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My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is a Trip We Didn’t Need

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

It’s easy to see why the cast wanted to attend another Greek Wedding. They got to spend a month under the turquoise spell of Greece, where the film is set, and millions of people are likely going to watch them enjoy it. More than that, they got to showcase a culture not often seen in movies, which was the main reason director Nia Varaldos’ original was so much fun. It’s harder to pinpoint what makes My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 an escapist or even needed another follow-up.No one is saying these actors shouldn’t have a breezy trip, but it would have been nice if more of their environs could have been translated to the screen. The best vacation movies are palpably and pleasurably atmospheric, so much so, you can almost feel the sun beating down on your back when you watch them. When the Portokalos arrive in Athens, however, it feels more like a punchline than a place to visit.Part of what made the first entry work were the jokes, especially the ones centered around Tou...

Canada ousts Indian diplomat as it investigates Sihk’s killing

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

By Rob Gillies | Associated PressTORONTO — Canada expelled a top Indian diplomat Monday as it investigates what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called credible allegations that India’s government may have had links to the assassination in Canada of a Sikh activist.Trudeau said in Parliament that Canadian intelligence agencies have been looking into the allegations after Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a strong supporter of an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia.Trudeau told Parliament that he brought up the slaying with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G-20 last week. He said he told Modi that any Indian government involvement would be unacceptable and that he asked for cooperation in the investigation.Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said the head of Indian intelligence in Canada has been expelled as a consequence.“If proven true this would be a great violatio...

Letters: Oil companies | Self-driving cars | Dyslexia skills | Lottery owes | Spending here | Pride flag bans

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Oil companies mustreveal what they knewRe: “State sues oil giants over shifts in climate” (Page A1, Sept. 17).Permission to file the lawsuit holding oil companies financially accountable for knowingly contributing to climate change is good news indeed.What would be truly remarkable is a public statement from the oil companies acknowledging their long-term campaign of misinformation and lies along with requiring them to share the data on what they knew.A hefty fine is the only legal recourse available. Nonetheless, educating the public about the oil company’s duplicity would help build public support and involvement in addressing climate change.Eleanor LevineOaklandSelf-driving carsare a bad investmentI have lived in San Francisco on and off throughout my life. I still love this beautiful city, despite the current problems.Over the past two Saturdays, I enjoyed North Beach and the Inner ...

Drew Barrymore praised for showing human capacity to reverse course after a very bad decision

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

For a week, the lovably quirky and phenomenally resilient Hollywood star Drew Barrymore became one of the most mocked and disparaged women in America.As the strike by Hollywood writers entered its fourth month, Barrymore insisted that her eponymous day-time talk show would resume production. In her response to the backlash last week, the former child actor-turned “Charlie’s Angels” power player doubled down on her decision by delivering an emotional, rambling statement that was not the convincing explanation she intended but a display of “Hollywood royalty” at its most privileged and clueless, Puck’s Mathew Belloni said, further exposing her to more vitriol, derisive memes and accusations of being a scab.But Barrymore became admired again on Sunday after she announced that she was pausing her show’s return until the Writers Guild of America strike is over. “I have listened to everyone,” she said in a statement post on Instagram. ...

Santa Clara Councilmembers file ethics complaint against group they say has ties to Mayor Lisa Gillmor

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

Three Santa Clara councilmembers have filed several ethics complaints against Stand Up For Santa Clara — a self-proclaimed “grass-roots watchdog organization” that they claim is connected to Mayor Lisa Gillmor.Vice Mayor Kevin Park and Councilmembers Anthony Becker and Suds Jain recently filed complaints with the city and the California Fair Political Practices Commission — the state ethics body — claiming the group is a “political operation” and has failed to be transparent with its political spending or advertisements. The trio also filed a complaint with the IRS, questioning its non-profit status.The mayor told the Mercury News that the complaint is “completely frivolous” and that she’s never had a role with Stand Up For Santa Clara — a group that she called a “grassroots organization that sincerely cares about Santa Clara.”“These accusations are made by councilmembers who are trying to deflect wh...

Debris field from lost F-35 fighter jet is found in South Carolina

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Authorities found a debris field Monday from a Marine Corps F-35 stealth fighter jet that crashed in South Carolina after the pilot ejected and parachuted to safety.The debris field was located in rural Williamsburg County, according to the Marine Corps’ Joint Base Charleston. The field is about two hours northeast of the base, and residents were being asked to avoid the area while the recovery team worked to secure it.Authorities had been searching for the jet since the pilot, whose name hasn’t been released, parachuted to safety into a North Charleston neighborhood about 2 p.m. Sunday. He was taken to a hospital, where he was in stable condition, Marines Maj. Melanie Salinas said.The Marine Corps announced Monday it was pausing operations for two days after the fighter jet’s crash — the third costly accident in recent weeks.Gen. Eric Smith, the acting commandant of the Marine Corps, ordered the stand-down while authorities searched near t...

Missing boy, 13, found safe in San Francisco

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A 13-year-old boy who went missing in San Francisco for three days has been found, police said Monday afternoon. The San Francisco Police Department did not say where Knowledge Shepard was located, but confirmed that he was safe. Shepard was last seen entering the Embarcadero BART station at 7 p.m. on September 15. "Shepard has a fascination with buses and trains, and usually rides Muni or BART," SFPD wrote. He was reported missing that night.

Man struck by car, killed while crossing San Jose street Saturday evening

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

(BCN) -- A man was killed Saturday evening after being hit by a car while he was walking across the street in East San Jose, according to police. At about 7:50 p.m., the victim was crossing South White Road just north of Quimby Road when he was hit by a woman driving a 2015 BMW sedan, according to police. The man, whose name has not yet been released, was outside of a marked crosswalk, police said. He was taken to a hospital where he later died. The woman remained at the scene of the collision and cooperated with investigators. Anyone with information is asked to contact San Jose police Detective O'Brien at [email protected] or (408) 277-4654.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Instacart sets IPO price at $30 a share, valuing the company at about $10 billion

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

Instacart on Monday priced its initial public offering of stock at $30 a share, raising $660 million for the grocery delivery company.San Francisco-based Instacart sold 22 million shares in the IPO. Trading of the company’s stock is set to begin Tuesday on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the stock symbol “CART.”The price was at the high end of an earlier range estimated by Instacart, reflecting a renewed confidence in tech stocks after last week’s successful IPO of Arm Holdings, a U.K. chip designer.The price gives Instacart a market value of around $10 billion. That’s far lower than the $39 billion valuation the company announced in early 2021.Instacart is the market leader among third-party grocery delivery companies, according to YipitData, a market research firm. But it faces growing competition from others, including DoorDash and Uber Eats. It also competes with big grocers like Walmart, which offer their own delivery.Instacart provides delivery and pickup fro...

Staley, Chargers feeling the pressure with an 0-2 start and a pair of close losses

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:30:51 GMT

Brandon Staley is feeling the pressure with the Los Angeles Chargers off to their first 0-2 start in six years.After Sunday’s 27-24 overtime loss at Tennessee, the third-year coach bristled at suggestions that a hangover remains from last season’s playoff loss in Jacksonville when the Chargers blew a 27-point, first-half lead and were eliminated 31-30.“It’s a convenient story line, but it’s not the truth,” Staley said. “We’ve lost two tough games, but the men in that locker room are finishers, and they have what it takes, and we’re excited to prove ourselves.”Staley is correct if one wants to only look as far back as the playoff game. The painful truth is that what has caused the Chargers to drop their first two games this season has existed for the past two-plus seasons.And as much as Staley says he has guys that are finishers, they’ve often come up short in clutch situations. They lost 36-34 to Miami in the opener after Tyreek Hill scored on a 4-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa with ...