Oooo! New Hauntcast Tidbits!

Chris Baker is really going out of his way to make it super-easy to expose himself-I mean expose Hauntcast-to new audiences. From the desk of the man, himself:

  "Not only are the past two seasons of Hauntcast available for Free on the Archives page and iTunes, but we are now infecting the non-members with a 10-15 minute sample of all the 2011 shows. Spread the word like VD and lure non-subscribers to sample the latest episodes."

O.K., now, seriously, folks. I've heard that a few people don't listen anymore because the new episodes of the show aren't on iTunes. Even though you can still download them off the site and then to your iPod, Chris is still taking the time to figure out a way to make the new episodes available on iTunes for you. (BTW, if you know how to set up a paid subscription on iTunes, please contact Chris and help him out.)

He's made the old episodes available again on Hauntcast's Archive page, even though people were downloading them all and not subscribing. He's made some of our prop-making videos available without charge because someone who doesn't even subscribe to the show made a big stink about it. We've replaced the commercials we used to have with more, better content. And so far as we can tell, our production value is better than it has ever been.

In short, we've done everything for you but come to your house and hit the "subscribe" button for you.

So, now is the time, kids! Show your support of our hours and hours and hours of hard work and subscribe, already!

Love you! Love your show!

UPDATE! IPhone and Droid apps will be available next week to download the last two seasons of Hauntcast and 10-15 minute previews of current shows!

And Now For Something Completely Different...

"Shut up! They did not just screw us, did they?"

 Just a quick rant to start you thinking about how politics really work.

As you all are painfully aware, the economy sucks, in spite of rumors of recovery. Government spending, whether you agree or disagree with it, still brought about the threat of a shutdown because our elected officials couldn't agree on a budget. Thankfully, disaster was averted and the government and its employees are still chugging along. I think that to a degree that's good. After all, having thousands of employees out of work and in danger of not being able to make their house payments might just be unhealthy for the banking industry.

There's just a minor problem. Some folks from Montana and Idaho have quietly attached a rider-completely unrelated to the budget itself, btw-to the budget, so that if the budget passes, their rider passes right along with it. If anyone turns down the budget because of it, the rider doesn't pass, but protesters will be blamed for not passing the budget. Tidy, huh? So what's the rider?

It removes wolves from the protection of the Endangered Species Act. If you don't believe me, read the article about how the budget rider will affect wolves in the L.A. Times.

Why does this matter? As the article states, this will be the first time Congress has the power to de-list endangered species, and sets a dangerous precedent. Once this passes, what's to stop Congress from removing a plethora of endangered species from protection, particularly if said species is deemed to be inconvenient to, say, cattle ranchers who don't want to bother keeping an eye on their cattle and find it convenient to blame missing animals on wolf and coyote depredations? Not a damn thing, that's what. Add a healthy bounty to each wolf skin brought in, and you've got a recipe for extinction.

I'm not saying problem wolves should never be relocated or killed, nor am I taking a rose-colored, Disneyfied "tra-la-la isn't nature just wonderful and aren't people evil" standpoint. Some listed species have recovered enough to legitimately be removed, and the reality remains that there are times when a choice has to be made between human and animal lives, as little as we may like it.

I'm just saying that the human race has a pretty shitty track record where species conservation is concerned, and that peddling fear and claiming that people and industry are under constant threat by wolves is pretty ridiculous. (But people believe it because it's in the local paper, folks!) Sit down and read Don Coyote: The Good Times and Bad Times of a Much Maligned American Original or Never Cry Wolf to get a pretty good idea of how these predators work, from a more scientific standpoint.

Congress is not qualified to determine the definition of endangered, nor should they have to be. I think they've got enough on their plates without having to worry about things that, for a very good reason, are not in their purview.

For special interest groups to have the power to attach things of this nature to the budget sends a message of the worst kind. Look for more of them to be coming across the wire, and very soon.

Look here for other articles concerning the de-listing of wolves. Look here for the de-listing of other species. Look here for some info on the Endangered Species Act.

I swear, the "smarter" we get as a species, the dumber we get.

Other People's Idiocy is Exhausting

It is 10:32 a.m. as I write this post. I have been on the phone, dealing with two completely separate issues of other people's idiocy, since 8:15 a.m. I have had to explain their moronic screw-up to one idiot company (that's you, FedEx!) no less than six different times, adding new details the last four times because their avalanche of stupidity has actually extended itself to bury my meager business checking account in overdraft fees equalling over one hundred dollars. Today's phone call included being transferred to three separate people and departments, totalling no less than four separate people in an hour and a half.

Predictably, I have to spend my time proving to them their stupidity has cost me money.

Including having to run back to the FedEx office with the package they mistakenly mailed to me, instead of the proper shipping address, I've had to spend around five-and-a-half to six hours of my life dealing with something that should have been as simple as breathing air. Oh, and did I mention that they improperly wrapped my very delicate sculpture after swearing they'd be very careful? Yeah, thanks, FedEx. I'll be sure to use your service again, really soon.

Frustrating.

Not, however, as frustrating as having to call my college's "Citation Processing Center" for a "hearing" so I can prove to them that their parking control officer is not only an idiot, but apparently blind, too, because he gave me a citation for not having a parking sticker on the car window that I had a parking sticker on.

Yes, my parking sticker was clearly displayed in the window. Yes, I sent pictures. Yes, I sent a copy of my receipt for the parking sticker (dated January 3rd, no less.). No, ma'am, I have no idea why he would write a ticket for a sticker that was clearly displayed. I'm not trying to be argumentative ma'am, but why on earth would I buy a sticker on January 3rd-before the semester even began-and not have it displayed, and why on earth would three weeks of the semester go by without any other parking control officer noticing my sticker was not displayed and therefore writing me a ticket? Ma'am, that's what these guys are paid to do; surely, they would have noticed if there wasn't a sticker in my window before this.

What did you say, ma'am? That I'm not giving you any reason to decide in my favor? Oh. Respectfully, ma'am, I'm forty-three years old and I bloody well know how to put a sticker on my windshield. I'm not an irresponsible kid just out of high school expecting mommy and daddy to pay my ticket. I've been out of work for two years, now, and I can't afford to be paying tickets because I can't be bothered to follow simple instructions.

Oh, you might be able to help me on this one, but not any future tickets I may have?

 I've been in this college system for three years, and have not received one ticket. I have not received a regular parking ticket in fifteen years. I think there will be no "future tickets." [sotto voce] particularly if the college district begins to require eye exams of their parking officers. What, ma'am? Nothing ma'am. Thanks for your time, ma'am. *click*

Btw, do these people ever rule in favor of the accused? I doubt it. Maybe I'll get lucky, though. You never know.

I could have been doing something useful. *sigh*

Ghost Ship Day is Coming!

And I will be there. Will you? Click on the pic for deets.

A Few From Monsterpalooza



Sculptress Stacy, Artist
Ron Whipple, Tombstone
Maker Robert Santos,
CalHaunter Heidi



Monsterpalooza came and went far too quickly! I was only able to attend for one afternoon, and there was so much there that I wanted to take more time to look at!

I think what stuck with me most is the mad sculpting skills that people demonstrated. There were several props that were so incredibly realistic, they gave me a serious case of the creeps!

Of course, meeting up with friends from near and far was one of the perks. I got to reconnect with some CalHaunts pals whom I haven't seen since Transworld, one of my best friends from junior high school, and of course, the Bloodshed Brothers.





Cool ghouls: The Bloodshed Brothers and Yours Truly.





Amazing tribute to Lon Chaney



 

Chris Ape narrowly averts being dinner



Because even now, only heterosexuals can marry dead people.



Ape, schmoozing the ladies to great effect

More pics tomorrow!

Quick Cameo

I fly home today, so I'll be posting Monsterpalooza pics shortly. Until then, here's a cameo with the fabulous Bloodshed Brothers!

I Heart L.A.

My Southwest flight didn't crash and I made it to Burbank Airport without a hitch. My dad picked me up from the airport and we went straight over to my grandma's house to say hello. It was so great to see her little face light up when I walked in the door! She looks well enough that she just may make it to her 102nd birthday. I'll have to drive down to L.A. for that, for sure. Last night I got to meet up with a couple of girlfriends for leisurely drinks and chit-chat. Fun day!

Today, I get to head over to either the Getty Villa or the Getty Museum with my dad for a cultural experience. Tomorrow, it's Monsterpalooza with buddy Ron Whipple and a bunch of other folks I know from all over. I find it endlessly amusing that once I said I was going, several of my friends who are also going asked if Ape would be coming, too. Ape is such a party animal, he wouldn't miss it for the world!

I wonder if Bob Lizarraga or Eric Pigors would take a pic with Ape? He needs some celebrity pics for his Facebook page.

Mini-Vacation

A week ago Friday, Mr. ShellHawk and I decided to take advantage of the first sun we'd seen in what seems like aeons and head to the nearby slopes. We hadn't been skiing all season because of work, so this was a welcome break.

 Mr. ShellHawk signed me up for lesson two, at my request. Though I have ten years of ice skating under my belt-which translates very well to skiing-I've come to the horrifying realization that I'm not twenty-one anymore, and taking lessons may just help me not kill myself or others!

One of the small slopes I skied during my lesson

It was a gorgeous day. It was up into the sixties on the slopes, so a pretty good day to re-learn how to ski. Of course, as the day went on, the warm sun melted some of the snow and made it a little more work for us to get around. 

I gathered many compliments on "me foine hat," which I made with my own little hands. I will likely not do that again, 'cause it was a giant pain in the butt! 

Mr. ShellHawk smiles indulgently when I wear it. At least the ski patrol will be able to hear  my hat from miles away!

Of course, I was not the only one with a keen fashion sense and a talent for making a statement with my choice in hats. The guy in the picture below caused me great envy with his fine hat!

All in all, Mr. ShellHawk and I had a great day together. I love dating my husband!

Obligatory Family Visit: One Louder!

A couple of months ago, my husband decided it would  be good to book me for a trip to see my family. After all, my grandmother's 102nd birthday is around the corner, though of course anything could happen at her age. This week, I was looking forward to leaving tomorrow, seeing my folks and catching up with a couple of friends. Then I started reading through my blog list.

Monsterpalooza is this weekend, and it's only fifteen minutes away from my parents' house!

Now, I know all of you knew that and it was losing you some sleep. But I've been so busy, I really can't remember what the date is, and I hadn't connected the fact that I'd be in town for the event. Yes, I am clueless sometimes! (O.K. I'm clueless most of the time. But I'm mostly harmless... Mostly.) 

It turns out that Jay from Juneau studios will be there, as well, so I can pop by and tell him thanks again for allowing Hauntcast into his booth at Transworld.

All that, and I may be able to take some haunters to my favorite dive bar! With the Ape! Hooray!

So who else is going?

The Scarecrow Bash

I was browsing around for scarecrow images to share, and ran across this article about the Scarecrow Bash. The author seems very nostalgic of the idea of the village and the sense of community it once had, and I think those of us in the States-at least those in the larger cities-can sympathize with his feelings, though we have likely never lived in anything as small as a village.

My own town boasts between 60,000 and 70,000 people, a big change from L.A. County's 9,848,011. We have more of a sense of community here. At last, Folsom has a FallFest, complete with a pumpkin carving contest. I'm hoping to talk someone into doing a food drive like this one here in town, to encourage Halloween decorating and help the food bank just before the holidays. Let's face it, though, it's all about getting people to decorate, because Spider Rider and I just can't represent the Hallowe'en Spirit all by ourselves!