November 7, 2005

SPIEGEL CATALOG OWNER MAY BUY APPLESEED'S

The private-equity owner of the women's clothing catalogs Spiegel and Newport News is close to buying Massachusetts-based mail-order company Appleseed's, according to sources familiar with the deal. San Francisco-based Golden...

SKIN IS BACK IN ; LESS IS MORE AGAIN FOR VICTORIA'S SECRET, A&F

Call it the battle of the bodies. After a one-year hiatus, Victoria's Secret supermodels will return to the runway this week for the company's legendary fashion show. On the same...

BEST BUY - ALL YOU NEED FOR THE BASIC WORK WARDROBE

BUILDING a polished, professional appearance doesn't have to mean breaking the bank. This fall, luxurious fabrics and tailoring are everywhere - and whether you're heading to your first job or...

OFFICE READS

FIT IN, STAND OUT: THE KEY TO LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS IN BUSINESS AND LIFE By Blythe McGarvie McGraw-Hill, $21.95 LIF Group President Blythe McGarvie wants to teach you about the FISO...

YOGA IN HEELS - DOES OFFICE LIFE HAVE YOU ALL STRESSED OUT? JUST SAY "OM!"

CROUCHING in a full lotus pose or bending over for some quick downward dog action at work could have your co-workers thinking you're more zany than Zen. However, taking a...

SPEAKING DEUTSCH - DONNY DISHES ON HOW TO DO IT LIKE HIM

DONNY Deutsch has an anthem - "Dr. Love," a soft '70s disco hit. He and his driver, Dave Morales, cue up the song at the same point every day -...

'WEST WING' FANS THE BIG LOSERS IN LIVE DEBATE

LAST night's "West Wing" debate provided food for thought, but the food was broccoli. The event demonstrated, again, that televised bebates - even fictional ones - are dull, no matter...

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE; CAN'T TAKE YOUR EYES & EARS OFF 4 SEASONS

JERSEY BOYS *** ½ (three and one half stars)The August Wilson Theatre, 245 W. 52nd St.; (212) 239-6200. WE'VE had Buddy Holly, Lieber & Stoller, ABBA, Elvis, the Beach Boys...

SHE'S REAL D.W. - SISTER OF 'ARTHUR' CREATOR TATTLE-TELLS ALL

THERE is a real annoying little sister behind the ani mated annoying little sister on the fabulously popular "Arthur" kids show. The real "D.W." is - as you might expect...

NOVAK WHACK - CNN WON'T BRING BOB BACK AGAIN

COLUMNIST Robert Novak appears to be done at CNN. Novak, a longtime Washington insider and CNN player, has been off the air since last August - when he uttered an...

WHO NEEDS REEG? KATHIE LEE MEETS KELLY TO COMPARE NOTES

WORKAHOLIC Kelly Ripa says her 8-year-old son misses her so much that he would sell all his toys if it would buy him more time with her. "[Son] Michael asked...

CHARGE! HOW TO SAVE $$$ AT THE BIGGEST BEST SAMPLE SALE IN THE WORLD

THE words discount and designer get new heft Thursday when the Super Bowl of sample sales - 7th on Sale - kicks off at 6 p.m. on eBay. The unprecedented...

ED. POL BACKS CHARTER PUSH

ALBANY - Mayor Bloomberg's push to double the number of charter schools in the city by 2009 has received surprising backing from the outgoing chairman of the Assembly Education Committee,...

ANGRY ANISTON LETS IT ALL HANG OUT

Brace yourself for Jennifer Aniston's take on the world - because it's not pretty. In a rant in Newsweek, the sexy actress - apparently still bitter that Brad Pitt ran...

B'KLYN MAN'S 'QAEDA' TRIAL

A Brooklyn man who once fingered his Pakistani father for funneling cash and other support to Osama bin Laden's terror network is set to face jurors who will decide if...

JACKO'S RAISING BAND OF BROTHERS

Call it "The Jackson 4." King of Pop Michael Jackson's been quietly shuttling from Bahrain to London to record songs with his kids in hopes of someday releasing an album,...

EINSTEIN WAS A PUFF GRANDDADDY

No ifs, ands or cigarette butts about it, Albert Einstein would go to extremes for a smoke. The father of the theory of relativity was so hooked on tobacco that...

'FLEEING' DEATH DRIVER IS CHARGED

A Long Island electrician who was charged with fleeing the scene of a car wreck that claimed his friend's life was arraigned in Hempstead yesterday, as his sobbing relatives looked...

GIS COMB TOWN IN IRAQ FIGHT

Black-clad militants firing AK-47s continued to resist U.S. forces yesterday as Operation Steel Curtain - a bid to seize the key enemy-held Iraqi town of Husaybah - rolled into its...

SHARPTON SHOULDER TURNS COLD

DEMOCRATS are grumbling that master hedger Al Sharpton is at it again. After Sharpton was a no-show at a recent Fernando Ferrer event, one source noted, "Why appear with someone...

ANOTHER CIA DIRTY TRICK? HOW MOYNIHAN MIGHT SEE LEAK CASE

ANYONE who knew the late Sen. Daniel P. Moynihan has to wonder what he'd make of the CIA leak case. The agency was one of his pet targets. Moynihan, a...

'CHICKEN LITTLE' COMES UP BIG

The sky may be falling on "Chicken Little," but so are the dollars - millions and millions of them. The first computer-animated movie produced by Disney without the help of...

CHIRAC VOW TO RESTORE ORDER

French President Jacques Chirac yesterday said restoring security and public order was an "absolute priority," as urban violence swept into central Paris for the first time. "The law must have...

PHOTO FINISH ; MARATHON DOWN TO 1/3 SEC. AFTER 26 MILES

It was the most dramatic finish in New York City Marathon history. Winner Paul Tergat of Kenya and defending champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa kept trading places as the...

'INVADER' RAILS AGAINST DA ; CALLS ARREST L.I. CAMPAIGN STUNT

An alleged member of Long Island's violent and brazen home-invasion gang suggested yesterday that he's been scapegoated to help the Nassau County district attorney win re-election. "Tell the DA he's...

BUSH PUSH IN VIRGINIA

President Bush is making an 11th-hour campaign stop in Virginia tonight to boost the Republican candidate for governor - turning that tight contest into a test of Bush's political clout...

CORZINE'S EX DOGS HIM TO 11TH HOUR

The political flap over Democrat Jon Corzine's failed marriage - and his ex-wife's claim that he would "let New Jersey down" - followed him into church yesterday at the end...

SWEET AND SOUR ; CANDY 'CHOKE' LABELS

Children might now avoid the same tragic fate of two little girls who choked to death on large peppermint candies - because the company that makes Jumbo Mint Balls has...

NYPD DAILY BLOTTER

THE BRONX *** An off-duty detective has been arrested and suspended for allegedly shoving his wife at an undisclosed location in The Bronx, police said yesterday. Detective Sidney Desjardin allegedly...

SNEAK PEEK AT MAYOR'S 'VICTORY SPEECH'

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton campaigned yesterday with long-shot Fernando Ferrer, while The Post got a peek at a draft of super-confident Mayor Bloomberg's election-night victory speech. "So, the polls can...

'LOSER' LUSTS FOR FRONT PAGE: CO-WORKERS

Wacko writer Peter Braunstein may have staged his suspected phony-fireman attack to get publicity, disgusted ex-colleagues say. After working with him for several months, one former co-worker said: "He's a...

FAKE BRAVEST 'SEX MONSTER' ELUDED COPS BY HOLING UP IN MOTEL LAIR

While cops scoured the city for him, the suspect in the fiendish phony-fireman sex attack was holed up in a Midtown lair 22 blocks from the scene of the sicko...

BLOOMY TO HIT $118 PER VOTE; ON COURSE TO BREAK RECORD IN SPENDING

Mayor Bloomberg is about to shatter a record - becoming the first candidate for mayor in city history to spend more than $100 for each vote he gets. If Bloomberg...

HERO FOILS KIDNAP

A good Samaritan courageously yanked a little girl out of the menacing hands of a would-be abductor - then helped police track the suspect down, authorities said yesterday. Raymond Fontanez,...

BROOKLYN STUDIO BIDS TO RIVAL HOLLYWOOD

Brooklyn movie moguls are pushing to double or even triple the size of the waterfront Steiner Studios - making the city's so-called Hollywood East a Los Angeles rival. Sources said...

STABBED TO DEATH OVER A DRINK

An enraged partygoer - irked by the price of a drink - fatally stabbed another guest yesterday at a birthday bash in Brooklyn, as the victim's wife looked on in...

DIDDY'S PIMPED RIDE ; VAN GETS A 350G REMIX

It started as a cargo van, but this bling bus has been Diddy-fied. Rap impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs laid down a cool $350,000 to retrofit his Chevy Express 3500 -...

FAKE BRAVEST 'SEX MONSTER' ELUDED COPS BY HOLING UP IN HOTEL LAIR

While cops scoured the city for the fiendish phony-fireman sex attacker, the suspect was holed up in a Midtown hotel hideout - just 22 blocks from the scene of the...

CARS STRIKE BOY, 7, WOMAN, 79

Two pedestrians - a 7-year-old Bronx boy and a 79-year-old Brooklyn woman - were critically injured in separate traffic accidents yesterday. The youngster, Daquan Wright, darted out between cars on...

HERO FOILS BRONX KIDNAPPER

A good Samaritan courageously yanked a little girl out of the menacing hands of a would-be abductor - then helped police track the suspect down in The Bronx, authorities said...

ANISTON GRIPE-ATHON

Brace yourself for Jennifer Aniston's take on the world - because it's not pretty. In a rant in Newsweek, the sexy actress - apparently still bitter that Brad Pitt ran...

REIGNING CATS' AND DOGS' NAMES GET 'PERSON'AL

Forget Fido, Spot and Rover. Americans are giving their pets human names, such as Jack, Chloe and Simon. Buddy, Max and Jake were the most popular names for dogs in...

HOT OVER FIRE DRILLS

Education watchdogs in city and state government are hot under the collar over the number of fire drills required in public schools - and they want it reduced. State law...

SURPRISE THREAT TO PIRRO BID

JEANINE PIRRO'S little-known opponent for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate is close to winning crucial backing from the small but influential Conservative Party, insiders say. Such a success by...

SLICK RUSSIAN'S $1M GETAWAY

WASHINGTON - A Russian U.N. bureaucrat who had been responsible for policing the sale of crude during the Iraqi oil-for-food program cleaned out a million-dol lar bank account and left...

CITY FIRMS STIFFED IN 9/11-LOAN OUTRAGE

WASHINGTON - Struggling city businesses got stiffed by a federal loan program intended to spur economic recovery after the 9/11 attacks - while aid went to a horse farm and...

HIZZONER'S POSTERS MAKE A FINE MESS

Mayor Bloomberg's campaign is plastering the city with so many illegal posters that it accounted for 94 percent of all the poster fines levied in a single week, The Post...

THE IDIOTS' GUIDE; MICHELIN DINER BOOK BITES

MEMO to the meatballs at Michelin, who just put out their first- ever "red" guide to New York City restaurants and hotels: The trains that run beneath the streets of...

IT REALLY PAYS TO WORK FOR MIKE

Empty desks abound at City Hall now that numerous aides - from deputy mayors to a scheduler - have moved to the mayor's re-election campaign. Unlike past administrations that sometimes...

BUSH PUSH IN VA. RACE

President Bush is making an 11th-hour campaign stop in Virginia tonight to boost the Republican candidate for governor - turning that tight contest into a test of Bush's political clout...

MATSUI YANKS' TOP TASK

The most important man for Brian Cashman to see in Palm Springs at the GM meetings is Arn Tellem, the representative for Hideki Matsui. While the Yankees are locked on...

MANNING WON'T BE ROAD WORRIER

GIANT NOTES SAN FRANCISCO - A young quarterback has many items on his checklist to rub off as he advances in his career. For Eli Manning, yesterday's game against the...

NETS ALL FIRED UP FOR HEAT

MIAMI - As Jacque Vaughn exited the Nets' locker room Saturday night, he thumped his chest several times and smiled. "Games like these," he said, "are good for the heart....

TIKI LOOKIN' FOR AN EDGE; BEING ON BOARD KEY FOR BARBER

GIANTS 24 49ers 6 SAN FRANCISCO - There is no trick that Tiki Barber does not employ when it comes to finding an edge for himself on the field. He...

NHL FANS ARE FIT TO BE TIED

WHAT'S so bad about a tie? Saturday, as we watched the Devils and Rangers resolve a 21/2-hour game with a shoot-out - a newly added gadget that had little to...

COACH HIGH ON PORT RICHMOND

Steve Peretzman wanted to see how his team would respond after its first loss of the season last week. He liked what he saw yesterday. Port Richmond, which fell to...

MAKING HER NAME ; LITTLE-KNOWN PROKOPCUKA RALLIES TO WIN

Outside of her native Latvia, Jelena Prokopcuka (Yeh-LAY-nah Pro-kop-CHOO-kah) is not well known. In Lativa, she is recognized as perhaps the brightest star athlete and yesterday her legend grew as...

KNICK YOUNG GUNS YANKED TOO SOON ; BROWN PULLS KIDS IN CRUNCH TIME

Warriors 83Knicks 81 Playing all 12 men for the second straight game, the experimenting Larry Brown finally hit on something sweet - an improbable young lineup that worked magic during...

RENNEY'S RULES APPLY

EVEN with the Rangers having beaten the Devils twice within three days to improve their record to 8-4-3 going into tonight's Garden match against the Penguins, Tom Renney continues to...

AT THE BREAKING POINT

WHATEVER six-figure fee the New York Road Runners paid Paul Tergat to finally get him to their marathon, Hendrick Ramaala would have gladly handed the world-record holder to please go...

FOUL TROUBLE PLAGUES CURRY

Eddy Curry picked up his fourth foul with 3:16 left in the third quarter and never set foot on the court again. He lasted just 16 minutes in yesterday's 83-81...

LEE LOOKS IMPRESSIVE IN DEBUT

KNICK NOTES David Lee was an early preseason smash, only to wind up smashed when Larry Brown put him on the Knicks' inactive list to start the season. After watching...

TOP 5 FINISH FOR AMERICAN DUO

NOTEBOOK There is a saying in Meb Keflezighi's native Eritrea, Awet Nihafash. It means "Victory to mass." And it has been over a decade since the U.S. marathon masses had...

PHOTO FINISH ; TERGAT WINS BY :00.32 IN NYC'S CLOSEST ENDING

The most dramatic major marathon in memory produced likely the most memorable image the sport has ever seen. After dueling the heat, concrete and each other for 26.2 miles, Paul...

HOTSHOT ROOKIES MAY THREATEN VETS

THERE are plenty of trouble spots Larry Brown must address with this new group of Knicks, now 0-3 after an 83-81 loss to Golden State yesterday afternoon at the Garden....

GIANTS PASS TEST IN WEST - FLATTEN FRISCO, IMPROVE TO 6-2

Giants 2449ers 6 SAN FRANCISCO - An inelegant game by the Giants yesterday kept their season of possibility humming along. Taking their sweet time establishing their dominance, the Giants allowed...

TAFT UPS STOCK WITH WARRIORS

Chris Taft said all along that he didn't care that after being considered a sure-fire lottery pick early in his sophomore season at Pitt, he fell all the way to...

GIANTS PASS TEST IN WEST; FLATTEN FRISCO, IMPROVE TO 6-2

GIANTS 24 49ers 6 SAN FRANCISCO -There are times when what's drawn up in those laborious meetings doesn't work. It is then that the pretenders fold up, unable to come...

COACH IS HIGH ON PORT RICHMOND

Steve Peretzman wanted to see how his team would respond after its first loss of the season last week. He liked what he saw yesterday. Port Richmond, which fell to...

JEREMY'S TD GRAB SHOCKS NINERS

SAN FRANCISCO - As soon as the play was called, Jeremy Shockey realized something good should happen. "I think they were missing a guy on the field," Shockey said. "They...

JACOBS GOES FOR TWO

GIANT NOTES SAN FRANCISCO - Twice yesterday, Brandon Jacobs was stopped on short yardage, which is two more times than Jacobs anticipates getting stopped in those situations. That's why his...

BUILT-IN EXCUSE, LIKE THE TEAM, JUST DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE

Chargers 31 Jets 26 AROUND the Jets there seems to have grown a strange, silent treaty that everyone's been granted a do-over, from players to coaches to front-office folks. Apparently,...

CHARGED WITH ANOTHER LOSS

Herman Edwards, his eyes red and face etched in pain, looked sick to his stomach. As he arrived to the podium for his postgame press conference following the angst of...

ONCE AGAIN, TOMLINSON PACES AN SD VICK-TORY

Really, what didn't LaDainian Tomlinson do yesterday? He scored a career-high four touchdowns and had more than 150 yards of total offense. He embarrassed All-Pro Ty Law with a move...

CONCERN FOR CHERBET

JET NOTES The scene in the bowels of Giants Stadium after the Jets' heart-wrenching 31-26 loss to the Chargers yesterday was ominous for Wayne Chrebet. His family, friends and agent...

WEIRD BUT TRUE

The Hanna HS basketball team has only one consolation over losing last Friday's game to Earlsboro HS in Oklahoma - it didn't get shut out. But it's a very meager...