June 4, 2009
BIG UNIT'S BIG NUMBER: EX-YANK RANDY JOHNSON WINS 300TH
Randy Johnson has earned his 300th win, becoming the 24th major league pitcher to reach the milestone. The Big Unit allowed two hits and an unearned run over six innings...
FINAL 'ROCKEFELLER' TRIAL WITNESS: HE'S NOT INSANE
The man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller exaggerated his symptoms of mental illness and was not insane when he kidnapped his 7-year-old daughter, a psychiatrist testifying for the prosecution said...
BAD HUMOR
This Mister Softee is playing hardball. A vendor for the beloved summer staple and three cohorts gave a rival Good Humor operator in Queens more than just a cold shoulder...
SEC CHARGING EX-COUNTRYWIDE CEO MOZILO WITH FRAUD
Federal regulators on Thursday charged Angelo Mozilo, the former chief executive of mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp., and two other company executives with civil fraud. The Securities and Exchange Commission's...
BRUCE TO GEHRY: YOU'RE FIRED
It's official - Bruce Ratner has dismissed living legend architect Frank Gehry from the Atlantic Yards project. Thursday's announcement by the developer that one of the project's main selling points...
Should Comedy Be Politically Correct?
No! Next question. That's the whole point. The weekend's hot new comedy "The Hangover" is funny in part because of its willingness to be offensive. Yet I agree with my...
Remembering David Carradine
"There wasn't anything that Anthony Hopkins or Clint Eastwood or Sean Connery or any of those old guys could do that I couldn't do," David Carradineonce said.Carradine, whose body was...
Beltran rips slumping Mets
PITTSBURGH -- A visibly angry Carlos Beltran let loose on the Mets today after an 11-6 loss to the lowly Pirates here completed a three-game Pittsburgh sweep. Beltran, who was...
Elbow surgery next for Putz?
PITTSBURGH -- J.J. Putz is headed back to New York on Friday and is facing possible elbow surgery in the wake of yet another dreadful outing by the former All-Star...
OFFICERS SHOOT MAN WIELDING KNIFE INSIDE 109TH PCT.: POLICE
Chaos broke out inside the 109th Precinct Thursday morning when officers opened fire at a knife-wielding man who attacked a civilian outside the Flushing station house, police said. The incident...
'MOST WANTED' QUEENS MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
A Queens man whose case was profiled on the TV show "America's Most Wanted" has been convicted of murder in road rage incident that resulted in the death of a...
Marie Brassard at PS 122
Last night I caught Marie Brassard's "Jimmy" at PS 122. Written, directed and starring Brassard, this solo show is as enigmatic a piece of theater as any I've seen in...
SOTOMAYOR'S PERSONAL ASSETS TOP $1M
WASHINGTON -- Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says her personal assets top $1 million. Her $1.16 million in assets include her Greenwich Village condo, valued at $997,500; a $20,000 stake...
Gov. Schwarzenegger stumping for U.S. World Cup bid on Twitter and video
On Tuesday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger threw his weight behind the U.S.A. Bid Committee's efforts to bring a World Cup stateside. Now the Governator is stumping for the World Cup,...
BREAKING NEWS! COUNCIL COMMITTEE APPROVES DOCK STREET PROJECT!
A key City Council committee this afternoon backed - by a surprisingly wide margin - DUMBO developer Jed Walentas's controversial bid to build a 17-story tower next to the Brooklyn...
Cavs don't deserve LeBron, yet
By JUSTIN TERRANOVAThe NBA Finals start tonight without LeBron James and the Cavaliers."What else could LeBron do?" Reggie Miller questioned when Cleveland was facing a 3-1 deficit to the Magic...
JAILED FINANCIER NAMED IN $92M MORTGAGE FRAUD
A jailed financier convicted of laundering bribes for a California congressman was hit with new federal charges today for orchestrating a $92 million mortgage fraud scheme in New York. An...
Pitching set for Nationals series
PITTSBURGH -- Assuming that Washington's home doubleheader with San Francisco isn't rained out today, the pitching matchups are now set for the Mets' three-game series at the Nationals that begins...
Conan O'Brien Plays Magic Eye With Viewers
In other Conan O'Brien news...The bloggers over at Serious Lunch must have felt a tingle in their thumbs when watching O'Brien's "Tonight Show."With the new host came a new set...
EMT ARRESTED AFTER POSTING PHOTO OF DEAD WOMAN ON FACEBOOK
A retired NYPD cop working as an EMT was busted today for snapping a photo of a dead woman while on duty, then posting the picture on his Facebook page,...
Box Office: Will Ferrell Suffer a Weekend 'Hangover'?
Gitesh Pandya at Box Office Guru is predicting Universal's pricey (and smutty) family adventure "Land of the Lost'' with Will Ferrell will triumph with around $29 million, despite absymal reviews...
LAWYER: ASTOR IRONICALLY ASKED SON IF HE WANTED ALL OF HER MONEY
Brooke Astor's son claimed she asked him in 2003 whether he wanted all her $198 million fortune, but the aged philanthropist didn't mean it literally, her estate planning lawyer testified...
CSI SLAY SUSPECT: COPS WOULDN'T LET ME ATTEND VICTIM'S FUNERAL
The college student accused of brutally murdering his NYPD criminologist girlfriend and leaving her mutilated body bound to her bed said the police investigation made it "impossible" for him to...
Meet 'America's Hottest Rocker Mom'
IFC (Independent Film Channel) took to Manhattan's Madison Square Park yesterday to put on a wild show for its scripted rocker series, "Z Rock."Since "Z Rock" is about a band...
COPS NAB GYM 'THIEF'
A Queens man gave new meaning to the term "dumbbell" after he was arrested for swiping a treasure trove of wallets, Blackberrys and credit cards from lockers at upscale Manhattan...
Casting Call: Seinfeld's 'Marriage Ref'
Calling all Jon and Kates! NBC just posted a casting call for Jerry Seinfeld's new comedic reality series, "The Marriage Ref.""Ref" calls in celebs, athletes and comedians to blow the...
Across the Country in 1 Weekend
Take that, Forrest Gump!Remember Conan O'Brien's "Tonight Show" opening bit where he ran across the country to get to his new studio in Hollywood?Turns out, the new host shot the...
MINE THAT BIRD SPARKLING IN BRIGHT LIGHTS OF BIG CITY
Bennie "Chip" Woolley Jr., 45, trains Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, a fast-closing second in the Preakness, and the favorite for Saturday's Belmont Stakes. This week Woolley shares his...
ANGELINA: WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL CELEB
Angelina Jolie has dethroned Oprah Winfrey as the world's most powerful celebrity, according to Forbes. The actress grabbed the No. 1 spot from the talk show queen on the magazine's...
F-Mart under the gun
PITTSBURGH -- The immediate big-league future of prized Mets outfield prospect Fernando Martinez will depend on today's game here and Friday's opener in Washington, according to Jerry Manuel. With right...
PLOTTERS TRY TO PUSH OUT GORDON BROWN
Rebels in Gordon Brown's ruling Labour Party plotted the prime minister's departure on Thursday, saying he should go if European and local elections went as badly as they feared. A...
David Carradine (1936-2009)
Earlier in his career, he starred in Ingmar Bergman's "The Sepent's Egg'' and Martin Scorsese's "Boxcar Bertha,'' the latter opposite Barbara Hershey, with whom he had a son named Free;...
SLAIN COP HONORED IN BROOKYN FUNERAL
A police officer tragically killed in a friendly fire incident last week was remembered today as a "conscientious" and driven man who dreamed of being a cop all his life.Photo...
CB 10 VOTES AGAINST GLOVER GROUP HOME
Community Board 10 voted to disapprove plans for a new group home at 1623 Glover Street. Residents are concerned with the past performance of the group home's sponsor, Leake and...
TENANTS PROTEST NEGLECTFUL LANDLORD
A newly formed tenant association bused to City Hall on Thursday, May 28 to protest sorry conditions and crooked management in Highbridge. The landlord of 1380 University Avenue has accumulated...
DRIVER DIES AS CAR SETS FLUSHING HOME ON FIRE
A 21â'yearâ'old driver died after his sedan jumped the sidewalk and exploded after crashing into a Flushing home early Thursday morning, police said. The unidentified man was traveling south on...
BERNIE KERIK ARRAIGNED
WASHINGTON -- Former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik made his first court appearance today since being indicted once again on charges of lying when he was being vetted to be Homeland...
TRIAL SET FOR NY TV EXEC IN WIFE'S BEHEADING
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A trial date of Jan. 18 has been set for a Muslim-American businessman charged with beheading his estranged wife at the television station the couple said they...
LITTLEJOHN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING JOHN JAY STUDENT
Darryl Littlejohn, a convicted kidnaper with a long rap sheet, was found guilty of firstâ'degree murder and rape by a Brooklyn jury Wednesday afternoon in the 2006 death of a...
COPS DOWNPLAY GANGSTAS
Although a recent shooting may be linked to gang violence, cops from the 69th Precinct said that gang activity in Canarsie is at an all-time low. Captain Milt Marmara, the...
MANHATTAN BEACH PATCHWORK
âIt looks like garbage.â That's how Community Board 15 Chair Theresa Scavo is describing the patchwork of repairs to the crumbling Shore Boulevard bulkhead. The spackleâ'andâ'trowelâ'like repairs are readily apparent...
FINAL WITNESS: CROCKEFELLER'S NOT CRAZY
BOSTON -- The man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller exaggerated his symptoms of mental illness and was not insane when he kidnapped his 7-year-old daughter, a psychiatrist testifying for the...
KNIFE-WIELDING THUG STABS MAN AT QUEENS PRECINCT STATION
A 35-year-old Queens man was shot by cops inside the 109th Precinct station house this morning when he lunged at them after stabbing another man in the back right outside...
BRAZIL AIR FORCE RECOVERS FIRST PIECE OF WRECKAGE FROM FLIGHT 447
FERNANDO DE NORONHA, Brazil -- Brazil's air force says a helicopter recovered the first wreckage from Air France Flight 447. The news came after Air France told families of passengers...
DAYLIGHT CHINATOWN MUGGING CAUGHT ON TAPE
Cops are looking for a brazen teenager who grabbed a pocketbook from a woman in Chinatown -- then violently dragged her to the ground and caused her to injure her...
MSGR. IVERS REASSIGNED TO MANHATTAN
Following more than a decade of service to Throggs Neck, Monsignor Leslie Ivers will be leaving St. Frances de Chantal Parish. Ordained a preist on November 3, 1979, Msgr. Ivers...
SHAME DAY GRILL
Is Game Day a nightmare? A group of East Tremont Avenue merchants, landlords and residents have asked Community Board 10 and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto to rein in the Game Day...
CITY ISLAND CHEF CLAIMS FAME
Michael Proietti is a born television personality â" loud and fun. Proietti is a chef extraordinaire â"inventive and industrious. He's also a finalist on The Next Food Network Star and...
2 JOURNALISTS ON TRIAL IN N. KOREA
SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea's top court began hearing the case Thursday of two American journalists accused of crossing into the country illegally and engaging in "hostile acts" --...
LIBS ARE WORRIED (MOORE OR LESS)
The Liberty, as is the case for every WNBA team, will have to trim their roster to 11 players by 2 p.m. tomorrow. But their bigger concern is that they...
A &E KILLS 'THE BEAST'
A&E has cancelled Patrick Swayze's cop series, "The Beast," after one season. Swayze, 56, is battling pancreatic cancer, with which he was diagnosed just before shooting "The Beast," where he...
'KUNG FU' STAR DAVID CARRADINE HAS DIED
Actor David Carradine, who starred in the series "Kung Fu" and films such as "Kill Bill," was found dead in a Bangkok hotel room yesterday from an apparent suicide. But...
IT'S ART: Mid-Hudson Bridge rocks
When driving along the Mid-Hudson Bridge, suspended 135 feet in the air, the idea some guy is busy slamming a bunch of mallets against it might sound a bit like,...
DVD Extra: Warner Archive Adds New Cooper, Powell/Keeler Titles
The lesser-known Powell-Keeler vehicles include their two musicals directed by Frank Borzage, "Shipmates Forever'' and "Flirtation Walk,'' as well as "Colleen,'' directed by Alfred E. Green (who later helmed "The...
HUSBAND USED CRAIGSLIST TO GET MAN TO RAPE WIFE: COPS
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. -- A North Carolina husband used the online advertising service Craigslist to enlist a man to rape his wife in the couple's home, police said Wednesday. The 25-year-old...
The Daily Whacks, Thursday Edition
You can count me among the tweetin' Twitterers (or is that the Twitterin' tweeters?) now: http://twitter.com/MikeVacc*******Maybe it's right that Mets fans will never forgive Tom Glavine, both for the way...
HERO LI DELI OWNER TARGET OF RAID
The hero Long Island deli owner hailed as compassionate after he showed mercy to a would-be robber by giving him $40 and a loaf of bread has been busted for...
3 UP: ANALYZING THE MCLOUTH TRADE
Yes, I am on twitter.The first major in-season trade was completed on Wednesday with Nate McLouth going from Pittsburgh to Atlanta for three prospects: centerfielder Gorkys Hernandez, and starters Charlie...
NEARLY 500 TREES GROWING ON BROOKLYN PIER
A tree grows in Brooklyn? Try nearly 500 of them suddenly springing up next to a long-isolated Brooklyn Heights pier. State officials have set up a huge nursery along a...
FULL TEXT OF OBAMA'S 'NEW BEGINNINGS' SPEECH
"A New Beginning" I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood...
OBAMA BUTTERS THEM UP IN CAIRO
With his trademark humility, President Obama noted in his speech this morning that "change cannot happen overnight" and that one speech in Cairo -- even delivered by him -- will...
OBAMA CALLS FOR NEW BEGINNING IN SPEECH TO MUSLIM WORLD
CAIRO -- Quoting from the Quran for emphasis, President Barack Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims" Thursday and said together, they could confront violent...
OBAMA MAKES FORBES POWER 100 LIST
Another first for President Obama. The leader of the free world has earned the distinction of being became the first sitting head of state to land a spot on the...
RED BULLS FACE ROUGH ROAD
The Red Bulls' just-completed four-game homestand was supposed to define their season, and it has. But rather than vaulting the Red Bulls into Eastern Conference contention it has dropped them...
SILLY SEASON
'Killer Hair': Great title, better premise. June 21, Lifetime A fashion reporter turns detective to solve a series of murders in a beauty salon. And it co-stars Mark Consuelos, Kelly...
'CHARITABLE' THE EXPERTS' CHOICE
IF YOU listen to experienced horsemen on the backstretch, Saturday's Belmont Stakes will be a one-horse rout: Charitable Man first, the rest nowhere. The unanimity among them is startling. Leading...
'BIRD' TABBED TO WIN A SECOND TRIPLE CROWN RACE
Kentucky Derby hero Mine That Bird landed in post 7 in a field of 10 when post positions were drawn yesterday morning for Saturday's 141st Belmont Stakes, and five hours...
NFL, UNION BEGIN TALKS
The NFL and its players' union opened talks yesterday in a bid to avoid a work stoppage in 2011, when the current labor contract expires. Commissioner Roger Goodell and DeMaurice...
CHANDLER'S BONE SPUR TAKEN OUT
The Knicks now have two former first-round picks spending their summer rehabbing from surgery. Forward Wilson Chandler, one of the team's key building blocks and the top pick in 2007,...
HONDO'S A GIANT
Do not pet or bet the Tigers. That's the best advice Hondo can give after going draino for a second straight night with the big felines, whose loss to the...
SPORTS SHORTS
HOOPS: LeBron out of Clinic Cavs star LeBron James was released yesterday from the Cleveland Clinic after a five-hour procedure to remove a benign growth from his jaw a day...
U.S. routed in Costa Rica
The U.S. National Team suffered a 3-1 World Cup qualifying loss in Costa Rica that wasn't even as close as the screline indicated. They coughed up an Alvaro Saborio goal...
DEAL SAVES GOTTI HOME
Mob princess Victoria Gotti is staying in her castle -- she's cut a tentative deal with Feds that will allow her to save her Long Island estate from foreclosure. Gotti...
CAUGHT WITH HIS PANTS DOWN
An alleged homegrown terrorist struggled to keep his pants on in court yesterday. Ex-con Laguerre Payen, 31, was briefly removed from the White Plains federal courtroom after his jeans fell...
NYPD DAILY BLOTTER
Queens A 17-year-old thief was killed and two others injured early yesterday after the car in which they were fleeing crashed in Rego Park, police said. Cops said a call...
CAPT.'S GAG ON SWAG
Federal authorities ordered the hero captain of the Maersk Alabama to stay mum about the disappearance of thousands of dollars in pirate booty, fearing it could blow a hole in...
LAST WRITES: HUMOR & LOVE IN FACE OF DEATH
This heartbreaking, humorous and ultimately inspiring essay was posted just hours after the death Tuesday of its author, a 45-year-old journalist who had been writing an increasingly popular blog --...
HIS CALLER ID IS 'DICK' TRACY
Yo, yo, Tracy Morgan's going to give you the 411! The "30 Rock" star pedals through Queens for a scene from the latest Kevin Smith-directed flick, "A Couple of Dicks."...
FANS HAIL LI DELI SAINT
Kindness begets kindness. Moved by the mercy of a Long Island bodega owner who gave a would-be robber $40 and a loaf of bread, dozens of well-wishers visited the big-hearted...
OUTRAGE AT 'RACE' PRINCIPAL
Enraged East Harlem parents and elected officials are calling for the ouster of a principal who asked teachers to report the numbers of disruptive kids by race. The safety survey...
LADY ASTOR HAD NO CLUE
Two days after she "competently" signed over $60 million to her son, Brooke Astor was so addled by Alzheimer's, she had no idea who one of her old friends was,...
BLACKS IN EDUCATION
A group of prominent African-American leaders will gather in New York next week for a meeting to discuss educational issues. The June 10-14 conference -- sponsored in part by News...
'BOMBER' CHECK$ INN
If at first you succeed . . . why not try it again? The same robber who passed a bomb-threatening note at a Midtown hotel Tuesday night -- making off...
4 TRAIN HEADED FOR FAST TRACK
The trek to Manhattan is getting easier for Bronx residents taking the No. 4 train. NYC Transit on Monday will start a three-week trial run of a morning rush-hour express...
$WIMSUIT HIGH & DRY
These swimsuits may leave you feeling like you took a bath! The high-end bathing suit label Rosa Cha Atelier's has launched a line of ultra-extravagant suits -- in leather (right)...
SI TASER TORTURE INVASION
A sadistic crook repeatedly Tasered a Staten Island teen to force her to give up the location to the family's safe, which he and an accomplice then looted of $112,000,...
JET'S HORRIFYING FINAL 14 MINUTES
First, the autopilot disengaged, and then an alarm warned passengers that all hell was breaking loose on doomed Air France Flight 447. PHOTOS: Air France Flight 447 Search & Rescue...
BRITAIN'S GOV'T ON BRINK OF COLLAPSE
Britain's Labor government -- battered by weeks of disclosures of lawmakers using taxpayers' money for everything from X-rated movies to toilet seats -- is teetering on the verge of collapse...
O HEALTH PLAN 'MANDATORY'
WASHINGTON -- President Obama, providing the first real details on how he wants to reshape the nation's health-care system, pushed Congress yesterday toward a sweeping overhaul that would allow Americans...
SORROW OF 'LAST' DC VOUCHER GRADS
WASHINGTON -- Dozens of low-income kids who got vouchers to attend some of Washington, DC's priciest private schools attended a somber graduation ceremony last night amid fears that the popular...
BUFFALO-CRASH WHISTLEBLOWER 'SILENCED'
A federal safety inspector assigned to the airline whose plane crashed near Buffalo last February, killing 50 people, warned of safety problems at the carrier a year earlier. A lawyer...
WEIRD BUT TRUE
Cops in Portsmouth, NH, had no trouble identifying this assault suspect -- they'd arrested Paul Baldwin 152 times before. The 49-year-old career criminal has a record dating back to 1984....
BRITISH ROCKERS FRAT AND HAPPY
IN a gale of guitars, drums and shouted lyrics, Brit band Art Brut slammed the packed Mercury Lounge on Tuesday. At the second night of a five-night residency at the...
FIVE-WORD SPEECHES ROCK
HOLLYWOOD divas seem genetically incapable of ending Academy Award acceptance speeches before the music comes up and they are literally pulled off stage. To avoid this melodramatic grandstanding, the Webby...
WEB MEETS DEB FOR 'NET NUTS
THERE is no doubt that the highlight of Internet Week New York -- now under way -- is tomorrow night's Webutante Ball. To be held on the swish rooftop lounge...
HAUTE LIST
Habitual's resin-coated cotton denim jeans ($198 at chickdowntown.com) are body-skimming, glossy and black -- which means they are dead sexy and way cool. Dressed down, they're the hottest rock-show pants...
HUMPBACK HORROR
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- An oil tanker struck an endangered humpback whale and carried its carcass on its bow into Alaska's Port Valdez. Crewmen on an escort vessel spotted the 40-...
OBAMA HEAT ON ISRAELI SETTLERS
WASHINGTON -- President Obama yesterday told Israel's defense minister that Jerusalem must stop allowing West Bank settlements to grow, reiterating his stance in the hours before leaving for the Middle...
BEHIND '8' BALL
Embattled dad Jon Gosselin insists his eight kids are not being harmed by reality-TV cameras, even as his marriage melts down in full public view. Gosselin, co-star of the TLC...
LI POL: MY BETS ARE ON BELMONT
A top Long Island politician says if the Shinnecock Indians want to open a casino on Long Island, they should place their bets on Belmont Park. Nassau County Executive Tom...
POLL: 52% SAY TORTURE CAN BE OK
WASHINGTON -- Just over half of Americans say torture is at least sometimes justified to thwart terrorist attacks, and the country is evenly divided over whether to close the Guantanamo...
BAM OFFERS 'FAITH' HEALING
President Obama delivers what will be the most-watched speech of his 5-month-old administration today in Egypt when he proposes a fresh start with the world's 1.5 billion Muslims. OBAMA CALLS...
SWINE FLU KILLS 2 MORE
Two more people have died in New York City after contracting swine flu, bringing the total number of deaths here from the virus to seven, city health officials said yesterday....
COPS UNDER THE GUN: KELLY
Cops like Omar Edwards who confront a suspect committing a nonviolent crime must use their own judgment about whether to pull a gun, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said yesterday. Edwards,...
CANCER RX FOR BOWSER
Dog lovers rejoice: A new canine-cancer drug announced yesterday promises to save the lives of countless pups. "It's very exciting," said Manhattan veterinary oncologist Dr. Karen Oberthaler. "It's the first...
IN-'TENT' ON PEACE
WASHINGTON -- President Obama got an oil-royal welcome yesterday as he arrived in Saudi Arabia to begin a new relationship with the Muslim world. The first US president with Islamic...
WARY WORLD IS LISTENING
WASHINGTON -- President Obama has long billed today's speech in Cairo as a vital address to skeptics among our enemies abroad in the Muslim world. But perhaps even more important,...
FERRY CRASH VICTIM'$ PLEA
A Staten Island Ferry crash victim took the witness stand to say his lawyer deserves millions of dollars for helping him win a civil suit against the city. James McMillan,...
SHELLY CAVES ON SILVER DOLLARS
ALBANY -- Under pressure to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding the lucrative side jobs of lawmakers like himself, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver for the first time yesterday announced support...
FOUR-ALARM ANGER FROM BRAVEST & FINEST
New York's Finest and Bravest were fuming yesterday over Gov. Paterson's veto of a bill that would have sweetened pensions for newly hired cops and firefighters. "It's not fair. Other...
MICHELLE GOES TO BAT FOR SONIA
WASHINGTON -- The White House dispatched First Lady Michelle Obama to defend Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor yesterday, part of a broad offensive to humanize the judge that came as...
BLING TIME FOR PREZ
President Obama was awarded Saudi Arabia's highest honor yesterday -- an elaborate gold necklace and medallion fit for a king or a rap mogul. "Goodness gracious, that's something there," an...
HERO (BUT BOOZY) BRAVEST FIRE 'BOMBED'
Hours after being honored for heroism, a busload of drunken firefighters distinguished themselves for buffoonery yesterday. A party bus blasting hip-hop and reggaeton music pulled up at Allen and Stanton...
HI-TECH HOPES OF FINDING BLACK BOXES ON SEA FLOOR
The French ship steaming across the Atlantic on a long-shot mission to find the undersea wreckage of Air France Flight 447 is carrying some of the world's most cutting-edge equipment....
GOV'S SHOCKING PAYOUT PULLBACK
ALBANY -- Gov. Paterson dropped a bombshell on two powerful unions yesterday when he unexpectedly vetoed a routine measure that for nearly 30 years had allowed city cops and firefighters...
IMETTE KILLER TO ROT
He'll rot in prison the rest of his life. The burly nightclub bouncer who raped and strangled John Jay College grad student Imette St. Guillen was convicted yesterday of first-degree...
OUTFOXED
Looks like it's going to be a rough one for birthday girl Angelina Jolie. Not only is the Enquirer reporting that she and Brad are finally, really, totally done for...
SEASONED ACTING MAKES NICE 'FALL'
A young man lies in a hospital near death while his friends, family and lover bicker over everything from visitation rights to the existence of God. Sounds like another weepy...
NEWFEST SERIES MIRRORS GAY LIFE
SOMETIMES smaller is better: The NewFest gay and lesbian film festival scaled back from 12 days to eight, but the tighter schedule will intensify the focus on diverse, socially relevant...
FILM FEST WITH ITALIAN ZEST
THIS week, there's a nice little Italian place opening on the Upper West Side -- Lincoln Center, which kicks off the annual festival "Open Roads: New Italian Cinema" starting tonight....
HAMPTONS DOC
IN the interest of full disclo sure, I admit up-front that a location manager scouted my house on Long Island as a possible locale for "Royal Pains." They didn't take...
'SWAP' HOUSE RAID
THE "Wife Swap" parents who became infamous for spoiling their daughter appear to be in legal trouble. FBI and IRS agents raided the suburban Buffalo home of Ralph and Karen...
DADDY'S KELLY GIRL
SOUTH Jersey girl Kelly Ripa is back home to watch her father's swearing in as Camden County Clerk by Gov. Jon Corzine yesterday. Joe Ripa, a former bus driver, is...
HEAVY HITTERS
It might look as if Donald Trump is casting for the next season of "The Celebrity Apprentice," but the alliance he was promoting yesterday wasn't about someone getting fired, but...
SERENA: I GAVE IT AWAY
PARIS -- Serena Williams, of all people, got a case of the jitters. That was her explanation, anyway. The 10-time Grand Slam champion kept finding herself in, then out of,...
WINGS HOPE FOR DATSYUK'S RETURN
PITTSBURGH -- Pavel Datsyuk made the sign of the cross as he smoothly skated along the boards yesterday. "We make plans. God makes decisions," Datsyuk said. The Red Wings would...
ORLANDO RELISHES UNDERDOG ROLE
LOS ANGELES -- Tonight was supposed to be David Stern's marketing fantasy -- Kobe vs. LeBron. Instead, the NBA may get something better on the court. Kobe Bryant's Lakers are...
GIANTS WAIT FOR ROBBINS
Two starting defensive tackles, Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield, underwent knee surgery after last season and both are being held out of the Giants' organized team activity practices currently under...
EWING: WINNING RING SHOULD QUIET CRITICS
LOS ANGELES -- No matter that Patrick Ewing will be wearing a tailored suit and not a uniform tonight, the "Big Fella" believes winning a championship as a coach is...
JETS' OWNER, JOHNSON, LIKES RYAN'S ROAR
Jets owner Woody Johnson likes the brashness in his new head coach, Rex Ryan. Ryan already has predicted the Jets will win a Super Bowl in the next three years...
REYES' METS RETURN PUSHED BACK AFTER SETBACK IN REHAB GAME
PITTSBURGH -- The phrase "when it rains, it pours" applied to the snake-bitten Mets yesterday. METS BLOG The Mets learned Jose Reyes had suffered a setback with his ailing right...
A NEW START FOR YANKEES' WANG
Chien-Ming Wang didn't last longer than 3 2/3 innings in any of his three April starts this year before he was shut down and sent to Florida. BOX SCOREYANKEES BLOG...
BELTRAN RECOVERS FROM STOMACH AILMENT
PITTSBURGH -- The Mets' bizarre swine-flu scare appeared to pass uneventfully yesterday when Carlos Beltran was set to return after missing 3½ games with a stomach ailment. METS BLOG Though...
JETS RECEIVERS OK WITH REX
Questions persist about the Jets' receiving corps and are sure to continue until their offense is successful with them. Laveranues Coles, the team's top receiver the last few years, was...
BRAVES RELEASE GLAVINE
ATLANTA -- In a stunning move, the Braves released 305-game winner Tom Glavine yesterday, just when it seemed he was ready to return to the big leagues. The 43-year-old Glavine,...
KOBE A KNICK -- IN NBA 2K10
Kobe Bryant a Knick? Only in a commercial tonight airing before the NBA Finals. In the commercial promoting the October release of the video game NBA 2K10, Kobe Bryant and...
TIGER TAKES SKINS GAME
DUBLIN, Ohio -- Tiger Woods gave the fans a perfect warm-up for this week's Memorial tournament, playing alongside golfing great Jack Nicklaus before winning yesterday's Skins Game with a dramatic...
HUGHES MAKES MOVE INTO YANKEES' BULLPEN
THE topic is the thoroughly logical decision to send Phil Hughes to the bullpen in order to clear a spot in the rotation for Chien-Ming Wang, but really, the topic...
ROUGH 1ST, 6 WALKS DOOMS YANKEES' PETTITTE
Take your choice, getting attached to a waterboard or watching replays of Andy Pettitte's last two starts. Something isn't right with Pettitte, who simply can't find the strike zone. Last...
ANKLE KEEPS TEX OUT OF LINEUP
The Rangers may have gotten the last laugh on Mark Teixeira after all. A night after Teixeira was plunked twice and retaliated with a hard slide into second base that...
Ariza allowed to shoot now
By MARC BERMANLA-LA LAND - Trevor Ariza reflected on his Knick days during Lakers' practice today. One thing we recall from the Ariza-Larry Brown feud was the former Knicks coach...
BURSTING BUBBLE
THERE once was an Indianapolis concert featuring 50 pianos. Splendid instruments, pianos. Still, 50 might have been excessive. As is today's chorus summoning us to save the planet. In the...
RANGEL'S RACE RIFF: 'INCENDIARY,' AS USUAL
Rep. Charlie Rangel apologized for his insensitive remark, but the damage is already done ("Rangel's Rude Rant," Editorial, June 2). Spending a lifetime misrepresenting race relations and always looking for...
ABORTION FIGHT TAKES A LIFE
The man who shot the abortionist isn't the only murderer ("Abortion Doc," June 1). There's Dr. George Tiller, who made a living from killing, and those complicit in this murder...
CHARTERS: NO ARGUING WITH THE RESULTS
PUBLIC charter schools no longer can be con sidered an experiment. The New York state math-exam scores released this week corroborate what we've seen time and again: Charters' results typically...
PULLING TERROR'S TEETH IN PAKISTAN
FIGHTING terrorists and insurgents resembles dental care: If you ignore the cavity, it doesn't get better on its own. The sooner you're lying back in the chair, the less painful...
TIVO WINS ECHOSTAR LAWSUIT
Shares in TiVo gained more than 50 percent yesterday after a Texas judge ruled in favor of the digital video recorder maker in its patent infringement lawsuit against EchoStar Communications....
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Saks vote Saks shareholders voted to call on the struggling retailer to put directors up for election annually, eliminating a staggered board with three-year terms. Share holders also voted to...
MICROSOFT BING BLITZ A $100M LONG SHOT
After building early buzz for Bing, Microsoft is starting the long process of persuading consumers -- who are mostly satisfied with online search -- that there's a problem. The premise...
GUILTY PLEA IN BDO SEIDMAN TAX SCAM
A crooked accounting whiz pleaded guilty yesterday to helping create $1 billion worth of phony tax shelters for big-bucks clients of the BDO Seidman firm. Charles Bee Jr., 63, faces...
WEEKLY'S 'TRUTHINESS'
There's buzz and then there's buzz kill. Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham will find out which one he'll generate from his decision to tap Comedy Central funnyman Stephen Colbert as guest...
GLOBE'S SURVIVAL ON LINE
The Boston Globe can't survive in its current form and may impose pay cuts of at least 23 percent if its largest union doesn't approve a cost-saving contract next week,...
RUMORS FLY AT EMI
The relationship between EMI chief Elio Leoni-Sceti and his boss, Terra Firma's Guy Hands, is so strained that whispers around the record label's halls are that Leoni-Sceti could be gone...
ZUCKERMAN'S GRADE INFLATION
Clemson University may have "schooled" Mort Zuckerman's battered US News & World Report and its Best Colleges issue. A controversy is swirling over claims that Clemson's meteoric climb in the...
LEWIS MAY GET BOFA TIPS FROM SHAREHOLDER JERRY FINGER
One of the most vocal critics of Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis could soon get some face time with the bank's management and possibly participate in shaping the bank's...
BERGDORF HAS TO SHARE
The decades-old wall between Bergdorf Goodman and its corporate parent appears to be crumbling. The luxury mecca on Fifth Avenue -- long noted for its exclusive roster of top fashion-spotting...
CAREY RETURNING TO NEWS CORP. AS NO. 2
News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch yesterday confirmed he is bringing back company veteran Chase Carey to be his second-in-command. Carey will become deputy chairman, president and chief operating officer on...
MALONEY VS. BALONEY
It's looking increasingly like Rep. Carolyn Maloney is going to challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in next year's Democratic primary, having signed two major political consultants to her fledgling campaign. Good...
THE GOV GETS ONE RIGHT
Gov. Paterson yesterday raised the stakes in New York's public-em ployee pension debate by vetoing the extension of an overly generous law covering police and firefighter benefits. The law, renewed...
MALCOLM'S MOMENT
State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith mentioned the unmentionable Tuesday, allowing that legislative leaders shouldn't have outside incomes. "I think the leadership should not have a second income . ....
NO, A WHOLE BUNCH OF FOLKS DIDN'T JUST GET JOBS
More business/p. 51 THE unemployment rate may start moving lower -- because the job situation is getting so bad. Now that I got your attention with that obviously contradictory and...
MIKE'S ACHILLES' HEEL
CITY Comptroller (and may oral candidate) William Thompson released a report Monday that he could use to mount a case against Mayor Bloomberg's fiscal stewardship. Calling the city's fiscal outlook...
Game 52: Mets at Pirates
PITTSBURGH -- After an unexpected break due to Wednesday's rain-less rainout, the Mets close out this shortened series this afternoon when Mike Pelfrey takes the mound against the Pirates at...
Coverage in The Post
PITTSBURGH -- Jose Reyes' scheduled return Friday is now an open-ended question after the shortstop suffered a setback yesterday in his rehab of that mysterious calf injury while the Mets...
SLOPE-GOERS TAKE THE FIFTH
Bobby Gagnon's Fifth Avenue bar, the Gate, is a Park Slope institution. Back when he opened it in 1999, though, it was barely considered part of the neighborhood. "We'd be...
DUE SOUTH
When people say that the Brooklyn real estate market is "heading south," they're right -- in a very literal sense. At least as far as Park Slope is concerned. Cross...
GOTTA 'AVE' IT
ARTESANA HOME 170 SEVENTH AVE. 718-369-9881PHOTOS: Artesana Home Exotic pieces from the East fill Artesana Home, which specializes in vegetable-dyed Persian rugs ($200-$3,000) and handcrafted Indian furniture. Need a carved...
ON THE HOOK
If you thought a faltering economy was enough to throw a scare into New York's fringe neighborhoods, you obviously don't know Brooklyn's Red Hook -- a neighborhood that eats fear...
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS
This townhouse combines "graceful" Federal-style architecture with modern amenities -- and boasts a great location on Clinton Street. On the garden level, you'll find (in addition to landscaped garden access)...
UPPER EAST SIDE
Park Avenue might not be on the park, but that doesn't mean you can't look out the windows of this "elegant" two-bedroom co-op and gaze upon "tulips and flowering trees"...
TRIBECA
"Breathtakingly high floor," trendy location, "mesmerizing" views -- sheesh, even in this economy it's hard not to take in all the perks of this 3,800-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom corner condo and...
IRIS SPRING
Iris Cantor, the major philanthropist and art-collecting widow of Cantor Fitzgerald founder Bernie Cantor, has just closed on a turn-of-the-century townhouse at 11 E. 74th St. for $18.125 million. Cantor...
JUST SOLD!
Manhattan GRAMERCY $1,512,500 330 Third Ave. Three-bedroom, three-bath co-op, 1,650 square feet, with dining area and renovated eat-in kitchen; building features doorman and storage. Maintenance $2,385, 44 percent tax-deductible. Asking...
NEW CANAAN, CONN.
Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 2½ Square feet: 701 Taxes: $733 -- Yes, you can afford to live in a historic Connecticut estate (for just a fraction of the cost) with this...
NOHO
Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1½ Square feet: 1,700 Maintenance: $1,099 -- Ready to soak up some rays? This loft co-op on Bleecker Street includes 13-foot ceilings and big windows that provide...
CHELSEA
Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1 Square feet: 900 Maintenance: $1,570 -- An Olympic-sized swimming pool and a "stunning" roof deck are just two of the many amenities you'll get with this...
WOODBURY, LI
Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3½ Square feet: 4,526 -- Boasting one of those romantic (if slightly made-up sounding) estate names, "Gablecroft" was built in 1933 -- but this Colonial home with...
FELDMAN WINS AGAIN AS RANGERS BEAT YANKEES 4-2
Scott Feldman pitched into the seventh inning to win his third consecutive start and the Texas Rangers cooled off the New York Yankees with a 4-2 victory Wednesday night. Ian...
How the Cup Was Won
All great coaches have their own motivational techniques. Vince Lombardi had his, Pat Riley had his. Barcelona's first-year manager Pep Guardiola has his, and it worked like a charm _...