Many thanks to all the election site volunteers working hard today to make folks feel welcome and informed, especially first time voters. And specific shout-out to the volunteers at Payne Elementary School in Washington, D.C. — it was so easy and fast to vote because of them.

Today is a good day for this: if you’re feeling anxiety or just need a pep talk, call (707) 873-7862 for words of encouragement from kindergartners (I just did!)

Welcome aboard, new CoSonauts!

Normally, every new user is welcomed individually, but there have been so many sign-ups in the last week that we can't keep up!

Here's a link to the user guide to get you started: https://counter.social/userguide.pdf

Follow @CoSoTips or #CoSoTips for pointers.

If you have questions, use the #help hashtag. We're a helpful bunch.

Voter protection hotlines for every US state. Get out there, people. I hope you #voteblue but everyone’s ability to cast a ballot is important.

Good morning, #cosonauts. Stay on your self-care today. Limit your doomscrolling. Get some sunshine. Breathe. Drink your water. Eat something yummy. Use filters here in #Coso if you need to. Your friends are here for you today especially.

Good morning! If you run into any trouble or confusion at the polls today., You can call the civil rights Election Protection hotline at:
1-866-OUR-VOTE.
To report intimidation or other potential violations of law the DOJ has a hotline: 1-800-253-3931. #VOTE

@th3j35t3r Jester I super need your help and I need it like now. So I thought I'd solicit people for a #GroupCosoCall and you kindly posted it. Somehow @Serenity22 joined the call but SHE DOES NOT KNOW SHE JOINED THE CALL. She is sitting there completely unaware that she is being observed. I THOUGHT that by ending the call (as moderated) I ended the call for EVERYONE. Scott disabused me of that notion. I sent @Serenity22 a message but she still has not backed out of the call. I

Dear new CoSo people, please do not compare CoSo to bird side and expect to see exactly the same app. It is not and that's the point. There are for sure a lot of cool features, but if it's the only thing that you're looking, I am sorry, because the core of CoSo are people, who are here for very long time and who are trying to keep CoSo friendly and interesting place. Please appreciate it and just slowly learn what is available for you in this wonderful space.

#welcome

A bit of 13th century Persian verse against tyrants

"You with the upper hand
Who torment underlings,
How long do you suppose
You'll get your run of things?
What is the point of you,
Your worldly sovereignty?
Better to put you out
Of people's misery."

— Saadi (translated from Persian by yours truly)

Image of a manuscript edition of the original

#cosopoetry

Can the media STOP downplaying and normalizing Trump by saying he "mishandled documents". The words they need to use "ALLEGED THEFT" or "ALLEGEDLY STOLE"
He (allegedly) committed CRIMES. Say it. STOP acting like he acted in good faith!

To the people complaining that Mary Peltola's victory in Alaska's at-large Congressional district was an artifact of the ranked-choice vote system, consider this:

Peltola beat Palin with second-place votes reallocated by a little short of 3%.

In the three-way race between Peltola, Palin, and Begich, going only by first-round votes, Peltola beat Palin by 8.7%.

So without ranked choices, Palin loses even worse. Palin lost on first choices and she lost on second choices. She's just a loser.

David Bowie - Suffragette City (live 1972, compilation video)
#cosomusic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED3SBJhawcA

Ah, Erwin...

this is totally me