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To spare others the rather extreme fluff and constant self-derailing of the article: A scientist who worked with various kind of non-drinkable alcohols died by

To spare others the rather extreme fluff and constant self-derailing of the article: A scientist who worked with various kind of non-drinkable alcohols died by methanol overdose and this was only found out and investigated much later, with no real conclusion made beyond the assumption that he probably didn't poison himself; but a bottle of liquor he had and emptied maybe, possibly might've been spiked with methanol and he could've died from that. No actual facts are known though, and nobody who might have access to any facts cares to talk to the person doing the investigating.

seszett 12y ago
Well, the interesting content of the article is the handling of the incident by his companions and NSF rather than the details of what might have been the cause of Mark's death. I'm not surprised how it went at all though, having had some experience on a French polar base I'm quite sure it would have been exactly the same, maybe with a bit more secrecy. I think it's fine.
PhantomGremlin 12y ago
> To spare others Good summary. I really dislike long articles that very slowly dribble out information. However, I did read the article, because it's not IMO "extreme fluff". It paints a picture of life in winter at the south pole. Extreme isolation means people behave differently than elsewhere on earth.
codingdave 12y ago
I rather enjoyed the entire article, which is atypical for me. Most of time, I would have agreed with your tone. But this one held together well, and I read every word.
- cesarbs 12y ago
  Same here, kept me engaged the whole time. But I did skip the last few paragraphs.
- marincounty 12y ago
  Yea, the author did a great job in writing this story. The death does sound like an accident? I couldn't imagine being in the new facility. The article was about a tragic death, but it was also about a generation(maybe the last?) of people who didn't live, nor play by the rules. I wonder if we are stifling people's lives, work, and intellectual achievements with all--these--rules--that--are--enacted--to--protect?

seszett 12y ago

Well, the interesting content of the article is the handling of the incident by his companions and NSF rather than the details of what might have been the cause of Mark's death. I'm not surprised how it went at all though, having had some experience on a French polar base I'm quite sure it would have been exactly the same, maybe with a bit more secrecy. I think it's fine.

PhantomGremlin 12y ago

> To spare others Good summary. I really dislike long articles that very slowly dribble out information. However, I did read the article, because it's not IMO "extreme fluff". It paints a picture of life in winter at the south pole. Extreme isolation means people behave differently than elsewhere on earth.

codingdave 12y ago

I rather enjoyed the entire article, which is atypical for me. Most of time, I would have agreed with your tone. But this one held together well, and I read every word.

cesarbs 12y ago
Same here, kept me engaged the whole time. But I did skip the last few paragraphs.
marincounty 12y ago
Yea, the author did a great job in writing this story. The death does sound like an accident? I couldn't imagine being in the new facility. The article was about a tragic death, but it was also about a generation(maybe the last?) of people who didn't live, nor play by the rules. I wonder if we are stifling people's lives, work, and intellectual achievements with all--these--rules--that--are--enacted--to--protect?