What to do against the annoying Triangle/Noteboom move order?

In the notes to game 10.1, Kaufman recommends 4. e4 as a way to avoid transposing to the Semi-Slav, although that's not part of his repertoire.

SilentKnighte5 wrote: "1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 c5 7.a3 Ba5 8.Be3 Nf6 9.Ne2 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4"
now 11.Bxd4 to avoid the double pawn after 11.Nxd4 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 ?  Probably 4...dxc4 followed by ...b5, ...a6, ...Bb7 is stronger for black here (leads to =)?  See also posting #49.  My feeling tells me 4.e4 is too ambitious.

11.Bxd4 should indeed give white a minimal advantage (space, more compact kingside).

I think Black should postpone ...c5 for a while, e.g. 6...Nf6 7.a3 (if 7.Nf3, then now 7...c5- Vadim Sviaginsev has won a couple of times after 8.Be2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 0-0 10.0-0, but this is because he is a very strong player, and not because of the opening) 7...Ba5 8.b4 (8.Be3 0-0 9.Nf3 c5 seems perfectly OK for Black) 8...Bc7 9.Nf3 a5, where there are no serious games available. I think it should be OK, as white cannot prevent the liberating ...e5 eternally.

Kaufman specifically recommends 11. Nxd4 based on the engine analysis.

"humans take back with the bishop to avoid ruined pawns, but the computer says I want the bishop pair and development.  Komodo insists that the bishop pair, Black's bad bishop and White's superior development more than offset his bad pawns.  While I disagree with Komodo's claim that White is substantially better, I would choose White if given the choice here".

Isn't it true that the exchange QGD has provided EXCELLENT results for white and enters a line that has supposedly the biggest opening advantage of any modern opening? I've played it a few times and have recieved fantastic positions as white, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is true. 

The simple answer to that is no. Black is playing classical chess putting pawn in centre, and developing. So if losing playing this chess is solved. White can learn plans to try put black under pressure, and get an understanding of the position. This is a bit more than the typical "play by numbers" approach popular here. Of course, black can learn counter-plans. The carlbad structure just isn't an automatic white advantage. 

That's kind of what Ozzie was getting at. It's a chess game. The winner of such a position will be the one who understands the plans better. Isn't that what we want out of an opening?

Well, you get what your opponent gives you...  On those "excellent results" you will see that with every white superior move (by result numbers in a DB), black has an answer that will get him back into the game.  Try it out yourself, narrow the search to masters 2400+, filter out games <30 moves, then you'll come to results that are not better than the advantage to have the 1st move.  Additionally, the total number of games played is small, so there's no statistical evidence yet.

P.S. Thank you to pfren for the instructive game above.

I know engines aren't thrilled with it, but in human practice it is very good for white. Then again, engines rarely like main line openings. You pretty much need to FORCE them to play main lines. 

QGD: Exchange has been an extremely good weapon for me at the class level.  I've seen 1800s completely unable to handle the Black side.

I feel like the nge2-f3-e4 variation can be very cramping for black if he doesn't immediately counterattack on the kingside, he'll be pushed off the board

I've actually found that around the 1800-2000 somewhere the play with nge2-f3-e4 begins to be a lot less dangerous as black players seem to be fairly familiar with typical plans.

I like it because I watched Var Akobian's videos on it and seen how he crushes Grandmasters with it. 

I don't think I'd have the patience to pull out a minority attack, and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to capitilize on the "weakness" on c6. I would just start shuffling my pieces around and trying to attack and he would defend it and I would cry. 

Which videos are these? are they on chesscom?

St Louis Chess Club lectures. I love how informative he is. He's not as humorous as Finegold but you definitely learn more about chess watching Akobian's lectures than any other lecture on the channel. Sereiwan, Finegold, Bryan Smith, Ronen Har Zhvi and Mike Kummer (1760 rated) all lecture but Akobian is the best if you are interested in learning chess ideas rather than entertainment and jokes.

You have a link to that specific video by Akobian?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOgYkbtXwYE

Also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oeq0KkKI-08