Missed Opportunity

I said it to my wife, when Davið Oddsson was retiring from politics and becoming the head of the Central Bank, that rule number one, in central bank policy, is that you never, ever, ever put a politician in charge of a central bank. NEVER.  One reason, of course, is that his appointment to the bank could appear, and usually is, politically motivated.   Another reason is that when he does or says anything, it can be construed, and often is, as being politically motivated. And lastly, when a new government made up of opposition parties tries to remove this politically appointed government employee it can also be construed, and often is, as being politically motivated. 

So, in Iceland there is a former prime minister, without any degree in economics, who is also a member of the former ruling party, appointed to the Central Bank by the former ruling party, who has said and done things that seem  politically biased. And now he is trying to be removed by the new government of opposition parties that may have an axe to grind. All of this could have been avoided. If only my wife had passed the information along.

GTB

07.02.2009

 Government is actually the worst failure of civilized man. There has never been a really good one and even those governments that are most tolerable are arbitrary, cruel, grasping and unintelligent. - H.L. Mencken

All Publicity is Good Publicity

It is a weak argument to say that commercial whaling will have a negative effect on tourism in Iceland.  On the contrary, ever since Iceland began scientific whaling in 2003 and commercial whaling in 2006, Iceland has been featured in the news around the world.  The news stories are generally negative in dealing with whaling but that negativity usually comes long after the story describes Iceland's natural beauty, clean water and air and geothermal wonders.  These reports, with their good and bad, put Iceland on the map for people who maybe never before had considered it a tourist destination. Subsequently tourism has not decreased as some had feared but has actually increased by a great deal as the information from Hagstofa Íslands shows - "The number of foreign tourist visiting Iceland in 2007was 485 thousand compared with 303 thousand in 2000. The increase was 60% during this period." Iceland couldn't do better than that if it tried. Sure there will be the anti-whaling folk that will boycott Iceland but so be it. You can't please everyone. Steingrimur is about to discover that fact now that he has decided to review the five year whaling quota.

Iceland should just go ahead and hunt whales.  It is not possible to manage a fishing stock without managing its predators and competitors.  Culling is in itself sole justification to whale.  Forget about endangered species, or painful deaths, or no market, or whatever other reasons the members of the IWC (should be called the anti-whaling commision)and Greenpeace conjour up to stop whaling  because it would not matter one bit if there were ten million whales, they could be killed instantly and painlessly and Icelanders ate whale meat five times a week.  Those members and their supporters will NEVER let commercial whaling begin again.  It is that simple. And if Icelanders feel the need to have a market, try establishing a pet food factory that uses whale meat or a biodiesel plant that uses whale blubber.  How do you think that would go over with Greenpeace?

GTB

(unofficial whaling industry spokesperson)

 

 

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