General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe main difference between America & Iceland--
In Iceland, the government owns the banks.
In America, the banks own the government.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)I don't know if Iceland is where the Vikings were, but I'm throwing it out there.
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)were actually written down, so you're not far off.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)And if you tell me I'm wrong about something, I'll get indignant about it, tell you you are wrong and then call you a name. It seems to work for a lot of people on the internet these days.
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)as a Right Wing fact checker.
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(52,317 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)(I know. Absolutely.)
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(52,317 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)unblock
(52,317 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)My Icelandic is pretty primitive; I struggled through the Havamal & some of Snorri with the assistance of Danih & English translations many years ago.
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(52,317 posts)i had the most amazing 9-course(!) meal ever there.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)in so few words.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)Lots of things are easier to get done when you only have 300,000 people in your country.
BlueJac
(7,838 posts)the politicians have been paid less!
jeff47
(26,549 posts)BlueJac
(7,838 posts)when the shit hit the fan the people reacted! Bam. Not like the sleepy country called the USA, who take it the shorts all the time!
ReRe
(10,597 posts)leftstreet
(36,112 posts)alcina
(602 posts)A friend had heard you could get tours of the Althing (parliament), and so one morning during our visit we went in search of it. But we got turned around and decided we should ask directions somewhere. We spotted a slightly open door on what appeared to be an official building, and we popped our heads in. We were greeted by a small camera crew filming an older man behind the desk. They were puzzled but polite and allowed us to explain ourselves. The man behind the desk chuckled and said something along the lines of "I'm too busy now to show you, but if you just walk across the street
."
We learned later than this man was the President of Iceland!
We did eventually find the Althing, only to discover that the tours were for groups only. However, my companion explained how much she was looking forward to it, which resulted in us being offered a private tour the next day. Unfortunately, she couldn't' make it; so the next afternoon I went alone and got to hear about the history of the Althing, view the various chambers, sit at a parliamentarian's desk, and have tea in the lunchroom. I was floored by how kind and generous everyone was.
On the other hand, though, they still have a large whale processing plant outside Reykjavik, and just about anyone I got into an in-depth conversation with eventually got round to telling me how the Romanians were "ruining everything."
Ah well
.