# Ants in Genitals disses the ALS Challenge **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 21, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114 "2014-08-21T18:10:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/21 "2014-08-21T21:20:16Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Indirectly.](http://www.alsa.org/news/archive/ice-bucket-challenge.html) OK, so it’s a stupid stunt. I fucking hate those. I dont get why it help ALS or how ice water has anything to do with ALS.😕 ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/22 "2014-08-21T21:28:43Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > OK, so it’s a stupid stunt. I fucking hate those. > > I dont get why it help ALS or how ice water has anything to do with ALS.😕 It doesn’t, although some outlets have made them up. (Dumping ice water is how it feels to have ALS, or something). The whole ice bucket thing started as a movement to raise awareness for the Australian Deaf community. It just caught on and got co-opted for ALS. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/23 "2014-08-21T21:49:43Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I dont get why it help ALS or how ice water has anything to do with ALS.😕 Indirectly, as mentioned above. It’s led to [an order of magnitude increase](http://time.com/3148314/als-ice-bucket-challenge-million/) in donations compared to the same period last year for the ALS Association. Who cares if it’s stupid? It makes for good PR and brings in the cash. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/24 "2014-08-21T22:46:39Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Point of order - Georgia Purdom is a nutjob; however, her Ph.D. is real, from OSU. Ironic quotes around her title are misplaced. -cough- OSU is a real school?? -cough- 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/25 "2014-08-21T23:52:43Z")
Well, anything that got four buckets of icewater dumped on that guy from work this afternoon can’t be all bad. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/26 "2014-08-22T00:45:32Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > Anyway, if they don’t want to donate to a research that uses stem cells that’s fine but they should not impede others from doing so… Impede? How is arguing against something impeding it? I think the arguments and the anti-science bent of the people discussed in the OP are stupid, but they are not impeding anything. While it’s certainly great for the ALS folks that this iced water thing has led to so many donations, i get annoyed by these stunts, especially when they become big like this one, because they end up putting unreasonable amounts of group pressure on people. The iced water challenge has been on ESPN a bunch of times, it’s been on a whole variety of websites, and even my retarded local news broadcasts have been running stories on it. In this sort of atmosphere, what response is someone likely to get if they say, “No thank you. I would not like iced water poured over me, i am not interested in donating to your charity, and i am not going to spam three of my friends either”? Say something like that, and your Twitter and Facebook will probably light up with condemnation, abuse, and even threats. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/27 "2014-08-22T05:34:33Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > While it’s certainly great for the ALS folks that this iced water thing has led to so many donations, i get annoyed by these stunts, especially when they become big like this one, because they end up putting unreasonable amounts of group pressure on people. > > The iced water challenge has been on ESPN a bunch of times, it’s been on a whole variety of websites, and even my retarded local news broadcasts have been running stories on it. In this sort of atmosphere, what response is someone likely to get if they say, “No thank you. I would not like iced water poured over me, i am not interested in donating to your charity, and i am not going to spam three of my friends either”? > > Say something like that, and your Twitter and Facebook will probably light up with condemnation, abuse, and even threats. Ok but it’s framed as a challenge: if you don’t take up the challenge and shut up about it, I doubt whether the group pressure is all that immense. Being a twitter-ass though will get you flamed, as always. Also, [apparently it started organically](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/08/19/the-ice-bucket-challenge-definitely-dont-try-this-at-the-office/) as far as the ALS organization is concerned. All that said, I confess to some ambivalence about this thing. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/28 "2014-08-22T09:20:45Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > I though we were pitting a user named \*\*Ants in Genitals > \*\*. I was sure it was to do with formication, either way. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/29 "2014-08-22T12:19:02Z")
Ugh, this puts me in a bind! I had already decided that, if I got tagged on Facebook for the ice bucket thing, that I would make a donation to the charity of my choosing and refuse to nominate anyone else, on the basis of not wanting to force people to embarrass themselves and not wanting to presume that everyone has an extra $100 to their around. But now I feel obligated to donate to the ALS charity just because I know it would displease The Hamster and all of his little fundamentalist fans. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/30 "2014-08-22T12:39:49Z")
I’ve done the polar bear plunge and have dumped my kayak a few times into icy water. The unpleasantness is mostly from the low temperature once you are out of the water. A bucket of ice water dumped on you in the summer? Meh. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/31 "2014-08-22T13:37:27Z")
> [@](#): > > [Dr. Georgia Purdom is… the only female Ph.D. scientist engaged in full-time speaking and research for a biblical creationist organization in North America.](https://answersingenesis.org/home/area/bios/g_purdom.asp) Sounds like one of those absurdly specific stats ESPN likes to trot out. “Between minute five, second eight of Week 7 and the end of the first quarter of Week 8, Matt Schaub was the highest-rated passer in the National Football League whose team wears some form of blue. He’s a special player.” ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/32 "2014-08-22T13:51:55Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > I was sure it was to do with formication, either way. I see what you did there… he murmured on… ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/33 "2014-08-22T14:01:35Z")
> [@pythonzzz](#): > > Can’t we just gather up all these brainless fundies and send them off on an ice floe? No great loss. That’s a horrible idea, don’t you know what all that hot air would do to polar ice? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/34 "2014-08-22T14:43:52Z")
[Moderating] **pythonzzz** we ask that our users respect copyright - even copyrights belonging to Christian fundamentalist assholes. Please do not post the entire text to articles published elsewhere. If you want to reference an article, instead of quoting the whole thing, please limit yourself to a link a a short, representative quote. I’ve edited the OP to bring it in line with these standards. No warning issued. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/35 "2014-08-22T16:11:41Z")
> [@black\_rabbit](#): > > In this case, I would support local tax subsidies for their theme park. That sounds like a lousy place. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/36 "2014-08-22T16:19:31Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I don’t know. If they’re against stem cell research, what’s wrong with them saying you shouldn’t give to a charitybthatbusesbstem cell research? > [@Wile\_E](#): > > I thought you were using some big word and then I realized you were just hitting the b key instead of the space key. **Captain Amazing** is Mushmouth! He must be getting old these days… ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/37 "2014-08-22T20:23:50Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > That sounds like a lousy place. …because everybody’s crabby. ---
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/38 "2014-08-22T21:49:20Z")
What organization or group does the ice bucket challenge support? I know that Neuralstem, Inc. (ticker symbol CUR on NYSE MKT) has an active trial for ALS treatment using neural fetal cells as a source, but other scientific groups probably also have active efforts. Geron (GERN) once had a trial using human embryonic stem cells that was cancelled in 2011 (due to cost or maybe other complications) and the intellectual property and equipment was sold to Biotime (BTX) at least if I recall correctly. Regardless, I do hope for the best to those who suffer. Stephen Hawking is an anomaly as most patients die far earlier during ALS progression. It must be a horrible experience to gradually lose one’s muscular control as the disease take hold. An ice bucket challenge during January in Montreal at -15°F would be more impressive I must say. [DISCLAIMER: I have no position in CUR, GERN, or BTX] ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2014, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114/39 "2014-08-23T04:08:24Z")
You don’t necessarily have to donate $100 outright, or do it within twenty-four hours. I had to wait about a week because we were having some work done on our house, plus my dad was in the hospital (he’s okay, he had pneumonia and waited until the last minute to go to the doctor, as usual), etc. If you want to, give what you can. The Bishop of Pittsburgh is going to do the challenge, only he’s going to be donating to a charity that uses adult stem cells rather than embryonic. If you don’t want to do it, don’t. But it’s obviously working, people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ants-in-genitals-disses-the-als-challenge/696114.md?page=1)