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The Reykjavík Grapevine

@rvkgrapevine

First off, we have two letters from this cat called Roy.
Hi,
Stefán Pálson is probably right.. Think about all of the money that was spent during World War II building tanks,airplanes,ships etc. just to defeat some misunderstood folks like the Germans and Japanese. We should have entered into serious discussions with these people instead of building a war machine to defeat them. Think of all the Icelandic seamen whose ships were sunk by misunderstood German U boat commanders. SP ought to be damn grateful not hateful. Very few Icelanders were killed by the U.S. military during their long stay in Iceland. Having the U.S. as an ally is not a bad thing.
Sincerely,
Roy Roesel
Hey… you are right, you are always better off siding with the bully. Like we all know, you are either with him, or against him.
Hi,
The statement from Magnús [Þorkellsson, interviewed in the last issue of the Grapevine] “In Iceland, I could say that there is more
freedom or more flexibility to discuss ideas on an intellectual basis. “
doesn’t hold water. You can say anything you want at a liberal arts college
in the U.S. If you live in a fishbowl country like Iceland you definitely
have to watch what you say are you might not be employed the next day. Look at Omar Ragnarsson’s latest comments as reported in Iceland Review.
Sincerely,
Roy Roesel
So, Omar is out of a job then? Hmm… not? What Þorkellsson is obviously saying to is that in an Icelandic classroom, a discourse on the Middle East can stick to an objective discussion on historical facts, where as in the US, the discourse tends to stray of into a more personal and subjective territory, tainted by politics and religion. If you failed to comprehend that form the interview, I might suggest that you could do with a few years at liberal arts college in the U.S.
Back to the Esso station where your illustrius newspaper use to stay sometime ago its planned a concert hall to be built. Cost of the project 30 bilions krona. Whatever? The same guy i asked for a better job told it to me: “It’s simply ridicolus!” and whit this he argued about what the price means: “If instead of this building they give the money out each icelandic would have10 milion krona” For what urbanistic concern a concert hall on the harbour will make of Reykjavik on line with what pitcure tell me about Sidney.
Three years ago when first i came year i’ve seen how downtown at Kaffi Rekyavik “The coolest bar of the town” the deal whit an aussie beer was broken, the arms of the precious drink by the trash: now it happen icelanders are back on the OZ line too? For what money concern i would not earn not beeing icelandic one of the ten milion krona package. “I could live for free for at least three year” i said to the guy at the gas station. Then i realized better: i’m deny about icelanders wage such of 400.000 kr once i´ve heard one man can earn with a showel. Those free years could have been seven. The same years an italian friend advised me are necessary for an icelandic passport or citizenship. Back again to the plan, if estethically i figure out in that placegardens more than an aquarium, on the income side people from iceland whit “-sons and -dottir” surname driving Subaru are still figuring me out as a long sleeve
orange, maybe belonging to the suit of a first class japanese traditional beach, one of those of “no” theatre.
Believe it or not, even whit those opportunity i´ve heard about, four time my wage, the same icelandic came to me begging for some pizza cash they have never return.
When i realized anybody here has much bigger wage than mine i start suspecting some dirty racket was slicing me off and denying me freedom. I could only find my mum and sister call on my handy, i do not think it was them, nobody foxy with
a pint would never call you: “Hello i´m pooring you out!” I am vegetarian but i am afraid i stink sushi.
I am arguing how far, enough for beeing used as a screen saver in a pop stage? I decided to go away from Lombardy, Italy, unhappy about house parties and what come whit it: building society, banking, trust and insurance: no freedom
and a bad family condiction jacking me over. I move in Great Britain first and then Iceland, at the job centre i was warned there was workers request here.
Result: unskilled job whitout any intrestment by the company to educate workers, not much rice back to how then living here is pricy: houses, nutrition, vacation, etc etc…
Here i have experienced socially the value of the word “House” the little
spoon icelander and english, and most probably lombards have in common and i don´t.
A similar background did´t stop a clash in the ‘70: must have been over an horse to beat on.
Apart for that, I do not match this this country for many other things.
I cannot stand in a smokey pub, i feel very bad. I was banned from university for i cannot speak icelandic, and all the book of the course where in english. True my english is poor but so far no access to a better linguistic resources would´t improve it. Different think to say when taxes offices of this Iceland took a share of 40 percent off of my wage, gap the fact my report went lost two times between tax collector, post and tax offices. I was asking my right and tax officials where asking the state one accusing me of beeing late.
Who was the arrogant there? Well, i´m living at the camp site no quids for a room. Last, estetically iceland is a beautifull country (even if Bleik og Blatt are no more those of 2002) and it’s two years and half i’m joked by fish factories, farms an other jobs the 9000 not islanders do. Radio on Bon Jovi´s “Living on a prayer” as focused by a sharp reporter, sound romantic but it´s back in the ´80 and i´m sick whit it.Personally i can hardly trust i can find a way for opportunities here, unfortunatly.
What i will say in my small shit about Iceland: country, institution, business, relationship and people. I still do not know how i will remember that.
By now i am planning quick to go working in a country i have better chances before the next system plan automatically will feed me.
Ps: I forgot to mention Thay and Polish syndacate. It’s a rule, how
come there is always somebody or something in a cupboard worh it better?
I have no idea what this guy is talking about, but the Grapevine employees have voted this as the most entertaining reader response to date.