November 17, 2005

MORTGAGE FORECAST - LOOK FOR ANXIETY TO GROW AS SPRING NEARS

WHAT'S going to happen next to mortgage rates? They will probably go back down - at least a little. If you've been reading newspapers or listening to TV news lately,...

RUMORS LIFT CABLE BOX FIRM

Rumors that cable box maker Scientific-Atlanta Inc. could be acquired any day now fueled vigorous trading in the company's shares yesterday. Traders pushed the stock up more than 2 percent...

PRICEY APPLE - INFLATION EASES UP, BUT LESS SO FOR NEW YORKERS

Prices in New York are jumping twice as fast as in the rest of the nation, even as inflation slowed from last month's breakneck pace. Sky-high natural gas prices are...

ESTÉE LAUDER OFFERS STAFFERS BUYOUTS

Estée Lauder, facing stiff competition from drug store brands, is offering employees voluntary buyouts as part of a cost-cutting plan to combat a sharp shortfall in profits, The Post has...

STREET WILL PICK UP MACK SLACK

Burgeoning private-equity giants and ambitious Wall Street rivals will snap up two dozen investment bankers likely to be jettisoned by Morgan Stanley, recruiters said yesterday. Morgan is widely expected to...

STONE THROWN - BROWNRIDGE, WENNER'S NO. 2 & VOICE OF REASON, QUITS

Kent Brownridge, the colorful and controversial partner to Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner, is stepping down from Wenner Media after 31 years. His last day as general manager - a...

SENATE BANKING COMMITTEE OKS BERNANKE

Brainy economist Ben Bernanke has moved closer to taking the helm of the U.S. economy. It is hoped that one of his top credits - he's the nation's leading expert...

DOUBLEDAY RAIDS PENGUIN EDITORS

In a blockbuster move, Doubleday raided Penguin for Cindy Spiegel and Julie Grau, the founding editors and co-publishers of the Riverhead imprint. In their new roles at a yet-to-be-named unit...

PARENTS ARE PITCHING IN TO BUILD THEIR CHILDREN'S BUSINESSES

WHEN Maureen Kelly, 33, maxed out $100,000 on credit cards to launch a cosmetics company from her one-bedroom East Village apartment, her parents became her first (unpaid) employees. Her mom,...

FDNY FIRE FIGHT - CITY WANTS TO SNUFF OUT SMALL FIRE

AFTER 15 years in business, Noam Freedman, owner of "The Firestore" on Lafayette Street might have to extinguish his flame. On Aug. 1 New York City filed a lawsuit against...

RING IN HOLIDAYS - LITTLE GUYS RAMP UP TO CASH IN ON WINTER SHOPPING SPREES

ONCE upon a Christmas Eve in Park Slope, Little Things Toy Shop was crowded with last-minute shoppers. The employees worked harder than Santa's elves on steroids - when a register...

HOLIDAY SHOPPING BOOMS DESPITE ENERGY COSTS

SMALL businesses expect to do big business this holiday season. According to a Constant Contact survey - an email marketing service for small businesses, associations and non-profits - small businesses...

N.Y. CITY GETS ALL 'TEA-ED' UP

From high teas to marteanis, two sisters are turning their love of tea into a tealicious empire. The business began when Haley Fox, 31, moved back to New York from...

SINGING FOR CASH - MUSICIANS 'WALK' INTO FILM ROLES

IN "Walk the Line," Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon have the tough task of re-creating music legends Johnny Cash and June Carter. The two do their own singing and make...

DANNY DEVITO'S TV COMEBACK

DANNY DeVito is re turning to TV com edy. The diminutive funnyman will star in the second season of FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," his first regular series television...

DON'T BUY THE XBOX 360 - WHY THIS YEAR'S HOTTEST HOLIDAY GIFT IS OVERHYPED

THE buzz started six months ago. There's Bill Gates on the cover of Time magazine in May, with a glowing green-and-white machine. "Inside Bill's New Xbox" it screamed. Since then,...

FINLAND ROCKS! FRIGID FRONTIER NOW THE LAPLAND OF COOL

It has blistering cold winds, overcast skies and, for part of the year, the sun hardly shines. But climate aside, Finland is hot. Friday night, Finnish metal superstar Ville Valo...

10 HOT GAMES (THAT WON'T PLAY ON THE XBOX 360)

1. The Warriors ($50; Xbox, PS2) Rating: Mature Release date: Out now Rockstar, the Suge Knight of gaming, continues its long tradition of publishing excessively sexual, controversial and violent content...

STARR REPORT

Snow in December Talk about role-reversal: Brittany Snow, last seen starring as girl-next-door Meg Pryor on NBC's "American Dreams," returns to prime-time in a five-episode appearance on FX's "Nip/Tuck" scheduled...

TOGA PARTY - 'ROME' FINALE BLOODY GOOD FUN

"Rome": Season finale Sunday night at 9 on HBO (three and a half stars) IT'S not too late to take a stab at "Rome." The first season of this ambitious...

NEW FACE OF FOOD - CHANNEL FINDS STAR IN OWN PANTRY

PAULA Deen's Southern-fried charm has transformed the Food Network personality into a bona fide star. And she's just the shot-in-the-arm the network needs to keep itself fresh in the competitive...

'SPOUSES' DOLL TRADES ON GOD RANT

MARGUERITE Perrin, the hysterical shrieking lady from Fox's "Trading Spouses," has spawned a grass-roots cottage industry. T-shirts, buttons and even a home-made talking bobblehead doll made in Perrin's likeness are...

DAD KILLED GIRL, 7: COPS

A 7-year-old Queens girl originally believed to have died of natural causes was beaten to death by her dad, cops said yesterday. Sierra Roberts, of Rockaway, was brought to Peninsula...

CBGB WILL HIT THE ROAD

Hey, ho, let's go! The owner of CBGB says that, barring a miracle, the nightclub credited with launching punk rock will have to move from its storied Lower East Side...

THE STRAIGHT DOPE ON CURLY HAIR

Making your hair curly may soon be as simple as popping a pill, scientists say. For the first time, they've discovered structural differences between straight, wavy and curly hair that...

BID TO DRAFT GIULIANI FOR PREZ BEGINS

WASHINGTON - Whether he likes it or not, there's now an official committee pushing Rudy Giuliani to run for president. A "draft committee," which operates independently of a potential candidate,...

EVERYTHING'S ON THE LINE FOR HONCHOS

NEARLY two years ago, a posse of hip-hop luminaries gathered at Midtown's Righa Royal hotel to rally around one of their own. Flashbulbs popped as Ja Rule and Ashanti stepped...

BUBBA BAT$ FOR HILLARY

WASHINGTON - Bubba is going primetime for the first time in months to help wife Hillary Rodham Clinton's fund-raising machine. Former President Bill Clinton is the headline attraction at a...

GOP WARY OF U.N. DEAL'S 'NET RESULT

WASHINGTON - The deal that lets the United States continue to manage the worldwide Internet was greeted with skepticism on Capitol Hill yesterday, as some expressed fears that the United...

PARKING GOES 'PLASTIC'

Starting today, New Yorkers can feed the meter plastic. Credit cards will now be accepted at many Midtown muni-meters (left), eliminating the need to beg merchants for change of a...

'ILLEGAL PET' WARNING TO WILD PARIS

California authorities are putting Paris Hilton on notice - give up fuzzy pet kinkajou Baby Luv or move to another state. Hilton acquired her exotic new pal last weekend on...

SANITMEN CLEAN UP - BLOOMY HAILS STRONGEST HEROES

They may be the city's Strongest, but these men could easily be called the city's Bravest. Mayor Bloomberg and Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty honored six Sanitation Department employees yesterday for...

NEW BRONX JUDGE NAMED

Judge Barry Salman, a judge for nearly three decades, has been named administrative judge of the State Supreme Court's civil term in The Bronx, officials announced yesterday. Salman, a graduate...

KNOCKOUT PERFORMANCE

Heavyweights Lance "Goofi" Whitaker and Sultan Ibragimov got an early start to their upcoming fight yesterday when posing turned to punching - and somebody else got KO'd. While posing for...

D.C. BIG URGED 9/11 DOUGH FOR HEALTHY BIZ

WASHINGTON - A top federal loan official pushed lenders to give special 9/11 recovery loans to businesses that suffered little or no harm from the terrorist attacks, according to a...

DEAD STAR'S TREK STALLED

The ashes of "Star Trek" actor James Doohan will not boldly go where no man has gone before - at least not yet. Plans to launch Doohan's remains into space...

CHUCK: ALITO IN FOR A FIGHT

WASHINGTON - Sen. Charles Schumer led a trio of Democrats yesterday railing against Supreme Court pick Samuel Alito for his past pro-life views, and threatened a bruising confirmation battle. "Anyone...

CAR THIEF SLASHES QNS. TEACHER: COPS

A knife-wielding maniac stabbed a teacher as he stole her car yesterday, but only got a few blocks before crashing and being tackled by an officer outside Queens Supreme Court....

$10M SUIT FOR JAVA JOLT

A Staten Island woman wants $10 million for being scalded by a cup of coffee. Sharon Shea said she suffered second- and third-degree burns to her legs when two steaming...

MIKE SETS UP WTC SHOWDOWN WITH GOV

It could get ugly at Ground Zero. Signaling an aggressive new posture toward Gov. Pataki and the stalled rebuilding effort, Mayor Bloomberg yesterday named four top-level aides - including two...

SCHOOL BRIBE BUSTS - BUILD BIGS 'GOT 60G'

Six officials who oversaw school construction projects have been busted for allegedly taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes, federal and state authorities said yesterday. Prosecutors said the six...

WOODWARD COULD KO CASE VS. SCOOTER

CALL it "Deep Throat 2." The CIA-leak probe is in big trouble because superstar reporter and Watergate hero Bob Woodward has emerged as a surprise witness for the defense -...

'TERRIBLE TEACHER' TRADERS - 4 IN 10 PRINCIPALS' TRICK

Nearly 40 percent of all public school principals in the city acknowledged "passing the lemon" - urging incompetent, tenured teachers to relocate to another school instead of trying to have...

MARTHA $TIFFED JURY CONSULTANT: SUIT

Martha Stewart has become a deadbeat diva, court papers charge. The axed "Apprentice" star is getting sued for allegedly stiffing the jury-consulting firm that helped her with her notorious federal...

CITY TAKES HIGH LINE

A plan for the city's most unique open space - a 1.5-mile unused elevated rail viaduct known as the High Line - moved one step closer to reality yesterday when...

DINER EXECUTION - STONE-COLD KILLER CHASES VICTIM INTO QNS. EATERY

A Queens man was gunned down in cold blood yesterday after being chased more than a city block into a local diner where the killer pumped two bullets into him....

RAIL LINK OFF TRACK

The MTA has rebuffed Gov. Pataki's request to use a chunk of the agency's $1 billion surplus to help build a rail link from Kennedy Airport to lower Manhattan. Instead,...

HOUSE HOSES N.Y. AGAIN ON HOMELAND $$

WASHINGTON - New York stands to lose tens of millions in homeland security dollars each year at the expense of small states like Wyoming and Montana, under legislation negotiated in...

MURDER INC. DUO WASHED $1 MILLION IN DRUG LOOT BY THE BAG: FEDS

The hip-hop honchos of the Murder Inc. empire took in garbage bags and shoeboxes stuffed with drug money and laundered it for a notorious Queens crack and heroin kingpin, prosecutors...

NYPD DAILY BLOTTER

QUEENS * An assistant manager at a Ridgewood bank has been charged with cashing $61,000 worth of bank clients' checks, police sources said yesterday. Demara Walser, 25, was arrested Tuesday...

B'KLYN ROAD-RAGE BEATING

A Brooklyn man was in critical condition last night after he was beaten in a road-rage attack, police said. The violence took place on 65th Street and Third Avenue in...

VEEP LASHES 'DISHONEST' DEMOCRATS

WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney yesterday fired the sharpest White House blast yet at Democrats who accuse President Bush of twisting Iraq intelligence, saying that's "one of the most...

CAMPAIGN CASH CLASH

The City Council approved a controversial measure yesterday that could allow labor leaders to circumvent rules limiting union contributions to candidates, campaign watchdogs charged. Mayor Bloomberg hinted he may veto...

GOV FILLS PERV PEN - REVEALS 14 MORE LOCK-UPS AFTER COURT DEFEAT

Gov. Pataki revealed yesterday he ordered 14 more sexual predators confined to psychiatric hospitals beyond their prison terms - as controversy raged over a judge's ruling that might free 12...

FLT. 587 MEMORIAL

A Dominican-born designer will create the memorial to victims of Flight 587, which crashed in the Rockaways on Nov. 12, 2001, killing 265 people, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday. Freddy Rodriguez...

RITZY 'ROBBERS' BUSTED IN $1M BURGLARIES

The FBI has broken up a gang of slick burglars who cut phone lines and alarm systems to loot up to $1 million in valuables from upscale homes in New...

AIRLINE 'BUMP' CHUMPS - BOOTED FLIER WINS SUIT

When Continental Airlines bumped Thatcher Stone, they bumped the wrong man. Stone is an aviation lawyer - so when the airline tried to lowball him for ruining his ski vacation...

TEACHER'S CARJACK ORDEAL - QNS. HERO COLLARS SLASH SUSPECT

A knife-wielding maniac stabbed a Queens teacher as he stole her SUV yesterday, but only got a few blocks before crashing and being tackled by a court officer. "I am...

PRACTICE MAKES HEROES PERFECT

A practice drill at a Queens firehouse turned into the real thing yesterday when firefighters smelled smoke from a burning house two blocks away. They immediately raced to the home...

TV-BABY TRAGEDY - 'MAURY' PATERNITY INFANT DIES IN CITY HOTEL

A 2-month-old baby died in an Upper West Side hotel room yesterday - just a day after his parents went on Maury Povich's TV show and found out his "daddy"...

MORON FANS ON NOTICE - ROWDY CRACKDOWN

Run onto the field at Yankee Stadium and you'll get more than a Bronx cheer - you could wind up doing a year at Rikers. The City Council yesterday passed...

IMBECILE FANS BEWARE - LAW CRACKS DOWN ON ROWDY BEHAVIOR

Run onto the field at Yankee Stadium and you'll get more than a Bronx cheer - you could wind up doing a year at Rikers. The City Council yesterday passed...

HAIR'S INTERESTING NEWS

Making your hair curly may soon be as simple as popping a pill, scientists say. For the first time, they've discovered structural differences between straight, wavy and curly hair that...

CLASSROOM EXTRA - PRESIDENTS EDITION

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON - With his image as a down-to-earth frontiersman, Old Tippecanoe became the nation's ninth president. WILLIAM Henry Harrison was born on Feb. 9, 1773, in Charles City...

RITZY ROB RING - '$1M BURGLARS' BUSTED

A gang of slick burglars who cut phone lines and alarm systems to loot up to $1 million in valuables from upscale homes in three states is under arrest, the...

GOV FILLS PERV PEN - DEFIES COURT BY LOCKING UP 14 MORE AFTER JAIL TERMS

Gov. Pataki thumbed his nose at a ruling that might free 12 sexual predators confined beyond their prison terms - revealing yesterday he ordered another 14 committed to psychiatric hospitals....

CHUCK SLAMS SAM - VOWS ALITO FIGHT

WASHINGTON - Sen. Charles Schumer led a trio of liberal Democrats yesterday railing against Supreme Court pick Samuel Alito for his past pro-life views, and threatened a bruising confirmation battle....

JETER THE SWINGER

It's Derek Jeter in a squeeze play with girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo. The Yankee captain, who plays the field both professionally and socially, is seen here frolicking poolside with the sexy...

ISIAH: LARRY IS STILL MY GO-TO GUY

LOS ANGELES - Isiah Thomas, speaking last night only yards from Phil Jackson's office at the Staples Center, said he was "thrilled" the way it turned out - with Larry...

RYAN, METS MEET

MET NOTES The Mets had another player meeting last night, this time with B.J. Ryan, a source told The Post. Ryan, one of the best free-agent closers on the market,...

JACKETS CONSIDERED TRADE FOR DEVS' KOZLOV

Columbus was believed to have had interest in Devils forward Viktor Kozlov before opting to trade for Anaheim's Sergei Fedorov instead. Kozlov (illness) sat out the Devils' 4-1 loss in...

PRADO KEEPS ON HIS 'PANTS'

Track was fast, turf firm despite overnight rain; gale-force headwind was blowing against horses down stretch. FIRST RACE: Did someone put Vaseline on saddles before race? First, Egyptian King dumped...

ISLES DRAW ON NEW LINE

ATLANTA - They say speed kills, and that's exactly the most lethal ingredient in what was fast becoming the Islanders' most effective line combination. Shawn Bates was moved between fellow...

POLY PREP LONGS FOR LOOP HOOKUP

Eric Olsen played his final high school game for Poly Prep last Saturday on a field in Orlando, playing a team he'd barely heard of. "It's tough, not having the...

YANKS SEEK SOME RELIEF - MATSUI SIGNED; BULLPEN NEXT

Hideki Matsui was the centerpiece of the Yankees' offseason plans. Now the team's thoughts turn to finding bullpen help and a center fielder. After the club formally announced Matsui's four-year,...

PIGSKIN PROFIT

VIRGINIA TECH at VIRGINIA Noon; ESPNLine:Virginia Tech -7. Angle: College football fans know how nasty Alabama- Auburn and Clemson-South Carolina is, but the Hokies and Cavs don't take a back...

RANGERS NEED REAL BIG SHOT

RANGERS at 'CANES - Tonight 7:00 - MSG; ESPN (1050) RALEIGH, N.C. - All right, let's get right to the point: The Rangers desperately need to find someone to play...

IT LOOKS LIKE BYE, BERNIE

YANKEE NOTES The Yankees are in no rush to bring back Bernie Williams, even as a fourth outfielder. When Williams' agent, Scott Boras, called GM Brian Cashman on Tuesday, the...

PADGETT GETTING IT DONE

NET NOTES Opportunity has knocked twice for Scott Padgett this season. Both times the Net forward answered with a major contribution. In Indiana, he got a start and responded with...

LARRY'S RIGHT AT HOME

KNICK NOTES LOS ANGELES - Larry Brown was back at another one of his old college stomping grounds at UCLA, where he coached two seasons from 1979 to 1981. The...

BIG KNIGHT AT GARDEN - BOBBY VS. BOEHEIM

Bobby Knight and Jim Boeheim breathe rarefied air. It is oxygen laced with basketball purity and devoid of professional doubt. It allows them to poke fun at one another because...

NENAD IS 'DOUBLE' TROUBLE TO NET FOES

It was pointed out to Nenad Krstic that the Nets have an outstanding record when he scores double figures. "I don't like stats," Krstic said. Well, Krstic and everyone associated...

'I'M GOING TO BE HERE': EDWARDS

With the rumors of his departure after this disappointing season swirling in the November winds and taking on a life of their own, Herman Edwards yesterday stated strongly that his...

HERM, LYNCH IN REUNION

JET NOTES Sunday marks a reunion of Herman Edwards and one of his best friends, Broncos' safety John Lynch, who used to play for him at Tampa Bay. But it...

PHILS PAY VISIT TO WAGNER

MET NOTES Five days from now, the Mets will host Billy Wagner in New York. Yesterday Wagner hosted the Phillies at his home in Virginia. Wagner, the star free-agent closer...

VIRGINIA SIGNS QUEENS BALLER

Will Harris seems to have finally found a final destination to continue his basketball - and academic - career. The well-traveled 6-5 forward from Queens signed with Virginia yesterday, officially...

DIFFERENT GAME FOR MARBURY

KNICK NOTES LOS ANGELES - Stephon Marbury was reticent following last night's 97-92 loss to the Lakers at Staples Center. As reticent as he was shooting the ball yesterday. Marbury...

ARIZA GETS FIRST SHOT VS. KOBE

LOS ANGELES - Early in this six-game, 11-day western marathon, Larry Brown lamented not having a legitimate starting small forward. Last night at Staples Center against the Lakers, Brown finally...

ISLES TAKE OUT THRASHERS

Islanders 7 - Thrashers 3 ATLANTA - The Islanders were looking for a killer instinct, and last night they turned into the Manson Family. For the first time this season,...

KNICKS CAN'T CONTAIN KOBE - BRYANT'S BARRAGE TURNS BROWN & CO. INTO WEST TOAST

Lakers 97 - Knicks 92 "Kobe, when he gets in those rhythms, he's scoring on whoever." - JAMAL CRAWFORD LOS ANGELES - Larry Brown is amused when he's asked if...

ISIAH 'THRILLED' TO HAVE BROWN - THOMAS HAPPY HE HIRED LARRY DESPITE BAD START

LOS ANGELES - Isiah Thomas, speaking only yards from Phil Jackson's office at the Staples Center, said he was "thrilled" the way it turned out - with Larry Brown coming...

'WE WILL GET THROUGH IT' - GRIEVING GIANTS TURN THEIR FOCUS TO BIRDS

There are trainers and doctors to deal with the physical aches and pains but what the Giants have endured recently is beyond such traditional treatment. And so, when GM Ernie...

THE OTHER MC: MCMAHON SET TO REPLACE MCNABB

PHILADELPHIA - L.J. Smith played two years at Rutgers with Mike McMahon, the biggest man on a campus where the football was ugly, but not the quarterback. "He's a pretty...

NFC EAST SLIPPING AWAY FROM EAGLES

GIANT NOTES The Giants were pulling for the Eagles to beat the Cowboys last Monday night and it did not happen. Now the Giants and Cowboys are tied for first...

IT'S SHOWTIME IN LA-LA LAND - ARIZA'S GIVEN STARTING NOD AGAINST KOBE

LOS ANGELES - Early in this six-game, 11-day western marathon, Larry Brown lamented not having a legitimate starting small forward. Last night at Staples Center against the Lakers, Brown finally...

TIKI WAS TOUCHED BY TISCH

When Tiki Barber 's wife,Ginny,was pregnant with the couple 's first son,Bob Tisch called to congratulate them.It was quite an unusual phone call,since the Barbers had not told anyone they...

HELLO, MR. X - NADY DEAL SENDS CAMERON TO SAN DIEGO

Two years ago, the Mets signed Mike Cameron to play center field. Last year they moved him to right field. Yesterday they shipped him out of town. In their first...

JACKETS LOOKED AT DEVILS' KOZLOV

Columbus was believed to have had interest in Devils forward Viktor Kozlov before opting to trade for Anaheim's Sergei Fedorov instead. Kozlov (illness) sat out the Devils' 4-1 loss in...

WEIRD BUT TRUE

Here's some scary news for companies in Iowa - they can't deny unemployment benefits to workers who've been fired for seeing ghosts. Security guard Wade Gallegos got the ax when...