THE ULTIMATE BOOKWORM – Feb. 12, 2026 – Salman Rushdie, George Saunders, and others pay tribute to the longtime host of the Bookworm talk show, who died this week. Joyce Carol Oates called him “the very Mozart of literary interviewers.” ”Norman Mailer, “the best reader in America.” Susan Sontag, “a national treasure.” As the host of the literary talk show Bookworm for 33 years, from 1989 to 2022, Michael Silverblatt interviewed more than 1,200 writers, among them Joan Didion, Tom Wolfe, Gore Vidal, Martin Amis, Ocean Vuong, Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Marilynne Robinson, David Foster Wallace, Fran Lebowitz, and Bret…
Author: Leonard Buschel
HE LOVES AA – Feb. 17, 2026 – It’s hard! I squirmed in my seat the whole time I watched the HBO docuseries The Vow, about the NXIVM cult, because I kept finding similarities between it and some of the 12-step groups I attend. The groupthink. The over-the-top celebrations of promotions. The personal inventories. The acronyms. The series reinforced something I’d known about myself: Cults have always appealed to me. I always longed to be part of a group, especially one whose goal was to build each other up or, most aspirationally, to change the world. If the right charismatic…
TIME TO PROTEST! – Feb. 25, 2026 – TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s Department of Health is using emergency rules to cut about 12,000 people off from affordable access to their HIV/AIDS medication starting Sunday. The Department’s emergency rules were filed Tuesday, one day ahead of a hearing in a legal challenge to the state over changes to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Louise Wilhite-St. Laurent, an attorney representing the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which filed the lawsuit, called the state’s move “legal subterfuge.” … The emergency rule means that, unless changed, thousands of Floridians will lose access to life-saving HIV/AIDS medication as…
OCTORGY? – Feb. 21, 2026 – The study was originally published in the journal Current Biology, and examined how the recreational drug impacted on the sociability of the animals. MDMA, also known as ecstasy, is a stimulant which is illegal in many countries, but is still hugely popular … The study looked at California two-spot octopuses, which are normally not a particularly social species, and put two of them in a tank together at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. In the tank, one octopus was under a mesh pot which meant that the two could touch and…
BON APPETITE – Feb. 23, 2026 – The study examined 17 preservatives and found that only some were linked to a higher cancer risk. In particular, potassium sorbate, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrite, and sulfites were associated with an increased risk of overall cancer, as well as specific types like breast and prostate cancer … “The study found an association, not causation, between higher consumption of certain food preservatives and a modestly increased cancer risk,” nutritionist Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, explains. “It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean these preservatives directly cause cancer. Instead, the findings may reflect the overall…
HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE? – Feb. 17, 2026 – There are many forms of “sugar substitutes,” also known as artificial sweeteners. Aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, and sugar alcohols such as erythritol and xylitol are available in various items labeled “diet” or “low-calorie.” They also appeal to those trying to manage their weight. Some people believe replacing sugar with these products helps them avoid extra calories. Others rely on them to reduce sudden spikes in blood sugar, which can be appealing to individuals with conditions like diabetes. Divide in the scientific community Several regulatory agencies consider many of these sugar substitutes acceptable at…
STAY SOBER – FEB. 24, 2026 – While life expectancy has recovered relative to recent American history, the U.S. is experiencing the most dramatic peacetime decline in longevity when judged against other high-income countries. If the United States had mortality rates comparable to other wealthy nations, we would have prevented more than one million deaths in 2020 and 1.1 million deaths in 2021. To put that in perspective: We’ve created the statistical equivalent of wiping out a city the size of Austin, Texas, every single year. And that doesn’t include the years preceding these deaths, when people were hobbled by…
VIDEO – MUSICAL INTERLUDE – Neil Sedaka performing ‘Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’ live at ‘In Concert: Neil Sedaka’ on April 26th, 1975. OBITUARY HERE: See More
THE WISE WOMAN WAY – Feb. 26, 2026 – Katie Herzog is the co-host of the Blocked and Reported podcast and the author of Drink Your Way Sober, a book about her experiences with the Sinclair Method—a medication-assisted approach to alcohol abuse.Q: What is the Sinclair Method? A: It’s based on this drug, naltrexone, which is an opioid blocker. If you take it in advance of drinking or doing opioids, you will not get the high associated with that particular substance. When I drink alcohol, I get energized. I get a euphoric high, even before I start drinking. The anticipation…
STICK WITH THE WINNERS! – March 3, 2026 – K.C. Victor was raised by a narcissist so reached out to many others for support. Trained in the true classics, then law school. K.C. married young to a man she still loves, and they have one daughter and five grandchildren in blended families. K.C. was an excellent legal recruiter because it involved both law and psychology. Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?A. My drug of choice was marijuana, but because it was illegal when I got sober, I also…
AUDIO – WHAT IS THERE TO PARTY ABOUT? – Feb. 22, 2026 – Marketed as ‘pink cocaine,’ dosa is a shifting mix of ketamine, MDMA and other stimulants sold via Telegram bots, with users unaware of the contents; doctors warn of heart failure, psychosis and even rat poison in some batches … The reality Mr. Dotan describes, swinging between a crushing sensation and euphoria, burst into public awareness last week, moving from nightlife into headlines. Fans of singer Osher Cohen were stunned to learn he had been arrested after police found tens of thousands of shekels in cash and drugs,…
NO OIL SHORTAGE HERE – Feb. 27, 2026 – But as the Big Arch rolls out early across the US, early customers are already giving it a lukewarm reception – with some branding it as greasy, overpriced and underwhelming. Although this burger was expected to hit restaurants on March 3, some diners managed to try it early and quickly took to social media to share their verdict. One Reddit user who spent $14 on the burger at a San Diego location delivered a blunt assessment: ‘Greasy.’ ‘They added: I thought the sauce was too sweet and oddly too thick.…
VIDEO – CAUGHT! – FEB. 19, 2026 – Lawrence Arata, 65, was arrested in Nov. 2025 and charged with 33 counts of trafficking in individuals, patronizing prostitutes, witness intimidation and obstruction of justice. Arata tried to get the clients to stay with him at a hotel. He and his wife founded the organization in 2018 after their son died from a drug overdose. Upper Darby Police first became aware of the allegations against Arata on Oct. 9, 2025. A former employee at OCAN told investigators that she witnessed Arata acting inappropriately with his clients. Arata allegedly tried to get the…
FAME – Feb. 27, 2026 – Alexandria “Lexi” Zahra Jones — the daughter of the late singer and supermodel Iman — shared a statement on Instagram to explain that her previous post was meant to help other people who have experienced wilderness treatment programs and battled drug addiction and mental health issues. “I’ve seen a lot of interpretations of what I shared and I want to clarify something important,” Jones, 25, began. “My story was never meant to place blame on my parents. I love my parents deeply and I don’t hold resentment toward them.” “They were trying to help…
TELL ME THE TRUTH – February 18, 2026 – Jackson White is opening up about his journey to sobriety. The Tell Me Lies star, 29, got candid on the Wednesday, Feb. 18 episode of Call Her Daddy as he reflected on his childhood — he was raised by divorced parents and spent a majority of his time with his mom, Katey Sagal, and saw his father, Jack White, more sporadically — and how he developed unhealthy habits. “I just grew up in fear. I grew up in a lot of inconsistency, so I didn’t know what was going on a…
TALENT OF A GODDESS – Feb. 26, 2026 – Now 11 years sober, she’s revealing her “life and death” struggle with addiction for the first time in her new memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! excerpted exclusively in this week’s PEOPLE. Her mother, the legendary Judy Garland, died from an accidental overdose in 1969.At just 23, she became the head of the family, concerned for her younger siblings, Lorna and Joey Luft, then only 16 and 14 years old — and now she had to plan her mother’s funeral. Writes Minnelli, “What began as a one-day blessing soon turned…
SOBER LEGACY – February 20, 2026 – Eric Dane was candid about his sobriety journey before his death from ALS at age 53. Dane previously revealed he struggled with substance abuse while he was starring on Grey’s Anatomy. The actor played Dr. Mark Sloan, also known as McSteamy, for eight seasons. “If you take the whole eight years on Grey’s Anatomy, I was f***ed up longer than I was sober. And that’s when things started going sideways for me,” Dane recalled. “It was overwhelming, and I think I just wanted to pretend that it wasn’t and that I was comfortable…
A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS – February 18, 2026 – Chrissy Teigen got by with a little help from her new friends. One month after the model shared that she had restarted her sobriety journey after a relapse, she detailed how her fellow Star Search judges Jelly Roll and Sarah Michelle Gellar were a huge help in keeping her on track. “This is the very first set I’ve ever been on where I didn’t have a drink where I didn’t ever want one, I was just high off the fact that I got to be next to you guys,…
ONLY A YEAR? – Feb. 23, 2026 – One-time Home Improvement star and former teen heartthrob Zachery Ty Bryan, who once graced living rooms across America as Brad Taylor on the hit ABC sitcom, is now facing 16 months of jail time stemming from a 2024 DUI arrest. TMZ first reported the news. The former actor was rearraigned on Monday morning, February 23, after he pled guilty to driving under the influence and admitted to an enhancement for driving with a BAC of 0.15% or higher — nearly double the legal limit of .08. According to the publication, the judge…
VIDEO – NO MATCHES NEEDED – Feb. 23, 2026 – “Cigarettes and UPFs are not simply natural products but highly engineered delivery systems designed specifically to maximize biological and psychological reinforcement and habitual overuse,” a team of researchers from Harvard, published in the journal Milbank Quarterly,Refined carbohydrates stimulate dopamine release via the vagus nerve, whereas fats do so through intestinal lipid sensing,” they wrote. “… UPFs with high levels of refined carbohydrates and added fats are some of the most potently rewarding substances in the modern diet. Notably, this refined carbohydrate-fat combination is almost nonexistent in nature.” The rapid delivery…
“If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”— Steve Jobs, Feb. 24, 1955 – Oct. 5, 2011
DYING TO GET HIGH – Feb. 5, 2026 – The coroner’s office struggled to keep up. During a 24-hour-span on Aug. 8, 2023, nine people in San Francisco died from drug overdoses, eight of them from fentanyl. Eight were collected from apartments across the city. One was found on the street across from City Hall. That month, drugs killed 88 people. By the end of 2023, the annual overdose death toll was 810, the highest ever recorded. Downtown was dotted with sick and dying people, in wheelchairs or wrenched in the familiar fold or splayed out on the cold concrete.…
VIDEO – WHAT PRICE A LIFE – Feb. 12, 2026 – The initiative follows significant drug enforcement actions. Late last year, Police recovered an estimated 330,000 suspected fentanyl pills as law enforcement continues to address the source of opioid distribution in the state. Advocates for the machine said the high volume of drugs in the area necessitates more accessible harm-reduction tools. Cary Nelson, the pastor at First Christian Church, has lived in Southern Colorado for 25 years and has witnessed the impact of substance abuse firsthand. “It’s always been really bad here in Trinidad,” Nelson said. He recalled a tragedy…
AUDIO – CONVERSATIONS MATTER – Feb. 17, 2026 – Sam Hillis, left, and Cory Hobbs visited WCPI’s Studio B to share their experiences and lessons from their struggle to overcome drug addiction and build new lives in sobriety. The descent into drug abuse and addiction can start in different places and follow different paths. Both men were raised in stable, respectable families. Both were regularly in church and rarely missed a day in school. To the outside world, they both seemed to be fine. They were expected to grow into responsible, self-sufficient adults and ‘solid citizens.’ But on the inside,…
GROW UP – Feb. 11, 2026 – The Annals of Hepatology links less than one soda a day to a higher risk of metabolic dysfunction–associated liver disease. Experts say sugary sodas overload the liver with fructose, while diet sodas may disrupt the gut microbiome and lead to metabolic issues. Soda is a widely consumed beverage worldwide, but its popularity carries significant health risks. We know that regular consumption of this fizzy beverage is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay, but recent research in Annals of Hepatology also found that consuming less than…
IF YOU DARE – Feb. 14, 2026 – Whilst many have attempted Dry January, others are seeking more lasting solutions to reduce or entirely eliminate alcohol from their lifestyles. However, this doesn’t mean individuals must miss out, as numerous ‘delicious’ alcohol-free alternatives are now available. One brand, Smiling Wolf, was created by the minds behind Tanqueray 10, Baileys and Purdey’s. According to the brand, Smiling Wolf’s Aperitivo received the highest rating for a non-alcoholic spirit at the 2025 London Spirits Competition, evaluated by prominent bartenders and bar managers. Beyond Amazon, it’s stocked at more than 300 on-trade venues and over…
DRINK WATER – Feb. 13, 2026 – A sobriety expert has explained how her mental health deteriorated after she firmly became embroiled in ‘wine o’clock mum’ culture. Even though the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that there was ‘no safe alcohol drinking level’, it hasn’t stopped some people from boozing. National statistics for the UK suggest that around 42 percent of women drink once a week, while a study, published in the Alcohol and Alcoholism journal, found that 33.9 percent of parents reported snaffling a glass of alcohol each day, or a couple of times a week. Read More
SHE HAD TO HAVE IT – Feb. 16, 2026 – Long-term HIV survivor Sherri Lewis, 71, recounts the journey of a lifetime—from Top 40 pop singer to wise storyteller. I am now 71. I’m in disbelief and proud to have made it to this age. I’ve counted days, months, years and hours just to cope with the death sentence I was handed in 1987 when I was diagnosed HIV positive on my 33rd birthday, weeks before —my wedding day. By 1987, I had already had, as Warhol would say, my 15 minutes of fame. While I wasn’t famous, I was…
CAN’T BE TOO CAREFUL – Feb. 5, 2026 – “Recent reporting has raised serious concerns about the prevalence of polypharmacy—or multiple medication use—among veterans,” wrote the senators. “Polypharmacy, while not inherently bad, can result in dangerous drug interactions, overreliance, abuse, and even death…Given these concerns, it is imperative that VA ensure it is offering effective treatment, including medication as well as non-pharmacologic options such as therapy, to reduce the risk of negative outcomes.” Dear Mr. Dodaro, Veterans with mental health conditions may require the use of medication, and ensuring they have safe and effective treatments is a critical component of…
KEEP IT REAL – Feb. 12, 2026 – K2 is not actually cannabis, but rather a chemical that produces a hallucinogenic effect, and is most commonly sprayed on plant matter or paper, though it may also be vaped, according to the state Office of Addiction Services and Supports. Police in Albany reported in early December that overdoses linked to the drug had risen in recent weeks. “K2 is not something, when I first started, that was a major concern,” Macherone, a longtime Schenectady police officer, said. “That is one of our primary concerns now.” Schenectady police have been tracking nonfatal…