July 8, 2009
STOLEN STATUE OF LIBERTY BEHEADED IN SHOCKING VIDEO
Creeps who swiped a Statue of Liberty replica from a Brooklyn coffee shop last month have posted a sick Web video showing them sawing off the statue's blindfolded head. The...
Live chat: 11 a.m. EST Thursday
I will be holding another of my weekly, hour-long blog chats on the Mets tomorrow (Thursday) at 11 a.m. EST. So be sure to check back then and have your...
JAMAICA CONVENIENCE STORE SELLS $133 MILLION LOTTERY TICKET
Will the lucky shopper who purchased Tuesday's winning $133 million Mega Million lottery ticket please stand upi That's the question owners of a Jamaica convenience store would like to find...
ISLANDERS INTRODUCE NO. 1 PICK
John Tavares' confident stride, friendly wave, broad smile, and polished words didn't give away nervousness that had to be running through him on his first real day as the face...
KEW GARDENS APARTMENT RESIDENTS CLAIM LANDLORD ABUSE
Residents living in a Kew Gardens apartment building owned by Vantage Properties are railing against their landlord, accusing the company of taking too long to fix an elevator on which...
PATERSON APPOINTS RAVITCH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
After a month of Senate gridlock brought the legislative process to a grinding halt, Gov. David Paterson appointed former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch as lieutenant governor Wednesday night in an...
BORO DAD, SON RESCUE MAN IN JAMAICA BAY
Even though they jumped at a moment's notice to save the life of an adrift fisherman Sunday off Jamaica Bay, Briarwood resident Cesar Menesees and his son Alex said they...
BEATING WAS HATE CRIME: LGBT GROUPS
Elected officials and nonprofits are rallying behind a transgender Jackson Heights woman who was severely beaten by a pair of men in Woodside last month after the Queens district attorney's...
JACKSON MEMORIAL WATCHED BY 31.1M
Michael Jackson's televised Memorial Service on Tuesday pulled in over 31 million viewers across 18 networks, according to Nielsen. That's double the audience that watched President Ford's funeral in January...
PATERSON NAMES EX-MTA CHAIRMAN AS LT. GOV.
ALBANY -- In an effort to end the month-old Senate stalemate, Gov. David Paterson named former MTA chairman Richard Ravitch as lieutenant governor today. In the televised address, Paterson said...
CLINIC OPERATOR INDICTED ON BRIBERY CHARGES
The operator of two Bronx medical clinics was indicted today on charges he bribed hospital workers in return for patient information as part of a massive scheme to collect more...
Strictly Pursonal
...that's actually the name of the site. We love puns, you know, and we love designer handbags at a discount. Enter Strictly Pursonal, a site that sells new and previously...
Twins' scratch changes A-Rod rest
The Twins scratched lefty Glen Perkins from tonight's start against the Yankees due to what team officals are calling a fever.That means Alex Rodriguez, who would have been the DH...
ISRAELI ARMY OFFICER HIT BY ROCK ON FDR
A Israeli army commander in town visiting family was injured when a pair of teenage hooligans threw rocks at her taxi as it cruised past the Upper East Side. PHOTOS:...
Millar no fan of new Yankee Stadium
Add Kevin Millar to the list of new Yankee Stadium haters.Millar, who has played for the Marlins, Red Sox, Orioles and is currently on the Blue Jays, said the Yankees...
Red Bulls want to sign Dilly Duka
Both Red Bull coach Juan Carlos Osorio and director of youth prgrams Bob Montgomery say the club wants to sign prospect Dilly Duka, a former Rutgers standout and U.S. Under-20...
This week's calendar, July 9 to 15
Thursday, July 9Short Sales Course PropertyShark University presents this course where you can learn about short sales as a vehicle to purchase a property at a discount in order to...
Game 83: Dodgers at Mets
The Mets will be looking for their first run in 22 innings, much less a victory, when Oliver Perez returns to the rotation tonight against Manny Ramirez and the first-place...
MEDICAL EXAMINER CONFIRMS MURDER-SUICIDE IN MCNAIR CASE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Former NFL star Steve McNair was shot dead in his sleep last week by a 20-year-old girlfriend distraught about mounting financial problems and her belief that he...
EX-MET LENNY DYKSTRA FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION
LOS ANGELES -- Former New York Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra has sought bankruptcy protection in Los Angeles, citing more than $31 million in debts.What a Difference a Year Makes for...
TURTLES DELAY FLIGHTS AT JFK
Crunch! Turtles couldn't get the shell out of the way fast enough this morning when a departing airliner smacked some on a runway at Kennedy Airport. After taking off at...
Dykstra files, $31 million in debt
APFormer Mets outfielder Lenny Dykstra has sought bankruptcy protection in Los Angeles, citing more than $31 million in debts. Federal court documents show Dykstra filed for Chapter 11 status on...
BOUNCER GETS LIFE IN PRISON FOR STUDENT'S DEATH
A former SoHo nightclub bouncer was sentenced to life in prison without parole this afternoon for the brutal murder of graduate student Imette St. Guillen. Darryl Littlejohn was convicted of...
Montero named to EL All-Star Team
You can now follow Beating the Bushes on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NYP_Bushes**********With today's news that catcher Jesus Montero has been added to the roster for next Wednesday's Double-A Eastern League All-Star Game...
MORTGAGE BROKERAGE FIRM ALLEGEDLY SCAMS BANKS OF OVER $100M
A crooked mortgage brokerage house conspired with real estate lawyers, appraisers and bank employees to scam banks out of over $100 million in mortgage money, prosecutors said. To date, investigators...
COPS SHOOT MAN ACCUSED OF SELLING CRACK AFTER HE PULLS FAKE GUN
A drug suspect selling crack to an undercover cop was shot in the shoulder when he pulled what turned out to be an imitation gun in an attempted rip off...
Report: Phillies serious about signing Pedro
Roy Halladay might not be the only former Cy Young award winner the Phillies are interested in bringing in.While officially the Phillies have said they are "just exploring all possibilities"...
CAB JUMPS CURB ON THE UWS, FOUR INJURED
A yellow cab jumped the curb on the Upper West Side this afternoon, striking four pedestrians, authorities said. The accident occurred at 1:09 p.m. on West 86th Street and Amsterdam...
MacGruber Joins 'SNL' Movie List
Will Forte's MacGruber has managed to MacGyver his way onto the big screen. A clumsy and idiotic version of the 1980s action star, MacGruber was born as a skit on...
Report: Hill mid-level offer $5M
Starting in Las Vegas summer league, you can follow me with updates on Twitter.By MARC BERMANThe Arizona Republic states the portion of the mid-level exception Donnie Walsh has offered Suns...
RICCIARDI ON HALLADAY
By JOEL SHERMANTalked to Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi. He also will be a guest when I co-host "The Show" this afternoon from 4-6 p.m. on Sirius 210/XM175. He made these...
HALLADAY: I WANT TO WIN
Roy Halladay has a no-trade clause in his contract, but if the Yankees were willing to sacrifice the necessary pieces in order to get the Blue Jays' ace, he would...
DEALS: 60% off Silversea Cruises
Silversea's target demographic is less Joe the Plumber, more Bryce the Venture Capitalist III. However, discounted by half (and then some), this Maybach-of-the-sea's cruises can at least be considered, if...
GOTTI LOSES BID TO BE FREED ON BAIL
John "Junior" Gotti has lost another attempt to be freed on bail before his New York trial on racketeering charges. Judge Kevin Castel rejected his latest bid during a hearing...
NJ MAN DIES AFTER FALLING INTO VAT OF CHOCOLATE
CAMDEN, N.J. -- Police say a 22-year-old man died after falling into a vat of boiling chocolate in New Jersey. The accident happened at a facility owned by Lyons and...
The Best Three In the Outfield
Just a reminder - I'm on Twitter. Hope you come follow me.On Monday, I ranked the best infields in baseball, and I told you I'd do the best outfields today...
WHITE HOUSE, HOSPITALS REACH DEAL ON O'S HEALTH CARE PLAN
WASHINGTON -- The nation's hospitals will give up $155 billion in future Medicare and Medicaid payments to help defray the cost of President Barack Obama's health care plan, a concession...
MARSHALL COLLAPSES IN COURTHOUSE MEN'S ROOM
The Brooke Astor swindle trial took another unexpected health twist this morning when her allegedly thieving son Anthony Marshall was carried out of the courthouse on a gurney after suffering...
NEW HOTEL PLANNED FOR DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN
A block in Brooklyn, once known for being the center of the borough's abolitionist movement, might soon be known as hotel row. That after V3 Hotels announced plans last week...
MAYOR BLOOMBERG BREAKS GROUND AT BUSHWICK INLET
Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined scores of public officials and community members to break ground at Williamsburg's newest park, Bushwick Inlet, this week, though many community leaders believe the Bloomberg administration...
HOME PRICES CONTINUE TO FALL IN BROOKLYN, NEW STUDY FINDS
The Great Recession is pummeling home prices in Brooklyn, indiscriminately gutting real estate values in almost every neighborhood surveyed, a study released this week revealed. The average price of a...
FIDLER SUPPORTS CONSTRUCTION OF BRIGHAM ST. PARK; PROMISES BIG INFUSION OF CASH
The little park at the end of Emmons Avenue that was once written off as nothing but a pipe dream is well on its way to becoming a reality this...
FOURTH OF JULY PARTYING LEAVES SOME IN CANARSIE REELING
Residents of southern Canarsie were unwilling witnesses to a rip-roaring Fourth of July at their local recreational areas. Both Canarsie Pier and Canarsie Park were packed to the gills with...
WHITE HOUSE AMONG VICTIMS OF CYBERATTACK REPORTEDLY CARRIED OUT BY N. KOREA
WASHINGTON -- The powerful attack that overwhelmed computers at U.S. and South Korean government agencies for days was even broader than initially realized, also targeting the White House, the Defense...
HALLADAY UPDATE, PHILS AS FRONTRUNNERS
By JOEL SHERMANI have talked to a half-dozen baseball executives this morning and the general consensus is that the Phillies should be viewed as the front-runner if Roy Halladay does...
Minaya, Mets know desperate risks
By JUSTIN TERRANOVAThe Mets have been down this road before, so has Omar Minaya -- just not together.Minaya, when he was the GM of the Expos, and the Mets, with...
G8 LEADERS AGREE ON CLIMATE TARGET
L'AQUILA, Italy -- President Barack Obama joined other world leaders on Wednesday in backing new targets for battling global warming, a move the Bush White House had resisted. White House...
New cap doesn't fit Knicks
The opening of this offseason's free-agency period for the Knicks brought with it a devastating blow to next year's.ESPN obtained a copy of a memo the NBA sent to teams...
'Lost's' Cuse and Lindelof: 'Anything Goes' in Season 6
Cuse and Lindelof remained relatively mum (a practice they refer to as observing "radio silence") about the goings-on of the season 5 finale, especially when asked about the fate of...
DRUG ADDICT DANGLES CHILD OUTSIDE WINDOW DURING SUICIDE TRY
A drug addict dangled his two-year-old daughter from an eighth floor window before threatening to jump. Suicidal Hu Binjun, 34, held the terrified child out of the window for three...
GOOGLE WORKING ON PC OPERATING SYSTEM
SUN VALLEY, Idaho -- Google Inc. is working on a new operating system for inexpensive computers in a daring attempt to diminish Microsoft Corp.'s longstanding control over people's computer experience....
HEAVY HAIL KNOCKS DOWN TREES, CAUSES FLOODING IN YONKERS
It was Christmas in July for some Westchester County residents. A wintry mix of hail and heavy thunderstorms downed trees and utility poles in Yonkers last night -- causing mountains...
$133M WINNING LOTTERY TICKET SOLD IN QUEENS
A winning Mega Millions ticket worth $133 million was sold in Queens. The Shiz Convenience Store on Hillside Avenue sold the ticket. State lottery officials do not know who purchased...
POLICE: SYRACUSE MAN KILLED IN STREET FIGHT
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Police are looking for a suspect in the killing of a 20-year-old man during a street brawl involving more than 30 people in Syracuse. Police say the...
FREAK SUMMER STORM DUMPS SNOW ON YONKERS
It was Christmas in July for some Westchester County residents. A wintry mix of hail and heavy thunderstorms downed trees and utility poles in Yonkers last night -- causing mountains...
6 ARRESTS IN WALL STREET FRAUD CASE
Federal authorities say six people have been arrested in a securities fraud investigation involving a Wall Street brokerage firm. The case involves an alleged $140 million scheme that spanned a...
Coverage in The Post
David Wright stated the obvious Tuesday night when he said, "I think we just stink right now" after an 8-0 pounding by the first-place Dodgers and Manny Ramirez at Citi...
The cult of Mnouchkine
Ariane Mnouchkine and her company, Théâtre du Soleil, are in town for a couple of weeks to present their latest show, "Les Ãphémères," at the Park Avenue Armory. (See my...
DOCTOR DOESN'T BELIEVE HE'S JACKO'S KIDS' FATHER
Michael Jackson's dermatologist this morning offered a tepid denial to reports that he's the father of the pop star's first two children. "To the best of my knowledge, I'm not...
Box Office: Indies Hurting as Vardalos Tops Ford at Box Office
That specialty film distributors are struggling is clear from this list of the top grossers for the first half of 2009 offered by IndieWire's Peter Knegt along with an analysis....
3 UP: HALLADAY, YANKS' INTEREST AND METS APATHY
Yes, I am on Twitter.1. In spring training, I wrote this column anticipating why I believed Roy Halladay would become available. Now that Halladay is most definitely available - contenders...
The Daily Whacks, Wilpon -- er, Wednesday -- Edition
You can count me among the tweetin' Twitterers (or is that the Twitterin' tweeters?) now: http://twitter.com/MikeVacc*******The Mets are a dreadful baseball team right now, and that is a statement you...
WASHPOST 'SCANDAL': THEY GOT CAUGHT
BEFORE Sarah Palin stepped on the story, the talk of the Belt way was Salongate at The Washington Post. The venerable newspaper hatched a scheme whereby it would hold a...
NOTHING CAN GO WORNG
THE death of Robert McNamara at 93 was less a faint reverberation of a receding era than a reminder that mentalities are the defining attributes of eras, and certain American...
HOME LOANS LOSE STEAM
Late payments on home-equity loans rose to a record in the first quarter as 18 straight months of job losses and a slumping economy left more borrowers unable to pay...
DOWNSTATE DEMOCRACY: MALONEY'S RIGHT TO RUN
THE ISSUE: Whether Rep. Maloney should challenge Sen. Gillibrand for NY's US Senate seat. *** I agree that Rep. Carolyn Maloney is doing the right thing as she bravely plans...
CHARLIE SPEAKS THE TRUTH
Rep. Charlie Rangel's seniority and po litical clout as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee have often given him the confidence to bend a lot of rules in...
HIT AND RUN RETURN FOR MANNY
Forgive Manny Ramirez if he's a bit emotional these days. Pregnancy does strange things to your hormones. Ramirez, the fertile fielder, was tossed from last night's game at Citi Field...
NOTHING GOOD GOING ON FOR METS
YOU are a Mets fan and you never thought you would spend so much on tickets for the family. But you did and you are here at Citi Field and,...
METS NO MATCH FOR RAMIREZ, DODGERS
Jerry Manuel sees it as a team-wide offensive slump. But David Wright, the face of the team and the only remaining member of the everyday core, thinks the Mets' problem...
HAVE A HOT LATIN SUMMER
* At Brooklyn's Mesa Coyoacan,, chef Ivan Garcia expertly transports the cuisine of his Mexico City hometown -- honored in the eatery's name. Try the tamales trio or the tacos...
A SUCCESSFUL REBOOT FOR BENOIT
BENOIT is better -- a lot better. After a bleak first year, Alain Ducasse's midpriced Midtown bistro is finally a place you want to revisit. Executive chef/partner Pierre Schaedelin has...
ET TU, DUANE READE?
STORES come and go in this town faster than you can say "the city that never sleeps." The place you used to go for brunch: closed. The corner bodega: Wachovia....
WACKY NUMBERS MEAN SPLIT-SECOND INTUITION
TIMING may be everything, but rarely is it so orderly. Yet for a single second this afternoon the time and date will read 12:34:56 7/8/09. "The numbers represent a higher...
IT'S ABOUT TIME
IT sounds too good to be true: A bank that encourages debt, doesn't charge interest and won't ever need a bailout. But it requires members to donate the most precious...
STEIN OF THE TIMES
WHEN it comes to drinking in the sun, there's nothing like a beer garden. This summer's biggest night-life trend is the relaxed antithesis to the pricey faux-vintage cocktail joints so...
STARR REPORT
Michael Jackson's death proved a boon to the evening newsmagazines. Chief among the ratings beneficiaries was "Access Hollywood," which saw its numbers jump 9 percent last week over its May...
FATED LOVE, VIBRANTLY ALIVE
IT takes stars to fill Ken neth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet," and American Ballet Theatre has them. Monday night at the Met, ABT opened the production with two of its...
BRAVO WANTS NEW NY 'WIVES'
'THE Real Housewives of New York City" will return for another go-round of bickering, backstabbing and bonding. Bravo officially announced a third season yesterday, adding that it's "currently casting for...
JAY'S DRIVE-BY
MEMO to Jay Leno: You might want to reconsider this one. Leno, of course, begins his new TV life this fall after being forced to cede his "Tonight Show" perch...
'LIGHT'S' OUT
CBS is officially giving fans a chance to begin the "Guiding Light" mourning process. In honor of the 72-year-old soap opera's Sept. 18 finale, the network has quietly set up...
CON'S OVER, FRIENDS REMAIN
GARTH Drabinsky, a real- life Max Bialystock who cooked the books and bankrupted Livent, his Broadway production company, may soon be doing his own rendition of "Prisoners of Love." The...
TRUTH FINALLY COMES OUT
'THE Bachelorette's" two- timing Texan finally re vealed his true colors during Monday night's jaw-dropping exit meltdown. Wes Hayden, who has been accused of both having a girlfriend and only...
HONDO TAKES ODDS, PODS
Hondo, fresh off a huge score Monday night in Boston with the A's, came right back last night with the Yankees, whose Minnesota mastery upped the wad to a crisp...
CC SABATHIA BOUNCES BACK FOR WIN
MINNEAPOLIS -- When the Yankees dropped an ocean of money into CC Sabathia's lap, they dreamed of games like last night. Not so much because Sabathia picked a night to...
WRIGHT STILL WRONG DESPITE DAY OFF
It seemed fitting, almost destined, that David Wright would make the final out of the Mets' hideous 8-0 loss to the Dodgers last night at Citi Field. Wright is beaten...
PLAYING TAG: UMP'S NEW EXPLANATION
MINNEAPOLIS -- John Hirschbeck, who was critical of fellow umpire Marty Foster's explanation to Derek Jeter Monday at Yankee Stadium, added more fuel to the fire last night. When Foster...
HONDURAS NEXT FOR BUSY U.S., DAVIES
WASHINGTON -- Two games on different continents in less than a week? That was hardly an ordeal for U.S. national team forward Charlie Davies. After all, this is an athlete...
'WATCHABLE WILDLIFE' COMES ALIVE
IF YOU have ever had trouble locating wildlife in New York you should check out the state's new web site that will increase your chances of getting a rewarding experience....
BANNED TENNIS PRO DEAD AT 24
PARIS -- French tennis player Mathieu Montcourt, who was recently banned for betting on matches, has died. He was 24. The French tennis federation said yesterday that Montcourt died overnight...
COMEBACK LANCE 1 SPOT BACK
MONTPELLIER, France -- Calling his team "simply awesome," Lance Armstrong was nearly decked out in yellow again. The seven-time champion surged from third place to second at the Tour de...
BOLEY SUSPENDED FOR SEASON OPENER
Michael Boley may not have been ready for the Giants' season-opener against the Redskins after hip surgery last month, but the league yesterday announced he definitely won't be around for...
OLIVER PEREZ: I'M READY TO RETURN
During his rehab outings, Oliver Perez says he didn't feel the way he felt in his atrocious starts with the Mets early this season. "I feel real different," Perez said...
KY. GIVES DUTROW 30 DAYS
More than a year after Rick Dutrow Jr.'s horse Salute the Count tested positive for the medication Clenbuterol at Churchill Downs the day before Dutrow's Big Brown won the Kentucky...
NETS WILL DO 'NOTHING FOR NOW'
Jason Kidd should re-up in Dallas. Hedo Turkoglu officially will sign in Toronto, not Portland. Today is the first day for signing free agents, and what will the Nets do?...
KNICKS CROSS FINGERS FOR HILL
Donnie Walsh said he's "hopeful" Grant Hill will select the Knicks today after Monday's nine-hour visit to New York. The Suns small forward, who's enjoying a rebirth to his career,...
MCNAIR CASE SEEKS MOTIVE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee's state medical examiner said yesterday that investigators have been hesitant to conclude that Steve McNair's girlfriend killed the NFL star and herself because she didn't appear...
HALLADAY TO YANKEES? DON'T COUNT ON IT
MINNEAPOLIS -- Just because Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi is willing to listen to offers for Roy Halladay, Yankees fans shouldn't start drooling over baseball's best pitcher donning pinstripes. Ricciardi...
NO HELP ON WAY FOR METS BEFORE BREAK
As the Mets have gimped along -- their roster decimated and injury-riddled -- they've consoled themselves with the hope that their missing players would be back after the All-Star break....
SPORTS SHORTS
HOOPS: Pistons close to hiring Cavs assistant The Pistons and Cavaliers assistant John Kuester are nearing an agreement to make him their coach, according to a person familiar with the...
BECKETT, BAY THROTTLE A'S
Josh Beckett became Boston's second 10-game winner, fellow All-Star Jason Bay hit his 20th homer and the Red Sox beat the Athletics 5-2 last night in Boston. Beckett (10-3) matched...
SAVE THE SUBWAYS
MASS transit is second only to crime in determining New Yorkers' qual ity of life -- and whether people come or stay. Yet the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the...
LOHAN TAN SCAM: SUIT
A Florida woman is seeing orange over Lindsay Lohan claiming to have developed the spray-on tan Sevin Nyne. Chemist Jennifer Sunday charges that Lohan and spray-tanner-to-the-stars Lorit Simon swiped Sunday's...
MOGULS: IT'S TIME TO HELP THE ECONOMY; DO A DEAL
MEMO to the media moguls attending this week's conference in Sun Valley, Idaho: Do something! That is, besides whitewater rafting. Like maybe a deal, as some real news would go...
'SCREEN' SAVER
An advanced type of MRI scan may help doctors more accurately diagnose a severe form of endometriosis and, thus, bypass surgery, researchers said yesterday. The so-called 3 Tesla, or 3T...
ANOTHER MISGUIDED WAR?
THE ISSUE: The wisdom of America's strategic mission in Afghanistan. *** Again, Ralph Peters tells it as it is ("Our Afghan Error," Post Opinion, July 2). It's too bad that...
US BOOSTS HONDU PREZ
The United States threw strong support behind Honduras' ousted leader yesterday amid reports that a deal is in the works to bring him back to power without further bloodshed. President...
NYPD DAILY BLOTTER
Manhattan A pack of thugs assaulted a Gramercy supermarket employee and smashed merchandise, authorities said yesterday. Joseph Alayon, 23, Tylisha Ray, 16, and several cohorts confronted the employee outside the...
NOW CALL HIM SEN. FRANKEN
WASHINGTON -- Al Franken became a senator yesterday, completing the transformation from comedian to politician. The Minnesota Democrat's swearing-in marked the end of an eight-month political and legal struggle against...
PALIN: I'LL STILL ROCK THE BOAT
KOTZEBUE, Alaska -- Sarah Palin said she will continue to "keep working hard for Alaska" even after quitting as governor, but added that, politically speaking, "If I die, I die....
A PERILOUS 'CONSPIRACY'
AFTER weeks of efforts to find someone to blame for the post-election insurrec tion, the Khomeinist regime in Tehran has finally found the ideal culprits: Liz Cheney and George Soros....
PREZ: WHAT JOE REALLY MEANT
President Obama had to correct two more gaffes by Vice President Joe Biden yesterday. The frequently foot-in-mouth Biden said in a Sunday interview, "We misread how bad the economy was"...
ASTOR TRIAL SICK DAY
The 10-week Brooke Astor swindle trial ground to a halt yesterday when the guest of honor -- her defendant son, Anthony Marshall -- called in sick due to a new,...
O IS PUTIN US ON
President Obama and Russia's Vladimir Putin held an awkward first meeting over black caviar, pancakes and tea yesterday as they tried to show the world how well they'll get along....
'ALTERNATE SIDE' SLIDE FOR 2 MOS.
It's a driver's dream come true in Brooklyn -- at least for two months. Starting Monday, parts of five neighborhoods -- Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, Fulton Ferry and Brooklyn...
ST. VINNY'S CLEARS HURDLE
St. Vincent's Hospital won approval yesterday from the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission to replace its campus of medical buildings in Greenwich Village with a high-rise condo complex. The approval, following...
JAIL-ATTACK GUARDS GUILTY
Three Queens prison guards were convicted yesterday of lying to cover up the beating of an inmate who had complimented a female guard on her looks. Supervisor Marvin Wells and...
SUBWAY PHONE FOR EASY RIDERS
The iPhone can't make the subway run on time, but a new application can shave precious minutes off trips just by telling straphangers where to stand on the platform. Exit...
KLIGER JOINS TV GUIDE
Ex-Hachette Filipacchi boss Jack Kliger is coming back to publishing, this time serving as acting CEO of TV Guide Magazine. Kliger, who left Hachette in September after the parent company...
CITY'S PUSH TO AMASS MEDIA
* Despite the economic slump, the city intends to retain its title as "media capital of the world" by aggressively courting start-up entrepreneurs and bolstering existing media companies, which account...
DC EYEING NEW REGS ON ENERGY
US regulators say they may clamp down on oil and gas price speculators by limiting the holdings of energy futures traders, including index and exchange-traded funds. The Commodity Futures Trading...
BUSINESS BRIEFS
TALF loans The Federal Reserve said investor requests for loans to buy asset- backed securities de creased to $5.4 billion in July, down from $11.5 billion, in June. Lear files...
JUDGE RIPS ANNA 'SMUT VID' TALE
A notorious claim that the late Anna Nicole Smith watched a videotape of her lawyer and her baby daddy having gay sex is "preposterous," a judge said yesterday. Manhattan federal...
HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES
THE spectacle that was Michael Jackson's life shad owed the singer right to the memorial concert honoring him at the Staples Center yesterday. The star-studded event featuring Mariah Carey, Lionel...
YOUTUBE POL STILL MOANING AT MEDIA
WASHINGTON -- The day after releasing a video trashing Michael Jackson, Rep. Peter King said yesterday's wall-to-wall coverage of the entertainer's extravagant memorial service shows how much the media have...
COP'S ACCUSER CHANGES STORY
An ex-NYPD officer who says she was beaten by her police-captain boyfriend was in tears yesterday after being told she could face a perjury rap for changing her story. A...
TWO MOUNT SINAI DEALS INKED
DURST Fetner Residential has finally signed its contract with Mount Sinai Hospital to redevelop the pre-war apartment building at 1212 Fifth Ave. into two- and three-bedroom condominium apartments and build...
EXCESS RITES ALL WRONG FOR SICKO FREAK!
LOS ANGELES -- Enough! You got two for the price of one if you attended Michael Jackson's spectacular dog-and-pony show yesterday -- a memorial as dignified as a Vegas lounge-lizard...
YOUTUBE 'KICKS' A FEW SOCCER CLAIMS
Google Inc. and its YouTube video-sharing site won dismissal of some claims for money damages in a proposed class-action copyright infringement lawsuit by England's Football Association Premier League Ltd. In...
HIT MAN: WISEGUY 'DIED LIKE A MAN'
A reputed Genovese capo on trial for a 1977 mob hit once admitted he whacked the fellow wiseguy and said the victim "died like a man," a turncoat testified yesterday...
THIEL'S HEDGE FUND PLUMMET
Peter Thiel, the PayPal co-founder who was also an angel investor in social-networking titan Facebook, could himself use an angel to help his struggling hedge fund firm, Clarium Capital Management....
GOOGLE GASP SLAMS MARTS
US stocks tumbled, sending the S&P 500 index to its lowest level since May 1, on concern technology spending will slow and second-quarter earnings will fail to justify a four-month...
BLEED ALL ABOUT IT!
Although the New York Times Co. is in a hurry to unload the bleeding Boston Globe, potential buyers don't seem to be in a rush. A report in the Globe...
SO JUST GRIN & BAIR IT
A meeting called by Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. chief Sheila Bair this week with several banking and private-equity bigwigs suggests the regulator has made her mind up when it comes...
AT GOLDMAN, HE DANCED TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE
A former Goldman Sachs computer programmer charged by the feds with looting the investment bank of valuable trading-software code might have had a brighter future as a film star. A...
NY MOURNS AS BIG FAMILY
One was a grandmother who first saw Michael Jackson perform in her native Trinidad in 1978 -- and asked her teenage grandson to take her to Times Square to watch...
CLEANING UP AFTER JOE
President Obama, in between negotia tions and public ceremonies with Russian leaders Dmitri Medvedev and Vladimir Putin, had to take time out to extract Joe Biden's foot from his mouth....
PLAN B: MORE TURTLE TUNNELS
President Obama's Plan A for eco nomic recovery -- a $787 billion stimulus package -- isn't working. But never fear: His advisers are ready with Plan B. Unfortunately, it's a...
HANK SCORES $5B WIN OVER AIG
Maurice "Hank" Greenberg won his day in federal court, ending a nasty, four-year battle with his former company American International Group. Next up, though, is the state-court version. A federal...
NETWORKS' SAD SONG OVER AD $$
Sure, millions of people tuned in to watch TV's wall-to-wall coverage of Michael Jackson's memorial yesterday, but it still wasn't great news for the networks. "Pool" feeds of footage streamed...
WHO'S WHO OF CELEBS JOINS STAR-STUDDED SENDOFF
Everyone from Queen Latifah to Brooke Shields spoke at yesterday's Michael Jackson memorial -- but there were just as many boldface names who quietly sat in the crowd to honor...
MADOFF'S WIFE FREE TO GET LOST
Ruth Madoff is finally free to skip the country -- but her lawyer insisted yesterday she's planning to stay in the United States, at least for now, Court papers show...
MUSEUM NOW A NOAH'S ARK FOR DNA
It's not your average museum collection: Bits of scorpions and snakes. Tissue from jaguars. Leeches from a hippo. The American Museum of Natural History yesterday agreed to store samples from...
CHANEL SUES OVER CYBER-KNOCKOFFS
Hiding in cyberspace couldn't keep four alleged counterfeiters from being sued by Chanel. The French fashion house is seeking up to $1 million in damages for each type of knock-off...
NO REST: DOCS KEEPING MICHAEL JACKSON'S BRAIN
LOS ANGELES -- Michael Jackson's casket was at the heart of yesterday's memorial service, but where and when his body will be laid to rest is still a mystery, as...
EVENT UNITES THE WORLD
We are the world. In London and Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong, Berlin and Chile, legions of Michael Jackson's fans joined together to bid farewell to the King of Pop....
SLOTS OF TROUBLE
It's lemons across the board for three former Yonkers Raceway casino workers. The ex-employees of the slot-machine salon were busted yesterday on charges of rigging nearly all of the casino's...
SENATE 'AMIGOS': D-DAY TOMORROW
ALBANY -- After a provocative breakfast meeting yesterday, the state Senate's "Four Amigos" declared tomorrow the deadline to end the feud that has paralyzed the chamber for a month. The...
EMOTIONAL FANS GOT TO BE THERE
LOS ANGELES -- It was the King of Pop's final curtain call. Thousands of Michael Jackson's fans -- some sporting sequined gloves, surgical masks and everything from fedoras to African...
GOTTI TO FEDS: PROVE IT
John "Junior" Gotti wants the feds to put up or shut up about claims he made lifelong friends pay him mob tribute. In court papers yesterday, the Gambino family heir...
DAUGHTER'S LOVE TUGS AT HEARTS
The titans of the entertainment world gathered with Michael Jackson's biggest fans yesterday to sing his praises and his songs at a memorial service -- but it was his weeping...
EXPLOSIVE DIVORCE
A crazed Connecticut ad exec held his ex-wife hostage yesterday, threatening to blow up his house unless a priest gave her last rites and their divorce judge remarried them. The...
WEIRD BUT TRUE
Norm Coleman lost his Minnesota US Senate race by a hair -- so Bill Salisbury lost the hair on his face. Salisbury, a political reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer...
Buffalo Triple-A horror show continues ....
While the Mets are beginning to look like they can challenge for the worst record in baseball, their counterparts in Triple-A continue to find ways to lose. In tonight's game...
CHESTNUT SETS RECORD; OUT-CHOMPS KOBAYASHI
At two separate eating contests in Coney Island last week, it was the best of times "" and the worst of times "" for the human race. At Nathan's Famous...
AUTO PARTS MAKER LEAR CORP. FILES FOR CHAPTER 11
NEW YORK (AP) -- Automotive parts supplier Lear Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday after receiving support from lenders and bondholders to reorganize its struggling business. The move had...
Red Bull trialist and la Liga veteran Veljko Paunovic: "I can help here''
With a humbling, MLS-worst 2-14-3 record, and a dismal season that has their front office answering to the Austrian overlords, the Red Bulls can use all the help they cam...
Video: Letterman on Palin Resignation
Dave Letterman briskly touched on Sarah Palin's surprise resignation during his "Late Show" monologue.Palin remains a touchy subject for Letterman, who only weeks ago was forced to defend himself from...