# Icelandic politics revisited (and this weeks wow-moment) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 23, 2009, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626 "2009-01-23T13:05:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/41 "2009-01-25T21:06:06Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Now I just need to talk to some people who have some pull. Not to turn this into an Ask-The-Icelandic-Guy thread, but is Iceland sufficiently small that any given citizen, would stand a decent chance of being related to, or a friend of, or a friend of a friend, of people pretty high up in government/finance/business? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/42 "2009-01-25T21:16:51Z")
Is \*\* Acid Lamp \*\* going to solve Iceland’s issues by turning the country into an agribusiness giant? ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/43 "2009-01-25T21:17:49Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > So a third of that would be 150 million USD which is about 18,5 billion ISK. Wait! Iceland based their economy on currency used in a massively multiplayer online game. cool ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/44 "2009-01-25T21:19:43Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > Wait! Iceland based their economy on currency used in a massively multiplayer online game. > > cool You do know that CCP is an Icelandic company, right 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/45 "2009-01-25T21:20:28Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Is \*\* Acid Lamp \*\* going to solve Iceland’s issues by turning the country into an agribusiness giant? Find out after this word from our sponsors: IceCrop Co. … It wouldn’t be a bad idea though. Being an island with few, if any pests eating crops makes it even easier to control problems in the houses. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/46 "2009-01-25T21:22:56Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > […] > This could politically backfire though, as a first world nation would be competing with third world farming nations for market share… Lots of potential, that’s for sure. > [@Huerta88](#): > > Not to turn this into an Ask-The-Icelandic-Guy thread, but is Iceland sufficiently small that any given citizen, would stand a decent chance of being related to, or a friend of, or a friend of a friend, of people pretty high up in government/finance/business? We’ve already had one of [those](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=482338&highlight=icelandic) 😉 But to answer your question, yeah, pretty much. We’re only 300 thousand people and Iceland was pretty darn isolated up until maybe 50 years ago. > [@clairobscur](#): > > Is \*\* Acid Lamp \*\* going to solve Iceland’s issues by turning the country into an agribusiness giant? We’ll have to throw him a parade if it turns out that way! ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/47 "2009-01-25T21:30:18Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Lots of potential, that’s for sure. > > snip) > > We’ll have to throw him a parade if it turns out that way! What’s Iceland’s view on genetic engineering? Maybe you could trade new strains of hardy plants to the poor countries in exchange for international goodwill. I know that tech fields are pretty big there. Maybe I ought to get a presentation together; we know the Consul General here, I want my parade! (actually I want a job, but if being an idea man get’s me one that will work too!) ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/48 "2009-01-25T21:32:46Z")
I’ll have to check all that out a bit better at the office tomorrow. And come on… ain’t a parade way cooler than a job 😃 ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/49 "2009-01-25T21:33:20Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > This could politically backfire though, as a first world nation would be competing with third world farming nations for market share… actually hothouse farming is one of the cash cows of the Netherlands economy, the tomatoes taste like shit though ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/50 "2009-01-25T21:35:26Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > actually hothouse farming is one of the cash cows of the Netherlands economy, the tomatoes taste like shit though I’ve heard that a lot of the problems with the taste is due to using modified crops. heavy producing heirloom varieties wouldn’t be nearly as efficient , but taste twice as nice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/51 "2009-01-25T21:51:23Z")
Combine geothermal hydroponics and geothermal/hydro electricity with the [insulated-mass houses](http://www.sunspace.org/en/pottershouse_en.html) my friends built, and we could turn this thing around! ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/52 "2009-01-25T21:55:35Z")
I never would’ve thought the Dope might turn me more green. But your suggestions sound really cool. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/53 "2009-01-25T22:03:26Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Combine geothermal hydroponics and geothermal/hydro electricity with the [insulated-mass houses](http://www.sunspace.org/en/pottershouse_en.html) my friends built, and we could turn this thing around! **Nashiitashii** and i are planning to build a version of that type of home for our home when we settle down. We are going to combine the insulated, dug in technique with rammed earth wall construction and a sod roof! ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/54 "2009-01-26T08:21:48Z")
Just found this article in the [Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/meltdown-iceland-on-the-brink-1515753.html)that seems to describe the situation pretty well. This part is brilliant: > [@The Independent](#): > > “We’re just like kids whose parents went away for the weekend and we trashed the entire house.” ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/55 "2009-01-26T13:20:09Z")
And now the government has fallen. Ongoing discussions about what will come instead with suggestions ranging from “everyone who’s in parliament” to the left parties. It’ll be a very interesting day, for sure. Also, most people expect the chief of the Central Bank to call it quits and the heads of the Icelandic FCC were fired yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/56 "2009-01-26T13:27:44Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Just found this article in the [Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/meltdown-iceland-on-the-brink-1515753.html)that seems to describe the situation pretty well. I did not know this.. > [@](#): > > \*The Apollo 11 astronauts trained in Iceland because of the terrain’s similarity to the moon. and all the other facts for the gamethread ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/57 "2009-01-26T14:09:34Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Just found this article in the [Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/meltdown-iceland-on-the-brink-1515753.html)that seems to describe the situation pretty well. > : Interesting. So, one of the problems people have is that they got foreign loans in foreign currencies, that they’re supposed to repay with a now valueless krona, if I understand correctly. Am I right? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/58 "2009-01-26T14:10:56Z")
> [@willthekittensurvive](#): > > I did not know this.. > > and all the other facts for the gamethread So, the correct answer for the game thread question about Iceland’s landscape was “moonlike”? ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/59 "2009-01-26T14:44:33Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Interesting. So, one of the problems people have is that they got foreign loans in foreign currencies, that they’re supposed to repay with a now valueless krona, if I understand correctly. Am I right? Quite correct. And it’s most of the companies as well. But wouldn’t you be happy if your mortgage increased 70-80% in a year, while your salary decreased by 10%\* ☹ \*most people have taken pay cuts to keep their jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626/60 "2009-01-26T14:46:22Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Quite correct. And it’s most of the companies as well. > > But wouldn’t you be happy if your mortgage increased 70-80% in a year, while your salary decreased by 10%\* ☹ > > \*most people have taken pay cuts to keep their jobs. Hence why the govt has fallen I assume? Really that is just insane. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/icelandic-politics-revisited-and-this-weeks-wow-moment/482626.md?page=4)