Monday, November 17, 2008

Iceland for Sale!


I thought it was meant to be a joke, but apparently not completely. 


The Chinese internet community is enthusiastically building up resources  to buy crisis stricken Iceland at a bargain. The webste Douban has taken seriously the ebay auction for the Island, and offers the first 10,000 chinese to join the investment group privileged access to houses on the seaside and to government positions. As a +, the possibility to run the island as a communist regime.

The auction, which apparently originated in the UK ebay site, has been followed by a few countries in the world, and now China sees its opportunity to invest the excess of foreign currency. Perhaps it is telling of the state of household savings in China that the autor at Douban considers 100,000 yuan to be at the reach of any chinese.

At an estimated 4o Billion euros, the author of the announcement calculates that 1,000,000 users joining the goup should be enough to buy out the country if each of them contributes 100,000 yuan (yes, somehow the calculation has also got some chinese characteristics in it).

In any case, the Icelanders can breathe for the time being. The group has only obtained the support of 4,300 users at the time of writing, and new additions seem to be stagnating these last days.

It is good to see in any case that chinese take this with sense of humour, and one can only hope that the WoAiZhongguo internet community’s response will be as civilized the day someone publishes these kind of jokes about China.


Seriously? I wonder what some of these people are thinking sometimes. I dont know to laugh or cry at their patriotism (?!?).
I doubt it would actually happen, considering there is already a big hoohah when the European countries found out that Iceland is turning to (communist) Russia for help. 

If i had the chance, I really would love to go there some day. Its so gorgeous and apparently one of the safest country around (not sure if so with the current economic turmoil). 
According to a travel site: "If you ever find yourself in a moment of awkward silence just talk about the weather, Icelanders love to talk about the weather (much like the British and Scandinavians). " 
How true, i talk to my coursemates and hallmates about the weather everyday. I never knew so much conversational topics could sprout from it. 

-

Ok back to anat, which Im so sick of. We have literally finished head and neck in 10days. Is that insanity or madness? :x 
SOMEONE SAVE ME PLEASE!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Haha isnt that good you still haf the ability to guess ;)
Arghhh Exams are next week and im not even studying! =X
How come ure flying off once you touch downnnn!

Anonymous said...

i want to go to iceland too..but tickets there are ex, even the so called budget airlines is like 280 euros -.-
ern

Anonymous said...

Ernie, i think there are deals for iceland. Abt 250quid or smthing for 3days incl hotels and all (:
Im considering going for a short iceland trip in summer, we shld go while the currency there is weak!

<3

Anonymous said...

Peishan! haha you need more saving from h&n? i pass you more notes... when you get back that is. if it can wait haha.

anyway random fact scavenged from notes: US health system is responsible for a third of the deaths caused in their country. so question: dyou still want to work there? :P (no wonder they get sued so much!)

Anonymous said...

Yes, i need saving from, h&n and prbly neuroanat too :x Im losing motivation to mug for stuff!
Ahhah, and meeting up to get notes is a good excuse for some catching up and fun! And I havent seen barneyboy for ages, omg i miss his retardness.

And yes, till the day i get sick of House (and Chase), i still do want to work in the country where princeton plainsboro teaching hospital was created. Hehehe, and Im not surprised that doctors like House get sued, but still ;)
And what do they get sued for really? I always thought they had the best doctors in the world!

And PS, do you want to watch Cats sometime in april? Its coming to Singapore, and student tics are only $50!