the scoop

the scoop

leatherface at conneaut

R.A. Mihailoff, who played Leatherface in “Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III,” will visit Ghost Lake haunted attraction at Conneaut Lake Park, Pa., tonight from 7 p.m. to midnight. Autographed photos will be available and if you’re daring enough, he just might let you take a picture with him!

Mihailoff’s screen credits also include “Trancers III,” “Adventures in Dinosaur City,” “Vampire Hunters Club,” and a brand new release titled “Dark House” that is based, ironically, on a haunted house. He plays a deranged butcher, which is not a far cry from his “Leatherface role.

‘hsm’ contest

Sara Lee and Disney are teaming up this fall for the “Lunchtime is Showtime” contest. The winner gets a visit from “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” stars Corbin Bleu (Chad) and Justin Martin (East High newcomer Donny Fox), plus a grant for their school.

To enter the “Lunchtime is Showtime” contest, which runs until Nov. 7, make a video of yourself and your friends dancing, acting, singing or cheering about how whole-grain bread helps you stay healthy and fuels lunchtime fun. Submit your video, and vote on others’, at www.thejoyofeating.com.

And if the visit from “HSM” stars isn’t enough, the contest winner receives a year’s supply of Sara Lee Soft & Smooth whole-grain bread and a $25,000 grant for their school.

make informed choice

Picking the right college can be tough work — and one of the most important choices you will ever face. Sure, you have to think about whether you’re a good match for the school, with your grades and SAT scores, but don’t forget to think about whether the school is a good match for you.

The Web site www.CampusExplore.com is a great online tool for choosing your best collegiate fit. You can search for schools by major, location and other characteristics. There is also a tool to decide your probability of getting accepted, based on your SAT or ACT scores, level of extracurricular activities, class rank and grade point average. Once you have some schools you’re interested in, each school’s profile page offers pictures, videos, vital statistics and other information on campus life. There’s also a message board where you can pose questions that hopefully current or former students will see and answer, or you can talk to other prospective students.

foos fight for song

Yet another band is complaining about John McCain’s use of their song in his campaign. This time, it’s the Foo Fighters.

The rockers sent out a missive telling the Republican presidential candidate to stop using “My Hero.”

“The saddest thing about this is that ‘My Hero’ was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential,” the band said in a statement. “To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song.”

highway star

Do video-game players make excellent drivers? Allstate Corp. is hoping to find out. The insurance giant is giving computer games to 100,000 Pennsylvania drivers ages 50-75, and plans to compare the accident records of those who play frequently with a control group of nonplayers.

The games, developed by San Francisco-based Posit Science, don’t necessarily involve driving — and, personally, I wouldn’t want to get in a car with a “Burnout Paradise” expert. Instead, they’re meant to reverse cognitive decline and improve visual alertness.

are you too old to trick-or-treat?

Costume? Check. Bag for collecting several pounds of candy? Check. Proof of age? Whoa.

Many neighborhoods don’t allow kids of all ages to trick or treat. In Lafayette, La., for example, some parishes allow only kids 12 and younger to collect candy on Halloween.

While some kids are told when to hang up their trick-or-treating bags, other kids have to make the decision on their own. And many kids and teens might be wondering, how old is too old to trick or treat?

You’re never too old, said Willi B., 14, of Glen Ellyn, Ill. He plans to trick or treat until he leaves for college, but he no longer wears a costume. “It’s just a waste of money for a new costume every year,” Willi said. “Just go out in your normal clothes.”

Willi said he plans to head out with friends and collect a few pounds of candy. He admits that some candy-givers have made comments about his lack of costume. “They’ll say, ‘Aren’t you supposed to be dressed up?’” he said.

Hannah L, 14, of Chicago, said she will dress up but doesn’t know if she will be going trick or treating. Instead, she is hoping that one of her friends will throw a Halloween costume party.