“Twofur” Tuesday October 9, 2007
Posted by joejames in Elie Wiesel, Muhammad Yunus, Noble Peace Prize, Twofur Tuesday.trackback
My friend, Greg Brooks, has a weekly post over on his U-Life blog (see blogroll) called Three for Thursday. I love doing top three lists, but he has the corner on that market, so I’d like to start doing Two for Tuesday, or in slang, Twofur Tuesday.
My first twofur will be my top two Nobel Peace Prize winners. Since this is not a top three list, I will tell you my first runner up to making this list was John Forbes Nash. If you don’t know who that is, then please rent A Beautiful Mind.
Number 2> My number two man is Muhammad Yunus. Dr. Yunus is the author of a groundbreaking microeconomics theory (put in book form) called A Banker to the Poor. I first heard of Dr. Yunus while watching the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He was a guest of Jon’s and captivated my imagination with his idea of giving loans back to poor people. His quote on the show that got me was, “…and they pay me back, better than most rich people do!” I immediately went to Barnes & Noble and purchased his book and read it in about three days or so. He is an amazing man of compassion. His heart for the poor is changing the world order slowly, quietly, and in such an unassuming manner. Below is an interview with Dr. Yunus after the Nobel Peace Award ceremony:
Number 1> On top of my list is a man who, in my mind, is one of the most intriguing real life characters alive today. His name is Elie Wiesel and he is the author of the book Night which recounts his childhood experience as a persecuted Jewish family. It is truly one of the most captivating and life-changing pieces of literature I have ever picked up. Night is the first book in a short trilogy, the other two books are Dawn and Day. All three of these are great reads - not difficult, but very powerful - not long, but full to the bream of the cup!!! Elie’s life story is one that must be told and retold to this generation, that we might change and flee from the evil of fear; an evil that fuels murder, war, and worse… holocaust. Below is Elie Wiesel’s post Nobel Peace Award ceremony interview as well:
I urge you to get your copy of Banker to the Poor here, and to get Night here.
My favorite is a guy named Norman Borlaug. He won the Congressional Gold Medal this summer, the U.S.’s highest civilian award. He won the Nobel Prize in 1970. He’s a food scientist who invented genetically modified crops (wheat, especially) that enabled nations like Mexico and India to begin feeding themselves. There’s a book about him that I’ve never read, called “The Man Who Fed The World.”
Here’s a video about him, CAUTION: BAD WORDS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIvNopv9Pa8
My speakers don’t work on my computer, but I like the pictures.
maybe you should have way-out wednesday, in which you discuss something on the conservative side of social issues. or something.
“Way-out Wednesday” - hmmm….. I like it. Maybe next week.