Iam@ the South PoleAMA!

Did you watch The Thing yet?

OMG YES. I spent the winter here in 2012 (6 months of darkness, -100 degree temperatures and no flights in or out) and literally the first thing we do after the last plane leaves is watch all 3 The Things and then the Shining. I also started a wild sourdough culture and name him Kurt Russel

all 3 The Things

There are only 2...

Oh god. The third one is REAL. GET OUT. GET OUT NOW.

bwahahahahahah, but seriously there are three the things. 51, 82 and 2011

How is Kurt?

Kurt is currently living in a retirement facility on top of someone's fridge in North East Iowa, but is successor Jack Nicholson is alive and well at the South Pole with me. http://uncommonfruit.wordpress.com/2014/11/15/sourdough-gone-wild/

Soooo, how's the weather? I hear it's right about summer in the southern hemisphere; time to light up the bbq!

about -40 F and C at the moment... cold enough to freeze your booger when you walk outside, but definitely sunny

How fast is the internet down there, and what do you in your free time?

like dial up slow, and we only get 8 or so hours a day. i work out a lot, read a ton of books and practice my ukulele. and update www.uncommonfruit.com

What's the gym equipment like?

http://uncommonfruit.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/a-pov-tour-of-south-pole-station/ there's a little pic of the workout equipment in this blog post. it's really basic, a few cardio machines, some free weights and one combi chest/shoulder press/fly/leg curl machine, but it get's the job done.

Awesome! Any babes on base?

there is not too much eye candy here at the South Pole, but after long enough you develop a syndrome called "Pole Eye" in which case "babes" as you put it who might be a 1 or a 2 back in the real world all of a sudden look like real life 10s... so ask me again in a few months

Hah, met a guy who did a winter at the South Pole once. When I commented on how that must have been boring he said "not really, I met my wife there."

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

dun dun DUNNNNN! I have a significant other back home fortunately, so I'm basically married to my right hand down here ;)

like dial up slow, and we only get 8 or so hours a day. i work out a lot, read a ton of books and practice my ukulele. and update

So it's like going through a break up, but with worse internet?

exactly (5 hours later)

What books are you reading? Do you get any TV news? Do you care? Do you have a dropbox? I can drop you some books if you'd like. Do you have a tablet or just a lappy or anything at all? Have you read "At the Mountains of Madness" by HP Lovecraft?

I'm currently reading Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis and f-ing loving it. We get no TV news at all and frankly I like it that way, we get a little New York Times digest printed daily and put in the galley but it's just full of depressing news anyway. We don't really get to use file sharing/cloud websites because of bandwidth restrictions and we have a really huge library here but I really appreciate it! I have a chromebook that works pretty well for my needs considering we only have internet for 1/3 of the day.

Nice. What do you cook? Anything special? I used to be a professional chef so I'm wondering if you cook any gourmet meals for the higher ups.

we actually do some really nice stuff for where we are and the quality of the ingredients that are available to us. it's a lot of meat and potato/comfort type foods cause some of our support crew have to consume upwards of 6000 calories just to stay warm in the cold. Here is a link to a menu from the midwinter dinner menu in 2011 http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/aroundTheContinent/images2/pole_midwinter_menu.jpg

Wow, glazed duck. I'm impressed! ;)

I got to grill a bison steak for the Prime Minister of Norway in 2011 too, which was pretty awesome

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the only penguin I've seen this trip has been stuffed and was in the seat of a C-17 as pictured here http://uncommonfruit.wordpress.com/2014/11/08/how-to-get-to-the-south-pole-in-6ish-simple-steps/ But last time I was here I saw a penguin at mile 23 of the McMurdo Marathon and totally thought I was hallucinating. Feeding a penguin would be an infraction of the Antarctic Treaty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Treaty_System

What do you regret not having brought along?

More things to decorate my room with, it's super gray and boring in here.

How did you get such a cool job?

http://uncommonfruit.wordpress.com/2014/11/08/how-to-get-to-the-south-pole-in-6ish-simple-steps/ Click the blue JOB link in the first sentence

What happens if you must go outside. like you have to leave at some point don't you?

I actually go outside every day, we keep all of our frozen product on a deck behind the station so every time I need frozen berries or whatever I have to step into -40 degree temperatures. I actually ran an marathon here in 2011 and spent about 7 hours outside in -15 degrees. some folks work about 1 mile away from the station and have to walk to and from even in pitch black and -100 degrees but we all have extreme cold weather gear so it's really not so bad.

Is the weird day night cycle bothering you at all?

Right now it is 24 hours of sunlight, which means the sun just goes around in a big circle all day long which makes it kinda hard to sleep. but I have blackout curtains in my room, which helps. I also work the breakfast shift which is 3:30 am to 1:30 pm so at least it is light out when I go to work!

Are you worried about getting bored? What do you have to entertain yourself with?

I am soooooooo easily entertained, so no. I work 10 hours a day, and sleep for 8, probably eat for 1.5, workout for 1, which only leaves 3.5 hours a day to kill which I spend on the interwebz like reddit or www.uncommonfruit.com and playing shitty top 40 covers on my ukulele. also i found a slide whistle yesterday that is endlessly entertaining...

also i found a slide whistle yesterday

Like, just lying around in the south pole?

We have a system here called Skua, which is named after a native scavenger bird that lives near McMurdo. It is basically a "free store" where people place items they no longer want or need, like old clothes, toiletries and apparently slide whistles... but whoever thinks they don't need a slide whistle is F-ing crazy cause this thing is awesome.

what do you think will happen if people start inhabiting Antarctica?

I think climate change would have to progress pretty significantly for that to happen, and there'd have to be some changes to the Antarctic Treaty, but if it was about 80 degrees warmer down here I'd be totally into it.

How much weed did you bring with you?

Ha, not enough. And by that I mean none because the NSF frowns upon drug use!

Sure, gotta keep that loud quiet. I get it.

word, but there is plenty of beer, wine and liquor. but honestly at 9,000 feet drinking is more trouble than it's worth.

Can you elaborate on that?

something about being oxygen deprives and at a high physio altitude seems to make liquor hit you like a gold covered brick. and the hangovers are LEGENDARY! plus we're at like 2% humidity so you dehydrate like a fricking potato chip which = headaches like nobody's business

What about humidifiers? Can you humidify the air?

I have one in my room and it runs constantly (2 gallons a day) but all of the berthings are connected by a central air sort of system so it doesn't do too much, but it makes me feel like i'm doing better. I just drink obscene amounts of water and moisturized like a mofo

What is the power situation like? Do you have an allotted Usage or does it not matter?

Also, solar panels?

We burn over 1000 gallons of J8 fuel a day for electricity and warmth. Most of that is to run the science experiments we host, and the rest to run the galley/computer lab/lights in berthing etc... We all do our best to use as little as possible, with some exceptions for keeping in touch and entertainment, cause none of us would be worth much if we were super lonely and bored. No alternative energy sources at the pole at the moment because solar panels would only be effective 1/2 of the year and the wind situation isn't consistent enough for turbines.

We burn over 1000 gallons of J8 fuel a day for electricity and warmth.

In the Antarctic to study climate change. Burns massive amounts of fuel a day.

No, I'm not advocating that we pack up and come back... but there's irony, you have to admit.

SOOOOO IRONIC. seriously, it's not lost on me

Did you have to undergo any training or orientation to work in that environment? How was the interview process?

my training consisted of an hour of videos in Christchurch before I got on a plane to the continent, and then a few safety lectures since then. the application/interview process is pretty extensive though, a pretty in depth background check (including every address/job for the past 10 years) the folks that spend the winter have to even pass a pyschological evaluation, and be (as they say) crazy enough to do it but sane enough to pull it off.

How many people are on base? I'd imagine it must be a fairly tight knit community?

150 during the summer and about 40 during the winter, which is down from 250 during my first season in 2011. It's pretty close and can even get sort of cliquey like the scientist (beakers) stick to themselves sometimes and the support crew (like myself) hang out with others in their departments. But we actually do a pretty good job mingling and everyone likes to volunteer and help each other out and when we have dance parties or open mic nights everyone gets involved.

Do you guys have any good board games to play? Im a board game geek so I'd be interesting if you or others played some hobby type board games.

we play a ton of cards, cribbage mostly. and a lot of scrabble, we'll have a tournament for both during the winter and #dorkalert we did a little bit of shadow realms my winter too

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There is 1 doctor on station who can treat some minor injuries/illnesses but anything big and we have to be Med-Evac'ed to Christchurch which would most likely take the better part of a day. (Knocks on wood) We get mail every couple of weeks, as soon as there is enough of it to make the trip worthwhile and if there isn't any more pressing cargo to get here. Scientific equipment is #1 priority. If you wanna send me a letter or postcard I'll respond! It'll take around a month to get here. Jase Grimm, Contractor South Pole Station PSC 768 Box 400 APO AP 96598

Dude, I'll seriously send you a postcard from Holland if you want one! Is that a USA address?

yessir!

and thanks!

Of anyone there, how many people are depressed due to the whiteness of it all?

I assume you're referring to the snow, not the demographics, cause I was gonna say we are a bit of a melting pot down here. The whiteness isn't too depressing cause there is sunlight 24/7 during the summer, and a lot of us think it is beautiful in a stark, flat, white sort of way. But I do miss topography, and trees.

What about the winters?

sooooooooo dark, and mildly depressing and lonely. but I'm kind of a ridiculously positive guy so it didn't really get to me. I found out the hard way that 1 year in Manhattan is wayyyyy more depressing and lonely.

Hi I'm from Northwest Territories, Canada. Just thought it'd be neat to say hi to someone practically on the polar opposite side of the world :) ?

nice use of the question mark! and HELLLLLLOOOOO!

Have any seals try to get, you know, a little frisky with you, or are they still focusing their efforts on penguins currently?

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/seals-caught-having-sex-penguins BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA, and no, so far my cornhole is seal free, but I'm about 900 miles inland from the nearest seal so that doesn't mean they won't try when I travel through McMurdo

I regret to inform you that an unsealed cornhole is not a great thing...

I see what you did there... clever girl

girl

or so you think ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

http://pandawhale.com/post/17733/clever-girl-gif-imgur

Do you prefer the real ice cream at the pole or frosty boy at McMurdo?

FROSTY BOY WAS DEAD when I came through MacTown! I was devastated, and since our blue bunny doesn't have a slogan as cool as "Often licked, never beaten" I'd have to go with Frosty Boy ;)

Proof?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasegrimm/15830715025/

That looks an awful lot like two streets away from me. How about a pic of the S Pole itself?

you live two streets away from the Amundsen Scott South Pole station?

https://twitter.com/GrimmJase/status/533838364890234881

Define extremencold weather gear. Hi tech? Light? How many layers?

ECW = Bunny boots, which are super goofy white air insulated rubber boots. Wind breaker overalls, which are generally way to big and patched and very worn in. Big red, which is a goose down insulated jacket (some of which are from the 80s still) with your name and a radar patch sewn on so they can identify you if you wander off into the snow. As well as a fleece hat, gator, 2 pairs of gloves, fleece underwear (tops and bottoms) and some thick ass gray socks. And some sort of sunglasses/goggles. You end up looking like the kid from a Christmas story when it's all on.

What are people trying to do/learn in the South Pole?

There are a ton of experiments going on down here, but to summarize the South Pole is one of the best places to observe the sky/universe because there is very little humidity/atmosphere in the way. Icecube is looking for neutrinos whizzing through space from incredibly energetic events like supernovas and such. SPT is looking at the cosmic microwave background and determining the exact age of the universe and how it came to be. SPICECORE is taking ice core samples to look at the temperature/atmospheric makeup of the earth thousands and millions of years ago. ARO monitors green house gases, CFCs and the hole in the ozone layer, to name a few.

Rapper, actor, and now an astrophysicist! Impressive guy!

i'm totally gonna rap that, thank you for the inspiration

Wow that's so so very cool! Thanks so much for your reply. Have fun out there

my pleasure

Last question(s) from me. Do you get any outside time? Is it something you would want to do? What's the temp in your bedroom? Do you have to dress warm for bed? How bad does it smell in your quarters? How often do you get to shower? Do you bunk with other people? Is it co-ed? How many females around?

I can go outside whenever I want basically, but really only get the chance on Sundays, my days off. I like to walk to the other buildings where they do crazy experiments and such. It's a cozy 65 in my bedroom, and if I cranked the heat i could get it up to 80. I get my own room and it smells like roses and sunshine thank you very much. And I get 2 2 minute showers a week. There are men and women here, and we get along swimmingly!

How close are you to the magnetic pole? Do you feel it in any way, or imagine that you feel it?

it's somewhere under the ocean, not too close, but compasses still don't work for shit down here

Is there any kind of US govt. or NSA base there?

Well the Amundsen Scott South Pole Station is technically a Govt base because it is operated by the NSF, but there is definitely no NSA presence here.

What are the demographics down there for the workers? Are they all white or is it mix? Any Hispanics? What are the requirements to be a heavy equipment operator?

I'd say mostly caucasian but a little bit of everything. It is an American station and only has 150 folks so it's not super diverse, and for any/all info on getting a job go to http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/antarctic-support-contract.html

What time is it? As in, what time zone do you use down there?

When you sent this message it was 7 am on Friday the 21st, so we're on NZT or New Zealand time, but that's just cause that is where we come to the ice from. Groups that come from South America are generally on a completely different time zone.

I love how Google analytics must be hating you guys when you go online :

"- we can't represent their traffic on our cool map boss...

• Why not?

-We forgot to add Antartica to it"

my browser totally thinks i'm in ohio right now... weak

I was told by a UFO enthusiast that ET's have a big base there. Have you seen anything unusual?

I also read some articles that if you dig way down below the ice, million years of organics can be found when Antartica was somewhere else. Do you know anything about this?

Also, does time go by faster or slower for you guys?

What time zone do you go by?

Google Nibiru. Google Vostok. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, it seems to go pretty fast but that's cause I work all the time. In New Zealand time.

How easy is it to hook up at the South Pole? What is the gender ratio like? I would think having a snuggle-buddy would be essential in a situation like that.

We all get pretty lonely so there is a fair amount of copulation (and free condoms in every bathroom) the gender ratio is skewed pretty heavily to the male side though. I have a partner back home, but when I was single here over the winter I definitely had a cuddle buddy, aka Ice Wife

Legit question, but I've always wanted to visit in terms of fly down there on the C-17 then fly back on the same plane. Any way you could hook me up?

no way I could hook you up without a job, but I hear for about $60K you can charter a plane!

Have you joined the 300 Club?

officially no

Hey Jase. Whats your primary duties down there. Do you have any experience with the Australian stations?

I've been trying to get a comms position down there for the past 2 years. Any advice?

I'm a production line cook so right now I make breakfast for 150 folks 6 days a week, but at Christmas I'll switch to dinner and assist the dinner Sous Chef for the rest of the season. I don't know much about the Australian stations but I know that the hiring managers for Pole really want people who are excited to be there and aren't just applying for the money. People with good attitudes and excellent references get hired first at Pole

is 'seal-on-penguin' sex really that popular down there?

3rd time i've gotten that question... that article really made it's rounds didn't it?

Did you see any seal raping penguin?

that article is hilarious, but no, i have not been witness to anything like that

Is it cold?

-40 f -40 c

It's more fun to just answer that -40. Then if they ask you F or C you just say yes.

:D i like it

I wonder if you've seen these sites?

http://bigdeadplace.org/

http://jeffreydonenfeld.com/blog/2013/03/living-and-working-at-the-amundsen-scott-south-pole-station-antarctica-summer-2012-2013/

Kind of some earlier generations, but it might give you some idea of how things have changed over recent years. ;)

i was actually here 3 years ago so i've seen a bit of the evolution, and funnily enough Jeffrey Donenfeld lives in infamy as being one of the worst line cooks ever to work here, so we don't really talk about him much. he was much more interested in being famous than working. But bigdeadplace is an excellent blog.

What do you do on your free time other than Reddit?

I only have about 3 hours of free time a day after work/sleep/eat which I fill with gym/books/ukulele. On my days off I like to go to the bouldering gym which is about a 1/4 mile away from the station, we play a lot of cards, watch B movies and have events like races, open mics and paper telephone.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasegrimm/15830715025/

Thanks! Hope the mods accept it.

Why are you at the south pole? Is it getting warmer now?

I'm a production line cook down here for the summer season, and yup it's warming up. it's about -40 f outside right now but might get about 0 by around Christmas