I promised that all donations to Pharyngula for a couple of weeks would go to the Ada Initiative, less the price of taking my wife out to a nice dinner; I’ll be sending them the money on 1 October. I figured I’d fill you in on how things are going.
OK, I splurged. I took my wife out to the fanciest restaurant in Morris, Minnesota, and we just went nuts and ordered a fabulous meal. I hope you’ll all forgive me: dinner for two was -$21.18. A little extravagance was acceptable, I think.
The sum remaining is $1756.82. You could add more to that anytime — just click on that big “DONATE” button on the sidebar.
I seriously hope you’re being hyperbolic, otherwise I’m really sad that the best restaurant in Morris is that cheap.
Frack. I live in Jackson, Mississippi, and at the mid-range restaurants around here, you’re lucky to get out with 50% more than that, twice that easy if you get drinks. (four to five times that if you wind up somewhere where the clientele has more money than sense)
Also, for my donation, I demand to know what sort of cuisine was consumed! Was it tacos? It was, wasn’t it?!
I hope, I hope, it is not Pizza Ranch!
Not Pizza Ranch! We went to Bello Cucina, the Italian restaurant in town. It also makes it less expensive when you go for the vegetarian options…so pasta and salads.
PZ:
Did either you or your wife have any alcoholic beverages with dinner?
No. She doesn’t drink much at all, and I’m still supposed to be a good boy and avoid the stuff.
Man, you people sure are concerned about our frivolous use of donated money.
Was it at least a good fresh pasta? Is the sauce mixed in-house? I’m less concerned with frivolity than I am decent pasta.
Someone go visit this so-called Italian “restaurant.” Restaurant being a French word, but the place is supposedly Italian. I demand 21 dollars in…
…wait, what were we talking about again?
I just donated $21.18 to Pharyngula. I feel like I just bought you and the Trophy Wife dinner. It was a pleasure, thanks for a heaping, helping of rationality! (Going on 10 years now I think.)
Matrim @ 1:
My my. That reads as more than a bit snotty and snobby. How good food is really isn’t dependent on the price. A lot of places have delicious food that doesn’t cost a fortune.
PZ:
Yay for pasta and salads, I’m glad you and Mary had a lovely supper and a nice time out. Another yay for The Ada Initiative, it’s great that people have been so generous.
Marcus:
Hee. That’s perfect!
$21.18 dinner for two? Blimey, I’m envious. That’d hardly get a main course for one, here.
I just wanted to thank you, PZ, for supporting and bringing attention to such a great cause. As a CS minor at one of the top five computer science and engineering schools I’m painfully aware of the scarcity of women in tech. It’s doubly shameful because women (see Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper) played an important role in the history of the field. I do want to give a shout out to Professor Cinda Heeren, who is not only the awesome instructor of CS 225 at UIUC, but a huge nerd and an amazing person all-around. Computer science needs more people like her!
Iyeska 11
And your post reads as more than a bit judgmental and presumptuous. Perhaps I was lamenting the fact that where I live you have to pay much more to go to the best restaurant in town (I was). However, in point of fact, the quality of food IS dependent on the price in most circumstances. You’re never going to get a prime cut of steak for the price of a choice cut. I didn’t say you couldn’t get a good meal for that cheap, I can get a good meal for under $5 here. However, I can’t get a meal at the best restaurant in town for that price. So take your straw man and kindy piss off.
Kindly, even
Of course. The Horde must be satisfied that your frivolous use is suficiently frivolous.
“THE Italian restaurant in town”
That is too funny. What a great way to start the day.
#pastagate
Ramen to that.
Meta-clickbait is clickbait
The cost is acceptable if you used the dinner to do research for weaponising the botulism bacteria.
(Is it called the botulism bacteria? Or does it only have a foreigny commie latin name?)
…and what is Kate Bush doing up at the top of the thread? The picture reminds me of the Red Dwarf episode with virtual reality victorians eating curry (just before Kryten got his morality circuits trashed).
(My emboldening.) Minus 21.18 USD?! The restaurant had to pay you to eat there? You should donate that contribution from the restaurant to the Ada Initiative (and, as others have said, Thanks! for highlighting the Initiative).
“…and what is Kate Bush doing up at the top of the thread?”
Hmm, if that is Kate, and not Ada Babbage, then maybe PZ is a mole for the Orgone Institute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pllRW9wETzw
(great song…)
I Googled and according to ‘CCO, Don’s Cafe in Morris makes the best grilled cheese sandwich in Minnesota [and to the non-Minnesotans, if ‘CCO says it, it must be so :-) ] Does our host concur?
And perhaps readers would be enlightened by learning how far PZ would have to drive to get to an Italian Restaurant other than Bello Cucina.
I had a job interview at UND once, and I asked what people in Grand Forks did for entertainment. The answer, offered sans humor or irony, was, “Minneapolis is only 6 hours down I-94.”