December 28, 2013
To a happier, humbler 2014
To most Americans, the name Thomas Marshall means nothing, although he was vice president and served two terms under Woodrow Wilson in the World War I era. But Marshall was...
This week's must-read books
The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles by Katherine Pancol (Penguin) Will a trendy Parisian novel from 2006 become the très chic accessory in 2014 New York? Pancol’s tale follows Josephine Cortes, a...
NYC steakhouse serves up $10k New Year's feast
It could be the last supper — before bankruptcy! Newly opened Empire Steak House on West 52nd will be serving up a wallet-busting New Year’s Eve dinner for two for...
In my Library: Alice McDermott
What ignites a novel? Alice McDermott's new "Someone" was sparked by four words: "parlor floor and basement." That's a familiar phrase for anyone of a certain age who knows Brooklyn,...
Lose your Christmas stuffing
Did you enjoy a little too much pie and eggnog this season? Five new diet books promise to help lose the weight —but are the results ho-ho-ho or simply ho-hum?...
Nets no match for Pacers' height advantage
INDIANAPOLIS — For the second time in six days, the Nets and Pacers battled to a relative standstill for 24 minutes. And, for the second time in six days, the Pacers...
Minus Tavares, Islanders can't hang with Devils
Even with John Tavares on the ice this season, the Islanders haven’t had much success. So it was hardly surprising when the team suffered another defeat Saturday, this one 2-1...
Rangers’ Allen to make NHL debut
Conor Allen practiced with the Rangers Saturday following his recall from the AHL Wolf Pack a day earlier. The 23-year-old first-year pro will make his NHL debut against the Lightning...
Rangers’ Lundqvist to start vs. Lightning
Alain Vigneault’s strongest show of support for Henrik Lundqvist as the club’s standard-bearing goaltender manifested itself Saturday afternoon in the coach’s response to a question about Rick Nash. Asked whether...
Jets WR Nelson praises Rex’s personal touch with players
The testimonials have poured out this week from Jets players on why the team should keep Rex Ryan as head coach. One of the most interesting came from wide receiver...
Cabbies, cheerleaders and Jewish guys: 2014's sexiest calendars
New Yorkers are ready to ring in the city’s sexiest new year yet — and we’ve got the pictures to prove it. The list of Gotham-themed calendars for 2014 is...
Raptors’ Lowry puts on show as Knicks embarrassed again
TORONTO — At least in Friday’s loss the Knicks were competitive. Saturday in Canada, they just crashed and burned. Knicks coach Mike Woodson, supposedly now safe after owner James Dolan’s second...
Doctor duo's healthcare app joins burgeoning industry
Forgeddabout ObamaCare. New York doctors are on the cutting edge of the latest mobile healthcare technology. And it makes medicine more affordable and accessible, professionals say. Such high-tech advances as...
Bitcoin: A modern day 3-card Monte
Each year, new financial scams pop up in which unsuspecting investors get fleeced by crooks and con artists. Five years ago, it was Bernie Madoff. This year, it was a...
The selfie to end all selfies
This has to be the selfie to end all selfies. In fact it's so good, it's out of this world. NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, a flight engineer on NASA's Expedition...
Retailers see big upside by accepting bitcoins
Shave and a haircut — two bitcoins? Sure, its value might rise and fall by the day, but some small-business owners in New York City are buying into bitcoin by...
Dear John: Should I pay off a mortgage or invest in stocks?
Dear John: I have approximately $200,000 cash literally in the bank, sitting in checking accounts earning 1 percent interest. I will be receiving my yearly bonus in a couple of...
Rex Ryan: Still the right man for the job
MIAMI — He stormed into town and into the hearts of long-suffering Jets fans with hurricane force, a howling gale of bluster and bravado and braggadocio, raining swagger and guarantees...
Serby’s Sunday Q&A with Troy Aikman
Former Cowboys quarterback and FOX broadcaster Troy Aikman tossed around some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby: Q: The atmosphere in and around Dallas for Cowboys-Eagles? A: I do believe...
Under fire, Rex still has public support
Here is the unique thing about the passion play that surrounds the Jets Sunday afternoon in Miami: usually, when it’s time for a coach to go — especially around here...
There's no next week for disappointing Giants
The blue and red football cleats were piled in the middle of the locker room, and empty cardboard boxes were strategically placed nearby to collect any other unwanted belongings. A...
Crunch time to make USA roster
This is the time of every fourth year where if Zach Parise aggravates a foot injury as he did last week, the winger’s pain will be felt all over this...
NYC's forgotten cancer scandal
The front-page headline of the New York World-Telegram on Jan. 20, 1964 shocked readers: “Charge Hospital Shot Live Cancer Cells Into Patients.” The stunning accusation was that Brooklyn’s Jewish Chronic...
NY's proficiency tests should demand more from students, not less
We’ve been strong supporters of New York state’s move to Common Core for one main reason: The new program demands more of our students. That’s important, because high atop the...
Cuomo’s last-ditch bailout of a failing hospital
Maybe the hit cable TV series “The Walking Dead” should use Brooklyn’s Interfaith Medical Center for its next season. Not because of the patients, but because of the hospital itself....
Yahoo! chief taking center stage in 2014
Marissa Mayer is getting her 2014 off to a flying start. The Yahoo! CEO is headed to Las Vegas to deliver the keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show on...
Tanqueray partners with Williamsburg bitters company
As part of its national marketing campaign, Tanqueray has partnered with bitters company Hella Bitter through a sweet two-year partnership.The Diageo-owned gin company is featuring Hella Bitter and its three...
NYC pharmacy will cure your hangover
It’s almost New Year’s Eve. Do you know where your hangover cure is? A young New York pharmacist, Stanley George, is creating buzz with a namesake pharmacy on the Lower...
Colleges cutting sports for ‘revenue’ doesn’t add up at all
For those who give a rat’s rear, we’re in the throes of an education crisis, a national epidemic that imperils our long- and short-range ability to stimulate and advance our...
Clinton to swear in de Blasio
Bubba will ring in de Blaz this New Year’s Day. Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio has chosen his former boss, ex-President Bill Clinton, to swear him in on Jan. 1. Hillary...
Patriots keep finding way into playoffs
You don’t like them. You’re jealous of their quarterback. You detest their head coach. But if you are of reasonable mind and truly appreciate team sports, you cannot help but...
Companies need workers ... so where are they?
When does “Now Hiring” mean “Not Hiring”? It’s when millions of Americans need jobs at the same time that many employers can’t fill their job openings. That time is now....
St. John’s struggles, but nips Columbia
After 12 games and nearly two months, St. John’s has provided no clarity. Stacked with incredible individual talent and saddled with the accompanying expectations, the Red Storm finished their non-conference...
Source: Ryan, set to face Dolphins, likely to return in 2014
MIAMI — The Jets 2013 season comes to an end Sunday. Will Rex Ryan’s time as Jets coach end with it? The Jets head to South Florida to finish their...
Yankees need Pineda, Banuelos for strong rotation
When it comes to projecting positives from the Yankees farm system, we have learned to be cautious. It was not long ago that future rotations were going to be built...
Rutgers no match for Notre Dame in Pinstripe Bowl
Notre Dame’s season was full of stops and starts, impressive victories and disappointing losses, a major suspension at quarterback made up for by a surprising performance at the position. It...
Do we need a junk food tax to curb obesity?
If you thought Mayor Bloomberg’s soda and trans-fat bans were over-the-top, better hope Deborah A. Cohen doesn’t get her way. The RAND scientist and author of the new book “A...
Fletcher putting a finishing touch on his Iron Man numbers
There are remarkable numbers and streaks achieved on a weekly basis in the NFL, but none as impressive as Redskins linebacker London Fletcher playing in 256 consecutive games or starting...
Notable highlights and lowlights in 2013 New York sports
There are some years when New Year’s Eve can’t come quickly enough. You have had years like that, right? Some tough days on the job. Some hard times at home....
Serby hands out his season-ending hardware
Without further ado — or maybe just a little ado — we are proud to present the annual Serbys, awards presented to both the best and not so brightest in...
Nets rewind: Small ball key to win over hapless Bucks
Here are my three thoughts on the Nets’ 104-93 win over the Bucks in Brooklyn Friday night: 1. Going small – playing a two point guard backcourt, moving Joe Johnson...
Tourists robbed at gunpoint in Central Park
An NYU student and his pal were robbed at gunpoint in Central Park on Saturday by a man who threatened to kill them, cops said. The men, 24 and 25...
Pedestrian killed trying to walk across highway
A pedestrian was killed as he crossed the Belt Parkway this morning, cops said. The man was near Coney Island Avenue and the Belt Parkway attempting to cross over the...
Two injured in Westchester helicopter crash
A helicopter rolled over on its side injuring two passengers as it tried to land at Westchester County Airport, the FAA said. The white H269 helicopter had its uneasy landing...
Fire on train kills at least 26 in India
KOTHACHERUVU, India — A fire engulfed a coach of an express train in southern India on Saturday, killing at least 26 passengers, many of whom became trapped and suffocated after...
Pop princesses bow to queen Britney Spears
Pop princesses Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Selena Gomez showed up at the premiere show in Britney Spears' 2 year "Pieces Of Me Concert" residency at Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino...
The 16 most memorable celebrity selfies of 2013
The Oxford English Dictionary officially declared "selfie" the term of 2013, and our snap-happy selfie-loving celebrities have given us some absolute gems this year. Kim Kardashian delivered the perfect "f***...
The USSR spent $1B on mind-control programs
The race to put man on the Moon wasn't enough of a battle for the global super powers during the Cold War. At the time, the Soviet Union and the...
Maguire, Wiig lead all-star spoof of bloated ’70s miniseries
There’s a scene in “The Spoils of Babylon,” IFC’s six-episode miniseries satire starring Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and Tobey Maguire, where Maguire is making love to his new wife. The...
Libya detains 4 US military personnel, releases them hours later
WASHINGTON — Four U.S. military personnel investigating potential evacuation routes in Libya were taken into custody at a checkpoint and then detained briefly by the Libyan government before being released,...
Hate charge in 'knockout' attack on old man
A federal judge denied bond on Friday to a white Texas man charged with punching an elderly black man in a suspected race-based attack that the accused recorded as a...
FDNY burned by fake air conditioner repairs
The owner of a New York air conditioner repair company has been charged with pocketing more than $149,000 from the FDNY in never completed work. Just Cooling Corporation owner Justin...
Cops blast pistol-packing gunman in shootout
Three NYPD police officers shot it out with a violent gunman in Queens early Friday morning after the thug began firing at them, cops said. The melee began just after...
Hooters sues escort service over trademark
Hooters of America, the restaurant chain known for its skimpily clad waitresses, is suing a Florida escort service it says tarnished Hooters' trademarks as it sought to hire away its...
Daily blotter
Queens A Woodhaven resident got the scare of a lifetime when a would-be burglar stuck his head through her apartment window, police sources said. The 38-year-old woman was in her...
Iran pushing nuclear technology development in spite of treaty
VIENNA — Iran is taking steps to improve its ability to speed up uranium enrichment, which could delay implementation of a nuclear deal with six world powers because Tehran’s moves...
Russians complete ISS spacewalk, but cameras fail
MOSCOW — Two Russian astronauts have completed a spacewalk that included an unsuccessful attempt to install cameras on the exterior of the International Space Station. Oleg Kotov and Sergei Ryazansky...
Petty Qaeda cash: Terrorists file expense reports
Who knew al Qaeda had to file expenses? More than 100 receipts and invoices discovered in a building occupied by al Qaeda’s North African branch in Timbuktu, Mali, show that...
De Blasio’s going slow on filling team
Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio is on track to make the fewest appointments entering City Hall of any mayor in decades — with just nine positions filled to date. And only...
Spanish language barrier on ObamaCare sign-ups
WASHINGTON — No comprendo, senor presidente. There are indications Spanish speakers aren’t signing up for ObamaCare in hoped-for numbers, with language barriers, deficient sites and a digital gap seen as...
MDs sue ObamaCare insurer over dropped doctors
WASHINGTON — A group of New York doctors is suing insurance giant UnitedHealthcare, charging that it booted doctors from its network to avoid cost hikes imposed by ObamaCare. The company’s...
Columbia coach set to square off with mentor Steve Lavin
Kyle Smith was staying at his father’s house in the small town of Ross, Calif., looking for a job. The Hamilton (N.Y.) College student saw a flyer posted in town,...
Reported sex assaults in military up 50%
The number of reported sexual assaults across the military shot up by more than 50 percent this year. Defense officials suggested that victims are becoming more willing to come forward...
Bargnani stars, then sinks in Knicks loss
Andrea Bargnani spent 37 minutes showing his former team what they had seen for seven seasons. Bargnani opened Friday night’s game against the Raptors looking like the sweet-shooting lottery pick...
Best ponds and lakes for ice skating
Lots of lakes and ponds dot the outskirts of the city, and when temperatures drop below freezing — and stay there — these spots afford quieter skating with tree-lined views...
Glide into these new rinks for a New York skate of mind
The Rink at Brookfield Place 250 Vesey St. at North End Avenue Watch the Statue of Liberty spin by as you twirl around this 7,350-square-foot Battery Park rink. Sandwiched between...
Giants’ Rolle irked after Pro Bowl snub
Antrel Rolle didn’t take his Pro Bowl snub quietly Friday night. Chosen as only a second alternate at strong safety despite leading the 6-9 Giants in interceptions and tackles this...
Jets looking to spoil Miami’s playoff dreams
The Jets owe the Dolphins one. The Jets owe them for a month ago, when the Dolphins handed them one of their two home losses this season — a 23-3...
56% of adults own smartphones: study
Americans love their mobile gadgets — and the more versatile, the better. More than half of all US adults, roughly 56 percent, own a smartphone, as they continue to hang...
Nasdaq to pay up for botched Facebook IPO
Nasdaq OMX Group Inc will compensate firms on Dec. 31 for qualifying claims related to Facebook Inc's botched May 2012 initial public offering, the exchange operator said in a note...
Icahn ready to bake Apple in Feb. 28 showdown
Set the date on your iPhone calendar, the Apple annual meeting and Carl Icahn-Tim Cook showdown will be Feb. 28 at noon EST. Icahn’s High River Limited Partnership has proposed...
Target confirms encrypted IDs were hacked
Target said PIN data of its customers’ bank ATM cards were stolen as part of the massive data breach at the third-largest US retailer, but it was confident that the...