newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Woman arrested, tased for not wearing mask at middle school football game

A woman at a grade-school football game in Ohio on Wednesday was reportedly tasered and arrested by a police officer for not wearing a face mask in the stands .
The woman was sitting in the bleachers with her mother when she got into an altercation with the cop about mask-wearing at a middle school in the town of Logan , The Marietta Times reported .
Video of the incident , which was posted to YouTube , shows the woman resisting as the officer struggled to handcuff her for nearly two minutes before he deployed his taser .
The woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kitts , repeatedly tells the officer to “ get off of me , ” the video shows .
“ You ’ re not arresting me for nothing , I ain ’ t doing nothing wrong , ” she yells after the officer ordered her to place her hands behind her back .
Once the officer tasered Kitts , she fell to a lower tier of the bleachers , according to the footage .
The use of force shocked others watching the game .
“ Tasing this lady over not wearing a damn mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying .
As the woman is finally hauled away , her mother pleads with the cop : “ Come on , it ’ s just a mask !
” Kitts , who appeared to have an American-flag themed mask in her back shorts pocket , was rooting for the visiting team from Marietta City Schools at the time .
The Logan Police Department told The Marietta Times the incident is under investigation .
Logan Athletic Director , Theresa Schultheiss , told the newspaper that Kitts and her mother were the only two in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ having issues ” complying with the state ’ s mask requirement .
“ This rule has been in effect since we were told we could play , ” said Schultheiss .
“ Everyone that came through ticketing tonight was reminded , we had regular announcements over the PA reminding you that mouths and noses needed to be covered and we had signs at the bathrooms .
”

A woman at a grade-school football game in Ohio on Wednesday was reportedly tased and arrested by a police officer for not wearing a face mask in the stands.
The woman was sitting in the bleachers with her mother when she got into an altercation with the cop about mask-wearing at a middle school in the town of Logan, the Marietta Times reported.
Video of the incident, which was posted to YouTube, shows the woman resisting as the officer struggles to handcuff her for nearly two minutes before he deploys his Taser.
The woman, identified in the report as Alecia Kitts, repeatedly tells the officer to “get off of me,” the video shows.
“You’re not arresting me for nothing, I ain’t doing nothing wrong,” she yells after the officer orders her to place her hands behind her back.
Once the officer tases Kitts, she falls to a lower tier of the bleachers, according to the footage.
The use of force shocked others watching the game.
“Tasing this lady over not wearing a damn mask,” a witness can be heard saying.
As the woman is finally hauled away, her mother pleads with the cop: “Come on, it’s just a mask!”
Kitts, who appeared to have an American flag-themed mask in her back shorts pocket, was rooting for the visiting team from Marietta City Schools at the time.
The Logan Police Department told the Marietta Times the incident is under investigation.
Logan athletic director Theresa Schultheiss told the newspaper that Kitts and her mother were the only two in a crowd of 300 fans who were “having issues” complying with the state’s mask requirement.
Related Video Extended video shows woman arrested at middle school football game for not wearing mask
“This rule has been in effect since we were told we could play,” said Schultheiss.
“Everyone that came through ticketing tonight was reminded, we had regular announcements over the PA reminding you that mouths and noses needed to be covered and we had signs at the bathrooms.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Man shot minutes after being acquitted of fatal gang shooting

A Fresno man who was acquitted of a deadly shooting was wounded and his girlfriend killed minutes after he walked out of jail , his attorney said Wednesday .
Michael Garcia , 21 , was shot four times and remained hospitalized .
“ They were waiting at the jail for him , ” his attorney , Eric Castellon told the Fresno Bee .
Garcia was attacked about 10 p.m. Tuesday while in a car on State Route 180 in Fresno .
His girlfriend died .
The Fresno County coroner ’ s office identified her Wednesday as Ernestine Thomas , 21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning on leaving so they could get away from all this madness ” Castellon said of the couple .
“ It ’ s a gang hit , that ’ s for sure.
” Garcia ’ s family had received apparent threats on social media , Castellon told the Bee .
Garcia was acquitted of charges that he shot and killed Gregory Garza , 23 , last year in northwest Fresno .
Police had said the shooting stemmed from a dispute over gang ties .
Castellon said his client didn ’ t have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killer .
“ He wasn ’ t the shooter .
Witness identifications didn ’ t match up .
Ballistics didn ’ t match up , ” Castellon said .

A Fresno man who was acquitted of a deadly shooting was wounded and his girlfriend killed minutes after he walked out of jail, his attorney said Wednesday.
Michael Garcia, 21, was shot four times and remained hospitalized.
“They were waiting at the jail for him,” his attorney, Eric Castellon told the Fresno Bee.
Garcia was attacked about 10 p.m. Tuesday while in a car on State Route 180 in Fresno. His girlfriend died. The Fresno County coroner’s office identified her Wednesday as Ernestine Thomas, 21, of Fresno.
“They were planning on leaving so they could get away from all this madness” Castellon said of the couple. “It’s a gang hit, that’s for sure.”
Garcia’s family had received apparent threats on social media, Castellon told the Bee.
No arrests were immediately made.
Garcia was acquitted of charges that he shot and killed Gregory Garza, 23, last year in northwest Fresno. Police had said the shooting stemmed from a dispute over gang ties.
Castellon said his client didn’t have any gang ties and wasn’t the killer.
“He wasn’t the shooter. Witness identifications didn’t match up. Ballistics didn’t match up,” Castellon said.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--North Korean sailors fatally shoot South Korean official, set his body on fire

A South Korean government official who may have tried to defect to North Korea was shot to death and then set on fire by Navy sailors from the communist country , a report said Thursday .
The 47-year-old man vanished from a boat on Monday that was carrying 18 other South Korean officials who were investigating potential illegal fishing near the water border between the two rival nations , the Associated Press reported .
North Korean officials , wearing gas masks , found him in their waters floating on a small object on Tuesday and alerted the Navy , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seoul .
North Korean sailors then approached him from a boat and shot him to death , according to the statement , which cited surveillance intelligence .
The sailors put on gas masks and other protective equipment , then doused the man ’ s body with gasoline and set him on fire , according to the report .
A South Korean defense official told the AP that the sailors may have killed the man in accordance with their strict coronavirus measures , which require them to shoot anyone trying to illegally cross their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is known about the man , but they believe he may have tried to defect to the totalitarian state .
North Korea has claimed it hasn ’ t had a single coronavirus case since the pandemic began .

A South Korean government official who may have tried to defect to North Korea was shot to death and then set on fire by sailors from the Communist country, a report said Thursday.
The 47-year-old man vanished from a boat on Monday that was carrying 18 other South Korean officials who were investigating potential illegal fishing near the water border between the two rival nations, the Associated Press reported.
North Korean officials, wearing gas masks, found him in their waters floating on a small object on Tuesday and alerted the navy, the AP reported, citing a statement from Seoul.
North Korean sailors then approached him from a boat and shot him to death, according to the statement, which cited surveillance intelligence.
The sailors put on gas masks and other protective equipment, then doused the man’s body with gasoline and set him on fire, according to the report.
A South Korean defense official told the AP that the sailors may have killed the man in accordance with their strict coronavirus measures, which require them to shoot anyone trying to illegally cross their border.
The official added that little is known about the man, but they believe he may have tried to defect to the totalitarian state.
North Korea has claimed it hasn’t had a single coronavirus case since the pandemic began.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Man gunned down in Far Rockaway as neighborhood sees spike in homicides

A 27-year-old man was fatally shot in Queens on Wednesday afternoon , cops said .
The victim was found at @ @ @ @ @ bullet wounds to his torso outside of an apartment building at 207 Beach 31 St. @ @ @ @ @ to police .
EMS took the man to nearby St. John ’ s Episcopal Hospital @ @ @ @ @ be saved , authorities said .
No arrests were made as of early Thursday morning @ @ @ @ @ provide any suspect description or a possible motive .
Murders in the 101 Precinct , @ @ @ @ @ occurred , have skyrocketed in 2020 .
Nine people have been killed there so far @ @ @ @ @ just one in the same time period in 2019 , police data shows .

A 27-year-old man was fatally shot in Queens on Wednesday afternoon, cops said.
The victim, identified as Lasaaun Lawrence, was found at about 5:45 p.m. with several bullet wounds to his torso outside of an apartment building at 207 Beach 31 St. in Far Rockaway, according to police.
EMS took Lawrence to nearby St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, but he could not be saved, authorities said.
No arrests were made as of early Friday morning.
Police did not immediately provide any suspect description or a possible motive.
Murders in the 101 Precinct, where Wednesday night fatal shooting occurred, have skyrocketed in 2020.
Nine people have been killed there so far this year, compared to just one in the same time period in 2019, police data shows.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Massachusetts man dies from eating excessive amount of black licorice

A Massachusetts man died last year from eating an excessive amount of black licorice , doctors said Wednesday .
The unusual case was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine , detailing how the man consumed a bag and half of the candy every day for two weeks prior to his death .
Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid , which could deplete potassium levels and contribute to heart rhythm problems , doctors explained .
“ Even a small amount of licorice you eat can increase your blood pressure a little bit , ” said Dr. Neel Butala , a cardiologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case in the New England Journal of Medicine .
The man had collapsed inside a fast food restaurant and died the next day .
Doctors discovered he had dangerously low potassium , which led to heart rhythm and other problems .
The Food and Drug Administration warns eating only 2 ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks could lead to an irregular heartbeat .
Jeff Beckman , a spokesman for the Hershey Company , which makes the popular Twizzlers licorice twists , told the Associated Press that “ all of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in full compliance with FDA regulations.
” Beckman added all candy “ should be enjoyed in moderation .
”

A Massachusetts man died last year from eating an excessive amount of black licorice, doctors said Wednesday.
The unusual case was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, detailing how the man consumed a bag and a half of the candy every day for two weeks prior to his death.
Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, which could deplete potassium levels and contribute to heart rhythm problems, doctors explained.
“Even a small amount of licorice you eat can increase your blood pressure a little bit,” said Dr. Neel Butala, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who described the case in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The man had collapsed inside a fast food restaurant and died the next day. Doctors discovered he had dangerously low potassium, which led to heart rhythm and other problems.
The Food and Drug Administration warns that eating only 2 ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks could lead to an irregular heartbeat.
Jeff Beckman, a spokesman for the Hershey Company, which makes the popular Twizzlers licorice twists, told the Associated Press that “all of our products are safe to eat and formulated in full compliance with FDA regulations.”
Beckman added that all candy “should be enjoyed in moderation.”
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Michael Conforto’s Mets future may hinge on Steve Cohen

Michael Conforto will wait to hear the prospective new owner ’ s plan before counting his money .
Steve Cohen ’ s “ to do ” list this offseason , should he receive the needed 23 votes from MLB owners to complete his $ 2.4 billion purchase of the Mets , will be lengthy , but among the top priorities might be Conforto , in the outfielder ’ s last winter before he can head to free agency .
In this abbreviated season , Conforto has been the Mets ’ best all-around position player .
He returned to the lineup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games with left hamstring discomfort , holding a .315/.380/.606 slash line with nine homers and 41 RBIs in a breakout season .
And he will be ready to listen if the Mets contact his agent , Scott Boras , this winter with a long-term proposal , as Conforto prepares to enter his final arbitration-eligible offseason .
“ I love it here , ” Conforto said before going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the Mets ’ 8-5 loss to the Rays .
“ This is everything I know , and I have said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future brings.
” Conforto said preliminary discussions were held with the club during the first spring training this year about a potential contract extension , but those talks were scuttled once camp shut down due to the pandemic .
He said those talks never resumed .
With Cohen — and his estimated net worth of $ 14 billion — within the MLB owners ’ vote of taking team control ( perhaps as soon as next month ) , Conforto was asked if he ’ s optimistic a contract extension will be completed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it means directly anything to me at this point , ” Conforto said .
“ I don ’ t know what the new ownership is going to come in and do .
I ’ m just a baseball player , so I will leave those things to my agent and the people that know about that stuff.
” Boras , the game ’ s most prominent agent , has a history of taking his players to free agency , but it wouldn ’ t be unprecedented for an extension to occur beforehand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strasburg serving as a prime example within the Mets ’ own division .
Ultimately , it will depend on how much Cohen and the baseball operations staff , whether that includes general manager Brodie Van Wagenen or not , value the 27-year-old Conforto .
“ Of course I ’ m aware of what ’ s going on and new ownership coming in and you definitely think about what kind of things are going to change and what this team is going to look like when we come back , ” Conforto said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a better understanding of what that is going to look like , I am just focused on playing the game today and doing what I can to help the team win today .
I don ’ t think I can really comment on anything hypothetical in the future.
” Conforto followed a strong 2017 season with two lesser years that opened the debate over whether his ceiling had been reached .
This season ’ s consistency has raised the bar .
“ I ’ m proud of some of the things I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sure , ” Conforto said .
“ I think it was a step in the right direction , but I am looking forward to doing it over a 162-game season .
This year was good and I think I accomplished a lot of things I set out to do .
The team goals weren ’ t met.
” “ We still have a chance , but obviously we didn ’ t put ourselves in a great spot , so those things kind of all go together , so I am looking forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successes that I ’ ve had this year , but I play this game to win and I know all those guys do in there too , so that ’ s the most important thing for us .
”

Michael Conforto will wait to hear the prospective new owner’s plan before counting his money.
Steve Cohen’s “to do” list this offseason, should he receive the needed 23 votes from MLB owners to complete his $2.4 billion purchase of the Mets, will be lengthy, but among the top priorities might be Conforto, in the outfielder’s last winter before he can head to free agency.
In this abbreviated season, Conforto has been the Mets’ best all-around position player. He returned to the lineup Wednesday as the DH after missing two games with left hamstring discomfort, holding a .315/.380/.606 slash line with nine homers and 41 RBIs in a breakout season.
And he will be ready to listen if the Mets contact his agent, Scott Boras, this winter with a long-term proposal, as Conforto prepares to enter his final arbitration-eligible offseason.
“I love it here,” Conforto said before going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the Mets’ 8-5 loss to the Rays. “This is everything I know, and I have said it before. We’ll see what the future brings.”
Conforto said preliminary discussions were held with the club during the first spring training this year about a potential contract extension, but those talks were scuttled once camp shut down due to the pandemic. He said those talks never resumed.
With Cohen — and his estimated net worth of $14 billion — within the MLB owners’ vote of taking team control (perhaps as soon as next month), Conforto was asked if he’s optimistic a contract extension will be completed.
“I don’t know if it means directly anything to me at this point,” Conforto said. “I don’t know what the new ownership is going to come in and do. I’m just a baseball player, so I will leave those things to my agent and the people that know about that stuff.”
Boras, the game’s most prominent agent, has a history of taking his players to free agency, but it wouldn’t be unprecedented for an extension to occur beforehand for a Boras client, with Stephen Strasburg serving as a prime example within the Mets’ own division.
Ultimately, it will depend on how much Cohen and the baseball operations staff, whether that includes general manager Brodie Van Wagenen or not, value the 27-year-old Conforto.
“Of course I’m aware of what’s going on and new ownership coming in and you definitely think about what kind of things are going to change and what this team is going to look like when we come back,” Conforto said. “But for right now until I have a better understanding of what that is going to look like, I am just focused on playing the game today and doing what I can to help the team win today. I don’t think I can really comment on anything hypothetical in the future.”
Conforto followed a strong 2017 season with two lesser years that opened the debate over whether his ceiling had been reached. This season’s consistency has raised the bar.
“I’m proud of some of the things I have been able to do this year for sure,” Conforto said. “I think it was a step in the right direction, but I am looking forward to doing it over a 162-game season. This year was good and I think I accomplished a lot of things I set out to do. The team goals weren’t met.”
“We still have a chance, but obviously we didn’t put ourselves in a great spot, so those things kind of all go together, so I am looking forward to building on some of the individual successes that I’ve had this year, but I play this game to win and I know all those guys do in there too, so that’s the most important thing for us.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Cardi B divorcing Offset to spare herself from being cheated on again

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Cardi B said she is divorcing Offset because she didn ’ t want to be publicly embarrassed if he cheated on her again .
The “ WAP ” rapper — who filed divorce papers in Atlanta last week — said on her OnlyFans account that she left him as a preemptive act .
“ I didn ’ t wait until he cheated on me again .
I didn ’ t wait [ for ] another controversy with him being involved .
I decided to leave .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have stayed .
I decided to leave.
” In 2018 , Cardi admitted that Offset had been caught on tape having sex with another woman — three months after their wedding .
They broke up temporarily that year before he elaborately asked for forgiveness by crashing a concert of hers , toting roses that spelled out “ Take me back Cardi ” onstage .
Meanwhile , she said she ’ s not interested in dating right now , despite having many eager suitors .
“ I ’ m so focused on my business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
The former couple have a 2-year-old daughter , whom they ’ re seeking joint custody of .

Cardi B said she is divorcing Offset because she didn’t want to be publicly embarrassed if he cheated on her again.
The “WAP” rapper — who filed divorce papers in Atlanta last week — said on her OnlyFans account that she left him as a preemptive act.
“I didn’t wait until he cheated on me again. I didn’t wait [for] another controversy with him being involved. I decided to leave. If I wanted to stay, I could have stayed. I decided to leave.”
In 2018, Cardi admitted that Offset had been caught on tape having sex with another woman — three months after their wedding. They broke up temporarily that year before he elaborately asked for forgiveness by crashing a concert of hers, toting roses that spelled out “Take me back Cardi” onstage.
Meanwhile, she said she’s not interested in dating right now, despite having many eager suitors. “I’m so focused on my business that it’s crazy,” she said. The former couple have a 2-year-old daughter, whom they’re seeking joint custody of.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Founder of Rolling Stone magazine expected to cut all ties

The founder of Rolling Stone magazine , Jann Wenner , at the end of the year is expected to sever @ @ @ @ @ he founded in 1967 .
Also expected to exit the music mag this year , @ @ @ @ @ ’ s son , Gus Wenner , Rolling Stone ’ s chief operating officer and @ @ @ @ @ of the publishing parent Penske Media .
Their impending departures have nothing to do with @ @ @ @ @ with MRC , sources say .
Rather , it has to do with the 2017 @ @ @ @ @ Penske Media , which kept Jann , now 73 , and his son on board @ @ @ @ @ that was expected to last three years .
Jann Wenner maintained a role in the @ @ @ @ @ editorial director , but it was largely an honorary title .

Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner may stay affiliated with the iconic magazine after his initial three year deal with Penske Media that kept him on board finishes at the end of the year. The deal kept him on board as “editorial director” of the magazine, although it was a largely honorary title.
Negotiations are currently underway, a source said.
Jann Wenner, who co-founded the iconic magazine in 1967, may not sever all ties with the magazine. He is currently in negotiations with CEO Jay Penske for a contract extension, sources close to the company tell Media Ink, although he may be downgraded to an “advisor.” The company declined to comment.
His son, Gus Wenner, who stayed on as president and chief operating officer of Rolling Stone, has already extended his initial three-year contract for at least another year, a source close to the situation said.
Penske Media which acquired majority control in 2017 has since acquired the minority portion and now owns 100 percent of Rolling Stone.
The deal with the Wenners has nothing to do with the $225 million acquisition of 80 percent of a company that includes The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard and Vibe, that were owned by MRC and are now part of a new joint venture with Penske known as PMRC.
The Wenner deal has to do with the 2017 sale of a majority stake in Rolling Stone which kept Jann Wenner, now 73, and his son, Gus, now 30, on board as part of a deal that was expected to last three years.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Meaningless, misleading talk is invading sports broadcasts

TBS ’ postseason studio show will have a new look led ...

Ah, to sleep, perchance to miss it all.
During the first half of Sunday’s Niners-Jets game, a large graphic appeared to promote the halftime show that would include, “Steelers Host Winless Broncos.”
Winless Broncos? The Broncos were 0-1. Half the NFL’s teams were winless!
No matter, play-by-play man Brandon Gaudin dutifully parroted the “winless” graphic for our further enlightenment.
At the start of the Giants-Bears game, CBS scrolled a bunch of distracting stats giving both teams’ offensive and defensive percentages and ranks. The “when accumulated” went unaddressed, but if these were last season’s numbers, they were irrelevant, and if they were this season’s, they were, off just one game, also irrelevant.
In the first quarter, CBS play-by-play man Ian Eagle, perhaps stuck for something — anything — to say, said the Giants’ defense “has been in its nickel throughout.” The game was just over 3 minutes long.
It’s wall-to-wall. Late Sunday afternoon, the stat-headed host of the NFL’s gambling-centric Red Zone channel, Scott Hanson, stated that the Falcons, up 15 over the Cowboys midway through the fourth quarter, had a 98 percent win probability. That soon dipped to zero percent.
The USGA, over the weekend, did everything in its power to wreck its premier event, the US Open. In repeated — as in dozens of times — frame splits that relegated live major golf on NBC to distant stick figures in indiscernible activities, three-fifths of the screen was devoted to commercials.
What made this particularly astonishing was that many of the commercials/promos seen in those dominant boxes were for the USGA! Don’t watch the USGA’s Open, watch repeated promos for the USGA!
And the commentary, especially that spoken by cliché-dependent NBC host Dan Hicks, was insulting. He repeatedly said that this was the first Open cut missed by Tiger Woods since 2006, citing his father’s death at the time for the reason.
But such a maudlin treatment was terribly misleading. Woods, golf’s most privileged, took an entire month off after his father passed — evidence, as per groveling TV announcers, that no one loved their father as much as Woods loved his.
How many of us are allowed such leave from work after the passing of a loved one? An itinerant pro, Jay Delsing, played in the Open and played in other events shortly after his father’s death in order to try to keep making a living — a story widely ignored.
And the say-anything filler was enough to stuff a year’s supply of prison meatloafs. As contender Harris English prepared to play the 18th hole during Round 2, Gary Koch, who relies on vacant commentary, said, “It all starts with a tee shot.” To think he has the right to remain silent.
NBC’s Stanley Cup Finals “coverage” continues to beg both the impossible and senseless from viewers. Along the top it has scrolled the running time of players’ shifts on the ice. Who cares enough to cease watching the game to study such needless info? And during the Stanley Cup Finals, no less!
And will someone at Fox please — please! — at last tell or convince MLB analyst John Smoltz to take off a pitch or two. Whatever good stuff he has to add is lost after the first inning of his say-something sense of duty after every bloody pitch!
Sanctuary!
Losing? No worry, you can still pose
Never thought we’d see what we saw on ABC/ESPN during Saturday’s Navy-Tulane game. After a Navy defender sacked the QB, he rose and did an all-about-me skit that ended with a mime of him sinking a putt, as opposed to a battleship. The conspicuously immodest from a US Naval Academy man!
At the time, Navy trailed, 17-0. Naturally, announcers Mark Jones and Dusty Dvoracek could muster not a word of discouragement.
The next day, Jets WR Chris Hogan caught a short pass, then spun the ball on the ground before doing that hackneyed, self-aggrandizing downfield first-down signal.
At the time, the Jets trailed, 24-3.
Alex Rodriguez’s “Baseball Has Never Been More Fun To Watch” Games of the Week:
On Sept. 20, Howie Rose tweeted, “Last night’s [Mets] game started at 7:07. It wasn’t until 7:32 that the first ball was put into play, a two-run single by Robinson Cano. 25 minutes in – and Cano was the 8th batter. 4 BBs, 3K’s, plus a pickoff.
“Maybe I’m missing something, but is this what we really want? Hard to imagine it is.”
Same with this: The Cardinals beat the Pirates 7-2 last Friday in the second game of a doubleheader. There were 21 strikeouts — in a 6½-inning game.
And with this: That same night, in 8½ innings, the Brewers used seven pitchers to beat the Royals, 9-5. And all, by new, feckless rule, six pitched to at least three batters.
Doug Adler, the longtime ESPN tennis analyst fired in 2017 as a racist after a New York Times freelancer and frightened ESPN execs determined that he had, out of the blue, called Venus Williams a “gorilla” — he was admiring her net-poaching “guerilla tactics” — returns to the air Sunday on Tennis Channel’s coverage of the French Open.
Adler, who had also been drummed out of French Open coverage after nine years following the preposterous accusation — and then suffered a stress-related heart attack — last worked the French in 2016.
It’s Saturday, let’s not play a ballgame
Uncle Rob Manfred’s claim to embrace kids as MLB’s top priority was on full display, last Saturday, as only one afternoon game was scheduled, and that was for Giants-Athletics, a 4:05 ET start for Fox.
Craig Carton’s remorse via that HBO documentary seems a matter of feeling sorry for himself as much as his family. He also came across as what he was pre-arrest: defiant, belligerent and narcissistic — an uncured ham.
Think Pete Alonso regrets all his LFGM!, I’m-the-man! second-season preseason bravado?
Reader Nathan Mayberg has a good question: When did “He’d like to have that pass back” become legitimate, in-game quarterback analysis?
Here’s hoping TBS doesn’t rush Curtis Granderson onto center stage before he’s ready. No one easier to root for than Granderson, a mensch. And thousands of kids have his autograph to prove it.
One of Vince McMahon’s most popular wrestlers, Road Warrior Animal (Joseph Laurinaitis), died this week at 60. That’s a long life by pro wrestling standards. His Road Warrior/Legion of Doom partner, Hawk (Michael Hegstrand), died of a heart attack in 2003 at 46. Not that WWE yahoo Peter Rosenberg of “The Michael Kay Show” cares.
Reader Steve Arendash: “While I’m watching the NFL on CBS, I’m told by CBS that I’m ‘watching the NFL on CBS.’ Next they’ll tell me that the postgame show follows the game.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Ruth Bader Ginsburg donated a collar to the Jewish museum of Tel Aviv

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) One of Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s @ @ @ @ @ to go on display at Tel Aviv ’ s Museum of the Jewish People , @ @ @ @ @ The late Supreme Court justice donated the item to the museum .
Explaining why she @ @ @ @ @ Ginsburg told the Washington Post , “ The standard robe is made for a man @ @ @ @ @ for the shirt to show , and the tie.
” So she and Sandra Day @ @ @ @ @ first female justice , “ thought it would be appropriate if we included as part @ @ @ @ @ of a woman .
”

One of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s white lace jabot collars is to go on display at Tel Aviv’s Museum of the Jewish People, we’re told.
The late Supreme Court justice donated the item to the museum. Explaining why she wore the standout collars, Ginsburg told the Washington Post, “The standard robe is made for a man because it has a place for the shirt to show, and the tie.”
So she and Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female justice, “thought it would be appropriate if we included as part of our robe something typical of a woman.”
Ginsburg died on Sept. 18.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--The Post asks … Can you find Joe Biden?

The Post asks … Can you find Joe Biden?

He ’ s giving a whole new meaning to “ Morning Joe.
” With ...

You remember “Where’s Waldo?” This election season, voters are asking: “Where’s Joe?”
On Thursday, just a short 40 days before the election, the Biden campaign called a “lid” at 9 a.m. — no more questions, no more appearances for the rest of the day. That’s after The Post found that President Trump has answered five times the number of questions from reporters in the two months from mid-July to mid-September, 1,141 to a scant 274.
Americans deserve to hear more from the man who wants to be president, and who is willing and able to face tougher questioning.
Here’s a question to start — with how little you’ve seen of Joe Biden of late, could you pick him out of a crowd? See if you can solve our front-page puzzle. For the answer, keep scrolling.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--50 staffers at NYC school forced to quarantine after COVID-19 case

Fifty staffers at a Staten Island middle school are being forced to quarantine after a school employee tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ a DOE official said .
The dozens of staffers at IS 51 in Port Richmond @ @ @ @ @ quarantine after they disregarded social distancing protocols , according to a Department of Education spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ addressed .
It takes the cooperation of everyone working together and closely following safety rules @ @ @ @ @ ” the spokesperson said .
Parents at the school were notified of the infected staffer @ @ @ @ @ from the school ’ s principal .
The teachers under quarantine will be working remotely @ @ @ @ @

Fifty staffers at a Staten Island middle school are being forced to quarantine after a school employee tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday, a DOE official said.
The dozens of staffers at IS 51 in Port Richmond Center are being forced to quarantine after they disregarded social distancing protocols, according to a Department of Education spokesperson.
“This will be addressed. It takes the cooperation of everyone working together and closely following safety rules to stop the spread,” the spokesperson said.
Parents at the school were notified of the infected staffer in a Wednesday letter sent from the school’s principal.
The teachers under quarantine will be working remotely, the letter said.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Dennis Smith hoping for fresh Knicks start with number change

They have all taken turns as NBA playoff heroes in ...

Knicks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. is changing his jersey number — and perhaps his fortunes.
Smith will return to the No. 4 he wore at North Carolina State, according to an NBA source.
The 22-year-old point guard from Fayetteville, N.C., had been wearing jersey No. 5 since he got traded from Dallas to the Knicks in the Kristaps Porzingis deal, in January 2019.
It will be Smith’s third different number in the league. After being drafted ninth by Dallas in 2017, Smith wore No. 1 with the Mavericks. But after the trade to the Knicks, he deferred to Emmanuel Mudiay. Because Mudiay wore No. 1, Smith switched to 5.
Smith’s college No. 4 was also taken by UNC rival no less, forward Isaiah Hicks. Neither Hicks nor Mudiay is still with the Knicks.
After a strong start in New York in his first partial season, Smith slumped badly this past year, wracked by an array of injuries and the early-season death of his stepmother. He also was on the trading block.
However, Smith is believed to have a fan in new head coach Tom Thibodeau, who was high on Smith when he came out of N.C. State, according to SNY. Smith has been working with Thibodeau during the OTAs the past two weeks.
Smith was a one-and-doner at N.C. State, with some draftniks forecasting he had the driving explosiveness of Russell Westbrook.
Thibodeau’s aim will be to improve Smith’s defense and decision-making as a point guard. Smith played in just 34 games in 2019-20, averaging just 5.5 points and 2.9 assists.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ Review: Aaron Sorkin At His Very Best

Over the last two decades , Aaron Sorkin has quietly become the master of the courtroom drama .
A Few Good Men , the famed legal drama , was his very first feature screenplay .
The Oscar-winning Social Network brilliantly wove together two separate lawsuits as a narrative framework .
Molly ’ s Game , his directorial debut , hinged its emotional climax on a judge ’ s sentencing .
Two years ago , he adapted one of the most famous courtroom stories of all time—Harper Lee ’ s To Kill a Mockingbird—for Broadway .
Now , with The Trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October 16—Sorkin has delivered a courtroom drama in its purest form .
And it is an excellent one .
This time , Sorkin , who wrote and directed the film , turns his attention to the true story of the Chicago Seven , a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors who were charged with conspiracy in 1969 on the basis that they had traveled across state lines with the intention of starting a riot at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago .
The argument was shaky at best , and illegal at worst .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ met each other before .
Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale ( played by the superb star of HBO ’ s Watchmen , and recent Emmy winner , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II ) was barely even present at the protest , much less involved in organizing it .
But a newly-elected President Nixon was waging an increasingly unpopular war , and he was determined to silence the people—and the culture—who spoke out against it .
Sorkin doesn ’ t waste time getting us to the courtroom , where he ’ s assembled a cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the establishment-loving prosecutor Richard Schultz , hand-selected by Nixon ’ s Attorney General John N. Mitchell ( William Hurt ) , and instructed to get an indictment no matter what .
Mark Rylance is acclaimed civil rights lawyer William Moses Kunstler , who argues on behalf for the defendants ( save for Seale , whose lawyer is hospitalized ) with increasing exasperation , earning charge after charge of contempt as it becomes clear the cantankerous judge ( Frank Langella ) is not on their side .
Michael Keaton shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under Johnson , Ramsey Clark , a key witness who ’ s unfairly dismissed .
Eddie Redmayne and Sacha Baron Cohen , as Tom Hayden and Abbie Hoffman , are the de facto leaders of the defendants , and Sorkin sorts them into a long-standing trope of revolutionaries : the one who wants to change the system from the inside ; and the one who wants to dismantle it from the outside .
Hayden , who in real life went on to be a California State Senator , is respectful of the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tie .
Hoffman , a self-described anarchist who co-founded the Youth International Party ( “ Yippies ” ) , openly mocks the judge .
Both men are flanked by their respective BFFs , Rennie Davis ( Alex Sharp ) and Jerry Rubin ( Jeremy Strong , gone full flower-power ) .
David Dellinger ( John Carroll Lynch ) , is a pacifist who is eventually goaded into violence , while Seale ( Abdul-Mateen ) is dealing with a level of injustice his white colleagues can ’ t hope to understand .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flaherty , who are more or less “ the extra ones , ” but still get in some funny lines regardless .
Needless to say , it ’ s a complicated story .
You may find yourself grateful for the ability to pause and rewind for the first 20 minutes .
But Sorkin has always excelled at mining a great story from dense material , and The Trial of Chicago 7 is Sorkin leaning into all of his strengths .
There are more than a few self-righteous speeches from men , but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil rights leaders , they are much more palatable than they ever were on The Newsroom .
With flashbacks and legal testimonies , he masterfully builds suspense ; revealing how the protests , intended as peaceful , turned violent at the drop of a hat .
Editor Alan Baumgarten , who also worked on Molly ’ s Game , plays a crucial role with the impeccably timed , split-second flashbacks to police brutality .
In one stand-out scene , the quiet sounds of the court are juxtaposed with the harsh jangle of handcuffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for speaking out .
The stellar cast helps .
Redmayne pulls off the American voice so well , I very nearly didn ’ t recognize him .
Cohen ’ s exaggerated Boston accent takes a little longer to get used to , but his comedic timing makes up for it .
Jeremy Strong , meanwhile , slips into “ dorky hippie ” like he was born there , a role that couldn ’ t be more opposite from his character on HBO ’ s Succession .
Abdul-Mateen , though he could have used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anger as Seale until he ’ s pushed to the breaking point .
And the award for the biggest laughs goes to Langella , who is absurdly hilarious as the grossly incompetent Judge Julius Hoffman .
By the end of two hours and nine minutes , Sorkin has ensured that you not only understand the case of the Chicago 7 ( also called the Chicago 8 , until Seale was eventually dismissed ) , but that you feel a deep connection with , if not all , at least most of them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as protestors across the nation are being arrested under President Trump , this story is a particularly relevant one .
But to me , the scariest character wasn ’ t the corrupt AG or the hostile judge , it was Gordon-Levitt ’ s fictionalized character , Schultz .
Is he a good guy “ just doing his job , ” invented to make the bad guys more sympathetic ?
Or is he the man who smiles and shakes your hand as he sends you off to die ?
Sorkin wisely leaves that question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to chew on , long after the movie ends .
Watch The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix

Over the last two decades, Aaron Sorkin has quietly become the master of the courtroom drama. A Few Good Men, the famed legal drama, was his very first feature screenplay. The Oscar-winning Social Network brilliantly wove together two separate lawsuits as a narrative framework. Molly’s Game, his directorial debut, hinged its emotional climax on a judge’s sentencing. Two years ago, he adapted one of the most famous courtroom stories of all time—Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird—for Broadway. Now, with The Trial of the Chicago 7—which premieres on Netflix on October 16—Sorkin has delivered a courtroom drama in its purest form. And it is an excellent one.
This time, Sorkin, who wrote and directed the film, turns his attention to the true story of the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors who were charged with conspiracy in 1969 on the basis that they had traveled across state lines with the intention of starting a riot at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. The argument was shaky at best, and illegal at worst. Several of the defendants had never even met each other before. Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale (played by the superb star of HBO’s Watchmen, and recent Emmy winner, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) was barely even present at the protest, much less involved in organizing it. But a newly-elected President Nixon was waging an increasingly unpopular war, and he was determined to silence the people—and the culture—who spoke out against it.
Sorkin doesn’t waste time getting us to the courtroom, where he’s assembled a cast of all-star actors to play history-making men. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the establishment-loving prosecutor Richard Schultz, hand-selected by Nixon’s Attorney General John N. Mitchell (William Hurt), and instructed to get an indictment no matter what. Mark Rylance is acclaimed civil rights lawyer William Moses Kunstler, who argues on behalf for the defendants (save for Seale, whose lawyer is hospitalized) with increasing exasperation, earning charge after charge of contempt as it becomes clear the cantankerous judge (Frank Langella) is not on their side. Michael Keaton shows up halfway through as the former AG under Johnson, Ramsey Clark, a key witness who’s unfairly dismissed.
Eddie Redmayne and Sacha Baron Cohen, as Tom Hayden and Abbie Hoffman, are the de facto leaders of the defendants, and Sorkin sorts them into a long-standing trope of revolutionaries: the one who wants to change the system from the inside; and the one who wants to dismantle it from the outside. Hayden, who in real life went on to be a California State Senator, is respectful of the court. He gets a haircut and wears a tie. Hoffman, a self-described anarchist who co-founded the Youth International Party (“Yippies”), openly mocks the judge. Both men are flanked by their respective BFFs, Rennie Davis (Alex Sharp) and Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong, gone full flower-power). David Dellinger (John Carroll Lynch), is a pacifist who is eventually goaded into violence, while Seale (Abdul-Mateen) is dealing with a level of injustice his white colleagues can’t hope to understand. Then there’s Noah Robbins and Daniel Flaherty, who are more or less “the extra ones,” but still get in some funny lines regardless.
Needless to say, it’s a complicated story. You may find yourself grateful for the ability to pause and rewind for the first 20 minutes. But Sorkin has always excelled at mining a great story from dense material, and The Trial of Chicago 7 is Sorkin leaning into all of his strengths. There are more than a few self-righteous speeches from men, but in the context of a room full of civil rights leaders, they are much more palatable than they ever were on The Newsroom. With flashbacks and legal testimonies, he masterfully builds suspense; revealing how the protests, intended as peaceful, turned violent at the drop of a hat. Editor Alan Baumgarten, who also worked on Molly’s Game, plays a crucial role with the impeccably timed, split-second flashbacks to police brutality. In one stand-out scene, the quiet sounds of the court are juxtaposed with the harsh jangle of handcuffs, as Seale is bound and gagged for speaking out.
The stellar cast helps. Redmayne pulls off the American voice so well, I very nearly didn’t recognize him. Cohen’s exaggerated Boston accent takes a little longer to get used to, but his comedic timing makes up for it. Jeremy Strong, meanwhile, slips into “dorky hippie” like he was born there, a role that couldn’t be more opposite from his character on HBO’s Succession. Abdul-Mateen, though he could have used a bigger role, quietly simmers with anger as Seale until he’s pushed to the breaking point. And the award for the biggest laughs goes to Langella, who is absurdly hilarious as the grossly incompetent Judge Julius Hoffman.
By the end of two hours and nine minutes, Sorkin has ensured that you not only understand the case of the Chicago 7 (also called the Chicago 8, until Seale was eventually dismissed), but that you feel a deep connection with, if not all, at least most of them. It almost goes without saying that, as protestors across the nation are being arrested under President Trump, this story is a particularly relevant one.
But to me, the scariest character wasn’t the corrupt AG or the hostile judge, it was Gordon-Levitt’s character, Schultz. Is he a good guy “just doing his job,” invented to make the bad guys more sympathetic? Or is he the man who smiles and shakes your hand as he sends you off to die? Sorkin wisely leaves that question unanswered—a take-home philosophy question for the audience to chew on, long after the movie ends.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 will begin streaming on Netflix on October 16.
Watch The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Billie Lourd gives birth to first child with Austen Rydell

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 ) “ Booksmart ” actress Billie Lourd has announced the birth of her first child with fiancé Austen Rydell .
“ Kingston Fisher Lourd Rydell , ” she captioned a clip of the infant ’ s feet posted to Instagram Thursday night .
( The presence of blue hearts and a crown seem to indicate that the baby is a boy . )
If Lourd ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not alone .
Many of the comments on the post are from similarly gob-smacked celebs , like Lourd ’ s “ Scream Queens ” co-star Emma Roberts .
Lourd has a history of keeping mum on social media about big life events : While Rydell posted about their engagement in June , Lourd never addressed the news directly on social media .
Lourd and Rydell dated briefly when they were younger and reconnected in 2017 , People reported when news of the couple ’ s engagement broke .
They were spotted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip to see the northern lights in Norway to commemorate the anniversary of Lourd ’ s mother Carrie Fisher ’ s death .

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)
Surprise!
“Booksmart” actress Billie Lourd has announced the birth of her first child with fiancé Austen Rydell.
“Kingston Fisher Lourd Rydell,” she captioned a clip of the infant’s feet posted to Instagram Thursday night. (The presence of blue hearts and a crown seem to indicate that the baby is a boy.)
If Lourd’s announcement caught you off-guard, you’re not alone. Many of the comments on the post are from similarly gob-smacked celebs, like Lourd’s “Scream Queens” co-star Emma Roberts.
Lourd has a history of keeping mum on social media about big life events: While Rydell posted about their engagement in June, Lourd never addressed the news directly on social media.
Lourd and Rydell dated briefly when they were younger and reconnected in 2017, People reported when news of the couple’s engagement broke. They were spotted together later that year on a family trip to see the northern lights in Norway to commemorate the anniversary of Lourd’s mother Carrie Fisher’s death.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--You gotta be kitten me: Study says cats are not fed enough times

It wasn ’ t a purr-fect crime .
A man was caught on ...

A new study has revealed some a-meow-zing new purr-spectives on cats and their dietary needs.
New research from animal nutrition specialists at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada, found that cats who are fed one big meal each day may be more satisfied and beg for food less than cats fed multiple smaller meals.
The findings were published in the journal PLOS One Friday.
Cats who ate just one meal per day had higher levels of three appetite-regulating hormones, which the researchers said suggested the animals were more satisfied. They were also burning their fat stores and had more protein available to build muscle.
The study looked at just eight indoor cats, which were fed once daily and then fed four times daily for 21 days. While just a small sample size, the study could change best-practices in cat care because the researchers tracked the cats’ physical activity, energy expenditure and appetite-suppressing hormones.
“These findings may surprise the veterinary community and many cat owners who have been told their animals need several small meals a day,” said Adronie Verbrugghe, a professor and veterinarian with the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College.
Prof. Adronie Verbrugghe said the findings ” may surprise the veterinary community and many cat owners.”
Previous studies have only looked at the effects of meal frequency on cat behavior and not monitored cats’ health to the same level, according to Kate Shoveller, a professor with the university’s department of animal biosciences.
“There was no good research to back up the several-meals-a-day approach that many owners hear, and so we wanted to put some real data behind current feeding recommendations to be sure they were right for cats,” she said in a press release.
Shoveller compared the findings to research in humans that has shown “positive health outcomes with intermittent fasting and improved satiety,” as well as big cats in the wild that feast on a kill and fast until their next.
“Physiologically, it makes sense that feeding only once a day would have benefits,” she said.
Verbrugghe said they plan to do longer studies, noting that “this approach might be helpful to promote satiety in some cats, [but] it might not help another.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Listen to Episode 30 of ‘Amazin’ But True’: Another Playoff-less Season feat. Maggie Gray

For the third time in four years , the Mets will finish under .500 and once again they likely will not be making the playoffs .
Barring a miracle over the weekend , the Mets ’ season will end after Sunday ’ s regular-season finale .
It ’ s another season of an underachieving team that should be playing in October with the kind of lineup they have .
To get into the disappointment and look ahead , we bring you a brand new episode of the “ Amazin ’ But True ” podcast with Nelson Figueroa and me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the frustrations with the team finishing below .500 and somehow not making the playoffs .
This team could not put together a winning streak and the starting pitching was a nightmare after Jacob deGrom .
The Rays showed the Mets how much better they are in all facets of the game during the three-game series and why they are AL East winners , while the Mets will likely be golfing in a week .
The Mets need to revamp their rotation and that could start with spending big money on Trevor Bauer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also get into Sandy Alderson returning to the Mets as president of baseball operations .
Is that role a good fit for him and can he and Steve Cohen mesh well together ?
We look ahead to an offseason of spending with Uncle Stevie and our future “ Bye , Bye Brodie ” musical podcast .
WFAN radio host Maggie Gray then joins the show .
The “ Moose & Maggie ” co-host gets into the disappointments this season , some of the positives with the talent in the lineup and what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Are there any off-the-field concerns with Bauer coming to a big market like New York ?
Is David Peterson a lock for the 2021 rotation ?
Should Luis Rojas return next season ?
Does she like the return of Alderson ?
Gray also talks about a dream coming true in getting to host on WFAN , replacing Mike Francesa and the audience accepting her being a part of the crew .
Catch up on all episodes of “ Amazin ’ But True , ” a New York Mets podcast , by subscribing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or wherever you get your podcasts .
Follow Jake Brown on Twitter and Instagram @ JakeBrownRadio and Nelson Figueroa @ FiggieNY .
The next episode of the show drops Thursday .

For the third time in four years, the Mets will finish under .500 and once again they likely will not be making the playoffs. Barring a miracle over the weekend, the Mets’ season will end after Sunday’s regular-season finale. It’s another season of an underachieving team that should be playing in October with the kind of lineup they have. To get into the disappointment and look ahead, we bring you a brand new episode of the “Amazin’ But True” podcast with Nelson Figueroa and me.
Figgie and I open the show talking about the frustrations with the team finishing below .500 and somehow not making the playoffs. This team could not put together a winning streak and the starting pitching was a nightmare after Jacob deGrom. The Rays showed the Mets how much better they are in all facets of the game during the three-game series and why they are AL East winners, while the Mets will likely be golfing in a week. The Mets need to revamp their rotation and that could start with spending big money on Trevor Bauer to join deGrom in 2021. We also get into Sandy Alderson returning to the Mets as president of baseball operations. Is that role a good fit for him and can he and Steve Cohen mesh well together? We look ahead to an offseason of spending with Uncle Stevie and our future “Bye, Bye Brodie” musical podcast.
SUBSCRIBE ON:
WFAN radio host Maggie Gray then joins the show. The “Moose & Maggie” co-host gets into the disappointments this season, some of the positives with the talent in the lineup and what the rotation could look like going forward. Are there any off-the-field concerns with Bauer coming to a big market like New York? Is David Peterson a lock for the 2021 rotation? Should Luis Rojas return next season? Does she like the return of Alderson? Gray also talks about a dream coming true in getting to host on WFAN, replacing Mike Francesa and the audience accepting her being a part of the crew.
Catch up on all episodes of “Amazin’ But True,” a New York Mets podcast, by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Jake Brown on Twitter and Instagram @JakeBrownRadio and Nelson Figueroa @FiggieNY. The next episode of the show drops Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Rochester PD spent $1.4M in OT so far on Daniel Prude, BLM protests

Its agenda is plain for all to see : cop-killing With ...

Rochester police spent more than $1.4 million on overtime in under three weeks responding to Black Lives Matter demonstrations stemming from the police-custody death of Daniel Prude, according to a report.
The bulk of the OT for cops in the upstate city came during the first two weeks of this month after the protests broke out, with more than $1 million in extra pay over that period for nearly 2,500 overtime shifts totaling 15,500 hours, WROC-TV reported.
“The fact that we had to have the police there the entire time was a need,” Rochester City Councilman Jose Peo told the station. “We needed to make sure that what happened before with the rioting and the looting when it’s happened in other cities with these types of protests when buildings are being burned down, did not happen in Rochester.”
According to the department’s website, Rochester PD has 850 sworn and civilian employees.
The data, from a report submitted to the city council by police in the upstate city on Monday, stunned some in the community.
Rochester police also fired approximately 6,300 rounds of pepper balls to disperse protesters in just the first three days of demonstrations, a number that shocked some in the community, WROC said.
“That’s excessive,” Abdul Hai, an activist with the Community Justice Initiative told the station. “That’s just showing the militarization of the police force when they were shooting the pepper balls those people didn’t deserve.”
Prude, 41, died after a confrontation with several city cops on March 23.
Video from the encounter shows a mentally disturbed Prude walking down a Rochester street naked. Prude is seen ranting but is handcuffed and held face-down on the ground after police — who can be heard laughing — put a spit mask on him.
He eventually stops moving and lapses into unconsciousness before he was taken to a local hospital and declared brain dead. He died one week later.
The incident remained under wraps until Sept. 4, when the footage went public and sparked a new round of outrage from Black Lives Matters protesters, who have been marching against racial inequality and police brutality since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--NYC threatens to shut non-essential businesses in COVID hotspots if cases keep rising

The city Health Department said they will shut non-essential businesses and limit gatherings in the city ’ s coronavirus hotspots if cases continue to rise in the areas .
The reopening rollbacks could hit nine “ cluster ” sites where virus cases have ticked up , including a large swath of southern Brooklyn and Williamsburg — as well as Kew Gardens and Edgemere-Far Rockaway in Queens .
The Health Department will ramp up inspections in the areas to assure mask compliance and social distancing practices , the department said in a press release .
The measures could come as early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise , the city will consider banning all gatherings of more than 10 people ; issuing fines to those refusing to wear a mask when offered ; closing private schools and care centers ; and shutting down non-essential businesses .
“ If the indicators continue to rise , there must be additional enforcement actions , ” the department said .
“ For the first time in the city ’ s recovery period , there could be the immediate scaling back of activities in these ZIP codes if progress is not made by Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has hit predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods .
One hotspot , known as the “ Ocean Parkway cluster , ” includes Midwood , Borough Park and Bensonhurst .
Case increases in that cluster have also been accompanied by a jump in positive tests from Williamsburg , another major hub of Orthodox life .
Mayor de Blasio on Wednesday warned that the city would be cracking down on the clusters to stop the spread but didn ’ t link the rise to the Orthodox community .
Mask compliance has been “ overwhelmingly low ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Department said Thursday .
The city will be rolling out mobile testing sites to the impacted neighborhoods as Health Department workers canvas the areas to distribute face coverings , hand sanitizer and coronavirus literature .

The city Health Department said Thursday it will shut non-essential businesses and limit gatherings in the city’s coronavirus hot spots if cases continue to rise in the areas.
The reopening rollbacks could hit nine “cluster” sites where virus cases have ticked up, including a large swath of southern Brooklyn and Williamsburg — as well as Kew Gardens and Edgemere-Far Rockaway in Queens.
The Health Department will ramp up inspections in the areas to assure mask compliance and social distancing practices, the department said in a press release.
The measures could come as early as Tuesday. If cases continue to rise, the city will consider banning all gatherings of more than 10 people; issuing fines to those refusing to wear a mask when offered; closing private schools and care centers; and shutting down non-essential businesses.
“If the indicators continue to rise, there must be additional enforcement actions,” the department said. “For the first time in the city’s recovery period, there could be the immediate scaling back of activities in these ZIP codes if progress is not made by Monday evening.”
In Brooklyn, the outbreak has hit predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods. One hot spot, known as the “Ocean Parkway cluster,” includes Midwood, Borough Park and Bensonhurst.
Case increases in that cluster have also been accompanied by a jump in positive tests from Williamsburg, another major hub of Orthodox life.
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday warned that the city would be cracking down on the clusters to stop the spread but didn’t link the rise to the Orthodox community.
Mask compliance has been “overwhelmingly low” in the hot spots across both boroughs, the Health Department said Thursday.
The city will be rolling out mobile testing sites to the impacted neighborhoods as Health Department workers canvas the areas to distribute face coverings, hand sanitizer and coronavirus literature.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Gary Sanchez isn’t guaranteed to catch a Yankees playoff game

Brian Cashman has been Gary Sanchez ’ s biggest backer whether it ...

Gary Sanchez may not just be on the bench when Gerrit Cole is on the mound in the playoffs.
Manager Aaron Boone said Thursday on WFAN it would be a “day-by-day” decision during the postseason when it came to Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka behind the plate and later in the day, made it clear why Sanchez’s starting job was in peril.
“Obviously, performance matters and matchups matter and pairing guys matter,’’ Boone said before the Yankees lost to the Blue Jays, 4-1, in Buffalo, with Higashioka catching Jordan Montgomery and Sanchez not in the lineup.
“I think both will probably play an important role for us if we’re to go deep in this playoff,’’ Boone said of the two catchers.
But Boone still went to Sanchez with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth with the Yankees down by three — and Sanchez nearly made it pay off.
He drilled a ball to deep center, where Randal Grichik caught up to it.
On the year, Sanchez entered Thursday hitting just .143 with an OPS of .615. Though other advanced numbers are somewhat promising, like his exit velocity and barrel rate, they have not resulted in much success.
“It’s important to look at the at-bats in the month of September,’’ Boone said after the loss. “A lot more competitive. He can change the game with one swing and he almost did. … He almost won us the game.’’
The numbers when it comes to Cole are especially striking. Higashioka has caught the right-hander’s past four starts, and Cole is 3-1 with a 1.00 ERA while giving up just a pair of homers.
In eight games pitching to Sanchez, Cole has a 3.91 ERA and allowed a dozen homers.
Boone wasn’t ready to make any guarantees, despite the hints, saying “nothing is committed right now.”
“It’s hard to predict,’’ Boone said of the situation. “Even though we’re five or six days away from the postseason, that, in a lot of ways, is a long time in baseball. Things happen and change every single day. … I expect both guys to play a role.”
Still, it’s a steep fall for Sanchez, whose struggles on both sides of the ball have been hard to ignore. He entered Thursday hitless in a dozen at-bats since his brief resurgence at the plate. And in Wednesday’s loss to Toronto, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and made a pair of errors, giving him three in two games.
Higashioka, meanwhile, has been solid both at the plate and behind it. Though hitless Thursday, he’s 6-for-15 with three homers in his past four games.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise,’’ Boone said of Higashioka’s development. “We had a very capable catcher in Austin Romine we lost to free agency. Part of the reason [for that] was our belief in Kyle Higashioka.”
Higashioka said he and Sanchez have a “good relationship.’’
“We want to win,’’ Higashioka said. “I think it’s gonna take both of us to play well to go forward. It doesn’t do us any good to go at each other.’’
Boone called Higashioka an “elite receiver with great hands behind the plate. He’s a guy with power at the plate that’s shown up this year and he’s also really grown in his voice and presence in our clubhouse. … He’s performed really well for us since coming back from the IL.”
Higashioka missed time with an oblique strain.
Less than a week ago, Sanchez seemed like he might be on his way to getting past his brutal start to 2020.
From Sept. 15-18, Sanchez had a four-game stretch in which he went 6-for-18 with two doubles, three homers and nine RBIs — and just three strikeouts in 19 plate appearances.
The progress didn’t last, as he whiffed six times in his previous four games before Thursday, and with the playoffs quickly approaching, the Yankees are finally ready to consider not penciling Sanchez’s name in the lineup in October.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--FBI offers $10K reward for help finding fugitive in massive child-porn scheme

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $ 10,000 for information leading to the capture of a New Zealand man who reportedly left his pet cat behind when he went on the run in a $ 17 million sex-trafficking and online child-pornography scheme in southern California .
Michael James Pratt , 37 , is accused of using “ force , fraud and coercion ” to get young woman and minors to engage in sex acts for the “ GirlsDoPorn ” and “ GirlsDoToys ” websites between 2012 and 2019 , according to the bureau .
After recruiting victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pratt , a partner and several accomplices allegedly offered them $ 3,000 to $ 5,000 each to participate in one-day pornographic video shoots and falsely assured them the material would only be distributed to private collectors on DVDs and wound never be posted online .
Some who refused weren ’ t allowed to leave until they complied , while others were sexually assaulted , the FBI said .
The websites generated more than $ 17 million in revenue before a warrant was issued for Pratt ’ s arrest in November , the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hidden Meadows , California , last year , leaving his cat in the care of a pet-sitting service he hired to check in daily , according to the San Diego Union-Tribune .
Following his disappearance , criminal charges were filed against Pratt and several co-defendants in San Diego federal court , and he was also slapped with a $ 12.7 million verdict in a civil case brought by 22 women whose pornographic videos were posted online , the Union-Tribune said .

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the capture of a New Zealand man who reportedly left his pet cat behind when he went on the run in a $17 million sex-trafficking and online child-pornography scheme in southern California.
Michael James Pratt, 37, is accused of using “force, fraud and coercion” to get young woman and minors to engage in sex acts for the “GirlsDoPorn” and “GirlsDoToys” websites between 2012 and 2019, according to the bureau.
After recruiting victims through online ads for clothes-modeling jobs, Pratt, a partner and several accomplices allegedly offered them $3,000 to $5,000 each to participate in one-day pornographic video shoots and falsely assured them the material would only be distributed to private collectors on DVDs and wound never be posted online.
Some who refused weren’t allowed to leave until they complied, while others were sexually assaulted, the FBI said.
The websites generated more than $17 million in revenue before a warrant was issued for Pratt’s arrest in November, the FBI said.
Pratt fled his home in Hidden Meadows, California, last year, leaving his cat in the care of a pet-sitting service he hired to check in daily, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Following his disappearance, criminal charges were filed against Pratt and several co-defendants in San Diego federal court, and he was also slapped with a $12.7 million verdict in a civil case brought by 22 women whose pornographic videos were posted online, the Union-Tribune said.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Sorry: This criminal-justice ‘reform’ would be disaster for policing

Black Lives Matter activists continue to rage in the streets ...

George Floyd’s death prompted lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to consider ways to reform policing. Some of their suggestions hold promise. But other radical ideas are wide of the mark and, if enacted, would pose a serious threat to public safety. Eliminating qualified immunity falls squarely in that category.
Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that prevents law-enforcement officers and other officials from being personally subjected to civil lawsuits when they have acted lawfully and haven’t violated clearly established rights. The US Supreme Court has repeatedly observed that qualified immunity from civil suits is critical to preserving safety and ensuring a robust police force.
Qualified immunity is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for abusive policing. Criminal charges already can be — and are — brought against cops who break the law. The Department of Justice vigorously investigates and prosecutes allegations against officers, including excessive-force cases.
Since 2009, the DOJ has charged more than 700 law-enforcement officials for willfully violating civil rights or for breaking related laws. Officers know that, with or without qualified immunity in civil cases, they can be criminally charged, lose their jobs and go to prison if they break the law.
With all this in place, it’s hard to see what good would come from ending qualified immunity in civil lawsuits.
The more likely result will be less safe communities. Officers are constantly put in dangerous situations, where they must make split-second decisions to protect innocent lives. The International Association of Chiefs of Police has warned that ending qualified immunity “would have a profoundly chilling effect on police officers and limit their ability and willingness to respond to critical incidents without hesitation.”
The growing risk to officers’ own lives heightens the risk. Assaults against police jumped 20 percent from 2014 to 2017, to about 60,000 a year.
Police officers must be able to respond decisively and responsibly. When a bad guy is threatening to slash innocents on a sidewalk with a knife, officers don’t have time to analyze legal memos.
Ending qualified immunity would also impose heavy financial burdens on courts and taxpayers, as lawsuits against police, prosecutors, judges, guards and wardens are already common.
Prison inmates account for nearly 20 percent of all civil cases launched in federal courts, according to government stats, totaling more than 50,000 a year. About 45,000 cases a year raise claims seeking monetary damages against law enforcers. That number would spike without qualified immunity. State and local governments would bear much of the financial burden of these new cases. Trial lawyers would rub their hands; the public wouldn’t benefit.
About 85 percent of law enforcers are state and local. A recent study of 44 of the largest US law-enforcement agencies found that even with qualified immunity, state and local governments pay 99.98 percent of the settlements and judgments that plaintiffs recover in lawsuits where qualified immunity potentially might apply.
In 2018 alone, the four largest city police departments in the United States — those in New York, LA, Chicago and Philadelphia — paid $397.7 million in settlements and judgments, despite the benefit of qualified immunity. If they have their way, anti-qualified-immunity activists would have those already-huge costs skyrocket.
Unscrupulous lawyers would file still more lawsuits, even if their claims are frivolous. Although each party generally pays its own attorneys’ fees, one of the limited exceptions applies to certain lawsuits against state and local law enforcement. The potential to receive attorneys’ fees would provide an added incentive for opportunistic or media-savvy lawyers and plaintiffs to bring actions against cops, seeking settlements even where no misconduct had occurred.
Eliminating qualified immunity is plainly the wrong way to implement police reform. Every day, we ask our law-enforcement officers to put themselves in harm’s way to protect our streets.
Officers should be — and are — held accountable when they violate the law. They shouldn’t also have to worry about being personally sued for doing their jobs, when they follow the law. Congress, the states and our courts need to preserve qualified immunity: to protect public safety and to save money for real and urgent needs.
Jeffrey Rosen is the deputy attorney general of the United States


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Video shows Portland protesters hurl Molotov cocktail at police

Portland protesters were filmed tossing a Molotov cocktail at a group of police officers during violent Breonna Taylor protests Wednesday night .
Video shows one protester hurl the lit makeshift explosives at the officers , sending cops in riot gear scattering to safety as flames burst on the ground .
One officer was hit on the foot , but a fire department medic put out the flames , according to police .
There were no reports of injuries or arrests in the attack .
Demonstrators in the city also set small fires and threw rocks during a night of nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s decision to not indict officers in the fatal shooting of Taylor .
Thirteen protesters in Portland were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of a host of charges , including attempted murder , attempted assault , riot , interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct , police said .
Federal agents deployed to protect a US courthouse in Portland were on hand Wednesday night and fired projectiles at the protesters , according to The Oregonian .
Portland has seen ongoing protests for months since the death of George Floyd .
Demonstrators are expressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 26-year-old EMT , who was sleeping in her apartment on March 13 when cops burst in while executing a warrant .
The officers exchanged gunfire with Taylor ’ s boyfriend , Kenneth Walker , who believed the couple was being burglarized .
Taylor was struck six times and died in her hallway .
The Portland protest started peacefully but descended into chaos around 10 p.m. when the Portland Police Bureau declared a riot , Willamette Week reported .

Portland protesters were filmed tossing a Molotov cocktail at a group of police officers during violent Breonna Taylor protests Wednesday night.
Video shows one protester hurl the lit makeshift explosives at the officers, sending cops in riot gear scattering to safety as flames burst on the ground.
One officer was hit on the foot, but a fire department medic put out the flames, according to police. There were no reports of injuries or arrests in the attack.
Demonstrators in the city also set small fires and threw rocks during a night of nationwide protests over a Kentucky grand jury’s decision to not indict officers in the fatal shooting of Taylor.
Thirteen protesters in Portland were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of a host of charges, including attempted murder, attempted assault, riot, interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct, police said.
Federal agents deployed to protect a US courthouse in Portland were on hand Wednesday night and fired projectiles at the protesters, according to The Oregonian.
Portland has seen ongoing protests for months since the death of George Floyd. Demonstrators are expressing fresh outrage over the decision involving Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, who was sleeping in her apartment on March 13 when cops burst in while executing a warrant.
The officers exchanged gunfire with Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who believed the couple was being burglarized. Taylor was struck six times and died in her hallway.
The Portland protest started peacefully but descended into chaos around 10 p.m. when the Portland Police Bureau declared a riot, Willamette Week reported.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Dianne Feinstein’s husband named in UC Berkeley admissions scam

42 candidates got into UC Berkeley based off their links ...

US Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s wealthy investment banker husband used his influence to help an underqualified student get into the University of California, Berkeley, according to a new report.
Richard Blum, a UC alum and regent since 2002, penned a letter to the school chancellor’s office on behalf of the unnamed student, who was waitlisted and had just a 26 percent chance of getting into the prestigious university, the San Jose Mercury News reported Thursday.
Blum’s letter was forwarded to UC’s admissions office, which prioritized the student’s application over more qualified applicants, the outlet said.
“It is therefore likely that the applicant whom the regent recommended would have been on a list that received priority admission from the waitlist,” an audit of Cal’s admissions practices released Tuesday said.
“Given the low likelihood of this applicant’s admission and the prominent and influential role that regents have within the university, we conclude that the decision to admit this applicant was likely influenced by the regent’s advocacy.”
The audit did not identify the regent by name, but university spokeswoman Margarita Fernandez confirmed to the Mercury News it was Blum.
Reached by phone by the paper, Blum said he’s written letters of recommendation for years, and never thought they “ever had much influence.”
“This is the first time I’ve heard that maybe I did something that wasn’t right,” he said. “I think it’s a bunch of nonsense.”
The UC audit found that the school considered “inappropriate factors” in admitting 64 applicants over more qualified students. Twenty-two got in with beefed-up athletic resumes, while 42 relied on ties to wealthy and influential donors and staffers.
The majority of the students were white and at least half came from families with annual incomes of $150,000 and above, the audit said.
The review comes on the heels of the unrelated, massive college admissions bribery scandal that ensnared the California university.
Among the parents busted in the scams were “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin and “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman.


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--‘The Simpsons’ Casts Alex Désert as Carl for Season 32 Premiere

The Simpsons is announcing some cast changes for Season 32 .
The long-running animated series first pledged in June that it would no longer have white actors play non-white characters , and they ’ re sticking to their promise in the upcoming season .
The character of Carl , Homer ’ s ( Dan Castellaneta ) co-worker at a nuclear plant and Lenny Leonard ’ s best friend , will now be voiced by Better Things actor Alex Désert , Variety reports .
The character was previously voiced by Hank Azaria , and Désert will be taking over for at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are very pleased to welcome Alex Désert , playing Carl in the Simpsons season premiere , ” a statement from the show reads .
The news comes after Fox announced this summer that they ’ d be making some changes to The Simpsons cast .
“ Moving forward , The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters , ” the network said in a June 26 statement .
Months before Fox ’ s announcement , Azaria , who also voiced Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on the series for years , confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be playing Apu , the owner of Springfield ’ s Kwik-E-Mart .
“ All we know there is I won ’ t be doing the voice anymore , unless there ’ s someway to transition it or something , ” he said at the time .
“ What they ’ re going to do with the character is their call .
It ’ s up to them and they haven ’ t sorted it out yet .
All we ’ ve agreed on is I won ’ t do the voice anymore.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are rethinking their casting decisions this year .
Big Mouth , Netflix ’ s puberty comedy series , replaced Jenny Slate with Ayo Edebiri after the actress said she was stepping down from her role as Missy .
Central Park , Apple TV+ ’ s musical series , also underwent some changes when Kristen Bell announced she would no longer play her mixed-race character , Molly .
Family Guy ‘ s Mike Henry and Bojack Horseman ‘ s Alison Brie also stepped away from their roles as non-white characters .
The Simpsons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27 on Fox .
Where to watch The Simpsons

The Simpsons is announcing some cast changes for Season 32. The long-running animated series first pledged in June that it would no longer have white actors play non-white characters, and they’re sticking to their promise in the upcoming season. The character of Carl, Homer’s (Dan Castellaneta) co-worker at a nuclear plant and Lenny Leonard’s best friend, will now be voiced by Better Things actor Alex Désert, Variety reports.
The character was previously voiced by Hank Azaria, and Désert will be taking over for at least the season premiere episode. “We are very pleased to welcome Alex Désert, playing Carl in the Simpsons season premiere,” a statement from the show reads.
The news comes after Fox announced this summer that they’d be making some changes to The Simpsons cast. “Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters,” the network said in a June 26 statement. Months before Fox’s announcement, Azaria, who also voiced Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on the series for years, confirmed in January that he would no longer be playing Apu, the owner of Springfield’s Kwik-E-Mart.
“All we know there is I won’t be doing the voice anymore, unless there’s someway to transition it or something,” he said at the time. “What they’re going to do with the character is their call. It’s up to them and they haven’t sorted it out yet. All we’ve agreed on is I won’t do the voice anymore.”
The Simpsons joins multiple other animated series that are rethinking their casting decisions this year. Big Mouth, Netflix’s puberty comedy series, replaced Jenny Slate with Ayo Edebiri after the actress said she was stepping down from her role as Missy. Central Park, Apple TV+’s musical series, also underwent some changes when Kristen Bell announced she would no longer play her mixed-race character, Molly. Family Guy‘s Mike Henry and Bojack Horseman‘s Alison Brie also stepped away from their roles as non-white characters.
The Simpsons Season 32 premieres this Sunday, Sept 27 on Fox.
Where to watch The Simpsons


newyorkpost--2020-09-24--Trump may talk himself out of the White House

Let ’ s take a minute and imagine — or pretend — that President Trump has a grand strategy governing his campaign .
That offers a chance to provide the only remotely positive gloss that can be applied to his dumbfounding refusal to say point blank there would be a “ peaceful transition of power ” after the election .
The grand strategy would be “ The Scramble.
” Old guys like me have fond memories of the scrambling quarterback Fran Tarkenton , who would get himself in trouble in the backfield , run backward 20 yards , then run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small gain after a huge self-created melodrama .
If the president wins this election in November , he will prove himself to be the Fran Tarkenton of politics .
In the “ peaceful transition ” case , as in past cases , Trump gets himself into self-created jams that cause his ideological and partisan rivals to swarm him deep in his own territory — with the hope of somehow both exhausting them and eluding them and finishing on the upside .
You could say this is what happened when Trump decided to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat in 2019 by trying to get dirt out of Ukraine on Joe ’ s son Hunter .
By doing so , he exposed himself to hearings that led to his impeachment .
But that effort proved to be a pointless political exercise for the Democrats and didn ’ t do him any sustained political harm .
Time and again , Trump draws shocked and outraged fire from his antagonists for saying outrageous things .
When the dust settles , his enemies have been driven bananas — and his support is exactly where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ability to drive liberals and Trump-hating former conservatives into impotent fits of sputtering rage , both delights many of his supporters and seems to recharge Trump ’ s combative batteries .
It ’ s almost as though he lives off drinking liberal tears .
But is that really living ?
At least when Tarkenton scrambled , he often ended up gaining yardage .
At best , Trump finds himself back at the line of scrimmage , with an approval rating flatlined in the low 40s .
Thus , even if you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strategy rather than a kind of animal cunning — perpetual aggression designed to ward off future challenges to his alpha status — you really ought to question its effectiveness .
Just because someone has a strategy doesn ’ t mean it ’ s a good strategy .
It ’ s probably comforting to think there ’ s a plan , because otherwise you really have to confront various different possibilities .
One is that Trump has no idea what he ’ s doing and simply responds without considering the consequences of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s intending to stage a coup and destroy American democracy so he can stay in the Oval Office , and that he was signaling his intention to do so to activate his forces around the country or terrify people into voting for him so that he ’ s not tested on his intentions .
Now , which is more likely ?
Do me a favor and try not to be crazy when considering the question .
I know it ’ s hard .
But here ’ s the thing for anyone inclined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said or wouldn ’ t say .
We ’ re going to be talking about this for at least a week .
It will be a dominating subject of the first debate , which takes place on Tuesday .
And because he did not slam the door on the subject , this president , who has been trumpeting his support for “ law and order , ” has undercut any argument he might make against violent street actions by the activist left in the wake of an unclear result after Election Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Trump got his best polling news in a month , with state surveys taken by ABC News and The Washington Post that showed him in better shape in must-win Florida and Arizona .
He stepped on that positive and squashed it like a bug .
Every minute we ’ re talking about whether Trump is or is not abusing his power is a minute Trump has lost .
And the minutes are growing short .
Trump ’ s best chance now is , quite simply , to stop scrambling — and shut @ @

Let’s take a minute and imagine — or pretend — that President Trump has a grand strategy governing his campaign. That offers a chance to provide the only remotely positive gloss that can be applied to his dumbfounding refusal to say point blank there would be a “peaceful transition of power” after the election.
The grand strategy would be “The Scramble.”
Old guys like me have fond memories of the scrambling quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who would get himself in trouble in the backfield, run backward 20 yards, then run forward 25 yards — and score a small gain after a huge self-created melodrama.
If the president wins this election in November, he will prove himself to be the Fran Tarkenton of politics.
In the “peaceful transition” case, as in past cases, Trump gets himself into self-created jams that cause his ideological and partisan rivals to swarm him deep in his own territory — with the hope of somehow both exhausting them and eluding them and finishing on the upside.
You could say this is what happened when Trump decided to see if he could short-circuit the Joe Biden threat in 2019 by trying to get dirt out of Ukraine on Joe’s son Hunter. By doing so, he exposed himself to hearings that led to his impeachment. But that effort proved to be a pointless political exercise for the Democrats and didn’t do him any sustained political harm.
Time and again, Trump draws shocked and outraged fire from his antagonists for saying outrageous things. When the dust settles, his enemies have been driven bananas — and his support is exactly where it was before.
This quality, the ability to drive liberals and Trump-hating former conservatives into impotent fits of sputtering rage, both delights many of his supporters and seems to recharge Trump’s combative batteries. It’s almost as though he lives off drinking liberal tears.
But is that really living?
At least when Tarkenton scrambled, he often ended up gaining yardage. At best, Trump finds himself back at the line of scrimmage, with an approval rating flatlined in the low 40s.
Thus, even if you want to believe Trump’s trolling is a strategy rather than a kind of animal cunning — perpetual aggression designed to ward off future challenges to his alpha status — you really ought to question its effectiveness.
Just because someone has a strategy doesn’t mean it’s a good strategy. It’s probably comforting to think there’s a plan, because otherwise you really have to confront various different possibilities.
One is that Trump has no idea what he’s doing and simply responds without considering the consequences of his actions.
The other is that he’s intending to stage a coup and destroy American democracy so he can stay in the Oval Office, and that he was signaling his intention to do so to activate his forces around the country or terrify people into voting for him so that he’s not tested on his intentions.
Now, which is more likely?
Do me a favor and try not to be crazy when considering the question. I know it’s hard.
But here’s the thing for anyone inclined to pooh-pooh the deadly seriousness of what Trump said or wouldn’t say. We’re going to be talking about this for at least a week. It will be a dominating subject of the first debate, which takes place on Tuesday.
And because he did not slam the door on the subject, this president, who has been trumpeting his support for “law and order,” has undercut any argument he might make against violent street actions by the activist left in the wake of an unclear result after Election Day.
Moreover, it came just hours after Trump got his best polling news in a month, with state surveys taken by ABC News and the Washington Post that showed him in better shape in must-win Florida and Arizona. He stepped on that positive and squashed it like a bug.
Every minute we’re talking about whether Trump is or is not abusing his power is a minute Trump has lost. And the minutes are growing short. Trump’s best chance now is, quite simply, to stop scrambling — and shut up.
jpodhoretz@gmail.com