The European Union wins the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five original Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, and is awarded annually to individuals, organizations, or movements that have made significant contributions to the promotion of peace. The Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901, following Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896.

Categories: The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in the following categories: Peace and Diplomacy, Human Rights and Advocacy, Disarmament and Conflict Resolution, and other peace-promoting efforts.

Nobel Committee: The Norwegian Nobel Committee is responsible for selecting the Nobel Peace Prize laureates. While the other Nobel Prizes are awarded in Sweden, the Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway.

Criteria: According to Alfred Nobel’s will, the Peace Prize is to be awarded to the person or entity that has “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”

Nomination and Selection: The process for selecting Nobel Peace Prize laureates is highly secretive. Nominations are made by a range of qualified individuals and organizations, including members of national governments, university professors, former laureates, and others. The names of the nominees and other information related to the selection process are kept confidential for 50 years.

Notable Laureates: The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to numerous individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to peace and diplomacy. Some notable laureates include Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Malala Yousafzai, Nelson Mandela, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and many others.

Presentation: The Nobel Peace Prize is typically presented on December 10th, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. The award ceremony takes place in Oslo, Norway, and includes the presentation of a medal, a diploma, and a substantial monetary award.

Controversies: Like any major award, the Nobel Peace Prize has faced its share of controversies and criticisms. Some laureates have been criticized for their actions after receiving the prize, and there have been debates about omissions and selections.

Legacy: The Nobel Peace Prize has played a significant role in highlighting the work of individuals and organizations committed to peace and human rights. It remains one of the most prestigious international awards

Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya becomes the first person to run a marathon in less than two hours with a time of 1:59:40 in Vienna.

Eliud Kipchoge is a Kenyan long-distance runner who is widely considered one of the greatest marathon runners of all time. He was born on November 5, 1984, in Kapsisiywa, Kenya. Kipchoge is particularly known for his incredible performances in the marathon distance.

One of his most famous achievements was breaking the marathon world record in September 2018 at the Berlin Marathon, where he completed the race in 2 hours, 1 minute, and 39 seconds, setting a new world record at the time. He also won the Olympic gold medal in the men’s marathon at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

However, Kipchoge is perhaps best known for his remarkable feat on October 12, 2019, when he became the first person in history to run a marathon in under 2 hours. He accomplished this incredible achievement in Vienna, Austria, during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, finishing the marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 40 seconds. It’s worth noting that this achievement, while monumental, was not an official world record, as it was not run under normal race conditions, but rather as a carefully orchestrated event with optimal pacing, hydration, and other factors to help Kipchoge achieve the historic sub-2-hour time.

An iron lung respirator is used for the first time at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Terrorists detonate bombs in the Sari Club in Bali, killing 202 and wounding over 300.

The citizens of Munich hold the first Oktoberfest.
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America’s first insane asylum opens in Virginia.

On October 12, 1773, Eastern State Hospital was established, the first insane asylum in what is now the United States. Built in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, this was a time in history when mentally ill people were seen as something to make fun of and were used as entertainment. The famous English insane asylum, Bethlehem Royal Hospital more commonly known as “Bedlam,” and yes, that is the source of that word was a popular tourist attraction!

Digging Deeper
Eastern State Hospital did a thriving business as it seems there was no shortage of patients. The poor state of mental health treatment back then meant people with “issues” were locked away instead of being given proper mental health care. Of course, psychotropic medicines did not exist then, either. As the hospital became more crowded, individual care declined even more to the point where patients were mere inmates to be housed. In 1885 an electrical fire in a new wing burned the place down.

Eastern State Hospital was rebuilt and by 1935 had 2000 inmates/patients. Increasing demand for capacity outgrew available space for expansion, so the patient load was gradually moved to other facilities between 1937 and 1968, with the hospital function of the facility finally shut down in 1968, the work of mental health treatment having been totally moved to a new location outside of Williamsburg . The old building was reconstructed and opened as a museum in 1985, and today it remains a museum of mental health at the Colonial Williamsburg attraction.

The establishment of mental institutions grew from the late 18th Century through the 1950’s, until in the United States nearly 600,000 people were residents in mental hospitals! This trend reversed with improved treatment and the use of drugs, and by 1977 the mental patient population had shrunk in the United States to 160,000. Unfortunately, the Reagan years saw shrinking mental health budgets from government sources and many people went untreated, becoming homeless and straining society. Today only around 35,000 mental patients are in hospitals, while a tremendous amount of our world’s largest prison population is actually mentally ill people that did not get treatment. Something like 100,000+ prison inmates at least 16% of prison populations are believed to be mentally ill persons.

In Carlton County, Minnesota a forest fire kills 453 people.

An iron lung respirator is used for the first time at the Children’s Hospital in Boston.