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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Steel Cage Match: Canada, Denmark Clash in Google Ads
2005-07-29
For entertaiment purposes only; please, no wagering.
Yeah, right. I got Denmark and the points
Canada and Denmark have taken their diplomatic tussle over a lump of Arctic rocks to the Internet with competing Google ads claiming sovereignty over Hans Island. Some Canadians have called for a boycott of Danish pastries.
"To heck with Danish pastries! Bring on the poutine!"
The diplomatic debate began Monday when Denmark said it would send a letter of protest over a visit to the 1/2-square-mile Hans Island last week by Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham.
And after the letter of protest, the intifada.
Graham stated Canada has always owned the uninhabited chunk of land, 680 miles south of the North Pole. Denmark responded: "Neener Neener." "Hans Island is our island." Toronto resident Rick Broadhead googled the matter and found an ad that touted Hans Island as Danish. "Does Hans sound Canadian? Danish name, Danish island." Internet users clicking on the ad were directed to the Danish Foreign Ministry's Web site.
Case closed, eh?
So Broadhead paid for his own Google ad and created a Web site to promote Ottawa's sovereignty. His Google ad leads users to a fluttering Maple Leaf flag and plays the national anthem. Broadhead's Web site outlines Canada's argument that Hans Island belonged to the British and became Canada's in 1867. The Danes say it is closer to Greenland than Canada and is therefore Danish soil.
Case closed, ja.
In 1984, Tom Hoeyem, who was Denmark's minister for Greenland affairs, caused a stir when he raised a Danish flag on the island, buried a bottle of brandy at the base of the flag pole and left a note saying: "Welcome to the Danish island."
If either of those ads appears here, well, Fred gets a piece of the action...
Posted by:Seafarious

#21  Those Cnandians better watch out. The "Mare of Steel" has been in storage for 900 years now. It's gotten kinda rusty since the Vikings got it in the spoils of victory...

The Long Ships


Posted by: BigEd   2005-07-29 18:39  

#20  I look for intervention by the Icelandic fleet at any moment.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-07-29 17:40  

#19  Red Dawg really? That's kinda neat.... is the lard rendered? Is the wax denatured? Cut to the chase.... would it be ediable in a pinch?
Posted by: Shipman   2005-07-29 15:43  

#18  Can you say "Long Boats"?
Posted by: True German Ally   2005-07-29 14:53  

#17  When countries don't have armies they're forced to fight with GoogleAds.

When GoogleAds are outlawed, only outlaws will have GoogleAds.
Posted by: SteveS   2005-07-29 13:32  

#16  Though Denmark hasn't completely demilitarized itself like Canada has...

I understand they have a huge depot of battleaxes available for distribution to the thanes.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-07-29 12:23  

#15  When countries don't have armies they're forced to fight with GoogleAds.

Though Denmark hasn't completely demilitarized itself like Canada has...
Posted by: Seafarious   2005-07-29 12:20  

#14  Canadian Picture of Hans Island...


Danish View of Hans Island


Satellite View of Hans Island

Greenland on the right, Baffin (Nunavut, Canada) on the left...

Danish English Language Blog Thread-Hans Island

Canadian English Language Blog Thread-Hans Island

Fair and Balanced? Heh heh heh
Posted by: BigEd   2005-07-29 11:32  

#13  How about a package deal: Hans Island and Frostbite Falls, Moosylvania.
Posted by: Jackal   2005-07-29 10:13  

#12  Give it to the NDP so they can all go there and try to live with themselves.
Posted by: MunkatKat   2005-07-29 09:17  

#11  An aside regarding this tidbit: "Some Canadians have called for a boycott of Danish pastries."

A flute with no holes is
not a flute.

A doughnut with no hole is a Danish...But in Denmark, they call them "Viennese Pastries".
Posted by: eLarson   2005-07-29 08:11  

#10  Welcome, interested conservative! Interesting site, how did you happen to find it?
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-07-29 06:36  

#9  shhh..hydrogen + pork wax = presto logs.
Posted by: Red Dog   2005-07-29 01:20  

#8  Sulfides as well with that hydrogen.
Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom   2005-07-29 01:09  

#7  one word...hydrogen
Posted by: 2b   2005-07-29 01:03  

#6  Everywhere is south of the North pole.

Shhhh. Not so loud. The newsies might actually learn somethin'.
Posted by: Rafael   2005-07-29 01:03  

#5  Um, you guys may laugh, but this is what I dug up:

I was interested in this Canadian claim to an island that I regarded as part of Greenland and so I struck up a conversation with the man. He was surprised that I even knew where Hans Island was. I was just as surprised at what he had to tell, for his interest in Hans Island resulted from the fact that he was a scientist with Dome Petroleum and had just spent the summer on the island doing ice research for the oil company.
Dome Petroleum, as it turned out, had been doing scientific research on this tiny island for some years as part of its research on oil development in the Beaufort Sea, 1700 kilometres away. What was the connection? It was that oil companies build artificial islands in the sea on which to position their drilling rigs. These artificial islands must be strong enough to withstand the force of being hit by large floes of multi-year ice coming down from the Arctic Ocean. Hans Island provided a perfect location in which to experiment on such forces. Source

So yes, in a way, it just may be about oiiiil.
Posted by: Rafael   2005-07-29 00:56  

#4  There is oil and gas under it. That is why the "dispute" exists. Look for more of these coming to a nation near you. Take a look at the artic map. Canada does own most of it. So don't get your Toque in a knot, eh.
Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom   2005-07-29 00:55  

#3  680 miles south of the North Pole - Everywhere is south of the North pole.
Posted by: phil_b   2005-07-29 00:53  

#2  My 1st rantburg comment - a must see link:

http://www.hansislandliberationfront.com/
Posted by: interested conservative   2005-07-29 00:49  

#1  I'd award it to the Danes, simply because they had somebody nuts enough to actually visit the god-forsaken lump of frozen rock.
Posted by: mojo   2005-07-29 00:43  

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