newyorkpost--2020-03-24--Italy records smaller increase in coronavirus cases for second consecutive day

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ROME — Italy has recorded a smaller day-to-day increase in new coronavirus cases for the second straight day , officials said Monday while cautioning it was too soon to know if the worst is behind the country with the world ’ s second-biggest caseload .
Data released by Italy ’ s Civil Protection agency showed 4,789 new cases from a day earlier , nearly 700 fewer than the day-to-day increase of 5,560 new cases reported Sunday .
The number of deaths also did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were just over 600 more virus-related registered in Italy on Monday compared to 651 on Sunday .
Italy has been anxious to see the day-to-day figures for new cases and deaths go down as it starts a third week under a nationwide lockdown and its health system struggles under the weight of the world ’ s largest COVID-19 outbreak outside of China .
As of Monday , Italy had a total of 59,138 virus cases compared to China ’ s 81,496 , and the country is on pace to soon have twice as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Italian authorities reported another set of grim one-day highs from the epidemic that first swept northern Italy starting last month : 793 more dead and 6,557 new cases .
Health authorities have cautioned that it will be a few more days before they will know if Italy is at the beginning of a positive trend .
“ These are crucial days .
Woe to whoever lets down the guard , ″ Health Minister Roberto Speranza said of Monday ’ s numbers .
” Now , more than ever , the commitment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health official , Silvio Brusaferro , resisted being too optimistic , saying that the improvements registered Monday were due to actions taken at the beginning of the month , not in recent days .
’ ’ We need more consecutive results to confirm the trend , to be more certain that we are in a favorable situation.
, ” Brusaferro said .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever or coughing .
But for some older adults and people with existing health problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including pneumonia .
Over 100,000 people have recovered , including nearly 60,000 in China and more than 7,000 in Italy .
A government decree that took effect March 10 prohibits people from leaving their homes except to go to work , to shop for food or other necessities , to exercise or walk dogs for brief periods , or to perform essential tasks like caring for an elderly relative .
In the Lombardy region , where the outbreak began , there are even more stringent restrictions .
In Milan , the capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy ’ s worst-hit region , regional health officials declared themselves moderately optimistic after day-to-day increases of both positive test results and of hospitalizations of new patients with COVID-19 were smaller .
But they expressed renewed worry about the urgent need for additional intensive care beds .
Lombardy health commissioner Giulio Gallera said Monday that the number of cases grew to 29,761 , a day-to-day increase of 1,555 as opposed to the one-day jump of 3,200 recorded Saturday .
The cities of Bergamo and Milan both showed signs of improvement , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , another hard-hit Lombardy city which registered 588 new cases Monday .
’ ’ Maybe this is the first positive day of this very difficult month , ” Gallera said .
“ It is not time to relax .
We need to be even more coherent.
” The northern region requisitioned a hotel with 300 rooms for people who need to self-quarantine and are unable to properly distance themselves from family members at home .
Lombardy ’ s governor signed an ordinance on Saturday requiring all guests to leave hotels within 72 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use in public health emergencies .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
ROME — Italy has recorded a smaller day-to-day increase in new coronavirus cases for the second straight day, officials said Monday while cautioning it was too soon to know if the worst is behind the country with the world’s second-biggest caseload.
Data released by Italy’s Civil Protection agency showed 4,789 new cases from a day earlier, nearly 700 fewer than the day-to-day increase of 5,560 new cases reported Sunday.
The number of deaths also did not rise by as much. There were just over 600 more virus-related registered in Italy on Monday compared to 651 on Sunday.
Italy has been anxious to see the day-to-day figures for new cases and deaths go down as it starts a third week under a nationwide lockdown and its health system struggles under the weight of the world’s largest COVID-19 outbreak outside of China.
As of Monday, Italy had a total of 59,138 virus cases compared to China’s 81,496, and the country is on pace to soon have twice as many deaths.
It was only Saturday when Italian authorities reported another set of grim one-day highs from the epidemic that first swept northern Italy starting last month: 793 more dead and 6,557 new cases.
Health authorities have cautioned that it will be a few more days before they will know if Italy is at the beginning of a positive trend.
“These are crucial days. Woe to whoever lets down the guard,″ Health Minister Roberto Speranza said of Monday’s numbers. ”Now, more than ever, the commitment of everyone is needed.”
A top national health official, Silvio Brusaferro, resisted being too optimistic, saying that the improvements registered Monday were due to actions taken at the beginning of the month, not in recent days.
’’We need more consecutive results to confirm the trend, to be more certain that we are in a favorable situation,” Brusaferro said.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever or coughing. But for some older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. Over 100,000 people have recovered, including nearly 60,000 in China and more than 7,000 in Italy.
A government decree that took effect March 10 prohibits people from leaving their homes except to go to work, to shop for food or other necessities, to exercise or walk dogs for brief periods, or to perform essential tasks like caring for an elderly relative. In the Lombardy region, where the outbreak began, there are even more stringent restrictions.
In Milan, the capital of Lombardy, which is by far Italy’s worst-hit region, regional health officials declared themselves moderately optimistic after day-to-day increases of both positive test results and hospitalizations of new patients with COVID-19 were smaller. But they expressed renewed worry about the urgent need for additional intensive care beds.
Lombardy health commissioner Giulio Gallera said Monday that the number of cases grew to 29,761, a day-to-day increase of 1,555 as opposed to the one-day jump of 3,200 recorded Saturday. The cities of Bergamo and Milan both showed signs of improvement, but the number of cases jumped significantly in Brescia, another hard-hit Lombardy city, which registered 588 new cases Monday.
’’Maybe this is the first positive day of this very difficult month,” Gallera said. “It is not time to relax. We need to be even more coherent.”
The northern region requisitioned a hotel with 300 rooms for people who need to self-quarantine and are unable to properly distance themselves from family members at home. Lombardy’s governor signed an ordinance on Saturday requiring all guests to leave hotels within 72 hours to free up the accommodations for possible use in public health emergencies.
Colleen Barry contributed from in Soave, Italy
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


newyorkpost--2020-03-24--NYC’s coronavirus death toll reaches triple digits

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New York City @ @ @ @ @ soared into the triple digits Monday night , with 125 people dying from the illness @ @ @ @ @ The number represents an increase of 26 city fatalities since Sunday night .
Since Monday @ @ @ @ @ cases in the Big Apple jumped from 12,339 to 13,119 , according to City Hall @ @ @ @ @ Monday night , had the most coronavirus cases of any borough with 3,848 .
Brooklyn @ @ @ @ @ Manhattan had 2,646 , the Bronx tallied 1,999 and in Staten Island , there were @ @ @ @ @ City region has emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic — accounting for roughly 5 @ @ @ @ @ s confirmed cases .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
New York City’s coronavirus death toll soared into the triple digits Monday night, with 125 people dying from the illness, city officials said.
The number represents an increase of 26 city fatalities since Sunday night.
Since Monday morning the number of coronavirus cases in the Big Apple jumped from 12,339 to 13,119, according to City Hall.
Queens, as of Monday night, had the most coronavirus cases of any borough with 3,848. Brooklyn was next with 3,742; Manhattan had 2,646, the Bronx tallied 1,999 and in Staten Island, there were 877.
The New York City region has emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic — accounting for roughly 5 percent of the world’s confirmed cases.


newyorkpost--2020-03-24--‘Rocky’ spark came from one punch thrown 45 years ago today

Upstairs , in the sparkling new arena called Richfield Coliseum , there were scores of empty seats .
The place was only five months old but for some reason it was built in an old cornfield on West Streetsboro Road , a good 25 miles south of downtown Cleveland .
It sat 21,000 for boxing .
Only 14,847 people paid their way in on that Monday night — March 24 , 1975 — forking over as much as $ 100 a ticket ( $ 482 in 2020 dollars ) .
It didn ’ t matter that Muhammad Ali would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already storied professional career .
He ’ d won the heavyweight title belt five months earlier after surviving the epic Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman in Zaire .
This would be his first defense .
And yet , this wasn ’ t even the most celebrated heavyweight bout of the night ; in New York , Ken Norton would knock out Jerry Quarry at a sold-out Madison Square Garden , a bout that was shown at Richfield Coliseum on closed-circuit TV as the last part of the undercard .
Yes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sold tickets .
It was his opponent that was the issue .
“ Most people never heard of me , ” Chuck Wepner told me a few years ago .
“ And those that heard of me thought I didn ’ t have a prayer.
” Wepner was known as the “ Bayonne Bleeder , ” possibly the greatest nickname in the history of boxing , if not sports .
He was known as a guy who had plenty of heart if a shortage of elite skill .
He was 6-foot-5 , brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as a reputation for taking a punch ; back in 1970 , Sonny Liston had given him such a beating one night at the Jersey City Armory he needed 200 stitches to repair all the damage .
He was a 40-to-1 shot that night .
And for eight rounds , that seemed awfully generous .
Ali toyed with him , clowning and hamming it up .
Mostly , this generated groans from the customers at Richfield Coliseum — and from fans who ’ d plunked down $ 10 at closed-circuit theaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , watching the fight in a Los Angeles cineplex , would remember many years later to a reporter from GQ magazine : “ The guy didn ’ t even look like a fighter .
He was terribly awkward and unskilled , and he looked like a heavy bag with eyeballs .
It was really sad.
” Midway through the ninth round , Wepner landed a hard right hand to Ali ’ s ribs — and the champ went down .
Later , Ali would insist Wepner stepped on his foot , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crowd in suburban Cleveland — and back in that theater in Los Angeles , it immediately lit a spark inside the imagination of a broke actor named Sylvester Stallone .
“ It was like a bolt of lightning from some Greek god in the sky , ” Stallone told GQ in 2018 .
Not long after , Stallone would plant himself in front of a stack of paper and spent four straight days emptying his soul onto those pages .
The result , of course , was “ Rocky ” — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every bit as profound as Chuck Wepner was on March 24 , 1975 — 45 years ago Tuesday .
The studio wanted a big star to play Rocky Balboa ; Stallone insisted he play the part , and took significantly less money to do it .
The movie itself was an instant hit and remains on the short list of all-time greatest sports movies , but it was released in 1976 , which also happened to be the year of “ All the President ’ s Men , ” and “ Network , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was “ Rocky ” that won Best Picture .
It was “ Rocky ” that spawned an irresistible franchise ( and countless ) sequels , and vaulted Stallone into superstardom .
All these years later “ Rocky ” is a film that is almost impossible to find fault with , from a perfect score to a perfect hero to a perfect ending .
And really , it is the ending that sets it apart .
Jimmy Chitwood doesn ’ t hit the winning shot , and Roy Hobbs doesn ’ t hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eruzione doesn ’ t score the game-winning goal .
Rocky loses to Apollo Creed .
Forty-five years ago , outside Cleveland , Wepner ultimately lost to Ali , finally succumbing 19 seconds before the end of the 15th round .
He didn ’ t go the distance as Balboa did , but he was every bit as irresistible .
It turns out he found out about the Ali fight from his mother , who ’ d broken a cardinal rule in delivering the news : She ’ d interrupted him while watching “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wepner would sue Stallone years later for hijacking his story and the men settled up amicably .
Liev Schreiber played him in his own movie , “ Chuck , ” in 2017 , a movie that is certainly worth your time as well .
Still , “ Rocky ” is “ Rocky , ” and there can be only one of those , and there may never have even been that if Chuck Wepner , the Bayonne Bleeder , hadn ’ t stood toe to toe with the Greatest of All Time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 45 years ago .
“ I think I showed the world a thing or two , ” Wepner said in 2014 .
The world was paying attention .
Inspiration was waiting .
“ Yesterday ” came to Paul McCartney one night in a dream .
Stallone decided to catch a fight one fateful night , 45 years ago .
Amazing what can happen .

Upstairs, in the sparkling new arena called Richfield Coliseum, there were scores of empty seats. The place was only five months old but for some reason it was built in an old cornfield on West Streetsboro Road, a good 25 miles south of downtown Cleveland.
It sat 21,000 for boxing. Only 14,847 people paid their way in on that Monday night — March 24, 1975 — forking over as much as $100 a ticket ($482 in 2020 dollars). It didn’t matter that Muhammad Ali would be engaged in the 48th bout of his already storied professional career. He’d won the heavyweight title belt five months earlier after surviving the epic Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman in Zaire.
This would be his first defense. And yet, this wasn’t even the most celebrated heavyweight bout of the night; in New York, Ken Norton would knock out Jerry Quarry at a sold-out Madison Square Garden, a bout that was shown at Richfield Coliseum on closed-circuit TV as the last part of the undercard. Yes, it was Ali, and Ali usually sold tickets. It was his opponent that was the issue.
“Most people never heard of me,” Chuck Wepner told me a few years ago. “And those that heard of me thought I didn’t have a prayer.”
Wepner was known as the “Bayonne Bleeder,” possibly the greatest nickname in the history of boxing, if not sports. He was known as a guy who had plenty of heart if a shortage of elite skill. He was 6-foot-5, brought a record of 31-9-2 into the fight as well as a reputation for taking a punch; back in 1970, Sonny Liston had given him such a beating one night at the Jersey City Armory he needed 200 stitches to repair all the damage.
He was a 40-to-1 shot that night. And for eight rounds, that seemed awfully generous. Ali toyed with him, clowning and hamming it up. Mostly, this generated groans from the customers at Richfield Coliseum — and from fans who’d plunked down $10 at closed-circuit theaters around the country.
One such onlooker, watching the fight in a Los Angeles cineplex, would remember many years later to a reporter from GQ magazine: “The guy didn’t even look like a fighter. He was terribly awkward and unskilled, and he looked like a heavy bag with eyeballs. It was really sad.”
Funny thing, though.
Midway through the ninth round, Wepner landed a hard right hand to Ali’s ribs — and the champ went down. Later, Ali would insist Wepner stepped on his foot, but it counted as a knockdown and it electrified the crowd in suburban Cleveland — and back in that theater in Los Angeles, it immediately lit a spark inside the imagination of a broke actor named Sylvester Stallone.
“It was like a bolt of lightning from some Greek god in the sky,” Stallone told GQ in 2018.
Not long after, Stallone would plant himself in front of a stack of paper and spent four straight days emptying his soul onto those pages. The result, of course, was “Rocky” — a movie produced and peopled by long shots every bit as profound as Chuck Wepner was on March 24, 1975 — 45 years ago Tuesday.
The studio wanted a big star to play Rocky Balboa; Stallone insisted he play the part, and took significantly less money to do it. The movie itself was an instant hit and remains on the short list of all-time greatest sports movies, but it was released in 1976, which also happened to be the year of “All the President’s Men,” and “Network,” and “Taxi Driver.”
Yet it was “Rocky” that won Best Picture. It was “Rocky” that spawned an irresistible franchise (and countless) sequels, and vaulted Stallone into superstardom. All these years later “Rocky” is a film that is almost impossible to find fault with, from a perfect score to a perfect hero to a perfect ending.
And really, it is the ending that sets it apart. Jimmy Chitwood doesn’t hit the winning shot, and Roy Hobbs doesn’t hit the game-winning home run, and Mike Eruzione doesn’t score the game-winning goal. Rocky loses to Apollo Creed.
Forty-five years ago, outside Cleveland, Wepner ultimately lost to Ali, finally succumbing 19 seconds before the end of the 15th round. He didn’t go the distance as Balboa did, but he was every bit as irresistible. It turns out he found out about the Ali fight from his mother, who’d broken a cardinal rule in delivering the news: She’d interrupted him while watching “Kojak,” his favorite show.
Wepner would sue Stallone years later for hijacking his story and the men settled up amicably. Liev Schreiber played him in his own movie, “Chuck,” in 2017, a movie that is certainly worth your time as well.
Still, “Rocky” is “Rocky,” and there can be only one of those, and there may never have even been that if Chuck Wepner, the Bayonne Bleeder, hadn’t stood toe to toe with the Greatest of All Time in the middle of the northeastern Ohio wilderness 45 years ago.
“I think I showed the world a thing or two,” Wepner said in 2014.
The world was paying attention. Inspiration was waiting. “Yesterday” came to Paul McCartney one night in a dream. Stallone decided to catch a fight one fateful night, 45 years ago. Amazing what can happen.


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--Coronavirus can’t keep patrons away from pricey Greenwich Village hotspot

The coronavirus is hitting New York City hard and on ...

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The coronavirus can’t keep New Yorkers away from the famed Greenwich Village Italian hot spot Carbone.
“I paid $600 for their veal, rigatoni, special branzino, mushrooms and Caesar salad,” restaurant fanatic Alex Min said while placing a takeout order Monday evening amid the city lockdown.
“There is such demand — people are waiting for two hours. People can’t live without Carbone,” she said.
Min was among a smattering of patrons standing outside in the rain 15 minutes before the Thompson Street eatery was even open for business.
On Monday night, the vibrant neon sign outside Carbone was shut off, the dining area bereft of its usual A-list clientele. The tables instead were set up for takeout and delivery
A manager at the restaurant told The Post that customers were placing orders on the fine-dining delivery app Caviar.
Some neighbors weren’t so happy about the crowded sidewalks in front of the Michelin-starred restaurant.
“The 10 pounds they will all gain is not enough punishment!” Greenwich Villager Susan Rosenberg said.
Previous 1 of 5 Next Advertisement Carbone is set up for delivery and takeout orders. Elizabeth Rosner Elizabeth Rosner Advertisement Elizabeth Rosner Advertisement
Last week, Carbone attempted to separate customers and deliverymen by using tape and barricades.
Twitter users posted photos of the delivery workers crowding the sidewalks while picking up meals.
The website Eater said police officers eventually arrived to space out the crowds of people.


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--Lee Green, former St. John’s guard, dead from coronavirus at 49

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The coronavirus is hitting New York City hard and on Monday it took the life of a one-time local basketball star .
Former St. John ’ s guard Lee Green passed away from the pandemic that is sweeping the country , his close friend and former teammate Lamont Middleton told The Post .
The 49-year-old Green was a retired police officer in Brooklyn and DJ who attended Tolentine High School and went by the stage name “ El Dorado.
” A Parade All-American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played for St. John ’ s from 1991-94 , reaching two NCAA Tournaments .
He remained a St. John ’ s fan and attended its win over DePaul at the Garden on Jan. 11 .
“ He was our defensive lockdown guy , ” St. John ’ s director of sports medicine and longtime head trainer Ron Linfonte said .
“ He could score if he needed to .
He was one of the guys who really relished the role of ‘ give me your best player and I ’ ll lock him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot for the good of the team , and he was everybody ’ s favorite.
” Across three seasons , Lee averaged 2.9 points per game , but as Linfonte alluded to , he was a key role player on two tournament teams .
“ My brother , my teammate , it ’ s kind of hard , ” Middleton said in a phone interview .
“ Cool guy .
Everywhere he went Lee had a smile .
He had a big personality.
” Green grew up wanting to play for St. John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large percentage of local kids stayed home .
After doing a post-graduate year at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut , he lived out his dream , playing on coach Lou Carnesecca ’ s final team .
“ It ’ s crazy , ” said Sterling Nunnally , a St. John ’ s alum and friend of Green ’ s .
“ He was healthy and smiling and everything [ when I saw him recently ] .
” Green wasn ’ t believed to have any preexisting medical issues .
He contracted the virus at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DJ .
“ It ’ s just a terrible thing that happened to him , ” said Brian Mahoney , who coached Green his final two years at St. John ’ s .
“ It really caught everybody off guard.
” “ To tell you the truth , ” Nunnally said , “ it ’ s scary , because it ’ s like nobody knows what ’ s going on .
You turn around , one day you ’ re talking to somebody and the next day they ’ re not there anymore @ @

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
The coronavirus is hitting New York City hard and on Monday it took the life of a one-time local basketball star.
Former St. John’s guard Lee Green passed away from the pandemic that is sweeping the country, his close friend and former teammate Lamont Middleton told The Post.
The 49-year-old Green was a retired police officer in Brooklyn and DJ who attended Tolentine High School and went by the stage name “El Dorado.” A Parade All-American in high school, The Bronx native played for St. John’s from 1991 to 1994, reaching two NCAA Tournaments. He remained a St. John’s fan and attended its win over DePaul at the Garden on Jan. 11.
“He was our defensive lockdown guy,” St. John’s director of sports medicine and longtime head trainer Ron Linfonte said. “He could score if he needed to. He was one of the guys who really relished the role of ‘Give me your best player and I’ll lock him down.’ He sacrificed his offense a lot for the good of the team, and he was everybody’s favorite.”
Across three seasons, Lee averaged 2.9 points per game, but as Linfonte alluded to, he was a key role player on two tournament teams.
“My brother, my teammate, it’s kind of hard,” Middleton said in a phone interview. “Cool guy. Everywhere he went Lee had a smile. He had a big personality.”
Green grew up wanting to play for St. John’s at a time when a large percentage of local kids stayed home. After doing a post-graduate year at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut, he lived out his dream, playing on coach Lou Carnesecca’s final team.
“It’s crazy,” said Sterling Nunnally, a St. John’s alum and friend of Green’s. “He was healthy and smiling and everything [when I saw him recently].”
Green wasn’t believed to have any pre-existing medical issues. He contracted the virus at an event he was working as a DJ.
“It’s just a terrible thing that happened to him,” said Brian Mahoney, who coached Green his final two years at St. John’s. “It really caught everybody off guard.”
Related Video NYC's coronavirus death toll reaches triple digits
“To tell you the truth,” Nunnally said, “it’s scary, because it’s like nobody knows what’s going on. You turn around, one day you’re talking to somebody and the next day they’re not there anymore.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--‘Sports Night’ is must-watch during coronavirus times

During the coronavirus shutdown , each day we will bring you ...

During the coronavirus shutdown, each day we will bring you a recommendation from The Post’s Peter Botte for a sports movie, TV show or book that perhaps was before your time or somehow slipped between the cracks of your viewing/reading history.
SPORTS NIGHT, 1998-2000 (ABC)
Streaming: Amazon Prime
We wanted to list the acclaimed three-season basketball drama “The White Shadow” (CBS, 1978-81) as our slam-dunk first TV sports recommendation, but inexplicably none of the Big-3 streaming services (Netflix, Amazon or Hulu) presently have it available.
“Sports Night” similarly lasted just a short time on the air (two seasons, 45 episodes), but this excellent Aaron Sorkin-created dramedy about the behind-the-scenes happenings at a “SportsCenter” style highlights show for fictional Continental Sports Channel also provided a scripted weekly fix for diehard sports fans. It also set the template for Sorkin’s subsequent series “The West Wing” and “The Newsroom,” and his hit movies “Moneyball” and “The Social Network.”
Josh Charles (“Dead Poets Society,” “The Good Wife”) and Peter Krause (“Six Feet Under,” “Parenthood”) star as sports anchors Dan Rydell and Casey McCall, inspired by ESPN’s Craig Kilborn and the longtime star pairing of Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick.
The show mostly revolved around their characters’ interactions with executive producer Dana Whitaker, played by Felicity Huffman, who has been in the news recently for pleading guilty over her participation in the 2019 college admissions scandal. Two-time Emmy winner Robert Guillaume (“Soap,” “Benson”) also provides some gravitas as the station’s managing editor Isaac Jaffe.
Quote of Note: “Good evening from New York City. I’m Dan Rydell, alongside Casey McCall. Those stories plus Luciano Pavarotti shocks the track world by running the 100 meters in six seconds, my mother hits for the cycle, and Martina Hingis sings selections from ‘No, No, Nanette.’” – Sports Night anchor Dan Rydell.
Botte Blows: 4.5 out of 5.


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--Rosie O’Donnell’s streaming show raises $600K for coronavirus victims

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 ) Sunday ’ s show featured Kristin Chenoweth singing “ Taylor the Latte Boy , ” Gavin Creel singing “ You Matter to Me , ” Darren Criss singing “ Being Alive ” and Gloria Estefan singing “ There ’ s Always Tomorrow.
” The special was streamed live on Broadway.com and their YouTube channel .
The money went to The Actors Fund to help those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neil Patrick Harris performing a magic act with his children , Patti LuPone performing “ A Hundred Years From Today ” and Adrienne Warren live from her bathtub singing “ Simply The Best.
” Amazon is giving parents free streaming access to more than 40 children ’ s shows , including “ Pete the Cat ” and “ If You Give a Mouse a Cookie ” and select seasons of PBS Kids shows including “ Arthur , ” “ Daniel Tiger ’ s Neighborhood.
” Interested users can access the free kids ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is free .
The shows are available to the company ’ s customers worldwide .
Usually , the shows are behind the Prime Video paywall .
Others shows now free include “ Jesse and Nessy , ” “ Bug Diaries , ” “ Costume Quest ” and “ The Snowy Day.
” Actress and singer Rita Wilson showed off another side to her musical repertoire while riding out the virus stuck inside .
The performer , married to actor Tom Hanks , posted a video on Instagram over the weekend in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Ender ’ s Game.
” Then the classic Naughty by Nature 1992 hit “ Hip Hop Hooray ” begins playing and she raps along nonchalantly — and gamely .
“ You drew a picture of my morning/But you couldn ’ t make my day/I ’ m rockin ’ and you ’ re yawning/But you never look my way , ” she rapped .
Wilson titled the video “ Quarantine Stir Crazy.
” Hanks and Wilson are in self-isolation in Australia , where the actor was filming Baz Luhrmann ’ s Elvis Presley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that both have COVID-19 .
Wilson ’ s vocal skills delighted many on the social network : “ The best video EVER !
!
!
!
!
Kim Kardashian commented .
“ Yessssssss R Greeky !
” Jennifer Aniston chimed in .
Moving “ The Tonight Show ” to his house hasn ’ t left host Jimmy Fallon without guests .
The late-night host ’ s “ At Home Edition ” will include Trevor Noah and D-Nice on Monday ; John Legend on Tuesday ; Niall Horan , Wednesday ; Alec Baldwin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The segments , with guests talking to Fallon from their homes , are part of continuing “ hybrid episodes ” that include highlights from past shows , NBC said Monday .
Broadway figure Seth Rudetsky is taking a bunch of celebrities back to high school during the coronavirus shutdown .
The longtime SiriusXM talk show host has a new podcast debuting Tuesday in which he interviews celebrities about their high school experiences and how those experiences continue to shape them .
Rudetsky promises some wild stories , like how Williams accidentally planted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the accident that almost killed Janney when she was 17 .
Fey ’ s will reveal her real-life influences for “ Mean Girls.
” “ Seth Rudetsky ’ s Back to School ” will be available weekly on SiriusXM On Demand and Pandora .

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Rosie O’Donnell’s streaming Broadway charity show raised over $600,000 for virus victims.
Sunday’s show featured Kristin Chenoweth singing “Taylor the Latte Boy,” Gavin Creel singing “You Matter to Me,” Darren Criss singing “Being Alive” and Gloria Estefan singing “There’s Always Tomorrow.”
The special was streamed live on Broadway.com and their YouTube channel. The money went to The Actors Fund to help those suffering the coronavirus.
Other highlights included Neil Patrick Harris performing a magic act with his children, Patti LuPone performing “A Hundred Years From Today” and Adrienne Warren live from her bathtub singing “Simply The Best.”
Amazon makes kids’ shows available free
Amazon is giving parents free streaming access to more than 40 children’s shows, including “Pete the Cat” and “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” and select seasons of PBS Kids shows including “Arthur,” “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.”
Interested users can access the free kids’ titles with a valid Amazon account, which is free. The shows are available to the company’s customers worldwide. Usually, the shows are behind the Prime Video paywall.
Others shows now free include “Jesse and Nessy,” “Bug Diaries,” “Costume Quest” and “The Snowy Day.”
Rita Wilson shows naughty side
Actress and singer Rita Wilson showed off another side to her musical repertoire while riding out the virus stuck inside.
The performer, married to actor Tom Hanks, posted a video on Instagram over the weekend in which she is seen reading the sci-fi novel “Ender’s Game.” Then the classic Naughty by Nature 1992 hit “Hip Hop Hooray” begins playing and she raps along nonchalantly — and gamely.
“You drew a picture of my morning/But you couldn’t make my day/I’m rockin’ and you’re yawning/But you never look my way,” she rapped.
Wilson titled the video “Quarantine Stir Crazy.” Hanks and Wilson are in self-isolation in Australia, where the actor was filming Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic when the couple received the diagnosis that both have COVID-19.
Wilson’s vocal skills delighted many on the social network: “The best video EVER!!!!! Kim Kardashian commented. “Yessssssss R Greeky!” Jennifer Aniston chimed in.
Fallon’s got long-distance company
Moving “The Tonight Show” to his house hasn’t left host Jimmy Fallon without guests.
The late-night host’s “At Home Edition” will include Trevor Noah and D-Nice on Monday; John Legend on Tuesday; Niall Horan, Wednesday; Alec Baldwin, Thursday, and Tina Fey on Friday.
The segments, with guests talking to Fallon from their homes, are part of continuing “hybrid episodes” that include highlights from past shows, NBC said Monday.
Sirius XM host taking guests ‘back to school’
Broadway figure Seth Rudetsky is taking a bunch of celebrities back to high school during the coronavirus shutdown.
The longtime SiriusXM talk show host has a new podcast debuting Tuesday in which he interviews celebrities about their high school experiences and how those experiences continue to shape them.
Guests include Tina Fey, Vanessa Williams, Michael Urie, Sean Hayes, Rosie O’Donnell, Allison Janney, Bebe Neuwirth, Bob the Drag Queen and Jason Alexander.
Rudetsky promises some wild stories, like how Williams accidentally planted marijuana in her mother’s greenhouse and the accident that almost killed Janney when she was 17. Fey’s will reveal her real-life influences for “Mean Girls.”
“Seth Rudetsky’s Back to School” will be available weekly on SiriusXM On Demand and Pandora.


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--NYC drag star Nashon Wooden, who performed as Mona Foot, dies from coronavirus

Dr. Kevin Tehrani is also offering up use of his ...

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Nashom Wooden, who performed in the downtown Manhattan club scene as drag star Mona Foot, has died from the coronavirus, a friend said Monday. He was 50.
In an emotional Instagram post, “Project Runway” winner Geoffrey Mac said, “I lost my best friend today from the coronavirus, Nashom Wooden.”
“And I just want to make sure that everybody out there stays healthy, and takes care of each other because the virus is really real. And I’m just so sorry,” the fashion designer said through tears.
Another friend of Wooden’s said that he was recently sent home from the hospital for not exhibiting serious enough symptoms.
Wooden, who was born in Brooklyn, burst into the Big Apple’s nightlife scene in 1989, quickly gaining a following while regularly performing at the Boy Bar in the East Village.
In an August 2017 interview with Paper Magazine, Wooden had already retired Mona Foot, telling the publication, “It just kind of fizzled out. I stopped taking gigs.”
But in 2018, Mona Foot performed once more at Wigfest, an outdoor drag festival, dressed as Wonder Woman.
Aside from Mona Foot, Wooden was also known for his role as one of three singers in the band “The Ones.”
The band’s single, “Flawless,” which was released in 2001, was even sampled by George Michael.
Additional reporting by Carlos Greer


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--Insider trading is business as usual for our politicians

For a handful US senators , the coronavirus crisis was cause ...

Members of Congress have a long history of trading stock on confidential information. In fact, up until just a few years ago it was legal and perhaps the best perk of their jobs as “public servants.”
So why is it any surprise that members of Congress sold shares after they were given inside insight about how bad the coronavirus really might be?
Let’s go through this in reverse chronological order until I get to the main point of this column — a secret I discovered a couple years ago.
Last week it came out that four US senators — including Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina and Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California — sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock in major companies after they were given a secret briefing on coronavirus.
Since Burr was a Republican, the Democrats rejoiced at this disclosure. Even people who usually side with Republicans called for Burr’s resignation, probably because Burr has been a critic of President Trump.
Burr, it has been reported, also told small gatherings that coronavirus was worse than people thought. For his part, Burr said the stock sale had been planned long before it was actually done.
Dig deep enough and all the others who knew this secret probably sold stock or warned their friends. Hey, the temptation to do so would have been great!
But, as I said, why is anyone surprised that members of Congress behave like they are above the law? It wasn’t until 2012 — under President Obama — that inside trading by members of Congress became illegal.
That’s the year the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act was passed. And since that law applied to members of Congress, government officials, congressional staffers, members of the executive branch and the judiciary, it’s safe to assume that everyone in those jobs was enjoying the special benefit of profiting on information that ordinary investors — not even the big shots on Wall Street — weren’t privy to.
So this nonsense should have stopped in 2012. But now we know it probably didn’t. After all, a senator or member of the House makes a salary of $174,000 a year. That’s not a fortune, especially when they have to live in Washington and keep a residence in their home state.
If there weren’t benefits like insider trading on good and bad news and influence peddling (hello, Joe Biden!) why would anyone want these jobs? These folks are mostly lawyers and could make much more in the private sector. So they moonlight on inside information.
Now I’ll get to my exclusive contribution on this subject — information that I brought up in 2018 but nobody cared about. (Maybe now that the stock market isn’t going up, they will.)
As I said, members of Congress and the rest of the privileged few in Washington used to be able to buy and sell stock on information that wasn’t generally available to the public.
But the assumption has always been that this information came to them in the regular course of their business — that is, they might have learned about a gonzo new drug during a hearing of a pharmaceutical company before their committee or maybe learned that a company was thinking of making an acquisition because their committee regulated an industry.
But in a column I wrote on Aug. 16, 2018, a whistleblower, who I have since lost contact with, alleged that congressional insider trading was even worse than that.
He claimed that members of Congress and higher-ups in government jobs were not only trading on inside information they gleaned from their regular assignments, but were also being fed tips from agencies like the Internal Revenue Service on corporate takeovers and the like.
My source worked at the IRS and says he was ordered to turn over this information to a list of people who qualified to trade on inside tips.
This misbehavior probably continued longer after my whistleblower left his job.
Once you allow crooked behavior, it’s hard to stop. Just look at what members of Congress did with the coronavirus information they received. Shame on them!


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--Cowboys star Travis Frederick retires at 29: ‘I faced a struggle’

If every action causes a reaction , the busy first week ...

Travis Frederick said he thought he played well at center for the Dallas Cowboys after returning from a nerve disorder that sidelined him for an entire season.
The 2016 All-Pro made it clear Monday it wasn’t good enough.
Frederick retired from the NFL at 29, saying he “could no longer perform at my highest level” even though he went to his fifth Pro Bowl in his only season after recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome.
“Each day, I faced a struggle: I could no longer perform at my highest level,” Frederick wrote in a long statement posted on Twitter and released by the team. “Playing ‘well’ is not what I expect of myself and not what my teammates deserve. Because of this, I know my days as a football player are done.”
A first-round pick seven years ago, Frederick missed all of 2018 after getting diagnosed with the auto-immune disease during training camp.
According to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Guillain-Barre causes the body to attack a network of nerves around the brain and spinal cord. Most people recover from even the most severe cases, which can include temporary paralysis, but some will continue to have some degree of weakness, according to the institute.
Frederick was asked frequently how he was feeling and how he thought he was playing during a season that started with high expectations for the Cowboys but ended without a trip to the playoffs. The former Wisconsin player’s answers were always upbeat, including during his final session with reporters after the season ended.
The final answer was something different, and leaves a big void in the middle of the offensive line. The Cowboys have invested heavily there with draft picks and subsequent contracts for a decade.
Frederick was among three first-round choices in a span of four years, and all of them signed lucrative second deals. Right guard Zack Martin has made the Pro Bowl in all six of his seasons, and left tackle Tyron Smith is a seven-time Pro Bowler.
There are four years remaining on the $55 million extension Frederick signed during the preseason in 2016.
“His leadership ability, production and intelligence put him at the top level of interior offensive linemen in our league for many years,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.
“At the pinnacle of his success, his career on the field was only exceeded by a rare display of courage and determination in overcoming a life-threatening illness and returning to the game — a challenge that could only be completed by a person with rare levels of perseverance and strength.”
Frederick is married with two young children and said the Guillain-Barre diagnosis caused him to rethink his priorities.
“I spent much of that year thinking about both the past and future,” Frederick said. “I realized how fortunate I was to play a game for a living. I realized how fortunate I was to make friends and become teammates with some great men. Most of all, I realized the importance of my family and how much I want to be there for their peaks and valleys as they were for me.”
Frederick hadn’t missed a game in his first five NFL seasons when he took time away from training camp in California in 2018 because of feelings he said were similar to stingers in his neck and shoulders.
When he returned to camp, Frederick told reporters he checked out OK with doctors in California. Not long after, Frederick saw more doctors in the Dallas area, and received the diagnosis.
Frederick said the year not playing forced him to consider life after football. He said he knew how players feared the moment when they could no longer do something that had consumed them for 20 years.
“After months of contemplation, I not only accepted that moment, but I also, surprisingly, found myself welcoming the moment,” Frederick said. “I was ready for the next stage of my life. However, the competitor in me would not accept going out without returning to the field.”
Veteran Joe Looney started all 16 games and two playoff games in Frederick’s place two years ago and recently re-signed with the Cowboys.
Connor McGovern, a third-round pick last year who missed the season with a pectoral injury, played center as a sophomore at Penn State before playing all but one game at guard during his final season as a junior.


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--The Durst Organization landed two new leases before coronavirus outbreak

The Durst Organization landed two new leases totaling 27,000 square feet at 1155 Sixth Ave. just before the virus struck @ @ @ @ @ blockchain software firm , signed for 17,246 square feet .
It will move from 11 @ @ @ @ @ Point Software Technologies took 9,663 square feet , moving from 500 Fifth Ave .
The @ @ @ @ @ 130 million in capital improvements .
Asking rents on the R3 and Check Point floors @ @ @ @ @ 100 per square foot .
The tower is now 65 percent leased , but lower @ @ @ @ @ nearly 100 percent leased .
Durst President Jody Durst noted that Sixth Avenue north of @ @ @ @ @ been attracting tenants in the technology industry .
”

The Durst Organization landed two new leases totaling 27,000 square feet at 1155 Sixth Ave. just before the virus struck.
R3, an enterprise blockchain software firm, signed for 17,246 square feet. It will move from 11 W. 42nd St. Check Point Software Technologies took 9,663 square feet, moving from 500 Fifth Ave.
The 740,000-square-foot tower recently underwent $130 million in capital improvements. Asking rents on the R3 and Check Point floors are $95 to $100 per square foot. The tower is now 65 percent leased, but lower and mid-rise elevator banks are nearly 100 percent leased.
Durst President Jody Durst noted that Sixth Avenue north of Bryant Park “has steadily been attracting tenants in the technology industry.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-23--Wilson Chandler’s late Nets resurgence spoiled by coronavirus break

Wilson Chandler — self-quarantined after four Nets tested positive for ...

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Part II of a series analyzing the Brooklyn Nets
Wilson Chandler’s isolation has seemed glaring, both at the beginning of the Nets’ season and again now — during what could be the end.
Chandler sat out nearly two months at the start of the season, serving an NBA suspension. Now with the league itself suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic — and the Nets self-isolating after four tested positive — he’s talked about how odd it feels being cut off.
“It wouldn’t be exactly right to say it feels like the offseason,” Chandler wrote in The Players’ Tribune. “It’s weird because … it’s like it’s the offseason, as far as our doing nothing. But mentally? It’s not the offseason because there’s so much going on with the virus.”
Chandler wrote as part of a new series appropriately called The Iso, with so many athletes going from spending more time around their teammates than their own families to suddenly keeping their distance from each other in a variety of ways.
After being told to self-quarantine, Chandler considered doing it back home in Michigan, but opted to stay in New York. And even after an incident with his building manager — told to stay out of the lobby — he tried to turn it into a positive, taking up meditation.
“Whatever you believe in, whatever your religion or spiritual beliefs, I think people need to double down right now on things like that, and look within,” Chandler wrote.
With all his newfound spare time, he’s filled it with meditation, reading, art and even playing — no, getting humiliated by — his 11-year-old daughter in Fortnite. But this isn’t the first time he was cut off from his Nets teammates this season.
After signing a one-year minimum $2.5 million deal in July, the very next month Chandler tested positive for PEDs, he was hit with a 25-game suspension. He didn’t suit up until Dec. 15, and that forced layoff — granted, of his own doing — clearly took a toll on his season.
Typically a low-volume, efficient role player who doesn’t create his own shot, Chandler was out of sync early. His Offensive Rating climbed every single month, from a horrid 92.3 in December to a solid 111.8 this month before play was suspended.
It’s no coincidence that as Chandler’s usage rate went down, both his plus-minus and Net Rating jumped from January to February, and again from February to this month. And he’d played his best basketball of the season right before the shutdown.
“He spaced the floor, made some good passes. But stuff like that doesn’t go on the stat sheet, the stuff he was doing, setting screens, running the floor hard,” Caris LeVert said. “He was huge for us.”
With Taurean Prince in a season-long shooting slump, Chandler finally started the last three games — Kenny Atkinson’s swan-song victory over the Spurs, and Jacque Vaughn-led wins against the Bulls and Lakers. Chandler was a plus-24 for his best three-game stretch of the season, much of it played alongside DeAndre Jordan.
“The combination of — analytically speaking — how [Jordan] and Wilson Chandler give us defensive rebounding, some presence at the rim, the combination of those two guys [helped],” Vaughn said.
When Kevin Durant returns and Nic Claxton develops, the Nets won’t have as much need for Chandler next season. That gives the pending free agent the rest of this season to shop his wares for 2020-21.


newyorkpost--2020-03-24--LaGuardia TSA worker, Penn station Amtrak cop test positive for coronavirus

A total of 23 MTA employees have tested positive for ...

The coronavirus is getting its claws into area transit law enforcement — with a second TSA agent at LaGuardia airport and an Amtrak cop at Penn Station both testing positive.
The TSA agent was assigned to Terminal B and is among at least 11 TSA employees in New York-area airports who have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to an employee memo dated March 23, from LaGuardia’s TSA Federal Security Director Robert Duffy.
Both TSA workers who have tested positive at LGA were assigned to Concourse C in Terminal B, according to the DHS.
The second confirmed sick worker at LGA last clocked into work more than two weeks ago on March 7, Duffy wrote.
The area where the employee worked was scrubbed down on Sunday, but officials saw no need for further action.
“Because it has been 16 days since the officer last worked, there is no further action to be taken per TSA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Fabrice Czarnecki,” Duffy wrote to employees. “As a precaution, the Terminal B, Concourse C checkpoint was thoroughly disinfected on Sunday, March 22.
At least 31 TSA employees have tested positive for the virus across the country, according to the Department of Homeland Security as the US COVID-19 outbreak intensifies.
Four TSA employees at Newark International Airport have contracted the virus as well as five employees at John F. Kennedy International Airport, DHS reports.
TSA agents are instructed to follow proper social distancing protocols, wash their hands regularly and wear gloves at all times, Duffy said.
“Surgical masks are now available for anyone who wants to wear one. As a continuing reminder, cover your face when coughing or sneezing and don’t touch your face,” he wrote to workers. “Stay out of work if you don’t feel well and see a doctor if necessary and do your best to stay at 6 feet apart from other people.”
As confirmed cases across the country soar, first responders and workers deemed “essential” have taken a hit as well.
Nearly 100 NYPD officers and other department employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, with the NYPD informing detectives that they might have to replace sick beat cops in the instance of a worker shortage.
The MTA, meanwhile, has is slashing service by 25 percent after fielding a spike in coronavirus-related sick calls. At least 23 MTA transit workers on subways and buses had tested positive for the virus has of last week, the authority said.
Amtrak’s Police Department had its first cop test positive on Monday, according to a source, who added that three other Amtrak cops are out sick with a fever. The confirmed infected employee last worked at Penn Station last Wednesday, the source said.
“I’m surprised it took this long, considering we work in a space with no windows and ventilation full of homeless people coughing all day,” the source told The Post.
“Our bosses don’t want us to wear a mask because he doesn’t want us to scare the passengers, and our hand sanitizers expired in 2015,” the source went on.
Amtrak did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Additional reporting by Larry Celona


newyorkpost--2020-03-24--The insane confusion over the chloroquine ‘cure’: Blame the media and Trump

It ’ s too early to know if a malaria drug , chloroquine , will prove a “ game-changer ” against COVID-19 , as President Trump hopes .
But it ’ s clearly not the killer some in the media make it out to be .
It surely didn ’ t kill that Arizona man much of the press pretended it did — because he actually didn ’ t take the drug : The man died , and his wife was hospitalized , after ingesting a fish-tank cleaner made from chloroquine phosphate .
Even as a malaria medicine , chloroquine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one should take any such medicine — let alone for a possible coronavirus case — without consulting a doctor .
Nor did Trump suggest anyone try it .
Yet none of those facts stopped the media from blaming the prez for the man ’ s death .
“ Arizona man dies after attempting to take Trump coronavirus ‘ cure , ’ ” reported the Guardian .
“ A Man Died After Self-Medicating With A Form Of A Drug That Trump Promoted , ” blared BuzzFeed .
Fact is , from the second the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug , hydroxychloroquine , and the antibiotic azithromycin , as a possible treatment for COVID-19 , the press sprung into attack mode .
“ Is Trump ’ s much-touted chloroquine really a ‘ game changer ’ for COVID-19 ?
Not exactly , ” read a Salon headline .
“ Experts : Trump ’ s Touting of an Untested ‘ Game Changer ’ Coronavirus Drug Is Dangerous , ” warned Vanity Fair .
Yes , Trump overdid it with his “ game-changer ” language and his claim that they ’ d been OK ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which had only given the thumb ’ s-up for testing .
Only anecdotal evidence suggests they may work , not any clinical trials .
It ’ s far too soon to hype them .
On the other hand , New York began testing them Tuesday , as well as a different experimental treatment using antibodies from recovered corona patients , on those who are seriously ill with the disease .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said the trials are “ promising.
” Indeed , some doctors already prescribe them and say they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : In this mess , it ’ s more important than ever to state the facts accurately .
Neither the media nor the president is doing that .

It’s too early to know if a malaria drug, chloroquine, will prove a “game-changer” against COVID-19, as President Trump hopes. But it’s clearly not the killer some in the media make it out to be.
It surely didn’t kill that Arizona man much of the press pretended it did — because he actually didn’t take the drug: The man died, and his wife was hospitalized, after ingesting a fish-tank cleaner made from chloroquine phosphate.
Even as a malaria medicine, chloroquine is a prescription drug, and no one should take any such medicine — let alone for a possible coronavirus case — without consulting a doctor. Nor did Trump suggest anyone try it.
Yet none of those facts stopped the media from blaming the prez for the man’s death.
“Arizona man dies after attempting to take Trump coronavirus ‘cure,’ ” reported the Guardian. “A Man Died After Self-Medicating With A Form Of A Drug That Trump Promoted,” blared BuzzFeed.
Fact is, from the second the president touted chloroquine, plus a related drug, hydroxychloroquine, and the antibiotic azithromycin, as a possible treatment for COVID-19, the press sprung into attack mode.
“Is Trump’s much-touted chloroquine really a ‘game changer’ for COVID-19? Not exactly,” read a Salon headline. “Experts: Trump’s Touting of an Untested ‘Game Changer’ Coronavirus Drug Is Dangerous,” warned Vanity Fair.
Yes, Trump overdid it with his “game-changer” language and his claim that they’d been OK’d by the Food and Drug Administration, which had only given the thumb’s-up for testing.
Only anecdotal evidence suggests they may work, not any clinical trials. It’s far too soon to hype them.
On the other hand, New York began testing them Tuesday, as well as a different experimental treatment using antibodies from recovered corona patients, on those who are seriously ill with the disease. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the trials are “promising.”
Indeed, some doctors already prescribe them and say they’ve seen positive results.
Bottom line: In this mess, it’s more important than ever to state the facts accurately. Neither the media nor the president is doing that.


newyorkpost--2020-03-24--‘Modern Family’ star Nolan Gould grew up before America’s eyes

Nolan Gould was 10 years old when he was introduced to America as sweet-but-clueless kid brother Luke Dunphy on ABC ’ s “ Modern Family.
” As the popular sitcom nears its April 8 finale after 11 seasons , Gould , now 21 , says that reading the script for that final episode caught him emotionally off-guard .
“ I really had no idea what to expect , and I was trying very much to pull the 21-year-old machismo thing , ” Gould tells The Post .
“ I wasn ’ t going to cry , and then we had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end [ of the script ] when it said ‘ End of Series ’ I just started balling .
My TV sisters [ Sarah Hyland and Ariel Winter ] pulled out their cellphones and tried to record me crying .
“ But the final day [ shooting ] ‘ Modern Family ’ wasn ’ t that sad , ” he says .
“ It was really happy — that sounds weird , but that day was one of the most fun days ever on the set .
We were all just sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listening to music .
Every time I went back to my trailer I ’ d find a letter someone else had left me , thanking me and saying how awesome the last 11 years have been and asking me to stay in touch .
“ Modern Family ” premiered in September 2009 and revolves around three close-knit , related families living their disparate ( and often farcical ) lives in LA : the Dunphys ( Ty Burrell , Julie Bowen , Hyland , Winter and Gould ) ; the Pritchetts/Delgados ( Ed O @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rodriguez , Jeremy Maguire ) ; and Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron “ Cam ” Tucker ( Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet ) , who adopted baby Lily ( Aubrey Anderson-Emmons ) from Vietnam in Season 1 .
Over the course of the show ’ s 11 seasons , Luke has evolved from a fresh-faced kid to a ( somewhat ) responsible young man — a fact not lost on Gould .
“ That ’ s something the writers did , specifically with my character , ” Gould says .
“ Luke changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a really cool way to transition him from a dumb , sweet kid everyone loved … then he went through puberty and became a little bit of a jerk .
He was a kid growing up , trying to figure out who he was as a person .
It kind of mirrored my own life .
It came around to watching [ Luke ] decide in which direction he wanted to go and trying to be a better person .
“ He got closer to his family again — and that happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says that , for the most part , he managed to balance his day job on “ Modern Family ” with his home life ( his older brother , Aidan , is also an actor ) .
“ I think at first it was a little bit of scrambling trying to figure things out , ” he says .
“ When I first started the show I was 10 years old , and I don ’ t remember much of my time before ‘ Modern Family.
’ It was so dope being on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to figure out if I wanted to go to college and take a break from acting .
I never went to high school , and that was another debate for me .
I took the California GED [ high school equivalency certificate ] and I graduated when I was 13 , but I never set foot in a classroom .
[ All of the “ Modern Family ” kids had an on-set tutor . ]
“ It was hard to balance my life in acting with my personal life , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he says .
“ Coming home from a long day on the set , I was going to hang out with my friends and they would introduce me to others and I would try to build a life outside of acting .
It ’ s very sad about the show ending , but I have a life outside of work .
It sometimes happens to a lot of young actors that they put all their eggs in the basket of TV.
” Gould , who has a role in the movie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from “ The Act ” ) , says he ’ s taking his time deciding on what to do next with his life .
“ I love acting .
I really enjoy it and I ’ ve been doing it since I was 5 .
It ’ s all I know , ” he says .
“ A friend and I wrote an adult animated pilot that ’ s very much on-brand with other shows like ‘ South Park ’ and we ’ re going to start pitching it .
“ Here ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
“ I go two completely different routes .
My brain says , ‘ Go big , go be a producer , go get degrees in writing and acting.
’ But the other part of me … I could totally live in the back of a van and visit every national park in the US .
“ The nice thing about the show is that I ’ m good for now , ” he says .
“ I don ’ t need to run into the first project that comes my @ @ @

Nolan Gould was 10 years old when he was introduced to America as sweet-but-clueless kid brother Luke Dunphy on ABC’s “Modern Family.”
As the popular sitcom nears its April 8 finale after 11 seasons, Gould, now 21, says that reading the script for that final episode caught him emotionally off-guard.
“I really had no idea what to expect, and I was trying very much to pull the 21-year-old machismo thing,” Gould tells The Post. “I wasn’t going to cry, and then we had the final table read, and at the end [of the script] when it said ‘End of Series’ I just started bawling. My TV sisters [Sarah Hyland and Ariel Winter] pulled out their cellphones and tried to record me crying.
“But the final day [shooting] ‘Modern Family’ wasn’t that sad,” he says. “It was really happy — that sounds weird, but that day was one of the most fun days ever on the set. We were all just sitting around between scenes and hanging out and listening to music. Every time I went back to my trailer I’d find a letter someone else had left me, thanking me and saying how awesome the last 11 years have been and asking me to stay in touch.
“It didn’t feel like work.”
“Modern Family” premiered in September 2009 and revolves around three close-knit, related families living their disparate (and often farcical) lives in LA: the Dunphys (Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Hyland, Winter and Gould); the Pritchetts/Delgados (Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara, Rico Rodriguez, Jeremy Maguire); and Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron “Cam” Tucker (Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet), who adopted baby Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) from Vietnam in Season 1.
Over the course of the show’s 11 seasons, Luke has evolved from a fresh-faced kid to a (somewhat) responsible young man — a fact not lost on Gould.
“That’s something the writers did, specifically with my character,” Gould says. “Luke changed the most over the years. It was a really cool way to transition him from a dumb, sweet kid everyone loved … then he went through puberty and became a little bit of a jerk. He was a kid growing up, trying to figure out who he was as a person. It kind of mirrored my own life. It came around to watching [Luke] decide in which direction he wanted to go and trying to be a better person.
“He got closer to his family again — and that happened in my life, too.”
Gould says that, for the most part, he managed to balance his day job on “Modern Family” with his home life (his older brother, Aidan, is also an actor).
“I think at first it was a little bit of scrambling trying to figure things out,” he says. “When I first started the show I was 10 years old, and I don’t remember much of my time before ‘Modern Family.’ It was so dope being on a TV set. Then I was trying to figure out if I wanted to go to college and take a break from acting. I never went to high school, and that was another debate for me. I took the California GED [high school equivalency certificate] and I graduated when I was 13, but I never set foot in a classroom. [All of the “Modern Family” kids had an on-set tutor.]
“It was hard to balance my life in acting with my personal life, but I found other ways to make it work,” he says. “Coming home from a long day on the set, I was going to hang out with my friends and they would introduce me to others and I would try to build a life outside of acting. It’s very sad about the show ending, but I have a life outside of work. It sometimes happens to a lot of young actors that they put all their eggs in the basket of TV.”
‘I love acting. I really enjoy it and I’ve been doing it since I was 5. It’s all I know.’
Gould, who has a role in the movie “Camp” (opposite Joey King from “The Act”), says he’s taking his time deciding on what to do next with his life.
“I love acting. I really enjoy it and I’ve been doing it since I was 5. It’s all I know,” he says. “A friend and I wrote an adult animated pilot that’s very much on-brand with other shows like ‘South Park’ and we’re going to start pitching it.
“Here’s the thing with me,” he says. “I go two completely different routes. My brain says, ‘Go big, go be a producer, go get degrees in writing and acting.’ But the other part of me … I could totally live in the back of a van and visit every national park in the US.
“The nice thing about the show is that I’m good for now,” he says. “I don’t need to run into the first project that comes my way.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-24--Volunteers race to sew homemade masks, but docs say they’re absolute last resort

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
Welcome to the worst-case scenario .
For weeks , hospitals across the country have warned that life-saving medical supplies are in dangerously short supply amid the coronavirus pandemic .
And for many health-care workers , the countdown to that moment is no longer a matter of weeks or days — but hours .
The Post reached out to several local hospitals regarding the need for makeshift face masks , only to find that many physicians are now too inundated caring for patients to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and family of hospital staffers have taken to social media to voice concerns on their behalf .
“ My sister is a doctor in New York and will be one of the primary doctors taking care of patients with COVID-19 , ” wrote Kristin Warltier Austin , from Pelham , NY , on Facebook last week .
“ She has been in touch with doctor friends in Seattle and NYC who are already experiencing a shortage of masks .
She asked me to sew her some masks to have on hand as she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming weeks .
This could be the only protection for our doctors and nurses on the frontline of this war !
” Her sister ’ s plea inspired Austin and her 12-year-old daughter , Skyler , to begin their own mask-making operation , which has already produced roughly 60 masks .
Skyler tells The Post that she was inspired to help when she learned that “ people were hoarding masks and the doctors were left with nothing.
” “ I wanted to do something to help my auntie and the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us , ” says the seventh-grader .
“ They all sounded terrified , ” says Kristin of her sister and her hospital colleagues .
“ The masks are what seemed the most in need , so I went to YouTube , found a video and got out my sewing machine.
” She then asked the community groups Junior League of Pelham and Pelham Together as well as the Moms of Pelham Facebook group to join their effort .
The pair now has over 50 volunteers pledging to donate materials and craft homemade masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sewmaskssavelives , which , as they hoped , is catching on .
After seeing the Austins ’ call to action on Facebook , Virginia-based children ’ s clothing company Daddy ’ s Little Dress Shirts made a similar plea to their Facebook followers .
“ News are telling us that some hospitals are running low on face mask .
They are calling on us that know how to sew and have sewing machines at home to help reach the # 100million face mask , ” wrote business owner Maria Mandaro .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a machine at home I be adding the information in our story ’ s today .
Let ’ s all help and make some of this mask .
Our hospitals are in need and we can make a difference.
” Austin and Mandaro ’ s micro-operations are just two among many taking to social media to ask for more volunteers .
Even major retail brands and designers are putting a hold on fashion to produce masks , including Nashville , Tenn. , designer Elizabeth Suzann and New York-based designers Rachel Comey , Christian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the masks are not medical grade , as fashion designers , we felt like it was our duty to give back and provide a barrier that is much needed to prevent the spread of any virus for the safety of all essential workers , ” Antonio Estrada , who owns the business with his twin brother Jesus , a contestant on Season 7 of “ Project Runway , ” tells The Post .
Despite these heartwarming efforts , many in the medical field are sharing their concerns over the prospect of relying on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and urging medical supply manufacturers to ramp up production of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) using the hashtag # GetMePPE .
Many also point out that the US has fallen short from the get-go .
An alarming photo shared on Twitter last week shows hospital workers in China and Italy in head-to-toe protective suits and face shields ; meanwhile , those in the US are fashioned with just loose-fitting gowns , gloves and paper masks , leaving many areas of the body exposed .
While surprisingly few studies have been conducted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly those made of household materials –– the ones that do exist , such as a 2013 study by Cambridge University , caution that these makeshift masks “ should only be considered as a last resort.
” Researchers found that , on average , cloth masks fit only half as well as surgical masks — which means bacterial and viral aerosols have a greater shot of escaping or entering the mask area .
Commercial masks were found to be “ three times more effective in blocking transmission [ of particles ] ” compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial from 2015 revealed similar results .
The report , published in BMJ Open , concluded that “ moisture retention , reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection.
” Researchers added that “ cloth masks should not be recommended for [ health-care workers ] ” particularly in “ high-risk settings.
” And what could be more high-risk than a global pandemic ?

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
Welcome to the worst-case scenario.
For weeks, hospitals across the country have warned that life-saving medical supplies are in dangerously short supply amid the coronavirus pandemic. And for many health-care workers, the countdown to that moment is no longer a matter of weeks or days — but hours.
The Post reached out to several local hospitals regarding the need for makeshift face masks, only to find that many physicians are now too inundated caring for patients to speak with the press. But friends and family of hospital staffers have taken to social media to voice concerns on their behalf.
“My sister is a doctor in New York and will be one of the primary doctors taking care of patients with COVID-19,” wrote Kristin Warltier Austin, from Pelham, NY, on Facebook last week. “She has been in touch with doctor friends in Seattle and NYC who are already experiencing a shortage of masks. She asked me to sew her some masks to have on hand as she knows they will be in short supply in the coming weeks. This could be the only protection for our doctors and nurses on the frontline of this war!”
Her sister’s plea inspired Austin and her 12-year-old daughter, Skyler, to begin their own mask-making operation, which has already produced roughly 60 masks.
Skyler tells The Post that she was inspired to help when she learned that “people were hoarding masks and the doctors were left with nothing.”
“I wanted to do something to help my auntie and the other doctors who are risking their lives for us,” says the seventh-grader.
“They all sounded terrified,” says Kristin of her sister and her hospital colleagues. “The masks are what seemed the most in need, so I went to YouTube, found a video and got out my sewing machine.” She then asked the community groups Junior League of Pelham and Pelham Together as well as the Moms of Pelham Facebook group to join their effort.
The pair now has over 50 volunteers pledging to donate materials and craft homemade masks. They also coined the hashtag #sewmaskssavelives, which, as they hoped, is catching on.
After seeing the Austins’ call to action on Facebook, Virginia-based children’s clothing company Daddy’s Little Dress Shirts made a similar plea to their Facebook followers.
“News are telling us that some hospitals are running low on face mask. They are calling on us that know how to sew and have sewing machines at home to help reach the #100million face mask,” wrote business owner Maria Mandaro. “If you know how to sew and have a machine at home I be adding the information in our story’s today. Let’s all help and make some of this mask. Our hospitals are in need and we can make a difference.”
Austin and Mandaro’s micro-operations are just two among many taking to social media to ask for more volunteers. Even major retail brands and designers are putting a hold on fashion to produce masks, including Nashville, Tenn., designer Elizabeth Suzann and New York-based designers Rachel Comey, Christian Siriano and Estrada Twins.
“Although the masks are not medical grade, as fashion designers, we felt like it was our duty to give back and provide a barrier that is much needed to prevent the spread of any virus for the safety of all essential workers,” Antonio Estrada, who owns the business with his twin brother Jesus, a contestant on Season 7 of “Project Runway,” tells The Post.
Despite these heartwarming efforts, many in the medical field are sharing their concerns over the prospect of relying on cloth masks in the clinical setting — and urging medical supply manufacturers to ramp up production of personal protective equipment (PPE) using the hashtag #GetMePPE.
Many also point out that the US has fallen short from the get-go. An alarming photo shared on Twitter last week shows hospital workers in China and Italy in head-to-toe protective suits and face shields; meanwhile, those in the US are fashioned with just loose-fitting gowns, gloves and paper masks, leaving many areas of the body exposed.
While surprisingly few studies have been conducted to show the efficacy of face masks –– particularly those made of household materials –– the ones that do exist, such as a 2013 study by Cambridge University, caution that these makeshift masks “should only be considered as a last resort.” Researchers found that, on average, cloth masks fit only half as well as surgical masks — which means bacterial and viral aerosols have a greater shot of escaping or entering the mask area. Commercial masks were found to be “three times more effective in blocking transmission [of particles]” compared to homemade masks.
A randomized clinical trial from 2015 revealed similar results. The report, published in BMJ Open, concluded that “moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection.” Researchers added that “cloth masks should not be recommended for [health-care workers]” particularly in “high-risk settings.”
And what could be more high-risk than a global pandemic?


newyorkpost--2020-03-24--Kentucky ‘coronavirus party’ attendee tests positive for COVID-19

A person in Kentucky attended a “ coronavirus party ” that defiantly flouted social-distancing warnings — and then tested positive for COVID-19 , the state ’ s governor said Tuesday .
A group of adults in their 20s intentionally got together “ thinking they were invincible , ” blatantly ignoring Kentucky ’ s guidance to practice social distancing , Gov .
Andy Beshear said at a press conference .
“ Anyone who goes to something like this may think that they are indestructible , ” Beshear said .
“ But it ’ s someone else ’ s loved one that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Don ’ t be so callous as to intentionally go to something and expose yourself to something that can kill other people , ” he said .
“ We ought to be much better than that.
” Beshear didn ’ t say where the person is from or where the party took place .
He said he didn ’ t want to identify the person , who “ made a mistake.
” But “ I do hope it encourages others to act differently , ” he added of the situation .
The infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported in the Bluegrass State on Tuesday , bringing its total to 163 , according to the Louisville Courier Journal .
Four people in the state have died from the disease .

Surprise!
A person in Kentucky attended a “coronavirus party” that defiantly flouted social-distancing warnings — and then tested positive for COVID-19, the state’s governor said Tuesday.
A group of adults in their 20s intentionally got together “thinking they were invincible,” blatantly ignoring Kentucky’s guidance to practice social distancing, Gov. Andy Beshear said at a press conference.
“Anyone who goes to something like this may think that they are indestructible,” Beshear said. “But it’s someone else’s loved one that they are going to hurt.
“Don’t be so callous as to intentionally go to something and expose yourself to something that can kill other people,” he said.
“We ought to be much better than that.”
Beshear didn’t say where the person is from or where the party took place. He said he didn’t want to identify the person, who “made a mistake.”
But “I do hope it encourages others to act differently,” he added of the situation.
The infection was one of 39 new coronavirus cases reported in the Bluegrass State on Tuesday, bringing its total to 163, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.
Four people in the state have died from the disease.