Screen Scrooges: Last Lecture of a Phantom

     Much they saw, and far they went, and many homes they visited, but always with a happy end.  The Spirit stood beside sick beds, and they were cheerful; on foreign lands, and they were close to home; by struggling men, and they were patient in their greater hope; by poverty, and it was rich. Continue reading “Screen Scrooges: Last Lecture of a Phantom”

Butting, In and Out

     Flipping through my unsold inventory this weekend, I was made aware of something we have not yet covered in this column’s occasional pursuit of the butt in joke history.  We have observed that our ancestors in the supposedly prudish era when postcards were born had no particular fear of using this particular four-letter word,Continue reading “Butting, In and Out”

Button Up Your Overcoat

     A couple of weeks ago, we discussed the Snowbird, an American species of migrant human which likes its weather warm, and at the first frost heads south, to maintain that tan, avoid the flu, and send snarky postcards back north to people who are suffering from snow and sleet.  There is, as always, anotherContinue reading “Button Up Your Overcoat”

Chalk It Up

     Among twentieth century artifacts which occasionally confuse those who inhabit the century of the Interwebs is the slate.  These can still sometimes be turned up at garage sales, but besides being breakable (especially when real slate was used and not just heavy cardboard painted black) they were also often given to children to playContinue reading “Chalk It Up”

Screen Scrooges: Other Christmases Present

    By this time it was getting dark, and snowing pretty heavily; and as Scrooge and the Spirit went along the streets, the brightness of the roaring fires in kitchens, parlours, and all sorts of rooms, was wonderful.  Here, the flickering of the blaze showed preparations for a cosy dinner, with hot plates baking throughContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Other Christmases Present”