February 25, 2013

The completely inappropriate use of Michelle Obama — piped in from the White House — to announce the Best Picture Oscar.

Wow. I'm just seeing this now. How awkward. I was embarrassed to watch the clip. Jack Nicholson — the greatest actor of the modern era (or something) — comes out as if he's going to announce the award, observes that it's traditionally one presenter who does the announcement, then throws it to a White House feed where it's Michelle Obama, dressed up in her ball gown, in the company of White House toadies in tuxes. And then "Lincoln" doesn't even win, so we don't get the stunning climax of all of history that was what the producers may have thought they were setting up.

Abysmal.

IN THE COMMENTS: Drago said: "Those aren't 'toadies.' Those are the military aides assigned to the President. They have no choice but to be there when 'directed.' And those aren't 'tuxes,' those are military dress uniforms." I stand corrected. I'm sorry. I was going to watch the video again to check that detail but there was no scroll bar on the video and I could not put up with watching it in real time. Why were military personnel used as props for an entertainment industry awards show?

322 comments:

1 – 200 of 322   Newer›   Newest»
traditionalguy said...

American Idol redux. Bow down TV serfs!

sakredkow said...

No doubt, a big wet kiss for Hollywood for its support. How is it inappropriate?

rhhardin said...

Obooba.

campy said...

Classiest first fam EVAH!!!

Colonel Angus said...

It's almost as if she wants the title of the modern day Marie Antoinette.



AllenS said...

I'm surprised that she didn't fly out there on Air Force One to make the presentation.

bleh said...

Did Reagan, a former Hollywood actor, or his wife, Nancy, ever do something like this?

Bob Ellison said...

In Why Not Me? (a great book, really; buy it used if necessary), Al Franken repeatedly uses the word for what Michelle Obama was in that performance: starfucker.

Colonel Angus said...

No doubt, a big wet kiss for Hollywood for its support. How is it inappropriate?

Well maybe not inappropriate but it certainly seems like this administration is more concerned with being on the cutting edge of pop culture than with governance. Considering the administration is hell bent on destructive spending, it certainly is a reasonable assumption.

Drago said...

AA: "...then throws it to a White House feed where it's Michelle Obama, dressed up in her ball gown, in the company of White House toadies in tuxes."

Those aren't "toadies".

Those are the military aides assigned to the President.

They have no choice but to be there when "directed".

And those aren't "tuxes", those are military dress uniforms.

The continued building of the obama cult of personality continues unabated.

As for "visual" messaging, having military members standing behind michelle is a way to plant in the publics eye the idea that the obamas really care about the military as obama prepares to dramatically reduce our military force structure in order to transfer the "savings" to his entitlement payoff programs.

Which is also why it's important for obama to have Hagel take the SecDef position. You want a Republican in place at Defense when you start the transfer of resources.

Pretty basic really.

Paul said...

It's just Obama's clan doing as much as they can to enjoy the limelight before the dulge... as in the roof falls in just when Obama leaves office.

Yea... let them eat cake, that is their motto.

Anonymous said...

They've got to appeal to the base, and grow the progressive brand.

If she reached just ONE kid out there in a food desert, beset by gun violence, left out of healthcare, raised by a single mom (who can be perfected into a Julia type figure), then it will have been worth it.

The Grammys are just a vehicle for social change, WE are that change as the arc of history has now been bent a little more towards justice.

Community....activated.

How can you disagree with that?

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

The hope is that the First Lady's core supporters will see the value in being able to read.

Bob Ellison said...

It's inappropriate. Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, Rosalynn Carter, etc. did not behave in this shameless, money-grubbing way. We didn't elect them! We didn't see them as royalty.

Hollywood does not need Michelle Obama pimping or promoting them. They need her planting that big wet kiss. It's disgusting.

ricpic said...

Those two lesbians behind her are a nice touch.

prairie wind said...

Ron and Nancy Reagan were part of the movie industry. This? This is Michelle horning in on the Hollywood crowd.

That's the way I felt, anyway. Maybe if Laura Bush had done it, I wouldn't have been so sour about it because I like Laura. I know for sure I would have been able to tell you what Laura had said because I would have listened. Michelle's speech was so much blah blah blah. Nice dress, though.

SteveR said...

Not the least bit unexpected. Not that you'll ever really know how it came about but obviously well planned. Is it so hard to have someone say-don't! Four hours into a big circle jerk and this awkward moment, no doubt AF-1 was used to transport the envelope.

garage mahal said...

Did Reagan, a former Hollywood actor, or his wife, Nancy, ever do something like this?

Yes.

AllenS said...

Was she wearing a new wig, or one that she'd worn before?

Jaske said...

You should use the proper Hollywood jargon, toadies are called an entourage.

It was wonderful of her to take time away from her busy vacation schedule to participate. Think of the stress!

Bob Ellison said...

garage mahal, when?

cubanbob said...

The Republicans ought to push for cable un-bundeling and Glenn Reynolds' Hollywood Tax. Obama wants higher taxes, the Republican's should oblige him.

Michael K said...

It wasn't embarrassing. I didn't watch. Who won ?

Rusty said...

The Mets, I think.
Or the South.
I didn't even know there was a game.

Larry J said...

Abysmal.

That accurately describes all of the "Aren't We WONDERFUL?!!" awards shows, be they for movies, Broadway or music. They're all abysmal.

Cody Jarrett said...

When, garage? I have no memory of Reagan presenting an Oscar, and a google search produces nothing.

So--you know, either produce the evidence or ...well, never mind. We already know you lie.

garage mahal said...

@Bob Ellsion

Reagan did a taped appearance at 1981 Oscars. See here and also here.

Laura Bush did a taped appearance in 2002.

For the record I don't think any of this is appropriate.

machine said...

must...complain...about...every...single...thing...

LoafingOaf said...

I wouldn't know one way or another if Reagan appeared at the Oscars but I see some Democrat folks out there claiming he appeared at the 1981 awards. But those were held on March 31, 1981, and Reagan was shot the day before, so maybe it was a pre-recorded thing?

I also see Democrats saying Laura Bush appeared at the 2002 Oscars. I have no recollection but Wikipedia says:

"Documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, who would later win Best Documentary at the 76th Academy Awards, made a short film that was shown during the ceremony. The film shows almost 100 people discussing movies. Those featured range from Laura Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev to Iggy Pop and Lou Reed to Kenneth Arrow (1972 Nobel Laureate in Economics) to Morris' son Hamilton."

That's quite different from the First Lady intruding right when everyone's waiting for the Best Picture award.

Brian Brown said...

Does this woman do anything other than vacation, party, and appear on TV?

What a silly joke of a 1st lady she is.

Wisco said...

It's just terrible. The world is definitely going to end now.

Can you imagine how the left would've reacted if Pres. George W. Bush had appeared on a game show or something?

Worst. Thing. Ever.

Cody Jarrett said...

and, as someone has already mentioned, those were military personnel in dress uniforms.

TosaGuy said...

Rule #1 of public appearances by politicians (yes, 1st ladies are included): Any person placed behind the politician while they are speaking is a prop.

Scott M said...

What, praytell, does that first link have anything to do with Reagan taping an appearance, GM?

The second link just shows Nancy posing for pictures with Hollywood people. Did she actually give an award or tape a statement played during the awards?

Cody Jarrett said...

Interesting that people think a taped appearance is the same as presenting an award in full ball drag.

sonicfrog said...

Wait... Why are we freaking out about this? Nixon went on Laugh-In. Clinton talked about his boxers or briefs or commando or whatever and schtooped a semi-hottie in the Oral Office... Hell, I'm more embarrassed that anyone cares at all about what happens at the Oscars!

dreams said...

I'm glad Lincoln didn't win. I haven't seen the movie but I've read that they have the characters using the f word and other language not commonly used by the statesmen of that era. In the movies today, I hear the f word more than I hear it in everyday life.

LoafingOaf said...

Garage: Your first link just says the Oscars were delayed for 24 hours 'cause Reagan was shot. Your second link is pictures of Reagan with celebrities.

Darrell said...

Argo is revisionist history for our first peanut President. And the revision we're supposed to take away is that he used words to solve the hostage crisis with Iran and his indoor voice. The eight Delta Force soldier killed in Operation Peanut (a.k.a. The Debacle in the Desert)--every move personally planned by Jimmy down to the number of 'copters he was told was unworkable, according to insiders-- were unavailable for comment.

garage mahal said...

What, praytell, does that first link have anything to do with Reagan taping an appearance, GM?

Ooops. See here.

I Callahan said...

Can you imagine how the left would've reacted if Pres. George W. Bush had appeared on a game show or something?

Right, because a president going on a game show is EXACTLY the same thing as the FLOTUS announcing the best picture winner at the Oscars.

dreams said...

The liberal commenters on this site are either clueless or just pretending to be.

I Callahan said...

The liberal commenters on this site are either clueless or just pretending to be.

This is the norm whenever liberals say anything.

Anonymous said...

Nancy and Ron, such a display! Tsk, tsk.

LoafingOaf said...

Why are people comparing Michelle Obama taking over the presentation of Best Picture with Laura Bush being included in this:

"Documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, who would later win Best Documentary at the 76th Academy Awards, made a short film that was shown during the ceremony. The film shows almost 100 people discussing movies. Those featured range from Laura Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev to Iggy Pop and Lou Reed to Kenneth Arrow (1972 Nobel Laureate in Economics) to Morris' son Hamilton."

???

TosaGuy said...

Could care less about which politician did what with regard to popular culture. It is part of the perpetual campaign.

However, use of the military, as Ms. Althouse states, as toadies for Ms. Obama's effort to cross something off of her bucket list is in exceptionally poor taste.

Gabriel said...

garage's link is a lie, like all his others. Why bother checking them?

They don't show Ron or Nancy or Laura Bush presenting awards.

Why bother calling his lies out for that matter? He just reposts them later like nothing happened, like he did with the "failed" voucher schools link.

Ellen said...

My college-aged daughter's response:
"What was that all about? She just strung together about fifty cliches..."

Darrell said...

The liberal commenters on this site are either clueless or just pretending to be

The Left-side of the Web is working as fast as they can to dig up a "Republican did it too!!!!111!!" moment. Bear with them.

David said...

Well, she's not Jackie Kennedy, that's for sure.





Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Up next on The Media - Michelle Obama cut her bangs. Find out why!

Brian Brown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brian Brown said...

Why were military personnel used as props for an entertainment industry awards show?

Because Queen Michelle says so.

FYNQ (her attitude, not mine).

Darrell said...

Michelle Obama's 2016 campaign just kicked off. Excited yet?

David said...

"Why were military personnel used as props for an entertainment industry awards show?"

Because they could.

The sequester can't come soon enough for me.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I hope those military props didn't have real guns.

Darrell said...

Biden can stay on to provide continuity.

Anonymous said...

Reagan and Roosevelt addressed Oscar audiences

edutcher said...

There is no such thing as inappropriate when it comes to this crowd.

The irony is that Barry thinks he's the most elegant, intelligent, capable, classiest, and beautiful white guy ever born. He just was denied a chance to show it.

He'll be there in person next year and he will be AWESOME. Because they'll need the ratings.

BDNYC said...

Did Reagan, a former Hollywood actor, or his wife, Nancy, ever do something like this?

Did Jack and Jackie?

Franklin and Eleanor?

For that matter, Willie and Hillie?

donald said...

You don't see the difference terry, I'll be generous and say your retarded as opposed to a piece of human garbage.

Darrell said...

The D.C gay marines' choir was serenading with "Baby's Got Back" beneath the balcony. Fabulous.

Bob Ellison said...

garage mahal, Reagan apparently taped a video after he got shot. Are you comparing that to Michelle Obama's starfucking?

Your other link is pics. There are lots of PICs of every POTUS. Are you comparing that to Michelle's starfucking?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

"The Left-side of the Web is working as fast as they can to dig up a "Republican did it too!!!!111!!" moment. Bear with them."

LOL

Palladian said...

The Obama's agent should really warn them about overexposure.

Darrell said...

Yes, Inga, that's just the same.

Calypso Facto said...

Well, after seeing Michele win the Oscar for most expensive pandering, I know where I'd start the sequestration cuts.

edutcher said...

dreams said...

The liberal commenters on this site are either clueless or just pretending to be.

It's no pretense.

machine said...

must...complain...about...every...single...thing...

the mindless automaton proves once again he has no idea what the word "class", when not used in conjunction with "warfare" means.

Inga said...

Reagan and Roosevelt addressed Oscar audiences

Once again, the She Devil of the SS cannot differentiate between apples and lemons.

sonicfrog said...

CEO-MMP said...

Interesting that people think a taped appearance is the same as presenting an award in full ball drag.


Interesting that people think it's that different.

I do love this. You guys on the partisan Right got you knickers in a wad over this almost as a reflex, without even thinking to consider you'd end up looking like fools because some of your guys had in the past done something similar.

You've all become so reactionary to ANYTHING this President, his administration, or anyone associated with it, that anything they do, you react as a reflex action - you automatically leap before you look. The whole "Friends Of Hamas" fiasco at the Hagel confirmation hearings - bringing that up without even considering to get confirmation that there is any validity at all to that very serious type of accusation - made your side look absolutely ridiculous and the backlash from that stupidness probably ended up swaying the few votes Hagel needed to get confirmed.

Kansas City said...

My first reaction is who cares? She did a nice job and what difference does it make.

However, I agree that the capacity of her and her husband to seek out the limelight and their sense/ease of entitlement is pretty extraordinary. She probably more than him. But I did see her dancing, and it looks like she has good rythym [sp?].

Anonymous said...

Evita.

Brian Brown said...


LoafingOaf said...
Why are people comparing Michelle Obama taking over the presentation of Best Picture with Laura Bush being included in this:


Because left wingers take to the Internet to lie.

That is who they are and what they do.

Colonel Angus said...

I'll say this, Michele Obama has beat out Chuck Schumer for hogging a camera.

mccullough said...

Hollywood would have done itself a favor to have Clint Eastwood present the Best Picture Award.

Brian Brown said...

sonicfrog said...

Interesting that people think it's that different.


It is different.

And pretending it isn't makes you a silly, dishonest hack.

Darrell said...

The concerned Left wants to warn Republicans not to make an issue of this.

We are grateful.

Argo fuck yourself.

virgil xenophon said...

Yes Jay, lefties have a long tradition of demeaning use of those in the military they so despise.

Remember Hillery in the WH using military aids as waiters to serve canapes at social functions? Or of Big Sis (iirc) at a WH function asking a General in full dress uniform to get her a cocktail thinking he was a waiter? Michelle's use of military aids last night is all of a piece--typical...of lefties, that is..

Brian Brown said...

sonicfrog said...

You've all become so reactionary to ANYTHING this President, his administration, or anyone associated with it, that anything they do, you react as a reflex action - you automatically leap before you look. The whole "Friends Of Hamas" fiasco at the Hagel confirmation hearings - bringing that up without even considering to get confirmation that there is any validity at all to that very serious type of accusation - made your side look absolutely ridiculous and the backlash from that stupidness probably ended up swaying the few votes Hagel needed to get confirmed.


This post is a profile of stupidity and ignorance.

People like you do this sort of thing because you can't defend the indefensible.

Therefore you'll lie and attempt to change the subject.

garage mahal said...

garage mahal, Reagan apparently taped a video after he got shot. Are you comparing that to Michelle Obama's starfucking?


Was Reagan a starfucker? Of course he was. Read Kitty Kelly's book!

Why bother calling his lies out for that matter? He just reposts them later like nothing happened, like he did with the "failed" voucher schools link.

I linked to an article of Reagan doing a taped appearance at the Oscars. What's the lie? You've mentioned you're in the math field, I just hope to god you don't teach.

Drago said...

sonicfrog: "I do love this. You guys on the partisan Right got you knickers in a wad over this almost as a reflex, without even thinking to consider you'd end up looking like fools because some of your guys had in the past done something similar."

What bothered me the most was the placement of the White House assigned military members being positioned behind the first lady as you presented an award at the oscars.

Care to explain that?

Go ahead, give it a try. And then give us an equivalent action by a Republican Presidential spouse in a completely non-military related venue.

Brian Brown said...

The whole "Friends Of Hamas" fiasco at the Hagel confirmation hearings - bringing that up

Who, exactly, "brought this up" and what did they say?

Aridog said...

Drago remarked and cited by Althouse...

And those aren't "tuxes", those are military dress uniforms.

To be specific those uniform as called "Mess Dress" or "Evening Dress" (USMC) and yes, they are the military equivalent of a formal coat & tails for evening wear at formal, usually celebratory, occasions. Note that the medals, when worn, are of the half size type, not full sized nor ribbon symbols.

IIRC the "mess dress" uniform is left over from the days of Royal Household uniforms. How appropriate here, eh?

Darrell said...

Michelle would win Dancing With The Stars without even trying. I suggest Maks as a partner.

SteveR said...

Context counts

Brian Brown said...

virgil xenophon said...
Yes Jay, lefties have a long tradition of demeaning use of those in the military they so despise.


The left views the military as out air raiding villiages and killing civilians, when they should be flying Pelosi across the country and standing behind the hideous pig of a first lady while she babbles on about an Academy Award.

Oh, and flying Barry to his next tee time. They should do that too.

William said...

I think what was truly inappropriate was that she appeared before that assemblage and did not thank them for all their financial and artistic support of her husband's Presidency. Very ungrateful......Do you think Eisenhower gave a shit about who won the Best Picture Award? By appearing on such a show, the FLOTUS gives the subliminal message that she's just another celebrity. The President and his wife should exist on a different plane than those pretty people.

Darrell said...

Reagan was in a Phil Collins' video, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU9lv_WqK6k

lemondog said...

Shut up!

Your tax $$$$$ at work.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Having something to say (pre-taped) is a little different than being foisted upon everyone as if you too are a hollywood celebrity.


They injected Michelle as if she's the biggest star of all! Bigger than Jack! Come worship. Of course they did. The Obama's are the ultimate sacred golden cows for these wealthy bubble dwelling self-congratulatory ivory tower tools.

firstHat said...

Some commenter over on Weasel Zippers has pointed out that at least some of the folks in uniform here are the same as those behind the President during his sequester speech. I guess it is all part of their employment, eh? Also, another commenter on Twitchy noted that none of the props have any active duty patches.

Just saying

Darrell said...

Cal Coolidge sent over a wax recording to the Academy.

Brian Brown said...

sonicfrog said...
The whole "Friends Of Hamas" fiasco at the Hagel confirmation hearings - bringing that up without even considering to get confirmation that there is any validity at all to that very serious type of accusation - made your side look absolutely ridiculous and the backlash from that stupidness probably ended up swaying the few votes Hagel needed to get confirmed.


Uh, on February 7, 2013 Breitbart News’ story on “Friends of Hamas” was written.

Chuck Hagel is not yet confirmed.

SteveR said...

Read Kitty Kelly's book!

You have?

Darrell said...

"Friends Of Hamas" liked Michelle's appearance on Facebook.

chickelit said...

Disgraceful

Colonel Angus said...

I do love this. You guys on the partisan Right got you knickers in a wad over this almost as a reflex, without even thinking to consider you'd end up looking like fools because some of your guys had in the past done something similar."

I don't think Reagan was handing out awards. Then again, he was an actor so his taped introduction would have held more relevance to the event than Michele's star wannabe appearance ever would.

Perhaps criticism of her is purely based on the fact that a lot of people are sick of looking at her.

Gabriel said...

@garage:I linked to an article of Reagan doing a taped appearance at the Oscars. What's the lie?

Uh huh. Not presenting a award, the topic under discussion. A lie. I notice you're not defending the Laura Bush one now.

You've mentioned you're in the math field, I just hope to god you don't teach.

Physics, actually, and I teach it very well. Because I don't lie about it.

You said vouchers were a failure compared to public schools, and linked to data showing essentially identical performance. A lie.

Darrell said...

Castro and Papa Chavez both LOL'd her appearance.

sakredkow said...

My favorite is Nixon with Elvis.

Gabriel said...

@Colonel Angus:I don't think Reagan was handing out awards.

Taped address to the audience in the beginning. Not presenting an award.

Not the same. A lie. Our progressive friends are cutting and pasting the handed-out talking points.

Methadras said...

Military used as props. By an Obama. Shocking.

tiger said...

garage mahal said...
@Bob Ellsion

Reagan did a taped appearance at 1981 Oscars. See here and also here.

Laura Bush did a taped appearance in 2002.

For the record I don't think any of this is appropriate.


OF COURSE you don't because you're a partisan hack who only respects the POTUS when he is a Democrat.

And the appearances you listed were TAPED and in the form of messages to the Academy.

What M Obama and the Academy did was to highjack the procedings and get her exposure to a supposedly 1 billion people.

The Obamas are disgusting people in their need for the limelight and even worse for the 'First Family'.

I wonder if she's 'proud of her country' now because she got to steal the spotlight at the AA.

What a egocentric elitist woman.

And the use of the Military behind her? Un-appropriate and appalling.

bleh said...

I have a hard time getting upset over this, since the long decline began many decades ago with the advent of television and the rise of the airhead pretty boy of Camelot.

With his Tonight Show appearances and so forth, Obama has merely accelerated the decline. On the one hand, we have conspicuous luxury and pomp attendant to our royal president. On the other, he wants to convince us he's a regular Joe who uses the word "folks" and wears jeans and enjoys movies.

There was once a time when the president was merely an esteemed statesman who presided over the administration of the national government and sought to faithfully execute the laws. His task was transactional in nature, and he executed his duties with humility. The American people were largely spared having to hear his voice or see his mug in the paper or on television.

Times change. Now we have a cool brother who dances with Ellen. Before that we had a teetotaler who many of us would have nevertheless liked to have a beer with. Before that we had a smooth sax player who scored with girls. And so on.

Darrell said...

Stalin sent over a film that pre-thanked Hollywood for never making a critical movie.

Brennan said...

Seth McFarlane's best joke of the night was talking about the big year that Hollywood had and the overtime the accountants have to spend to make it look like they broke even.

dreams said...

"I'll say this, Michele Obama has beat out Chuck Schumer for hogging a camera."

You don't want to get between Schumer and a camera and I wouldn't want to be around Michele when she is hungry.

garage mahal said...

You said vouchers were a failure compared to public schools, and linked to data showing essentially identical performance. A lie.

No, it showed a poorer performance.

Physics, actually, and I teach it very well. Because I don't lie about it.

And yet you can't understand simple test results that my 12 yr old daughter could read and understand.

Do you teach 1 is "essentially" 2 ?

Methadras said...

Military used as props. By an Obama. Shocking.

Amartel said...

No class.

Gabriel said...

@garage:No, it showed a poorer performance.

By five percent. So you lied. You said the link proved voucher schools were a failure compared to public schools and you lied.

Do you teach 1 is "essentially" 2 ?

When it is only measured to within +/-5, then yes it is indistinguishable, you innumerate hack.

Brennan said...

Come on. This isn't overexposure.

This is overexposure.

The Vatican just announced that the Conclave will have a special guest vote - President Obama.

Drago said...

The reason Reagan was asked to make a taped message to the members of the Academy come from that years Academy Awards Producer.

From garages link: "President Reagan was once a member of our industry and it seemed fitting for him to join us,'' said Norman Jewison, producer of this year's show."

Reagan had just assumed office about 7 weeks earlier and he was the first former actor to have achieved such high office.

It made perfect sense for him to tape a "hello and howareya?" greeting.

Plus, I couldn't quite make out any service members being ordered to stand behind him when he made his remarks.

garage mahal said...

OF COURSE you don't because you're a partisan hack who only respects the POTUS when he is a Democrat.

Here is what I said that you pasted:

"For the record I don't think any of this is appropriate"

Aridog said...

Drago asked ...

Care to explain that?

[in reference to the use of military aides in mess dress instead of mufti, for back ground.]

Yeah, I'd love to see that explanation. I presume the great "formality" of a domestic entertainment video press feed required the "Household Royalty" military attire.

Maybe it's just me. What's next, his highness Obama in Louis XIV attire? :-))

PS: I'm not "freaking out" or even "getting my pantloons in a wad"...I just don't give a shit, like other momentous nonsense brought up from time to time. If anything I'm stunned, or embarrassed given the world can see it, at the total lack of shame in this white House. Gotta give them credit...they are a HOOT! :)

Gabriel said...

@garage:Did Reagan, a former Hollywood actor, or his wife, Nancy, ever do something like this?

Yes.


No. You lied. You linked to them, and Laura Bush, doing different things and claimed it proved your point.

Just like you lie every time you link to anything.

Drago said...

garage: "Do you teach 1 is "essentially" 2?"

LOL

Garage has unwittingly (does he exist in any other state??) dipped his toe into higher level mathematics!

Garage, define "essentially" in the context of your question above.

Hilarity ensues........

Gabriel said...

@Drago: garage will say 2+2 = 5 when he thinks it helps Team Blue, and insist it's totally different when he thinks it might hurt Team Red.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Next year it will be Michelle Obama in 3-D. Jon Stewart, Tina Fey, Meryl Streep and Scarlet jooohhhaaannnsseen will then join her on stage, link arms and do the can-can.

Drago said...

Just wait until March madness kicks in and ABC/ESPN again go wall to wall with obama's bracket selections (like they've done every year since his first election as President).

Again, this is simply a continuation of the endless "cult of personality" campaign.

It's designed to shield obama from criticism for his policy failures and to create the warm "Uncle Joe" atmosphere obama needs to demonize his opponents.

Again, this is all very basic and quite transparent.

Darrell said...

Harvey Weinstein has announced that he just greenlighted a major motion picture based on Barack's poem about apes in a grotto shitting.

edutcher said...

garage mahal said...

Do you teach 1 is "essentially" 2 ?

It's Intel math and it works only for exceptionally high values of 1.

Gabriel said...

@edutcher:It's Intel math and it works only for exceptionally high values of 1.

Actually it happens every time you measure something to low precision.

This is why polls that show one person ahead by 2% are considered to be ties. Statistically they are, because the results are not certain, they have a margin of error.

garage knows this, he just lies.

carrie said...

Hollywood is trying to save the movie industry tax breaks! Or else the government is going to take over Hollywood after it finishes with health care. I agree that it was totally inappropriate and if I had know she was going to be a presenter I would not have watched the show.

carrie said...

Hollywood is trying to save the movie industry tax breaks! Or else the government is going to take over Hollywood after it finishes with health care. I agree that it was totally inappropriate and if I had know she was going to be a presenter I would not have watched the show.

Anonymous said...

I disagree with everyone here in comments. It was very appropriate for this White House to do this. The Obama's are acting the part of President and First Lady. It's only right that they should celebrate and be celbrated by thier peers in the industry. I say BRAVISSIMO!

edutcher said...

The headline off Drudge

OBAMA CRASHES OSCARS
HARVEY ARRANGED

Gabriel said...

It's Intel math and it works only for exceptionally high values of 1.

Actually it happens every time you measure something to low precision.

This is why polls that show one person ahead by 2% are considered to be ties. Statistically they are, because the results are not certain, they have a margin of error.

garage knows this, he just lies.


i.e., margin of error. We talked about this a lot during the campaign.

The "Intel math" thing, for those not in the biz, was the gag that came out after the first Pentium processors quoted a value of 5 for 2 + 2. "for extremely high values of 2" went the punchline.

JAL said...

I was just coming over here to add another two cents to the Oscars thread from last night about this very thing and bam -- here are 120+ comments already.

I looked again at the photo on Drudge to check about the uniformed people ... dang .. they are military 0f some kind.

What the hey? Whose stupid, stupid idea was that? And why? Becasue the Obamas do things because They Can?

OMG, we ARE a Banana Republic!!

It's Evita & Co. with the AUTHORITY to bestow the Best Picture Oscar for 2012?

I'll go read the comments now.

Darrell said...

Surfed is now nominated for Beet Of The Week!

Darrell said...

Obama provided more backup to Michelle than he did in Benghazi.

Amazing.

TANSTAAFL said...

"Was Reagan a starfucker? Of course he was. Read Kitty Kelly's book!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAA!!!!


I think the reactionary leftist just jumped the shark.

TANSTAAFL said...

"Was Reagan a starfucker? Of course he was. Read Kitty Kelly's book!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAA!!!!


I think the reactionary leftist just jumped the shark.

garage mahal said...

This is why polls that show one person ahead by 2% are considered to be ties. Statistically they are, because the results are not certain, they have a margin of error.

Hard data isn't the same thing a popular polling which has a margin of error, you stupid, stupid motherfucker.

Known Unknown said...

I don't get the appearance of her at all.

Did they think Zero Dark Thirty was going to win?

furious_a said...

Colonel Angus said...
It's almost as if she wants the title of the modern day Marie Antoinette.


Difference being, Marie Antoinette didn't begrudge the peasants their cake.

Gabriel said...

@garage:Hard data isn't the same thing a popular polling which has a margin of error, you stupid, stupid motherfucker.

Look up "correlation coefficient" and "confounding variables", on wikipedia should be fine. Ask an adult to explain the hard words to you.

sakredkow said...

First Lady's should not make a presentation appearance at the Academy Awards because

_____________________________?

Because you don't like Hollywood? Because you don't like the First Lady? Let's hear the reason why not.

Gabriel said...

@garage: Given that teaching high school cannot be done double-blind, and that the populations are not identical, the difference between 90% below proficient and 85% below proficient is too small to draw meaningful conclusions.

Nonetheless, you confidently proclaimed voucher schools a failure, explicitly with the public schools that performed essentially identically.

You are a liar.

Known Unknown said...

Reagan was an ex-actor.

Roosevelt, because there was a war going on and he probably wanted to thank Hollywood for its help.

Michelle Obama? Frankly, I just don't get it.

Gabriel said...

@garage:you stupid, stupid motherfucker.

I forget what your Ph. D. is in?

Titus said...

I agree, it was horrible.

She needs to stay away from tv for a long time now.

I thought her evolution of Mom Dance was cute but the Academy Award nomination by her was disgusting.

JAL said...

Note the Oscars were delayed in 1981 because Reagan had almost been murdered and was in the hospital.

And Darrell at 11:58 -- that was quite right on and actually very painful. There is something wrong with the White Houses's priorities. Deadly wrong.

furious_a said...

Did Reagan, a former Hollywood actor, or his wife, Nancy, ever do something like this?

Mr. Reagan was a member of the MPAAS and a former SAG president. Wouldn't have seemed any more inappropriate for him to appear at the Oscars than to appear at a Eureka College alumni reunion.

Known Unknown said...

First Lady's should not make a presentation appearance at the Academy Awards because

_____________________________?


They are most likely irrelevant to the industry?

I she going to give out Daytime Emmys too? Why discriminate? Why not an American Music Awards appearance? Is there a Metal Shop Teacher of the Year Award that could use her prestige?

I have no hate for her or Hollywood in particular, but its an anomaly that makes little sense.

I think the previous years winner should present the award.

My strange theory is that there was outside shot for Zero Dark Thirty to win, and that if so, she was there from the White House with military personnel to drum up some of that killing Bin Laden magic.

It's just a dumb theory though, so who knows.

machine said...

still going on about this? Can't wait to see what Drudge tells everyone here to complain about tomorry.....

garage mahal said...

Test score results are identical to popular polling. From our resident physicist.

Enjoy the decline bitches!

Gabriel said...

@garage:Hard data isn't the same thing a popular polling which has a margin of error, you stupid, stupid motherfucker.

One of the things I got my Ph. D. for was developing a way to measure tiny thicknesses using (to oversimplify) a laser through a microscope. I was getting distances to the micron. The hardest of hard data. But that 1-2 micron uncertainty meant that some of the numbers I was getting were uncertain by considerably more than that. And so sometimes I couldn't tell the difference between refractive indices, even though the numbers were different the uncertainty was about the same size.

There's a lot to know about how to draw conclusions from data. Quite aside from whether you'd know hard data if it bit you in the ass, to the extent that you know of these techniques you are a liar; to the extent that you don't, you're unqualified to opine.

Ignorant or lying, your choice. I respect your intelligence enough to think you must be lying. You certainly seem to grok the distinctions when you think it suits your argument.

Gabriel said...

@garage:Test score results are identical to popular polling.

One and the same thing, garage. The populations tested are not identical. They do not constitute random samples of the same population. Variables common to both may be ultimately responsible. etc, etc.

But go on being a science denier.

sakredkow said...

Here's a list of Reagan's meeting with celebrities (from the Reagan Library). There is nothing new under the sun, except for the extremism of the GOP these days.

http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/photographs/celebrities.html

sakredkow said...

From the Reagan Foundation museum apparently.

sakredkow said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gabriel said...

garage, what's the point of the posturing? Anyone can read what I wrote, compare it to what you wrote, and draw the appropriate conclusion.

All you are doing is name calling. Nobody hear but your fellow travelers trusts what you say ANYWAY. You can't fight something with nothing.

I caught you lying and proved it. You can't get anywhere with snark, not in a hostile crowd anyway. Sure, in front of the Daily Show audience you'd score points.

Gabriel said...

@phx:Here's a list of Reagan's meeting with celebrities

Move those goalposts! Original topic: appropriateness of First Lady presenting Oscars.

Michael said...

Garage is a product of and a proponent of our shitty public school system. The system is free thus providing the parents with the opportunity to acquire boats and other toys for their own amusement instead of using the funds to privately,and excellently, educate their children. Urgent, therefore, to support and extol our public schools which by every measure are shitty.

sakredkow said...

I caught you lying and proved it.

I love these wingers at Althouse who are determined to prove YOU LIED! YOU'RE A LIAR! It's not enought that they just disagree with you, you have to be a liar. I get the same thing in the political threads. It's always the same knuckleheads, too.

The smarter wingers may not be able to stand your politics and are certain you're wrong but at least they have more class than to call you a liar.

Darrell said...

They watch movies at the White House all the time. When Barack isn't shooting skeet, that is.

sakredkow said...

Move those goalposts! Original topic: appropriateness of First Lady presenting Oscars.

We'll put you down as the Robert Bork of the Althouse comments.

edutcher said...

phx said...

Here's a list of Reagan's meeting with celebrities (from the Reagan Library). There is nothing new under the sun, except for the extremism of the GOP these days.

It is one thing for someone to come to the White House and be congratulated for an achievement or to lend their name to an initiative.

It is quite another to go from a position of respect and status to pandering to the mob.

phx knows the difference, he just needs to take the Willie Defense for Lefty bad behavior..

Darrell said...

Reagan never partied with JayZ and Beyonce, though.

Gabriel said...

@phx: It's not enought that they just disagree with you, you have to be a liar.

Disagreement is one thing. Lying is a whole other thing.

garage cited data he claimed supported his point, and he presented it dishonestly, and I caught him doing it. This is not the same thing as a disagreement.

Haiku Guy said...

Those military personnel were not ordered to be there. They were just the people who happened to be hanging out with Michelle Obama at the time when she had to step away to do the announcement. Because Michelle and Barack Obama hang out a social occaisions with the rank and file military people all the time, don'tcha know...

sakredkow said...

Disagreement is one thing. Lying is a whole other thing.

I know. Just like I "moved the goalposts."

What liars we are.

Gabriel said...

@phx:We'll put you down as the Robert Bork of the Althouse comments.

Who are you snarking for? It only works when the bulk of the audience is already on your side and doesn't actually want to listen to your opponent.

Here it's the other way around.

Anonymous said...

Hah! I'm an inner city public school teacher and I sent my daughter to Catholic schools for 12 years. To do otherwise would have been parental mal-practice. At least in the inner city of the city where I live. Nuns with sticks and the aility of some to out pitch professional baseballers. Not for nothing can they curve erasers to hit you with them! Public chools worked better when we beat them for minor rules infractions.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Why were military personnel used as props for an entertainment industry awards show?

Because we are ALL just props in the important fabulous lives of the Obamas.

Get used to it.

Darrell said...

Military personnel were there because Michelle was carrying the nuclear football--Barack being out on the DL and all.

sakredkow said...

They're like children in Piaget's earliest stages of moral development. They can't wait to point the finger and stamp their feet when they think they got you! See how you grownups lie!

Then it's off to their nap.

Gabriel said...

@phx:Just like I "moved the goalposts."

Yes, you did. It's a rhetorical tactic, not quite rising to the level of dishonesty.

Gabriel said...

@phx:They're like children in Piaget's earliest stages of moral development.

More name-calling. Pointless.

You're just flinging feces at the red monkeys, not actually arguing for or against anything.

sakredkow said...

Yes, you did. It's a rhetorical tactic, not quite rising to the level of dishonesty.

I'm so glad we have an honorable and fair-minded grownup taking account of my malfeasances.

Snark snark.

edutcher said...

phx is doing the Ritmo dance now.

This is when a troll should know he's lost.

roesch/voltaire said...

Gabe here is a quote from the Stanford Study on charter schools since you seemed challenged to find the link" On average, charter schools are not performing as well as their traditional public-school peers, according to a new study that is being called the first national assessment of these school-choice options. The study, conducted by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University, compared the reading and math state achievement test scores of students in charter schools in 15 states and the District of Columbia—amounting to 70 percent of U.S. charter school students—to those of their virtual "twins" in regular schools who shared with them certain characteristics. The research found that 37 percent of charter schools posted math gains that were significantly below what students would have seen if they had enrolled in local traditional public schools. And 46 percent of charter schools posted math gains that were statistically indistinguishable from the average growth among their traditional public-school companions. That means that only 17 percent of charter schools have growth in math scores that exceeds that of their traditional public-school equivalents by a significant amount.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Glenn Reynolds comments on his blog:
And isn’t it interesting that Obama, who let people die in an Islamist takeover in Benghazi, had his wife present an award for a movie about rescuing people from an Islamist takeover in Iran."

sakredkow said...

You're just flinging feces at the red monkeys, not actually arguing for or against anything.

I am usually just as interested in the way people argue as the content of their argument, that is true Gabriel.

furious_a said...

What's next, his highness Obama in Louis XIV attire? :-))

You asked for it.

Gabriel said...

@roesch-voltaire:Gabe here is a quote from the Stanford Study on charter schools since you seemed challenged to find the link"

Not the study at issue, garage's was about Milwaukee public schools and voucher schools.

Happy to take a look at it, and compare your characterization of the study with what it actually says.

None of that changes that garage lied about the study he linked to.

Darrell said...

Let's see...schools across the country have been caught "teaching the test." Let's say that charter schools do ot. Is a 5% difference significant then?

sakredkow said...

phx is doing the Ritmo dance now.

Hey edutcher. Nice to see you too. When are you going to get a real political philosophy that you can get behind btw?

kevino said...

In what way was it inappropriate? The Obamas have completed off the merger of Hollywood with the Democratic party. I'm surprised Ms. Obama didn't appear in person with President Obama being piped in on video from the White House ala 1984.

What better for the reality-based community than to have it's movie icons and political icons together in one program, celebrating their domination of the masses through fiction? Mutual adoration at it's best.

Somehow this surprises you?

sakredkow said...

Somehow this surprises you?

What I was asking for is someone to articulate a principle that indicates it's inappropriate for the 1st Lady to make a presentation at the Oscars. Pretty simple really.

edutcher said...

I have one, phx; the question is when are you? I see you still have to live down all you accommodation during the campaign.

PS Too good to keep:

British PM bans Moochelle from G8.

traditionalguy said...

The message was that Michelle is in her Mansion attended by the Military that has all of the drones. No one else has any.

That reminds me of Governor's mansion at Williamsburg where the walls were solid British Military muskets from floor to ceiling.

The message is the same. Obama is our Royal Governor.

edutcher said...

your accommodation.

Sorry, I was laughing too hard at phx' lame Ritmoesque comeback.

Darrell said...

This is our land. A land of peace and of plenty. A land of harmony and hope. This is our land. Obamania. These are our people. The workers, the strivers, the builders. These are our people. The builders of our world, struggling, fighting, bleeding, dying. On the streets of our cities and on the far-flung battlefields. Fighting against the mutilation of our hopes and dreams. Who are they?

Known Unknown said...

Here's a list of Reagan's meeting with celebrities (from the Reagan Library).

Using Reagan as your foil makes little sense because Reagan was an actor.

It would be like crying foul if a President Jack Kemp showed up in Canton, Ohio for the Hall of Fame weekend.

There's a fitting congruence.

I could care less if Presidents meet with celebrities. Nixon, Elvis, whatever.

If she gave out the award for Best Actress because she wants to demonstrate positive role models for women like Jennifer Lawrence or whatever? Fine.

Hey, look this child obesity documentary won. Let's get Michelle Obama to give out the award. Sure, I guess so — it makes sense.

But this Best Picture business is uncanny.

edutcher said...

traditionalguy said...

The message was that Michelle is in her Mansion attended by the Military that has all of the drones. No one else has any.

That reminds me of Governor's mansion at Williamsburg where the walls were solid British Military muskets from floor to ceiling.


I thought that was the "keep and bear arms for a well-regulated militia". Like the armouries at Lexington and Concord.

sakredkow said...

I'm not sure which of my devastating comebacks was "Ritmoesque", or even what that means. I gather it's bad for me though!

Gabriel said...

@rv: The Stanford study found that CMO schools, on the average, perform about the same as the public schools. They note that the quality of CMO schools is variable and that it is difficult to replicate one school's performance at another school.

Now the snippet you quote is that replicated in the popular media, but the executive summary section which includes that statement puts it differently: "Two thirds of CMOs start new schools that are of the same or slightly better quality as the existing portfolio." But overall they are not significantly different, as the executive summary also acknowledges: "CMOs on average are not dramatically better than non-CMO schools in terms of their contributions to student learning. The difference in learning compared to the Traditional Public school alternatives for CMOs is -.005 standard deviations in Math and .005 in reading; both these values are statistically significant, but obviously not materially different from the comparison."


Now, if you care to argue that the study shows charter schools are no better than public schools, I agree that this is good evidence of that.

If you choose, however, to argue that it proves charter schools are "failures" compared to public schools, you'd be lying, like garage did.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Why were military personnel used as props for an entertainment industry awards show?

The Obama legacy... everything but govern.

sakredkow said...

If she gave out the award for Best Actress because she wants to demonstrate positive role models for women like Jennifer Lawrence or whatever? Fine.

Here's what I think EMD: she did it because Hollywood wanted it and it was a payback from the Obama's. This stuff happens all the time in other industries and with other lobbyists and contributors I presume. Most industries don't have the corner on prime time network broadcasts however.

Payback from the Obamas, and I don't see what's especially inappropriate about it. It's not like Jack Nicholson is getting a plum job at the EOC.

Tibore said...

There was zero reason for someone with zero professional ties to Hollywood to present the Best Picture award. I looked this up, and the last time that happened was in 1938 with Jack Roosevelt.

And at least he had some film experience, having had a failed movie production at one time. The Obama's, though: Zero.

Let me make clear, however, that my objection is about tradition, not politics. If this were Laura Bush, it would be equally inappropriate (the only difference being that Hollywood would never dream of inviting a Bush to their events). There is a legitimately apolitical objection to Mrs. Obama announcing that winner.

sonicfrog said...

Here is what I've got so far: Michelle Obama presented an Academy Award to someone! THAT BITCH! And she had military people in the background... THAT BITCH!!!!!

You don't even see how silly you look on this.

Oh well. Not my problem.

Shanna said...

Just wait until March madness kicks in and ABC/ESPN again go wall to wall with obama's bracket selections (like they've done every year since his first election as President).

And the first year he basically just picked all the higher seeded teams! How useless. I don't know if they got any more interesting after that.

sakredkow said...

Let me make clear, however, that my objection is about tradition, not politics.

Fair enough, but whose traditions? Hollywood's? Or the White House traditions?

If it's Hollywood's traditions you care about, then you are probably the only person who does. If it's the White House traditions that make you anxious, get over it. That floodgate was opened when Nixon went on Laugh In.

Darrell said...

Sock it to phx.

Scott M said...

That means that only 17 percent of charter schools have growth in math scores that exceeds that of their traditional public-school equivalents by a significant amount.

"If just one life is saved..."

Colonel Angus said...

Why were military personnel used as props for an entertainment industry awards show?

What better way to depict royalty than with a palace guard as your backdrop?

Darrell said...

(Althouse Lefty Tweets)

So, The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect?

The secret is to move from translation, to direct thought, to automatic response. No need for self-discipline. Language coming from here
[the larynx]
Syme: , not from here
[the brain]

Biff said...

"Media silent......as is the usual case."

Methadras said...

sonicfrog said...

Here is what I've got so far: Michelle Obama presented an Academy Award to someone! THAT CUNT! And she had military people in the background... THAT CUNT!!!!!

You don't even see how silly you look on this.

Oh well. Not my problem.


Fixed...

sakredkow said...

Methadras weighing in with his psychiatric problems. Just on time.

tree hugging sister said...

Aridog said:

To be specific those uniform as called "Mess Dress" or "Evening Dress" (USMC) and yes, they are the military equivalent of a formal coat & tails for evening wear at formal, usually celebratory, occasions. Note that the medals, when worn, are of the half size type, not full sized nor ribbon symbols.

Just for clarity's sake, though ~ those were ALL US Army dress uniforms behind her during the whole ghastly thing.

Not a single Marine in blues did I see and praise Jesus.

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