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‘Fast Charlie’ hits target as winning thriller

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

From screenwriter Richard Wenk of “The Equalizer” fame based on the novel “Gun Monkeys” by Victor Gischler, “Fast Charlie” features former James Bond Pierce Brosnan as an amateur chef/gun-toting mob fixer in Biloxi, MS named Charlie Swift. Charlie’s oldest friend and boss Stan Mullen (James Caan in his final role) has become frail and needs Charlie’s protection, especially after a rival gang leader named Beggar (a menacing Gbenga Akinnagbe) decides it’s time for Sam and his crew to go. Beggar and his boys use the local alligators as a sort of organic disposal for their victims. Charlie is an ex-Marine who lives in a nice home and likes to cook Italian food (he was once stationed in Italy and is thinking about relocating there).The Italian connection may be a shout out to the entire history of gangster-related movies, including “The Godfather” (1972), which made Caan a star. Beside veterans Brosnan and Caan stands stalwart Australian director Phillip Noyce (“Patriot...

Gaskin: Why you’ll always see me wearing a suit

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

I try to never leave home without wearing a suit, regardless of whether my destination or job requires it. When people ask why, I’m often inclined to say, “If Trayvon Martin had been wearing a suit, he would still be alive.”If you were me, would you rather be wearing a suit or a hoodie when an officer approaches your car door? Three times I have had an officer get to my window, take one look at me in my suit, and say, “Never mind.” Police must make a split-second decision as to how they’re going to react when they approach a car. Depending upon the officer’s decision, I might get a verbal warning, or a ticket, while others face the risk of gunshots. I feel safest when I’m dressed like an attorney.Wearing a suit makes my life easier. If I need to use the restroom, I can walk into a restaurant without being told the restroom is just for customers. When in a department store, no one will assume I’m there to shoplift. In a restaurant, I’ll get better service because the server won’t thi...

Column: Montez Sweat’s impact on the Chicago Bears defense — especially against the pass — is undeniable

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

Montez Sweat has made an impact on the Chicago Bears — and pretty quickly.If the Bears can surge defensively over the final five games, beginning with Sunday’s rematch against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field, it might bolster a case for coach Matt Eberflus to keep his job.What’s undeniable is the Bears, who played well against the run at the start of the season but didn’t do much else well defensively, have improved since the arrival of Sweat, who was acquired in an Oct. 31 trade with the Washington Commanders for a second-round draft pick.The defense enters Week 14 tied for first in the league against the run (79 yards per game) and has been better in nearly every category in the four games since Sweat came on board. The sample size is small and the competition hasn’t been elite — the Bears (4-8) have faced quarterbacks Derek Carr, Bryce Young, Jared Goff and Josh Dobbs — but they didn’t make the schedule, and it has been more than...

Moore: Cleaner environment slips as green priority

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

The late, great humorist P.J. O’Rourke used to quip that everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to wash the dishes.Well, now that can be said for traditional environmental groups that seem to have lost their way.Green groups are supposed to be about keeping our rivers, lakes and streams clean. They are supposed to be about fighting litter and keeping toxic chemicals out of the air. Their job is to maintain the beauty of our national parks and save elephants and tigers.Not anymore. The New York Times recently reported in a disturbing headline: “Environmental Groups Cut Programs as Funding Shifts to Climate Change.”In other words, the Left’s climate change hysteria and its campaign to end fossil fuels is interfering with a commonsense green agenda. Worse than that, the climate agenda is in some ways making the condition of the environment worse.According to the Times story: “A significant shift in donor contributions to nonprofits fighting cli...

Deck the halls with the Dark Knight

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

If Warner Bros, and DC have the ability to make an animated, Christmas-ready Batman movie for Amazon Prime that is as much fun as “Merry Little Batman,” why do their live-action superhero films stink so bad with a few exceptions? Directed by Mike Roth, a veteran of 169 episodes of Cartoon Network’s “Regular Show,” and scripted by Morgan Evans (“Teen Titans Go!”), Etan Cohen (“Men in Black 3”) and Jase Ricci (TV’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”) and featuring a first-rate voice cast, “Merry Little Batman” is the best superhero film of the season.Starting out with the Kinks’ immortal “Father Christmas,” a song in which some English hooligans threaten to mug St. Nick, “Merry Little Batman” pits a retired and notably bearded Bruce Wayne aka Batman (Luke Wilson) against his 8-year-old son Damian (a talented Yonas Kibreab, TV’s “Obi-Wan Kenobi”). Alongside some crazed-looking cartoon bats, they live in the Wayne manor with the hard-pressed and grotesquely bent-with...

Dear Abby: Should I spill beans about man’s real dad?

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

Dear Abby: Forty years ago, a neighborhood boy fathered a child with a neighborhood girl. “Billy” was 17 at the time, and “Becky” was 14 or 15. Both were friends of mine. They were not a steady couple. She liked him, but I feel he used her. I heard that she married an older gentleman who accepted the baby, “Matt,” as his own.Ten years ago, I found Matt on Facebook. I told him I knew his mother, and he shared her contact information with me. When I called Becky, we enjoyed talking about old times, and I let her know that Billy had passed away. She informed me that her husband had also passed away.I was surprised when she told me she never told Matt who his biological father was. He was raised believing his biological father was Becky’s husband. I have photographs of Billy, and Matt has an aunt he is unaware of. As tempted as I am to inform him who his father was, I know that is not the right thing to do.We don’t communicate regularly, b...

Police pursue carjacking suspect in Southern California

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

Police pursued a carjacking suspect across multiple counties and freeways in Southern California on Thursday night.The male suspect was believed to be armed and driving a stolen red pickup truck, according to California Highway Patrol. The pursuit began around 8 p.m. with six patrol units from Fontana police chasing the suspect. The pursuit traveled on the westbound 10 freeway as they passed through downtown L.A. The driver merged onto the northbound 101 toward the San Fernando Valley, later to the northbound 405 Freeway and then to the 5 northbound.Fontana police K-9 tackling the suspect after he quickly turned his head toward officers while being arrested following a pursuit on Dec. 7, 2023. (KTLA)A carjacking suspect was arrested after a pursuit spanning multiple counties and freeways across Southern California on Dec. 7, 2023. (KTLA)Officers tackling the suspect after he quickly turned his head toward officers while being arrested following a pursuit on Dec. 7, 2023. (KTLA)A car...

City of San Diego moves forward with plan for De Anza Cove

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego City Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a plan to revamp the De Anza Cove.Called the De Anza Natural amendment to the Mission Bay Park master plan, it aims to enhance and revitalize the northeast corner of Mission Bay Park, transforming most of it into a protected wetlands area.The area is where nearly 200 abandoned, dilapidated mobile homes sat for years and were demolished earlier this year.The De Anza Natural plan looks to protect marsh areas and wetland habitat, while also including enhancements to existing recreation and parkland facilities.Some environmental groups, including the ReWild Coalition, argued the plan doesn’t do enough for wetland expansion.“We see the multiple benefits at maximum wetlands restoration will provide as a unique recreational asset," said a coalition member during the commission's meeting. Beware of San Diego ‘jury duty’ scammers Those supporting the recreational use also fought for a change to the amendme...

UNLV gunman was unemployed professor who had 150 rounds of ammunition and a target list, police say

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A 67-year-old college professor who was denied jobs at various Nevada colleges and universities stuffed loaded handgun magazines into his waistband before walking into a University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus building and killing three faculty members, police said.After police killed him in a shootout, Anthony Polito was found to be carrying nine magazines for a 9mm handgun he’d legally purchased last year and also a list of targets at the school — although none of those shot were on that list, police said Thursday.He was killed in a shootout with police about 10 minutes after the first reports of shots fired in Beam Hall, a business school building.Police still had no motive for Wednesday’s attack, which also left a 38-year-old visiting professor in life-threatening condition at a hospital.The university was to remain closed Friday but was tentatively scheduled to reopen next week for finals. Polito arrived at UNLV at 11:28 a.m., about 15 minutes before the s...

Houston has a population that’s young. Its next mayor, set to be elected in a runoff, won’t be

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:31:11 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — A mayoral runoff Saturday between state Sen. John Whitmire, 74, and U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, 73, has the fourth-largest city in the U.S. on the verge of picking a new leader who cuts against Houston’s demographic trends. Census figures show Houston is becoming younger, with a median age of around 35 and 25% of the population below 18.Although other City Halls have not exactly been swept up in a youth movement — New York Mayor Eric Adams is 63 and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is 70 — the choices in Houston have frustrated some of voters in the Democratic stronghold, particularly younger ones, at a time when the party is searching for new political stars in Texas who might be able to end 30 years of GOP dominance statewide. “I think the main issue is identifying with the politician. A lot of young people can’t,” said Julian Meza, a 19-year-old history student at Houston Community College who plans to cast a ballot. He added, “I don’t really want to vote for t...