Scary Night

Top 10 scary places

Transylvania
A historical region of western Romania bounded by the Transylvanian Alps and the Carpathian Mountains. Part of the Roman province of Dacia after A.D. 107, it was later overrun by Germanic peoples and came under Hungarian rule in 1003. Transylvania passed to various powers over the following centuries and finally became part of modern-day Romania after World War II.

Roswell
Since the late 1940s the area has become a magnet for believers in UFOs, who maintain that extraterrestrials crashed there and the U.S. government covered it up; the presence nearby of a secret Air Force test site undoubtedly fueled the rumors. A 1997 Air Force report attempted to show that the sightings had earthly causes. Nearby are Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Lincoln National Forest, and the ranch of John S. Chisum, the 19th-century cattleman.

Salem
A city of northeast Massachusetts northeast of Boston. Founded in 1626, it is noted as the site of witchcraft trials (1692) and of Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables.

Bermuda Triangle
A triangular area of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and a point near Melbourne, Florida, in which numerous watercraft and aircraft are said to have mysteriously disappeared.

Gettysburg
Most Civil War enthusiasts would say the battle which was fought near the small Pennsylvania town in 1863 was the greatest battle of the war.... or at the very least, a turning point which led to the fall of the Confederacy. For ghost hunters, the mere mention of Gettysburg conjures up images of haunted buildings, strange battlefield encounters and restless ghosts.

Tower of London
The tower once served as a prison and a place to be executed. Most of the ghosts are said to be victims who were beheaded or murdered. Many of the ghosts - men, women, children, even a troop of soldiers - are seen walking around, standing at different tower windows or walking through walls.

Queen Mary Luxury Liner
Ghosts have been reported on board only after she reached California. Many areas are rumored to be haunted. Reports of hearing little children crying in the nursery room, actually used as the third class playroom, and a mysterious splash noise in the drained first class swimming pool are cited. In 1966, 18 year old fireman John Pedder was crushed by a watertight door in the engine room during a drill, and his ghost is said to haunt the ship.

Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast
Since the murders on August 4, 1892 the house has been a private residence. Now for the first time the public is allowed not only to view the murder scene, but is given an opportunity to spend a night in the actual house where the murders took place.

Alcatraz
A former maximum security prison on an island in San Francisco Bay in the United States, which is no longer used as a prison, where visitors and tour guides have made claims of hearing screams, slamming jail doors, and footsteps.

Edinburgh Castle
A ancient fortress which, from its position atop Castle Rock, dominates the sky-line of the city of Edinburgh, and is Scotland's second most visited tourist attraction

Top 10 list of the scariest movies ever made!

* Exorcist
Something beyond comprehension is happening to a little girl on this street, in this house. A man has been called for as a last resort to try and save her. That man is The Exorcist.

* Jaws
Amity Island had everything. Clear skies. Gentle surf. Warm water. People flocked there every summer. It was the perfect feeding ground.

* The shining
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy...

* Alien
In space no one can hear you scream.

* Psycho
Exploring the blackness of the subconscious man!

* Poltergeist
They're here.

* The thing
Man is The Warmest Place to Hide.

* Birds
...And remember, the next scream you hear could be your own!

* Halloween
Trick or treat... or die

* The Screaming Skull
The tortured ghost who claims vengeance in the bride's bedroom!

Halloween Rites

For some of us, EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN!!! If you want to be unusual dress up as a nurse, secretary, grocery clerk or bank teller this year. Gypsy, vampires and shaman wanna-bes are everywhere already!

Or you could get all Martha Stewart about it and practice the following festive rites, which find their origins in the British Isles and Europe for that ""authentic"" Halloween experience. The first thing you might want to do is convince your church pastor to ring the church bell all night to ward off evil spirits as was the custom in 4th century England. If you're feeling particularly ambitious you could also dig up your dead loved ones and dress them up in long robes as was the custom in 2nd century Naples. The cadavers would be placed in niches in stone church walls ready to be visited by their relatives who of course were not appalled at all to see their familiar faces.

The second thing you want to do is build a big bonfire built from barrels full of tar and dance around it with wild abandon. I guess the 21st century equivalent would be to gather with the other townsfolk around the local ""tire fire."" It was also the custom back then to gather every stick of spare wood you could find and throw it on the fire, despite the fact that winter was coming. The key word associated with Halloween back then was ""foolhardy.""

In Britain, in the 4th century, people would also visit the graves of their kinfolk and throw holy water or milk on the graves to ""feed the dead."" This custom later mutated into the practice of giving children or the poor money or a baked good called a ""soul cake"" in exchange for prayers for the souls of the dearly departed who were often thought to be stuck in purgatory. The ancient recipe for soul cakes is not unlike shortbread, so if you want to be authentic, give the little visitors some shortbread at the door. Watch them scream and run away, however as you bend over and gently ask them to pray for the soul of your dead uncle who is burning in the flames of hell!!!

In England in the 16th century, Halloween was also known as the ""Night of Shaming"" in which people dressed up as a mock government or court and allowed powerful figures, such as the mayor, or the Sherriff and sometimes the local wife-beater to be humiliated verbally or physically. So its a good night to perform an intervention, have the boss over to dinner or practice some kind of S & M that takes the most arrogant person down a notch. At the end of these rituals it was customary to throw the offending authoritarian into a body of water to cleanse them, so Halloween is the perfect night for a pool party.

By the way, the traditional Halloween supper to serve that night would be either something called ""champ"" (mashed potatoes with milk butter and leeks) or ""colcannon"" (mashed potatoes with cabbage.) It was also customary to read the leaves of the cooked cabbage or apple peelings to see if the first initial of a future husband or wife could be revealed. Sometimes rings or coins would be hidden in the mashed potatoes, possibly causing an uncomfortable trip to the barber later to have a cracked tooth pulled.

Fire and torches are also burned on Halloween to drive the demons and devils out, but if you want to be truly authentic, put your candle inside a hollow turnip. If you really want to be fashionable about it, carry this turnip with you door to door while bumming subway fare. Also recite, as the poor did back in Cheshire England ""My clothes are very ragged/My shoes are very thin/I've got a little pocket/ To put three pence in/ And I'll never come a souling/ Until another year"". Another way to connect with your ancestors would be to take your turnip lanterns at the hour of midnight and run all over the hills (the highway meridians) yelling ""Spirits and demons Begone!"".

A holiday very much associated with love and death, Halloween is also an important night to do divinations or portend omens. Want to dream of your future husband? Try placing a sprig of rosemary or a sixpence under your pillow that night. Worried about your health? Crack an egg into a glass of water .If the shape of shroud forms in the water, start shopping for a plot in a nice cemetery. (Ed. Note: or ask Samantha how to change your destiny via an email reading. J) Wondering if that lover of yours is faithful? Throw a couple of nuts into the fire. If the two nuts stay together in the flames, he is faithful. If they fly apart, so will the two of you.

Also if you want to be truly traditional, you can put away the broom and mop on Halloween. People in Ireland did not throw water or sweep the floor that night for fear of offending the imps and fairies. In fact, it is a very good night to lie on the couch and watch horror movies. If you really want to keep bad spirits away, turn on the television. Demons and spirits hate it. It is one way to keep bad energy away.

Have fun this Halloween, and don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Scary Halloween Crafts

Looking for some great Halloween crafts for your Halloween party, haunted house, or just for trick-or-treaters?

A fun craft is something that can keep you occupied for hours on end especially if you enjoy it. Here are some ideas that will hopefully set you on your way in preparation for your next Halloween...

Halloween Crafts Part 1:

If you live in a house that has a wood-burning fireplace, then chances are that you have access to tree stumps or large blocks of wood. These are great for making stands for your Jack O'Lanterns. You could use a chisel to slightly hollow out the middle of the stump so that the lantern can sit stably or simply use some Blu-Tack or Velcro.

Get some small or mini pumpkins and hollow them out to use as candle holders. If open flames are out of the question, you can put glow sticks instead of candles for a different effect. You can carve, draw or paint faces on the pumpkins too. Instead of pumpkins, you could use apples as well. Ensure that you choose apples that sit well and flat or cut off the bottom to make a flat surface. Remove the stem and cut around it deep enough for the candle. It is best to use taper candles for a better fit.

Get a large pumpkin and hollow it out to use as a salad bowl or to serve fresh vegetables. Cut off the top, hollow and clean it out and let it dry in the sun. You could carve a jagged edge design on the top. Do the same with some smaller or mini pumpkins to use for dips or salad dressings.

Make a scarecrow in your front yard. You need two pieces of wood, one put into the ground and the other nailed across for the arms. Use old jeans and a shirt and stuff them with newspaper. Add some straw for effect. You can use a plastic pumpkin for the head and draw a face on it. This makes a great Halloween craft for the whole family.

Tie glow sticks to helium balloons and let them float around the house. Ensure that some string extends below so that people can easily reach them if they get stuck somewhere or simply to play with them.

Use publicly available Halloween fonts on your computer to make banners or invitations for your party. It's a fast, easy Halloween craft you can use instantly to enhance your party theme. Print them onto inkjet iron-on transfer paper and put them onto your favourite t-shirt or Halloween outfit.

Halloween Crafts Part 2. OK, Now We Are Getting Scary...

A visit to your local hardware store for some basic items and you could make your own tombstones transforming your garden into an instant graveyard. Paint them grey to resemble stone. Do not worry about the details as it will be dark, but do put on some exciting or scary wordings. By the way, your local hardware store is loaded with Halloween craft ideas.

Going trick or treating? Why not make a special jug to collect candies? Cut off the top two inches of a gallon milk jug. Soak to remove any labels. Paint orange. Once dry, paint or stick on eyes nose and mouth resembling a Jack O'Lantern. Use fluorescent paint for a nice effect. The jug can be kept for future reuse.

Using six pipe cleaners, you can make your own skeleton. Bend one pipe cleaner into two for the backbone. Twist another around the bottom of the backbone to make into the legs. Do the same for the arms. Join two pipe cleaners and twist them around the backbone leaving some space forming a ribcage. Twist the last pipe cleaner for a head and glue on some eyes. Hang with a rubber band for a bouncing effect. Your kids will love making halloween crafts with pipe cleaners. But be careful when cutting and keep them out of their mouth.

Using glue and food coloring, you can make a see through painting. Paint a Halloween image onto a piece of plastic wrap. Before the mixture dries, put another piece of plastic wrap on. Cut it out and hang it in front of a light source for a see through effect. You could also frame the plastic pictures using wood or cardboard if you want them to be longer lasting.

Halloween Crafts Part 3. The Real Scary Stuff...

Make some hand printed spiders. Apply black paint to your palm and 4 fingers leaving out the thumb. Place palm onto a piece of paper. Turn the paper 180 degrees and print again making sure the palm overlaps. Add some wiggly eyes using either paint or sticks. This is suitable for even 2 or 3 year olds.

Make your own blood. It is less expensive than buying ready made blood from the Halloween shops. It's not difficult; all you need is Karo syrup and food coloring. While you're at it, why not make some slime using glue, water and borax powder. This is an advanced Hallween craft, so take your time and be careful.

Using apples, you can make dried, shrunken heads. Peel the apples and coat with a mixture of lemon juice and salt to prevent browning. Carve out a face of eyes, nose and mouth. Do not worry about the finer details as they will probably be lost when the apple dries. You can use whole cloves for the eyes and rice grains for the teeth. Let the apples sit out in a warm place for about 2 weeks. If you don't have 2 weeks, you can speed up the drying by putting them into an oven on the lowest temperature for about 45 minutes and then to dry out naturally for the next 2 days or so. Once dried, they shrink and deform into weird and scary looking faces.

Says Angie Maroevich, "You don't have to spend a fortune on commercial Halloween supplies to have a great party. There are many inexpensive alternatives laying around the house or at your local store you can use to create a Halloween theme that will impress all your friends."

About The Author Angie Maroevich is an arts and crafts enthusiast, business owner, and athlete. Her arts and crafts articles and be found at craft-ideas-guide.com

7 Tips To Keep Your Pet Safe On Halloween

Children aren't the only ones who should be closely monitored on Halloween. The holiday can be a scary and dangerous time for your pet as well.

By following some simple tips you can keep your pet safe and comfortable without infringing on the family fun:

1. Don't put costumes on your pets unless they are used to it. Wearing clothing can make pets uncomfortable and even sick.

2. Candy is for humans and not for their furry friends.

3. Chocolate is toxic to animals. It can make them very sick. Make sure that the "after Halloween" candy is put away so your pet can�t get it--especially the chocolate. We hear from owners every year of pets they had to take to the emergency room because they managed to find the candy and eat it. Give them a pet treat instead.

4. If you know or suspect your pet has eaten some Halloween candy contact your veterinarian IMMEDIATELY. Some candies, especially chocolate, can be life threatening. If you can�t reach your veterinarian you can call the ASPCA�s Poison Control Center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at (888) 426- 4435.

Caution: A $50 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.

5. Costumes may look strange to people, but just imagine what they look like to a dog or cat. Animals aren't used to seeing that kind of thing, and it could frighten them. So, it's best not take them trick or treating.

6. If your pet isn�t good with strangers, it�s best to put him in a separate room away from the door, so he won�t be bothered by the presence of strangers.

7. If your pet is going to be free in the house, with the door being opened repeatedly, there is more of a chance that your pet can get outside. So, remember to make sure he is wearing his license tags. That way, if he does get away, there is a better chance of getting him back home sooner.

About The Author - James Kelly is the owner of Travelin Pets, a web site specializing in providing information and quality products for traveling pets and their owners.

Visit his website at travelinpets.com