Okay, not my most ambitious headline, but what do you want? I’ve been attacked by germs and have mere hours to heal before hopping a plane to London. Once in London, I will proceed more or less directly to the Weird Science conference, where multiple Friends of Skepchick will be speaking. After that, I’ll head to the London Skeptics in the Pub 10th Anniversary party! After that, I’ll pass out in an alley. If you see me there, please do not disturb. It’s best if I just sleep it off.
The best part is that on Monday, January 19, I’ll be speaking at London Skeptics in the Pub. At this very moment, I cannot speak at all. However! I plan to enact my incredible healing abilities so that when the time comes, I’ll be ready to give an awesome talk that you and I will be hearing for the very first time. Just like in the movies!
On Friday I’ll be on the Little Atoms radio show, which is going to be a lot of fun so long as I can talk. Otherwise it will mostly be introspective silence.
When I get back to Boston, I’ll host Boston Skeptics in the Pub on Monday, January 26, with featured speaker Andreas Mershin. He’s absolutely brilliant and will be discussing quantum quackery. More info here.
For those not in London or Boston (why? Why would you want to be anywhere else?) there are plenty of other activities happening around the US, as Maria has already mentioned. Check out the Events Calendar for more!
Okay, on to COTW!
This week, there were a lot of fab comments nominated, so it was tough (especially through my sickly haze) to pick just one. However, that is EXACTLY WHAT I DID. From this fantastic alt med thread, dahduh offered this gem:
dahduh
// Jan 10, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I practice ‘alternative mechanics’ and am also very qualified in mechanics – I have a PhD in physics, so I know everything about cars. Obviously none of _you_ are qualified to say anything about alternative mechanics because you don’t believe in it.
For example, when my car starts blowing fumes I go hug its front left wheel, because there’s tubes from the breaks that go into the engine. These are called ‘hydraulic lines’, and they work by the principle of fluid dynamics.
All mechanical interventions harm your car – scientific fact. Using a spanner will only un-adjust something and make it worse. And greedy mechanics are expensive; we could all save a lot of money by practicing alternative mechanics instead. Now if you will excuse me my car’s engine is overheating so I need to go blow through the exhaust pipe.
Love it. Dahduh, you win the grand COTW of a free lube job. Please insert your own joke here.
I DO live in London and I will see you tomorrow, yay! Although if I’d known you were ill I’d have washed my best radiation suit.
It’s okay Teek, I’m packing antibacterial wipes!
Rebecca-
Sorry to hear about your illness. I am using my special superpower of Distance Healing to cure you. Because of the vast distances involved, it may take anywhere from 1 day to 2 weeks for you to recover fully. Once you are recovered I hope that you will fully endorse all of my superpowers – including my power of Eventual Female Satisfaction.
“Dahduh, you win the grand COTW of a free lube job.”
Lucky stiff.
Well, the text from Dahduh is a fine reconstruction of the anti-epistemologics behind pseudo-knowledge. I must admit that I have been always seduced by this way of non-thinking. You can assert anything you like without any need of reasoning!
Who’s your little red friend with the tassles, Rebecca?
It is a plush microbe. There are a lot of them a http://www.spectrum-scientifics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi
The one above is typhoid.
hm…link doesn’t work.
Go to http://www.spectrum-scientifics.com/ and search for “giant microbes”.
Buy microbes! My friend in Philly runs the store. BUY!
Awwww. My very own typhoid.
I think I’ll love it and squeeze it and call it “George!” :-D
@QuestionAuthority: Yes, as @KingMerv00 says, that would be typhoid. I thought it appropriate considering I’m about to travel to another country with lungs full of germs. Click the pic to go to the site…
Click on the link and then BUY! Support a fellow skeptic!
Times of London: “Skepchick Starts New SARS Epidemic!” :-D
@KingMerv00: My god man, is he paying you?
@Rebecca:
It is my good deed for the year.
Update: my flight is delayed three hours, so I’ll be missing a significant chunk of Weird Science. Wah wah.
awesome COTW
“For those not in London or Boston (why? Why would you want to be anywhere else?)”
Because it’s January and I’ve still been working in 90F weather for the last two weeks.
Mind you, I have to be careful my boots don’t make a spark and burn down a village.
The link to typhoid!
http://www.spectrum-scientifics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=1352
KingMerv isn’t being paid, and I could sure as heck use the sales this January. Especially after this cold snap. :O
@Rebecca:
“Time to spare, go by air. More time yet? Go by jet!”
So how late was your flight across the pond? Just ex-professional curiosity. (I hope you flew Virgin Atlantic!)