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☆ I've been a chef for years. Here are my 8 tips for making perfect, juicy burgers.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Alissa Fitzgerald | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewAs a chef, I strongly believe the best way to feed a crowd is to have all of your party foods prepped and ready to go — and that includes your burger patties. When I worked as a line cook a few years ago, I learned the subtle art of working with ground meat and making the perfect, juicy burger. AdvertisementThere are three main ways to defrost ground beef: in the refrigerator, in the microwave, or in cool water. Related storiesIf you can, try to find a local farm that sells whole cuts or its own frozen ground meat. Remember that the shape of the patties mattersLightly press your thumb into the burger patties as you shape them.

Persons: —, sy cho, you've, Cook, Moyo Organizations: Service, Business Locations: mayo

The synthetic opioid fentanyl, up to 50 times more potent than heroin, has taken over Baltimore’s illegal drug supply, contributing to more and more deaths. Credit... Jessica Gallagher/The Baltimore Banner, for The New York Times

Persons: Jessica Gallagher Organizations: Baltimore Banner, The New York

Signs of loss are scattered across Baltimore. Sprays of flowers in front of a boarded rowhouse. Makeshift memorials in the lobby of an apartment building or the therapy room of an addiction treatment program. People in Baltimore have been dying of overdoses at a rate never before seen in a major American city, a New York Times and Baltimore Banner examination has found. The epidemic has claimed almost 6,000 lives in the past six years.

Organizations: New York Times Locations: Baltimore, American

This is the first part in a series exploring Baltimore’s overdose crisis. People in Baltimore have been dying of overdoses at a rate never before seen in a major American city. In the past six years, nearly 6,000 lives have been lost. The city set ambitious goals, distributed Narcan widely, experimented with ways to steer people into treatment and ratcheted up campaigns to alert the public. Many of those efforts to fight overdoses stalled, an examination by The New York Times and The Baltimore Banner has found.

Organizations: New York Times, Baltimore Locations: Baltimore, American, Appalachia, York

☆ I've been a chef for 15 years. Here are my 6 tips for making the best grilled chicken.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Alissa Fitzgerald | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewWhether you're having people over or bringing a meal to a potluck, grilled chicken is always a crowd-pleaser. Buy high-quality chicken from a trusted sourceIt's important to read the labels on your chicken. Joe Gough/ShutterstockFirst and foremost, buy a good chicken from a trusted source. AdvertisementDon't underestimate the power of marinades, cures, and brinesA good marinade or brine can add even more flavor to a chicken. Getty ImagesA good BBQ sauce can bring finger-licking qualities to your chicken, but don't add it too soon.

Persons: —, I've, Joe Gough, Shutterstock, isn't, wiggle Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Iran’s Use of Proxy Warfare Likely to Persist, Experts Say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Those groups — Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, multiple militias in Iraq and Hamas in the Palestinian territories — are central to Iran’s ability to wield influence far beyond its borders despite being under strict economic sanctions for decades. Iran works with these groups through the Quds Force, a division of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. answers directly to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not to the government run by the president. On Tuesday morning, Iran-linked groups in Iraq announced that they had launched a strike at a base in Israel. It was as if Iran’s allies were signaling that it was business as usual by making the kinds of attacks that have become commonplace in recent months.

Persons: Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, ”, Parsi Organizations: Quds Force, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iraq, Quincy Institute, Responsible Locations: Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanese, Israel

☆ What to Know About Mohammad Mokhber, Iran’s Acting President
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

With the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s first vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, becomes acting president. Mr. Mokhber is a conservative political operative with a long history of involvement in large business conglomerates closely tied to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a statement on Monday, Mr. Khamenei said that Mr. Mokhber must work with the heads of the legislature and judiciary to hold elections for a new president within 50 days. Vice presidents in Iran are typically low profile, operating more as players within the government than as public figures. “Iran’s vice presidents have traditionally not been contenders to succeed their bosses,” said Robin Wright, a joint fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Wilson Center in Washington.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s, Mohammad Mokhber, Mokhber, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Khamenei, “, ”, Robin Wright Organizations: U.S . Institute of Peace, Wilson Center Locations: Iran, Washington

☆ What We Lose When ChatGPT Sounds Like Scarlett Johansson
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Siri, the mildly reliable virtual assistant for that phone, came along a few years later. assistant with whom the sad-sack divorcé Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) fell in love in “Her,” felt like a futuristic revelation. Voiced by Scarlett Johansson, Samantha was similar to Siri, if Siri liked you and wanted you to like her back. In theory, everyone in “Her” was using their own version of Samantha, presumably with different names and voices. Those who watched the live demo from OpenAI, the company that makes ChatGPT, were quick to note that she sounded a whole lot like Samantha — which is to say, like Johansson.

Persons: Spike, Siri, Samantha, divorcé Theodore Twombly, Joaquin Phoenix, ”, Scarlett Johansson, —, Theodore, Samantha —, Johansson Locations: “

☆ ‘Babes’ Review: Adulting, With Babies
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Alas: That’s what happened with “Babes.” The elements that promised joy were all there, starting with two very funny comic talents in Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau. There’s a screenplay by Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz, who was a producer on “Broad City,” the kooky, beloved show in which Glazer co-starred. But sometimes a pile of good ingredients doesn’t make something delicious, and I guess that’s what happened here. The marketing for “Babes” suggests something akin to “Bridesmaids,” the runaway 2011 hit that reminded Hollywood that raunchy comedies starring women can be hilarious and profitable. Dawn and Marty’s second baby is born on Thanksgiving Day, and on the way home from the hospital Eden meets Claude (Stephan James) on the subway.

Persons: “ Babes, Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, There’s, Glazer, Josh Rabinowitz, it’s, Pamela Adlon, —, Babes, “, Bridesmaids ”, they’re, Dawn, Marty, Hasan Minhaj, Eden, Claude, Stephan James Organizations: “, Hollywood Locations: “ Broad City, Astoria, Eden

☆ What’s in Our Queue? ‘Ripley’ and More
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

What’s in Our Queue? ‘Ripley’ and MoreI’m a movie critic at The New York Times, reviewing new releases and writing about broader film trends. I’m also culturally omnivorous: I love any art that expands my brain and grabs my imagination. Here are five things I’ve recently enjoyed watching, reading and listening to →

Persons: Ripley ’, I’ve Organizations: The New York Times

☆ ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Review: Hail, Caesar
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

For a series with a goofy premise — what if talking apes overthrew humanity — the “Planet of the Apes” universe is uncommonly thoughtful, even insightful. Those later virus-ridden installments, a trilogy released between 2011 and 2017, are among the series’ best, and well worth revisiting. The newest film, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” picks up exactly where that trilogy left off: with the death of Caesar, the ultrasmart chimpanzee who has led the apes away from what’s left of humanity and into a paradise. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Wes Ball from a screenplay by Josh Friedman, leaps forward almost immediately by “many generations” (years matter less in this post-human world), and the inevitable has happened. The apes have fractured into tribes, while Caesar has passed from historical figure to mythic one, a figure venerated by some and forgotten by most.

Persons: —, ”, Caesar, what’s, Moses, ” Caesar, Wes Ball, Josh Friedman Locations: “ Kingdom

☆ TikTok Star Is Killed in Third Death of Social Media Influencer in Iraq
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It took less than 46 seconds for the helmeted assassin to pull over his motorcycle, walk to the driver’s side of the S.U.V., yank open the door and fire his handgun four times, killing one of Iraq’s most prominent TikTok personalities, a 30-year-old woman whose name on social media was Um Fahad. The Iraqi Interior Ministry, which released the video, said it had formed a committee to investigate her death. The victim, whose real name was Ghufran Mahdi Sawadi, had become popular on social media sites, especially TikTok and Instagram, where her videos showed her wearing tight or revealing clothing, or singing and cuddling her young son. They won her some 460,000 followers, but also drew the ire of conservatives in Iraqi society and in the government. At one point, officials ordered Ms. Sawadi jailed for 90 days, reprimanding her for a post that showed her dancing at her 6-year old son’s birthday party.

Persons: yank, Fahad, Mahdi Sawadi, cuddling, Sawadi, reprimanding Organizations: Iraqi Interior Ministry Locations: Baghdad

☆ ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ Review: War, Undemanding
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I travel by air every couple of months, and always think about a single, burning question: What makes for a great airplane movie? Not movies about being on planes. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” the latest offering from the director Guy Ritchie, is a perfect airplane movie. But you’ve got to watch something, and for that, we have movies like this one. Ritchie didn’t always make airplane movies.

Persons: Guy Ritchie, shouldn’t, you’ve, Ritchie didn’t, ”, Guy Ritchie’s Organizations: Ungentlemanly

☆ Live Updates: Muted Reactions to Israeli Strikes on Iran Hint at De-Escalation
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Some Democrats are fine sending defensive weapons to Israel, but want to see some limits on offensive weapons, which could be used against civilians in Gaza. But progressive Democrats estimated that 40 to 60 members of their party may oppose it on the House floor on Saturday. The legislation would allocate $5 billion to Israel’s defense capabilities and $9 billion for “worldwide humanitarian aid,” including for civilians in Gaza. “To give Netanyahu more offensive weapons at this stage, I believe, is to condone the destruction of Gaza that we’ve seen in the last six months. But they see a “no” vote as part of a strategy to pressure Mr. Biden to condition aid and halt future offensive weapons transfers.

Persons: Biden, ’, Pramila Jayapal, Joaquin Castro, We’re, Mr, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, Ro Khanna, Netanyahu, Nancy Pelosi, Mike Johnson, —, Becca Balint, “, it’s, Lloyd Doggett, Doggett, Ms, Balint, Dan Kildee, Greg Casar Organizations: Democrats, Democratic, “, Congressional Progressive Caucus, ”, Democrat, Israel, Democratic Party, Republican, Republicans, Texas Democrat, White House, Michigan Democrat Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iraq, Washington, Texas, Ukraine, Taiwan, United States, Rafah, Iran, California, Yemen, Louisiana, Vermont, U.S, American

☆ With Iran’s Strikes, Arab Countries Fear an Expanding Conflict
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | Vivian Nereim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Arab countries, from the United Arab Emirates and Oman to Jordan and Egypt, have tried for months to tamp down the conflict between Israel and Hamas, especially after it widened to include armed groups backed by Iran and embedded deep within the Arab world. Some of them, like the Houthis, threaten Arab governments as well. But the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel over the weekend, which put the entire region on alert, made the new reality unavoidable: Unlike past Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, and even those involving Israel and Lebanon or Syria, this one keeps expanding. “Part of why these wars were contained was that they were not a direct confrontation between Israel and Iran,” said Randa Slim, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute. “But now we are entering this era where a direct confrontation between Israel and Iran — that could drag the region into the conflict and that could drag the U.S. in — now that prospect of a regional war is going to be on the table all the time.”For the moment, the only countervailing force is the desire of both the United States and its longtime foe Iran to avoid a widening of the conflict, said Joost Hiltermann, the International Crisis Group's program director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Persons: ”, Randa Slim, Joost Hiltermann Organizations: United Arab, East Institute Locations: United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Washington, —, United States, East, North Africa

☆ ‘Brandy Hellville’: A New Twist for Cult Documentaries
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

What’s most provocative about “Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion” (streaming on Max), and about the horror show it contends is behind the immensely popular cheap-clothing retailer Brandy Melville, isn’t necessarily its content. Other documentaries have tread similar ground with similar methods — the Netflix documentary “White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch,” for instance — which is to say that everything in “Brandy Hellville” has been reported before. Documentary participants allege that the company and its leaders, especially co-founder and owner Stephan Marsan, engaged in a host of terrible behaviors ranging from fat-shaming and exploitative practices to really awful racism and sexism. You can read about it all, of course; what the documentary provides is a host of eyewitnesses, including girls who worked in the store as teenagers and men who worked closely with the company to open new stores. Experts and activists also attest to the threat that fast fashion (that is, inexpensive, essentially disposable clothing sold at retailers like Zara, H&M, Shein and Forever 21) poses to global economies and the environment.

Persons: Brandy Hellville, Brandy Melville, isn’t, Abercrombie &, ”, Brandy Hellville ”, Stephan Marsan, Abercrombie Organizations: Netflix, Abercrombie, Abercrombie & Fitch Locations: Zara

☆ Power by Proxy: How Iran Shapes the Mideast
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | Lazaro Gamio | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Power by Proxy: How Iran Shapes the MideastTURKEY Militias in Syria and Iraq SYRIA LEBANON Iran Hezbollah ISRAEL IRAQ Hamas Egypt Saudi Arabia OMAN The Houthis Sudan YEMEN 500 miles TURKEY Militias in Syria and Iraq LEBANON SYRIA Iran Hezbollah IRAQ ISRAEL Hamas Egypt Saudi Arabia The Houthis Sudan YEMEN 500 miles The New York TimesFor years, Iran has been the outsider. Yet Iran has succeeded in projecting its military power across a large swath of the Middle East. Its reach equals — if not eclipses — that of traditional power centers like Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Altogether, Iran now supports more than 20 groups in the Middle East, directly or indirectly, with a combination of arms, training and financial aid. Here is a look at the most prominent of the armed groups backed by Iran.

Persons: Israel Organizations: TURKEY, New York Times, United Locations: Iran, Syria, Iraq SYRIA LEBANON Iran Hezbollah ISRAEL IRAQ Hamas Egypt Saudi Arabia OMAN, Sudan YEMEN, TURKEY, Iraq LEBANON SYRIA Iran, IRAQ ISRAEL Hamas Egypt Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Gaza, United States, Israel, Iranian Embassy, Tehran

☆ ‘The Truth vs. Alex Jones’ Review: The Power of Parents
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Ben Kenigsberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

If there is value in seeing these events recapped, it is in the power of seeing the parents confront Jones in court. (Over two trials, in Texas and Connecticut, they won more than $1 billion in damages.) “The Truth vs. Alex Jones” offers a lesson in just how vicious and pervasive conspiracy theories can become and a chilling portrait of how little they may trouble their purveyors. The Truth vs. Alex JonesNot rated. Watch on Max.

Persons: Jones, Alissa Parker, Emilie’s, “, Alex Jones ”, Alex Jones, Max Locations: Texas and Connecticut

“All of us decent people are hostages here.” Like other voters interviewed, she declined to provide her last name, for fear of reprisal. “It is so important to see people who think like you, who don’t agree with what is happening,” she said. More broadly, the muted, purely symbolic form of civil disobedience envisioned by the initiative underscores just how little the Russian opposition can do to influence events in the country amid the pervasive repression. Noon Against Putin has been expected to be particularly large-scale abroad, because dissident voters faced lower risks outside Russia. Ms. Navalnaya was seen standing in a long line outside the Russian Embassy in Berlin on Sunday afternoon.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Aleksei A, Navalny, Mr, Navalny’s, ”, Lena, Noon, Yulia Navalnaya, “, ” Leonid Volkov, Nanna Heitmann, Volkov, Kristina, Navalnaya, Valerie Hopkins, Tomas Dapkus, Anton Troianovski Organizations: Sunday, The New York Times, YouTube, Russian Embassy Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Lithuania, Lane, Berlin, Riga, Latvia

“Queen!”It was a Friday night in January, and Snoop Dogg had just rolled into a cocktail party hosted by Donna Langley, NBCUniversal’s chief content officer and studios chairwoman. His shouted greeting, paired with a jaunty deferential dance, seemed to leave her a bit embarrassed. “We’re here to celebrate filmmakers and films,” Langley told the room a few minutes later. Like it or not, this moment in Hollywood history is very much about her. Nolan started his acceptance speech for best director by saying, “Donna Langley — thank you for seeing the potential in this.”

Persons: Snoop Dogg, Donna Langley, “, ” Langley, Langley, Christopher Nolan, “ Oppenheimer, Nolan, “ Donna Langley —, ” Organizations: ”

☆ Best and Worst Moments From the 2024 Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fittingly for an Academy Awards celebrating 2023, the year of “Barbenheimer,” the movies that made up that phenomenon commanded our attention on Sunday night, too. Most Charming Performance: Ryan Gosling, ‘I’m Just Ken’America’s No. 1 Ken, the “Barbie” star Ryan Gosling — who was also nominated for best supporting actor and presented a tribute to stunt performers with Emily Blunt — brought the house down with his performance of “I’m Just Ken,” one of two nominated “Barbie” songs. Gosling roamed into the audience, getting Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, America Ferrera and Emma Stone briefly on mic. If the Oscars wanted a viral video moment, they sure got it (even though it had been announced in advance).

Persons: “, Ryan Gosling, Ken, ”, “ Barbie, Oppenheimer ”, ‘ I’m, Ken ’ America’s, Barbie, Ryan Gosling —, Emily Blunt —, “ I’m, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben, Adir, Scott Evans, Ncuti, Gosling, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, America Ferrera, Emma Stone, Mark Ronson, Wolfgang Van Halen, — Alissa Wilkinson Organizations: Hollywood Locations: tuxes

☆ In ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘The Zone of Interest,’ We Hear What We Are
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Both “Oppenheimer” and “The Zone of Interest” tangle with the psychology involved in creating highly efficient killing machines. In both “Zone” and “Oppenheimer,” though, sound plays against image in a way that draws attention to itself, disconcerting the audience. THE DIRECTOR OF “OPPENHEIMER,” Christopher Nolan, has long played around with sound in his films, which are often very loud and propelled by an intense, driving score. (Watching one of his films can feel at times as if you’re immersed in one very, very long montage.) Nolan also prefers not to rerecord actors’ dialogue, leaving them mixed into the sound as they were recorded during the performance, which can make them a little hard to hear.

Persons: “ Oppenheimer, It’s, “ OPPENHEIMER, ” Christopher Nolan, Nolan

☆ ‘Dune’ Fans, Here’s a Documentary That Will Blow Your Mind
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | More About Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

This week sees the release of “Dune: Part Two,” the second installment in Denis Villeneuve’s eye-popping adaptation of the 1965 Frank Herbert novel. Perhaps you’ve seen the Lynch version, which I find kind of charming in its flawed state. But if you’re heading to “Dune: Part Two” this weekend, you owe it to yourself to be acquainted with another “Dune” adaptation that doesn’t technically exist and, somehow, is also larger than life. I’m speaking of the “Dune” we glimpse in Frank Pavich’s 2014 documentary “Jodorowsky’s Dune” (streaming on Max). It chronicles the “Dune” adaptation that never happened, the bright dream of the avant-garde filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky (who did make “El Topo” and “The Holy Mountain”).

Persons: Denis Villeneuve’s, Frank Herbert, David Lynch, you’ve, Frank Pavich’s, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Jodorowsky, Michel Seydoux, Léa Seydoux, Pink Floyd, Salvador Dalí, Dalí, Christopher Walken, Gloria Swanson, Mick Jagger, Udo Kier, David Carradine, Orson Welles, Paul Atreides, Timothée Chalamet

☆ ‘Spaceman’ Review: What Happened Here?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Alissa Wilkinson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The occasion for my bout of word nerdery is the Adam Sandler movie “Spaceman,” and for that I thank the film. What’s flummoxing about “Spaceman” isn’t what it is, but why it is. Some bad movies were never going to be good (“Argylle”). Other bad movies never even tried (“Madame Web”). But “Spaceman” is that exquisite rare third thing — an awful movie, a very bad movie indeed, whose lousiness was almost certainly not apparent while it was in production.

Persons: nonplused, flummoxed, fogged, you’re, Adam Sandler, we’ve

☆ I'm a chef with more than 15 years of experience. Here are my 8 best tips for baking and roasting potatoes.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Alissa Fitzgerald | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In general, it's pretty easy to make decent potatoes — but here are my best tips for making truly great ones. Be mindful when choosing the kind of potato you're cooking withWaxy potatoes, like red potatoes, are best boiled or sliced and roasted since they maintain their shape and texture. Buying potatoes with dirt is no big deal, but avoid green spotsWhen buying potatoes, a little dirt is totally fine. Salt potatoes to upgrade their textureLove it or hate it, salt is the key to making a lot of things taste great. Despite what many people think, cooking potatoes on a bed of salt isn't going to make them super salty.

Persons: —, Krzeminska, Guido Mieth Organizations: Service, Business

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