this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2024
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Science Memes

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Oxbowin' (mander.xyz)
submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 92 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (5 children)

This is why setting borders based on rivers is fundamentally flawed.

This message brought to you by the latitude/longitude gang.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 3 weeks ago

I mean, you say that now, but if someone stood on the other side of the river and shot arrows at you, would you really disagree with them?

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Point Roberts has entered the chat

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Such a stupid border decision. They should have fixed it in the territory swaps a few years ago.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago

They should just secede from the union and be a small city state.

Would it benefit anyone? No. Would it be very costly to make the transition and potentially wreak havoc on the community? Absolutely. But would it create a sense of civic pride and feel good for the residents of Point Roberts? Also no.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

What territory swaps a few years ago?

It's also too late now, even if you come to a political agreement you'd have to buy them out, have to hear about unseating American families, and I doubt Canada is willing to do that. What's the point for that insignificant land?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

A while ago (late 90s?) they straightened the border and reevaluated land along the 49th parallel. Some towns switched countries.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Northwest angle

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 weeks ago

It's all arbitrary anyway...

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Why? Apart from such cases being rare, everyone gets a half island

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Because they change and move over time. This river definitely didn't start out like this and it almost certainly will look very different in just a few years' time.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Just recently my country exchanged land with a neighbouring country to adjust for the changes of water, each giving and gaining the same amount of land. When water marks the border it's much easier to know when you're crossing it.

Edit: looked it up: in march we (Austria) traded 239 m² with Liechtenstein

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Good point, that's a cool solution too!

I know they're rich, but they're so small, you should have just let them keep it.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago

The alternative is pretty fucking stupid too. Imagine losing access to your freshwater because the river shifted across an imaginary line. At least when the border is the river, you always have access to the river.