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Howl-o-ween

qaz submits a story about a remote-controlled graveyard. Supposedly this site is another computer-controlled setup, but it's not responding at the moment. Still looking for a pumpkin carving pattern (the Ellen Feiss pattern is nice too)? Or perhaps you'd prefer yet another punkin-chunking machine, a new model which has several news stories about it: here and here. And if spooky stories are more your style, everything2 is running a scary story contest (see last year's for ideas).

141 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. reminds me of Ripley's by loomis · · Score: 4, Informative

    The Ripley's museums have those silly graveyards inside, and Ripley's also has those Haunted Adventure places. Somewhat similar.

    Loomis

    --
    "The television is the retina of the mind's eye" - Videodrome
  2. FoxTrot Halloween by rbeattie · · Score: 5, Funny

    Has everyone seen today's FoxTrot?

    "I feel like I should send Microsoft some of this."

    Heh.

    -Russ

    --
    Me
    1. Re:FoxTrot Halloween by Raul654 · · Score: 3, Funny

      A girl down the hall in my dorm put this on her door. I write back (on her marker board) that it was cute, but please don't remind me of things I have to deal with in my major ;-)

      --


      To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
      --E.C. Stanton
    2. Re:FoxTrot Halloween by microTodd · · Score: 5, Funny

      I actually dressed up as a BSOD one year for a halloween party. Blue face-paint and blue posterboard taped to my chest with white lettering.

      Only a few people got the joke, and most of the girls at the party thought I was a wierdo geek and ignored me.

      *sigh*

      --
      "You cannot find out which view is the right one by science in the ordinary sense." - C.S. Lewis on Intelligent Design
    3. Re:FoxTrot Halloween by aerojad · · Score: 1

      my c.s. prof had it on his test today

      --

      SecondPageMedia - Wha
  3. Halloween reading for geeks by Penguuu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Here is scary halloween-reading for geeks :)

    --
    The problem in the world today is communication. Too much communication - Homer Simpson
    1. Re:Halloween reading for geeks by Jugalator · · Score: 2

      Symantec appears to be running a scary halloween special as well...

      Oh, and this place is much scarier than any graveyeard.

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
    2. Re:Halloween reading for geeks by GigsVT · · Score: 1

      What a bunch of idiots in that Bill Gates fan club:

      The term ANTITRUST comes from anti, meaning against, and trusts. Trusts were late-nineteenth-century corporate monopolies that dominated U.S. manufacturing and mining.

      And that's from one of the "editors" in a story he posted.

      Reminds me of:

      Mono=one
      Rail=Rail

      Heh

      --
      I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
    3. Re:Halloween reading for geeks by Gamasta · · Score: 2, Funny

      This is a joke which is very common, but some might not have read it...

      Q: Why do programmers often confuse Halloween and Xmas?

      A: Because OCT 31 = DEC 25

      --
      reason defies logic
    4. Re:Halloween reading for geeks by ?erosion · · Score: 1

      Wow, it's almost suspiciously poorly written.

      *eerie music*

      Well, I certainly wouldn't put it past them.

      --

      I assert ownership of all trademarks and copyrights on this page.
  4. The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by suman28 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The original story is that people were trying to keep the spirits away from your house. I don't understand why people dress up to go to others houses. This is nothing more than the candy manufacturers way of getting extra dough into their pockets.

    1. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by mincus · · Score: 5, Informative

      In the US, halloween is second only to xmas for total dollars spent, and comes in third for total number of parties (after new years and the super bowl). Also for a more detailed description of the integration in american culture, see here

    2. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by JPelorat · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Heaven forfend we should have a little fun...

      Not everything is a conspiracy, ya know.

      --
      Hokey statistics and ancient misconceptions are no match for a good thought in your head, kid!
    3. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by thefirelane · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It comes from the Celtic traditions:

      People believed around this time, spirits walked the earth. They would put out their fires, in order to make their homes less appealing to the spririts. They also dressed up, and acted strange, in order to make the spirits think they were already posessed, so they would move on.

      Children would also go door to door, and ask for "treats" in exchange for singing a song, or reciting a poem. This tradition was brought to America by Irish immigrants in the mid 1800's

      Listen to NPR a little, no conspriacy here

      You'll have to wait until February to see a holiday that was truely concocted by merchandisers to sell thing (namely cards and flowers)


      ---Lane

    4. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 4, Informative
      The original story is that people were trying to keep the spirits away from your house. I don't understand why people dress up to go to others houses. This is nothing more than the candy manufacturers way of getting extra dough into their pockets.

      In reality, the origins of Halloween is much more complex that that. Check out this article to find out more. In particular:

      In medieval times, one popular All Souls' Day practice was to make "soul cakes," simple bread desserts with a currant topping. In a custom called "souling," children would go door-to-door begging for the cakes, much like modern trick-or-treaters.

      It's funny that the whole Halloweeen thing may be an early example of "embrace and extend". The early church rescheduled All Saint's Day to coincide with an older pagan holiday, then told people to go ahead and have fun on the new enhanced hybrid holiday.

    5. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by IxnayOnTheIxnay · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, it started when three witches went around eating children, until one family offered them sweet gingerbread children. That's the story of the first caramel cod....yar, I mean, Halloween.

    6. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by aroobie · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I'm seeing this on The History Channel right now. It's just as you described it.

      --


      My other car is a motorcycle!
    7. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by JPelorat · · Score: 2

      So.. let me get this straight.. you're upset because I used a word that has the same basic meaning as a word I didn't use?

      Heh, ok. Fine. Sorry. Heaven *forbid* you should ever breed. Better? =)

      --
      Hokey statistics and ancient misconceptions are no match for a good thought in your head, kid!
    8. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by JPelorat · · Score: 2

      In that case, I'm glad I was able to piss you off...

      --
      Hokey statistics and ancient misconceptions are no match for a good thought in your head, kid!
    9. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by daoine · · Score: 2
      You'll have to wait until February to see a holiday that was truely concocted by merchandisers to sell thing (namely cards and flowers)

      Actually, that's not entirely true. St Valentine's Day came from pre-Christian Roman culture with the feast of Lupercalia (a fertility ritual), celebrated on the night of the 14th through the 15th of February.

    10. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by pajor · · Score: 1

      They have an old saying on Chulak: The do not make them as they once did.

      --
      Gnuyen
    11. Re:The original idea of All Hallow's Eve... by jeddak · · Score: 1

      The Celtic tradition was not to put out fires on Samhain (the precursor to All Hallow's Eve/Halloween), but rather to re-light the ever-burning hearthfires against the looming dark.

      Online References:
      http://www.geocities.com/~huathe/fest ivals.html
      http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Jardin/ 6729/celtic. html#samhain

      or visit your local public library...

  5. even better, a pumpkin that can SPRING INTO ACTION by mincus · · Score: 1

    Forget about ellen feiss. Id rather have everyones favorite poisonous potato with this pattern

  6. Halloween Scavenger Hunt by wizarddc · · Score: 4, Interesting

    No one posted this? Weird

    http://hiptop.bedope.com/

    It's a halloween scavenger hunt. The objective is to use your Hiptop mobile device, and take pictures of as many things on the list as you can. There are 5 teams (which are closed, sorry johnny-com-lately's), each vying for the fabulous prizes being awarded to the one team that score the most points (each item on the list has a point value. McDonalds is 1, White Castle 2. George W. Bush is 8, Al Gore is .5).

    --
    Th
  7. What's everyone doing? by Bobulusman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Is anyone bothering to dress up?

    I'm in college, so I wasn't planning to, but I found out everyone else is getting into the spirit, so I need a costume quick.

    I combed the shops this morning and this was all that was left to buy: stage blood and various color face paint. Any ideas? If I can't think of something cool I can make quickly, I just going to mix up a grey-green paint and go as a zombie.

    uuuuhhhhhhhhhhhh brrraaaaaaiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnn

    Anyway, I just want to know what cool costumes everyone else did.

    --
    Cogito ergo sum in Slashdot.
    1. Re:What's everyone doing? by foistboinder · · Score: 4, Funny

      Do what I do...

      I usually spend the day dressed up as my evil twin (at leat it's cheap!).

    2. Re:What's everyone doing? by kikta · · Score: 2

      I'm Gumby, damnit!

    3. Re:What's everyone doing? by artemis67 · · Score: 2

      You could always go as Crazy Teabag Mouth...

    4. Re:What's everyone doing? by DrMaurer · · Score: 3, Funny

      Uhh, get a cereal box, preferably one with a cuddily mascot on the front, and a toy knife.

      Impale the box and spread your sage blood liberally.

      If you're creative, paint your face up like the mascot. (They're GRRReat!)

      Go, cereal killer, go.

      (Yeah, it sucks, but I usually go as a chick, but this year I cut my hair, so it's a bit tougher to pull off.)

      --
      Dan
    5. Re:What's everyone doing? by stankyho · · Score: 1

      I used to have a couple disposable, white clean-suits I got when I did HVAC work at a hospital. They came in pretty handy for quick Halloween costumes. One year I gutted and old monitor and went as a computer and the next year I found a stocking hat with flames on it and went as a match.

      You could just put a plant on your head and go as a root, or a spoon and be "crazy-spoon-head-man".

      Gimme some candy!

      --

      ---
      eeww, I'll have a crab juice.
    6. Re:What's everyone doing? by docbrown42 · · Score: 2

      I was told late yesterday that several people at work were going to dress up, and they wanted to see how many people they could get in costume.

      Since I hadn't really thought of a costume this year (no money to spend, no time to work on it), I just threw on my Ren garb. And so far, it's better than anyone else's costume!

      --
      Ed Wedig
      Graphic design services
      docbrown.net
    7. Re:What's everyone doing? by Palshife · · Score: 2, Funny

      Stormtrooper on Vacation.

      No kidding. I took a stormtrooper helmet, threw on some surfer shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. It's great!

      The hard part is finding the helmet.

      --
      Attention deficit disorder is a complicated issue, spanning several major... HEY LET'S GO RIDE BIKES!
    8. Re:What's everyone doing? by foxtrot · · Score: 2

      My last "need a costume idea quick" was to go out and buy a white sheet... and then cut _lots_ of holes in it.

      It's a lot easier than trying to find a yellow and black zig-zag pattern shirt and shaving your head, but people still recognize you as Charlie Brown...

      -JDF

    9. Re:What's everyone doing? by Bahamuto · · Score: 1

      I would do that but I'm too cheap to buy a fake goatee. On the other hand if you wanted to dress up as your good twin all you would have to do is shave it off.

    10. Re:What's everyone doing? by goodhell · · Score: 1

      "I usually spend the day dressed up as my evil twin."

      Can't do that I am the evil twin!

      Besides I don't want to wear my twin's dresses.

    11. Re:What's everyone doing? by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 2

      Thrift store: Wild crazy hawaiian shirt. I still have mine. it has naked hula dancers. Cheesy as hell.

      Drug store: fishermans cap.

      Service station: Cheap cigars

      Drink beer. Get drunk.

      "Drunk fisherman"

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    12. Re:What's everyone doing? by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 2

      That's interesting. My evil twin dresses up as me!

      --
      Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
    13. Re:What's everyone doing? by _ph1ux_ · · Score: 2

      TK421! - Why arent you at your post!? - TK421?

    14. Re:What's everyone doing? by DrMaurer · · Score: 1

      Ahh, you caught me.

      don't tell my wife, I've only done it three or four times in a row now.

      --
      Dan
  8. Wow by strateego · · Score: 2, Funny

    Bristoe, a 42year-old electrician and mechanic from Ellettsville, estimates his cannon's range at about five miles.

    We only live 5 miles from the border between Canada and the USA. The drug dealer in my city should get one of those. Then they can drive along shooting their product over the border.

    1. Re:Wow by seann · · Score: 1

      just aim for the big water tank that holds the lights that shine on the falls at night, nobody looks in ther anymore ;)

      --
      I'm a big retard who forgot to log out of Slashdot on Mike's computer! LOOK AT ME.
    2. Re:Wow by Captoo · · Score: 1
      I heard a radio interview a few days ago where the guest stated that it is impossible to make a pumpkin fly more than about 4/5 of a mile. The reason is that the pumpkin will disintigrate if it breaks the sound barrier.

      Can anyone confirm this?

    3. Re:Wow by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

      These pumpkin chuckers may be strong, but they're not strong enough to throw anything at the speed of sound.

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    4. Re:Wow by Captoo · · Score: 1

      Oh, yeah. That would do it. More damage to the target, too. :-)

  9. Pumpkin Chunking!! by jaywhy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The do this yearly a little south of where I live. If your in the Delaware valley, you have to check it out. Theres nothing like watching a pumpkin travel a mile!

    http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/ 20 01/11/02itsahighflyingf.html
    http://www.worldcham pionshippunkinchunkin.com/

    1. Re:Pumpkin Chunking!! by Inspired+Chaos · · Score: 1

      You bet! Kind of annoying how one guy's conjecture (5 miles HA!) gets everybody excited. I've seen many very expensive efforts toward breaking a mile at the world championships, and none have succeded. This fellow gets in the paper making extravagant claims and the world press beats down his door and credits him with inventing something. I am sure *wink* this kind of thing never happens in any other technology fields. I'll see anyone who decides to come out, I'm on the crew of the Onager. (A human-powered wooden torsion catapult that throws a "Punkin" 1,300 feet)

  10. coolest pumpkin carvings by cr@ckwhore · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Check out this guy's carvings... http://www.grumpkins.com

    He carves giant pumpkins, and they don't look like the standard run-o-the-mill jack-o-lanterns, thats for sure!

    --
    Skiers and Riders -- http://www.snowjournal.com
  11. On the matter of holidays by Locke!Erasmus · · Score: 1

    I like halloween, but I like the weekend before that, Fall Back, even better!

    I am all about an extra hour of sleep:)

    --
    I should have picked out the nickname Demosthenes!Tecumseh.
  12. Tux pumpkin by Drath · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hmm. The tux pumpkin is a helpful tutorial, basically it says to make a pumpkin with tux on it all you need is:

    1.A Pumpkin
    2.Artistic Ability
    3.Expensive Software
    4.Something called a light board (sounds arty)

    Wow! Simple!

    you know, if i could draw tux i wouldn't need a kit...

    1. Re:Tux pumpkin by mblase · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ironically, this is typical of Linux advocate's thinking.

      "All you need to run this free software is standard PC hardware! And these CDs, of course. Well, you'll probably want to partition your hard drive beforehand, too. Be sure you know the specs of your components so you can configure the OS correctly. And do you know how to configure your own broadband Internet connection? No, you can't use AOL on this, but here's a great web-based tool that's also free and you only need to compile it once or twice...."

    2. Re:Tux pumpkin by Plutor · · Score: 2

      > 3.Expensive Software

      Isn't this sort of hypocritical? Why would I want to pay money for software to make a Jack O'Lantern of a free operating system's mascot?

    3. Re:Tux pumpkin by SoCalChris · · Score: 2

      You misread that part. Those instructions were to make your own pattern based on a picture. They simply used Tux as their example to show how to do it. The Tux pattern is available in the article here.

      Hmm. The tux pumpkin is a helpful tutorial, basically it says to make a pumpkin with tux on it all you need is:

      1.A Pumpkin
      2.Artistic Ability
      3.Expensive Software
      4.Something called a light board (sounds arty)

      Wow! Simple!

    4. Re:Tux pumpkin by dwillen · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I carved tux into my pumpkin on Sunday. I didn't use any fancy software. I printed out a random black and white tux gif and carved away, perhaps a little artistic ability was involved.

      Take a look for yourself!

  13. Human counterweight trebuchet.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Come see the fun at the World Championship Punkin Chunkin in delaware this weekend.. ( http://www.worldchampionshippunkinchunkin.com/ )

    Air cannons are no fun..(you can't see the pumpkin from the air cannons!) medieval technology is much more interesting to watch.

    old machine: http://www.onager.net/page103.htm

    Going bigger this year.. Look for the Mankiller Mark II.. ask for James..

    1. Re:Human counterweight trebuchet.. by NewSegway · · Score: 1

      hell yeah man. i will definitely be there, and im even camping out Saturday night at a local campground to freeze my ASS off :)

  14. Geek scary movies by briggsb · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's a list of the scariest geek movies.

  15. Call that a pun'kin chucker? by mblase · · Score: 5, Informative

    That's nothing compared to the world-record-holding Aludium Q-36 Pumpkin Modulator (A "Marvin the Martian" reference for those who don't watch enough Warner Bros. cartoons).

    1. Re:Call that a pun'kin chucker? by mblase · · Score: 3, Informative

      Incidentally, the pun'kin chucker article in the Slashdot headling quotes its creator as believing it could shoot a pumpkin five miles. I sincerely doubt it; the record-holder shoots a 5- to 10-lb. pumpkin only(!) three-quarters of a mile, and it's the size of a semi trailer. Wind resistance is pretty strong on an unaerodynamic ten-pound gourd once you get it moving.

    2. Re:Call that a pun'kin chucker? by echucker · · Score: 2

      Actually, no I don't. ;-)

      -Chucker

  16. pumpkin cannon by circletimessquare · · Score: 2

    another story about the pumpkin cannon.

    5 mile range?!

    quote "This is way too much fun to stop."

    'nuf said! lol ;-)

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  17. Amusing Halloween Cartoon... by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Redundant

    Heh, this isn't on-topic really other than it's about Halloween and /.'s favorite company, MS.

    Check out today's Foxtrot, Im sure most of the ppl visiting this site will get a chuckle from it.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
    1. Re:Amusing Halloween Cartoon... by NanoGator · · Score: 2

      Uh... Off-topic? Sure. Overrated? Sure. Redundant? What, did somebody else publish the cartoon before me?

      --
      "Derp de derp."
  18. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by tit4tat · · Score: 5, Funny
    Holloween... is a Pagan holliday that celebrates pure Evil and the power of Satin. Do not allow you're children to wear costume, do not let them go to holloween party's, and do not hand out candy to kid's who are glorrifying Satin. This type of holliday has no place in a post 9-11 world!


    I love satin! Soft, smooth, shiny. Satin is definitely not "pure evil." Pure lux, is more like it. What's this AC's problem with satin?! Where would the post 9-11 world be without satin pajamas?! We must fight for the love of satin or the terrorists will have already won!


    Uh... he probably meant "Satan." Whatever.

  19. Why do Americans call this a holiday? by Malc · · Score: 1

    When I lived in the US, Americans seemed to call Halloween a holiday. Why? I though this very odd as I'm normally given a day off work on a holiday, yet I never observed any statutory requirements for this.

    Instead it seemed very clever marketing by companies wanted an extra cash boost in October had brainwashed everybody... perhaps through manipulation of parents by advertising at their children.

    1. Re:Why do Americans call this a holiday? by jimmc · · Score: 1
      When I lived in the US, Americans seemed to call Halloween a holiday. Why?

      It's actually November 1 that is the holy day (Allhallowmas, or All Saints' Day), but we Americans like to move our holidays around just for fun. In this case, we have a holieve instead of a holiday.

  20. Re:I know this is an american forum... by DrMaurer · · Score: 1

    Bah, the French would have came back from behind eventually.

    Oh, wait, you're not talking about football (soccer), are you?

    Europeans that hate Americans are the funniest lot, because they forget that they're country sucked enough for people to go across oceans to avoid.

    I hate nationalism.

    --
    Dan
  21. One of the funniest ones out there by buzzsport · · Score: 1, Funny

    http://www.artbell.com/images/fun-pumpkin01.jpg

    1. Re:One of the funniest ones out there by gshutt · · Score: 1

      heh that's funny, but how bout this one, this one or even this one..

  22. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    And don't even get me started on rayon!

  23. GIVE IT UP! by dizco · · Score: 2
    1. Re:GIVE IT UP! by _ph1ux_ · · Score: 2

      Pumpkin carvers!, Pumpkin carvers!, .Pumpkin carvers!, Pumpkin carvers!,

  24. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by mustangdavis · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    "If you beleive in morality and the Gospel you and you're family mus't boycott Holloween. It is a Pagan holliday that celebrates pure Evil and the power of Satin. Do not allow you're children to wear costume, do not let them go to holloween party's, and do not hand out candy to kid's who are glorrifying Satin. This type of holliday has no place in a post 9-11 world!"


    *Hates feeding a troll, but I have karma to burn*

    I am assuming that you are American since you are using 9-11 as your excuse (as are too many other radicals and blood suckers in our society) for this post.

    Do you understand that the U.S. has FREEDOM OF SPEECH??? It is great that you have your beliefs on this matter, but don't go pushing your feelings and beliefs onto others!

    Besides, you take halloween too seriously if you really believe that crap. Halloween can be a time to have fun, dress up as your favorite movie character, super hero, or monster if you prefer. It is a time when you can act goofy and not have people think too much less of you. IT is also a great excuse for getting together with friends and getting drunk!

    Besides, this post isn't just about halloween .. it is about this cool software and hardware package this guy put together. Something VERY similar could be used for X-mas ... and I'm sure, since you seem to be anti-Satan, that you would want to use this to celebrate something with a more positive, religious conotation.

    Lighten up man - and realize that although this instance of this equipment is being used "for evil", it could also be used "for good"!

    (Obviously, I'm not trolling since I'm not being a coward by not posting anonymously, so please don't mod me as so ....)

  25. Because it's fun by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Gee whiz, don't be so negative.

    You don't need a day off to have a holiday. Some holidays are just for fun. Are all of the holidays in your country _serious_ holidays? Don't you just want to go out and play sometimes?

    Not everyone in America celebrates halloween so extremely. It's mostly celebrated by people 35 and under (with many exceptions), and is a big holiday for many college kids, geeks, artists, and people who veer from the mainstream.

    I'll give you a perspective from someone in the San Francisco, California area. Halloween is a holiday because:

    - It's fun
    - It's creative. I get to exercise my creative juices by decorate my house in spiderwebs, skeltons and blacklights. Next year I'm planning Robotic flying ghosts in my front yard.
    - It's an excuse to dress up
    - The children love it
    - It's an excuse to party. Halloween is by far the biggest holiday in the San Francisco area. In the city, you'll have parties that stretch for 10 blocks, with tens-of-thousands of people dancing and having a good time.
    - Day of the dead is tomorrow (Big holiday in Mexico and here in California).

    Now, there are historical roots to the trick-or-treating, and the dress up, and pumpkins, and the day of the dead, but I won't go into that now. (Wait, looks like you're from the UK. You should know the roots already!)

    --
    "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    1. Re:Because it's fun by Malc · · Score: 1

      Holiday: a day on which one is exempt from work; specifically : a day marked by a general suspension of work in commemoration of an event.

      It's not a holiday. Stop calling it that! Significant day perhaps, but not holiday! If you think it's a holiday, then you've conned.

      Another thing: why does society have to give you a reason to have fun and party and perhaps even dress up? What's wrong with doing it on some other day in the rest of the year when you're not being a sheep or have to deal with lots of other really really annoying (and often obnoxiously loud and intrusive) people? I party quite a lot, but with the people of my choice and without having other people in my face. We party on our terms, not corporations. The whole thing is just dumb for dumb unimaginative people who don't know how to have fun by themselves.

      As for the historical side: it can't even be compared.

    2. Re:Because it's fun by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 3, Funny

      The whole thing is just dumb for dumb unimaginative people who don't know how to have fun by themselves.

      Thanks for being so 'fun'. With those dictionary references, I'm sure you're a riot at parties.

      Another thing: why does society have to give you a reason to have fun and party and perhaps even dress up? What's wrong with doing it on some other day in the rest of the year when you're not being a sheep

      So tell me, in the last year, how many times did you wake up one morning and say "Today, I'm going to dress up in a costume and go to work|school|to the park|whatever!". Let me guess... zero. And I wouldn't do it either. Why? Because if I was the only person wearing a costume, I'd feel like an idiot.

      Look, Halloween gives me an excuse to dress up as a scarecrow and take my nephew out to get candy from the neighbors. We like it. It's fun. It's full of imagination and creative energy. I can't wait until I have my own kids and can take them out.

      I love making my house look haunted. I like the toys, I like the special effects.

      There is nothing wrong with communities dressing up and celebrating the same thing on the same day. Doing this does not make us 'sheep' any more then celebrating New Years on the same day. It's a fucking holiday.

      Don't like it? Fine, don't do it. Nobody's forcing you. Now go back to your 'fun'...

      You want sheep, try Valentines day. But leave my holiday the fuck alone.

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    3. Re:Because it's fun by swv3752 · · Score: 2

      From hyperdictionary

      2. Occurring rarely; adapted for a special occasion.

      1. A consecrated day; religious anniversary; a day set apart in honor of some person, or in commemoration of some event.

      Ther is more than just your definition.

      --
      Just a Tuna in the Sea of Life
    4. Re:Because it's fun by Desert+Raven · · Score: 1

      Nice try, but you should have stopped at definition #1 instead of advancing to definition #2

      HOLY DAY

      Halloween (All Hallow Even) has been a holy day for centuries, predating the Christian religion.

      I don't mind pedants, but stupid pedants should be beaten.

  26. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by Masami+Eiri · · Score: 1

    Congradulations. You are hereby awarded the "worst grammar" award.
    Please bash your head into the nearest wall to claim your prize.

  27. Re:Evidence? by Masami+Eiri · · Score: 1

    Not all Americans are that way, but too many of us that act that way.

  28. Re:isdtu t6804t8eoirtu oeprituwert by Palshife · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Oh shit! Slashdot is haunted! And it has a hook for a hand!!!

    *runs screaming*

    --
    Attention deficit disorder is a complicated issue, spanning several major... HEY LET'S GO RIDE BIKES!
  29. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by Palshife · · Score: 1

    You're absolutely right. I mean, I've seen at least 4 Jango Fett constumes already. That mofo is eeeeeeevil.

    Ahh, behold the power of Satin.

    --
    Attention deficit disorder is a complicated issue, spanning several major... HEY LET'S GO RIDE BIKES!
  30. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by Graspee_Leemoor · · Score: 2

    " celebrates pure Evil and the power of Satin"

    If I had enough rolls of satin I could make a dress to fit the whole Earth, and the entire planet would look like a woman! Mwuhahahahhaah!

    Next year: the diabolical plan involving silk.

    graspee

  31. Yankee Siege by lophophore · · Score: 1
    I do not know why there has not been more of a net presence for the Yankee Siege, a 55' trebuchet built by a farmer to get more people to visit his farm stand. The Christian Science Monitor reports is as the 3rd biggest trebuchet in the world... They are slinging 200 lb pumpkins 900' into the woods! Unfortunately, there are not a lot of pictures of this contraption on the net.

    My Dad went to see it and was very impressed. I have seen the photos--I want one.

    For those in New England, this thing is in Greenfield, NH

    --
    there are 3 kinds of people:
    * those who can count
    * those who can't
  32. Pumpkin Cannon is a scary story by Jaguar777 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ''I intend on shooting in competition, and I'm going to change my barrel size to regulation so I can compete with the other big guns,'' he said.

    The fact that there is a "regulation" barrel size for a pumpkin shooting competition scares me.

    --
    Maybe you should educate the morons of tomorrow so they'll stop believing the leaders of tomorrow. - Dogbert
  33. Re:I know this is an american forum... by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

    You misunderstand me... I don't hate americans, I just don't like commercialism that forces a long-dead holiday (locally, in the US it is big and I respect that) through my throat. You can do whatever you want, I respect Japanese holidays, American holidays, and Pygmy holidays... but you don't need to force me to comply to any of them just under the flag of "making a buck"
    And I'm not french.

  34. Re:I know this is an american forum... by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

    Do they? Really?
    That's funny, I know quite some Americans who'd like to leave the US and go to Europe. Honestly, I don't know anyone who left Europe for the US.
    It is not that we do not allow fun or something like that, we have our own holidays and pushing halloween will make those holidays die. That is in essence a "loss of culture" due to greedy commercialism. So you are all in favour of losing diversity in human culture? Nice, I'm not for it at all.

  35. Re:You are a psychotic asshole by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

    But in your eyes, dressing up as a cowboy and waving a gun at kids in order to scare them would be okay? Strange.... The only difference would be my "costume".
    Besides, guns are illegal here. Very... you can't even own a pellet gun as my brother discovered in a unpleasant way.

  36. Re:Microsoft Halloween by zrodney · · Score: 1, Troll

    Acutally Microsoft is hoping people will dress like this [msads.net]
    http://global.msads.net/ads/HOTENG/00482280008_PP. jpg

    Hey! That must be where the Tick is working now that the show was cancelled.

    Poor bastard.

  37. Re:I know this is an american forum... by salemnic · · Score: 1

    Grass is always greener, Mr. Troll :)

  38. I don't believe it by illuminatedwax · · Score: 1

    They got Conan O' Brien to be part of the graveyard!

    --
    Did you ever notice that *nix doesn't even cover Linux?
  39. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by Fascist+Christ · · Score: 1

    A pagan, in simple terms, is a non-Christian. Satan is only acknowledged by a subset of Christians. Therefore, pagans will never celebrate or worship Satan, especially the atheists.

    (Side note: A Satanist would have to be a subset of Christianity because they acknowledge a christian entity.)

    (Side note 2: a non-pagan, depending on context, could even be Muslim or Jew, or simply be monotheistic.)

    (Side note 3: a more cynical definition of pagan would be "one whose beliefs contradict my own")

    --
    TodayTM BillyJoelTM GoogleTMd for StitchTMes due to WindowsTM while RollerbladeTMing with an AppleTM and a PopsicleTM
  40. Re:I know this is an american forum... by Anonymous+Cowrad · · Score: 1

    You guys must do halloween differently over there. Here nobody is forced to participate.

    If you don't want kids at your door, turn off the goddamned porch light.

    If you don't want to dress up, don't.

    Fun is optional.

    --

    --
    pants ahoy
  41. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by Negadecimal · · Score: 2

    Do you understand that the U.S. has FREEDOM OF SPEECH??? It is great that you have your beliefs on this matter, but don't go pushing your feelings and beliefs onto others!

    The parent poster hasn't "pushing" his beliefs on you - he was simply stating them publicly. That's freedom of speech.

    You also have the right to ignore him...

  42. I was replying to an AC by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

    Well, I don't really know why you tell me this. I know that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I was actually replying to an AC that claimed so many young european people leave Europe to go to the US. Now, while I didn't see any evidence of it, it still might be true. (Links are appreciated)
    Anyways... Even though my handle says I'm a Troll, I really am not. I really *do* dislike the commerical pushing of a holiday just for the sake of profit. Oh, and my original post got modded Troll and Flamebait, just because I was being truthfull to my own culture. I get called a nationalist, people use WWII against me etc... Now, while my statements may not be popular around here, they certainly have a core of truth.
    No hair on my head thinks of moving to the US. I was there, it's nice for a holiday...and I suspect many Americans think that about Europe too. I do respect Americans, but the way Halloween has been introduced here is really not a thing to be proud of. Heck today, at the gas-station I was served by a witch! Why? I just don't get it, it's not going to make me buy more gas or so.

    1. Re:I was replying to an AC by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 2

      Heck today, at the gas-station I was served by a witch! Why? I just don't get it, it's not going to make me buy more gas or so.

      You misunderstand. The witch didn't dress up to please you, and she didn't dress up to see you more gasoline. She dressed up for herself, perhaps for her friends at the station (No offsense, but you're a customer, not a friend), and perhaps for a party afterwards.

      What's wrong with that? Let her have her fun.

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    2. Re:I was replying to an AC by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

      Makes sense...but explain we why the servers at the canteen at work were dressed up too. That was at noon, so no, "the party after" is no valid explanation.
      The day, I go to work on halloween and see my boss dressed up as a Zombie, then will be the day I will have lost my crusade. Hey, *I'm* the caffeine-drinking zombie at work ;-) I want no competition...

    3. Re:I was replying to an AC by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 2

      but explain we why the servers at the canteen at work were dressed up too.

      Same reason as the gas-station attendant... to have fun. Hell, a canteen can be a very boring place to work. You need all the fun you can get.

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    4. Re:I was replying to an AC by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

      Except that I highly suspect that this was no grassroot movement of the canteen employees but a management decision in order to create an "event". Otherwhise the menu wouldn't really have things like "devil's soup" on it.
      Probably just the canteen management (which is subcontracted) that created a event to attract more people who want to see what all the fuss is about (menu's are published over email...so you could even get curious if you never go to the canteen)

  43. Re:I know this is an american forum... by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1
    You are right of course... but isn't halloween that night kids throw rotten eggs at your window (the "trick part") if you don't open of fake not to be home. That makes it hard not to participate because if you don't, you have to clean your house the next day. Fun eh?

    Luckily, the trick 'n treating hasn't yet started here...nobody came at the door. How many years till they will? I don't know, it's only the last three years that halloween has been commercialised here. So give it another 3 years, and some kids will have it "embedded" in their mind, and will find it "normal". That is something I want to avoid at all costs.

  44. Blizzard's site by Alex+Thorpe · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I know that opinion on Blizzard is divided around here, but anyone who plays Warcraft III should check out the MP3 they have on their home page. It's the WC3 units having a Halloween party, and most of the voices are the standard ones from the game, the ones you hear when you click repeatedly on the units. "Where's my drink? There's my drink. Get in my belly!" It's great!

    --
    "Common Sense Ain't" -Unknown
  45. The "Ellen Feiss" pattern is spooky by burgburgburg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In the "Discomforting amount of attention paid on a teenage girl, leave her alone and start meeting some adult women already" sort of a way.

  46. Re:I know this is an american forum... by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 2

    but isn't halloween that night kids throw rotten eggs at your window (the "trick part") if you don't open of fake not to be home. That makes it hard not to participate because if you don't, you have to clean your house the next day. Fun eh?

    This doesn't really happen. If it does happen, it's a prank: Done by some teenagers (Teens do not usually go trick-or-treating), it'll happen weather their's candy or not, it might happen any night of the year, not just halloween, it's usually something less damaging like toilet paper, and it's usually the house of someone you know (like a coworker or a teacher or the principal). In short, it's a prank. An annoying prank.

    Most kids are too polite to pull tricks like this. If there's no candy, the kids usuall shrug their sholders and go on to the next house.

    --
    "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
  47. Punkin Lovin by GooseKirk · · Score: 2

    For those whose pumpkin tastes runs less towards throwing and more towards... well... intimacy, there's Punkin Lovin.

  48. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by mattsucks · · Score: 1
    If you beleive in morality and the Gospel you and you're family mus't boycott Holloween. It is a Pagan holliday that celebrates pure Evil and the power of Satin. Do not allow you're children to wear costume, do not let them go to holloween party's, and do not hand out candy to kid's who are glorrifying Satin. This type of holliday has no place in a post 9-11 world!
    If you believe in spalling and the Grammer you and you're family mus't boycott this post. It is Practically Illiterate and celebrates pure Ignorance and the power of Not Paying Attention In Grade School. Do not allow you're children to read post, do not them go to the same skool as the poster, but do hand out spalling books to kid's who are glorrifying bad Spalling. This type of ignnorance has no place in a post 9-11 world!
  49. Re:I know this is an american forum... by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

    That is indeed very informative. I didn't know that, but guess what: most of my knowlegde about halloween comes from american series. Now, while I know that series are not a good reference on American behaviour, I suspect that most kids will get their "halloween basics" from television series too. So they just might think the throwing of rotten eggs is part of it (just, as I did). Unfortunately there will be no stefanlasiewski to teach them how Halloween really works in the US.

  50. Michael! Taco! Hemos! How could you forget! by Malic · · Score: 2

    Homestar Runner's Pumpkin Carving Contest!

    http://www.homestarrunner.com/halloween2002.html

    --
    I swear by MacOS X. Although I use to swear *at* MacOS 9...
  51. Howloween by Biedermann · · Score: 1

    qaz submits a story about a remote-controlled graveyard. Supposedly this site is another computer-controlled setup, but it's not responding at the moment.

    You mean -gasp- it's dead?

  52. I'm popular with AC's today, it seems. by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

    Ehm, if you have been more tham 20 years in a country and adapted yourself to the local customs you are no foreigner anymore. None of these European immigrants you talk about, still think of themselves as Europeans. At most "from European descent". Heck, I'm an immigrant in the country where I live too. I have been living here for over 20 years and do not consider me of my original nationality anymore. When I went for my studies back to my country of orgin I was considered a foreigner. They didn't call me by my first name, but I was "The Luxemburger". Nice, eh? Once you leave your country, get ready to rip out your roots forever.
    If you take it your way, we are all Africans (provided the theories of human origin are correct).

    1. Re:I'm popular with AC's today, it seems. by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1
      First of all: I do understand that it is all about fun. I have no problem with a little fun.

      But that is in no way my point. The reason of Halloween here is *purely* commercial and it crushes our *own* culture. What you like about Europe will die when corporatism takes over hard. We have our own ways, and Halloween is just one way of brainwashing our kids into American ideals.
      However I took a look at your link, and it is very dangerous to link to a google search, for I did the same . Not very conclusive is it? I really would like to know what exactly are the social restrictions. I do not feel restricted at all. I can do what I want, I know people that look like punks, ghots and other people that have specific lifestyles. I have visted the US before, and honestly, people look the same there. Same kind of suits, same kind of eccentrics.
      I'd also like to know what "social barriers" there are? I don't even understand what you mean. None of my friends, not people whom I went to University with left the European Union, I know that is just anecdotial evidence.

      About the employment: ehm... well, we do have an unemployment problem. But so have you, you just hide it by offering braindead jobs that are done by machines here (toll booths for example, automated here, didn't see any automated one in the US and I did drive over 5000miles) You can find easily work within Europe if you want. The country I live in for instance has a real problem because the economic situation is really good in comparision to neighbouring countries. Immigration is up-up-up, and for me as a resident its a real bad thing: housing has become near unpayable. Look here As you can see, you just cannot generalize *anything* about Europe. Probably I'm guilty of overgeneralizing the US too.

      I for one will not leave the European Union, whatever happens. Especially not to the dollar-crazy US, where you are free by law but bound by commercial entities.

    2. Re:I'm popular with AC's today, it seems. by ronfar · · Score: 2
      You should know though that in the Bible-belt of the USA, there are plenty of Americans who think of Halloween as an unamerican, Satanic holiday. These people and their churches try to come up with alternatives designed primarily to prevent their kids from celebrating Halloween.

      Not just in the Bible belt either, my Mom used to work in a library in New Jersey, and they had to remove the Halloween decorations because a customer complained.

      Halloween was always my favorite holiday as a child, but I used to get upset when it seemed to be serving an agenda I didn't like. As a small child I had an orthodoxy about Halloween, ghosts, witches and demons were ok, firemen (except undead firemen) and flowers were not. Nobody ever paid any attention to me, of course, and as I grew older and mellowed out I realized that people were going to do exactly what they wanted to do and I couldn't force them to do what I wanted anyway. (It really made me mad when, after forcing my poor mother to work for hours on my mummy costume some kid dressed as a fire hydrant won the costume contest at school. Grrr...)

      Do you have any costume holidays where you live? I mean holidays where people pick their own costumes, not holidays with particular costumes (like not like everyone dressing up as Santa Claus at Christmas.). If not, that's the problem. People like excuses to dress up in costume, I believe it is why Mardi Gras is also very popular.

      --
      All the creatures will die, And all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai. (Jubai, 1605)
    3. Re:I'm popular with AC's today, it seems. by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1
      I knew about the religious people. I understand their point too.
      Actually this seems to be one of the most sensible comments I got (from a logged user, wow!)

      Since all your points are valid, I really will not argue against you. Up to your question: yes, we have days where you dress up and have fun. It's called Carnival and the kids love it. Hey, at school we went disguised the last day before the Carnival holiday, and yes, I loved it. It's always earlier in the year, about four weeks before Easter (if I recall correctly, I always forget the dates because they are bound to easter and in such a way variable). Well, heck! That is the monday, before Mardi Gras! "Rosenmontag" in Germany. We even get the day off, yay!
      No lack in dressing up, in Germany carnival is prepared over months and there are preliminaries.
      Really, the trick 'n treating nor the costumes are a problem, we have local holidays for both of those (not the same day though). Actually this is my whole thing against halloween: I fear that other customs will be lost because of it, and cultural diversity will decrease overall.
      Please don't misunderstand me, I have no problem with Americans having their halloween fun, I have a problem with Europeans accepting it without thinking about the eventual consequences.

  53. Grumpkins! by viper21 · · Score: 2

    Badass Pumpkins here

    This guy has way way way too much time on his hands ;-)

    Wait, so do I.

    -S

  54. Re:Evidence? by buzzcutbuddha · · Score: 1

    True there are lot of ignorant Americans, and we have our shortcomings, just as every other nation, but we must obviously be better than most every other place out there, or else we wouldn't have thousands upon thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Mexicans, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Pakistani, etc etc come into this country every year.

  55. Pregnant BSD cheerleader!!! by jjinux+at+yahoo · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm going as a pregnant BSD cheerleader!!!

    http://ironorchid.com/jjinux/daemon/index.html

  56. No Wired...It isn't Nitrozak by KC+Swan · · Score: 1

    Wired got it wrong though!
    It isn't NitrozaK.
    It's Nitrozac. With a "C"!

  57. Re:Holloween must be boycott'ed by Dirtside · · Score: 2

    I once saw, spraypainted in white paint on the side of a barn:

    WORSHIP SATIN

    --
    "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
  58. Irish Setters?! by RatBastard · · Score: 2
    Emily: Halloween was brought to America by irish setters? Next thing you know, every breed of dog will want its own holiday!

    Chevy: Emily.

    Emily: Yes, Cheddar?

    Chevy: Irish settlers. Irish settlers brought Halloween to the US in the 1800's.

    Emily: Oh, that's different. Nevermind.

    (With apologies to Gilda.)

    --
    Boobies never hurt anyone. - Sherry Glaser.
  59. Re:I know this is an american forum... by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 2

    Well, like everything, Halloween is in the eye of the beholder. It's what you make of it.

    Halloween here IS way too commercialized, but that doesn't make Halloween a bad thing. There's a whole halloween subculture out there dedicated to creating cool halloween effects. The best costumes and the best decorations are the homemade ones.

    If there's one thing that Europeans are good at it's resisting corporate culture (Well, ok, maybe mostly the Europeans who are 20+. I was shocked at the amount of American TV I saw while in Germany this summer...).

    When Halloween becomes more popular in Europe, hopefully you'll be able to keep the commercialism in check. Turn off the TV, come up with your own traditions, and create your own flavor of Halloween...

    Because like it or not, Halloween is in Europe to stay.

    --
    "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
  60. Re:I know this is an american forum... by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1
    I understand your point. (And there is way too much US television here... but the movies are doing great!) Even if it is here to stay, that doesn't mean I can't battle for the lost souls until I fall down and have to accept reality. (I'm already doing very bad here, not one person that agrees with me!)

    The problem is that we actually have holidays that are suppsed to be the equivalent in Europe. Well, at least for collecting the sweets. I just know about 2 on top of my head: Liichten (2nd february) and Three Kings (6 january).... The first is in Luxembourg and the second in Belgium (dutch part, I think). Both, is kids going around then they sing a song or two and get sweets in return. A third one would be "Sint Maarten" in The Netherlands, but I'm not that sure about it. They have much less commercial value, and hence are bound to die in favour of Halloween. Or worse: kids get to collect sweets twice a year.
    Look at what happened to "Sinterklaas" or "Kleesjen" which was traditionally done here on the 6th december (5th in The Netherlands). He is being replaced more and more by Santa. Back in the day I got my presents the 6th december, now you just give sweets for that day and the presents on Christmas. I might sound a bit old by complaining about these things, but I'm really just 25. The problem is that I have been witnessing these changes. When I have kids there is always the risk they won't even know about the "real" (or local) holidays. Teaching them would serve no good, because of course they would be laughed at in school.
    I will try to keep up my cultural identity but the influence of the US might destroy everything I have known as "my culture", not in my generation, but definately in the next. It's nearly sad to admit it, but resistance is futile.... I'll keep resisting.

  61. Sorry Folks...go home. by dirvish · · Score: 2

    Where I live they cancelled Halloween.

  62. Re:Evidence? by JudgeFurious · · Score: 1

    "Yet they believe they can control the world"

    We do. it's as simple as that.

    --
    Appended to the end of comments you post. 120 chars.
  63. Re:If those kids aren't American by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

    I can complain anything I want. I don't like the invasion af American corporatism, because that is the sole reason why Halloween has bene (re)introduced here.
    I am not Anti-American, I am just defending my own culture. I didn't ask Americans to stop Halloween, I just complain that Europeans and European commerces are embracing it.

  64. Re:Evidence? by JudgeFurious · · Score: 1

    You can't manage to get out of America but you make $45,000 a year? If it's financial then I'm sure would could take up a collection or something.

    --
    Appended to the end of comments you post. 120 chars.
  65. Re:Not entirely correct by zapfie · · Score: 1

    Is that some hybrid of Hello Kitty and Halloween?

    --
    slashdot!=valid HTML
  66. Weird and Awesome! by Xtraneous · · Score: 1

    The *graveyard* is only a 10 minute drive away from my house! Only 1 hour till the next show! But damn it is cold around here. Maybe I'll take pictures but where should I post them (IE a place that can take a slashdotting?)

    --
    .noitacidem deen uoy siht daer nac uoy fI
  67. Re:Evidence? QWZX by eno2001 · · Score: 1

    What is your response to the charge that the poster above made that Mr. Bush was AWOL? He didn't honorably fulfill his requirements, his daddy (far more intelligent and dangerous than his idiot son) pulled some srings so he could get the honorable discharge. All that proves is that he's got connections. Don't change the subject. Address what the poster above was referring to. I'll bet you didn't go so easy on Bill Clinton.

    --
    -"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
  68. Re:Michael! Taco! Hemos! How could you forget! by GotSanity · · Score: 1

    You could always use LOGO to carve a pumpkin. =P

  69. Perspective by Noren · · Score: 1
    But that is in no way my point. The reason of Halloween here is *purely* commercial and it crushes our *own* culture. What you like about Europe will die when corporatism takes over hard. We have our own ways, and Halloween is just one way of brainwashing our kids into American ideals.
    I think I understand this, to a point. The part I don't really understand is the brainwashing comment- are the Americans forcing kids to wear costumes? If you don't like the American-culturally-influenced-activity, don't do it. Blame the people abandoning their own culture, not the other culture for failing to stop others from emulating it.

    Several of my coworkers grew up in Europe, many in what are now EU countries, and I know many academics who came to the US from Europe. No Americans I've known personally have moved to Europe permenently (though some have gone temporarily, I know an American who's currently a graduate student in Germany for example.)

    Almost all of the toll roads I've been on in the US were automated. (I've never been on a toll road west of the Mississippi, where I've been most of my life; the toll roads in Illinois and New York I've driven on were all automated, I recall only once traveling on a non-automated toll road, in Boston, and I suspect it wasn't automated only because it was a temporary bypass during construction) Your anecdotal evidence is all at odds with my anecdotal evidence. But, more to the point, I suspect that the per capita number of government jobs (as private industry doesn't often support such waste) is generally higher in Europe.

    I lived in Canada for a few years, I was quite happy to move back to the US.

    1. Re:Perspective by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

      Because I'm getting quite drunk now, and need really to go to bed, I'll keep this short. My whole point is actually that Europeans are abondoning their own culture for Americanisms. This is not happening at the level of adults, but in childhood, hence the brainwashing thing. I do not blame the americans at all. I am actually accusing all Europenas that are guilty of accepting halloween. Honestly, I respect holidays, I respect people but we are losing our identity and nobody seems to be fighting for it.
      Please excuse me for the toll road comment, I only visited California and Florida up until now (Ohio is next), and tolls were manneed everywhere. That's where I got this idea from. We don't have much toll roads anyway ;-)

  70. Re:I know this is an american forum... by Corporate+Troll · · Score: 1

    I am glad to hear that at least one person tries to give me hope. So far I only got flames and lack of understanding.
    I hope you are right, I hope.... But I won't live to see it.... I will fight, as long as I can.

  71. Re:Evidence? QWZX by JudgeFurious · · Score: 1

    Had you said the same thing about Clinton my response would be no different. It would still fall on the deaf ears of a fool though.

    --
    Appended to the end of comments you post. 120 chars.
  72. Re:I know this is an american forum... by martintt · · Score: 1

    Europeans that hate Americans are the funniest lot,....

    Erm thats most of us. Well we mostly hate American culture and the nation in general. I've liked almost all individual Americans that I've met so far, (the naivety can even be cute).

    However when Americans can elect senators who are quoted as saying "Israel is for the Jews, God said so, it's in the Bible -read it," and then complain about the evils of other peoples' religious fundamentalism, there is little wonder the rest of the world has no respect for the USA. That coupled with your nation's supreme arrogance/cultural imperialism, tends to lead to hatred.

    because they forget that they're[sic] country sucked enough for people to go across oceans to avoid.

    If the first (white) americans hated europe so much why did they name all their cities after european ones? Methinks they left for a number of reasons, they were: misfits, adventurers, opportunists, anarchists and yes people trying to avoid religious persecution, and the other evils in Europe at the time.

    The main reason was that the Americas were huge, full of natural resourses with a very small poorly armed local population.

  73. Re:Evidence? by JudgeFurious · · Score: 1

    I make $42,300 per year working for county level goverment and I could leave this country with relative ease.

    I pay on a house that ran a little over 123K, sits on 2.8 acres, and that I have financed on a 15 year note. I'm paying $890 month for this privilege. And no folks, it don't have wheels nor is it "doublewide".

    I make payments on a 2001 Regal GS that I bought last year at 0% (just doing my part to fight terrorism) and have utilities, groceries, and the standard set of bills that come with being alive in America.

    You're doing it wrong kiddo. Not sure in what way but you're without a doubt doing it wrong. I have plenty of money leftover for myself.

    It's more like the price you pay for living in America and not knowing how to work your budget correctly. Blame it on the rest of the world, blame it on Dub'Yah, or whatever else you can think of but get one thing straight. If you can't manage to live comfortably on that salary you're the one to blame, no one else.

    I think you just don't want to trade in your home and quality used Nissan Sentra for the possibility that your big move abroad might prove nothing more than that you were better off here than you thought and you're a moron.

    Note I said "possibility". You might not be a moron. Maybe you bought your house at a high interest rate and live somewhere where 45K ain't enough to rent a decent shopping cart. It's possible.

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  74. Re:I know this is an american forum... by DrMaurer · · Score: 2

    Well, most Americans hate American culture in general, but there's nothing they're willing to do about it.

    Your polititian reference is a good one, though, a lot of people are unwilling to look at fellow "people of the book" and realize that there is a lot of shitty stuff done on both sides of that conflict.

    I don't see what you mean by arrogance, but whatever, why doesn't everyone hate the French?

    That was a joke, it's really the Quebec'ers that are that bad.

    That was a joke, too.

    I don't see arrogance, but, if I may be so bold, I don't watch much TV. Perhaps some of your countrymen and women should follow that example. :-)

    --
    Dan
  75. Re:Evidence? by JudgeFurious · · Score: 1

    I'm not in your sight. I'm on your monitor.

    Your lame comments addressed (out of boredom at the moment) in sequence follows:

    "You are a mother fucking idiot. It's people like you who give the US it's bad reputation abroad. You are arrogant without reason."

    Well I can think of 12,000 reasons called warheads that might be considered cause for arrogance so granted. I'm arrogant. If you say I am then I must be right?

    I live in a country that's pretty much capable of doing whatever it wants to in regards to the majority of the rest of the world and I admit it. It's not that I completely agree with it but it's a reality. People who claim it isn't aren't looking at the world around them. We call the shots or can call the shots in more places than any single other nation on earth. Dispute that for me. You can't. It's just true. Arab nations don't want the US to go to war in Iraq. Aside from the yea or nay of it being right you can bet your ass that if we want it then it will happen.

    Is it right? Probably not. Will it happen? No doubt about it if the US says so.

    Personally I think it's poor tips from tightwads that give the US a bad reputation abroad but that's just me. You might have something there.

    "At least I, as an American, am willing to admit that the US doesn't have the power that most dupes have been conned into thinking that we do"

    This is stupid. We have the power to level entire nations. We have power your tiny little ass has never even dreamed of. We have the ability to equal the worlds production capability in a pinch and we can cut off the food of hundreds of millions of people around the world in the blink of an eye (or rather the time it takes for one man to sign a piece of paper and/or verbally give an order). Do you have any idea how many countries economies freakin vanish if we pull our citizens off of the teet of cheap gas? Once again man, not necessarily right but almost impossible to refute. Ok, that one simply isn't right. Hell even I can see that. Still true though.

    "With fools like you and the current administration jumping around acting like schoolyard bullies and claiming their superiority, things are only going to get worse. We don't deserve to have that kind of power anyway."

    My ass never left my seat when I typed that (so you can't say I was jumping around. You can say it but it ain't the truth) and you don't have to be a Republican to think the US is the country pushing the buttons and pulling the levers in the world today. The Democrats take care of it when the Republicans aren't doing it and they do it just as well. Actually if you read the FUCKING NEWSPAPERS or watch the news on the TELEVISION, or even go to a news site on the internet of your choice OTHER THAN SLASHDOT then you would see that no one does any claiming of superiority. It wouldn't do for public consumption and it makes us look, well, just like "schoolyard bullies". The US seems to prefer to take a "we're just one of the guys" approach to world domination and we even go out of our way to pretend that all of these other so called powers get to feel like they are being consulted and part of "the team".

    No one is fooled by this, except perhaps you, but it would be poor form to simply come out and say "Everyone get out of our way or prepare to get your ass kicked". What can we say, we don't want anyones feelings hurt over this whole "we got the balls and you got the sack" thing.

    Oh and deserve has absolutely nothing to do with it. Never has, never will.

    "But, thanks to you we are doomed to have more things like Spet (?) 11th happen. I'll bet you're one of those fucks that drives your sorry ass to work in an SUV as well... You've done far more to further finance terrorism in that fucking monstrosity than any drug dealer has. What a lame ass. You are an embarassment. Leave my sight now."

    I caused "Spet 11th"? No shit? Well damn, I'm sorry and I'll do whatever I can to try and make it up to everyone....

    Know what? Fuck you instead. I don't own a friggin SUV so by your logic I'm innocent of the whole mess. September 11th was caused by (pay close attention you shaved fucking ape) A BUNCH OF ASSHOLES WHO DECIDED TO KILL PEOPLE. That's the whole story. Nothing more to see here, move along.

    Damn near everyone on the planet figures the US is the source of some problem they have. Most of them are wrong but we make a convienient target. We're big, we're bad, and we inspire plenty of fear since we're the biggest and baddest thing on the block.

    Knucklehead monkeys praying to Allah (equal opportunity offender here, I think your basic Christian type "God" fellow is just as much of a joke) and living their lives by 12th century rules crack me up. They talk about how bad we are and how we're so friggin evil. If we were as evil as they think we are their countries would be black glass and bones. We'd get the oil the old fashioned way. We'd kill the indigenous population for it and/or enslave them. Just like back in the day when England was leading the pack all the other western nations would line up for their share of the pot too. And just like they all kissed ass up to England then they would be lining up to be our little something special today.

    Arrogant, yes. Running the show, yes. More powerful than anything else on this planet, of course. Right, I kind of doubt it. Inevitable, oh yeah.

    "How High? - The United Nations when we say jump.

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  76. Arrogance.... by martintt · · Score: 1
    I don't see arrogance,... it's generally the first fault non US citizens find with the USA.

    Americans traditionally are regarded as fat, loud and arrogant, rich and stupid none of which are fair to most of those that I've met, but that's the general sterio-type in the 4 continents I've surveyed. (One is generally treated better when travelling when one explains one is not American).

    The USA's hypocritical stance on human rights(prisons etc)/ police brutality, and general belief that the US is above international law could possibly be construed as arrogant, as could the failure to agree to the Kyoto agreement etc.

    However this is the best snippet that I found on google when searching for
    'American Arrogance'
    It's an old one, but I'd love to believe it's not urban myth, and they may have been french Canadians (which should keep you happy).

    ...but, if I may be so bold, I don't watch much TV. Perhaps some of your countrymen and women should follow that example.

    Ahh yes - I'd heard that in the land of the free, there were so many channels, that you were all too busy switching through 100s of channels to watch any TV ;-P

    1. Re:Arrogance.... by DrMaurer · · Score: 1

      Goddamnit, hit the back button and lost my first post on accident.

      Anyhow: When bush decided that the world didn't matter, a lot of American's changed their voting preference, however, a lot of American's don't have the money for lobbyists either. I don't know how to fix it. I know that no incombant no matter what seat will get my vote in a few days.

      I'm sure that this kind of lobbying is happening in a lot of democratic countries, but it's just been the status quo here for so long.

      Your little joke is very funny. It probably wasn't Quebec-related, becaus they're in the middle of the country (not that that counts much in the military any more). Probably off Newfoundland. (Besides, the French thing was a joke.)

      The TV thing is TRUE! There are 60 channels on my regular (non-digital) cable (which comes "free" with my cable modem), and some of them are so specific I just wonder when they're going to have a TV station that will be perfect for people like me . . . . ooh, shiney thing.

      --
      Dan
  77. Get your own Carving tools by Kaz+Riprock · · Score: 2
    I use these patterns and carving tools year after year. This company has some great tips and cool books of patterns available. There are a few patterns free on their site each year.

    The company is Pumpkin Masters.

    Unfortunately, I don't have any of my pictures on the web at this point, but I have used their tools and patterns for the past 5 years now with no failure.

    --
    Mordor...a magical, mythical land where women are more rare than dragons--but where every man would rather find a dragon
  78. Pumpkin gun by ctar · · Score: 2

    From the pumpkin gun story:

    A story about the cannon published last week in The Herald-Times of Bloomington was picked up by The Associated Press, leading to calls from reporters as far away as Great Britain.

    I actually saw a TV news spot on this thing here in Japan...(probably from the AP spot)

  79. Re:Evidence? by JudgeFurious · · Score: 1

    Hardly, I felt like writing and bitching and did so. I enjoyed myself too. What's not to love?

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  80. Last Post! by alpg · · Score: 1

    SOMETIMES THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD is so overwhelming, I just want to throw
    back my head and gargle. Just gargle and gargle and I don't care who hears
    me because I am beautiful.
    -- Jack Handley, The New Mexican, 1988.

    - this post brought to you by the Automated Last Post Generator...