October 31, 2004

The United States Drug Enforcement Agency Photo Library: So many pills, so little time.
posted by Jerry Garcia 20 years ago
  • When I was in high school (back during the pre-internets days) I was given a drug identification book by my unknowing health teacher, which I proceeded to "lose". I and my buddies used it to indentify many substances, especially prescription pills. Thank god the USDEA has a site like this up for today's kids to do the same. I know I got it bookmarked.
  • They need to do more acid busts. For the sake of art.
  • Did anybody else find it impossible to look at this site without hearing QOTSA's Feel Good Hit Of The Summer in their head? They should totally make this into one of those I Spy books. You know, for kids.
  • Bookmarked and Emailed.
  • It's like a rainbow of glphgmgnubasasdfzlaz Whoops, the web's bleeding again.
  • Lovely memories here.
  • Ha! Ha! Squid, I got the same book in school! It was well worn.
  • Very well-phrased title, JG. ((
  • I know one graceful drug user, a peace officer who smokes an ounce of good grass every week. The day job dress is a crisp agressive uniform and a well-scrubbed body to fit it; the job of policing is an adventure, eternally unknowable and demanding an earnest smile and a vigilantly friendly approach with the oft-repeated and always honest question of magical salvation/damnation for from 24 hours to 25 years to forever when you think about it: "What seems to be the problem here?" In a free and popular democracy the life of a cop is an angelic calling at best and killing someone at worst. And you're never alone. And somebody's gotta do it and most people are good and want to get along. You are personally culpable, thank God. In the insane mid-century of the so-called former USSR or in the blackest hours of pre-Mandela South Africa and in the North Korea that is seething today, right now in sleep, dreams and blind opression being a cop is a damnation you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. To enroll your youngest or oldest or middle or only son in the newest and most important, indeed seemingly essential police force in the world (the beat cops in Iraq, there's supposed to be tens of thousands of them) I can only imagine the trauma. Good thing I have pictures. The feeling of pride and mission and throw-your-hands-up despair must make them weep and reform in some religious way. It's not a voluntary patriotism and so it is the only personal and really necessary sacrafice for the future of Iraq. Misters BushKerrybinLaden can't hold a candle to these men. And if they value their mortal souls they'll find a way to stop killing wonderful young Americans too. These are all political conscripts being told that their job is to "police" and good luck on your way back from camp, guys... The cop I know is out of uniform now and just rolled a perfect big spliff and want's to look at Iraq and talk. "Pitiful" *puff* "A waste, and I feel worse for the American soldiers, really." *puff puff* "Since Bush landed and said we won it has been the police operation from Hell, no kidding." *puff* "US Marines have that choice no cop wants to face: make a friend or kill this person. Now. And the scale over their must be just savage and damaging." *puff* "Think about it," *puff* "There's a 23 year old Private there now who has killed 10? 20? 40? Iraquis and he's directing traffic." *puff pufff* "They need more cops, and not American cops. Give the American cops a rest and bring in the reinforcements." "It's an approach to every kinda person you can imagine in a million-person city..." ...in copworld thinking has to be very abstract and visual. Every person is ultimately a physical space...a good cop has no attitude whatsover...sense the volatility of the situation and water it down. 99% of the time it is a matter of calming, restoring calm in a physical space, just slow everything down so no one gets hurt. Look at the people around you and become an exact counterweight to everybody there and negotiate dispassionatley knowing that you are armed and they are dangerous and you are the law right here and now." "Democracy works when you like the cops."
  • So, can you get this in like a Whitman's Sampler?
  • Quilting bees are the best place to announce that The Cops Really Are Alright.
  • God, it's like a Spiritualized album in there. I thought the opium was in the shape of a coelecanth head until I enlarged it, and was then disappointed. I still like the monthly mailer thing they had with all the ways to hide your stash...