The White Falcon - 24.02.1962, Side 3

Saturday, February 24, 1962
WHITE FALCON
3
Icelandic, Still the Purest Language in the North
Disbursing Notes
(Continued from Page 2.)
the Navy and Air Force are sold
to them by the Army.
The present policy of the De-
partment of Defense is to abolish
MPCs whenever possible. MPCs
have been used, and subsequently
abolished, in Austria, France,
Germany, United Kingdom, Italy,
Ryukus, Yougoslavia, Trieste,
Hungary, Greece, Iwo Jima, and
of course, Iceland.
MPCs are still used in Japan,
Korea, Libya, the Philippines,
Morocco and Cyprus.
10 Corpsmen
UndergoTest
Ten corpsmen from the
Naval Station Hospital vol-
unteered recently for the pur-
pose of comparative testing
between various groups of
dietary habits.
The tests were conducted by Dr.
Michael Bluhm of the United Na-
tions Atomic Energy Commission,
on loan to the University of Ice-
land to establish an Isotope La-
boratory.
Those volunteering for the tests
were:
Ralph H. Jones, HM2; Donald
E. Waggoner, HM2; Wesley J.
King, HM2; John Peart, Jr., HM3;
George D. Case, HM3; Norman
E. Brigandi, HM3; Carroll D.
Moody, HM3; Michael S. Glover,
HM3; Lancie Shannon, HN; and
James Gibson, SN.
During the initial stages of
development, Dr. Bluhm discover-
ed a marked difference in thyroid
functioning of Icelanders. In order
to obtain further information, the
doctor expressed a desire for con-
tinued investigation.
A request for volunteers was
forwarded to the Station Medical
Officer, Lcdr Warren R. Jones,
(MC), USN, who made the selec-
tions.
After preliminary preparations
at the Station Hospital, the 10
Navy volunteers were taken to
the University in Reykjavik, Sat-
urday, to begin the tests which
were concluded next day.
Dr. Bluhm supervised the tests
and examinations.
The German-born scientist hopes
in the future to test other groups
with different dietary habits.
SCOUTS OF PACK, TROOP, AND POST 64 present Capt.
W. R. Meyer, USN, Naval Station CO, with a letter of
appreciation for his interest and assistance in the scouting
movement at Keflavik. The ceremony took pace during
National Boy Scout Week. From left: Greg Thompson,
Billy Meyer and Captain Meyer. Not able to be present
was William Horn.
Two workers sat down to eat
their lunch. One began to unwrap
a package some 18 inches long.
“What’s that ” asked the other.
“My wife’s away,” said the first,
“so I made myself a pie.”
“A bit long, ain’t it?” his friend
asked.
“Long Sure it’s long—it’s rhu-
barb.”
Two sailors were walking tow-
ard each other. One of them was
slightly bowlegged and walked
with a rolling gait. The straight
one, very curious asked: “Destroy-
er duty?”
“Nope,” replied the other. “Short
bunk.”
INSPECTION TEAM from Naval Station Fire Depart-
ment surveys Reykjavik Airport from the control tower.
The inspection was made at the request of the Director
of the Civil Aviation Administration for the purpose
of suggesting improvements in flying safety and crash
protection at the Reykjavik Airport. From left: Gud-
mundur Gudmundsson, Head of Reykjavik Airport Fire
Department;; Vitcor B. Robinson, Naval Station Fire
Chief; Gunnar Sigurdsson, Reykjavik Airport Manager
and Gunnar Petersson, Crew Chief, Naval Station Fire
and Crash Division.
The Saga
Of Eth (3)
& Thorn ([d)
They are Iceland’s real
Chuckle Sait
old timers. Stalwarts since
Viking days in this North
Atlantic island, but spumed
many years ago in other
European countries.
THE INCENTIVE AWARDS PROGRAM brought cash benefits to these two Icelandic
employees of the Defense Force, recently. B. Bjornsson, (left) who is with the Engin-
eering Division of Public Works, received $95 for his suggestion on “Improved Met-
hods for Ozalid Reproduction.” Arnor Johannesson, of the Commissioned Officers’
Mess, was awarded $81.80 for “Sustained Superior Performance.” Captain W. R. Meyer,
USN, Naval Station Commanding Officer, made the presentations in his office.
‘Short Term’ Airmen
(Continued from Page 1.)
Non-volunteers Only
It was explained that the rules
apply to non-volunteers, and that
only Air Force headquarters can
appove the reassignment of an
airman for a second or third tour
in an isolated area.
Volunteers, on the other hand,
have considerable leeway, not only
in voicing preference for a parti-
cular area, but also for serving
a second or third tour in an iso-
lated area they may like.
Nursery Help Needed
The Station Nursery is look-
ing for someone to help with
teaching and supervising. Hours
are from 8 to 5, five days a
week.
The nursery is located in
building T-183 near the Youth
Center and ages of the children
range from six months up to
five years.
For further information, con-
tact Mrs. Julie Zinsmeister at
extension 4264.
SEA TALES
The old boatswain’s mate and
the young seaman were sitting in
their room in the barracks, cros-
sing and uncrossing their legs to
kill time. After a long silence, the
old boats said, “Lad, step outside
and see if it’s raining.”
“Aw, Boats,” the seaman re-
plied without looking up, “why
don’t we just call George inside,
pet him, and see if he’s wet?”
Introducing .... Eth (8) and
Thorn (J>). They sound like a
vaudeville act but are, in fact, the
two unique Icelandic letters of
the alphabet that confuse all
Americans stationed here with the
Defense Force.
Eth looks like a letter d with
a small line through the top (8).
Its a special d, however, pro-
nounced with a thick “th” sound.
Thorn is a plump P (J>), whose
head seems to have slipped half-
way down its neck. It’s a softer
“th” of a sound, more like our
English th, and is featured in
men’s names.
Listed, for instance, in “Who’s
Who in Iceland Today” you will
find author Thorbergur Thord-
arson, journalist Thorarinn Thor-
arinsson and tourist manager
Thorleifur Thordarson—all spel-
ling both their Christian and
surnames in Iceladnic with the
letter Thorn (b).
Museum Director Kristjan Eld-
jai-n explains:
“Eth and Thorn would today
be a part of the English, Danish,
Swedish and Norwegian alpha-
bets, too, if outside influence had
not intervened.
“If you look at ancient Anglo-
Saxon documents from the British
Isles, you will see Eth and Thorn
many times, but they disappeared
with the French influence after
the Norman conquest of the 11th
century.
(Continued on Page U.)