Top OTC Drugs Ones That Kinda Work

Oh, boy, do I love the slow summer months. CBS 3’s Stephanie Stahl yesterday reported on the top over-the-counter medications, riffing off a report from the American Pharmacists Association.

What are the best over-the-counter medicines, you might ask? Well, CBS 3 studied the report and let its viewers know just what the best OTC meds are: The ones you already have in your medicine cabinet!

The best for relieving itchy skin irritations is Cortizone-10, according to a new survey from the American Pharmacists Association of five thousand pharmacists. [...] And pharmacists recommend Sudafed to clear up a stuffy nose. [...] Some other best selections from the pharmacists include Midol for menstrual pain and Unisom for a better nights sleep.

What is this new “Cortizone-10″ they speak of? I can assume the group also recommends aspirin for pain — no more sucking on the bark of a willow tree! (Also, I’ve been telling everyone I know that “Sudafed PE” crap doesn’t work. Suck it up and get put on the government’s list of potential meth cooks and get the good shit from behind the counter.)

Best Over-The-Counter Medicines [CBS 3]

Parking Drug Wars

Yep, this is Philadelphia: A “well-connected” Philadelphia Parking Authority painter — yes, a well-connected painter — previously convicted of arson and burglary has been arrested again, this time for allegedly selling meth.

Cops say they caught Vernon Kulb, who’s worked for the PPA since 2004, with over a quarter-pound of meth valued at $10,000. A quarter pound is more than enough to trigger felony intent to deliver charges, which probably means Phillyist will name him its Asshole of the Week. (It usually has something to do with drugs, for some reason. DARE sponsorship?)

Kulb only got the job because his daddy lobbied to the executive director. Not his fault; he’s just playin’ by the rules here in Boss Tweed. But apparently this was his fault:

Kulb’s criminal history goes back 25 years, when Kulb and several other juveniles were convicted of setting fire to trash in abandoned Kensington buildings, and threatening a witness they suspected of talking to police.

” ‘If you are going to court to testify . . . your house will definitely go up,’ ” Kulb warned the witness, according to her later testimony. Two fires subsequently were set at her home, and she received an anonymous letter threatening: “You talk to police and you die.”

Ho ho! Let’s hope he wasn’t painting with inflammable materials during his time at the PPA.

Well-connected Parking Authority painter facing drug charges [Daily News]

School District With Alleged Naked Meth Dealer As Principal Unfairly Reported On By Local Newspaper

Alleged meth-dealin’, gay porn-watchin’, sex toy-ownin’, naked principal John Acerra isn’t the only alleged perpetrator in the case of the principal who dealt meth, watched gay porn, had sex toys and was naked all in his office.

No, according to the superintendent of the Bethlehem Area School District, Joseph Lewis, the whole thing is just an evil plot by the Allentown Morning Call. Or, rather, the whole thing isn’t an evil plot, but the newspaper isn’t helping.

In a story late last week, the paper reported the head of the teachers’ union expressed concern about Acerra’s absences, including one just five days before the principal was arrested for dealing meth from his office after hours. (He never sold any drugs to kids, huzzah.)

And the paper also asked Lewis for a comment:

In a phone interview, Lewis declined to talk about Acerra’s record as an administrator. “That is none of your business,” he said. “You can dig all you want. I’m a little tired of how The Morning Call is besmirching this district.” Then he hung up.

Ha. Fantastic. The newspaper must be angry he’s accusing them of besmirching the district (whatever) and then hanging up. Wait, what? Okay, I’ll read the editorial from the same day.

Give credit to Superintendent Joseph Lewis for directing a straightforward response.

Union complained about principal [Allentown Morning Call]
Arrest of principal offers lessons on authority, accountability, openness [Allentown Morning Call]
Archives: John Acerra