February 26, 2010
Hell's Kitchen killer: I just did it
A steroids-amped moocher charged with slitting the throat of a kindly events planner who'd been letting him stay in his Hell's Kitchen apartment told cops he tossed a comforter over...
The weekly wrap-up, February 26
This week we learned that...... Terry Hoskins is not going gentle into that good night. [Huffington Post]... If you must keep livestock in your yard, goats are the way to...
Ravitch: I'm not prepping to be governor
With top Democrats calling for him to quickly take over the reins of state government, Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch insisted he’s not readying himself for Gov. Paterson’s job."Absolutely not," Ravitch...
Tebow open to non-QB role
INDIANAPOLIS -- Tim Tebow, who is waiting until his pro day at Florida next month to show off his supposedly “new” throwing motion, was greeted by a crush of media...
Giants defensive coaches snowbound
INDIANAPOLIS -- Thanks to the blizzard, the Giants are scouting shorthanded at the combine this weekend. Tom Coughlin said today that new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and Fewell’s assistants are questionable...
Gatorade cuts ties with Tiger Woods; third major sponsor to drop him
Add Gatorade to the list of endorsement deals that Tiger Woods has lost.A representative for the drink, sold by PepsiCo Inc., confirmed late Friday that it had ended its relationship...
Paterson didn't come to decision easily
In the end, Gov. Paterson was facing a lonely road if he continued his campaign. Despite conveying to some people privately that he would pull the plug on his campaign...
Pacquiao says Mayweather didn't want megafight
Manny Pacquiao says Floyd Mayweather Jr. wasn't ready to face him this spring and their disagreement over blood-testing procedures was just a smokescreen to get out of the proposed welterweight...
NY GOP takes aim at Paterson, Spitzer
With all the Democrats piling on David Paterson today, the state GOP couldn’t resist taking a shot at not only the governor but also at disgraced former Gov. Eliot Spitzer,...
Sharpton's black leader meeting still on
The meeting that the Rev. Al Sharpton had convened before today's bombshell press conference by the governor for tomorrow with black leaders is still on, several people said - but...
Coughlin says Giants running backs will be ready
Tom Coughlin said today he expects the Giants' top two running backs -- Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw -- to be ready for the start of next season as they...
Koch, Liu: Paterson should resign now
Gov. Paterson’s announcement that he won’t run for office isn’t satisfying embittered Democrats — including former Mayor Ed Koch and City Comptroller John Liu — who are begging the lame...
Jets about to part with Jones
INDIANAPOLIS -- Thomas Jones’ productive marriage with the Jets appears headed for divorce.Speaking to reporters here today at the scouting combine, Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum made it sound as if...
Top cop: I didn't lie, O'Donnell did
In a memo to state police today, embattled top-cop Harry Corbitt disputed Denise O'Donnell's version of the conversation that led the Paterson criminal justice czar to resign in protest yesterday.O'Donnell...
Phillips wanted sex addiction help before affair made public
From one sex addict to another: Good job. Disgraced former Mets GM Steve Phillips, who received treatment at the same Mississippi clinic that reportedly treated Tiger Woods, said he watched...
USA one win away after crushing Finland
VANCOUVER -- Team USA scored all of its goals in the first period, surging into the Olympic gold-medal game with a 6-1 rout of Finland on Friday. "We haven't won...
Dems: 'Classic' Paterson at press conference
"Classic." That's the word several longtime Democratic party insiders long familiar with the ways of David Paterson are using to describe his defiant press conference in which he essentially gave...
Obama to ban home foreclosures
According to Dawn Kopecki at Bloomberg News, the President may decide that any foreclosure cannot proceed unless the government -- in the form of the Home Affordable Modification program --...
One less special envoy
George Mitchell, the Obama administration’s special envoy to the Middle East apparently wants to quit his post. According to Jack Khoury in the Israeli daily Ha’aretz, an Arab source at...
MTA names Bianco as new subway chief
There’s been a shakeup in subway managers. New MTA brass have replaced former subway chief, Steve Feil, with Carmen Bianco, a former MTA and Amtrak executive. The changes – one...
Gary Coleman suffers seizure, taken to hospital
Actor Gary Coleman suffered a seizure on the set of a television show Friday and was taken to a hospital for treatment, TMZ reported. Coleman was on the set of...
Storefront nude: art or tart?
Snow was falling hard yesterday, but 25-year-old art model Megan Hanford was hardly bundled up. Instead, she spent the afternoon totally naked, standing in the window of a West Village...
NYPD mum on Paterson aide 'attack' report
The NYPD says it can't release the police report surrounding the incident between Gov. Paterson's adviser David Johnson and his now former girlfriend Sherr-una Booker, because it's not a public...
Man killed by tree in Central Park leaves wife, two children behind
The man tragically killed yesterday by a falling tree limb in Central Park left behind a wife and two teenage children, family members said. Elmaz Qyra, 46, had likely just...
Ford Jr. suggests for Paterson to resign
With an hour to go before Gov. Paterson is set to throw in the towel for election, Harold Ford Jr. sought to up the stakes, as the potential Senate hopeful...
White House social secretary at center of party crasher scandal resigns
White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers will step down next month, the Chicago Sun Times reported Friday. Rogers has presided over 330 events in the White House in 14 months,...
Vonn out of slalom, finishes with two medals
American Lindsey Vonn straddled a gate and skied out of the first leg of the women's Olympic slalom on Friday, ending her Winter Games on a low note. Vonn, who...
Rangel refuses to step aside after ethics slap
WASHINGTON — New York Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel said Friday he won’t step down as chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee despite being admonished for violating rules...
Draft order now set
INDIANAPOLIS -- The NFL held multiple coin flips here this morning to determine the final order for the April 22-24 draft at Radio City Music Hall.The Jaguars topped the Broncos...
SeaWorld show to resume after trainer's death; whale to remain in show
ORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld says its Shamu Believe show with killer whales will resume this weekend after a whale killed its trainer at the Orlando park. SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment...
Judge grands Jenny Sanford permission to divorce SC gov
CHARLESTON, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's divorce will become final next month, just over a year after the first lady discovered his affair with an Argentine woman he...
East River Park Dodges Closure
East River State Park has dodged Albany’s budget cuts like the hipsters who play dodgeball during the park’s popular summer concert series. Governor David Paterson recently announced his recommendations for...
AY Street Closures Could be Imminent
Getting around Downtown Brooklyn could get a little harder even before construction begins this year on the new Barclays Center Arena.According to Department of Transportation coordinator Chris Hrones, Pacific Street,...
TigerText iPhone app helps adulterers cheat by deleting messages
An iPhone app launched this week could have saved Tiger Woods a lot of trouble, Time reported Friday on its Web site.The fittingly named TigerText allows users to set a...
Red Hook robberies making locals nervous
—With Tom Tracygbuiso@cnglocal.com
City takes aim at water quality in Jamaica Bay
New York City will be pouring money – lots of money – into Jamaica Bay.Over the next several years, city funds amounting to a whopping $115 million will be dedicated...
Handmade Music: Science fair-like music series moves to Galapagos Art Space
Attend a Handmade Music night, and you’ve entered a nerdster’s paradise. The regular series, which serves as a platform for DIY musicians who make their own instruments, is an anything-goes...
Brooklyn lawmakers do fine by the environment
Brooklyn’s lawmakers in Washington received glowing grades on their 2009 National Environmental Scorecard, according to the national League of Conservation voters (LCV).The criteria for the scores comes from how lawmakers...
Jobs for Brooklynites
Attention! Attention! Thousands of jobs are available right now.The state may be struggling during the recession and too many folks are out of work, but now there’s an opportunity to...
Battle lines drawn in Democratic leadership race
They may not concur as to who should be the male Democratic district leader in the 60th Assembly District going forward, but the two candidates for the position agree that...
Tennessee Williams like you've never heard him before
Most people are first introduced to Tennessee Williams through classics like “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “The Glass Menagerie” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.”Not too long after the latter’s...
D'Antoni: Gallinari showing signs of Darko
WASHINGTON - Mike D'Antoni took a shot at his prized prospect Danilo Gallinari this morning, saying he's become too detached and must "turn his motor up.''Gallinari's game has slipped noticeably...
Jon Cryer's ex-wife allegedy wanted him dead
These "Two and a Half Men" make quite a pair. Taking some of the heat off his recently rehabbed co-star, Jon Cryer has found himself in the headlines after his...
Mixed early reviews for 'Alice in Wonderland'
Critics for the Manhattan dailies won't get to see "Alice in Wonderland'' until Monday night, but there are already reviews online out of London, where Tim Burton's re-imagining with Mia...
Obama makes picks for debt panel
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's four appointments to the bipartisan debt panel he established last week include the head of manufacturing giant Honeywell and a former top-ranking Federal Reserve official....
Dugard and family file suit in California
ANTIOCH, Calif. -- Kidnapping victim Jaycee Dugard and her family have filed claims against the state of California for damages they say resulted from "various lapses" by the Department of...
Woman shot at school in Tacoma
TACOMA, Wash. -- Authorities say a special education teacher was shot and killed Friday at an elementary school by an acquaintance who was reportedly shot and killed by police. A...
Bloomberg already speaks of Paterson's 'legacy'
Even before Gov. Paterson announces his fateful decision on whether to stay or go, Mayor Bloomberg is already speaking of his "legacy." When a caller to the mayor's weekly radio...
NYC big favorite for 2014 Super Bowl
INDIANAPOLIS -- A snowy Super Bowl right in Manhattan's back yard now looks like a done deal.Arizona's reported decision this morning to pull out of the running for the 2014...
NY flight canceled after flight attendants get into fistfight
A flight from Rochester, N.Y., to Atlanta was canceled on Thursday after two flight attendants got into a fist fight, YNN Rochester reported. Two female flight attendants "got into a...
Susan Boyle exhausted, needs 24-hour care
Singing sensation Susan Boyle is exhausted from the pressures of fame and in need of 24-hour care, The Sun reported Friday. Shortly after her first appearance on TV show Britain's...
It's official: Simon Cowell's engaged
Acerbic talent judge Simon Cowell has got a "spring in his step" thanks to his new fiancée Mezhgan Hussainy, "Britain's Got Talent" hosts Ant and Dec said Friday. Dec told...
Grandfather from Long Island shot dead in Haiti
A beloved grandfather from Long Island was shot to death on the streets of Haiti in what officials believed was the first casualty of an American involved in the quake-hit...
Suicide bombers strike in heart of Kabul; 17 dead
KABUL -- Insurgents struck in the heart of the Afghan capital Friday with suicide attackers and a car bomb, targeting hotels used by foreigners and killing at least 17 people...
Police capture escaped Maryland prisoner in West Virginia
West Virginia police on Friday captured a man who was accidentally released from prison in Maryland the day before, The Baltimore Sun reported. Raymond Taylor, 26, was taken into custody...
Hamill on 'The Yellow Handkerchief'
"The Yellow Handkerchief,'' a road movie with William Hurt and Kristen Stewart that I give 3.5 stars to today on the Pulse section cover, has a fascinating history. It started...
Coughlin won't guarantee Osi will start for Giants
INDIANAPOLIS -- Osi Umenyiora can demand a starting job all he wants, but he isn’t getting any guarantees from Tom Coughlin.Umenyiora recently claimed that he would rather retire at age...
Canada wonders what the fuss is over women's hockey team's celebration
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canada's top Olympic official sees no reason to worry about the women's hockey team's beer-swigging, cigar-smoking celebration of its gold-medal victory over the USA. After the...
Iran to United States: Leave!
Once again, the Obama administration’s policy of reaching out to rogue and terror-sponsoring regimes has proved an abject failure. Witness the utterly negative response in Syria to recent overtures by...
Gov. Paterson drops election bid, insists he 'never abused' his office
A defiant Gov. Paterson announced this afternoon that he won't run for a full term this November following a roiling scandal over whether he and his troopers intimidated a woman...
Friday speed read
Day 2 of the scouting combine here in Indianapolis was a pretty sleepy affair unless talk from offensive linemen, punters, kickers and tights ends is something you just can do...
Jacobs: Gov and I discussed 'realities' of current political turmoil
State Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs came away from a private meeting with Gov. Paterson saying hinting the governor knows he's in trouble and will bring a quick resolution to his...
That was then: 'nuclear option' is 'arrogant'
“Change in Senate rules would change character of the Senate forever….majority rule in both houses is just not what the founders intended,” in 1995 then-Sen. Obama on the so-called 'nuclear...
Box Office: Smith vs. Scorsese
It's a tight race for No. 1 this weekend, with slumming auteurs Martin Scorsese and Kevin Smith both predicted to come in with numbers in the high teens to low twenties...
Snowicane shows no signs of quitting as 21 inches piles up in NYC
Hurricane-force winds and deep snow forced city public schools and major universities to close today as over 200,000 people in area are without power. Snow is still falling in the...
Former home of two 9/11 terrorists set to be demolished
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — A South Florida apartment building where two of the Sept. 11 terrorists briefly lived is set to be demolished. The crumbling building in Hollywood is scheduled to...
Drama Mama: 'CSI' Zombie
The Olympics are over, which means that NBC is back in the 10 p.m. drama pool. Here’s a look at some of what you can watch once the dog is...
NYC public schools, major universities closed
All New York City public schools and major universities are closed due to the massive snowstorm slamming the Northeast. The city's schools were in session Thursday and officials hoped to...
Today in Vancouver
Don’t-miss event Apolo Ohno’s record-setting Olympic career could come to a finish tonight as he competes in the men’s short-track speedskating 500-meters, an event in which he won the gold...
Robeson's Sandiford eyes PSAL high jump record
With each missed jump and falling bar, the frustration grew for O’Neil Sandiford. The Paul Robeson high jumper had cleared 6 feet 10 inches already this season, but could not...
Yankees legacy depends on building on ’09
TAMPA — The word “boli” was never mentioned. There was no army of image consultants just off camera. No need this time for the awkward presence of teammates. Alex Rodriguez...
A-Rod just wants to blend in with Yankees again
TAMPA — Alex Rodriguez wants us to believe he can blend into the fabric of the Yankees for a second straight season. He can say all the right things, give...
Northern neighbors turn old enemies into allies
Olympic hockey can turn history-formed habits strange. Given that Canada is the favorite but Team USA has a reasonable shot, my rooting interests this week drifted to the teams that...
Weekend Calendar
WINE TIME Sommeliers and wine connoisseurs, rejoice! It’s time for the third annual Wine Expo at the Javits Center. Even if you’re not an expert and just have an affinity...
Kid stuff
THE REEL THING: The New York International Children’s Film Festival — which will screen more than 100 movies at six different locales over the next four weeks — kicks off...
Formosa Betrayed
Propaganda masquerading as an action thriller, this talky vanity production tells you more than you probably ever wanted to know about Taiwan (a k a Formosa), a stronghold of Chinese...
The Art of the Steal
An engrossing if overheated his tory of the battle for control of a prized art collection situated in the Philadelphia suburbs, "The Art of the Steal" investigates the shadowy deal...
Easier With Practice
Brian Geraghty gives a lightly endearing performance as a vulnerable nerd who falls in love with a girl he knows only via phone sex in "Easier With Practice." Geraghty plays...
Harkless' best not quite enough for Forest Hills
He looked ready for Storrs Thursday night. Maurice Harkless posterized the opposition with jaw-dropping slam dunks. He sank feathery jump shots that barely touched the net. He ran the point...
PSAL boys basketball playoff roundup: Wings shakes off second-round blues
Billy Turnage has a simple answer to explain Wings Academy’s success this season: chemistry. “I’ve been preaching it since Day 1,” the coach said. “Chemistry on this team is great....
PSAL girls basketball playoff roundup: Astel leads MSIT past Boys
Kaitlyn Astel had 28 points to lead No. 5 McKee/Staten Island Tech to a 68-45 win against No. 12 Boys & Girls in the PSAL Class AA girls basketball second...
Post-game fracas flares after Midwood tops Banneker
An emotional melee ensued at the conclusion of Midwood’s victory over Benjamin Banneker, ending in enraged Warriors guard Kaylah Gholson to be restrained Thursday night. Following the host and sixth-seeded...
Transit Tech's Rhamel Brown commits to Manhattan College
Rhamel Brown had the scholarship in his hand and a suitor that was following him for some time. There was little else to think about. Brown verbally committed to Manhattan...
Big East battle kickstarts the Madness
Syracuse and Villanova have emerged as the front-runners in the war of attrition known as the Big East conference schedule. At the Carrier Dome tomorrow night before what is expected...
Annan's heroics send Curtis into quarters
Turnovers drive Jonathan Annan nuts. They grate on him, like an annoying gnat buzzing by his ear. So imagine how he felt after he committed three turnovers down the stretch...
The Butler Did It
I dubbed this “hell week” – 18 CHSAA boys basketball playoff games in seven days. Midway through, though, there was a brief respite when Mother Nature dumped several inches of...
Salty dogs: Two firefighters charged in Bay Ridge bar brawl
Two East Flatbush firefighters are each facing five years in prison now that they have been charged in the infamous Salty Dog brawl that left several Bay Ridge revelers badly...
18 years for Brooklyn Heights bomber
With very little fanfare, the mad bomb collector who kept Brooklyn Heights in a grip of fear over two years ago was quietly sentenced to 18 years in prison.Prosecutors said...
High note for Ozzy
Ozzy Osbourne's lawsuit against a bandmate over use of the Black Sabbath name can rock on, a Manhattan federal judge ruled yesterday. The "Godfather of Heavy Metal" is accusing guitarist...
Dow slips on Greece, domestic concerns
At least the day ended better than it started. That was about all one could say yesterday about the Dow Jones industrial average, which closed down just 53 points after...
Killer Klansman's mob claim
JACKSON, Miss. -- An ex-Ku Klux Klansman convicted in the 1964 slayings of three civil-rights workers has sued the FBI, claiming it used a Mafia hit man to pistol-whip and...
Bad Sein! Jerry in 'park' row
Jerry Seinfeld is the master of the parking domain! The NYPD is investigating an allegation that the funnyman's driver used an expired police placard to commandeer an illegal parking spot...
Jobs: Cash gives Apple flexibility
Apple CEO Steve Jobs said he prefers holding on to the company's cash hoard for potential acquisitions and "bold" investments, rather than paying dividends or doing stock buybacks. "We know...
Target: Goldman
Lloyd Blankfein's moving a step closer toward getting a Greece stain after the Federal Reserve and the Securities and Exchange Commission each said they're investigating Goldman Sachs' role in the...
Ravitch is ready
The abrupt resignation of a governor under fire can be expected to produce political turmoil and instability. Fortunately, in Richard Ravitch, New York would have an interim governor well equipped...
Enough, governor
It's time for David Paterson to close out his role in one of the strangest episodes in New York history -- and turn over the affairs of state to his...
New MGM bid deadline
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is asking suitors to submit new bids for the studio by mid-March, about two weeks before its respite from interest payments expires, according to three people with knowledge...
Courageous 'victim' at center of Paterson scandal
The woman at the center of the latest scandal to roil Albany -- which has prompted calls for Gov. Paterson to step down -- is a hardworking single mom from...
Hangin' on for a tramway revamp
The Roosevelt Island tram will be shut down for six months, leaving residents with slower transit options. A complete renovation of the tram will begin in March and is supposed...
Riot rap in brawl of 'fire'
Two firefighters surrendered yesterday and were charged with riot and assault in connection with a booze-soaked Brooklyn bar brawl. Ryan Warnock, 45, and Michael Reilly, 32, are the first people...
Judge on Bruno retrial: No, Joe
ALBANY -- A federal judge yesterday postponed sentencing former state Senate leader Joseph Bruno on two fraud convictions until May 6 -- and denied his request for a new trial....
Concrete-con suicide attempt
The president of a concrete-testing company tried to kill himself after he was convicted of faking results at sites including the new Yankee Stadium and Ground Zero, it was learned...
'Hot' spot ruined wedding: suit
The bride was blushing -- and so was everyone else, thanks to the 100-plus degree temperatures. A Brooklyn couple says their wedding reception at the ritzy 632 on Hudson in...
Furious Paterson aide resigns
ALBANY -- Finally, a profile in courage. Gov. Paterson's chief law-enforcement official, Denise O'Donnell, quit her $165,000-a-year job in disgust yesterday as she accused the state's top cop of lying...
Dems get dump-Dave bandwagon moving
ALBANY -- Outraged fellow Democrats called on Gov. Paterson to step aside for the good of the party yesterday as they reeled from the latest and most devastating scandal to...
Snow-laden, falling tree limb kills man in Central Park
A tree branch laden with snow snapped off and killed a 46-year-old man in Central Park yesterday during the blustery winter storm that roared through the region. The branch from...
Gov is reeling over abusegate
Gov. Paterson last night said he has "no plans" to abandon his election campaign -- even as those close to him said he was considering pulling the plug on it...
House Ethics panel slams Charlie for Caribbean junkets
WASHINGTON -- Embattled Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel broke House rules and will get a "public admonishment" from the House Ethics Committee for taking corporate-sponsored junkets to the Caribbean. In a...
Demong bags first USA gold in nordic combined
Billy Demong and Johnny Spillane gave the Americans a 1-2 finish in the Nordic combined large hill competition that was marred by bad weather. Demong, of Vermontville, N.Y., ended America's...
Pols, fishermen angle for fisheries reform
The rally on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday brought together commercial and recreational fishermen and elected officials from both sides of the aisle. More than 20 federal...
Ousted Lundqvist heads home to Rangers
Whether for better or worse nobody really knows, but Sweden's surprising quarterfinal elimination by Slovakia late Wednesday night means that Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist will get an unforeseen extra day...
Honor for Yonkers GM
Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway Vice President and General Manager Bob Galterio heads the trio of recipients of the "President's Award" from the United States Harness Writers Association this...
Giants could extend tender offers to 11 players
The Giants are in the process of making tender offers to their restricted free agents and should be able to keep all of the 11 players in that category if...
A-Rod says Damon, Matsui hard to replace for Yankees
TAMPA -- Alex Rodriguez is like a lot of other Yankees: He knows what Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui meant to the club. Damon is now a Tiger and Matsui...
Manuel's mantra as Mets flush '09 fiasco
PORT ST. LUCIE -- For the first day of full-squad workouts, the Mets yesterday fumigated the clubhouse and declared it 2010. Jeff Francoeur was among those who departed a morning...
Nets coach: Future looks 'bright' for Lopez
Maybe it was to affirm his decision from the first round of the 2008 draft, or maybe it was the plan all along, but when Kiki Vandeweghe took over behind...
5 Questions for... Ron Darling
SNY kicks off its Mets broadcast season with spring training games Tuesday and Thursday. Network analyst Ron Darling talked to The Post's Justin Terranova about what the Mets have to...
Jets guard Moore makes grade in Harvard program
Brandon Moore's nickname is "Meat." That might lead you to believe the Jets veteran right guard is some stereotype Neanderthal with beating people up the only thing occupying his one-track...
Houston: Knicks' McGrady 'kneeds' time to adjust
Allan Houston says the key to Tracy McGrady's comeback from microfracture left knee surgery is figuring out how to adjust. "The biggest thing is finding your routine, finding your warm-up,...
Jets' Moore sympathizes with Jones
Brandon Moore was released by the Jets around this time last year because management didn't want to pay a roster bonus, so he knows exactly what's going through the mind...
Eye vey! K-Rod in isolation from Mets
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Francisco Rodriguez has been ordered away from his teammates. The Mets closer arrived in camp last week with a case of pink eye that hasn't improved,...
Santana, Barajas in sync in Mets debut
PORT ST. LUCIE -- The games have yet to start, but Johan Santana drew quite a crowd yesterday for his bullpen session on the group of mounds known as the...
Knicks start big sell for next season
The Knicks have given their fans an early opportunity to buy season tickets for their potential LeBron James-led team next year, and the chance will continue today. Last Thursday, the...
USA men's hockey team one win from shot at gold
VANCOUVER -- One day last week Chris Drury and his wife rode the elevator at their hotel with one of Drury's U.S. hockey teammates. When the younger player stepped off,...
There's no way Clippers 'reached out' to Isiah for job
Shortly after Clippers general manager Mike Dunleavy stepped down as coach, Fox Sports circulated a preposterous report that Los Angeles had "reached out" to Isiah Thomas regarding every front-office position...
Unsung '72 Olympics hockey squad set standard
VANCOUVER -- Murray Williamson knew exactly where the sinking feeling in his stomach was coming from. Williamson was sitting in front of his television set Wednesday afternoon, watching Switzerland battle...
Goodell sees no progress on NFL labor front
INDIANAPOLIS -- Another round of labor talks between the NFL and its players union ended in pursed lips and grim faces here yesterday -- and no signs of progress. Commissioner...
Maturity big issue for Rutgers star
INDIANAPOLIS -- Anthony Davis knows all about his doubters. The mammoth offensive tackle, also known as the most heralded recruit in Rutgers' otherwise dismal football history, will soon have the...
American drama on slopes finished, not forgotten
VANCOUVER -- There is an odd sensation attached to the coverage of Olympic Games. The world press descends upon a chosen city, we unpack our laptops, ponder the world for...
McGwire's done with 'roid rat brother
Mark McGwire was saddened to learn his estranged brother was writing a book that chronicled their use of performance-enhancing drugs. The one-time slugger and new hitting coach of the Cardinals...
Mancuso: Vonn tension blown 'out of proportion'
VANCOUVER -- Julia Mancuso tried to defuse the tension between her and fellow skier Lindsey Vonn, saying their relationship has "been taken a little out of proportion." The two skiers...
Villegas atop Phoenix
The memory of a missed 3-foot putt did nothing to diminish Camilo Villegas's game yesterday in the Phoenix Open. The 28-year-old Colombian tied the tournament first-round record with a 9-under...
Sports shorts
NFL: Steelers re-sign NT Hampton The Steelers agreed to a deal with nose tackle Casey Hampton and placed the franchise tag on kicker Jeff Reed. Hampton's deal is reportedly for...
World-record night gives Kim figure skating gold
VANCOUVER -- The "Queen" now has her crown. As expected, Kim Yu-na ran away with the gold medal in last night's conclusion of the Olympic women's figure skating competition. "I...
No Can-do: USA women settle for hockey silver
VANCOUVER -- There is nothing quite like a medal ceremony in a host nation. First, there is the winning part, and the Canada women's hockey team took care of that...
Starr report
Dr. Andrew Ordon, co- host of "The Doctors," is heading to India on Tuesday to perform cleft palate sur geries in conjunction with Smile Train, a worldwide or ganization that...
No arrest for the dreary in 'Cop Out'
One-time indie icon Kevin Smith's first film as a major studio hack-for-hire, the shambling '80s mis matched cops homage "Cop Out," repeatedly shoots for laughs -- but ends up mostly...
All heartland but no brain in 'The Crazies'
From the publicity notes to the horror flick "The Crazies": "a huge step above most movies in this genre" . . . "based in a reality that could happen" ....
Peas soup up the Garden
Dressed in a silver suit that made him look like a cyborg, Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am stopped the music just long enough to ask the panting crowd, "Can you...
In arresting French drama, you've got jail
The startling French prison saga "A Prophet" arrives in New York with a slew of ecstatic reviews, festival prizes and an Oscar nom as its calling card. Director Jacques Audiard's...
Abundant secrets pour out of family bag
Anybody who has ever doubted that truth is stranger than fiction should see "Prodigal Sons." Here's the story: Marc McKerrow, one of three sons in a working-class Montana family, has...
Shakespeare's shipwreck tale as we like it
Bam's transatlantic Bridge Project got off to a shaky start last month, when director Sam Mendes sucked all the playfulness out of Shakespeare's "As You Like It," and the American...
Roz tries out for E! gig
You didn't think you'd heard the last of "The Bachelor" bad girl Rozlyn Papa, did you? The blonde bachelorette who was thrown off the dating show for getting too close...
Schoolgirls stuck in stereotype
What happens when a movie's lead actors are better than their material? You get something like "Toe to Toe." Directed by Emily Abt, it concerns two girls, Tosha and Jesse,...
What's behind ABC cuts
The days of the gorgeous TV news reporter are probably coming to an end. That's the practical effect of ABC's decision, announced this week, to cut roughly 300 jobs --...
Ride & seek in 'The Yellow Handkerchief'
Beautifully acted by a cast including William Hurt and a pre-stardom Kristen Stewart — as well as gorgeously photographed — “The Yellow Handkerchief” is a captivating film loosely based on...
Not ready for 'Prime' time
The US version of "Prime Suspect" is going back to lock up. NBC gave "Without a Trace" creator Hank Steinberg the go-ahead in the fall to develop and write a...
Buzz over songwriter's finale
The reviews won't be out until March 11, but fans of musical theater are already flocking to the Vine yard Theatre to catch a preview of the new John Kander...
The Post column that sparked 'The Yellow Handkerchief'
The film "The Yellow Handkerchief" is loosely based on a column by Pete Hamill that appeared in The Post in October 1971. "I did a series of fictional columns called...
'Beat' is MTV's dance fever sore
Definitely the worst original TV movie of the year (and I predict that this honor will hold good for the next 10 months and maybe the decade), MTV's "Turn the...
'Boner' found dead in Canada
Friends searching a Vancouver park yesterday found the body of missing "Growing Pains" actor Andrew Koenig, authorities said. At a press conference in Stanley Park, police said foul play was...
Poll: Employee- boss Facebook friendship not a good match
It's an employee's big fear -- how to deal with a Facebook "friend" request from your boss. A survey released yesterday found that 56 percent of Americans say it's irresponsible...
Terrorists & tax cheats: AG's deadly comparison
THE ISSUE: AG Holder's appointment to the Justice Dept. of lawyers who represented terrorists. *** Nine of President Obama's Justice Department appointees represented or advocated on behalf of terrorists held...
Pull your weight, Europe
European leaders were shocked this week when Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a NATO audience that the alliance faces a "crisis" because the continent has largely demilitarized. Why the surprise...
ID toll in Dubai hit
JERUSALEM -- Eight more people in Israel turned out yesterday to have names matching suspects in the assassination of a top Hamas operative in Dubai and claimed their identities had...
Street smart on street food
THE ISSUE: The city's response to street vendors who leave their food carts unattended. *** A food vendor in New York City can leave his cart unattended for up to...
'Victory' in Marjah
MARJAH, Afghanistan -- The Afghan government took official control of the southern Taliban stronghold of Marjah yesterday, installing an administrator and raising the national flag while US-led troops worked to...
CIA missile strike blows away Taliban big
ISLAMABAD -- A Pakistani Taliban commander wanted in the deadly 2006 bombing of the US consulate in Karachi was killed in a suspected CIA missile strike in northwest Pakistan, officials...
Syria bites Bam's open hand (again)
How many times does the Obama ad ministration have to get bitten before it stops leading with an "open hand"? Hillary Clinton this week called on Syrian President Bashar Assad...
Tragic McQueen goes out in style
The biggest names in British fashion said goodbye to troubled designer Alexander McQueen yesterday, dressing the part in outrageous duds that would have pleased the tragic trendsetter. About 100 mourners...
Business briefs
Cablevision up Cablevision posted fourth-quarter sales that beat analysts' esti mates after adding In ternet and phone cus tomers. Sales climbed 5 percent to $2.14 billion, compared with the $2.03...
Rent-threat bully caged
A Greenwich Village restaurant owner who threatened his building manager with pliers, a hammer, a fake gun, and even sexual assault by a large Eastern European chef -- all to...
New pain for dominatrix
Stunned associates of a Long Island lawyer who allegedly moonlighted as a dominatrix said the wild claims might cost the attorney her position in the Suffolk County Women's Bar Association....
NYPD Daily Blotter
Manhattan It was a high-octane con job. A gal with a long rap sheet conned a guy into filling her tank at a West Side gas station and stole his...
A (boring) win for the GOP
Yesterday's health summit was mind-bogglingly, soul-achingly, sand- poundingly, metaphysically and ontologically boring. At one point, I could swear, Sen. Mitch McConnell was counting fibers in the carpet just to stay...
Stop talking & lead
A little over a year into his first term, President Obama finally lived up to his election-year promise to hold health-care negotiations on C-SPAN. Better late than never, I suppose....
Zazi zaps buddies
The feds reaped the first fruits of terror plotter Najibullah Zazi's cooperation yesterday, adding new charges against two Queens high-school pals of his who allegedly were involved in the scheme...
'Deathwatch' pols give gov 4 wks. at best
ALBANY -- Gov. Paterson bought four more weeks in office -- at best -- by asking Andrew Cuomo to probe his involvement in a scandalous effort to intimidate a battered...
Pack your dirty tricks & get the hell out
He did it. He really did it. Gov. Paterson pulled a Spitzer. Like his disgraced patron, Paterson created a huge deficit of trust with the citizens of New York, then...
DC health-clubbing
President Obama said he came to listen to Republicans at his bipartisan health-care summit yesterday, but he ended up in a long-winded debate. "Should people in Washington decide exactly how...
Sound the snooze alarm over peevish prez
WASHINGTON -- Anyone expecting the professor- in-chief yesterday to perform miracles and begin healing all the sick for free and waking his health-care legislation from the dead were mightily disappointed....
Madoff crony busted
The roundup of Bernard Madoff's alleged henchmen continued yesterday with the arrest of his longtime director of operations. Daniel Bonventre allegedly covered up his boss' massive fraud -- while backdating...
Gap sales surge, profits jump 45%
Gap Inc. posted a 45 percent rise in profit during its holiday quarter, helped by fewer discounts and improved sales in all divisions, and gave a 2010 profit forecast that...
Better profit and growth for Kohl's
Mid-tier department-store operator Kohl's Corp. reported a higher-than-expected fourth-quarter profit and forecast continued growth from its lucrative exclusive brands, sending its shares up 4.9 percent. The company expects earnings for...
Sirius XM rises into new orbit
What a difference a year makes. Last February, Sirius XM Radio was on the brink of bankruptcy, with a stock price of just a few pennies and the auto industry's...
Hummer stunner
General Motors is considering expressions of interest from several unnamed potential buyers, according to five people briefed on the discussions, a day after saying it would discontinue the brand by...
Scent of ohh! de High Line
One whiff'll get ya high. High Line Park is now a perfume -- also designed to lift the senses above the city's grit and grime. So says Laurice Rahme, founder...
Swiss mull withholding tax on all foreign assets
Switzerland is considering a withholding tax on foreign assets and wants to sign treaties with other countries to crack down on untaxed funds stashed at its banks without abandoning banking...
Hit-run gal in'sis'tent
The woman whose car ran down a Bloomberg-administration staffer and her pal in a weekend hit-and-run in Brooklyn insisted yesterday that it was her sister who was behind the wheel....
Cuts will abandon riders at Grand Central: MTA
Top transit officials admitted yesterday that straphangers will be left "stranded" after service cuts are put into place this summer. Riders along express bus routes will especially be left behind,...
Kmart's Con fined
A federal judge ordered former Kmart CEO Chuck Conaway to pay more than $10 million, ruling that he misled shareholders about the discount chain's financial health ahead of a 2002...
Bubbly burst$ for club 'cons'
Two clubbers looking to impress a rap star in a celebrity-studded Chelsea hot spot wound up behind bars after they rang up a whopping $28,500 tab on expensive champagne --...
Heartbreaking video of doomed trainer's final moments with killer whale
A trainer drowned by a behemoth killer whale at SeaWorld can be seen in chilling video footage smiling and frolicking in the water with the orca moments before her death....
Wheelchair 'train bomb'
A legless man being pushed in a wheelchair by two people managed to plant a crude explosive device at the 125th Street Metro-North train station yesterday afternoon, causing trains to...
Massive snafu for Facebook
The folks at Facebook are probably wishing they had a giant recall button at their disposal. The hugely popular social-networking Web site suffered an apparent glitch late Wednesday, when a...
A weekly weakling
ATTEMPTS by Newsweek CEO Tom Ascheim and Editor-in-Chief Jon Meacham to reshape the magazine into a lower-circulation weekly with a more Economist-like feel do not seem to be paying off....
Trump vs. Icahn in NJ court
Real-estate mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump yesterday slammed rival billionaire Carl Icahn in a New Jersey courtroom, calling him a cheapskate who wouldn't spend $3 to revive his...
Bono rings up big losses
U2 frontman Bono might want to consider holding a benefit concert for Palm. The principal owner of the ailing smartphone maker, whose shares sank 19 percent yesterday, is himself smarting...
Weird but true
Now that's drunk. Police in South Bend, Ind., arrested a man for DWI after other motorists reported he was driving down the road with the hose from a gas pump...
Big East benches refs for bad calls
Two of the Big East Conference's veteran referees have been told they will not be working the league's championship tournament because of calls that went against Louisville in a 77-74...
Mustangs show fight as season comes to end
Truman’s season came to an end Thursday in a 55-46 loss to Manhattan Center in the PSAL Class AA girls basketball second round in East Harlem. But there was some...
Henry shoots Midwood past Banneker
Francess Henry came into Midwood’s game with Banneker trying to shed a few things. The junior wanted to continue to dispel the notion that she is just a shooter and...
Nailbiter: Center gets by Truman in second round
It could have been a complete disaster for Manhattan Center. Star guard Aziza Patterson had the nail on her right thumb ripped off at the end of the first quarter...
Huge explosion shakes Kabul
A huge explosion shook Kabul early Friday (local time) and scattered gunfire broke out as ambulances rushed to the scene and loudspeaker announcements told bleary-eyed residents to stay indoors. There...
Avoid World of Outlaws
When I think of sports almost all American's enjoy, ice skating is at the bottom of the list. Now, however, I can safely say "Move over ice skating! Here comes...
Ford: Paterson should not run for election
Harold Ford Jr. has become the latest Democrat to call for Gov. Paterson to decide to forgo his campaign in the fall in the wake of the shocking allegations of...
Back to the Future: BA's Top 10 Yankees Prospects in 2008
Beating the Bushes is counting down to the start of the 2010 baseball season, which kicks off April 4 at Fenway Park when the Yankees take on the Red Sox....
Canada blanks USA for gold in women's hockey
Canada beat its American rival 2-0 to win the women's hockey gold medal in a third straight Olympics. Marie-Philip Poulin scored two goals and Shannon Szabados made 28 saves Thursday...
Coroner: Casey Johnson's death diabetes related
An autopsy has confirmed that Los Angeles socialite Casey Johnson died of a complication of diabetes. The Los Angeles County coroner's report released Thursday showed the 30-year-old Johnson, an heir...
Back to the Future: BA's Top 10 Mets Prospects in 2008
Beating the Bushes is counting down to the start of the 2010 baseball season, which kicks off April 4 at Fenway Park when the Yankees take on the Red Sox.In...
Olympic veteran Bill Demong wins historic first Nordic gold for US
Olympic veteran Bill Demong capped the United States' impressive Nordic Combined campaign at the Vancouver Games by winning the large hill gold medal on Thursday (local time). Fellow American Johnny...
Manhunt after violent NY criminal accidentally freed from Maryland prison
Police are searching for a New York man who was accidentally freed from Maryland prison where he was serving a life sentence for attempted murder, officials said in a statement...
Custodian sexually attacks deaf mute patient
A custodian sexually attacked a deaf and mute patient at Kings County Hospital in a brutal act, authorities revealed today. Larry J. Taylor, 30, was identified by his victim following...