On Icelandic Politics

Dear readers,

Today I would like to share something on Icelandic politics.

Now I can be either very short or very extensive on this;

In short; it's ridiculous.

[Those who went for this option can stop reading now...]

More extensively, Reykjavík's mayor (who goes by the name of Jón Gnarr) is a comedian. He runs a political party that is called "The Best Party" (probably since he thinks they're the best). A (slightly awkward) promotion video for "The Best Party" can be seen on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxBW4mPzv6E. It appears that, just after his party was put into existence, Jón called Tina Turner to ask if it was OK for him to use this song in his campaign, which is not only about brining prosperity to Reykjavík. Jón also strives for free towels at all swimming pools, a polar bear at Reykjavík Zoo, a Disneyland in Iceland, a drug-free parliament by 2020, no more debt, and "sustainable transparency". He will no longer accept mediocricy, because he only wants "the best".

In a recent article in The Reykjavík Grapevine, an Icelandic newspaper written in English, Jón explains how Iceland got its name. Instead of quoting the whole article here (which is ridiculously funny, though), I will summarize it in short for you. 

According to Jón, Iceland was discovered by a Ingólfur Arnarson, who sailed for America to buy "grapes and other fast food", but stumbled upon what was later to be named Iceland instead. After discovering the wonderful swimming pools Reykjavík had to offer, he settled there with his wife Hallveig Fróðadóttir, who many claim was the daughter of Frodo from The Lord of the Rings. One hot Icelandic summer day, Ingólfur and Hallveig were walking their dog (which was called Plútó). They stopped by at an ice cream store to get an ice cream for refreshment. Ingólfur asked the clerk whether she knew what the country was called. She thought it was called Thule, but Ingólfur considered this a stupid name. "No country can be called Thule", he said. Outside of the store, a lot of elves had gathered because they heard there was a foreigner visitng. Ingólfur raised his ice cream and shouted: "Henceforth, this country will be called Iceland, because one can get the world's best ice cream here!"

Although extremely funny, I don't see why this guy is a politician. Letting someone like him have his own political party would be similar to, for instance, appointing Arnold Schwarzenegger as Governor of California! (Oh, wait...)