HAPPY candy day everyone. Going trick-or-treating? What's your favorite candy? Insider always favors the chocolate....as in Hershey's or Nestle's Crunch. Since we're talking about candy....GAMERS—it's a perfect day to check out candystand.com.

For those playing the Find The Pumpkins guessing game in the October issue, it's finally time to reveal the answer. Jack-o-Lantern's answer is..........14. Congrats to anyone who guessed correctly. Bonus points for you. Thanks to all who played.

DID YOU KNOW—CSA isn't just a "dot org" company? We like to show our "dot com-ness" too. You can get to our website by using csafraternallife.com. (Though the csalife.org works fine.)

Check out Joltin' Jack. He has an electrifying screen presence, doesn't he?

Try A Jolt

Happy Halloween from Joltin' Jack aka "Bones".

I Want Candy

Today and tomorrow I'd like to feature Halloween stories from you. Anyone can jump right in here. Have a frightening tale to tell? A funny trick-or-treat story? Leave a message in the "Comments" below or email me at tburke@csafraternallife.org. C'mon and share....after all it is 'candy night' Tuesday. My tale: I once went to an old mansion, supposedly haunted, with a group of friends. No ghosts were discovered (too bad) but it was full of creaky floors and cobwebs just like in the movies.

UPCOMING—
Thursday, November 9, Insider's first anniversary. Come blog and leave a message.
Thursday, November 30, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. CST, Find The Ornaments email-only contest in the November issue of the Journal.
Thursday, January 25, 2007, is the deadline for the CSA Photo Contest. Details are on the back cover of the October issue.

"Why does everything go down on a Thursday?" You're asking that right now. ....Spooky how Insider knows these things....

Guess

One week to Halloween and to getting the answer to Jack-o-Lantern's "Find The Pumpkins" guessing game which appeared in the October issue of the Journal. (Jack-o-Lantern, your host, is shown at right.) Make your guesses here at Insider. New to Insider? Don't fret. Click on the word 'Comments' below to post a message. Click 'Other' and then 'Publish'. Thanks to those who've already guessed. Would you feel more comfortable communicating through email? Use: trb4320@yahoo.com. Tell Insider what's on your mind. Note: Jack-o-Lantern will post the answer to his guessing game here on Halloween morn.

While The Gittin's Good

Commentary on the street about podcasting: yes, TikiBar.TV "deserves closer inspection". Ha-ha-ha. And yes, there are podcasts out there for all tastes. I recently found the Abbott and Costello radio show podcast. The double entendre, mostly from Costello, is unreal, given the times (60 years ago!). Blogger DG wondered: "could we come up with a podcast about insurance?" "....Okay, but it's got to be funny." Carve the words Thursday, November 9, into your antique desk at home so you don't forget to come leave a message on our first anniversary. I will print out all the comments, place them in a bottle, cork that bottle, and float it out to sea on the midnight tide. However since I don't reside near an ocean, and am quite lazy, I'll really only do nothing. BUT I WILL TELL YOU I DID ALL THAT!....Now forget what I just said. THOUGHT BUBBLE #1—What is it about Saturday Night and Rock n' Roll that goes so well together? THOUGHT BUBBLE #2—Why do some words make us react? Say 'pepperhead'. Feel like sneezing? Now say 'formulaic' slowly. Feel a weird sensation all about your temples? Now say 'zipperdoodle.' Is a smile trying to curl up along one corner of your mouth? Izzzzzz it? Don't try to pretend. I see it. Gotcha!

Have a grrrrrrreat day!

Gotta Go

Dial-back-the-decade to the early 90s. Ned's Atomic Dustbin covers the Bay City Rollers' Saturday Night quite nicely don't you think?

"Warning, Will Robinson"

Hello! It's Friday Eve today, if you'd like to look at it like that. (I do.) I was wondering if anyone else is getting sick of spam and bots everywhere you go on the world wide web? Insider has a famous "bot" visiting today. Photo below. Please welcome him with a cordial "bzzzt, vrrrt!" Now, can you guess what show he's from? Bonus: what is his name? (Yes, these questions WILL age/date you. And no, you should not google for answers. Remember a bot, somewhere, somehow, is probably watching you.)


Click on the photo for a little surprise. Notice?........ He's....... Alive!


THURSDAY SWING—October 29, Lodge Los Angeles Fall Heritage Lunch/Dance/Social. MORE ELECTIONS—November 1, Lodge Groveton No. 4; Nov. 1, Lodge Prokop Velky No. 137; Nov. 2, Lodge Mile-Hi Czechs No. 432; Nov. 3, Lodge Woodrow Wilson No. 377. PICTURE THIS—the CSA 2006 Photo Contest deadline is Thursday, January 25, 2007. Details are on the back cover of the October issue of the Journal.

CZECH FUN PHRASE—"Tvoje pohyby jsou velice dranacke." Can you guess? Hint: think 80s dance floor.

GAMERS—try ebaumsworld.com/crimsonroom.html

POPPER—Czech writer Karel Capek first used the word "robot" in his 1921 science fiction play Rossum's Universal Robots.

Nothing to sniff at

GLOW WITH IT—So, scientists have created a new element. It has an atomic number of 118. It's the heaviest element ever, heavier than radon, they say. But the problem is, they can't come up with a name. I would like to help them out. If they like, they may use Insiderilium. Note to any scientists who happen to blog here—Insider should get full credit. Secondary note to scientists—why are you blogging here?

BEAT GOES ON—Blogger K sent this joke (her favorite): "What do you do if you see a fireman?......put it out, man!" Thanks, K! Blogger T told Insider he is trying to come up with a new internet idea that will bring him riches on the magnitude of youtube's recent $1.6 billion sale to google. Let's see....music has been done, videos, ebooks, movies, chat, photos....hey, nobody has invented 'fragrancenet' have they?

Super

Here is your TUESDAY SUPER-TERRIFIC HAPPINESS ALERT—

1) Is it really only 60-some days until Christmas Eve? (Where'd I put those Christmas lights...?)

2) CSA Lodge elections happen in November (some in December). For instance: Lodge Sionilli No. 170 in Brookfield, Illinois, is on November 16; Lodge Central Star No. 411 in Chesaning, Michigan, is December 2, just to name a few. Add your lodge election date here on Insider. Members....come out and vote!

3) Are you a writer? Do you have a novel inside of you waiting to get out? (...okay maybe not.) But if you answered 'yes' then you might want to check out National Novel Writing Month. Don't worry it's free. You write a book during the month of November and keep a journal of all your most inner GB Shaw-type ruminations or Carl Hiaason-type flights of fancy to share with other NaNoWriMo writers. Sign up now. It all starts November 1 and you must finish November 30. Go to nanowrimo.org

Our Favorite Squash

Did you come across "Jack-o-Lantern's secret pumpkin-finding contest" yet? It's in the October issue of the Journal. Leave your guesses here all during October (some already have) and look for the answer on Halloween morning right here on the Insider blog.

If Insider had a house band it would probably be Domazlicka Dudacka. (unless, that is, Devo reunites!) Here they are, madcap as always, bagpiping their way into your head with that smash hit "Nefukyj, verticka" or, as I like to refer to it, "number five."
Love those "ya-hoooos" they yell....hey maybe Yahoo should use them in their next commercial! (If it works out, Insider gets 15 percent. Remember that! Fifteen! And not a Koruna less!)

Insider TV

With the onslaught of media from every direction we can hardly find a non-media moment in our life. Pretty soon our last refuge, the bathroom, will be attacked. Can you picture turning on your shower, expecting solitude, only to have musical micro-chips encapsulated in water droplets blast into sound as they hit the shower wall, releasing some synchronized song or newscast. Oooooo let's not even go into the sink and....gasp....toiletry department. yeeoouuch!

Blogging has become common now. We're all getting real good. We know it. Those 'training wheels' we once joked about are now gathering cobwebs somewhere in a distant galaxy. Tivo, ipod, DVD, Texting....we are really living that world-of-tomorrow exhibit we once wandered past from our childhood museum field trip days.

What is this all about Insider, you ask?....Well it leads me to this—have you found Podcasting yet in your travels through cyberdom? It's the latest thing and it has hit like a tidal wave over the internet the past few months. Insider certainly has been lapping up the offerings. Who podcasts, you ask? Well it seems like just about everyone. Want to see behind the scenes stuff on shows like Deadwood or Doctor Who? Go to their podcasts. How about The Onion or Sci-Fi channel? Yup....podcast.



Check out "waves of the ocean" when you visit podsurf.tv


How to get there? Well you can use your itunes store on Mac or just search yahoo or type in "podcasts" on any computer. From BBC, CNN, ESPN, Comedy Central, ABC, Radio Disney, NPR, yada-yada to the more obscure, low-budget and out-of-mainstream such as FrenchPodClass, Ricky Gervais, podsurf.tv (banner above, love the music video/surf vibe), and my favorite little podcast to date, a strange realm called tiki bar tv ( tikibartv.com banner below).


Doctor Tiki, Lala and Johnny-Johnny inhabit this weirdly-funny world


Insider is going to look into podcasting so beware. One day in the not too distant future you may come upon Insider TV.
Insider TV?! We can do better than that can't we? What would the name of our show be? Open to suggestions....

Monday, Monday

Soooo—(check this out)—Insider mentions the sci-fi movie THEM! last week and...wha-la...it is shown on television over this weekend! Do the folks at American Movie Classics blog here or something? Hmmmm, we better test this out.....I'd really like to see LA Confidential this coming weekend. (Get busy AMC execs.)



The October issue of The Journal wil be landing on doorsteps this week. The front cover story "Seeing Stars" by CSA member Alexis Janosik was written in her own words. The cover photo was by her. (Great job all around Alexis!) Click on front cover for larger view. Make sure to check it out if you get the Journal. If you don't, no worries, I will post her feature article here later this week for your reading pleasure.




From Blogger Dave: "love the cover shot and the title 'Oranging Sky' ...now I'm going to have that Cars song (Bye, Bye, Love) in my head all day. Thanks alot Insider!"
From Blogger Red Bird: "Ohhhhhh cool cover!"


The back cover details the 2006 CSA Photo Contest for members. (Click on it for larger view.) Have you taken a shot this year you'd like to submit? Do it and maybe you'll win cash money!!!



BOO! HAHAHAHA—There is a special little unannounced guessing game in the back of the October issue. The host of this game is an affable guy named Jack-o-Lantern. Make sure to see the surprise Jack has for you and play the game. Come back here to the blog to make your guess all month long. The answer to Jack-o-Lantern's guessing game will be posted here on the morning of October 31.


Have a great Monday. What? Don't like Mondays? Oh....I know, I know. Well, if you really despise Mondays that much let's rename it something else....how 'bout "Doneday". On Doneday we take care of all that junk we wanted to do last week but put it off. Get it done today so that Mon–uh Done–day goes by fast.

You've been telling Insider you really enjoy the jazz and throwback stuff but you're wanting some alternative today to rock-out with, aren't you? (I feel you.) Try on some Crawling In The Dark by Hoobastank.

Day of the Denim

October is the month for all things Halloween so Insider would like to invite all of you, all month long, to comment about your favorite scariest movies, songs or books. Personally Insider leans toward the movie "Them" as a favorite; and Screamin Jay Hawkins' "I put a spell on you" for song; and "Hound of The Baskervilles" and "Dracula" as a tie for book. Blog your favs or, if you're not feeling so 'public' about commenting, email trb4320@yahoo.com.


FRIDAY SWING—This is National Denim Day today where you can wear denim to work and donate money to breast cancer research. The CSA Home Office broke out the denim early and often as these photos reveal.



















QUIZZICAL— Saw one of these personality quizes recently. Try out the questions below. Blog your answers.
Do you have a childhood nickname?
Historical person you admire?
Favorite type of candy?
Fish or chicken?
Place you'll never be found?
If they made a movie of your life, who would play you?

New here? No worries! Kick back and relax. Surf the pics, links, and play the songs. Click on the word 'Comments' below when you're ready to say something. Write in the new text box. Click the 'Other' button (if you'd like to leave your name) or 'Anonymous' button (if you'd rather not). Then click 'Publish'. That's it! You're all 10-39 up in here.

Meet, Greet, Eat....and Repeat

Welcome to the CSA Buffet Luncheon photo gallery of Thursday, October 5, 2006. We had a wonderful time mingling and rubbing elbows and we have the photos to prove it.



Dan Wenzler, CSA President, shown in front of the festive decorations, welcomes everyone to CSA's first-ever Employee–Board–Officer Luncheon.




The Calm before The Storm. (Nice job April and Chris. Hostesses of the buffet.)



Jerry Stevens, IRA/Annuities/Underwriting, gets ready to join the buffet line. April is checking the soda pop table.



Tom Hummel, Accountant/Payroll, arrives for the lunch and sees a huge spread of food.



Pre-buffet laughter fills the hallways of the head office as anticipation grows for a great meal.



Sue Esposito, Receptionist and our voice to the outside world, says Hi.



Newest Board members (from left) Ken Dvorsky, Paul Vavrasek, Carol Tranter and Adam Wilt just came out of their first Board meeting....they look like quite happy.



Kathy Zdanwic, Model Office, photogenic as always.



Joe Stojaspal, Sales Support, gives a smile for the camera.



Mom and daughter....who is who?....Dolores Chiappetta (on left), Assistant to the Treasurer/Mortgages, and her daughter Theresa Sarro who helps Dolores out in the office.



Grinning big is Dan and Irma Farrell. Irma is the newly appointed Chairman (chairwoman) of the Board.



Dorothy Ditch, Board Member, and Cary Mentzer, CSA Vice President share a story and a smile just before their board meeting kicked off.



Dan was trying to fill his plate when Insider needed some "face time." ....After all he is president and that means we take photos until he comes after us with a plastic fork. Ouch!....okay, okay I'll stop now....



April Reed, Property Manager (and starting today freelance catering diva) shows that she is fully health-conscious when preparing lunch. Little did she know Insider was sneaking dessert behind her back! (Also in photo is Georgianna Kurtz, Board Member.)



Chris Ligenza, Human Resources Manager, is helping roll-up food items for the buffet. When are you going into the catering business Chris? (I gotta small affair coming up in late November....available?)



Jerry Fiema, Board Member, talks business with Dorothy in the CSA hallway during a break from the Board meeting.




Irma (from left), Helen Gaydusek, CSA Executive Secretary/Treasurer, and Mary Virginia Kupinski, Board Member stop and smile for Insider Thursday morning before festivities began.

Why Not Dilbert?

G'day all. How's your Tuesday going? Anybody else see their sky come down last night? Around parts of the midwest and Chicago there was one heckuva hail storm. It looked like January for awhile. Insider instinctively began waxing up the skis but alas it was a balmy 75 degrees out!

This week the new officers of CSA are onboard and it is exciting. On the very first day, yesterday, the Home Office percolated to the sounds of "Celebrate" over the intercom as Dan Wenzler, CSA President; Cary Mentzer, Vice President; and Helen Gaydusek Exec Sec/Treasurer opened things up with a hearty welcome to staff. There are mucho positive vibes happening.

HERE'S A GRABBER—How about this take on Prague: "Nowhere else does the visible so easily pass into the invisible, appearance into reality. The coattails of an alchemist, astrologer or magician suddenly disappear around a corner...."

Spooky. (And just think Halloween is a mere four weeks from today.....Boo! Ha-ha-ha)

Author Peter Marshall's book ‘The Theatre of the World, Alchemy, Astrology and Magic in Renaissance Prague’ is highlighted in the Belfast Telegraph (Digital) today. Pretty interesting article. You can get to it through the Prague Post link at right.





Excerpt:
"Prague gets under your skin. It is a city of ambiguity, mystery, magic and memories. It is a city of locked towers, labyrinthine cellars, cobbled squares and poorly lit alleys. It has the largest ancient castle in the world. Along its streets, you can find the White Lion, Three Ostriches, Two Wolves, White Pony, Three Fiddles, Golden Ship, Two Suns, Iron Door and the Black Madonna (all names of old houses).








On the astronomical clock of the Old Town Hall, the skeleton of Death appears on the hour. In Prague, the Tarot Hangman hangs upside down. In the short spring, almond blossoms burst out on the banks of the wide river Vltava; in winter, ravens on the black statues of Charles Bridge shake the snow from their wings. In the Gothic vaults of St Vitus cathedral the bones of emperors crumble. Prague is a city of the unicorn, of the bezoar, of the ouroboros, of the philosopher’s stone, of the Golem, and the robot...."



(Insider probably thinks he's a book critic now, hmpf)......Really though, I'm still working my way through the Sunday comics section. Still not sure who is funnier Ratbert or Dogbert?