Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

The only way through is to slog through the muck one step at at time.

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

Humiliatingly small and eclipsed by the derision of millions.

Their shamelessness is their super power.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

the 10% who apparently lack object permanence

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

We’re watching the self-immolation of the leading world power on a level unprecedented in human history.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. do not congratulate. this is not business as usual.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Reality always gets a vote in the end.

“woke” is the new caravan.

She burned that motherfucker down, and I am so here for it. Thank you, Caroline Kennedy.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you do not.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

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Reader Interactions

139Comments

  6. 6.

    Betty Cracker

    When the party starts, I’m counting on some visiting teens to finish it off so there are no leftovers to lead me into temptation.

  11. 11.

    TBone

    Mmmmmmm yummy

    Reposting from below (hookers & blow for everyone!  😆 nah, cake please!)

    Favorite meme for today:

    Snoopy on his rooftop typewriter:

    “And, after all the dust settled, they suddenly realized America had been saved by a porn star.

    The end.”

  14. 14.

    raven

    Friday we had our usual old folks dinner down the street (White Tiger may be closing after 17 years but I’ll leave that for later) and I ran into a woman I met a year ago who is a physician who has moved into non-opioid pain management. We chatted about some of my issues and she recommend a vibrating foam roller to address piriformis syndrome so I ordered one and it came! It’s a bluetooth operated device that had five vibration settings and includes a series of images on how to use it for each. She said it would take a few days to see any benefit and, of course, right now it hurts like hell to use!

  17. 17.

    trollhattan

    “Death, or cake?”

    Pause

    “What kind of cake?”

    Still morning espresso time here. Cake will just have to wait, but that one will do nicely, thanks.

  20. 20.

    RepubAnon

    Vitamin C2: Chocolate Cake.

    If you’re worried about the appearance, try looking at the weekday editions of CakeWrecks.com.  Stay away from putting blobs of chocolate frosting on a cake…

    On Sundays, the site shows true cake decorating artistry.

  23. 23.

    UncleEbeneezer

    This is, imo, the perfect cake.  I also love a good chocolate cake with vanilla frosting.  There was one by Pillsbury or Duncan Heinz etc., back in the late 80’s, that was really easy to bake (microwaveable maybe?) and had almost a marshmallowy, white frosting.  I think it was discontinued long ago, but that was probably my all-time favorite cake, at least as a 15 year old kid.  Anyone remember that?

  24. 24.

    StringOnAStick

    Man, it’s an afternoon thread and it’s not even 10 here and still too chilly to go get started on my last big landscaping project. It will be 4 years here this fall and by then I will have completed (as much as a committed gardener knows what “completed” means) the transformation of every single square foot of this rather large suburban lot.  The fruit orchard is coming along nicely, and I only have 4 more cemented pylons to remove from the deck I took down so we can have a smaller paver patio and a couple more fruit trees.  Onward!

  25. 25.

    Miss Bianca

    @raven: I just used one of those at the gym I just joined – the trainer had me use it after my first workout. I liked it!

  26. 26.

    MomSense

    I love homemade cake.  Absolute best.  My DIL made a carrot cake and gave me 1/4 and it’s delicious.
    Packing is in full swing today.   Deciding which stuff I need to keep out for a week to use.

  27. 27.

    raven

    @Miss Bianca: Cool , I’m using the app on my iPad and the images of each component were cutoff until I figured out I had to go to portrait mode. It’s noisy enough that poor Artie freaks out so I have to figure that out too!

  29. 29.

    UncleEbeneezer

    We got our tickets for the Hollywood Bowl Jazzfest.  It’s always a dilemma picking which day to go because they always split the acts we really wanna see between the two days and we really can’t afford both.  This year we decided on Saturday, mainly so we can see Andra Day who is one of the most amazing singers alive, imo.  Sunday has Kamasi Washington (one of my faves) but we’ve already seen his band a couple times and staying out late on a Sunday is tough for us.

  31. 31.

    Gemina13

    Oh, yes – and it looks delicious. 😋

    Reminds me that I have to order my cake leveler and scrapers so I can make the Irish whisky cake I’ve been promising my SO all spring.

  39. 39.

    martha

    @raven: My Pilates/functional exercise instructor would approve of this…she uses the regular theraguns and standard foam rollers in addition to a lot of other modalities. Sometimes, OMG the pain isn’t fun. But your body does get used to it and your fascia will stretch. I hope this works for you!

  42. 42.

    Anotherlurker

    @UncleEbeneezer: I wholeheartedly agree about your cake choices.  White cake with chocolate icing and chocolate cake with vanilla icing. Simple is good, in my humble opinion.

    However, let me offer an alternative:  Chocolate fudge cake with Marshmalow Fluff icing.  This is a throwback to a luscious selection from Entenman’s bakery.   I have searched their website and I cannot find any reference to any such product.  The loss of this miracle confection is a tragedy for this world .

    However, improvisation can lead to yummy outcomes.

  45. 45.

    eclare

    @raven:

    That must mean it’s working!

    Seriously a fitness fanatic friend of mine swears by his foam roller, I hope yours proves as useful.

  46. 46.

    Trivia Man

    Newly diagnosed as diabetic, i need to unlearn decades of sweet tooth. Any resources someone can share? Im taking my blood now, frankly shocked at her w high it is pre-breakfast.

    Silver lining: diagnosed AFTER my favorite holiday of the year – discount Easter candy week. I have a stash that should now last for months instead  of weeks.

  47. 47.

    raven

    Speaking of cakes. . .my friend brought a cake to our gathering in recognition of the 20th anniversary of her husband’s death. I wouldn’t have done it that way but she didn’t ask me.

  48. 48.

    Miki

    Mmmmmm – cake looks awesome. But I’m also loving the stack of cloth napkins/towels – they look so soft and well-used.

  50. 50.

    Trivia Man

    Did you intentionally make it crooked to prove the bona fides? When i was in catering i made a lot if mashed potatoes from actual potatoes. One customer requested “leave some lumps so my guests KNOW its not from powdered mix.”

  51. 51.

    Trivia Man

    @raven: I found out the raisins in my daily oatmeal are bad. Bright side: used fresh blackberries today. More work and money but also good.

  52. 52.

    MagdaInBlack

    The cake looks lovely, and my magpie eyes are drawn to the pretty folded cloth pieces to the right of it.  Napkins?

    @Miki: 🙂

  55. 55.

    rikyrah

    That looks like diabetes by the slice. I bet it has the right proportion of icing to cake .

    Sigh, I miss homemade cakes like this.🥺

  57. 57.

    Ohio Mom

    @Trivia Man: As a newbie Type 2, Ohio Dad found the “Eat This, Not That,” books helpful, especially when eating out. We also became experts on sugar-free ice cream brands.

    I don’t think he ever not cheated, just took very small portions of forbidden foods, and only on occasion.

    Nowadays he is on an insulin pump and can compensate for whatever he eats that maybe he shouldn’t have. (He is one of those Type 2s with a pancreas that gave up making insulin).

  58. 58.

    Chris T.

    @Trivia Man: Being diabetic sucks.

    Sticking yourself repeatedly sucks even more. If you can afford it, convince your doctor to prescribe a CGM (FreeStyle or Dexcom or whatever, CGM = Continuous Glucose Monitor). It won’t be covered by insurance [see footnote] and it will cost $150-ish for a pair of sensors that will last about 4 weeks. Pair with smartphone app and take readings while you experiment with foods. Lots of stuff is surprising.

    In my case, one of my downfalls turns out to be rice, worse for me than a Costco cookie.

    [footnote] Oddly, once you’re insulin-dependent, they become covered by insurance. I’d think covering them (at least for a while) before you’re insulin-dependent would make financial sense, to avoid the cost of insulin-dependency and all the corresponding side effects.

  61. 61.

    UncleEbeneezer

    Ugh…my wife’s favorite Aunt Norma had a stroke yesterday and is on life-support :(

    Norma and her husband Arnold, are two of the sweetest human beings I’ve ever met.  When I met her last year in rural WV, for MIL’s funeral, she told us about how exciting it was when her church group organized an event with Hillary Clinton as the featured guest.  Very cool, progressive lady.

  66. 66.

    TBone

    I just got inspired to bake cranberry orange muffins with fresh squeezed OJ. That’ll keep me outta trouble for a bit.

  67. 67.

    Ksmiami

    @Trivia Man: research the paleo diet. There’s a ton of guidance on how to get off the toxic sugar centered standard American diet. I do periodic resets w fasting and paleo and it’s amazing how quickly you can reset your system

  69. 69.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @Trivia Man: cut down your carbs; I’ve been using the app MyNetDiary and I paid for the premium version because it’s that helpful. I can recommend a book called https://www.amazon.com/8-Week-Blood-Sugar-Diet-Medication (I have not been sticking to it as strictly as it calls for but I have lost 10-12 pounds since the beginning of March and managed to drop some of my fasting blood sugar levels down to under 120 already).  I like the Brami lupini bean snacks as they are all protein and fiber; on the other hand, the Aviate keto oats made from lupini beans taste absolutely awful. My challenge is that I am allergic to eggs and dairy products so shifting my diet over is a little more complicated. My retired primary care physician had recommended that I try to limit my carbs to 100 grams a day, but I am short and female so your mileage may vary.

  72. 72.

    Kayla Rudbek

    And FYWP just ate my comment about being newly diagnosed with diabetes. My suggestions: MyNetDiary app (pay for the premium version it’s worth it) to track your carbs, meds, and blood glucose levels. I like The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet books by Moseley.  Brami lupini beans are a great snack/food with fiber and protein to satisfy the taste for chewy salty foods (although on the other hand Aviate keto oats made from lupini beans are absolutely awful, not even cinnamon and vanilla extract could make them taste better).

  73. 73.

    catclub

    @Chris T.: I’d think covering them (at least for a while) before you’re insulin-dependent would make financial sense, to avoid the cost of insulin-dependency and all the corresponding side effects.

     

    EXACTLY. If I had had them before insulin I would never have gone on insulin – or delayed it much longer.  Penny wise pound foolish insurance.

     

    By comparison, four sticks a day tell you _nothing_.

  74. 74.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @catclub: I was so mad when I read an article in a UK cycling magazine about a blood glucose monitor that worked with a smartphone but didn’t get FDA approval so the monitor and app are no longer available.

  76. 76.

    catclub

    @Trivia Man: frankly shocked at [how] high it is pre-breakfast.

     

    You liver has a mind of its own.

     

    Yeah. I think they call that something, something crepuscular (dawn) glucose rise. Don’t ask me how I know.

  77. 77.

    Ohio Mom

    @Chris T.: I agree totally that continuous glucose monitors should be standard for newly diagnosed diabetics. It’s one of my soapboxes.

  79. 79.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @Trivia Man: The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet by Moseley has helped me as well.  I’ve lost 10-12 pounds since starting that (although I am allergic to dairy and eggs so I don’t follow it quite exactly).

  80. 80.

    TBone

    @HumboldtBlue: dag!

    To elaborate on that slang from home:

    Someone who is daggy, i.e. uncool. This can be meant insultingly or affectionately. (Much like that other well-known Australianism, “you old bastard“.) On the face of it, it’s an insult, but there are ways in which it is seen as admirable to be a dag – having one’s own style, not caring for public opinion, being outrageous, being a source of friendly amusement, being original.

  81. 81.

    Ohio Mom

    @Kayla Rudbek: That’s what Ohio Dad has. The phone app makes noise when his blood sugar is too high or too low, generates graphs showing trends, and sends all the data to the doctor’s office and straight into Ohio Dad’s chart.

    Maybe what you read had to do with a specific brand or model?

  84. 84.

    Trivia Man

    @Chris T.: thanks for the lead. I am trying to get at least a rough idea what does what, but stick +30? And +60? And +90? A continuous monitor sounds helpful. Graphs!

  85. 85.

    Trivia Man

    @Ksmiami: paleo also is intriguing. Luckily (!) mrs trivia has fiet restrictions snd she does most if the cooking. We were already mostly processed food free. Other than icecream, candy, bread, and beer i dont think i will have trouble shifting.

  86. 86.

    opiejeanne

    @Trivia Man: Your doctor should have suggested a nutritionist.

    I was diagnosed about 11 years ago. I had a Cadbury egg that sat in the candy bowl for 6 months before I finally treated myself. My AC1 started at over 13. It went to 7 with the help of lots of broccoli (I can’t look at it now, but it was a life-saver) instead of potatoes, hard boiled eggs, and the very hated and hateful Metformin. I was so happy when I finally got off of that stuff. They took me off of it when I spent a year injecting insulin, and then switched me to Ozempic about 3 years ago, and it has been good.

    My A1C is currently 6.7 and while I have to pay attention to the “I’m full now/stop eating NOW” signal, I have learned to eat in a way that allows me a small piece of cake once in a while. Or a cookie. Trade-offs. I wear a little gizmo on my arm that lets me know how I’m doing, Freestyle Libre 3. I change it every two weeks. It sets off an alarm if my blood sugar drops too low.

    I bought a couple of cookbooks that discuss what your diet should be, and surprisingly, the 2  best were from better Homes and Gardens and Readers’ Digest. The third was the Mediterranean Diet for Diabetics, which I can not find right now, and there are variations on this by several authors,  I just saw that the CDC has a booklet on healthy eating that will help.

    My current doctor, a physician/pharmacist, has been wonderful to work with. I see her every 3months.

    Good luck, and I’m sure you’ll be fine.

  90. 90.

    Anotherlurker

    @UncleEbeneezer: I guess I misunderstood .  I think of vanilla icing as more creamy than marshmallow icing.   I feel the need to do an intensive taste comparison, just to be sure.

  92. 92.

    opiejeanne

    @Trivia Man: I don’t think fasting is a good idea if you have Type 2.  Maybe it’s just me, but I find that a small proper snack between meals keeps me from crashing.

    I haven’t had a too-high alarm in many months, but I’ve been getting the too-low one recently. The crash comes after I’ve eaten too much sugar or carbs: the monitor line shows a high and then a steep decline until it hits the alarm level.

  94. 94.

    opiejeanne

    @Anotherlurker: LOL. I have an old Betty Crocker cookbook, not the one with the gingham cover, the “new” cookbook that came out in the later 1960, and it has a recipe for marshmallow frosting with caramel drizzled over the top. I love sugar but that seemed too much for me before I found out I had Type 2 diabetes.

  95. 95.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @Ohio Mom: yes, it was a specific brand that was being used by professional cyclists to try to see when they needed to eat before they would bonk/hit the wall.  It was something that could be worn continuously for 14 days.

  98. 98.

    Kayla Rudbek

    The cake I want to try is in America’s Test Kitchen The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists which has shiny frosting over regular frosting (the recipe is called Mirror Cake and it uses unflavored gelatin in the shiny frosting). Oh well, maybe I should just give this book to my youngest nephew and he can make it with his grandparents’ assistance.

  100. 100.

    Sure Lurkalot

    @raven:I too have periformis syndrome and just healing up from a flair up (WaterGirl thinks it might have been triggered by my Covid infection). Foam rolling helps so much and I hope you get relief!

  101. 101.

    SomeRandomGuy

    Just your basic yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s a bit crooked, but that just screams HOMEMADE, right?

    Nah, it screams someone who understands the gourmand psyche enough to say “it wouldn’t be as pretty, if I cut away some sponge to make it even.”

    Okay, it screams someone who understands the gourmand psyche, of those who watch the Great British Bake-Off, enough to say “it wouldn’t be as pretty if I cut away some sponge to make it even. Oh, ‘sponge’ is how bake-show judges refer to the actual cake part of the cake.”

    It might also scream someone who understands the gourmand psyche enough to say “it wouldn’t be as pretty, if I cut away some of the cake, under the frosting, to make it even.” PHILISTINES!!

  102. 102.

    opiejeanne

    @Trivia Man: My husband was in denial for me.He told me that I did not have diabetes.

    in 2014 when I was still on Metformin we went to Italy. My doctor reduced the amount I needed to take so I could function pretty well without a bathroom nearby at all times.  We were on a Rick Steves tour so, Venice-Florence-Rome for 10 days, plus all of the other places we went on that trip. We were in Europe for a month, ate palmiers every day at breakfast in Paris for 10 days,  gelato at least once a day in Venice, walked our legs off, and I lost weight. My A1C  dropped from  7 something to  6 something in those 30 days. I suspect that walking every day is part of the answer, or being physically active in some way, but walking is the easiest.

    My niece and her husband lived in Brindisi so we spent a week there and ate everything, and the last 4 days were in Amsterdam. Amsterdam was where we ate non-Dutch food because we couldn’t find any near us when we wanted to eat. Wrong time of year the pubs told us. So we ate Thai, and barbecued ribs, and an amazing hamburger; there was lentil soup that was very good for lunch one day.

    The one thing I discovered that I needed was some sort of protein other than eggs in the morning, and it was not available at the Pensione where we stayed in Venice and we didn’t have time in the mornings to find other food, so we tracked down a place that sold packets of nuts. Everywhere else in Italy I could find a small slice of ham or a sausage on the breakfast buffet. The last evening in Venice we couldn’t decide where to go, but we had noticed a Chinese restaurant in an alley with a hilariously bad Chinese to Italian to English translation of their menu. The food was excellent, and there was only one other American couple in the place, everyone else was Asian. And it really was IN the alley, with just a canopy overhead. They had an indoor area but it was packed, and it didn’t rain on us so it was all good.

  103. 103.

    opiejeanne

    @SomeRandomGuy: I do not understand how those people who get on that show struggle with something as simple as meringue or choux pastry. I mean, they are great bakers and produce some amazing things, but both of those are so easy it shocks me.

    I shouldn’t judge though, I can’t produce caramel from granulated sugar to save my sould.

  104. 104.

    wjca

    @TBone: He already had to cancel due to weather related concerns.

    Definitely an amusing headline.

    But the actual significance may be that he didn’t get a chance to recharge his ego, after a week of stress in court.  And another one coming.  Chances of a meltdown go up.

  105. 105.

    Jackie

    @TBone: I just heard on MSNBC that the weather is the “official excuse,” but it’s mainly because TIFG’s lawyers were concerned his impulsive mouth would get him in more violation of the Gag Order.😂 In fact his lawyers are trying to curtail ALL rallies until the trial’s over.

    This will be interesting to see how that unfolds!

    ETA a link re the interview:

    rawstory.com/trump-rally-questions/

  106. 106.

    Ohio Mom

    @Trivia Man: When Ohio Dad was first diagnosed, I went to the dietician with him. She had plastic models of food to show what a serving looks like — the models reminded me of the play kitchen in my kindergarten.

    It was quite a surprise to me how small say, a serving of mashed potatoes is. I think a lot of us are used to resturant-sized servings which tend to be huge.

  107. 107.

    narya

    @Kayla Rudbek: Mirror glaze is a pain in the ass, IMO. It’s pretty, yes, so if you’re trying to make a Statement it’ll help, but I found it to be finicky.

    @opiejeanne: Meringue is weird. I’ve had it fail more than once (from using a carton of egg whites rather than fresh, I suspect, though I can think of NO reason why that would be true), and it’s also easy to over-whip/break it. As for choux, the really hard part is adding the eggs–if you go over in the slightest, you have to start over, there’s no way to fix it. I also think they rarely have enough time to make good choux: it takes time to dry them out properly! And I think anyone who bakes has That One Thing that is always a problem (I share your caramel struggles . . .).

  108. 108.

    Mousebumples

    Agreeing with suggestion to see a dietician. Can’t remember the details but certain types of rice (Basmati, maybe) have a lower glycemic index than others. I think the order in which you eat also matters. Protein, followed by sugars better than just carbs.

    Good luck!

  110. 110.

    cope

    @wjca: Also, too, I read a summary by TBogg at Raw Story that it might be a calculated move by his lawyers/handlers/keepers to keep him from spouting forth any more potentially damaging remarks

    ETA: I see Jackie has already filled in the details.

  113. 113.

    CarolPW

    @Mousebumples: Barilla makes a chickpea orzo that works well as a low glycemic index substitute in a lot of rice dishes. They also have a wide variety of chickpea or red lentil pastas, so if you have a yen for lasagna there are ways to make it more diabetes friendly.

  114. 114.

    TBone

    Holy cow, hell hath frozen over

    BASH: So you voted yes on the foreign aid package. Do you have confidence that, at this point, given that it is still possible that Marjorie Taylor Greene will push to vacate, to kick him out of the speaker’s chair, that he can survive?

    REP. TONY GONZALES (R-TX): He will survive.

    Look, the House is a rough and rowdy place, but Mike Johnson is going to be just fine. I served 20 years in the military. It’s my absolute honor to be in Congress, but I serve with some real scumbags.

    Look, Matt Gaetz, he paid minors to have sex with them at drug parties. Bob Good endorsed my opponent, a known neo-Nazi. These people used to walk around with white hoods at night. Now they’re walking around with white hoods in the daytime.

  115. 115.

    emjayay

    @Ohio Mom: Many sugar free products like ice cream use sorbitol and mannitol which are metabolized slowly unlike other sugars. Don’t eat too much unless maybe you have a constipation problem.

  116. 116.

    Soprano2

    @catclub: Hubby has the Dexcom 7, it’s a game-changer for managing diabetes and blood sugar. I read that an OTC version was just approved for sale, that might be cheaper than going thru insurance.

  119. 119.

    Princess

    @Sure Lurkalot: I’ve had pain in my periformis in connection with both Covid itself and Covid vaccinations. Basically, anywhere I’ve ever had pain is susceptible whenever I’m infected or vaccinated.

  120. 120.

    Layer8Problem

    We just saw three Ospreys flitting south down the river, the Bell Boeing V-22 kind. I wonder what they’re up to? Probably training or something.

  123. 123.

    Ohio Mom

    @brantl: I’m surprised to read that too. He made a big deal out of closing down his Twitter. And frankly, I always thought Raw Story was a step down for him. But obviously, he doesn’t think so.

  126. 126.

    SomeRandomGuy

    @Trivia Man: A small snack at bedtime can help with high fasting blood sugar – since I have the money, I splurge on nuts that are low carb, so the snack can be cashews,which are a treat for me.

    Remember, lower carb foods might help save your life, so spending extra on it can help. Are cashews “too expensive”? Well, maybe they are, normally – but count in the need to keep yourself healthy.

    Also: in my opinion, if you eat low carb, and relatively few sweets, you can train yourself out of most sweets. Be careful of artificially

    Finally, if you can walk, even a short walk scavenges a lot of blood sugar. If your blood sugar is 40 points high, that’s actually only a few Calories of actual sugar.

  127. 127.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @Trivia Man: See if you can get a prescription for the Libra Freestyle contiuous glucose monitor (works with a phone app). Or a least a sample. I found it extremely helpful in figuring out my sugar level patterns, and what’s the max number of carbs I can have without excessive glucose spikes.

  129. 129.

    Geminid

    @TBone: Rep. Gonzalez represents Texas’s 23rd CD, which runs from western San Antonio along the Rio Grande Valley almost to El Paso. Gonzalez is in a runoff with Brandon Herrera, an internet personality who is primarying him from the right. The runoff election is next month.

  130. 130.

    mrmoshpotato

    @TBone: I’d forgotten about the orange shitstain thinking he’s a psychotic truck driver.  No thanks for reminding me.

  131. 131.

    Another Scott

    I’m sure a new open thread will appear right after I press “Post Comment”, but …

    ProPublica.org:

    Israel’s leaders are fiercely pushing back against U.S. plans to withhold American assistance from an Israeli unit accused of human rights abuses.

    Axios and Israeli news outlets reported over the weekend that Secretary of State Antony Blinken intends to ban U.S. support to Israel’s Netzah Yehuda unit, the country’s all-male, ultra-Orthodox battalion at the center of several controversies in the West Bank that go back years. Netzah Yehuda has been repeatedly accused of shooting and assaulting civilians, including in a 2022 case in which several commanders handcuffed, gagged and left for dead an elderly Palestinian-American man in Israel’s West Bank.

    “Sanctions must not be imposed on the Israel Defense Forces!” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The intention to impose a sanction on a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low.” Blinken told reporters traveling with him in Europe on Saturday that he’ll make an official announcement about his decision in the coming days.

    The public dispute between Israel and the United States follows a ProPublica article Wednesday that revealed Blinken has failed to act for months after a special State Department panel recommended that he disqualify multiple Israeli military and police units from receiving U.S. assistance after reviewing allegations that they had committed flagrant violations, including extrajudicial killings and rape.

    Until now, the State Department has never disqualified an Israeli military unit from receiving aid, which would make Blinken’s decision a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy. “This is a very important law,” he told reporters over the weekend, “and it’s one that we apply across the board.”

    […]

    Bibi’s IDF isn’t going to change until they suffer consequences. It’s well past time for those consequences to be imposed.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  134. 134.

    dnfree

    @Trivia Man: for a newly-diagnosed diabetic, get scheduled to meet with a diabetes educator, which is covered by health insurance if your doctor prescribes it. They will go over your existing normal diet and help you find substitutes. For instance, I used to eat hummus with pita bread and now it’s carrot sticks. It’s not just sweets, it’s carbohydrates, and even some vegetables are carbs. And watch your blood sugar readings for things you may personally be sensitive to—cheese, for instance, causes one of my relatives to spike.

    There are newer (but expensive) medications that will help later in your journey, especially if you also have heart issues.

    Good luck!

  135. 135.

    Mel

    @Kayla Rudbek: Marcel DeSaulnier’s cookbook “Desserts to Die For” has some of the best chocolate dessert recipes that I have ever tasted.

    The Chocolate Pecan Sour Mash Bash is out of this world: pecan cake layers, chocolate cake layers, ganache, and a chocolate whiskey sauce on the side for drizzling over the sliced cake. So good!

  137. 137.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @TBone: it would be a lot of fun to do science with my nephew and that book, although he’s only five so not sure how much mom and dad would let him do. Officially he’s not reading yet although Mr. Rudbek and I think he can do more than he lets on; he can recognize when I’m paraphrasing.

  138. 138.

    WaterGirl

    @Kayla Rudbek: WordPress was seeing your comments as SPAM because a lot of SPAM is health and medication related.  I just marked them as NOT SPAM.

    This comment went through because it didn’t have the trigger words that threw it into spam.

  139. 139.

    SWMBO

    @Trivia Man: We were at my Mom’s house for Christmas one year.  My sister forgot to make the mashed potatoes.  I asked Mom if she had instant potatoes.  My sister said her husband HATED instant mashed potatoes.  I got one can of sliced white potatoes out and made the box of instant mashed potatoes.  I used a mixer to stir in the can of sliced potatoes.  It had little lumps of potato that you could see.  Put the sham potatoes on the table.  Her husband ate them and declared they were the best mashed potatoes he’d ever eaten.  My sister and her daughter looked on in shock.  Teach him to be a picky eater.

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