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Thread: President Obama's Letters

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    Senior Member writingrav's Avatar
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    Default President Obama's Letters

    This was in today's NY Times.
    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/19/a...T.nav=top-newshttps://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/19/a...T.nav=top-news

    The top letter, at least, looks to have been written with a fountain pen. His handwriting puts me to shame. Letters of statesmen and other important personages will soon be a thing of the past. They will be missed.
    To continue to diminish the place of the handwritten in our lives is to diminish, in a small but real way, our humanity. Philip Hensher

    Dunno ergo sum

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    Senior Member Lady Onogaro's Avatar
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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    His handwriting is beautifully clear and easy to read. I wish my loops were more like his (mine are too tiny and get filled in, and others disappear entirely with some inks/pens).

    How did you feel about the question of whether or not they should be published? I don't think Emory would publish them without the permission of the writers, but the article says they weren't all that personal.
    Lady Onogaro

    "Be yourself--everybody else is already taken." --Oscar Wilde

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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    I'm impressed he was that thoughtful and well spoken as an early 20-something.

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    Quote Originally Posted by Lady Onogaro View Post
    His handwriting is beautifully clear and easy to read. I wish my loops were more like his (mine are too tiny and get filled in, and others disappear entirely with some inks/pens).
    I'm with you on that wish, too (in fact, ALL aspects of my handwriting could improve). It reminded me that he is left-handed, and I got curious (I only remember the major fact). So I did a quick look-see and find an overwriter. This is pretty cool to see how a President will utilize all those ceremonial pens...

    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Senior Member Robert's Avatar
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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    About the only thing Obama and I have in common is - - we're both left handed. His penmanship is way better than mine.

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    Senior Member Lady Onogaro's Avatar
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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    I didn't realize he was a lefty. He has such a nice vertical handwriting style.
    Lady Onogaro

    "Be yourself--everybody else is already taken." --Oscar Wilde

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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    Yes, very clear handwriting, as legible as print. And very "no-drama" handwriting, if I may use the phrase. In retrospect, you could almost tell from it what kind of President he would be.
    “We go to the garrick now and become warbs.”--James Thurber

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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    Also he can write Arabic I believe.

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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    Quote Originally Posted by Cyril View Post
    Also he can write Arabic I believe.
    While he has engaged in a small amount of spoken communication in other languages, I had not heard or seen any reference to his abilities to write in non-Western scripts.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Senior Member Lady Onogaro's Avatar
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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    Quote Originally Posted by Cyril View Post
    Also he can write Arabic I believe.
    If he can, I'm impressed. I wish I could--it's more art than handwriting. It's visually such a beautiful language, like Japanese, Chinese, and Sanskrit.
    Lady Onogaro

    "Be yourself--everybody else is already taken." --Oscar Wilde

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    Quote Originally Posted by Lady Onogaro View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Cyril View Post
    Also he can write Arabic I believe.
    If he can, I'm impressed. I wish I could--it's more art than handwriting. It's visually such a beautiful language, like Japanese, Chinese, and Sanskrit.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Senior Member Lady Onogaro's Avatar
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    Default Re: President Obama's Letters

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Lady Onogaro View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Cyril View Post
    Also he can write Arabic I believe.
    If he can, I'm impressed. I wish I could--it's more art than handwriting. It's visually such a beautiful language, like Japanese, Chinese, and Sanskrit.
    Thank you for that, Jon! I enjoyed it.
    Lady Onogaro

    "Be yourself--everybody else is already taken." --Oscar Wilde

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