PEOPLE GET FIT FASTER WITH PERSONAL TRAINERS: People who hire personal trainers get in better shape faster, a new study found. A group of 20 men went through a 12-week strength-training regimen under the one-on-one guidance of a personal trainer, gaining more power in about 30 percent less time than men who trained alone. For more information contact Scott Mazzetti, a graduate assistant in the Human Performance Lab, at (765) 285-1157.

RETAILERS ARE OUT TO SCARE YOU INTO BUYING: Centuries after the ancient Celts celebrated Halloween, the holiday has grown into a fearsome retail monster. In 1999, Americans spent about $98 per person on costumes, candy, decorations and other Halloween products, transforming the holiday into a $5 billion retail season -- second only to Christmas, said James Lowry, a marketing professor. For more information, contact him at jlowry@bsu.edu or (765) 285-5180.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOM SHOWS NO SIGN OF STOPPING: The entrepreneurship boom shows no sign of slowing down as thousands of new businesses open each month. The entrepreneurship era began after the short-lived recession of the 1990s when thousands of displaced workers chose to work for themselves, said Donald F. Kuratko, founding director of the Entrepreneurship Program. Contact Kuratko at dkuratko@bsu.edu or (765) 285-5327.

EXECUTIVE BUSINESS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON TECHNOLOGY: Ball State’s new Information Technology Executive Academy is the first in the state. The intensive program is designed to help information technology executives successfully expand their firms. For more information, contact Frank Sabatine, dean of the School of Continuing Education and Public Service, at fsabatine@bsu.edu or (765) 285-1582.

FEMALE STUDENTS MORE POSITIVE ABOUT COMPUTERS THAN MEN: A new study finds that female students at the college level are more positive about using computers and more comfortable with the technology than their male counterparts. The study turns upside down the perception that computer technology is a male-oriented field, says Charles Ray, a business education and office administration professor. Contact Ray at cray@bsu.edu or (765) 285-5237.

Scary Story Ideas

HALLOWEEN NOW SECOND BIGGEST RETAIL HOLIDAY: With sales exceeding $5 billion annually, Halloween trails only Christmas in annual retail sales. In addition to dollars spent on costumes and candy, nearly three-fourths of homeowners will decorate their homes to celebrate Oct. 31, says James Lowry, a retail marketing expert. For more information, contact him at jlowry@bsu.edu or (765) 285-5180.

ANCIENT CULTURES CREATED FIRST RITUALS: Many rituals now commonplace during the Halloween season may have originated with the ancient cultures of the Greeks, Druids and Celts. Other civilizations adopted and changed the ancient rituals, such as bobbing for apples or donning disguises, said Fred Suppe, a history professor. Contact him at fsuppe@bsu.edu or (765) 285-8783.

KEEP REPEATING: IT’S JUST A MOVIE...IT’S JUST A MOVIE: Television stations and cable networks traditionally rebroadcast horror and science fiction movies to tap into America’s love of a good scare. To discover the scariest and silliest horror movies of all time, talk to Wes Gehring, a telecommunications professor, at wgehring@bsu.edu or (765) 285-1495.

MINORITIES OFTEN ENCOUNTER VIOLENCE: While many people play pranks on friends and relatives in the spirit of Halloween, others turn to violence - particularly against minorities or religious sects. In the Midwest, the Amish are victims of such attacks, which are known as clapping, said Bryan Byers. Contact him at bbyers@bsu.edu or (765) 285-1530.

TALK TO YOUNGSTERS BEFORE THE BIG NIGHT: While scary costumes, horror films and ghost stories are fun for adults and older children, the idea of witches, goblins and skeletons may be too real for some youngsters. Theresa Kruczek, a counseling psychology professor and a child-play therapy expert, recommends parents simply explain that Halloween is fun and not real. Contact her at tkruczek@bsu.edu or (765) 285-8049.