It’s a shame (and maybe shameful) they couldn’t use the frozen assets. I found this from an article in the Sydney Morning Herald, but didn’t want overpost the story.

“Some €210 billion of Russian assets are frozen in Europe, most of them in the Belgian financial clearing house Euroclear. Belgium had objected to the loan plan, calling it legally risky and warning that it could harm Euroclear’s business.”

Think it’s important to see what influence banks have on highly political decisions.

Link to Sydney Herald article, similiar reporting.

I think of so many days of visiting regrets, but I do take your point.

Definitely true. It’s what the story got appropriated as that rubs me the wrong way.

I like the idea, however improbable, of the redeemable miser reformed by seeing the regrets of his past, and only a monster doesn’t cry at seeing the Muppet Christmas Carol, or better still, Scrooged.

But.

Why Christmas? Could be any day, why Christmas? I think it’s to innoculate us against legitimate criticism what a shitty and stressful and endless presents you don’t need time it is. Because if you don’t participate, you’re a scrooge or a grinch. Terms they don’t use against people who are actual Scrooges year round.

I say, someone needs to make a film about someone being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past (playing with the dogs in the snow and that’s a perfect Christmas), Ghost of Christmas Present (stress buying), and Ghost of Christmas Future (no planet).

But that just makes me … something, I dunno. Maybe someone will have a term for it.

Um, I spelled it that way not to ruin the bit. Definitely not because I had no idea that was the correct spelling. It was to maintain the integrity of the bit!

Honestly, thanks, I’ll look into that. I think though this is more what’s available on the auto-routes, but I never heard of this one.

There’s a few companies that have ‘universal’ cards (that work in about half the stations), but they charge around €1 just to plug in, and because I have a PHEV, it pretty much makes it cheaper to use gas. Which I really try to avoid.

I would love to hear more about this. I’ve tried so many times.

Sadly, metal hot make food hot is not the only factor. It’s also the speed and responsiveness of the pan. If you have the money, look into 3-ply pans, stainless bottom (for induction, but works with everything), aluminum interior (for eveness of heat throughout the pan) and stainless interior/cooking surface. I’ve had some of my pans for 40 years and they look brand new. They’re just as easy to clean as non-stick, if you use wooden utensils for a quick scrape before cleaning. All-clad is probably the best brand, I bought some recently, and they are just as good as the old ones I have, very rare these days. They can be found on eBay and craigslist used, and the used are just as good (have a few of those as well).

I love my cast iron pans, especially for searing and tortillas, but for sauces and risottos, 3-ply is a great option. It’s really about the responsiveness.

Last thing, ceramisised cast-iron (like Le Creuset) is terrific for deep frying.