Harmless Photo Op or Unacceptably Bad Taste?

[Tennesseer]

The picture calls for the guillotining of the Obamas.

[Tennesseer]

Feb 14, 2014 16:09:40 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Feb 14, 2014 15:40:18 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

you asked if the French Revolution was taught in US schools, as if we were clueless to have not made the same connection you did. we are not ignorant of the Revolution, we just don't think the picture is as horrible as you apparently do.

I guess not.

I tend to be more sensitive to pet idolatry issues in general. It seems to me that western society has shifted to the point where we value the lives of animals more than we value the lives of our fellow man. I'm seeing wider participation in egregious excesses like "pet spas" and "pet hotels"--more generally people wasting huge sums of money on pampering animals. The nation will react ten times as strongly to a news story about a roaming gang of thugs killing dogs than to a roaming gang of thugs targeting pedestrians. And quite a few members on these boards have admitted that they categorically love and respect animals more than they love and respect human beings.

A dog is a dog. He's a good companion. Train him. Give him kibble and fresh water. Give him some exercise and attention every day. Beyond that, for heaven's sakes look at your countrymen before you give the dog anything more.

And if you're the head of state of a nation with a burgeoning class divide, don't dress your dogs up like royalty in front of fine china for a cutesie photo op. Have some class.

Especially since it's really spelled bon, so the bone was a play on the fact that they're dogs.

I know. But again, my grievance is with the symbolism of the statement, not what was intended by it.

If you're looking for something to complain about, you will usually find something to complain about.

[zibazinski]

Feb 14, 2014 16:09:40 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Feb 14, 2014 15:40:18 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

you asked if the French Revolution was taught in US schools, as if we were clueless to have not made the same connection you did. we are not ignorant of the Revolution, we just don't think the picture is as horrible as you apparently do.

I guess not.

I tend to be more sensitive to pet idolatry issues in general. It seems to me that western society has shifted to the point where we value the lives of animals more than we value the lives of our fellow man. I'm seeing wider participation in egregious excesses like "pet spas" and "pet hotels"--more generally people wasting huge sums of money on pampering animals. The nation will react ten times as strongly to a news story about a roaming gang of thugs killing dogs than to a roaming gang of thugs targeting pedestrians. And quite a few members on these boards have admitted that they categorically love and respect animals more than they love and respect human beings.

A dog is a dog. He's a good companion. Train him. Give him kibble and fresh water. Give him some exercise and attention every day. Beyond that, for heaven's sakes look at your countrymen before you give the dog anything more.

And if you're the head of state of a nation with a burgeoning class divide, don't dress your dogs up like royalty in front of fine china for a cutesie photo op. Have some class.


i agree.

Especially since it's really spelled bon, so the bone was a play on the fact that they're dogs.

I know. But again, my grievance is with the symbolism of the statement, not what was intended by it.

[Virgil Showlion]

Feb 14, 2014 16:13:24 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Feb 14, 2014 16:09:40 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

I guess not.

I tend to be more sensitive to pet idolatry issues in general. It seems to me that western society has shifted to the point where we value the lives of animals more than we value the lives of our fellow man. I'm seeing wider participation in egregious excesses like "pet spas" and "pet hotels"--more generally people wasting huge sums of money on pampering animals. The nation will react ten times as strongly to a news story about a roaming gang of thugs killing dogs than to a roaming gang of thugs targeting pedestrians. And quite a few members on these boards have admitted that they categorically love and respect animals more than they love and respect human beings.

A dog is a dog. He's a good companion. Train him. Give him kibble and fresh water. Give him some exercise and attention every day. Beyond that, for heaven's sakes look at your countrymen before you give the dog anything more.

And if you're the head of state of a nation with a burgeoning class divide, don't dress your dogs up like royalty in front of fine china for a cutesie photo op. Have some class.

I know. But again, my grievance is with the symbolism of the statement, not what was intended by it.

If you're looking for something to complain about, you will usually find something to complain about.

So get out of the thread if the issue doesn't concern you.

You don't see me complaining in your threads when you spam the boards with your gay rights grievances.

You've got your "What, Me Worry?" in. Go seek greener pastures in topics you don't consider frivolous.

[Tennesseer]

Feb 14, 2014 16:21:53 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Feb 14, 2014 16:13:24 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

If you're looking for something to complain about, you will usually find something to complain about.

So get out of the thread if the issue doesn't concern you.

You don't see me complaining in your threads when you spam the boards with your gay rights grievances.

You've got your "What, Me Worry?" in. Go seek greener pastures in topics you don't consider frivolous.

Oooooo.  I seem to have rubbed Virgil the wrong way. 

Whine away Virgil.  Whine away. 

[Peace Of Mind]

The photo inadvertently emphasizes the fact that the White House dogs have a far more comfortable existence than 47 million Americans who don't earn enough to feed themselves, and that Ms. Obama certainly isn't ashamed of that fact.

Those 47 million Americans could have worked hard like they did to get where they are if they weren't so lazy, stupid or made such bad decisions by buying crab legs, big screen TVs and SUVs!   Wrong thread?   

[billisonboard]

Feb 14, 2014 16:21:53 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

... So get out of the thread if the issue doesn't concern you.
...

I know this wasn't addressed at me but I agree with Tenn so am going to throw in my two cents.

The type of commentary in the link in the OP does concern me. Finding trivial shit to bitch about lowers the level of conversation. Calling out those who engage in it is something that should be done.

[chiver78]

And if you're the head of state of a nation with a burgeoning class divide, don't dress your dogs up like royalty in front of fine china for a cutesie photo op. Have some class.

and who said that any of the Obamas were involved in staging this picture? you're really stretching things here....

[Jaguar]

Yeah Virgil the Obamas could have dogs with really good table manners yanno. I had cats that would not put their face down into a bowlful of food, they ate everything with their paws. I taught them to use a knife and fork.

[EVT1]

Feb 14, 2014 15:28:36 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Feb 14, 2014 15:08:10 GMT -5 EVT1 said:

Bad taste?  Come on man.  No one takes pictures of their dogs in funny outfits or locations...oh wait..I forgot we have 10,000,000 you tube videos showing exactly that....

Ms. Obama is wife to the U.S. Head of State. The photo inadvertently emphasizes the fact that the White House dogs have a far more comfortable existence than 47 million Americans who don't earn enough to feed themselves, and that Ms. Obama certainly isn't ashamed of that fact.

And so yes. Call me a stickler for old-fashioned stoicism, but I consider the photo to be in extremely poor taste. I'd say the same if it came from Rep. Boehner, or Warren Buffet, or Lloyd Blankfein, or any other major policymaker/beneficiary.

Not unforgivable, but in extremely poor taste.

Feb 14, 2014 15:14:11 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

so because YOU made the jump from the red text to the blue text, and the rest of us didn't, WE are clueless?

uh, sure.

I said any head of state ignorant of the allusion is clueless.

As for anyone here who didn't "get it": now you do.

Well you are right on one point- those dogs do have a better life than a lot of citizens- probably have better health care. Kind of an American thing- animals of the rich get life saving operations while poor people die. Doesn't happen in your country.

[NoNamePerson]

What kind of "necklace/collar is the dog on the right (screen right) wearing? Is it pictures of someone or what. Inquiring minds want to know. My eyes aren't good enough to figure it out.....  

[mmhmm]

I don't see a real problem with the pic, or the comment.  The dogs are cute and neither is even facing the table, much less touching a plate, so "feeding them off them" is a real stretch.  If I set a small luncheon table around here (that looks to be what that is), there'd be cats in the chairs pretty quickly.  While that's a far more opulent setting than I'd have, I doubt you can find a lot of cheap dining implements in the White House.

As far as the remark "Bone apetit", I really can't put a lot of deep meaning into it.  They're dogs.  They like bones.  I certainly am not immediately drawn to think of Marie Antoinette.  I'm not even drawn to think of the French, in general.  On the jewelry, I've got nothing.  I didn't notice it at first glance, and first glance is all I'd have given such a photo.

[Virgil Showlion]

What kind of "necklace/collar is the dog on the right (screen right) wearing?

The DC article says it's a diamond necklace. I don't know whether it's real jewelry or not.

and who said that any of the Obamas were involved in staging this picture? you're really stretching things here....

It was published on Michelle Obama's personal Twitter feed.

If she's paying some staffer to dress up her dogs, shoot photos of them, and publish them online in her name, that's even worse than the photo.

The type of commentary in the link in the OP does concern me. Finding trivial shit to bitch about lowers the level of conversation. Calling out those who engage in it is something that should be done.

...says the creator of the "Hitler Teapot" thread, the "Oregon Bakery Closes Doors" thread, the "Romney: The Chihuahuan Candidate?" thread, and many other fine threads that totally aren't "trivial shit to bitch about".

If the issue of White House optics and the conduct of heads of state is "trivial shit to bitch about", then by all means don't stop your crusade here. Head on over to YMOT, find some thread about getting stiffed out of $18.50 at a parking garage, and let everyone there know how it's your duty and responsibility to end the griping lest the quality of conversation be lowered.

[billisonboard]

Feb 14, 2014 19:16:46 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

...says the creator of the "Hitler Teapot" thread, the "Oregon Bakery Closes Doors" thread, the "Romney: The Chihuahuan Candidate?" thread, and many other fine threads that totally aren't "trivial shit to bitch about".

You really want to go there? Okay.

Here is the start of the Romney... thread.

Oct 20, 2012 23:25:51 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Oct 20, 2012 22:27:29 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

...Is it too much to ask that at least one P&M thread examine some radical scenarios and do so seriously? ...

So in that spirit:

In 1885, Romney’s great-grandfather, Miles Park Romney, fled to Mexico to escape America’s anti-polygamy laws. Along with a group of his fellow Mormons, Miles Park Romney, who had four wives and 30 children, settled in Chihuahua, Mexico, where polygamy was still legal.

It was there in Mexico that Mitt Romney’s grandfather, Gaskell Romney, grew up and where his father, George Romney, was born. abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/mitt-romneys-mexican-roots/

Hmmmmm.

One Mexican State Bordering The US Was Deadlier Than All of Afghanistan Last Year
By Edwin Mora
January 18, 2012
Subscribe to Edwin Mora's posts

Mexico Drug War

More than 47,000 people have been killed in drug violence in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown against drug cartels. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

(CNSNews.com) – Organized crime-related deaths in one Mexican border state during the first nine months of 2011 exceed the number of Afghan civilians killed in roughly the same period in all of war-torn Afghanistan.

According to the Mexican government, from January through September 2011 2,276 deaths were recorded in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, which borders Texas and New Mexico. cnsnews.com/news/article/one-mexican-state-bordering-us-was-deadlier-all-afghanistan-last-year

Was George Romney a "Chihuahuan" Candidate for drug lords when he ran for President? Did he indoctrinate his son to do the drug lords will once he is elected?

Let us honor Virgil's request to consider this seriously.

My start of the bakery thread was a reaction to the topic being shut down in a thread started by someone else. notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/34823/oregon-bakery-wedding-closes-locked

Now the Hitler Teapot thread is very apropos for this current discussion. notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/33032/hitler-teapot

[Virgil Showlion]

Feb 14, 2014 19:51:06 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Feb 14, 2014 19:16:46 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

...says the creator of the "Hitler Teapot" thread, the "Oregon Bakery Closes Doors" thread, the "Romney: The Chihuahuan Candidate?" thread, and many other fine threads that totally aren't "trivial shit to bitch about".

You really want to go there? Okay.

Here is the start of the Romney... thread.

Oct 20, 2012 23:25:51 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

So in that spirit:

In 1885, Romney’s great-grandfather, Miles Park Romney, fled to Mexico to escape America’s anti-polygamy laws. Along with a group of his fellow Mormons, Miles Park Romney, who had four wives and 30 children, settled in Chihuahua, Mexico, where polygamy was still legal.

It was there in Mexico that Mitt Romney’s grandfather, Gaskell Romney, grew up and where his father, George Romney, was born. abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/mitt-romneys-mexican-roots/

Hmmmmm.

One Mexican State Bordering The US Was Deadlier Than All of Afghanistan Last Year
By Edwin Mora
January 18, 2012
Subscribe to Edwin Mora's posts

Mexico Drug War

More than 47,000 people have been killed in drug violence in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown against drug cartels. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

(CNSNews.com) – Organized crime-related deaths in one Mexican border state during the first nine months of 2011 exceed the number of Afghan civilians killed in roughly the same period in all of war-torn Afghanistan.

According to the Mexican government, from January through September 2011 2,276 deaths were recorded in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, which borders Texas and New Mexico. cnsnews.com/news/article/one-mexican-state-bordering-us-was-deadlier-all-afghanistan-last-year

Was George Romney a "Chihuahuan" Candidate for drug lords when he ran for President? Did he indoctrinate his son to do the drug lords will once he is elected?

Let us honor Virgil's request to consider this seriously.

Satire still qualifies as "trivial shit".

My start of the bakery thread was a reaction to the topic being shut down in a thread started by someone else. notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/34823/oregon-bakery-wedding-closes-locked

Threads reacting to the shutdown of threads about "trivial shit" also qualify as "trivial shit".

Now the Hitler Teapot thread is very apropos for this current discussion. notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/33032/hitler-teapot

It was a good thread. Light. Engaging. You know what would have made it even better, though? If I'd shown up right in the middle of it and told everyone how trivially shitty it was and how it was my responsibility to prevent the quality of conversation from being lowered.

I'm out for the weekend.

[Jaguar]

Feb 14, 2014 20:02:29 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Feb 14, 2014 19:51:06 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

You really want to go there? Okay.

Here is the start of the Romney... thread.

Satire still qualifies as "trivial shit".

My start of the bakery thread was a reaction to the topic being shut down in a thread started by someone else. notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/34823/oregon-bakery-wedding-closes-locked

Threads reacting to the shutdown of threads about "trivial shit" also qualify as "trivial shit".

Now the Hitler Teapot thread is very apropos for this current discussion. notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/33032/hitler-teapot

It was a good thread. Light. Engaging. You know what would have made it even better, though? If I'd shown up right in the middle of it and told everyone how trivially shitty it was and how it was my responsibility to prevent the quality of conversation from being lowered.

I'm out for the weekend.

That's the best post you made all day.

[jkapp]

I don't know about bad taste, but "stupid" comes to mind.  But I hate any pictures of people dressing up their pets.

I think it also just further shows the attention whores that Obamas are...as well as how much time Mrs. Obama apparently has to waste.

[NoNamePerson]

The DC article says it's a diamond necklace. I don't know whether it's real jewelry or not.

Those are some strange looking diamonds then. It just looks like little tabs with something on each tab. I'm not commenting on pic in general, just caught my eye and couldn't figure out what they were. Thought maybe someone else with better eyes could tell me.  

[mmhmm]

Feb 14, 2014 21:04:09 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

The DC article says it's a diamond necklace. I don't know whether it's real jewelry or not.

Those are some strange looking diamonds then. It just looks like little tabs with something on each tab. I'm not commenting on pic in general, just caught my eye and couldn't figure out what they were. Thought maybe someone else with better eyes could tell me.  

I agree.  Doesn't look like diamonds to me, either.  It looks like one of those necklaces with little, painted metal squares.  Like you, though, I can't see it well enough to tell for sure.

[billisonboard]

Feb 14, 2014 21:00:59 GMT -5 jkapp said:

...

I think it also just further shows the attention whores that Obamas are...as well as how much time Mrs. Obama apparently has to waste.

Did you know that there are now 231.7 million active users on Twitter worldwide, and that 100 million of them log into the service on daily basis, and 52.7 Million of these are in the US? socialmediatoday.com/irfan-ahmad/1854311/twitter-statistics-IPO-infographic

Whole bunch of whoring going on. Stay at home moms with a full housing staff do have a lot of time on their hands.

[NoNamePerson]

Feb 14, 2014 21:11:32 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Feb 14, 2014 21:04:09 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Those are some strange looking diamonds then. It just looks like little tabs with something on each tab. I'm not commenting on pic in general, just caught my eye and couldn't figure out what they were. Thought maybe someone else with better eyes could tell me.  

I agree.  Doesn't look like diamonds to me, either.  It looks like one of those necklaces with little, painted metal squares.  Like you, though, I can't see it well enough to tell for sure.

Well, thanks for taking a look.

[mmhmm]

I, personally, enjoy following the Pope's tweets.  I think it's rather neat these folks have such a format with which to share with others, and a lot of people do enjoy the sharing.  I'm not about to sit here and call such people attention whores, or time-wasters.  They're no more so than I, as I'm posting here.

[Tennesseer]

A peace offering for Virgil:

[chiver78]

Feb 14, 2014 21:00:59 GMT -5 jkapp said:

I don't know about bad taste, but "stupid" comes to mind.  But I hate any pictures of people dressing up their pets.

I think it also just further shows the attention whores that Obamas are...as well as how much time Mrs. Obama apparently has to waste.

I'm totally with you on the first part of your post. the second part - if you really think a public figure is really the one doing the postings for that public twitter account, I've got a bridge for sale that I think you might like.

[grits]

Feb 14, 2014 21:43:34 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Feb 14, 2014 21:00:59 GMT -5 jkapp said:

I don't know about bad taste, but "stupid" comes to mind.  But I hate any pictures of people dressing up their pets.

I think it also just further shows the attention whores that Obamas are...as well as how much time Mrs. Obama apparently has to waste.

I'm totally with you on the first part of your post. the second part - if you really think a public figure is really the one doing the postings for that public twitter account, I've got a bridge for sale that I think you might like.

Does the bridge come with a troll to eat old goats that cross it?

[Cookies Galore]

I am shocked and aghast that the White House doesn't have a single piece of Chinet.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

  Watching cat videos on You Tube is much more fun than this thread. Just sayin'

[Deleted]

Feb 15, 2014 3:20:53 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

  Watching cat videos on You Tube is much more fun than this thread. Just sayin'

Did you see the ones where the dogs were afraid to go past the cats in the halls, stairways, etc. Hilarious!

[Shooby]

Feb 14, 2014 17:37:02 GMT -5 EVT1 said:

Feb 14, 2014 15:28:36 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Ms. Obama is wife to the U.S. Head of State. The photo inadvertently emphasizes the fact that the White House dogs have a far more comfortable existence than 47 million Americans who don't earn enough to feed themselves, and that Ms. Obama certainly isn't ashamed of that fact.

And so yes. Call me a stickler for old-fashioned stoicism, but I consider the photo to be in extremely poor taste. I'd say the same if it came from Rep. Boehner, or Warren Buffet, or Lloyd Blankfein, or any other major policymaker/beneficiary.

Not unforgivable, but in extremely poor taste.

I said any head of state ignorant of the allusion is clueless.

As for anyone here who didn't "get it": now you do.

Well you are right on one point- those dogs do have a better life than a lot of citizens- probably have better health care. Kind of an American thing- animals of the rich get life saving operations while poor people die. Doesn't happen in your country.

Annnnndddd, Obama has done WHAT exactly to rectify this "American thing" other than create more massive debt and unemployment?

[Shooby]

  I like the necklace on the dog on the right.  Do the dogs have an airconditioned dog house?  I seem to remember some controversy years back about someone having an air conditioned dog house and how frivolous and material that was.  Uh huh.