EPTI used up the last of my Advil yesterday to help cure a hangover. I think I'll go to the store after Day[9]'s Daily #171 and buy some more.
I used to take Tylenol for headaches when I was a kid, but sometime around my 22nd birthday I drank a buncha vodka, had a headache, and absentmindedly took some Tylenol. Then I remembered: oh shit! ODing on acetaminophen destroys livers!!! I spent the rest of that evening with my finger down my throat, begging fate to keep my liver alive. It was pretty horrible, I'm not gonna lie.
See, there's something up with the back of my throat where the nasal canal meets the esophagus... I'm not a doctor, so I'm not sure if its unique to me or what... but basically what happens is every time I vomit, some of that vomit misses my mouth and chooses instead to shoot out my nose. Which wouldn't be so bad, I suppose, if chunks of half-digested foodstuff wouldn't get stuck in my fuckin' sinuses, only to slowly get pulled back down by the force of gravity. At which point that acidic ball of food hits my gag-reflex and I vomit all over again. Really. I'm pretty sure if the Qin had known of this phenomenon, they would've turned it into a torture with it's own special name.
Some digression, huh? Anyway, in retrospect, I was probably overreacting. And if I wasn't overreacting, I should have gone to a doctor or at least called poison control instead of forcing myself to vomit over and over again. In any event, whenever I think of treating my headaches with Tylenol, I have flashbacks to that evening where I spent hours vomiting, drinking water, vomiting some more, etc. It's not a fond memory, and this is why I buy and use Advil. It lacks acetaminophen, and the worst thing that can happen from its use (as far as I know) is life-threatening stomach bleeds. To me, that's better than liver failure.
So, yea, goin' to the store for stomach bleed medication! Woo!
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Usual Business:
At the bottom of the blog I'll be linking to past installments so people that miss something can go back and read it. Feel free to check it out.
If you've got anything you would like to submit to Fanaticism-- comics, poems, short stories, rants, sci-fi tv/movie reviews, pin ups, etc-- feel free to shoot a PM my way and I'll be sure to include them in the coming weeks' blogs. Mr. Pessimist says that no one'll submit any content when they can post their stuff in their personal blog, but Mr. Positive says that stuff like this is always more fun when you network & collaborate with other people, so it's worth trying anyway.
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Fanaticism #3
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/JDZ5y.png)
+ Show Spoiler [self-criticism] +
The blonde's left-shoulder looks dislocated in panel 5. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
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<font size=1>The transcript stored on NET server 270.596651 is protected under the copyright laws of the United Earth Directorate. Access to NET server 270.596651 and its content is restricted to individuals with Special Access Clearance (SAC) level 2 and above. Any copying or public distribution of such content is strictly prohibited and may subject the offender to civil liability and severe criminal penalties, including seisure of all assets and forfeiture of medical autonomy. (Title 24, UED Code. Section 256 and 262)</font>
This is a content-specific rush transcript from "NEN Tonight w/ Andrew Wright," September 1, 2503. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. Thank you for using New Earth News Search, your source for all the news that matters.
ANDREW WRIGHT, HOST: In other news: suicides are on the rise again this month as layoffs continue to ravage the lower classes. Sociologist and UED Scientist, Dr. Richard Webb, author of MILITARY STRENGTH AND POVERTY, joins us for a candid talk on why. Thank you for joining us, Dr. Webb.
WEBB: Glad to be here, thanks.
WRIGHT: In your book, you argue that rising poverty rates have led to historic crime levels on the core-worlds and that this, in turn, has caused the military's ranks to swell as more and more violent criminals are drafted.
WEBB: That's absolutely correct, the correlation is so strong that it's difficult to deny a causal connection.
WRIGHT: Well, it may have been true in the past, but in the last year the numbers have changed drastically. Suicides are at an all-time high and military growth has stagnated. This pattern is starkest in the fringe colonies, but its effects are being felt here in the core worlds. There are rumors that the Terran Dominion has already begun to recruit volunteers, and there's talk that the UED will follow suit. Some are beginning to whisper that a general draft is imminent.
WEBB: Well, Andrew, as you know the discovery of the Zerg has changed a lot. Talk of Zerg "infestation" and "soul stealing bacteria", are widespread and frighten the public. Polls show that a growing proportion of the lower class believe military service is worse than suicide. It's only natural that fewer of them would be willing to attempt criminal activities. A drought in criminals should and indeed is leading to a weaker military. The Terran Dominion would do well to find other sources of manpower. I--
WRIGHT: Let me stop you there, because this is important. Is it possible the Dominion-- or the UED-- is considering a general draft?
WEBB: I doubt it. I mean, the idea is hard to take seriously. Humans haven't instituted a general draft in nearly 300 years. The upper-classes shouldn't have anything to worry about, in any case. Our leadership are just as worried about Zerg infestation as you or I, and they aren't going to subject themselves to that sort of risk willingly. They're sane, rational human beings, after all. Making military service a legal requirement is simply unfathomable. There has been some talk of instituting an income-threshold draft, but even these discussions are tempered by a concern for mass riots or total revolt. It is not easy to suggest, let alone ratify, a law so deeply unpopular that it threatens the cohesion of the Union.
WRIGHT: I see. Well, what do you think the governments will do, then?
WEBB: It depends on how deeply the Zerg threat penetrates our territory. If it looks like New Earth, Earth or one of the other core worlds are being threatened, I imagine they'll canvas the slums with recruiters and offer incentive packages to those that sign up. Volunteers have better morale anyway, and some key incentives should placate concerns about the Zerg.
WRIGHT: Interesting. Well, that's all the time we have for today. Thank you for lending us your insights, Dr. Webb.
WEBB: A pleasure, as always.
WRIGHT: Dr. Webb's book, MILITARY STRENGTH AND POVERTY can be purchased in NET sector 256.889845....
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Feedback
On August 27 2010 08:10 vOddy wrote:
That Marauder picture is really cool, man! Seriously! Well done.
That Marauder picture is really cool, man! Seriously! Well done.
On August 27 2010 08:18 emperorchampion wrote:
I like it!
I like it!
On August 27 2010 11:02 kineSiS- wrote:
Nice stuff.
Nice stuff.
On August 27 2010 11:52 Mikilatov wrote:
Haha, that Marauder pic is awesome, it looks like an oldstyle ad of 'new' technology you'd see in like the Fallout series, haha. Epic stuffs.
Haha, that Marauder pic is awesome, it looks like an oldstyle ad of 'new' technology you'd see in like the Fallout series, haha. Epic stuffs.
I'm universally loved! Score! <3
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