The Last "Biggest Breakfast in Antarctica"

Warning Lots of Pictures:
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As I have written before I help out with the monthly "Biggest Breakfast In Antarctica"
(BBIA). This is the last one Michael Rehm and I will be doing, ever! I have really enjoyed working with Michael although giving up my one day off is a bit of a steep price to pay. I learned a lot but am not quite ready to leave the IT world for that of cooking. So without further adieu here are the pictures....

Taking an order.

You see Michael busy in the background.


A migas and blueberry pancake.


Michael under strain?

A shot over the fruit bowls. We ran out of a lot of items this day.

Neal getting the door for me as I break out more champagne for mimosas.


Phil Troska and Neal "helping."

A cool picture of the glasses on the mimosa bar.

One of Michaels cinnamon buns. He has shown me how to make these. That's right ladies, I'm a bachelor who knows how ot make cinnamon buns.

I don't know what we are doing here but it must be important.

Only about 23 options to add to the eggs here.

Bread Michael made.

That's a lot of potatoes on the griddle.

Taking an order...


Another shot of all the ingredients Michael has to work with.

How to get here...

The best search in google to lead to my blog since I have been tracking:

smell vanilla+christchurch+sale

What the hell is that about?

This is what's known as filler...

My pirate name is:

Dread Pirate Kidd

Like the famous Dread Pirate Roberts, you have a keen head for how to make a profit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

AHOY - Talk Like a Pirate Day

Avast ye matey's... Another of the very popular days celebrated here - Talk Like a Pirate Day. You can read all you want to know here.

More Old Pictures

So I am still clearing out my computers and here are a couple of pictures from the MET Wine and Cheese party in December? Who knows...


This is the back of the B2 Science Wing of the station. Like I have said a million times this is not a fashion show.


Look how well my hands were manicured back then. I also don't look 50 years old. This place is brutal on your face and skin...

Just what you always wanted...

Here is possibly the greatest toy made today:

Matchbox CAT Famous Places (South Pole Amundsen-Scott Station) by Mattel
View Full Image	Build your own South Pole Amundsen-Scott Station with this South Pole, Antartica piece from Matchbox! Collect all six in this amazing Caterpillar Machine collection. Best for kids ages 3 and up. Product Price: $8.69 Shipping Cost: $1.72 Available for Philippine Delivery Only

Note the authenicate looking jamesway on the box (nice job Matchbox) and the pink polar bears (um, not on this half of the planet). Here is a link in case you want to buy one and live in The Philipines.

Then and Now

I have been playing with my webcam, streaming video and all that jazz. I took a picture of me now and boy do I look different than before I came here.

The above photo is in Creed, Colorado just before heading to the ice. I am a young good looking guy with the world by the tail.

Now look at me, crazy long beard, eyes that scream "I'm too tired to care anymore." This is not the guy you would have babysit your kids. This is after I took a shower, this is as fresh as I get. How did I age 10 years in 13 months? My beard is manly though. This looks like a prisoner who has been thrown in the "hole" for a month on one of those prison movies.

On a second a geekier note, anyone out there use Google Talk? I want to test the video and audio on it. Send me an email if you have a couple of minutes to test this with me.

Fantasy Football

I know everyone is dying to see who I picked up in the South Pole Fantasy Football draft. So a quick run down and light analysis. I picked 9th out 12 in a serpentine draft.

RD1 - LaMont Jordan, RB Oakland.
He was rated #6 and the Art Shell running game should allow him to produce. Will not get goal line hand-offs (Zach Crockett will).
RD2 - Matt Hasselback, QB, Seattle
No stud RB's were left. Was a reach but to get the #3 QB in the league is nice.
RD3 - Marvin Harrison, WR, Indy
Wanted an RB but again the board was bare. The #3 ranked WR in a three WR league = points for the Blur. I had a chance for Moss, hope this was the way to go.
RD4 - Frank Gore, RB, SF
Best availible RB, will start and will bulk of carries with Barlow traded to NYJ.
RD5 - Chris Chambers, WR, Miami
Miami has a legit QB this year so Chambers should haul in a few.
RD6 - Andre Johnson, WR, Houston
My 3rd WR, it seems I started a run on WRs.
RD7 - Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona
If I only had him 5 years ago. Maybe Arzona will win few this year, probably not.
RD8 - Todd Heap, TE, Baltimore
I read the top 5 TE are good after that they are about the same. I got #4.
RD9 - Ahman Green, RB, Green Bay
Like Warner, 5 years ago this guy was gold.
RD10 - Baltimore Defense
The #3 defense is still there and I scoop them up, probably a round ealry.
RD11 - Donte Stallworth, WR, Philadephlia
Hope he blossoms in Philly after not getting the ball in New Orleans.
RD12 - Jeff Wilkins, K, St. Louis
The #3 kicker and he kicks in a Dome 50% of the time. Love it.
RD13 - Wali Lundy, RB, Houston
A flyer, with D. Davis out the Kubiak bringing in the zone blocking maybe this guy is Terrel Davis waiting to happen. Will be starter on opening day, hate that Ron Dayne is now there.
RD14 - Ashley Lelie, WR, Atlanta
My pick here was Brandon Stokley but was picked just before. So with little time left I went this sucker. Will probably work his way into the starting lineup before long.
RD15 - Chris Simms, QB, Tampa Bay
Went for value here, no starting RB's or WR's left, besides a couple of fullback types. Took a starter, many teams went with just two QB's. Hope Simms or Warner will produce enough to package with a WR to get a better 2nd RB.

I am not a huge football geek but if I am going to play, I am going to play to win. Being down here you don't get ESPN or anything so it can be hard to get a vibe on teams and players. I will update my standings when I get a chance. Now if we were playing fantasy hockey, look out.

One of the Grand Old Traditions of Winter Overs

Well I have marked the last of the "must-do" off my list for the winter - The 300 Club. This past Saturday offered what appears to be the last chance for this season so I took it. For those not versed in it here is how it goes. Once the outside temperature reaches -100F you head to the sauna located on the first floor. You strip down to about nothing and bring the sauna up to +200F using cold water on the thermostat. Jeff DeRosa and I sat in there for about 30 minutes getting this up to temperature. Neal Scheibe came down after about 20 minutes to join it as did NOAA Tech Johan Booth. Sitting in a 195 degree sauna takes it out of you, I was sweating like a pig. Once we got the sauna to 200 (Thanks to Johan) we head out to door to the beer can. From here it is a flight of steps to the door. Then outside head towards the Geographical Pole over a large snow drift. I was the first to arrive and Don Jeter took the following glamorous shot.

Patrick "Blur" McClure - Winter 06 300 Club by Don Jeter

Okay, so I edited the photo so grade school kids who are writing about the South Pole don't stumble onto something that will ruin them forever. Then I stand out there for what seems forever as the incredibly pokey (as in slow) Jeff and Neal show up for this classic photo.

As you can tell Jeff edited this photo but I am too lazy to redo it. No man is incredibly proud at -100F if you know what I mean. And yes that is ice frozen on us. I tried to wipe the sweat from the sauna off, Neal and Jeff thought they'd give it a go as a purists (nothing except shoes, I wore a gaiter and gloves). By this time I was getting cold. Jeff and Neal are outside everyday, I am outside when something breaks or there is trauma team drill (no incidents this season). So we start to trek back in and the wind gets really cold and I can feel the exposed bits freezing. I sprint the last bit trying not to fall (which is really bad) on the snow drift. The three of us startle a burly electrician in the beer can (I'm sure he was not ready for a bunch of man nudity on the stairwell at 3:30p). Right back to first floor of the station (annoying our staff engineer who is trying to take out the trash by big naked bodies running down the hall). After a few minutes in the sauna you feel much better. No frostbite and not worse for the wear.

Jeter took this scroll shot just before we headed out. The picture is the patch you get at the end of the year for doing the 300 Club. It was definitely different and probably the dumbest thing I have done all winter. But where else can you do this?

Then we have an all hands meeting (where the Master Chief Lohr made sure everyone on station knew of my nakedness just an hour earlier). We decide to take a station photo outside in -100F (clothed this time). It is hard to take a group photo because everyone has to hold their breathe or all you get is white mist (water vapor freezing when leaving the mouth).

South Pole Winter Overs 2006 -100F Photo by Robert Schwarz

You can find me by looking at the guy on the ground (Robert Schwarz), straight up and first Green/Black jacket standing on right with blue gaiter (look familiar?) It was nice to get everyone outside with the twilight in the background. Well I think that will suffice for a post today, couple of other things to write about but I can only hold your attention so long.

If you need a copy of the unedited photo's email me and I will set you with a link. Lord knows why you would want to see it but it out there if you need it.