Halloween’s time
to cheer for fear

Kids Stuff
By William Feldman

Welcome to Kids Stuff. Today’s column includes a few last-minute Halloween suggestions, which hopefully will scare the pants off of you. Plus, I have some Anthony Fedorov gossip and a cryptogram.

GRAND OLD SIX FLAGS
Six Flags Great Adventure, located in Jackson, N.J., is hosting its 16th annual Fright Fest through Sunday. For small kids, they will be having a new show, Wiggle Halloween Show, and back again is Professor Slither’s Creepiest Critters. You will learn how important the critters are in our ecosystem.
For older kids and adults, there’s Elvira Superstition simulator ride; Night of Shadows; Demented Forest Terror Trail; Dead Man’s Party; Voyage to Voodoo Island, which is up close and personal with a bottlenose dolphin and a California sea lion, and many, many, more.
Also, guests who volunteer to spin the Wheel of Fright have a chance to win front-line access when the wheel lands on one of six delicious items; each one is a delicacy in parts of the world: cockroaches, crickets, wax worms, night crawlers, Rocky Mountain Oyster and hot Habanero peppers. You could possibly land on the Coffin of Fear, where the lucky person, I guess, must remain in a mealwormy coffin for one minute in front of an audience. If the person is under 18, his parents must sign a waiver. Personally, I did not attempt to do the Wheel of Fright.
I was asked by a reader to print this again this year:
• The word cockroach comes from the Spanish word cucaracha, crazy bug.
• Cockroaches have been in existence for more than 280 million years, and only 10 of approximately 3,500 species are considered pests.
• Night crawlers are 70 percent protein, making them a great snack.
• Entomophagy is the eating of insects.
• Most have six legs, 18 knees and can hold their breath up to 45 minutes at a time.
• The world’s largest cockroach lives in South America and is 6 inches long with a 1-foot wingspan.
• They are nocturnal and quickly scurry away when surprised by light.
• Cockroaches can be applied to a stinging wound to help relieve pain. If any reader is interested, I was given a new 2007 recipe with cockroaches. Just send me an e-mail. I received requests last year for this, so don’t be shy. For more information on Fright Fest, call 1-732-928-2000.
My other recommendation is Scare Brothers’ Haunted House located at 354 S. Warminster Road in Hatboro, inside Station Park Business Center.
The main haunted house is always called Haunted Nightmare, but the inside of the house changes every year, so you will never know what to expect the next year. Again, what was unique is that it is totally inside, so you do not have to worry about standing in line outside in the rain or cold.
This year they have four separate attractions: The first is the House of 1,000 Zombies, featuring Claustrophobia; second, the Dungeon of Darkness; third, the fear of circus of Fear; and last, the Haunted Nightmare, where the most famous movie killers of all time have gathered under one roof.
Did I mention it was voted the scariest in Philly two times, so you know what to expect — or do you? However, with all the fright, they advertise they are kid friendly. They have a system called ‘Casper’ all the time. If a kid age 12 or younger says, ‘Casper the friendly ghost,’ all of the ghosts become friendly, so that they can go through.
Also what I thought was nice is that some of the money raised goes to the volunteer Hatboro Fire Department. The other comforting thought is that before they open each night, the fire marshal walks through to make sure everything is OK.
For more information, call 267-241-3443 or go to www.scarebrothers.com

GOSSIP
I had a chance to catch up with Anthony Fedorov and his family when he performed last month at Golden Gates, located at 11058 Rennard St. in the Philmont Heights section of Somerton.
The moment you arrive to walk in the venue, Matthew Alsante, executive director of Sarcoma Foundation of America, was handing out red, white and blue wristbands. In case anyone who has not read my prior column on Anthony, he is the national spokesman for this foundation, in honor of his brother Denis, who passed away recently.
Anthony performed solo to a totally sold-out venue. He had only a 15-minute break in a performance that lasted two hours and 15 minutes. He was very personal with the audience as he happily declared his solo concert was the first of many to come. He had a six-piece band to help him score big on his first concert. If this is any indication of what he will do in the future, he will succeed.
I think it is great when the performers make their concerts audience friendly, in other words, interactive. Anthony encouraged everyone to get up, sing and dance.
He started the night off by singing to one of his favorite songs by Celine Dion, That’s The Way It Is. He then sang a few other original songs: Deep Within My Heart and You’re My Story. Next, he mentioned he came to the United States in 1994 and had a chance to live the American dream. He then continued by singing a song he wrote, It Must Be You. Then he shared with the audience his favorite song genre, Latin Music influence.
He is very versatile with language, as he can communicate in English, Spanish and Russian. And his most powerful, emotional and soul-searching song, Show Me How to Live Without You, was dedicated to his brother Denis, as a video of their family life was playing in the background.
Do not think just locals from the tri-state area came to see Anthony’s concert. People in line were mentioning they were from California, Ohio and Connecticut.

CRYPTOGRAM
SMPD DMGRML WFCM LRZWBFXA SBMX AZFXA ZJW GZD BPRRZSMMX KZ LPDK LPX KMM EZJ
Hints: S is W; A is G; L is C; B is H; D is R
Columnist William Feldman can be contacted by e-mail at wmkidscolumn@aol.com