Random crap with Uno.

[Unorthodox]

Professional haunt, actor doing his thing, scaring the boys, turns his attention to me (wearing one of my site shirts with the Earth O Lantern).  "Uno, that you?  Man, can't wait to see your stuff this year." 

[Buster's Uncle]

 

Fame at last! 

[Unorthodox]

Whoa, did you avatarize me?  My settings seem to be for no avatar...

[Buster's Uncle]

I did.  I didn't have the blue pumpkin handy this morning, strangely enough, but I since picked it up.  You want that, or turn it off?  You're a valued member.  I'll hook you up however you like.

[Unorthodox]

I know.

I've been avoiding it for a hell of a long time. 

Full on ice in, big fog machine chiller test on Trevor.  Partly because if it didn't work right, I honestly had no idea where to go after this 4th redesign. 

http://youtu.be/GxpXfgDc7GA





I think it's safe to say I can relax some.

[Unorthodox]

 

I did.  I didn't have the blue pumpkin handy this morning, strangely enough, but I since picked it up.  You want that, or turn it off?  You're a valued member.  I'll hook you up however you like.

  Definitely the pumpkin

[Buster's Uncle]

On it.



--And the Trevor test?

 

It looks AWESOME!!!  Full marks, sir.

[Buster's Uncle]

Why We Love Halloween
By Ned Smith, BusinessNewsDaily Senior Writer | LiveScience.com – 1 hr 6 mins ago.. .

 
A dark and scary economy is not going to spook consumers this Halloween. A recent National Retail Federation survey shows that seven in 10 Americans (170 million) will get their haunt on this year, the most in the NRF's 10-year history, and will pump $8 billion into the economy. What is it that makes Halloween more seductive than a vampire's kiss for consumers?
 
It's more than just a last shot at fun and games before the winter solstice ices us, suggests a Wake Forest University academic. There are deeper reasons for the spending spree and our intense interest in vampires and zombies, said English professor Eric Wilson, author of "Everyone Loves a Good Train Wreck: Why We Can't Look Away" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012). It's because humans have a natural fascination with the macabre, Wilson said.

 Halloween puts people in touch with their inner little monsters, he said.
 
Miguel De La Torre, professor of social ethics at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, agrees.
 
"People enjoy flirting with the dark side and spooky characters," he said. "Since the earliest accounts of the Halloween celebration, there have been tales of dark chaos, and costumes have been included in interpretations of the observation. People love a good scare, especially when we know we are inherently safe."
 
Humans' fascination with the dark side has made Halloween the second-largest commercial holiday behind Christmas.
 
It provides a perverse pleasure to celebrate death and destruction, Wilson said, particularly in a time of financial crisis when many come face to face with their limitations and mortality in unpleasant ways. There is a kind of ecstasy in transforming into another creature and dressing up as dead things such as zombies and vampires, he said.
 
It also gives people permission to do openly what is usually done in secret: wear masks.
 
"To get along in the world, we constantly pretend to be nicer or happier than we really are, especially during a difficult economy, when to get and keep jobs, we are expected to put a good face on things," Wilson said. "On Halloween, it's okay to come out as a mask-wearer and feel relief we no longer have to hide."
 
But the root cause of humans' fascination may be that kinship is forged with monsters because they are possessed by an uncontrollable force – neither zombies in their quest for brains nor vampires in their quest for blood are able to stop or reason through their hunger.
 
"We can imagine the satisfaction of living without accountability, casting off humanity and turning into machines without morals," Wilson said. "Zombies overcome death, vampires rule time, ghosts vanquish space and vampires and other shape-shifters transcend a stable identity."
 
And they are simply scary and people like to be scared.
 
 "It's the ultimate thrill ride," Wilson said.

[Unorthodox]

Wow.  I would have thought that a business article would have at least fact checked.

Humans' fascination with the dark side has made Halloween the second-largest commercial holiday behind Christmas.

Nope, not close. 

Halloween is #5 in spending.  And, until you can convince everyone to hand out presents to ToT's it will remain so, behind Easter, Mothers day, Valentines and Christmas respectively.

It's only #2 in DECORATION spending.  And laughably distant there. 


As to the whole 'why we like Halloween, this is my go-to article:

October is a magical time of year. There is a chill in the air, the leaves have begun their own slow display of fireworks, brightening the sky with vibrant oranges, reds and yellows, and all the Halloween decorations begin to appear. Jack-o-lanterns grin eerily out from the doorsteps, scarecrows stand ominously among bundles of high cornstalks within yards all along the street and as the sun begins to set the shadows come out to play, carrying with them a creepy sense of mischief that inspires laughter and fun.

The Halloween season offers a special kind of joy that is simply not present in other holiday celebrations. While the emphasis may seem to be on scaring the bejeebers out of your friends and neighbors, the real gift of this season comes from the sense of freedom and creativity it entails. Halloween is the only holiday that is based on an open concept rather than a particular event. There are no boundaries, no limits, and no expectations to fulfill. You are free to be as playful and original as you wish.

This aspect of Halloween is one that should be cherished because it affords us the space to be as silly as we want while also nurturing our inventive sides. Parents can encourage their children to choose any character or costume that they would like to be for Halloween, and then spend time helping their child to make the costume they want to wear. Families can also take advantage of the season to bond as a unit by voting on one theme for the entire family, such as the Addams Family or The Incredibles. There is nothing quite like the feeling of belonging to a cohesive group that is easily recognizable in public. It really establishes a fun sense of being part of a team.

Larger projects, such as haunted houses or mazes can also be an excellent event for the whole family to join together in building. Many people use their yards or garages to set up a simple haunted maze that the trick-or-treaters can walk through if they dare. These sometimes take a lot of work, and getting the family and friends involved stimulates a great feeling of comradery among those who worked so hard on it. And the satisfaction derived from the screams and nervous giggles of the people going through the maze is unparalleled.

Some people go to quite elaborate lengths to create an environment that is fun and scary for their neighbors to experience during the season. They spend months designing and building facades or effects that they display in front of or inside their homes just to entertain people with a fun scare. This is a gesture of hospitality like no other, presenting parents and kids alike with an experience that they are unlikely to ever forget. For those who do this, it is an offering of themselves to the guests who will come to their door, a whimsical engagement in the fun and frivolity of the season that represents a genuine interest in joining in the fun and enhancing every person’s Halloween eve. In return, they are gifted with the opportunity to briefly take part in the lives of their neighbors if only for the evening.

There are many neighborhoods in America that actually gather together and decide themes for their entire street during Halloween. Each neighbor then builds a façade or decorates their house in accordance with that theme. These can be extraordinary sites to behold. For instance, one street created an old western theme in which each home had built a different set in front of or surrounding their home, so the whole street looked like something you’d find in an old western movie. Another neighborhood made a pirate themed experience, with a nine foot tall pirate ship that spanned several house lengths. These kinds of things can definitely bring a community together.

Neighborhoods that don’t want to go to such extremes can still benefit from this time of silliness and fun. Parents often work together, within their own neighborhoods as well as the surrounding streets, to create a fun and safe environment in which the children can enjoy trick-or-treating. The adults take turns with street duties, keeping the passing drivers aware of the presence of all the kids in costumes and helping the children to cross the street safely. They accompany the kids as they go door to door so that they can meet or chat with the people on their street with whom they have limited contact otherwise. This is a convenient and non-intrusive way to introduce oneself to the neighbors living on the street, or get to know them better. Communities who know each other tend to be safer in general than those who aren’t acquainted with the people living around them.

There is no denying that Halloween is a wonderful holiday, one that brings people together in unique ways. The freedom of style and expression it offers makes it the one holiday when we can truly share our own individuality with all of those around us while celebrating theirs as well.

http://www.halloweenarmy.org/free-content/halloween-is-community-building

[Unorthodox]

http://youtu.be/vQMkrdzD3xM

Unfortunately, don't think I get chiller network.   

[Buster's Uncle]

Had you never noticed before how little journalists seem to let knowing nothing about something stop them from trying to explain it?  It's rather the standard in mainstream non-specialty journalism when it reports on science.  For another example, every new story about the internet in the 90's was at least in part about how the internet was going to rape all children forever, and you know I'm not exagerating much.

Former pro reporter speaking here, remember.

[Unorthodox]

http://youtu.be/0RfNl9fcJtM

[Buster's Uncle]

I still trick or treated when i was 17, but I wore a costume and chaperoned a little kid.  You get nothing when you're big if you don't take a kid.

I always designed my own costumes, BTW - I don't know how people with mothers who don't sew live.

And interestingly, kids getting up to no good on Halloween night is something I've only seen on TV - it's just not a thing here.

[Unorthodox]

The raising hell thing is traditionally more common in rural areas.  I'm not sure where it stands at present, though I was a naughty boy on halloween night a few times.  Lucky I never caused any accidents as our go-to prank was tossing dummies in front of cars. 

[Unorthodox]