NATIONAL: Why So Many People Hate the Homeless

*****UPDATE: 12/12/2014: I found a blog called "SLO Homeless" that I really liked that dealt with a similar issue, entitled "Why Do Some People Object to Helping the Homeless", which you can read by clicking here. I encourage you to read it also, even though it was written way back in 2010 - local homelessness has only gotten worse since then. In fact, here's is the link to this "SLO Homeless" blog that you can go to by clicking here.

The "SLO Homeless" article referenced above makes these major points regarding why some object to helping the homeless:
- Not In My Backyard (NIMBY)
- It costs too much.
- Providing services will draw more homeless to the community.

The writer concludes with this:
"Sooner or later, we are going to have to come to terms with homelessness. And we are going to have to provide the resources necessary to empower each and every homeless person who wants to get off the streets with a viable opportunity do so. But before we can do that, we are going to have to move beyond our personal objections to providing effective and meaningful homeless support services to those who live on the streets of our communities. Continually raising objections to providing services to assist the homeless doesn’t solve the issue. All it does is put our arrogance on display for all the world to see."

JUST FOR FUN: Halloween, 2014!

It's no secret that the Waag's love Halloween. Rick and Brian create a crazy Haunted House every year down in Southern California, and this year is no different. Thanks to them, as well as their spooky spouses, for building the Spook House and creating all the costumes for us, so we can come down and have some fun. Andrew joined us this year, which made it even better. A few photos from the event:

Above (click to enlarge): Rick chooses the theme every year. This year's theme was "Casa de VooDoo" which was a great one. Think jungles, gorillas, shrunken heads, etc. Rick carves the "masthead" above the Haunted House, which is lit up at night.

Above (click to enlarge): Sue in costume (left), and Andrew still in corporate Hulu attire - just showed up (right). Rick and Chris make all the costumes for us, the cast of creeps! Note that Sue designed and applied her own make-up. They have a huge make-up kit available for us to use to create our own crazy look.

Above (click to enlarge): Sue and I create 4 new Halloween themed drinks for the Haunting every year, and we always have a winner, and this year, the above was it: the Fractured Froggie - it looks gross, tastes great, and you just shoot it!

Above (click to enlarge): The crowds for the VooDoo haunt are always huge and around the block, and this year was no exception. A streetview above. Funny side note: during the running of the spook house, I leave (in costume) and go out and take the above photo - with a beer in my hand; I was standing in the middle of the street getting this shot, when who shows up but a cop car - but they didn't even blink. It would be a bummer to have received a citation while quickly leaving the set to go take a photo of the line action. Fortunately, the police were more worried about the crowd we were attracting!

Above (click to enlarge): Reina and Chris - a VooDoo Princess (daughter) and VooDoo Queen (mother)! How sweet! Great costumes...

Above (click to enlarge): Brian (left) as a sort of VooDoo Indiana Jones. Laura (right) in a crazy VooDoo feather-dress, complete with yellow and orange tooth makeup - and oh, what's in here right hand? Correct: she's about to down a "Fractured Froggie"!

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WORLD: Watch This Video!

Some of my favorite videos. Many involve me or people that I know. Have fun viewing them.

19***** It's no secret that E. Clampus Waagus has a weakness for the late great Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". Mark M. sent me a link to this you tube music video of a cover (by Avi Kaplan of Pentatonix) of Ring of Fire. Okay, I liked it. Not as much as the original from the Man in Black, but pretty entertaining, so listen to it by clicking here.

18***** The secret of how the "Moving Rocks" at Death Valley's Racetrack actually move has finally been revealed in this fascinating video, which you can watch by clicking here. Previously, many researchers thought they had found the answer, but this video proves them dead wrong. Many theories. Many projects. These guys finally figured it out. BUT they still don't know how the larger moving rocks actually move. Guess there's always some mystery left to figure out! This same group also has a web page at http://www.racetrackplaya.org/