I woke up this morning with an awful, miserable head cold: there is a great wobbling blob of snot atop my shoulders today, and there are grisly, bubbly, phlegmy noises coming out of my mouth. It is not good. It is kind of gross.
So I would like you all to pray for me.
Oh, wait, no! That never works! Don’t do that. Instead, there’s only one thing that might give me some psychic assistance: money. Yes, a small pile of money would really help right now.
Only not for me. Send it to Skepticon. Would you believe they got a rude surprise this week? The venue is demanding an unexpected and rather excessive sum of money right away, or they’re going to cancel the whole event. It’s like learning that someone plans to steal Christmas, on top of having a brain that has turned into a flocculent, foamy fluid today.
Skepticon is in urgent need of donations, fast. Those crazy kids…it was suggested that maybe if they charged a nominal admission fee, like $5, that would be enough to cover the shortfall, but noooo…they’re sticking by their principles and insisting that this conference will always be free of charge.
So make a cranky old sludge-brained man mildly less dismal by throwing a few dollars at some idealistic young’uns, OK?
28 comments
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robertcrompton
3 November 2012 at 12:41 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Hey, PZ, prayer works very well for colds. I remember once, years back when I went to a Christian group and one of the guys said his wife had a really nacty cold and he asked would everyone pray for her to get better. And they did. And you know what? She got better. So there, how convincing is that? Whatmore proof can you possibly need?
Sastra
3 November 2012 at 1:00 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I found this to be a more convenient link for donating.
Poor baby, get well.
ckitching
3 November 2012 at 2:22 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Prayer, combined with plenty of rest and fluids, is an effective cure for the common cold, often in as little as one to two week! Without prayer, who knows how long you’ll be sick?!?
kieran
3 November 2012 at 2:35 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Hot whiskey, not too hot or you lose the whiskey. It won’t get rid of the cold but you’ll feel better.
Dick the Damned
3 November 2012 at 2:49 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Zinc tablets work for me. They’re best taken at the onset of symptoms, but i believe they shorten the term of the cold, & reduce its severity even if taken later.
Of course, it could be the placebo effect, but i don’t think so.
Anyway, i hope you get over it soon, PZ.
Ogvorbis: broken and cynical
3 November 2012 at 2:51 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
PZ:
Well, your critics have often accused you of being sick, so . . .
Kieran:
Take out the damned ‘e’. There is no ‘e’ in whisky!
kevs
3 November 2012 at 3:21 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Poor bunny. Be careful with a Man Cold!
kevs
3 November 2012 at 3:22 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Opps sorry. I didn’t mean to imbed that.
Left Handed Atheist
3 November 2012 at 3:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Donation made, for a good cause.
Feel better soon, PZ.
Gregory in Seattle
3 November 2012 at 4:02 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
When I get a bad cold, I find that the Ethnic Cure works wonders:
Irish coffee and English muffins for breakfast
Jewish chicken soup with matzoh balls for lunch
Thai curry for dinner (to help clear out the sinuses.)
Hope you feel better soon.
Zeno
3 November 2012 at 4:19 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’m just getting over a cold myself. The volume of snot is much lower this weekend than it was a few days ago. Get well soon, PZ!
DLC
3 November 2012 at 4:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Dick the Damned @5 : the evidence for zinc tablets is thin, with a recent Cochrane Review showing the evidence to be inconclusive.
PZ : get well soon.
kieran
3 November 2012 at 4:47 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Being from Ireland there will always be an “e” in whiskey.
stevem
3 November 2012 at 4:48 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
a whole fortnight!
Blobulon
3 November 2012 at 5:06 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
How can the venue suddenly jack up the price? Was there no contract?
chakolate
3 November 2012 at 6:05 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Since one is required, whenever one hears from someone who is suffering as you are, to give one’s favorite remedy, here you are:
Add half a capful of hydrogen peroxide to your neti pot.
Alethea H. "Crocoduck" Dundee
3 November 2012 at 6:09 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Have you considered homeopathy? Try a homeopathic remedy and you could be well in as little as 7 days! And without it, it could take a week.
Seriously, I’m sure everyone knows about the rest & fluids. Hot toddies are excellent in moderation. Having a cold AND a hangover together is a Bad Thing, but alcohol can help you get to sleep. Whisky or whiskey are good toddy bases, but never waste the single malt.
Rike
3 November 2012 at 9:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I would prefer a non-homeopathic hot toddy!
Rey Fox
4 November 2012 at 2:00 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Oh fuck these fuckers. I’ll pay whatever admission is necessary. but what the fuck?
grumpyoldfart
4 November 2012 at 2:07 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
A sudden and unexpected demand for an excessive sum of money. That sounds like profiteering, discrimination, or breach of contract. I’d like to hear the full story about this.
Ysanne
4 November 2012 at 9:55 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Sushi with lots of wasabi. Comparable in effect to a thorough saline nose rinse, but more enjoyable.
Markita Lynda—threadrupt
4 November 2012 at 12:57 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Sudden damage deposit because Threats by Christian whackos? Who knows.
throwaway, these are not the bullies you're looking for
4 November 2012 at 5:08 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Given the past year or so I wouldn’t put the demarcation line of “whackos” completely outside the atheist camp.
canabob
4 November 2012 at 5:16 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
My wife swears by this anti-cold recipe:
1 litre of water
1 fair-sized chunk of ginger root
2 decent-sized lemons
Some honey
Grate the fresh ginger into the water. Bring to boil. Add entire lemons, thinly sliced. Let it simmer for a while. Strain and add just enough honey to kill the bitter – but not too much!
As I said, my wife swears it cuts her colds in half. I’m not so sure. But it does cut the snot.
Also goes great with a slosh of good Canadian whisky or good Irish whiskey. (Scotch should not be sullied by mixing it with anything, and there’s no such thing as good American whiskey.)
chigau (棒や石)
4 November 2012 at 5:19 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Good thing Markita Lynda didn’t do that.
thebookofdave
4 November 2012 at 6:57 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I gave $10 as soon as I heard about it on Ed Brayton’s site. It comes out of the grocery budget, or a subset of it I call the Bar Tab. So it won’t be missed, when I’m rewarded with media content and commentary of the event.
throwaway, these are not the bullies you're looking for
5 November 2012 at 12:58 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Don’t jump my shit for something I didn’t do either. I’m merely adding to their list of ‘whackos’ the anti-RW, anti-A+, pro-sexism and anti-FTB brigade. It was not an admonition of Markita Lynda nor was it a ‘faithiest’ apology for religion.
adamarmstrong
5 November 2012 at 11:00 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Another vote for whiskEy.
Bu’ nae t’e Canadian stuff, e’s crrrap!