Comments on: Happy New Year!

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:39:11 +0000

A very Happy New Year to you and yours!

(And thanks for the blog.)

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:40:28 +0000

Alda
My last comment regarding this subject.
Regarding item number 2

According to Webster you are a journalist, see item b:
1 a: a person engaged in journalism ; especially : a writer or editor for a news medium b: a writer who aims at a mass audience2: a person who keeps a journal

Regarding item number 3
Living in Seltjarnanes would substantiate this.

Regarding item number 4
I assume that your thoughts were that every Icelander setting off fireworks was financially able to handle it so no more comments about that. Fair enough. (see item 3)

By: alda

alda — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:00:35 +0000

Roy

1. No, I do not find it repugnant
2. I am not writing here as a journalist
3. I do not, as a rule, blog about how people are suffering
4. I do not agree with putting a specific image out to the world that isn’t the truth – whether you like it or not, Icelanders did spend money on fireworks and did fire them up and they did have a big party. That’s the truth and so that’s what the world should see. Anything else is manipulation.

By: Dietmar

Dietmar — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:45:53 +0000

Happy New Year Alda. I was out of town for 9 days, so I also wish you a happy belated Birthday (mine was on the 24th!). May this New Year bring you and the whole of Niceland some much needed joy and prosperity.

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:34:30 +0000

Hi Alda,
The truth shall set you free. Whistling past the graveyard isn´t buying anything. The tourists might as well know the truth. We are basically f****d and it´s not a bad thing that the tourists know it. Do you find it repugnant that tourists should look upon this magnificent display and declare that Iceland on the one hand is crying in its beer and on the other is telling the world that we have money to burn! As a journalist you shouldn´t lose sight of the fact that each and every event that occurs in this country is broadcast to the rest of the world. Everyone in Iceland lives in a fishbowl and that fishbowl is available for viewing by almost everyone on earth. You can´t, with sincerity, blog about how folks are suffering on the one hand and on the other salute the “mutha of all parties”. Record numbers of Icelandic families are asking for and receiving food and other aid. You and yours, as you have written, don´t fall into this category and I suspect you never will. My wife and I are also ok but we have other family members that have been affected and will be depending upon us for help which we will surely give. A nation of wonderful people, great history, fantastic cuisine and beautiful scenery doesn´t need the “They sure know how to celebrate new years eve” moniker to be recognized as a country worth visiting. Iceland is much more than that…much more…

Great organizations!
Mæðrastyrksnefnd Reykjavíkur
Rauða kross Íslands

By: alda

alda — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:57:06 +0000

PS – I’ve uploaded a few photos from last night to the Facebook group. And also to Flickr.

By: alda

alda — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:18:47 +0000

Thanks for your lovely New Year’s wishes!

Roy – Fireworks demonstrated to tourists that Icelanders are not in financial difficulty . — why do you see this as bad?

Hildigunnur – yes, we did too … there definitely weren’t as many as last year, or in years previously.

Dave – oh yes, that was me with the big wire-cutters, chopping in two those cables!
Seriously, though, AAH was working nearby and some of the people who had teargas sprayed in their eyes came running in there … apparently it was pretty chaotic.

LDE – not likely that Icelandair will raise prices too much – they want and NEED foreign visitors now.

By: Ljósmynd DE

Ljósmynd DE — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:23:11 +0000

Happy New Year! And as the days become longer again and the darkness retreats I hope for positive news from Iceland in 2009.

At least am I already planning our summer holiday in Iceland – provided that Icelandair won’t skyrocket the air fares.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:56:06 +0000

Happy New Year!

By: Magnús

Magnús — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 14:59:57 +0000

Hi Roy

I see your point but for me it’s simply a question of economics.

Sure, I could have given a rescue team a 1000 ISK and then went across the street and spent my budgeted 20.000 isk or so on fireworks with someone else.

Now, someone rational would say that I should have given the whole 21.000 to the rescue team.

But I ask in return. Where’s the fun in that ? My 21.000 gave me and the children a good hour of reckless fun.

No champagne this new years eve though…

Happy new year everyone !!