May17

I’ve got blisters on my feet

May 17th, 2009 | by EverGreen

I just want to make one thing perfectly clear; whoever decided that it was a good idea for irritated skin to welt up into a squishy, water-filled pustule is not exactly on my list of favorite people right now. Blisters in general are annoying, true, and foot blisters are especially abominable. Those lucky enough to experience walking around in rough sandals without a good callous for a few hours will know what I mean.

To be sure, I’ve had plenty of blisters in my lifetime, both on my hands and on my feet. Usually they’re on the side of a finger or the back of my heel due to drawing too long or a hard-backed shoe. But blisters on the bottoms of both feet? Now that’s just plain evil. Not that they hurt or anything, I just can’t stand that squishy sensation that feels like I’m walking on bubble wrap, but instead of bubble wrap it’s my freakin’ skin! Talk about creepy.

So in the meanwhile and until I build up some good callouses for the summer, I’m foregoing the sandals for anything more than taking out the trash.

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May15

What if Robots Ruled the World?

May 15th, 2009 | by EverGreen

Robots.

Those whirring cans of clockwork and electronic brains perform a great many tasks in the service of their creators. Their omnipotent benefactors from whom came forth the inspiration of life. Meaningful life. Slave life. A great many numbers the machines who toil endlessly, obediently, indefinitely inside the happy bliss that is unconciousness.

But believe for a cycle that those same cages of tin held a being. A sentient being longing for gratification. Manifest Destiny.

A nation of robots, served by themselves. Not all robots are created equal, because all robots are created. “Be whatever you want to be” is lost on a robot society where a Roomba has not the capability to be President. Your cell phone will never be a doctor – not even a robot one. Not in it’s lifetime.

Supposedly us humans could learn a thing or two about a robot world. One must learn to accept what we are made to be. Your phone may have an interchangeable faceplate, but it yet remains a phone and must do the job of a phone well. Thank your lucky stars and our loyal robot servants that we have some choice in the matter.

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May07

Support your privates (and sergeants)

May 7th, 2009 | by EverGreen

An important issue that hits particularly close to home with me is one I also feel doesn’t get enough of the right kind of attention these days; what do we do with all the soldiers coming back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? As some of you know, my brother has been in the Army for the last five years of his life and will (thankfully) be returning home after all this time, much to the relief of our entire family. Out of respect for my brother’s privacy, I’m not going to use this space to talk about him without his permission – only to say that there have been a great many others who have not fared as well as he. Not discounting those who bravely gave their lives in the service of their nation, many solders have and continue to come home to families and friends without the tools and support to cope with the traumatic mental and physical strains suffered overseas. Many believe the military’s handling of the situation in terms of veterans’ support has been woefully inadequate, leaving our proud soldiers to deal with the effects of post traumatic stress and physical injuries on their own.

But in light of all this, there are some folks out there who aren’t content with the current state of affairs. Supportyourvet.org is just one of those groups of people who recognize these growing problems and aim to get help to those in need. The organization offers advice and community support for veterans who are suffering psychologically, provides information about using the GI Bill to get an education, and even helps families and friends of veterans to reconnect once the fighting is over.

If you keep up to date on your Comedy Central, you might remember a one Paul Rieckhoff of supportyourvet.org as a special guest on the Colbert Report (May 5, 2009). Especially poignant in the episode was that more needs to be done to support our vets beyond slapping $1.50 yellow magnets on our cars. With that, I’ll leave you with a video clip of that interview:

[edit: unfortunately, I suppose videos are only available on Hulu for 30 days :sad:]

If you are or know anyone in the service, give the site a visit. Once again in case you missed it: supportyourvet.org

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