I’ve been stuck up in Alaska for the past three weeks, contibuting to SciScoop via this crappy company-issued dial-up laptop because I can’t seem to get an IT clearance and password to get on the missile defense computer network here at Ft. Greely.  Um, not that I would dream of using such access if I had it to log onto the Internet or anything non-military like that.  They tell me my IT application form is getting processed slowly – maybe it will be ready when I come back in January for still more inspections and general fun.  Discouraging antics like the latest failure after two years of testing down time of America’s missile shield, of which I can say nothing except point you to the links.

Hey, sitting and watching a worldwide-network radar screen showing a sucessfully launched (but fake) enemy nuclear warhead aimed at Los Angeles (not really) while half a world away your save-the-day interceptor sits in its silo due to a **** ******* (er, or something like that – you didn’t hear anything about **** ******** here) is not the only end-of-the-world scenario to be discouraged about.  There’s always the Great Brown Cloud Of China.  Or maybe the real-life version of the Day After Tomorrow scenario, which you can now watch unfold yourself from space.  

The end is near for my stay in the Great White North; now I’ve got another weeks-long stint at yet another missile base to add to my list. I’m ready to go home next week and see what my Christmas tree looks like.  And remember what above-zero (F!!!) temps feel like.  Have a happy holiday, everybody!