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Graham: Leaderless Congress flounders amid Israeli-Hamas war

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

When reports of kidnapped women and murdered children began pouring in Saturday from the massive Hamas attack on Israel, the response in Washington was to convene the “Gang of Eight.” Those are the eight key congressional leaders charged with overseeing military intelligence, and they are usually the first people briefed in such a crisis.Only thanks to House Democrats, it is now the gang of seven. The speaker’s chair is empty, vacated by a vote of all 208 members of the House Democratic Caucus in support of Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, and seven fringe MAGA Republicans.Unlike a typical leadership battle, Democrats weren’t backing an alternative candidate to take control. They didn’t even offer a leadership plan. Their only goal was to create chaos and promote GOP infighting while shutting down the House.The Democrats’ plan worked. There is plenty of chaos in Washington today.Unfortunately, there is far worse in Israel, and thanks to the Democrats’ success, a leaderless Congress is po...

Boston Asian American Film Festival returns with something extra

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

As Boston’s 15th Asian American Film Festival begins Thursday, something different is in the works.“This year we’re showing a pre-national release event,” explained BAAFF Director Susan Chinsen. “Because it’s actually 15 years for BAAFF, we’ve selected Jeff Yang’s book ‘The Golden Screen,’ an anthology on Asian American cinema, in conversation with the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Renee Tajima-Peña.“The book doesn’t come out until Oct. 24 but we have the publisher’s permission to have it available on Oct. 12.”Chelsea Vuong, Miss Massachusetts, emcees this special night.“This book spotlights Asian American cinema from the ’50s-60s and on,” Chinsen noted.  “Jeff has got these amazing conversations between filmmakers and people like John Cho and Michelle Yeoh who have been making a big impact.”This BAAFF presents six feature film presentations, every one with a live filmmaker Q&A from October 13 – 15, and six virtual on demand Shorts programs, including the popular Queer...

Creativity and 3-point shooting will be key for Chicago Bulls to kickstart the offense

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

Midway through the first quarter of Sunday’s preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks, guard Zach LaVine glanced up at the scoreboard, then turned to teammate Coby White.“It’s the first quarter,” LaVine said to his teammate. “And we’re shooting more 3s than we did in the first half of the game (last year).”The Bulls took 35 shots from 3-point range Sunday — including 16 attempts by the starting unit — to make a sizable leap from last year’s average of 28.9 attempts.It’s hard to draw strong conclusions from a preseason outing, in which players like LaVine had fewer than 18 minutes. But it provided a rough draft for the Bulls as they attempt to jump-start their offense this season by breaking away from the timidity that has defined them behind the arc.White hopes the Bulls will push their 3-point attempts average closer to 40 this season to keep pace with Eastern Conference foes like the Bucks and Boston Ce...

Orioles’ breakthrough 2023 campaign ends with postseason sweep after 7-1 loss to Rangers in Game 3 of ALDS

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

A defining feature of the 2023 Orioles was their American League-record streak without being swept. When they pick it up in 2024, it will have an asterisk next to it.The Orioles on Tuesday night were swept out of the postseason, falling 7-1 to the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the AL Division Series.Baltimore entered Globe Life Field with the daunting task of needing to win three straight games to advance. But the Rangers barely let that possibility linger.Texas’ powerful and patient offense did to Dean Kremer what it did to Grayson Rodriguez in Game 2, scoring five runs in the second inning to end his first postseason start early. Unlike Sunday, though, Baltimore’s bats couldn’t muster a comeback, plating just one run off Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi and his bullpen.Game 1 at Camden Yards was a one-run loss the Orioles easily could’ve won, but the Rangers proved they were the better team in Games 2 and 3 — both feeling like blowouts throughout. Balti...

Elevating the chocolate chip cookie

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

This is no ordinary chocolate chip cookie. While it has all the luscious aspects of a traditional chewy Toll House-style cookie, this cookie notches it up to another level with roasted almond butter, chunky dark chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt.Almond butter does wondrous things to the cookie. It’s not as pronounced in flavor as peanut butter, which (in my opinion) easily overwhelms the flavor of a cookie. Almond butter is stealthier; it adds a mellow, toasty, golden-buttery backdrop to the dough.Meanwhile, chunks of dark chocolate stud the cookie, replacing the go-to chocolate chip. Many chocolate chips read “sweet” more than “chocolate.” By chopping up a quality bar of dark chocolate, the overkill of sweetness is avoided, while the flavor of the chocolate shines through. Not only that, but when you chop a bar, you will be left with a pile of chocolate shards and dust. Be sure to sweep all those little bits into the batter along with the chunks to infuse it with more chocolate....

Curried Coconut Beef delicious & comforting

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

Fragrant spices add great flavor to this easy beef curry dinner. The combination of tender beef, diced tomatoes and coconut milk creates a delicious and comforting meal. It’s served over basmati rice. This is a type of long-grain aromatic white rice. Happily, it’s available in a microwave version, which means you can make the side dish in minutes and there’s no pot to wash.A hint about the curry powder for this dish. The curry powder sold in supermarkets is a blend of about 15 herbs, spices and seeds. This type of powder loses its flavor quickly. If you have curry powder that is more than 6 months old, buy a new one. It will add more flavor to the dish.You can use 4 crushed garlic cloves instead of 2 teaspoons minced garlic.You can use chopped sweet onion instead of frozen chopped onion.A quick way to defrost the peas and onion is to place them in a sieve and run hot tap water over them.Brown rice can be used instead of basmati.TAG GOES HERECurried Coconut BeefINGREDIENTS3/4 pound g...

Murray: Make way for the new sex ed Puritans

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

Boston taxpayers, parents, and students are under siege by progressives — the new Puritans.On Wednesday, the state Legislature will debate a radical sex education mandate bill. On Beacon Hill, they call it the Healthy Youth Act.Gov. Maura Healey has pledged support for the bill, so it looks as if the skids are greased. If passed, the legislation would mandate any district that teaches sex education must adopt the content endorsed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. These DESE standards were cooked up by some of Charlie Baker’s appointees and voted through by Healey’s state education board.These awful guidelines were crafted in part by Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortion and sex change hormones in Massachusetts.Across the country, taxpayers, students, moms, and dads attend school board meetings demanding an end to similar corrosive curricula. The theme of their activism is that they refuse to co-parent with the government. They seek an end ...

Lowry: Israel is not a colonial state

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

It doesn’t take long to read or listen to anti-Israel advocacy before the word “colonial” or “colonialism” is hurled at the Jewish state.After the spasm of Hamas murder, rape, and kidnapping over the weekend, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network exclaimed, “Our people are waging an anti-colonial, anti-occupation, and anti-Zionist liberation struggle!”According to an anti-Israel statement signed by dozens of student groups at Harvard, Israel is undertaking “colonial retaliation.”An academic cottage industry is devoted to deeming Israel a decades-long exercise in “settler colonialism,” and Hamas itself is partial to the term.The use of the word “colonial” in all its forms isn’t meant to accurately describe reality or clarify anything; rather it is a term of abuse wielded to delegitimize Israel and justify every means of resisting its very existence.The “colonial” smear can’t survive...

Editorial: Harvard’s shameful moment

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

The menu this week at Harvard’s Quincy House includes a salad bar with “Baby Arugula” and “Grilled Tofu” and entrees of “Cumin & Ginger Braised Beef” or “Saffron Chicken with Lemon & Olives.”You can order ahead to “create your own nutrition report,” for those pacing themselves. If you skip over to Annenberg Hall — the “Berg” to those in the know — you’ll land “Corn Niblets” and “Apple Cider Glazed Turnips,” so “Delish,” food services says.It’s easier to critique others when your belly is full.How else can you explain the grossly insensitive statement by the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups that read, in part: “We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all the unfolding violence.” Thirty-one groups signed on, including the Ivy League’s affiliate of Amnesty International.The timing alone i...

Festive veggie fajitas filled with mushrooms

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:51:57 GMT

Meaty mushrooms sauteed with onion, bell peppers and pinto beans fill tortillas to make vegetarian fajitas, creating a festive Mexican dinner. I like to serve all the ingredients at the table and let diners fill their own tortillas.There are a few different ways to warm tortillas. It’s easy to place them in a microwave oven on a plate and covered with a slightly damp paper towel. They can also be warmed in a 200-degree-Fahrenheit oven or in a skillet for 30 seconds. The secret is, once they’re warmed, to keep them wrapped in a napkin or foil.You can use any type of tortilla.You can use any type of mushroom.You can use black or red kidney beans instead of pinto beans.You can use prepared taco sauce instead of fajita sauce.TAG GOES HEREMushroom FajitasINGREDIENTS2 teaspoons olive oil1 cup sliced red onion1 cup sliced red bell pepper1 cup sliced yellow bell pepper1 cup sliced mushrooms1 cup rinsed and drained pinto beansSalt and freshly ground black pepper4 8-inch whole wheat tortillas...