Halloween Horrors: Razor Blade found in Candy in Reynoldsburg, Ohio (My Town)

Since I was little, back in the 70s (and for a long time before), there have been stories about tainted Halloween treats. Well-meaning neighbors would make caramel apples, popcorn balls and other homemade treats, only to have parents chuck them in the garbage, in the unlikely event that they contained needles, poisons, razor blades or other potentially  lethal items.

Everyone heard stories, but no one believed them. Parents would rifle through our candy sacks (usually a pillowcase), in the name of finding tears or needle pricks in the wrappers, but really just to steal the best chocolate. The rare occasions when there would be an actual case of tainted goodies would invariably turn out to be a hoax or a prank, either by a kid or a parent looking to scare people or garner attention. If you check out Snopes.com, they back me up on this.

But, especially after the Tylenol scare in the early 1980s, communities started changing Halloween. They'd have X-ray machines to run candy through, they'd hold mass indoor events instead of allowing trick-or-treating, they'd hold "trunk or treat" events, where kids got candy out of the backs of people's cars (and my, my, folks, doesn't that sound like a perfectly idiotic idea to teach kids?). A lot of over-the-top "safety" over a handful of mostly urban legends and hoaxes.

Well, last night it happened not only in the state of Ohio--where I recently returned after 20 years in Las Vegas--but right down the street from me. Seriously, we walk the area almost daily. It's a legit case, insofar as the Reynoldsburg police are treating it seriously, and there are actual photos of the Snickers bar with what looks like the razor blade from a disposable safety razor inside. But, I smell a rat. There was one piece of tainted candy found, period. That doesn't sound like a crazed lunatic trying to hurt people to me. It sounds like almost every other case like this, like a hoax or a prank gone too far. I'd lay money on it.

For the record: yes, central Ohio has "Beggars Nights," on various dates ahead of Halloween, a tradition dating back to the 1950s (with several origin theories). And no, I didn't pass out Snickers bars from my house, only Kit-Kats and Twix. Honest!

[Excerpt]

Reynoldsburg police: Razor blade found in Halloween candy

Reynoldsburg police are asking parents of children who trick-or-treated in the suburb to check all candy tonight, after a razor blade was found in a candy bar. Lt. Shane Mauger said police have no reason to believe the situation was a hoax. He said that the razor blade was in a Snickers bar. . .
Read more at: Columbus Dispatch

Gimme a Break! Next Android Operating System: "Kit Kat"

For months, the tech sites have speculated that the next iteration of the Android phone and tablet operating system would be called "Key Lime Pie." It was so prevalent I thought it was official. Turns out, they all got it wrong. The next version will be called Kit Kat after the Hershey (Nestlé outside the US) candy bar. Most previous versions have been named after sweet treats, such as Cupcake, Éclair and Ice Cream Sandwich. Now, apparently they're opting for a brand name, which is interesting. It's low-risk for Hershey and Nestlé, since even if the operating system turned out to be buggy and glitch, would be unlikely to damage the reputation of a top-five favorite candy bar. I bet you the Jelly Belly people are sorry to have missed the boat with the last release though.

[Excerpt]
 
Break Me Off a Piece of That: Kit Kat Will Be the Name of the Next Version of Android

". . .Android chief Sundar Pichai announced Tuesday via Twitter and Google Plus that Android had hit 1 billion activations and also added a little treat. The next version of the operating system -- Android 4.4 -- won't be named Key Lime Pie, as rumored, it will be called or codenamed Kit Kat. And don't worry, that's a fully licensed name and partnership too. . ."

Read more at: ABC News

Hershey's Targeted for Child Labor in Super Bowl Ad

Somehow now not as sweet. Image from source, Raw Story.

Remember when Hershey's chocolate was made in America? I'm pretty sure there was a whole town in America named after it and everything.

[Excerpt]


Hershey’s targeted in Super Bowl ad for alleged African child-slave labor

The International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) plans to use the Super Bowl in Indianapolis this year to pressure Hershey’s into taking action over forced labor practices that continue to plague the West African cocoa industry.
The ad, titled “Hershey’s Chocolate: Kissed by Child Labor,” will appear on a jumbotron screen immediately outside Lucas Oil Stadium during the Super Bowl. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Watch Out, Baby New Year!

Hilarious.

Found at: Joe.My.God.

Frivolity Break: Fruit By the Foot Creepy Candy Commercial

Why has Greenlee Gazette gone goofy all of the sudden? Well, it's always a little bit strange, but usually not several posts in a row. I guess it's because tonight is my "Friday" night, and I'm not feeling all political. Or at least I'm not yet. Maybe I'll have a couple of beers, and try to get riled up.

Meanwhile, enjoy this funny/creepy candy commercial. . .

Frivolity Break: Cadbury Eyebrow Kids

This is a freaky little commercial, with little relevance to the product. What these kids are doing isn't all that rare. I can do that with my eyebrows, after having practiced Mr. Spock's expressions endlessly as a kid. But what does it have to do with chocolate candy? I have no idea.

We used to ask "is it live, or is it Memorex?" Now, we can ask, "is it real, or is it CGI?"

Cadbury Eyebrows
by GlassAndAHalf