President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

[Oilcover]

When was the last time it was awarded to encourage the recipient to "keep up the good work?"

A friend posted a story from July about the prize that answers my own question. Apparently, it's the prize committee's SOP. On one hand, it explains certain past decisions. On the other hand, it makes me wonder why the hell I ever thought it had any meaning at all.

 

[C420sailor]

Article 88 keeps me from saying what I really want to say.

 

[squorch2]

You mean that the awards committee is doing... what it's done in the past? And that all this outrage is nothing but a tempest in a teapot?


Will wonders never cease...

 

[villanelle]

I am a member of a pretty liberal-leaning message board and even the members there by and large think this is ridiculous. Hell, from the sounds of it, even Obama thinks it should have gone to someone else.

Realistically though, the NPP jumped the shark long ago. I don't think the selection is more ridiculous than a lot of past winners and nominees.

 

[HeyJoe]

I think you are right. The commitee is trying to sway his decision on Afghanistan by guilt trip. Sounds like my girlfriend.

Is she calling the White House or does she award her own "Peace Prize"?

 

[usmarinemike]

It happened. The question...Will this influence the President's decision on Afghanistan? It'll be tough for the president to hold that big thunderbolt in his hand and cast it upon southwest Asia when he has the nobel peace prize hanging around his neck.

The other...Was it meant to? I heard from one of the random news sources this morning while I was waiting to see his press conference that the deliberation went through August, but I'm not sure when the actual decision was made.

Conjecture is fun. I also see a 1984 joke in there somewhere.

 

[Calculon]

Well I think this just furthers the point that the award is pretty meaningless. It only ever became famous because some truly extraordinary people did get rewarded, but some people forget the pretty glaring omissions in its history (Gandhi was one iirc) and some downright bizarre selections. Why this ever got significance confuses me as much as why people take stock in the Academy Awards.

 

[Bevo16]

Why this ever got significance confuses me as much as why people take stock in the Academy Awards.

Good analogy actually.

In once case, you have actors giving awards to other actors and everyone acts like it is a big deal. The winner pretends to act surprised, even though the same shit happens every year.

In another case, you have socialists giving an award to another socialist, and everyone acts like it is a big deal. The winner pretends to act surprised, even though the same shit happens every year.

Remember when the Dixie Chicks won something like 7 Grammy Awards in a year they put out one shitty album and their only significant coverage was a result of their loud mouth lead singer talking shit about President Bush while in England? This is the same thing.

 

[picklesuit]

Well I think this just furthers the point that the award is pretty meaningless. It only ever became famous because some truly extraordinary people did get rewarded, but some people forget the pretty glaring omissions in its history (Gandhi was one iirc) and some downright bizarre selections. Why this ever got significance confuses me as much as why people take stock in the Academy Awards.

Could have something to do with the $1.4 million or the press...

 

[FlyingOnFumes]

When is there going to be a Nobel War Prize (for kicking the crap out of the enemy)?....

 

[picklesuit]

After the Revolutionary War, WWI and WWII, the trophy was retired in perpetuum to the United States...

 

[CalamityJean]

Could have something to do with the $1.4 million or the press...

That 1.4 million was actually worth 1.2 the day before he took office. Going by the numbers you'd think you're getting .2 million more, but in fact you're not. The Kronor hasn't advanced in the coversion rate by 1.0 the dollar has declined. I know, I know threadjack.

 

[nittany03]

It happened. The question...Will this influence the President's decision on Afghanistan? It'll be tough for the president to hold that big thunderbolt in his hand and cast it upon southwest Asia when he has the nobel peace prize hanging around his neck.

It didn't stop TR from carrying the proverbial big stick.

 

[Pugs]

It didn't stop TR from carrying the proverbial big stick.

Nope and keep in mind he won his for actually negotiating the end of a war.

 

[nittany03]

Nope and keep in mind he won his for actually negotiating the end of a war.

Yep. Time and a place for both the carrot and the claw hammer.