The creepy crawlies are upon us.

In the news: How are people who hand out trick or treat candies to the costumed kiddies supposed to know when they might suffer from food allergies? They don't. So here is the latest published scare in the local papers; at Hallowe'en, trick or treat candies can become a food allergy nightmare for the parents.

Okay, hand out what, toys? Oops, earlier toy scare for the month of October. As detailed on national and local news by way of broadcast and cable TV. Don't play with Chinese made Hallowe'en toys because of excessive lead contamination.

Suggestion for the parents: You know your kids better than your neighbors do. Throw a Hallowe'en party for the family and relatives, invite along what kids want to come and hand out food safe treats that guarantee your kid won't suffer from various allergic reactions.

*********************************************************************************************

Sighted, a Thomas Sowell column that I can completely agree with. As republished in the Spokesman-Review of 29 October 2007. Where Mr. Sowell suggests to parents of college age students that they don't have to mortgage their homes or go into deep debt to get their kids a PHD. Indeed, they don't have to send their kids to Yale. When lesser known colleges or universities provide as fine or better an education. Which cracks me up that people who actually could afford to send their kids to Yale yet statistics demonstrate that few people who actually went to Yale actually made something of what ever degree they got. Mr. Thomas failed to mention one Yalie, George W. Bush. I wonder why?

**********************************************************************************************

Also speaking of education, the Spokesman-Review puts out a number of blogs, Huckleberries on-line is one example, News as a Conversation being another. On News as a Conversation, Steve Smith posts various comments inclusive of new adventures in educational experiments. Precisely, that kids don't need to memorize certain mathematical principles. Okay. Wonder who green lighted the latest effort at guaranteeing kids aren't educated enough to become tomorrow's workers, builders and CEOs?

Editor Smith is utterly distressed at the fact that people applying for work at the S-R can't even put together a sentence properly, let alone spell or write an essay. If people truly want educated kids, they need to cut out using and abusing schools for mad scientist experiments that ultimately don't provide quality education.

***********************************************************************************************

And finally, looking forward to Hallowe'en even if we don't get a lot of kids in the neighborhood. Favorite holiday for we Wiccans and Druids, after all.