newyorkpost--2020-01-12--President Trump tweets support of Iranian protesters in Farsi

President Trump tweeted his support for Iranian protesters on Saturday–in English and in Farsi .
The commander in chief , known for his random capitalization and spelling on the platform , collected nearly a hundred retweets from a pair of tweets in Farsi commending the “ brave and suffering Iranian people ” who protesting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .
“ I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you , ” read one of the tweets from the president .
“ We are following your protests closely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators filled the streets of Tehran Saturday following the Iranian government ’ s acknowledgment that is unintentionally shot down a Ukranian airplane , killing all 176 passengers aboard–including 82 Iranians .
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said the US ’ s decision to kill Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani as a triggering point that led to the tragedy .
“ Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster , ” he tweeted late Friday .
Some on social media questioned the genuineness of Trump ’ s messages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban ” list rolled out at the beginning of his presidency .
But Saeed Ghasseminejad , a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies , a think tank has pushed for tough sanctions on Iran , claimed on the platform that Trump ’ s tweet is “ already the most liked Persian tweet in the history of Twitter .
”

President Trump tweeted his support for Iranian protesters on Saturday — in English and in Farsi.
The commander in chief, known for his random capitalization and spelling on the platform, collected nearly a hundred retweets from a pair of tweets in Farsi commending the “brave and suffering Iranian people” who protesting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you,” read one of the tweets from the president. “We are following your protests closely. Your courage is inspiring.”
Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Tehran Saturday following the Iranian government’s acknowledgment that is unintentionally shot down a Ukranian airplane, killing all 176 passengers aboard–including 82 Iranians.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said the US’s decision to kill Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani as a triggering point that led to the tragedy.
“Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster,” he tweeted late Friday.
Some on social media questioned the genuineness of Trump’s messages, considering Iran was on his “Muslim ban” list rolled out at the beginning of his presidency.
But Saeed Ghasseminejad, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank has pushed for tough sanctions on Iran, claimed on the platform that Trump’s tweet is “already the most liked Persian tweet in the history of Twitter.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--A familiar Islanders problem rears its ugly head

Two heavy teams that hope to wear the crown in June — the Islanders and Bruins — were almost mirror images of each other at Barclays Center on Saturday night .
Both teams played to their respective structures .
Both teams funneled the puck toward the net while getting bodies to the paint .
Both were tight in their coverage and yielded little time or space to the opposition .
And if it wasn ’ t quite good enough for the Islanders , who lost 3-2 on Patrice Bergeron ’ s power-play snipe from the slot that beat Semyon Varlamov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the performance was measured and disciplined against one of the league ’ s acknowledged powers .
“ I think we know where we stand [ within the league ] , ” said Mat Barzal , who had special jump in his step throughout while setting up Scott Mayfield ’ s opening goal at 4:36 of the first period and scoring the 2-2 goal at 9:33 of the third , just under four minutes after the B ’ s had taken the lead .
“ I don ’ t think we need to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re a good team .
“ They ’ re very similar to us in their structure .
Not too many blunders out there.
” So what will it be like when the Islanders face the Rangers , Team Anti-Structure , on Monday at the Garden in the first of three matches in nine days between the clubs who have yet to meet through the season ’ s first three months ?
“ It will be good , ” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said .
“ The Battle of New York.
” Well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course praised the Rangers , cited Artemi Panarin and the “ three-headed monster in goal.
” But these matches are likely to be more wide-open than most the Islanders play and to present more scoring opportunities , as well .
Much more and many more .
And how much do you want to wager that an Islanders team that somehow has been awarded a grand total of 13 power-play advantages over the past nine games and three in the past four contests — including one in this one — gets more than its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islanders controlled the first period against the Bruins , holding a 14-2 advantage in shots through the opening 17:40 while preventing Boston from putting a puck on Varlamov for 11:25 following the 6:16 mark .
But the home team could not build the lead by adding another goal .
Tuukka Rask was sharp , but not unduly challenged .
If the Islanders let the game get away , that ’ s when it happened .
“ We ’ ve had to rely on our five-on-five , ” Trotz said .
“ [ Scoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for us , we had lots of chances [ to build the lead ] but couldn ’ t get the second one.
” Trotz matched the Anders Lee-Brock Nelson-Jordan Eberle line and the Nick Leddy-Ryan Pulock defense tandem against Boston ’ s Marchand-Bergeron-David Pastrnak power unit .
The Islanders did just fine in limiting perhaps the most dangerous line in the league .
They are built to stop people , but not necessarily to outscore people .
They couldn ’ t in this one , falling after Nelson took down Marchand on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip at 0:40 of overtime .
Boston cashed in .
“ When it gets to overtime , that ’ s the way it can go , ” said Josh Bailey , who set up Barzal for the tying goal .
“ All in all , we played a pretty good game .
I like the way we competed.
” The Islanders are fifth overall in the league , but third in the Atlantic Division .
That connotes opening the first round of the playoffs on the road .
Which raises the question : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avenue not a home ?
When the game there on Saturday was the Islanders ’ first at Barclays since Nov. 30 and just the sixth of the season .
The Islanders have played 14 overtimes , winning seven in the three-on-three and another three in the shootout .
Of their 27 victories , just 17 have come in regulation , Entering Saturday , they were tied for 16th in the NHL in that category .
You know who is ahead of them ?
You know who has won more ?

Two heavy teams that hope to wear the crown in June — the Islanders and Bruins — were almost mirror images of each other at Barclays Center on Saturday night.
Both teams played to their respective structures. Both teams funneled the puck toward the net while getting bodies to the paint. Both were tight in their coverage and yielded little time or space to the opposition.
And if it wasn’t quite good enough for the Islanders, who lost 3-2 on Patrice Bergeron’s power-play snipe from the slot that beat Semyon Varlamov blocker side at 1:33 of overtime, the performance was measured and disciplined against one of the league’s acknowledged powers.
“I think we know where we stand [within the league],” said Mat Barzal, who had special jump in his step throughout while setting up Scott Mayfield’s opening goal at 4:36 of the first period and scoring the 2-2 goal at 9:33 of the third, just under four minutes after the B’s had taken the lead. “I don’t think we need to play the Boston Bruins to know we’re a good team.
“They’re very similar to us in their structure. Not too many blunders out there.”
So what will it be like when the Islanders face the Rangers, Team Anti-Structure, on Monday at the Garden in the first of three matches in nine days between the clubs who have yet to meet through the season’s first three months?
“It will be good,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “The Battle of New York.”
Well, it will be different.
Trotz of course praised the Rangers, cited Artemi Panarin and the “three-headed monster in goal.” But these matches are likely to be more wide-open than most the Islanders play and to present more scoring opportunities, as well.
Much more and many more.
And how much do you want to wager that an Islanders team that somehow has been awarded a grand total of 13 power-play advantages over the past nine games and three in the past four contests — including one in this one — gets more than its share in these incestuous matchups?
The Islanders controlled the first period against the Bruins, holding a 14-2 advantage in shots through the opening 17:40 while preventing Boston from putting a puck on Varlamov for 11:25 following the 6:16 mark. But the home team could not build the lead by adding another goal. Tuukka Rask was sharp, but not unduly challenged. If the Islanders let the game get away, that’s when it happened.
“We’ve had to rely on our five-on-five,” Trotz said. “[Scoring] is coming up a little hard for us, we had lots of chances [to build the lead] but couldn’t get the second one.”
Trotz matched the Anders Lee-Brock Nelson-Jordan Eberle line and the Nick Leddy-Ryan Pulock defense tandem against Boston’s Marchand-Bergeron-David Pastrnak power unit. The Islanders did just fine in limiting perhaps the most dangerous line in the league. They are built to stop people, but not necessarily to outscore people.
They couldn’t in this one, falling after Nelson took down Marchand on a spin move that was correctly called a trip at 0:40 of overtime. Boston cashed in.
“When it gets to overtime, that’s the way it can go,” said Josh Bailey, who set up Barzal for the tying goal. “All in all, we played a pretty good game. I like the way we competed.”
The Islanders are fifth overall in the league, but third in the Atlantic Division. That connotes opening the first round of the playoffs on the road. Which raises the question: When is the ice house on Atlantic Avenue not a home? When the game there on Saturday was the Islanders’ first at Barclays since Nov. 30 and just the sixth of the season.
Split schedule, but singular personality.
The Islanders have played 14 overtimes, winning seven in the three-on-three and another three in the shootout. Of their 27 victories, just 17 have come in regulation, Entering Saturday, they were tied for 16th in the NHL in that category.
You know who is ahead of them? You know who has won more?
The Rangers, that’s who.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Inside the Canadian fortress where Prince Harry, Meghan Markle plotted Megxit

An official Megxit plan is set to be hashed out ...

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As bunkers go, Meghan’s is as luxe as it gets.
There’s a battle-ready stone turret, of course, in the $14 million Vancouver mansion where the Duchess this week will wait out the tense Megxit negotiations across the pond.
Built of gray boulders and ringed by evergreens, a crystal blue bay, and new, six-foot security fencing, the mansion had been a perfect stronghold for plotting an abdication — as Meghan and Prince Harry did over a six-week Christmas vacation there with baby Archie.
Called “Mille Fleurs,” the estate is now the perfect fallout shelter for Meghan as Prince Harry meets Monday in Britain with his roiled royal family.
The emergency peace talks will take place at the Queen’s Sandringham estate. Meghan is expected to join in what the British press is calling the “Sandringham Summit” — but by telephone.
It will be the first family meeting since the couple’s bombshell announcement last week that they intend to step down as “senior” royals, become financially independent, and split their time between the UK and “North America.”
The summit agenda is a long one, and mostly involving money and duty, the Sunday Times of London revealed.
Among the items for discussion is how much “official” royal work the two will continue to do in the UK and abroad on behalf of the family.
They’ll decide if the two will keep their “HRH” titles, the Times said.
The two have so far held on to the potentially marketable titles, even signing last week’s announcement as “Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
They’ll also discuss how much money they can expect to receive from the Queen and from Harry’s father, Prince Charles, who reportedly funds 95 percent of the couple’s expenses, with taxpayers footing the remaining 5 percent.
They’ll also discuss what commercial deals the couple might be free to strike, the Sunday Times reported.
Then there’s security. Will the pricey armed protection squads that currently guard the couple and their eight-month-old son be maintained at their current levels? Will they be downgraded to cheaper officers toting only Tasers?
Whatever is decided, it better be quick. The Queen, 93, has put her sensibly shod foot down and demanded Prince Harry and Meghan Markle strike a Megxit deal with the palace within 72 hours, meaning by Tuesday, the UK’s Sun reported.
Prince Harry won’t leave until they do, the paper reported.
Meanwhile, Meghan has no plane ticket back to London — she’d taken a budget, $175 one-way a one-way flight back to Canada and the baby after just three days with Harry in the UK last week, fooling the paparazzi, who’d expected she’d be on a private jet, the Daily Mail reported.
She has no royal duties on her schedule, and she’s even flown her dogs to Canada.
It’s unclear if she’ll even be able to gain British citizenship, a process with a strict three-year residency requirement. Meghan has dug in on the North America side of things.
It was at the picturesque mansion, in the flickering glow of chandeliers and roaring fireplaces, that she and her Prince ripped up the royal rule book and hatched “Megxit” — a move that has turned the monarchy upside down and drawn the wrath of the public and the royal family.
The Sussexes had spurned the mandatory December family retreat at Sandringham in favor of huddling up with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, and a coterie of the duchess’ old friends — including “Suits” actress Abigail Spencer and fashion stylist Jessica Mulroney, the daughter-in-law of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
Canada had already become an adopted homeland for the Duchess while she filmed seven seasons of the cable legal drama “Suits” in Toronto.
So she turned to her childhood pal, actress Katharine McPhee, whose music-producer husband, David Foster, hooked the royals up with Mille Fleurs, rumored to be owned by a Russian billionaire.
The 10,000-square-foot home, complete with a game room, media room and pizza oven, would make a cozy base camp while Meghan, 38, and Harry, 35, finalized their decision to go rogue.
Initial reports from palace sources had that the Queen was furious that the Sussexes made their announcement despite her express instructions that they wait until a thorough plan is ironed out.
Charles and Prince William were reportedly “incandescent with rage.”
Now, though, reports are that Charles is worried Harry is continuing to struggle with the mental-health issues that arose with the 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana.
And William is despondent over the broken bond with his brother, the Sunday Times of London reported.
“I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that any more; we’re separate entities,” he told a friend.
If Britons have their way, there’ll be a hard Megxit — with 54 percent of respondents to a Daily Mail poll saying the pair should be stripped of their royal titles.
Nearly 80 percent say the couple should get no support from either the royals — Charles reportedly funds 95 percent of the couple’s expenses — or taxpayers, who pay the remaining 5 percent.
But Meghan and her prince will never be paupers. Both are solid millionaires in their own right, according to Business Insider.
Harry’s $25 million personal fortune is comprised of an inheritance from Diana, and an annual allowance from his father. Meghan, who pocketed $40,000 per episode while filming “Suits,” is worth around $5 million.
Still, the two have signaled that they want to start earning.
Meghan began dipping her toes back into an acting career before the Canada holiday, recording an undisclosed voice-over role for Disney.
Royals can’t accept payments, so Disney instead made a donation to a pet charity of the couple, Elephants Without Borders.
The story of Sarah, the Duchess of York, serves as a cautionary tale, said Patrick Jephson, Princess Diana’s former chief of staff.
Sarah Ferguson, a k a Fergie, made a killing in the US following her dramatic 1996 divorce from Prince Andrew, in which she kept the right to call herself “Duchess.”
She was the face of Weight Watchers, endorsed Avon and Wedgewood, and put her name to a number of books. But following money woes and seemingly no shortage of scandal, she’s become a bit of a joke.
Said Jephson: “There is a blurred line between celebrity and royalty, and royal people cross it at their peril.”
Meanwhile, they have already trademarked a slew of products — including clothing, stationery and possibly their own magazine — with the “Sussex Royal” brand.
If Harry and Meghan are willing to give up their royal titles once and for all, the sky is the limit for their earning potential.
British branding expert Mark Borkowski told The Post they could each expect to snag at least half a million dollars per talk, and could sign a production deal with an outlet like Netflix or Apple for their own documentary channel.
“With the kind of work that Meghan and Harry want to do, they have to be free from palace protocol and politics,” he said. “You can’t speak out properly with the palace breathing down your neck.”
Jephson told The Post Meghan and Harry have worked hard to “maintain a growing US network of friends and advisers.”
The couple are said to have taken guidance from Barack and Michelle Obama, who have their own multimillion-dollar production deal with Netflix.
They have also had advice from other American power figures including Hillary Clinton, who made a recent visit to Harry and Meghan’s home, Frogmore Cottage, on the grounds of Windsor Castle — which has just undergone a $3.1 million renovation at taxpayer expense, and which the couple reportedly intend to keep.
Harry is equally responsible for this week’s announcement, an insider told The Post, despite blame being pointed at his wife.
“They made this decision together. This was not Meghan deciding for the both of them,” the insider added. “She’s been vilified for the most minute actions — from making avocado toast to her British Vogue ‘Changemakers’ cover. Show me one person who could withstand this.
“Harry is a man who loves his wife, his child and their family they’re creating together. These are two people eager for a fresh start.”
Additional reporting by Sara Dorn, Jon Levine and Laura Italiano.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Ravens star Lamar Jackson picks worst time to turn into mortal

BALTIMORE — With his bright red shoes and relentless running , ...

BALTIMORE — All of Baltimore waited for the lightning.
All of Baltimore waited for Lamar Jackson to light up the sky and electrocute the Titans.
What they got was more thunder from Big Bad Derrick Henry (30 carries, 195 yards rushing and a trick play touchdown pass) and it rained despair after Titans 28, Ravens 12.
Titanic upset against the star quarterback who looked as if he was steering the Titanic.
Baltimore had been awed all season by Jackson’s MVP brilliance and couldn’t help but believe that 8 Is Enough.
Once upon a team this city worshipped a crew-cut Hall of Fame quarterback who wore high tops and No. 19 for their NFL Colts, and 61 years after Johnny U it is a 23-year-old Raven who has made everyone’s jaw drop and took their breath away and honored a Yankees marketing slogan of yesteryear: AT ANY MOMENT A GREAT MOMENT.
They kept waiting for the MVP to give them a great moment.
Damn near prayed.
Alas, their Superman could not fly. A Raven clipped of his wings. Lamar Jackson (31 completions, 59 attempts, 365 yards, one TD, two interceptions, one fumble) looked flummoxed, rattled, out of sorts and out of his league.
8 was not enough, and blame it on rust all you want.
8 ran for 143 yards and they were mostly insignificant.
“We just beat ourselves,” Jackson said.
Quoth the Titans: Nevermore.
They defended every blade of grass at M&T Bank Stadium and turned Jackson into a mere mortal who cannot win The Big One with his second playoff no-show in two tries.
“I think this team’s identity right now is get in the playoffs and choke,” Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said.
King Henry bloodied the Ravens’ collective nose, killed the body and the head died.
Who the hell are these guys?
They’re a nitty-gritty dirt band of a football team that believes, that will meet the Texans-Chiefs winner in the AFC Championship and is therefore 60 minutes away from authoring another Music City Miracle 20 years after the first one.
The Titans looked like the one seed and the Ravens looked like the six seed.
Ryan Tannehill (7-for-14, 88 yards, two TDs, one rushing TD) looked more like an MVP than Lamar Jackson did.
And Big Bad Derrick Henry, well, he looked like Big Bad Derrick Henry again, a modern-day Jim Brown, a raging bull nailing the Ravens coffin shut.
Henry is the first player in NFL history to rush for 180-plus yards in three straight games (regular and post season).
“Stats and all that stuff is good, but we got the win and we’re advancing. That’s the most important thing,” Henry said.
Jackson, following a season when he accumulated 43 TDs and engineered a 33.2 points-per-game machine, didn’t get his team into the end zone until the fourth quarter.
“When he gained yards, he was getting them between the hashes and the numbers,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. “When we defended from number to number and made him go laterally, they weren’t big plays.”
Jackson’s 30-yard romp on the opening drive of the third quarter had filled the place with hope. It was only a 14-6 game and now John Harbaugh and Jackson faced a fourth-and-less-than-1 at the Titans 18.
Harbaugh’s first-half gamble asking Jackson to get the longest yard had failed.
And this one would, too.
Jackson for some reason tried running inside.
Nothing.
And then Big Bad Derrick Henry looked like Usain Bolt racing 66 yards. Asked for one word to describe his 6-foot-3, 247-pound beast, Tannehill said: “Special. He’s got the size that is extremely rare in a running back and he also has the speed to go with it.”
When Big Bad Derrick Henry threw his perfect 3-yard Tebowesque jump pass TD to Corey Davis and it was Titans 21, Ravens 6.
“I put it perfect, man,” Henry said. “I haven’t done that pass since high school. I feel like I still got it.”
Jackson was Dead Quarterback Walking, and the Ravens were Dead Team Walking.
Jackson was strip-sacked by Jurrell Casey and Tannehill’s 1-yard TD run was merely icing on the cake.
The Titans had imposed their will on the Ravens just as they had against the Patriots.
Jackson had it fourth-and-1 at his 45 when the second quarter began and when you have a quarterback like this and an offense like this, you are seduced into going for it and you do not fear the consequences.
Mistake.
Harbaugh went for it.
And Jackson ran up the middle … and didn’t get the longest yard.
And Tannehill hit Kalif Raymond immediately with a 45-yard TD past Marlon Humphrey and the Titans led 14-0 and Ravens fans sat in shellshocked silence.
An early Jackson mistake had proved costly.
“I feel like we were too excited. We wanted to score points right away,” Jackson said.
Instead he was intercepted by Kevin Byard, and Jackson’s horse-collar tackle at the end of Byard’s 31-yard return led to TE Jonnu Smith reaching up with his left hand and tipping it to himself as he tumbled to the ground for a 12-yard TD.
It was the Titans’ way of announcing to all of Baltimore: Game on.
Perfect Storm.
And Lamar Jackson couldn’t do a thing about it. They asked him whether he will play in the Pro Bowl and he said: “I wanted to get to the Super Bowl.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Rangers’ talked-about playoff push can’t wait any longer

ST. LOUIS — When Libor Hajek injured his right knee ...

The Rangers did not need to look far Saturday to be reminded of what is still possible for a team outside of the playoff picture around the midway point of the season.
But as they left St. Louis following a 5-2 loss to the Blues, the Rangers were left looking inward, lamenting their self-inflicted wounds instead of the ones laid on them by the defending Stanley Cup champions.
“It was a hockey game, 3-2 in the middle of the second period,” coach David Quinn said. “We make a tough mistake that we certainly can’t make against a team like this and it ends up in the back of our net. We hit a crossbar [that would have] made it 4-3 right before they made it 5-2. Again, we’ve got to get it done.
“Time’s-a-ticking and we can’t just keep hanging our hat on progress. But you gotta start somewhere.”
The Rangers (21-19-4) are banking on the progress soon turning into results, and if they want to become the playoff team they have talked about, they will have a prime chance to prove it starting Monday night against the Islanders at the Garden.
All four games the Rangers have left before the All-Star break are against teams above them in the Metropolitan Division standings — three against the Islanders, who they have yet to face all season, and one against the Blue Jackets. They entered Sunday six points out of a playoff spot and if they are to make any headway — like the Blues did after being in last place on Jan. 3 last year — they will need to stop hurting themselves like they did Saturday.
“That team [the Blues] won the Stanley Cup last year and I know they’re down a few guys, but that team, they’re huge, they take away time and space and they don’t beat themselves,” Quinn said. “That being said, I thought there was a lot more in our game we could have showed [Saturday].”
The Rangers were only officially credited with five turnovers but there were others unaccounted for that proved costly. On the Blues’ first goal — six seconds after a Rangers four-minute power play expired — Tony DeAngelo’s errant pass attempt gave Ivan Barbashev a chance to feed Robert Bortuzzo for a breakaway goal.
On the Blues’ goal that made it 4-2 in the second period, it was Micheal Haley who turned it over before Zach Sanford beat Libor Hajek to a loose puck in the neutral zone, giving way to a two-on-one to beat Henrik Lundqvist.
Every Rangers mistake seemed to turn into a high-quality scoring chance for the Blues.
“Not every time, but a lot of times,” Lundqvist said. “You get pretty impressed when you watch them play because they don’t — there’s almost not a single play where they beat themselves. They’re so patient. You might think you’re holding on to pucks but they don’t give us much in the middle and they just wait for mistakes.”
While Quinn was more positive after the loss, Mika Zibanejad wore his emotions on his sleeve, expressing frustration that the Rangers haven’t been able to get on any kind of a run. They entered Saturday with their fifth pair of back-to-back wins this season, but only once have they been able to turn that into three straight wins.
Now they are back to starting over again.
“As I stand here right now without watching the film, obviously we need to be better, but against a team that won the Stanley Cup last year, I think we’ve made progress,” Quinn said Saturday night. “We just gotta keep building on it, we gotta shake this off and be ready Monday.”
For more on the Rangers, listen to the latest episode of the “Up In The Blue Seats” podcast:


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--The $15 minimum wage disaster and other commentary

On Dec. 30 , The New York Times editorial board repudiated its 1987 stance and endorsed a “ $ 15 minimum wage.
” The Times , Reason ’ s Billy Binion sighs , was right the first time around .
Back then , the board warned about a minimum wage hike ’ s “ possible job-killing consequences , ” but now it “ dismisses ” them .
Yet the research it cites , including one 1993 New Jersey study using data from “ before the wage hike took effect , ” is “ anything but decisive.
” A better lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which saw employees ’ “ hours reduced even as their hourly pay increased.
” Worse , the Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that a $ 15 minimum wage would price “ 1.3 million workers ” entirely “ out of the labor market.
” Fact is , it ’ s opponents of the hike who really have “ genuine concern ” for those not doing well .
From the Right : Admiring Elon Musk So much for the doomsday predictions that greeted Republicans ’ elimination of tax subsidies for electric vehicles : A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tesla ’ s market value eclipses GM and Ford — combined !
” And that ’ s great news , applauds National Review ’ s Kevin Williamson .
While Nissan ’ s electric car , Leaf , is losing business , that ’ s “ not because Americans are buying fewer electric cars , but because they are buying more of them ” : Tesla stopped prioritizing “ high-end rides ” and started cutting into Nissan ’ s market .
Whether Tesla will go on to “ thrive or fade , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new car company from scratch , ” and made it a success , shows “ what happens when you have a culture that values risk and innovation , understands the necessary role of failure and yokes capital to brainpower.
” Planned Parenthood ’ s latest annual report “ reveals an organization that ’ s scrambling to defend abortion , ” cheers Chad Pecknold in The Catholic Herald .
The report “ is filled with considerable trepidation over legal challenges to their business model , ” as Team Trump dramatically tilts the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments enact new restrictions and the Department of Health and Human Services reinstitutes a ban against federally funded family-planning clinics “ offering abortion services.
” Plus , “ private donations decreased ” in the latest reporting period .
Also notable : “ Gone are the long lists of named donors in the annual report .
Gone is the political confidence that they will always have easy access to power.
” Former Big Apple Mayor Mike Bloomberg “ is not , in any conventional sense , a candidate , ” scoffs The Week ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t even bothering with the Iowa caucuses or the New Hampshire primary , and he won ’ t be “ shaking the hands of hog farmers and schoolteachers.
” Instead , his plan for winning the Democratic nomination mainly involves spending oodles of his own money on TV ads , “ more than a $ 100 million so far — to say nothing of an upcoming $ 10 million dollar spot during the Super Bowl.
” And while most pundits think his big-money exertions won ’ t move voters , and that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Bloomberg doesn ’ t care in the slightest what his fellow candidates have to say about his background or his record in office .
Nor is he especially concerned with what voters think of him.
” His goal is “ to bibbity-bobbity-boo himself into being the president of the United States ” — a not-entirely implausible ambition , once you take into account the Democratic establishment ’ s determination not to run with a left-wing populist like Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren .
CEO : The Econ News Couldn ’ t Get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder writes : “ President Trump ’ s economy is roaring , completely debunking the left ’ s pessimistic narrative about economic growth.
” Friday ’ s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed “ a record 158.8 million Americans are now employed , while the unemployment rate continues to hold steady at a 50-year low of 3.5 percent.
” Meanwhile , weekly “ jobless claims have fallen to 214,000 — thousands fewer than experts had expected.
” The political import of all this : “ These incredible economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who have spent the last three years warning voters about impending economic doom .
”

Libertarian: The $15 Disaster
On Dec. 30, The New York Times editorial board repudiated its 1987 stance and endorsed a “$15 minimum wage.” The Times, Reason’s Billy Binion sighs, was right the first time around. Back then, the board warned about a minimum wage hike’s “possible job-killing consequences,” but now it “dismisses” them. Yet the research it cites, including one 1993 New Jersey study using data from “before the wage hike took effect,” is “anything but decisive.” A better lead: Target’s 2017 minimum-wage raise, which saw employees’ “hours reduced even as their hourly pay increased.” Worse, the Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that a $15 minimum wage would price “1.3 million workers” entirely “out of the labor market.” Fact is, it’s opponents of the hike who really have “genuine concern” for those not doing well.
From the Right: Admiring Elon Musk
So much for the doomsday predictions that greeted Republicans’ elimination of tax subsidies for electric vehicles: A Jan. 8 Reuters headline reports that “Tesla’s market value eclipses GM and Ford — combined!” And that’s great news, applauds National Review’s Kevin Williamson. While Nissan’s electric car, Leaf, is losing business, that’s “not because Americans are buying fewer electric cars, but because they are buying more of them”: Tesla stopped prioritizing “high-end rides” and started cutting into Nissan’s market. Whether Tesla will go on to “thrive or fade,” the fact that Musk “helped to start a new car company from scratch,” and made it a success, shows “what happens when you have a culture that values risk and innovation, understands the necessary role of failure and yokes capital to brainpower.”
Conservative: Big Abortion Trembles
Planned Parenthood’s latest annual report “reveals an organization that’s scrambling to defend abortion,” cheers Chad Pecknold in The Catholic Herald. The report “is filled with considerable trepidation over legal challenges to their business model,” as Team Trump dramatically tilts the federal judiciary to the pro-life side, state governments enact new restrictions and the Department of Health and Human Services reinstitutes a ban against federally funded family-planning clinics “offering abortion services.” Plus, “private donations decreased” in the latest reporting period. Also notable: “Gone are the long lists of named donors in the annual report. Gone is the political confidence that they will always have easy access to power.”
Iconoclast: Don’t Dismiss Bloomy’s Chances
Former Big Apple Mayor Mike Bloomberg “is not, in any conventional sense, a candidate,” scoffs The Week’s Matthew Walther. Bloomberg isn’t even bothering with the Iowa caucuses or the New Hampshire primary, and he won’t be “shaking the hands of hog farmers and schoolteachers.” Instead, his plan for winning the Democratic nomination mainly involves spending oodles of his own money on TV ads, “more than a $100 million so far — to say nothing of an upcoming $10 million dollar spot during the Super Bowl.” And while most pundits think his big-money exertions won’t move voters, and that he’s vulnerable to populist pressure, “Bloomberg doesn’t care in the slightest what his fellow candidates have to say about his background or his record in office. Nor is he especially concerned with what voters think of him.” His goal is “to bibbity-bobbity-boo himself into being the president of the United States” — a not-entirely implausible ambition, once you take into account the Democratic establishment’s determination not to run with a left-wing populist like Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.
CEO: The Econ News Couldn’t Get Worse for Dems
At FoxNews.com, ex-CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder writes: “President Trump’s economy is roaring, completely debunking the left’s pessimistic narrative about economic growth.” Friday’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed “a record 158.8 million Americans are now employed, while the unemployment rate continues to hold steady at a 50-year low of 3.5 percent.” Meanwhile, weekly “jobless claims have fallen to 214,000 — thousands fewer than experts had expected.” The political import of all this: “These incredible economic figures are a nightmare for the Democrats, who have spent the last three years warning voters about impending economic doom.”
— Compiled by Sohrab Ahmari & Karl Salzmann


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--How LSU, Clemson transformed their college football narratives

NEW ORLEANS — The dream was discarded in two weeks ... .

NEW ORLEANS — The narrative changes so quickly in sports. Yesterday’s cuddly underdog becomes today’s dynasty and before long it’s hard to remember how the old order of things toppled. For decades, Clemson was one of those colorful football teams that would occasionally emerge from the crowded pile of Saturday afternoon highlights for a brief tour of the sun.
The Tigers have long had one of the coolest helmets in the game — bright orange, white tiger claws on both sides. They have long had one of the bucket-list home fields in all of sports, Memorial Stadium, far better known as “Death Valley.” College football pilgrims have long known one of the great one-day excursions, if you have the stamina, is to hit a noon game at Death Valley, then make the 127-mile trek west along I-26 and I-385 to Columbia for a night game at South Carolina’s Brice Stadium.
Back on Jan. 1, 1982, Clemson finished off a 12-0 season by beating Nebraska, 22-15 in the Orange Bowl. Perry Tuttle filled the cover of Sports Illustrated, the headline screamed “NO. 1!” and that was a feel-good story for a while, until it turned out there weren’t a lot of NCAA rules and regulations that coach Danny Ford and his staff hadn’t twisted and torn.
Then along came a coach named Dabo Swinney.
And suddenly Clemson — sleeping giant all these years — began to win, and win big, and win huge games, and it was a refreshing break from the usual blue bloods who elbowed their way into championship games. In January 2016, Swinney’s Tigers met up with the Alabama behemoth and lost 45-40. It was a nice story for the cute upstarts.
A year later, Clemson beat Alabama, 35-31, in one of the great college football games you’ll ever see. Last year, the Tigers did it again, this time humbling Alabama in a way that Alabama had almost never been humbled under Nick Saban. Now, they are back, defending champions, they have won 29 games in a row. When they take the field at the Superdome on Monday night, it will be 741 days since they last lost a football game.
The debutante has become the dominator.
“The last decade?” Swinney asked Sunday, when someone asked him to explain how Clemson could force its way into the team picture alongside the traditional college football powers: Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas. “Transformative. Is that a word? We’ve transformed Clemson, and the next decade is the Roaring ’20s, so I’m excited about that — I heard those were great. Hopefully we can relive those.”
On the other side of the field is another team that knows all about being a sleeping giant. For years, for decades, LSU had everything you could ever want to build a superpower: a litany of terrific coaches; a wealth of local talent, most of whom are handed purple and gold rattles and miniature footballs in the crib; and its own Death Valley — née Tiger Stadium — which has been one of the fiercest home-field advantages forever.
And yet, for the first 98 years of LSU’s football history, there was only one year in which these Tigers finished No. 1 — 1958, an 11-0 run under coach Paul Dietzel capped — as many LSU supporters have already duly noted — by a 7-0 win in the Sugar Bowl over — yep — Clemson. Funny thing: That isn’t the most famous LSU team. That was the next year, when they were No. 1 for eight straight weeks, when Billy Cannon won the Heisman Trophy capped by his forever punt return on Halloween night that beat Mississippi, 7-3.
But the Tigers lost the next week at Tennessee, and they weren’t heard from as national contenders for decades because of a familiar, and chronic problem:
Alabama, of course.
Bear Bryant arrived in Tuscaloosa in 1958, and for the next 25 years the road to the SEC — let alone No. 1 — rolled through there. Funny, then, that when LSU’s modern resurgence began in 2003 — a BCS title for Saban, followed four years later by one for Les Miles — it has been kept relatively in check by the fact that LSU not only shares a conference with Alabama but a division — the SEC West. In 2012, they also shared the BCS title game despite LSU having won the regular-season game. Bama — and Saban — won that one, 21-0.
So it is hard to measure just how much a fourth national championship would mean to LSU, which will have the advantage of a friendly crowd in the Dome and a mission to fulfill so many dreams for so many of its players.
“There’s a lot of things you can look at this game for motivation, and the only motivation we’ve used is to finish strong and focus on winning the game,” LSU’s Ed Orgeron said. “But those external motivations are there. These guys have always wanted to play in the Dome. Grant [Delpit, an LSU safety] is from New Orleans. His family was displaced from Katrina. All his family will be there. It will mean more to our guys that we’re playing here in New Orleans for the championship, no question.”
Tigers versus Tigers, combined 28-0, 60 minutes for a championship. Yeah. Let’s go.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Julius Randle’s heroics push Knicks by Heat in emotional return

Interim coach Mike Miller and his Knicks needed this one .
So did Julius Randle .
The Knicks got big moments from their last two lottery picks , RJ Barrett and slumping Kevin Knox , but it was Randle who came up huge late in his first game back after the death of his grandmother as the Knicks stunned the Heat in a Garden afternoon tilt to break a five-game losing streak .
The Knicks rallied from 14 points down late in the third quarter to beat a club they had fallen behind by 34 points late December .
Randle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , finished with 26 points .
“ It ’ s extremely tough , ” Randle said of the past few days .
“ Lot of highs , a lot of lows .
My grandmother left an incredible legacy and mark on my life and my family .
It ’ s been tough .
Still be tough .
But tonight was special .
I really felt her out there.
” Barrett corralled a loose ball after Jimmy Butler ’ s coughed it up on a last-second drive to all but seal it with three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 23 points , hit a free throw to give the Knicks a three-point bulge .
It was a wild finish as Bam Adebayo ’ s fling after an inbounds with 0.5 seconds left sank through but was waived off because it came after the buzzer .
The Knicks racked up 40 points in the final quarter as Miller moved to 7-11 .
Randle drained a right-wing 3-pointer to put the Knicks into the lead for good at 116-114 with 2:10 left .
It was Randle ’ s first 3-pointer in the fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free throws to give the Knicks a 1-point lead , then scored on a power drive for a 122-119 with 38 seconds left .
Butler was fouled with 21 seconds from the 3-point line and a chance to tie , but he missed the third attempt .
Knox , who has been struggling , scored 17 points off the bench as he lit it up in the second quarter after being quiet for weeks .
He made a nice move of the basket to draw a foul and create free throws .
Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again on a drive down the left of the lane .
Knox had 13 points in eight minutes after averaging 4.6 points in the past nine games .
After a poor first half in which he missed all four of his shots , Reggie Bullock had a solid second half .
His pull-up 3-pointer with 3:00 left got the Knicks within 106-105 .
For more on the Knicks , listen to the latest episode of the “ Big Apple Buckets ” podcast :

Interim coach Mike Miller and his Knicks needed this one. So did Julius Randle.
The Knicks got big moments from their most recent lottery picks, rookie RJ Barrett and slumping Kevin Knox. But it was Randle who came up huge late in his first game back after the death of his grandmother to lead the Knicks to a 124-121 stunner over the Heat before a frenzied afternoon crowd at the Garden that broke a five-game losing streak.
The Knicks rallied from 14 points down late in the third quarter Sunday to beat a Miami club they had fallen behind by as many as 34 points in a late-December rout.
Randle, after missing the previous two games, finished with 26 points. He was 10 of 21 from the field and scored 11 fourth-quarter points when the Knicks outscored the powerful Heat 40-27.
A moment of silence for his grandmother was held before tipoff.
“It’s extremely tough,” the Texas-born Randle said of the past few days. “Lot of highs, a lot of lows. My grandmother left an incredible legacy and mark on my life and my family. It’s been tough. Still be tough. But tonight was special. I really felt her out there.”
It was a wild final minute right down to the final fraction of a second. Barrett, who played fearlessly down the stretch, corralled a loose ball with three seconds left after Jimmy Butler coughed it up on a drive to all but seal it. Barrett, who finished with 23 points, hit a free throw to give the Knicks a three-point bulge. Free-throw shooting had been Barrett’s Achilles’ heel, but he made 8 of 10 Sunday.
Maybe it was the new headband Barrett donned for the first time this season.
“It’s huge,’’ said Barrett, who also secured a key rebound on a late free-throw miss by Jimmy Butler. “They’re really one of the best teams in the league. We were able to fight it out and get one.’’
But even after Barrett clutched the last loose ball, it wasn’t over. Off an inbounds with 0.5 seconds left, Bam Adebayo flung up a shot that went through the basket, but after a review, was waved off because it came a shade after the buzzer, allowing the Knicks to move to 11-29.
“I just told the guys, I’m so happy for them, so proud of them for hanging in there and battling back,’’ said Miller, now 7-11 as interim coach. “We bent a couple times but didn’t break.
With Marcus Morris (neck) missing his fourth straight game, Randle had to step up at the end. He drained a right-wing 3-pointer to put the Knicks into the lead for good at 116-114 with 2:10 left. It was Randle’s first 3-pointer in the fourth quarter this season.
Randle made two free throws to give the Knicks a one-point lead, then scored on a power drive for a 122-119 lead with 38 seconds left.
“He took it up a level in the second half and played with such great force and poise, Miller said.
The calls weren’t going the Knicks’ way and Butler was fouled with 21 seconds after meager contact on a 3-point attempt. He had a chance to tie the score, but missed the third attempt, ruining his 25-point game.
The Knicks wouldn’t have been in it in the second half if not for Knox, who has been struggling. He scored 17 points off the bench as he lit it up in the second quarter after being quiet for weeks.
That made the win even sweeter.
“I had a little rough patch but never got too down, stayed confident,’’ said Knox, who was 6 of 8 from the field. “Guys kept me up, the vets like Taj [Gibson] told me to keep being aggressive.”
Early on, Knox made a nice move to the basket to draw a foul and create free throws to start his splurge. Then he made two straight 3-pointers and scored again on a drive down the left side of the lane. Knox had 13 points in eight minutes of the first half after averaging 4.6 points in the previous nine games. He entered the game averaging 7.7 points on the season.
“The people around me, my circle, my team, staying extra late. I got shots with Wayne [Ellington] the other day,’’ Knox said. “Shooting with other guys who are good shooters and can teach me things so I can shoot at a high level. It’s putting in extra work and staying positive that is helping me out.”
After a poor first half in which he missed all four of his shots, Reggie Bullock had a solid final two quarters, finishing with 16 points. His pull-up 3-pointer with three minutes left got the Knicks within 106-105 and Randle and Barrett carried them home.
In the third quarter, “Let’s Go Heat” chants could be heard but not at the finish.
“It was crazy,’’ Barrett said. “I love how the Knicks fans quieted the Miami fans. It was amazing.’’
For more on the Knicks, listen to the latest episode of the “Big Apple Buckets” podcast:


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--City knew ferries have been for the rich since day one, documents reveal

Ferry users are overwhelmingly white , wealthy and come from waterfront ...

Ferries help the poor? That’s rich.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has insisted that his administration’s heavily-subsidized ferry service would help poor New Yorkers get around, but newly revealed data shows it’s been a plaything of the rich almost from the jump — figures the city sat on for months.
An internal survey taken in July 2017 — two months after the service’s inception — found that the median rider’s income ranges between $100,000 and $150,000, a trend that held as of another poll conducted in the winter of 2018.
The results of the surveys were obtained by The Post through an eight-month Freedom of Information Law battle with the Economic Development Corporation, the city-controlled non-profit that manages the ferry service and solicited the data.
The EDC for months rebuffed The Post’s requests as it claimed it was still searching for the records — but City Councilman Antonio Reynoso had a different explanation for it.
“The city was being misleading about what information they had, and also didn’t want to give the information because it would prove a point that many of us were already making,” said Reynoso (D-Brooklyn/Queens).
In an April 2019 City Council hearing, the EDC’s Chief of Staff told Reynoso he didn’t know about the income levels of those riding the ferries, which are subsidized with taxpayer funds to the tune of $9.34 per trip, as of October.
“We don’t have information on who precisely is riding the boats today,” James Katz told the joint committees on governmental operations, economic development and transportation at the time.
But the new documents prove that by that point, EDC had conducted three surveys, two of which asked about income data and found that the median ferry rider pulls down a six-figure salary.
A fourth survey — leaked to another outlet in October as The Post’s FOIL request was pending, in what watchdogs have called a possible violation of state open records law — conducted across May and June 2019 found that 65 percent of riders make over $75,000.
That survey also, for the first time, gathered data on race, and found that 64 percent of riders are white, as compared to approximately 50 percent of the ferries’ service area.
Those figures scuttle de Blasio’s breathless assurances that the ferries are the wave of future for transportation in this city, and would serve as a socioeconomic equalizer.
“The city knowing this information and continuing to subsidize at a very high rate just shows where their priorities are when it comes to transportation,” said Reynoso, a member of the City Council’s Committee on Transportation.
“They get into a back and forth with Gov. [Andrew] Cuomo about how much [the city] should put into the MTA, which is used by a more diverse [group] of people,” continued Reynoso. “And we’re subsidizing that at a fraction of the cost that we’re subsidizing the ferry system.”
Transit advocates agreed that if the mayor really wants to help everyday New Yorkers get around, he should start on land.
“The average income of a New York City bus commuter is under $30,000,” said Ben Fried, spokesman of the TransitCenter think tank. “If the mayor is serious about making the city fairer, the least he can do is give his bus lane program the same resources he gives his ferry program.”
Reynoso made clear that he’s in favor of the ferries, assuming that City Hall can make them work for those who need them the most.
“I think the ferries are good,” he said. “For me, it’s about where we want to put these subsidies and who’s benefiting from the tax dollars that we’re spending.
In a statement, the EDC argued that ferry ridership has gradually gotten more diverse, and continued to insist that it simply didn’t have sufficient data at the time as of the April 2019 council meeting.
“As we’ve expanded the ferry system beyond the old East River route, it’s serving a much more diverse group of riders,” said EDC spokeswoman Shavone Williams. “We look forward to expanding this service in the coming months to neighborhoods that have endured unacceptably long commutes to the city’s job centers, including Coney Island, Ferry Point Park and Staten Island.”
“When asked at the hearing about ridership demographics, we did not have comprehensive data on all routes to share,” Williams added of the council meeting.
“To better guide our efforts and answer the legitimate questions of the City Council, we undertook a more comprehensive survey in the summer of 2019. We then … briefed interested council members on that data and data from 2017-18 — and published all this information on the NYCFerry website for the public.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Chiefs rally to destroy Texans, advance to AFC championship

KANSAS CITY , Mo .
— It has been 50 years since ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are back in the AFC championship game.
How they returned to the brink of their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years was unlike anything anybody could have imagined.
After digging a 24-0 hole against Houston early in the second quarter Sunday, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the high-flying Chiefs embarked on the biggest comeback in franchise history. Their young superstar proceeded to throw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, Travis Kelce and Damien Williams reached the end zone three times apiece, and Kansas City reeled off 41 consecutive points in a 51-31 victory over the Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Chiefs are the first team in NFL history to win a playoff game by at least 20 points after trailing in that game by at least 20 points. And Mahomes is the first player in NFL history with at least 300 passing yards, at least five TD passes and at least 50 rushing yards in a playoff game.
“Yeah, I mean, obviously we didn’t start the way we wanted to, but all we were preaching — offense, defense and special teams — is let’s do something special,” Mahomes said. “Everybody’s already counting us out, let’s keep fighting and just go one play at a time, and we found a way. Obviously, this is a huge win and now we’ve got the AFC championship game at home.”
The Chiefs (13-4), who lost to the Patriots in overtime in last year’s conference title game, will play Tennessee next Sunday for a spot in Miami. The Titans stunned Lamar Jackson and the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night.
“We’ve already played them and we know they’re a tough team,” Mahomes said of the Titans, who beat the Chiefs in November. “They’re a team that battles all the way until the end. They’re a team that’s really hot, playing really good football right now, so we know it’s going to take our best effort. And, whatever way, we’ve got to find a way to win. That’s the biggest thing you saw here today was we’ve just got to find a way no matter what.”
Kelce finished with 10 catches for 134 yards, Williams ran for two scores while catching a TD pass, helping the Chiefs win their seventh consecutive game and reach back-to-back AFC title games for the first time.
Watson, meanwhile, threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns while running for another, but not even his heroics could bail out the Texans (11-7) after they were outscored 28-0 in the second quarter. They continued to allow Kansas City to pull away during a dismal third, their epic collapse leaving the reborn Houston franchise 0-4 in the divisional round.
The Chiefs certainly gave them the perfect opportunity to finally break that streak in the first quarter.
On defense, Kansas City blew overage on Kenny Stills on the opening possession, allowing him to walk into the end zone from 54 yards. On offense, they wasted timeouts, dropped a series of easy passes and managed just 46 yards. And on special teams, the Chiefs had a punt blocked for a score and fumbled a return that set up another touchdown.
Indeed, the Texans were humming right along after finishing on a 22-3 run to beat Buffalo last week, while the mountain of miscues made by the Chiefs made them only the fourth home playoff team to trail 21-0 after the first quarter.
Then it was the Texans’ turn to struggle.
They had stretched the lead to 24-0 before the Chiefs, whose largest deficit overcome had been 21 points, put together a comeback for the ages. Mahomes hit Williams with a quick touchdown toss to begin it, then Houston curiously faked a punt at its own 31-yard line and was stuffed, giving the Chiefs a short field and another easy touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff, Texans return man DeAndre Carter had the ball pop loose and into the arms of Darwin Thompson, whose return set up a second Mahomes-to-Kelce touchdown in a matter of seconds. And a third came after the Chiefs forced a punt — a successful one, for a change — and they drove 90 yards to take a stunning 28-24 halftime lead.
“I mean, it was amazing,” Mahomes said of Kelce. “The first thing I said to him when I saw him there at the end, I was like, ‘Man, I mean, you’re a monster, man. You are.’ I mean, the way he was fighting through injury and still making plays all day long.”
The comeback became a clobbering by the time the third quarter ended.
The Chiefs’ breezed downfield to start the second half, and Williams finished the drive with his first TD run. Their overhauled defense under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sacked Watson on fourth down to get the ball right back, and Mahomes and Co. required just six more plays to position Williams for another TD run and a 41-24 lead.
It was the most unanswered points in a playoff game since the Jets had 41 against the Colts in the 2002 wild-card round.
Even when the Texans finally cracked the scoreboard, when Watson scrambled to his left and dived over the pylon, the Chiefs rendered the touchdown moot. In four plays they went 72 yards to set up the fifth TD pass by Mahomes, the strike to little-used tight end Blake Bell giving coach Andy Reid’s team a postseason-record seven straight TD drives.
It also gave a festive crowd that turned out early in freezing weather and a slight drizzle a chance to celebrate early.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Texas cop, firefighter among 11 killed in stormy weather

A Texas police officer and a firefighter were among 11 people killed as a dangerous storm system ripped through large swaths of the nation over the weekend .
Lubbock Police Officer Nicholas Reyna , 27 , and fire Lt. David Hill , 39 , were killed when they were struck by a car while at the scene of a traffic accident caused by the icy conditions Saturday , Fox News reported Sunday .
Another Lubbock firefighter , Matthew Dawson , was hospitalized in critical condition , Fox said .
“ Today our hearts mourn for the losses and critical injuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Lubbock police wrote on the department ’ s Facebook page .
“ It is not possible to express the hurt we all feel from the death of our own officer and the death and injuries to our firefighter brothers.
” The storm system wreaked havoc in several states , causing severe flooding , icy roadways , and spawning a deadly tornado in Alabama that razed at least three homes .
As many as 10 trucks were topped by gale-force winds in Arkansas , and at least two 18-wheelers were knocked over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news network said .
The storm also forced Chicago ’ s O ’ Hare International Airport to ground more than 1,200 flights .

A Texas police officer and a firefighter were among 11 people killed as a dangerous storm system ripped through large swaths of the nation over the weekend.
Lubbock Police Officer Nicholas Reyna, 27, and fire Lt. David Hill, 39, were killed when they were struck by a car while at the scene of a traffic accident caused by the icy conditions Saturday, Fox News reported Sunday.
Another Lubbock firefighter, Matthew Dawson, was hospitalized in critical condition, Fox said.
“Today our hearts mourn for the losses and critical injuries experienced by our Lubbock First Responder Family,” Lubbock police wrote on the department’s Facebook page. “It is not possible to express the hurt we all feel from the death of our own officer and the death and injuries to our firefighter brothers.”
The storm system wreaked havoc in several states, causing severe flooding, icy roadways, and spawning a deadly tornado in Alabama that razed at least three homes.
As many as 10 trucks were topped by gale-force winds in Arkansas, and at least two 18-wheelers were knocked over by strong gusts in Texas, the news network said.
The storm also forced Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to ground more than 1,200 flights.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Devils fire GM Ray Shero with Martin Brodeur twist

The Devils ’ disastrous season reached a new level Sunday when the team fired general manager Ray Shero , marking the end to a roller-coaster four-plus-year tenure that leaves the franchise in the middle of another rebuild .
Assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald will take over as the interim replacement , while Devils Hall of Fame goaltender and VP of business development Martin Brodeur will serve as an advisor to hockey operations .
“ In the coming weeks and months , we will be launching a formal search for a new General Manager , ” said Josh Harris , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just hours before the Devils faced off against the Lightning on Sunday night .
“ We are very optimistic about our future and have a lot of talent , both on and off the ice.
” The development comes a month after Shero canned head coach John Hynes and promoted assistant Alain Nasreddine to interim head coach , and just a spring removed from New Jersey giving the 57-year-old Shero an undisclosed multi-year extension .
This season the Devils were expected to contend for a playoff spot following an action-packed offseason that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hughes and star defenseman P.K .
Subban .
But the team struggled out of the gate before firing Hynes and trading Taylor Hall to the Coyotes for draft picks and prospects , with the superstar in the last season of his contract and unlikely to re-sign in Newark .
Shero , the former Stanley Cup-winning GM with the Penguins , was hired in 2015 after the Devils parted ways with legendary GM Lou Lamoriello .
Shero ’ s tenure largely will be defined by his stunning one-for-one trade that landed Hall from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Larsson , two first-overall picks ( Nico Hischier in 2017 and Hughes this past spring ) and not being able to return the Devils to their glory days .
The Devils made the postseason once under Shero , in 2018 , behind Hall ’ s masterful MVP season but lost in the first round .
New Jersey has made the playoffs just once since 2012 , when it lost in the Stanley Cup Final , and hasn ’ t won the title since 2003 , with Brodeur in net .

The Devils’ disastrous season reached a new level Sunday when the team fired general manager Ray Shero, marking the end to a mostly disappointing four-plus-year tenure that leaves the franchise in the middle of another rebuild.
Assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald will take over as the interim replacement, while Devils Hall of Fame goaltender and VP of business development Martin Brodeur will serve as an advisor to hockey operations.
“In the coming weeks and months, we will be launching a formal search for a new General Manager,” said Josh Harris, the team’s managing partner and chairman, just hours before the Devils beat the surging Lightning, 3-1, on Sunday night. “We are very optimistic about our future and have a lot of talent, both on and off the ice.”
The development comes a month after Shero canned head coach John Hynes and promoted assistant Alain Nasreddine to interim head coach, and just a spring removed from New Jersey giving the 57-year-old Shero an undisclosed multi-year extension.
This season the Devils were expected to contend for a playoff spot following an action-packed offseason that included the arrivals of first-overall pick Jack Hughes and star defenseman P.K. Subban.
But the team struggled out of the gate before firing Hynes and trading Taylor Hall to the Coyotes for draft picks and prospects, with the superstar in the last season of his contract and unlikely to re-sign in Newark.
Shero, the former Stanley Cup-winning GM with the Penguins, was hired in 2015 after the Devils parted ways with legendary GM Lou Lamoriello.
Shero’s tenure largely will be defined by his stunning one-for-one trade that landed Hall from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Adam Larsson, two first-overall picks (Nico Hischier in 2017 and Hughes this past spring) and not being able to return the Devils to their glory days.
The Devils made the postseason once under Shero, in 2018 behind Hall’s masterful MVP season, but lost in the first round.
New Jersey has made the playoffs just once since 2012, when it lost in the Stanley Cup Final, and hasn’t won the title since 2003, with Brodeur in net.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Public Advocate Jumaane Williams slapped with another speeding violation

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and other backers of New York ’ s ...

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is a public menace — at least when it comes to speeding in school zones.
The lead-footed Democratic pol’s car was issued yet another $50 speeding summons in July — at least its 28th since 2013 — when it was caught on camera zooming through a Brooklyn school zone.
The citation comes after Williams vowed to slow down following November 2018 media reports that his car was previously caught speeding 27 times since 2013.
“I’m absolutely sorry and should be held accountable,” a solemn Williams told Streetsblog at the time. “I have to make changes in how I drive.”
And yet, Williams currently owes the city $226.56 in fines on three outstanding speed zone tickets — including $26.56 in late fees for a July 29, 2019 school-zone violation at Ocean Avenue and Avenue M in Midwood, records show.
Two other summonses, issued two days apart in October 2018 at a Coney Island Avenue intersection in Flatbush, have accrued an additional $25 each in late fees.
“There are a lot of children in this area, people should know that when they drive around here. Speeding like that is irresponsible and puts those kid’s lives in danger. That’s no way for a man to act,” said Noach Dyckman, 53, who lives in Midwood.
Added a Brooklyn safe-streets advocate: “Speeding puts people unnecessarily at risk for purely selfish reasons. It’s not just an oopsy or a boo-boo. It’s a serious thing with serious consequences. Anyone who is privileged enough to own a car and drive needs to act responsibly to ensure the safety of everyone on the streets.”
Speed cameras photograph license plates and automatically ticket cars’ owners, so it’s not always clear who is driving when one is issued — but Williams through a spokesperson confirmed he was indeed driving during the July 29 incident. Although Williams supported the creation of the speed camera program, he’s had issues with the citywide, 25 mph speed limit that was signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014.
During a 2017 City Council hearing, Williams griped that it was “impossible” to stay below that speed at times — especially on deadly Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, where Williams suggested the limit was too low.
A rep for the public advocate said he supports a bill by Councilman Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn) requiring the city to impound or boot cars nailed for five or more traffic camera violations in a year.
Williams’ car, however, would have been subject to such a law after racking up 11 camera violations between Sept. 10, 2015 and June 13, 2016, according to city data.
He’s also racked up a slew of parking tickets over the past seven years, including a dozen for illegally parking in bus stops.
“The Public Advocate has taken full ownership and accountability for the past violations — and so proactively completed a safe driving course in November of 2018,” Williams’ office said in a statement.
Additional reporting by Daniel Cassady


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--The best looks from the 2020 Critics’ Choice Awards red carpet

Celebrities like Billy Porter, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya stepped out Sunday night to honor the best in movies and TV at the 2020 Critics' Choice Awards, held in Santa Monica, California. Here, see what everyone wore on the red carpet.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Patrick Graham hired as Giants defensive coordinator

New Giants coach Joe Judge isn ’ t wasting much time filling out his coaching staff , hiring Patrick Graham @ @ @ @ @ team ’ s new defensive coordinator , according to NFL Network .
Graham , who @ @ @ @ @ as the Dolphins ’ defensive coordinator , was the Giants ’ defensive line coach in @ @ @ @ @ 40-year-old worked alongside Judge under Bill Belichick ’ s Patriots staff for four years .
@ @ @ @ @ rebuilding , finished 30th in total defense and last in the league in scoring , @ @ @ @ @ .
Judge , who was hired by the Giants last week to replace Pat Shurmur @ @ @ @ @ Tyke Tolbert ( wide receivers coach ) and Thomas McGaughey ( special teams coach ) @ @ @ @ @ James Bettcher was the Giants ’ defensive coordinator the last two seasons , and oversaw @ @ @ @ @ points per game , which ranked 28th in the league .

Patrick Graham is returning to the Giants after two seasons away.
He won’t find many familiar faces.
The Giants hired Graham as defensive coordinator on Sunday, and he will call the defensive plays for new head coach Joe Judge, The Post confirmed. Graham, 40, was under contract as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator but given permission to interview for the lateral move.
Both Graham (2009-15) and Judge (2012-19) are former Bill Belichick assistants, and their tenures with the Patriots overlapped for three seasons. Graham left to be the Giants’ defensive line coach on Ben McAdoo’s staff in 2016-17 but was not retained by Pat Shurmur, moving on to the Packers for one season.
If, as expected, Eli Manning and Zak DeOssie do not return to the Giants, there will not be any players on the roster who predate the 2016 season. In fact — in a sign of the extreme roster overhaul orchestrated by general manager Dave Gettleman — only one remaining defensive player (Dalvin Tomlinson) played for Graham during his first stint.
Two years ago, the Giants were ecstatic to land James Bettcher as defensive coordinator, after he led the Cardinals defense to three straight top-10 rankings. Bettcher’s success didn’t carry over with the Giants, whose veteran-laden group ranked No. 24 in total defense in 2018 and slipped to No. 25 in 2019 with a younger cast.
Graham will need to get much more production out of second- and third-year players such as Lorenzo Carter, B.J. Hill, Oshane Ximines, Dexter Lawrence, and DeAndre Baker if the Giants are going to take a step forward.
The Giants will be a multiple-front defense, according to Judge. He wants “teachers” in his assistants.
“I think presenters can be passed off as salesmen,” Judge said this past week. “They can stand in front of a crowd, stand in front of a position group and talk fancy and make it look good, but at the same time, they can create a cloud of information. I think teachers paint a clear picture that you can mentally see what it is, what it should look like, how you have to get there and why it’s important.”
By hiring Graham, Judge, 38, bucked (for now) the theory that he needs to surround himself with experienced top-level assistants. Giants co-owner John Mara would like to see a former head coach on staff as a reliable resource, but he and general manager Dave Gettleman empowered Judge with final say on his staff.
It is possible Judge will check two boxes with one hire for offensive coordinator, bringing in a quarterback-savvy former head coach like Jim Caldwell or Jason Garrett. Actually, it seems important that he does.
Graham is the third member of Judge’s staff, joining Shurmur era holdovers Thomas McGaughey (special teams coordinator) and Tyke Tolbert (wide receivers).
NFL Network first reported Graham’s hire as well as the promotion of Josh Boyer as his replacement in Miami. Dolphins coach Brian Flores coached with Graham and Judge in New England.
The Dolphins ranked No. 30 in total defense, No. 26 in passing defense and No. 27 in rushing defense last season. Graham worked with a similarly young roster, as the Dolphins and Giants ranked first and second, respectively, in snaps played by rookies in 2019.
The Giants also had interest in Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn — a former Jets cornerback — as defensive coordinator, a source told The Post. It is possible he winds up in another position on the staff.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--How Todd Frazier impacts Rangers’ Nolan Arenado trade pursuit

The Texas Rangers are turning to former Mets and Yankees slugger Todd Frazier as insurance should they strike out on a trade for Colorado Rockies superstar Nolan Arenado .
Frazier , who spent his last three seasons in New York , signed a one-year , $ 5 million deal with the Rangers on Sunday , according to multiple reports .
The Dallas Morning News first reported an agreement had been reached .
The signing comes as the Rangers have been entrenched in trade talks with the Rockies for Arenado over the last month .
They still are expected to pursue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first base if they pull it off , MLB network reported .
The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs reportedly are also interested in acquiring Arenado .
Arenado has seven years and $ 234 million left on his eight-year , $ 260 million contract .
It includes an opt-out clause following the 2021 season and full no-trade clause , which has made trade talks complicated .
The trade rumors surfaced after it was reported Arenado was upset with how the Rockies missed the playoffs last season at 71-91 .
“ It feels like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven-time gold glove winner said in September , according to The Athletic .
While Frazier isn ’ t nearly as strong defensively , the soon-to-be 34-year-old had 21 home runs with the Mets last season and hit .251/.329/.443 in 133 games .
The New Jersey native spent two seasons with the Mets and half a season with the Yankees before that .

The Texas Rangers are turning to former Mets and Yankees slugger Todd Frazier as insurance should they strike out on a trade for Colorado Rockies superstar Nolan Arenado.
Frazier, who spent his last three seasons in New York, signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Rangers on Sunday, according to multiple reports.
The Dallas Morning News first reported an agreement had been reached.
The signing comes as the Rangers have been entrenched in trade talks with the Rockies for Arenado over the last month. They still are expected to pursue Arenado, and could move Frazier to first base if they pull it off, MLB network reported.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs reportedly are also interested in acquiring Arenado.
Arenado has seven years and $234 million left on his eight-year, $260 million contract. It includes an opt-out clause following the 2021 season and full no-trade clause, which has made trade talks complicated.
The trade rumors surfaced after it was reported Arenado was upset with how the Rockies missed the playoffs last season at 71-91.
“It feels like a rebuild,” the 28-year-old, seven-time gold glove winner said in September, according to The Athletic.
While Frazier isn’t nearly as strong defensively, the soon-to-be 34-year-old had 21 home runs with the Mets last season and hit .251/.329/.443 in 133 games.
The New Jersey native spent two seasons with the Mets and half a season with the Yankees before that.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--NYPD supervisors targeted cops for complaining about OT issues: lawsuit

Former NYPD Police Commissioner Bill Bratton became the latest critic ...

A pair of cops who raised the alarm about overtime issues at the NYPD were punished with foot patrols in a hardscrabble Bronx precinct, according to a lawsuit notice filed against the city.
Officers Oscar Perez and Jose Flores-Fernandez reported their superior, Lt. Iris Espinosa, for denying them overtime when they went to work-related court dates.
The two cops told The Post the lieutenant would force them to take time off instead — but when they did that, other supervisors would complain they were taking off.
She was eventually disciplined and transferred out nearly two years ago — but Perez and Flores-Fernandez’s new bosses allegedly punished their whistle-blowing by taking them out of a patrol car and forcing them to work on foot in the 46th Precinct early last year, according to their $12,000 notice of claim filed against the city on Dec. 27.
The shake-up came after supervisors wrote them up in February for taking too long to determine a car-crash report was bogus, the pair told The Post.
But Perez and Flores-Fernandez said the bosses just had it out for them, claiming that the hour it took them to determine the call was phony was an average turnaround time, because they had to circle around the area and question people on the street.
The pair had been warned to “watch their back” because the platoon commander was “out to get them” — despite being told by their new lieutenant that their slate was clean after Espinosa was transferred out.
“They never leave you alone… supervisors tell other supervisors that you’re ‘lazy pieces of s–t,’ ” Perez told The Post.
The decade-plus veterans are now stuck with rookie assignments posting up on street corners and sitting in hospitals to watch prisoners, the notice says.
“I don’t feel like a cop anymore… they make me feel like garbage,” Flores-Fernandez said. “Now I go home and I’m pissed off … it’s depressing. I’m frustrated every day.”
Perez said the treatment has gotten him so down he has stopped taking his gun home with him.
“I’m afraid to take my gun home… I don’t bring it home for a reason,” the 16-year veteran told The Post. “I’m afraid I’ll be in some mood and I’ll do something stupid.”
The pair claim they’ve lost $12,000 each since the retribution began.
A police source told The Post Espinosa was not transferred out as punishment — but she was reassigned to a position in the medical division due to her 9/11-related illness and has since retired.
A spokesman for NYPD said it doesn’t comment on pending litigation. Espinosa could not be reached for comment.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--China’s U.S. trade deal commitments not changed in translation, Mnuchin says

President Trump on Friday announced the first phase of a ...

China’s commitments in the Phase 1 trade deal with the United States were not changed during a lengthy translation process and will be released this week as the document is signed in Washington, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday.
Mnuchin told Fox News Channel that the deal reached on Dec. 13 still calls for China to buy $40 billion to $50 billion worth of U.S. agricultural products annually and a total of $200 billion of U.S. goods over two years.
“It wasn’t changed in translation. I don’t know where that rumor started,” Mnuchin said on the “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” show.
“We have been going through a translation process that I think we said was really a technical issue,” Mnuchin said. “And the language will be released this week. So I think it is — the day of the signing, we will be releasing the English version.”
“And people can see. This is a very, very extensive agreement,” he added.
White House officials had said as late as Friday that the final Chinese text was not yet completed, even as invitations went out to more than 200 people for a Jan. 15 signing event at the White House.
Asked if he still expected China to purchase $40 billion to $50 billion in U.S. farm products under the deal, Mnuchin said: “I do. Let me just say, it is $200 billion of additional products across the board over the next two years, and, specifically in agriculture, $40 billion to $50 billion.”
Thus far, Beijing has not confirmed those purchase commitments, and recent government actions here in the agriculture industry have raised questions over the $40 billion to $50 billion target cited repeatedly by Trump administration officials.
Chinese officials have been careful not to publicly discuss details of the Phase 1 deal, because Washington has changed its position multiple times during negotiations, three Chinese officials with knowledge of the situation told Reuters last week.
The signing of the trade deal on Wednesday eases Trump’s 18-month trade war aimed at altering China’s trade and economic practices, but will leave in place tariffs on about $370 billion worth of Chinese imports per year.
Those are expected to be addressed in Phase 2 negotiations, which the Trump administration wants to launch this year, covering thornier issues untouched by the Phase 1 trade deal, including Beijing’s heavy subsidies to Chinese state-owned enterprises and restrictions digital trade and cybersecurity issues.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Virginia Roberts Giuffre backs DHS campaign against human trafficking

Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre wore blue in an online video Sunday to “ stand united ” on national human-trafficking-awareness day .
Giuffre — who claims she had sex three times with Andrew , 59 , while being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein — wore a pale blue sweater as she publicly supported Homeland Security ’ s Blue Campaign that marked Jan. 11 as # WearBlueDay .
“ My name is Virginia Roberts Giuffre .
I stand united with the countless victims of human trafficking all over the world , ” said Giuffre in the video Saturday , which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Let ’ s put an end to it , ” she said , adding hashtags including “ # EpsteinCoverup , ” “ # TimesUp ” and “ # EnoughIsEnough.
” Giuffre has long been one of the most outspoken accusers against Epstein , and her claims about Andrew ultimately were crucial in him getting booted from royal duties last year .
Andrew and Buckingham Palace have always denied her claims .
The Blue Campaign says it is a “ national public-awareness campaign designed to educate the public , law enforcement and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human trafficking , and how to appropriately respond to possible cases .
”

Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre wore blue in an online video Sunday to “stand united” on national human-trafficking-awareness day.
Giuffre — who claims she had sex three times with Andrew, 59, while being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein — wore a pale blue sweater as she publicly supported Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign that marked Jan. 11 as #WearBlueDay.
“My name is Virginia Roberts Giuffre. I stand united with the countless victims of human trafficking all over the world,” said Giuffre in the video Saturday, which the campaign recognizes as national human-trafficking-awareness day.
“Let’s put an end to it,” she said, adding hashtags including “#EpsteinCoverup,” “#TimesUp” and “#EnoughIsEnough.”
Giuffre has long been one of the most outspoken accusers against Epstein, and her claims about Andrew ultimately were crucial in him getting booted from royal duties last year. Andrew and Buckingham Palace have always denied her claims.
The Blue Campaign says it is a “national public-awareness campaign designed to educate the public, law enforcement and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking, and how to appropriately respond to possible cases.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Martina McBride mourns her mother’s death: ‘She taught us how to be strong’

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) It ’ s been a rough few days for Martina McBride .
The country singer shared on Instagram that her mother Jeanne passed away on Friday , Jan. 10 after emergency heart surgery .
McBride , 53 , shared a series of vintage photos of her mother .
“ My mom passed away this morning .
She was a complex and amazing woman .
Strong .
Chic .
No-nonsense .
Hilarious .
Witty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ singer in the caption .
“ She had the prettiest hair and skin and hands… I loved her hands .
She took good care of us .
Our house was always the house where all the aunts , uncles , and cousins gathered , and she was really the reason for that.
” McBride explained that while her mother wasn ’ t overly affectionate , she and her three siblings always knew their mother was in their corner .
“ As we all got older we had many conversations about life , faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importance of getting your beauty sleep , ” recalled the country crooner .
“ She ’ d start every phone call or message with ‘ Martina .
This is your mother ’ .
She loved to laugh and to tell stories to get a laugh .
And even though she told me in the hospital that she wasn ’ t ‘ an enthusiastic cook ’ she made the best fried chicken I ’ ve ever tasted.
” “ I spent the last week with her in ICU , with my dad , my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fantastic and caring team of doctors who went above and beyond to try and get her to a place where her heart would sustain her , ” revealed McBride .
“ During that week I held her hand , rubbed her shoulders , stroked her face , told her I loved her and she told me she loved me .
Even though I wish it had ended differently I wouldn ’ t have traded that time with her for anything .
So now we try and move forward without our matriarch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will .
Because she taught us how to be strong.
” On Thursday , McBride tweeted , asking for prayers for her mother following an emergency heart surgery .
Some of McBride ’ s country contemporaries shared their sympathies in the Instagram comments .
“ What a beautiful tribute to your extraordinary mom , ” wrote Faith Hill .
“ She raised one hell of a daughter , that ’ s for sure .
I love you , Martina.
” “ I ’ m so sorry my friend , ” wrote Brandi Carlile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom .
I ’ m sorry you lost your great teacher and you ’ ll be in my prayers .
”

It’s been a rough few days for Martina McBride.
The country singer shared on Instagram that her mother Jeanne passed away on Friday, Jan. 10 after emergency heart surgery.
McBride, 53, shared a series of vintage photos of her mother.
“My mom passed away this morning. She was a complex and amazing woman. Strong. Chic. No-nonsense. Hilarious. Witty,” wrote the “Independence Day” singer in the caption. “She had the prettiest hair and skin and hands… I loved her hands. She took good care of us. Our house was always the house where all the aunts, uncles, and cousins gathered, and she was really the reason for that.”
McBride explained that while her mother wasn’t overly affectionate, she and her three siblings always knew their mother was in their corner.
“As we all got older we had many conversations about life, faith, morals, health, and the importance of getting your beauty sleep,” recalled the country crooner. “She’d start every phone call or message with ‘Martina. This is your mother’. She loved to laugh and to tell stories to get a laugh. And even though she told me in the hospital that she wasn’t ‘an enthusiastic cook’ she made the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted.”
“I spent the last week with her in ICU, with my dad, my brothers, and my sister, and a fantastic and caring team of doctors who went above and beyond to try and get her to a place where her heart would sustain her,” revealed McBride. “During that week I held her hand, rubbed her shoulders, stroked her face, told her I loved her and she told me she loved me. Even though I wish it had ended differently I wouldn’t have traded that time with her for anything. So now we try and move forward without our matriarch. And somehow, in time, we will. Because she taught us how to be strong.”
She added: “I love you Mom. 1/10/20.”
On Thursday, McBride tweeted, asking for prayers for her mother following an emergency heart surgery.
Some of McBride’s country contemporaries shared their sympathies in the Instagram comments.
“What a beautiful tribute to your extraordinary mom,” wrote Faith Hill. “She raised one hell of a daughter, that’s for sure. I love you, Martina.”
Trisha Yearwood wished her pal “Love and strength.”
“I’m so sorry my friend,” wrote Brandi Carlile. “YOU are also an incredible mom. I’m sorry you lost your great teacher and you’ll be in my prayers.”
Sara Evans simply wrote: “love you so much.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Hero firefighter rescues unconscious man from Brooklyn blaze

A firefighter crawled through a roaring fire to save an unconscious man in a Brooklyn apartment building Sunday morning , officials said .
FDNY Capt .
Christopher Livolsi told reporters that the resident would have “ without a doubt ” died without the heroism of firefighter Brian Gorman .
The resident was a 43-year-old man , sources told The Post .
The blaze started just after 5:15 a.m. on the second floor the four-story building on 45th Street near Eighth Avenue in Sunset Park , authorities said .
When Ladder 114 arrived , its members were told by someone at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that someone was inside the home , according to Livolsi .
The blaze at first blocked firefighters from rescuing the resident , who was lying on the floor next to his bed unconscious , Livolsi said .
Then one of them sprayed a water tank through the flames to create a tunnel on the floor for Gorman to crawl through and pull the man to safety , the official said .
“ Time is crucial because that extinguisher only had a few gallons of water , ” Livolsi said .
The victim was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His current condition was not released .
About 60 firefighters had the blaze in under an hour .
A spokesman for FDNY said the accidental fire started in the kitchen from “ careless cooking .
”

A firefighter crawled through a roaring fire to save an unconscious man in a Brooklyn apartment building Sunday morning, officials said.
FDNY Capt. Christopher Livolsi told reporters that the resident would have “without a doubt” died without the heroism of firefighter Brian Gorman.
The resident was a 43-year-old man, sources told The Post.
The blaze started just after 5:15 a.m. on the second floor the four-story building on 45th Street near Eighth Avenue in Sunset Park, authorities said.
When Ladder 114 arrived, its members were told by someone at the scene where the fire was and that someone was inside the home, according to Livolsi.
The blaze at first blocked firefighters from rescuing the resident, who was lying on the floor next to his bed unconscious, Livolsi said.
Then one of them sprayed a water tank through the flames to create a tunnel on the floor for Gorman to crawl through and pull the man to safety, the official said.
“Time is crucial because that extinguisher only had a few gallons of water,” Livolsi said.
The victim was rushed to Lutheran Hospital in serious condition. His current condition was not released.
About 60 firefighters had the blaze in under an hour.
A spokesman for FDNY said the accidental fire started in the kitchen from “careless cooking.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Tiger Woods’ 10-year-old son Charlie shows off incredible golf swing

Tiger Woods is caddying for his son Charlie this weekend at a junior event , and footage surfaced online of @ @ @ @ @ a golf club like a seasoned pro .
Charlie displays a picture-perfect swing in the @ @ @ @ @ on .
Tiger , 44 , just captained the United States team to victory in @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s set to play in the Famers Insurance Open next week at @ @ @

Like father, like son.
Tiger Woods is caddying for his son Charlie this weekend at a junior event, and footage surfaced online of Woods’ 10-year-old kid swinging a golf club like a seasoned pro.
Charlie displays a picture-perfect swing in the video as his dad looks on.
Tiger, 44, just captained the United States team to victory in the Presidents Cup last month. He’s set to play in the Famers Insurance Open next week at Torrey Pines.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Dennis Smith Jr. still in Knicks limbo despite injury progress

Dennis Smith Jr. ’ s oblique strain is taking on a life of its own .
A serious baseball injury — the Yankees ’ Aaron Judge missed two months due to it last season — is turning into a serious basketball injury , too .
The Knicks point guard , obtained in last January ’ s Kristaps Porzingis deal , missed his ninth straight game in Sunday ’ s matinee vs. Miami .
There ’ s no clear projection on a return despite talk of progress .
“ It ’ s actually faster ( than I expected ) , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I heard with oblique strains , it can be two months .
I ’ m actually coming along fast .
I ’ m going through the process .
I ’ m feeling better .
The good thing about it is I ’ m making progress.
” Smith is not surprised he suffered the rare basketball injury considering how it happened .
It was from a cross-court pass in practice , he said .
“ I felt like my ribs had separated on the side , ” Smith said .
“ And they say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the Knicks ’ limited practice time , Smith has been spotted in for contract drills but not all .
“ He does portions of it , ” interim coach Mike Miller said .
“ He hasn ’ t been completely full blown .
He does something and comes out .
There ’ s still pain he feels when he does certain things.
” Smith , who had an MRI recently , confirmed his moves to the basket are hampered .
“ It ’ s moves that ’ s necessary for me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Smith , whose strength is his penetrating ability .
“ I still feel pain with those moves .
We ’ re trying to work through that and they know when to remove me.
” Smith has played just 21 games in his first full season with the Knicks , and there have been signals he may want a fresh start .
He missed action after his stepmother ’ s passing and received a handful of DNPs .
He was relaxed before Sunday ’ s game , sitting in the locker room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degrees outside ) .
He reminisced about his former AAU North Carolina teammate Bam Adebayo , who is putting up an All-Star caliber season for the Heat .
They were on the same team when Smith was in middle school .
As Smith goes through these struggles , he can use Adebayo ’ s journey as inspiration .
“ It ’ s all about situations , ” Smith said .
Frank Ntilikina missed Sunday ’ s matinee with a sore groin .
Ntilikina was hampered the second half of last season with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a third straight game with a neck injury , but Julius Randle returned to the team after a death in the family .

Dennis Smith Jr.’s oblique strain is taking on a life of its own. A serious baseball injury — the Yankees’ Aaron Judge missed two months due to it last season — is turning into a serious basketball injury, too.
The Knicks point guard, obtained in last January’s Kristaps Porzingis deal, missed his ninth straight game in Sunday’s matinee vs. Miami. There’s no clear projection on a return despite talk of progress.
“It’s actually faster (than I expected),” Smith said regarding his timetable. “I heard with oblique strains, it can be two months. I’m actually coming along fast. I’m going through the process. I’m feeling better. The good thing about it is I’m making progress.”
Smith is not surprised he suffered the rare basketball injury considering how it happened. It was from a cross-court pass in practice, he said. “I felt like my ribs had separated on the side,” Smith said. “And they say it happens to pitchers, too.”
In the Knicks’ limited practice time, Smith has been spotted in for contract drills but not all.
“He does portions of it,” interim coach Mike Miller said. “He hasn’t been completely full blown. He does something and comes out. There’s still pain he feels when he does certain things.”
Smith, who had an MRI recently, confirmed his moves to the basket are hampered. “It’s moves that’s necessary for me to play the way that I play,” said Smith, whose strength is his penetrating ability. “I still feel pain with those moves. We’re trying to work through that and they know when to remove me.”
Smith has played just 21 games in his first full season with the Knicks, and there have been signals he may want a fresh start. He missed action after his stepmother’s passing and received a handful of DNPs.
He was relaxed before Sunday’s game, sitting in the locker room in sunglasses (it was almost 70 degrees outside). He reminisced about his former AAU North Carolina teammate Bam Adebayo, who is putting up an All-Star caliber season for the Heat. They were on the same team when Smith was in middle school.
As Smith goes through these struggles, he can use Adebayo’s journey as inspiration.
“It’s all about situations,” Smith said.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra reiterated his distaste regarding the Knicks firing his buddy and former Heat assistant, David Fizdale.
“I just think it’s a shame,” Spoelstra said. “I just think he’s a brilliant basketball mind and teacher of the game.”
Frank Ntilikina missed Sunday’s game with a sore groin. Ntilikina was hampered the second half of last season with a groin strain. …