Anya Spethmann

And I think intent versus impact is pretty central in understanding what the actual fuck is happening in the States rn.

I’ve held off until now — I was never the target — but the new TSwift is a masterclass in intent vs impact.

And, like, it’s not her job to save the world but it would’ve been nice to have someone try.

I wrote a harvest article a few years ago that was just an annotated playlist and the star of it was the Strokes’ “Bad Decisions.”

meme. text reads "the european mind cannot comprehend this... though to be fair that may be due to the whole "continental breakfast" thing." photos of eggnog sippin cream liquor, yabba dabba beer made with fruity pebbles, and french toast whiskey

The infantilization of the American drinker: www.fingers.email/p/the-infant...

The first ep of Locals Welcome is now on CBC Gem - check it out! You* paid for it and it's good stuff.

*Canadians

“So we’re not exactly theoretically breaking up with Marx but for the rest of the semester, it’s more of a situationship.”

this is a key point that i'm seeing a lot of casual observers miss as they call for boycotting paramount (sure, fine) & note that weiss lacks the skill to run cbs (correct.) the project is to dismantle the news media. traditional business metrics don't really apply when the goal is destruction.

Oh, I’m a sucker but they need more show, less tell.

The copy is not tempting.

Why You Should Apply to Attend the Wine Writers' Symposium My thoughts on why you might want to apply to attend the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers in Napa this coming February. Applications due 10/6.

Are you a working or aspiring wine writer? Then you should seriously consider applying to attend the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. www.vinography.com/2... #winethreads

That seems like a false dichotomy but you go with whatever makes you happy.

Did your evidence get thrown out for “cherry-picked and misrepresented study results”?

This Napa winery is cutting back on its most famous wine. That means a major change for the vineyard For the first time in 60 years, this historic California vineyard is opening up to new buyers.

Things must not be going well at Lawrence Wine Estates. Wanting to spread the fruit out among others seems disingenuous. www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/ar...

Perpetual growth is the sole goal of capitalism and Napa cab is its official drink but sure … It’s plausible they’re making sacrifices to ensure more terroir expressions.

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

A map titled United States High Speed Rail System showing a theoretical high speed rail system in the United States. Some lines also connect north to Vancouver or the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor, or south to Tijuana or Monterrey. The map is credited to First Cultural Industries AKA Alfred Twu, dated from February 2013, and is downloadable at www.californiarailmap.com

the US if Tylenol actually caused autism

It’s a stupid question. The “US sneezes” is a cliché for a reason and the States currently has a raging case of something deadly.

Thank you for writing it!

It doesn’t speak to the exact situation you describe but it does help me get through two hours of Gramsci without a dopamine hit. So it’s kind of training wheels.

I have a prof who has her TA sit at the back of a large lecture hall & tap your shoulder if doing something on laptop/tablet other than taking notes. Twice & you leave. She explained the research about distracting others & offered anyone with opposing info to present it. Highly recommended approach.

Worth reading on wine and labour availability.

This will absolutely haunt my nightmares.

Texas A&M University president resigns after ‘gender ideology’ controversy Mark A Welsh III steps down after student’s complaint led to firing of teacher and dismissal of dean and department head

I’m not sure whether this is intentional or not but it’s funny to me:

“His career before higher education included … a stint as dean of the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M.”

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

My Wine Wall of Shame: The Heavy Bottle Dilemma in Wine Industry Last week, I tried to figure out when I started mentioning bottle weight in my tasting notes. It has certainly been for several years now and I distinctly remember being out on a bit of an island w…

"if you think you need an obscenely heavy bottle to sell your wine, you are wrong. What you really need is a better marketing department" by Jeff Kralik

Free speech latest:

There are things that shouldn’t be said. Charlie Kirk said them for fun and profit. I don’t mourn the death of people like that. He wasted his one short, God-given life.

But I can’t do the latter for some reason. I really love it and I’m really good at it but I *must* do something else.

If I looked anything like Baraba Stanwick, I’d be out murdering rich husbands for real rather than contemplating grad school or law school. (Or back to wine marketing.)

(Though announcing it publicly is probably not the first step in a brilliant scheme.)