Roach alert!
Fréttablaðið on Saturday had a rather mammoth headline on its front cover:
KAKKALAKKAFARALDURSHÆTTA
[Would you care to say it out loud? G'head, I'll wait...]
Personally I think it's the most superexcellent headline ever used in an Icelandic newspaper, if only because the journalist was clearly amusing himself or herself by constructing this rather lengthy word, that actually makes sense. Its meaning, on the other hand, is rather ominous:
RISK OF COCKROACH EPIDEMIC
It think it's safe to say that most Icelanders were pretty creeped out by the news item that accompanied it. As you'll already know - if you've been paying attention - Iceland is virtually free of the scurrying pest known as the cockroach [and in fact is free of mosquitos and dust mites as well - how we got so lucky I do not know]. As you will also know - if you've been paying attention - the US military, which has been stationed in Iceland since the end of WWII, announced last spring that they were closing up shop here on our fair isle and taking their kit elsewhere. Only they failed to mention that they'd be leaving behind their buildings, refuse [a.k.a. pollution like PCB and stuff in a massive garbage dump, lovely] and - yes - a large colony of cockroaches.
So with the people and - most importantly - the pest control officers gone, the roach population is set to skyrocket on the former Keflavík military base where, amazingly, it has been fully contained throughout the years. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that before too long little roach families will be going on outings through the sewers to visit those friendly folks down in Reykjanesbær, the nearby town. Hell, left to their own devices the roach population will probably set up its own little society in the abandoned buildings up there, send welcoming committees over to the Keflavík airport to greet tourists and regularly visit the Blue Lagoon for a little Sunday fun. And no way are they going to stop there, but will soon be craving the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Reykjavík, with its lovely outdoor thermal pools and wide array of restaurants [and I bet I know where they'll go first].
No. They must be stopped. In the absence of the US military, I think it's time for Iceland to declare war.
TODAY'SICELANDWEATHERISLOVELY
Beautiful sunny skies and unseasonably warm. They say we're having an indian summer and who am I to argue? Incidentally! If anyone is reading this and happens to be in Iceland and it's not yet 8 pm on Tuesday you are hereby recruited to march from Hlemmur to Austurvöllur at 8 o'clock to urge the government to accept Ómar Ragnarsson's proposals and abandon their evil pact with Alcoa in favour of a much better plan. Okay? It's going to be a beautiful evening, perfect for a walk. Temps currently °C according to the mbl website [yes that is what it says] and sunrise was at 05.51 and sunset is due for 21.06. I think it's probably around 10 °C. Or maybe 12°C.
[Would you care to say it out loud? G'head, I'll wait...]
Personally I think it's the most superexcellent headline ever used in an Icelandic newspaper, if only because the journalist was clearly amusing himself or herself by constructing this rather lengthy word, that actually makes sense. Its meaning, on the other hand, is rather ominous:
RISK OF COCKROACH EPIDEMIC
It think it's safe to say that most Icelanders were pretty creeped out by the news item that accompanied it. As you'll already know - if you've been paying attention - Iceland is virtually free of the scurrying pest known as the cockroach [and in fact is free of mosquitos and dust mites as well - how we got so lucky I do not know]. As you will also know - if you've been paying attention - the US military, which has been stationed in Iceland since the end of WWII, announced last spring that they were closing up shop here on our fair isle and taking their kit elsewhere. Only they failed to mention that they'd be leaving behind their buildings, refuse [a.k.a. pollution like PCB and stuff in a massive garbage dump, lovely] and - yes - a large colony of cockroaches.
So with the people and - most importantly - the pest control officers gone, the roach population is set to skyrocket on the former Keflavík military base where, amazingly, it has been fully contained throughout the years. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that before too long little roach families will be going on outings through the sewers to visit those friendly folks down in Reykjanesbær, the nearby town. Hell, left to their own devices the roach population will probably set up its own little society in the abandoned buildings up there, send welcoming committees over to the Keflavík airport to greet tourists and regularly visit the Blue Lagoon for a little Sunday fun. And no way are they going to stop there, but will soon be craving the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Reykjavík, with its lovely outdoor thermal pools and wide array of restaurants [and I bet I know where they'll go first].
No. They must be stopped. In the absence of the US military, I think it's time for Iceland to declare war.
TODAY'SICELANDWEATHERISLOVELY
Beautiful sunny skies and unseasonably warm. They say we're having an indian summer and who am I to argue? Incidentally! If anyone is reading this and happens to be in Iceland and it's not yet 8 pm on Tuesday you are hereby recruited to march from Hlemmur to Austurvöllur at 8 o'clock to urge the government to accept Ómar Ragnarsson's proposals and abandon their evil pact with Alcoa in favour of a much better plan. Okay? It's going to be a beautiful evening, perfect for a walk. Temps currently °C according to the mbl website [yes that is what it says] and sunrise was at 05.51 and sunset is due for 21.06. I think it's probably around 10 °C. Or maybe 12°C.
Labels: Rants
posted by Alda at 5:58 PM
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