Bars in Antarctica • Hacker News Board

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#41

Post by Reason077 » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:16 PM UTC

elif wrote: post #36

This is a surprising characterization of alcohol use at mcmurdo, and seems PR-focused. I hiked with a guy after he finished up a season working on the base, and here is what I recall of how he described it: Everyone is so bored that alcohol is the default entertainment, crown royal is virtually the only choice for daily drinking, and drinking is rationed to keep the problem down.

> "Everyone is so bored that alcohol is the default entertainment"

Sounds just like winter in the UK to me.

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#42

Post by michpoch » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:16 PM UTC

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #20

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a lot of safety concerns, but not exactly the same level of danger. I suspect the biggest danger, is passing out, and dying of exposure. That also happens here, in New York. Every winter sees a few corpseicles.

Drunk people freezing to death on the street is common everywhere, even in Europe. One of my friends last winter, walked back home super drunk and passed out on the street. Instead of being happy he didn't freeze to death, he was angry some people called the ambulance for him that took him to the hospital, and got a €600 bill for it.

I'd guess that the €600 was not for the ambulance itself, but for a place where they put them to get sober afterwards.

I am not sure what's the common term for such place in English, Wikipedia is suggesting "Drunk tank": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_tank

Police takes you there if you're too drunk to be on your own, it's paid (and pretty expensive).

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#43

Post by Reason077 » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:19 PM UTC

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #20

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a lot of safety concerns, but not exactly the same level of danger. I suspect the biggest danger, is passing out, and dying of exposure. That also happens here, in New York. Every winter sees a few corpseicles.

Drunk people freezing to death on the street is common everywhere, even in Europe. One of my friends last winter, walked back home super drunk and passed out on the street. Instead of being happy he didn't freeze to death, he was angry some people called the ambulance for him that took him to the hospital, and got a €600 bill for it.

> "Drunk people freezing to death on the street is common everywhere, even in Europe."

Probably not so much in Southern Europe.

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#44

Post by photochemsyn » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:28 PM UTC

extrememacaroni wrote: post #35

photochemsyn wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More reasons to not normalize alcohol consumption: > "People with alcohol dependence often experience "brain shrinkage," which is reduced volume of both gray matter (cell bodies) and white matter (cell pathways) over time." https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33424857

Makes sense to want to ban alcohol if no one wants to have a beer with you, it's okay.

I don't think any drugs (including alcohol) should be banned at all, except in places where the consequences of being drunk/stoned/doped/disoriented could be very serious - operating ships (Exxon Valdez's drunk captain), for example. I can imagine people holed up in a insulated box for months during the Antarctic winter would want some relief, but maybe playing video games is a better option than booze or other drugs.

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#45

Post by rendall » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:29 PM UTC

samatman wrote: post #8

I know it's a lot to expect from "drinks digest", but the rampant alcoholism in Antarctic research communities is notorious. I'm not wagging a finger here, not really, I won't blame people for responding to inhuman conditions with (copious amounts of) antifreeze, but it's jarring to see a puff piece about the fun cocktail bars which doesn't mention the accidents, assaults, and rapes, which trace directly back to drun…

> doesn't mention the accidents, assaults, and rapes, which trace directly back to drunkenness.

What a bizarre assertion. The number of "accidents, assaults, and rapes" across the entire continent can each be counted on one hand. It's one of the safest places in the world.

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#46

Post by ChuckNorris89 » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:35 PM UTC

chrisseaton wrote: post #38

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Drunk people freezing to death on the street is common everywhere, even in Europe. One of my friends last winter, walked back home super drunk and passed out on the street. Instead of being happy he didn't freeze to death, he was angry some people called the ambulance for him that took him to the hospital, and got a €600 bill for it.

Where in Europe bills you to use an ambulance?

Austria. You get billed if you misuse the emergency services.

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#47

Post by tyingq » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:36 PM UTC

photochemsyn wrote: post #22

Individuals using drugs in a remote facility where screwups can lead to fatal results is a terrible idea. Yes, alcohol is entirely comparable to opiates, it has a similar endorphin-like effect. Beer is like opium, wine is like morphine, liquor is like heroin. As I see it, you might as well have photos of an opium den with some heroin needles lined up for the customer's use.

I agree that alcohol can be just as destructive and life altering as opiates. But, there does seem to be a higher percentage of alcohol users that can remain at least somewhat responsible users, perhaps some biological or other factors.

I'm also confused by the categorization of beer->opium, wine->morphine, liquor->heroin. A dedicated alcoholic is able to get as drunk as they need to with any of the three. Sure, the alcohol content is higher as you move right, but beer is potent enough to do the job.

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#48

Post by feet » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:37 PM UTC

rendall wrote: post #45

samatman wrote: post #8

I know it's a lot to expect from "drinks digest", but the rampant alcoholism in Antarctic research communities is notorious. I'm not wagging a finger here, not really, I won't blame people for responding to inhuman conditions with (copious amounts of) antifreeze, but it's jarring to see a puff piece about the fun cocktail bars which doesn't mention the accidents, assaults, and rapes, which trace directly back to drun…

> doesn't mention the accidents, assaults, and rapes, which trace directly back to drunkenness. What a bizarre assertion. The number of "accidents, assaults, and rapes" across the entire continent can each be counted on one hand. It's one of the safest places in the world.

What is the rate per capita? How does that rate compare to other places?

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#49

Post by cromulent » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:37 PM UTC

moron4hire wrote: post #4

With the banning of homebrew at the station being rationalized as a safety issue, do they have actual instances where someone got drunk on homebrew and froze to death outside? Because that seems pretty far-fetched. I've never been so drunk that I didn't notice sub-zero temperature.

It's pretty silly, I think, to claim weather and safety. The Australian stations are only about 67° south, just inside the circle, and about the equivalent of Bodø in Norway.

Re: Bars in Antarctica

#50

Post by ChuckNorris89 » Sat, Nov 05, 2022, 2:39 PM UTC

dmd wrote: post #29

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Drunk people freezing to death on the street is common everywhere, even in Europe. One of my friends last winter, walked back home super drunk and passed out on the street. Instead of being happy he didn't freeze to death, he was angry some people called the ambulance for him that took him to the hospital, and got a €600 bill for it.

I thought health care was free in most of europe.

It's free* with many caveats.

*Emergency services are free in Austria but only for valid medical emergencies. If you voluntarily drink yourself to death like my friend did, they don't cover that and will send you the bill.

You're expected to have private accident insurance to cover such incidents and various sports and free time injuries that are also not fully covered by the mandatory government insurance.