The Prime Minister Geir H Haarde just made an announcement.
There will be elections held in May.
And he has stomach cancer.
Video announcement in Icelandic is hérna.
Everyone at work (we put the news on the projector) is in stunned amazement.
More when I know any....
As for follow ups on the violence a few days ago. I was - along with most of the Icelandic population - very happy with the protesters stance after the hideous violence the day before. They turned up and gave the police flowers and hot chocolate as they stood their guard.
This almost makes me tearful with joy.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Rocking the Casbah
The Icelandic public have had it. Sadly the management of their frustration by the police yesterday wasn't really very well handled. On the one hand, this is hideous. On the other, part of me understands - though not condones - as the police here have never had to deal with anything like this before and I suspect are frightened and untrained. Nevertheless. They fucked up.
(image by Júlíus Sigurjónsson mbl.is)
To see a video of the protests go to mbl.is
Taken from Icenews.is
The Icelandic parliament, Althingi, convened for the first time today since Christmas – and over 2,000 angry protesters surrounded the building using drums, horns, pans and simple clapping to ask for new elections.
The atmosphere was tense, inside the chamber and outside, as the Left Green Party reiterated its support for the protesters. Several Green MPs used the recess periods to go outside and join the protest.
Most MPs gathered in the building around 12, and were safely inside by the time protesters started arriving half an hour later. There was no church service before parliament.
Over 100 police officers were present in parliament’s back garden and over 30 people were arrested - among them many teenagers, including an 11 year-old boy. Pepper spray was used repeatedly to disperse the crowd, but with less effect than in the past. Many protesters wore sunglasses, and a few even came wearing gas masks.
Journalist Helga Vala Helgadottir angrily summed up her feelings to a Morgunbladid peer: “They’ve arrested some 15 teenagers – these kids over there lying in the corner in handcuffs. And yet these people we elected two years ago, our trusted representatives, are inside right now debating whether or not we should allow the sale of alcohol in normal shops. This is the nation who is talking out here. You have to listen to us!”
The IceNews photographer and two Morgunbladid cameramen were among the many people to get pepper spray in their eyes.
(image by mbl.is/golli)
Written by the mother of an 11 year old arrested by the police at the protest yesterday:
Pauline McCarthy 01.20.09 at 8:40 pm
I was there with my 11 year old son. The one who was arrested or “kidnapped” by the police. I went there with a friend and my son. I have rheumatoid arthritis (leiðagigt) and osteoarthritis (slítgigt) and fibromyalgia (vevjagigt). I could not stand for very long so found a seat in the Parliament garden. I had a red rattle with the siminn sign on it. I just sat there and kept an eye on my son. I told him he could go about banging his cake tin but if there was any trouble he should run to me at the bench.
After about an hour and a half the police decided to move everybody back. When they got to me on the bench I told them that my legs were too painful to walk and I felt safer on the bench. One policeman dragged me off the bench and I ended up on the ground shouting for help. He just walked away. Eventually a policewoman came and helped me back onto the bench.
Bye this time I was in tears. A police photographer came and asked me if I was ok, he was very supportive and kept telling the other 7 or 8 policemen who tried to move me on, every 10 mins or so, that I was disabled and also that I could not understand Icelandic much.
All the while I was keeping an eye on my son. Between the line of police and the building there was only he and I and from where I was sitting it looked like some people lying on the ground behind him. Later on I discovered that they were a group who had been arrested and had their hands tied and sat on the ground.
My son was just standing by the fence just watching the crowd. I saw a group of policemen and women come up to him and talk to him. He pointed at me and I waved him over but they did not bring him to me, the took him to the police station were they striped him to the waist!!! This I found out later as at the time I just thought that they were taking him over to the church or behind the crowd. Not a single one of them came to speak to me. They did not phone me although he gave them my name and number.
My friend was called by his sister and told that she had seen my son being taken away by the police live on the tv. Ras 1.
By this time it was about 4pm and I was almost in a state of shock with pain, as I had forgotten to bring my medicine with me and was frozen to the bone.
So to be honest I was quite relieved when the chief policeman said that now I HAD to leave and they would carry me out. It was clear that the police had decided to make an attack on the crowd, as no other changes had taken place.
A policewoman and a policeman helped me out of the garden to an ambulance man who carted me away on a trolley. About the same time I met my friend and he told me that my son had been arrested. I asked the ambulance man if he could find out where my son was and he told us that he had been taken to the police station in Hverfisgata.
My friend drove me to the police station and because I was in so much pain and difficulty to walk he went in to pick up my son. He was told that I would be reported to the social services child department (barnanefnd).
Later I phoned Rás 1. and told them the story of how the police had taken my son away and not brought him to me. The person who interviewed me on the phone sounded concerned and shocked but she was not in charge of what was reported. As far as my little Icelandic could understand on the news they said that the police took him away to protect him from stone throwers. I never saw a single stone being thrown. Plenty of snowballs though and a few eggs at one time.
At one point a snowball landed by the feet of two policemen, It was blackened with some dirt in it. I watched their body language and I could see that they were trying to find out if there were stones in it, but the kicked it away when the discovered that it was just dirty snow.
From my perch I saw another police officer threatening a man with pepper spray just because he was banging a pot in front of him.
I saw a lot today, too much to write here. I thank you for the opportunity to write in my native English. I feel so cut off from society not being able to speak or understand Icelandic properly. Many people say I should be ashamed to have lived in Iceland for 16 years and still not have a grip on the language. I tell you, if they were in constant pain they would find it very difficult to learn anything never mind another language.
Iceland is a wonderful country and I wish to continue living here with my 2 sons.
LoVe Pauline McCarthy, Akranes
More from Icenews.is
The significant protests that began at lunchtime yesterday are still going on outside the Althingi parliament in Reykjavik, despite it now being past midnight.
As the night drew in, protesters lit a bonfire outside Parliament House and vowed to continue their vigil. The current plan is to keep the protest going at least until today’s parliamentary session begins at 13.30, MBL.is reports.
The weather tonight in Reykjavik is still and dry, although the temperature is at, or just below, freezing.
The protesters are angry that the current government continues to reject their calls for new elections. Many police are said to still be guarding the building, which protesters have been periodically pelting with toilet rolls and shoes, among other things.
(image by mbl.is/golli)
(image by Júlíus Sigurjónsson mbl.is)
To see a video of the protests go to mbl.is
Taken from Icenews.is
The Icelandic parliament, Althingi, convened for the first time today since Christmas – and over 2,000 angry protesters surrounded the building using drums, horns, pans and simple clapping to ask for new elections.
The atmosphere was tense, inside the chamber and outside, as the Left Green Party reiterated its support for the protesters. Several Green MPs used the recess periods to go outside and join the protest.
Most MPs gathered in the building around 12, and were safely inside by the time protesters started arriving half an hour later. There was no church service before parliament.
Over 100 police officers were present in parliament’s back garden and over 30 people were arrested - among them many teenagers, including an 11 year-old boy. Pepper spray was used repeatedly to disperse the crowd, but with less effect than in the past. Many protesters wore sunglasses, and a few even came wearing gas masks.
Journalist Helga Vala Helgadottir angrily summed up her feelings to a Morgunbladid peer: “They’ve arrested some 15 teenagers – these kids over there lying in the corner in handcuffs. And yet these people we elected two years ago, our trusted representatives, are inside right now debating whether or not we should allow the sale of alcohol in normal shops. This is the nation who is talking out here. You have to listen to us!”
The IceNews photographer and two Morgunbladid cameramen were among the many people to get pepper spray in their eyes.
(image by mbl.is/golli)
Written by the mother of an 11 year old arrested by the police at the protest yesterday:
Pauline McCarthy 01.20.09 at 8:40 pm
I was there with my 11 year old son. The one who was arrested or “kidnapped” by the police. I went there with a friend and my son. I have rheumatoid arthritis (leiðagigt) and osteoarthritis (slítgigt) and fibromyalgia (vevjagigt). I could not stand for very long so found a seat in the Parliament garden. I had a red rattle with the siminn sign on it. I just sat there and kept an eye on my son. I told him he could go about banging his cake tin but if there was any trouble he should run to me at the bench.
After about an hour and a half the police decided to move everybody back. When they got to me on the bench I told them that my legs were too painful to walk and I felt safer on the bench. One policeman dragged me off the bench and I ended up on the ground shouting for help. He just walked away. Eventually a policewoman came and helped me back onto the bench.
Bye this time I was in tears. A police photographer came and asked me if I was ok, he was very supportive and kept telling the other 7 or 8 policemen who tried to move me on, every 10 mins or so, that I was disabled and also that I could not understand Icelandic much.
All the while I was keeping an eye on my son. Between the line of police and the building there was only he and I and from where I was sitting it looked like some people lying on the ground behind him. Later on I discovered that they were a group who had been arrested and had their hands tied and sat on the ground.
My son was just standing by the fence just watching the crowd. I saw a group of policemen and women come up to him and talk to him. He pointed at me and I waved him over but they did not bring him to me, the took him to the police station were they striped him to the waist!!! This I found out later as at the time I just thought that they were taking him over to the church or behind the crowd. Not a single one of them came to speak to me. They did not phone me although he gave them my name and number.
My friend was called by his sister and told that she had seen my son being taken away by the police live on the tv. Ras 1.
By this time it was about 4pm and I was almost in a state of shock with pain, as I had forgotten to bring my medicine with me and was frozen to the bone.
So to be honest I was quite relieved when the chief policeman said that now I HAD to leave and they would carry me out. It was clear that the police had decided to make an attack on the crowd, as no other changes had taken place.
A policewoman and a policeman helped me out of the garden to an ambulance man who carted me away on a trolley. About the same time I met my friend and he told me that my son had been arrested. I asked the ambulance man if he could find out where my son was and he told us that he had been taken to the police station in Hverfisgata.
My friend drove me to the police station and because I was in so much pain and difficulty to walk he went in to pick up my son. He was told that I would be reported to the social services child department (barnanefnd).
Later I phoned Rás 1. and told them the story of how the police had taken my son away and not brought him to me. The person who interviewed me on the phone sounded concerned and shocked but she was not in charge of what was reported. As far as my little Icelandic could understand on the news they said that the police took him away to protect him from stone throwers. I never saw a single stone being thrown. Plenty of snowballs though and a few eggs at one time.
At one point a snowball landed by the feet of two policemen, It was blackened with some dirt in it. I watched their body language and I could see that they were trying to find out if there were stones in it, but the kicked it away when the discovered that it was just dirty snow.
From my perch I saw another police officer threatening a man with pepper spray just because he was banging a pot in front of him.
I saw a lot today, too much to write here. I thank you for the opportunity to write in my native English. I feel so cut off from society not being able to speak or understand Icelandic properly. Many people say I should be ashamed to have lived in Iceland for 16 years and still not have a grip on the language. I tell you, if they were in constant pain they would find it very difficult to learn anything never mind another language.
Iceland is a wonderful country and I wish to continue living here with my 2 sons.
LoVe Pauline McCarthy, Akranes
More from Icenews.is
The significant protests that began at lunchtime yesterday are still going on outside the Althingi parliament in Reykjavik, despite it now being past midnight.
As the night drew in, protesters lit a bonfire outside Parliament House and vowed to continue their vigil. The current plan is to keep the protest going at least until today’s parliamentary session begins at 13.30, MBL.is reports.
The weather tonight in Reykjavik is still and dry, although the temperature is at, or just below, freezing.
The protesters are angry that the current government continues to reject their calls for new elections. Many police are said to still be guarding the building, which protesters have been periodically pelting with toilet rolls and shoes, among other things.
(image by mbl.is/golli)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Now then, now then young lady.
Tsk tsk tsk is what you are no doubt thinking, or at least I am. It has been a ridiculously long time since genuine update. The new year didn't start too well healthwise. Like it seems most of the population of Iceland, or in fact Europe, I came down with a bug. More than the average joe I have to say, it totally floored me an meant over two weeks of lying in bed and doing very little except sobbing, snotting and watching zillions of documentaries. I did not even have the brain function to keep track of emails. Now, except for the odd bark, I am feeling chipper again thankfully and racing through various inboxes and whatnot trying to catch up on work and social life equally.
So really, you haven't missed anything except my whining and rattling lungs. There were a couple of things including Christmas so lets briefly summarise those and move on.<
Way back in late december James Dickie came over for a visit again, his last before hauling his ass here for a longer term stay. I am very glad he is shipping over here, as insane as it may seem to move right now. It will be good to have him around. We dragged him around to Q bar and Hafnarfjörður and also to Ívars playlist party which was awesome fun on toast as we were also celebrating the return of Sunna.
There was loads of snow in the days before Christmas, or the weeks it may even have been. Daníel and I went sledging and made a Christmas video for my family which is far too sick inducing to be shown here.
Christmas came on the 24th here for Icelanders. This being my first ever festive season away from home I have to say i was a little emo so tried to organise enough to miss my family less. I held open house on the 24th - with mulled wine and cookies going and whomever wanted to could pop by after shopping or between delivering presents. Lots of people came and went and I made them all do the home version of band aid as seen in the post below this one.
For the evening and meal and presents time Lilja and her brother and mum picked me up to go to the grandparents house where we ate traditional food and opened gifts. I saved most of mine for the next day much to Lilja's annoyance. We had a pleasant time and then Lilja and I went back to mine to watch stuff and sleep to wake up for English Christmas the following day.
We started with a champagne breakfast and scrambled eggs watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. Daníel came over to join us and I put the goose in the oven and the veggies on that i had prepared the morning before. We continued watching festive schmultz and the other two ate a bucket of quality street and tangerines. Karolina joined us in time for the food and we ate slowly and muchly as is the tradition.
The day was very lovely and the company likewise. But I have to admit I didn't feel half as seasonal as I do with the family - even with the odd bicker over charades or the last roast potato.
Boxing day in Iceland is somewhat of a party night and DJs TaTaTa were playing in our favourite bar Cultura. We had a pre gathering at mine first with bubbles and dancing and love and laughter.
Cultura was rammed as expected and I quickly lost enthusiasm as the bug was starting to take effect so left the party goers a a civilised time.
To be honest the next few weeks were much about tissues, tv and tea. So lets skip all that.
Tomorrow morning I am off to Grundafjörður to scout locations for the next Weird Girls episode. This is for the Northern Wave Film Festival I have been going on about. its now very close to happening and I am getting very excited. Grundarfjörður is a legendarily beautiful place and I love the idea of taking the Weirds out there.
I am encouraging friends to come out for the festival and stay the weekend. Mokki and I are Djing at a party on the saturday night and theres some concerts on the Friday too. All in all it predicts a great time in my book.
Before this however I am bombing back to the UK. My sister is due to give birth any second and my mum has some major surgery so I am going to catch up with the new and old members of the family (which is why I didn't go home for Christmas).
I am very interested to see how the crash of the pound has taken its toll. The krona situation is tragic but it seems that the UK is up the same creek without any sign of a paddle.
My situation is incredibly blessed as I have been able to opt for my salary to be delivered in euros which considerably saves my ass as I am paying bills in the UK and will for the whole of 2009.
The world I live in - you too more than likely - is very strange these days. I have a serious feeling of recession around now and its been more than interesting here in Iceland but not completely depressing but whenever I speak to people in London , I dont get a good feeling. I will have to see for myself.
Some things seem sure, the Icelandic Situation is not at its worst yet. Here are some articles I copied from the english version of mbl.is
--------------------------------------------------------------
One Hundred Days of Crisis in Iceland: No Resignations
Today, 100 days have passed since Iceland’s Althingi parliament accepted a bill on an emergency law in response to the collapse of the country’s banking system. In that time, not a single person in authority has resigned.
On the occasion of the 100-day anniversary, Fréttabladid sought out the opinions of some of the people who have been the most outspoken about the situation, on well the government has combated the crisis.
All of the newspaper’s interviewees agreed that it is unacceptable that no one has been willing to shoulder the responsibility for the collapse of the banking system and resign.
“Icelanders are standing in the wreckage of a financial Chernobyl. No one is shouldering responsibility which undermines the reputation of the nation and its fidelity as seen through the eyes of the outside world,” said economist Ólafur Ísleifsson.
“To pretend as if elections can only be held every four years giving democracy the finger. The terms of the last general elections have changed completely,” commented law student Katrín Oddsdóttir, who held a memorable speech during a demonstration last year.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Saving Iceland: government must take big moves right now
The London School of Economics professor and Iceland expert, Robert Wade appeared on Iceland’s most popular political magazine programme Kastljos this week.
In the nearly 13 minute-long interview, Wade expressed his frustration that his (and others’) dire warnings on the Icelandic economy were not listened to over recent years. He said that the imbalances in the Icelandic economy had been bigger than almost anywhere else in the world, and that that was especially dangerous at a time when the entire world economy was entering a severe slowdown. “People, on the whole, were rather dismissive of (my) argument, saying that I was just being alarmist,” he said.
While Wade asserted that he supported the privatisation of the Icelandic banks in the first place, he described as “a mistake” the way the government went about the process, and the people who ended up in control.
“It’s not just a matter of what the rules are; it is also a matter of how the rules are implemented – or not implemented,” he said, claiming that the Financial Services Authority had acted more like the banks’ aide than their regulator.
With regard to the future, Robert Wade was adamant that the worst is yet to come. He foresees even higher unemployment and a time when pension funds feel the pressure to cut payments. He also believes that there will be another global tipping point (like the Federal Reserve’s decision not to save Lehman Brothers in September) some time between March and May.
It is Robert Wade’s opinion that the Icelandic government can effectively prepare for these shocks and set the country on the road to recovery by setting aside party politics and taking big steps right now, while there is still time. Whether they take his advice remains to be seen.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Its going to be an interesting year people. Yes it is. But I am still thankful to have friends, family, a job, a home, and that I don't live in Gaza. The horror is so great I cannot even touch upon it. Read your newspapers or view here.
So really, you haven't missed anything except my whining and rattling lungs. There were a couple of things including Christmas so lets briefly summarise those and move on.<
Way back in late december James Dickie came over for a visit again, his last before hauling his ass here for a longer term stay. I am very glad he is shipping over here, as insane as it may seem to move right now. It will be good to have him around. We dragged him around to Q bar and Hafnarfjörður and also to Ívars playlist party which was awesome fun on toast as we were also celebrating the return of Sunna.
There was loads of snow in the days before Christmas, or the weeks it may even have been. Daníel and I went sledging and made a Christmas video for my family which is far too sick inducing to be shown here.
Christmas came on the 24th here for Icelanders. This being my first ever festive season away from home I have to say i was a little emo so tried to organise enough to miss my family less. I held open house on the 24th - with mulled wine and cookies going and whomever wanted to could pop by after shopping or between delivering presents. Lots of people came and went and I made them all do the home version of band aid as seen in the post below this one.
For the evening and meal and presents time Lilja and her brother and mum picked me up to go to the grandparents house where we ate traditional food and opened gifts. I saved most of mine for the next day much to Lilja's annoyance. We had a pleasant time and then Lilja and I went back to mine to watch stuff and sleep to wake up for English Christmas the following day.
We started with a champagne breakfast and scrambled eggs watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. Daníel came over to join us and I put the goose in the oven and the veggies on that i had prepared the morning before. We continued watching festive schmultz and the other two ate a bucket of quality street and tangerines. Karolina joined us in time for the food and we ate slowly and muchly as is the tradition.
The day was very lovely and the company likewise. But I have to admit I didn't feel half as seasonal as I do with the family - even with the odd bicker over charades or the last roast potato.
Boxing day in Iceland is somewhat of a party night and DJs TaTaTa were playing in our favourite bar Cultura. We had a pre gathering at mine first with bubbles and dancing and love and laughter.
Cultura was rammed as expected and I quickly lost enthusiasm as the bug was starting to take effect so left the party goers a a civilised time.
To be honest the next few weeks were much about tissues, tv and tea. So lets skip all that.
Tomorrow morning I am off to Grundafjörður to scout locations for the next Weird Girls episode. This is for the Northern Wave Film Festival I have been going on about. its now very close to happening and I am getting very excited. Grundarfjörður is a legendarily beautiful place and I love the idea of taking the Weirds out there.
I am encouraging friends to come out for the festival and stay the weekend. Mokki and I are Djing at a party on the saturday night and theres some concerts on the Friday too. All in all it predicts a great time in my book.
Before this however I am bombing back to the UK. My sister is due to give birth any second and my mum has some major surgery so I am going to catch up with the new and old members of the family (which is why I didn't go home for Christmas).
I am very interested to see how the crash of the pound has taken its toll. The krona situation is tragic but it seems that the UK is up the same creek without any sign of a paddle.
My situation is incredibly blessed as I have been able to opt for my salary to be delivered in euros which considerably saves my ass as I am paying bills in the UK and will for the whole of 2009.
The world I live in - you too more than likely - is very strange these days. I have a serious feeling of recession around now and its been more than interesting here in Iceland but not completely depressing but whenever I speak to people in London , I dont get a good feeling. I will have to see for myself.
Some things seem sure, the Icelandic Situation is not at its worst yet. Here are some articles I copied from the english version of mbl.is
--------------------------------------------------------------
One Hundred Days of Crisis in Iceland: No Resignations
Today, 100 days have passed since Iceland’s Althingi parliament accepted a bill on an emergency law in response to the collapse of the country’s banking system. In that time, not a single person in authority has resigned.
On the occasion of the 100-day anniversary, Fréttabladid sought out the opinions of some of the people who have been the most outspoken about the situation, on well the government has combated the crisis.
All of the newspaper’s interviewees agreed that it is unacceptable that no one has been willing to shoulder the responsibility for the collapse of the banking system and resign.
“Icelanders are standing in the wreckage of a financial Chernobyl. No one is shouldering responsibility which undermines the reputation of the nation and its fidelity as seen through the eyes of the outside world,” said economist Ólafur Ísleifsson.
“To pretend as if elections can only be held every four years giving democracy the finger. The terms of the last general elections have changed completely,” commented law student Katrín Oddsdóttir, who held a memorable speech during a demonstration last year.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Saving Iceland: government must take big moves right now
The London School of Economics professor and Iceland expert, Robert Wade appeared on Iceland’s most popular political magazine programme Kastljos this week.
In the nearly 13 minute-long interview, Wade expressed his frustration that his (and others’) dire warnings on the Icelandic economy were not listened to over recent years. He said that the imbalances in the Icelandic economy had been bigger than almost anywhere else in the world, and that that was especially dangerous at a time when the entire world economy was entering a severe slowdown. “People, on the whole, were rather dismissive of (my) argument, saying that I was just being alarmist,” he said.
While Wade asserted that he supported the privatisation of the Icelandic banks in the first place, he described as “a mistake” the way the government went about the process, and the people who ended up in control.
“It’s not just a matter of what the rules are; it is also a matter of how the rules are implemented – or not implemented,” he said, claiming that the Financial Services Authority had acted more like the banks’ aide than their regulator.
With regard to the future, Robert Wade was adamant that the worst is yet to come. He foresees even higher unemployment and a time when pension funds feel the pressure to cut payments. He also believes that there will be another global tipping point (like the Federal Reserve’s decision not to save Lehman Brothers in September) some time between March and May.
It is Robert Wade’s opinion that the Icelandic government can effectively prepare for these shocks and set the country on the road to recovery by setting aside party politics and taking big steps right now, while there is still time. Whether they take his advice remains to be seen.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Its going to be an interesting year people. Yes it is. But I am still thankful to have friends, family, a job, a home, and that I don't live in Gaza. The horror is so great I cannot even touch upon it. Read your newspapers or view here.
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