Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be, but first I need more coffee.

Tag: peace

Mir i Voina

This is the year I finish War & Peace. I broke 1000 pages this year and I've less than 300 pages to go. Prince Andrew just kicked the bucket and Moscow is burning.

UPDATE: At long last I have finished the goddamned book.

The Peace Prize Trifecta – UPDATE

Below are three links to editorials on why President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. (See bottom for update for a fourth link)

I was puzzled at first. I knew that this administration had done a lot towards repairing the damage done by the previous administration and to engage the world community again, but didn’t think he’d done enough to be awarded the prize. He was nominated in February, though the vote wasn’t taken until recently. Recipients of the peace prize aren’t always awarded it for what they’ve achieved. They were awarded it to encourage them to continue along the same path.

Congress just approved the largest military budget in history. This administration has continued some of the more egregious Bush policies. So naturally I was a little skeptical of Obama receiving the prize. Peace is never perfect. What actions you may take may be baby steps compared to the magnitude of the challenges, but it is always better to make the effort regardless of the outcome or how little may be achieved. As long as that pursuit of peace is relentless and never gives up, we end up with a better world.

An Open Letter to Americans Who Are Annoyed at Obama’s Nobel Prize (essay)
http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2009/10/an_open_letter_to_americans_wh.php

IAEA Chief ElBaradei on Obama Winning 2009 Nobel Peace Prize (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1yUAfOlQGo

Maddow: It’s Obama Derangement Syndrome (video)
http://www.dailykostv.com/w/002235/

Republicans and conservatives who want America to fail can do one of two things. 1) They can do a rigorous self-examination why most of America has rejected them (secondarily why most the rest of the world has rejected them) and engage the Democrats, liberals, and progressives on what it’s going to take to solve our problems. Or 2) they can wallow in their own bitterness and obstruct anything that might help struggling Americans. There is a third option but I’ll take it off the table 3) To quote Dick Cheney "Go fuck yourself."

UPDATE – Oct 19, 2009

I guess it’s no longer a trifecta. I’ve found one more illuminating piece on why Obama was awarded the prize and why he deserves it. Would it be a quadfecta or a tetrafecta?

‘They are saluting his commitment to disarmament’
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/18/794610/-They-are-saluting-his-commitment-to-disarmament

© 2024 Christopher Merle

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑