Ha! Ha! Ha! Such foolishness! Eh? Eh? Shutupshutupshutup you’re blowing my cover.
I’m sure I remember hearing that the national tv channels used to (or still do?) shut down on Thursday evenings to allow for family time. Is this true?
I also seem to recall hearing that, whilst there are prisons in Iceland, there is (or was) a preference for not sending people to prison and instead dealing with offenders within the community. The idea being that if everybody keeps an eye on them they will be less likely to re-offend. True?
How much does a beer cost on average in a normal bar (not a downtown club)? What about a loaf of bread? Milk?
On a more political note, what is the general view on commercial whaling? I heard a radio programme recently that suggested that whilst it is a traditional activity in Iceland, very few people actually eat whale any more.
Are there voices raised (however much in a minority) that are anti-whaling? If so, are these people laughed at (considered a lunatic fringe) or are they taken seriously (even if not agreed with)? Are there any political figures who are anti-whaling?
A couple of Brits trying hákarl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTOfhQ_SZEg
What letters do you use that aren’t part of the English alphabet, and how are they pronounced?
This thread rocks, Worm!
I’ve wanted to visit Iceland since I was in graduate school (we won’t mention how many more than 25 years ago) and took two quarters of Old Icelandic. Our textbook contained excerpts from the sagas, and in a total space of about 20 weeks, we learned to (haltingly) read these stories. I still have my book.
Both classes were really small (maybe 4 or 5 students) and it was really challenging (most of us were very fluent in German, but it was really HARD anyway), but always fun. There were several times where we were sure that we must be translating incorrectly because our results made us laugh way too hard. But our professor assured us that we’d understood correctly. 
Of course, everyone already took all the good questions… :dubious:
GT
This is a fantastic thread. I want to visit now. Worm, if there is a sharp rise in visitors this year you should probably make the tourism council aware of your fine work here. Maybe some royalty money is in order. The least they could do is buy you a bigger couch for all the SD guest coming to sleep at your place.
A couple of questions
Are mental health problems disproportionate in Iceland with months of (mostly) dark and months of light at a time? Or is seasonal affect disorder just a way of life? Are mental health issues talked about or are they taboo in such a strong community-based lifestyle?
What is the distribution of wealth like? At least in my mind, most everybody in Iceland is living comfortably, without major gaps either way in the class structure. Of course my extensive research on the subject is limited to a Sigur Ros documentary.
Let me guess: the one about the woman divorcing her husband because his penis was too big?
Nah, I think you just add an Icelandic name if you become an Icelandic national. I’ve met some new Icelanders from Thailand that go by e.g. “Shirawat Þórður Thaksin” - it always strikes me as odd 
William would be Vilhjálmur
It´s you guys that still carry a piece of the old land with you 
Woho, I’m esteemed 
Normal western clothing. Maybe a bit “trendier” than other places, we’re early adopters when it comes to fashion (myself excluded). We have most of the retail chains like Zara, Debenhams and so on (mostly European chains though).
But what never goes out of fashion is the wonderful Lopapeysa (Wool-sweater), the standard outfit for you out-of-town excursions.
We all do
He’s about to get a Titan from his Corp so he’s pretty high up in 0.0-space.
I’m afraid I’m drawing a blank on the Old-Norse names for you and shooting safe with Margrét - maybe Mathildur?
Hot springs are nice and comfy to soak in for hours on end
20 years ago (when there only was one channel), this was true - also, no TV in July. Not anymore.
Well, there is a prison in d/t Reykjavik, but I doubt we let those guys out. Sentencing is usually quite lax (all too, for my taste) and people tend to not look that much down on ex-cons (depending upon the crime, of course). I cannot, however, recall any news on the system working as you say it does.
Cheapest beer at the liquor store (state run): $ 1,7 for 0,5l
Standard toastbread: $ 2,2
Milk: I actually don’t know - haven’t bought milk in ages, but around $ 1,3 for 1l
The general view is that you all (who oppose it) are a bunch of whiners and griefers who generally don’t know what you’re talking about. Iceland hunts 60-70 Minke Whales each year, out of a total stock of 100’000 - to few to have any impact.
People do however admit that it might be bad PR and hurt tourism so we’ll probably lay it off in the next couple of years. For monetary reasons, not moral ones.
The Green party might be anti-whaling, but no other party or figure goes out against it.
Apostrophies on all vowels (in addition to regular ones) and þ and ð (and ö, but that ones not an Icelandic original)
Þ would be like the th-sound in the
ð would be like the th-sound in although
Those Sagas can be pretty wacked at times. But of course they’re all 100% true with no embelishments whatsoever
They should - I totally need to talk to them about it
And thank you, all good fun!
People are not very willing to eat pills or go see a shrink and rather fight it on their own (or with support from friends and family), whenever something happens. Which is good for those that have the support and crappy for those that don’t. But (for men) it’s still a sign of weakness to admit to having any issues and those that exist are most easily solved by the bottle - women, however, are allowed to talk about them.
And there certainly is a change in lifestyle between winter and summer - hybernation comes to mind
Of course we have people who own their own jets and have more houses that they can coun’t and people who live on the streets who have nothing. But they said in the news, yesterday (or the day before) that the total number of homeless people in Reykjavik is 60-80 persons - almost all of them heavy drug- and/or alcohol-users.
As I wrote in a previous post, most people aim for their own house and two cars, with the ability to go abroad a few times a year - and most people succeed.
But people are willing to work to achieve their goals. Many people work 2 jobs (even if 1 would be enough) to get that house, or to get that extra stuff they want - or just to pay off the loans they took to buy it in the first place
Which would be Medium in Iceland
I now have an answer from my lovely assistants (they’re not just mine, I have to share them 
) who could shed light on this matter!
In case of two mothers: It’s the birthmother, or, if adopted, they pick themselves.
In case of two fathers: If they are in a registered partnership (aka married), they pick themselves. If not registered, only one of them is registered as the father and thus gets to give his name.
Make sense?
My condolences to your women.
Do you have a temp-agency for lovely assistants, or does word just get around?
My boss just has good taste
Really funny! But no bother letting some posh guy like Ramsay dissing our food - real men (like Captain Slow) are quite capable of eating it