BS: Halloween

Subject: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 08:56 AM

I am displaying a huge pumpkin that says The Great Trumkin

A stand up cardboard Trump with a removed US flag on his shoulder as he raises a gold flag with a T on it. (the T has been semi swasticised.)

A painting that says MONSTERS ARE REAL ! and a dozen small print sayings that I learned here. ( the exclamation point is a tiny Trump.)


The kids will not get candy but instead are promised a tax cut or a coal mine job. ;^/

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 04:06 PM

I have already had people at the door to congratulate or high five me on the decorations but not for candy.

I bet you thought I was kidding.

Well I was kidding about no candy.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Rapparee
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 07:48 PM

I'm hiding the basement and Pat is in her office upstairs. After too many college-age people we gave up "doing" Halloween.

Fly the flag on Election Day!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Nov 18 - 03:14 PM

I made a gold Trump flag that will replaced by the American flag.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Thompson
Date: 02 Nov 18 - 06:34 PM

I hear voting's started in Georgia and a couple of other places. Any word on trends?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 02 Nov 18 - 09:44 PM

Erm,
I don't think early voting ballots get opened in advance ...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Acorn4
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 04:05 AM

From a UK perspective:-

"Bring Back Guy Fawkes!"

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 05 Nov 18 - 05:42 PM

However, as regards early voting.

Just had the car radio tuned to NPR radio network.
The news anchor made the statement
that as of this date/time, this election year,
with the polls yet to open for the official Election Day voting,

thirty-five million people have already voted [early].

Now,as I understand it, all those voters -- as I did, this year --
put their completed ballot into an envelope, which they sealed themselves,
and then signed and wrote out their names on the envelope.

I presume that these sealed ballots remained sealed before Election Day.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Nov 18 - 08:31 PM

Acorn4...   V

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Nov 18 - 09:57 PM

Depending upon the State, early votes are counted early and can be ready to be included on voting day with a remainder of votes coming in a day or so later. Absentee ballots are typically the last to be counted.

Votes in California are scanned then put on a micro chip and transported by vacuum tube to the tabulation room.


{where tiny elves count the votes by abacus} ;^?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: leeneia
Date: 08 Nov 18 - 01:33 AM

Our Halloween was a little chilly, so parents kept the toddlers and babies at home. Nonetheless, we had 105 trick-or-treaters, all of them cute and polite.

If anybody knows a good recipe for leftover Tootsie Rolls, please post it.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Nov 18 - 05:36 AM

Donate them to a barber shop

What was scary and unpolite; A Tired Trump in Montana rambled for 90 minutes telling people to sit down and walking away from the podium at what was billed as a press conference. The pathological display compounded by fatigue was as bad as it gets, we hope. Only a small amount of what he uttered made any sense whatsoever. :^\

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 11:44 AM

Halloween, in my neck of the woods,
is being challenged by rainy, windy weather.

Some communities have postponed the trick-or-treat
children-and-parents
festivities,
until the weather improves.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 12:58 PM

This year I made a 20 sq ft painting ; NATS WIN !

On the corner I display one headless* skeleton with a sin that says

Happy CHEAPO
bare bones
HALOWEEN

*The head is up its butt

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 01:04 PM

My front door is labeled Edgar Allen Poe

of course you know what question I ask when I open the door

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 01:18 PM

We found out some neighbours refer to our home as the "Scruffy House",
because of the state of repair...

With any luck our house looks so dilapidated, local children might fear it as the "Scary house"..
and will, as in recent years, continue stay away, not bothering to knock on the front door, ....

WE will sit in near dark and silence until approx 10'o'clock when they should all be off the streets back home..

If I could ever be bothered, I'd aspire to employ theatrical make up, lighting, sound, and fog effects
to literally scare the shit out of any children who risk approaching our front door...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 04:27 PM

Have a care, PFR.

If you ever could be bothered to do all of that,
you would have an attraction that
your community would insist on you
repeating year upon year ...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: DMcG
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 06:10 PM

I celebrated Halloween by going to see Northwrn Ballet's production of Dracula, which was streamed live to cinemas throughout the UK and perhaps abroad.

Excellent production - Northern Ballet used be called Northern Ballet Theatre because they took the theatrical side as seriously as the ballet. Of late, they have not, but this production was a spectacular return to that balance. if you get a chance to see it, it comes highly recommended.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 06:24 PM

Bollocks to Halloween. It's a nakedly capitalist exploitation of what should be something very small. Ask me later and I'll tell you what I really think.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 07:14 PM

Its the holiday that addresses mortality

Most countries have one

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Raedwulf
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 07:21 PM

Bollocks to Halloween it's a nakedly, trashy, commercial, money-grubbing, tat-gift flogging piece of Ameri…

Sorry. No, it's not. It's actually a British festival. Originally. Thanksgiving? That's purely an American thing. But All Hallows Eve? That was once celebrated Over Here. As I pointed out earlier to the very nice young British Pakistani lady who forgot to take the tags off my whisky as she was serving me (because I was distracting her by waffling, presumably), the Founding Fathers et al took All Hallows Over There with them... where it survived. Over Here, I may be wrong (because I'm doing this from memory & not looking it up!), but I think it fell out of favour during the puritan Victorian era (and not the puritan Puritan era!).

So know you now. Or now you know. Or possibly not, if I've got this more than a little bit wrong. Hah! But you're going to go & check. Or come back to see if someone else (Steve, probably) has gone off & done the checking for you, you idle buggers...

What we have now is the "nakedly, trashy, commercial, money-grubbing, tat-gift flogging piece of..." which is what it seems to have become in the US & certainly is what we have imported back. But it was a British festival orangeally… Originally... Whatever! ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 07:25 PM

It's 7:20. I'll leave the lights on until 8. So far I've had 3 children: a pair of siblings and a loner. I know there's one neighborhood child who hasn't come yet. His parents may think he's too young. By now he might be in bed. I'll knock on the family's door tomorrow to ask what's up and drop something off.

The count here is usually low. Some years nobody comes. As a former elementary school teacher I'd be happy to see more but not to be inundated.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 08:42 PM

I'm more concerned about my old mum who lives on her own
being disturbed after dark,
or the front of her home getting pranked by malicious children...

She has dementia, and is too trusting of anyone who calls at her house...

Thankfully, she says she hadn't been aware of anyone knocking at her front door,
when I pnoned at 10.00pm to check up on her...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 08:47 PM

You mentioned America, I didn't. You like Halloween, good for you, get on with it. But a small thing this side of the Atlantic has been opportunistically grabbed by naked capitalism. The shops have been full of Halloween shite for weeks. Millions of PLASTIC masks and inedible pumpkins. It's wrong, it's unsustainable and it's capitalist. Bollocks to Halloween.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Rapparee
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 08:50 PM

We ignore it. Too many college age and upper grades high schoolers have come a-knocking in the past. And the practice of bringing carloads of kids from other neighborhoods really annoys the living fill-in-the-blank out of us.

Like Wren Boys, it has a long history.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 09:04 PM

The long history is fine. I've got nothing against that. But the usurping by profiteers in tbe last twenty years or so is disgusting.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 09:16 PM

Steve - with you on that, and bloody school proms...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Raedwulf
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 03:47 AM

Typical Steve, misunderstands straight away & gets snotty about it. No, I don't like Halloween & for exactly the same reason that you don't. The modern UK version of it, like Father's Day & others, is just an excuse for cheap-tat makers & anyone who sells their trash to make a profit.

My point is that an awful lot of people (& I used to be one of them) think it's yet another imported American festival when, actually, it's a British festival originally. Again, I haven't gone & looked it up, but from what I remember having done so in the past, it fell out of use over here as a combination of Victorian xtian moral disapproval* and the proximity of Guy Fawkes night taking over.

* The same as an awful lot of "fairy" tales got Bowdlerised because they were too nasty / had the 'wrong' endings. Hansel & Gretel got stuffed in the oven originally, if memory serves, not the witch - the story was, effectively, a warning about not wandering off into the forest!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: BobL
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 04:29 AM

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: BobL
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 04:40 AM

Oh b****r, clicked the wrong button...

Anyway, Halloween goes back a long way and was known throughout Europe - at least according to Wiki.

I agree absolutely with Steve about the commercialisation though, and I don't like trick-or-treaters. Last time they called I said "you can have the trick" and fired me starting pistol. Never been bothered in the thirty years since.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 09:31 AM

Snotty, moi? All I've done is given you from the hip, straight as a die, what I think of Halloween. My nose is clean. Anyway, it's All Saints today. I should be at Mass. See you later. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: leeneia
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 11:19 AM

We had 45 trick-or-treaters, despite the low temperature. They were all friendly and polite (cute, in other words). Not only that, many were pleasantly excited. How exciting to have a costume! How exciting to be out at night! How exciting to meet strangers who like them!

All had parents nearby. Our Halloween lights were purple strands that the DH had suspended from nails, making graceful loops. I think we had the most elegant lights around. Inside the front window a ceramic pumpkin glowed, raised up on the unabridged dictionary.

The DH doesn't like cheap candy; we gave out Hershey's kisses.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: banjoman
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 06:22 AM

I am very much with Steve on this one.
Its essentially a Religious Feast observed by those to whom it has some relevance. Otherwise its just another capitalist exploitation.
We refuse to have anything to do with it unless we are able to celebrate in church.
We also refuse to have anything to do with the shops who have all their Christmas displays out in October..
One of my neighbours even has a Christmas tree in the window (1st November)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 07:24 AM

A few years ago in Morrisons I overheard an old lady asking an assistant why such-and-such (I forget what she was after) wasn't in its usual place on the shelves. "Ah, well, you see, we've had to move everything round. It's Christmas."


It was October 4.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 07:31 AM

And the Christmas spirit usually takes a few weeks off in the frenetic rush towards Christmas. A few years ago, in the same shop, a woman who was trying to muscle her through the melée at the checkouts grabbed my testicles. She hadn't a clue that she'd done it but I assure you that I kept very still for at least four seconds...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 07:31 AM

Her way!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 08:24 AM

How does one Halloween during a pandemic?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 09:10 AM

Hopefully not, and hopefully no fireworks to scare dogs.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 09:48 AM

Not "trick or treat" more "track and trace".

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 02:52 PM

We're not 'doing' Halloween in our village. But the lady vicar is doing a Halloween story/sing-song with the children in the village hall (suitably masked and socially-distanced)
I'd be so glad to see the end of blooming fireworks Bonzo. Terrifies the dogs, cats, wildlife and panics the livestock in our fields. Also, I'm always worried about our oil-tank full of kerosene. Smouldering rockets shower down and could cause a fire.
We were in the supermarket today, and the ghastly Halloween tat on sale was ridiculous. Aisle upon aisle of plastic rubbish. (But wicked husband found a large rubber spider and dangled it in front of me. Cue piercing screams and the whole of Tesco staring. I could have died of shame. Isn't he naughty?)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 04:32 PM

Yes but you need something to laugh about these days!!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 05:10 PM

People here are inventing ways of getting candy to children; pvc pipe is going like hotcakes...

We are doing our usual pub crawl but a] only 6 of us at a time, b] only pubs with outside service., and c] masks as well as masks. We are also having a zoom get togwther to at least admire costumes.

My costume consists of carrying an oar and wearing a pair of those waterproof pants-over-your-pants-and-shoes garments that people wear to go fly-fishing. What am I?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 07:55 PM

I don't understand whinges about fireworks and dogs. Just for once, keep your bloody dog in your cosy living room. Bejaysus, we're talking about a couple of chilly November nights. The rest of us have trample your dogshit 365 days of the year. And fireworks should be restricted to a couple of nights around 5th November. Then everybody's happy.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Oct 20 - 09:35 AM

Come on guess my costume!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Oct 20 - 01:23 PM

Darth Wader?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Oct 20 - 10:33 PM

Close! Remember the oar! I might *carry* rather than wear the waterproof footy pants, in the other hand...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Oct 20 - 11:38 PM

Obviously you don't have dogs, Steve, or you'd have your radar tuned to the explosive nature of the week (at least) prior to and AFTER the date in question. It's downright torture to listen to two weeks of the kids out breaking the law with the firecrackers while the dogs and cats quake in fear. I wish they'd start tracking them down and writing tickets.

Halloween doesn't happen to be a noisy holiday in the US. But there are several others. I rarely have trick-or-treaters, so none this year will be par for the course. And even the more reason why I shouldn't buy the little Reese's peanut butter cups or KitKat bars. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 03:51 AM

Scull in Wader? (ie Skull Invader?)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 03:57 AM

We don't have a dog but many of our neighbours do. Obviously they keep them indoors, but the terror caused by firework explosions is awful.
And the livestock out in the fields gallop about in panic (cows, horses, pigs, sheep) Some try to jump over or climb the fencing and hurt themselves.
We don't have any naughty village children chucking bangers about or posting fireworks through letterboxes etc but some areas do.
I think people could enjoy a public display put on by the local council in a safe field with protective barriers and fire-trained personnel, and only on one evening (the 5th). They don't need to have private noise-fests at home or in the street.
Fireworks should not be on sale to the general public.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Jos
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 04:23 AM

I thought Hallowe'en had been promoted some years ago in Britain as a distraction from the uncontrolled fireworks and children begging on street corners with "guys" (stuffed figures like scarecrows, or sometimes real children pretending to be "guys") demanding a "Penny for the Guy" to get money to buy fireworks.
I haven't seen those for a long time, but we still have the fireworks and now Hallowe'en as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 05:33 AM

We're not thinking of the ferryman on the Styx are we?

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Allan Conn
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 11:43 AM

Jos - Halloween didn't need to be promoted throughout Britain as it always has been a tradition in Scotland. In fact I remember watching the likes of Blue Peter as a child and they made a thing about the Scottishness of Halloween. I remember that surprised me as that was the first time I realised it wasn't such a to do in England as it was for us in Scotland. I think it took off more in England in the wake of the movie E.T

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 11:58 AM

When I lived in Scotland in the sixties, I was enchanted by the 'guisers'. youngsters with blackened faces who came to the door and performed a song, recitation or other little entertainment for money.
And as a Brownie in the early fifties, I was thrilled when our Brown Owl gave us a Halloween party in the church hall. We made costumes out of old sheets with two holes for eyes (ghosts) and did bobbing for apples. Our mothers provided apple pies and other small treats for the buffet. But there was nothing in the way of spending on shop-bought costumes, and no 'trick-or-treating round the doors.
We always made a Guy from father's old shirt/trousers stuffed with newspapers, and propped it up outside the greengrocer's shop with a sign Penny For The Guy. People usually did just give a penny.
Bonfire Night consisted of a bonfire, with potatoes roasting in the embers, and some sparklers, 'golden rain' and 'roman candles'. No bangers allowed.
All very sedate, but no doubt children today would find it far too tame!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 12:10 PM

This year, I'm pulling the curtains and leaving the lights off. No jack-o'-lantern, or any other decoration. Any black cat in the window is a resident, not a decoration.

I rather doubt that many children will be out in Stratford this year; first, the pandemic has everyone properly scared and, second, it's likely to be cold and wet -- Lord knows it's cold and wet today.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 19 Oct 20 - 02:16 PM

Last hint, then I'll tell you: There was a Republican joke about how to get out of New Orleans during the Katrina disaster that might help...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Jos
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 04:55 AM

Apart from the blackened faces those guisers sound more like traditional carol singers, but perhaps with a better repertoire than the ones I see these days. No threats or tricks, which have come in with the American version.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 11:29 AM

I'm going to be Roe [row, with the oar] v. Wade [with the waders]!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 02:20 PM

Darn, Mrrzy.
I wish I had your smarts.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Helen
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 02:50 PM

In Oz, fireworks are regulated. Best thing that ever happened re fireworks, IMHO. Mostly fireworks are public displays with proper precautions. We very rarely hear or see anyone misusing fireworks.

Anyone who thinks it's ok to frighten or terrorise other people or animals in the name of "fun" needs an empathy check.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 02:52 PM

And what do fireworks have to do with Halloween?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 04:06 PM

The weekend of Halloween (ie Saturday 31st October) will be handy for people to 'do' their Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Night as well (maybe on the Sunday, 1st November) The 5th November is on a Thursday, but the weekend will be favourite.
We have a brand new plastic oil tank containing 800 litres of inflammable kerosene. Luckily it's 'bunded' (has one tank inside another) which protects it a bit from fireworks. But there are always fires around the UK on Guy Fawkes' Night. The poor firemen have all their leave cancelled and get stones hurled at them when they extinguish any out-of-control fires in the streets etc.
It's all excessive in my opinion, and limiting it to public displays would save a lot of accidents, burns and trouble.
Our neighbours have been to Algy's pumpkin farm and come home with lots of massive pumpkins to carve. They always put a giant rope 'cobweb' on a tall bush with ... yes...a horrible hairy spider about three feet across. I can't look out of our front window without shuddering. But it's just fun, and their children get so excited.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 07:52 PM

Well live and let live. By all means restrict fireworks to certain dates, or to licensed displays only, or both. But don't prevent people from having fun. Your bloody dogs, cats and horses are used to hearing thunder and lightning. You don't own the planet just because you own a dog. Fireworks may cause you and you cur tribulations for one or two nights. Your dogshit causes us tribulations 365/7. All you have to do is stop moaning and keep your pet under wraps in your warm sitting room for a few hours. We had cats for 35 years and we just kept them in on bonfire night. Frankly, sanctimonious whingeing about your poor pet being "scared shitless" by fireworks is just tiresome.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Oct 20 - 08:15 PM

Steve Shaw, second that notion. Maybe not in those terms, but yeah.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 08:14 AM

Absolute uncaring fucking rubbish Steve Shaw. It's not just a few hours, it's at least 4 weeks, and just when we have got our beautiful greyhounds and other dogs used to going out on the dark, it all starts again on New Year's Eve.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 09:35 AM

Our village has a beautiful ancient church and an old pub called The Fox. Couples getting married often hold the wedding reception at the pub, and it usually involves blooming fireworks late at night. The explosions are incredibly loud. Not only animals but people's babies and young children are woken and become distressed.
I think such noise-disturbance should be banned.
I saw some really funny carved pumpkins online which were meant to resemble Trump. Very life-like! (Of course, the orange colour gives one a start before carving the facial features)
As I type this, I can hear gunshots. No, the Norfolk Revolution hasn't begun, it's a pheasant-shooting party out in the fields slaughtering innocent birdies. If they're not persuading innocent fish to swallow barbaric sharp hooks they're doing this. They should stay at home sedately embroidering cushion-covers or something else that's quiet!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 11:37 AM

Agreed!!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 12:14 PM

"Absolute uncaring fucking rubbish Steve Shaw. It's not just a few hours, it's at least 4 weeks..."

Again, for the hard of hearing:

"By all means restrict fireworks to certain dates, or to licensed displays only, or both."

When I was a lad, bonfire night was on Nov 5 only. If Nov 5 was a Sunday we did it on Nov 4. I'd support a return to that.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 06:21 PM

So would I, then we could properly zap our grey with adaptil.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 07:21 PM

As I said, you own a dog, not the planet.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 07:57 PM

Would the thundershirt for dogs help your pal Bonzo?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 22 Oct 20 - 12:46 PM

Fortunately no trick or treaters, and no mass bonfire night celebrations this year.
Wales is in lockdown from tomorrow until 9th November.

Unfortunately it means no church service on Remembrance Sunday though.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 06:38 AM

Theres a thread on facebook/mudcat requesting information about Violet Jacob poem (also now a song), to which I responded. Then realised that on facebook we don't have mudcat pseudonyms......?!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Jos
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 07:13 AM

"lockdown from tomorrow until 9th November.

Unfortunately it means no church service on Remembrance Sunday though."

Why not have the Remembrance service on Remembrance Day itself?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 07:22 AM

Why not have the Remembrance service on Remembrance Day itself?
We may, if Mark Drakeford keeps his promise that the lockdown will end on 9th November.
But traditionally the service is on the Sunday nearest to 11th November so that those who are employed during the week can attend the service.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 08:05 AM

Halloween decorations here are all about bringing life to death which is totally opposite reality which is in keeping with all the big lies of the seasonal holidays. The other take is in bringing death to life as in graveyard displays. This year we are not participating in any way. Its the respondsible thong to do. If I did participate it would be dressing skeletons in responsible thongs made of masks.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Jos
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 08:47 AM

Donuel, you've made my day. I love your image of a skeleton responsibly dressed in a thong made of masks.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 09:45 AM

I used to be a cartoonist and did a cartoon of Micheal Jackson wearing a mask made of little boys underwear.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 11:30 AM

Just a thong at twilight...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 12:10 PM

Snicker, Donuel.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 25 Oct 20 - 05:14 PM

Is there ever an intersection of
Halloween
with
Great Highland War Pipes?

I mean, the darned things ARE scary, are they not?
Especially after dark??

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 26 Oct 20 - 01:42 PM

Naw! The pipes are heart-warming, bring a tear to the eye of a Scot anywhere mj in the world! Yes they can rouse one to battle, they can also be haunting - but not scarily! (Well, not to Scots.... )

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 26 Oct 20 - 02:10 PM

Aye Gallus Moll! See me? I'd be greeting in nae time at all!

If that song 'Mull of Kintyre' comes on the Now80's TV channel, I'm literally sobbing when the pipes start playing.
And before lockdown, there used to be a piper in full Highland dress outside Norwich M&S, and I was blubbing again (while popping a few quid into his box)
The Edinburgh Tattoo on TV has me in tears when the huge massed pipe band starts marching. (I've been to the Tattoo in real life many a time)
It could be because my paternal ancestors came from Caithness. Or that I lived happily for a decade in Scotland (Edinburgh then Glasgow)
And don't even mention 'O Flower of Scotland'! (Box of tissues at the ready)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Oct 20 - 08:19 PM

They're watching a DVD of a spooky movie
and I can hear the orchestral soundtrack
from the computer station:
heavy emphasis on woodwinds and on brasses using mutes.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 28 Oct 20 - 05:07 PM

This year,
the 31st of October, Halloween,
is the last day of Daylight Saving Time in the US;
the next day,
Sunday 1 November, goes back to Standard Time.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 29 Oct 20 - 07:10 PM

Sunday 1 November
is going to feel like the morning after
for those who overindulge ...

and then it's two days 'til Election Day.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Mrrzy
Date: 30 Oct 20 - 11:43 AM

This is gonna be a wild weekend. Wish I could drink as much I used to be able to. If ever there was a time to get drunk and stay that way till something is over...

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Oct 20 - 11:42 PM

I know. I'm keeping my head down, as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 20 - 07:12 PM

Halloween universe

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 31 Oct 20 - 07:34 PM

Our greyhound, of the fastest breed of dogs on earth, was shaking for much of this evening in fear of fireworks being let off. I sat with her for much of the time.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 04:08 AM

- the rspca think this year will be worse than ever for fireworks because no displays but surely by now these dangerous weapons that cause such distress to so many animals should be banned , I guess all I can do when she gets distressed is offer reassurance and cuddles!!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 04:44 AM

Oh poor Dreamy Bonzo! I so wish those blooming fireworks could be banned. So much distress to animals and risks to property and even people getting burned.
Please give Dreamy a little cuddle from me!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 04:59 AM

Yes, ban fireworks. Ban traffic. Ban TVs. Ban anything that makes loud noises. Particularly Tories droning on about how bad things would have been under Jeremy Corbyn :-D

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 05:46 AM

Thank you Senoufou, I will.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 07:01 AM

I signed a petition to HMG to ban the sale of fireworks to private individuals, and restrict the use of fireworks to properly-organised ‘official’ displays.

The government’s response was that there’s no problem, everybody uses fireworks correctly and in a socially-responsible manner, so no change in the regulations is necessary.

They were still going off near me at 1:25am today.

Proud of your Eton-Boys, Bonzo?

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 07:20 AM

John, with respect your complaint about fireworks being used irresponsibly is just about in the same league as my complaints about dog-owners leaving dogshit on the streets. Neither complaint adds up to an argument for banning said nuisances. My view on fireworks is that they should be used in organised, licensed displays only and on not many dates. There should be a charge for the licence to reflect the costs of clearing up and for the costs to the fire service and health service of standing by or dealing with accidents. My view on dogs is that they should be licensed via a fee that reflects what it costs councils to clear up the mess and empty those horrid dog bins and should include a contribution to the NHS which has to treat infections picked up from dog faeces. The problem as I see it in both cases is that we have allowed an ethos to exist of freedom to do what you bloody well like instead of an ethos of consideration and responsibility to others. Both fireworks and dogs are voluntary and both impact others. Paying up for the privilege of having these things seems only fair.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 08:35 AM

Steve, I agree with you about fireworks, which is precisely what we petitioned for, so no argument there.

On dogs, I agree there should be a licence fee, and I’d have no objection to it being applied to fund the emptying of dog-bins. I also believe cyclists should be required to pay a licence fee for their use of roads and footpaths, and to have insurance to cover them and their victims in the case of accidents.

I’m happy to consider a contribution to the NHS, provided cat-owners are required to make the same contribution to cover the treatment of infections picked up from the cat-faeces which they bury in other people’s borders for them to put their hands in while gardening or, in my case, leave on the lawn outside my front door.

Throughout my life, I’ve owned both dogs and cats and, despite your oft-repeated claims to ‘know’ that I only pick up after my dog if ‘someone is watching me’ (which of course is nonsense because you’ve never even met me, let alone followed me on my many dog-walks) been unfailing in my social duty in that regard - even picking up dog-shit left lying around by other, less responsible owners, or stepping in it hidden in the grass while picking my own dog’s shit. I’m absolutely with you that pet owners should take full and complete responsibility for their pets, whatever type of pets they may be.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 09:11 AM

And I agree too, I would extend it to e scooter riders, where many of the riders show a complete disregard of the Highway Code - racing with motor bikes, riding against a one-way flow while texting, riding with no lights, ignoring traffic lights - generally it seems, having a death wish!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 09:45 AM

Well I've never owned a dog and it's eight years since we stopped keeping a cat. The law regards cats differently to dogs because of their solitary, independent and wanderlust nature, and the fact that they don't physically threaten people. They have the right to roam, unlike dogs. Argue that point all you like but that's the way it is. Generally, cats don't defaecate in the street so there's no clearing-up cost or a need for catshit bins. If a cat that isn't yours fouls your garden, the owner is liable under nuisance laws, but you'd have a fair bit of proving to do. The same applies to dogshit in the street: very few prosecutions are made. There could be cost implications for the NHS, true, but infectious cat material isn't anywhere near as all-over-the-place as that coming from dogs. The nuisance in your garden bed is just that, a nuisance, but there's little or no cost involved. You have every right in law to go after the bastard whose cat did it, but good luck with that. As for picking up the dogshit, you are still leaving behind a potentially infected piece of ground which is now far harder to see. There are plenty of grey areas here but at least I don't have a dog (or cat) in the fight. So good to get off boring old Halloween now that All Saints' Day is here and get back to something light 'n' easy... ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 09:48 AM

What you describe regarding e-scooter riders are breaches of the law. There may well be good arguments for licensing the scooters but the fact that a few nutters are using them illegally isn't one of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 10:42 AM

I can see "accidents" happening to e scooters before too long in the dark!!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 10:48 AM

As I already pay for roads out of the taxes I pay I don't see why I should pay any extra. Motorists pay an additional levy on their emissions, electric vehicles do not so bicycles would also be exempt.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 11:27 AM

Agreed.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 12:43 PM

Fair points Steve. I’m not in absolute agreement on all of them, but nothing there to get into an argument about. ;-)

A bit late, I know, but my sympathy and condolences for the loss of your mum.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 01 Nov 20 - 01:09 PM

Today we went 'up the city' (into Norwich) to a supermarket we especially like, and were quite shocked to see smashed-up pumpkins in the gutters all over the place down the residential side-roads en route. Looks as if vandals had been out and about destroying people's Halloween displays.
Glad we live in our little village. All pumpkins here are given to the shepherdess (our neighbours' daughter) and she chops them up as a treat for her sheep.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: EBarnacle
Date: 02 Nov 20 - 12:27 PM

Here's a more dignified approach to the aftermath of Halloween--The Day of the Dead.

https://www.npr.org/2020/11/02/928253894/la-latinos-mark-el-d-a-de-los-muertos-in-a-nightmare-year-of-loss

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Oct 22 - 10:58 AM

It's halfway through the month of October,
so Halloween is around the corner.

For the first time I heard that the American celebration of Halloween
owes much to the Celts/UK/Irish migrations.
If I had known where to look,
the Mudcat probably could have told me as much, earlier than this.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Oct 22 - 03:13 AM

Yesterday, in several supermarkets, we noticed some really horrible Halloween goods - gruesome masks and costumes. I understand that children like to scare and shock, but some of these were beyond the pale in our opinion.
Also, in spite of it being only October, that blooming Elf on the Shelf thing was on sale all over the place. I had to explain to husband what parents do with Elf on the Shelf, and he thought it was a crazy idea. (In Africa, children are so well-behaved. And an Elf would be viewed as 'sorcery' and much frowned upon. Ditto the weird Halloween stuff.)

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 22 - 11:58 AM

In the northern tier states weather is looking super-seasonal - there will be a freezing cold snap that moves into the upper reaches of the south (touching Arkansas but not Louisiana, etc.) The long-range forecast here is a high of 78^o on Halloween, so now that most people have little concept of the COVID risk, there may be trick or treaters. I will again keep the lights off, turn off the motion-detector lights on the front and side doors, and hunker down with the dogs.

I lost 45 pounds this year. I don't bring junk food into the house much these days, and am not about to shoot myself in the foot with Halloween candy. Munching even the little pieces adds up to a slippery slope to weight gain. In past years I've bought things I didn't like to give out, but it's too much of a barking scrum at the door and I don't want to lock the dogs in a back room to hand out unfavorite treats.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 22 - 12:18 PM

Ooooo! Here's a nice creepy real-life story just in time for Halloween!

Taking Another Look at The Watcher—What we know about the case four years later.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: BobL
Date: 18 Oct 22 - 03:26 AM

Some folks down my street have had Halloween stuff up for days. They must have a wonky calendar.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Oct 22 - 04:17 AM

Over the years in this village we've put out our carved and candlelit pumpkins, and bought quantities of sweets for the children. But they used to hammer loudly on the glass in our front door as if the Police were arriving! And then greedily grab as many sweets as their hands could hold. It got a bit annoying frankly, and we stopped doing it.
Now that I live alone, I don't want this, and luckily if there are no decorations or lit pumpkins at the house, nobody knocks for 'trick or treat'.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Neil D
Date: 18 Oct 22 - 09:09 PM

You're lucky Senoufou. When I was a kid the people who chose to not be home, or to sit in the dark pretending to not be home, were the ones who got the tricks. This was usually a window whited out with a bar of paraffin, much harder to remove than soap.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: BobL
Date: 19 Oct 22 - 02:38 AM

Last time I was trick-or-treated, I just said "you can have the trick" and fired my starting pistol. Word must have got around: I've never been bothered since.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Kim C
Date: 22 Oct 22 - 10:02 PM

I love Halloween! We lived in a secluded house for a long time & had no trick-or-treaters. When we bought our little house in 2015, we had quite a few that first year, but it's dropped off since. There aren't many little kids in the neighborhood anymore, but I'll still be ready.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: BobL
Date: 23 Oct 22 - 07:23 AM

Oops! I pretty much repeated my post of four years ago. I'm getting like that - an age thing I'm afraid.

At least, a convention seems to have sprung up in recent years that those who welcome T&Ters display Halloween decorations, and those who don't, don't.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Oct 22 - 08:10 AM

spooky

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 30 Oct 22 - 08:42 AM

Lights out and no pumpkin outside, otherwise our greyhound goes crazy. It's bad enough with thoughtless scum letting of deafening fireworks up to 2 weeks before Guy Fawkes night.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 30 Oct 22 - 01:53 PM

> At least, a convention seems to have sprung up in recent years that
> those who welcome T&Ters display Halloween decorations, and those who
> don't, don't.

That might explain why we don't get T&Ters any more; Herself's even given up baking gingerbread in preparation. I thought it was just that all the children round here have grown out of the demanding-sweets-with-menaces stage.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 31 Oct 22 - 05:54 AM

Lady-across-the-road has hoisted a gigantic Halloween flag on her huge flagpole, and stuck large pumpkin pictures on all her front windows. She's new to this village, so I hope she's prepared for all the banging on her door this evening, and has a large pot of sweets for the demanding children that will surely arrive.
I'm hoping nobody will trouble me, as it makes me nervous.
In the supermarkets this weekend, we saw so much expensive tat for sale, costumes, masks, model ghosts, witches and so on. Entire aisles selling commercial rubbish.
But our beautiful Norman church will be holding a special service on Wednesday for people who wish to remember someone much-loved who has passed away. (All Souls Day). After all, Halloween was originally the Eve of All Hallows - not a 'dress up like a daft Disney character and demand sweets from grumpy old ladies' night!

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Stanron
Date: 31 Oct 22 - 06:18 AM

"After all, Halloween was originally the Eve of All Hallows - not a 'dress up like a daft Disney character and demand sweets from grumpy old ladies' night! "

Hear, (absolutely) Hear!

Incidentally, check this out;

https://grammarist.com/spelling/hear-hear/

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 22 - 10:11 AM

El Dia de los Muertos goes back to the Aztecs, who had not just a few days but an entire month dedicated to the dead. Festivities were presided over by the goddess Mictecacihuatl . The annual rite features skeletons, altars and other trappings of death, but the ancient holiday celebrates life in its embrace of death.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 22 - 11:07 AM

The gigantic "Skelly" skeleton from Home Depot has been joined by stacked Styrofoam pumpkins (they just sit there) and a muscular werewolf that is motion activated to light its eyes, chomp its jaws, growl, and end with a howl. This is in the yard of a house a block up the hill from me. Damned noisy thing that I was concerned might scare the dogs when we were out walking at dusk. They ignored it but I found it a bit unsettling. Poor neighbors living on either side of that house.

That ripped Home Depot werewolf has become the new Halloween flex

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 31 Oct 22 - 11:45 AM

Last year I emptied some of the soil/compost mixture from a box in the back garden on to the front lawn in anticipation of sweeping it in for the autumnal worms. It makes a good 'grave' and with the addition of a large wooden cross that was used as a temporary gravestone many years ago (don't ask) and some plastic bones it looked quite realistic. I have done the same for tonight :-) We also have a colour changing smart bulb by the front door which I shall set to green

Mwahahahaha

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 31 Oct 22 - 07:38 PM

No bloody tricksters around here tonight. It's pissing down and blowing a hooley. Heheh.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 22 - 09:36 PM

Only had 7 candy takers.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Senoufou
Date: 01 Nov 22 - 03:58 AM

I was relieved not to have any Trick-or-Treaters hammering on my door last night. There were plenty of children (and teenagers!) running around outside in various weird costumes, but they sensibly banged only on doors which had lit pumpkins and other decorations displayed. I was grateful for their consideration.

Subject: RE: BS: Halloween
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Nov 22 - 04:32 AM

We had loads and eventually ran out of sweets! It had started chucking it down by then though so we got no more :-)