I am truly speechless

[Roark_John]

I wouldn't pretend to tell another person why they should care about anything.

The Nobel Prize used to be an award based on merit. A concept lost on quite a few people lately. Just like the Congressional Medal of Honor used to be. It has lately lost some of it's importance, due to the revised criteria which is now used to determine it's issuance.

The presidency IS a popularity contest, but should not be. Just as the Nobel Prize should not be pimped out. Again...merit versus good PR.

Awarding someone a Prize which they have not earned is fraud. Obama has NOT accomplished ANY peace in the world, so his "earning" the Prize is dubious at best. Potential does not equal reality. Otherwise your kit should assemble itself...after all, it has the potential of being a working vehicle, as all the ingredients are there? Perhaps you should take home a best-in-class trophy at the next car show on your as-yet unassembled kit, based merely on potential?

Comparing the Nobel Prize to an Academy Award is a very valid point...after all, this is what the Nobel Prize has recently become...a photo opportunity for the rich & powerful to give acceptance speeches that someone else has written for them, while taking home a rather large cash reward for an activity that is in effect, something they are already paid to do.

And why should the Nobel Prize be a big deal to me? It is an award given by a few to a few and not a popularity contest award. Just because some of us who don't earn it don't like who gets it makes it less worthy? I don't think so. If so, then the whole premise for giving it is weak.

It isn't an award people strive for, is it? Is there a competitive nature to it? I think not.

I didn't play softball and I won't win the Nobel Prize - I will get over it.
To put it into perspective, I don't care who gets the academy awards either. I kind of think awards are lame.

 

[Roark_John]

It is a matter of values...moral and ethical. When "good" people can no longer differentiate between right & wrong, fraud & rightful gains, they are being inured to reality, they are becoming a component in the "machine". It is a descent into madness, with an ever-tightening spiral, with ever-gaining speed. If one can no longer determine just what is meant, by the words that are said, because those meanings are being bastardized to suit the whims and gains of a few, at the loss and bewilderment of the many, there is madness in the world. The intrinsic value of a spoken & written language, is that all who understand it can communicate. When those commonalities are destroyed, how can ANYONE understand anything? The rules are being rewritten everyday. Can you play a game competently, when you don't know the rules?

Obama was nominated and will be AWARDED (a positive benefit of recognition and compensation) the Nobel Prize for Peace, when he is personally overseeing two wars in non-US territory, for PROPOSING (not actually accomplishing) peaceable negotiations between various other nations who aren't even actually at war. That isn't just fraud, that is hypocrisy. Anyone who is accepting of those terms, and are unable to see the madness in them, is insane...because that is the definition of anyone unable to grasp and deal with reality.

That is why all the "oohing & ahhing" over Obama's nomination and award of the Nobel Peace Prize is Kool-Aid for the unthinking, or "feel-good tripe for the masses". Anyone who doesn't have the capacity to THINK for themselves and determine that it is alot of hooey, is not a rational person. To live in a nation...no, a world...full of people gone mad, is a frightening thing. These are people who will cast ballots electing more of these pontificating, self-important, self-indulgant frauds...who will in turn, do more to unravel the fabric of not only our nation, but the entire world.

Nothing positive can come from madness. When people stop thinking, and do not question the motive of the power-seekers, the power-hungry, the power-mad...the door is open to totalitarianism. The abolishment of individual thought, individual speech, individual freedoms. Including the right to choose for yourself what you will spend your hard-earned money on...like a GT40 replica.

The Obama/Nobel Peace Prize debacle is just another symptom of a seemingly contagious disease. I pray that I never fall victim to the complacency, complicity and apathy others have grown accustomed to.

Wyoming, how do you get to here:

"This is yet another example of the ridiculousness of our overly emotional, less rational society vetting these types of policy, attempting to placate the proletariat, so that their overarching goal of totalitarianism can be achieved with little bloodshed. Make the unthinking feel good, while you slowly restrain his ability to move, so if they do attempt to resist, they are bound tightly within the newly established framework of accepted nonsensical wordplay and ever-changing meanings. Feelgood tripe for the masses. A clever manipulation of the definition of winner, don't you agree? By being awarded the Prize, the new assumption is that something was actually done...and this is reinforced by referring to the trophy as proof. This is circular logic...to use a premise to support your point. "

It is a prize awarded by a select few for whatever reason they deem. Who are we to judge what they want to do with their award? People give awards for the ugliest dog too.

How is this all "feelgood tripe for the masses"? You lost me on this turn.

 

[Mike Christian]

Awarding someone a Prize which they have not earned is fraud.

So your beef is with the Norwegian Nobel Committee that decides who they want to awad the Peace Prize award to...I thought you were blaming Obama for this unsolicited gift.

 

[Roark_John]

I can't blame Obama for being nominated. I do however, question his integrity for accepting such an award, considering it is an unearned award. What sort of leader can he be, trusted to make rational decisions that affect the entire nation, when he isn't able to defer an unearned award, for a matter of personal gain?

So your beef is with the Norwegian Nobel Committee that decides who they want to awad the Peace Prize award to...I thought you were blaming Obama for this unsolicited gift.

 

[Mike Christian]

Obama was nominated by a Committee of five persons elected by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting). Surely it is a stretch that the decision by these 5 constitute the demise of the world.

I mean it is a prize set up by one dude in his will in 1896 or thereabouts....what relevance does it really have to the masses? Some people have trust funds for cats in their will. I actually might do somehting really obsurd like that too. What relavance will that have to the masses a hundred years from now? I cant tell you who won the Peace Prize 5 years ago (without looking it up). What did I expect that person to do with it other than put it on their mantle?

Just curious...it is feeling like fall is finally here in Southern Oregon and I am just passing time.

 

[Mike Christian]

I can't blame Obama for being nominated. I do however, question his integrity for accepting such an award, considering it is an unearned award. What sort of leader can he be, trusted to make rational decisions that affect the entire nation, when he isn't able to defer an unearned award, for a matter of personal gain?

Now I understand your position.

Me, I probably wouldn't turn down 1.2 large. I would shake my head at this crazy world and help out some less fortunate folks with the loot.

 

[Roark_John]

When supposedly sane people, who are considered to be experts in their fields, use questionably irrational thought in regards to their profession, advancing a cause of dubious value...one has to wonder where the captain is steering the ship. What's our heading exactly?

Taken piece-meal, awarding Obama the Nobel Prize for Peace is not a sign of impending doom. When considered alongside other crazy happenings, it becomes clear in a big-picture way, that there is a serious shift in how our world is being shaped. Many of these changes are going to have long-term and deleterious effects for those of us not wielding power or in lofty positions to remain unaffected.

It's not just the award itself that bothers me, it's the prestige and influence that comes with it. And that does carry weight with alot of people, not just those on the international power-stage.

Willing your estate to a prized pet doesn't affect ME, so I don't personally care. Being the president of my country, and wielding influence that can not only benefit him personally..but lead to other circumstances which WILL affect me personally, does have me caring.

On a different note...we typically have less than 2 weeks of fall, more of an Indian Summer. We have already had snow on the ground since the middle of last week. I envy you.

Obama was nominated by a Committee of five persons elected by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting). Surely it is a stretch that the decision by these 5 constitute the demise of the world.

I mean it is a prize set up by one dude in his will in 1896 or thereabouts....what relevance does it really have to the masses? Some people have trust funds for cats in their will. I actually might do somehting really obsurd like that too. What relavance will that have to the masses a hundred years from now? I cant tell you who won the Peace Prize 5 years ago (without looking it up). What did I expect that person to do with it other than put it on their mantle?

Just curious...it is feeling like fall is finally here in Southern Oregon and I am just passing time.

 

[Mike Christian]

Willing your estate to a prized pet doesn't affect ME, so I don't personally care.

you haven't met my pet. his sphere of influence is expanding.

 

[Roark_John]

That cracks me up! What do you have? I had two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, and those dogs had more personality and intelligence than the majority of people I have met.

you haven't met my pet. his sphere of influence is expanding.

 

[Mike Christian]

Ha! He is 16 pounds of terrier-ist mix from the shelter. He was found wandering the street of LA. His name is Gromit and he likes to bark. Smart but seriously psycho. He must have been abused by living the first year of life in LA. He is quite a gangster though he shakes with fear at the sight of deer. That's my boy (with the defective left ear).

 

[Roark_John]

Terrier-ist, ha! He must be a member of the IRA, because he doesn't look muslim...

Does he like cheese, Wallace?

I would venture a guess that anybody having to live a year of their life in LA would be traumatized by such an event.

Ha! He is 16 pounds of terrier-ist mix from the shelter. He was found wandering the street of LA. His name is Gromit and he likes to bark. Smart but seriously psycho. He must have been abused by living the first year of life in LA. He is quite a gangster though he shakes with fear at the sight of deer. That's my boy (with the defective left ear).

 

"I am truly speechless"

One can only hope....

IMSA

 

[Mike Christian]

his latest conquest was a stuffed moose...he performed a lobotomy last night - brain matter all over the floor. this guy is mean.

needless to say - no peace prize on my mantle.

pony up Wyoming - what is with the "had" in your statement? doesn't everyone on Wyoming have at least one dog?

 

[John]

Guys guys lets put all this into some sort of prospective shall we. first and formost Obama is just a man, he's not some imortal super being, albeit an intelligent one who just happens to have got the top job, ok that was his goal and he worked pretty hard to get there considering where he came from, so that tells me that there is probaly a few people on this forum with equal intelligence and possibly the drive, tenasity, and strength to make decisions, that are needed for the job, after all if you break it down its still just a job, with a rather large work force to handle, so now put your self in his shoes, how would you go making some of those decisions, taking into account that your making them on information put in front of you, most of which you've never seen or heard of , and presented by an individual that has had them compiled by a group of people he wouldnt no if he tripped over them, get the picture, not easy is it.even with his day to day schedule, which i read some where is 60% of his day is spent reading, from newspapers, forms , releases, documents etc, how would you go, reckon you could get it 100% right every time, think about it.
its oh so easy to sit back in our cosy chairs with a cold beer in hand and tell all how bad he's doing, but just take a moment to think seriously how you would handle the job, if you had the gonads to take it on that is, Mmmm i wonder.
as for his accepting the award, did you ever think about the repercusions that would have occured if he turned it down, i bet a penny to pinch of goat sh#t his advisors told him to accept and he had stuff all choice in the matter.
Kaspa

 

[Grady]

I agree with you, his advisers do tell him what to do or say. He hasn't an original deep thought that I've read.

It is easy for me to observe and pass judgment on him and the congress. My cozy chair was an armored seat for most of 39 years. My job hasn't stopped. Instead of waking up at 3AM and thinking when and where will we be hit (former NBC officer overflying hot radiation areas), it is now "how to keep the country from imploding?" Does that answer your question of how serious I took/take my job, or the question of the size of attachments?

The award is now a sham as I see it. It begs the question, "Are the awards for Chemistry, Physics, and Medical valid?"

Mr Obama is part of the larger problem we have here in the US. Politicians that have never had a real job. A Congress that writes HRs, that spend money from taxes and fees they levy on their constituents.
In short, I am not willing to accept that level of incompetence as demonstrated by MY government.

As far as his supposed level of intelligence, as a Noble Prize nominee, he should have removed his name shortly after the nomination. No, he wanted the award. He suffers from narcissism.

An yes I know I could do a better job.

Guys guys lets put all this into some sort of prospective shall we. first and formost Obama is just a man, he's not some imortal super being, albeit an intelligent one who just happens to have got the top job, ok that was his goal and he worked pretty hard to get there considering where he came from, so that tells me that there is probaly a few people on this forum with equal intelligence and possibly the drive, tenasity, and strength to make decisions, that are needed for the job, after all if you break it down its still just a job, with a rather large work force to handle, so now put your self in his shoes, how would you go making some of those decisions, taking into account that your making them on information put in front of you, most of which you've never seen or heard of , and presented by an individual that has had them compiled by a group of people he wouldnt no if he tripped over them, get the picture, not easy is it.even with his day to day schedule, which i read some where is 60% of his day is spent reading, from newspapers, forms , releases, documents etc, how would you go, reckon you could get it 100% right every time, think about it.
its oh so easy to sit back in our cosy chairs with a cold beer in hand and tell all how bad he's doing, but just take a moment to think seriously how you would handle the job, if you had the gonads to take it on that is, Mmmm i wonder.
as for his accepting the award, did you ever think about the repercusions that would have occured if he turned it down, i bet a penny to pinch of goat sh#t his advisors told him to accept and he had stuff all choice in the matter.
Kaspa

 

[Ian K]

The award is now a sham as I see it. It begs the question, "Are the awards for Chemistry, Physics, and Medical valid?"

One huge difference between the Peace prize and the others, is the awards for Chemistry,
Physics, and Medicine are and always have been retrospective as well as current - in
other words, an entire career can be reviewed, or a discovery/advancement made in
the past can be recognized. For example, this years recipients for Medicine were honored
for their work in the 70's and 80's. The Peace Prize, however, is a "contemporary" award,
pretty much given to recognize efforts in international peace and relations from the
year it is awarded (though, some might argue, it actually covers part of the previous year
to allow those who made significant achievements in peace after the previous year's
deadline). As a result, what happens is people or organizations are nominated early on
in anticipation of what they might do that year (up until October).

As far as his supposed level of intelligence, as a Noble Prize nominee, he should have removed his name shortly after the nomination. No, he wanted the award. He suffers from narcissism.

I do not believe he can withdraw his own name. As a matter of fact, the nominees, by
rule, do not even know they have been nominated because the nominations are held
in private for 50 years.

An yes I know I could do a better job.

I highly doubt that ...

Ian

 

[Grady]

Ian,
Sorry, but I can't resist.....how is that hope and change working out in California? The world's 10th (CIA stats) or 7th (California Dept of Finance stats) economy is broke. Yes, you could have done a better job in the Sacramento legislature than your elected officials, because you are a honest man. In my state, we have politicians that aren't stupid, but crooks. We catch them, prosecute and sentence them (Speaker of the House, governor, and staff) to lengthy jails terms....and take their money & property. Note: not all all are crooks, but many like the power.

To answer your doubt you stated...
I am a honest and trustworthy man

Got a joke for you
when Congressman Joe Wilson-SC called out, "you lie!"
Which politician in the chamber was he calling out?
Grady

 

[Ian K]

Ian,
Sorry, but I can't resist.....how is that hope and change working out in California? The world's 10th (CIA stats) or 7th (California Dept of Finance stats) economy is broke. Yes, you could have done a better job in the Sacramento legislature than your elected officials, because you are a honest man. In my state, we have politicians that aren't stupid, but crooks. We catch them, prosecute and sentence them (Speaker of the House, governor, and staff) to lengthy jails terms....and take their money & property. Note: not all all are crooks, but many like the power.

To answer your doubt you stated...
I am a honest and trustworthy man

Sorry, I do not pretend to believe I can do a better job. It requires a lot more
than honesty to run such a complicated and tremendous operation the size and
breadth of California.

Got a joke for you
when Congressman Joe Wilson-SC called out, "you lie!"
Which politician in the chamber was he calling out?
Grady

I have an even funnier answer - himself

Seriously, yes, probably ALL of them in the chamber have lied in the past, and will
continue to do so in the future.

Ian

 

[Roark_John]

You seriously doubt you could do a better job than an elected official?

Are you daft?!?!

There is no super-special school for politicians wherein they learn how to administrate at varying levels of power. I would bet dollars to dimes that your current education exceeds that of a great majority of elected officials.

But somehow, you feel you couldn't do a better job than them? No wonder career politicians are made. Because decent, hard-working citizens like yourself abdicate your responsibility to step in and serve your city, county, state or nation for a short period of time. Leaving it in the hands of greedy crooks and impotent buffoons.

That is the exact reason why our current political atmosphere, in DC and all state Capitols are in the disgraceful power eddy they are in. Because no one has the confidence that a competent, capable man should rightfully have. And leave it to a con-man with a good PR team. I say if you aren't capable of serving your local government for a short term...then you most likely do not deserve the measure of success you have attained for yourself in your private and professional life. Obviously you have been running a con on your family, friends and employers for the majority of your adult life...because they trust and respect your skills, abilities and most of all...your word.

 

[Ian K]

You seriously doubt you could do a better job than an elected official?

Are you daft?!?!

There is no super-special school for politicians wherein they learn how to administrate at varying levels of power. I would bet dollars to dimes that your current education exceeds that of a great majority of elected officials.

But somehow, you feel you couldn't do a better job than them? No wonder career politicians are made. Because decent, hard-working citizens like yourself abdicate your responsibility to step in and serve your city, county, state or nation for a short period of time. Leaving it in the hands of greedy crooks and impotent buffoons.

That is the exact reason why our current political atmosphere, in DC and all state Capitols are in the disgraceful power eddy they are in. Because no one has the confidence that a competent, capable man should rightfully have. And leave it to a con-man with a good PR team. I say if you aren't capable of serving your local government for a short term...then you most likely do not deserve the measure of success you have attained for yourself in your private and professional life. Obviously you have been running a con on your family, friends and employers for the majority of your adult life...because they trust and respect your skills, abilities and most of all...your word.

You are not me. You do not have the faintest notion of my education, my training, me life
experiences, nor where my expertise lies. I have the complete and utmost confidence in
those areas where I feel I am qualified. I am in no way qualified to be an elected politician
nor am I qualified in anyway to manage the budget decisions that must be made in this
economy. I do not posses the appropriate background in economics, law, and public policy.
Period.

Perhaps a huge problem in the US is all those armchair politicians that falsely believe they
can do a better job, manage to get themselves elected, and then fail miserably when they
get into office. Or, all those armchair politicians that feel they can do a better job and
debase those who are sure they cannot.

Ian