What do you keep in the trunk (boot for youse guys from the UK) of your automobile?
For me, I keep a bunch of bottled water, roller skates for my daughter, a note table, and a bunch of umbrellas. Of course there are the misc odds and ends related to the car, like a vacuum cleaner, some cleaning supplies and what not.
Under the rug are the tire and tools.
Yeah. This all differs substantially from my car when I lived in Boston. I remember a big beach umbrella, sun tan lotion, a canvas bag of tools, and some road atlases. I also had some cat leashes, and a large bunch of car interior waxes and cleaners. Not to mention the rags that go with them.
I think that for a man, a car’s trunk is the equivalent to a woman’s purse. Perhaps everything that you need to know about someone can be found in their purse. Eh?
And for a man… well, it’s the trunk (boot) of the car.
Today…
What would a tank that incorporated all of the best WWII tank technology be like, no matter the cost?
The most technologically advanced, no-expense-spared tank in WWII was the German Panther (Panzer V). We don’t have to speculate what it would be like, because the Germans built it.
The Panther had the best gun, best armor, best targeting systems, best comms, and best mobility of any tank on the WWII battlefield. But it was fantastically expensive, wildly outnumbered, notoriously unreliable, insanely overcomplicated, and ridiculously difficult to maintain. Spare parts were in short supply. The mission capability rate was abysmal.
War, particularly a war of attrition like WWII, is a numbers game. Weapons, no matter how good or advanced, are expendable. A design philosophy of “no matter the cost” is at direct odds with the need for a weapon to be expendable.
Germany only produced about 6,000 Panther tanks. By comparison the US produced just shy of 50,000 Sherman tanks. At peak production, we were turning out over 45 new Shermans every day. That’s a new Sherman rolling off the assembly line every 31 minutes. And, even more importantly, we were cranking out spare parts at an even higher rate.
It turns out that 8 cheap tanks that are good enough are better than 1 amazing tank that’s too expensive to risk losing.
Yes, 1 on 1 a Panther would dominate a Sherman. But it was never a 1 on 1 fight; when they met, it was usually more like 4 on 1. The Panther was good, but it wasn’t that good.
What made the M-4 Sherman dominant was its ubiquity and simplicity. Where the Panther’s design was optimized for combat effectiveness, the Sherman’s design was optimized for mass production and maintainability. Where the Panther required a lot of highly skilled craftsmen to build, the Sherman was mostly built with semi-skilled labor.
That made the Sherman cheap and fast to build and easy to maintain. Spare parts were abundant. It’s simplicity meant it could be repaired and modified in the field with basic tools, rather than requiring extensive depot-level maintenance to remain operational or receive upgrades. It was easy to train crews to use it and mechanics to work on it.
It didn’t matter how good the Panther was because the Sherman outnumbered it by 8 to 1. Losing a dozen Shermans in a battle was a drop in the bucket; we could build new ones faster than the Germans could destroy them. For the Germans, losing one Panther was a serious setback because it couldn’t be replaced easily, if at all.
The Kriegsmarine had the same problem. They built 4 of the best battleships and battlecruisers ever to sail: Bismarck, Tirpitz, Gneisenau, and Scharnhorst. No expense was spared in their design or construction. Again, they were badly outnumbered. Their huge expense and small numbers meant they were too valuable to commit to anything other than a decisive battle. They spent most of their service lives in hiding, afraid to show themselves on the open seas. In contrast, the USN and RN could afford to take more risks with their capital ships and adopt a more aggressive posture because we had reserves.
IRAN STRIKES U.S. CARRIER AS NAVY MUTINY SPIRALS
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
You can’t go wrong with a sweet and spicy chicken drizzled with a velvety cream sauce for dinner.
There are only so many ways you can cook chicken. While there are so many chicken recipes out there to choose from sometimes cooking this versatile meat can feel repetitive. So why not switch it up with an authentic Hungarian specialty? This recipe is made with a whole cut chicken that is browned, simmered in a delicious spicy and creamy sauce and served over noodles, mashed potatoes or dumplings. It’s hearty and comforting and delicious.
Ingredients for Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
- Broiler/fryer chickens: Buy a whole chicken (about 3-1/2 to 4 pounds each) that has been already cut into pieces.
- Peanut oil: You could also use another type of generic cooking oil you have on hand, like canola oil or vegetable oil.
- Onions: While any type of onion could work with this recipe, we recommend using a yellow or white onion for the best flavor profile.
- Garlic: Chopped gloves are added to this Hungarian chicken paprikash as another aromatic for the recipe. You could also mince the garlic in different ways if you don’t feel like chopping.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is used to help thicken the sauce that will go on top of the meat.
- Paprika: Look for a sweet Hungarian paprika for the best tasting chicken.
- Chicken broth: We highly recommend grabbing a carton of your favorite high-quality chicken broth. You can also use water for this recipe.
- Sour cream: Stir this into the sauce after the chicken cooks to create a creamy finish.
- Noodles or mashed potatoes: You can have either as the base for this Hugarian chicken paprikash recipe.
Directions
Step 1: Brown the chicken
Season the chicken with kosher salt and pepper. Heat peanut oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Brown the chicken in batches, removing with a slotted spoon when the pieces are browned al over. Drain the oil and keep the chicken warm.
Step 2: Soften the onions
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the onions in that same Dutch oven, stirring to loosen the browned bits from the pan. Cook until the onions begin to soften — about six to eight minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Step 3: Make the broth and simmer
Stir in the flour and paprika and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the paprika is fragrant, three to five minutes. Add in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until the mixture has become smooth. This should take six to eight minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and cover. Let it simmer until the chicken reads 170°F on the meat thermometer. This should take about 30 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the sour cream
Remove the chicken to a serving platter and then skim the fat out of the sauce. Stir in the sour cream and heat it up until the sauce is warmed, for three to five minutes. (Do not allow it to come to a boil!) If desired, sprinkle the sauce with parsley and additional paprika. Serve the chicken with the sauce over hot cooked noodles or mashed potatoes.
Recipe Variations
- Make the sauce thicker: Simmer the cooking liquid after you remove the chicken and before you add the sour cream for a gravy-like consistency to your sauce. This reduces the sauce and then creates a thicker consistency with the sour cream later.
- Add in tomato paste: Many authentic Hungarian chicken paprikash recipes will also include tomatoes as a base for their creamy sauce. If desired, stir in a tablespoon or two of tomato paste into the sauce to get the most authentic experience.
- Add some spice: Swap out the sweet Hungarian paprika with a smoky or spicy paprika instead. Or add a light dash of cayenne pepper!
How to Store Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
Cover the Hungarian chicken paprikash in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also store the container in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost the chicken in the fridge for 24 hours before reheating.
How do you reheat Hungarian chicken paprikash?
Place the chicken in a saucepan and heat on medium-low, stirring consistently, until the chicken is fully warmed and the sauce is bubbling.
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash Tips
Can I use regular paprika instead of Hungarian?
You can make this swap if you don’t have Hungarian paprika on hand. But keep on mind that the Hungarian paprika variety tends to be sweeter (or sometimes spicier, depending on the variety) compared to a typical paprika you buy on grocery shelves. The taste might be slightly different.
What ingredient is close to paprika?
The best substitute for a sweet Hungarian paprika is a Chipotle chili powder.
Can I serve Hungarian chicken paprikash with dumplings?
Yes! Some traditional recipes for this dish will serve the chicken with dumplings or spaetzle dumplings instead of noodles or mashed potatoes.
Paul Elam EXPOSES THIS About Modern Marriage
Alien Tech is for the Dogs
Written in response to: “Set your story after aliens have officially arrived on Earth.“
Sarah Arnette
“He wouldn’t dare. Besides, I wouldn’t mind. I would pay him no mind at all,” I answer back with a sniffle. At that, all eyes turn towards me. None of them look like they are believing a word I say. They might be right.
“Victory, you spent almost a year refusing to answer to any other name than Victory or Queen Victory. If he called you a Butt-face, you would have a fit. Hell, you throw a fit if he calls you ‘BG’, which is your nickname!” That’s Dad, trying to use logic and history to stop an argument. The only way it stops is if I win. Everyone knows this.
“On another topic, did you hear that there is a faction of dogs and cats that are applying for citizenship and personhood in California?” Mom is always keeping up with the news. Ever since she blew off the news of the Askkists flyby and their subsequent landing, she has vowed not to make the same mistake again. She will treat the news as important, investigate it fully for scams, and then act on it. It is amazing how one alien invasion is enough to change a person.
“What would they do with personhood? Pay taxes?” Dad asks. I nudge his hand, looking for ear rubs. I should not need to tell him to do his job. Luckily, he picks up on it pretty quickly.
“According to what I was reading, yes. They want to have the right to pick where they live, the jobs that they have, and even the right to money and contracts. It is headed by a cat, Mr. Pavel. He says that he wants a life beyond just being a pampered house cat. He dreams of a job in politics. He also wants to see cats and dogs join the exploration teams on future space missions.”
“Well, it sounds like he is on his way to having that dream. I wish him the best. The tests that proved that cats and dogs are far more intelligent than previously thought, make it more compelling that he might actually get his wish for personhood. After all, the Great Apes got it. Now they are busy taking over the construction industry.”
Mom looks back down to her tablet, rereading the news. “You guys are happy, right? We are not holding you back from living your best life, are we?” Mom asks Damien and me. She sounds worried. I know she worries a lot about being the best mom she can be and that we might not be living our best lives.
I stop and think about it for a moment. When I dream, do I dream of work? When I think about the future, do I see this family and this life? Could I do better, be better? “Ha! You cannot get rid of us so easily! You signed the paperwork stating that you would take care of us forever, no take-backs. You’re stuck with us,” I answer for the two of us. I know where our bread, which I can’t actually have, is buttered.
“Mommy, I would never leave you,” Damien answers, cuddling up tighter to her. He is such a Butt-face.
Elon Musk revealed Something Big Happening with China Moon Mission Before SpaceX or NASA
Indian Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips and sautéed in butter until done
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cups finely chopped green apples
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup frozen English peas
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Melt butter in skillet.
- Add curry powder, onion and green apples and sauté until crisp and tender.
- Add peas, milk, soup and chicken. Cook until hot.
- Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
- Serve over rice or noodles.
Pictures
Sir Whiskerton and The Silent Treatment; A Tale of Strategic Naps, Failed Linguistics, and One Very Loud Kitten
Act I: The Farmer’s Epiphany
The Farmer, tired of being ignored by Sir Whiskerton (who deemed his small talk “unworthy of feline ears”), had a revelation:
“Cats respect silence… and naps! To speak ‘Cat,’ I must become one with the void.*”
He proceeded to:
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Lie motionless on the porch swing (claiming it was a “sunbeam simulation”)
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Ignore all questions (including Doris the Hen’s urgent “IS THIS A STROKE?”)
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Stare into the middle distance like a philosopher contemplating a blank wall
Sir Whiskerton, intrigued, sat nearby. “Hmm. The student has potential.”
Act II: The Purr-fect Performance
For three glorious hours, the Farmer maintained his act:
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Porkchop offered him a turnip. Silence.
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Rufus licked his elbow. Not a flinch.
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Gertrude the Goose insulted his hat. Zero reaction.
Sir Whiskerton, impressed: “He’s achieved purr-suasion.”
Then… Ditto arrived.
Act III: The Echo of Doom
Ditto, ever the unwitting saboteur, copied the Farmer’s fake snores—but with echo effects:
“ZZZ—wait, what? ZZZ—wait, what?”
The Farmer’s eyelid twitched.
Sir Whiskerton, groaning: “You had to bring the microphone.”
The mice, mistaking it for a new dance beat, started a conga line. Chaos ensued.
Act IV: The Sound of Surrender
The Farmer finally caved, shouting: “FINE! I’LL TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER!”
Sir Whiskerton, nodding sagely: “And thus, the natural order is restored.”
Ditto, now napping for real: “ZZZ… victory.”
The Moral of the Story
Moral: Sometimes silence speaks loudest… unless you own a parrot-kitten.
Post-Credit Scene
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The Farmer attempts “Dog” next (tail-wagging ends in a pulled muscle).
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Doris writes a think-piece: “The Art of Ignoring: A Hen’s Guide.”
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Sir Whiskerton enjoys 17 minutes of uninterrupted silence before the mice find a kazoo.
Best Lines:
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“I’ve mastered purr-suasion.” – Farmer, delusional
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“Is this a nap strike? Do we negotiate?” – Porkchop, concerned
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“ZZZ—copy that. ZZZ—over.” – Ditto, sleep-radioing
Starring:
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The Farmer (Failed Mime)
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Sir Whiskerton (Silence Connoisseur)
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Ditto (Echo Champion)
Key Jokes:
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The Farmer’s “cat loaf” pose (he topples over in 2 minutes).
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Rufus howling “AM I DOING IT RIGHT?” during the quiet hour.
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Gertrude’s single attempt at silence (“I hate this. I’m leaving.”).
P.S. (Detailed Edition)
Why This Story Works:
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Physical Comedy: The Farmer’s stiff “cat pose” vs. Ditto’s floppy snores.
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Bilingual Humor: “Purr-suasion” (English pun) + “ZZZ-qué?” (Ditto’s Spanglish naps).
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Teaching Moments:
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Boundaries: The Farmer learns respect > forced bonding.
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Irony: His “silent protest” backfires spectacularly.
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Character Arcs:
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Sir Whiskerton admires effort (but won’t admit it).
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Ditto ruins everything (but it’s adorable).
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Keep the chaos (quietly) coming,
The Sir Whiskerton Team 😼🔇
Final Note:
Next time, the Farmer tries speaking Squirrel. It involves acorns thrown at his head. Progress!
Lime Drenched Chicken and Caramelized Onions
Yield: 4 servings | 3 cups Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions*
- 6 large onions (for about 6 cups of slices)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Chicken
- 4 (6 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
Instructions
Caramelized Onions
- Peel the onions and cut them into 1/4-inch slices.
- Place the onions in a slow cooker, and drizzle the oil over the slices.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and adjust the heat to HIGH. Cook for 8 to 10 hours, until the onions caramelize. They will then have a deep-brown color.
- Leftover onions may be refrigerated, covered, up to three days. They may be frozen up to one month.
Chicken
- Place the chicken breast halves, one at a time, between layers of wax paper. Pound each breast half (see note) so that it is an even 1/2-inch thick. Peel off the paper. Sprinkle the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in an extra-deep, 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side until golden brown.
- While the chicken cooks, cut the lime in half and cut 1 of the halves into four wedges. Set the wedges aside.
- Turn the chicken over and squeeze the juice from the remaining lime half evenly over the chicken. Continue to cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
- Put the chicken on four serving plates.
- Add the onions and garlic to the hot skillet and stir constantly until the onions are heated through, about 1 minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and top each piece of chicken with about 1/4 cup onions.
- Serve at once, garnished with the reserved lime wedges.
Notes
* Make the caramelized onions ahead of time.
Nutrition
Per 1/4 cup serving: 48 calories (42% from fat), 2g fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 1g protein, 7g carbohydrates, 1g dietary fiber, 2mg sodium
A Story of Space, left.
Written in response to: “Set your story after aliens have officially arrived on Earth.“
Keelan LaForge
She kept her door triple bolted every night – something she had never felt the need to do before 2035. The place she’d lived in was so poster perfect that it felt like nothing untoward could ever have happened there. That’s what made it more shocking and out of the ordinary. Kerry reflected on the pandemic of 2020. It seemed like a mere blip compared with the Alien Invasion. A decade earlier, people still disputed the existence of extra-terrestrial life. It seemed laughable now – the earthly worries they’d had. There had been nothing of that magnitude then; Purely People Problems: that was what they were referred to now and often scoffed at, labelled trivial concerns.
Every night whenever Kerry went to sleep, she considered the fact it might be her last night on Earth. So many people had disappeared, and no one could say what had happened to them, which made it so much worse. Kerry thought of a few of her closest friends, tearfully. She tried not to dwell on their disappearances too much, because it achieved nothing, and survival had to be her priority. If she could evade the aliens, they couldn’t do what they’d done to the others. But each week, whenever she saw the empty streets, she wondered if it might be better to join the others, wherever they were. She didn’t want to be the last one remaining. That would be petrifying in a way that gathered up every feeling of terror she’d ever experienced and played them out in a single moment. At least Rachel was there too. She wasn’t entirely alone, yet. Her family might have vanished one by one, she might have lost all sense of community and she might have lost every place she’d ever known to the invaders. But she still had Rachel, and each day they met up without anything eventful to tell was a small success.
For weeks, months and years, they escaped it together. Luck was the only thing that could explain it. It was fitting that they were together whenever they finally had their personal encounter with the aliens. They were toasting each other over a quiet dinner, eating some hearty mac and cheese and cornbread when the tendrils appeared around the doorway, coming to beckon them to their shared fate. They were whisked away, so quickly they couldn’t gasp; the evidence they’d lived and dined there removed – apart from a few cornbread crumbs.
War On Iran: – (Not-) Destroyed Missile Launchers – Seeking Ground War Allies
War propaganda doesn’t change, whoever a conflict is fought with:
- Russia ‘running out of ballistic missiles’ – Telegraph, Oct 28 2022
- Iran is ‘running out of missiles’ – Telegraph, Mar 4 2026
Professed success is promoted by doing a countdown towards victory:
- IDF destroyed 1/3 of Iran’s missile launchers after Tel Aviv strikes – Jewish Chronicle, Jun 16 2025
- More than half of Iran’s missile launchers have been destroyed – Jewish Chronicle, Jun 20 2025
The recent war follows the scheme of ever rising enemy losses:
- Around Half of Iran’s Ballistic Missile Launchers Destroyed in Strikes, Israel Says – WSJ, Mar 1
- Israel says destroyed around 300 Iranian missile launchers – DPA, Mar 5 2026
- IDF estimates over 60% of Iran’s missile launchers taken out – Israel Hayom, Mar 6 2026
- Despite Saturday spike in missile sirens, IDF affirms 75% of Iranian missile launchers destroyed – Jerusalem Post, Mar 7 2026
- Israel Says 80% of Iran’s Missile Launchers Destroyed, Israelis Could Soon Resume Normal Life As Operation Continues – Yeshiva World, Mar 10 2026
At some point however delusion creeps in:
- IDF says destroyed 70% of Iran’s missile launchers as war progresses ‘beyond expectations’ – YnetNews, Mar 15 2026
- Majority of IRGC missile launchers destroyed, Israel to return to routine soon, official say – Jerusalem Post, Mar 10 2026
- US ‘cannot locate Iran’s missile launchers’ – Telegraph, Mar 11 2026
- Iran’s Missile Launcher Arsenal Holds Steady Despite Strikes – Bloomberg, Mar 12 2026
People start to ask questions:
- US says it has destroyed Iran missile capacity: How is Iran still shooting? – AlJazeerah, Mar 16, 2026
After Trump’s original plans did not survive contact with the enemy, the media are preparing the public for an escalation towards a ground war:
- Entering War’s Third Week, Trump Faces Stark Choices (archived) – NY Times
As the conflict with Iran expands and intensifies, President Trump’s options — to fight on, or to move toward declaring victory and pulling back — both carry deeply problematic consequences. - Oil Industry Warns Trump Administration Fuel Crunch Will Likely Worsen (archived) – WSJ
- The Iran war may be about to escalate – Gulf states could join the conflict (archived) – Economist
- Trump is trapped by the logic of war Boots on the ground might become inevitable – Unherd
- Trump demands ‘about 7′ countries join coalition to police Iran’s Strait of Hormuz – Politico
- Donald Trump warns Nato faces ‘very bad future’ if allies fail to help US in Iran (archived) – FT
- White House Tries to Build Coalition on Iran to Address Energy Crisis (archived) – WSJ
> President Trump and top aides spent the weekend framing their Iran operation as a resounding military success while imploring other countries to join their effort to resolve a worsening energy crisis related to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Trump administration as soon as this week plans to announce that multiple countries have agreed to form a coalition that will escort ships through the waterway, which runs along the Iranian coast, U.S. officials said. The U.S. and potential coalition countries are still discussing whether those operations would begin before or after the war ends. <
What is the use of escorting ships through the Strait “after the war ends”?
So far there are no takers of Trump’s call for allies. I doubt that there will be any.
The U.S. will have to go it alone. To take a strip of Iranian land north of the Strait of Hormuz with a depth and width sufficient to protect the Strait will require a force of some 100,000 soldiers. The U.S. no longer has such an invasion force nor the means to land it.
That does not mean that Trump won’t try it.
One can hope that the commodity and financial markets will become unruly enough soon enough to stop Trump from bombing Iran ‘a few more times just for fun‘ and from marching towards a ground war.