Did Al Gore deserve to be awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize?

[1968]

Oh I see your point. Anyway, there is going to be a live press conference soon. Lets see if ol' al ties the subjects together for us all here.

Want to make another bet (first one here http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24986) that he does NOT announce his candidacy? I won't pee in your cornflakes either way.

[hcjilson]

No he got it because he is a democrat. He deserved it as much as the dixie chicks deserved song of the year.

He got it because the Swedish selection committee thought he deserved it. I personally think he deserved it, but how we feel about it is immaterial, what should be noted is that an INDEPENDENT body, using NON POLITICAL criteria thought he deserved it. To those of you who think global warming is a hoax, pay attention to the story on the polar ice caps as reported this week.

[gemstone]

Want to make another bet (first one here http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24986) that he does NOT announce his candidacy? I won't pee in your cornflakes either way.

Now who's changing the subject? You call that a plan? Shoot. It will never fly and Ms Bill knows it. Evidently I was not the only one asking for her plan. I don't have a farm.

[gemstone]

He got it because the Swedish selection committee thought he deserved it. I personally think he deserved it, but how we feel about it is immaterial, what should be noted is that an INDEPENDENT body, using NON POLITICAL criteria thought he deserved it. To those of you who think global warming is a hoax, pay attention to the story on the polar ice caps as reported this week.

Right!:D

[For-Life]

Before we condem Gore, lets hear of other candidates who should have won it over him.

I think it is great what he has done, and he has over and over again said he is not running in the election. Me thinks, if he was a Republican, people would not complain.

[HarryChiling]

I think he's done a lot of great things. Heck I think for having the greatest job in the world stolen from you by a redneck hillbilly without punching him in the face should get him another Peace Prize.

I agree that the movie was a bit over the top, but as a politician useing fear as a motivator to get people to take notice shouldn't be that big of a deal. Anyway can't talk no the threat level is yellow, gotta keep my eyes out for terrorists. ;):D

[hcjilson]

I should have also asked for an explanation for why people thought he did or did not deserve the honor. I initially thought that maybe global warming believers would say he did and that global warming skeptics would say he did not, but my impression is that Democrats will say he did and that Republicans will say he did not.

The radio report that I heard on the way in this AM said it was awarded for calling attention to global warming and possible solutions to same.Lets face it, if Joe Matinottz had been the spokesman for global warming it wouldn't have gotten the exposure given it by the former Vice President.

The last official word I heard was that Global warming will have an equal effect on Democrats and Republicans alike.....along with Libertarians, Socialists....etc.

[HarryChiling]

The last official word I heard was that Global warming will have an equal effect on Democrats and Republicans alike.....along with Libertarians, Socialists....etc.

Not true I heard republicans get more red when they tan. :D

[Judy Canty]

No, no that can't be...I get sunburned when I am out trying to get a bit of healthy color.

[AngryFish]

The award was political, in my opinion, as the points of view reflected here are divided along those same political lines. So to me that argues strongly against the award being motivated by a balanced objectivity and intended to celebrate the individual who has most advanced the cause of peace in the world. I frankly see his actions as divisive with respect to his opinions on global warming when he misrepresents facts to advance his position. I do think he took the high road with his handling of the election that he lost. I believe he could have used that to create a lot more political hay than he did. But I think he made the world a better place when he invented the internet. I am so glad he works to punish the evil tobacco companies too. I guess it is his way to pay back the thousands of people his family is responsible for killing, if you use his logic against him, by selling that demon weed to those evil cigarette manufactures for so many decades.

[1968]

The award was political, in my opinion, as the points of view reflected here are divided along those same political lines. So to me that argues strongly against the award being motivated by a balanced objectivity and intended to celebrate the individual who has most advanced the cause of peace in the world.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe anyone in Optiboard was involved in the nomination or selection process. Whether or not we feel he deserved the award does generally seem to fall along political lines, though.

But I think he made the world a better place when he invented the internet.

Funniest thing I've heard today! (Or maybe it ties with post #31.)

[Johns]

Before we condem Gore, lets hear of other candidates who should have won it over him.

Well, for starters...


Irena Sendler of Poland, who saved 2,500 Jewish children during World War II and Thich Quang Do, a Buddhist monk in Vietnam. They were both candidates. Guess what political party they belong to? Hmm...it doesn't matter...or does it?


But I digress... those two people are real people, who made real sacrifices, and not some guy that , has energy consuming houses scattered around the world, whose kid is driving around California at 100mph while his daddy claims WE are ruining the world.


Let's take a look at Al's house:


Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).

In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.

The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh — more than 20 times the national average.

Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh — guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.

Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.

Gore’s extravagant energy use does not stop at his electric bill. Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year.

“As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk to walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,” said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson.

In total, Gore paid nearly $30,000 in combined electricity and natural gas bills for his Nashville estate in 2006.

(The Tennessee Center for Policy Research is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization committed to achieving a freer, more prosperous Tennessee through free market policy solutions.)



Hey Albert, I'm sure your going to swim to Norway to pick up your medal, right?



Please...

[DragonLensmanWV]

I think he deserves it just because it gripes the far right so much. I think the opposition to his getting it is so hilarious, predictable and specious, trying to tie it in with a Presidential non-run. Nevermind that it is awarded by the Swedish, who have no interest in our politics anyway.Besides, it's too late - he got it and however much you hate him, he will keep it.
I saw a letter to the editor in our local paper, from a right-winger from Cincinnati who regularly spews forth stuff that even Limbaugh would find embarrassing. In it, he offers as "proof" from a massively-forwarded e-mail (Which are ALWAYS false, BTW) that if you take a glass of water and drop a few ice cubes in it and wait for them to melt, the water won't be any higher in the glass, thereby proving that the world's ice melt would have zero effect - no land flooding or anything. Of course, nevermind the fact that when you first put in the ice cubes the water level rises and it totally ignores any ice melting that is currently on land, so if the polar caps and glaciers melted, I would be a hundred miles closer to the coast.

[chip anderson]

Dragon: The water will be 10% lower, ice expands 10% when frozen.

[DragonLensmanWV]

Dragon: The water will be 10% lower, ice expands 10% when frozen.

Don't tell me - I know that, but there still is the air encapuslated in the ice to be considered. All that proves is that the letter writer is even more of an idiot.
Anyone who believes everything emailed to you is pretty gullible.

[chip anderson]

Use Hot water for the ice, less air as it is expanded when hot (water doesn't expand). Air will contract more and have less air in it. Of course for true measurement, the ice must be held down on or below the surface to get an true amount of contraction difference.

[Steve Machol]

Let's take a look at Al's house:

Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).

etc.

The above quote is from the Tennesse Center for Policy Research, a mysterious organization of dubious origin.

While most of the facts are correct, they are unsurprisingly cherry-picked and taken out of total context. Read the full context Al Gore's Energy Use at Snopes.com

[RT]

But I think he made the world a better place when he invented the internet.

Actually, Gore made no such claim.
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

Let's take a look at Al's house:

Here's a slightly more complete look at Al's house.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/gorehome.asp

He got the award for making a "documentary" movie that has been ruled be a judge to contain 8 Major "inaccuracies".

Actually, it was 9 inaccuracies. The judge found that Mr. Gore may have been a bit alarmist. Most significantly, the magnitude and time scale of rising sea levels offered by Mr. Gore was alarmist. And yet...

Despite finding nine significant errors the judge said many of the claims made by the film were fully backed up by the weight of science. He identified “four main scientific hypotheses, each of which is very well supported by research published in respected, peer-reviewed journals and accords with the latest conclusions of the IPCC”.
In particular, he agreed with the main thrust of Mr Gore’s arguments: “That climate change is mainly attributable to man-made emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide (‘greenhouse gases’).”
The other three main points accepted by the judge were that global temperatures are rising and are likely to continue to rise, that climate change will cause serious damage if left unchecked, and that it is entirely possible for governments and individuals to reduce its impacts.

(http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle2633838.ece)

[Judy Canty]

Realistically, if political affiliation is the deciding factor, neither party has done very well. I can only count 17 Americans who've been recipients since 1901.

[chip anderson]

Anyone care about how much fuel Al Gore burns in his private jet, and the polutions caused from same?
Anyone care about his poster child Mt. Kilamonjo's snow melting because it is a volcano heating up and not because the air at the top is warmer?
Anyone care about Al Gore's phone "carbon credit" he buys from a company in which he is 50% owner? Claims to plant trees with funds from carbon credits.
Anyone care about AL Gore having sold the national oil reserves for a pittance to a company in which he is a major stockholder?
There is a whole lot more on this boy.


Chip

[1968]

Dragon: The water will be 10% lower, ice expands 10% when frozen.

Only if the entire glass of water was frozen. As I understand it, the issue of rising sea levels (which is only one concern of global warming) has more to do with melting glaciers and ice caps (not icebergs). I'm certain all of understand that Antarctica is a land mass covered with ice and not simply a big ice cube bobbing up and down in the South Atlantic or South Pacific.

[chip anderson]

1968 10% lower than the volume of the ice, O.K.?

[MarcE]

no

[Johns]

The above quote is from the Tennesse Center for Policy Research, a mysterious organization of dubious origin.

While most of the facts are correct, they are unsurprisingly cherry-picked and taken out of total context. Read the full context Al Gore's Energy Use at Snopes.com

I had heard about Gore's house on the radio, but saw it again at Snopes.

I liked the comparison of the two houses as well...
http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/house.asp

[HarryChiling]

1968 10% lower than the volume of the ice, O.K.?

Their is air, bacteria, and virus's that may lay dormant in those ice caps. The potential rise inn water is only the geological repercusions, but their are boiological factros that can be even more dangerous. Overall if we can fix or at least correct a problem that has a global effect why not. We are supposed to be the protectors of the free world.