Nobel Gases

Colorless and odorless under standard conditions - helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and the radioactive radon (Rn). Under abnormal conditions they make brilliant colors as you can see above.

Obama can't win for losing. Or can't lose for winning. I never really understood that phrase (can't say I've really tried to), so maybe the opposite is more fitting here on Nobel Peace Prize day. Who knows? Let's break this thing down gas by gas.

Helium (He): as in... (He) didn't chose to win this. I think it most unlucky. It fuels the fire of the right (Oh, the humanity! No wait, that was a different gas) that thinks a president too well liked overseas is not strong enough pushing the American agenda (sometimes a difficult argument, but one none the less). His winning even confounds many reasonable lefties. The biggest question out of all of this is "What's up with the Nobel Committee?"

Neon (Ne): as in... maybe it's a (Neon) sign of things to come. A bright, colorful sign of future peace. I believe in a place called hope. Let's hope this prize can leverage peace. I don't think it can, but let's all hope it can. The Peace Prize comes with a big cash award of over a million dollars which Obama will donate to a charity. My advice: don't give it to ACORN, bad political move.

Argon (Ar): as in... bitter relations with much of the the world (Argon)[are no more]. A bad pun, yes... but my other option was a play on (Argon)nes, France which somehow would have been more of a reach and would have inevitably lead to something about freedom fries. Maybe the goodwill he engenders around the world isn't overstated and its transformative possibilities are vast... not my general belief, but I'm open to a little optimism and it's worth a full throttled effort. Who am I to argue with the Scandinavians passing out the Nobels in Sweden? Oh yeah, I'm an American Blogger... it's my duty to argue with Scandinavians.

Krypton (Kr): as in... maybe he is Superman, without the aversion to (krytpon)ite and can change the world. That would be fine. And if he can change the US along the way (for the better, mind you) that would be great as well. I'm all for peace and especially for one man making it so (then I need not get involved (how easy!)). Give the man a cape. Come to think of it, I'd like one too.

Xenon (Xe): Greek word ξένον [xenon] meaning 'strange'. as in... isn't it xenon that Gandhi was nominated three times but never won the Nobel Peace Prize... seems like he embodied peace. Is it too late for him to win? Are these prizes non-transferable? Maybe Obama could give the prize to him posthumously... but if he did it would be better if Gandhi had been a Muslim so as to symbolically reach out to the Islamic world. Most Americans wouldn't know a Hindu if one bit them on the leg. Not saying a Hindu would do that... just saying Americans... generally... aren't... how do you say... worldly.

Radioactive Radon (Rn): Ah Radon, feared silent killer of homeowners, not sure how to put a positive spin on this one. Unless we go (Rn) as Obama can nurse us back from our economic ills and make the most of other peaceful pursuits. Give the man some cool medical scrubs with SpongeBob SquarePants on them. Come to think of it, I'd like some too. All in the name of peace, of course.