What Are Icelanders Talking About?

The ongoing RÚV television series, Svona fólk (People like this), which focuses on Iceland’s queer history, reminded people of just how adamantly the National Church fought against legalising same-sex marriage in this country. As such, Bishop Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir was asked in a recent interview if the church was willing to apologise for this treatment. To her credit, Agnes offered an unambiguous response, saying, “I can totally apologise on behalf of the Church for having come out and hurting people this way. I’m happy to apologise for that.”

Speaking of same-sex marriage (bear with us here), former First Lady of Iceland Dorrit Moussaieff cloned her beloved dog Sámur, a very expensive dream of hers since the original Sámur passed away. In a brief interview, she compared the controversy around cloning to same-sex marriage, in that they are both things that people are suspicious of due to a lack of understanding. Makes sense!

Neo-transhumanist anti-capitalist synth kink rockers Hatari made headlines twice this news cycle, for two different but very good reasons. First, they dropped a new single, Filthy Boy, which is every bit the scintillating romp you would expect from a song of this name by a band like Hatari. Second, they donated ten tickets to their release concert to the legal fund of whistleblower Bára Halldórsdóttir, who blew the lid of the Klausturgate scandal. They’re just the sweetest, ain’t they?

McDonald’s might have left Iceland in 2009, but its legacy remains in the form of a preserved burger and fries at the Snotra House in Hella, South Iceland. Recently, Iceland’s last McDonald’s value meal turned 10, and looks pretty much the same as it did back then. Naturally, an Australian couple came forward with the claim that they have a McDonald’s burger that’s actually 20 years old, but come on. Who are you going to trust: Iceland, or a country that hasn’t produced any decent music since Men At Work?

Lastly, IKEA’s Christmas Goat is facing a new threat. Not high winds, nor faulty wiring nor a lone arsonist—all things that have previously felled the goat. Rather, a Facebook event called “Burn the goat, they can’t stop all of us” has already garnered some 4,000 Icelanders interested or going to the location on December 1. The event is ostensibly a protest against aggressively marketing Christmas earlier each year, and management is worried—worried enough to issue a statement reminding people that the goat is under heavy security. Challenge accepted? We’ll just have to find out.