C0rk.W0rd

FDA

The FDA is now recondiering an over the counter form of the 'morning after pill' classified as an "emergency contraceptive". In order to be approved, the FDA expects Barr Phramesidcals to supply a "sufficiently rigorous" plan for keeping the drug out of the hands of individuals under the age of 18.

If taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex, the pill can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89% by delivering a high-dose of a common birth control ingredient. Researchers and controception advocades predict that the availability of such a drug could reduce the 3 million annual unplanned pregnancies to 1.4 million.

It is interesting to note that the FDA cited public comments as the reason for the reversal of their decision to postpone a decision on the pill indefinitely.

No End In Sight

I don’t think I have been this overworked in a long time. Maintaining a 20+ hour work week, while trying to take 19 credits has proved quite challenging. I wake up each morning feeling like I’ve been hit with a freight truck. Arriving home this afternoon, I had a little to eat and then went out to cut the lawn. After finishing the lawn, I didn’t even make it to the shower before collapsing for a 4 hours nap. I cannot remember the last time I napped. Truth be known, there were defiantly more productive things I could have done with my time.

The heat is testing my will to live. Frankly, I’m at a loss as to how anyone can endure this crap, let alone seek it. Chaz is leaving for Arizona soon, and he can’t wait for the 108 degree days. Surely these people must be sick. But you know what, there is just nothing like breaking a sweat while walking down your driveway to your car in the morning. Or how about having your shirt fused to your back, compliments of your leather car interior, before arriving at the office. Yea, where would I be without those simple pleasures.

Warm weather and sun is overrated, and you don’t need to attend too many proms to figure out that we really don’t need the sun to turn ourselves into majestic bronze statuettes. Does anyone actually think that looks good? Does it say something about me that the most UV I willingly expose myself to is that which radiates from my computer monitor, and that I consider the rest a necessary evil?

Anyway, I’m not really sure where I was going with this post. I just thought I should let everyone know how busy I am, in case you were wondering about the infrequent updates. Sorry, I’m not dead yet. I’ll try to be more diligent when it comes to supplying fresh entries. I recommend, in the meantime, that you begin checking my m0b for updates.

I'm with this guy (click for larger view)

No MoBloggin'?... What Gives?

I wanted to apologize for not uploading any images to my m0bl0g in quite a while. For some reason or another, FTP over Bluetooth has been refusing to work for the last few weeks. I have some wonderful pictures that I would LOVE to share with you, but they are trapped inside my phone.

I will take some time when I return from my trip to remedy this issue so that you can once again keep track of me visually through the wonders of the camera phone.

Side note: When am I gonna get to go to CES?

No Skiing Pics?

For someone who skis and punks around the net as much as I do, it's amazing how few pictures of my ski outings are available online. I did have quite a few photos and some videos posted on my old site @ Comcast, but they were all deleted along with the site not too long ago. I'm going to do my best to get some more ski related media onto THIS site soon. The Plus account I have with TypePad only allows me to house 100MB of data on their server, but I am going to look into housing the bulk of my data elsewhere (Drexel or Comcast) and linking to it from here. Either way, you can expect some more ski related content to be uploaded here shortly. I have a ton sitting around on my hard drive from previous years, and with 2 digital cameras floating around my family, I'm likely to have many more quite soon.

In lieu of any SKIING pictures, feel free to checkout the existing photo albums linked to in the left-side menu.

So...?

You might be wondering who it is that I am able to post, after I told you that I would be in Vermont for the weekend. It's simple, TypePad allows me to schedule postings, so you should keep your eyes peeled for more over the course of the weekend. But now for some brief current events…

Costa left for Spain on Thursday. I hope he has a good time, and maybe picks of a few Spanish ladies for himself. Chaz & Raja took him to Pat's for one last cheese steak, but I couldn't make it because I was meeting Maria for dinner, and then going home to pack the car. I did manage to meet them all at Costa's place following the Pat's. I was tired and it was late, so I said my goodbyes and went home to sleep.

On the ride home my 'check engine' light came on. Those keeping up with the saga that is the hexed-Camry should have an appreciation for how annoying that must be for me. It remained on till I got home. I told my dad about it, and he advised me to schedule an appointment with Toyota. Leaving for Vermont the next night made this a little difficult. At around 630am my dad knocked on my door (interrupting the sleep I so desperately needed for the 6hr haul to VT) and told me to take the car over to Cherry Hill Toyota this morning, and get an opinion. After checking/filling some of the fluids in the car, I proceeded to Cherry Hill Toyota @ 715am as instructed. While in route, the engine light went OFF. When I arrived at the service center, I explained what had happened to the technician, and he told me that the malfunction was more than likely due to the cold weather, and that it wasn't likely to be anything serious if the car was still functioning properly, and the light went OFF. I asked if he thought it was smart to drive 600mi after having seen the engine light. He told me I shouldn't worry about it, and that if I was really worried, to schedule an appointment when I got back from my trip. The fact that he thinks I'm going to make it BACK is encouraging.

At the time this was written there had been no disasters resulting from the glowing orange engine light... things may have changed, but your well wishes couldn't hurt... LEND ME YOUR LUCK, as it were.

Killington or BUST!!!

Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV

I want to get one thing straight; I don't think "the planet" is in trouble. I don't go outside enough to worry about UV, and my only REAL concern is a selfish one. There better be snow where it needs to be because I need to ski. We may destroy our own living conditions, but the planet as a whole is doing fine. (For more information see George Carlin's - Doin' It Again) That being said, lets move on to what this post is really about - a car purchase.

Though I've known about it for some time from reading press releases, I am pleased that Toyota has officially announced the release of a Hybrid Highlander SUV in the 2005 model year. I've been keeping my eyes open for some new wheels, especially when things go wrong with my current ones. I've recently fallen in love with the whole hybrid concept, especially now that there is minimal sacrifice in terms of performance. I'm not quite up driving a "moon vehicle", but I'm pleased to say that the Highlander Hybrid is anything but.

Why?... If you don't give to much of a shit about the environment, Why? Well the most basic and universally understood answer is MONEY. I like money, and I do enjoy getting "bang for my buck". The fact that the Highlander Hybrid will get approximately 600mi. a tank is VERY appealing. Weigh in THAT along with the fact that you get a Federal and State Tax Credit just for owning a Hybrid Vehicle, and you've got yourself a nice little money saving solution. I average between 250-300mi a tank in my Camry. That cuts my fueling costs in half. Did I mention that the Highlander Hybrid is also even MORE fuel efficient in "city driving" conditions? Since adding it all up is pretty pointless, lets just say the thing has a better chance of paying for itself in savings than most vehicles out there.

I'm probably going to cover something along these lines in a future post, so I will keep this explanation brief. Using less fuel "fights the man". By driving a Hybrid Vehicle, such as the Highlander, owners do a small part to reduce this nation's reliance on foreign oil that yields financial backing to terrorists, and fills the pockets of the upper 1% who are 'for the most part' involved with the purchasing/trafficking of oil. I'm looking at you DICK! Do I think that driving a gas guzzling conventional SUV makes you a terrorist supporter? NO, but it does make you a TOOL! There will be no real PUSH for alternative energy until the oil trade looses profitability, and the upper .5% of America (who control the world) channel their attention towards a different profit center. This is my little way of accelerating that process.

But back to the car... did I say car... I meant SUV... HYBRID SUV - The Highlander (there can be only one! - sorry bad joke). The biggest thing about Hybrid cars is that they're unsightly and underpowered. The only people that drive them are pretentious pricks and celebrities who think they're 'SAVING THE PLANET', and we went over THAT one before. I'm admitting that my interest in the Highlander Hybrid IS in a way selfish... I like to save money, and it is pure convenience that it also happens to push my political and socio-economic agenda. But tell us c0rk, are you really willing to give up all that performance to save money and 'fight the man'?.

The answer is NO!... Luckily with the Highlander Hybrid, I won't have to. You see, the Highlander Hybrid has 4-Wheel-Drive and will be pumping out 270 horses. On paper the Highlander Hybrid does 0-60mph in about 8-9seconds. I think that's pretty decent. This acceleration is assisted by the fact that the axles are rotated by electric motors. When the driver depresses the accelerator, the power to the wheels is instantaneous by wire, as opposed to the mechanical delay that occurs in a conventional drive system.

With the Camry looking, sounding, and driving worse and worse as time passes, I expect to seriously consider purchasing the Toyota Highlander Hybrid when it comes on the market during the 2005 model year.

Toyota USA Website
Highlander Hybrid - Info Site
HybridCars.com - Interesting 'if small' site

BURRR! :-)

WOW!... It is 'bitchin' cold this morning. The moisture that accumulates on the underside of my hot tub cover formed into icicles, and the death-mobile (Camry)... had a little trouble starting up this morning. As I understand it, its actually 20 degrees.... not an excruciatingly cold temperature, however the wind chill knocks that figure down to a 'feels like 7'. I'm not sure why the weathermen actually bother telling us what the actual temperature is if it 'feels like 7'. I think it might have something to do with the fact that of all the meters, gauges, and dials they're paid to use, the thermometer remains the only one that actually has ANY effect on their ability to inform us of weather conditions, since everything else coming out of their mouths borders on complete bullshit and guesswork. Regardless, I LOVE winter!

In less than 48hrs. I'll be jumping in a car to head north where it is EVEN COLDER!!! No bother though... its for skiing, for which cold is a necessary ill. In fact, I don't mind the cold, when properly dressed - ski jacket, gloves, scarf, boots, etc. It's dealing with this crap in and out of the office, and in the car on the way to work that pisses me off sometimes. I enjoy this weather... it keeps things interesting, and makes for some sweet snow/ice conditions... or wait... I'm sorry, this is east-coast-skiing... they call that "Packed Powder" ;-)

Look around,
The grass is high,
The fields are ripe,
It's the springtime of my life.

Seasons change with the scenery;
Weaving time in a tapestry.
Won't you stop and re-mem-ber-me
At any convenient time?

Funny how my memory skips,
Looking over manuscripts
Of unpublished rhyme,
Drinking my vodka and lime,
I look around.

No Samara ... It's 10 DAYS!!!

For those of you keeping track, I'll be 21 in approximately 10 days. Unfortunately this is not soon enough to allow me to drink "legally" in Killington, VT this weekend, but not to worry, I have plenty of additional ski trips planned to make up for it. I feel like I should be more excited than I am, but the reality is that there has been little standing the way of my alcohol consumption for the last 2-3 years, aside from my own nerves. Hell, I look older than most of my friends who ARE 21 or 22 or 23. January 16th is on a Friday this year, so I'm pleased I will not have to roll into work the morning after my 21st. A few of my co-workers expect me to hit up the Top Dog before going home Friday, but its not really my scene, never mind, the bad experiences I've had there already.

So what ARE you doing? --- I'm going to THE LIBRARY II. For those of you that don't know, The Library II is a restaurant/bar located on Rt. 73 b/w the Marlton & Berlin Circles. A fairly popular place with a killer selection of spirits, the Library also sports what I consider the best Prime Rib in the area, with the region's most robust salad bar selection to boot. I'm probably going to try to assemble an initial dining party to head over between 7-8pm. It'll probably take a little while to secure a table, so we can linger @ the bar until we're seated. Dinner will hopefully be followed by additional drinks and merriment. Anyone is welcome to swing by, and because it is a restaurant, they don't conventionally card anyone at the door. So even if you are underage and not planning to imbibe alcohol, you can still stop in to say hello.

Though The Library has a fairly pricey menu depending on your selection, I hope the bulk of the attendees will accompany me for the dinner portion of the night, as well as the drinking. Anyone who wants in on dinner should contact me (phone, e-mail, IM) and let me know so we can plan accordingly. I would try one of those online invitation thingies, but I don’t know many of your e-mail addresses, so just leave comments, or use the means mentioned above. Thanks!

Library II
306 Route 73 (south of Marlton Circle)
Voorhees Township, NJ 08043
(856) 424-0198

First's & Last's

Firsts...

First real memory of something: Yellow Plastic Skis In My Driveway
First car: (Current Car) 1993 Toyota Camry XLE V6
First real kiss: Real?... Ummm... Define real in terms of a kiss?
First break-up: Emma - 9th Grade
First job: Barback - The Mansion
First screen name: (Internet Handle) Gr0und-Zer0
First self-purchased album: Classic Queen
First funeral: Grandfather
First pet: Richard & Patrick (Gerbils)
First credit card: (Current Card) - Citibank Platinum MC
First true love: Skiing
First enemy: Christen (neighbor)
First big trip: Disney?
First music you remember hearing in your house: Alan Parsons & VH
First broken bone: Arm (compound fracture)
First concert: Smashing Pumpkins w/ Garbage (7th Grade)
First serious illness: serious?

Last's...

Last cigarette: one of Andrew's a while back... can't remember
Last car ride: Drove to work
Last kiss: Maria
Last good cry: Can't remember
Last book read: (Reading) Prozac Nation; (Read) Preacher Vol.4
Last movie seen: Love Actually
Last restaurant visited: Some Chinese Place? (Pretty Good Though)
Last dream: Secret Agent Infected With Virus During A Raid
Last curse word uttered: fuck
Last beverage drank: Coffee
Last food consumed: Orange Beef (Chinese Place)
Last show watched: (Ashamed) Tough Crowd - Though it was more 'On In the Background'
Last time showered: 7:30am Today
Last shoes worn: Steve Madden's ummmm... Black Leather w/ Stitching
Last outfit worn: Outfit?... I wore Jeans & a black shirt last night?... A Sweater & Gray Pants @ the moment
Last cd played: Played or Ripped? - We're going to go w/ MP3 album here, from my iPod - Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits
Last wish: to understand EVERYTHING
Last disappointment: Bowie postponed
Last item bought: Is Gas an item? -- 16 Gallons of Gasoline
Last annoyance: alarm clock
Last soda drank: A Sip of Mtn. Dew code red @ taco bell on Monday
Last ice cream eaten: Turkey Hill Neapolitan (Philly Style) @ Grandma's
Last alcohol drunk: Yellow Tail Merlot
Last webpage visited: TypePad

What Happend to 96.5 FM?

Maybe some of my readers in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area will know what I’m referring to when I say – WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO 96.5 FM “THE POINT”???

I’ve never listened to a station with so much potential go so wrong. When it originally came on the air (maybe 2-3 years ago)… it was known as the 80’s station. I remember enjoying the nonstop 80’s blocks, many of which were by request. It then became apparent that their ratings weren’t climbing fast enough spinning nothing but 80’s. The Point’s format expanded to “The Best of the 80’s, 90’s & More”… I was willing to accept this change, as they were still predominantly 80’s with a little early 90’s and late 70’s mixed in. They were also the radio station associated with the Retro 80’s nights at both the Coastline in Cherry Hill, and Café Society in Marlton. It was also during this time that they picked up a Philly standard The Barsky Morning Show – previously broadcasted on 93.3FM WMMR. The Barsky Morning Show is a superior talk radio show that enjoyed every morning on my way to work, until recently. It was bad enough when The Point went pretty POP… playing Michelle Branch, Matchbox 20, and Avril Lavigne, but then last Tuesday it ALL went to hell.

Imagine my surprise when I tuned in for The Barsky Show last Tuesday morning, and instead of a talk show, I hear Eminem’s latest attempt to lower America’s musical standards. Knowing that very little of what gets played on the radio has to do with DJ musical tastes or the requests of listeners with enough fortitude to call the station, I accept that the playing of Eminem during The Barsky Show was a managerial/marketing decision. Just after my ears stopped bleeding, the next track came on…. Another piece of musical garbage that some might call Rap and/or R&B. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that The Point has decided to change formats… but not only that, they removed The Barsky Show from their line-up. Apparently White Boy Rap has a more appeal? (prolly to those fuckers in the tricked out Honda Civics who think they’re Vin Diesel or worse Paul Walker).

The Barsky Show is no longer on the air, and what started out as 96.5FM The Point “Philly’s 80’s Station” has become 96.5FM The Wild “Bangin’ Hip Hop and R&B”… ugh…

Am I the only one that noticed this shit?… Am I the only one that cares? Go Here – Who the fuck is Rocco?… is he the ass wipe DJ that was asking some Soccer-Mom if she was a MILF the other night, in the most cheesy and canned radio voice imaginable?