Random crap with Uno.

[Buster's Uncle]

What was my Halloween like, you ask?  Well, I didn't raid the candy bowl until around 9...

[Unorthodox]

No food or drink in my mask for the duration.  I was SHOCKED that most kids understood the entire black death theme of the yard thanks to Assassin's Creed. 

[Buster's Uncle]

A thing that the big Christians never got about D&D was that thanks to that, my brother knew what a lycanthrope was.  He's working on his dissertation now.

[Buster's Uncle]

His theology dissertation.

[Buster's Uncle]

No prank: On Halloween, US military forces train for zombie apocalypse

The scenario is part of a counterterrorism summit held this week. A zombie invasion would have characteristics similar to other catastrophic events and would be 'a federal incident,' a summit organizer says.
By Anna Mulrine | Christian Science Monitor – Wed, Oct 31, 2012.. .


Why is the US military preparing for a zombie apocalypse?
 
That’s the latest training exercise that US Marines and Navy special-operations forces will be taking part in on an island off the coast of San Diego – starting on Wednesday, aka Halloween.
 
“This is a very real exercise. This is not some type of big costume party,” Brad Barker, president of the Halo Corp. security company, told the Associated Press.

[RECOMMENDED: War games – Pentagon's 3 nightmare scenario]

This scenario is dire, modeled in part on a public-service campaign that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched last year, warning that US citizens should be prepared in the event of a zombie invasion.
 
It will play out Wednesday and Thursday at Halo’s annual Counter-Terrorism Summit security conference, which will be attended by, among other people, former Central Intelligence Agency director Michael Hayden.
 
Zombies will invade Paradise Point Resort, which covers 44 acres on an island that will be transformed with Hollywood-style sets, including a Middle Eastern village and a pirate cove. Some 1,000 US military personnel, police, and state and federal government officials will be charged with responding.
 
“No doubt when a zombie apocalypse occurs, it’s going to be a federal incident, so we’re making it happen,” Mr. Barker told the AP.

The training scenario has not come without its share of unwelcome attention, he noted, adding that “every whack job in the world” has called about the exercise.
 
Barker acknowledges that the “zombie apocalypse is very whimsical,” telling the Military Times that the scenario was created to “add some levity to the more-dire scenarios summitgoers will encounter,” including terrorists roaming hospital halls shooting people and pilots trapped behind enemy lines.
 
That said, an affinity for zombie television shows and movies could help provide a teachable moment not only for US troops, but also for the American public.
 
This is particularly true when it comes to the uncertainty that surrounds unexpected catastrophic events, including natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
 
“No one knows what the zombies will do in our scenario, but quite frankly, no one knows what a terrorist will do,” Barker told the AP. “If a law-enforcement officer sees a zombie and says, ‘Freeze, get your hands in the air!’ what’s a zombie going to do? He’s going to moan at you. If someone on PCP or some other psychotic drug is told that, the truth is he’s not going to react to you.”
 
When it launched its awareness campaign last year on a zombie apocalypse, the CDC used it as a chance to encourage Americans to be prepared for any unexpected emergency.
 
“We have a very small office and an equally small budget,” Maggie Silver, a CDC official, told ABC News. “So we had to do something that wasn’t going to take a lot of manpower or dollars.”
 
The CDC recommended doing things such as stocking up on water (one gallon per person per day), food (nonperishable items you eat regularly), tools like duct tape, a battery-powered radio, and blankets.
 
Last month, the Department of Homeland Security released its own tongue-in-cheek webinar about zombie preparation as an “effective way of engaging new audiences,” as one FEMA official noted.
 
The CDC zombie campaign grew out of an effort “to spice up our general preparedness message,” added Ms. Silver. “We decided, why not give people what they want?”

http://news.yahoo.com/no-prank-halloween-us-military-forces-train-zombie-162141684.html

This actually makes sense to me - a major incident with a poisoned water supply or some exotic decease could be as close to zombie-time as makes no matter.  I should think the training ought to focus on protecting the non-violent and triaging/quarantining the shambling victims.

[Unorthodox]

So, raiding the wife's camera:



Yes, we went the easy route on food this year...




More serious TALENT from the pumpkin carvers this year. (no stencils)

(if not spelling...)







They're starting to make my pumpkins seem pathetic.  At least they are unique in the bifurcation. 

[Unorthodox]

This must have been while I was cleaning up the carving stations as the garage light is on polluting the shot.



Talia's skeleton she had pegged since LAST year.





Zombie Alec for the yard.



Kyle's plague Dr light.  Easier to see/breath mask for him.  That hood is hand sewn...



Yeah...that's me.


Talia did NOT like Alec's makeup...

[Unorthodox]

Alec's the actor of the family, and he was REALLY into his role.







Kyle's extremely effective candy drop. 



First customer.



After trick or treating, Talia come back to help me up front again.





Yes, I'm posting another shot.  I think the fence is my favorite thing this year.

[Unorthodox]

What I love most is you can hardly tell that's a  swing set in the back there.



Kyle had to move the far lighting for his comfort, so this isn't how I planned exactly, but functional. 



Trevor just ROCKS.  hope you're sitting down....I've already sold him. 







I need to find a way to hide the tramp better.



There's no way I would have ever approached that as a kid.


Of course, we always end with the glow chalk.

[Unorthodox]

I LOVE these day of the dead candles I found in ogden.  There are going to be LOADS of them in the future. 


I have to laugh, Davis Graveyard ended up hiding their shroud tomb in the back of their display out of embarrassment. 

[Buster's Uncle]

  Serious talent.  Beautiful little ghoul girl.  It's all lovely.  Full marks.     Merry Uno-Christmas, dude.



Funny thing; hEt's a babe, but I think Thalia looks more like you...

[Buster's Uncle]

So how much did you get for Trevor?  Are we talking about what-your-rocket-scientist/expert-boo-artist-time-is-worth money, or just good profit over your materials overhead and a chance to do it better next time? 

[Unorthodox]

Enough to cover this entire year's material, party, candy, etc.   

Much of the money is going towards equipment to make the gardening easier (nice tiller, better sprinkler system, etc).  Maybe the brick path on the side of the house as well.  Maybe some new skulls.  Maybe some stone pillars. 

[Buster's Uncle]

Well, I'm glad to hear it was a pretty penny.  That sounds like maybe a professional haunt or something.  Or the collector next to the school?  Someone online?


You need to show me more of these day of the dead candles...

[Unorthodox]

No, just bought by the typical Halloween hoarder.

This guy in fact.  Which means I'll be able to see Trevor on the news every year. 
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55176188-78/mad-gamble-lab-display.html.csp