We owed a few K and sent a check. As a matter of principle I don't give the IRS permission to draw from my bank. Yeah, I know it's an illusion, but it might slow them down a bit. ' It took a week for the check to clear.

We saw our first hummingbirds this week. He has stuck around, so may be here for the season.

Made this last night. Fantastic, but double the garlic and marinate the chicken for all day or overnight. I doubt 30 minutes would do anything. I skipped the cayenne for espelette pepper, which was plenty of heat with more flavor. Half a teaspoon of cayenne is a LOT. The salad was a surprising delight. Very light meal but satisfying. [image: yk-Ginger-Chicken-With-Crisp-Napa-Salad-jumbo-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp] Ginger Chicken With Crisp Napa Salad By Yewande Komolafe Published June 17, 2021 Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Total Time 30 minutes INGREDIENTS Yield: 4 servings 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), patted dry Kosher salt 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger (from a 2-inch piece) 1 garlic clove, finely grated ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ teaspoon ground cayenne 6 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grape seed or canola 1 lime ½ small head napa cabbage, cut lengthwise (about 1 pound) 1 seedless cucumber (Persian or English), thinly sliced ½ cup sliced chives (½-inch lengths) ½ cup mint leaves PREPARATION Step 1 Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or a bottle, pound each to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt. Step 2 In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, cilantro, cayenne and 4 tablespoons oil. Finely grate the lime zest directly into the bowl; reserve the lime. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with the marinade. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Step 3 Meanwhile, cut the cabbage lengthwise, core it, then slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick strips. Transfer to a large bowl and toss in the cucumber slices, chives and mint leaves. Step 4 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Cut the reserved Ginger, garlic and cilantro form the base of an aromatic marinade for this easy stovetop chicken dish. Lightly pounding the chicken breasts increases their surface area, which helps them soak up the marinade and cook evenly. A refreshing and crunchy salad of napa cabbage, cucumbers and fresh mint rounds out the dish into the perfect light lunch or dinner. To make this for a larger group, simply double the recipe. 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar lime in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken; slice the chicken. Transfer the chicken to serving plates and slice. Step 5 Toss the cabbage mixture with the vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season to taste with salt and serve alongside the chicken

Looks like fun!

Would better shielding also prevent further instructions being sent after drone launch?

In a nice kilner jar too. One time I bought some discounted Stilton (mainly) for the little pottery jars they came in. And in Waitrose some much reduced post-Christmas cheese platters simply for the slate serving boards which we use as placemats. Anyway, Costco in London in madly busy, always, just like London. Maneuvering a huge trolley and queuing makes it one of my least favourite shops. And because to economise you spend "How much?" The cafe thankfully is now automated; chicken bakes served are scrummy, also guaranteed to give me indigestion Products we usually buy include their most excellent binbags, sugary Belgian waffles, bags of craisons & nuts, often cheese, huge cartons of fairy washing powder, and packs of 32 Cushelle quilted toilet roll. I like milder English wholegrain mustard to add to meats, but we have the hotter alternatives which my better half prefers... Colemans, Dijon, French's and horseradish should you visit. Chilli chutney too

AOC was here yesterday. Her speech really impressed me. Grounded in the truth and heartfelt.

I'm a huge fan of miniatures. I used to walk over to the Art Institute of Chicago during lunch sometimes to look at the Thorne Rooms. I just found them fascinating. https://www.artic.edu/highlights/12/thorne-miniature-rooms

Good read. Thanks

Egg alternatives...Marshmallows, potatoes, rocks... With egg prices stubbornly high, the internet has offered up a host of alternatives, with crafters painting rocks and influencers dyeing everything from marshmallows to potatoes. "Finally a use for B sized potatoes!!" one commenter wrote in response to a video posted on Facebook. https://qctimes.com/life-entertainment/nation-world/home-gardening/article_ef7f15f1-9c56-5b8e-89da-35e62f7b5957.html?utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c06e5d78644b3aab4472

You might expect American winemakers to be popping bottles of California sparkling wine these days. With President Trump's tariffs on the European Union, U.S.-made wine now has a greater price advantage over Italian prosecco and French Champagne. This is a classic case that protectionists make for tariffs: They help domestic producers. But the American winemakers we spoke with are more sour than bubbly about Trump's tariffs. "To me, it's awful. There's no upside," said Adolfo Hernandez, owner and winemaker at Monroy Wines in Sonoma County, Calif. So, why aren't tariffs a big win for American winemakers? We spoke to a bunch of them around the United States, and what they told us challenges the assumption that tariffs will help domestic industries. https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2025/04/17/g-s1-60718/tariffs-make-sour-grapes-american-winemakers

@Axtremus said in For Teachers ... the Schuylkill River Sojourn program: I stumbled upon this teacher-centric outdoor sojourn program that made me curious: I looked through the site (albeit somewhat quickly), but I didn’t see how it is teacher-centric?

@pique I just got an email from her today. We're planning to get together next week.

@CHAS

US District Judge James Boasberg ruled Wednesday that “probable cause exists” to hold Trump administration officials in criminal contempt for violating his orders in mid-March halting the use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members. The long-awaited decision on Wednesday from a judge President Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly attacked puts the administration on the path toward being punished for thwarting court orders. This undated photo provided by CASA, an immigrant advocacy organization, in April 2025, shows Kilmar Abrego Garcia. (CASA via AP) The situation has been a major political and legal flashpoint for the Trump White House in its efforts to carry out a historic deportation campaign, especially in mid-March when it sent three planes of migrants to a prison in El Salvador. That same day, Boasberg held an emergency hearing and told the administration to pause the migrant removals and order the return of deportation flights back to the US. “The Court ultimately determines that the Government’s actions on that day demonstrate a willful disregard for its Order, sufficient for the Court to conclude that probable cause exists to find the Government in criminal contempt,” Boasberg wrote in a 46-page ruling detailing his decision. “The Court does not reach such conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given Defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions,” he added. “None of their responses has been satisfactory.” CNN legal analyst Steve Vladeck said these moves are rare. “Holding federal executive branch officials in criminal contempt is just about unheard of, once in a blue moon,” said Vladeck, a professor at the University of Georgetown School of Law. “Part of why Chief Judge Boasberg is moving cautiously is because he’s trying to walk a tightrope, not letting the government off the hook for its misbehavior, but also not provoking pushback from either the DC Circuit or the Supreme Court.” Skye Perryman, an attorney with Democracy Forward, which, along with the ACLU, brought the case before Boasberg, said Wednesday’s ruling “affirms what we have long known: the government’s conduct in this case is unlawful and a threat to people and our constitution.”com/2025/04/16/politics/boasberg-contempt-deportation-flights/index.html