Live data from Hacker News

Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

slate.com

11–20 of 233 posts

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#11
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As another Croatian, I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I'd like other people to experience the breathtaking beauty of my country. On the other hand, considering all the negative externalities and the rampant devastation that comes with our brand of tourism I'm not sure I want any more tourists coming. I especially don't want tourists buying holiday homes here.

Yeah, Croatia is already turning into a country-sized tourist trap. It is really a shame considering how beautiful the area is.

There are still places on the Croatian Adriatic which aren’t over run with tourists. Of course the popular areas are extremely crowded. There are still other beautiful islands which are not so busy.

I’m writing this from a small 20 tent only campsite on a Croatian island. Access is only by ferry. Facilities are limited (no large supermarkets for example). It’s our third summer here and while there have been some changes, it is very slow.

Taking a boat out for a day or two also allows for exploration of other, more remote islands. Some bays still aren’t over crowded with boats anchoring for the day.

Also, later in August and early in the week are quieter times. Yesterday, I was the only person swimming at a nice sandy beach at 14:00.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#13
If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim.

There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim over HK or Taiwan becomes a matter for international outrage. The outrage would be more real if Britain handed over Falkland to Argentina and then they would have better moral authority to ask China to desist from expansionism.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#14

If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim. There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim ov…

I don’t think these two things are the same. Taiwan or HK are/were large scale democratic societies, economic hubs, cultural centers etc. The Falklands are a couple of strategically located islands in the middle of nowhere.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#15

If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim. There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim ov…

No, I think you are missing key details:

Britain has already given up Hong Kong, i.e. (edit-->) according to how I understand you(The problem with China is they have broken the agreement on how they should rule Hong Kong during the first 50 years, isn't it?

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#16
post #15

If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim. There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim ov…

No, I think you are missing key details: Britain has already given up Hong Kong, i.e. (edit-->) according to how I understand you( The problem with China is they have broken the agreement on how they should rule Hong Kong during the first 50 years, isn't it?

Giving up Hong Kong isn't necessarily the "right thing" - Hong Kong Island was ceded to the UK in perpetuity ages ago, in the 1840s. Kowloon and the New Territories were on a 99 year lease expiring in 1997. The UK giving up Hong Kong Island is as "right" as America ceding California to the Spaniards in the late 1990s IMO. Both defeats occurred around the same time. The people of Hong Kong were as much Chinese IMO as the Californians are Spanish.

The really interesting one is Macau, which was Portuguese for almost 450 years - from 1557, but was ceded to China in 1999. So, for long before the United States even existed. It's a lot like ceding Roanoke colony to the UK in 1999. But worse, since they don't even speak the same language (Cantonese/Traditional and Portuguese vs. Mandarin).

[edit] But yes, the next wrong was that the CCP broke their agreement regarding the autonomy of their Special Administrative Regions and the effective dissolution of the "One Country, Two Systems" model.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#17
"...(the only access to the islands) is to have a pre-arranged job contract with a company that has signed a form of bond taking responsibility for you"

That sounds like all British immigration rules. My employer had to apply for my visa and had to pay all my healthcare contributions for a year up front before I could move for a job in London. If I lose my job I have a few weeks to find a new employer (who will have to be willing to pay for a visa transfer) or I have to leave the country.

It's a bizarre system but it seems like this reporter doesn't know how normal it is. I doubt British people know how bizarre the policies that arose from their voting are either.

(Likewise for Europe and the US)

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#18

If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim. There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim ov…

I don’t think these two things are the same. Taiwan or HK are/were large scale democratic societies, economic hubs, cultural centers etc. The Falklands are a couple of strategically located islands in the middle of nowhere.

I think a closer analog to the Falklands is the European colonial powers and much of the Caribbean. The French and St. Martin/St. Barts, the Dutch and Sint Maarten/Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao - and of course the British Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, the BVI, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos. The latter has interestingly tried to join Canada a few times. Not really located anywhere strategic.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#19
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As another Croatian, I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I'd like other people to experience the breathtaking beauty of my country. On the other hand, considering all the negative externalities and the rampant devastation that comes with our brand of tourism I'm not sure I want any more tourists coming. I especially don't want tourists buying holiday homes here.

Too late - I grew up going to stay with my grandparents at Pag a lot during 90s (during the war and after) - I remember the streets were so empty we would play football. Forward to early 2000s and I remember car jams 4km long for some random low-key event in a fishing village (ribarske večeri). These days it's not worth going to any tourist areas during season anymore, everything is overcrowded and the infrastructure…

> I remember the streets were so empty we would play football.

We did this as well. There were a lot less cars and a lot more children back then. Now it's the opposite.

I think that at some point we'll wake up to the cultural and environmental devastation we've wrought and do something about it. Hopefully it won't be too late by then.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think these two things are the same. Taiwan or HK are/were large scale democratic societies, economic hubs, cultural centers etc. The Falklands are a couple of strategically located islands in the middle of nowhere.

I think a closer analog to the Falklands is the European colonial powers and much of the Caribbean. The French and St. Martin/St. Barts, the Dutch and Sint Maarten/Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao - and of course the British Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, the BVI, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos. The latter has interestingly tried to join Canada a few times. Not really located anywhere strategic.

I agree in principle, though some of these islands want to stay with France / the EU, in contrary to the Falklands it is the native people there that want to stay, not the (only) the colonialists.
Post reply on HN