"It was springtime in Seattle, and I was a newcomer. One afternoon I found myself at the Seattle Center, taking in the sights. I was standing at the base of the Space Needle, when I spotted a familiar face. It was Tim Gazaway, a casual acquaintance from my hometown of Boise, Idaho." -- From Real Stuff #3 (Fantagraphics, May 1991).
Real Stuff: Death of a Junkie
Read the other Real Stuff stories and listen to Mark's interview with Dennis Eichhorn here.
"Ghost ship" washes up on remote island with $20 million of cocaine aboard
A "ghost ship" with no passengers aboard—but packed with 649 kilos of cocaine—washed up on Ailuk Atoll in the Marshall Islands last week. The Marshall Islands lie between Hawaii and the Philippines and the remote Ailuk Atoll has a population of around 400 people. While numerous drug hauls have turned up Marshall Islands shores, this… READ THE REST
Santa and elf raid drug dealer's house
Santa Claus and one of his elves raided a house in Lima, Peru to bust a suspected drug dealer who allegedly hawked his wares near a school. The cops wore flak jackets under their costumes. According to the BBC News, the drug squad has been "known to dress up as homeless people and street sweepers… READ THE REST
Scientists re-engineered natural psychedelic drug as treatment for depression and addiction, without the trippy effects
Ibogaine is a plant-based psychedelic substance used ritually by indigenous peoples in South America and West Africa. In the 1950s, researchers began studying the compound for use to treat drug addiction. Back then, William S. Burroughs and other Beats reported success using it to kick heroin, and there are currently multiple ibogaine clinics around the… READ THE REST
Here's the smart desktop warmer that safely keeps your coffee or tea at the perfect temperature
Simple solutions are almost always the best solutions. If you're cold, put on a jacket. If your car engine light clicks on, take it into the shop. And, if your coffee loses its piping hot bite…well, heat that baby up. Most of us are fans of the bold, burly sting of a fresh-off-the-brewer coffee at… READ THE REST
These 30 winter survival items will help you handle the cold all winter long
It happens every year – and it still feels like a chilly slap across the face each time. Winter rolls in…and you're uncomfortably reminded that the next few months will feel like something you just have to survive. However, there are ways to battle the elements. Assembled below are 30 surefire methods for assuring the… READ THE REST
This training bundle might be your ticket to a new career as a freelance writer
Lots of people think they can write. But a quick check of social media posts, blogs, and even some astonishingly mainstream media outlets prove that isn't always the case. Writing isn't easy. Writing well is even harder. And, writing well on a tight timeline is tougher still. But, if you've got the talent and ability… READ THE REST