Comments on: Björk et al launch petition to overturn Magma sale

By: Alain Cognard

Alain Cognard — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 17:00:18 +0000

It is a way to do what Icelanders do not want to do (harness energy without care and without real need). We, in Canada, cannot stop the exploitation of bituminous sands which is a scandal, and it is doubtful that you could stop anything when Magma get the control.

Iceland is a model for us. Please don’t import inethic behavior from abroad and send back Magma.

By: preferiti di oggi | Alaska

preferiti di oggi | Alaska — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:26:25 +0000

[...] Bjork sta tornando, con un nuovo disco e un progetto ecologico. E intanto Alda dall’Islanda racconta del suo impegno su Magma Energy. [...]

By: sandy

sandy — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 03:31:07 +0000

The “international” in “international monetary fund” is merely an ostensible use of the word. The IMF is grounded on American-led liberal and neo-liberal economic policies which not only permit, but also require economic growth to function outside of philosophical, moral, environmental, and social questions. The questions Bjork and others are positing, are the questions which are not only the important critical questions that all people should be asking in these situations, but are at the same time those questions which fall outside of the realm of the workings and minds of business; they are thus rendered disposable, irrelevant, and unintelligible in the broader discourse.

Secondly, since its inception, the IMF has proven to be a force of globalization – one of the mechanisms through which de-regulation and privatization are implemented and articulated in structural adjustment strategies throughout many of the ‘developing’ (I use this term jarringly) countries of the world. (Cochabamba, Bolivia was a nearly singular, unique, and remarkable example of a people who would not stand for it and successfully opposed the IMF’s sanctions) The results include, but are not limited to: increased poverty for the people, citizens, and workers of the nations; obliteration and dismantling of important social institutions which keep a population healthy including education and healthcare; adverse and devastating effects on local environments by virtue of increased mass production of goods to be sent worldwide. In short, all of these have historically culminated into an intricately and duplicitous dependence on ‘wealthier’ nations for financial investment and the reinforcement of systemic exploitation. (For a revealing wealth of information, google ‘structural adjustment policies’)

Lastly, the dialogue and unrest in Iceland over this important moral, environmental, political, and economic issue is a microcosm of the difficulties faced across the globe; they are merely intensified here. The questions Bjork and others are raising are the important questions that, as a global community, we have refused to seriously address, reformulate, or answer. We would rather use our own logic of disavowal by eliciting a ‘not in my backyard’ response. Lets face it, it is poignantly clear, we have put the environment in a near unrecoverable state and attempt adopt weak and insignificant financial band-aids alla , we have allowed ourselves and others around the world to be exploited for corporate profits. We have sidestepped the questions which implicate us all for long enough.

I think that WE ARE ALL in some way responsible and implicated in these issues in different ways. I stand in solidarity with Icelanders to have the right to decide for themselves the ways in which the country will be shaped in the future.

By: marcus

marcus — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:44:49 +0000

i for one recommend to dissolve The International Monetary Fund since it’s a force for evil.

By: Kris

Kris — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:29:54 +0000

Bolivia is a good reference point for Iceland as the IMF begins the pillaging process. Other good reference point are the rest of the countries in SA and Africa. This might be a good time to start penning “The Icelandic Clock, Revisited”
Good for Bjork. She is not a fraud like Bono. Maybe I should not say that about Bono, who knows, he might throw a debit relief concert for Icelanders. –Buy the whole country and give it to charity, shake hands with the pope. Join forces with Demi Moore to save the world from slavery. Love himself even more.
Seriously though, this is a pivotal moment and if Magma goes through all is lost. Once large chunks of the economy are owned by multinationals (how many of these deals are pending), you (we) will become ‘indigenous people’ with all the associated loss of rights and freedoms. Did I mention peace keeping troops? Oh but those will not be necessary if you agree with Laxness. ( A little flame-bait to go with your Cappuccino.)
Kris

By: Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:51:42 +0000

I read about this deal: amazing – Magma aren’t actually paying for it themselves – they are borrowing the money: from who ? – Erm… The Icelandic government of course ! Iceland is loaning Magma money to buy an asset for ‘peppercorn rent’.

Probably not what voters for Johanna were hoping for when they voted her in…

By: torsten

torsten — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:54:06 +0000

@ snowball

Björks argument is – as I understand it – against privatizing nature (in a very obscure and intransparent way moreover) as a means to overcome economic problems and not about being or not being one of the stakeholders.

So here is Björk’s answer to Ross Beaty’s offer.

By: snowball

snowball — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:33:15 +0000

ross beaty with a brilliant move. he is offering bjoerk a 25% stake in magma.

http://www.grapevine.is/News/ReadArticle/Ross-Beatys-Got-a-Proposal-for-Bjork

it is a great opportunity for bjoerk to show the responsibility she is actually demanding from the icelandic government.

By: kevin oconnor,waterford ireland

kevin oconnor,waterford ireland — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:36:01 +0000

Has the Bjork effect taken hold ?

Talks to begin on shorter rental for Magma, outrageous if the whole agreement is null and voided due to popular protest, I suppose your rulers are well tired now what with the pots and pans thing, then the red flare torch procession outside the prezzies home, they might agree to anything by this stage just to keep you quiet, they could even agree to drop charges against the Reykjavik 9 for instance.

http://mbl.is./mm/frettir/innlent/2010/07/20/vidraedur_um_styttri_leigutima_ad_hefjast/

(For all you out there in cyberspace who are not fluent in Icelandic ie 99.9999999999999999999% of the human race use google translate for the link)

Yes you have them on the run comrade citizens keep the red flag flying there, if things keep up as they are you might even end up with a transparent,corruption free social democracy and that would just not do would it boys and girls ha ha ha.

By: alda

alda — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:30:46 +0000

I’m sure it would. I found this:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129027627107466&ref=search

Which addresses a similar issue, i.e. is not only to do with the sale of HS Orka.