YES IT DOES TOO … – June 19, 2024 – “33 years ago today I found recovery and a tribe that has sustained me on my incredible, grateful journey,” he shared via Instagram at the time. “My life is full of love, family, God, opportunity friends work, dogs and fun.” “It was great. I loved it. Because I was ready,” Lowe shared. “Problem is, people go into rehab and they’re not ready. You want to get sober for your parents, you want to get sober for your job, you want to get sober for the cops, you want to…
Author: Leonard Buschel
VIDEO – A LOOK BACK – Oct. 13, 2023 – (Original Air Date: 2/6/03) Hunter S. Thompson reminisces about shooting guns with Conan, shooting his assistant, and having his basement dynamite discovered by Johnny Depp. CONTINUE@YouTube
MYSTERIOUS – June 20, 2024 – Jonathan Stewart died from the effects of methamphetamine April 27. An LA sheriff’s representative could not immediately be reached for comment about how Stewart died, whether the sheriff’s department had any concerns before he died that he may have been using drugs, or whether and how often the department tests its employees for drugs. Jonathan Stewart died from the effects of methamphetamine April 27, the Los Angeles County medical examiner said in a report released this week. The report labeled his death an accident. “During his tenure he was assigned to the Inmate…
THANK GOD NO ONE DIED – June 7, 2024 – A fire at a sober living home in Fresno has made 10 people homeless after flames ripped through the Fresno building on Thursday. A recently posted GoFundMe online fundraiser shed new light on the lives “drastically changed” due to the fire. Officials with the fire department say responding crews arrived at the structure at Mariposa and Barstow and quickly determined it to be a three-alarm fire. Three people were treated for smoke inhalation with one having minor burns according to officials. According to the online fundraiser posted following the…
WOULD SAVE LIVES – June 19, 2024 – In France, the majority of people with an opioid use disorder — 87% — receives access to medication designed to treat it. In the United States, where more than 100,000 people are dying annually from drug overdoses, less than 20% of people with opioid use disorder receive methadone or buprenorphine. A new study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy highlights differences between the two countries — and a prime opportunity for the U.S. to better address an opioid epidemic that continues to ravage American families and communities. “Americans are…
VIDEO – WE ARE ALL ONE – June 11, 2024 – Donovan Harmel, 78, grew up on a farm in Rugby, North Dakota.”Being gay, I don’t even think that was term that was used at the time. It wasn’t frowned on as much as it was like it didn’t exist, he said. “I panhandled, I lived on the street, stuff like that,” he recalled. Health department data shows people in the LGBTQ+ community have a higher chance of suffering from substance use. “People, a lot of people aren’t accepted by the community so they don’t accept themselves. They are…
AUDIO – SAY WHAT? – June 12, 2024 – “The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health’s Overdose Response Center is warning of a scam in our area involving individuals claiming to be part of residential rehabilitation programs in California, such as Santa Monica Rehab of California. “The claims of residential treatment services and ongoing treatment in California are likely FALSE CLAIMS.” Santa Monica Rehab is linked to Nate Young, according to business documents filed with the California Secretary of State. Young, it turns out, was sued by Beverly Hills in 2020 for operating an “illegal drug rehab facility”…
VIDEO – GREAT IDEA! – June 13, 2024 – “There was meth, there was heroin, there was crack and now there’s fentanyl,” said Wisecarver. He says everyday he watches the need for help grow for people struggling with substance use. With God’s help, we’re gonna get it done,” said Deacon Jim Vargas, the President and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. Vargas says the organization is planning to change this East Village building from a homeless shelter to a detox and sober living facility. The new facility will have 45 beds for detoxing and a whole floor for sober living.…
DON’T ASK – June 16, 2024 – When some people look at clusters of small holes, like those seen in a lotus seed pod or honeycomb, they are suddenly and inexplicably filled with an unpleasant, skin-crawling feeling. The internet could be feeding this unofficial phobia. There are a series online discussions on ‘trypophobia’… In a survey of 283 people aged 19 to 22, a team of psychologists at the University of Essex and the University of Suffolk found that a quarter of trypophobic individuals had never heard of the condition, suggesting there really is some aspect of the condition…
IT TAKES WHAT IT TAKES – June 20, 2024 – When a photo of David Hobbs arrested in a Captain America costume went viral, it could have been the most embarrassing moment of his life, but Hobbs says that was the moment his life was saved. Hobbs, 41, grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi. His father was an alcoholic and Hobbs was an addict by age 15. “I smoked weed at 13, then came the drinking, then, when I was 16 a doctor prescribed pain medication after I got hurt in a skateboarding accident,” said Hobbs, of Lawrenceville. “I learned…
VIDEO – NO LIMITS – June 20, 2024 – Chaz and Bill discuss the behind-the-scenes challenges and dedication required to maintain a successful podcast. Together, they draw parallels between podcasting and broader life goals, such as maintaining consistency and perseverance. They reflect on their similar entrepreneurial endeavors, the excitement of new creative projects, and Chaz’s viral TikTok success. Dive into this interview as they exchange ideas on personal growth, authenticity, and helping others on their creative journeys. The conversation also touches on navigating career transitions, the importance of self-belief, and the profound personal development gained through podcasting and content…
VIDEO – FINALLY – June 17, 2024 – “We are taking actions that are intentional, that are sweeping and unapologetic, and this is the largest such action in our nation’s history,” Moore, a Democrat, said. Heather Warnken described the pardons as “a win for thousands of Marylanders getting a fresh start to pursue education, employment, and other forms of economic opportunity without the stain of a criminal conviction.” During a news conference, Moore said the executive order will affect “tens of thousands of Marylanders” convicted of misdemeanors. Some may have had more than one conviction pardoned through the process.…
NPR AUDIO – BULLSH#T BACKDOWN – June 20, 2024 – FADEL: Are there things about social media that have been good when it comes to adolescents engagements online there?JENSEN: There certainly are. So, indeed, young people tend to report that their online experiences are more positive than negative, and certain types of engagement on social media are particularly beneficial. FADEL: So you mentioned that warning labels on the face of it are good in the sense of bringing awareness to issues around a product. But you talked about how complicated this is. Are there interventions here that you think…
BEING OF SERVICE – June 20, 2024 – Chelsea Donnor said she struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for the better part of 20 years. It wasn’t until last year she was ready to get clean. “I just hit a spiritual low that I was willing and desperate to do whatever was suggested to me through the mentor program,” she said. “They gave me a safe place to stay. The requirements were go to meetings, community service, and intensive outpatient. And there were folks that believed in me when I really didn’t believe in myself.” She completed the 80…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – 1981 – This segment of a television broadcast is from a 1981 tribute to Duke Ellington that took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. The orchestra of jazz heavyweights was conducted by Billy Taylor who also is playing piano here as Joe Williams is featured on “Lush Life”, Billy Strayhorn’s masterpiece. CONTINUE@YouTube
MORE TO THE STORY – June 19, 2024 – Law enforcement arrived with a search warrant to the mystery woman’s sober living residence in L.A., but she was not present. When she came back, she was “completely cooperative” with authorities, a source told the outlet. (She was not handcuffed or arrested.). CONTINUE@OKMag
ONE OF OUR FAVORITES – June 20, 2024 – Donald Sutherland, a Canadian actor whose career spanned more than six decades, he starred in many acclaimed titles. A magnetic screen star whose chameleon-like penchant for unconventional characters would sustain him through a 200 films career, Sutherland starred in acclaimed titles of the 1970s and ’80s, including JFK, M*A*S*H, Klute, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Ordinary People. He was President Snow in The Hunger Games Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sutherland “will be deeply missed.” “I had the opportunity when I was much younger to meet Donald Sutherland, and even as a young man who hadn’t had a full…
LIKE PARENTS? – June 22, 2024 – The C.E.O. and his team drove Meta’s efforts to capture young users and misled the public about the risks, lawsuits by state attorneys general say. States accuse Meta of unfairly ensnaring teenagers and children on Instagram and Facebook while deceiving the public about the hazards. Using a coordinated legal approach reminiscent of the government’s pursuit of Big Tobacco in the 1990s, the attorneys general seek to compel Meta to bolster protections for minors. A New York Times analysis of the states’ court filings — including roughly 1,400 pages of company documents and…
VIDEO – ONE WITH, ONE WITHOUT – June 20, 2024 – The number of people zebra striping rises to two in three adults when looking at those who combine alcoholic and non-alcoholic options on a night whilst not specifically zebra striping (for instance, having one non-alcoholic drink for every two alcoholic drinks). While we’ve long been told to have a glass of water for every glass of wine or beer to avoid a hangover, switching between alcoholic and 0% alternatives could help improve our relationship with alcohol, says Millie Gooch, founder of Sober Girl Society. Millie gave up alcohol…
WILL HUNTER BIDEN BE INVITED TO SPEAK? – June 20, 2024 – Is America ready to elect a recovering addict as president? How about one who wants to hold 12-step recovery meetings in the White House? RFK Jr. hopes to be that president, the onetime heroin user saying he long ago left behind his dependency on “drugs, sex, alcohol or extreme behavior” to balm a wounded psyche. Thanks in large part to more than 40 years of 12-step meetings, Kennedy says, “I don’t have a big empty hole that I’m trying to fill with things outside of me.” The…
BEAUTIFUL AND SMART – June 17, 2024 – The list of celebrities advocating for abstinence is endless and continues to grow year after year: Eminem, Anne Hathaway, Pharrell Williams, Naomi Campbell, Lewis Hamilton, Elle MacPherson, Ben Affleck, Demi Lovato, Cara Delevingne, Lana Del Rey, Kit Harrington, Miley Cyrus, Daniel Radcliffe, Eva Mendes, Andy Murray, Tom Hardy, Gisele Bündchen, Florence Welch, Bella Hadid, Adele, Megan Fox, Kendrick Lamar. For these new teetotalers, sobriety is something worth toasting to, whether with craft mocktails in stylish bars at 15 euros a glass, at yoga and nature retreats, or even at morning dance…
TO EAT LESS? – June 7, 2024 – Hari reappeared with a best seller, Chasing the Scream, on the social causes of addiction, and a viral TED Talk—which has now been viewed 21 million times—on the same topic. He’s since written three more pop-science books, all of which are variations on this theme. In 2018, he published Lost Connections, another best seller, about depression, anxiety, and, to some extent, the nature of addiction. In the fall of 2005, Johann Hari, then a young columnist for The Independent who was struggling with his weight, described a trip he said he’d…
WHO DOES? – June 18, 2024 – Amy Dresner explores the concept of emotional sobriety and why she feels like she still lacks it, even more than 11 years into recovery. Emotional sobriety, according to my sponsor, is “conscious consistent behavior that is based in the 12-step principles of common welfare: unity, love and tolerance, integrity, graciousness (i.e. giving others the benefit of the doubt), forgiveness, humility, and service.” Oof. I mean, we can all do that sometimes but doing it CONSISTENTLY is difficult (read: impossible) To be fair, all people lack of emotional consistency to some degree ……
VERY? – June 15, 2024 – Charles Darwin enjoys a near god-like status among scientists for his theory of evolution. But his ideas that animals are conscious in the same way humans are have long been shunned. Until now. “There is no fundamental difference between man and animals in their ability to feel pleasure and pain, happiness, and misery,” Darwin wrote. But his suggestion that animals think and feel was seen as scientific heresy among many, if not most animal behaviour experts. Attributing consciousness to animals based on their responses was seen as a cardinal sin. The argument went…
AUDIO – ETERNITY AND INFINITY – June 19, 2024 – In this 40 minute Happier Book Club episode, we discuss Somehow: Thoughts on Love by Anne Lamott. Anne Lamott is the author of many New York Times bestsellers. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and inducted into the California Hall of Fame. “Love is our only hope,” Anne Lamott writes in this perceptive new book. “It is not always the easiest choice, but it is always the right one, the noble path, the way home to safety, no matter how bleak the future looks.” In Somehow: Thoughts on Love,…
BUT THEY’RE HUMANS – June 20, 2024 – “Alcoholism is a nasty disease that has a firm grip on this region,” says Rómulo. “In this small city centre there are at least 400 addicted people who wake up on the streets from their weekend bender – but some will never wake up. “By bringing them here, we are attempting to save their lives, but they die like flies in the streets.” Intibucá, in the south-west of Honduras, has a primarily rural population, and relies on its agricultural economy. However, a 2017 study by the National Autonomous University of Honduras…
SMOKE MORE POT – June 20, 2024 – The study estimates that Alaskans spend just over $827,000 on alcoholic drinks every year. That equates to $1,165 per person which is 44 percent higher than the national average. This is more than residents of any other state spend on drinks. The U.S. economy as a whole sinks an estimated $250 billion into alcohol annually. When alcohol begins to interfere with normal day to day activities, drinking has become more than a harmless habit. Regular drinkers often report workplace problems and family strain as a result, as well as withdrawal from…
MONEY MATTERS? – June 18, 2024 – Done ADHD was an “online subscription-based treatment program” for people with ADHD. Or who wanted to be evaluated for ADHD. The platform offered “online tools” and “communication with doctors,” under the premise that they wanted to help more people. The problem was, people were allegedly not getting evaluated – just handed medication. Their ‘help’ turned out to be an alleged scheme to prescribe as much ADHD medication as possible, according to the Attorney General’s office, which began conducting an investigation into the company in 2022. Done Inc. officers denied they were under…
FROM BOOKS TO BLADDER INFECTIONS – June 15, 2024 – Since Amazon acquired the primary-care service One Medical, elderly patients have been routed to a call center — staffed partly by contractors with limited training — that failed on more than a dozen occasions to seek immediate attention for callers with urgent symptoms. One patient reported a “blood clot, pain and swelling,” call center staff scheduled an appointment … Over the following two days, clinical staffers flagged four more call-center errors involving elderly patients with urgent complaints, including stomach pain and blood in stool, a spike in blood pressure,…
“A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.” – John Burroughs, 1837–1921