Chiseling the Glacier

Cold stupid:

Police in the south of Chile have arrested a man on suspicion of stealing ice from the Jorge Montt Glacier.

Officials in the town of Cochrane found five tonnes of ice in the back of his truck. Police suspect the ice was destined for the capital, Santiago, to make gourmet ice cubes for use in upmarket bars and restaurants... Tourists in southern Chile are often served whisky chilled with glacial ice - which has an extra kudos because it comes directly from the glaciers.

Scientists say the glacier, in the Patagonia region, is retreating faster than any other in Chile.

The driver is accused of theft, but prosecutors are also considering bringing charges under the national monuments act.

The ice found in the back of the vehicle was worth about 3 million pesos ($6,100).

That's about 55 cents per pound. I'm not sure who is dumber: people who pay a premium for glacier ice, or people who declare a melting glacier a national monument.

A more important question, however, is how do I convince people that the ice from my fridge is actually glacier ice, and that it's worth three bucks a pound? (Transportation costs, you understand...)