Nobels 2012, etc.

[Nin]

Putin has not been nominated by the Nobel commitee, just to clarify.

First, nominations are not public. And then, Putin's name was submitted by an organisation supporting him which has the right to propose names for nomination (like a lot of other organisations). So, it is a proposal for a nomination.... and I think that every year some lunatic proposals like this arrive.

Also, Putin's name was put in the balance in octobre and the regular nomination process was already finished for a long time.

[Primula Baggins]

Thanks, Nin. That's good to know!

[Frelga]

Oh, that makes some sense. Thanks, Nin!

[WampusCat]

I'm rooting for Malala. Such courage and clear vision ought to be held up as an example for the world.

[Lalaith]

Thanks for the clarification, Nin.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

This one is for vison :

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/ ... ates/2013/

[Impenitent]

That was also my immediate response on seeing that announcement.

[River]

And for the second time this week, Voronwë beats me to the punch!

[Primula Baggins]

Oh, that is wonderful. I wish it could have happened last year, though.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Putin's suggested nomination is a sick joke, to say the least.

Without the threat of U.S. and allied military action, Putin and company had absolutely no incentive to seek a diplomatic solution. They just took an opportunity to save their pet dictator, al-Assad. It has nothing to do with the promotion of peace.

Plus, the guy is a brutal authoritarian. If anyone like him were ever to receive a Nobel Prize, the award would be sullied forever.

In any event, it isn't going to happen, so it's all academic.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Plus, the guy is a brutal authoritarian. If anyone like him were ever to receive a Nobel Prize, the award would be sullied forever.

Henry Kissinger? Le Duc Tho? Yasser Arafat?

[Sunsilver]

Unfortunately, the poll on Yahoo Canada shows that only 13% of people visiting the site have ever read anything by Alice Munro. And, as far as I can tell, I am not in that 13% If I ever read one of her stories, it was probably required reading back in High School.

My favourite Canadian author was Farley Mowat, who, alas, though still alive, seems to have retired from writing quite some time ago.

[yovargas]

Unfortunately, the poll on Yahoo Canada shows that only 13% of people visiting the site have ever read anything by Alice Munro.

That's really pretty darn high for any non-blockbuster level author. I hadn't heard of her before this.

[Primula Baggins]

I heard a story about her on NPR on my drive home from Mom and Dad's today, and they said she had been planning to retire—but that the Nobel was leading her to reconsider.

She also talked about the issue of guilt—of feeling she didn't deserve to take all that time to do something as frivolous as writing, when a friend called wanting to chat or when there was always more to do to be a better housekeeper. . . .

She sounded like vison, so much—her words, her voice, the way she laughed. I've never read her stories, I'm sorry to admit—I gravitate toward novels—but I'll go find some.

[Passdagas the Brown]

Plus, the guy is a brutal authoritarian. If anyone like him were ever to receive a Nobel Prize, the award would be sullied forever.

Henry Kissinger? Le Duc Tho? Yasser Arafat?

Good point. But despite their crimes, and they were many, I find Putin and his friend al-Assad to be in a league of their own. The latter has committed mass atrocities for which he should eventually be tried at the Hague (joining the ranks of Milosevic, Karadzic, Charles Taylor, etc) and the former has helped facilitate that (among other crimes, domestic and international). In my book, leaders of powerful nations that actively resist advancing the concept and practice of the Responsibility to Protect, and coddle those regimes that commit mass atrocities/genocide (Russia and China have been coddling Syria and Sudan, respectively, for some time now, and they both supported an ethnic-cleansing Serbia) is the lowest form of world leader there is. One reason for such coddling is, of course, the fact that they wish to reserve the right to treat their own ethnic minorities the same way. To them, ethnic cleansing is a nation's sovereign right, end of story.

In any event, one could make the case that the Nobel Peace Prize already has a pretty sullied reputation, and I might have to agree with that. No reason to sully it further!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Agreed.

[Lalaith]

Apparently, Malala didn't win.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/1 ... 83059.html


It went to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Of course, that's a worthy cause, but I really wanted to see Malala win it.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Me too!

[Nin]

She is very young, though.

Maybe it's not good to put such a weight in the life of a 16-year old. Maybe one day she'll be sick of being a symbol or of fighting. Maybe it's good to give her time to make choices as an adult free from the pressure a Nobel prize at this early age would bring.

I would have loved to see her win on many levels, but my motherly side was always torn about it. She has the right just to be a young girl again.

Given the circumstances of this year, the Organization was a good choice. Less emotional, but still a sign in times when chemical weapons are used again.

[Primula Baggins]

I think I agree with Nin. If Malala chooses to pursue this work in her adult life, there will be years and years to recognize her. If she doesn't want to do that, or decides later that she doesn't, she needs to have the freedom to walk away and into a private life.