--- title: "While you were sleeping: 13th January 2017" description: "Obama awards Biden surprise medal, C-SPAN airs Russian news for ten minutes, and marijuana - surprise surprise - alleviates pain." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "Newsdeck" author: "John Stupart" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/johnstupart/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-01-13-while-you-were-sleeping-13th-january-2017/" published: "2017-01-13T05:40:33" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 750 --- # While you were sleeping: 13th January 2017 > Obama awards Biden surprise medal, C-SPAN airs Russian news for ten minutes, and marijuana - surprise surprise - alleviates pain. By John Stupart · Published 13 January 2017, 07:40 SAST ## Content **TGIF, 13th January 2017** *“Do stuff. be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It's all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. stay eager.”* **Susan Sontag** ![Op-Ed: Independence of Western Sahara is an inalienable right](https://i1.createsend1.com/ei/d/D1/281/7A4/csimport/849x493q70Ranjeni-Zuma-Obama1.043926.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [A tale of two speeches: Zuma and Obama’s legacies, in their own words](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hlhjuyd-l-h/) By RANJENI MUNUSAMY It is perhaps unfair to compare the speech that President Jacob Zuma delivered on Sunday with that of US President Barack Obama on Tuesday. Obama is a masterful orator and throughout his presidency delivered speeches that made us laugh, brought us to tears, gave hope and helped us dream. Zuma too could bring you to tears, only because his speeches are so mind-numbingly boring, they could ferment fruit. These were meant to be legacy speeches – Obama’s last as president and Zuma’s last ANC January 8th statement. But history will remember only one of them. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Biden awarded Medal of Freedom](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hlhjuyd-l-k/) US Deputy President Joe Biden was given a surprise award on Thursday. Expecting a mutual toast to each other, President Obama had other ideas, opting to bestow the country's highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, with distinction. A teary Biden thanked Obama and, jokingly, threatened to fire his Chief of Staff for not informing him. [Nintendo unveils Switch to tepid response](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hlhjuyd-l-u/) Nintendo unveiled its Playstation killer "Switch" on Thursday. During a press conference the company highlighted the ability for the console to remain a "home" or portable gaming experience. A sneak peak earlier to journalists left many with an underwhelming perception of the new console. More details will be released today, including the all-important price tag. [C-SPAN airs Russia Today for 10 minutes](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hlhjuyd-l-o/) US television network C-SPAN is investigating how its online feed was interrupted for 10 minutes on Thursday. The public affairs channel aired Russia Today for the duration. "Cheeky intern" may well be the cause, but other nefarious suspects are a firm possibility. [Marijuana relieves pain, carries risks: report](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hlhjuyd-l-b/) A major review by an American panel has analysed over 17 years of literature and research on the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Unsurprisingly, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee found that marijuana relieves chronic pain and suppresses nausea in cancer patients. Elevated risk of heart attack amongst diabetics, however, was one risk highlighted. — IN NUMBERS 0 The number of life insurance policies available to Apollo 11's astronauts. Instead, they autographed photos which their family would have been able to auction off in the event of their death(s). FACT OF THE DAY Today in 1942 saw the **first use of an ejection seat**. It was utilised in a Heinkel He 280. **Nintendo used to ship its SNES** console by night to avoid theft by the Yakuza. 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