Otters in Space: A Book Review

March 17, 2015 chapek44 Leave a comment

It’s a doggie dog world out there. Especially when you’re a temperamental tabby cat trying to get by as a second class citizen in a world run by a canine elite. In Otters in Space, by Mary E. Lowd, we join Kipper, a red tabby cat, on her odyssey to outer space, and her search for a cat paradise free from the oppression of dogs. In this delightful tail Mary E. Lowd fantastically combines elements of fury and science fiction genres that appeals to a wide and varied audience. It also sheds light on the lines we use to divide ourselves into class and categories and how petty many of those differences really are.

I especially liked what Lowd uses as an explanation for a world where animals are all walking, talking and wearing clothes, a unique aspect in the fury genre. The plausible science fiction aspects, such as the otter run space elevator in Ecuador, and the Oxo-agua, a highly oxygenated liquid atmosphere, that some otter spaceships are equipped with, had my interest from the very beginning and kept it throughout the book. Though I predicted what Kipper would find at her “Cat Havana” early on, this did not deter me from turning page after page in order to see what kind of trouble Kipper would find herself in next. It was also very entertaining what finally happened to Kipper’s sister, Petra, whose disappearance initiated Kipper’s race to space in the first place.

Otters in Space is a fast, engaging read that is suitable for all ages. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel and discovering what other mysteries otter space has to reveal and what adventures await Kipper and the mostly otter crew of the Jolly Barracuda.

Martial Arts

Wing Chun Lesson 1

March 6, 2015 chapek44 Leave a comment

I have recently joined Leung Martial Arts Academy studying Wing Chun Kung Fu. With a personal background in western boxing, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I’ve experienced some culture shock with the transition. While some basic components remain the same, other components have completely thrown me for a loop, such as the stance and hand positioning. I have begun to take notes and record my impressions of the lessons and have decided to share some of my journey with all of you.

First, a bit about the school. Leung Martial Arts, located in downtown Eugene OR, was founded in the 70’s by Sifu David Leung. Sifu Leung was born in Hong Kong and has studied martial arts since he was 9 years old. He is a second generation student of Wing Chun Grandmaster Yip Man (under Master Ho Leung) and a third generation student of Yang style T’ai Chi Ch’uan Master Yang Ch’eng-fu. The academy offers a variety of Wing Chun Kung Fu, Yang Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Chen style Tai Chi classes.

Sifu Leang giving a demonstration with students at the Chinese New Years potluck. — Sifu Leung giving a demonstration with students at the Chinese New Years potluck.

The first notable difference in Wing Chun vs. my more familiar styles is the stance. In Muay Thai I stand weak side forward with foot pointing straight and strong foot back pointing about 45 degrees. My hips are square but my body is slightly turned. I stay on my toes and my hands are in front of my face at all times possible. The basic Wing Chun boxing stance is with hips and shoulders square, feet about shoulder length apart with toes turned in (you look like you have bird legs which is fitting since Wing Chun came from the Crane Kung Fu style). You relax into your hips with back straight, not arched, and hips rolled down so your butt doesn’t stick out. You are more flat footed in the Wing Chun stance, you often lead with your strong side and often incorporate pivot motions (like your feet are wiper blades) while you punch or block to either side. So far my biggest challenge is figuring out when and how to step.

Hand position is the next major difference. I have always been taught to keep my hands in front of my face at all times. When I punch the opposite hand is tucked close for face protection and after the punch that hand comes right back to the face. Wing Chun focuses on a strategy of close quarter simultaneous attack and defense that often requires you to touch your opponent so you can feel where they are going next. To this end you keep your hands farther out in front of you. While throwing a punch with one hand the other is in a relaxed position at mid-forearm to elbow of the punching arm.

In general the Wing Chun movements are relaxed and subtle compared to the precise and powerful blows of Muay Thai, though no less effective depending on the situation. Some similarities of the styles that I have trouble with is keeping a strong center line and not leaning too far when dodging a punch. I also have trouble keeping my thumb wrapped around my fingers, a bad habit I hadn’t noticed before due to the wraps and gloves I wear in Muay Thai and Western Boxing. So far I am enjoying the lessons and look forward to expanding my fighting skills at Leung Martial Arts.

Event Review

My First First Friday ArtWalk

February 16, 2015 chapek44 Leave a comment

For all those out there that don’t know what the First Friday ArtWalk is, I was like you not long ago. I hadn’t even known what it was until a good friend of mine, Tess Bergin, was displaying some of her masterpieces at one of the businesses along the walk and invited me to the event. Later I learned that the First Friday ArtWalk is a free event that takes place the first Friday of each month year round in Downtown Eugene, OR. Running from 5:30 PM to 8 PM galleries and businesses display a variety of art and some have special events and goodies available. You can take guided tours or just wander around on your own. I usually favor the later.

My first First Friday ArtWalk started at a place not directly involved with the event. A friend of mine informed me of a wine tasting at her stepdad’s shop, Authentica, located on Park St. on the back/east side of Smeede Hotel. I am never one to pass up on good wine, and owner and operator, Steve Baker, knows all about good wine. The first time I met him when I was thirteen or fourteen he showed off all the different bottles of wine he had in his hall closet and went into great detail about each’s origins and qualities. He knows his stuff when it comes to wine.

Next stop was Analog Barber Shop where my dear friend, Tess Bergin, was displaying some of her art. This officially kicked off my ArtWalk. Analog, located on Olive St., right next to Jameson’s, and upstairs from a vape lounge, is described as a hybrid of old fashion barbershop and Museum of Analog Lp Records. This is a good analogy; it was wall to wall album covers in there. The art Tess had on display fit right in.

The mediums Tess uses are magazine clippings, paint pens, and Mod Podge, on a vinyl album canvas. Tess has actively been making her creations for a couple of months now and has been selling them for just over three weeks. When asked what the ArtWalk had done for her exposure as an artist she replied, “Blown the fuck up!” Being involved in the ArtWalk has also taught her more of the business side of being an artist and has pushed her into creating her own Facebook page dedicated to her art.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vinyl-Art-Eugene/521458211329337?pnref=lhc

Don Rich, aka Don Da Barber, was kind enough to provide a whole platter of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for all that came to see Tess’ artwork to enjoy. They were masterful sandwiches on plain white bread with the perfect ratio of jelly to peanut butter. It was even chunky peanut butter. Needless to say I devoured more than my fair share.

Sadly I did not have time to see many more of the wonderful places involved in the ArtWalk, but I took the advice of an ArtWalk veteran and hit up two of her favorite stops. First was New Zone Art Gallery at 164 W. Broadway St. This place was the bomb. Lively crowd, great art, free snacks, and beer and wine was by donation. I consumed way too many cookies there.

My last official stop on the ArtWalk was the Hult Center basement. Though this place had some great art it wasn’t as good as New Zone. There were no snacks that I saw and drinks were expensive. On the upside I did have a fun conversation with the bartender.

To finish off the night I reconvened with Tess and her crew at Analog and then hit up Sizzle Pie for a slice with Don Da Barber. I’m looking forward to my next First Friday walkabout.

Martial Arts

The Triangle Choke

August 18, 2014 chapek44 Leave a comment

All my life I have loved all forms of martial arts, I am a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and train in Muay Thai at an advanced level. I fully appreciate the idea of mixed martial arts and dabble in all kinds of disciplines. There is no doubt that several of my future blogs will have fighting/self-defense themes. Today, though, the topic is on one of my personal favorite submissions, the triangle choke.

For those unfamiliar with the triangle choke submission, or Sankaku-Jime as it is known in its parent discipline of Judo, is a type of figure-four chokehold. It strangles the opponent by encircling their neck and one arm with your legs in a configuration similar to that of a triangle. In essence the triangle choke turns you into a human vice that constricts blood flow from the carotid artery to the brain, forcing the opponent to pass out. It is a popular move used in modern MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo.

The man largely accredited for developing the triangle choke is Master Tsunetane Oda, the creator of Kosen Judo. Tsunetane Oda was born in 1892 in Yamanashi Ken Japan. He began practicing Judo at the age of seventeen in 1909, and by 1911 had already earned the title of 1^st Dan. Traditional Judo often focuses on finishing an opponent by what is known as Nage Waza, or throw submissions, and there was less of an emphasis on Katame Waza, or ground grappling. Oda was of the opinion that Judo training should be 50% Nage Waza and 50% Katame Waza, since most all fights begin standing and end on the ground. He had a special emphasis on his ground game and, encouraged by his own teacher to research the subject, developed the basis for most Katame Waza in modern Judo. Tsunetane Oda died in 1955 and was fond of the philosophy “…while young Judoka can easily move like rabbits, older Judoka move like turtles, but can still survive using Katame Waza.”

Master Tsunetane Oda (1892-1955) accredited for developing the triangle choke.

Master Tsunetane Oda developed a series of the Sankaku-Jime triangle chokes in 1920 and they have only evolved from there. Following is a breakdown of the triangle choke I am most familiar with that can be achieved from closed or open guard.

Step 1: I have my opponent in my open guard. I isolate their left hand and drive their right hand back between my legs. (Can also be achieved by isolating right hand and driving the left between legs).

Step 2: Bracing my left foot on my opponent’s hip, I hip out to the right and rap my right leg around their neck.

Step 3: Holding my shin, I clinch my left knee around my right ankle, trapping my opponent’s neck and arm. I arch my back to isolate my opponent’s right arm across my chest.

Step 4: I squeeze my knees together, arch my back, and pull down on their head until my opponent submits. Note: Angle is important, I’m practically looking into my opponent’s ear while I finish the choke.

Some tips to defend against the triangle choke. First of all, don’t get put in it. If someone has you in their guard, either keep both of your elbows in, or both elbows out from between their legs. One arm out and one arm between your opponents legs sets you right up to be put in the triangle choke (see step 1).

If you do find yourself getting put in the choke, violently twist towards the arm they have isolated across their chest. If they haven’t yet quite locked in the hold, this will create more space that will allow you to sneak your opposite hand in by your ear, just a few fingers protecting the neck can relieve a tremendous amount of pressure on you artery. Then bear your weight down on your opponent to reduce their leverage, as you try to work your neck out.

Current Event SA

Corporations or the Individual: Who Has More Rights These Days?

July 19, 2014 chapek44 Leave a comment

In this world we live in today it is becoming ever more apparent that faceless corporations have more rights than me, the individual. Corporations steal billions of dollars from the American people, yet it is deemed that making laws that would prevent this from happening again in the future is infringing on the Corporation’s rights. While at the same time there are cities in this nation that are making the simple act of homelessness a crime and placing people in barb wired camps. This is just one of many sad examples.

Now the Supreme Court has ruled it okay for corporations to push their religious beliefs on the lifestyles of their employees. In Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., with a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot require certain employers to provide insurance coverage for birth control if they conflict with the employer’s religious beliefs. So hypothetically if I worked at Hobby Lobby because of the employers personal beliefs I would not be covered for contraception such as IUD’s and the day after pill.

Some might not think this is so bad. There are plenty of other forms of contraception out there, right? It would be a pretty big deal to some of us, however. As a woman, I use an IUD, but contraception is far from its main purpose. I have a mild form of endometriosis and during high school and college I would suffer from debilitating cramps whenever good old Aunt Flo came around. I’m talking head in the toilet puking, nearly passing out kind of cramps. So I started taking birth control pills and it helped with the cramps immensely. Then I started to experience a morning sickness-like nausea every time mealtime came around no matter what time of the month it was.

The birth control pills just weren’t cutting it as a feasible solution, so I took my OB’s advice and tried an IUD. Now I no longer have debilitating cramps or persistent nausea. So what would a woman working at Hobby Lobby do in a situation like mine? How would she feel? I know I would feel pretty pissed off if the only medical option that had worked for me was suddenly taken away because the board of directors didn’t agree with it. I would feel like the government was taking away my right to choose what happens to my body. Worse than that the government has given that right to a faceless corporation I just happened to have the misfortune of working for.

So who has more rights these days, USA, land of the free and home of the brave, the Individual or the Corporations? Sadly I’m leaning towards the later.

Random

A Night Rolling Solo in the Bermuda Triangle

May 2, 2014 chapek44 Leave a comment

No, not the mysterious strip of ocean off the coast of Florida. I’m talking about the even weirder strip of asphalt in downtown Eugene Oregon. This last Friday night, since all my local friends where occupied with mid-terms, being homebodies or otherwise being lame, I hit up the town solo. Luckily I have never been the type that minded being on my own, and I find a night of solo wandering just as much enjoyable as being surrounded by friends.

After arriving at the parking garage at 7^th and Willamette I set out with no solid plan or destination in mind. I didn’t get too far when, at the base of the parking garage stairs, I saw an old friend of mine through the window of Doc’s Pad. Since she was bartending we didn’t get to talk much, but we chit chatted a bit while I had a couple IPA’s and watched the nail biter end to the Blazer’s game, they lost in overtime wah, wah, wah… On the upside I had a very entertaining conversation with this older dude that kept trying to hit on me. He was pretty intoxicated judging by how he kept forgetting he had already introduced himself and complimenting me by way of saying I had a pretty face and that he like my head, lol.

Wisdom written on the bathroom walls of Doc's Pad. — Wisdom written on the bathroom walls of Doc’s Pad.

When the game was over and I finished off my beet, I departed for more wanderings down Willamette St. I inhaled deeply when I passed the Sizzle Pie pizza place, a fog of delicious aroma always seemed to fill the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. It was more than a little tempting to enter since it is the best pizza in town in my opinion, but resisted since Sizzle Pie is also unseemly expensive. Delighting in the mouthwatering aroma, I continued on to the edge of what you might consider the “Eugene Bermuda Triangle”.

At 13^th and Oak I came to a solitary, dark grey, shoe box looking building. Smiling I walked through the doors of Level-Up Arcade and took a seat at the bar for my usual glass of wine. For some reason I can never remember the name of the red wine they have there that I like, I just tell them ‘the one with the rooster on the label’. Once properly supplied with libation and quarters, I scanned the several flashing colors and beeping arcade games. So many choices and sadly far too few quarters. In the end I spent way too much money on Buck Hunt, Guitar Hero and the racecar games.

Nothing like a glass of wine and some arcade games.

After using my last fifty cents on my favorite pinball game, I downed the last few drops of wine and set of once again. This time I headed back north towards the Triangle. In the distance I could see the colorful neon lights attached to the lampposts that in my mind marked the border of the Triangle. By this late hour the sidewalk was full of groups of party goers coming to and from their night of fun.

Back in the heart of the Triangle, I got some face time with my boy Ken Kesey, whose bronze form permanently keeps a lookout on the square as The Storyteller. You still see the replica of his Acid Test bus, still owned by his family, drive through downtown from time to time. After a few minutes of people watching and enjoying the night air, I hit up Voodoo Doughnuts just down W. Broadway. Deciding on a white glazed doughnut covered in crushed Oreos, I headed back into the night.

For the duration of my doughnut snacking I wandered up and down Broadway people watching and checking out all the many bars and clubs that lined the street. After finishing my treat, I chatted with this young homeless dude named Who. He asked if I wanted to continue my wanderings with him and his friends, but I declined thinking it was about time to call it a night. Back to the parking garage, I waved at my friend through the window who was still bartending a Doc’s Pad and headed up the steps to my truck.

Event Review

The Psychology of the Mosh Pit

April 21, 2014 chapek44 Leave a comment

This last Saturday I attended the Mindless Self Indulgence concert at the Roseland Theater in Portland Oregon. It was an amazing performance, and I would recommend to anyone to see them live if you have the chance. Two opening bands went on before the main act, The Iris and Death Valley High. As the night progressed I couldn’t help but notice and wonder at the transformation of the crowd throughout the night.

During the opening act, The Iris, the main floor was was thinly populated and the energy was still pretty low key. The instrumentals of the opening band where good enough to elicit a collective head bob from the audience. I couldn’t understand any of the lyrics, however, and they just didn’t have the stage presence to inspire the emotional energy yet needed for a proper mosh pit.

The second band, Death Valley High, had more success in establishing the Pit. Aided by the steadily growing crowd, DVH had a more upbeat tempo and the crowd began to sway in earnest, playfully bumping into their neighbors. It didn’t take long for two enterprising young men to find their way to the center of the floor, near where I stood, and begin to throw their bodies around with true abandon. After the initial surprise, those immediately surrounding the baby mosh pit either retreated to a safe distance, stood their ground and aided in the revelries by pushing any moshers that collided with them back into the fray, or happily joined in by jumping right into the chaos.

I was one of the later and thus the mosh pit was established. An ameba that changed in shape, size and location, the mosh pit generally lingered stage center about twenty feet back from the stage. The intensity of the pit would rise and fall with the rhythm of the music and never got larger than a handful of people during DVH’s performance, but it was never the less an adrenaline fueled experience and didn’t fail to wake me up.

After Death Valley High there was a long break before Mindless Self Indulgence. This was a bit boring, but I had an interesting conversation with a guy on the proper standing technique if you lingered on the fringes of the pit (wide stance is key apparently), talked tattoos with a lady that had a similar tat as one of mine, and got several compliments on my Suicide Girl Black Hearted Burlesque T-shirt from my fellow mosh pitters. During the lull the energy on the crowd died down to pretty much nil, and as the minutes dragged on a restless expectation grew.

The change in the crowd was instantaneous when Mindless Self Indulgence took the stage. A drummer, who looked like the lost female member of Kiss, took her seat. The bassist, who resembled a catholic school girl on a rebellious streak, took stage left. The lead guitarist, an old biker looking dude, took stage right, wearing an eye patch he obviously didn’t need since he often removed it to look at the crowd. Lastly the lead singer, Jimmy, decked out in all pink, rushed out onto the stage and jumped off the drum set, accompanied by the deafening screams of the crowd. Those closest to the stage were sandwiched together as people pressed towards the stage, fighting for closer position. When the music started the crowd went insane and the mosh pit reignited on a whole different level.

Growing from a handful of people to twenty or thirty at any given time, to an outside observer the pit looked like the makings of a dangerous brawl, but though the pit is not for the faint of heart you have little to fear besides a few bumps and bruises. I find it astounding that when in the pit all these strangers are doing everything they can to push and slam into each other, but the moment someone goes down everyone’s hands are reaching to help them up. One of the times while I was being flung through the chaos I tripped over a few people that had fallen and took a head dive, I didn’t even hit the floor before arms were righting me back on my feet. Long live mosh pitting!!!!

Me with the MSI lead singer Jimmy after the show

Some notes on the pit, I’m not the most experienced mosh pitter, but I have come up with a few tips for those attending a concert that may have a pit.

Tuck elbows and guard the face: If you are going to join in the fray of the mosh pit try to keep your elbows tucked, this keeps you from accidently elbowing someone in the face. At the same time I advise you to keep your hands up to protect your face in case you catch such an elbow.

If you get pushed, don’t get mad, push back: If you are at a concert heavy enough for a mosh pit, getting pushed and shoved just comes with the territory. There is no point in getting mad since the person who pushed you is most often the victim of the collective push of the crowd. Just go with the flow and forget about personal space for the duration of the show. That said, if you want to avoid the more violent pushing of the pit give it plenty of space, because those nearby will get bombarded nearly as much as the mosh participants.

Feeling sleepy? Don’t go get a red bull, Get The Fuck In The Pit!!!!!!! I understand mosh pitting isn’t for everyone, but if you are at a concert and feel yourself drooping off, take a couple rounds in the pit and you will be absolutely wired. It is an adrenaline fueled experience that leaves you feeling like you just had a shot of espresso. As one guy said to his friend standing next to me on the fringes of the pit, “I don’t even need drugs with this shit.”

Event Review

Saturday Market, How I Have Missed You

April 14, 2014 chapek44 Leave a comment

Ahhhh, spring is here. With it comes sprouting flowers, the return of migratory birds, seasonal allergies, and, the Saturday Markets. This last Saturday afternoon I wandered into downtown Eugene to explore the Market there. I’ve been going to the Eugene Saturday Market since I was a small child, and have never tired of wandering through the many booths weekend after weekend even if I rarely make a purchase. There are few other places you will find such a unique gathering of people.

After parking my truck in the packed city parking structure on Willamette and 7^th, I followed the general throng of people migrating towards the Market. Emerging from an alleyway I found myself in the Famers Market section where local farmers sold all manner of organic foods. Zig zagging through the busy crowd, I made my way across the street to the rest of the market.

On the corner was ‘Poetry Guy’, a familiar face to me of the downtown Eugene area. He offered freestyle poetry for spare change. Next to him was a man with a clip board asking for signatures for a ballot on equal rights in the workplace. After adding my name to the list, I began my circuit of the many booths that sold all manner of unique pieces of art and other services. Passing the fountain at the heart of the booths, I remembered back to when I was a little girl and played in the fountain with other children on a hot summer day, I wondered if they still let kids play in it like that.

Crossing the street to the food court section of the Market, I was nearly knocked backwards by the delicious aroma that wrapped around me like a warm blanket fresh from the dryer. My stomach instantly grumbled, demanding lunch. The only question was where to eat? Everything looked so damn good, and I made several rounds of the food court just trying to decide on lunch. In the end I settle on a shish cabob from the Afghani food hut, there were absolutely no regrets in that decision.

After finding a patch of stone steps to sit on near the stage, I enjoyed my shish cabob while listening to a rather skilled high school band rock out. Finishing my lunch, I dropped the metal fork in the return tub, made one last circuit of the booths, and then crossed the street to the Lane County courthouse steps. Here I took a few moments to enjoy the drum circle that always seemed to form on the courthouse steps. Satisfied, I wandered back to my truck, a pretty good afternoon in my opinion.

Current Event SA

Refer Madness: The Lunacy of Ignoring the Potential Benefits of Medicinal Marijuana

March 15, 2014 chapek44 1 Comment

**Disclaimer, this is not in typical blog format, but is something I feel passionate about. It is SA style cited MLA format.

Medical marijuana is the term in which various forms of the cannabis plant are used in a variety of ways as therapeutic or prescription drugs. Due to its high recreational use in parts of the world where it is both legal and otherwise, the use of marijuana for any reason has become a very contentious subject (Medical marijuana-Definition). As a result of the controversial status of this substance, research towards, and FDA-approval of marijuana for medicinal use has stalled over the past several decades. Proponents of medical marijuana claim that it can be a safe and effective treatment for a wide spectrum of medical ailments including, but not limited to, multiple sclerosis, AIDS and epilepsy. Opponents argue that it is too dangerous, lacking FDA- approval and having a high risk of dependency amongst other health hazards (Should Medical Marijuana). Despite the opponents’ arguments, the evidence in favor of medical marijuana is so overwhelming that the idea of FDA-approval, legalization on a federal level, and further research in medicinal use seems like the most logical course of action.

The idea and use of medical marijuana is hardly a new concept. As far back as ancient China, the Emperor Fu His referenced marijuana as a popular medicine in 2900 BC. The marijuana plant was brought to North America in 1611 AD by Jamestown Settlers and even many of our well known forefathers enjoyed the use of marijuana for various reasons including Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. In the 1840’s marijuana became mainstream medicine in the west when Jacques-Joseph Moreau, a French psychiatrist, found that it suppressed headaches, increased appetite and aided people to sleep.

Use of medicinal marijuana started to go downhill in the United States in early 19th century. It started with the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906 and the Harrison Act of 1915, which put greater restrictions on prescription drugs. Despite the opposition of medical professionals like Dr. William Woodward, who recognized the possible medicinal use of marijuana, the Marihuana Tax Act was signed into law in 1937. Along with fantastic stories of the drugs harmful effects, this led to further decline of marijuana prescriptions and in1942 marijuana was removed from the US Pharmacopeia making it lose the last of its therapeutic legitimacy. The final blow was in 1970 when under the Controlled Substance Act marijuana was categorized as a Schedule 1 substance, classifying it as a drug with high potential for abuse and that had no accepted medical use in treatment (Historic Timeline). Today marijuana is still regulated as a Schedule 1 substance under federal law and doctors may not prescribe it for medicinal use. Though still federally illegal, seventeen states have legalized medical marijuana in the United States, but laws vary from state to state and often are hard to comprehend and understand (Federal Marijuana Laws).

Despite marijuana still being a Schedule 1 substance, and supposedly not having any accepted medical use, it has been known to treat a wide spectrum of ailments and success stories of its use keep being heard around the world. The THC component of the cannabis plant, the part that gets you high, acts as a pain reliever, nausea suppressant and appetite stimulus often used to treat cancer patients amongst other things. Another component of the cannabis plant, CBD, is believed to have an even wider scope for medical application including treating epilepsy and schizophrenia (Complete List). One medical marijuana success story is that of Charlotte Figi, a five year old girl that suffers from a rare genetic disorder known as Dravet’s syndrome. She once had as many as 300 grand mal seizures a week, could barely speak, was confined to a wheelchair and went into repeated cardiac arrest. Two years later, after her mother began administering oil infused with a high CBD to THC ratio medical marijuana, Charlotte is now largely without seizures, can walk, talk and even feed herself. This is just one of the many success stories attributed to the medicinal use of marijuana (Riccardi).

In spite of these success stories, there is still a great deal of opposition towards medical marijuana, and it continues to be rated as a Schedule 1 substance, despite multiple recommendations from established medical organizations to have it reclassified. Many doctors often argue that, because of the lack of clinical evidence, the success stories do not outweigh the potential health risks. Such risks include cardiopulmonary ailments and mental health as well as risk of dependency they believe medical marijuana can cause (DrugFacts: Marijuana). However many of the suspected health risks have an equally, if not larger, lack in clinical evidence supporting them. As far as the risks of dependency, according to Dr. Jann Gumbiner, for a Psychology Today website report, many people who have used marijuana recreationally have not experienced addiction (Marijuana Dependence). Even doctors that fear its addictive components say it is not physically addictive in the same ways as drugs such as heroin or cocaine (Martinson). Statistics show that marijuana use in adults leads to dependency in around 9-10%. Compare this to cocaine, a Schedule 2 substance rated as having less abuse potential as marijuana, which has a 20% rate of dependency, heroin with 25%, and tobacco with 30% (Gupta).

The growing understanding of medical marijuana has changed the views of several medical professionals, such as Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, who recently changed his position to pro medical marijuana use. As Dr. Gupta writes in reference to marijuana’s classification in his article, ‘Why I Changed my Mind on Weed’, “We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own role in that” (Gupta). In conclusion, medical marijuana has no place being classified as a Schedule 1 substance, and has far too many medical applications not to legalize it at the federal level, gain FDA approval, and increase research of the subject.

Work Cited

• Complete List of Conditions Treatable With Marijuana. MedicalMarijuana.com. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
<http://medicalmarijuana.com/treatments-with-medical-marijuana-cannabis>.

• DrugFacts: Marijuana. National Institute of Drug Abuse, Jan. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana>.

• Federal Marijuana Laws. MedicalMarijuana.com. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
<http://medicalmarijuana.com/laws/Federal-Marijuana-Laws>.

• Gupta, Sanjay. “Why I Changed My Mind On Weed”. CNN.com, 8 Aug. 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/08/health/gupta-changed-mind-marijuana/index.html>.

• Historical Timeline. Medical Marijuana. ProCon.org. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
<http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000026>.

• Marijuana Dependence – Signs of Marijuana Use Vs. Abuse, Tolerance. Dependency.net. Web. 17 Feb. 2014
<http://www.dependency.net/learn/marijuana/>.

• Martinson, Stanley. Does Medical Marijuana Increase Marijuana Dependence? American Healthcare Reform. 5 March 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.americanhealthcarereform.org/2013/03/05/does-medical-marijuana-increase-marijuana-dependence/>.

• Medical Marijuana-Definition. WordiQ.com, 2010. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Medical_marijuana>.

• Riccardi, Nicholas. “Colo. Pot Aids Kids With Seizures, Worries Doctors”. ABC News. 18 Feb. 2014. ABCNews.com. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.
<http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/colo-pot-aids-kids-seizures-worries-doctors-22558835>.

• Should Medical Marijuana be a Medical Option? Medical Marijuana. ProCon.org. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
<http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/>.

Uncategorized

Who Doesn’t Like Waffles?

March 8, 2014 chapek44 Leave a comment

Upon recommendation from a friend, I had the great pleasure of eating at Off the Waffle at their branch in downtown Eugene. Let’s just say it was love at first bite when I dug into my Ol’ Banana Split waffle and was pleasantly surprised by the scoop of ice-cream that was hidden within the ample amount of whip cream that adorned the top of my Liège waffle. At that moment I knew I was hooked and had to know more about this new discovery of mine known as Off the Waffle.
Brothers Dave and Omer founded the small chain, originally working out of their house in a W. Jefferson neighborhood. The brothers Dave and Omer are originally from Israel and grew up traveling around the world spending lots of time in Boston and Belgium. They found Eugene on a road trip in search of a place to settle down and open their waffle house, a longtime family dream. Since then they opened at their first location in S. Eugene in January 2010 and expanded to their second location on Willamette St. downtown Eugene in November 2012. Adding to the family business these days are their father Shimon and sister Vered. Their downtown location is at 840 Willamette St. open Sun-Wed 7am-9pm and Thurs-Sat 7am-3am, and their South Eugene branch is located at 2540 Willamette St. open daily 7am-8pm.
Off the Waffle specializes on a variety of dishes centered on the Liège waffle. According to their website, these waffles are richer and sweeter than the average Belgian waffle, created by the chef of the prince-bishop of Liège, Belgium in the 18th century as an adaptation of brioche bread dough. Their menu options range from more desert style waffles to ones geared to be a full meal. With The OL’ Banana Split with ice crème, bananas, whipped cream, almonds and drizzled with dark chocolate sauces for $7.00 on one side of the menu. On the other side the CMB with organic fried chicken topped with melted Havarti, real maple syrup and fresh basil stuffed in a brioche-style waffle for $8.00 served with a simple side salad. The Happy Hour specials are both a good deal as well as fun and unique, with Mustache Monday’s where you get pints of bear or cider for $2 each for sporting a mustache, to Funky Friday’s where a customer gets a free mini with every beer if they wear, do or say something funky.

My CMB waffle from Off the Waffle

Last Friday night I had quite the exceptional time at the downtown location when I wandered in for and evening waffle. Thinking I was going to be enjoying a quiet waffle with a friend I was pleasantly surprised that the place was packed with live music playing in the corner. So I enjoyed the live amateur musicians, put on by a gentleman in a top hat named Scotty apparently every Friday night. As I munched on my mouth watering CMB waffle and sipped on my loose oolong tea under the light of red Mason jar light fixtures and strings of white Christmas lights. Most definitely a place I will be visiting again, but remember their warning advertised on their menu, “Consuming under cooked eggs may increase the chance of food borne illness, may also increase the chance of abduction by aliens.” So eat at your own risk if you don’t want to be meeting ET.

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