Yesterday Occupy Tacoma - a protest against corporate greed modeled after the version of the Occupy Wall Street ongoing protest that originated, er, on Wall Street in New York - left its occupation camp at 21st and Pacific to marched through the Lincoln District. Photos of the march have hit Flickr here.

Tonight at 6:30 p.m. Occupy Tacoma gathers for its Sunday general assembly inside the First United Methodist Church of Tacoma. The Movement invites the public to attend these meetings, help shape its future and rail against inequality and the corporate takeover of politics.

Amen, sister.

Next March: Occupy Tacoma will meet at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 in front of McKinley Elementary School at McKinley Avenue and East 38th Street. From there, it's off to the U.S. Bank on Pacific Avenue in support of Bank Transfer Day - a nationwide movement encouraging people to transfer their money from big banks to credit unions and smaller community banks.

Weekly Volcano Twitter follower @gohifreannlea posted this video on his Twitter page in the name of Occupy Tacoma.

THIS WEEK'S FREEBIES OCT. 31-NOV.6 >>>

Bobble Tiki loves lists. Before Bobble Tiki passes out, he makes a list of what he'd like to accomplish the next day. Sure, list keeping helps Bobble Tiki stay organized and on task (like those things even matter), but there are even greater benefits: First, Bobble Tiki feels infinitely superior to everyone who hasn't caught on to this list thing. Second, he gets to align himself with a great dead figure like Bobby Kennedy, who was a notorious keeper of lists. And third, he has a printed record of what he has been up to should Eric H. Holder, Jr. ever want to know. Bobble Tiki is, in fact, so manic about his list-keeping that if he does something that isn't on the list he'll write it down just so he can cross it off. He earned it; he went out of his way. He went "off list." Do you have any idea how fricking hard that is? Do you?

For this week's Freeloaders list of free things to do this coming week, Bobble Tiki will focus on transformation, just like you'll make to be more organized ... by keeping lists.

MONDAY, OCT. 31: The Tacoma Cult Movie Club will gather at The Acme Grub Cage for a special session of cult films in keeping with the situation - Halloween. Rev. Colin will screen classic horror films, the kind where normal Joe's transform into monsters beneath a full moon. With an earlier 5 p.m. start time comes a potluck. Don't just bring candy. As always there's no admission fee, and there'll be plenty of raffles prizes and booze, which could induce a number of transformations within the crowd.

TUESDAY, NOV. 1: Ezra F. Vogel, Harvard professor emeritus, has published dozens of articles, reviews, and conference papers, major books on China, Japan, and American-East Asian relations, and organized scholarly and policy conferences on many topics. Vogel will give a free lecture on his book, Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China, at 4 p.m. inside the Trimble Hall Forum on the University of Puget Sound campus.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 2: Marijuana has transformed California. No longer relegated to the underground, pot in California these days props up local economies, mints millionaires and feeds a thriving industry of startups designed to grow, market and distribute the drug. If passed, Washington state's I-502 will legalize, regulate and tax marijuana with revenue earmarked for substance-abuse prevention education and healthcare. New Approach Washington will rally in favor of I-502 at 6 p.m. inside the Mandolin Café in Tacoma.

THURSDAY, NOV. 3: Back in the spring of 2007, Broadway Center Executive Director David Fischer announced a 14-page strategic plan broken into five main categories to transform the Tacoma arts organization into a viable business, as well as a medium to unite the community. Hello success. Fischer will be awarded the Arts Leadership Award during the Tacoma Art at Work Month opening party from 6-8:30 p.m. inside the Museum of Glass. At the free party, the Tacoma Arts Commission will also honor the other 2011 AMOCAT Award recipients: The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts, and Stella Haioulani, as well as recognize the 2011 Tacoma Arts Commission funding recipients. That's all good, but Bobble Tiki is more stoked about the free desserts.

FRIDAY, NOV. 4: For the first time in 500 years, the Salvadoran government is serving the poor, excluded majority. Come hear an FMLN youth leader of El Salvador's left party discuss: how youth are stepping up to win justice and dignity for all Salvadorans; what's at stake in the 1st elections since the 2009 victory; how you can be a part of El Salvador's transformation! Cristina Cornejo, the FMLN Political Commission & Substitute Legislative Assemble deputy, will give a free talk from 7-9 p.m. inside Last Word Books in Olympia.

SATURDAY, NOV. 5: Bobble Tiki thinks it would be cool to hang with a young writer before he or she transforms into someone famous. Then Bobble Tiki could say he saw them when, and annoy absolutely every one he knows in the process. That's why Bobble Tiki will check out Stages on Pages at 4 p.m. Stages on Pages is a touring group of young adult writers who write about the arts. Stasia Kehoe, Tara Kelly, Jessica Martinez and Louise Spiegler will be reading and discussing their novels, as well as talking about the connections between dance, drama, music and literature. The free event will be held at Orca Books in Olympia. Bobble Tiki will grab all four autographs because you never know. Wait. Are they already famous?! Crap.

SUNDAY, NOV. 6: The Tacoma Buddhist Temple hosts a free Fall Food & Crafts Bazaar from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (food costs vary). Bobble Tiki loves the sound of that and was all set to go, until he discovered that Buddhism helps you wake up and find your true self.  Bobble Tiki has made a career of being both unconscious and shallow, so maybe this event isn't for him.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

WE SAW WEIRD PEOPLE >>>

Swarms of death-obsessed folks converged on downtown Tacoma today. From far and wide they came, like zombies searching for human necks, to take in the festivities at the Tacoma Art Museum's Day of the Dead community festival, as well as the Le Noir Bizarre in the lower level of Sanford and Sons Antiques. Some folks dropped in on both festivals.

Held in conjunction with Centro Latino, TAM's annual festival celebrated Dia de los Muertos with traditional music and dance, food, art activities, displays of art that included a traditional Tapete, or sand painting, and community altars honoring passed loved ones. It was also opening weekend for the impressive exhibit, Folk Treasures of Mexico, full of skeletons, devils and colorful spirits.

As in years past, the community showed up in throngs, forcing elbowing to get to the craft rooms and peruse the altars. There weren't as many altars this year, but still plenty of empty booze bottles as part of the displays. And the sugar skulls for decorating ran out early.

It's one of our favorite Tacoma community festivals of the year.

Down the street along Antique Row, Le Noir Bizarre, "The Dark Market," looked like what you'd expect if Jules Verne and Tim Burton had a garage sale. All the vendors were in costume, as well as many shoppers, and every 10th person was carrying a giant fake ray gun. There were hundreds of skulls and creepy dolls. Men in steampunk-inspired brass goggles rubbed elbows with Victorian-era dressed women. Quite a few costumes were cleavage friendly, creating a constant collision hazard for distracted attendees like yours truly.

Most of the action was in Sanford and Son's lower-level library floor, but the merchants in the above two floors dressed for the occasion too, including organizer Julia Jones holding court in her Goth fashion store, A Little Touch of Magick.

From the merchants and wandering characters to the music and theater, Le Noir Bizarre was dark bizarro fun.

LINK: More photos from the events

LINK: Le Noir Bizarre background story

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

What Tacoma Has To Sell: Tacoma Housing Authority Commissioner Ken Miller analyzes Tacoma's prospects, emphasizing the importance of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. (News Tribune)

Bring In The Hounds!: Fox Island has a coyote problem. (News Tribune)

Will The Princesses Get Soaked?: Tonight's forecast. (AccuWeather)

Pump Up The Volume: Tacoma Arco dealer sparks gas war. (News Tribune)

Do You Know A Dangerous Building when You see One?: The Foss Waterway Development Authority Board is looking for volunteer board members. (City of Tacoma)

Just Think What 2012 Will Be Like?: More than 2.3 million people in five states are without electricity after an unusual October snowstorm hit the Northeast. (CNN)

In Living Color: It's coming back. (Coming Soon)

Secret Show: With Billie Joe Armstrong decked out as Jack Skellington, Green Day surprises New York. (Idolator)

Behold!: How to make a steampunk pumpkin. (boing boing)

Speaking Of Steampunk: Steampunk Tacoma. (Weekly Volcano)

Who Doesn't Like Star Wars Facts?: 19 things you didn't know. (ICanHasInternets)

Happy Halloween!

SPOOKY HALLOWEEN EDITION: MONDAY, OCT. 31, 2011 >>>

1. It's not every year that the Tacoma Cult Movie Club and the spookiest of all days, Halloween, intersect. But this year we just happen to be lucky! Tonight at the Acme Grub Cage join the Cult Movie Club in all its glory as classic horror films are screened, a night no doubt filled with gems of cinema culled by the Rev. Colin. Admission is free and the fun starts at 5 p.m. Expect raffle prizes and a potluck.

2. It's "Dia De Los Muertos Part 2" at El Perron on Tacoma's East Side tonight. Catch performances by folks and artists you've been hearing about on almost a weekly basis in Volcano's hip-hop correspondent Josh Rizeberg's column, including Illizm, J.Money, Cam & Mae, Blue Nose Music, Lost Soul The Emo-Kat, Yak Nasty and AR Mastermind. The party gets cracking at 10:30 p.m. and it'll cost you $5 at the door (or $3 if you're in costume).

3. Get spooky looking back at this year's Weekly Volcano Halloween Issue. Find all sorts of creepy stories as well as plenty of info for the big night.

4. Drop in on a special Halloween night of blues at The Swiss in downtown Tacoma tonight.

5. Go trick or treating at Freighthouse Square.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

GO LOCAL GROUP HUG >>>

For the second year, The Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center will be home to an event aiming to help businesses, individuals and communities discover ways to aid sustainability and promote healthy LOCAL business practices. Go Local Tacoma's Shift Happens daylong event will feature seminars, food and booths from local businesses beginning at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Attendees will have the opportunity to eat and drink local products, as well as tour booths representing each local business. Shift Happens will also, once again, include a State of the City address delivered by Mayor Marilyn Strickland. A section representing local arts will also be in the house.

Learning from last year's traffic jam with food vendors, and the mayor's address competing with networking, Go Local will reorganize the flow of the event. Seminars and workshops will fill the Center from 1-4 p.m. From 4-6 p.m. local restaurants and food vendors will serve food and drinks just outside the main room in a happy hour, networking atmosphere. The main program, including the mayor's speech, will commence at 6 p.m. in the main room. Afterward, the local business booths will be open, er, for business.

The Shift Happens event is just one of the many programs Go Local Tacoma has launched to connect local independent businesses to consumers and resources in an effort to build a more prosperous community.

For more information on Shift Happens and Go Local programs, click here.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY POLL >>>

People do insane things in the name of competition. Take Weekly Volcano account executive Tony Worrell, who won a $70 gift card to The Melting Pot in our office Halloween costume contest. He beat out "Crazy Clown" with his Hair Band Rocker Guy costume.

The question raised by a concerned Publisher Pappi Swarner is: Would you buy an ad from a guy dressed as a Hair Band Rocker?

On a recent Saturday morning in downtown Tacoma, Christ's followers piled out of a lime green bus. The bus riders leaned a wood cross between a telephone pole and stop sign, erected a table and set up coffee and cups.

Then they waited for those who need their help.

This scene has been played out for the past six years as Steve and Donna Welch drive their ministry to the homeless, drug addicted, hopeless and forgotten.

That Saturday morning the faithful had staked out a corner where they would pray for those in need.

Believe me, the Welchs and crew had a busy morning.

The couple calls their witnessing The Street Corner Commission, which literally lives the words of Matthew 22:9 - Go ye therefore into the highways, and as may as ye shall find, bid to the marriage - and takes prayer to a street corner.

It wasn't long before their congregation - which can vary between 20 and 80, depending upon weather and need - began to appear.

Most were quiet and respectful; a few folks arrived in the opposite mode.

All would be prayed for.

Donna Welch leads a small group prayer for some of the homeless who can find food, clothing and prayer. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

I noticed one guy shivering in the sunshine as he sat on a piece of curbing.  His clothes were dirty, and he wore a black leather jacket several sizes too big.  He rocked slightly; his blue eyes watered like Niagara Falls down his weatherworn face.

I walked over, sat down and asked him what he thought of the Welchs and their ministry.

"These people are great," Rollie said as he held a cup of coffee in his battered and trembling hands.  "I feel better about myself when they're here."

I wasn't sure if he felt better because he had been prayed over or because he had something hot to drink.

I suspect it was the latter. 

Rollie, a regular on this particular corner of prayerful concern, told me that he had been homeless since 1995, that he couldn't deal with normality, that he didn't seem to fit in anywhere, and that heroin was the only thing that seemed to help him make it through life.

As Rollie shook next to me, I though maybe a bus ride to rehab would benefit him better.

Steve and Donna Welch think and believe otherwise. They help with food and clothes; they bow their heads and pray. 

"We're here to help; Jesus will help; prayer helps," Steve tells me.

Eric points to an item of clothing he wants from a bus operated by The Street Corner Commission. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

A single line of about 15 people formed up behind the bus as Donna handed out plastic bags filled with food items.  She also gave out clothes to those who ask for them.

And then she would ask if the person would like to pray.

Like raindrops falling into puddles, prayer circles formed and reformed as men, women and, yes, children came away with something.

"We are bringing a church outside; we pray for everyone," Steve said.

Steve Welch. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

Give the Welch's credit for their faith. They accepted, and helped without question, all who came up to the back of the bus.

"We will continue to bring the prayer," Steve told me.

I admire that.

Want to help?  Visit www.thestreetcornercommmission.org.

To donate to United Way's mission to provide shelter to those in need, click here.

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Dmitri Arbacauskas in response to photos we snapped at Sunday's Le Noir Bizarre at Sanford and Son Antiques in Tacoma.

Arbacauskas writes,

Just thought I'd take a quick moment to point out that these masks are actually my handiwork, and available over at my website, should anyone be interested.

RICK WALTERS HOSTS FUNDRAISER FOR LATEST FILM >>>

TWISTED. MURDER. MAYHEM.

And you thought Halloween had crawled back into its coffin for another year.

Allow me to fill in some blanks. "Twisted" belongs to Twisted Tales of Madness and Murder, a feature-length anthology of horror shorts written by Federal Way's Rick Tobin. Tobin and director Rick Walters (co-producer on Fantastic Confabulations) need some dough (roughly $17,000) to finance the completion of their first short in the Twisted family, The Resolution. So, like any committed artists in desperate need of cash, they resort to murder.

I don't mean your garden-variety psychotic kind, but rather a fundraiser called A Murder Masquerade Ball, scheduled for Nov. 11 at Stonegate Pizza in Tacoma. Brace yourself for a night of movies, music, magic and some mayhem, as the ladies of local promotions group Angels of Mayhem will be on hand to, in their words, "tantalize and entice."

As Resolution's producer, Jeremy Berg of Burien believes strongly in the ingenuity of Tobin's writing. "The whole script has some really nice twists in it," he says. "It plays on a lot of conventions that you're familiar with in horror movies, and turns them on their head."

Make a resolution to help out these local filmmakers. But don't stash away that Halloween costume just yet - throw it on one more time and get $3 off the $20 ticket charge at the door. Or buy your tickets early here. And follow the film on Facebook.