newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Tony La Russa scheduled to change plea in drunken driving case

PHOENIX — Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa is scheduled to change his plea to misdemeanor charges stemming from his drunken driving arrest nine months ago on a freeway in Phoenix .
The Hall of Fame manager , who had previously pleaded not guilty to the two drunken driving charges , is scheduled to change his plea on Dec. 21 in Maricopa County Justice Court .
Authorities say La Russa , who won a World Series with Oakland and two more with St. Louis , blew out a tire on the grey Lexus he was driving in a collision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoking .
Tests taken the night of his arrest showed his blood alcohol concentration was .095 — above the legal limit of .08 .
The arrest occurred on Feb. 24 , but the charges were filed on Oct. 28 — one day before his hiring by Chicago .
La Russa pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in Florida in 2007 after police found him asleep inside his running sport utility vehicle at a stop light and smelling of alcohol .
La Russa was hired by Chicago in a surprise move after Rick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team said was a mutual decision .

PHOENIX — Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa is scheduled to change his plea to misdemeanor charges stemming from his drunken driving arrest nine months ago on a freeway in Phoenix.
The Hall of Fame manager, who had previously pleaded not guilty to the two drunken driving charges, is scheduled to change his plea on Dec. 21 in Maricopa County Justice Court.
Authorities say La Russa, who won a World Series with Oakland and two more with St. Louis, blew out a tire on the grey Lexus he was driving in a collision with a curb that left the vehicle smoking. Tests taken the night of his arrest showed his blood alcohol concentration was .095 — above the legal limit of .08.
The arrest occurred on Feb. 24, but the charges were filed on Oct. 28 — one day before his hiring by Chicago.
La Russa pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in Florida in 2007 after police found him asleep inside his running sport utility vehicle at a stop light and smelling of alcohol.
La Russa was hired by Chicago in a surprise move after Rick Renteria was let go in what the team said was a mutual decision.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Child killed when train hits car in line for Christmas display

A child waiting in a line for a California Christmas display was reportedly killed when an Amtrak train struck his @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday night .
The youngster and three family members , including his mother , were @ @ @ @ @ train hit them in central Fresno at about 5:30 p.m. , KFSN reported .
The @ @ @ @ @ enter Christmas Tree Lane when their van got stuck on the tracks .
Authorities said @ @ @ @ @ family members were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries .
None of the passengers aboard the @ @ @ @ @ was not immediately clear how the van became stuck on the tracks .

A child waiting in a line for a California Christmas display was reportedly killed when an Amtrak train struck his family’s vehicle on Tuesday night.
The youngster and three family members, including his mother, were in a minivan when the train hit them in central Fresno at about 5:30 p.m., KFSN reported.
The family was reportedly waiting to enter Christmas Tree Lane when their van got stuck on the tracks.
Authorities said the victim’s three family members were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
None of the passengers aboard the train were injured.
It was not immediately clear how the van became stuck on the tracks.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Joakim Noah to be waived by Clippers, career likely over

A long-time NBA veteran ’ s career looks to be over .
The Los Angeles Clippers are waiving the 35-year-old Joakim Noah , which likely means its the end of the big man ’ s career , his agent , Bill Duffy , told ESPN Tuesday night .
Noah , who has played 13 seasons in the NBA , is best known for his first nine years with the Chicago Bulls in which he made his mark as a gritty defender and competitor under coach Tom Thibodeau , now the coach of the New York Knicks .
Noah , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yannick Noah , also helped lead the Florida Gators to consecutive national titles before the Bulls selected him with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft .
Noah , a two-time All-Star , also played two seasons with the Knicks and a season each with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Clippers .
He averaged 8.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in his career .
“ What an illustrious career for Joakim , starting with two national titles at the University of Florida , to becoming an NBA Defensive Player of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most passionate , spirited players to ever come through our sport , ” Duffy told ESPN .
“ It ’ s been my honor to represent Joakim through his journey.
” Noah , who was given four-year , $ 72 million contract with the Knicks in the summer of 2016 , lasted just two years during his controversy-filled stint in New York and became one of the symbols of the failed Phil Jackson era .
The 6-foot-11 center did not live up to his big deal as he was plagued by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug test , distracted by off-the-court issues ( some , he admits , of his own making , like partying too much while he was injured ) and at odds with former coach Jeff Hornacek .
“ I reflect on that time , and I feel like we underachieved , ” Noah said when he returned to Madison Square Garden as a member of the Grizzlies the following season .
“ And I don ’ t want to go back into the past , but I look back at things that I could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame .
“ I take some blame .
I didn ’ t perform to what I was capable of , even though I had a lot of injuries , I had a lot going on outside the court .
It ’ s disappointing .
It ’ s definitely something I have to live with.
” Noah also said recently he believed Thibodeau will do well with the Knicks .
“ Defense and practice habits , ” the Clippers ’ 35-year-old forward wrote in an Instagram post in July .
“ The Knicks are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about is hoop .
Perfect fit .
”

A long-time NBA veteran’s career looks to be over.
The Los Angeles Clippers are waiving the 35-year-old Joakim Noah, which likely means its the end of the big man’s career, his agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPN Tuesday night.
Noah, who has played 13 seasons in the NBA, is best known for his first nine years with the Chicago Bulls in which he made his mark as a gritty defender and competitor under coach Tom Thibodeau, now the coach of the New York Knicks.
Noah, the son of former French Open tennis champion Yannick Noah, also helped lead the Florida Gators to consecutive national titles before the Bulls selected him with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Noah, a two-time All-Star, also played two seasons with the Knicks and a season each with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Clippers. He averaged 8.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in his career.
Joakim Noah NBAE/Getty Images
“What an illustrious career for Joakim, starting with two national titles at the University of Florida, to becoming an NBA Defensive Player of the Year and ultimately evolving into one of the most passionate, spirited players to ever come through our sport,” Duffy told ESPN. “It’s been my honor to represent Joakim through his journey.”
Noah, who was given four-year, $72 million contract with the Knicks in the summer of 2016, lasted just two years during his controversy-filled stint in New York and became one of the symbols of the failed Phil Jackson era.
The 6-foot-11 center did not live up to his big deal as he was plagued by injuries, suspended for a failed performance-enhancing drug test, distracted by off-the-court issues (some, he admits, of his own making, like partying too much while he was injured) and at odds with former coach Jeff Hornacek.
“I reflect on that time, and I feel like we underachieved,” Noah said when he returned to Madison Square Garden as a member of the Grizzlies the following season. “And I don’t want to go back into the past, but I look back at things that I could have done better and I take some blame.
“I take some blame. I didn’t perform to what I was capable of, even though I had a lot of injuries, I had a lot going on outside the court. It’s disappointing. It’s definitely something I have to live with.”
Noah also said recently he believed Thibodeau will do well with the Knicks.
“Defense and practice habits,” the Clippers’ 35-year-old forward wrote in an Instagram post in July. “The Knicks are in good hands. All he cares about is hoop. Perfect fit.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Upstate NY congressional race in doubt after 55 uncounted ballots found

A newly discovered batch of 55 uncounted ballots in a rural upstate New York county has the potential to alter the outcome of a yet-to-be-called congressional race .
The ballots from Chenango County were cast during the state ’ s early voting period within the 22nd Congressional District — home to the ultra-tight race between Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi and his Republican opponent , Claudia Tenney .
As of Monday — which was supposed to have been the final day for election officials to report vote totals in the district — Tenney led the freshman Democrat by a razor-thin 12-vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informed Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte of the findings on Tuesday .
“ Those ballots were apparently mislaid and never counted , ” Gordon wrote .
“ I have advised our Board of Elections to not open any of those ballots and to secure them in their offices , ” he said .
Of the 55 ballots , 11 appear to be from unregistered voters .
The remaining 44 could reverse Tenney ’ s lead , but DelConte must still rule on over 2,000 other disputed absentee and affidavit ballots in the race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seesawing affair , with the Republican jumping to a nearly 29,000-vote lead on election night — only to see that lead disappear as mail-in ballots were counted .
Then last week , Brindisi appeared to grab a double-digit lead , but his small advantage was wiped out over the weekend after two counties said they had made tabulation errors .

A newly discovered batch of 55 uncounted ballots in a rural upstate New York county has the potential to alter the outcome of a yet-to-be-called congressional race.
The ballots from Chenango County were cast during the state’s early voting period within the 22nd Congressional District — home to the ultra-tight race between Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi and his Republican opponent, Claudia Tenney.
As of Monday — which was supposed to have been the final day for election officials to report vote totals in the district — Tenney led the freshman Democrat by a razor-thin 12-vote margin.
Chenango County Attorney Alan Gordon informed Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte of the findings on Tuesday.
Claudia Tenney AP
“Those ballots were apparently mislaid and never counted,” Gordon wrote.
“I have advised our Board of Elections to not open any of those ballots and to secure them in their offices,” he said.
Of the 55 ballots, 11 appear to be from unregistered voters.
The remaining 44 could reverse Tenney’s lead, but DelConte must still rule on over 2,000 other disputed absentee and affidavit ballots in the race.
The Brindisi-Tenney contest has been a seesawing affair, with the Republican jumping to a nearly 29,000-vote lead on election night — only to see that lead disappear as mail-in ballots were counted.
Then last week, Brindisi appeared to grab a double-digit lead, but his small advantage was wiped out over the weekend after two counties said they had made tabulation errors.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Two men killed, another wounded in California park shooting

Two men were killed and a third critically injured in a shooting at a California park on Tuesday afternoon , @ @ @ @ @ victims were seated on a bench in Pasadena ’ s Villa Parke when they were @ @ @ @ @ fled in a car at about 3 p.m. , police said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ at the scene .
The other two were taken to a hospital , where one @ @ @ @ @ The vehicle the suspect fled in may have been a dark-colored sedan , according to @ @ @ @ @ police were searching for witnesses and possible video recordings of the shooting to assist in @ @ @

Two men were killed and a third critically injured in a shooting at a California park on Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The three victims were seated on a bench in Pasadena’s Villa Parke when they were shot by a gunman who fled in a car at about 3 p.m., police said in a statement.
One of the men died at the scene. The other two were taken to a hospital, where one died, authorities said.
The vehicle the suspect fled in may have been a dark-colored sedan, according to police.
Later Tuesday, police were searching for witnesses and possible video recordings of the shooting to assist in their investigation.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Steve Nash: Nets will push pace — just like rest of NBA

Not since the Trojan War have this many eyes been ...

Much has been made about what kind of style Steve Nash plans to use in Brooklyn. He admitted he will take a lot from his “Seven Seconds Or Less” days in Phoenix under Mike D’Antoni, but then again, so does everybody else in the NBA.
“We want to play an uptempo style. We want to push the ball in transition and play in the open court, and in the half-court we want to make quick decisions, space the floor, take advantage of our playmaking and shooting,” Nash said. “We have some centers that are vertical threats, so we can really put pressure on people above the rim, but also stretch them and make the court big and difficult to cover.
“I definitely think there’ll be similarities. But I also think clearly the way we played in Phoenix is very common in today’s game. You look around the league, a lot of teams look in some ways similar to that. We will have some similarities, but you also have to consider and blend with the personnel you have. So some of that is strategic, some of that is organic. We’re going to let it grow.”
That personnel includes not just Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the court, but D’Antoni beside him on the bench.
Steve Nash NBAE/Getty Images
While former interim Jacque Vaughn has stayed on as associate head coach and defensive coordinator, D’Antoni — who coached Nash with the Suns and Lakers, as well as coaching the Knicks and most recently the Rockets — will serve as both offensive coordinator and valuable sounding board as well.
“He’s already everyone’s favorite in the office,” Nash said. “He’s definitely brought his typical personality and charm and sense of humor. For someone who’s been a head coach for so long and had so much success, he’s incredibly humble.
“He’s given me a tremendous amount of comfort, somebody you have a relationship with who can help guide — call or text or knock on his door — to gain his thoughts. … Mike’s been in the position where he’s done this so long and has such a unique perspective and skill set. He’s been incredible for me, but also been great every day here in the building, and people have gravitated to him quickly.”
It was last season in Houston that D’Antoni moved Jeff Green to a stretch 5 and squeezed a career-best 131 Offensive Rating out of a player who had never been above 115 according to Basketball Reference. Now a Net, Green gives them a different small-ball option.
Nevertheless, Durant — who Nash said will guard the power-forward spot but play everywhere on offense — said talk about schemes is overrated.
“Basketball’s pretty simple. Everybody throughout the whole league runs the same sets with different terminologies,” Durant said.
“It’s different when you get on the floor and you see guys’ tendencies, how they play when they’re tired, or how they play with different ballhandlers. … It’s a matter of us adjusting to each other and growing with each other on a day-to-day. But we have high-IQ guys who know how to mesh well with anyone.”
Nash humorously deadpanned his way around the hubbub over Irving saying the Nets didn’t have a “head coach,” quipping he hadn’t heard them.
“I think it was one phrase at the end of a bunch of things he said about being excited about having me in this position and coaching and maybe he took it to another level that seemed to grab all the headlines, which is fine,” Nash said. “I’m in a fortunate position where I get to coach Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
“What we built here in a short period of time, how we’re going to practice and play is exciting. I’m thrilled that I get to coach those guys. If one statement that I don’t necessarily think was meant the way it was taken by the press, that doesn’t bother me at all. I enjoy working with those guys.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Ex-FBI director James Comey to teach at Columbia Law School

Columbia University announced on Tuesday that former FBI director James Comey will be teaching there next year .
Comey is @ @ @ @ @ for Organizational Character and Leadership at Columbia Law School as a leader-in-residence for the spring @ @ @ @ @ expected to start teaching the course “ Lawyers and Leaders ” in January .
“ @ @ @ @ @ a broadening of the Mark Initiative ’ s focus to include leadership of major public @ @ @ @ @ relating to corporations and law firms , ” the school wrote on its website .
@ @ @ @ @ since President Trump abruptly fired him in 2017 for ending the investigation into Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ In 2018 , Comey released a book titled “ A Higher Loyalty : Truth , @ @ @ @ @ detailing his life in public office and his interactions with Trump .
His next book @ @ @ @ @ Truth , Transparency , and Trust , ” is set to be released next month @ @ @ @ @

Columbia University announced on Tuesday that former FBI director James Comey will be teaching there next year.
Comey is joining the Reuben Mark Initiative for Organizational Character and Leadership at Columbia Law School as a leader-in-residence for the spring semester.
He’s expected to start teaching the course “Lawyers and Leaders” in January.
“Comey’s experience represents a broadening of the Mark Initiative’s focus to include leadership of major public institutions, complementing existing offerings relating to corporations and law firms,” the school wrote on its website.
Comey has generally laid low since President Trump abruptly fired him in 2017 for ending the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server.
In 2018, Comey released a book titled “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership,” detailing his life in public office and his interactions with Trump.
His next book, “Saving Justice: Truth, Transparency, and Trust,” is set to be released next month when he begins teaching.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Chelsea Clinton ‘hated’ her father’s ex-chief aide, Doug Band, report claims

Chelsea Clinton reportedly grew to despise her father ’ s longtime former right-hand man , Doug Band , whom she felt was more like a son to the former president than his chief aide .
The two were not always estranged — at times treating each other as family .
But the relationship , Band told Vanity Fair , imploded when Chelsea Clinton in 2011 demanded ownership in the corporate advisory firm he founded after he left the former ’ s president ’ s side .
Band told the magazine that Chelsea sought the stake in his company , Teneo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marc Mezvinsky , instead of Band ’ s previous $ 2.5 million offer to Bill Clinton to sit on the company ’ s advisory board .
“ I thought she was kidding or deeply sick , ” Band said in the interview , referring to Chelsea .
A spokesperson for the Clinton family denied to Vanity Fair that Chelsea asked for part ownership at the meeting in a Clinton Office in Harlem .
For months after the meeting , the once amicable relationship between Chelsea and Band was overcome with strife .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past — like helping her get concert tickets and booking her dinner reservations when she was in her 20s — the former president ’ s daughter felt jealousy of him .
“ Chelsea hated Doug because he was like a son to her father , ” a Clinton friend told Vanity Fair .
Chelsea reportedly accused Band of leaking a story to Page Six about her marriage troubles , Band said in the interview , adding that he denied planting the information .
Band , meanwhile , questioned Chelsea ’ s credentials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was not qualified for the job .
The two also claimed the Clinton name was to thank for each other ’ s successes .
But Band felt she has benefited far more .
“ Every job she received was based on her name , ” Band said .
He claimed in the interview that Chelsea was paid $ 1.2 million by NBC , double what was reported .
This was denied by a Clinton spokesperson .
“ Mine was based on my reputation , experience , and what I had done , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Chelsea Clinton reportedly grew to despise her father’s longtime former right-hand man, Doug Band, whom she felt was more like a son to the former president than his chief aide.
The two were not always estranged — at times treating each other as family. But the relationship, Band told Vanity Fair, imploded when Chelsea Clinton in 2011 demanded ownership in the corporate advisory firm he founded after he left the former president’s side.
Band told the magazine that Chelsea sought the stake in his company, Teneo, for herself and her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, instead of Band’s previous $2.5 million offer to Bill Clinton to sit on the company’s advisory board.
“I thought she was kidding or deeply sick,” Band said in the interview, referring to Chelsea.
A spokesperson for the Clinton family denied to Vanity Fair that Chelsea asked for part ownership at the meeting in a Clinton Office in Harlem.
For months after the meeting, the once amicable relationship between Chelsea and Band was overcome with strife.
And despite Band helping out Chelsea in the past — like helping her get concert tickets and booking her dinner reservations when she was in her 20s — the former president’s daughter felt jealousy of him.
“Chelsea hated Doug because he was like a son to her father,” a Clinton friend told Vanity Fair.
Chelsea reportedly accused Band of leaking a story to Page Six about her marriage troubles, Band said in the interview, adding that he denied planting the information.
Band, meanwhile, questioned Chelsea’s credentials, telling staff at the Clinton Foundation that she was not qualified for the job.
The two also claimed the Clinton name was to thank for each other’s successes. But Band felt she has benefited far more.
“Every job she received was based on her name,” Band said.
He claimed in the interview that Chelsea was paid $1.2 million by NBC, double what was reported. This was denied by a Clinton spokesperson.
“Mine was based on my reputation, experience, and what I had done,” Band said of his professional feats.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Elfrid Payton looking to silence doubters as Knicks’ starting point guard

Another Knicks training camp is set to get underway this ...

The biggest surprise of Knicks president Leon Rose’s modest free-agent signings late last month was Elfrid Payton returning after the Knicks declined his $8 million team option.
But it was no surprise to Payton, the Knicks’ starting point guard most of last season and a client of Rose’s former Creative Artists Agency.
“From the beginning we always had intentions of me coming back so I wasn’t really I guess worried,’’ Payton said on a Zoom call Wednesday, the second day of training camp.
Just as Payton was overlooked, so are these Knicks.
With a similarly modest point-guard situation to last season, league observers believe these Knicks will scrape at the bottom of the barrel again. Payton is soaking up the disrespect.
“I feel like we’ve been counted out,’’ Payton said. “So just go out there and compete and show what we can do. That’s definitely something we want to use as motivation, as if we didn’t already have enough. But that’s definitely something we’ve spoken about in the locker room even in these short days that we’ve been together.”
Knicks guard Elfrid Payton drives down court as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort defends. Corey Sipkin
Rose was likely envisioning re-signing Payton to a more modest deal to be a backup. Always a favorite of GM Scott Perry’s, Payton signed a one-year deal for $4.7 million — a figure that indicates he was being slotted to fill the room-exception slot.
However, the Knicks never made it to the salary cap to be eligible for the room exception, so Payton, 26, just counts as cap space.
And now Payton is the narrow favorite to be starting point guard on opening night after some of Rose’s options fell by the wayside — Fred VanVleet, DJ Augustin, Rajon Rondo and Jeff Teague all signed elsewhere.
All the noise about a Payton replacement became just noise.
“Ain’t my job,’’ Payton said when asked if he’s confident he’ll be the starter. “My job is to work as hard as I possibly can and live with the results. It’s not for me to pick who starts. It’s not for me to care about what other people are saying. I control what I can control and that’s the amount of work I put in every offseason.’’
Austin Rivers, a combo guard, could give Payton the biggest battle in what is a five-man competition. Rivers signed for a one-year guarantee of $3.3 million.
Returnees Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr. and first-round pick, Immanuel Quickley are long-shot candidates.
On a Zoom call, Smith discussed his catastrophic 2019-20 season that started with his stepmother passing away, forcing him to take a leave of absence. Injuries and sloppy play resulted in Smith being the odd man out at point guard.
“I would say just understanding that nothing happens to you, it happens for you,’’ Smith said. “And I had to go through a lot of different things mentally — not even physically — mentally I had to go through a lot of different things to kind of understand that. But smooth waters never made [skilled] sailors, so I take it all in stride, and I’m going to keep getting better.’’
After an early-season hamstring injury, Payton returned in December but not in time to save David Fizdale’s job. But Payton righted the ship after the Knicks got off to a 4-18 start. They were decidedly better with Payton as floor general. He finished averaging 10 points, 7.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
“I always have confidence in myself I make things better,’’ said Payton, whose weakness is 3-point shooting. “I guess it’s always good to have proof of that.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Ex-Bill Clinton confidante: former prez saw Hillary’s career as a threat

Former President Bill Clinton may have seen his wife ’ s Oval Office ambitions as a threat , a one-time top adviser said in a blistering new interview .
Longtime Bubba confidante Doug Band dished to Vanity Fair about Clinton ’ s oftentimes unhinged behavior on the 2008 primary campaign trail — saying he thinks the outbursts were caused by a desire for Hillary to lose .
“ He was used to it being all about him , and if she won , it would be all about her , ” Band said .
Band rose from being Clinton ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most trusted post-presidency aide — before being exiled after a falling out .
He said his former boss wasn ’ t ready for such a big life change .
“ That ’ s not how [ Bill ] lived his life for the four decades leading up to that election.
” The ex-president ’ s outbursts while he campaigned for his wife were so notable that top Democratic officials asked him to tone it down .
Some commentators even accused Clinton of “ playing the race card ” with his attacks on Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he attributed his mentor ’ s erratic conduct to the lingering effects of Clinton ’ s 2004 heart attack , the fact that he hadn ’ t run a national campaign in more than 10 years — and a deep dislike of Hillary ’ s opponent .
However , looking back , Band thinks Clinton could have simply been dabbling in sabotage , consciously or unconsciously , so his wife wouldn ’ t win .
“ In her White House , he would be back under a microscope but without the benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Band said .
A Clinton family spokesperson shot down the suggestion as “ ridiculous , ” in a statement to the mag .
“ President Clinton did more than 300 events on [ Hillary ’ s ] behalf , and very much wanted her to win , ” the spokesperson said .
The rep accused Band of being self-serving and abusing the relationship with Clinton for his own financial gain .

Former President Bill Clinton may have seen his wife’s Oval Office ambitions as a threat, a one-time top adviser said in a blistering new interview.
Longtime Bubba confidante Doug Band dished to Vanity Fair about Clinton’s oftentimes unhinged behavior on the 2008 primary campaign trail — saying he thinks the outbursts were caused by a desire for Hillary to lose.
“He was used to it being all about him, and if she won, it would be all about her,” Band said.
Band rose from being Clinton’s White House body man to his most trusted post-presidency aide — before being exiled after a falling out. He said his former boss wasn’t ready for such a big life change.
“That’s not how [Bill] lived his life for the four decades leading up to that election.”
The ex-president’s outbursts while he campaigned for his wife were so notable that top Democratic officials asked him to tone it down.
Some commentators even accused Clinton of “playing the race card” with his attacks on Barack Obama.
At the time, Band said he attributed his mentor’s erratic conduct to the lingering effects of Clinton’s 2004 heart attack, the fact that he hadn’t run a national campaign in more than 10 years — and a deep dislike of Hillary’s opponent.
“Obama drove him nuts,” Band told the magazine.
However, looking back, Band thinks Clinton could have simply been dabbling in sabotage, consciously or unconsciously, so his wife wouldn’t win.
“In her White House, he would be back under a microscope but without the benefit of being the one in charge,” Band said.
A Clinton family spokesperson shot down the suggestion as “ridiculous,” in a statement to the mag.
“President Clinton did more than 300 events on [Hillary’s] behalf, and very much wanted her to win,” the spokesperson said.
The rep accused Band of being self-serving and abusing the relationship with Clinton for his own financial gain.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Kyle Schwarber finally there for Yankees’ taking after Cubs release

A one-time New York Yankees target is back on the market again .
Kyle Schwarber , part of the Chicago Cubs ’ World Series-winning team in 2016 , was non-tendered Wednesday .
Nevertheless , there is a chance the Cubs could bring back the 27-year-old left fielder , according to NBC Chicago .
The Yankees in 2019 engaged in talks with the Cubs for the power-hitting left-handed hitter , who has been on the team ’ s radar since 2016 .
Schwarber might not be a fit for the Yankees now as their left-field situation is crowded .
Clint Frazier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be part of the Yankees ’ outfield plan next season , but it remains to be seen if the team brings back 37-year-old veteran Brett Gardner on a short-term deal .
Mike Tauchman , 30 , still could be in the mix but likely would have to battle for playing time after a rough 2020 season .
Schwarber is best known for his improbable comeback from a left knee injury to help lead the Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years .
Schwarber tore both the ACL and the LCL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was given an eight-to-10-month recovery timetable , but he returned to the lineup in less than seven to play in the World Series in which he hit .412 ( 7-for-17 ) in five games .
Schwarber , who has belted 121 homers in his six-season career , would be a good fit for the short right-field porch in Yankee Stadium , but a future in The Bronx is far from certain .

A one-time New York Yankees target is back on the market again.
Kyle Schwarber, part of the Chicago Cubs’ World Series-winning team in 2016, was non-tendered Wednesday. Nevertheless, there is a chance the Cubs could bring back the 27-year-old left fielder, according to NBC Chicago.
The Yankees in 2019 engaged in talks with the Cubs for the power-hitting left-handed hitter, who has been on the team’s radar since 2016.
Schwarber might not be a fit for the Yankees now as their left-field situation is crowded. Clint Frazier, 26, is very likely to be part of the Yankees’ outfield plan next season, but it remains to be seen if the team brings back 37-year-old veteran Brett Gardner on a short-term deal.
Mike Tauchman, 30, still could be in the mix but likely would have to battle for playing time after a rough 2020 season.
Kyle Schwarber AP
Schwarber is best known for his improbable comeback from a left knee injury to help lead the Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years. Schwarber tore both the ACL and the LCL three games into the 2016 season and was given an eight-to-10-month recovery timetable, but he returned to the lineup in less than seven to play in the World Series, in which he hit .412 (7-for-17) in five games.
Schwarber, who has belted 121 homers in his six-season career, would be a good fit for the short right-field porch in Yankee Stadium, but a future in The Bronx is far from certain.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Whitney Houston wanted to make a ‘Waiting to Exhale’ sequel

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Loretta Devine — who starred in “ Waiting to Exhale ” with Whitney Houston — recalled that the ill-fated singer was excited to star in a potential sequel to the 1995 hit .
“ I remember the last time I spoke to Whitney , she said she [ was ] trying to get herself together because we [ were ] getting ready to do a ‘ Waiting to Exhale Part 2 , ' ” Devine exclusively told Page Six .
“ I talked to her on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I really want to do this movie , and I ’ m gon na get it together.
’ ” But , Devine said , “ Then all the things that happened to her did , and we lost her… she was gone .
So it was such a loss , and I feel it every time I hear her voice .
It just devastates me.
” Angela Bassett and Lela Rochon also starred in the original film based on the 1992 Terry McMillan novel .
McMillan published a sequel , “ Getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Devine has hinted that the follow-up could still happen , even after Houston ’ s death . )
Houston was found dead in a hotel bathtub in 2012 .
Devine currently stars in the thriller “ Always and Forever , ” which will stream on UMC .

Loretta Devine — who starred in “Waiting to Exhale” with Whitney Houston — recalled that the ill-fated singer was excited to star in a potential sequel to the 1995 hit.
“I remember the last time I spoke to Whitney, she said she [was] trying to get herself together because we [were] getting ready to do a ‘Waiting to Exhale Part 2,'” Devine exclusively told Page Six. “I talked to her on the phone and she said, ‘Loretta, I really want to do this movie, and I’m gonna get it together.’”
But, Devine said, “Then all the things that happened to her did, and we lost her… she was gone. So it was such a loss, and I feel it every time I hear her voice. It just devastates me.”
Angela Bassett and Lela Rochon also starred in the original film based on the 1992 Terry McMillan novel. McMillan published a sequel, “Getting to Happy” in 2010. (Devine has hinted that the follow-up could still happen, even after Houston’s death.)
Houston was found dead in a hotel bathtub in 2012.
Devine currently stars in the thriller “Always and Forever,” which will stream on UMC.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--San Francisco bans tobacco smoking inside apartments, approves weed

This is how they roll in San Francisco .
Smokers in the Golden Gate City have been banned from smoking @ @ @ @ @ but smoking a marijuana joint inside is perfectly fine , officials announced Tuesday .
The @ @ @ @ @ new law in 10 to 1 vote , making San Francisco the largest city in @ @ @ @ @ tough measure against tobacco smokers , the San Francisco Chronicle reported .
Lawmakers originally proposed @ @ @ @ @ buildings , but they reversed their position after cannabis activists protested that it was the @ @ @ @ @ smoke .
Tobacco smokers argued the new law violated their rights especially while living in @ @ @ @ @ officials greenlighted the bill citing secondhand smoking concerns .
“ Secondhand smoke causes harm & @ @ @ @ @ to breathe where they live , ” tweeted San Francisco Board of Supervisors president Norman @ @ @ @ @ killed more than 480,000 people in the US every year , including over 41,000 deaths @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

This is how they roll in San Francisco.
Smokers in the Golden Gate City have been banned from smoking tobacco in their apartments, but smoking a marijuana joint inside is perfectly fine, officials announced Tuesday.
The Board of Supervisors approved the new law in a 10 to 1 vote, making San Francisco the largest city in the country to adopt the tough measure against tobacco smokers, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Lawmakers originally proposed to ban marijuana smoking in buildings, but they reversed their position after cannabis activists protested that it was the only legal place they could smoke.
Tobacco smokers argued the new law violated their rights especially while living in their homes. However, officials greenlighted the bill citing secondhand smoking concerns.
“Secondhand smoke causes harm & everyone should have clean air to breathe where they live,” tweeted San Francisco Board of Supervisors president Norman Yee.
Cigarette smoking has killed more than 480,000 people in the US every year, including over 41,000 deaths caused by secondhand smoke exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Yankees keeping Gary Sanchez in bold MLB free agency decision

With this tender drama resolved , with Gary Sanchez more likely ...

With this tender drama resolved, with Gary Sanchez more likely than not to be the 2021 Yankees’ Opening Day catcher (whenever Opening Day winds up being), let’s plan ahead for outcomes and the associated analyses:
If this works? Credit Sanchez and the Yankees.
If it fails? Blame only the Yankees.
The Yankees tendered Sanchez a contract on his 28th birthday Wednesday (hours after saluting that life milestone on the team Twitter account), a commitment that would make Sanchez the club’s de facto starting receiver. While it’s true the Yankees can cut Sanchez in spring training and pay him a termination fee of considerably less than half of his 2021 salary (a figure to be determined, but probably not much more than last season’s $5 million), the nature of the catching position, not to mention the Yankees’ desire to cut payroll, will prevent the team from stockpiling there.
While I disagree with this decision, I understand it. Sanchez’s natural tools could be seen even through the fog of awfulness that constituted his 2020 season. The high ceiling remains, although it often feels like you’d need a Paul Bunyan-size stepladder to reach it.
Man, oh man, though, if ever a player offered warnings to stay away, that he was trouble like a teenage ne’er-do-well, it’s Sanchez.
Gary Sanchez Getty Images
In Sanchez’s six years on the Yankees, the Yankees have employed two managers, two pitching coaches, three hitting coaches and three catching instructors. Naturally those changes didn’t all occur solely because of Sanchez (and the inclusion of 2015 Yankees hitting coach Jeff Pentland, who witnessed two Sanchez at-bats that season before getting let go for other reasons, is downright dishonest). Yet Sanchez’s erratic performances on both sides of the ball and the Yankees’ inability to fully harness his potential stands as a through line of this Baby Bombers era.
This seems like a good time to defend Sanchez’s character and work ethic, the former of which never was as bad as perceived, the latter of which has improved significantly, according to many people around him. It’s important that we separate the person from the player. Because the player, no question, is maddening. He is a human Whac-A-Mole game. In 2019, he improved at blocking pitches … and got worse at framing them. He wound up bad at both this year, in addition to his epic struggles hitting the ball.
A scout from another club watched a sizable sample of Sanchez this year and opined, on the condition of anonymity, “It’s a potential bounce-back.” If I knew what the Yankees must do to produce that bounce-back, I’d charge them a healthy fee for such insight, yet here’s what I do know: If they want this definitely high-risk, sort-of high-reward decision to pay off, they must somehow create a more consistent version of Sanchez. His streakiness can be exhausting — he has a career .486 OPS in the month of July — and his steady postseason struggles (he has a .608 OPS in October action) create constant turmoil, with the club ultimately turning to Kyle Higashioka for most of the 2020 Yankees’ brief playoff run.
Higashioka showed real promise, and the Yankees can attain their goals with the former Post diarist starting 100 games behind the plate, serving as a strong battery mate and popping a few homers. You want depth at every position, though, so you’d rather have two good options on your big-league roster rather than one asset and one regret.
If the Yankees solve Sanchez, that’ll be a big win for them, doubling down on someone whom they could have jettisoned at no cost, and for Sanchez, putting it all together. If Sanchez provides more anguish than delight, though, if Sanchez fools them twice, then that’s shame on the employers, not the employee.
Hey, kudos to the Yankees for being bold with Sanchez. Now they just have to be right.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Jesse Eisenberg preferred playing a mime to Mark Zuckerberg

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Jesse Eisenberg ’ s recent role as legendary mime Marcel Marceau in “ Resistance ” landed him the Voice of Humanity award at the annual J100 gala on Tuesday .
Eisenberg appeared in an interview with the film ’ s director and producer , Jonathan Jakubowicz , and said playing Marceau was more rewarding than his Lex Luthor or Mark Zuckerberg characters in past blockbusters .
“ Let ’ s see , one is hated by comic book fans .
One is hated by people with internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone on earth , so the one I would open any kind of conversation with is Marceau , ” he said .
Eisenberg added that portraying Marceau — who worked with the French Resistance to save Jewish children during World War II — had a profound impact on his own identity .
“ Every other job I ’ ve done has some kind of material response , and this was me purely helping out with no ego boost .
And it ’ s the most relaxing , enjoyable experience I ’ ve had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The event — which celebrates 100 people who have positively influenced Jewish life — also honored human rights activist and chess grandmaster Gary Kasparov .
Sir Ben and Lady Daniela Kingsley , Sharon Stone and Bernard-Henri Levy were surprise speakers .

Jesse Eisenberg’s recent role as legendary mime Marcel Marceau in “Resistance” landed him the Voice of Humanity award at The Algemeiner’s annual J100 gala on Tuesday.
Eisenberg appeared in an interview with the film’s director and producer, Jonathan Jakubowicz, and said playing Marceau was more rewarding than his Lex Luthor or Mark Zuckerberg characters in past blockbusters.
“Let’s see, one is hated by comic book fans. One is hated by people with internet accounts. And one is beloved by everyone on earth, so the one I would open any kind of conversation with is Marceau,” he said.
Eisenberg added that portraying Marceau — who worked with the French Resistance to save Jewish children during World War II — had a profound impact on his own identity.
“Every other job I’ve done has some kind of material response, and this was me purely helping out with no ego boost. And it’s the most relaxing, enjoyable experience I’ve had in my life,” he said.
The event — which celebrates 100 people who have positively influenced Jewish life — also honored human rights activist and chess grandmaster Gary Kasparov. Sir Ben and Lady Daniela Kingsley, Sharon Stone and Bernard-Henri Levy were surprise speakers.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Heavy-handed COVID-19 lockdown rules are an all-around disaster

The co-owner of a Staten Island bar arrested for running ...

“Public hypocrisy fuels public rage and undermines the rules.”
Across the nation, businesses are defying governors, such as California’s Gavin Newsom and New York’s Andrew Cuomo, and refusing to shut down. The owners of Mac’s Public House on Staten Island, for example, declared the place an “autonomous zone.” When sheriffs arrested them Tuesday night, crowds cheered the owners.
This pandemic isn’t the time to glorify civil disobedience. People need to wear masks and follow safety rules, and the sheriffs were doing their job. Even so, owners resisting lockdowns are giving voice to a powerful message that shouldn’t be lost. If government and public-health officials want to maintain public trust, they need to enforce rational rules consistently and obey the rules themselves.
The Staten Island “autonomous zone” was a playful reminder of the kind of protest activity blue-state governors and mayors too often tolerated and encouraged through the summer and into the fall — even as they cracked down on anti-lockdown protests, religious services and assorted activities often thought of as “conservative.”
Most recently, the likes of Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot partied it up with liberals in their cities celebrating Joe Biden’s apparent victory in the November election. Then there was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to her hairstylist in San Francisco, Gavin Newsom’s fine dining with lobbyists in close quarters and Austin Mayor Steve Adler’s Cabo vacation — even as he urged people to stay home.
Public hypocrisy fuels public rage and undermines the rules.
There also has to be some scientific basis for the rules, something sorely lacking in the case of restrictions on restaurants.
Since last March, governors have shuttered restaurants, gyms and other businesses, destroying what owners have built and putting employees out of work. As Mike Coughlin, owner of the Village Tavern and Grill in Illinois insisted when he defied Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s suspension of indoor dining, “I’m not going to be the guy with the boarded-up building because I follow somebody else’s science.”
He had a point: Some of the science is flimsy.
Scientists disagree on whether restaurants are dangerous. Stanford researchers identified them as superspreaders based on mobile-phone data from last March to May. But Johns Hopkins’ Amesh Adalja suggests most restaurants have installed more safety measures now. “If you went to a restaurant in early March, it’s a very different experience from going to a restaurant” now.
Amazingly, most cities spending millions on contact tracing are failing to use the data to identify restaurants causing superspreading to notify the public. That’s more scientific than shutting them all down, but in most places, officials don’t care about destroying businesses. They’re getting a paycheck no matter what.
Forcing businesses to close arbitrarily violates the Constitution’s Fifth Amendment, which bars government from “taking” your property without just compensation. Yet Sunday, New Jersey’s Gov. Phil Murphy announced that a shutdown “has to stay on the table.” Murphy should have to explain why, when thousands of health experts recently signed a declaration to alert the public that lockdowns don’t work — though, they do put people out of work.
Five of the six states with the lowest unemployment rates, according to the Associated Press, have the fewest COVID restrictions. That’s a compelling argument for getting state legislators involved in pandemic decision-making, instead of allowing governors to continue to wield emergency powers by decree.
Legislators, after all, have to answer to the local constituents they force out of business. They will have to balance competing priorities, including controlling the pandemic and local business survival, not to mention other concerns associated with prolonged lockdowns.
In March, the New York state Legislature gave Cuomo vast emergency powers. It was appropriate then, but not any longer. Unfortunately, the Democratic majority is MIA, content to collect their paychecks and defer to Cuomo.
In Michigan and Wisconsin, state lawmakers sued to force their governors to work with the legislature. Wisconsin’s chief justice warned that “in the case of a pandemic, which lasts month after month, the governor cannot rely on emergency powers indefinitely.”
Listen up, Cuomo. Listen up, too, Albany Democrats.
Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Feds sue NY town for alleged anti-Semitic zoning laws

A New York town ’ s building laws are engineered to discriminate against Jews , federal prosecutors are alleging — in the third lawsuit against upstate Airmont in as many decades .
The Manhattan US attorney ’ s office has sued the town of Airmont for anti-Semitism for the third time in as many decades — arguing the town ’ s zoning laws are engineered to stop Orthodox Jewish residents from conducting religious services in their homes or establishing private schools .
That ’ s after two prior court judgments shutting down similar bigoted measures , a Manhattan federal lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orthodox community allegedly began in 2017 with an administration elected on an openly anti-Hasidic platform , according to federal prosecutors .
That same year , Airmont instituted a nearly two-year pause on new developments to prevent the Jewish community from developing property , the suit says .
The following year , the village amended its zoning code to ban religious groups from worshiping in private residences — a measure clearly intended to target Orthodox Jews , the federal complaint alleges .
Airmont also unlawfully implemented new zoning rules that blocked residents from having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community , Airmont ’ s leaders launched a new land use application process to make it difficult and costly for Orthodox Jewish residents to make minor alterations to their homes , the filing states .
Wednesday ’ s suit marks the third time that federal authorities have intervened in the town ’ s affairs to stop discrimination against the Hasidic community , Acting US .
Attorney Audrey Strauss said .
“ As a jury found over two decades ago , the Village of Airmont was born out of a spirit of animus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
“ Sadly , rather than working to overcome that shameful legacy , Airmont has flagrantly ignored the terms of a court judgment and implemented land use practices that by design and operation are again meant to infringe unlawfully on the rights of a minority religious community.
” The prior lawsuits resulted in judgments against the village for the illegal practices , first in 1996 , after a jury trial , and again in 2011 , authorities said .
The village did not immediately return a request for comment @

The Manhattan US attorney’s office has sued the town of Airmont for anti-Semitism for the third time in as many decades — arguing the town’s zoning laws are engineered to stop Orthodox Jewish residents from conducting religious services in their homes or establishing private schools.
That’s after two prior court judgments shutting down similar bigoted measures, a Manhattan federal lawsuit alleges.
The renewed efforts against the Orthodox community allegedly began in 2017 with an administration elected on an openly anti-Hasidic platform, according to federal prosecutors.
That same year, Airmont instituted a nearly two-year pause on new developments to prevent the Jewish community from developing property, the suit says.
The following year, the village amended its zoning code to ban religious groups from worshiping in private residences — a measure clearly intended to target Orthodox Jews, the federal complaint alleges. Airmont also unlawfully implemented new zoning rules that blocked residents from having home ritual baths.
To further thwart the community, Airmont’s leaders launched a new land use application process to make it difficult and costly for Orthodox Jewish residents to make minor alterations to their homes, the filing states.
Wednesday’s suit marks the third time that federal authorities have intervened in the town’s affairs to stop discrimination against the Hasidic community, Acting US. Attorney Audrey Strauss said.
“As a jury found over two decades ago, the Village of Airmont was born out of a spirit of animus against a religious minority,” Strauss said in a statement.
“Sadly, rather than working to overcome that shameful legacy, Airmont has flagrantly ignored the terms of a court judgment and implemented land use practices that by design and operation are again meant to infringe unlawfully on the rights of a minority religious community.”
The prior lawsuits resulted in judgments against the village for the illegal practices, first in 1996, after a jury trial, and again in 2011, authorities said.
The village did not immediately return a request for comment.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Rockets trade Russell Westbrook for John Wall in shocking NBA blockbuster

Someone had to do it .
After the Knicks were linked to All Star guard Russell Westbrook as a possible trade target , the Wizards pulled the trigger Wednesday night , sending oft-injured star John Wall and a first-round pick to the Houston Rockets , according ESPN .
The Athletic reports that there are protections on the pick through the 2026 Draft .
After the Bucks sent three first round picks ( and George Hill ) to the Pelicans for Jrue Holiday , seemingly raising the price for another elite guard in the 32-year-old Westbrook , the Knicks seemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in favor of a more gradual rebuild , as previously reported by The Post ’ s Marc Berman .
Westbrook averaged 27.2 points per game last season , and has two years ( plus an option for 2022-23 ) left of an absurd five year , $ 206 million contract .
If Washington were to pick up his option for that season , Westbrook would be owed over $ 47 million , per Spotrac .
The 30-year-old Wall missed the entirety of last season due to injury , and combined for just 73 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prior .
Wall is currently in the second of a four-year , $ 171 million contract , with an option for the last season that would cost the Rockets over $ 47 million too .
Despite Westbrook ’ s departure from Houston and James Harden ’ s apparent desire to join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn , the Rockets are not intent on blowing it up .
A team source told ESPN the team expects to be competitive this season and doesn ’ t envision a scenario where Harden is traded @ @ @ @

Someone had to do it.
After the Knicks were linked to All-Star guard Russell Westbrook as a possible trade target, the Wizards pulled the trigger Wednesday night, sending oft-injured star John Wall and a first-round pick to the Houston Rockets for the veteran guard, according ESPN. The Athletic reports that there are protections on the pick through the 2026 Draft.
After the Bucks sent three first-round picks (and George Hill) to the Pelicans for Jrue Holiday, seemingly raising the price for another elite guard in the 32-year-old Westbrook, the Knicks seemed to balk at a blockbuster of their own in favor of a more gradual rebuild, as previously reported by The Post’s Marc Berman.
Westbrook averaged 27.2 points per game last season, and has two years (plus an option for 2022-23) left of an absurd five-year, $206 million contract. If Washington were to pick up his option for that season, Westbrook would be owed over $47 million, per Spotrac.
Russell Westbrook; John Wall Getty Images (2)
“Having the opportunity to acquire a player of Russell’s caliber and character was something that we could not pass up when looking at both the immediate and long-term future of our team,” Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard said in a release. “With that said, the decision to part ways with John, one of the greatest players in franchise history, was extremely difficult. What he has meant to our organization and our community is immeasurable and will not be forgotten.”
The 30-year-old Wall missed the entirety of last season due to injury, and combined for just 73 regular season games in the two years prior. Wall is currently in the second year of a four-year, $171 million contract, with an option for the last season that would cost the Rockets over $47 million too.
Despite Westbrook’s departure from Houston and James Harden’s apparent desire to join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, the Rockets are not intent on blowing it up.
A team source told ESPN the team expects to be competitive this season and doesn’t envision a scenario where Harden is traded before the opener.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--102-year-old with ‘iron will to live’ survives COVID — twice

A 101-year-old upstate New York woman with “ superhuman DNA ” not ...

A 102-year-old New York woman who lived through the 1918 Spanish Flu and overcame cancer survived not only one — but two bouts with the coronavirus.
Angelina Friedman — a Westchester County nursing home resident with “an iron will to live” — battled COVID-19 back in March, as well as in October, her daughter told WPIX-TV.
“She’s not the oldest to survive COVID, but she may be the oldest to survive it twice,” Joanne Merola told the outlet.
The centenarian was born Angelina Sciales on Oct. 18, 1918, on a ship taking immigrants from Italy to the Big Apple in the midst of the influenza, Merola said.
Friedman’s mother died in childbirth on the ship, and she was raised with the help of her two sisters.
Her father later joined Friedman and her 10 siblings in America and the family settled in Brooklyn.
“She was one of 11 children,” Merola said. “She’s the last one surviving.”
She later married a man named Harold Friedman, and the couple both battled cancer later in life — though Angelina was the only one who survived the disease.
She’s now a resident of North Westchester Restorative Therapy and Nursing Center in Mohegan Lake, and has lost most of her hearing and vision, though not her energy, Merola said.
Friedman first tested positive for COVID-19 in March, when she was still 101-years-old.
She spent a week in the hospital before being sent back to her room at the nursing home, where she quarantined.
After running a fever on and off for several weeks, Friedman tested negative for the virus on April 20, and her daughter told PIX11 at the time that “My mother is a survivor.”
“She survived miscarriages, internal bleeding and cancer.”
Six months later, Merola heard her mom had been diagnosed with COVID-19 again and was experiencing symptoms such as fever and a dry cough.
Friedman went back into isolation until Nov. 17, when she tested negative, her daughter said.
“Not only has she beaten COVID at 101, she’s beaten it at 102,” Merola said.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Ohio adds Ohio to its COVID-19 travel advisory map

Ohio health officials are cautioning state residents to avoid traveling to … Ohio .
The Buckeye State has just added itself to the state ’ s COVID-19 travel restriction map amid a resurgence of the global pandemic , WEWS-TV reported Wednesday .
That means Ohio is among 14 states the health department says should be avoided by Ohioans — and any Ohioan traveling from their own state must quarantine themselves for two weeks after they get back home to , well , Ohio .
But the reason for the glitch is no joke .
“ The state has seen record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past week , and all Ohioans can help to limit the spread and impact of this virus , ” the Ohio Health Department said in a statement .
“ This includes recommendations to stay at home except for necessary trips for supplies , consistent mask-wearing when around others , and frequent handwashing.
” The state added itself to the map after its seven-day positivity rate rose above 15 percent for the first time since the first week in April .
Ohio has reported nearly 440,000 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths , the health department said .

Ohio health officials are cautioning state residents to avoid traveling to … Ohio.
The Buckeye State has just added itself to the state’s COVID-19 travel restriction map amid a resurgence of the global pandemic, WEWS-TV reported Wednesday.
That means Ohio is among 14 states the health department says should be avoided by Ohioans — and any Ohioan traveling from their own state must quarantine themselves for two weeks after they get back home to, well, Ohio.
But the reason for the glitch is no joke.
“The state has seen record levels of cases, deaths and hospitalizations in the past week, and all Ohioans can help to limit the spread and impact of this virus,” the Ohio Health Department said in a statement.
“This includes recommendations to stay at home except for necessary trips for supplies, consistent mask-wearing when around others, and frequent handwashing.”
The state added itself to the map after its seven-day positivity rate rose above 15 percent for the first time since the first week in April.
Ohio has reported nearly 440,000 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak of the pandemic, with more than 6,600 deaths, the health department said.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Steve Cohen’s daughter Sophia splits from fiancé

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 ) Sophia Cohen — the 26-year-old daughter of billionaire hedge funder and Mets owner Steve Cohen — is no longer engaged to her financier boyfriend Jason Levine , Page Six has confirmed .
“ Sophie ’ s engagement to Jason Levine ended in April .
She is happy and wishes him well , ” a rep for the Cohen family told us when reached for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pair ’ s engagement in August 2019 .
A source told us at the time that the pair “ took the quintessential romantic long walk on the beach and ended up engaged.
” They then toasted the news at a party hosted by Hollywood scions Sara and Erin Foster at a Saks-sponsored barbecue at Hero Beach Club in the Hamptons , and Sophia was spotted showing off a “ massive oval diamond ring.
” That ring appears to be back in Levine ’ s possession .
In May , Artnet News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tidbit that Levine had taken back his engagement ring , plus “ a case of valuable red wine ” following the split .
Sophia works at top art gallery Gagosian .
Levine works for the private equity firm L Catterton .
He could not be reached for comment .
It likely would have been a wedding for the ages : Cohen ’ s dad , Steve , has an estimated net worth of $ 14.1 billion .
He recently took over majority ownership of the Mets , and earlier this year bankrolled an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Partners , that poached a coterie of agents from entertainment ’ s top agencies , WME , CAA and UTA .
Meantime , Cohen ’ s art collection is worth an estimated $ 1 billion and includes a $ 14.3 million Alberto Giacometti sculpture , “ Man Pointing , ” plus the artist ’ s “ Chariot , ” for which he paid more than $ 100 million for at a Sotheby ’ s auction .
The Post reported this week that Mets players are eager to have the billionaire on board .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were excited about Cohen being a longtime Met fan .
”

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Sophia Cohen — the 26-year-old daughter of billionaire hedge funder and Mets owner Steve Cohen — is no longer engaged to her financier boyfriend Jason Levine, Page Six has confirmed.
“Sophie’s engagement to Jason Levine ended in April. She is happy and wishes him well,” a rep for the Cohen family told us when reached for comment.
Page Six first broke the news of the pair’s engagement in August 2019.
A source told us at the time that the pair “took the quintessential romantic long walk on the beach and ended up engaged.”
They then toasted the news at a party hosted by Hollywood scions Sara and Erin Foster at a Saks-sponsored barbecue at Hero Beach Club in the Hamptons, and Sophia was spotted showing off a “massive oval diamond ring.”
That ring appears to be back in Levine’s possession. In May, Artnet News gossip column Wet Paint had dropped a tidbit that Levine had taken back his engagement ring plus “a case of valuable red wine” following the split.
Sophia works at top art gallery Gagosian. Levine works for the private equity firm L Catterton. He could not be reached for comment.
It likely would have been a wedding for the ages: Cohen’s dad, Steve, has an estimated net worth of $14.1 billion.
He recently took over majority ownership of the Mets, and earlier this year bankrolled an upstart Hollywood management firm, Range Media Partners, that poached a coterie of agents from entertainment’s top agencies, WME, CAA and UTA.
Meantime, Cohen’s art collection is worth an estimated $1 billion and includes a $14.3 million Alberto Giacometti sculpture, “Man Pointing,” plus the artist’s “Chariot,” for which he paid more than $100 million at a Sotheby’s auction.
The Post reported this week that Mets players are eager to have the billionaire on board. Reliever Dellin Betances said: “Players were excited about Cohen being a longtime Met fan.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Biden admin looks like one more try at liberal technocratic government

Are you ready for the Great Reset ?
It ’ s the Great Leap Forward of 21st-century technocracy .
It ’ s time , we are told by the likes of Davos guru Klaus Schwab , to reboot our passé , 18th-century ideas about rights , democracy and constitutions — and surrender to the smooth rule of the experts and the climate cultists , not forgetting , of course , their financial advisers .
The reality , however , is less Great Reset than Great Preset .
What elites who talk this way really want is to turn the clock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s ascent , before Brexit , before populists swept to power across the West on a wave of discontent with the liberal-technocratic order .
Look at who Joe Biden , the great hope of resetters , wants to drive the economic recovery .
Janet Yellen , who was President Barack Obama ’ s choice at the Federal Reserve , for Treasury .
Neera Tanden , the corporatist Clinton sidekick , for the Office of Management and Budget .
Adewale Adeyemo , president of the Obama Foundation , as Yellen ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over again in defense and diplomacy too .
Antony Blinken , Obama ’ s deputy national-security adviser , is Biden ’ s nominee for secretary of state .
Michèle Flournoy , who managed Obama ’ s failed counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan and advocated for the disastrous demolition of Libya , is Biden ’ s likely nominee for defense secretary .
Failure falls upward as well as backward .
The Great Reset is a fantasy that our operating systems can be reset to the Obama 2.0 program from 2016 , if not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2008 .
But even Joe Biden must know that when you reset a device , you return it to its original settings .
In this case , the original settings are those of technocratic liberalism .
Technocratic liberalism was the default American system since the New Deal and the default system of Western Europe during the Cold War .
It remains the established and preferred system in the Western bureaucracies .
Democrats revere it , and it is the substitute religion of the European Union .
It unites moderates , centrists and freeloaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the voters .
The vulgar fly in this elitist ointment is that the voters don ’ t like it .
The British rejected it in the Brexit referendum of 2016 .
American voters rejected it that year when they elected Donald Trump .
And the blue ripple of the 2020 elections , with its heavy red undertow in the House , shows that the voters still don ’ t trust it .
Biden wants to take us back to the future , to before the financial crash and Obama ’ s feeble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off Wall Street scot-free , left the poorest to drown with their underwater mortgages and lumbered small businesses with ObamaCare .
Before , above all , the election of Trump as the unacceptable face of “ hope and change.
” The failed personnel of the Obama years are crawling out of their hiding places in the Swamp .
The failed ideas of the Obama years are being reheated by the Blob and hyped by the same propagandist media who sold us Russia “ collusion.
” Even John Kerry is back , as our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man shouting at the clouds .
But there can be no going back .
And who wants to go back there anyway ?
We already know how this Great Preset will go .
A low-growth , high-regulation economy couldn ’ t deliver the recovery that Americans needed after 2008 .
It ’ s going to fail worse after the COVID-19 crash .
A foreign policy of dumb regime-change wars failed last time around .
With China and Iran on the rise and Biden boasting that we ’ re “ back in the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bumbling are back .
Followed , inevitably , by the body bags containing young Americans who fatally forgot to attend Ivy League colleges .
We also already know how this Great Preset will end .
Most Americans have no intention of allowing the lunatics to take over the asylum .
They refuse to outsource their morals to the UN .
They see “ amnesty ” for illegal immigrants as a vote-buying scam .
They resent the cranks and commissars of the Democrats ’ loony left : the speech police , the BLM hustlers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stalinists .
The result of the Great Preset won ’ t be the Obama 3.0 that Biden , Harris and , by the looks of it , Obama himself have in mind .
In 2010 , the voters responded to Obama ’ s first two years by flipping the House to the Republicans .
They will do the same in 2022 .
Dominic Green is deputy editor of The Spectator ’ s US edition .

Technocracy, climate cultism & dumb wars
Are you ready for the Great Reset? It’s the Great Leap Forward of 21st-century technocracy. It’s time, we are told by the likes of Davos guru Klaus Schwab, to reboot our passé, 18th-century ideas about rights, democracy and constitutions — and surrender to the smooth rule of the experts and the climate cultists, not forgetting, of course, their financial advisers.
The reality, however, is less Great Reset than Great Preset. What elites who talk this way really want is to turn the clock back to circa 2014, before Donald Trump’s ascent, before Brexit, before populists swept to power across the West on a wave of discontent with the liberal-technocratic order.
Look at who Joe Biden, the great hope of resetters, wants to drive the economic recovery. Janet Yellen, who was President Barack Obama’s choice at the Federal Reserve, for Treasury. Neera Tanden, the corporatist Clinton sidekick, for the Office of Management and Budget. Adewale Adeyemo, president of the Obama Foundation, as Yellen’s deputy.
It’s Obama Time all over again in defense and diplomacy too. Antony Blinken, Obama’s deputy national-security adviser, is Biden’s nominee for secretary of state. Michèle Flournoy, who managed Obama’s failed counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan and advocated for the disastrous demolition of Libya, is Biden’s likely nominee for defense secretary.
Failure falls upward as well as backward. The Great Reset is a fantasy that our operating systems can be reset to the Obama 2.0 program from 2016, if not the original, notoriously flawed Obama 1.0 from 2008.
But even Joe Biden must know that when you reset a device, you return it to its original settings. In this case, the original settings are those of technocratic liberalism.
Technocratic liberalism was the default American system since the New Deal and the default system of Western Europe during the Cold War. It remains the established and preferred system in the Western bureaucracies. Democrats revere it, and it is the substitute religion of the European Union. It unites moderates, centrists and freeloaders of all parties in a shared suspicion of the voters.
The vulgar fly in this elitist ointment is that the voters don’t like it. The British rejected it in the Brexit referendum of 2016. American voters rejected it that year when they elected Donald Trump. And the blue ripple of the 2020 elections, with its heavy red undertow in the House, shows that the voters still don’t trust it.
Biden wants to take us back to the future, to before the financial crash and Obama’s feeble recovery. Before the Obama administration let off Wall Street scot-free, left the poorest to drown with their underwater mortgages and lumbered small businesses with ObamaCare. Before, above all, the election of Trump as the unacceptable face of “hope and change.”
The failed personnel of the Obama years are crawling out of their hiding places in the Swamp. The failed ideas of the Obama years are being reheated by the Blob and hyped by the same propagandist media who sold us Russia “collusion.” Even John Kerry is back, as our ambassador to the climate: an old man shouting at the clouds.
But there can be no going back. And who wants to go back there anyway?
We already know how this Great Preset will go. A low-growth, high-regulation economy couldn’t deliver the recovery that Americans needed after 2008. It’s going to fail worse after the COVID-19 crash. A foreign policy of dumb regime-change wars failed last time around. With China and Iran on the rise and Biden boasting that we’re “back in the game,” the belligerence, bombing and bumbling are back. Followed, inevitably, by the body bags containing young Americans who fatally forgot to attend Ivy League colleges.
We also already know how this Great Preset will end. Most Americans have no intention of allowing the lunatics to take over the asylum. They refuse to outsource their morals to the UN. They see “amnesty” for illegal immigrants as a vote-buying scam. They resent the cranks and commissars of the Democrats’ loony left: the speech police, the BLM hustlers, the gender-reassignment cranks, the fluffy-lipped Stalinists.
The result of the Great Preset won’t be the Obama 3.0 that Biden, Harris and, by the looks of it, Obama himself have in mind. In 2010, the voters responded to Obama’s first two years by flipping the House to the Republicans. They will do the same in 2022.
Dominic Green is deputy editor of The Spectator’s US edition.
Twitter: @DrDominicGreen


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Joe Biden still doesn’t realize what the voters that Democrats have lost actually want

President-elect Biden plans to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal on ...

Joe Biden wants rural Americans to know he intends to treat them with “dignity.” And he delivered his message in the one forum that resonates most deeply with such people — Thomas Friedman’s column in The New York Times, of course.
It was an exciting change of pace for Friedman’s readers, who have come to expect turgid transcriptions of his tiresome discussions with Mideast taxi drivers or slavish stenography of Mideast satraps proffering “peace plans.”
“I think they just feel forgotten,” the president-elect said of the people who didn’t vote for him. And to make them feel remembered, he’s going to build “on ObamaCare, assuming it survives at all, with a public option [and] automatically enroll people eligible for Medicaid.”
So what Biden is saying is he is going to provide them with benefits they need and thereby respect their “dignity.” Another way of looking at it is that he is going to shower them and the rest of America with benefits it’s far from clear they want and support.
Only a decade ago, the threat of ObamaCare and the “public option” — code for introducing a top-down, government-run health system — was the accelerant in the Obama-Biden party’s calamitous 2010 midterm election loss that brought the activist phase of that presidency to an end.
We are told that a lot has changed, that the public likes ObamaCare now. Does it, though?
The astonishing unreliability of polling over the past decade — its manifest inability to measure the opinions of exactly those Americans Biden believes he can reach by expanding government in this fashion — may be providing the president-elect with a false understanding of the interests of the very people he acknowledges his party has failed to reach.
Without question, Dems have moved left on every question over that time, including health care. From their vantage point, ObamaCare remains an admirable first step, if a bit quaint, on the road to a single-payer system.
Biden says he is opposed to single-payer but largely as a matter of cost, it would seem: If his objections to single-payer were philosophical, then he would oppose a “public option,” as well.
For those who opposed it, ObamaCare represented the greatest government intrusion in our time into the private economy — and something that was going to reduce an already messy health system into a horrible kludge.
Moreover, it was laden with liberal social engineering of a new sort — the sort that allowed Washington bureaucrats to order nuns to contravene the teachings of their own faith and mandate that they provide contraception to secular employees as part of their health-care plans.
This was big government vs. smaller government. And liberal culture war against religion.
Biden thinks they feel he’s “forgotten” them. But people who believe in limited government and conservative social values don’t think they were being forgotten. Quite the opposite. Their worldview was being openly challenged.
Here’s what many millions of them know: They know that Biden’s party doesn’t like them, that Dems believe the working classes “cling to guns or religion” (Obama) or are “deplorables” (Hillary Clinton). Spending $20 billion on broadband so rural hospitals can do better telemedicine isn’t going to fix that.
Nor will Biden’s classic list of top-down economic solutions — in Friedman’s words, Biden cited “energy, biotech, advanced materials and artificial intelligence as areas ripe for large-scale government investment in research.”
What may make a real difference is if the Biden administration displays real competence and assurance in handling the coronavirus vaccinations in such a way that the crisis is ameliorated and then ended — at which point Team Biden may benefit from a surge in positive emotions and the release of animal spirits that lead to a post-COVID economic boom and a 21st-century “era of good feelings.”
If Biden wants to do right by rural Americans, he can only do so by resisting the temptation to try to force them to move left.
jpodhoretz@gmail.com


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Mets reach one-year, $5.2 million deal with Steven Matz

For just a moment , forget the Steven Matz who , over ...

Steven Matz will get his chance to revive his career in Queens.
The Mets and the 29-year-old left-hander agreed to a $5.2 million contract on Wednesday, as Matz avoided arbitration following a nightmarish 2020 season.
Matz made six starts and three relief appearances, finishing 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA in the COVID-shortened season and leaving some to wonder whether the Mets would bring him back at all, given that he was likely due a small raise from the $5 million he would have made in a full year last season.
Matz lost his spot in the starting rotation and went on the injured list with left shoulder discomfort. But in spite of Matz’s struggles, he has had stretches when he’s been very good, and with new owner Steve Cohen’s deep pockets, the Mets can now afford to keep a popular reclamation project around.
The Cohen-led Mets made their first significant free-agent splash this week by signing Trevor May to a two-year, $15.5 million contract in a deal the team announced Wednesday. The right-hander will provide a boost to a bullpen, and the signing could indicate an aggressive outlook on free agency.
Steven Matz N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg
While Robert Gsellman — once considered a potential fixture in the rotation — was also tendered a contract and could compete for a relief role, the bullpen lost a left-hander when Chasen Shreve was non-tendered.
The 30-year-old Shreve was mostly effective for the Mets, especially against lefties.
The Mets also tendered a contract to Jacob Barnes, whom they claimed off waivers from the Angels in October, as well as outfielder Guillermo Heredia, who appeared in seven games after being selected off waivers from the Pirates in August.
Right-handers Paul Sewald and Nick Tropeano were not tendered deals.
Where Matz will fit in the Mets’ plans remains to be seen and likely will be determined by how the rest of the offseason goes.
The Mets have Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman at the top of the rotation, with Noah Syndergaard recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Then there’s the inexperienced David Peterson, the recently signed Sam McWilliams and not much else.
Trevor Bauer, the NL Cy Young Award winner, is the top free-agent pitcher available, but Masahiro Tanaka and Jake Odorizzi are also on the market and could provide starting depth.
As for Matz, the Mets hope he can rediscover the stuff he had earlier in his career, when the Long Island native made a brilliant six-start debut late in the 2015 season followed by a solid year in 2016, when he finished with a 3.40 ERA in 132 ¹/₃ innings.
In 2020, he had a career-worst WHIP of 1.696 and his home-run ratio soared to 4.1 per nine innings. If Matz can regain the form he showed even in 2019, when he had a 4.21 ERA in 160 ¹/₃ innings, he’d likely be of value.
The Mets had bigger plans for the former second-round pick out of Ward Melville on Long Island, and perhaps a full season will help.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Rashida Tlaib’s all-too-telling anti-Israel tweet

Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib insists she ’ s not an anti-Semite but keeps proving otherwise .
The latest was her since-deleted retweet , in recognition of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Nov. 29 , of an illustration captioned “ From the river to the sea , Palestine will be free.
” That phrase is an old Palestine Liberation Organization slogan calling for Israel ’ s elimination : “ The river to the sea ” covers the entire country .
( Hamas has adopted it , too . )
Tlaib publicly defended Marc Lamont Hill after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a UN address — so she can ’ t even claim ignorance of what it means .
And she has a long record of this stuff .
Last year , Tlaib and fellow Squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar both shared a cartoon by an artist infamous for mocking Holocaust victims .
They also support the anti-Israel Boycott , Divestment and Sanctions movement .
Sadly , most Democratic politicians will continue to cover for these haters , since the party ’ s base has turned decisively against Israel .
House Democrats didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blatantly anti-Semitic remarks by Omar last year .
The real question is what it will take for Democratic voters to start rejecting this hate .

Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib insists she’s not an anti-Semite but keeps proving otherwise.
The latest was her since-deleted retweet, in recognition of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Nov. 29, of an illustration captioned “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
That phrase is an old Palestine Liberation Organization slogan calling for Israel’s elimination: “The river to the sea” covers the entire country. (Hamas has adopted it, too.)
Tlaib publicly defended Marc Lamont Hill after CNN fired him for referencing the slogan in a UN address — so she can’t even claim ignorance of what it means.
And she has a long record of this stuff. Last year, Tlaib and fellow Squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar both shared a cartoon by an artist infamous for mocking Holocaust victims. They also support the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
Sadly, most Democratic politicians will continue to cover for these haters, since the party’s base has turned decisively against Israel. House Democrats didn’t even have the gumption to condemn blatantly anti-Semitic remarks by Omar last year. The real question is what it will take for Democratic voters to start rejecting this hate.


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Ray McGuire’s setting the right agenda for NYC’s 2021 mayoral race

Former Citigroup chief Ray McGuire officially entered the 2021 mayoral race Wednesday — offering independence and good sense that the main candidates sorely lack .
He ’ s running because , he says , “ every New Yorker deserves a chance to get back in the game , and all of New York deserves a mayor who can bring this city together and solve this crisis.
” He certainly has the leadership chops on that latter point , unlike others seeking the job ( not to mention the incumbent ) : He ran one of the largest and most complex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives him a private-sector perspective absent from most of his rivals ( unless you want to count Scott Stringer ’ s failed bar ) .
Indeed , McGuire ’ s connection to economic reality would be a huge plus for a city badly battered by the pandemic — and facing a major challenge to avoid the permanent loss of office jobs .
In McGuire ’ s announcement video , producer Spike Lee says New Yorkers are faced with “ the opportunity to rebuild ” and “ need a mayor who can bring us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a fighter for racial justice , saying : “ He lives that fight every single day.
” Raised by a single mother in Dayton , Ohio , McGuire won a full academic scholarship to the elite Hotchkiss School in Lakeville , Conn. , then moved on to Harvard , where he also earned postgraduate degrees in both law and business .
His campaign will be guided by Basil Smikle , a veteran political operative , cable TV pundit and one-time executive director of the Democratic State Committee .
McGuire ’ s background @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No .
1 executives — and perhaps the top black business leader in America — and centrist politics may be what are needed to counter a local political culture dominated by special interests and hacks .
At the very least , he ’ s right about what the city needs now : “ Politics as usual just won ’ t cut it .
”

Former Citigroup chief Ray McGuire officially entered the 2021 mayoral race Wednesday — offering independence and good sense that the main candidates sorely lack.
He’s running because, he says, “every New Yorker deserves a chance to get back in the game, and all of New York deserves a mayor who can bring this city together and solve this crisis.”
He certainly has the leadership chops on that latter point, unlike others seeking the job (not to mention the incumbent): He ran one of the largest and most complex companies in the world.
That also gives him a private-sector perspective absent from most of his rivals (unless you want to count Scott Stringer’s failed bar). Indeed, McGuire’s connection to economic reality would be a huge plus for a city badly battered by the pandemic — and facing a major challenge to avoid the permanent loss of office jobs.
In McGuire’s announcement video, producer Spike Lee says New Yorkers are faced with “the opportunity to rebuild” and “need a mayor who can bring us together.”
Lee also vouches for McGuire as a fighter for racial justice, saying: “He lives that fight every single day.”
Raised by a single mother in Dayton, Ohio, McGuire won a full academic scholarship to the elite Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., then moved on to Harvard, where he also earned postgraduate degrees in both law and business.
His campaign will be guided by Basil Smikle, a veteran political operative, cable TV pundit and one-time executive director of the Democratic State Committee.
McGuire’s background as one of the nation’s No. 1 executives — and perhaps the top black business leader in America — and centrist politics may be what are needed to counter a local political culture dominated by special interests and hacks. At the very least, he’s right about what the city needs now: “Politics as usual just won’t cut it.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-02--Florida police officer shot in downtown St. Petersburg

For the first time in its 119-year history , media giant ...

One St. Petersburg police officer was shot and a second was injured in a dramatic caught-on-video shooting outside a convenience store in the Florida city, according to police and reports.
Mobile phone footage of the incident shows police officers exchanging fire with an unseen suspect — while a man’s voice is heard repeatedly yelling, “that’s my brother, bro,” WFLA-TV reported.
The shots rang out at 4:17 p.m. on 18th South Avenue, with at least one other person — likely the suspect — also shot, the St. Petersburgh Police Department said on Facebook.
Police initially reported that two officers had been shot in the melee, but later clarified that two cops were injured and one was shot.
The officer who was shot was hit in the lower body, WTSP-TV said.
The officer and the other gunshot victim were both taken to local hospitals.
No further details are currently available.


newyorkpost--2020-12-03--11-year-old boy dies after shooting himself during Zoom class

Spotify ’ s year-end playlists are music to investors ’ ears .
The streaming ...

An 11-year-old boy died after he shot himself in his California home during a Zoom class this week, according to a new report.
The pre-teen was attending the virtual class with his microphone and camera turned off when he took his own life just after 11 a.m. Wednesday in Woodbridge, a community in Northern California’s Central Valley, KOVR reported.
His sister, who was attending her own virtual class in another room, found him and alerted her neighbor and teacher, who helped call authorities, according to the report.
Responding deputies found the boy, who attended Woodbridge Elementary School, with a head injury, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office.
The boy, identified by the Sacramento Bee as Adan Llanos, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died, according to authorities.
It was unclear how Adan obtained the gun.
“We are deeply saddened to share that a student from Woodbridge Elementary School passed away today as a result of a gunshot wound,” Cathy Nichols-Washer, superintendent of the Lodi Unified School District, said in a statement.
“Counseling and bereavement support services are available to students and staff during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with the family affected by this terrible tragedy. We also offer our condolences to the Woodbridge Elementary community.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-03--‘Twerking’ rant was good for business, Dallas True Kitchen owner says

Screaming obscenities at his customers didn ’ t hurt business one bit , claims the twerk-hating Texan who owns True Kitchen + Kocktails in Dallas .
Restaurateur Kevin Kelley went mega-viral Monday after he was caught on video expressing his outrage at female customers who dared bust a move in his dining establishment .
The # twerkgate clip declaring his actions “ restaurant suicide on camera ” now has more than 3.9 million views .
“ All this twerking s–t , don ’ t bring it here because we ’ re a restaurant , ” Kelley can be heard hollering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for standing on furniture and shaking their rumps to Megan Thee Stallion ’ s “ Body ” and Lil Ronny MothaF ’ s “ Circle ( Throw Dat A-s In A Circle ) .
” Both booty anthems were played by the venue ’ s in-house DJ — but Kelley was not amused when they incited rump-shaking : “ If you wan na do it , get the f–k out my restaurant .
Don ’ t do it again .
I don ’ t want to hear it if you don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t need your money.
” Kelley goes on to explain that he “ invested a lot of money into buying this building , into developing this concept so black people can have somewhere nice to go to , ” and condemns twerking as a negative representation of “ the culture.
” Although Yelp was flooded with fake one-star reviews after the video first made the rounds on social media , Kelley now claims True K+K will be operating on a lucrative “ reservations only ” basis for the foreseeable future .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had a chance to decide what they do and don ’ t want in their restaurants , ” he told TMZ .
“ The effect on our restaurant has been overwhelmingly positive .
We ’ ve received an outpouring of support that we did not anticipate online and in person.
” Kelley added , “ This lets us know the public believes in our vision for the restaurant and they will support a concept working to fill a void in our communities.
” Still , it ’ s not the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time it ’ s over the eatery ’ s uptight dress code .
In short , don ’ t try it with “ sagging pants ” or you might just end up starring in Kelley ’ s next viral video .

Screaming obscenities at his customers didn’t hurt business one bit, claims the twerk-hating Texan who owns True Kitchen + Kocktails in Dallas.
Restaurateur Kevin Kelley went mega-viral Monday after he was caught on video expressing his outrage at female customers who dared to bust a move in his dining establishment. The #twerkgate clip declaring his actions “restaurant suicide on camera” now has more than 3.9 million views.
However, after initially apologizing via Instagram for offending some customers, Kelley now says the initial backlash has his business booming.
“All this twerking s - - t, don’t bring it here because we’re a restaurant,” Kelley could be heard hollering in the viral clip, scolding female patrons for standing on furniture and shaking their rumps to Megan Thee Stallion’s “Body” and Lil Ronny MothaF’s “Circle (Throw Dat Ass in a Circle).”
Both booty anthems were played by the venue’s in-house DJ — but Kelley was not amused when they incited rump-shaking: “If you wanna do it, get the f - - k out my restaurant. Don’t do it again. I don’t want to hear it if you don’t like it, get out because I don’t need your money.”
Kelley goes on to explain that he “invested a lot of money into buying this building, into developing this concept so black people can have somewhere nice to go to,” and condemns twerking as a negative representation of “the culture.”
Although Yelp was flooded with fake one-star reviews after the video first made the rounds on social media, Kelley now claims True K+K will be operating on a lucrative “reservations only” basis for the foreseeable future.
“I’m glad the public has had a chance to decide what they do and don’t want in their restaurants,” he told TMZ. “The effect on our restaurant has been overwhelmingly positive. We’ve received an outpouring of support that we did not anticipate online and in person.”
Kelley added, “This lets us know the public believes in our vision for the restaurant and they will support a concept working to fill a void in our communities.”
However, it’s not the end of Twitter controversy for True K+K — but this time it’s over the eatery’s uptight dress code. In short, don’t try it with “sagging pants” or you might just end up starring in Kelley’s next viral video.