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Tag: ice bucket challenge

  • Ice Bucket Challenge Leads to Fraud Charge for Cop

    If you tell your boss you’re so sick you can’t possibly come into work, you probably shouldn’t post a selfie of you drinking a beer at the beach.

    Think of this as a much more serious version of that kind of screwup.

    A Pasadena police officer is facing up to six years in prison thanks to her participation in last year’s biggest viral craze – the Ice Bucket Challenge.

    No, the police department has nothing against social media posts for charity, or presumably nothing against dumping large buckets of freezing cold water on your head either.

    That is, of course, unless you’re supposed to be suffering from a debilitating back injury.

    The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office says that 39-year-old Jaime Robison received disability benefits, during which time she posted a video online of her dumping a five-gallon bucket of ice-water on her own head. A five-gallon bucket of ice-water weights somewhere around 42 pounds – and impressive lift and pour for somewhere who can’t work because of back injury.

    Robison is also under suspicion of another instance of insurance fraud. KTLA says it had to do with an injured shoulder – something that would also make lifting a five-gallon bucket of water rather difficult. In all, she reportedly scammed $117,000 from the city.

    She’s been charged for four counts of insurance fraud and has pleaded not guilty.

    If she’d only built a contraption like Bill Gates, she might’ve gotten away with it.

    Image courtesy Anthony Quintano, Flickr Creative Commons (not Robison pictured), h/t The Daily Dot

  • World Cup Was the Biggest Thing on Facebook in 2014

    It’s that time of the year again – the time for year-in-review updates. Facebook is early to the party, and has already announced the most-discussed topics of the year.

    With its massive global reach, it should come as no surprise that the World Cup in Brazil was the most popular topic of conversation on Facebook in 2014.

    Not only that, but it was the biggest event in the history of Facebook.

    The rest of Facebook’s list of most-discussed subject of 2014 reads like a recap of the global zeitgeist –

    1. World Cup
    2. Ebola virus outbreak
    3. Elections in Brazil
    4. Robin Williams
    5. Ice Bucket Challenge
    6. Conflict in Gaza
    7. Malaysia Airlines
    8. Super Bowl
    9. Michael Brown/Ferguson
    10. Sochi Winter Olympics

    When you just look at conversation in the US, the World Cup falls to #6 and is replaced at the top by Ebola. The Ice Bucket Challenge comes in at #2. If you’re curious as to whom – of the seemingly endless celebrity ice bucket challenges – was the most-watched, well, that title goes to a former President:

    Post by George W. Bush.

    If you use Facebook as a jump of points for social games, you’ll be interested to know that matching game Cookie Jam was also named Facebook Game-of-the-Year.

    Facebook has prepared a slick-looking site to chronicle its 2014 year-in review, and you can check it out here.

    2014 Year in Review from Facebook on Vimeo.

    Image via Facebook

  • Stephen Hawking Joins Facebook, Posts Ice Bucket Challenge Video

    “I have always wondered what makes the universe exist. Time and space may forever be a mystery, but that has not stopped my pursuit. Our connections to one another have grown infinitely and now that I have the chance, I’m eager to share this journey with you. Be curious, I know I will forever be.”

    With that post, Stephen Hawking stepped into the world of Facebook. Hawking has had a Facebook account since October 7, but just started posting recently.

    Some wonder if his foray into Facebook has anything to do with the upcoming release of the movie The Theory of Everything, a biopic of Hawking’s life with ex-wife Jane, as inspired by her book Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen.

    Nonetheless, science buffs the world over are excited to see one of the brainiest men in the world on the world’s most polular social media site. Hawking already has 1.5 million likes on his page.

    Even though he only has three posts so far, Hawking is getting up to speed with the popular trends. He has already posted an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video. Given his ALS condition, and recent bout of pneumonia, Hawking enlisted help.

    “It wouldn’t have been very safe for me to have done the ice bucket challenge, but that is why I have three beautiful children who could take the plunge for me.”

    Post by Stephen Hawking.

    Hawking also posted about the STARMUS festival, calling it a “combination of science and rock music, both of which I love.” He also joked about his vocal synthesizer, saying, “Some people say I’m an alien myself, with my robot voice.”

    Hawking recently lent his unique voice to Pink Floyd’s upcoming new album The Endless River. He had appeared on the Floyd track “Keep Talkin’” in 1994.

    There is an arrangement whereby Hawking’s team maintains the Facebook page, but posts from Hawking himself are initialed “SH”. So far every post bears his initials.

    If Hawking gets the Facebook habit like the rest of the world, maybe we will see him posting modified memes of Neil Degrasse Tyson, eCards about time travel, and Doctor Who quotes.

    Post by Stephen Hawking.

    Post by Stephen Hawking.

  • Drew Carey Offers Reward to Catch Ohio Teens Responsible for Feces Ice Bucket Challenge

    Price is Right host Drew Carey has offered a reward of $10,000 to the person that helps catch the Ohio teens that tricked a special needs student into having urine and feces dumped on his head in a fake ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

    We all know that kids can be cruel at times, but the cruelty exhibited by teens in Bay Village, Ohio towards an autistic classmate is absolutely reprehensible. The teens tricked the special needs student into believing that he was participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Instead of putting ice water in the bucket, they put feces, urine, and spit in it and dumped it on his head.

    See a video the teens took of the disgusting event below.

    The mother of the boy contacted the Bay Village School District about the matter, and the district says they are doing everything they can to find the teens that are responsible. In a message posted to the district’s website, Superintendent Clint Keener speaks out about the incident:

    Our entire Bay Village Schools community is heartsick over the cruel actions taken against one of our special needs students…The student and family targeted by this act have our utmost sympathy, and we will work to let this student know that we care very much about his well being.

    While the school district is doing what they can to assist police in catching the cruel teens, comedian and game show host Drew Carey has upped the ante and offered a reward of $10,000 to help find the teens faster. Check out Drew Carey’s tweets on the disgusting ice bucket challenge below.

    Some people have already sent messages to Carey claiming to have information about the teens that tricked the autistic teen into participating in the fake ice bucket challenge. Carey says that if police apprehend the teens without any help, he will donate his $10,000 to Autism Speaks.

    On a more positive note, this incident has caused the Bay Village community to come together to support the victim. The community decided to wear blue to support autism awareness at a vigil before the Friday night football game.

    Autism Speaks Executive Vice President of Programs and Services Lisa Goring spoke out on the feces ice bucket challenge. “Unfortunately, these horrifying incidents of bullying and abuse among individuals on the spectrum are far too common and completely unacceptable,” said Goring. “It is critical as a community that we work together to prevent such horrific incidents from occurring and that we learn to recognize and respond to them in ways that best support our loved ones with autism.”

  • Courteney Cox Does Ice Bucket Challenge With Ed Sheeran

    Courteney Cox has joined a slew of celebrities who are taking the viral “ice bucket challenge”, but unlike many of them, she got another celeb involved.

    The former Friends star set up her video poolside and had British rocker Ed Sheeran dump the freezing water over her head after being called out by bestie Jennifer Aniston, and in turn called out Isla Fisher, Gary Lightbody, and fiance Johnny McDaid. McDaid, who is a member of Snow Patrol with Lightbody, ran in at the last minute to dump a second bucket of water on her head.

    The challenge has been a huge hit online, with thousands of people participating and posting their videos to social media. Those who accept the challenge are asked to take the bucket full of ice and donate around ten dollars to ALS research, or skip the ice and donate $100.

    Some celebs have taken alternative routes for the challenge, dumping everything from breast milk to cold hard cash on themselves instead of ice water. Charlie Sheen was one of the latter, using his challenge video to call out his former Two And A Half Men costar Jon Cryer, showrunner Chuck Lorre, and Ashton Kutcher.

    “Oh wait, that’s not ice. That’s $10,000 in cash which I am donating to the ALS foundation. Let’s face it ice is going to melt, but this money is going to actually help people. So I am here by calling out Jon Cryer, Chuck Lorre and Ashton Kutcher to identically do what I just did. Come on, it’s for a great cause. Have a great day,” he said.

  • Two-Year-Old’s Ice Bucket Challenge Likely Outdoes All to Follow

    Keep Ice Bucket Challenging, folks. It’s raised a ton of money for ALS research and it continues to provide us with some pretty great videos – either successful and clever or absolute failures. Both are funny. Keep ’em coming.

    But know that your Ice Bucket Challenge is probably going to fall short of this anonymous two-year-old girl’s version.

    The adorably British child reacts to being doused with ice cold water in the most natural of ways. Check it out:

    Fookin ELL!

    The YouTube poster of the video has been forced to disable comments, as people were apparently unable to sit back and laugh at an obviously funny thing.

    “Here for comedic value not for parental awareness. Get over it,” says the uploader.

    I must agree.

    Image via YouTube screenshot

  • Benedict Cumberbatch Rocks the Ice Bucket Challenge

    There has been no shortage of celebrities posting videos of themselves doing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge over the past couple of weeks, and now Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch has joined the ranks.

    The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is used to raise awareness and money for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. According to the ALS Association, the disease “affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.” This causes the person to lose control over movement, which can lead to paralysis and death. There is no cure for ALS, which is where the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge comes in.

    The way the challenge works is after being nominated, the nominee has to video himself being doused with a bucket of ice or ice water. If the nominee doesn’t complete the challenge in the designated time-frame, he is supposed to donate a specified amount of money to the ALS Association. After completing the challenge, the nominee then nominates more friends.

    After posting a video of his own Ice Bucket Challenge last week, Tom Hiddleston nominated pal Benedict Cumberbatch on Twitter:

    Without further ado, check out the video of Cumberbatch completing the Ice Bucket Challenge in all its glory below.

    As luck would have it, it turns out that Cumberbatch was nominated for the Ice Bucket Challenge more than once. This led to Cumberbatch having a bucket of ice water dumped on him in the shower, wearing a tux, sitting on his motorcycle, and while trying to get in his car.

    Even though this challenge is for a good cause, let’s just say that ALS was probably the last thing on some people’s minds after seeing Cumberbatch in the shower.

    If you want to donate to the ALS Association without doing the Ice Bucket Challenge (and perhaps failing like the folks in the video below), you can donate here.

  • Pamela Anderson Refuses Ice Bucket Challege, Cites Animal Testing

    Pamela Anderson has long been a vocal advocate for animals, and she says that’s why she has to refuse to accept the ALS ice bucket challenge.

    The actress says that too many experiments have been done on animals in the name of ALS research and that she can’t lend her name to the viral challenge, which has raised millions of dollars in recent weeks. In it, the person accepting the challenge dumps a bucket of ice water over their own head, donates around 10 dollars to the ALS site, then calls out three or more people to do the same. If they refuse to take the ice challenge, they are encouraged to donate at least $100.

    “Sorry, I can’t bring myself to do your Ice bucket challenge. I enjoy a good dare, It’s always good to bring awareness – in fun, creative ways, I don’t want to take away from that. I thought instead, I’d challenge ALS to stop animal testing,” Anderson wrote on Facebook. “Recent experiments funded by the ALS Association, mice had holes drilled into their skulls, were inflicted with crippling illnesses, and were forced to run on an inclined treadmill until they collapsed from exhaustion. Monkeys had chemicals injected into their brains and backs and were later killed and dissected.”

    Anderson made headlines earlier this month when she took to social media for support in ending the annual whale hunts that take place in the Faroe Islands, calling it a “brutal” practice.

    “This is not for survival. There are very few things that happen like this, that are this brutal. We have to put this behind us and move on, and let the whales swim freely by. And I think it’s much more important for us in the future to save our oceans and the biodiversity of our oceans that the whales are very important to,” she said.

    The former Baywatch actress is not alone in her feelings for the ALS challenge; Carey Hart took to Twitter to share his feelings on the viral sensation, calling it “creepy”.

    “It’s extremely creepy and annoying how obsessed people are w/ this ice bucket challenge. The purposes is 2 raise money for an awful disease….If you are that into seeing people dump buckets of ice water over their heads, go find a wet t shirt contest. Time to find a hobby, people.”

    Hart later clarified what he meant, saying he wasn’t bashing the idea.

    I think people have misunderstood what i was saying earlier. I have nothing against what #ALS is doing to raise money. I think its a very creative idea. Earlier today I was not in the position to do the ice bucket so i opted to donate. When i did that i got a ton of hate tweets about not doing the ice bucket part. And most of the people who were saying things were using the IBC as more of a contest and social piece. Not doing it for charity, awareness, or even promoting ALS. That is why i posted an annoyed comment about the fact that people were more interested in me dumping a bucket of water on my head rather than raising money for a horrible disease. I think it is a great and creative way to raise money but unfortunately, from what i have seen it has evolved into a pass along joke to some.

  • Kelly Ripa Makes Ice Bucket Challenge Look Good

    Kelly Ripa is among many of the stars that have been seen on video doing the ice bucket challenge.

    She and husband Mark Consuelos dumped ice water on their heads just like everyone else. However, there was one thing that was noticeably different from many other ice bucket challenge videos.

    Kelly Ripa is obviously ripped! The woman has had three kids and is 43 years young. How does she look like that?

    Her trainer, Anna Kaiser of AKT in Motion, revealed Ripa’s secret.

    “She works out four to five days per week for 90 minutes per session. Her work ethic is more insane than anyone I’ve ever met!” Kaiser spilled.

    She added, “It’s really every trainer’s dream for their client to want it as badly as you want it for them, and she really puts in the work. She doesn’t expect instant results yet still is so focused, committed, and intense about her fitness.”

    Yes, Kelly Ripa is incredibly fit, but what people can’t stop talking about, in particular, are those abs! I mean, come on!

    “The first rule is that you’re not going to get abs by doing a bunch of crunches. If you want to see your abs, you have to lose fat. I want to be sure there are no misconceptions that specific abs exercises will give you abs! I work with the core,” Kaiser said about Kelly Ripa’s workout.

    She also said, “Think about your abs and back working together to support your spine—that will give you an amazing physique! If one is stronger than the other, you will deal with instability and one overcompensating for the other. Many of the best core exercises all derive from planks. Think of different variations!”

    Well, that gives us something to think about. If you want Kelly Ripa’s abs, you’ve got a lot of work to do!

  • Samsung Just Had to Turn the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge into an Ad

    Samsung Just Had to Turn the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge into an Ad

    Like President Obama and his views on gay marriage or a pokemon, I can evolve. My initial feelings on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge were cynical, to say the least. Just donate the damn money, you’re only doing this for Facebook likes.

    But then celebrities started doing it. Not only did the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, the Foo Fighters, and every actor you’ve ever heard of dump buckets of ice cold water on their heads, but they also gave sizable donations. The thing has spread at an astounding pace. ALS research has raised thousands of percent more than it did last year. ALS sucks, so this is awesome.

    Awareness has been achieved. It’s given us this incredible thing. Although it’s important to note that whatever funds have been raised for ALS are just drops in the pan of what’s needed for medical research in general, I’m behind it.

    I can’t say that I’m behind this.

    That’s Samsung touting the waterproof nature of its Galaxy S5 by having it take the Ice Bucket Challenge.

    Ok, so Samsung did make a ‘generous’ contribution…

    And it’s surely not made with bad intentions…

    But did Samsung have to turn the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge into an ad?

    Yes. Yes, they did.

    Image via Samsung Mobile UK, YouTube screenshot

  • Gwyneth Paltrow Makes Surprising Ice Bucket Call Out

    We’ve now seen many celebrities take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Seeing who they nominate is almost as fun as watching them get showered with ice cold water.

    Gwyneth Paltrow had been called out by Martha Stewart, trainer Tracy Anderson, and chef Jose Andres. But who would the blonde beauty nominate?

    In a surprising move, the actress called out her estranged husband Chris Martin. She said in her video, which she posted to her Instagram account on Wednesday, “Hi, I’m going to alsa.org to donate money for ALS but in the meantime I’ll do this and nominate Chris Martin, Cameron Diaz and Stella McCartney.”

    The 41-year-old sported a huge smile and a little black bikini which showed off her extremely toned physique. She also went makeup free. It appears as if Paltrow performed the challenge outside in her garden.

    Take a look:

    Paltrow and her rockstar husband made headlines back in March when the couple announced that they were splitting up after ten years of marriage. Paltrow would go on to say that the couple decided to “consciously uncouple,” instead of using the word divorce.

    Chris Martin has been in the news lately as rumors spread that he is dating 24-year-old Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Lawrence. Martin and Paltrow are currently only separated, not officially divorced.

    The ice bucket challenge has obviously been a huge success and a massive viral sensation. Not only has the challenge raised awareness in the fight of ALS, but it has also raised over $20 million in the past month. If you would like to donate go to alsa.org.

  • Hayden Panettiere Confirms Pregnancy During Ice Bucket Challenge

    Hayden Panettiere is the latest celebrity to take on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money for Lou Gehrig’s disease.

    On Wednesday, August 20, Hayden completed her challenge and confirmed her pregnancy with Wladimir Klitschko while doing so.

    Hayden can be seen wearing a pair of black leggings and a loose T-shirt, standing in a parking lot. “I accept my ALS Challenge,” the Nashville star said in the clip that was posted on Instagram. “I re-nominate Kacey Musgraves — you’re not getting out of this, [fiance] Wladimir Klitschko, and my unborn child.”

    Hayden then can be seen bracing herself for what is about to come. Derek Hough, Hayden’s close friend and Dancing with the Stars pro, then proceeded to dump the bucket over her head, dousing her with ice cold water. “Holy shhhhhhh,” Panettiere said, trying not to use foul language. “Yup, that’s cold,” she added while jumping up and down.

    Hayden could not figure out how to post the video on her Instagram, so Hough posted it on his. “Couldn’t figure out how to post it on @haydenpanettier twitter so I’m posting it for her,” Hough wrote. #als #icebucketchallenge (Hayden shortly went into labor after this) Jus kiddin,” he added.

  • Ice Bucket Challenge: Even Celebs Are Doing It

    The Ice Bucket Challenge has taken over social networks and it’s hard to scroll down your newsfeed without seeing a video or photo of someone before or after they have had ice water dumped over their head.

    The Ice Bucket Challenge was created to raise awareness and money for the ALS Association to find a cure for ALS. ALS stands for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is more commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”

    Many people are having fun with the Ice Bucket Challenge, and celebrities are starting to catch onto it as well. Many celebrities have happily accepted the challenge and shared videos of themselves taking part in it.

    Here are a few of the best.

    Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS is a is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

    It can leave sufferers unable to move certain parts of their bodies and prevent them from walking.

    It can also make it hard or impossible for someone to eat, talk and eventually even breathe.

    By participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, these celebrities and everyone else who has participated, have helped spread awareness of the disease and raised millions of dollars to help with research and finding a cure.

    In fact, this year’s Ice Bucket Challenge has already raised $15 million, a much larger amount than what was raised during the same time period last year, according to the ALS Association.

    Celebrities make a big difference in the amount of money that is raised and the amount of people who participate. Celebrities obviously donate more money than the average person, and they also inspire those who look up to them to participate and donate as well.

    Some celebs have even asked fans to share their Ice Bucket Challenge videos on Twitter so they can retweet them.

    Have you completed the challenge yet?

  • Wonder Woman Takes Ice Bucket Challenge

    Gal Gadot, who will appear as Wonder Woman in the upcoming film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, took the Ice Bucket Challenge yesterday after Ben Affleck, aka Batman, accepted the challenge on Monday.

    The 29-year old Israeli actress and model has appeared in other American films such as Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Fast & Furious 6, as well as Date Night with Mark Wahlberg.

    In the Fast & Furious films, Gadot is known for doing her own stunts.

    “I think the main reason was that [the director] really liked that I was in the military,” she said, “and he wanted to use my knowledge of weapons.”

    She added, “There aren’t enough good roles for strong women. I wish we had more female writers. Most of the female characters you see in films today are ‘the poor heartbroken girl.’ That’s why I’m so proud of the Fast movies. I feel like Giselle is an empowering woman.”

    After completing the Ice Bucket Challenge, Gadot nominated Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder and the original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter.

    Post by ‎Gal Gadot – גל גדות‎.

    The purpose of the challenge is simple: to spread awareness of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The complications that arise eventually lead to death.

    As of today, the ALS Association has received $31.5 million in donations due to the Ice Bucket Challenge which goes to research and clinical management projects.

    Celebrities, sports figures, former presidents, and the general public have accepted the challenge recently including George W. Bush and the Foo Fighters.

    Post by George W. Bush.

    Post by Foo Fighters.

    Gal Gadot, as well as Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Amy Adams can be seen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice when it is released on March 25, 2016.

  • Bethenny Frankel Gets Into A Bikini For Charity

    Bethenny Frankel has a lot on her plate these days, but she’s still finding time to participate in charity events.

    The former reality star participated in a paddleboard event in Sag Harbor meant to raise money for breast cancer research and showed off her bikini in the process, playing it cool in a hat and large sunglasses. According to Page Six, the mom and entrepreneur displayed some “diva” behavior on the beach, keeping to herself and refusing to step up when it was time to claim a bracelet for the race.

    “When they announced her name and asked her to come get her ankle bracelet, she was too important to come get it herself, so she sent one of her entourage over to get it,” a “source” said.

    However, Frankel shared photos from the day on her social media accounts and appeared to be having a blast. She also took the opportunity to complete the ice bucket challenge after being nominated by a friend, and shared a video from the lifeguard station.

    Frankel has been busy with her writing and other projects since her talk show was cancelled earlier this year. Leaving the daytime talk game behind was something of a relief to the former Real Housewives star, who said she felt constricted.

    “I am relieved,” she wrote on her blog. “What I really want right now is to be with my daughter, to do yoga, to focus on [her product line] Skinnygirl and my writing, and to give myself a break…Unlike my time on Bravo, I felt a bit diluted, filtered and somewhat constricted. I am a free spirit. I am more comfortable in my natural surroundings and in a setting where I’m surrounded by crazy, where anything goes and where I can be authentically me. When interviewed about the show, I always said that it could only work if I was true to myself and only if it was genuinely a good fit and marriage which it turned out not to be.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bill Gates Is Better Than Most at Dumping Ice Water on Himself

    The Ice Bucket Challenge has hit the tech world. In the past few days, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg have all dumped buckets of ice water on their heads. The latter challenged Bill Gates (you can’t complete the challenge without challenging three others) to dump a bucket of ice water on his head.

    And look, Bill Gates dumped ice water on himself!

    It’s a crazy contraption! Oh, Bill!

    What do you think about all these million and billionaires dumping ice water on their heads? Isn’t is zany? Have you dumped ice water on your head? Was it cold? I bet it was.

    Image via The Gates Notes, YouTube screenshot

  • Here’s Mark Zuckerberg Doing That Ice Bucket Thing

    Here’s Mark Zuckerberg Doing That Ice Bucket Thing

    This is the end, right? Once the CEO of Facebook, the site on which this whole viral trend has propagated, completes the challenge – it’s over, correct? Is that how it works?

    Wednesday night, Mark Zuckerberg posted a video of himself dumping a bucket of ice water on his head. Just like countless Ice Bucket Challenge participants before him, he quickly realized that “it was really cold”.

    Post by Mark Zuckerberg.

    As you can see, Zuckerberg called on Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg and Reed Hastings to dump buckets of ice water on their heads in order to avoid giving to charity.

    Ok, that’s not exactly fair. I’m sure Mark Zuckerberg will gladly give $100 to an ALS cause – even though he completed the challenge. But let’s remember that the entire premise of the Ice Bucket Challenge involves dumping ice water on yourself to avoid donating to charity.

    The challenge involves people getting doused with buckets of ice water on video, posting that video to social media, then nominating others to do the same, all in an effort to raise ALS awareness. Those who refuse to take the challenge are asked to make a donation to the ALS charity of their choice.

    That’s from the official ALS Association website.

    But is it raising awareness? I guess – it’s all over Facebook. You know that. You’ve seen it, I’m sure. Celebrities are doing it – it’s on the Today show. This dumping ice water on your head thing has made it big.

    “Raising Awareness” is one of those phrases that sounds awesome, but when you think about it, isn’t really as awesome as “giving money to a cause”. And let’s be honest, any time you do something, put it on video, and post it to Facebook – the stunt isn’t entirely about “raising awareness” anyway. Well, unless we’re talking about raising awareness of the fact that you’re a really good person.

    Sorry. I know I’m being a cold, ice water-soaked blanket.

    Image via Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook video screenshot