Culture Magazine NorCal October 2016

Page 1


2

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

3


4

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

5


6

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

7


50

TOP SHELF CHEF CULTURE digs in with celebrity chef and travel enthusiast Anthony Bourdain about the newest season of Parts Unknown, his many unique adventures around the world and his advocacy for cannabis.

contents Vol 8 IssUE 4

8

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

ON THE COVER:

10.16

p h o t o b y E l i z a b et h L i p p m a n


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

9


contents

inside

10.2016

26

32 60

features

80

84

26

Good Taste These up-and-coming female canna-chefs are rising to the top and raising the bar in cannabis-infused high-end cuisine.

32

Prominent Practitioners Attorneys Meital Manzuri and Alexa Steinberg are well-versed in the rules and regulations of cannabis.

38

Get Out And Vote The 2016 Cannabis Voter’s Guide has everything you need to know about the current cannabis measures up for ballot in every state in the U.S.

departments news

online Exclusive!

18 News Nuggets 20 By the Numbers 22 Local News

reviews

58 Collective Highlight 60 Cool Stuff 62 Entertainment Reviews 64 Strain, Edible & Concentrate Reviews

in every issue

78 Growing Culture 80 Destination Unknown

82 Profile in Courage 84 Recipes 90 NorCal Now! 92 News of the Weird

10

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

64

d U.S. Defense Secretary Wants

Pentagon to Employ Previous Cannabis Users d Nine Cannabis Clubs in Colorado

Springs Ordered to 'Cease and Desist'

Vol 8 IssUE 4


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

11


12

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

13


14

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

15


CULTURE M

A

G

A

Z

I

N

E

Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett Editorial coordinator Jamie Solis Editorial Contributors Benjamin Adams, Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Cole Garrison, 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, R. Scott Rappold, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi Photographers Kristen Angelo, Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson Art Director Steven Myrdahl production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designer Tanya Delgadillo Regional Manager Gene Gorelik Account Executives Rob Bayless, Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Cole Garrison, Teddy Helms, Brad Hoffner, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Chris Thatcher, Vic Zaragoza general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson digital content manager David Edmundson digital marketing Alazzia Gaoay manager Ctv Contributors Quinn Marie Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes magazines at over 600 locations throughout the Bay area. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.

2175 Sampson Ave. | Suite 118 Corona | California | 92879 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 888.694.2046 www.iReadCulture.com

CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.

16

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

/freeculturemag

/iReadCulture

/iReadCulture


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

17


NEWS

nuggets

Bay Area Hospital Considers Allowing Patients to Medicate with Cannabis Onsite Marin General Hospital (MGH) will begin investigating allowing patients to medicate using cannabis onsite. Dr. Larry Bedard is a retired emergency medicine physician who used to work at the hospital. Now he is an elected Board Member to the Marin Healthcare District Board. Bedard has proposed allowing patients at MGH to medicate with cannabis, after years of experience seeing how much safer cannabis is than alcohol and other drugs. Berdard shared a proposal for this decision at a Marin Healthcare District Meeting in September. “Whereas, a significant number of the physician staff at MGH would like the freedom to recommend medicinal cannabis to their hospitalized patients but hospital administration is rightfully concerned that the Federal government could/would retaliate by lifting the hospital’s Medicare Provider Number and the State could withhold Medi-Cal Funding . . .” Although there is a risk involved, Bedard believes the hospital and physicians will be protected by the 2015 federal budget amendment that disallows the government from using federal funds against those who are operating within their state’s cannabis legislation. There is no deadline for the administration to come back with their decision, however Bedard is optimistic toward the future.

Arizonans Will Vote on Recreational Cannabis in November The "Yes on 205" Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) has received a court ruling that allows Arizona voters to decide on recreational cannabis at the upcoming election. The Arizona Marijuana Legalization Initiative, which is also known as Proposition 205, was placed on the November 2016 ballot. However, those who opposed the initiative to legalize recreational cannabis in Arizona took the initiative to court in opposition. Opponents claimed the initiative backers were using unconstitutional “bait-and-switch tactics.” Luckily, the high court decided that the initiative was compliant with the state laws pertaining to initiatives. CRMLA Chairman J.P. Holyoak stated, “This was a frivolous and politically motivated lawsuit. If these county prosecutors dislike this ballot measure, they should take their arguments to the voters, not to our overburdened court system. We hope they will accept the court’s ruling and return to waging legal battles against dangerous criminals rather than citizen initiatives.” Holyoak continued to explain that about 84 years ago, alcohol prohibition was ended by voters in Arizona, and he hopes to see that they can end cannabis prohibition this November.

Stanford University Creates Cannabis Breathalyzer Researchers at Stanford University have created technology that has resulted in a practical roadside test for drivers. Up until recently, law enforcement has not had access to a way to test a driver for cannabis intoxication that is as effective as a breathalyzer tests for alcohol intoxication. The breathalyzer, also referred to as a “potalyzer,” that was created by Stanford University may prove effective for this purpose. Shan Wang is the professor who has led the team who created these mobile devices, which can detect a range of 0 to 50 nanograms of THC per milliliter of saliva. Stanford University stated, “The Stanford device might function as a practical ‘potalyzer’ because it can quickly detect not just the presence of THC in a person’s saliva, but also measure its concentration.” Currently, there is not a consensus about what level of THC in saliva equals impaired driving. Private companies have also been working to create breathalyzers that test for THC in saliva. Police recently started testing cannabis breathalyzers in California, which were manufactured by a Californiabased company, Hound Labs. It appears the latest technology to test cannabis impairment might someday soon be on its way to drivers everywhere.

Medical Cannabis to Be Regulated in Australia Australia is moving forward with plans to legalize the use of medicinal cannabis nationwide, although cultivation, production and consumption of the plant will be highly regulated. The decision was reached in late August following the recent decision by the Federal Parliament to allow the cultivation and production of cannabis for medicinal purposes. According to a statement by the Australian Government Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration, “The Medicines Scheduling Delegate gave notice of the delegate’s final decision on 31 August 2016, following a scheduling proposal for cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinols that was initially refer to the March 2016 meeting of the Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling.” The November 2016 Poisons Standard will reflect the scheduling changes to medical cannabis. Once the changes occur, Australia will strictly control the new medical cannabis system, which includes the citizens who are permitted to grow and produce cannabis as a medicinal product. This new program is sure to provide Australia with a new revenue source. Nonmedical cannabis will still be illegal under federal Australian law, for the time being. 18

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

19


NEWS

The number of new medical cannabis collectives that were granted licenses to operate by the Berkeley City Council: (Source: The Daily Californian)

The percentage of residents in San Jose who are in favor of medical cannabis delivery in their city: (Source: Mercury News)

2

69

The estimated number of investors who attended the Oakland Elevate cannabis start-up conference in September:

500

The estimated amount of money, in millions of dollars, worth of cannabis that Sonoma County cannabis consumers use annually: (Source: North Bay Business Journal)

(Source: Biz Journals)

The estimated number of military veterans who attended an event in August hosted by the Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance where they were given free medical cannabis to treat their ailments: (Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel)

126

100

The number of states in the U.S. that will be voting on medical or recreational cannabis legalization at the ballots in November: (Source: The Washington Times)

The amount of money, in millions of dollars, that cannabis advocates raised in support of a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize medical cannabis in Florida:

9

The percentage of Utahans who agree that legal cannabis would have a positive impact on society: (Source: The Salt Lake Tribune)

43

34,526

(Source: News4Jax)

Cannafest

750

WHAT: Cannafest. WHEN/WHERE: Fri, Nov. 11-Sun, Nov. 13. Incheba Praha, Areál Výstaviště Praha 67, 170 90 Praha 7, Holešovice, Prague. INFO: Visit Cannafest.com for details.

Returning for another jam-packed year is the world-famous Cannafest, a cannabis-centered celebration based in Prague, Czech Republic that is superior to all other cannabis events. Attendees will enjoy browsing a seemingly endless number of exhibitors and exhibitions. The professional conference aspect will help further all types of cannabis-related entrepreneurs and advocates. However, these great Cannafest offerings are just the beginning. There will also be a Cannafest Stage and Cinema to keep attendees entertained. Be sure to kick back and relax in the Rolls and

20

The estimated number of applications that have been submitted and are currently being considered for the 31 available medical cannabis licenses in Arizona: (Source: AZ Central)

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Smoking Chillout Zone, which features DJs spinning hypnotic beats all day and night, or take a break and relax in the Cannafest Reading Room. While many will be consuming cannabis, there will also be drinks available at a fully stocked bar. The Cannafest Reading Room is a great place to relax while learning something new about hemp, cannabis and other mind-altering substances. Guests are also welcome to enjoy some delicious food by Hemp Catering that will keep bellies full throughout the weekend. There will also be plenty of after parties that you don’t want to miss.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

21


NEWS

LOCAL

“Our application Simulator is designed for stakeholders who do not want to wait for every detail to be finalized before they test the pragmatism of their planned marijuana business.”

THE PATH TO RECREATIONAL

New simulator makes entering CA’s possible recreational cannabis market easier to understand

P

by Jamie Solis rospective recreational cannabis licensees in California now have access to an Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) Application Simulator, which was created by The Green Rush Advisory Group. There is a good chance that AUMA, also known as Proposition 64, could pass in November, which would legalize the recreational use of cannabis for adults ages 21 and over in California. Huge financial opportunities for cannabisrelated businesses will essentially be up for grabs, but not without a ton of regulatory requirements. Green Rush Advisory Group has made it much easier for anyone who would like to enter into California’s possible recreational cannabis industry with their AUMA Application Simulator, which mimics the AUMA application process and its various regulatory requirements. The Founder of Green Rush Advisory Group, F. Thurston Pearson, explains who will benefit from this new simulator, “Proposition 64 will likely undergo significant changes before the application window opens,” Pearson explained. “Our application simulator is designed for stakeholders who do not want to wait for every detail to be finalized before they test the pragmatism of their planned marijuana business.” Potential applicants may not have the time or ability to sort through the requirements necessary to become a cannabis-related business for California’s possible recreational industry. The Green Rush Advisory Group has made it possible

22

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

for prospective business owners to see if their business plans are in line with the final requirements outlined in the “Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act.” The simulator will point out any part of a prospective business plan that needs to be fixed in order for them to become licensed under Prop 64. “We’ve included every stakeholder requirement in the current 62 pages of AUMA regulations to create an application process similar to those used in other states,” Pearson said. “Stress testing the stakeholder requirements and the regulatory compliancy of a planned California marijuana business helps prospective licensees identify and anticipate their application and regulatory burdens, and gives them time to quickly bolster business characteristic which may be critical to the successful licensure of a California recreational marijuana business.” The simulator not only curates over 600 AUMA regulatory requirements, but it has also incorporated and adds in the best practices from recreational market programs in Oregon and Washington. Overall, its process is the best way for prospective cannabis-related businesses to find out what it takes to become an AUMA licensee. The Green Rush Advisory Group has specialized in aiding cannabis businesses in California, Oregon and Washington. The group is a cannabis enterprise consulting firm who helps cannabis-related businesses to start their businesses, attain licensing and compliancy in addition to many other sales and legal services. c

San Francisco Halloweed Hempcon is spicing things up in the Bay Area with a Halloween event that you won’t want to miss. This cannabis show will feature live entertainment by Fortunate Youth and many different exhibitors. Stroll through countless rows of medical cannabis collectives, legal services, evaluation services, caregivers, cannabis-related products and more! This is an educational conference as well, so there will be various seminars throughout the weekend, which are led by expert advocates, attorneys and entrepreneurs. For those interested in getting their medical cannabis recommendation, there will be on-site evaluations being conducted by SJ 420 Evaluations. Since this is a Halloween show, you can count on a costume contest happening both days. One winner each day will be awarded a cash prize. WHAT: San Francisco Halloweed. WHEN/WHERE: Fri, Oct. 28-Sun, Oct. 30. Cow Palace Arena, 2600 Geneva Ave., Daly City. INFO: Visit hempcon. com for details.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

23


24

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

25


The Rise of the Female Cannabis Chefs The cannabis industry is dominated by females in every sector— and now, the cannabis culinary arts are starting to catch up by Natasha Guimond The following cannachefs are at the top of their category, in heart, skill and ambition. They deliver quality work time and time again. It’s no wonder they’re

still considered up-andcoming, because they’re constantly looking for ways to improve their craft. For this particular issue, we chose to focus on the women in

the industry, because they are daftly underrepresented. As women, they’ve faced challenges that men simply don’t have to. As Maya Angelou once said, “If one is

Laurie Wolf www.laurieandmaryjane.com Laurie Wolf grew up in the Bronx, where she met her husband. They moved to Portland from New York less than a decade ago, ready for a new adventure. When Oregon legalized cannabis, her life changed dramatically, “With the changing laws we are seeing a wider range of customers, many who haven’t used cannabis for years, as well as people who were not comfortable with the formerly illegal practice. Now we see happy clients feeling good and excited to try, or retry cannabis.” Every single edible Laurie and MaryJane creates is tested for potency, maintaining consistency as well as deliciousness. Wolf has always been pro-cannabis. “I never talk about my love for cannabis without discussing the impressive medical

26

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.” These women dreamed the dream, took the leap, and now they’re changing the world. One edible at a time.

benefits. Cannabis is a powerful medicine without the worry of addiction and miserable side effects. Seeing people manage severe pain without narcotics is huge.” When her father was nearing the end of his life, she would infuse foods with cannabis to help him deal with pain and increase his appetite. It also helps her to successfully manage her epilepsy. She’s been seizure free since she started daily, mild doses three years ago. When she realized there were many people that didn’t want to smoke, she decided to be the Martha Stewart of cannabis. And what screams Martha Stewart more than dinner parties? An interest thing that Wolf’s company does is host cannabis dinner parties, letting guests try different flower while dining on mildly infused food. They’ve even done terpene pairings. “Cooking with cannabis is like cooking with a new spice. I love a challenge, infusing foods that are unusual and a surprise.”


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

27


Monica Lo www.sousweed.com A few years ago, Monica Lo took a wild leap and moved from Brooklyn to San Francisco. That’s where she worked for Nomiku, a company that created the smallest sous vide device. What’s sous vide? Basically marinating and cooking food in a sealed, temperature controlled water bath. This allows for precise cooking. “Since the cannabis is sealed in a jar underwater, there’s virtually no smell—which is another great perk if you live in a tiny apartment.” Lo started her blog Sous Weed as a passion project, marrying her love of food,

Keira Fae www.ambrosiacollective.org Keira Fae has lived in Portland, Tokyo and Irvine, but most recently, she’s moved to Los Angeles. In 2014, she started an edible company which garnered the attention of WeedMaps, “We started filming step-bystep how to infuse and cook with cannabis videos, where I explain Cooking with Cannabis,” Fae says. She’s been pro-cannabis for a few years now. Falling ill in 2013, not wanting to take a sluggish list of meds, she smoked a joint and noticed an instant improvement in her health. “I regained my appetite and I had more energy, and the pain was gone!” Since then, she’s immersed herself in the cannabis community, learning the science behind it and

finding new, innovative ways to infuse and medicate patients. Since entering the cannabis space, she is continually inspired by those around her. “I have met nothing but exceptional, hard working, passionate people, all working to achieve the same goal and that is to bring a light to this wonderful medicine. I am very grateful to be surrounded by such positive energy, there is never a shortage of inspiration!” Fae really likes to work with her hands and be creative in her work. A typical day for her is finding a nice space with a notebook and pencil, rolling a joint, smoking it and thinking on how she can make her products better, what sort of products would maximize patient use and how to keep her products consistent, “It’s all a learning process and I get to teach myself and learn every day.”

Robyn Griggs Lawrence www.robyngriggslawrence.com Robyn Lawrence has lived in Boulder, Colorado for over two decades after growing up in Iowa and trying out Chicago, Virginia and New York. She’s never been anti-cannabis, but when her doctor recommended it in 2009, she was blown away by how much it helped. “I began to explore cooking with it as an alternative to smoking. Cooking is one of my passions, and I was intrigued with cannabis as a wonderful ‘new’ ingredient and superfood.” This launched her cookbook project, which was

28

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

technology and cannabis. “At the time, I was making healthy Sous Weed edibles as an aid to sleep through the night and relieve my back pain when I herniated a disc.” She’s inspired by her friend Ophelia Chong, the founder of Stock Pot images. Having the chance to collaborate with Chong, she was able to educate and de-stigmatize through her photography, specializing in ganja yoga and edibles. Finding herself more creative when lightly medicated, she still loves to use raw cannabis for all the wonderful health benefits and antiinflammatory properties, even though you don’t get the psychoactive effects. “I find that the herbaceous flavors are fairly mild and can be incorporated into many dishes.”

her introduction to the cannabis industry, just as it began to explode in Colorado. Some may see Lawrence’s work as a cannabis writer, educator and advocate as a departure from her earlier career as a magazine editor, but she believes it’s a natural extension of that work. Wanting to make healthy, organic dishes, without all that added sugar, she knew the best way to learn was from the pros. “I scoured the country for the best cannabis chefs out there who would be willing to teach me . . . The more I learn about cannabis, the more I see it as a miraculous gift that we must honor and protect from adulteration and exploitation.” c


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

29


30

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

31


Industry Insider

Meital Manzuri and Alexa Steinberg of Manzuri Law

by R. Scott Rappold

I

t’s easy to forget now, but there was a time not long ago when running a medical cannabis collective in California could be a very risky business. As a young attorney in 2008, Meital Manzuri didn’t know much about cannabis. But in those days of DEA raids on collectives and prosecution of patients, of erratic local regulations and haphazard crackdowns, she saw a glaring need. Many other lawyers wouldn’t even take medical cannabis cases, for fear of prosecution themselves. “I was getting a lot of clients who were being ill-advised by people who weren’t lawyers on how they should operate their business. And a lot of them were kind of set up for failure,”

32

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

said Manzuri, 35, Managing Partner of Manzuri Law Firm. “I realized there was this void for knowledgeable advice on the business side to protect my clients in a preventative fashion so if they ended up in court they had their defense ready to go.” The struggle is still real today. As California plods into the murky waters of cannabis regulation and adult

recreational use, she and business partner Alexa Steinberg, 29, have emerged as two of the most prominent legal and educational advocates in the industry, two energetic young lawyers who aren’t afraid to stand up to the old drug war lords. Because, experience has taught, the War on Drugs, so entrenched in this country for decades, isn’t going down without a fight.

“What motivates me is the reaction when people hear what we do and the reaction our clients give us when we do something for them and for their cause. Each and every one of our clients is an advocate.” p h o t o s b y J o h n G i l h oole y


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

33


A.

A True Believer

The Steele Smith case made Manzuri a true believer. She had worked on other medical cannabis cases, had traveled to Amsterdam and experienced the cannabis coffee houses and had even begun to enjoy the herb herself. She opened her own practice six years ago to focus on cannabis. “I didn’t believe these people should be facing jail times and mandatory minimums in federal prison for a plant. The more I worked as lawyer in the industry, the more passionate I got about cannabis, as I thought about how many people it helped medically and how many peoples’ lives were ruined by the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act,” she said. Smith, her client, was charged with cultivating nearly 1,300 plants for his Los Angeles-area collective. Here was a compassionate man trying to help people, a man who gave out free wheelchairs, facing 10 years in federal prison. For the first time in California, she convinced a federal judge to allow her client to present a medical cannabis defense. Smith eventually pleaded guilty but was sentenced to time already served. “That was a pivotal moment, when I realized how, from a legal perspective, how interesting the issues are, because they span from constitutional to business to corporation . . . And from a personal perspective, how much we needed to help people,” she said. “I’ve always been an advocate at heart; helping people and really resolving this social justice issue became a passion.” She also achieved her share of acquittals. She recalls one case in Pomona when the judge called her to the bench, telling her, “It’s going to be on you when these people go to jail. Marijuana cases lose. You need to plead it out.” It took the jury just 45 minutes to acquit her client. It was, for her, “such a great, small, big moment.”

A.

An Educational Mission

Manzuri began teaching at places like Oaksterdam University and offering free seminars. The DEA continued to raid collectives and grow operations, seizing everything and all the cash and many times never charging anyone with a crime. If collective owners, growers and patients could be taught how to comply with local officials and regulations, maybe such troubles could be prevented. She hired Steinberg in 2014 as her associate attorney. It was an eye-opening experience for her. “I was really one of those people who still had that vision of what mainstream America looks at and envisions in their minds when they think of cannabis. They think of Rastafarians. They think of somebody completely stoned on their couch,” said Steinberg. “Once I became immersed in this world I was seeing professionals who were involved in this industry . . . and my idea of what this industry was completely turned on its head, and I began to see the incredible things going on with this industry and that it really is an industry itself and not what mainstream America thinks it is.” Along with teaching seminars, the attorneys have printed brochures of patients’ rights, handed out in collectives. They wrote a book about legalization in California. They developed a comprehensive website, legally-blunt.com, about “navigating the weeds of cannabis justice.”

34

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

“I’ve always been an advocate at heart; helping people and really resolving this social justice issue became a passion.” Federal medical cannabis prosecutions have dwindled in California, due to turnover among federal prosecutors and a more hands-off policy by the U.S. government in California and elsewhere. But enforcement on the local level is still a patchwork in California, where it only takes one police chief or district attorney to seize a crop and throw someone in jail. For example, they still get a surprising number of criminal cases out of San Diego. As California implements the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, to finally regulate the industry comprehensively, and as voters look poised to approve recreational cannabis use, the legal hoops ahead for those in the industry are uncertain. Be sure these two attorneys, with years of experience navigating the murky waters of medical cannabis law, are poised to help guide the way. “What motivates me is the reaction when people hear what we do and the reaction our clients give us when we do something for them and for their cause. Each and every one of our clients is an advocate,” said Steinberg. Meital says, “I always want to fight for the person who doesn’t necessarily have a voice. A lot of my clients are very good people but they’re not lawyers. I’ve seen police and prosecutors really take advantage of that lack of education and not asserting their rights and that’s the kind of thing that really gets my blood pumping and drives me to do what I do.” “And we love the plant. We have a lot of fun.” c


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

35


36

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

37


Washington north dakota

montana

minnesota Oregon idaho

wisconsin

south dakota wyoming iowa nebraska

Nevada

illinoi

utah colorado kansas

california

oklahoma arizona

new mexico

missouri

arkansas

missis

texas louisiana

alaska

hawaii

38

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


maine vermont new hampshire massachusetts

VOTING ON CANNABIS 2016

There are various cannabis-related ballot measures coming up for the November 2016 election to regulate both medical and recreational cannabis at the state level. Here is a breakdown of all the cannabis-related initiatives that will be on the ballot.

new york rhode island michigan

connecticut pennsylvania

is

maryland

west virgina virginia

Medical on state ballot

Nothing new on state ballot

new jersey delaware

ohio

indiana

Recreational on state ballot

washington D.C.

Alabama The state only permits CBD-only medical cannabis oil under HB-61. Possession of any amount of cannabis could result in one year of incarceration and a maximum fine of $6,000.

kentucky north carolina tennessee south carolina

ssippi alabama

Cannabis for recreational use for adults ages 21-and-over is permitted. The state also has an operational medical cannabis program.

Arizona

georgia

florida

Rec Medical Decriminalazation CBD

Alaska

Arizona Marijuana Legalization Initiative or Proposition 2015 will be on the November 2016 ballot. If passed, it could allow possession, consumption and cultivation of recreational cannabis by adults ages 21 years and older. The initiative would also create a Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control to regulate the industry. A 15 percent tax on recreational cannabis would benefit the state’s education and healthcare industries. Adults would be able to cultivate to six plants in their residence, and local governments would have the ability to further regulate cannabis-related businesses.

Arkansas The 2016 Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act aims to allow a medical cannabis program that is regulated by Arkansas Department of Health, and it will appear on the November 2016 ballot. There is a competing initiative called the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016. This initiative also sets out to permit medical cannabis in the state. If both ballot measures receive a majority vote, the measure with the highest number of votes will be enacted. iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

39


Kansas Recreational on state ballot

Medical on state ballot

California The Adult Use of Marijuana Act or California Proposition 64 will appear on the November 2016 ballot. If passed, it will give voters the opportunity to permit recreational cannabis and hemp. Recreational cannabis and hemp would be subjected to a 15 percent sales tax. There would also be a cultivation tax on cannabis growers, which would be $2.75 per ounce of leaves and $9.25 per ounce of cannabis flower.

Colorado Cannabis for recreational use for adults ages 21-and-over is permitted. The state also has a medical cannabis program that allows people with qualifying medical conditions to access cannabis.

Connecticut The state has a medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying conditions. The state has decriminalized the plant to a certain degree, with the possession of less than half an ounce of cannabis yielding a $150-500 fine.

Delaware The state has a medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying medical conditions. The state has decriminalized the plant to a certain degree, with the possession of up to one ounce of cannabis yielding a $100 fine.

Florida Amendment 2 or Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative is on the November 2016 ballot.

40

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Nothing new on state ballot

It is an initiated constitutional amendment that, if passed, would permit medical cannabis for patients with qualifying conditions or by recommendation of a licensed state physician. If passed, the state’s Department of Health would be in charge of regulating cannabis cultivation, production and distribution. The Department of Health would also be responsible for issuing medical cannabis ID cards.

Georgia The state only permits CBD-only medical cannabis oil.

Hawaii The state does have a medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying conditions.

Idaho Cannabis is completely illegal in the state of Idaho.

Illinois The state does have a medical cannabis program for patients with a large list of qualifying conditions. The state has decriminalized the plant to a certain degree, with the possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis yielding a $200 fine.

Indiana Cannabis is completely illegal in the state of Indiana.

Iowa The state permits CBD-only medical cannabis oil.

Cannabis is completely illegal in the state of Kansas.

Kentucky The state allows CBD-only cannabis oil.

Louisiana The state does have a medical cannabis program. The program needs more revisions in order to be workable.

Maine The Maine Marijuana Legalization Measure or Question 1 will be on the November 2016 ballot. If passed, it would legalize recreational cannabis in the state of Maine for adults ages 21-and-over. The industry would be regulated and taxed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Maryland The state has a non-operational medical cannabis law for people with qualifying medical conditions. The state has decriminalized the plant to a certain degree, with the possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis yielding a $100 fine.

Massachusetts The Massachusetts Marijuana Legalization Initiative or Question 4, is on the November 2016 ballot. If passed, it would allow recreational cannabis for adults ages 21 and over, similar to the way alcoholic beverages are permitted in the state. The state currently has an operational medical cannabis program and has decriminalized cannabis to a certain extent.

Michigan The state has an operational medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying conditions.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

41


Recreational on state ballot

Medical on state ballot

Minnesota The state has an operational medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying conditions. The state has also decriminalized cannabis to a certain degree, where personal possession of 42.5 grams of cannabis can lead to a misdemeanor penalty of $200.

Mississippi The state permits CBD-only medical cannabis oil for qualifying patients. The state has decriminalized cannabis to a certain degree, as first offense personal possession of 30 grams or less of cannabis can lead to a $250 fine.

Missouri New Approach Missouri fought to get medical cannabis on the ballot for 2016, however they fell short with just over 20 signatures. The state permits CBD-only medical cannabis oil for qualifying conditions.

Montana If the Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative or I-182 passes then it would amend the Montana Marijuana Act of 2011, and it will be on the November 2016 ballot. If passed, it would rename the current medical cannabis law to the Montana Medical Marijuana Act. According to the initiative, this measure would finally permit, “providers to hire employees to cultivate, dispense and transport medical marijuana.�

Nebraska The state is still strict on laws regarding cannabis. The state has decriminalized the plant to a

42

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Nothing new on state ballot

certain degree, with the first offense possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis only yielding a $100 fine.

Nevada The Nevada Marijuana Legalization Initiative or Question 2 is on the November ballot. If passed, it would allow adults ages 21 and over to legally possess one ounce of less of cannabis. The Department of Taxation would regulate and distribute licenses. They would also be responsible for licensing cannabis-related businesses, sales tax would benefit public education.

New Hampshire The state does have an operational medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying conditions.

New Jersey The state does have an operational medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying medical conditions.

New Mexico The state does have an operational medical cannabis program for patients with qualifying conditions.

New York The state does have a medical cannabis program, and medical cannabis is only available in smokefree forms (capsules, liquids, oils and vaporization) for patients with qualifying conditions.

North Carolina CBD oil is approved to treat patients

who suffer from intractable epilepsy. Cannabis has been decriminalized in North Carolina as well, and anyone being caught in possession of 0.5 ounces or less of cannabis will receive a Class 3 misdemeanor with up to $200 fine.

North Dakota The North Dakota Compassionate Care Act 2016 or Initiated Statutory Measure 5 is on the November 2016 ballot. If passed, it would legalize medical cannabis for patients with specific medical conditions. The Department of Health would be responsible for regulating all aspects of the program from caregivers and patients to cultivation, dispensing and even will be required to provide guidelines for corrective action for criminal prosecution.

Ohio The Marijuana Policy Project suspended its campaign for legalizing medical cannabis in the state earlier this year. However, the state’s current medical cannabis law, HB-523, officially went into effect on September 8, 2016. Cannabis is decriminalized in Ohio, with a $150 fine for possession of less than 100 grams of cannabis.

Oklahoma Oklahoma had a medical cannabis bill planned for the ballot, called State Question 788, however, it has now been delayed until 2018. Until then, medical CBD oil is legal through HB-2835 in Oklahoma for patients with qualifying conditions. This new law will take effect on November 1.

Oregon Cannabis has been legalized for recreational use for adults ages 21-and-over. The state also has a medical cannabis program that allows people with qualifying medical conditions to access cannabis.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

43


Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act, Act 16, was legalized earlier in 2016, which adds 17 different qualifying conditions to access medical cannabis. Cannabis is not decriminalized in Pennsylvania yet.

Rhode Island The state has its own Medical Marijuana Act which offers cannabis as treatment for qualifying conditions. Cannabis is also decriminalized to an extent in Rhode Island, with possession of cannabis up to one ounce and punishable by a $150 violation fee.

South Carolina The state saw recent approval of a medical cannabis CBD law called South Carolina Medical Marijuana Program Act, which will have approved patients who suffer from severe forms of epilepsy to be exempt from state law regarding possession of CBD. Cannabis has been decriminalized in the state, leaving possession of an ounce or less punishable with a maximum sentence of 30 days, along with a $200-$300 fine as a first offense.

South Dakota The South Dakota Medical Marijuana Initiative was originally planned, but there were not enough signatures approved for consideration, thus it will not be appearing on this year’s ballot. South Dakota does not have a medical cannabis program, and possession of two ounces or less of cannabis is labeled a Class 1 demeanor, which nets the violator a maximum one-year prison sentence and up to a $2,000 fine.

Tennessee Medical cannabis is allowed with CBD oil only, and the state holds

44

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Recreational on state ballot

Medical on state ballot

strict penalties for violating state law. Possession of half an ounce of cannabis will send violators to jail for up to one year with a minimum required fee of $250 for first time offenders (the maximum fine is $2,500).

Texas Medical cannabis is legal with CBD oil only in Texas through SB-339, and can only be used by patients who suffer from intractable epilepsy. The state has not decriminalized cannabis though, leaving anyone who is caught with up to two ounces of cannabis to be sent to jail for up to 180 days and a fine up to $2,000.

Utah Medical cannabis is legal with CBD oil only for patients with qualifying conditions.

Vermont Vermont does have a medical cannabis program. The state has decriminalized cannabis, leaving anyone caught with one ounce or less to receive a civil violation instead of a criminal offense—but anything more than one ounce will still lead to a six-month maximum imprisonment and/or up to a $500 fee.

Virginia The Virginia General Assembly passed SB-701 which allows cannabis oil to be used as treatment for patients who suffer from epilepsy with a doctor’s certification (this bill must be passed a second time in 2017 before any patients can benefit from it). Virginian laws are still strict though.

Nothing new on state ballot

Washington Cannabis for recreational use for adults ages 21-and-over is legal. The state also has a medical cannabis program that allows people with qualifying medical conditions to access cannabis.

Washington D.C. Cannabis for recreational use for adults ages 21-and-over is permitted. The state capitol also has a medical cannabis program that allows people with qualifying medical conditions to access cannabis.

West Virginia There is no medical cannabis program. Cannabis is not decriminalized, and being caught in possession of any amount of cannabis results in between 90 days to six months, and a $1,000 fine.

Wisconsin The state does currently have a tightly restricted CBD law in place that’s available for patients who want to use CBD oil to treat seizures. Cannabis is not decriminalized in Wisconsin, and anyone found in possession will face a maximum prison sentence of six months, and/or a $1,000 fine.

Wyoming The state’s current law allows for limited access to the use of CBD oil as a medicine, but it is only available to help treat seizures. c


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

45


Edible Dosing and Portion Control 10mg Breaking it up equally in the right doses is important. If you’re a newbie or are unsure what dose you should start with, always err on the side of caution, and start small. Put the pieces away somewhere out of reach of others, and save the rest for later.

5mg Seasoned cannasseurs may start with a 5mg dose. But make sure to piece out your doses with precision, and put away the rest. Wait at least 90-120 minutes for effects to kick in, before you assess if you need more.

3mg This is the safe first dose amount. Start small. You can always eat more later if you need to. Always wait at least 90-120 minutes for effects to kick in.

20mg Whatever the milligram dosage, make sure to do the math and calculate how many doses are in the edible as a whole. One dose should be 3-5mg, depending on tolerance and medical need.

46

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

47




“Obviously, if I’m shooting in Morocco or Egypt and I find myself on a sand dune in the middle of the Sahara, looking out over a perfect fucking moonscape, I’m smoking weed.”

50

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


Better with

Bourdain

The renowned television star, celebrity chef and author has changed the way the world looks at food, reality television and cannabis by Paul Rogers Anthony Bourdain is the great Trojan Horse of America’s cannabis movement—and may not even know it. Inadvertently or otherwise, the globe-trotting foodie is one of this country’s most charismatic and influential cannabis advocates. A poetic, philosophical maverick, Bourdain laces his work—ultrapopular TV food and travel shows and best-selling books—with procannabis attitude and anecdotes. In so doing, he’s helped shape the attitudes of millions of people towards cannabis without so much as hosting a rally or posting a meme. “Obviously, if I’m shooting in Morocco or Egypt and I find myself on a sand dune in the middle of the Sahara, looking out over a perfect fucking moonscape, I’m smoking weed,” he said. Bourdain’s million-selling breakout book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, is speckled with fond cannabis references and remembrances. Episodes of his hit CNN series Parts Unknown, in which he also repeatedly alludes to the joys of cannabis, have attracted audiences upwards of 670,000. He’s earned “establishment” recognition including multiple

Emmy Awards and, significantly, a 2012 honorary CLIO Award—which is given to individuals whose work has encouraged people around the world to think differently. This is a man who shares a leisurely dinner with President Barack Obama (as seen on a recent Parts Unknown episode) and travels with household-name celebrity chefs, yet is an unrepentant, eloquent cannabis aficionado. He’s eaten cannabisinfused pizza in Cambodia; explored Copenhagen’s cannabis-infested “Pusher Street;” and (apparently) enjoyed Morocco’s cannabis-infused “majoun” confection—all on national, prime-time TV. “I will tell you, with authority, that the perfect delivery system for marijuana, particularly good marijuana, is a joint; a classic joint,” he said. “I prefer two papers. Purists will say one paper, [but] two papers burns more evenly.” By embracing, joking and reminiscing about cannabis in front of vast, broad-demographic audiences and in such “respectable” company, Bourdain has become a shining star of America’s cannabis community. On the page and on-screen, he’s enthusiastically familiarizing his fans with the plant’s

versatility, cultural roots, societal value and worldwide acceptance. While Bourdain seemingly slipped seamlessly into smallscreen ubiquity in the early aughts (initially with Food Network series A Cook’s Tour), his culinary journey stretches back to the mid 1970s. While attending New York’s Vassar College, he enjoyed a summer working in a seafront restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts, before dropping out to attend NYC’s Culinary Institute of America. Upon graduation in 1978, Bourdain plunged into a rollercoaster, rock ‘n’ roll jobbing journey through upscale NYC restaurants, which he so entertainingly recounts in Kitchen Confidential. The book is a sensuous, sometimes sardonic, belly-beforebrains romp through two decades of often cannabis-fueled cooking. “We were high all the time, sneaking off to the walk-in refrigerator at every opportunity to ‘conceptualize’,” wrote Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential. “Hardly a decision was made without drugs. Cannabis, methaqualone, cocaine, LSD . . . secobarbital, Tuinal, amphetamine and, increasingly, heroine.”

iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

51


“Chefs are in the pleasure business, and it’s important to understand your subject.” From sweetening tea with honey-soaked psilocybin mushrooms to igniting brandy to reenact Apocalypse Now explosions, the kitchens of Bourdain’s memory are places of functioning substance abuse and creative debauchery. Introducing the man’s single-minded, eccentric and decidedly lived-in worldview to the general public for the first time, Kitchen Confidential catapulted Bourdain, directly and through the TV career it ignited, from unseen chef to

celebrity multi-millionaire— but not until middle life. “At the age of 44, I was standing in kitchens, not knowing what it was like to go to sleep without being in mortal terror,” he said earlier this year. “I was in horrible, endless, irrevocable debt. I had no health insurance. I didn’t pay my taxes. I couldn’t pay my rent.” A self-confessed former “crackhead,” he was once reduced to selling his record collection on the streets to raise money.

Bourdain’s TV trajectory reflects his burgeoning public appeal. After 35 episodes of A Cook’s Tour he moved on to the Travel Channel for what would become seven years of the very similar No Reservations (and the shorter-lived The Layover). His 2012 leap to mainstream network CNN for Parts Unknown cemented fame that far transcends gastronomy. Indeed, the relentlessly inquisitive, hour-long show will go minutes at a time without even mentioning

Anthony Bourdain: A Timeline by Addison Herron-Wheeler

1956

Was born June 25 in New York City

1973

Graduated from grade school at the DwightEnglewood School 52

1975

Decided to drop out of Vassar College because of his job working in Provincetown, Massachusetts in seafood restaurants, which prompted

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

him to want to be a chef

1978

Graduated from the Culinary Institute of America

1980s

Married first wife,

Nancy Putkoski

1995

Published Bone in the Throat, a culinary mystery book

1997

Published a fiction book

food, while delving also into the culture, history and lifestyles of destinations from Quebec to Colombia, Mississippi to Madagascar. Bourdain’s very vocal association of cannabis and cooking has found him aligned, alongside chefs and restaurateurs like Roy Choi, David Chang and Joanne Weir, with what’s been dubbed “haute stoner cuisine”—in short, classy contemporary cooking informed by, and catering to, the munchies.

titled Gone Bamboo

1998

Became Executive Chef at Brasserie Les Halles

2000

Released book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

2001

Published the book A Cook’s Tour about his travel exploits, which inspired a TV show

2001

Published Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical, a hypothetical historical investigation p h o t o b y I s a a c Bre k k e n


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

53


“Everybody [in professional kitchens] smokes dope after work. People you would never imagine. There has been an entire strata of restaurants . . . created especially for the tastes of the slightly stoned, slightly drunk chef after work.” “Everybody [in professional kitchens] smokes dope after work. People you would never imagine,” Bourdain said. “There has been an entire strata of restaurants . . . created specially for the tastes of the slightly stoned, slightly drunk chef after work.” As cannabis has become decriminalized in more and more U.S. states and increasingly entered everyday American life, so has its influence become more palpable on progressive restaurant menus. Examples of haute canna-cuisine include breakfast burrito pizza, ice cream mimicking the bottom-of-a-cereal-bowl milk, and all manner of mutant hot dogs. By detailing and subtly celebrating cannabis-based recipes like majoun—a storied Moroccan concoction containing potent kief—on ratings-topping TV, Bourdain has helped propel the evolution of high-end cannabis edibles, while also catching the attention of amateur canna-chefs everywhere. “Chefs are in the pleasure business, and it’s important to understand your subject,” he said. “If you know what it’s like to be stoned and hungry at one o’clock in the morning, it’s helpful when you’re trying to create a menu for people who are stoned and hungry at one o’clock in the fucking morning.” Bourdain’s exploration of mind- and mood-altering substances is in keeping with his curiosity towards “extreme” foods—the ultra-spicy, beyond-slimy and, to Western sensibilities, utterly gross. Calling himself “a very unusual case,” he kicked hard drugs but still enjoys alcohol and, apparently, cannabis. In No Reservations’ Peru episode, Bourdain implied he’d imbibed a shaman’s hallucinogenic ayahuasca brew (which he later discussed, along with his LSD encounters, on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast). His playful embrace of off-piste substances, experiences and just plain fun is encapsulated in an upcoming Parts Unknown scene in which he declares: “It’s perfectly okay to be shitfaced at the [dining] table!” These days, Bourdain is deliberately ambiguous about his relationship with cannabis, apparently out of professional and legal obligation. On a 2013 edition of Parts Unknown he explained, with thinly-veiled sarcasm: “Network Standards and Practices prohibit me from even tasting [majoun] . . . So until I see Christiane [Amanpour] and Wolf [Blitzer] doing bong rips in the Situation Room, I will of course abide by these rules.” Yet in the same episode he described the hashish haze of a Tangier cafe as resembling “my dorm room, 1972.” Arriving in Amsterdam for a 2012 stop on The Layover, he quipped, eyes rolling: “The use of any controlled substance by me or any member of this crew would be absolutely forbidden according to network standards and all rules of human decency.” Referring to that same episode shortly after its shooting, in an interview with Mark Binelli of Men’s Journal, Bourdain said: “Network policy, of course, absolutely precludes any of 54

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

their talent getting high on camera. I’ll be interested to see how my editors cut around that.” And after demolishing his Cambodian “happy pizza” on No Reservations, he wondered aloud: “What makes this pizza so happy? Let’s just say there’s a powerful ‘herbal component’ . . . Which is more important: Crispy crust, or crispy diner?” Comments like these have made Bourdain so synonymous with cannabis-enhanced good times that his very name has entered the cannabis vernacular—an “Anthony Bourdain” being the hit that nudges a toker from sober to high (according to the crowdsourced Urban Dictionary).

2001

Named Food Writer of the Year by Bon Appetit magazine for Kitchen Confidential

2001

Published Bobby Gold, a crime novel

2002-2003

World travel TV show, A Cook’s Tour, ran for 35 episodes on The Food Network

2002

A Cook’s Tour was named Food Book of the Year by British Guild of Food Writers

2004

Published Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook

2005-2012

Began hosting Travel channel’s culinary adventure show, No Reservations

2006:

2008

2007:

2008

Published The Nasty Bits, a series of essays centered around food

Re-married to Ottavia Busia

2007:

Wrote No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach

2007:

The Beirut episode of No Reservations, which dealt with the IsraelLebanon conflict, was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding National Programming

2008

Was nominated for a Webby Award for Best Blog – Cultural/Personal when he blogged about Season 3 of Top Chef

Hosted a special, At the Table with Anthony Bourdain, on the Travel Channel

Was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverages in America

2009

Won a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for Non-fiction Programming

2010

Published sequel to Kitchen Confidential titled Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook

2010

Was one of the main judges on Top Chef Season 8


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

55


CNN appears well aware of its star’s standing in stoner subculture. A six-minute clip devoted to Bourdain discussing hashish in Morocco, which has been viewed over 220,000 times, appears on the network’s own YouTube channel. And it’s perhaps no coincidence that CNN’s cannabusiness docuseries High Profits aired immediately after Parts Unknown on Sunday nights last year. Self-described as “America’s favorite bad-boy chef,” Bourdain has lately curbed his once hard-living, profanity-laced persona. He quit smoking following the birth of his daughter in 2007, earned a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2015, and now seldom swears on camera. While he still constantly references and enjoys alcohol, he appears healthier today, silver-haired at age 60, than he did a decade ago. The beautifully-shot Parts Unknown, now in its eighth season, oozes Bourdain’s irrepressible personality. In its Nashville episode (airing on October 2), its punk rock-loving host chooses hanging out with The Kills over cooking (though he does whip-up some deviled eggs for a party). In the new season’s Sichuan episode (airing October 16), he delights equally in the region’s searingly spicy cuisine and the visible distress this causes his travelmate, chef Eric Ripert. In Japan (airing November 13), he’s more interested in the geisha girls of “ochaya” tea houses than in tea itself.

2010

Was Nominated for Outstanding Writing for Non-fiction Programming

2010

Was awarded honorary CLIO Award (for those encouraging change through thinking differently)

2011-2013

Hosted The Layover on Travel channel

56

2011

Started his own publishing line through Ecco Press

2011

Won a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for Non-fiction Programming

2012

Co-wrote the graphic novel Get Jiro! for DC Comics

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

2012

No Reservations won Critic’s Choice Best Reality Series Award

2013

Switched to CNN to host Anthon Bourdain: Parts Unknown

2013

Was nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Host for a Reality or

Lending don’t-look-away allure to his TV work, Bourdain has endured life-threatening close calls (in Lebanon and Libya) and comedic logistical fiascos (in Sicily and Romania). He insists that there are no re-takes or staged walk-ins in Parts Unknown and, true to his spirit of exploration, is prepared to suffer to expand his palate and mind. There’s an almost Fear Factor fascination to watching him consume the likes of unwashed warthog rectum (in Namibia), raw seal eye (Canada) and beating cobra heart (Vietnam). These aren’t mere ratings-boosting stunts, however. Bourdain is also making points central to his gastronomic philosophy: that traditional “street” and “peasant” dishes have way more value and flavor than Western fast foods; that Americans have blinkered appetites; and that there’s much to be enjoyed in animal parts usually discarded in affluent First World cooking (the double meaning in Parts Unknown’s title). The same goes for his incidental championing of cannabis, which asserts: This stuff is harmless and probably good for you; it has myriad medical, culinary and recreational applications; and many of our global kin have already figured this out and are all the happier for it. “Cures glaucoma, too,” he wryly advised, polishing-off his cannabis-sprinkled ‘happy pizza.’ Bourdain’s latest book, Appetites: A Cookbook, which will be published on October 25, returns to his hands-on culinary roots. His first actual cookbook in more than a decade, it reflects a more domesticated lifestyle since becoming a parent. Appetites is about cooking at home, but includes insights from years of worldwide adventure and in hectic, hyper-organized professional kitchens (Bourdain describes himself in the book’s announcement as “a psychotic, anally retentive, bad-tempered Ina Garten”). Looking fitter than ever, with undulled lust for his subject and a network budget and creative freedom which he’s described as “unfettered and spectacular,” the Bourdain brand remains ascendant. And the appetite-enhancing approach he takes to overtly promoting adventurous cuisine continues to be paralleled by implied, irreverent cannabis advocacy. “I wanted people to feel a certain way watching these shows,” he said. “I wanted people to feel hungry when they see all the food I am eating . . . It’s a very manipulative process and I enjoy that process.” c

RealityCompetition Program for The Taste

2013

Won Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series or Special for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

2014

Describes himself as “chef-at-large” with Brasserie

Les Halles – still has a strong relationship with one of the places where he got started

Outstanding Informational Series or Special for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

2014

2014

Was nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Host for a Reality or RealityCompetition Program for The Taste

2014

Won Emmy for

Won Peabody Award for 2013 Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

2015

Bone in the Throat was made into a mystery/drama film


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

57


REVIEWs

collective highlight

The Green Door

Top Selling Strain: Platinum Cookies Top Selling Concentrate: Cypher Extracts

843 Howard St., San Francisco, 94103 www.greendoorsf.com How and when did your collective start up? Our collective initially began in 2003 in Oakland. Original founder, Mike Nolin got together with a few friends to come up with the idea and from there, The Green Door was born. In 2004, we moved to our current San Francisco location and have been here ever since. What’s the story behind the name of your collective? “The Green Door” is a metaphor of sorts. We liked the idea of the symbolic door being opened to the world of medical marijuana. Obviously our door literally opens to patients with a valid California Recommendation and on the other side of that door is a vast array of the many forms of medical cannabis. This includes items like medicated gourmet cupcakes, chewing gum, THC pills, beef jerky, vape pens

58

with cartridges, every grade of flowers, THC and CBD oils, hard candies, chewy candies and so much more. We definitely didn’t realize the depth of the world of marijuana when we started out but we are pleased with where the door has lead us. What does your collective offer patients that they can’t find anywhere else? We pride ourselves on the quality and consistency of both products and customer service, as well as always carrying the lowest priced high grade eighth in the city. All of our products are tested to the highest level of industry standards to ensure its quality. Private stock flowers are always fully stocked with a variety of strains available at any time. We carry the rarest strains possible for our private stock flowers and we make certain they are of the highest potency.

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Top Selling Edible: Korova Edibles

How has the cannabis industry changed since you have been in the business? Where would you like to see it go? The cannabis industry has changed tremendously over the years especially in regards to regulation. Many aspects of the industry are becoming more mainstream, which is a huge change from when we started out with this business. The industry used to be similar to a speakeasy where advertising and knowledge of locations was only through word of mouth. We definitely think cannabis is headed in the right direction. We have seen so many patients benefit from medical cannabis use over the years and if the industry continues to progress then that means more people in medical need can be reached. What are the biggest challenges you face in this industry as a collective? Maintaining compliance

with city and state regulations is a constant battle for a number of reasons, specifically due to the constant changing of regulations and requirements. In addition, the 280E which doesn’t allow us to deduct normal business expenses from our taxable income like other types of business can, things such as payroll, rent and utilities, to name a few. We are only allowed to deduct the cost of goods sold which can be quite a financial burden at times. The greatest joy in this industry is being able to help patients in medical need. Making a positive difference in a terminally ill patient’s life definitely brings joy to a heart-wrenching situation. Being a part of this company and watching the transformation of the industry has enriched all of our lives on multiple levels. If someone wanted to open a collective and get their feet wet in the industry, what advice or counsel would you give them? Hire an expensive lobbyist. The medical cannabis industry is extremely competitive these days due to the overwhelming amount of corporations and rich business people trying to break into the industry that they know will be the future. What is the most important thing you hope to accomplish while in the MJ/ MMJ community? Federal legalization is at the top of the list along with recreational legalization, those two things alone would positively impact individuals as well as society on a plethora of levels, including helping our economy. c


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

59


REVIEWs

For More Products Go To iReadCulture.com

3. Lékué Citrus Sprayer

1. KGB Glass Donut Pipe You might be tempted to nibble at this adorable, frosted donut covered with sprinkles. However, that is definitely not advised. Instead, you can use this sweet glass pipe to enjoy some of your favorite cannabis flower. What’s even cooler is that this donut pipe is customizable, which means you have the choice of colors for frosting and sprinkles. This silly novelty piece of functional glass art might not satisfy your sweet tooth craving, but it will serve as your new favorite piece. You might even become a trendsetter at the next party you attend if you bring your KGB Glass Donut Pipe—who doesn’t love donuts? PRICE: $139.99 MORE INFORMATION: legalsmokeshop.com

1

3

4. EnChroma Glasses

2. Viva Collection Airfryer Healthy eating has just taken a giant leap into the technological future with the Viva Collection Airfryer. This tool uses a oneof-a-kind Rapid Air Technology to fry, bake, roast and grill your favorite food with no more than a tablespoon of oil. This means that you can get the same taste and texture of fried goods without the extra calories. Hot air circulates around your food item while in the Airfryer, while the bottom of the device circulates air. What’s even better is that the parts that get dirty are dishwasher safe, making for quick and easy cleanup. PRICE: $249.95 MORE INFORMATION: www.usa.philips.com

There is something about using only the freshest ingredients in recipes that really elevates a dish's flavor and aroma. Now you can add spritz of your favorite fruits with the Lékué Citrus Sprayer. Available in two sizes to accommodate both smaller and larger fruits, just screw one of these little nozzles into your favorite fruit. Then, use the nozzle to dress your salads, drinks, cocktails and other recipes. You won’t need to waste your time with a bulky juicer or dirtying any extra utensils. Elevate your next culinary creation with a little fresh juice using this inventive citrus sprayer. PRICE: $15 MORE INFORMATION: www.lekueusa.com

2

4

People who are born color blind are unable to enjoy the beauty of a multicolored flower field or the magnificence of a sunset— until now. Introducing EnChroma Glasses, which utilize special lenses that allow those who suffer from color blindness to finally see the world the way it was meant to be seen. The glasses, which are available in a variety of styles, help enhance color by introducing a filter that targets specific photopigments through a patent pending method of “multinotch filtering.” People who are color blind may not know what their missing, and a pair of these would open a whole new world of exploration. PRICE: $349-$429 MORE INFORMATION: enchroma.com

iReadCulture.com GET YOUR CLICKS

60

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

HERE


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

61


REVIEWs

entertainment

BOOK

The 420 Gourmet: The Elevated Art of Cannabis Cuisine Jeffthe420Chef Harper Wave Jeffthe420Chef has been creating high end culinary treasures infused with cannabis for CULTURE Magazine for quite some time now, and his new book, Jeff includes amazing recipes with step-bystep instructions for any level of cook, and specifics for dosing as well as expected effects and benefits. From delicious small plates and apps to vegan, gluten-free and kosher meals, Jeff’s recipes and dishes are elevated delights with simple to follow directions. The culinary cannabis experience no longer requires a professional chef—you can do this all yourself! (Alex Bradley)

62

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Release Date: october 11 Available on: Xbox One, PC

MOVIE

Swiss Army Man

MUSIC

GAME

A24

My Woman

Gears of War 4

Dir. Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Angel Olsen

Dev. The Coalition Pub. Microsoft Studios In Gears of War 4, the human race is doing all it can to stay alive on planet Sera, and now there’s a new threat to deal with. Following 25 years after the events of Gears of War 3, this sequel brings back everything you liked about this third person shooter series with a few added features. Players will gain access to weapons like the Combat Knife (used for precision melee attacks) and “Buzzkill” (which shoots sawblades), and GoW4 also features a unique weather system featuring everything from tame winds to a Category 3 windstorm—which might be the deciding factor of humanity’s survival. (Nicole Potter)

Though it can’t be proven, there is a strong probability that fart jokes are one of the oldest bits of humor in human culture. So it comes as no surprise that someone would make a film which utilizes farts and fart humor in an absolutely profound way. Enter Swiss Army Man, a film which tells an entertaining story of survival revolving around borderline suicidal Hank and the extremely flatulent washed up corpse of Manny. Written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, this film takes the risk that the audience might not take it seriously, but pays off big when they do. (Simon Weedn)

Jagjag-uwar In 2010, Angel Olsen began her recording career with a six song EP of gorgeously lush sounding, yet stripped down and raw folk music. In the ensuing six years, Olsen’s sound has gradually made the transition from acoustic to electric and filled out with full band arrangements. Even with all of the production and polish on her third album, My Woman, Olsen’s songs never lose the edge that made her so captivating to begin with. Her bold, bluesy voice pours like thick honey from the speakers, and even when the songs are more mellow or subdued they sound sharp and to the point. (Simon Weedn)


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

63


REVIEWs

strain & concentrate Available wherever: Korova products are carried.

Mint Black Patients can’t get more affordable, high-potency medicine than Korova’s line of medical cannabis dessert edibles, including this 1,000mg THC Mint Black bar. Each one comes in its own sealed, blacked-out plastic pouch that’s well-labeled, so don’t act like you weren’t warned. Inside the pouch is fat, dense, half mint chocolate cookie half mint brownie covered in mint swirl. It smelled superchocolatey and minty, but there’s no hiding what amounts to 20 grams of cannabis per brownie. We got a strong herbaceous taste when we tried just a nibble off this Korova Mint Black, which is good because you don’t want patients overeating this much THC. One thousand milligrams of THC is equal to 100 standard doses, making Korova Mint Black suitable for the most severe conditions managed by cannabis— including cancer chemotherapy and hospice care.

Orange U Glad Available at: The Cookie Co 415 in San Francisco.

Medical cannabis edibles don’t get more gourmet or artsy than the legendary Orange U Glad cannabis-infused chocolate orange. Each milk chocolate orange contains 200mg THC, broken up into 10mg THC per slice for easy dozing. We loved the protective, labeled box entreating users to “whack, peel, enjoy!” Inside the box was a paper and foil-wrapped confection that requires a hard tap to break up, revealing 20 “slices.” Incredibly, the chocolate orange slices are molded to look like an orange slice. The gourmet taste matched the appearance. The dessert edible gets its THC from a hybrid blend, making it okay for use day or night. For faster effects, let the milk chocolate melt in your mouth and do not swallow it, which allows the cannabinoids to access the bloodstream through the mucus membranes in the mouth.

Half Caked Tainted Butter Half Caked? More like fully caked. Only maximum-THC patients need apply for this mega-potent dessert edible in San Francisco. The dessert edibles come in a highly designed, custom Half Caked box and then a plastic shell to protect the delicate edible. Inside that is a scrumptious-looking chocolate cupcake in foil wrapping with peanut butter frosting. It smelled super-peanut buttery with a hint of cannabis. The cupcake was super-moist and fresh with a super-sticky frosting and a delicate fluffy cake. Half Caked Tainted Butter tasted really sweet and peanut buttery with an ample note of cannabinoids. At a reported 124.63mg THC derived from indica-dominant hybrid plants, the cupcake is equal to 13 Colorado doses of cannabis, making it suitable for patients who are looking for relief from chronic intractable neuropathic pain, insomnia and other conditions.

64

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Available at: The Green Door SF in San Francisco and Green Door Metro in Sacramento.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

65


REVIEWs

Herbaceous Peach Strawberry Vallejo collective California Collective Care is ready to quench your thirst during baseball playoffs this month with a huge line of Greenjeans infused beverages. The Bay Area tincture maker uses a kosher vegetable glycerin-based tincture to get cannabinoids into a diverse array of flavors, including this Peach Strawberry. The Peach Strawberry drink was a luminous red color and came sealed in a glass bottle and minimally labeled. It smelled like a sugary, sweet fruit drink, and tasted kind of like a Kern’s Nectar—sweet and fruity, but not too sweet. We didn’t notice cannabis flavor while drinking it, but rather a hint of herb in the aftertaste. A pleasant bit of elevation off came from a couple ounces of this bottle. Patients are drinking cannabinoids to deal with mainly chronic pain, muscle spasms and mental health issues.

Available at: California Collective Care in Vallejo.

iReadCulture.com GET YOUR CLICKS

HERE

Available at: First Hemp Bank Oakland in Oakland.

Treasure Island CBDnectar Legendary extract artist Rumpelstiltskin has a special reward for CBD patients—Treasure Island CBDnectar. We’ve never seen this 80 percent sativa cross of indoor-grown Swiss Gold and Cannatonic. Made from nugs of Treasure Island, not trim, Rump gave the hash a 24-hour de-wax to make it far smoother. Rumpwax also used a 96-hour purge that removes 99.99 percent of the solvent. The hash came in its own translucent hard case. Inside the wax paper sat a half-gram of golden, shining best-in-class extract that is totally contaminant-free. The CBDnectar had a very faint, evanescent almostcaramel smell and was tacky and sticky. The extract tasted ultra-smooth and almost flavorless, with a very faint resin aroma. Effects took hold in seconds, treating pain and inflammation, as well as many other conditions.

Available at: Theraleaf in San Jose.

Canapa Cordial Cherries Medical cannabis edibles get delectably high-end with Theraleaf’s stocks of Canapa Cordial Cherries. Each gold-wrapped, chocolate-covered, fondant-glazed maraschino cherry packs 25mg of THC—a really tolerable amount for experienced medical cannabis users. Four cherries come in each elegant childproof container from Canapa, and each batch is lab-tested by Sequoia Labs to ensure quality. The beautifully molded chocolate tastes dark, rich, smooth and delicious, and the cherry inside was remarkably fresh, juicy, and flavorful. It’s really hard to pick out the cannabis in the flavor, making these edibles some of the besttasting on the market. Patients are eating edibles derived from hybrid cannabis for a wide variety of conditions both during the day and night, including neuropathic pain and muscle spasms, tension, mental health and wellness issues.

66

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

67


REVIEWs Available wherever: Bhang products are carried.

Available wherever: Strictly Edibles products are carried.

Ultimate Brownie Award-winning Strictly Edibles cater to the high-THC patient with their Ultimate Brownie, which contain an extreme 1,500mg of THC per brownie. That leaves little room for anything else, so expect to relax once you eat this dessert edible. If you’re in the market for 150 standard doses of THC, then the Ultimate Brownie is your choice. Strictly Edibles uses indica hybrid plants in their cannabis oil base while the rest of the brownie is traditional, featuring flour, sugar and eggs. Each brownie comes in a well-designed resealable pouch and is Steep Hill Labs tested. The brownie was moist on the inside with a crispy outer layer, and consistent throughout. Extreme-THC edibles are suitable for conditions like cancer and hospice care.

68

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Bhang Nugum Far from the diabetes inducing zebra stripe gum we grew up with, Nugum is an all natural (not to mention potent) form of medicating with none of the unnecessary sugars and harsh chemicals usually present in any chewing gum available on the market. Packaged inconspicuously and conveniently in 25mg circles, Bhang uses premium trim and organic mint to allow patients easy access to medication without alerting everyone in the vicinity. Bhang makes a wide range of amazing edible products and has continued to set the bar for edible medication. Bhang Nugum is available at collectives throughout California.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

69


REVIEWs

Available at: Canna Culture Collective in San Jose.

Sensi Chews Insomnia Plus Many medical cannabis patients want to avoid any euphoria or highness associated with cannabis, but still need insomnia relief. Sensi Chew satisfies their need with an edible that’s non-psychoactive and packed with pure cannabidiol along with the sleep hormone melatonin. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most common active ingredient in cannabis and doesn’t cause highness. Sensi Chew extracts its CBD from organic medical cannabis—not industrial hemp, and then infuses it into their chew. They come in a small plastic resealable containers and each chew is scored into four parts for easy titrating. The Chew smelled pretty odorless, and was fresh and chewy with an extremely mild medicate chocolate caramel taste. Patients are advised to suck on the chew for faster-acting effects in as little as 15 minutes, rather than swallowing it, where onset of effects can take 90 minutes.

70

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Kind Drops

Available wherever: Kind Medicine products are carried.

Another naturally created product from Kind Medicine, Kind Drops are an infusion of organically grown cannabis and organic olive oil. This type of infusion captures all of the cannabinoids, terpenes and alkaloids from the plant matter. No additives, preservatives, concentrates or CO2 oils are ever used to make this tincture. All Kind Drops are batch tested by Steep Hill Labs. Kind Drops bring healthy living and medical cannabis together in a discrete professional package. Each Indica or Sativa bottle is 20mg THC per dropper of liquid. CBD Kind Drops are 11mg CBD and 5mg THC. Using the dropper top, patients can dose themselves as needed and even mix tincture types for maximum results. Kind Drops can be taken directly or added to any food or drink. This tincture can be used topically as well. Patients use Kind Drops for pain, insomnia, anxiety, stiffness, high blood pressure, seizures and many other conditions. Bottles come in 15ml and 30ml sizes. Kind Drops are available at dispensaries throughout California.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

71


REVIEWs

Gomitas Sour Gummies

Available wherever: Kanna products are carried.

Delicious, potent and lab-tested to 10mg THC per gummy. Kanna’s Gomitas are a real improvement over edibles makers simply spraying bulk candy with cannabis oil. First of all, the package could sit on a health food store shelf. The neutral, clean design highlights important info, like the 200mg THC in the bag. Inside the resealable foil pouch sat about 20 gummies with a really enticing aroma that far surpasses most mainstream confections. The gummies come in a cute molded cube covered in sugar in five different flavors. The all-vegan gummies were sweet and super fresh with a big juicy fruit taste. Texturally they were more tender than gelatin made gummies. Kanna prides itself on only using top of the line ingredients, no corn syrup and only 100 percent decarboxylated THC in their products, so you know you will get what you pay for. Kanna Sour Gummies aregreat for day or nighttime management of anxiety, chronic pain and other conditions.

Available at: Caliva in San Jose.

Blue Belly Farms Super Jack Sativa lovers in San Jose have a super-heroic option at the epic Caliva collective. BBF Super Jack comes from Blue Belly Farms and crosses multi-award winning Jack Herer with Super Silver Haze for extra sativa effects. At 20.57 percent THC, there’s no missing the copious trichomes on this bud, which looks totally frosted, and freckled with orange pistils. This Super Jack was expertly grown, harvested, dried, cured and stored. Mindexpanding, sweet, uplifting Jack terpenes wafted off of this bud and demanded we grind a bowl up. Grinding only made the smell more pronounced, and Super Jack smoked with a good flush and little throat burn. We instantly got that characteristic Jack uplift, and the copious terpenes really amped up the effects. Patients report smoking sativa flowers for depression and in some cases, social anxiety.

Available wherever: Kushy Punch products are carried.

72

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Kushy Punch Recover Find the sweet relief that is only associated with an edible that contains a decent amount of THC and CBD. Each 60mg package of THC-rich gummies comes divided in four easy-to-swallow squares. The citrus flavor is what stands out the most while the faint taste of terpenes lingers on your tongue long after you’ve finished chewing. This is literally the perfect recovery treat—with body-relaxing potency and mind-calming serenity, you can recover from just about anything with just this one small square gummy. Patients can expect to feel immediate relief from nausea and chronic pain, as well as restlessness and drowsiness. Available at finer collectives across California.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

73


REVIEWs

Green Hornet CBD Gummy by Cheeba Chews Those unfamiliar with the powerful sting that comes from a hornet might question its potency, but anyone who has had the pleasure of standing toe-to-toe with a hornet knows you’ll want to start by ingesting about one fourth to one half of this gummy, depending on your needs. Clocking in at 50mg of body relaxing CBD, patients can expect the euphoric, calm and stress relieving effects to begin thirty minutes after consumption without the “high” you’d normally experience with THC. Check collectives closest to you for available products—this is one to always have on hand, especially if there are actual hornets around.

Available at: Various collectives throughout the Bay Area.

Available at: Various collectives in California.

California Watermelons No trick. All treat. California Watermelons from Medical Marijuana Edibles Company come in a pouch containing 300mg THC—equal to 30 standardized, 10mg “doses” of THC. (Cannabis-naive patients should start with just 2.5mg of THC, or a quarter of a watermelon and wait two hours and judge effects, doctors say.) California Watermelons pouches contain about two dozen little watermelons. They’re pink and green and coated in an orange-looking substance that’s likely CO2 oil, given the resinous, processed smell. The watermelon candies are firm yet fresh and taste really tart and fruity with a spike of CO2 oil that’s very tolerable. Patients ingest THC-edibles to access cannabinoids without smoking or vaping. The effects take about 90 minutes to be felt and last longer than smoking.

Edipure Organix Peach Wheels Available at finer collectives throughout California, Edipure Organix Peach Wheels are not only 100 percent organic, they are also vegan, glute-free, and non-GMO. Each wheel contains 10mg of THC, making for easy dosing. Pop one or two of these sweet, citrusy treats and expect tension and pain relief to begin in about an hour. For longer lasting, nighttime relief, or for those with a higher tolerance, a double dose will do you nicely. Edipure has once again proven why they are one of the most trusted companies in the edible cannabis business.

Available at: Various collectives throughout California.

Terra Blueberries Available exclusively at: Buddy’s Cannabis in San Jose.

74

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Available for just $14.99/can at Buddy’s Cannabis in San Jose—guaranteed to be the lowest price in California! Kiva Confections remains the name to beat going into the 2016 holiday edibles season with their unparalleled Terra Blueberries. Each blueberry is coated in gourmet milk chocolate that’s been mixed with a hybrid blend of cannabis oil. Every can comes with 24 bites, each packing 5mg of THC, making these edibles perfect for stable, titrated microdosing to manage a wide variety of conditions. We popped the top and were met with a real subtle, high-end aroma of chocolate and blueberries. The effect is ideal for relaxing the body, relieving pain and managing mental stress.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

75


REVIEWs Available at: collectives throughout Northern California.

OG Mango Fruit Slab Tired of eating dessert to stay medicated? California’s Legion of Bloom adds a unique edible to its lineup—an all-natural fruit leather dubbed “Fruit Slabs.” ‘Slab’ has become a popular term for a thin sheet of cannabis extract, and indeed, this OG Mango fruit leather looks like a hash slab laid out on its own piece of parchment paper. Packaged inside a resealable paper pouch, the fruit leather is a dark orange with bubbles and smells pretty faint with a hint of fruit and cannabis. These Fruit Slabs are produced by Munch More Corp. and powered by the Legion of Blooms Rawzen, making these slabs solventless. Each slab contains a whopping 100mg of THC and is vegan and gluten-free and made with organic fruits. In this case, it’s organic mango puree, a fruit known to enhance cannabis’ effects. The fruit slab tastes like a high-end all-natural fruit roll-up, with a hint of cannabis oil folded in, and takes effect in under two hours.

Rainbow Sour Belts Forget your childhood days of munching on endless amounts of sour belt gummies—Infused Creations’ Rainbow Sour Belts are potent medicine. Ringing in at 166.67mg a belt, you definitely don’t want to get carried away with snacking on these magical candy treats. These Rainbow Sour Belts were made with an indica, so we decided to eat our first belt during a late-night Netflix binge. The sweet candy scent was almost overpowered by the sugary candy aroma. Upon first bite, we could clearly taste the earthy cannabis coming through, however the sour and fruity characteristics of the chewy candy were complimentary. The sour apple and tangy blue raspberry flavors were reminiscent of eating classic sour belts as a kid. The warm and tingly effects started creeping up about 30 minutes after we polished off our first belt, making our binge of Chopped all the more relaxing. The effects slowly rose in intensity, ranging from the effect you have after sharing a joint with your friends to a more sedative, sleepy feeling. This reviewer definitely turned in a little early to get a full night’s rest and slept like a baby until the morning. Rainbow Sour Belts would be helpful for patients with insomnia, anxiety, chronic pain, depression and migraines.

Available wherever: Punch Edibles are carried.

Available wherever: Infused Creations Products are carried.

Punch Edibles CBD Dark Chocolate Born from the idea of providing extremely potent medication in a small package, Punch Edibles takes one thing very seriously—taste. With a line of edibles to fit any patients’ needs and sweet tooth cravings, it’s hard not to try every one. Their CBD-packed Dark Chocolate is carefully crafted into 10mg doses for easy measuring and with new benefits of CBD being discovered every day, these morsels are worth their weight in gold. Patients can expect activation time between 30-60 minutes with the effects peaking around 90 minutes. Available at collectives throughout California.

76

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

77


culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN

To create female seed, a female plant is induced to produce male flowers.

by Ed Rosenthal

There are a number of advantages to planting all female seed rather mixed seed or using clones: They do not have to be sexed so they can be started in place. Seedlings often have more vigor than clones and this makes dealing with them easier since there are no males to detect. When seeds produce male plants you are wasting time and energy on plants that will be tossed. You don’t have to overwinter plants to create mothers to cut for clones. Instead, you just start seeds in the spring. Seedlings do not carry nearly as many infections that clones do. In addition, the technique can also be used: To make seeds from female only varieties. To create female x female hybrids without having to use a male.

The pollen only has female genetics, so all of the seed created using this pollen will be female. Most propagators use silver thiosulfate (STS), which is available on the internet in the form of two chemicals that are mixed together. I decided to try the STS as well as two other chemicals, available on the internet, 30ppm colloidal silver and also a spray product advertised to induce male flowers. I started with four clones each of four varieties, Blue Dream, Candyland, Sour Diesel and Girl Scout Cookies. Each plant from each variety is being treated with one of the three chemicals or being used as a control. Each chemical is being tested on each of the varieties.

Experimental

All the plants were placed in 6” containers holding coir and peat based planning mix. They are all irrigated using the wick system. The 3/8” nylon wick draws water to the bottom of each container from the reservoir below using capillary action, which also draws water up the soil,

keeping it moist. After planting, the plants were placed in a greenhouse lit by natural light about 13 hours a day. Most of the light is indirect but the plants do receive about four hours of direct sun each day. In addition, a 1000-watt stationary HPS lamp is placed about three feet over the plants. It is on seven hours a day, from 10am-5pm. During the three to seven days from transplanting a fluorescent light providing dim light turned on four times each night for half an hour to break the dark cycle and keep the plants growing vegetatively. One day after the supplemental night lighting was eliminated, each experimental plant was marked and sprayed. According to instructions for the colloidal silver and the commercial product, the plants should be sprayed daily for the next for three weeks. The sodium thiosulfate required spraying just once. If the experiment is successful, within a month the plants should be growing male flowers and producing viable pollen. Within a month, if the experiment is successful the plants will be growing male flowers. c

PROFILE

IN

COURAGE

DESTINATION

GROWING CANNABIS WITH FEMALE SEEDS

78

The plants are marked by variety and were placed in rows according to their treatment schedule.

These plants of four varieties were all treated with the commercial feminizing spray. Each treatment chemical was assigned a color for easy identification.

Spraying the small bottle of commercial spray on one group of plants.

The clones had just been planted a week before treatment started so they are small. Nevertheless, they are excellent models to work with because they are easy to carry and move, so moving them to an isolated spray area is not much of a chore.

TIP OF THE MONTH

As you harvest and trim your plants save all of the clean green leaf. It can be used for cooking, salves and tinctures or to make concentrates. If you take an ice cooler packed with ice cubes covered with paper or cloth to the field, place cut leaves in the cooler to keep them fresh. Rinse them in cool, not cold water, so the glands remain pliable rather than becoming brittle. Use a wheat grass juicer for fresh juice or freeze them for later processing. Use the juice can be used fresh or freeze it in ice cube trays for individual servings.

Close-up of stem shows that the plants are still in vegetative stage. The light period had just been shortened two days before first spray.

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.

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

79


culture PROFILE

IN

COURAGE

DESTINATION

UNKNOWN

RECIPES

growing

Time to Go: Fall Weather: Warm and humid with occasional showers Budget: $$$$$

80

if you go: As for medicating in Negril, wrapping your hands around a joint or a bowl is fairly simple as cannabis possession laws were surprisingly relaxed last year, just in time for Negril’s Cannabis Cup. Unfortunately, cannabis is still mostly illegal in Jamaica, but obtaining buds and smoking it are fairly simple at least in and around Negril. In fact, most visitors say the cannabis will find you as everyone from locals on the street to taxi drivers to hotel security workers will nonchalantly sell cheap yet premium flowers to visitors. Toking around town is not usually a problem, however, do not smoke around any authorities as they may shake you down for some American green backs.

Negril, Jamaica Soothes and Energizes in Late Fall by Sheryll Alexander

If you are looking forward to a cannabisfocused vacation or a cannabiz getaway to Jamaica’s West End of Negril, then here’s a quick look at things to do, see, eat, drink along with travel tips, medical cannabis laws and medicating advice. First, fly into Jamaica’s Sir Donald Sangster International Airport (MBJ or Montego Bay Airport). Next, catch a shuttle ride for the 75-minute trip to downtown Negril. Negril’s all-inclusive resorts tend to be situated along the beach’s north end. Smaller, boutique and family-run hotels sit to the south. For the most privacy and the best cliff views, choose a resort

along West End Road. The population of tiny Negril (around 7,000) swells during late fall’s cannabis cup season and throughout winter as cannabinoidloving tourists from North America and Europe flock to its warm Caribbean shores. While in Negril, get up late for breakfast and head to a roadside organic vegan food stand. Then spend the day at the beach or indulge in snorkeling or diving. Negril is also known for its bar and restaurants scenes, which run the gamut from American to French to Italian to modern Jamaican. Whatever you do, make certain you are

properly positioned at sunset on the edge of a rugged West End cliff—hopefully with drink in hand at one of Negril’s top restaurants or bars—to enjoy the spectacular natural show of sunset’s rainbow color display. Music, dancing and medicating round out most evenings in this island paradise. Negril, Jamaica is happily home to some of the most cannabisfriendly people, hotels and businesses on the planet making this tiny town one of the best locations to visit for cannabis connoisseurs who are into relaxing vibes, beautiful beaches, live music, organic eats, icy cocktails and plentiful cannabis. c

Fun-Filled Facts Like many other isolated towns around the world, Negril became associated with cannabis in the 1960s when hippies came to live and smoke on the cheap. In the ’70s, nudity was welcomed at Negril Beach Village (it was later named Hedonism II) and was infamous for its wild toga parties and nude volleyball games. It wasn’t until the ’80s that Negril became a world-class destination thanks to road and other infrastructure improvements. 1

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Christopher Columbus “discovered” Jamaica (he called it St. Lago) and its West End in 1494 when it was populated by the native Arawak tribe. 2

Jamaica’s beaches are a relaxing respite during the day. Just remember: Sand flies start buzzing and biting after the sun goes down and the soft white sands cool. This is why Jamaicans and tourists alike head to Negril’s cliffside bars, restaurants and music halls in the evenings for bug-less fun. 3


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

81


culture PROFILE

IN

COURAGE

DESTINATION

UNKNOWN

RECIPES

growing

TOM

82

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

Age: 31 Condition/Illness: Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita Using Medical Cannabis Since: 2003

Why did you start using cannabis? Having been born with a rare disability, growing up I always dealt with a lot of pain, from surgeries, and procedures to correct my legs to day-to-day pain. I grew up in Los Angeles where the cannabis industry was always booming. I didn’t try cannabis untill I was 19. Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis? I had several surgeries throughout my childhood, and I would always remember my mom being really good about not giving me too much opiates that the doctors would prescribe for pain,

so I never really ‘knew’ about pain pills. It wasn’t until I was an adult and living on my own that I realized I would always have some type of pain. Tried cannabis, first, then tried opiates and realized cannabis is just so much better for my body with how much I personally needed to take compared to the opiates. What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients? The biggest issue is our government needs to allow us the option to alternative medicine, especially if we want to grow it ourselves in our own homes. What do you say to folks that are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? Everybody is different. Some people need it, some don’t. c

Are you an MMJ patient with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

83


culture growing

The highest quality cannabis chefs in the world have come to share some of their favorite recipes with you! These dishes will make your mouth water and will get your creative juices flowing into the kitchen. Sink your teeth in, and enjoy these amazing recipes from the professional culinary masters of the cannabis world.

Fresh Cannabis Chimichurri Sauce

UNKNOWN

RECIPES

You Can Make Top-Shelf Edibles with the Help of these Canna-Chefs

Makes about 2 cups

recipe by Monica Lo from Sous Weed

DESTINATION

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste 4 garlic cloves 1 small shallot, halved 1 red jalapeño, seeds removed

2 tablespoons fresh oregano 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

COURAGE

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Salt to taste. Serve on skirt steak or roast chicken—or anything really!

IN PROFILE

1/4 cup raw cannabis leaves, stems removed

DIRECTIONS

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.

t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com

84

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, stems removed

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


4-5 cups vegetable broth 1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, chopped

1/2 cup spinach, cut into strips 6 ounces feta cheese, cubed

RECIPES

growing

culture Salt and pepper

UNKNOWN

4 fresh cannabis fan leaves, cut into strips (more for garnish)

6 tablespoons cannabisinfused olive oil t

Serves 2

recipe by Laurie Wolf

INGREDIENTS 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in chunks

2 teaspoons canna-canola oil

DIRECTIONS

8 brussels sprouts, cut in half or quartered if large

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash fan leaves in equal parts water and vinegar, then rinse with clear water. Quarter pumpkin and place in steamer, over 1 inch of boiling water, cover and cook until tender but firm, about 10 to 15 minutes. Peel pumpkin and cut into small cubes. You should have about 4 cups of pumpkin cubes (a little less is fine). Place pumpkin in baking dish, drizzle with 2-4 tablespoons of cannabis olive oil and toss with your hands until all pieces are evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. While pumpkin bakes, heat 2 tablespoons cannabis olive oil in a saucepan. Cook onion and garlic over low to medium heat until translucent and tender. Stir in rice and continue stirring over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Slowly add vegetable broth one half cup at a time, as liquid absorbs, stirring constantly. Continue cooking over mediumlow heat, stirring constantly, until rice is tender. This will take 20 minutes or more. If rice gets too dry, stir in more vegetable broth. Salt and pepper to taste. When pumpkin is almost done, place feta on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until it just starts to melt, about 4-5 minutes. Mash half of the pumpkin with a fork or potato masher. Stir into risotto along with fan leaves and spinach. Serve immediately in individual bowls topped with remaining pumpkin cubes and feta. Garnish with fresh fan leaf.

1 small yellow onion, peeled and sliced

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 cups Arborio rice

3 slices bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 egg, beaten Salt and pepper 2 pounded, skinless, boneless pork cutlets

DESTINATION

1 onion, diced

1-pound pie pumpkin

1/4 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons canola oil

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 340°F. In a medium bowl, combine the sweet potato, sprouts, onion, bacon, syrup, oils, salt and pepper. Toss and place all ingredients on a baking sheet with sides. Roast until tender, stirring occasionally, for 45-50 minutes. When the vegetables are done, place in a bowl and allow flavors to mingle. Place the beaten egg in a small bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on a plate. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts. Coat the breasts with the egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Press to adhere the crumbs to the chicken. In a sauté pan, heat the canola oil. Add the cutlets and sauté until deep golden brown, turning once, for 5 minutes per side. Add more canola oil if needed. Place the pork on dinner plates and top with the veg chop! iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

COURAGE

INGREDIENTS White vinegar

Panko Crusted Pork Cutlet with Fall Vegetables

IN

recipe by Robyn Griggs Lawrence

PROFILE

CannabisRoasted Pumpkin Risotto with Spinach, Feta and Fresh Fan Leaf

85


culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN DESTINATION

Whipped Pumpkin Mousse

Salmon Toast

recipe by Keira Fae

recipe by The Herbal Chef

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces fresh King Salmon

1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup dark chocolate chip chunks 3 teaspoons cannabis-infused olive oil (5mg each tsp) t

1 Lemon

1 French baguette

1 can pumpkin puree

1 sprig rosemary

Pink Peppercorn Tuile t

1 shallot

Dill Foam t

1 packet of instant vanilla pudding

1/2 teaspoon pink peppercorn

Roasted Garlic Aioli t

1/4 cup sugar

Cattail Pollen Crème Fraiche t

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

2-3 tablespoons cannabisinfused olive oil t

PROFILE

IN

COURAGE

Equipment: Cryovac

86

DIRECTIONS Cut the salmon into a 2oz piece that will fit on the baguette you bought. Cut the lemon into very thin slices as well as the shallot. Add everything into the cryovac bag (for sous vide), and make sure the lemon is on top of the salmon but do not stack them. Seal it using the cryovac. Put the sealed salmon into a water bath at 52°C for 25-35 minutes. Take the salmon out of the bag and take all of the congealed fats off of the salmon before sprinkling with a pinch of salt. Heat a cast iron on medium-high heat before brushing the baguette with olive oil and putting it down to crisp up. Place the baguette down first. Add the garlic aioli onto baguette. Put the seasoned sous vide salmon on there, and then pipe a nickel-size dollop of crème fraiche on the salmon. Place the pink peppercorn tuile on the crème fraiche and then add the dill foam last before serving. Enjoy! october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment: Rubber spatula Two medium sized bowls Whisk Stand mixer Measuring cup and spoons

DIRECTIONS Mix the heavy whipping cream until it peaks (about 1-2 min) on low-medium speed. In a separate bowl, add the pumpkin puree, infused olive oil, instant vanilla pudding, sugar and all those spices! Mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1/3 of the whipping cream with the 1/3 of the pumpkin puree in a separate bowl, this with be the middle section. Fold the remainder of the whip cream in with the rest of the pumpkin puree, this mix will be darker in color and richer in flavor. Add the darker pumpkin mix to the bottom of the bowl or cup, layer chocolate chunks, and then add the lighter pumpkin mixture for the middle section, layer chocolate chunks, at this point put the cup or bowl into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, top with whip cream, and viola!


culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN

recipe by Aunt Sandy

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

1 small carrot, finely diced

2 cups half & half

1 small onion, diced

3 cups white corn kernels fresh or frozen

1 cup canna butter

1/2 cup all purpose flour

10–12 dried dates (preferably medjools)

1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon cardamom powder

10 dried apricots, organic and sulfur-free

1 ⁄ 2 cup almonds

1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ⁄ 2 cup shelled pistachios

1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup Bonzo Butter, softened t

1 1/2 cups crushed coconut

Directions Fine-chop all ingredients by hand, except Bonzo Butter and coconut, on a wooden cutting board. Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Add Bonzo Butter and knead with hands. Roll into balls about 1″ in diameter (larger or smaller will make them more or less potent). Roll balls carefully in crushed coconut until coated. Store in a labeled, airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

1 pinch of nutmeg, freshly ground

1 clove garlic, minced 1 small stalk of celery, diced

DIRECTIONS

Melt canna butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and salute for 3 minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook until roux is lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Combine the corn and chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the boiling stock with the corn (a little at a time) into the skillet with the roux, while whisking. Return the skillet to the heat and bring to a boil. The mixture should become very thick. In a small sauce pan, gently heat the half & half and stir it into the thick corn mixture. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving add the remaining canna butter to enrich the soup stirring until the butter melts. Enjoy with a piece of crusted french bread! iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

COURAGE

recipe by Chris Kilham

3 cups chicken stock

IN

Makes about 20 Love Balls Aprox 5mg THC per serving

PROFILE

Majoon Love Balls

DESTINATION

Canna-Corn Chowder

87


culture growing RECIPES UNKNOWN DESTINATION COURAGE IN PROFILE 88

Spinach and Feta CannaBoreka recipe by Jeffthe420Chef

Number of servings: 12 large borekas Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes

Approximate THC per Serving: 10%: 3.8 milligrams 15%: 5.6 milligrams 20%: 7.6 milligrams

INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup onions, diced

1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

1 pound fresh spinach

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

DIRECTIONS Make the filling: Preheat a frying pan for 1 minute. Add the olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Sauté the onions until translucent. Add spinach and sauté until wilted and cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and transfer to a colander. Let it drain for about 10 minutes and then move to a large bowl. Add feta, Swiss cheese, egg, parsley and dill. Mix well, and add salt and pepper to taste. Make the borekas: Preheat oven to 340°F. Combine canna butter and grass fed butter. Use a pastry brush to coat the bottom of a cookie sheet with some of the melted canna-butter mixture. Cut the phyllo dough long ways into 5- or 6-inch strips. Stack them and cover with a towel so they don’t dry out. Working one at a time, brush each strip with canna-butter mixture, fold over lengthwise, and butter again. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling on the end. Fold up like a flag, bottom edge to side edge, then continue folding to form a triangle until you reach the end of your dough. Butter the outside at the end. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough. Beat the egg and brush the top of each boreka and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place them on the buttered cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove, cool and serve. october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

To finish: 4 tablespoons creamy canna butter t plus 4 tablespoons grass fed butter, melted

1 large egg Black or regular sesame seeds for sprinkling

6 to 8 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed *Approximate dose per serving is based on infusing 5 grams of cured/dried/decarbed cannabis into 11/3 sticks of butter


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

89


NORCAL NOW! event listings

Latin Food & Music Festival, Oct. 8

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and there’s no better way to celebrate than at the Latin Food & Music Festival. Celebrate Latino heritage while tasting food from Cuba, El Salvador, Mexico and Peru. There will be live music, dance performances, savory food, arts, crafts and tons of cultural fun! Cesar Chavez Park, Sacramento sachcc.org

World Veg Festival, Oct. 8-9 The San Francisco Vegetarian Society organizes this unique event, where guests of all dietary restrictions can enjoy some delicious veggie cuisine. There will be cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, special dinners and more. San Francisco Country Fair Building in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco worldvegfestival.com

guests are welcome to bring their own snacks. Bottle & Bottega Studio, San Jose Bottleandbottega.com/ sw-sanjose

Knife Skills Class, Oct. 15 Sharpen your culinary skills when it comes to dicing, slicing, mincing, chiffonading and more! Drinks can also be purchased during the class to make the experience a little more relaxing, but don’t get too relaxed, considering the various types of knives you’ll be handling. Savory Kitchen, San Jose savory-kitchen.com

Crush & Craft, Oct. 16 Treat yourself to an afternoon of craft beer, artisanal wine and tasty foods. There will be over 20 food vendors and 20 drink vendors sharing their delights, while the amazing atmosphere paired with live music, games and prizes will make this a night to remember. Hotel Durant, Berkeley hoteldurantberkeley.com

San Francisco BBQ Festival, Oct. 22

Van Gogh’s Starry Night!, Oct. 14 No experience is needed to join this fantastic painting party. A teacher will lead the class, step-by-step toward creating their own painting, inspired by the famed painter Vincent Van Gogh. Wine and beer will be available for purchase, and 90

featured event

If you’re looking for a festival that is larger than life with food, tunes, tastiness and fun, then the San Francisco BBQ Festival needs to be penciled into your schedule. Over 40 competition BBQ teams will be competing with their best meats for a $10,000 prize, while there will be craft beers, local rock bands and more. The Yard at Mission Rock, San Francisco sfbbqfestival.com

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

The End of the Line Craft Beer Festival, Oct. 8

Enjoy all-day beer tastings from some of the best breweries around. Food, music, games and fun will also be ensured at this festival where the United States’ makes its first attempt at the Guinness World Record for simultaneous beer tasting. Be a part of history! 16th Street Station, Oakland sfstation.com

Sacramento Armenian Food Festival, Oct. 22 Food is a unifying aspect of all cultures, so come and celebrate what makes Armenian culture unique at this tasty festival. Try Armenian gourmet food and culture, while dancing and meeting new people. There will be vegetarian-friendly options for those who are interested. Trinity Episcopal Church Great Hall, Sacramento stjamessacramento.org

San Francisco Lunch Cruise, Oct. 28 Set sail upon a fancy cruise ship as you enjoy the scenic beauty of San Francisco Bay. You will cruise along the water for two hours while eating a delicious lunch buffet and music. Soda, coffee and juice are included with your ticket price, while wine, beer and cocktails will be available for purchase. SF Pier 3 on the Embarcadero at Washington Street, San Francisco hornblower.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

91


Chuck Shepherd's

News of the

Weird

LEAD STORY—Designer Leather u The late fashion designer Alexander McQueen (who dabbled in macabre collections, himself), might appreciate the work of acolyte Tina Gorjanc: She will grow McQueen’s skin (from DNA off his hair) in a lab, add back his tattoos, and from that make leather handbags and jackets. Gorjanc, a recent graduate of McQueen’s fashion school alma mater, bills the project mainly as showcasing the meager legal protections for abandoned bits of human DNA—and fears industrial use of such DNA on a much larger scale.

92

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com

WAR IS HELL u (1) Jihadists had a rough year militarily and now suffer further from an array of field reports (such as a new book by retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn) that their most sensitive laptop computers captured in battle by U.S. forces seemed always to be loaded with pornography— including “vile” material involving kids and animals. (Initially, said one analyst, there was so much porn that U.S. intelligence figured its purpose was only to disguise tactical messages within the sex-scene pixels.) (2) On the other hand, jihadists can claim one victory, in that the actor Michael Caine said recently the terrorist-caused airport discomforts had finally convinced him to legally change his name to “Michael Caine”—after tiring of explaining to screeners why he had Maurice Micklewhite’s (his birth name’s) passport.


COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS u In June, Dieter Uchtdorf, a high official in the Mormon Church, said the historic narrative of Mormon founder Joseph Smith’s use of a “seer stone” to translate the “golden plates” that gave Smith ultimate worldly knowledge has been authenticated, basically, by the 2007 invention of the iPhone. “I can get the collected knowledge of the world through a few little inputs,” said Uchtdorf, and thus it is likelier than ever that God gave Smith something like a smartphone in 1823. SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS u Friendly Bacteria: Plastics are well-known to decompose slowly, but the most difficult is the polyethylene used for containers such as the omnipresent water bottles, and despite recycling, tens

of millions of metric tons wind up in landfills, where the plastic’s strong polymer bonds resist breakdown. Recently, however, two Japanese researchers, after tedious trial-and-error, identified a bacterium that views the polyethylene terephthalate as an efficient, tasty meal. A colleague of the two said further tweaking was necessary before using the bacteria industrially. u Room-Sized Bong? Samuel Oliphant, 35, was arrested on various charges in Scottsdale, Arizona, in June after police were called to a house to investigate a “strong and unusual” odor (which cops suspected to be drugs). Inside, they found a “laboratory,” necessitating use of their “hazmat protocols,” because Oliphant had allegedly built a “complex and elaborate” system apparently for the purpose of enhancing the smoking of marijuana.

AWESOME! u Rapper Kasper Knight apparently shot himself in the cheek with a revolver on July 17 in Indianapolis— as part of a staged music video—according to raw footage of the incident posted on his Facebook page (and then of course seen by almost 2 million people). Knight, seen bleeding afterward, said he tried to recruit a shooter, but when no one volunteered, shot himself, anticipating (as in previous times he had been shot, by other people) “like a 4 out of 10 on the pain scale.” THE PASSING PARADE u (1) The Belton (Texas) Early Childhood (prekindergarten) School staged an “Enchanted Evening” prom in May and posted many photos on its Facebook page of little toddlers arrayed in tuxedos, gowns, corsages and of course, for some, limousines. (A Kansas City Star reporter

suggested that this was just the beginning of an expensive parental trend.) (2) The village of Trecon was inducted recently into the club of French towns with silly names. “Tres con,” translated, is “very stupid.” Mayor Georges Leherle accepted the town’s membership, joining 38 incumbent members including “Monteton” (“My Nipple”) and “Mariol” (“Dumbass”). LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS u Didn’t Quite Think It Through: The men who tried an armed carjacking at the Oasis car wash in Shreveport, Louisiana, on July 20 were sent running by the car owner Michael Davis, who was holding a high-pressure hose at the time and casually directed the stream to one potential thief ’s face while swinging the metal wand at the other.

iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

93


94

october 2016 iReadCULTURE.com


iReadCULTURE.com october 2016

95



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.