Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

I’m more christian than these people and i’m an atheist.

Bark louder, little dog.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

The snowflake in chief appeared visibly frustrated when questioned by a reporter about egg prices.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Compromise? There is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

Oh FFS you might as well trust a 6-year-old with a flamethrower.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

You are here: Home / Politics / Trump Indictments / Trump Is Testifying in the E. Jean Carroll Case (Open Thread)

Reader Interactions

192Comments

  1. 1.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    What we he testify to?

    An excellent question, as befits a judge

    They’re just trying to foist a campaign speech in front of whatever free audience they can find.

  4. 4.

    hueyplong

    Glad the judge is plainly warning Habba up front instead of foolishly assuming small amounts of competence, good faith or ethical behavior on her part.

  6. 6.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @mrmoshpotato: Mmmmm bhasketghetti and meatballs!

    I always do sausage. I’m never happy with my meatballs.

    There’s a metaphor there, somewhere.

  7. 7.

    mrmoshpotato

    @hueyplong:

    Glad the judge is plainly warning Habba up front instead of foolishly assuming small amounts of competence, good faith or ethical behavior on her part. 

    “Now look here, you child who got your law degree out of a Cracker Jack box!”

  8. 8.

    JPL

    So he was able to call Carroll politely call Carroll a liar on the stand, even though it was sustained.   He got what he wanted.

  9. 9.

    WaterGirl

    So I guess Trump’s “testimony” is over?  And tomorrow is closing arguments?

    So Trump’s idea of testifying is to mutter shit under his breath that he has been told he cannot say?

    Will no one rid us of this creature?

  14. 14.

    WaterGirl

    I wasn’t happy with my last batch of meatballs that I made in the oven, baking them in the spicy spaghetti sauce.

    So today I’m trying something new – cooking them in the sauce on the stove.  Fingers crossed.

  15. 15.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @mrmoshpotato: Frozen meatballs are good. I choose sausage for another reason too. Gut them and use them instead of burger for a meat sauce, it’s an excellent cheat code. I find I spend way less time making small adjustments to my sauce because I don’t like the sweetness/acidity level. Papers that right over.

  17. 17.

    JPL

    “No, I just wanted to defend myself, my family and, frankly, the presidency,” Trump replied.

    If he wanted to defend the presidency, he’d move the North Korea with his family.   Maybe even build mar a lago two

  20. 20.

    different-church-lady

    I can’t imagine his behavior is doing anything but hurting him with the jury. “Eight million dollars for the assault and twelve million dollars for being an asshole.”

  24. 24.

    lowtechcyclist

    @mrmoshpotato:

    “Now look here, you child who got your law degree out of a Cracker Jack box!”

    “Why, that’s nothing but a two-bit degree from a crackerback jox!”
    -Regnad Kcin

  26. 26.

    geg6

    @The Kropenhagen Interpretation:

    If I may say so myself, I make most excellent meatballs.  Even better than my favorite local Italian place.

    As for Habba, she is going to regret this.  She may not think so right now (she’s just not all that bright), but she will.

  27. 27.

    Mr. Bemused Senior

    @WaterGirl: That didn’t work so well in 2020, because he is still here.

    I think this time it will stick. Don’t count on my predictions though, my record isn’t so good.

  28. 28.

    Baud

    Vince McMahon Accused of Sex Trafficking by WWE Staffer He Paid to Keep Quiet
    Janel Grant files lawsuit saying McMahon pressured her into sex with him and other men at wrestling business, raising questions about 2022 board probe into CEO’s payouts

  29. 29.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @geg6: If I may say so myself, I make most excellent meatballs. Even better than my favorite local Italian place.

    I’m jealous you have one.  Italian food around me is a wasteland of chains and dives not worthy of the name “dive.”

    Any meatball advice?

  30. 30.

    topclimber

    Since he cannot try to dispute the fact of sexual assault (already established in first case), what can he say on the stand except his new remarks were not defamatory? Renowned truth teller that he is, he will have no problem convincing the jury of that one.

  34. 34.

    trollhattan

    Judge Kaplan up top appears to be building a wall around Trump. A beautiful, beautiful wall and a wall that I may learn to cherish.

    Lawyer lady must be enjoying her billable hours.

  36. 36.

    Alison Rose

    @WaterGirl: NYT has it on their liveblog:

    Habba asks Trump if he ever intended to hurt Ms. Carroll. He says no and then follows with: “I just wanted to defend myself, my family and, frankly, the presidency.”

  37. 37.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @Mr. Bemused Senior: It definitely seems my widest venue for exploration involves what bread to use

    ETA: Do you mean knead the bread before adding it or knead the whole mixed product for a long time?

  39. 39.

    Jay

    @WaterGirl:

    Always brown your meatballs before subjecting them to sauce.

    You can do it under a broiler, but it’s less fuss and less mess to just roll them around a frying pan.

    They need the Maynard reaction to preserve texture and amp the flavour.

  42. 42.

    Butch

    Welp, from the Associated Press:

    Former President Donald Trump testified for just three minutes Thursday in a New York defamation trial to determine how much he might owe the advice columnist E. Jean Carroll for disparaging her as a liar after she publicly accused him of a decades-old rape in 2019.

    “She said something I considered a false accusation,” Trump said in testimony the highly anticipated appearance that lasted so briefly. A lawyer for Carroll objected and U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan told the jury to disregard the remark.

    Later, Trump said: “And I just wanted to defend myself, my family and frankly, the presidency.” That, too, drew an objection and another instruction from the judge for the jury to disregard it.

    As Trump left the courtroom after his testimony, he was shaking his head, repeatedly saying: “This is not America. This is not America. This is not America.”

  52. 52.

    Kineslaw

    @geg6: I make my meatballs half beef/half spicy Italian sausage.  Very tasty and a lot of the seasoning is already done.

  53. 53.

    geg6

    @The Kropenhagen Interpretation:

    Western PA is filled with great Italian places, some high end and some not so much.  But lots of good ones.  Many Italian immigrants came here to work in the steel mills.

    As I told WG above, never bake your meatballs.  Use ground chuck.  I try to use bread crumbs from a fresh Italian loaf (we also have have great Italian bread makers here).  No milk is needed if you use fresh and an egg or two, depending on how big your batch.  If you want garlic flavor infused into the meatball, use garlic powder, not fresh.  A little finely chopped onion (a couple tablespoons or so).  A pinch of red pepper flakes and a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley.  Seasoning to your taste.  Cook in the sauce on the stove.  There is no recipe or I’d give it to you.  It’s something you get a feel for the more you do it.  My high school/post-high school boyfriend’s mother was from Italy.  She taught me a lot about Italian food.

  55. 55.

    Splitting Image

    I confess that I am completely astonished that he testified at all.

    On the other and, I’m not astonished that he ignored the judge’s instructions and used his minute-and-a-huff to call Carroll a liar. Hopefully the jury agrees and adds a few more millions to the settlement.

  57. 57.

    trollhattan

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Right? But when I posed the question before I learned that she got a quarter-mil up front–can’t remember from whom, obviously not Donny.

  60. 60.

    FelonyGovt

    @WaterGirl: I have a good, reliable recipe for meatballs that involves first baking them in the oven (turning once) and then dumping them into the simmering sauce and letting them cook a little longer there.

  61. 61.

    geg6

    @Jay:

    I advise the exact opposite of what you say about meatballs.  You never overwork the meat mixture and browning them before adding to the sauce does not allow for the flavor of the sauce to be absorbed by the meatball.  All those things make the meatball tough.  Maybe you like your meatballs stiff, but I prefer them to be soft pillows of meaty goodness.

  63. 63.

    trollhattan

    re. Meatballs–if you slide them into the sauce uncooked, how do get the Maillard reaction flavors? I brown them in a skillet and must be missing something….

  64. 64.

    WaterGirl

    @geg6: The first 3 times I baked them in the sauce, they were absolutely perfect.  As good or better than I had ever had at any Italian restaurant, even my favorite.

    They last time they weren’t done enough and it creeped me out.

    Today, they are perfect!  yay!

  65. 65.

    geg6

    @trollhattan:

    Some things call for a Maillard reaction and some don’t.  In my opinion, my experience and what I was taught by someone who made the best meatballs I’ve ever had, meatballs do not need it.  Browning before adding to the sauce changes the texture and lessens the flavor of the sauce infusing into the meatball.  If you prefer that harder texture, go ahead and brown them.  I prefer softer meatballs.

  69. 69.

    RaflW

    Can the judge fine Ms. Habba, Esq., if her client doesn’t adhere to the narrow terms of testifying? I hope so. And I hope it’s a large sum. These attorneys have the right to practice law, but not to let their clients just vomit out bullshit.

  72. 72.

    zhena gogolia

    @geg6: Interesting. I’ve never made meatballs because I hate browning stuff! Good to know you don’t have to.

  73. 73.

    WaterGirl

    @Butch:

    “This is not America. This is not America. This is not America.  In the America is in my head, I am King!  I can do anything I want!”

    I added (in bold) the part that clarifies everything.

  74. 74.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @geg6: From what I remember, this is basically my Sicilian-American Mom/Grandma’s recipe and they were fabulous meatballs.

  79. 79.

    JPL

    Family visits a few times a year and I’d love to have something like spagetti and meatballs, but with gluten free and dairy free, it’s too complicated.

    It’s easier to just have meat and potatoes, although one doesn’t like sweet potatoes.

  82. 82.

    RaflW

    @Butch: In as much as America has let white guys off the hook way too often, Trump is frustratingly correct.

    But one jury has already said he’s liable, and I don’t think his petty outburst today will do squat to save him from another hefty award.

    Heck, I recall someone here saying he was defaming Carroll again on False Social in recent days. Incorrigible, even if it costs him cash.

  83. 83.

    Roberto el oso

    Just curious as to whether any mention was made in court regarding Ms. Habba’s alleged illness and claim that one of her parents has come down with Covid? Photos are popping up of her at Trump’s victory party (after she claimed to not be feeling well) …. a few selfies with J6 freaks. These people are sooooo dumb.

  90. 90.

    Princess

    I’m on Team meatballs that aren’t briefly sauteed first before putting them in the sauce are gross.

    I’m also on Team I hope Carroll takes Trump to the cleaners and is actually able to collect. I suspect there is more blog unanimity for that position.

  92. 92.

    RaflW

    @geg6: My partner’s aunt, who is 100% Italian-American from a long line of Milwaukee Italian-Americans, bakes her meatballs in sauce. But the sauce is only about 1/2 way up the meatballs, so the tops (after turning, I believe) get a good oven browning, yet are tender and delectable inside.

    These are fairly large meatballs, tho. Not baseball big, but like two meatballs is — with pasta and her amazing two-day sauce simmered with a whole pork neck — a full on meal.

  93. 93.

    WaterGirl

    @smith: That’s a fun tweet.

    I wish Trump hadn’t even gotten his two lines in.

    If anyone on that jury tries to protect Trump from financial consequences, it will not bode well for jury selection in the other trials.  Hopefully when jurors swear an oath it means something.

  96. 96.

    Jay

    @geg6:

    I do a long simmer in the sauce, the browned meatballs flavour the sauce and vice versa. The meatballs come out with just enough texture to hold together on a fork, and allow a careful stir from time to time. They also absorb less sauce, and so add a meaty contrast to the sauce. I don’t put chili in my meatballs, because I use Ukrainian Red Garlic, wazzed up into a paste, which has a heat note of it’s own. The onion and garlic paste adds moisture to keep the meatballs soft, and the heavy kneading allows the bread crumbs to reform gluten strands allowing the meatballs to keep their shape.

    I learned how to do it from my Abrutzi Outlaws Nonna, but, in order to be ready in time for dinner, everything needs to start simmering at noon at the latest.

  99. 99.

    Citizen Alan

    @Mr. Bemused Senior: Even the voters can’t make him physically go away if the media is obsessed with covering his every utterance. I’m not sure death would be the end of Shitgibbon’s media dominance at this point.

  101. 101.

    WaterGirl

    @JPL: I have she gets a good (verbal) smackdown from him tomorrow.  She didn’t even pretend she was planning to follow the rules and control her client.

  102. 102.

    zhena gogolia

    @WaterGirl: oh, Gawd, his wife was trying to be our governor and our senator, but blissfully lost both times. She was Trump’s secretary of something or other, Commerce, I think.

  104. 104.

    JGreen

    @lowtechcyclist: ​
      “i’ll sell it to you for $5000”.

    And, to save you the trouble:
    “$5000? What sort of chump do you take me for?”
    “First Class”
    —Rocky Rococo

    Had the whole thing memorized once upon a time. I could even do the Rococo voice pretty well. Those were the days.

  107. 107.

    Ksmiami

    @WaterGirl: eggs, panko, milk, seasonings, parm and a combination of 30 percent ground pork, 70percent ground beef. Bake on sheet tray at 375 for 15-17 minutes then add to sauce for final simmering. It’s a fool proof recipe I learned from working with a Hell’s Kitchen celebrity chef.

  108. 108.

    RaflW

    @JPL: I partnered into a very Italian-American family (see recent comment above). Three of the family are gluten-intolerant, and while the GF pastas are a bit more demanding of attention in the cooking process (gritty when underdone, then 1 minute window of done, then mushy), with practice one can get good, if not exact replacement, results.

    If you want to try it, be sure to buy a GF pasta made in Italy (our go-to is 365 brand from Whole Foods. It’s not to spendy). Italians would not tolerate a substitute that doesn’t at least come close.

  110. 110.

    Suzanne

    @geg6: Agree. The meatball is supposed to be like a sponge for the sauce. Browning it makes it into a hockey puck. Want it to be all simmer-y like a good bolognese.

  112. 112.

    rikyrah

    Libs of TikTok creator accused of inspiring school bomb threats named to Oklahoma library board
    Chaya Raichik, who runs the inflammatory Libs of TikTok social media account, was named an adviser to the state Education Department’s library committee.

    Jan. 23, 2024, 4:57 PM CST / Updated Jan. 23, 2024, 6:37 PM CST
    By Matt Lavietes

    A far-right influencer who was accused of instigating bomb threats against a school library in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last year has been named an adviser to a state library committee, the head of the state Education Department announced Tuesday.

    https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/libs-tik-tok-bomb-threats-oklahoma-library-committee-rcna135369

  114. 114.

    Roberto el oso

    One of the things I adore about BJ is the ‘walk and chew gum’ aspect of the intertwining threads. This one, for example, which is about the Trump’s testimony and the proper way to assemble and cook meatballs. There was another one a few nights ago which one commenter described as “the post for fighting about Texas and talking about the Oscars”.

  117. 117.

    bjacques

    This won’t be a serious analysis of Trump’s courtroom appearance until the Balloon Juice crack legal team weighs in on whether to cook the meatballs in the sauce or before.

     

    This is not, America…Nooooo!!

  121. 121.

    Another Scott

    Lazyman’s Meatballs and Sauce:

    1) 1 pound bag of Trader Joe’s frozen turkey meatballs.
    Pour contenst of bag in microwave safe pot (I use ~ 3 quart glass sauce pot). Add a few TBSP of water. Cover.
    Cook on “Sensor Reheat” until microwave “dings” (a few minutes).
    Remove from microwave oven, let rest.

    2) Sauce
    1 jar Trader Joe’s Marinara sauce
    1 can tomato paste
    1 can diced tomatoes, drained

    Pour some sauce and paste into ~ 4 quart microwave-safe sauce pot with lid
    Stir paste into sauce until well mixed.
    Add rest of sauce, stir until well mixed.
    Add drained tomatoes, mix well.
    Cover, put in microwave, cook on “Sensor Reheat” until “dings”.

    Add meatballs to sauce. Keep warm (reheating if necessary, but don’t cook too much or meatballs seem to get tougher).

    Cook favorite pasta. Drain, dish up pasta, add sauce.

    Eat.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  122. 122.

    WaterGirl

    @bjacques:

    This won’t be a serious analysis of Trump’s courtroom appearance until the Balloon Juice crack

    This Is Trump's Idea of Winning 2

    Oh, sorry, I thought you were asking for photo of the bread that looked like crack.

  123. 123.

    Sister Golden Bear

    On the trans genocide watch, Florida Advances Bill To “Legally De-Trans” Individuals.

    More from Erin in the Morning:

    [The] bill that would mandate that health insurers cover conversion therapy for transgender people. The bill would also bar transgender people from updating the gender markers on their drivers licenses and make it easier for health insurers to deny healthcare coverage for gender affirming care at any age….

    This means that parents could enroll their children in programs aiming to “treat a person’s perception” of being transgender, with the ultimate goal of “affirming” the birth sex of transgender youth. It is crucial to note that there is no evidence supporting the effectiveness of conversion therapy in altering gender identity or sexuality. More significantly, attempts at such therapy frequently increase suicide rates and detrimentally impact mental health….

    The bill also would have huge impacts on the ability of transgender people in the state to obtain correct identification documents. It would mandate that the state define “sex” as chromosomal, and would then use that definition for drivers licenses n the state. Notably, few people are chromosomally tested when they are born and the bill entirely leaves out intersex people. The bill would make Florida one of the first states that would mandate drivers licenses show someone’s assigned sex at birth, entirely outlawing legal transition when it comes to this crucial identification document.

  126. 126.

    scav

    I do so hope there is stiff and widespread coverage of Trumpy’s little White House Medical Unit Candyland

    “We found that the White House Medical Unit provided a wide range of health care and pharmaceutical services to ineligible White House staff in violation of Federal law and regulation and DoD policy,” says a new report from the Defense Department’s inspector general. “Additionally, the White House Medical Unit dispensed prescription medications, including controlled substances, to ineligible White House staff.”

    ….

    For example, controlled medications, including sleeping pill Ambien and stimulant Provigil, were dispensed “without verifying the patient’s identity.” A witness told investigators “Dr. [X] asked if I could hook up this person with some Provigil as a parting gift for leaving the White House … in the unit, it was authorized for us to do that kind of stuff.”

    ….

    Aliases were used “to provide free specialty care and surgery to ineligible White House staff members at military medical treatment facilities,” according to the report. Former staffers told the inspectors that an ineligible White House employee received free elective surgery and that “the unit altered practices to cater to high‑ranking officials.”

  128. 128.

    Jay

    U.K. walks away from trade talks with Canada
    Sticking point is how much access U.K. producers should have to the Canadian cheese market

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-uk-trade-cheese-1.7094817

    In the three years since Brexit, the UK has still not been able to negotiate a trade deal with Canada.

    They got a 3 year exemption, for tariff free trade as long as they held to the terms and conditions of the EU agreement, but that expired last fall.

    All they really had to do, was “copy and paste” the Canada/EU Trade deal, and it would have been a “done deal”, 3 years ago, but apparently, (said in a sarcastic Tony Brit falsetto), Control C and Control V isn’t in their skill set.

    Bunch of wankers.

  131. 131.

    Ruckus

    @WaterGirl:

    Will no one rid us of this creature?

    Life will and it appears to be on a fast track.

    He’s eaten so well, has the appearance of someone who takes care of his body, and is 77 yrs old. He’s likely to live at least a few years which he could spend as a pauper. I wonder if he ever paid into SS so he’ll have something left to feed himself on. Wanna bet that every piece of property he’s listed as the owner is in hock up to the limit? I believe and hope that SFB is going down for the final count – and soon. I’d almost (that word is doing a hell of a lot of work) like to watch it in real time, except I don’t have the stomach for it.

  135. 135.

    catclub

    Since open thread:  The RNC powers that be are desperate to get Trump out of a two person race.

    They want to declare him the presumptive nominee, provide him with support from their mailing lists etc, and oppose Haley with all their apparatus.

  137. 137.

    lowtechcyclist

    @JGreen:

    “Why, that tarnished piece of tin is worthless!”
    “Worthless? Hahaaa! It means a lot to Melanie Haber.”
    “Melanie Haber?”
    etc.

  140. 140.

    catclub

    @Ruckus: He’s likely to live at least a few years which he could spend as a pauper.

     

    Even if found gulity and made to pay huge fines, never.

    There are plenty ( or at least enough) of crazy rich people

    (think new Mar a Lago members)  who will keep him in better style than pauper style. Giuliani is broke but somebody is supporting him.

  143. 143.

    RaflW

    More good news from The Courts vs. Trumplanidia: Peter Navarro sentenced to 4 months for contempt of Congress in Jan. 6 case

    He’s probably out of jail pending appeals, but the trial court record is in.

  147. 147.

    Jay

    @Baud:

    Never going to happen.

    Most of the expat Brits, (a British pension had significantly more PPP in Canada than in Britain, and it was easy for them to get Residency), went for Canadian Citizenship during Thatcher’s 2nd term.

  148. 148.

    lowtechcyclist

    @JaySinWA:

    We’ve gone from crackers to quackers.

    Duck soup?

    “The last man nearly ruined this place,
    he didn’t know what to do with it,
    if you think this country’s bad off now,
    just wait ’til I get through with it.”
    –    Rufus T. Firefly, President of Freedonia

  149. 149.

    JPL

    trump was to be at an event in Arizona tomorrow but he canceled.  Is he afraid of Kari’s wire, or are the RNC members suggesting that he curtail his events.   Maybe they don’t want any more Nikki-Nancy mixups.

  151. 151.

    Lyrebird

    @comrade scotts agenda of rage: ​
    @Ksmiami: ​
    Y’all must be very young. Or not gluten intolerant… because I gotta tell ya, the Barilla options are aMAZing compared to what was available in the 1980s or 90s. Italians know pasta!
    Tinkyada is not bad, either.
    I will agree with you about chickpea pasta, but I am *amazed* at the GF pasta options these days that other people (eta: who can eat wheat all they want) will willingly eat and even enjoy.​

  152. 152.

    WaterGirl

    @dm: Funny!  I hadn’t heard them say that.

    Sometimes I can’t listen to them because they can be negative, sometimes.  But the last couple of have been great.

  158. 158.

    RaflW

    @WaterGirl: Depending on how long ago, or what brand, that’s certainly possible. GF pastas are made with various things, some of which should never go in a noodle.

    But the best ones, which are just basically cornstarch and rice flower (and, again, made in Italy, not in some hippy glop factory with lentils, garbanzos or other atrocities), are really pretty decent. You don’t have to try ’em, but please don’t scare off everyone because you had a bad one-off. TY.

  159. 159.

    Ruckus

    @JPL:

    I believe I read that she’s told judges that she has no control over her client. Which is somewhat large part of the problem – no one has any real control over this SFB. He doesn’t care, he thinks he is the top of the heap of humanity – that everyone else is below him in the pecking order. He is the exact type of person that should never, ever, under any circumstance, be given any power whatsoever.

    And people voted for him to be president. And made a crappy situation – far worse.

  160. 160.

    WaterGirl

    @JPL: Smart!

    First time I made Kraft mac & cheese for my -ex’s son, I got “it doesn’t taste right”.  I’m thinking: “How can Kraft made by me be any different from Kraft made by his mom????”

    Well, she used the scoop-able margarine and I used butter.  sigh.

    Best food compliment from a kid to me, ever: I made tacos for Cody and his 3 friends, and his best friend said “These are even better than my mom’s!”  (I think they were around 7 or 8 years old at the time.)

    I will cherish that compliment forever.

  165. 165.

    TBone

    @raven: It was a sore disappointment indeed to have missed that part of our trip.  We did, however, manage to go flying all over in a tiny puddle jumper airplane for a couple hours a few days earlier, so we have that wonderful memory. I wore my Joe Cool red, white & blue T-shirt for luck. Whale watching still on bucket list and I bet your colleague has amazing stories!  I hope you get to have a whole new adventure in place of your cancelled trip.

  166. 166.

    lowtechcyclist

    Since this thread is about as open as can be, I just saw this WaPo headline:

    Photo shows Japan’s spacecraft is lying on its side on the moon

    It’s fallen and can’t get back up again.

  167. 167.

    rikyrah

    Manu Raju (@mkraju) posted at 10:03 AM on Thu, Jan 25, 2024:
    Romney tells us: “But the reality is that, that we have a crisis at the border, the American people are suffering as a result of what’s happening at the border. And someone running for president not to try and get the problem solved. as opposed to saying, hey, save that problem.…
    (https://x.com/mkraju/status/1750549860904841483?s=03)

  169. 169.

    Ruckus

    @catclub:

    You are harshing my mellow. Give me at least a little hope that he will have to suffer like we all did/do as long as he is still breathing.

  170. 170.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @NotMax: My dad pointed out carrots to me as a potential ingredient recently as well. Baking soda only does so much and sugar is, well, sugar.

    I’ve been playing with wine reductions more lately. In my sauces but also my fried rice (most specifically when I prepare the other vegetables to go in it).

  171. 171.

    WaterGirl

    @RaflW: Last I saw, the judge was hadn’t ruled yet on whether he could be out pending appeal.  He was going to take it under advisement.

    I hope he heads to jail NOW.

  172. 172.

    The Kropenhagen Interpretation

    @geg6: Western PA is filled with great Italian places, some high end and some not so much. But lots of good ones. Many Italian immigrants came here to work in the steel mills.

    I could make my way to the North End of Boston, but I hate sitting to eat and, consequently, driving far to get food.  I have friends in Brighton right now and while I’m there I take advantage of myriad options from every corner of Asia.

    @Mr. Bemused Senior: And thanks for all the advice. I’m excited to try again, now.

    @TBone:  I, too, have tRump Denouement Syndrome

    Love this, stealing with only one this one apology.

  174. 174.

    Old School

    @Ksmiami:

    gluten free pasta is a crime against humanity. Prove me wrong.

    Gluten-free pasta is a godsend.  My daughter, Middle School, would be heartbroken if she was forced to give up pasta.  Since I do not have Celiacs, I do not often eat it, but I have on occasion made macaroni and cheese for the whole family using gluten-free macaroni.  It tastes fine to me.

  176. 176.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @trollhattan: Lawyer lady must be enjoying her billable hours.

    She’s laughably incompetent and apparently knows less than nothing about trial procedures (she had to get a tutorial on how to enter evidence for example). But I’ve been hearing estimates that she’s already been paid about $3 million by Trump MAGA suckers, so I guess she can laugh all the way to the bank.

  177. 177.

    Splitting Image

    @Jay:

    In the three years since Brexit, the UK has still not been able to negotiate a trade deal with Canada.

    They got a 3 year exemption, for tariff free trade as long as they held to the terms and conditions of the EU agreement, but that expired last fall.

    All they really had to do, was “copy and paste” the Canada/EU Trade deal, and it would have been a “done deal”, 3 years ago, but apparently, (said in a sarcastic Tony Brit falsetto), Control C and Control V isn’t in their skill set.

    Bunch of wankers.

    To be fair, Canadians are notoriously difficult to get along with. And it’s not like the UK has any historical or cultural ties with Canada which would help them smooth over the deal.

  178. 178.

    rikyrah

    @Old School:

    but I have on occasion made macaroni and cheese for the whole family using gluten-free macaroni.  It tastes fine to me.

     

    Maybe it’s changed since it first came out, but, I, too, have nothing good to say about gluten-free pasta. It was yucky.

  179. 179.

    Old School

    @rikyrah: Not sure when you’ve had it, but we use Barilla (which has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread).  It uses rice rather than wheat.

  182. 182.

    CarolPW

    @Old School: ​
     I use the Barilla red lentil and chickpea pastas. If I don’t eat a pretty big serving of a legume a day, it is like having colonoscopy prep for dinner. I thought I would never have lasagna again but I can now (one does not eat lasagna along with a large bean side dish, so chickpea noodles it is). I lust after egg noodles, and once a year I’ll cook them in a favored dish, just like I lust after and cook roasted new potatoes and potato salad once a year. I pay for them the next couple of days, but it’s just a few days of the year. Giving up coffee was easier than giving up egg noodles and the availability of lentil and chickpea pastas helps.

  183. 183.

    dm

    @lowtechcyclist: I read somewhere that the landing process was intentionally somewhat uncontrolled (though, apparently an engine failed, too).  The lunar landing probe weighs 700 grams — the entire mission started life as a Cubesat!

    One interesting factor is that it has two assistant drones that it tossed out before landing.  The photo of the lander lying on its side was taken by one of those (which is configured as a sphere, and apparently moves around by flinging out an arm and bouncing from place to place).

  186. 186.

    Mike S. (Now with a Democratic Congressperson!)

    @geg6: I grew up in W PA and had a HS friend who made the best meatballs I’ve ever had when I hinted I might like the recipe, she just gave me a Mona Lisa smile!

  188. 188.

    Jeffro

    @Splitting Image:To be fair, Canadians are notoriously difficult to get along with. And it’s not like the UK has any historical or cultural ties with Canada which would help them smooth over the deal.

    LOLOLOL

  190. 190.

    Tehanu

    @lowtechcyclist: ​
      Maybe yes, maybe no. Hey, put down that pickle!
    @JGreen: ​
      Good for you! We quote it (and all the Firesign stuff) so often that our grandsons have picked up a lot of it.
    On the other topic, I must be the only one here who loathes meatballs. Never liked them even as a kid. There’s something about the texture that just puts me off.

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