newyorkpost--2020-07-20--FBI knew ‘collusion’ was a nothing-burger, but kept fake scandal alive anyway

Despite what The New York Times and Washington Post were ...

‘We have not seen evidence of any individuals affiliated with the Trump team in contact with [Russian intelligence officers].”
How much wasted time on pointless investigations could have been prevented had Peter Strzok, then one of the FBI’s top counterintelligence officials who was spearheading the bureau’s Trump-Russia investigation, said this publicly one month into President Trump’s term?
But no, it was a private note by Strzok, for consumption within the FBI, to debunk a Feb. 14, 2017, New York Times article. The news story, a compilation by five of the Times’ top reporters, working four unnamed sources (the usual “current and former American officials”), claimed that members of the Trump campaign had “repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials” before the 2016 election.
This was false. Just as important, the FBI knew it was false.
But we, the American people, only know that now, in 2020, because Strzok’s notes were finally made public on Friday.
The Times article centrally identified former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort as a key adviser in communication with Kremlin spies. Strzok, however, countered that the bureau was “unaware of any calls with any Russian government official in which Manafort was a party.”
Significantly, the Times report was part of a tireless campaign of government leaks, mostly from current and former intelligence operatives (undoubtedly from officials who either worked in agencies still teeming with Obama holdovers or left government after serving the Obama administration).
The story was published just after the firing of Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser. As part of the Trump transition, Flynn had engaged in perfectly appropriate contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, but had been publicly portrayed as if he were a clandestine agent working for Moscow against the country he’d bled for as a decorated US Army commander.
The narrative of “Trump collusion with Russia” was pure fiction. The public officials who peddled it to a voracious anti-Trump press had to know it was bunk. Yet they fed the beast anyway, regardless of the cloud this created, regardless of how much it harmed the administration’s capacity to govern.
Worse: This was not merely a media scam. The FBI and the Obama Justice Department made similar representations, under oath, to the federal court that oversees secret government surveillance programs.
By the time of the Times report, the bureau and Obama DOJ had obtained warrants to monitor former Trump campaign adviser Cater Page in October 2016 and January 2017.
In each warrant, the court was told: “The FBI believes that the Russian Government’s efforts to influence the 2016 presidential campaign were being coordinated with Page and perhaps other individuals associated with [Trump’s] campaign.” Moreover, the warrant applications painted a picture of a “conspiracy of cooperation” between Donald Trump and the Putin regime, with Manafort at the hub, using such underlings as Page and Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, as intermediaries.
It was complete nonsense, largely based on the so-called dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, working on behalf of the Hillary Clinton campaign. Strzok’s notes attest that the FBI knew Steele’s reporting was highly suspect.
And that’s not the half of it. The Senate Judiciary Committee, at the same time it disclosed Strzok’s notes, also released a lengthy internal FBI memorandum detailing that Steele had immense credibility problems. In particular, his reporting was based on third-hand (or even less reliable) hearsay and innuendo. It was funneled to him through a sub-source who told the FBI, in a lengthy February 2017 interview, that the dossier claims were exaggerations and innuendo gussied up to seem like real intelligence.
Yet, despite knowing that, far from dropping its bogus investigation, the FBI doubled down, seeking new warrants in April and June, failing to correct its misrepresentations.
It is a shocking black eye for American law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The Justice Department’s criminal investigation is said to be reaching its conclusion. Americans need answers.
Andrew C. McCarthy is a former federal prosecutor, National Review contributing editor and author of “Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-20--The 747 was the very best way to fly

The 747 was the very best way to fly

Are we allowed to be sad about frivolous things ?
Amid far worse news comes a twinge : British Airways will retire its fleet of 747s , effective now .
The upper deck of a 747 is , or was , a cozy way of life that has vanished , along with much else .
The 50-year-old Boeing 747 launched mass global travel — and was the last plane to escape with glamor before air travel became the equivalent of the Bolt Bus .
The plane , with its fat front bubble , looks like a child ’ s drawing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friendly , but mammoth : If your flying initiation was on domestic 737s , looking at the 747 is like taking in a multistory building : How will it get up there ?
My first trip on a 747 , 21 years ago , was in the vast “ world-traveler ” economy-class downstairs cabin , and it was good fun .
This is where you ’ re supposed to say there isn ’ t much difference between economy and business .
Business is just more legroom , and who cares ?
You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sorry , no — there is no flying experience like the upper deck of a 747 .
First of all , an airplane with an upstairs !
This never gets old : gliding through the short security line , climbing the steep steps and having a no-nonsense attendant who calls you “ love ” take your coat and hand you a tumbler full of Champagne .
Locker upon locker to check your suitcase — except you have no suitcase : Veteran business-class travelers travel light .
Let the downstairs masses fight over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of shoes ; most of this space remains empty .
Then , settle into the two best seats in the snug 20-person cabin — 63A and B , not near the bathroom , not near the kitchen .
You didn ’ t have to be in the 1 percent to fly the upper deck .
In fact , the only reason the upper deck was available to people like me is because , over two decades , the 1 percent has decamped to private jets , harming the 747 profit model .
Mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took commitment , not untold riches .
Get the credit card for cheap upgrades , and the virtuous circle widens : The more you go , the more points , and the more cheap upgrades , especially at Christmas and in August , when few business travelers fly .
Flyers in the know , know not to eat on the plane : Take the sleeper flight and eat in the JFK lounge before boarding .
Then , after a takeoff cocktail , you can focus on the fun : sleeping .
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BA socks on , ripping your fresh blankets from their crisp pouch , slotting into the firm lie-flat bed and hurtling feet-first across the ocean , surrounded by the white noise of the plane and the attendants murmuring in their galley .
Turbulence ?
What strikes fear into your sitting-upright self downstairs , is , upstairs , like rocking a baby in his cradle .
BA business class has been the object of jokes for its odd configuration : To give each person more room , one seat is backward and one forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backward ( strange ) .
In a full cabin , you have to clamber over another slumbering body to get to the bathroom .
I found this more quirky than annoying .
And BA , from losing a brake pad on takeoff ( oh , well ) to forgetting to pack the cassis for the Kir Royale drinks ( horror ! )
, has always been amusingly just this side of competent .
Still , the upper deck was one of the safest , most soothing places on the planet , or above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a fatal crash in 35 years and never lost a 747 . )
When the flight landed , you would climb down those stairs , glimpse the remnants of indignity and chaos that was the economy-class flight and pad to the lounge for scrambled eggs and hand lotion .
The British like routine .
For two decades , this has been my routine , too , and a liminal life signal : time to go on vacation , time to go home to re-start the year .
On Jan. 2 , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspaper — glancing over an article about an unidentified pneumonia in China .
There is no telling when I ’ ll be back on a plane or waiting at passport control at Heathrow .
One thing is certain : it won ’ t be via the upper deck .
Like many things on the other side — most of far greater import — it won ’ t be the same .

Are we allowed to be sad about frivolous things? Amid far worse news comes a twinge: British Airways will retire its fleet of 747s, effective now. The upper deck of a 747 is, or was, a cozy way of life that has vanished, along with much else.
The 50-year-old Boeing 747 launched mass global travel — and was the last plane to escape with glamor before air travel became the equivalent of the Bolt Bus.
The plane, with its fat front bubble, looks like a child’s drawing of a friendly, smiling aircraft. Friendly, but mammoth: If your flying initiation was on domestic 737s, looking at the 747 is like taking in a multistory building: How will it get up there?
My first trip on a 747, 21 years ago, was in the vast “world-traveler” economy-class downstairs cabin, and it was good fun. This is where you’re supposed to say there isn’t much difference between economy and business. Business is just more legroom, and who cares? You’re flying to the same place.
Sorry, no — there is no flying experience like the upper deck of a 747.
First of all, an airplane with an upstairs! This never gets old: gliding through the short security line, climbing the steep steps and having a no-nonsense attendant who calls you “love” take your coat and hand you a tumbler full of Champagne.
Locker upon locker to check your suitcase — except you have no suitcase: Veteran business-class travelers travel light. Let the downstairs masses fight over the last bin to check their nine pairs of shoes; most of this space remains empty.
Then, settle into the two best seats in the snug 20-person cabin — 63A and B, not near the bathroom, not near the kitchen.
You didn’t have to be in the 1 percent to fly the upper deck. In fact, the only reason the upper deck was available to people like me is because, over two decades, the 1 percent has decamped to private jets, harming the 747 profit model.
Mostly, a seat in the upper deck took commitment, not untold riches. Get the credit card for cheap upgrades, and the virtuous circle widens: The more you go, the more points, and the more cheap upgrades, especially at Christmas and in August, when few business travelers fly.
Flyers in the know, know not to eat on the plane: Take the sleeper flight and eat in the JFK lounge before boarding. Then, after a takeoff cocktail, you can focus on the fun: sleeping.
There’s something decadent about putting your Elmo-textured BA socks on, ripping your fresh blankets from their crisp pouch, slotting into the firm lie-flat bed and hurtling feet-first across the ocean, surrounded by the white noise of the plane and the attendants murmuring in their galley.
Turbulence? What strikes fear into your sitting-upright self downstairs, is, upstairs, like rocking a baby in his cradle.
BA business class has been the object of jokes for its odd configuration: To give each person more room, one seat is backward and one forward, and so someone has to fly backward (strange). In a full cabin, you have to clamber over another slumbering body to get to the bathroom. I found this more quirky than annoying.
And BA, from losing a brake pad on takeoff (oh, well) to forgetting to pack the cassis for the Kir Royale drinks (horror!), has always been amusingly just this side of competent.
Still, the upper deck was one of the safest, most soothing places on the planet, or above it. (BA hasn’t had a fatal crash in 35 years and never lost a 747.)
When the flight landed, you would climb down those stairs, glimpse the remnants of indignity and chaos that was the economy-class flight and pad to the lounge for scrambled eggs and hand lotion.
The British like routine. For two decades, this has been my routine, too, and a liminal life signal: time to go on vacation, time to go home to re-start the year. On Jan. 2, I nestled, taxiing, flipping through my newspaper — glancing over an article about an unidentified pneumonia in China.
There is no telling when I’ll be back on a plane or waiting at passport control at Heathrow. One thing is certain: it won’t be via the upper deck. Like many things on the other side — most of far greater import — it won’t be the same.
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor of City Journal. Twitter: @NicoleGelinas


newyorkpost--2020-07-20--Nancy Pelosi and Democrats have it exactly wrong on feds vs. protesters in Portland

Peaceful protesters don ’ t try to burn down federal courthouses or ...

If only mobs were allowed to destroy federal property without consequence. Then there wouldn’t have to be any dispute over federal agents defending a federal courthouse in Portland, Ore.; it could simply be overrun and burned to the ground with no unwelcome resistance from the government.
As it is, Portland’s mayor, Ted Wheeler, who presides over a city that has become a watchword over the years for left-wing thuggery unchecked by municipal authorities, has roused himself to a state of high dudgeon — over federal officers trying to counter ongoing assaults on a federal building.
He calls the feds “a direct threat to our democracy” and argues that they are engaging in unconstitutional arrests and inflaming protests that he had hoped “would end within a matter of days.”
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden had this cool-headed take on the president and his acting secretary of Homeland Security: “Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown, because they think it plays well with right-wing media.”
If Portland was on the verge of calm prior to the arrival of the feds in force, it would have been the first time since the killing of George Floyd.
Protests have taken place every day since May 28. A few headlines form a timeline, from the local TV station Koin.com: For May 29: “Massive Vigil in North Portland Leads to Declared Riot Downtown.” For May 30: “Curfew Imposed — and Ignored.” For June 30: “Police Building Protest: Another Riot Was Declared by Police.”
Although the federal courthouse has done nothing to provoke protesters and has been standing at the same spot since 1997, it has been a constant target. Protesters have smashed its glass doors, covered its exterior with graffiti and repeatedly attempted to light it on fire. This has been happening since at least early July.
True to form, protesters over the weekend took down fencing and lit a fire at the building’s entryway. As a statement by the Portland police put it, “dozens of people with shields, helmets, gas masks, umbrellas, bats and hockey sticks approached the doors” of the courthouse — but surely it was just a misunderstanding that led the federal officers to believe they had to repulse them with tear gas.
This isn’t hard: It is the people attacking federal property who bear moral responsibility for what’s happening in Portland. In all the cities around the country where nihilistic mobs aren’t trying to burn down symbols of our justice system, there’s no enhanced presence of federal officers.
The feds haven’t been wearing badges with their names and have been using unmarked cars — for fear of retaliation against the officers involved and mob actions against vehicles.
Both are unquestionably legal tactics. According to DHS, the officers are wearing the insignia of their agencies and unique identifiers; they are arresting only people suspected of involvement of attacks against federal property; and they are identifying themselves to arrestees, although not to crowds.
Perhaps these officers should be more clearly identified, but there is no case whatsoever for calling them, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has, “stormtroopers” who are “kidnapping protesters.”
The arrest of a man named Mark Pettibone has gotten a lot of press attention. He says he did nothing wrong and was arrested by federal agents, who took him to the federal courthouse and read him his Miranda rights, before releasing him.
He wasn’t detained indefinitely, or disappeared, or harmed in any way, but apparently arrested in error and then allowed to go on his way.
It would be one thing if municipal authorities in Portland could legitimately claim that they have things under control. They don’t. The mobs have been clashing with the local cops for months.
This longstanding riot is a stark commentary on the misgovernance of Wheeler, who is far better at insulting federal law enforcement than he is at doing at his job.
Rich Lowry is author of “The Case for Nationalism: How It Made Us Powerful, United and Free.” Twitter: @RichLowry


newyorkpost--2020-07-20--Friends and family throw Joy Reid a Zoom party to celebrate ‘ReidOut’ launch

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens @ @ @ @ @ to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Joy Reid ’ s friends @ @ @ @ @ surprise Zoom party on Sunday to celebrate her MSNBC show , “ The ReidOut.
” @ @ @ @ @ emotional virtual party… It was a celebration of her making history as the first African @ @ @ @ @ primetime cable show .
She was on with her husband Jason , and she cried @ @ @ @ @ .
Also there were Al Sharpton , Angela Rye , April Ryan , Tamron Hall @ @ @ @ @ Erika Alexander , Jacque Reid , Chris Witherspoon and Jonathan Capehart .
Hillary Clinton and @ @ @ @ @ s guests on the show ’ s Monday debut .

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Joy Reid’s friends and family threw her a surprise Zoom party on Sunday to celebrate her MSNBC show, “The ReidOut.”
“It was a very emotional virtual party… It was a celebration of her making history as the first African American woman to host a primetime cable show. She was on with her husband Jason, and she cried,” a guest said.
Also there were Al Sharpton, Angela Rye, April Ryan, Tamron Hall, Yvette Nicole Brown, Erika Alexander, Jacque Reid, Chris Witherspoon and Jonathan Capehart.
Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden were Reid’s guests on the show’s Monday debut.


newyorkpost--2020-07-20--ABC News exec booted over alleged racially insensitive comments

Barbara Fedida , a senior vice president , had been on leave since last month , when it was alleged that during contract negotiations with black “ Good Morning America ’ ’ host Robin Roberts , Fedida told colleagues it wasn ’ t like ABC was asking her to “ pick cotton.
’ ’ The Huffington Post report also alleged that Fedida called black “ The View ’ ’ co-host Sunny Hostin “ low-rent , ’ ’ while suggesting black former ABC correspondent Kendis Gibson was worth less than toilet paper .
The network said in an internal memo Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made “ unacceptable racially insensitive comments ” on the job .
“ The investigation substantiated that Ms. Fedida did make some of the unacceptable racially insensitive comments attributed to her .
It also substantiated that Ms. Fedida managed in a rough manner and , on occasion , used crass and inappropriate language , ’ ’ Peter Rice , chairman of Walt Disney Television , wrote to staff in the memo seen by Page Six .
But while the HuffPost claimed that there had been settlements with some former network staffers who griped about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside probers “ found no basis for the claims that Ms. Fedida was the subject of dozens of HR complaints and that ABC News spent millions of dollars in confidential settlements related to Ms. Fedida , as alleged in some press accounts , ’ ’ the memo said .
Still , “ although Ms. Fedida made contributions to the organization over the 20-year span of her career , in light of the overall findings , we have determined that she can no longer serve in a leadership role and will not be returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The memo added that ABC will restructure her position because it consolidated too much power under one role and that the network will announce initiatives for more inclusion and diversity .
Fedida reportedly told the HuffPost in a statement through her lawyer at the time of its report : “ Throughout my career , I have been a champion for increased diversity in network news .
“ Building a news division where everyone can thrive has been my life ’ s mission .
I am proud of my decades of work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists of color .
And , unlike these heartbreaking and incredibly misleading claims about me , that track record is well-documented and undeniable .
”

An ABC News exec who was accused of making racially insensitive remarks — while overseeing diversity programs for the network — and has gotten the boot.
Barbara Fedida, a senior vice president, had been on leave since last month, when it was alleged that during contract negotiations with black “Good Morning America’’ host Robin Roberts, Fedida told colleagues it wasn’t like ABC was asking her to “pick cotton.’’
The Huffington Post report also alleged that Fedida called black “The View’’ co-host Sunny Hostin “low-rent,’’ while suggesting black former ABC correspondent Kendis Gibson was worth less than toilet paper.
The network said in an internal memo Monday that an independent investigation showed Fedida had made “unacceptable racially insensitive comments” on the job.
“The investigation substantiated that Ms. Fedida did make some of the unacceptable racially insensitive comments attributed to her. It also substantiated that Ms. Fedida managed in a rough manner and, on occasion, used crass and inappropriate language,’’ Peter Rice, chairman of Walt Disney Television, wrote to staff in the memo seen by Page Six.
But while the HuffPost claimed that there had been settlements with some former network staffers who griped about Fedida, Rice denied it.
The outside probers “found no basis for the claims that Ms. Fedida was the subject of dozens of HR complaints and that ABC News spent millions of dollars in confidential settlements related to Ms. Fedida, as alleged in some press accounts,’’ the memo said.
Still, “although Ms. Fedida made contributions to the organization over the 20-year span of her career, in light of the overall findings, we have determined that she can no longer serve in a leadership role and will not be returning to ABC News,’’ Rice said.
The memo added that ABC will restructure her position because it consolidated too much power under one role and that the network will announce initiatives for more inclusion and diversity.
Fedida reportedly told the HuffPost in a statement through her lawyer at the time of its report: “Throughout my career, I have been a champion for increased diversity in network news.
“Building a news division where everyone can thrive has been my life’s mission. I am proud of my decades of work of hiring, supporting and promoting talented journalists of color. And, unlike these heartbreaking and incredibly misleading claims about me, that track record is well-documented and undeniable.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-20--If any crime deserves the death penalty, this is it

Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case of alleged MS-13 gang leader and murderer Alexi Saenz .
@ @ @ @ @ t merit the ultimate sanction , nothing does .
Prosecutors say Saenz led the Long @ @ @ @ @ of Brentwood — and ordered , among other murders , the 2016 killings of high-school @ @ @ @ @ , and Kayla Cuevas , 16 , after Cuevas argued with gang members .
The @ @ @ @ @ and truly evil .
Gang members beat the girls with baseball bats then slashed them @ @ @ @ @ with Saenz ’ s approval .
We ’ re no fans of the death penalty @ @ @ @ @ out for it .
Anyone who would order or carry out so brutal a murder @ @ @ @ @ to rot away in prison for the rest of his life .
Now , federal @ @ @ @ @ must bolster efforts to eradicate MS-13 completely from Long Island — lest another monster take @ @ @ @ @ of terror .

Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case of alleged MS-13 gang leader and murderer Alexi Saenz. If these crimes don’t merit the ultimate sanction, nothing does.
Prosecutors say Saenz led the Long Island chapter of MS-13 out of Brentwood — and ordered, among other murders, the 2016 killings of high school students Nisa Mickens, 15, and Kayla Cuevas, 16, after Cuevas argued with gang members.
The murders were senseless, gruesome and truly evil. Gang members beat the girls with baseball bats, then slashed them with machetes — all allegedly with Saenz’s approval.
We’re no fans of the death penalty, but some cases call out for it. Anyone who would order or carry out so brutal a murder has lost the right even to rot away in prison for the rest of his life.
Now, federal, state and county authorities must bolster efforts to eradicate MS-13 completely from Long Island — lest another monster take over and continue the reign of terror.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--‘Living In Oblivion’ at 25: Director Tom DiCillo On How He Turned The “Deepest, Darkest Period” Of H

‘Living In Oblivion’ at 25: Director Tom DiCillo On How He Turned The “Deepest, Darkest Period” Of His Life Into A Classic Of Independent Cinema

One of the most entertaining niche cinematic genres might just be the movie-within-a-movie .
There ’ s something uniquely exciting about seeing a dramatization of what goes on behind the scenes of the filmmaking process , and contemplating the onscreen layers and how the director offers the audience a stylized look at something elusive to the average moviegoer while remaining fully in control of the entire aesthetic and narrative .
Tom DiCillo ’ s 1995 film Living in Oblivion , which is celebrating its 25th anniversary today , is a low-budget indie that skewers low-budget indie clichés with droll humor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the meta-movie at its creative peak .
The film endures not just because of its stacked cast—featuring Steve Buscemi as the film-within-a-film ’ s director , Catherine Keener as its star , and Peter Dinklage making his debut as an actor who gives an unforgettable pissed-off monologue , to name just a few—but because of DiCillo ’ s innate understanding of the simultaneous joys and frustrations of filmmaking on a shoestring budget .
DiCillo began his career in the ’ 80s , working as a cinematographer on films like Jim Jarmusch ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bette Gordon ’ s Variety , and was immersed in the indie boom of the early ’ 90s .
Looking back on the era in a phone conversation with Decider , DiCillo observes , “ It was such a different time .
Because there was no doubt that if you made a movie , it was going to end up on a screen .
If you were lucky enough to get a distributor there was no other venue for it at that time other than projecting it in theaters with an audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhythm to making a film , getting it released , that was very exciting… it was like this moment of non-Hollywood films having life.
” In 1991 , DiCillo made his directorial debut with Johnny Suede , starring a then-unknown , baby-faced Brad Pitt as an aspiring ’ 50s-style rock star with a comically oversized pompadour .
The director spent four years on Johnny Suede , but the film ultimately “ didn ’ t make much of a splash.
” Living in Oblivion “ originated from one of the deepest , darkest periods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recalls .
After Johnny Suede ‘ s lack of success , DiCillo had a moment of inspiration borne out of frustration : “ I had another movie—which ended up being my third movie—Box of Moonlight , which I was trying to get money for and could not get made .
In the interim , after three martinis at a party , I had this idea .
Some guy came up to me who I had known from an acting class eight or nine years earlier .
In my alcohol-vodka haze , this guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tom !
So great to see you again , man !
You made a movie !
Lights , camera , action !
’ And I was so pissed off that I had spent so many years trying to raise the money for just this one movie that I just said , ‘ Oh just shut up , will ya ?
’ I said , ‘ You don ’ t know the first thing about making a movie , how hard and tedious and frustrating it is .
You can have an actress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and everything ’ s ready to go , it ’ s a scene you love—and at the last minute , someone drops the microphone into the shot.
’ That ’ s when I got the idea , right then .
That second .
And I went home and wrote it , after my hangover wore off.
” “ It ’ s an extremely personal film , ” he continues .
“ I financed it by myself .
I cast it with whoever I wanted .
Anybody who wanted to be in the film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part.
” The film was originally a short : “ The first half hour was literally shot in five days in black and white with that little touch of color in it , because I just thought that was the way it should work .
It started out as a half-hour movie .
Once we were done , everybody said , ‘ Oh Tom , this turned out great !
We should do something with it . '
” The challenge of starting with a short led to the film ’ s novel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to do a part two and a part three that would somehow integrate seamlessly with what I had already shot .
Several ideas then had to be decided , which was when to go back to black and white , when to go to color again .
It was a really interesting challenge to try to use all the elements from the first half hour to create a feature.
” From there , the film ’ s unique structure emerged : parts one and two are dream sequence perspectives from director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicole ( Keener ) , respectively , on shooting the movie-within-a-movie , wherein everything goes amusingly off the rails .
Part three concerns the shooting of a dream sequence , but in an ironic twist , it ’ s the only part of the film that is not a dream sequence itself .
The film is a model of how to create a recognizable world on a small budget , and the three-part dream versus reality structure is absorbing and brisk ( the film runs a cool 90 minutes ) .
DiCillo ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is injected with a dose of surrealism that feels inviting rather than pretentious .
One of the film ’ s most memorable scenes comes in part three .
Tito ( Dinklage ) , an actor wearing a sky blue tuxedo and top hat , holds an apple just out of reach and walks around Nicole clad in a wedding dress .
Tito quickly becomes annoyed by being used as a signifier of automatic quirkiness in a dream sequence , shouting “ I don ’ t even have dreams with dwarves in them !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the parts of the film of which he was most proud .
“ He had never done a movie when I cast him .
He was a friend of Kevin Corrigan ’ s , who plays the AC who ’ s always stoned out of his mind .
We were having trouble casting someone to play Peter ’ s part because I stupidly assumed that anybody under three feet tall could play that part .
I realized , I ’ d actually written a part that required a really good actor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that worked in this fax shop in Brooklyn.
” Dinklage came in and the rest was history .
DiCillo has a knack for spotting soon-to-be stars .
Working with a low budget can be freeing .
He says , “ One of the things about casting is that if you don ’ t have enormous financial concerns—in other words , people breathing down your neck , saying , ‘ You ’ ve got to cast so and so .
We can get x amount of millions of dollars at the box office ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whoever you want who is going to do an amazing job.
” There has long been speculation that the amusingly named Chad Palomino ( James LeGros ) , a self-absorbed , pouting actor appearing in the movie-within-a-movie for artistic credibility , was based on Pitt , which DiCillo denies .
He remembers the fateful casting of Johnny Suede : “ Brad was a challenge , in the sense that I couldn ’ t find the guy .
I spent almost a year casting , trying to find someone to play that part .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ California to cast .
He was on a list that my casting director brought in.
” He had some small television roles and “ one film about to be released called Thelma & Louise .
No one had seen it .
He came in , I took one look at him , and I said , ‘ This is the guy.
’ When he auditioned , I said , ‘ This guy ’ s not only going to be in the movie , but he ’ s going to be a huge star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s profile started to rise at the last minutes of Johnny Suede ‘ s production , as Thelma & Louise started to take off , “ He stayed faithful to me , ” says DiCillo .
The writer/director felt that making Living in Oblivion a few short years later was “ an exorcism , in a way.
” He continues , “ Especially on a low-budget movie , there ’ s great freedom , but there ’ s tremendous pressure .
Because you have to get it .
And if you don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get it again .
You don ’ t have the money to come back and reshoot the scene.
” Buscemi ’ s performance is one of neurotic perfection , and DiCillo notes , “ Most people think of independent directors as these cool people .
But that ’ s never the case .
Never .
You ’ re always one inch away from complete hysteria , no matter how much control you have.
” The first part of the film , which takes place within Nick ’ s dream of a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at everything that can possibly go wrong during a shoot , from visible boom mics to unfocused shots to forgotten lines to spoiled milk on the craft services table , and Buscemi ’ s mounting frustration punctuated with moments of creative inspiration is endlessly entertaining to watch .
Tellingly , the audience is never given much sense of what the movie-within-the-movie is really about , beyond the few scenes we see being filmed .
“ I just was always fascinated , from the very beginning , by what happens off-set .
Just literally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is showing .
I ’ ve found that , a lot of times , that drama is more interesting than what you ’ re trying to film , ” notes DiCillo .
Having already dealt with the trials and tribulations of indie filmmaking , he says , “ The fact that it turned into a comedy was just so therapeutic for me.
” 25 years after its release , Living in Oblivion is both a time capsule of the mid- ’ 90s indie world ( the obviously David Lynch-inspired dream sequence of part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to work with Quentin Tarantino come to mind ) , and a refreshingly irreverent look at the labor of moviemaking , that comes from a place of love and frustration in equal measure .
DiCillo expressed his annoyance with a contemporary review that called Living in Oblivion “ a film about filmmaking that ’ s just for filmmakers.
” That was hardly what he was going for , and the film has enough humor and style that it doesn ’ t feel that way to the audience .
As DiCillo says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s a group of people struggling to do something .
That struggle is what really interests me.
” 25 years later , DiCillo ’ s spot-on depiction of behind the scenes struggles remains a delight .
Abbey Bender is a New York-based writer with bylines in The Washington Post , The Village Voice , Nylon , Sight & Sound , and other publications .
Where to stream Living In Oblivion

One of the most entertaining niche cinematic genres might just be the movie-within-a-movie. There’s something uniquely exciting about seeing a dramatization of what goes on behind the scenes of the filmmaking process, and contemplating the onscreen layers and how the director offers the audience a stylized look at something elusive to the average moviegoer while remaining fully in control of the entire aesthetic and narrative. Tom DiCillo’s 1995 film Living in Oblivion, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary today, is a low-budget indie that skewers low-budget indie clichés with droll humor and playful visuals and remains a model of the meta-movie at its creative peak. The film endures not just because of its stacked cast—featuring Steve Buscemi as the film-within-a-film’s director, Catherine Keener as its star, and Peter Dinklage making his debut as an actor who gives an unforgettable pissed-off monologue, to name just a few—but because of DiCillo’s innate understanding of the simultaneous joys and frustrations of filmmaking on a shoestring budget.
DiCillo began his career in the ’80s, working as a cinematographer on films like Jim Jarmusch’s Permanent Vacation and Stranger Than Paradise and Bette Gordon’s Variety, and was immersed in the indie boom of the early ’90s. Looking back on the era in a phone conversation with Decider, DiCillo observes, “It was such a different time. Because there was no doubt that if you made a movie, it was going to end up on a screen. If you were lucky enough to get a distributor there was no other venue for it at that time other than projecting it in theaters with an audience. There was a cycle, a rhythm to making a film, getting it released, that was very exciting… it was like this moment of non-Hollywood films having life.”
In 1991, DiCillo made his directorial debut with Johnny Suede, starring a then-unknown, baby-faced Brad Pitt as an aspiring ’50s-style rock star with a comically oversized pompadour. The director spent four years on Johnny Suede, but the film ultimately “didn’t make much of a splash.” Living in Oblivion “originated from one of the deepest, darkest periods of my early career,” DiCillo recalls. After Johnny Suede‘s lack of success, DiCillo had a moment of inspiration borne out of frustration: “I had another movie—which ended up being my third movie—Box of Moonlight, which I was trying to get money for and could not get made. In the interim, after three martinis at a party, I had this idea. Some guy came up to me who I had known from an acting class eight or nine years earlier. In my alcohol-vodka haze, this guy floats up and says, ‘Wow, Tom! So great to see you again, man! You made a movie! Lights, camera, action!’ And I was so pissed off that I had spent so many years trying to raise the money for just this one movie that I just said, ‘Oh just shut up, will ya?’ I said, ‘You don’t know the first thing about making a movie, how hard and tedious and frustrating it is. You can have an actress all ready to do a scene, and everything’s ready to go, it’s a scene you love—and at the last minute, someone drops the microphone into the shot.’ That’s when I got the idea, right then. That second. And I went home and wrote it, after my hangover wore off.”
“It’s an extremely personal film,” he continues. “I financed it by myself. I cast it with whoever I wanted. Anybody who wanted to be in the film and had a few dollars got a part.”
The film was originally a short: “The first half hour was literally shot in five days in black and white with that little touch of color in it, because I just thought that was the way it should work. It started out as a half-hour movie. Once we were done, everybody said, ‘Oh Tom, this turned out great! We should do something with it.'” The challenge of starting with a short led to the film’s novel structure, as DiCillo “was forced to try to do a part two and a part three that would somehow integrate seamlessly with what I had already shot. Several ideas then had to be decided, which was when to go back to black and white, when to go to color again. It was a really interesting challenge to try to use all the elements from the first half hour to create a feature.”
From there, the film’s unique structure emerged: parts one and two are dream sequence perspectives from director Nick Reve (Buscemi) and actress Nicole (Keener), respectively, on shooting the movie-within-a-movie, wherein everything goes amusingly off the rails. Part three concerns the shooting of a dream sequence, but in an ironic twist, it’s the only part of the film that is not a dream sequence itself. The film is a model of how to create a recognizable world on a small budget, and the three-part dream versus reality structure is absorbing and brisk (the film runs a cool 90 minutes). DiCillo’s real-world experience of indie film pitfalls is injected with a dose of surrealism that feels inviting rather than pretentious.
One of the film’s most memorable scenes comes in part three. Tito (Dinklage), an actor wearing a sky blue tuxedo and top hat, holds an apple just out of reach and walks around Nicole clad in a wedding dress. Tito quickly becomes annoyed by being used as a signifier of automatic quirkiness in a dream sequence, shouting “I don’t even have dreams with dwarves in them!” DiCillo says that casting Dinklage was one of the parts of the film of which he was most proud. “He had never done a movie when I cast him. He was a friend of Kevin Corrigan’s, who plays the AC who’s always stoned out of his mind. We were having trouble casting someone to play Peter’s part because I stupidly assumed that anybody under three feet tall could play that part. I realized, I’d actually written a part that required a really good actor. He said he knew this guy that worked in this fax shop in Brooklyn.” Dinklage came in and the rest was history.
DiCillo has a knack for spotting soon-to-be stars. Working with a low budget can be freeing. He says, “One of the things about casting is that if you don’t have enormous financial concerns—in other words, people breathing down your neck, saying, ‘You’ve got to cast so and so. We can get x amount of millions of dollars at the box office’—the next best thing is to cast whoever you want who is going to do an amazing job.” There has long been speculation that the amusingly named Chad Palomino (James LeGros) — a self-absorbed, pouting actor appearing in the movie-within-a-movie for artistic credibility — was based on Pitt, which DiCillo firmly denies.
“Brad had agreed to play the part himself,” DiCillo states, “but had to pull out due to publicity requirements for Legends of The Fall. This fact in itself should put the rumor to rest.”
He also remembers the fateful casting of Johnny Suede: “Brad was a challenge, in the sense that I couldn’t find the guy. I spent almost a year casting, trying to find someone to play that part. And I ended up going out to California to cast. He was on a list that my casting director brought in.” He had some small television roles and “one film about to be released called Thelma & Louise. No one had seen it. He came in, I took one look at him, and I said, ‘This is the guy.’ When he auditioned, I said, ‘This guy’s not only going to be in the movie, but he’s going to be a huge star.'” Even as Pitt’s profile started to rise at the last minutes of Johnny Suede‘s production, as Thelma & Louise started to take off, “He stayed faithful to me,” says DiCillo.
The writer/director felt that making Living in Oblivion a few short years later was “an exorcism, in a way.” He continues, “Especially on a low-budget movie, there’s great freedom, but there’s tremendous pressure. Because you have to get it. And if you don’t, you never get the chance to get it again. You don’t have the money to come back and reshoot the scene.” Buscemi’s performance is one of neurotic perfection, and DiCillo notes, “Most people think of independent directors as these cool people. But that’s never the case. Never. You’re always one inch away from complete hysteria, no matter how much control you have.”
The first part of the film, which takes place within Nick’s dream of a day on set, is an illuminating look at everything that can possibly go wrong during a shoot, from visible boom mics to unfocused shots to forgotten lines to spoiled milk on the craft services table, and Buscemi’s mounting frustration punctuated with moments of creative inspiration is endlessly entertaining to watch. Tellingly, the audience is never given much sense of what the movie-within-the-movie is really about, beyond the few scenes we see being filmed. “I just was always fascinated, from the very beginning, by what happens off-set. Just literally three inches away from what the camera is showing. I’ve found that, a lot of times, that drama is more interesting than what you’re trying to film,” notes DiCillo.
Having already dealt with the trials and tribulations of indie filmmaking, he says, “The fact that it turned into a comedy was just so therapeutic for me.” 25 years after its release, Living in Oblivion is both a time capsule of the mid-’90s indie world (the obviously David Lynch-inspired dream sequence of part three and Chad referencing that he just wants to work with Quentin Tarantino come to mind), and a refreshingly irreverent look at the labor of moviemaking, that comes from a place of love and frustration in equal measure. DiCillo expressed his annoyance with a contemporary review that called Living in Oblivion “a film about filmmaking that’s just for filmmakers.” That was hardly what he was going for, and the film has enough humor and style that it doesn’t feel that way to the audience. As DiCillo says, “It’s a human endeavor. It’s a group of people struggling to do something. That struggle is what really interests me.” 25 years later, DiCillo’s spot-on depiction of behind the scenes struggles remains a delight.
Abbey Bender is a New York-based writer with bylines in The Washington Post, The Village Voice, Nylon, Sight & Sound, and other publications.
Where to stream Living In Oblivion


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--LinkedIn cutting nearly 1,000 jobs as COVID-19 slams recruiting

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
LinkedIn plans to cut about 960 jobs as the coronavirus pandemic delivers a blow to its corporate recruiting business .
The cuts , which represent about 6 percent of the Microsoft-owned networking platform ’ s workforce , will be concentrated in its sales and hiring divisions , CEO Ryan Roslansky told employees late Monday .
Roslansky cast the cuts as difficult but necessary to see the company through a global crisis that has crimped corporate hiring and hurt demand for LinkedIn ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify and recruit job candidates .
“ To continue adapting and accelerating the company like we have been , we need to ensure we are focusing our efforts and resources against our most strategic priorities to set up the company for success today — and well into the future , ” Roslansky said in a note posted on LinkedIn ’ s website .
Laid-off staffers will be considered for newly created roles at LinkedIn , and those who ultimately leave will get at least 10 weeks of severance pay and can keep their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find a new gig , according to Roslansky .
LinkedIn planned to notify affected employees in North America , Brazil , Dubai and the Asia-Pacific region within 24 hours , while cuts in France , Sweden , Spain and Italy will be detailed in August and September , Roslansky said .
Staffers in the UK , Ireland and Australia “ have begun consultation about potential impacts to roles , ” he wrote .
LinkedIn parent Microsoft plans to cut thousands of jobs in a corporate reorganization that will affect its marketing and sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The pandemic has also sparked layoffs at other big tech companies including Uber , Lyft and Airbnb .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
LinkedIn plans to cut about 960 jobs as the coronavirus pandemic delivers a blow to its corporate recruiting business.
The cuts, which represent about 6 percent of the Microsoft-owned networking platform’s workforce, will be concentrated in its sales and hiring divisions, CEO Ryan Roslansky told employees late Monday.
Roslansky cast the cuts as difficult but necessary to see the company through a global crisis that has crimped corporate hiring and hurt demand for LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions business, which helps employers identify and recruit job candidates.
“To continue adapting and accelerating the company like we have been, we need to ensure we are focusing our efforts and resources against our most strategic priorities to set up the company for success today — and well into the future,” Roslansky said in a note posted on LinkedIn’s website.
Laid-off staffers will be considered for newly created roles at LinkedIn, and those who ultimately leave will get at least 10 weeks of severance pay and can keep their company laptops and computers to help them find a new gig, according to Roslansky.
LinkedIn planned to notify affected employees in North America, Brazil, Dubai and the Asia-Pacific region within 24 hours, while cuts in France, Sweden, Spain and Italy will be detailed in August and September, Roslansky said. Staffers in the UK, Ireland and Australia “have begun consultation about potential impacts to roles,” he wrote.
LinkedIn parent Microsoft plans to cut thousands of jobs in a corporate reorganization that will affect its marketing and sales teams, Reuters reported earlier this month. The pandemic has also sparked layoffs at other big tech companies including Uber, Lyft and Airbnb.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Trump campaign sees more staff shake ups after Brad Parscale demotion

The White House has tapped former Treasury Department senior aide Brian Morgenstern to serve as deputy communications director and deputy press secretary .
Morgenstern was previously deputy assistant secretary for external affairs with the Treasury Department , serving as a senior aide and chief speechwriter to Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
The news was first reported late Monday evening by Politico , and comes as the Trump campaign has also been shaking up its leadership .
President Trump ’ s newly minted campaign manager Bill Stepien has started making changes to his leadership team .
Stepien announced Monday that Justin Clark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Nick Trainer would become director of battleground strategy and Matt Morgan would serve as campaign counsel .
The moves come less than one week after Stepien was tapped to replace longtime campaign manager Brad Parscale in the top job .
In announcing Parscale ’ s demotion , President Trump said he would remain with the campaign as a senior advisor heading digital and data strategies .
The president said both Parscale and his successor “ were heavily involved in our historic 2016 win , and I look forward to having a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This one should be a lot easier as our poll numbers are rising fast , the economy is getting better , vaccines and therapeutics will soon be on the way , and Americans want safe streets and communities !
” A source from Trump ’ s 2016 campaign told The Post last week that Stepien “ has earned the trust of the president , which is crucial.
” Stepien was appointed as Trump ’ s deputy campaign manager in May .
A veteran Republican operative , he had served as Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later became the White House political director .
Before working for Trump , Stepien successfully managed both of former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie ’ s victorious campaigns and was his deputy chief of staff for intergovernmental affairs in between .

The White House has tapped former Treasury Department senior aide Brian Morgenstern to serve as deputy communications director and deputy press secretary.
Morgenstern was previously deputy assistant secretary for external affairs with the Treasury Department, serving as a senior aide and chief speechwriter to Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The news was first reported late Monday by Politico, and comes as the Trump campaign has also been shaking up its leadership.
President Trump’s newly minted campaign manager, Bill Stepien, has started making changes to his leadership team.
Stepien announced Monday that Justin Clark would be promoted to deputy campaign manger, Nick Trainer would become director of battleground strategy and Matt Morgan would serve as campaign counsel.
The moves come less than one week after Stepien was tapped to replace longtime campaign manager Brad Parscale in the top job.
Clark is taking Stepien’s prior position.
In announcing Parscale’s demotion, Trump said he would remain with the campaign as a senior adviser heading digital and data strategies.
The president said both Parscale and his successor “were heavily involved in our historic 2016 win, and I look forward to having a big and very important second win together.
“This one should be a lot easier as our poll numbers are rising fast, the economy is getting better, vaccines and therapeutics will soon be on the way, and Americans want safe streets and communities!”
A source from Trump’s 2016 campaign told The Post last week that Stepien “has earned the trust of the president, which is crucial.”
Stepien was appointed as Trump’s deputy campaign manager in May. A veteran Republican operative, he had served as Trump’s national field director in 2016 and later became White House political director.
Before working for Trump, Stepien managed both of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s victorious campaigns and was his deputy chief of staff for intergovernmental affairs in between.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Man fatally shot in the Bronx, another shot in the ankle overnight

A 24-year-old man was fatally shot in the Bronx late Monday amid a recent surge in gun violence citywide , @ @ @ @ @ The victim was blasted in the back on Decatur Avenue near East Gunhill Road in @ @ @ @ @ p.m. , cops said .
He was rushed to Montefiore Medical Center , where he @ @ @ @ @ 1 a.m. , police said .
The circumstances leading up to the shooting were not @ @ @ @ @ on Monday , the NYPD reported seven shooting incidents with eight victims — not including @ @ @ @ @ The Bronx homicide was not included in that number , since the victim died after @ @ @ @ @ .
The violence continued just before 5:30 a.m. Tuesday , when a man was shot @ @ @ @ @ an unknown suspect on River Street near Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg after he left a @ @ @ @ @ the Brooklyn Hospital Center by private means , with non-life-threatening injuries .

A 24-year-old man was fatally shot in the Bronx late Monday amid a recent surge in gun violence citywide, cops said early Tuesday.
The victim was blasted in the back on Decatur Avenue near East Gunhill Road in the Norwood neighborhood around 11:45 p.m., cops said.
He was rushed to Montefiore Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead just before 1 a.m., police said.
He was arguing with three other men when the shooting occurred, police sources said. All three, one wearing a white shirt and white bandana, took off on foot, according to the sources.
Nearly two hours earlier, a 42-year-old woman was shot in the elbow and a 37-year-old man blasted in the back in the courtyard of a building on Beach Channel Drive near Beach 38th Street in Far Rockaway, police sources said.
It’s unclear what provoked the shooting.
In total on Monday, the NYPD reported seven shooting incidents with eight victims — not including the fatal Bronx shooting.
The Bronx homicide is not part of that total because the victim died after midnight, according to police.
The violence continued around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, when a 20-year-old man sitting in a car was shot in the chest on 143rd Avenue near 185th Street in Jamaica, police sources said.
The victim, who was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, was not cooperating with authorities, according to the sources.
About four hours later, a man was shot once in the ankle by an unknown suspect on River Street near Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg after he left a party.
He went to the Brooklyn Hospital Center by private means, with non-life-threatening injuries.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Beyoncé’s trailer for ‘Black is King’ teases much more than a visual album

The new official trailer for Beyoncé ’ s forthcoming visual album “ Black Is King ” reveals a bevy of celebrity cameos , including her Destiny ’ s Child cohort Kelly Rowland , Lupita Nyong ’ o , Naomi Campbell and Jay-Z .
The visual album reimagines the lessons of “ The Lion King ” and will arrive on Disney+ shortly after the one year anniversary of Disney ’ s most recent adaptation of the story .
The voyages of Black families throughout time are honored in the tale about a young king ’ s transcendent journey through betrayal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide him toward his destiny , and with his father ’ s teachings and guidance from his childhood love , he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne .
The new trailer is much more narrative than the previously-released teaser video .
It begins with Beyoncé in voiceover saying , “ Life is a set of choices .
Lead , or be led astray .
Follow your light , or lose it.
” Based on the music of “ The Lion King : The Gift , ” and starring the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special guest appearances , “ Black Is King ” will also offer videos for “ My Power , ” “ Mood 4 Eva ” and “ Brown Skin Girl.
” “ Black Is King ” will premiere globally on July 31 and is written , directed and executive produced by Beyoncé .

The new official trailer for Beyoncé’s forthcoming visual album “Black Is King” reveals a bevy of celebrity cameos, including her Destiny’s Child cohort Kelly Rowland, Lupita Nyong’o, Naomi Campbell and Jay-Z.
The visual album reimagines the lessons of “The Lion King” and will arrive on Disney+ shortly after the one year anniversary of Disney’s most recent adaptation of the story.
The voyages of Black families throughout time are honored in the tale about a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity. His ancestors help guide him toward his destiny, and with his father’s teachings and guidance from his childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne.
The new trailer is much more narrative than the previously-released teaser video. It begins with Beyoncé in voiceover saying, “Life is a set of choices. Lead, or be led astray. Follow your light, or lose it.”
Based on the music of “The Lion King: The Gift,” and starring the album’s featured artists and some special guest appearances, “Black Is King” will also offer videos for “My Power,” “Mood 4 Eva” and “Brown Skin Girl.”
“Black Is King” will premiere globally on July 31 and is written, directed and executive produced by Beyoncé.
Bruce Haring contributed to this report.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Greta Thunberg to donate $114,000 to fight coronavirus in Amazon

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is putting her money where her mouth is — saying she will donate 100,000 euros — or $ 114,000 — in prize money to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the Brazilian Amazon .
The 17-year-old was awarded a total of $ 1.14 million when she received the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity on Monday , according to CNN .
Her donation will be made through the Thunberg Foundation to SOS Amazonia , which is led by Fridays for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the fight against the pandemic in indigenous territories .
Another 100,000 euros will be donated to the Stop Ecocide Foundation to “ support their work to make ecocide an international crime , ” Thunberg added .
She also said she would donate the rest of her winnings but has not yet cited the other recipients .
“ The prize money , which is one million euros , that is more money than I can even begin to imagine , but all the prize money will be donated through my foundation to different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help people on the front lines , affected by the climate crisis and ecological crisis , especially in the Global South , ” Thunberg said in a video on Twitter .
“ Also to help organizations and projects who are fighting for a sustainable world and who are fighting to defend nature and the natural world , ” she added .
Jorge Sampaio , chairman of the Portuguese prize jury , said the teen was honored for the way she “ has been able to mobilize younger generations for the cause of climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a status quo that persists , ” the UK ’ s Independent reported .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is putting her money where her mouth is — saying she will donate 100,000 euros — or $114,000 — in prize money to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the Brazilian Amazon.
The 17-year-old was awarded a total of $1.14 million when she received the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity on Monday, according to CNN.
Her donation will be made through the Thunberg Foundation to SOS Amazonia, which is led by Fridays for Future Brazil, a group that assists in the fight against the pandemic in indigenous territories.
Another 100,000 euros will be donated to the Stop Ecocide Foundation to “support their work to make ecocide an international crime,” Thunberg added.
She also said she would donate the rest of her winnings but has not yet cited the other recipients.
“The prize money, which is one million euros, that is more money than I can even begin to imagine, but all the prize money will be donated through my foundation to different organizations and projects who are working to help people on the front lines, affected by the climate crisis and ecological crisis, especially in the Global South,” Thunberg said in a video on Twitter.
“Also to help organizations and projects who are fighting for a sustainable world and who are fighting to defend nature and the natural world,” she added.
Jorge Sampaio, chairman of the Portuguese prize jury, said the teen was honored for the way she “has been able to mobilize younger generations for the cause of climate change and her tenacious struggle to alter a status quo that persists,” the UK’s Independent reported.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Jamaican jackpot winner collects winnings dressed as Darth Vader

A charred body was found in the wreckage of a ...

A Jamaican man wanted to be in a galaxy far, far away after winning a jackpot of more than $650,000 in local currency.
The publicity-shy winner — identified only as W. Brown — emerged briefly from the Dark Side, dressed as Darth Vader, to collect the loot, the Gleaner daily of Jamaica reported.
The Dark Lord of the Sith bought the winning ticket at the Di Endz Sports Bar — not the Mos Eisley cantina of “Star Wars” fame — in the town of May Pen, according to the Kingston-based outlet.
“I don’t regularly buy from that place, I usually purchase my ticket in Old Harbour or Spanish Town, but I was on the road so I just stopped there,” he said.
Supreme Ventures shared the news of his win on Twitter.
“May the Millions be with you! Congrats to our #Lotto winner, W. Brown!!! Brown aka Darth Vader,” it wrote.
Brown said he has played the same set of numbers — 08, 09, 10, 19, 27 and 30 — with few changes over the past 20 years. He said he always knew he would win the jackpot and change his life forever.
“Life has always been very rough. I come from a poor family, sometimes I couldn’t attend school because my parents didn’t have it, but I told myself that God will help me one day so I can help my family,” he said.
The Force was obviously with him.
He found out about his good fortune when he watched the live draw on TV.
“I wrote down the numbers and saw that I won! I was excited and said, ‘Mi finally hol’ him now!’ I then had a shower and went to sleep,” Brown said, adding that he was still thinking about what to do with his money.
“I want to decide what is the best thing to do before spending anything. I need to decide what my goals are, but I know I want to own a bus, I love Coasters,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Amber Heard ghosted Elon Musk during marriage to Johnny Depp, texts show

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Elon Musk whined that his feelings were “ hurt ” when Amber Heard cut off contact with him during her marriage to Johnny Depp , a British court heard Tuesday .
The Tesla founder opened up to the “ Aquaman ” actress after she confided in him that she wanted to obtain a restraining order against her then-husband in May 2016 , according to texts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explosive libel trial .
Proposing to “ arrange 24/7 security ” for the actress , the billionaire wrote , “ the offer would stand , even if you never wanted to see me again.
” “ Anyway , sorry for being an idiot , ” Musk wrote .
“ The radio silence hurts a lot .
It only matters because I really like you.
” One of Depp ’ s lawyers , Eleanor Laws , pressed Heard , 34 , in court Tuesday about the messages , asking her , “ Were you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Time and again , you have accused [ Depp ] of being jealous , but we can see here you are in communication with someone , ” Laws said .
But Heard responded , saying , “ I think all jealousy could be deemed illogical.
” Heard and Musk , 49 , later went public with a relationship , but have denied that their romance started while the actress was still with Depp , 57 .
The court has heard that Musk was a frequent visitor in 2015 to the Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their divorce two years later .
Building concierge Alejandro Romero wrote in a sworn statement that he saw Musk “ a few times a week ” late at night and that he ’ d “ always visit when Mr. Depp was not at home ” from around 11 p.m. to midnight .
Heard — who appeared in court for her second day on the stand — said that Romero was “ wrong , ” insisting that she “ wasn ’ t even in communication with Elon until 2016.
” The testimony marked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case against The Sun over allegations of domestic violence during his volatile marriage to Heard .

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Elon Musk whined that his feelings were “hurt” when Amber Heard cut off contact with him during her marriage to Johnny Depp, a British court heard Tuesday.
The Tesla founder opened up to the “Aquaman” actress after she confided in him that she wanted to obtain a restraining order against her then-husband in May 2016, according to texts revealed as part of Depp’s explosive libel trial.
Proposing to “arrange 24/7 security” for the actress, the billionaire wrote, “the offer would stand, even if you never wanted to see me again.”
“Anyway, sorry for being an idiot,” Musk wrote. “The radio silence hurts a lot. It only matters because I really like you.”
One of Depp’s lawyers, Eleanor Laws, pressed Heard, 34, in court Tuesday about the messages, asking her, “Were you telling Mr. Depp about this?”
“Time and again, you have accused [Depp] of being jealous, but we can see here you are in communication with someone,” Laws said.
Related Video Johnny Depp accuses Amber Heard of multiple affairs with other celebrities
But Heard responded, “I think all jealousy could be deemed illogical.”
Heard and Musk, 49, later went public with a relationship, but have denied that their romance started while the actress was still with Depp, 57.
The court has heard that Musk was a frequent visitor in 2015 to the Los Angeles pad where Heard and Depp lived before their divorce two years later.
Building concierge Alejandro Romero wrote in a sworn statement that he saw Musk “a few times a week” late at night and that he’d “always visit when Mr. Depp was not at home” from around 11 p.m. to midnight.
Heard — who appeared in court for her second day on the stand — said Romero was “wrong,” insisting that she “wasn’t even in communication with Elon until 2016.”
The testimony marked the third week in Depp’s libel case against The Sun over allegations of domestic violence during his volatile marriage to Heard.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Amazon’s Jeff Bezos net worth increases by $13B in one day

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos added a record $ 13 billion to his fortune on Monday amid a coronavirus-fueled boom for his e-commerce empire .
A 7.9 percent jump in Amazon ’ s stock price helped the world ’ s richest man notch the largest one-day increase to any individual ’ s net worth in the history of Bloomberg ’ s Billionaires Index , which tracks the fortunes of the wealthiest people on Earth .
Bezos , 56 , is now worth $ 189.3 billion — making him more valuable than major corporations such as McDonald ’ s , Exxon Mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The tech tycoon has added $ 74.4 billion to his wealth so far this year amid a 73 percent surge in Amazon ’ s stock price .
The conglomerate has benefitted from increased demand for online shopping as lockdowns meant to control the COVID-19 pandemic shut consumers in their homes .
Amazon shares reportedly posted their best daily gain since December 2018 on Monday ahead of the firm ’ s second-quarter earnings report on Thursday .
Analysts expect the Seattle-based company ’ s revenues to have surged 27 percent to $ 80.7 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year ago amid rising costs , according to Bloomberg .
Bezos ’ 11 percent stake in Amazon makes up more than 90 percent of his net worth , while the rest comprises his space-exploration firm Blue Origin , the Washington Post newspaper and $ 4.5 billion in cash and other assets , Bloomberg says .
Other tech titans have also seen their fortunes explode even as the pandemic sparked the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has added $ 14.8 billion to his wealth this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s net worth has grown by $ 46.9 billion , including a $ 5.7 billion jump on Monday , Bloomberg ’ s rankings show .

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos added a record $13 billion to his fortune on Monday amid a coronavirus-fueled boom for his e-commerce empire.
A 7.9 percent jump in Amazon’s stock price helped the world’s richest man notch the largest one-day increase to any individual’s net worth in the history of Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, which tracks the fortunes of the wealthiest people on Earth.
Bezos, 56, is now worth $189.3 billion — making him more valuable than major corporations such as McDonald’s, Exxon Mobile and Nike, according to Bloomberg.
The tech tycoon has added $74.4 billion to his wealth so far this year amid a 73 percent surge in Amazon’s stock price. The conglomerate has benefitted from increased demand for online shopping as lockdowns meant to control the COVID-19 pandemic shut consumers in their homes.
Amazon shares reportedly posted their best daily gain since December 2018 on Monday ahead of the firm’s second-quarter earnings report on Thursday. Analysts expect the Seattle-based company’s revenues to have surged 27 percent to $80.7 billion, though profits likely sank compared to a year ago amid rising costs, according to Bloomberg.
Bezos’ 11 percent stake in Amazon makes up more than 90 percent of his net worth, while the rest comprises his space-exploration firm Blue Origin, the Washington Post newspaper and $4.5 billion in cash and other assets, Bloomberg says.
Other tech titans have also seen their fortunes explode even as the pandemic sparked the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has added $14.8 billion to his wealth this year, while Tesla boss Elon Musk’s net worth has grown by $46.9 billion, including a $5.7 billion jump on Monday, Bloomberg’s rankings show.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Body found in Minneapolis pawnshop that was torched in George Floyd protests

A charred body was found in the wreckage of a Minneapolis pawnshop this week — nearly two months after the building was burned down in the protests that followed George Floyd ’ s police-custody death .
Investigators were acting on a tip when they found the man ’ s body in the rubble of Max It Pawn on East Lake Street in south Minneapolis , Police Department spokesman John Elder told The Star Tribune .
“ The body appears to have suffered thermal injury and we do have somebody charged with setting fire to that place , ” Elder told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identity was not immediately released pending the results of an autopsy , which will determine the specific cause and manner of death .
The details and precise timeline of the man ’ s death are not completely clear , but a police news release obtained by the paper suggested he died in the blaze that destroyed the pawnshop on May 28 .
Montez Terrill Lee , 25 , of Rochester , Minn. , was hit with a federal arson charge last month in connection to that blaze .
The shop is several blocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Third Precinct station house , which was set ablaze that same night in an explosion of anger over Floyd ’ s death three days earlier .
Floyd died after Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck , with the assist of three other cops , during his arrest .
All four officers have been fired and charged with felonies .

A charred body was found in the wreckage of a Minneapolis pawnshop this week — nearly two months after the building was burned down in the protests that followed George Floyd’s police-custody death.
Investigators were acting on a tip when they found the man’s body in the rubble of Max It Pawn on East Lake Street in south Minneapolis, police spokesman John Elder told the Star Tribune.
“The body appears to have suffered thermal injury and we do have somebody charged with setting fire to that place,” Elder told the paper.
The man’s identity was not immediately released pending the results of an autopsy, which will determine the specific cause and manner of death.
The details and precise timeline of the man’s death are not completely clear, but a police news release obtained by the paper suggested he died in the blaze that destroyed the pawnshop on May 28.
Montez Terrill Lee, 25, of Rochester, Minn., was hit with a federal arson charge last month in connection with that blaze.
The shop is several blocks east of the police department’s Third Precinct stationhouse, which was set ablaze that same night in an explosion of anger over Floyd’s death three days earlier.
Floyd died after Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck, with the assistance of three other cops, during his arrest. All four officers have been fired and charged with felonies.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--UK officials reportedly ‘avoided’ looking into Russian meddling in Brexit

The cyber attacks are an effort to steal intellectual property ...

The British government failed to conduct a proper assessment into Russia’s alleged attempts to interfere in the 2016 Brexit referendum, according to a long-awaited report, which also found that the Kremlin meddled in the 2014 Scottish referendum.
The report from the parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee into Russian influence in British politics said it would be “difficult — if not impossible — to prove” allegations that the Kremlin tried to influence the Brexit referendum.
But “the Government was slow to recognize the existence of the threat,” it said, adding that British officials should have recognized the threat back in 2014.
“What is clear is that the government was slow to recognize the existence of the threat — only understanding it after the ‘hack and leak’ operation against the Democratic National Committee, when it should have been seen as early as 2014,” said the report, which was published Tuesday.
“As a result, the Government did not take action to protect the UK’s process in 2016,” added the report, whose authors assailed the British government for “actively avoiding” looking into the Russian threat.
“Serious questions needed to be asked” about why ministers didn’t look into the matter after evidence of meddling in the 2014 Scottish referendum and reports of similar activity in the US elections, it said.
“We have not been provided with any post-referendum assessment of Russian attempts at interference,” the committee noted, contrasting the response with that of the US, the Guardian reported.
“This situation is in stark contrast to the US handling of allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, where an intelligence community assessment was produced within two months of the vote, with an unclassified summary being made public,” it said.
Russia deems the UK one of its top intelligence targets in the West, the report found, adding that the Kremlin’s influence in Britain is the “new normal.”
The damning 50-page report was published after criticism that the government delayed its release for more than six months to shield Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party from embarrassment.
Downing Street was accused of delaying its release ahead of December’s election — which it has denied, according to the BBC.
But during a news conference to launch the report, Kevan Jones, one of the ISC members, slammed the prime minister for not signing off on it sooner, saying there was “no reason for delay,” the news outlet reported.
Downing Street was expected to publish its response shortly.
The report cast Russia as a hostile power that posed a major threat to the UK and the West across a variety of fronts, from espionage and hacking to election meddling and laundering dirty money.
The Kremlin said Russia has never interfered in another country’s electoral processes.
Russia has repeatedly denied meddling in the West, casting the US and Britain as obsessed with anti-Russian hysteria.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Grumpy dog hates mornings

Grumpy dog hates mornings

Would you like to receive desktop browser notifications about breaking news and other major stories ?

Don’t talk to this dog before he’s had his coffee. Watch the funny way in which Eddie, a grumpy pooch in Massachusetts, reacts to being woken up each morning. According to owner Lisa Mattuchio, Eddie needs wheels to get around, so each morning, he fights before being carried outside.
Subscribe to our YouTube!


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Mickey Rourke’s new attack on Robert De Niro is old beef

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) • A decades-old feud between Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro has been reignited after a fiery Instagram post .
• In other petty news , August Alsina released a song about Jada Pinkett Smith and their “ entanglement.
” • And “ Selling Sunset ” star Amanza Smith is recovering after a churro-making disaster .
Here ’ s a closer look at some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slammed Robert De Niro on Friday , saying he would “ embarrass ” the 76-year-old actor “ severely ” should their paths cross .
Posting a photo of De Niro to his Instagram , Rourke , 67 , put the “ The Irishman ” actor on blast , seemingly referencing past comments made about Martin Scorsese ’ s crime drama .
“ Hey Robert De Niro , that ’ s right i am talking to you , you big f–king crybaby , ” Rourke began .
“ A friend of mine just recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re quoted as saying to newspapers ‘ Mickey Rourke ’ s a liar he talks all kind of s–t ’ .
Listen Mr.Tough Guy in the movies , you ’ re the 1st person that ever called me a liar and it was in a newspaper.
” Rourke ’ s alleged feud with De Niro dates back three decades .
He claimed in September that he was blocked from appearing in “ The Irishman ” because of De Niro .
August Alsina is making the most of everyone ’ s interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pinkett Smith .
He recently released a new song called , you guessed it , “ Entanglements.
” The singer dropped the song , which features Rick Ross , late on Saturday night , after which it became trending on Twitter by Sunday morning .
“ Selling Sunset ” star Amanza Smith was hospitalized almost two weeks after a churro-making session with her daughter Noah went terribly wrong .
“ Right now my right arm looks like a mummy , ” Smith joked with Page Six on Wednesday .
She explained that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pan ” and “ about two or three cups ” of oil got on her wrist , arm and hand .
The 43-year-old ended up sustaining third-degree burns .
“ It was crazy … It looked like something out of an alien movie , ” she said .
“ So I went to the burn unit at USC and they did a crazy , painful procedure and I was in bed for like a week.
” Catch up on all episodes of “ We Hear ” by subscribing to the podcast on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get your podcasts .
New episodes come out every Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday .

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
In this episode:
A decades-old feud between Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro has been reignited after a fiery Instagram post.
In other petty news, August Alsina released a song about Jada Pinkett Smith and their “entanglement.”
And “Selling Sunset” star Amanza Smith is recovering after a churro-making disaster.
Here’s a closer look at some of today’s stories:
The 30-year feud
Mickey Rourke slammed Robert De Niro on Friday, saying he would “embarrass” the 76-year-old actor “severely” should their paths cross.
Posting a photo of De Niro to his Instagram, Rourke, 67, put the “The Irishman” actor on blast, seemingly referencing past comments made about Martin Scorsese’s crime drama.
“Hey Robert De Niro, that’s right i am talking to you, you big f–king crybaby,” Rourke began. “A friend of mine just recently told me that a few months back you’re quoted as saying to newspapers ‘Mickey Rourke’s a liar he talks all kind of s–t’. Listen Mr.Tough Guy in the movies, you’re the 1st person that ever called me a liar and it was in a newspaper.”
Rourke’s alleged feud with De Niro dates back three decades. He claimed in September that he was blocked from appearing in “The Irishman” because of De Niro.
August and Jada’s entanglement (song)
August Alsina is making the most of everyone’s interest in his “entanglement” with Jada Pinkett Smith. He recently released a new song called, you guessed it, “Entanglements.”
The singer dropped the song, which features Rick Ross, late on Saturday night, after which it became trending on Twitter by Sunday morning.
Churromania
“Selling Sunset” star Amanza Smith was hospitalized almost two weeks after a churro-making session with her daughter Noah went terribly wrong.
“Right now my right arm looks like a mummy,” Smith joked with Page Six on Wednesday.
She explained that the hot grease “just exploded out of the pan” and “about two or three cups” of oil got on her wrist, arm and hand. The 43-year-old ended up sustaining third-degree burns.
“It was crazy … It looked like something out of an alien movie,” she said. “So I went to the burn unit at USC and they did a crazy, painful procedure and I was in bed for like a week.”
Catch up on all episodes of “We Hear” by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes come out every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Alyssa Nakken is first woman to coach in a Major League Baseball game

It only took 144 years , but baseball finally has its first female coach on the field .
Alyssa Nakken became the first female coach to make it into a Major League Baseball game in an on-field capacity when she coached first base for the San Francisco Giants in the late innings of a 6-3 exhibition win over the Oakland A ’ s on Monday .
Nakken , a four-time all-conference softball player at Sacramento State , became the first woman to be hired as a full-time coach in major league history when she was brought in by new Giants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baserunners as an assistant .
Kapler , along with multiple players and coaches , chose to kneel during the national anthem before the game .
The 30-year-old former first baseman joined the Giants in 2014 as an intern in baseball operations .
After the game , Giants outfielder Hunter Pence was quick to give his new coach some praise on Twitter .
The number of female coaches in major sports has grown exponentially in recent years , with seven women having worked as full-time assistants in the NFL , including Katie Sowers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach for the San Francisco 49ers became the first woman to coach in a Super Bowl .
Nearly a third of NBA teams have hired women as assistant coaches , and Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is regularly mentioned as a head coaching candidate .
With Nakken as MLB ’ s first woman to make it on the field , and teams such as the Yankees and Cubs hiring hitting coaches Rachel Balkovec and Rachel Holden , respectively , it ’ s not likely that she will be the last .

It only took 144 years, but baseball finally has its first female coach on the field.
Alyssa Nakken became the first female coach to make it into a Major League Baseball game in an on-field capacity when she coached first base for the San Francisco Giants in the late innings of a 6-3 exhibition win over the Oakland A’s on Monday.
Nakken, a four-time all-conference softball player at Sacramento State, became the first woman to be hired as a full-time coach in major league history when she was brought in by new Giants manager Gabe Kapler to coach outfielders and baserunners as an assistant. Kapler, along with multiple players and coaches, chose to kneel during the national anthem before the game.
The 30-year-old former first baseman joined the Giants in 2014 as an intern in baseball operations.
After the game, Giants outfielder Hunter Pence was quick to give his new coach some praise on Twitter.
The number of female coaches in major sports has grown exponentially in recent years, with seven women having worked as full-time assistants in the NFL, including Katie Sowers, who in February as an assistant offensive coach for the San Francisco 49ers became the first woman to coach in a Super Bowl. Nearly a third of NBA teams have hired women as assistant coaches, and Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is regularly mentioned as a head coaching candidate.
With Nakken as MLB’s first woman to make it on the field, and teams such as the Yankees and Cubs hiring hitting coaches Rachel Balkovec and Rachel Holden, respectively, it’s not likely that she will be the last.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Two people killed in fiery crash on Bronx highway

Police Monday made a second arrest in the grisly slaying ...

A fiery four-car crash in the Bronx late Monday left two people dead and five others injured, authorities said.
Police sources said the fatal wreck unfolded on the Bruckner Expressway when a speeding vehicle, heading south on the expressway, slammed into a utility pole shortly before midnight.
The collision sent the vehicle over the median and into northbound traffic, where it struck three other vehicles and burst into flames.
Cops responded to the scene near Country Club Road shortly after midnight, following a 911 call.
Chilling photos of the aftermath of the fatal wreck shows that one of the vehicles was reduced to a pile of charred metal, while the front end of a second car was entirely demolished.
The two others — still facing northbound — suffered less severe damage, but all of the vehicles appear to have been burned before firefighters doused the flames.
In addition to the two fatalities, three other victims were transported to Jacobi Hospital Medical Center and two to St. Barnabas Hospital, sources said.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Second arrest made after dead body found on Bronx McDonald’s rooftop

Police Monday made a second arrest in the grisly slaying of a 65-year-old man whose body was found dumped on @ @ @ @ @ McDonald ’ s .
Jonathan Rodriguez , 21 , of the Bronx , was charged @ @ @ @ @ homicide in the death of Richard Hamlet .
Hamlet was found Wednesday wrapped in plastic @ @ @ @ @ East 149th Street near Grand Concourse , police said .
Rodriguez ’ s bust comes @ @ @ @ @ 18-year-old Ayame Stamoulis , of Brooklyn , with murder in the case .
Police found @ @ @ @ @ getting a 911 call from the restaurant about an unconscious man on the roof .
@ @ @ @ @ scene they found the victim wrapped in plastic .
He was pronounced dead at the @ @

Police Monday made a second arrest in the grisly slaying of a 65-year-old man whose body was found dumped on the roof of a Bronx McDonald’s.
Jonathan Rodriguez, 21, of the Bronx, was charged with murder and criminally negligent homicide in the death of Richard Hamlet.
Hamlet was found Wednesday wrapped in plastic atop the fast-food eatery on East 149th Street near Grand Concourse, police said.
Rodriguez’s bust comes two days after cops charged 18-year-old Ayame Stamoulis, of Brooklyn, with murder in the case.
Police found Hamlet’s body after getting a 911 call from the restaurant about an unconscious man on the roof. When cops arrived, they found the victim wrapped in plastic. He was pronounced dead at the scene.


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Rhode Island girl, 14, charged with murder in death of contractor

A 14-year-old girl has been charged with murder in the deadly shooting of a contractor in Rhode Island , investigators said .
The teen , whose name was not made public because of her age , is scheduled to be arraigned in Family Court , police told the Providence Journal .
Jorge Gonzalez Colon , 37 , was shot multiple times on July 1 outside a Providence home he was working on in the city ’ s Silver Lake neighborhood .
He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital where he was pronounced dead .
Police said they did not think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Lapatin said the girl played an “ integral part ” in the homicide .
Felix Hernandez-Rosado , 18 , also was charged with murder and conspiracy in the killing .
He appeared in court Friday and was being held without bail .
His attorney called it a complicated case and added , “ There is no relationship between my client and the victim.
” Hernandez-Rosado was thought to be with a missing 14-year-old girl , and police wouldn ’ t reveal if the missing girl found was the same girl of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder .
“ We spoke to some of the family members and friends of the victim , who described him as a hardworking and very good person , ” said Capt .
Timothy O ’ Hara earlier this month about Gonzalez Colon .
“ They can ’ t understand why something like this would happen to him .
”

A 14-year-old girl has been charged with murder in the shooting of a contractor in Rhode Island, investigators said.
The teen, whose name was not made public because of her age, is scheduled to be arraigned in Family Court, police told the Providence Journal.
Jorge Gonzalez Colon, 37, was shot multiple times on July 1 outside a Providence home he was working on in the city’s Silver Lake neighborhood. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police said they did not think he was the intended target.
Maj. David Lapatin said the girl played an “integral part” in the homicide.
Felix Hernandez-Rosado, 18, also was charged with murder and conspiracy in the killing. He appeared in court Friday and was being held without bail. His attorney called it a complicated case and added, “There is no relationship between my client and the victim.”
Hernandez-Rosado was thought to be with a missing 14-year-old girl, and police wouldn’t reveal if the missing girl found was the same girl of the same age charged in the Gonzalez Colon murder.
“We spoke to some of the family members and friends of the victim, who described him as a hardworking and very good person,” Capt. Timothy O’Hara said earlier this month about Gonzalez Colon. “They can’t understand why something like this would happen to him.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-21--Steven Matz appears primed for his crucial Mets season

The Mets ’ outfield depth could be tested with Jake Marisnick ...

The regular season is coming at a good time for Steven Matz. Monday night, he looked ready for the upcoming abbreviated campaign.
“Today was probably the best I’ve felt, as far as all my pitches go,” Matz said in a Zoom interview after allowing two runs — on a Rene Rivera home run — over five innings while throwing 75 pitches. “I felt like I was commanding the ball a lot better today. I feel good. Everything felt crisp.
“I felt I could’ve gone back out there for another two, three innings honestly.”
More is riding on his left shoulder than any of his previous five seasons. After Zack Wheeler left via free agency and Noah Syndergaard underwent Tommy John surgery in the spring, Matz is being counted on along with Marcus Stroman to bolster the rotation behind two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom.
Matz prepared himself well, arriving for spring training 2.0 in good shape after spending the time between spring trainings at home in Nashville, Tenn., working out with major leaguers such as James McCann, Logan Forsythe, Adam Duvall, Lance Lynn, Jacob Stallings and teammate Brad Brach. After reaching 30 starts for the second straight season a year ago, going 11-10 with a 4.21 ERA, Matz will embark on a season unlike any other. Instead of fans in the Citi Field stands, there will be cardboard cutouts of them and artificial fan noise. Nobody really knows what to expect once the games count for real on Friday, starting with the Braves.
“Late in the game, when normally you get energy from the crowd buzzing, I think that’s going to be the most interesting thing when you get to a close game, and it’s late in the game, you got big at-bats, you got to be able to make big pitches, just to see that plays out,” he said.
Matz knows when he will be making his first start, though he kept it to himself, as did manager Luis Rojas. Rojas did share what he has liked the most about Matz through camp though. His velocity has been in the mid-90s, and most importantly, he has added to his repertoire. He’s throwing curveballs at different velocities, creating another element of his attack.
“I was really pumped the first day he threw, and we had those [radar] readings behind the plate,” Rojas said. “That velo[city] differential and having the changeup and having that breaking ball also, he put some work in. That was the one thing that has really caught my eye. … We want it to translate into the regular season starting on Friday.”