We invite you to share with us some of the appreciative e-mail that we have received over the years.
[In order to keep on-topic, I have omitted my replies. In order to save space, I have trimmed some e-mails. In order to prevent spam, I have trimmed e-mail addresses - but kept the domain, as it gives some hint to the writer's location. I don't post all of our fan mail here - just occasional ones that I find particularly nice.]
Subject: Regarding your hate mail
From: chris helm
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2010 07:12:40 -0700 (PDT)I was searching for a way to make a two way solenoid valve for my engineering project i have to do for school and i came across your website. Very fun and festive web page, but what intrigued me the most was your hate mail that you recieve from ignorant and narcissistic people. I ended up spending my whole class time reading your hate mail instead of doing my work. No big deal though, the whole class ended up reading them.
Now that i have said what i wanted to say to you and your team (unless its just your running this webpage), going back to looking for way to make a 2-way solenoid valve.
Chris Helm
Subject: Re: AFWS
From: Katherine Ballantyne
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:00:17 +0100Hi. just a quick email about Wretch-Ed.
He went in today for a check up and his second Ivermectin injection. His fur is much better, his skin is fantastic and his weight has increased from just under 2.9 kg to just over 3.3 kg. So all is going well! He still has to be tested for FIV etc and I am expecting, as is the vet, for it to be positive, well, for him to be positive for some sort of immune affecting disorder but we are hoping that with continued feeding, antibiotics etc he might just have a chance at a reasonable life.
The Ivermectin worked a treat though, the vet is amazed by just how well he has done after just 7 days!!!!!!!
Thank you!
Katie.
Subject: AFWS
From: Katherine Ballantyne
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:52:16 +0100Hi,
My name is katie, I came across your website after being adopted by a stray cat and trying to find out how to treat him. I haven't any pictures available of him right now but will tell you about him seeing as though you love cats and your info might just have saved his life.
Wretch-Ed came to us about 2 1/2 months ago. He was barely able to move, terrified of people, terribly scrawny, just in an awful place. We started feeding him, wormed him etc, he loked all scraggy but I kinda fell for him even though he kept trying to leg it whenever I got close to him.
A couple of weeks after we started feeding him, I had reached a point where he would let me quite close. One particular day, having got a bit tipsy at my fibromyalgia group (we have it in a pub once a month and allowed myself a couple of beers and a glass of wine because I could only use my debit card if I bought stuff worth over £5, I live in Devon in England), I ended up spending most of the night out there with him. I knew he wasn't going to get better until he was seen by a vet and that meant getting him used to me so I could get him to a vet. He wasn't happy with my stroking at all, however, after hours of gentle touching, a bit of stroking and finally accidentally finding his sweet spot under his chin (he moved to get away from me and his head ended up in my hand and I was able to scratch under his chin) and that was it, he was mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or I was his. What does it matter lol????
Anyway, after another week he had reached a point where he felt comfortable moving into the house. I thought his skin thing could be a flea allergy and the vet agreed. Wretch-Ed was put on antibiotics because he also has a stubborn mouth thing going on (he dribbles puss, it is slowly improving but it is really slow, it looks like he has an immune issue underneath everything else and we aren't well off so we are just treating him as we get money which sounds awful but all the rescue folks around us and the vets have said that no one will take him and if they do it will be to put him down). We will find out what is going on with his immune system at some point in the next few weeks.
Anyway, I insisted to the vet that Wretch had mites or something because the whole family was suffering with bites and rashes and definitely wasn't fleas. the vets said it wasn't, the doctors said the cat wasn't causing the rashes, we were getting no where, all the vet would do was prescribe antibitics. We were getting despeate, not just for the cat but for ourselves (the mites are so itchy and painful its horrific, I feel awful that Wretch has suffered for such a long time).
So, today I go to a new vets with him, armed with info from your website. She tells me the best thing to do is to put him down, he has lost more weight, he now weighs under 3 kg. Its going to be expensive to keep goimg but Wretch is my heart (ok, so I have other cats, a husband and young kids but Wretch is something really special, you know, one of those really rare animals you get, he follows me every where, he sits on me, sometimes he just watches me, he gazes at me with such affection and devotion, I HAVE to give him a chance, I HAVE to try and give him more than he has received, he deserves it and even if he does end up being put down, I need to know that we tried and I need for him to have enjoyed the company of a loving family for a while before his time comes, I am not usually like this, not that I am harsh, but I understand the whole birth, life and death thing, everything has its place, everything dies, the cycle of life yadd yadd yadda, but there is something about Wretch).
Anyway, she starts going through all the costs of a skin scraping, I say, if it is mites, what would you give him, she says we could try Ivermectin, then she says, I spose we could try the Ivermectin without a skin scraping (she is really trying to keep costs down for me). So, Wretch gets his shot of Ivermectin, plus steroids and antibiotics. The vet also does a skin scraping for free to 'satisfy her curiosity' lol because she has never seen mange before herself. She seemed kinda hard but I reckon its just a front.
I literally just walk in the door at hme and I get a call from her, not only does Wretch have a SEVERE case of Sarcoptic mange, he also has Demodectic mange as well. I/you were right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Honestly, except for the difference in Bandit and Wretcheds colouring, they could be the same cat. Wretch is so skinny and unwell at the moment. I am hoping that maybe, if we can get rid of the mange mites, it might just be enough to fight of anything else that he is suffering from or at least get it to a more controllable level.
I can't wait to see Wretch with fur, a bit more weight would be nice and to be able to hold him without itching everywhere!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for your info, I just wish I had insisted sooner with the other vet but he just didn't seem to want to know about the mange and yet it was so obvious and poor Wretch has been really suffering (as has the rest of the family).
Wretch has to go for a couple of follow up Ivermectin shots over the next couple of weeks and in 2 weeks will have to have another steroid/antibiotic shot. Fingers crossed he makes some sort of recovery, he has only been with us a short while and yet he has stolen a big part of my heart...........
I just thought I would let you know about our Wretch-Ed so you know your Bandit info has been of use to another stray cat.
I am so sorry Bandit had to pass though, at the moment, it is something we are having to consider if there is no improvement in Wretchs condition other than the mite thing but we will see how it goes. I will update you if you like!
Thank you,
katie.
From: mary pieratt
Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2006 11:43 AM
Subject: AFWS: Mange ControlI can't thank you enough for the information on mange control. I foster cats and kittens in Colorado. I have 2 indoor feral cats that cannot be touched. I brought home a group of 18 kittens a couple of years ago that had every medical problem imaginable including ringworm and ear mites. My 8 permanent fosters ended up getting both and I have been fighting the ear mites ever since. I kept treating the 6 I could, but never being able to treat the ferals meant they kept re-infecting each other. I just had someone suggest Revolution, but again you have to be able to touch the cat to apply the medicine. So then I started searching on ivermectin and found your article.
Thank you so much for your detail and pictures. I have received the ivermectin paste (1.87% from Pet Supplies for Less) and I'm going out for Glycerin today. I can isolate the cats one at a time in a room so I know they will get the correct dose.
Thank you, thank you!
Mary Pieratt
From: Nancy Gail
Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2006 7:10 PM
Subject: WSWSHello, and thank you!
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your extremely informative and detailed website on how to cure mange.
After finding a stray cat that was so incredibly eaten away from mange that it barely resembled a cat, I called my vet to inquire about a home remedy that I might put in his food that I left for him outside each morning, as I doubted that I would be able to capture him to bring him to her office. She told me that there was nothing that could be done for him unless I could get him to her office so that she could correctly diagnose the type of mange that he had.
After finding your website, I located a nearby feed store, and gave Lucky the first dose of Ivermectin. Even before I gave him the 2nd dose, I could see an improvement in him. He actually started to resemble a cat under all the thick hardened skin. He had virtually no fur when I found him... the most pitiful thing I had ever seen. After the 2nd dose, his improvement continued every day and within 2 months, the beautiful cat that was hidden under all that mange began to emerge.
I've now had Lucky for several months, and not a day goes by that I don't look at this beautiful, affectionate animal, that I don't see a quick glimpse of his former self, and I am again so thankful that you took the time to provide such helpful information to others that found yourself in your situation.
Thank you so much,
Nancy and Lucky the wonderful Kitty.
From: Annie Murphy (annie)
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 10:09 AM
Subject: WSWS:Bandit RecoveryThanks so much for posting the recovery photos of Bandit from mange. Our dog was recently diagnosed with Mange, and we have 2 cats. We're worried about the cats contracting it from the dog - so we put Revolution on the cats the same day the dog was diagnosed (the dog has generalized mange lesions across his entire underbelly, while the cats show NO signs at all - which may mean he only has demodex mange)
But either way it's nice to see how he will recover - it's hard to take photos of a puppy. He's getting ivermectin shots from the vet 7-9 days apart.
We'll see how it goes...
Annie
From: ng Clarissa
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 11:18 PM
Subject: Thank youThank you so much for such an informative web page. My cat Ash has just contracted with mange. Luckily, I brought her for the annual check up and the vet found out.
As mange is caused mainly by the environment the pet is living in, my vet has advise me to use Clorox product to clean the house. Attached is the pic. You can also log on to www.clorox.com for more information.
Thanks again for your web site. Am glad to know more about mange.
Regards,
Clarissa Ng Siew Theng
Malaysia
From: Steve Munyon
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 10:26 AM
Subject: WSWS: Thanks!Your website helped me eliminate some unknown type of mange from my cat. It's taken about 8 weeks of regular treatment, but he is healthy and we are both happy. Thanks again!
Steve
From: Jennifer Mikitka
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005 1:46 PM
Subject: RE: WSWS: MangeDennis,
Thank you so much for your help and your advice! I value it more than I can express. I will definitely increase Chloe's does and reset the clock on dosing periods. Additionally, I will try to squirt ivermectin in their ears mid-week. Benadryl is an interesting option and I will definitely try it out, as well. It is amazing to find that many veterinarians don't know much about treating mange in cats. Please know that it is because of you and Diane that I still have my girls today. I came so close to putting them to sleep because they were so miserable and we came across your story and you gave us the information and hope that we needed!
On that note, I am so very sorry to hear about Bandit. It breaks my heart and I can only imagine how you must be feeling - especially after putting so much into his care and recovery. I will keep you and Diane in my prayers. You are both very special and I am 100% confident in saying that Bandit had a life full of love that no other family would have been able to offer to the extent that you and Diane brought him. You truly went the extra mile for him and he had a life that was richly blessed because of your care and love.
May God bless you and Diane for your help and care with all cats out there like Bandit - he lives on through each and every cat that you help! I will always be grateful to you, Diane and Bandit for what you have been able to do for my cats - no matter what the outcome!
Please stay in touch - I will keep you posted on their recovery and will send pictures along the way!
God bless,
Jennifer
From: Jennifer Childs
Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2005 10:07 PM
Subject: WSWS: Linking to cat vet care: mange informationGood evening!
I am the owner of an adorable cat - who has mange! :( I have taken him to the vet already, but I did extensive research and found your website concerning Bandit and his treatment the most helpful by far - especially in comparison with many professional sites. I would like to either post a link (http://www.pobox.com/~wolfstone) in a forum to which I am subscribed (http://www.cathelp-online.com/forums/), with directions to the link concerning mange, or to possibly contact the site administrators with the link, in hopes that they might find it as useful as I, and coordinate with you any further collaboration. I am unfamiliar with the details regarding copywriting and linking, and decided to contact you before infringing on any legal matters.
In any case, I wish to extend a heartfelt thank-you to the author of the site for their amazing pages!
Jennifer Childs
From: NLMikitka
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 9:02 AM
Subject: WSWS:I wanted to thank you for your wonderful web site. While living in Memphis, Tennessee, my daughter has two cats that came down with demodectic mange last October 2004. It is a rather long story that is still in the process and without your detailed web site, she would have had to resort to putting them both down after going to 4 different vets seeking help. We live in a suburb of Chicago and I have just today forwarded your web site to our vet so that he could also be aware of the treatment process you used.
Thank you again for your service to others and allowing them hope in their journey with their beloved cats.
Nancy Mikitka
From: Diana Swiderski
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 11:00 AM
Subject: WSWS:ivermectin in cats.Hi
Thanks for all the work you did on the cats and mange article. I have been struggling with how to divide horse paste for cats as well but for heartworms..We have 10 stray cats.. We have taken in . We give them excellent care. But CANNOT afford heart worm pills for all of them .. every month.. so I am trying to figure out what is the easiest thing to use and how much.. I love them all and don't want to kill any of them..Just help them not to get heartworm.. Any help you might give would be greatly appreciated.
Also I have a cat I thing gets mange and our VET told me Cats don't get it??? Is he wrong? or what?
Thanks Diana
From: priya1976
Sent: 4 March 2005
Subject: Re: WSWS: Ivermectin for kittens--8 monthsHello Dennis,
Thanks for responding so fast. What made this time so hard for me was the total lack of concern I encountered from vets here--most people including vets do not really care about animals here. I called about 10 vets and most of them told me: U cannot do anything with mange--it will go on for years, some were heartless enough to say in the time u spend looking after a lost cause like this u can get a new cat--kill this one!!!! How can a vet talk like that? They just refused to help. If only I had found this lady earlier my dear Dino would have been alive today. She was so fond of me, so much my baby it still breaks my heart. I have treated cats with all the cat typhoids or enteritis or whatever those deadly diseases are called but since I had never seen mange till now all that valuable time was lost. And Dino though the most affectionate of my cats was also the most difficult to give any medicine--whoooo she would scratch and bite and fight hard!!!I actually gave the cats their first dose. Injection is out of the question unless the cat is really down because these are rather wild little things, very fond of the humans they know but panicky the minute they sense anything different or wrong. I kept wondering what to do but I knew time was running out and they just would not tolerate more homeo or ayurvedic messy treatments. So I said my prayers and based on what I read on Ur site that .2 or .4 per kg is good enough decided that the dose suggested by the vet for one cat i.e. .75 should be ok for both. When my cats are sick they somehow go off cat food--not that we have any variety of cat food in India!! There is just one brand available in my place. So what I did was I took a huge piece of boiled fish and mixed this powder with it. It still smelt medicinal even to my inferior nose so mixed cod liver oil which I was using to keep up their strength during this illness. Now it smelt ok. I had underfed them in the morning so by their afternoon meal they were hungry and after a few sniffs ate up their individual doses. I monitored them all day--gave them medicine at about 11.30 AM and now it is 8 PM--no real side effect till now--just some slight what do u call it--not panting--like in dogs when the stomach seems to move up and down when they are breathless--that was in one cat just for a short while in the afternoon heat. But that soon passed and they were playing happily. They had their dinner just now and look all right. But the scratching continues. How long does it take for those ghastly mites to die?
It is so nice to be able to write to someone who can care about the fate of 2 unknown animals miles away. Here people who love animals are just called mad!!! Especially if it is a cat. A dog has some prestige value attached to it!!!! So if all works well I give them the same dose or should I lessen it--one week from now? Is there anything else I can do like any nutrient or supplement? I read somewhere that milk is not good when they have mange--is that true? Finally no I am not a Hindu though know all about Ganesha the remover of obstacles! I am Christian actually. I notice my earlier mail had some ghastly spelling errors!!! Shows the state I was in yesterday. Feel much more hopeful today and Ur letter and concern really means a lot. I will let U know as soon as I see any improvement.
Thanks again
Priya
From: Lauren
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 11:47 AM
Subject: WSWS: Your feline mange siteHello, I just wanted to say that I'm glad you did go through what you did
because it gave me a visual way to determine if one of my dogs managed to spread his mange to the cats. I don't think he did, I think Laddy has something else, he doesn'[t have any of the classic symptoms like JJ does.
Thank you for being so informative, I'm still planning the vet visit, but in Laddy's case, a little weightloss is a good thing.
Lauren
From: Nitza Olivero
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 9:20 PM
Subject: WSWS:Oh my God, I just came across your webpage after feeling totally desperate upon finding my little street urchin (that is what I lovingly call him)Ritchie, my feral cat, some help. He differs from Bandit in that he jumps on my lap and loves to get petted and scratched. I can even pick him up and hold him but not for very long before he jumps off. Before reading your site I was cleaning his wounds with hydrogen peroxide (diluted) and cleaning his eyes with cotton balls soaked in warm waterfor a week. Your story of Bandit is mine, but my baby is Ritchie. Your photos of Bandit are identical to my Ritchie except alot worse. Ritchie weighs normally about 12 lbs., I would say he is down to about 8. He has been coming to my doorstep for about 5 years now and thanks my husband and I with plenty of love everyday for his food and water and yes occasional milk and treats. When I saw him last week I was mortified, the leathery skin, and open soreness, I immediately thought he was in a terrible fight and his wounds got infected but after touching it today, I realize it was tough, leathery, scabby and loosing his hair progressively. I have found your website so soothing and hopeful that I might save my Richie before he withers away right before my eyes. Please help as I am a bit confused about the dosage for him. I notice on your page you say you gave bandit 9 ml's as his dose, I assume that was not all at once. I am a bit confused because on your site it .02mg/kg, is safest lowest dose, but you also say dosage in ML's what is a mg? you say .4 mg resulted in faster recovery, but how many ML's is that. So confused on these measurements. I dont want to harm lil Ritchie. I have ordered Ivermectin paste of and syringes, but syringes are in cc's....Now I am really confused. Please help and Bless you for your site.
From: kristi bowman
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 3:48 PM
Subject: WSWS: your web pages on cat mangeHello,
I have just reviewed your pages on cat mange. I found the pages from searching through Google for information on cat mange. My diabetic cat has an appointment with the vet tomorrow (Thursday) to find out if he has it. My daughter thinks it's just his sensitive skin from being diabetic. But I think it's mange. It started with a sore on his face where his whiskers grow. It healed up without the vet, so I didn't worry. It wasn't the first sore he had and we did see the vet for the others. Then I noticed that he is looking very old in his face all of a sudden. Then it was the hairless inside of a foreleg, then the hocks, then the lower abdomen. This is when I started thinking something was really wrong. All of these are signs of mange, I've since learned.
If the vet does confirm mange, I will be back to let you know Kitsi's status and the treatment the vet recommends. You can add it to your web pages. If you don't hear from me, the vet confirmed my daughter's dx.
Thank you for caring enough about our furry friends to go through all you did for Bandit. You have restored my long lost faith that men can be kind, caring, compassionate people. God bless you and your family.
Kristi Bowman
From: McDowell, Christopher
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 4:58 AM
Subject: WSWS: Nice WebsiteI was looking for a little LED info and found your website via google. Thanks for putting it together. It obviously was a lot of work, and must have taken quite a bit of time. I found it to be concise, accurate, and informative. Exemplifies the best aspects of the web - including that it is FREE!
Thanks again,
Chris McDowell
From: Roxysteve
Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 10:15 AM
Subject: WSWS: Fog ChillersThis year our small graveyard scene was voted "very creepy" by the neighbourhood kids, and I owe a debt of thanks to you since it was the fog machine and home-made chiller that pushed the envelope for us.
If I hadn't followed the links to and from your page (I was directed to you from a Yahoo!Group) I would never have figured it all out in time or found a way to get some use out of the old Igloo cooler that was falling apart in our back yard.
Thanks again.
'Twas brill.
Steve
From: Joe Ruder
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 6:32 AM
Subject: WSWS:I just stumbled across your site while looking for information on speaker impedance matching.
Thank you for the help, the information cleared up several points for me.
Sincerely,
Joe Ruder
From: Robert Beech
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2004 12:51 PM
Subject: Blood formulaDear Wolfstone,
I used your blood formula in my new fountain this year. I wanted to tell you that it worked GREAT! Very opaque and disturbingly real.
Enclosed is a photo.
Thanks.
From: richkier
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 7:02 PM
Subject: WSWS: Thanks for your site!Hi,
I have been trying to figure out how to do the 'ground hugging fog' for a couple of years now, but have been unsuccessful. I have heard of people building these fog-chillers but have not, until finding your site been able to glean any info as to how to build one.
So, I wanted to say thank you for your detailed information and instruction.
Sincerely,
Richard Kier
HorrorTech Studios (unless the name is already in use.)
It is better to remain silent, and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt...
From: Julien Burcher
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 12:55 PM
Subject: WSWS:Hi,
Just started reading your web site... that it exists is enough to thank you for :) Will read everything available... you are opening my eyes! Best wishes
J
Julien Burcher
London N7 0PU
From: Dan Haskell
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 6:59 PM
Subject: WSWS: encouragement?Hey,
I was just reading your hate letter page. Don't let the morons get to you. I have been running a *free* Linux workshop for several years and am always dumbfounded when I get flamed for my trouble. Some people lack the social skills to communicate in anything other than a shouting match. Others try to improve their self-image by making you loose your temper.
Screw 'em. Wolfstone is a great resource. People visit your site because you have lots of creative, original, and interesting material. WS is number one on my list of Haunting Technology (*love* the term) pages. Please keep up the good work!
Dan
From: Peter Montgomery
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 3:12 PM
Subject: WSWS: The strange people who hate youHi,
I just read your page with the hate emails. Very weird people out there. I just thought I'd mention that when Alex mentions, "behaviour has a "u" in it," you might want to point out, "Not in the U.S." The spelling he refers to is typical of Canada and England, but we don't spell "behavior" with a "u", nor "color," nor lots of other words. I just thought you might want to also address this little point to the man with the tiny brain.
Thanks,
PeterMPS - Terrific site, and thank you for providing the option to turn the music off. Great if you want to hear it, really annoying if you don't (such as when I'm already listening to music), and most Halloween sites just play music regardless.
From: Mike Fawcett
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 8:40 PM
Subject: WSWS:You have a great site with some very good ideas.. I liked reading your hate mail too..
Mike Fawcett (High School Teacher)
From: Dougincalvert
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 5:30 PM
Subject: WSWS: Speaker impedance article helpfulHello,
Just wanted to say thank you for posting the SpeakerImpedanceMatching article. I was looking for the correct way to wire the speakers for my guitar amp and found your diagrams quite helpful.Thanks again.
- Dougincalvert
From: Neil
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 4:03 PM
Subject: WSWS:GREAT SITEI love your site it is amazing i visit it as often as possible because i find it so resourceful also i think alex was VERY Rude asking you for things and then replying with blackmail and I support you in this little skirmish!
From: Mike Crosley
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 2004 7:22 AM
Subject: A picture of my webDennis,
As promised, here is a picture of my big spider web. I used laundry line and goop for glue. However, it doesn't show up well at night as you can see.Mike
From: Pmsscorp
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 12:51 PM
Subject: WSWS: Giant SpiderLOVE YOUR SPIDER PAGE!!! I'm just sawing out a plywood one.....but my hubby will put red eyes in it.....we're known as "the house on the corner" at Halloween....I do my yard and door up kinda' spooky.....the kids love it.
I'd LOVE TO SEE THE ANIMATION on your spider.....any chance you'll have it on a web page soon? I'll check back.
From: DEPDOG1
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2004 7:54 PM
Subject: WSWS:Very nice site, you saved me a ton of trial and error time on Halloween props.
thanks for the infoDave Curtis
Michigan
From: Vernon Graner
Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2004 12:59 AM
To: Halloween-L
Cc: wolfstone
Subject: Credit where credit is due! Thanks Wolfstone! :)I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU WOLFSTONE! I used your plans as a template to build my "leaping" spider shown here:
http://www.mugbbs.com/tower/spiderI didn't build the "second layer" of pipe as you did, but instead used chicken wire to build out the body from the frame. But, for the most part, it was your spider I saw that inspired me to build my own.
In fact, here's a picture of me holding a print out of your page as we were building!
http://tinyurl.com/6xfp4Please don't let the idiots get you down, you have a great site! :)
Vern
ps: I think we all get a few "lovely" emails from time to time (I had mine when I was trying to defend the choice of Novell over Windows for the school I was working for at the time.. look here if you care:
http://www.austinisd.net/feedback.htmlI took the time to respond to them as well... time I'll never get back! :(
--
Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE
Senior Systems Engineer
Texas Information Services
From: LynCAT
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 3:18 PM
To: wolfstone
Subject: WSWS: kitten mangeI have some feral kittens that were captured in a trailer park. I am fostering them until they get big enough to be spayed and neutered and then will be putting them up for adoption with a local rescue group. So far I have three of them that will purr when being held and 'loved up'.
Anyway, one of them has mange. It is on his ear and elbow. It has never been red and raw like in your pictures. I got them the day after they were trapped and got Ivomec (ivermectin), but it just looks like a little moth has been at him. I am wondering if it is the more rare puppy-type mange.
Sorry to make such a long story. Thank you, THANK YOU for your very informative site!!
LynCAT
From: Wendypopebill
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2004 8:30 AM
Subject: WSWS:I just wanted to commend you on your information, it was very well put, I am an eyecare professional and am very pleased to find someone who does this responsibly, just wanted to give you a pat on the back
From: Mike Crosley
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 7:49 AM
Subject: RE: WSWS: Giant Spider & websI will send a picture when I get my digital camera working. Many people have come to me with further suggestions for next year. Several have suggested a giant spider. I told them to check out your web site. A few even expressed an interest in doing a giant web themselves. In a way, you actually developed giant spider web technology. If I had not seen yours, I would probably not have tried it myself. I would have been concerned that I would spend a lot of time doing something that would not have worked.
However, seeing how you did it made the whole thing work in my mind. Using the clove hitch was the perfect knot for the job. Also, bungy cording one end meant the thing would stay taut year after year. In addition, showing that you could leave breaks meant that I could run out of cord and just skip to the next rung. Also, gluing each tie point made it possible to keep the thing in shape. These four concepts make the whole thing work. Having worked all of this through, you showed how it is possible to make a giant spider web.
Thanks for the creative, imaginative engineering insight. In the future, I will be less afraid to try out my own ideas.
Mike
From: danielle leigh glass
Sent: Sunday, October 10, 2004 3:39 PM
Subject: WSWS:Blessed be to you all,
I just wanted to drop you a note to say that i enjoyed you essay, and was releved to find another with the same views as myself. It was quite refeshing.
keep on writing,
Dani
From: Mike Crosley
Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2004 12:14 PM
Subject: WSWS: Giant Spider & websHello,
Thank for the web construction details. I followed your web building instructions to build my own web. I made it a triangle orb web using clothesline. I used goop instead of material glue because I happened to have it available. It looks very good and I plan to build more webs for next Halloween. I found that I made the rungs on this one a little too close, but it still looks good. My other issue is that the white web tends to blend in with the house. I am planning to paint it florescent green. This will match my cob webs as well. next year, I am planning to build a giant spider so I appreciate the documentation you did on yours.Sincerely,
Michael Crosley
From: john uselton
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 10:14 PM
Subject: WSWS Enjoyed your websiteYou have posted a lot of good information and links. It will take a while to look through the pages and links.
Suggestion: on the page about Kit Tips along with the importance of fuzes, Please emphasize the isolation from the 110 VAC circuits. You do cover it nicely in the theory section, but it bears repeating under saftey tips.
The reason I say this is many years ago when I was in college, I built a light controller that used a homade opto-isolator. A photo resistor driven by a grain of wheat bulb. I used a double reversed string of diodes to parallel the bulb and a 6.3 v higher current bulb in series with the whole thing fed off a small auxilary amplifier. This worked out OK for a test case. One of my friends that I showed how to build a light Box liked the idea of the light beating to the music, and wanted me to make him one. I told him it would cost about 10 bucks, he was going to think about it. A week later he said his brother said he could build one a lot cheaper. A week later he wanted me to look at his stereo. It was a CHARCOAL BRIQUETTE. His brother had wired an electric blanket controller into one of the speaker leads, and the light box. When he turned the Stereo on it worked. When he turned on the electric blanket controller, it fed 110 VAC straight into the speaker and output Stage. He let all the SMOKE out of it; and once you let the smoke out, you cant get it back in again. All the transistors, except the preamp stage fried, including the motor speed regulator on the 8 Track. I was real glad the dumb fool wasn't using headphones. Since then, and a second degree, this one an Associate in BioMedical Electronics; I have really come to appreciate the importance of electrical saftey.
EXCELLANT WEB PAGE!!!
john_e_uselton
From: SsPpIiRrIiTt
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 8:14 AM
To: wolfstone
Subject: Re: How is your kitten doing?SORRY FOR NOT GETTING BACK TO YOU SOONER, IVE BEEN AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER. HES GREAT! THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. HE STARTED COMMING OUT OF IT FRIDAY NIGHT AND WAS COMPLETELY FINE BY MONDAY MORNING. I WAS GOING TO FIND HIM A NEW HOME BUT I DONT THINK THATS POSSIBLE NOW. THE PICTURES OF BANDIT RECOVERING ARE AMAZING. ISNT IT WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING KIKE THAT. I HAVE DONE SIMILAR RESCUSE WITH HORSES. ANYWAY HERES A PICTURE OF THE KITTEN. AGAIN THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND CONCERN.
JOANNA
From: John Budzynski
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 6:13 AM
Subject: WSWS:My compliments to you on an outstanding and complete website pertaining to "black light".
John
From: Alex D. RN
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 4:28 PM
Subject: WSWS:Thanks for having this cool site available for us to see. My 7 year old son was interested in plasma lamps and your site was just great!!!!
Sincerely,
Big Al & Little Al in upstate NY
From: Johnny Heikkilä
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 11:33 AM
Subject: WSWS: blinking LEDYES, thank you, finally I found the drawings for a circuit that can make a LED blink slowly.
millions of thanx
now I just have to build it, never done any of these electronic stuff before :-)
cheers
Johnny
From: B Smith
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2004 5:42 PM
Subject: WSWS:Fogger InfoHey just enjoying your fogger info and had to say thanks. Thought you might want to know that Walmart is selling the Gemmy fogger for $30 up here in Canada this year and an add-on timer control is only $10. Those are Canadian prices so they must nearly be giving the stuff away down there :)
Well I'm off to try my luck building a chiller, thanks to your site.
Brad from Winnipeg
From: Retha And Cliff
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 12:22 PM
Subject: love your propsYou have some of the most awsome Halloween decorations I have ever seen. Can't wait to see what else you guys come up with. I have tried for 2 years to come up with a traffic stopping show. Beautifuly done.
Keep up the good work,
Carmen Boyer, Honey Grove, Texas
From: Sandra Taylor
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2004 1:45 PM
Subject: WSWS:What a great site! Thanks for the tips! I will make a point of sending you a token of my appreciation and send you some photos of the party I and some other parents are throwing for our "now" teenaged kids. Can't have a party on acreage in the Coastal Mountains without a graveyard & lots of props. Found a bunch of polystyrene in a neighbors front yard...contained ceramic floor tiles I guess. They are just over 2' tall by 16" wide and 8" deep when the two box pieces are nestled together. They are Hollow but have 1/2" air holes in the ends which I will spray some expanding foam into to make them stick together with a piece of 2x4 in the bottom, center for weight with two pvc pipes sticking out from the center for staking these babies up in the field.
I love the internet! My garage is full of all this polystyrene as of this morning without a clue what glues work with it or paint sticks to it etc.
Thank You!
It will be fun!
Sincerely,
Sandra Taylor
From: Chris Boone
Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2004 11:53 AM
Subject: Your Halloween siteHey there,
I love your site, and I was wondering if you have any plans to update it with new ideas and haunts any time soon.Additionally, has there been any kind of update on the horrible situation of Mark Cline and his wife? Are they going to be able to re-build? Are there any new leads on the reprehensible miscreants that did the deed?
Thanks, in advance,
- Chris
From: Gail Cole
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 5:51 PM
Subject: WSWS: tombstone ideasThanks for the best ideas found after hours of searching! Happy Halloween in advance.
From: David M. Kovacik
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 12:24 PM
Subject: WSWS: Great website!Hi, i really enjoyed your website. I love Halloween!
-David
From: rodneypope
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 9:39 PM
Subject: WSWS Your fountain blood recipeJust wanted to say thanks for your fountain blood recipe. I searched and searched for a blood solution for my tomb stone and I finally found your fountain blood recipe.
Thanks,
RodneyP.S. I attached a picture.....
From: NiteFin
To: Halloween-L
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 7:02 AM
Subject: Re: Hall: If you need help hooking up LEDs for eyesThank you, thank you, and triple thank you. Diagrams are good but your pictures explained it so much better. Speaking for the LED challenged people out there in hallow land this was great and it WORKED.
I bought 2 fading lights from Jim which work great but I want to add some static lights and was having trouble connecting the resistor and your picture helped tremedously. I am now in business and have endless possiblities. I have a pack of 20 LEDs and am not afraid to use them.
Thanks again.
From: Creativerty
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 6:19 AM
Subject: WSWS:thank you your web site it looks really good and is very helpful
samantha
From: sylvia
Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2004 8:10 AM
Subject: Re: wsws Giant spidersDennis,
I am involved with a Haunted Hayride with proceeds going to the Four Diamonds Fund which is for children and adults having Cancer.
We did buy the PVC piping and we will try to make your spider. I will let you know how it works out. Isn't Halloween Great? Of course you have people that hate everything about it but I am one of those people that love it and can't get enough of it. I admire those of you that decorate your yard and house at Halloween. I wish I had the time to do that.
From: sylvia
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2004 4:43 PM
Subject: wsws Giant spidersI really liked your idea for building a spider and you said something about building a black furry spider. Well I saw one built on the web site www.llund.com/spider.htm He used branchs from an old Christmas Tree to give the legs a furry look, sounds good to me. Your spider looks much better and is very intimidating but I thought you would like to know about the legs. I will try to build a combination of yours and perhaps use the christmas tree parts for the legs. We will see.
Happy Halloween,
The Cool Ghoul
From: GotNewMeds
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 12:53 PM
Subject: WSWS:about your Wiccan Q's and A'sI really enjoyed reading your letters about your understanding of Wicca. As a "newbie" to the path, it was enlightening and informative as well as entertaining. I am glad to see that in all this information I have been exposed to about Wicca, that there is someone else out there who feels a lot like I do on the subject. Keep up the good work!
Merry met, Anne Rikard
From: Joseph Anderson
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 2:50 PM
Subject: WSWS: MangeHi! I just wanted to thank you for your wonderfully helpful information about Mange. I too have some feral cats with a skin problem. I am (hopefully) taking one to the vet tomorrow, if I'm able to get her into the carrier. Mine has nothing so severe as what Bandit had, but now I know at least what a case of mange can look like! Thank you again -- that is what I was looking for.
From: dokcal
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 2:01 PM
Subject: Wisdom AND knowledgeI use your tech pages almost daily, but I never noticed the tip jar until today!
Dennis, you're just too cool for words. Between your pages on Wicca and your invaluable Halloween techbase, you've provided me with both spiritual AND technical enlightenment. How many websites can claim that?
I'll gladly chip in for cat toys! ;>)
--David "Doktor Calamari" McDermott
From: Pieter Wiggers]
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2004 3:11 AM
Subject: WSWS what a great site!Just wanted to let you know how much I really enjoyed your site. I live in the Netherlands and we've done 2 halloween parties so far. We weren't sure how they would go over here but after the first one was such a success, we did even more with the second one. We did a swamp thing, glowing eyes in the bushes, and a skeleton that sprang out of his coffin with use of a cylinder and compressor. Of course as you know, it becomes addictive so I was looking for new ideas for this year. I spent the morning reading your website and have come away with lots of ideas. Thanks so much for providing all the photo's and excellent instructions! By the way, we tried the talking christmas tree last year but somehow messed it up when we were stripping away all the branches.
Greetings,
Barbara Neimeister
From: Randy Bogucki
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 6:23 AM
Subject: Nice JobI was looking for engineering pipe data for an engineering project, and was suprised by the content of your site, exactly to the letter what I was looking for. I would expect this more from some type of dedicated "official" engineering database or material supplier. Again, nice job, well organized and presented. You are obviously real professionals.
I will have to check out the rest of your site, if your attention to detail is the same as with the plumbing, I know I wont be disssapointed.
Thanks for the info,
Randy B.
From: Scurticus
Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2004 7:39 AM
Subject: (no subject)ahoy hoy,
you guys have a really cool setup. i just bought a house and i love how easy and cool your fence looks. im going to try and build the colums as well but im going to try and add 4' blacklites in them, since the backs are open anyways. if i get everything together i will let you know how it turned out, it might be tough cuz we are expecting our first child in late aug. keep up the cool ideas.ahoy,
curt shane
From: paul coombe
Sent: Friday, July 02, 2004 11:59 PM
Subject: Wow!!
From: WORKMAN Peter
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 11:55 PM
Subject: RE: Your contact lens websiteThanks for your reply - and for the warning about corrective eye surgery. I have never been tempted to undergo it myself, precisely because I'm worried about damage to the eye.
You are certainly very public-spirited to have created such a website in an effort to protect people who take an over-casual view of contact lenses. I am always very careful myself, but I still found information on your site that I didn't know about and which will be useful to me in the future.
With best wishes,
Peter Workman
From: TooLAz1
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 5:34 PM
Subject: Great informationI am looking into a compressor to use when doing upholstery, and I was totally confused until I happened onto your web site. Wonderful information. thanks so much.
Peggy Valliant
Wichita Kansas
From: WORKMAN Peter
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 3:00 AM
Subject: Your contact lens websiteWhat an intriguing website!
I have been fascinated by contact lenses ever since I first discovered (in my early teens - over thirty years ago) what they are, and although I prefer glasses for everyday wear I do resort to disposable contact lenses for certain activities (mainly sports-related). I find your your website very interesting and informative, and I'm pleased to discover that there is at least one other person in the world who appears to be as fascinated by contact lenses as I am.
If you have time and inclination, would you satisfy my curiosity by telling me a little about your experience with contact lenses? For example, how old were you when you started wearing them, and what prompted you to adopt them? What type of lens did you start with, and what types have you worn since? How satisfactory did you find lens-wearing at the start - and now? Do you wear lenses all day and every day? Do you experience any kind of problems with lens-wearing?
I'd be very pleased to read anything you have to write on this subject!
With thanks in advance, and best wishes,
Peter Workman,
Luxembourg, Europe
From: terri
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 6:42 AM
Subject: great siteYou have done a fantastic job with this site. Content and design coherent and consistent; effects just where they should be and then they go away; navigation easy and clear; great content; engaging style.
It's terrific.
My complements, sir.
Terri C.
From: ratnesh5448
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2004 3:24 AM
Subject: A FRIENDI AM RATNESH
I HAVE SEARCHED LOT OF WEBSITE REGARDING STEPPER MOTORS AND MY SEARCH ENDED ON YOUR WEBSITE. IT GAVE ME PERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT, SO I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE EFFORT TO EXPLAIN IT IN SUCH DETAIL.
THANK YOU
From: SUNDANCECYCLE
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 11:58 AM
Subject: speaker impedence matchingThanks, your page on impedance matching contained the math formulas needed to match a speaker cabinet I'm building to my guitar amplifiers specification.
Dennis Koivisto
From: Peggy Martindale
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 8:47 PM
Subject: Your fog Website (UTAustin Grad)I just wanted to say how impressed I am with your FOG site. I am in the process of completeing my Theses on Atmospheric Effects and found you pages about two weeks ago. As a Technical Theatre GRAD at UT Austin and have been roaming the web now for two years just looking for odd pages, good and bad for my research in creating a workshop/guide for theatrical fogs.
I plan to make mention of your site as a reference in my work. I hope that is alright. If not, please let me know. I think it is a great place to get the low-down on what's out there in the fog world. It is easy to navigate, informative and honest. For that I thank you. My plan is to do much the same with my guide. Supply information in a clear-cut manner that is not all technical lingo.
Thanks again form creating your site on Fog Machines and the products they accompany them. I'll be back from time to time.
Peggy Lee Martindale
Dept of Theatre and Dance
University of Texas at Austin
From: Paul Cline
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2004 7:11 AM
Subject: air valveshey there... just found your site, and you have some great ideas.... will be using some this year for sure...
just a bit of additional info... We are going to be trying some air powered scares this year... and so far have had pretty good luck finding air cylinders and valves on ebay... got 10 cylinders for next to nothing.. and some valves that guys are using for air ride on vehicles which will adapt very well to pop ups... they are 12volt though... but when tested they take almost no amps at all to trigger so a well charged battery should run several devices all night... and can always hook up a charger... the air valves are MAC's... single solenoid but will operate a double acting cylinder just peachy... just need to change the basic HAM you have on your site a bit...
Anyway.... just wanted to say you have a great site.. and I really appreciate the info you have posted... saves us a bunch of development time... I was in the right church, just the wrong pew...
take scare
paul cline~~ If you can read this, thank a teacher.
If you are reading it in english, thank a Veteran.~~
From: YardHaunter
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 6:38 AM
To: Halloween-L Subject: Re: Hall: Blacklight InfoJust for general info, there just ain't much better blacklight info than Jack Of Shadows's pages here:
http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Lighting/blttip_BlackLightTips.html-The YardHaunter
-Est cucurbita res...
From: Morrismnt
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2004 4:50 AM
Subject: Thanks...Thanks, your site has been a big help and a wellspring of information....Thurman
From: Meda Moy
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 8:27 AM
Subject: awesomI found this fun to read and it gave me some insight to what I need to get to finish my project.
Thanks a lot.
From: Kim Zãmbrë
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 12:03 PMI am Wicca myself and have tried explaining these exact same things to Christians myself, all because I wore a pentagram and decided to be honest and tell them that I am Wicca. I got so many questions similar to this as well. I'd like to say good job on answering these, as they are very similar to what I told them, or tried to tell them. I think you did an excellent job on answering them.
Blessed Be,
Silver TigerHeart
From: Taylor, Jeff L
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 7:00 AM
Subject: Great siteI just wanted to say thanks for putting all the work you have into your site. I learned so much from it. I am a virgin at building animated props but I am doing lots of research and just trying different things.
I am currently putting together a Halloween website to show my work and some how to on building different props and I would like to add your site on my links page if you dont mind. I will be glad to send you a link to my site when I get it up and running.
Thanks
Jeff
From: Joel W
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 1:39 PM
Subject: Thanks for the input on the gravestonesI am right now at the start of producing the script for a gothic movie done in classic black and white. Your information on making fake gravestones has been most welcome. Thank you guys so much for the info.
Jesus loves you... God bless
From: . [at pldi.net]
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2004 10:29 PM
Subject: Black Light WebsiteVery informative black light page. Just want to thank you for all of the valuable information I learned!!
From: Angl32491
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2004 9:29 AM
Subject: hello!thank you for the info!
From: ibh
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 4:19 PM
Subject: ThanksWho are you?
I'm a lighting designer in New York. I have worked with lighting for the past 30 yrs. and for the past 5 yrs. I've been teaching lighting at the Fashion Institute of Teachnology for students taking display, exhibit and museum design.
How did you compile all this information, it's really great and I'm certainly going to tell my students about your web-site, it should make my life a bit easier! Of course I will have to mention the 'look' of the site so they aren't scared off, or then again, maybe I won't!
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how much you brightened my day. Actually, it was a question on 'Jeopardy' about Wolfram/Tungsten that led me to you, huh!
From: Rachel H
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 3:13 AM
Subject: Hello......Greetings,
My name is Rachel, and I recently read your article about the questions and answers page on Wicca http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Wicca/wq_QAndA.html and some of the misconceptions that Christians have with our religion.
I'm not a witch, but I am studying & practicing the Wiccan religion presently and I just had to email you and tell you about how pleased I was with that article!! I loved it.
Sure it was August 9, 1996 which was 8 years ago, but it really shined on me this very moment I read it. I was wondering if you have anymore interviews that are more up to date? If not thank you anyway.
Sincerely,
Rachel
From: David McDermott
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 4:54 AM
Subject: Thanks for the enlightenment!Originally, I happened upon your site in my never-ending quest for Halloween-oriented technical info, and I must say, finding such a literate and well-reasoned repository of both theoretical and practical information was almost a shock compared to most of the sites I slog through.
I looped back to Wolfstone again in a search for more information on the Enchanted Castle Productions fire (Bungee-jumping pigs are the work of Satan? Really?), which led me to your pages on intolerance, which led me to your pages on Wicca.
I was startled and, honestly, kind of disappointed at first. You see, while I certainly don't harbor any hatred toward Wiccans, my perception of them--largely shaped by the mainstream media, of course--was of a group of trendy "Goth" lesbians who were way too into role-playing. Frankly, I thought they were... silly.
After reading your Q&A, however, I see that the core belief system of Wicca is right in line with probably 90% of my personal beliefs--probably more so than any "organized" religion I've been exposed to, including atheism.
My prejudices were the theological equivalent of trying to understand gay men by watching a Castro Street parade.
Mind you, I would still feel a little silly calling myself a "witch" or hanging out with a "coven"--but then, that's MY problem, right?
Thanks again--I'll definitely be looking into some of the recommended reading!
--David McDermott
From: Kzy007
Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2003 7:48 PM
Subject: (no subject)GREAT JOB I'M GOING TO BUILD THE DEVIL FOR NEXT YEAR AND I'M GOING TO TRY YOUR IDEA ON THE GARGOYLE WINGS THAT MOVE THANK YOU.
From: Pat Hoffman
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 9:04 AM
Subject: Hi, thanksHi, I was having a bad day today so I started to surf. I came across your site and story. I brightened my day. Keep up the great work!!!
From: Fran
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 12:25 AM
Subject: Spider WebI loved your "web" pages about the spider and web. I was actually looking for a sight like yours because my Hubby wanted to make one this year. It was so cool having instructions on it. We also made a big paper mache spider to hang on our web. I have enclosed 2 pics to show you. I also sent your web site to a few other people who enjoyed it also. My sister-in-law is also making a giant web too. Thanks for showing us the way!!!
Fran in Rhode Island
Curiosity killed the Cat,
but hey, it's not my Cat!
From: Rice, Dan
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 11:22 AM
Subject: Your Halloween Page...I Just found your page on the web, it's really awesome. You cover a wide range of subjects, and I love the detail you go into on them. EXCELLENT!
I just wish I found your page sooner. Thanks for the awesome info, please keep it up.
From: THEGAMBLINGDOG
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 10:28 AM
Subject: (no subject)you guys are awsome,.....wow what talent....thanks for the tips
JD
From: MariahQ
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 9:35 PM
Subject: Wolfstone Halloween WebsiteWe have just spent a couple of hours navigating your fascinating website and had to write to what must be kindred spirits. We have been doing elaborate Halloween displays for several years, covering our entire front yard and the entire interior of the house as well. We've specialized in mostly stationary displays so far, depending on a lot of imagination and wit to make our graveyard full of cavorting skeletons appealing.
We admire your sense of detail and the fantastic work you've done with animation; one of these years we'll make good on all the plans we have to add more animation to our stuff. We like more gothic, spooky scenes, and it's a fine line to walk; each year some children refuse to come all the way up to the front door.
We are located in Covina, California and wondered where you are (your house looks California-ish). Also wanted to say thank you as Wiccans for the sensitivity expressed towards our religion. We nearly fell over when we saw that. We had been enjoying the technical parts of the site for two hours before stumbling on it.
If you're interested in seeing the 27-foot tall, 60-foot wide Haunted Circus we did in 2001, or the two 20-foot pirate ships duking it out in 2002, or the 15-foot crashed flying saucer from 2000, write back to us, and when we've all recovered from THIS year's Halloween (and Samhain), we can share some pictures.
Cheers,
Tom and Monica
P.S. -- Great job on the website, too.
From: shelly zarr
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 8:42 PM
Subject: styrofoam gravestonesAfter seeing "styrofoam gravestones" at a party store for $7.99 + per, I thought that had to be something I could do but didn't have a clue how to start. Your website solved that, answering a lot of questions I had about "how do they do that?!"
The best part for me, even beyond a totally enjoyable Halloween project, is it shed some insight on how the weta workshop created all of the beautiful statuary for lord of the rings, I knew it was all styrofoam but never thought about the "hotwire" concept.
Thanks so much for such a great,informative site,I hope mine look as good!!
S Zarr
Springfield Missouri
From: Michael Seifert - SAS(CVD)
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2003 11:26 PMGreat website love the Gargoyles I am thinking of making one myself now that I have seen you web site
Michael Seifert
Jarrell, TX
From: Robin Fox
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2003 6:09 PM
Subject: spooky town displayAwesome display!!! We just started collecting these figures...didn't realize that Michael's sold them. Nice to know, because we only found them at Stop and Shop. Keep up the good work.
From: dawnrejoicing
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2003 11:52 AMLOVE the site! Give us more!
My 5-year-old daughter really enjoyed it and wants to help me make our house look (hopefully) as scary as yours! Congrats!
Brian
From: paul
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 10:27 AM
Subject: love the siteHi haloweener,
I was looking for a way to simulate a fire for my christmas stable.
Found it here on your site (and nowhere else!).
Grtz!
Paul
From: Dan Haskell
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2003 2:44 PM
Subject: Thanks for the skull infoI found your page through Horrorfind and was very intrigued by the plaster skull instructions. Thanks! After two tries, I still don't have a mold that could described as "high quality", but I'm hoping the third time will be the charm.
Anyway, I have put my own spin on things. :) The upper left picture on my home page is of a skull made from Wolfstone instructions:
http://www.geekus.org/I'm going to do more photos between now and Halloween. *If* you're interested I'll send you the URLs for them. Ultimately, I hope to post detailed notes regarding my experience making skulls.
The Wolfstone pages are a wonderful resource! Thanks.
Dan
From: Charlie Irwin
Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2003 1:12 PM
Subject: Like your siteA useful, informative, smart site.
One of the most useful sites I've visited.
Regards,
Charlie Irwin
From: audsfire
Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2003 8:16 PM
Subject: booThank you for such wonderful ideas and such helpful instructions! I think that y'all are fabulous!
Regards from Texas,
Audrey and Tim
From: Jonathan Holston
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 10:51 AM
Subject: Great site!
From: mvlasich
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 5:09 PM
Subject: Light Emitting DiodesI was doing my physics assignment on light emitting diodes and could not find the information i was looking for and all i needed i found on your website
From: Mishadies
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2003 7:30 PM
Subject: enjoyed your siteHi.. I have been to Every tombstone making site online and your construction was the Best.... i love the idea of 2x4's in between the styrofoam... i enjoyed learning how you make your stones very much...
you have a great site and a greater talent....
thank you for sharing your site..
linda
From: Sckloste
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2003 7:05 PM
Subject: fog chilersMy cousin and I are both DJ's and he got to talkin about fog chillers on the drive home from a wedding last night and today I looked it up. You have some very good ideas and I plan on making one myself, the information provided will be useful and I will contact you about it's success and i will give you some detailed pictures about it later on.
- Scott
From: CoriMax
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 11:57 AM
Subject: I made my first pneumatic propThanks again for all the info on your site. I finally made my first pneumatic prop, and mostly due to your site. You made it very simple. Thanks for sharing that information with the world.
I took your door closer design and incorporated it with 2scaryguys body slinger design. www.scaryguys.com. I'm still playing with it, but its cool to finally see how those little pop up things work in haunts and dark rides. It's even more exciting to know that I can create them now and build on my knowledge.
Thanks
Corissa