

Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn Awarded Medal of Freedom 149
3l1za writes ""President Bush on Thursday announced the recipients of this year's Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civil award." Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn -- for their design of "the software code used to transmit data over the Internet" -- are among those to be honored next Wednesday. "
The history of the award, and the need. (Score:4, Interesting)
This is generally cronyism at its worst, and media attention getting at its finest. There is no Constitutional mandate or power. President Harry Truman enacted [medaloffreedom.com] the medal in 1945 and it was virtually ignored until JFK brought it back -- through an Executive Order [wikipedia.org] in 1963.
That same Executive Order also expanded the size of unconstitutional government by extending the "Distinguished Civilian Service Awards" board -- yet another cronyist bunch given very nice salaries* by the President.
I know the political spectrum is well covered here, but does anyone honestly believe a government that is trillions in debt needs a board to give out awards? Disregard any constitutional grounds and focus on the need of the governed. Can't an independent not-for-profit group do the same? BTW, Clinton also gave the award to some ridiculous recipients, so I'm not Bush bashing. This is just a waste of your money.
*There's almost no oversight or budget restrictions on what the board can be paid: Expenses. Necessary administrative expenses of the Board incurred in connection with the recommendation of persons to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, including expenses of travel of members of the Board appointed under Section 3 (a) of this Order, during the fiscal year 1963, may be paid from the appropriation provided under the heading 'Special Projects' in the Executive Office Appropriation Act, 1963, 76 Stat. 315, and during subsequent fiscal years, to the extent permitted by law, from any corresponding or like appropriation made available for such fiscal years. Such payments shall be without regard to the provisions of section 3681 of the Revised Statutes and section 9 of the Act of March 4, 1909, 35 Stat. 1027 (31 U.S.C. 672 and 673).
Why is he giving it now? Why not years ago? (Score:5, Interesting)
Whether you agree or disagree with the USA control of DNS, if Vint Cerf was deserving of the award then he should have got it years ago, not JUST BEFORE a meeting on the future control of the Internet on 18th November.
Re:Why is he giving it now? Why not years ago? (Score:2)
Re:Why is he giving it now? Why not years ago? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Why is he giving it now? Why not years ago? (Score:2)
Re:Why is he giving it now? Why not years ago? (Score:3, Insightful)
It's funny because you'd think they would want to distance themselves as much as possible from the administration if they want to convince the rest of the world to maintain the status quo on this issue on technical or economic grounds or whatever (I don't really know what their argument is supposed to be). The more personally interested the US political lead
Re:The history of the award, and the need. (Score:2, Insightful)
What this feels like to me is a mix between Knighthood, the Hollywood Walk o
Re:The history of the award, and the need. (Score:2, Informative)
"Members of the Board appointed under Section 3(a) of this Order shall serve without compensation."
Or was this sentence intentionally left out because it contradicts your claim that the board is "yet another cronyist bunch given very nice salaries" ?
Very good points (Score:2)
And as another poster said, while Cerf deserves the award for past accomplishments, he
Re:Very good points (Score:2)
Why it's newsworthy (Score:1)
Re:The history of the award, and the need. (Score:2)
For that matter, if they really wanted to honour someone who's responsible for the Internet as we know it today, then Tim Berners-Lee would also have deserved one. But of course, Tim's a European, and we can't give awards to those pesky foreigners, now can we?
Re:The history of the award, and the need. (Score:2)
WWW != Internet
You do realize that Sir Tim built WWW on top of the bedrock that Cerf and others created?
But of course, Tim's a European, and we can't give awards to those pesky foreigners, now can we?
Well, considering it's the US Medal of Freedom, I'd say the list of foreigners that have one is pretty small. I know two popes have recei
Re:The history of the award, and the need. (Score:4, Insightful)
BTW, there was only one president (Eisenhower) between Truman and Kennedy. So every prexy since Truman, with a single exception has done this.
Re:And the lies...? (Score:1)
Re:And the lies...? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:And the lies...? (Score:2)
Re:And the lies...? (Score:2)
I bet he'd rather risk jail than have to put up with the Clinton She-Bitch howling at him for the next 30 years.
Re:And the lies...? (Score:2)
allow me to get this joke out of the way first... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:allow me to get this joke out of the way first. (Score:2)
MM Ok (Score:5, Informative)
"The medal was established by President Truman in 1945 to recognize notable service in the war.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy reintroduced it as an honor for distinguished civilian service in peacetime. "
And this is considered peacetime ?
Re:MM Ok (Score:2)
Re:MM Ok (Score:2)
Re:MM Ok (Score:2)
Re:MM Ok (Score:2)
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HJ00
(referred to committee, congress never actually declared the war on terror).
Re:MM Ok (Score:2)
Hell, if people only fought us because told them they could, things would be a hell of a lot easier.
Vint is supporting the president recently, so he is getting "paid" for it. The President is very kind to those who support him, hell, I heard once that he could get someone a job as a lead of a major organization with no previous work in the area of merit.
Re:MM Ok (Score:1, Troll)
The fact you don't have any of -your- unresolved declarations of war doesn't mean there's no war.
You're not really at "war". (Score:3, Insightful)
Things are very peaceful for you, since you're isolated away from all of the fighting itself. No warring is actually taking place in the United States.
Re:You're not really at "war". (Score:2)
Re:You're not really at "war". (Score:2, Informative)
Structurally, Europe, Russia and Asia were devastated. The loss of American life in the WWII is estimated at approximately 0.42 million or so. Meanwhile, you have the Soviets losing 23 million. Germany lost around 7.5 million. For every 1000 people, the US lost about 3, the Soviets 136, and the Germans 107. On the Asian front, Japan lost about 2.6 million people, or approximately 33 for every 100
Re:You're not really at "war". (Score:2, Offtopic)
Re:You're not really at "war". (Score:2)
Re:You're not really at "war". (Score:2)
It's the Juice? (Score:2)
Or, in shorthand, "jews did 911 lol".
Oh, wrong tinfoil hattery. (Score:2)
Re:Oh, wrong tinfoil hattery. (Score:2)
Re:MM Ok (Score:2)
(The US can't go to war without (IIRC it's congressional) approval, something the war against Iraq didn't have, hence the doublespeak used when discussing it.
Re:MM Ok (Score:1)
Re:MM Ok (Score:2)
Let's not forget (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Let's not forget (Score:2)
Aretha kicks ass. R E S P-E C T!
Should we Winsock it to 'em?
Woo! (Score:3, Funny)
If it were me I'd ask for the lesser award of "presidental medal of awesome." Also, it would come with double prize money.
Unfortunate it wasn't sooner (Score:1, Flamebait)
Re:Unfortunate it wasn't sooner (Score:1, Offtopic)
Re:Unfortunate it wasn't sooner (Score:2)
http://jar.suso.org/ [suso.org] (click on the brocktoon.net link at the bottom)
Although I don't agree with Brocktoon, he still has the right to his own opinion and views. I would never censor his website for that reason.
Re: (Score:2)
WTF? (Score:4, Insightful)
The Medal of Freedom?
So the requirements are
Re:WTF? (Score:1)
Re:WTF? (Score:3, Funny)
What do you expect him to do? Awarding medals to people who've done the nation a real service will just show what a poor job Bush has done serving the country.
He hasn't caught Osama, he's used false pretenses to launch us into a war in Iraq with no end in sight and turned that country into a breeding ground for terrorists, he screwed up royally on Katrina by appointing incompetent cronies, and he's created a massive bu
Re:You're an anti-american piece of shit (Score:2)
You do know the "war of independence" involved a little French [mit.edu] help [thinkaboutit.com] don't you?
Re:You're an anti-american piece of shit (Score:2)
Simply because you don't have any answers, you fucking scumbag. Hell, you haven't lifted a finger to help with anything. You have actively conspired to make things worse. We should fucking execute you, if we had any balls.
Wow. America, land of the free, the City on the Hill, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, a more perfect union, of the people, by the people, for the people -- but apparently in your vision of America, we execute people because
Bah (Score:2)
It's 'wacko'... At least according to the Republican operatives implicated in the Abramhoff scandal.
Page 119, of this document... http://indian.senate.gov/2005hrgs/110205hrg/11020
Re:WTF? (Score:2)
This is a PR event. American heroes are now TV personalities that the masses can relate to because they have already seen them on MTV. And emote.
People that die in terrorist attacks are given hero status. Anybody that dies in the line of duty is assigned hero status.
Popular culture tells us that firefighters and policemen "put their lives on the line every day", so they are necessarily heroes. That is nonsense. They do what they do, and they do not consider themselves as heroes, we pay them to do what
Re:WTF? (Score:5, Insightful)
George Orwell referred to misuse of words like this as "swindles and perversions":
-- Politics and the English Language [resort.com]
Throwing words like "democracy" and "freedom" around as generic terms of praise is not just poor English, it actively clouds peoples thinking and is often deceitful.
From the well DUD Department... (Score:2)
Statements that are manifestly obvious:
I'm in favor of good. I'm in favor of truth. I'm in favor of that which is noble.
I'm against evil, wickedness, sin, and nastiness.
The business of business is business.
What I wish most for is WORLD PEACE, and a non-polluting, safe, reliable, cheap, compact, widely available, and infinite source of energy for humanity. (Have I forgotten anything?)
I'm confused (Score:5, Funny)
Shouldn't it have been Al Gore?
Re:I'm confused (Score:2)
Shouldn't it have been Al Gore?
Uncle Jessie, for services to moonshine production.
Re:I'm confused (Score:1)
Let's compromise and give it to the Jenni-cam girl [wikipedia.org]. What was her name again?
Yes you are (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:I'm confused (Score:2)
Re:I'm confused (Score:2)
Internets (Score:3, Funny)
And if they'd patented it.... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:And if they'd patented it.... (Score:2)
Re:And if they'd patented it.... (Score:2)
Seriously, its interesting how promoting standards as "the greatest common denominator" actually works to everyone's advantage. Even AOL wouldn't have grown to the extent it did, if it weren't an easy way to "get onto the Internet".
Come to think of it, how many people bought Windows systems (or any computer) for the first time because they were easily bundled with Netscape and Trumpet Winsock?
Political Opportunism ? (Score:1, Insightful)
Vinton Cerf and DARPA? (Score:2, Insightful)
They should turn down the medals. (Score:5, Interesting)
Everybody in the field knows (or should know) that they are amongst the Gods of the Internet. Their fame has peaked. That is why it would be very sportsmanlike of them to help highlight the achievements of others in their field.
Re:They should turn down the medals. (Score:4, Insightful)
Secondly, unless the money spent is in the neighborhood of $20 million (not likely), there would be no hope of setting up an annuity equivalent to a Nobel prize (which are worth about $1 million each).
Thirdly, rejecting a prize is insulting and generally doesn't make people willing to hear your suggestions as to how the money should be otherwise spent.
Re:They should turn down the medals. (Score:2)
Thank you, Captain Obvious.
and generally doesn't make people willing to hear your suggestions as to how the money should be otherwise spent.
And? The point isn't that the people giving the money will listen, it's that the people who *aren't* giving the money will listen. And they do.
Re:They should turn down the medals. (Score:2)
> people who *aren't* giving the money will listen. And they do.
And when they don't give money, they'll won't give it to places where it'll do the most good! Good thinking!
Re:They should turn down the medals. (Score:1)
Not enough money (Score:2)
Besides, who are you to tell these two men what to do? I mean seriously, what credentials do you possibly have to think you can tell these two "gods" as you say what to do? please...
-everphilski-
Jack Nicklaus? (Score:5, Informative)
Jack Nicklaus? How is playing golf now worthy of a "Freedom" medal? Sounds like a pretty worthless medal.
Re:Jack Nicklaus? (Score:2)
Muhammad Ali -No
Carol Burnett -No
Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn -Yes
Robert Conquest -Yes
Aretha Franklin -No
Alan Greenspan -Maybe
Andy Griffith -No
Paul Harvey - No
Sonny Montgomery -Yes
Richard Myers -Maybe
Jack Nicklaus -No.
Frank Robinson -No
Paul Rusesabagina -Probably
People's Choice (Score:2)
Maybe there should be a whole awards show for something like this.
Re:Jack Nicklaus? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Jack Nicklaus? (Score:2)
Re:Jack Nicklaus? (Score:2)
In other news... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:In other news... (Score:3, Funny)
What about Jon Postel? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:What about Jon Postel? (Score:1, Flamebait)
Thank god for speechwriters... (Score:3, Funny)
Irony? (Score:2, Insightful)
"You're doing a heck of a job, Bobbie, Vintie..." (Score:4, Interesting)
Naw (Score:2)
If you don't find this 'Newsworthy'... (Score:5, Insightful)
Well let's see, these people only helped create a system that has not only impacted millions of people worldwide, but changed the nature of information dissemination and business commerce for you, your kids and their kids. You tell me if this is news worthy. On second thought, let me tell you. It's nothing short of revolutionary. Then you go about discrediting an example of another award, as if it somehow makes this any less newsworthy or deserving of recognition when it really has nothing to do with anything.
Yeah, some people will find the shit in anything if it's labelled Microsoft, Bush or [insertyourfavoritenamebrandehere], regardless of how deserving it is.. I thought we marked crap like this 'trolls'...
Mod parent troll (Score:2)
AGREED, mod parent TROLL (Score:1)
I guess it comes down to the fact that there's enough crap to hold against Mr. Softee, and definately Bush, that we shouldn't resort to the kneejerk attacks. It weakens our case for the many times we do have a reasona
Well, the real question is... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Well, the real question is... (Score:2)
And they say...... (Score:2)
A Political Statement (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:A Political Statement (Score:1)
Stupid name for the award... (Score:3, Informative)
Rename the damn award the "Presidential Medal of Achievement" or "Presidential Medal of Service", and then it won't be so incongruous to give it to golfers.
I do have to wonder about giving the highest civilian award to Nicklaus, whatever it's called. He was a great golfer, sure. But he was very, very well renumerated for that, and won all manner of sporting awards. Did he do something exceptional beyond that to improve the lives of Americans in any way? I don't think so. But, hey, it's your country, and my own is hardly pure as snow on this kind of thing... The easiest way to become Australian of the Year is to captain the Australian cricket team...
I get it (Score:2)
It's like Bill Gates presenting a medal of competition, or Mary Magdeline presenting a medal of promiscuity.
Why couldn't Dubya give a medal to some of the thousands of fallen US soldiers that died executing his illegal war of aggression? Of course I don't expect it to go to anyone who works at Guantanimo Bay or anything, but what exactly do you have to do to get one of these freedom chimes again?
Re:I get it (Score:2)
Re:I get it (Score:2)