Yesterday’s Breaking News: Icelandic authorities have decided to award ex-World Chess Champ Bobby Fischer a residents’ permit in Iceland. Prompting one to exclaim, in true Icelandic fashion, “Let all dead lice fall from my head!”*
Why this stunned amazement? Well, for starters, Bobby Fischer is a Wanted Person in the US. Seems he committed the heinous crime of playing chess in former Yugoslavia in 1992, during times of military sanctions. And although he’s got a very loyal group of supporters and friends in Iceland who have campaigned to bring him over here – after all chess is a National Sport in Iceland and Fischer helped put Iceland on the map back in ’72 when he played a world tournament here against Boris Spassky – it has not escaped most that the man is more than a little bonkers. One loaf short of a bakers’ dozen. Doesn’t have all his cups in the cupboard. Loco.
Lately he’s been languishing in a Japanese prison, having been arrested after his US passport expired. From there he has let rip with rants and obscenities, calling Japan a “hellhole” and being extremely vocal in his desire to “get out of this fucking country”. He also accuses the Japanese of trying to slowly murder him by placing him close to a leaky nuclear power plant and claims that as soon as he returns to the States “they” will have him killed at the first available opportunity.
Now, think what you will of our man Bobby’s deluded (or not) rantings, they are mere chicken-feed next to the main source of stunned amazement: Icelandic Authorities blatantly flying in the face of US authorities by offering shelter to a Wanted Man. Because Icelandic Authorities have studiously avoided doing anything of that sort, ever, as amply demonstrated by their support of the war in Iraq.
In fact, this scenario is so outlandish that it begs consideration of the other side of the proverbial coin – that they actually made this move in consultation with US authorities. Now that might actually make sense! The US is probably relieved as hell to be able to dump the Headache Known as Bobby Fischer somewhere, because after all if he returned to the US they’d have to arrest him. For the heinous crime of playing chess in the former Yugoslavia. And that might generate unwanted attention and a whole lot of Bad Press.
The only thing now is to wait with bated breath to see if our man Bobby accepts the invitation to become a new Nicelander. Stay tuned.
TODAY’S YULE LAD…
Pot Licker. Sidekick to his brother Stubby. Also liked to lick the remains from the inside of the pots, though in contrast to Stubby he had no special preference for burned remains. Mmmm, yum!
WEATHER
Still freezing cold, thanks to bloody windchill. Have preferred endorphin withdrawal to running outside today, which for YT is a Serious Matter. Temps currently –3 degrees, plus wind. Set to calm down later, so Darkness Run envisioned. Sunrise was at 11.18; sunset set for 15.29 (why has this been the same for the last three days?? Careless mistake, or Bizarre Phenomena?)
* Old Icelandic exclamation. Really.