It seems that no matter hard times are financially, we always figure out a way to spend money on things we want. You know, the important things -- like Halloween. The economy is in the toilet, but despite that, Halloween spending is expected to be 18 percent higher than last year -- according to The National Retail Federation. 70 percent of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year, spending an average of $72 on decorations, costumes and candy. Before it's all said and done, Americans are expected to spend nearly seven billion bucks on Halloween this year. So, who says there's a recession going on?

Source: Time

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Halloween has become a top party holiday -- both for kids and adults. This year, unfortunately, Halloween falls on a Monday. Which stinks. Who wants to party hard on a Monday?  But, does Halloween have to be on October 31st? Couldn't it be moved to something like "the last Saturday in October?"  Well, a lawmaker in Connecticut is suggesting just that. State Representative Tim Larson is proposing that the legislature designate the last Saturday in October as Halloween. He says it would make the holiday less stressful for working parents, noting that many parents have to race home from work, get the kids ready and out, welcome trick-or-treaters and then get the kids to bed for school. He also thinks it could lead to more holiday activities and thus more economic activity.  Of course, not everyone likes this idea...some people point to the fact that Halloween has been tied to October 31st for centuries. It's really supposed to be "All Hallows Eve," the night before All Hallows (Saints) Day -- which is always on November 1st.

Source: Hartford Courant

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Everybody knows that Halloween candy is a headache for parents because it offers a bunch of empty calories and blasts kids with unhealthy levels of sugar. Well, leave it to dentists to give us something more to be concerned about. In their eyes, all candy is bad, but there are some candies that cause so many problems that they're in a class all by themselves. Here's a rundown of the absolute worst candies for kids' teeth:

• Super-Sticky Taffy Bars -- These are the absolute worst because they stick to all the nooks and crannies in your teeth. No amount of brushing can get the junk off.

• Gobstoppers and Blow Pops -- They're pure sugar, which is bad news. But they're really just hard "rocks" of candy that kids tend to bite down on, putting them at risk of breaking teeth.

• Gummi Bears, Twizzlers, Tootsie Rolls and Skittles -- These are all candies that stay in the mouth for a long time.

Amazingly, the best candy for kids' teeth is a plain chocolate candy, such as a Hershey kiss because the sugar is more likely to wash away with the mouth's saliva.

Source: New York Daily News

...and I've got some info to pass along.  So Here it is.

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This Halloween, as you prepare to hand out piles of candy to a bunch of trick-or-treaters, give some thought to what kind of candy you're going to give out. As it turns out, your candy actually says a lot about the type of person you are.

• Sweet Tarts and Skittles -- You're a little wacky and want people to think you're a lot of fun.

• Lollipops -- This candy shows everyone that you made no effort this year and just felt like you had to have something in the house in case kids rang your bell.

• Tootsie Rolls -- You're plain and simple, yet still awesome after all these years.

• Full-Sized Bars -- Giving away big bars of candy is evidence that you're a show-off with a need to impress everybody. (But, that doesn't mean you should stop doing it.)

• Candy Corn -- You're traditional and a bit boring.

• Non-Candy -- Giving out anything other than candy -- like pennies, pencils or even raisins -- lets the neighbors know that you are shunning the world and have no interest in being part of society. You'd also be well-advised to brace yourself for an egg, TP, and shaving cream attack.

Source: Gawker

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WARNING:  THIS IS KIND OF DISTURBING.

Fear can be fun. It raises bumps on skin, gets the heart racing and tenses up your muscles.  But, can you be too afraid? Are there places you just don't want to visit because they're just too creepy?  According to Yahoo Travel, here's a rundown of some of the most disturbing places on the planet:

• Chapel Of Bones (Evora, Portugal) -- The walls of this chapel are covered in artistically composed designs of bones from more than 5,000 exhumed skeletons. On one wall, a child's dried corpse hangs from a chain.

• Mutter Museum (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) -- This museum is part of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and features a collection of anatomical oddities, such as the body of an 1830s woman whose fat turned soapy and a slice of someone's face suspended in fluid. There's also a surgical amphitheater where amputations, tumor removals and hernia repairs were performed without anesthesia.

• Chernobyl Amusement Park (Pripyat, Ukraine) -- This amusement park was built for the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant workers and their families and was scheduled to open May 1, 1986. Unfortunately, five days earlier the world's worst nuclear accident occurred. No one ever returned.

• Aokigahara Suicide Forest (near Mount Fuji, Japan) -- More than 500 people have taken their lives here since the 1950s. Every year bodies, bones, makeshift nooses, and flowers left by grieving friends and family are found on the forest floor.

With Halloween season kicking off this week, it's time to get ready to party. That means preparing your costume, finding a party to attend and being totally ready to get your drink on.  There is, of course, an app for that. For example, the Pocket Cocktails app has been updated with a collection of new Halloween-themed drinks. You'll be able to make a perfect Bloody Brain or Eyeball Martini, among many others. So, get in the spirit and get spooky!

Source: PRWeb.com

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McDonald's has brought back the crowd-pleasing McRib sandwich. The sauce-slathered piece of pork has built up somewhat of a cult following since its original release in the '80s.  The fast-food giant had gone about 15 years without the McRib on its menu before bringing it back for a limited time last year. The response was so great that McDonald's said, "what the heck, let's bring it back." The McRib is now available at all locations through November 14th.

Source: Huffington Post

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According to a new study, gas pump handles are the filthiest surface that Americans encounter each day before work. Researchers went around swabbing everyday objects in six U.S. cities to find which objects are breeding grounds for the worst bacteria and viruses. Other than gas pumps, the nastiest places include:

• public mailboxes
• escalator rails
• ATM buttons
• parking meters
• crosswalk buttons
• buttons on vending machines in shopping malls

Scientists say germs from people's hands can transfer seven times before leaving the skin. So, obviously, it's a good idea to wash your hands as soon as you get to work.

Source: Fox News