newyorkpost--2020-11-29--One-touch payments remain infuriatingly absent in America

’ Tis the season for shopping .
If you are fortunate enough to have kept your job through the pandemic-caused economic lockdowns , dropping dollars in person is good for workers and good for your streetscape .
Yet America ’ s maddening payment system still has customers jabbing grubby little fingers over and over onto grubby screens .
One of the inegalitarian aspects of COVID-19 is that if you are in the work-from-home crowd , you ’ ve got money to burn or borrow .
Last Christmas , Americans owed $ 930 billion on credit cards .
Now , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This debt payoff has never before happened in the 45 years since people grew accustomed to carrying balances .
It ’ s the result not of debt-addicted consumers growing more prudent , but of debt-addicted consumers having nothing to spend their money on , other than electronics and home improvement : no travel , no restaurants .
Provided that orangey-to-red Gotham doesn ’ t lock down stores again — a catastrophic move based on no science — it ’ s time to splurge on that Roomba bot to wrap under the tree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the higher-end Nespresso machine you covet , bring it to the counter — and here starts what should be a seamless “ tap and go.
” Instead , it starts the “ ick ” process .
Two years ago , you probably got a contactless “ chip ” card from your bank .
If this technology worked as advertised , you would tap the card , hear a beep , nod to the clerk and leave .
That ’ s exactly how it has worked in Europe for years ( and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the United States , outside of Pret , you ’ re greeted by a plethora of different , clunky machines , all requiring different information .
One merchant requires a phone number .
Another wants e-mail .
One machine wants you to pick credit or debit .
Another insists you OK the amount .
Still others want a signature .
Then , another tap , for “ OK. ” There ’ s also the dreaded “ chip malfunction.
” I ’ m not going to die from a touch screen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the problem — time spent prolonging a close-up interaction with a stranger , time during which a line forms ( and people depart from the line , meaning lost sales ) .
Try a fail-safe way — why not use your iPhone , you Luddite ?
— and you end up wasting more time .
This merchant doesn ’ t take Apple Pay ; didn ’ t you know ?
Whose fault is this ?
Big Tech and big banks make great holiday villains , but this time , it ’ s actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised to learn , for example , that Visa and MasterCard haven ’ t required anyone to sign for a purchase since well before the pandemic .
So why are we still signing those squiggly lines with our knuckles ?
It doesn ’ t stop fraud , as the cardmakers realized long ago .
Some new credit cards don ’ t even have a signature panel on the back .
Merchants , the most sympathetic party , are the culprits .
Many smaller stores lease credit-card terminals from bigger networks , who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liability for fraud prefer to stay on the safe side — sticking to what they ’ ve done for decades .
But most of this has nothing to do with paying .
In the perpetual war with Amazon , merchants need loyal customers , and how do you give customers points if you don ’ t take their phone number ?
As is often the case , the technique retailers use to compete against a behemoth with more resources puts them at an even greater disadvantage .
The one thing the customer wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the one thing the retailer won ’ t give you , and is still the one advantage Amazon can give you .
There ’ s also just inertia : Machines need software upgrades .
There ’ s some good news .
Some merchants — ironically , the very smallest — use Venmo , which allows customers to pay touching only their own device .
It also allows the seller to collect all the information it wants about you .
Plus , algorithms that detect better and better where you regularly shop , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help curtail fraud — more mass surveillance for your convenience .
But big change won ’ t be this Christmas .
So touch , touch and touch your way through the season via “ contactless ” payment .
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor of the Manhattan Institute ’ s City Journal .

’Tis the season for shopping. If you are fortunate enough to have kept your job through the pandemic-caused economic lockdowns, dropping dollars in person is good for workers and good for your streetscape. Yet America’s maddening payment system still has customers jabbing grubby little fingers over and over onto grubby screens.
One of the inegalitarian aspects of COVID-19 is that if you are in the work-from-home crowd, you’ve got money to burn or borrow.
Last Christmas, Americans owed $930 billion on credit cards. Now, they owe “just” $810 billion. This debt payoff has never before happened in the 45 years since people grew accustomed to carrying balances.
It’s the result not of debt-addicted consumers growing more prudent, but of debt-addicted consumers having nothing to spend their money on, other than electronics and home improvement: no travel, no restaurants.
Provided that orangey-to-red Gotham doesn’t lock down stores again — a catastrophic move based on no science — it’s time to splurge on that Roomba bot to wrap under the tree.
Go into a store, pick out the higher-end Nespresso machine you covet, bring it to the counter — and here starts what should be a seamless “tap and go.” Instead, it starts the “ick” process.
Two years ago, you probably got a contactless “chip” card from your bank. If this technology worked as advertised, you would tap the card, hear a beep, nod to the clerk and leave. That’s exactly how it has worked in Europe for years (and how it works at fast-sandwich outlet Pret).
In the United States, outside of Pret, you’re greeted by a plethora of different, clunky machines, all requiring different information. One merchant requires a phone number. Another wants e-mail. One machine wants you to pick credit or debit. Another insists you OK the amount. Still others want a signature. Then, another tap, for “OK.” There’s also the dreaded “chip malfunction.”
I’m not going to die from a touch screen. It’s the time that is the problem — time spent prolonging a close-up interaction with a stranger, time during which a line forms (and people depart from the line, meaning lost sales). Try a fail-safe way — why not use your iPhone, you Luddite? — and you end up wasting more time. This merchant doesn’t take Apple Pay; didn’t you know?
Whose fault is this? Big Tech and big banks make great holiday villains, but this time, it’s actually not their fault. You may be surprised to learn, for example, that Visa and MasterCard haven’t required anyone to sign for a purchase since well before the pandemic.
So why are we still signing those squiggly lines with our knuckles? It doesn’t stop fraud, as the cardmakers realized long ago. Some new credit cards don’t even have a signature panel on the back.
Merchants, the most sympathetic party, are the culprits. Many smaller stores lease credit-card terminals from bigger networks, who have their own rules. Retailers who fear liability for fraud prefer to stay on the safe side — sticking to what they’ve done for decades.
But most of this has nothing to do with paying. In the perpetual war with Amazon, merchants need loyal customers, and how do you give customers points if you don’t take their phone number?
As is often the case, the technique retailers use to compete against a behemoth with more resources puts them at an even greater disadvantage. The one thing the customer wants — to get out, fast — is the one thing the retailer won’t give you, and is still the one advantage Amazon can give you.
There’s also just inertia: Machines need software upgrades.
There’s some good news. Some merchants — ironically, the very smallest — use Venmo, which allows customers to pay touching only their own device. It also allows the seller to collect all the information it wants about you.
Plus, algorithms that detect better and better where you regularly shop, and how much you spend, will help curtail fraud — more mass surveillance for your convenience.
But big change won’t be this Christmas. So touch, touch and touch your way through the season via “contactless” payment.
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor of the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal.
Twitter: @NicoleGelinas


newyorkpost--2020-11-29--This election only reinforced the value of the Electoral College

Let ’ s face an ugly possibility : President Trump could get elected ...

One must read to the end of The Washington Post’s recent editorial headlined “Abolish the Electoral College,” before hitting on the real reason the paper’s editors want to upend the long-standing constitutional institution. “Mr. Trump’s election was a sad event for the nation,” notes the Post, “his re-election would have been a calamity.”
Maybe, maybe not. That’s a matter of partisan perspective. Those who are genuinely concerned about the future of American governance would be calling to strengthen institutions that provide political stability, not destroy them. But when your concerns about “American democracy” are really just a euphemism for partisan power grabs, you end up making lots of sloppy arguments.
Like so: “It is alarming that a candidate came so close to winning while polling more than 5 million fewer votes than his opponent nationwide. The Electoral College, whatever virtues it may have had for the Founding Fathers, is no longer tenable for American democracy.”
The fact that the Electoral College doesn’t align with the “popular vote” isn’t alarming; it is the point. If the Electoral College synchronized with the outcome of the direct democratic national vote tally every election, it wouldn’t need to exist. It isn’t a loophole; it is a bulwark.
The Electoral College exists to diffuse the very thing the Post claims is most beneficial: the “overbearing majority,” as James Madison put it. If majoritarianism is truly always the best means of deciding an issue, then the Post would support a mere majority of states being able to overturn the First Amendment or decide abortion policy.
But if states still matter, then the Electoral College’s “virtues” are far stronger today, in an era when federalism is ignored and Americans are more likely to cluster in urban areas, than it was in the founding generation, when Washington was largely powerless. It is one of the institutions that makes a “democracy” tenable in a truly diverse and sprawling nation.
On the most basic level, the Electoral College helps compel presidents to govern nationally, rather than represent a handful of states. We saw it when Joe Biden was forced to temper his positions on fracking and defunding the police, because he had to appeal to those outside of urban areas. If he is to be successful, Biden must govern in ways that are popular to diverse cultural and geographical areas — such as North Carolina, Wisconsin and Arizona, and not just California and New York.
Running up the score in big states gives partisan activists fodder, but it is irrelevant. If President Trump ran for the national vote, he might well have won it by spending all his time in California and New York talking about things that matter to Californians and New Yorkers. The entire dynamics of elections would be different. Our election is geared toward winning states, not people.
It should also be noted that the system The Washington Post wants to nix has been the most stable in the world. A direct national poll would be a radical change, even by international standards.
Most free nations don’t have democratic majority votes for their executives. Parliamentary systems, for example, aren’t national polls. Between 1935 and 2017, the majority of British voters backed the party that formed a government on only two occasions. Voters don’t even cast a ballot directly for the prime minister. In 2019, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau “lost” the “popular vote.” By eliminating the Electoral College, we are far more likely to spark the creation of smaller parties that would keep presidents from gaining a majority. Of historical interest: Vladimir Putin was elected through a direct national poll.
I will spend the rest of my life pointing out that presidents don’t win or lose the popular vote — because there is no popular vote, nor has there ever been one, nor does anyone compete for it.
Reuters recently informed us, “Trump’s open defiance of Biden’s victory in both the popular vote and Electoral College appears to be affecting the public’s confidence in American democracy.” The entire statement, from “popular vote” to “American democracy,” makes me cringe.
It’s this kind of coverage that allows The Washington Post and other critics of traditional constitutional governance to convince their audiences that presidents are winning elections even while really “losing” them. It bodes poorly for our future.
Twitter: @DavidHarsanyi


newyorkpost--2020-11-29--Giants report card: The defense was exceptional

The climb , more slow jog up an incline than a ...

Grading the Giants after their 19-17 win over the Bengals on Sunday.
Offense
Just enough was just enough. Daniel Jones (16 of 27, 213 yards) missed some throws and then showed the risk/reward of his running when he went down and out in the third quarter. Still, no turnovers for a third straight game. Colt McCoy (6 of 10, 31 yards) did not panic with his first action of the season but he made a bonehead move by sliding out of bounds late in the fourth quarter to save the Bengals a timeout. RT Cam Fleming flagged for three penalties (two accepted) and nearly was the goat. Evan Engram (six catches for a career-high 129 yards) blew past safety Vonn Bell for 53-yard reception on the opening drive. Engram then got the ball punched out on the Cincy 16-yard line. Not good. Wayne Gallman (24-94) runs hard and angry, and the Giants would be lost without him.
Grade: C
Defense
Other than one bad touchdown drive allowed in the fourth quarter, this unit was exceptional, making Brandon Allen (17 of 29, 136 yards) look like the backup he is. Game-clinching sack and forced fumble by Jabaal Sheard and recovery by Leonard Williams, who notched his sixth sack of the season but also committed a bad roughing-the-passer penalty. What a play by S Logan Ryan raking the ball away from TE Drew Sample for a turnover. Jabrill Peppers was all over the field. Big Dexter Lawrence sniffed out a second-quarter screen pass. Rookie CB Darnay Holmes had the pass breakup and deflection that led to the diving interception by Niko Lalos in his NFL debut. Holmes got called for a chintzy pass interference late in the game. Bengals were limited to 40 rushing yards and dangerous Tyler Boyd (3-15) was a non-factor.
Grade: A
Special Teams
Oops. The coverage units, so strong this season, got crushed on a 102-yard touchdown return by Brandon Wilson, right up the gut, after the Giants had taken the early lead. In the third quarter, the punt team got burned on a fake that picked up the first down. Late in the fourth quarter, a 29-yard punt return by Alex Erickson was lowlighted by several missed tackles — and included a game-saving tackle by rookie Cam Brown. Graham Gano came back off the reserve/COVID-19 list to hit field goals of 49, 40, 49 and 32 yards, putting his streak at 24 consecutive makes. His pooch kickoffs were so-so as far as effectiveness. Riley Dixon pinned the Bengals on their 16-yard line with a rolling 50-yard punt in the third quarter.
Grade: C-
Coaching
At some point, perhaps Joe Judge will be able to win a game and make it look easy. His Giants are not there yet and his great challenge will come if he has to go extended time without his starting quarterback. The danger of Jones running came back to haunt the Giants, but it is hard to put the hit on play-caller Jason Garrett for this one. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham continues to formulate game-specific plans that get the job done. Granted, there are far more difficult assignments than shutting down Brandon Allen. Special teams wins games for the Giants and nearly lost it for them here, which really ticks Judge off.
Grade: B


newyorkpost--2020-11-29--Biden names all-female senior White House communications team

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped an all-female team to fill the top ranks of the White House communications team , he announced Sunday .
The press shop will be led by Kate Bedingfield , who was the campaign communications director and communications director for Biden while he was vice president .
She ’ ll now serve as White House communications director .
Longtime Democratic spokeswoman Jen Psaki — a former White House communications director and a spokesperson at the State Department — will be Biden ’ s press secretary .
Karine Jean Pierre , formerly Vice President-elect Kamala Harris ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a principal deputy press secretary to Biden .
Pili Tobar , the communications director for coalitions on Biden ’ s campaign , will be his deputy White House communications director .
Harris ’ s communications director will be Ashley Etienne , a senior adviser to Biden ’ s campaign , while campaign senior advisor Symone Sanders will become the chief spokeswoman for Harris .
Elizabeth Alexander , another senior campaign advisor , will serve as Jill Biden ’ s communications director .
“ Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President , and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House , ” Biden said in a statement .
“ These qualified , experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better , ” he added .
Meanwhile , Biden is expected to nominate Neera Tanden , the president and CEO of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress , as director of the Office of Management and Budget , sources told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senior adviser to Obama ’ s Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius .

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped an all-female team to fill the top ranks of the White House communications team, he announced Sunday.
The press shop will be led by Kate Bedingfield, who was the campaign communications director and communications director for Biden while he was vice president. She’ll now serve as White House communications director.
Longtime Democratic spokeswoman Jen Psaki — a former White House communications director and a spokesperson at the State Department — will be Biden’s press secretary.
Karine Jean Pierre, formerly Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ chief of staff, will serve as a principal deputy press secretary to Biden. Pili Tobar, the communications director for coalitions on Biden’s campaign, will be his deputy White House communications director.
Harris’s communications director will be Ashley Etienne, a senior adviser to Biden’s campaign, while campaign senior advisor Symone Sanders will become the chief spokeswoman for Harris.
Elizabeth Alexander, another senior campaign advisor, will serve as Jill Biden’s communications director.
“Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one of the most important duties of a President, and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House,” Biden said in a statement.
“These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better,” he added.
Meanwhile, Biden is expected to nominate Neera Tanden, the president and CEO of the liberal think tank Center for American Progress, as director of the Office of Management and Budget, sources told the Associated Press. She previously served as a senior adviser to Obama’s Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Biden also plans to announce Cecilia Rouse, a Princeton University labor economist, as his pick to be chairwoman of the Council of Economic Advisers, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Also, Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo, a former senior international economic adviser in the Obama administration, will serve as the top deputy to ex-Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, who Biden plans to nominate as Treasury Secretary.
Biden and Harris are expected to introduce the key economic picks Tuesday in Delaware.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-11-29--Shame on politicians who’ve fed anti-vax hysteria even amid a pandemic

A Siena poll shows that nearly a quarter of New Yorkers say they “ probably won ’ t ” or “ definitely won ’ t ” get an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine .
Blame longstanding anti-vax hysteria — but also more recent , and more disgraceful , fearmongering by the likes of Gov .
Cuomo .
Modern anti-vaxers got a seeming scientific seal of approval in a 1998 article in the British medical journal Lancet , which linked the MMR vaccine to autism .
The claim has been debunked repeatedly , and Lancet officially retracted it a decade ago ; the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids in the “ study , ” and lawyers suing vaccine makers helped fund the “ research.
” But the conspiracy theory has been pushed relentlessly by C-list celebrity cranks such as Jenny McCarthy and Robert Kennedy Jr. , and speaks to a basic human suspicion that science can have monstrous side effects .
( Plus , autism starts to show at about the age that children get some vaccines . )
Sadly , Cuomo joined the crank ranks this year , repeatedly insisting that he doesn ’ t trust the Food and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to approve a safe and effective vaccine under President Trump ’ s watch .
Further fueling fears , he ’ s also denounced the plans for vaccine distribution as effectively racist — even as he has also skipped over a dozen meetings with the White House ’ s coronavirus task force and turned down a face-to-face with Health Secretary Alex Azar .
Worse yet , our next president and his running-mate sowed more distrust .
Sen. Kamala Harris said she would refuse to get a vaccine if Trump told her to , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump would stifle expert opinions to rush a vaccine .
And Joe Biden has repeatedly expressed doubt in Operation Warp Speed , the successful federal effort to foster rapid vaccine development — again simply because it launched under Trump .
Lots of Americans needed no encouragement to indulge in anti-Trump hysteria : In an August survey from STAT and the Harris Poll , 78 percent of Americans reported concern that the COVID-19 vaccine would be more influenced by politics than science .
But Cuomo , Biden and Harris didn ’ t have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a case : The professionals in Warp Speed — and at the CDC and FDA — deserve better , as do all the people who could suffer if the pandemic is prolonged because not enough people are vaccinated .
We are so close to beating the virus that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and ravaged the nation for most of a year .
At least three vaccines are producing safe and effective results in clinical trials , with two of them likely to begin distribution before New Year ’ s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ public needs to be vaccinated to slow transmission to a crawl even as life returns to normal .
Basic human decency requires Cuomo , Harris and Biden to retract their fearmongering .
Getting Americans to do the right thing for everyone , so a full recovery can begin , is a fundamental of leadership .

A Siena poll shows that nearly a quarter of New Yorkers say they “probably won’t” or “definitely won’t” get an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine. Blame longstanding anti-vax hysteria — but also more recent, and more disgraceful, fearmongering by the likes of Gov. Cuomo.
Modern anti-vaxers got a seeming scientific seal of approval in a 1998 article in the British medical journal Lancet, which linked the MMR vaccine to autism. The claim has been debunked repeatedly, and Lancet officially retracted it a decade ago; the researchers didn’t randomly select the kids in the “study,” and lawyers suing vaccine makers helped fund the “research.”
But the conspiracy theory has been pushed relentlessly by C-list celebrity cranks such as Jenny McCarthy and Robert Kennedy Jr., and speaks to a basic human suspicion that science can have monstrous side effects. (Plus, autism starts to show at about the age that children get some vaccines.)
Sadly, Cuomo joined the crank ranks this year, repeatedly insisting that he doesn’t trust the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control to approve a safe and effective vaccine under President Trump’s watch. Further fueling fears, he’s also denounced the plans for vaccine distribution as effectively racist — even as he has also skipped over a dozen meetings with the White House’s coronavirus task force and turned down a face-to-face with Health Secretary Alex Azar.
Worse yet, our next president and his running-mate sowed more distrust. Sen. Kamala Harris said she would refuse to get a vaccine if Trump told her to, saying that she trusts scientists but worries that Trump would stifle expert opinions to rush a vaccine. And Joe Biden has repeatedly expressed doubt in Operation Warp Speed, the successful federal effort to foster rapid vaccine development — again simply because it launched under Trump.
Lots of Americans needed no encouragement to indulge in anti-Trump hysteria: In an August survey from STAT and the Harris Poll, 78 percent of Americans reported concern that the COVID-19 vaccine would be more influenced by politics than science.
But Cuomo, Biden and Harris didn’t have to feed the baseless fears in so vital a case: The professionals in Warp Speed — and at the CDC and FDA — deserve better, as do all the people who could suffer if the pandemic is prolonged because not enough people are vaccinated.
We are so close to beating the virus that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and ravaged the nation for most of a year. At least three vaccines are producing safe and effective results in clinical trials, with two of them likely to begin distribution before New Year’s.
But an estimated 70 percent of the public needs to be vaccinated to slow transmission to a crawl even as life returns to normal. Basic human decency requires Cuomo, Harris and Biden to retract their fearmongering. Getting Americans to do the right thing for everyone, so a full recovery can begin, is a fundamental of leadership.


newyorkpost--2020-11-29--NYC sends TLC workers to defiant SI bar, which locks doors and says closed

The city sent taxi sheriffs Sunday to crack down on a Staten Island bar owner who crowed about defying COVID-19 restrictions — only for the tough-talking proprietor to lock the door and say he was closed .
The owners of Mac ’ s Public House — which is in a virus danger zone and should be closed to indoor service — have told The Post they are refusing to heed state and city restrictions , which went into effect Wednesday .
So far , the bar has been slapped with thousands of dollars in fines and a shut-down order from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mention had its state liquor license yanked .
But the bar still opened as usual Saturday .
Around 8 p.m. that day , state Health Department workers came by and “ taped some cease-and-desist notices to the window , ’ ’ co-owner Keith McAlarney told The Post on Sunday — but that still didn ’ t keep the bar from staying open .
The co-owner said the notices were “ gone ” by Sunday , adding , “ Somebody must have taken them down .
We didn ’ t touch it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. Sunday , the bar was then open again , and a steady stream of customers came and went , with up to at least 14 patrons sitting inside for service at a time .
Around 3:20 p.m. , a pair of Taxi & Limousine Commission peace officers with radios then approached the door to the watering hole and flashed their badges to McAlarney .
The TLC is among a slew of city agencies supposed to ferret out scofflaw businesses in the area .
“ I locked the door , ” McAlarney recalled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TLC workers asked , ‘ Oh , are you closed ?
’ ” McAlarney said .
“ I said , ‘ Yes , ’ ” added the owner — who had been welcoming customers into the bar all day , where patrons have been paying “ tips , ” as opposed to being charged for food and drink .
“ She turned and walked away , ” the co-owner said of the enforcement agent .
There were nine customers inside at the time .
The female TLC agent later told The Post , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locked the door !
“ I asked , ‘ Are you guys open ?
’ They said yes .
I said , ‘ OK. ’ I ’ m not going to fight with anyone .
I just took a picture of the front of the building , and I ’ ll include it with my report.
” It was unclear why McAlarney told The Post he claimed to be closed while the city workers believed he said he was open .
Reps from Mayor Bill de Blasio , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to requests for comment .
The city sheriff ’ s department , which typically raids businesses for coronavirus non-compliance , declined to comment .
The bar has declared itself an “ autonomous zone , ” taking a page from anti-cop radicals in Seattle , Wash. , who took over a section of that city in June protesting George Floyd ’ s death and declaring they were free from authoritarian rule .
Mac ’ s has taken its crusade to social media , where it has openly flaunted its defiance of the government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ outpouring of support , with “ 104 [ phone ] calls yesterday , 70 so far today , [ from ] all over the country , Ireland , all telling us to keep strong.
’ ’ Some people stopped by to take selfies posing with the front page of Sunday ’ s Post featuring the bar ’ s act of defiance .
On Sunday , a customer asked McAlarney at one point if he could bring a party of nine .
“ More than welcome !
’ ’ McAlarney said .
“ A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to push two tables together .
You know how this works .
… Because we lost the license , and the shutdown , we ’ re not charging .
Everything is free .
“ If you feel like making a donation , that ’ ll be great , but food and drink are free .
Enjoy yourself !
” “ Look at all these empty places , shut down .
These guys sink their life savings into these places , and they ’ re all going out of business !
’ ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and you ’ ll starve this winter .
De Blasio and Cuomo will be fine .
You ’ ll starve !
”

The city sent taxi sheriffs Sunday to crack down on a Staten Island bar owner who crowed about defying COVID-19 restrictions — only for the tough-talking proprietor to lock the door and say he was closed.
The owners of Mac’s Public House — which is in a virus danger zone and should be closed to indoor service — have told The Post they are refusing to heed state and city restrictions, which went into effect Wednesday.
So far, the bar has been slapped with thousands of dollars in fines and a shut-down order from the state Department of Health, not to mention having its state liquor license yanked.
But the bar still opened as usual Saturday. Around 8 p.m. that day, state Health Department workers came by and “ taped some cease-and-desist notices to the window,’’ co-owner Keith McAlarney told The Post on Sunday — but that still didn’t keep the bar from staying open.
The co-owner said the notices were “gone” by Sunday, adding, “Somebody must have taken them down. We didn’t touch it, wasn’t us.”
By 1 p.m. Sunday, the bar was open again, and a steady stream of customers came and went, with up to 14 patrons sitting inside for service at a time.
Around 3:20 p.m., a pair of Taxi & Limousine Commission peace officers with radios approached the door of the watering hole and flashed their badges to McAlarney.
The TLC is among a slew of city agencies supposed to ferret out scofflaw businesses in the area.
“I locked the door,” McAlarney recalled to The Post.
“One of the TLC workers asked, ‘Oh, are you closed?’ ” McAlarney said.
“I said, ‘Yes,’ ” added the owner — who had been welcoming customers all day into the bar, where patrons have been paying “tips,” as opposed to being charged for food and drink.
“She turned and walked away,” the co-owner said of the enforcement agent.
There were nine customers inside at the time.
The female TLC agent later told The Post, “As we walked up, they locked the door!
“I asked, ‘Are you guys open?’ They said yes. I said, ‘OK.’ I’m not going to fight with anyone. I just took a picture of the front of the building, and I’ll include it with my report.”
It was unclear why McAlarney told The Post he claimed to be closed while the city workers believed he said he was open.
Reps from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office did not respond to a request for comment. The city sheriff’s department, which typically raids businesses for coronavirus non-compliance, declined comment.
Bill Crowley, spokesman for the State Liquor Authority, said in an emailed statement, “In order to protect New Yorkers’ health and safety during this public health emergency, the SLA suspended Mac’s Public House’s liquor license and the Department of Health issued a Section 16 Order after investigators found the premises flagrantly violating COVID-related regulations in the Staten Island Orange Zone.
“These rules are designed to protect New Yorkers during a dangerous increase in COVID cases, and ignoring them just a week after we had to open a surge hospital on Staten Island not only demonstrates an utter disregard for New Yorkers’ health, but is clearly illegal.
“The State is working with the NYPD and NYC Sheriff’s office to monitor compliance.”
The bar has declared itself an “autonomous zone,” taking a page from anti-cop radicals in Seattle, Wash., who took over a section of that city in June protesting George Floyd’s death and declaring they were free from authoritarian rule.
Mac’s has taken its crusade to social media, where it has openly flaunted its defiance of the government.
McAlarney said the bar has received an outpouring of support, with “104 [phone] calls yesterday, 70 so far today, [from] all over the country, Ireland, all telling us to keep strong.’’
Some people stopped by to take selfies posing with the front page of Sunday’s Post featuring the bar’s act of defiance.
On Sunday, a customer asked McAlarney at one point if he could bring a party of nine.
“More than welcome!’’ McAlarney said. “A party of nine, you’ll have to push two tables together. You know how this works. … Because we lost the license, and the shutdown, we’re not charging. Everything is free.
“If you feel like making a donation, that’ll be great, but food and drink are free. Enjoy yourself!”
A 61-year-old local, Bill, praised the bar’s efforts.
“Look at all these empty places, shut down. These guys sink their life savings into these places, and they’re all going out of business!’’ he said.
“Follow their rules, and you’ll starve this winter. De Blasio and Cuomo will be fine. You’ll starve!”


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Joe Biden reportedly to be tough on charter schools

Charter school advocates may not have an ally in President-elect Biden or his Education Department .
“ He has been working closely with us over these last few months to listen and understand what the issues are that we are facing in this moment .
We know we have a partner , ” Becky Pringle , president of the National Education Association , the nation ’ s largest teachers union , told the Wall Street Journal .
Unlike President Obama , who showed deference to the rise of charter schools and support for school choice , Biden has called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools that are operated by for-profit companies , which account for 12 percent of charter schools , according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools .
He also pledged , as part of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force , to “ support measures to increase accountability for charter schools.
” “ We will call for conditioning federal funding for new , expanded charter schools or for charter school renewals on a district ’ s review of whether the charter will systematically underserve the neediest students , ” the task force ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has sparked worry among parents and school choice advocates representing such students .
“ The data is consistently clear that nonprofit public charter schools , particularly in our urban communities that serve our African-American and Latino students , have performed well .
For that reason , there ’ s also very strong support among African-American and Latino parents for charter schools , ” Shavar Jeffries , president of Democrats for Education Reform , told The Journal .
“ I absolutely am deeply concerned that a union-controlled Biden Education Department could have a chilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and parents have made in securing educational options and excellence for the kids , ” Jeanne Allen , chief executive of the Center for Education Reform , told the paper .
Under President Trump and DeVos , the federal government has prioritized school choice , which Trump has called “ the civil rights of all time in this country.
” “ Frankly , school choice is the civil rights statement of the year , of the decade and probably beyond because all children have to have access to quality education , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June .
Biden , meanwhile , said that his issue with charter schools was that they “ siphon off money for our public schools ” during last year ’ s primary .
In a statement on the Trump administration ’ s current schooling policies , an Education Department spokesperson said , “ There is no one less powerful and more marginalized than the student trapped in a failing , government-assigned school with no way out .
”

Charter school advocates may not have an ally in President-elect Joe Biden or his Education Department.
“He has been working closely with us over these last few months to listen and understand what the issues are that we are facing in this moment. We know we have a partner,” Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union, told the Wall Street Journal.
Unlike President Barack Obama, who showed deference to the rise of charter schools and support for school choice, Biden has called for a ban on federal funding for charter schools that are operated by for-profit companies, which account for 12 percent of charter schools, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
He also pledged, as part of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force, to “support measures to increase accountability for charter schools.”
“We will call for conditioning federal funding for new, expanded charter schools or for charter school renewals on a district’s review of whether the charter will systematically underserve the neediest students,” the task force’s final platform read.
The policy position has sparked worry among parents and school choice advocates representing such students.
“The data is consistently clear that nonprofit public charter schools, particularly in our urban communities that serve our African American and Latino students, have performed well. For that reason, there’s also very strong support among African American and Latino parents for charter schools,” Shavar Jeffries, president of Democrats for Education Reform, told the Journal.
“I absolutely am deeply concerned that a union-controlled Biden Education Department could have a chilling effect on the progress that the states and parents have made in securing educational options and excellence for the kids,” Jeanne Allen, chief executive of the Center for Education Reform, told the paper.
Under President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the federal government has prioritized school choice, which Trump has called “the civil rights of all time in this country.”
“Frankly, school choice is the civil rights statement of the year, of the decade and probably beyond because all children have to have access to quality education,” the 45th commander-in-chief said from the White House in June.
Biden, meanwhile, said during last year’s primary that his issue with charter schools was that they “siphon off money for our public schools.”
In a statement on the Trump administration’s current school policies, an Education Department spokesperson said, “There is no one less powerful and more marginalized than the student trapped in a failing, government-assigned school with no way out.”


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--If you traveled for Thanksgiving, assume you have COVID-19, Dr. Birx says

The number of Americans hospitalized from coronavirus infections hit yet ...

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Americans should assume they are infected with the coronavirus — and get tested — if they traveled and attended large gatherings for Thanksgiving, Dr. Deborah Birx warned over the weekend.
In a Sunday interview with CBS anchor Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation,” the White House coronavirus task force coordinator urged anyone who gathered for the holiday to get tested within the next few days.
“We know people may have made mistakes over the Thanksgiving time period,” Birx said in an interview with “Face the Nation.” “If you’re young and you gathered, you need to be tested about five to 10 days later. But you need to assume that you’re infected and not go near your grandparents and aunts and others without a mask.”
“We’re really asking families to even mask indoors if they chose to gather during Thanksgiving and others went across the country or even into the next state,” she added.
Anyone over 65 years old who gathered for Thanksgiving and develops symptoms should be “tested immediately” because the available medications, as well as treatments, “work best very early in disease,” she said.
As Thanksgiving approached, public health officials repeatedly warned Americans to skip the large gatherings this year.
Birx said she and Dr. Anthony Fauci worry that the curves for daily new infections will mimic the one seen after Memorial Day weekend.
“If you look at the second wave going into the Memorial Day weekend, we had less than 25,000 cases a day,” she said. “We had only 30,000 inpatients in the hospital and we had way less mortality, way under a thousand. We’re entering this post-Thanksgiving surge with three, four and 10 times as much disease across the country. And so that’s what worries us the most.”
More than 13 million Americans have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and over 266,000 have died, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.
While governors in many states have begun to reimpose restrictions to curb the spread, Birx urged Americans in states without those measures to do their part.
“To every American, this is the moment to protect yourself and your family,” she said. “So if your governor or your mayor isn’t doing the policies that we know are critical — masking, physical distancing, avoiding bars, avoiding crowded indoor areas — if those restrictions don’t exist in your state, you need to take it upon yourself to be restricted. You need to not go to these places. You need to protect your family now.”


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--‘The Undoing’ Ending Explained: Who Killed Elena and What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

For the past six weeks , HBO ’ s The Undoing has been thrilling us with a mix of decadent wealth porn and old fashioned “ Whodunit ?
” storytelling .
The murder victim ?
Elena Alves ( Matilda De Angelis ) , an intensely beautiful young mother and artist who was bludgeoned to death in her own study .
The prime suspect ?
Dr. Jonathan Fraser ( Hugh Grant ) , a seemingly perfect pediatric oncologist who seemingly was a liar , cheat , and murderer ?
?
However , The Undoing gave us clues aplenty that the murderer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Grace Fraser ’ s ( Nicole Kidman ) spotty memory and love of walks or the revelation that little Henry Fraser ( Noah Jupe ) had been hiding the murder weapon the whole damn time , The Undoing gave us all pause for self-doubt .
Indeed , the crux of the whole series was the idea of how confirmation bias blinds us to the harsh truths we should otherwise see .
And The Undoing ‘ s series finale forced us to confront our own biases in murder mystery storytelling .
Though the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we spent every episode of The Undoing questioning the party ’ s guilt as much as Nicole Kidman ’ s character did .
We ’ re so used to a complicated conclusion that we simply wouldn ’ t accept the facts .
So who killed Elena Alves on The Undoing ?
And what exactly does Narcissistic Personality Disorder have to do with it ?
Here ’ s everything you need to know about The Undoing ‘ s ending… WHO KILLED ELENA ALVES ON HBO ’ S THE UNDOING ?
Jonathan Fraser , aka @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it really was him .
The whole time .
Director Susanna Bier ’ s crafty flashbacks aside , the obvious suspect was the actual murderer .
We learn that after making love to Elena in her studio , Jonathan flipped out when Elena revealed that she had befriended Grace and wanted the families to mesh .
When Elena teases he would never hurt her , Jonathan violently smashes her head against the wall .
Elena attempts to fight back and that ’ s when Jonathan uses the hammer to murder her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cliffhanger that suggested little Henry Fraser did it , that was soon cleared up .
The sweet curly-haired angel boy actually discovered the murder weapon in the ashes of the family ’ s outdoor fireplace ( at that swanky vacation home from earlier in the season ) .
Concerned by how it could ruin his father , Henry ran the weapon through the dishwasher twice to clean it of any incriminating DNA evidence .
Jonathan ’ s desperate reaction to this revelation is kind of what finally tips Grace off that her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is .
Jonathan is willing to incriminate his own 12-year-old son in the murder to save his own hide .
Grace then smoothly manipulates herself onto the stand so she can seemingly vouch for Jonathan .
However , she ’ s actually set it up so the prosecutor can ask her all about Jonathan ’ s history of sociopathy .
She gives him a diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder on the stand…which all but wraps up the trial…which sends a desperate Jonathan on one final rampage .
He attempts to kidnap Henry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boy .
However , the authorities ( and Grace ) put a dramatic stop to this .
So , yeah , it was Jonathan .
Jonathan and his Narcissistic Personality Disorder , or NPD… WHAT IS NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER , AS REFERENCED IN THE UNDOING ?
Okay , I am a lowly English major and have no authority when it comes to psychological analysis , but the Mayo Clinic defines Narcissistic Personality Disorder as “ a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance , a deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troubled relationships , and a lack of empathy for others .
But behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that ’ s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
” Using my own scholarly expertise in narrative analysis , yeah , that sums up Jonathan Fraser ’ s character to a tee .
Jonathan , as Grace explains , is so wrapped up in a vision of himself as a hero to the little cancer children and savior of his family that he can ’ t deal with any pushback to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s suggestion that the families can merge sets him off — because it reveals he is an imperfect husband and father — and why he manipulates Grace and others throughout The Undoing .
The comment that sets him over the edge ?
Henry ’ s admission that he knows he murdered someone .
Jonathan ’ s NPD can ’ t cope with the idea that his own son , who has hitherto hero-worshipped him , knows he did it .
So The Undoing was less a traditional “ Whodunnit ” and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell ourselves about ourselves can literally lead to our own…undoings .
Where to stream The Undoing

For the past six weeks, HBO’s The Undoing has been thrilling us with a mix of decadent wealth porn and old fashioned “Whodunit?” storytelling. The murder victim? Elena Alves (Matilda De Angelis), an intensely beautiful young mother and artist who was bludgeoned to death in her own study. The prime suspect? Dr. Jonathan Fraser (Hugh Grant), a seemingly perfect pediatric oncologist who seemingly was a liar, cheat, and murderer??
However, The Undoing gave us clues aplenty that the murderer might not be Jonathan. Whether it was Grace Fraser’s (Nicole Kidman) spotty memory and love of walks or the revelation that little Henry Fraser (Noah Jupe) had been hiding the murder weapon the whole damn time, The Undoing gave us all pause for self-doubt. Indeed, the crux of the whole series was the idea of how confirmation bias blinds us to the harsh truths we should otherwise see.
And The Undoing‘s series finale forced us to confront our own biases in murder mystery storytelling. Though the killer ought to have seemed obvious, we spent every episode of The Undoing questioning the party’s guilt as much as Nicole Kidman’s character did. We’re so used to a complicated conclusion that we simply wouldn’t accept the facts.
So who killed Elena Alves on The Undoing? And what exactly does Narcissistic Personality Disorder have to do with it? Here’s everything you need to know about The Undoing‘s ending…
WHO KILLED ELENA ALVES ON HBO’S THE UNDOING?
Jonathan Fraser, aka Hugh Grant, did it! Yup, it really was him. The whole time. Director Susanne Bier’s crafty flashbacks aside, the obvious suspect was the actual murderer. We learn that after making love to Elena in her studio, Jonathan flipped out when Elena revealed that she had befriended Grace and wanted the families to mesh. When Elena teases he would never hurt her, Jonathan violently smashes her head against the wall. Elena attempts to fight back and that’s when Jonathan uses the hammer to murder her.
While The Undoing Episode 5 ended on a cliffhanger that suggested little Henry Fraser did it, that was soon cleared up. The sweet curly-haired angel boy actually discovered the murder weapon in the ashes of the family’s outdoor fireplace (at that swanky vacation home from earlier in the season). Concerned by how it could ruin his father, Henry ran the weapon through the dishwasher twice to clean it of any incriminating DNA evidence.
Jonathan’s desperate reaction to this revelation is kind of what finally tips Grace off that her husband might be the asshole everyone says he is. Jonathan is willing to incriminate his own 12-year-old son in the murder to save his own hide. Grace then smoothly manipulates herself onto the stand so she can seemingly vouch for Jonathan. However, she’s actually set it up so the prosecutor can ask her all about Jonathan’s history of sociopathy. She gives him a diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder on the stand…which all but wraps up the trial…which sends a desperate Jonathan on one final rampage. He attempts to kidnap Henry and go on a suicidal run with the boy. However, the authorities (and Grace) put a dramatic stop to this.
So, yeah, it was Jonathan. Jonathan and his Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or NPD…
WHAT IS NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER, AS REFERENCED IN THE UNDOING?
Okay, I am a lowly English major and have no authority when it comes to psychological analysis, but the Mayo Clinic defines Narcissistic Personality Disorder as “a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that’s vulnerable to the slightest criticism.”
Using my own scholarly expertise in narrative analysis, yeah, that sums up Jonathan Fraser’s character to a tee. Jonathan, as Grace explains, is so wrapped up in a vision of himself as a hero to the little cancer children and savior of his family that he can’t deal with any pushback to this narrative. It’s why Elena’s suggestion that the families can merge sets him off — because it reveals he is an imperfect husband and father — and why he manipulates Grace and others throughout The Undoing. The comment that sets him over the edge? Henry’s admission that he knows he murdered someone. Jonathan’s NPD can’t cope with the idea that his own son, who has hitherto hero-worshipped him, knows he did it.
So The Undoing was less a traditional “Whodunnit” and more a portrait of how the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves can literally lead to our own…undoings.
Where to stream The Undoing


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--COVID-19 hospitalizations in US hit another record high with over 90K patients

A couple in Australia have been charged with manslaughter after ...

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The number of Americans hospitalized from coronavirus infections hit yet another all-time high Sunday — with 93,238 patients currently admitted, data shows.
It was the second time COVID-19 hospitalizations broke a record over the weekend, with Saturday reporting a total of 91,635 patients admitted, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Regional graphs tweeted by the organization showed dramatic spikes in recent hospital admissions in some areas, including the Northeast. Hospitalizations in the Midwest, on the other hand, appear to have slowed, the group said.
The stats also reflect alarming surges in specific states.
“In California, the number of hospitalized patients has doubled from 4k November 12 to more than 8k today,” the volunteer-run project noted.
The latest data suggested that Sunday’s new infections and deaths were lower than the average for the previous week, but the researchers warned that the dip was likely a result of “data wobbles” from a lack of reporting over Thanksgiving.
As of Monday, the US has reported 266,887 deaths and 13,385,494 infections, according to Johns Hopkins University data.


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Couple allegedly watch ‘Shameless’ on Netflix as girl, 3, dies in hot car

In a year that does not make sense , it is ...

A couple in Australia have been charged with manslaughter after a 3-year-old girl died in a scorching car while they were watching the Netflix show “Shameless,” according to a report.
Laura Black, 37, and her new beau Aaron Hill, 29, allegedly failed to realize that Rylee Rose was locked in the car on a day when temperatures in Townsville hit almost 90 degrees, news.com.au reported.
Rylee, who is not Hill’s biological daughter, was rushed to a hospital about 3 p.m. Friday but could not be saved after she was discovered slumped over in her booster seat in the back of her mother’s vehicle.
The Toyota Prado had been parked in the driveway since about 9 a.m., when the couple dropped Rylee’s three older sisters at school, according to the news outlet.
Black and Hill had been fighting on the drive home from school as Rylee fell asleep in the back, the Townsville Bulletin reported, citing police officials.
The couple, who had only moved in together two weeks ago, allegedly left the girl in the car as they sat down to binge watch the popular series.
After several hours, they discovered Rylee locked inside when they left to pick up the older sisters, news.com.au reported.
The pair spent the weekend behind bars but were granted bail Monday. Their next court date is scheduled for Feb. 24.
Meanwhile, people rallied behind the heartbroken couple, setting up a GoFundMe campaign for Rylee’s “devoted and devastated” dad, Pete, and her three sisters.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Rylee Rose on the lap of her father, Pete Facebook Rylee Rose with her father, Pete Facebook Advertisement
“Dear little Rylee Rose grew her angel wings on Friday. She leaves behind her loving, devoted and devastated father Pete and her three older sisters,” the account read. “No one should experience a loss like this.”
The investigation into the horrific tragedy continues but police but have ruled out drugs or alcohol as a contributor.


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Texas vs. Davidson prediction, line: Take the underdog Wildcats

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Listen Live to VSiN 's sports betting shows In a year that does not make sense , it is fitting that Davidson is playing the Maui Invitational in its home state of North Carolina as it will take on Texas in the first round of the tournament on Monday .
Texas has among its returning players the highest percentage of minutes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and those players get a boost by being joined by five-star freshman forward Greg Brown .
Brown had 11 points and 10 rebounds in his college basketball debut against UT Rio Grande Valley en route to the team hauling in 43 rebounds .
Davidson counters with an abundance of experience , as well .
Six of its top seven players in points scored from a season ago are back , including Kellen Grady , who has averaged more than 17 points per game in each of his three seasons on campus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the glass against Texas ’ front line , rising sophomore Hyunjung Lee is picking up where he left last season , dropping 23 points in the season opener against High Point .
In the team ’ s final 11 games of the 2019-20 season , Lee registered 10.6 ppg and made 93.1 percent of his free throws and 40.9 percent of his 3-point shots after seeing limited minutes to begin his freshman season .
Davidson had a lot of players last season who were expected to play big roles but were limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an underachieving 2019-20 season , it should pay dividends this season and allow the Wildcats to hang with Texas .

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In a year that does not make sense, it is fitting that Davidson is playing the Maui Invitational in its home state of North Carolina as it will take on Texas in the first round of the tournament on Monday.
Texas has among its returning players the highest percentage of minutes of any team in college basketball at 99.9, and those players get a boost by being joined by five-star freshman forward Greg Brown.
Brown had 11 points and 10 rebounds in his college basketball debut against UT Rio Grande Valley en route to the team hauling in 43 rebounds.
Davidson counters with an abundance of experience, as well. Six of its top seven players in points scored from a season ago are back, including Kellen Grady, who has averaged more than 17 points per game in each of his three seasons on campus.
Though Davidson might have a tough time on the glass against Texas’ front line, rising sophomore Hyunjung Lee is picking up where he left last season, dropping 23 points in the season opener against High Point. In the team’s final 11 games of the 2019-20 season, Lee registered 10.6 ppg and made 93.1 percent of his free throws and 40.9 percent of his 3-point shots after seeing limited minutes to begin his freshman season.
Davidson had a lot of players last season who were expected to play big roles but were limited by injuries. While that led to an underachieving 2019-20 season, it should pay dividends this season and allow the Wildcats to hang with Texas.
The Play: Davidson, +7.5.


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Listen to Episode 54 of ‘Blue Rush’: First Place Giants feat. Linda Cohn

Barring a surprising Eagles win over the Seahawks Monday night , the New York Giants will begin the month of December in first place in the NFC East…at 4-7 .
But first place is first place and Big Blue should feel good about it .
They didn ’ t exactly do it convincingly , but their defense came up clutch late to seal a 19-17 victory over the Bengals on Sunday .
The bad news for the Giants is Daniel Jones hurt his hamstring and could miss a game or more .
To break down the win , Jones ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we bring you a brand new episode of the Post ’ s critically-acclaimed Giants podcast “ Blue Rush ” with Lawrence Tynes and Paul Schwartz .
• Daniel Jones hurts his hamstring , leaves game .
Guys a bit worried about it .
Would be shocked if he plays against Seahawks Sunday .
Jones concerned about it a bit .
Tried to come back into game and give it a go , but had to come back out again .
• Colt McCoy admitted he was rusty .
He ’ s a serviceable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first team will help him .
He ’ s a good backup .
Not entirely dead against Seattle .
• Defense was fantastic .
Niko Lalos came off practice squad for a big game and got love from LeBron James on Twitter .
Joe Judge gives players confidence that even if they are the last man on the roster , they could go out and make a play .
• Logan Ryan and Jabrill Peppers play Pro Bowl football .
Xavier McKinney got out there a few times .
Him and Peppers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Graham Gano felt some ill effects from COVID .
Had yet another big game , but Tynes felt he was not his usual self .
Special teams unit was bad against kickoffs and punts .
• First place in the NFC East at 4-7 .
Tough schedule ahead , but a good feeling for now .
Tynes then honors the late Markus Paul following his tragic passing last week .
Paul was the Giants assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2007-2018 and Tynes speaks of how great a man he was .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1992 , SiriusXM MadDog Sports Radio Host , In The Crease Host , Author , National Jewish Sports Hall of Famer • Speaks about Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller ’ s impact on sports and interviewing her after the game Saturday .
Compares to when she was a goaltender on the men ’ s hockey team in high school .
• Thoughts on the current Giants , Daniel Jones , Dave Gettleman .
Loves Joe Judge .
Not sold yet on Daniel Jones .
Does not love Gettleman .
• Her love for Eli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what made Eli so special .
• Favorite ESPN commercials over the years , ones she has done .
• NY sports fans like nobody else .
Mets and Steve Cohen excitement .
Pride in being a New Yorker .
• Women in sports and the growth over the years .
More female officials , more female broadcasters , etc .
Catch up on all episodes of “ Blue Rush , ” a New York Giants podcast , by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Schwartz and Jake Brown on Twitter @ lt4kicks , @ NYPost_Schwartz and @ JakeBrownRadio .
The next episode of the show drops Thursday .

Barring a surprising Eagles win over the Seahawks Monday night, the New York Giants will begin the month of December in first place in the NFC East…at 4-7. But first place is first place and Big Blue should feel good about it. They didn’t exactly do it convincingly, but their defense came up clutch late to seal a 19-17 victory over the Bengals on Sunday. The bad news for the Giants is Daniel Jones hurt his hamstring and could miss a game or more. To break down the win, Jones’ injury and being in first place, we bring you a brand new episode of the Post’s critically-acclaimed Giants podcast “Blue Rush” with Lawrence Tynes and Paul Schwartz.
SUBSCRIBE ON:
Blue Rush Podcast Opening Segment with Schwartz & Tynes:
Daniel Jones hurts his hamstring, leaves game. Guys a bit worried about it. Would be shocked if he plays against Seahawks Sunday. Jones concerned about it a bit. Tried to come back into game and give it a go, but had to come back out again.
Colt McCoy admitted he was rusty. He’s a serviceable QB. Full week of practice with first team will help him. He’s a good backup. Not entirely dead against Seattle.
Defense was fantastic. Niko Lalos came off practice squad for a big game and got love from LeBron James on Twitter. Joe Judge gives players confidence that even if they are the last man on the roster, they could go out and make a play.
Logan Ryan and Jabrill Peppers play Pro Bowl football. Xavier McKinney got out there a few times. Him and Peppers and Ryan could be a lethal trio.
Graham Gano felt some ill effects from COVID. Had yet another big game, but Tynes felt he was not his usual self. Special teams unit was bad against kickoffs and punts.
First place in the NFC East at 4-7. Tough schedule ahead, but a good feeling for now.
Honoring Markus Paul
Tynes then honors the late Markus Paul following his tragic passing last week. Paul was the Giants assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2007-2018 and Tynes speaks of how great a man he was.
Linda Cohn Interview:
SportsCenter Anchor since 1992, SiriusXM MadDog Sports Radio Host, In The Crease Host, Author, National Jewish Sports Hall of Famer
Speaks about Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller’s impact on sports and interviewing her after the game Saturday. Compares to when she was a goaltender on the men’s hockey team in high school.
Thoughts on the current Giants, Daniel Jones, Dave Gettleman. Loves Joe Judge. Not sold yet on Daniel Jones. Does not love Gettleman.
Her love for Eli Manning, him following her on Twitter, what made Eli so special.
Favorite ESPN commercials over the years, ones she has done.
NY sports fans like nobody else. Mets and Steve Cohen excitement. Pride in being a New Yorker.
Women in sports and the growth over the years. More female officials, more female broadcasters, etc.
Catch up on all episodes of “Blue Rush,” a New York Giants podcast, by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Lawrence Tynes, Paul Schwartz and Jake Brown on Twitter @lt4kicks, @NYPost_Schwartz and @JakeBrownRadio. The next episode of the show drops Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Tequila bar applies to become church to skirt COVID-19 lockdown rules

Moderna said it will ask the feds to clear its ...

The Church of the Four Hundred Rabbits
The Church of the Four Hundred R
The Church of the Four Hundred Rabbits
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A tequila bar owner is trying to get around the UK’s strict coronavirus restrictions by adding some holy to his spirits — and registering as a church.
James Aspell, 34, posted photos of his formal application to make his shuttered “400 Rabbits Tequila and Mezcal Cocktail Bar” in Nottingham an official place of meeting for religious worship.
He was also shown smiling and giving the thumbs-up while mailing the form for the now-reverentially named Church of the Four Hundred Rabbits.
To get approved, he needs people to sign up and say they are part of his congregation — telling Nottinghamshire Live that they can register as a “bunny believer” or “reverend of the righteous rabbits.”
“With places of worship allowed to open in all tiers we thought f–k it let’s start a religion!” he explained on Facebook to his new congregation, who would otherwise be barred under the UK’s strict lockdown rules, which would only allow him to serve takeout if he sold food.
“Can’t be that hard can it!” he added, promising “Congregation daily till late.”
Aspell told Nottinghamshire Live that while it started as a joke, it “comes from a serious place” — his anger over “the hypocrisy” of strict lockdowns that he thinks are unfairly hurting bars.
“This time of year it’s usually all guns blazing but instead I’m sat at home putting my Christmas decorations up,” he complained of the popular bar he opened five years ago.
He admits that even if his house-of-worship application gets approved, he would likely not be allowed to serve booze. Instead, Aspell hopes “to adapt in a different way and have some fun with it.”
“We’re not doing this to offend anybody or break any rules,” he stressed.
Judging by social media for his bar — sorry, church — he has an eager congregation waiting to sip his holy water.
“The only reason I’d take up a religion. I’m in!” Leigh Harrison replied to his post, while Rebecca Barker said, “I want to worship at the church of mezcal.”
“The only religion I would get on board with,” Ken Scott said, offering “hopes and prayers for your salvation and delicious drinks.”
“You might just save 2020,” George Maroda Phillips told Aspell, while Terry James Hayfield suggested the tequila bar would be “a spiritual place of healing for sure.”


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Moderna to ask FDA for emergency clearance of COVID-19 vaccine

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Moderna said it will ask the feds to clear its experimental coronavirus vaccine for emergency use on Monday , adding to hopes that two inoculations could be available by Christmas .
The biotech firm will submit the second request for a so-called emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine from the US Food and Drug Administration after Pfizer and BioNTech filed their application earlier this month .
Moderna announced the move Monday as it revealed new data showing the vaccine was 94.1 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar to Pfizer ’ s efficacy rate of 95 percent — and posed no serious safety concerns .
The FDA ’ s vaccine advisory committee is expected to review data from the Phase 3 study at a Dec. 17 meeting , the company said .
“ We believe that our vaccine will provide a new and powerful tool that may change the course of this pandemic and help prevent severe disease , hospitalizations and death , ” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement .
The news sent Moderna ’ s stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday to $ 139.80 as of 7:51 a.m .
The submission will come as US officials and drug companies prepare to distribute coronavirus vaccines to first responders and other vulnerable people around the country as soon as they ’ re approved .
Massachusetts-based Moderna said it expects to ship its vaccine to distribution points throughout the US “ shortly after ” the FDA grants the emergency use authorization .
The first doses could be administered as soon as Dec. 21 if the process goes as planned , Bancel told The New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 million doses available in the US by the end of the year , enough to inoculate about 10 million people with two doses apiece .
Manhattan-based Pfizer , meanwhile , expects to have produced up to 50 million doses of its shot globally by year ’ s end and has said its shot could be distributed to high-risk populations by mid- to late December .
The FDA ’ s vaccine panel is scheduled to discuss the company ’ s emergency use authorization at a Dec. 10 meeting .
The FDA did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
Moderna deemed its vaccine highly effective after a new analysis of 196 people who contracted COVID-19 in its clinical trial of more than 30,000 people .
Only 11 of those who got sick had received the vaccine while the other 185 had gotten a placebo , the company said .
Some 30 participants came down with severe cases of the coronavirus , none of whom had been vaccinated , Moderna said .
One person in the study died of COVID-19-related causes but the patient had received a placebo , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysis found no serious safety problems with the shot , though the company noted that patients have reported fatigue , muscle aches , joint pain , headaches , and pain and redness at the injection site .
Moderna also announced that it will seek conditional approval for the vaccine on Monday from the European Medicines Agency , the European Union ’ s drug regulator .
The company said it has already started the approval processes in the UK , Israel and Singapore .
Both Moderna ’ s and Pfizer ’ s vaccines use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s injected into cells to provoke an immune response in the body .
That makes them different from another leading candidate from AstraZeneca , which uses a deactivated cold virus to deliver a gene for the coronavirus ’ spike proteins into the body .
The British drugmaker said last week that its shot was up to 90 percent effective .

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Moderna said it will ask the feds to clear its experimental coronavirus vaccine for emergency use on Monday, adding to hopes that two inoculations could be available by Christmas.
The biotech firm will submit the second request for a so-called emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine from the US Food and Drug Administration after Pfizer and BioNTech filed their application earlier this month.
Moderna announced the move Monday as it revealed new data showing the vaccine was 94.1 percent effective in its late-stage clinical trial — similar to Pfizer’s efficacy rate of 95 percent — and posed no serious safety concerns. The FDA’s vaccine advisory committee is expected to review data from the Phase 3 study at a Dec. 17 meeting, the company said.
“We believe that our vaccine will provide a new and powerful tool that may change the course of this pandemic and help prevent severe disease, hospitalizations and death,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.
The news sent Moderna’s stock price surging nearly 19 percent to an intraday high of $151. The shares were trading up about 18 percent at $149.95 as of 3:10 p.m. Monday.
The submission will come as US officials and drug companies prepare to distribute coronavirus vaccines to first responders and other vulnerable people around the country as soon as they’re approved.
Massachusetts-based Moderna said it expects to ship its vaccine to distribution points throughout the US “shortly after” the FDA grants the emergency use authorization. The first doses could be administered as soon as Dec. 21 if the process goes as planned, Bancel told The New York Times.
Moderna says it will have about 20 million doses available in the US by the end of the year, enough to inoculate about 10 million people with two doses apiece. Manhattan-based Pfizer, meanwhile, expects to have produced up to 50 million doses of its shot globally by year’s end and has said its shot could be distributed to high-risk populations by mid- to late December. The FDA’s vaccine panel is scheduled to discuss the company’s emergency use authorization at a Dec. 10 meeting.
The FDA did not comment on Moderna’s pending submission specifically but said it will review requests for emergency clearance “as expeditiously as possible.”
Moderna deemed its vaccine highly effective after a new analysis of 196 people who contracted COVID-19 in its clinical trial of more than 30,000 people. Only 11 of those who got sick had received the vaccine while the other 185 had gotten a placebo, the company said.
Some 30 participants came down with severe cases of the coronavirus, none of whom had been vaccinated, Moderna said. One person in the study died of COVID-19-related causes but the patient had received a placebo, according to the company.
Moderna’s latest analysis found no serious safety problems with the shot, though the company noted that patients have reported fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, headaches, and pain and redness at the injection site.
Moderna also announced that it will seek conditional approval for the vaccine on Monday from the European Medicines Agency, the European Union’s drug regulator. The company said it has already started the approval processes in the UK, Israel and Singapore.
Both Moderna’s and Pfizer’s vaccines use messenger RNA, manufactured genetic material that’s injected into cells to provoke an immune response in the body. That makes them different from another leading candidate from AstraZeneca, which uses a deactivated cold virus to deliver a gene for the coronavirus’ spike proteins into the body. The British drugmaker said last week that its shot was up to 90 percent effective.


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--New Zealand charges 13 parties over White Island volcano deaths

New Zealand authorities filed criminal charges Monday against 10 organizations and three people in connection with the volcanic eruption on White Island , where 22 people were killed and dozens left with horrific burns last year .
Safety watchdog WorkSafe had investigated why 47 tourists were at the site in December 2019 when the eruption occurred just weeks after the threat alert level had been raised .
“ This deeply tragic event was unexpected but that does not mean it was unforeseeable , ” chief executive Phil Parkes Parkes said , according to Agence France-Presse .
“ The victims , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a reasonable expectation that they could go to the island knowing that the organizations involved had done all they were required to do to look after their health and safety , ” he added .
Parkes declined to reveal who was facing charges in case the court granted them name suppression , although the identities of some were revealed through other sources .
Two tour companies said they had been charged , while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that two government agencies also were being prosecuted — GNS Science , responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emergency Management Authority , which handles disaster planning .
“ There is no easy process here but it is the job of WorkSafe to ensure that if there are questions to be answered that they lead the charge on that , ” Ardern said .
“ It ’ s an independent decision for them… we really need to leave it at that.
” Parkes said the organizations could be fined up to NZ $ 1.5 million — about $ 1.1 million in US currency — with individuals facing maximum fines of NZ $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coroner ’ s office has been running in tandem with the WorkSafe inquiry and could potentially result in more charges being recommended .
“ The Chief Coroner ’ s inquiry into the Whakaari/White Island eruption deaths remains on hold until other agencies ’ prosecutions have gone through the judicial process , ” a spokesman for the coroner told AFP .
The majority of the victims were tourists from countries like Australia , the US and Malaysia who were part of a cruise ship that was traveling around New Zealand .
Of those killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American , two were New Zealanders and one was from Germany .

New Zealand authorities filed criminal charges Monday against 10 organizations and three people in connection with the volcanic eruption on White Island, where 22 people were killed and dozens left with horrific burns last year.
Safety watchdog WorkSafe had investigated why 47 tourists were at the site in December 2019 when the eruption occurred just weeks after the threat alert level had been raised.
“This deeply tragic event was unexpected but that does not mean it was unforeseeable,” chief executive Phil Parkes Parkes said, according to Agence France-Presse.
“The victims, both workers and visitors alike, all had a reasonable expectation that they could go to the island knowing that the organizations involved had done all they were required to do to look after their health and safety,” he added.
Parkes declined to reveal who was facing charges in case the court granted them name suppression, although the identities of some were revealed through other sources.
Two tour companies said they had been charged, while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that two government agencies also were being prosecuted — GNS Science, responsible for monitoring volcanic activity, and the National Emergency Management Authority, which handles disaster planning.
“There is no easy process here but it is the job of WorkSafe to ensure that if there are questions to be answered that they lead the charge on that,” Ardern said. “It’s an independent decision for them… we really need to leave it at that.”
Parkes said the organizations could be fined up to NZ$1.5 million — about $1.1 million in US currency — with individuals facing maximum fines of NZ$300,000.
A separate probe by the coroner’s office has been running in tandem with the WorkSafe inquiry and could potentially result in more charges being recommended.
“The Chief Coroner’s inquiry into the Whakaari/White Island eruption deaths remains on hold until other agencies’ prosecutions have gone through the judicial process,” a spokesman for the coroner told AFP.
The majority of the victims were tourists from countries like Australia, the US and Malaysia who were part of a cruise ship that was traveling around New Zealand.
Of those killed, 14 were Australian, five were American, two were New Zealanders and one was from Germany.
With Post Wires


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Toddler sports $13K designer wardrobe

Toddler sports $13K designer wardrobe

This kid is only 3 , but his designer duds are worth five figures .
With a wardrobe of Burberry @ @ @ @ @ Givenchy , Moschino and Ralph Lauren , lil ’ Elensio , of Waltham Cross , @ @ @ @ @ life as a social media influencer .
His mom , Enkeleda Sulaj , called him @ @ @ @ @ so much personality and cheekiness ” on their popular Instagram .

This kid is only 3, but his designer duds are worth five figures. With a wardrobe of Burberry, Versace, Gucci, Givenchy, Moschino and Ralph Lauren, lil’ Elensio, of Waltham Cross, UK, is well-suited for life as a social media influencer. His mom, Enkeleda Sulaj, called him a “mini heartbreaker with so much personality and cheekiness” on their popular Instagram.
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newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Iranian nuclear scientist reportedly killed by remote-controlled machine gun

Merriam-Webster on Monday announced “ pandemic ” as its word of year ... .

Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated using a remote-controlled machine gun operating from a car — which then exploded, local media claims.
The semi-official Fars news agency gave the wild description of Friday’s attack on Fakhrizadeh, which it says lasted three minutes.
The scientist — who founded Iran’s military nuclear program in the 2000s — was traveling with his wife in a bulletproof car with three security vehicles when he heard the sound of gunfire and got out to see what was going on, the agency reported on Sunday.
That’s when the remote-controlled weapon started blasting him from a Nissan parked around 164 yards away, before the car itself blew up.
Fakhrizadeh was hit three times, including by a bullet that severed his spine, the agency said.
State TV’s Arabic-language channel, Al-Alam, also claimed that the weapons used in the attack, allegedly by Israel, were “controlled by satellite.”
Satellite-controlled weapons, including machine guns, have been used in the Middle East, by both professional armies and militants, who have been known to place them in vehicles or at stationary posts, according to Forbes.
The accounts contradict earlier Iranian reports that the Nissan exploded first before Fakhrizadeh was ambushed by a hit squad of at least 12 gunmen, including some snipers.
However, a top Iranian security official made similar allegations at Fakhrizadeh’s funeral on Monday.
“Unfortunately, the operation was a very complicated operation and was carried out by using electronic devices,” said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
“No individual was present at the site.”
He also blamed Iranian exile group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) for “having a role in this,” without elaborating.
A spokesman for MEK, which has been suspected of assisting Israeli operations in Iran in the past, dismissed Shamkhani’s remarks as “rage, rancor and lies” sparked by the group’s earlier exposes over Iran’s nuclear program.
Israel — long suspected of killing Iranian nuclear scientists over the last 10 years — has declined to comment on the attack on Fakhrizadeh, who headed Iran’s so-called AMAD program, which Israel and the West have claimed was a military operation looking at the feasibility of building a nuclear weapon.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Press TV reported Monday that the weapon used in the assassination Friday was made in Israel.
“The weapons collected from the site of the terrorist act (where Fakhrizadeh was assassinated) bear the logo and specifications of the Israeli military industry,” an unnamed source told the English-language news outlet.
Israeli officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Reuters.
Israeli intelligence minister Eli Cohen told radio station 103 FM on Monday, before the Press TV report, that he did not know who was responsible for the killing.
When asked about potential Iranian retaliation, Cohen told the radio station: “We have regional intelligence supremacy, and on this matter we are prepared, we are increasing vigilance, in the places where that is required.”
Jerusalem insists that Iran still maintains the ambition of developing nukes, pointing to Tehran’s ballistic missile program and research into other technologies.
Tehran has long insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful.
Defense Minister Gen. Amir Hatami, who kissed Fakhrizadeh’s casket and put his forehead against it, said his killing would make Iranians “more united, more determined.”
“For the continuation of your path, we will continue with more speed and more power,” Hatami said.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--‘Pandemic’ named 2020 word of the year by Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster on Monday announced “ pandemic ” as its word of year .
“ That probably isn ’ t a big shock , ” Peter Sokolowski , editor at large for Merriam-Webster , told The Associated Press .
In its noun form , pandemic is defined by the dictionary as an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area ( such as multiple countries or continents ) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population .
“ Often the big news story has a technical word that ’ s associated with it and in this case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical but has become general .
It ’ s probably the word by which we ’ ll refer to this period in the future , ” Sokolowski , a lexicographer , told the outlet .
The World Health Organization on March 11 declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
That same day , Sokolowski said , searches for the word were 115,806 percent higher than on the same date last year .
Coronavirus and other related pandemic words — including quarantine — were among the runners up for Merriam-Webster ’ s word @ @ @

Merriam-Webster on Monday announced “pandemic” as its word of year.
“That probably isn’t a big shock,” Peter Sokolowski, editor at large for Merriam-Webster, told The Associated Press.
In its noun form, pandemic is defined by the dictionary as an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population.
“Often the big news story has a technical word that’s associated with it and in this case, the word pandemic is not just technical but has become general. It’s probably the word by which we’ll refer to this period in the future,” Sokolowski, a lexicographer, told the outlet.
The World Health Organization on March 11 declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.
That same day, Sokolowski said, searches for the word were 115,806 percent higher than on the same date last year.
Coronavirus and other related pandemic words — including quarantine — were among the runners up for Merriam-Webster’s word of 2020.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Keyhole wasps threaten airplane safety in Australia

Move over seagulls , aviation has a new threat — the keyhole wasp .
Keyhole wasps like to build their nests in tiny holes , including the opening of devices used to measure the speed of aircrafts , according to new findings conducted over a three year period by Eco Logical Australia .
The research was triggered by several safety incidents involving the wasps , including one in which a plane had to land again soon after departing from Brisbane Airport because the pilots recognized an air speed discrepancy in November 2013 .
After studying the behavior of keyhole wasps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the team discovered a total of 26 wasp-related issues were reported at the airport between November 2013 and April 2019 , in conjunction with a series of serious safety incidents involving “ pitot probes.
” The wasps had effortlessly built nests in these pitot probes — which are tube-like instruments often mounted beneath the cockpit on the exterior of an aircraft .
“ It ’ s not a Mayday emergency but it ’ s the next level down , and it closes the runways , ” said biologist Alan House .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the culprit in that case .
As a result of the research , risk-mitigating strategies have been introduced , such as covering pitot probes when aircraft arrive at Brisbane Airport .
In South and Central America , where the keyhole wasp is a native species , it is known to build its nest in cavities including keyholes and electrical sockets .
“ It ’ s quite famous for the plasticity of its nesting behavior , ” says House .
“ We hope this research will bring attention to a little known but serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subtropical regions , ” the biologist said .
“ Having found its way across the Pacific Ocean , there is no reason to doubt that it could spread to other parts of Australia .
The consequences of not managing this clever but dangerous pest could be substantial , ” he concluded .

Move over seagulls, aviation has a new threat — the keyhole wasp.
Keyhole wasps like to build their nests in tiny holes, including the opening of devices used to measure the speed of aircrafts, according to new findings conducted over a three year period by Eco Logical Australia.
The research was triggered by several safety incidents involving the wasps, including one in which a plane had to land again soon after departing from Brisbane Airport because the pilots recognized an air speed discrepancy in November 2013.
After studying the behavior of keyhole wasps (Pachodynerus nasidens) at Brisbane Airport, the team discovered a total of 26 wasp-related issues were reported at the airport between November 2013 and April 2019, in conjunction with a series of serious safety incidents involving “pitot probes.”
The wasps had effortlessly built nests in these pitot probes — which are tube-like instruments often mounted beneath the cockpit on the exterior of an aircraft.
“It’s not a Mayday emergency but it’s the next level down, and it closes the runways,” said biologist Alan House. A blocked pitot probe was found to be the culprit in that case.
As a result of the research, risk-mitigating strategies have been introduced, such as covering pitot probes when aircraft arrive at Brisbane Airport.
In South and Central America, where the keyhole wasp is a native species, it is known to build its nest in cavities including keyholes and electrical sockets. “It’s quite famous for the plasticity of its nesting behavior,” says House.
“We hope this research will bring attention to a little known but serious issue for air travel in tropical and subtropical regions,” the biologist said.
“Having found its way across the Pacific Ocean, there is no reason to doubt that it could spread to other parts of Australia. The consequences of not managing this clever but dangerous pest could be substantial,” he concluded.


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--YouTuber ‘chasing dreams’ fractures skull during jump from Texas bridge

A YouTuber chasing his “ dreams ” fractured his skull after leaping into a river from atop a massive Texas bridge last week .
Saa Fomba recorded last Monday ’ s stunt at Austin ’ s Pennybacker Bridge , posting it to his YouTube channel on Friday after several days in the hospital .
The footage shows the daredevil as he hatches the dangerous stunt .
“ Hopefully this video will motivate you to chase after your dreams , ” Fomba said to the camera as he prepared to jump into the Colorado river .
“ I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life.
” A woman later records Fomba scaling up an arch of the bridge .
At the apex of the arch , Fomba raises his arms into the air before wildly jumping to the water below , the video shows .
A boater pulled Fomba from the water and he is later seen lying on the shore until first responders arrive .
Later in the video , Fomba gave a video update on his condition from a hospital room .
“ This is day three in the hospital .
I can walk … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ People are texting me ‘ is it worth it ?
’ Fomba said .
“ No one wished to get hurt , but it ’ s always worth it chasing your dreams.
” Officials told CBS Austin that Fomba was taken to St. David ’ s South Austin Medical Center .
It is unclear if he will face any criminal charges for the stunt .

A YouTuber chasing his “dreams” fractured his skull after leaping into a river from atop a massive Texas bridge last week.
Saa Fomba recorded last Monday’s stunt at Austin’s Pennybacker Bridge, posting it to his YouTube channel on Friday after several days in the hospital.
The footage shows the daredevil as he hatches the dangerous stunt.
“Hopefully this video will motivate you to chase after your dreams,” Fomba said to the camera as he prepared to jump into the Colorado river. “I don’t see no fun in living a normal life.”
A woman later records Fomba scaling up an arch of the bridge. At the apex of the arch, Fomba raises his arms into the air before wildly jumping to the water below, the video shows.
A boater pulled Fomba from the water and he is later seen lying on the shore until first responders arrive.
Later in the video, Fomba gave a video update on his condition from a hospital room.
“This is day three in the hospital. I can walk … I fractured part of my skull,” he said.
“People are texting me ‘is it worth it?’ Fomba said. “No one wished to get hurt, but it’s always worth it chasing your dreams.”
Officials told CBS Austin that Fomba was taken to St. David’s South Austin Medical Center.
It is unclear if he will face any criminal charges for the stunt.


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Giants O-line keeps thriving in first game since heated Marc Colombo firing

The easy thing for Colt McCoy to do would have ...

The Giants, in their first game since offensive line coach Marc Colombo was fired, did plenty of good and some not-so-good up front in Sunday’s 19-17 victory over the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.
Leaning on a ball-control attack after quarterback Daniel Jones left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury, the Giants ended up with 42 rushing attempts and gained 142 yards, their sixth consecutive game with more than 100 rushing yards. Their time of possession was 37:26, their highest in more than seven years. There were no sacks of Jones or his replacement, Colt McCoy.
Head coach Joe Judge dismissed Colombo after the two had words as the Giants embarked on their bye week. Colombo’s replacement, veteran assistant Dave DeGuglielmo, kept rookie Shane Lemieux in the starting lineup at left guard and mixed Will Hernandez in for a few series. This does not bode well for Hernandez, who did not return to the starting lineup against the Eagles after he missed two games on the reserve/COVID-19 list and is now a reserve.
There was no rotation at offensive tackle, as rookie Matt Peart is on the reserve/COVID-19 list. With Peart unavailable to take some of the snaps from Cam Fleming, the veteran right tackle labored down the stretch. His holding penalty on the first play after the two-minute warning nullified a 10-yard pass from McCoy to Wayne Gallman that would have given the Giants a first down and might have allowed them to run out the clock.
“We don’t want any penalties at any time,’’ Judge said. “I’m proud of the way those guys worked. They’re a tough group. We knew that for us to have success we were going to have to run the ball, get the ball downhill.
Judge was not happy with the worst special teams performance of the season by the Giants: “Obviously, it wasn’t good enough,’’ Judge said. “We’re not going to be able to compete these next five weeks if we don’t raise our level of play.’’
Rookie safety Xavier McKinney was used sparingly in his NFL debut. He got his first snap on defense in the second quarter, put on the field on third-and-18 from the Giants’ 36-yard line. McKinney assisted on one special team tackle.
The last time the Giants gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown was Rashad Ross of Washington, who took one 101 yards on Sept. 24, 2015. … Special teams ace Nate Ebner left in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return. OLB Kyler Fackrell was forced out in the third quarter with a calf issue, giving increased playing time to rookie Carter Coughlin.
The Giants won in Cincinnati for the first time in franchise history. They had been 0-6 on the road against the Bengals. … TE Kaden Smith also missed the game while on the reserve/COVID-19 list. … The victory was the 700th in the regular season for the Giants, in their 96th season. The only other franchises in the 700-win club are the Bears (774) and Packers (763).


newyorkpost--2020-11-30--Giants’ Graham Gano sharp in return from ‘terrible’ COVID-19 quarantine

The climb , more slow jog up an incline than a ...

Graham Gano followed up a “terrible” two weeks with his typical flawless performance.
Gano tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 16 and spent most of the next two weeks in NFL-mandated quarantine, returning to Giants practice Friday and not missing a beat Sunday as he kicked four field goals in a 19-17 win against the Bengals.
“That was terrible,” Gano said of his time isolated in a hotel room. “I got so tired of being on my phone or computer watching movies. I would sit and look at the window and couldn’t wait to get back outside.
“But there are so many people around the world right now struggling with the same thing, so I just feel blessed I was able to come out of it and be fine. There’s a lot of people out there not so fortunate right now, so I feel like you have to keep praying for those people. I’m fortunate I was able to have good care around me. I feel pretty good right now.”
Gano described his symptoms as a “pretty aggressive” fever, body aches, headaches and a temporary loss of taste. He was needed for 11 plays on Sunday — four field goals to run his streak of consecutive successful attempts to 24, one PAT and six kickoffs.
“I don’t think there was a time I was really worried,” Gano said, when asked if he feared being sidelined longer than the minimum. “Today, I was a bit fatigued. But they trust me to go out on the field and kick the ball, and I was able to do that.”
Gano credited the Giants trainers, medical staff and nutritionist for bringing him food and other necessities. He used a kicking net in his hotel room to stay sharp enough to connect from 49, 40, 39 and 32 yards against the Bengals.
“I just wanted to make sure I was getting some reps in somehow,” Gano said. “I was able to get that and not make any neighbors mad, so that went well.”
Gano’s first kickoff — returned 103 yards for a touchdown by Brandon Wilson — did not go well.
“That was all my fault,” he said. “I’ve got to kick off better directionally. I hit it down the middle of the field, and that just puts the team in a bad position. At the end of the day, I’ve got to make that tackle, too. I thought I had him. I’ve made enough tackles in my career that I know what to do, and I just didn’t do a good job there, so all-around I feel like you could just put that on me.”
A self-described “roller-coaster” two weeks began with Gano celebrating a three-year, $14 million contract extension, signed hours after the Giants beat the Eagles. It ended with business as usual.
“I’m just so excited to be here and happy to be playing football again,” Gano said. “About a little over a year ago, I wasn’t sure if I was going to play football again after having the surgery on my femur, so it’s just a true blessing to be able to play the game I love.”