The protesters were out in full force in Chicago last week. Voicing outrage over the killing of a young black man by a white police officer, the protesters impeded Black Friday shopping in one of the Windy City's most popular retail spots. From the videos that I watched, it seemed that the protesters were given plenty of space to deliver their message. But is a shopping mall the appropriate place to do this? If they're goal is to piss people off and make themselves look like assholes, I guess I'd have to say, "Mission accomplished."
Fueled by the Black Lives Matter movement, these scenes are becoming a recurring episode. However, I'm still finding it hard to comprehend the consistency of their argument. While the usual suspects pop out of the woodwork anytime there's a black man shot by the police, they remain virtually silent on the black-on-black killings that occur daily in places like Baltimore and Chicago.
So far this weekend, seven blacks have been killed in Chicago. Police were involved in none of them. So, no outrage. And recently, a 9-year-old boy was lured off of a Chicago playground and fatally shot in a gang-related retaliation. The victim was the son of a rival gang member. His life was snuffed out before it really had a chance to begin. So, who's marching for him? Did his life matter?
One of the "gotcha" questions during this political campaign season has been, "Do black lives matter? Or do all lives matter?"
Ironically, whoever gives the "all inclusive" answer is automatically lambasted for being a "racist". Why even ask the question if there's only one acceptable response? The logic here is mind numbing. Martin Luther King is probably rolling in his grave and screaming, "WTF are these fools talking about?"
Since the BLM crowd is fond of asking racially-charged questions, I would like to ask them, "Do black lives matter? Or do all black lives matter?"
kw
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
The Mayor Goes To Paris
I just saw where Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is preparing for a trip to Paris. I thought this was kind of strange, What kind of advice could she possibly give the French people on terrorism? Her city has become a hotbed for urban terrorists ever since she gave the order to stand down last April. And it's likely to get worse with upcoming trials of the six police officers. Maybe the mayor will advise the French people to write out a million dollar checks to the terrorists.
Wait a minute....what was that? She's going to Paris for a climate change conference? Are you f*cking kidding me??
So, let me see if I've got this right. People are getting killed in Baltimore so rapidly that the funeral parlors are practically running out of embalming fluid. A group of Islamic terrorists killed more than 100 people in Paris just over a week ago. We're in the middle of a Syrian refugee crisis. There are countless travel warnings due to recent ISIS threats. Russia and Turkey are on the verge of kick starting World War III. And the mayor is going to France for a conference on climate change??
Do you think that maybe this might be a bad time?
Besides the questionable timing, the mayor is a lame duck at this stage of her illustrious career. Before long, she will be handing her position over the Grinch Who Stole The Gift Cards. Aside from possibly getting her hair and nails done, what can Rawlings-Blake possibly hope to accomplish in Paris?
And here's the most ironic thing about all of this. The mayor is going to leave Baltimore on a gas-guzzling jet to fly to another continent to discuss what we can do to save the planet. Hey just a thought....if you're trying to reduce our carbon footprints, maybe a video conference is a better choice than a ride on a 747. But since the tree-huggers like to blow smoke up my ass, I think I'll return the favor and fire up my Corvette. With any luck, I'll blow past a Prius or two....
By the way, where's Al Gore been? Maybe he can dim the lights in his mansion and fly over to join the gathering of meat-heads. But then again, he's probably too busy counting the money with his polar bears.
Some people might not know it but Baltimore's Mayor also happens to be the President of the US Conference of Mayors. I'm not really sure what the purpose of the conference of mayors is, but it seems to have some pretty good perks. If there's a conference of bloggers, I'd like to join. Perhaps I can score a trip to Octoberfest next year. And you can bet your ass that I won't be talking about climate change....
kw
Wait a minute....what was that? She's going to Paris for a climate change conference? Are you f*cking kidding me??
So, let me see if I've got this right. People are getting killed in Baltimore so rapidly that the funeral parlors are practically running out of embalming fluid. A group of Islamic terrorists killed more than 100 people in Paris just over a week ago. We're in the middle of a Syrian refugee crisis. There are countless travel warnings due to recent ISIS threats. Russia and Turkey are on the verge of kick starting World War III. And the mayor is going to France for a conference on climate change??
Do you think that maybe this might be a bad time?
Besides the questionable timing, the mayor is a lame duck at this stage of her illustrious career. Before long, she will be handing her position over the Grinch Who Stole The Gift Cards. Aside from possibly getting her hair and nails done, what can Rawlings-Blake possibly hope to accomplish in Paris?
And here's the most ironic thing about all of this. The mayor is going to leave Baltimore on a gas-guzzling jet to fly to another continent to discuss what we can do to save the planet. Hey just a thought....if you're trying to reduce our carbon footprints, maybe a video conference is a better choice than a ride on a 747. But since the tree-huggers like to blow smoke up my ass, I think I'll return the favor and fire up my Corvette. With any luck, I'll blow past a Prius or two....
By the way, where's Al Gore been? Maybe he can dim the lights in his mansion and fly over to join the gathering of meat-heads. But then again, he's probably too busy counting the money with his polar bears.
Some people might not know it but Baltimore's Mayor also happens to be the President of the US Conference of Mayors. I'm not really sure what the purpose of the conference of mayors is, but it seems to have some pretty good perks. If there's a conference of bloggers, I'd like to join. Perhaps I can score a trip to Octoberfest next year. And you can bet your ass that I won't be talking about climate change....
kw
Thursday, November 19, 2015
The Refugee Debate
There's been a whole lot of talk on the issue of Syrian refugees lately. While President Obama has assured us that the refugees are safe and pose no threat to security, many state governors aren't buying it. Over half of the nation's governors have recently announced that they will not accept any of these "new residents" into their states until they are fully vetted. But is being "vetted" really enough?
In a recent New York Post article*, a Syrian community leader from NYC pointed out that documents are very easily obtained in Syria. And although they are not technically "forged", they can be far from legitimate. Syrian government officials can often be bribed to give false papers to an individual. And once they have their "official" credentials, they head to a country near you and claim refugee status.
The community leader also said that ISIS terrorists. posing as civil war refugees, have already entered the United States. These "refugees" have since joined terrorist sleeper cells who are waiting to be activated. Wow, that makes you feel good, huh?
Aside from the "legitimate" refugees, we also have to worry about the ones who simply waltz across our southern border. This Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that eight illegal Syrians attempted to cross into Texas from Mexico on Monday**.
According to a recent poll, the majority of Americans do not want to admit Syrian refugees at this time. Friday's terrorist attack in Paris has certainly awakened many people to the potential dangers of taking in hoards of immigrants from Muslim countries. This has promoted many from the left to call the skeptics uncaring, Islamaphobic and, in some cases, unAmerican. I think this is a bit unfair. While most Americans can certainly sympathize with the people affected by what's going on in Syria, should we really risk national security by opening our arms and turning a blind eye? To those who think we should, I'd like to ask, "At what point does America come first?"
The current annual cap on worldwide refugees into the US is 70,000. The Obama administration is planning on increasing that number to 100,000 by 2017. Since 2012, there have been been roughly 2000 refugees from Syria who are scattered all over the country. The Obama administration is seeking to offer residency to 10,000 new Syrian refugees. Expect this to be a hot topic in upcoming weeks.
Today, the House of Representatives passed a bill that will require additional background checks for Syrian refugees. The bill was supported overwhelmingly by Republicans but there were also 47 Democrats who voted in favor of it. While the White House is calling these measures unpractical and unnecessary, a majority of Republicans have called this a common sense approach to address security concerns. In response, President Obama has said that the Republicans are "scared of three-year-old orphans" and has vowed to veto the bill. Since the bill passed by a vote of 289-147, it should override a Presidential veto. But will the 47 Democrats defy the President if they are asked to sustain his veto? Hmm....
Some leaders, such as Senator Ted Cruz, have suggested that we use a "religious test" to screen out Muslim refugees from countries that where terrorists have a strong presence and where applicants can not be properly vetted. President Obama, to no one's surprise, has called this "shameful" and "not American". For most of his campaign, Republicans have often described the President in same the manner.
Stay tuned, this one's not going away any time soon......
kw
* http://nypost.com/2015/11/19/syrian-community-leader-isis-is-already-in-new-york-city/
** http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/18/report-8-syrians-caught-at-texas-border-in-laredo/
In a recent New York Post article*, a Syrian community leader from NYC pointed out that documents are very easily obtained in Syria. And although they are not technically "forged", they can be far from legitimate. Syrian government officials can often be bribed to give false papers to an individual. And once they have their "official" credentials, they head to a country near you and claim refugee status.
The community leader also said that ISIS terrorists. posing as civil war refugees, have already entered the United States. These "refugees" have since joined terrorist sleeper cells who are waiting to be activated. Wow, that makes you feel good, huh?
Aside from the "legitimate" refugees, we also have to worry about the ones who simply waltz across our southern border. This Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that eight illegal Syrians attempted to cross into Texas from Mexico on Monday**.
According to a recent poll, the majority of Americans do not want to admit Syrian refugees at this time. Friday's terrorist attack in Paris has certainly awakened many people to the potential dangers of taking in hoards of immigrants from Muslim countries. This has promoted many from the left to call the skeptics uncaring, Islamaphobic and, in some cases, unAmerican. I think this is a bit unfair. While most Americans can certainly sympathize with the people affected by what's going on in Syria, should we really risk national security by opening our arms and turning a blind eye? To those who think we should, I'd like to ask, "At what point does America come first?"
The current annual cap on worldwide refugees into the US is 70,000. The Obama administration is planning on increasing that number to 100,000 by 2017. Since 2012, there have been been roughly 2000 refugees from Syria who are scattered all over the country. The Obama administration is seeking to offer residency to 10,000 new Syrian refugees. Expect this to be a hot topic in upcoming weeks.
Today, the House of Representatives passed a bill that will require additional background checks for Syrian refugees. The bill was supported overwhelmingly by Republicans but there were also 47 Democrats who voted in favor of it. While the White House is calling these measures unpractical and unnecessary, a majority of Republicans have called this a common sense approach to address security concerns. In response, President Obama has said that the Republicans are "scared of three-year-old orphans" and has vowed to veto the bill. Since the bill passed by a vote of 289-147, it should override a Presidential veto. But will the 47 Democrats defy the President if they are asked to sustain his veto? Hmm....
Some leaders, such as Senator Ted Cruz, have suggested that we use a "religious test" to screen out Muslim refugees from countries that where terrorists have a strong presence and where applicants can not be properly vetted. President Obama, to no one's surprise, has called this "shameful" and "not American". For most of his campaign, Republicans have often described the President in same the manner.
Stay tuned, this one's not going away any time soon......
kw
* http://nypost.com/2015/11/19/syrian-community-leader-isis-is-already-in-new-york-city/
** http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/18/report-8-syrians-caught-at-texas-border-in-laredo/
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Terror In Paris
Paris is still sifting through the carnage after Friday night's barbaric murders carried out by Muslim extremists. The death count continues to climb as the French people struggle to understand what just happened.
From what we've been told, the attack was carried out by eight members of ISIS. These eight savages were armed with automatic weapons and suicide vests. Most of the murders took place in a concert hall where unsuspecting music fans were gunned down like fish in a barrel.
When the initial reports came out, there was "speculation" on who was behind the attacks. Really? Why are we still tip-toeing around this? Almost all of the terrorists attacks that have occurred around the world since 9/11 have been committed by groups of Islamic f*cknuts.
The Paris attacks were mainly directed at "soft targets" in a soccer stadium and a concert hall. Knowing that no one would be armed in these venues gave the Islamic murderers free reign to inflict as much damage as possible.
Looking through the social media comments, most people are sympathetic to the French people. However, there are some who feel like France has thumbed their noses up to the United States in the past and therefore should soak in their own sympathy. The way I see it is that the people who were gunned down were guilty of nothing more than going out to a concert (or soccer game) on Friday. They certainly didn't deserve to die.
What you have to remember is that these Islamic douchebags hate Americans just as much, if not more than the French. So, if you don't think that this type of thing can happen in the US, you are sadly mistaken. Our porous borders continue to provide an open door for potential terrorists. And as we just saw in France, it doesn't take very many if them to inflict a large amount of damage. How many of them are already in our country?
There has been a huge influx of immigrants from Muslim countries into Europe over the past few months. At least one of the terrorists from Friday night has already been confirmed as a refugee from Syria. In America, our President has put a plan in motion to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees. Some of Obama's fellow Democrats have called to increase that number. With Islamic terrorism in full swing, the only thing that comes to a logical mind is, "WTF..." At what point does America come first?
France's National Front Party leader, Marine De Pen, responded to the Paris attack by saying, "Islamic fundamentalism must be annihilated. France must ban Islamic organizations, close radical mosques and expel foreigners who preach hatred in our country as well as illegal migrants who have nothing to do here."
Sounds like a sensible approach to me. I wish one of our leaders had the balls to say something like this.
It's pretty sad that in the year 2015 you can't go to a concert or soccer game without worrying about some asshole with a 3rd century mindset blowing the place up.
My heart goes out to the people of Paris during this trying time.
kw
From what we've been told, the attack was carried out by eight members of ISIS. These eight savages were armed with automatic weapons and suicide vests. Most of the murders took place in a concert hall where unsuspecting music fans were gunned down like fish in a barrel.
When the initial reports came out, there was "speculation" on who was behind the attacks. Really? Why are we still tip-toeing around this? Almost all of the terrorists attacks that have occurred around the world since 9/11 have been committed by groups of Islamic f*cknuts.
The Paris attacks were mainly directed at "soft targets" in a soccer stadium and a concert hall. Knowing that no one would be armed in these venues gave the Islamic murderers free reign to inflict as much damage as possible.
Looking through the social media comments, most people are sympathetic to the French people. However, there are some who feel like France has thumbed their noses up to the United States in the past and therefore should soak in their own sympathy. The way I see it is that the people who were gunned down were guilty of nothing more than going out to a concert (or soccer game) on Friday. They certainly didn't deserve to die.
What you have to remember is that these Islamic douchebags hate Americans just as much, if not more than the French. So, if you don't think that this type of thing can happen in the US, you are sadly mistaken. Our porous borders continue to provide an open door for potential terrorists. And as we just saw in France, it doesn't take very many if them to inflict a large amount of damage. How many of them are already in our country?
There has been a huge influx of immigrants from Muslim countries into Europe over the past few months. At least one of the terrorists from Friday night has already been confirmed as a refugee from Syria. In America, our President has put a plan in motion to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees. Some of Obama's fellow Democrats have called to increase that number. With Islamic terrorism in full swing, the only thing that comes to a logical mind is, "WTF..." At what point does America come first?
France's National Front Party leader, Marine De Pen, responded to the Paris attack by saying, "Islamic fundamentalism must be annihilated. France must ban Islamic organizations, close radical mosques and expel foreigners who preach hatred in our country as well as illegal migrants who have nothing to do here."
Sounds like a sensible approach to me. I wish one of our leaders had the balls to say something like this.
It's pretty sad that in the year 2015 you can't go to a concert or soccer game without worrying about some asshole with a 3rd century mindset blowing the place up.
My heart goes out to the people of Paris during this trying time.
kw
Friday, November 13, 2015
The GOP Debate - Milwaukee Edition
I'm a few days late on this one but here's my take on the most recent Republican debate in Milwaukee. Tuesday night's edition, presented by Fox Business News, centered on the economy. And unlike the previous circus moderated by CNBC, this deliberation pretty much stayed on point.
(By the way, would it be considered sexist to say that moderator Maria "The Money Honey" Bartiromo looked great? If so, who cares? She still looked great!)
(By the way, would it be considered sexist to say that moderator Maria "The Money Honey" Bartiromo looked great? If so, who cares? She still looked great!)
All of the candidates were guilty of talking past their allotted time at some point. But at the ringing of the "times-up" bell, most of them wrapped up their statements within a reasonable amount of time. However, there was a lot of butting in and talking over each other. But because the subject matter was kept intact, the moderators let it play on.
Ohio Governor, John Kasich seemed to be making a last ditch effort to remain relevant as he routinely threw up his hands and spoke out of turn. Donald Trump, to no one's surprise, took a jab at Kasich by saying that it's good thing that oil (actually natural gas) was discovered in Ohio. In the end, I don't think that Kasich did himself any favors because instead of looking assertive, he appeared to be on the verge of coming unglued.
Jeb Bush continued to look like a fish out of water. He halfheartedly smiles into the camera while totally missing the connection with the audience. To me, Bush been the biggest disappointment of the whole campaign. It's kind of the way the Ravens were picked to got to the Super Bowl this year and fizzled out well before the playoff run started.
Carly Fiorina had a good night but at times she appeared to be lecturing like a high school history teacher. Her aggressiveness prompted none other than Donald Trump to ask, "Why does she keep interrupting everyone?"
I think Ted Cruz picked up a few points. He stayed focused and seemed to have a grasp of the issues. He's moving in the right direction at the right time.
Ben Carson didn't really do himself any harm but he still comes off as being too nice (By the way, doesn't say a lot about our world when being nice is a negative thing?). One of Carson's biggest assets during this campaign has been his integrity. But that is now being called into question with accusations of lying. Of course, "the lie" in this most recent case involves Carson stating that he was offered a full scholarship to West Point when he was a member of the ROTC as a teenager. Does this really have any effect on Carson's ability to become President. Of course, not. But nonetheless, welcome to the dirty world of politics, Dr. Carson.
Over the past few days, Donald Trump has ramped up the personal attacks on Carson. Trump, obviously concerned about the neurosurgeon's ascending poll numbers, has raised questions about Carson's integrity. I predict that this will backfire on Trump as people will view it as a bully antagonizing the nice guy. Trump's bluntness was admirable and quite humorous at times, but it's starting to get old. He is dangerously close to insulting himself right out of the race.
If I had to pick the winner of this debate, I'd have to go with Marco Rubio. He came off looking poised, confident and articulate. Even during a heated exchange with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Rubio remained calm and while going toe to toe with the Kentucky Senator. Rubio continues to get stronger as this campaign plays out. When the dust settles, I'm thinking that he will get the nomination. Ironically, I have heard that Rubio's youth might be a factor. This didn't seem to be an issue for Barrack Obama, who was just a couple years older, in his first run at the White House.
Almost all of the Republicans at some time, pointed out that he/she would be the best candidate to beat Hillary Clinton in the general election. I think that some of the GOP candidates would give Hillary a run for her PAC's money, but not everyone agrees. When I spoke to some of my liberal friends about this, they seemed to think that Hillary will "eat up and spit out" any of the Republicans in a debate. I highly doubt it. But I guess time will tell...
kw
Ohio Governor, John Kasich seemed to be making a last ditch effort to remain relevant as he routinely threw up his hands and spoke out of turn. Donald Trump, to no one's surprise, took a jab at Kasich by saying that it's good thing that oil (actually natural gas) was discovered in Ohio. In the end, I don't think that Kasich did himself any favors because instead of looking assertive, he appeared to be on the verge of coming unglued.
Jeb Bush continued to look like a fish out of water. He halfheartedly smiles into the camera while totally missing the connection with the audience. To me, Bush been the biggest disappointment of the whole campaign. It's kind of the way the Ravens were picked to got to the Super Bowl this year and fizzled out well before the playoff run started.
Carly Fiorina had a good night but at times she appeared to be lecturing like a high school history teacher. Her aggressiveness prompted none other than Donald Trump to ask, "Why does she keep interrupting everyone?"
I think Ted Cruz picked up a few points. He stayed focused and seemed to have a grasp of the issues. He's moving in the right direction at the right time.
Ben Carson didn't really do himself any harm but he still comes off as being too nice (By the way, doesn't say a lot about our world when being nice is a negative thing?). One of Carson's biggest assets during this campaign has been his integrity. But that is now being called into question with accusations of lying. Of course, "the lie" in this most recent case involves Carson stating that he was offered a full scholarship to West Point when he was a member of the ROTC as a teenager. Does this really have any effect on Carson's ability to become President. Of course, not. But nonetheless, welcome to the dirty world of politics, Dr. Carson.
Over the past few days, Donald Trump has ramped up the personal attacks on Carson. Trump, obviously concerned about the neurosurgeon's ascending poll numbers, has raised questions about Carson's integrity. I predict that this will backfire on Trump as people will view it as a bully antagonizing the nice guy. Trump's bluntness was admirable and quite humorous at times, but it's starting to get old. He is dangerously close to insulting himself right out of the race.
If I had to pick the winner of this debate, I'd have to go with Marco Rubio. He came off looking poised, confident and articulate. Even during a heated exchange with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Rubio remained calm and while going toe to toe with the Kentucky Senator. Rubio continues to get stronger as this campaign plays out. When the dust settles, I'm thinking that he will get the nomination. Ironically, I have heard that Rubio's youth might be a factor. This didn't seem to be an issue for Barrack Obama, who was just a couple years older, in his first run at the White House.
Almost all of the Republicans at some time, pointed out that he/she would be the best candidate to beat Hillary Clinton in the general election. I think that some of the GOP candidates would give Hillary a run for her PAC's money, but not everyone agrees. When I spoke to some of my liberal friends about this, they seemed to think that Hillary will "eat up and spit out" any of the Republicans in a debate. I highly doubt it. But I guess time will tell...
kw
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Halloween - The Dwindling Trick-or-Treaters
Yesterday afternoon, Tina and I made a last minute run to K-mart to pick up some Halloween candy for our anticipated hoards of sugar craving trick-or-treaters. Figuring it was Saturday and the kids would start early and stay out late, we loaded up the shopping cart with an insane amount of miniature chocolate bars. Maybe it was a bit overkill, but we wanted to adequately prepared. Can you imagine having to tell a little Minion or Power Ranger that you are all out of candy?
So, we get home and Tina transfers the candy bars to a large bowl. This gives the kids an opportunity to pick between a Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Milky Way, Reese's Cup or the highly coveted Clark bar. While most kids enjoy the freedom to choose, there's always that one kid who will go in with both hands and extract half the bowl. It's a bit uncomfortable when I have to say, "Whoa, hoss! Put it back and just take one or two."
Anyway, as nighttime approached, I turned on the driveway lights and opened the front door. I figured the litle ghosts and goblins would start knocking on my door by 5 o'clock. Well, 5 turned into 5:30 and still no kids. I eyed the large bowl or candy and fought the urge to take one. Another hour passed and there was still no trick-or-treaters. I was having a hard time comprehending this. Did they ban Halloween this year?
Around 6:30, my sister-in-law (who lives around the corner) invited us over to her house. She and my brother-in-law were set up in their driveway as they gave out candy to the passing kids. So, Tina and I gathered up our stash and headed out.
We were relieved to see that there were at least some treat-or-treaters walking around the neighborhood. However, they were few and far between. By 9 o'clock, I would estimate that we were greeted by a grand total of 15 kids. Looking at the large bowl of undistributed candy, I saw a 10-pound weight gain in my near future.
I don't quite understand the lack of participation in community trick-or-treating anymore. When I was a kid, I used to eagerly await sundown on Halloween. I would meet up with my friends from the neighborhood to plan our route for the evening. Covering a large area, we would go door to door, ending or excursion only when our arms got tired of lugging our heavy bag of treats. I still have great memories of those times.
From what I've seen recently, it seems like most of the trick-or-treaters consist of younger kids who are accompanied by their parents. In fact, the only unchaperoned kids I saw last night was a lone group of teen-aged girls.
So, as I sit here on the day after Halloween, I try to forget about the left-over candy bars that will inevitably find their way into my mouth. In the upcoming weeks, my bathroom scale will be as ominous as Michael Myers. Maybe next year, I should give out fruit.......
kw
So, we get home and Tina transfers the candy bars to a large bowl. This gives the kids an opportunity to pick between a Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Milky Way, Reese's Cup or the highly coveted Clark bar. While most kids enjoy the freedom to choose, there's always that one kid who will go in with both hands and extract half the bowl. It's a bit uncomfortable when I have to say, "Whoa, hoss! Put it back and just take one or two."
Anyway, as nighttime approached, I turned on the driveway lights and opened the front door. I figured the litle ghosts and goblins would start knocking on my door by 5 o'clock. Well, 5 turned into 5:30 and still no kids. I eyed the large bowl or candy and fought the urge to take one. Another hour passed and there was still no trick-or-treaters. I was having a hard time comprehending this. Did they ban Halloween this year?
Around 6:30, my sister-in-law (who lives around the corner) invited us over to her house. She and my brother-in-law were set up in their driveway as they gave out candy to the passing kids. So, Tina and I gathered up our stash and headed out.
We were relieved to see that there were at least some treat-or-treaters walking around the neighborhood. However, they were few and far between. By 9 o'clock, I would estimate that we were greeted by a grand total of 15 kids. Looking at the large bowl of undistributed candy, I saw a 10-pound weight gain in my near future.
I don't quite understand the lack of participation in community trick-or-treating anymore. When I was a kid, I used to eagerly await sundown on Halloween. I would meet up with my friends from the neighborhood to plan our route for the evening. Covering a large area, we would go door to door, ending or excursion only when our arms got tired of lugging our heavy bag of treats. I still have great memories of those times.
From what I've seen recently, it seems like most of the trick-or-treaters consist of younger kids who are accompanied by their parents. In fact, the only unchaperoned kids I saw last night was a lone group of teen-aged girls.
So, as I sit here on the day after Halloween, I try to forget about the left-over candy bars that will inevitably find their way into my mouth. In the upcoming weeks, my bathroom scale will be as ominous as Michael Myers. Maybe next year, I should give out fruit.......
kw