Good Ol’ Traditions
Debates on Monday #14 One of last week’s loudest debates has to do with next year’s State Treasury budget, which Alþingi has been debating, as tradition has it, these last [&h
Stúfur Considering Legally Changing His Name
The third Yule Lad, Stúfur (Stubby), known for his short stature, is considering legally changing his name. “Would you want to be called Stúfur?” said the Yule Lad in an in
Opposition Proposes Condemnation Of CIA’s Torture
Foreign Ministry investigates whether CIA "abused" Icelandic airportsOn Friday, members of all the parties currently in opposition proposed a resolution to Alþingi, by which the p
More Extreme Weather Predicted In Iceland
Extremely bad weather conditions are predicted throughout the country tonight and well into Sunday, reports RÚV. Snowstorm winds from 30-60m/s are predicted, moving in from the W
Eykon Will Continue To Explore For Oil In Iceland
Oil exploration company Eykon is planning to continue their search for oil in Drekasvæðið (the Dragon Area) located in the northeast corner of Iceland’s territorial waters by
Giljagaur Doesn’t Understand How Monopolies Work, Still Has Opinions
Giljagaur (Gully Gawk), the second Yule Lad, took to Facebook last night, posting a controversial note about his opinions on a variety of topics, most notably the recent MS Monopol
Court Confirms Deportation Of Tony Omos
On Friday, the Reykjavík District Court acquitted the Directorate of Immigration (UTL) from charges pressed on behalf of Tony Omos, whose application for asylum in Iceland will th
Gov’t Press Secretary Urges Grapevine To “Reconsider” PM Holiday Story
Also objects to journalist’s personal tweets – Story remains uncontestedThis morning, we ran a story headlined “PM Ditches Parliament To Go On Holiday, Doesn’t Tell Anyone
Have Yourself A Sexy Little Christmas
Dirty little chocolate secretsChocolate. Oh heavenly Chocolate! The Aztecs—early converts to the cause—believed that it was a gift from the gods, and that it could even bestow
What Icelanders Eat For The Holidays
Look, intrepid traveller! Here is a primer on the usual suspects and new additions to the ever-popular Icelandic Christmas buffets, found at various restaurants around the country.
Sjón, Happy Nihilist
The author at the edge of conversation, at the end of the world“When ‘all the lights have gone out’ we will be left with our stories. At least we can […]
Filmmaker Not Involved With IS, Says Family
After Grapevine reported on the claim, which appeared in the New York Review of Books (NYRB), that an Icelandic filmmaker had filmed propaganda videos for the militant group Islami
PM Ditches Parliament To Go On Holiday, Doesn’t Tell Anyone
Icelandic Prime Minister, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson did not turn up to participate in the second parliamentary session discussing the coming year’s budget yesterday, tur
High Court Increases Sentence For Police Officer’s Physical Assault
On Thursday, the High Court confirmed the Reykjavík District Court’s guilty sentence over a police officer, for physically assaulting a woman during her arrest in July 2013.
Icelandic Composer Nominated For Golden Globe
Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his work on the film, Theory Of Everything, reports RÚV. Specifically, Jóhann has been nominated
Sheep-Cote Clod Turns Down Össur Prosthetic
Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod), the first of the 13 Icelandic Yule Lads, has turned down a generous offer from pioneering prosthetic company Össur to help him with his leg conditi
Spotify: The Market Sets The Price
Thoughts on costs, benefits and effectsRecently, the independent news site Nútíminn, leader among independent news sites named Nútíminn, ran an Op-Ed by a terribly uninformed
Iceland’s Economy Shrinks In Third Quarter
Austerity delivers anaemic growth: No surprise thereAfter years of growing at a respectable rate, the Icelandic economy seems to have stalled. According to the most recent measurem
The Yule Lads Start Arriving Tomorrow, Yay!
The Yule Lads are part of traditional Icelandic lore dating back over a hundred years. While some draw comparisons to Santa Claus because they give children gifts, the Lads and [&h
Five Icelandic Christmas Songs That Don’t Suck
Like we noted in last year’s Straumur Xmas Special, the holidays can be hard on the ears for folks who have a modicum of taste for decent music. It’s a […]
Be A Peaceful Infant Smiling In The Manger
A Christmas HomilyFeast of lights and love, the family days of Christmas; “what to dine and how to dress”— oh, don’t we all just thrill up on the quirky-looking sweater