No news to tell. No scandals, no natural disasters, nothing but snow, a bit of winter. But that is enough for me, I don't ask for more. It's like they say: simple minds, simple pleasures.

For some time now, I have belonged to the seemingly rare breed here in Iceland, which hails winter and wishes the snow would stay.
Foreigners are constantly being surprised by our lack of love for the winter time.
-Which is more popular in Iceland: alpine or nordic skiing?
-Well, I'm not sure... but neither one is very widespread here.
-Oh, I see. You're modern here, you're more of a snowboarding nation, right?
-Mmmm... yeees, that is catching on, but still quite limited to people of a certain age and life style.
-Hmmm... You must spend all your time ice skating then. You know, you're good at hockey and such.
-Em... nope to that one. No good at that.
-Right, no winter sports despite the name of the country... what about sailing? You live on an island, you are fishermen (or at least fishermen descendants), you must enjoy being out at sea in a little scooner.
-Are you crazy? Enough people lost out at sea without us foolishly going out there for fun as well. Not popular!

No, we're no good at winter sports. We don't like sailing. But sometimes we like to think that were really good at handball and bridge... does that count? And we do play football, do you know Gudjohnsen? Very good at that game... And do you know Vala Flosa? She won bronze at the Olympics. Stick jumping, you know...

Mt Esja is white, lake Tjörnin is frozen. Looking good. And we're expecting sub-zero temperatures throughout the week... yay! Good to have at least a mini-winter here in Iceland. And who knows... maybe we'll have a proper winter in Iceland for once. That would be fun.

And it might be one of the last chances to live one here, with all the global warming and stuff. Our children will probably not get a chance to throw snow balls, Icelandic will gradually loose all of its vast vocabulary for snow until only "snjór" will be left, - to hail the memory of a great thing.

Imagine the results of this story had this been a groom-to-be and not a bride-to-be. In that case it wouldn't have been just: go home and behave. Oh, no. That would immediately have been sexual harassment if not an attempted rape.

It's a funny thing, there are always enough people battling for equality - for women.

But then again, this swimming pool attendant probably didn't mind at all, - on the contrary! He was probably just living out his fantasies. And therefore didn't press charges. Oh, men...

America voted red. So they're stuck with the same president for another four years. Too bad that the rest of the world is stuck with him too, without having had a say in the elections. Do Americans realize that they're not only voting their head of state, but that their president also comes closest to being self-elected head of whole human society?

USA is red, Reykjavik is grey... Nothing but rain and fog to be seen in the forecasts for the next two weeks, booo! The eruption is over, no fun anymore. We're left with ever shortening days and same old scandals.

Reykjavik's mayor is in a big mess. He's in shit up to his neck, as the French would so elegantly put it.
It's regarding illegal coordination of gas prices, where three oil monopolies in Iceland ripped off all the country's car owners during ten years. Mayor Þórólfur was working for one of these companies and was aware of what was going on for some years, scheduling meetings where he knew that the three oil giants and supposed competitors would synchronize their "pricing policies".
This former marketing manager was hired as the mayor of Reykjavik one and a half year ago.
In many civilized countries we like to compare ourselves with, an official of Þórólfur's statute and position would resign immediately when linked with a scandal of this caliber and promptly beg forgiveness of an angry nation. But all he has to say for himself is: "Yes, I realize now that I should probably have backed out of this unfortunate job much sooner." Thank you mister mayor, that is very responsable of you. Yes, you should have shouldered your responsibility: turned a blind eye and ran when you had the time.

How about resigning now, mister mayor? Admit your culpability and be ashamed of yourself. No, he sees absolutely no reason why he should resign from his office as the mayor of the capital of Iceland, a mayor for almost half the population.

May I suggest a career change, mister mayor? I've heard that they're currently seeking a mayor on the Isle of Pitcairn. Elections will be held early next year, you might want to start preparing your campaign...

Latest news from Iceland:
Volcanic eruption in Grimsvötn, under Vatnajökull glacier!!!
Fourth eruption in ten years, thereof third in this most active volcano of Iceland.
Nothing big. Probably will be over in two weeks time. We're not evacuating Reykjavik... (the eruption is ca 200km from the capital, for the information of non-icelanders...)
The melt of glacier ice will most likely cause a flood, though. The flood following the 1996 eruption washed away 30km of roads and three bridges. But no harm to people is expected, as long as they keep people off this strip of road.

Imagine the foreigners stuck at the dam construction site at Kárahnjúkar. Their village appeared from nowhere one and a half years ago in the middle of the completely desert icelandic highlands and it is probably the human habitation which is closest to the volcano. Last winter was harsh, cold and long. Most of the workers and their families are used to the nature being milder, - giving, instead of unforgiving. And as if the upcoming, unpromising winter wasn't enough, the glacier next to them opens up to spit out fire and a 13km high smoke column.
Little did they know when they were lured into coming to this god forsaken island. Now they probably wish they had never heard of the place.