Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Settling in for Winter

via MSNBC:

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - 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.
...

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

1 comment:

TJIC said...

A year's supply?

With 125 people, there are at most 62.5 couples (I speak not of permutations, but of simultaneous possible couples).

Given the male/female ratio (and even including gays), I see the number of actual couples as far less - maybe 30 or 40.

Even with 62 couples, that's 266 condoms per couple per year.

As the MEAN number used (not peak, for some particularly randy folks).

Given everything I've read about human sexuality, this is quite an optimistic delivery.

Or, with 31 couples, 532 condomes / couple / year.