Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.11.2012, Blaðsíða 6

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6 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • November 15 2012
Peter A. Gudmundsson is Iceland’s Consul in Dallas, Texas. He is the
son of Ívar Guðmundsson,
a well known journalist and
writer, who worked for the
United Nations for many years,
and later became Iceland’s
Consul General and Trade
Commissioner in New York
1975 – 1982. His mother,
Barbara Hannah Gudmundsson
grew up in Waskada and
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Peter joined the U. S. Marines
and became a field artillery
and intelligence officer. He is a
graduate of Brown University
and the Harvard Business
School. He is the chief executive
officer and president of the
Dropout & Truancy Prevention
Network in Dallas. Prior to
joining the company, he was the
founder and CEO of the Priceless
Legacy Company, which was
a custom media company that
helped people preserve their life
stories and lessons in print and
electronic form.
Most of his career has been
dedicated to leadership in media
information and intellectual
property intensive businesses.
Before founding PLC, Peter
served for four years as CEO and
president of Beckett Media LP,
the world’s largest publisher of
magazines, books and websites
for sports collectors and gamers.
In his early career, he was an
assistant to the president of
Tosco Corporation, a leading oil
refining company, headquartered
in Stamford, Connecticut. He
also worked at Morgan Stanley
& Co. as an investment banker.
Peter was appointed
Iceland’s honorary consul in
North Texas in 2009.
He is married to the former
Kathleen Vouté of Bronxville,
New York, and they have four
children.
From The Consular Chatter,
Fourth Quarter, 2012, used
with permission
Now that afternoon showers are diminishing and the early morning
temperature is 75 F instead of
the regular 80, and we hear
about frost on the pumpkin up
north, the main tourist season
in Florida can not be far away.
Well over 60 million visitors
come here annually, and among
the most loyal groups are
the Canadians. And is it not
wonderful to be able to get into
your trusty automobile, when
the winterwinds start howling,
and drive to sunny Florida,
where the warm seabreezes
rustle the fronds of the coconut
palms on the white sandy
beach? If the Icelanders could
drive to the Mediterranean coast
during the dark winter months,
there would hardly be anyone
left on the island to catch the
fish and process it. The number
of Canadian tourists that paid
us a visit last year was over
3.3 million, increasing every
year, spurred by the strength
of the Canadian dollar. For
some reason the French-
speaking Quebec people seem
to like the Atlantic coast of
Florida, whereas the English
speakers favor the Gulf coast.
The better-to-do have bought
condos, but the majority rents
rooms in motels or boarding
houses. The city of Hollywood,
sandwiched between Miami and
Fort Lauderdale, is a favorite
of the Quebeckers. If you go
to the Hollywood beach with
its famous Broadwalk (yes, it
is indeed named Broadwalk,
not Boardwalk) you hear more
French spoken than English.
Understandably these are mostly
mature people, likely retired , all
content to stay in the Florida sun,
seemingly enjoying the company
of other French Canadians.
Their bodies bear witness to the
good life and ample food and
drink. The aim is now to make
sure all skin that can possibly
be bared be made brown as
a berry. These are said to be
thrifty people and many seem
to be constantly driving around
looking for the least expensive
early bird dinner and a super
market with the cheapest wine
in large jugs. When you see a
car with a Quebec licence plate,
automatically you become extra
careful. You must not take this a
criticism; it is mearly a friendly
observation. Of course we like
all our tourists.
The Pornograph
Many Icelanders love to tell
comical stories. Your reporter
knows a compatriot who lives
right here in the States and is
known for his wit and endless
supply of stories. When they
met last time, he told several,
and hopefully he does not
mind if your reporter shares
this one with you: An old guy
was sitting at the bar with
two younger men. They were
poking a little fun at the old
man and asked him if he ever
watched any pornography. “Are
you kidding?” he quipped. “I
don’t even own a pornograph.”
Thórir S. Gröndal
Florida
Fritters are deepfried delicacies or tidbits. The spelling is uncannily
similar to the Icelandic word for news, Fréttir. Thus you are getting
news regarding Iceland from Florida and some tidbits too...
Iceland’s Honorary Consul for North Texas
Thórir S. Gröndal,
Honorary Consul General
in South Florida
Thorvaldson Care CenTer
495 Stradbrook Avenue Winnipeg Manitoba R3L 0K2
Phone: 204-452-4044 www.thorcare.ca E-mail: thorcare@shaw.ca
24-Hour supervision
Government Approved FAcility Herman O. Thorvaldson, President
Our modern two storey care facility is government approved and specifically designed to offer a
homey atmosphere in a safe contemporary setting. We are located in Osborne Village convenient to
all ammenties and services.
The Registered Nurse and certified staff cater to the residents’ personal care, comfort and supervision.
Medications are administered, bath assist, meals, housekeeping and laundry are included.
Our goal over the years has been to provide a moderately sized, non-institutional environment with
services to meet the needs of those in the later stages of life. We seek to maintain a quiet, comfortable
atmosphere where our residents can feel cared for and safe in a home-like surrounding. We strive to
maintain the health, vitality and quality of life of each of our residents.
Celebrating over 50 years of Caring for Seniors
An IntERMEdIAtE CARE FACILIt y
Thorvaldson Care Center
The first question asked
whether voters wanted the
Constitutional Council’s
proposals to be used as a basis
for a parliamentary bill for a new
Constitution. Of the 107,570 votes
cast, 66.3% said yes, and 33.7%
said no. The second question
asked whether natural resources
that were not privately owned
should be declared the nation’s
assets in the new Constitution.
Of those answering this question
82.5% said yes, and 17.5% said
no. Of those answering the third
question on whether they wanted
a provision on the National
Church of Iceland to be in the
Constitution, 57.5% said yes
and 42.5% said no. Regarding
the fourth question on whether
the new Constitution should
authorise personal election
to Alþingi in greater measure
than it currently does, 77.9%
said yes, and 22.1% said no.
Regarding the fifth question on
whether the new Constitution
should contain a provision that
the weight of voters’ votes
should be equal in all parts of
the country, 63.2% said yes,
and 36.8% said no. Of those
taking a position on the sixth
question regarding whether a
specific percentage of qualified
voters could demand that an
issue be submitted to a national
referendum, 72.2% said that
they favoured such a provision,
while 27.8% were opposed.
Morgunblaðið – The voter
turnout in Iceland’s national
referendum was less than in the
previous two national referenda,
which were about Icesave. The
IP’s representative on Alþingi’s
Constitutional and Supervisory
Committee, Birgir Ármannsson,
said that poor participation
weakened the message from
the electorate. He said that there
could be numerous explanations
– lack of interest, discontent
with the process or the questions
on the ballot, etc. He noted that
voter participation in Iceland is
usually 70-85%; in this context
the participation was very low.
Reprinted with permission from
INB, published by KOM PR
First Lutheran Church
580 Victor Street
Winnipeg R3G 1R2
204-772-7444
www.mts.net/~flcwin
Worship with us
Sundays 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Michael Kurtz
Referendum
... from page 1
Consul Peter A. Gudmundsson
with his family near
Bolungarvík in 2011