The cuteness, it burns!
This puppy doesn't know "sit" yet, but his older brother has the CUTEST way of teaching him ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5DBWJTmQCG
— The Dodo (@dodo) February 23, 2018
And courtesy of commenter MaryG:
I think I know how to raise my own puppies if you don’t mind, becky. pic.twitter.com/435lFJlLXI
— Clint Falin (@ClintFalin) February 22, 2018
Open thread!
Major Major Major Major
Happy belated birthday to Edward Gorey, cat lover!
Elizabelle
I’m up for animal videos. Thanks, Adam.
Mnemosyne
Repeating myself from the dead open thread:
All right, jackals, I saw Black Panther last night and I feel totally confident making the following three predictions for next year’s Oscars: Best Supporting Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture.
There’s no way it wins Best Picture, but it has a good chance at Screenplay, IMO. That’s how the Academy likes to reward promising young writer/directors.
Adam L Silverman
@Elizabelle: De nada.
Mike in NC
No way is this stuff cuter than the Manhattan Mussolini’s performance art at CPAC.
Major Major Major Major
@Mike in NC: don’t sully an animal thread by talking about that thing.
Mary G
@Major Major Major Major: Those are great, love Gorey.
Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)
Turns out I have pleurisy for the third time. Not too much fun, but it could be a whole lot worse, since when you get sharp, stabbing pains around your heart, well, I’d rather have pleurisy than a heart attack or pneumonia. I thought maybe it was pleurisy, since I’ve had it twice before, but they gave me an E.G.C. or whatever the thing is where they stick things all over your chest and take a look at your heart, and my heart is great, and then they did an x-ray to look for pneumonia, and it wasn’t that either. Could be a lot worse…
Major Major Major Major
So I submitted my short story to Lightspeed last Friday morning. They say most rejections come within two business days, but stories under serious consideration can be held for up to two weeks. So, kinda hopeful? It’s a “no simultaneous submissions” shop ? so I can’t do anything further until I hear back anyway.
Timurid
In other news, Tom Nichols is drunk tweeting tonight…
Betty Cracker
@Major Major Major Major: Although I am decidedly a dog person, Mr. Gorey and I share a birthday. George Washington was also a 2/22 baby!
Adam L Silverman
@Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.): Feel better. We’ll keep good thoughts.
Mnemosyne
@Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.):
I used to get pleurisy, but I don’t think I’ve had a bout of it since I started getting my mild but annoying asthma treated. Turned out I had a lot of weird knock-on effects from the asthma that I didn’t realize were related, like migraine.
debbie
@Betty Cracker:
Happy birthday!
Elizabelle
@Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.): Hope you are feeling peachy again soon.
We will have to plan a DC meetup. Gonna be turning out March 24, and other suitable occasions.
Steeplejack
@Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.):
Take it easy and get well soon!
Major Major Major Major
@Betty Cracker: oh happy late birthday y’all!
Tenar Arha
Aww cute & ?
Woman surprised to find her dog comforting a grieving stranger in the airport
Elizabelle
@Betty Cracker: So you just had a birthday?
Happy tiki and chickens birthday, Ms. Cracker. Hope it was wonderful.
The Gorey cat that ruined the work of 2.5 weeks … would have ended up tail-less.
Adam L Silverman
@Betty Cracker: Will there be belated cake?
Sana halwa ya jamina!
khead
The second video is really adorable.
Wanted to say thanks to the couple of folks who asked about out rescue cat Jack. I crashed out hard after posting last night before I could answer any questions. The short version: Jack is a rescue from the New River Valley in VA. He was dumped by some tool into a feral colony where he was (luckily) snagged and fostered by a childhood friend who works for a rescue and adoption organization. She thought she was helping Jack move on up like George and Weezie by offering him to us but it turns out Jack doesn’t play well with others. At least not our kittehs. Anyway, Jack’s previous foster parent likes him enough to take him back and she has several other folks already interested in him too. So, it’s kinda, sorta a happy ending – I know people here like that sort of thing – even though we hate giving him up.
Mary G
@Betty Cracker: Happy belated birthday!
Omnes Omnibus
@Betty Cracker: You are two days before my brother and four days before my s-i-l. Belated happy b-day.
schrodingers_cat
@Betty Cracker: Happy belated birthday. So when are you running for President? Your creative insults would leave you know who, speechless.
MoxieM
@Major Major Major Major: Many recommendations to visit the Gorey House (now museum) if you find yourself within striking distance of Brewster MA (on the Cape). He left generous support for his cats, and much of his household/studio/collections are as he left them. Fascinating, brilliant man. Edward Gorey House
Major Major Major Major
@MoxieM: I have the coffee table book of his house! Always wanted to visit.
Mnemosyne
Somehow, we ended up watching the behind-the-scenes mini documentaries of the new “Twin Peaks” series. I’m not a Lynch fan, but it’s interesting to see his process. I would actually rather watch this than the series itself.
MoxieM
@Major Major Major Major: It’s utterly fantastic! I had the joy of going when my daughter turned 16… she skipped school that day (hehehehe bad mommy), but we had the best day! He was fairly recently gone, so the house was really in original shape — he had his large puppets like the Uninvited Guest peeking in through the windows. His car was still in the driveway (the plate read “Ogdred”). I don’t live close, but let me know if you can come, I’ll meet you!
Steeplejack
I recommended Gorey’s book The Unstrung Harp as a great take on the writing process in one of the writing threads. Someone said they had ordered it. I want feedback! I want a book report!
Mary G
Mnem alert:
Steeplejack
@MoxieM:
“Ogdred Weary” was one of Gorey’s anagrammatic alter egos.
efgoldman
@Betty Cracker:
Our daughter turned 37 today (Friday). It’s also GF Handel’s (Messiah) birthday. Hallelujah!
Major Major Major Major
@Steeplejack: oh that’s probably my favorite story about writing.
@MoxieM: heh, I’ll try and remember that.
Mnemosyne
@Mary G:
Now to figure out how to DVR “Sesame Street” without G becoming suspicious … ?
BTW, I met someone who worked closely with LMM on a project. He apparently really is just as nice in person as he seems to be.
Gravenstone
@Timurid: Heh, watched that back in the late 80s, just a bunch of drunk midwest college kids. Later we had to pull one of the freshmen off the two Latino guys on our floor because he swore they were Cubans. Good times.
khead
@Timurid:
Holy shit! He’s live tweeting Red Dawn – and I get most of the references even though I’m not even watching. WOLVERINES! Just shoot me.
Mnemosyne
@khead:
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the movie all the way through, but I still LOLed at a lot of the thread.
Omnes Omnibus
@khead: I have never seen either version.
WaterGirl
@Major Major Major Major: Definitely promising! Crossing my fingers.
Elizabelle
@MoxieM: Gorey House. OK. That goes on the trip list. Massachusetts, you say. Look out efgoldman and others in the environs.
Aleta
@Mnemosyne: I predict a win for Best Director for amazing hero Ryan Coogler.
Major Major Major Major
@WaterGirl: They’re probably just backed up.
The line of thought reminds me of something I read one time, as a depiction of the depressive mind. Roughly:
Aleta
@Betty Cracker: Happy Birthday to a favorite writer.
Mnemosyne
@Aleta:
Mmmmmmaybe. It’s hard to win for an “unserious” movie like that. That’s why I’m predicting a Screenplay win — that’s a traditional award for up-and-comers like Coogler.
Also, I think Jordan Peele has a good chance of winning Best Original Screenplay in a couple of weeks, for the same reason.
WaterGirl
Adam, thanks for this thread. I love the pup who’s helping his brother learn to sit. Simply adorable.
Reminds me of a couple of dogs I met decades ago. The big dog and the pup. Owners gave the big milkbone treats which were too big for the puppy. First big dog gets his cookie, which he drops without eating it. Then he gets the second cookie, which he breaks up into pieces for the puppy. THEN he ate his own cookie. So much goodness.
Villago Delenda Est
@Timurid: He’s got Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot in the room with him, I’m sure of it.
Villago Delenda Est
@Betty Cracker: A belated by a day Happy Birthday! You’ve got a better birthday share than I have…Sarah Palin! UGH!
WaterGirl
@Major Major Major Major: First off, enjoy the hopefulness! Second, you’ve been married for 14 years? That is awesome. Or maybe that was just an example?
Either way, it makes me a bit sad that s smart, funny, interesting guy like you would feel insecure. And on that happy note, I am heading for bed. I had to go to bed every night at 9 or 10 when I had the pups – just for my own sanity, they were delightful and exhausting. I must have gotten used to that because I am tired and ready for bed, and this is quite early for me.
WaterGirl
@Betty Cracker: Happy birthday, Ms. Cracker! You delight us with your wordsmith-ing. What a great day for Balloon Juice when you came on board. We’re not worthy.
Steeplejack
Is there a way for the reader to rearrange the #RedDawnTom thread into 1/n order (with responses), or does the author have to do that? If the latter, damn you, Tom Nichols!
Major Major Major Major
@WaterGirl:
I was trying to quote the thing I’d read; that writer had been married for 14 (or whatever) years. We didn’t get married until the country decided to recognize it, but we started dating ten years ago next month.
ETA and, goodnight :)
WaterGirl
@Mnemosyne: Call me crazy, but I think it will win a ton of awards. Black Panther so huge that they won’t be able to ignore it.
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl: My Cocker would have gone for the throat of any dog who didn’t submit to him.
ETA: From his point, I need to get mine. I will cut a bitch. He was so nice with approrived people.
Rommie
Since it’s always projection, I’m expecting the talking points to find their way to White Collar Crime. And how it’s not a big deal. And Tax Evasion is just Common Sense™ and shouldn’t be a crime at all! Etc. Etc.
Major Major Major Major
@Rommie:
They already used that one during the campaign.
Mary G
Here is the imgur page of another cutie, Squid the Griff dog.
Steeplejack
Joy Reid (sitting in for Lawrence O’Donnell) is playing the CPAC clip of Trump criticizing (at length) the resource officer who didn’t go into the high school during the shooting last week. God, what a sanctimonious prick!
Whatever you think of the officer’s performance, no one deserves that. If he wasn’t suicidal before he probably is now (especially if, like most LEOs, he was a Trump supporter).
Yes, I’m way behind on the DVR.
Major Major Major Major
Here is a picture of two cats in fuzzy hats.
seaboogie
Thank you, Adam. Love this place, love all of you. Belated fond wishes to Miz C.
NotMax
@Betty Cracker
Grandest felicitations!
As for ol’ Georgey boy’s date, even he must have occasionally been confoozled.
Elizabelle
@Steeplejack: Yeah, I am worried about the resource officer. Possibly failed at his mission (jury still out); castigated and made a national example of, has a firearm. I am worried he will be another death.
It’s appalling we put the officers in this situation. Get rid of assault weapons. Ban them, and buy backs.
Villago Delenda Est
@Rommie: It’s always about defending utterly unearned privilege with these assholes. They hate the very idea of egalitarianism.
Mnemosyne
@WaterGirl:
Oh, it’s going to win a ton of awards. I just don’t think the Academy is going to be willing to give Best Picture to a comic book movie. They have some weird ideas about what’s an “appropriate” Best Picture and what isn’t.
I do think that The Shape of Water has a good shot this year, though. Partly because the Academy voters love movies that reference classic movies.
seaboogie
@Mary G: I’ve known one or two. The underbite always reminds me of James Cagney.
I get to pupsit my favorite regular one next week – a very fit 13-y-o quite deaf black Standard Poodle named Suzy. She’s a smart, flouncing princess in a chenille robe – reminds me of Katharine Hepburn in “Bringing Up Baby”.
Steeplejack
@Mnemosyne:
They will rarely even give Best Picture to a comedy.
Mnemosyne
I somehow ended up with an earworm of this Soft Cell song that I haven’t heard for at least 15 years.
I had to Google the lyrics because I couldn’t remember the title.
seaboogie
@Steeplejack: t is not a sanctimonious prick – he doesn’t have the level of intelligence required to be that kind of douche. He’s a bully who is scared, mentally declining and “Look-squirrel!!!” is something he’s done so often it’s reflexive, so still very much in his repertoire.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Betty Cracker: Happy belated b-day.
Duane
@Mnemosyne: I feel for you. With luck, it’ll be another 15 years.
Jay Noble
@Elizabelle: Latest is there were 3 more officers (Good Guys With Guns) there while the shooting was going on. Pistols drawn, hiding behind their police cars.
But what else could they have really done at that point that wouldn’t have ended up causing some friendly fire casualties?
Steeplejack
@Rommie:
I had a minor epiphany about this while watching a few (very few) of the Trump clips from the CPAC speech today.
Chris Matthews showed Trump reprising the “snake” story he used all through the campaign:
Trump was literally snarling the words today.
And it hit me: at some point in the future, this is going to be the defining image of the Trump administration. He is the snake. He got the Republicans and the deplorables to take him in because he validated their racism and promised them he would fix everything, and he’s well on his way to destroying them as a political party and (the deplorables) respectable members of society.
Old Dan and Little Anne
Our February break started last Friday. My MIL died on Sunday. This has been one rotten week. Funeral in about 10 hours. My wife is crushed. Fuck cancer. Watching E.T. currently. I saw this movie when I was 7. It’s intense.
Elizabelle
@Steeplejack: Interesting. It’s his nature. But it’s theirs too. A defect in their natures.
Steeplejack
@Old Dan and Little Anne:
Sorry to hear of your woes. My condolences to your family.
Washburn
Oh my god, both of those videos are hilarious.
Can kittens consume dog milk with no problems? Do the get the necessary immunities?
Mnemosyne
@Duane:
It’s a very funny song (on purpose), so I don’t mind that much. It just annoyed me that I had to Google an entire verse to find the damn thing.
My favorite verse is still:
Mnemosyne
@Old Dan and Little Anne:
I’m so sorry. 2012 sucked ass because G and I both lost our fathers within 6 months of each other.
rikyrah
@Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.):
Get better
rikyrah
@Old Dan and Little Anne:
Sorry for your loss.?
Yarrow
@Old Dan and Little Anne: So very sorry. Deepest condolences to you and your wife.
Old Dan and Little Anne
Thanks, all.
Major Major Major Major
@Old Dan and Little Anne: Ugh, so sorry to hear that, hang in there.
Steve in the ATL
This place is dead. Stupid east coast bias!
danielx
@Betty Cracker:
Happy belated, Miz C!
piratedan
@Steve in the ATL: then listen to this….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc9jwXO3zGc
Major Major Major Major
@Steve in the ATL: Here, have a very strange gif.
danielx
@Old Dan and Little Anne:
Sorry to hear it….condolences.
Yarrow
@Steve in the ATL: Says the man who claims to be in the ATL.
Major Major Major Major
@piratedan: Oh that’s fun.
Steve in the ATL
@piratedan: thank you!
@Major Major Major Major: indeed
@Yarrow: yeah, I know. I’m in LA at the moment, but going to the ATL tomorrow. Allegedly.
seaboogie
@Old Dan and Little Anne: Condolences to you both.
piratedan
let me know if you want me to be your dj tonight :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmO77nNRqZE
Yarrow
@Steve in the ATL: Do you think the people in the ATL will recognize you anymore? You’re never there!
Steve in the ATL
@Yarrow: I was having a cocktail at a friend’s house in the Bay Area earlier and realized that in the last six weeks I had seen his kids like four times as much as I’d seen my own.
Hoping the wife hasn’t run off with the pool boy yet!
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Steve in the ATL:
(waves)
Yarrow
@Steve in the ATL: It’s the cabana boys you really have to watch out for.
Major Major Major Major
@Yarrow: Not that either of them are likely to be out servicing your pool in skimpy clothes this time of year.
Steve in the ATL
@?BillinGlendaleCA: ¡hola Guillermo! Too short a visit to attempt a meet up this time. Are you going to be in St. Louis next week?
Steve in the ATL
@Yarrow: those little bitches!
@Major Major Major Major: high of 79 tomorrow in Atlanta
Elizabelle
@Old Dan and Little Anne: My condolences to you and Mrs. Old Dan. Very sorry for your loss.
Major Major Major Major
@Steve in the ATL: Then I guess you better watch out!
Steeplejack (phone)
@piratedan:
Is it alt-surfabilly™ night tonight?
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, “Having an Average Weekend.”
The Ventures, “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.”
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Steve in the ATL: @Steve in the ATL:
No, I don’t believe so.
Steeplejack (phone)
The Chantays, “Pipeline.”
Aqua Velvets, “Surf Nouveau.”
Steeplejack (phone)
@Yarrow:
You need to show up in a daytime thread and explain your absence. The crowd has been clamoring for news.
Major Major Major Major
@Steeplejack (phone): Not quite surf rock, but “Good Weekend” by Art Brut.
Yarrow
@Major Major Major Major: Plenty warm in many parts of the country including the ATL. And that Tonga flag carrier at the Olympics went shirtless in below freezing weather, so…
@Steeplejack (phone): Roxy Music for me tonight. Avalon.
piratedan
SMSP are great guys and that tune is simply awesome….
here’s a cover of one my favorites by them….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKHAOFoeuss
and if you like the rockabilly surf vibe… try this…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFQqMcVURqQ
Yarrow
@Steeplejack (phone): I did, earlier today. An exchange here was upsetting to me so I stepped away for a bit. Then my life got complicated again and I didn’t have time to keep up with much of anything.
Aleta
@Steeplejack (phone):
Aqua Velvets, “Surf Nouveau.” oooooo, what an opening
The Ventures, “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.” on this one too
piratedan
@Steeplejack (phone): good call on the aqua velvets, those guys are fantastic imho
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Yarrow:
I went on a hike today up in the hills north of here and it was cold and very windy. I had to abort part of my hike because I was almost getting blown over by the wind.
I did manage to get some nice pics.
Major Major Major Major
@Yarrow: I didn’t assume it would be skimpily-clothed-poolboy weather, though. 78 is right about there.
Yarrow
@Major Major Major Major: Weather is weird now. Good thing climate change is a Chinese hoax.
Ninedragonspot
@Major Major Major Major: one of the great treats of my theater-going existence was watching Alan Rickman recite Gorey’s “Gashleycrumb Tinies”. My god, what a voice he had. Fireworks on each line.
Steeplejack (phone)
In honor of National Margarita Day, which was Thursday but which I celebrated tonight (Friday): Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, “Tequila Calling.”
Mnemosyne
One last Black Panther note before I sign off for the night:
For people who are on the fence because it’s a superhero movie, it plays much more as an action/spy movie than a “superhero” movie. If you like James Bond or Jason Bourne movies, you’ll love Black Panther.
‘Night, all!
Steeplejack (phone)
@Major Major Major Major:
Cool. Doesn’t he have a bad weekend, too? Yeah, he does.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Yarrow:
Okay, cool. Good to see you back.
piratedan
@Steeplejack (phone): Steeplejack, that was really quite pleasant, ty for sharing that, they had a definite throwback feel…
but since it’s Friday, must be time for the Beat Farmers….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Uu_dFBObA
Major Major Major Major
@Steeplejack (phone): I saw them open for The Hold Steady like ten years ago? Great show, lots of sing-talking.
ETA: The Hold Steady, “Charlemagne In Sweatpants”
ETAA: that song has one of my favorite lyrics, “yeah tramps like us and we like tramps”
Yarrow
@piratedan: Country Dick Montana! That voice!
Steeplejack (phone)
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
Nice pics, although I don’t think my phone is doing them justice. Will have to check them out tomorrow on the big computer.
Steeplejack (phone)
I have veered off into truckabilly: Del Reeves, “Girl on the Billboard.”
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Steeplejack (phone): Also check out the Victorian houses I snapped on Wednesday. A big hires screen is always better to look at pics.
Mike J
@?BillinGlendaleCA: I keep asking my grocer to stock lores root beer, but they only ever get Hires.
Sm*t Cl*de
@Major Major Major Major:
Someone should send a link to Paul Cooper for his curated collection of Animal Vandalism.
https://twitter.com/PaulMMCooper/status/964834644670799872
Mary G
@?BillinGlendaleCA: Those houses are beautiful. Are they the ones off the Pasadena Freeway?
Steve in the ATL
@Mike J: how many kids do you have—enough to justify a dad joke like that one?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mary G: Nope, Angelino Heights near Echo Park.
J R in WV
@Old Dan and Little Anne:
Late to the thread, but wanted to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. Cancer does suck, hard. Lost my dad to it, lost my oldest cousin to it, about to lose a younger cousin to it. We grew up together like brothers and sisters, so very hard.
Take care of each other in this stressful time! Come here for encouragement as needed!!