newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Car crash can’t stop Kyoung-Hoon Lee from unexpected Arnold Palmer entry

ORLANDO , Fla. — Kyoung-Hoon Lee never saw any of this coming .
Not the oncoming car that smashed into the passenger side ( where he was sitting ) of the PGA Tour courtesy car his wife was driving Wednesday morning .
And not getting into the field of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill , where he was the first alternate and didn ’ t expect to get into the field … until defending champion Francesco Molinari withdrew early Thursday morning with a back injury .
Lee , taking Molinari ’ s place , played alongside Rory McIlroy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , and Justin Rose and he posted an even-par 72 .
The South Korean golfer was in the passenger seat when he and his wife were involved in the accident on their way to the course to practice .
He said his wife was making a left-hand turn and an oncoming vehicle smashed into them .
“ When I saw the car coming , I was scared , like , ‘ Oh , my gosh , ’ ’ ’ Lee said after his round through an interpreter .
“ It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in slow motion.
” On Thursday , he came to the course at 6:30 a.m. with scant hopes of someone withdrawing , but Molinari did just that .
“ I felt sore in the morning , but after I got the tee time , I couldn ’ t feel it , ” Lee said .
Lee said his wife , who usually walks with him during his rounds , opted to stay home Thursday .
“ She feels sore and is in a little bit of pain , ” he said .

ORLANDO, Fla. — Kyoung-Hoon Lee never saw any of this coming.
Not the oncoming car that smashed into the passenger side (where he was sitting) of the PGA Tour courtesy car his wife was driving Wednesday morning.
And not getting into the field of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he was the first alternate and didn’t expect to get into the field … until defending champion Francesco Molinari withdrew early Thursday morning with a back injury.
Lee, taking Molinari’s place, played alongside Rory McIlroy, the No. 1-ranked player in the world, and Justin Rose and he posted an even-par 72.
The South Korean golfer was in the passenger seat when he and his wife were involved in the accident on their way to the course to practice. He said his wife was making a left-hand turn and an oncoming vehicle smashed into them.
“When I saw the car coming, I was scared, like, ‘Oh, my gosh,’ ’’ Lee said after his round through an interpreter. “It was like the whole thing was kind of in slow motion.”
On Thursday, he came to the course at 6:30 a.m. with scant hopes of someone withdrawing, but Molinari did just that.
“I felt sore in the morning, but after I got the tee time, I couldn’t feel it,” Lee said.
Lee said his wife, who usually walks with him during his rounds, opted to stay home Thursday.
“She feels sore and is in a little bit of pain,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Magic moment proves sky’s the limit for Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad

Mika Zibanejad had a special night — and it ended ...

For his next trick, Mika Zibanejad will slip into the laboratory and not only develop an antidote for coronavirus, but arrange for its approval and distribution across the continent by nightfall.
Seriously, folks, there seems to be no limit to the heights the Rangers’ No. 93 can scale in the wake of his spectacular five-goal performance that included the winner in Thursday’s 6-5 overtime victory over the Capitals in a riveting, raucous, heavyweight match that shook the Garden to its foundations.
It was, for a moment, May 2015 the way the Blueshirts celebrated in the left corner after Zibanejad’s sizzling backhand off a breakaway headman feed from Artemi Panarin at 0:33, in the same place and in the same way they celebrated Derek Stepan’s Game 7 overtime winner against the Capitals in the conference semifinals.
“Anyone who was here tonight will never forget it,” Garden CEO Jim Dolan told The Post after waiting out a horde to congratulate Zibanejad at his locker. “A special night, right?”
A special night, indeed, and all the more for this team that moved to within two points of the second wild-card Islanders, who were beaten in Ottawa, and hopscotched the Carolina team that lost in Philadelphia into ninth place. The Blueshirts have 15 games to go, the Islanders 16 and the Hurricanes 17.
This could still all go sideways, but this was likely the Rangers’ finest night since eliminating the Canadiens in the first round of the 2017 playoffs with Zibanejad becoming the third Ranger in history to score five goals in a game, following Mark Pavelich on Feb. 23, 1983 and Don Murdoch on Oct. 12, 1976.
You know what? It is possible the trade general manager Jeff Gorton engineered with Ottawa on July 18, 2016 in which the Blueshirts acquired Zibanejad and a second-rounder in exchange for Derick Brassard and a seventh-rounder may eclipse the deal in 2010 in which then-GM Glen Sather acquired Ryan McDonagh’s rights from Montreal for a package fronted by Scott Gomez.
Oh yes it is, for not only is there nearly a six-year age difference between the centers who were swapped after the Blueshirts were blown out of the 2016 first round by Pittsburgh, but in the time since the deal, Zibanejad has recorded 109 goals and 229 points in 263 games while Big Game Brass has posted 59 goals and 138 points in 287 games for the Senators, Penguins, Panthers, Avalanche and Islanders.
You don’t expect a night like this from anyone. Well, maybe from Alex Ovechkin, who scored twice in this one, including his 47th to tie it at 5-5 at 19:17 of the third period with the Caps operating with the extra attacker. Or, maybe from Panarin, who instead picked up three assists, including the home run feed for the winner.
“An unbelievable night for him and for all of us,” Panarin told The Post. “He is a beautiful player who has so much talent and means so much to us. When I’m on the ice with him, I just enjoy it. I don’t know what other people think, but I know Mika is elite. We all do.
“Why? Do you doubt him?”
Zibanejad, captain without portfolio, has scored 14 goals in his past 10 games while adding six assists in that stretch. He has 27 goals and 47 points in his last 33 games. Before this is done, the 26-year-old center might even crowd out Panarin in the race for the Hart Trophy in which the Russian Rockette is firmly entrenched.
“It feels like the moment is never too big for him and that’s a rare asset in this league,” Ryan Strome said of Zibanejad. “He thrives on it.
“He wants the puck on his stick, he knows how good he is, and the best part about it is that he’ll come to the rink tomorrow and be humble, put his head down and go to work. It was just a real special night and if you looked at our faces after he scored the last goal, we were just in awe of him.”
It was a night like that for Zibanejad, who scored two goals on the power play, two at five-on-five and the last one, of course, at three-on-three after getting behind Tom Wilson to take Panarin’s feed. But it was a special night for the Rangers, too, who never backed down, rarely backed up and gave as good as they got against a big, physical team, and right from the get-go, Ryan Lindgren crunching Hey Mr. Wilson in the corner 3:25 into the contest.
It was a heavyweight match and no one was more of a heavyweight than Zibanejad, who, after conquering COVID-19, intends to tackle the climate crisis.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Two Manhattan prep schools close over coronavirus concerns

Two elite Manhattan prep schools will be closed Friday for a “ thorough cleaning ” due to a family that ’ s being monitored for the coronavirus , The Post has learned .
Both the all-boys Collegiate School on the Upper West Side and the all-girls Spence School on the Upper East Side will be closed , according to messages on their websites and an email obtained by The Post .
The family being monitored for the virus has ties to both schools , likely a child attending each of the institutions , a source told The Post .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness on a recent international trip and the family is now under quarantine , awaiting test results , according to an email Collegiate School headmaster Lee Levison sent to community members on Thursday .
“ The family informed us immediately of their situation and is following the protocols recommended by the Department of Health and family physicians , ” Levison wrote in the email obtained by The Post .
The school will shutter for a “ thorough cleaning , ” though both state and city health departments said it was OK to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand and appreciate the anxiety associated with the dynamic situation regarding COVID-19 , so in this instance we are acting in a very conservative manner , ” he wrote .
The prestigious Spence School also said , on its website , that it would be closed Friday for “ comprehensive sanitation of the entire campus.
” The schools are expected to reopen on Monday .
About 2,800 New York City residents are under quarantine to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and being monitored by the city ’ s Department of Health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in the US

Two elite Manhattan prep schools will be closed Friday for a “thorough cleaning” due to a family that’s being monitored for the coronavirus, The Post has learned.
Both the all-boys Collegiate School on the Upper West Side and the all-girls Spence School on the Upper East Side will be closed, according to messages on their websites and an email obtained by The Post.
The family being monitored for the virus has ties to both schools, likely a child attending each of the institutions, a source told The Post.
One of the parents was exposed to the illness on a recent international trip and the family is now under quarantine, awaiting test results, according to an email Collegiate School headmaster Lee Levison sent to community members on Thursday.
“The family informed us immediately of their situation and is following the protocols recommended by the Department of Health and family physicians,” Levison wrote in the email obtained by The Post.
The school will shutter for a “thorough cleaning,” though both state and city health departments said it was OK to stay open, Levison added.
“I understand and appreciate the anxiety associated with the dynamic situation regarding COVID-19, so in this instance we are acting in a very conservative manner,” he wrote.
The prestigious Spence School also said, on its website, that it would be closed Friday for “comprehensive sanitation of the entire campus.”
The schools are expected to reopen on Monday.
Neither immediately returned a request for comment late Thursday.
About 2,800 New York City residents are under quarantine to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and being monitored by the city Department of Health, officials said Thursday.
Map of coronavirus cases in the US


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Florida woman sues deputy who allegedly broke her arm during forceful arrest

An Orlando woman is suing an Orange County deputy for allegedly using excessive force during a violent 2017 takedown captured on the officer ’ s body camera .
Loushar Baerga , 47 , was standing in her front yard , near where a driver crashed into her backyard fence when Deputy Feki Tai called out to her as he attempted to clear the crash scene , according to a roughly three-minute clip from Tai ’ s camera published by the Orlando Sentinel .
“ Ma ’ am you need to step away from the car , alright ?
” Tai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Step away from the car.
” The deputy had arrived at the scene roughly an hour before the video starts and was tasked with securing the site until highway troopers arrived , according to the Sentinel .
The two had had multiple exchanges with each other in that time as Baerga poked around trying to find out what happened — at one point reportedly calling 911 over Tai ’ s behavior .
But their final altercation quickly escalated after Tai called out to Baerga , who didn ’ t respond .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Tai says as he meets her on the lawn , grabbing her right arm .
She responds , “ What are you doing ?
” Baerga denies she is resisting and shouts out in pain , “ I ’ m not fighting , I just got here.
” Tai then insists Baerga was “ aggravating the scene ” and tells her he gave her “ plenty of warnings.
” After placing Baerga in cuffs , the deputy drags her to into his cruiser , where she is taken to jail for resisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges were later dropped .
Baerga is now suing for an unspecified amount under $ 2 million , claiming her injury has left her out of work .
“ She was merely a small , thin woman who had no means of resistance other than verbal protest over what she viewed as an unjust verbal assault for her attempts to find out what happened to her home , ” according to the lawsuit reviewed by the Sentinel .
Tai came under internal review after the incident and was cleared of any wrongdoing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheriff ’ s Office , the outlet reported .
“ There was no evidence submitted or discovered to support Ms. Baerga ’ s allegation of excessive use of force by Deputy Tai , ” the office determined .

An Orlando woman is suing an Orange County deputy for allegedly using excessive force during a violent 2017 takedown captured on the officer’s body camera.
Loushar Baerga, 47, was standing in her front yard, near where a driver crashed into her backyard fence when Deputy Feki Tai called out to her as he attempted to clear the crash scene, according to a roughly three-minute clip from Tai’s camera published by the Orlando Sentinel.
“Ma’am you need to step away from the car, alright?” Tai yells as he began approaching Baerga. “Step away from the car.”
The deputy had arrived at the scene roughly an hour before the video starts and was tasked with securing the site until highway troopers arrived, according to the Sentinel. The two had had multiple exchanges with each other in that time as Baerga poked around trying to find out what happened — at one point reportedly calling 911 over Tai’s behavior.
But their final altercation quickly escalated after Tai called out to Baerga, who didn’t respond.
“Put your hands behind your back!” Tai says as he meets her on the lawn, grabbing her right arm.
She responds, “What are you doing?”
Tai then repeatedly screams, “Stop fighting!”
Baerga denies she is resisting and shouts out in pain, “I’m not fighting, I just got here.”
Tai then insists Baerga was “aggravating the scene” and tells her he gave her “plenty of warnings.”
After placing Baerga in cuffs, the deputy drags her to into his cruiser, where she is taken to jail for resisting an officer without violence — though the charges were later dropped.
Baerga is now suing for an unspecified amount under $2 million, claiming her injury has left her out of work.
“She was merely a small, thin woman who had no means of resistance other than verbal protest over what she viewed as an unjust verbal assault for her attempts to find out what happened to her home,” according to the lawsuit reviewed by the Sentinel.
Tai came under internal review after the incident and was cleared of any wrongdoing in a 2018 decision from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the outlet reported.
“There was no evidence submitted or discovered to support Ms. Baerga’s allegation of excessive use of force by Deputy Tai,” the office determined.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Cops have suspect in beating of 15-year-old Brooklyn girl

A group of teenagers beat up a 15-year-old girl and ...

Police were questioning five suspects and have a motive in the vicious mob beating of a 15-year-old girl on a Brooklyn street, law enforcement sources said Friday.
Cops were grilling the teenage boys in Crown Heights Friday after a group of teens savagely attacked the girl Thursday — as retaliation for a fight she got into earlier in the day, according to the sources.
The caught-on-camera beating unfolded after the girl allegedly beat up another girl earlier in the day at school, according to the sources.
The group of teenage attackers were allegedly friends with the girl who the victim had tussled with, law enforcement sources said.
Stunning surveillance footage video shows the teens — many of them boys — storming the girl, jumping on her and stomping on her head as she lay helplessly on the sidewalk.
One of the teens then snatched the Air Jordans off her feet before the group bolted, according to cops and the footage.
The victim was rushed to a hospital with head trauma and later released, officials said.
The five boys turned themselves in with their parents earlier Friday, according to a law enforcement source. Their names and ages were not immediately clear and no charges have been filed as of early Saturday morning.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Justin Bieber’s ‘Changes’ tour downgraded from stadiums to arenas

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Friday , a number of stops on Justin Bieber ’ s forthcoming tour for “ Changes ” were downgraded from their respective locale ’ s stadiums to arenas .
While it ’ s tempting to pin all the blame for the relocation on the impact of the novel coronavirus — which is still disrupting the stock market , cruises , travel , and , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to Bieber ’ s first album in five years is presumably a factor as well .
While “ Changes ” debuted atop the “ Billboard 200 , ” likely helped along the way by Bieber ’ s attendant YouTube docuseries , the album currently has a 57 rating out of 16 reviews at aggregator Metacritic , along with a 5.6 out of over 3,000 user ratings .
Perhaps during this challenging time , Bieber can take solace in the companionship of his newly-recovered cat , Sushi .
Or , possibly , his @ @

Yucky.
Friday, a number of stops on Justin Bieber’s forthcoming tour for “Changes” were downgraded from their respective locale’s stadiums to arenas.
While it’s tempting to pin all the blame for the relocation on the impact of the novel coronavirus — which is still disrupting the stock market, cruises, travel, and, most recently, SXSW — the somewhat muted response to Bieber’s first album in five years is presumably a factor as well.
While “Changes” debuted atop the “Billboard 200,” likely helped along the way by Bieber’s attendant YouTube docuseries, the album currently has a 57 rating out of 16 reviews at aggregator Metacritic, along with a 5.6 out of over 3,000 user ratings.
Perhaps during this challenging time, Bieber can take solace in the companionship of his newly-recovered cat, Sushi. Or, possibly, his wife.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Trump visits CDC for coronavirus update, praises scientists

President Trump visited the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta Friday for an update on the spreading threat of the coronavirus — which has killed 14 Americans to date — and praised the scientists ’ efforts there .
“ They saw there was something going on in China , that ’ s when they started working on this , that ’ s why we ’ re in good shape , ” the president said , appearing with CDC chief Robert Redfield .
“ These are fantastic people.
” Trump also said that many people are getting better on their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers down .
“ I do think there are people who are sick , but they ’ re not going to the hospital to be tested but are getting better on their own , ” the president said .
“ I do think if you look at the numbers , it will be interesting to see what we find .
Nobody really knows , we have t find out , ” he said , wearing a casual jacket and red “ Keep America Great ” ball cap , having come straight from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee .
The president also said he had no plans to cancel any of his upcoming MAGA rallies , and declared , “ We ’ re prepared for anything.
” Redfield insisted that the risk was low while adding that new cases would surely surface , and millions more test kits were going to be distributed shortly .
The president added that anybody who needs a test will be tested , “ and the tests are beautiful.
” “ The overall risk to the American public remains low , [ but ] we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant community transmission , “ Redfield said , referring to Seattle , Washington , and California .
“ We ’ re going to see more cases.
” The death toll from the respiratory illness rose to 14 in the United States on Friday , according to public health data compiled by the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering .
More than 100,000 people have been infected worldwide , including 259 in the US and 33 in New York .
More than $ 3 billion of the $ 8.3 billion spending bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and development into vaccines , test kits and treatments .

President Trump visited the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta Friday for an update on the spreading threat of the coronavirus — which has killed 14 Americans to date — and praised the scientists’ efforts there.
“They saw there was something going on in China, that’s when they started working on this, that’s why we’re in good shape,” the president said, appearing with CDC chief Robert Redfield. “These are fantastic people.”
Trump also said that many people are getting better on their own, and that that could be keeping the numbers down.
“I do think there are people who are sick, but they’re not going to the hospital to be tested but are getting better on their own,” the president said.
“I do think if you look at the numbers, it will be interesting to see what we find. Nobody really knows, we have t find out,” he said, wearing a casual jacket and red “Keep America Great” ball cap, having come straight from touring the devastation left by tornadoes in Tennessee.
The president also said he had no plans to cancel any of his upcoming MAGA rallies, and declared, “We’re prepared for anything.”
Redfield insisted that the risk was low while adding that new cases would surely surface, and millions more test kits were going to be distributed shortly.
The president added that anybody who needs a test will be tested, “and the tests are beautiful.”
“The overall risk to the American public remains low, [but] we do have some areas where there is significant community transmission, “ Redfield said, referring to Seattle, Washington, and California. “We’re going to see more cases.”
The death toll from the respiratory illness rose to 14 in the United States on Friday, according to public health data compiled by the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
More than 100,000 people have been infected worldwide, including 259 in the US and 33 in New York.
More than $3 billion of the $8.3 billion spending bill Trump signed Friday is intended for research and development into vaccines, test kits and treatments.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Chirlane McCray steals credit for black cultural gem amid Brooklyn BP run, critics say

Big Apple first lady Chirlane McCray is seriously considering a ...

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s wife is claiming credit for a scoring permanent city funding for a cash-strapped, black cultural institution — saving it from closure — all in the name of trying to become Brooklyn’s next borough president, critics charge.
City Hall sources told The Post that first lady Chirlane McCray had nothing to do with the Weeksville Heritage Center in Crown Heights — which pays homage to the historic site of one of the nation’s first communities of free black people — securing a key city designation last year to receive permanent government funding.
However, they said that hasn’t stopped the mayor’s office from trying to use its political muscle to position McCray — a 2021 borough president hopeful — front and center during a ceremony next week celebrating the museum’s new designation.
“I think without question the way the administration is handling this event is to promote the first lady and her interest in becoming Brooklyn borough president,” said one insider.
“As someone who’s aware of the intense negotiations that went on with Weeksville, the first lady wasn’t involved, so it really takes away from the real work and effort done by the council members and others who devoted a lot of time and energy.”
The de Blasio administration initially planned to honor Weeksville Heritage Center with the designation during a gala ceremony in February, which is Black History Month. But a source said City Hall postponed the event following complaints that the date was selected to accommodate McCray’s schedule — without accounting for work schedules of local lawmakers and community leaders “who truly led the fight.”
The ceremony has been rescheduled for March 13 at the center on Buffalo Avenue.
McCray still appears to be getting top billing based on emails sent out by the mayor’s office this week to lawmakers and other dignitaries.
“Please join NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray, [Weeksville] Executive Director Rob Fields, and supporters … at Weeksville Heritage Center … to celebrate the addition of this remarkable organization to the New York City Cultural Institutions Group,” said one email obtained by The Post.
City Hall spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg adamantly denied that McCray is trying to steal the limelight or use the ceremony to boost her political career. She said the administration initially wanted to hold the ceremony in February “because it’s Black History Month,” but “we were happy to change the date” to accommodate lawmakers’ schedules.
The heritage center celebrates the pre-Civil War, African-American community of Weeksville, Brooklyn — between Crown Heights and Brownsville — which had more than 500 residents in the 1850s.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn Stefano Giovannini Stefano Giovannini Advertisement
Following a budget shortfall, the center was nearly forced to close last year, and only managed to stay afloat after raising more than $271,000 through an online campaign.
The Weeksville center has historically received various pots of government funding piecemeal, including $456,000 from the city last year.
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Brooklyn council members Robert Cornegy and Laurie Cumbo helped lead the charge to convince the Department of Cultural Affairs to include Weeksville with 33 other museums, theaters, concert halls, botanical gardens and zoos that comprise the city’s “Cultural Institutions Group.”
These institutions — which include Manhattan’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Carnegie Hall — operate on city-owned land and receive taxpayer money to fund its operations and subsidize energy costs. Most have a long history of lacking workplace diversity and are saturated with mostly white workers.
“We’re thrilled that First Lady McCray, who’s visited Weeksville in the past, accepted my invitation, and will be here … to represent the administration, and mark this special occasion with us, along with members of the City Council and other elected officials,” Fields said.
Johnson said the “City Council was proud to push the administration to make the Weeksville Heritage Center a member of the Cultural Institutions Group.”
“Weeksville is a crucial part of Brooklyn’s cultural scene that celebrates New York City’s rich African American legacy,” he added.
Cornegy, who is running for borough president, declined comment.
Cumbo did not return messages.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Robert Forster’s final role in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Amazing Stories’

“ Once Upon A Time ” creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz wanted to take a breather after finishing their seven-season run on the ABC series .
But then they got an offer they couldn ’ t refuse .
“ We were determined to not take the first job that came our way , ” says Horowitz , 48 .
“ But we got a call from Steven Spielberg ’ s company saying they were interested in us coming aboard as showrunners for ‘ Amazing Stories.
’ Would we be interested in talking to Stephen Spielberg about it ?
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say ‘ no ’ to.
” The Apple + anthology series ( a new episode premieres every Friday ) is a reboot of Spielberg ’ s NBC series of the same name .
A hybrid of “ The Twilight Zone ” and “ The Outer Limits , ” “ Amazing Stories ” aired from 1985-87 and won an Emmy .
It was distinctive for its tone of hope and wonder — Spielberg trademarks — and for its high-profile cast and directors , including Clint Eastwood , Martin Scorsese and Spielberg himself .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the University of Wisconsin ] , ” says Kitsis , 49 .
“ And we bonded over our love of Spielberg .
Both of us were in the business wanting to be writers because of how much his films meant to us .
And we would talk about ‘ Amazing Stories.
’ So for us to get a chance to do it now years later is really a dream come true.
” The reboot ’ s first episode , “ The Cellar , ” follows Sam ( Dylan O ’ Brien , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aimless millennial who ends up traveling back in time to 1919 while he ’ s restoring an old house .
There , he falls in love with Evelyn ( Victoria Pedretti , “ The Haunting of Hill House ” ) and the two try to escape to the present-day .
Kitsis and Horowitz say the reboot won ’ t rehash any storylines or characters from the original .
“ It ’ s all entirely new , ” says Kitsis .
“ The spirit behind ‘ Amazing Stories ’ was just that , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell many different kinds of stories .
At its core , it ’ s a show about the ordinary meeting the extraordinary , and finding real relatable people in relatable situations , and how something extraordinary can touch their lives.
” The third episode , “ Dynoman and the Volt , ” features Oscar-nominated actor Robert Forster ( “ Jackie Brown ” ) , who died in October at age 78 , making “ Amazing Stories ” his final role .
“ Robert Forster came aboard to do this part in episode three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does what he has done his entire career — he makes the role his own and blows you away with his talent , heart , and humanity .
It ’ s a really special performance.
” The episode is about a boy and his grandfather ( Forster ) who discover that a ring ordered out of a comic book has the power to turn them into real superheroes .
“ Everybody , cast and crew , loved Robert , ” says Kitsis .
“ We were all in awe of him .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lunch we would huddle around and watch his dailies with our jaws dropped , because he was just so good.
” And although they handled the daily aspects of the show , Kitsis and Horowitz say they still worked closely with Spielberg .
“ We would run every story idea by him .
We would sit with him and talk about stories [ and ] he would have ideas , ” Kitsis says .
“ We would brainstorm .
He would have incredible thoughts on every aspect of the production .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the greatest living filmmaker we have — because there ’ s no one like him .
”

“Once Upon A Time” creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz wanted to take a breather after finishing their seven-season run on the ABC series.
But then they got an offer they couldn’t refuse.
“We were determined to not take the first job that came our way,” says Horowitz, 48. “But we got a call from Steven Spielberg’s company saying they were interested in us coming aboard as showrunners for ‘Amazing Stories.’ Would we be interested in talking to Stephen Spielberg about it? And that was a call we could not say ‘no’ to.”
The Apple + anthology series (a new episode premieres every Friday) is a reboot of Spielberg’s NBC series of the same name. A hybrid of “The Twilight Zone” and “The Outer Limits,” “Amazing Stories” aired from 1985-87 and won an Emmy. It was distinctive for its tone of hope and wonder — Spielberg trademarks — and for its high-profile cast and directors, including Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese and Spielberg himself.
“Adam and I met in college [at the University of Wisconsin],” says Kitsis, 49. “And we bonded over our love of Spielberg. Both of us were in the business wanting to be writers because of how much his films meant to us. And we would talk about ‘Amazing Stories.’ So for us to get a chance to do it now years later is really a dream come true.”
The reboot’s first episode, “The Cellar,” follows Sam (Dylan O’Brien, “Teen Wolf”), an aimless millennial who ends up traveling back in time to 1919 while he’s restoring an old house. There, he falls in love with Evelyn (Victoria Pedretti, “The Haunting of Hill House”) and the two try to escape to the present-day.
Kitsis and Horowitz say the reboot won’t rehash any storylines or characters from the original.
“It’s all entirely new,” says Kitsis. “The spirit behind ‘Amazing Stories’ was just that, an opportunity to let your imagination go and tell many different kinds of stories. At its core, it’s a show about the ordinary meeting the extraordinary, and finding real relatable people in relatable situations, and how something extraordinary can touch their lives.”
The third episode, “Dynoman and the Volt,” features Oscar-nominated actor Robert Forster (“Jackie Brown”), who died in October at age 78, making “Amazing Stories” his final role.
“Robert Forster came aboard to do this part in episode three,” says Horowitz. “He does what he has done his entire career — he makes the role his own and blows you away with his talent, heart, and humanity. It’s a really special performance.”
The episode is about a boy and his grandfather (Forster) who discover that a ring ordered out of a comic book has the power to turn them into real superheroes.
“Everybody, cast and crew, loved Robert,” says Kitsis. “We were all in awe of him. I remember even in the writers room during lunch we would huddle around and watch his dailies with our jaws dropped, because he was just so good.”
And although they handled the daily aspects of the show, Kitsis and Horowitz say they still worked closely with Spielberg.
“We would run every story idea by him. We would sit with him and talk about stories [and] he would have ideas,” Kitsis says. “We would brainstorm. He would have incredible thoughts on every aspect of the production.
“There’s a reason he’s the greatest living filmmaker we have — because there’s no one like him.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Historic Yeshiva tournament win comes in empty gym

Fear over the coronavirus followed the Yeshiva men ’ s basketball team ...

BALTIMORE — In what was believed to be the first U.S. sports event held without fans because of the new coronavirus, Yeshiva University beat Worcester Polytechnic Institute in a Division III men’s basketball NCAA Tournament game Friday in an empty gym at Johns Hopkins University.
Players on each team’s bench cheered and chanted “De-fense!” to make up for the lack of fans. The squeaking sound of sneakers and bouncing of the ball reverberated off the walls of the 1,100-seat Goldfarb Gymnasium that was otherwise so quiet the in-game chatter could be heard several rows back.
“It was definitely a weird experience,” WPI forward Jake Wisniewski said. “All the emotions that are going on the court, everyone was able to hear it, which was weird. Usually, the crowd can kind of mask a lot of things that are being said on the court.”
As students walked by the athletics facility, there were police officers outside and signs on doors reading, “No spectators.” Music blared over the speakers inside and some pre-planned fan announcements, including one promoting social media sharing — “Tell the world you’re here” — went on with no fans to hear them.
Only players, coaches, referees, employees and media members were present, so the official attendance was 0.
“It was definitely different, but our guys on the bench really made up for it,” Yeshiva coach Elliott Steinmetz said after his team’s 102-78 win. “The energy on the bench was absolutely awesome, and I think it really carried the guys on the court in a big way.”
An NCAA COVID-19 advisory panel said Friday it is “not recommending cancellation or public spacing of athletic and related events scheduled to occur in public spaces across the United States.” Johns Hopkins senior scholar Amesh Adalja is on the panel.
Johns Hopkins University said it was “prudent to hold this tournament without spectators” after Maryland’s recently confirmed COVID-19 cases and CDC guidelines for large gatherings. Maryland announced there were three cases of the virus.
A student at Yeshiva, an Orthodox Jewish university in Washington Heights, has tested positive for the virus.
The game was delayed by more than an hour after a Yeshiva rabbi tested positive and the school needed to provide documentation to ensure it was safe to play. WPI waited at its hotel while that was completed, and three players decided not to take the court because of fears about the virus.
“Once we got the OK from Johns Hopkins University and the NCAA that they felt comfortable, we had most of our team and student-athletes and parents comfortable about playing. We didn’t have everybody, though,” WPI coach Chris Bartley said. “We left it up to the individual student and their parents to make that decision and we tried to provide as much information as possible. The difficulty in this situation is there was not much information for us to disseminate to our parents and students.”
When things got under way, the national anthem and starting lineups went on as normal with players giving each other fist pounds instead of handshakes. The two coaches shook hands before tip-off and shared some disappointment the game wasn’t played in a normal environment.
“Fans are part of the experience,” Bartley said. “It’s too bad that given the importance of reaching the NCAA Tournament that not only the Yeshiva team, but our student-athletes didn’t get the full experience.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--California couple drops case against fertility clinic that botched IVF

A Queens couple that tried for years to get pregnant ...

The California couple whose embryos were mistakenly implanted in a Queens mother have dismissed their lawsuit against a fertility clinic that botched the procedure, according to new court papers.
Ashot and Anni Manukyan filed suit against CHA Fertility Center Los Angeles in July after they discovered a Flushing couple gave birth to twin boys, one of whom was genetically related to the Manukyans and another related to a third couple on March 31, 2019.
Wednesday, the Manukyans filed papers in Los Angeles Superior Court requesting a dismissal of their case. The motion — which did not indicate if there were settlement terms — must still be approved by a judge.
When reached by phone Anni, 36, told The Post, “I’m actually not allowed to discuss anything. My lawyer is keeping me on a tight leash.”
Manukyan lawyer Adam Wolf said, “the matter has been resolved.” But, Wolf declined to comment further on whether a settlement deal had been reached with the clinic.
After the stunning mix-up, the Manukyan’s had to fight in court to have their child returned to them after the woman who delivered their baby sought to keep it. But, since the son was genetically the Manukyans’, a judge sided with them and ordered he be returned to the pair.
The Korean American couple from Flushing, who had also been a client of CHA, were told they had conceived twins, but the tragic bungling became clear when the woman gave birth to two children of another ethnicity.
The Queens woman — who had been trying for years to conceive — wrote a letter at the time begging to keep the “twins.”
“I kiss his little feet every day. I give him a bath. I breast fed him,” the heart-wrenching letter read. “We’re their true parents and we’re the ones who want to be with him. We love them, they’re ours and they’re twins, they shouldn’t be separated.”
CHA did not immediately return a request for comment.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--At least 21 on Grand Princess cruise ship have coronavirus —  now all 3,500 will be tested

Vice President Mike Pence announced Friday that the Grand Princess cruise ship off California ’ s coast has at least 21 people infected with coronavirus — and that all 3,522 people aboard will be tested .
Pence said the ship will be moored at a non-commercial port to facilitate testing of the passengers to ensure they do not disperse COVID-19 .
Only 46 people aboard the massive cruise ship were tested for the virus .
Of the infected , 19 are crew members and two are passengers .
Twenty-four other people aboard tested negative and one was inconclusive , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ship , carrying 1,100 crew and 2,600 passengers , left San Francisco on Feb. 21 for a cruise to Hawaii .
A planned visit to Mexico upon return was cancelled after a passenger on the ship ’ s previous voyage — to Mexico — died of coronavirus .
The Grand Princess had been due to return to San Francisco on Saturday .
Pence , the Trump administration ’ s point person on coronavirus response , said it ’ s likely that the crew members will remain aboard while testing is done .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ transferring passengers to military base quarantines .
Deborah Birx , Pence ’ s coordinator on the crisis , said : “ We know many of the people on the cruise ship are in their 60s , 70s and 80s… as we know that ’ s a more vulnerable group that we pay special attention to … we ’ re working very hard with the people on the ship and the medical team there to make sure that their health and welfare is prioritized.
” Pence added : “ Cruise ships present a unique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would ask elderly Americans to use common sense planning any cruise ” The quarantine of another cruise ship owned by the same company , the Diamond Princess , in Japan last month resulted in spread of the virus among passengers .
Health authorities condemned steps taken to mitigate that spread .
In the case of the Diamond Princess , 696 out of about 3,700 passengers and crew ultimately tested positive , of whom six have died .
The coronavirus has infected more than 200 U.S. residents , of whom 14 have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been infected , with more than 3,000 deaths .

Vice President Mike Pence announced Friday that the Grand Princess cruise ship off California’s coast has at least 21 people infected with coronavirus — and that all 3,522 people aboard will be tested.
Pence said the ship will be moored at a non-commercial port to facilitate testing of the passengers to ensure they do not disperse COVID-19. Only 46 people aboard the massive cruise ship were tested for the virus.
Of the infected, 19 are crew members and two are passengers. Twenty-four other people aboard tested negative and one was inconclusive, officials said at a White House briefing.
The ship, carrying 1,100 crew and 2,600 passengers, left San Francisco on Feb. 21 for a cruise to Hawaii. A planned visit to Mexico upon return was cancelled after a passenger on the ship’s previous voyage — to Mexico — died of coronavirus.
The Grand Princess had been due to return to San Francisco on Saturday.
Pence, the Trump administration’s point person on coronavirus response, said it’s likely that the crew members will remain aboard while testing is done. He said plans remain in progress for transferring passengers to military base quarantines.
Deborah Birx, Pence’s coordinator on the crisis, said: “We know many of the people on the cruise ship are in their 60s, 70s and 80s… as we know that’s a more vulnerable group that we pay special attention to … we’re working very hard with the people on the ship and the medical team there to make sure that their health and welfare is prioritized.”
Pence added: “Cruise ships present a unique challenge for health officials. And so we would ask elderly Americans to use common sense planning any cruise ”
The quarantine of another cruise ship owned by the same company, the Diamond Princess, in Japan last month resulted in spread of the virus among passengers. Health authorities condemned steps taken to mitigate that spread.
In the case of the Diamond Princess, 696 out of about 3,700 passengers and crew ultimately tested positive, of whom six have died.
The coronavirus has infected more than 200 U.S. residents, of whom 14 have died. Globally, more than 100,000 people have been infected, with more than 3,000 deaths.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--AIPAC says 2 attendees from New York test positive for coronavirus

Two Westchester County residents who attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in DC earlier this week have tested positive for coronavirus , the group said Friday .
“ We have confirmed that at least two Policy Conference attendees from New York have tested positive for Coronavirus .
We have continued to remain in constant communication with the Westchester County Department of Health and the DC Health Department which is coordinating with the New York Health Department , and national health authorities , ” AIPAC said in a statement on Twitter .
The pair were not identified .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease specialist , Dr. Edward Septimus — adjunct professor of internal medicine at Texas A & M College of medicine , ” the statement said .
“ The guidance of these health professionals continues to be that all conference participants should follow CDC guidelines and consult their health care providers if they feel ill or have medical questions , it continued .
“ If you test positive for coronavirus , we urge you to inform your local health authorities so they can properly coordinate their response to this situation with the appropriate health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attended the AIPAC conference were warned by the organization Wednesday that a group of attendees had potentially been in contact with a person from New York who had contracted coronavirus .
AIPAC said in an email to conference attendees , participants , speakers , administration and Capitol Hill officials who attended the D.C.-based conference that although there is no reason to “ sound the alarm , ” it was writing to make everyone aware that the potentially exposed group has been added to the self-quarantine list , Fox News reported .

Two Westchester County residents who attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in DC earlier this week have tested positive for coronavirus, the group said Friday.
“We have confirmed that at least two Policy Conference attendees from New York have tested positive for Coronavirus. We have continued to remain in constant communication with the Westchester County Department of Health and the DC Health Department which is coordinating with the New York Health Department, and national health authorities,” AIPAC said in a statement on Twitter.
The pair were not identified.
“We have consulted with a top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Edward Septimus — adjunct professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M College of medicine,” the statement said.
“The guidance of these health professionals continues to be that all conference participants should follow CDC guidelines and consult their health care providers if they feel ill or have medical questions, it continued.
“If you test positive for coronavirus, we urge you to inform your local health authorities so they can properly coordinate their response to this situation with the appropriate health authorities.”
Washington lawmakers and others who attended the AIPAC conference were warned by the organization Wednesday that a group of attendees had potentially been in contact with a person from New York who had contracted coronavirus.
AIPAC said in an email to conference attendees, participants, speakers, administration and Capitol Hill officials who attended the D.C.-based conference that although there is no reason to “sound the alarm,” it was writing to make everyone aware that the potentially exposed group has been added to the self-quarantine list, Fox News reported.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Family travels to 22 countries on 15 million points and miles

Joakim Noah is going Hollywood for his next NBA chance ... .

Want to travel the world for next-to-nothing? Play your (credit) cards right.
Florida entrepreneur Darren Keast is a card shark of the highest degree. He and his wife have 45 open credit cards, and between the two of them, they’ve racked up almost 15 million points and airline miles.
They’ve put those to good use, traveling across the US and to 22 other countries — trips that would totaled cost some $600,000 without their points savvy.
“With four children, our budget would not have allowed us to travel to virtually any of these places, even in economy seats and budget hotels,” Keast, who runs a vacation-property business with his family in Florida, tells the Points Guy. “But with points and miles, we have been able to show our children the world and, frankly, spoil them with business-class flights and luxury hotels!”
Keast says owning a small business has been helpful in amassing points and miles. He says the cards he finds especially helpful for travel are ones that earn flexible points, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, The Platinum Card from American Express and AmEx EveryDay Preferred Credit Card.
Points and miles have taken Keast, his wife, and their four kids to Montreal; Istanbul; London; Egypt; Greece; Munich; Hong Kong; Macao; Shanghai; Costa Rica; Iceland; Ireland; Sorrento, Pompeii, Naples and Venice, Italy; Innsbruck and Vienna, Austria, and many more, using Award Mapper to find hotels and TripAdvisor to find the best-reviewed properties and adventures.
For Christmas 2017, Keast gave his wife and two oldest children tickets to see “Hamilton” in Chicago (“Better than seeing ‘Chicago’ in Hamilton,” he quips), and in the fall of last year, he and his wife took a couples trip to Dubai; Singapore; Siem Reap, Cambodia; and Da Nang, Vietnam; taking advantage of Cathay Pacific’s ultra-low fare of $1,600 for two first-class tickets from Da Nang to Vancouver.
Previous 1 of 6 Next Advertisement The family in front of the Treasury in Petra, Jordan. Darren Keast The Path of the Gods on Italy's Amalfi coast. Darren Keast Advertisement The Path of the Gods on the Amalfi coast. Darren Keast The author's two oldest with their grandparents, Bill and Lynda, in Weimar, Germany. Darren Keast Advertisement
For planning’s sake — a trip the family took a few years ago, spanning 16 cities, six countries and four continents, took 1,409,800 miles and points — about six to nine months’ of credit card rewards.
Keast’s advice for aspiring points pros? Open a card whenever there’s a good deal.
“We have always obtained as many welcome bonuses as we could when the offers seemed particularly lucrative without knowing where we might use the points or miles,” Keast says. “This method to our madness has served us well.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Joakim Noah getting another shot at NBA with Clippers

Joakim Noah is going Hollywood for his next NBA chance .
The former Knicks and Bulls center agreed to a @ @ @ @ @ Friday , according to ESPN .
The oft-injured free agent will join the team on @ @ @ @ @ with the hopes he will finish the season with the club , the report said @ @ @ @ @ last played in an NBA game on March 23 of last year with the Grizzlies @ @ @ @ @ Player of the Year spent two mostly unproductive season with the Knicks , playing in @ @ @ @ @ after being signed to a four-year , $ 72 million contract by then team president @ @ @ @ @ have had their eyes on Noah , who had been working out between Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ Clippers , currently the second seed in the West behind the rival Lakers , see @ @ @ @ @ veteran presence that may be needed in the postseason .

Joakim Noah is going Hollywood for his next NBA chance.
The former Knicks and Bulls center agreed to a deal with the Clippers on Friday, according to ESPN. The oft-injured free agent will join the team on a 10-day contract next week with the hopes he will finish the season with the club, the report said.
Noah, 35, last played in an NBA game on March 23 of last year with the Grizzlies. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year spent two mostly unproductive seasons with the Knicks, playing in just 53 combined games after being signed to a four-year, $72 million contract by then team president Phil Jackson.
The Clippers have had their eyes on Noah, who had been working out between Los Angeles and New York. The Clippers, currently the second seed in the West behind the rival Lakers, see Noah as a physical and veteran presence that may be needed in the postseason.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Harvey Weinstein was a monster his entire life, prosecutors allege

The prosecutors paraded 28 witnesses in front of the jury , ...

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Manhattan prosecutors are dredging up more than four decades of Harvey Weinstein’s shocking misconduct — including that he once beat his brother unconscious — to lobby for a stiff prison sentence, court papers reveal.
The convicted rapist punched his brother until he passed out during a business meeting, threw a table of food at a staffer, and raped a woman more than four decades ago, Assistant DA Joan Illuzzi-Orbon wrote in a letter filed Friday.
She’s urging Justice James Burke to consider the violent and abusive behavior Weinstein exhibited throughout his life in determining a just punishment for his recent convictions.
He faces up to 29 years in prison when he’s sentenced March 11.
“Defendant has displayed a staggering lack of empathy, treating others with disdain and inhumanity,” she wrote. “He has destroyed people’s lives and livelihoods or threatened to do so on a whim.”
lluzzi-Orbon lists three dozen examples of atrocious conduct that weren’t introduced at his Manhattan sexual assault trial, including an alleged rape of an employee in 1978 at a New York City hotel.
The prosecutor also described how his staffers lived in constant fear of him.
She said that Weinstein, in front of multiple witnesses, once attacked his brother, Bob, by ”punching him so hard that he bled a great deal and was briefly unconscious.”
On one occasion, he ditched a staffer on the side of the road in another country. He was convicted Feb. 24 of forcibly performing oral sex on former “Project Runway” production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Draymond Green slams Charles Barkley: ‘Can’t sit at this table’

The Golden State forward has been the subject of repeated jabs from NBA legend Charles Barkley this season amid the Warriors ’ league-worst record .
And on Friday , he fired back at the “ Inside the NBA ” broadcaster .
“ Barkley should stop before I take his job though .
Because I can do that job too , ” he told reporters .
“ He also can ’ t talk basketball with me either .
Not smart enough , not qualified , no rings .
Can ’ t sit at this table.
” Barkley has continually mocked Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this season , most recently indulging after the three-time champion was tossed from a game against the Lakers on February 27 .
“ Draymond don ’ t talk as much since he ’ s averaged that triple-single , ” he said on “ Inside the NBA ” in January .
Green is averaging 8.0 points , 6.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per contest , the fourth time in his eight seasons that he has averaged the “ triple-single ” benchmark , including the Warriors ’ run to the Finals last year .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2018 , Barkley said , “ I just want somebody to punch him in the face.
” “ The fact of the matter is — if you feel that strongly about something then punch me in my face when you see me , ” he said after a playoff win against the Pelicans .
“ If you ’ re not gon na punch in my face when you see me then shut up.
” Green and the Warriors — who have been without Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry for all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injury on Thursday ) — currently occupy the basement of the Western Conference with a woeful 14-49 record .

Draymond Green is fed up.
The Golden State forward has been the subject of repeated jabs from NBA legend Charles Barkley this season amid the Warriors’ league-worst record. And on Friday, he fired back at the “Inside the NBA” broadcaster.
“Barkley should stop before I take his job though. Because I can do that job too,” he told reporters.
“He also can’t talk basketball with me either. Not smart enough, not qualified, no rings. Can’t sit at this table.”
Barkley has continually mocked Green’s “triple-single” statistical averages this season, most recently indulging after the three-time champion was tossed from a game against the Lakers on February 27.
“Draymond don’t talk as much since he’s averaged that triple-single,” he said on “Inside the NBA” in January.
Green is averaging 8.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per contest, the fourth time in his eight seasons that he has averaged the “triple-single” benchmark, including during the Warriors’ run to the Finals last year.
The Green-Barkley’s beef is nothing new. In 2018, Barkley said, “I just want somebody to punch him in the face.”
Green shot back then, too.
“The fact of the matter is — if you feel that strongly about something then punch me in my face when you see me,” he said after a playoff win against the Pelicans. “If you’re not gonna punch in my face when you see me then shut up.”
Green and the Warriors — who have been without Klay Thompson for all of this season and Stephen Curry for 58 games until he returned from injury on Thursday — currently occupy the basement of the Western Conference with a woeful 14-49 record.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Red lettuce grown in space is ‘safe’ and delicious, NASA study says

BOSTON , Mass .
— Football isn ’ t exactly known for leading the ...

Now astronauts can have the stars — and fresh food, too.
It is not only possible to grow lettuce in outer space, but also safe to eat it, according to a new study published Friday in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science.
The red romaine lettuce — grown aboard the International Space Station between 2014 and 2016 — is a giant leap for mankind, as it means astronauts can venture farther into the galaxies and have more nutrients while they work.
“The ability to grow food in a sustainable system that is safe for crew consumption will become critical as NASA moves toward longer missions,” Christina Khodadad, a Kennedy Space Center researcher and author of the study, says in a statement. “Salad-type, leafy greens can be grown and consumed fresh with few resources.”
The lettuce, of a variety called Outredgeous, was grown over the course of roughly one to two months in a space crop-growing system using surface-sterilized seeds. The space lettuce, the study reports, was similar in composition to its Earth-grown counterpart, and in fact tended toward being more vitamin rich.
Previous 1 of 9 Next Advertisement Astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor harvests red Russian kale and dragoon lettuce. She declared it "delicious." ESA/Alexander Gerst NASA plans to grow food on future spacecraft and on other planets as a food supplement for astronauts. Fresh food, such as vegetables, provide essential vitamins and nutrients that will help enable sustainable deep space pioneering. NASA Advertisement The crew aboard the International Space Station have grown two batches of mixed greens (mizuna, red romaine lettuce and tokyo bekana cabbage), and are now running two veggie facilities simultaneously. NASA John "JC" Carver, a payload integration engineer with NASA Kennedy Space Center's Test and Operations Support Contract, opens the door to the growth chamber of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) Flight Unit No. 1 for a test harvest of half of the Arabidopsis thaliana plants growing within. The harvest is part of an ongoing verification test of the APH unit, which is located inside the ISS Environmental Simulator in Kennedy's Space Station Processing Facility. The APH undergoing testing at Kennedy is identical to one on the station and uses red, green and broad-spectrum white LED lights to grow plants in an environmentally controlled chamber. The seeds grown during the verification test will be grown on the station to help scientists understand how these plants adapt to spaceflight. NASA/Leif Heimbold NASA's Matt Romeyn in the Veggie Lab of the Space Station Processing Facility at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Cory Huston Advertisement NASA plans to grow food on future spacecraft and on other planets as a food supplement for astronauts. Fresh food, such as vegetables, provide essential vitamins and nutrients that will help enable sustainable deep space pioneering. NASA Advertisement
Not only is it healthy and edible, but Outredgeous is also quite tasty, astronauts report. “I like that,” says astronaut Kjell Lindgren in a 2015 teaser video where he and fellow astronauts first sample space lettuce. Lindgren compares its taste to arugula. At the time, the lettuce had received NASA’s approval, but did not yet have the new study’s additional backing and insight.
Space lettuce, in addition to getting the honor of being the first veggie grown, harvested and eaten in space, also offers researchers great insight and hope into what other greens can be created beyond Earth.
“The International Space Station is serving as a test bed for future long-duration missions, and these types of crop growth tests are helping to expand the suite of candidates that can be effectively grown in microgravity,” says study co-author Gioia Massa of NASA. “Future tests will study other types of leafy crops as well as small fruits like peppers and tomatoes, to help provide supplemental fresh produce for the astronaut diet.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Jonathan Kraft makes uneasy Bill Belichick compliment: ‘machine learning’

As the rumors , reports and sources fly , it gets harder ...

BOSTON — Football isn’t exactly known for leading the way in the sports analytics world, but Patriots president Jonathan Kraft says that behind Bill Belichick’s brooding stares and curt responses is the coach’s own version of “machine learning.”
“I think if you wanna use a football coach like Bill Belichick who’s coached football for 40 years, you might not call it data, but he’s got a steel trap for a mind,” Kraft said at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference on Friday. “Every instance of everything he’s ever seen — he won’t call it data, and he won’t call it machine learning, but his brain is a machine and it’s machine learning. So you can call it old-school coaching — Bill probably wouldn’t like it called machine learning, but that’s effectively what it is.”
Last season, Belichick, 67, told reporters that analytics weren’t his “thing,” and he puts “less than zero” stock in it when it comes to decision-making.
“You could take those advanced websites and metric them wherever you want,” Belichick said in 2016. “I don’t know. I have no idea. I’ve never looked at one. I don’t even care to look at one. I don’t care what they say … All the metric pages and all of that, I mean I have no idea. You’d need to ask that to a smarter coach than me.”
The annual Sloan Conference hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology tackles advancements and issues within the sports analytics industry. Kraft spoke alongside commissioner Don Garber at a panel discussing Major League Soccer’s growth success story.
Whether Belichick actively uses advanced analytics or not, Kraft emphasized that it would be a folly to ignore the industry’s advancements outright.
“I think that data in any business, with anything you’re doing should be a part of the decision-making tools,” Kraft said. “If you’re not open to understanding what’s out there, then you’re putting your team at a competitive disadvantage.”
Jonathan Kraft co-owns MLS’ New England Revolution with his father, Robert Kraft, who was also in attendance at the annual sports technology summit here. The younger Kraft spoke of the disparities in the ways the two sports approach and use data.
“On the football side of the house, data doesn’t get used as much [as in soccer] in charting the play-by-play stuff. I know people talk about it all the time, it still really doesn’t,” Jonathan Kraft said. “You might look at certain tendencies and other things and probabilities around certain decision tools, but I would say that in football it’s one of a number of ingredients that go into a gameplan, whereas in soccer now, for coaches who believe in it, I think it might even be the primary — one of the two or three primary drivers.”
Kraft says that unlike the Patriots, the Revolution has always been on the cutting-edge of analytics.
“On the soccer side of the house, we hired our first data analyst over a decade ago. I think we might have been the first team in the league to have one,” he said. “We’re tracking every player’s movement on the field, how passes are made, how teams perform in the different thirds, et cetera.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Billionaire John Catsimatidis used facial recognition app to spy on daughter’s date

NEW YORK – U.S. senators are scrutinizing a facial recognition ...

Gristedes billionaire John Catsimatidis found a creepy use for the facial recognition software that helps fight shoplifters at his New York City grocery stores: snooping on his daughter Andrea’s dates.
“Daddies are always looking after their daughters,” Catsimatidis explained to The Post.
The doting dad was dining at Cipriani in SoHo when he noticed his daughter Andrea, 29, was there too — on a date.
Fearing that some no good “charlatan” could be insinuating his way into the life of his beautiful, jet-setting, heiress daughter, Catsimatidis had a waiter take and send him a cellphone photo of the mystery man.
He uploaded the photo into Clearview AI, and “We retrieved a picture of him in 20 seconds,” he said of the October 2018 secret spy mission.
The verdict? “He was an OK person,” Catsimatidis told The Post.
The date turned out to be a dad-stamp-of-approval-worthy San Francisco venture capitalist.
Catsimatidis said the date, whom he declined to name, “never knew” of the surveillance.
“I just smiled a lot” when he stopped by the table, the protective dad said.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Andrea Catsimatidis on a date at Cipriani Downtown in 2018. John Roca Photography / MEGA Andrea Catsimatidis on a date at Cipriani Downtown in 2018. John Roca Photography / MEGA Advertisement
Catsimatidis began using — and investing in — the software in his Manhattan and Brooklyn grocery chain after a rash of shoplifting in 2016.
At the time, thieves were sneaking out of his stores with gym-bags stuffed with $6 Häagen-Dazs pints they’d then resell to bodegas.
“We have not used it in Gristedes beyond an initial, one-store trial,” he added.
But the Clearview AI tech is controversial — it is currently under scrutiny by US senators, who are concerned about privacy issues and whether it will find its way into the hands of authoritarian regimes.
Last month, Facebook and YouTube demanded the company stop scraping faces from their sites.
Meanwhile, Andrea and her date didn’t hold the vetting against her protective father, she told The Times, which first reported the snooping as part of a story on how the technology has been a plaything for rich investors.
In fact, she laughed it off as dad just being dad.
“I expect my dad to be able to do crazy things,” she said. “He’s very technologically savvy,” she told The Times, adding, “My date was very surprised.”
“She loved the fact that her daddy was concerned,” Catsimatidis told The Post.


newyorkpost--2020-03-06--Meet the female squad who clear out Vietnam’s unexploded bombs

QUANG TRI , Vietnam – Two petite women in protective gear walk slowly down an empty field in Vietnam , carrying a large metal detector that clicks and whirrs , searching for unexploded ordnance .
Medic and safety officer Nguyen Thi Ha Lan supervises her teammates , the “ landmine girls ” as they are known , preparing to detonate a cluster bomb left behind from the war with the United States that ended in 1975 .
It is one of many underneath the soil in Quang Tri province , north-central Vietnam .
Once the team is ready to detonate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area .
A siren goes off and then an earth-shattering boom .
Lan is part of an all-woman explosive disposal team working under project NPA-RENEW ( Norwegian People ’ s Aid-Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effect of War ) — to help rehabilitate more than 60,000 hectares ( 150,000 acres ) of agricultural land .
The area was one of the most heavily bombed of the war and the U.S. Department of Defense estimates that 10 percent of the 80 million tons of munitions used by the U.S army in Vietnam failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , being part of the 16-member team has a special meaning .
At the age of 12 , her mother Hoa lost both legs and an arm due to unexploded ordnance ( UXO ) , while playing in her front yard .
She has spent most of her life in a wheelchair , but still raised two children .
Lan ’ s younger brother works as a deminer in another NPA-RENEW team .
“ When I look at the kids playing in my front yard , it reminds me of my mother and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lan says .
“ My job now enables me to have a stable life and the kids are able to play around me on Quang Tri soil and all over Vietnam too.
” In Quang Tri alone , there have been over 8,500 casualties from accidents involving UXO .
Nearly a third of the victims are children who mistake the round , tennis-ball sized cluster bombs for something to play with .
EOD teams such as Lan ’ s have helped clear over 14,000 acres .
Demining work is grueling and dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperatures that can reach 42 degrees Celsius ( 108 Fahrenheit ) means that skins tan no matter how much sunscreen they use .
“ It is an honour to wear the uniform of the project everyday , so even if we aren ’ t able to wear make up or a beautiful dress like everyone else , we all feel proud from the bottom of our hearts , ” says Lan .
Lan also appreciates the camaraderie that the landmine girls share , working in such dangerous conditions .
There are still many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , more than 1,400 items were found in an underground cache .
But Quang Tri had no accidents last year .
The plan is to clear the province of unexploded ordnance by 2025 .

QUANG TRI, Vietnam – Two petite women in protective gear walk slowly down an empty field in Vietnam, carrying a large metal detector that clicks and whirrs, searching for unexploded ordnance.
Medic and safety officer Nguyen Thi Ha Lan supervises her teammates, the “landmine girls” as they are known, preparing to detonate a cluster bomb left behind from the war with the United States that ended in 1975.
It is one of many underneath the soil in Quang Tri province, north-central Vietnam.
Once the team is ready to detonate, Lan warns people to clear the area. A siren goes off and then an earth-shattering boom.
Lan is part of an all-woman explosive disposal team working under project NPA-RENEW (Norwegian People’s Aid-Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effect of War) — to help rehabilitate more than 60,000 hectares (150,000 acres) of agricultural land.
The area was one of the most heavily bombed of the war and the U.S. Department of Defense estimates that 10 percent of the 80 million tons of munitions used by the U.S army in Vietnam failed to detonate on impact.
For Lan, being part of the 16-member team has a special meaning.
At the age of 12, her mother Hoa lost both legs and an arm due to unexploded ordnance (UXO), while playing in her front yard.
She has spent most of her life in a wheelchair, but still raised two children. Lan’s younger brother works as a deminer in another NPA-RENEW team.
“When I look at the kids playing in my front yard, it reminds me of my mother and I used to cry silently inside,” Lan says.
“My job now enables me to have a stable life and the kids are able to play around me on Quang Tri soil and all over Vietnam too.”
In Quang Tri alone, there have been over 8,500 casualties from accidents involving UXO.
Nearly a third of the victims are children who mistake the round, tennis-ball sized cluster bombs for something to play with.
EOD teams such as Lan’s have helped clear over 14,000 acres.
Demining work is grueling and dangerous. Working under the scorching sun and temperatures that can reach 42 degrees Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) means that skins tan no matter how much sunscreen they use.
“It is an honour to wear the uniform of the project everyday, so even if we aren’t able to wear make up or a beautiful dress like everyone else, we all feel proud from the bottom of our hearts,” says Lan.
Lan also appreciates the camaraderie that the landmine girls share, working in such dangerous conditions.
There are still many explosives to be cleared. In August 2018, more than 1,400 items were found in an underground cache. But Quang Tri had no accidents last year. The plan is to clear the province of unexploded ordnance by 2025.


newyorkpost--2020-03-07--Yankees’ Gary Sanchez has rough game behind the plate

TAMPA — Gary Sanchez didn ’ t handle two pitches from Deivi Garcia in the first inning of the Yankees ’ 5-1 loss to the Orioles that allowed Baltimore to score twice , prompting boos from the Steinbrenner Field crowd .
One was scored a wild pitch and the second a passed ball , but each should have been caught .
Sanchez was behind the plate for two more wild pitches from David Hale .
“ The curveball from Garcia with two outs that got through , that ’ s a ball he should be able to handle , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homered for the first time this spring with a towering fly ball for an opposite-field blast over the right-field wall .
Sign of the times thanks to coronavirus .
A plastic bottle of Purcell sanitizer was placed on a table near the entrance to the Yankees ’ clubhouse on Friday for those who wanted to use it .
It was the first day the plastic container with a pump dispenser surfaced .
Security guards in the entrance area were instructed to avoid shaking hands with staff and players and use fist bumps .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the club and staff and made a PowerPoint presentation that included a segment on person-to-person contact like shaking hands .
Jonathan Loaisiga attempts to strengthen his bid for a spot among the 13 pitchers the Yankees will open the season with , as they face the Pirates in Bradenton , Fla. Loaisiga will make his fourth appearance of the spring .
He has one option remaining , which means he can be sent to the minors if he doesn ’ t cop a big league spot .

TAMPA — Gary Sanchez didn’t handle two pitches from Deivi Garcia in the first inning of the Yankees’ 5-1 loss to the Orioles that allowed Baltimore to score twice, prompting boos from the Steinbrenner Field crowd.
One was scored a wild pitch and the second a passed ball, but each should have been caught. Sanchez was behind the plate for two more wild pitches from David Hale.
“The curveball from Garcia with two outs that got through, that’s a ball he should be able to handle,’’ Aaron Boone said.
Luke Voit homered for the first time this spring with a towering fly ball for an opposite-field blast over the right-field wall.
Sign of the times thanks to coronavirus.
A plastic bottle of Purcell sanitizer was placed on a table near the entrance to the Yankees’ clubhouse on Friday for those who wanted to use it. It was the first day the plastic container with a pump dispenser surfaced. Security guards in the entrance area were instructed to avoid shaking hands with staff and players and use fist bumps. The Yankees’ team doctor spoke to the club and staff and made a PowerPoint presentation that included a segment on person-to-person contact like shaking hands.
Jonathan Loaisiga attempts to strengthen his bid for a spot among the 13 pitchers the Yankees will open the season with, as they face the Pirates in Bradenton, Fla.
Loaisiga will make his fourth appearance of the spring. He has one option remaining, which means he can be sent to the minors if he doesn’t cop a big league spot.


newyorkpost--2020-03-07--A lighter Jeurys Familia seeking bounce-back season for Mets

The first cut is the deepest in baseball , even for ...

PORT ST. LUCIE — Jeurys Familia has received strong reviews from team officials for his first three appearances this spring. The right-hander has pitched three scoreless innings, with two hits allowed and two walks.
“Honestly I feel better,” said Familia, who shed 30 pounds in the offseason. “Everything is better for me. “I feel 100 percent different from last year compared to now.”
Familia was asked about his energy level
“I have always got energy, but I think now I’m available to repeat my delivery and feel stronger and that’s the big thing,” Familia said. “I’m more flexible and I have a chance to finish my pitches better because of the weight I lost.
“It’s early, but I feel great, and that is what I’m looking for.”
Familia was among the Mets’ biggest disappointments last season, when he pitched to a 5.70 ERA in 66 appearances.
Dellin Betances is scheduled to make his spring debut Saturday as he comes back from an Achilles injury that ended his season a year ago with the Yankees. … Manager Luis Rojas said Jeff McNeil was sent home with flu symptoms.
Michael Wacha gave up five hits and his first run of the spring against Houston, but his spring training ERA is still just 1.17 after his 2 ²/₃-inning outing on Friday.
Jose Altuve is still getting booed at Houston’s spring training home in the wake of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. He got a mixed reaction from the crowd before each of his at-bats.
Steven Matz, who was sick this week, gets the start against Washington at 1:10 p.m. at Clover Park as the left-hander attempts to stake his claim to the fifth spot in the rotation.


newyorkpost--2020-03-07--Aroldis Chapman’s velocity in upper 90s in Yankees’ spring debut

TAMPA — Aaron Judge didn ’ t know .
Neither did the Yankees ... .

TAMPA — Aroldis Chapman made his exhibition debut Friday night in the Yankees’ 5-1 loss to the Orioles at Steinbrenner Field when he followed prospect Deivi Garcia at the start of the third inning.
Chapman’s first pitch since the Astros’ Jose Altuve ended the Yankees’ season with a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to win Game 6 of the ALCS last year was clocked at 97 mph. He reached 99 mph on his third pitch and struck out Andrew Velazquez.
Austin Hays stroked 98-mph fastball to left for a first-pitch double before Chapman shattered Dwight Smith Jr.’s bat with a 98-mph pitch that was dribbled to the right side. Chapman ended the inning by getting Anthony Santander to pop up on an 86-mph off-speed pitch.
“I was a little excited, a little out of my rhythm but at the end it is all good,’’ said Chapman, who threw 10 pitches, seven of which were strikes.
In his second outing of the spring the 20-year-old Garcia gave up two runs (one earned), two hits and struck out two in a pair of innings.
This past Sunday the Yankees brought shortstop Anthony Volpe, their first-round pick a year ago from Delbarton High School, to Lakeland, Fla., for a game against the Tigers. He went 0-for-1.
Anthony Siegler, a catcher taken in the first round of the 2018 draft out of Cartersville (Ga.) High School, will be going Saturday to Bradenton, where the Yankees play the Pirates.
Looking to increase the workload as the exhibition season moves toward the end of the second week, Zack Britton threw a simulated game Friday afternoon at Steinbrenner Field.
“It’s getting to be that time of the spring,’’ Britton said.
Britton threw an inning on Tuesday against the Red Sox ahead of Friday’s session. He is expected to pitch again Sunday against the Braves at home. The Yankees will send a squad to Sarasota to face the Orioles, but Britton isn’t expected to visit his former team.
Masahiro Tanaka threw a 26-pitch bullpen session on Friday. He is slated to start against the Orioles on Sunday in Sarasota, which would be his regular turn to pitch.
Garcia and first baseman Chris Gittens were named as the 2019 Kevin Lawn “Pitcher of the Year and “Player of the Year’’ for their 2019 minor league season.
The annual awards are dedicated to Kevin O’Brien Lawn — the son of Jack Lawn, the longtime Yankees vice president and chief of operations —who died in 1999.


newyorkpost--2020-03-07--Leon Rose arrival means Knicks can shoot for stars like Chris Paul

As Chris Paul walked into the Garden on Friday night in his gray-and-green sweatsuit , an NBA cameraman asked the 10-time All-Star point guard about rumors that have him being traded from the Thunder to the Knicks .
“ They trying to take some of that attention away from that Spike Lee stuff , ” Paul cracked .
Then , almost affirming that something could eventually be up this summer , Paul made a beeline for the court , where new Knicks president Leon Rose was huddling with a public-relations executive .
Paul gave Rose a 10-second bear-hug .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitor ’ s locker room , he was asked if he could hug Rose again so a group of Knicks writers could catch it with their cell-phone cameras .
“ I don ’ t want to get in trouble , ” Paul said , smiling .
Paul was careful following the game , too , after hearing Garden cheers during his 21-point , 12-assist , 3-steal , 1-turnover outing in Oklahoma City ’ s 126-103 rout of the Knicks .
Paul hit two early back-to-back 3-pointers , another one early in the fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered a handful of fancy no-look bounce passes that had the Garden oohing .
Otherwise , the loss , which dropped the Knicks to 19-44 , was only noteworthy because of owner James Dolan ’ s attempt to drown out a faint “ sell the Knicks ’ ’ chant with 1:40 left by having the entertainment staff blast heavy-metal music .
Paul was reminded of his 2010 toast about reuniting with Carmelo Anthony , Amar ’ e Stoudemire to “ form our own Big 3.
’ ’ Has he imagined playing in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul said .
“ It ’ s 2020 .
I ’ ve had two kids since then .
I imagine playing in Boston Sunday .
That ’ s the only thing on my mind.
’ ’ The Spike Lee-Dolan “ Gategate ” may have actually benefited the new Knicks president , who has a close alliance with Paul as his longtime agent .
A source said the two have been through a lot and grew close — through a quashed trade from New Orleans to the Lakers and the subsequent package that sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who declined to stage a press conference during his first day on the job Monday , got a chance to slink into the background — where the former agent is more comfortable .
“ I ’ m so happy for Leon , ’ ’ Paul said .
“ I get emotional talking about it .
I ’ ve been through a lot with him .
It ’ s bigger than an agent player relationship .
It ’ s like my family .
I ’ m rooting from afar.
’ ’ Lee , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident Monday , is a busy man .
But you would think he would have shown up a lot more than three times this season if the Knicks had more star power , such as Paul , on the court in 2019-20 .
Lee said he ’ ll be back next season .
Maybe by then , Paul will finally don the orange and blue .
The owner of Modell ’ s , which The Post reported plans to file for bankruptcy , said recent sales are flagging in the New York-oriented sporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ’ local sports teams failing to attract customers who buy jerseys .
Perhaps a newly financed Modell ’ s would be able to sell a slew of CP3 Knicks shirts and jerseys .
Recent visits to the Modell ’ s near the Garden indeed showed a modest section of Knicks gear — dedicated almost solely to rookie RJ Barrett .
How nice would it be for Barrett to have a pure , play-making veteran point guard such as Paul ?
Knicks scouts have added Paul to their research list trying to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gotten along with young players in his career .
Paul , 34 , has done wonders as a backcourt mate with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , who is in the midst of a breakout sophomore season .
Thunder coach Billy Donovan said Paul and “ SGA ” have “ a great relationship.
” Paul went out of his way to work out with the youngster in the summer after the blockbuster deal that brought Paul over from the Rockets .
“ Because Chris has been in the league so long , those younger guys can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ puts the time in trying to help the younger guys learn and get better , ” Donovan said .
Rose has been the agent of the stars .
Rose once aligned Creative Artists Agency luminaries LeBron James , Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami .
It was a severe blow to Dolan , who took notice and has always admired CAA ’ s influence .
There were NBA whispers when Rose verbally committed to Dolan in February that he would try to bring Anthony and Paul in to join him next season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a free agent who is not looking to break the bank to retire as a Knick .
Paul is complicated for a rebuilding club — with two years and $ 85.5 million left on his contract .
Despite a throwback season , he ’ s going to be 36 when he starts that final $ 45 million season in 2021-22 .
That could prevent the Knicks from opening another max salary slot for 2021 ’ s solid free agent class , which will be led by Giannis Antetokounmpo .
When Steve Mills led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borrow a Garden phrase — laughable .
Patience and sticking with a rebuilding plan was Mills ’ mantra .
The Knicks turned down Houston ’ s Paul overtures after last season .
There ’ s a new Rose growing at the Garden .
Stargazing is in and it ’ s not a joke any longer .

As Chris Paul walked into the Garden on Friday night in his gray-and-green sweatsuit, an NBA cameraman asked the 10-time All-Star point guard about rumors that have him being traded from the Thunder to the Knicks.
“They trying to take some of that attention away from that Spike Lee stuff,” Paul cracked.
Then, almost affirming that something could eventually be up this summer, Paul made a beeline for the court, where new Knicks president Leon Rose was huddling with a public-relations executive. Paul gave Rose a 10-second bear-hug.
When Paul was leaving the court to the visitor’s locker room, he was asked if he could hug Rose again so a group of Knicks writers could catch it with their cell-phone cameras.
“I don’t want to get in trouble,” Paul said, smiling.
Paul was careful following the game, too, after hearing Garden cheers during his 21-point, 12-assist, 3-steal, 1-turnover outing in Oklahoma City’s 126-103 rout of the Knicks. Paul hit two early back-to-back 3-pointers, another one early in the fourth to put the Thunder up 30 and delivered a handful of fancy no-look bounce passes that had the Garden oohing.
Otherwise, the loss, which dropped the Knicks to 19-44, was only noteworthy because of owner James Dolan’s attempt to drown out a faint “sell the Knicks’’ chant with 1:40 left by having the entertainment staff blast heavy-metal music.
Paul was reminded of his 2010 toast about reuniting with Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire to “form our own Big 3.’’ Has he imagined playing in New York?
“2010?’’ Paul said. “It’s 2020. I’ve had two kids since then. I imagine playing in Boston Sunday. That’s the only thing on my mind.’’
The Spike Lee-Dolan “Gategate” may have actually benefited the new Knicks president, who has a close alliance with Paul as his longtime agent.
A source said the two have been through a lot and grew close — through a quashed trade from New Orleans to the Lakers and the subsequent package that sent Paul to the Clippers.
Rose, who declined to stage a press conference during his first day on the job Monday, got a chance to slink into the background — where the former agent is more comfortable.
“I’m so happy for Leon,’’ Paul said. “I get emotional talking about it. I’ve been through a lot with him. It’s bigger than an agent player relationship. It’s like my family. I’m rooting from afar.’’
Lee, who is boycotting the Garden after his security incident Monday, is a busy man. But you would think he would have shown up a lot more than three times this season if the Knicks had more star power, such as Paul, on the court in 2019-20.
Lee said he’ll be back next season. Maybe by then, Paul will finally don the orange and blue.
The owner of Modell’s, which The Post reported plans to file for bankruptcy, said recent sales are flagging in the New York-oriented sporting goods store because of the “lousy’’ local sports teams failing to attract customers who buy jerseys. Perhaps a newly financed Modell’s would be able to sell a slew of CP3 Knicks shirts and jerseys.
Recent visits to the Modell’s near the Garden indeed showed a modest section of Knicks gear — dedicated almost solely to rookie RJ Barrett. How nice would it be for Barrett to have a pure, play-making veteran point guard such as Paul?
Knicks scouts have added Paul to their research list trying to get a sense of how he’s gotten along with young players in his career.
Paul, 34, has done wonders as a backcourt mate with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is in the midst of a breakout sophomore season.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan said Paul and “SGA” have “a great relationship.” Paul went out of his way to work out with the youngster in the summer after the blockbuster deal that brought Paul over from the Rockets.
“Because Chris has been in the league so long, those younger guys can learn a lot from Chris because he puts the time in trying to help the younger guys learn and get better,” Donovan said.
Rose has been the agent of the stars. Rose once aligned Creative Artists Agency luminaries LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. It was a severe blow to Dolan, who took notice and has always admired CAA’s influence.
There were NBA whispers when Rose verbally committed to Dolan in February that he would try to bring Anthony and Paul in to join him next season.
Anthony is low-risk, high-reward — a free agent who is not looking to break the bank to retire as a Knick.
Paul is complicated for a rebuilding club — with two years and $85.5 million left on his contract. Despite a throwback season, he’s going to be 36 when he starts that final $45 million season in 2021-22.
That could prevent the Knicks from opening another max salary slot for 2021’s solid free agent class, which will be led by Giannis Antetokounmpo.
When Steve Mills led the Knicks, Paul was — to borrow a Garden phrase — laughable. Patience and sticking with a rebuilding plan was Mills’ mantra. The Knicks turned down Houston’s Paul overtures after last season.
There’s a new Rose growing at the Garden. Stargazing is in and it’s not a joke any longer.