[lbo-talk] US Antarctic base gets shipment of 16, 500 condoms before winter darkness

[B.]

[16,500 condoms is described as a "year's supply" for
the 125 scientists at the base. Those are some
scientists! -B.]

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http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0943167020080609?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Antarctica base gets 16,500 condoms before darkness

Mon Jun 9, 2008 1:24pm EDT

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 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.

(Reporting by Kazunori Takada, editing by Miral Fahmy)