Hello again.

I hope you made it through Halloween unscathed. I didn't.

For some reason I decided it was a good idea to dress up like Hunter S. Thompson for Halloween, you know, since I'm a journalist and all. What I didn't realize is that dressing like Thompson means you have to act like him.

My memory is just now coming back to me.

But if poor Hunter were alive today, there's a message he'd want me to communicate to you. Vote. Actually, his message would be full of expletives and none too friendly to our Republican buddies in Congress and the White House.

But I won't go there. I'll just say "vote."

You can bet the members of Doom in the A.M., at least some of them, did or will, depending on when you read this message. Here at OFF we knew a big-time election was coming this month, so we found one of the most political bands we could -- Doom in the A.M. -- to write about, thereby enforcing my message to you.

But besides the politics, Doom is a really good, new punk band. Speaking of punk, the genre's 30th anniversary is upon us, so music writer James Samons took the liberty of schooling you on some local punk acts and providing you a primer on the essential punk recordings of the last 30 years. Sorry, folks, no Blink 182 on the list.

November also marks the time of one of my personal favorite holidays, Thanksgiving. Unfortunately for our vegetarian and vegan friends, Thanksgiving can also be very awkward. Veggie Nicole Stanfield will elaborate later on.

In Cape, November also means the return of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Sure, they play Christmas music. But I'll be the first to say TSO can get pretty heavy at times. Sure, it's a family show, but that doesn't mean you have to give up the blazing guitars. TSO guitarist Al Pitrelli explains how on page 6.

So enjoy the turkey and stuffing. And here's to a Dallas Cowboys loss on Thanksgiving.

Now, here's OFF.