Hair-raising Halloween costume
Boo . . .
A post-Halloween memo: One of the children trick-or-treating at the Springfield mansion shagged candy from Gov. Quinn by dressing up as former Gov. Rod Blagojevich!
• Translation: It's called a hair scare.
The stunner: Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a devout Muslim who reportedly made references to "Allah" during his shooting massacre at Fort Hood, apparently did not list a religious preference in his military personnel records.
Sneed hears Gov. Quinn, a major military fan, will attend the funerals of the two Illinois soldiers -- Army Pfc. Michael Pearson, 21, of Bolingbrook and Francheska Velez, 21, of Humboldt Park -- killed in the Ford Hood massacre.
• Honor 'em: Don't be surprised if the flight of F-18 jets over Soldier Field on Sunday during the Bears/Arizona Cardinals game ... becomes a "moment of silence" for the slain soldiers. (Quinn plans to bring Sgt. Gabriel Garriga, who was wounded in Iraq in 2003, as his guest at the game.)
Freedom of speech -- but don't record it?
• To wit: Former GOP veep hopeful Sarah Palin's "Right to Life" speech in Milwaukee on Friday night prohibited media, cell phones, recording devices, laptops and photos. Is this the way of a rogue?
Replace 'em: Former U.S. Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld -- who was "replaced" during the Bush II administration -- has had both hips and a shoulder replaced since his drubbing.
While former Dem presidential hopeful/errant husband John Edwards awaits the outcome of his grand jury probe, his wife, Elizabeth, is giving speeches and ... lifting furniture.
• Quoth Elizabeth: "I'm feeling well, and I'm getting my [cancer] treatments regularly. My back hurts sometimes, but I'm almost 60, I have two young children, and I've been moving furniture in my new furniture store ... so exactly why my back aches is unclear," she told a health-care luncheon group in North Carolina last week.
• Postscript: She owns a furniture and accessories store called Red Window in Chapel Hill, N.C., where the couple live.
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Kirk Dillard politely chided primary opponent Andy McKenna on his "new hair expertise" prior to the GOP gubernatorial candidates debate at the Hilton Chicago Thursday. "I'm amazed he didn't show up in the 'Blago wig' he uses in his commercials," quipped Dillard.
• $$$$: Dillard and McKenna have heavyweights helping fill their campaign coffers: Dillard has business titans Fred Krehbiel and Ron Gidwitz; McKenna has Craig Duchossois and his wealthy father, Andy McKenna Sr.
• The butler beat: Paul Burrell, who made a ton of dough blabbing about his job as Princess Di's butler, has run smack up against the economy. Burrell, who now lives in Florida, can't seem to sell his home in London.
• Puck Place: Blackhawks chief John McDonough, who was "Principal for a Day" at the Nettelhorst School in Lake View last week, told the kids that when he started with the Blackhawks, he had "a full head of jet-black hair."
Today's birthdays: Bonnie Raitt, 60; Mary Hart, 59; Christie Hefner, 57; Morley Safer, 78; Leif Garrett, 48; Courtney Thorne-Smith, 42; Parker Posey, 41, and Tara Reid, 34 ... Monday's birthdays: Jason Erkes, 40; Mike Horowitz, ageless.