News from the Taliban up North

For those of you that don't believe that Britain passed the Anti-terrorism Crime and Security Act on Iceland, Check this link, it's straight off their website:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/fin_sanctions_currentindex.htm

Then click on this link to get more details about this law:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/fin_sanctions_landsbanki.htm

Our Banana Republic of a Government in Iceland didn't help in the matter but we have been allies with the British and don't deserve this treatment.

Oh wow, the past two weeks have been surreal for me. I think the reality of the situation in Iceland is finally hitting me. I've been waiting to get paid for an assignment which I did for a Company in Sweden, but since the British passed the "Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act" on one of our banks in England there is no cash coming in or leaving our country. I know I'll eventually get my money but the reality of my country going into real poverty this winter isn't pleasant. I'm going to be a realist and prepare myself financially in the next 2 weeks. I don't have any loans which are considered bad but our cost of living is not going to make ends meet on unemployment. I can put some of my loans on hold; mortgage and student loans for example. I'm not getting any assignments in and the two that I thought were going to start this month have been put on hold.

The good thing about all of this is that I got a longing to go back to school this weekend. If there is going to be major unemployment here I think it's very positive to be educating oneself. The student loans are about as bad as unemployment but have very low interest rates.

More News from the Banana Republic

A few of you have been asking me about what's going on here in Iceland. There are a lot of factors that play into our economy crashing in a week.

Here are a few good links:
Iceland's bank defaults: lessons of a death foretold

Kicking Iceland while it's down

Up to Date News from Iceland in English

I’m not a happy camper today

I have a few assignments this month but have the paranoia that I won't get paid or get paid 2 months late.

Plan B is applying for jobs in Europe. There is actually a good job market for web designers in Brussels and some parts of Scandinavia. Plan C is applying for whatever job I can get here in Iceland and watch my economy sink.

The last of my worries is my extra pension savings I have in the bank. It still pisses me off that the Government has declared an Emergency Law and won't allow people to touch their savings. By the time people can touch it our money might be worth nothing. ARRRGH!

Life does go on and I'm making a great spaghetti dinner for my son and I tonight. My neighbor's son told me that I could catch really cute rabbits up in the hills around here. Hmmm, I wonder how they might taste? You know, just incase ;-)

Major Bank Chaos in Iceland Today!

The Government in Iceland took control of 6 major banks today and stopped all trading. The value of our kronur is almost useless. Since May the value of the dollar has doubled compared to our money.

It feels surreal to be experiencing something like this. I cooked dinner tonight and had a nice talk with my son. The little things that matter in life don't have a price tag ;-)




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7655227.stm