EINAR MÁR: Quiet, Confident and Ignored in America

�� 2 13 20 24 ISSUE TWO : JUNE 11 - JUNE 24 , 2004 Articles 06 DRINK IS GOOD FOR YOU How we can become the world´s greatest lovers 08 SISTER RUTH SEARCHES FOR POVERTY A nun decides to help Reykjavik´s unfortunates 13 EINAR MÁR: Quiet, Confident and Ignored in America 26 WHOSE INDEPENDENCE? The Republic celebrates 60 years Feature 10 INDEPENDENT WOMEN: Is feminism still necessary? Movies & Theatre The Reykjavík Grapevine crew 18 THE NEW QUEENS BEGIN THEIR RULE. A gay cabaret makes its debut The Reykjavík Grapevine 19 LIBERAL AMERICA STRIKES BACK. Hafnarstræti 15, 2nd floor The Day After Tomorrow [email protected] Editors: 561-2323 / 845-2152 / [email protected] rts & ulture Advertising: 562-1213 / 869-7796 / [email protected] A C Distribution: 562-1213 / 898-9249 / [email protected] Listings: 562-1213 / 869-7796 / [email protected] 20 OOPS I DIDN´T DO IT AGAIN. Þorvaldur Þorsteinsson, Jack of All Trades Publisher: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson 21 ORTHODONTISTS, ARTISTS AND HAIRSTYLISTS TO THE STARS Editor: Valur Gunnarsson The youth of Mosfellsbær tell their aspiration Co-editor: Robert Jackson Listings editor: Jón Trausti Sigurðarson Music & Nightlife Production manager: Oddur Óskar Kjartansson Creative director: Hörður Kristbjörnsson Photographer: Hörður Sveinsson 22 KRIS KRISTOFFERSON: Dylan´s Janitor Discovers Genius 23 THE PIXIES AND KORN: From Drugs to Comfort Food Advertising directors: Hilmar Steinn & Jón Trausti 24 The 2nd Worst Thing You Can Say on a 2nd Date Distribution: Hrafn Þráinsson & Jóhann Páll Hreinsson Cover photo by: Hörður Sveinsson Outside Reykjavík On cover: Sheba Wanjiku Printed by: Ísafoldarprentsmiðja ehf. STICK PINS AND SLAP THEM ON THE CHEEK 28 # of copies: 30.101 Dealing with the local ghosts Planned day tours: Landmanna- The Golden Volcano Iceland Glacier laugar Hekla Circle in a Nutshell Mýrdalsjökull Volcano Hekla Explosion crater A real 4x4 safari Glacier • Geological wonders Extraordinary landscape Hot natural bath Colors and craters • Geologival adventure Snowmobile ride Glaciers • Hot springs • Lava caves Unique combination of fire and ice LETTERS Complaints, criticism, suggestions, praise, money in new, unmarked bills, anything at all: Contact [email protected] or send your mail to: The Reykjavík Grapevine, Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík Hi, Unfortunately, there are a number of inaccuracies in the One of our editors was in Reykjavik recently and he article that appeared in the Grapevine and I would like to picked up a copy of your newspaper. I really liked the clear them up. pull-out center section, “Guide to the City Center,” and This law has nothing to do with what age a foreigner I’d like to get in touch with the person who wrote that. must be before being able to apply for a bank loan to buy Do you think it’s possible to send me that writer’s e-mail a house or apartment. The 24 year age limit has to do address, or to give mine to her or him? with residence permits for foreign spouses of Icelanders. Thanks! It says that foreign spouses of Icelanders who are younger Jason Cochran than 24 can no longer automatically get a residence per- Senior Editor mit solely on the basis of being married to a native. Budget Travel magazine 1) The author mixed up the names of 2 different institu- tions as well as the people who head them. He said that We would, but it sounds like you want to give him an assign- a meeting on Friday May 21st was held by the Multicul- ment. We find that when people start offering our writers tural Centre. There is no such place in Reykjavik. There money for their work they become much harder to deal with. is an institution called the Intercultural Centre. In fact, So we´re sorry but we are unable to help you. the open meeting was held by the Reykjavik Cultural Committee. Hello 2) Later in the article the author gives the name, phone I wanted to thank you for an amusing article on the exhi- number, and e-mail address of Halldóra Gunnarsdóttir bition in our museum in your paper in issue 1, year 2. It as the contact person This woman does not work at the was nice to get such a lively commentary on this exhibi- Intercultural Centre but in fact works at City Hall as an tion, I hope you´ll pass that on to the writer involved. information task manager in the Development and Fam- Regards and thanks ily Department of the city government. Harpa Þórsdóttir 3) The open meeting about cultural activities had noth- Head of Exhibitions ing whatsoever to do with the new law about foreigners. National Gallery of Iceland 4) Neither did the Multicultural Carnival which was advertised as being held in first Ingólfstorg and later Fine, praise them if you must, as long as you don´t start offer- Lækjartorg and NOT at Stjórnarráð, as mentioned in the ing them money. article. I would like to point out that if anyone is interested in In the style of “101 Reykjavík”, I tried to ‘live’ in Hall- more information about services for foreigners, to drop grímur Helgason’s head and share his thoughts and in at the Intercultural Centre on Hverfisgata 18, directly observations. I found it a rather mystifying place to be. across the street from the National Theatre and pick In particular I had a problem with the Icelandic society, up the current and back issues of their magazine which which apparently is the “best the earth has ever seen.” I has articles in many languages, including English, about wondered if the society where ‘nobody goes hungry to foreigners’ services and rights. bed, no one is cold at night, the healthcare system covers Respectfully yours, everybody, most people travel abroad three times a year Hope Knútsson and every home has an Internet connection’ was the chairperson, Multicultural Council same society that I was living in. Then it struck me that I did not have the benefit of Hallgrímur’s rose-tinted Paul Fontaine-Nikolov responds: double-glazing. I was also puzzled that he spent five I was pleased to hear that someone was fighting for us, the years in Paris and ‘there was nothing going on’ and that forgotten Icelanders, when this dreadful set of laws was he felt more isolated there than in Reykjavík. But I guess passed. While I appreciate your clarification on the “age 24” when in Paris he was an unknown wannabe, whereas law, I would like to point out: later in Reykjavík, a celebrated author, artist, essayist, playwright, competition judge and town planning expert, 1) This group was called the “Multicultural centre”, in clearly a serious case of Big Fish/Small Pond Syndrome. English, several times in the meeting.The name Halldóra As for his theory about a small society turning against Gunnarsdóttir was given several times at this meeting as the one that becomes too big, I feel confident that he has person to contact if any foreigners had any ideas as to how to nothing to worry about. make Reykjavík more multicultural. I spoke to one Halldóra Hassan Harazi Gunnarsdóttir about this meeting, told her what was said, 101 Reykjavík and asked if she was indeed the contact person for this group. She confirmed that she was. Dear Hassan In response to your query, we sent a reporter and a Catholic 2) The open meeting might not have had anything directly nun on location to see if poverty exists in Iceland. See page to do with the new laws, but the purpose of this meeting - to 8. They failed to find it in the first attempt, but that doesn´t make Reykjavík more multicultural - is both pertinant and mean its not there. Anyone wanting to send pointers or even relevent within the context of these new laws especially. write articles about the subject please get in touch. Grapevine -Here to help. 3) They did indeed discuss providing services to foreigners, e.g., a datebase website of every foreigner organisation in Dear Grapevine, Iceland, and not just involving foreigners in more cultural I’m delighted that you’re back! I missed your fresh com- activities, as you assert. mentary on Icelandic society during the winter months. As chairperson of the Multicultural Council I was happy 3) In no point in the article did I say that the festival took to see an article about the new law about foreigners re- place at Stjórnaráð. I said that I went to a “meeting” (which cently passed by the Icelandic Parliament. I was involved ended up being a hoax) at Stjórnaráð, while “the festival set in the month-long protest against the passing of that up across the street” - which would be Lækjartorg. law, along with 12 other organizations, and was one of the people who testified to Members of Parliament about While these laws seek to marginalize, these events seek to some of the clauses which would violate the human include. Aren´t we all working towards the same goals, after rights of foreigners. all? WULFFMORGENTHALER see more at www.wulffmorgenthaler.com EDITORIAL TROUBLE IN PARADISE by Valur Gunnarsson Fjölmiðlafrumvarpið. There. I´ve said it. The F-word. Now, let us never mention it again. At least not this issue. As we all get ready wear the costume. We thought this On a lighter note, we also have a now for the media not bringing up anything but the F-word for was kinda nice. Little did we expect new staff member, Beerman. He most of the summer, we´ll be focusing on other aspects of the country. the reaction. The lady who was go- won´t be around the office much, And, quite apart from everything to do with the F-word, all is not ing to lend us the costume withdrew but you´ll see him at the bar.

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