December 6, 2021Joseph Zeballos-RoigUncategorizedComments Off on Chuck Schumer cites the expiring monthly child tax credit as reason for Senate Democrats to swiftly pass Biden’s big bill by Christmas
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during a news briefing after the weekly Senate Democratic Policy Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol June 22, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Chuck Schumer is prodding Democrats to swiftly approve the Biden spending bill within weeks.
He warned that any delay would jeopardize the flow of child tax credit checks to families.
9 million kids could either slip below poverty line or fall deeper into poverty if Congress fails to act.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York is doubling down on his ambitious timeline to pass President Joe Biden's $2 trillion social spending legislation by Christmas, citing the looming expiration of the expanded monthly child tax credit.
"Families need to know that critical programs like the Child Tax Credit will continue uninterrupted," he said Monday on the Senate floor. "This program has already done immense good for millions upon millions of families. Build Back Better will make sure these benefits stay in place."
Earlier on Monday, 95 House Democrats in the moderate-leaning New Democrat coalition urged the Senate to approve the bill by month's end, warning about an abrupt end to direct payments. The last scheduled payment is on December 15.
Experts at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities project that 9 million kids could either slip below the poverty line or fall deeper into poverty if Congress fails to step in.
Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a swing vote, has not thrown his support behind the plan, calling much of it "a work in progress." All 50 Senate Democrats must coalesce to approve the bill over a wall of GOP opposition.
GOP Rep. Devin Nunes of California is reportedly retiring from Congress.
He came into the spotlight during the Trump-era as one of Donald Trump's biggest attack dogs in Congress.
Punchbowl News reported that Nunes is eyeing a job at Trump's new media startup.
Republican Rep. Devin Nunes of California is retiring from Congress, multiple reports said Monday.
Nunes has served on Capitol Hill since 2003 and gained national media attention during the Trump administration for his vehement defenses of then-President Donald Trump amid the FBI's Russia investigation.
Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman reported that Nunes is "rumored" to be eyeing a job working for Trump's social media startup.
To me, there's no better gift to give or receive than a great cookbook. A cookbook with beautiful photos, thoughtful narratives, and foolproof recipes can feed the imagination, transport your giftee to another city or country, and inspire them to get creative in the kitchen. There are cookbooks out there to suit every type of cook, whether novice or expert, and feed all interests — from TV show cookbooks to comprehensive tomes on the science of cooking.
Every year, hundreds of new cookbooks make their way onto bookstore shelves. Here are our favorite cookbooks, new and old, to gift this year.
Here are 32 of the best cookbook gifts for every type of cook
From the chef and author of "Vegetable Kingdom" comes an anthology of Black culinary traditions from around the world. Bryant Terry combines essays and recipes with vivid illustrations and photography to show how food is woven into the history of the African Diaspora, resulting in a cookbook so visually striking it could easily double as a coffee table book. Essays like "The Spiritual Ecology of Black Food" are the perfect appetizers for new and traditional recipes like Crispy Cassava Skillet Cakes and Pickled Persimmon Spears.
There are many ways to bake a cake, and Aran Goyoaga teaches you the gluten-free way in her new cookbook. Goyoaga has done the work of figuring out substitutions and alternatives so you can make gluten-free buttery shortbread and even brioche with ease. Everyone can enjoy the texture, flavor, and variety of baked goods thanks to this handy collection of 100 recipes.
Before other cultures and their cuisines came to North America, indigenous people were cooking meals with accessible ingredients. In the "New Native Kitchen," to be released in November of 2021, Freddie Bitsoie and James O. Fraioli explore American Indian recipes from coast to coast, like Chocolate Bison Chili and Prickly Pear Sweet Pork Chops. Bitsoie was the executive chef of Mitsitam Native Foods Café at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and is a member of the Navajo nation, and Chef James O. Fraioli is a James Beard Award winner.
Becoming vegan was a big change for Joanne Lee Molinaro, having grown up with meat-based Korean food. However, it didn't stop her from collecting recipes and recreating the dishes that were so connected to her family history. For Molinaro, the stories of her family's immigration from North Korea to the United States are just as important as the recipes. Molinaro recreates childhood memories, like Jjajangmyeon, Korean-Chinese black bean noodles, and writes new recipes, like the Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake, in honor of the foods that saved her mother's life.
You won't find frozen vegetables in Momfuko, but that doesn't mean David Chang has anything against them. In this new book, available on October 26, Chang and co-author, Priya Krishna, explain how they use fine dining principles to make fast, easy, and unpretentious meals at home. For the home cook, it seems like the professional chef can take any ingredients and produce a full, delicious meal. In "Cooking at Home," Chang and Krishna teach you how to do just that.
For the traveler interested in culture and cuisine
A finalist in two different seasons of "Top Chef," Sheldon Simeon co-authored a cookbook with Garrett Snyder, transporting readers to the tropical islands of Hawaii. The book dives into stories of Simeon's family, as well as the state's history and cultural traditions. With 100 recipes throughout the book, this personalized guide to Hawaiian cooking has something for beginners and advanced cooks.
This debut cookbook from Betty Liu (who somehow found the time to author it amid her general surgery residency) is an homage to seasonal cooking and her family's roots in the Chinese regions of Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. I picked up this cookbook up in my local bookstore and couldn't put it down (and ended up bringing it home with me). The chapters are organized by season and explain the influence the weather, holidays, and traditions have on the recipes prepared throughout the year. I love the stories Liu relates about the inspirations behind her recipes, like climbing a mountain to eat Double-Mushroom Noodle Soup at a temple, foraging spring bamboo shoots for Oil-Braised Spring Bamboo, and the bowls of breakfast noodles her father would make her before test days. I've already made the Shanghai Stir-Fried Rice Cakes four or five times, and I can't wait to dive into more of the recipes as the seasons progress.
My best friend (and fellow cookbook collector) recently texted me raving about this cookbook and the genius of Rodney Scott's Loaded Pork Skin "Nachos," Pit-Smoked Turkey, and whole-hog approach to Carolina barbecue. Scott's positivity and passion shine throughout the book, and you'll learn lots about southern foodways and the history of Carolina barbecue along the way.
Whether it's London or Bombay that is your giftee's next destination, "Dishoom" is required reading before they jet off. The popular Dishoom restaurants in London are inspired by the Irani cafes of Bombay and serve "tipples," snacks, and mains like Mango Kulfi, Pav Bhaji, and Roomali Roti. In "Dishoom," you'll learn to cook the restaurant's entire menu, and be taken on a tour of Bombay's cafes (complete with a map) along the way.
At Insider Reviews we have lots of opinions, especially about food, and a recent debate centered around the merits of cinnamon versus chocolate fillings for babka. I like Jake Cohen's philosophy in "Jew-ish," which is that babka is delicious no matter what you fill it with. "Jew-ish" is a thoughtful collection of recipes centered around Cohen's Ashkenazi heritage, his own self-discovery in the kitchen, and the Persian-Iraqi traditions of his husband. Cohen celebrates the origins of Jewish dishes, while also putting his own twist on the classics. You'll see this in action in his recipes for Cacio e Pepe Rugelach, Black and White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and yes, You Can Go Your Own Way: Babka Edition.
For the family member intimidated by their new Instant Pot
Insider Reviews reporter, James Brains, is currently testing Instant Pots and other multicookers for an update to our guide to the best electric pressure cookers. He's been using recipes from this cookbook and reports that they're easy to follow, have plenty of photos, and are delicious to boot. The book features more than 750 photos detailing step-by-step how to make the 100+ recipes, and makes a great gift for anyone who is curious about Instant Pots but hasn't taken the plunge yet.
Toni Tipton-Martin's personal collection of African-American cookbooks spans more than 400 titles and her knowledge of American food history is on full display in "Jubilee." Through recipes and stories, she relates the history of Black folks who shaped American cuisine into what it is today, from those who cooked under the confines of brutal enslavement to the chefs who ran White House kitchens. "Jubilee" is a masterful work of American history, as told through food.
A compendium of 255 pie recipes, "Pie Academy" is likely the last pie cookbook you'll ever need. It has nearly a dozen recipes for different types of pie crust, a troubleshooting section for when things don't go as expected, and chapters organized by seasonality and filling type. It's guaranteed to be a hit with the pie lover in your life, especially one who is interested in making pies but has always found them a bit daunting.
While not a cookbook, "Black, White, and The Grey," tells the story of one of the most celebrated restaurants in America: The Grey in Savannah, Georgia. Mashama Bailey, who is Black, and John O. Morisano, who is white, relate the story of how they turned a dilapidated formerly segregated Greyhound bus station into an award-winning restaurant. The dual memoir touches on race, community, and friendship, with some delicious food anecdotes along the way.
Michelin-starred chef Hooni Kim's debut cookbook is a crash course in the essentials of Korean cuisine. The book's tagline is "traditional flavors, modern recipes," and that is an accurate summation of what you can expect to find in this cookbook — from Dolsot Bibimbap to Budae Jjigae to Hanjan's Spicy Rice Cakes. When I first laid my hands on this cookbook, I wanted to make (and eat) every single recipe. If you're looking for some solid foundation recipes, "My Korea" delivers.
For the friend who knows all the words to "Lady Marmalade"
Patti LaBelle is not only the Godmother of Soul and a musical icon, but she is also a New York Times bestselling author for her cookbooks. Her newest cookbook, "Labelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About," has recipes centered around LaBelle's family's Southern roots. With comfort-food favorites like potato salad and peach cobbler, she showcases a variety of her recipes that are full of personal touches.
In her debut cookbook, Priya Krishna (contributor to Bon Appetit, New York Times, and others) offers up beloved favorite recipes from her Indian-American family, including Tomato Rice with Crispy Cheddar, Malaysian Ramen, and what her dad calls Indian Gatorade (Shikanji). The recipes are largely vegetarian, creative, fun, comforting, and guaranteed to inspire anyone who feels stuck in a rut with their cooking in 2021.
Ayesha Curry and her husband, basketball star Stephen Curry, have three children and busy schedules. She created her newest cookbook with her energetic household in mind, and it features 100 recipes that take under an hour to make. "The Full Plate" is perfect for anyone who wants to spend less time cooking while still ending up with delicious meals.
Technically unofficial, this cookbook will transport you directly into Disneyland. You can replicate a variety of food found in Disney theme parks. It features 100 recipes of iconic Disneyland treats and snacks, including the famous Dole whip, beignets, and more.
This was the year of the sourdough starter, and few people are as well-versed in fermented breads as Bryan Ford, blogger and baker. We're not just talking about your classic sourdough boule; Ford is well-known for demonstrating the breadth of what you can do with a sourdough starter: from Sourdough Pan de Coco to Sourdough Discard Battered Fried Chicken.
In this beautifully illustrated cookbook, chef and New York Times columnist Samin Nosrat outlines the foundations of cooking, from when to salt your chicken to how to make the perfect focaccia. All the information is presented in a fun, engaging way alongside original illustrations you'll want to frame and hang in your kitchen.
"La Buvette" is part cookbook, part guide to French living. Interspersed with recipes from the cookbook's namesake cafe are beautiful pictures of Paris, tips about shopping in France's vintage markets, and instructions on how to dry flowers. The cookbook is a lovely escape into Parisian living, perfect for any Francophile dreaming of a visit to the City of Lights.
For your friend who knows all the best restaurants
Xi'an Famous Foods started as a small family-owned market stall in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens. Its hand-pulled cumin lamb noodles have become so loved that there are now 14 locations all around New York City. In this cookbook, the son of the family and CEO of the business Jason Wang divulges some of the recipes that made his family business famous, as well as other classic dishes from Xi'an in western China.
Contestants of the Great British Baking Show have come out with several cookbooks, including series nine runner-up Kim-Joy. She is best known for her adorable and creative bakes, like her giant chocolate planet filled with "space turtles," or her "Silke the vegetarian mermaid" pie. Kim-Joy brings the same color and fun to her bakes in her debut cookbook, which includes Pigfiteroles in Mud, Tazhong Cat Buns, and a version of her Space Turtle Cake.
For the friend who likes to Instagram all their food
Yotam Ottolenghi is owner and chef of some of London's most beloved cafes and restaurants. His recipes are some of the most colorful and beautiful out there, and his latest cookbook is no exception. "Flavor" is filled with mostly vegetarian recipes that not only pack a punch visually but flavor-wise, too. Ottolenghi and his co-authors expound the building blocks of flavor in three sections: process, pairing, and produce. The result is more than 100 'gram-worthy recipes from Spicy Mushroom Lasagna to Iceberg Wedges with Smoky Eggplant Cream.
Longtime Ottolenghi collaborator (and co-author of "Jerusalem," another of our cookbook picks), Sam Tamimi, crafted his latest cookbook as an homage to Palestinian food. The book is rich in recipes, from multiple variations of shakshuka and hummus, to verdant salads, and colorful dips. Along the way, Tamimi tells the culinary history of Palestinian food — from the home cooks feeding their neighbors in refugee camps to the restaurateurs cooking for tourists in Bethlehem.
I worked for America's Test Kitchen (ATK) for seven years and was privy to the care its team puts into each and every one of its cookbooks. ATK's series of cookbooks for kids is the epitome of that detail and care; every one of the recipes in this volume was tested by pro chefs and kid cooks. The recipes are specifically designed with kids in mind, outlining when to get an adult for help with handling hot ingredients or sharp tools. This is the book I wish was available to me when I was a child, and I've gifted it and the kid's baking book to every kid I know. I love getting reports from their parents about a new recipe they cooked or discovered.
For the person always posting pictures of their cheese board
In her best-selling cookbook, author and food blogger Shelley Westerhausen shares 40 casual yet chic spreads (complete with meat and drink pairings) that anyone can make and enjoy. It's also a visual cornucopia that's just as satisfying to flip through as to use when hosting get-togethers when it's safe to do so. And if you're looking for a board of your own, we recommend any of these five options.
Claire Saffitz may be known for her wildly popular Gourmet Makes series on YouTube, but she's a pastry chef at heart and her affinity for baked goods is out in full force with her new cookbook "Dessert Person." In this cookbook, you can find creative recipes for Babkallah (a babka-Challah mashup), Apple and Concord Grape Crumble Pie, Strawberry-Cornmeal Layer Cake, and Malted Forever Brownies. It's sure to please the dessert lover in your life.
For the person who had to cancel their vacation last year
Each episode of the "Pasta Grannies" YouTube series is an escape to a different region of Italy, where local grannies (or nonne) teach the audience to prepare and cook a regional dish — from classics like Spaghetti alla Carbonara to a pasta shape from Sardinia only three women know how to make. This cookbook takes some of the most popular videos from the series and turns them into tangible recipes you can cook at home. Between watching the video and cooking from the book, you can transport yourself to a little corner of Italy without leaving your home.
For the person homesick for their grandma's cooking
This cookbook centers around grandmothers (or bibis) from eight south and east African countries. Throughout the book, we get to know the women whose recipes are featured and learn about their personal history and the history of their country. Along the way, you'll find recipes for Eritrean Doro Wat, Tanzanian Date Bread, Kenyan Kachumbari, and more. It's the kind of cookbook that makes think about your grandmother.
For the person who lives by a cookie-a-day philosophy
A good ol' chocolate chip cookie never goes out of style, but if you have a cookie lover in your life, consider gifting them this homage to baked goods. You'll find recipes for the classics (including four different variations of chocolate chip cookies) as well cookies you've probably never had before, like Banana-Espresso-Cacao Nib cookies.
The British arm of Dutch supermarket chain Spar has shut hundreds of shops after suffering an "online attack," the company has confirmed to The Register.…
December 6, 2021Allana AkhtarUncategorizedComments Off on Britain’s Royal Marines were ‘victorious’ in a mock desert battle with US Marines. Here’s how the 2 forces stack up
A British Royal Marine briefs US Marines on Viking armored vehicles during Exercise Green Dagger in California, September 29, 2021.
US Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Shane T. Beaubien
Britain's Royal Marines got some unexpect attention this fall after reports they had "defeated" US Marines in an exercise.
The details in the reports have been disputed, they highlighted the special capabilities and unique histories of both units.
In October, an exercise in the California desert involving marine forces from across NATO spurred some unintended drama when reports surfaced about the swift defeat of US Marines at the hands of their British counterparts.
Exercise Green Dagger is an annual large-scale force-on-force training event that seeks to prepare US Marine Corps units for upcoming deployments to combat zones or volatile regions.
Marines from the US, UK, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates "fought" against one another in mock combat drills. During one five-day event, the Royal Marines Commandos defeated their American counterparts despite having smaller numbers.
While many have disputed those reports, they have highlighted the skills and capabilities of both forces. Here's how they stack up.
Royal Marines Commandos
British Royal Marines provide security during Exercise Green Dagger in California, October 9, 2021.
US Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Shane T. Beaubien
The Royal Marines Commandos are a very interesting unit when it comes to classification. For centuries they served as naval infantry, sailing on Royal Navy ships and fighting on sea and land, in addition to being the troops responsible for enforcing discipline on the British navy.
After the Napoleonic Wars and the British navy's rise to dominance of the seas, the Royal Marines increasingly deployed on land as a naval infantry force. By World War I, they were fighting in the trenches alongside regular infantry units.
It was during World War II that the Royal Marines first entered the special-operations realm. After Germany swept across Europe, the British stood up commando units to take the fight to the continent and keep the Germans on edge.
British Royal Marines carry a simulated casualty during Exercise Green Dagger in California, October 9, 2021.
US Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Shane T. Beaubien
Initially, the "Commandos," as the units themselves were called, were composed of British Army soldiers and volunteers from many countries that had surrendered to the Nazis.
In 1942, the Royal Marines created their own commando units and added the coveted "Commando" designation to their title. They specialized in amphibious operations against Axis forces in occupied Europe and the Pacific theater throughout the war.
The Royal Marines Commando were the only "Commando" unit of the roughly 40 that existed during the war to survive the major demobilization that came after Germany and Japan surrendered.
Similar but different
US Marines familiarize British Royal Marines with the Amphibious Combat Vehicle during Exercise Green Dagger in California, September 29, 2021.
US Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Shane T. Beaubien
While the US and British forces are similar as marines, comparing them is like comparing apples to oranges.
Whereas the US Marine Corps is a combined warfare force that can conduct expeditionary campaigns, the Royal Marines Commandos are a much smaller, more specialized unit that has served as a quick-reaction force of sorts for the UK.
The US Marine Corps has about 200,000 troops and more than 1,000 fighter jets and helicopters and until recently operated its own tank fleet. In contrast, the Royal Marines Commandos field less than 8,000 troops total, only half of them being line infantry. The British Marines have no armor or fighter jets of their own.
Indeed, in terms of capabilities, training, selection, and mission, it would be more fair to compare the Royal Marines with the special-operations units of the US Marine Corps — the Marine Raiders, Recon Marines, and Force Recon Marines.
Even with differences in size and capabilities, both forces have illustrious combat histories.
US Marines scale a seawall as the second assault wave lands at Inchon, South Korea, September 15, 1950.
The Royal Marines Commandos earned respect and accolades for their actions in several engagements during World War II, but perhaps their most important campaign was during the Falkland War, when they marched across the rugged South Atlantic islands with full combat load — each troop carrying more than 100 pounds of gear — and defeated the Argentines in a series of brutal engagements.
The Royal Marines Commandos are now entering a new phase as British special-operations forces evolve for a world in which potential near-peer warfare against Russia or China has replaced large-scale counterterrorism operations as the main concern.
As part of that modernization, the Commandos are getting new weapons and gear in addition to restructuring into smaller, more agile units.
A British Royal Navy Sea King helicopter lifts off after transporting Royal Marines to Darwin in the Falkland Islands, June 1982.
Paul Haley/ Crown Copyright/Imperial War Museums via Getty Images
"We've always been an elite force, but not many people outside the UK know about us. Our military is small compared to the Americans, and the Royals [Marines Commandos] are even a smaller part of that. But we're the fellas you want in a trench when the going gets tough," a former Special Boat Service operator told Insider.
The SBS was for decades the tier 1 special-missions unit of the Royal Marines, recruiting solely from the commandos. It was equivalent to the US Naval Special Warfare Development Group, which used to be called SEAL Team Six.
Nowadays, however, the SBS and the Special Air Service (SAS), its Army counterpart, recruit from the wider British military. And like the Royal Marines, the SBS has always worked closely with their American counterparts.
"We have a close working relationship with the Americans, and we have frequent exchange programs, or at least we had back in my days," the former SBS frogman said. "How that works is usually one of our lads or an American getting seconded to the opposite number for a year or two and serves as a regular member of that team. They train, work, and deploy with them as part of the unit."
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says 49 organisations, including some in government, were hit by Cuba ransomware as of early November this year.…
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says 49 organisations, including some in government, were hit by Cuba ransomware as of early November this year.…
