Antarctica base gets 16,500 condoms before darkness

Rooters ^ | Mon Jun 9, 2008 | Kazunori Takada

[jsh3180]

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - One of the last shipments to a U.S. research base in Antarctica before the onset of winter darkness was a year's supply of condoms, a New Zealand newspaper reported on Monday.

Bill Henriksen, the manager of the McMurdo base station, said nearly 16,500 condoms were delivered last month and would be made available, free of charge, to staff throughout the year to avoid the potential embarrassment of having to buy them.

The base only has a skeleton staff through the long winter.

"Since everybody knows everyone, it becomes a little bit uncomfortable," Henriksen told the Southland Times newspaper.

About 125 scientists and staff are stationed at McMurdo base, the largest community in Antarctica, during the winter months when there is constant darkness.

The first sunrise will occur on August 20 and McMurdo's population will start to increase again in September when supply flights resume, peaking at more than 1,000 during the summer period.

[jsh3180]

Hmmmmmm....lets see. My calculator tells me that with 125 scientists left on base for the approximately 180 days of darkness.............16,500 condoms.......that works out to 0.7334 condoms per day per scientist.

Some scientist is getting the short end of the stick??

[mavfin]

Well, usually, it’s going to take a *pair* of scientists to use one, so that’ll help the calculation...

[gridlock]

We should legalize polygamy and just have them all marry one another! Think of all the money we would save!

[rellimpank]

-—wonder what the male/female ratio is down there? Just curious—

[ICE-FLYER]

Its not as bad as you think and for the most part they do try to have married couples stay there for winter over. However...the condom giveaway is indicative of the liberal world view of sex. Condom is all you need...no morals...no worries.

[mylife]

So this is whats melting the icecaps!

[fieldmarshaldj]

So many penguins, so little time...

[mylife]

You’re a twisted individual ;)

I for one, am glad they got the Pole covered.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Yes, I do wonder who sealed the deal.

[billorites]

"Some scientist is getting the short end of the stick??"

It's cold there in the winter.

[snoringbear]

“Well, usually, it’s going to take a *pair* of scientists to use one, so that’ll help the calculation...”

Also, need to factor in the male vs female ratio. It’s my guess that some of the ladies there are going to be really busy. Oops, I almost forgot - it’s a new century...

[70th Division]

You need to recalculate. Girls do NOT wear condoms

[Glenn]

Girls do NOT wear condoms

Never been to Vegas, eh?

[fieldmarshaldj]

I’m guessing he’s never seen an Italian Moon Shot.

[Tribune7]

BUT are there any girls down there?

I mean maybe it's like the old British Navy and they are going to send them a year's supply of rum too.

And some whips.

[Brilliant]

“would be made available, free of charge, to staff throughout the year to avoid the potential embarrassment of having to buy them.”

Do they have a 5 & 10 at the South Pole?

[Cheburashka]

Some scientist is getting the short end of the stick??

Each pair of scientists presumably only needs one condom per day?

[dalereed]

“Each pair of scientists presumably only needs one condom per day?”

Maybe they are on the Dr. Pepper schedule 10,2,&4.