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Greenland is a beautiful nightmare

matduggan.com

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Re: Greenland is a beautiful nightmare

#131

Post by hollerith »

kyledrake wrote: post #124
jb1991 wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The phrase “got tired “is not referring to the modern populations but rather the people who founded those original settlements in those states centuries ago.

They didn't "get tired", they found rich soil and ample water to do farming and milling, which is what they were intending to find. It's called the bread basket of America for a reason.

Agree: a farmer coming to Indiana having previous farmed in New England or New York would have thought he'd died and went to farmer heaven.

Re: Greenland is a beautiful nightmare

#132

Post by 1123581321 »

Arainach wrote: post #26
tptacek wrote: post #5

It's funny to me that in portraying Indiana as a "blank state" he's highlighting one of the most beautiful parts of the state (the route through the Dunes along the Michigan lakefront; if you've seen "Road To Perdition", you know what that area looks like). It's not important to the article, a complete tangent, but I can't not call that out.

Then again, that stretch also has Gary. Having grown up in that area of the Midwest, I largely agree with the author's categorization, except that "people on their way to somewhere better who got tired and decided this was good enough" describes a LOT of the midwest, not just Indiana. Significant chunks of Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri, most of Iowa/Kansas/Nebraska, etc. If you read the history of westward expansion,…

Gary is also interesting, though. It used to be interesting for good economic and cultural reasons, then bad reasons. Now it's experiencing some revitalization in the manner of Detroit or Rockford, which might actually make it more boring, though better to live in.

I thought the Indiana aside was odd as an objective assessment, but it worked well as a flavorful bit of travel writing to help me understand the perspective of the visitor to Greenland.

Re: Greenland is a beautiful nightmare

#133

Post by marcosscriven »

iagooar wrote: post #83

I have been to northern Norway and Iceland a few times. It all started when I was running my previous SaaS at the peak of its growth. I needed a break, and wanted to go far away, while still being close enough if sh*t hit the fan. My co-founder had recently talked to some friends who had been to Tromsø, Norway. The place looked perfect, so I booked a 5-day solo trip there. Places that are so distant, with such harsh…

I had a similar feeling in the Faroe Islands. Even in mid summer the weather was rather inclement.

But the landscape was breathtaking, and the locals friendly in a low key way.

I’d love to go back.

Re: Greenland is a beautiful nightmare

#134

Post by ccleve »

throwup238 wrote: post #98
tptacek wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whoah, neat, congratulations or whatever you say to that. Good luck! Were you already involved in local politics in the area?

> whatever you say to that Illegitimis non carborundum?

Thanks. That's exactly the right thing to say.

Re: Greenland is a beautiful nightmare

#135

Post by Symbiote »

WalterBright wrote: post #57
Simon_O_Rourke wrote: post #27

Beautiful, but definitely not worth invading or sending our troops to take over, if you don't awfully mind Mr. President.

Somebody is likely to take it at some point, for strategic military and resource purposes.

Denmark took it centuries ago, and that's how it should stay unless or until the Greenlandic people decide otherwise.

Re: Greenland is a beautiful nightmare

#137

Post by hinkley »

jb1991 wrote: post #114
W-Stool wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

East St. Louis, Illinois would like to have a chat with Decatur about which is worst.

Newark New Jersey just walked into the room. “The armpit of America“.

Let’s not bicker and argue about who killed who. This is a happy occasion!

Re: Greenland is a beautiful nightmare

#140

Post by sandworm101 »

iagooar wrote: post #83

I have been to northern Norway and Iceland a few times. It all started when I was running my previous SaaS at the peak of its growth. I needed a break, and wanted to go far away, while still being close enough if sh*t hit the fan. My co-founder had recently talked to some friends who had been to Tromsø, Norway. The place looked perfect, so I booked a 5-day solo trip there. Places that are so distant, with such harsh…

And when you want to experiance true issolation in the face of nature, Alaska and Westerm Canada are waiting. Try a drive north through BC in winter. Fish on an Alaskan river only accessible by floatplane. Wake up to watch the northern lights only to realize you are looking south. Or pan for gold only to look up and see a grizzly cub walking cassually past.

Norway: 15 people per sq km.

Alberta: 6.7

British columbia: 5.5

Alaska: 0.5

Yukon territory: 0.1

Northwest Territories: 0.03

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