Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.02.2002, Blaðsíða 1

Week at a glance

Snorri Alumni Association
established
Page 3
Friday 1 February 2002 • Number 3 / Föstudagur 1 Febrúar 2002 • Númer 3
Acting writer Brian Drayder is
passionate about the theatre
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Lögberg
Lögberg stofnað 14. janúar 1888
Heimskringla stofnað 9. september 1886
Sameinuð 20. ágúst 1959
Heimskringla
The Icelandic Weekly
www.logberg.com
Registration no. 08000
Agreement no. 1402161
115th year/115. Argangur
ISSN 0047-4967
Fréttir • News
Kusurnar fá
kennitölu
Cows get a social
security number
Icelandic cows will soon get a
social security number just like
people. According to regulations
awaiting approval from the
Department of Agriculture, all cattle
in Iceland will be recorded by 2004
and then cows, calves and bulls will
receive a social security number,
which will be put into a data bank.
This will also be done for horses and
sheep. This is to make breeding and
supervision of slaughter easier.
Information from Morgunblaðið, Á. H.
Fyrsti kálfur ársins
The fírst calf of the
year
The young gladden the eyes of
many and there is always certain
anticipation in the air for the first
calf of the year. And it does not hurt
if the calf is colourful. Variety and
multicolour are trademarks of
Icelandic cattle and therefore the
possibilities are many.
This little heifer was bom right
after the year tumed and is the first
calf born in Reykjahreppur in 2002.
It is happy playing in the feeding
stall in front of the cows, but proba-
bly will not be there for long
because it is to be put in a pen with
other heifers. Who knows, it might
become a successful milk cow in the
future.
Information from Morgunblaðið, Á. H.
Exciting Convention Programme Announced
Plioto courtesy of Morgunblaðið
Edda Bjömson Connell, co-chair
with Haraldur Bjamason of the
Icelandic National League of
North America Convention 2002 in
Minneapolis, hope they've planned an
exciting programme for the first ever
Photo courtesy of Edda Bjömson
Edda Bjömson Connell along with
Haraldur Bjarnson (not pictured) plan the
first INL convention in the US.
convention to be held in the United
States. And it does indeed look exciting.
Many dignitaries will attend from
Iceland, including former President
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, who is the
keynote speaker at the opening cere-
monies on Friday, April 19th. Halldór
Ásgrímsson, Iceland's Foreign Minister,
will be the guest of honour at the Gala
Dinner to be held that evening.
Samkoma, the Gala Banquet to be held
on Saturday evening, is dedicated to the
celebration of the twentieth anniversary
of the Val Bjomson Exchange Program
between the Universities of Minnesota
and Iceland. Páll Skúlason, rector of the
University of Iceland will be the fea-
tured speaker. Gamlir Fóstbræður,
Men's Choir from Iceland, will enter-
tain at various functions.
The three day convention is packed
with informative as well as business
sessions. It will be held at the
McNamara Alumni Center, University
of Minnesota. First thing Friday morn-
ing business gets underway, with vari-
ous sessions throughout the day and
Sunday moming. The first cultural ses-
sion on the migration of Icelanders to
North America takes place on Friday
also. It features several distinguished
authors and historians. On Saturday
there will be sessions on storytelling,
genealogy, language preservation, arts
and crafts, spirituality and "What's
swimming in the Gene Pool?" a look at
hereditary diseases.
In addition to the scheduled ses-
sions, there will also be special exhibits
on Friday and Saturday. They range
from photographic exhibits to video
images tó reenactments to demonstra-
tions along with traditional exhibit
tables.
Mary Josefson is the Chief Financial
Officer for the convention. Amongst
other things, she is the Vice Consul for
Minnesota, under Dr. Öm Amar. In addi-
tion to Mary, Edda and Haraldur, the
steering committee is made up of Pat
Allred, Maja Bjömson, Claire Eckley,
Katrín Frímannsdóttir, Maggie Lesher,
John Magnusson, John and Donna
Rutford, Ann Slettum and Steingrimur
Steinolfson. Many other volunteers are
helping out with logistics, food, pro-
gramme and all the other myriad tasks
required to put on a successful conven-
tion.
The convention is sponsored by the
League, the Foreign Ministry of
Iceland, Iceland Naturally, the Center
for Scandinavian Studies, University of
Minnesota, the Icelandic Hekla Club
and the Icelandic American Association
of Minnesota. For more information,
contact Edda Björnson Connell, 11732
Boulder Bay Road, Eden Prairie, MN
55344, USA, tel. (952) 942-6625, fax
(952) 942-0235, e-mail
eddausa@worldnet.att.net. For addi-
tional information check out their web-
site at www.frostbit.com/icelandmn/.
Until March 1, the registration fee
is $65.00 US, so turn to page 8 of this
newspaper and fill out the registration
form and send it in immediately!! See
you all in Minneapolis.
Take the bus from
Winnipeg to Minneapolis
The INL of North America has
arranged a bus/hotel package for the
convention. The bus from Winnipeg
to Minneapolis and three nights at the
the Days Inn, conveniently located
near the convention site, is available
for CAD $306/person. Call Melanie
Woodward at (204) 949-0199 at Great
Canadian Travel to book a spot. A
firm deadline for booking has been set
for Februrary 18. For further informa-
tion, contact INL/NA Convention
Director Elva Jónasson at (204) 452-
5378, e-mail sekjonl@mts.net.
Falcons Prepared For 2002 Olympic Debut
Thanks to many generous contrib-
utors, an exhibit to commemo-
rate Canada's first Olympic gold
hockey team will raise eyebrows at the
2002 Games in Utah this month.
The handsome display featuring a
hand painted mural of the eight-mem-
ber Winnipeg Falcons and a rich assort-
ment of memorabilia will be officially
unveiled February 21. Eric Olafson and
wife Jaye will host the ceremony at
Iceland House in the Tomax
Corporation building in Salt Lake City.
A news conference on the Falcons'
Olympic win of 1920 will be held at
6:00 pm, Thursday, February 21. At
6:30 pm, the Falcons Forever exhibit
will be unveiled. A reception to hon-
our Icelandic athletes of the 2002
Games will follow. "Guests from
Canada, Iceland and the U.S. will be in
attendance," says Olafson, CEO of
Tomax Corporation.
Olafson, who was raised in
Manitoba, says he is extending his hos-
pitality to the Icelandic Olympians
because "growing up in the Olafson
household meant coming into contact
with the importance of our Icelandic
heritage and culture at every turn...."
As for the Falcons, Olafson says it
Please see FalCOns oti page 7
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