Night has fallen on All Hallow’s Eve.
Alas, trick-or-treating conditions here in Michiana tonight are not exactly ideal. Not like I was planning on trick-or-treating or anything :), but I feel bad for the kids who are.
The Halloween rain takes me back. The last time I recall personally experiencing a rainy Halloween was in 1991, when the remnants of the Perfect Storm brought heavy rain and wind to Connecticut while my friends and I were trick-or-treating in Wethersfield. Man, that was miserable. (Uncharacteristically, I was unaware at the time of the historic weather phenomenon that was occurring. I was so thoroughly distracted by other events — my grandfather’s death earlier that month, my grandmother’s subsequent relocation, my “decade” birthday, and the thrilling World Series between the Twins and Braves — that I hadn’t been paying any attention to the tropics or watching The Weather Channel “religiously” like I usually did. As a result, it wasn’t until months or years later that I found out about the Perfect Storm and made the connection to the miserable weather I vividly remember experiencing on October 31, 1991.)
On an unrelated note, here’s a picture of my cousin Malcolm, a.k.a. Mr. Incredible, in his Halloween costume:
Aww.
P.S. Speaking of “Aww,” I almost forgot! Here’s some bonus catblogging, with a Halloween theme… a year old, but still extremely cute:
Hee hee. (Hat tip: Becky.)
P.P.S. Oh, and here’s a Halloween picture from three years ago that’s sure to scare any UCLA fan.
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October 31st, 2005 at 7:24:29 pm
I know this is a Halloween post, but here is more on Alaska, Katrina and dumbass spending, from Townhall.com via Instapundit, baaah:
Hurricane Katrina funding…for Alaska
Oct 31 2005 12:20 PM
By TimChapman
Capitol Report has learned about a provision tucked away in the Senate Budget Reconciliation Bill that would direct Medicaid money intended for Katrina affected states (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana) to Alaska.
The Budget Reconciliation package (PDF) contains $71.4 billion in new savings but it also spends $32.4 billion. Portions of that new spending were intended to be Katrina relief funds, but it seems Alaskan interests have once again succeeded in redirecting funds (PDF) to the state which has become famous for its “Bridge to Nowhere.”
In addition to providing money for Katrina states, the provision also changes the way Alaska receives federal assistance for its Medicaid services. By changing the federal funding matching percentage for Medicaid in Alaska, the provision will provide an additional $130 million in federal Medicaid funding for Alaska. This additional $130 million is a direct result of tampering with federal matching percentages that results in Alaska being relieved of Medicaid related fiscal burdens that all the other 50 states face.
So, even though dozens of other states will face the same fiscal pressures as Alaska over the next few years, only Alaska is set to receive additional money.
Last week when the Senate debated Senator Coburn’s amendment to defund the Alaskan “Bridge to Nowhere” and give the money to Katrina efforts in the Gulf Coast, Alaskan Senator Stevens took the Senate floor to denounce the effort. In his speech he threatened to resign should the amendment pass.
“This is the first time I have seen any attempt by any Senator to treat my State in a way differently from any other State. It will not happen, it will not happen,” shouted an angry Stevens.
Apparently this week will mark the second time that such an attempt has been made
October 31st, 2005 at 7:38:09 pm
OK so I just got a kid trick-or-treating for UNICEF. He was going around with a few of his friends and it looked like they were alternating carrying the UNICEF box instead of asking for candy. Isn’t that great?
October 31st, 2005 at 7:45:51 pm
Dude, whatever happened to good ol’ candy?
October 31st, 2005 at 7:48:51 pm
Yeah but what I thought was cool was that they didn’t just ask for money as an after thought. They sacrificed a little candy-collecting-potential to politely ask for some change for kids from other places.
October 31st, 2005 at 7:53:37 pm
Pets in costumes are just wrong, and I think your cat agress with me from that picture…
October 31st, 2005 at 8:01:27 pm
I never much liked candy, so I would have probably preffered to collect money for UNICEF than candy for myself. But I think children should be allowed to be free to be children.. maybe a little candy and a little donation :)
October 31st, 2005 at 8:31:50 pm
Bah. Bad weather on Halloween can be excellent for those kids who are willing to brave the elements. The year it snowed on Halloween was easily my best candy haul; when there are fewer kids coming to the door, adults tend to become more generous in how much candy each child receives.