Sacalt december 2014 final by SacAlt Magazine

december 2014 PRICELESS

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RONNIE MOAS TAKES ON VULTURE CAPITALISM

PG. 16

AltBrews:

Beer for the Holidays

11 Patient Profile

AltGeek:

DA:I & Geek Gift Guide

AltMusic: Hot Wax

AltSports: Rob Mason

SacAlternative | December 2014

ALTEVENTS Ring in the Holidays in SacAlt Style December – January Global Winter Wonderland

December 18 Dilated Peoples with Special Guest

Sacramento just landed the holy grail of international events: chosen as the only city in the country to host the annual Global Winter Wonderland. The impressive lantern festival and multicultural theme park is an experience that is sure to delight kids of all ages—taking over 17 acres at Cal Expo, the experience is a larger than life collection of vibrant light displays, carnival rides, international food court, holiday shopping, and other sources of entertainment.

Arising from the depths of the underground scene, the Los Angeles hip hop outfit Dilated Peoples will be bringing their brand of lyrical enlightenment to Sacramento. Having achieved notability in the underground hip hop community, DJ Babu (producer/DJ), Evidence (MC/producer) and Rakaa Iriscience (MC) will be spitting hot fire on the dais right here in Sacramento.

Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815; Sundays-Thursdays 4:30pm-10pm Fridays & Saturdays 4:30pm-11pm; Tickets $12 - $16, Free for children ages 0 – 3. December 13 Holiday Trunk Show From quilts that would make your granny’s head spin to handcrafted jewelry constructed from the marriage of water and clay, you’ll find something for everyone on your holiday shopping list, while supporting local artisans at the same time, when you peruse the handmade shopping wonderland at the Delta Workshop. A carefully curated collection of artists will bring in their handcrafted wares for purchase. Vendors include: Alluvial Ceramics, Heathered Wallets, Jolie’s Herbals skin care, Two Accordions quilts and Witt & Lore jewelry just to name a few. The Roaming Spoon and one of Sacramento’s independent breweries will be providing edible holiday treats and beverages while you shop. Delta Workshop, 2589 21st Street, Sacramento, California 95818; 3 – 7 p.m.; Free. December 18 Holiday Happy Hour The artists of East Sac Mercantile have a holiday treat in store for all of those who supported their work with an evening of hors d’oeuvres and wine. The patrons who have so generously supported the work produced by those in the East Sac Mercantile with a purchase between November 28 and December 18 will be entered in a drawing for a Limo Light Tour of the Fabulous Forties.

Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub, 2708 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95814; 8 p.m.; Tickets $25 in advance, $30 at the door; Ages 21+. December 19 Toys for Rock Benefit for Toys for Tots What would the holidays be if we didn’t do a little giving back to the community? If you’re looking for a great cause and happen to be a music lover, then make your way to The Boardwalk for some rock ‘n’ roll in the name of a good cause: providing toys to children who would otherwise go without this holiday season. Band include In the Silence, Decipher, Amongst Thieves, We Went to the Moon, and Blood Party. Bring a new un-opened toy and get in for just $4. The Boardwalk, 9426 Greenback Lane, Orangevale, CA 95608; 7 p.m.; Tickets $4 – $10. December 21 Indie Craft Fair Presents Merry Market If you’re like many of us, it’s the holiday season and you haven’t even touched your holiday shopping list. Well, have no fear, the Merry Market is here: 12 local vendors will be selling vintage clothing, jewelry, body care, candles, soaps and more. The Roaming Spoon will also be on site selling its brand of delicious vegan eats, while Shine Cafe will be serving up hot chocolate, coffee and goodies from local bakeries. Note: Please bring cash as some vendors only accept cash.

December 31 Big Noise & Kourtjester Presents: When Worlds Collide - A NYE Extravaganza Usher in the New Year with an all-star lineup including your favorite EDM artists, live reggae, rock, and alternative acts. Enjoy the midnight ball drop on multiple giant screens while being showered with a balloon drop, midnight toast and party into the wee hours of the morning. Palms Event Center, 12351 E. Stockton Blvd., Galt, CA 95632; 8 p.m.; Tickets $35 - $65 Faces New Year’s Eve Party Tell 2014 to take a hike at Faces New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball. With a complimentary gourmet buffet, cash and prizes, and a spectacular balloon drop at midnight. Be sure to wear your finest duds as the event organizers say this is a “dress to impress” event. Top hat not required. Faces Nightclub, 2000 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814; 7 p.m.; Tickets $20. TBD NYE Block Party The gang that put together the music festival of the year (aka TBD Fest) are closing out 2014 in style with the biggest party of the year featuring A-Trak, Gigamesh, Oliver, Nick Catchdubs, CHLLNGR, DJ SamIJam, Greg J, Jurts plus hometown favorites return, Sister Crayon, to tear up the block with their operatic version of EDM. LowBrau, 1050 20thStreet, Sacramento, CA 95814; 6 p.m.; Tickets $45 - $149.

Shine, 1400 E Street, Sacramento, CA 95814; 12 – 4 p.m.; Free.

3257 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95819; 4 – 7 p.m.; Free.

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SacAlternative | December 2014 4

december 2014

STAFF

CONTENTS

Publication Editor Lovelle Harris

Contributors & Photographers Floyd Barber, Josh Burke, Emile G. Janicot, Megan Lee, missfitz, Ron Mullins Design & Layout Kory & Steph for whiskey&sour info@whiskeyandsour.com

Upcoming Events

26 Alt&About

07 AltBrews

28 AltMusic

11 PatientProfile

32 AltNews

36 AltSports

AltCover Story

22 AltGeek

39 Directory

24 CCC

SacAlternative View SacAlt Online at: issuu.com/sacalternative facebook.com/sacalternativemagazine Twitter: @realsacalt Mobile: sacalt.mymobisite.us

CONTACT US For advertising, letters to the editor, and all other matters please contact: Josh Burke 916.800.5884 Ext 503 josh@sacalternative

Mission Statement SacAlternative is a monthly news and arts magazine with a mission to inform, report and provide quality content to all individuals living in the Sacramento area. Our writers, editors and staff aim to present a variety of social and political topics, balanced with interest to the alternative arts, grassroots movements and green lifestyle representing the region. Advertising Information All advertising is subject to final approval from the advertiser. The advertiser provides SacAlternative with digital files when available. The advertiser, and not SacAlternative, accepts all responsibility for the content of the advertising. The advertiser accepts responsibility for concept, design, photography layout and content of the advertisement, not SacAlternative. Disclaimer You may not use, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit, distribute, or modify the Marks in any way, including in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of materials in this Magazine or on accompanying Website, without SacAlternative prior written consent. The views expressed by the authors and writers in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of SacAlternative. Comments on this publication are the sole responsibility of their writers and the writer will take full responsibility, liability, and blame for any libel or litigation those results from something written in or as a direct result of something written in SacAlternative. The accuracy, completeness, veracity, honesty, exactitude, factuality and politeness of comments are not guaranteed.

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SacAlternative | December 2014 5

SacAlternative | November 2014

ALTBREWS Beer for the Holidays by Megan Lee

It’s officially the gift-buying season again. It’s also the season to spend time with family and friends. Whether you love it or loathe it, what better way to celebrate than drinking a few good beers? Alternatively, if you hate the holidays, you can either drown your ire in a pint or two at your favorite brew pub or lubricate yourself enough to be able to deal with all of the get-togethers. New Helvetia Brewing Company just celebrated their second year in business and they have some great offerings this month. On December 11, they’re releasing a Sloppy Session IPA for the Sloppy Moose Running Club for their end of the year run. They also offer their Second Anniversary Chocolate Porter—it’s brewed with Oaxacan chocolate spices (ginger, pepper, and vanilla beans) that gives it a deep, rich, full-bodied flavor. A great offering for that special beer lover in your life is a ticket into their growler club. For $400 your loved one (or you) will get a stainless growler, access to members-only beers, and 52 fills. That’s over $1,000 worth of beer! They are also bottling (916) Pale Ale, Homeland Stout, and Molly American Red. Pick those up on the premises or at spots around town (Corti Brothers, Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, Davis Food Co-op, Nugget Markets, and Taylor’s Market to name a few). Track 7 Brewing Co. has a great place to take your friends and family for a keep-the-glass taster session for $10.85. Get them happy and buy a present all at the same time! They also have bottles, growlers, and growlettes to grab SacAlternative | November 2014

for a holiday dinner or a solo night at home. Their selection of apparel is the best: from onesies for the future beer drinkers out there, to sweatshirts for established beer enthusiasts, there are plenty of options for everyone on your holiday shopping list. Starting around the New Year they will offer their pint club at $40—put it on a gift certificate and gift it to your favorite beer lover. Hell, make it a solid $60 and they can join the club, enjoy a taster, and possibly get a beer with the remaining balance. Also, keep a lookout for the opening of their new facility which will allow Track 7 to expand the selection of beers it can feature—namely, their Belgium sours. New Glory Craft Brewery will have their Valley Forge Oatmeal Stout on tap this winter. They are also releasing a cream stout later this month that is currently nameless, but was brewed with Sacramento-grown almonds and is currently being aged using cacao nibs. Julien, New Glory’s owner, says the beer has a creamy milk chocolate flavor with hits of Nutella and citrus (just like the chocolate orange smack balls). The brewery has gift certificates available in increments of $10 for stocking stuffers and their growler and pint club will also be available for purchase—talk about a great present! The growler club is $150 which gets the recipient one 64-ounce growler and 12 growler fills. The pint club is $100 and comes with one pint glass and 25 pints at the brewery. There will also be an advent calendar release of a very special beer each week in December until Christmas. All those batches were brewed on New Glory’s new pilot system, which gave license to the

brewers to tap into their creativity when approaching flavor profiles and incorporating special ingredients into the brews. Ruhstaller Brewery and Taproom has brought back its beer-club offerings! There was a waitlist for a while, but they have ramped up production and are now allowing more signups. There are two levels: Captain ($28.81/ month) and Jimmy ($18.81/month). The Captain level will get the member four beers per month and the Jimmy, two beers per month. The beers can be picked up at the tasting room located on 7th Street or mailed to the lucky recipient’s home. The DiG (Jose Di Gregorio) Barley Wine will be available this month as well, both the 2013 and 2014 varieties. For those of you who will be attending the many parties and impromptu get-togethers that seem to happen around this time, may I suggest heading to one of our many bottle shops to stock up on bottles that can be handed out as last-minute presents. Capitol Beer and Tap Room has a great selection of bottles and on December 11 will be hosting the annual Hop Broads (https://www. facebook.com/hopbroads) Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. Head over, stock up, and enjoy a flight while you’re there! Cheers, and here’s to a wonderful, beerfilled holiday!

SacAlternative | December 2014

PATIENTPROFILE by Ron Mullins Photos by Ron Mullins If you’ve been active in the local cannabis scene, you’ve most likely met Sioux Colombe. She has operated more than one medical cannabis clinic in the greater Sacramento area, and has volunteered for Safe Committee for Patient Access to Regulated Cannabis—a group mobilized in the effort to undo the medical cannabis ban in Sacramento County. You may have met her at a Sacramento chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Cannabis Laws, Americans for Safe Access or The Human Solution meeting. You may have even met her at one of these meetings with her signature service dog, Juliette, in tow. Aside from advocating for medical cannabis patients’ rights, she is constantly educating security guards, police, sheriffs and bailiffs on the validity of her Chihuahua as a service animal. Before discovering cannabis, Colombe struggled with her medical conditions. In 1993, she was diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer, then she had to go on disability. She also faced what she describes as an even greater disease, alcoholism. “In 1994, I got a DUI and I was ordered by the court to attend Alcoholics Anonymous,” Colombe recalls. “I spent the next five and a half years repairing my life. Domestic violence was an everyday reality for me. I was shot, I was evicted from my house, and I was even accused of committing a crime. I even had to defend myself in court, even though I was the victim. All because of alcohol.” Colombe then got a sponsor, worked the 12 steps twice, got housing, and repaired the relationship with her daughter that alcohol had destroyed. Colombe tried cannabis during her cancer treatment and surgery, but stopped afterwards. “My daughter’s childhood friend had had a rare cancer when her mother (a nurse) gave her cannabis, and it had worked. So I used it during my cancer treatment, but quit when I felt I did not need it any longer.” In 2003, Colombe crashed her car, and then her mother died in a separate accident on the same day around the same time. Colombe’s sternum was cracked, and she developed thoracic outlet syndrome. Six weeks later, mental stress from the accident and the loss of her mother resulted in vomiting and extreme weight loss. She lost nearly 50 pounds SacAlternative | December 2014

leaving her at 106 pounds. After 15 months of sickness, she was finally diagnosed with wasting syndrome and agoraphobia. Colombe wanted to use cannabis again, but was afraid to because she thought it was still illegal. Her mother-in-law suggested that she request Marinol from her primary care physician. She got her prescription and it worked in the very first dose. “It was amazing what it did for me. It took the pain away overnight,” she explains. “When I woke up the next morning, I couldn’t believe that I didn’t have a stomach ache. For the first time in 15 months I actually felt relief!” For two months, she used 2.5 milligrams of Marinol three times a day, and she flourished. “Two months after I was using Marinol, I got a cannabis recommendation because I had just found out that under Proposition 215 I could use it legally.” She had gone to one of the three first cannabis doctors in the Sacramento area. “In the waiting room, I met a five-year returning patient who introduced me to the Oakland Buyers club where I became its 2,000th patient. I even vaporized in a collective on Telegraph Avenue, and it was amazing. I soon found out the difference between using cannabis as a medicine versus popping a pill. Cannabis allowed me to expand the neurotransmitters in my mind and allowed me to think more clearly. Other medications cause more harm than good with their side effects.” In June of 2009, Colombe was referred back to her oncologist after her primary care physician became concerned. The next month, Anthem Blue Cross arbitrarily denied her a Marinol prescription. After five years straight of continuous renewals, they suddenly claimed that her condition didn’t merit an extension of her prescription. “It devastated me, which then complicated my serious digestive medical condition requiring me to have another surgery.” Colombe says, “My gastrointestinal doctor wrote me a prescription for Dronabinol (generic Marinol) which my insurance company covered just once before refusing to cover it again.” She filed for an independent medical review and it was denied—on receipt, the same

day—she then filed for a state fair hearing that was set for September 2009. The respondent (Anthem) failed to present any evidence or even respond to the administrative law judge who ruled in her favor in December 2009. In January 2010, the Department of Health Service voided the judge’s proposed decision and created an alternative director’s decision. She could get it prescribed and her doctor believed it medically necessary, but the insurance would not cover the cost. It was a clear case of “cannaphobia.” Colombe was unable to pay over $400 for the Marinol prescription, but she found that she has been able to keep her health stable by replacing Marinol with raw cannabis. After three years of research, networking with cannabis community, and learning from the legal aide services in the community, Colombe filed a writ of mandamus against Anthem Blue Cross, DHS, and its director in Jan 2011. The case was finally heard in July 2014. They are now working out details regarding Colombe’s medical privacy. The next hearing date is yet to be determined. After her victory in this longfought case, Colombe hopes it will help future patients get access to Marinol without having bureaucrats making judgments about patients and violating their medical privacy. “The ‘cannaphobes’ do not have the right to practice medicine by proxy from their desk top,” Colombe says. After 17 years of sobriety, Colombe now helps other alcoholics understand that they can use cannabis as medicine and still remain sober. Her own health has mostly stabilized and her cancer is still in remission. She uses raw cannabis with an increased focus on cannabis strains that are high in cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN), along with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid, which is the main constituent in raw cannabis and does not have psychoactive properties). This regimen has had a positive effect on her PTSD. The cannabis treatments—combined with the support of her service dog—have worked wonders on her agoraphobia. These days, Colombe travels all over the state supporting cannabis users in court, and she continues educating people about medical cannabis everywhere she goes. “Nobody should go to jail for a plant, because cannabis in my medicine,” she says.

SacAlternative | December 2014

ALTCOVER

The Ebb and Flow of Greed in America by Josh Burke 16

SacAlternative | December 2014

The river of capitalism flows long and strong. The current is swift, and easily drowns those who attempt to jump into it without preparation: education, business savvy, and connections to people with capital to get you in the river safely—and bail you out if you hit troubled waters. From humble beginnings in Europe, it spread to the New World, where it has grown into a multi-pronged serpentine labyrinth, whose forked tongues have licked every corner of the globe. If it does one thing better than anything else, it makes the rich even richer. Ronnie Moas has successfully navigated these waters for decades, as an investor and analyst, and he has seen the way its waters have been poisoned and diverted, leaving half the world thirsting or drowning. He has turned his boat around, and is now paddling against the current. If he has it his way, the dams are going to break and trillions of dollars will spew back from the reservoirs of the top one percent—back to the masses who keep the system alive with their labors. Moas is the founder and director of research at Standpoint Research. The company currently advises and sells its

SacAlternative November 2014 2014 SacAlternative| | July / August

research to pension funds, hedge funds, day-traders and asset management firms. Moas began his career on Wall Street as an analyst and market strategist at leading NASDAQ market maker, Herzog Heine Geduld. He was responsible for making sector, industry and stock recommendations, identifying arbitrage opportunities, and hedging strategies. During his years at HHG, he demonstrated remarkable accuracy with his market forecasts and stock recommendations. Moas left HHG in late 2000 (before the sale of HHG to Merrill Lynch was finalized) in order to start his own firm—a few months after correctly forecasting the NASDAQ collapse in a timely manner. More recently, Standpoint Research has been ranked the No. 1 firm for accuracy for the six years ending November 15, 2014. He has been featured on CNBC, Fox, Bloomberg TV and others, so taking the time to talk to a relatively small, new publication like SacAlt was very courteous of him. I first heard about Moas from comedian/ activist Lee Camp (whom I interviewed back in March), and was impressed with his courage and moral clarity. He’s taken the stance that we, as people, should

not invest merely based on economic data, but with a moral compass as well. He has downgraded stocks like Apple and Amazon, based on how they treat and pay their workers, and is actively protesting their labor practices. I wanted to learn more about how he has gone from economic analyst to economic activist, and why he feels the capitalist system we are currently living with is so unfair. So, on a rainy November afternoon, he answers the phone, and after a brief introduction, he laughs, “I am probably the first person you have ever interviewed for SacAlt that has never been high, drunk, or buzzed.” He’s right about that, but that’s all good. In this day and age, being straight-edge is more “alt” than not. How did he come to this personal awakening? What left him to start downgrading stocks like Apple and Amazon on moral grounds alone? “I travel a lot,” he explains. “Since 2007, I’ve been in more than fifty countries, on six different continents including Africa, and half of the states in this country. I see the world differently because of that.” And when he travels, he’s not “hiding in

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churches and museums.” He’s out walking an average of ten to fifteen miles a day, seeing the way people live—the unpolished version of the world we live in.

“We have a situation right now where the hundred wealthiest people in the world have more money than the bottom half of the world population. “I see what is going on, and it upsets me and torments me. I don’t know exactly how to go about changing the system that we have here,” Moas says. “What I do know is that it isn’t fair. We have a situation right now where the hundred wealthiest people in the world have more money than the bottom half of the world population. In other words, if you liquidated what those hundred people have and transferred that to the bottom half, you would wipe out a hundred people, while doubling the standard of living for three and half billion people. What does that say about us as a society, where we can give one hundred people the same power as half the world population?” Apple is a company that particularly chaps his hide. “You look at Apple for example. Their market capitalization is seven hundred billion dollars. That is what the shareholders of Apple stock are sitting on right now. And they pay their workers in Asia $3 an hour,” he explains. “It was $2...but when the Asian workers started committing suicide, Apple realized that they had a public relations mess on their hands. Apple has zero tolerance for defects in their phones and tablets and these things they sell you, but when China Labor Watch went into their factories in Asia they found several dozen human rights and labor violations. Apple workers in the United States aren’t treated much better. If I am not mistaken, the workers in Apple stores make (on average) $10 an hour. I don’t know about you, but I could not live on double that.” I can attest, as someone who is not bringing home double that, it isn’t easy. “So you have millionaire, billionaire shareholders sitting on their asses, making hundreds of billions of dollars off the 18

work of these people, who are barely able to survive on what they are paid,” he continues. “I can give you a similar example with Starbucks and the way their bean pickers in Central America are treated ... with CVS, with Amazon, McDonald’s and many others. I don’t even want to talk about Phillip Morris and how many millions of people are killed by the industry they operate in every year. It is just a horrible system. The way I see the world, it is a pyramid, and nearly everything is going to the top of the pyramid. Very little is trickling down, which is what the poor people were always led to believe. The rich people would say just sit tight, and if things go well for us, it is going to trickle down to you.” Ronnie isn’t one to mince words, he concludes with “… and that is bull-shit.” What about the argument that corporations can’t afford to pay people more without raising prices? “You go to get a job at Wal-Mart and you know what they say to you? ‘We would love to pay you more than $9 an hour, but then we wouldn’t be able to keep the prices low for our consumers,’” he opines. “And that is a crock of shit. What they really should be saying is, ‘We would love to pay you a higher wage, but that would eat into the profits of the Walton family, and the millionaire and billionaire shareholders, that are now sitting on $250 billion worth of stock. So it is just one big racket. The poor people, the uneducated people ... not everyone is good with numbers. They may know that the CEO of Starbucks has a net worth of $2 billion dollars, but the average person on the street doesn’t understand that the Starbucks shareholders are sitting on $60 billion dollars’ worth of stock. Where are the bean pickers in all of this? You know the public relations machine at Starbucks says we give our baristas healthcare coverage, tuition reimbursement and more than the minimum wage. Americans are naive, and they say, ‘Wow, they are treating their workers really well, and they even recycle cups. What a great company.’ Why isn’t anyone speaking on behalf of the people picking the coffee beans in Colombia?” Indeed. How can a guy like Moas get his message out when mainstream media in the U.S. is owned by just a handful of corporations that operate under the same capitalist principles as the companies he’s attacking? Additionally, they are relying

on advertising dollars from many of these corporations. I’ve seen some of these interviews, where the hosts will throw out buzz-words like “redistribution of wealth” and “socialism,” in what seems to be an effort to attack and discredit Moas and his message. “Someone who interviews for MSNBC knows who his boss is, so they are going to be on the left. And someone on Fox knows who his boss is, so they are going to be on the right. Even if person at Fox agrees with what I am saying, you are not going to hear them admit that on camera. They might give me a pat on the back off camera, which is what one of the Fox cameramen did to me when I walked off the set, but they are not going to do that openly,” he says. “They know who their audience is. As far as redistribution of wealth goes, we’ve had redistribution of wealth in this country for two hundred years. The problem is it’s going from the poor to the rich! I want to level the playing field, and give the poor people a fair piece of the pie. And they’re calling me communist, or socialist? I don’t put any labels on myself. I know what the truth is and I see what is going on. I see people, these CEOs, sitting on their asses and making millions of dollars a year, yet the janitors that are wiping the CEO’s urine off the toilet seats can’t even live off the paycheck they receive.” But leveling that playing field isn’t a task easily accomplished. “Why is a janitor so much less important or valued than a CEO? Not everybody was born with a genius IQ. Not everybody was born with two parents at home to raise them. And in a good neighborhood with the option to go to University,” Moas says. “You go to Denmark, and see the employees who work at McDonald’s earning $20 an hour and they get six weeks paid vacation. They tell people on the street what they do for a living, and they are proud of what they do! You have millions of people living in this country who are almost ashamed to tell you what they do for a living, because of the stigma that is attached to the people in the services sector. I believe there’s a birth lottery ... nobody gets to pick their parents. You’re born, and either you win the lottery or you don’t win the lottery. If you’re born with a high IQ and two nice parents in a nice neighborhood, you basically are born with a silver spoon in your mouth. But if you’re born with a low IQ in a bad neighborhood, with one parent, no parents SacAlternative | December 2014

around—or abusive parents—you have almost no chance to get out of the services sector and minimum wage. It is almost a death sentence at birth. I think this must change.” I agree with him that the situation for many people today, is just a more polite form of slavery. “It is exactly what it is … slavery without the whips and chains. We may have eliminated slavery in this country, but we continue to taking advantage of people in third world countries, where American companies are paying $2, $3 an hour … in some cases two or $3 a day, to sweat-shop workers and farmers,” he says. “It is nauseating, and it is sickening. You don’t get to the top of the mountain without stepping on people along the way. That is how this country got the top of the mountain, with the GDP per capita as high as it is. All I want to do is take 2 percent of the $17 trillion dollar GDP—that would be $340 billion—and cut a check every year, for $8,500 to the 40,000,000 people lowest paid workers at the bottom.” It’s a bold proposal. One that is unlikely to happen any time soon in the U.S. as long as the mantra of “trickle down” economics still holds weight. When words like “socialism” and “redistribution of wealth” are used to slander people who even suggest that maybe those at the top have enough already, and that we can afford to trim their profits and give it back to the people struggling at the bottom. But we have to start somewhere. Whether we act on something like Moas’ proposal—or something else—one thing is clear; As Jacque Fresco says in Peter Joseph’s documentary, “Zeitgeist II: Addendum,”

“This shit has got to go!” Nobody needs to be a billionaire, but everyone needs food, clothing, shelter, and health care. People who work deserve to be able to live comfortably from their labors; to be able to raise their children and give them a better life then they had. We’ve been entranced by capitalism in this country—the idea that if you just work hard enough, you can be the next Richie Rich. But as Moas points out, not everyone has the same opportunities, or the same abilities. In a society that produces as much wealth and resources as we have, there is an obligation to take care of those at the bottom and give them a chance. Many people, manipulated by corporate media outlets like Fox News, get infuriated at the idea of handouts, at those who take advantage of the system. What they don’t get is that this is a system that produces massive poverty, inequality and crime. They aren’t seeing the way that the system is rigged and in effect giving massive handouts to the people at the top for manipulating currencies; creating debt; controlling resources; creating and taking advantage of tax loopholes; and engaging in unfair international labor practices. All of this has made it easy for the rich to get richer and nearly impossible for the poorest in the world to get out of poverty. According to Pew Research (www. pewsocialtrends.org), from the end of the recession in 2009 through 2011 (the last year for which Census Bureau wealth data are available), the 8 million households in the U.S. with a net worth above $836,033 saw their aggregate wealth rise by an estimated $5.6 trillion, while the 111 million households with a net worth at or below

that level saw their aggregate wealth decline by an estimated $0.6 trillion. If we factor in what the economic recovery since 2011—and also the stock market and real estate market— has done since that, the figure is closer to $10 trillion. There has been a lot of talk about a living wage in this country, and many are proposing to raise the minimum wage. The point Moas makes is that many small businesses truly can’t afford to pay their workers more. A minimum wage of $15 an hour would cause many of them to cut staff or go out of business. Big corporations such as WalMart, Amazon and Apple can afford it, but good luck trying to pass a minimum wage just for big companies. With his proposal, lower income workers would simply get an economic boost to improve their standard of living. The money would come from the top … from those that have more than they could possibly ever need. To those who say we don’t have enough money, or say that we shouldn’t punish job-creators and pay a stipend to the less fortunate, that simply is not true. There are many ways to make it work. The money is there. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “We have enough to satisfy everyone’s needs, but not enough to satisfy everyone’s greed.” To learn more about Ronnie Moas, visit his new website www.philanthropyandphilosophy.com and share the link with your friends and family on social media. If you are looking for some great charities to contribute to this holiday season, Moas provides links and information to dozens of charities worldwide that he has personally vetted.

SacAlternative | December 2014

ALTGEEK Dragon Age: Inquisition The Epic We’ve Been Waiting For by missfitz

Dragon Age: Inquisition is an excellent demonstration of the reasons why I love gaming. While any game’s enjoyment factor is subjective territory, if you have enjoyed playing any previous Bioware game (KOTOR, Mass Effect, previous Dragon Age

While the game certainly does not babysit you and expects you to know a good amount of Dragon Age lore, any experienced RPG gamer will be familiar with standard fantasy motifs that pop up throughout the narrative.

games) then stop reading this right now and go pick up a copy. Seriously. You will not be disappointed. For those of you less than convinced by mere mention of the developer and a seal of approval from a certified Bioware fangirl, let’s take a look at this year’s standout game.

Narrative In Dragon Age: Inquisition, you play as either a female or male (your choice!) hero, known later in the game as The Inquisitor. You begin your journey in Thedas, under suspicion of the church and state immediately following a chaotic event that has caused a massive breach in the sky to be formed. 22

The standard archetypes of fantasy fiction are present, but they do not make the story boring and predictable. Dragon Age’s strong suit has always been toying with the fantasy meta through character development and player interaction with those characters. The progression of your character’s story boils down to good versus evil in its finest and most epic form. The main narrative will have you occupied for somewhere around 40-50 hours, assuming you take your time. While a faster play-through is certainly possible, due to the various interesting side quests and missions that add to the already hearty story, it is hard to foresee a player wanting to rush the experience. The lengthy play

time hints at the scope of Inquisition. You will never find yourself regretting the premium price a new release brings or thinking, “Wait, that’s it?” The world is absolutely massive and the objectives are numerous. At times, I did find myself lost as to what to do next due to losing track of my objectives on side quests. However, I was always able to find my way back—often more knowledgeable on Dragon Age lore from the detour.

Characters/Dialogue/ Voice Acting Bioware has always been known for their ability to humanize the characters within their games. Fans will discuss character dialogues and relationships more than any other aspect of Inquisition, and rightly so. It certainly is where this game shines. The writers and voice actors have seemingly worked in such harmony as to bring each character you meet within Thedas to life. SacAlternative | December 2014

The cast is lined with some of the most famous and recognizable voice actors across gaming with a few fresh voices sprinkled in. There will be characters that you love and characters that you hate due to differing ideologies. It is that dynamic fluctuation of relationships that will keep you returning to the game.

Player Choice Another key feature of a Bioware title is the ability for players to make various choices throughout the game that affect the overall outcome. Think of a highly advanced choose your own adventure story. The choices are consistently present in dialogue scenes and will typically also play into major narrative climaxes. You can choose to be the perfect example of an honorable hero, or maybe a ruthless warrior-type leader instead. The behavior of your Inquisitor will not only affect the outcome of the game, but also the Inquisitor’s relationships with her/his companions.

Gameplay/Mechanics While combat is extremely pretty thanks to the cool design of character abilities, the mechanics are definitely a shortcoming of an otherwise next level experience. I played Inquisition on PC, but it was obviously optimized for consoles. The interface and the way a player must juggle awkward keyboard and mouse controls in combat is where the lack of optimization is most apparent. They could have looked to some of the most popular MMO RPGs for key-bindings to make the experience more comfortable to PC gamers. While it was never game-breakingly frustrating, I can imagine the combat being much more practical on a Playstation4 or Xbox One. I did not experience many bugs throughout my play time, but I have seen a number of posts online regarding some issues. Most reported bugs seem to be easily fixed and possibly dependent upon what you’re running the game on.

Overall I mentioned before that if you loved previous Bioware games this would be no different. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it will be hard for you to not fall in love with Thedas and its quirky cast of characters. However, narrative and character interaction is the strong suit of SacAlternative | December 2014

not only this franchise, but the RPG genre in general. If you do not enjoy those things and prefer less story and more combat, then this may not be the game for you. Regardless, the scope of Inquisition makes this the RPG standard for next gen games. I wrote about Inquisition a few months back in an article discussing LGBT presence in gaming, and I was excited to see not only a handful of extremely well-written and acted LGBT characters come to life, but also touches throughout the narrative that imply a world with complex sexuality. There are points where you will come across areas of Thedas that are not exactly accepting of same sex relationships, but those places are sparse and within most environments we experience a world that is completely un-phased if you choose to roll a male Inquisitor who happens to fall in love with his handsome mage companion. I have read some criticism of the game having an obvious agenda of homosexuality acceptance, but for one of the first times in gaming—as a LGBT gamerùI felt at home. I am grateful Bioware is choosing to promote this “agenda,” especially to the gaming community, which is known for its aggressive and often offensive rhetoric towards women, minorities, and LGBT issues and gamers.

Geek Gift Guide As the holiday rapidly approaches there may be that geek in your life that you’re absolutely stumped on what to get. Have no fear! I’m here to rescue you from the embarrassment of getting your geek something they won’t appreciate.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving Monthly subscription packages have become increasingly popular due to the wide variety of individuals they now cater to, and geekery is no different. There are two major monthly subscription boxes that

the geek in your life will adore. Try purchasing a three month or even a yearly subscription and watch your Geek enjoy packages of nerdy delights every month. Lootcrate: www.lootcrate.com/ ($13.37/mo) Nerdblock: www.nerdblock.com ($13.99/mo)

It’s Like a Hug… From Batman T-shirts, hoodies, pajamas: the types of apparel offered with popular nerd icons are endless and are safe gifts for the geek—or even quasi-geek—in your life. If you can identify your geek’s favorite comic book hero, show, or movie, you’re pretty much set. Plug those terms into Amazon and watch the nerd merch roll in. Just make sure you doublecheck that your order isn’t shipping from overseas, as most of those will not make it in time for the holidays. Amazon: T-shirts, mugs, hoodies, etc ($11-$50)

Big Spender? If you’re not exactly on a tight budget or have been saving for a while to make this the year you get your adored geek something special, it might be the perfect time to bring a brand new console home. The latest renditions of Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo have a lot to offer for home entertainment beyond gaming, but it can be tricky to identify which console your geek would prefer. Do as much research as you possibly can without spoiling the surprise, as a console is the Hail Mary of geek gifts. You will either have a very excited nerd spilling constant adoration over you for going so over-the-top to get them something so awesome, OR you will have performed a misplay and got them the opposite console of which they wanted. Playstation4: standard ($399), bundles ($400+) Xbox One: standard ($394), bundles ($350+) Wii U: standard ($362), bundles ($370+) 23

CANNABIS COMMUNITYCORNER All I Want for Christmas is an End to the Drug War by Ron Mullins

As 2014 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on what has been achieved in our cannabis community locally, statewide and nationally this year. Compared to past elections, this one has seen more progress toward sensible cannabis policy than any since the plant’s criminalization over 35 national election cycles ago. I think we’ve seen an epic sea of change in public opinion: The wind is at our backs as we see more and more states turn to full legalization, decriminalization of medical marijuana. With the legalization of hemp in Kentucky, even the industrial hemp industry has been embraced, a correction of a heinous policy that has hurt this country’s prosperity for more than two generations. And California, with the caveat that it will not go into effect until federal legalization, appears to be moving toward that end as well, too. Let’s starts with a rescheduling of marijuana. This summer we saw the DEA send a request that the FDA conduct an investigation into the validity of marijuana as a Schedule I drug—a classification treating it as dangerous as heroin. In a kind of one-two punch, the California Western District Federal Court decided to allow hearings to the validity of marijuana as a Schedule I substance. This was an unprecedented event where the legal record was open to discussion about marijuana as a medicine. Renowned doctors like Kevin Hart, Dr. Denny— along with cannabis community icons like Chris Conrad—testified in court about the medical efficacy of cannabis. 24

The prosecution only produced one “doctor” (an MD who clearly showed bias, but at one point admitted marijuana had some medical value), as did the federal prosecutor, who accidentally acknowledged marijuana as medicine during his questioning of Dr. Denny. I hope that Santa will bring us a favorable verdict from U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, which—while not actually rescheduling the drug—will allow medical patients to defend themselves in federal court. The right precedent could pull the carpet out from underneath the federal prosecutors’ common attack strategy of keeping marijuana as a Schedule I drug, which categorizes it as having no medical virtue and labeled as harmful and addictive. Meanwhile, California voters passed Proposition 47—the prop reduces many non-violent drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. As we speak, felony cases which involve medical cannabis dispensers, growers and doctors are being reduced to misdemeanors. Prisoners who are non-violent offenders are already being released from prison. If you have been charged with felony possession of marijuana and there was

no incident of violence or resisting arrest involved, contact your lawyer or the prosecutor to see if your case qualifies— wouldn’t that be a holiday miracle? Meanwhile, President Obama has announced his nominee for attorney general, Loretta Lynch—the single person who has the most impact on the drug war itself. Who knows how she will act towards medical cannabis on a federal level in comparison to Eric Holder, who has been very slowly and ineffectively chipping away at the drug war, with promises to change mandatory sentencing minimums and banking laws so canna-businesses can have bank accounts. It is my thinking that having appointed someone who’s not considered his “personal friend” or an “insider,” paves the way for ideas that may be unpopular with the Republicans, such as legalization, or at least the decriminalization of marijuana to get passed. Hopefully, Santa will bring us an attorney general who can deliver on ending this war on the American people. Generally, we’ve seen a favorable shift in voters’ attitudes towards cannabis and cannabis users in this latest round of elections. I’ve met at least 10 politicians— SacAlternative | December 2014

from City Council hopefuls to people running for election in the state senate and assembly— who have reached out to us to make political promises and try to gain our vote. For better or for worse, I think it’s better than being ignored. Ron Gold, the Republican candidate for California attorney general, went so far as to file a petition calling for the release of Dr. Marion “Mollie” Fry (imprisoned for cannabis crimes). I suspect it was a ploy to grab headlines to boost his campaign, but he managed to get quite a few people to vote for him. No doubt we’ll be seeing more of this kind of political pandering to us as a focus group, which may or may not translate to a seat at the table where the big decisions are made. Finally, we have three new legalization measures that passed in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, DC. While the new Republican majority has promised to interfere with the Washington, DC, law, it is still great that right in our nation’s capital people believe in medical

marijuana. I believe this change will show a shift—who knows, maybe some of the senators will start using it for some of their conditions and change their minds with regard to its place in the medicine cabinet. Because the truth is that these politicians may be bought and sold, but they are human; marijuana’s efficacy is real, and when they learn it and see it with their own eyes perhaps we’ll see real change. I’m asking Santa to help them see the light! Just like in any civil rights movement, there will still be many battles to fight even after nationwide legalization. For instance, some places still treat cannabis as though it was as mind altering as alcohol, with measures being taken to prevent people who smoke marijuana regularly from being able to drive legally. This kind of “fine, go ahead and have your marijuana (but it’s still evil)” attitude could bleed over into all kinds of discrimination in colleges, hospitals and other environments. As people become bolder

about coming out of the closet, they will find that there are still ways that cannabis people are going to be marginalized by haters. The good news is there are several groups fighting against laws like SB 1262, which would have essentially dismantled medical marijuana as we know it last year. Our radical nature and independent ways will always come through in the end. As we keep up the fight for legal marijuana, without having to give away our civil rights by being entered into a tracking database. So, what I want Santa to bring us all is Cannabis Peace, Drug Peace! No one should go to jail because of a plant.

2-for-1 Tuesdays! 2-for-1 admission and 2-for-1 VIP dances Retro Wednesday! Hiring Entertainers! Call for more info!

SacAlternative | December 2014

ALT&ABOUT Sacramentoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guy Fawkes Day by Ron Mullins

SacAlternative | December 2014

Earwax, beeswax, candle wax, car wax, or—SacAlt readers’ favorite—marijuana wax. But there is growing popularity in a different type of wax: vinyl records.

Words and Photos by Floyd Barber

SacAlternative | December 2014

We are currently in the midst of a vinyl revival. In 2013, 6 million vinyl records were sold—a 22-year high. Granted, that is still only about two percent of the market share, but vinyl sales don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. So, why is it that a seemingly dead format has come back to life when digital distribution should be leading the music front? We checked in with Dal Basi, owner of Phono Select Records, to see if he had some insight into the record collecting craze. “See, I think that’s a falsehood. I think records had nowhere to go but up,” Basi explains. “It’s not just that more people are buying records—it’s just that more records are coming out than ever before. Everything’s available on vinyl now. More kids are buying records—but not in any great numbers.” Yes, the numbers are small. But they have grown considerably each year since 2008, after being relatively level for some time. Perhaps it is just a coincidence, but that year also marks the first year for Record Store Day—a day set aside to celebrate the culture of independent music stores— which features dozens of limited releases by many artists. Basi doesn’t buy into the hype of RSD. “I think it’s good for some shops—it’s not good for others,” he explains. “The biggest problem with Record Store Day is it’s just become a flippers—a resellers— [event].” It’s just not made to be for the SacAlternative | December 2014

passionate collector, as—according to Dal—some of the releases are just too limited and the content they decide to release is somewhat suspect. Let’s leave the debate of whether or not the music that is put out on RSD is up to snuff to the guys that buy the stuff. Instead, Basi gives up the goods on the record collecting scene in Sactown. “Sac’s always had a revolving door of good stores—cool stores. I think right now is a really good high point as far as buying used vinyl in Sac,” Basi says. “There will be nine stores in town come January. When does that happen here? That’s been a long time since that’s happened.” Well, the fact that there will be that many stores vending vinyl in town, it appears that the scene is alive and kicking here. But what about the folks that are new to this hobby? Lots of kids out there didn’t grow up with a choice between 8-track and vinyl. It was mp3 or CD for them. Where do they start? What are the essential cuts to own? “I tell people there are no must-haves,” Dal divulges. “I always tell people it’s not about quantity…it’s about quality. You know what a good record collection is? A record collection that makes you happy. That record collection that you find yourself going back to, and putting on records, and laying on the ground and going ‘fuck, this still sounds good.’”

“My advice is always invest in some decent equipment. Your experience is only as good as your equipment,” Dal dishes. “Now, if you buy two [records] a month, that’s $600 by the end of the year. So, you’re going to spend $600 on records, but you’re going to spend only $100 on your turntable? That—that makes no sense. Your records will last you a lifetime if you take care of them. And the place it starts with is decent equipment.” So, whether you buy into the hype of Record Store Day or prefer to not spend one Saturday a year tussling with a bunch of beard-laden hipsters over the latest Jack White release, one thing is clear: records are here to stay. That is, at least until the cassettes take over.

Some Cool Shops to Check Out Phono Select 4370 24th St., Unit O Sacramento, CA 95822 www.phonoselect.com Delta Breeze Records 1049 Jefferson Blvd., #110 West Sacramento, CA 95691 Sub-Versions Records and Skate Shop 2648 33rd St. Sacramento, CA 95817 29

SacAlternative | December 2014

We make your business look as good as that chick from Saturday night after 5 shots of Jack. sacramento / minneapolis graphic design, printing, and creative solutions with bite whiskeyandsour.com / info@whiskeyandsour.com

SacAlternative | December 2014

ALTNEWS

Attack on the Homeless by Josh Burke

At one point, we considered running a monthly column called

do with it. It’s easier to live outdoors in a natural paradise. For my

“Asshole of the Month.” If we had, Rep. Tom Brower of Hawaii,

part, I used to ponder that if I were to ever find myself homeless,

a Democrat, would certainly qualify with his less-than-stellar

I’d save up enough panhandling to buy a one way plane ticket

policies with regard to those living on the streets. According to

to the Big Island and make the best of it. Perhaps others had a

the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Hawaii

similar thought. But the more pressing question is: what to do

has the nation’s largest per capita homelessness rate, at 455

about it?

per 100,000, with a total homeless population of 6,355—2,980 of which are classified as “persons in families,” 558 are veterans, and 1,031 are considered “chronically homeless.” By way of comparison, California has a rate of 360 per 100,000.

Enter Brower onto the scene. Rather than searching for ways to help people get off the streets and beaches—and into housing— he has taken the approach of intimidating the homeless population and destroying their property. Recently, he was

The reasons for the increased rate in Hawaii aren’t 100 percent

featured on KGMB Hawaii News Now in a piece that described

clear, but one can surmise the weather might have something to

his efforts as a “one man crusade,” as if he were actually on

SacAlternative | December 2014

some righteous course of action, taking a sledgehammer to random shopping carts. The graphic on screen actually says “Hammer Time.” Sure, that’s going to solve the problem! First of all, those shopping carts belong to the retailers they were originally “borrowed” from. So, in my opinion, not only is this self-righteous jerk pointlessly destroying the only means these downtrodden people have of getting their belongings to and fro, he’s actually committing vandalism. He claims that he was “tired of telling people I’m trying to pass laws, I want to do something practical that will really clean up the streets.” Yes, Tom, going around smashing things is really cleaning things up! Yo, go buddy! He knocks in the tires, so the carts can’t be pushed, and then leaves them there. This kind of vigilante action against the homeless seems to be part of a larger national attitude towards homelessness. No one wants to deal with the root causes, or put up the budget to get people indoors. They’d rather just scare them off and criminalize being out on the street. In fact, Hawaii has budgeted $100,000 to buy one-way plane tickets for homeless people to send them out of the state. There. Good riddance. Not our problem anymore! Meanwhile, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a 90-year-old man has been arrested for the third time for feeding homeless people. The city’s ban on “public food sharing” went into effect on October 22. According to a WSVN TV report, Arnold Abbott is the founder of a homeless feeding group, Love Thy Neighbor, and has been feeding the homeless on Ft. Lauderdale beach since 1991. This, in the eyes of the city, is a problem. Apparently, they just want him to go do it somewhere else, out of the public eye, away from their precious beach—jerks! Here in Sacramento, the homelessness problem and the city’s approach to dealing with it has been so bad that it’s made national news—even drawing the attention of the United Nations. According to an article on SacramentoPress.com SacAlternative | December 2014

in February 2012, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson was warned in a fourpage memo dated January 23, 2012, by Catarina de Albuquerque, the special rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation for the

“…the city has approved hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to build a new sports arena, and the homelessness problem remains unsolved.” United Nations human rights council, that the current policy of evicting the homeless from their “tent cities” and denying the homeless with safe access to clean water is, in effect, prohibited discrimination based on their economic and social status. The Huffington Post went on to publish a scathing article on the issue later that month. Since then, the city has approved hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to build a new sports arena, and the homelessness problem remains unsolved. Basically, no one gives a shit. In the mid-aughts, from about 2004 to 2007, I worked weekends all over the state doing promotions for retail liquidations, stores going out of business, car dealerships, among other entities, wherein we would place signs advertising the sale throughout the city (illegally— we called this guerrilla marketing for a reason), and hire people from the local homeless shelters to waive signs on the street corners. We paid cash, the work was easy, and there were never any shortage of volunteers. I learned a bit about the nature of the homeless problem in those days. Most of the guys I’d hire (and they were mostly men, but there were some women), were decent people who’d made some mistakes—maybe had a drug or gambling or alcohol problem—and were trying to get back on their feet in some way. They were dressed decently, polite, and intelligent. And in Sacramento, the best place to find them was at the Volunteers of America center off of Richards Boulevard.

According to the VOA website, “Volunteers of America is the charity that always steps forward to help the most vulnerable. For over 118 years, we have taken on the most difficult tasks to help the most under-served.” The local chapter’s services include food and shelter, counseling, independent living and parenting skills, substance-abuse treatment and rehabilitation, and job development. You can learn more about the VOA and donate at: www.voa-ncnn.org. We would avoid the more seriously afflicted and mentally ill persons: These are the folks that frankly just don’t even have it together enough to hold a sign for five hours. You’ll see them wandering the streets arguing and screaming at someone who isn’t there, sleeping in a bush, and possibly smelling of urine. These are the people that need the most help, and are the hardest to help. Sacramento Loaves & Fishes is perhaps the most renowned charity that deals with the most downtrodden members of society. And this time of year, they can certainly use your help. You can learn more and donate by going to: www.sacloaves.org. It is said that the measure of a people’s evolution is how it treats the least among them. It’s a tough problem to face. It is hard for the average person to understand how some of these people end up the way they are. But ignoring the problem, criminalizing it, judging and condemning what we cannot understand, and trying to push these people out of sight and out of mind says a great deal about us as a society. Who are we when we spend billions paying athletes and CEOs, and let others wallow in squalor? We spend trillions on weapons and war, yet throw away enough food daily to feed half the world. This winter, SacAlt encourages you to donate food, clothing, or money if you can to any of the numerous local charities dedicated to helping the homeless here in Sacramento. And if you’re so inclined, you can contact Brower and tell him how you feel about his sledgehammer tactics at 808.586.8520, or repbrower@capitol. hawaii.gov.

SacAlternative | December 2014

ALTSPORTS

Skating Sacramento Concrete Parks with Rob Mason Words by Emile G. Janicot, Photos by Richard Deluxe

Rob Mason is a Yugoslavian skate beast. Having grown up in Fresno, California, during the era of the empty pool skate sessions, Rob has skated more concrete pools and parks than most people ever dream of. His natural abilitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;both on and off his boardâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;have made him a true gentleman about town. By day he is a mild-mannered skateboarder who travels all over the West Coast. By night you can find him slinging cocktails at The Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar in Midtown, where his skills behind the bar won him third place in the citywide Craft Cocktail Competition.

SacAlternative | December 2014

His mastery of the kick-push has attracted the interest of several national sponsors and he has been featured in Thrasher, Lowcard, and Transworld Skateboard magazines. But he’s not just a poster boy for skate magazines: The shots of him in Blood Wizard and Lurk Hard skate videos show his prowess on the board and he is currently filming for the new PLA video. Check him out after we take you on a tour of Sacramento’s skate parks. You’ll see he definitely rips up the concrete of Sacramento. The first stop on the tour: Granite Skate Park. One of the largest skate parks in California, it is a twisted conglomerate of bowls, street obstacles, and pools. The crown jewel of Sacramento’s parks boasts a 12-foot deep “egg” pool, as well as a three-quarter over vert full pipe bowl that are both very challenging, even for pro skaters. There are three other combination flow bowls that have transitions ranging from 3 to 10 feet. On any given day, you can find a pack of local skaters pushing themselves to the

SacAlternative | December 2014

limit and trying to grind and air out of these amazing concrete pools. The park is free and has lights until 10 p.m. every night. The vibe is real and the skating here is unparalleled. The park is located in the Granite Regional Park off Power Inn Road. Next up is Tanzanite Skate Park, just south of the airport in Natomas. This park has three excellent flow bowls that are suited for every level of skater. The smooth transitions and steel coping make these bowls really fun to ride. The park is typically empty—except a few local kids who live in the area—and has really nice amenities, including clean restrooms and grassy areas to chill. The big bowl is 10 feet deep with perfect hips that align the rider to easily hit the coping on every run. The park also has a small street obstacle area that is great for kids. The park is free, but is only open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Meet the new kid on the block: McClatchy Skate Park. It’s brand new— only three months old—and is located within the city park at 33rd and Montgomery Streets

in Sacramento. This is a small concrete park with quarter pipes, ledges, and a roundabout track that encircles the park. There are LOTS of kids here every day, and the vibe is wild. The local kids just go for it and fly out everywhere, no matter who is in the way. There is no bowl at this park, but the skating is still excellent. The park is free and has nice benches, a drinking fountain, and is open from sunrise to sunset. Sacramento also has an abundance of natural swimming pools that have been drained for skating. These pools are kept secret within the ranks of the skaters who ride them, but with the drought in California in full effect there are many pools out there that are ready to ride—if you have the skills to find one. There are also several skate-designed pools that are privately owned around the Sacramento area—if you are lucky enough to get invited to one.

SacAlternative | December 2014

ALTDIRECTORY

Dispensaries and Evaluations 420 Med Evaluations 2015 Q Street Sacramento, CA 95811 916.476.6142 A Therapeutic Alternative 3015 H Street Sacramento, CA 95816 916.822.4717 Abatin Wellness 2100 29th Street Sacramento, CA, 95817 916.822.5699 www.abatinsacramento.com info@abatinsacramento.com Canna Care 320 Harris Ave., Suite G Sacramento, CA 95838 916.925.1199 www.cannacare.net CC101 6435 Florin Perkins Rd. Sacramento, CA 95828 916.387.6233 www.cc101sac.com Cloud 9 5711 Florin Perkins Rd. Sacramento, CA 95828 916.387.8605 Doctor’s Orders 1704 Main Avenue Sacramento, CA 95838 916.564.2112 www.DoctorsOrdersRX.com

Florin Wellness Center 7047 Land Park Drive Sacramento, CA 95831 916.706.0563 www.florin-wellness-center.com

420 MD 2100 Watt Ave, Unit 190 Sacramento, CA 95825 916.480.9000 www.420MD.org

Golden Health and Wellness 1030 Joellis Way Sacramento, CA 95815 916.646.6340

Take Care 420 721 N. B Street Sacramento, CA 95811 916.572.5215

Green Solutions 1404 28th St. Sacramento, CA 916.469.9182 www.greensolutionssac.com

THC 6666 Fruitridge Rd. Sacramento, CA 95820 916.476.4431 www.916thc.com

Horizon Non-Profit Collective 3600 Power Inn Rd. Sacramento, CA 95826 916.455.1931

Two Rivers Wellness 315 North 10th Street Sacramento, CA 95811 916.804.8975 www.tworiverssac.com

House of Organics 8848 Fruitridge Rd. Sacramento, CA 95826 916-381-3769 sachouseoforganics.com

Valley Health Options 1421 Auburn Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95815 916.779.0715

Mendos Meds Deliveries Only 916-800-4204 RCP 1508 East El Camino Avenue Sacramento, CA 95815 916.925.5696 www.RCPSacramento.org

Smoke Shops Blow ‘n’ Tell 4552 Auburn Blvd. Sacramento, CA 916.485.5205

Jacob’s Smoke Shop 2017 I Street Sacramento, CA 95811 916.440.0331

Illusion Smoke Shop 5514 Pacific St., Suite 160 Rocklin, CA 916.415.1750

1914 Fulton Ave. Sacramento, CA 95825 916.485.5205

Smoke City 6745 Watt Ave., Ste. B North Highlands, CA 95660 916.334.2067 www.smokecityshop.com

4809 Laguna Blvd. Elk Grove, CA 916.395.8610

Habits Cigars and Smoke Shop 8391 Folsom Blvd., Ste. #7 Sacramento, CA 95826 916.383.1185

Not in the directory?

Send an email to SacAlt at info@sacalternative.com to get listed. SacAlternative | December 2014

SacAlternative | December 2014