Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 396

SF Giants announce plans for Orlando Cepeda celebration of life

In the span of two weeks, the Giants lost two franchise icons and immediately got to work planning how to honor each individually.

With enough time to breathe since a moving ceremony for the late Willie Mays, the organization announced plans Wednesday to celebrate the life of his former teammate and fellow Hall-of-Famer, Orlando Cepeda, who died in June at the age of 86, 10 days after Mays’ passing at age 93.

A pregame ceremony will honor the “Baby Bull” during the team’s Fiesta Gigantes on Sunday, Sept. 15, the club announced in a release, which called the annual celebration of Hispanic culture, with dancing a musical performances, “one of his favorite events.”

The festivities are scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m., with gates opening at 11:05 a.m. ahead of their 1:05 p.m. games against the Padres.

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One of the major league’s first prominent Puerto Rican players, Cepeda debuted in 1958, the Giants’ first year in San Francisco, and went on to hit 226 of his 379 career home runs and made nine of his 11 All-Star appearances before being traded to St. Louis in 1966.

Cepeda’s death was announced during the middle of the Giants’ game on June 18, with a black-and-white image flashing across the scoreboard in center field and a brief moment of silence. But this will be team’s first formal recognition since his passing.

Mays was honored on two separate occasions, in a pregame ceremony before their first home game in the wake of his death and a more intimate celebration of life that featured Bill Clinton and Barry Bonds and ran 30 minutes longer expected. The Giants’ game at Rickwood Field, where Mays’ first played, was also packed with emotion following his death just two days prior.

The pair is honored everyday by patches worn on the left chest and sleeve of the Giants’ jerseys.

County to keep track of road closures during Classic Car Week

Classic Car Week traffic is already here, as thousands prepare for more than 30 events of car shows, races and more.

Traffic is expected to be slower all over the Monterey Peninsula, simply because there are more people in the area. Classic Car Week is estimated to bring in over 80,000 people, who will need hotels and transport.

“There is a higher volume of tourists going around different roadways and highways,” said Saul Perez, with California Highway Patrol. “That means more congestion and less availability for parking, so plan ahead.”

Some of the hotspots include Downtown Monterey’s Alvarado Street, Lighthouse Avenue and surrounding side streets will be closed for events. Del Monte Boulevard from Seaside to Monterey will also be closed for events.

Highway 68 is expected to have some congestion throughout the week, and police will have additional patrols to help events run smoothly.

The Monterey Police Department and surrounding city departments will also increase staffing and raise speed violations during Classic Car Week. The Monterey Police Department will focus on excessive speed, reckless driving and illegal smog modifications.

“Every year seems to get bigger and bigger, with that entails more vehicles coming into Monterey County,” Perez said. “CHP is preparing by having more officers on the road and we’re going to see a higher traffic volume. For the locals here, I just push for patience during the next two weeks.”

Real-time road closures and traffic alerts will be updated on the Monterey County website. County officials, and event organizers are encouraging people to use mccarweek.com to find more information. You can also text CARWEEK to 65513 to receive important safety information throughout the week from the county.

Seaside appoints Interim City Manager, finding executive recruiter next

SEASIDE – Now that the city of Seaside has appointed previous City Manager Craig Malin to the position of Interim City Manager, the city of Seaside will be in the process of finding an executive recruitment firm from now until early September.

Malin indicated he will have no role in the recruitment process other than being an advocate for the city.

“The mayor and city council will lead the recruitment,” he said. “My only role would be to not be bashful about what a wonderful community Seaside is and what a terrific professional opportunity the Seaside City Manager position is.”

Seaside’s human resources department released its request for qualifications late last month to find a recruitment firm to help find its next city manager.

On April 18, the Seaside City Council put then-City Manager Jaime Fontes on paid administrative leave and appointed Chief of Police Nick Borges as acting city manager. On June 6, the city council terminated Fontes’ contract, released him without cause and paid him a severance package of a reported $125,000 plus six months of medical benefits. Last week, the Seaside City Council voted 3-0 with one abstention, to appoint Malin as its interim city manager until a permanent city manager is hired. Police Chief Borges has returned to his full-time duties of running the city’s police department.

The city is seeking an experienced individual and/or firm to provide executive recruitment services for the position of city manager. Executive recruitment services identify and help place highly-qualified candidates in executive-level positions.

Executive recruitment services can also include conducting a salary survey with recommendations on appropriate salary and benefits structures, coordinating the candidate’s participation in a leadership assessment, conducting references and a thorough background check and negotiating with the selected candidate regarding salary, benefits and incentives.

The city manager holds overall responsibility for city operations, city clerk functions and economic development.

But before a city manager can be hired, the city is seeking a qualified headhunter to assist in the search. The anticipated schedule for selecting an executive recruitment person or firm is as follows: the city releasing the request for qualifications about a week ago, with responses due Aug. 19 but may be extended, interviewing qualified recruiting consultant by Sept. 5 and the city council’s awarding of a contract for a headhunter the same day.

“As for timing and process steps, that will be determined by the mayor and city council in the contract with the yet-to-be-selected recruitment firm,” said Malin.

The average time to hire in the public sector is 119 days, which is almost four months, according to research by NEOGOV.

The city of Seaside could be hiring a new full-time city manager by early 2025.

But the interim city manager was quick to assert his plans for the future where Seaside is concerned.

“I’ll say immediately, as much as I love Seaside and it’s a great job, I will not be an applicant for the permanent job,” said Malin.

The city currently has 173 full-time and about 150 part-time staff members in the police, fire, public works and recreation departments. Seaside says it is in a period of unprecedented growth and is currently in the process of developing hundreds of acres of land overlooking Monterey Bay. It considers this a unique opportunity which should be attractive to candidates with an orientation to community building.

49ers’ Deebo Samuel thriving in ‘weird’ camp as Brandon Aiyuk sits out

SANTA CLARA — Brandon Aiyuk’s absence remains glaring from 49ers practices. Just ask Deebo Samuel, who is racing through training camp with renewed vigor and the lightest frame of his career.

“It’s kind of weird, for sure,” Samuel said Wednesday. “I remember last year, we were playing the Giants (without an injured Aiyuk), and I went to him to say, ‘Bro, I never knew how weird it was not to be on the field at the same time.’ “

Will they ever be on the field together again?

Aiyuk remains out of practice and at a stubborn impasse regarding his contract. The 49ers granted him permission to seek a trade, and the franchise would have to approve any deal.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers are Aiyuk’s ideal destination outside of a 49ers’ return, as a league source indicated, it would take a substantial exchange of equity to dispatch their leading receiver over their past two seasons. The Steelers’ roster isn’t exactly overflowing with enticing options, and future draft capital doesn’t benefit the 49ers’ Super Bowl push this season.

“I’ll let you guys speculate on that,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters when vaguely asked if he’d like to add a veteran receiver.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 10: Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers catches a touchdown against Patrick Peterson #20 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second quarter of a game at Acrisure Stadium on September 10, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

ESPN reported Tuesday night that the Steelers had re-engaged on trade talks, and that the New England Patriots excused themselves from consideration while the Cleveland Browns remain interested. Aiyuk’s agent, Ryan Williams, was spotted Wednesday at the Raiders’ camp in Costa Mesa.

“You want resolution for sure, for him and the team,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “But, at the end of the day, nervous energy, there’s none of that going on. We know the situation and we’ll let them handle that from there.”

The 49ers hold Aiyuk’s rights for at least another season. He is slated to play out his rookie contract this year on a $14.1 million fifth-year option.

“It feels awkward, being with somebody out there for four years straight,” Samuel added. “But business is business, and you know how it goes.”

San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) speaks during a press conference at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)

Samuel is two years removed from his own training camp “hold-in,” which ended with a three-year contract but still had him subject to the trade market before April’s draft. “I sat and talked to Kyle (Shanahan) and John (Lynch). We put that behind us,” Samuel said. “It’s not a thought in my mind right now.”

But it is on Aiyuk’s mind, even if such business talk doesn’t come up in daily chats with Samuel who charterizes them as “just like brother talk. Regardless of what happens, he’s still my guy. I love him to death, whether he’s here, he’s there, wherever.”

Aiyuk has skipped all 12 practices, and Samuel has only taken one off (last Sunday). Offseason training at locales across the country had Samuel report to camp in the lightest shape of his NFL career. Asked how much he weighs, Samuel playfully snapped: “Enough.” The team lists him at 215 pounds, same as every roster since his 2019 rookie year.

“The first day I saw him when we came back, I almost didn’t recognize him and said, ‘Dude, you’re in great shape,’ ” defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen said.

Added Warner: “You can tell he took this offseason really seriously. This means a lot to him. This obviously has been his best camp, coming in prepared and competing and showing everyone he’s ready to go.”

If Samuel hasn’t been the most targeted receiver, he’s been the most energetic and active. He is entering his sixth season, and it’s been three years since his only All-Pro and Pro Bowl campaign. Speaking of the No. 1, that’s replaced No. 19 on Samuel’s jersey, which makes him look “even slimmer,” Warner quipped. “He’s setting himself up to have an amazing season. I’m excited for him and for us because we need him.”

“My motivation, for sure, was losing two Super Bowls,” Samuel said.

Whether it’s watching Samuel cut across his defense on a 15-yard crossing route or break free on an end-around run, Sorensen is aware of those dangers, saying: “He’s Deebo. He’s a weapon anyway, but he’s been looking really good.”

WARNER DINGED

Foot irritation kept Warner from practicing for the first time this camp. “Just a little minor something to let it relax today. Nothing major at all,” Warner said.

Filling in at middle linebacker were Curtis Robinson, while Jaylen Graham and Dee Winters also got into the action, along with veteran DeVondre Campbell.

ALUMNI RETURN

Pro Football Hall of Famers Ronnie Lott, Charles Haley and Bryant Young were joined by Brent Jones, Eric Wright, Steve Bono, Anthony Dixon and other alumni in honor of 8/7 Dwight Clark Day. Clark passed away in 2018 after a courageous battle with ALS.

PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS

George Odum had two interceptions and continues to impress as a replacement starter until Talanoa Hufanga (knee) is cleared for practice. … Jake Moody was 2-for-3 on field-goal attempts, with one blocked. … Malik Mustapha blitzed and stripped the ball from Josh Dobbs in the backfield. … Ambry Thomas and Renardo Green made multiple pass breakups, following the lead of Charvarius Ward on a Purdy pass intended for Frank Darby. … Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd repeatedly got pressure off the edge. … Punter Mitch Wishnowsky returned to practice after a three-day absence related to knee irritation.

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OWENS WAIVED INJURED

Terique Owens, an undrafted rookie and the son of 49ers Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, was waived injured because of a hand issue. Owens auditioned for the 49ers at their local pro day in April.  In other corresponding roster moves, veteran safety Erik Harris was released as the 49ers signed wide receiver Jontre Kirklin and running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn.

 

 

Olympics TV schedule for Thursday, Aug. 8

Here is the Paris Olympics TV schedule for Thursday, Aug. 8.

Highlights include the U.S. women’s water polo team in the semifinals vs. Australia (10:30 a.m., USA), the U.S. men’s basketball team in the semifinals vs. Serbia (11:45 a.m., USA) and the men’s 200-meter final in track and field.

BASKETBALL

8:30 a.m.

USA — Men’s Semifinal – France vs. Germany

11:45 a.m.

USA — Men’s Semifinal – U.S. vs. Serbia

Noon

UNIVERSO — Men’s Semifinal – U.S. vs. Serbia

8:30 p.m.

USA — Men’s Semifinal – U.S. vs. SerbiaBEACH VOLLEYBALL

8 a.m.

E! — Semifinal

9 a.m.

NBC — Men’s SemifinalUNIVERSO — Volleyball

Noon

E! — Semifinal

1 p.m.

NBC — Men’s Semifinal

8 p.m.

NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 8)BOXING

7 a.m.

USA — Men’s Middle, Light Finals & more

10:15 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Medalla de Oro BoxeoCANOEING

4 a.m.

E! — Sprint: Canoe, Kayak Semi, FinalsCYCLING

11:35 p.m.

NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 7)DIVING

1 a.m.

E! — Women’s 3m Springboard Semifinal

6 a.m.

E! — Men’s 3m Springboard Final

7 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Diving

9 a.m.

NBC — Men’s Semifinal

10 a.m.

NBC — Women’s 3m Springboard Semifinal

8 p.m.

NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 8)FIELD HOCKEY

2 p.m.

E! — Field Hockey, Women’s Kite Final

6:30 p.m.

USA — Men’s Gold FinalGOLF

Midnight

GOLF — Women’s Round 2: Part 1

4 a.m.

GOLF — Women’s Round 2: Part 2HANDBALL

1 p.m.

E! — Women’s SemifinalRHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS

5 a.m.

E! — Individual All-Around Qualification

9 a.m.

E! — Individual All-Around: QualificationSAILING

2 p.m.

E! — Field Hockey, Women’s Kite FinalSOCCER

7:45 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Paris 2024 – Bronze medal game – Egypt vs. MoroccoSPORT CLIMBING

11:35 p.m.

NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 7)

2:45 a.m.

E! — Men’s Speed, Women’s CombinedSWIMMING

10:30 p.m.

USA — Women’s 10km Open Water

3 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Natación y AtletismoTABLE TENNIS

12:35 a.m.

USA — M&W Team: Quarterfinals

4 a.m.

USA — Men’s Team: SemifinalsTAEKWONDO

7:30 a.m.

USA — W 49kg, M 58kg Bronze/Gold FinalsTRACK & FIELD

1 a.m.

USA — Heats: Men’s & Women’s 4x100m & more

3 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Natación y Atletismo

10:35 a.m.

NBC — Finals: Men’s 200m & more

11 a.m.

UNIVERSO — Atletismo

8 p.m.

NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 8)VOLLEYBALL

3 p.m.

USA — Women’s Semifinal

5 p.m.

USA — Women’s SemifinalWATER POLO

5:30 a.m.

USA — Water Polo, Weightlifting

10:30 a.m.

USA — Women’s Semifinal – Australia vs. U.S.

2 p.m.

NBC — Women’s Semifinal – Australia vs. U.S.

7:30 p.m.

USA — Women’s SemifinalWEIGHTLIFTING

5:30 a.m.

USA — Water Polo, WeightliftingWRESTLING

8 a.m.

USA — M 57kg, W 57kg Freestyle Eliminations

2 p.m.

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A comparison of 8 travel budgeting apps for your next vacation

Ariana Arghandewal | (TNS) Bankrate

We’re in the height of summer travel season, and that means you’ll likely spend more on booking hotels, airfare and other travel necessities. At the same time, more than one in three people planning a summer vacation in 2024 are considering taking on debt to cover the costs , according to Bankrate’s Summer Travel Survey.

Whether you’re traveling alone or with a group, tracking your vacation spending with one of the best travel budget apps can help you avoid overspending and even split expenses equally between your travel partners.

With so many great travel budget apps on the market, you might be wondering which one to get. It really comes down to your travel style and needs. Are you traveling solo or with a group? Do you need a simple budget tracker or do you want planning tools? There’s something out there for everyone, but here are the best options.

Travel budget apps for workExpensify

Managing your expenses when you’re traveling for work can be challenging. Expensify lets you track your travel expenses easily. Instead of ransacking your luggage for that missing dinner receipt, just snap a picture of the receipt with the Smart Scan feature, and share it with your accounting team for reimbursement.

If you’re merely tracking expenses for tax purposes, Expensify offers several handy tools. The GPS calculator automatically tracks your eligible mileage for you, so you don’t have to enter it manually. This work travel budget app also lets you create expense reports by scanning receipts or entering time worked, for billing purposes.

Sign-up is super easy. All you have to do is provide your email address to set up an Expensify account. You can start using the app immediately, which is free for most users. A “Collect” account, which includes accounting and payroll tools, costs $5 per month. Meanwhile, a “Control” account costs $9 per month and allows for multiple approvers, setting expense policies and custom reporting tools.

When you sign up for Expensify, you can get a seven-day free trial of the Collect and Control memberships.

SAP Concur

If you’re a seasoned business traveler, you may already be familiar with the Concur suite (and in some cases, you may be required by your employer to use it). If you aren’t, get ready to meet one of the most robust, full-featured business travel solutions available today.

Within the SAP Concur suite, you’ll find separate modules for managing travel plans and submitting reimbursement requests for travel-related expenses. Concur Expense’s ExpenseIt app for travel expenses makes it easy to take pictures of your paper receipts and automatically categorize them to submit as expense reports. Meanwhile, Concur Travel lets you book your own business travel or make arrangements with your company’s preselected airline carriers, hotels, and other providers.

SAP Concur offers travel management solutions for organizations of all sizes — from small businesses to enterprise leaders. Business owners and managers can try Concur Expense and Concur Travel for free; individual users who have access to these tools through their employer can download the iOS or Google Play app to get started.

Solo travel budget appsPocketGuard

PocketGuard markets itself as the “#1 budgeting app for college students and overspenders,” but it’s actually a great vacation budget planner as well. That’s because the app uses the “in my pocket” feature to calculate how much disposable income you have available. You can then allocate this toward your travel budget.

All you have to do is provide your income and spending information. PocketGuard will calculate your disposable income accordingly. If you’re willing to go into debt to travel this summer, then PocketGuard might be able to help with that too. This impromptu travel budget app will recommend a strategy for paying off debt in the most efficient way. You can use PocketGuard to set financial goals, save money and plan for future travel as a reward.

Trabee Pocket

The Trabee Pocket app provides both travel budgeting and expense tracking in a user-friendly interface. Trabee lets you set a vacation budget and then enter your expenses to track how much you’re spending in different categories. The app also provides currency conversion, so you can get an accurate sense of your spending.

At the end of your trip, you can even export your expense data to a PDF or CSV file for future budgeting and tax purposes. Overall, this is a solid vacation budget planner app if you’re looking for a free option. Trabee is available on iOS and the Google Play store.

Tripcoin

The great thing about Tripcoin is that you can use it without an internet connection, which is especially important if you’re traveling through remote areas. The app’s Dropbox integration also makes it possible to back up your data in case you lose your phone.

Tripcoin’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to set up a trip and break down your spending each day by expense category. You can find out how much you’re spending on transportation, meals, activities and other travel expenses, making it a great way to stay accountable and on top of your budget at each destination.

Tripcoin supports over 150 currencies, converging your spending automatically based on current exchange rates. This ensures accuracy in your budget tracking and ensures you don’t have to perform this tedious task yourself.

Budget apps for groupsSplitwise

If you’re traveling with a group, it’s not always practical for each person to pay for their own expenses. Pulling out multiple credit cards to cover the group dinner bill is possible, but booking group tours and even airfare can be a hassle when done individually.

That’s where Splitwise comes in. The app lets users track shared expenses and the balance owed by each person. This transparency can make it much easier to determine who owes what at the end of a group trip. Frequent traveler and UX specialist Christian Castillo has used Splitwise across multiple group vacations to split expenses evenly with friends.

“The app makes it easy to input expenses as they occur and I’m able to send it to the group that I’m traveling with all at once,” says Castillo. “So no miscommunication has been had because with ferry rides, dinners, and excursions, we all agree to split the cost evenly.”

He touts Splitwise’s ability to load expenses as you go and even scan receipts with the paid pro version of the app. One of the biggest advantages he shares is having everything on one platform.

“Splitwise connects to your Paypal, Venmo, or bank account where you can pay back your friends quickly. It doesn’t stop you from adding a gaggle of people. Create the group, add expenses — it’s all tracked in one area. You’re also able to remove people just as easily if one of your friends decided they did not want coffee that day, but everyone else did.”

The one downside Castillo shares about using the Splitwise app is the limited capability of the free version,

“One downfall about Splitwise is that you do get capped on how many expenses you can input in one day unless you have the pro version.”

Even without spending $4.99 per month on the pro version, this travel budget app is still highly useful. If you’re planning a group trip and need a way to split expenses without the hassle, simply download the free app, add group members and seamlessly settle up at the end of the trip.

Batch App

This one is for the planners. Planning bachelor or bachelorette parties are notoriously challenging on both budget and group logistics. But the Batch app simplifies things with budgeting and planning tools designed to make a variety of parties and vacations less stressful. Users can budget, plan and book all activities for a dinner party, group trip, birthday or bachelorette party. You can even add your friends to the app to communicate and make planning decisions easier, as well as divide up expenses in the app.

While Batch is primarily marketed around bachelorette parties, you can use it to book any type of group activity in participating cities. Although you can do just about all of your trip planning through this app, this one doesn’t handle payments. It only helps track group expenses through its Ledger feature, so you can see who owes what. The Batch app is free to use, though there is a processing fee when you book events.

TravelSpend

In my own experience, one of the best travel budget apps is TravelSpend. It’s simple to use, automatically converts spending to your home currency and lets you add friends so you can track expenses together. Plus it gives you a breakdown of which categories you’re doing most of your spending in. I recently used it to track expenses on a trip to Toronto, and it helped me stay within my budget.

It took no time at all to enter my spending as it occurred and it was immediately deducted from my set budget for the trip so I could see how much was left to spend at a glance. It was also nice to see what categories I did most of my spending in which would come in handy for those using a rotating category credit card.

You can also export your spending to a csv or excel file to integrate it with your other budgeting methods. With the premium version (which costs $4.99 per month) you get added functionality such as:

—Creating custom categories

—Attaching GPS locations to your costs

—Adding income

—Creating your own exchange rate

—Seeing and settling debts

Even without the added features of the premium version, using TravelSpend for free is powerful on its own. The primary drawback for me is that even though you can track shared expenses, there are no payment integrations within the app. So you’ll have to switch over to Venmo, Paypal or Zelle once it’s time to settle up, and then switch back to TravelSpend to mark the debts as paid.

The bottom line

With the summer travel season on the upswing, having a travel budget app is more important than ever. Sticking to a budget at home can be challenging in itself, but once you add the thrill of a vacation, budgeting can quickly snowball if you don’t have the right tools or apps to help you reign it in. By utilizing one of the best travel budget apps, you can stay on budget, cut down on unnecessary expenses and plan your travels more efficiently.

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©2024 Bankrate online. Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

‘The Instigators’ review: Actors, director elevate so-so crime-comedy script

If you have a so-so screenplay, it doesn’t hurt to have talented people around to make the most of it.

Take, for instance, “The Instigators,” a buddy crime comedy that, after a limited theatrical rollout last week, lands this week on Apple TV+.

The movie is better than it has any right to be thanks largely to the chemistry of stars — and ol’ Boston pals — Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.

It’s better for the supporting work of talented Hong Chau and, to a lesser degree, by big-name bit players including Michael Stuhlbarg, Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina and Paul Walter Hauser.

Last but not least, “The Instigators” benefits — greatly — from having a well-above-average director in Doug Liman, who long ago directed Damon in “The Bourne Identity” and keeps this romp engaging and moving along to, well, let’s say an acceptable ending.

Set in Beantown, “The Instigators” first introduces us to Damon’s Rory, a former Marine who hasn’t seen much go right in his life, in a session with psychiatrist Dr. Donna Rivera (Chau). He won’t reveal much to his caring doctor but does mention that he’d had the thought of ending his life in a year if things didn’t turn around for him.

“And when did you come up with this plan?” she asks.

“It was about a year ago.”

Desperate to generate a little more than $32,000 to address a situation with his son, Rory meets with gangster Mr. Besegai (Stuhlbarg), who wants to rip off Boston Mayor Miccelli (Rob Perlman) on what surely will prove to be his re-election night. Long on the take, Miccelli is expected to be greeted with bags of cash at his waterfront victory party.

For the job, Rory has been recruited by unspectacular Besegai lieutenant Scalvo (rapper and singer Jack Harlow), as has Cobby (Affleck), an ex-con we meet using a neighborhood kid to pass the breathalyzer on his motorcycle so he can start it.

Rory’s quiet, primarily talking only when asking one of his many logistical questions, while Cobby is a chatterbox, commenting, sarcastically, on this, that and the other. Both men frustrate Besegai and Scalvo, the latter also being a constant irritation to the former.

What could go wrong with this operation?

Matt Damon, left, Alfred Molina, top center, Jack Harlow and Michael Stuhlbarg share a scene in “The Instigators.” (Claire Folger/Apple TV+/TNS)

Well, it should come as no surprise, plenty, and soon enough Rory and Cobby are on the run, both from criminals — such as Booch (Hauser), who works for Besegai associate Richie DeChico (Molina) — and the cops — namely Frank Toomey (Rhames), who has an off-the-books relationship with Miccelli and is turned loose by him after the lads swipe something they’ll come to learn is of great value.

Before long, Dr. Rivera is roped into the affair, more or less agreeing to be taken hostage by Rory to provide some medical care to Cobby. She then proceeds to try to re-engage with Rory as a counselor, which is witnessed with bewilderment — and genuine curiosity — by Cobby, who takes an interest in this highly intelligent woman.

Damon scores some laughs as the criminal newbie, but “Manchester by the Sea” star Affleck is more consistently funny cracking-wise, even as he does it at a relaxed pace that befits the actor’s talents.

While Damon is more connected to Affleck’s brother, Ben Affleck — and “The Instigators” is the second movie to be produced by Damon and Ben Affleck’s company, Artists Equity, following last year’s “Air,” which featured both actors — Damon and Casey Affleck have an obvious comfort with each other even if their characters don’t. (The latter appeared in 1997’s “Good Will Hunting,” which, of course, helped to establish Damon and Ben Affleck as stars.)

Rory and Cobby constantly annoy each other, a dynamic with the possibility of becoming annoying but doesn’t.

When you stir Dr. Rivera into the mix, Chau more or less serves the same purpose as Selena Gomez in the hit Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building,” where she shakes up the dynamic of longtime partners-in-comedy Steve Martin and Martin Short. Chau doesn’t fit neatly with Damon and Affleck, which is fun.

It’s too bad Chau — an Academy Award nominee for her work in 2022’s “The Whale” whose credits also include “Downsizing” (2017) and “The Menu” (2022) — isn’t in more scenes. She adds something to each she gets.

And she gets many more than Stuhlbarg (“A Serious Man”), Molina (“Chocolat”) and Hauser (“Richard Jewell”), each of whom lends his gifts to only a few minutes of “The Instigators.” We are especially left wanting more of the impactful Stuhlbarg, intimidatingly bearded, as a career criminal at his wits’ end.

Rhames (“Pulp Fiction”) has a bit more to do, but he, too, is underutilized.

The aforementioned screenplay is the work of Chuck MacLean (“City on a Hill”) and Casey Affleck, who’ve known each other for years. MacLean is said to have written an early draft years ago, the script changing significantly when Affleck joined him to work on it.

It sounds as if the story told in “The Instigators” continued to evolve through shooting, Liman encouraging the cast to offer ideas and improvisation during the filming. It certainly has that feel.

Liman, whose credits also include 2005’s “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and 2014’s excellent “Edge of Tomorrow,” also was at the helm for this year’s guilty-pleasure, straight-to-Prime Video remake of “Road House.” If something has a chance to work, he’ll make it work.

As fun as it is, “The Instigators” certainly isn’t all it could have been. But while it may be rough around the edges, without the people involved, it could have been downright rough.

‘The Instigators’

Where: Apple TV+.

When: Aug. 9.

Rated: R for pervasive language and some violence.

Runtime: 1 hour, 41 minutes.

Stars (of four): 2.5.

Inman: 15 thoughts about Brandon Aiyuk’s saga with 49ers

SANTA CLARA — Whether or not Brandon Aiyuk is phased out of the 49ers’ Super Bowl plans, his employment status has risen above all storylines this training camp and offseason, even if Trent Williams’ own contract dispute factors more into a title hunt.

Aiyuk’s showdown is turning into a countdown. While he, the 49ers, and his courters sort things out, consider the following:

— It’s unique and unheard of, in this 49ers regime’s eight years, that potential trade partners are identified before a deal goes down. This works twofold: It ignites a bidding war, reportedly between the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers; and, it puts the onus on Aiyuk to choose his destination while naming his contract’s price.

— If the 49ers were to make an equitable player-for-player swap, they shouldn’t ask for Aiyuk’s blessing, not after this six-month procession of contract haggling.

— If the 49ers are intent on trading a back-to-back 1,000-yard receiver, why not wait out the preseason and training camp to see if another team’s 1,000-yard receiver gets injured for a more lucrative trade?

— A decade ago, the Browns tried to acquire another high-profile Niner via trade. Instead, Jim Harbaugh stayed put to coach the 49ers for a fourth and final season before joining the University of Michigan.

— The 49ers-Browns pregame scuffle last October began with Aiyuk taunting the Browns and bumping into wide receiver Elijah Moore.

— Amari Cooper’s stats last season (72 catches, 1,250 yards, five touchdowns) are somewhat comparable to Aiyuk’s (75 catches, 1,342 yards, seven touchdowns). In Cooper’s nine seasons, however, he has made seven Pro Bowls and seven 1,000-yard seasons. Aiyuk: no Pro Bowls, two 1,000-yard seasons.

— The Patriots bowed out Tuesday night, ESPN reported. Shipping Aiyuk there only made sense if the 49ers acquired defensive end Matthew Judon, who is embroiled in his own contract dispute and not practicing. Judon turns 32 next week and is entering his ninth season, so he’s not ascending like Aiyuk, but he would bolster the 49ers’ most important unit, their defensive front.

— Aiyuk’s only two-touchdown game last year in his career-best season came in the opening win at Pittsburgh. He caught all eight of his targets for 129 yards there, a place now called home by former NFC West rival Russell Wilson.

— Nick Bosa on last year’s contract stalemate that ended just days before the opener: “As it got closer and closer, it gets pretty dicey, but I definitely didn’t want to be traded. It’s a good place to be for sure. I’m very thankful and grateful to be paid and (be) here, because I don’t think there are many organizations as good as this one.”

— Bosa, George Kittle, Fred Warner, Trent Williams, Kyle Juszczyk, and Deebo Samuel all got paid in recent years at top-of-the-market prices. Aiyuk wanting the same treatment isn’t surprising. Nor is the fact that the 49ers’ top-heavy payroll may sway them giving in to Aiyuk.

— Eleven players have been traded away under the Shanahan-Lynch regime: Vance McDonald (2017, Steelers), Rashard Robinson (2017, Jets), Daniel Kilgore (2018, Dolphins), Eli Harold (2018, Broncos), Dekoda Watson (2019, Broncos), DeForest Buckner (2020, Colts), Marquise Goodwin (2020, Eagles), Matt Breida (2020, Dolphins), Kwon Alexander (2020, Saints), Jonas Griffith (2021, Broncos), Jeff Wilson Jr. (2022, Dolphins), Trey Lance (2023, Cowboys). The only one who drew a first-round pick in return was Buckner.

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— Aiyuk counts $14.1 million against the current cap with this fifth-year option salary. Jerry Rice’s highest cap figure: $4.5 million in 2000, his last of 16 seasons with the 49ers.

— Rice and Terrell Owens are the only 49ers to produce 1,000 receiving yards in at least three consecutive seasons, a feat Aiyuk could attempt to match this season.

— If Aiyuk stays, it enhances his loyalist, Faithful persona. He surely will claim no team offers what the 49ers do: the best shot at a Lombardi Trophy. That’s priceless, right?

— If Aiyuk leaves, his final play in a 49ers uniform saw him break open across the middle in the end zone, while Brock Purdy’s hurried pass sailed incomplete over Jauan Jennings’ arms in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII.

Horoscopes Aug. 7, 2024: Charlize Theron, bask in your ability to shine

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Mike Trout, 33; Charlize Theron, 49; David Duchovny, 64; Wayne Knight, 69.

Happy Birthday: Head in a direction that offers contentment and joy. It’s up to you to take responsibility for your happiness and to build a life that encourages gratitude for all you have. Fill your life with possibilities, hopes and dreams, and refuse to let negative people set the narrative for what’s to come. Bask in your ability to shine, entertain and be the one to light the way for loved ones. Your numbers are 3, 15, 21, 26, 32, 40, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Open a dialogue with someone who can offer suggestions regarding something that might enrich your life. Make learning, traveling and participating your priorities, and the connections you make will help send you in a beneficial direction. A change made in secret will have a bigger impact when complete. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep things moving forward. Use your ingenuity and charm to get others to do things for you. A sincere gesture will encourage positive change and help to finish what you started. Love and romance are favored, and socializing will lead to unexpected options. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Keep moving in a positive direction. Refrain from letting anyone talk you into changing course to enhance their needs instead of yours. Emotional matters will escalate due to misinformation, criticism and guilt. Slow down and evaluate whatever situation you face before you choose a path forward. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Recognize opportunities and lock into investments, contracts and deals that benefit you. Your chance to get ahead will unfold if you use discipline and originality to muster up an idea or plan that speeds up productivity. Communication will change how you feel and relate to others. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take pride in your work, and spread joy to those you encounter. The impact you have on others is dependent on how you react. Put your energy where it will do some good. Use your skills and originality to find solutions and make a difference in your community. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Chomp down on debt and unfinished business. Enforce change to help regain emotional equilibrium and free you from the burden and stress holding you back. Refuse to let anyone mislead or take advantage of you or what you have worked so hard to achieve. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Live, learn and eliminate negativity. Step away from trouble, drama and manipulative situations. Assess what’s important to you, and surround yourself with people who share your concerns. Search for novel ways to rectify problems. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Stop worrying and start doing. Diversify and use your skills, experience and knowledge to find a path that excites you. Refuse to let what others do interfere in pursuing what makes you feel good about yourself and gives you hope for a better future. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look for opportunities, and invest in yourself. Keep your intentions a secret until you have everything in place. The only joint venture to consider must guarantee financial support, not input or control. Trust your instincts. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You are in a better position than you realize. Don’t hesitate; strike while the iron is hot and the opportunity promises the highest return. Uncertainty is the enemy, and those raising issues will cause confusion. Know what you want. 5 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Evaluate the efficiency of your home and change what isn’t working for you. Call on those you can rely on for input, and you’ll speed up the process and encourage good results. A confident attitude will inspire you to use your skills to promote something you enjoy doing. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Change what isn’t working for you, and it will help you discover an exciting passage forward. Expect criticism from someone your words or actions threaten. It’s time to follow your heart instead of bending to other’s emotional whims. Trust your instincts. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are energetic, determined and systematic. You are proactive and generous.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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Olympics TV schedule for Wednesday, Aug. 7

Here is the Paris Olympics TV schedule for Wednesday, Aug. 7.

Highlights include the men’s 400-meter final in track and field (10 a.m., NBC), the U.S. women’s basketball team vs. Nigeria in the quarterfinals, (12:30 p.m., USA), the U.S. men’s water polo team vs. Australia in the quarterfinals (10 a.m., USA) and beach volleyball quarterfinals including the U.S. team of Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh vs. Qatar (1 p.m., NBC).

ARTISTIC SWIMMING

10:30 a.m.

UNIVERSO — Artisting Swimming and Track and field

10:40 a.m.

E! — Team: Acrobatic Routine

2 p.m.

NBC — Team: Acrobatic RoutineBASKETBALL

7 a.m.

UNIVERSO — Baloncesto

12:15 p.m.

USA — Women’s Quarterfinal: U.S. vs. Nigeria

8:30 p.m.

USA — Women’s Quarterfinal; U.S. vs. NigeriaBEACH VOLLEYBALL

8 a.m.

E! — Quarterfinal

9 a.m.

NBC — Quarterfinal

Noon

E! — Quarterfinal

1 p.m.

NBC — Quarterfinal – U.S. vs. Qatar

7:30 p.m.

USA — QuarterfinalBOXING

9:30 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Natación

7 p.m.

USA — Men’s Middle, Light Finals & moreCANOEING

9:15 a.m.

USA — Sprint: Canoe, Kayak HeatsCYCLING

9 a.m.

E! — Team Pursuit FinalsDIVING

1 a.m.

E! — Men’s 3m Springboard Semifinal

6:10 a.m.

E! — Women’s 3m Springboard Preliminary

9:30 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Natación

8 p.m.

NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 7)FIELD HOCKEY

5 p.m.

USA — Women’s SemifinalGOLF

Midnight

GOLF — Women’s Round 1: Part 1

4 a.m.

GOLF — Women’s Round 1: Part 2HANDBALL

6:30 a.m.

USA — Men’s Quarterfinal

11:45 a.m.

USA — Men’s Quarterfinal

6 p.m.

USA — Men’s QuarterfinalSKATEBOARDING

4:05 a.m.

USA — Men’s Park: Preliminary Round

8:30 a.m.

USA — Men’s Park: FinalSPORT CLIMBING

11:35 p.m.

NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 6)

3 a.m.

E! — Men’s Combined, Women’s SpeedTABLE TENNIS

4 a.m.

E! — M&W Team: QuarterfinalsTRACK & FIELD

10:30 p.m.

USA — Mixed Team Race Walk

1:30 a.m.

USA — Heats: Men’s 800m & more

3 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Maratón

10 a.m.

NBC — Finals: Men’s 400m & more

10:30 a.m.

UNIVERSO — Artistic swimming and Track and Field

8 p.m.

NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 7)VOLLEYBALL

7 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Volleyball-

1 p.m.

E! — Men’s Semifinal

3 p.m.

USA — Men’s SemifinalWATER POLO

5 a.m.

E! — Men’s Quarterfinal

10 a.m.

USA — Men’s Quarterfinal – U.S. vs. AustraliaWEIGHTLIFTING

9 a.m.

UNIVERSO — Boxing, weightlifting

2:15 p.m.

USA — Men’s 61kg FinalWRESTLING

8 a.m.

USA — GR 67kg, 87kg & W Freestyle 53kg Eliminations

2:15 p.m.

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