Substantially Abusive

While the MTA strike is still being resolved and the work load has come to a year-end ebb, Karl has tried to make use of time until re-assignment with Day Top Village (Substance Abuse Assessment). Karl looked through the Dummies web site under "Mind, Health & Spirit" to see if they had any related matter on addtiction, anger management or substance abuse. These books seem handy:

- Addiction & Recovery For Dummies
- Anxiety & Depression Workbook For Dummies
- Overcoming Anxiety For Dummies
- Bipolar Disorder For Dummies NEW!
- Depression For Dummies

Charles Manson once said "You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy."

Karl is very impressed, especially with Bipolar Disorder For Dummies. Kudos Wiley Publications, you've stepped up the social consciousness market. Only now can Karl tell the difference between one who is schizo-affective and one who is just a plain 'ole whackjob. There is a Dummies book for everything! Meanwhile, Back to Substance Abuse, Karl found soemthing online called Addiction Search. The links to alcohol related abuse are dead, but the link to Absinthe Abuse is alive and well:

http://www.health.org/nongovpubs/absinthe/
Absinthe is an anise-flavored liqueur distilled with oil of wormwood, a leafy herb. Absinthe also contains flavorful herbs such as hyssop, lemon balm, and angelica. Wormwood is Artemisia absinthum. The active ingredient is thujone, a neurotoxin. The drink is distinguished by its blue-green clarity, due to its chlorophyll content. It was traditionally served with water and a cube of sugar; the sugar cube was placed on an "absinthe spoon" and the liquor was drizzled over the sugar into the glass of water. The sugar helped take the bitter edge from the absinthe; when poured into the water, the liquor turned milky white.

They fail to mention that you can only develop this additcion with the aid of a time machine. Where the hell do you get absinthe in this day and age? If someone wants to make their own wormwood squeezins, they've earned that addiction. One of the signs of absinthe addition must be "displaying a penchant for impressionist art." You might also spot this addict by his ascot-sporting swagger and his vaguely continental accent.