As much as I enjoyed my time in Mexico last week, the timing of the Amputee Soccer World Cup meant that I entirely missed Halloween in the US.  Fortunately, I encountered several reminders of the holiday on my walk to breakfast this morning.  I must say, innovation in pumpkin carving tools has led to much more intricate designs than were possible during my youth when the main objective was not to stab yourself with a pairing knife that could only cut in straight lines at best.