January 14, 2014
Andrew Cuomo’s fracking ‘cone’ job
Blocking traffic on toll-plaza lanes of the George Washington Bridge for four days under cover of a bogus traffic study turned out to be a very bad idea. So why...
National hysteria over Bridgegate is overblown
What a bizarre spectacle. Assuming he didn’t lie during his marathon news conference last week, the feeding frenzy surrounding New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will be remembered as one of...
Uncle Sam's dubious drinking advice
Does your doctor nag you about your drinking? The federal government wishes he would. Last week the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted with alarm that most...
Turning from sellers to buyers won't help Rangers in long run
The Rangers’ revival may have hit a speed bump at the Garden on Tuesday night with a 2-1 defeat to the Lightning, but the 8-3-1 run into a playoff position,...
DirecTV drops Weather Channel over 1 cent
DirecTV dropped the Weather Channel because the cable network refused to accept a 75 percent rate cut, according to Dave Kenny, CEO of Weather Company, the media company’s parent. The...
St. John's loses to DePaul, falls to 0-4 in Big East
ROSEMONT, Ill. — It’s getting late early. The St. John’s season that began with NCAA Tournament aspirations has become a major disappointment more than halfway through the regular season. Four...
Panthers put Islanders' win streak on ice
All win streaks must come to an end Scottie Upshall scored a short-handed goal and had an assist to lead the Panthers over the Islanders 4-2 on Tuesday night. The...
Triple-digit square-foot prices are on the rise
We’re back.Boutique financial firms inked deals for 80 offices last year at $100 per square foot or more in 27 different buildings, up from 2012, when there were just 51...
Jagr scores 695th goal in Devils’ win over Canadiens
Devils veterans Jaromir Jagr and Martin Brodeur just keep summoning good hockey out of their 41-year-old bodies. The sure-fire Hall of Famers stole the show at the Bell Centre on...
Court strikes down FCC's 'net neutrality' rules
Equality on the Internet is dead. On Tuesday, a federal appeals court opened the door for broadband service providers like Verizon and AT&T to charge certain content providers — like...
London remains in fog over Nets-Hawks showdown
LONDON — When asked about his enthusiasm level for this week’s journey across the Atlantic, coach Jason Kidd didn’t do much to sell Thursday’s matchup between his Nets and the...
Rangers foiled by Lightning's giant goalie
It took a lot for the Rangers to lose this one — a bad break here, a missed assignment there, and then a 6-foot-7 goalie morphing into a brick wall....
Mattress merger would be king-size pain for Sleepy’s
A pair of king-size mattress retailers are looking to make the springs squeak. Mattress Firm — the No. 1 chain in the US, with more than 1,100 stores — is...
How cartels use tunnels to send drugs into US
NOGALES, Ariz. — As border security has tightened, drug cartels have turned to tunneling beneath the ground to avoid detection. Nearly 170 tunnels have been found nationwide since 1990, most...
Knicks’ win streak snapped while J.R. watches from the bench
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The J.R. Smith-Mike Woodson feud escalated Tuesday, putting the future of the Knicks’ sixth man under a dark cloud. Smith didn’t play again, but this time the...
Martoma may have lied to Stanford -- as well as Harvard
Former SAC portfolio manager and alleged inside trader Mathew Martoma appears to have lied not just to Harvard Law School but also to Stanford University Business School. Martoma enrolled at...
Not all Yankees brass sold on Tanaka
TAMPA — The Yankees have their sights set on Masahiro Tanaka and nothing figures to change that until the Japanese star finds a home in the majors. Still, the team’s...
Enjoy fine dining? Hire a sitter and leave the baby at home!
Parents who bring a bawling baby into a high-end restaurant are braindead — not only at Grant Achatz’s world-acclaimed Alinea in Chicago, where a wailing 8-month-old made diners miserable last...
Forbes lists top-earning 'Idol' alums
Forbes on Tuesday released a list of the top-earning “American Idol” alums, and not surprisingly, Carrie Underwood topped the list by a landslide. The country star — who won “Idol”...
Jury deliberates fate of 1987 Sunset Park murder suspect
A Brooklyn jury has begun deliberating the fate of an East Village man who, 23 years later, was nabbed by DNA evidence for the brutal stabbing death of teen Sunset...
Giants tap Packers' QB coach to run offense
The Giants usually are not a franchise that specializes in surprises, but they outdid themselves Tuesday when they hired Packers quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo as their new offensive coordinator. Mike...
US returns stolen artifacts to India in wake of 'Nannygate'
Indian and American officials played nice for a change Tuesday as the US returned three rare antiques that had been stolen in India but were later recovered by customs officials...
New Yorkers fall short on 'muscle-strengthening': report
They seem to be pumping iPhones, not iron. In a city where physical fitness is coveted, only 30 percent of adults engage in “muscle-strengthening activity” twice weekly, as recommended by...
Tyson Chandler ready to return to Knicks lineup
CHARLOTTE -- Knicks center Tyson Chandler will return Tuesday night to face the Bobcats following a four-game absence and a bout with bronchitis. The Knicks have ripped off five straight...
NYC auctioning off life rafts it won't guarantee
Thar...they blow! The city is channeling its inner scallywag — auctioning off life boats in such “poor condition” they come with a use-at-your-own risk warning. The faded 15-man life boats...
Best 4 teams still standing in NFL, for a change
Parity has struck out in the NFL. There are no Cinderella cries of “Why not us?” in Denver, in New England, in Seattle or in San Francisco. There are no...
How Tom Brady got to 10-4 vs. Peyton Manning
The Legacy Championship game Sunday in Denver will be downplayed by the protagonists, to no avail. The scoreboard reads "Tom Brady 10, Peyton Manning 4," and this could very well...
'Nannygate' diplomat: Let me back in US
The Indian diplomat booted from the United States after being enmeshed in the Nannygate scandal filed legal papers on Tuesday seeking to dismiss the criminal charges against her, so she...
Suspect arrested in East Village rape
Police have arrested a man in the rape of a woman in the East Village, sources said. Fermin Flores, 32, was picked up Tuesday and taken to the Special Victims...
American diplomat ran consulate like party pad: suit
An Italy-based American diplomat brazenly bedded staffers and hookers, fabricated expense reports, and knowingly served rotten meat to a visiting British consul general, a blockbuster Brooklyn federal lawsuit charges. Naples...
The day in photos
A mass rally, voting in Egypt, prophet Muhammad's birth, Berlin Fashion Week, a dead whale and more.
Kidd glad Deron Williams stayed home to rest ankles
LONDON – Deron Williams had hoped to make a return trip to London for the Nets' game Thursday against the Hawks at O2 Arena, where Williams claimed his second gold...
Inside movie murder: Texting and popcorn made ex-cop 'snap'
A retired cop who police say went ballistic and fatally shot a man for texting in a Florida movie theater was ordered held without bail Tuesday. Curtis Reeves was charged...
Israeli defense chief: John Kerry is 'obsessive and messianic'
JERUSALEM — Israel's defense minister was quoted Tuesday as deriding U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's Mideast peace efforts as naive and foolhardy, triggering an angry response from Washington and...
Road-weary Nets are sleepless in London
LONDON – Brooklyn Nets, meet the London Zombies. “You know what? I haven’t been asleep,” Joe Johnson said after Tuesday’s practice while shaking his head. "Honestly. We got in yesterday,...
Ex-Met Valdespin quits Winter League for absurd reason: report
Oh, Jordany. Former Mets hothead Jordany Valdespin quit his Dominican Winter League team after being pinch-hit for in a recent playoff game, according to an ESPN Deportes report. Valdespin was...
12-year-old boy shoots 2 classmates at school
ROSWELL, N.M. -- A 12-year-old New Mexico boy drew a shotgun from a band-instrument case and shot and wounded two classmates at his middle school Tuesday morning before a teacher...
FDNY plucks man from icy Manhattan Beach waters
Two firefighters rescued a man from icy waters off Manhattan Beach on Tuesday, officials said. FDNY responded to Kingsborough Community College where they were told a man was drowning in...
Authorities try to seize $22M from NYPD, FDNY pension 'scammers'
They’re the lowest of the low — retired city cops and firefighters who lied about getting sick after 9/11 to land fraudulent government subsidies — and now they’re going to...
NJ Gov. Christie admits 'mistakes were made'
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday admitted making “mistakes” in the widening “Bridgegate” scandal -- then urged Garden State residents to stop rubber-necking and focus on reducing taxes and...
JFK Museum releases condolence letters
BOSTON — A series of condolence messages sent after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated 50 years ago was released Tuesday from the personal papers of his widow, including a...
U.S. biathlete gives up spot in Olympics to twin sister
DURANGO, Colo. — A Colorado biathlete has given up her spot on the U.S. Olympic team so her twin sister can go to Sochi instead. Tracy Barnes qualified over the...
Dozens arrested in Nigeria after anti-gay law passes
LAGOS, Nigeria -- First the police targeted the gay men, then tortured them into naming dozens of others who now are being hunted down, human rights activists said Tuesday, warning...
Phone companies balk at proposed data collection changes
WASHINGTON — Telephone companies are quietly balking at the idea of changing how they collect and store Americans' phone records to help the National Security Agency's surveillance programs. They're worried...
Beanie Babies creator avoids prison in tax evasion plea deal
CHICAGO — The billionaire creator of Beanie Babies was sentenced to two years of probation, but no prison time, on Tuesday for tax evasion on $25 million in income he...
Knicks rewind: Woodson has upped his game, too
It’s not just the Knicks players rising in the new year. It’s Mike Woodson, too, outcoaching the Suns’ Jeff Hornacek, who has gained early-season raves for getting the Suns to...
Music teacher sentenced to 2 years for molesting student
A once-renowned Manhattan music teacher admitted to molesting a 9-year-old female pupil in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday in a plea deal that will send him to prison for two years....
Wires get cross: Charter-TWC spat turning nasty
New Yorkers are going to need more popcorn. Less than 24 hours after having its first public takeover offer rejected by Time Warner Cable brass, Charter Communications blasted the Manhattan...
Rampaging elephant attacks, flips car
When elephant takes on a compact car, the elephant is going to come out on top. That’s the lesson that a car full of visitors to the Kruger National Park...
Lions tab Jim Caldwell as head coach
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions wanted to replace Jim Schwartz with someone with experience as a head coach. The Lions landed one, though he appears to be Plan...
Judge: Teacher caught with hooker can sue over $7,500 fine
So much for teachers as role models. A Manhattan judge says an elementary-school teacher busted for having sex with a hooker can sue the city Department of Education for fining...
Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry reunite on 'Cougar Town'
The “Friends” movie might not be happening, but that’s not stopping the former castmates of the NBC sitcom from staging their own mini reunions on each other’s current shows. The...
Kanye ups legal ante in battle against 'Coinye'
Just don’t call him “Coinye!” Rap legend Kayne West slapped a slew of anonymous digital-currency operators and another 100 unnamed co-defendants with a trademark-infringement lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to block...
Kovalchuk happy, even without all that Devils money
When Ilya Kovalchuk took his talents — a rare blend of skill, speed and strength — home to Russia last summer, he walked away from $77 million and the 15-year...
Obama: I can use executive orders to take action in 2014
WASHINGTON - President Obama said on Tuesday he would not wait for Congress to pass legislation to advance his policy priorities this year and said he was "getting close" to...
Dept. of Education sends special investigator to ‘School of No’
The Education Department on Tuesday sicced its special schools investigator on the Queens “School of No,” where parents booed the embattled principal amid allegations of rampant neglect and mismanagement. A...
Jackass-style shark stunt gone horribly wrong caught on video
It was a Jackass-style stunt that nearly turned around and bit Australian adrenalin junkie Shaun Harrington - or rather mauled him. Harrington, 27, and fellow forever-clowning twin brother Dean decided...
$765M not enough: Judge tosses NFL's concussion settlement
PHILADELPHIA — A federal judge denied preliminary approval of a $765 million settlement of NFL concussion claims, fearing it may not be enough to cover 20,000 retired players. U.S. District Judge...
Ain't afraid of no ghosts! Inside Bulgaria's spirit-banishing spring festival
Disguised revelers hold torches as they take part in the Kukeri Carnival in Bulgaria to mark the beginning of the spring. The ritual is intended to ward off evil spirits...
What Gisele does while Tom watches football
It may be NFL playoff time in the Tom Brady-Gisele Bundchen household, but the stress doesn’t carry over at home. “He’s very focused,” the 33-year-old Bundchen said of Brady, quarterback...
Microsoft ‘ditching Windows 8, planning for 9’
Microsoft is rumored to be getting ready to give Windows 8 the boot and release a brand new Windows 9 operating system. The ill-fated software introduced just 15 months ago has...
French prez Hollande will pick lover in time for Obama visit
By the time he visits the White House next month, French President François Hollande insists he will have figured which of two women he will continue sleeping with — and...
Meet the pop star who could steer Tanaka to L.A.
As the expression goes, behind every great man who draws the attention of global baseball fans, there is a petite Japanese pop star. The Yankees' offseason agenda hinges on landing free-agent...
NY GOP chair asks party leaders to not support Cuomo
New York state Republican chairman Ed Cox is so worried that Gov. Cuomo will grab endorsements from GOP officials for his re-election that he's sent a letter to party leaders...
Player faints in 'inhumane' heat at Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia — There were clearly varying degrees of opinion on what constitutes extreme heat after a scorching second day at the Australian Open. Roger Federer thinks it's a "very mental...
‘Gone Girl’ takes NYC library’s top 2013 check-out spot
The New York Public Library's most frequently checked out novel in 2013 was "Gone Girl" by suspense writer Gillian Flynn. In the nonfiction category, "Lean In: Women, Work, and the...
Rob Ryan's hair hurts head coaching chances? Seems like it
Rob Ryan led a Saints defensive revival this season that saw his unit go from 32nd to fourth in the NFL on its way to 11 wins. Yet, his name...
Penis pumps draining Medicare of millions
Penis pumps cost the U.S. government's Medicare program $172 million between 2006 and 2011, about twice as much as the consumer would have paid at the retail level, according to...
Cops release video of East Village rape suspect
Cops hope new surveillance video will help them nab a creep who brutally raped a 22-year-old woman in her East Village building early Monday. The 20-second video shows a Hispanic...
Little boy saved after 15-foot manhole plunge
A 10-year-old Brooklyn boy on his way to school plunged 15 feet down an open manhole — and was rescued from the dark, dirty sewer tunnel by quick-thinking Verizon workers....
Chihuahua-carrying burglar done in by pup's bright collar
PINEVILLE, La. — A Chihuahua-carrying burglar was collared after detectives spotted the pooch in its owner's yard, less than a mile away, the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office said. Investigators don't...
Skiers flip out at freestyle world cup
Freestyle skiers from around the globe showed off their aerial moves in the FIS Freestyle World Cup in Park City, Utah this weekend. They gave an exciting preview for the Sochi...
US retailers see rise in December sales
US retailers sales rose by a modest 0.2 percent in December as Americans stocked up on food and drinks for the holidays, bought more clothes and purchased more goods online,...
Wells Fargo profits rise 10 percent
Wells Fargo reported its fourth-quarter profit rose 10 percent from a year earlier to $5.6 billion, or $1.00 a share. Revenue, however, fell to $20.7 billion, from $21.9 billion a...
JPMorgan earnings drop, but beat expectations
JPMorgan’s fourth-quarter earnings reported Tuesday morning dropped 7.3 percent as the bank grappled with weak results from its investment-banking unit, but results beat expectations. The bank led by Jamie Dimon...
Late night shows dig into de Blasio's 'Forkgate'
“Forkgate” is sticking to Mayor de Blasio like a slice of cheap mozzarella. Late night funnymen Jon Stewart and Jimmy Fallon ripped the Italian-American mayor on TV Monday night for...
Knicks' Chandler felled by bronchitis
Knicks center Tyson Chandler revealed he had bronchitis and may make his return Tuesday in Charlotte as a tuneup for Thursday’s showdown in Indiana against rival Roy Hibbert. Chandler missed...
Parents boo ‘terrible principal' at city’s 'School of No'
Parents dropping off their kids at the “School of No” Tuesday morning booed embattled principal Marcella Sills, who showed up early for work the second day in a row. “Booooo!”...
Sex making you smarter one tryst at a time: study
If you've ever needed an excuse to spend more time having fun under the covers, we've got you sorted. New research has found that having sex can improve mental performance...
Egypt holds key vote on country's new constitution
CAIRO -- Egyptians formed long lines Tuesday outside polling stations to vote on a new constitution that represents a key milestone in a military-backed roadmap put in place after the...
Prokhorov will see a different Nets team in London
LONDON — When Mikhail Prokhorov last saw his Nets play in person, back on Nov. 1 in the team’s win over the Heat in its home-opener, he said his new...
Felton fights fatigue to fire up Knicks
To coach Mike Woodson, the Knicks point guard situation all season has been “kind of a roller coaster ride.” You need only look at Monday night against the Suns. Woodson...
Details, trade-offs emerge on Congress' $1.1T budget bill
WASHINGTON — The sales job is on for a bipartisan $1.1 trillion spending bill that would pay for the operations of government through October and finally put to rest the...
No legs to Xavi-to-Red Bulls report
With the transfer window opening next month and the silly season already started, there have been persistent reports the Red Bulls have made a bid for Barcelona star Xavi. But...
Christie proposes longer school day amid Bridgegate scandal
TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will propose extending the public school calendar and lengthening the school day in a speech he hopes will help him rebound from...
'Family Guy' creator producing 13-part 'Cosmos' series
PASADENA, Calif. -- Stewie likes science. Seth MacFarlane, creator of "Family Guy" and voice of Stewie on the animated Fox show, is bringing his love of space exploration to television....
Chinese doctor sentenced to death for selling babies
BEIJING — A Chinese court on Tuesday convicted a doctor of baby trafficking and sentenced her to death with a two-year reprieve, after she admitted in court that she stole...
Quitting your job? There's an app for that
Thinking about quitting your job? A humorous new app aims to relieve the stress and anxiety of confronting the boss with the news by sending a text message instead. Although...
Mayor's team mum on lavish transition spending
Mayor de Blasio’s office refuses to explain several lavish expenses incurred during his transition. The mayor-in-waiting’s aides spent $601 for one night at The W Hotel in DC on Dec....
Famous Astor Place newsstand is reopening
One of New York’s most famous newsstand guys is back in business. Jerry Delakas, a downtown fixture who has appeared on “Sex and the City” and in TV ads, was...
Celebs using Twitter fans for Uber discounts
Lindsay Lohan and other celebs are taking their Twitter fans for a ride in order to get their own discounts from the Uber car service. Lohan urged her 7.7 million...
Mex some noise with tequila in Cancun
One can’t go to Cancún and expect to escape the tequila shot. And, yet, one would have to look far and wide to find another tequila shot that is consumed...
Daily Blotter
Manhattan A woman was nearly raped on the subway in Harlem when she changed cars to get away from a perverted straphanger, authorities said. The 21-year-old victim was riding the...
Carmelo curses after reminded of back-to-back
http://youtu.be/FzcWs2cjufA After the Knicks had survived a 98-96 overtime encounter with the Suns, Carmelo Anthony didn’t want to be reminded of what lay ahead. After doing his on-court postgame interview...
Last call at Soho’s famed blue-collar bar Milady’s
The iconic Soho pub Milady’s, a classic dive bar, has shut its doors for good, serving its last beer at closing time early Monday. The downtown joint, which had operated...
France's first lady 'ready to forgive affair'
France’s humiliated and hospitalized first lady fears she will get kicked out of the Elysée Palace because of the disclosure that her boyfriend, President François Hollande, has had a yearlong...
Not enough young people join ObamaCare
WASHINGTON — Less than a quarter of ObamaCare enrollments are in the closely watched 18-to-24 age group — well short of expectations, which could pressure insurance companies to jack up...
NYPD copter plucks pair from Jamaica Bay
An NYPD helicopter fished two men out of Jamaica Bay on Monday after they got trapped in a marsh, law enforcement sources said. Friends of the two pals, a kayaker...
Ex-Oasis frontman Liam a no-show at child-custody hearing
Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher apparently chose rock ’n’ roll over his 13-month-old daughter — he was a no-show at the first child-custody hearing with his former fling, freelance journalist...
News of husband's death awaits Strand fire survivor
A man critically injured escaping a high-rise fire in Hell’s Kitchen still doesn’t know his husband and their dogs died in the blaze, a friend said Monday. Michael Cohen, 32,...
Falls sending more city seniors to hospitals
The number of hospital emergency-room visits by elderly New Yorkers injured in falls rose 22 percent over five years, the city’s Health Department said on Monday. In 2010 alone, more...
'Knots Landing' star Michele Lee has new cabaret show
Former “Knots Landing” star Michele Lee will be in town later this month for a cabaret stint at 54 Below (West 54th). It’s her first time back on the New...
Sophia Bush trades high fashion for dress blues in 'Chicago PD'
Sophia Bush spent nine seasons playing fashion designer Brooke Davis on “One Tree Hill” — so it’s fair to say her role as Det. Erin Lindsay on the new NBC...
'Lilyhammer' returning for third season
Netflix has ordered a third season of “Lilyhammer,” the Norwegian dramedy starring Steven Van Zandt, to return later this year. In the series, “The Sopranos” alum and E Street Band...
Eighth place not great, but it’s a start for Knicks
And then they were eighth. Well, tied for eighth at least. It is an immodest goal. Given where the Knicks expected themselves to be at this point in the calendar,...
Jets re-sign Matt Simms
The Jets’ quarterback situation remains murky, but Matt Simms will remain a part of it. The team extended Simms’ contract through 2014 and will pay him $495,000, according to NFLPA...
John Fox has become sly after being so shy
DENVER — Sunday night, even in the glow of victory, Broncos coach John Fox wanted no part of being praised for his evolution as a game manager a year after...
Harbaugh-Carroll grudge from NCAA rolls on in NFL
Not many coaches can or should ever quote, or attempt to sing, a Johnny Cash song, but that’s what Jim Harbaugh did Monday as he looked back on what his...
Broncos CB Harris has torn ACL
DENVER — The timing could not have been worse — for the Broncos and for Chris Harris Jr. For Harris, the Broncos best cornerback, an MRI result Monday showed he...
Rangers' Carcillo making an impact
Alain Vigneault was saying he thought his Rangers team was physical before the acquisition of Dan Carcillo, and so of course he continues to say it now that it has...
Rangers turn corner after 'miserable' December
Nope, not one member of the Rangers liked the idea of describing their recent revival as turning a corner. But there was no hiding the fact things have changed drastically,...
Teixeira: No winner in A-Rod mess
Mark Teixeira doesn’t see a winner in the latest saga of the trials and tribulations of Yankees teammate Alex Rodriguez. Sitting courtside at Monday’s Knicks-Suns game at the Garden, Teixeira...
Karate man worst disability scammer: DA
A former NYPD cop accused of teaching black-belt karate while collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in disability checks was blasted in Manhattan court Monday as “one of the most...
De Blasio’s plan to kill charter schools
Kiss charter schools good-bye. That’s been a top Team de Blasio goal since the new mayor was polling in the single digits and courting the teachers’ union, and Schools Chancellor...
The grim lessons of ‘16 and Pregnant’
What music videos were to the MTV of yore, programs about single teen mothers are to the MTV of today — a staple. The network’s franchise of reality shows about...
Another 25 million ObamaCare victims
It now looks like ObamaCare will hurt twice as many people as it helps — because the law isn’t nearly done with canceling people’s insurance. The 5 million-plus Americans who’ve...
Nuke deal looks better yet for Iran
A new deal with Iran “marks the first time in a decade” that Tehran has agreed to “halt progress” in its nuclear program, and even “roll back” some of it,...