4 The Clackamas Print
Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011
21+ : Absinthe
Hallucinogen or
hearsay?
By Joshua Baird
Arts & Culture Editor
You have Facebook, right? So do we. Go to The
Clackamas Print (Official) and click “like” for a
chance to win two free tickets to “I am Number
Four.” The 50th new fan wins.
Rules: You
must be a student enrolled at
Clackamas Community College. After clicking
“like,” send us a message so we know you are now
added. The tickets are for the showing at 7 p.m. on
Feb. 16.
he green fairy, a mythi
cal little creature that
floats about during the
reported hallucinations caused by
the legendary absinthe, seems to
have caused a bit of mischief over
the last century or so. It seems
whenever you mention the herbal
concoction called absinthe, most
people will begin to tell you all
about the numerous hallucinations
they have “experienced” while
under the influence. They may
also tell you about how the stuff
is illegal worldwide and can only
be purchased over the Internet as
a kit. These kits require you to add
the ingredients to grain alcohol,
such as everclear, and then stir it
into water and sugar to make an
absinthe cocktail.
Historically speaking, these
people are at least half right in
these assumptions. Though cur
rently legal in most of the world,
absinthe was once outlawed due to
the reported hallucinogenic nature
of the beast. Thujone, a toxic
ingredient derived from worm
wood, is very much a hallucino
gen in high doses, however in the
trace amounts found in absinthe
you are unlikely to experience any
of the side effects.
In fact, if you are going to
experience any hallucinations,
it may be due to the excessive
amount of alcohol you are imbib
ing or, if you’re a diabetic, you
may be experiencing high blood
sugar hallucinations caused by
drinking too much alcohol mixed
with sugar cubes.
Absinthe was banned through
out most of Europe and all of
America by approximately 1912
because of thujone content.
Though it was legalized again
in 2007, the Food and Drug
Administration has stated that
absinthe is legal to sell, though it
cannot contain more than 10 parts
per million of thujone.
Absinthe was a favorite of a
great many historical artistic con
tributors, artists such as Vincent
Van Gogh, Aleister Crowley and
Oscar Wilde, for example. All
three are known for being a bit...
how can I put this into psychiatric
terms? ,.. loony.
All that being said, I myself
am a big fan of the flavor of an
absinthe cocktail, which is made
by placing an absinthe spoo
flat spoon with holes put he
it, over an Irish coffee mug
pouring absinthe over a sin
sugar cube. Once you have ad
the preferred amount of the eni
aid liquid into your glass, y ou c
fully light the sugar cube on
(for this to work the absinthe m
be 100 proof at least) then all
the sugar cube to melt throj
the holes in the spoon. Pour d
water into the glass, stir v,ithd
absinthe spoon and enjoy. ■
Disclaimer: We at H
Clackamas Print do not enco
age drinking to excess or under
drinking of any kind. Remem
to drink responsibly.
Follow Joshua Baird 's b
“21 + ” online at wv.
lplus.com, for addiiionc.’ arti
not posted anywhere else. I
website may be in transition
this week; if so go to b;/p.7/ji
uabairds2 lotus. bloespi om.
Portland Art Museum promot
‘Safety in Numbers’ at exhibit!
every day, and the collection of
art being displayed is the only
thing that can be considered
segregated.
On Jan. 8, African American
art pieces from the Portland Art
Museum’s private collection
and from outside sources were
revealed in a new exhibit called
“Safety in Numbers.” The dis
By Cristi Powers
play of African American art
is an event that has not taken
The Clackamas Print
place nearly as often as Jennifer
Art museums are one of the Harper, curatorial assistant and
best places to see some of the curator of “Safety in Numbers,”
most amazing pieces of histo would like to see.
“I’m not sure if it will hap
ry. On any given day, you may
find dozens of people from pen annually, but I would like
any walk of life enjoying the to see it happen more than
exhibits. This has not always that,” Harper said.
After receiving positive
been the case.
On March 23, 1960, feedback from adults and chil
Memphis’ daily newspaper dren of all races, Harper felt
The Commercial Appeal ran a she had met her objective to get
photo titled “Students under people to look at the pieces and
arrest.” The photo caption tells inspire them to ask for more.
of a group of black students This would ultimately help
who were arrested for not drive the quest for more knowl
obeying segregation laws in a edge of African American cul
ture.
museum.
“My hope is that people will
“A group of black students
from Lemoyne College found think and explore more and
themselves under arrest when get more understanding of the
they visited Brooks Memorial items,” Harper said.
Portland Art Museum has
Art Gallery in Overton Park
yesterday morning. They had the least amount of African
gone there to protest against American artwork compared
segregation policies under to surrounding museums.
X However, it possesses some of
which the gallery upholds.”
Because a museum does not the best pieces representing a
consist of physical borders as time of struggle along with
a bus does, the gallery estab modem pieces that convey a
lished segregation based on strong emotion and attitude
temporal divisions. According about the era that helped shape
to municipal laws governing African American history.
the museum, every Thursday
“I found every piece dis
was “negro day.” The students played very interesting, and it
had chosen to go on a Tuesday, left me curious to research cer
tain events and what part they
and 13 were arrested.
Fast-forward 41 years to played in my heritage,” said
the present, a time when the Kevin Blair’ “I was encouraged
word “public” means available to see pictures and paintings
to everyone, where public art about things I only got to hear
museums are open to everyone, about. It put a mental picture
African American
art featured as a
point of interest at
PAM
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in my mind to connect'
stories.”
The museum’s colleci
more than 42,000 object!
played in 112,000 squal
of galleries, reflects the n
of art from ancient u™
today. The collection is I
guished for its holdingsj
of the native peoples off
America, English silver a
graphic arts.
For children like
Garding, age 11, they
concerned with all those I
when they come visit f
pieces. “I think it’s neat
even if I don’t get what a
ture means, there’s the p
my mom can read so she ca
smarter about it and ter
she said. “I feel like myj
in so filled up now of
I didn’t know I didn’t!
about.”
Through April 17 yl
visit the wonderful Al
American “Safety in N um
exhibit. You can also ■
the other quality even
the Portland Art Museu
together, providing v|
with the beautiful piecesj
that most don’t get the o
nity to see every day.
The museum is opj
days a week; admission is J
for adults, free for th
and under and special
are available for group]
of various sizes. The mid
offers free admission on
fourth Friday of every md
from 5-8 p.m. Call the!
503-226-2811 for furthej idl
mation.
•il
- If you have any
or comments about this W <ii
cle (or have suggestionlam
something else you would I
to read about) you raj
tact Cristi Powers at cri|
owers@msn.com or cau 5®
839-4272.