newyorkpost--2020-10-30--France’s Macron stands tall for free speech and civilization

France is under attack by “ Islamist and terrorist madness , ” President Emmanuel Macron warned after the country saw yet another terror attack — two men knifed to death and one woman beheaded in a Nice cathedral .
Worse , the savages have support in much of the Muslim world .
Thursday ’ s horror follows a Chechen teen ’ s beheading two weeks ago of a teacher who had shown his class pictures of the famous Charlie Hebdo cartoons of the Muslim prophet Mohammed .
Publication of the ’ toons was the excuse for the 2015 slaughter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Various “ lone wolf ” jihadists have killed over 250 people in France since then .
The country ’ s never officially gone off high alert .
Macron appeared at a memorial service for the slain teacher to reaffirm his citizens ’ right to free speech .
And he refused to denounce the cartoons , vowing instead to fight “ Islamist separatism.
” His government proceeded to raid Islamic associations and plans to deport 213 foreigners on a government watchlist .
In response , Kuwait , Qatar and Saudi Arabia are boycotting French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen protests .
Turkey ’ s dictator insists Macron needs “ mental treatment , ” while a past leader of Malaysia insists Muslims are right to “ kill millions of French people.
” Macron ’ s crackdown may go beyond what ’ s constitutional in America , but it fits the French Republic ’ s relentless secularism .
And he ’ s absolutely right to stand up for France ’ s traditional freedoms — and to tell his critics in the Muslim world to go hang .

France is under attack by “Islamist and terrorist madness,” President Emmanuel Macron warned after the country saw yet another terror attack — two men knifed to death and one woman beheaded in a Nice cathedral. Worse, the savages have support in much of the Muslim world.
Thursday’s horror follows a Chechen teen’s beheading two weeks ago of a teacher who had shown his class pictures of the famous Charlie Hebdo cartoons of the Muslim prophet Mohammed.
Publication of the ’toons was the excuse for the 2015 slaughter of most the magazine’s staff. Various “lone wolf” jihadists have killed over 250 people in France since then. The country’s never officially gone off high alert.
Macron appeared at a memorial service for the slain teacher to reaffirm his citizens’ right to free speech. And he refused to denounce the cartoons, vowing instead to fight “Islamist separatism.” His government proceeded to raid Islamic associations and plans to deport 213 foreigners on a government watchlist.
In response, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are boycotting French products. Libya, Pakistan and Iraq have seen protests. Turkey’s dictator insists Macron needs “mental treatment,” while a past leader of Malaysia insists Muslims are right to “kill millions of French people.”
Macron’s crackdown may go beyond what’s constitutional in America, but it fits the French Republic’s relentless secularism.
And he’s absolutely right to stand up for France’s traditional freedoms — and to tell his critics in the Muslim world to go hang.


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--Producer Tommy Brown got sober before starting on Ariana Grande’s newest

When Ariana Grande surprised fans by announcing the release of her sixth studio album , even one of her producers was caught by surprise .
But music whiz Tommy Brown told WSJ .
Magazine that Grande ’ s a “ guru ” at knowing when to drop new material .
Her latest , “ Positions , ” was recorded over the past few months at Grande ’ s and Brown ’ s home studios , and Brown said the coronavirus lockdown helped the creative process .
“ I mean , if you ask me , I ’ ve been quarantining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
But , “ There weren ’ t meetings , there wasn ’ t a tour , there weren ’ t deadlines … There was a lot of , I don ’ t know what ’ s happening.
” He said of his preference for using live instruments : “ Somebody told me once , it would be better if I knew how to play the guitar … I was like , yes , but I know the best guitar player in the world and I ’ ll never be better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at ?
Let ’ s bring him in.
” Grande ’ s 2019 hit album “ Thank U , Next , ” was recorded by the star with Brown and other songwriters amid a sea of Champagne , but last fall Brown got sober .
“ I just realized , you don ’ t have to always drink , ” he said .

When Ariana Grande surprised fans by announcing the release of her sixth studio album, even one of her producers was caught by surprise.
But music whiz Tommy Brown told WSJ. Magazine that Grande’s a “guru” at knowing when to drop new material. Her latest, “Positions,” was recorded over the past few months at Grande’s and Brown’s home studios, and Brown said the coronavirus lockdown helped the creative process.
“I mean, if you ask me, I’ve been quarantining for the last couple years,” he said. But, “There weren’t meetings, there wasn’t a tour, there weren’t deadlines … There was a lot of, I don’t know what’s happening.”
He said of his preference for using live instruments: “Somebody told me once, it would be better if I knew how to play the guitar … I was like, yes, but I know the best guitar player in the world and I’ll never be better. Like, where’s he at? Let’s bring him in.”
Grande’s 2019 hit album “Thank U, Next,” was recorded by the star with Brown and other songwriters amid a sea of Champagne, but last fall Brown got sober. “I just realized, you don’t have to always drink,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--Brace yourself: Why it may take weeks to settle the 2020 election

ATLANTA — Just days before the presidential election , millions of ...

Election Day is almost upon us, but Election Night just might stretch on for weeks — making the 2000 count look like a stroll in the park.
That year’s result turned on just one uncertain state, Florida; this year could see contested totals in multiple states, several of which are guaranteed to still be collating results for days after Nov. 3.
Some swing states won’t even start counting early and mail-in ballots until the polls close. Others will honor ballots that don’t arrive for several more days. And each party has lined up hundreds of lawyers for post-election litigation.
The pandemic prompted new rules and procedures across the country. Between innocent errors and partisan efforts to ensure new rules favor one side, the lawyers will have endless pretexts for suits.
It was a loyal Democrat, recall, behind the “butterfly ballot” that confused many Palm Beach, Fla., voters into checking the box for Pat Buchanan, not Al Gore, in 2000.
This spring’s primaries saw more than 550,000 mail-in votes disqualified nationwide. If that had been Republicans vs. Democrats, that could’ve been 550,000 drawn-out court arguments — plus appeals.
Scattered signs of chaos are already rampant, and not just New York’s hours-long early-voting lines. Postal workers in Kentucky, New Jersey and Massachusetts got caught throwing away dozens of ballots. Californians are freaking out over “unsanctioned” ballot-dropoff boxes.
Plus, the FBI says that Iran and Russia may be sending death threats to registered Democrats and circulating videos with fake fraud allegations.
A good chunk of Democrats still believe Stacey Abrams’ plainly false claims that she was robbed of a win in Georgia’s 2018 governor’s race. President Trump has regularly fed Republican fears that mail-in ballots guarantee massive fraud, while Mayor de Blasio has commissioned an Election Observers Corps, essentially a group of volunteers sent to intimidate Trump voters before the Trump voters can intimidate others first.
Several states may be unable to certify their vote totals by Nov. 28, which could prompt a deadlock in the Electoral College on Dec. 14, tossing the presidential choice to the House of Representatives in January.
Buckle up: It may be a rough ride.


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--Ambulance flips in multi-car crash on NYC’s Prospect Expressway

At least 14 people have been killed and hundreds injured ...

An ambulance flipped over in a multi-vehicle crash on the Prospect Expressway in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, on Friday evening, photos and videos show.
The smash-up occurred just before 5:30 p.m. on the expressway at the Fort Hamilton Parkway.
One of the vehicles appears to have been rear-ended by a truck, while two other cars can be seen with front-end damage.
The ambulance was left lying on its side next to the truck, facing the wrong way and with its windshield smashed, photos show.
The FDNY said three people suffered minor injuries. It was unclear if the ambulance was transporting someone at the time of the crash.
The NYPD did not have any details on the crash.


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--President Trump does have health-reform plan — and it’s already driving down costs

The Supreme Court probably is not going to nullify ObamaCare ... .

On Thursday, President Trump finalized his health-insurance price-transparency rule. Count on it to revolutionize American health care.
The order requires health insurers to publish their real prices and cost-sharing information in advance so health-care consumers can easily shop for the best quality care and coverage at the lowest possible price. From MRIs to colonoscopies to prescription drugs, Americans will now be in charge of their health decisions and savings.
Combined with his already finalized hospital price-transparency rule, this will unleash a competitive, functional marketplace based on free-market principles to drive down costs. The savings to individuals, families, and businesses through consumer empowerment will deliver a substantial economic stimulus now and for generations to come.
Democrats and the mainstream media claim Trump has no health-care plan. This perspective has always been more party-line rhetoric than reality. Trump’s hospital price-transparency rule, which requires providers to post their discounted cash prices and secret negotiated rates, takes effect in the new year.
And last month, Trump issued a billing-transparency order, requiring hospitals to reveal their widespread unethical billing practices, including garnishing patient paychecks, placing liens on their homes and filing lawsuits against them.
Taken together, these three price-transparency rules will create systemwide transparency that will significantly reduce rampant health-care waste, middle players and price-gouging. All Americans will benefit from lower health-care and coverage prices, higher wages and a more productive economy.
Kudos to Health Secretary Alex Azar for his leadership in getting this rule over the finish line.
Armed with real prices, patients and employers (who provide health coverage for about 180 million Americans) will be put in the driver’s seat of their health-care decisions. No longer will they be at the mercy of the pricing whims of the health-care industry, blinded to prices until after their bills arrive in the mail weeks and months after treatment.
Hospitals and health-insurers’ pricing power, which is almost absolute under the current opaque model, will collapse as upfront cost information empowers patients with the same financial certainty, discretion and choice that consumers enjoy in every other economic sector.
No wonder price transparency is supported by an overwhelming bipartisan majority — of about 90 percent of Americans, including 98 percent of women under 40.
Health-care cost relief is needed now. A recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that average premiums for employer-sponsored family health-care plans have increased by 55 percent over the last decade to $21,300 per year. Including deductibles, which run roughly $8,000 per family on average, total health coverage costs around $30,000 per year.
According to a recent RAND report, hospital prices average 2.5 times more than what Medicare pays, and rise to three or four times in many hospital systems nationwide.
Trump’s transparency efforts will make health-care consumption resemble the market for air travel, with stated prices from various competing providers and brokers. This airline analogy is especially instructive because this industry used to operate in the dark like health care does today.
Prices and routes were heavily regulated and opaque. Travelers were forced to visit high-priced travel agents, who could price-gouge without consequence.
After airline deregulation, a free and competitive airfare market emerged, reducing prices by about 50 percent while improving quality, safety and access. Travelers can now easily shop around based on prices and quality.
Like health care, air travel has many variables — including weather, airport traffic, plane repairs, fuel prices, etc. — that affect costs. Yet airlines are able to offer upfront, clear pricing that provides travelers with financial certainty and creates a market signal for competitors to try to undercut. The health-care industry can too.
Lower health-care and coverage prices will leave more money for patients and employers. That means improved family and business budgets, increased local spending and faster wage growth. The health-care beast, which now consumes nearly a fifth of GDP, will shrink, leaving the economy freer to prosper.
Trump’s price-transparency rules will prove a dramatic breakthrough for American health care, just as price deregulation did for air travel, allowing all Americans to protect their health and wealth.
Cynthia A. Fisher is an entrepreneur, founder of PatientRightsAdvocate.org and former CEO of Viacord Inc.


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--Jason Pierre-Paul on facing Giants: ‘I’m coming for their necks’

Crisis averted — for now .
The Giants received the best ...

The Giants will see an old friend Monday night at MetLife Stadium.
It may not, however, be a very friendly visit.
Not if Jason Pierre-Paul has his way.
Pierre-Paul, the 31-year-old pass-rushing demon who produced 58.5 sacks in his eight seasons with the Giants before being traded to the Buccaneers in 2018, told reporters on Friday that he plans to “destroy’’ his former team when they meet Monday night.
Look out.
“I’m coming for their necks, and they know that,’’ Pierre-Paul said. “Jason Pierre-Paul ain’t going nowhere. I’m going to Monday Night Football and going to destroy the Giants.’’
Pierre-Paul has played his former team once — in 2018 at MetLife Stadium, where he had 1.5 sacks and seven tackles in a 38-35 shootout loss to Eli Manning and the Giants.
The Giants weren’t very good back then, and currently at 1-6, they aren’t very good right now either. Pierre-Paul, meanwhile, is basking in the rebirth of both his own career and that of the 5-2 Buccaneers, whose world has been rocked with Tom Brady at quarterback.
“I’m happy to play Daniel Jones,’’ Pierre-Paul said of the Giants’ second-year quarterback. “Eli’s not there no more, so I won’t have to pick him up and say, ‘Eli, man, you good?’ ’’
There, of course, was more.
“This game definitely means something special to me,” Pierre-Paul said. “You already know they made a mistake. When I left there, I got 12.5 [sacks] that year [2018]. And when I came back from a broken neck [last season], I got 8.5 that year. And, I’m having an amazing season this year.’’
Pierre-Paul’s presence Monday night will serve as an ugly reminder of how far the Giants have fallen since his departure — particularly in the pass rush.
While Pierre-Paul is on pace for 12.5 sacks this season and is playing on a team likely headed for the playoffs, the Giants are 10-29 since he was traded and ranked 31st in sacks in 2018 and 22nd in 2019, though they are tied for eighth this season, with 18.
Pierre-Paul is thriving in Todd Bowles’ No. 3-ranked defense and figures to present a major problem for Jones and a Giants offensive line that was disrupted this week by COVID-19, when starting guard Will Hernandez tested positive and will be out for the game.
“It’s not that I’m trying to show them they made a mistake,’’ he said.
Except he is … and has been since he was traded.
“It’s just the fact that I know that I wasn’t washed up or finished up,’’ Pierre-Paul said. “So, this [Monday], I have to show them. It’s my old team, and we’ve got to show them the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”
Facing a super-motivated Pierre-Paul is not good timing for a Giants offensive line that was disrupted on Thursday by the COVID-19 scare with most of the starters having to sit out practice as a protocol precaution until they tested negative and were cleared.
“He’s still a very effective player,” Giants offensive line coach Marc Colombo said of Pierre-Paul this week.
“He’s always been someone that’s been disruptive, both in the run game, affecting the quarterback in the passing game,’’ Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said Friday. “[He’s] always one of those guys when you’re breaking the huddle, you’re saying, ‘Where’s number 90?’ ’’
The mere presence of No. 90 will serve as painful reminder to the Giants of a transaction gone bad.
General manager Dave Gettleman traded him to the Bucs in exchange for a 2018 third-round pick (No. 69) and they swapped fourth-round picks, dropping from No. 102 to No. 108.
Gettleman drafted defensive tackle B.J. Hill and quarterback Kyle Lauletta with the those picks. Hill has become nothing more than a part-time player who has 7.5 sacks in 39 games. Lauletta was cut after one season.
Gettleman, in the meantime, has not come close to replacing Pierre-Paul’s pass rushing production.
With Markus Golden, the Giants’ only pass-rushing threat the past two seasons, having been recently traded, they’ll be trying to manufacture pressure on Brady with Kyler Fackrell, Cam Brown (2020 sixth-round pick), Trent Harris (signed to the practice squad two weeks ago) and Jabaal Sheard (signed off the Jaguars practice squad last week) at outside linebacker.
So, Giants fans, when you see No. 90 on Monday night, look away.
Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who was Pierre-Paul’s position coach in 2016-17, won’t be able to, because he’s still in awe of his former player, for whom he still has admiration.
“He’s a different human being walking among us,’’ Graham said Friday. “His skill level [has] improved as he’s gotten older. In terms of a person … he was a guy who was funny, kept the room light. It was a pleasure to be around him.’’
Unfortunately for Graham and the Giants, the pleasure may be all Pierre-Paul’s on Monday night.


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--How COVID shook up TV casts, from ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ to ‘Witcher’

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a wrench into Hollywood ’ s plans , impacting TV shows across the board .
For some , this means premature cancellations — even when they initially got the green light of a renewal ( such as Showtime ’ s Kirsten Dunst vehicle “ On Becoming a God in Central Florida , ” or ABC ’ s “ Stumptown ” ) .
For others , it means losing a star or shaking up the cast when production delays and shutdowns affect actors ’ availability .
Here are the biggest shows that were forced to shake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially set to star in this Peacock limited series as Dr. Christopher Duntsch .
Co-starring Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater , it ’ s based on a sinister true story following a respected neurosurgeon who left his patients worse for wear .
The role would have been a return to form for Dornan , who ’ s known for playing stiff suit Christian Grey in the “ 50 Shades of Grey ” franchise but did his best work playing a creepy serial killer in BBC series “ The Fall.
” But on Oct. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no longer available , due to the production ’ s pandemic-related delays .
He ’ s been replaced by Joshua Jackson , who also has apt range ( “ The Affair , ” “ Little Fires Everywhere ” ) to play a pillar of the community with dark secrets .
“ Dr .
Death ” does not yet have an announced premiere date .
When Liv Tyler joined the spinoff to the hit Fox show “ 9-1-1 , ” starring opposite Rob Lowe , it was her network TV debut after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord of the Rings ” franchise ) and prestige premium dramas ( “ The Leftovers ” ) .
Season 1 of “ Lone Star ” aired from January to March .
Unfortunately , her time playing chief paramedic Michelle Blake was short-lived .
Tyler , who lives with her family in London , was reportedly reluctant to fly to Los Angeles to film Season 2 amidst coronavirus concerns .
She won ’ t be replaced , but network TV mainstay Gina Torres ( “ Suits ” ) will step into the second season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hole Michelle leaves .
Ironically , Torres will play a woman who ’ s re-entering the workforce after her husband loses his restaurant job due to the pandemic .
Season 2 will premiere at an unspecified date in January 2021 .
The Netflix fantasy swords-and-monsters epic starring Henry Cavill initially cast Danish actor Thue Ersted Ramussen as Eskel , a fellow Witcher ( magical monster-hunter ) character who ’ s a fan favorite from the books and video games the series is based on .
However , the show saw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March and resumed in August ( one of its new actors , “ Game of Thrones ’ ” Kristofer Hivju , even tested positive for the virus ) .
Ramussen posted on his Instagram , “ Sadly , due to the rescheduling because of Covid-19 , I will not be portraying Eskel…it ’ s heartbreaking.
” Swiss actor Basil Eidenbenz ( “ The Favorite ” ) has been recast in the role .
Season 2 does not yet have an announced premiere date .
In what might be the only instance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their schedule for the better , star America Ferrera was set to leave the NBC workplace sitcom at the end of Season 5 ( she cited the reasons of spending more time with her family and pursuing other opportunities ) .
However , that season ’ s production was forced to shut down one episode short , throwing a wrench in that plan .
In order to give Amy a proper send-off , she ’ s lingering longer than initially planned , staying an extra two episodes into Season 6 .
The show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October 2019 , it was announced that Gwen Stefani was leaving NBC ’ s hit reality series to do a Las Vegas residency .
( She appeared in Seasons 7 , 9 , 12 , and 17 . )
Nick Jonas stepped in , coaching alongside Blake Shelton , John Legend and Kelly Clarkson in Season 18 .
However , Stefani ’ s residency was scheduled to last through May of 2020 and ended sooner than anticipated because of the pandemic .
She ’ s now free to return to “ The Voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jonas is out after just one season ( although he has not disclosed if his departure has anything to do with the current state of the world ) .
Season 19 is currently airing Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m .

Time to shuffle the deck.
The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a wrench into Hollywood’s plans, impacting TV shows across the board. For some, this means premature cancellations — even when they initially got the green light of a renewal (such as Showtime’s Kirsten Dunst vehicle “On Becoming a God in Central Florida,” or ABC’s “Stumptown”).
For others, it means losing a star or shaking up the cast when production delays and shutdowns affect actors’ availability.
Here are the biggest shows that were forced to shake up their casts.
‘Dr. Death’
Jamie Dornan was initially set to star in this Peacock limited series as Dr. Christopher Duntsch. Co-starring Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater, it’s based on a sinister true story following a respected neurosurgeon who left his patients worse for wear. The role would have been a return to form for Dornan, who’s known for playing stiff suit Christian Grey in the “50 Shades of Grey” franchise but did his best work playing a creepy serial killer in BBC series “The Fall.” But on Oct. 13, it was announced that he was no longer available, due to the production’s pandemic-related delays. He’s been replaced by Joshua Jackson, who also has apt range (“The Affair,” “Little Fires Everywhere”) to play a pillar of the community with dark secrets.
“Dr. Death” does not yet have an announced premiere date.
‘9-1-1: Lone Star’
When Liv Tyler joined the spinoff to the hit Fox show “9-1-1,” starring opposite Rob Lowe, it was her network TV debut after a career filled with movies (“The Lord of the Rings” franchise) and prestige premium dramas (“The Leftovers”). Season 1 of “Lone Star” aired from January to March. Unfortunately, her time playing chief paramedic Michelle Blake was short-lived. Tyler, who lives with her family in London, was reportedly reluctant to fly to Los Angeles to film Season 2 amidst coronavirus concerns. She won’t be replaced, but network TV mainstay Gina Torres (“Suits”) will step into the second season to play a new character, filling in the hole Michelle leaves. Ironically, Torres will play a woman who’s re-entering the workforce after her husband loses his restaurant job due to the pandemic.
Season 2 will premiere at an unspecified date in January 2021.
‘The Witcher’
The Netflix fantasy swords-and-monsters epic starring Henry Cavill initially cast Danish actor Thue Ersted Ramussen as Eskel, a fellow Witcher (magical monster-hunter) character who’s a fan favorite from the books and video games the series is based on. However, the show saw a scheduling shake-up after the production shut down in March and resumed in August (one of its new actors, “Game of Thrones’” Kristofer Hivju, even tested positive for the virus). Ramussen posted on his Instagram, “Sadly, due to the rescheduling because of Covid-19, I will not be portraying Eskel…it’s heartbreaking.” Swiss actor Basil Eidenbenz (“The Favorite”) has been recast in the role.
Season 2 does not yet have an announced premiere date.
‘Superstore’
In what might be the only instance of the pandemic causing an actor to change their schedule for the better, star America Ferrera was set to leave the NBC workplace sitcom at the end of Season 5 (she cited the reasons of spending more time with her family and pursuing other opportunities). However, that season’s production was forced to shut down one episode short, throwing a wrench in that plan. In order to give Amy a proper send-off, she’s lingering longer than initially planned, staying an extra two episodes into Season 6. The show airs Thursdays at 8 p.m.
‘The Voice’
In October 2019, it was announced that Gwen Stefani was leaving NBC’s hit reality series to do a Las Vegas residency. (She appeared in Seasons 7, 9, 12, and 17.) Nick Jonas stepped in, coaching alongside Blake Shelton, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson in Season 18. However, Stefani’s residency was scheduled to last through May of 2020 and ended sooner than anticipated because of the pandemic. She’s now free to return to “The Voice” and her fiancée Shelton. Meanwhile, Jonas is out after just one season (although he has not disclosed if his departure has anything to do with the current state of the world). Season 19 is currently airing Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m.


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--Principled win in divided times: New York’s election of Sen. Jim Buckley was key in America’s Reagan

Principled win in divided times: New York’s election of Sen. Jim Buckley was key in America’s Reagan-era rebirth

With the American conservative movement in crisis in the wake ...

Fifty years ago, the nation’s political atmosphere was as charged as it is today. Protests turned to violence. Financially insecure working-class folks felt threatened by racial riots and rising crime. A controversial “law and order” president, Richard Nixon, appealed to the “Silent Majority” to oppose radical leftists.
The political race that epitomized the nation’s mood in 1970 took place in New York and catapulted conservative James L. Buckley into the US Senate seat previously held by Robert F. Kennedy.
After Kennedy’s assassination in June 1968, Gov. Nelson Rockefeller appointed Republican Rep. Charles Goodell to fill the vacancy. Goodell was a moderate, but in the Senate he tacked hard to the left.
New York Conservative Party leaders, infuriated with Goodell, saw an opportunity to assemble a victorious coalition of disgruntled Republicans and middle-class Democrats to unseat him. To achieve that, they recruited James L. Buckley to be the party’s standard bearer.
Born in 1923, Jim Buckley, brother of conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr., served in the Navy in World War II and received his bachelor and law degrees from Yale. He got his first taste of politics in 1965 when he served as campaign manager for brother Bill’s run for mayor on the Conservative line against liberal Republican John Lindsay.
Three years later, Jim agreed to be the party’s Senate candidate against liberal Republican incumbent Jacob Javits, because he believed “strongly in the principles — the Republican principles — which among the parties in New York state these days the Conservative Party alone espouses.”
Buckley lost that 1968 race, but his showing rocked the political establishment. With 1,139,500 votes, he outpolled both Javits and Democrat Paul O’Dwyer in numerous blue-collar neighborhoods.
That base vote, plus a growing number of Nixon Democrats, convinced him he could beat Goodell and Democrat Richard Ottinger in 1970.
As the Buckley campaign picked up steam, scores of Republican officials deserted Goodell. In Washington, Nixon told aides “We are dropping Goodell over the side.”
On Oct. 10, Vice President Spiro Agnew came to New York and hammered Goodell as the “Christine Jorgenson of the Republican Party,” referring to the first American who went to Denmark for a sex-change operation.
On Election Night, Buckley supporters gathered in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria to await the results. By midnight, it became evident Buckley would win, with 40 percent of the votes.
Buckley told his followers that his “victory in New York would telegraph across the country the message that Americans want a new course, want new politics, and I am the voice of that new politics.”
In the Senate, he introduced the “Human Life” amendment to counter the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. He was the first senator to call for Richard Nixon to resign. And he was a voice of sanity during the city’s fiscal crisis, endorsing federal loans to ease the financial pressure.
When he sought re-election in 1976, Buckley was expected to beat the likely Democratic candidate, the loquacious Bella Abzug (the AOC of that time.) However, in the primary, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a last-minute entry, upset Abzug, 36 percent to 35 percent.
Back in those days, two Irish Catholics running meant Buckley and Moynihan would split the blue-collar Catholic vote. As a result, the man Bill Buckley called the “sainted junior senator from New York” went down to defeat.
Jim Buckley did return to public service: In 1981, President Ronald Reagan tapped him to serve as undersecretary of state and later as president of Radio Free Europe. In December 1985, Buckley was confirmed as a judge of the US Court of Appeals for the DC circuit. He served until his retirement in 2000.
Buckley’s election to the Senate 50 years ago helped form the coalition that elected Reagan in 1980 and put Donald Trump over the top in 2016. Today, at age 97, he can look back with pride knowing he served his nation and the conservative cause well in all three branches of the federal government.
George J. Marlin is the author of “Fighting the Good Fight: A History of the New York Conservative Party.” His latest is “Mario Cuomo: The Myth and the Man.”


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--The real reason Democrats are so bitter about Justice Amy Coney Barrett

Nothing threatens the progressive project more than the existence of a Supreme Court that adheres to the Constitution .
It ’ s really that simple .
That ’ s what the tantrum over Justice Amy Coney Barrett ’ s confirmation is all about .
The notion that the same Democrats who shelved the judicial filibuster and now threaten to destroy the separation of powers with a revenge scheme to pack the Supreme Court are sticklers for process or decorum is simply ludicrous .
For one thing , no norms have been undone by the confirmation of Barrett .
If Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Merrick Garland would already be ensconced in the Supreme Court , election or no election .
Many of the same Democrats now feigning outrage over Barrett ’ s confirmation , including Joe Biden , argued back then that it was the constitutional duty of the Senate to take up a vote .
Our living constitution apparently offers contradicting directions from one election to the next .
If Trump had nominated Garland to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Democrats wouldn ’ t have any problem placing him on the Court — not even on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are imbued with a theological right to dictate not only the terms but also the nominees , of confirmation hearings whether they win or lose elections .
And when you ’ re under the impression that the system exists solely to facilitate your partisan agenda , something will seem “ broken ” every time you lose .
When Barack Obama was unable to pass his agenda after 2010 , the system suffered from “ dysfunction.
” But now that Democrats are in the Senate minority , employing the very same tools to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fix ” the Electoral College , the Senate and , most recently , the Supreme Court .
If Democrats win back the presidency in 2020 , the opposition will no longer be “ resisting , ” it will be “ obstructing.
” The filibuster will need fixing again .
The media will again obsess over the problem of “ gridlock.
” History ’ s trajectory arcs left , and everything else is just an impediment .
The left has been relying on the same brand of fearmongering over Republican-appointed judges for nearly 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer claimed this “ will go down as one of the darkest days in the 231-year history of the United States Senate.
” To be fair , Schumer argued that a resolution against Trump ’ s removal earlier this year was also “ one of the darker moments in Senate history ” and also that passage of the watered-down Republican tax-reform package was “ one of the darkest .
.
.
days in the long history of this Senate.
” So , basically , any time Chuck Schumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history .
Once Barrett ’ s confirmation became a reality , however , Democrats began turning to the real problem .
Originalism is the stick in the spoke of progressivism .
This crusade has the demagogues leading the idiots .
The former are people such as Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey , who alleges that “ originalism is racist .
Originalism is sexist .
Originalism is homophobic .
Originalism is just a fancy word for discrimination.
” The latter are the minions who regurgitate this kind of vacuous talking point because they lack a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education that includes an explainer on “ amendments.
” None of which is to say the radicalized contemporary left has nothing to fear .
This week , Schumer warned : “ A warming planet .
Workers falling behind .
Dark money flooding politics .
The curtailing of the right to choose .
The limiting of voting rights .
Those are the consequences of this nomination.
” What he means , of course , is that an originalist-majority court may slow progressive environmentalist policies that undermine personal freedom and local sovereignty .
He means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Democrats to adopt policies that compel workers to join and fund unions and chip away at the Janus decision .
Now , I have little doubt that a textualist court will let down partisan Republicans as well .
Originalists disagree with one another quite often .
But it is unlikely to overturn the traditional role of the state in American life .

Nothing threatens the progressive project more than the existence of a Supreme Court that adheres to the Constitution. It’s really that simple.
That’s what the tantrum over Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation is all about. The notion that the same Democrats who shelved the judicial filibuster and now threaten to destroy the separation of powers with a revenge scheme to pack the Supreme Court are sticklers for process or decorum is simply ludicrous.
For one thing, no norms have been undone by the confirmation of Barrett. If Democrats won a Senate majority in 2016, Merrick Garland would already be ensconced in the Supreme Court, election or no election. Many of the same Democrats now feigning outrage over Barrett’s confirmation, including Joe Biden, argued back then that it was the constitutional duty of the Senate to take up a vote. Our living constitution apparently offers contradicting directions from one election to the next.
If Trump had nominated Garland to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Democrats wouldn’t have any problem placing him on the Court — not even on Nov. 2. Liberals act as if they are imbued with a theological right to dictate not only the terms but also the nominees, of confirmation hearings whether they win or lose elections.
And when you’re under the impression that the system exists solely to facilitate your partisan agenda, something will seem “broken” every time you lose. When Barack Obama was unable to pass his agenda after 2010, the system suffered from “dysfunction.” But now that Democrats are in the Senate minority, employing the very same tools to slow the president, we must “fix” the Electoral College, the Senate and, most recently, the Supreme Court.
If Democrats win back the presidency in 2020, the opposition will no longer be “resisting,” it will be “obstructing.” The filibuster will need fixing again. The media will again obsess over the problem of “gridlock.” History’s trajectory arcs left, and everything else is just an impediment.
The left has been relying on the same brand of fearmongering over Republican-appointed judges for nearly 40 years. Ahead of the Barrett vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer claimed this “will go down as one of the darkest days in the 231-year history of the United States Senate.”
To be fair, Schumer argued that a resolution against Trump’s removal earlier this year was also “one of the darker moments in Senate history” and also that passage of the watered-down Republican tax-reform package was “one of the darkest . . . days in the long history of this Senate.” So, basically, any time Chuck Schumer loses is the new darkest day in history.
Once Barrett’s confirmation became a reality, however, Democrats began turning to the real problem. Originalism is the stick in the spoke of progressivism.
This crusade has the demagogues leading the idiots. The former are people such as Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, who alleges that “originalism is racist. Originalism is sexist. Originalism is homophobic. Originalism is just a fancy word for discrimination.”
The latter are the minions who regurgitate this kind of vacuous talking point because they lack a basic comprehension of legal philosophies or civic education that includes an explainer on “amendments.”
None of which is to say the radicalized contemporary left has nothing to fear. This week, Schumer warned: “A warming planet. Workers falling behind. Dark money flooding politics. The curtailing of the right to choose. The limiting of voting rights. Those are the consequences of this nomination.”
What he means, of course, is that an originalist-majority court may slow progressive environmentalist policies that undermine personal freedom and local sovereignty. He means the court may make it more difficult for Democrats to adopt policies that compel workers to join and fund unions and chip away at the Janus decision.
Now, I have little doubt that a textualist court will let down partisan Republicans as well. Originalists disagree with one another quite often. But it is unlikely to overturn the traditional role of the state in American life.
Twitter: @DavidHarsanyi


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--NY state senator mum about sister’s creepy house across the street from him

Neighbors say they ’ ve been creeped out for months by an apparent concrete and plaster “ art installation ” in the front yard of a Brooklyn row house owned by the sister of state Sen. Kevin Parker , who lives right across the street .
Since last December , the front yard to the two-story brick home on Avenue H in Flatlands has been an ever-evolving pile of construction of garbage , tree limbs and odd sculptures of painted plaster , cement and aluminum foil .
“ It has nothing to do with Halloween , ” one rattled neighbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s OK , but it ’ s been there much longer than that.
” “ Maybe to them it ’ s art , ” another neighbor guessed .
A half-dozen neighbors reached by The Post said they are wary of complaining , given the residents ’ macabre decorating sense , which they variously described as “ creepy , ” “ terrible , ” “ an eyesore ” and “ scary.
” “ A lot of people are very , very afraid of that house — I mean , honestly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street or I don ’ t go down there at all , ” said one person who lives in the area — and who asked not to be named or even referred to by gender .
“ At first it was black paint , ” that resident said .
“ Then it was black paint and cardboard .
Then it was black paint , cardboard and green neon flags .
“ Things go up , and things go down .
I don ’ t think anybody knows what to do.
” When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the home , a man shouted from a second-floor window , “ I don ’ t want no Halloween story !
” “ Get off the property !
You ’ re playing with your own self right now !
” The home , between East 37th Street and Brooklyn Avenue , belongs to Parker ’ s sister , Toni , and the senator lives across the street , according to public records .
Parker did not return calls to his office ; no one responded to door knocks at his home on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been lodged against the house , according to online city Buildings Department records .
On Friday , a pair of bricks could be seen cemented onto the front walk from the sidewalk , past a makeshift gate constructed of foil and duct tape that extends across the first step toward to the house .
“ I asked her what does it mean for her , ” another neighbor said of a recent conversation she had with the apparent homeowner , who she said was sitting on the stoop .
“ She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made her feel better — so maybe she is going through something , ” that neighbor said .

Lorena Mongelli, Alex Taylor, Laura Italiano

Neighbors say they’ve been creeped out for months by an apparent concrete and plaster “art installation” in the front yard of a Brooklyn row house owned by the sister of state Sen. Kevin Parker, who lives right across the street.
Since last December, the front yard to the two-story brick home on Avenue H in Flatlands has been an ever-evolving of construction of garbage, tree limbs and odd sculptures of painted plaster, cement and aluminum foil.
“It has nothing to do with Halloween,” one rattled neighbor told The Post. “For Halloween, it’s OK, but it’s been there much longer than that.”
“Maybe to them it’s art,” another neighbor guessed.
A half-dozen neighbors reached by The Post said they are wary of complaining, given the residents’ macabre decorating sense, which they variously described as “creepy,” “terrible,” “an eyesore” and “scary.”
“A lot of people are very, very afraid of that house — I mean, honestly, I walk on the other side of the street or I don’t go down there at all,” said one person who lives in the area — and who asked not to be named or even referred to by gender.
“At first it was black paint,” that resident said. “Then it was black paint and cardboard. Then it was black paint, cardboard and green neon flags.
“Things go up, and things go down. I don’t think anybody knows what to do.”
When The Post knocked on the door of the home, a man shouted from a second-floor window, “I don’t want no Halloween story!”
“Get off the property! You’re playing with your own self right now!”
The home, between East 37th Street and Brooklyn Avenue, belongs to Parker’s sister, Toni, and the senator lives across the street, according to public records.
Parker did not return calls to his office; no one responded to door knocks at his home on Thursday night and Friday.
No open complaints have been lodged against the house, according to online city Buildings Department records.
City officials said no 311 complaints have been called in for the property.
On Friday, a pair of bricks could be seen cemented onto the front walk from the sidewalk, past a makeshift gate constructed of foil and duct tape that extends across the first step toward to the house.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Trash is seen on the property of Toni Parker. Gabriella Bass Gabriella Bass Advertisement
“I asked her what does it mean for her,” another neighbor said of a recent conversation she had with the apparent homeowner, who she said was sitting on the stoop.
“She said she was putting it up because it made her feel better — so maybe she is going through something,” that neighbor said.
Additional reporting by Nolan Hicks


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--‘Ugly folks’: Biden gets annoyed by Trump supporters at drive-in rally

To get a real sense for how this election is ...

A group of rowdy Trump supporters got under Joe Biden’s skin Friday when they derailed his Minnesota rally — the frustrated Democratic nominee calling them “ugly folks” and “not very polite people” as they honked over his speech.
The roughly dozen cars of Biden supporters gathered for the small drive-in rally in St. Paul were vastly outnumbered by a large group of enthusiastic Trump voters who assembled across the street with large flags and began interrupting Biden’s address.
The former veep became increasingly frustrated as the group repeatedly blasted horns and sirens, prompting the 36-year senator to interrupt his own speech several times to condemn them.
“These guys are not very polite, but they’re like Trump,” Biden said at the outset of his speech, forcing pleasantries.
“But look, they’re going to be OK. We’re going to take care of them as well. We need to come together. We need to fight for all these folks.”
But the honking only crew louder, making it hard to hear the Democratic nominee at times.
“This isn’t a political statement like those ugly folks over there, beeping the horns. This is a patriotic duty, for God’s sake,” Biden added while addressing mask wearing amid the pandemic.
Later, during his usual crusade against Trump’s tax cuts, the group got another shout-out.
“Ninety-one out of the Fortune 500 companies paid zero in taxes last year. Why? Why should a firefighter, an educator, and that guy blowing that horn, why should he pay?” Biden asked.
The former vice president has been known to lash out during appearances, branding one college student a “lying dog-faced pony soldier” in February when she asked about his poor standing in the crowded Democratic primary.
Biden recycled the barb in June, calling a reporter a “lying dog face” when he became irritated by the line of questioning.
Both candidates hosted dueling rallies in Minnesota on Friday evening, with Trump’s re-election campaign bullishly believing they can win the Democratic-leaning Gopher State on Nov. 3.
The RealClearPolitics average of polls has Trump trailing there by 4.7 percentage points just four days out from the election.


newyorkpost--2020-10-30--The Post’s Twitter account gained about 190,000 followers during blackout

Twitter backed down Friday in its battle with The Post ...

The Post gained about 190,000 Twitter followers while it was locked out of its primary account by the social media giant, data shows.
That number represents a 10.6 percent increase in just about two weeks, according to analytics tool Social Blade.
The spike came as Twitter blocked the news organization from posting during that time period.
A tweet announcing The Post’s return to the social media site on Friday evening quickly went viral, racking up more than 17,000 retweets and close to 50,000 likes in about an hour.
The missive included an image of The Post’s Saturday front page, with the headline “Free bird!”
“We’re baaaaaaack,” the tweet read.
Twitter had locked the account on Oct. 14. The company finally backed down Friday and unlocked the account after a two-week stalemate over the Hunter Biden exposé.
The move came after The Post refused Twitter’s demand that it delete six tweets that linked to stories that the company claimed — without any evidence — were based on hacked information.
The Post never budged, and kept the tweets on the account during the standoff.
In a series of tweets, the social-media giant said it was revising its “Hacked Materials Policy” and “updating our practice of not retroactively overturning prior enforcement.”
“Our policies are living documents,” said one of the tweets from @TwitterSafety.
“We’re willing to update and adjust them when we encounter new scenarios or receive important feedback from the public.”


newyorkpost--2020-10-31--Michigan State vs. Michigan line, prediction: Wolverines will roll

We are getting deep into the college and pro football seasons , and many teams have played seven games .
That means we have a good idea what those teams are all about , even in the face of COVID-19 ramifications .
We know their strengths , their stats , their tendencies and how they might project the rest of the way based on their schedules .
Theoretically , the handicapper would have a better chance against the bookmaker with this knowledge .
However , it always helps to have a good database at your fingertips to be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team ’ s schedule .
This week I have dug through the extensive information available on VSiN.com to uncover some trends I think might define some of this week ’ s college and pro games .
Michigan State ( +24.5 ) at Michigan .
Trend : Michigan State is 1-8 ATS ( last three years ) avenging a loss .
As I looked at this trend , my first thought was that Michigan State puts itself in revenge spots against teams it does not match up well with .
That ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motivational factor only when a team loses .
Reversing the reasons for losing is not easy .
For this week , the Spartans are massive underdogs .
Michigan loves to beat up on Sparty , and after the season-opening loss to Rutgers , I am not sure how much resistance Michigan State is capable of putting up .
MSU and new coach Mel Tucker scored a zero on my stability scale for 2020 .
This will be a long season for the team in East Lansing .
I wouldn ’ t feel comfortable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnitude .
Notre Dame ( -19.5 ) at Georgia Tech .
Trend : Notre Dame is 19-3 ATS ( last 22 games ) on the road in October .
A certain level of pressure and expectation comes with playing in front of the home folks in South Bend .
I ’ ve gotten used to the Irish not meeting that expectation lately .
In fact , it seems visitors to Notre Dame are the more excited and motivated team in those matchups .
But when coach Brian Kelly ’ s team has hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been much more relaxed , and hence a better team .
Saturday ’ s game at Pittsburgh was proof of that .
After a 1-3 ATS start to the season in four home contests , the Irish tagged the Panthers 45-3 in their best game of the year , winning the yardage battle 434-162 .
They have one final October 2020 road chance to put on another show this week .
LSU ( -2.5 ) at Auburn .
Trend : LSU is 10-0-1 ATS ( last 10 years ) as an unranked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rankings a couple of weeks back , LSU responded Saturday with a dominant performance against respected South Carolina .
The 52-24 win was the Tigers ’ best game since last year ’ s national title contest .
Was it a coincidence that it was LSU ’ s first game since going unranked ?
Well , if you consider this trend , I would certainly say not .
It seems the Tigers respond well to perceived disrespect .
Playing with a chip on the shoulder can be a huge boost for high-level athletes who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite the big win last week , LSU is still not ranked and taking on underachieving Auburn .
Beating a highly competitive rival also serves as a great motivator .
Jets ( +19.5 ) at Chiefs .
Trend : Jets are on an 0-8 ATS streak on the road vs. AFC West .
This trend is very simple yet explainable and effective .
Heading out West represents the longest trips for the Jets each year and the most significant difference in weather .
It ’ s natural to expect the performance to vary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s off significantly , as New York has lost eight straight ATS at AFC West foes .
Typically I tend to stay away from these huge point-spread games , but this is the worst team in the league against the best , and the number actually seems low when compared with how the teams have been perceived .
Kansas City has been a low-30s-level power rating consistently , while the Jets have been in the low teens .
That ’ s essentially a 20-point difference without even factoring in home-field advantage or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m cool with laying the wood in this one .
Giants ( +10.5 ) vs .
Buccaneers .
Trend : Giants are 3-13-1 ATS ( last 17 games ) at home vs. aggressive defenses forcing more than 1.7 turnovers per game .
The Giants have been a turnover machine in recent years , with Daniel Jones and Eli Manning assuming a lot of the responsibility .
At home , the matchups against turnover-forcing defenses rarely go the G-Men ’ s way .
The Bucs have forced 12 turnovers in their first seven games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , when they fell victim to the turnover differential .
Tampa Bay seems to be hitting its stride .
It could be a mistake to go against that even in a “ Monday Night Football ” game with a double-digit point spread .

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We are getting deep into the college and pro football seasons, and many teams have played seven games. That means we have a good idea what those teams are all about, even in the face of COVID-19 ramifications.
We know their strengths, their stats, their tendencies and how they might project the rest of the way based on their schedules. Theoretically, the handicapper would have a better chance against the bookmaker with this knowledge. However, it always helps to have a good database at your fingertips to be able to peg good and bad spots on each team’s schedule.
This week I have dug through the extensive information available on VSiN.com to uncover some trends I think might define some of this week’s college and pro games.
Michigan State (+24.5) at Michigan. Trend: Michigan State is 1-8 ATS (last three years) avenging a loss.
As I looked at this trend, my first thought was that Michigan State puts itself in revenge spots against teams it does not match up well with. That’s not a coincidence, as revenge becomes a motivational factor only when a team loses. Reversing the reasons for losing is not easy. For this week, the Spartans are massive underdogs. Michigan loves to beat up on Sparty, and after the season-opening loss to Rutgers, I am not sure how much resistance Michigan State is capable of putting up. MSU and new coach Mel Tucker scored a zero on my stability scale for 2020. This will be a long season for the team in East Lansing. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with the Spartans as underdogs of any magnitude.
Notre Dame (-19.5) at Georgia Tech. Trend: Notre Dame is 19-3 ATS (last 22 games) on the road in October.
A certain level of pressure and expectation comes with playing in front of the home folks in South Bend. I’ve gotten used to the Irish not meeting that expectation lately. In fact, it seems visitors to Notre Dame are the more excited and motivated team in those matchups. But when coach Brian Kelly’s team has hit the road in midseason games, it has been much more relaxed, and hence a better team. Saturday’s game at Pittsburgh was proof of that. After a 1-3 ATS start to the season in four home contests, the Irish tagged the Panthers 45-3 in their best game of the year, winning the yardage battle 434-162. They have one final October 2020 road chance to put on another show this week.
LSU (-2.5) at Auburn. Trend: LSU is 10-0-1 ATS (last 10 years) as an unranked team.
After falling out of the rankings a couple of weeks back, LSU responded Saturday with a dominant performance against respected South Carolina. The 52-24 win was the Tigers’ best game since last year’s national title contest. Was it a coincidence that it was LSU’s first game since going unranked? Well, if you consider this trend, I would certainly say not. It seems the Tigers respond well to perceived disrespect. Playing with a chip on the shoulder can be a huge boost for high-level athletes who sometimes need extra sources of motivation. Despite the big win last week, LSU is still not ranked and taking on underachieving Auburn. Beating a highly competitive rival also serves as a great motivator.
Jets (+19.5) at Chiefs. Trend: Jets are on an 0-8 ATS streak on the road vs. AFC West.
This trend is very simple yet explainable and effective. Heading out West represents the longest trips for the Jets each year and the most significant difference in weather. It’s natural to expect the performance to vary a bit. In this case it’s off significantly, as New York has lost eight straight ATS at AFC West foes. Typically I tend to stay away from these huge point-spread games, but this is the worst team in the league against the best, and the number actually seems low when compared with how the teams have been perceived. Kansas City has been a low-30s-level power rating consistently, while the Jets have been in the low teens. That’s essentially a 20-point difference without even factoring in home-field advantage or the trend mentioned above. I’m cool with laying the wood in this one.
Giants (+10.5) vs. Buccaneers. Trend: Giants are 3-13-1 ATS (last 17 games) at home vs. aggressive defenses forcing more than 1.7 turnovers per game.
The Giants have been a turnover machine in recent years, with Daniel Jones and Eli Manning assuming a lot of the responsibility. At home, the matchups against turnover-forcing defenses rarely go the G-Men’s way. The Bucs have forced 12 turnovers in their first seven games, a huge improvement from a year ago, when they fell victim to the turnover differential. Tampa Bay seems to be hitting its stride. It could be a mistake to go against that even in a “Monday Night Football” game with a double-digit point spread.


newyorkpost--2020-10-31--The black community’s best chance may be four more years of Trump

I was recently chatting with a black friend who leans left politically when she said she would like to see President Trump win .
I was surprised : She ’ s spoken out against the president on social media because of some of his past comments , especially when he told the Proud Boys “ to stand back and stand by ” during the first presidential debate .
But my friend , like many young people in the black community , knows about Joe Biden ’ s history , which should repel far more black voters than Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardly the only black voter who feels this way .
Biden ’ s policies have devastated the black community .
The infamous 1994 crime bill , for example , which Biden authored , cost taxpayers $ 30 billion yet only reduced violent crime by 1.3 percent — and in the process , sent a shamefully high number of black youths to jail for marijuana crimes that some states have decriminalized .
Or take Biden ’ s provision of a 1986 law that deemed crack cocaine significantly worse than powder cocaine .
As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used powder cocaine , were treated with leniency , while blacks were disproportionately sent to prison for the same offenses .
Given the choice before us , the best thing for the black community may be four more years of Trump .
Why ?
Maybe then black voters will no longer be ignored and taken for granted by Democrats thereby making both parties work for their vote .
It ’ s time to break the back of the Democratic Party and make its leaders actually address the issues that impact black lives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said things that have rightly upset black Americans .
But he ’ s also uplifted the black community through policies like the First Step Act and opportunity zones .
In fact , he ’ s been reaching out to the black community consistently since 2016 , looking for ways to tackle issues such as rampant unemployment and prison sentencing disparities , while funding historically black colleges and universities — all of which Joe Biden could have addressed during his half-century in politics .
I ’ ve never seen another president from either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black community .
As a result , black people are listening .
We see this in the polls .
Trump ’ s support among young black voters ( aged 18 to 44 ) has increased from around 10 percent in 2016 to 21 percent , according to UCLA Nationscape ’ s polling , and I believe the real percentage is even higher .
Indeed , I ’ ve been watching closely on urban social media pages and seeing young African Americans post their support for Trump .
Never before have I seen such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any Republican president .
On a recent episode of my podcast , “ Outloud with Gianno Caldwell , ” football legend Herschel Walker expressed a similar sentiment .
He said he gets many calls from players in the NFL who support Trump but can not publicize their support out of fear of retribution .
Polling data shows support for Trump trending upward among black and Hispanic men , many of whom are open to supporting an eager , enthusiastic president as they think the Democratic Party has taken them for granted .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this election .
If enough blacks vote for Trump , the black vote will finally be competitive .
Politicians will at long last actually care about producing positive results for the black community to woo black voters , rather than treating them as another box to check .
The black vote hasn ’ t been competitive in decades , since Democrat Lyndon Johnson reportedly said , “ I will have those n—ers voting Democratic for the next 200 years.
” For five-plus decades , Republicans haven ’ t made a sincere effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We have an opportunity to force both parties to offer their best deals to black Americans and improve the black community in a way that has never happened before .
It ’ s time to make the black vote competitive again .
Gianno Caldwell is a Fox News Political Analyst , host of the podcast “ Outloud with Gianno Caldwell ” and author of “ Taken for Granted : How Conservatism Can Win Back the Americans That Liberalism Failed .
”

I was recently chatting with a black friend who leans left politically when she said she would like to see President Trump win. I was surprised: She’s spoken out against the president on social media because of some of his past comments, especially when he told the Proud Boys “to stand back and stand by” during the first presidential debate.
But my friend, like many young people in the black community, knows about Joe Biden’s history, which should repel far more black voters than Trump’s racially insensitive comments. I’m hardly the only black voter who feels this way.
Biden’s policies have devastated the black community. The infamous 1994 crime bill, for example, which Biden authored, cost taxpayers $30 billion yet only reduced violent crime by 1.3 percent — and in the process, sent a shamefully high number of black youths to jail for marijuana crimes that some states have decriminalized.
Or take Biden’s provision of a 1986 law that deemed crack cocaine significantly worse than powder cocaine. As a result, whites, who more often used powder cocaine, were treated with leniency, while blacks were disproportionately sent to prison for the same offenses.
Given the choice before us, the best thing for the black community may be four more years of Trump. Why? Maybe then black voters will no longer be ignored and taken for granted by Democrats thereby making both parties work for their vote.
It’s time to break the back of the Democratic Party and make its leaders actually address the issues that impact black lives.
President Trump is not perfect. He has said things that have rightly upset black Americans. But he’s also uplifted the black community through policies like the First Step Act and opportunity zones. In fact, he’s been reaching out to the black community consistently since 2016, looking for ways to tackle issues such as rampant unemployment and prison sentencing disparities, while funding historically black colleges and universities — all of which Joe Biden could have addressed during his half-century in politics.
I’ve never seen another president from either party invest so much energy into the black community. As a result, black people are listening. We see this in the polls.
Trump’s support among young black voters (aged 18 to 44) has increased from around 10 percent in 2016 to 21 percent, according to UCLA Nationscape’s polling, and I believe the real percentage is even higher. Indeed, I’ve been watching closely on urban social media pages and seeing young African Americans post their support for Trump. Never before have I seen such widespread support among young African Americans for any Republican president.
On a recent episode of my podcast, “Outloud with Gianno Caldwell,” football legend Herschel Walker expressed a similar sentiment. He said he gets many calls from players in the NFL who support Trump but cannot publicize their support out of fear of retribution.
Polling data shows support for Trump trending upward among black and Hispanic men, many of whom are open to supporting an eager, enthusiastic president as they think the Democratic Party has taken them for granted.
The black community has a genuine opportunity in this election. If enough blacks vote for Trump, the black vote will finally be competitive. Politicians will at long last actually care about producing positive results for the black community to woo black voters, rather than treating them as another box to check.
The black vote hasn’t been competitive in decades, since Democrat Lyndon Johnson reportedly said, “I will have those n—ers voting Democratic for the next 200 years.” For five-plus decades, Republicans haven’t made a sincere effort to counter that monopolistic hubris — until Trump.
We have an opportunity to force both parties to offer their best deals to black Americans and improve the black community in a way that has never happened before. It’s time to make the black vote competitive again.
Gianno Caldwell is a Fox News Political Analyst, host of the podcast “Outloud with Gianno Caldwell” and author of “Taken for Granted: How Conservatism Can Win Back the Americans That Liberalism Failed.”


newyorkpost--2020-10-31--Harry Potter’s magical beasts and real creatures live in new London exhibit

The occamy , a vibrant teal feathered serpent .
The demiguise , a shaggy gray monkey lookalike with owlish eyes .
And the niffler , a long-snouted mole impersonator .
These magical beasts live famously in Harry Potter ’ s wizarding world , but they can still teach us a thing or two about our own incredible creatures — especially the threatened and endangered ones .
London ’ s Natural History Museum is delivering the very real message of wildlife conservation in a new exhibit that head curator Lorraine Cornish describes as the institution ’ s best and most ambitious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unusual for us , ” Cornish told The Post .
“ It ’ s really a creative and interesting way of messaging that people and the planet can thrive together.
” The show ’ s Dec. 9 opening has been a long time coming — two years of planning and a seven-month delay after the coronavirus pushed back a May opening .
Now , though , “ Fantastic Beasts : The Wonders of Nature ” — a nod to the “ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ” textbook by Newt Scamander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Potter — is ready except for final touches .
Visitors will be pulled through time — from hundreds of years ago to modern times .
Ancient drawings of dragons , unicorns and mermaids show how the human imagination has always morphed bits and pieces of real creatures into make-believe ones .
Dinosaurs might be the underpinning for dragons , for example , or manatees for mermaids .
“ These creatures grew out of stories passed down about strange or frightening encounters with real animals , ” Cornish said .
Magizoologist Scamander , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the museum ’ s scientists travel to faraway places seeking out the rarest of creatures , imagined and real .
Then , they point out parallels .
The demiguise can vanish , the cuttlefish camouflages itself from enemies .
The occamy can shrink enough to hide in a teapot , pufferfish can inflate themselves several times over .
And the storybook beings even play a role in helping visitors understand the importance of protecting all creatures in the natural world .
Just like how Scamander tries to save the last pair of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rhino-looking creature has two golden horns that repel spells — researchers are working to save New Zealand ’ s flightless Kakapo .
And they ’ re succeeding .
“ The story of the Kakapo bird is inspiring , filled with hope , ” Cornish told The Post .
Roughly 100 of the museum ’ s 80 million specimens will be mingled with props from the “ Potter ” and “ Fantastic Beasts ” films , distributed by Warner Bros .
The movie company and the BBC are the museum ’ s partners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in the summer , then starts a five-year international tour .
Cornish wouldn ’ t comment on whether New York City will be a stop , but she smiled — and then on to talk about the exhibit ’ s goal .
“ We want to change the way we treat the world .
”

The occamy, a vibrant teal feathered serpent. The demiguise, a shaggy gray monkey lookalike with owlish eyes. And the niffler, a long-snouted mole impersonator.
These magical beasts live famously in Harry Potter’s wizarding world, but they can still teach us a thing or two about our own incredible creatures — especially the threatened and endangered ones.
London’s Natural History Museum is delivering the very real message of wildlife conservation in a new exhibit that head curator Lorraine Cornish describes as the institution’s best and most ambitious.
“It’s a bit unusual for us,” Cornish told The Post. “It’s really a creative and interesting way of messaging that people and the planet can thrive together.”
The show’s Dec. 9 opening has been a long time coming — two years of planning and a seven-month delay after the coronavirus pushed back a May opening.
Now, though, “Fantastic Beasts: The Wonders of Nature” — a nod to the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” textbook by Newt Scamander from J.K. Rowling’s world of Potter — is ready except for final touches.
Visitors will be pulled through time — from hundreds of years ago to modern times.
Ancient drawings of dragons, unicorns and mermaids show how the human imagination has always morphed bits and pieces of real creatures into make-believe ones. Dinosaurs might be the underpinning for dragons, for example, or manatees for mermaids.
“These creatures grew out of stories passed down about strange or frightening encounters with real animals,” Cornish said.
Magizoologist Scamander, who is both wizard and magical-creature researcher, and the museum’s scientists travel to faraway places seeking out the rarest of creatures, imagined and real.
Then, they point out parallels. The demiguise can vanish, the cuttlefish camouflages itself from enemies. The occamy can shrink enough to hide in a teapot, pufferfish can inflate themselves several times over.
And the storybook beings even play a role in helping visitors understand the importance of protecting all creatures in the natural world.
Just like how Scamander tries to save the last pair of graphorns in “Fantastic Beasts” — the rhino-looking creature has two golden horns that repel spells — researchers are working to save New Zealand’s flightless Kakapo. And they’re succeeding.
“The story of the Kakapo bird is inspiring, filled with hope,” Cornish told The Post.
Roughly 100 of the museum’s 80 million specimens will be mingled with props from the “Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” films, distributed by Warner Bros. The movie company and the BBC are the museum’s partners for the exhibit.
The show wraps up in the summer, then starts a five-year international tour. Cornish wouldn’t comment on whether New York City will be a stop, but she smiled — and then on to talk about the exhibit’s goal.
“We want to change the way we treat the world.”


newyorkpost--2020-10-31--NYC therapists brace for stress and anxiety amid election madness

Pull the lever and pour a shot .
That ’ s what plenty ...

New York City therapists are bracing for an avalanche of petrified patriots no matter the outcome of Tuesday’s presidential election.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in terms of the level of fear, anxiety and anger that this is provoking in people on both sides,” Manhattan psychologist Dr. Chloe Carmichael told The Post. “People are feeling like this is a life and death situation.”
Upper West Side psychologist Judith Schweiger Levy said the election “is all people have been talking about” in her practice and she “wouldn’t be surprised if there are many many people calling crisis hotlines or texting their therapists or patients” come election night.
“People are not feeling safe. That’s the challenge we are in. They need to feel safe. This is like exponential 9/11,” she said.
A recent poll found that 65 percent of respondents harbor moderate to high stress over the presidential election.
Carmichael said “the element of uncertainty is making everything worse. There’s a chance that we won’t know on election night what the results are. It’s hard to come to a place of acceptance if we literally don’t even know what we are accepting.”
She said her right-leaning patients fear if Biden is elected, “the market will tank because those are some of the things that Trump says. People who support Biden fear Trump may get into a nuclear standoff and sell us out to Russia.”
After Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016, Carmichael had “a significant amount of clients who had to do their sessions by video that day. They couldn’t get out of bed. They didn’t want to leave their home. The Trump voters bounced into the office bright eyed and bushy tailed with elation.”
Carmichael predicts a spike in calls from people who “do not feel like they can open up to their friends or family or spouse.” And in a pandemic, “It’s not like people can hop on a plane and get out of town.”
The psychologist said even loving married couples have been scarred due to their political differences.
“There have been some broken plates over these divides and anger over feeling that your spouse is essentially supporting a candidate who is going to end America as we know it. It’s the narrative both sides feel about the other side,” she said.
Schweiger Levy predicts “it’s going to take a long time to calm things down.”
Her advice? “Allow yourself to have pleasure. Try something that makes you feel good or that you enjoy. It calms the brain down.”


newyorkpost--2020-10-31--Oklahoma State vs. Texas prediction, line: Cowboys’ title dreams will be dashed

The four programs ( Clemson , Alabama , Ohio State , Oklahoma ) that have dominated the College Football Playoff era have combined to claim 17 of the 24 semifinal spots , yet they have never all reached the semifinals in the same season .
Though Clemson , Alabama and Ohio State are heavy favorites to win conference titles again , Oklahoma ’ s two losses already this season ensure at least one spot will be up for grabs .
And the Sooners ’ in-state rival has the clearest path to the playoff .
Looking to become the first Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playoff — and to end the Sooners ’ five-year reign atop the league — Oklahoma State is the only undefeated team remaining in the conference .
Currently No .
6 nation , the Cowboys ’ highest-ranked scheduled game comes next week against No .
16 Kansas State .
The teams directly above Oklahoma State are likely to fall , with Notre Dame facing Clemson — maybe , twice — and Georgia needing to reach the SEC title game just to get another shot at Alabama .
Mike Gundy , Oklahoma State ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in even stronger positions in the past .
A 2011 double-overtime loss to Iowa State , a 27-point underdog , is all that stopped the Cowboys from playing in the national championship .
In 2015 , Oklahoma State started 10-0 , but didn ’ t win another game that season .
For so many years , Oklahoma State was carried by its offense .
From 2015-18 under coordinator Mike Yurcich , the Cowboys averaged at least 36.8 points , peaking at 45 points per game in 2017 .
Without him last year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , Oklahoma State is averaging just 28.5 points , but its defense has finally done its part , giving up 12 points per game .
Unfortunately , the success is predicated on having not yet played a top-50 offense .
And now , Gundy has to prepare for a Texas offense , which is averaging 45 points per game under Yurcich , in his first year as Longhorns coordinator .
Defense is not the Cowboys ’ forte .
Now , offense isn ’ t , either .
Take Texas ( +3.5 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Tigers have won just one game by more than 28 points .
Motivation is harder to find at the top of the mountain .
Stetson Bennett ’ s starting job is at risk after he was intercepted three times against Alabama .
The former walk-on could find more trouble against a Wildcats defense that has nine interceptions in the past three games .
The Bearcats lost three games last season .
Two came against Memphis .
The Tigers ’ sixth-ranked offense is capable of continuing the Bearcats ’ lengthy losing streak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game with the Spartans , Mel Tucker became the first Big Ten coach to lose to Rutgers in nearly three years .
It ’ s almost as if hiring someone with a 5-7 lifetime record and making them one of the 15 highest-paid coaches in the country wasn ’ t the best idea .
Notre Dame has been staring at its date with Clemson since its shotgun wedding with the ACC took place .
Don ’ t expect the best of the Fighting Irish — who ’ ve produced three no-shows in five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season looming .
If you have confidence in either team , you haven ’ t watched enough of either team .
Take the points in a battle between two of the most unpredictable underachievers in the nation .
Greg Schiano can only claim so much credit .
Seven giveaways aren ’ t coming his way again .
Just a 17th-ranked opponent with its highest spot in the polls in 27 years .
Since throwing for 623 yards and five touchdowns against LSU , K.J .
Costello has thrown for 644 yards , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games .
State star running back Kylin Hill ’ s opt-out will only make the Air Raid even more impotent .
Following its controversial loss to Indiana , Penn State will be ready for another high-stakes battle with the Buckeyes .
No Big Ten team has been tougher for Ohio State to defeat .
Penn State , since its 2016 upset win , lost a pair of meetings by one point , then trailed by four in the fourth quarter of last year ’ s road game .
Sam Pittman shouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his first head-coaching job .
The 58-year-old rookie has done the SEC ’ s most impressive work this season , with an incorrectly ruled fumble the only thing separating the Hogs from three straight wins , following a 20-game losing streak .
If the Gators end up playing for the first time in three weeks , it ’ ll come after a total of 37 team members contracted COVID-19 .
Fortunately , Dan Mullen ’ s recent wish to “ see 90,000 in the Swamp ” won ’ t come true .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide .
Three games in Chapel Hill have led to three North Carolina covers .
Two games on the road have resulted in two Tar Heels failures .
Best bets : Texas , Boston College , Indiana This season ( best bets ) : 56-44-1 ( 10-10-1 ) 2014-19 record : 772-756-13

The four programs (Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma) that have dominated the College Football Playoff era have combined to claim 17 of the 24 semifinal spots, yet they have never all reached the semifinals in the same season.
Though Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State are heavy favorites to win conference titles again, Oklahoma’s two losses already this season ensure at least one spot will be up for grabs.
And the Sooners’ in-state rival has the clearest path to the playoff.
Looking to become the first Big 12 team besides Oklahoma to reach the playoff — and to end the Sooners’ five-year reign atop the league — Oklahoma State is the only undefeated team remaining in the conference.
Currently No. 6 nation, the Cowboys’ highest-ranked scheduled game comes next week against No. 16 Kansas State. The teams directly above Oklahoma State are likely to fall, with Notre Dame facing Clemson — maybe, twice — and Georgia needing to reach the SEC title game just to get another shot at Alabama.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State’s head coach since 2005, has been in even stronger positions in the past. A 2011 double-overtime loss to Iowa State, a 27-point underdog, is all that stopped the Cowboys from playing in the national championship. In 2015, Oklahoma State started 10-0, but didn’t win another game that season.
For so many years, Oklahoma State was carried by its offense. From 2015-18 under coordinator Mike Yurcich, the Cowboys averaged at least 36.8 points, peaking at 45 points per game in 2017. Without him last year, the team averaged 30.5 points. This year, Oklahoma State is averaging just 28.5 points, but its defense has finally done its part, giving up 12 points per game.
Unfortunately, the success is predicated on having not yet played a top-50 offense. And now, Gundy has to prepare for a Texas offense, which is averaging 45 points per game under Yurcich, in his first year as Longhorns coordinator.
Defense is not the Cowboys’ forte. Now, offense isn’t, either. Take Texas (+3.5).
(Home team in CAPS)
Boston College (+31.5) over CLEMSON
In five ACC games this season, the Tigers have won just one game by more than 28 points. Motivation is harder to find at the top of the mountain.
KENTUCKY (+14.5) over Georgia
Stetson Bennett’s starting job is at risk after he was intercepted three times against Alabama. The former walk-on could find more trouble against a Wildcats defense that has nine interceptions in the past three games.
Memphis (+6.5) over CINCINNATI
The Bearcats lost three games last season. Two came against Memphis. The Tigers’ sixth-ranked offense is capable of continuing the Bearcats’ lengthy losing streak in the series.
MICHIGAN (-24.5) over Michigan State
In his first game with the Spartans, Mel Tucker became the first Big Ten coach to lose to Rutgers in nearly three years. It’s almost as if hiring someone with a 5-7 lifetime record and making them one of the 15 highest-paid coaches in the country wasn’t the best idea.
GEORGIA TECH (+19.5) over Notre Dame
Notre Dame has been staring at its date with Clemson since its shotgun wedding with the ACC took place. Don’t expect the best of the Fighting Irish — who’ve produced three no-shows in five games — with the biggest game of the season looming.
AUBURN (+3) over Lsu
If you have confidence in either team, you haven’t watched enough of either team. Take the points in a battle between two of the most unpredictable underachievers in the nation.
Indiana (-10.5) over RUTGERS
Greg Schiano can only claim so much credit. Seven giveaways aren’t coming his way again. Just a 17th-ranked opponent with its highest spot in the polls in 27 years.
ALABAMA (-31.5) over Mississippi State
Since throwing for 623 yards and five touchdowns against LSU, K.J. Costello has thrown for 644 yards, one touchdown and 10 interceptions in three games. State star running back Kylin Hill’s opt-out will only make the Air Raid even more impotent.
PENN STATE (+11.5) over Ohio State
Following its controversial loss to Indiana, Penn State will be ready for another high-stakes battle with the Buckeyes. No Big Ten team has been tougher for Ohio State to defeat. Penn State, since its 2016 upset win, lost a pair of meetings by one point, then trailed by four in the fourth quarter of last year’s road game.
Arkansas (+12.5) over TEXAS A&M
Sam Pittman shouldn’t have had to wait so long for his first head-coaching job. The 58-year-old rookie has done the SEC’s most impressive work this season, with an incorrectly ruled fumble the only thing separating the Hogs from three straight wins, following a 20-game losing streak.
Missouri (+13.5) over FLORIDA
If the Gators end up playing for the first time in three weeks, it’ll come after a total of 37 team members contracted COVID-19. Fortunately, Dan Mullen’s recent wish to “see 90,000 in the Swamp” won’t come true.
VIRGINIA (+6.5) over North Carolina
The Tar Heels’ home-road splits remain our guide. Three games in Chapel Hill have led to three North Carolina covers. Two games on the road have resulted in two Tar Heels failures.
Best bets: Texas, Boston College, Indiana
This season (best bets): 56-44-1 (10-10-1)
2014-19 record: 772-756-13


newyorkpost--2020-10-31--Fantasy football: Players to start, sit for NFL Week 8

It wouldn ’ t be Halloween weekend in 2020 without a scary ...

The Post’s Drew Loftis evaluates all the relevant fantasy football news ahead of Week 8 of the 2020 NFL season.
Big Weeks
Boston Scott RB, Eagles, vs. Cowboys (FanDuel $6,800/DraftKings $6,000)
If, and only if, Miles Sanders does not play, Scott should get the bulk of the carries. After giving up just two rushing TDs in the first three games, Dallas has allowed six in the past four games.
DeeJay Dallas RB, Seahawks, vs. 49ers (FD $4,600/DK $4,000)
If, and only if, Carlos Hyde doesn’t play, even in a tough matchup against the 49ers, the third-stringer should at least get decent volume, in a game in which San Fran isn’t as capable at exploiting the weak Seattle secondary as others.
Brandon Aiyuk WR, 49ers, at Seahawks (FD $5,900/DK $5,800)
Yeah, we know, we just pooh-poohed the 49ers’ passing game, but that doesn’t mean they won’t score some points. And with no Deebo Samuel, Aiyuk should continue his recent surge. A strong flex play.
A.J. Green WR, Bengals, vs. Titans (FD $/5,800DK $4,500)
He has more targets than any Bengals receiver in the past two games — and back-to-back strong fantasy outings. With that amount of attention, he should start catching up to the output of teammates Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins.
Small Weaks
Matthew Stafford QB, Lions, vs. Colts (FD $7,200/DK $6,400)
Stafford has been steady though not spectacular. But don’t be surprised if Sunday is his worst fantasy outing of the season to date — against the stingiest fantasy defense against QBs.
Ezekiel Elliott RB, Cowboys, at Eagles (FD $8,900/DK $7,400)
With no Dak Prescott and missing a number of offensive lineman, Elliott has been simply awful the past two weeks. The Eagles’ D offers little reprieve. And if Dallas falls far behind, like last week, we could see some Tony Pollard.
Ronald Jones RB, Buccaneers, at Giants (FD $6,300/DK $5,700)
Our worry isn’t the Giants’ run defense, it is the presence and better production of Leonard Fournette — who outplayed Jones dramatically last week.
J.K. Dobbins RB, Ravens, vs. Steelers (FD $5,100/DK $4,600)
Even if you like his prospects with Mark Ingram injured, a quick reminder that he is facing the toughest fantasy run defense, and Gus Edwards is still around to steal carries.
Fantasy Insanity Daily Duel
Site: FanDuel
Slate: main (11 games)
Entry fee: $5
Pot: $120K
Top prize: $10K
Drew’s Crew
QB: Joe Burrow Cin (vs. Ten) $7,600
RB: Derrick Henry Ten (at Cin) $9,500
RB: Jonathan Taylor Ind (at Det) $7,300
WR: A.J. Green Cin (vs. Ten) $5,800
WR: Tyler Boyd Cin (vs. Ten) $6,400
WR: Cooper Kupp LAR (at Mia) $7,300
TE: Jonnu Smith Ten (at Cin) $6,100
Flex: Brandon Aiyuk SF (at Sea) $5,900
DEF: Packers GB (vs. Min) $4,000
Wilk’s Warriors
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo FS (at Sea) $6,600
RB: Kareem Hunt Cle (vs. LV) $8,200
RB: Jonathan Taylor Ind (at Det) $7,300
WR: Brandon Aiyuk SF (at Sea) $5,900
WR: Tee Higgins, Cin (vs. Ten) $6,000
WR: Davante Adams GB (vs. Min) $9,100
TE: Harrison Bryant Cle (vs. LV) $5,000
Flex: A.J. Brown Ten (at Cin) $7,500
DEF: Packers GB (vs. Min) $4,000
Season risked: $70
Winnings: Drew $100, Jarad $25


newyorkpost--2020-10-31--Steve Cohen era is here: Will Mets maintain their charm?

As other teams look to shed payroll amid a pandemic , ...

We’ve seen this Mets fairy tale so many times in so many arenas, be it an athlete landing a long-term deal, a United States President cashing in upon his departure from the White House or the Judy Blume young-adult novel “Then Again, Maybe I Won’t”:
Can you strike it rich and not change who you are?
The Mets, not always winners (to put it generously), always have been charmers. They are 72-year-old Casey Stengel guiding their very first effort to a historically awful 40-120. They are Banner Day. They are the Home Run Apple. They are, more often than not in their history, the underdog.
Therein lies the challenge for Steve Cohen, definitely not the underdog. Can the Mets’ new owner, immediately the wealthiest member of the fraternity he just joined with Friday’s joint developments — the Major League Baseball owners and Mayor Bill de Blasio approving Cohen’s purchase of the club from the Wilpons — guide this team to its powerhouse potential without compromising its brand of lovability? In a market in which Yankees fans regard any failure to win a title as an utter disaster, can the Mets both challenge the Yankees and not become them?
Day 1 went well on this front, as Cohen made sure to mention that his family are “lifelong Mets fans,” and threw some red meat to his customers by mentioning, “With free agency starting Sunday night we will be working towards a quick close. Let’s go Mets!” He also backed up his previous promises to take care of the Mets’ blue-collar employees (groundskeepers, security guards and engineers) by restoring their pre-pandemic salaries as of Sunday, plus to increase the giving of the Mets Foundation, plus (as per negotiations with de Blasio to get the mayor’s signoff) to make a $17.5-million donation to area small businesses hurt by the coronavirus.
Now he just has to build on that, and let’s face it, Cohen didn’t establish his own brand, one welcomed overwhelmingly by Mets fans, by being warm and fuzzy — or by appearing particularly fallible or even human, really. He’s more Terminator than Kindergarten Cop.
The Wilpons were nothing if not fallible, of course, their list of missteps far too vast to enumerate here. They didn’t grade perfectly on the humanity front, either, as evidenced by Noah Syndergaard’s statement to The Post’s Mike Puma when Friday’s news broke: “All I plead is that the new owner treats players and personnel in the organization like people and less like expendable commodities.”
Nevertheless, part of the Wilpons’ legacy will be how the Mets rallied in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. How Shea Stadium turned into a staging area for relief workers, with Bobby Valentine and his players and coaches helping out, and how Mike Piazza’s dramatic homer 10 days later led to many grieving people learning organically that they were capable of emoting over something as insignificant as a ballgame. The Wilpons maintained their dedication to those who lost loved ones that horrible day through their dedication to the non-profit Tuesday’s Children.
These owners loved their team and made it their primary focus and yes, they actually did want to win, even if their actions often proved self-defeating or insufficient.
In a statement Friday, Fred Wilpon said of Cohen: “He shares the view that Saul [Katz], Jeff and I have long held, that ownership of the Mets is a public trust. I know that he will take that as seriously as we always have.”
If the Bernie Madoff fiasco forever damaged the trust Mets fans held in the Wilpons and Katzes, it also made loyalty an even greater badge of honor, and the occasional payoffs like 2015 all the sweeter. That team, too, featured so much charm, or at least color: Syndergaard. Matt Harvey. Yoenis Cespedes. Bartolo Colon.
Can a fully operational Death Star be charming? Or will the Mets have to give that charm up for good? Here’s hoping Cohen, a seer of sorts, finds a way to thread that needle. What a shame it would be for the Mets, no longer scrappy, tacky or second-tier, to lose their soul.


newyorkpost--2020-10-31--Jets on stopping ‘hellacious’ Patrick Mahomes: ‘A true test’

Halloween may be over when the Jets play at Kansas ...

Here’s a scary NFL thought for trick-or-treat weekend: Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams believes Patrick Mahomes has just “scratched the surface” of the player he can be.
Williams offered that assessment Friday as the Jets (0-7) made final preparations to face Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in the star quarterback’s first career start against Gang Green.
“[I’ve coached against] a lot of Hall of Fame quarterbacks, and when we’re doing evaluations of people you try to say ‘same as, same as,’ but really, he’s of his own,” Williams said of Mahomes on a Zoom call after practice in Florham Park. “He has a lot of intangibles about him, and he’s getting very strong coaching to help him continue to mature.
“But I think he’s just scratched the surface. I think he’s going to continue to grow in this league.”
Williams has schemed against Mahomes once before, when he was the Browns’ defensive coordinator in 2018. In his 10th career start, Mahomes completed 23 of 32 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns at Cleveland on his way to winning league MVP honors.
Jets linebacker Jordan Jenkins called Sunday’s game “a true test,” acknowledging “things can real bad real fast” against the speedy and balanced Kansas City offense.
“The guy is only [25]. Imagine what a couple more years will do for him,” Jenkins said of Mahomes. “When he’s really starting to understand. He knows the game pretty well now, but imagine when he gets the knowledge and the vet savviness to him.
“I can agree with what Gregg’s saying. He’s still a young guy and he still has a lot he can do, a lot he can learn, and just keep adding and adding to his belt over the years.”
In addition to his 2018 MVP award, Mahomes led the Chiefs last season to their first Super Bowl title in 50 years. He has thrown for 16 touchdowns with just one interception through their 6-1 start this year.
Asked what separates the mobile Mahomes from other top quarterbacks he has faced, Jenkins cited “the amount of times he’s been on SportsCenter,” especially for his ability to roll out of the pocket to one side of the field and throw it to other side with accuracy.
“The guy is just the guy,” Jenkins said. “Right now he is probably [the head] of the new wave. You got the Bradys, the Mannings, and now he’s one of the ones of the younger generation.
“He’s a hellacious player, he’s a playmaker and he’s just a really good quarterback. He makes different kinds of throws, left and right, and he puts it on the money. He makes throws you don’t see a lot of guys making. He’s just good.”
Williams also said he believes Mahomes is a strong fit within longtime nemesis Andy Reid’s offensive system. The Chiefs are averaging 30.5 points per game, fifth-most in the league this season.
“[Mahomes] plays with confidence and has really good ability, but he’s got really sound coaching around him, too, that does a fantastic job of how they’re using him,” Williams said. “Going against Coach Reid for a long time, back in the Philly days when I was with the Washington team, I’ve been really impressed with how he has always been up to the very front of the game and been into the changes and how to morph a little bit of what he did in the West Coast offense.
“Now he has his own style of the West Coast offense. I’ve always tried to study as much as possible because I do have a lot of respect for him. I think he’s one of the best coaches that has ever coached in our league, and his staff is really good. Not only do they have elite speed, but those players obviously understand that they’ve got some good coaches there working with them.”