The New Smoker Magazine issue No.2

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Issue No.2 July 2014

Editor-in-Chief S.G. Clarke Managing Editor S.G. Clarke & Design Director Art Directors SJ George Ram Folger Executive Editors S.G. Clarke SJ George Contributors Daniel Freedman Dan Morison Soren Gray Clark Greene Frank Lauria Matthew Mullins Rocco DeLuca Guy Jing Gibbs Chef Tiffany Friedman Christopher Pappas Dennis Gubbins Dusty Rollblaze Lawrence Snelly Laramie Garcia

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All contents © 2014 The New Smoker. The New Smoker has nothing to do with tobacco or any of it’s related products. The New Smoker magazine is published and distributed by issuu.com. The New Smoker does not condone or endorse any illegal use of any products or services advertised herein. All materials are for educational purposes only. The New Smoker recommends consulting an attorney before considering any business decision or venture. We take no responsibility for the actions of our readers. A number of characters and images appearing in this magazine are parody, satirical or fictitious. Any resemblance to any persons, living, created, or dead, is purely coincidental.

ISSUE #2. CONTENTS: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS Gay Marriage meets Marijuana Legalization.

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THE KITCHEN

A Cannabis Coffee Table Book Review

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GLITCHES

A Fiction of Truth: Part II.

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HIGH ART Highlighting Three Talented Artists.

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KICKING BACK WITH KEROUAC Frank Lauria’s Beatnik Adventures.

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CESCORA A Graphic Comic Short to Get Lost In.

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ALL THE LEFT TURNS.....

A Conversation with Writer/ Director Jacob Estes.

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THE HIGH SCALE A Guide on How Best to Get High.

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NOTES FROM THE ROAD Musician Rocco DeLuca gives an Honest Look into Touring.

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NO TALKING IN TOKYO An Inside Report From Behind The Rice Curtain

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POSTCARDS FROM THE HERBAL EDGE Quick Facts on Weed Around the World.

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CHEF TIFF’S RECIPES Delicious personal recipes from Chef Tiffany Friedman.

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KUSH EXPO 2014 A Review of the 2014 Kush Expo in L.A.

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THOMAS, YOU WERE THERE. Time Trapped Trickery: Chapter 2

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CANNATHERAPY Cannabis: Use With Intention.

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STO - FO 72.

How to Get High and Get On Top of Your Game.

A DAY IN THE LIFE... ...of a Delivery Driver.

And More....

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Notes from a New Smoker Welcome to the second issue of The New Smoker magazine.

“Buds not Bombs “

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e used to say “take a chill pill” to someone when they were uptight or stressed out.

But these days we are more likely to say “take a hit” and pass them some really relaxing indica. Especially with all the pharmaceutical related deaths on the rise, more and more people are turning to the healthiest and safest alternative to self medicating, Cannabis.

But it’s long been known by health officials, hospitals and AA meetings that alcohol IS a drug, and one of the more dangerous ones at that. Truth be told, it would be much more correct to say: “Drugs AND Cannabis”, for the simple reason those other drugs kill, cannabis does not.

be enough, but there’s so much more.

Marijuana allows for interest in the ‘casual things’. Not a drowning or forgetting of sorrows, but an alternate take on the day’s events. An expanded ability to absorb new and different information. A way to re-see the world.

Marijuana doesn’t remove us from the world, it opens us to it.

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his is not to say we should rid ourselves of alcohol because of its danger. Just the opposite. We tried ven alcohol doesn’t have the cathat and saw how prohibited alcohol sual place in our collective minds was even more dangerous than legal like it used to. Few people approve booze. There should be no difference these days of someone having a 3 mar- therefore in the treatment of cannatini lunch break from work, much less bis. Lift the prohibition, it is long over a beer for breakfast. And someone due, for so many reasons. As with sitting alone drinking a bottle of wine booze, so with bud. As with wine, so seems to conjure up more of a sad with weed. Easy. image these days, than someone home ome would argue we shouldn’t after work smoking a joint on the have any more drugs legalized. couch watching their favorite show.

Well I argue if there is to be only one or many years it was marijuadrug to be legalized as the nation’s na that was lumped in with the allowed vice, then let it be the least bad drugs. Alcohol was spared from harmful one. Cannabis. immediate association with these annabis is different than other three simple words: “Drugs AND drugs. That it doesn’t kill should Alcohol” like it’s something separate.

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rue, it’s not meant for everyone.

Some people don’t like to let go.

Some people go too far. Some people need to stay in control, to hold on tight to what they think is the bedrock to their personal perception of this world. They aren’t comfortable when shown everything isn’t what they think it is... it’s so much more.

o, marijuana isn’t meant for everyone, but it is meant for us...

THE NEW SMOKERS.

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-S.G. Clarke

EDITOR- IN-CHIEF

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The Pursuit Of Happiness Gay Marriage, Marijuana Legalization, And The Fight For Personal Freedoms

By Matthew Mullins

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n the United States, there are two social issues that are considered human and social rights issues that everyone seems to want to rectify, regardless of whether they support or continue to deny. Marijuana legalization is a subject that has been popping up ever since medical marijuana has popped into the picture, and oddly enough, gay marriage is the common comparable item to marijuana legalization. It seems a stretch but the similarities are bafflingly synchronized.

This began when Colorado legalized both gay marriage and marijuana on the same day. A woman made famous by one statement, Katie Stephens, pushed back at the anti-gay world by saying, “It all makes sense now: Gay marriage legalized on the same day as marijuana makes perfect biblical sense. Leviticus 20:13 “A man who lays with another man should be stoned”. Our interpretation has just been wrong for all these years.”

A current study, dubbed, “With Pot as With Gay Marriage, Familiarity Breeds Tolerance” author. Jacob Sullum compares the issues and finds that tolerance is the goal that ties them together largely in the political and social specters.

Sullum states, “Just as an individual’s attitude toward gay people depends to a large extent on how many he knows (or, more to the point, realizes he knows), his attitude toward pot smokers (in particular, his opinion about whether they should be treated like criminals) is apt to be influenced by his first hand experience with them. It is therefore not surprising that generational differences in opinions about marijuana legalization reflect generational differences in marijuana use. According to the 2011 National Survey

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on Drug Use and Health, most Americans between the ages of 12 and 60 have tried marijuana, while most Americans in their 60s or older have not. The highest rates of lifetime use (around 57 percent) are among people currently in their late 20s, late 40s, and early 50s, while recent use is most common among Americans of college age, about a third of whom admitted smoking pot in the previous year. People 65 and older have the lowest rates of lifetime and past-year use (12 percent and 1 percent, respectively). People younger than that, even if they have never smoked pot, probably know people who have, and that kind of personal experience provides an important reality check on the government’s anti-pot propaganda.”

The number of supporters of pot legalization has risen, and a majority of Americans favor legalizing.

A national survey finds that 52% say that the use of marijuana should be made legal while 45% say it should not.

A survey by the Pew Research Center was collected from 1,501 adults, and finds that young people are the most supportive of marijuana legalization. Fully 65% of Millennials –born since 1980 and now between 18 and 32 – favor legalizing the use of marijuana, up from just 36% in 2008. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form.

Political analyst, Edward Longwell, thinks deeply on the issues, “Comparing ‘gay’ with “abortion’ numbers might be a good starting point considering getting the rights to participate in terms of votes, but it comes up short in potential number of voters, All of the negative consequences of “marijuana” stem directly from its illegality. It is utterly preposterous to continue the prohibition of cannabis, with its outrageous costs to citizens who are forced to pay for the imprisonment of

non-violent offenders of laws that are nonsensical.

This financial vortex consumes money that could and should be put into education or health care, enriching the lives of people instead of tearing them apart. Legalize and utilize, educate and regulate.”

So far, only Colorado and Washington state legalized marijuana for recreational use, while many other states permit medical marijuana. Most recently, Maryland lawmakers approved bills making medical marijuana accessible to patients and decriminalizing possession of limited amounts of the drug. Illinois legalized medical marijuana with a law establishing a new program set to be established in January 2015.

In many states, criminal penalties have been eliminated for small amounts of marijuana.

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ow with the second issue, gay marriage, Jacob Sullum has more insight with why gay marriage has a connection to pot legalization, and most of it is pushed by political party affiliation.

percent), to say marijuana is not safer than alcohol (58 percent vs. 29 percent), and to favor federal interference with state legalization (46 percent vs.

26 percent).

Those numbers suggest at least some Republicans put federalism ahead of their anti-pot prejudices, although not as many as a consistent constitutionalist would like. The same poll suggests that Democrats overwhelmingly favor states’ rights (by a factor of more than two to one) on this one issue where they happen to like the policy outcome. Republicans look more principled in the CBS News poll, where 65 percent of them said states should determine whether marijuana is legal within their borders, compared to 55 percent of Democrats, even though Democrats were more likely to say pot should be legal (51

percent vs. 27 percent).

Since 1990 it has been reported that 20.5 million people have used marijuana in an average year.

From 1990 to 2005 annual usage was at its greatest

there is further evidence that support for gay marriage has solidified above the majority level, after gay marriage proponents’ 14th legal victory in a row.

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n the past, gay marriage was not widely accepted, just as marijuana legalization was unpopular. When Gallup asked Americans questions about same-sex marriage in 1996, 68% were opposed to recognizing any reported level in 2002 at marriage between two 25.9 million and its low- men or two women, with est level in 17.4 million in a tiny more than a quarter 1992. supporting it (27%).”

“Just as one’s attitude toward gay people depends... on how many he knows, his attitude toward pot smokers is... influenced by firsthand experience with them.”

Two successive Gallop polls saw support of gay marriage grow from 53% to 54% in 2013. This is an indication of a steady but slight growth in acceptance of gay marriages over the past year after a more rapid increase between 2009 and 2011. In the latest May 8-11 poll,

Another study created by Brookings Institution’s E.J. Dionne, Jr. and William A Galston, dubbed “The New Politics of Marijuana Legalization,” has created an infographic (seen below) and had an interesting support statement on the subject.

Sullum states, ‘As with gay marriage, attitudes toward marijuana are also strongly associated with party affiliation, reflecting the plant’s persistent countercultural connotations. In the Public Policy Polling survey, which was commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project and conducted from Nov. 30 through Dec. 2, Republicans were much more likely than Democrats to oppose marijuana legalization (56 percent vs. 28 9

“In less than a decade, public opinion has shifted dramatically toward support for the legalization of marijuana. The temptation is to conclude that the trend in favor of marijuana legalization is similar to the flow of opinion in favor of same-sex marriage, but not all hot-button social issues are created equal.”

juana, 10%of mammals isn’t a case of comparaare ‘gay.” bility to ‘Gay. It is about industries not wanting Many people disagree competition and control with the entire compar- through 50 Billion dollars ison. Some state that of free tax dollars going to abortion is a better mir- the ONDCP. For a drug ror image of data to gay war policy that Presidents marriage, while Susanne must follow to get elected.

Parkes, gay rights activ- ‘Gay people’ have no proist believes, “Being gay hibition industry getting

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n closing, Bill Maher explained it beautifully.

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ike Darmouth, data analyst, had some interesting points when looking over the data. He explains, “I think some of the motivation for comparisons are from the percentage of participators that some believe is close to numbers in the U.S.” Many believe the numbers of users of marijuana is inaccurate, and could be twice those who support gay marriage. The margin of error comes from fear of exposure.

They wouldn’t want to be known through the polls as a pot smoker, but most polls are done anonymously. Another theory is ‘Big Pharm” and the alcohol industry have a hand in stopping legalization of marijuana, because it

“Not all hot-button social issues are created equal.”

wasn’t illegal... which is a large difference between the two issues. Many people, especially those in smaller communities who smoke pot do so out of the public eye. To be vocal about making pot legal could, in their thinking, could effect their job and make them a police target.

Also many don’t want their kid’s knowing they do it. I’m not saying this would happen but it is a strong thing to consider if you’re well known in the community and it’s exactly those type of people we need to get this passed.”

might reduce the sale of alcohol, 750 billion dollars of GDP activity, and reduce prescription medication intake of FDA-approved drugs. As these polls seems to claim they are the truest form of acOn an online forum on curacy, about 10% of the the subject, another man population use mari- speaks out, saying, “It 10

sess, both marijuana legalzation and gay marriage are human rights, the pursuit of happiness.

The debate is a strong one on both sides, but the industries would be making billions of profit through legalization. The people who determine the future rights of citizens in any state, are the voters.

50 Billion a year to keep them from ‘marriage’ nor does that, non existent Gay prohibition industry Cabinet Level Org, provide Election Campaign funding and Management as the ONDCP constituents do for every serious candidate and every single successful Presidential elected.”

After many years of squabbling, and of course on other issues, many years of squabbling to come, these issues are on several ballots in upcoming elections and shouldn’t be taken lightly. When supporting the rights and freedoms Americans should pos-

“In 1988, only 10% of Americans approved of gay marriage. Today, that figure’s almost 60%. So what happened? What made gay marriage so normal, so quickly?... it was because gays simply demanded it....We all put something in our mouth that we’re not always proud of, but that makes us happy. Gay barriers fell when Americans realized gays were their neighbors, their friends, their family members, their co-workers. Certainly, that must also be true of potheads.

We all know at least one...

In fact, I bet there is one pothead that you all know... And it makes me curious why he “evolved” so much on gay marriage, but has actually escalated the war on pot. A simple pot conviction can foreclose on opportunities to vote, get a job, go to college, or qualify for housing. How can our first black president, and our first pothead president be aware of that, and just look the other way? If anyone can say smoking pot won’t ruin your life, it’s the guy who smoked bales of it, and then became leader of the free world.”

Images credit: SJ George - Infographic: Google Share

THE COFFEE TABLE BOOK

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hen looking for a stylish book to feature on one’s coffee table, you maybe overwhelmed by the variety of interesting and

beautifully photographed coffee table books available on the market. But when you narrow down the field to beautiful cannabis inspired coffee table books, the choices become rather limited.

The Kitchen

by UptownGrow Lab 214 pages | $72.99 www.uptowngrowlab.net

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n my search for classy cannabis coffee table books, I came across some very uninspiring books covering bud appreciation, or ‘bud porn’ as it’s commonly referred to, which highlight and photograph various weed strains in slick and trashy ways. Looking like they belong in the back row of the adult book stand at the liquor store. I also found coffee table books on illegal drugs giving various histories on drug usage, which often included images of misconduct, and a less than positive light on the cannabis user. Then there are the “stoner” books which are often comical and consist of fanciful images to look at while high. This includes the now well known “Stoner Coffee Table Book” by Steve Mockus’ (his last name tongue and cheek in itself) which is full of trippy and mind-blowing images. There are also plenty of ‘how-to’ or ‘grow’ books available, but most are just books, not coffee table books.

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hat I wanted was the classic, stylish oversized hard-covered coffee table book with high quality photographs and illustrations that can be displayed on a table for my guests to see and to inspire conversation. And that is exactly what I got with ‘The Kitchen’ by UptownGrow Lab.

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t’s creation came from two New Yorkers with a passion for all things cannabis and a main objective to share their experiences and discoveries with others. Jay J. Kitchen and Uncle Tweezy of Uptown Grow Lab have over 35yrs. of collective knowledge and experience in growing, smoking, and the photography of marijuana.

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he black and green layout of the book gives a clean look throughout. An image of a single bud with a ladybird perched a top adorns the cover making it simple and understated. Sure The Kitchen looks pretty stylish laying on one’s coffee table, but more importantly, what’s inside? The Kitchen is a combination of a brief history of cannabis, the two authors own cannabis histories, as well as how-to guides with all stages of the growing process, trimming, and various processing techniques. But the major portion of the book is dedicated to highlighting various cannabis strains. It seems to cover almost everything a cannabis connoisseur, or cannasseur, would wish to find within the pages of one book.

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he photography brings it all together and if you’re a bud picture lover there is more than enough images of various strains for you to fawn over. Normally high end images of buds and plants show an almost perfect example, there is not often discolored leaves or brown spots to be seen, yet photographer Jay J. Kitchen incorporates these imperfections into his work often taking a perfect shoot of an imperfect plant thus giving a rawness and natural aspect to the book. There is an undertone to this stylish book which I like, it’s a home grown, old school NYC feel that you can see within the first few pages by a simple image of a mason jar full of used roaches.

The old school feel pops up within the pages again and again with references to old cannabis books and original packaging of strains.

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he Kitchen is not just a coffee table book it is a future reference guide that you will use over and over again. You’re bound to find something new within its pages and may even be inspired to make your own Ice Water Hash, or try a strain you’ve never heard of before highlighted within it’s pages.

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he Kitchen by UptownGrow Lab is setting a new higher standard for Cannabis themed coffee table books. As we say at The New Smoker, they are “Bringing Class to Grass.”

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mages from The Kitchen : top left | Serious Seed’s White Russian pg... 75, left side of previous page | Foliar Feeding pg.42 . Bottom centre previous page | The Kitchen book’s cover .

All images by Jay J. Kitchen.

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Glitches “I stare out beyond the stacked stone pillar at a seemingly infinite white beach with no distant ocean to give it limits.”

Part 2 of a Novella

By S.G. CLARKE She didn’t die.

That much I can take in. Absorb. Process.

She didn’t die again.

My brain buzzes and tingles it’s way through fogged thoughts. Like blood returning to a released wrist’s numb hand. I breathe in deeply and try to clear my mind.

I hard shake my head to fully wake. Pulling myself from the railing, I take a few steps back on the dark wood deck.

I twice tap my right palm with my fingers and open up my main HUD screen in the air in front of me. I pattern swipe two fingers left across and down, bringing up my 24/7 home-view stream. I touch replay, switch to deck cam, and open-gesture the vid to fill my view.

I time-scroll back to just before she jumped and let it stream forward.

I watch myself desperately try to grab her as she gleefully pushes off the railing. Too far away, I see myself yell and slash out an unfamiliar ‘forming technique I’ve never used before, and don’t remember using then.

There’s a flicker. A switch. A glitch. And she’s shifted from being just over the deck railing... to right within my grasp. Like some bad jump edit in an old analog film.

I play it forward. She kicks me away like a stubborn child, as if to make sure she falls to the rocky shore. And at the last second before she would have smashed into that cracked boulder, she just disappears.

Must’ve ported. But that means she would’ve pre set, pre planned......

Everything!

This hits me like lead in the chest. That sunken heart feeling. And not for the first time in years it crosses my mind I don’t really know this girl.

I’m still spinning. Light headed. Buzzing. Pent up. I’ve gotta talk to some one about this, get it out... so it seems more real.

I swipe up contacts, find ‘QUINN’ and text him a quick “Q. 911!”

Turning away from the crashing shore, I walk back inside the house and notice I’m still half naked. A touch of my left pinky to thumb and my default outfit rezzes all around me: a black button-up shirt untucked with rolled up sleeves over top dark blue jeans, with a studded black belt and black converse low tops.

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shake my shoulder length shaggy black hair into pointed manga-style spikes.

I glance at my message alerts, impatient. Nothing yet.

Come on, Quinn.

Unsatisfied, my brain switches tactics. I know I shouldn’t call yet.

I’m still spun, confused, and getting more angry at her. But I watch as a flick of my first finger floats open another contact window in front of me and finds her file. I tap the vid button under her name, ‘CADENCE’ and wait for the streamscreen to pop up.

A pause, a beat, an eternity, then an automated reply bubbles up: ALTER IS UNAVAILABLE. TAP here TO LEAVE MESSAGE.

‘’Fuck this.” I slap the bubble and pop it closed I swipe over to my house H.U.D. and close all the curtains, lock all the doors and set the inside/outside intruder shields.

I get a sudden alert. Hoping it’s her, I quickly swipe up the screen to see an urgent message disappoint me. It’s only Quinn.

“What’s up?? I’m buzzing a bird,” he writes.

I hit back. “Fuck that. Need to talk ASAP.” “That’s what I’m tryna do, cockblock.”

“Don’t be a dick. It’s serious. Face to face. No extra eyes.”

There’s a long pause... then he replies “Fine. I’ll back-burner her. Meet @ ZEN in 10?”

“Great, thx.”

I swipe off chat, and open up my main locations menu.

‘Back-burner her’...?? Why does he always gotta be such a tool?

I flip to the end and find ZEN, INC. I double tap and initiate 18

the ‘port request prompt. I get back feet lift a few inches off the ground. the usual reply.

I cast myself up a few more feet, lean forward, and take off flying PRIVATE ACCESS TO REGION ONLY. across the sand.

ENTER PASSCODE TO CONTINUE. The concentric sand circles widen out and grow further apart into I swipe the correct combination long large fading dunes, as I move of gestures and get a message of ap- away from the rock pillar center. A proval. The teleport signal engages few clicks out, I land on top one of and everything immediately goes the larger outer dunes. I swipe off deep dark blue. all extra modes and distractions, A rush. A push. A shift. And engage my ‘forming HUD, take a I’m... in between... deep breath to gathering myself in, A spark of white light in front and focus on the task. of me starts to stretch out to a horI start simple, a gesture out izontal streak of red. The streak straight with both hands and swipe widens and grows to engulf the up. A block of sand a few feet rest of the deep blue mid ‘port. squared lifts out of the ground in Then like a taut rubber band re- front of me and hovers. leased, there’s a snap and a flash.

I curve my hands together and Everything goes pure white. Then form the block into a ball and set it all is calm. to spinning, compressed tightly so I’ve landed. as to not break apart.

Ok, motion and shaping base Translated. lines are set.

I’m elsewhere.

I flick my right hand upward and Slowly everything starts to rez send the still spinning ball speeding into focus.

First I see a pillar made of huge up into the air. Almost out of sight, river smooth black boulders deli- I watch it slow as it peaks at its zecately balanced on top of one an- nith, then tumble back towards the other. The smaller boulders are ground, picking up speed as it falls.

A moment before it’s to hit, I loosely stacked atop the larger ones, while the pillar’s giant base push outwards and pull my fingers together as if to catch the ball in gisits on white sand.

They used to call them ducks... ant invisible gloves. It stops so sudmarkers on the path. denly it squashes itself into a flat I’m always a bit spun after a ‘port. disk.

No, that’s not it.

I stare out beyond the stacked I try again. Flicking the sand stone pillar at a seemingly infinite white beach with no distant ocean ball up, higher this time. Then, as it plummets to the ground, I try to to give it limits.

I see concentric circles in the recall the unknown forming moves sand rippling outward from the pil- I’d made in that moment of panic lar, like a snap shot of a stone just to save Cay. It was like some Jeet as it’s plopped into a pond of milk. Kung Do push gesture with my legs I turn 360 and check radar to see and feet spread wide, planted for balance. I pull my hands together at if I’m alone.

Empty. No Quinn yet. Good. It’ll the last second and push them out at the falling ball of sand. give me time to practice.

For a moment the ball seems With my arms at my side, I gesture out with both hands and my to slow infinitesimally, but then

crashes and explodes into the white sand floor.

Damn, that’s not quite it either.

I try a few more ball drops and various catching/stopping/freezing techniques. None come close to what I did to stop Cay. It occurs to me I didn’t consciously make everything stop, but was so scared she was really going to die this time, I seemed to react instinctively. Protective passion.

Mom turning over car to save son.

Primal survival.

With that in mind, I shut off the all the region’s safety protocols and shape another sand ball spinning only a few feet in front of me.

I squeeze it into a disc as it spins.

Then I flash my fingers out and the disc of sand instantly splays out in spikes. I slap my hands together and the spikes explode out in all directions, even mine.

I try to stop them, just like I stopped Cay. Focus only on them.

Imagine them freezing in place. But nothing happens. They shoot towards my face. I slash up reflexively and form a sand wall just in front of me, not a moment too soon. Most of the sand spikes smash into the barrier, with a few getting through and whizzing by my face.

Well that was stupid, I tell myself.

“Well that was stupid” I hear a familiar rough voice filled with sandpaper and smoke bellow as an immediate echo behind me. I turn and see a big blond Viking of a man dressed in a white and light blue vested suit and white shoes hovering and chuckling only a few feet away.

“Shit, you scared me Quinn. You know I hate it when you ghost me.”

“Ha! Sorry my man, but you weren’t answering your com, so I tracked you on radar and flew to find you exploding sand stars in your face.” He chuckles again big and loud.

“I was trying... something.” I hesitate to tell.

“What, how to shape sand like a newbie?” He laughs.

“No I was trying to stop, pause... everything... again... I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.”

Quinn gives me his deep questioning Are you high? look, and then calmly says, “What do you mean ‘again’...?”

“I know it sounds crazy. Here it’ll be easier if I show you” I pull up my home stream again so we both can see, and play him

from Cay’s jump, to my flash of power, to the moment she kicks me away.

“How the fuck..??” Quinn asks between synaptic stutters of disbelief. “You? You did that?? You??”

“I have no idea. All of it. I don’t have a fucking clue. I was hoping you might know. Why do you think I called you? You’re the one always talking about extra abilities. Powers. Things not built in. I needed to show you if at least just so you could tell me it wasn’t some fucking brain glitch I had.”

For a moment, Quinn says nothing. Like he’s debating about something, or talking to someone. Then with a face of stone, he slowly says “You’re right my unfortunate friend, it’s not a brain glitch.” He reaches into his inside white jacket pocket, pulls out a huge white gun, cocks it, and points it straight at my face. “It’s a death sentence.”

And before I can utter one word of protest he squeezes the trigger.

I scream, but all I hear is... BANG!

To be continued next issue...

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W W W. B I N G B A N G N Y C . C O M BIN G BAN G JEWELRY, NEW YORK @bingbangnyc #bingbangnyc

High Art

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t is well documented that artists are often known to use the various effects of cannabis for inspiration in their creative process. A few great artists to attribute the use of cannabis while creating their work include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jackson Pollock, Lee Lozano, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvado Dali and Vincent Van Gogh.

influenced by her song “White Rabbit” with Alice in Wonderland references dominating her artwork. rtists are even known to use cannabis to make their art. Brazilian Artist Fernando de La Rocque who in 2012 created a series titled “Blow Job - Trabalho de Sopro” that consists of images drawn literally from the smoke of cannabis.

he New York graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquait (1960 - 1988) was known for his neo-expressionrt in itself, whether or not it’s inspired by the use ist images which were fused with poetry. Basquait ofof cannabis, is an integral part of cannabis culture. ten signed his paintings “SAMO”, a title that referred Since THE NEW SMOKER strives to bring a higher to one of his favorite strains called “Same Old Shit” standard to the marijuana movement, we have creatwhich he enjoyed in Brooklyn, NYC. ed this arts section, “High Art” dedicated to featuring and discovering artists from around the world. usician turned painter Grace Slick best known as the lead singer of the rock groups Jefferson n this issue we are highlighting three talented artists Airplane and Jefferson Starship created a cannabis in- hailing from New York, Melbourne and Cape Town. spired series in 2011 called The 420 Collection: Art Not all of these artists are partakers of cannabis, but & Marijuana. The collection was designed to raise we will leave you to drawn your own conclusions to awareness on the issue of medical marijuana, and was who may or may not have been cannabis inspired.

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Brett Williams | Chalk Pastel Artist CAPE TOWN | SOUTH AFRICA

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rett Williams is a professional actor and painter based in Cape Town, South Africa. He is also color blind. Working mostly in chalk pastels on a large scale of 195cm x 150cm (6’ x 5’) he captures a rawness and beauty of the human body’s imperfections, along with a sense of solitude and vulnerability. His fascination with bone structure, the body’s curves and blemishes of all shapes and sizes, comes from wanting to portray intimate moments of when the subject feels truly themselves. Williams says that he was particularly sensitive and quite the loner in his early years. This experience heavily influenced his fascination with the vulnerability and an emotional rawness within his subjects.

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t age 14, while attending a still life art class at his high school in Cape Town, he discovered he was color blind. His art teacher had asked him why he was using maroon when the color was clearly green for his painting of a sculpture of which the entire class was doing a rendition. In this moment he realized he saw color differentially.

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e has since embraced his color blindness within his art. When most people see hues that are intense and sometimes extreme, Brett finds them to be a somewhat muted version of what others see.

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ike most artists, he finds his art can be particularly frustrating to produce and often gruelling with much self-doubt and plenty of second guessing. But for Brett this often comes from the inability to tell the difference between certain colors, for example the difference between greys and greens, dark browns and dark reds.

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e works exclusively in chalk pastels. After struggling with paint he was encouraged by an art teacher in his youth to experiment with various mediums and discovered his style came alive in chalk pastels. He feels that working on such a large scale gives a sense of dominance to the art that when viewed overshadows the viewer almost overwhelming them and hopefully stirring their emotions.

To view Brett Williams art visit: www.brettwilliamsart.com

Left Side: “isole” - 2008 107cm x 70cm - chalk pastel Bottom Right: “lou” - 2013 150cm x 195cm - chalk pastel Next Page: “budge” - 2010 130cm x 115cm- chalk pastel

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Aaron Maurer | Collage Artist BROOKLYN | NEW YORK | U.S.A.

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aron Maurer is an American artist based in New York who specializes in collage art. His work with collage started as a reaction from working in motion graphic design and creating images entirely in the computer. Realizing that he was creating work that only existed digitally, he felt the need to balance this with something he could create with his hands, something with texture and weight that was a single work and not copied with the push of a button.

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t was this tactile factor that brought him to collage. The physicality of assemblage (cutting, gluing, painting on, etc.) felt right to him. That, and the ability to decontextualize various elements he could achieve in collage by taking a familiar image and bringing it into a new world. In this way he can create something familiar and yet totally different at the same time.

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aurer works naturally within different mediums, whether it be illustration, video or collage he sees these various mediums as different tools to communicate similar things.

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is work in motion graphic design is more specific because he creates images in a certain set language and the majority of his work is commercial, working with big brands that have a lot of restrictions. Working within the commercial industry and being forced to constrain to someone else’s vision and adapt to a certain visual style has been a good formal training for his more personal work.

To view more of Aaron Maurer’s art and design visit: www.aaronmaurer.net/collage

Left Side: “Veiled” 24” x 32” - Mixed media on wood Bottom Right: “Vampyrs” 16” x 12” - Mixed media on board Next Page: “Through Inspection” 5” x 7” - Mixed media Main Article: “Lions” 18” x24 ‘ - Mixed media on board

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Ben Taranto | Conceptual & Installation Artist MELBOURNE | AUSTRALIA

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en Taranto’s art takes its inspiration from how humans interact with various environments, from nature’s wilderness and its complex structures, to the abstract environments created by our cities. We create these cities with geometric shapes that box us in. We paint lines on our built surfaces to guide us. We add lights to attract each other. And all this gives our cities an ordered appearance yet there is a new type of wilderness underneath all of this. How this shift from nature to the city has effected us emotionally, sensorily, and evolutionarily is where Taranto says he draws his ideas for his art pieces.

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arantos latest exhibition, titled Coverage, looks at how our environmental pollution has lead to Nature’s adaption to all this toxic change. He feels there is an interconnection between nature and heavily polluted areas, for example the creation of trash islands made up of millions of plastic waste. Nature will eventually over take it and reclaim it in someway. He is not saying he approves in anyway of how humans have polluted he is merely looking at the ways new habitats will come out of something that is originally very harmful towards nature and its creatures. In Coverage, he looks at the idea of humans replacing previously natural areas with our builtstructures or waste materials. By using fired glass refuse as a medium that almost resembles rock, he highlights that human influence is evident even within the Earth’s strata. This adds weight to the scientific suggestions that we have entered the Anthropocene or Human Age.

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ach of Taranto’s works presents its own challenges to overcome, considering size, scale, weight, possible drying times, sourcing of specialized equipment like large firing kilns, the transportation logistics and the final installation of the piece. When it comes to conceptual and installation art “60% is install” Taranto quotes his Head of Sculpture at Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in Melbourne. How a piece is displayed within the space allowed, is a key part to the piece its self.

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Left Side: “VOID” - 2008 183cm x 61cm x 492 cm- Found partitions, wood, blue paint.

aranto’s works often beg to be displayed over time, under the elements, which are built infusing these components, i.e. water and earth within them. But working within the public sector, Tarantos finds it challenging to deal with various councils or city commissions.

These are the kinds of delays an outdoor installation artist is faced with due to various beaurocratic administrative channels. Along with often strong views and opinions of what is expected, all these things can lead to conflict with the artists vision. These challenges are something any artist within this genre may face. But it’s Taranto’s passion for creating large works in these challenging environments that has led to his ability to rise above such external pressures and have given birth to many wonderful pieces.

Bottom Right: “Metamorhic Structure I” - 2010 29cm x 42cm x 15cm- Reclaimed Glass Next Page: “Assisted Occurrence” - 2010 41cm x 164cm x 41cm- Reclaimed glass, steel, tin, plaster, en-tou-cas.

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To view Ben Tarantos art visit: www.bentaranto.com

Copyright Š 2014 Rolla Supply Co | www.rollaboards.com

KICKING BACK WITH KEROUAC by Frank Lauria

Continuing Frank’s adventures into his early exploration of poetry and cannabis in the beatnik 1950’s.

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wo weeks after my adventure in the South Bronx (see TNS issue #1), I hopped a weekend ride to New York for the regular Saturday night Poetry Reading at the 7 Arts Coffee Shop at 43rd and 9th, way off the downtown radar.

My New Jersey pals Barbara Moraff and Ralph Pine, both exciting young poets, were with me.

Regular guests included Jack Micheline and Ray Bremser (an unrecognized virtuoso of the word).

Another poet was Roberts Blossom who later gained fame as a film actor in Home Alone.

The place was run by John, a jovial, generous, true believer and his assistant Arnie, a painter who sometimes lived in the coffee house. We filed up the stairs every Saturday, feeling really underground and beat.

But that Saturday night was different. That night all the big guys came uptown, having heard there was a strong new scene. Right there were Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, Jack Kerouac, LeRoi Jones ( later Amiri Baraka, New Jersey’s controversial Poet Laureate) and a host of Greenwich Village luminaries.

IMAGE: Cover of the Frank Lauria novel ‘The Seth Papers’

then went back to NY to catch my ride to Fort Dix. But that afternoon I got a phone call.

Barbara had hooked up with Jack Kerouac and taken him back to her house in Paterson NJ for a night of innocent debauchery. Her parents were away that weekend. Truth be told I was itching to meet Big Jack my own self.

Suddenly I was terrified of reading my stuff before this crowd. RayBremser kept passing me a wine bottle saying “have some Tokay, it’s heartless” So when the phone rang and Barbara whispered, quoting from a Ginsberg line. I got a bit drunk, threw “Thirty-Third Street now,” I sailed out the door. up. John, bless him, told me it was okay, just go out and read.

Sure enough, heavily hung over, was Jack Kerouac himself. Turns out Barbara’s folks came home earlier I was third up.

My poem started, “I am twenty three years old and my relatives keep asking me what I intend to do about it...”

There was nice applause and I went home to New Jersey, relieved I made it through.

30

On Sundays I usually had dinner with my parents

“But that Saturday night was different... Right there were Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, Jack Kerouac, LeRoi Jones... and a host of Greenwich Village luminaries.”

than usual and she was passing him to me for safekeeping.

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“Yeah sure,” Jim said grumpily. He broke into a beaming grin when he saw the legendary Jack sitting in his living room. Alas Jim had only a modicum of wine and a single piece of paper in the house.

ack wanted to get a drink but Paterson was buttoned up tight on Sundays. I told Jack there was plenty of wine at my house and few blocks away Jack drank the wine then decreed we should all and he let me lead the way. write a poem together, each taking a stanza.

My mom was a great cook and would feed anIt was tough rounding up a pencil but finally we yone within twenty yards of her kitchen so guests went to work. were never a problem. I got Jack a glass of wine and Jim took the first stanza, me next and Jack anchored. we sat in the living room chatting while my dad read This is the poem... the Sunday Times. Abruptly my father ( who always wore his tie in the house ) put down his paper and Late night strangers said, “You know you’re a bum?” (both only a little) How better, awake!

Undaunted Jack, who knew how to hurt a guy, replied, “You come on like a bus driver. I made thirPalms flip silver dollars ty-five thousand dollars last year.” watching people with wet coats Mom served dinner just in time and Jack ate a little, drank a lot and talked about his own mother.

Pissing in the cold Mom told Jack he should “settle down, you don’t find tenement toilet nice girls in coffee shops.” a line I included in a later I smoke my cigarette poem.

And that’s the tale of the day I got high with An entire gallon of Gallo was consumed by the Jack Kerouac. time we headed back to New York.

While waiting for the bus it came to me. I was still holding the pot I scored two weeks back. And I had papers. Unfortunately my rolling skills were not yet there. Jack’s were and he rolled and we smoked a J right on the corner.

When the bus arrived Jack showed me the proper technique for sleeping on a bus (you curl up and wedge your feet against the arm rest) and promptly fell out.

Upon arrival Jack immediately looked for a drink and found the Terminal Bar across the street from the Port Authority Terminal in the heart of sleaze city.

Over scotch Jack confided that my pot was very strong. In his words, “I came in my pants.” As we drank an energized Jack kept pointing things out such as, “there’s a pimp, look at that gold chain on his vest,” or, “look at the way that girl smokes her cigarette, see the tracks on her wrist...”

It was part street tutorial and part lesson in observation for the young writer. In search of more booze we went to my friend Jim Butler’s pad where I was due to catch our ride back to base and the bleak reality of Army life.

Jim was napping. “I’m here with Jack Kerouac,’ I whispered.

IMAGE: Cover of the Frank Lauria novel ‘Raga Six’

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38

All THE LEFT TURNS...

A Conversation with Writer/Director Jacob Estes Based on actual events by SOREN GRAY

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take a left and climb one of the steep hidden staircases that criss cross and connect the Echo Park and Silverlake hills. Topping the steps, I walk along the road that runs the ridge and leads me to Jacob Estes’ house.

I’d texted Jacob earlier in the week about doing the interview and asked him what he’d like to go do.

Ignorant of my last interview with Kyp Malone*, he coincidentally said, “You like to hike?”

Feeling an interview theme coming, I gave in to repetition and replied

with a resounding “Sure... button up shirt and jeans, Why not?” apparently ready to go. He welcomes me inside as he “Wear good shoes, we’re slips on some hiking boots. going to hike all the way over Elysian park to Chi- ’d just walked the few natown-- it’s a long hike!” blocks from my house, Jacob texted back. This which is just down the later would prove to be hill. I was already starting to sweat on this warm Los very important advice.

Angeles summer evening ecause of Jacob’s busy and I was just in shorts work schedule and and a t-shirt. full time dad and husband duties, his only free time “I thought you said tends to be at night. Fine this was gonna be a hard for me. I’m a night owl. hike?” I ask, gesturing to Night hike it is. his relatively formal jeans and hoodie attire.

I knock on the wooden door. Jacob answers pull“This is what I wear ing on a hoodie over a when I hike to China-

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* Issue #1 of The New Smoker magazine.

town,” Jacob replies, confident in his choice of dress attire. “Chances are you’ll sweat and get cold – do you want to borrow a jacket from me?”

“Thanks but no thanks, it’s gonna be a warm one tonight. And I don’t need to carry the extra weight.” retchen, his cheerG ful wife, is reclining on the couch watching

TV (The kids are both in bed. It’s parent super relax time) and she laughs about how I’m about to get initiated into one of Jacob’s “man hikes”.

Portrait Photographs by Mikal Lazarev 39

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acob and I make to head out, but Jacob pauses.

“Wait, let me grab some TP” and he dips off the bathroom and quickly comes back with a folded handful.

“Just in case.” he laughs a little.

“We just came back from Mexico and he’s got a touch of the Montezuma” Gretchen shares with a grin.

“Goodtimes” I wink, admiring Jacob’s commitment to the interview and hike, in spite of possible pit stops along the way.

A few moments later, we walk down a different staircase than the one I came up, soon brushing past a hip little Echo Park Blvd hub where Chango Coffee shop is.

“I used to write there,” Jacob says slyly, “For ten years I was a regular, but then one morning one of the Baristas accused me of not flushing the toilet.

Told me staff and customers alike had complained about it recently, but I’m not sure how they knew I was the offending party… I don’t write there anymore,” Jacob laughs, “Now I write at a different coffee shop.”

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s we head up and over the hills toward Elysian Park, we start to chat about Jacob’s latest projects.

Me: So I watched your most recent film The Details recently, nicely done by the way... and I have 40

to say it hit pretty close to experiences until they’re Me: Well the wife in home. perverted and theatrical. The Details IS blond like Gretchen. So subconJacob: Not everyone goes Me: “Write what you scious casting? Or life reto war with raccoons and know” and all that. Got- flection...? is extorted into getting cha. Well maybe it’s from their neighbor pregnant, having hung out with Jacob: The things that but yes, it does hit close to you and your family, but happen to us, or we see, home for a lot of people. I couldn’t help thinking or hear, or are told about... the whole time The De- affect us. We put it into Me: Is the movie very au- tails might be a reflection our work whether we’re tobiographical? of your personal life… doctors, scientists, lawwhich was kind of a scary yers, gardeners or whatever. We put it into the work of being married or being in a complicated political situation at an expressly non creative work environment.

“...the characters are high and so... they’re more in touch with certain basic primal feelings” - Jacob Me: So you’re saying even

the non traditional creative type, aka everyone else, expresses/channels life experiences in creative ways, whether they know it or not?

Jacob: I guess I’m saying

life reflects life and I’m alive and writing is my life.

Just like an accountant’s alive and accounting in his life... If life has told me to express kindness and be Image: Film Poster for The Details. humane in my work, I will Jacob: It’s not my life sto- thought. be. Same with the guy in ry, but I always do at least Pakistan who deals with attempt to write from an Jacob: Yes, I think Gretch- my credit card bills when I honest place. My stories en has been asked in the call customer service. are usually heightened, past how much of Elizae take a left and walk over the top experiences, beth Bank’s character is off the street onto a that are brought into exis- her and how much Tobey Maguire is me. very dark park path that tence by squeezing hard on veers into Elysian park. my own banal emotional

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Luckily the moon is quite bright and almost full. It Me: Speaking of which I sits at an angle above us brought some relaxing OG 1 Kenobi for us to puff on. through the trees.

It’s super mellow, per your Me: I’ve noticed that in request. both your films Mean Creek and The Details, Jacob: Good, thanks. I there’s a marijuana smok- can’t smoke anything but ing scene. Why is that? the worst mellowest stuff.

I like 1960s marijuana – Jacob: In The Details the good stuff gets me too when the protagonist Jeff, wound up and paranoid.

Tobey Maguire’s character, smokes a joint with his old friend Rebecca, it leads to the beginning of his downfall. In Mean Creek, the kids are smoking weed in the car when they hatch the plan to get revenge on the school bully.

We then come to the big street that bisects Elysian Park, full of traffic –even though it’s late at night.

A Dodger’s game must have just let out. Without a crosswalk near by, we boldly risk it all and jog our way across the street to a trail leading up the opposite side of the park.

A few minutes later, we’re strolling up another

Me: So smoking weed

makes people things?

do

bad

Jacob: I guess since I do

Me: Good call.

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e continue to blaze the trail, moon bright in our eyes. We come up toward the apex, where we see downtown LA sparkling the distance.

Me: So what are you working on now, since you finished The Details?

Jacob: At the moment I’m being a bit of a whore with my ideas. Which is very different for me. I used to be a serial monogamist when it came to my writing. My habit was to be super focused on just one project, do it until it was done, but now I have a bunch of sister-wives who I’m tending to simultaneously.

Me: Can you tell me about some these “sister-wives”, or are they top secret?

hatch a lot of my worst ideas while smoking pot, it’s natural to me to have my characters do that too (laughter). But seriously, in both scenes, the characters are high and so –in some ways— they’re more in touch with certain basic primal feelings.

Jacob: Lately, I’ve been working with this guy I met a whose from my hometown of Chicago.

He’s quite a character. He reminds me of those guys from “Da Bears” skits they used to do on SNL.

Me: Your movies are

about primal feelings and Image: Film Poster for Mean Creek. impulses, then?

But let’s wait till we get to dark trail.

Jacob: I hope so. Mari- the top of the next hill. I Jacob: It’s illegal to be in juana can make you par- know a good spot. this park after dark, so if a anoid or disinhibit you. hat said, we continue cop comes, just play dumb But my characters are only down the trail deeper and tell them we live in stoned once in each movie.

Their worst instincts and into the valley part of the Chinatown, and they’ll let decisions all come to pass park, walking past lonely us finish our trek. stone picnic tables. while dead sober.

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Me: Right -- Daaaa Bears.

Daaaaaa Bulls.

Jacob: Exactly. He looks and talks a lot like those guys. Anyways, we started to become friends. At some point we got into parents and how we were raised. He said his family was very strict growing 41

up. His father is socially conservative – like Archie Bunker or something.

And after I told him about growing up in a very loving accepting, supportive household with two gay dads, he eventually confided in me that he in fact was gay, but hadn’t come out to anyone really. Now remember, this guy, at the time, looked like Central Casting for Chicago Beef – no one would ever peg him for gay.

takes one puff on the pipe so original you can’t put before passing it back to them into print. me.

Me: Riiiight. Is the weed Me: A man who knows making you all paranoid his pot limits. I can respect again? that.

Jacob, laughing: No. Jacob: One hit and I’m Me, trying to be serious: good.

Jacob: I thought so. So I sent him to meet a producer friend of him and got him paid to write it as a TV series. Think All in the Family if Meathead was gay.

Me: So I assume when that guy in your movie shoots that woman with the arrow, that’s not based on any personal experience you had, is it?

Me: A sit com?

Jacob: Well I’ve fanta-

Image: 110 Freeway to Downtown L.A. by Soren Gray

“I try not to operate out of any degree Me: So what else you got of certainty about going on besides the Meatanything.” -Jacob head gay thing?

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preciate the observation.

y now we’re walking again and heading finally downhill, towards a beautiful old stone bridge that cuts over the 110 freeway. We stop on the bridge to take in the sights. A neighborhood called “Frogtown” is to our right.

Downtown LA is to the South.

esting story…

e crest the hill and come upon a vista point overlooking Dodger Stadium still lit up with bright white flood lights.

We pause by some benches. I pull out my little one hitter and pack it with Kenobi. I pass it and my lighter to Jacob. He only

Jacob: Thank you, I ap-

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Me: Sounds like an inter-

Jacob: Tone of a sitcom, structure of an episodic series like Silicon Valley, or Entourage.

row in The Details? That may be the most twisted left turn I’ve ever seen in a film… Though I must admit with all the left turns in the movie, it somehow seemed within the realm of possibilities.

No, really what’s your new movie going to be about?

Jacob: No, seriously, I Jacob: Well there’s a mov- can’t talk about it. I’ll tell

ie project I’m working on, and also another TV series idea, but I can’t really talk about either of them.

you that like The Details, it deals with infidelity. But in a dark, horrific, more twisted way.

Me: Or you’d have to kill Me:

What could be more twisted than watching Dennis Haysbert shoot Jacob, with a shit eating Laura Linney through the grin: The premises are chest with a bow and arme?

sized about doing stuff like that in the past. And even lately, after Harvey Weinstein bought my film and promised to spend lots of millions marketing it but then decided not to spend more than a few pennies on marketing it, I fantasized about doing it to him.

We all have dark fantasies, sometimes, don’t we?

Me: Maybe yours are

darker than some?

Jacob: I doubt it. But maybe. I try not to operate out of any degree of certain-

ty about anything. People who are certain about things scare me. I just try to ask a lot of questions and hope to move the needle in the right direction.

The right direction seems to me to be to try to shed light on the intensity of experience we all have, at least, emotionally, if not in actuality.

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I

J

take a picture of the 110 rushing to downtown below us and then we’re off again, heading down towards Chinatown, now on a street of modest houses. I notice Jacob is limping a bit.

ing under golden dragons. he can enjoy it, Marveling at all the drunk kids e walk into the out here on a Thursday younger movie set like part night—much of China Town where the than us—we chat more buildings all look like what about some other things one imagines them to look Jacob’s working on: a relike: Tall Buddhist golden boot of The Ring for Paraspires top red swept up mount, as well sometimes Me: What’s wrong? roofs on deep green build- mentoring other aspiring ings with red shuttered writers and directors who Jacob: Getting a blister. I windows. Cobblestones happen to ask for his adthought these would have test our balance and ankle vice.

Me: Wait... What? been good shoes to wear strength as we walk into tonight. a surprisingly busy night Me: What’s your main adJacob: I don’t know. vice you give these kids? out.

Maybe it’s the weed speak- background notice the acob bums a smoke off Jacob: First of all, good buildings going from resing. some guy and then we on them for asking for adidential to business rather quickly. Then we’re walk- go sit on a stone bench so Continues...... on page 76

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THE HIGH SCALE

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hese days there are many forms and methods to enjoy the wonderful wonders of marijuana. From joints to bongs; edibles to tinctures; vaporizers to topicals. All these various methods of cannabis consumption have just as many varying effects. So in light of that, we here at The New Smoker have decided to put together a comprehensive chart to illustrate the many positive and negative ways one can consume cannabis.

We call it THE HIGH SCALE. We use pot leaves to indicate quantities from 1 to 5 (5 being the most.)

THE HIGH SCALE gauges: 1) How fast something affects you, 2) How effcient it is in using the given amount of marijuana, 3) How intensely it affects you, 4) How long the effects last, and 5) How healthy the method is for your body.

Using THE HIGH SCALE, one can accurately gauge how high one wants to get, and how one wants to get there.

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Method Spliff

Joint

Pipe

Bong

Vaporizer (herbal)

Vaporizer (wax/oil)

Dabs (bong)

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SPEED EFFICIENCY INTENSITY LENGTH

HEATLH

Method

SPEED

EFFICIENCY INTENSITY LENGTH

HEATLH

Edibles Tinctures/Sprays

Topicals

Phoenix Tears/ Hash Oil Orally

THE HIGH SCALE: SPEED

= How fast it affects you.

EFFECIENCY = How effcient it is in using the given amount of marijuana.

INTENSITY = How intensly it hits you.

LENGTH

= How long the effects last.

HEALTH

= How healthy it is for your body.

Note: Different strains will produce different results.

5 leaves = The most amount 4 leaves = A good amount 3 leaves = A decent amount 2 leaves = Not very much 1 leaf

= Negligible

0 leaves = None.

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NOTES FROM THE ROAD

by Rocco DeLuca Being a muscian out on tour isn’t always the glam & glitz goodtime that it’s cracked up to be. Singer/Writer Rocco DeLuca gives us an honest look into touring life.

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- SUMMER -

he night before I left for Ireland I could not sleep. I know a flower and could not stop thinking. I have not felt this empty in a very long time... this feeling would only expand with every failure: 1) minor cab accident 2) late for flight 3) late for connection 4) weather conditions holding planes for future flights 5) elderly woman gets mugged 6) lost luggage and to boot, two nights spent at JFK International Terminal #5

the ticket agent... then the tears - I was shamed by a ten or eleven year old girl wearing pink in her hair and traveling by herself when she gave me a tissue and told me to wipe my face. I met an old man who was retired and he too spent the night at the airport. He told me that I had sad eyes and I should not waste any more time traveling alone, “find a flower to share this with.”

I

began to think about all the time spent in my room listening to Mississippi John Hurt and how I wanted to know what he knew, all the sounds, words, and his whole time the stories, the time spent woodshedding, then all big empty inside the failures I’ve encounme kept expanding... I realized I had not tered, all the minor lifts and misunderstanding, eaten since I was in Los the almost...

Angeles two days ago. I grabbed a cold sandwich from the magazine store he miles start to and ate quickly. Not a add up and I feel good idea. I threw up on like I’m chasing my boots whilst attempt- a ghost, and how did I ing to sort out things with become one...

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The desserts, the glaciers, driver says he thinks he the flats, the prairies, the might recognize me and mountains, the oceans. continues to guess. I tell the driver, I’m a busker, got to Dublin but my a blues man, a traveller who’s a slave to melody bags did not. Lucky for me I always travel who might perform sonic experiments on the spot, with my National so I it’s very complicated, I could at least perform a had things, I lost things, set at the Westport FesI gave things up, now I tival. I’ve been up for three days now and can’t have something else, or it’s what I’ve always had... find my driver, after an he says I should try to get hour and a half of waitmore sleep, and lets me ing outside he finds me. out. Absolute truth, the The driver puts me on sun broke through clouds the phone with one of and I was able to play, I the organizers and she and everyone else is a bit felt like myself again for livid with me. It’s a three- an instant- everyone was hour drive from Dublin to lovely and later I loomed around the manner hall Westport and I’m smiling because the driver is where Keats, amongst genuine and there is lush other profound thinkers, green all around me and were known to visit- got back to hotel to find that I didn’t give up. I get to the hotel, shower, and get the airline had destroyed my bags, they were soakpicked up once more to the festival grounds. The ing wet and in pieces...

I

I

arrived in London and played at the Bedford. I found a bit of ritual and I felt like myself again for an instant playing music catching up with friends- all my love goes out to Jay and Lillie, Nialle, Julian and Laura, Sharon, Lucy and ...

I

broke a golden rule, which I regret: Do Not Bring More Than You Can Carry! I brought a suitcase full of records!

Can buskers do that? Big Hearts, little Luggage! All the pages in my passport are stamped and I guess I’ll figure that out as well- I usually don’t write about my travels for good reason but I was invited to write a little something and maybe someone might find that their lot is not so bad after all.

Rocco DeLuca is a

Soulful hypnotic bluesdowse rock-punched globe-touring balladeer residing in Silverlake, California.

His latest release: “Drugs ‘n Hymns” can be found on iTunes and Spotify.

For more info on Rocco and his music check out his website:

www.roccodeluca.com 49

No Talking in Tokyo.

Written and Translated from Engliash to Japanese and back to English,

by Guy Jing Gibbs

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EGAL EYES, said awhile now. With that, Chief Regal Eyes, 外 Brother Moiya. 人* by birth, entered the 内陣.** What? They bloodshot Chief Regal Eyes stood again? before the Council of El“No no, rrrregal eyes. ders. In the Inner-Circle, the elders all sat “Indian It’s your turn to speak.”

Style” with Buddha smirks “Ah ha,” chuckled the and rapt ears peacefully awaiting the field report Chief, “I geddit.” from Sector #9, colloquialBrother Moiya gave ly known as Tokyo.

Chief Regal Eyes a fist I feel stupid for beating bump with an explosion.

The Chief and Brother around the flaming bush Moiya had been waiting here, chuckled Chief Regal to address the Elders for Eyes, “but this is the cur-

rent state of mind here in 2014, Tokyo. he greatest problem here in Tokyo is there is a total fear of even discussing what you think I’m discussing. Was I even? Because if anybody on the street were to ask me what I think, I just might say I dunno what yer talkin about dude.

Chief Regal Eyes laughed out loud. And it’s SO fucking ironic here! Our Sacrament is almost definitely a traditional Sacrament of the Japanese people. Shrines used to be adorned with hemp ropes.

Clothes were made of hemp. And, NINJAS used hemp to train with. Hell, there is a station called 麻布十番 which means “Hemp Cloth Number “I hope I don’t deny you 10.” There’s a high school 3 times before sunrise, called “Hemp Cloth High.” dude.” Laughed Chief SoZen.

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ea, America’s relationship with Japan has been like Darth Vader and the Emperor from the start. Bullied Buddy.

And current policy is as well. No 9? No 9? No 9?

Babylon is real, my brothers and sisters. She has many names, many faces and you never know which one she’s hiding behind.

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Internet Rumors would he circle erupted into a murmur of make for an awesome Beavis and But- throwback album name, whispered an indistinthead chuckles. guishable voice.

“So what’s with the parThe samurai are dead anoia man?” asked Chief dude. Babylon rolled right So-Zen. over them. I must digress Douglas MacArthur is to say that we, brothers such a mean mo’fo that and sisters of the earth, his smug tobacco smok- believe in good vibes and ing face is laughing at me peace. now. After evil armies of This kinda means we murder nuked this island in 1945, they went further don’t believe in war, ya? and made Sacrament illeut when the Amergal in 1947. ican admiral Perry Which is super funny “opened” Japan to because meth- yes fucking foreign trade in 1853, he METH- was available le- didn’t pitch them “a good gally till the 1950’s. And idea.” of course, even to this day, meth is still available He pitched canon balls. in Japan. Supplied by the Ya. He showed the JapaNorth Koreans. If you be- nese Samurai government lieve what you read on the “his guns.” The black net. ships of Perry held a little demonstration of their The elders murmured. weaponry in Tokyo Bay.

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Possession will land you jail time if caught.

There are even snitches.

Aw damn! A snitch sent my European brother to the slammer for a few months.

Remember, even our brother Sir Paul served time.

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herefore, the current policy is “don’t ask, don’t tell” outside of your inner circle. If you haven’t passed it to the left with this brother, then be very careful in revealing your “political” beliefs.

I even talked to a brother who was a boxing champ here in Tokyo. He was open with his belief in OneLove and told others as well. But, that admission became ammo for his haters to bring him down a notch.

Smoker, fascinate me. Obviously, consciousness is rising in some parts of the planet. Mass consciousness is rising. People speaking openly and living in love and acceptance and science without as much fear as before. You brothers and sisters have carved out safe haven within Babylon and I applaud your bravery and faith in love as you band together and refuse to fear Fun. We over here in Japan, however, are in lockdown.

Medicinal Cannabis has just begun to get media attention. But political attention? I don’t know.

Just recently, a female politician was heckled about not being married as she gave a speech about maternity leave here in Japan.

Heckled as she delivered her speech. Where’s the love? Where’s the respect?

These are the type of men making laws. MacArthur’s beat down monkeys. I don’t see much hope politically here for a few more years.

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on’t worry my brothers and sisters. It’s not called grassroots for nothing.

The youth are becoming more defiant. Bands like FACT are pretty open about their “opinions” on sacrament. Cheech and Chong shirts are sold here This is why things like and there. Festivals like this magazine, The New Labyrinth are ‘a-maze-ing’

as it gets. Other cities in Japan, depending on the neighborhood, have less intrusive city governments and I have been told they are free to grow the sacred herb, as long as they keep it to themselves. Of course, that’s the policy written in between the lines.

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hat scares me most is that the freedom to think-aka dream- is threatened. I don’t got shit on me officer. But I should be allowed to say what I dream.

Yes brother and sisters of the inner helm, maybe it’s just me, but I got a dream, too.

I make it my goal to create safe haven, said Chief Regal Eyes, for all our brothers and sisters throughout the world. Not only a haven to perform safety meetings, but the safety to go out into public and discuss freely the love that all our hippie rock music tells us is true.

Maybe we can discuss that later. Shall we over a cup of tea? My place or yours?

Actually I do coffee. Actually I like sky.

Let’s just meet at Starbucks. That seems safe.

Until then.

Article images by G. Gibbs

*外人 ‘gaijin’ means foreigner, but literally means outsider. **内陣 ‘naijin’ means ‘inner sanctuary’

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POSTCARDS FROM THE HERBAL EDGE It is hard to really know what happens behind the partially open doors of North Korean, though it is said that the use of cannabis is legal and widely used. There are debates on this as some say the local herb-tobacco mixture called ip tambae, or “leaf tobacco” is actually a mix of cannabis and tobacco though if you were to ask for this while visiting it’s unlikely you will be offered it. Anonymous sources have said that Kim Jong Un’s regime does not consider cannabis to be a drug.

The sale of cannabis is currently illegal in Jacmaica, though it is often over looked and is sold openly.

The Jamaican Parliament is discussing a radical reform of the countries drug laws.

This will allow possession of up to 57 grams of cannabis locally known as “ganja”. It may be approved by September 2014 and would decriminalise cannabis for religious, scientific and medicinal purposes.

Uruguay legalized cannabis in 2013. In 2014 a bill was passed that ensured all sales of cannabis are to be government controlled and regulated at around 22.90 Uruguayan Peso ($1.00 U.S) a gram.

Uruguayan citizens or permanent residents can buy up to 40 grams a month and grow up to 6 crops at home each year.

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Though Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe to visit, it has become synonymous for cannabis. The Netherlands decriminalized cannabis in 1972 for possession of up to 5 grams for personal use.

Since then the cannabis culture has bloomed in the larger cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam.

“Coffee Shops” which sell cannabis with your koffie verkeerd (coffee) and stroopwafel (pastry/ waffle) are popular with tourist and locals alike.

Note a Coffee House does not sell cannabis.

Nimbin is a township in north eastern New South Wales in Australia, now famous for its annual MardiGrass rally which was created in 1993 by Bob Hopkins after some controversy in the town between the townsfolk and local police over cannabis laws. Out of the six states and various territories in Australia only three states have decriminalized the usage of small amounts of cannabis for personal use. New South Wales is not one of these states, though in Nimbin it is sold openly on streets with the word “Taxi!” shouted as an alert if police are seen.

With around 850 residents "Free Town" Christiania is a small neighborhood within the borough of Christianshavn in the Danish capital Copenhagen. Since its creation in 1989 it has been a source of controversy and generally regarded as a large commune regulated by special law. Cannabis is officially illegal in Denmark but has been tolerated and sold openly in Christiania. It is a popular tourist destination with open air hash and cannabis markets at it's famous Pusher Street. As Christiania is not part of the EU the currency is the Danish Krone, it is around 200 DKK ($36.00 U.S.) for a bag of cannabis - a bag has 2.8 grams.

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In 2013 Switzerland decriminalized Cannabis, making possession of the drug a minor misdemeanor, anyone caught with up to 10 grams will be let off with a CHF 100 ($112.00 U.S.) fine only. Since 2012 the cultivation of 4 cannabis plants per person is legal if grown on private property. It is estimated that there is around 500,000 Swiss cannabis users in Switzerland. ZĂźrich Hauptbahnhof has reputation for cannabis street dealers and nicknamed HempBahnhoff.

Prague has been called the Amsterdam of the East with an estimated 400,000 cannabis users within the Czech Republic. Since 2010 the Czech government has consider the possession of up fifteen grams for personal use and cultivation of up to five plants per individual as a misdemeanor which is often over looked. In 2013 medical cannabis was decriminalized and sold with a prescription for around 250 CZK ($12.00 U.S.) per gram in pharmacies throughout the country.

The first country in the world to decriminalize the use of all drugs. Portugal created the Drug policy of Portugal in 2001, which works to help those with addictions rather than incarcerate them.

Since the policy has been in place Portugal has seen a remarkable drop in drug addition (around 50%) thus setting a standard for many other countries to follow. Small-scale cultivation for personal use is often over looked though legal punishment can be faced by those who do grow. Erva (Portuguese slang for weed) is around 10 â‚Ź ($13.00 U.S.) for 2 or so grams.

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A good reference source for traveling around the world is webehigh.org Images original sources: Flicker, Wikipedia, Google free to use and Fotopedia

CHEF TIFF’S RECIPES

By Chef Tiffany Friedman

If you enjoy the pleasures of marijuana, then chances are you enjoy the pleasures of good food.

Personal Chef Tiffany Friedman shares with us some of her simple and delicious recipes to try out for ourselves.

-Editor

Asparagus and Feta Mimosa Salad

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ngredients . Serves 6 as a starter

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• 2 eggs boiled • 3 bunches asparagus • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, • 1 tbsp capers, drained and chopped • 1 tsp sea salt • Black pepper • ¼ cup French feta cheese • 1 tbsp Lemon juice • 1tsp lemon zest

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irections

Place the eggs in a pot of boiling water and simmer for 9 minutes. After 9 minutes remove the eggs from the pot and place them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes to stop them cooking. Remove from the water and allow them to cool completely.

Once cool peel the eggs and grate them on a coarse grater.

To prepare the asparagus gently bend the stems until the woodier bottom breaks off. Being clever little spears they will break at exactly the right place. Pop the asparagus in to a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the spears.

Drain the asparagus and divide between 6 plates Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, scatter over the capers, feta and season with salt and pepper.

Lastly top with the grated egg and lemon zest.

Serve.

Summer Berry Tart with Mascarpone and Sola Bee Honey

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ngredients

For tart shell: • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar • Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces • 1 large egg yolk • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice • 3 tablespoons cold water For filling: • 1 1/2 pounds strawberries (about 1 1/2 quarts), trimmed and halved lengthwise • 1 pound mascarpone (about 2 cups) • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste • Equipment: a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or dried beans

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reparation

Make tart shell: Blend together flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Beat together yolk, vanilla, lemon juice, and water with a fork, then drizzle over flour mixture and stir with fork (or pulse) until mixture comes together.

Gently knead with floured hands on a lightly floured surface until a dough forms, then gently knead 4 or 5 times. Press into a 5-inch disk. Place in center of tart pan and cover with plastic wrap. Using your fingers and bottom of a flat-bottomed measuring cup, spread and push dough to evenly cover bottom and side of

pan. Prick bottom of tart shell all over with a fork and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights.

Bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake until shell is deep golden all over, about 20 minutes more. Cool in pan, about 45 minutes.

Make filling while tart shell cools: Meanwhile, whisk together mascarpone, confectioners sugar, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until stiff.

Assemble tart: Spread mascarpone mixture evenly in cooled tart shell, then top with strawberries and raspberries and any other berries you like. Drizzle Sola Bee Yellow Star Thistle honey all over tart. Serve.

Chef Tiffany Friedma Chef Tiffany is a lifelong student of the culinary arts. Her goal is to always continue to grow and direct her passion toward bringing people joy. She describes her culinary talent as, “a gift I hope to share with your tastebuds.”

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REMEMBERING A DAY DREAM

lue Dream is a great strain for someone wanting to enjoy the day without getting to overly involved in

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pon taking a closer look, one will usually notice the longer dense bud flowers with a deep purple or blue

it. Generally thought of as a sativa because of its tinge to it. Then the sweet musky smell hinting at the Blue-

uplifting qualities, Blue Dream is in fact a sativa-dominant berry parentage hits with a slight zing of the Haze. A pinch hybrid. It’s sweet musky smell and longer dense buds reveal of the bud should be sticky and dense and not too dry. it’s indica properties, but the brain buzz high can really get you going like a good sativa.

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hen smoked the first rush can be an euphoric sativa lift that can either elevate into a brain buzz for

riginating in California, Blue Dream has achieved leg- some, or overwhelm and give possible panic moments for endary status among West Coast strains. Crossing a those more sensitive to that kind of thing. It usually levels

Blueberry indica with the pure sativa Haze, it balances full- out into a hazy, spacey fun ride. Followed by the relaxing body relaxation with gentle cerebral invigoration. Medic- indica element to kick in and send the day dreaming high inally, Blue Dream delivers swift symptom relief without to bed for some rest. heavy sedative effects. This makes Blue Dream a popular daytime medicine for patients treating pain, depression, nausea, and other ailments requiring a high THC strain.

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or indica lovers, this strain will probably be too energetic for you. For sativa lovers this may not be energet-

ic enough, but otherwise might just do the trick.

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the grinder that goes with you

The Good Taste of Medicine

Potency & Flavor Without The Calories!

The Auntie Dolores Mission: a promise to provide patients with a suitable alternative or form of adjunct therapy to their current medical treatment.

Consistent. Eective. Delicious.

Our award-winning products are sure to satisfy, no matter then ailment, tolerance level or nutritional need!

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KUSH EXPO 2014 A Review

By Clark Greene “Expectations lead to disappointments”

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s I pull to the stoplight at Convention Center Drive in Anaheim, California, I can either take a right into Disneyland, or go left to the Kush Expo Convention. As someone who smokes marijuana regularly, I’m torn between the two apparent super-fun times. For a second, I think I might just say fuck it to free weed samples and head over to the other happiest place on earth. But there’s work to be smoked and sampled. So left into KushExpo I go.

“I prepare myself to be overwhelmed... by what the wide world of weed had to offer”

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’ve been only been to two other conventions before this one. The first was about a decade ago. I got a decently paid gig to DJ rock & hip hop for Tera Patrick’s pink velvet booth at the AVN porn convention in Vegas for 3 entire days. As an admitted porn purveyor in the privacy of my own home, I thought 64

I might enjoy seeing the professional porn world at play. But it turned out to be more of a surreal, sobering, and not so sexy behind the scenes look at the business side of sex, and sex film workers. It was definitely not the bacchanalian blast I thought it was gonna be.

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couple of years later a friend got me free tickets to the National Association of Musician Merchants convention, or NAMM, which also happened to be at this same convention center in Anaheim. NAMM is where the old glam rockers dudes and hot slutty rock chicks from the Sunset Strip in the ‘80s can reunite. Like a 30 year high school reunion, but with more hair and really really sweet music gear. In many ways NAMM was similar to the porn convention, with both rock stars and porn stars strewn about like zoo exhibits to be photographed next to adoring fans.

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Gratuitous cannabis convention banners’ - Photo Clark Geene

rock oozing conventions in mind, I prepare myself to be overwhelmed again, this time by what the wide world of weed has to offer. I’m expecting herbal hedonism manifested in modern times. But what I find is a far tiny cry from anything close to that.

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y associate and I park in the underground car park at 4:20pm ith those two gi(true story). As we get out ant glamorous sex-

of the car, we are immediately hit with the stifling summer heat as pungent wafts of pot smoke hitting us from all around.

Seems like a good sign.

But we then immediately become lost as there are no actual signs to show us which way to go. We walk towards what must be the convention center buildings to see a ton of suits walking purposefully towards one of the main

Photos: Empty Entance & Exit at Anaheim Convention Center by Clark Greene

buildings. I assume that’s and anxious people trydefinitely not where we’re ing to get their tickets and going and walk towards passes. the buildings in the opposite direction. nstead we almost pass the little table with 3 or 4 fter asking directions friendly ladies in their 50s from some white kid running the will call tickwith dreds along the way, ets pick up. They quickly we finally find our the give us our passes for both giant glass front building days and we walk towards that houses the KushEx- the convention doors. po. I’m expecting banners shouting “KushExpo here are a few gratuihere!” and lines of excited tous “sexy chick con-

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test” and “Cypress Hill’s B-Real guest appearance” poster boards put up to see as we walk, but not to the extreme I expected. A few people are exiting with their gift bags and other collections. Some have the cliche pot smoker looks: hippy, slacker, thug, rasta.

But more of them seem to just look like average folk.

Which is a good thing.

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e give our tickets to a smiling elderly gentlemen in a dusty old uniform meant for ticket tearing guys in the 1940s.

He tears them most happily and heartily and directs us to what only 20 years ago would have been as amazing and miraculous to me as Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory was to young Charlie Bucket.

Maybe even more so, because we never even dare 65

dreamed of an entire convention dedicated entirely to the enjoyment of cannabis.

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ut just a few steps in, and my inner Charlie grows up really fast with a fat dose of reality. This convention is really small.

It doesn’t help that the room that houses it is so huge, meant for a convention 10 times this size. But it’s mid day on day one of a two day convention, and there’s no pushing crowd of eager smokers trying to get their hands on free samples of delicious designer medical marijuana.

It’s either all just diehards that really love weed, or it’s mostly the new networkers of a budding industry.

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n spite of all the cliche “bud-bling” booths trying to dominate the atmosphere, there are still were some great little innovative vendors trying to make their voice heard underneath all this racket.

everyone claims to be better, so until I can try them myself I’ll take it with the necessary grain of salt.

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s we stroll further in, “DJ Giveaway” gets louder with an accompanying crowd roar of hope-

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wanted to find out more, but as we tried to chat with the young man about their product, DJ Giveaway was so blaring we couldn’t get but a few words in before we were sonically shut down. I felt sorry for the vendor who payed good money to show their wares, but were instead stuck yelling at possible contacts all day.

I could tell they weren’t happy with their lot.

“In spite of all the loud ‘bud-bling’ booths... there are still... great innovative vendors trying to make their voice heard.”

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e walk into the first row, treated by some the usual glitz and glam of booths trying to get your attention. Super loud DJs shouting out give-aways.

Bud girls in barely outfits who probably work at both the porn and NAMM conventions, they just do this on the off season for extra cash. That, or the local Disneyland strip clubs have let out for summer break.

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er. They make their products with a high CBD, cannabidiol, content. More than just your average hemp shampoo you can get at Whole Foods, this has active medicinal cannabis inside. But there is no THC, the cannabinoid that gets a person high, so your hair and skin stay sober as they heal. At least I think that’s the idea.

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Photo: ‘People Clammering for free stuff from DJ Giveaway’ by Clark Greene

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fuls trying to get the next free thing. We move on past a booth with the ubiquitous ‘90s swirly glass pipes that barely conceal their phallic inspirations.

e weave away from the loudness and within a few rows we find ourselves beyond the market out vendor zone and into the vast empty end of the convention.

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etting a better lay of the land, we decide to get organized and walk each row one by one until we have seen every single vendor that looks remotely interesting.

e step up to a small booth with some sleek classy pen vaporizers on display, Vape Co. The young sales girl greets us with a friendly smile and tells us all about e stop to chat with a e take our time and their latest products and friendly young man chat with a lot of how much better they are from Cibaderm, an organic excited cannabis entrethan the competition. But medicated beauty suppli- preneurs who are itching

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to get their newest twists to marijuana delivery systems out on the market.

Designer Edibles: like medicated potato chips, lollipops, gum, sodas, organic vegan gluten free cupcakes, cannabis infused fruit juices. Topicals: like medicated body lotions, foot rubs, shampoos. Concentrates: like waxes, hash oils, liquid cannabis for vape pens.

Cannabis tinctures: like it’s the 1890s. Seeds: to grow your own plants at home.

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hen there’s the tech behind the medicine: The latest in organic butane-alternative to make healthy shatter wax.

Home tool kits for extracting the medicine. Giant industrial microwave looking machines meant for drying waxes and cooking out leftover butane on a large scale.

“There’s an extra earnest quality, a solidarity in belief of a just cause, between everyone. ”

assume. A sucker for sci- ward. fi and good design, I’m drawn in. start to notice a lot of the booths are proudly n spite of the no smok- displaying their Kush Cup ing/vaping inside signs trophies, selected “Best in all around, we are offered whatever category they a puffs and edibles sam- entered. But in convenple at most booths, with tion this small, it seems

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ness together in the future.

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n fact most of the people here are really friendly, hard working, and very professional, as one should be at a convention.

But there’s this extra earnest quality, a solidarity in belief of a just cause, between everyone.

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e did run into a couple of the more, let’s say, ‘douche element’ at a few of the booths.

But that’s to be expected. You know the guy: ex frat dude with short blond product-spiked hair, a thin day glow tank top barely Photo: ‘Back end of convention room with all the extra space’ by covering his buff shaved Clark Greene chest. He gives off that car salesman vibe that seems focused on you, but is more interested in the chicks walking by, or taking another hit, than pay much attention as he runs through his own company’s spiel.

A Photo: ‘Medicating Area’ by Clark Greene

s we continue through, DJ Giveaway is still shouting out free shit and it’s starting to do my head in, so we head out back to the “medicating area”. I’m imagining everyone packed together under huge clouds of smoke passing blunts and joints. Hedonism at its best. But instead we walk out to a hot concrete side entrance with two big pop up tents with long tables set up for people to gath-

the typical stoner-check like everyone’s got one. I around to see if anyone think maybe they all got is looking. but it seems one for just showing up. like no big deal. Buzzed a e pause at Magic notch higher, we float our e chat with the Flight vaporizers. way along. friendly Vapor NaI’ve heard good things tion guys who seem to about their herbal woode run into one have every vaporizer unen box vaporizer. We chat of our sponsor’s der the sun. I am very inwith one of their excited sales guys who shows us booths, The V Syndicate, terested in this blooming the sleek new black with who make our amazing every changing technologold trim Mauh’Dib va- business grinder cards. gy and since they have it porizer for wax, themed We share quick smiles and all under one roof, we talk continues...... on page 76 after the ‘Dune’ novels I hellos and then head on- about possibly doing busi-

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Thomas, You Were There.

Chapter 2* By: Christopher Pappas

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meet her gaze, to reenact e traces, and traces, and traces, what once was.

She then mouthed and traces… something, again inauSometimes, he thinks, dible, and turned on her I think I’ve spent my en- heels - out the door with a tire life tracing the steps soundless slam.

Thomas frowns, and of others. Or (he continues thinking) my own then slowly finds the rail steps, which, may even be that leads into the kitchworse. en, where his bowl is Don’t do this Thomas. fixed onto the counter.

“It wasn’t wise of me The girl stood up, said to rush like that.” Thomsomething that Thomas cannot hear, and walked as says (out loud, so I’ve to the door. She opened used quotations) “I must it slowly and turned back always use the rails.” to face somewhere behind And what good is it Thomas. Thomas, in turn, to meet a gaze that rushes to find that spot, to has already happened, 68

Thomas?

He finishes his cereal (with no milk) and moves his hand along the counter until it hits the sink.

He then washes the bowl and carefully dries it.

to himself; A song that makes him sad. He considers the amount of sadness in the world in the following way: Perhaps sadness is a finite thing. That is; the amount of sadness in the Oh! I’m a shadow of a world is fixed, as energy shadow is, and we simply pass it ​ Relentlessly following back and forth. an arrow Perhaps (he thinks) the ​Shot to the sun, shot to sadness I feel has value afthe sun. ter all!

But like Zeno’s wild “I’m simply holding it so dream, that others needed feel it.” ​ I’m arriving to where I’d he says (outloud, so I’ve begun. used quotations) And that for a moment Thomas hums a tune made Thomas smile.​ Image by C. Pappas

“It would be a good use of my time,” Thomas says (out loud) “to write this equation” The conservation of Sadness, (He thinks), “Quite similar to the 2nd law of thermodynamics.”

It could go something like this: Sadness, [S], cannot be created or destroyed; the amount in the world is fixed number.

A person who is sad will remain sad until the sadness is passed to someone who is happy.

“Until it’s passed to someone who is happy” Thomas mutters to himself. The implications of his theory rings in his brain: If sadness is truly fixed, the only way to be happy is to pass your sadness on to someone else.

Thomas, don’t worryIt’s only a theory, and not a very plausible one at that.

The silver lining (Thomas reasons) is that at least, if this is true, I’ll be able to hold my share of sadness for quite a while.

Thomas’ thoughts are interrupted by a buzzing in his pocket. His cell phone is ringing. Thomas pulls it out and says (outloud, naturally, so I’ve included quotations): “Hi, This is Thomas.”

“Hi, This is Thomas” says a voice in a raised tone mimicing Thomas’ voice.

“How are we today buddy?”

Thomas chuckles and says: “Hi Craig, I’m fine.

What are you up to?

“Nothing in particular.

You wanna grab some lunch? I can come over and get you if you’d like.”

“No, thanks. I have a bit of work to do today.”

“Thomas – I get it bud.

But you have to get some sun. Come on man, my treat.”

“Perhaps you can make some lunch here with me.”

“No deal. I want to get you out of your house.

Come on, I’ll make sure no one bothers us.”

It is a plesant enough offer, to be sure. However Thomas is in no mood for sun, or crowds, or questions.

“How about this” Craig continues, “We’ll compromise: Let’s go grab a coffee at the end of your street.

Quick, easy, and close by.”

Thomas thinks silently.

“Hello?” Craig asks.

“Okay.”

Thomas, this is good.

Tell yourself this is good.

“Great!” Craig exclaims “I’ll see you in 10 minutes.”

Thomas agrees to the plans and hangs up his cell phone.

It’s just coffee, (he thinks, so I’ve italicized it). Right down the block. Quick.

Easy. No questions. No crowds.

Thomas hears a knock on the door.

From the kitchen he follows the rail towards the front door and presses

his face genlte against the frame. [Fig. 1, Fig. 2] “Craig?” He asks, bewlidered.

From outside the door a soft female voice says: “No. I... I am going door to door to talk about recycling in the neighborhood.”

“Huh?” Thomas asks.

“I’m part of a council that is trying to implent new recylcing policies in the neighborhood. We need signatures to get on the ballot this november.

If I could...”

Thomas stops her short.

“I’m not interested in signing anything.”

“Well perhaps if you’d just give me a minute I could explain why this would be such a good thing for this community.

I have some literature that you could read.”

“Well.” Thomas stutters.

“Just, slide it under the door I guess. I’ll think about it.”

“Great!” The voice from behind the door says.

After a few moments of rustling. She says in a apologetic tone: “Uh, there isn’t any room to slide it under the door.”

“Just leave it on the porch then.” Thomas retorts impatiently.

“Okay.” She says softly.

Thomas waits. Silence.

He lets out a breath.

Why not open the door, Thomas? Why chance the regret?

Thomas is startled by a knocking at the door.

“Thomas!” It’s Craig’s voice.

“Hi Craig.” Thomas unlocks the door and opens it.

Craig walks in and gives Thomas a hug.

“Who was that girl, Thomas?” asks Craig.

“She was collecting signatures for some recycling initiative.“ “Ah. Well – not to rub it in, but she was a looker.”

Thomas laughs. “Yeah well. Not that it matters now anyway. I guess I’ll see in a year.”

Craig smiles. “Well. It’ll be worth the wait.”

Thomas pauses.

“Craig.” Thomas pauses again.

I should be more specific: Thomas pauses to think. He thinks about the girl who’s gaze had already happened. He thinks about the song he sang.

“​Oh! I’m a shadow of a shadow ​ Relentlessly following an arrow Shot to the sun, shot to the sun But like Zeno’s wild dream I’m arriving to where I’d begun.”

Arriving to where I’ve begun. (Thomas thinks) He breathes in slowly and says: “Ok. Describe her to me.”

To be continued next issue...

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Cannatherapy Cannabis: Use With Intention by, Miz D

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he times they are definitely a changing. The shift towards the re-legalization of marijuana is beginning to take place on a global scale. The science is starting to confirm what the advocates have been saying for years; not only is marijuana NOT bad for you, but it’s actually an incredible natural healing gift. It can help when nothing else can and its range of applications is unparalleled. Issues affecting the mind, body and soul can be treated and yes, even cured with the intentional use of cannabis.

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evertheless, stigmas and stereotypes still persist.

The “stoner image”, although outdated, still represents most people’s view of marijuana users.

This image, most often perpetuated by media and cannabis culture itself, is reflective of some consumers, but definitely not all. There is a growing number of mature, intelligent and successful people who are coming out of the cannabis closet and raising their voices to be

heard. I am one of these voices. My name is Miz D.

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s a daily consumer, I love cannabis in all its forms. I enjoy smoking a joint or bowl, but, like Whoopi, I also love my vaporizer.

This last year I’ve also become fond of edibles, especially my own yummy hand crafted chocolate treats. I’ve been practicing what I call ‘cannatherapy’ for the past 36 years and feel terrific for it. If you’re wondering what cannatherapy is, I define it as ‘the therapeutic use of cannabis to enhance one’s health and wellbeing’.

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he concept is based on my belief that if cannabis use benefits an individual in any way, it is, by nature, therapeutic. So yes, if it alleviates my pain and helps me function, that is therapeutic. If it helps me cope with a busy and demanding life, that is definitely therapeutic. And if it’s shared with friends and helps facilitate a fun and enjoyable time, then that has tremendous therapeutic value as well. Basically

I believe that almost all use is therapeutic which makes most of us cannatherapists whether we recognize it or not.

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prohibition or the opinions of others dictate how you view and feel about yourself. You’ve simply been a little ahead of your time. But don’t worry, attitudes are evolving and soon, instead of being looked down upon, you’ll be regarded as a visionary. Why not start now?

Welcome to the future of marijuana.

here is still so much shame wrapped around cannabis use and yet, I don’t get it. Cannabis is one of the most amazing gifts available to us!

There’s absolutely no valid reason we as consumers should feel embarrassed or guilty for our lifestyle choice. I don’t. In MIZ D is an advocate, artfact, I credit it with help- ist and entrepreneur from Vancouver, Canada. ing me lead an amazing life and proudly advocate To find out more goto: and promote its use. www.cannatherapy.ca www.dvibz.ca o, hold your head www.dlightsociety.ca up cannabis connoisseurs! Don’t let the ignorant lies of

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STO-FO How to Be High & On Top of Your Game.

by Dennis Gubbins

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tony Focus, or “Sto-Fo” for short, was the term I came up with to describe what I had experienced that night at the pool hall. I spoke of it with my friends. We laughed and talked about how we all seem to get better at bowling and pool the drunker we get, but none of us had ever felt as present or “in the moment” while drunk as I did while high that night.

We set out to see if this was a one off or if there was something really to this new “movement”. It would become a sort of mantra or “coen” for me throughout athletic life.

I had played many sports and taken part in many leisure activities while high in the years leading up to this night and found that not only did weed make it more enjoyable but that it could also be helpful. But I had never so been “in the zone” AND high. Maybe weed really did help.

To contrast that positive experience, the only other major time I can remember being super high and super focused was in a negative way. It was my senior year in high school. I was the sweeper for the soccer team. I was also the co-captain. We had high hopes before the season started, but the guy who was to be our goalie moved away and we had no one to take his place. The only guy who would play goalie was the worst athlete on the team, Jason. He was a nice enough guy but he shouldn’t have even been on the team, let alone the starting goalie. And as the sweeper it was my job as the last line of defense to keep the ball away from him as much as humanly possible.

There were a few of us on the team who liked to smoke weed. My buddy had made a bong from some beakers he stole from the science lab and we snuck down into a creek that ran along the side of the soccer field and smoked only a few minutes before kickoff.

We were even wearing our uniforms and cleats.

We lost that game 2-1 and I took a hiatus from smoking before games. It was the only time I would ever score an “own-goal”. It really sucked. A Colombian guy was murdered after he scored an own-goal against the USA in the 1994 world cup. They might not always lead to death, but an own-goal will sure as hell haunt you for the rest of your life.

So, two very different events and outcomes with the one common factor: being super high. Was it the weed that made me indecisive? Or was it the weed that gave me a clear vision of what to do (get out the way!) and my own indecision was to blame?

My friends and I would discuss the practical uses for Sto-Fo. We would then test it on various sports and activities. We concluded that it is best used in low impact and low speed endeavors, and in those sports that allow for some time between each shot/ turn/throw. It is also helpful if the sport is played in Fast forward to later in the first half of the game an environment that is conducive to smoking weed and I was still pretty baked. The game was going well throughout. (Or just do what I do… eat an edible, enough, mostly cuz we weren’t losing yet. Then it hap- then go play.) pened. A shot came towards my head on its way to the goal and Jason was standing a few yards behind me.

Frisbee golf is a great example. So is regular golf.

In that flashing moment I can vividly remember over And darts. Pool, of course. Shuffle board is great. Ping thinking, “Head it away. No let it go and Jason will pong too. Bacci is close to perfect. Skiing, snowboardcatch it and that will build his confidence. He needs it! ing, and skateboarding work as well, even though Nope! Head it away! No! It’s an easy save so just get they are high speed and can be high impact. out of the…” BANG! The ball bounded off the side of my indecisive head and straight into the goal.

We found that just as long as you can take a moment enough to be able to say the words “Sto-fo”. Use 72

that mantra to help you get highly focused on the task at hand. Then... execute!

THE STO-FO That’s what I was doing the night I ran the ta- WORKABILITY CHART: ble without knowing it nor questioning it. The day I scored that own-goal I was definitely questioning and it killed us. K, not literally. But I would not recom- . Pool - Yes! mend employing the principals of the stony focus to compete in a drag race, or go drifting, or anything truly life threatening. But if you have a set up for washers, . Bowling - Yes! or horseshoes, then get to smoking! . Golf - Yes! Would I have run the table without the stony focus that night? Who knows. This is not rocket science. Or . Tennis - Yes! any science for that matter. This is an idea, a tool, a mantra, or whatever you want to call it, that I pass . Frisbee Golf - Damn Straight! on for you to try the next time you find yourself high and playing a sport like golf that can be so mental you . Shuffle Board (any variety) Yes! want to throw your club and quit. Instead take a puff, get that Sto-Fo working, and hit the shot of your life! . Nascar Racing - No! Anyone can smoke or eat weed and go out and play and have a great time, but one must make a decision to employ this kinda of focus in their next athletic en- . Darts - Yep! deavor. Mindful verses mindless. . Tackle Football - No Way! Here’s a convient guide to sports that may or may not be ideal for Stony Focus: . Paddle Tennis - Sure! . Ping Pong - Of Course! . Javelin - Never! . Basketball - No! . Baseball - Haven’t tried… let me know! . Softball - Yes! . Watching Sports - Most Definitely! . Soccer - Not for this guy! . Bacci - Si! . Archery - No! Remember to relax, stay stoney focused, and most of all have fun!

Images original sources: www.golfingposters.com, vinage pool

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Day in the Life.... ... of a Delivery Driver.

By Dusty Rollblaze 11:00 AM - Wake up.

11:15 AM - Get Up. 11:30 AM - Get dressed.

Pick out music for the day drive. Rock is always best. Makes for energetic driving. Scorpions. Their 70s stuff. Taken By Force, In Trance, Virgin Killer.

Throw in some Thin Lizzy, Van Halen, Sabbath, Priest... just in case.

11:45 AM Get in car. A little top heavy SUV. But it gets above the traffic and has some zip to it. Drive to work.

12:00 PM Arrive at office. Solo work day. Check phone. No calls yet. No messages. Check stock make sure we have enough of everything for the day.

Take a Volcano vaporizer bag hit of Bubbleberry, a not too strong sweet sativa-dominant hybrid. Perfect for easing into my day.

12:15 PM Put on pandora shuffle. Refill some Skywalker O.G. a relaxing creative evening indica.

Also put out Sour O.G. Full melt hash, a mellow hybrid. Notice we are out of Mango Haze, the super sweet sativa. Log on to computer. Take Mango Haze off Weedmaps and our website.

1:00 PM Phone rings. 1st call of the day. The caller ID says “Ben” in Silverlake. A familiar friendly voice responds to my greeting as I answer the phone. He orders 1 eighth of Sour Diesel, 1 of Bub74

bleberry, and 1 of G.D.P. (Grand Daddy Purple, a heavy indica). I tell him I’ll be there with in the hour, as Is our policy. He’s close, only 5 minutes away, but I have to wait for more orders to build up or else I’ll be bouncing across town and not have enough time to reach everyone in a timely manner.

1:15 PM Another call comes in. “Abe”. Hollywood. A regular. Orders 1 eighth of Jack Herer, 1 Godzilla O.G. and 1 Cherry Pie Kush.

1:25 PM “John” calls in.

Also close in Silverlake.

Orders 1 Sour Diesel, 1 Headband, 1 OG Kush.

1:30 PM I paperbag up the orders, staple them shut, throw them into my shoulder bag, head out the door,and jump in my car.

I set my GPS to where I’m going, then put on Scorpion’s 1977 masterpiece I only just discovered, “Taken By Force”, and rock my way down the road.

The traffic isn’t too bad at this time, but getting into Hollywood is always a fucking hassle.

1:50 PM I arrive at Abe’s place first, the farthest of all the places to get it out of the way. I’m greeted by his crazy loud dog almost busting down his glass door as it hears me approach. I wait for Abe to grab the dog and wrestle it into another room. It seems like over 50 percent of our members have dogs,

and most of them are really sweet. Only a couple of them like Abe’s am I glad when they put them in the other room. Abe greets me at the door, a young man with a friendly stoney smile always on his face. I give him his bagged order.

He pays me with a nice tip, and then I’m back in my car and heading to Silverlake.

2:05 PM I arrive at Ben’s apartment, make the drop off as he gives me a bag of weed vials for recycling. A few words of pleasantries and I’m on my way winding up through the Silverlake hills.

2:15 PM I arrive at John’s. I ring the bell and wait as this aging man shuffles in his PJ’s toward the gate. Well it’s not that he’s really old, but more like he’s really sick. John is battling cancer and by his too thin body and weak demeanor, it seems like sadly he’s not winning. Too bad because he’s such a sweet man. Medicine and well wishes delivered and I’m off again back to the office.

2:25 PM I pull over to answer a call from an unknown number. Must be a new patient. A girls voice happily greets me as I ask the usual questions. Do you have a California ID and current Doctor’s recommendation? Do you live within our delivery zone?

She answers satisfactorily, so I take down her name address and order. “Britney.” Hollywood hills. 2

eighths of Blue Dream and a gram of passion wax.

Shit I wished she’d called earlier so I didn’t have to make another trip back in to Hollywood so soon. I tell her I’ll be there in the hour.

3:00 PM Back at the office reading nonsense online, waiting for more orders, the phone finally rings. Marc, a very regular wants his usual 3 eighths.

He’s in Hollywood too so at least I’m not going back for just one run.

3:10 PM With no one else calling in I head out to Hollywood. Put on Thin Lizzy’s “Jonny The Fox”, their funkiest hard rock album, and drive, drive, drive.

3:25 PM and I’m pulling up to the end of a posh Hollywood hills street with views for miles. I punch in the key code Britney gave me and drive on in through the big gate.

I ring the door bell to this Hollywood mansion, and wait. Nothing. I can hear people chatting loudly and walking around inside.

I ring the bell again and knock on the big door. Finally someone hears me and opens up. A cute black chick in a bikini answers with “can I help you? “ look. I say “Delivery for Britney.” She opens the door to this surprisingly empty mansion to people running around in pool gear, and tells me to go down the bottom of big

stair case that winds down to a few floors with rooms running off the spiral as it goes. A little confused, I walk on down.

I enter the room at the end where a bunch if people are hanging out and pool partying through the door glass doors that lead out to the pool over looking all of Hollywood.

I ask for Britney and am pointed to the one girl in a full foot cast. I sit down next to her on the white leather porn couch so I can get her signed up. I check her Dr’s Rec as she fills out the membership paperwork. I ask for her ID. She can’t find it for a second and then points over to the built in bar, where her friends are chopping up lines of coke.

They grinningly hand me her ID which was their tool to chop up said lines, and offer me a line for my troubles. “Sorry, not while on the job, but thanks anyways.” I apologize.

I photo a copy of the ID and Rec as she finishes up the paperwork. I mention it’s nice house to get the full story here. She says her and her friends just rented it for the week for gay pride. And then she broke her foot yesterday.

Not cool, but she’s taking

it stride. I give her her order, thank her for the tip, and I’m winding my way up and out to my awaiting chariot.

3:40 PM Arrive at Marc’s apartment he shares with his boyfriend. After he calms down his dogs, I step inside and we shoot the shit for a bit. Then I’m off back on the road back to the office.

4:00 PM Back at the office, no calls.

4:20 PM Take a bong hit of some Afgoo hybrid to stay afloat.

5:00 PM Get a call from my friend and member Joe Pants, music engineer/ producer extraordinaire.

He just wants 1 eighth of Blue Dream to keep him going on whatever latest music project he’s working on. It’s traffic time, but he’s only in Los Feliz so no biggie.

5:45 PM No more calls, so I head to Joe’s.

6:05 PM Arrive at Joe’s.

I cruise to his back house studio and we hang and catch up a bit and talk music. Then I get a call from Lynn Washington. She places her order of 1 Jack, 1 Girl Scout Cookies, and a OG 1 Kenobi. She’s close to the office. Easy. Joe and

I chat a bit more, then I head back.

6:35 PM Get a call from Scott Blunt. I can’t help but chuckle a little when I see his name, as I’m sure all the kids did in high school when his name was called. He orders big like always. 3 eighths of Green Candy, 3 of Purple Diesel, and 3 Skywalkers. Then I immediately get a call from Jan Pleasant in Altadena.

Far but easy to get to by freeway. She’s a sweet older woman who seems like she would be friends with my mom. She orders all edibles. Brownies, peppermint pattys, honey sticks, and chocolate bars. Luckily Scott, is in Mt Washington. I head off.

7:00 PM Arrive at Lynn’s. She and her boyfriend are cooking dinner.

It smells delicious. I drop off and head out.

7:20 PM Arrive a Scott’s all the way on top of Mt Washington. He and his husband greet me at the door in aprons, as they too are cooking dinner. I’m getting hungry. Back on the road and on the freeway.

7:35 PM Arrive in Altadena to Jan’s house, a lovely large gated house tucked all the way by the bottom

of the Angeles National Forest. A quick drop off and nice tip later, and I’m on the road and heading back to the office 8:00 PM Back at the office. Fill up pre pack some of the strains we’re low on and wait for 9 to roll around.

8:50 PM No one’s called so I count up today receipts and my tips, fill out the closing paperwork and am just about to head out when I get a call from “Kim”. Damn! she’s a sweet girl and doesn’t live far, but why does she always gotta call last minute?? She orders 1 Pure OG and a lemonade. I grab and bag her order. Put in the $50 of my own money for hers, band close up the shop.

9:10 PM I drop of Kid’s order at her Silverlake apartment and I’m on my way home to smoke my own and down shift myself off the streets.

9:30 PM. Home safe and sound. All in all, not

a bad day.

Image: 123RF

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Jacob Estes interview we order a couple of Tsing for “one more drink”. I sharing blunts, and just Tao’s, then part flesh to sit shy away from any of the generally hanging out. continued...... over at a table against the nearby small dance floor where young bearded hipsters and skinny-jeaned girls with dark bangs dance to Madonna’s “Borderline”.

invites to join them. I just want to get back home to e walk to one of the rest my tired legs. It’s been less crowded tables a long day. I start to make and sit down for a personmy move towards home. al puff. We sit and puff on our person vape pens we Me: That’s was a serious brought ourselves, and walk. sort through our new colMe: For example – Jacob: These people lection of contact cards weren’t even born when Jacob: It told you. I think while enjoying our buzz.

Jacob: There’s a lot of ex- this song came out. it’s like 7 miles. amples— he heat starts to press looking around: Me: My little walking app Me, on us after a bit, so we Me: If I put a gun to your You’re right. Depressing. says 7 1/2 miles. Nice one. head and told you to pick We’re the old guys at the I’d love to try that hike pick up and head back into the a/c cooled convention just one thing...? bar. during the day. hall.

Feeling a bit out of place, Jacob: You have to get bet- we clink glasses, down Jacob: You should. Ale start back through ter at what you do all the our beers and get out of though it’s a lot more illuto see if there were time. You have to examine there as fast as possible. minating in the dark. any booths we may have your weaknesses and try missed. But it seems we’ve to understand how and Jacob, as we exit: Usualby Soren Gray touched base with as many why you are failing. You ly this place is empty and will fail most of the time. much more fun to be at. cool classy vendors as we Kush Expo 14’ You need to be ready for could, and even a few not Review continued...... so classy ones. that, and find a way to aving sat for too long allow that into your life mid exercise, we er under and smoke out of without letting it devastate walk our aching feet over the summer heat. t’s 6:30pm. We’ve been you. And I try to let peo- to where Caesar Chavez here for only 2 hours ple know that yes, we all turns into Sunset Blvd, here’s the usual smell and we’ve already seen have our talents, but that turn right and limp and of skunk bud in the and done it all. And this is not the main thing that chat our way a couple air, but not nearly the convention goes on for 2 matters is finding a way to miles into Echo Park propfogged out level I thought full days?? Maybe everyunearth those talents and er. Jacob’s blister is getting there would be. Not just one’s waiting to come for make something of them no better. My legs are dothe bikini contest on Sun– I let people know that ing their own kind of com- because there simply not day...? that many attendees, but Mean Creek took me sev- plaining. also because if the rise en years to get right – and e start to head out, of the Vape pens. It’s all I’m still rewriting it in my e start to pass two about the Vape pens these knowing we don’t head, because I know it drunk girls walk- days. They’re very dis- need to come back tomorcould have been better. ing our way, when the creet, compact, and barely row. But maybe next year. tall blonde one suddenAs we get back to our car acob’s finished with his ly shouts “Jacob!?!” and give off an odor for more and start to head back cigarette, so we head goes in for a big hug. Af- than a passing moment. home, I think about my into Hop Louie –a noto- ter a round of introducrious Chinatown dive bar tions and realizations it’s notice a majority of peo- expectations of what I where young eager hip- been way too long since ple collected by one part imagined the convention sters are packed in. ‘80s they’ve seen each other, of on tent. I then see it’s would be, and what it realclassics blast over the too she insists Jacob stay out Cypress Hill’s B-Real hold- ly was like. ing court, taking photos, loud jukebox. At the bar, 76 vice. Most people don’t realize how important it is to learn from your elders.

After that we just talk and I tell them everything I believe.

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o what if some of the vendors are stuck in the flash and sparkle of the old gaurd potheads, when marijuana needed the glitter and glam, flash and cash, tits and more tits to draw attention to something that really doesn’t need that loud sophomoric brashness to celebrate the love for the good herb.

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ver all though, I saw a lot of optimism.

Everyone can see where it’s going. And we’re all on the ground floor. And these brave industrious pioneers of the new bud business prove that not only are pot smokers not lazy slackers, they are in fact a very inventive, creative and innovative group of people who just want to freely express their way to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness through cannabis. They just want to help save the world, and maybe make a lot of money along they way.

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also realize as disappointed as I was with the size and style of this convention, this industry really still in its seedling phase. It’s barely started to poke it’s head out of the dirt and into the sunlight.

by Clark Greene

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ell so ends another issue of THE NEW SMOKER magazine. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed

making it. Please don’t be shy to share it with friends and family alike, whether they partake in the plant or not. There is something in this magazine for everyone.

(Well, almost everyone). Be proud to share your culture with others. We NEW SMOKERS no longer need to hide in the growing closet any more. Shout out the call of cannabis pride: “I’m Me! I Smoke Weed! Get used to it!!”

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e would like to thank all of our wonderful, writers, design team, contributors and our

sponsors, all without whom this magazine would not be possible. Thank you all so very much!

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tay tuned to your interwebs for news of issue #3 of THE NEW SMOKER coming in Fall, 2014!

If you would like to contact us about anything is this magazine please send all questions, comments, or letters to the editor to info@thenewsmoker.com.

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