… and a lot of other “world’s most expensive items” you didn’t really need to know, unless you wanted to make yourself feel better about how much money you’re spending these days. Like, $15 for a Big Mac and a Beer? Wow! At least I didn’t pay $3000, like some guy would have… if he were in, say, Iceland.

Yes, Iceland. Because apparently Iceland is home to the most expensive Big Mac, which costs about 469 kronur or $7.61USD.  via

And the “some guy” referenced above is actually “Mr. B” from New Zealand, who allegedly paid $2,595.00 USD for a beer in a Hong Kong bar — because he read the bill wrong.

BTW, just to be clear, Bangkok is in Thailand — not Hong Kong. But the song seemed fitting.

So while Mr. B’s er– miscalculation– technically qualifies his purchase for the world’s most expensive beer…  these beers are brewed from solid 24K gold.  Not really. They’re just really expensive.

Bierdrome in London sells bottles of Vielle Bon Secours beer for $1,000.00 which comes out to about $78.00USD/pint.  Boston brewery Samuel Adams sells its limited edition of Utopias for $100.00/24 ounce bottle, which breaks down to about $67.00USD/pint.  via

And then there’s the Tutankhamen Brew – $52.00/bottle. via

While we’re in the B’s…

Kohler’s Kallista Archeo Copper Bathtub can be yours for just $54,925.00 USD. What a steal! via

Natch, who knows how legit this list really is. But it makes for excellent cocktail convo.

Fernando Lopes o "Fepa" acompanhado da diretoria do WLPJJ: Foto Divulgação

 Nos dias 5 e 6 de Dezembro acontece em São Paulo a World Pro League Jiu-Jitsu (WLPJJ), idealizado pelo faixa preta Fernando Lopes, o “Fepa”. Alguns nomes já conhecidos prometem esquentar a disputa pelo premio extra, e já confirmaram presença.

Campeão peso e absoluto do Mundial Profissional de Abu Dhabi, Tarsis Humphreys, o campeão mundial Sérgio Moraes, Luiz Felipe Theodoro, o “Big Mac”, campeão da categoria pesadíssimo no Sul Americano de Jiu-Jitsu da CBJJ. E os americanos Mike Fowler e Jonathan Torres.

Quebrando o paradigma dos campeonatos realizados no Brasil, o WLPJJ, quer oferecer aos atletas um campeonato organizado e incentivar a profissionalização do esporte. A organização distribuirá até 60 mil reais em premiação, medalhas até o quarto colocado. 

“No adulto, tem o prêmio em dinheiro, que é de R$ 3 mil por peso e os R$ 5 mil no absoluto. O campeão do absoluto leva um cinturão. No ano que vem, ele fica esperando o finalista para botar em jogo” Comentou o faixa preta.

As inscrições vão até dia 30 de novembro, nos dias 2 e dia 3 de dezembro as chaves de luta estaram disponibilizadas pela internet. 

Mc Donalds ist der mittlerweile größte Fast-Food Konzern der Welt und ist auf der ganzen Welt vertretten. Hunderte von Millionen von Menschen konsumieren täglich bei Mc Donalds. Der Fast Food Konzern ist schon fast zu einem Monopol herangewachsen und andere Fast Food Ketten wirken mickrig im Gegensatz zu Mc Donalds. Aber was wisst ihr eigentlich über diesen Fast Food Konzern? Habt ihr euch jemals Gedanken darüber gemacht, wie der Weltgrößte Fast-Food Konzern arbeitet, wie die Hamburger und Produkte zubereitet werden, wo die Resourcen herstammen etc. etc.

Mc Donalds ist ein Fast Food Restaurant. Allein dass sollte uns schon nachdenklich stimmen, dass wir es hier mit Fast Food zu tun haben. Mit schnellem Essen. Wird ein Hamburger binnen einer gewissen Zeitspanne nicht verkauft, landet dieser Hamburger im Abfall. Und es geschieht nur allzu häufig, dass das schnelle Essen nicht schnell genug einen Abnhemer findet. Somit werden täglich Millionen von Hamburger entsorgt. Wertvolle Resourcen landen einfach in den Abfall. Weltweit sind dass pro Tag mehrere hunderte von Tonnen frischer Lebensmittel, die entsorgt werden und auf den Müllhaufen landen. Laut Studien liegt die Abfall Quote von Mc Donalds und anderen großen Fast Food Restaurants bei etwa 25-30% pro Tag. Dass ist immerhin gut 1/3 von dem, was sie da produzieren. Es ist einfach falsch, es ist Menschenverachtend und sadistisch. Fast Food ist undankbares Essen. Fast Food verleitet die Menschen dazu, unsparsam mit Ressourcen umzugehen. Fast Food macht die Menschen zu undankbaren Geschöpfen und bringt die Menschen dazu, unachtsam und verschwenderisch mit Lebensmitteln umzugehen. Sie verlieren den bewussten umgang mit Nahrung und sehen die Lebensmittel als etwas selbstverständliches an. Die Menschen sind weit entfernt von den Gedanken an Hungernot. Wenn die Menschen Hunger haben, laufen sie einfach zum nächsten Fast Food Restaurant und schlagen ihre Bäucher voll mit Müll. Und dabei unterstützen sie die Verbrechen, die die Fastfood Unternehmen begehen. Sie fördern somit die Armut auf der ganzen Welt, denn auch bei Fast Food werden die Rohstoffe und Ressourcen aus Armutsländern bezogen.

Dass ist aber nicht dass einzigste, was es an Mc Donalds zu kritisieren gibt. Mc Donalds verarbeitet ihre Produkte mit chemischen Zusätzen und auch die Rohstoffe werden mit Giftigen Pestiziden und Giftcocktails erzeugt.

Die ganze Produktpallette hat einen Nährwert von gleich null. Fast Food Produkte haben praktisch keinen Nährwert, was bedeutet, dass die Menschen von solchen Produkten kein sättigendes Gefühl bekommen, was zur Folge hat, dass die Menschen in immer größeren Mengen Fast Food kaufen. Dass führt hin zu verschiedenen Krankheiten wie hoher Kollisterin, erhöhter Blutdruck, fettleibigkeit und auch dass Immunsystem wird durch Fast-Food Müll rapide geschwächt. Außerdem sind Stoffe in den Fast Food Produkten enthalten, die den Menschen süchtig machen können. Die Fast Food Industrie tut alles erdenkliche, damit die Menschen täglich Fast Food konsumieren, wie z.b. Gehirnwäsche durch unterschwellige Botschaften, Werbungen, die die Sinne der Menschen ansprechen, schein Wohltätigkeiten, damit sie positiv in der Presse dargestellt werden und zuletzt, wie eben angedeutet, fügen sie ihren Produkten Stoffe hinzu, die zur Sucht führen könnten und somit dem Gehirn schädigen.

Außerdem ist Mc Donalds ein Unterstützer der US Army und somit ein Förderer des Kriegs im nahen Osten. Dass Pentagon zeichnete den Fast-Food Konzern für die Unterstützung des Irak Kriegs aus.

Fast Food kann nicht gut sein. Fast Food ist dazu verurteilt, scheitern zu müssen. Nur gewissenlose Menschen, giereige und egoistische Menschen, Menschen, die nicht nachdenken, dumme Menschen, die die Wahrheit ignorieren, Konsumieren bei Fast Food Konzernen. Es ist eine gewaltige Ungerechtigkeit, die Mc Donalds und andere Fast Food Konzerne auslösen, wie auch Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken etc.

Realitätsverlust und verharmlosung der globalen Verbrechen, die auf unserer Welt begangen weren. Dazu tragt Mc Donalds bei. Und durch die Massenproduktion der Rohstoffe und dem Einsatz von Pestiziden und Gentechnik verkommt dass Land. Da die Rinder auch hier mit Futtermitteln aus Entwicklungsländern gefüttert werden, trägt Mc Donalds zur globalen Armut zu und zerstört dass Leben von Menschen, die ohnehin schon in Armut leben. Ihr müsste euch intensiv mit diesen Themenbereich auseinander setzen, denn so ein einfacher Text, wie dieser, reicht bei den meisten nicht aus, damit endlich mal ein Licht im Kopf aufgeht.

En annan oväntad överraskning skedde i måndags kväll då returmötet efter förra veckans kraftmätning i badminton mellan mig och Per alias Mr. Big Mac ägde rum. Trots diverse regelvidriga övertamp från Mr. Big Mac, eller snarare tack vare skulle jag vilja hävda, så lyckades han mot alla odds att vända sin nedåtgående trend och faktiskt besegra mig med minsta möjliga marginal.

Men å andra sidan känns  det skönt att ha något att kämpa för nästa gång vi möts öga mot öga. Eventuellt så ska jag överväga att använda högern då.

Taggar: badminton, big mac

Thanks, Heather.

Dieser Tage jährt es sich zum 30. Mal, dass Wunderkoch Witzigmann sich die drei Michelin-Sterne erkochte. Die Speisekarte ist nicht mehr erhalten, wohl aber die Speisenfolge des Menüs:

Timbale von Gänseleber und Wildente, Königskrabbe mit Erbsenschotensalat und Sevruga-Kaviar, Jakobsmuscheln und Seeigel-Zungen auf Wirsing mit Curry und Ingwer, Steinbutt auf Kartoffelpüree mit Alba-Trüffel, Kalbsbries mit Stachys, Topinambur und Périgord-Trüffeln, Rehrückenmedaillons mit Nusskruste, Maronen und Rotkrautwickeln, dann Käse und ein Dessert “rund um die Mandarine”. (…)

Na, ist das lecker?

Und ein weiteres Jubiläum, noch nicht ganz so lange her, aber viel runder: Vor 25 Jahren wurde der 50. Milliardste Big Mac erbraten. Auch nicht übel.

It’s no secret that Carl Jr. is all up in McDonald’s grill fryer right now. First with their Big Carl lined up against Mickey D’s Big Mac, and now the Six-Dollar Cheeseburger against their Quarter-Pounder with Cheese. Yeah I saw the commercial. Yes, I was fucking hungry. Did I go and try it? You betcha.

Right from the get-go, the burger is in the Six-Dollar burger box. Carl’s Jr. obviously wants to show that this is still a “premium burger” despite the price.

The burger was nicely made. The Angus beef was filling and had a crispy charbroiled taste to it. Most importantly everything else blended together very nicely: the mustard, ketchup, cheese, onions, and pickles. Yeah, it’s missing the lettuce, but so is the Quarter-Pounder with Cheese. It was advertised as $2.79, but I got it for $2.99.

Verdict: It’s probably the best fast food cheeseburger you can get. It’s simply a no-frills and to-the-point cheeseburger, and that’s the best part. The price is right, and the combination of the condiments, onions, cheese, and Angus Beef is delicious and definitely filling. So, yes, Carl’s Jr. burgers are infinitely better than McDonald’s burgers.

不懂为什么路人甲这么多年来，都没有提起兴趣到澳洲旅行。

感觉澳洲就是很远， 但是由不是很多吸引的观光地方。

这次的流浪， 如果不是得到亚航的赞助， 想来也不会成行的。(详情参考这)

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出发的那天早上， 因为过后6天都会要吃鬼佬东西，所以就跑去Damansara Jaya吃点心（下次再写一篇介绍）。

出发前吃的点心

然后到了KL Sentral, 去KLIA Transit的柜台换了之前已经register了的免费KLIA Transit + 巴士接送到LCCT票

注：KLIA Express公司近来推出了到LCCT接送服务， 从KL Sentral坐KLIA Transit到Salak Tinggi站， 然后转搭它的巴士到LCCT, 全程30分钟. 因为要宣传， 所以在网上免费让人register免费乘搭。

KLIA Transit的巴士， 还很新（免费）

顺利到达LCCT, 然后check in. 这次飞机没有delay.  没多久就上机，这班机搭乘率只有70%, 路人甲可以霸完3张机位。路人甲还是第一次搭AirAsiaX的机，感觉上它的位子满宽的，虽然椅子的倾斜度不能adjust, 但是还是比普通AirAsia的位来的舒服。每个位子还有个人LCD（wide screen, 而且还是high resolution的）, 可以看电影， 听音乐， 玩game, 不过都是要收费的。 路人甲当然不会去花这种钱啰。

超高解释度的LCD(WIDE SCREEN)

机舱内（漫长的8小时）

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8个小时的白天飞行也蛮闷的，睡也睡不久， 一下子就醒了。 飞机在海上飞行4个小时， 然后再澳大利亚陆地上空飞行4个小时， 才到黄金海岸（澳洲粉大也~）。 降落时， 当地时间8点多（黄金海岸比KL快2个钟）， 室外温度大概25度， 还好， 不会太冷， 也不会太热。

然后就要见识闻名海外， 超严格的澳洲入境审查。 它们的海关真的每一入境者都问， 然后每一个旅行包都打开来查。 和马来西亚海关那种出入无人之境的情况真是天和地比。 想要偷鸡的人， 请三思。

被它的海关弄了40分钟， 终于出关了。 GoldCoast Airport虽然是一个国际机场， 但是机场本身却不是很大。 但是对路人甲来说， 最大的问题并不是机场大不大， 而是路人甲在整8个小时的飞行中， 只是吃了一杯杯面！ 现在肚子超饿， 但是机场的店才9点， 就全关了。

虽然是国际机场， 9点钟就全关店了

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没有办法， 先到酒店check in了才打算。

在机场搭巴士去town的话， 要A$16. 但是如果肯走路约500米， 到机场外的公路(GoldCoast Highway)搭Surfside Bus（http://www.surfside.com.au/）的话， 就只需几块钱而已。（Surfside Bus的服务是24小时的）. 路人甲背着沉重的背包， 一路走到GoldCoast Highway的巴士站。 一路上，灯火熄灭， 店全部都关了。 澳洲人出完名懒惰早关店真不是盖的。

路人甲在等巴士的时候， 遇到一对亚洲人情侣向路人甲问路，他们是从台湾飞来黄金海岸， 然后要搭火车去布里斯本， 现在要知道哪一号巴士可以到最近的Nerang火车站。 路人甲后天也要搭火车去布里斯本， 所以之前已作了功课。 看了打印好了的时刻表， 告诉他们现在这个时候（查不多晚上10点）这里已经没有巴士到Nerang了，要搭巴士去到前面， 然后再转另一辆巴士。 路人甲然后再提醒他们， 最后一班火车到布里斯本是11点多。 他们听了之后， 决定打taxi去火车站了。 不然miss了last train就要在Gold Coast过夜了。

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20分钟后， 路人甲要搭的巴士来了， 上了车， 大约20分钟， 就到了酒店。 酒店就在GoldCoast Highway的路边， 非常方便。但是另一个问题来了，酒店的门关了!!!!!!! 大门旁边有布告说，迟check in 的顾客们要用intercom叫经理开门。 路人甲看了下， 真的有一个intercom, 就call咯 。告诉operator姓名后， 怎知operator说没有路人甲的booking detail. (有没有搞错！)

路人甲一直要operator查清楚， 但是operator还是说没有record. 最后她还是叫了经理来开门。 经理一身T shirt短裤， 一面没睡醒的样子。 路人甲告诉他情况， 经理好像赶着要去睡觉酱，给路人甲一间房， 说明天才check过， 说了一句“Have a good night”就跑去睡了 （喂， 现在才11点不到咧！）。

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OK. 暂时不用流落街头， 但是肚子已经是超饿了。丢下了背包， 马上出去找东西吃。街上静静的， 好不容易看到一间类似餐馆的店， 跑进去， 它的waitress却说 kitchen is closed, 现在只是卖酒。 路人甲已经又累又饿了， 不想再四处找餐馆。 就问这位小哥， 附近哪里还有东西吃。 小哥说， 今天是星期天， 店都很早关了。 他想了想，说沿着这条街再走500m， 有一间McDonald， 可能还没有关。

路人甲听了之后， 跟他讲thank you(但是没有给tips咯)后， 马上就去找传说中的麦记了。走了500m, 真的看到写着24 hours的麦记！ Yeah , 有救了。

但是后来才发现， 24 小时是drive thru而已。 Restaurant已经关了。 路人甲不管了， 就这样跑到它的drive thru窗口， 敲它的玻璃窗. 那位金毛姐姐waitress还吓了一跳。（为甚么有一个亚洲人突然出现在drive thru的窗口）.

等着order时, 从drive thru窗口拍的

路人甲个人并不是非常喜欢吃麦记， 但是麦记也有它的优点：

第一就是它世界各地无处不在。

第二就是， 无论在哪里的麦记， 都有路人甲熟悉的Big Mac!! (听说印度除外)。

路人甲order了之后， 还有车子来到drive thru counter, 然后排在路人甲后面。拿了Big Mac就回去酒店吃， 然后就冲晾睡觉。 被澳洲人的懒惰享受人生的性格， 搞得有惊无险的澳洲流浪第一天就这样结束。

澳洲麦记价钱和KL差不多(没有convert的话啦!)

路人甲在澳洲流浪的第一餐, Big Mac

路人甲的房. 酒店经理赶着去睡觉, 就随便给了这件超大Twin Room (赚到!)

Hot guys in hot suits make me very happy on Thursday mornings :] or any other time for that matter….

Thank you Chace for being that guy :] YUM!

_________

Chace for InStyle Mag

• On the food that he thinks is sexy: “There’s nothing sexier than a Big Mac. I don’t eat a lot of them, but it’s just a whole complete package.”
• On the type of woman he finds sexy: “Someone confident but not arrogant or entitled, without an air of desperation,” says Crawford. “I’m attracted to girls that are a little more spontaneous.”
• On clothes that makes him feel especially sexy: “A nice, tailored suit will make you feel like a million dollars,” Crawford says. “Calvin Klein suits are classic and simple and that’s cool. Dolce & Gabbana and D&G as well.”

Source: La Belle Et Le Blog

Je commencerai ce billet avec une phrase clichée des humoristes: Heille, avez-vous vu les nouvelles ces temps-ci?  Je parle bien sûr de notre nemesis juré, la grippe A-H1N1.  Les médias québécois agissent de plus en plus comme une deuxième date qui a été so-so: tu ne sais pas si tu devrais la frencher ou lui faire un hug rempli de malaise.

En effet, soit on nous ordonne d’aller se faire vacciner sinon la grippe nous trouvera et nous mangera, soit on nous dit que le vaccin est non-testé, mortel et l’équivalent de s’injecter de la sauce à Big Mac en plein coeur.

Alors, Messieurs et Mesdames Les Journalistes (et François Paradis), quelle sera la nouvelle aujourd’hui?  Combien de personnes seront tuées par la grippe?  Combien de personnes seront tuées par le vaccin?  Combien de personnes seront tuées par étouffement de Snuggies?  Est-ce que nos héros Batman et Robin pourront échapper au piège du Joker?  Revenez-nous la semaine prochaine, même Bat-heure, même Bat-chaîne!

(Si vous n’êtes pas morts d’ici là…)

The era of Big Macs has passed in the small country of Iceland. This is due mostly to the aftereffects of the fiscal crisis that gripped Iceland last year. As a result, the local McDonald’s saw its costs double. In order to make the Big Mac profitable, the local McDonalds franchise owner would have had to charge over $6 for it. Compare that to the price in the United States (about $3.50). The competing Icelandic offerings using locally sourced produce (and other ingredients) now cost noticeably less than the Big Mac.
In other words, the locally sourced products not controlled by the global corporation have become the cheaper option. We usually hear that the “sustainable” or “ecologically friendly” way actually makes the product economically uncompetitive. In this case, the exact opposite happened. Admittedly, the increasing expense of the Big Mac ingredients is the result of a perfect storm of a national financial meltdown and corporate dictates. But the end result is that the Big Mac became economically unsustainable, and the business that it supported did not survive—at least in Iceland.
Put another way, in times of severe economic stress, the Big Mac business in Iceland turned out to not be very secure after all. Meanwhile, the competing businesses based on locally produced foods turned out to be secure enough to survive the economic storm that engulfed Iceland last year. In fact, they are so secure that they have a new entrant—the old McDonald’s franchisee.
The coda to the story is a classic entrepreneurial story. Since the McDonald’s business is no longer viable—the franchisee looked around for one that was. The answer turns out to be one also based on local (Icelandic) produced foods. Even better, he hopes to be able to keep all 90 of his employees in his new venture.

Interesting websites:

http://www.wacotrib.com/money/content/shared-gen/ap/Finance_General/EU_Iceland_McDonalds.html

"She's gonna get fat."

As college students, we are constantly inundated with new knowledge. It can be useful, thought-provoking, or crammed into our head on a Starbucks-fueled binge several hours before an exam. However, very rarely do we question the validity of all this new knowledge (unless you take philosophy classes, then you’ll question away).

That’s where College Candy comes in. We’re not going to debate whether or not the Theory of Relativity actually exists (a disappointment, I know, but I’m a communications major and stopped taking science classes after Baby Bio fresh year). However, we are here to thoroughly investigate the most widespread college knowledge (no, not rhyming): the myth.

Alright guys, I’m gonna level with you: I’m a big fan of the brewskies. I like Sam Adams Pumpkin Ale, Sweetwater 420, the occasional stein of Newcastle, and the slightly more frequent funnel full of Bud Light. I particularly like that I can drink copious amounts of beer without the consequences that would come from drinking the same amount of vodka, water & lime. Most of all, I like that beer lends itself easily to day-drinking.

What I don’t like about beer (besides how much it makes me want to sing drinking songs) is that it makes me fat.

It’s not even the eventual, slowly-creeping-towards-your-thighs fat. It’s like an immediate, “I’m so carbonated and delicious and I’m going to make you so full you can’t suck in anymore” variety of fat. So it’s no wonder that beer contributes majorly to the Freshman 15, right? Ehh, yes and no.

The typical 12 ounce beer has around 150 calories. So obviously, each one you drink adds to your bottom line of calorie intake. The more calories you consume without burning them off, the more weight you’re gonna gain (I know, it’s all very scientific). But if you carefully measure out your Stairmaster time to counteract the beer pong tournament you plan on winning later and you’re still gaining weight, it might not be Natty Light’s fault.

A strange thing happens when I drink beer. Come the end of the party/night/gameday/Happy Hour, I feel this strange magnetic force pulling me in the direction of anywhere that serves cheese fries. I’m not the only one, right?  Ok, good.

Beer, while awesome, still has alcohol in it (actually I’m pretty sure that’s what makes it awesome). Alcohol has this sneaky, two pronged approach to weight gain. In and of itself, it’s a highly caloric waste of nutritional value. On top of that, it lowers inhibitions. So not only are you more likely to make out with that guy who dressed up as a Smurf for Halloween (my best friend is still trying to get the blue body paint off of her sheets), you’re more likely to think that a Big Mac is totally worth blowing your day of careful eating and yoga. And it might not stop at the Big Mac, because we all know McDonald’s is a gateway drug to pizza and Lucky Charms.

So, while beer will make you gain weight (without exercise and self-control), another often-overlooked aspect of weight gain is beer’s BFF, Drunk Eating. The best way to avoid gaining a beer gut that isn’t even beer? Don’t stock your fridge with unhealthy crap, keep snacks in pre-portioned containers or bags, and for the love of all that is holy do not ask the cab driver to stop at Taco Bell on the way home! Instead, eat a good dinner with complex carbs and protein on nights you know you’re goin’ out big. Good judgment before 5 rounds of flip cup might just ensure better judgment after you are dubbed queen of the first try flip.

Icelanders Say Bye Bye  Big Mac

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Iceland-says-goodbye-to-the-apf-2609404079.html?x=0&.v=6

Quanto mais se “trabalha”, mais você sente fome. Em teoria sim, e na pratica, mais ainda.

Quem aqui trabalhando não sentiu vontade de um super lanche gorduroso? o uma batata frita máster? Talvez refrigerante? Chopp não conta, pois a vontade é constante.

Sim, não importa o quanto trabalhe, sentimos fome, isso é fato. Mas a realidade é, você tem dinheiro para isso?

Quanto você tem na carteira, é sim o que você pode comprar. Um guia pratico nos revela quanto tempo leva um trabalhador de salario mediano, para poder alcançar o valor em horas trabalhadas de um Big Mac.

Foi feita uma pesquisa em 73 cidades. Todos que trabalham em Chicago, Toronto e Tóquio, são felizardos que trabalham “sudoriparamente”, precisam de apenas 12 minutos de sua mão de obra para de deleitar com um Big Mac.

Já os funcionários do México, Jacarta e Nairóbi, terão de enganar sua pequena fome em aproximadamente 2 horas para poder comer um Big Mac.

Quanto tempo você precisa trabalhar para poder comer um?

Eu estou com fome… e você?

They are a symbol of the globalised world we live in today dominating 119 countries on 6 continents. Debates have raged about their role in the process of globalisation and standardising cultures across the globe.

The famous 'Golden Arches' which dominate the globe

As of Saturday31st October McDonalds no longer exists in Iceland, those famous golden arches will retreat back to America and perhaps Iceland will begin its economic revival. However, initial thoughts on hearing this news made some think that it was a symbol of a further fall from economic grace for the nation.

Before the financial crisis, Iceland ranked as one of the wealthiest countries in the world on a per capita basis. A year on from the financial crash which nearly left the country bankrupt the symbol of westernisation and global power has deserted the small country.

Iceland is currently relying on a $2.1 billion loan from the IMF to stay afloat after its three biggest banks collapsed having racked up debt which totalled ten times the size of its economy.

Bloomberg stated on the collapse of Iceland’s economy:

“The island’s currency collapsed last year following the failure of Iceland’s biggest banks. Offshore, the Krona slumped as much as 80% against the Euro, while capital restrictions this year have failed to prevent an 8.1% decline, making the Krona the second worse performing of the 26 emerging market currencies tracked by Bloomberg.”

McDonalds, which did have 3 restaurants in Iceland before the weekend, has never won a place in the hearts of the people there. It was one of the last western countries to be infiltrated by the McDonalds franchise (there was no Maccy D’s until 1993) and the people of Iceland were proud to have resisted the pull of American multinational domination.

When Icelandic soil was first broken by those ‘Golden Arches’ in 1993 a symbolic image has remained in the people’s mind, and one which has led many of them to place the blame for the country’s economic collapse partly on McDonalds shoulders.

The food which is being accused of standardising culture

Davio Oddsson, Prime Minister of Iceland at the time of its financial crash, was the first person in Iceland to eat from the new restaurants in 1993. He is also the person who most blame for their current economic woes.

Davio Oddsson, former Iceland PM, deemed most responsible for financial crash of country.

It was Oddsson who implemented the free market economy policies that have failed so spectacularly. The negative connotations associated with the McDonalds franchise have seen its swift exit from Iceland widely welcomed by Icelandic people. They believed it symbolised that Iceland had lost touch with its roots, a common complaint about the globalising effect McDonalds is seen to have on the world. An irradication of cultural differences.

The drop out of McDonalds has been blamed on hefty annual fees associated with the franchise and devaluation of the Icelandic currency has led imports of the specific ingredients to become too expensive. McDonalds have priced themselves out of Iceland.

Whilst its exit makes Iceland’s outlook appear grime I do believe it has the potential to be very positive thing. Now that the ‘Golden Arches’ are no more a new burger joint called ‘Metro’ is set to take its place but using only domestic ingredients, surely an amazingly positive thing for the economy! Before McDonalds forced their chain to import from the McProduction plant in Germany, a costly action for Iceland and one which did not encourage agriculture within the country.

Some may agree with the Consumerist when it says

“Iceland is so messed up McDonalds is giving up and going home!”

However, it has left the potential for the country to pick itself back up and carve its own unique path to recovery. McDonalds didn’t work in Iceland and perhaps it will return once the economy has recovered but I don’t believe its exit marks another blow for the country but an opportunity for development.

It is not the first time the company has withdrawn from a country (see Bolivia) and it will not be the last. Jon Ogmundsson, Managing Director of Lyst, holder of the McDonald’s franchise in Iceland said that in order to make a profit they would have to bring in 20% price increases to counteract the increased price of imported goods and high import taxes. This would make the Icelandic version of the Big Mac amongst the most expensive in the world at £3.86.

The iconic meal Iceland has waved goodbye to

So I believe Iceland has entered a new era in ways. As some of the Icelandic people may agree, it has been released from runaway capitalism and unrestrained greed, plus probably multiple health problems associated with the addictive fast food diet!

Sarah S

Face the wrath of the BigMac attack. Would you like bacon and cheese on
that?

.. in Islanda. Tara grav afectata de criza economica a privit neputincioasa cum bancile sale au sucombat in decurs de doar o saptamana din octombrie 2008. Caderea bancilor a sapat adanc in increderea in economia Islandei ceea ce a dus la prabusirea monedei nationale, coroana.

Cum operatiunile McDonald’s in Islanda se bazau pe alimente importate de pe continent managerii s-au trezit in imposibilitatea de a sustine costurile. Ultima zi in care Big Mac a ajuns pe tejghea a fost sambata 31 octombrie.

Anuntul privind inchiderea s-a facut cu cateva zile inainte iar compania s-a trezit la usa cu zeci de mii de clienti dornici sa apuce un ultim hamburger pentru o perioada nu se stie cat de lunga. Mai ales pentru ca McDonald’s au declarat ca nu s-ar mai intoarce in Islanda.