May 4, 2014
The advantage of the Texans trading top pick
The Texans would surprise no one by making Jadeveon Clowney the No. 1 overall pick in this week’s belated NFL Draft. Whether Houston keeps Clowney is another story. League sources...
Lundqvist can’t save Rangers as Penguins even series
PITTSBURGH — It was a gem, and now it’s buried. Henrik Lundqvist did just about all he could on Sunday night at CONSOL Energy Center to will the Rangers to a win,...
How Francesa jinxed my Derby
Is there a forensic accountant in the house? May I write-off $60 in gambling losses as a business expense? Legally? Submit the 60 bucks in my expense account? My tale...
‘Forbidden Broadway’ neatly nails excesses of theater season
It couldn’t have come at a better time — the end of a theater season that just kept on giving. Much like “Rocky,” one of its hapless targets, Gerard Alessandrini’s...
‘An Octoroon’ shocks, awes with outrageous riff on slavery
If you thought Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” was a provocative poke at race relations, wait till you see off-Broadway’s “An Octoroon.” A black actor puts on whiteface to play a...
Gee finally gives Mets solid start in 5-1 win over Rockies
DENVER — Who said it was impossible? After all the platitudes manager Terry Collins had lobbed in the Rockies’ direction over the previous three days, after having watched that lineup...
Are my employers being dishonest with me?
I was hired on a part-time basis several months ago with the expectation that the job would become a full-time position. I’ve just been offered the full-time job — but...
Unions for free speech
Two cheers for the New York state unions which are standing up for political free speech — even if they may be doing so for less than noble reasons. In...
NYC theaters becoming more accessible for hearing impaired
Three off-Broadway theater companies — including the home of the Tribeca Film Festival — will turn up the volume for their hard-of-hearing patrons under deals with state Attorney General Eric...
Leaving on a jet plane
Gallup recently asked citizens of all 50 states whether they’d move if they had a chance, and guess what: New Jersey, New York and Connecticut rank in the top 10...
Affordable de Blasio
Today Mayor de Blasio is expected to unveil his affordable housing plan, a key part of his agenda. The centerpiece of today’s announcement will be his plan to make good...
A divine effort by Nets' bench
TORONTO — Marcus Thornton felt he had to do something because throughout the first-round playoff series, he had pretty much done, well, nothing. Andray Blatche needed to back up the...
Katie Couric in talks to co-host 'Today'
Katie Couric is in preliminary talks to head back to NBC’s “Today” — at least on a temporary basis, The Post has learned. Couric is a contender to sit in...
After several busts, Giants need Jerry Reese to rediscover draft success
The merciful and ignominious end of a terrible 7-9 season left for near-dead after an 0-6 start prompted a humbled, disgusted co-owner John Mara to proclaim “Nobody had a good...
Tanaka relieved dinged-up ankle not injured
As bad as the shape in which the Yankees’ rotation is now, it could have been worse. After downplaying how hard his left ankle was hit by David DeJesus’ sharp...
Girl leaving church killed as fleeing van crashes into car
A 9-year-old girl who had just left church was killed Sunday when a minivan fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run in Brooklyn plowed into the car she was riding in,...
10 years later, how do the 'Friends' stack up?
It was 10 years ago Tuesday that “Friends” went off the air. Since then, the six main cast members have had varying levels of success. So who’s on top today?...
Pro-Russians storm Odessa police station, free loyalists
Pro-Russian militants stormed a Ukrainian police station in Odessa on Sunday and freed nearly 70 fellow activists as the country's leaders lamented a police force they said was widely undermined...
Nets show their mettle with last-second stop
TORONTO — So this was it: 6.2 seconds to define a season, to divine whether this grand, expensive experiment could really yield something real, something tangible. Six-point-two seconds, and it...
'How lovely to see you': Twin sisters reunited after 78 years
FULLERTON, Calif. — It's been 78 years since Ann Hunt and Elizabeth Hamel were last together — in their mother's womb. The twin sisters were reunited last week for the...
With 12 picks, Jets' GM gets his big shot to build roster
John Idzik began his rebuild of the Jets 16 months ago, and it is clear he identified this week as pivotal to turning the team around. The Jets general manager...
CC Sabathia booed in another Yankees loss
CC Sabathia heard Robinson Cano booed when Cano walked onto the field at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday because he took more money to play for the Mariners. On Sunday, the...
Pierce’s block saves Game 7, sends Nets to Miami
TORONTO — The Nets are taking their talents to South Beach. In a thrilling conclusion to a thrilling series from beginning to end, the Nets escaped from Air Canada Centre...
8 things to watch this week on TV
My back hurts At his regular card game Louie (Louis C.K.) discovers that a particular sex toy can make him a happier man. He goes to a sex-toy store and...
De Blasio campaign worker under fire for 'ugly' race ad
http://youtu.be/GgvXniTz7D8 The ad wizard behind Mayor de Blasio's famed campaign commercial featuring his son Dante and his now famed afro – which is credited for helping catapult de Blasio from...
This week's must-read books
Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast (Bloomsbury) New Yorker cartoonist Chast is known for her frazzled, neurotic old folks and their comments on everyday life. This...
Jenrry Mejia a candidate to become Mets closer
DENVER — The Mets need a long-term solution at closer and Jenrry Mejia fits the profile, so how about it? “It’s always in the conversation,” manager Terry Collins said before...
At least 19 dead after a train derails in India
NEW DELHI — A passenger train derailed in western India on Sunday, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 100, police said. The engine and four of the...
Schumer demands a ban on powdered booze
Powdered, just-add-water booze threatens to become the “Kool-Aid of teenage binge drinking” and should be barred from the market, US Sen. Charles Schumer said on Sunday. “It can be sprinkled...
Good luck protecting your kids from TV's dark side
So you’re a right-minded, vigilant parent. So what? Short of blindfolding, ear-plugging and chaining your kids to the pipes in the basement, you’ve got no shot. You can’t reasonably protect...
9 injured after acrobats fall up to 40 feet at show
Warning: Disturbing content. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3CfEbvFpjM PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A platform collapsed during an aerial hair-hanging stunt at a circus performance Sunday, sending eight acrobats plummeting to the ground. Nine performers were seriously...
Rangers look to shake up power play with Stralman for Game 2
PITTSBURGH — The power play stinks, so why not change it? Although Rangers coach Alain Vigneault tried to play coy on Sunday morning, it was clear he was making a...
Passengers panic when cruise ship stalls in NYC river
Thousands of frustrated Norwegian Cruise Line passengers spent three hours stranded on the Hudson River Sunday morning after their ship, returning from a week-long trip to the Caribbean, had propeller...
5-year-old boy dies 'trying to be Spider-Man'
Police are investigating if a five-year-old boy in Jakarta was trying to mimic Spider-Man after he jumped out a window to his death after being told he couldn’t watch the latest...
The 12 craziest lawsuits in recent NY history
Justice is blind — but not humorless. Especially here, where we have some of the craziest court cases in the country. “I think New York has chutzpah in its DNA,...
Rape victim not a 'victim,' judge says
A Texas judge has sentenced a confessed rapist to just five years’ probation, implying his 14-year-old victim was promiscuous and “wasn’t the victim she claimed to be." Sir Young, 20,...
Former NYPD cop arrested for anti-Semitic graffiti
http://youtu.be/Pk4KbugH410 The anti-Semitic graffiti spray-painted in one of the city’s largest Hasidic communities was the work of a former cop, authorities said Sunday. Michael Setiawan, who quit the NYPD after...
Train service restored in NYC after derailment
The MTA restored service on the E and F trains on local tracks Sunday morning and the agency expects to have regular service restored by the morning commute Monday, officials...
The first openly gay Episcopal bishop is getting divorced
The first openly gay Episcopal bishop, who became a symbol for gay rights far beyond the church while deeply dividing the world's Anglicans, plans to divorce his husband. Bishop Gene...
Magazines take home national awards
The best part about the National Magazine Awards handed out by the American Society of Magazine Editors is the way it pits friendly rivals against one another. Joanna Coles, in...
Too many 'super' movies have sapped the powers of new heroes
What if they announced a “Justice League” movie and nobody cared? That’s exactly what seemed to happen last week when Warner Bros. confirmed that a film uniting its biggest superheroes...
FDNY commissioner has abused his subpoena power, lawyer says
Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano has abused his power to obtain firefighters’ private phone records, a lawyer contends. Ron Kuby, who represents the United Firefighters Association, said the city code mandates...
Hate grafitti spray painted onto Brooklyn wall
A man scrawled anti-Semitic grafitti on some 20 walls and cars in a predominently Hasidic section of Brooklyn Saturday night — and then fled, police said. The man, who is...
Five people slashed by madman outside Bronx methadone clinic
A crazed attacker slashed five people on their faces outside of a South Bronx methodone clinic Saturday. Cops said the man, who sported a mohawk and wore a gray sweatshirt,...
Obama ribs foes, himself at White House Correspondents dinner
http://youtu.be/2HFLwotYfl0 President Obama reveled in the opportunity to roast just about everyone including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, cable news networks, and even himself in his speech Saturday night at...
Elderly woman killed on Queens Boulevard
An elderly woman was killed as she tried to cross notoriously dangerous Queens Boulevard on Saturday night, authorities said. The woman, in her 60s or 70s, was struck by a...
Oliver Platt channeled his real-life critic brother for 'Chef'
When Jon Favreau set out to cast the part of his character’s food-critic nemesis in “Chef,” he inadvertently hit the jackpot with Oliver Platt, whose older brother just so happens...
In my library: John Noble
“Fringe” may have ended, but fans of Fox’s quirky sci-fi series won’t soon forget its brilliant (and forgetful) scientist, Walter Bishop — and that goes double for John Noble, the...
Entrepreneurs being squeezed on all sides
New York City’s small-business owners are the most troubled entrepreneurs in America. Across the US, small-business owners have emerged financially stronger from the Great Recession, but not their Empire State...
Rookie coach Kidd adjusting like a veteran
TORONTO — For all of the justified talk about experience tilting in favor of the Nets heading into their Game 7 showdown with the Raptors on Sunday, they will take...
NYRA bans ‘Indian Charlie’ newsletter from grounds
The horse racing newsletter “Indian Charlie” has been banned from Belmont, Aqueduct and Saratoga race tracks, according to the New York Racing Association on Saturday, likely in response to insensitive...
Lagares in center again for Mets
DENVER — Juan Lagares isn’t officially the Mets’ everyday center fielder, but good luck trying to remove him from the lineup. Though manager Terry Collins has discussed an outfield rotation,...
MLB offense must adapt to growing defensive variations
Think of the shift in baseball like a zone defense, as an attempt to put as many players in an area as possible to stop an opponent from doing what...
Hondo: It’s black and white with Gray
It was yet another Saturday slaughter for Hondo, who went draino with the Cards, Nats and his Derby investments to send the debt skyrocketing to 730 odoms. Sunday: Things are...
Mookie Wilson: Mets could win 90
Mookie Wilson stood by his comments that the Mets never gave him an explanation for firing him, and they owed him at least that much. But an optimistic Wilson did...
Despite Game 1 victory, Rangers still struggling with man advantage
PITTSBURGH — In the pressure cooker of the playoffs, the smallest problem can grow until it’s all anyone is talking about. So here are the Rangers, sitting in a room...
N-word filled flier posted on door of Bergtraum HS's 'branding consultant'
A poster using the N-word was on put on display at Murry Bergtraum HS for Business Careers, stirring anger among teachers who called it “highly offensive.” The flier, titled “Black...
Unidentified 9/11 remains moving to Ground Zero museum on May 10
More than 8,000 remains of unidentified victims of the 9/11 attacks will be moved from a medical examiner’s lab to the new museum at the World Trade Center on May...
‘Letter fraud’ principal still working after two lawsuits
A Manhattan principal repeatedly accused of faking parent-complaint letters against teachers he wanted to fire is still on the job. Independence HS Principal Ron Smolkin has been sued twice by...
Cafe publicizes Health Dept.'s B grade and calls out ‘extortion’
“B”-sieged Cafe Clementine in Tribeca is fighting back against the city Department of Health. Rather than hiding from a B grade, restaurant owner Barbara Stratton placed her inspection report prominently...
Kids will run show at parent-teacher conferences: Farina
And a child shall lead them — through parent-teacher conferences. Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced plans Saturday to implement more student-led parent-teacher meetings next school year. Such conferences take place...
Carat & Co. jewelers swapped my diamond ring for a fake: suit
She brought her diamond ring in for cleaning — and got cleaned out instead. A prominent Queens businesswoman claims her hefty 15-carat rock was swapped out for a fake by...
Principal punished teacher for being in National Guard
A Bronx principal is under fire for giving a special-ed teacher who fought in Iraq a rating of “unsatisfactory” after repeatedly scolding him about his absences to enlist in the...
Daily Blotter
The Bronx A man was found dead on a subway train in Eastchester, cops said Saturday. The body of a 45-year-old man was discovered by an MTA worker on a...
WeWork is an idea factory for city’s growing tech sector
It’s an idea factory. As the city’s tech sector explodes, one Manhattan building is a hotbed for new inventions — including robot-controlled ovens, cellphone alcohol testers, and even “smart diapers.”...
Meeks used campaign funds to put on annual Super Bowl event
At least one New Yorker had no problem getting tickets to the Super Bowl this year. Rep. Gregory Meeks used campaign funds to buy nearly $10,000 in tickets to the...
Hamptons town spent $18K fighting an ice cream cone statue
In the land of $100-a-pound lobster salad, the price of this Hamptons ice-cream cone takes the cake. The village of Westhampton Beach has spent nearly $18,000 in legal fees fighting...
Rangers superfan travels the world wearing team jerseys
Nine years after the US hockey team defeated the Russians in the “Miracle on Ice,” a lifelong Rangers fan had his own miracle off ice. It was March 26, 1989,...
Buffett predicts problem in housing market
It’s Derby Weekend in Omaha for investing enthusiasts as Warren Buffett, the world’s most famous investor, held his annual meeting for Berkshire Hathaway. The all-day affair was attended by a...
Chinese may nix Fed taper results
Bond bears are racking their brains for the reason that the 10-year note yield is not jumping higher, even as the Federal Reserve starts to drain the punch bowl with...
Facebook reaches across the aisle
Call Facebook and Snapchat nonpartisan when it comes to the political bent on social media by millennials. Google+ and Twitter seem to skew more toward Democratic, while Pinterest trends more...
Burberry CEO steps down to take over Apple Retail
Angela Ahrendts is now an Apple fanatic. The former CEO of UK luxury-goods maker Burberry stepped down Thursday to become senior vice president of Apple Retail. The Apple position was...
Investors caught up in ‘View’ ponzi scheme monitor trial
Investors caught in the Panoramic View fiasco are watching closely an upcoming trial after Brian Callahan, a New York investment adviser pleaded guilty last week in US District Court to...
DC pens a ‘recovery’ after barely-there Q1 gains
Some of America’s greatest fiction writers may be employed by Uncle Sam, penning the recovery story. Last week the Commerce Department reported its first take on Q1. It said gross...
Dear John: TV ‘press’ financial folly
Dear John: A person does not have to be a rocket scientist to know that politicians have given false and misleading unemployment rates in America for decades. [Yet] the media...
Former Microsoft CEO being urged to buy Clippers
Donald Sterling’s LA Clippers are fast becoming one of the most valuable teams around, based simply on the number of potential bidders circling the franchise. On the Money hears that...
Man found on subway asleep, holding loaded pistol
Cops busted a South Carolina man conked out on a Times Square train on Saturday morning with a gun in his hand, police said. A startled straphanger who just got...
Goldman’s sister wrote to O.J. Simpson in jail
Seventeen years after her brother Ron’s brutal murder, Kim Goldman wrote to O.J. Simpson in jail. “I’m sure it’s really weird to be getting a letter but you’ve been on...
De Blasio gives away the store in teachers contract
Urging President Bush to be cautious before invading Iraq in 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell reportedly invoked a warning familiar to shoppers: “You break it, you own it.” The...
Principal removed after sex-in-school probe
A Queens principal was yanked from her school amid shocking allegations she had sex with a guard, an assistant principal and a parent, had trysts in school while classes were...
Mayweather’s 12-round win over Maidana earns boos
LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather bleeds and he isn’t invincible. A 12-round battle with Marcos Maidana produced both those revelations Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where Mayweather earned a...
Where college girls hunt for a sugar daddy
Dolled-up co-eds wearing masks and tight frocks filed into a trendy Midtown hotel Friday night, intent on changing their fortunes. The pot of gold at the end of their rainbow...
Why NYC's toxic community gardens may give you cancer
Three times the acceptable level of lead and six times the federal safety threshold for arsenic were found lurking in a community garden in Brooklyn, according to disturbing new state...
Baristas feeling the grind with repetitive stress injuries
You’ve heard of tennis elbow — but barista elbow? As the demand for specialty coffee drinks continues to grow — in the United States alone, it’s a $30-billion-a-year business —...
Cops turn blind eye to pot smokers at legalization rally
The city’s annual Cannabis Parade wafted pungently down Broadway on Saturday — with cops helpfully ignoring the billowing clouds of acrid pot smoke. Some 400 marijuana fans, many openly smoking...
Affleck's checkered gambling past
Batman’s been robbin’ the house. Forthcoming “Batman” star Ben Affleck — who was banned for life from playing blackjack at the Hard Rock Casino in Vegas — has been cleaning...
How air marshals make flying more dangerous
Retired US Air Marshal Allen Robinson spent 10 years zig-zagging across the world protecting airline passengers from terrorists. Here, the 44-year-old former Marine marksman describes to The Post’s Michael Gartland...
Pitching fails Mets again in walk-off loss to Rockies
DENVER — The fat hits the Mets so desperately wanted in the thin air finally arrived Saturday night, but there still was the matter of trying to silence the dangerous Rockies. In...