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Dabs
By Feather Hailglow
There have been times when I’d bring home a stoner buddy of mine for the first time, they’d take a look at my oil set-up and blow torch on the table, give me a puzzled look and ask me what kinds of drugs I’ve been smoking.
“I only use cannabis,” is what I’d tell them.
“You can smoke weed out of this thing?”
I’ve explained this dozens of times before; I get the same questions every time. No, I will not smoke weed out of that bong. It is designed for concentrates. Butane hash oil, wax, honey oil, shatter, dabs, whatever you want to call it. Lots of times people just sprinkle their concentrates over a bowl of flowers; that’s fine too. I prefer to use my Hitman Glass oil rig.
Instead of a bowl, it uses a nail and dome set-up. I use two different types of nails; I have a quartz one and a titanium. Using my Vector blowtorch, I heat up the nail then place the dome over it so the vapor doesn’t escape. The thing I like about dabs, or smoking concentrates, is that you aren’t inhaling any plant matter. Concentrates are an extraction of the THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) using solvents such as butane, CO2, or alcohol. I don’t like to get in to the science of it much, but all in all, what you’re smoking is more pure. My bong water hardly gets dirtied. You’re vaporizing a concentrate of the cannabis, so I’m pretty sure it’s better on the lungs. It feels better, at least, and the high is much stronger, more clean.
You can’t explain the feeling of taking a dab after a long day of school or work. All it takes is one hit and you’re good for a few hours, especially if you’ve never dabbed before. Once the smoke hits my lungs, I can feel my third eye pulsate, my muscles immediately begin to relax, and I can’t help but smile. My favorite part is the taste. Without all the burnt plant matter overpowering the flavor of the cannabis, the aroma of the strain is more prominent in the taste of the smoke.
With dabs becoming more and more popular among pot smokers worldwide, glass blowers have been becoming more and more creative with the creation of functional glass art. Dabbers, which are used to apply the concentrate to the hot nail, come in all shapes and sizes nowadays. I’ve seen light sabers, pencils, even ones that glow in the dark. And the domes, or vapor globes, which trap the vapor around nail, also come in a myriad of shapes, colors, and designs. Recently, you can find pretty much any cartoon character made into a dome, even basketball hoops or animals. It’s an art form not a lot of people are aware of yet, but the fan base is definitely growing.
That’s pretty much the speech I have to give every so often to my buddies that haven’t come across dabs before, but I never mind at all. I like talking about dabs, I like talking about anything really, and I always want to help inform people. The more the merrier, I always say. Well, that’s all I have to say about dabs for today. I’m off to go medicate now J
Halle Berry's ex, Gabriel Aubry, won't face charges
Berry and fiance Oliver Martinez not pursuing the case after nasty fight.
Halle Berry is a phenomenal actress. She's had an incredibly successful career, but let's face it: Her personal life is a hot mess. In recent years, things have taken a turn for the worse. Sadly, she's been in a horrific custody battle with baby daddy Gabriel Aubry for what seems like forever and now, her fiance and Aubry duked it out over Thanksgiving.
Guess what? No matter how rich and/or beautiful you are, that doesn't guarantee you a happy home life. Halle Berry's smack in the middle of a really bad mess at the moment. What's going on?
Let's back up to Thanksgiving, shall we? On Thanksgiving Day, Halle Berry's ex, Gabriel Aubry, wound up in a huge fist fight with her fiance, actor Oliver Martinez. The situation was very, very serious and both men walked away from the brawl with injuries. This all happened as Aubry dropped off his young daughter, Nahla, with Halle. What adults do concerns me, of course, but I'm far more concerned for the well being of this poor child!
For days after the fight, it was a matter of he said and, well, he said. Each man said the other started the brawl, so who was right? According to TMZ, police believe it was, in fact, Gabriel Aubry who attacked Oliver Martinez first. And what do you do when someone starts wailing away on you? You fight back, and that's precisely what Martinez was doing. Now, it seems, Halle and Oliver have opted not to file criminal charges in the case.
Police are also said to be "concerned" about Gabriel Aubry's "ongoing anger issues." Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry have been embroiled in a nasty custody battle over Nahla, so how will this news affect the situation? According to one source, the two have "quietly and amicably reached an agreement" on the matter. Gee, you think? Given Aubry's outburst and apparent "anger issues," what judge on EARTH would award him custody of the child?
The victim in all this is really little Nahla. I can only hope that this agreement, whatever it may be, is truly amicable. The child certainly deserves better.
Santa Claus is coming...to court?!
Concerning "Miracle on 34th Street"
When I watched Miracle on 34th Street when I was a kid, at first I got into its story of a man named Kris Kringle who, thanks to the drunken antics of the guy they’d hired to be Santa, gets to play the part in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, then takes up the duties as Macy’s Santa and becomes a sensation even as he freely claims to be the real St. Nick.
I stayed in it all the way up until Kris gets in trouble over bopping somebody on the noggin with his cane, which in turn leads Kris’ “victim” into making false accusation which exaggerates what happens, which in turn sends him to Bellevue Mental Hospital and, finally, into … a court of law?!
At that, the film completely lost me.
Santa Claus travels all over the globe north, south, east and west every Christmas Eve. The last place on earth you’d expect to find him is in court. But there Kris goes into the courtroom of a New York Supreme Court judge where, after much lighthearted hijinks that climaxes with Kris’ lawyer bringing in 21 bags of letters to Santa before the judge to prove his point that Kris is the real deal (much to the uproarious delight of the courtroom spectators) Kris is out of the nut ward and back into the joyous Yuletide where he belongs.
All in all, Kris’ “trial” causes in the movie as much a sensation as the so-called “Monkey Trial” of teacher John T. Scopes over illegally teaching evolution did in real life, especially when Kris’ lawyer goes for broke on the publicity angle despite the contrary wishes of Macys.
Yes Edmund Gwen, Natalie Wood, Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, et al, are superb, and yes it can be considered a “holiday classic,” but I am no fan of Miracle on 34th Street thanks to the courtroom twist that, while admittedly original, only served to gum up the works for me, because –with the exception of Andersonville, Paths of Glory, Twelve Angry Men, The Caine Mutiny, and Breaker Morant – movies that go to court are not my cup of tea, and even the presence of Santa in Miracle on 34th's celluloid court visit could not turn it into a cup of Christmas tea.
Now a movie in which a certain food additives genius puts thousands of imported Italian twinkle lights on his house for Christmas, on the other hand …
Choosing the right lighting for your aquarium
Consider bulb size and length.
Dealing with an aquarium lighting issue can be frustrating, as many people have never had to deal with this type of problem before. This is when you will probably go rushing to the store to get some new lights for your aquarium, only to discover there are dozens of types and even worse, each one is different and requires a different set up. Here are some tips to help you ensure you have selected the proper bulb for your aquarium.
The first tip is to look at the bulb size before you leave your home. Now with the newer energy-efficient bulbs, the wattage will be different, but you will find the bulb size will be the same. So you should take this into account when you are looking at the size of the bulb as this will be impacting the selection of bulbs you make.
The second tip is to look if these are the proper length for your aquarium light hood. Often when you have an aquarium light it will be going into an aquarium hood. These will be different in length for each one, depending on the size of your tank. So you should find the one which is the proper size and length for the hood you have.
Coping with problems with your aquarium lights is never any fun. With all the changes that have come about, it is nearly impossible to find your bulbs. This is when you should have a couple of tips to help you in getting to find the proper bulb for your aquarium light hood.
What's next for the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern?
A rail transport opinion piece.
Canadian Pacific bought the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern (along with affiliate Iowa, Chicago and Eastern) in 2008. The DM&E –whose main line stretches east to west from Winona, Minnesota, to Rapid City, South Dakota- had for some time been boldly planning an extension into the Powder River coal fields of Wyoming. This was one of the reasons for the CP purchase.
Fast forward to 2012: Not only has CP announced that it will not pursue the Powder River line due to the poor market for coal, it also is exploring the option of spinning off the DM&E west of Tracy, Minnesota.
Now big business and the way it works is Greek to me, even railroad big business. However, one thing that is apparent to even amateur industry commentators like me is that CP is gambling that a new operator on the west end of the DM&E will pump more traffic onto the east end thanks to the coal traffic no longer being a viable source of future income on the route.
However, the CP’s choice of Tracy instead of Winona as the point from which the DM&E would be spun off from CP’s system map leaves me very puzzled and full of questions.
Do they intend to build a yard at Tracy for sake of interchange with the new railroad? Do they plan to grant the new railroad trackage rights from Tracy to Winona for sake of interchange? Is the DM&E east of Tracy chock full of so much business CP would be foolish to part with it, or are they keeping it just to maintain a status quo?
Whatever the answer, for the moment it is possible that trains like that pictured above which traverse the west end of the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern will be headed diesels in new paint sporting the name of a new owner.
Subway snuff pic: When art goes too far
Ethics of eyewitness photography are called into question.
It may be stretching most people's conception of "art" to include the cover of the New York Post, but this latest scandal involves one of the most powerful works of photography in the modern era. And the New York Post may be nothing more than a local gossip rag, but it happens to be a fairly high-profile local gossip rag.
You have no doubt already heard the story: someone pushed a man named Ki Suk Han off a subway platform. He was unable to climb off the tracks in time, and was run over by the approaching subway train.
A freelance photographer happened to be standing at the same platform. He whipped out his camera and snapped a picture of Han, with the speeding subway train about 20 feet away. Han is facing away from the camera. He seems to be locking eyes with the subway conductor. Time seems to stand still in this photo. Below Han, the New York Post cover says "DOOMED."
Abbasi's photograph is upsetting not simply because it depicts a man who is about to die, but also because it puts the viewer right there. When you look at this photo, it's as if you yourself are standing there on the subway platform. You cannot, or will not reach Han before the train arrives. It makes the viewer feel as if they themselves are responsible for Han's death. It is literally a nightmare scenario, to see a train speeding toward a helpless person, while you are rooted to the spot unable to help.
And what about the other people on the platform? What about the person who pushed Han? They are nowhere to be seen. In the photograph it is just the conductor, and Han, and you.
People are saying that the photographer is a terrible human being for not setting down his camera and helping the man. The photographer, R. Umar Abbasi, claims that he realized he was too far away to help Han, and that he snapped pictures as he ran forward to help, hoping to alert the subway conductor with the flash of his camera.
Abbasi is not the one who pushed Han onto the tracks. And surely there were other people on the subway platform who also could have helped. Personally, given the evident distance of the camera from Han, and the speed with which this event occurred, I agree with Abbasi - he could not have saved Han. (Whether it was ethical for him to sell the photograph to the newspaper is another issue.)
One thing is certain: for better or worse, Abbasi's photograph will not soon be forgotten.
Finding the motivation to write post-NaNoWriMo
With a little help from my friends...
One of the biggest reasons I do NaNoWriMo every year is because it gives me the kick in the pants that I need to get to work on my writing. Now that NaNo is over and I didn't reach my goal for the month, however, I'm needing to find another way to keep myself motivated.
I was actually hoping that NaNoWriMo would see me through to the end of my novel, which is the second in a series. I wrote the first novel last year, starting it earlier in the year, and then finishing it during NaNo. The second novel I started just a few months ago, during the August session of Camp NaNoWriMo, and I was hoping to put an ending on it during November.
No such luck.
So I need to find ways to keep me motivated, until I finish the book and beyond. One attempt will go into effect tomorrow evening: I'm going to have a "write-in," just like the ones we had during NaNoWriMo, with a friend of mine who also writes. If I do that occasionally, hopefully it will keep the creative juices from ceasing to flow, and keep my novel in the forefront of my mind.
In the same vein, I also intend to continue meeting with some other friends of mine from NaNoWriMo. Talking about my progress on my novel, as well as scheduling writing time with others who are like-minded, should help to keep the trail from getting too cold.
Of course, I can't rely on my friends to provide all of my motivation for me, but I think maintaining and surrounding myself with a similar writer-culture as the one that so motivates me during NaNoWriMo will help to keep me motivated throughout the year.
How do you keep yourself motivated to write?
Cinnamon pinwheel cookies
Another great Christmas recipe
One of my favorite things to do during the month of December is to bake cookies. I love cookies and I love trying new recipes. This is a recipe I found that I think is absolutely wonderful for Christmastime. These cookies are made with cinnamon red hot candies and they look absolutely terrific. You will feel great serving these to guests and bringing them to parties you attend.
To make these cookies, you will need:
- 2 c. flour
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ c. cinnamon red hot candies
- 1 ½ sticks butter, softened
- ¾ c. sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- Red paste food coloring
Making these cookies may take a little longer than other types of cookies, but it is well worth the time you spend. The first step is to take out a small bowl. Place the flour, baking powder and salt in it.
Next, take the cinnamon candies and grind them in a mini food processor. A coffee bean grinder works great for this too.
Take a large bowl and beat the butter and sugar together until it is creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again. Gradually add the flour mixture to this until it is just blended. Divide the dough in half and remove one of the halves and place it in a small bowl. Add the ground up candies to this half and mix well. Add some red paste food coloring to achieve the color of red that you would like.
Take out two 20-inch sheets of waxed paper. Place the red dough between the sheets and roll it out into a 15-inch by 10-inch rectangle. Remove this dough and then do the same thing to the other ball of dough.
Refrigerate the dough for around 10 minutes and then remove. Place the plain rectangle on your work surface and keep the waxed paper under it. Place the red dough rectangle on top of the plain rectangle. Start with the long side and tightly roll the rectangles together. Place the log in your refrigerator for an hour or more until the dough is firm enough to slice.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a cookie sheet. Cut the log into ¼-inch thick slices and place them on the cookie sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until lightly browned.
Big cheap food: The pork roast
Affordable and delicious
For most of my life, cuts of meat were something of a mystery. That's still the case, but I have at least managed to identify a few different categories, and know what to do with them. One of the recent cuts that I decided to research and demystify is the pork roast.
Why should you figure out what to do with a pork roast? Because it is cheap! Have you seen the cost of meat lately? It's crazy! Even basic cuts of meat cost about $5/lb where I live. One of the few cuts that you can buy for less than that is the various pork roasts, all of which run around $2/lb.
Which pork roast do you want? Well, it doesn't really matter. As long as you are choosing a true roast, and not one of the various tenderloin products. You can most easily identify the right pork roast by price, it will usually be the cheapest form of pork. It will also be the largest - I rarely see a pork roast that clocks in at less than two pounds.
Look for the word "roast" or "shoulder" somewhere in the cut description. Picnic roast, pork shoulder blade roast, pork shoulder roast, the specifics don't really matter. Once you find the right section of the meat case, just pick out whatever looks best.
Pork roasts are tough cuts of meat, which means that they respond best to a long, slow cooking process. A slow cooker is ideal for this. You can pop that baby in when you leave for work in the morning, and when you come home at night it will be juicy, tender, and ready to eat. (And your house will smell amazing!)
On a day when you will be home to mind the oven, you can also cook them either on the stovetop or in the oven. You can do either a dry roast or a wet roast (technically called "braising"). I recommend braising, because it will make the meat a lot more tender.
Your basic procedure will be to put the roast in a pot with a lid, add 1-2 cups of liquid, then cook it at a low temperature (say, 300 degrees) for a long time (say, 2 hours per pound). Check it every hour or so, to make sure it hasn't run dry.
Prepare ahead: this is not a fast process, and it can often take longer than that. Start it well in advance of dinner time! You can't really overcook a roast, so err on the side of putting it in too early.
Here are some great pork roast recipes to get you started:
Common mistakes in cooking
Use caution when cooking to get the best results.
There are numerous reasons that can explain why a recipe doesn’t turn out the way it should, and I am at fault for most of these reasons. I have tried many recipes in my lifetime, and I must admit that I have been disappointed with a good percentage of them.
One of the reasons I have found for this happening is because I did not read the recipe correctly. This has happened so many times that I have lost count. Somehow I get ahead of a recipe and I do something wrong. This is a mistake that can cost a recipe you are working on.
Another common cause for problems is a lack of proper pre-heating. If a recipe says to preheat the oven, this is for a reason. With gas ovens, it is important to let them heat up until the oven dings. You should then give the oven an additional 10 minutes to heat up because gas ovens only heat periodically. It will take about 10 minutes longer for the oven to actually be the temperature that you need it. If you have an electric oven, this is not as big of a problem.
Heating up a pan on the stove is also a common error that can cause bad results. If you are frying something in oil, you must make sure that the oil is hot. If you don’t, you may end up with soggy food instead of crispy food. This happens often and can cause bad results with new recipes.