Iceland - Centre-left Comeback

Centre-left wins Iceland election

Iceland's ruling centre-left government looks set to have won a major victory in the country's early elections.

Preliminary results show the coalition has won 35 of the 63 seats available, its first ever parliamentary majority.

Iceland has been one of the countries most dramatically affected by the global economic crisis.

The conservative Independence party, which resigned in January amid widespread protests over the economy, won 15 seats and has conceded defeat.

The Social Democratic Alliance and the Left Green Movement formed a coalition caretaker government in February, under Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir.

Ms Sigurdardottir said if the results were correct it would be "historic".

"This is the first time that leftist parties will hold a majority. I hope this will be the result," she said.

Ms Sigurdardottir told supporters the nation was "settling the score with the neoliberalism" and with the Independence party who "have been in power for much too long".

"The people are calling for a change of ethics. That is why they have voted for us," she said.

Independence leader Bjarni Benediktsson said it was clear that his party had lost the trust of voters.

"We lost this time but we will win again later," he said.

EU debate

The small North Atlantic nation has a population of only 300,000.

But it had to take a $10bn (£6.8bn) rescue package, led by the International Monetary Fund, after its banking sector imploded late last year.

The next government will face many challenges, centred around the economy, the BBC's Nicholas Walton says.

It needs rebuilding, with financial services no longer at its core. Unemployment and the government's ruined finances also need attention, our correspondent says.

There is also the question of whether or not to apply to join the European Union.
In the past, Icelanders felt that they were better off outside the EU.

But the financial crisis has changed opinions, our correspondent says. Now, many see EU membership or adopting the Euro as Iceland's currency, as part of the solution to the country's problems.

Pro-EU Ms Sigurdardottir said if the country applied immediately for membership it could begin using the Euro "within four years".

Congratulations to Ms. Sigurdardottir and her party. Hopefully, this will be the fix that Iceland needs to get back to being the wonderful country it has become. I have had contact with a number of friends in Iceland made over the years online, and, I want nothing but the best for them. They helped me tremendously with my first book and I am chomping at the bit to get there one day soon for a visit.

"Peace & Success To Iceland",

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Antarctica Icing And Cooling

Report: Antarctic Ice Growing, Not Shrinking

Ice is expanding in much of Antarctica, contrary to the widespread public belief that global warming is melting the continental ice cap.

The results of ice-core drilling and sea ice monitoring indicate there is no large-scale melting of ice over most of Antarctica, although experts are concerned at ice losses on the continent's western coast.

Antarctica has 90 percent of the Earth's ice and 80 percent of its fresh water, The Australian reports. Extensive melting of Antarctic ice sheets would be required to raise sea levels substantially, and ice is melting in parts of west Antarctica. The destabilization of the Wilkins ice shelf generated international headlines this month.

However, the picture is very different in east Antarctica, which includes the territory claimed by Australia.

East Antarctica is four times the size of west Antarctica and parts of it are cooling. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research report prepared for last week's meeting of Antarctic Treaty nations in Washington noted the South Pole had shown "significant cooling in recent decades."

Australia Antarctic Division glaciology program head Ian Allison said sea ice losses in west Antarctica over the past 30 years had been more than offset by increases in the Ross Sea region, just one sector of east Antarctica.

"Sea ice conditions have remained stable in Antarctica generally," Allison said.

Ice core drilling in the fast ice off Australia's Davis Station in East Antarctica by the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-Operative Research Center shows that last year, the ice had a maximum thickness of 1.89m, its densest in 10 years.

A paper to be published soon by the British Antarctic Survey in the journal Geophysical Research Letters is expected to confirm that over the past 30 years, the area of sea ice around the continent has expanded.

Even though I am not a scientist or any other kind of scientific person, I do know some things. I know that we are overdue for an "ice age" and we are NOT warming as some would have YOU believe. Furthermore, humans have NO CONTROL over what is happening in this aspect on the planet. Get over yourself people. We control how badly we screw ourselves, but, have absolutely NO control over what the planet does. Remeber that when YOU are running around talking about "save the planet". YOU need to worry about saving YOU!

"The Planet & Universe Rule, Globally",

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Somalia Pirates, Wipe Them Out NOW! PT 2

USS Bainbridge

I would like to give props to President Barack Obama, the US Navy, The Seals, Capt. Richard Phillips, the FBI and anyone else who helped bring this ridiculous situation to a wonderful conclusion for the "good guys". The US manned up and did what needed to be done. And did it without losing our hostage! It is time for the world to stop playing footsie with dirtbags like this and take a hard line as the French have done, and now the US. YOU cannot negotiate with scum like this without compromising your ethics and what the right move should be. Not to mention, paying this trash ridiculous amounts of money just makes them want more.

While we are "wiping out the pirates", who some seem to think are no more than pawns, why don't we start looking for whoever or whatever is behind these low level punks? Listen, these people are using highly sophisticated gps/tracking devices, computer technology, satellite cell phones and some pretty complex technology. Where are these people getting this stuff, AND, who is teaching them how to use it? Remember, this is Somalia! Not some high tech, highly developed, well educated society. We need the head of the beast. NOT the arm or leg.

Food for thought. How about going to Somalia and freeing the rest of the captive ships and crews? Wiping out these losers bases might give them something to think about.

"The Game Is Over" - United States Of America

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Somalia Pirates, Wipe Them Out NOW

Tense Standoff Between U.S., Pirates

Mirrors Lawless Trend Off Somali Coast

The intensifying scene of a pirate standoff with the U.S. Navy is a bleak case study in the lawless dynamics of the piracy problem off the coast of Somalia.

The captain of a U.S.-flagged ship hijacked this week by a band of pirates attempted to escape Friday but didn't make it far, as the pirates fired gunshots and recaptured him. They then proceeded to demand a $2 million ransom, according to a Somali negotiator.

The Navy has sent the USS Bainbridge to the scene, and the pirates reportedly have called in reinforcements as well, seeking help from other bands of pirates on hijacked ships in the region.

The fate Richard Phillips, captain of the Maersk Alabama, hangs in the balance, but he is not alone. At least a dozen ships and more then 200 crew members are being held by pirates in the region.

YOU know, this really chaps my ass. These low life dirtbags, that are lower than any animalz on the planet, have the nerve to sit over there in their piece of crap out house of a country and try to dictate to the rest of the world "what the deal is". Who do they think they are to go out and just take ships and people captive and then demand a ransom? Obviously, they are that ignorant and stupid!

I want nothing more than to see these innocent hostages set free unharmed. However, there comes a time when YOU have to "break some eggs to make an omelet". It has been proven that negotiating with these a--holes and paying ransom is not going to stop the ongoing hijackings. It is time to start blowing their collective asses out of the water, and, if I am not mistaken, do what the Russians wanted to do months ago. Go on land in Somalia and wipe out these scums bases etc. Until we do that, this crap is going to keep on happening!! Man up United States and go and start kicking some ass and quit pussy footing around with the scum of the earth. Let them all know, "GAMES OVER"!!!!

"Wipe Out The Pirate Trash",

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