Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.05.2011, Page 14

You Can’t Really Do
In Icelandthings
MUNDANE
TEN
While there are a number of totally wild
and out there things to do in Iceland (at
least fifty, according to the book), there
are also a number of seemingly mun-
dane things you can’t do. Well, you can
technically do them, but you would be
breaking the law. Be advised that en-
gaging in some of the following acts can
be punishable by fines.
1. OWN A SNAKE, LIZARD OR TUR-
TLE
Although they exist, it’s against regula-
tion to have a pet snake, lizard or turtle
in Iceland. These reptiles were banned
in the early nineties after a turtle infect-
ed its owners with Salmonella paratyphi
B. To crack down on a growing black
market in the last decade, the Icelan-
dic Food and Veterinary Authority im-
ported and planned to put 420 Iguanas
and Leopard geckos on the market with
health clearance certificates. However,
after three weeks in quarantine, the
whole lot of them were crawling with
Salmonella typhimurium. Needless to
say, they were promptly disposed of and
the ban remains (yes, apparently the
Icelandic government spent taxpayer
money to buy reptiles and then threw
them away).
2. PLACING THE ICELANDIC FLAG
ON YOUR ‘FRUIT OF THE LOOM’
PANTIES
Not only is it illegal to sell panties, box-
ers, thongs, and jock straps with the
Icelandic flag on them (that would be
disrespectful), it is also illegal to sell or
advertise items of foreign origin if the
image of an Icelandic flag has been put
on them (that would be unpatriotic).
3. BOx PROFESSIONALLY
In 1956, all boxing competitions, boxing
shows and boxing lessons were banned
in Iceland. The law, which is still in ef-
fect, additionally bans the sale and use
of boxing gloves and other boxing para-
phernalia. However, in 2002 another law
was passed allowing amateur boxing.
Although it sounds like it, there is noth-
ing casual about amateur boxing (it’s
the Olympics variety). In order to com-
pete, the competitor must, in addition
to other stipulations, be older than fif-
teen, use ten-ounce gloves with leather
portions weighing less than 140 grams,
and practice at an ÍSÍ recognised boxing
club for six months before competing in
a match for the first time. All other box-
ing is punishable by fines.
4. WORK AS A STRIPPER
In effort to crack down on human traf-
ficking, stripping was banned in Iceland
last year. Fun fact: In 2007, soliciting and
buying sex were both legal. Since 2009,
however, buying sex has become illegal.
Pimping is also illegal.
5. BUY LIqUOR AT A GROCERY
STORE
Aside from light beer, alcohol is not sold
at grocery stores or gas stations. In fact,
the state has a monopoly on the sale of
alcohol and it only dispenses at stores
labelled, ‘Vínbúð’, also known as “ríkið”
(“the state”) amongst Icelanders. Think
steep prices (a one litre bottle of 40%
Absolut vodka costs 6.998 ISK—around
60 USD) and a black market for ‘Landi’,
as moonshine is referred to in Iceland.
Fun fact: All alcohol was banned from
1915 until 1935, and beer until 1989.
6. GIVE YOUR KID AN EMBARRASS-
ING NAME
Within six months after a baby is born in
Iceland, parents must submit their new-
born’s name to the National Registry
(Þjóðskrá). If their name of choice is not
already in use and previously registered,
they must fill out an application and pay
3.000 ISK to have the Personal Names
Committee (Mannanafnanefnd) evalu-
ate it. The Names Committee bases its
decision on Icelandic law, which states
among other things that, “a forename
may not be such as to cause its bearer
embarrassment.” For this reason, the
committee rejected the name Satanía
(Think playground kids teasing the fe-
male Satan). Note that slightly different
rules apply to foreigners who gain citi-
zenship in Iceland.
7. PURCHASE A HANDGUN
The sale of handguns (and other small
firearms) to the general public is ille-
gal. This includes, automatic or semi-
automatic pistols, automatic or semi-
automatic rifles, automatic shotguns,
and semi-automatic or manual multi-
charged clip shotguns with cartridges
(whatever those are). Incidentally, the
homicide rate in Iceland is almost non-
existent (just sayin’).
8. FIND SOMETHING STILL ‘ON
SALE’ SIx WEEKS LATER
Doesn’t it seem like mattresses in the
United States are permanently on sale?
One has to wonder whether the store
is having a real sale or whether it’s not
just a big sham. In Iceland, however,
sales are regulated to protect consum-
ers from falling for such sneaky psycho-
logical sales tricks. Iceland’s Consumer
Agency sees to it that an item cannot be
advertised as ‘on sale’ unless there is a
real decrease in price from the item’s
regular price. Furthermore, if an item is
sold at a sale price for six consecutive
weeks, that discounted price becomes
the new regular price and it can there-
fore no longer be advertised as the sale
price.
9. WEAR A SKI MASK WHILE PRO-
TESTING SOMETHING
Freezing cold or not, the police can ban
anybody at a protest, demonstration or
similar gathering in a public place, from
covering their face with anything from
paint to a hat.
10. BUY FOOD WITH MORE THAN
2% TRANS FAT
A recently passed law, effective on
August 1, bans the sale of food items
containing more than 2 grams of trans
fat for every 100 grams. That means,
unless their recipes change, there will
be no more ‘Pop Secret’ microwavable
popcorn (28% trans fat), Ömmu kleinur
(18%), Hversdagsís ice cream from Em-
messís (23%), or Olivia brand marga-
rine (23%). But fear not, Prince Polo,
Iceland’s favourite chocolate bar from
Poland, has only 1.5% trans fat.
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Reykjavik Grapevine (and/or its officers,
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tion.
14
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 5 — 2011
Activities | NOT IN ICELAND
Eyrarbraut 3, 825 Stokkseyri, Iceland · Tel. +354 483 1550
Fax. +354 483 1545 · info@fjorubordid.is · www.fjorubordid.is
At the Restaurant Fjöruborðið in Stokkseyri
> Only 45 minutes drive from Reykjavík
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Freezing cold or not, the police can ban anybody at
a protest, demonstration or similar gathering in a
public place, from covering their face with anything
from paint to a hat.
ANNA ANDERSEN