Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

Republicans in disarray!

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. do not touch it.”

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

After dobbs, women are no longer free.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you do not.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

“In this country American means white. everybody else has to hyphenate.”

They spent the last eight months firing professionals and replacing them with ideologues.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

Petty moves from a petty man.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

Our messy unity will be our strength.

Bark louder, little dog.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

You are here: Home / Books / Sunday Evening Open Thread: See the Holiday with Fresh Eyes

Sunday Evening Open Thread: See the Holiday with Fresh Eyes

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  1. 1.

    germy

    I remember A Christmas Carol on TV with Mr. Magoo in the lead role. I saw it as a child when it first came out, and I was enchanted by the art and animation.

    I haven’t seen it since, because I fear I’d be disappointed. Not so much by the story or performances, but by the art direction. So I prefer to remember it through my childhood eyes.

  3. 3.

    Phylllis

    Hubby and I just got home from seeing It’s a Wonderful Life at the indie theater in downtown Columbia. It was a pleasure to see the full cut of the movie with no commercials.

  4. 4.

    ThresherK

    For football broadcasting I love that every network has an expert to interpret and predict the officiating. It was the job I always wanted someone to do.

    Well, we have reached peak officialling: Mike Pereira, on Fox, for the Rams/Cowboys game, has informed us that the coin flip is not reviewable.

    He said that because 1) it’s either written in the rules or 2) there is case “law” establishing this.

  6. 6.

    Lapassionara

    So, we have about an inch and a half of snow in the greater St. Louis area. Not too much, although the forecasts were dire.

    I have realized that outdoor garden activities are no longer in my daily schedule, so I will need to find another way to get some exercise. I will see my garden again maybe in February, if we get some sunny days and a false spring, as we normally do.

  8. 8.

    mrmoshpotato

    I hope the xenomorph doesn’t come with an acidic filling.  That would really put a damper on biting its head off.

  9. 9.

    Ken

    @ThresherK: Interesting.  It’s at completely the opposite end of the spectrum from the “If they want to win this game they have to score more points than the other team” type of commenting, but (to me) seems about as useless.

  10. 10.

    Emerald

    I listen to A Christmas Carol every Xmas, read by Tim Curry. Fantastic performance. I hear something new in it every time.

  11. 11.

    mrmoshpotato

    @ThresherK: Well, how else would you recognize a ‘Holding’ call when someone grabs another guy’s arm, and the main ref announces “Holding on the defense?” It’s a very important announcing job from the booth  for which I’m sure he’s paid lots of money.

  12. 12.

    CaseyL

    The funniest version of A Christmas Carol I’ve ever seen was a theater production of “Inspecting Carol.”

    It’s a mashup of A Christmas Carol and The Inspector General, where a not-very-talented actor who comes to a theater to try out for a role is mistaken for a representative from the National Endowment for the Arts who’s coming to audit the theater.

    The theater company, desperate to curry favor, gives the guy a big role in its annual production of A Christmas Carol.  All kinds of hilarity ensues.

  13. 13.

    prostratedragon

    Went looking for Mr. Magoo on ytube and found only song clips (the one from Christmas future is quite something), but also found an animated short feature that was new or at least forgotten to me. Features the voices of Alistair Sim and Michael Hordern who were in the great 1950 movie version.

    “A Christmas Carol” (1971)

  14. 14.

    leeleeFL

    @joel hanes: Still a Christmas Favorite-  bought my copy a few years back.  “I’m all alone in the world” still has me crying like a 2 yo.  And the Razzleberry Dressing song will make me smile in July! It is fantastic!

    Rudolph is a co-favorite.  No longer PC, but I love it

  15. 15.

    ThresherK

    @joel hanes: The one line I remember from the main theme is about having “a Christmas more glorious than grand”.

    And this is UPA, so the animation is going to be basic. But Jim Backus always brought something extra to the table.

  16. 16.

    David ??Booooooo?? Koch

    @germy:  I recently had the same apprehension about some old tee vee shows I saw as a kid that I found on Me-TV.

    I was always impressed by a famous episode of “Gilligan’s Island” were Gilligan is stalked by a big game hunter.

    Episodes of “Mr. Ed’ and “The Munsters”, were both Ed and Herman try out for the Dodgers, featuring Sandy Koufax and Leo Durocher  (photo).

    A couple of episodes of “The Odd Couple” featuring Howard Cosell and Bobby Riggs.

    A engrossing Vietnam parable “The Challenge” with the late-great Darren McGavin.

    to my surprise, while they did have a few production flaws,  they held up in form and substance, and lived up to my idyllic memories.

  21. 21.

    Orange is the New Red

    I am very excited to see my favorite holiday movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol, on the big screen this weekend.

  23. 23.

    Miss Bianca

    @Emerald: Tim Curry also does an audiobook of “Peter Pan”, which if you haven’t reviewed it since childhood, is a *deeply fucking creepy book*!!

    Tinkerbell is a misogynistic little sociopath. Peter is not any better.

    But Curry’s narration makes it bearable!

     

    Also, I am laughing my ass off at the thought of Scrooge and Marley as lovers!

  25. 25.

    Miss Bianca

    @prostratedragon: Oh, wow, I wonder if that’s the one I saw on TV that *scared the fucking crap* out of seven-year-old me! I couldn’t even eat my dinner, the ghosts scared me that badly! And dinner was *extremely* important to me, particularly around holiday time. Will have to watch it and see!

  26. 26.

    schrodingers_cat

    OT but important

    Eliminationist rhetoric coming from pro-BJP media personalities. She is calling for pest control against human beings

    Please report the Tweet in the screenshot as targeted harassment if you are on Twitter. From a brief perusal of her timeline she also is an MRA.

    Thanks.

    report  @trehan_barkha for targeted harassment.  I have included a screenshot in the link, I didn’t want to give that vile Tweet a retweet.

    P.S. Here is the link to the original offensive tweet.

    twitter.com/trehan_barkha/status/1205838261555531776

  27. 27.

    John Revolta

    I remember the Mr. Magoo Carol quite well although I haven’t seen it in 50 years maybe. The songwriting was really good.

    A hand for each hand was planned for the world

    Why don’t my fingers reach?

    Millions of grains of sand in the world

    Why such a lonely beach?

    I was a maudlin little kid……………….

    And yes “a Christmas far more glorious than grand” stuck with me too!

  28. 28.

    Miss Bianca

    @John Revolta: It’s funny, I remember seeing the Mr. Magoo “Christmas Carol” as a tad, but I don’t remember a thing about it! Guess I’ll have to Youtube that one, right after I watch the Alastair Sim one. All this while babysitting my cider on the wood stove.

  29. 29.

    satby

    Well, now I have to dig up Christmas in Connecticut and watch that tonight. And I admit it, I like the old version of Miracle on 24th Street, the Natalie Wood one. Maybe I’ll watch that one tomorrow night.

  30. 30.

    J R in WV

    @ThresherK:

     

    Well, we have reached peak officialling: Mike Pereira, on Fox, for the Rams/Cowboys game, has informed us that the coin flip is not reviewable.

    And then New York reviewed it anyway, and decided Dallas should have the ball to beat up the Rams some more, quicker.

    ETA:

    And LGM has the most depressing accurate take on current politics ever. I couldn’t keep reading the comments, just too horrible and dead on accurate!

    ETA 2, see The Crisis by Paul Campos if you’re interested in Impeachment and Republican treason.

  32. 32.

    NotMax

    @satby

    If you’re jonesing for Barbara Stanwyck Xmastime films, Remember the Night is coming up at 10 p.m. Eastern time on TCM.

  33. 33.

    prostratedragon

    @Miss Bianca:
    !:)!
    I can well imagine it scaring the daylights out of a child! Some of the art work is really horrifying, to make a big impact in just 25 minutes I guess, and to make it clear that something has really shaken Scrooge to his crusty core.

    My favorite part is when Christmas Present takes Scrooge around to see workmen at their humble homes or at work, all singing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” which I always thought of as the Gravedigger’s Carol.

    Comfort and Joy!

  34. 34.

    Sister Golden Bear

    So the tree roots have finally damaged my sewer line to the point it needs to be replaced. 

    And because I live an unincorporated area, I’m responsible for  replacing the line all the way to the main sewer — which is all the way across the street. 

    And because my sewer district doesn’t allow the “pipe bursting” method of replacement, they’re gonna have to do a trench — which is a third more expensive.

    *sigh*

    At least I can use the shower and toilet again for the time being.

    Just thankful I had the foresight to get a home equity line of credit when I did a refi, since I knew this and other major old-house repairs were on the horizon.

  35. 35.

    Emerald

    @Miss Bianca: Oh yes, I have that! I’m a fan of Mr. Curry’s audiobook performances. So sad there won’t be any more (he had a massive stroke about five years ago that affected his speech).  But yeah, that Peter Pan is one of his best!

  36. 36.

    O. Felix Culpa

    I remember watching Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol, but I don’t remember anything about it. My boys (now young men) and I watch The Muppet Christmas Carol every year after finishing our traditional Christmas brunch of bagels and lox, just like they had in Bethlehem.

  39. 39.

    NotMax

    @NotMax

    Also might note Holiday Affair airs today at 8 p.m. Eastern, starring a kinder, gentler Robert Mitchum (pitching woo with Janet Leigh).

  44. 44.

    NotMax

    @

    Holiday Affair was a deliberate effort by the studio to ‘rehabilitate’ his image with the public after his arrest for possession of marijuana.

    ;)

  46. 46.

    Miss Bianca

    @prostratedragon: That’s one of the things I remember most vividly besides the ghosts, is the singing of that carol. Funny that it became one of my favorites, despite (or perhaps because of) being in that cartoon.

  49. 49.

    Miss Bianca

    @Emerald: Oh, I didn’t know that about Tim, how sad! Because he does have (did have, I guess I have to say) such a lovely, expressive voice.

    His Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island remains a big favorite in this household (speaking of Muppet movies, and yes – Muppet Christmas Carol is absolutely one of my favorite takes on the tale, as well!)

  50. 50.

    Patricia Kayden

    (THREAD) Media has put NO heat on Republicans in purple districts over their impeachment votes. Let's change that by highlighting those in Congress who—faced with overwhelming testimonial/material evidence of impeachable offenses—will vote to PROTECT Trump. Please RETWEET widely. pic.twitter.com/X9vA6neiE9— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) December 14, 2019

  54. 54.

    artem1s

    I mean, if they were indeed two old, greedy, cruel coots in love, it would do a lot to explain why Marley went so above & beyond for Scrooge.

    It would explain a lot of Scrooge’s motivations too. His entire story revolves around losing love and loved ones.  His father, his sister, his friends, his jolly employer, friends and fiancé. Imagine if after all his sacrifices over the pursuit of money, he then loses his life partner.  That really puts an interesting spin on why he was so bitter and bent on rejecting emotional attachments.

    It would be interesting to hear Sir Patrick Stewart’s take on the possibility of Scrooge and Marley’s relationship being a little more intimate than we realize at first glance.

  56. 56.

    JeanneT

    @NotMax:  Now I’m wondering why no one has performed this in our local community theaters – the music (in my opinion) really stands up.

  57. 57.

    Jay

    theory: the extreme angst with which a certain class of prestige journalist agonizes over Tucker Carlson’s “turn toward” blatant racism is a symptom of their nagging suspicion that others among their peer/friend group could/will/already have go(ne) the same way— Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) December 15, 2019

    I genuinely believe that writing a profile of Tucker Carlson in 2019 is akin to interviewing Richard Spencer. Stop. There is nothing inherently interesting about rich, racist white men, especially those who are in positions of unearned power.— Kim Kelly (@GrimKim) December 15, 2019

    Or Newsweek, now owned by a Fundi Org, giving Andy Ngo, etc a megaphone,….

  61. 61.

    JPL

    My neighborhood of 25 houses tonight lit luminaries in honor of a neighbor’s 100th birthday.   It was pretty special.   His next door neighbor took him out for a special dinner and folks gathered outside as they exited the neighborhood and everyone was able to give special wishes.

    Amazing that life can be good and the gop can still suck at the same time.

  62. 62.

    The Pale Scot

    I am deeply disappointed to find that no one is making a radio controlled Dalek. I so wanted to spend Xmas terrorizing my sisters scottie… for a couple of minutes anyway.

    Possible market niche.

  63. 63.

    Baud

    Jacob Marley: “I wear the chain I forged in life,” replied the Ghost. “I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?”

    Obviously, they were into BDSM too.

  64. 64.

    ThresherK

    @zhena gogolia:  What?

    Blasphemy! It’s full of fun and Warner Bros. stock players. Hell, even my wife remember it, and I’m the Studio Era fanatic in our home.

    And the 1992 TV movie remake is not an acceptable substitute.

  68. 68.

    zhena gogolia

    @NotMax:

    Oh, I’ve seen it a thousand times. I’m old-school — I like to find out it’s being broadcast and then tune in.

  72. 72.

    J R in WV

     

    I’m giving up political news in exchange for GoComics, starting with Pearls before Swine and Pibgorne, two of my favorite comics. Pibgorne is kind of a fairy, for those not familiar with her.

    At least for a little while.

    Happy Holiday season, all you Jackals~!~

  75. 75.

    Viva BrisVegas

    Anybody want to make my Christmas?

    Mail me a snowman.

    It’s 102 outside and I need something to cuddle up to.

  76. 76.

    John Revolta

    @J R in WV: I’m a Pibgorn fan too. I would recommend though that anybody who wants to try it out should try some of the earlier stuff first. The author is off on a strange tangent lately that isn’t really representative of the strip throughout the years.

  78. 78.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    @germy:

    @JeanneT:

    Well, it was produced by Hanna-Barbera. The only shows they made that had any high degree of quality that I can remember off the top of my head were The Pirates of Dark Water, the SWAT Kats, and maybe the Jetsons and Flintstones movies from the 80s. The first two were from the early 90s. This was when they were forced to compete with stiff competition from Disney and Japan

  79. 79.

    Boris, Rasputin's Evil Twin

    My alter ego is doing the Public Reading Version of the “Carol” tonight. We may never think of the story the same way ever again

    I’d always figured Marley did this good deed for Scrooge because there was no way he wanted to spend eternity chained to Scrooge. Everlasting torment is one thing, but with Scrooge? Ugh.

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