newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Naked Cowboy still strumming amid coronavirus: ‘I’ve never missed a day’

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It ’ ll take more than a little pandemic to get the Naked Cowboy to put his clothes on .
The Times Square fixture is still strumming through the coronavirus — and even with far fewer tippers , he ’ s staying positive .
“ I ’ ve never missed a day and I feel very fortunate to , just to have my routine , and my rituals , ” the street performer , Robert Burck told Reuters on Friday .
“ My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , do the most you can to keep up your passions and your instincts and the things you want to accomplish , ” he said .
The Trump-supporting guitarist is covering up just a little more , though , donning a stars-and-stripes facemask to compliment his Trump 2020 stickers plastered over his instrument .
Burck said he at least doesn ’ t have to compete for attention in an eerily empty Crossroads of the World , the epicenter for the United States ’ COVID-19 outbreak .
“ Basically with so few people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention of every single one of them .
So it ’ s like there ’ s less people but [ it ’ s great ] just to be able to hit every single person and cheer them up and get them honking the horn , ” he said .
As unemployment soars in New York and across the country , Burck felt confident a bounce-back was looming .
“ These tough times actually build the character for the upcoming economy booming back and everything else.
” Like the buskers still lingering around Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too .
A Florida nurse volunteering in the city had her cell phone swiped right out of her hands after she left her shift last weekend .

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It’ll take more than a little pandemic to get the Naked Cowboy to put his clothes on.
The Times Square fixture is still strumming through the coronavirus — and even with far fewer tippers, he’s staying positive.
“I’ve never missed a day and I feel very fortunate to, just to have my routine, and my rituals,” the street performer, Robert Burck told Reuters on Friday.
“My message is – get out every day, do the most you can to keep up your passions and your instincts and the things you want to accomplish,” he said.
The Trump-supporting guitarist is covering up just a little more, though, donning a stars-and-stripes facemask to compliment his Trump 2020 stickers plastered over his instrument.
Burck said he at least doesn’t have to compete for attention in an eerily empty Crossroads of the World, the epicenter for the United States’ COVID-19 outbreak.
“Basically with so few people, I’m able to capture the attention of every single one of them. So it’s like there’s less people but [it’s great] just to be able to hit every single person and cheer them up and get them honking the horn,” he said.
As unemployment soars in New York and across the country, Burck felt confident a bounce-back was looming.
“These tough times actually build the character for the upcoming economy booming back and everything else.”
Like the buskers still lingering around Times Square, the crooks apparently are, too. A Florida nurse volunteering in the city had her cell phone swiped right out of her hands after she left her shift last weekend.
With Post Wires


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Super-agent Drew Rosenhaus wears elaborate coronavirus mask for NFL Draft flight

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One super-agent took wearing a mask to protect himself from the coronavirus to the next level before to the 2020 NFL Draft .
Drew Rosenhaus , who has represented Rob Gronkowski , Antonio Brown , and many other top stars , was photographed with one of the biggest and most elaborate masks/face coverings you are going to find on his flight from Miami to Georgia on April 23 .
Rosenhaus , who lives in Miami , was in Sugar Hill , Ga. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft on April 27 with his client and former Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown – who was drafted No .
7 overall by the Panthers .
“ After 32 drafts , this one is definitely different !
” Rosenhaus tweeted along with a photo of him in the mask .
Airlines such as United , American , Delta , JetBlue and Frontier have all laid out new rules for May that will require all passengers to wear a mask on flights .
Rosenhaus , dressed in a shirt for his Rosenhaus Sports agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wire photo from the flight for a story about the federal stimulus package for the airlines .
The coverings don ’ t have to be medical grade , but Rosenhaus ’ far exceeded that standard .
The mask he had on included a faceguard , filters on both sides , and likely a respirator .
A mask similar to the one worn by Rosenhaus appears to be going for around $ 50 on Amazon , but won ’ t get to customers until early June .

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One super-agent took wearing a mask to protect himself from the coronavirus to the next level before to the 2020 NFL Draft.
Drew Rosenhaus, who has represented Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, and many other top stars, was photographed with one of the biggest and most elaborate masks/face coverings you are going to find on his flight from Miami to Georgia on April 23.
Rosenhaus, who lives in Miami, was in Sugar Hill, Ga., for the first round of the virtual draft on April 27 with his client and former Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown – who was drafted No. 7 overall by the Panthers.
“After 32 drafts, this one is definitely different!” Rosenhaus tweeted along with a photo of him in the mask.
Airlines such as United, American, Delta, JetBlue and Frontier have all laid out new rules for May that will require all passengers to wear a mask on flights. Rosenhaus, dressed in a shirt for his Rosenhaus Sports agency, ended up being in an AFP wire photo from the flight for a story about the federal stimulus package for the airlines.
The coverings don’t have to be medical grade, but Rosenhaus’ far exceeded that standard. The mask he had on included a faceguard, filters on both sides, and likely a respirator. A mask similar to the one worn by Rosenhaus appears to be going for around $50 on Amazon, but won’t get to customers until early June.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Michael Conforto’s Mets future could change due to coronavirus crisis

Sixth in a series analyzing the New York Mets .
Michael ...

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This was going to be relatively simple for Michael Conforto.
He was going to make $8 million this year. Then, with a now familiar season of above-average production, Conforto was looking at a 2021 of no less than $12 million.
At that point, as Conforto entered free agency, Scott Boras would come up with a witty term or acronym to explain Conforto’s buffet of assets: the ability to play center, sub-30 age, lefty power bat and strong clubhouse status — how about CAPS (Center/Age/Power/Status)? Let’s say for argument Boras would have targeted the range he once procured Shin-Soo Choo (seven years, $130 million) and Jacoby Ellsbury (seven years, $153 million). Save the phone call, Scott. I know you think it should be more, this is just an exercise.
But, of course, you have heard of COVID-19 and so nothing is going to be relatively simple.
No one should cry for players (or owners), most of whom will still be paid handsomely at some point and make out far better than so much of the country (and world) financially devastated by the pandemic.
Still, MLB already is bracing for the ripple effects of a shutdown. Without new revenue streams with television or streaming partners, MLB owners will endure substantial losses this season with promises of more of the same in 2021 if fans are still forbidden from returning to stadiums or fewer of them come because of lingering fears of being part of a large gathering.
Since The Post is doing its Player Profile today on Conforto, I thought he would be an interesting vessel to examine near-term issues when it comes to player pay.
For this year, Conforto will make anywhere from a prorated portion of his $8 million salary down to — if there are no games — the few hundred thousand dollars he was guaranteed as part of MLB’s $170 million payout to players for April and May.
There also are provisions in the agreement reached in late March between MLB and the union to protect arbitration eligible players whose stats will be lesser in a partial or lost season. But it is difficult to see how there won’t be an economic downturn in arbitration payouts for the 2021 season.
Because of revenue losses, expect more non-tenders than ever of arbitration-eligible players. Conforto is too talented to be a non-tender. But if the financially challenged Wilpons cannot sell the franchise, could this hasten a trade of Conforto in the offseason as the Mets veer toward a less expensive 2021 outfield of, say, J.D. Davis, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeill?
Every management person I have spoken to expects that less money taken in will mean less for players this offseason. Even super talents such as Mookie Betts and J.T. Realmuto could face receiving less than anticipated in the coming free-agent market and the dominos will fall from there to less talented players. And it would be naive to think this will be a one-year phenomenon considering how dire the losses could be. So Conforto’s 2021-22 offseason class faces impact as well.
Conforto already was going to have challenges as a free agent. He is a very good — but not great — player. The outfield free-agent market is not deep that offseason. Conforto is a better all-around player than Kyle Schwarber and he is four years younger than Starling Marte — though the industry generally looks at both Conforto and Marte as guys you don’t want in center field. And that matters because teams more than ever are willing to spend on prime positions such as shortstop, third base and starting pitcher, which is where the 2021-22 class projects deep. (Of course signings beforehand can change the contours of any class).
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In 2021-22, we are looking at the greatest free-agent shortstop class ever with Javier Baez, Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Corey Seager and Trevor Story. Third base has Kris Bryant and Nolan Arenado, should he opt out of his contract. And if teams are looking for lefty power like Conforto, first basemen Brandon Belt, Freddie Freeman and Anthony Rizzo could be out there. As for starters, older stars Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander (nine combined Cy Youngs there) all have contracts concluding after next season and that also is when Noah Syndergaard becomes an intriguing free agent wild card with all of his talent coming off of Tommy John surgery.
In flush times, Conforto would still have done well in that class. He will have just completed his age-28 season before free agency and has gained high marks as a player and person.
In this atmosphere, though, that kind of player may be looking at far less, perhaps having to consider taking a qualifying offer to delay free agency a year and, hopefully, a better financial atmosphere, or perhaps taking a shorter-term deal for the same reason. No tin cups will be necessary, especially considering what is occurring elsewhere in the country. But there is clearly going to be a financial fallout that impacts the near future of MLB as well.


newyorkpost--2020-05-01--Denmark introduces ‘drive-in concerts’ during coronavirus pandemic

Denmark has introduced “ drive-in concerts ” as a workaround for live music during the coronavirus pandemic .
Hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ as they enjoyed the tunes of Danish singer-songwriter Mads Langer at a sold-out performance in @ @ @ @ @ 500 tickets were sold within minutes after the concert was announced on just six days @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ ve played many concerts in my life , but this is @ @ @ @ @ Langer said from the stage to rows of neatly aligned cars that fanned out across @ @ @ @ @ s performance was broadcast into the cars via FM radio and attendees could interact with @ @ @ @ @ conference .
The concert was the first in a series of performances at the space @ @ @ @ @ city , with the stage also doubling as a drive-in movie theater on other nights @ @ @ @ @ trying to adapt to the new reality as a performing artist and hopefully spread a @ @ @ @ @ , ” Langer posted on Instagram .

Honk for an encore.
Denmark has introduced “drive-in concerts” as a workaround for live music during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hundreds of drivers kept it in park as they enjoyed the tunes of Danish singer-songwriter Mads Langer at a sold-out performance in Aarhus, Denmark.
The 500 tickets were sold within minutes after the concert was announced on just six days’ notice, Forbes reported.
“I’ve played many concerts in my life, but this is really a first,” Langer said from the stage to rows of neatly aligned cars that fanned out across a field.
Langer’s performance was broadcast into the cars via FM radio and attendees could interact with him through a Zoom video conference.
The concert was the first in a series of performances at the space on the outskirts of the city, with the stage also doubling as a drive-in movie theater on other nights.
“I’m trying to adapt to the new reality as a performing artist and hopefully spread a little sunshine in your cars,” Langer posted on Instagram.


newyorkpost--2020-05-01--Paige Spiranac says her 34DD breasts are real — and might even help her golf game

Buxom golfer Paige Spiranac has sportingly answered the one question everyone ’ s afraid to ask — and her answer is , no , they do not get in the way of her swing .
In a newly resurfaced Youtube vlog , Spiranac explained her 34DD breasts are real and , if anything , help her play better by keeping her arms in touch with her body as she putts , chips and drives .
“ I ’ ve never had my breasts done … they are as real as they can be , ” she said , addressing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Spiranac also pushed back on anyone trying to shame her for flaunting her figure while teeing off .
“ My cleavage is always out , I don ’ t get offended by it when people ask me these questions because I am aware , I ’ m showing it off in a way , ” she said .
“ I do work really hard on my body , I spend a lot of hours in the gym and on my diet and I ’ m proud of how my body looks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently opened up about her nude photo leaking , said she typically stands a bit farther from the ball to give her some extra swinging space — but she ’ s otherwise unphased by her chest during play .
“ It ’ s never an issue , they ’ re just kind of there .
Putting , chipping , really anything else you ’ re pretty much set , ” she said .
“ And actually , I think it kind of helps because my arms are so connected I feel them touching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she went on .
“ So you do feel connected instead of having that excessive space .
So I use it to help me .
”

Buxom golfer Paige Spiranac has sportingly answered the one question everyone’s afraid to ask — and her answer is, no, they do not get in the way of her swing.
In a newly resurfaced Youtube vlog, Spiranac explained her 34DD breasts are real and, if anything, help her play better by keeping her arms in touch with her body as she putts, chips and drives.
“I’ve never had my breasts done … they are as real as they can be,” she said, addressing the “most popular” question she gets.
Spiranac also pushed back on anyone trying to shame her for flaunting her figure while teeing off.
“My cleavage is always out, I don’t get offended by it when people ask me these questions because I am aware, I’m showing it off in a way,” she said.
“I do work really hard on my body, I spend a lot of hours in the gym and on my diet and I’m proud of how my body looks,” she added.
Spiranac, who recently opened up about her nude photo leaking, said she typically stands a bit farther from the ball to give her some extra swinging space — but she’s otherwise unphased by her chest during play.
“It’s never an issue, they’re just kind of there. Putting, chipping, really anything else you’re pretty much set,” she said.
“And actually, I think it kind of helps because my arms are so connected I feel them touching pretty much all the time,” she went on. “So you do feel connected instead of having that excessive space. So I use it to help me.”


newyorkpost--2020-05-01--MLB replay reviews could vanish in 2020 thanks to expected umpire deal

Replay reviews could vanish in Major League Baseball in 2020 as part of a deal that covers how umpires would be paid for a season shortened or wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic .
The sides struck an agreement late Thursday night , two people told the Associated Press .
They spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement .
Umps are guaranteed 50 percent of their salaries for May , but would be paid nothing else if no games are played in 2020 .
Umpires generally make between $ 150,000 and $ 450,000 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the virus outbreak and there is no timetable for Opening Day .
If baseball is permitted to proceed this year , MLB is considering playing regular-season games at spring training ballparks in Arizona and Florida that are not wired for replay .
The new agreement gives MLB the right to not use instant replays of umpires ’ decisions during the 2020 season .
Most calls have been subject to video review since 2014 and it ’ s become a big part of games , with about half the challenged calls resulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been paid from January through April and will be paid at a 50 percent rate in May .
If even one regular-season game is played this season , the umps are guaranteed about one-third of their salaries .
The umps will be paid a prorated share of their salaries based on games over a 182-day season , according to a copy of the four-page term sheet obtained by the Associated Press .
In a statement , the MLB umpires ’ union said it was “ pleased ” to reach this agreement with the @ @ @ @ @

Replay reviews could vanish in Major League Baseball in 2020 as part of a deal that covers how umpires would be paid for a season shortened or wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.
The sides struck an agreement late Thursday night, two people told the Associated Press. They spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement.
Umps are guaranteed 50 percent of their salaries for May, but would be paid nothing else if no games are played in 2020. Umpires generally make between $150,000 and $450,000.
The start of the season has been postponed because of the virus outbreak and there is no timetable for Opening Day. If baseball is permitted to proceed this year, MLB is considering playing regular-season games at spring training ballparks in Arizona and Florida that are not wired for replay.
The new agreement gives MLB the right to not use instant replays of umpires’ decisions during the 2020 season. Most calls have been subject to video review since 2014 and it’s become a big part of games, with about half the challenged calls resulting in a reversal.
Umpires have already been paid from January through April and will be paid at a 50 percent rate in May. If even one regular-season game is played this season, the umps are guaranteed about one-third of their salaries.
The umps will be paid a prorated share of their salaries based on games over a 182-day season, according to a copy of the four-page term sheet obtained by the Associated Press.
In a statement, the MLB umpires’ union said it was “pleased” to reach this agreement with the commissioner’s office.


newyorkpost--2020-05-01--Knicks can’t show Mike Miller the same Scott Perry courtesy

We were reminded again these past few days how little ...

Leon Rose opted for a slice of status quo earlier this week when he decided to pick up Scott Perry’s option and bring him back for another year as the Knicks’ general manager. It is easy to shake your head and grumble at that, given what “status quo” means around the Knicks right now, and what it’s meant during Perry’s three-year run at the Garden.
The numbers are ugly — 67-163 — and would be even uglier if the Knicks had been able to play the final 16 games of this year’s schedule and keep losing 68 percent of them, which was the clip they were maintaining when NBA business was stilled. But you can make a case that Rose did the right thing here, for two very fair reasons.
First, Perry has a long enough track record in the NBA that he deserves to be judged independently and not in tandem with Steve Mills, with whom he shared decision-making duties. Also: Rose will have final say and thus will have oversight if oversight is necessary. Mills’ own record is enough of a train wreck that it shouldn’t spill onto Perry.
The same hold-the-line philosophy shouldn’t be extended to Mike Miller, who did a fine job under trying circumstances in his 44-game tryout as interim coach. Miller can certainly be in the mix to keep the job permanently, and should absolutely be given the opportunity to sell himself when Rose and Perry begin to look in earnest to make that move.
But it would be foolish not to acknowledge there are at least three formidable candidates who would surely, at the least, listen if approached.
I’ve already written that if I were Rose, I would make a big push to bring Jeff Van Gundy back. He is still young enough (58) to retain his old coaching energy and has kept sharp coaching international Team USA clubs the past few years. It isn’t a perfect hire: he hasn’t coached an NBA game in 13 years, and he has a terrific TV job now.
Tom Thibodeau, Van Gundy’s old lieutenant during the most recent Knicks glory run, does seem interested and this is a necessary path to pursue as well, because of his own record as a coach and the kind of credibility and gravitas he would bring to the job. And if the Knicks could use extra helpings of anything right now it is credibility and gravitas.
But the wisest choice of all may be right under their noses. Kenny Atkinson has worked for the Knicks as an assistant and he was doing superb work across the East River with the Nets before his surprising dismissal on March 7. There is still an air of uncertainty as to the details about that transaction but none of that should worry the Knicks because none of the elements of uneasiness in Brooklyn exist in Manhattan.
The Knicks need a worker, and they need a grinder, and Atkinson is the home office for both. He was handed mostly impossible rosters with the Nets and maximized every one of them, coaxing and cajoling them to both an unexpected playoff berth last year and a feisty first-round playoff tangle with the better, deeper, more talented 76ers.
The reward for that was supposed to be the talent windfall that arrived last summer: Kevin Durant on the layaway plan and Kyrie Irving immediately. From the start that seemed like a less-than-comfortable fit and something cracked — either the players hinted (or more) their reticence about the coach or the coach expressed an unwillingness to bend to their will.
Likely, it all falls somewhere in the middle.
And none of that is an issue with the Knicks. The Knicks have talented pieces, and intriguing young players, and on most nights this year that wasn’t nearly enough, and on some nights it was downright unsettling how noncompetitive they looked. That would end immediately on Atkinson’s watch. Anyone who saw his work at Barclays Center understands that.
“The secret I learned a long time ago is, you just can’t be afraid of hard work,” Atkinson said during a long conversation just before the start of last season. “You can’t worry about long hours. You can’t worry about how hard it all might seem. Put in the time, put in the effort, put in the sweat equity and there will be a payoff. There will absolutely be a payoff.”
Knicks fans are yearning for someone to give them a reason, any reason, to care again, to invest again, to live and die with the basketball team again. Yes, more skill must arrive. But it starts with the man who will coach that talent. Mike Miller is a good man. He’s done a good job. He would be a hell of a top assistant. And not a terrible Robin to a Batman like Kenny Atkinson.


newyorkpost--2020-05-01--Cuomo’s nursing home policies amid coronavirus ‘a disaster,’ says ex-Gov. Pataki

President Trump on Thursday outlined several new initiatives aimed at ...

Former Gov. George Pataki slammed Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s nursing home policies during the coronavirus pandemic as a “disaster” that may have unnecessarily caused the deaths of “thousands” of vulnerable elderly residents.
In a rare swipe at his successor Friday night, Pataki called for an independent probe “so this never happens again.”
Pataki said the state Health Department should never have issued an edict requiring nursing homes to accept coronavirus virus patients into nursing home facilities filled with sick, elderly patients — the population most at risk from the killer COVID-19 bug.
Compounding the misguided policy, Pataki said, is that the nursing homes lacked the personal protective equipment or testing capability to isolate and contain the spread of COVID-19.
Pataki also said he was dumbfounded as to why infected patients were sent to nursing homes instead of “hundreds of unused beds” at the two temporary hospitals at the Javits Center and the Navy’s USNS Comfort hospital ship.
“Gov. Cuomo’s handling of the nursing homes has been a disaster,” Pataki, the former-three term governor, told The Post.
“Thousands of people lives might not have been lost except for these tragic policies.”
Pataki, a Republican who served between 1995 and 2006 said, “Everybody knew that the most vulnerable population was senior citizens. And the most vulnerable senior citizens are in nursing homes.”
Pataki said the nursing homes didn’t have adequate personal protective equipment to protect their existing staff and patients.
“To compound the problem, the state required nursing homes to admit coronavirus patients. Anyone should have known this would be a problem — to require nursing homes to take in coronavirus patients,” he said.
He also rapped Cuomo for saying “it’s not our job” to provide masks and gowns to nursing homes, though state officials were doing so.
“It is the executive’s job,” Pataki said.
Pataki also said the nursing homes didn’t have or were not provided with the testing needed to determine which patients or staff had the virus.
He also cited a Post report that revealed the state Health Department allowed nurses and other staff who tested positive for the coronavirus to continue treating COVID-19 patients at an upstate nursing home. Following the report, the department said it implemented a new policy restricting COVID-positive staff from returning to work for 14 days.
“Any way you look at it …This is inexcusable. There’s no defense for this,” Pataki said of the policies.
He mentioned Cuomo has become one of the “most popular politicians in America” because of his press briefings on COVID-19.
Still, “it’s not about the appearance but the function of the office,” Pataki said. “The buck stops with the executive office.”
Pataki later went on Fox News and called Cuomo’s policies “incomprehensible” and a “disgrace.”
Cuomo’s senior adviser Rich Azzopardi returned fire, calling Pataki’s attacks a “sad, sad bid for relevancy.”
“It is sad and unfortunate that his star has fallen so much that he’s willing to go on TV and misrepresent the state policy,” which is based on US Centers for Disease Control guidelines, Azzopardi said.
Azzopardi reiterated prior statements from the governor that the nursing homes can only accept coronavirus patients if they have a safe facility with proper staffing and protective equipment.
Cuomo officials also parried widespread complaints of inadequate PPE, saying the state delivered 2 million pieces of protective equipment to nursing homes.
He also said federal policy restricted patients sent to the Comfort hospital.
“George Pataki doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He hasn’t had a clue in 20 years,” Azzopardi said.
Cuomo and Pataki have a complicated relationship.
Pataki defeated former three-term governor Mario Cuomo — Andrew’s dad — to become the state’s chief executive, in 1994.
Andrew Cuomo came under fire during his first bid for governor in 2002, when he said then-Gov. Pataki would just “hold the coat” of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in terms of leadership following the Sept. 11 attacks. He later abandoned his campaign before the Democratic primary.
But when Cuomo did win the governorship nearly a decade later, he appointed Pataki to serve and co-chair on a panel that recommended tax cuts. Pataki has generally refrained from second-guessing Cuomo’s actions.


newyorkpost--2020-05-01--Michigan pilot gives a literal ‘F U’ to governor over coronavirus lockdown

This frustrated Michigan pilot gives a literal flying you-know-what about his governor ’ s lock-down order .
Ed Frederick , 45 , spent about an hour charting a path over Grand Rapids that spelled out this message for Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer : “ F U , ” with an arrow pointing directly over the governor ’ s mansion .
Frederick said he was inspired to hop in a propeller plane Friday morning after Whitmer announced an extension of the state ’ s emergency lockdown order through May 28 .
“ The government , no matter Democrats or Republicans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do something just to prove they ’ re doing something , without weighing the ramifications.
” Frederick , who lives just outside Grand Rapids , said he owns a small business with his sister , and explained that he believed a lockdown was unnecessary for the entire state , considering the largest concentration of cases were in the southeast region around Detroit .
“ That ’ s been an issue for a lot of people in the rural counties , ” he added .
“ There are 82 counties , but really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Frederick believes Whitmer , a Democrat , has settled with a “ draconian ” statewide lockdown because a limited lockdown around the major city wouldn ’ t sit well with her base .
“ [ Whitmer ] says this is for the safety of Michigan , but I think it ’ s for the safety of her keeping her votes , because the southeast is highly democratic , ” he said .
Frederick said he was still getting by , yet sympathized with “ the people walking that precipice , living paycheck-to-paycheck.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued that state lockdowns help contain the spread of the coronavirus .
She noted Thursday that counties of northern and western Michigan have begun seeing cases double within a week ’ s time .
“ We must all continue to be diligent , observe social distancing and limit in-person interactions and services to slow the spread of COVID-19 , ” said Whitmer said in a statement urging residents to “ work together.
” “ Michigan now has more than 40,000 cases of COVID-19 .
The virus has killed more Michiganders than we lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order is vital to the health and safety of every Michigander.
” Frederick ’ s flight came a day after armed protestors stormed the Michigan statehouse .
A licensed gun owner himself , Fredrick said he supported the message but felt protestors should have left their weapons at home because it ’ s “ not painting them in a good light.
” “ We have an open carry , but just because it ’ s legal , doesn ’ t mean you should do it — it ’ s sort of like [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I don ’ t need the government to wipe my tushie every two minutes , ” he said .
“ Let me know what the problems are going to be and let me know what the ramifications are ; I ’ m responsible for myself .
”

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This frustrated Michigan pilot gives a literal flying you-know-what about his governor’s lock-down order.
Ed Frederick, 45, spent about an hour charting a path over Grand Rapids that spelled out this message for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: “F U,” with an arrow pointing directly over the governor’s mansion.
Frederick said he was inspired to hop in a propeller plane Friday morning after Whitmer announced an extension of the state’s emergency lockdown order through May 28.
“It’s a power trip,” Frederick told The Post.
“The government, no matter Democrats or Republicans, always seem like they’re trying to do something just to prove they’re doing something, without weighing the ramifications.”
Frederick, who lives just outside Grand Rapids, said he owns a small business with his sister, and explained that he believed a lockdown was unnecessary for the entire state, considering the largest concentration of cases were in the southeast region around Detroit.
“That’s been an issue for a lot of people in the rural counties,” he added. “There are 82 counties, but really only four need to be locked down.”
Frederick believes Whitmer, a Democrat, has settled with a “draconian” statewide lockdown because a limited lockdown around the major city wouldn’t sit well with her base.
“[Whitmer] says this is for the safety of Michigan, but I think it’s for the safety of her keeping her votes, because the southeast is highly democratic,” he said.
Frederick said he was still getting by, yet sympathized with “the people walking that precipice, living paycheck-to-paycheck.”
But Whitmer and health experts have argued that state lockdowns help contain the spread of the coronavirus. She noted Thursday that counties of northern and western Michigan have begun seeing cases double within a week’s time.
“We must all continue to be diligent, observe social distancing and limit in-person interactions and services to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Whitmer said in a statement urging residents to “work together.”
“Michigan now has more than 40,000 cases of COVID-19. The virus has killed more Michiganders than we lost during the Vietnam war. Extending this order is vital to the health and safety of every Michigander.”
Frederick’s flight came a day after armed protestors stormed the Michigan statehouse. A licensed gun owner himself, Fredrick said he supported the message but felt protestors should have left their weapons at home because it’s “not painting them in a good light.”
“We have an open carry, but just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean you should do it — it’s sort of like [the virus],” he added.
“I don’t need the government to wipe my tushie every two minutes,” he said. “Let me know what the problems are going to be and let me know what the ramifications are; I’m responsible for myself.”


newyorkpost--2020-05-01--De Blasio pushes up social distancing street closures to Saturday

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Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s social distancing street closures are coming two days early — just in time for the warm , sunny weekend .
The city will block vehicular traffic along 7.2 miles of streets beginning Saturday , to afford pedestrians and cyclists more space during the coronavirus pandemic .
De Blasio had previously announced that the streets would close beginning Monday .
“ Thanks to quick work by the [ transportation , parks and police departments ] , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 miles of streets for pedestrians and cyclists SATURDAY , ” de Blasio tweeted Friday night .
The first batch of closures is part of a goal to open up 100 miles of roads to pedestrians and bikers before the end of the pandemic .
Each street to close Saturday is either within or adjacent to a park .
About 4.5 of the miles to close Saturday will be inside six city parks — Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan , Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and Forest Park in Queens , Callahan-Kelly Park in Brooklyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Silver Lake Park on Staten Island — where roadways are currently open to cars .
The other 2.7 miles of open streets include : Williamsbridge Oval in The Bronx , Court Square Park in Queens , Carl Schurz Park , Highbridge Park and the Lt. William Tighe Triangle in Manhattan , Prospect Park in Brooklyn , and Stapleton Waterfront Park on Staten Island .
“ On the open streets , the goal here is more space , more social distancing , but safe , ” de Blasio told reporters during a conference call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ is going to be well-protected and well-regulated space and that ’ s part of why we have to do this in stages to get it right.
” New York City is expected to see its highest temperatures of the year this weekend , with highs around 69 Saturday and 75 Sunday .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s social distancing street closures are coming two days early — just in time for the warm, sunny weekend.
The city will block vehicular traffic along 7.2 miles of streets beginning Saturday, to afford pedestrians and cyclists more space during the coronavirus pandemic.
De Blasio had previously announced that the streets would close beginning Monday.
“Thanks to quick work by the [transportation, parks and police departments], we’re going to open up the first 7 miles of streets for pedestrians and cyclists SATURDAY,” de Blasio tweeted Friday night.
“PLEASE practice social distancing and stay safe.”
The first batch of closures is part of a goal to open up 100 miles of roads to pedestrians and bikers before the end of the pandemic.
Each street to close Saturday is either within or adjacent to a park.
About 4.5 of the miles to close Saturday will be inside six city parks — Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and Forest Park in Queens, Callahan-Kelly Park in Brooklyn, Grant Park in The Bronx and Silver Lake Park on Staten Island — where roadways are currently open to cars.
The other 2.7 miles of open streets include: Williamsbridge Oval in The Bronx, Court Square Park in Queens, Carl Schurz Park, Highbridge Park and the Lt. William Tighe Triangle in Manhattan, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and Stapleton Waterfront Park on Staten Island.
“On the open streets, the goal here is more space, more social distancing, but safe,” de Blasio told reporters during a conference call earlier Friday, adding that the endeavor “is going to be well-protected and well-regulated space and that’s part of why we have to do this in stages to get it right.”
New York City is expected to see its highest temperatures of the year this weekend, with highs around 69 Saturday and 75 Sunday.


newyorkpost--2020-05-01--US women’s national soccer team’s unequal pay claim tossed

Alex Morgan was planning to be back with the U.S ... .

A federal judge threw out the unequal pay claim by players on the US women’s national soccer team in a surprising loss for the defending World Cup champions but allowed their allegation of discriminatory working conditions to go to trial.
Players led by Alex Morgan sued in March 2019, claiming they have not been paid equally under their collective bargaining agreement to what the men’s national team receives under its labor deal. They asked for more than $66 million in damages under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In a 32-page decision Friday, US District Judge R. Gary Klausner granted in part a motion for partial summary judgment by the US Soccer Federation. He threw out the Equal Pay Act allegations but left intact the Civil Rights Act claims.
“The history of negotiations between the parties demonstrates that the WNT rejected an offer to be paid under the same pay-to-play structure as the MNT, and the WNT was willing to forgo higher bonuses for benefits, such as greater base compensation and the guarantee of a higher number of contracted players,” Klausner wrote.
“Accordingly, plaintiffs cannot now retroactively deem their CBA worse than the MNT CBA by reference to what they would have made had they been paid under the MNT’s pay-to-play terms structure when they themselves rejected such a structure,” he said.
Klausner left intact claims the USSF discriminated in the money it spent on commercial airfare, hotel accommodations, and medical and training support services.
A trial is scheduled for June 16 in federal court in Los Angeles.
“We are shocked and disappointed with today’s decision, but we will not give up our hard work for equal pay,” Molly Levinson, spokeswoman for the women’s players, said in a statement. “We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women who play this sport will not be valued as lesser just because of their gender.”
Players intend to ask the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Klausner’s decision, a move that could delay the trial into 2021 or later.
“If you know this team at all you know we have a lot of fight left in us. We knew this wasn’t going to be easy, change never is,” defender Becky Sauerbrunn wrote on Twitter.
While the Americans are the most successful women’s team, with four World Cup titles including the last two, the US men did not even qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The USSF argued the women actually made more than the men both overall and by game average, and the women claimed they should have the same bonus structure as the men.
“Merely comparing what WNT players received under their own CBA with what they would have received under the MNT CBA discounts the value that the team placed on guaranteed benefits they receive under their agreement, which they opted for at the expense of higher performance-based bonuses,” Klausner wrote.
“This issue is insufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact for trial,” he added.
Klausner also said the women could not go forward with their claim that the USSF discriminated against them by scheduling more games on artificial turf than the men had. He said there was not sufficient evidence to show that decisions on field surface were made for discriminatory reasons.
He rejected the USSF’s argument that the men had a competitive need for charter flights that the women lacked, allowing that part of the suit to go forward. The federation has argued that the men, who have struggled in World Cup qualifying, have more need for charters than the women in order to arrive more rested for their qualifiers.
“This rationale does not fully explain the gross disparity on money spent on airfare and hotels for the teams,” Klausner wrote.
Klausner allowed other claims of discriminatory travel accommodations, such as money spent on hotels and commercial flights, to go to trial along with claims on support services such as medical and training staff. He said the USSF’s lawyers waited until reply briefs to ask for those claims to be thrown out, which meant he did not have to consider them.
Seyfarth Shaw’s summary judgment motion for the USSF included arguments critical of American women’s players. That filing caused an uproar and led to the resignation of USSF president Carlos Cordeiro, who was replaced by Cindy Parlow Cone, a former national team player. Latham & Watkins took over as counsel and filed the reply brief.
Earlier Friday, the women asked that Parlow Cone be included. Their lawyers said although the federation backed off earlier arguments saying women were inferior to their male counterparts in skill and effort, it still planned to contest differences in responsibility.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Fantasy baseball: Try this tweak to your league-scoring system

The world has turned virtually unpredictable since March 12 , the ...

As Major League Baseball continues to throw a number of possible adjustments for this season at the wall, whether you are a commissioner or not, you should be looking at a variety of ways to improve your league and increase the level of competition.
Some try to go the keeper or dynasty route, as they hope to emulate the game as much as possible while some try to add on more refined, saber-friendly categories to push the mathematical knowledge even further. Either is fine, but if you’re not into overhauling too much, there is a way to break away from traditional 5×5 categories while still maintaining the original flavor of fantasy baseball.
Some people like to refine things on offense by changing from batting average to on-base percentage or even going from stolen bases to net stolen bases — which, obviously, penalizes for a player being caught stealing. Those are all well and good, but it’s actually not the offensive categories which need refinement.
Pitching, on the other hand, does. Many leagues have already made the change from wins, often considered too arbitrary a category, to quality starts, but that tends to dilute the starting pitching pool and devalue hurlers who usually throw more than six innings per start. If you want to make a solid adjustment, then offer your league the opportunity to change the saves category to “saves plus holds” and increase the value of all relievers, not just the ninth-inning guys.
Chasing saves in fantasy baseball has become an arduous affair over the past several years, and the closer position has proven to be the most volatile in this game. Managers either have too quick of a hook when a reliever is struggling or, if you have one of those mad geniuses like Joe Maddon at the helm — their tendency to play the lefty/righty matchups makes it extremely difficult to know who will get the save from game to game.
Those who choose to invest in top-tier closers get burned by the volatility, and those who chase the saves category during the year end up blowing the majority of their Free-Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) on players who don’t help their team over the long haul. Changing your scoring category from saves to “saves plus holds” will fix it for everyone.
A truncated 2020 season is a great test market for such a change, as we are expecting fewer days off and more doubleheaders. Increased rosters will allow managers to carry more relievers, thus enabling them to spare the extra wear-and-tear of using someone twice in one day or even on back-to-back days.
If you combine save and holds, your concern for acquiring just ninth-inning firemen wanes, which, ultimately will have you looking for the most talented arms, not just the guys with a temporary opportunity. It is an easy experiment for now and, after witnessing it in action, one you won’t want to stray from in the future.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at Fantasy-Alarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 5-7 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Boris Johnson says coronavirus fight was ‘tough old moment’

Doctors caring for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he battled coronavirus were prepared for the worst .
“ It was a tough old moment , I won ’ t deny it .
They had a strategy to deal with a ‘ death of Stalin ’ -type scenario , ” Johnson told The Sun newspaper .
“ I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place.
” Johnson said he was given “ liters and liters ” of oxygen through “ the little nose jobbie.
” He kept asking himself : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this ?
” during his stay at a London hospital last month , Johnson said .
“ It was hard to believe that in just a few days my health had deteriorated to this extent .
I remember feeling frustrated .
I couldn ’ t understand why I wasn ’ t getting better , ” he told the paper .
“ But the bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe .
“ That was when it got a bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think about how to handle it presentationally.
” He credits his recovery to “ some wonderful , wonderful nursing.
” Johnson was released from the hospital April 12 .
His fiancée , gave birth to their son 17 days later .
The boy was given the middle name Nicholas after two of the doctors who saved his father ’ s life .

Doctors caring for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he battled coronavirus were prepared for the worst.
“It was a tough old moment, I won’t deny it. They had a strategy to deal with a ‘death of Stalin’-type scenario,” Johnson told The Sun newspaper. “I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place.”
Johnson said he was given “liters and liters” of oxygen through “the little nose jobbie.”
He kept asking himself: “How am I going to get out of this?” during his stay at a London hospital last month, Johnson said.
“It was hard to believe that in just a few days my health had deteriorated to this extent. I remember feeling frustrated. I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t getting better,” he told the paper. “But the bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe.
“That was when it got a bit . . . they were starting to think about how to handle it presentationally.”
He credits his recovery to “some wonderful, wonderful nursing.”
Johnson was released from the hospital April 12. His fiancée, gave birth to their son 17 days later. The boy was given the middle name Nicholas after two of the doctors who saved his father’s life.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Charlatan, Nadal give Bob Baffert two wins in Arkansas Derby

HOT SPRINGS , Ark .
— Charlatan romped in the first division of the Arkansas Derby , leading all the way to win a race pushed back three weeks to help fill a void when the Kentucky Derby was postponed until September .
Nadal beat King Guillermo and Finnick the Fierce in second division as trainer Bob Baffert earned both victories .
The 146th Derby usually would have dominated the first Saturday in May , but it was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic .
Instead , 21 3-year-olds ran in two divisions of the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn , each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 170 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby , including 100 to the winners .
Charlatan improved to 3-0 .
His first two wins came at Santa Anita , where the colt is based .
He broke from the No .
1 post in the 1 1/8-mile race under Martin Garcia , who was replacing Drayden Van Dyke for the race .
Charlatan was timed in 1:48.49 .
Basin finished second and Gouverneur Morris was third .
The Arkansas Derby was supposed to be run April 11 , but Oaklawn reworked its stakes schedule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Charlatan romped in the first division of the Arkansas Derby, leading all the way to win a race pushed back three weeks to help fill a void when the Kentucky Derby was postponed until September.
Nadal beat King Guillermo and Finnick the Fierce in second division as trainer Bob Baffert earned both victories.
The 146th Derby usually would have dominated the first Saturday in May, but it was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, 21 3-year-olds ran in two divisions of the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn, each worth $500,000. She was worth 170 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, including 100 to the winners.
Charlatan improved to 3-0. His first two wins came at Santa Anita, where the colt is based. He broke from the No. 1 post in the 1 1/8-mile race under Martin Garcia, who was replacing Drayden Van Dyke for the race. Charlatan was timed in 1:48.49.
Basin finished second and Gouverneur Morris was third.
The Arkansas Derby was supposed to be run April 11, but Oaklawn reworked its stakes schedule to run it on closing day Saturday.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Person still missing after boat capsizes off Long Island coast

A peaceful boat trip turned perilous Saturday when the craft capsized off the Long Island coast .
One person is @ @ @ @ @ rescued following the morning mayhem , according to authorities and multiple reports .
The drama @ @ @ @ @ a distress call reported the vessel had capsized in Reynolds Channel , near Point Lookout @ @ @ @ @ police .
Three of the passengers onboard were rescued and brought to local hospitals .
@ @ @ @ @ passenger continued Saturday afternoon , police said .
A good Samaritan vessel , Brett Allie @ @ @ @ @ Guard they had come upon the capsized boat , the Daily Voice reports .
Within @ @ @ @ @ , Coast Guard Station Jones Beach launched two response boats who recovered one person in @ @ @ @ @ Allie 5 scooped up two people “ who were clinging to the vessel ’ s @ @ @ @ @ ” the report said .

A peaceful boat trip turned perilous Saturday when the craft capsized off the Long Island coast.
One person is missing and three people were rescued following the morning mayhem, according to authorities and multiple reports.
The drama unfolded at 10:10 a.m. when a distress call reported the vessel had capsized in Reynolds Channel, near Point Lookout, according to Nassau County police.
Three of the passengers onboard were rescued and brought to local hospitals.
The search for a fourth passenger continued Saturday afternoon, police said.
A good Samaritan vessel, Brett Allie 5, notified the Coast Guard they had come upon the capsized boat, the Daily Voice reports.
Within minutes of receiving the call, Coast Guard Station Jones Beach launched two response boats who recovered one person in the water. The Brett Allie 5 scooped up two people “who were clinging to the vessel’s hull and wearing lifejackets,” the report said.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Michael Jordan showed no mercy playing sons in basketball: ‘Earn everything’

Michael Jordan was a notorious competitor on the court , always looking for an edge , no matter how minute .
The six-time NBA champion was the same way at home , pushing his kids to be their best .
He didn ’ t take it easy on them in basketball , either .
“ He would treat us exactly the same as any other basketball player he was playing , ” one of Jordan ’ s sons , Marcus , said on NBC ’ s “ Today ” show to discuss the documentary , “ The Last Dance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s final season with the Bulls .
Jordan and his two sons , Marcus and Jeffrey , would often play a game of one-on-one-on-one against each other .
Whoever scored got to keep the ball .
“ The game got so competitive [ one time ] , to the point I literally had to call my mom , [ and tell her ] , ‘ Dad ’ s picking on me , ’ ” Marcus said .
“ I was a freshman in high school .
There was nothing given .
You had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of college basketball at Central Florida from 2009-11 , averaging 12.3 points , 2.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game .
Jeffrey also played in college , for Illinois and Central Florida from 2007-12 , averaging 1.6 points per game between the two programs .

Michael Jordan was a notorious competitor on the court, always looking for an edge, no matter how minute. The six-time NBA champion was the same way at home, pushing his kids to be their best. He didn’t take it easy on them in basketball, either.
“He would treat us exactly the same as any other basketball player he was playing,” one of Jordan’s sons, Marcus, said on NBC’s “Today” show to discuss the documentary, “The Last Dance,” that chronicles his legendary father’s final season with the Bulls.
Jordan and his two sons, Marcus and Jeffrey, would often play a game of one-on-one-on-one against each other. Whoever scored got to keep the ball.
“The game got so competitive [one time], to the point I literally had to call my mom, [and tell her], ‘Dad’s picking on me,’ ” Marcus said. “I was a freshman in high school. There was nothing given. You had to earn everything.”
Marcus played three of college basketball at Central Florida from 2009-11, averaging 12.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Jeffrey also played in college, for Illinois and Central Florida from 2007-12, averaging 1.6 points per game between the two programs.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Lea Michele posts first pregnancy picture

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 ) 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 ) A post shared by Lea Michele ( @ leamichele ) on May 2 , 2020 at 10:20am PDT Lea Michele is making us all feel the love .
The Broadway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baby bump on Instagram Saturday , just days after Page Six confirmed rumors she was expecting a child with husband Zandy Reich .
“ So grateful , ” Michele , 33 , wrote in the caption with the gender-neutral yellow heart emoji .
Michele , who suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome , married Reich , a 37-year-old entrepreneur , in 2019 .
“ They ’ ve always wanted to be parents , ” a source told People , who broke the news of the couple ’ s first child .
Michele rose to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two Golden Globe nominations and three Grammy nominations for her role as Rachel Berry on the Fox series “ Glee .
”

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Lea Michele is making us all feel the love.
The Broadway star posted the first picture of her baby bump on Instagram Saturday, just days after Page Six confirmed rumors she was expecting a child with husband Zandy Reich.
“So grateful,” Michele, 33, wrote in the caption with the gender-neutral yellow heart emoji.
Michele, who suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome, married Reich, a 37-year-old entrepreneur, in 2019.
“They’ve always wanted to be parents,” a source told People, who broke the news of the couple’s first child.
Michele rose to prominence and earned an Emmy Award nomination, two Golden Globe nominations and three Grammy nominations for her role as Rachel Berry on the Fox series “Glee.”


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--‘Game of Thrones’ star Hafthor Bjornsson deadlifts world record 1,104 pounds

Icelandic actor and strongman Hafthor Bjornsson set a world record for the deadlift on Saturday when he lifted 1,104 pounds @ @ @ @ @ Thor ’ s Power Gym in Iceland .
Bjornsson , best known for his portrayal @ @ @ @ @ Mountain ” Clegane on the popular HBO series ‘ Game of Thrones ’ , broke @ @ @ @ @ Briton Eddie Hall who in 2016 became the first man to lift 500 kg .
@ @ @ @ @ on ESPN and Bjornsson , 31 , lifted the barbell that was bending and straining @ @ @ @ @ it for two seconds before letting go and roaring in delight .
Bjornsson , who @ @ @ @ @ inches tall , won the World ’ s Strongest Man competition in 2018 .

Icelandic actor and strongman Hafthor Bjornsson set a world record for the deadlift on Saturday when he lifted 1,104 pounds (501 kg) at Thor’s Power Gym in Iceland.
Bjornsson, best known for his portrayal of Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane on the popular HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’, broke the record previously held by Briton Eddie Hall who in 2016 became the first man to lift 500 kg.
The event was streamed live on ESPN and Bjornsson, 31, lifted the barbell that was bending and straining under the weights, holding it for two seconds before letting go and roaring in delight.
Bjornsson, who is six feet and nine inches tall, won the World’s Strongest Man competition in 2018.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Texas strip club wins temporary court order allowing it to open with restaurants

A Texas strip club was allowed to open its doors after a confrontation with cops — who had threatened its owner with arrest if he didn ’ t remain closed amid coronavirus lockdown measures .
Governor Greg Abbott had issued an order allowing certain businesses to reopen at a 25 percent capacity , including restaurants , retailers and shopping malls .
Houston jiggle joint Club Onyx , which claims it is a full-service restaurant and not just a strip club , decided to open its doors at 12 a.m. Friday— believing it fits the parameters of Abbott ’ s directive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cops raided the club within an hour of opening , threatening owner Eric Langan with arrest if he didn ’ t shut down .
Langan instead stayed open until about 4 a.m. , filing a federal lawsuit alleging the raid violated his civil rights , the newspaper reported .
The Houston Health Department lists Club Onyx as a full-service restaurant , according to the Chronicle .
However , the club ’ s liquor license labels it as a sexually oriented business .
Judge Vanessa Gilmore issued a temporary court order Friday allowing Club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from arresting employees .
Langan and Club Onyx could not be reached for comment .
However , a post on the club ’ s Facebook page earlier in the week indicated the business would open and would be following strict sanitary measures .
“ Seating will be limited as we will be following state guidelines and health recommendations of social distancing .
We will have sanitary stations set up with hand sanitizer and all staff will be practicing the strictest sanitary guidelines , ” the club wrote .
“ Please make reservations online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be booked.
” The strip club has since posted several photos of its food menu items on Instagram — and strippers have posted their appreciation for customers who visited .
“ Ty @ clubonyxhouston for a good night .
I appreciate our customers who came and enjoyed their food at our restaurant while tipping our live entertainment .
Y ’ all really turnt up tonight , ” wrote @ thatcutiewithabooty_kim_ijaya on her Instagram Stories .

A Texas strip club was allowed to open its doors after a confrontation with cops — who had threatened its owner with arrest if he didn’t remain closed amid coronavirus lockdown measures.
Governor Greg Abbott had issued an order allowing certain businesses to reopen at a 25 percent capacity, including restaurants, retailers and shopping malls.
Houston jiggle joint Club Onyx, which claims it is a full-service restaurant and not just a strip club, decided to open its doors at 12 a.m. Friday— believing it fits the parameters of Abbott’s directive, the Houston Chronicle reported.
But cops raided the club within an hour of opening, threatening owner Eric Langan with arrest if he didn’t shut down.
Langan instead stayed open until about 4 a.m., filing a federal lawsuit alleging the raid violated his civil rights, the newspaper reported.
The Houston Health Department lists Club Onyx as a full-service restaurant, according to the Chronicle. However, the club’s liquor license labels it as a sexually oriented business.
Judge Vanessa Gilmore issued a temporary court order Friday allowing Club Onyx to resume business and preventing cops from arresting employees.
Langan and Club Onyx could not be reached for comment. However, a post on the club’s Facebook page earlier in the week indicated the business would open and would be following strict sanitary measures.
“Seating will be limited as we will be following state guidelines and health recommendations of social distancing. We will have sanitary stations set up with hand sanitizer and all staff will be practicing the strictest sanitary guidelines,” the club wrote. “Please make reservations online ASAP and no parties over 6 people can be booked.”
The strip club has since posted several photos of its food menu items on Instagram — and strippers have posted their appreciation for customers who visited.
“Ty @clubonyxhouston for a good night. I appreciate our customers who came and enjoyed their food at our restaurant while tipping our live entertainment. Y’all really turnt up tonight,” wrote @thatcutiewithabooty_kim_ijaya on her Instagram Stories.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Real-life girlfriend of Sergio Vieira de Mello speaks out about Netflix biopic ‘Sergio’

The former estate of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst is ...

After an al Qaeda truck bomb ripped through United Nations headquarters at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad in the summer of 2003, Carolina Larriera tried to dig through piles of rubble with her bare hands to save the man she loved.
Dazed from the powerful blast, her clothes covered in dust and splattered with blood from the horribly wounded colleagues she had tried to bring to safety, Larriera was only able to exchange a few words with Sergio Vieira de Mello before he died.
Their love story is chronicled in “Sergio,” the new Netflix biopic about the UN’s superstar human rights czar and envoy to Iraq, which started streaming April 17. The film stars Golden Globe-nominated Brazilian actor Wagner Moura in the lead role of the married envoy, and sultry “Knives Out” star Ana de Armas as Larriera, his Argentine economist partner who was 25 years his junior.
But the film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, leaves a lot out: It glosses over the messy personal life of one of the UN’s greatest humanitarians as well as the collateral damage suffered by Larriera, who was left emotionally shattered after his death.
The damage started with her callous treatment by her own employer. Despite their very public four-year relationship, the UN refused to allow her to accompany the Brazilian-born envoy’s remains to Rio de Janeiro, where his funeral was held. Instead, the world bureaucracy gave her a one-way ticket to her native Argentina, making it clear that she would not be a welcome guest at any official mourning. That was reserved for his long estranged wife, Annie, and the couple’s two adult sons. Undaunted and still wearing her torn and bloodied clothes, Larriera, then 30, made her own way to the funeral.
“I was focused on chasing Sergio’s casket around the globe,” she told The Post in an exclusive interview last week.
***
“Sergio” is loosely based on “Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World,” a rambling 666-page biography by former UN ambassador Samantha Power.
Vieira de Mello was both a skillful diplomat and a committed humanitarian, who joined the UN in 1969 and cut his teeth in some of the world’s worst trouble spots, including Lebanon, Cambodia and Rwanda. One journalist described him as a cross between James Bond and Bobby Kennedy. Handsome and elegantly attired, he brushed his teeth with Italian mineral water and had a love interest in every war-torn country he was assigned to fix. He spoke four languages fluently, and before his death in Iraq, he was widely seen as an heir apparent to Kofi Annan, the former secretary general of the world bureaucracy.
Vieira de Mello was also a womanizer who stuck to a lifelong pattern of sleeping with many of his UN assistants. For a bureaucrat who worked 18-hour days, “special assistants made natural partners,” Power writes.
His romantic conquests began with his wife in the early 1970s. He met Annie Personnaz when she was a young secretary at the Geneva headquarters of the UN where he was also working. The couple married in 1973, and at first she followed the rising bureaucrat to hardship posts in Mozambique and Israel. She also typed up his 600-page PhD dissertation, and raised their two sons on her own while Vieira de Mello took on increasingly longer assignments in even more dangerous parts of the world.
Yet Vieira de Mello seemed to have no scruples about his frequent romantic entanglements. In the early 1990s when he was stationed in Cambodia, he openly carried on an affair with UN executive assistant Mieke Bos, who lived with him in his Phnom Penh hotel suite.
When his wife came to Cambodia with his two young sons for a rare visit in 1991, Bos was hastily moved out of the executive hotel suite while his family was in town, according to Power.
At Vieira de Mello’s going-away party in Cambodia, a colleague asked Bos if she would accompany him to his next posting in Angola, an assignment that was later aborted. Power recorded the response in her book: “‘No,’ she said tersely. ‘I’m staying here.’”
Whenever colleagues and others asked why he wouldn’t officially separate from his wife, Vieira de Mello often replied, “I will never get divorced, neither from my marriage nor from the UN.”
Before meeting Larriera, his commitment to Annie seemed rock solid, largely because he knew he had been an absentee father for years, Power noted. “She is doing a wonderful job raising my sons,” Vieira de Mello said of Annie. “Without her sacrifice, I would never be able to do what I do.”
But he could also be callously matter-of-fact about the relationship: “Everybody has a cross to bear, and I am Annie’s cross.”
More than 30 years before #MeToo, “the UN … was still a Third World country,” an unnamed senior official confided to Power. “Nobody thought twice when the boss slept with the assistant.”
Larriera met Vieira de Mello in East Timor by chance — they bumped into each other jogging in the capital city Dili in 1999. She was a 26-year-old economist working on a microcredit program with poor women in the Southeast Asian country, and he was the UN administrator, jokingly referred to as “the viceroy.” The veteran UN bureaucrat, 51 at the time, was tasked with ensuring that the rebels who had won independence from Indonesia would make a peaceful transition to democracy.
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In real life, Larriera initially wanted to keep her relationship with the boss secret. No doubt aware of his past reputation with women, Larriera was also determined to wring a more lasting commitment from Vieira de Mello. And she succeeded. “From now on, it’s the new Sergio,” he wrote on construction paper notes that he scattered through his sprawling home in Dili when he tried to win Larriera back after she initially left him — a scene dramatized to full romantic effect in “Sergio.”
Vieira de Mello appeared deeply in love. At a gala independence dinner in East Timor, Vieira de Mello broke with protocol when he said, “East Timor is special for me for many reasons, but none more than because this is where I met Carolina.”
When his term was up in May 2002, Larriera accompanied him back to a desk job at UN headquarters in New York where the two bought Tiffany gold rings engraved with each others’ names.
Months before the fateful decision to head up the UN mission in Baghdad that would end his life, he also petitioned a French court in January 2003 for a divorce from Annie. Their separation agreement was signed five months later, on May 23, 2003, court records seen by The Post show.
While he waited for the divorce to be finalized, Vieira de Mello promised Larriera that they would go on a long vacation to Rio de Janeiro and start planning a wedding after they returned from what was to be a four-month assignment in Baghdad. Vieira de Mello, now head of human rights for the world body, had refused the Iraq assignment three times, and only accepted it after US President George W. Bush leaned on Kofi Annan to send the UN’s brightest star to aid in the reconstruction of the country. Vieira de Mello asked Larriera to accompany him, and in June 2003, the couple flew to a war-ravaged Baghdad.
But as the special representative of the UN’s secretary general, Vieira de Mello knew that the UN mission faced distrust and opposition from the Iraqi people. He was outspoken about distancing the UN mission from US forces on the ground, even refusing to have US tanks guard the Canal Hotel where the mission was located.
Larriera was in her office at the Canal Hotel when the al Qaeda truck bomb hit at 4:25 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19. She later learned that Vieira de Mello, 55, was the target of the attack, and the truck which carried the explosives was parked under his office window where he was chairing a meeting. Al Qaeda said the hit on Vieira de Mello was revenge for helping East Timor consolidate independence after throwing off their Muslim overlords in Indonesia.
Vieira de Mello initially survived the blast but remained buried under rubble for more than four hours as US forces scrambled to find heavy equipment to dig him out. When his remains were lifted out of the wreckage, one of the first responders gave Larriera his Tiffany gold band engraved with her name, but UN officials refused her access to their apartment in Baghdad. Similarly, she was barred from his homes in New York and Geneva, she said.
At the funeral in Rio, Larriera comforted Vieira de Mello’s elderly mother. But it was Annie, still his legal wife, and the couple’s sons, Laurent, 25, and Adrien, 23, who were accorded official mourning. It was to Annie that Kofi Annan handed a folded UN flag at his funeral, and it was Annie who accompanied the official delegation of diplomats to Geneva for the burial. Annie also received his UN pension.
Larriera was cast aside by the UN, and for a year after the bombing that killed 22 UN workers and injured 100, she did “not even appear on the list of survivors,” she said.
“To this day, I still can’t work it out,” she told The Post from her home in Rio de Janeiro where she has been embraced by Vieira de Mello’s Brazilian family. “That the UN would totally desert one of their own after a tragedy like this, to this day, it’s a paradox. I had worked for the UN for seven years on my own right; I was the legally recognized partner of their High Commissioner for Human Rights who was murdered on the UN’s most crucial mission.”
A few years after his death, both of the women in Vieira de Mello’s life set up charities in his name. Annie and his sons set up a non-profit in Geneva that organizes lectures and hands out annual prizes for diplomacy.
The foundation did not return The Post’s emails or calls seeking comment.
The Geneva foundation did not sit well with Vieira de Mello’s family in Brazil. “I find it incomprehensible that someone who spent the last few years of my son’s life fighting in a litigious, bitter and rancorous divorce proceeding should now be responsible for preserving his memory,” said Vieira de Mello’s mother, Gilda, in a letter to Annie when the foundation opened in 2007.
In Rio de Janeiro, Larriera, now 47, set up the Centro Sergio Vieira de Mello, a non-profit that works in local schools and shantyowns.
Larriera is the civil union spouse of Vieira de Mello under Brazilian law. After Vieira de Mello died, she dedicated herself to taking care of Vieira de Mello’s mother, who is now 102, she said. She didn’t remarry or have children.
While he was in the prime of his life, Vieira de Mello often joked to colleagues, “I would like every one of my girlfriends to come to my funeral and walk behind my coffin.”
Although that did not come to pass, Larriera was determined to mourn in her own way. In Rio, she gathered a bag of sand from Ipanema beach — Vieira de Mello’s favorite stomping grounds — and traveled to Geneva where she scattered the sand over his grave at the Cemetery of Kings. He is buried there next to writers Jorge Luis Borges, Rainer Maria Rilke and James Joyce.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Inside the $125 million former mansion of William Randolph Hearst

`` I , for one , am glad to see he is back , ...

The former estate of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst is on sale (again), and at $125 million, the estate is a “bargain.”
Despite its beauty, acreage and history, the house has been a hard sell. Originally listed for $195 million several years ago, its price was cut to $135 million in 2018 before being cut further.
Described by the estate agent, The Agency, as “among the most unique trophy properties in the United States,” the Beverly House was not only home to Hearst and Marion Davies, but was the honeymoon love nest for Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy — and served as JFK’s Presidential Election Headquarters.
Film buffs will recognize it as the setting for scenes in both “The Godfather” and “The Bodyguard.”
Located three blocks from the Beverly Hills Hotel, the estate, designed by Gordan Kaufmann, features 18 bedrooms, a near Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis court, two screening rooms, a commercial-grade kitchen, terraces to accommodate 400 or more guests and grounds to accommodate more than 1,000 people, according to the listing.
It also comes complete with four security gates and several perimeter housing structures.
The Beverly House “stands as an emblem of Hollywood’s Golden Era,” the listing boasts. Inside are floor-to-ceiling windows, a two-story paneled library a formal living room with its 22-foot-high arched ceiling, spa and a Dennis Abbe mural.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--President Trump says he is ‘glad’ Kim Jong Un has reappeared

President Trump has formed a one-man welcoming committee for the re-appearance of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un .
“ @ @ @ @ @ am glad to see he is back , and well !
” the president tweeted @ @ @ @ @ .
The message was accompanied by a retweet of photos of Kim at a ribbon-cutting @ @ @ @ @ .
The dictator had been rumored to be sick or dead .
A South Korean @ @ @ @ @ attended the ceremony at the plant Friday .
It was the first reported public sighting @ @ @ @ @ when he was presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers Party .
@ @ @ @ @ tweet prompted pushback from US Rep Joseph Kennedy III .
“ I shouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ , no president should ever praise a dictator on Twitter , ” the Massachusetts congressman @ @

President Trump has formed a one-man welcoming committee for the re-appearance of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
“I, for one, am glad to see he is back, and well!” the president tweeted shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday.
The message was accompanied by a retweet of photos of Kim at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a fertilizer plant. The dictator had been rumored to be sick or dead.
A South Korean news agency reported Kim had attended the ceremony at the plant Friday.
It was the first reported public sighting for Kim since April 11 when he was presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers Party.
The president’s effusive tweet prompted pushback from US Rep Joseph Kennedy III.
“I shouldn’t have to say this but, no president should ever praise a dictator on Twitter,” the Massachusetts congressman tweeted.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--How Giants are approaching virtual rookie minicamps

Names .
That is all they are right now .
Those names were supposed to become real , live bodies this weekend — when the 10 players taken by the Giants in the draft , plus the signed undrafted free agents , convened at the team ’ s practice and training facility for a rookie minicamp .
“ There ’ s a lot of guys that are itching to get on the grass and compete and start proving themselves , ’ ’ new head coach Joe Judge said .
Those itches will not get scratched for quite some time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but their facility — and every other NFL facility — is shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Thus , this annual rookie indoctrination will be entirely a remote-access affair .
Normally , eager youngsters scattered around the country would have linked up with the Giants and received travel and accommodation plans for their first foray into the life of an NFL player .
They would tour the team facility — most of them for the first time — eat in the team cafeteria ( oh , those homemade chocolate chip cookies ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room and have handed to them blue-toned Giants gear .
Instead , these eager youngsters were given log-in information and sat in front of their laptops or tablet computers at the designated time as their sessions began .
The Giants could not even send their new players any team gear because all of it is locked away inside the shut-down team facility .
This is not ideal for anyone involved with this process .
It is far better than nothing , though .
The Giants for several weeks have engaged in a remote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The playbooks were shipped electronically and video conferencing is ongoing within position groups , the entire offense , defense and special teams units .
At least these players know what it is like to participate in person in these programs .
This is all new to the rookies .
It started Friday and ends Sunday , as the rookies were introduced to the Giants and the league , presented with all sorts of organizational information that was supposed to take place in person .
“ The league has allowed us to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge said .
“ They have given us a couple weekends where we are going to get our guys in .
Submit questions on your favorite New York teams to be answered in an upcoming mailbag “ We can meet with them and get them started on the process .
It will be very similar to what our vets have gone through .
For them , it will be a little bit more of an orientation on the front end to let them know a little bit more about our program .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vets , it ’ s a new staff , it ’ s a new program , it ’ s an orientation for them as well .
Our coaches will repeat a lot of the process this week that we started with our vets .
It will be all virtual right now so we have to bridge the gap as much as we can.
’ ’ The NFL and the Players Association jointly came up with the parameters for these rookie camps .
The veteran sessions are capped at two hours per day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , up to five hours per day .
There is much new ground to cover .
There will not be any virtual workouts in the Giants ’ rookie program .
Until the all-clear is given and team facilities can open up , this is the best the Giants can do .

Names. That is all they are right now.
Those names were supposed to become real, live bodies this weekend — when the 10 players taken by the Giants in the draft, plus the signed undrafted free agents, convened at the team’s practice and training facility for a rookie minicamp.
“There’s a lot of guys that are itching to get on the grass and compete and start proving themselves,’’ new head coach Joe Judge said.
Those itches will not get scratched for quite some time. The Giants held their rookie camp, but their facility — and every other NFL facility — is shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this annual rookie indoctrination will be entirely a remote-access affair.
Normally, eager youngsters scattered around the country would have linked up with the Giants and received travel and accommodation plans for their first foray into the life of an NFL player. They would tour the team facility — most of them for the first time — eat in the team cafeteria (oh, those homemade chocolate chip cookies), get a cubicle in the locker room and have handed to them blue-toned Giants gear.
Instead, these eager youngsters were given log-in information and sat in front of their laptops or tablet computers at the designated time as their sessions began. The Giants could not even send their new players any team gear because all of it is locked away inside the shut-down team facility.
This is not ideal for anyone involved with this process. It is far better than nothing, though.
The Giants for several weeks have engaged in a remote offseason program with their veteran players. The playbooks were shipped electronically and video conferencing is ongoing within position groups, the entire offense, defense and special teams units. At least these players know what it is like to participate in person in these programs. This is all new to the rookies.
It started Friday and ends Sunday, as the rookies were introduced to the Giants and the league, presented with all sorts of organizational information that was supposed to take place in person.
“The league has allowed us to have a version of rookie minicamp,’’ Judge said. “They have given us a couple weekends where we are going to get our guys in.
Submit questions on your favorite New York teams to be answered in an upcoming mailbag
“We can meet with them and get them started on the process. It will be very similar to what our vets have gone through. For them, it will be a little bit more of an orientation on the front end to let them know a little bit more about our program. To be honest with you, with our vets, it’s a new staff, it’s a new program, it’s an orientation for them as well. Our coaches will repeat a lot of the process this week that we started with our vets. It will be all virtual right now so we have to bridge the gap as much as we can.’’
The NFL and the Players Association jointly came up with the parameters for these rookie camps. The veteran sessions are capped at two hours per day, but the rookie sessions can run longer, up to five hours per day. There is much new ground to cover. There will not be any virtual workouts in the Giants’ rookie program.
Until the all-clear is given and team facilities can open up, this is the best the Giants can do.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--Congress scraps Trump’s plan for coronavirus testing on Capitol Hill

On second thought , please don ’ t test us after all .
Congressional leaders turned down the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ three rapid-result COVID-19 testing machines on Capitol Hill in time for the Senate ’ s @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Congress is grateful for the Administration ’ s generous offer , ” Senate @ @ @ @ @ Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wrote in a joint letter Saturday , Politico reported @ @ @ @ @ keep directing resources to the front-line facilities where they can do the most good the @ @ @ @ @ capped two days of press criticism after congressional physician Dr. Brian Monahan told the leaders @ @ @ @ @ to administer frequent coronavirus tests to legislators and staffers — even though the White House @ @ @ @ @ to everyone who comes in close contact with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike @ @ @ @ @ a tart Trump tweet Saturday morning that announced his plans to give Congress the same @ @

On second thought, please don’t test us after all.
Congressional leaders turned down the Trump administration’s plan to install three rapid-result COVID-19 testing machines on Capitol Hill in time for the Senate’s return to work on Monday.
“Congress is grateful for the Administration’s generous offer,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wrote in a joint letter Saturday, Politico reported. “Congress wants to keep directing resources to the front-line facilities where they can do the most good the most quickly.”
The rejection capped two days of press criticism after congressional physician Dr. Brian Monahan told the leaders that he would be unable to administer frequent coronavirus tests to legislators and staffers — even though the White House has been giving rapid tests to everyone who comes in close contact with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
The stories drew a tart Trump tweet Saturday morning that announced his plans to give Congress the same technology.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--NYC nursing home’s staggering coronavirus deaths don’t match state reports

The state is seeking to account for as many as 98 residents of the Isabella Geriatric Center in Washington Heights who have reportedly died of COVID-19 , officials said Saturday .
The state lists only 13 deaths at the facility .
“ We are working to verify all the information reported to us ” at Isabella and all 613 nursing homes and 544 adult-care facilities , said Gary Holmes , a state Health Department spokesman .
Officials could not say whether Isabella deliberately misled the state .
The facility insists it reported all deaths .
Gov .
Cuomo Friday had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they submit numbers “ under penalty of perjury.
” “ You violate , you commit fraud , that is a criminal offense , period .
So they can be prosecuted criminally for fraud on any of these reporting numbers , ” he said .
On Saturday , a state Department of Heath website listed 13 deaths of Isabella residents as of May 1 despite news reports that nearly 100 facility residents had died .
The nursing home has acknowledged 60 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 deaths at the massive , 705-bed facility , plus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected cases in the hospital .
Snafus in the state monitoring system are widespread , The Post found .
At the sprawling Hebrew Home in Riverdale , 25 residents have died of suspected or confirmed cases of the coronavirus since March 1 , a spokeswoman said , but the state still lists the number at zero .
The largest private nursing home in the state with 751 beds , Hebrew Home says half of the 14 patients who died in its beds were confirmed COVID-19 cases and half were presumed to have it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died of the bug after being transported to hospitals .
“ The Hebrew Home has been and continues to be fully transparent in its reporting of deaths due to covid , ” spokeswoman Wendy Steinberg said .
The state website also lists the wrong name of a nursing home run by city Health + Hospitals .
An Isabella spokesperson declined to comment Saturday , but said last week , “ From the beginning of this pandemic , Isabella has reported truthful and accurate data requested by the Department of Health .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presumed positive cases at both the residence and hospital , including deaths.
” The state in the past had cited Isabella , and other nursing homes , for letting oxygen tubes connected to patients sit on the floor .
State health official Holmes said the agency is trying to “ determine whether [ the ] facility is under reporting .
We have not found that yet .
“ We went back and asked every nursing home to provide all COVID-19 deaths , both confirmed and unconfirmed , ” he said .

The state is seeking to account for as many as 98 residents of the Isabella Geriatric Center in Washington Heights who have reportedly died of COVID-19, officials said Saturday.
The state lists only 13 deaths at the facility.
“We are working to verify all the information reported to us” at Isabella and all 613 nursing homes and 544 adult-care facilities, said Gary Holmes, a state Health Department spokesman.
Officials could not say whether Isabella deliberately misled the state. The facility insists it reported all deaths.
Gov. Cuomo Friday had harsh words for nursing homes, saying they submit numbers “under penalty of perjury.”
“You violate, you commit fraud, that is a criminal offense, period. So they can be prosecuted criminally for fraud on any of these reporting numbers,” he said.
On Saturday, a state Department of Heath website listed 13 deaths of Isabella residents as of May 1 despite news reports that nearly 100 facility residents had died.
The nursing home has acknowledged 60 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 deaths at the massive, 705-bed facility, plus 38 others who died of confirmed or suspected cases in the hospital.
Snafus in the state monitoring system are widespread, The Post found.
At the sprawling Hebrew Home in Riverdale, 25 residents have died of suspected or confirmed cases of the coronavirus since March 1, a spokeswoman said, but the state still lists the number at zero.
The largest private nursing home in the state with 751 beds, Hebrew Home says half of the 14 patients who died in its beds were confirmed COVID-19 cases and half were presumed to have it. And another 11 of its residents died of the bug after being transported to hospitals.
“The Hebrew Home has been and continues to be fully transparent in its reporting of deaths due to covid,” spokeswoman Wendy Steinberg said.
The state website also lists the wrong name of a nursing home run by city Health + Hospitals.
An Isabella spokesperson declined to comment Saturday, but said last week, “From the beginning of this pandemic, Isabella has reported truthful and accurate data requested by the Department of Health. We have shared daily the number of confirmed and presumed positive cases at both the residence and hospital, including deaths.”
The state in the past had cited Isabella, and other nursing homes, for letting oxygen tubes connected to patients sit on the floor.
State health official Holmes said the agency is trying to “determine whether [the] facility is under reporting. We have not found that yet.
“We went back and asked every nursing home to provide all COVID-19 deaths, both confirmed and unconfirmed,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-05-02--The unavoidable emotions of playing golf in coronavirus age

The demands have been heard , and The Post has responded !
...

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This was never going to be an ordinary round of golf.
That was apparent the moment I lay my head on the pillow Friday night, my mind already racing thinking about playing golf at 8 o’clock Saturday morning in what was going to be my first round in the COVID-19 age.
I had a difficult time sleeping, anxious about what I was going to do in the morning — excited to play but at the same time apprehensive about putting myself or anyone else at risk.
With New Jersey golf courses closed by order of Gov. Phil Murphy as the shelter-at-home measures were being pushed in an effort to flatten the curve of the virus, golf has not been a recreational option as the weather has warmed this spring.
Until Saturday morning.
This past week, Murphy lifted the restrictions and allowed for golf course and parks to reopen as of dawn Saturday.
It had been 51 days since I last played golf. The last time I’d played before Saturday, I shot 76 (a rare break of 80 for me) at San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla., with some golf writer colleagues on the eve of The Players Championship.
The next day, I covered the opening round of The Players at TPC Sawgrass, and by 10 o’clock that night, the tournament was canceled and nothing in the sports world — the entire world for that matter — has seemed normal since.
With all of us craving some sense of normalcy again, I hoped that playing golf Saturday morning would return me three or four hours of that — even with the COVID-19 restrictions on the golf course calling for no rakes in bunkers, no touching of flagsticks and raised cups, so there’s no need to reach into a cup to retrieve a holed putt.
Previous 1 of 10 Next Advertisement Golfer Brian Lafemina, wearing a mask, teeing off at the first hole. Golfers were able to remove their masks after the 1st hole as long as they kept 6 feet apart from the golfer they were paired with, at the Suburban Golf Club in Union Township, NJ Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post A face-mask hangs from the bag of New York Post writer Mark Cannizzaro who playing a round of golf at the Suburban Golf Club in Union Township, NJ Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post Advertisement A worker at the Suburban Golf Club in Union Township, wearing a mask as he rides in a golf cart as New Jersey Golf courses reopened today with social distances rules in place. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post A golfer wearing a facemask carrying his golf clubs as he arrives to play a round of golf at the Suburban Golf Club in Union Township, New Jersey. New Jersey reopened golf courses with social distancing rules in place. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post New Jersey Golf courses reopened today with social distancing rules in place. One of the rules in place is Flagsticks will not be removed and a foam insert in the holes prevents the ball from going into the hole and the golfers will not be able to retrieve the ball from inside the hole. New York Post reporter Mark Cannizzaro, played a round of golf at the Suburban Golf Club in Union Township, NJ Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post Advertisement New Jersey Golf courses were reopened today with social distancing rules in place, as New York Post writer Mark Cannizzaro hitting a put while playing a round of golf at the Suburban Golf Club in Union Township, NJ Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post New Jersey Golf courses reopened today with social distancing rules in place, as New York Post writer Mark Cannizzaro (left), was paired with golfer Brian Lafemina (right), as they listen to Stephen O'Loughlin go over the social distancing rules, as they kept at least 6 feet apart and had carry their clubs walking the course and not use golf carts, during a round of golf at the Suburban Golf Club in Union Township, NJ. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post Advertisement
Among the new regulations in place include twosomes, tee time intervals spaced 16 minutes apart and no congregating. We were instructed to wear a face covering at least from the parking lot to the first tee with the option to continue wearing it on the course at your discretion.
Mark McCormick, the head pro at my course, Suburban Golf Club in Union, N.J., looked like a doctor who’d just gotten out of surgery, wearing a face mask and a plastic shield over his face. I didn’t recognize him until he spoke.
My ride to Suburban Saturday morning was as fitful as the sleep I’d gotten the night before. The adrenaline and anticipation of finally playing golf after too long away from it was tempered by some apprehension. I felt a lot of weird mixed emotions.
If we’re being honest with ourselves, most of us look at everyone we encounter in these days assuming that person is carrying the virus. So, everyone looks radioactive to you — even your friends.
Though I was paired with a fellow member who I hadn’t met before but was a terrific guy with a similar sports background and interests to me, I had an overwhelming feeling that I’d have been better off playing by myself — at least for my first round back. This was completely a product of my own apprehension about being around people, certainly not his company.
I felt like I spent more time during the round strategizing how to avoid veering too close to him while conversing than I did strategizing how to play each hole.
I had a quiet freak-out moment on the fifth green when my playing partner inadvertently put his club in my bag and, as a result, touched my bag. I thought about that for the rest of the round.
Playing for the first time during this COVID-19 age, I felt like I was dipping my toe into the icy Atlantic Ocean water for that first swim of the spring, wondering if I was ready to go all the way in.
Was this too soon?
The vibe at the course was notably subdued. The usual chatter and needling that usually takes place was replaced by a whole lot of silence.
Part of the emotions I wrestled with, too, were pangs of guilt. Just two days ago, I got a text from my best friend telling me he’d contracted the virus and was quarantining at his apartment in the city. And here I was about to enjoy a 70-degree Saturday playing 18 holes on a beautiful golf course.
I did it. I enjoyed it. And I’ll do it again when I can. I shot 83, but would not have given a damn if I shot 103. I was just happy to be playing again.
“How’d you play?’’ a friend asked us as we walked off the 18th green.
“Well,’’ my playing partner responded, “we played.’’
Amen.