In Deep Freeze: The United States, the International Geophysical Year, and the Origins of Antarctica's Age of Science  

Dian Olson Belanger tells the story of the pioneers who built viable communities, made vital scientific discoveries, and established Antarctica as a continent dedicated to peace and the pursuit of science, decades after the first explorers planted flags in the ice. 

In the tense 1950s, even as the world was locked in the Cold War, U.S. scientists, maintained by the Navy's Operation Deep Freeze, came together in Antarctica with counterparts from eleven other countries to participate in the International Geophysical Year (IGY). On July 1, 1957, they began systematic, simultaneous scientific observations of the south-polar ice and atmosphere. Their collaborative success over eighteen months inspired the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, which formalized their peaceful pursuit of scientific knowledge. Still building on the achievements of the individuals and distrustful nations thrown together by the IGY from mutually wary military, scientific, and political cultures, science prospers today and peace endures.

Deep Freeze: The United States, the International Geophysical Year, and the Origins of Antarctica's Age of Science

Best Practices for Securing Your Home Network is a just released guide from the NSA going beyond home networks and wireless to cover email and traveling with mobile devices and more.

On the back page are references to five additional guides Social Networking, Defense Against Drive By Downloads, Defense Against Malicious E-mail Attachments, Mac OSX 10.6 Hardening Tips, and Data Execution Prevention.

Snow still here today. Settled a bit more overnight. About 6-8 inches deep on average. As you can see I havent ventured far from the doorstep.

A album of some Caterpillar tractor units that are for the South Pole traverse in Antarctica.

The mission to Antarctica is the most dangerous peacetime mission performed by the US Airforce.

This 27 minute video from the Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System, outlines how the Air Force supports the United States Antarctic Program and its mission in Antarctica.

Our Winter-over Doctor took these pictures last week. They are quite spectacular.

Well as you can see I haven't updated the blog for a while. The pictures below give a good idea of what things are like round here. The city is munted basically. A lot of homes and heritage buildings are stuffed beyond repair. Many have already been demolished or are under orders from CERA to come down. In many cases the owners have no right to protest and no right to have their own engineer assessment done either. CERA will then bill them for the privilege.

Add to that thousands no make that millions of tonnes of rubble being dumped into our harbour to rebuild the damaged parts. Hundreds or more likely thousands of homes on land that is about to be declared uninhabitable. No rebuild permits will be issued and any that are still habitable are likely to go as well for "the greater good". 

Again last Monday on the 13th June, we had a Black Monday here in Christchurch and for many the whole process started again. Right back to square one. Worse in many cases. Homes invaded by silt and sewage from broken sewers. We call it Shilt. Shit and silt mixed. Its as charming as it sounds.

Out my side of town things are good though.  We only have cracks in our plasterboard and driveway. The interior will be easily repaired with a bit of filler next time we paint. We have water, power and sewage.

Our water has no chlorine unlike the chlorine that now pollutes the drinking water of most of the city. Christchurch had the finest purest crystal clear drinking water that came straight out the deep mountain fed aquifers deep below the plains. Hundreds of meters below these natural reservoirs needed no filtration, no chemicals no treatment of any kind. It was pure spring water on tap. No one can argue the importance of adding chlorine at this time but its another special thing about Canterbury you miss.

We are back on boil water at the moment. Probably not necessary nonetheless a wise idea. No one wants a bout of gastroenteritis when the nearest toilet is twenty houses away down the road and its dark, cold and frosty as well.

Times are hard and while personally I've got nothing to moan about, I have found the focus is different, different priorities, different goals and different opportunities.

I'm looking forward to the new Canterbury. The new life in a new city full of new opportunity. People will return people will forget the earthquakes. Hell we've had over 7000 of them now since 4th September 2010. That's a lot. I don't even notice them now unless they are over about 5. That's getting to be a decent wee shake. Remember a magnitude 6 is 10 times as strong as a 5 and a magnitude 7 is ten time stronger. A hundred times as strong as a 5.

I tend to microblog more now simply because I don't often have time to sit down at the pc and type stuff. So if you want to keep a handle on what I'm up to follow me at @martin_nz

I will still post stuff here that isn't in my twitter stream. Stuff that needs that little bit extra. I've got this idea to @storify more things and organise more by topic but who knows.

Heres a picture of the fault lines under Christchurch. That big nasty looking one is the problem. Thats the greendale fault which split in September the other end is the Lyttelton faultline which erupted in February. Im a bit concerned the faults seem to be joining and wonder what that means.

Anyway as they say Que Sera, Sera.. Whatever Will Be, Will Be.

Or maybe that should be Que CERA, CERA

ere are a few images from the Search and Rescue team of the damage inside the Hotel Grand Chancellor which was damaged in the February 22 2011 Christchurch Earthquake.