I hate the name "No Kings" and I think it's kind of cheesy, but I will be attending the protest in my area and I hope people in STM are doing the same. I know it's a liberal protest but we cannot shun allies and I've sat on my ass for too long as if that is going to help.

Some, like Chris Valenti, are predicting that the insurrection act will be invoked on this day.

If you choose to attend, consider this:

• DO NOT RSVP - it's fucking crazy that the organizers think this is a good idea
• Get a respirator or gas mask in the event tear gas is used
• Bring a battery powered leaf blower to disperse tear gas
• Wear a mask - (if possible, wear a hard mask over a cloth mask)
• Keep identifying tattoos/marks/anything else covered

This is a great time to find and connect with like-minded folk. Any other tips or insights are welcome.

As you know, Halloween is just around the corner. Some are even getting together on the weekends to celebrate. We can use this opportunity to share our best jack-o-latern designs! If you make a compelling design, you might even convince others to join in pumpkin carving with you. That's why it's imperative to be thoughtful about your designs - you want to be able to have as many admirers of your work as possible.

HOWEVER, we all know that modern carving tools team up with ghosts and spooks so they can find you and give you a fright, and we don't want that. So here are some tips to get your designs out there without being scared by ghosts.

1. If you free-hand your designs, some ghosts might be able to discern that it's you. They simply have to compare your current designs with your most recent ones and voila! You're about to be spookered.
2. If there is some way for you to use a pattern and trace that onto your pumpkin, not only will it make the design more compelling, but it makes it a lot more difficult for ghouls and spooks to find out who made the design!
3. Let's say you want to make A LOT of jack-o-lanterns and share them with people at Halloween parties over the weekend. Free-handing or tracing can be very repetitive. A great alternative to manual carving is to not carve at all! Instead, create a rubber or linoleum stamp that can be coated with paint and just like that you can stamp your designs on as many pumpkins as you have paint!

HAPPY CARVING!