iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Isn't most life on earth beetles? Like, by mass they're the vast majority of animals?

Yeah, I'm aware. But for the most part KY politics is still very 'old boys club' and so both parties (and powerful non-partisan offices) get used to funnel public money to friends. My point isn't that that's fine, my point is that here, that's not a partisan issue.

020

I think it was the mayoral election. I know when he was the assumed opponent for KY6 - before the DCCC backed McGrath - it was definitely something Barr's camp hinted at.

The underlying problem is cultural, unfortunately, and that's not a one-election solution. Blue state dems certainly don't make it any easier when they "you dumb yokels got what you deserve" anytime something goes wrong in KY. It only makes it harder for us trying to actually change things here.

020

OP should maybe talk to literally anyone local about it? Or even just read some local coverage? Because this race has never been about "a GOP mayor". It was a talking point in her first race, but hasn't been one, now.

000

Which is why I'm pretty sure she's going to lose: snow removal, the LPD Flock contract, and probably homelessness being more visible (and her doing fuckall other than a "study commission" to fight it). But none of those hinge on her being GOP, which is my wider point.

100

I'm legit struggling to remember the last citywide elected official using culture war issues to run to the right. I guess maybe the lady in the 4th running against Emma Curtis? It's largely "quiet part out loud" about Emma being trans, but like. She's not running on ending Pride or anything.

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That why I didn't vote for either of them in the primary and work with actual lefties running for council. I'm well aware that the wider Lexington power structure is center-right (economically, at least).

100

"prove she's not conservative!" - She is in the sense that the average suburban NIMBY is conservative, I guess? Like... the bigger social war issues just don't play here. Sorry! It's all dumb local pothole-filling all the way down.

Legit don't know why I bothered interacting. They didn't even know who was running for office. Explaining things like, "most people here are just mad that it took 4 days to plow the city" and "Carter getting a $100 donation from a KAW VP made the news"

lmao, sure my guy. I'm probably voting for Carter, but not because Gorton is "conservative". Compared to me both are, and both are going to do the same things, for the most part: run cover for LPD, appoint meaningless commissions, and sit as a milquetoast centrist.

Yeah, man, so glad Andy Barr beat fucking Amy McGrath that year. It definitely didn't set back local dem efforts for the next 3 cycles, because McGrath became the darling of the national Dem party and they lit millions on fire to try and boost her..

It's such a weird framing "prove you're not a conservative!" when 90% of her policies are boring and local. Her working with Pride, creation of DEI and Racial Justice commissions, and affordable house/infill positions are all anathema to the wider GOP. But all are bare-minimum hurdles, imo.

100

The issue isn't "characterizing her as a Republican". Sure, whatever, she's a registered Republican. The issue is pretending that's a lynchpin of this race. It's not. It never has been.

210

But, sure dude, clearly people who don't live here know better than we do. I didn't just pass her going into my kid's school the other day or anything. Y'all didn't even know her gender.

The framing "can GOP mayor win" is dumb because 1) she's the incumbent, so she already won once" and 2) because she's functionally no different than the last guy on policy - who went on to run for congress as a Dem and 3) because her party affiiliation hasn't been a deciding factor in the race.

210

It's more "you're not a local and clearly don't know what this race is actually about". Yes, Linda Gorton was a registered Republican before running for office, but has governed as a pretty boring centrist. Like the last mayor was and like Carter is, too? It's not really a thing for the race.

140

At least you're mask-off about it. If the dems think I'm expendable, then the feeling is mutual.

040

Apparently either Tyler himself or one of his staff canvassed to my house the other day and Im just like... my guy, you're absolutely toast. You went to bat for Liggins more than anyone else and that's an albatross you can't take off.

I haven't seen an actual position from Raquel, just using the overall hate for both as a talking point to tie them to Gorton.

030

Yeah, I largely see three issues talked about: 1) Gorton getting hammered about last winter 2) infill vs. sprawl re: the urban boundary 3) Gorton getting hammered for Flock support With an occasional kicker of "who can hate Liggins more" bc people are still pissed about the school board.

130

Pretty sure Gorton is a registered Republican, but neither of them are terribly partisan on social issues and pretty solidly centrist on economic issues, too. It's definitely a weird framing.

130

The mayoral race is Linda Gorton vs Raquel Carter Neither is a "he"?

100

No, you're good. I'm one state south and it's a minefield trying to figure out who's actual allies and who's eager to throw us to the wolves, so I jumped to a conclusion.

Ah, the 'lock shields' made me assume you meant 'for ODP' not for the trans community. My bad!

110

Why wouldn't it come from her mouth? What does she gain by being vocally anti-trans? It's a proven lower all over the country and especially within the party.

100

Do dems need our vote? If yes: they need to give us some policy concessions. Or, at the very least, not run on also making our lives worse. If no: what problem do they have with us withholding our vote. They didn't need it anyway, right? Same political calculus as any group.

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Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

And the Saints are determined to be as 4th quarter of a team as they can, apparently.

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2nd arc is even better, so enjoy the next season, too!

Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Fabio's like, "Yes, he's basically a dog, but he's a really hot, really cool dog who I inexplicably want to kiss. What of it." I love this crew.

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Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

My first Vertumnal love! She reminded me so much of a younger me, so I wanted to give her as happy an ending as possible.

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Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Ottawa, Vancouver, Detroit, NY, Boston

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Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I haven't unlocked it, yet! I'm still just dumping ice grenades in the water, lmao.

Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Me in Unsighted the first time I figured out you can chain wall-jumps if the walls are close enough (even if I'm still bad at it):

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Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

At my job, we can carry vacation for a full year ahead, but then it disappears (so most people blow it all in May/June right before the fiscal year shift). Now sick time never disappears, so I know some folks who have truly staggering amounts. I think I'm at 70 days or so after a decade of work.

Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It's basically where I fell, too. Sucks that someone whose work I enjoyed had this in his past. Barring a statement from the victim about it being well and truly atoned for, it's hard to enjoy his work again.

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Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

They're already about halfway there aren't they? Seems likely!

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Tessa @mintyjulep.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Honorable mentions to my girl. My heavy-killer. The one and only SDR-P "Miley Cyrus". If you see it running at you, you're probably already dead and just don't know it, yet.

An illustration of a fairly typical Spider mech from the game Battletech.

A loadout screen from the Harebrained Schemes Battletech video game. It's showing a customized 30-ton Spider mech outfitted with melee weapons and named "Miley Cyrus". One of the melee weapons is a wrecking ball.