iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

I always thought my first appearance on public radio would be telling a droll little anecdote for the introduction to an episode of This American Life, but I suppose talking about the horrors visited by our monstrous federal government upon my neighbors is the next best thing.

3666

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

James Grimmelmann @jtlg.bsky.social · 57m

Effective altruism (n): an elaborate mathematical justification for giving money to people who remind you of yourself.

1223

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 1h

Abram & I had a blast last night. Might they be giants? It’s hard to tell from the second balcony at the Fitzgerald Theater, but signs point to yes.

Abram and me — he’s wearing a Bad Operation shirt, and I’m wearing a Meat Raffle shirt. I’m also throwing the horns.

250

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Hansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · 1h

TODAY (Monday, Oct. 5) is the deadline for registering to vote for the midterms in: AMERICAN SAMOA ARIZONA ARKANSAS FLORIDA GEORGIA INDIANA KENTUCKY LOUISIANA — in-person, mail (10/13 online) MISSISSIPPI MONTANA — mail (11/3 in-person) OHIO SOUTH CAROLINA — mail TENNESSEE TEXAS npr.org/vote

npr.org

How to register to vote and check your registration status

For the 2026 elections, NPR has collected deadlines and information on how to register to vote — online, in person or by mail — in every U.S. state and territory.

5241260

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

David Brauer @dbrauer.net · 14h

Applies to Mpls too: “Half of [St.P’s] budget is spent on Cops & Cars (47%) & if you’re a person who wants to solve finances with cuts & you’re not talking about cutting either of those things then not only are you not taking the budget seriously, you’re not even taking your own premise seriously.”

27918

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Doctora Malka Older @older.bsky.social · 15h

we fucking loved it, even when there was basically nothing on it, and let me tell you something else: we loved it because of human connection, human diversity, human creativity. WE DON'T NEED A SINGLE THING ANY OF THESE COMEMIERDAS HAVE MADE AND TRIED TO SELL US IN ORDER TO HAVE A GREAT INTERNET.

241715411

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Kate Tuttle @katekilla.bsky.social · 19h

Do I know some Oscar voters here? I seem to recall once seeing the entire list of films under consideration -- not those nominated, like all films that were released that year that met the requirements, say for best picture. Can someone give me that number or a source?

231

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 20h

I had the honor of talking with a bunch of critically engaged folks at Oak Grove Presbyterian Church this morning, on ”AI and Christian Ethics”; I’ll share more if/when I can.

120

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

MPR News @mprnews.org · 03/10/2026

Attorney General Keith Ellison says that Google's agreement with Xcel Energy to power the huge, hyperscale data center in Pine Island could leave Xcel's other customers on the hook for millions and possibly more than a billion dollars in extra costs.

mprnews.org

Ellison: Google’s Pine Island data center could cost Minnesotans millions for electricity

Attorney General Keith Ellison says that Google's agreement with Xcel Energy to power a huge, hyperscale data center in Pine Island could leave Xcel's other customers on the hook for millions of dolla...

48155

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Bill Childs @billchilds.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I’ve gone to the Saint Paul Cup for the last couple of years (both teams from a couple of high schools play each other at Allianz) and it’s always been super fun. I can’t go this year but you should! Friday 10/9, free. www.allianzfield.com/events/saint...

allianzfield.com

Saint Paul Cup | Allianz Field Events

The fifth-annual Saint Paul Cup, presented by Bell Bank, will be hosted at Allianz Field on Friday, Oct. 9!

073

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Derek Powazek @fraying.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I think this is important because, to fully end the age of AI slop, we don't just have to regulate these companies out of existence and burn the machines that once housed the code, but we also have to teach a generation of men to develop the emotional intelligence they need to be among humans again.

1558

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

MaryMM @marymm.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Imagine how this stadium campus would play if we got rid of I-94 on its southern edge. Because right now, walking across that highway is an ugly reminder that Saint Paul can't have nice things. It's loud, and barren, and ugly, and smelly, and dangerous. Bring me regional rail, parkland, and housing.

1125

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

bcmcdowell @bcmcdowell.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Folks who've had a COVID shot in the past month: Which manufacturer did you get and did the after effects differ from past years? Family who don't usually react were down for the count for a few days after getting Pfizer. My body can't handle that right now but it can't handle the virus either.

111

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Micheal Foley in Saint Paul @foleymo.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Which three candidates should I vote for in the Saint Paul School Board race, and why? If I can figure that out soon, I might try to vote later today. #stpaul #saintpaul #stpaulmn #saintpaulmn #mn #minnesota #election #vote

static.klipy.com

Your Ballot Is Waiting For You: Polls Are Open

Alt: Your Ballot Is Waiting For You: Polls Are Open

232

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

dan sinker @dansinker.com · 03/10/2026

You'd think that the Democratic party would be making hay over their opposition's biggest donor fighting to let his bot keep making revenge porn.

10244371330

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Deva Woodly @devawo.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Look here. I am telling you the tide is turning. Humanity is not going to give up without a fight. The poorly adjusted,self loathing,other-being hating dude bros don’t get to have the future.They just don’t.Man behind the curtain, Emperor’s clothes, pick your allegory. In any case, know the story.

622556

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Tim Carmody @tcarmody.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

This is the funniest thing I've seen today, possibly ever

A tweet by SarahStarberry that says "oh god read the vertical axis" on top of a chart measuring AI models' release dates and model numbers rather than any real capabilities

41119363101

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Jeremy Yoder says no war @jbyoder.org · 01/10/2026

The University of Minnesota is a crown jewel of public good in a state that is pretty smart about public goods, as states go. It’s really distressing to see UMN of all universities facing drastic, short-sighted cuts

24212

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Somehow not everyone is aware of fact alluded to below. So one more time: John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett were all on GWBush 2000 'Florida Recount' team. (Which made GWB first prez in 112 yrs to 'win' after losing popular vote. Now they 'impartially' rule on our future.)

9853262182

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

St. Paul Jacket swarm when these show up in stores!

210

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Eric Schmitt thinks these are photos of the same guy.

2315

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Bill Childs @billchilds.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Look, again, I am not this kind of lawyer, but as a general matter, don’t go do podcasts and talk about your case one week after the case was filed

0193

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Minnesota Star Tribune @startribune.com · 01/10/2026

The family of Renee Good, the Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot by a federal immigration enforcement agent near her home in January, filed two federal lawsuits Thursday alleging wrongful death, among other contentions.

bit.ly

Live: Renee Good’s family files lawsuits over fatal shooting by ICE agent

Renee Good was fatally shot on Jan. 7 in south Minneapolis by ICE agent Jonathan Ross.

5458138

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

“Cutting this much from the university budget will mean that some of the core functions of the university will be lost. It’s not possible to just do more with less — to work smarter, to trim around the edges. We’re going to have to do less with less.” Gift link: www.startribune.com/umn-cuts-sta...

startribune.com

Perry: What we lose if the U cuts $225 million

"Austerity doesn’t work. Instead, it creates a death spiral, where reduction in services leads to reductions in revenue, which lead to reductions in services, which leads to reduction in revenue, whic...

16757295

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Tom Basgen, Mr. Saint Paul @tombasgen.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

More on today’s closed door from Ward 3:

Today, I voted, very reluctantly, in favor of Resolution 26-1659 to appoint the law firm Fisher Phillips as Special Counsel to represent Mayor Her in the lawsuit brought by Chief Henry against the Mayor and the City.
It is my understanding that state law creates a presumption that public employees, including the Mayor, will be indemnified and provided a legal defense in matters such as these unless there is a legal basis to deny that defense. Additionally, the City Attorney cannot represent the Mayor in this case because of the conflict of interest created by her role as both an appointee of the Mayor and a fact witness in the litigation.
Ordinarily, the determination of whether the City will indemnify and defend an employee is made by the City Attorney. However, because of this conflict, the City will retain an outside firm through action at our next council meeting to conduct an independent indemnification analysis and determine, through a quasi-judicial process, whether the Mayor is entitled to indemnification and defense by the City.
Until that determination is made, it is my understanding that the City must continue to comply with its obligations under state law.

Based on the legal advice provided to the Council, voting against this resolution could have exposed the City to additional legal risk by failing to meet those obligations. There is a process in place to determine whether the Mayor was acting within the scope of her official duties during the conduct that gave rise to this lawsuit, but that analysis will take time and could not be completed before this vote. We also have a timeline to respond to the lawsuit that we must comply with.
I am deeply disappointed by the situation we find ourselves in. As a councilmember, I have a responsibility to protect the City from legal risk, but I also have a responsibility to safeguard public resources and protect the City from unnecessary financial harm. I have serious reservations about whether this is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. I also have concerns about how this particular law firm was selected.
Like many residents, I am still waiting to see the full report from Resolute Law which I have formally requested. My colleagues and I were forced by legal timelines to make significant decisions without having access to all of the information we would have preferred to review. That is not how I make decisions, and it is not how the City should make decisions.

I know I am not alone in my frustration. More than 100 public comments on this resolution were overwhelmingly opposed to the City paying for the Mayor's legal defense. Our office continues to hear from constituents who are disappointed by the Mayor's alleged conduct and are asking questions that I am still unable to answer. The expectations of our community are not being met.
Trust in government depends on transparency, accountability, and confidence that public dollars are being spent in ways that reflect our shared values and priorities. Right now, many residents feel those standards are falling short.
I remain deeply frustrated by this situation. Our residents deserve better. Our city employees deserve better. And our City deserves better.
I will continue to closely oversee this developing matter and use the authority afforded to my office under the City Charter to pursue the transparency and accountability that residents expect and deserve. In the meantime, I will remain focused on serving Saint Paul and continuing the work of building the city our community deserves.

0218

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Molly Coleman @mollycoleman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Sharing my comments from today’s meeting of the City Council, related to the hiring of outside counsel to represent Mayor Her in the lawsuit brought by Chief Henry. The full audio of the meeting is available here: stpaul.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=....

On April 1st of this year, the City was notified by Chief Henry’s attorney that the Mayor was being accused of engaging in illegal conduct toward City employees, and that litigation was reasonably foreseeable.

Today, one day shy of six months later, the City finally saw fit to discuss the matter in a closed door session with this City Council.

In the six months during which the Council and the public have been kept entirely in the dark by the administration, an external law firm has already been engaged at tax payers expense to investigate the allegations of repeated sexual harassment and other inappropriate workplace conduct by the Mayor.

Neither the Council or the public has been informed of the total cost of that investigation. Neither the Council or the public has seen the report.

While vague media reports have circulated that the report will be made public soon, we’re left with the allegations in the Chief’s 73-page complaint and the investigation summary prepared by an employee of the Mayor herself that finds that the Mayor engaged in “offensive and inappropriate behavior,” “created an uncomfortable work environment” for City employees, and “sent inappropriate text messages” to at least two City employees.

Today, the Council is effectively being asked to write a blank check with taxpayers’ money to a law firm that, frankly, is a law firm that I take great issue with—just minutes, literally minutes, after this body was provided for the first time was provided with any sort of update related to this matter.

This is no way to run a city. The lack of transparency, the refusal to provide the Council with the information necessary to fulfill our duties as a co-equal branch of government, and the lack of respect for the residents of the City is unacceptable. And yet, as the Council President explained, we effectively have no choice in this matter. If we choose not to retain outside counsel today, then we are opening up the City to additional liability and the risk that the Mayor herself could sue the City for refusing to hire outside counsel.

We are in a horrible position and we have very few options. I am incredibly frustrated by the vote that we are being asked to take today. I am incredibly frustrated by the timeline on which we are being asked to take it and the fact that we will be spending unknown sums of money, significant sums of money, defending against claims we know nothing about—despite the fact that our money has already been used to investigate those very claims.

So while I will vote yes for this resolution today, I want to be very clear about the legal limitations that require, from my perspective, that vote—and the immense frustration and disappointment at being asked to take this vote today.

1110727

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Dan Marshall @danmarstp.marshallwords.com · 30/09/2026

Public comments 88-0 against paying for Mayor Her's legal defense.

2194

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Sigh. Not our postseason, I guess.

130

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

ArtButMakeItSports @artbutmakeitsports.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Circus Performers, by Walt Kuhn, 1978, 📸 via @marisakabas.bsky.social

178124522671

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Given how confused Republicans are about sports in general, it’s no wonder that they’re also completely wrong about trans athletes.

120

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Brad Tabke @bradtabke.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Cc: @wedge.live I’m not the bald guy in this pic. This is my opponent who supports ICE wearing masks and refuses to give an opinion on Flock cameras, mega datacenters, or gun safety!! We decided to increase our ad spend and I need to raise another $12k. Please help -> BradTabke.com/Donate

Screenshot of StarTribune front page with my opponent Aaron Paul slinking past a Tabke for MN a lawn sign.

27824

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Twirling towards Freedom @twirlingtofreedom.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“Jackson highlighted the Court’s shadow docket orders allowing Trump to slash the Dept of Ed’s workforce, cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in government grants, and, as she put it, authorize “roving ICE patrols to conduct race-based searches and seizures of Latino residents in Los Angeles.””

05416

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

A.R. Moxon @juliusgoat.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Hard to imagine what that would be like

23875231267

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Nate Pentz @natepentz.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

We need to normalize cutting people out of your life who are toxic and making sure they understand why you did.

0458

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

THIS IS HAPPENING! FREE! AMAZING! AHHHHHHHHH!

57422

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I saw Claude and GPT in the closet making civilizations and one of the civilizations looked at me

020

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Mar Hicks @histoftech.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

“Now that’s a lotta trees!”

927191

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Mar Hicks @histoftech.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

“Can I have more money?”

321756

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I gasped! The Mighty Sparrow has left us. One of the most important and popular Calypsonians to ever do it! Songs filled political fire, irreverence, humor, naughty (very, very naughty) banter, and beats that make you wind your waist! Rest in Power, Sparrow. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/27/a...

nytimes.com

The Mighty Sparrow, Trinidadian Titan of Calypso, Is Dead at 91

He was sometimes described as the last of the true calypso singers. But in fact he simultaneously preserved calypso tradition and invented it anew.

261092213

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Jessica Shortall @jessicashortall.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ashley has kept countless Minnesota immigrant families in their homes. She was THE way non-Minnesotans figured out what to do to help make worked her ass off. She personally helped me help the group of families I was supporting. Let’s help her.

12410

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Tomorrow and tomorrow fuck tomorrow

120

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

András Forgács W @andraswf.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Nazis don't want you to remember their crimes

2939359

Erik Vorhes @erikvorhes.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

really a fear of the greatest roman orator being stuck in a can

010

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

James Ryan @jdryan08.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

NYC spends approximately $200,000 a year for every inmate in the corrections system. It spends about $27,000 a year for every student enrolled in CUNY.

3408120

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 26/09/2026

This is another great, approachable explainer on “the rationalist wackos who have managed to take over much of the AI industry, and who now have tons of money and political power.” www.iankduncan.com/personal/202...

iankduncan.com

Sex, AI, and the Apocalypse - Ian Duncan

How a community devoted to thinking clearly incubated salvation stories, abusive experiments, race science, and an affection for autocracy, and why that history matters now that its alumni are asking ...

591945469

Reposted by Erik Vorhes

Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

A group of major medical organizations released recommendations this morning for Covid, flu and RSV vaccination, including guidance for the general population as well as specifics for children, people over 65, pregnant people and immunocompromised people. Here's a guide.

nytimes.com

Your Guide to Covid, Flu and R.S.V. Vaccines This Fall (Gift Article)

Major medical groups released new recommendations on who should get the shots, citing a lack of strong guidance from the federal government.

13318190