August 28, 2014

Curtis Granderson is only starting because of Mets cheapness

There is a track record that is much better than Curtis Granderson has shown in his first year in Queens throughout which he has become another example of a Mets’...

Eli Manning held to zero yards passing in ugly final tune-up

The first pass of the night from Eli Manning was behind Rueben Randle, who could have made the catch, but did not. The second pass, aimed at Randle on the...

The creepy rise of artificial intelligence

The rise of the machines gives me the creeps. Looking for a decent movie to watch, my husband and I recently consulted Siri. That’s a digital personal assistant — a...

Daily Blotter

Brooklyn A gang of at least 10 men beat four people during robberies in Sunset Park. The victims, all men in their mid-20s to 30s were on Second Avenue and...

French bistro élan pairs classic menu with Asian accents

At first glance, David Waltuck’s thrilling new élan can leave you cold. The room’s too plain. The menu reads as ordinary. And, “I guess they’re not using the Veritas wine...

Writers in India: Art publisher is 'an international fraud'

When US companies hire outside contractors in India, it is almost universally a way to cut labor costs. But Louise Blouin, the so-called Red Queen, has found a way to...

Thrown for a Goop! Gwyneth accused of ripping off columnist

Gwyneth Paltrow’s e-commerce and web company Goop.com is being sued by an author and Hunter College professor who specializes in writing about health and wellness for allegedly ripping off his...

What was it really like behind the scenes of 'Mary Poppins'?

The life of a child actor is often nasty, brutish and short (Google Macaulay Culkin). But playing Jane Banks in “Mary Poppins” was all high-flying kites, carousel horses — and...

FX unveils 'American Horror Story' cast shot

Here’s your first look at the new “American Horror Story” cast in character for the FX period drama’s latest iteration, “Freak Show.” And what a freaky group they are —...

'Frasier' alum David Hyde Pierce joins cast of 'The Good Wife'

Former “Frasier” star David Hyde Pierce, who played persnickety Niles Crane, will return to series TV for a recurring role on “The Good Wife,” which kicks off its sixth season...

Adrien Brody is a lock star in 'Houdini' miniseries

When Adrien Brody was growing up in Queens, he did magic tricks at kids’ birthday parties. Billed as “The Amazing Adrien,” he says, “I did pretty advanced stuff. I worked...

Wright returns, but so do his struggles as Braves stomp Mets

One pain in the neck disappeared Thursday just in time for another to arrive. David Wright’s previously sore neck stopped barking enough for him to return to the Mets lineup,...

Why Brad & Angelina finally wed

Are they registered at Hottery Barn? Over the weekend, one of the world’s most beautiful couples finally got hitched. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced Wednesday that they had tied...

Knicks' Shumpert turns prankster in new movie promo

http://youtu.be/B0eGpXCyXiM Knicks guard Iman Shumpert, who has dabbled as a rapper, has another job title to add to his resume: prankster. In a video that was released on Wednesday, Shumpert...

Musing about less-than-amusing sports absurdities

Rene Descartes, who skated on a line with H.D. Thoreau and Jean Beliveau, famously concluded: Cogito ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. I think, too, I think. Therefore, I...

Scout who signed Jeter treks for last chance to see him

DETROIT — Dick Groch, the legendary scout who signed Derek Jeter out of Kalamazoo Central High School in 1992, completed a pretty neat baseball circle Thursday. Figuring it might be...

What's so different about Serena and Roger?

Roger Federer has won 17 career Grand Slam titles, more than anyone in the history of men’s tennis. At age 33, if Federer were to add an 18th Slam by...

Jerry Jones still mad Cowboys didn't draft Manziel

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in an ESPN profile Thursday he felt Jerry Jones the general manager made the wrong call by not drafting Johnny Manziel. “I am still so...

Abercrombie name to shrink from clothing

The Abercrombie & Fitch logo has lost the power it once wielded. Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. fell Thursday after the retailer reported weak sales as more teens shop...

Retired James Blake recalls tragedy at home he owned

James Blake has spent plenty of time with his two young kids at his home in Connecticut and recently became a coaching consultant to American prospect Jack Sock. But Blake’s...

Bullpen the only Yankees crew that isn't getting relief

DETROIT — While Shawn Kelley had to perform the walk of shame Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park, the real source of consternation for the Yankees is they keep giving their...

The world has feelings about Obama's tan suit

President Barack Obama on Thursday held a press conference touching on several important subjects, from second-quarter GDP to Iraq and Syria to Ukraine. But let’s talk about the really important...

Syrian soldiers march to their death in ISIS massacre

In a sickening display of savagery, Islamic State militants paraded 250 nearly naked captured soldiers through the Syrian desert before forcing them to their knees and mercilessly gunning them down...

Teen vandals caught in the act at Upper West Side memorial

Two teens were busted with paint on their hands after defacing a Manhattan military monument Thursday, cops said. Skateboarder Mike Kushnir, 17, and his 15-year-old gal-pal allegedly spray painted doodles,...

Obama sets no timeline for action on immigration

WASHINGTON — With a self-imposed deadline looming, President Barack Obama said Thursday he still intends to act on his own to change immigration policies but stopped short of reiterating his...

Inside Brangelina's 1,000-acre French estate

We can only imagine the wedding party that Brangelina threw at their French estate, but we will bet that they were serving plenty of rosé — Château Miraval Côtes de...

Why these four teams will be fighting for the national title

There is a new system to determine college football’s national champion, but the teams that will be likely fighting for that title come from the old guard. FOX Sports analyst...

The day in photos

Giant panda triplets celebrate a milestone, protesters call for peace in Ukraine, England has a day at the races and more.

20 volunteers risking injection to help find Ebola cure

A group of healthy US adults have agreed to be injected with a single protein of the deadly Ebola virus which scientists have paired with a chimpanzee cold virus in...

Florida man caught killing — and eating — threatened tortoises

Wildlife authorities in Florida caught a man who killed and ate 15 gopher tortoises and planned to slaughter 11 more of the threatened reptiles, a spokeswoman said on Thursday. The...

6 treats you need to start hoarding now

Among all the first world problems to have, the Hamptons was slapped with a doozy this week: There is a rosé shortage. Wölffer Estate, one of Long Island’s most esteemed...

American men give glimpses of hope at US Open

Patrick McEnroe, USTA’s GM of player development, said before the US Open he hoped he can get a couple of American men into the second week – meaning the Round...

Tony Stewart will return to track 3 weeks after Kevin Ward's death

After a three-week absence, Tony Stewart will be back behind the wheel of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet SS this weekend. Stewart, the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion,...

Gay rights advocates angry with Rangel over endorsement

Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel is facing a rainbow of outrage rage from the city’s elected gay leaders and advocacy groups for backing an anti- gay rights candidate for state senate....

Organized labor warns Hillary over Wall Street

WASHINGTON – Organized labor has a stern warning for Hillary Clinton as she assembles an economic team for a possible White House campaign: don’t get too cozy with Wall Street....

More USC trouble: Player quits team, calls coach racist

USC can only hope another one of its players is lying. Just one day after cornerback Josh Shaw admitted his account of saving his drowning 7-year-old nephew -- the supposed...

Yankees fall to Tigers after using up all their hits

DETROIT — Shawn Kelley’s glove landed on the Comerica Park infield grass before Alex Avila’s hit collided with the right-field wall and sent the Yankees to a killer loss Thursday....

Top 25 fantasy football tight ends, ranked

Long, long ago, in a fantasy world far, far away, tight ends were fantasy football’s version of baseball's catcher: There weren’t enough quality options to make it a productive position...

Second American killed fighting for Islamic State

He turned his back on America for the lure of “jihad cool” — but his twisted cause had deadly consequences. A second American paid the ultimate price for joining up...

3 ways to make sure your bridesmaids won't hate you

Has your bridal party gone from seven to six? Have your best friends from high school and college entered into a battle royal over who's the favorite yet? Were the...

Roger Goodell admits mistake on Ray Rice, introduces new policy

Acknowledging he "didn't get it right" with a two-game suspension for Ravens running back Ray Rice, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced tougher penalties for players accused of domestic violence, including...

Go behind the scenes of Taylor Swift's latest music video

http://youtu.be/qJhI0dn-ba0 Celebrating the good news that Taylor Swift’s new single, “Shake It Off,” topped the Billboard Hot 100, the newly minted pop star gifted fans with a behind-the-scenes-look at the...

Oil company chief admits to $800K MTA scam

The head of a Staten Island oil distribution company was convicted of grand larceny Thursday for scamming the MTA by selling cheap transmission fluid used in city buses. Joseph Ioia,...

Anonymous critics pull back on Nikki Finke attack

An anonymous group that launched a parody site of much-feared Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke backed off on Thursday. The self-styled Committee for Decency in Journalism, which created a stir Wednesday...

Rob Ford once forced a football team to roll in goose feces

TORONTO — Toronto Mayor Rob Ford once made players on a high school football team roll in geese droppings, according to newly released documents. The scandal-plagued mayor was fired by...

Peterson told Jerry Jones he'd like to play for Cowboys

Adrian Peterson has never played for any team other than the Minnesota Vikings, but that isn't necessarily how he wants it to stay. In June, the former league MVP and...

Accused Philip Seymour Hoffman drug dealer dodges jail time

Philip Seymour Hoffman's accused heroin dealer copped a plea deal Thursday that will keep him in a drug treatment program -- and out of jail. Robert Vineberg, 58, pleaded guilty...

It's official: Apple sets Sept. 9 for likely iPhone 6 unveiling

Apple wishes it could say more — and so do gadget lovers. The notoriously tight-lipped tech giant confirmed on Thursday it is holding a Sept. 9 event with a bare-bones...

Dealing with a groomzilla? 5 ways to tame the dragon

As if wedding planning weren't stressful enough, clashes with your fiancé can heighten the anxiety. You scoured the internet to find the perfect vendor for your flowers and he doesn't...

The science behind your hangover

We've all been there--you're sitting on the floor of your living room (or bathroom, bedroom, or kitchen, really) wondering why your head feels like the real-life, physical equivalent of that...

The next few Cuban names to know in baseball

The current influx of Cuban baseball players joining MLB isn't slowing down anytime soon. Following Boston's record-setting, $72.5 million signing of outfielder Rusney Castillo last week, the Cubs called up...

Denny's arrives in NYC with lavish $300 breakfast

It’s greasy— with a side of glitzy. Manhattan’s first-ever Denny’s restaurant is serving up a swanky spin on low-end diner grub — complete with a $300 breakfast that pairs Grand...

AFC North Preview: And the best mediocre team is ...

The countdown to kickoff is underway. As the NFL season approaches, we’ll be breaking down each division and making wins projections for every team. Today: the AFC North. 1. Baltimore...

Brutal cat killing prompts community-wide manhunt

A brute is wanted for killing a defenseless kitten on a Queens street, cops said. The suspect attacked the feline on August 21 around 11:30 p.m. on 21st Avenue near...

Vick: Saved Riley Cooper's career after slur, then he didn't text back

Michael Vick helped Riley Cooper when the Eagles receiver needed it most, speaking on behalf of his then-teammate after Cooper was videotaped using racial slurs last year, leaving him alone...

Police hunt for graffiti suspect who called the NYPD 'Nazis'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKeL_Q1KRy8 A blonde-headed vandal tagged a school and cop cars with hateful graffiti earlier this week and now cops are on the hunt for the woman, police sources told The...

Eli, Peyton now on the business side of selling seats

Eli and Peyton Manning are the latest sports stars to try their hands at tech investing. The NFL quarterback brothers participated in a $35 million fund-raising round for SeatGeek, a...

10 ways to get yourself kicked off a plane

Is your flight to visit the family in Cleveland a little too boring? Want to irritate the rest of the people on the plane, cause a ruckus, possibly get arrested,...

Hats off to the man with a 100-pound turban

A widely respected holy man in India is turning countless heads with his gigantic turban that weighs 100 pounds and is as long as 13 Olympic-sized swimming pools when unwrapped....

Kendall drops her last name, Beyoncé covers CR and more

Kendall kicks her famous surname to the curb, Beyoncé does some modeling and, despite her whiskers, pointy ears, diminutive size and lack of fingers and toes, fellow fashion icon fashion...

Baby elephant attacked after challenging bull

A gutsy elephant calf foolishly challenged a hulking buffalo bull to a head-on test of power. The cocky youngster got the gumption to provoke the beastly buffalo after he spotted...

AIG chief moves up exit after grim cancer prognosis

Robert Benmosche, the chief executive of insurance giant AIG, said he is stepping down this weekend after learning he has less than a year to live. Benmosche, 70, who was...

Tanaka 'rusty' in sim game, but all signs point to September return

DETROIT -- Masahiro Tanaka isn’t ready yet for his reboot, but the Yankees’ dynamic rookie took another step in the right direction Thursday morning. The right-hander, trying to come back despite...

Researchers have started tripping seniors on purpose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYkyQEyhynM CHICAGO -- Researchers are tripping seniors on purpose, and it's not some kind of warped practical joke. The experiment is among techniques being studied to prevent falls, the leading...

Raiders' who-stinks-less QB battle gives Jets a Week 1 edge

With the NFL season rapidly approaching, the Jets have at least one advantage heading into their Week 1 matchup with the Raiders -- knowing who their starting quarterback will be....

Missing NJ man found dead in Israel forest

An Israeli police official has confirmed that the body found in a wooded area in Jerusalem is that of a missing student from New Jersey. Israeli Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld...

Parents, you need to chill out about your kids going back to school

The other day on Facebook, a hilarious mom blogger friend of mine posted about going Back-to-School shopping with her two sons. “Where can I get my back to bulls--t wardrobe?”...

Struggling Caesars in talks to restructure debt

Troubled Caesars Entertainment, America’s largest casino chain, is in talks with its senior creditors to restructure it massive debt load, The Post has learned. The talks are likely aimed at...

Patterson calling Jets out for AWOL lies could be last straw

PHILADELPHIA — With just 10 days to go before the Jets’ season opener, the team is dealing with a situation that just keeps getting messier with cornerback Dimitri Patterson. The...

This summer's most stylish celebs looking fab in white

Labor Day is fast approaching — and besides squeezing in the last of summer’s hazy, lazy days at the beach or by the pool, it also means the clock is...

Hello Kitty bombshell: 'She's not a cat'

Hello Kitty is not a cat - at least that's what Sanrio expects people to believe. Despite the fact that the cartoon cat has whiskers and pointy cat ears, Hello...

JPMorgan working with investigators after cyber attack

JPMorgan Chase said Thursday it is working with investigators after it and at least four other US banks were hit by computer hackers this month, according to a report. The...

'Jimmy Kimmel Live' stages mini 'Friends' reunion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4H2JHp5XOQ&feature=youtu.be It must be the ’90s — because suddenly “Friends” is everywhere again. On the same day that Warner Bros. announced it was opening a pop-up replica of the “Friends”...

Man acquitted in shooting death of drunk driver who killed sons

ANGLETON, Texas — A southeast Texas man says that despite his acquittal Wednesday for the shooting death of the drunken driver who caused a crash that killed his two sons,...

3 seriously injured after getting hit by car

Two people were seriously injured and another is clinging to life after a car plowed into them on the Lower East Side, authorities said. The vehicle struck the pedestrians on...

Wawrinka yells at 'drunk' US Open fan to shut up

In the heat of the moment, locked in a suddenly tight match after midnight at Flushing Meadows, Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka snapped at a rowdy spectator, telling him to...

Tom Brady 'very upset' with Patriots trading Logan Mankins

The Patriots trading Logan Mankins reportedly didn't sit well with Tom Brady. New England's star quarterback was "very upset" when he heard that the Patriots dealt the standout offensive lineman...

6-year-old survives being buried alive by neighbors

A 6-year-old girl in India miraculously survived being buried alive when her neighbors allegedly strangled her and left her in a pit to die. The hunt is on for a...

Someone donated a human skull to a thrift store

AUSTIN, Texas — Police have asked for the public's help to locate whoever donated a human skull to an Austin thrift store. Homicide Detective Derek Israel said Wednesday that foul...

Ebola outbreak could exceed 20,000 cases

GENEVA — The Ebola outbreak in West Africa eventually could exceed 20,000 cases, more than six times as many as are now known, the World Health Organization said Thursday. A...

Mother arrested in torture of 11-year-old son

SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — Authorities say a man and his mother used plumber's tape to keep an 11-year-old boy restrained for several hours at a time at a home in...

Ukraine says Russia has launched invasion

WASHINGTON — Two columns of Russian troops and armor rolled into Ukraine Thursday, triggering what the Ukrainian president called an “invasion” that sharply escalated an already violent and dangerous conflict....

Bratton announces pilot program for cops to use body cameras

Commissioner Bill Bratton is set to give a presentation to union officials Thursday about a pilot program for the use of body cameras on some NYPD officers, sources said. Bratton...

De Blasio submits pre-K contracts for review late: Stringer

Mayor de Blasio’s first pre-K ­assignment? Tardy. The administration of the habitually behind-schedule mayor has failed to turn over 70 percent of its more than 500 universal-pre-K contracts for review...

Boozy brunch spot's neighbors vent to Community Board

Angry neighbors on Wednesday vented about a Flatiron District restaurant whose “bottomless brunch” results in drunken partiers puking and urinating on the surrounding streets. “At Sunday brunch, they’re sloppy. On...

Bratton gave up millions to become NYPD commissioner

Bill Bratton raked in up to $1.9 million the year before returning to his post as NYPD commissioner — making him one of several high-flying administrators who took massive pay cuts...

St. John's professor filed false police report over 'robbery'

A St. John’s theater professor allegedly staged a caper at the Port Authority Bus Terminal and was later arrested for filing a false report, sources told The Post. Lawrence Meyers,...

Cooking Light taps Hunter Lewis as editor

Time Inc. is turning the tables at Cooking Light, one of the top entrees of US food magazines. Hunter Lewis, a disciple of celebrity chef Jonathan Waxman and executive editor...

Tony didn't get whacked in finale: 'Sopranos' creator

It was one of the most hotly ­debated mysteries in TV history and — bada bing! — it’s been solved. Seven years after the finale of HBO’s “The Sopranos” left...

Hedgie Kyle Bass crying as Singer, Argy dispute deepens

Lesson for Paul Singer: Never come between another hedge-fund manager and his money. Kyle Bass, the outspoken founder of Hayman Capital, is one of the heavies on the other side...

Decision prolongs chill for Park City Mountain Resort

There’s still hope for a ski season at Park City, Utah. But the town of 7,900 residents — whose livelihoods depend on wealthy holiday skiers descending on the resort —...

MIT students engineering bitcoin scheme

In the near future, the leaders of Massachusetts Institute of Technology will have to decide whether they want to take part in the worldwide scam known as bitcoin. I hope...

Keeping Jeter in No. 2 spot is sentimental ... and very risky

DETROIT — They just kept coming and coming and coming, a one-inning charge reminiscent of their 1998 ancestors. The first nine Yankees came to bat in the third inning Wednesday...

This star wants to stay a Met and feels Wilpons will spend in 2015

Zack Wheeler has heard the rumors. The Mets may trade a big arm to get the shortstop they desperately need, like a Starlin Castro. Wheeler said he wants to make...

Here's the next goal for rehabbing Masahiro Tanaka

DETROIT — With each step Masahiro Tanaka takes without suffering a setback, the Yankees are encouraged. Thursday the right-hander, who is attempting to return from a small tear in his...

David Wright wants to finish rough 2014 on high note

David Wright took batting practice on Wednesday and could return from neck spasms on Thursday. Regardless of when he comes back, he’s not interested in being shut down for the...

Rory who? Rejuvenated Wozniacki reaches third round

Golfer Rory McIlroy’s game picked up after he cut ties with fiancée Caroline Wozniacki in May. Now the Great Dane is showing she may be better off, too. Wozniacki admitted...

Venus Williams cruises into third round at Open

Venus Williams didn’t generate as much buzz Wednesday, but still advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Timea Bacsinszky. Following Monday’s first-round...

400-pound ex-con throws Molotov cocktail at taunter's home: police

A 400-pound ex-con got revenge on a man who taunted him about his girlfriend and his weight — by throwing a Molotov cocktail at his tormentor’s Queens home, law-enforcement sources...

Hondo makes a Met bet

It wasn’t quite a laugher but Smyly did the job for the Rays and Hondo Wednesday night, shutting down the Orioles to reduce the accounts payable to 1,600 swans. Thursday...

Ex-Coast Guard officer allegedly posed as former military lawyer

This guy deserves a medal — for chutzpah. An ex-petty officer in the Coast Guard pawned himself off as a former military lawyer and nearly fooled a Long Island judge...

How Matt Simms became the Jets' go-to backup quarterback

In the fall of 2012, Matt Simms wondered if he would ever get another chance. The quarterback had been cut at the end of training camp that year and spent...

City to install security cameras, lighting in public housing projects

Mayor de Blasio announced the city is installing 214 security cameras at East Harlem’s Lincoln Houses and erecting 165 light towers in public housing facilities throughout the city to crack...

Astorino aide Fox resigns after alleged DWI accident

A politically powerful ­assistant to Westchester County Executive and GOP gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino has resigned after allegedly causing a five-car accident in his county-owned SUV and getting slapped with...

Authorities bust cocaine ring on Long Island

Authorities took down a coast-to-coast drug ring on Long Island after a yearlong investigation that led to the arrests of 20 people. Members of the massive operation would transport as...

The last moments of a gun instructor killed by a 9-year-old

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfMzK7QwfrU “All right! Full auto!” Those were the last words of a gun instructor shot dead by a 9-year-old New Jersey girl firing an Uzi at an Arizona shooting range,...

Daily Blotter

Brooklyn ■ Police are looking to identify a burglar who slipped into a Greenpoint apartment and swiped two laptops and two cellphones, authorities said. The crook broke in through a...

JPMorgan, four unnamed US banks hit in hack attack

The FBI is investigating a significant computer hack attack on JPMorgan Chase and four other US banks, according to reports. While the extent and the timing of the attack isn’t...

Fake cabbie throws kids, sexually assaults woman

http://youtu.be/lTxCB17IeP4 A fake cabbie violently flung children on the ground and battered a desperate 26-year-old woman in a brutal sexual assault that was caught on video. The violent maniac claimed...