Many Nobel prizes are being announced this week. I was really happy to read about
the Prize for Medecine-Physiology, that went for work on the Thymus. This is the organ
that - in the child and adolescent - regulates the immune response, so that T-cells don't attack
healthy tissue. When this doesn't work properly, the child develops an auto-immune
disease, such as Diabetes1. Thanks to this research, we now know the genes involved
setting this up, opening the door to proper research and possibly a cure.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/health/nobel-prize-medicine-physiology.html
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On Friday, the Peace Prize should be announced!
Copilot:
Is Donald Trump a candidate for this year's Nobel Peace Prize?
Yes, Donald Trump is indeed a candidate for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. He was formally nominated before the February 1 deadline by U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney, primarily citing his role in the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states.
This year, Trump has also tied his campaign for the prize to a proposed Gaza peace plan, which includes:
A phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza
Release of hostages
Reconstruction of Gaza under international oversight
Disarmament of Palestinian groups in exchange for aid monitoring
He claims this plan could end the nearly two-year war between Israel and Hamas and has stated publicly that he “ended seven wars” and deserves the prize. However, experts remain skeptical. Analysts point out that the Nobel Committee tends to favor sustained, multilateral peace efforts over unilateral or short-term diplomacy. Trump’s polarizing style and climate change skepticism may also work against him.
Interestingly, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te recently said Trump would “surely win the Nobel Peace Prize” if he could convince China to permanently renounce the use of force against Taiwan.
The winner will be announced this Friday in Oslo. So Louise, if you're tracking geopolitical symbolism and diplomatic legacies, this year's Peace Prize is shaping up to be a fascinating moment. Want to dig into how past laureates compare to Trump’s bid?
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Found this historical tidbit very informative:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JJ85yVfL8/
Who was president of the USA during the Second Iraq war?
🇺🇸 The president of the United States during the Second Iraq War (2003–2011) was George W. Bush. He served two terms from January 2001 to January 2009 and was the key figure behind the decision to invade Iraq in March 2003. The rationale included allegations that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and posed a threat to U.S. interests and allies.
Later, Barack Obama took office in January 2009 and oversaw the final phase of the war, including the withdrawal of U.S. troops, which was completed by December 2011.
If you're analyzing leadership styles or strategic doctrine during that period, I can break down their respective approaches to military engagement, coalition-building, or post-conflict stabilization. Would you like a comparative timeline or doctrinal overview?
Who ordered that the American position be on top of the ruins of Babylon?
The decision to establish a U.S. military base on the ancient ruins of Babylon in Iraq was made in the early stages of the 2003 invasion, but there’s no publicly documented order from a specific individual explicitly directing that the base be placed atop the archaeological site.
🔍 Here's what we do know:
Camp Alpha, the U.S. base at Babylon, was set up in April 2003, shortly after the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
The strategic rationale was likely proximity to key infrastructure and security concerns, rather than deliberate targeting of the archaeological site.
The British Museum’s Dr. John Curtis, who visited the site in 2004, described the damage as “substantial” and called the decision “regrettable,” comparing it to placing a base at the Great Pyramid or Stonehenge.
Much of the infrastructure work—including gravel compaction, helipad construction, and sandbag filling with archaeological fragments—was reportedly carried out by Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR), a private contractor then owned by Halliburton, which had been run by Vice President Dick Cheney until 2000.
📜 While the base was established under the authority of U.S. military command, the lack of transparency around site selection means we don’t have a named individual who ordered it. It was likely a tactical decision made by field commanders or logistics planners, not a directive from the White House or Pentagon leadership.
Would you like a breakdown of the archaeological damage or how the site was later handed over to Iraqi authorities?
How bad was the damage, ultimately?
The damage to Babylon caused by the U.S. military base was described by experts as substantial and deeply regrettable, with long-term consequences for archaeological integrity. Here's a breakdown of what was reported:
🏛️ Physical Damage to Structures
Ishtar Gate: One of the most iconic features of Babylon, suffered smashed bricks on nine of the animal reliefs adorning it.
Processional Way: This ceremonial route was scarred by trenches, vehicle tracks, and barbed wire installations.
Pavement Crushing: 2,600-year-old brick pavements were crushed by heavy military and contractor vehicles.
Sandbag Fill: Archaeological fragments were reportedly used to fill sandbags—an act condemned by cultural heritage experts.
🛠️ Site Alterations
Gravel and Chemical Treatment: Large areas were covered with imported gravel, compacted and chemically treated to create helipads and parking lots. This compromised the stratigraphy and future excavation potential.
Trenches and Earthworks: Trenches dug for firing positions and fortifications disrupted the site's topography and buried historical layers.
🧪 Contamination and Conservation Challenges
UNESCO and the British Museum noted that the archaeological record was contaminated, making future research and restoration more difficult.
Conservation efforts were further complicated by thick plaster applications on reconstructed walls, which later collapsed and caused additional damage.
💸 Reparations and Restoration
The U.S. government agreed to contribute $800,000 toward rehabilitation efforts.
The Future of Babylon Project, led by the World Monuments Fund and Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities, launched a multi-year plan to stabilize and restore the site.
🗣️ Expert Reactions
Dr. John Curtis of the British Museum likened the base’s placement to “establishing a military camp around the Great Pyramid or Stonehenge.”
Lord Redesdale of the UK’s parliamentary archaeological group called the damage “dreadful” and “outrageous.”
If you’d like, I can walk you through the restoration techniques being used or show how Babylon’s status as a World Heritage candidate has evolved since.
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