Iceland banking crisis news and more

Protest in Iceland today -- video

2009-11-11T18:48:00.005Z

Due to the banking crisis and economy problems here in ICeland ,everybody has to save money.
And the towns and city must save to.
One town near just south of Reykjavik ,Hafnarfjordur,has been cutting down expences, and when they decided to cut down on service for the young and teenagers,then the teenagers got angry.
The town council decided to cut down on the teenagers social center, the center where teenagers can come after school .
Today teenagers in the town protested , and went in front of the town hall ,and the mayor came out,and promised to talk to the teenagers at a meeting.
And teenagers always protest peacefully.
Speaches where made and they asked the mayor ,why cut down expences on the young .
Media was there ,so the mayor answered the questions,and ,of course ,promised to go over the expences and the savings .
And he promised to speak to the Teenagers representives , and not in closed rooms .

Some Schholmasters gave the kids the the afternoon off,so the could protest,but others did not,so their parents had to call the school,and ask for permission to attend the protest.

Iceland corrupt - poll in Iceland

2009-11-09T18:11:00.001Z

According to a opinion poll,made here in Iceland ,by The University of Bifrost , Iceland is pretty corrupt.
The asked 1350 individuals,and and 63% answered the poll.
67 % of those that answered ,think that Icelands politics and goverment system is very corrupt .

But according to Transparency International,Iceland is one of the least corrupt nations.

Strange sentences in Iceland - probation is popular

2009-11-07T16:27:00.003Z

A 38 year old man ,was sentenced yesterday by a county court in the sout part of Iceland.
He was sentenced for giving alcohol and sexually abusing two times, a thirteen year old girl.
He used her inexpieriance and that she had drunk alcohol ,and his strengh and age ,and sexually assoulted the girl two times.
The girls mother went berserk when this happened last year ( september) at the mans house.

He was sentenced to 8 month - and all on probation.
He will not have to serve any time in jail.
According to Icelandic law, the minimun sentence is 1 year in jail.

A few months ago , a man was sentenced for 8 months in jail ,no probation.
He had stolen meat in a shop .

Kaupthing bad loans to Kaupthings bank CEO.

2009-11-07T15:51:00.002Z

6 of the former CEO´s of Kaupthing Bank,got 400 millions in loans from Kaupthing,to buy land properties in Iceland .
The loans where in Japanese yens ,and are now around one billion krona.
The former CEO´s are Hreiðar Már Sigurðsson, Ingólfur Helgason, Magnús Guðmundsson, Sigurður Einarsson, Steingrímur Páll Kárason and Þorvaldur Lúðvík Sigurjónsson.

No American Ambassador in Iceland.

2009-11-06T12:48:00.002Z

No American Ambassador has been in Iceland since the beginnign of this year.
One member of parliement has asked the foreign secretary , why is there no Ambassador in Iceland .
Gudlaugur Thor ,member of parliement also asked the foreign secretary about the implications it has for us countries if the United States has not employed ambassador here.
He also asked, it there no ambassador ,because of the event last year when the former ambassador , Carol van Voorst ,when she was about to leave Iceland ,got a letter from the Icelands Foreign Office,wich told her ,that the President was going to give her a Presidential medal - the Fálkaordan.
But when she was on her way to the President ,house at Bessastadir,they got a phonecall from the Presidents office ,and where told that ,she would not be getting the medal.
No more explanation was offerred.
According to sources,the ambassador was not pleased,but continued to Bessastadir.
There had been some mistake made at the Presidential office.
The President apologized for this mistake to the ambassador ,but told her also - " that the medal is only for those that deserve it "
The Presideant of the USA ,Barack Obama had appointed mr. Robert S. Connan as US ambassador to ICeland , but he did not accept it.

Photo: Carol van Voorst

Mcdonald´s has left Iceland ---- video

2009-11-01T19:05:00.002Z

Bad things are happening all over our little planet.
Economic crisis, global warming, unemployment, wars and so on.
But today its looks like that Doomsday is upon us !

This is the last day of McDonalds in Iceland.
Feelings are running high,tears have fallen ,many will flag at half mast tomorrow.
Ithas been a sad day for Burger lovers.
I went to Mcdonald´s just after noon today , and there was a big line to it.
And i went again just minutes ago , and there where more cars in the line.
Inside there was also a line of people,getting there last McDonald´s in ICeland.
Tomorrow , no more McDonald´s.
Nobody wanted to be interviewed ,because ,feelings are running high,and nobody wants to break down on video ,and cry in public.
At midnight tonight , the golden arch will be turned off , and tomorrow ,there will be another name, where McDonald´s was before, and that name will be - Metro Burger.
Not as Classy as McDonald´s but still , they will serve burgers .

But yesterday night,at 24:00 hours ( GMT ) the lights of Mcdonalds where turned off.

Still corruption in ICeland - investigation

2009-10-31T19:45:00.003Z

According to an investigation by an independent investigator, top jobs in the public sector in Iceland ,are all political.
Ministers appoint friends, relatives,or there friends in their political party.
This has always been in Iceland.
If you want something,then it is better to know someone high up.

And nothing will change, even though things are bad ,due to the Banking crisis.
Years from now,all the same people will be in charge,Bankers, politicians and so on.
Een though members of parliement took part in banking crisis,got big loans, ( in the hundreds of millions ) and do not have to pay the loans.

But the public, they are expendable.
They must pay all , less pay,higher taxes and so on .
Even though the took no part in the Banking Crisis.

But to keep up the good humor in people, here is a video i tool last week ,when the ICelandic Symphony was interuppted ,by Darth Vader himself.
He is in the later half of the video .
Hope you like it.

People in trouble in Iceland , and children got big loans

2009-10-29T21:16:00.005Z

Looks like that every politician here in Iceland is thinking only about themselves.
The old pensioners are getting less pension, taxes will be raised, the disabled gett less money .
But money to the politicians and poltical parties from the parliement are not going down.
They still get all there wages, and everythinhg that goes with it.

Before the elections last april ,everybody running for parliement ,where promising to help the public and all.
But after the election , the all forgot their promises .
And since then ,people have been moving to other countries.
Family help independent service, i helping familys to get food and other things.

Looks like nobody will be held responsable for the corruption here in Iceland .
They are all going to help eachother ,those that are in power and the banking community .

Children got big loans

Islandsbanki - the new bank ,that was formerly known as - Glitnir, gave 10 children illeagal loans to buy stock in BYR a financial bank , before the banking crash last year.
The childrens parents demanded the loans , but there was no permission for this by the Sheriff, so it was illeagal.
Today Islandsbanki wrote these loans off , and apologized for this.

Mcdonald´s leaves the Icelandic economy ! video

2009-10-27T20:16:00.001Z

Due to the bad economy here in Iceland , McDonalds, is closing down next saturday .
According to the CEO of McDonalds in Iceland, this is because that the Icelandic currency is low, and they have to import everything from Germany.

The Icelandic Krona has fallen 100 % to the Us Dollar since the banking crisis last year.
So the McDonalds franchise is no more in ICeland , and instead there will still be burgers at the McDonalds location, but new name - and no Mcdonalds franchise.

The new burger place will be called - Metro .
It will only use domestic beef ,cheese and so on.

Part of the Western civil civilization , as we know it , will leave Iceland next Saturday .
But as you can see on the Video - Colonel Sanders is not far away from the McDonalds location.
KFC , will still be in Iceland , so there maybe some hope yet !

McDonalds opened in Iceland in 1993.
And Mr. David Oddson , who was CEO of the Central bank during the Banking Crisis last year, and in 1993 he was Icelands Prime minister , was the first guest and ordered the first McDonalds hamburger in ICeland .
Will he get the last burger on saturday ?
Stay tuned !

No more Mcdonalds in Iceland

2009-10-26T18:11:00.002Z

Due to the bad economy here in Iceland , McDonalds, is closing down.
According to the CEO of McDonalds in Iceland, this is because that the Icelandic currency is low, and they have to import everything from Germany.
McDonalds opened in Iceland in 1993.
And Mr. David Oddson , who was CEO of the Central bank during the Banking Crisis last year, and in 1993 he was Icelands Prime minister , was the first guest and ordered the first McDonalds hamburger in ICeland.

Darth Vader pushes Symphony controller and takes control ! 2 video

2009-10-24T17:42:00.001+01:00

I went tonight to see the Icelandic Symphony,play at a full house .
Mr. Micheal Krajewsky was conducting,and the theme was , John Williams movie music.
Mr Krajewsky ,is known for conducting Movie music and has worked with many Symphony orchestras , in San Francisco ,Dallas,Detroit, Baltimore,Stþ Louis to name a few.
I called the Symphony ,and they gave me permission to videotape and put it on the Internet, and everywhere else .
And on this clip ,there is a little bit of a Shocker !
There comes a unknown individual ,dressed in black and with a helmet ,and he walks on the stage ,and pushes mr.Krajewsky off the stage ,and takes over conducting the Symphony .

And when the music is over , he gets great applouse from the Icelandic people that where there enjoying great music by John Williams.
He ( Darth Vader ) comes in the middle of the video .
Enjoy .

Darth Vader pushes Symphony controller and takes control !

2009-10-24T11:02:00.001+01:00

And when the music is over , he gets great applouse from the Icelandic people that where there enjoying great music by John Williams.
He ( Darth Vader ) comes in the middle of the video .
Enjoy .

Permanent Secretary investigated in Iceland

2009-10-18T21:14:00.003+01:00

Iceland's government says it has reached a deal with Britain and the Netherlands to repay the $5.7 billion ,to compensate savers who lost funds in the collapse of the Icesave Account.
This deal is not very popular in Iceland. People say, why should the public pay for private banks crash .
Former health minister Mr. Ogmundur Jonasson ,resigned last month in protest.

Now the special prosecuter is investigating the Permanent Secretary of Education ,mr. Baldur Gunnlaugsson.
When his was Permanent Secretary to the minister of finance, after he and the finance minister ,had met the Finance minister of Britain ,mr. Darling, Baldur sold his stocks in Landsbanki, few days before the Bank crashed.
Special Prosecutor is investigating like it is insider trading.
Not all media in Iceland is following this story .
The paper that the former central bank ceo ,and former Prime minster,now is editor, Morgunbladid, does not follow this story about the Permanent Secretary .
Mr. David Oddson ,the editor and Baldur , are both in the Independence party .
Photos:
top: Baldur Gunnlaugsson
Bottom: David Oddson

Iceland news - people leaving Iceland

2009-10-18T11:53:00.002+01:00

Many Icelanders are now leaving the country.
Around 2.694 ctizens have left Iceland ,in the first nine months of 2009.
Now there are 14.819 unemployed in Iceland .

Market abuse by Icelands Banks - video

2009-10-17T11:13:00.002+01:00

Financial control group has sent issues concerning comprehensive market abuse by Kaupthing bank to the Special Prosecutor office.
They belive that the bank systematically tried to influence their share price and create a constant demand for shares and thus sent the wrong and misleading message to the market shares in real terms.

This was done in a manner that the bank, which at a given time could only have a maximum 5% in himself, bought shares and then sold them on to selected customers against loans. In this way the bank could be active in the market with its own shares.

The majority of those who participated in a poll made by one the Icelandic Newspapers , wants the government resign the agreement with the IMF.

Here you can a video ,on how people felt last year about the IMF

Police raid KPMG and Price Waterhouse Cooper in Iceland

2009-10-15T20:26:00.003+01:00

Many think that auditors have some responsabilty in the Banking crash in Iceland .
KPMG and Price Waterhouse Cooper Audit companys in Iceland ,where raided by the Special prosecutor in Iceland on the 1. of october 2009.
It is done as a part of investigation into potential criminal activity at three collapsed national banks.

Computer data and documents where taken ,from KPMG and Price Waterhouse Coopers,which had the banks as clients.
22 Police officers and 6 foreign accountants raided the Audit companys.

The raid was suggested last spring by Jean Michael Matt, a french special court audit investigator.
It looks like that the raids are quite embarrasing for KPMG and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

News from Iceland - Prime minister one of fiftie most powerful people.

2009-10-14T22:04:00.003+01:00

Icelands Parliements Investigative Committee ,which is investigating the Banking Cras last year, had a time limit on bringing to Parliement and the Icelandic public , the report on the crash.
But today the committie announced , that they could not deliver the report ,unitil next february 2010.

The Newstatesman , made a list of 50 people that matter in the world today.
And Johanna Sigurdardottir, Icelands Prime minister is on that list.
She is called the Ice Queen , and is in number 48 , one seat behind Jay-Z and Beyoncé .

It makes you proud to be in Icelander

Kaupthing chief suspect in bank crash in Iceland

2009-10-11T15:37:00.003+01:00

Sigurdur Einarsson, the former CEO of failed bank Kaupthing, is now aofficial suspect by the fraud prosecutors examining alleged market manipulation.
Sigurdur live now in Chelsea, is the first Head of a major Europian Bank ,to be Investigated as a criminal suspect after the Banking Crash last year.

Sigurdur denies that he has manipulated markets, according to a private letter leaked to the Icelandic press.

Sigurdur purchased a house in London, just before the crash last year , and the price of the house ,according to The Sun , 10,5 million punds

Yoko Ono lights the Imagine Peace light in Iceland - video

2009-10-10T10:14:00.002+01:00

Last night the Imagine Peace light was lighted.
It is on between the Birthday of John Lennon and to the date ,of his death.
Yoko Ono is in Iceland ,and was going to light it yesterday ,but weather was not good ( pretty bad weather ) ,so she will officially light it tonight.
The light was on last night,and as you can see on the video i took , the weather was not good.

Teenagers remember Icelands Protester tonight - video

2009-10-07T22:28:00.001+01:00

Tonight,at 20:oo hours ( local ) teenagers in Reykjavik ,went on a memorial walk ,in Reykjavik.
They where remembering mr. Helgi Hoseasson.
He died a few weeks ago , 89 years old.
He had been on that street for decades ,protesting alone.

He waws most famous for , when parliment was walking from the church and to the Parliement building in 1972 -
he threw dairy product on members of Parliement.

He had been protesting the Icelandic Church , and also the goverment .
Mr . Helgi, was called the - Protester of Iceland -

Icelands Prime Minister apologizes to the Icelandic people

2009-10-06T18:15:00.002+01:00

Johanna Sigurdardottir ,Icelands Prime Minister said in Parliament today, that it was the duty of the Prime Minister, to apologize to the Icelandic people , on behalf of state and public administration at the neglect and complacency which led to the banking crash last year.
" The banks failed,the administration failed,the media failed and the free market system failed " She said at the Parliement.

She also said : The main emphasis of the government are two: First, to get Iceland out of the crisis as soon as possible on the basis of the Nordic welfare values, and secondly to prevent the collapse of this kind again.

Iceland wins the IG-Nobel prize

2009-10-04T22:25:00.002+01:00

Improbable research is research that makes people laugh and then think and it administer the Ig Nobel Prizes.
And this year ,2009 ,Iceland is the proud winner of the IG-Nobel ECONOMICS PRIZE .
The directors, executives, and auditors of four Icelandic banks — Kaupthing Bank, Landsbanki, Glitnir Bank, and Central Bank of Iceland — for demonstrating that tiny banks can be rapidly transformed into huge banks, and vice versa — and for demonstrating that similar things can be done to an entire national economy.

No Icelandic banker attended the ceremony.

Peace meeting in Reykjavik - Iceland

2009-10-03T09:27:00.003+01:00

Yesterday at 20:00 hours ( local time in Iceland) and lighted candels.
It was the day of no violence.
The people with the candles formed the Peace sign.
And some music was played and people enjoyed being together and formaing the peace sign.

One minister resigns in Iceland

2009-09-30T18:51:00.002+01:00

Health Minister of the Icelandic govermnet ,resigned today.
Mr. Ogmundur Jonasson will meber of parliement ,and a new health minister will be chosen.
Ogmundur is a member of the Left Green movement, and is against the Icesave contract,that was voted by parliement last summer.
He will support the goverment.

Strange sport in Iceland - video and women only

2009-09-27T11:15:00.001+01:00

Today there was a womens sport tournement in Reykjavik.
It is some sort of a ball thing,where they use a single ball,and try to hit another player.
Since i am of the " male " kind, then the rules might be to complicated for me to understand.
But they where playing today ,and the weather does not matter .
It was cold and windy.
But they had a great time playng, and it was fun to watch.
And sometimes ,as you can see on the video , judges had to talk , about ruling .