http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8298580.stm

I can't help feeling this is mainly an award for not being Dubya.

I know Obama has started initiatives in the Middle East but nothing has resulted yet, so it seems premature to dish out a gong.

Agreed.

A prize for trying? Normally in England you would get a sticker for that saying 'Good Effort' with a smiely face, not a big award like that....

I voted for the guy but this is silly. He hasn't even been in office for a year!

Cant think of one initiative hes implemented thats has come to fruition.
PR nonsense for the lose.

You're all just jealous because the USA is like some unstoppable gothic military machine raging across France, unstoppable by anything your pathetic peace attempts can do. You can protest, you can barter treaties. your brave can stand against the dictator everywhere, but its nothing next to our ultimate Nobel uber power!!! buahahaha

USA USA USA!!!

(er what were we talking about?)

the gentleman in the back cant seem to keep a strait face over the anoucement, is this a joke?

Here's the important part.

Asked why the prize had been awarded to Mr Obama less than a year after he took office, Nobel Committee head Thorbjoern Jagland said: "It was because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve".

"It is a clear signal that we want to advocate the same as he has done," he said.

Kilkrazy wrote:I can't help feeling this is mainly an award for not being Dubya.

Man, where's my award then? meh. oh well I'd rather get one of these, than some pansy peace prize.

I think the man was as suprised as everyone else that he was awarded the prize. I agree that his heart is in the right place, but I wonder if enough time has passed since his election for any meaningful changes to take effect.

Not quite as dumb as giving Bono one.

Can I have the money? I promise to do good

Help out the locals with halloween





And help the environment by driving green!

Spem in alium numquam habui praeter in te
Deus Israel
qui irasceris
et propitius eris
et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis
Domine Deus
Creator coeli et terrae
respice humilitatem nostram

Manchu wrote: Spem in alium numquam habui praeter in te
Deus Israel
qui irasceris
et propitius eris
et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis
Domine Deus
Creator coeli et terrae
respice humilitatem nostram

Can someone translate this please? (God! every day I curse not taking that latin class at the community center, "but that will interfere with friday night magic" I said Jeez I'm dumb If only I had the foresight.....)

Manchu wrote: Spem in alium numquam habui praeter in te
Deus Israel
qui irasceris
et propitius eris
et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis
Domine Deus
Creator coeli et terrae
respice humilitatem nostram

Quoting Harry Potter won't help you.

I am very proud of the United States and our president at this moment. For my fellow Americans here at dakka, there's no reason to be partisan on this issue. We aren't being turned away by other nations but rather listened to because we're trying to listen to them, I hope. It's good news for all Americans, I think.

I have never put my hope in any other but in you,
O God of Israel
who can show both anger
and graciousness,
and who absolves all the sins of suffering man
Lord God,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
be mindful of our lowliness

Judith's hymn of victory after overcoming hopeless odds.

Quoting Harry Potter won't help you.

Indeed. In fact it might actively work against you.

So, reds8n, you can see why I have reason to be proud of my country today?

Speaking of unstoppable military machine I just saw this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures

...and knowing that the date isn't perfect and wikipedia is only as reliable as the last editor (who is unaccountable) etc. ...

It gave a link to the USA 2010 defence budget: 663.7 billion dollars. That is more than the next 19 biggest military spenders combined. The Commander-In-Chief of that massive military is Barak Obama.

HE got the prize for peace?

I know he didn't support the War in Iraq from its inception and he may be trying to make things better in the Middle East etc. but that still seems terribly odd.

Whats the problem? It pjust proves if you have a big enough military you'll get the peace prize, or else!

All and all I think it is rather silly, but then again, I think the Nobel Peace Prize is a little silly. Nobel Prizes should be for achievments in the sciences or the like, not just for saying things that promote a warm fuzzy feeling.

Bear in mind that nominations for the Nobel Prize had to be postmarked by Feb 1. That means Obama was in office < 2 weeks before nominated. Voting "present" must have worked this time.

Even Arafat had to work harder for his.

ZF-

..errmmm..well...better to win it than not win it. And, given the quote above Mr. Frazzled helpfully highlighted, it does perhaps show that certain bridges that were..damaged if not burnt..during the last few years are in fact on the mend.

Plus the next time we have the tri monthly argument over which continent/country has done the most evil/good etc it's +1score for you guys on the NP score front.

Zad Fnark wrote:Bear in mind that nominations for the Nobel Prize had to be postmarked by Feb 1. That means Obama was in office < 2 weeks before nominated. Voting "present" must have worked this time.

Even Arafat had to work harder for his.

ZF-

Yea Arafat had to kill hundreds of people before he was eligible. Obama hadn't hardly threatened anyone by then.

reds8n wrote:..errmmm..well...better to win it than not win it. And, given the quote above Mr. Frazzled helpfully highlighted, it dperhaps show that certain bridges that were..damaged if not burnt..during the last few years are in fact on the mend.

Plus the next time we have the tri monthly argument over which continent/country has done the most evil/good etc it's +1score for you guys on the NP score front.

I don't understand why people are obsessed about what the rest of the world thinks of us. I mean, I don't particularly care what my fellow Americans think about what I do, so I can understand even less what someone thinks halfway across the world.

Do you co operate more with people you like and feel you have something in common with or those you maintain an active dislike of ?

reds8n wrote: Do you co operate more with people you like and feel you have soemthing in common with or those you maintain an active dislike of ?

Eh, yah, I guess. I don't really think about it that often because I work with people so infrequently. I mean, I don't bear anyone any ill will, but I've never understood the need to change policy, whether public or my own, just because someone criticizes me. Just ignore it.

Wait.. you're not a diplomat ?!

.

I'll admit I'm struggling to come up with a scenario in which you'd perhaps need to co operate with the "socialist hellhole" that Sweden obviously is...

..are you short of fit blonde women currently ...hmm..actually...

/ Nice to "see" you BTW... we worry...

Grignard wrote:

reds8n wrote: Do you co operate more with people you like and feel you have soemthing in common with or those you maintain an active dislike of ?

Eh, yah, I guess. I don't really think about it that often because I work with people so infrequently. I mean, I don't bear anyone any ill will, but I've never understood the need to change policy, whether public or my own, just because someone criticizes me. Just ignore it.

I gotta agree with you here Gringard, ones actions should be detirmined by what they believe is the moral/appropriate action IMO. Not what's gonna make them more popular.

Wow...I'm just stunned. Here I was thinking the Nobel organization and the peace prize actually meant something. But it's really just a political mechanism to inluence people by bribing them.

Obama should decline this bribe.

GG

reds8n wrote: Do you co operate more with people you like and feel you have something in common with or those you maintain an active dislike of ?

Do you count work? If so its B vs. A

I AM HAPPY AND CONTENTED IN MY JOB.

I AM HAPPY AND CONTENTED IN MY JOB.

I AM HAPPY AND CONTENTED IN MY JOB.

I AM HAPPY AND CONTENTED IN MY JOB.

.. if you say something often enough then it IS true....right ?

generalgrog wrote:Wow...I'm just stunned. Here I was thinking the Nobel organization and the peace prize actually meant something. But it's really just a political mechanism to inluence people by bribing them.

Obama should decline this bribe.

GG

A politician decline a bribe?! LAWLZ your funny grog.

Man this is superweak.

This should be an award for the most productive outcome not to support messages of hope.

I declare shenanigans!

Waaagh_Gonads wrote:Man this is superweak.

This should be an award for the most productive outcome not to support messages of hope.

I declare shenanigans!

Quoted for Super truth!

In spite of what I said earlier, I would be curious as to what most Europeans think about this one. I'm not asking whether they like Obama or not, but rather whether they feel this is who the prize should go to.

That award, waaaagh_gonads, would go to dakka vets no doubt.

Why is there not a war prize? I mean, is war not a human endeavor in which one can be superior to other people in?

Unfortunately, I don't believe Obama is Jesus Christ reincarnated, unlike our media.

Obama has done nothing yet. He has, in fact, got that award for saying lots of nice sounding things, but doing nothing. And as said already, he was nominated when only two weeks into office.

I couldn't care less about Obama, because I have little interest in who is running the capitalist machine from year to year, but this has devalued the worth of the prize is in my eyes.

Grignard wrote: Why is there not a war prize? I mean, is war not a human endeavor in which one can be superior to other people in?

Because France would feel left out. *giggle*

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/

Interesting list.

Ketara wrote:Unfortunately, I don't believe Obama is Jesus Christ reincarnated, unlike our media.

Obama has done nothing yet. He has, in fact, got that award for saying lots of nice sounding things, but doing nothing. And as said already, he was nominated when only two weeks into office.

I couldn't care less about Obama, because I have little interest in who is running the capitalist machine from year to year, but this has devalued the worth of the prize is in my eyes.

I think he's probably a swell guy, but I'm not seeing peace prize. Personally I hope this man can help make it so that if I lose my job I won't go bankrupt if I need healthcare.

This is Madness! Now you can get a Nobel for trying. And the later on the Nobel Academy guys will complain that the Nobel Peace Price is being mocked...

M.

Grignard wrote:In spite of what I said earlier, I would be curious as to what most Europeans think about this one. I'm not asking whether they like Obama or not, but rather whether they feel this is who the prize should go to.

I don't think he deserves this prize now. Not the worst choice available, but I'm sure there are others who have done more.

In the future.. well.... we'll see I guess.

I vote we give the prize to the little engine that could!

Grignard wrote:In spite of what I said earlier, I would be curious as to what most Europeans think about this one. I'm not asking whether they like Obama or not, but rather whether they feel this is who the prize should go to.

I think probably most Europeans were unaware the Peace Prize was coming about now. It's not a big event on my news calendar, anyway, and I am pretty well informed. I'm more interested in the science prizes.

You know my opinion from the OP -- Obama got it for not being Bush.

Bush made the USA's name dirt in a lot of European minds. There was massive relief when Obama was elected, that caused a general love-in which helped win him this award.

That said, I am trying to think of someone else who should have got it instead and no-one springs to mind.

Norwulf wrote:I vote we give the prize to the little engine that could!

Well in the story, the Little Engine that could actually accomplished his mission.

Obama will also be awarded the Shiny Gold Sticker© along with H.P. Lovecraft and Snoopy™. Another pretentious award of imagined import proffered back and forth between self-aggrandizing organizations and individuals.

utan wrote:

Norwulf wrote:I vote we give the prize to the little engine that could!

Well in the story, the Little Engine that could actually accomplished his mission.

Obama will also be awarded the Shiny Gold Sticker© along with H.P. Lovecraft and Snoopy™. Another pretentious award of imagined import proffered back and forth between self-aggrandizing organizations and individuals.

Which is exactly why the Litttle engine that could is more deserving of the award. Then again Moses the raven from animal farm, basically accomplished the same thing as Obama. We're all going to Sugar candy mountain people!

Kilkrazy wrote:

Grignard wrote:In spite of what I said earlier, I would be curious as to what most Europeans think about this one. I'm not asking whether they like Obama or not, but rather whether they feel this is who the prize should go to.

I think probably most Europeans were unaware the Peace Prize was coming about now. It's not a big event on my news calendar, anyway, and I am pretty well informed. I'm more interested in the science prizes.

You know my opinion from the OP -- Obama got it for not being Bush.

Bush made the USA's name dirt in a lot of European minds. There was massive relief when Obama was elected, that caused a general love-in which helped win him this award.

That said, I am trying to think of someone else who should have got it instead and no-one springs to mind.

Meh its always been dirt. The only country my grandfather couldn't stand on his runs was France, because they hated Americans so much, and this was before WWII.

This confirms what Kanye West was telling us all along: prizes are political.

That hasn't changed...I think they feel that you are ALL ungrateful for the aid they gave you before and more than anything they hate you for helping spread English as the language of the modern world. There's been lots of talk over here this week about them being one of the major movers behind this.

Kilkrazy wrote:
That said, I am trying to think of someone else who should have got it instead and no-one springs to mind.

A more deserving candidate...

Compare this to Greg Mortenson, nominated for the prize by some members of Congress, who the bookies gave 20-to-1 odds of winning. Son of a missionary, a former army Medic and mountaineer, he has made it his mission to build schools for girls in places where opium dealers and tribal warlords kill people for trying. His Central Asia Institute has built more than 130 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan — a mission which has, along the way, inspired millions of people to view the protection and education of girls as a key to peace and prosperity and progress.


http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1929395,00.html

Frazzled wrote:

Kilkrazy wrote:

Grignard wrote:In spite of what I said earlier, I would be curious as to what most Europeans think about this one. I'm not asking whether they like Obama or not, but rather whether they feel this is who the prize should go to.

I think probably most Europeans were unaware the Peace Prize was coming about now. It's not a big event on my news calendar, anyway, and I am pretty well informed. I'm more interested in the science prizes.

You know my opinion from the OP -- Obama got it for not being Bush.

Bush made the USA's name dirt in a lot of European minds. There was massive relief when Obama was elected, that caused a general love-in which helped win him this award.

That said, I am trying to think of someone else who should have got it instead and no-one springs to mind.

Meh its always been dirt. The only country my grandfather couldn't stand on his runs was France, because they hated Americans so much, and this was before WWII.

That's not what international relations studies show, but hey, if it works for you!

reds8n wrote: That hasn't changed...I think they feel that you are ALL ungrateful for the aid they gave you before and more than anything they hate you for helping spread English as the language of the modern world. There's been lots of talk over here this week about them being one of the major movers behind this.

English was not his primary language.

Zad Fnark wrote:

Kilkrazy wrote:
That said, I am trying to think of someone else who should have got it instead and no-one springs to mind.

A more deserving candidate...

Compare this to Greg Mortenson, nominated for the prize by some members of Congress, who the bookies gave 20-to-1 odds of winning. Son of a missionary, a former army Medic and mountaineer, he has made it his mission to build schools for girls in places where opium dealers and tribal warlords kill people for trying. His Central Asia Institute has built more than 130 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan — a mission which has, along the way, inspired millions of people to view the protection and education of girls as a key to peace and prosperity and progress.


http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1929395,00.html

It may have hurt him to be nominated by members of Congress.

The Nobel prizes generally rule out political nominations, I'm not sure specifically about the Peace Prize.

Kilkrazy wrote:

Frazzled wrote:

Kilkrazy wrote:

Grignard wrote:In spite of what I said earlier, I would be curious as to what most Europeans think about this one. I'm not asking whether they like Obama or not, but rather whether they feel this is who the prize should go to.

I think probably most Europeans were unaware the Peace Prize was coming about now. It's not a big event on my news calendar, anyway, and I am pretty well informed. I'm more interested in the science prizes.

You know my opinion from the OP -- Obama got it for not being Bush.

Bush made the USA's name dirt in a lot of European minds. There was massive relief when Obama was elected, that caused a general love-in which helped win him this award.

That said, I am trying to think of someone else who should have got it instead and no-one springs to mind.

Meh its always been dirt. The only country my grandfather couldn't stand on his runs was France, because they hated Americans so much, and this was before WWII.

That's not what international relations studies show, but hey, if it works for you!

Studies are irrelevant I can make stats up all day long as well. After all 9 out of 12 stats are lies.
All I know is he travelled regularly to China, the new USSR, Africa, India (and what would become Pakistan), and Mexico. He liked all of them (although he said what was to be Pakistan was dangerous) except France.

We gather you lot will mainly be speaking Spanish soon enough...

reds8n wrote:We gather you lot will mainly be speaking Spanish soon enough...

Soon? We've been speaking Spanish here since the 1500s.

I mean I couldn't have my telenovellas without the Spanish now could I?

"Ay MARIA!"

*googles telenovellas quickly*..

...think I got ya.....hmm..several jokes/skits in the Simpsons about that guy in the Bee suit suddenly make a lot more sense.

..my search history looks well weird due to this forum of late.

Kilkrazy wrote:
It may have hurt him to be nominated by members of Congress.
The Nobel prizes generally rule out political nominations, I'm not sure specifically about the Peace Prize.

True, but I doubt it was more political than this farce.

ZF-

I think this belittles the value of the Peace Prize considerably.

reds8n wrote:*googles telenovellas quickly*..

...think I got ya.....hmm..several jokes/skits in the Simpsons about that guy in the Bee suit suddenly make a lot more sense.

..my search history looks well weird due to this forum of late.

let me provide some helpful illumination
http://msnlatino.telemundo.com/novelas/mas_sabe_el_diablo

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/america-is-now-the-most-admired-country-globally---jumping-to-the-top-of-the-2009-anholt-gfk-roper-nation-brands-indexsm-63522002.html

So all you have to do is ignore the Dalai Lama and give bribes to North Korea and you get one of these? Because I can do that if I need to.

Seriously though, it does seem a bit premature. Good for Obama but bad for the Nobel committee.

Ahtman wrote:So all you have to do is ignore the Dalai Lama and give bribes to North Korea and you get one of these? Because I can do that if I need to.

Seriously though, it does seem a bit premature. Good for Obama but bad for the Nobel committee.

Can? You and I do it on a daily basis. It ain't like Obama's giving his own money to the NK's now is it, fellow Taxpayer.

..don't you have to register to pay taxes... *scarpers off sharpish *

reds8n wrote:..don't you have to register to pay taxes... *scarpers off sharpish *

This backs up my theory that Noble Peace Prize recipients are decided in the same manner cast members on BSG are revealed to be cylons.

What I'm trying to get at here is Obama is a cylon. and he has a plan. and by plan I mean health care plan. and by "has" I mean it in the same way BSG "has a plan".

Can't say I'm an expert on the Nobel Peace Prize (just like most here I'm assuming) -- however this goes to show ya how ****ty of a diplomatic job Bush and his administration achieved internationally more than anything.

Obama and his administration's tactic/campaigning of opening up closed doors definitely marches towards the idea of peace than not however I bet Obama is just as surprised as anyone else about this award...then again I very much doubt people regularly follow the candidates for this (I bet more people care and know about who wins an Oscar or Emmy for example) so a lot of the 'outrage' is pretty entertaining in itself. Can't wait to see some comedy sketches about all of this ****.

What a joke.

Frazzled wrote:
Studies are irrelevant I can make stats up all day long as well.

This is complete nonsense. How does this professional politician so much as come close to other Peace PRize recipients?

Just like Jerry Lewis, it appears that Obama is much more popular in Europe than the US.

dietrich wrote:Just like Jerry Lewis, it appears that Obama is much more popular in Europe than the US.

OUCH!!

by the way I like Jerry Lewis, I'm part French, I think that's why. :-)

GG

Hmm, my cat killed a mouse this morning. My cat has done more for this country than Obama. One less mouse in this Nation. I guess she should get the Nobel Prize.

Next up, Obama wins the Country Music Awards after his announcement that he will be singing a revised version of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors" and promises it will be both awesome and cool.

But Frazz, in order to do so he would actually have to stop shopping at taxpayer expense and DO something.

He's been doing such a great job at doing nothing he would be out of his element.

Frazzled wrote:Next up, Obama wins the Country Music Awards after his announcement that he will be singing a revised version of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors" and promises it will be both awesome and cool.

Why stop at CMA, why not just give him a few grammys, an Oscar and an Emmy while were at it.

GG

Well, he's the best "actor" this country has ever had so why not a Grammy and an Emmy?

LOL

I like Obama, I suppose, on balance. But that is a joke and devalues the prize.

(sorry for raining on the american's parade, if it helps, I think Heaney was a crap poet and him winning the literature prize devalues that)

But yeah, the science prizes are what I'm really interested in.

Grignard: A prize for war would undo what Nobel was trying to do.

This just in! Obama wins the Nobel Prize for Enviromentalism for having the family dog's poop cleaned up on Air Force One!

Da Boss wrote:I like Obama, I suppose, on balance. But that is a joke and devalues the prize.

(sorry for raining on the american's parade, if it helps, I think Heaney was a crap poet and him winning the literature prize devalues that)

But yeah, the science prizes are what I'm really interested in.

Grignard: A prize for war would undo what Nobel was trying to do.

Well yah, Nobel was a pacifist yah, but having some kind of prize would be interesting, just to see who would win.

Obama was inaugurated on 20 Jan 09. Nominations for the peace prize were due by 01 Feb 09. What did he do to deserve the prize? Nothing as far as I can tell. But, then again, the peace prize has been a joke IMO ever since they gave one to Yasser Arafat.

dietrich wrote:Just like Jerry Lewis, it appears that Obama is much more popular in Europe than the US.

He did give the queen some ZZ Top CDs.

Unfortunately, they don't work in UK players...

There's no region locking on CDs.

You don't have to be nominated to be considered. The committee can make its own nominations.

Slightly OT, I was in Stockholm in late May and went for a walk around the city, including the old quarter where the royal palace is.

There was a totally hot cavalry woman on guard there, who looked fantastic in her dark blue uniform with boots and a helmet.

I heartily endorse the incorporation of women into the armed forces of all nations.

I thought he gave an iPod with music loaded onto it and some DVDs or something like that.

Yes dvd collection in US format vs. european format. I think the UK desclared war on us or something after that, and they'll get around to kicking our bums, right after tea time.

We already did it but apparently you were too interested in the US version of Life On Mars to notice.

Kilkrazy wrote:There was a totally hot cavalry woman on guard there, who looked fantastic in her dark blue uniform with boots and a helmet.

I heartily endorse the incorporation of women into the armed forces of all nations.

It's always nice to learn about the mods.

Bottom line, he didnt earn the thing, it was given to him.
and a thing that is given has no value, so heres your empty prize, choke on it Bama.

Grignard wrote:

Da Boss wrote:I like Obama, I suppose, on balance. But that is a joke and devalues the prize.

(sorry for raining on the american's parade, if it helps, I think Heaney was a crap poet and him winning the literature prize devalues that)

But yeah, the science prizes are what I'm really interested in.

Grignard: A prize for war would undo what Nobel was trying to do.

Well yah, Nobel was a pacifist yah, but having some kind of prize would be interesting, just to see who would win.

Hang on, wikipedia told me that Nobel made his money from weapons manufacturing! Wikipedia told me the Nobel prize was his way of ensuring he had a positive legacy in reponse to criticism from a newspaper.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Nobel

Have you got your facts wrong or has wikipedia failed me?

Nobel made his fortune from the invention of Dynamite. It had limited use as a military explosive and was much more widely used for civilian blasting purposes such as mining.

Certainly seems premature, though he has taken many a crisis by the reigns and still managed to remain well liked abroad and at home. I can see where they are coming from, but this seems much more based on starpower than actual accomplishment at this point. They should have waited a few years to see if it all panned out.

A friend of mine who is a Nobel nominator did not like it. He has no issue with Obama, what he didn't like was giving it on the basis of what someone might do instead of what they had done. The deadline for nominations is February 1st, just barely after Obama had been sworn in.