April 1, 2010
Test drive Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid
Just because you’re not exactly stingy doesn’t preclude you from buying a thrifty car. There are lots of modestly priced vehicles on the market today that offer excellent gas mileage....
Mission possible
Mini’s 50th anniversary is this year, and in celebration, the company is releasing the Camden special edition package, available on Cooper and Cooper S coupes. For $4,500, the package includes...
Mad men of Mopar
Chrysler was never a shy brand. As he explains on page 47, the new president for Dodge, Ralph Gilles, is bringing back many of the color combinations, stripes and graphics...
A new leaf
The easiest way to spot a Nissan Leaf is to look for where the tailpipe should be — it doesn’t have one. Nissan has taken a bold step with the...
Test drive Chevrolet Volt
The most remarkable thing to be said about the Volt is that it drives like an ordinary car. This is a worthy achievement for a four-door capable of commuting 40...
2 women go for joyride in cop car in Queens
Two women today heisted a police car right under the noses of red-faced cops in Queens, eyewitnesses said. The incident occurred around 3:03 p.m. at the corner of 230th Place...
Bright sparks
For the past few years we’ve been told that the great new way to power a car, cut energy consumption and dependence on foreign oil was to slip in a...
Ford forges ahead
Ford Motor Company’s chief, Alan Mulally delivered his first-ever auto show keynote to a packed crowd of sceptical media and industry executives at the New York International Auto Show back...
Jurassic parked
Ford and GM have been waging war in the pickup market for decades, but either company’s annual sales figures would look like a mere market fluctuation to Tonka. Unfortunately, the...
Test drive Dodge Challenger R/T
The monster muscle car takes a leap forward with the 2010 Challenger R/T. It has a growling 5.7-liter Hemi engine that can be heard in Long Island when the car...
Dodging the trends
He’s young, gifted and black, new to the job of president and bringing a message of change and hope. And, in another obvious comparison to the incumbent in the White...
Volvo sets sail for China
As once-great brands continue to pass away or change hands, Chinese car maker Zhejiang Geely has signed a deal to buy Volvo Cars from Ford. The price tag was $1.8...
Made in Taiwan
So China has snapped up Volvo and is now establishing itself as a player in the global automotive market. Now the Taiwanese are joining the fray. Taiwanese auto industry player...
Hot wheels in the city
2011 Mustang V6 and Shelby GT500 The Shelby GT500 arrived with an aluminum block for the blown 5.4-liter V8, which gains 10 hp for a heart-stopping total of 550 hp....
GO: Carolina in my mind
The Carolinas are arguably the two most important states in all the Union . . . April Fool's! Oh, we kid this dynamic duo. Did you know they were named...
Political group begins screening Dem AG candidates
Let the AG games begin! The DL21C, the influential political group once headed by David Pollak -- the former state Democratic Party co-chair and Obama's New York state director during...
Phillies put No. 3 starter on disabled list
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Joe Blanton has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a mild left oblique strain. Blanton could be out three to six...
LT and Shonn can be Jets' 'Jordan and Pippen'
LaDainian Tomlinson says you shouldn’t believe everything you see on film when it comes to his last few seasons in San Diego. The Jets’ newest running back said Thursday after...
Charlie Sheen leaving 'Two and a Half Men': report
Charlie Sheen is “just done” with “Two and a Half Men,” according to a new report. The actor is “quietly telling his friends he’s not coming back” to the show...
GOP comptroller candidate takes shots at DiNapoli
Harry Wilson made his City Hall steps debut earlier today, taking sharp aim at state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and vowing to shake up the office if he's elected. Wilson, a...
Graphic movies, indeed
In case blockbusters aren't being painted in broad enough strokes for you, there's Paul Copperwaite's amusing new book of "Movie Charts," out on the 12th, which distills the essence of...
Errors, TMLA bats ground Eagles in opener
It certainly wasn’t the start St. Edmund hoped for to a season filled with promise. The Eagles had to play their CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens softball opener without cleanup hitter and catcher...
'Yank!' is going ... and coming back
Yesterday I rounded up some shows that are closing this Sunday. Here's one more: "Yank! A WWII Love Story" is ending its run at the York Theatre. But it will...
Veteran Terriers expecting to make deep run
Things are looking up at St. Francis Prep this year. After all, the Terriers played a preseason game at home on Thursday afternoon. A year ago, the Terriers spent more...
Upcoming 'Green Lantern' film to have a 'hard edge'
Anyone tired of super hero movies yet? You better not be, as Time Warner, owner of DC Comics, has finally begun a concerted effort to translate its stable of characters...
Mets' Beltran will run within 10 days; K-Rod back in Venezuela
POST ST. LUCIE -- Carlos Beltran expects to begin running in the next 10 days, at which time he’ll have a better idea how close he is to joining the...
Teixeira returns to Yankees with two hits
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Mark Teixeira doubled and singled after missing two games with a sore elbow and the Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 onThursday. “I was very blessed...
Sanchez can't run yet, but will be ready for Jets camp
Mark Sanchez has his sights set on jogging onto the field during training camp, even though he can’t run anywhere right now. The Jets quarterback is limited to walking on...
Baton swap at 'Traviata'
After the fiasco of Monday’s opening night, conductor Leonard Slatkin has bowed out of the Metropolitan Opera’s "La Traviata" for what the Met’s press office described as "personal reasons." Tension...
Minihane shows off bat, glove as TMLA tops St. Edmund
Rebecca Warne saw a sizzling line drive off the bat of Emma Ferrington headed for the hole between short and third. “I was nervous because I saw the hit going...
Ivanka Trump's 'stalker' released on bail
A 27-year-old man accused of stalking Ivanka Trump was released on bail today. He did not enter a plea at his arraignment. Justin Massler was arrested Tuesday in Nevada on...
Stomach bug, Nationals wear down Mets' Maine
PORT ST. LUCIE -- John Maine survived his final Grapefruit League start, but that was about it. With his stomach churning and head aching, Maine allowed four earned runs on...
When mayor asks, suddenly everyone has completed census
Little more than a third of the city's residents have filled out U.S. Census forms, but you'd never know that if you were Mayor Bloomberg taking an informal poll outside...
Poll: Rangers Redden, Avery among NHL's most overrated
Rangers Wade Redden and Sean Avery are two of the five most overrated players in the NHL, according to a poll by SI.com.The survey asked 272 NHLers "Who is the...
Brooklyn man shot and killed by cops
A Brooklyn man believed to be a serial robbery suspect was shot and killed today after pulling a gun on three plainclothes cops, police said. The shooting occurred at the...
Nets Lopez turns 22
He loves comic books and Mickey Mouse, all things Marvel and Disney. If he doesn't already, he likely will be the first center in the NBA to speak Klingon. So...
Report: Jets backup QB won't give up dream to start
With the deadline to sign a free-agent contract a week away, Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens is stating more strongly that he'd like to go somewhere and start."There's no future for...
Poseidon MIA in 'Titans'
The opening prologue of the "The Clash of the Titans'' describes how the world was divided between Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, but the latter god is just barely visible in the finished film....
Gov. Paterson: Last Rites for St. Vincent's Hospital
It might be last rites for good for cash-starved St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Greenwich Village. Gov. Paterson announced today that St. Vincent’s has been unable to find a partner...
Another official to leave Bloomberg administration this week
Mayor Bloomberg today announced the second major departure from his administration this week, The Post has learned.Rohit Rit Aggarwala who orchestrated the administration's environmental PlaNYC agenda that included the failed...
Ed Walsh urges support for Steve Levy
Ed Walsh, the Conservative Party chairman of Suffolk County who is an aggressive Steve Levy backer, is trying to sway his fellow chairs to buck against the executive committee vote...
Levy: Paladino will 'fizz out'
Steve Levy just took aim at Buffalo developer Carl Paladino, who's aggressively courting Tea Party activists and has vowed to spend $10 million on the race -- and has been...
Roundabout takes 'Everyday Rapture' to Broadway
When the Roundabout announced it was postponing its revival of Terrence McNally's "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," following the abrupt departure of star Megan Mullally, the big question was: What would...
Back Page: Mets need Bay to earn his money right away
"Come to New York and it will be up to you to carry us for the first month of the season."That probably was not Omar Minaya’s pitch to Jason Bay...
Ex-Continental ticket agent busted in voucher scam
Talk about taking them for a ride. A former Continental Airlines ticket agent at Newark Liberty International Airport was busted today for allegedly raking in more than $1 million by...
The real reason Neal McDonough was replaced on 'Scoundrels'
Who says there's no morality in Hollywood? Nikki Finke is reporting that the real reason "Scoundrels" star Neal McDonough (seen below with wife Ruvé Robertson) was replaced earlier this week...
Today in 'Clash of the Titans' trivia
Since I remember 1981 better than last week, I was sure that "Clash of the Titans" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" were in theaters at the same time. It...
Report: Jets' Cromartie willing to talk about personal life
Antonio Cromartie's arrival with the Jets was greeted with more attention on his off-the-field life than on-the-field performance.Cromartie said today he's surprised, but OK with it.“It’s not even a burden...
Insiders: Skyler's run, from rough patches to respect
The imminent departure of Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler prompted more than a few readers to note that he went through a rare transition in the past eight years -- from...
MLS expands Designated Player rule
MLS is adding more star power. The opportunities have doubled for MLS teams to pay big-ticket players above their club salary budgets. As expected, now all 16 teams have the...
Female Easter Bunny roughed up outside candy shop
FISHKILL, N.Y. — Police say a woman dressed as the Easter Bunny to promote a Hudson Valley candy shop was slammed to the ground by a man who then ran...
Cornell student on trial in wife’s murder
ITHACA, N.Y. — A prosecutor says a Cornell University doctoral student charged with cutting his wife’s throat on a jogging trail in central New York plotted the killing and tried...
Counting down the days till another miserable Knicks season ends
SAN FRANCISCO – It is gallows humor at this point of another soon-to-be winless West Coast trip - eight games left in another despicable Knicks season.April is finally here. Players...
Phillies set sights on another World Series
PHILADELPHIA -- Losing the World Series only made the Philadelphia Phillies more determined to go back and win it again. From the start of spring training, it was clear these...
Mets' Minaya says it's unfair asking Reyes to play
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Mets GM Omar Minaya said today it would not be fair to ask Jose Reyes to be ready to play Opening Day, and that putting the...
Giants sign veteran safety Grant
The Giants continued to rebuild their secondary and add players as insurance in case Kenny Phillips isn’t fully recovered from knee surgery with the signing of veteran safety Deon Grant...
Box Office: Going Greek for Easter
Warners' "Clash of the Titans,'' arriving in theaters with 8 p.m showings tonight, is expected to collect somewhere north of $60 million by Sunday night. At least half of the...
Giants re-sign punter Feagles
The Giants re-signed 44-year old punter Jeff Feagles to a one-year contract. An unrestricted free agent, Feagles recently told The Post he was going go return for his eighth season...
27 arrested at complex where 7-year-old was gang raped
TRENTON, N.J. — Twenty-seven people were arrested Thursday on outstanding warrants at a New Jersey apartment complex where officials say a 7-year-old girl was gang raped. Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer...
Heather Mills accused of lying about refusal to pay for nanny's breast implants
Heather Mills was accused Thursday of "telling a very unpleasant lie" over claims she fell out with her nanny after refusing to pay for the employee's breast enlargement. Speaking at...
McMahon skewered for health vote at pro-health rally
A pro-health care rally turned into an excoriation of Rep. Michael McMahon (D-S.I.), the only member of the city's Congressional delegation who voted against the sweeping bill last month.Chris Shelton,...
Senate Dem accuses colleague of plagiarism
ALBANY – Members of the fractious Senate Democratic conference have accused each other of a lot of things. But plagiarism!?Bomb-throwing Bronx senator Ruben Diaz just issued a statement attacking fellow...
St John's debuts new coach, actress wife
St. John's rolled out the red carpet for its new coach Steve Lavin and his stunning actress wife last night. Mary Ann Jarou, whose credits include "Entoruage" and "King of...
Manhattan judge found not guilty of fraud accusation
A Manhattan judge was acquitted this afternoon of charges she'd tried to hide the source of $250,000 in over-the-limit donations to her run for the bench. Manhattan Surrogate's Court Judge...
Brooklyn state senator's message: Pull up your pants
Saying low-slung pants give their wearers a bad image, a state lawmaker is making the point with some images of his own. Brooklyn residents awoke Thursday to the sight of...
Tiffany gets 2nd shot at eBay in knock-offs court fight
An Manhattan appeals court has restored some of the luster to Tiffany & Co.'s claim that eBay should be held liable for touting fake bling sold through its Web site....
Jets punter had procedure to fix irregular heartbeat
Steve Weatherford is no longer worried about his heart. He hopes the New York Jets feel the same. The veteran punter told The Associated Press on Thursday that he had...
Michael Douglas pulls out of stocks after losing almost half his fortune
Michael Douglas dumped his “greed is good” catchphrase and pulled out of the stock market after losing almost half his fortune, The Sun reported Thursday. The Hollywood star -- who...
Posada scratched with stiff neck; Cervelli out with hamstring strain
DUNEDIN, Fla. — With backup catcher Francisco Cervelli already shelved with a hamstring problem, Jorge Posada was scratched from today's game against the Blue Jays with stiffness in the left...
3 busted for murder in subway stabbings
Cops early today charged three men with murder in the fatal stabbings of two subway passengers. The trio, grilled for most of yesterday, had tried to convince the cops they...
Important economic lessons from the Koreas?
Nicholas Eberstadt thinks so but not for the reasons you might imagine. “Assessing the competition between the North and South Korean economies from partition to the end of the Soviet...
Bullock and James engage in 'phone screaming matches': report
Actress Sandra Bullock has gotten into a series of nasty phone fights with cheating hubby Jesse James -- even reportedly blowing up at him weeks ago regarding his infidelity in...
Policing for profit
Do law enforcement and police departments abuse law of civil forfeiture just to pocket the money they get from selling someone else’s private property? The Institute for Justice thinks so....
NY Times reduces stake in Red Sox
The New York Times said Thursday it sold a stake in New England Sports Ventures to Henry F. McCance of venture capital firm Greylock Partners. A dollar figure was not...
Laptop killer? Apple iPad comes close
The iPad -- Apple’s touchscreen tablet computer which is due to launch in America on Saturday -- has the potential to challenge the dominance of the laptop. For the past...
Warner eyes 3-D 'Harold and Kumar'
Harold and Kumar in 3D? Warner Bros. is "seriously considering" a stereoscopic approach for the second sequel, which is set to begin shooting this summer and could be in theaters...
Cox survival depends on Levy victory
Ed Cox has told people privately he believes he can get Steve Levy over the 51 percent threshhold at the GOP state convention -- a promise that's going to end...
LeBron 'probably not' playing for USA this summer
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James has a busy summer ahead. Maybe too busy to play basketball. Cleveland's superstar said Wednesday night that he's "probably not playing" for Team USA this summer...
Couples says he will play practice round with Woods
HUMBLE, Texas -- Fred Couples said Wednesday that he'll play a practice round for the Masters with Tiger Woods at Augusta National on Monday.Woods is making his return to competitive...
It's official: Granderson will start in center for Yankees
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Confirming what The Post’s Joel Sherman reported last week, Joe Girardi named Curtis Granderson as the Yankees’ starting center fielder this morning.Acquired from the Tigers in December,...
'Skippy' (1931) surfaces at Netflix
You never know where or when a long-unavailable film is going to turn up these days. The Story of Temple Drake with Miriam Hopkins, the Bob Hope-Katharine Hepburn vehicle The...
US Navy frigate captures 5 pirates, mother ship near Seychelles
NAIROBI, Kenya — U.S. naval forces say they've captured five pirates after exchanging fire with them, sinking their skiff and confiscating a mother ship. The USS Nicholas came under fire...
Champions League: Arsenal rallies to draw Barcelona
Outclassed by Barcelona for more than an hour at the Emirates on Wednesday, Arsenal produced a late rally to earn a 2-2 draw in a rip-roaring Champions League quarter-final first...
Champions League: Inter edges CSKA in first leg
Wasteful Inter Milan spurned a host of chances and needed a second-half strike from Argentine forward Diego Milito to earn a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow in their Champions League...
Indiana police: Officers used stun gun on 10-year-old
MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — Police say two central Indiana officers have been placed on administrative duty after using a stun gun on an unruly 10-year-old boy at a home day care....
Vatican denounces New York Times' coverage of Pope, sex abuse scandal
ROME -- The Vatican has taken off the gloves in its response to media reports alleging that Pope Benedict mishandled a series of abuse cases before he was elected. It...
Paterson pushes for wage freeze
Gov. Paterson this morning dropped the strongest hint yet that he might soon drop his no-layoff pledge if state workers don’t accept wage freezes or other givebacks.In an interview on...
Woods 'paid Rachel $10M' to clam up
Tiger Woods has got a million problems -- and one of them is that he's out $10 million. That's reportedly the amount he paid mistress No. 1, Rachel Uchitel, to...
3UP: Joba, Hughes and the Mets
1. In today’s Post I wrote a column investigating just how long a leash the Yankees will give Phil Hughes as the No. 5 starter and Joba Chamberlain as the...
Uncle Sam is hiring
The private sector shed 23,000 jobs in March. But don’t worry about joblessness in America, because the government is taking care of that by hiring. The Commerce Department is hiring...
He's just being fair
Vice President Joe Biden says that health reform isn’t redistribution of income, “I call it just being fair.” Shelby Steele calls that the government bludgeoning us into their version of...
No Latinos here
The biggest minority in the United States may not be counted in this year’s census. According to Reuters, many in the Latino community are either too scared to fill out...
Steve Serby's Q&A with Steve Lavin
The Post’s Steve Serby chatted exclusively with Steve Lavin, who signed a six-year deal to coach St. John’s. Q: How did you recruit your wife [Mary Ann]? A: That’s a...
New coach ups St. John’s profile
When the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994, it ended 54 years of hell on ice and the city was infused with an exhilarating air of euphoria. The Rangers...
Reyes, Murphy out for Mets' season opener
PORT ST. LUCIE — Forget seeing one-third of the Mets’ starting lineup when the season’s first pitch is thrown at Citi Field on Monday. Jose Reyes is headed to the...
Manuel shuffles Mets' pitching for opening series
PORT ST. LUCIE — Jerry Manuel already is shaking up his rotation. The Mets manager announced yesterday John Maine, Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and Oliver Perez will follow Johan Santana...
Little going as planned for Mets, especially rotation
PORT ST. LUCIE — This was supposed to be Camp Competition. As it winds down to its final game here today, it’s more like Camp Chaos. The rotation, which manager...
Off days push Hughes’ first start to April 15
TAMPA — Phil Hughes not only won the Yankees’ fifth starter sweepstakes by turning back Alfredo Aceves and Joba Chamberlain, he also has been named the ace of the far...
American Eagle pilot grounded after lying about background
A pilot for a commuter airline that flies out of all three New York airports was grounded after telling multiple lies about his background to make himself look a poster...
CK's national ranking a long time coming
Say this about the Christ the King girls basketball team – the Royals sure can finish.CK had umpteen chances to earn a USA Today national ranking this season. It’s a...
Chic beauty palettes are the complete package!
This season, beauty products look like fashion accessories. These chic palettes from luxury labels are so irresistible, they’ll have you believing that sometimes it’s what’s on the outside that matters...
Meet NYC’s new ‘Real Housewives’ set to shake up the show
Sonja Morgan, Bravo TV’s newest Real Housewife of New York City, is not pleased. The willowy divorcée — for 10 years she was married to John Adams Morgan, great-grandson of...
Just sold!
Manhattan CHELSEA $1,950,000 350 W. 23rd St. Three-bedroom, 2½-bath condo, 1,900 square feet, with keyed elevator access, floor-to-ceiling windows, fireplace, washer/dryer, walk-in closet, soaking tub, central AC and juliet balcony;...
On the bright side
When CBS-TV news anchor Chris Wragge’s marriage broke up in 2007, he decided he needed to start fresh. But he didn’t want to give up the apartment. “I loved it...
Ford corners
Democratic Leadership Council chairman Harold Ford and his wife, Emily, are close to unloading their downtown apartment at 105 Fifth Ave. We hear they have a buyer lined up and...
Calhoun lives up to hype, and more, in memorable sophomore season
Before his first varsity game, Omar Calhoun had already received plenty of hype. He had led the freshman team to the city championship game, breaking Christ the King’s freshman scoring...
North star
When asked what’s changed about Long Island’s North Fork during his 46 years selling homes in the area, John Nickles, owner and principal broker of Lewis & Nickles Real Estate,...
Up, down, Uggams is talk of the town
Anyone who saw Leslie Uggams onstage in "On Golden Pond" a few years ago probably has no idea how great an actress she really is. The elderly caretaker wife she...
'Glee,' Diane Sawyer documentary win Peabodys
Diane Sawyer's ambitious documentary on the precarious lives of four kids in Central Appalachia won the prestigious Peabody award yesterday. The "20/20" special, "A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains,"...
Simon Cowell takes dig at 'DWTS'
"American Idol" judge Simon Cowell took an on-air swipe at "Dancing With the Stars" Tuesday night as both shows went mano-a-mano for the first time ever at 8 p.m. While...
Viewers irate over 'V' countdown clock on screen during 'Lost'
A big, red countdown clock -- ticking off the minutes until the sci-fi series "V" was to start -- that ABC slapped on to the screen during this week's episode...
She oughta stick with Him
She is actress Zooey Deschanel and Him is guitarist M. Ward; together they make beautiful music. Their act, She & Him, is a retro folk-rock outfit whose music is anchored...
Working the biggest casting gig in TV
When bad-girl Shannen Doherty was booted off "Dancing With the Stars" this week, only one person felt worse than the actress. Deena Katz, a senior producer who has been in...
Roto-Rooter prez says he really unclogged drains on next 'Undercover Boss'
Workers across the country have united to turn "Undercover Boss" into one of the Top 5 most-watched shows of the season. Sunday night's episode of the surprise hit reality series...
Kidnap victim's clever car-phone call for help
A quick-witted Queens woman who was abducted by her jealous boyfriend helped authorities nab him yesterday by secretly calling her mother from his car and updating her on where they...
Nazi hat just a Jesse joke
Get it? Joe Yanny, the lawyer for Sandra Bullock's serial- cheat husband, said Jesse James' sick photo homage to Adolf Hitler taken around 2004 was just a joke. Yanny told...
'Shopaholic' writer: How I created and tamed a teen monster
Rich Upper East Side mom Tracey Jackson, the screenwriter of "Confessions of a Shopaholic," blamed herself for raising a teenage monster who charged $1,000 a month on food and discarded...
Why I think Verizon had to pull the plug on FiOS
Funny, but Verizon Commu nications doesn't seem to be enjoying the entertainment business. The telecom giant this week announced that it was going to stop expanding the markets for its...
American traditions at war
Over the past 14 months, our political de bate has been transformed into an argu ment between heirs of two fundamental schools of political thought, the Founders and the Progressives....
Defending the pope or just more excuses?
Comparing Pope Benedict's problem today to Christ's suffering on the cross 2,000 years ago is insulting to all thinking Christians ("Archbishop Dolan Compares Pope Abuse Flap to Torment of Jesus,"...
Science bids to graph the laugh
WASHINGTON -- So a scientist walks into a shopping mall to watch people laugh. There's no punch line. Laughter is a serious scientific subject, one that researchers are still trying...
New Iran nuke slap in works
Six world powers, including China, agreed yesterday to start drawing up new sanctions on Iran to block its nuclear program, diplomatic sources said. The source said senior foreign ministry officials...
US-Saudi 'nuke' test
CAIRO -- The United States test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads during a joint military exercise yesterday with Saudi Arabia, a Western military official said. The...
Misplaced pirate trust
MONTPELIER, Vt. -- The cargo-ship captain who spent five days as a hostage of Somali pirates says in a new book it was a high-seas double-cross that led to his...
Apollo honors
Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson will be inducted into the Apollo Theater's hall of fame this summer. The Queen of Soul and the late King of Pop will become members...
U. really play hard to get
The colleges that have been hard to get into are getting even harder. Duke University offered admission this year to 3,972, or 15 percent of aspirants, down from 18 percent...
Orca death report
ORLANDO, Fla -- An autopsy shows that a SeaWorld trainer attacked by a killer whale died of drowning and blunt-force injuries to her head, neck and torso. The report released...
LI seeking better 'burbs
It's called the "Build a Better Burb" contest. The Long Island Index is sponsoring a contest to find the best ideas for retrofitting suburban downtowns into innovative and surprising new...
Macy's taps AmEx
American Express Co. will replace Visa Inc., the world's biggest payments network, as the exclusive processor for Macy's and Bloomingdale's credit cards. Citigroup will issue new cards bearing the store...
'Law and Order: CI' star posed for picture with stalker
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" star Kathryn Erbe reluctantly posed for a picture with her lovesick stalker after he dragged his young daughter to the show's Bronx set and accosted...
Gas 'grifter' on empty
A Queens man was busted for using counterfeit gift cards to buy more than $3,000 worth of gas -- at a service station that has been robbed of more than...
'Mark' of B'klyn's Big, Bad Brother
How many bureaucrats does it take to change a light bulb? In this city, an entire agency full. This is a story about landmarking. It's about Grammy-winning singer Norah Jones...
NYPD Daily Blotter
Brooklyn A burglar swiped $70,500 in merchandise after cutting through the roof of a Flatbush bodega, authorities said yesterday. Anthony Dotson, 41, and several cohorts allegedly cut a hole through...
Georgette Adler dies
Georgette Adler, the mother of Howard Adler, The Post's senior vice president of sales, marketing and promotion, has died. She was 85. Graveside services for Adler, who died Monday, will...
Google hits speed bump
Google Inc.'s feud with the Chinese government may be the smallest of its challenges as the search leader contends with slowing growth, regulatory scrutiny and a shift in ad spending....
Business briefs
It's a bonus! Big bonuses are back: a new study says US CEOs saw that chunk of pay jump 28.9 percent in 2009 over the prior year. The median bonus...
A Borders loan deal
Borders Group is repaying a $42.5 million loan from Pershing Square and secured $90 million in new financing, said one person with knowledge of the matter. Repayment to Pershing, led...
Arizona shootout
PHOENIX IN 1994, when first running for Congress, J.D. Hayworth -- who today is 51 and trying to wrest from John McCain, 73, the Arizona GOP's Senate nomination -- went...
Fischer mate-check
The remains of US-hating chess champ Bobby Fischer may be dug up from his Icelandic grave to determine if his reputed love child wins a battle for his $3 million...
Empire State Building guard made futile bid to save leaper
A security guard desperately tried to talk a 23-year-old Yale student out of committing suicide, moments before the young man leaped from the 86th-floor observation deck at the Empire State...
Bravery of Arab TV 'Idol'
A burqa-clad contestant on the Arabic version of "American Idol" landed in the finals after bravely blasting hard-line Muslim clerics on live television, sparking outrage among religious conservatives in the...
NY hauls in Ivanka tweeter
He has a thing for Ivanka Trump, had his name legally changed to "Cloud Starchaser," is into samurai swords -- and now he's facing justice. Reno, Nev., schizophrenic Justin Massler...
RIM misses sales mark
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion reported fourth-quarter revenue and shipments that fell short of analysts' estimates, driving the stock lower in late trading. Sales in the fourth quarter ended Feb....
Village park-bench 'rape'
A thug raped an unconscious woman on a West Village park bench, then tried to run away from cops with the victim slung over his shoulder, a law-enforcement source said...
Dems to grill execs after health-tax whacks
WASHINGTON -- Adding insult to injury, Democratic leaders are hauling CEOs from major corporations before Congress to defend writing off billions of dollars because President Obama's health care overhaul whacks...
NJ grad comatose in spring break mystery
A Rutgers University graduate on spring break in Cancun with his pals was clinging to life after he was found poolside with massive head injuries. Joseph "Zeke" Rucker, 21, who...
Prescription for disaster
The owner of a defunct Murray Hill drug store faces $75,000 in fines for allegedly handing out more than 65,000 narcotic pills -- including Oxycontin and methadone -- like they...
Eatery boss cooked books
A Manhattan restaurateur has pleaded guilty to stealing $631,252 in sales taxes at his two uptown eateries. Rolando Lantigua -- owner of Hispaniola in Washington Heights and Rancho Jubilee in...
Senate Dems slot to hell
Top Senate Democrats have to lay their cards on the table for the state inspector general's probe into the controversial Aqueduct "racino" deal, a judge ruled yesterday. Senate Democratic Conference...
Dentist's $$ for nothing
A Harlem Medicaid cardholder says he received an illegal $15 payment directly from a dentist in return for undergoing an exam that included a slapdash tooth cleaning that took just...
Charitable Mike aide
Without seeking a new ethics opinion, Mayor Bloomberg yesterday named First Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris as CEO and chairwoman of his $1.6 billion family foundation while she continues in her...
'Cane nonprofit gal quits post
A lawyer and Queens political operative with ties to Rep. Gregory Meeks, Senate President Malcolm Smith and Gov. Paterson has been quietly moved off the Senate Democrats' payroll. Joan Flowers...
Wringing in the warm weather
We've had the wet -- now we'll get the wow! The Big Apple will see sun through the weekend with temperatures reaching into the 70s. On Saturday, look for a...
Sneak suit vs. ex-Knick
A sports-marketing group is going one-on-one in court against former Knicks malcontent Stephon Marbury, accusing him of reneging on a shoe deal. The Agency Sports Management LLC filed a civil...
Finger-slice Brooklyn suit
A Park Slope woman is suing Williams-Sonoma for $2 million, claiming one of the high-end homeware company's serving trays broke in her hand, slicing off the end of her left...
Now he's a bust driver
A crazed MTA bus operator assigned to a Long Island route assaulted his supervisor and fled from his coach after he was confronted about using a cellphone while driving yesterday,...
Slick Bam's flip-flop
WASHINGTON -- In a policy reversal, President Obama unveiled a plan to open a huge swath of the Atlantic coast to oil drilling yesterday -- but excluding the Jersey Shore....
MGM's suitors vanish
As beleaguered film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer scored a win by convincing creditors to give it more time to find a solution to its financial mess, one of its rescue options hinted...
Apple's forbidden fruit
With Apple, there's always a question of whether the lust comes first -- or the lines. As Apple prepares for this weekend's launch of its new iPad device, long lines...
Anti-terror NY subway war games
Call it a surge, Big Apple-style. Hundreds of cops flooded Penn Station, Grand Central and Herald Square yesterday in a post-Moscow terror drill to see how prepared law enforcement is...
Greece to tap US and Asia
Greece later next month will turn to the US and Asia in its next bid to fill funding gaps, even as stubbornly high borrowing costs continue to threaten public finances....
Just why is gov guy laughing?
ALBANY -- David Johnson, Gov. Paterson's suspended top aide, appeared yesterday before investigators probing the Yankees World Series and repeatedly refused yesterday to answer questions about it afterward. Johnson's lawyer,...
Dreier's pal sentenced
A former stockbroker who helped crooked lawyer Marc Dreier dupe hedge funds into buying more than $100 million in phony promissory notes saw five months shaved off his sentence yesterday...
EMI boss' latest fumble hikes $4.5B default odds
Even the pawnshop approach couldn't help Guy Hands save his cash-strapped music company EMI. EMI's effort to raise money by licensing its music rights to a rival recording company fell...
Dow racks up 4.11% gain in first quarter
Wall Street found a new "spring" in its step, ending an already upbeat first quarter by defying weakness in the economy. Despite a shaky jobs outlook yesterday, shares slipped only...
New holiday to honor Thurgood
The state is honoring civil rights pioneer Thurgood Marshall with a day of commemoration. Gov. Paterson signed the bill yesterday making May 17 each year a day to honor Marshall,...
Sotheby's $laps 'Net tycoon
An Internet tycoon who reneged on more than $13 million in bids for three paintings has been ordered to pay Sotheby's auction house $6.6 million-plus in damages. CNET founder Halsey...
On the road to ruin
The state will stop funding at least 12 construction projects in New York City -- including the badly needed rehabilitation of I-95's dilapidated Alexander Hamilton Bridge -- valued at more...
2 suspects questioned in fatal subway stabbing
Two suspects in an early Sunday morning subway stabbing are being questioned at the 6th precinct, according to police sources. Yesterday, police released a sketch of the man who cops...
Bigs admit chair-brained flub
They won't stand for it. Red-faced state Education Department officials admitted yesterday that their proposal to spend more than $200,000 in federal education grant money on posh, high-priced office chairs...
Vietnam's cyber rattling
Google accused Vietnam yesterday of stifling political dissent with cyberattacks, the latest complaint by the Internet giant against a communist regime following a public dispute with China over online censorship....
3 strikes & you're back out
In a stunning rebuke to New York's highest court, a federal appeals court yesterday declared that the Empire State's repeat-offender sentencing law violates the Constitution, setting the stage for a...
Racing Mercedes a 300G Auto Show star
Meet the star of the New York Auto Show -- a new Mercedes-AMG super car that's so fast and powerful you can't even drive it on the street. The German...
Christie shows the way
Meanwhile, west of the Hudson, rookie New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has a better idea. As usual. With a $10.7 billion state budget gap, Christie needs to slash $800 million...
NY schools need a diet
State teachers-union boss Richard Ian nuzzi says it's "unconscionable" that Gov. Paterson, starting today, is pi geonholing some $2.1 billion in aid to local school districts to make sure Albany...
iPad debut pushes publishers
Two large book publishers have reached new electronic-book pricing deals with Amazon on the eve of Apple's release of the iPad, according to a Wall Street Journal report yesterday. The...
NY Education Department wasting money on office furniture
ALBANY -- Welcome to the opulent state Education Department -- where fully outfitted workspaces sit unused, and there's so much furniture on hand that the agency gives away perfectly good...
Qns. gal's $5M suit: Cop caused miscarriage
A six-months pregnant Queens mom charges a cop knocked her to the ground during a bogus arrest, causing her to miscarry -- and she's suing for $5 million, The Post...
$uit is made in the shades
A high-end eyewear designer whose frames are favored by celebs like Jay-Z and Lindsay Lohan says he's been ripped off. Robert Marc filed a $1 million trademark-infringement suit yesterday, claiming...
Knicks' McGrady would welcome return to Orlando
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Tracy McGrady said he would love to sign next season with Orlando, where he hails from, and ripped the former Magic president who traded him. "Of course...
LeBron's new Nike deal won't pay him more if he signs with Knicks
PORTLAND, Ore. -- LeBron James has said all season it's all about winning championships when he decides where to sign this summer, that it wasn't about marketing and Broadway lights....
Bids due today for Meadowlands Super Bowl
An idea considered outlandish not too long ago -- playing a February Super Bowl outdoors in the Meadowlands -- takes a major step toward becoming reality today. That's when formal...
The Post Line
NBA Favorite Line Underdog MAVERICKS 3 Magic NUGGETS 5 Trail Blazers NHL Favorite Line Underdog Flyers $120-140 ISLANDERS CAPITALS $230-280 Thrashers BRUINS $180-220 Panthers MAPLE LEAFS $100-120 Sabres SENATORS $160-180...
Giants, Jets will open stadium together with preseason game
Considering the animosity that surfaced when the Giants and Jets tried to determine which team should open the new stadium they share at the Meadowlands, it makes perfect sense that...
Sports shorts
NFL: Eli calls McNabb rumors 'shocking'Eli Manning said it's "shocking" that the Eagles are considering trading QB Donovan McNabb. "Donovan has been a tremendous player for the Eagles, a staple...
Rangers gear up for key Florida swing
TAMPA, Fla. — This is no spring break for the Rangers, but if the Blueshirts can't get a minimum of three points on this Florida swing that begins here tomorrow...
Devils shooting for No. 2 seed in playoffs
The Devils already may have clinched a playoff berth, but it does not mean the remaining six games of the season are meaningless. They still are fighting for playoff positioning,...
Pondexter looks to put Liberty on winning track
The Liberty have a new torchbearer. Acquired in Tuesday's three-team trade from the Phoenix Mercury, all-star guard Cappie Pondexter immediately will become the new face of the Liberty when the...
Sanchez: Knee will be ready for Jets camp
Without throwing a pass yesterday, Mark Sanchez delivered a strike -- giving the kind of news every Jets fan wants to hear. "I'll absolutely be 100 percent by training camp...
Twins' Span hits mom with foul ball
TAMPA -- Twins leadoff hitter Denard Span hit a foul ball to the left of the Twins' dugout that struck his mother, Wanda Wilson, in the chest during the first...
Islanders veteran Streit to miss playoffs again
With all the talk about rebuilding and emerging players such as Kyle Okposo and John Tavares, it can be easy to forget that not everyone on the Islanders is quite...
Suns' Stoudemire still likes Nets' potential
Some matters change. For example, the Nets no longer are threatening to be the worst team ever to suit up in NBA uniforms. Some matters stay the same. For example,...
Joba not guaranteed Yankees setup role
TAMPA -- Unlike with the fifth starter's job, the Yankees are comfortable going into the season without delineating a primary set-up man for Mariano Rivera. It had been believed that...
Weird but true
If only hordes of angry Germans were always this polite. Vandals in Oldenburg trashed a vehicle snapping pictures for Google Street View, but kindly left a note warning the driver...
Welsh signs 5-year deal to coach Hofstra
Hofstra athletic director Jack Hayes spoke with passion and poise. He was direct, succinct and clearly unfazed by the day's events. "This is a good program, and we will find...
Willard vows to rebuild Seton Hall's image
You did not need the Rosetta Stone to decipher the message at Kevin Willard's introductory press conference yesterday at Seton Hall. The words "character" and "integrity" were used much more...
UNC has shot at NIT consolation
It wasn't the title game they expected, and they didn't get here the way they planned, but the defending NCAA champ North Carolina Tar Heels will get to play for...
City coaches give Lavin hire thumbs up
St. John’s University’s decision to hire former UCLA coach and ESPN broadcaster Steve Lavin drew rave reviews from AAU, CHSAA and PSAL coaches – the people Lavin will need to...
All Hallows looking to turn things around
If Ed Gutierrez had any concerns about his team's mentality heading into the spring, the answer came in the form of numerous phone calls and text messages from his players...
Nash, Suns blow by Nets for 9th in a row
Steve Nash had 24 points and 14 assists, Jason Richardson scored 23 points, and the Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to nine games by beating the New Jersey Nets...
Knicks' Chandler out for season
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Wilson Chandler was evaluated tonight by team doctor Lisa Callahan and the Knicks have decided to shut him down for the rest of the season."It's still sore,''...
New-look Rams ready for realigned CHSAA
For four seasons Len DeLucia had the luxury and reassurance of Chris Moffa in net. The All-American goalie, who is now playing at St. Joseph’s University, was one of the...
Manic bus driver assaults his MTA boss
A crazed MTA bus operator assigned to a Long Island route assaulted his supervisor and fled from his coach after he was confronted about using a cellphone while driving today,...