Coraline Wren

We looked back on the "backlash" against American Eagle ads featuring Sydney Sweeney and her "great jeans." Right-wing media declared that liberals were outraged and thought the ads were racist -- even the White House joined in.

If you thought that story reeked, you'll want to see what we found.

PLAN TO CUT COSTS AT YOUR LOCAL UNIVERSITY:

STEP 1: Eliminate all academic departments.

STEP 2: Hire consultant to interpret 99% drop in enrollment.

it may feel a little like homework, but i genuinely think people should read the lincoln-douglas debates to see what the practical politics of anti-slavery looked like in an environment where the public was neutral to hostile to the question of emancipation

maybe math can be about play and exploration

I dunno, just spitballing

"Democracy dies if prominent black writers don't frame their arguments around appeasing white voters in Wisconsin," or "Democracy dies unless liberal writers praise radical, hateful conservative activists" is the subtext. And it's worth thinking through who makes these kinds of arguments and why.

One Battle After Another and Sinners both lay out a formula for cinema success: diverse movies where white nationalists get duffed in the most graphic way possible shot and presented in increasingly baroque high resolution formats.

now I'm working through it I question whether hyping this up as the most terrifying class that any math undergrad will ever take is actually a helpful strategy

Two real analysis videos on a youtube search: the first is entitled REAL ANALYSIS WILL BREAK YOU by The Math Sorceror; and the second is entitled, The Real Analysis Survival Guide by ThatMathThing, featuring a man with camo face paint. It's all a little much if you ask me personally.

I dunno, guys, I'm having fun so far

Some big implications for journalism, too, where reporters often mistake trending posts as a reasonable reflection of public opinion.

I cannot express how wild this quote is. This is a top tech analyst at a well-regarded firm saying that there is not enough capital to actually pay for all the stuff that NVIDIA and OpenAI has promised. It is so important that everybody realizes that *there is not enough money to do this*

Wheat paste poster that says the all the world is dying and the new world struggles to be born now is the time of monsters. There's a picture of Elmo

Morning walk

My wife @coralinewren.bsky.social said this is the funniest thing I’ve ever written and I make it a point not to disagree with her, especially when she’s right.

"Greenblatt, last month, sharply criticized Jewish leaders who met with Mamdani, a persistent Israel critic who has faced scrutiny for refusing to outright condemn the “globalize the intifada” slogan. Greenblatt also wrongly claimed that the mayoral hopeful hasn’t visited a single synagogue or any mainstream Jewish institutions during the campaign. The ADL released a list of questions for Mamdani to answer, and Greenblatt said he’d only meet with Mamdani “under clear circumstances,” including the discussion being a public meeting. “I won’t be used by Mamdani,” he said."

The ADL criticizes Mamdani for not meeting with "mainstream" Jewish groups, but they define "mainstream" in such a way such that if any Jewish groups meet with Mamdani, as many have, they no longer count as "mainstream." It is a game that cannot be won.

Pete Buttigieg having to immediately do an about-face within three days of his big interview with Pod Save America because even his diehard supporters were flipping out on him for giving a series of non-answers about Palestine is a pretty good indication of where things are headed on this issue.

Talk Of Fascism Dangerous, Warns Ministry Of Compliance

Talk Of Fascism Dangerous, Warns Ministry Of Compliance

The most accurate recreation of DS9 I've seen.

Here's my newsletter about the movie:

Okay, time for my favorite letterboxd reviews of 2025!

Up first is this long review where I talk about the movie and a weird thing that happened at the showing.

I’m mighty proud of this long winded hot take.

Ten years of me watching this movie summed up in one review.

Sometimes I do bits with my reviews. Other times it’s just a snarky quip.

Occasionally though I do an actual review, and some of those I like.

This review brought to you by the good people at Hilton Hotels

Another personal story attached to this one about my freshman year in marching band

One of my longest reviews is about one of my favorites and is one of my most heartfelt.

The wounded knee thing is really Trumpism distilled to its essence. It’s not enough to be able crush people who can’t fully defend themselves, it’s not enough to actually crush them, you also have to love and admire those who do the crushing otherwise the Trumpists’ delicate feelings are injured

after the first year, for me

As seen at the Phillies Game: “Philly Jews Say Free Palestine & Go Phils!”

people do not really understand that once a movement's popularity starts falling towards the 30% mark, it begins shedding even core supporters. this is because you can no longer maintain the information environment inside that core. there are just too many leaks.

One job asked for my most recent standardized test score. And, like, I’m forty fucking four, I haven’t thought about standardized tests in like two decades.

CHOTINER: And when was that?
MY CAT: I mean at least 14 hours ago
CHOTINER: Well hold on. You're telling me you haven't been fed at all today but if I look in your bowl here I see a-
MY CAT: An untouched serving, I know, but if you'd let me finish-
CHOTINER: Yeah, of course.