FIRST, the answers to the pop quiz:
(A) Incorrect: as Yucaipartay pointed out, fuel "must be marked according to MSDS requirements."
(B) Incorrect: Ryan and Ray are correct that the frozen water all around is clean enough to drink. But that's mostly in the form of snow (not ice), and you'll want to melt it first so it's refreshing and doesn't sap your heat.
(C) Incorrect: penguin feces definitely do not belong in Nalgene bottles.
(D) CORRECTAMUNDO! Two Rehmeyers, Barb and dave, got this right. Barb is correct that human waste is collected, processed, and shipped back to the states (more on that below.) But out in the field, it is permissible to--as Ryan and Ray put it--"pee on the ice like the penguins do." So where does the P bottle come in? At night time, when you really really really don't want to go outside to answer nature's call. But you DO want a nice warm bottle to join you inside your sleeping bag. (Just make sure the cap is on darned tight!)
(E) Incorrect: who ever heard of Italians misplacing wine?
Since I already have a mailing ready to be sent out to dave, the grand prize (which is still a mystery even to me) shall go to Barb Rehmeyer. Any requests, Barb?
A final note: unlike the penguins, humans try to concentrate their impact on the environment into one location. Thus, there is not just a "P bottle", but a "P flag."
SECOND, many have asked for clarification on what I'm actually doing here in Antarctica. That's a bit of a big topic, but it involves a lot of odd and undesirable jobs. Yesterday's was moving a couple hundred metal tank lids at the waste treatment plant. We came to refer to them lovingly as "$h!t shields."
All dressed up and nowhere to go. Except the sewage treatment facility:
Yes mother, I have all my hepatitis immunizations.
Any young ones out there? If so, they may now uncover their ears and eyes, as we shall return to the regularly scheduled PG-rated blogging.
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