What’s going down in the (free) Ars Open Lounge

As we announced last week, the Ars Technica Lounge, which is normally only available to paying subscribers, is free for everyone for the rest of November. That means anyone with a forum login (e.g., the login you use for front page comments) can come in and join the general geekery and off-topic romping.

If you don't have an Ars login, it's super easy to get one, and guaranteed to be 100 percent spam-free. Simply go to this page, and follow the simple instructions. We promise your e-mail address is completely safe with us—no renting or unwanted spammage. We take your privacy seriously.

If at some point you decide you're hooked or you just want to know more about our subscriber benefits, you can get all that info on this page. No pressure, though: just hang out for the rest of the month, no strings attached.

Maybe you're thinking to yourself, "This all sounds great, but I'm not really big on following the forums. What kind of madness are we talking here?" Glad you asked! Here are some of the more interesting discussions going on in the Lounge right now. If they don't float your boat, just hit the main landing page to see what else is popping.

The Walking Dead on AMC: Are you watching The Walking Dead on AMC? Based on Robert Kirkman's excellent black-and-white comic books, zombie fans of all stripes are discussing the show in the Lounge. Spoilers should be tagged, so if you haven't watched yet and are just curious, the first few pages of the thread are probably pretty safe.

Most satisfying sport(s/y) car you've ever owned?: Some people like fast cars. Some people think it's more fun to drive a slow car fast. From Mustangs to GTIs, M3s to NSXs (NSXi?) come share your car stories and post photos if you've got them.

Thus saith the Lord,"Praise November 2, for on that day, the McRib shall return!": It seems like there are two kinds of people in the world: those who love the McRib and those who can't believe the first kind of person exists. Come laugh at the faithful or decry the heretics and get your pork (we think) on.

Ephemeral BBQ thread: If the fake ribs on the McRib aren't your bag, check out the discussion of the real deal. No pressed pork here, just genuine smoky goodness. You know you want to learn more about the Bacon Explosion and Bacon Cheese Turtleburgers.

About Those Feral Kittens...EDIT: Happy Ending Plus Video: Because, kittens! With pictures and a video and a happy ending, what more could you ask for?