Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2019 August 18

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August 18

Airport construction in bird areas

Are there any national or international restrictions on airport construction in places with known bird presence to avoid bird strikes? I know that the existing airports in such areas use bird control, but wonder if this could be avoided from the start. 212.180.235.46 (talk) 12:27, 18 August 2019 (UTC)

This is looked at in great detail [1]. 92.31.141.118 (talk) 13:29, 18 August 2019 (UTC)

Trump wants to buy Greenland.

Trump wants to buy Greenland; Greenland says that they are not for sale. I believe that Greenland is "owned" by Denmark. So, let's make some changes to the scenario. Let's assume that an independent country (say, Italy) was indeed for sale and that Trump purchases it for (hypothetically) $10 million dollars. Who exactly would that $10 million dollars go to? It would go to the government of Italy? Which would now be "owned" by the USA? So, the $10 million dollars would go right back to the USA? This all seems quite odd. What would happen in a case like that? Thanks. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 21:14, 18 August 2019 (UTC)

Just in case you missed this latest nonsense, see Trump floated US buying Greenland, but country says it’s not for sale. Alansplodge (talk) 21:24, 18 August 2019 (UTC)

Countries have been known to sell pieces of themselves, e.g. Louisiana and Alaska. As far as an entire country selling itself, it would be interesting to discover if it has ever happened. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:00, 18 August 2019 (UTC)

"We don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate". Your scenario is infinitely improbable. Alansplodge (talk) 23:17, 18 August 2019 (UTC)

I assume you're talking to the OP. My question is whether it has ever actually happened. If not, then the OP's question fails the test. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:44, 18 August 2019 (UTC)

Looking at annexation and related categories, I actually can't find any examples of a sovereign nation being purchased, in its entirety, by another. There was the proposed Annexation of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) by the United States, which would have left the Dominican national government as a less powerful territorial government. In exchange, and in addition to other benefits of being a US protectorate, the US would pay off some of the nation's debt, as well as make annual payments to the territorial government in exchange for leasing a naval base. Someguy1221 (talk) 00:25, 19 August 2019 (UTC)

The scenario you give is the merger of two sovereign states. In modern times there will generally be one or more treaties effecting such an act, as well as laws passed in both of the states to implement the merger. The biggest example in recent history is probably German reunification. Going back further, other prominent examples are the Acts of Union 1707 and Acts of Union 1800. You are of course right in that no one "writes a check" to the government of a country that will no longer exist. The treaties and laws will spell out the form of the new government, and what happens to the assets and liabilities of both states. Apropos U.S. history example: all Confederate currency and debt was declared void after the war by the 14th Amendment. Of course, the legal position held by the winning side was that the Confederacy was never a legitimate government, but obviously the Confederacy was de facto a separate state during the war. Although not a merger of states, for the issue of integrating monetary systems you will likely be interested in the process of establishing a monetary union, with the biggest example of course being the eurozone. (See history of the euro.) --47.146.63.87 (talk) 01:59, 19 August 2019 (UTC)

Grønland er ikke til salg. Grønland er ikke dansk. Grønland er grønlandsk Count Iblis (talk) 09:26, 20 August 2019 (UTC)

You could theoretically have one nation buy another by writing a check. The nation receiving the check would then be given some time to distribute the money (to creditors, citizens, etc.) before the government was dissolved. SinisterLefty (talk) 13:40, 20 August 2019 (UTC)

Theoretically, sure, but it's generally more practical to just spread money around within the successor state. This means no worrying about disbursing all the funds before the merger happens, potential issues if the currency changes, etc. The German reunification is an example; the newly reunited Germany committed to various subsidies and programs for the former East Germany. --47.146.63.87 (talk) 23:22, 20 August 2019 (UTC)

I figured out why Trump wants to buy Greenland. So he can say "Global warming is myth, the number of glaciers in the US has increased under my presidency !". SinisterLefty (talk) 13:40, 20 August 2019 (UTC)

I think you are on to something SinisterLefty though the way glaciers are disappearing he better hurry. While it didn't try to sell itself the Duchy of Grand Fenwick did try to lose a war to improve their lot in life. They failed hilariously. MarnetteD|Talk 23:30, 20 August 2019 (UTC)

Thanks, all. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 16:25, 21 August 2019 (UTC)