Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.01.2011, Page 2

2
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 1 — 2011
Editorial | Haukur S. Magnússon
The Reykjavík GRapevine
Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
grapevine@grapevine.is
Published by Fröken ehf.
www.froken.is
Member of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association
www.saf.is
Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 25.000 copies.
Editor:
Haukur S Magnússon / haukur@grapevine.is
Journalist:
Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir / vala@grapevine.is
Editorial:
+354 540 3600 / editor@grapevine.is
advErtising:
+354 540 3605 / ads@grapevine.is
PublishEr:
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / hilmar@grapevine.is
+354 540 3601 / publisher@grapevine.is
Contributing WritErs:
Eísabet Jökulsdóttir
Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson
Ásmundur Ásmundsson
Eiríkur Örn Norðdahl
Sigríður Þorgeirsdóttir
Bart Cameron
Kristín Eiríksdóttir
Bob Cluness
Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir
Haukur Viðar Alfreðsson
Haukur Már Helgason
Paul F. Nikolov
Hilmar Magnússon
Einar Már Guðmundsson
Óttar M. Norðfjörð
Birkir Fjalar Viðarsson
Margrét Tryggvadóttir
Íris Erlingsdóttir
Þorgerður Einarsdóttir
Áslaug Friðriksdóttir
Íris Erlingsdóttir
Dr. Gunni
Steinunn Gunnlaugsdóttir
Siv Friðleifsdóttir
Bergrún Anna Hallsteinsdóttir
Magnús Sveinn Helgason
Editorial intErns:
Alda Kravec / alda@grapevine.is
Sindri Eldon / sindri@grapevine.is
on-linE nEWs Editor
Paul Nikolov / paul@grapevine.is
art dirECtor:
Hörður Kristbjörnsson / hoddi@grapevine.is
dEsign:
Páll Hilmarsson / pallih@kaninka.net
PhotograPhEr:
Hörður Sveinsson / hordursveinsson.com
salEs dirECtor:
Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / adalsteinn@grapevine.is
Guðmundur Rúnar Svansson / grs@grapevine.is
distribution:
distribution@grapevine.is
ProofrEadEr:
Jim Rice
PrEss rElEasEs:
listings@grapevine.is
submissions inquiriEs:
editor@grapevine.is
subsCriPtion inquiriEs:
+354 540 3605 / subscribe@grapevine.is
gEnEral inquiriEs:
grapevine@grapevine.is
foundErs:
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson,
Hörður Kristbjörnsson,
Jón Trausti Sigurðarson,
Oddur Óskar Kjartansson,
Valur Gunnarsson
The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times
a year by Fröken ltd. Monthly from November
through April, and fortnightly from May til Octo-
ber. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced
in whole or in part without the written permission
of the publishers. The Reykjavík Grapevine is dis-
tributed around Reykjavík, Akureyri, Egilsstaðir,
Seyðisfjörður, Borgarnes, Kef lavík, Ísafjörður and
at key locations along road #1, and all major tourist
attractions and tourist information centres in the
country.
You may not like it, but at least it's not sponsored.
(No articles in the Reykjavík Grapevine are pay-for
articles. The opinions expressed are the writers’
own, not the advertisers’).
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LIFE, TRAVEL & ENTERTAINMENT IN ICELAND
www.grapevine.is
Phew. New decade time. This is a joyous occasion, as the one we're leaving behind was by most accounts a failed
one (although it did have some awesome bits in between). In our first issue of this shiny new decade, we consult
historians, poets, CEOs, authors, politicians, artists, businessfolks, teenagers and seniors alike to try and determine just what
happened, and what's in store.
Tear it up and start again!
What happened during the last decade?
How can we avoid messing up the new one?
IN THE ISSUE Issue 01 • 2011 • January 7 - February 3 COMPLETE CITY LISTINGS - INSIDE!+
: )
Illustration:
Hristbjörnsson - this.is/trendy
Comic | Lóa Hjálmtýsdóttir
I watched the Prime Minister’s address on New
Year’s Eve. I should not have bothered. There were
no surprises. It was Your Standard Prime Minister
Of Iceland’s New Year’s Address, with no original
thought (nor commentary, nor ideas, nor sign of
life) managing to seep through the thick cloak of
mundane mediocrity that Iceland’s government
seems determined to shroud itself in.
Even though you could say I support our current
government—in the sense that I wouldn’t want
any of the other parties occupying Alþingi at pres-
ent governing me—and even though I am rooting
for it—in the sense that I agree with most of the
goals they’ve set and I hope that they reach them—
I have some very mixed feelings about it. In fact
you could say that I don’t really... like it.
The governing parties are not behaving in a way
that makes me especially proud to have voted them
in office, and they neither actively represent nor
uphold the values they strive to associate them-
selves with (and that I quite agree with).
Even though they are far from living up to their
promises, they still present no surprises. That
such groupings of career politicians working
within veteran political structures would jadedly
trudge on trying to maintain the system that has
bred and fed them is entirely unsurprising.
Maybe what’s surprising is that some of us dared
hope the great opportunity ICELAND’S TOTAL
COLLAPSE presented would perhaps be used to
usher in some much needed and positive change.
That it would inspire us to try new things; new sys-
tems, new ideas and new ways of thinking. That
we would maybe collectively envision and imple-
ment novel and exciting ways of rebuilding some
of our fallen structures, even dropping some dead
weight along the way. Y’know.
I might be wrong. Geez, I hope I’m wrong. Per-
haps now isn’t the time to try new things or differ-
ent approaches. Perhaps this isn’t a time to be fun
and inventive and original and progressive. Per-
haps now is not the time for ‘hope’ and ‘change’
and stuff. Perhaps there is only one way out of this
mess, and perhaps it is the one we are currently
trudging along.
And to be fair, the current government was faced
with a damn near impossible situation upon tak-
ing the reins. It has soldiered on relentlessly. And
indeed, it has accomplished many good things in
its time, and initiated some much needed change
(for instance with regards to gay rights. I am all
for gay rights).
And to be fair (fairness is important), some of
those we’ve recently voted in exactly because they
promised new things and different approaches ap-
pear to be in the process of striking out, too (but
to be fair, we will give them a year in office before
despairing completely).
But I was still hoping for something different, and
something more.
Perhaps it is time I place my hopes elsewhere?
Or perhaps this is a time for hopelessness?
I hope not.
HOPE and CHANGE and stuff

This is pretty much the best Icelandic country song ever writ-
ten, and by country, I mean real, bona-fide Icelandic country
that actually makes you think of Iceland, and not just some
fat baby boomer re-doing an American song with Icelandic
lyrics. It’s queer and quirky without being too pretentious
about it, and cynical without being pompous and melancholy.
It’s really just one guy with a couple of overdubbed guitars
singing about a woman he doesn’t get, and sometimes, that’s
all you fucking need right there.
www.facebook.com/prinspolo
Prinspóló: Niðrá strönd
TRACK OF THE ISSUE
Download the FREE track at www.grapevine.is
TRACK OF
THE ISSUE
Download your
free track at
grapevine.is
MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS – EDDAS AND SAGAS
The Ancient Vellums on Display
ICELAND :: FILM – Berlin – Copenhagen – Reykjavík
Icelandic Filmmaking 1904-2008
ICELANDERS – AN EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHS
The spirit of the Icelandic nation in words and images.
EXHIBITIONS - GUIDED TOURS
CAFETERIA - CULTURE SHOP
The Culture House – Þjóðmenningarhúsið
National Centre for Cultural Heritage
Hverfi sgata 15 · 101 Reykjavík (City Centre)
Tel: 545 1400 · www.thjodmenning.is
Open daily between 11 am and 5 pm
Free guided tour of THE MEDIEVAL MANU-
SCRIPTS exhibition Mon and Fri at 3:30 pm.