I don't often comment on episodes, because I usually have a backlog of several months. But this one came up on my randomizer today, and so I thought I'd strike while the iron is hot.
This was far from my favorite Escape Pod -- it was kinda rarified, not much happens, and we're not given sufficient explanation of the things that do happen. It was more like an "atmosphere" piece...
[ducks tomatoes]...although I did find the girl-crush reasonably realistic; an apparently handsome dude, slightly older, seems to have a lot of money and/or social status, and expensive trendy toys. High school crushes are like that, including the girl's feeling that she's ready to die and/or run away with this guy she barely knows just because of the above. Don't tell me you've never seen a crush like that (even though they don't usually get as far as dying or running away).
I did want to mention, though, that you can buy those UV shield contact lenses
today. Of course. Sci-fi always has a hard time outrunning reality. Attached is a picture where I've got one in, one out.
I love my pair. They freak people out. (Especially with one in and one out!) Plus they do what they were designed to do really well. They were designed by an ophthalmologist who's also a surfer, for surfers and boaters and other people who stare into the sun but get tired of dropping expensive sunglasses into the depths of the Pacific. Full UV protection, never fall out of your eye, and they don't get coated with dried salt, or chipped or lost, like sunglasses do.
The guy doesn't advertise them on his website anymore, because they're a little bit expensive ($80 per pair, last I checked) and not all that popular. But he can still make them. (I'm not employed or connected to him, just a customer.)
http://www.coastaloptometry.com/