Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    <scribbled by lperson>
  

    
Interesting note: $DJT trading highly volatile, halted repeatedly.

>>Trump Media was repeatedly halted due to volatility in midday
trading after the company majority-owned by Donald Trump suddenly
lost its double-digit gains.

DJT shares were trading above $40 after 1:30 p.m. ET, but suddenly
fell to $35.51 when the first five-minute halt occurred at 2:48 p.m.

Less than two minutes after trading resumed, shares turned negative
for the day and were halted again.

Shares were flat at $34.35 when trading was halted for a third
time.<<

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/05/presidential-election-2024-results-live-update
s.html
  

    
I see that tonight's election coverage on C-SPAN is described as
"Covering the results of the 2024 elections for the U.S. House,
Senate, and the White House without political pundits.". How are
they gonna do that?  Maybe a computer-generated voice reading press
releases from Secretaries of State?

Live at 4pm PT:  <https://www.youtube.com/live/DhSz4PusLhg>


C-SPAN2 will be simulcasting Spectrum News.  Any idea what that is?
  

    
I've already started drinking.  I don't know if it will be celebratory or
drowning my sorrows, but I figured that just because I don't know why yet
doesn't mean I can't start.
  

    
Why waste time?

Ron, my uneducated guess is that they'll endlessly rehash polls and
predictions, and crunch numbers, and explain what's at stake where.
They won't expect anyone to sit and watch them for hours, I don't
think - more like background news to focus on sporadically, or drop
in throughout the day. 

(Spectrum - I have to look in on that too. One of my interview
guests told me TCM rebroadcasts there! The only thing I truly miss
since cutting the cord.)
  

    <scribbled by lperson Wed 6 Nov 24 10:19>
  

    
British TV is going all-in on overnight coverage. There's different
non-stop programming until the morning on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and
Sky. I think every political journalist and pundit is in action, so
let's hope nothing happens on the UK political front in the next 24
hours because there will be no one available to cover it.

A definite sense of nervousness everywhere right now. A feeling that
if it's close, Trump will claim it regardless and unrest is
inevitable. 
  

    
I'm making a quick trip to my local dispensary. Be right back!
  

    
>saw a young guy wearing a MAGA hat

Unless he was also wearing an I Voted sticker you're probably
overreacting.
  

    
Spectrum News used to be Time Warner Cable News; when Charter
Communications bought TWC, they changed the name. Spectrum is a set
of regional news channels associated with Spectrum Cable in those
areas. More info at <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_News>

Meanwhile - my radar's been active for any kind of election-related
or polling place tensions or violence, but I haven't heard of
anything so far. There were apparently bomb threats in Georgia,
attributed to Russian disinfo operations.
  

    
I'm definitely working in a local craft beer and local homegrown. I live in
Oakland, where Kamala Harris was born, and I'm wearing my locally made
"Oakland Is The Center Of The Beautiful World" t-shirt. Tomorrow, inshallah,
I have my "Oakland In The [White House] House" t-shirt ready to deploy.
  

    
Hi Larry! 

Many precincts in Brooklyn and Queens went for Trump in 2020.
  

    
I'm noshing on a bright, healthy salad with iced coffee, ready to
trade in for donuts, ice cream, and wine as necessary.
  

    
I've been a poll watcher today in a small town in NH. It is such an
amazing cure for the jitters. We trained to spot people being turned
away unfairly, or provocateurs wearing MAGA caps inside, and the
like. There were definitely far more Trump signs in the neighborhood
than Harris signs.

But, inside, you have a high school gym overseen by incredibly
helpful, calming volunteers. People seem incredibly good-humored,
despite the early morning rush (before the polls opened at 8am, the
line stretched around the school. By the time the morning rush ended
~10:30, almost half of registered voters had done so. As I type this
at 4:20, the evening rush is beginning. 

The poll workers are even helpful to us watchers. "We're starting to
process the mail-in ballots" one let's us know as he begins
comparing votes sent in to the check-in lists. The process starts on
time, per our guidelines.

The Republican watcher and I chat and find common ground. He
mentions some "facts" and I explain why they aren't facts from my
perspective. We agree to disagree - no electioneering inside the
polling place. On three occasions guys show up in MAGA or Trump
caps. They are escorted out when called on it. (The police on duty
would clearly not have bothered without the protests of my fellow
Democrat watcher, but once she raises the issue, out they go. One is
a bit obstreperous.

A few minutes ago, an old lady in a cane slips or trips while going
to fill out her ballot. Her head hits the floor and there is blood.
Volunteers rush over, the police call EMTs. They get her on a
stretcher where she fills out her ballot. Then they wheel her over
to the voting machine where she inserts it.

That, along with all the couples voting together, the parents with
kids - some clearly too young to know what this is all about; some
much older; the steady stream of people taking advantage of NH's
same day registration....

As I said, it's very calming. The voting ritual, one of the few
secular rituals we all hold in common, is working here.

I have no idea how the vote will go - pretty sure that these good
citizens will somehow vote for the former guy - that's the local
ethos. But I am hopeful about the election, overall. And the common
participation in this Democratic ritual seems to portend that we are
not all nearly so full of hate and rage as the media would portray
us - conspiracy theories and musings of my Republican counterpart,
and MAGAnut notwithstanding.
  

    


i'm wearing this T-shirt:

https://www.threads.net/@thefreeblackwomenslibrary/post/C-fTqR2OrZg?hl=en

which adapts a 1990 Sonic Youth album cover ("Goo") into a Harris-Walz
promo shirt. i bought it months ago. 

for some reason i can't find any Internet posts/articles about it that
acknowledge the original artist, Raymond Pettibon. my husband kinda knows
him and he sent us several unsigned originals, just for fun i guess, or
because Pettibon hearts Plazm magazine! so we have those framed 
on some walls.


original album cover:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/116015089224?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19
255-0&campid=5338590836&toolid=10044&customid=8f1e6cc8fd591d6a2b990be272ec2a9f

  

    <scribbled by lperson Wed 6 Nov 24 10:20>
  

    
<112>:  Don't forget Staten Island.
  

    
OMG that is BRILLIANT, magdalen.

Ari, can't thank you enough for that post.

>>They get her on a stretcher where she fills out her ballot. Then
they wheel her over to the voting machine where she inserts it.<<

Just ... wow.
  

    
Ari that was a fabulous report. thank you.
  

    
I am watching a dog for a friend who is a 71 year old election
judge. I had to post this to FaceBook today;

"Hey All, Barb was dropping her dog Jack off at my place this
morning to go work the polls at Stone Church, and had a fall in
front of my house. She was out cold for about 5-10 minuets and I
called an ambulance.  By the time they got here, she was sitting up
but very confused. She has a skull fracture and a rib that may have
"slightly" hit her lung. She has been transferred to the trauma
center in DuBois for observation. She was mentally fine and in good
spirits, grumping about "this is not how I planned on spending my
day" Her memory had returned fine and she is able to walk. I will
update here when I know more. I was able to get the ballots and and
everything to the Stone Church before the polls opened. I am waiting
for a call from the floor nurse -- I don't want to call her in case
she is sleeping. Looks like Jack will have a dog vacation for a few
days. Aroooooooooo!"

She is most pissed about not getting to vote, and hopes it does not
come down to one vote in Pa. After seeing her through all of this
she is now two hours away, and I can't get an emergency ballot done
in time to have it back by 8.

I told her that if it comes down to one vote, at least she has quite
a story.
  

    
Ari, thank you so much for posting your firsthand observations.

Rick, so sorry you and Barb are going through this. She sounds
amazing. Give Jack a pat for me.
  

    
Man, that really sucks. 

Beams to her, and puppy smooches to Jack!
  

    
Lovely story, Ari, thanks! Beams for Barb, Jack, and PA>>>>>
  

    
Thanks All. I just got back from voting. I live in the middle of
nowhere. It took 10 min.
  

    
Interesting report from Philly:
<https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/decision-2024/philly-da-polling-place-behavior
-more-aggressive-than-prior-elections/4019123/>

That piece includes a photo of a t-shirt worn by the District
Attorney's staff that says "Protected | FAFO | DAO Election Task
Force." Refers to the district attorney's remark, "Anybody who
thinks it's time to play militia, F around and find out."