Last Friday the news shocked me. Al Gore, Mr. Global Warming himself, has won the 2007 nobel peace prize. A NY Times article wrote - The prize is a vindication for Mr. Gore, whose cautionary film about the consequences of climate change, “An Inconvenient Truth,” won the 2007 Academy Award for best documentary, even as conservatives in the United States denounced it as alarmist and exaggerated.
WHAT!???
Since when has the Nobel prize - remember Mother Teressa was one of the recepients of the peace prize - become a sympathy vote? !!
But this wasn't all. I also learned that day that Mahatma Gandhi has never been awarded a Nobel peace prize. To quote the Norwegian Nobel committee he could not be given the awar as he was "neither a real politician or a humanitarian relief worker".. Apparently, the Nobel committee saw the list and realized - "I think we are missing someone who really brought peace during tense times".. As the executive director of the Nobel Foundation in Sweden says "We missed a great laureate and thats Gandhi. It is a big regret". !!!
It gets better. Apparently Bapu was nominated 5 times (1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and in 1948 - a few days before his death). In 1948, the Nobel Committee did not announce any winners because "ther was no suitable living candidate that year".. !!!!
And finally the clincher - in Feb 2007, when Al Gore's nomination was recommended, this is what one of the Norwegian lawmaker said - “A prerequisite for winning the Nobel Peace Prize is making a difference, and Al Gore has made a difference,” Conservative Member of Parliament Boerge Brende, a former minister of environment and then of trade, told The Associated Press. !!!!!!
Over the last few weeks, there has been a lot of coverage in the media about which Indian movie should make it to the Oscars. There was also a huge movement to make Taj Mahal as one of the "new" 7 wonders in the world. The entire country came to a standstill when 20-20 cricket winners returned, with 24/7 news channels airing this well, 24/7. I found this information on the 10th page in a small paragraph of the Indian Express. Is it that trivial??
