Greenland, Land of Ice and Thursday Night Open Thread

Aluu!  That’s welcome in Kalaallisut (aka West Greenlandic)

Kalaallisut is the official language in Greenland, although most people also speak Danish and English since Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark and English is useful to know for all sorts of reasons.  Tourism is actually a fairly minor industry in Greenland as the majority of tourism occurs during the short summer season.  Government jobs and fish processing are the major industries.

The flag of Greenland represents the sun and ocean in the colors of Denmark’s flag. The coat of arms is a badass Polar Bear.

Greenland was in the news a few years ago for Trump’s silly idea about buying the place.  It’s easy to see why he might want it, as Greenland has loads of minerals and other natural resources and is already the location of quite a few US military bases and at least one missing US nuke.  Kangerlussuaq, currently the hub city for Air Greenland, was formerly Sondestrom Air Base, which the US sold back to the Greenlandic people for $1 when the base was disbanded in 1992.  I’m pretty sure they could have gotten a pretty good return on that $1 investment if they had offered Trump just a partial interest in Kangerlussuaq, as he seems prone to making terrible deals.

Nowadays old canisters from the airbase are used as ashtrays
SXM isn’t the only place with a road that runs right by the runway and experiences jet wash
Sonderstrom was part of the Arctic Command. The sign tells people not to idle their vehicles when the temp is above -20C/-4F

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kangerlussauq is nowadays known as the gateway to the ice sheet.  The ice sheet is second only to Antarctica in terms of giant slabs of ice.  Like all giant ice sheets, it’s great for scientific study as you can learn a lot about climate history and the atmosphere by taking ice cores.  Then you can use the million year old ice in a cocktail afters.  If you have a lot of gear and the motivation, you can hike from Kangerlussauq over the center of the ice cap all the way to the east coast of Greenland in about 30 days.  The first few days of the hike are up and down as the edges of the ice sheet crumple up as they’re compressed against the rocky coast and make their way out into the fjords via one of the many glaciers.  Soon you’ll be on a steady uphill climb to the center of the ice sheet, where it’s always below freezing and therefore the ice is growing thicker rather than thinner like at the edges.  You’ll reach the middle and then it’s all downhill from there, except of course for the bumpy bits at the end.  It’ll be chilly, and noisy from the wind, and you’ll be doing this in summer so it’ll be 24 hours of daylight over the featureless (except for the glare) white landscape.  Sounds pretty great, huh?  Let’s do this for the DFOCon after Vegas, yeah?

The very start of the ice sheet. Quite a bit of gravel is scraped along by the movement of the ice cap which you can see when it’s melting along the edges.
The Russell glacier, located nearby to Point 660 where you can start your walk on the ice sheet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If that’s not quite your cup of tea (you can make excellent tea out of herbs that grow wild in Greenland!) maybe a shorter hike overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage site Icefjord is for you.  The Icefjord is located by the town of Ilulissat, the third largest town in Greenland with a population of almost 5,000 permanent residents.  The fjord itself opens into Disko Bay, and is much deeper than the bay so larger icebergs get trapped in the fjord until they melt or break up into smaller pieces that can enter the bay.

 

During the summer there is constant runoff from the melting ice, so the green bits of Greenland are very wet, with large amounts of moss. This also provides a great place for mosquitoes to breed, and therefore a great starting point for exterminating the species.
Some larger icebergs out in the middle of the Icefjord. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A view of Ilulissat harbor and downtown
Smaller bergs eventually escape into Disko Bay before heading out to sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You won’t find Greenland competing in any sports that are on TV tonight.  While you can watch Argentina v. South Africa in the Women’s World Cup, Greenland’s national team is not a member of FIFA.  This is probably all FIFA’s fault since they’re perfectly happy to accept the national teams of other countries that have difficulty providing a grass pitch year-round.  If their application is eventually accepted, they’ll join as a member of CONCACAF which I think we all would enjoy.  They also have handball, badminton, and table tennis teams that have competed internationally, and they participate in the Island Games, a sort of mini-Olympics for island nations, and the Arctic Winter Games.  The 2024 Arctic Winter Games are set to be held in Alaska, and I would love to watch some of the traditional Arctic Sports events like the finger pull!

A skills event in the Greenland Kayaking Championships. Only televised within Greenland.
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Doktor Zymm
An expert at time travel*, Doktor Zymm also has the ability to move objects with her mind** and can breath underwater***. *Forward only, at a preset rate **Via her hands, usually ***When the water is contained in a glass
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King Hippo

Stressed (Haiti) or repressed (China aka Run PRC)? WHO YA GOT??

Sharkbait

Run PRC is excellent

King Hippo

Super early migraine bedtime means up in time for Denmark’s Loveliest against the Scissor LioUns Sponsored By VAR!

Sadly, the Danes are still napping.

Gumbygirl

Gumby sez they called this “foreskins in gravy” in the Navy. Yum?

Gumbygirl

.

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Mr. Ayo

We called that Shit on a Shingle growing up.

Gumbygirl

This is slightly different. Creamed chipped beef or ham, SOS was made with ground meat.

BugEyedBoo

I’m with Ayo on this one. For me, SOS is chipped beef on toast.

I have a jar of dried beef in the pantry, left over from a cheese ball I think. I might have to make some.

Gumbygirl

Maybe, what do I know? Could just have been localized to his boat, submariners are weird.

Brick Meathook

The Navy term is actually “Creamed Foreskins”

Mr. Ayo

Seems like a distinction without a difference. But I’m no yeah right.

2Pack

“Creamed Beef” in the mess hall…uhmm… I mean; “Dining Facility”

litre_cola

Like pain, climate change is just a mood.

Brick Meathook

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Sharkbait

Honest Abe definitely seems like and M60 kinda guy.

2Pack

And an eventual weapons squad leader.

BugEyedBoo

Honest Abe meets 60, Honest Abe shoots 60.

2Pack

Since I have never been to Greenland therefore have no pertinent information, I’ll just say hi and post some of my usual bullshit. Well done Ma’am.

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BugEyedBoo

One more and he’s an Ace!

litre_cola

St. Louis FC vs Club America eh?

/Checks notes St. Louis FC is in 1st place?
/I didn’t know they existed.

Mr. Ayo

Whoa, another Civil War?

At least we can’t lose?

litre_cola

Club America just scored. This competition is strange as it is new and unknown.

scotchnaut

Argy has gone full Bargy!

litre_cola

Argies v Saffers has been alright. The quality in women’s footy the last 10 years has risen so much it is incredible.

SonOfSpam

Same with foxy boxing

litre_cola

Shame GLOW went under.

Brick Meathook

Also mud wrestling

scotchnaut

Great strike by one of the Peronists!

Mr. Ayo

Oh my. We have a proper match now!

litre_cola

Been phenomenal.

Sharkbait

I do like the idea of an international DFO con! I’d put in a vote for Greenland!

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

An international DFO con sounds fun, but not nearly as much as an international DFO heist!

litre_cola

Vegas could turn into Ocean’s 11 my good man. DFO East had an Arsenal flag heist. Who knows what we will come up with? Who is the bendy one of us we can sneak into a vault?

/(Bad bets, many alcohol bills)

Mr. Ayo

That’s Lowratio’s music!

Sharkbait

Timing for the replacement UK trip probably wont allow for a Vegas stop sadly

BugEyedBoo

If by ‘repatriate’ you mean ‘steal the vibranium’, then count me in.

Fridge logic moment just now – how do you work vibranium? You can’t drill it or saw it with anything ‘mundane’ (we’ll call it that). Even diamonds don’t scratch it.

scotchnaut

[raises hand]

I volunteer to drive an Austin Mini on any sidewalk you’d care to mention.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

“Me too!” – Britt Reid

herodotus450

America is international to some.

Rikki-Tikki-Deadly

THIS GUY RIKKI-TIKKI-DEADLY I CALL HIM FRANZ STANGL IN 1945 CAUSE HE IS HEADED TO SAO PAOLO IN THE NEAR FUTURE!

[pops champagne]

Sharkbait

2/3 of House Sharkbait are sick. I’ve been caught in the crossfire twice. I need a drink

litre_cola

I have been in the basement all week. Mrs. Cola got Covid (still a thing), Decilitre is indestructible and will probably stage a coup in Central America in the near future.

litre_cola

He is learning Spanish in his cult like Kids Cross Fit classes! His only other sport is futbol. The transition will be seamless.

SonOfSpam

I love the descriptive language!

Aluu! 

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Kalaallislut

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SonOfSpam

And of course, thanks for the unique travelogue.

SonOfSpam

It means “dog”

Brick Meathook

Some Meathook family Greenland lore:

My father was an electrical engineer who pioneered Instrument Landing Systems for aircraft. He began in the Air Force during the Berlin Air Lift, when they guided cargo planes into Tempelhof AFB every three minutes, 24/7, often flying completely blind, looking at radar screens and giving voice commands to pilots via radio (“higher, lower, left, right”). My dad specialized in the radar part. Later, as a civilian defense contractor he went all over the world for this. He worked for Philco Ford in the 50s, and they operated out of St. John’s Newfoundland, putting in major landing systems at Thule AFB and Sondrestrom AFB in Greenland, as well as Camp Alert in Canada way above the Arctic Circle. These were big deals, as they were front line Strategic Air Command bases. He took a lot of really cool home movies there. In St. John’s he met my mom.

scotchnaut

He worked for Philco Ford in the 50’s

That’s amazing! Did you know that Philco Ford was also the master of the 4 Corners Offense for Dean Smith’s teams in the mid-70’s?

scotchnaut

Argentina! South Africa! Which government-sanctioned police murder squads did you like the least? Personally, I hope this a draw.

scotchnaut

Then you can use the million year old ice in a cocktail afters

Sharkbait: [mixing a drink using ice from Greenland] “The Cretaceous Era is strong on the nose but afternotes from the Jurassic Period mellow out the strong shale aftertaste.”

litre_cola

Closes bible, this tastes like 6 days of work and 1 rest actually.

Redshirt

Do you mind?! I’m reviewing the Grimoire from the DFO Library to speed up Burrow’s recovery time.

Gumbygirl

Stroke the furry wall, Redshirt! It’s going to be all right, it’s merely a fleshwound.