NUG Magazine Issue 22

PUBLISHER’SLETTER JULY 2011 VOL. 3 ISSUE #7 NUG Magazine Staff: Publisher: Ben G. Rowin

Associate Publisher: M.J. Smith Editor: Dion Markgraaff Associate Editor: George Alberts Administrative Assistant: Gio Blitz Music Editor: Ras Mike Photographers: Gio Blitz, Eric Fowler, Jennifer Martinez, Chris Konecki, SCR Photos, Ashley Parda, Brom Richey, Brian Walnum Videographer: Chris Gabriel, NS Entertainment Contributors: “SD OG Grower”, Dion Markgraaff, Canna Chef Kim, Eugene Davidovich, Marc Emmelmann, Pamela Jayne, Tiffany Janay, Leo E. Laurence, J.D., Jed Sanders, George Alberts, Robert Stinson, R.J. Villa, Sandieganliz, Bahareh, Mel The Bumbling Gardener, Simon Eddisbury, Esther Rubio-Sheffrey, Aaron Evans, Brom Richey, Marco Alvarez Comics: Joshua Boulet, Georgia Peschel Sales Director: Ben G. Rowin Advertising Sales Reps: Dion Markgraaff, Eugene Davidovich, Brom Richey, Kirk L., Jordan D., Hashley, Gio Blitz Art Director: Ian Rie

July is here and it marks the 2-year anniversary of NUG Magazine’s Publication! We are having a HUGE birthday party this month at SPIN Nightclub on July 29th followed up by a day with Slightly Stoopid & Rebelution at Cricket Wireless on July 30th. We’ll be tailgating at Cricket Wireless with the Cheba Hut crew, so stop by and say HIGH! July is also the month when San Diego celebrates PRIDE and we at NUG will be walking in the parade on July 16th. We’ll be giving away free NUG shirts to the first dozen people who volunteer to walk in the parade with us! Contact submit@nugmag.com to get involved!

We’ve got a great issue for you, including an interview with Margaret Cho! Hopper’s Chronisseur review covers 4 different local OGs and the background on the term OG. Speaking of Hopper,

we are following his lead on pushing our community to get more involved with other local issues that are not on the cannabis front by bringing attention to the State Park Closures and to an amazing organization started by a local San Diegan who is helping to bring libraries and books to the areas where there are none!

Make sure to check out our article by Marco Alvarez about local skateboard wheel company, Kontrol Wheels, and get yourself a set of the special edition Kontrol/NUG wheels!

Dion Markgraaff covers Hemp Energy in this issue and Brom Richey got a chance to review the famous Gaglione Cheesesteak company! Our artist profile for this month is on local artist Sean Dietrich, who we met at San Diego IndieFest.

Sean will also be at Comic Con this month, so go and check out some of his art if you are headed to the Con! We, of course, want to thank YOU, the NUG readers, for the many letters and emails we get on a daily basis! Keep them coming! We also want to thank all of the contributors, photographers, advertisers, and supporters of the magazine, and we hope you ALL come out to the 2-year anniversary party!

-Ben G. Rowin

Finance Manager: M.J. Smith Marketing Manager: Marc Emmelmann

Cover Images: Margaret Cho (Pixie Vision Productions) | Skater Alex Valdez (Photo Brian Walnum) | Art: Sean Dietrich

Distribution/Subscriptions: Beau’s Distribution Service info@beausdistribution.com NUG Magazine Staff Contact Information: 9880 N. Magnolia Ave #168 Santee, Ca 92071 (619) 616-4961 For general information or to reach our Publisher: info@nugmag.com For all art/design information: art@nugmag.com For all editorial related information: info@nugmag.com For submissions: submit@nugmag.com NUG Magazine is published and distributed by NUG Magazine LLC. All contents are for entertainment and educational purposes only and are intended for mature audiences. We are not responsible for any actions taken by our readers nor do we condone any illegal activity. Advertisers are responsible for their own ads and content. All opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily of the magazine. All submissions become our property and may be used for publication. At times we may use materials placed in the public domain. If you own it let us know and we will acknowledge you. Reproduction of any content is encouraged if you get permission from our Publisher.

All contents copyright. 2011

12

CONTENTS

\\:NUG TIMES

16

\\:SINK OR SWIM 2

20

\\:LEAP

24

\\:PATIENT PROFILE

28

\\:TRAVELING LIBRARIES

31

\\:HEMP ENERGY

40

66

43

68

\\:HEALTH & WELLNESS

\\:STATE PARKS

46

\\:GAGLIONE BROS.

50

\\:COOKING W/ KIM

56

\\:GROW

60

\\:CHRONISSEUR

\\:SELENE & MARGARET

\\:POTLUCK

70

\\:THE LOONS

74

\\:ARTIST PROFILE

79

\\:KONTROL WHEELS

84

\\:PRODUCT REVIEWS

San Diegans United Against Bonnie Dumanis for Mayor in 2012. Dumanis is Bad for San Diego. http://www.safeaccesssd.org There are many patients and concerned citizens in the San Diego community who have witnessed, firsthand, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis’ fierce and misguided fight against medical marijuana patients.

In response to her bid for Mayor of San Diego in 2012, many in San Diego have quickly united in opposition. The medical marijuana community sent a strong message to all supporters regarding Dumanis’ track record on the issue through social media and the internet. Most recently, the ‘Dumanis Propaganda Machine’ began turning its wheels and producing misleading information about her record on the medical marijuana issue.

Dumanis has begun to recycle her old rhetoric claiming that she in fact supports medical marijuana and it is all the collectives that are breaking the law because they are ‘selling’ marijuana. Dumanis is prepared to spend thousands of dollars on her propaganda war.

We urgently need your help to quickly mobilize opposition against the propaganda that will be put out from the Dumanis campaign in the coming weeks. Help us disseminate Dumanis’ true position and track record on the issue!

12 | NUGMAG.COM

Take Action Against Bonnie Dumanis Today!

1. Post a negative review on Yelp, http://www.yelp.com/biz/bonnie-dumanis-for-mayor-2012-san-diego, for Bonnie Dumanis.

2. Join the ‘Not Dumanis’ campaign on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Not-Dumanis-San-Diego-Citizens-AgainstBonnie-Dumanis-for-Mayor-in-2012/129674723757629.

Top three reasons why Dumanis is bad for San Diego, compiled from dozens of responses from residents in the City of San Diego: 1. Dumanis is bad for our Community’s Safety and Welfare Failed to protect victims’ rights and has advanced her political agenda instead.

2. Dumanis is Bad for Marriage Equality / Gay Community As District Attorney, Dumanis has turned her back on the LGBT community by supporting anti-gay candidates and refusing to help defeat Proposition 8.

3. Dumanis is Bad for Medical Marijuana She continues to wage a ‘fierce fight’ against medical marijuana patients and the protections created in the law for the sick and dying, while at the same time claiming to be for the issue.

Sink or Swim Pt. 2

“Back to the Basics”

Article By: Aaron Evans Photo by DJ Deprave Some of the fondest memories from my childhood are the days I spent at the neighborhood watering hole. The summers seemed endless, pristine. Worry free, I’d splash and play with the other pool rats, partaking in relay races and cannonball competitions, out to catch the attention of the lovely local ladies. As far back as I can remember, being in the water was second nature, but that wasn’t always the story. Apparently, I sunk like a stone during my first lesson, resting helplessly at the bottom until the instructor pulled me to the surface. However, over time, I would become known as a fish in the water. The skills I had grown to obtain only existed because at some point in my life, someone with more experience and knowledge had taught me how to hold my breath, doggy paddle and float. Without these basic and essential tools, I would have drowned the very first day and never experienced one of my most precious childhood freedoms – swimming.

As I look around our culture, I can’t help but feel like some of us have forgotten the basics of the game or never had them laid out in front of us to begin with.

Perhaps we’re sinking for the simple fact that we never learned how to swim. Anymore, common sense isn’t common place, and I often hear arguments about why down is up, up is down, and 1+1=3. But here’s the thing, I studied philosophy for a few years in college and I’m an adamant believer in logic; therefore, I feel the moment has arisen to revisit, as taught to me, the basics behind what has allowed us to keep our lips above the surface thus far. Call them guides, call them natural laws, call them what you will, but from my perspective, these are the ‘unspoken rules’ of being green.

Rule #1: NEVER call the cops on a fellow smoker, grower or blower.

Unless the health or safety of you or your family is in immediate danger, DON’T BE A RAT. I don’t care if so and so called you this or that, or if somebody undercut your price; it’s irrelevant. Don’t get me wrong, where I grew up, these are issues that would be addressed immediately, but not by snitching. The sooner we see that this is a ‘together we succeed, together we fail’ battle, the better. With every bust, the conservative media is given another stone to toss at our delicate glass house.

For every grow that is eradicated, another patient goes without medication. With every diversion of energy, we fall further from our final goal.

Bottom line: don’t make their job easier than it already is. Our many enemies have an immeasurable tactical advantage. If this was any clearer, it would be a window. Take a second to look outside your box before acting on impulses that have bigger implications than your personal world. Once you rat, you never go back.

Rule #2: NEVER call a fellow smoker, grower or blower a cop, fed or informant without absolute proof.

If you have undeniable, indisputable, 100% hard evidence that an active member of our community and culture is a cop, fed or informant, AND you’re ready to present it to the public in an inarguable fashion, I would then say that it’s your ‘moral obligation’ to step forward and share that evidence, as to protect others. But, for as much as I love music, if you heard that shit through the grapevine, I’m tuning you out. We, as a community, have no time to imitate daytime soaps. I dig the TV show WEEDS. I like laughing at its absurdity, but I never intend to live in its warped reality.

Bottom line: false accusations cause confusion and unrest. Without trust, we have no true allies, only temporary alliances bound to tumble under the pressure of oppression.

Rule #3: 3.3 is not 3.5, 27 is not 28, and so on and so forth.

My grandfather founded and ran a sand and gravel company until he passed away at the age of 63. Rising from humble beginnings, he built a successful business by providing his customers with a quality product at a fair price. He wasn’t always the cheapest, but his word was the Midas touch. Contractors could count on each delivery being exactly to spec, and sometimes he’d toss in a little extra for good measure knowing that a happy customer would return, time and time again. This is relevant because the sand and gravel business has one thing in common with the green business; they both heavily rely on scales as the backbone of their commerce.

My grandfather watched his competition fail as they implemented unjust business practices, such as calibrating scales in their favor and mixing subpar grades with higher grades. He stuck to his guns determined to be an honest man before a rich one. He knew that each of us worked hard for our daily bread and deserved to have our labor respected when spending our bounty.

30 years later, with our nation’s fiscal situation engulfed in an exponential slump, this truth shines brighter than ever. An 1/8 pre-weighed should be 3.5 grams, EVERY TIME! An ounce in an airtight turkey bag should be 28 grams, EVERY TIME! In a world ruled by jealousy and greed, the quick come-up can often lead to violence or a detention center.

Bottom line: karma is keeping score and will come knocking at your door if needed. In a culture of cultivation, please believe that you reap what you sow.

16 | NUGMAG.COM

Rule #4: NEVER put your provider on blast.

Several days ago, I was reminded of this while in route to my favorite co-op. Less than 50 feet from the front door, I was approached by a seedy smile and an outstretched hand holding subpar meds. I quickly waved the young man off, not having the time to stop and school him about Rule #4. Little did I know the opportunity would present itself again moments later. As I came to the front door, I noticed the character was following behind me. Luckily, one of the budtenders was returning from break, so I had ample time to alert him about the situation.

Quickly confronting the problem, he explained to the gentleman that he was clearly out of line and would not be allowed to sign up as a new member. I, being the loudmouth that I am, decided to throw my two cents in and explained how his actions brought unneeded heat to our culture. I told him the story of my friends from the Kush Lounge who are currently under federal prosecution after falling victim to big brother’s watchful eye less than half a mile from where we were standing. As his face turned ill, I could see he realized the implications of

his unthoughtful deeds to himself and the community. He apologized and vacated the premises.

Our opposition is more observant than they are given credit for. In the medical world, follow protocol.

From your doctor, to your co-op, to the proper transportation of your meds, it’s more or less known what you can do to avoid an incident with your local law enforcement.

That’s why magazines like NUG are here, to inform the community.

If you don’t know, ask; assistance is abundant.

Bottom line: questioning our enemy’s intelligence is only questioning our own. We must be honest with ourselves about our shortcomings if we are to withstand this ongoing attack upon our existence.

The sharpened blade of a skilled warrior always strikes at the flaws and weaknesses of its opponent’s armor. This is a lesson we must never forget.

Rule #5: Support legalization of hemp and marijuana, period!

For the record, I support full heartedly ANY legislation that leads towards the legalization of hemp and marijuana. I know this is a hot button topic, but you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. If you’ve rocked a ‘legalize it’ t-shirt, bitched about outdated laws, or gotten lifted with rebellion, then the time is now to tip the first domino. The only reason I see for anyone in our culture to stand against legalization is for monetary gain. Concerns over corporatization are understandable, valid and very real, but they also have strong roots in the overall landscape of how our country is being run. If we want to protect hemp and marijuana, we need to see the big picture and how this ties into protecting many of our other rights that are dissipating daily.

become the predominate mentality in America, but it couldn’t be farther from the reality of our world.

We, as with every other revolution, must swim one stroke at a time. Equal rights didn’t come to pass with the end of slavery or segregation alone.

It came from an ongoing fight and many years of winning small battles until the tide was turned.

Even now, with an African American as president, many individuals and organizations are still pushing for absolute equality as the scales have yet to fully balance out. Those driven individuals have never given up their pursuit of freedom, and we must be equally focused on our objective if we are to overcome our shackles.

The seas are going to get rougher; the real storm has just begun to brew. At the moment, we’re treading water and safety is only a sliver of land in the distance. We’re close, it’s within our sites, but not as close as some of us think we are. The true test may ultimately be our endurance and resolve. So I endear you, no matter how dark the waters become, keep swimming. No matter what the winds may whip your way, keep swimming.

No matter how bad your muscles may hurt, keep swimming. Swim toward the shore of freedom.

Bottom line: if someone’s love bunny in Humboldt has to go without $200 yoga pants so that Hector in Golden Hill doesn’t have to go to jail anymore, I’m cool with that. If a few shops have to close in order to keep the gangs and cartels from running National City, I’m cool with that too. Call me crazy, but life is about balance. We don’t live in For more info on the author, please visit a world where you get everything you www.aaronevansimagination.com want right when you want it. This has

services

BUSINESS CARDS | FLYERS | POSTERS | BANNERS | WEBSITE | T-SHIRTS

(619) 447-1534

UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES TO DOMINATE THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

By Leo E. Laurence, J.D.; Hillcrest | Law Enforcement Against Prohibition leopowerhere@msn.com

When you carry a badge, you learn to smell trouble; you can sense it sometimes. Some believe the struggle for medical marijuana dispensaries in Southern California is in serious trouble.

“We’ve got a lot of trouble coming,” stressed Ken Cole, an outspoken former Australian basketball coach who played on two Olympic teams. He owns the elegant One-on-One dispensary at 923 Sixth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter. He totally restored the 1865 interior of the one-time bar, including the antique beer spigots behind the wide, New York style bar.

“I think if this can’t be resolved fairly quickly, it’s going to result in huge lawsuits,” Cole believes strongly. “I think it’s out-of-control right now. I think it’s headed for the courts. I can’t see it going anywhere else. I’m not sure that this (campaign) has been thought through carefully enough by the cannabis community. We may very well find ourselves in court in a few weeks,” Cole predicted.

“I think people have been forced into a corner where things happened so fast, and there didn’t exist the sort of organizational structure that you’d normally have. Therefore, we (the cannabis community) have made decisions on the run. Good-intentioned people are making community decisions on their own that maybe we shouldn’t have made,” Cole believes. “We need to think much more carefully about the next step because it can make or break us.”

“The pending referendum may force them to repeal all the San Diego ordinances on medical marijuana. But, I keep asking: What is your alternative after that? What are we going to do after the repeal of the law? I’m not hearing any plans.”

“I’m in a more unique situation than most dispensaries. I’m in a historic building and that carries with it a number of rights. One would allow me to operate forever. I already have a conditional-use permit on these premises.

I’m asking the Center-City Development Corporation for a variation on my conditional-use permit. They are asking the city attorney for a legal opinion on this,” Cole explained.

Current Status

The city council of Imperial Beach voted an outright ban on medical marijuana dispensaries on June 15th. The 4-1 decision “was prompted by concerns over possible crime spikes and the potential for abuse of medical marijuana cards,” according to the Union-Tribune newspaper. However, based on hard, law enforcement data, neighborhood crime actually goes ‘down’ when a dispensary opens, and the state now offers a county processed ID card that is more widely accepted by law enforcement than doctor issued IDs. The state ID is available from the county office at (619)692-5723. Take your driver’s license and the original copy of your doctor’s recommendation letter to the county office at 3851 Rosecrans, Ste. 802. You’ll need $166 cash for a regular applicant, or only $83 for a patient on Medi-Cal (they will need your Medi-Cal card for verification). Call me at (619)757-4909 if you have problems. A special thanks goes to John (age 33) who was able to easily obtain his county issued, state medical marijuana card as a result of reading one of my earlier articles.

20 | NUGMAG.COM

In addition to Imperial Beach, hundreds of cities and eight counties throughout the state have banned medical marijuana dispensaries. Where city councils don’t pass an outright ban, their new ordinances are filled with unreasonable restrictions as to be de facto bans on dispensaries, and that may violate our state constitution. Local cities and counties lack the jurisdiction to pass any ordinance that blocks the implementation of state law, which has legalized medical marijuana. That jurisdictional argument could also be part of a court challenge; plus, these anti-dispensary laws are also unconstitutionally vague.

The county’s Registrar of Voters at press time was verifying the signatures on a San Diego municipal referendum, which was filed by a new organization, the Patients’ Care Association of California. It reportedly has about 60 dispensaries among its members, with about 45 being very active. Arguably, if there are enough valid signatures to force an election, the San Diego City Council might work more closely with the medical marijuana community to come up with a city ordinance that implements state law, rather than block it, and avoids a costly referendum election next June.

Local cannabis lawyer Lance Rogers recently won a significant procedural battle for the Medi-Bloom dispensary in Rancho Bernardo. When a business association tried to get a restraining order to close them down, Judge John S. Mayer said that the opponents’ arguments about the dispensary being a public nuisance had no merit, and the case was set for trial without immediately closing the dispensary.

The Medi-Bloom case “represents an interesting situation because it was a legal challenge against a dispensary by a private association, rather than law enforcement or a city council,” Rogers stated in a news story by Dana Littlefield.

This case is an example of what can happen when medical marijuana issues go before a judge. The false arguments that dispensaries lead to increased crime and create a public nuisance are rejected by the courts. Many cannabis leaders believe we will eventually end up in court rather than using the much slower and potentially more expensive process of pushing a municipal referendum on the primary ballot.

Other States

The governors of Maryland and Delaware have signed new medical marijuana measures into law. “That makes 17 states, compromising more than 1/3 of our U.S. population, with state laws recognizing the medical use of marijuana,” according to the current ASA newsletter.

Under Maryland’s new law, qualified patients can possess an ounce or less of cannabis. “Unfortunately, the new Maryland law falls short of the basic protections offered in all other medical marijuana states,” says Kristen Ford, field director with ASA. In Delaware, a new state law allows anyone 18 or older with certain debilitating conditions to possess up to six ounces of marijuana. Each of the state’s three counties will eventually have at least one dispensary, but that can grow to six.

In other news, ASA lawyers in Washington, D.C. filed papers in federal district court to compel the Obama Administration to answer ASA’s 2002 petition to reclassify medical cannabis. A formal rejection of the petition will allow the ASA coalition to challenge in court the federal government’s claim that marijuana has no medical value.

Image on the right: Outspoken dispensary owner, Ken Cole, stands beside antique beer spigots in his elegantly restored 19th century bar, now the One-onOne dispensary at 923 Sixth Avenue, downtown. Photo

by Leo Laurence Image on the left: Experienced in medical marijuana issues, Attorney Lance Rogers appeared at the June ASA meeting.

Photo by Leo E. Laurence

War on Drugs

It’s well-known globally that the so-called ‘War on Drugs’ has failed, but law enforcement brass dogmatically supports it to get the big money budgets involved.

However, a high profile commission led by a number of former Latin American presidents has released a formal report that found how nearly a half century of global policies to combat drugs has backfired. The result of that failure has driven up the rates of drug use and created a huge black market run by lethal cartels.

U.S. usage since ’98 includes a 35% increase in opiates, a 27% increase in cocaine, and an 8.5% increase in cannabis.

Active duty and former law enforcement officers are urged to call me at (619)757-4909 to confidentially get involved with supporting L.E.A.P. locally. E-mail is leopowerhere@msn.com

Patient Profile:JOE By: Pamela Jayne At 70 years old, Joe is a large and outspoken man who is a passionate advocate of the Rick Simpson method of using highly concentrated cannabis oil to cure (yes, CURE!) cancer. He is the owner of a successful towing company, a husband of 30 years, a father and grandfather. He is also a veteran of the Vietnam War having served 23 years in the U.S. Navy. He now serves as a deacon in a Baptist church in National City and as an advocate for the miraculous healing power of the cannabis plant.

Before being diagnosed with two different types of cancer, Joe had never even experimented with cannabis – not even once.

It was during a routine blood work before having surgery for an old shoulder injury when doctors discovered Joe had a form of cancer called Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Fortunately, it was caught very early. Insistent upon going the natural, holistic route to ensure that the CLL didn’t, in his words, “get out of hand,” Joe turned to the internet for information that the modern medical establishment is sadly lacking. He soon came across Rick Simpson’s website, www.phoenixtears.ca, which proved to be, quite literally, a lifesaver. For those who are not familiar with Rick Simpson and his cannabis oil, you should know that it may soon be the cornerstone of alternative medicine, especially in the treatment of cancer and diabetes.

“There are basically only three ways the medical community treats cancer. They either poison you with chemo, cut it out of you, or they burn it off.

Those are really the only options. If people knew that they could treat themselves with cannabis oil, and that it can actually cure almost every known form of cancer, it would be disastrous for the big pharmaceutical companies. I think that’s why our government doesn’t allow it on a federal level – they are too deep in the pockets of those companies.”

Joe is eager to share what he has learned about the healing properties of THC, so he carries information cards around with him to hand out to people who may benefit from it. Although he does not consider 24 34 || NUGMAG.COM NUGMAG.COM

himself to be an activist, he is definitely doing his part by sharing his experience and the knowledge he has amassed with those who are in need. As he says, “I’m not the guy in front of City Hall with a poster, but I do stay informed on what is going on.” As far as the politics of cannabis, Joe says he doubts that he will see full legalization in his lifetime.

“Maybe here in California,” he adds. “No doubt that would be a catalyst for national change, because we all know that ‘As California goes, so goes the nation.’”

“Cool, Grandpa!” That was the reaction of Joe’s 17-year-old grandson when he recently came to visit and discovered the plants that are used to make Joe’s medicine. Prior to the visit, Joe told his daughter that he grows his own medicine and she had no qualms whatsoever about her son being near a legitimate, legal grow room. It proved to be a teachable moment as Joe explained to the inquisitive teenager why and how he responsibly uses cannabis as medicine. When I asked if he was at all concerned about being harassed by law enforcement, he said, “No, because what I am doing is so far below the amount of plants that I am legally allowed to have. We could grow more, but I’m only doing it for my own health; and if there is any surplus, it goes to friends or relatives who are patients and also need it.” As far as growing, Joe sticks to strong Indica strains, such as Northern Lights, because that is what is recommended by Rick Simpson for patients who are using cannabis to treat cancer. Once the plants have been harvested and cured, it takes about six to eight hours to make the oil that Joe consumes orally to prevent the CLL from progressing. The oil is so concentrated that his current dosage is approximately the size of a half

of a grain of rice. Occasionally, when the pain from a recent hip surgery gets to be bad, he will increase the dosage. Because the cannabis oil is also highly effective for pain management, Joe has not had to take a prescription pain pill in nearly 18 months. Simply being free of the Vicodin, Percocet, and Tramadol is a blessing in and of itself. Joe also applies the cannabis oil to areas on his arms and face that have been affected by a type of skin cancer called Bowen’s squamous cell carcinoma, to heal the wounds left behind after the cancerous cells had been removed and to prevent the cancer from spreading. When he lifted the large bandage off of his left arm to show me where his latest bout with skin cancer had been cut away, I was able to see how the oil actually works. Joe pointed out the area where he applies the cannabis oil and how it turns a milky shade of white. According to Rick Simpson, that is where the oil is actually drawing out the cancer cells and allowing the healthy skin to heal. Having seen it with my own eyes, I must say that it is quite remarkable. Even though Joe has had amazing results, he is quick to say, “I am not a medical professional, so I just tell people to go to the websites that I refer to and make their own decision.”

Because he operates his own garden, it isn’t often that he requires the services of a collective. However, there are times when he is between harvests and needs access to high quality, medical grade cannabis to make his oil, or maybe just to buy a few pre-made edibles to get him through. With tears of gratitude in his eyes, Joe told me how grateful he was to have been introduced to Hopper at The Green Door Collective in North Park. “I truly appreciate The Green Door. Hopper was the first person (in the medical cannabis community) who actually knew what he was talking about, and he was extremely kind. I told him I had leukemia, and he listened to me and gave me really good advice. I’ve been to other collectives and they are nice and do seem to be helping people, but the atmosphere is totally different. It’s very impersonal.

That’s why I prefer it here (The GDC), I can just sit down and talk. I am thankful for that.”

It is nothing less than amazing that since he began cannabis therapy, neither one of the two forms of cancer Joe was diagnosed with has progressed. It is truly a testament to the power of being an informed patient, and not just going with the status quo. Joe summed up his view by saying, “I believe in the best of nature, and the best of science combined.” Asking for the best of both worlds is often written off as naïve, but in this case, it just may be our only hope.

For more information, go to: www.phoenixtears.ca & www.thesethgroup.org

Changing the World One Library at a Time By: Esther Rubio-Sheffrey | Photos by Emily of Traveling Stories In the age of Kindles, most of us take libraries for granted. Some of us have not set foot in one since college, when research meant more than typing search words into Google. Libraries, however, are an integral part of a prosperous community because among other reasons, they have the power to enrich children’s lives and ignite their imaginations.

Families protested by the dozens when our city proposed cutting public libraries’ hours and community programs to balance the budget. Can you imagine if the city had simply threatened to shut down the libraries? Would you take action if children and communities did not have access to books?

Emily Moberly, founder of Traveling Stories, is taking action. She has embarked on a mission to set up libraries for communities abroad, where the absence of books is a stark reality and not a “what if” scenario.

The Road to Honduras and Beyond Born and raised in San Diego, Moberly claims to have fallen in love with books before she fell in love with anything else. “When I was a kid, my granny signed me up for a book club where I got new books in the mail every month. I loved it,” Moberly recalled.

One of her earliest book memories involves a big red, lovable dog. The Clifford book series stood out for Moberly because she and Clifford’s best friend, Emily Elizabeth, share the same first name.

Emily with some of my 10th grade students in Honduras

Moberly still enjoys great adventures, travels the world, and solves mysteries all through the magic of the written word. Her greatest adventure, however, was her experience in Honduras; and although books did not take her there, it was in Honduras that she truly realized how much the world needs books.

“As an English teacher, I felt it was my mission to do everything I could to make them fall in love with reading,” Moberly said. She came home for Christmas and then returned to the school with 40 books, which she introduced as Ms. Moberly’s Library. The students were not accustomed to sitting still and reading, so at first, they were not big fans of the library. However, it soon became a big hit, and even other teachers were borrowing the books.

In need of a change, Moberly left San Diego for the first time to attend John Brown University in Arkansas. Prior to graduating in May of 2008, she spent a semester abroad. “I studied in Uganda and it was an incredible experience,” Moberly said. “I knew right away that after graduation I wanted another adventure and not to jump straight into a career. I really wanted to travel, but I didn’t want to go into debt.” Within two months, she found herself on a plane to Honduras, where she was employed to teach high school English students in one of its largest cities, La Ceiba.

Moberly used one of her students, Walter, as an example of the books’ positive impact. Walter was a bit of a troublemaker. He sat in the back of the class constantly drumming his hands on the table.

Several times, Moberly had to have disciplinary conferences with his mom. “He had never read a book on his own for fun, but by the end of the semester, he had read 11,” Moberly said. At the end of the school year, he approached Moberly, thanked her for introducing him to reading and said, “I need to get more books. I love reading.”

Although she took some Spanish in high school and college, it took Moberly about five months to communicate effectively in the market and adapt to her new life. “I was definitely treated different because I am a girl. Even though I never felt unsafe, I could not go out alone,” Moberly said. Despite La Ceiba’s reputation as the country’s “party city,” residents move at a slower pace, and Moberly was often encouraged to just sit and have a cup of coffee.

“I met a lot of great people and there was a rich culture, but there was a lot less to stimulate my mind. There are no art galleries, no libraries, and they have only one movie theater. I felt like my senses were deprived of that kind of culture,” she said. Even though it was her first time teaching, she quickly realized the negative impact that the lack of storybooks had on her students’ abilities to learn.

28 | NUGMAG.COM

“That was an incredible moment for me, it had a big impact on my life,” Moberly said. “It made it all worthwhile. To force a kid to do something they claim to hate, and then have them say thank you was inspiring. I felt like I really made a difference. That moment stays with me and continues to motivate me to not give up when things get difficult because you never know what kid will thank you in the future.”

When she returned home in July a year later, she missed her students, and it was clear they missed her. They sent her letters thanking her for teaching them the value of reading. Moberly realized that an investment in children’s imaginations was lacking in places like Honduras, and she established Traveling Stories to fill that void.

Reading is Sexy Although her work in Honduras inspired the creation of Traveling Stories, the first Traveling Stories library opened in El Salvador in January of 2010. Moberly’s contacts from her vacations during the school holidays helped to connect her with the Remar School, which doubles as an orphanage and houses almost a third of its students.

During this process, Moberly met someone setting up a children’s home in Sudan, and plans for the second library soon came into fruition. As a non-profit organization, Traveling Stories relies

Kamiah Thomas (an awesome Traveling Stories volunteer), Emily, and a girl from the orphanage working in the Traveling Stories Library at the orphanage in El Salvador on fundraisers, donations, volunteers, and proceeds from the “Reading is Sexy” t-shirts. “So far we have generated about $3,000 from t-shirts alone, and funded a big part of the Sudan and El Salvador libraries with that money,” Moberly said. “We have a lot of long term goals, but we are fully committed to each library and do not want to short-change any of them. I want to make sure books are being used and we’re not just sending them to feel important.”

“I just turned 25,” Moberly added. “My personal goal for my 30th birthday is to take a trip around the world visiting every library we have opened.”

The third library was recently established in Nicaragua by two of Moberly’s college friends. To date, Traveling Stories has provided thousands of books for children who did not have any. For as little as $100 a month, they have also helped to staff part-time librarians.

Barely into its second year, Traveling Stories is not growing fast enough for Moberly. She is constantly collaborating with local businesses to generate funds through unique events, like the recent National Spelling Bee Finals Party that was held at True North Tavern on June 2nd, where adults played drinking games to raise funds. There is also the new storytelling tent that Traveling Stories set up at the City Heights Farmers Market, where volunteers read stories to kids and collect book donations. Also, future goals include a global book club that connects kids in different countries and allows them to share their favorite stories through internet video technologies.

“I think everyone should support Traveling Stories because books fuel our minds.

The more readers we have in the world, the better the world will become, and we all want to live in a better world,” Moberly said. “By giving kids a love for reading, we’re fueling their potential, their imaginations, and giving them what they need to become the best version of themselves.”

There is the old saying that it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes only one book to spark a child’s imagination. If you support one organization this year, make it Traveling Stories. Visit their website to learn more about how you can help, or follow them on Twitter @TrvlingStories.

2 boys at the orphanage reading books at the doorway of the library they set up/and will continue to set up in El Salvador

GEGA – Green Energy Growers Association members Photo by WWW.AJPHOTOGRAPHY.IE

Hash

- The glands of cannabis

can pay for free energy for everyone

By Dion Markgraaff The cannabis plant is the key to the revolution in reducing our energy economic costs to individuals and our environment. The bottom line in this change is all based on the financial numbers plugged into a mathematical equation that results in the lowest number. Money, the amount we all pay for energy, is going to decide what society chooses for a power source, and cannabis in a free market will be the overwhelmingly clear choice.

The glands of cannabis flowers will pay for the entire cultivation effort, leaving the rest of the plant cost-free for energy and other more valuable products.

flowers must be utilized industrially. Perhaps the cultivation efforts could be subsidized by the government, but not restricted. Society will probably have to regulate seed varieties to guarantee high quality trichomes, the opposite of what governments do today.

There is 100% no doubt that cannabis CAN be energy/ fuel. Cannabis biomass is capable of being transformed into electricity and fuels (methane, methanol, gasoline) more efficiently than fossil fuels (coal, oil) and without the poisonous pollution. Raw and “leftover” processed cannabis – where fiber, seeds, buds/nugs and/or trichromes are separated into different high value products – is fed into existing and working manufacturers of energy. Cannabis (a sustainable eco-friendly resource) along with trash, algae production and industrial waste will together make up local energy independence around the world. The transition to this less costly society will be cannabis, the key to this economic freedom – an ideal feedstock (a resource to feed the energy factories).

All varieties of cannabis can be made into food, paper, clothes, plastics, explosives, building materials, and more, including energy. Farmers, over time, can grow and breed in or out different characteristics to increase whatever the plant needs. Different strains could be crossbred to have more cellulose content for biomass production, fiber yields for paper and textiles, and seed sizes for consumption. This is the same process that growers use in breeding different cannabis strains for various medical needs. Still, the most important thing to remember for this economic analysis is that the greatest value and desire for humans is in harvesting the glands of the flowers.

The key to the magical and practical “formula” for social and economic freedom is based on cannabis being in a totally liberated market. The highly valued glands of the

Cannabis Sativa is One Plant Mankind’s recent history with cannabis has been radically twisted by corporate manipulation. This mass repression has resulted in our present misunderstanding, which dominates society so much that the misinformation has even affected the cannabis community. Some people know about industrial hemp, some know about medical, and others know about the recreational uses. Each separate group could unite and learn from each other. The greatest social and economic freedom would result from harnessing all of the plant’s enormous power.

Cannabis for Power There have been few studies and very little written about cannabis for energy. The newspaper The Guardian wrote an article titled “Why is hemp off the biofuel menu?” that stated, “The Royal Society, the European Commission and the UK Government have all managed…to take the wind out of the sails of the biofuel industry, publishing reports that suggest biofuels could be causing more harm than good, the crops not being as environmentally friendly as first thought…. What struck me as astonishing about these reports is that they all managed to ignore the one crop that has been successfully used for many years to create bioethanol and biodiesel, which are environmentally friendlier to produce than sugar beets, palm oil, corn or any of the crops mentioned in the report, and can grow in practically any temperate to hot climate, leaving the ground in better condition than when it was planted….That plant is hemp.”

NUGMAG.COM | 31

The main source of information on cannabis for fuel since the late 1980s has been the late Jack Herer and his hemp bible, The Emperor Wears No Clothes. A cornerstone of the book’s main thesis is how hemp can meet all of our energy needs based on an article, Energy Farming in America, by Lynn Osburn. A more recent article by Jeremy Briggs of Hemphasis, Hemp as a Fuel/Energy Source, presents more details on the different possible processes for converting cannabis into various fuels.

Cannabis is better than other crops Hemp has more biomass/cellulose potential than its nearest rivals: cornstalks, sugarcane, kenaf, trees, etc. Over 10% of today’s gasoline is made from corn and it is by far the crop that cannabis will have to displace as the Unted States’ biggest biomass crop. This corn ethanol is currently being used as a fuel additive, replacing toxic methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE).

The bottom line is that cannabis is better in performance, it’s environmentally sustainable, and most importantly, it’s cheaper. A 1998 study from the University of Kentucky, Economic Impact of Industrial Hemp in Kentucky, stated, Even without the glands of the flowers, that cannabis is more profitable than most crops farmers can grow. (see Table 1) Cannabis’ competitors are subsidized by the government and our tolerance of this system.

Cannabis fuel/energy/power faces big competition, which is subsidized by the government and doesn’t factor in “true costs” of polluting and dangers of current sources. For decades, the petroleum and timber industries have been subsidized by governments and the public’s tolerance of this oligarchy system. The Reason Foundation study, Illegally Green: Environmental Costs of Hemp Prohibition, states, “Not only has the government banned hemp production in the U.S., it is also directly subsidizing other crops that the study shows to be ‘environmentally inferior.’ Corn farmers received $51 billion in subsidies between 1995 and 2005; wheat farmers were given $21 billion; cotton farmers fleeced taxpayers for $15 billion; and tobacco farmers were handed $530 million in taxpayer-funded subsidies.”

Much larger subsidies are spent on wars for petroleum oil.

The price of war is incalculable, but it is surely in the trillions. Think of all the cost in money and lives we have spent on “our” national interest of “securing” petroleum for energy needs. War is bad, but nuclear energy may be worse.

Not only are we collectively pooping on each other right now, but we are leaving a highly poisonous legacy for our children’s children. The recent Japanese nuclear meltdowns (3 different reactors) are a glimpse of what we are risking all over the world and right here in San Diego with San Onofre. Hopefully, the public will demand changes as it has already happened in Germany and Switzerland, who have said recently that their governments will end nuclear energy in their countries. These bad industries – petroleum and nuclear energy – are even worse when one considers how cannabis can make local, clean, and safe energy while creating jobs, benefiting local economies that promote egalitarianism amongst the many, and not accruing individual power.

Seeds are not the Solution There are basically two main ways to get fuel out of cannabis. One of the ways is to convert the hemp seed oil into biodiesel. Hemp seed oil has historically been used as lamp oil. The concept of using plant oil as an engine fuel dates back to 1895 when Dr. Rudolf Diesel developed the first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil. Diesel demonstrated his engine at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, using peanut oil as fuel. 10 years ago, a car, powered solely by 600 gallons of hemp biodiesel fuel made from the seeds of the plant, drove 13,000 miles all around the United States and Canada to expose the energy potential of cannabis.

The process to convert cannabis oil into high-grade diesel fuel is simple. In 2010, researchers at the University of Connecticut found that industrial hemp seed oil has the ability to produce biodiesel with an incredible efficiency of conversion (97%). The study’s laboratory tests determined that this green fuel could be used at much lower temperatures than any biodiesel currently on the market. However, this same study is a great example of the seemingly willful lack of understanding or research of the cannabis plant.

Richard Parnas, a professor of chemical, materials, and biomolecular engineering, and who also led the study, states that one of the advantages of hemp is that it does not compete in the food market. In fact, the opposite is true; hemp seed oil is too valuable as a food source. It contains the best balanced essential fatty acids for humans, in addition to being the best source of protein. Currently, the retail price of a gallon of hemp seed oil is over $100. The seed’s high value and the U.S.’s ban on its cultivation are the reasons why industrial cannabis is already the most profitable crop in Canada, with farmers making $300 to $600 an acre for growing hemp. American farmers are making a fraction of this amount on cotton, corn, soy and other popular crops.

Biomass Energy: Cannabis is the “missing” feedstock – the X-factor The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are “both strongly committed to expanding the role of biomass as an energy source. In particular, they support biomass fuels and products as a way to reduce the need for oil and gas imports; as a way of supporting the growth of agriculture, forestry, and rural economies; and as a way to foster major, new domestic industries in the form of biorefineries that manufacture a variety of fuels, chemicals, and other products.”

Cannabis is one of the best plants at producing lots of biomass. In less than four months, cannabis can create over 3.5 tons (a conservative average) of dry feedstock. According to Fuelfiber.com, cannabis conversion rates estimates vary; 25 to over 100 gallons of fuel per ton of biomass is created. Biomass Magazine reported about tests done back in 2007 and 2008 in Canada for bioenergy “that show straw yields of 6 tons per hectare (2.47 acres) and 1.5 tons of fiber, in addition to 200 liters (50 gallons) of oil pressed from the seed.” Yields will vary in different locations around the world. In a biofuel study in Ireland (one of the leading countries in the world in researching hemp biomass energy), farmers yielded 5 tons per acre (12.5 tons/hectare). A 1998 Oregon State University study, Feasibility of Industrial Hemp Production in the United States’ Pacific Northwest, by Daryl T. Ehrensing analyzed various numbers of reported yields from

around the world, and he used 5 tons per acre in his economic feasibility study. In 1913, The United States Department of Agriculture reported that hemp farmers’ dry stem yields ranged from 2 tons per acre to 12.5 tons per acre, but averaged 5 tons per acre under good conditions.

There are already biomass power stations being built in San Diego! A company named Envirepel Energy, Inc., located in Vista, has built its first Renewable Energy Facility (Kittyhawk). The company’s first facility has been relocated from Vista to Santee with plans to build more biomass power plants in San Diego and other locations. Envirepel Energy will be using local industrial waste that would have otherwise gone into our shrinking landfills. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported the company’s success last year, “The Kittyhawk Project is a 2.5 MW biomass fueled power generating facility. The ‘anti-global warming’ and virtually non-polluting facility design was permitted and built in the middle of a commercial business park.”

Big business already knows about biofuels too, according to Chevron.com, “Chevron is especially interested in ‘green crude’ – biomass-based fuels with a chemical composition similar to crude oil and biohydrocarbons. Biohydrocarbons are biomass-based finished products that are chemically identical to their petroleum-based cousins.” According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “The success of the U.S. bioindustry depends, to a large degree, on the quantity and quality of biomass available, and on the industry’s ability to cost-effectively utilize biomass for energy production.” Cannabis can do it!

What would be the price of a gallon of hemp gasoline? Less than $2?

A guess of the price for ethanol made from hemp biomass would be less than $2 or certainly $3 per gallon. Because the flowers of the cannabis plant can pay for all the costs of cultivation, the free leftovers should be much cheaper than all other biomass, including corn. According to the Oregon Department of Energy, “The cost of producing ethanol varies with the cost of the feedstock used and the scale of production. Approximately 85% of ethanol production capacity in the United States relies on corn feedstock. The cost of producing ethanol from corn is estimated to be about $1.10 per gallon. Although there is currently no commercial production of ethanol from cellulosic feedstocks such as agricultural wastes, grasses and wood, the estimated production cost for using these feedstocks is $1.15 to $1.43 per gallon. Because a gallon of ethanol contains less energy than a gallon of gasoline, the production cost of ethanol must be multiplied by a factor of 1.5 to make an energy-cost comparison with gasoline. This means that if ethanol costs $1.10 per gallon to produce, then the effective cost per gallon to equal the energy contained in a gallon of gasoline is $1.65.” From this analysis, one could safely say the cost of the conversion from cannabis to a comparable gallon of gasoline would be less than $2.

Hash will cover the costs - How many pounds of hashish per acre?

Whatever numbers a person plugs into the mathematical equation – the flowers, glands or trichomes would pay for the total cost of cultivation, with a healthy profit for everyone. Today, with hashish production being widely prohibited, it is hard to get an exact number of pounds per acre, especially on a huge industrial scale. Colorado hemp historian, Julian Alexander III, re-discovered this long lost bulletin on how to grow cannabis, which was prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1915. The USDA estimates that a farmer can expect to yield “400 to 500 pounds of dried tops per acre.” In a paper published

by California NORML’s Dale H. Gieringer, he stated, “In 1984, Lebanese hash production was estimated at 700 metric tons for 20,000 hectares, or about 30 pounds per acre.”

Therefore, a conservative figure of 10 to 50 pounds of hash per acre seems reasonable. If the farmer was paid $1000 (way more than they would be), and other costs like water and fertilizers were another $1000 (way more than the costs would be), then the cost of $2000 per acre would make 10 pounds of hash and would be $200 a pound. If there was a yield of 50 pounds, then the cost per pound would be $40.

A price of $40 to $200 per pound of hash would break down the cost (pennies per gram) to the consumer. This would also mean that the rest of the plant would be cost free for energy or other higher valued products.

The bottom line is money $ The price of fuel is based on yield and value. The exact numbers in this economic analysis of cannabis for energy is not the point. The bottom line: cannabis is better and cheaper than our current choices. The elasticity of the prices for hash, buds, and tons of cannabis biomass, when industrialized on a huge multi-million acre scale, is bound to have dramatic consequences. People will just have to get used to paying way less for the flowers while getting more bang for the buck at the gas station.

This change in choices in the source of energy would also mean lots of local jobs. A 1998 study from the University of Kentucky, Economic Impact of Industrial Hemp in Kentucky, stated, “If just a fraction of the agricultural counties in Kentucky went into the industrial hemp business, thousands of jobs and sizable earnings would be created.

If just one-fourth of Kentucky’s 90 agricultural counties went into the industrial hemp business, approximately 17,348 jobs would be created and $396 million in worker earnings generated yearly.”

All of the economic models published today that study this subject are based on a major misunderstanding when it comes to analyzing the use of the cannabis plant. In a completely free society and marketplace, nothing can compete with cannabis.

Cannabis Energy: Nature’s Power Plant - The Final Solution Cannabis is the planet’s best source for power. As fuel costs continue to increase over time, we will see this cannabis equation grow in its dramatic validity. Today, with our current policy for importing energy, the higher the price of energy, the more we are all losing. In a model where local energy is made, even if the prices are as high, the money we spend would stay here and strengthen the local economy. Years ago, former CIA director James Woolsey wrote in a Wall Street Journal article, “The production of ethyl alcohol from biomass may turn out to be as revolutionary as the production of integrated circuits from silicon, vastly affecting the world’s distribution of wealth and the fundamentals of international security.”

Think about how much we spend in California on cannabis right now; it’s over $14 billion. If you consider that amount of money set in the formula suggested in this article, then $14 billion divided by the costs of $2,000 per acre equals 7 million acres of cannabis; this could be grown every year. This number of acres would produce 35 million tons of “waste” biomass for energy or 3.5 billion gallons of cost free fuel. Plus, the main byproduct would be at 70 million pounds of hash (at the low figure of 10 lbs. per acre).

Again, this would not necessarily meet all of our energy needs, but it would be a key (x) factor in transitioning the world off of unsustainable energy systems and onto a smarter, healthier, more efficient and egalitarian way of harnessing nature’s power.

The cannabis revolution is now; all we need is the freedom to grow.

(Table 1) From the “Economic Impact of Industrial Hemp in Kentucky” by Dr. Eric C. Thompson Dollars/acre Hemp, seed only

220.15

Hemp, fiber only

316.45

Hemp, seed and fiber

319.51

Hemp, certified seed only

605.91

Grain sorghum, conventional tillage

10.51

Wheat, reduced tillage

14.24

Continuous corn

75.71

Popcorn, reduced tillage

78.25

Soybeans, no-till, rotation following crop

102.20

No-till corn, rotation following soybeans

106.48

White corn, rotation following soybeans, reduced tillage

135.84

Alfalfa hay

141.34

Barley/no-till soybeans, double-crop following corn

158.09

Wheat/no-till soybeans, double-crop following corn

158.43

Grass legume hay, round bales

161.56

Dark air-cured tobacco

182.48

Dark fire-cured tobacco

1,104.87

Burley tobacco, baled, nonirrigated

1,563.48

By: Tiffany Janay “Luring innocent people into environmental activism through great products” Ecotopiia is an eco-friendly business located in the City of Encinitas. Taking a trip up there is definitely worth it. You can turn it into an organic day trip and visit the meditation garden right up the street, which seems to sit right on top of the ocean.

The store has been in town for about 20 years and in the same location for the last 13 years. In 2005, Josiah Shamahd and Emily Matson took over the business and changed the name from Environgentle to Ecotopiia.

They started out as glassblowers traveling the country and their journey led them to the Seaside Bazaar in Encinitas. They were already in the lifestyle of living healthy and making the best choices possible for themselves, but as they traveled across the country, they began meeting the coolest people with awesome products and became inspired to support the industry. They took all of their money and invested it into organic clothing and it was well received. They have been growing steadily ever since.

They do a lot more than just clothing. They have body and personal care products, household cleaners, paint, grout sealers, books on how to garden and build a sustainable home, and cookbooks, as well as food and beverages.

Just recently, they featured all of their hemp clothing in support of Organic Blood’s Hemp Edible & Wearable Fashion Show for National Hemp History Week. Organic and hemp clothing are becoming very popular. They inspired Ecotopiia to launch a web store, which is now bringing them international business.

Now, multiply that by millions and millions and millions. That is going into the ground water, into our food, into the soil, and it’s coming out as acid rain. When it goes into the cotton, it actually goes into the fibers and you can’t wash it out. It’s not like something that is sprayed onto the t-shirt after it’s made. It is grown inherently in the fabric. Our epidermal layer, our skin, is our largest organ, so to wear this poisoned cotton on our skin is like wrapping ourselves in poison 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have it on our sheets, our pillowcases, our socks, our underwear, pants, EVERYTHING! That’s pretty gross!

Yes, and we wonder why skin cancer is going through the roof. The other aspect that people don’t think of is when you consider buying conventional food (non-organic); it is under so much scrutiny. There are a lot of regulations on what they can spray on it, but when you are talking about cotton, it’s not food; they can use any pesticides they want, it doesn’t matter. The pesticides they are using on the cotton are not only in the largest amounts, but they’re also the worst kinds you can possibly use because they have no USDA food regulations. Unfortunately, it’s because pesticides are not food, which makes it even worse.

I can personally feel a huge difference if I wear a regular, conventional cotton t-shirt.

We’ve been wearing organic and hemp clothing for much longer than we’ve been selling it for, and that’s just from living the life of that culture and spreading the word. It’s almost like everything else is the crazy stuff and we’re just the normal ones wearing the normal stuff.

What’s your favorite thing that you sell?

Let’s learn about what their business is doing to pro- I like the clothing a lot, but one of the things I’ve been most proud of, is the Dr. Bronner’s tect our local environment. refill center we have. People can bring in whatever container they want to refill and pay by the ounce. They can save a lot of money and plastic. We also have Biokleen laundry What makes clothing organic? and dish soap on tap – literally, it’s a beer tap that we converted. We had it customIt basically goes through the same process as food; made. People come in and are blown away because they’ve never seen anything like but, it’s more important to understand what’s NOT it and it should be standard! organic. Think about explaining organics to a 3-yearold. The term ‘organic’ is what we use to describe How do you reach people who don’t know that they need to be food that we don’t put poisons on. Let me explain reached? what conventional clothing is. Most clothing is made We get people who walk into our shop all the time and have no idea what they’re walkof cotton, which is one of the most poisoned plants ing into. They probably haven’t been in a shop like this at all, but because of our locaon the planet. It takes about a 1/3 of a pound of tion, they just happen to walk in. We can really see a change in a lot of these people, pesticide to grow enough cotton to make one t-shirt. almost right away, when we start talking to them. We try to educate our customers as much as possible. We do a little advertising, but a lot of it is word of mouth.

36 | NUGMAG.COM 36 | NUGMAG.COM

What about the price? It’s a bit more expensive than what they are used to, so how do you deal with that?

It’s all relative. We try to have these really awesome products that just happen to be as eco-friendly as possible, and people really latch onto the products because they’re so great. It’s almost like you can’t afford not to.

It’s the harsh truth of the matter. People are seriously hurting themselves with a barrage of different chemicals that are unbelievable.

The cotton industry is really trying to prevent all other options. They have lobbyists in Washington, D.C. who are working for them to prevent people from importing bamboo, hemp and anything else. They make it as hard as possible to do so. It’s a huge business and the cotton industry makes billions of dollars a year. They are constantly chopping away at it. They lobby to increase tariffs or keep them high on all other options, and to also keep hemp illegal. Hemp is a big part of our business. A lot of our clothes are made of hemp: body care, accessories (belts, hats, bags, wallets). The benefits of hemp are unbelievable. It lasts longer, it’s easier to grow, it’s sustainable, and you don’t need to use any pesticides because it grows like a weed.

We sell lots of edible hemp as well: hemp seed, protein powder, oil, bars, and hemp kombucha, which is our #1 seller.

What other clothing materials do you have there?

We have PET, which is recycled water bottles, soy, which is a byproduct of the tofu and soy milk industry, flax, modal (from the beech tree), bamboo, which isn’t the most sustainable by all means, but a better choice, and we have a ton of organic cotton. We have a lot of things that just get people thinking, which is equally as important to us.

Visit Ecotopiia at 543 S. Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, 92024 or give them a call at 760-753-7420.

Check them out online at Ecotopiia.com and log on to OrganicBlood.com to see the video from their most recent hemp fashion show.

NUGMAG.COM | 39

Mind-Body, Health & WellnessHealthy Aging

What are the secrets to a youthful glow, an energetic spirit, and a sharp mind as we age? While genetics and our environment play significant roles, our lifestyle choices dictate the quality of our lives and even the onset of disease in older age. Aging is an undeniable part of life. While we can’t deny it, we can prepare our minds and bodies so that we are healthier and happier. With this, comes the opportunity to enjoy life and enjoy the company of our loved ones. Here are six steps to support you in healthy aging.

Reduce the Stress Response Stress has immediate impacts like tension, headaches, heartburn, and emotional pain. Our body produces cortisol, the stress hormone, in response to stressful events. Chronic stress results in prolonged production of the stress hormone, which has been linked to a range of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and even osteoporosis. Cortisol is also toxic to the part of our brain that processes memory. As we age, these physical effects become more and more apparent and reduce our ability to live fully. What’s a great way to reduce stress? Practice breathing. Here’s how: • Lie down or sit with a straight spine, close your eyes, take a deep breath in, and relax your face and body as you breathe out.

• Continue breathing in and out with even inhalations and exhalations. For example, breathe in for a count of 4, and breathe out for the same count.

• After a few breaths, begin your inhalation in the belly/lower abdomen. When your belly is full, take in more air in the lower chest. When the lower chest feels full, take in a little more air in the upper chest.

• Now as you exhale, feel the air first leave the upper chest, then the lower chest, and then the abdomen.

This is called the 3 part breath, and after a few rounds, you will get the hang of it!

Set aside a few minutes each day to practice. When you are in a stressful situation, engage this breath.

Get Sufficient Rest Our bodies require rest in order to recover and perform at an optimal level. This means getting a good night’s sleep and being aware of times when you need extra rest. For a good night’s sleep: • Limit caffeine intake, and do not drink caffeinated products at least 5 hours prior to sleeping.

• Avoid heavy meals at dinner time and give yourself 3 hours to digest before going to bed.

• Dim the lights one hour before going to bed. This will tell your body that it’s time to start preparing for sleep.

• Complete darkness in the bedroom is important for a good night’s sleep. Darkness signals our body to produce the hormone melatonin, which regulates our sleep cycles.

• Keep your bedroom as a sanctuary for sleep. Move the TV and computer out of the bedroom.

If you need additional support falling asleep: • Try breathing exercises, stretches, and relaxing yoga poses.

• Chamomile tea is an excellent way to invite the body to relax before bed.

• The Ayurvedic herb ashwagandha is an effective and natural sleep supplement.

• If you are on medication, check with your doctor before taking supplements and verify that your existing medication does not contain stimulants.

Engage in Daily Physical Activity Physical activity is a key component for a healthy lifestyle at any age. Just as our needs and tastes for food, entertainment, and rest change through each phase of life, so do our needs for physical activity. Always be mindful and see activity as a choice you are making each time you do it.

• Low-impact cardiovascular (cardio) workouts will increase stamina, lower blood pressure, and improve heart health.

• Maintaining your strength and flexibility are also important. Strong and flexible muscles mean reduced risk of injury as you perform daily tasks and engage in regular exercise.

• Muscles burn more calories and keeping your muscles toned means keeping your body lean as you age.

• Working with your body weight counts as a weight bearing exercise; important for maintaining bone density as we age. Try yoga, resistance bands, and tai chi.

40 | NUGMAG.COM

Load up on Vitamin L The L is for Love. Loving relationships help us feel secure in the world, feel connected to others, and even love ourselves more. This means we take better care of our bodies and minds. How can you get more Vitamin L? Give more Vitamin L! • Embrace loving touch - Make an effort to hug your family, hold hands with your partner, and embrace friends. Nourishing touch is an important human need with healing benefits.

• Show appreciation to your loved ones - Tell your family and friends that you appreciate them in your life. Write them a card or even write in your journal if you’re too shy to tell them face to face.

• Enlist a furry friend - Pets have tremendous value for those who want and need more Vitamin L in their lives.

• Find your bliss - Spirituality is one way we can open our hearts to love and devotion and get involved in our communities.

Follow a Whole Foods, Anti-Inflammatory Diet There is building evidence that many chronic diseases can be linked to out of control and unchecked inflammation in the body. One of the main triggers of inflammation is the food we eat. The good news is that the food we put in our body is something within our control.

Several diets fall into this description with minor modifications - The Zone Diet, Mediterranean Diet, and Dr. Weil’s AntiInflammatory Diet. These diets consist of whole foods and recognize the need to drink plenty of water.

General guidelines to follow: • Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Eliminate processed foods and stick to whole foods.

• Drink plenty of water and include green tea, white tea, and even some red wine in your diet.

• Eat plenty of omega-3; found in wild, oily, cold water fish, flax seeds, flax oil, and walnuts.

• Consume high quality sources of protein and fat. Olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, eggs, and yogurt.

• Spice up your food with anti-inflammatory herbs and spices, including turmeric, ginger and cinnamon.

• Stick to whole grains.

Exercise Your Mind Healthy aging includes cognitive health as well as physical health. Just as our bodies require physical exercise to stay fit, our brains require mental stimulation to stay healthy. With proper stimulation, we can not only improve brain function, but we can even protect ourselves against age related cognitive decline. What are some ways to exercise the mind?

• Learn to play a musical instrument or master a new language • Try puzzles that challenge your mind and play mentally stimulating games like chess • Take a class and learn a new activity (tai chi, art, dance) or a new subject What do these have in common? They challenge your mind and get you out of habitual patterns of thought and action. For extra benefits, go with a friend and enjoy each other’s company, or take a group class and meet a new pal!

Select one step to focus on each month and build your way to a healthy lifestyle that supports you in aging gracefully.

In health, Bahareh Bahareh is a certified Health Coach based in Encinitas, California. She empowers others to live healthier, happier lives by eating healthy, reducing stress, and finding balance. www.mindbodyalliance.com

San Diego Has Two State Park Budget Cut Casualties

Doane Valley: Jessica Murany

By R.J. Villa Have you ever been to Palomar Mountain State Park or San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park? You better plan a trip at some point this year. Despite the longtime popularity of Palomar Mountain State Park and the historical significance of one of California’s only battlefields from the Mexican-American War, both parks were listed budget cut casualties on the Department of Parks and Recreation’s list released on May 13th earlier this year.

In total, 70 state parks of the 278 are scheduled to close statewide as a direct result of the $22 million budget cut enacted by Governor Jerry Brown and the Legislature.

The mission statement of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of Californians by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation. Lists threatening state park closures have been released in the past, but this is the first time in the 100-year history of California’s state park system that these closures will actually become a harsh reality.

“The Governor proposes a budget to the Legislation who then begins the process of negotiations with the Governor for the final budget,” explains Nedra Martinez, California State Parks Superintendent in an open letter released on May 18th.

“The final budget is always something between what the Governor has proposed and what the Legislation proposes. As a government agency we have to start the planning process with what the Governor has proposed, even knowing that it may change with the final budget approval. With that said, this is our plan as of

today. Starting sometime around September 2011, we will be closing Palomar Mountain State Park from Monday – Thursday. It will only be open Friday – Sunday for camping and day use.”

The buildings will be boarded up and the utilities will be turned off or greatly reduced as of July 2012. Palomar Mountain State Park will be closed. Depending on park employees’ seniority, they will either be relocated somewhere in the state or laid off. Martinez continues to explain the impact on the surrounding community in the letter.

“We will work with both the Conference Center and the School Camp to lessen, as much as possible, the impact this will have on them. The impact this will have on the community will be great. Fortunately, the state park is not the only attraction on the mountain and visitors will still come to visit the Observatory and the National Forest. I know the community will be concerned about access to the Nate Grade, especially in emergencies.

Both the Volunteer Fire Department and Cal Fire will have locks on the gates. In the event of an emergency, they will be able to open the gates and allow people to exit the mountain on the Nate Grade Road. We acknowledge that the potential for damage to the park resources is very high. We have never closed a state park before and can only imagine what this will mean to the resources and the buildings.”

“At this time it will not affect the school camp,” said Martinez. “However, the school camp also has budget issues and is considering closing after this school year.”

Rick Barclay is webmaster for www.palomarsp.org as well as the Crew leader with Palomar Mountain State Park’s Trail Maintenance Unit. He gives us a closer ear to the ground on the impact towards the locals in the Palomar area.

“This is of concern not only to visitors, but to the local community, because, for example, a very popular truck trail-shortcut to the valley below (Nate Harrison Road) could become inaccessible if the park entrance is locked,” explains Barclay. “Another possible casualty of the closure is accessibility by the public to the historical fire tower on Boucher Hill that’s currently undergoing reconstruction.”

It is kind of hard to imagine that a state park averaging 142,796 visitors a year is actually closing. Palomar Mountain State Park gives Southern Californians a taste of the Sierra Nevada wilderness nestled in North County San Diego. Its 1,862 acres are mostly covered by coniferous forests and surrounded by dry lowlands.

From the mountain’s peak, on a clear day you can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean. It has been a longtime destination for camping, picnics, hiking, and fishing in Doane Pond. The state’s budget crisis placed Palomar on the block when it took into consideration the park’s size and the fact that it is not overrun with people. These factors were the kill shot. According to Roy Sterns, Deputy Director of Communications for California State Parks, California will only save less than $160,000 a year by closing Palomar Mountain State Park: only a small portion of the $22 million dollar budget cut.

NUGMAG.COM | 43

When asked about some of his favorite memories within Palomar Mountain State Park, Barclay couldn’t pinpoint only one.

“I do not have only one special memory, just years of hiking in the park with my wife and sons throughout the seasons; although, I do enjoy driving up the mountain on a gloomy, foggy morning, and then towards the top suddenly pushing through the cloud into the open sunlight and blue skies.”

My own personal memories of visiting Palomar Mountain State Park stretch back to my childhood, elementary school to be exact. Patrol Camp and San Diego City Schools’ Sixth Grade Camp were my first of many visits up the mountain. Like many of us San Diegans, those visits were my first introduction to nature. I attribute those childhood experiences as to why I have become an active outdoorsman and angler in my later life.

While the list released by the state has been final, the fight to try and save the park is ongoing. Barclay has worked with Park Ranger Jessica Murany to create www. palomarsp.org in order to help put a face on Palomar Mountain State Park. There are links to previous articles regarding the park closure, as well as sample letters and the Governor’s mailing address to help amplify those voices trying to save the park. The site has also gathered photographs, letters, and memories of those who have grown to love the park. The fight is not over, but time is running out.

With the impending park closures, Barclay explains that things up at Palomar Mountain are still operating like they always have.

“Even though these are sad times, when you arrive you’ll find the atmosphere to be as pleasant as ever and park staff as cheerful and dedicated as ever,” says Barclay.

“Palomar Mountain State Park seems to have that effect on people. The park’s staff and volunteers are proceeding as if nothing is happening. We’re still maintaining the trails, keeping the facilities in shape, making improvements, even making long range plans. If I could get any message out, it’s that we are still open. So, keep coming to Palomar Mountain State Park.”

44 | NUGMAG.COM

The other state park in San Diego County facing closure is not as well-known, but it commemorates the site of one of the only battlefields in California during the Mexican-American War in the 1800s. San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park overlooks the San Pasqual Valley, the site of the bloodiest battle in the Mexican-American War. During this battle, American forces sought to take California while Mexican forces sought to keep it. Generals Stephen Kearny and Andres Pico both claimed victory in a very bloody and controversial outcome. The park has been set aside not as a monument to war, but as a reminder of the human ideals, actions, and passions that can drive nations to bloodshed.

State park volunteers have been conducting tours of the facility and have been providing living history programs.

They have also been re-enacting the historic battle commemoratively, which typically takes place on the Sunday closest to December 6th. The last one took place on December 5th, 2010.

The re-enactments contain music, entertainment, a military encampment, children’s activities, and craft demonstrations. Living History Days are scheduled for the first Sundays of January – June, as well as in October and November. The San Diego Archaeological Center on-site is also dedicated to the curation of historic artifacts found in the San Diego area. In addition, there are a couple of hiking trails at the State Historic Park. The Battlefield Monument Trail is a one-mile roundtrip trail near the visitor center; and it also connects with the Nature Trail, a 0.25-mile trail beginning on the hillside behind the visitor center.

“I never knew that the state park existed until the list was released,” admits San Diego native and resident Nicholas Toshimi.

“I am definitely planning a visit before its permanent closure. It’s a part of our regional and American history.”

San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park has long been on the state’s budget cut radar as California State Parks have been implementing service reductions to meet Department budget cuts with service reductions implemented as far back as fall 2009. The museum hours were cut to only weekends, and there was a lessening of ongoing facility maintenance. As of right now, service reductions have not included the San Diego Archaeological Center, or educational programs offered by volunteers. San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park commemorates a piece of our regional history. This historical landmark will be wiped off the map along with 69 other state parks barring the successful actions of those working hard to save them.

The story of budget cuts implementing state park closures and the numerous attempts to save them are being echoed up and down our state, county to county. The bigger picture shows this happening across the country as well. While we only consid-

ered the two affecting San Diego County, a glance at the complete list of California park closures found at www.calparks.org puts this tragedy into perspective. State beaches, museums, parks, and recreation areas are all under the knife. Each place holds fond memories in the hearts of those who visited, much like my childhood and recent memories of Palomar Mountain. As picturesque as these sights are, we can only hope that they will not be sold down the road by the state to developers to continue to build more mini-malls, condos, and track homes on what was once protected state land. Only time will tell.

While I still have yet to visit every spot on this list, I intend to visit as many as I can before the state closes them. You should too. We can only hope that the actions of those looking to save these historical and natural sites can significantly minimize the total of park closures in the next year. Write Governor Jerry Brown and become active in our local efforts to prevent this closure.

“All of this could change any day,” Martinez explains. “It all depends on how the budget decisions play out and how much the public voices their opinions to their legislators.

The two best things you can do is write to your legislature or join the State Park Foundation as they are active in keeping parks open.”

Palomar Mountain State Park 19952 State Park Drive Palomar Mountain, CA 92060 760-742-3462 San Pasqual Battlefield State Historical Park 15808 San Pasqual Valley Road Escondido, CA 92027 760-737-2201 For more information on Palomar Mountain State Park or San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, please visit: www.palomarsp.org www.sanpasqual.org www.parks.ca.gov www.calparks.org

Doane Pond: Randy Burt

GAGLIONE BROTHERS

BY BROM RICHEY

One thing I pride myself on is a strong devotion to amazing food coupled with a desire greater than most for sharing my experiences in detail. Now in all my travels, I have definitely become accustomed to one undeniable fact of the universe: magic happens when meat is cooked on a smokin’ hot griddle with onions and peppers. And if you have the resources to add some Cheese Wiz to that little pile of love, then you my friend, are already more than halfway to becoming a stage-5 Wizard.

Now with that being said, you would think it’s hard to mess up something as simple as a cheesesteak – very simple ingredients prepared in a simple way, right? But, I can assure you that there are many counterfeits lurking around our fine city. I am here to set the record straight and provide a beacon of light for all those aimlessly wading through the sea of cheesesteak imposters.

Recently, I was given an opportunity to go down and check out the Gaglione Bros. Famous Steaks & Subs new location in the Friars Village Shopping Center. With this being their third location and just recently opened, I figured it would be the ideal spot to meet Joe, Tony and Andy Gaglione. Motivated by an unusually large grumbling in my tummy, I met with Joe early one morning for a proper introduction to an authentic cheesesteak. Greeted by tantalizing fragrances, a well crafted design, and beautiful pillows of steam ascending from the griddle, I knew right away that the Gaglione Bros. and I were going to be friends. If you are unfamiliar with the Gaglione Bros., let me give you some background. Originally from Northern California, the Bros. have been San Diego locals for many years now.

Growing up, they were exposed to the great cheesesteak and hoagie shops of the East Coast while visiting their huge extended Italian family. The only problem was that upon their return to our fair city, there was

46 | NUGMAG.COM

nothing here that could fill that sandwich void. It was settled and the brothers began their journey in Joe’s kitchen down at the beach. With the menu perfected, the Gaglione Bros. broke ground in 2004 with their Point Loma location, and shortly thereafter, they opened a second shop in Mission Beach.

When you walk into a Gaglione Bros. neighborhood sandwich shop, it’s a lot like those you will find in Philly – nothing overly branded and no employees wearing the “optional” 15 pieces of flair. What you will find is a friendly, hardworking staff serving only high quality meats, cheeses, fresh produce, and of course, fresh rolls imported from Amoroso Baking Co. These rolls are quite literally the backbone and essential building block for any true East Coast style cheesesteak.

“The most popular sandwich is our Mushroom Cheesesteak. Steak, onions, cheese and mushrooms will outsell everything, haha! We have eight different cheesesteaks, nine different specialty sandwiches, and a couple of ‘build your owns;’ but, 90% of the sandwiches we sell are some form of a cheesesteak.” That was all I needed to hear before deciding that I had a date with a lovely little mushroom sammie.

I intently watched the gentleman as he placed copious amounts of super thin prime steak about the griddle’s surface. That undeniable sizzle was soon to follow and it was only seconds before the natural sugars in the protein began to caramelize. – Wafts of onions and peppers periodically, and then BOOM! Mushrooms, mushrooms and more mushrooms!

At that point, I was already a really happy kid content and ready to systematically take down whatever was placed in front of me. Before I can “cheese wiz,” Joe Gaglione slides me over an amazing plate of garlic fries to accompany my sub. They weren’t your typical booboo garlic-salt fries either. Serious chunks of real garlic, herbs and seasoning create a combination of flavors so delicious that you might ignore everyone around you for a solid moment. Oh, how much I have been missing while living in San Diego for the last 12 years and never having got involved with the Gagliones! The one thing that stood out to me was

Photo: Brom Richey

the portions. There was no skimping on the meat and goods in any of the subs that I could see, and more appropriately, the steak on my sandwich showed up in full force. Layer after layer of tender meat compiled with an assortment of onions, bell peppers and hot peppers, all housed within the soft buttery walls of a perfect hot roll…I’m pretty sure I had to say a couple of Hail Marys after my first few tastes.

When I asked Joe to give me his Mount Rushmore of sandwiches off of their menu, he naturally gave me a little deer in the headlights look because of the shear quantity of amazing menu options. It is kind of like asking someone, “What do you like more: money or money?” After a small debate between us, Joe provided the final recommendations to those of us with any trepidation of what to order: 1) Classic Cheesesteak - (duh) 2) The Turk- Tribute to their late Father’s holiday inspired treat 3) The General - An amazing hot pastrami concoction named after Grandma 4) The Father Joe – A meatball sandwich dedicated to the brother’s Catholic priest Uncle.

The one last thing that you are going to definitely want to take the time to do is fill out their survey card! It is that simple, and you are automatically entered into the Great Gaglione Cheesesteak Giveaway where you have a chance to win a trip for two to Philadelphia. Join the Bros. as they travel to the Mecca of Cheesesteaks, with your airfare, hotel, limo to and from Pat’s and Geno’s all taken care of. Here is your chance to go on an epic Philly adventure with the Bros. and all you have to do is eat a delicious sandwich! Stop procrastinating and get down to any one of the Gaglione Bros. neighborhood sandwich and sub shops and get yo’ CHEESESTEAK on! And check them out online at www.gaglionebros.com.

Sports Arena 3944 West Point Loma Boulevard San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 758-0646 Friars Rd. & Mission Gorge 10450 Friars Rd. San Diego, CA 92120 (619) 955-8600

Photo: Brom Richey

Written by Canna Chef Kim ~ Mother Earth Co-op Proudly serving San Diego MMJ patients since 2005 July is a special month as NUG turns two! Happy 2nd Anniversary NUG!!! The United States celebrates 235 years of Independence and Canada celebrates 135 years of Independence on the First of July.

We have celebrated our independence on the Fourth of July since 1776 when the colonists grew weary of Great Britain’s influential power. It became intolerable to follow orders, so the colonists decided to sever ties and declare their independence from Great Britain.

In 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper. He was instructed to do so by the congress when they met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This document was revised and accepted on July 2, 1776, and it was then signed on July 4th, 1776. This day is called Independence Day as it is the day when we officially declared our independence from Great Britain. The U.S. Constitution was also printed on hemp paper 14 years later. Independence Day is celebrated every year throughout the country with organized events and activities to mark the occasion. Fireworks for the celebration are popular in most states.

This month we have a few new healing recipes for your favorite patient with, of course, our medicinal twist! Some of the following recipes are taken from Mother Earth Co-op’s “Special Medicinal Recipes – A Medical Cannabis Cookbook.” Canna Chef Kim © 2008 Cookbook available at finer co-ops, collectives and physician offices, or online at www.motherearthcoop.com/products  PRINCESS PEACHY SALAD (Salad) 1 cup plain yogurt 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 2 tsp. honey 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 2 cloves of garlic (chopped) 4 dried apricots (minced) 1 cup raisins

3 tsp. sesame seeds 2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley 2 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro 4 tbsp. minced onions 1/2 tsp. kief 2 celery stalk (chopped) 4 large fresh peaches

Combine yogurt, lemon juice, honey, mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Toss together peaches, celery, sesame seeds, parsley, cilantro, onions, raisins and apricots. In a large mixing bowl, add yogurt mixture and toss again. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving. This recipe makes 4 curative servings.

50 | NUGMAG.COM

HOCKEY PLAYER CRANBERRY SLAW (Vegetables) 7 cups cabbage (shredded) 1 cup cranberries (dried) 1/4 cup almonds (sliced) 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 tsp. kief 1 tbsp. lemon juice 2 tbsp. cilantro 2 tbsp. parsley

Combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl and mix well. Serve once it’s mixed or cover and refrigerate until needed. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

FABULOUS KEV SENATOR SPECIAL (Pork) 2 lbs. pinto beans 1 lb. bacon (cut in 2” pieces) 2 cup red wine

3 cloves garlic (chopped) 1/2 cup cannabis (finely ground) 1 cup mushrooms (chopped)

Soak beans overnight in water. In a large pot, pour boiling water over beans and simmer for a few hours or preferably overnight, adding more water to keep the beans covered.

Add all other ingredients and continue to simmer for another 3 hours. Makes 10 curative servings.

AWESOME ARWEN RIB (Pork) 2 slabs loin (baby back) ribs 1 cup Barbecue Sauce

MAGICAL MELTING MICKEYDEE APPLE CRISP (Desserts) 6 cloves garlic (chopped) 1 small onion (chopped)

Dry Rub: ¼ cup dark brown sugar 4 tsp. garlic salt 4 tsp. chili powder 2 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. red pepper

½ tsp. celery salt 1 tsp. black pepper ¼ tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. white pepper ¼ cannabis (finely ground)

Liquid Seasoning: ½ cup apple cider ¼ cup apple jelly ¼ cup honey

¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup cannabis (ground) 1 tbsp. dry rub mix (above)

8 medium tart apples (sliced) 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup walnuts (chopped) 1/2 cup hazelnuts (chopped) 1/2 cup water 1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup wheat germ 1/2 cup cannabutter (melted) 1/2 cup honey 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Place sliced apples in a greased 9”x13” pan. Sprinkle with raisins, walnuts, hazelnuts and water. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Sprinkle evenly over apples. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are soft.

Note: Serve warm or cold with ice cream or whipped cream.

In a small bowl, combine dry rub ingredients and mix well. Reserve a tablespoon of rub for the liquid seasoning mixture. Liberally apply dry rub on the front and backsides of the ribs. Gently pat to ensure that the rub will adhere.

“KIEF” is an age old way of extracting trichomes from plant material. Kief is the product derived from the kiefing process. Kiefing is a method in which you rub dry trim, buds and small leaves with crystals on them over a silk screen. The THC glands will form a powder that comes through the screen, which is then used for cooking or smoking. It is usually a pale green to light brown depending on the strain of cannabis. Kief powder that is pressed together is called hash.

Build a charcoal fire for indirect cooking by placing coals on only one side of the grill, leaving the other side void. Add a small aluminum pan to the void side of the grill and fill it halfway with water. When the charcoal grill reaches 250˚F, place the ribs meat-side up on the grill grate and cook over indirect heat for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Note: Kief boxes are sold at some smoke shops and are easier to work with than silk screens. In a kief box, the screen is above the collection drawer, allowing the THC glands to pass through the screen and into the drawer. This makes it easy and compact for the average user to collect the kief and use for cooking or smoking.

Remove the ribs from the grill. Place each slab meat-side down on its own doubled aluminum foil square. The foil should be large enough to completely wrap each slab. Mix the liquid seasoning in a small bowl. Pour a ½ cup of the liquid over each slab. Then, tightly wrap and seal each slab with aluminum foil. Place the wrapped ribs back in the cooker for 1 hour at 250˚F.

*Cannaoil is any high quality food grade oil such as coconut oil, hempseed oil, olive oil, or canola oil that has been infused with high-grade medical cannabis.

Remove the ribs from the charcoal grill, unwrap and discard foil. Brush finishing glaze on both sides of the ribs. Place the ribs back on the grill for 15 minutes or until sauce caramelizes.

The recipes for cannaoil and cannabutter can be found in the first copy of NUG Magazine or online at www.MotherEarthCoop.com

MAGICALIZED GRILLED SALMON (Fish)

Wishing you a hempy journey to a healthier you! Please remember to continue the 2011 challenge of being kind to each other while practicing random acts of kindness each and every day!!!

1 (1½ lbs.) fillet of salmon (skin on) 1½ tsp. coarse smoked sea salt 2 tsp. dried dill weed

2 tbsp. cannabis (ground) 4 tbsp. brown sugar 2 tbsp. black pepper (ground)

In a large pan, sprinkle sea salt over the meat-side of the salmon fillet. Next, sprinkle the dill and cannabis over the salt. Cover cannabis and dill with brown sugar and sprinkle with pepper. Cover the pan and refrigerate salmon for 2 to 3 hours, allowing the salmon to cure and the brown sugar to dissolve.

Place the salmon, skin-side down, on a greased grill (olive oil applied with a paper towel works well) over indirect heat. (Note: this means that you place charcoal on one side of the grill. When the coals are ready, the food gets placed on the opposite side of the grill.) Cover the grill and cook for 10 minutes or until the salmon flakes when it’s pierced with a folk. Do not flip when cooking.

BLENDED BLESSED BREAD (Breads) 3 cups all purpose flour 3 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 3 tbsp. sugar

1 (12oz.) can of beer 1 cup extra sharp cheese 1/8 cup cannabis 3 tbsp. dill

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9”x 5”x 3” loaf pan.

Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Pour into prepared, greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Makes 1 loaf.

Note: Medicinal breads are most palatable for those who have difficulty eating. Bread is a comfort food and this therapeutic loaf alleviates nausea and pain.

*Cannabutter is dairy butter that has been infused with high-grade medical cannabis.

Peace, Love & Gratitude,

Kim

Growing with GAS By: Mel the Bumbling Gardner Part 1: The New GreenHouse

If you’ve been following me and my adventures with hydroponic gardening over the last year, then you know I’ve been looking for the best the industry has to offer in “turn-key” growing chambers.

My idea of indoor growing is much more than a zip up tent with lights and hoses. What I’ve been looking for is something that will help my “grow area” look less cluttered while not taking up too much room. I wanted a system that would help me do it all without me knowing it all. My skills are still at the beginner’s level and I’m ready to learn more.

Wow…The trucking company called and said, “Come pick up your greenhouse.” – A greenhouse? I don’t remember placing an order for a greenhouse. About 10 days ago, Gus from QuickGrow Hydroponics called and asked if I was interested in looking at his new self-contained “Dual Chamber” growing system. Interested? I was more than interested! The QuickGrow was my first pick when I first started looking at what was available to the home gardener about a year ago, but fate took me in a different direction – just like it put me smack dab in front of this big box I was picking up on the shipping dock.

I was excited, a new adventure was on the back of my truck and the timing couldn’t have been better! I had finished my last grow and my new clones had healthy roots just begging to be planted.

The unloading and set up was fast and easy. It was great to see how everything had been carefully packed – there was nothing missing, broken, or bent.

I had only seen this chamber on the internet, but I was very impressed with the hand built quality of the unit. This new “greenhouse” looked great! You could tell this was not a first attempt prototype, but rather a well thought-out growing machine.

The Q-9 is a two chambered unit that enables vegetation and flowering to happen at the same time. The vegetative side uses a full spectrum 6400K, 135-watt compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), which is ideal for the first stages of root development and vegetative growth. This side of the chamber allows room for 12, 4-inch pots to be used by newly propagated plants, all with their own watering lines, pump and reservoir.

The flowering side uses a fully enclosed air-cooled 400-watt High Pressure Sodium (HPS) bulb, which is ideal for flowering any plant. The system has its own independent exhaust that immediately releases the heat created by the HPS bulb. This chamber houses nine, 4-inch pots with their own independent watering lines.

From what I could tell, this unit also uses the most advanced hydroponic equipment and components for air filtration, watering, ergonomics, timing, aeroponics, ventilation and CO2 enrichment (that’s the gas). The result is a state-of-the-art system that is easy to use with little power (110v wall outlet / 4.5 amps of power and 3.6kwh for 12 hours) and minimal space (the outside dimensions of the unit are: 54” in width x 42” in height x 30” in depth).

54 | NUGMAG.COM

The QuickGrow system uses a unique deep water culture in both reservoirs and a timed drip irrigation system that supplies the plants with 12 hours of continual oxygenated water. The thing I like most about this unit is its ability to start a growing cycle from different clones at different times. With its dual chambers, you don’t have to harvest everything you plant all at once. If you plan it out right, you should be able to harvest something every month.

This fully automated unit is run by an easy-to-use, pre-programmed digital PLC timer. The CO2 enrichment option allows you to attain a more productive yield. CO2 is like a natural steroid for plants. Bottom line: the gas will help create healthier plants that produce bigger buds, and the Coco Carbon filter will virtually eliminate any smell produced by vegetative and flowering plants.

After filling both reservoirs with their proper nutrients, all I had to do was plug it in, set the time of day and turn it on. OK, when I plugged it in, all four fans came on. I could hear the air pump bubble under the floor. The CFL started to flicker, the HPS started to warm up, and each of the 21 pots were getting water – it was time to plant!

If you read last month’s article, “Still Growing,” you know I have that “clone” thing under control. The need for 12 root-ready clones was no problem, but as hard as it was not to fill all 12 holes right now, I only wanted to plant three pots at this time. I want to stagger the planting to encourage different harvest times, so I can have a little something new and different all year long. In the past, when a growing cycle came to an end, the harvest was great and overwhelming at the same time. My hope is that this system will provide a good supply of what I want all year long without that “all or nothing” kind of thing that goes along with a normal planting cycle.

If you are anything like me, this new machine might be just what you’ve been looking for. Now, let’s see if it works.

Next Month: Is that gas I smell or are you just happy to see me?

What’s in a Nutrient?

By: The SD OG Grower Ever wonder what the difference is between the words “organic” and “non-organic”? The term “organic” means, “Of or relating to an organism, a living entity.” The term “organic matter” means, “Matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or the product of decay, or is composed of organic compound.” Basically, these terms refer to things in natural organic form, not altered or changed in any way by man or technology. For agriculture, these terms refer to not using any synthetic nutrients or pesticides on the plants. But are organic products really better and healthier for your plants? And, are nutrients that are not certified organic, the so-called “chemical nutrients,” actually worse than organic nutrients for the nutritional value of your produce and food?

All nutrients are made up of salts and minerals. Organic nutrients consist of products like earthworm castings (worm shit), manures (shit from animals), bone meal (ground up bones and hoofs from animals), ureas (animal piss), and bat guanos (bat shit). Other organic nutrients include plant extracts, kelp or seaweed, humic acids, compost teas and brews, or combinations of these different organic compounds. But are these the only nutrients plants need?

Can they get everything they need from organic matter such as the items listed above?

56 | NUGMAG.COM

The answer is yes, in soil!!! A healthy organic soil is a whole other living bio-ecosystem full of living organisms, beneficial bacteria, enzymes and life all working in harmony with each other, making a plant’s breakdown and uptake of these organic matters used for nutrients all work systematically the way Mother Nature designed . It’s only when man messes with, disrupts, and tries to modify and change the natural bioecosystem that we as humans create our own problems, diseases and illnesses through the food we feed ourselves!

Nutrients such as General Hydroponics, Cutting Edge, and my two favorite Heavy 16 and Canna Hydroponics, are all acceptable nutrients made for food production. But they are not organic! These non-organic nutrients are refined minerals and salts all derived from the ground, or other natural organic sources. But, just because they have been refined and altered from their original state, they are considered to be non-organic. Wow, that’s absolutely fucking crazy to me, that something refined into a purer, more absorbable soluble form is considered non-organic? Having been refined, are all the impurities and other matter that are mixed with it taken out? Refined minerals and salts are much more absorbable by the plant; therefore, they can and do lead to higher sugar and nutritional levels, less pest problems because of a healthier plant, and less problems in a nutrient reservoir by not creating bad bacteria from decomposing manures and organic matter.

Having and using organic supplements and microbes to create bio-microbial activity is very important in hydroponics growing! There needs to be a balance between the two.

But even now in 2011, there is not an organic nutrient that is as stable, as efficient, or that produces as superior crops in hydroponics as the main base nutrient in non-organic (not

chemical), mineral-based nutrients! Tests have proven that non-organic, refined, mineral-based nutrients can produce superior crops that are more nutritional, bigger and healthier with a higher sugar level over soilbased crops and organic nutrients! And not to mention that true organics in hydroponics have the possibility of creating bad bacteria that could contaminate the food and create sickness, disease, or even death in humans if consumed!

So why does everyone ask for organic nutrients, produce, and organic herbs or marijuana? The answer is simply a lack of education of the whole picture and a misunderstanding of how a plant breaks down pure ingredients versus organic decomposing ingredients without soil as the natural ecosystem processing and converting these organic matters into useable, absorbable food sources or minerals for the plant. Basically the soil microbes, enzymes and ecosystem as a whole are refining the organic matter’s minerals into an uptake-able source of food for the plant.

So, understand that non-organic nutrients are not all chemicals! Some are, but the ones previously listed

and most that you’re going to find in your local garden or hydroponics shop are refined minerals, and not chemical nutrients as many falsely believe. A good and properly run hydroponic system consists of a good, stable, mineral-based nutrient like Heavy 16 or Canna Nutrients as a base nutrient. The cocktail or nutrient mix would have a good, healthy blend of organic supplements and additives. This will create a perfect balance of microbes and enzymes with a high quality mineral-based nutrient that is stable and produces the best quality produce and herbs, and also produces larger, heavier, and healthier harvests!

Using a base nutrient like Canna or Heavy 16, and adding in things like Cannazyme, a great enzyme, Rhizotonic, Mychorizae, and any other beneficial bacteria innoculant- all great root and immune enhancers- and things like compost tea, such as Vermicrop Tea, seaweed or sea kelp, organic plant stimulant blends, and carbohydrates to feed the enzymes will all harmonize and create a perfect blend of minerals, microbes, and enzymes to produce a healthy nutritional plant and fruit!

Because we had four different OG strains for The Chronisseur to review this month, we started by asking him about the origins of the most famous name in the world of cannabis. “First of all, OG stands for Ocean Grown, not ‘original’ or ‘original gangster’ like a lot of people believe. As far as I know, it came from a Chem Dawg parent and was crossed with an indica sometime in the early ‘90s. That’s the way I understand it, anyway. Because I wasn’t there to see it with my own eyes, I guess all I can really offer is my opinion. One thing I do want to say to patients is to be careful about what you buy, because some people will call anything an OG just to raise the price on it. The thing about an OG is that you know it when you see, smell, and taste it. So if you have any doubt, it’s probably not an OG.” In true Hopper fashion, he grabbed the goodie bag, looked at me and said, “We could talk all day about the different theories of where OG came from, but I’d really rather check out these samples.” – So that’s exactly what we did.

SD OG: (Local grower using Canna Coco)

“This beautiful, dense nug appears to have been grown with near perfection. It is a lighter shade of green on the outside with more of a lime green interior; and it has lots and lots of sparkling trichomes. It has a very pungent, appealing aroma that actually smells like a true OG. I am looking forward to trying this one. The flavor was every bit as good as I expected it to be. It was clearly grown with care and flushed well. Before the flavor even left my tongue, I could feel the high begin to creep into my head and shoulders. It’s very relaxing and soothing. The SD OG would be perfect for a patient in need of nighttime pain management or a stress reliever/sleep aid. Hats off to the grower, you did an excellent job!”

60 | NUGMAG.COM

OG Herojuana: (Flowers of Life)

“This is an indica dominant hybrid, and one of the most sought after strains in the medical cannabis community. This is a great looking sample. The nuggets are the ideal shade of green with just the right amount of red hairs, and I noticed it was full of trichomes when I broke it open.

It doesn’t exactly smell like a true OG, but that is due to the cross.

Don’t get me wrong, the aroma is good – just a little bit on the sweeter side. The hit definitely has a bite to it. It literally made my mouth water.

I expected more expansion, but it was still a nice, smooth, great tasting hit. I would consider this to be more of a daytime strain, even though it is indica dominant. Overall, I was extremely happy with this sample.”

<<://Obama OG: (Greenery Caregivers)

“This is a really good-looking bud with both light and dark shades of green and a good amount of orange hairs peeking through. Really beautiful! Its aroma is that of a true OG. It reminds me of the Tahoe OG, in both appearance and aroma.

The hit also has that true OG flavor that people love, but it also has just a hint of a hashy taste. This is a strong strain that will put you on the couch for awhile, so I would definitely recommend this for nighttime medicating. It will work great for patients with moderate pain who would also like a sleep aid. Nicely done!”

Louie XIII OG: (Greenery Caregivers)//:>>

“This frosty little nugget has lots and lots of beautiful shiny trichomes. A nearly perfect example of an OG. It smells amazing and has a perfect texture. It actually looks very similar to the Obama OG I reviewed. It tastes just as good as it looks and has a nice expansion to it – not harsh at all. It gave me a nice ‘domerun.’ Anyone who likes the OGs will love the Louie XIII OG.” After a long, leisurely afternoon of sampling and discussing the four submissions, the room was foggy with OG clouds and smelled heavenly. When we were finished, Hopper said, “It’s sessions like these that make me wish NUG had a scratch and sniff feature, so we could share the goodness with readers.” Yeah, or you could just go try these strains out for yourself. Trust me, you will not be disappointed! Speaking of the finer things, The Chronisseur says he will have some good news to share sometime in the not so distant future. Hint: If you would like to be considered for membership at The GDC, shoot an email over to thegreendoorcollective@gmail.com to schedule an interview. Hopper also pointed out that the photo he chose to use this month is of him and his right-hand man, Jonesy. “I’ll put it this way,” he said. “If you don’t see one of these smiling faces behind the counter, then you’re not at The Green Door Collective.”

Story By: Pamela Jayne All photos by: Phil Calvin for SCR Photos

Perpetual Motion: An Exploration into the American Glassblowing Culture Article By: Aaron Evans Photos By: Brom Richey When I started scripting the first installment of “Perpetual Motion,” I chose the title for several reasons. To begin with, glass never truly settles into an absolute solid state. When you heat the molecules, they become rapid and frantic, and loosen their bonds as the substance becomes free-flowing and malleable. In contrast, when you cool the molecules they resettle into a hardened form, yet never crystallize to become fully solidified, as is the transition with water to ice.

This fascinating duality leaves glass in a category defined only by itself, and without any parallel. The title can also be explained by watching the artisans work within this medium who must maintain a constant state of movement while practicing their craft. Gently seducing gravity as they carefully and precisely mold the molten liquid into its new refined shape, a blower’s hand must move with the grace of a ballerina balanced with the strength of an ironsmith. The final reason I settled on the name that I did, is the art itself.

Classically, torchworkers’ creations have been a lucid freedom likened to improv jazz or a Jackson Pollock painting come to life. Not having a rhyme or reason, they shine in their perfect, imperfections.

Moving forward into a new era of technical advancement where ornate attention to detail is the fashion, even the most realistic pieces still look as if they could just melt away and are not quite convinced they must stay in their confined shape.

This month’s NUG proudly presents our first featured blower, “Maximus,” a muse who fuses the old school to the new school with this throwback bubbler that carries touches of modern flare. Maximus hails from the Midwest, and like so many other blowers in the culture, he is self-taught. He chooses to learn through trial and error, which allows his style to develop naturally and organically. I was

fascinated with a story he shared about an early period in his career when he would simply pull into the lot of a Grateful Dead show or stop at a local rest area, pop out his tanks and fire up his flame wherever and whenever inspiration struck. Now if that’s not the essence of D.I.Y., then I don’t know what is. In a world of mass reproduction and impersonal assembly lines, American glassblowers like “Maximus” are true rebels standing on the last line of defense against a homogenous existence.

When this piece first arrived in my hands, I was elated to see it was a water pipe. In fact, my favorite feature about this pipe is how he left the white bottom chamber open and extended the downstem into the chamber, which effectively hides the water and muck that can begin to build up after only a few uses. I also dig the insane candy cane colors that swirl and play while still leaving enough clear transparency to watch your favorite flavors dance their way toward the mouthpiece. The overall shaping and use of color is what truly makes this a collision of the old and the new. If the pipe was abstract throughout, then I would say it only captures the old school vibe.

However, given the clean lines in the overall presentation, not to mention the wildly protruding arms on the backside, I see an edge of new school influence.

This brings us to the next feature I’d like to highlight: those eccentric arms that have no real practical application, but can add so much depth to a piece. On each side, you’ll find a dichroic horn that gives a rugged and strong touch as it sparkles, fizzes and explodes, exposing endless colors as it captures and reflects light from different directions. Dichroic is a type of glass with metals inlaid into one side allowing the blower to magnify the small particles. Ranging from almost paper thin to large sheets, “dichro” has roots that date back to 4th century Rome.

Though a relative newcomer to the world of pipe working, it has become a mainstay in

the culture as a personal favorite of many smokers over the last 10 to 15 years.

Squeezed between the outer horns are two squiggly arms – the more interesting one being the taller, more protruding red one. By placing a glass rod into a reduction flame, “Maximus” forced the inner metallics of the glass to the surface; thus, creating a milky mat finish of bold maroons and mahoganies. From a purely aesthetic perspective, this is hands down one of my favorite processes in the medium, and I’m excited to add another pipe to my collection with this eye-catching feature.

with girth that creates more airflow, and thus more smoke. Be careful though, too big of a hole can lose your precious green as it’s pulled through – something none of us would want.

For me, this piece is ideal for a mid-day medication. It packs more punch than what I’m looking for in the mornings, but it doesn’t strain me to smoke all day long like tubes sometimes can.

Overall, I’d rate this pipe a 7.5/10. In a culture where prices can exceed $20,000, handing out a 9 or 10 is going to be tough. But, for a piece that’s a functional, beautiful work of art that won’t kill the piggy bank, I or anyone else should be proud to add a “Maximus” piece to their collection.

Now, I’ve saved the best part for last. HOW DOES IT HIT???

As I load up some Saturn O.G. from Trichome Healing Collective, I can see that this isn’t going to be a sipper. This thing is going to chug. The size of the hole in a bowl is a major factor in the way a pipe hits.

If you like smaller more controlled tokes, I would point you in the direction of a bowl with a smaller hole. If you like more thunderous hits, I would recommend something

the medication untainted, pure. As the smoke pours through the percolation chamber and over my taste buds, that signature California flavor shines true. Heavy but not harsh, my lungs feel a hardy expansion, but enjoy the smoothness provided by the water filtration. The red and white wig wags almost become 3D against the grey backdrop of sweet sinsemilla. I feel my mind ease, my anxiety fade, my physical pain dissipate.

Now my favorite thing about getting lifted with glass is that it leaves

Join me next month as I venture even further into the unknown. ‘Til then, keep the fire burning. You know I will.

Selene Luna (pronounced “sel-ena”not “celine”) is a burlesque legend, an activist for LGBT equality and marijuana legalization, and an actress/comedienne extraordinaire. Ms. Luna is less than four feet tall, pretty, and has a passionate personality to boot! Her mouth is loud, sometimes crude, and San Diego gets to hear her latest comedy set at San Diego Pride on July 16th at Balboa Park. Selene is opening for another special someone, namely the one and only Margaret Cho. Margaret is a veteran stoner and LGBT activist too. She is one of the strongest veteran voices for gay rights in pop culture. Her stand-up comedy is some of the best in the world. Margaret is a master of facial expressions and awkward silences. If you’ve never been Cho-gasmed in the past, get ready for some hot and sweaty oh la la! Her set is from her National Cho Dependent Tour, which she is currently still on. Get ready to laugh, cry, toot, hoot, holler and maybe pee your pants a little.

--SELENE LUNA-When did you find out you were coming to San Diego Pride? What was your reaction to the news?

I found out a month ago. Marg and I share the same manager. It’s no accident we’re with the same people. Marg had a slot to use me and I just love working for her, it’s SO much fun. It’s been quite a while since we teamed up. It’s always a good time with her.

Tell me about your previous San Diego rendezvous?

My very first burlesque performance was in San Diego at Street Scene! I was dancing with Velvet Hammer Burlesque, who brought back a burlesque movement in the early ‘90s.

What is your professional life like these days? What’s paying the bills?

It’s so up and down. It’s a constant rollercoaster. It’s the real typical life of an artist. Even if you have huge commercial success, you still never know where your next meal is coming from. I’m at the low end of things (No pun intended). I’m on an upswing right now booking as many stand-up gigs as possible; it’s my main thing. I’m nurturing my stand-up career. I’m competitive mostly with myself, and the challenge is what drives me to do stand-up. You never know if you are going to kill or bomb. I’m sick and twisted…I love the torture! I also do burlesque, my own solo shows, and basically whatever I can get my hands on. I hope my passion comes off in a positive and informative way.

Can you tell me about your journey as a pot activist and how your comic persona became involved?

Which came first?

The pot lifestyle came first. I’m a lifestyle smoker and have been smoking my entire adult life. When I got into showbiz, it provided me a platform to talk about things I believed in. I never hesitated, I’m passionate about it and I’ve always thought I had nothing to lose. I am, I guess, a disabled person. As it is, I’m already freaky looking. I just don’t care what people think; it won’t affect my career. Why should I be all delicate with my image? Why not talk about things I’m actually passionate about, not just what I look like.

Sativa or Indica?

Daytime would be sativa and nighttime would be indica. But, I rarely smoke in the daytime; I have to get shit done. I have a household rule – I don’t smoke before 7pm, and once business hours are closed, I don’t respond to emails or answer the phone. That’s my ‘me’ time!

Joint, Pipe, Bong or Vaporizer?

All of the above; however, a joint is my #1 go-to. It’s a very relaxing ritualistic thing – the rolling of the joint and the pride you feel when it’s perfectly rolled. It’s like when you cook a dinner or bake a cake, the whole process is enjoyable.

Do you use marijuana as a part of the creative process?

I’ve taken cues from George Carlin. I write completely sober just because I have to. Then, I edit stoned. That’s exactly what George Carlin would do. It’s easy to cut the fat at that point.

Do you have any favorite funny people that keep YOU laughing? Do you have any favorite comedy shows?

That’s all I have are funny people in my life. If there is no humor in you, we are not going to get along. Nadia Ginsberg, Jackie Beet and my good buddy Mario Diaz – they’re my showbiz family. We crack each other up.

My favorite comedies are stoner animations like South Park and Family Guy. I also like Curb Your Enthusiasm. I loooove Larry David.

66 | NUGMAG.COM

Photo: PixieVisionProductions

Are you passionate about other political issues besides marriage equality and cannabis reform?

I’m passionate about various social issues, but politically, these are my passion projects. What if this county didn’t allow little people to get married? That’s why I relate to the gay community. Their orientation was not a choice just as much as my body was not my choice.

It baffles me that this country is not giving every single taxpayer the quality they deserve. If I was gay, I don’t think I’d pay my taxes! This is like giving your typical American citizen the right to vote. As much as this country is based as a Christian country, discrimination is not a Christian value. From my own experience, they are first to judge.

This blows my mind because it’s really a hate movement.

GLAAD now says not to use the term “homosexual” anymore? Do you agree?

I haven’t even heard about that. I, um, I, I, I’m stumped. I didn’t know the word ‘homosexual’ was offensive. I don’t get it, I’ve never heard of this. I talk about it in my show; that political correctness has gone beyond that. This guilty liberal movement, like with the word midget.

When I was much younger and angry, I was on a campaign to end the use of the word midget, but I’ve changed. Your character must be stronger than a stupid word. I think that’s more important than fighting over some word.

How can NUG readers help cannabis reform?

The way to help, and this probably sounds so obvious, is instead of responding with anger, respond with information, and have your facts together on how to come back at somebody. ‘I just want to get high’ does not cut the mustard. You want to explain why. Example: the reason I stand for marijuana is that science finds it is less harmful than tobacco and alcohol, and don’t get me started on prescription medicine.

You are headlining San Diego Pride, are you excited? What’s your relationship to SD Pride? How does it compare to LA Pride or San Fran Pride?

I love SD Pride; it’s such a major Pride celebration. I love the city; my parents live there. I spend a lot of time there when I’m with my family. I’ve been going to gay prides for 30 years.

San Diego is the most conservative city compared to LA or San Francisco, and that’s why it’s so important to have a communal voice and a communal moment in a really conservative city.

Is there anything you would like to add?

On Saturday night, I’m having a release party for my very first music video/dance club single at Hamburger Mary’s in West Hollywood.

Is it true you have a ‘stoners’ bit in your set, something about stoners being the true Christians and good Samaritans?

It really has to do with if you’re traveling and you can’t get weed. When stoners know you can’t get weed, they’ll help you out. Stoners are the true people of God!

SeleneLuna.com is where I do my whoring.

--MARGARET CHO-Do you have any nicknames? What are your favorites?

Magrat, Marg, Maggie (per Kathy Griffin) and Moran, my Korean name, M-Cho and MC! Everyone has their own nickname. If I’m close to someone, they will have their own way of addressing me.

Have you ever been featured in a cannabis publication before?

I’m sure I have been, but I’m such a stoner I forgot.

So I heard you quit the ganja back in 2010, what gives? And were you smoking sativas or indicas?

I quit all the time! I quit and I come back.

I quit and I come back. I quit drinking and come back too. I love the freedom to be able to do whatever I want. I’ve definitely smoked a lot of pot, but I quit often.

I’m working, traveling and being so busy that I can forget to start smoking pot. One time I didn’t buy a lighter, so I didn’t smoke for a whole year. I prefer indicas, definitely. I get a lot of relief and joy from it. And also, I’m an insomniac; it’s a major help with that. I also really like edibles.

I have a card in CA and the edibles available commercially are much too strong! They put me out!

Is it true that you’ve officiated gay weddings before?

I was given the title of Marriage Commissioner to marry gay couples when Gay Marriage was legal, right before Prop. 8. I‘ve officiated in Massachusetts and look forward to doing it again all over the country. We are really focused on marriage equality and I think it’s going to happen soon; I’m excited about it.

What are your favorite TV shows or comedies?

I love Jersey Shore, which is a popular show on my tour bus that is filled with other stand-up comics as we drive thru the night. My favorite comedy is a film from the ‘80s about the ’60s in London called, Withnail & I. Who inspires you the most in terms of other comedians who really make YOU laugh?

I love Kathy Griffin, Joan Rivers, Selene Luna, Rosie O’Donnell, and Chris Rock.

You got your start in comedy by getting involved with your high school’s improv comedy group in San Francisco. Do you have a story to share about high school improv in San Fran?

I was doing comedy with Sam Rockwell, who is a very successful actor now. We did Sunset Comedy Clubs and were so young, BUT our teacher signed us up. We were way underage, but it was a supervised thing. I’m grateful for our teacher taking us there and introducing us to that world. I feel most joyous and comfortable there. I love comedy and other comics.

What is your recipe for a good life?

Just enjoy your work and the time that we have on earth. That’s when you can really enjoy your life and do whatever it takes to do that. To me, my work is playtime too. It involves social aspects and I’m friends with everyone I work with. It’s fun. I’m really lucky that I’ve been able to structure my life that way.

You look so young. What is your secret to feeling and looking great?

I work out like a maniac, which is hard. It gets harder when you get older. The older you get, the more you have to exercise to feel good and keep everything working.

Any last words to our readers?

People should come, hang out, smoke a bowl and party – it’s Pride! My DVD of Cho Dependent will be out soon, so look for that on margaretcho.com. I’ll also be on tour in Australia, Scotland and England. I’m going to be around. Come Party!

NUGMAG.COM | 67

Potluck Serves

Rhymes & Resin to the Masses

by R.J. Villa This summer marks the release of Potluck’s new album, Rhymes & Resin on Suburban Noize Records. Potluck is the work of a giant AfricanAmerican and small Jewish white guy who write rhymes and produce head-nodding hip-hop tracks. With this album, 1 Ton and UnderRated are taking the sound they have perfected, from the marijuana farms and fields of Humboldt County, on a campaign to bring their music to the masses.

Potluck launched onto the national scene in 2006 with their debut album, Straight Outta Humboldt. The album was full of Potluck’s head-nodding beats, lyrical depth and rapid fire flows, and it was quickly embraced by hip-hop enthusiasts wanting more. In 2009, Source Magazine described their album Pipe Dreams, “There are good vibe undercurrents throughout this 21-cut ode to the high life.”

Rhymes & Resin wields Potluck’s greatest musical weapon – their ability to show all sides of their personalities and seamlessly shift between artistic styles. The album, track by track, has enough diversity to satisfy their eager hip-hop fans. Tracks like “3 Minute Miracle,” “Microphone Killa,” and “Hands Up” have 1 Ton and UnderRated professing their love for the genre as an art form. “Light That Shit Up,” “Smoke Session,” and “Strains” are great tracks to smoke to with steady driving high hats and solid beats with a good drop.

Joining 1 Ton and UnderRated on Rhymes & Resin are some of hip-hop’s most potent emcees. Murs from Living Legends and Mistah F.A.B. join forces with Potluck on the track “Hands Up.” This mixing of diverse styles creates a song about thinking for yourself and the freedom to create good music. La Coka Nostra’s Ill Bill and Slaine perform lyrical homicide in the track “Microphone Killa.” Cash Money Re-

cords’ Glasses Malone grabs the mic on “Born To Be A Mic King” to create a new West Coast anthem. King Gordy drops by for a musical session on “Light That Shit Up.” Potluck has spent the last four years on the road performing for hip-hop diehards all across the globe. They’ve toured with Tech N9ne, La Coka Nostra, and a recent 40-date tour co-headlining with D12. Their grinding blue collar work ethic, unwavering perseverance, and grassroots campaign to build a fan base, is currently one of the most impressive stories in hip-hop. UnderRated’s experience with producing tracks for many Top 200 Billboard albums has him handling most of the production for Potluck. UnderRated and 1 Ton are avid hip-hop junkies and multi-talented artists campaigning their sound to the masses.

Q & A with Potluck’s 1 Ton and UnderRated Are you both natives of Humboldt County? Where are you originally from?

UnderRated: I was born and raised in Humboldt County, and 1 Ton in San Diego, CA. How did you guys meet and come together as musicians?

UnderRated: We started as DJs. 1 Ton came up to Humboldt County from San Diego to go to school. We both went to the same club for a DJ tryout. We were the best DJs there, so we got hired to spin that same night. From there, we kicked it and eventually started making beats together. Then one day, we decided to rap. The rest is history.

What would you like to tell NUG Magazine readers about your upcoming album, Rhymes & Resin on Suburban Noize Records?

1 Ton: We did a lot of songs with other artists in the past like Tech N9ne, E-40, D12, The Luniz, Twiztid, Kottonmouth Kings, and lots of others. For this CD, we wanted to come with some new ideas and make songs with people we’ve never done songs with before. We got together with Glasses Malone, King Gordy, Murs, Mistah F.A.B., and Ill Bill and Slaine of La Coka Nostra. This album is the best work we have ever done. We always take pride in learning and getting better on each record. Like all of our records though, it has a little bit of everything on it – life, love, and of course, Mary Jane. There is definitely something for everybody on this album.

Who would you say are both of your main influences, past and present? Who lit the fire in you to pick up the mic?

UnderRated: I really got into rap when the West Coast was killing it with Death Row in their prime with 2Pac, Snoop, Dre, etc. I was loving E-40, Mac Dre, Mac Mall and the Bay stuff after that. Then, I got into DJing; my favorite artists became Outkast, Twista, Scarface, WuTang, Jay-Z, Nas and tons of others. Presently, I’m listening to Tech N9ne and Crooked I. I’m really likin’ this new dude Hopsin.

1 Ton: The fire to pick up the mic began because growing up in Humboldt, there wasn’t that many people who rapped. We would make beats, but a lot of the time, there wasn’t anyone to rap on the beats.

So, we just started rapping. It was so fun, we never stopped.

UnderRated: Our style is unique. Our beats and our subject matter is pretty much our own thing. It is different compared to everybody else. Now, I listen to music mostly to learn about the new sounds or sound effects that other people are using, just to stay up on it. As far as rappers, I always want to hear the artists who rap fast. I always check out Tech N9ne, Twista, Busta Rhymes, Krazie Bone, Ludacris, and now, Yelawolf is doing a good job too.

You guys have been expanding your fan base by sticking to the road. Where have you noticed a noticeable growth in your following and support?

UnderRated: Our fan base has continued to grow all over the nation. We’ve done at least 10 national tours now and every time we go out, we have more fans, more people buying the album, more people knowing the songs, and more people going crazy in the crowd. That’s a wonderful, motivating feeling. It keeps us going, it keeps us growing, and it keeps us wanting to give the fans more every time. We pride ourselves on getting better at rapping and making beats, so I’m excited to see how far we can take this.

It just always gets better in every aspect. It is crazy when you can go to places that no one would think loved hip-hop, like Utah, Idaho, and Nebraska, and do sold out shows. Then, we can also go play a club in Times Square in NYC and have a crowd chanting our name so loud we have to stop the show and wait for them to finish. When we go on the road, we kick it in the crowd and party with the fans at a bar. That

type of connection with the people in every city is what has They make our favorite vaporizers. They kept us high contributed to our solid fan base. through the entire Dank Alumni record. Also, El Hefe from NOFX has been a part of our sound for over 10 You’ve been on tour with Tech N9ne, La Coka years now. He plays guitar on some songs, produced Nostra, and a recent 40-date tour co-headlining some beats, and has mixed all of our albums. with D12. How have the past few years touring been?

Do you have any other works or projects you UnderRated: With Tech N9ne, we did around 150 want NUG Magazine readers to look out for? shows. He brought us out on tour before anyone knew how 1 Ton: We just put out a free marathon marijuana mix to we were. We rocked in front of all their fans and always celebrate 4/20. It is available for download on our webhad a great time. Tech’s fans loved us and made us realize site, www.PotluckMusic.com. It is all mixed together by that we can make an impact on this rap world.

DJ Wicked and we rapped over all of our favorite classic weed beats.

1 Ton: We also had an awesome time touring with D12.

We met ‘em and just clicked. We smoked, played video What methods of medicating do you prefer? games, and rocked over 40 shows together. Most of their Blunts, bongs, vaporizers, etc… fans had never heard of us, so it was cool to be in front 1 Ton: We like to rotate. It is cool to smoke the bong, of some new faces. We made a lot of fans! With La Coka and I think that’s my top choice if I had to pick one. But, Nostra, we did the ‘Bring Tha Noize’ tour together and it I think it’s best to rotate to get a different feeling. I like was awesome. We have always been fans of Ill Bill, Non- to switch from the bong to the joint to the vape. That Phixion, and House Of Pain. It was cool to do show after sounds like a good song. show with them. It also made it possible for us to do a song with Ill Bill and Slaine for our new record, Rhymes What are your favorite strains of cannabis? & Resin.

UnderRated: When you live in Humboldt, it is not the strains, it is the grower. If I know a certain person grows Any tour dates or upcoming shows you would the good stuff, I know that whatever strain they give me like NUG Magazine readers to look out for? is gonna be good; because the best strains in the world 1 Ton: We have some big things coming up. We are go- don’t matter if you don’t know how to grow it right. I feel ing to play at the Hempfest in Seattle this year. We are like a lot of people nowadays are just throwing names also doing the ‘Gathering of the Juggalos’ in Illinois. We around without any understanding of what is really goare planning our first national headlining tour later this year ing on. We are around 2nd and 3rd generation growers and possibly a nationwide tour with E-40. We have a lot whose families have invented a lot of the popular strains coming up. Yesssss! and pioneered some of the most cutting-edge growing techniques. We look at cannabis in a whole different way Would you like to mention your sponsors or any- than 99% of people. body who has helped you guys along the way?

UnderRated: Royal Blunts has always showed us love. For more information on Potluck, please visit Silver Surfer Vaporizers is a company out of Colorado. www.suburbannoizerecords.com

An Interview with

The Loons

Article by Robert Stinson | Photos by Lorenzo Riding on the cusp of a 1960’s sound wave, The Loons’ melodic instrumentals juxtaposed with Mike Stax’s impassioned vocals harkens back to the days of paisley, free love and mind-altering psychotropic drugs. Their third release, “Red Dissolving Rays of Light,” blends an array of eclectic tracks that are full of metal guitars, harmonicas, tambourines and riveting lyrics, which enliven the senses and leave you wanting more.

Mike Stax is the publisher of Ugly Things Magazine, a fanzine that is dedicated to the preservation of rare archival footage and interviews from influential, underground, psychedelic bands of the ‘60s. We caught up with Mike (Lead Vocals), his wife Anja (bass/ backup vocals), and their guitarist Marc during a gig at the Soda Bar in North Park.

You guys have been a mainstay of the San Diego music scene for many years. What are some of the most significant changes you’ve seen in the music industry during your tenure as a band?

Mike: Within the music industry itself, it’s very hard to sell recorded products like vinyl and especially CDs. The sale of records was something that bands used to concentrate on, but now, people download music for free. Playing live becomes more important in a way, but again, there are a lot of clubs that don’t pay, so you’re also playing for free – there are less ways of making money. In a way, this is a good thing because it weeds out the assholes, you know? So the only bands that are successful these days are those that are genuinely passionate about their music. If you want to get rich quick, this is definitely not the profession you want to get into.

What prompted you to take a hiatus? What was the motivation behind your return to the spotlight?

70 | NUGMAG.COM

Mike: We were prompted to take a hiatus because of pregnancy (group laughter).

Marc Schroeder: My wife got pregnant around the same time, so I’ve got a five year old, and Mike and Anja have a five year old as well.

Anja: I didn’t think it would look too cool to hold a bass in front of my big belly.

Mike: We took a couple of years off until the kid was old enough to be babysat. It was cool and it worked out because everybody in the band was in a similar situation with their kids. There was a mutual understanding between all of us. It would have broken up other bands, but we managed to stay together.

Marc: That’s been one of the cool things about it because we’re all on the same stage in life and we all have the same goals, creatively speaking.

Considering that you take many of your cues from ‘60s psychedelic bands mixed with angst from the punk rock movement, are you happy with the way rock has evolved or do you miss the days of impassioned, politically driven bands?

Mike: For me, I feel like rock peaked in the ‘60s and I think a lot of people would agree with me on that. I draw inspiration from the bands of that era and we’ve tried to come up with something that’s just as good. As it is, the deck is stacked against us. Back then, everything was new and artists were creating sounds that had never been heard before. Now, we’re in a postmodern world where everything has been done, so anything you try to do is just another spin on something that has come before. I don’t feel like we’ve ever been a politically driven band. We have a very simple philosophy of thinking for yourself and always questioning authority.

What is your songwriting process like?

Mike: We do a lot of different things because everybody in the band contributes to the songwriting process. Generally, someone brings in an idea and we bat it about a bit in our practice room.

One of the guys might come in with a chorus and I’ll take it home and write lyrics. Then we play with it a bit. We experiment with different things; we’ll have an acoustic guitar track and then add the different instrumentals. Other times we’ll do a completely live recording.

Marc: The process is very organic, which I’m really grateful for. It lends to our creativity and we don’t have to worry about not having enough time in the studio.

Anja: Plus, we don’t have a lot of big egos in the band. Everything we do is collaborative.

What are some memorable highlights that you’ve relished from your years of touring overseas and in the states?

Mike: Playing a gig in Spain is definitely a highlight of our professional career. We went there during a three day weekend. We played 45 minutes for 1,500 people, then partied our asses off and came home. We left on Thursday and were back to work on Tuesday. So by the time we finally sobered up, we were like, ‘Did we just go to Spain?’ Plus, we’ve always had a great time playing at the Casbah. Tim Mays has been a big supporter throughout our tenure as a band. It helps to have the top club in San Diego as our home base.

Anja: Plus, we’ve played with some pretty incredible bands, like The Monks in New York, which was huge for me because I’m such a big fan. We’ve jammed with The Pretty Things and a lot of our heroes from the ‘60s.

Speaking of collaborations, The Loons have worked with Clinic in the past. Could you talk about your friendship with the band?

Mike: Clinic got in touch with us because Ade from the band reads my fanzine, Ugly Things Magazine. He got in touch with us and we became friends. We came up with the idea to cover one of their songs while they cover one of ours, and we put it out as a forty five. We picked out one of their singles, which we felt had a real ‘60s, 13th Floor Elevators sound to it, and we did it pretty straight. But, they took one of our songs and completely turned it on its head. They made a mentally psychotic thing out of it. It was a real treat to work with them.

Our Associate Publisher has been a big fan of Ugly Things Magazine for years. Could you talk a little bit about your experiences as a rock archivist?

Mike: Throughout my life when I got excited about an album I was listening to, I would turn my friends onto it. From this, I started my fanzine because I wanted to spread the word and share the kind of music I liked. The whole archivist thing came about because I’ve tried to track down some of the more obscure bands from that era and run their stories as no one else was doing it. I’m very passionate about giving these bands their due because it seems like all the rock history books are written about the groups that sold the most records and made the most money.

These days, singles are judged by how many downloads or YouTube hits they’ve had – this isn’t necessarily the mark of quality.

always be people who are afraid of this because they fear it will corrupt kids.

Anja: Plus, the government is missing out on a lot of tax revenue while countries like Holland benefit from all that extra money.

Mike: An injection of common sense would tell anyone that. It’s obviously less dangerous than alcohol and I do believe that legalization will be a reality. Back in the ‘60s, people would be thrown into jail for 30-40 years over a few joints. So we’ve come a long way.

Check out Mike Stax’s fanzine Ugly Things Magazine at: ugly-things.com/loons.html

As you may know, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding medical cannabis and our own city council making it close to impossible for dispensaries to operate within San Diego County. Do you have any opinions on the matter?

Mike: Well, all of this is just a slow process towards legalization. There will be a lot of battles along the way, but I’m really proud that California is on the cutting edge of cannabis legislation. We are the testing ground for the whole movement. There will

JUICE LEE

“The Juice It Up Kid”

By: George Alberts Juice Lee, formerly known as Mac Jones, was born and raised in Paradise Hills, San Diego. He exploded onto the local Hip-Hop scene in 2003 and generated a huge following after releasing the single “Nasty B*tch” in 2005. He went on to join his friends, Beta Bossalini and Macnificent, over at Sidewayz Tha Mafia and changed his alias to Juice Lee because of the phrase “Juiced Up,” which he turned into a very popular trend for San Diego. He continued to build his credibility by appearing on a number of mixtapes, CDs and DVDs, including Suga Free’s “Secret Congregation” and the “Cross Country Pimpin’ 3” DVD (2008), which featured many West Coast artists like Mistah F.A.B, Nipsey Hussle, J–Diggs, Luni Coleone, Haji Springer, AP.9, Redrum, and InfraRed, just to name a few. Recently, Juice Lee and Sidewayz Tha Mafia released a three part mixtape series titled, “Notplaying.com,” where u can download all three volumes of the series for free at www.notplayin.com. In the fall, Beta Bossalini and Juice Lee will be releasing their highly anticipated “Purple Rain” LP. With an already promising career, Juice Lee is determined to put San Diego on the map in the world of Hip-Hop. NUG was invited to join Juice Lee at The Purple Room, the studio he calls home, to chop it up and get the low down on “The Juice It Up Kid!” What is it that you’ve grown to love about San Diego?

San Diego means everything to me. This is the city I was born and raised in, the city I did my first everything in, the city that made me who I am today – Juice Lee ‘The Juice it Up Kid.’ I love everything about my city – the girls, the clubs, the beach, the weather, and the 420 laws. There is so much, I can go on all day.

What is your opinion about marijuana?

I think marijuana is one of the oldest and most popular medicines to date. ‘GOD brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after its kind, and saw that it was good,’ (Genesis 1:12). Even Jesus used marijuana or kaneh bosm (the Hebrew name for it) in his sacred anointing oil. If they are vouching for marijuana, it’s good with Lee. As a matter of fact, the great tree of life was a marijuana plant.

Why do you think it is such an ongoing issue?

Greed, fear, and ignorance.

Do you think it should be legal? Do you think all drugs should be legal?

Well, it was legal since the beginning of time, until 1937. That’s like saying marijuana has been illegal for 1% of the time that it has been in use. So yes, make it legal and save the trees. Start using hemp for paper and the many other things it can be use for.

72 | NUGMAG.COM

Do I think drugs should be legal? Yes. Other countries that have legalized all drugs have less drug use than other states or countries where drugs are illegal. There’s no drug that kills more than cigarettes and alcohol.

What was it like where you grew up?

I grew up in Southeast San Diego. We’ve had over 50 gang related shootings and over 10 murders this year…So u get the point.

What was it that inspired you to get into music and start rapping?

At the time when I started rapping, it was cool to make diss songs about rivals. People started to take a liking to it, so it got serious. I also had a lot of respect for the local rappers in my neighborhood. I owe a lot to Beta Bossalini, Macnificent and the whole Sidewayz camp. Before them, rap was the last thing I had on my mind.

What kind of impact do you think your music has on your fans and listeners? What do you want them to take away from your music?

It makes them want to have fun, go out and party – don’t sleep and try new things. I also want them to know what I’m feeling and how I overcame some problems. Maybe my experiences can help another. Everyone needs to understand that life is bigger than the negative things that go on in the world. Focus on living your life to the fullest, have fun, make other people smile, and leave all the worrying to GOD. What are some goals you have set for yourself with your music?

To always get bigger than the year before and make every album better than the last.

What do you think about the Hip-Hop/Rap culture in San Diego?

I think it’s growing a lot. You have to present yourself at a mainstream level to get accepted by the mainstream, and I think San Diego is getting the point.

What is your opinion about the music industry in general?

Some people say it’s corny, but I can’t say that. The music industry’s job is to put out good music that can inspire while creating positive role models. So it’s frustrating for hardcore musicians to get there music out there when it’s not positive or a good image for the public audience. Music is more influential than movies, parents and teachers.

Music can make you kill somebody, start gangbanging or fall in love, so the industry is trying their best. The industry needs to stop sugarcoating things and let the people know what’s really going on, that might be better for the world.

Can you tell me a little bit about your label and the experience so far?

I’m apart of San Diego’s most popular record label, Sidewayz Tha Mafia. It has been distributed by Koch, City Hall, and Navarre. It has put out 5 nationally distributed CDs: Mac Dre’s ‘Starters in the Game,’ Luni Coleone’s ‘Anger Management,’ Suga Free’s ‘Secret Congregation,’ Mr. Shadow’s ‘Thug Connection,’ and Beta Bossalini and Macnificent’s ‘Overhated & Underrated.’ We’ve been dropping the hottest music in San Diego since 2003. While others come and go, we’re still around, getting bigger and bigger every year.

What exactly does “Juiced Up” mean?

Juiced up is not just a word, it’s a way of life! Whatever you do, times that by a billion, and that’s ‘Juiced Up.’ We act juiced up, we talk juiced up, we dress juiced up, and we get juice up – all the shmack! It’s also a way of thinking. When you think juice, juice things happen. If you hang around juice people, you’ll be juiced up. I created the ‘Juice’ and it has been an underground movement in San Diego since 2004. It’s 2011 and other rappers are trying to say they created ‘Juiced Up.’ It’s alright for everyone to say, but when you go out and say you started another man’s creation, that’s wrong! A lot of mainstream rappers will take from the underground and give them no credit because they have a million more fans and will get away with it. Taking another man’s bread is wrong! Everything in the dark comes out in the light, that’s ‘Juiced Up!’ What’s the deal with “Shmack, Shmack!”

Shmack, shmack can mean anything. It can be used as a noun, pronoun, adjective or verb. Shmackin’, shmacker, and shmabadder are other ways to use it. You can substitute anything with shmack. You can use it as a greeting, like ‘what’s up,’ or end your sentence with it, like it’s a verbal explanation point, depending on how you say it. It’s spreading like wildfire – shmack, shmack!

What is the Thumbs Down Movement?

Well, when you think of Sidewayz, you put your thumbs down. It means that we’re down with what we believe in; we’re down with Sidewayz. Whatever you believe in, stay loyal and down about it for life. Don’t let anybody knock you off your focus or track. Stay firm and concrete about your issues. Stay down, thumbs down!

Are you currently working on any projects or albums?

I have an album with Beta Bossalini called ‘Purple Rain.’ It’s going to be nationally distributed in stores and it’s dropping this year. Check on www.notplayin.com for new projects, there are so many.

What are some things that are interesting to you? –Politics? Local community issues? History? Culture?

Wow, that’s deep. It’s funny that you mention politics, local community issues and culture, because government, gangs and religion are all the same thing to me.

Overseas, you got your B’s and C’s, Baptist and Christians, etc.; one side saying the other side is wrong and killing each other. Then in politics, you got your red and blue sides, Republicans and Democrats; they’re against each other. Then you come back to my neck of the woods and you got your B’s and C’s, reds and blues, and guess what? It’s going down! The moral of the story is everyone has their own opinion, perspective, beliefs and so on. It’s nothing to kill or hate over.

Do your own thing, stay juiced up and positive. Don’t knock the next man because you can’t understand him.

What’s next for Juice Lee? I’m more than a rapper; I’m a trendsetter and a messenger. I am like the chosen one. The words I say will change the world if I make them rhyme or sing it in a tone.

I just haven’t put them together yet. I’m trying to push my ‘Juiced Up’ movement, which is a positive movement, all over the world.

Did you want to give a shout–out to anyone?

Yes. Shout-outs to GOD, NUG Magazine, my family, and the S.M.F camp...

Shmack, shmack!

–Thank you for your time and I wish you nothing but luck with your budding career.

You can find his music on Amazon or iTunes, or go to his website at www.notplayin.com to download it for free!

Twitter@akajuiceleesmf; Facebook.com/akajuicelee akajuicelee@gmail.com (312) 572-9328

Local Artist Spotlight:

By Jed Sanders

Sean Dietrich “Studio Industriacide”

Sean Dietrich is the Charles Bukowski of the art world. He’s a genuine soul that’s not afraid to speak his mind. He paints what he feels and questions the authority around him.

He is also one of the most motivated, talented, and hardest working artists I have ever met. In the last 11 years of his career, he has racked up over 900 art shows and live painting sessions. Some of his past clients have included Sony PlayStation, Asahi Beer U.S.A., and Spike & Mike’s Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation. His artwork and illustrations have been featured in dozens of comic books and graphic novels.

We caught up with Sean to hammer him with a few questions before he embarks on a crazed out, 6-month, 10,000 mile, U.S. Art Tour.

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Baltimore back in ‘76 and lived in the small town of Ellicott City, MD. I was ‘raised,’ I would say, in New Orleans 21 years later. The experiences I had in that town did more to open my eyes and shape my art than in any of the years prior.

What brought you out to San Diego?

I was living in New Orleans with my buddy, Silas, and we were growing tired of being there – too much boozing and working long hours in a hot kitchen cooking for shithead tourists – so we decided we wanted out. Nothing against the city, I still hold New Orleans near and dear to my heart, but it was taking its toll. Our options were to go back East, maybe New York or D.C., or come out to San Diego to live with our other buddies who had already moved out six months earlier. I remember saying something to the effect of, “You know, let’s flip a coin over it. We’ll never get to do this again in our lives, so let’s let chance lead our way.” In the end, we flipped San Diego and headed out in October of 1999. 41 hours on a Greyhound bus later and we were here. When I first arrived and saw this place, it was such a culture shock that I wanted to murder that fucking coin. We survived though, and almost 12 years later, I’m still here.

When did you become interested in art?

I can’t quite remember what it was. When I was around four, I started down the art path.

I know I liked it when my mother, who worked at K-Mart to support me at the time, used to bring home lots of markers, crayons and paper.

I remember doing really well at my schoolwork from an early age, but when I created something new out of my imagination, put that to paper, and showed the other kids, it made them like me more than anything else, which to a kid is immense. I guess that was my early age lesson in the power of art, or maybe just the power of being able to do something a majority of people can’t – definitely a lesson in control.

74 | NUGMAG.COM

It was always something that I knew I was ‘supposed’ to do, not because someone told me to, but because it felt very pure and honest from the beginning. I remember working all weekend in high school on a piece and bringing it into school to show off on Monday. Everyone else was out partying and learning to get into trouble while I was at home working. It was a very satisfying, if not slightly sadistic, way of looking at the masses (classmates) and seeing them waste away while I progressed.

When I published my first comic book at the age of 15 and did my first news interview and in-store signing at the local comic shop, I was hooked. I knew two things at that point: one, I wanted to continue to be published for as long as I could; and two, there was no way in hell I was going to art school.

Photo: David Wall

How do you define success with your work?

When I find the balance between being happy with what I produce and bringing in enough money to support my family, I find my success. If the art feels too much like a job or life doesn’t feel challenging enough, then success is slipping. When I get up in the morning to make my daughter pancakes and watch cartoons while everyone else is stuck in a car racing to work at 8am, I’m successful. It’s definitely more of an emotional tug than bank account filler. At times, sure, I’m concentrating on the money aspect, but that is a part of life and I’ve got certain goals I want to achieve, like making sure my little girl doesn’t have to go to the shitty public schools that California offers, and that takes cash. And obviously, the lonelier I get around other artists, the more successful I know I’m getting. Sometimes you want to hang with the artists that were there from the beginning, you just don’t want to hang your artwork with them anymore.

main character was Ernie, the half hallucinated/half real, drug addict, loud mouth bear. He appeared in my ‘Industriacide’ book, which was my first comic ever professionally published. However, his real start was an adaptation of the story of Elliot Ness and Al Capone I did for my 10th grade English class in comic form.

What made you get involved with illustrating a children’s book? How did that come about?

I’ve actually illustrated several children’s books for a major publisher, Stone Arch Books, over the last few years.

They’ve included a ghost story called ‘Hunter’s Moon,’ and remade the old classics ‘Hansel and Gretel’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty.’ They are available on Amazon. I’ve always enjoyed working on children’s books as they allow me to explore the more fun side of my art. I can’t do the death and destruction all the time. At the time when I did my first children’s book, I had three small cousins I couldn’t show my artwork to, so it was nice to have those books come out and allow the ‘Under 18’ side of my family to have something to enjoy. ‘The Fruits of Our Labor,’ written by Rachel Dietrich and Lexi Sadler, came about when the girls approached me with the concept. I was hooked from the beginning with the freshness and the multitude of ways the book could help children and allow them to creatively think while teaching them about healthy food. It’s a nice compliment to what I normally draw.

In regards to your work, what is the greatest compliment you have ever received?

The greatest compliment I have ever received was when my father told me how proud he was of my art. We didn’t always see eye to eye on the art thing, but when he did finally see that I might just be crazy enough to pull this off or die trying, his compliment was something that won’t ever be topped.

What has been the greatest insult?

I would say the greatest insult to my artwork has been when I’ve given up. Rushed projects where the art isn’t the best it could be; yet, I allowed it to go out into the world anyways. Yeah, that really is a shitty insult. Also, there was the guy who hated his sketch at Comic Con because he said I drew him looking like a bulldog – well, sorry, I can’t fix ugly.

Is there anything from your childhood that you see coming up a lot in your work?

Teddy bears. I was given a teddy bear the day I was born and have always had a fascination with them. My first

What are you currently working towards? Where do you hope to see yourself in 10 years?

Currently, I’m planning my U.S. Live Art Tour, which will kick off at the San Diego Comic Con. I’ll be in the SMALL PRESS section – BOOTH P9. I will be there for the promotion of the new children’s book I illustrated, ‘The Fruits of Our Labor,’ and my new art book, ‘I Brought the Gutter.’ I’m excited to get out on the road and meet hundreds of thousands of new people and show them what live art is all about. We are working with kids’ charities as well, doing in-store signings at comic stores and having night club events. All of this is anchored by about seven Comic Cons.

On the darker side of things, I’m also working on a huge book with legendary award-winning author Richard A. Webster called ‘The Nazi and the Rabbit.’ This book is almost too weird to describe other than it being one hell of a trip with a cast of characters that includes Pol Pot the Clown, Santa Man the cotton candy cart driver, and Momma Man the 7ft tall transvestite who takes in a rabbit that has fallen from grace and is ousted from the briar, making his way to New Orleans, freshly destroyed by Katrina.

In 10 years, who knows where I’ll be, but I would love to start working on some films. Not just crappy adaptations of my comics, but something with a bit of meat and grit; something with an actual story unlike most movies today.

I’ve got several books that have been written but not illustrated, including my book ‘Heart Murmur,’ which was written almost nine years ago. I also would like to have a permanent studio to work in by then – something I can call my own.

Thank you for taking the time to answer all of our questions. Good luck and be safe on the road with your 10,000 mile Art Tour!

To see more of Sean Dietrich’s Art and to help support him on his cross country tour of art, visit www.Industriacide.com 2011 Industriacide U.S. Art Tour 5/31 – Poster Show @ Bar Basic (San Diego) 6/3 – Dragonfly (Hollywood, CA) 6/4 – Boys & Girls Club of Linda Vista – Painting Demo (San Diego, CA) 6/5 – Happenin’ Harry’s Hell Hole @ The Cat Club (Hollywood, CA) 6/23 – NOHO Studios Show (North Hollywood, CA) 6/24 – Beer and Sake Festival (San Diego, CA) 6/25 – BOOGIE @ Kadan (San Diego, CA) 7/19 – Poems, Rhymes and Tales @ Bar Basic (San Diego, CA) 7/21-24th – San Diego Comic Con (San Diego, CA) SMALL PRESS section – BOOTH P9 7/21 – Samurais and Schoolgirls Comic Con After Party @ 10th St. Theatre (San Diego, CA) 8/11-14th – Wizard World Chicago (Chicago, IL) 8/20-21st – Baltimore Comic Con (Baltimore, MD) 9/24 – Jet City Comic Con (Seattle, WA) 10/1-2nd – A.P.E. Con (San Francisco, CA) 10/29-30th – Long Beach Comic Con (Long Beach, CA) 11/11-13th – Wizard World Austin (Austin, TX) 1/28-29th – Wizard World New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)

Popped Culture: Bobby Miller By: Robert Stinson “Feel the rhythm, check the ride. Come on along and have a real good time. Like the days of stomping at the Savoy. Now we freak, oh what a joy. Just come on down, two fifty four. Find a spot out on the floor.” These iconoclastic lyrics by Chic typified the glitz and glamour that was Studio 54, where the famous came to frolic with the freaks and beautiful denizens of Manhattan. The sexual revolution had come to fruition, which coincided with the radical ideologies born out of the civil rights movements of the 1960s. Suddenly, anything was game: interracial dating, designer drugs, communal living, casual nudity, and of course the open and honest expression of homosexuality.

Photo: Ric Ide

Amidst the rampant decadence of the “Me Generation,” there were a lucky few who had the opportunity of documenting this unique period in our nation’s history. One of these individuals was Bobby Miller, house photographer for Studio 54 who had the privilege of photographing some of tinseltown’s brightest stars. Mr. Miller is a veritable renaissance man who has published 12 books of photography and poetry, has worked as a make-up artist for Robert Mapplethorpe, and happens to be an accomplished actor and spoken word artist. We spoke with Bobby Miller about his experiences in the Big Apple for this edition of NUG Magazine.

During the ‘70s and through the ‘80s, there was a tremendous amount of creativity emanating from NY. What was it like to be part of that elite group of artists?

I moved to New York in 1973 on April Fool’s Day, which probably should have told me something. When I first got there, it was like a dream come true with all the bars, bathhouses, clubs, and all the gay life. In 1974, I started taking photographs at Studio 54. I later published a book called Fabulous, a Photographic Diary of Studio 54. You can still find copies of it online and on eBay. Most of my friends during the ‘70s had just arrived in Manhattan and were trying to forge a path for themselves. Whether they were artists, actors, writers or models, they all went on to become really successful, well-accomplished and famous. So, it seemed that I was at the right place and at the right time to be taking photos.

What was it about these experiences that compelled you to channel them through your art? Why did you choose written prose, spoken word and photography to document them?

It all started when I was a make-up artist working alongside really great photographers, including Robert Mapplethorpe. I did all the hair and make-up for his shoots. After I would finish doing the model’s hair and make-up, I would stand near the photographers and watch them work. At a certain point, I remember telling Robert that he ‘should do the shoot like this,’ and he responded by saying, ‘You should shut up and get a camera!’ So, I started out with mostly glamour and portrait photography. Then in 1990, Jackie 60 opened, which was this really great party that only happened on Tuesday nights in the Meatpacking District. The promoters ended up securing a lease on the place and changed the name to Mother. In fact, Debbie Harry recently released a single called “Mother” that was about Jackie 60 and Club Mother. So during this time, I started working as a hair and make-up artist in television and theatre, which led to a career as an actor and performance artist.

What images do you find provocative? How do you go about finding subjects for your books?

When I lived in NY, I photographed people I knew. I have a black and white collection of portraits that feature people like Debbie Harry from Blondie, Lisa Edelstein from the TV show House, and features from Robert Mapplethorpe to Andy Warhol.

What advice would you give to young artists looking to break into an industry that is completely saturated today?

Do it yourself and don’t sell out to large companies and conglomerates thinking that you’re going to get rich and famous. Fame is fleeting at best and money comes and goes, but if you’re making your art for yourself, then you have something tangible in your hand.

It’s kind of like having a child. You make this book that started out as an idea, and now it’s manifested.

You are quite the busy entrepreneur extraordinaire. Please tell us about your new publication PStar Magazine and the release of your latest book Fetish?

PStar Magazine is a project that is still in the works. I am thinking of launching it later this year. I live in Provincetown, which is a really small community that has about 2,900 people living there during the winter and a half a million visitors during the summer. That being said, there are only two publications in this town, so I really felt we needed another periodical.

Fetish is a project I have been working on that is 99% finished. I will be having a gallery showing at the Patty Deluca gallery here in Provincetown at the end of July. Because I lived in NY for so many years and have known so many artists, freaks and colorful people, I thought that I really wanted to do something to celebrate some of those individuals. I shot all the photos in my studio and picked 25 different fetishes to illustrate. That book will probably be available on the Blurb website by the end of July. I’m also starting a new book of photography focusing on phobias.

76 | NUGMAG.COM

Donna Summer 1977

We’re coming up on the 30th anniversary of the first outbreak of the aids virus; could you tell our readers what it was like being in NY when the hedonism of the ‘70s suddenly turned into a holocaust? Did any of your friends pass away?

I think you hit the nail on the head there. By the time I moved to NY in ‘73, Stonewall had already happened, so there was this newfound freedom and people seized the opportunity. We were coming out of the civil rights movement of the ‘60s, so everybody gay and straight were on the same page. Suddenly, we were liberated with the explosion of the sexual revolution. So, the ‘70s was a time when gay men threw caution to the wind and became completely hedonistic in NY. I think they lost all perspective when it came to morality or even just being healthy. For the most part, if someone handed you a pill, you took it and nobody used condoms. In the early ‘80s when the first cases of HIV/AIDS reared their ugly heads, it was an awakening for many people. During that time, I had people dying all around me, sometimes three a week or someone I knew had just been diagnosed. What I would do when someone I knew had died is highlight their name in my phonebook instead of crossing their name out.

Our publication is all about educating the public about pending medical marijuana legislation. What are your feelings on the subject matter?

Thank God for California because you guys have been on the forefront of the battle for medical marijuana. I think it has influenced a lot of other states. I think it’s just a matter of time before attitudes are changed and we start seeing legalization become a reality.

You know, as progressive as we like to think America is, it’s not as liberal as a lot of other countries in Europe. It’s just insane to me that people wind-up in prison for marijuana.

Overall, it’s just a big waste of our resources because our government is locked into this perspective that cannabis is bad, especially the individuals behind the conservative movement. That being said, I do have hope for the future.

You can find all of Bobby Miller’s books at: www.Blurb.com

Elton John

David McCray_ fs wallride

Article By: Marco Alvarez Photos By: Brian Walnum The birth of Kontrol Wheels took place back in 200304 when Dan Eger began working with a few engineers who had a new technology to mold urethane. The new urethane-molding process allowed them to manufacture a superior skateboard wheel while eliminating the aspect of physical labor as well as all the waste materials that come with conventional wheel manufacturing.

The company’s initial focus was to make a high quality, USA-made skateboard wheel; it wasn’t necessarily to make the most eco-friendly one. Dan explained to me that the eco-friendliness aspect of the wheels was really a by-product, but it has nevertheless been a very important issue to him over the years. When I asked about the formation of Kontrol Wheels, Dan said, “After several

years of testing and testing the wheels, they were ready for the market. I called my two best homies, Brent and Jason, and asked if they were down and it was on.”

When I began discovering more about Kontrol Wheels, I felt a uniqueness in their approach to skating in general as well as in their wheels. Their wheels embody a purity, a conscientiousness in their development that shows a true love for skating.

The team pros are: Ronson Lambert, Andrew Pott, Jed Shooter, Kurtis Colamonico, and Jason Wussler.

The team ams are: Kyle Nicholson, Nate Principato, Alex Valdez, Spencer Brown, Oscar Meza, Diego Najera, Derek Simon, David McCray, and Joseph Mairena.

I delved a little deeper by interviewing Dan to get a further scoop on Kontrol Wheels as well as to introduce their latest design, the NUG Magazine X Kontrol wheel…

What distinguishes Kontrol Wheels from other skateboard wheels out there on the market?

Aside from the fact that they are injection molded, 100% USA-made, eco-friendly, more durable, have more rebound, flat-spot less, and are just plain better than almost any wheel on the market? – Not much…Oh and we actually make them. We don’t just buy the same wheel everyone else has and put our name on it!

What do you think drew you to focus a company around wheels, rather than say, trucks or bearings or decks?

NUGMAG.COM | 79

Well, the manufacturing process, the eco factor, the lack of really good urethane on the market…It just sort of fell in my lap when I met these guys. I was working for another company and really had no intention of starting my own brand, but it just felt right.

I like the name because it’s simple and straightforward and relates to the importance of controlling the wheelmaking process and, thus, having more control when you skate. Did it always have that name?

Names are funny because they can have many meanings. Brent Wingen actually came up with the name after this band Skull Kontrol. We spelled it with a ‘K’ because that’s how the band spelled it and it’s Kool! And yes, the whole thing with controlling your board, plus controlling the manufacturing process…It just all worked!

Who did you look up to in the skate industry when starting to skate and then later when developing Kontrol Wheels? Inspirations?

I started skating about 23 years ago, so it was real different then; but my whole life, I wanted to be in the industry in some aspect. I was always an entrepreneur as a young lad. My first real board was an Alva Fred Smith III loud one model. I looked up to Steve Caballero, Hosoi, guys like that. Street skating was almost non-existent at the time, especially back in Pittsburgh, PA. Then later, it was Gonz, Jason Lee, Guy Mariano…Those dudes changed the game.

Let’s say you’re in a game of skate and it’s your turn, what do you do?

Well, it depends on who I’m playing and at what point in the game we are at. I can always break out a late shove-it or a backfoot flip or something, but you don’t want to play those cards too early. It’s strategy, like a game of chess!

Businesswise is a very different question, but I guess one of the best in the biz has to be Jamie Thomas. He seems to be doing it right!!! I’m not in this to get rich. I love skateboarding period. Always have, always will. I just want to stay involved in the sport and maybe help some kids along the way.

Did you ever try to use those old school rail guards on the bottom of your board?

Hehe…

Yea, I used those back in the day before we started waxing everything. I used rails, mini rails, lappers, copers, jaw bones, the whole nine. My board must have weighed 20 lbs. at one point!

Are any of your wheels designed specifically for street or vert, or are they all generally cross-functional?

We do have a new harder street formula available now. Most of the guys really like it, but in general, the wheels are great on all surfaces.

Does Kontrol Wheels have a video out or in progress?

Sort of!!! It’s always a process, but I would like to get one out eventually!

Are you always open to considering new riders for the team if they have what it takes?

Yes, we are always down for new talent. Send footy!

What trick doesn’t get old for you? Something you’re stuck on these days?

Tre flips. And I’ve always been stuck on Nollie flips!!!

What’s one of the craziest things you’ve ever seen done on a skateboard?

Wow…I have seen a lot of crazy things done on skateboards over the years, from actual tricks to dudes riding around naked with socks on their junk, etc. For me personally, it’s hard to say. I used to jump down some big stuff back in the day, but there is still no better feeling than just stepping on a board and cruising even if your days of “bangers” are over!

So now that I’ve asked you questions about the broader picture of Kontrol Wheels as well as some random ones thrown in for good measure, let me ask you about the latest set of wheels you just released. How did the idea for the NUG Magazine X Kontrol Wheels collaboration come about?

My buddy who owns thediggeronehitter.com put you guys on to Kontrol. After some discussion, we decided it would be a good idea as we both support the same cause – the medicine!

Ronson Lambert_ switch back smith

80 | NUGMAG.COM

What materials are used to make them? Is it mainly urethane and hemp? Does the hemp play into the durability of the wheel as well as the ecofriendliness?

I’m glad you asked these questions…I’m going to set the record straight here and this will explain a great deal about the wheels. All of our wheels are eco-friendly because it’s in the manufacturing process, not the urethane. The manufacturing process is also why our wheels are far more durable than any other wheel. Anyone else who tells you different is lying to you. All those guys out there saying they use hemp or soy oil – it’s all a gimmick. Those materials may be in the wheel, but it actually makes the quality worse because it interferes with the chemical bonds. Those wheels are still molded conventionally; thus, the waste material is still produced and still deposited into the landfills and it does not break down…EVER! So any hemp or soy they put in the wheels is not in any way helping the environment or making those wheels eco-friendly.

We don’t have all that waste + We make wheels using new technology = Most eco-friendly wheel!

Are the NUG Magazine X Kontrol wheels available online as well as in skate shops? Have they hit the shelves yet?

By the time you read this article, the wheels should be available online and in shops while supplies last (only 420 sets were made).

I would like to thank NUG Magazine, Marco Alvarez, the entire Kontrol team for all the support, especially Ronson Lambert, Andrew Pott, and Alex Valdez. Brian Walnum for always taking sick photos. John and PJ at the Kontrol Factory for making the wheels, Bill Dennis for the dope artwork, Jonny B @ thediggeronehitter.com, Brent Wingen, Jason Reilly, and especially my wife for putting up with me all these years.

In addition to this exclusive interview with Dan, I was lucky enough to join some of the team on a photo shoot at some local spots. I got to help with a few of the snaps and even got to skate the spots with them!

The downtown Embarcadero spot was so fun and the nearby ledges were a perfect complement. From there, we went to the coolest new spot I’ve seen lately, Snatch, a skatepark being built by skaters themselves. You can find this super down-low spot under a bridge by Qualcomm in Mission Valley. Some of my favorite tricks throughout the day were Ronson Lambert’s half-cab crooks revert out, Alex Valdez’s front blunt, and David McCray’s insane frontside wallride over a fat gap. These guys straight up killed it wherever we went! They kept it real and treated me like I was part of the team. Look out for the Kontrol team – they bag some serious tricks that just make you go, “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!” You can check out more pics from the skate shoot online at www.nugmag.com!

For more information about their wheels and designs, or to place an order, scope out the Kontrol Wheels website at www.kontrolwheels.com, or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ KontrolWheels. They’re always giving out free wheels!

I love the way these wheels look. They have our NUG Magazine logo beside the Kontrol Wheels black eco logo that’s imposed on an orange lighter; and I love the big bud below the line, “Cannabis is not a Crime!” The NUG Magazine X Kontrol wheels represent such a dynamic synthesis of elements: a regard for the environment, a celebration of skateboarding, and an appreciation for cannabis. The graphics illustrate the idea of these interconnections.

What is it about skateboarding and cannabis that makes them blend so well together? Are they simply both countercultural?

Skateboarding, like anything, is expression and art. I think if you look back over time, you will see that artists have always used cannabis to help express themselves in one way or another. For me personally, it just makes the experience more enjoyable. It helps me to block out the mundane b/s of day-today life and focus on skateboarding and having fun.

Dude, I absolutely can’t wait to try them on my setup. Having a wheel that functions excellently, is eco-friendly, and looks sick is as good as it gets! What’s next for Kontrol Wheels?

We have lots in the works for Kontrol in the future. We have a few new wheel shapes coming out. New colors and better formulations to our current wheels. We also are about to release the first recycled core cruiser/filmer wheel. We can use our technology to take old wheels and mold new urethane over them. It’s a great way to utilize waste and keep it from hitting the landfills. We also have a longboard wheel coming out shortly that uses the same technology. 2011 is going to be a big year for Kontrol!

Alex Valdez_ fs pivot fakie

E-Joint

Marley’s Mellow Mood

The folks over at Marley’s Mellow Mood sent us over a case of assorted flavors to try out. First of all, I’m not into energy drinks because I’m too laid back; so when I discovered it was the opposite of an energy drink and that it actually relaxes you, I was ALL IN! These beverages are made with 100% natural ingredients and claim to reduce stress and relieve tension. I was skeptical that these drinks could relax me the way medicated edibles do. But, my assumptions were incorrect! Marley’s Mellow Mood was amazing! I drank the Green Tea with Honey and it was delicious. I almost immediately felt a calmness come over me, and I was in a very relaxed state. Even the pain and stress of the day washed away. On a scale from 1 to 10, this product easily gets a 10! The taste is great and the “Calm Your Soul, Ease Your Mind” company tagline rings 100% true! You can find Marley’s Mellow Mood at local convenience stores and events. You can get more information on the company online at: www.marleybeverages.com

Our friends at Cannabee have done it again! A few issues ago, we wrote about some of the amazing medicated products from Cannabee Products Inc. I was lucky enough to run into them again at The Green Door Collective during a presentation of their new product, the E-Joint. I even got to take one back to the lab to try out. I have seen a bunch of electronic cigarettes and have been less than excited about most. Mixing cannabis oils with Propylene Glycol is how most of these products work, and I am not a fan of the taste. Cannabee came up with a formula using 100% natural, food grade, vegetable oil infused with cannabis to create their MediLoads. I tried a Skywalker OG and an Afghani Kush, both were outstanding. The E-Joint has an outstanding vapor pull, and it creates a true “smoking” experience without the actual smoke. Plus, the flavor of the herb is there, but the smell upon exhale is virtually non-existent. The most positive thing about the E-Joint is that with the social acceptance of electronic cigarettes on the rise, it is a product that patients can use to medicate discretely, wherever, whenever! To find out which collectives carry Cannabee products, check them out online at: www.cannabee.com

Smashtrays

Tapping out your cashed bowl will never be the same. Thanks to the Smashtray, the days of slapping your pipe against your hand, only to get ash all over your palm, are gone forever. Two herb fans from San Diego, CA, J-Diz and Ben Jammin’, have developed the Smashtray, a soft ashtray designed with the smoker in mind. Designed for use with glass pieces, the Smashtray allows bud smokers to tap their bowls out against the soft material without the worry of breakage. When you’re done smoking a bowl, simply tap your glass piece against the Smashtray and the ash will fall into the ash holder. You can hit your pipe or slide as hard as you want, the Smashtray will not break it!

All Smashtrays are made from the same rubber-like material. This material won’t scorch, melt or burn and it’s easy to clean with soap and water. Custom orders are available; customers can choose their own color, logo and logo placement. Smashtrays make a great promotional item for bands, shops, new products, etc. Local artists are available to design a logo placement and etch it into the tray; again, keeping the process 100% local and homegrown.

Check out their website for demo videos, ordering information, and custom logo options. Smashtrays are now available online at: www.smashtrays.com

J u l y Ca l e n d a r o f E ve n t s The Devastators At RT’s Longboard @ 9

J Boog At 4th&B @ 9

Project: Out of Bounds At PB Bar & Grill @ 6

Silence Betrayed & Downspell At SOMA @ 7

4.

Project: Out of Bounds At Kava Lounge @ 10

Shoreline Rootz At Belly Up Tavern @ 9

Rootz Underground At Belly Up Tavern @ 9

Fortunate Youth CD Release Party Feat. Hi Roots & West Swell At Winston’s @ 9

5.

Eddie Vedder At Copley Symphony Hall @ 7:30

9.

Discovery Hemp At Balboa Park Ballroom @ 11:30am

12.

San Diego ASA Meeting At The La Jolla Brew House @ 7

SATURDAZE Pool Party Feat. Codie Jordan Band At Arterra, Marriott Del Mar @ 12pm

14.

South Bay ASA Meeting At 1233 Palm Ave., Imperial Beach @ 6

Caleb of TCP Presents: I Love Stuff #3 At U31 @ 2

Bad Neighborz At Pier View Pub @ 9

Liquid Aloha Festival Feat. The Dirty Heads At NTC Promenade Liberty Station @ 3

15.

Spoken Words Performance At Saville Theatre @ 7

Tribal Seeds, Hi Roots & Seedless At SOMA @ 6

Stranger (CD Release Party) At House of Blues @ 8

10.

The PGK Project “Where & When” At Bernardo Winery, The Vine @ 2 & 7

Rail 2 Rail & NUG Magazine Presents: F.O.A., Subliminal Trip & Monkeys In Space At Pure Platinum (Kearny Mesa) @ 9

The Devastators At Moonlight Beach @ 3

16.

San Diego Pride Parade & Festival At Normal St & University Ave @ 10am

1.

MC Yogi At World Beat Center @ 7

The Silent Comedy 2.

At Casbah @ 8:30 SATURDAZE Pool Party Feat. Kahi Lofa & West Swell At Arterra, Marriott Del Mar @ 12pm 6.

91X Presents: Foster the People At House of Blues @ 8 Natasha Bedingfield At House of Blues @ 8 The Bus Stop w/ DJ Cosmo Baker At El Dorado Cocktail Lounge @ 9 Subliminal Trip & Fiery I At The Jumping Turtle @ 9 7.

Vans Warped Tour ’11 Pato Banton & High Tide Battle of the Bands Semi-Finals At Belly Up @ 9 At Brick by Brick @ 7 Art of Sound Disco Glory 8.

At Spin @ 9 B-Side Players At Stagecoach Park @ 6 3.

Typhoon Block Party At Typhoon Saloon @ 8

SATURDAZE Pool Party Feat. Stone Senses At Arterra, Marriott Del Mar @ 12pm 91X Fest Feat. Incubus, Bush, Iration & more At Cricket Wireless @ 3 19.

Ky-Mani Marley At Belly Up @ 9 20.

Opening Day & Hats Contest At Del Mar Racetrack @ 11:30am 91X Presents: Alkaline Trio At House of Blues @ 7:30 Hi Roots & Sandollar At Belly up @ 9 21.

Bad Neighborz At Pier View Pub @ 9 22.

G-Love & Special Sauce At Del Mar Racetrack @ 4

Maroon 5 & Train At Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre @ 7 23.

East County ASA Meeting At The Press Box @ 2 Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finest Beer Festival Feat. Sprung Monkey & Buck-O-Nine At Qualcomm Stadium @ 3 Comic-Con After Party At Brick by Brick @ 8 26.

North County ASA Meeting At The Fish Joint @ 7 A Perfect Circle At SDSU Open Air Theatre @ 8 27.

Lady Antebellum At Pechanga @ 8 29.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club At Del Mar Racetrack @ 4 NUG Magazine 2 Year Anniversary Party Pre-Sale Tickets Online at www.nugmag.com At Spin Night Club @ 10

30.

SATURDAZE Pool Party Feat. Irieside At Arterra, Marriott Del Mar @ 12pm Ziggy Marley salutes the Legends of Reggae At Del Mar Racetrack @ 6:30 Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, Shwayze & Cisco At Cricket Wireless @ 7:30 Rasta Nation Posse Presents: Steve Knight At Brick by Brick @ 8

To add your events to our monthly calendar listings send us an email to submit@nugmag.com.

NUGMAG.COM | 91