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RUSTIC FRENCH PISTACHIO CAKE
INSIDE THE TRIAL FIGHTING FOR A TEEN’S HIDDEN BRAIN INJURY Brain injury cases are never simple, and they’re never abstract. They involve real people, families, and futures that can change in an instant. One of the trials we have coming up is a powerful example of just how quickly life can shift. It involves a boy who was only 14 at the time of a violent car crash. He was sitting in the passenger seat when another vehicle T-boned his family’s car on the driver’s side. Even though the impact wasn’t directly on his side, the force of the collision whipped him hard enough that he struck his head. With kids, that’s especially concerning. A developing brain is far more vulnerable, and any head strike dramatically increases the chances of a traumatic brain injury. That’s why, in cases like this, we dig deep. Accident reconstruction, biomechanical analysis, and other points all matter. Jurors often picture the brain as something solid, but it’s really more like Jell-O in a Tupperware container. In a crash, that “Jell-O” slams into the walls, or skull, again and again, within fractions of a second. That’s how damage happens. Inside the brain, axons function like tiny electrical wires, carrying signals that let us think, move, and process the world. In a violent crash, those delicate fibers can stretch, twist, or even tear, and the extent of that microscopic damage often shapes a person’s ability to recover. Some heal, others don’t, and some, like this boy, may look “fine” on the outside while quietly losing abilities that once defined them. Before the crash, he was a standout baseball player, and after, he couldn’t hit a baseball anymore. Not because he didn’t want to, but because the part of his brain that allowed him to track, process, and respond to a fast-moving ball doesn't work the same way. His grades also slipped, and not in the usual “teenage slump” way. These were abrupt, significant declines. Predictably, the defense is trying to paint all of this as normal high school behavior, but the timing, symptoms, biomechanics, and testimony all point to the crash as the true cause. While every case matters, this one feels especially important. It’s about making sure this young man’s story is heard and ensuring the science behind his injury isn’t ignored.
Ingredients
• 2 cups heavy cream, cold • 1 1/2 cups (minus 1 tbsp) all-purpose flour • 2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt • 3 large eggs • 1 1/4 cups sugar • 1 tbsp vanilla paste • 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped, plus extra for topping • Powdered sugar for dusting
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F, then butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. 2. Whip cold cream until it forms firm peaks, then refrigerate. 3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside. 4. Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. 5. Fold pistachios and flour mixture into egg mixture. 6. Gently fold cream into the batter until no streaks remain. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. 7. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until puffed and golden on top. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan. 8. Dust with powdered sugar and top with pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature!
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LAUGH LAWS
–Case Barnett
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