Iceland applies for EU membership | 63 comments (63 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Iceland applies for EU membership (none / 1)

Ok, so this is probably a stupid question, but it came to mind when reading this diary.

Why doesn't Iceland apply to be a state of Japan???

They're both oceanic states that like fishing, including whaling. Iceland has lots of national resources that Japan would like to get access to, and Japan has financial stability that Iceland could use.

Historically there's no specific reason why you can't have a far-flung "country" (e.g. France's outpost on that island in Canada, America's outpost in Hawaii), and with modern technology, communication would be possible. Everybody in both places speaks English. What's the problem?

Or, maybe this is not a particularly good example, but perhaps there are other examples that might not be quite so outlandish. Is there a possibility of such a trend in the future, or are we stuck in geographical relationships only?

by asdf on Fri Jul 17th, 2009 at 08:25:06 PM EST

Re: Iceland applies for EU membership (none / 0)

Japan has financial stability that Iceland could use.

Didn't Japan's economy contract, like, 16% last quarter?

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Fri Jul 17th, 2009 at 08:32:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That's a great idea! (4.00 / 2)

Norway could join Japan too, and then Greenland. Then there will be only one country making trouble in the International Whaling Commission, and matters will be a lot easier for the rest of us.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Fri Jul 17th, 2009 at 09:24:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Iceland applies for EU membership (none / 1)

OK, more seriously speaking, culture tends to follow geography and people (especially 300,000 compared to 127 million) will not tend to like being united with a completely foreign culture. Until more recently, control was dependent upon geography to a large degree. Living in different timezones can still be a PITA for coordination.

Iceland doesn't have that many natural resources. It planned to get cheap power by flooding its nature in order to smelt aluminium from imported bauxite, but it will be interesting to see what happens to that right now.

But there is the case of the Arctic. That will drive even Norway to full EU Membership, in due time, pace Chris Cook.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Fri Jul 17th, 2009 at 10:06:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Iceland applies for EU membership (4.00 / 2)

It planned to get cheap power by flooding its nature in order to smelt aluminium from imported bauxite, but it will be interesting to see what happens to that right now.

Plan it does not anymore, unfortunately. The smelter is not yet ready, but the dam is; so what could be done to it now is only decommissioning.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sat Jul 18th, 2009 at 03:32:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Iceland applies for EU membership (4.00 / 2)

The smelter is not yet ready, but the dam is

Apparently, both are operational but incomplete.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sat Jul 18th, 2009 at 04:02:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Iceland applies for EU membership | 63 comments (63 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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