which allows patients to grow 12 plants; however, they still need more time to consider the next steps. They are planning a study session to outline the city’s plan for banning or regulating commercial cannabis businesses in March.
Tulare County Passed Legislation to Regulate Recreational Cannabis An emergency ordinance was passed by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors on December 6, which regulates recreational cannabis cultivation and sale in the county. The emergency interim ordinance prohibits cannabis from being grown commercially within the county. It also bans outdoor cultivation of cannabis for adults ages 21 and over, and it reiterates Proposition 64’s six plant count limit for at-home cultivation by adults. New medical cannabis businesses are also prohibited from opening up in Tulare, and existing cannabis businesses are prohibited from engaging in larger operations than what they are currently operating. Staffers said during the meeting that this ordinance was created in order to deter crime, protect children and limit any fire hazards that could stem from cannabis operations. The ordinance was also noted as “common sense” as it is both easy and economical to implement. It is clear the city was not considering the economical benefits that are also associated with permitting compliant recreational cannabis operations within a community.
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The percentage of interest that “Baby Boomers” have in cannabis use, documented in a study that ranged from 2006 to 2013: (Source: New York University)
NEWS
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The amount of medical cannabis, in kilos, that the Netherlands has approved to be exported to Italy, Finland and Germany: (Source: Dutchnews.nl)
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The approximate amount of money, in thousands of dollars, that the state of Maine was planning to spend on recounting the votes for the already passed Question 1, which legalizes recreational cannabis: (Source: Press Herald)
500
The estimated amount of money, in billions of dollars, that Florida is expected to make in medical cannabis sales by 2020: (Source: Forbes)
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The estimated number of people who attended the Las Vegas Marijuana Business Conference and Expo: (Source: Independent)
10,000
The Great 48 Hour Jam
WHAT: The Great 48 Hour Jam. WHEN/WHERE: Thurs, Jan. 12-Sun, Jan. 15. Marriot Convention Center, 801 Truxton Ave., Bakersfield. INFO: Check out www.s-w-b-a.com for details. The only downside to attending a live concert is knowing that it will be over in a flash after only a few hours of playtime—but that’s not the case with The Great 48 Hour Jam. Most concerts feature a single band, but this one not only features the musical talents of multiple bluegrass artists, but also literally lasts for a full 48 hours of entertainment. Getting your money’s worth is no concern at The Great 48 Hour Jam, as it provides 10
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plenty of food, drinks and good times to be had. This year, the event will feature showcase bands Buffalo Gals from Grass Valley and Joe’s Tenthouse Revival from Bakersfield and Los Angeles, and the 2017 headliner includes The Edgar Loudermilk Band, featuring Jeff Autry. Famous in the bluegrass community for his bass skills and experience paying with another bluegrass band, Illrd Tyme Out, this show will be one for the books.
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REVIEWs
strain & concentrate Available at: Vital Care Center in Bakersfield.
VCT Shatter Peel apart the dark, tan-colored parchment paper, and admire the brilliance of this caramel-tinted shatter. The taste is subtle and leaves your mouth coated in butterscotch and coffee notes while the effects are lifted and somewhat soaring. Patients seeking the heady, creative effect will sing this shatter’s praises. Bakersfield is quickly becoming a destination for quality collectives, and Vital Care Center is one of our personal favorites. Head over and find out why.
iReadCulture.com GET YOUR CLICKS
HERE Available at: Cannibal’s Medibals Collective in Bakersfield.
Double Tangie By Gaia Farms Cannibal’s Medibals Collective in Bakersfield always has stellar taste in the products and people it does business with and this sticky sweet sativa Double Tangie is no different. Patients familiar with the effects associated with this particular strain will salivate at the sight of the terpenerich buds. We love it for leaving us feeling uplifted and giddy after a couple inhales. The taste is pure citrus, falling somewhere between summer and the feeling we got the first time we heard The Beatles. Once again, we have to give Cannibals a gold star for keeping us light on our feet.
Brass Knuckles Abracadabra The Prohibition movement in the early ‘20s left Americans sober, angry and oftentimes resorting to drinking dangerous liquids mislabeled as their rare and precious booze. You can say the cannabis industry is sort of coming out of a prohibition-like era in its own right and Brass Knuckles are the guys taking the coveted top spot in the vape market. The outer casing is made with superior quality metal and comes in a universal 510 thread count for easily switching battery packs. The lab-tested, contaminant-free liquid gives patients a lung-full of thick, citrus-coated smoke with an unrivaled potency. Sleek and easily storable in a purse or pocket, it’s obvious that Brass Knuckles is setting the industry standard.
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Available wherever: Brass Knuckles products are carried.
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REVIEWs Available at: Healthy Healing in Bakersfield.
Big Al’s Platinum OG Crumble Crumble may be one of the most difficult forms of wax for patients new to using a “dab” method at home. But, anyone skilled enough to handle the delicate texture can attest to the quality of flavor and intense effects it has. Healthy Healing in Bakersfield has a phenomenal product that sets the bar for everyone else just a little bit higher with this honeycomb-smelling crumble. Perfect for portable vaporizers as well as an addition to flowers, so clear your calendars and ask for Big Al.
iReadCulture.com GET YOUR CLICKS
HERE Available at: CNE Bakersfield in Bakersfield.
Grape Ape
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Few strains look as menacing as Grape Ape and even fewer have the ability to stand up to its powerful stress, anxiety and pain-relieving capabilities. The aroma is distinctly sweet and full of grapes with very little diesel or citrus undertones. Undertaking this strain is a task best suited for the evening, as it’s known to leave patients a little absent-minded as well as happy enough to relax away on the nearest flat surface. Just don’t let these grapes mature too long, they won’t be turning into wine.
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HEMP DREAMS Industrial hemp cultivation could bring huge possibilities to Central California by Jamie Solis
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“To Hanford specifically, [industrial hemp cultivation] could economically rejuvenate our area, providing jobs and entrepreneur opportunities that would create new industry in California.”
Central California is one of the few places in the world that has the ideal climate for agriculture. Following the passing of Proposition 64, growing industrial hemp in California could prove to be a great decision for economy and the environment. Passionate hemp advocate from Hanford, Brian Neves Jr. shared his feelings on the industrial hemp industry with CULTURE. “Hemp is a billiondollar industry that could bring an enormous amount of wealth to our city, our state and our nation. It has been wrongfully stigmatized,” Neves Jr. said. “I personally have met many older individuals who seem as if they were brainwashed into believing weed, or even hemp, is as bad as meth or heroin. Personally, I do not view it as harmful as alcohol or tobacco. There aren’t even enough psychoactive compounds within hemp to get a person ‘high.’” Although Neves Jr. is not currently involved in the industrial hemp industry outside from being an advocate, he does hope to enter the industry with a hemp farm in the future, possibly in his city of Hanford. “To Hanford specifically, [industrial hemp cultivation] could economically rejuvenate our area, providing jobs and entrepreneur opportunities that would create new industry in California,” Neves Jr. shared. “I would like Kings County to be an agriculture center point for this industry.” Michael Bowman is President of National Hemp Association, and he has been a key person in amending the 2013 Federal Farm Bill to allow industrial hemp cultivation, research and development in states that have deemed the practice legal, which was followed by Congress disallowing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from interfering with people operating in accordance with these laws. Bowman was happy to
provide CULTURE with insight into how Central California could benefit from industrial hemp, as the region faces many of the same challenges that Bowman was facing when he was a farmer in Colorado, before Colorado Department of Agriculture enacted its industrial hemp program. “On January 1, people aren’t going to be putting seeds in the ground,” Bowman said. “What I think the application of the law is that come January 1, it is legal,” Bowman said. “It will still require the CDFA to institute a permitting process and have the industrial hemp board put in place . . . it’s bureaucratic steps that have to be taken.” Although it won’t be immediate, Bowman explained that there will be various opportunities for Central California with industrial hemp farming that will affect the economy and the environment. “One of the things hemp is very good at in addition to creating high value products is sequestering atmospheric CO2 and putting it in the ground,” Bowman said. “Eventually putting it into the ground, because that plant itself is going to absorb that CO2 at a rate four-times what a standing forest would.” “The best part of industrial help is once you produce that fiber with industrial hemp, you still have several components of the plant that will give you other things to make,” Bowman said. He explained how the biocomponents are very useful to technological industries like aeronautics. Every part of the hemp plant has game-changing uses. “The legume from the industrial hemp stock has been found to be a supercapacitor to the extent that it looks like it could replace graphene in batteries at about onethousandth of the cost,” Bowman explained. c
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News of the
one “arborphilia” support blog, a female poster regretted her choice to have “convenient” sex with the sycamore outside her bedroom window instead of the sturdy redwood she actually covets. (Yes, some “mainstream” environmentalists somehow are not completely supportive.)
EVEN BAKING SODA IS DANGEROUS u Almost all law enforcement agencies in America use the Scott Reagent field test when they discover powder that looks like cocaine, but the several agencies that have actually conducted tests for “false positives” say they happen up to half the time. In October, the latest victims (husband-and-wife truck drivers with spotless records and Pentagon clearances) were finally released after 75 days in jail awaiting trial—for baking soda that tested “positive” three times by Arkansas troopers (but, eventually, “negative” by a state crime lab). (Why do police love the test? It costs $2.) The truck drivers had to struggle to get their truck back and are still fighting to be re-cleared to drive military explosives.
THE CONTINUING CRISIS u If You See Something, Say Something: Ricky Berry and his roommate walked in to a CVS store in Richmond, Virginia, in November to ask if it carried sliced cheese but were told no. Minutes later, all the employees walked to the back of the store, hid in a locked room, and called the police. Berry and pal, and a third customer (with a toothache and desperately needing Orajel), were bewildered by the empty store until a Richmond police officer arrived. After observing that the three customers appeared nonthreatening, he mused along with Berry that “this is how weird, apocalyptic movies start.” WRIC-TV reported later that the employee who panicked and called police will “possibly” need retraining.
UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT u Activists told Vice Media in November that 100,000 people worldwide identify as “ecosexuals,” ranging from those who campaign for “sustainable”-ingredient sex toys to those who claim to have intercourse with trees (but sanding the bark for comfort might provoke concern about being “abusive”). A University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor studies the phenomenon and knows, for example, of humans who “marry” the Earth or prefer sex while rolling in potting soil or under a waterfall. On
u Pigs are such complex animals that scientists are studying how to tell the “optimists” from the “pessimists.” British researchers writing in a recent Biology Letters described how “proactive” porkers differed from “reactive” ones, and, as with humans, how their particular mood at that time distinguished them as “glass half full” rather than “glass half empty.” (Unaddressed, of course, was specifically whether some pigs were actually “optimistic” that the chute at the slaughterhouse might lead to a pleasant outcome.)
Chuck Shepherd's
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QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENTS u The Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas, got the message in November and shut down its “world’s tallest waterslide” (17 stories; riders reaching speeds of 60 mph) after the neck-injury death of a 10-year-old rider in August. But comparably altitude-obsessed architects in Tokyo said in November that they were moving ahead with proposals for “Next Tokyo 2045” to include a one-mile-high residential complex (twice as tall as the currently highest skyscraper). A spokesperson for principal architects Kohn Pedersen Fox said he realizes that coastal Tokyo, currently in earthquake, typhoon and tsunami zones, would present a climate-change challenge (and especially since the building would be on land once reclaimed from Tokyo Bay). IRONIES u (1) San Diego police officer Christine Garcia, who identifies as transgender, was turned away in November as she attempted to enter the Transgender Day of Remembrance at the city’s LGBT Community Center—because organizers thought the sight of a police uniform might upset some people. (Garcia herself was one of the event’s organizers.) (2) Chick Magnet: Gary Zerola was arraigned in Boston in November on two counts of rape. He is a defense lawyer, former prosecutor, one-time “Most Eligible Bachelor” winner, and was a finalist in the first season of ABCTV’s “The Bachelor.” He was also accused of two counts of rape in 2006 (but acquitted at trial) and another in 2007 (but the charge was dropped).
PERSPECTIVE u It was only a quartermillion-dollar grant by the National Institutes of Health, but what it bought, according to budget scrutiny by The Washington Free Beacon in November, was the development of a multiplayer computer game (inevitably competing for attention in an overstuffed commercial market) hoping to teach good reproductive health habits. “Caduceus Quest” employs role-playing as “doctors, policymakers, researchers, youth advocates” and others to “solve medical mysteries and epidemiologic crises.” The target, according to the University of Chicago grant proposal, is AfricanAmerican and Latino teenagers around Chicago. HOW TO TELL IF YOU’RE TOO DRUNK u On Nov. 16, Richard Rusin, 34, was charged with DUI in St. Charles, Illinois, after he drove off of a street, going airborne, hitting close to the top of one house, rebounding off of another, uprooting a tree (sending it onto a roof), and knocking out electricity to the neighborhood when the car clipped a utility pole guide wire—and his car landed upside down in a driveway. He was hospitalized. u Allen Johnson Sr., of Meriden, Connecticut, was driving a tractor-trailer up Interstate 89 near Williston, Vermont on Nov. 2 at 63 mph, when, said state police, he apparently tried to stand up in the cab in order to change pants (enabling the rig to roll over). Johnson registered .209 bloodalcohol; it was 9:30 a.m. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS u Recurring Themes: (1) Gwinnett, Georgia, police know exactly who they like
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for the Nov. 3 armed robbery of an Exxon convenience store: Mr. Quaris Holland, 29. That’s because the manager told police Holland had been coming by as a customer “every single day” for “six months.” He’s still at large. (2) I Have a Gub (sic): The FBI was offering a reward for tips on their suspect in heists at four Boston-area banks in November. Though the man has eluded them so far, at least one issue plagues him: Each of his holdup notes announces that this is a “robery.” THE PASSING PARADE u (1) Simon Berry, 24, of the English village of Bray, was recently acknowledged by the Guinness Book people for his bungee drop of 246 feet to precision-dunk a biscuit into a cup of tea. (2) A sign posted recently (apparently without fanfare) at the Castle House Inn hostel in Stockholm, Sweden, warns visitors: “It is a criminal offense to smoke or wank on these premises.” (“Wank” is British slang for selfpleasuring.) The sign contains the familiar “not permitted” circle over a crossed-out item—but just the cigarette. A NEWS OF THE WEIRD CLASSIC (FEBRUARY 2013) u Cliche Come to Life: The Kerry, Ireland, county council voted in January (2013) to let some people drive drunk. The councillors reasoned that in the county’s isolated regions, some seniors live alone and need the camaraderie of the pub but fear a DUI arrest on the way home. The councillors thus empowered police to issue DUI permits to those drivers. Besides, they reasoned, the area is so sparsely populated that some drivers never encounter anyone else on the road at night. (Coincidentally—or not—”several” of the five councillors voting “yea” own pubs.) 22
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT u (1) In a retail market long dominated by priests, “nonsectarian” funeral eulogizers now offer to give individually tailored remembrances of the deceased for a fee, according to an October report by a New York Post reporter who interviewed two local “celebrants,” who cited the declining appeal of “prayers.” (2) The British retailer ASOS announced in August that 3-foot-long clip-on dinosaur tails had sold out in one of its two models (although New York magazine, which reported it in the U.S., was, for obvious reasons, baffled about why). THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS u Brittany Maynard, then 29, became “the face of the Right to Die movement” in 2014, according to a New York Post column, when she chose a legal physicianassisted suicide rather than awaiting the growth of her terminal brain tumor. In October, terminally ill California mother Stephanie Packer hoped to be “the face of the Right to Live movement” after revealing that her insurance company denied coverage for a drug that could extend her life—but at the same time disclosed that her suicide drugs are covered, and even disclosed her co-pay ($1.20). MEDICAL MARVELS u Margaret Boemer’s baby LynLee was “born” twice. In an October Texas Children’s Hospital interview, doctors described how the need to rid Boemer’s fetus of a rapidly growing tumor required them, at Boemer’s 23rd week of pregnancy, to remove the fetus completely from the uterus until it was “hanging out in the air” so that they could cut away the tumor and then reposition
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the fetus into the uterus. LynLee was “born” again by C-section 13 weeks later. SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED u San Francisco State University researchers revealed in April that no fungi or fecal bacteria were found on the seats of the city’s bus line or rapid transit trains (unlike their findings in 2011 before officials adopted easierto-clean seats), but that a “rare” and “unusual” strain, called Pigmentiphaga was found—previously associated only with South Korean wastewater and the South China Sea. The city’s Department of Health said, of course, not to worry. PERSPECTIVE u A high-level policy document released by the Chinese government in September detailed plans to use technology to monitor citizen behavior to such a degree that each person would receive a “social credit” score (similar to a FICO score in the U.S. but covering a range of conduct beyond financial) that would be the basis for allotting perks such as government support in starting businesses and whether parents’ children are eligible for the best schools. “(K) eeping trust is glorious,” according to the document, and “good” behavior promotes a “harmonious socialist society.” ARKANSAS CHIC u Kristi Goss, 43, an assistant to a Garland County (Arkansas) judge, was arrested in October and charged with stealing nearly $200,000 in public funds, which she used to buy such things as a tuxedo for her dog, sequined throw pillows, a “diamond bracelet” (retailing for $128) and, of course, Arkansas Razorback football tickets.
Bakersfield Cars and Coffee
There’s nothing like the smell of coffee and the sight of beautiful classic cars in the morning. If you haven’t had the chance to check out this gathering, then it’s time you start the New Year off right with a visit to the monthly Bakersfield Cars and Coffee event. Although classic cars are a pretty sight, all fancy and decked-out cars are welcome to attend. Car aficionados will swarm here to chat with like-minded automotive folk, but it’s completely free to the public so anyone can wander around and join in on the fun. Those who want to show off their tricked out rides are welcome to showcase their prized automobiles, but passersby are also welcome to walkthrough and check out other driver’s hard work and dedication. The event occurs early, between 7am-9am, but everyone who attends knows that there are no burnouts, revving or other “automotive shenanigans” allowed.
WHAT: Bakersfield Cars and Coffee. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, Jan. 28. 7am-9am . Kohl’s parking lot, 9400 Rosedale Hwy., Bakersfield. INFO: Visit www. speedcultureapp.com for details.
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