Should Nobel Laureate Al be Restored ....

[cannon_fodder]

Well then, you are doing far better than Al Gore is in your attempt to save the environment.  I wont bother listing his private jet excursions, his SUVs, or his mansion.  Perhaps you deserve the Nobel prize?

Listen.  You may like his cause more than I do.  That's not the issue.  My take is this is a purely political "win" for the very popular cause of Global Warming.  Many more fields have done more to advance peaceful life for billions of people in the here and now.  

- Genetic work with rice that enables many S.E. and African countries to be self sufficient in food.  

- AIDS work in both vaccines, treatment, and prevention.

- Malaria medication

- Water purification system that can be human powered at a reasonable cost

- Heating equipment made in African villages that is both affordable and burns renewable fuels (instead of lung choking coal in the homes)

- Scientist in charge of the new Tsunami warning center

The list goes on and on. Things that actually matter today.  Not things that might hypothetically solve a possible problem that may have resulted in problems sometime in the future.

[NellieBly]

Martin Luther King received the same treatment as Al Gore by some after he won.

http://www.oliverwillis.com/archives/2007/10/15/national-review-attacked-marti/

[rwarn17588]

I don't deny that those people you mentioned perhaps ought to get a Nobel. Perhaps you should nominate them. (And I'm not being flippant.)

As for Gore's alleged hypocrisy, if we waited to be perfect, then nothing would get done. He uses CFLs, carbon offsets and recently had solar panels installed on his house after fighting with his neighborhood association for years over that issue.

Heck, I got a 1966 GMC pickup that I use twice a month to haul big stuff in. Because I drive a 10 mpg vehicle, does that make me a hypocrite?

Overall, Gore's value is raising the awareness of this issue more than anyone else.

I'm not directly comparing him to MLK. But it's well-known that King had problems with his marriage. Should that have invalidated his moral and right stance during the civil rights movement? Of course not.

Just because there are failings (imaginary or not) doesn't mean we ignore the greater issue that's being raised.

And, no, I don't deserve the Nobel Prize. You're smarter than that; don't bring up such nonsense. I'm just a person who has the wherewithal to do the things that I should be doing in the first place.

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by NellieBly

Martin Luther King received the same treatment as Al Gore by some after he won.

http://www.oliverwillis.com/archives/2007/10/15/national-review-attacked-marti/

Are you seriously comparing Dr. King to AlGoRe?

[cannon_fodder]

Again... King was addressing a real concern of real people that really was happening and had been happening.  Gore is potentially solving a problem that might exist and therefor might cause problems in the future.  Someone, for the love of god, acknowledge that you at least see the difference there?

[rwarn17588]

It's OK if you *believe* it might exist.

You can choose to believe the world is flat, too.  There's plenty of evidence that suggests it's not, however.

Regardless, I'm looking at a bigger picture of reducing air pollution and reducing consumption of oil from the volatile Middle East. Are these things not desirable?

Again, I don't see a down side here.

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

It's OK if you *believe* it might exist.

You can choose to believe the world is flat, too.  There's plenty of evidence that suggests it's not, however.

I think CF's position is a reasonable appraisal of the situation vis-a-vis global warming as evidenced by one of the world's foremost meteroligists yesterday.  Comparing this to flat earth deniers is just a red herring.

quote:
Regardless, I'm looking at a bigger picture of reducing air pollution and reducing consumption of oil from the volatile Middle East. Are these things not desirable?

Again, I don't see a down side here.

How about expending massive amounts of capital trying to remedy issues and events that we may have no control over or any ability to change whatsoever?  That seems like a significant downside.

[Conan71]

If Algore was not in a position to gain financially from green technologies, carbon credits and the like, and didn't seem disingenuous in his personal actions I might not disagree about this award.  I see very little altruism in his actions.

I see a person who likes standing at the forefront taking credit for an entire movement and someone who has positioned his investments to ensure that he will profit from it.  Good for the ego, good for the bank account.

Impossible to draw any similarity between Gore and MLK or Mother Theresa.

[Ibanez]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

If Algore was not in a position to gain financially from green technologies, carbon credits and the like, and didn't seem disingenuous in his personal actions I might not disagree about this award.  I see very little altruism in his actions.

I see a person who likes standing at the forefront taking credit for an entire movement and someone who has positioned his investments to ensure that he will profit from it.  Good for the ego, good for the bank account.

Impossible to draw any similarity between Gore and MLK or Mother Theresa.

Manbearpig?

[cannon_fodder]

Live in fear.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder



Live in fear.

Heh.  Trey Parker and Matt Stone come up with some seriously funny stuff...

[rwarn17588]

Let's put it this way, iplaw:

I'll trust the track record of the Nobel Peace Prize over yours any day.

[Ibanez]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder



Live in fear.

Are you serial?

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

Let's put it this way, iplaw:

I'll trust the track record of the Nobel Peace Prize over yours any day.

What does this response have to do with my comment?

In response to your statement, the Nobel Prize has become increasingly irrelevant over the last couple of decades.  Giving "peace" awards to terrorists is almost as rediculous as giving China a place within the UN council on human rights.

Although both actions make just as much sense as giving an award to a politician with no scientific education for making a movie regarding complex geophysical phenomena like climate change, then ignoring a worldclass meterologist and other scientists when they question the hack politician.

I don't really care that he won the award, but comparing (as some have) Gore to Dr. King is absurd.  

[rwarn17588]

As I've said, I'll take the track record of the Nobel Peace Prize committee over someone who is "a half-trillion dollars is worth this quagmire in Iraq" Baghdad Bob like iplaw.

When you actually have some credibility and common sense, then I might consider your beefs.