SNIPPETS

NOVEMBER 2,  2009

MANASSAS, Va., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Residents of a neighborhood in Manassas, Va., said someone stole local pumpkins, only to return the items carved in traditional Halloween fashion.  Manassas resident Chrissi Blasius said the mysterious pumpkin carver struck her home recently, stealing a pumpkin from her front porch and returning the item with a face carved out of it, the Manassas (Va.) Journal Messenger reported Friday.

Manassas is also "Bull Run," where the first battle of the Civil War took place.  The local tourist industry could make a mint by claiming that the pumpkins were carved by the ghosts of Civil War soldiers.  Aw, why not?

NOVEMBER 1,  2009

From AFP:  It was not your usual night at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Saturday, with the White House lit up pumpkin-orange and thousands of little ghosts and goblins trick-or-treating the president of the United States.  Barack Obama's first Halloween as president saw him dishing out candy and pastries baked by his chef to many of the estimated 2,000 children -- many in elaborate costumes -- from 11 area schools on the north portico of the White House, as some of his top staff stepped into frightful or fuzzy character.

Some of his stop staff stepped into frightful or fuzzy character?  Why is this night different from any other night?