Amazon has announced that their HQ2 will be split between NYC and Arlington Virginia.

BUT, Nashville gets a nice consolation prize: A new $230 million operations center that will bring 5000 jobs.

For the first time the State of Maine is using a ranked ballot form of voting for the U.S. House and U.S. Senate races. Ranked voting allows the voter to pick their first choice to take the election, then a second choice, and so on. Not sure how many choices would be possible.

In Maine, if one of the candidates for the U.S. House or U.S. Senate races doesn't not receive 50% of the vote then they start adding in 2nd choice options to the vote counts. "If there's no majority, the last-place candidate's second-place votes are reallocated to remaining candidates. The computerized process can be repeated until there's a winner."

"Maine residents approved the system in 2016 after nine of the previous 11 gubernatorial elections resulted in winners who failed to get a majority of the vote."

And, of course, that is what happened this first time the State of Maine tests using the ranked ballot form of voting.

"If it works as intended, then it's possible the Republican incumbent with the most first-place votes could end up losing to a Democrat.

Some expect a lawsuit to challenge the one-person, one-vote rule under the theory that the system lets the supporter of a last-place candidate to effectively vote twice, violating the Equal Protection Clause."

Just a little confusing. In Tennessee they would have to use landscape format ballots to fit in the 8 candidates for U.S. senate along with the write-in option.

A record number of women — mostly Democrats, many of them galvanized by the threat the Trump administration poses to reproductive freedom — were swept into Congress during in the 2018 midterm elections. The results were still being tabulated on Wednesday when Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services quietly finalized two rules empowering employers, universities and nonprofits to refuse birth control coverage to women.

A third rule, also announced Wednesday, would require insurers on the Affordable Care Act marketplace to charge women a separate monthly bill for abortion coverage — a change that advocates say would be so prohibitively expensive it could force insurers to stop offering the procedure altogether.

Trump Administration Quietly Unveils New Rules Targeting Birth Control and Abortion

Is this actually happening?

Insurers contend they use the information to spot health issues in their clients — and flag them so they get services they need. And companies like LexisNexis say the data shouldn’t be used to set prices. But as a research scientist from one company told me: “I can’t say it hasn’t happened.”

Why health insurers track when you buy plus-size clothes or binge-watch TV

While most election attention has been focused on the U.S. House and Senate, Democrats are competing to capture governorships around the country, and also hope to flip a few state legislatures. With the 2020 Census approaching, many of the governors and state legislators elected tomorrow will have power in drawing the congressional boundaries that will be used starting in 2022.

Unless that power gets taken away from them. Three states — Colorado, Michigan and Utah — are voting on ballot measures to create independent commissions for redistricting, making it a nonpartisan process. These commissions are already in use in California and Arizona.

How the 2018 election could affect the next decade of redistricting

Ninety-seven years ago today a funeral was held for the unknown soldiers of World War I. In this war, more than 116,000 Americans died in the fight, including 1,652 who were too damaged to be identified. Over 5 million Allied soldiers died during the war and over 12 million were wounded.

On November 11, 1920, the second anniversary of the armistice that ended the war, the British military buried an unknown casualty at Westminster Abbey with state honours. France, likewise, interred an unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe.

In March 1921, Congress approved a measure to locate a tomb for the unknown soldier(s) in front of the newly constructed Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.

If you get the opportunity, visit the Washington D.C. area. So much of our country's history is on record there.

Still getting lots of emails from Sears with sales promotions.

Show your love? Shop for everyone you love? We're open to serve you?
Really???

Not sure I'd buy anything from Sears unless I knew it didn't matter if Sears completely disappeared and there was no ability to return, no warranty, or no repairs (except for out-of-pocket expense).

(Click image for bigger...)

If you missed the Democratic Party election night watch party, tune-in to Community TV at 7:30 PM on Friday, Nov 9th to hear the Democratic Party Candidates acceptance and concessions speeches, LaKenya Middlebrook interviews with candidates and officeholders, and commentary from those who attended the election night watch party.

DTV streams live on Friday evenings at 7:30 PM on CTV (here!)

or watch on your local cable channel:
Comcast Channel 12
Charter Channel 193
Wow! Channel 6
ATT U-verse Channel 99

The Maryville store is the last remaining store in the area.

The list...

Looks good. Ideally Congress has a representative mixture of views.

Science may have been one of the biggest winners in Tuesday’s elections. At least seven new members of Congress have science, engineering, math, technology or medical backgrounds and at least six kept their seats.

Science was a big winner in Tuesday's vote

Another senseless tragedy, this time in California.

Reports say it was an ex-Marine that has had problems. A high capacity .45 handgun was used.

This should not be happening.

WBIR: Workers hired to help clean up the site allege they were unknowingly exposed to carcinogenic materials that sickened and caused death in some.

"At your request, I am submitting my resignation."

Trump is on tv nattering on about bipartisanship and working with Democrats.

I just have one question: how do you negotiate with people who will bring more crime, who want open borders, who are just plain EVIL??

Hypocrite or liar, take your pick.

435 total members of House of Representatives

22% women

A record number of women are projected to win seats in the House in a massive night for female candidates across the political spectrum.

As of early Wednesday morning, CNN projected 98 women would win House races, with 33 women newly elected to the House and 65 female incumbents. That bests the previous record of 85 representatives, according to the Congressional Research Service. There are still two outstanding races that have two women competing against each other, which means that at least 100 women will be serving in the House next year.

On the Senate side, CNN projected by early Wednesday that 12 women would win Senate seats, with two newly elected women joining nine female incumbents.

CNN projected at the same time that eight women -- four incumbents and four non-incumbents -- would win gubernatorial races.

Record number of women elected to the Hous

Post 'em if you got 'em.

UPDATE:

Tennessee results...

Democrats win U.S. House, Republicans expand control of U.S. Senate...

In 1950, Woody Guthrie moved into an apartment at Beach Haven, a cluster of sixteen residential buildings in Gravesend, Brooklyn, just a few minutes from the creaky boardwalk and frankfurter stands at Coney Island Beach. The complex was owned and operated by Fred Trump, which means that, for the two years Guthrie lived and wrote there, Trump was his landlord. ...

A Story About Fred Trump and Woody Guthrie for the Midterm Elections

Anybody can set down and think up a lot of pretty things and all but that dont count no more than a sneeze in a cyclone. It’s the same way with voting. Most folks dont realize that your vote is about the best thing you got in the world because it is the best thing you can use to change the world and make it better ...

Woody Guthrie on Elections, Politics, and the Power of Folksong

Malfunctioning machines, voter confusion and locked polling sites were among the problems on Election Day as millions of Americans prepared to cast ballots Tuesday in a midterm election fueling an outpouring of enthusiasm — and frustratingly long lines.

Midterms 2018: Voters face malfunctioning machines and long lines at polls across country on Election Day

'I voted' stickers put on Susan B. Anthony's grave