just not sure

Here comes the first of the holidays in the good old end of the year series of holidays. Time to pull out the old stories of hook hands left hanging on a car door and of meeting a girl who had died years before. Time to see those glorious colors of orange and black everywhere. Time to look at the sky and swear that you saw some kind of a spirit float by. And this year it appears the leaves will finally turn from green to the yellows, oranges and reds we so love.

It will get much colder now and stay that way until March and April. So we will have to keep our spirits up with something on the spirit that inhabits all our lives – the TV.

So put the stocking cap on and let’s answer some questions about today and of Halloweens past.

1) Herman Cain finally knows what was behind all the allegations of sexual harassment that plagued his campaign. Apropos of Halloween, who did Herman blame for these problems?

2) Halloween of 1938 and this radio program drives America into a state of panic. What was the program and who did it?

3) Ted Cruz says the GOTea Party would have “won” the standoff over Obamacare if they would have just done what?

4) Halloween appears to trace its roots to the festival of Samhain (sah-wain) from what ancient culture?

5) Speaking of scary, Republican-Tea Party Senate candidate Joanie Ernst seemed to want to prove her toughness by telling how she used to do what as a farm girl?

6) GOTea Partiers first wanted it repealed, then defunded. Now they are really mad as hell that it is not working as advertised. What is it?

7) He was a highly rated tight-end at Stanford, a mayor, a life-saver and now senator-elect and the official at New Jersey’s first same sex marriages. Who is this guy?

8) Two teachers were shot at work this week by students. Do you remember where these shootings were located?

9) Once more the US has been accused of tapping a world leader’s cell phone. Who was it this time?

10) The new prime minister drastically cut funds for climate change and fighting rural fires. Now a major fire threatens the country’s largest city. What country am I talking about?

11) Even though Halloween is an ancient feast, trick-or-treating is relatively recent. During what decade did trick-or-treating become established as part of the holiday in the US?

12) UIowa math students were surprised this week when a teaching assistant sent them what instead of the study guide they expected?

13) Halloween was originally a festival to celebrate what?

14) According to Sen. Dick Durbin, a member of the US House told Obama “I can’t even stand to look at you.” Whose has been given credit for saying that?

15) Thanks to the new highly restrictive voting laws in Texas, women may be losing their right to vote. Who was stopped from voting the other day since the name on her driver’s license did not match the name on the voting rolls?

One of the worst aspects of Halloween (and Christmas also) is that the day after the holiday the world seems to pretend it never happened. We need to linger on the fun stuff a little while.

Answers:

1) the Devil. Yep, Herman’s a preacher these days. He has discovered that the devil caused all his problems.

2) “War of the Worlds” as presented by Orson Wells

3) Held out longer. Who cares about a world financial collapse when you have political points to win?

4) Celtic

5) castrate pigs. Not sure if she was sending a message to her current opponents, future opponent or the Senate in general.

6) Obamacare

7) Corey Booker

8) Danvers, Mass. and Sparks, Nev.

9) Angela Merkl

10) Australia. Summer is still two months away down under.

11) I will take either the 40s or 50s. Popularity spread through radio shows.

12) Nude pictures of herself

13) the harvest

14) Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas.

15) a Texas district court judge Sandra Watts

Have a fun Halloween, All!