The Halloween Racket

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mark Thorson said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

That's been going on for years -- my brother used to walk two miles
away, pillowcase in hand. Mom made him share. :-) We lived in a low
density area -- first tier suburb that was still a lot of farmland.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

Anytime I hear somebody chiding other countries for their "weird" customs,
first up on my list is Halloween. Then comes Easter and Christmas. Nothing
unusual about dressing up like a rabbit and handing out colored eggs or
sticking a pine tree in your living room.

Paul

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

Yup...sucks to live in such neighbourhoods at halloween. e.

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

I have the lights off tonight and the door bell's still ringing. Two of the
mobs came with fat ass mothers, who I'm sure were telling the kids "Keep
ringin' it...hit it again!"

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

There's a neighborhood like that here. Last year that neighborhood closed
their streets to cars. If you wanted to trick or treat there you had to
walk in. I know a few people that live in that neighborhood and they have
all told me they buy the cheapest candy you can get and each kid gets 1
piece. Yeah, it's worth the drive and the hassle for a bag full of Smarties
and jawbreakers.

Ms P

"Ms P" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

There's a neighborhood like that here. Last year that neighborhood closed
their streets to cars. If you wanted to trick or treat there you had to
walk in. I know a few people that live in that neighborhood and they have
all told me they buy the cheapest candy you can get and each kid gets 1
piece. Yeah, it's worth the drive and the hassle for a bag full of
Smarties and jawbreakers.

Ms P

Check the parents who do that. For the most part, they're fat pigs who'll be
stealing the candy when their little rats go to sleep.

One time on Usenet said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

Sheesh, that's terrible! We take our kids (AAMOF, we need to leave
soon) to a school-sponsered Trunk or Treat outing. We parents donate
all the candy and the school provides games and small prizes. DS may
go house to house later, but just locally...

--
Jani in WA

Lou Decruss said:

Quoted message said:

Check the parents who do that. For the most part, they're fat pigs who'll be
stealing the candy when their little rats go to sleep.

And they're out with the kids while nobody is at their house handing
out candy. Something's not right with this candy begging thing.

I think one of the reasons that we don't get any trick or treaters around
here, other than being in the country and the poor pickings per mile
walked, is that most of the families with young children are Dutch, and
they don't send their kids out begging for hand-outs.

JoeSpareBedroom said:

"Ms P" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

Quoted message said:

There's a neighborhood like that here. Last year that neighborhood closed
their streets to cars. If you wanted to trick or treat there you had to
walk in. I know a few people that live in that neighborhood and they have
all told me they buy the cheapest candy you can get and each kid gets 1
piece. Yeah, it's worth the drive and the hassle for a bag full of
Smarties and jawbreakers.

Quoted message said:

Ms P

Check the parents who do that. For the most part, they're fat pigs who'll be
stealing the candy when their little rats go to sleep.

Think about what you just said... do you really think the junk-food-a-
holics are going to exert themselves humping their excavator butts
house to house for tiny packets of candy corn and red hots when they
can be lazing at home in front of the tube scoffing down forklift
loads of brownies and cookie dough ice cream. The only parents I see
hustling around with their kids are built like super fit marathon
jocks. This year I'm handing out mini almond joy and reese's cups...
I somehow get the feeling they wished I was handing out raw carrots
and celery stalks instead.

Sheldon

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JoeSpareBedroom said:

"Ms P" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> Quoting from an e-mail received today:

Quoted message said:

> "Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
> to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
> twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
> such neighborhoods.)"

Quoted message said:

There's a neighborhood like that here. Last year that neighborhood
closed
their streets to cars. If you wanted to trick or treat there you had
to
walk in. I know a few people that live in that neighborhood and they
have
all told me they buy the cheapest candy you can get and each kid gets 1
piece. Yeah, it's worth the drive and the hassle for a bag full of
Smarties and jawbreakers.

Quoted message said:

Ms P

Check the parents who do that. For the most part, they're fat pigs who'll
be
stealing the candy when their little rats go to sleep.

Think about what you just said... do you really think the junk-food-a-
holics are going to exert themselves humping their excavator butts
house to house for tiny packets of candy corn and red hots when they
can be lazing at home in front of the tube scoffing down forklift
loads of brownies and cookie dough ice cream. The only parents I see
hustling around with their kids are built like super fit marathon
jocks. This year I'm handing out mini almond joy and reese's cups...
I somehow get the feeling they wished I was handing out raw carrots
and celery stalks instead.

Sheldon

The ones I've seen were shlubs who kept their fat asses parked in their
Dodge minivans while their disgusting spawn ran from door to door, many not
even in costumes.

In article <d78Wi.12037$%r.11421@trnddc01>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

Anytime I hear somebody chiding other countries for their "weird" customs,
first up on my list is Halloween. Then comes Easter and Christmas. Nothing
unusual about dressing up like a rabbit and handing out colored eggs or
sticking a pine tree in your living room.

Paul

The old pagan ways die hard in the U.S.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

I have the lights off tonight and the door bell's still ringing. Two of the
mobs came with fat ass mothers, who I'm sure were telling the kids "Keep
ringin' it...hit it again!"

Interestingly I forgot to flip the outside light on but still got trick-
or-treaters. Next year I'll remember to turn the light on.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Lou Decruss said:

And they're out with the kids while nobody is at their house handing
out candy. Something's not right with this candy begging thing.

Lou

Really? Around here, one parent stays home and hands out candy while
the other escorts the kids. It might be the only time the dads see each
other. :-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

JoeSpareBedroom said:

"Ms P" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Mark Thorson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

There's a neighborhood like that here. Last year that neighborhood closed
their streets to cars. If you wanted to trick or treat there you had to
walk in. I know a few people that live in that neighborhood and they have
all told me they buy the cheapest candy you can get and each kid gets 1
piece. Yeah, it's worth the drive and the hassle for a bag full of
Smarties and jawbreakers.

Ms P

Check the parents who do that. For the most part, they're fat pigs who'll be
stealing the candy when their little rats go to sleep.

And they're out with the kids while nobody is at their house handing
out candy. Something's not right with this candy begging thing.

Lou

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mark Thorson said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

That's been going on for years -- my brother used to walk two miles
away, pillowcase in hand. Mom made him share. :-) We lived in a low
density area -- first tier suburb that was still a lot of farmland.

Walking is different than being shuttled in by carloads. We used to walk
for blocks and blocks... to places we'd never gone before. We weren't
fearful; our parents weren't fearful.

The good old days.

Quoted message said:

Yes, it was white middle-class suburbia. But this has turned into
"bussing" except in this case it's one night a year. How does that
solve anything?

Huh? Who said anything about solving anything?
What the heck is it supposed to solve?

Quoted message said:

How does this make these kids
feel like they are part of anything? I don't think it does.
Jill

Oh, jeez, Jill. Sure it does. If they're doing it with friends, it
makes them feel like they're part of a group of friends who go trick or
treating together. Even if Pops drives them across town to mooch candy,
they're part of the Halloween tradition of begging candy.

Around here, if you don't want to play (hand out candy to the little
beggars) you just turn off your outside house/yard light and don't
answer the door.

I've had about 45 kids in the last 90 minutes; not much longer and I'll
douse the light, I just talked to The Kid (formerly known as the Blue
Ribbon Grandchild), er-r-r-r, Hannah Montana of the northland. She said
she wouldn't share her candy with me. (This is why I never did like
kindergartners. '-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

Lou Decruss said:

And they're out with the kids while nobody is at their house handing
out candy. Something's not right with this candy begging thing.

We're teaching them to be Americans.
Specifically, Democrats. :-)

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mark Thorson said:

Quoting from an e-mail received today:

"Kids are literally shuttled and bussed into my neighborhood, known
to have good pickings. Juvenile population temporarily increases
twentyfold. (I bet there are maps or Web sites that direct people to
such neighborhoods.)"

That's been going on for years -- my brother used to walk two miles
away, pillowcase in hand. Mom made him share. :-) We lived in a low
density area -- first tier suburb that was still a lot of farmland.

Walking is different than being shuttled in by carloads. We used to walk
for blocks and blocks... to places we'd never gone before. We weren't
fearful; our parents weren't fearful. Yes, it was white middle-class
suburbia. But this has turned into "bussing" except in this case it's one
night a year. How does that solve anything? How does this make these kids
feel like they are part of anything? I don't think it does.

Jill

Paul M. Cook said:

Anytime I hear somebody chiding other countries for their "weird" customs,
first up on my list is Halloween. Then comes Easter and Christmas. Nothing
unusual about dressing up like a rabbit and handing out colored eggs or
sticking a pine tree in your living room.

Paul

For a hilarious experience, read David Sedaris's essay about taking a
French class in France and the discussion in class about Easter customs.
I don't think I have ever read anything so funny.

gloria p