February 12, 2010
Final Fantasy XIII is coming: rejoice
Everyone remembers their first time.I entered the Final Fantasy realm a little bit later than most considering it took until the 10th installment for me to actually give the beloved...
Cynthia Rowley
Puffer and fringe. Cynthia Rowley worked with two media for fall and exploited them in a collection of ways. There were puffer coats (obviously), puffer boots, neck scarves, gloves and...
Thousands of troops launch offensive on Taliban stronghold
Thousands of U.S. Marines, NATO and Afghan troops Saturday (local time) launched a major operation against the Taliban stronghold of Marjah in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, AFP reported. Planned and...
B67 not so crowded: MTA
If it walks like and talks like a duck, it’s not always a duck, a Metropolitan Transportation Authority official said last week.That’s the case at least along the B67, a...
Pitino repeats: 'I'm not going back to the pros'
At least one thing is certain: Rick Pitino is still the head coach at Louisville. After denying reports that he had inquired about the Nets job and dealing with the...
3 shot dead at University of Alabama's Huntsville campus
A biology professor is in custody in connection with three fatal shootings on the University of Alabama in Huntsville campus Friday afternoon, The Huntsville Times reported. Dr Amy Bishop, a...
Toyota recalls 8,000 Tacoma trucks in US
Toyota on Friday recalled about 8,000 of its Tacoma pickup trucks over faulty propeller shafts, a U.S. government official said. The shafts were built by supplier Dana Corp from December...
UConn's Calhoun wants to keep coaching
STORRS, Conn. -- Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun said he will not commit to coaching beyond this season, even though his 3½-week medical leave of absence did nothing to diminish his...
L.A.M.B.
Gwen Stefani is a punk. And she always will be. And fall is always her season. It's dark, it's edgy, it's leather and it's corseted. It's what she wears and...
Heart Truth Red Dress Collection
Red hot and ready to rock, celebrities took to the runway for The Heart Truth's Red Dress Campaign, a fashion show dedicated to raising awareness about women and heart disease....
Grab a bench
With Valentine's Day fast approaching, we suggest a novel and design-friendly way to say "I Love You" in a way that benefits the community as a whole. Adopt a bench...
Jason Wu
It's tulle time. Sure, wunderkind Jason Wu created a lovely collection of day wear that featured some great coats, innovative paint spackled suits and jackets and amazing furry mohair pieces....
Report: Yes, Dansby is interested in Giants
Cardinals free agent linebacker Karlos Dansby has taken to Sirius Radio again to express his interest in playing for the Giants.SNY's Adam Schein wrote on his Twitter page that during...
Vance digs deeper into $750K Bloomberg donation
Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr. has dropped another subpoena in his investigation of how $750,000 of Mayor Bloomberg's money was spent in a secretive poll-watching operation, officials confirmed. Vance is...
Bench warming
With Valentine's Day fast approaching, we suggest a novel and design-friendly way to say "I Love You" in a way that benefits the community as a whole. Adopt a bench...
King: White House can't find city to take terror trials
Testifying at a City Council hearing, Rep. Peter King said today the biggest problem the White House faces in moving the terror trials out of New York City is finding...
With first event cancelled, Vonn gets another day off
WHISTLER, British Columbia -- Lindsey Vonn is getting extra time to let her badly bruised right shin rest and heal, thanks to an Olympic skiing schedule already in disarray because...
Yankees' Gardner OK anywhere in outfield
TAMPA -- Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner is trying to win a starting spot at spring training. Whether it will be in left or center has not yet been determined. Not...
Jets hire Carrier to coach D-line
The Jets today hired former NFL safety Mark Carrier to coach their defensive line.Carrier had been coaching the Ravens' secondary since he was hired there in 2006. Before that, he...
Rangers trade for Shelley
PITTSBURGH -- The Rangers didn't want to bring back Colton Orr after the heavyweight's contract expired at the end of last season. They thought signing Donald Brashear two months after...
Fantasy Spring Training: Meet the Mets
It was only last season that six players on the Mets roster conceivably could have been taken in the first three rounds of a fantasy draft (Wright, Reyes, Beltran, Delgado,...
Red Bulls trim roster by 4
The Red Bulls trimmed their roster by four players today, waiving keeper Danny Cepero and defenders Carlos Johnson and Walter Garcia, while not picking up the option on midfielder Matthew...
Hungary for movies
Films by Hungarian Bela Tarr separate the cineaste from the casual moviegoers. Tarr's films are minimal, metaphysical and sloooow. Not exactly mall-friendly. But Tarr has loyal fans, who undoubtedly will...
Travers-ty of Justice
Alan Dershowitz on the biases and prejudices of those investigating Israel (Hudson New York)
Free Speech on Campus?
Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren tries to be heard at UC Irvine (Volokh Conspiracy)
Rice to seek Dem. nomination for AG
ALBANY -- It's official! Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice will seek the Democratic nomination for attorney general if -- as is certain -- AG Andrew Cuomo runs for governor.That...
Coke's Super Bowl ad strangely familiar
If you’re going to rip off another company’s ad, you might want to air it in a less high profile venue than, say, the Super Bowl.Madison Avenue is buzzing about...
Spacedrip
Abe Greenwald on why Obama cuts to NASA is going to be a serious problem (Commentary)
Giants name Mike Sullivan QB coach
The Giants have found their new quarterbacks coach and is it someone Eli Manning is quite familiar with. The team has decided to move receivers coach Mike Sullivan into the...
Back to the Future: BA's Top 10 Yankees prospects in 2004
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...
Volcker to Goldman Sachs: give up banking
After the so-called Volcker rule was proposed last month -- the idea being to separate banking functions from private equity, hedge fund and proprietary trading -- the big question was...
Pa. family: 'Friends' torture, kill disabled woman
GREENSBURG, Pa. — A mentally disabled woman was fed vegetable oil, spices, detergent, urine and medications, then forced to write a suicide note, stabbed to death, wrapped in plastic, put...
Minn. farmer says 'I love you' with manure
ALBERT LEA, Minn. — Nothing says “I love you” like a half-mile wide heart made out of manure. A southern Minnesota man created the Valentine’s Day gift for his wife...
Official: At least 5 sea lions fatally shot near Seattle
SEATTLE — Authorities say five or six sea lions have been shot to death near Seattle. The National Marine Fisheries Service said Friday it’s investigating the dead animals that drifted...
Retiring Rep. Kennedy to help substance abusers
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Patrick Kennedy says he wants to help people with substance abuse problems after he leaves Congress next year. The Rhode Island Democrat said Friday in a phone...
12-year-old Iowa boy charged in fatal shooting of stepfather
DES MOINES, Iowa — A 12-year-old Iowa boy has been charged with murder and other counts in a shooting that killed his stepfather and injured a young girl. The Iowa...
Metro derails, no serious injuries
WASHINGTON -- Hundreds of Metro riders in downtown Washington escaped serious injury when a six-car red line Metro train derailed Friday near the Farragut North station, officials said. Metro spokeswoman...
Georgian luger dies following crash
An Olympic luger died today following a horrific accident -- flying off the track and crashing into a steel pole while traveling 90 mph during a training run hours before...
Back to the Future: BA's Top 10 Mets prospects in 2004
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...
Rangers' Brashear clears waivers, but not assigned
PITTSBURGH -- So while the other 29 NHL teams have passed on the opportunity to add Donald Brashear and his over-35, two-year, $2.8 million contract, the Rangers appear in no...
Thousands of Haitians apply, pay for legal status
WASHINGTON -- More than 12,000 Haitians have applied for the chance to stay and work legally in the U.S. while their country struggles to recover from last month's earthquake. The...
Report: Teammate says Kovalchuk could wind up staying with Devils
With Ilya Kovalchuk himself saying "I really like it" here, at least one of his new Devils teammates wouldn't be surprised if he signed to stay with the team after...
O congratulates Mandela on 20th anniversary
WASHINGTON-- President Barack Obama has telephoned Nelson Mandela to congratulate the former South African president on the 20th anniversary of his triumphant release from prison. White House press secretary Robert...
Police: NY man kills girlfriend, dumps body
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Authorities say an upstate New York man who reported his girlfriend missing nearly two weeks ago has been charged with killing her during a domestic dispute and...
Police: Wrong way drunken driver on the Hutch
PELHAM MANOR, N.Y. — A Westchester County man is accused of driving the wrong way on a parkway, while drunk, during Wednesday’s snowstorm. Police say he also drove at an...
The weekly wrap-up, February 12
This week we learned that...… John Cheever and Siouxsie and the Banshees will cure your real estate anxiety. [The Awl] … The Beanie Babies guy owns the Four Seasons? [Crain’s]...
US side Oracle wins America's Cup opener against Alinghi
U.S. side Oracle won the opening race of the 33rd America's Cup Friday by a comfortable 15:28 minutes over two-time defending Swiss champion Alinghi. Oracle's trimaran overtook Alinghi's catamaran half-way...
Report: Delgado could wait till midseason to sign
Carlos Delgado's agent says the first baseman is not willing to accept any of the offers on the table and could wait until later in the season to sign.FOXSports.com reports...
Project Runway at Fashion Week
Project Runway took over the Bryant Park tents Friday morning for one of the longest shows in fashion week history. The season seven finale show taped Friday morning and featured...
Endorsments for Gilly shows Ford Jr. is "late" to the race
The overwhelming endorsement for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand from the Manhattan County Democrats last night signals how "very, very late" Harold Ford Jr. is coming to the senate race, according to...
Problems of Afghanistan War are examined
As about 100 people listened intently, a veteran Afghanistan war journalist explained why the United States should pull out of the decimated country.Anand Gopal, who formally worked as a war...
Keith Haring by House of Field
They say the best things are worth the wait, and in the case of Keith Haring by House of Field, this old adage proves to be true. After a year’s...
Bedazzled at House of Field
This might’ve been one of the best presentations ever: Amidst the neon lights, bubbly, sparkly frocks, glittery wigs and studded necklaces was a mini-crew of male go-go dancers, scantily clad...
Tiger to offer wife new boat as 'peace offering': report
Embattled golf superstar Tiger Woods has reportedly drowned his sorrows by reportedly buying a custom-designed boat and naming it "Solitude" as a peace offering to his wife. Aptly named after...
Malawi to villagers: Make way for Madonna
BLANTYRE, Malawi — Malawi's government has told a group of villagers they will have to move to make way for a $15 million girls' school being built by pop star...
TLC chief won't seek another term
The chief of yellow cabs and limousines is stepping out. Matt Daus, commissioner of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, has decided not to seek another term, Mayor Bloomberg said today...
Iran's atomic hot air
The White House yesterday dismissed Iranian claims of a leap forward in uranium enrichment, and expressed concern that the Islamic regime appeared to have “unplugged” Google and other Internet sites....
Feds subpoena $enate’s records
Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed the state Senate for records relating to $105,000 in grants Senate President Malcolm Smith secured since 2001 for a controversial Queens charity he founded, sources said...
Lakers coach Schaus dies
Fred Schaus, a former star player at West Virginia, No. 1 NBA draft pick and coach of Hall of Famer Jerry West at West Virginia and for the Lakers, died...
Gov gives Gilly more tough love
ALBANY – Gov. Paterson offered his handpicked U.S. senator, Kirsten Gillibrand more backhanded support this morning, saying the former upstate congresswoman is overcoming her ignorance on immigration issues.“She clearly understood...
Dugard's journal shows torment of woman's captivity
SAN FRANCISCO — Jaycee Dugard, the Northern California woman who was kidnapped as a child and held prisoner for 18 years, kept a diary in which she wrote of longing...
Box Office: Female-driven fare expected to dominate
Though it's egregiously awful even by the appalling standards of contemporary romantic comedies, Garry Marshall's all-star "Valentine's Day'' is expected to easily dominate the four-day President's Day Weekend, with the titular holiday...
DVR Alert: Weill, MacMurray, Preminger rarity
If you are a movie and/or musical theater buff lucky enough to have access to the Fox Movie Channel (Channel 257 on Time Warner Cable in Manhattan), do yourself a...
Drama Mama: 'Lost' Valentine
The Winter Olympics mean that we’ll all have to muddle through without Benson, Stabler and Jay Leno for the week, but there’s still plenty of good drama on the other...
Clinton says he feels great, ready to work again
CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. — Former president Bill Clinton said Friday he felt “great” and planned to get back to work after undergoing heart surgery the previous day because “that’s what my...
It's You, Not Me
Ed Kilgore on why Liberals and Libertarians are breaking up (New Republic)
Let Joe Fisch Do It
Tom Robbins says Governor is trying a snow job (Village Voice)Something stinks at Aqueduct (Times Ledger)
The President's Reality Problem
Peggy Noonan sees an off-center President (Wall Street Journal)
Iran's Birthday Bash
MassoumehTorfeh says Iran is facing revolution again, this time over Islam (Guardian)Con Coughlin says Iran shows true colors on anniversary (Telegraph)
Bam's Tax Betrayal
Julie Mason says read his lips: Obama backs off tax hike ban (Washington Examiner)Tom Cambpell has a plan to halve the deficit by slashing O's budget (San Diego Union Tribune)
At last: Curtis claims PSAL A wrestling crown
Two years ago, Chris Alena made a phone call and James Holden made a promise. The Curtis wrestling coach dialed his star after watching the school's girls basketball team wrap...
U.S. Olympic skier Vonn upbeat after testing shin
VANCOUVER — The NBC peacock can breathe a little easier this morning. U.S. Olympic skiing star Lindsey Vonn, aided by pain killers and numbing cream, took a test run down...
Weather worries haunt Games
With more snow in Manhattan than on some of the mountains around Vancouver, weather continues to be a worry as the Winter Olympics open tonight. First came fears of not...
PSAL Class B boys basketball roundup: Lampkin goes over 1,000 points for Fannie Lou Hamer
Jamaal Lampkin went over the 1,000-point marker for his career as Fannie Lou Hamer pounded Bronx Leadership Academy, 82-22, in Bronx B East boys basketball. Lampkin scored 19 points and...
Bronze beauties at Fashion Week
It was a strange and sad start to Fashion Week. As the lights went down on the BCBG Max Azria runway, the first major show of the day, news of...
With Lindsey in doubt, others can grab Olympics spotlight
So now what? Most of the attention on the Vancouver Games has been focused on downhill skier Lindsey Vonn and the potential for her to be the Michael Phelps of...
Stars go red on runway
Red hot and ready to rock, celebrities took to the runway for The Heart Truth’s Red Dress campaign, a fashion show dedicated to raising awareness for women’s heart disease. Celebrities...
President Obama to help select location of 9/11 terror trial
President Obama will step up his role in the controversial debate surrounding where to try the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, it was reported Friday....
Fashion Week buzz: Friday, Feb. 12
* Sure, Molly Simms looked great in her plastic dress at Wednesday’s Gen Art fashion show. But what does the five-time Sports Illustrated swimsuit hottie think of Brooklyn Decker, 2010’s...
Kid stuff
TOMORROW WILDE THINGS: From flying fish to dogs who think they’re frogs, kids punk/folk duo Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke love to sing about animals with identity crises. Colorful illustrations...
Your lips are sealed
With a name like lipstick, one would assume that the product will stick to your lips — not someone else’s. But, last week, even Michelle Obama had to wipe the...
Weekend Calendar
ESPAÑA EN NUEVA YORK Want to visit Spain but can’t get a week off? No worries. Spain is coming to New York — in the form of the 10th Annual...
Vazquez sparks Flushing to PSAL 'B' wrestling crown
Danny Vazquez finally heard his named called. Flushing coach Luis Aguirre-Amaya was waiting to see where he would use the junior depending on how the match went and who Martin...
With Grace, Jefferson throttles Lincoln, moves on to borough final
If Thomas Jefferson can bottle up the second half, put it in a jar and save it for when needed, the Orange Wave may be dancing at Madison Square Garden...
MLS, Players Union agree to extend CBA talks
MLS and the Players Union agreed today to keep negotiating through February 25, as they work towards reaching a new collective bargaining agreement.Negotiations scheduled for this week were postponed due...
Warm up with BRIC
BRIC is ready to cure your winter blues with the best medicine – laughter.On February 27, the organization behind the summer festival Celebrate Brooklyn! is rearing up for the pending...
Cow quest over! New bovine to be shipped to Seth Low
Seth Low Junior High School will be cowless no more.The yard in front of the Bensonhurst school will soon be getting a new bovine — all the way from Poland!Principal...
Phenomenal Handclap Band goes local
With that, on February 21, Brooklyn Bowl kicks off Local X Local, a monthly event presented by Brooklyn Brewery & Brooklyn Bowl which celebrates Brooklyn’s local art and music community....
Drawing battle lines to save summer jobs program for area youth
The city’s summer jobs program is under the budget axe, again.City Councilmember Lewis Fidler – who is the chair of the council’s Youth Services Committee — told members of the...
Cheers for Canarsie school
A once-controversial school in Canarsie is now warmly accepted by the community.Last summer, East 107th Street residents and some members of School District 18’s Community Education Council (CEC) expressed concern...
Increase in burglaries has Canarsie cops alerting residents
Canarsie police are warning area residents about a spike in burglaries in one section of the neighborhood.The burglaries are occurring generally in the East 80s, south of Avenue M, Police...
Reduction in robberies key element in crime's downward trend in the 70th Precinct
Crime in one central Brooklyn precinct still appears to be on a downward trajectory.Five weeks into the new year, the 70th Precinct -- which encompasses Flatbush, Midwood and Kensington --...
Mill Basin crime 'concerns' cops
The 63rd Precinct is “concerned” about a rash of robberies in Mill Basin.“I’m concerned because robberies are a violent crime,” Lieutenant Robert Haley told residents at last week’s meeting of...
O no: Ellen's no Winfrey
Scratch Ellen DeGeneres off the list of possible "Oprah" replacements. DeGeneres' talk show, "Ellen," has been renewed on NBC-owned stations for another three seasons, taking it through 2014. That kills...
Mafia musical dies after one note
The Italian film industry must be in sad shape when its latest import to the US is a tired bit of trash from 1997, "To Die for Tano." It won...
More myths than hits in 'Percy Jackson's' ungodly Greek stew
Beware would-be fantasy fran chises bearing Greek gods, es pecially if they have tongue-twisting titles like "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief." That goes double if you're not...
'Barefoot' & stagnant
Artist/real-estate tycoon Ernest Aebi isn't a household name, nor is he going to be, based on "Barefoot to Timbuktu," Martina Egi's documentary about the eccentric gentleman. Born in Switzerland, Aebi...
They need family assistance
The riveting upstate New York documen tary "October Country" could have been titled "Family: A Horror Story." "October Country" doesn't really have a point, or a story, but it's an...
Emotionally distant 'Swan' a featherweight
Without the story, "Swan Lake" is just a bunch of steps. And that's how Peter Martins often treats his "streamlined" version at New York City Ballet. The tragic tale of...
Starr report
The kudos continue to roll in for CNN and TV One anchor/ reporter Roland Martin. Martin, whose new book was published last month ("The First: President Barack Obama's Road to...
Kind words for lead, not tale
Character actor Adam Scott ("Step Brothers") proves he has leading-man chops as an angry misogynist construction worker in "The Vicious Kind." Scott is viciously unkind, spewing random but hilarious tirades...
Salute planned for late 'Deadliest Catch' star
Discovery is planning an on- air tribute to "Deadliest Catch" star Capt. Phil Harris, who died Tuesday at the age of 53. Harris, the crusty, tattooed star of the reality...
Cell mates
Of all the bizarre matchups that end up in marriage, none are seemingly more bizarre than the couples who meet and marry when the groom is in prison -- often...
Khan't make it succeed
This film was not screened in advance for North American critics. Here are excerpts of a review from Reuters in India: 'My Name Is Khan" is a very average, ordinary...
'Valentine's Day' is a heart-shaped pox
Sitting through the all-star fiasco "Valentine's Day" is like consuming a 5-pound box of cheap chocolates at a single sitting. Less funny or romantic than your average colonoscopy, this cringe-inducing...
Broadway out for blood
With vampire mania at full-moon tilt -- "Twilight," "True Blood," "The Vampire Diaries" -- Broadway was bound to get a foot in that grave sooner or later. And in fact...
'Wolfman' a strange beast
Benicio Del Toro as a hairy psycho who roams the land on a deranged murder spree while driven by a monstrous disease? I thought this movie was called “Che.” No,...
Next ‘Big’ thing
'Big Time Rush" is already scoring some big time ratings. After less than a month on the air, Nickelodeon's newest live-action series has found a loyal cable audience among total...
Stiletto-heel stab
LONDON -- A 33-year-old woman has been charged with stabbing a man through the eye with her stiletto heel, police say. The couple, sharing a cab, had gotten into an...
Heavy-handed WH flack puts foot in mouth
THE ISSUE: Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs' mocking of Sarah Palin for using speech notes. *** White House chief spokesman Robert Gibbs has some gall to mock Sarah Palin for writing...
Negotiations only boost the Taliban
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is proceeding with his plans for high-level negotiations with Taliban leadership -- and the Obama administration seems willing to go along. Yet such talks damage US...
DC's Kennedy era ending
Camelot's DC reign is over. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), the last Kennedy to serve in Congress, has decided not to run for re-election this year. Kennedy, son of the late...
Lego looters
FREMONT, Calif. -- Three San Francisco landmarks have been stolen. The loss is estimated at $6,000. Actually, they're miniatures of the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, Ghirardelli Square and the...
Iran's birthday bash
Yesterday, the Islamist dictatorship in Tehran celebrated its 31st birthday with nuclear candles, crushing Iranian dreams of freedom and Western hopes of appeasement. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that his scientists...
The president's reality problem
It might have been the most revelatory moment of the Obama presidency. In an interview with Time magazine, a chastened President Obama talked of his sputtering Middle East peace initiative....
Doomed by rising debt
THE ISSUE: The United States' reliance on China purchasing US Treasuries to manage our debt. *** Irate is the best word to describe how many of us feel about the...
Earning Rings of fire
Millions will tune in to the opening ceremony of the Olympics tonight -- but few are more eager for the games to begin than NBC's long-suffering local stations. The network's...
Jersey gov turn$ into Mr. Freeze
TRENTON, NJ -- Gov. Chris Christie took broad steps yesterday to close New Jersey's $2.2 billion budget gap, freezing money for school districts, higher education and hospital services, among hundreds...
NYPD Daily Blotter
Manhattan--A knife-wielding thief cleaned out an employee at an Upper East Side Laundromat, police sources said yesterday. Brandishing a knife, the 6-foot-1 crook barged into 88 Cleaners on 88th Street...
How not to get to Sesame Street
This story is brought to you by the letter C -- for car accident. Beloved "Sesame Street" actress Loretta Long narrowly escaped serious injury when she was hit by a...
St. Vinny's late$t woe
A Queens oil company is suing St. Vincent's hospital, saying it never got paid for nine oil deliveries to the embattled West Village institution. The hospital owes County Oil Company...
Real estate maven Ross eyes banking
Manhattan real estate mogul Stephen M. Ross has quietly raised more than $1 billion so he can branch into banking. Ross, whose Related Cos. built the ritzy Time Warner Center...
Paramount lifts quarterly results at Viacom
Brad Grey's Paramount Pictures was a huge bright spot for Viacom last quarter. Spillover revenue from the surprise hit "Paranormal Activity," which Grey calls his "miracle movie," and stronger-than-expected DVD...
Chelsea blowout
A spectacular eight-story fireball erupted from an underground Con Ed transformer in Chelsea yesterday, blowing out windows as it scorched a building on Sixth Avenue. "I could feel the heat...
Trump ponders WTC bid
Donald Trump has joined the list of developers interested in owning 1 World Trade Center -- but sources said the Donald isn't quite sure he wants to win. "Trump loves...
'Resorts' to a sale
Resorts Hotel Casino in beleaguered Atlantic City has officially been put up for sale -- but any deal won't include the casino's gaming license. Sources said the property's lenders hired...
Hiram judge to rule soon
A judge could rule as early as next week whether the state Senate had the power to boot Hiram Monserrate via Tuesday night's historic expulsion vote. Manhattan federal Judge William...
Madison Ave. gem suspect had bulletproof vest
A man being questioned in connection with a fatal Madison Avenue jewelry-store robbery had a bulletproof vest in his apartment and a safe filled with stolen gems -- including a...
Business briefs
Raj ruling Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Raja ratnam won a post ponement of a federal judge's order that he turn over wiretaps that he got from prosecut ors...
Goldman programmer indicted in tech-theft case
Sergey Aleynikov may need more than acting skills and fancy footwork to get himself out of this jam. Aleynikov, a former Goldman Sachs computer programmer and amateur ballroom dancer who...
Shakeup in Saks' structure
Saks has proposed to "declassify" its board, a move that would put all directors' seats up for re-election at the same time. CEO Steve Sadove said the luxury chain aims...
Billboard's 'hot' 100
If you'd like some steamy soundtracks to set the mood on Valentine's Day, check out Billboard's new ranking of the sexiest songs ever. Surprisingly, it rated Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" the...
EBay under LVMH 'spell'
EBay Inc. can't reserve misspelled words corresponding to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA's brand names on Internet search engines to drive customers to its Web site, a Paris court...
Vote-switch charge in elex machines
There was a last-minute shift in the voting by Board of Elections commissioners in the competition for a $50 million contract for electronic voting machines, according to sources tied to...
Rachael's Rayging pit bull ordeal
TV hostess Rachael Ray is "grief-stricken" after her pit bull bit the ear off another dog, the latest in a series of vicious fights involving the pooch. Isaboo, a brown...
Alec's 'suicide threat' scare
Alec Baldwin fought with his 14-year-old daughter, taunting, "I'm going to take some pills. I'm going to end this" -- and then got furious when the panicked teen called 911,...
A blizzard of JFK complaints
Hundreds of passengers were stranded for up to six hours aboard a Hong Kong-bound jet at Kennedy Airport during Wednesday's blizzard. "They should have canceled it in the first place....
Marts rally 'Greeced' by Europe bailout plan
Greece keeps on bearing gifts to Wall Street. Stocks rallied here for the third straight day after European officials pledged a bailout to prevent Greece's debt-wracked economy from tipping into...
Go with the flow
It's curtains for vehicles along Broadway in Times Square -- and other major streets may soon get a taste of pedestrian friendliness. Mayor Bloomberg yesterday said pedestrian plazas created last...
Cop is facing kid-perv rap
A city cop is accused of repeatedly molesting a young girl over the past five years. Housing Officer Mackenson Jacques allegedly began sexually assaulting the girl, described as a relative,...
Cop denies baton assault
A Brooklyn cop accused of sodomizing a pot-smoking suspect with a retractable baton took the stand yesterday and admitted that he took the weapon out while giving chase -- but...
MySpace's Van Natta didn't see it coming
Dressed nattily in a tuxedo, Owen Van Natta glad-handed his way around Grammy weekend parties thrown by Clive Davis and EMI with the composed and confident look of a man...
Bonus blues fuel People StyleWatch defection
Changes that Time Inc. CEO Ann Moore made to the company's compensation structure may have been a reason People StyleWatch Publisher Michelle Myers is jumping to Condé Nast, insiders say....
Judge puts off BofA decision
The federal judge who nixed an earlier settlement between the Securities and Exchange Commission and Bank of America yesterday demanded to see more documents before deciding whether to approve a...
Principals told to tie teach tenure to tests
Education officials are for the first time urging school principals to factor student test score data into decisions about whether to grant tenure to eligible teachers. The controversial move --...
A 2nd pol treads on thin $lush
City Council members and staffers yesterday predicted that Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo could be the next member of their body indicted in an ongoing "slush fund" probe that just...
Get well, Mr. President
Here's hoping Bill Clinton is back on his feet in short order. The former president, now UN special envoy to Haiti, was hospitalized yesterday with chest pains. According to a...
Let Joe Fisch do it
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver yesterday raised the stakes in the rapidly growing Aqueduct scandal, formally calling on state Inspector General Joseph Fisch to launch an immediate investigation of the mess....
Bam's tax betrayal
Remember Joe the Plumber? He was the blue-collar dude who confronted Barack Obama late in the 2008 campaign with this challenge: "Your new tax plan's going to tax me more,...
Video shows Linda Stein 'killer' pants flipped
Liar! Liar! Pants -- inside out? Prosecutors have a bombshell ready to drop in the "Realtor to the Stars" case -- one that explains how accused murderess Natavia Lowery could...
Most New Yorkers hear neighbors having sex
"Yes, yes, yes . . . " No! More than two-thirds of city residents say they regularly hear their neighbors having sex, but few are brave enough to complain about...
Persico's son eyed in '92 hit
The squeaky-clean son of Colombo crime-family boss Carmine "Junior" Persico is being investigated for the 1992 murder of a Staten Island man who was dating the wife of the mob...
Missing-boy reward at 12G
Police have added $10,000 to the reward for helping find those responsible for the disappearance of a 7-year-old East New York boy from his foster family home. The money comes...
Seeking your rubber stamp
The city is hoping one of these condom-wrapper designs will get New Yorkers in the mood for safe sex. The designs -- which run the gamut from an elegant top...
Big Shel shock for slots deal
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver yesterday called for a state probe of Gov. Paterson's role in pushing a politically wired consortium to run the video-slots casino at Aqueduct Racetrack. Silver (D-Manhattan)...
Clinton heart op
Former President Bill Clinton's battle with heart disease flared up again yesterday when he was rushed to a Manhattan hospital, where surgeons propped open a clogged artery, officials said. Clinton...
'Singing' role for Cameron
The cat's out of the bag -- actor Michael Douglas' son is a rat. Cameron Douglas' shrink let slip the closely guarded, potentially dangerous secret during testimony yesterday at a...
No sex talk - I'm a stripper
Don't try to get the strippers at the Penthouse Executive Club to talk dirty to you. Leslie Liwanag, a former dancer at the Hell's Kitchen jiggle joint, claims the bosses...
N. Korea envoy due
SEOUL -- North Korea's chief nuclear envoy will make a rare US visit next month, indicating long-stalled talks on ending Pyongyang's atomic ambitions could be back on track. Now Kim...
Madoff kin in tax probe
Manhattan federal prosecutors are pursuing a criminal tax-fraud case against Bernard Madoff's brother and sons, it was reported today. The feds are probing Peter Madoff, who was the chief compliance...
Blame Spitzer: Paterson
Beleaguered Gov. Paterson, deflecting rumors of a sex scandal about to be made public, appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" last night to defend his honor and traced his woes...
In cod we still trust!
FOR anglers who want to wet a line, cod fishing remains the only game in town, but what a game it is. Cod are being caught all along the South...
Holyfield's wife says he hit her
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. -- Evander Holyfield's wife claims the boxing great hit her several times after an argument about her payments to their church, and she has received a temporary protective...
Zenyatta, 'Rachel' finally will meet in Apple Blossom
The "Race for the Ages" that racing fans have been clamoring for since last summer is a go. Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, two of the greatest racemares in history, finally...
Yankees' Johnson focuses on approach at plate
Nick Johnson may have two of the slowest legs in The Bronx this summer, but Kevin Long isn't interested in the Yankees' designated hitter's foot speed. Instead, the hitting coach...
The medium's the mixed message
Aa Howard Cosell solemnly said upon the passing of George Halas, age 89, "It was inevitable." Good call; the inevitable is always bound to happen. The inevitable occurred this week,...
Aqueduct Analysis
Today's analysis.1. 6 fur; $15,000; clm($7,500); 4up(f)DECORATED COURT came off the pace to win last start versus claimers. Entrymate INDY'S FORUM lost three-race winning streak when finishing third last out. EAST...
Grimmette draws flag duty ... again
They were best friends and neighbors, a couple of Lake Michigan kids who knew that the best way to take advantage of the cold and the snow of Muskegon, Mich.,...
Glavine's new role in Atlanta
ATLANTA -- Tom Glavine made his retirement official yesterday when he returned to the Braves in a loosely defined new role. Glavine was hired as special assistant to Braves president...
Minaya: Many Mets battles to be won at spring training
The Mets are baseball's piñata. They've made mistakes, and have been blasted, but when pitchers and catchers get together next week in Port St. Lucie, along with early arriving position...
Devils' Parise a go for Olympics
Everybody pulling for the U.S. hockey team in the Olympics, you can now take a big sigh of relief. Zach Parise, who was scratched for the Devils' 3-2 overtime loss...
Yzerman Canada's hope in hockey
DETROIT -- Wayne Gretzky shed some tears after Canada flopped to a seventh-place finish at the Olympics four years ago. The Great One made moves as Hockey Canada executive director...
A-Rod's turnaround is winning example for Mets
Think about who Alex Rodriguez was at this time last year. On the weekend before spring training opened, he was exposed by Sports Illustrated as a steroid cheat. His already...
Damon: 'Others' interested
Without mentioning teams by name, Johnny Damon said the number of clubs he is considering signing with isn't limited to the Braves and Tigers. "We have others," Damon told The...
Knicks' Lee gets late All-Star call
David Lee and LeBron James will be teammates for a weekend. The Knicks have their All-Star after all as Commissioner David Stern announced Lee will replace Allen Iverson on the...
Rangers put Brashear on waivers
Donald Brashear was brought in to serve as the physical enforcer for the Rangers. Now, less than a year into his two-year deal, Brashear is the one being pushed around....
Knicks' Walsh not just flirting with T-Mac
Knicks president Donnie Walsh said a misperception exists that his interest in the Rockets' Tracy McGrady is solely as a rental to inject life into a dying season. "There's reasons...
Rick's not long for Louisville, but don't count on N.J. landing
Lose or lose, the 4-48 Nets have had no problem this season attracting attention. What's especially charming is their capacity to get entangled in two or three webs concurrently, even...
Sources: Coach's reps reached out to next owner
Apparently, the best way to get to a billionaire is to go around his team president. And that, multiple sources maintained yesterday, was how supporters of Rick Pitino tried to...
Sports shorts
NFL: Pacman works out for Bengals Former Titans and Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones worked out for the Bengals yesterday, according to an ESPN.com report. The workout is thought to...
Hu-go K-Rod! Mets closer plays softball with Chavez
CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez and several members of his Cabinet took to the field yesterday for a slow-pitch softball game with some of Venezuela's past and present major...
Cavaliers win 13th straight
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James had 32 points and 13 assists as the Cavaliers matched their franchise record by winning their 13th straight game with a 115-106 victory over the Magic...
The Post Line
NCAA Basketball Favorite Line Underdog Harvard 5½ YALE PRINCETON 13½ Columbia BROWN 7 Dartmouth Cornell 15½ PENN West Virginia 2 PITTSBURGH Siena 2 NIAGARA RIDER Pick Fairfield CANISIUS 14½ Marist...
Giants release veteran Pierce
Antonio Pierce on Wednesday had what he described as "a long talk" with Giants coach Tom Coughlin. Yesterday, Pierce met with general manager Jerry Reese. There was no ranting, no...
Sources: Pitino tries end run to new Nets owner
Apparently, the best way to get to a billionaire is to go around his team president. And that, multiple sources maintained yesterday, was how supporters of Rick Pitino tried to...
Fashion genius Alexander McQueen's death a couture shock
Cutting-edge fashion designer Alexander McQueen -- devastated by the recent death of his mother -- hanged himself in his London home yesterday, sending a bolt of sadness through the heart...
Weird but true
I love you. Now pass the syrup. The decidedly lowbrow Waffle House will be unfurling the white table cloths for special, reservation-only candlelit dinners on Valentine's Day. "Valentine's at Waffle...
Hazell's fireworks help Seton Hall snap skid
In Notre Dame coach Mike Brey's opinion, Jeremy Hazell inspired his Seton Hall teammates last night. "He made big shots," Brey said, "to make them believe." Hazell poured in 35...
5 Questions for ... Jay Bilas
The NFL season is over and baseball is still two months away. With that in mind, The Post's Justin Terranova talked some March Madness with ESPN and CBS college basketball...
Calhoun returns to coach UConn
UConn coach Jim Calhoun appears on the mend. The Hall of Famer has to hope his return can salvage an NCAA tournament bid for the ailing Huskies. Calhoun returned to...
St. John's rips Louisville
On the night the city's most storied college basketball program celebrated the Silver Anniversary of the 1985 Final Four team, St. John's was shockingly golden, battering Louisville in an easy...
Looie: One great player can turn it all around
There they sat, the living embodiment of St. John's greatness -- Bill Wennington and Chris Mullin, the players who opted to turn down the likes of Duke and Virginia --...
PSAL boys basketball borough playoff roundup: Boys & Girls rally past Robeson, into Brooklyn final
At halftime, Ruth Lovelace was having flashbacks to recent Brooklyn borough semifinals defeats. Her Boys & Girls boys basketball team was trailing Robeson by nine points. “We came out a...
Lincoln gets 'bullied' by Jefferson, borough title run ends at five
Dwayne (Tiny) Morton stood with his arms crossed nearly the entire fourth quarter. Clearly unhappy, the Lincoln boys basketball coach watched his team unravel in the Brooklyn borough semifinals, losing...
Seahawks soar past Bergtraum, earn rubber match with Wadleigh
West 50th Street Campus went 5-10 last year, in its first season in Manhattan AA. To compound matters, the Seahawks graduated five integral seniors, including leading scorer Javier McKenzie. As...
Girls basketball roundup: Truman stuns Manhattan Center
Krystal Pearson had 17 points and Nijah Townsend had 14 points to lead Truman to a shocking, 51-47 win against Manhattan Center in PSAL Class AA girls basketball Thursday in...
Getting defensive: Lincoln stymies Midwood in upset
Denis Nolan took the bus to work Thursday due to icy roads and used public transportation to get home from his Lincoln girls basketball team’s game against Midwood. “I’m going...
St. Mike's O'Neill earns second All-American nod of week
Another day, another All-American honor for Jennifer O’Neill. The St. Michael Academy senior was named to the WBCA All-American team Monday and Thursday it was announced that she’ll participate in...
Bergtraum shoots down Kennedy
Ed Grezinsky was loose -- as loose as you’ll see the intense Murry Bergtraum girls basketball coach. He was ribbing people at the scorer’s table and kidding around with referees...
Jaycee Dugard's journal reveals her hell at hands of alleged rapist
Journal entries presented to a California court on Thursday give a frightening glimpse in to the life of Jaycee Dugard, who was kidnapped as a child and allegedly held captive...
McQueen's unique vision
One day in 2000, I was in London driving up in a cab to the Alexander McQueen show at a warehouse in some far flung corner of the city. The...
The Butler Did It
Every time she steps on the basketball court, every time her name is mentioned over the public address system at Dowling College, Connie Simmons is honoring her grandfather’s legacy. Before...
Clinton's prognosis 'excellent': doctor
The cardiologist of former U.S. president Bill Clinton says his prognosis is "excellent" and has cleared him to return to work on Monday. At a press conference outside Columbia's New...
Pinkston named McDonald's All-American
Jayvaughn Pinkston has wanted to become a McDonald’s All-American since he started playing basketball. That’s now a reality for the Bishop Loughlin senior, who was named to the prestigious all-star...
Cushnie et Ochs
In response to the sudden and shocking death of fashion designer Alexander McQueen, Cushnie & Ochs thoughtfully (and rapidly) included a tribute inside of each guests’ shownotes. Though the mood...
Paying tribute to McQueen
Even the too-cool-for-school fashion crowd at Cushnie et Ochs couldn’t help but be moved by the touching tribute made to the great Alexander McQueen. The designers paid homage to the...
Madoff lieutenant appears to be giving it up
A federal judge just granted bail to Ponzi King Bernard Madoff’s right hand man, Frank DiPascali Jr., suggesting that the former CFO for Madoff’s investment unit has proven an asset...
Lehman art auction postponed
The Mayor of Philadelphia requested that all businesses in the city remain closed Thursday and possibly Friday, forcing a postponement of the final Lehman Brothers art auction scheduled to take...
President Obama calls Bill Clinton to wish him a speedy recovery
U.S. President Barack Obama called former president Bill Clinton to wish him a speedy recovery from heart surgery on Thursday, a White House official said. Shortly before 7 p.m, Obama...
Clinton is the big-living ex-U.S. president who won't slow down
Despite extensive heart surgery in 2004, former U.S. president Bill Clinton has kept up a punishing schedule with high-profile missions to North Korea and more recently Haiti. During his checkered...
Devils' Parise says he's fine for Friday, Olympics
Zach Parise said he expects to play Friday for the Devils when they face the Predators in Newark, and later next week in the Vancouver Olympics.Parise missed his first game...