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Search results: Halloween

The Halloween-Industrial Complex

After the 2008 recession, commercial real estate firms had a ton of empty buildings. Fortunately, Halloween stores were ready to fill the gap—for a month.

Spooky Database Relations

A discussion of the least-on-brand thing to ever happen on Halloween: The Halloween problem, a database querying issue with a long legacy.

Pumpkin-Spice Pop Culture

The spooky, symbiotic relationship between Halloween and pop culture. We’ll be right back, after these messages.

Plastic Pail Perfection

Why McDonald’s is missing a major marketing opportunity by not handing out its ’80s era plastic pumpkin buckets to modern kids. (I feel strongly about this.)

Doin’ The Mash

The history of the world’s favorite Halloween carol, Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s “The Monster Mash.” Here’s how a song about dead creatures came to life.

Bizarro Mash

Around the time of “The Monster Mash,” another icon of horror was getting in on the music game—and John Zacherle had his own take on the graveyard smash.

Let's Overanalyze Fun

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the “Fun Size” candy bar, let’s highlight the time Mars tried to sue one of its largest competitors for using the term.

Dancing With The Walking Dead

Zombies are a big part of pop culture, but songs about them are not—except for one performed by the King of Calypso himself, Harry Belafonte.

The Plastic McRib?

McDonald’s brings back one of its standby Happy Meal classics just in time for Halloween, which makes one wonder why they got rid of them in the first place. They should offer them every year from now on.

Burn After Reading

Controversial literature that lives at the very edge of the First Amendment plays an important societal role: It tests exactly what we can say.

The Neighbors You Love to Hate

The rise of homeowners associations is sort of like a microcosm of pettiness and slights, except way dumber.

You've Been Warned

We pass by all sorts of crazy warning signs every single day—including police tape, wet floor signs, and crazy road warnings. But do they actually connect?

Too Terrible For Television

For decades, TV networks have spent millions of dollars on unsold pilots that will never become series. Here's how they've tried to recoup their investment.

When Copyright Goes Copywrong

The rigid nature of copyright law during the early years of the film industry created a surprisingly robust cottage industry around public domain films.

I’ll Do Something Innovative When I Die

How could innovative ideas improve funerals and final resting places? It’s a question not being asked enough. Let’s take a dive into funeral technology.

Rock On Chicago

The larger than life and times of Chicago artist/musician Wesley Willis—as well as the deeper inspirations behind the artistic output that defined his life.

Christmas In Clay

Pondering why a well-received Claymation holiday special, turning 30 this year, hasn’t become a lasting holiday classic like most of the other junk on TV.

Oh? Haven’t You Heard?

How a single novelty song capture the public imagination, influenced punk rock and became a cultural institution. Yes, bird is, in fact, the word.

New Wave Titans

How Oingo Boingo, which began as a theatre troupe, forged an endearing legacy and launched the career of one of the most popular film composers of our time.

The Same Name Game

It’s not every day you watch a movie in which you share the same name as the lead character. I did, and it was a supremely dissonant experience.
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