Halloween activities in the L.A. area

Halloween is a tailor-made holiday for Los Angeles — a town that knows a thing or two about getting into costume and pretending to be somebody (or something) else. This year there is spooky fun all over the place on All Hallow's Eve; candy-and-pumpkin-filled family festivities for the tiniest tots, for instance, spook houses for the adventurous young and bass-thumping costume parties for the 21-and-older crowd. There's plenty of entertainment to go around for ghosts and goblins big and small. Here are 10 of the best for 2011.

Long Beach Zombie Walk IV Join a shambling, groaning army of zombies aiming to break the record for the largest zombie walk in the world — or at least eat a lot brains. A spooky day of live performances, zombie-themed food and drinks, zombie makeup stations and more, culminating in the walk. Downtown Long Beach Promenade, between 3rd and Ocean. Street fair begins 2 p.m. Saturday; Zombie Walk at 8 p.m. Free. zombiewalklb.com.

West Hollywood Halloween Carnival Massive crowds turn out each year for WeHo's spectacle, which shuts down a stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard with food booths, live entertainment and some of the most creative and barely-there costumes on the planet. West Hollywood, Santa Monica Boulevard from Doheny Drive to La Cienega Boulevard. 6-11 p.m. Monday. http://www.weho.org.

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Masquerade: KCRW's Halloween Ball and Dance Party Now in its third year, the popular masquerade ball includes interactive experiences by Lucent Dossier's vaudeville circus troupe, macabre storytellers in the haunted bridal suite, five food trucks, 17 KCRW DJs manning the turntables, and live performances by Dengue Fever, Moby (DJ set), Mariachi El Bronx and Milagres. Park Plaza, 607 S. Park View Street. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday. $85. http://www.kcrw.com.

Muse Costume Ball A night of masquerade fun to celebrate the closing of the Tim Burton exhibit, which stays open until midnight. Featuring performances by 25-piece experimental jazz orchestra Killsonic, Jeremiah Red and Sneaky Nietzsche. Prizes will be awarded to the best Tim Burton character costume, best movie monster, and most creative costume. LACMA, 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Park La Brea. 8:30 p.m. Saturday. $100. (323) 857-6010. http://www.lacma.org.

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride Hay-filled wagons haul intrepid guests through a fright-filled fantasy world in the woods. The 2011 experience looks deep into the minds of the Clifton twins, daughters of zookeeper Ferdinand Clifton who were rumored for years to suffer from violent nightmares so uncontrollable they were treated for sleep disorders. Griffith Park Old Zoo, 4730 Crystal Springs Ave., Griffith Park. 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Thursday, Sunday, Monday, 7 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday. $25. (310) 993-8289. losangeleshauntedhayride.com.

Halloween Horror Nights Ghostface Killer from "Scream 4" and his band of sadistic terrorists are on the loose at this annual shriek fest. Among the six new Scare Zones is a "La Llorona" experience (as imagined by Diego Luna), Alice Cooper's "Welcome to My Nightmare," Eli Roth's "Hostel: Hunting Season," and "The Thing: Assimilation." Universal Studios Hollywood, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursday, Sunday and Monday. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday. $62. (800) UNIVERSAL. http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com.

Knott's Scary Farm Haunt Berry turns to scary as fast as Dr. Jekyll does to Mr. Hyde. After the sun sets, enter Knott's Berry Farm at your own risk. You're not allowed to pass through the gates in costume, but plenty of creepy creatures will be crawling in every corner of Knott's Scary Farm. Knott's Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park. 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursday, Sunday and Monday. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday. $57. (714) 220-5200. haunt.knotts.com.

EEK! at The Greek The 60-piece Symphony in the Glen orchestra will perform a creepy collection of frightening favorites including "Night on Bald Mountain," "Danse Macabre" and music from the film "Psycho." Plus the world premiere of a composition by Arthur B. Rubinstein, accompanied by a reading of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." Greek Theatre, 2700 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles. 7 p.m. Sunday. Adult, $20-$125; children, $7-$10. (323) 665-5857. http://www.nederlanderconcerts.com.

Mark Z. Danielewski The critically acclaimed, bestselling author unleashes a theatrical presentation of his limited edition, illustrated ghost story "The Fifty Year Sword." This year's performance will include 40-foot shadows by shadow-caster Christine Marie, sound design by John Zalewski, live music, and more — all conducted by the author. REDCAT at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 631 W. 2nd St., L.A. 8:30 p.m. Monday. $20. (213) 237-2800. http://www.redcat.org.

See http://www.latimes.com/halloween for a long list of Halloween events!

Other Halloween events:

Halloween Harvest Festival This annual fall festivity features all autumnal attractions such as a pumpkin patch, farm animals, a corn maze, a haunted house, hay rides, kids' activities and more. Pierce College, 20800 Victory Blvd., Woodland Hills. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday and Monday. 10 a.m.- 12 a.m. midnight Friday and Saturday. Festival admission, $5; activities, $2-$10. (818) 999-6300. http://www.halloweenharvestfestival.com.

Old Town Haunt Peek into the basement of the historic Union Savings Bank building, which is rumored to have a grisly history. Locked for decades, the haunted building's doors will be reopened for your investigation. Enter at your own risk. Old Town Pasadena, 20 N. Raymond at Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena. 7-10 p.m. Thursday, 7-midnight Friday, Saturday and Monday, 7-11 p.m. Sunday. $15 Thursday; $17 Friday-Monday. (626) 248-7652. http://www.oldtownhaunt.com.

Spooky Science: Bug Invasion 2 Experience giant bug animatronics, a world-class insect collection and interactive educational stations. See the world of bugs through their eyes, find out about "the good, the bad, the ugly" of the insect world, and play with remote-controlled robotic bugs. Discovery Science Center, Discovery Science Center, 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Monday. Adults, $17.95, children, $12.95. (714) 542-2823. http://www.discoverycube.org.

Bob Baker's Halloween Hoop-Dee-Do Celebrate Fall with a cast of more than 100 Halloween themed puppets, including the Purple People Eater, the Invisible Man, and a gaggle of Roaring '20s-era skeletons dancing the night away in Hernando's Hideaway. Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. 1st St., Echo Park. 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Through Nov. 6. $15. (213) 250-9995. http://www.bobbakermarionettes.com.

Six Flags Fright Fest Take a scary stroll through four haunted mazes including Lecter's Slaughterhouse and the new post-apocalyptic Aftermath, or ride coasters in the dark. Just watch out for roaming zombies. Join ghoulish entertainers, Heckles and Twitch, for a shocking mix of comedy and terror. Six Flags Magic Mountain, 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia. Fri.-Sat. 10:30 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday; 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday and Monday. http://www.sixflags.com.

Queen Mary's Dark Harbor The storied vessel hosts its annual Halloween Shipwreck, complete with a half-dozen different haunted locations, including the Village of the Damned, the Cage, and Hellfire, plus live music each night. Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach. 7 p.m.-midnight Thursday-Monday. General admission, $34; VIP, $60. (562) 435-3511. http://www.queenmarydarkharbor.com.

Wicked Lit The dramatic spook show features adaptations of classic horror literature presented at a cemetery. Walk the hallowed burial grounds as three scary stories unfold around you. This year's terror tales are Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Body Snatcher," M.R. James' 'Casting the Runes,' and Mark Twain's "A Ghost Story." Mountain View Mortuary Cemetery, 2400 N. Marengo Ave., Altadena. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Sunday and Monday; 8 p.m. Nov. 2-6. $39-$60. (818) 242-7910. wickedlit.org.
Haunted Trails Small groups will be carefully guided through a mad world of mass confusion, personal confinement, terrible torture and horror. Not suitable for children younger than 8. Crown Valley Park, 29751 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday; 6:30-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $10. (714) 362-4350. cityoflagunaniguel.org.

Treats-n-Suites Halloween Bash Little ghosts and goblins can trick-or-treat around the stadium suites and throughout the south concourse at the Home Depot Center, as well as enjoy Halloween-themed activities including a scavenger hunt, hay ride, bag decorating, arts and crafts, a costume parade and face painting. Home Depot Center, 18400 Avalon Blvd., Carson. 5-6:30 p.m. Friday. $5. Advance registration required. http://www.lagalaxy.com/community/treats.

Max Maven Thinking in Person The celebrated magician and mentalist will astonish and amaze with his bizarre brand of category-defying mental magic. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos. p.m. Friday. $40-$60. (800) 300-4345. http://www.cerritoscenter.com.

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3rd Annual King Tut's Tomb Halloween The historic theater and its grand courtyard will be transformed into a spooky party pad, with DJs, go-go dancers, costume contests and a Haunted Pyramid dance room. 21 and older. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Fri. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $20. (323) 604-6030. http://www.ournightlife.com.

Theatricum BOO-tanicum Wander Theatricum's wooded grounds in the heart of rustic Topanga Canyon, where you'll find a haunted house, ghost stories, pumpkin carving, game booths, and more. Live music from Peter Alsop, Many Distant Cities, the Matt Van Winkle Band, plus organic chicken and waffles from Bon Melange Catering. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 4-10 p.m. Friday. Adults, $20; children, $5. (310) 455-2322, Ext.227. http://www.theatricum.com.

Halloween Night Dive There is no diving involved in the Aquarium's annual Halloween shindig, which features DJs spinning spooky hits, live bands, cocktails, artists and 11,000 sea creatures. Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach. 7-11 p.m. Friday. $12.95. (562) 590-3100. http://www.aquariumofpacific.org.

Zombie Prom A donation of canned food to the L.A. Regional Food Bank gains admission to this spooky night of music and dance. Costume contest, music from DJ Strangler and the selection of the Zombie Prom King and King and royal court. Historic Linda Vista Hospital, 610 S. St. Louis St., Boyle Heights. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday. Can food donation. http://www.boyleheightsparanormalproject.org.

The Haunted Hotel Halloween Costume Party DJs spinning house, hip-hop, top 40, and more, plus multiple dance floors, costumed burlesque shows, spooky lighting and effects, and more. The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club, 260 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday. $60. (323) 378-5207. maxtickets.net.

Ghost Walk This spooky guided tour of Downtown Riverside's oldest and most historic buildings includes tales of ghosts, goblins and the undead, live entertainment, game booths and souvenir stands. Not appropriate for young children. Downtown Riverside Main Street Mall, between Mission Inn Boulevard and University Avenue, Riverside. 5:40 p.m.-11:10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $15. (951) 787-7850. crballet.com.

The House at Haunted Hill This high-tech Halloween show utilizes the creative energies of film, TV and theater professionals to tell the creepy tale of a Hollywood starlet's ill-fated wedding to a Hollywood screenwriter. The show lasts 12 minutes and repeats every 15 minutes and is viewed from the street. The House at Haunted Hill, 4400 Saltillo St., Woodland Hills7 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday; 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Sunday and Monday. Free. http://www.houseathauntedhill.com.

Disco Dracula Halloween Dance Party Enjoy an evening of spooky revelry with live music from Violet Tremors, zombie ABBA covers from the Singles, and dance-inducing DJ sets from Mahssa, Shazzula Nebula, Sarah Toon, plus a photo booth and others surprises. Cinefamily, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., Fairfax District. 8 p.m. Saturday. $20. (323) 655-2520. http://www.cinefamily.org.

Scream 3 Halloween Costume Party Celebrate the season of the witch with dining, dancing and DJs, and, of course, a costume contest. DJ sets from DJ Scotty Boy, Dean Mason and DJ Chad Watts. Zen Lounge, 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. Saturday. $40. (310) 372-9705. southbayhalloween.com/scream-2011.

¡Vivan Los Muertos! The public can learn all about the day of the dead with hands-on activities, traditional food, elaborate altar displays and an interactive community altar. Music and dancing will complete this lively event in honor of our dearly departed. The Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park. 3-9 p.m. Saturday. Included with museum admission. (323) 667-2000. theautry.org.

Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade An all-day family friendly festival, featuring live music, game booths, a pumpkin patch and more. Additional entertainment includes a children's costume contest, trick-or-treating, and a Halloween parade. Center Street Promenade, Broadway between Manchester and Clementine, Anaheim. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday. Free. (714) 765-4500. http://www.anaheimfallfestival.com.

Vroman's Annual Halloween Party The storied bookstore's annual Halloween festivity features ghoulish tales read by Mr. Steve and trick-or-treating throughout the store for costumed tots. Vroman's Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 10 a.m. Saturday. Free. (626) 449-5320. http://www.vromansbookstore.com.

Historical Society of Long Beach Annual Cemetery Tour Actors dressed in period costumes guide visitors through a two-hour tour of the grave sites of some of the city's noteworthy citizens. Sunnyside and Long Beach Municipal Cemeteries, 1095 E. Willow St., Long Beach. 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon Saturday. Adults, $18; children 12-18, $5; children 11 and younger, free. (562) 424-2220. hslb.org/historical-cemetery-tour.

6th Annual Dusk-To-Dawn Horrorthon Spend the night at the Aero Theatre's sixth annual Horrorthon, featuring between-film free food, giveaways, trailers, crazy shorts and surprises. Features include "Pet Sematary," "Tourist Trap," "The Pit," "Videodrome," "Alice, Sweet Alice," and "Just Before Dawn." $20. Aero Theater, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. $20. http://www.americancinemathequecalendar.com.

Dead Celebrities Halloween Costume Ball Spend an evening of revelry among hundreds of celebrity wax figurines. Three dance floors, five bars and DJ sets from Eric Cubeechee, Rico Rox, and DJ Coolwhip. Dead celebrity costumes encouraged. Madame Tussauds, 6933 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood. 10 p.m.- 2 a.m. Saturday. $75. 21 and older. (323) 462-0303. http://www.deadcelebritieshalloween.com.

Fangbanger's Ball DJs Prophet and Yasha oversee an evening of scintillating, scantily clad spookiness during the Hollywood club's grand opening. Vampire Go-Go dancers, open bar, two rooms of music, outdoor patio and more. Red Room, 6356 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday. $65-$75. 21 and older. (323) 604-6030. http://www.ournightlife.com.

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves! This gypsy-camp style Halloween costume party features fortune tellers, magicians, decadent libations, DJs Mickey Madden and Mark Schoenecker and live music from JJAMZ and the retro rocking Allah Las. The Standard Hollywood, 8300 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. 8 p.m. Saturday. $15-$20. (323) 650-9090. http://www.thesatellitela.com.
A Halloween Hullabaloo The Actors' Repertory Theatre explores Halloween through the ages during this interactive musical fairy-tale journey. Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 4th St., Santa Monica. 12:30 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Adults, $12.50; children, $10.50. santamonicaplayhouse.com.

The Haunted Hollywood Scavenger Hunt Learn all about the ghost-plagued buildings and haunted spots on Hollywood's famous strip, including a spooky hotel, a movie-themed bookshop and the famously creepy Hollywood Wax Museum. Hollywood Area. 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday. $22. (877) 946-4868. watsonadventures.com.

Halloween and Mourning Tours The theme is death and mourning etiquette during the Victorian era at this annual family friendly shindig. On Sunday, children ages 2 to 12 are invited to come in costume, play period games, listen to spooky stories and receive treats from costumed interpreters. Heritage Square Museum, 3800 Homer St., Montecito Heights. Noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Adults, $10; children $5. (323) 225-2700. Heritagesquare.org.

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Halloween Films Selected by Joe Dante Skip the torture porn in favor of two black-and-white terror classics selected by the director of "The Howling" and "Gremlins": The H.G. Wells' inspired "Island of Lost Souls" (1932) and the overgrown bug gem "Them" (1954). New Beverly Cinema, 165 Beverly Blvd., Park La Brea. 4 p.m. Sunday; 7:30 p.m. Monday. $7. (323) 938-4038. http://www.newbevcinema.com.

Boo at the Zoo The Los Angeles Zoo is transformed into themed areas for trick-or-treaters with performances, pumpkin carving, crafts and creepy crawlies. L.A. Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive, Griffith Park. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Adults, $14; children, $9. (323) 644-4200. lazoo.org.

Enchanted Green Hallows Eve The Eco-Station transforms into a trick-or-treat village with an environmental twist. Kids will enjoy costume contests, prizes, candy, games and more. Star Eco Station, 10101 W. Jefferson Blvd., Culver City. Noon-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. One child free per paying adult. Adults, $8, each additional child $6. (310) 842-8040. Starinc.org.

Fiesta Muertos A weekend celebration of Day of the Dead on Olvera Street with face painting, strolling mariachi bands, Aztec dancers, puppet shows, ballet folklorico and other fun family activities. Community altars will be on display in El Pueblo's historic Plaza. 125 Paseo de la Plaza, Olvera Street. Noon-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free. (213) 625-7074. http://www.ci.la.ca.us.

Haunted Garden A nighttime tour of the garden — which is decked out to include spirits, ghouls and other frights — ends with a Haunter's Ball, with games and treats for the intrepid. Fullerton Arboretum, 1900 Associated Road, Fullerton. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Adults and teens, $12; children 12 and younger, $8. (714) 278-3407. fullertonarboretum.org.

Halloween Stuntacular What started as a modest event held at Kirsten Dunst's house for trick-or-treaters has blossomed into an eight-year charitable tradition benefiting the Make-a-Wish Foundation. More than 30 performers will entertain kids with a live Halloween-themed stunt display. Westfield Fashion Square, 14006 Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks. 6, 7, 8, 9 p.m. Saturday-Monday. Free. (855) 788-6811 Ext. 502. http://www.stuntacular.com.

Halloween Pumpkin Hunt Hundreds of Halloween eggs and mini pumpkins will be hidden throughout the Kidspace Gardens for enterprising tots to seek out. Kidspace Children's Museum, 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena. 11 a.m.,12 and 1 p.m. Sunday. $3 per child, not including museum admission. Advance registration required. (626) 449-9144. http://www.kidspacemuseum.org.

Natural History Museum Halloween Festival Kids and their families will enjoy a costume parade, trick-or-treating in the museum galleries, face painters, balloon artists, treat stations, crafts and more. Free with general museum admission. Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition Blvd. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Adults, $12; children, 13-17, $8; children, 5-12. $5. 213-763-DINO. http://www.nhm.org.

Howl Activities include family friendly free workshops, contests and musical performances, including pumpkin carving and costume contests. The day will end with the ninth annual performance of Melanie Jones' "Scary Stories" from 6:30-8 p.m. Angels Gate Cultural Center, 3601 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro. 2-8 p.m. Sunday. Festival admission free; "Scary Stories," $5. (310) 519-0936.

Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade Delight in the sight of more than half a thousand costumed canines strutting their stuff down the street in search of a best dog costume prize. Livingston Park, Livingston Drive at Park Avenue, Long Beach. 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Spectators free. Pet parade registration, $20. Bulldog kissing booth, $1. http://www.hautedogs.org.

Halloween Silent Film: "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" Organ virtuoso Clark Wilson will improvise an appropriately spooky soundtrack on Disney Hall's pipe organ for Robert Wiene's atmospheric German Expressionist 1920 silent film. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., L.A. 7:30 p.m. Sunday. $38-$63.50. (323) 850-2000. http://www.musiccenter.org.

Driving a Volvo? Not for These Swedes

Driving a Volvo? Not for These Swedes STOCKHOLM—A weak dollar and Sweden's relative economic strength are pumping new life into an old obsession here: classic American cars from the 1950s, '60s and '70s.

From Malmo in the south to Kiruna in the north, old Chevys and Fords sweep along the country's well-kept roads, their retro lines contrasting with the boxy, locally built Volvo station wagons that account for one in every five new cars sold in the Nordic state.

And while fans kept a tight hold on their wallets during the recent financial crisis, a stronger economy and a resilient local currency got them buying again.

"This has been the best year ever," says Kjell Gustafson, who runs Sweden's Power Big Meet, the largest American-classic-car show in Europe. "The dollar has been pretty low ... and with the economy [as it is] right now we see demand from people even for the really expensive cars," he says.

The car show, held in Vasteras, about 100 kilometers west of Stockholm, attracted about 20,000 vehicles over three days in July. Mr. Gustafson credits the rise in visitors—up from last year's 17,000 cars and well above the 13,000 tally in 2007, before the financial crisis hit—partly to a stronger economy and the weak dollar, which have helped car buffs build up their collections and take advantage of lower prices for expensive replacement parts.

The dollar remains below 7 kronor, having lost about 16% against the currency since June 2010 as the Swedish economy quickly returned to growth after the credit crunch.

Kent Jonsson, who runs Dreamcars in the coastal town of Ystad and imports Mustangs, Cadillacs and other postwar classic cars, shipped three classic cars to Sweden last month from San Francisco, including a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado convertible with just 26,000 miles (about 42,000 kilometers) on the odometer.

Compared with what Mr. Jonsson would have paid for the Eldorado in the summer of 2010, he got a substantial discount; a car that would have set him back around 200,000 kronor ended up costing him 169,000 kronor, he says.
Mr. Jonsson now has to decide whether to sell it or add it to his own collection of eight cars, including his favorite: a black 1953 Cadillac Eldorado worth around $300,000. "I might just drive it in the sun and enjoy life," he says.

A few hours' drive north of Vasteras, in the central Swedish town of Borlange, Pontus Bilstrom of U.S. classic-car importer Bilstrom Trading says the financial crisis hit him hard but the strengthening krona is helping him build his business again.

"This year has seen an increase in business but the level is very low compared with three or four years ago," Mr. Bilstrom says. "It went down in 2008, but things are a bit better now—the economic situation and the exchange rate help; customers know about all that."

Anders Dahlgren of Stockholm-based Door2Door Car Brokers says the krona exchange rate "is the most important factor for my business." He notes especially strong demand for Tri5 Chevrolets from 1955 to 1957 and Ford Mustang convertibles and fastbacks from 1965 to 1969.

So what's the appeal? Patricq Calmerhag, a car collector who grew up with a dad who loved American-cars, says nothing beats the sound of a V8 engine roaring, the smell of gasoline and the feeling of cruising with friends and family. He bought his latest baby, a 1966 Chevrolet Impala, four years ago.

"For me, it's about the sense of belonging and feeling connected to people who share your interest. In fact, if I can't drive an American car, I might as well walk," Mr. Calmerhag says.

American cars have a long history in Sweden, dating back 50 years to when they were driven in large numbers by the country's businessmen. The Power Big Meet's Mr. Gustafson credits the rise of rock 'n' roll with boosting the U.S. cars' appeal among younger drivers, who could pick them up cheaply as used cars.

American cars were also seen as superior products. Mr. Gustafson says his own red and white 1957 Pontiac Bonneville convertible has power seats, a self-seeking radio, power windows and fuel injection. "American cars in the 1950s were light years ahead—European cars were garbage then, even Mercedes," he says.

The Swedish scene got a further boost in 1967 when the country switched to driving on the right, making left-hand-drive American cars easier to drive. The oil crisis in the 1970s caused demand for muscle cars like Dodge Challengers and Mustangs to slump elsewhere, but meant that a lot of excess inventory was shipped to Sweden at reduced prices.

"Nobody wanted them because they were gas guzzlers, so these big heavy cars were sold for nothing," Mr. Gustafson says. "They sent them by the shipload over here and that is how it got moving—now there are like hundreds of thousands of cars here."

Kim Rydberg, a 33-year-old from Katrineholm, two hours' drive southwest of Stockholm, owns a 1969 Dodge Dart. He says classic American cars "look good and they have great engines."

Going to the Vasteras Power Meet is "better than Christmas Eve," he says. "You look at what people have done with their cars and what plans they have."

"And then there is the music—Elvis, Chubby Checker and all sorts," he says.

Jan-Eric C. Olfwenstam of American Motors in Skara, in western Sweden, says his customers are often retirees who want a car they remember from their younger days. They want the perfect car and are willing to pay for it, with some costing up to 1 million kronor and rarely under 300,000 kronor, he says: "It is the nostalgia, the sentimentality—they might remember a 1958 Chevy from their youth and now they want one."

Mr. Olfwenstam, 66, says he spent his childhood riding around in a 1939 Chevrolet with his father, a wholesaler. Now he has 33 classic American cars of his own, which he drives year round, despite the challenge of keeping them on the road during the harsh Swedish winter.

"I have long driven factory-new Cadillacs and Lincolns and I put winter tires with spikes on them," he says. "I make sure the tires have white walls—you have to keep up the style."

Going Gaga for Queen Elizabeth

CANBERRA—Queen Elizabeth II begins this week her 16th official tour of Australia, competing with Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey as the biggest celebrity visitor down under in the past year as her fame outweighs her political relevance in a country where she is officially the head of state.

Arriving late Wednesday in the capital Canberra, where she will meet Prime Minister Julia Gillard—who publicly supports Australia's becoming a republic—the queen will take trips to Brisbane and Melbourne before traveling to Perth to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
"The queen's visit now is less a factor in politics than it is popular entertainment," Richard Stanton, senior lecturer in political communication at University of Sydney, said. "She is seen today by a generation in the same way Lady Gaga is seen."

Still, it's hard to picture the queen's hand-waving and flower-show excursions inspiring the hysteria that celebrities do. Lady Gaga, for instance, was granted honorary citizenship to Sydney when she flew in for a single concert in July, and Oprah Winfrey's visit last December was celebrated with a giant "O" installed on the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

The queen's visit isn't expected to reignite a debate over cutting the links that make her Australia's head of state—as much as Australia's Republican Movement wishes otherwise. The lobby plans receptions in each of the major cities the 85-year-old queen plans to visit to push for a constitutional change making Australia a republic, with an elected president as head of state.

Support in Australia for the constitutional change is falling despite weakening cultural and economic ties to the U.K. China is now Australia's top trading partner, with the U.K. at No. 10 last year.

Australians overwhelmingly voted against becoming a republic in 1999, and while a poll two years later showed 52% favored the change, since then the trend has been down: to 45% in 2007 and 41% earlier this year, according to a Newspoll survey ahead of the royal wedding of the Queen's grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton.

A representative for the queen was unreachable for comment on the subject, though the queen herself has previously said that she wouldn't oppose Australia's becoming a republic.

And while the ruling Labor party is pro-Republican, it's not exactly firebrand. "I support Australia becoming a republic, but I have said that realistically that will only occur when the current monarch's reign ends," Defense Minister Stephen Smith said in an interview ahead of the queen's visit. "It is a sensible thing for Australia to become a republic, that is an inevitable process. I have never seen or envisaged that occurring in advance of the current monarch's reign ceasing."

The conservative coalition led by Tony Abbott is wholly against the country's becoming a republic. His office said he wouldn't support it even in the event of a change in monarch.

Australia's relationship with Buckingham Palace hasn't always been so easy-going. In 1975 the queen's then-representative in Australia, Governor-General Sir John Kerr, forced a near political coup when in an unprecedented act he used his royal powers to dismiss Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and his entire government over a financing crisis. That left a bitter taste and began a significant change in Australian political culture away from the U.K. and the royal family.

"There was a strong perception that the monarchy had played a role and that Sir John was doing the bidding of the royal family," Mr. Stanton said.

Still, the governor general—now Quentin Bryce—remains in place, continuing a system of governance that dates back to the first colony in 1788. She consults with and represents the monarch on matters from the royal image on stamps and coins to ceremonial colors for military units.

This royal trip isn't expected to be a news maker, unlike the tour by then-Princess Elizabeth in 1952; it was while en route to Australia via Kenya she learned her father had died, making her queen. Nor is it likely to match the 1868 visit by her ancestor Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria, who was shot in Sydney by an Irishman named Henry James O'Farrell. He recovered quickly, and a hospital in the city was named in his honor. (On this visit, the queen has chosen to skip Sydney.)

But any royal visit will deliver some ceremony—perhaps an argument for the royalist side in the constitutional debate. "It's nice to have a bit of color instead of the dullness of republicanism," said ardent monarchist John Armfield, a 50-year-old barrister who lives on Sydney's North Shore.

There also may be a couple of constitutional developments during the queen's trip, such as changes to the centuries-old rules governing royal succession. British Prime Minister David Cameron is seeking the consent of 15 Commonwealth nations in Perth to allow the first-born women in the royal line to ascend to the throne ahead of their brothers (Queen Elizabeth's father George VI had only daughters) and for those in the line of succession to be allowed to marry a Catholic without forfeiting their claim.

But such maneuvers won't interest the likes of John Warhust, deputy chairman of the Republican Movement and a professor of political science at Australian National University. "It's bizarre that Australia in this day and age still has a foreign head of state," he said. "There's no doubt that we're up against a brick wall at the moment. The events of this year have us lacking a bit of momentum."
—Geoffrey Rogow in Sydney contributed to this article.

Amazon Signs Up Authors, Writing Publishers Out of Deal

SEATTLE — Amazon.com has taught readers that they do not need bookstores. Now it is encouraging writers to cast aside their publishers.
Amazon will publish 122 books this fall in an array of genres, in both physical and e-book form. It is a striking acceleration of the retailer’s fledging publishing program that will place Amazon squarely in competition with the New York houses that are also its most prominent suppliers.

It has set up a flagship line run by a publishing veteran, Laurence Kirshbaum, to bring out brand-name fiction and nonfiction. It signed its first deal with the self-help author Tim Ferriss. Last week it announced a memoir by the actress and director Penny Marshall, for which it paid $800,000, a person with direct knowledge of the deal said.

Publishers say Amazon is aggressively wooing some of their top authors. And the company is gnawing away at the services that publishers, critics and agents used to provide.

Several large publishers declined to speak on the record about Amazon’s efforts. “Publishers are terrified and don’t know what to do,” said Dennis Loy Johnson of Melville House, who is known for speaking his mind.

“Everyone’s afraid of Amazon,” said Richard Curtis, a longtime agent who is also an e-book publisher. “If you’re a bookstore, Amazon has been in competition with you for some time. If you’re a publisher, one day you wake up and Amazon is competing with you too. And if you’re an agent, Amazon may be stealing your lunch because it is offering authors the opportunity to publish directly and cut you out.

“It’s an old strategy: divide and conquer,” Mr. Curtis said.

Amazon executives, interviewed at the company’s headquarters here, declined to say how many editors the company employed, or how many books it had under contract. But they played down Amazon’s power and said publishers were in love with their own demise.

“It’s always the end of the world,” said Russell Grandinetti, one of Amazon’s top executives. “You could set your watch on it arriving.”

He pointed out, though, that the landscape was in some ways changing for the first time since Gutenberg invented the modern book nearly 600 years ago. “The only really necessary people in the publishing process now are the writer and reader,” he said. “Everyone who stands between those two has both risk and opportunity.”

Amazon has started giving all authors, whether it publishes them or not, direct access to highly coveted Nielsen BookScan sales data, which records how many physical books they are selling in individual markets like Milwaukee or New Orleans. It is introducing the sort of one-on-one communication between authors and their fans that used to happen only on book tours. It made an obscure German historical novel a runaway best seller without a single professional reviewer weighing in.

Publishers caught a glimpse of a future they fear has no role for them late last month when Amazon introduced the Kindle Fire, a tablet for books and other media sold by Amazon. Jeffrey P. Bezos, the company’s chief executive, referred several times to Kindle as “an end-to-end service,” conjuring up a world in which Amazon develops, promotes and delivers the product.

For a sense of how rattled publishers are by Amazon’s foray into their business, consider the case of Kiana Davenport, a Hawaiian writer whose career abruptly derailed last month.

In 2010 Ms. Davenport signed with Riverhead Books, a division of Penguin, for “The Chinese Soldier’s Daughter,” a Civil War love story. She received a $20,000 advance for the book, which was supposed to come out next summer.

If writers have one message drilled into them these days, it is this: hustle yourself. So Ms. Davenport took off the shelf several award-winning short stories she had written 20 years ago and packaged them in an e-book, “Cannibal Nights,” available on Amazon.

When Penguin found out, it went “ballistic,” Ms. Davenport wrote on her blog, accusing her of breaking her contractual promise to avoid competing with it. It wanted “Cannibal Nights” removed from sale and all mentions of it deleted from the Internet.

Ms. Davenport refused, so Penguin canceled her novel and is suing her to recover the advance.
“They’re trying to set an example: If you self-publish and distribute with Amazon, you do so at your own risk,” said Jan Constantine, a lawyer with the Authors Guild who has represented Ms. Davenport.

The writer knows her crime: “Sleeping with the enemy.” Penguin declined to comment.

If some writers are suffering collateral damage, others are benefiting from this new setup. Laurel Saville was locked out by the old system, when New York publishers were the gatekeepers. “I got lots and lots of praise but no takers,” said Ms. Saville, 48, a business writer who lives in Little Falls, N.Y.

Two years ago she decided to pay for the publication of her memoir about her mother’s descent from California beauty queen to street person to murder victim. She spent about $2,200, which yielded sales of 600 copies. Not horrible but far from earth-shaking.

Last fall, Ms. Saville paid $100 to be included in a Publishers Weekly list of self-published writers. The magazine ended up reviewing her memoir, giving it a mixed notice that nevertheless caught the attention of Amazon editors. They sent Ms. Saville an e-mail offering to republish the book. It got an editorial once-over, a new cover and a new title: “Unraveling Anne.” It will be published next month.

Ms. Saville did not get any money upfront, as she would have if a traditional publisher had picked up her memoir. In essence, Amazon has become her partner.

“I assume they want to make a lot of money off the book, which is encouraging to me,” said Ms. Saville, who negotiated her deal without an agent.

Her contract has a clause that forbids her from discussing the details, which is not traditional in publishing. The publicity plans for the book are also secret.

Can Amazon secretly create its own best sellers? “The Hangman’s Daughter” was an e-book hit. Amazon bought the rights to the historical novel by a first-time writer, Oliver Pötzsch, and had it translated from German. It has now sold 250,000 digital copies.

“The great and fascinating thing about Amazon’s publishing program is that there can be these grass-roots phenomena,” said Bruce Nichols of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which republished the novel this summer.

Ms. Saville no longer even contemplates a career with a traditional publisher. “They had their shot,” she said. She is now writing a novel. “My hope is Amazon will think it’s wonderful and we’ll go happily off into the publishing sunset,” she said.

Republicans increasingly see Mitt Romney as the ‘inevitable candidate’

NASHUA, N.H. — Buoyed by a series of strong debate performances, Mitt Romney is suddenly attracting new support from major donors and elected officials, some of whom had resisted his previous entreaties, as people across the GOP grow more accepting of the presidential contender as the party’s standard-bearer.

“He’s viewed as an almost inevitable candidate,” said longtime strategist Ed Rollins, who until last month managed the campaign of Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), one of Romney’s opponents. “He’s the heavy favorite.”
The party establishment seems to be moving Romney’s way, even as a new national poll highlighted the volatility of the race. A Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll showed the surging businessman Herman Cain numerically ahead of Romney for the first time, 27 percent to 23 percent, with Texas Gov. Rick Perry third, at 16 percent.

On Wednesday, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and former House speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) became the latest in a string of current and former elected officials who have announced their support for Romney over the past week. Former Republican National Committee chairman Jim Nicholson, hedge fund manager Paul Singer and Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone are among the major Republican fundraisers supporting the candidate.

“It’s all coming together for him,” said Cochran, who formally endorsed Romney on Wednesday. “People are beginning to be impressed with him and his thoughtful comments about the issues.”

The shift is being noticed not just among Republicans, but Democrats as well. In Chicago, President Obama’s campaign advisers increasingly view Romney as the most likely general-election foe, and on Wednesday they attacked the former Massachusetts governor as taking “diametrically opposite positions” on key issues during his political career.

With three months until primary voting begins, Romney and his political team are hoping to create an increasingly narrow path for his opponents by consolidating as much of the GOP around his candidacy as possible.

Still, considerable obstacles stand in Romney’s way to the nomination, namely winning over social conservatives and tea party activists who have been uneasy with the health-care overhaul he championed as governor of Massachusetts, as well as his shifting positions on abortion and same-sex marriage.

An NBC News-Marist poll released Tuesday found that Romney trailed Cain by 16 percentage points (31 percent to 15 percent ) among Republicans in Iowa who consider themselves supporters of the tea party movement.

Perry, considered Romney’s most durable rival, is trying to exploit those weaknesses and may soon open a new front in the nomination battle. After raising $17 million in the last fundraising quarter, Perry has the money to run commercials attacking Romney in all the early-voting states.

“Romney has done well to sort of regain the front-runner status, but I believe Governor Perry is going to be the alternative — the authentic conservative,” said Henry Barbour, a Perry backer and Republican National Committee member from Mississippi. “And the conservative candidate usually wins in Republican primaries.”

Essex tops list of slow MVA offices

Linda Barnes spends a good chunk of her life at the state Motor Vehicle Administration's office in Essex — far too much, in her view.

"I wait 21/2 hours sometimes. There are days when it's been three hours," said the auto title agent fromPerry Hall.

Barnes' perception that the Essex MVA is particularly slow is validated by cold, hard statistics. According to data posted online under Gov. Martin O'Malley's StateStat program, that office is the slowest in the MVA system, with an average customer spending just over 40 minutes to wait in line and complete a transaction.

Change may be just over the horizon. The agency is moving more transactions online, including driver's license renewals. But for now, a trip to an MVA office is one of the most common face-to-face encounters Marylanders have with state government.

The MVA's own statistics, for the budget year that ended June 30, show a wide variation among offices, with branches in rural counties generally posting faster times than those in urban areas.

The Cumberland office is the state's fastest, getting customers through the line and out the door in just under 12 minutes on average.

That is lightning speed compared with the Baltimore region, where the quickest offices — the limited-service branch in Parkville and the headquarters in Glen Burnie — average just under 25 minutes. Turning in middling performances — between 25 and 35 minutes — are the Westminster, Annapolis and Bel Air offices.

The statewide average was about 251/2 minutes.

People who enjoy cooling their heels in government offices can savor the leisurely pace — more than 35 minutes — at the Baltimore office, which recently moved to the Hilltop Shopping Center on Reisterstown Road, or at the dubiously named Columbia Express office.

But Essex, the only full-service office in Baltimore County, is the only local branch to break the 40-minute mark for the average transaction. However, as Barnes notes, complex transactions such as title work can take even longer, especially on Mondays, Fridays or the day after an extended holiday weekend.

On Friday, many customers at the Essex MVA would have been happy if their wait had been only 40 minutes. The branch was packed, with most seats taken, and a line ran from the reception desk almost to the door. Around 11:30 a.m., with the office packed, roughly half of the service counters were staffed.

Sheila Surratt of Dundalk and her daughter Kasey had been waiting for more than an hour. Sheila made business phone calls and Kasey was texting as they sat on hard plastic chairs waiting for their number to be called, so they could transfer a title to Kasey.

Sheila Surratt said it was a typical performance for that office, which is tucked inconspicuously into a strip mall on Eastern Boulevard. "It's always this crowded. There's really not that much incentive for them to improve. You have a monopoly on the market."

Neither mother nor daughter was surprised that Essex has been ranked the slowest branch, but they questioned the 40-minute average. "They're lying," Kasey Surratt said.

The Surratts would finally wind up their business in an hour and 45 minutes, with their transaction taking nine minutes.

"Look at all the lost wages and lost time it costs because you're sitting there for hours," Sheila Surratt said.

Barnes said she's complained to MVA employees at the Essex branch.

"They tell me that if I don't like it, I should go to another office. I can go to Bel Air," said Barnes, who has helped operate Parkville Tag and Title for 16 years, earning a living largely by absorbing the aggravation her customers would otherwise experience themselves.

Last week, she said, there was one day when the lines were especially long at Essex and the registration renewal kiosk was out of order — so she did go to Bel Air. She figured she saved time by waiting only 15 minutes there compared with a couple of hours in Essex.

"Everybody hates the MVA," she fumed.

Baseball's final four head to mid-America league playoffs

St. Louis Cardinals' starting pitcher Chris Carpenter (2nd R) celebrates winning Game 5 of their MLB National League Divisional Series baseball playoff game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia Friday, October 7, 2011.

Tim Shaffer/Reuters

IBM exec: Growth and comfort do not coexist

Ginni Rometty, the woman who may well be the next CEO of IBM (IBM), dodged the question about her next career turn in this morning's interview at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit. But no matter, she eagerly tossed out tips that she has used to get very, very close to the top. Here's Rometty's best advice:

1. "Growth and comfort do not coexist," says SVP Rometty, who is No. 7 on the just-released 2011 Most Powerful Women list. Every time she has grown as an executive, she says, it's because she took a risk.

2.  "Be first and be lonely" is a mantra she has learned from her boss, IBM chief executive Sam Palmisano. Most executives are drawn to spaces where somebody already is, but the way to make money--and make a great career--is to be a pioneer.

3. "Ask me what I believe." While a common (and overused) question is "What's your focus?" says Rometty, the more important element is clarity of belief and passion that spreads throughout an organization. "If youre clear on what you believe," she says, "you have a great foundation to go make a market."