At the very first Halloween party I can remember, which was when I was about 7, there was a series of boxes, covered in black cloth, with holes cut out so that you could reach in and feel whatever was inside. There were eyeballs (peeled grapes) in one box and brains (slippery cooked spaghetti). I can't recall if there were any others, but I was not alone in my refusal to stick my hands into the mystery boxes. The idea of touching some mystery substance, especially an icky one, was not appealing at all.

Now, I know perfectly well that they were just grapes and noodles and, like so many others, actually enjoy a good scare from time to time. To this end, the best thing to do is to throw a Halloween party, since the even event makes it socially acceptable to scare people a bit. Atmosphere is easy to achieve with a trip to just about any party store, but the food is more difficult. Fortunately, there is a whole guide to making a really creepy Halloween dinner that will have your guests feeling queasy for at least a course or two, even though the food tastes good. Alien Autopsy Shooters or Eyes in Blood Sauce, anyone?

via grow-a-brain]

Eggs pose a real danger to us all, according to a group of researchers in the UK, and they're not just talking about cholesterol. The team's research uncovered evidence that throwing eggs at people was dangerous. The scientists said that a public health warning was warranted, since the eggs can "act as missiles" even when thrown by hand. In the 13-month period of hospital records studied in depth, flying eggs were responsible for .07% of all eye injuries.

Not to completely make light of the situation, the injuries were often serious, resulting in bruising, permanent loss of vision, increased risk for glaucoma and retinal tearing - and the patients were often only in their 20s.

Incidents increase in October, as egg-throwing is a not uncommon occurrence on Halloween, so we ask anyone considering throwing and egg to consider throwing it into a pan instead. Try an Egg McSarah, Breakfast Tart, Spinach and Feta Fritatta, Eggs Florentine or even scrambled eggs!