Obama Names National Medal of Science, Technology & Innovation Winners

alphadogg writes Computer scientists who made breakthroughs in areas such as software architectures and database management systems were among those named National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners by President Barack Obama. These awards, along with the National Medal of Science, are the nation's highest honors for achievement and leadership in advancing the fields of science and technology. Overall, 18 medalists were named.

I always like to say I'm a NPP winner myself

[NotSoHeavyD3]

The way I figure it is like this, I've done nothing for peace. Oddly enough that's way more than quite a few people that have won it. (Like Arafat and Kissinger) Therefore logically I must have won it as well. (Since I did more for peace) Of course when people ask where my prize is I say they probably lost it in the mail. Either that or they're still trying to get through the list of people that also did more for peace by doing nothing and are ahead of me alphabetically.

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[Tanuki64]

You can be glad that the Nobel Price rules forbid to give the price posthumously. Else Hitler would have gotten it long ago. Probably twice. Once for his contribution to the unification of Europe. And once for the world.

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[davester666]

He didn't actually manage to unite the whole world, but he did try pretty hard.

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[Tanuki64]

Good enough. For Obama 'he might try' was enough to get the prize.

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[guises]

disappointed they didn't influence Obama

This is missing the intent. The prize was given to Obama, not to influence him but to influence the people around him. It was basically an endorsement of his campaign promises, a statement: "People elsewhere in the world like what this guy is saying, or at least it's a big improvement. You, as a country, could stand to move in this direction."

Maybe they underestimated just how partisan politics are here, but instead of encouraging people to support Obama's stated goals (e.g.: closing Guantanamo - a big ca

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[bill_mcgonigle]

If a war criminal wants to give you a prize, the proper thing to do is to refuse it.

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[CaptainDork]

It really pisses you off that neither of the previous warmongers, Bush I and Bush II got a Nobel Peace Prize, doesn't it?

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[DNS-and-BIND]

Are we just completely ignoring the whole racism angle? Is that what we do now? Just pretend that racism doesn't exist, and that deliberately snubbing an African-American Nobel Peace Prize winner is not racist? What universe are we in now?

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[Lord Maud'Dib]

It's got nothing to do with his skin colour. Why are you bringing this up? Closet racist?

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[radarskiy]

Why do you hate Henry Kissinger?

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[CaptainDork]

What are you smoking? "He" didn't deserve any National Medal of Science at all, and actually, he didn't get any.

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[sribe]

He won a Nobel peace prize for starting wars all around the world lol.

Name one war he started.

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[Nehmo]

Name one war he started.

The US (in addition to some European rich guys) funded [informatio...house.info] the insurrection in Ukraine that led to the removal of the (albeit weak) elected government. This directly led to the current conflict. We (the US) were not simply a bystander.

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[Anonymous Coward]

"What could possibly be more important than ensuring that minorities are properly represented in Science, Technology and Innovation?"

Ensuring that individuals who actually did something of significance to the human race are awarded, rather than some nobodies based on skin color who didn't do anything except hold a title?

Damn, this disqualifies Obama from the Nobel Peace prize, not that the Nobel Peace prize hadn't already been tarnished long before Obama.

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[just_a_monkey]

So gender is not important to you? Tsk, tsk, tsk...

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[Teresita]

Proud member of the gender "minority" that happens to be 51% of the population...but then again, minorities have to do with putting people in victim classes as a wedge for political solutions, and nothing to do with actual numbers.

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[Lord Maud'Dib]

Whoosh! As with the other comments you are obviously oblivious to the sarcasm. Are you all so blinded by this PC stupidity?

Deeds

[Tablizer]

Anyone know of a list that includes their technical accomplishments?

Charles W. Bachman and databases

[Tablizer]

Charles W. Bachman was the guy who "fought with" Dr. Codd over database models. Bachman championed "navigational" databases, which depended on the management of "visible" pointers connecting data nodes. Dr. Codd's vision was closer to Set Theory, and generally "won" in that relational is the dominant database flavor today. Bachman's work still influenced various implementation issues common to both kinds being that working navigational databases came first.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2... [theregister.co.uk]

Prizes are for children

[Le Marteau]

"Prizes are for children." -- Charles Ives, upon being given, but refusing, the Pulitzer prize

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[serviscope_minor]

"Prizes are for children." -- Charles Ives, upon being given, but refusing, the Pulitzer prize

"Comments from like that are from idiots" -- serviscope_minor, upon seeing a very stupid quote on slashdot.

See? Anyone can say stupid shit without backing it up. Doesn't make it correct or incorrect.

Obama is a great MC

[Nehmo]

Despite criticism of Obama (actually the Obama administration; he plays golf) botching foreign affairs to the point of re-igniting the cold war and arming our enemies in Syria, you must say Obama does an excellent job of presenting awards and things like that. He's the best I've ever seen in that regard. Have Putin match that!