Cover Story
Synthetic Marijuana is an Insidious Ruse
In 1984, a professor named John Huffman began researching endocannabinoid receptors—compounds that activate cannabinoid receptors in the human body. When people smoke marijuana, those receptors light up, causing users to feel high. Huffman, however, wasn’t researching marijuana intoxication. He and his team at Clemson University were developing cannabinoids in an effort to aid research into…
Spurs Vines of the Week: Lakers Loss, Awesomely Grumpy Popovich and More
Cross-court bomb from Marco Belinelli As Popovich sits the veteran stars for the benefit of their various stress points, Marco Belinelli is tearing up the court with the provided minutes, shooting above 50% from three and scoring 20 in two of the past five games. In the Spurs win over Minnesota, the Italian guard through…
10 Things You Have to Do This Weekend
Thu 12/11 Vetter Kids, We Leave at Midnight, Teenage Swoon On Logan, Vetter Kids’ second release of the year, the trio’s pivotal step forward lies in the vocal chords of guitarist and singer Marcos Gossi. On “Vital Kids,” their offering from a split-release early this year, Gossi sings in the standardized nasal pitch of ’90s…
State: Five SA Charter Schools Don’t Meet Standards And Should Lose Charter
The Texas Education Agency has named five San Antonio charters on its list of 14 identified campuses that don’t meet financial or academic standards required by the Texas Legislature. Under Senate Bill 2 passed in 2013, the Commissioner of Education is required to recommend that charters be revoked if schools don’t meet the standards for…
Will SA Wave Goodbye to Uber, Lyft?
As I was driving down Interstate 35 south this morning, a white truck carrying a large sign was slowing the right lane down to like 50 mph on the highway. But I’m never in a hurry when I drive and my exit was quickly approaching. I wanted to see what that truck was carrying because…
17 Family-friendly Christmas Activities
Christmas is fast approaching, and kids are going to be out of school soon for Winter break—cue the groans of stay-at-home moms everywhere as they anticipate the inevitable whines of “I’m bored” from their hyperactive children. Anticipating Santa’s arrival makes otherwise normal kids lose their shit. Combine that anticipation with the stir-crazy effects of a…
Selena’s Killer, Yolanda Saldivar, Keeps Filing Appeals
These past 24 hours, social media users were sent into fits of unspeakable rage at the very thought of Yolanda Saldivar’s freedom. The most hated woman in South Texas, known for killing the most beloved woman in South Texas, Tejano music luminary Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, was the subject of a viral fake news story. The report claimed…
10 Songs to Put on Your Texas Christmas Playlist
Whether you’re thankful for H-E-B, Whataburger, Taco Cabana or Bill Millers, the great state of Texas has a little something to offer everyone. So fire up a batch of margaritas, kick up those Cavenders boots, and enjoy some good ol’ Texas jams. Destiny’s Child, “A “DC” Christmas Medley”Born and raised in Houston, Destiny’s Child (or…
You Can Name Your Own Pet Adoption Fee at Whiskers in Wonderland
Christmas comes early this year for anyone looking for a pet. The City of San Antonio Animal Care Services is hosting Whiskers in Wonderland, a city-wide adopt-a-thon at four of the city’s largest animal shelters. This Friday through Sunday, just name your own price to adopt an animal and take home the greatest give you will…
10 Free Events Happening This Week
Wednesday, December 10 Lego Build Off Calling all Lego lovers. Do you have what it takes to build the best Lego city? Join library staff at the Ozuna Library for Family Lego Night. Free, 6-8pm Wednesday; Palo Alto College, 1400 W Villaret, (210) 486-3564, alamo.edu/pac/library Wednesday, December 10 ‘Aesthetic Encounters’ While some of us lived…
Q&A Texas House District 123: Walter Martinez
We continue our conversations with the candidates for the Texas House District 123 seat this week with a chat with Walter Martinez, former San Antonio councilman and former member of the Texas House of Representatives. Martinez formally announced his campaign today and faces former District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal and public relations and marketing consultant…
White Guy on Reddit Asks if its Safe to Move to the Southside
Say you’re a white male who just moved to San Antonio, and you want to live close to work. There’s just one problem, you work on the Southside and, Jiminy Christmas, you’ve never seen so many Mexicans in your life! It’s unbelievable how many vatos are all up in your H-E-B buying these bags of…
A Selena Emoji is Something That Needs to Happen
While social media was distracted with the fake news of Yolanda Saldivar’s impending release from prison, Buzzfeed was looking to resurrect the Tejano queen for the digital age with a list of Latino emojis that need to happen. Emoji are a growing part of how people communicate today, but the Unicode-based picture symbols are often…
No, Selena’s Killer, Yolanda Saldivar, is Not Being Released From Prison
Twitter went apoplectic yesterday after a fake news site reported the early release of Yolanda Saldivar, the reprehensible monster that robbed the world of the shining light that is Selena. The notorious former fan club president is currently serving a life sentence in Gatesville, Tex., prison for the 1995 murder of Tejano music’s greatest legend.…
Check Out This New Manu Ginobili Fan Art
We featured the playful illustrations of Tateno Ayako during the playoffs when he published a series of anime-style depictions of our favorite players. His Tumblr is a catalog of his love for the NBA, featuring players past and present drawn in the artist’s distinct style. Even the most die-hard of Spurs fans have to admit that…
Vote for Do210’s Best Show of the Year
The Spits in a basement or Piñata Protest trying to throw an oversized Lone Star beer can balloon in the river? SA’s DoStuff Media affiliate and calendar service Do210 asks you to vote on the best shows of the year. They’ve narrowed it down to 10 options, complete with descriptions on why that evening trumped…
RIP DJ Shabbytiger, KSYM Host and DJ at The Mix
DJ Shabbytiger, aka Jason R. Gonzales, passed away this week at the age of 39. A mainstay in San Antonio music, Gonzales hosted a show on KSYM and a weekly ’80s set on Sundays at The Mix. Gonzalez died unexpectedly on Thursday from “an apparent heart attack,” according to the Express-News. On Saturday, Artist Andy Benavides…
When the KENS Color the Weather Contest was the Greatest Thing Ever
If you ask what I was searching for when I ran across these KENS Color the Weather contest commercials from the 80’s, I really couldn’t tell you. Their rediscovery is a result of being sucked into an internet browsing wormhole, the type that starts out as a simple Google search and turns into hours of…
Get the 411 on San Antonio’s Nerdiest Podcast
As one of the most popular local podcasts in San Antonio, The Nerd 411 team is doing their part to keep San Antonio nerdy. The Nerd 411 is the brainchild of Jason Davis and Ken Farley. The pair met through the 501st Legion, a Star Wars-themed costuming and charity organization. Davis and Farley bonded over…
5 Things You Have to do This Week
Monday, December 10 Edward Scissorhands Edward Scissorhands marks the first of many continued collaborations between director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, and is largely considered by fans and critics to be the best film of both of their careers. Depp stars as Edward, an achingly lonely, unfinished creation whose gentleness of spirit is betrayed the…
San Antonio Set to Become 5th Largest City in U.S.
San Antonio City Council approved plans Thursday to annex six properties currently owned by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. As of January 15, 2015, the tracts will officially become a part of San Antonio’s territory, and consequently will receive all municipal services, regulations and taxing authorities enjoyed by San Antonio’s existing residents. The property…
20 Christmas Movies to Watch in Theaters This Month
When the weather gets cooler and pretty Christmas lights start popping up everywhere, it’s nice to cuddle up in front of the TV and enjoy your favorite holiday movies with a mug of hot cocoa in hand. While staying in has its perks, why not change things up this year and pack that hot cocoa…
10 Songs to Put on Your Hip Hop Christmas Playlist
Crack open a 40 oz, go buckwild on Santa’s lap and have yourself a merry little Christmas with your peeps and fam. Kanye West,“Christmas in Harlem” Besides giving his “D-ricious” hot chocolate as a gift, Kanye West’s instant Christmas classic is a pretty wholesome affair about living the good life in New York and hitting…
Alamo Beer Ribbon Cutting Marred by Political Tension
“Man, I need a beer,” proclaimed mayoral candidate Mike Villarreal after Alamo Beer Company’s ribbon cutting ceremony at their new brewery and taproom off Lamar street. He wasn’t just thirsty for Alamo’s signature golden ale, Villarreal probably wanted to relax after an unexpectedly tense ceremony after protesters semi-hijacked the event. [Related: 14 Photos of the…
Spurs Vines of the Week: Kids Jeopardy, Pop Expletives and More
Jeopardy Kids Week Rule number one of Jeopardy: Commit to your hand motions! Rule number two: Answer in questions. Danny Green Sends It to OT Before committing a foul that raised his coach’s blood pressure to undesirable heights, Green extended the matchup against Brooklyn with a textbook three to send the game into OT. Pop…
If Judge Lifts Stay to Allow Same-Sex Marriage, Bexar County Is Ready
When U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia ruled to strike down the Texas same-sex marriage ban last February, he issued a stay on his decision, pending appeal to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral arguments are scheduled for January 9, but on November 24, attorneys for the two same-sex couples challenging the Texas…
11 Albums to Help You Calibrate Your Mood for Winter
As I mentioned about a year and a half ago, I have the habit of associating music, for better or worse, with seasons. I suspect it has something to do with the things I need from music being very different from season to season, or maybe it’s my tendency to see colors when I hear…
9 Holiday Markets to Visit This Shopping Season
This holiday season, support San Antonio artists and entrepreneurs by shopping local. A host of holiday markets are being put on this December, each with its own cause such as community building within neighborhoods, supporting artists, women or LGBTQ/allies. Buying from local vendors and artisans stimulates creative, connected communities. In local market you encounter distinctive…
6 Shows to See this Weekend
Pedrito Martinez (Friday, December 5) With the rhythms of his hands in conversation with his booming voice, percussionist Pedrito Martinez bobs through the Afro-Cuban tradition with the knowledge and verve of someone who lives it without rest (Martinez is a devotee of the Caribbean religion of Santería, spoken in the African language of Yoruba). Since…
10 Things You Have to Do This Weekend
Thu 12/4 Elf Ball In less than a decade, the nonprofit Artist Foundation of San Antonio has awarded $512,000 to 92 artists working in varied disciplines, including performing, visual, media and literary arts. Although supported in part by the San Antonio Department for Culture and Creative Development, the Tobin Endowment and others, the AF hosts…
Uber Opposes Proposed Ride-share Regulations
Multiple City Council members and the Chief of Police said Wednesday that they didn’t think ride-share companies would follow proposed transportation-network company regulations because Uber and Lyft are operating in San Antonio despite a cease-and-desist order. “Because the TNCs have not done what we’ve asked them to do in the past, and because they’ve not…
Exmotherland: The wandering hip-hop of SA’s Wholly Vible
Made up of emcee Yooserp and producer P.S. Aspects, Wholly Vible creates music at the unexplored and fertile intersection of trip-hop and noise rap. Combining the effortlessly smooth works of Portishead and Massive Attack with the dark and piercing style of Death Grips and B L A C K I E, Wholly Vible’s two EPs…
Mayoral Horse Race
In many parts of the state, election season ended November 4. But not in San Antonio. The political dominoes set off by Sen. Leticia Van de Putte’s decision to run for mayor are pitting longtime colleagues, friends and foes against one another in races to replace, well, each other. In addition to the undeniably awkward…
Yung Lean Essentials: 5 songs by hip-hop’s newest great white hype
[Related: Sussing out Swedish Internet Rapper Yung Lean] “♦ Ginseng Strip 2002 ♦” / 2013 In a bucket hat and suburban dad windbreaker, Håstad hangs on stairwells and convenience stores, dreaming of the evening’s heavy intoxication. “Yung Lean, up in this club for some morphine,” he sings on the hook. “Hurt” / 2013 In his…
Bowlero’s Looking to Keep all Entertained
Bowlero is not your dad’s bowling alley. It’s like a Dave & Buster’s remodeled by Tim League’s (of Alamo Drafthouse fame) apprentice, a warehouse with massive television sets, a ropes course and spiked milkshakes. More on those shakes in a minute. [Related: 27 Photos of Food, Drink and Fun at Bowlero] Although Bowlero lays claim…
What’s Next for the State Women’s Health Programs?
Texas’ women’s health and family planning programs have been mired in politics and uncertainty in recent years, and they could be in for another big change as a review panel of legislators and policy experts considers a major overhaul of state health departments. The Sunset Advisory Commission, which is charged with reviewing state agencies every…
New Bartender, New Menu at TBA
As the cocktail scene really kicks into gear in San Anto, familiar faces are popping up and manning serious wells at area bars. Such is the case at TBA, an industry favorite watering hole now in the hands of new bartender Joshua Brock. The 31-year-old Brock joined TBA this spring and trained under Jonny Yumol,…
Savage Love: Labia of Love
I have been insecure about the way my vagina looks for as long as I can remember. When I was young, I would fantasize about the day I would grow pubic hair long enough to cover its unsightliness. That day never came, and I was left with an enormous insecurity about it. My labia minora…
Duck Tales at Saeb Thai & Noodles
We always have the same discussion. Waitress: “How spicy?” Me: “At least medium—maybe medium plus?” Waitress: “This dish is a little sweet.” Me: “So what does that suggest?” Waitress: “Whatever you want…” Me: “Well, what does the cook prefer?” And so it goes. This little dance often happens with a new restaurant; it takes time…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The National Science Foundation estimates that we each think at least 12,000 thoughts per day. The vast majority of them, however, are reruns of impressions that have passed through our minds many times before. But I am pleased to report that in the coming weeks, you Aries folks are primed to…
Neighborhood Java at Press Coffee
Haute coffee has made its way to Alta Vista via Press Coffee. Opened by partners Bronson Holbrook and Natalie Nazarewicz, at the almost-corner of French and San Pedro, Press Coffee’s adding a mix of versatile beans and eats in a homey neighborhood spot. Previously used as a carriage house for the Frost Mansion, a pharmacy…
Artist on Artist: Gary Sweeney interviews Naomi Nye
Have you ever had a conversation with someone who was so smart and fascinating that, a short time later, you glance at your watch, and two hours have gone by in the blink of an eye? That’s how my interview went with writer Naomi Nye. Naomi Nye is the Crown Jewel of the San Antonio…
Comedian Margaret Cho Uses Tour to Reach Victims of Abuse
Currently on tour with her new stand-up show There Is No ‘I’ In ‘Team,’ But There Is a ‘Cho’ In ‘Psycho’, comedian/actress Margaret Cho (Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva) is not only making audiences laugh with her onstage performances, she’s offering support to victims of sexual abuse, an issue Cho can speak on from experience. “I…
Porcelain Gets a Modern Makeover in ‘Intense and Fragile’
For nearly 4,000 years, porcelain has been prized for its smooth white surface, strength, hardness and utility—becoming synonymous with “fine china.” But in the mid-20th century, San Antonio-born artist Rudolf Staffel pioneered porcelain as a medium for artistic expression with his translucent “light gatherers,” fragile-looking ceramic sculptures that allowed light to shine through thin, luminous…
Bottle & Tap: Catching up with 5 Stones Artisan Brewery
More than any of the other beer-makers to have sprung up in San Antonio, 5 Stones Artisan Brewery embodies the visionary spirit of independent brewing. Since going public on March 1, 2013, brewmaster and owner Seth Weatherly has produced 15 different beers, sold exclusively in 750-milliliter champagne bottles, whose ingredients are as much at home…
‘Citizenfour’ Unmasks NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden
After watching Pulitzer Prize-winner Laura Poitras’ new documentary about the early-on brouhaha surrounding government whistleblower Edward Snowden, you’ve got to wonder why his story– and its devastating revelations—have faded into mere background murmurings in these United (kinda, sorta) States. Unlike the title of this film, which refers to the email handle Snowden first used to…
Poitras 101: A refresher on the ‘Citizenfour’ director’s past films
Known for her films My Country, My Country (2006), The Oath (2010), and this year’s Citizenfour, Academy Award-nominated director and producer Laura Poitras doesn’t stray from politically charged material. [Review: ‘Citizenfour’ Unmasks NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden] For her 2006 feature-length documentary, Poitras spent more than eight months following a U.S. Army Civil Affairs team during…
Vegan Cookbooks for the Holiday Season
Even with the joy of spending time with loved ones and eating as much as you want, the holidays can be stressful for vegetarians. Setting aside the extra attention at the table—ribbing about “crazy diets” and “picky eaters,” well-meaning yet insane questions like “But poultry doesn’t count, does it?”—it’s sometimes tough to get into the…
Flavor File: Tamales at Pearl! returns and Concrete Jungle opens
Food festivals don’t get any better than the free, family-friendly and tamal-centric pachanga known as the Pearl’s Tamales! Holiday Festival, which returns for its fifth installment this Saturday, December 6, noon to 6 p.m. There will be more than 20 tamal vendors to choose from, all hawking classic and creative iterations of our holiday favorite…
Sussing out Swedish Internet Rapper Yung Lean
Rap circles on the internet—WorldStarHipHop, VladTV, wherever teenagers spend time online—live for the hype cycle, falling mouse over Macbook for a young artist with an eccentric, fully-formed debut. In 2011, 19-year-old Tyler, the Creator’s “Yonkers” sent all-male audiences into a riot each time he stepped into town. In 2012, 23-year-old A$AP Rocky spun heads with…
The Improvisational Drumming of Chris Corsano
Behind the kit, drummer Chris Corsano wails with the power and dynamic range of a thunderstorm—close booms, elongated cracks and pattering rhythms are all under his command. In his varied career, the Massachusetts native has performed with Björk, Sun City Girls, Thurston Moore, free jazz saxophonist Paul Flaherty and, perhaps most rewardingly, in solo improvisational…
