Latest news with #AlfredNobel
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Al Was The Unluckiest Man I've Ever Known. Or Was He?
Alfred Nobel created the Nobel Prize near the end of his life as a public relations move. He had invented dynamite for mining and construction and did so with good intentions. Unfortunately, people used it as a weapon, killing thousands, and earning him the label, 'The Merchant of Death'. There was Alfred Binet, who invented the IQ test, with the intention of classifying children who need assistance. His test unintentionally fueled the eugenics movement and was a key tool for discrimination. There was Alfred Vanderbilt, who was one of the world's wealthiest young men and most eligible bachelor. He narrowly avoided boarding the Titanic, canceling his trip at the last moment. Unfortunately, three years later, he boarded the Lusitania, which was sunk by German U-boats. And then there was my friend, Al. Al was a fellow swimmer. He was 6'3", easygoing, and per my female friend 'handsome enough'. He had a good sense of humor and straw-like brown hair that was ravaged by chlorine. Al squeaked through high school and landed an athletic scholarship to our university. His father was a volatile alcoholic, the type who sings karaoke and is everyone's best friend in the first hour of drinking, and a belligerent monster for the remaining six. I saw it first hand when he came to town for a swim meet, which he overslept and missed. Al invited me to dinner, which was a bit unusual for 'parent's weekend'. In hindsight, I suspect he didn't want to endure it alone. Sure enough, his dad showed up at Applebees at 6 PM and was already blitzed, full of stupid ideas, and making inane, brutally awkward attempts to flirt with our waitress. He was a walking meme, stopping just short of wearing a varsity jacket and bragging about his high school touchdowns. It was a long two-hour dinner. I walked through the parking lot, exhausted, and immediately knew why Al had never touched alcohol. Then I winced, remembering the scene of me holding a cup of beer up to his face, playfully saying, 'Just one sip … c'mon.' As we walked to the car, I asked, with a bit of hesitation, 'So is your mom…more…normal?' 'She was. Yes.' 'Was?' I instinctively asked, thinking she'd become an alcoholic too. 'She died when I was 9. Ovarian cancer.' I nodded and got quiet, realizing this ridiculously nice guy had probably endured a terrible childhood. I knew his sister had left home at 12 to live with his grandmother for reasons unnamed. Al noticed me looking bummed out and gave me a half smile, 'Hey. It is OK. I'm all good.' I suppose he didn't want my pity. He'd probably gotten enough of that already. One month later Our college swim team was doing a mixer party with the women's lacrosse team. It was fun — your typical party scene, with lots of laughing, talking, and loud music. It looked just like those American parties you've seen in movies. A few girls were walking around in lacrosse pads. One teammate was shamelessly walking around in a Speedo and goggles, with a beer bong poised at the ready. Eventually, the night turned south as it often does with so much drinking. A couple of the lacrosse girls' boyfriends had become jealous of this mixer. They showed up to start trouble, trying to push through the front door. There was a bunch of shouting. No fists were thrown thankfully. But a few girls began crying and fighting with their partners. It was a total vibe kill. We decided to get out of there before things got worse. Two of us left with Al around midnight, who was the DD as always. He dropped us both off that night and I thought nothing of it. The next morning, I got an ominous text, 'Did you hear about Al?' Al had been hit by a drunk driver on the way back to his house. He'd been T-boned at high speed on his driver-side door. He was in the hospital with a broken leg, collar bone, shoulder, and two broken ribs. He was alive. He'd walk fine. But his shoulder was never right again and his swimming career was over. I stopped by to see him and he looked like a shell of himself on the hospital bed. His eyes were sunken, hair disheveled, and hanging over his swollen face. We hung out and talked for a bit. He was out of it from the pain meds and fell asleep mid-conversation. I saw his dad at the hospital that day, sober for once. The good news is that life went on as normal. He eventually returned to class and hung out with us. But not without great cost to him. Al didn't have the prestigious accolades of history's famous Alfreds. In fact, his background was mostly the opposite: absent of wealth, stability, and the type of love a kid needs. He inherited and then endured great misfortune. There was a time when I thought Al was the most unlucky guy I'd ever met. I was sure he'd break at any moment. How couldn't he? Yet, he's gone on to be quite successful. He has kids and a loving wife. And despite all the hardship, he's always had a great attitude. He has lived in defiance of the groundwork for so much sorrow. I know many others, who are born into relative privilege and spared of major tragedies, myself included, who have struggled to appreciate their lives at times. My father-in-law is one of the happiest men I know, despite having a troubled and turbulent childhood. He's a big storyteller and relays everything interesting from his life. Yet he has a DMZ line drawn on his childhood. We know nothing. That's how bad it was. People forget that luck, good or bad, is all a construct. It isn't actually a proven thing — in the sense of a mystical universe choosing favorites among us. Luck is just probability playing out in real time. It's more accurately defined as how humans choose to describe their lives. It's also a decent proxy for how people frame their problems. For example, those who believe in good or bad luck tend to be more cynical and less happy. The name Alfred isn't intrinsically unlucky. I just looked up a bunch of Alfreds from history and cherry-picked those who'd had the most bad luck. It was a whimsical way of framing a narrative, just as people do with their own life stories. I've heard from many readers over the years, who had horrible childhoods and lives —going through unimaginable trauma and disappointment. Yet many have gone on to be quite happy. I've also heard from people with lives you'd give anything for. I've tended to downgrade my definition of problems as life has improved. It's another pesky byproduct of hedonic adaptation. Yesterday, I caught myself cursing up a storm while setting up a new soundbar. You'd have thought I just caught someone cheating on me. I'd lost sight of how first-world, and truly spoiled I sounded. It is in the quieter moments, when sleep is elusive that the mind can wander and wallow in misery and egregious mistakes. I am reminded that happiness and contentment require intent. Life is messy and complicated, and one cannot feel better simply by comparing themselves to those less fortunate. It takes more work. It is a sense of presence in the moment, gratitude, perspective, lifestyle, community, and purpose that I have found the most happiness, as my unlucky friend Al did. But he'll be the first to tell you how lucky he is. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Al Was The Unluckiest Man I've Ever Known. Or Was He?
Most people don't know that Alfred Nobel created the Nobel Prize near the end of his life as a public relations move. He had invented dynamite for mining and construction. But people used it as a weapon, killing thousands, and earning him the label, 'The Merchant of Death'. There was Alfred Binet, who invented the IQ test, with the intention of classifying children who need assistance. His test unintentionally fueled the eugenics movement and was a key tool for discrimination. There was Alfred Vanderbilt, who was one of the world's wealthiest young men and most eligible bachelor. He narrowly avoided boarding the Titanic, canceling his trip at the last moment. Unfortunately, three years later, he boarded the Lusitania, which was sunk by German U-boats. And then there was my friend, Al. Al was a fellow swimmer. He was 6'3, easygoing, and per my female friend 'handsome enough'. He had a good sense of humor and straw-like brown hair that was ravaged by chlorine. Al squeaked through high school and landed an athletic scholarship to our university. His father was a volatile alcoholic, the type who sings karaoke and is everyone's best friend in the first hour of drinking, and a belligerent monster for the remaining six. I saw it first hand when he came to town for a swim meet, which he overslept and missed. Al invited me to dinner, which was a bit unusual for 'parent's weekend'. In hindsight, I suspect he didn't want to endure it alone. Sure enough, his dad showed up at Applebees at 6 PM and was already blitzed, full of stupid ideas, and making inane, brutally awkward attempts to flirt with our waitress. He was a walking meme, stopping just short of wearing a varsity jacket and bragging about his high school touchdowns. It was a long two-hour dinner. I walked through the parking lot, exhausted, and immediately knew why Al had never touched alcohol. Then I winced, remembering the scene of me holding a cup of beer up to his face, playfully saying, 'Just one sip … c'mon.' As we walked to the car, I asked, with a bit of hesitation, 'So is your mom…more…normal?' 'She was. Yes.' 'Was?' I instinctively asked, thinking she'd become an alcoholic too. 'She died when I was 9. Ovarian cancer.' I nodded and got quiet, realizing this ridiculously nice guy had probably endured a terrible childhood. I knew his sister had left home at 12 to live with his grandmother for reasons unnamed. Al noticed me looking bummed out and gave me a half smile, 'Dude. It's OK. I'm all good.' I suppose he didn't want my pity. He'd probably gotten enough of that already. One month later Our college swim team was doing a mixer party with the women's lacrosse team. It was fun — your typical party scene, with lots of laughing, talking, and loud music. It looked just like those American parties you've seen in movies. A few girls were walking around in lacrosse pads. One teammate was shamelessly walking around in a speedo and goggles, with a beer bong poised at the ready. Eventually, the night turned south as it often does with so much drinking. A couple of the lacrosse girls' boyfriends had become jealous of this mixer. They showed up to start trouble, trying to push through the front door. There was a bunch of shouting. No fists were thrown thankfully. But a few girls began crying and fighting with their partners. It was a total vibe kill. We decided to get out of there before things got worse. Tw o of us left with Al around midnight, who was the DD as always. He dropped us both off that night and I thought nothing of it. The next morning, I got an ominous text, 'Did, you hear about Al?' Al had been hit by a drunk driver on the way back to his house. He'd been T-boned at high speed on his driver-side door. He was in the hospital with a broken leg, collar bone, shoulder, and two broken ribs. He was alive. He'd walk fine. But his shoulder was never right again and his swimming career was over. I stopped by to see him and he looked like a shell of himself on the hospital bed. His eyes were sunken, hair disheveled, and hanging over his swollen face. We hung out and talked for a bit. He was out of it from the pain meds and fell asleep mid-conversation. I saw his dad at the hospital that day, sober for once. The good news is that life went on as normal. He eventually returned to class and hung out with us. But not without great cost to him. Al didn't have the prestigious accolades of history's famous Alfreds. In fact, his background was mostly the opposite: absent of wealth, stability, and the type of love a kid needs. He inherited and then endured great misfortune. There was a time when I thought Al was the most unlucky guy I'd ever met. I was sure he'd break at any moment. How couldn't he? Yet, he's gone on to be quite successful. He has kids and a loving wife. And despite all the hardship, he's always had a great attitude. He has lived in defiance of the groundwork for so much sorrow. I know many others, who are born into relative privilege and spared of major tragedies, myself included, who have struggled to appreciate their lives at times. My father-in-law is one of the happiest men I know, despite having a troubled and turbulent childhood. He's a big storyteller and relays everything interesting from his life. Yet he has a DMZ line drawn on his childhood. We know nothing. That's how bad it was. People forget that luck, good or bad, is all a construct. It isn't actually a proven thing — in the sense of a mystical universe choosing favorites among us. Luck is just probability playing out in real time. It's more accurately defined as how humans choose to describe their lives. It's also a decent proxy for how people frame their problems. For example, those who believe in good or bad luck tend to be more cynical and less happy. The name Alfred isn't intrinsically unlucky. I just looked up a bunch of Alfreds from history and cherry-picked those who'd had the most bad luck. It was a whimsical way of framing a narrative, just as people do with their own life stories. I've heard from many readers over the years, who had horrible childhoods and lives —going through unimaginable trauma and disappointment. Yet many have gone on to be quite happy. I've also heard from people with lives you'd give anything for. I've tended to downgrade my definition of problems as life has improved. It's another pesky byproduct of hedonic adaptation. Yesterday, I caught myself cursing up a storm while setting up a new soundbar. You'd have thought I just caught someone cheating on me. I'd lost sight of how first-world, and truly spoiled I sounded. It is in the quieter moments, when sleep is evasive, that the mi nd can wander and wallow in misery and egregious mistakes. I am reminded that happiness and contentment require intent. Life is messy and complicated, and one cannot feel better simply by comparing themselves to those less fortunate. It takes more work. It is a sense of presence in the moment, gratitude, perspective, lifestyle, community, and purpose that I have found the most happiness, as my unlucky friend Al did. But he'll be the first to tell you how lucky he is. Solve the daily Crossword
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
In squeezing Putin, Trump ‘escalates to de-escalate'
Watching Donald Trump on Monday describe his new get-tough approach to peacemaking in Ukraine, I wondered whether he has a secret affinity with Alfred Nobel, the man who endowed the famous peace prize that the president is pursuing so eagerly. For the fact is: They both like to blow things up.
RNZ News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Could US President Donald Trump win the Nobel Peace Prize?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, hands a letter he sent to the Nobel Peace Prize committee to nominate US President Donald Trump for the prize. Trump was hosting Netanyahu at White House on 7 July 2025 to discuss a potential ceasefire agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. Photo: Getty Images North America via AFP / Andrew Harnik The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most prestigious honours that can be awarded to individuals and organisations internationally. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nominated US President Donald Trump for the prize. If Trump wins , he will be the fifth US president on the list after Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama. Here is a look at how the award works: According to the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, the prize should go to the person "who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses." In an introduction on the Nobel website, Chair of the Peace Prize Committee Jorgen Watne Frydnes says "in practice anyone can be the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. The history of the prize shows clearly it's given to people from all layers of society from all over the world." Thousands of people can propose names: members of governments and parliaments; current heads of state; university professors of history, social sciences, law, and philosophy; and former Nobel Peace Prize laureates, among others. You cannot nominate yourself. Nominee lists are kept secret for 50 years, though there is nothing to stop those who make nominations from disclosing their choices. The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which consists of five individuals appointed by the Norwegian parliament, is the arbiter. Members are often retired politicians, but not always. The current committee is led by the head of the Norwegian branch of PEN International, a group defending freedom of expression. They are all put forward by Norwegian political parties and their appointments reflect the balance of power in Norway's parliament. Nominations close on January 31, meaning Netanyahu's nomination of Trump would not be considered this year. Members of the committee can make their own nominations no later than the first meeting of the committee in February. They make a shortlist, and each nominee is then assessed by a group of permanent advisers and other experts. The committee aims for unanimity but can decide by majority vote. A final decision is often only made a few days before the prize is announced. The Nobel Peace Prize has often been seen as having a political message. The Nobel website says some recipients have been "highly controversial political actors," while the prize has also increased public focus on international or national conflicts. Obama won the award just a few months after taking office. Two members of the committee stepped down over the decision in 1973 to award the Peace Prize to U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Vietnamese politician Le Duc Tho for negotiating an end to the Vietnam War. One member quit in 1994 when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat shared the prize with Israel's Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin. A medal, a diploma, 11 million Swedish crowns (NZ$1.9 million), and immediate global attention, if they are not already famous. The announcement of this year's prize will be made on October 10 at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo. The ceremony will take place at the Oslo City Hall on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. - Reuters
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize: Origin, impact and other key details
Donald Trump has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by Pakistan. The Nobel Peace Prize stands as one of the most prestigious honors in the world, awarded to those who have significantly contributed to peace and humanity. According to the official website of the Nobel Peace Prize, the honor has been bestowed 105 times to 139 individuals and organizations since 1901. Donald Trump has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by Pakistan. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)(AFP) Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor and industrialist, included the Peace Prize in his will, stating it should go to the person who had done the most or best work for the promotion of fraternity between nations, the reduction of armed forces, and the organization of peace congresses. Also Read: McDonald's to face nationwide boycott in US from June 24 to 30: Here's what to know The intent behind the Nobel Peace Prize Initially, recipients were largely pacifists, activists, or members of the peace movement, who advocated diplomacy and international cooperation. With time, the focus of the Nobel Peace Prize broadened. Post World War I and World War II, the prize began recognizing political leaders, humanitarian workers and international bodies who played a role in diplomacy, rebuilding and global reconciliation. In more recent years, climate action and environmental efforts have also been acknowledged under the umbrella of peace work. Also read: Internet mocks Pakistan's Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Trump: 'Laughable, desperate' Nobel Peace Prize beyond Europe and the US Until the mid-20th century, laureates were mostly from Europe and North America. This began to change in 1960 when South African leader Albert John Lutuli became the first Peace Prize winner from outside these regions. His award marked the start of the prize's gradual globalization. Since then, recipients from Asia, Africa, and Latin America have been increasingly recognized. Over the years, the prize has been awarded to a diverse range of efforts: from disarmament campaigns and peace negotiations to human rights advocacy and environmental activism. Winners receive a diploma, a gold medal, and a cash award currently set at 11 million Swedish kronor. The medal, crafted in 18-carat gold, features Alfred Nobel's portrait and an engraving that reads Pro pace et fraternitate gentium, meaning 'For peace and fraternity among peoples.' Held on December 10, the award ceremony in Oslo brings together members of the Norwegian royal family, political leaders, diplomats and civil society. It is accompanied by public events, press conferences and exhibitions that honour the laureate's work. FAQs What does the Nobel Peace Prize stand for? It recognizes work done to advance peace, international fraternity, and disarmament. Why did Obama win the Nobel Prize? He was awarded in 2009 for his efforts to improve international diplomacy and cooperation. Who is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner? Malala Yousafzai won in 2014 at age 17. Who is the only person to have declined the Nobel Peace Prize? Le Duc Tho declined the award in 1973 due to the Vietnam conflict
