No one seemed to complain when these calligraphers were working for Reagan, Bush, Clinton, W., etc for just as much money.

I hang my head in shame./

$94K for a Dick Muffler???

… the better to lie and dissuade, my dears

just words won’t do as the lies need gold leaf…

Not just “plagues”, but also every government-issued professional license certificate has to be done by hand.

Del Dolemonte on March 6, 2013 at 4:53 PM

No. Just checked my PA and DE physician licenses. All machine generated.

These idiots can’t find a fancy-ass font in a word processor program?

Being a southpaw, my handwriting is crap.

That probably means I qualify for a $96,000 government job under the Americans With Disabilities Act. :)

MichaelGabriel on March 6, 2013 at 6:06 PM

My oldest son is a lefty. Tried to make him a major leaque pitcher but he didn’t like beaning kids. Maybe, you could put in a good word for him at that goverment job? He could teach the Bamster to throw a ball, too.

Newsflash: I never said need. Now go join sagebrushidiot.

Blake

Every one of your responses has implied that they are needed, starting with your answer to JohnTant’s question asking why calligraphers are needed.

These rooms have two functions. Tours and appearances. The White House has basically said screw the people, they would rather have access to these rooms where they give Bob Dylan medals and engage in functions that could done in other rooms and parts of the White House.

The expenses are in security and in turning the rooms over from public view to serve their ceremonial needs. I understand the need for security staff, but I don’t think they need to transition the rooms daily for ceremonial needs. In fact they could take advantage of this opening to allow for more tours and pump more money into the DC economy.

Instead Obama decided he values pomp over the American people.

I’m an artist, I’ve really have used hand written calligraphy for awards and I’ve done graphic design using various fonts.

Being a southpaw, my handwriting is crap.

That probably means I qualify for a $96,000 government job under the Americans With Disabilities Act. :)

Michelle Obama’s Staffing Needs

Interesting that my posts keep getting deleted. Ahh well. Maybe this one will stick.

Key West Reader on March 6, 2013 at 6:02 PM

They are all women…doesn’t she believe in equality in the workplace??

Invitations need to be designed. Kerning doesn’t account for the inside spacing of letters which can’t be done by computer.

Seriously. Graphic designers can quickly design the document and reuse the layout over and over again. Letters can be manipulated in a drawing program. Most people cannot discern the slight manipulations anyway.

Apparently, you are a huge fan of Calligraphy. It is a beautiful artform but again, unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. The documents do not need to be so ornate, it is simply unnecessary. If someone feels slighted because their document is not handwritten (in the busines world even signatures are usually dropped in electronically on documents), let them know about the auto-pen signings on condolence letters to soldiers’ families. That should put things in perspective.

We are obviously at an impasse. You will continue to say that calligraphers are necessary and I will say, they are not.
*shake hands, disagree and have a cup of coffee?*

Speaking of which…

OT~I hope someone is getting Rand some nutrition and caffeine.

There’s no comparison to the real deal.

Blake on March 6, 2013 at 5:07 PM

And the “Real Deal” is a placard near a plate that is thrown away after it is read…an invitation that gets sold on eBay…type it, print it, fold it…one person at about $36,000 a year can do it all.

Interesting that my posts keep getting deleted. Ahh well. Maybe this one will stick.

I’m an artist, I’ve really have used hand written calligraphy for awards and I’ve done graphic design using various fonts. Kerning is a technique used in designing, formatting and typesetting a piece of text. By adjusting the kerning of letters, a designer is able to increase or adjust the amount of text in a line.

Invitations need to be designed. Kerning doesn’t account for the inside spacing of letters which can’t be done by computer.

Each invitation does not need to be a work of art. While it might be beautiful, it is unnecessary to do so many documents by hand. The document can be mass produced and the personalization can be dropped in as needed by computer.

Fallon on March 6, 2013 at 5:45 PM

Each invitation is not a work of art. Most are hand lettered, sent to an engraver, and the name is hand lettered in. They hand letter the place settings and often add some art work to them. But some of the certificates are extremely ornate and are done by hand.

“I really have created hand-written calligraphy…”

Yeah, you are. It’s not just the letter but the white spaces between the letters and inside the letters that have to be considered for each letter, word, sentence. Again, what they do is more akin to art.

Blake on March 6, 2013 at 5:35 PM

I’m an artist, I’ve really have used hand written calligraphy for awards and I’ve done graphic design using various fonts. Kerning is a technique used in designing, formatting and typesetting a piece of text. By adjusting the kerning of letters, a designer is able to increase or adjust the amount of text in a line.

Each invitation does not need to be a work of art. While it might be beautiful, it is unnecessary to do so many documents by hand. The document can be mass produced and the personalization can be dropped in as needed by computer.

The GOP or some related group should call for PUBLIC DONATIONS to fund the WH tours as a service to the American people. The story would be that we can’t sit by and let the “People’s House” be shut down by a press hungry despot, so the PRIVATE SECTOR will come to the rescue of failed Big Government.

Just imagine groups of fresh faced Young Republicans standing on Pennsylvania Avenue passing out tickets that say, “The Whte House, Brought to you by the GOP!”

Kenz on March 6, 2013 at 4:58 PM

What an excellent idea.

A grass roots movement to keep our White House open to the public.

Closing the White House to score political points is one of the most petulant, childish stunts I have ever seen from an American President. Not really surprised, though.