newyorkpost--2020-12-24--College football bowl betting guide: Texas, Oklahoma among best bets

This was the year .
This was time .
This was the ...

I didn’t think we’d make it this far. I didn’t think there’d be a season. I didn’t think there’d be a national champion.
But I’m happy I was wrong. I’m happy Saturdays weren’t as empty as so many stadiums. I’m happy we could watch the final college seasons of Trevor Lawrence and DeVonta Smith. I’m happy that I could get angry about Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina being insulted by a committee with less courage than a BCS computer.
I’m even happy the still-bloated Bowl Season is here. It would’ve been so easy for there to have been nothing at all.
New Mexico Bowl
Houston (-10.5) over Hawaii
The Cougars are grateful for one more opportunity to play in a season in which eight of their games were canceled or postponed. The jet-lagged Rainbow Warriors have dropped their past two games on the mainland by an average of 24 points.
Camellia Bowl
Buffalo (-5.5) over Marshall
At the start of December, both teams were undefeated. By the end of the month, one season will feel like a disappointment, following both teams’ disastrous showings in their respective league title games. While Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson should bounce back from his worst outing of the year, Marshall’s meltdown will continue. After a 7-0 start, the Thundering Herd have lost both games since a three-week break, scoring a total of 13 points.
Cure Bowl
Coastal Carolina (-7) over Liberty
After a month off, the Flames are set up for failure against the little undefeated engine that could. Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze losing the Auburn job to Boise State’s Bryan Harsin stings even more.
First Responder Bowl
Louisiana-Lafayette (-13.5) over UTSA
A brilliant season that began with a convincing road win at Iowa State ends with rage after the Sun Belt title game was canceled. The No. 19 Cajuns deserve a better ranking, bowl and opponent.
Lending Tree Bowl
Western Kentucky (+3.5) over Georgia State
The Hilltoppers have won three straight games. The Panthers will have had a four-week layoff. Don’t overthink it.
Cheez-It Bowl
Oklahoma State (-2.5) over Miami
The Hurricanes’ defense looked like it was hit with a Category 5 against ranked teams this season, surrendering more than 48 points per game. The wreckage will continue, with Miami’s star defensive linemen Quincy Roche and Jaelen Phillips opting out to prepare for the NFL draft.
Alamo Bowl
Texas (-9.5) over Colorado
The Longhorns are sticking with Tom Herman for at least another season. So, you can count on him and senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger to cap another underachieving season by leading Texas to a fourth straight meaningless bowl victory.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Wake Forest (+7) over Wisconsin
It makes sense that the most repulsive bowl game sponsor gets paired with one of the sport’s least palatable offenses. Averaging 10 points over the past four games, the Badgers will either bring struggling freshman quarterback Graham Mertz back from a concussion or turn to Chase Wolf, who has thrown six career passes.
Music City Bowl
Iowa (-14.5) over Missouri
The Hawkeyes’ six-game winning streak featured numerous blowouts, but no victories against teams with winning records. Fortunately for Iowa, the Tigers (5-5) fill that bill, entering with a defense giving up at least 49 points in its past three games.
Cotton Bowl
Oklahoma (+3) over Florida
The Big 12 champs — riding seven straight wins — can finally enjoy this time of year, knowing another playoff embarrassment won’t come. Putting up points against the Gators will be no problem. Florida QB Kyle Trask’s chance of winning the shoot-out go down drastically with top target Kyle Pitts leaving for the NFL’s green room.
Armed Forces Bowl
Tulsa (-2.5) over Mississippi State
I don’t understand this line and I don’t care to. Just happily snatch up the two-loss Golden Hurricane, who nearly took down undefeated Cincinnati and have a linebacker (Zaven Collins) who will single-handedly wreak havoc against the Bulldogs’ wildly inconsistent attack.
Justin Wright of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane Getty Images
Arizona Bowl
Ball State (+8) over San Jose State
The Cardinals just spoiled one perfect season with their upset of Buffalo. Senior quarterback Drew Plitt has led Ball State to six straight wins, so another spoiler game isn’t impossible.
Liberty Bowl
Army (+8) over West Virginia
The Black Knights were put in the position of desperately wanting to play in a pedestrian bowl — and more than motivation is in their favor. The last time the Mountaineers faced a triple-option offense, the oldest player on their current roster was a junior in high school.
Texas Bowl
Arkansas (+6.5) over TCU
The record book will show that Sam Pittman went 3-7 in his first regular season with the Hogs. I’ll remember that he went 7-3 against the spread.
Peach Bowl
Cincinnati (+7) over Georgia
The Bearcats have been waiting for such an opportunity all season. Like Central Florida in 2017 — which knocked off Auburn to complete an undefeated season — Cincy should have had a chance to play for a national championship. Playoff expansion can’t come soon enough.
Citrus Bowl
Northwestern (-3.5) over Auburn
The Tigers may not mind parting with a $21.5 million severance package, but they will miss having underappreciated Gus Malzahn to kick around. Until Nick Saban steps down at Alabama, the inferiority complex will remain.
Rose Bowl
Notre Dame (+19.5) over Alabama
The line is an overreaction to the Fighting Irish getting blasted by Clemson last week. It’s rooted in history that’s no longer relevant, like Alabama’s 2012 BCS title game blowout of Notre Dame and Clemson’s 30-3 win over the Irish two years back. It pretends Notre Dame’s win over Clemson last month never happened. It acts as if Alabama is invincible, when Nick Saban’s defense no longer strikes fear into its opponents. Four teams have stayed within 20 points of the Crimson Tide this season. The Irish can achieve that much.
Sugar Bowl
Ohio State (+7.5) over Clemson
In 2018, Justin Fields was the No. 2 high school recruit in the country. Fellow Georgia native Trevor Lawrence was the first. Last year, Fields suffered his only loss at Ohio State after a last-minute playoff interception against Clemson. Next year, Fields could be picked as high as No. 2 in the NFL draft, and no player will be picked ahead of Lawrence. For one night, Fields will look like Lawrence’s equal.
Gator Bowl
North Carolina State (+2.5) over Kentucky
The Wildcats’ four wins this season came against teams with a combined record of 8-31. The nation’s 107th-ranked offense will look the part after a month off.
Outback Bowl
Indiana (-6.5) over Mississippi
The Hoosiers could have received a New Year’s Six bowl appearance. Instead, they’ll play a sub-.500 opponent that sports the nation’s worst defense. After five interceptions against LSU, wild-card Matt Corral of the Rebels meets the defense with more interceptions per game (2.4) than any in the land.
Fiesta Bowl
Iowa State (-4.5) over Oregon
The Ducks’ season peaked with an undeserved Pac-12 championship, but the Cyclones’ best season in decades is no fluke. The nation’s leading rusher, Iowa State’s Breece Hall, will pad his stats against a defense torched by every decent ground game this season.
Orange Bowl
North Carolina (+6.5) over Texas A&M
The Aggies are where they belong. The 28-point loss to Alabama is proof. Even against a soft schedule, A&M couldn’t show strength. An Aggies defense accustomed to cupcakes will show its true colors against the sixth-highest scoring offense in the nation.
Best Bets: Texas, Oklahoma, Tulsa, N.C. State, Iowa State
This Season (Best Bets): 113-100-3 (23-21-1) (entering Monday)
2014-19 Record: 772-756-13


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Moderna confident COVID-19 vaccine will work against new strain

The scientist who co-founded the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine says he ...

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Moderna says it’s confident that its COVID-19 vaccine will provide protection from the highly contagious coronavirus strain that’s spreading in the UK and other countries.
Research has shown the shot is “equally effective” against several other variants of the virus that emerged earlier in the pandemic, the Massachusetts biotech firm said in a statement. The company said it will perform more tests in the coming weeks to make sure the same is true for the UK strain.
“While we plan to run tests to confirm the activity of the vaccine against any strain, the broad range of potential neutralizing antibodies made possible by the Moderna COVID 19 Vaccine provide confidence that our vaccine will also be effective at inducing neutralizing antibodies against them,” Moderna said Wednesday.
Both Moderna and BioNTech — the German company that developed another vaccine with Pfizer — have offered reassurances about their shots after the new strain sparked fears about the pandemic getting worse.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson locked down London and surrounding areas last week after research revealed the new variant was at least 70 percent more transmissible.
But BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin reportedly said the proteins in the new strain are “99 percent the same as the original version,” meaning there’s a strong chance his company’s vaccine will also work against it.
“Scientifically, it is highly likely that the immune response by this vaccine also can deal with the new virus variant,” Sahin said on Tuesday.
American health officials started distributing Moderna’s vaccine this week after it became the second to be cleared for emergency use in the US. Pfizer’s shot was rolled out last week following a similar approval.
Moderna shares were down 0.8 percent in premarket trading at $129.30 as of 7:48 a.m.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Dr. Fauci’s wife surprises him with Zoom party for his 80th birthday

It ’ s Dr. Anthony Fauci ’ s 80 birthday – and boy , was he in for a surprise by his wife , according to a report .
America ’ s indefatigable top infectious diseases expert — who has been the leading voice calling for social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic – wasn ’ t exactly expecting a bash , The Guardian reported .
But his wife of 35 years , Christine Grady , had a safety-compliant celebration planned .
“ She is a genius at fooling me , ” Fauci told the UK news outlet .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fool me .
But she threw surprise birthday parties for my 50th , 60th and 70th birthdays .
“ By having me at work and then all of a sudden , ‘ Come on home .
We ’ ve got to do something .
You got ta go out to dinner.
’ I walk in the house and there are people who come from all over the country , ” he added .
The couple agreed this year that their three far-flung adult daughters would not spend Thanksgiving or Christmas with them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country to limit travel , and I don ’ t want to be one of those health officials who tells the world to do something and then they go out and have a party themselves , ” said Fauci , director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
Grady , the top bioethicist at the National Institutes of Health , fooled her hubby by telling him that on Christmas Eve the two of them would enjoy a quiet birthday dinner at home before celebrating with their kids online .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ get home from the office by 5:30 p.m. so they could have their usual weekend virtual chat with their daughters .
“ So as you know , I ’ m protected by federal agents because of the threats on my life here , ” said Fauci , who has revealed that he has received death threats as a result of his public statements about the pandemic .
“ The agent who ’ s outside says , ‘ Uh , it ’ s getting to be five o ’ clock .
You got ta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Don ’ t worry about it , I ’ m fine , ’ ” he said .
The agent persisted , he added .
“ ‘ No , no , no .
Your wife said you got ta be home at 5:30.
’ I should have known what ’ s going on , ” said Fauci , who walked into his home office to find that 15 or so of his closest friends popped up on a computer via Zoom .
His creative wife had had arranged for them to dial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the globe to help celebrate his milestone birthday .
Fauci , who received the COVID-19 vaccine this week , told CNN that he has worked 18 hours a day , seven days a week all year .
“ I have not taken a day off since mid-January of this year , ” he said .
“ You just kind of have to dig deep and suck it up , because the problem itself is of such enormity that it just requires that you have to put a full effort into it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
Meanwhile , Washington , DC , Mayor Muriel Bowser has proclaimed Thursday “ Dr .
Anthony S. Fauci Day ” in the nation ’ s capital .
“ We are incredibly proud to count Dr. Fauci among the many DC residents who are sacrificing so much to keep our communities healthy and safe , ” she said on Twitter .
“ So what am I doing for my birthday ?
” Fauci told the Guardian .
“ I ’ ve already done it .
”

It’s Dr. Anthony Fauci’s 80 birthday — and boy, was he in for a surprise from his wife.
America’s indefatigable top infectious diseases expert — who has been the leading voice calling for social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic — wasn’t exactly expecting a bash, the Guardian reported.
But his wife of 35 years, Christine Grady, had a safety-compliant celebration planned.
“She is a genius at fooling me,” Fauci told the UK news outlet. “I mean, it’s very tough to fool me. But she threw surprise birthday parties for my 50th, 60th and 70th birthdays.
“By having me at work and then all of a sudden, ‘Come on home. We’ve got to do something. You gotta go out to dinner.’ I walk in the house and there are people who come from all over the country,” he added.
The couple agreed this year that their three far-flung adult daughters would not spend Thanksgiving or Christmas with them.
“Because I have been telling the country to limit travel, and I don’t want to be one of those health officials who tells the world to do something and then they go out and have a party themselves,” said Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Grady, the top bioethicist at the National Institutes of Health, fooled her hubby by telling him that on Christmas Eve, the two of them would enjoy a quiet birthday dinner at home before celebrating with their kids online.
On Sunday, she told him to get home from the office by 5:30 p.m. so they could have their usual weekend virtual chat with their daughters.
“So as you know, I’m protected by federal agents because of the threats on my life here,” said Fauci, who has revealed that he has received death threats as a result of his public statements about the pandemic.
“The agent who’s outside says, ‘Uh, it’s getting to be 5 o’clock. You gotta be home at 5:30.’ I said, ‘Don’t worry about it, I’m fine,’” he said.
The agent persisted, he added.
“‘No, no, no. Your wife said you gotta be home at 5:30.’ I should have known what’s going on,” said Fauci, who walked into his home office to find that 15 or so of his closest friends popped up on a computer via Zoom.
His creative wife had arranged for them to dial in from across the US and other parts of the globe to help celebrate his milestone birthday.
Fauci, who received the COVID-19 vaccine this week, told CNN that he has worked 18 hours a day, seven days a week all year.
“I have not taken a day off since mid-January of this year,” he said.
“You just kind of have to dig deep and suck it up, because the problem itself is of such enormity that it just requires that you have to put a full effort into it,” the top doc said about the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser has proclaimed Thursday “Dr. Anthony S. Fauci Day” in the nation’s capital.
“We are incredibly proud to count Dr. Fauci among the many DC residents who are sacrificing so much to keep our communities healthy and safe,” she said on Twitter.
“So what am I doing for my birthday?” Fauci told the Guardian. “I’ve already done it.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Sen. Loeffler to weigh $2,000 payments if it ‘repurposes wasteful spending’

WASHINGTON — New York is expected to receive $ 54 billion ...

Sen. Kelly Loeffler will consider President Trump’s call for Congress to amend the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill to increase direct payments to eligible Americans from $600 to $2,000 — if it “repurposes wasteful spending.”
Loeffler (R-Ga.), who is in the fight of her political life in a race that will help decide which party controls the Senate — and has previously said $600 was sufficient — made the comment while speaking to reporters Wednesday at a campaign event with black business owners.
Asked about the commander-in-chief’s call for the amount to be raised, the Trump ally replied that she supports “redirecting any wasteful spending to be very targeted at families and businesses who have been impacted by this virus through no fault of their own.”
Pressed further on whether that meant she would back increasing the direct payments, she answered: “I’ll certainly look at supporting it if it repurposes wasteful spending toward that, yes.”
All eyes have focused on two Senate battles in Georgia, both with GOP incumbents. The current balance of the Senate is 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats, meaning that whichever way these two seats go will decide which party controls the upper chamber of Congress.
If Democrats were to win both seats in the Jan. 5 runoffs and keep the body evenly split, tie votes would be broken by the vice president, Kamala Harris, thus giving Democrats a single-vote majority.
Loeffler and Sen. David Perdue, the other GOP senator fighting for his political survival, had spent weeks touting their support for the bipartisan package and $600 checks in campaign ads and stump speeches across the state, before Trump changed his position.
The two had also attacked their respective Democratic opponents for arguing that $600 checks were insufficient.
A Loeffler spokesman did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for further comment.
On Tuesday night, Trump called the bipartisan relief bill a “disgrace” and told congressional lawmakers to amend the bill and “increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple,” while suggesting he would torpedo it if the changes weren’t made.
The coronavirus relief bill, the subject of months of negotiations between party leaders and the White House, was packaged together with a $1.4 trillion measure to keep the government open until September.
The deadline to avert a government shutdown is Dec. 29.
But the sprawling, 5,585-page relief bill is still being prepared by Congress, where lawmakers have decried the lack of time they have to assess the legislation.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Margaret Josephs wants Caroline Manzo back on ‘RHONJ’ despite Teresa drama

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Margaret Josephs wants Caroline Manzo to re-join “ The Real Housewives of New Jersey ” — despite her drama with co-star Teresa Giudice .
Josephs , 53 , revealed that she has never met fan-favorite Manzo , who left the show before Josephs became part of the cast , but called her “ smart ” and “ strong ” and said she ’ s always “ loved her character.
” “ I ’ d get a big kick out of [ Manzo returning ] .
I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said on the “ # NoFilter with Zack Peter ” podcast .
“ Personally , I think after COVID-19 , I don ’ t know if her and Teresa could ever heal — that would be amazing .
And then I wouldn ’ t be the oldest on the show !
” Giudice , 48 , and Manzo , 59 , have been at odds for years , with Giudice even accusing Manzo of reporting her and her husband to the federal police , leading to their respective prison sentences .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , the former friends came together to break bread for a Sabra Hummus commercial during the Super Bowl this year .
Last year , Manzo said she considered returning to “ RHONJ ” for Season 10 but didn ’ t because Bravo made her a “ very insulting ” offer .
Network honcho Andy Cohen , meanwhile , said last April that Manzo was one of the women he missed the most .
Season 11 is expected to premiere in early 2021 .

Margaret Josephs wants Caroline Manzo to re-join “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” — despite her drama with co-star Teresa Giudice.
Josephs, 53, revealed that she has never met fan-favorite Manzo, who left the show before Josephs became part of the cast, but called her “smart” and “strong” and said she’s always “loved her character.”
“I’d get a big kick out of [Manzo returning]. I think it’d be great,” she said on the “#NoFilter with Zack Peter” podcast. “Personally, I think after COVID-19, I don’t know if her and Teresa could ever heal — that would be amazing. And then I wouldn’t be the oldest on the show!”
Giudice, 48, and Manzo, 59, have been at odds for years, with Giudice even accusing Manzo of reporting her and her husband to the federal police, leading to their respective prison sentences. Of course, Manzo has denied any wrondoing.
Still, the former friends came together to break bread for a Sabra Hummus commercial during the Super Bowl this year.
Last year, Manzo said she considered returning to “RHONJ” for Season 10 but didn’t because Bravo made her a “very insulting” offer. Network honcho Andy Cohen, meanwhile, said last April that Manzo was one of the women he missed the most.
Season 11 is expected to premiere in early 2021.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Jen Shah says her battle with depression almost led to divorce

Jen Shah ’ s battle with depression almost led to the end of her marriage with husband Sharrieff Shah .
On Wednesday night ’ s episode of “ The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City , ” the 47-year-old revealed the moment she hit “ rock bottom ” and said the medication she at first resisted ended up changing her life .
“ After my dad passed a year ago and with Sharrieff being gone all the time , I became very depressed , ” she said in a confessional .
“ I had to go on medicine for anxiety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , to get on medication and , like , it was a sign of weakness.
” She added , “ Sharrieff was like , ‘ No .
You don ’ t need medication .
You pray and you just get your mind right.
’ And I was like , ‘ Oh , OK .
So that ’ s what we do in the Shah household . '
” But the mom of two explained that Sharrieff ’ s method didn ’ t work for her and her struggle became worse .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was lashing out at everybody around me , ” she said .
“ I mean , it almost cost me my marriage .
He was done with me acting out and it wasn ’ t until , you know , Sharrieff was like , ‘ I ’ m leaving , ’ that I was like , ‘ Wait , hold.
’ That was my rock bottom.
” Things changed after her family staged an intervention of sorts and the couple ’ s son Sharrieff Jr. said he supported his mother going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said , tearing up .
“ I didn ’ t want my kids to know about that .
I didn ’ t want — I want to be , you know , Wonder Woman and supermom to them .
I don ’ t want them to think that they have to take care of me.
” “ RHOSLC ” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m .
ET on Bravo .

Jen Shah’s battle with depression almost led to the end of her marriage with husband Sharrieff Shah.
On Wednesday night’s episode of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” the 47-year-old revealed the moment she hit “rock bottom” and said the medication she at first resisted ended up changing her life.
“After my dad passed a year ago and with Sharrieff being gone all the time, I became very depressed,” she said in a confessional. “I had to go on medicine for anxiety and depression, but I was scared, though, to get on medication and, like, it was a sign of weakness.”
She added, “Sharrieff was like, ‘No. You don’t need medication. You pray and you just get your mind right.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, OK. So that’s what we do in the Shah household.'”
But the mom of two explained that Sharrieff’s method didn’t work for her and her struggle became worse.
“After my dad passed away, I was lashing out at everybody around me,” she said. “I mean, it almost cost me my marriage. He was done with me acting out and it wasn’t until, you know, Sharrieff was like, ‘I’m leaving,’ that I was like, ‘Wait, hold.’ That was my rock bottom.”
Things changed after her family staged an intervention of sorts and the couple’s son Sharrieff Jr. said he supported his mother going on medication.
“I was ashamed,” she said, tearing up. “I didn’t want my kids to know about that. I didn’t want — I want to be, you know, Wonder Woman and supermom to them. I don’t want them to think that they have to take care of me.”
“RHOSLC” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--A Disney+ Gift Subscription Is the Best Last Minute Christmas Gift

Disney+ is a revelation .
Launched just over a year ago to great fanfare ( and the collective head-scratching of why it took so long ) , the streaming service now boasts nearly 90 million global subscribers , and has captured hearts , minds and wallets around the world with its mix of classics , popular franchises and original programming .
Acting as a hub of fan favorites as well as original TV shows and movies , Disney+ reverberates on many different levels and this year especially , makes the absolute perfect last minute Christmas gift for those who haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones ?
Now you have on-demand access to all the Disney and Pixar movies and series they want to watch , like Frozen , Toy Story or Cars—over and over .
And over .
That ’ s a far cry from the days of collecting massive DVD libraries which ended up collecting dust after a few years .
Oh , and the new , live action version of Mulan ended up being free for subscribers as well this year—bypassing the movie theater altogether .
In the same breath , you can placate those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last movie and TV show in their respective universes , including zeitgeist-busting The Mandalorian with its uber-adorable Baby Yoda and the massively anticipated original Marvel series WandaVision—which has been moved up to debut on January 15 .
Musical fans will not only be in heaven with the film version of Hamilton starring the original Broadway cast , but they ’ ll be also able to dig deeper into the Disney+ vault and stream faves like a live version of Newsies , the entire High School Musical trilogy , and even Mickey ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
We haven ’ t sold you ?
Then listen up , because nobody is going to want to admit to missing the newest Pixar feature film Soul , making its streaming premier on Disney+ on Christmas Day .
A metaphysical masterpiece starring Jamie Foxx as a newly deceased NYC Jazz musician figuring out the meaning of life with friends like Tina Fey ?
Yeah , they ’ re gon na want to see this .
So , stop browsing Amazon ( your gifts won ’ t get there on time anyhow !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the gift that keeps giving , for only $ 70 .
Trust us , there will be no returns with this one .

Disney+ is a revelation. Launched just over a year ago to great fanfare (and the collective head-scratching of why it took so long), the streaming service now boasts nearly 90 million global subscribers, and has captured hearts, minds and wallets around the world with its mix of classics, popular franchises and original programming.
Acting as a hub of fan favorites as well as original TV shows and movies, Disney+ reverberates on many different levels and this year especially, makes the absolute perfect last minute Christmas gift for those who haven’t already subscribed.
Buy a Disney+ gift subscription at DisneyPlus.com
Got little ones? Now you have on-demand access to all the Disney and Pixar movies and series they want to watch, like Frozen, Toy Story or Cars—over and over. And over. That’s a far cry from the days of collecting massive DVD libraries which ended up collecting dust after a few years. Oh, and the new, live action version of Mulan ended up being free for subscribers as well this year—bypassing the movie theater altogether.
In the same breath, you can placate those Star Wars and Marvel fans with every last movie and TV show in their respective universes, including zeitgeist-busting The Mandalorian with its uber-adorable Baby Yoda and the massively anticipated original Marvel series WandaVision—which has been moved up to debut on January 15.
Musical fans will not only be in heaven with the film version of Hamilton starring the original Broadway cast, but they’ll be also able to dig deeper into the Disney+ vault and stream faves like a live version of Newsies, the entire High School Musical trilogy, and even Mickey’s magical orchestral tour-de-force, Fantasia.
What? We haven’t sold you? Then listen up, because nobody is going to want to admit to missing the newest Pixar feature film Soul, making its streaming premier on Disney+ on Christmas Day. A metaphysical masterpiece starring Jamie Foxx as a newly deceased NYC Jazz musician figuring out the meaning of life with friends like Tina Fey? Yeah, they’re gonna want to see this.
So, stop browsing Amazon (your gifts won’t get there on time anyhow!) and give a year of Disney+, the gift that keeps giving, for only $70. Trust us, there will be no returns with this one.
Buy a Disney+ gift subscription at DisneyPlus.com


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Britney Spears’ boyfriend tested positive for COVID-19, didn’t expose her

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 ) Sam Asghari recently tested positive for COVID-19 , but said he didn ’ t expose girlfriend Britney Spears .
In a new Instagram post , the fitness trainer said that as soon as he received the news , he began a solo quarantine .
“ Recently I tested positive for Covid-19 , I was lucky enough to catch the news before being around and infecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , significant other ) , ” he wrote .
“ I quickly isolated myself and started my quarantine process alone.
” Asghari , who has been Spears , credited his healthy lifestyle for helping him overcome the virus .
“ I only had 1 day of common cold symptoms day 2 after testing positive but 24 hours later I was perfectly normal , ” Asghari explained .
“ I continued my workouts and clean nutrition at home as usual.
” Ten days later , Asghari explained , he was “ no longer contagious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleared by doctors to end quarantine and return to my loved ones.
” “ I spend a lot of time cleansing And thinking about how important our health is in General even outside of Covid , at the end of our lives one of the most important things will be health , I will continue to do my best and inspire you guys to also live a healthy lifestyle , ” Asghari concluded .
Last month , Asghari jetted to Hawaii with Spears to celebrate the singer ’ s 39th birthday .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clip posted to Spears ’ Instagram page .

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Sam Asghari recently tested positive for COVID-19, but said he didn’t expose girlfriend Britney Spears.
In a new Instagram post, the fitness trainer said that as soon as he received the news, he began a solo quarantine.
“Recently I tested positive for Covid-19, I was lucky enough to catch the news before being around and infecting my loved ones (friends, family, significant other),” he wrote. “I quickly isolated myself and started my quarantine process alone.”
Asghari, who has been dating Spears for four years, credited his healthy lifestyle for helping him overcome the virus.
Britney Spears and Sam Asghari Getty Images for GLAAD
“I only had 1 day of common cold symptoms day 2 after testing positive but 24 hours later I was perfectly normal,” Asghari explained. “I continued my workouts and clean nutrition at home as usual.”
Ten days later, Asghari explained, he was “no longer contagious, and tested negative twice and was cleared by doctors to end quarantine and return to my loved ones.”
“I spend a lot of time cleansing And thinking about how important our health is in General even outside of Covid, at the end of our lives one of the most important things will be health, I will continue to do my best and inspire you guys to also live a healthy lifestyle,” Asghari concluded.
Last month, Asghari jetted to Hawaii with Spears to celebrate the singer’s 39th birthday. On Wednesday, he also appeared in a clip posted to Spears’ Instagram page.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Square reportedly interested in buying Tidal from Jay-Z

Maybe this is what that Hamptons meet-up was about .
Square CEO Jack Dorsey has held talks with Jay-Z about his payments firm acquiring Tidal , the Brooklyn-born rapper ’ s music streaming service , a new report says .
Dorsey — the co-founder and CEO of Twitter — is interested in taking over Tidal in an effort to diversify Square ’ s business , Bloomberg News reported Wednesday , citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation .
It ’ s unclear how much the Cash App parent is willing to pay for Tidal — which has struggled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Music — and the discussions may not lead to a deal , the outlet reported Wednesday .
But the report may shed some light on Dorsey ’ s August yacht ride in the Hamptons with Jay-Z and his wife , Beyoncé .
The tech tycoon and the music mogul were also spotted hanging out on a beach last month with actor Sean Penn .
Neither Square nor Tidal immediately responded to a request for comment early Thursday .
Dorsey is taking a look at Tidal — which Jay-Z bought for $ 56 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wider range of products and services under Square ’ s roof in a setup similar to Disney , where Dorsey sat on the board for more than four years , Bloomberg reported .
But Tidal has struggled to gain a foothold in the music-streaming wars .
The company hasn ’ t put out subscriber figures since 2016 , when it said it had 3 million paying users , according to Bloomberg .
Spotify , by contrast , had 50 million paid subscribers by March 2017 .
Jay-Z isn ’ t Tidal ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — now owned by T-Mobile — bought a 33 percent stake at a $ 600 million valuation in 2017 , and fellow musicians including Beyoncé , Alicia Keys , Kanye West and Madonna are also listed as “ artist-owners ” on Tidal ’ s website .

So this is what that Hamptons yacht ride was all about.
Tech billionaire Jack Dorsey has reportedly held talks with Jay-Z about his payments firm Square acquiring Tidal, the Brooklyn-born rapper’s music streaming service.
Dorsey — also the co-founder and CEO of Twitter — is interested in taking over Tidal in an effort to diversify Square’s business, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation.
It’s unclear how much the Cash App parent might be willing to pay for Tidal, and the discussions may not lead to a deal, according to the outlet.
But the report comes after the business duo were spotted in August lounging on a yacht in the Hamptons with Jay-Z’s wife Beyoncé. The tech tycoon and the music mogul were seen again last month hanging out on a beach with actor Sean Penn.
The talks with Dorsey appear to be the latest episode in Jay-Z’s lengthy quest to sell Tidal, which has struggled to compete with larger rivals Spotify and Apple Music, according to a music executive familiar with Tidal’s business.
The “Empire State of Mind” artist started shopping Tidal two years after he bought it for $56 million in 2015, thinking he could get $1 billion for it, the exec said. Instead of selling it outright, he got a partner in wireless carrier Sprint, bought a 33 percent stake at a $600 million valuation.
“Jay-Z has been trying to dump it [Tidal] for a long time,” the exec told The Post. “The question is, can they dump it?”
“Tidal isn’t worth anything without Jay-Z,” the source said. “If they did a deal, it would only be because of him and Tidal’s videos.”
Dragging Tidal down, according to the exec, are its sagging subscribers and lack of strong leadership thanks to four CEO departures in the last five years, including the recent exit of Richard Sanders, who joined from Kobalt Music Group.
The privately traded company doesn’t release its subscriber numbers, but reports put them between 1 million and 5 million, well below industry leader Spotify’s 286 million global subscriber base.
Tidal could nevertheless give Square an opportunity to both broaden its business model and capitalize on its loyal customer base, according to Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives.
“Square already had customer trust, and there’s a cross-sale opportunity when you look at streaming,” Ives told The Post. “The company has really become an e-finance gargantuan over the last few years. This is Dorsey just further expanding their mode, potentially into music streaming.”
Dorsey also hopes to bring a wider range of products and services under Square’s roof in a setup similar to Disney, where he sat on the board for more than four years, Bloomberg reported.
But a second media exec said it’s “incredibly ironic” that Dorsey would own a music service given that Twitter has been bad about paying artists royalties. When someone posts a video or a song to Twitter, the artists has to ask for the material to be taken down because, unlike Facebook and other social media companies, Twitter won’t agree to license the content.
Tidal has touted itself as a musician-friendly streaming service, promising artists better royalties than its rivals regardless of whether they’re signed to a label. But it’s also been reportedly accused of not paying artists their royalties. Kanye West left the service in 2017 with money gripes.
Jay-Z is among more than 20 “artist-owners” of the service alongside Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Madonna and others, according to its website.
Tidal was also the exclusive home of Jay-Z’s musical catalog — until he put his albums back on Spotify last year, a surprise move that spurred speculation about Tidal’s viability.
Tidal also faced a criminal probe in Norway over allegations that it inflated streaming numbers for artists including Beyoncé and Kanye West. The company denied wrongdoing.
Neither Square nor Tidal immediately responded to a request for comment Thursday.
With reporting by Nicolas Vega


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine causing more allergic reactions than expected

The chief scientific adviser for Operation Warp Speed said the frequency of allergic reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is higher than what would be expected for other jabs , according to a report .
Dr. Moncef Slaoui said the last time he was updated on allergic reactions was Tuesday , when there were six cases , and added that the data on COVID-19 immunizations is lagging behind the actual numbers , CNN reported .
“ That frequency , as it stood yesterday , is superior to what one would expect with other vaccines , ” he said .
Slaoui @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makers and the National Institutes of Health to consider holding clinical trials of vaccines in very allergic populations , such as people who always have to carry an EpiPen anti-allergy medication .
On Monday , a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases official said the US is looking at why some people have suffered from severe allergic reactions shortly after receiving the Pfizer shot .
Alkis Togias , chief of the NIAID ’ s Allergy , Asthma , and Airway Biology Branch , told CNBC that “ several hundred people ” who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be involved in a study .

The chief scientific adviser for Operation Warp Speed said the frequency of allergic reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is higher than what would be expected for other jabs, according to a report.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui said the last time he was updated on allergic reactions was Tuesday, when there were six cases, and added that the data on COVID-19 immunizations is lagging behind the actual numbers, CNN reported.
“That frequency, as it stood yesterday, is superior to what one would expect with other vaccines,” he said.
Slaoui said discussions are underway between the vaccine makers and the National Institutes of Health to consider holding clinical trials of vaccines in very allergic populations, such as people who always have to carry anti-allergy medication in an EpiPen.
On Monday, a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases official said the US is looking at why some people have suffered severe allergic reactions shortly after receiving the Pfizer shot.
Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are prepared to be administered to front-line health care workers in Reno, Nevada, last week. Getty Images
Alkis Togias, chief of the NIAID’s Allergy, Asthma, and Airway Biology Branch, told CNBC that “several hundred people” who have a history of severe allergic reactions will be involved in a study.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--New Yorkers have spoken — this is NYC’s best outdoor dining spot

Clement Clark Moore was born in New York City in ...

Big Apple restaurant owners are braving the cold — and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s iron fist — thanks to an array of ingenious street and sidewalk setups.
Cuomo’s indoor-dining ban in New York City pushed struggling eateries to the brink, despite that indoor eating accounts for a negligible 1.4% of COVID-19 spread.
But restaurant owners and food lovers pushed back. Summer’s makeshift sheds and tents gave way to an array of adorable private dining igloos, greenhouses, domes and rectangular enclosures resembling luxury passenger train cars. They light up the streets and sidewalks during long, dark nights that need all the cheer they can get.
It’s challenging enough to serve delicious food on the pavement, far from kitchens that are woefully understaffed due to the pandemic.
But places must also endure a blizzard of restrictions and constant surprise inspections by the State Liquor Authority and the city’s fire, health, transportation and sanitation departments. The impossible-to-satisfy rules require enclosures to be completely dismantled if snow is forecast and even such minutiae as how many inches wide planter boxes must be.
To celebrate their efforts, The Post asked its readers to share the al fresco eateries that turned them on the most. And New Yorkers delivered, with a torrent of photos to make their cases:
Runners-up:
Nougatine
1 Central Park West
Previous 1 of 7 Next Advertisement Jean-Georges restaurant Stefano Giovannini Stefano Giovannini Advertisement Stefano Giovannini Stefano Giovannini Stefano Giovannini Advertisement
Nougatine boasts five glass-wrapped “cabins” on its patio overlooking Columbus Circle.
The less-expensive sister of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s flagship restaurant Jean-Georges, its menu is French-influenced Modern-American with a few Asian twists.
The cabins afford fine views of the city scene all around, including Central Park across the street and Time Warner Center.
City Winery
Pier 26
Previous 1 of 9 Next Advertisement City Winery © Susan May Tell. All Rights Re © Susan May Tell. All Rights Re Advertisement © Susan May Tell. All Rights Re © Susan May Tell. All Rights Re © Susan May Tell. All Rights Re Advertisement © Susan May Tell. All Rights Re Advertisement
Kudos also go to City Winery at Pier 26.
This hugely expanded second coming of the popular wine emporium has geodesic dome-like eating enclosures on its rooftop terrace. (It had to move when the building that housed its original facility in Soho was sold.)
Enjoy its locally made vino and simple American dishes along with stunning Hudson River and downtown Manhattan views.
Don Angie
103 Greenwich St., Manhattan
Previous 1 of 7 Next Advertisement Don Angie Daniel William McKnight Daniel William McKnight Advertisement Daniel William McKnight Instagram Daniel William McKnight Advertisement
At Don Angie (103 Greenwich St., Manhattan), creative riffs on old-school Italian-American cooking taste as good inside the stylish, pitched-roof street cabin with curtained entrances as they do indoors.
The house special is pinwheel-shaped lasagna for two filled with cheeses and pork-and-veal Bolognese.
Azasu
49 Clinton St., Manhattan
Previous 1 of 9 Next Advertisement Azasu Daniel William McKnight Daniel William McKnight Advertisement Daniel William McKnight Daniel William McKnight Daniel William McKnight Advertisement Daniel William McKnight Advertisement
High marks also go to Azasu (49 Clinton St., Manhattan), where compartmentalized “kotatsu pods” with all-around windows are appropriately atmospheric for this popular Japanese comfort-food spot.
The prix-fixe ($60 per person) hot pot winter menu should hold back any chill.
And the winner is …
Fairfax Cafe
234 W. 4th St.
Coolest of all is Fairfax Cafe. Many others were also charming, but Fairfax stands out from the pack. The three-year-old wine bar with a well-priced (nearly everything below $20) American menu for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner has a unique setting in which to enjoy them: a trio of white canvas tents with an Arabian Nights flair.
Previous 1 of 5 Next Advertisement Fairfax cafe and wine bar Stephen Yang Outdoor yurts at Fairfax Stephen Yang Advertisement Outdoor yurts at Fairfax Stephen Yang Advertisement
Fairfax’s whimsical, round “yurt village” pop-ups seat between four and six people each. They’re as sexy inside and out, decorated with colorful, exotic fabrics and linens.
Al fresco can mean al freezo this time of year, even with electric and gas heaters. But Fairfax’s overhead heat units pour their warmth directly onto diners, unlike at other places where the heaters often point the wrong way. (Yurt bookings are available only to American Express Card holders through Resy.com.)
Although my personal outdoor favorite is Restaurant Daniel’s sidewalk row of French Riviera-inspired cabanas, it’s appropriate that Fairfax owner Gabriel Stulman’s yurts took top honors with our readers. He’s suffered more than most from the pandemic and lack of government help. He recently told Total Food Service magazine that the pols “failed to support us because they’re incompetent and unintelligent.”
Daniel Stefano Giovannini
Stulman had to close two of his nine downtown places. He nearly lost everything last spring when a landlord tried to hold him personally liable for lease payments although he couldn’t even serve outdoors at the time. His impassioned advocacy helped persuade the City Council to suspend personal liability of commercial tenants impacted by government-mandated closures. (The legislation took effect in May and has been extended until March 2021.)
He told The Post that he got the idea for the yurts from his friend, former Eleven Madison Park co-owner Will Guidara. “Will and his colleagues along with American Express and Resy curated a list of a dozen restaurants across the country to be a part of this winter dining program and they invited Fairfax to be a part of the group,” Stulman said.
“It was a chance to bring a little magic when we could all use some.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Russian beautician reportedly fights for life after wild dogs tear off her face

A 20-year-old Russian beautician was mauled by a pack of wild dogs that tore off her face, chomped flesh from her limbs and ripped off all her clothes in subfreezing eastern Siberia, according to a report.
Tatyana Loskutnikova was savagely attacked by the 10 dogs as she walked through Ulan-Ude city early Wednesday — before residents who heard her screams shooed away the animals, East2West News reported.
The critically injured woman — who suffered severe blood loss — was carried to a nearby house and then rushed to a hospital, where she was placed in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator, according to the outlet.
Her family said her face has been “damaged beyond recognition.”
“The victim is in intensive care after anti-shock therapy,” said Dr. Igor Shpak, head physician at the Republican Clinical Hospital.
“Surgeons, neurosurgeons, traumatologists, otolaryngologists and maxillofacial surgeons are all fighting for her life,” he added. “The patient was delivered to us in an extremely serious condition suffering hemorrhagic and painful shock.”
Only her eyes remained on her disfigured face, according to the hospital.
Loskutnikova had “multiple lacerated and bitten wounds on the face, body, and limbs,” Shpak said. “The percentage of damage is extremely high. Her blood pressure is extremely low.”
Local resident Alexandra Andreevna, who helped save the woman, said she heard screaming and barking.
“I got dressed, went out to the crossroad to see. There was a backpack lying on the ground,” she said. “Then I saw a baying pack of dogs and a person lying on the ground. There were about 10 dogs, maybe more.”
Andreevna said the woman was no longer screaming.
“She was conscious, but, apparently she could no longer scream because of pain,” she said, adding that she used a stick to beat away the crazed dogs and bang on a fence to alert others.
Previous 1 of 6 Next Advertisement Tatyana Loskutnikova’s injuries Yevngeny Konoplyov/Infopol.ru Tatyana Loskutnikova’s jacket Arigus TV Advertisement Tatyana Loskutnikova Yevngeny Konoplyov/Infopol.ru Yevngeny Konoplyov/Infopol.ru Advertisement
“We dragged her to my house. She was without any clothes, only in boots,” Andreevan said.
“Her body was bitten in places to the tendons and bones. Her face was also bitten, covered in blood. The eyeballs were exposed,” she added.
Loskutnikova’s brother, Vladislav, posted a message that she was attacked on the way to a clinic.
“The bites were deep, to the bone, the soft tissues of her face damaged beyond recognition,” he wrote. “Tanya is a young and promising girl, she is only 20 years old.”
Police have shot the 10 dogs whose remains are being checked for possible infection with rabies, according to East2West News.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Firefighters help Santa raise spirits at children’s hospital

This fire department is on Santa ’ s “ nice ” list .
Watch the heartwarming moment Santa Claus is @ @ @ @ @ the top floors of Children ’ s Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga , Tennessee , @ @ @ @ @ the young patients inside .

This fire department is on Santa's "nice" list. Watch the heartwarming moment Santa Claus is hoisted via fire ladder to the top floors of Children’s Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to spread holiday cheer to the young patients inside.
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newyorkpost--2020-12-24--A visit from St. Nick: The ‘Night Before Christmas’ classic

Clement Clark Moore was born in New York City in 1779 and , long before his death 84 years later , established a reputation as a scholar .
A noted lecturer and writer , he also generously supported theological education .
Yet his life would merit little more than a footnote in New York ’ s history — except for the one poem for which he is remembered .
Written for his children in 1822 , it was first published ( anonymously ) in the Troy , NY , Sentinel the next year .
The poem was , of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ( “ The Night Before Christmas ” ) .
’ Twas the night before Christmas , when all through the house Not a creature was stirring , not even a mouse ; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care , In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there ; The children were nestled all snug in their beds , While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads ; And Mamma in her ’ kerchief , and I in my cap , Had just settled our brains for a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the lawn there arose such a clatter , I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter .
Away to the window I flew like a flash , Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash .
The moon , on the breast of the new-fallen snow , Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below , When , what to my wondering eyes should appear , But a miniature sleigh , and eight tiny reindeer , With a little old driver so lively and quick , I knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nick .
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came , And he whistled and shouted and called them by name ; “ Now , Dasher !
now , Dancer !
now , Prancer and Vixen !
On , Comet !
on Cupid !
on Donder and Blitzen !
To the top of the porch !
To the top of the wall !
Now dash away !
dash away !
dash away all !
” As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly , When they meet with an obstacle , mount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the house-top the coursers they flew , With the sleigh full of toys , and St. Nicholas too .
And then , in a twinkling , I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof— As I drew in my head , and was turning around , Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound .
He was dressed all in fur , from his head to his foot , And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot A bundle of toys he had flung on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d like a peddler just opening his pack His eyes — how they twinkled !
his dimples how merry !
His cheeks were like roses , his nose like a cherry !
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow , And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow ; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth , And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath ; He had a broad face and a little round belly That shook , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of jelly .
He was chubby and plump , a right jolly old elf , And I laughed , when I saw him , in spite of myself ; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head , Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread ; He spoke not a word , but went straight to his work , And fill ’ d all the stockings ; then turned with a jerk , And laying his finger aside of his nose , And giving a nod , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sprang to his sleigh , to his team gave a whistle , And away they all flew like the down of a thistle .
But I heard him exclaim , ere he drove out of sight , “ Happy Christmas to all , and to all a good night !
”

Clement Clark Moore was born in New York City in 1779 and, long before his death 84 years later, established a reputation as a scholar. A noted lecturer and writer, he also generously supported theological education. Yet his life would merit little more than a footnote in New York’s history — except for the one poem for which he is remembered. Written for his children in 1822, it was first published (anonymously) in the Troy, NY, Sentinel the next year. The poem was, of course, “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (“The Night Before Christmas”).
’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And Mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap;
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name;
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof—
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he look’d like a peddler just opening his pack
His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed, when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And fill’d all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
— CLEMENT CLARK MOORE


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Former ‘Survivor’ contestant charged with stealing from family member

A former “ Survivor ” contestant and his mother have been charged with stealing jewelry and furniture from a family @ @ @ @ @ , a report said .
Jonny Fairplay — who is best known for lying about @ @ @ @ @ on the reality show — turned himself in for the alleged theft on Friday , @ @ @ @ @ .
His mother , 68-year-old Patsy Terry Hall , was also arrested for the crime @ @ @ @ @ with grand larceny for the thefts from a Danville home in October , the newspaper @ @ @ @ @ .
They are accused of stealing a $ 5,000 silver necklace , a leather desk @ @ @ @ @ and an end table from the home , the report said .
“ I ( @ @ @ @ @ charged by a family member .
I welcome the opportunity to vindicate myself ( and @ @ @ @ @ Fairplay wrote in a message to The Associated Press on Wednesday night .

A former “Survivor” contestant and his mother have been charged with stealing jewelry and furniture from a family member’s Virginia home, a report said.
Jonny Fairplay — who is best known for lying about his “dead grandmother” on the reality show — turned himself in for the alleged theft on Friday, the Danville Register & Bee.
His mother, 68-year-old Patsy Terry Hall, was also arrested for the crime.
The duo were charged with grand larceny for the thefts from a Danville home in October, the newspaper reported, citing local authorities.
They are accused of stealing a $5,000 silver necklace, a leather desk chair, three bar stools and an end table from the home, the report said.
“I (we) have been unjustly charged by a family member. I welcome the opportunity to vindicate myself (and my mother),” Fairplay wrote in a message to The Associated Press on Wednesday night.
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Man accused of killing estranged wife inside California Kohl’s store

A man is accused of murdering his estranged wife in front of their son at a California Kohl ’ s @ @ @ @ @ , a report said .
After his alleged attack , suspect Enrique Acosta , 41 @ @ @ @ @ the city of Whitter .
But he was caught by police Wednesday and booked on @ @ @ @ @ Whittier Daily News reported .
Authorities did not disclose the victim ’ s name , @ @ @ @ @ her as Yvonne Rodriguez .
Whittier police spokesman told the newspaper that a child was @ @ @ @ @ the shooting .
The GoFundMe page description identified the youngster as the estranged couple ’ @ @ @ @ @ mother also left behind a 22-year-old daughter , according to the fundraising page .
“ @ @ @ @ @ shocked by the fatal shooting of a woman inside of our Whittier store on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ , a spokeswoman for Kohl ’ s , told the Whittier Daily News in a @ @ @ @ @ sympathies go out to the victim and her family .
”

A man is accused of murdering his estranged wife in front of their son at a California Kohl’s department store on Tuesday night, a report said.
After his alleged attack, suspect Enrique Acosta, 41, fled the store in the city of Whitter. But he was caught by police Wednesday and booked on suspicion of murder, the Whittier Daily News reported.
Authorities did not disclose the victim’s name, but a GoFundMe page identified her as Yvonne Rodriguez.
Whittier police spokesman told the newspaper that a child was present at the time of the shooting. The GoFundMe page description identified the youngster as the estranged couple’s 8-year-old son.
The mother also left behind a 22-year-old daughter, according to the fundraising page.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked by the fatal shooting of a woman inside of our Whittier store on Tuesday evening,” Julia Fennelly, a spokeswoman for Kohl’s, told the Whittier Daily News in a statement.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to the victim and her family.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Ax-wielding vandal smashes windows of North Dakota senator’s office

North Dakota cops are looking for an ax-wielding vandal who was caught on video smashing the windows of Sen. John @ @ @ @ @ The Fargo Police Department released surveillance video Tuesday showing the man — dressed in a @ @ @ @ @ a mask — walk up a staircase toward Hoeven ’ s office .
The man @ @ @ @ @ several swings at the windows before walking away .
The Republican senator ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ on Monday .
“ We reported it and appreciate the dedicated work of our law @ @ @ @ @ spokesman told The Hill .
Cops have not identified the suspect , but said detectives @ @ @ @ @ forward it to the Cass County State ’ s Attorney ’ s Office .

North Dakota cops are looking for an ax-wielding vandal who was caught on video smashing the windows of Sen. John Hoeven’s office.
The Fargo Police Department released surveillance video Tuesday showing the man — dressed in a dark-colored jacket, jeans and a mask — walk up a staircase toward Hoeven’s office.
The man then can be seen taking several swings at the windows before walking away.
The Republican senator’s office reported the vandalism to police on Monday.
“We reported it and appreciate the dedicated work of our law enforcement,” a Hoeven spokesman told The Hill.
Cops have not identified the suspect, but said detectives will complete a report and forward it to the Cass County State’s Attorney’s Office.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Former upstate NY politician found in Ohio after skipping 1997 sentencing

A former upstate New York politician who fled before his 1997 jail sentencing was found by police limping on the @ @ @ @ @ this week , a report said .
Fugitive William Jones , once the supervisor for @ @ @ @ @ Cayuga County , had been living in the Buckeye State under a fake name when @ @ @ @ @ told Syracuse.com .
The 71-year-old was out on $ 20,000 bail when he ran away @ @ @ @ @ selling eight handguns , the report said .
Jones ’ pistol permit had been suspended @ @ @ @ @ separate 1996 conviction for official misconduct .
Instead of turning over his firearms , he @ @ @ @ @ politician served a year in jail for his first conviction — though in that case @ @ @ @ @ a month before surrendering , the report said .

A former upstate New York politician who fled before his 1997 jail sentencing was found by police limping on the side of an Ohio road this week, a report said.
Fugitive William Jones, once the supervisor for the town of Mentz in Cayuga County, had been living in the Buckeye State under a fake name when he was caught, authorities told Syracuse.com.
The 71-year-old was out on $20,000 bail when he ran away after being convicted of illegally selling eight handguns, the report said.
Jones’ pistol permit had been suspended by a judge after a separate 1996 conviction for official misconduct.
Instead of turning over his firearms, he sold them.
The former politician served a year in jail for his first conviction — though in that case, he disappeared for about a month before surrendering, the report said.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--It’s now or never for Daniel Jones

It’s now or never for Daniel Jones

The Giants hope and expect to get Daniel Jones back ...

Joe Judge remains smitten with Daniel Jones, his Quarterback of The Present and his Quarterback of The Future.
“Daniel Jones is our quarterback,” Judge reiterated Wednesday.
Jones has endured a sophomore slump of sorts, and Giants fans straddling the fence on him desperately want to believe he is The Mann to carry the torch from Eli Manning, and barring a setback from his improving hamstring and calf injuries, he will get a chance to start to sway them back to his side if he plays his best game of the season Sunday in Baltimore against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
Because his best game of the season will be required here and now in what is a Week 16 playoff game to keep the season alive.
“My job is to earn it every day,” Jones said.
His job as The Quarterback of The Present is to save the season.
From Giants fans who have not celebrated a playoff berth since 2016 comes an S.O.S.
Save Our Season.
“At times, particularly earlier in the year, I felt like I was pressing to make a play when it wasn’t there and learning when it’s not there, when the best decision is to protect the ball,” Jones said.
A Giants loss and Washington or Eagles win and The Future Is No Longer Now for Jones and the Giants.
“He hasn’t been the reason that they’ve won football games,” ESPN college football and NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky told The Post. “He has been the reason at times that they’ve lost football games. He’s been the reason they’ve been in football games. And so, how do they get him, and can they get him, to a place where he consistently becomes one of the reasons why they win games, and minimizes those moments when he becomes the reason they lose them?
Daniel Jones N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg
“That’s the biggest question that that organization has to ask itself over the next year.”
From ownership on down to Judge and to the players, the Giants believe in Daniel Jones.
“I think he’s demonstrated a level of toughness and leadership and knowledge on the field that gives us confidence to put him out there and build with Daniel,” Judge said. “This guy’s definitely earned my respect. I kinda made it very hard on him from the beginning in a lot of ways.
“And he hasn’t blinked.”
But at the end of a pandemic season during which he has been plagued lately with hamstring and ankle woes, stymied by an evolving offensive line, the absence of a No. 1 receiver and Saquon Barkley, and a second head coach and offensive coordinator, this is the perfect time for Jones to give the franchise and the fan base an unshakable reason to believe.
“My concern with Daniel Jones is he doesn’t look that much different from the player that came out of school … for a guy that’s very smart, there are a lot of moments when he doesn’t play smart,” Orlovsky said.
Moments when his ball security remains an issue. Moments when he panics with his decision-making.
“So the question becomes: Is that ever gonna go away, is there proof that that’ll ever go away? Right now that answer is no,” Orlovsky said. “Is he talented enough, or does he make enough of those wow or splash plays to kind of — I don’t want to say overcome that — but makes you feel like that stuff is so good I can’t pass up on it? And then, has he shown the ability to play as smart as we know he is? ’Cause there’s moments where you go, ‘Dude, get off No. 1. Get to a different person.’ Daniel Jones can throw it really well at times, but then there are things that are really difficult to get past. And he hasn’t given me any indication that that’s gonna happen anytime soon.”
Jones passes some important tests that give the Giants hope: He is arguably the toughest player on the field, and they love his leadership and athleticism. But he threw 24 touchdown passes in 12 starts as a rookie; he has eight in 12 starts this season. He has run more (403-279 yards) this season and fumbled less (10, 5 lost vs. 18, 11 lost). He will need his legs again to be the best Daniel Jones he can be.
What causes consternation among the fan base is Justin Herbert throwing 27 TD passes in his first 13 NFL starts, and Joe Burrow throwing 13 TD passes in his first 10 NFL starts. And have you checked out Jalen Hurts’ first two NFL starts — five TD passes and 251 yards rushing?
Asked about the Jason Garrett offense, Orlovsky said: “I thought they were understanding how much of an athletic threat he is and utilizing some of that stuff with the RPO game, or the zone-read game or the designed quarterback run game. I think Jason Garrett’s offense has been good. Jason Garrett’s not going to reinvent his offense. Jason Garrett came up in a style and a belief in a philosophy of football that’s grounded upon matchups and getting guys to win and playing really good fundamental football and making good decisions, so you’re not gonna see a ton of creativity out of him.”
Asked how the Giants win this game, Orlovsky said: “Daniel would have to play and Daniel would have to play well. But they’re beatable.”
“They’ve gotta be fantastic at setting the edge of the defense. They’ve gotta make Lamar play for four quarters from the pocket. Especially in situations, you can’t let him get out on third down, you can’t let him get out in the red zone, that’s where he’s really starting to get hot.”
And then it returns to Daniel Jones.
“You’ve gotta be willing to be aggressive with the football, try to take some shots at their secondary and then get that secondary to play a little bit timid and that’s when you get those completions underneath,” Orlovsky said. “And then hit those shots when they present themselves. There’s a way, they’re beatable.
If Daniel plays his best game of the season. He was listed as limited in practice. He can’t afford to be limited on Sunday. Quarterback of the Future can wait until tomorrow.


newyorkpost--2020-12-23--Adam Silver and Jalen Rose talk social justice, NBA’s COVID challenges

Growing up , I was noticeably taller than my classmates , and ...

You may know Adam Silver as the commissioner of the NBA, but I like to refer to him as a magician, who, after what he pulled off last season, should have a Vegas residency.
How else can you explain this: He oversaw the NBA bubble, which allowed teams to finish the season, have playoffs and crown a champion — all without one positive COVID-19 case inside the bubble. After that, the league packed in a draft and started playing games only 71 days after the Lakers won a championship.
He also did it while responding to the social unrest that was felt so acutely by the players in the league. There were 29 messages on the backs of jerseys, Black Lives Matter was written on the floor, and there was a sense that the league cared not just for its bottom line, but also for its players.
“I think it demonstrated more than ever something that we know by virtue of being around this league for a long time,” he told me. “That’s how multitalented, multidimensional our players really are … I think that with all that was going on, they were able to continue playing basketball at the highest level, which they did down in the bubble. But at the same time, you know, demonstrating how much they cared about their communities and engaging directly on these critically important issues.”
There are a lot of powerful people that you need to satisfy during these charged times including the owners, many of whom not only look different than the players but in many cases hold different political opinions, so with all of the voices in each ear, he was still able to bring a superior product to the market. So scratch that Vegas magician show. Maybe he should be in charge of an international peace process.
But there’s no time for a victory lap. Now that the season has kicked off, Silver has more adversity to contend with, since there will be no bubble but still a threat of COVID-19.
“You know, challenge one, two and three is COVID … in the bubble there were a lot sacrifices being made,” he said. But he is up for it because the truth is, the man just has a passion for the game. He said he first fell in love with hoops as an 8-year-old, and he pushed aside his usual “they’re all my children” kind of diplomacy to admit that Madison Square Garden will always hold a special place in his heart.
“My parents got divorced. I lived outside of New York City, and my dad moved into the city full-time and he bought Knicks season tickets. And that was the activity that I did with my father. I’d take the train in and then go to the Garden with him … I mean, I played as a kid, but I think that’s how I remember those experiences with my father. Even to this day, Madison Square Garden feels special to me for that reason when I walk in there.”
His favorite player was the flashy and still fresh Walt Frazier, and he even had the Puma Clyde sneakers made famous by Frazier.
Much like Mark Cuban has as an owner, Silver has broken barriers as the commissioner. He treats the players like they are partners and family, instead of boss and worker. In the podcast, he refers to Grant Hill, who is part owner of the Atlanta Hawks as his “boss.”
And since I consider him a man of the people, I had to ask something that many friends said Silver wouldn’t answer. But I needed to know who his favorite rapper is. I figure he has the same taste musically as me. One minute I will be listening to some Hall & Oates, pop on some Outkast and then move to Nas. Also, you can’t be around the NBA for as long as he has and not have an opinion on hip-hop. It’s playing in every arena and locker room, so it seeps in by osmosis. His answer, was diplomatic but also informed. He picked Jay-Z, who is a former part owner of the Nets.
Silver talked about what a good job Milwaukee has done to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo, and how he was influenced by his mentors, Disney CEO Bob Iger and of course his predecessor, the late great David Stern. He also riffed on the new coaches challenge rule, which he admitted needs additional tweaking.
And he said that if he could bring a team to any city in the country, it would be Seattle because “I was in this league for many years while Seattle still had a team, and we were all sad … And it still remains a great market. I know I hear from fans of the old Sonics, fans in Seattle all of the time … there is no doubt that when we do turn back to expansion, which we invariably will one day, that Seattle will be at the top of the list.”
But enough business. How does that man keep his bald head so fresh and clean and how often does he put that razor to his dome?
“Not as often as you might think. It doesn’t even grow that fast anymore, so my personal barber has been my wife these days. I’m not going to show you the some of the little marks on the back of my head — about once a week these days.”
So maybe his wife should be on the short list of league MVPs next season.
Detroit native Jalen Rose is a member of the University of Michigan’s iconoclastic Fab Five, who shook up the college hoops world in the early ’90s. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, before transitioning into a media personality. Rose is currently an analyst for “NBA Countdown” and “Get Up,” and co-host of “Jalen & Jacoby.” He executive produced “The Fab Five” for ESPN’s “30 for 30” series, is the author of the best-selling book, “Got To Give the People What They Want,” a fashion tastemaker, and co-founded the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, a public charter school in his hometown.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant lead Nets into Christmas Day showdown

The Nets are suddenly an undeniable choice to be featured in the NBA ’ s Christmas Day slate of games and will play in the league ’ s holiday showcase for the first time in seven years .
The Nets were part of the festivities in their first two seasons in Brooklyn ( 2012 and 2013 ) but haven ’ t been since .
There was a time when the Nets played on Christmas for six consecutive years , from 1979-84 , with five of those games against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden .
“ I think everyone realizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NBA , I think it ’ s five games on national TV , ” head coach Steve Nash said on a Zoom call Thursday .
“ To be able to play in one of those featured games is a special moment and something that I think for our guys , they grew up watching games on Christmas Day .
To be out there , it ’ s not lost on them that it ’ s a special occasion.
” But this season , the Nets aren ’ t drawing excitement from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York rival to win on Christmas Day .
The Nets travel to Boston on Friday fresh off a dominant season-opening win over the Warriors , in which the league got its first official look at the start of the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era in Brooklyn .
Friday will be Irving ’ s first regular-season game against the Celtics , his former team ( from 2017-2019 ) , since joining the Nets in June last year .
“ I think Ky is just in a really great place , playing well and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Nash said .
“ Maybe it has more meaning to him , but you ’ d have to ask him .
I think , in my eyes , he ’ s just trying to continually refine and improve his skills and performances .
Get that rhythm and get back to playing NBA basketball .
He ’ s only played 20 games in the last 18 months , so I think he ’ s just really focused on continuing to build his game conditioning and sharpness .
“ Obviously , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night he ’ s playing at a really high level .
I think he ’ s just trying to stay there and continue to build and adapt to the demands of our schedule and our league.
” After facing the depleted Warriors on Tuesday , the Nets are expecting a bigger test from the Celtics .
Every player on the Nets ’ roster played at least six minutes in the near 30-point win over Golden State , but Nash doesn ’ t expect that to be the case every game .
Nash said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he can , “ without limiting the rhythm because of too many changes , rotations , lineups ” to start the season , while attempting to stick to a 10-player rotation .
“ However , it ’ s easy to say that and when you ’ re down 10 in the third , the ideal minutes becomes something for the trash can pretty quick , ” Nash said .
“ We ’ ll see how it goes but we ’ re definitely trying to play guys and give a lot of guys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as we can.
” It ’ s a balancing act the first-year coach has had to contemplate with Irving and Durant , who would no doubt be on the floor in the midst of a 10-point deficit late in the game .
Nash , however , must balance their health as both have battled injuries .
“ Those are our stars , so we need them , we lean on them , ” Nash said .
“ They take a little more of a burden and responsibility and at the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always are trying to strike that balance .
Especially coming off injuries , you want to make sure that where you can save them some minutes , more so for the cumulative effect rather than a night to night effect , we will try to .
”

The Nets are suddenly an undeniable choice to be featured in the NBA’s Christmas Day slate of games and will play in the league’s holiday showcase for the first time in seven years.
The Nets were part of the festivities in their first two seasons in Brooklyn (2012 and 2013) but haven’t been since. There was a time when the Nets played on Christmas for six consecutive years, from 1979-84, with five of those games against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
“I think everyone realizes that Christmas is a big day for the NBA, I think it’s five games on national TV,” head coach Steve Nash said on a Zoom call Thursday. “To be able to play in one of those featured games is a special moment and something that I think for our guys, they grew up watching games on Christmas Day. To be out there, it’s not lost on them that it’s a special occasion.”
But this season, the Nets aren’t drawing excitement from a new arena or facing against their New York rival to win on Christmas Day.
The Nets travel to Boston on Friday fresh off a dominant season-opening win over the Warriors, in which the league got its first official look at the start of the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era in Brooklyn.
Friday will be Irving’s first regular-season game against the Celtics, his former team (from 2017-2019), since joining the Nets in June last year.
Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and the Nets face the Celtics on Friday. NBAE via Getty Images
“I think Ky is just in a really great place, playing well and it’s just another NBA game,” Nash said. “Maybe it has more meaning to him, but you’d have to ask him. I think, in my eyes, he’s just trying to continually refine and improve his skills and performances. Get that rhythm and get back to playing NBA basketball. He’s only played 20 games in the last 18 months, so I think he’s just really focused on continuing to build his game conditioning and sharpness.
“Obviously, we’ve seen in the preseason and opening night he’s playing at a really high level. I think he’s just trying to stay there and continue to build and adapt to the demands of our schedule and our league.”
After facing the depleted Warriors on Tuesday, the Nets are expecting a bigger test from the Celtics. Every player on the Nets’ roster played at least six minutes in the near 30-point win over Golden State, but Nash doesn’t expect that to be the case every game.
Nash said he plans to use as many players as he can, “without limiting the rhythm because of too many changes, rotations, lineups” to start the season, while attempting to stick to a 10-player rotation.
“However, it’s easy to say that and when you’re down 10 in the third, the ideal minutes becomes something for the trash can pretty quick,” Nash said. “We’ll see how it goes but we’re definitely trying to play guys and give a lot of guys as many looks as possible for as long as we can.”
It’s a balancing act the first-year coach has had to contemplate with Irving and Durant, who would no doubt be on the floor in the midst of a 10-point deficit late in the game. Nash, however, must balance their health as both have battled injuries.
“Those are our stars, so we need them, we lean on them,” Nash said. “They take a little more of a burden and responsibility and at the same time we try to protect them. You always are trying to strike that balance. Especially coming off injuries, you want to make sure that where you can save them some minutes, more so for the cumulative effect rather than a night to night effect, we will try to.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Texas woman allegedly killed by abusive boyfriend in murder-suicide

A Texas woman was allegedly shot and killed by her abusive boyfriend who then turned the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide , police and family members said .
Itzell Sanchez , 24 , was found dead lying on the ground near the passenger side of a black Ford Mustang in Houston around 1:20 a.m. Thursday , the Houston Police Department said in a statement .
Cops also found a 21-year-old man in the driver ’ s seat who had a gunshot wound to the head and a gun on his lap .
His identity has not been revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ no , ” several times before gunshots went off , according to KTRK-TV .
The girl ’ s mother , Claudia Sanchez , believes the man her daughter was with was her abusive boyfriend , who she believes killed Itzell .
“ He would hit her and make her feel guilty for hitting her , ” she told KTRK .
“ We kept telling my daughter to stay away from this guy , he ’ s not good.
” The mother recalled she was disappointed when Sanchez told her on Tuesday she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a brief breakup .
Two days later , police told her Sanchez had been killed .
“ I saw two people in those black bags and I said , ‘ Is my daughter in those bags ?
’ and they said , ‘ yes , ' ” the distraught mother said through tears .

A Texas woman was allegedly shot and killed by her abusive boyfriend who then turned the gun on himself in an apparent murder-suicide, police and family members said.
Itzell Sanchez, 24, was found dead lying on the ground near the passenger side of a black Ford Mustang in Houston around 1:20 a.m. Thursday, the Houston Police Department said in a statement.
Cops also found a 21-year-old man in the driver’s seat who had a gunshot wound to the head and a gun on his lap. His identity has not been revealed.
Witnesses reported hearing Sanchez saying, “no,” several times before gunshots went off, according to KTRK-TV.
The girl’s mother, Claudia Sanchez, believes the man her daughter was with was her abusive boyfriend, who she believes killed Itzell.
“He would hit her and make her feel guilty for hitting her,” she told KTRK. “We kept telling my daughter to stay away from this guy, he’s not good.”
The mother recalled she was disappointed when Sanchez told her on Tuesday she was getting back together with her boyfriend after a brief breakup.
Two days later, police told her Sanchez had been killed.
“I saw two people in those black bags and I said, ‘Is my daughter in those bags?’ and they said, ‘yes,'” the distraught mother said through tears.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon:  ‘I thought I heard it’ when  aorta burst

Jamie Dimon says “ I thought I heard it ” when his aorta burst in March — leaving the JPMorgan Chase CEO on the brink of death as the US economy headed into the coronavirus recession .
In his first interview since undergoing emergency heart surgery , Dimon dramatically re-enacted his distress for a Thursday article in the Wall Street Journal .
Clutching his chest , the powerful banker described the terrifying moment when a tear opened up in the massive artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body .
The life-threatening incident unfolded around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dimon called his top lieutenants to discuss the looming economic crisis from his Upper East Side apartment .
He then lay down on a couch to read the morning newspaper , only to be jolted by the pain in his chest .
Dimon — who was days away from his 64th birthday — sat up with a gasp and dialed his doctor , who told him to rush to the hospital .
“ Jamie , take a cab , ” the physician said , he told the Journal .
“ You don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In retrospect , Dimon said , “ I knew I might not make it.
” Dimon ’ s wife , Judy , helped him downstairs and hailed the taxi that took him on a short ride to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital ’ s Weill Cornell Medical Center , as his right arm ached and the vision in his right eye turned a dark yellow .
In an ironic twist , the hospital is named for financier Sandy Weill , a former mentor who had fired Dimon from Citigroup in a power struggle two decades earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test showed the blood pressure in his left arm was high , with the top number reading 140 , while in his right it was 60 , which is dangerously low .
Dimon underwent seven hours of surgery to implant a tube and rebuild his aorta during a high-risk procedure that could have ended in unavoidable death .
Although he was supposed to be knocked out for a day or two , Dimon surprised his doctors by waking up that evening to see his wife , three daughters , two sons-in-law and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The surgery left a scar that looked like a jacket zipper down the middle of Dimon ’ s chest .
Meanwhile , the new parts in his heart made it pump so hard that his daughters could feel it when they hugged him .
On March 12 , Dimon was released from the hospital and the next day , he held a conference call with top executives who sang “ Happy Birthday ” to him .
Doctors cleared Dimon to begin working full-time , remotely , during the first week in April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his house in the wealthy Westchester suburb of Bedford , where he took walks around the neighborhood to regain his strength .
On June 19 , he returned to JPMorgan ’ s Madison Avenue headquarters — which was nearly empty due to the pandemic — and began working there most days .
Following his doctors ’ orders , he monitored his blood pressure at his desk and tracked his heartrate on a smartwatch .
Later that month , he traveled to Washington DC to meet with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the staggering economy .
With his doctors unable to determine why his aorta burst , Dimon — who fell ill with a fever during a trip to Miami early in the year — has begun wondering if he caught COVID-19 from someone he saw in February who later came down with the disease .
An antibody test came back negative but is considered inconclusive because so many months had passed before Dimon took it .
Meanwhile , Dimon — who says the economy remains fragile , despite the booming stock market — has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to be focused on beating this , ” he told the Journal .
“ We have to get out of COVID before anything else .
”

Jamie Dimon says “I thought I heard it” when his aorta burst in March — leaving the JPMorgan Chase CEO on the brink of death as the US economy headed into the coronavirus recession.
In his first interview since undergoing emergency heart surgery, Dimon dramatically re-enacted his distress for a Thursday article in the Wall Street Journal.
Clutching his chest, the powerful banker described the terrifying moment when a tear opened up in the massive artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
“I felt it,” Dimon told the Journal. “I thought I heard it.”
The life-threatening incident unfolded around 4 a.m. on March 5, after Dimon called his top lieutenants to discuss the looming economic crisis from his Upper East Side apartment.
He then lay down on a couch to read the morning newspaper, only to be jolted by the pain in his chest.
Dimon — who was days away from his 64th birthday — sat up with a gasp and dialed his doctor, who told him to rush to the hospital.
“Jamie, take a cab,” the physician said, he told the Journal. “You don’t have time for an ambulance.”
In retrospect, Dimon said, “I knew I might not make it.”
Dimon’s wife, Judy, helped him downstairs and hailed the taxi that took him on a short ride to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Weill Cornell Medical Center, as his right arm ached and the vision in his right eye turned a dark yellow.
An entrance sign at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Weill Cornell Medical Center. Jon Hyde
In an ironic twist, the hospital is named for financier Sandy Weill, a former mentor who had fired Dimon from Citigroup in a power struggle two decades earlier.
At the hospital, a quick test showed the blood pressure in his left arm was high, with the top number reading 140, while in his right it was 60, which is dangerously low.
Dimon underwent seven hours of surgery to implant a tube and rebuild his aorta during a high-risk procedure that could have ended in unavoidable death.
Although he was supposed to be knocked out for a day or two, Dimon surprised his doctors by waking up that evening to see his wife, three daughters, two sons-in-law and his twin brother gathered by his bedside.
The surgery left a scar that looked like a jacket zipper down the middle of Dimon’s chest.
Meanwhile, the new parts in his heart made it pump so hard that his daughters could feel it when they hugged him.
On March 12, Dimon was released from the hospital and the next day, he held a conference call with top executives who sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
Doctors cleared Dimon to begin working full-time, remotely, during the first week in April, by which time he’d relocated to his house in the wealthy Westchester suburb of Bedford, where he took walks around the neighborhood to regain his strength.
On June 19, he returned to JPMorgan’s Madison Avenue headquarters — which was nearly empty due to the pandemic — and began working there most days.
Following his doctors’ orders, he monitored his blood pressure at his desk and tracked his heartrate on a smartwatch.
Later that month, he traveled to Washington DC to meet with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and lawmakers to urge more government action to stimulate the staggering economy.
With his doctors unable to determine why his aorta burst, Dimon — who fell ill with a fever during a trip to Miami early in the year — has begun wondering if he caught COVID-19 from someone he saw in February who later came down with the disease.
An antibody test came back negative but is considered inconclusive because so many months had passed before Dimon took it.
Meanwhile, Dimon — who says the economy remains fragile, despite the booming stock market — has no plans to retire.
“We have to be focused on beating this,” he told the Journal.
“We have to get out of COVID before anything else.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Heisman Trophy finalists have been revealed

This was the year .
This was time .
This was the ...

Alabama teammates Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith along with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Florida’s Kyle Trask have been named finalists for the Heisman Trophy.
The Heisman will be awarded Jan. 5 during a virtual ceremony. The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the usual trip to New York for the trophy presentation that comes with being a finalist.
Jones and Smith are the eighth set of teammates to be finalists together since the tradition started in 1982. Smith is trying to become the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Michigan’s Desmond Howard in 1991.
If it isn’t Smith, who leads the nation in receptions (98) and receiving yards (1,511), the winner will be a quarterback for the 13th time in the last 15 years.
Jones leads the nation in efficiency rating (202.34), completion percentage (76.5) and yards per pass (11.4), with 32 touchdown passes.
The top-ranked Crimson Tide will play No. 4 Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 1.
Jones or Smith would become Alabama’s third Heisman winner. Running backs Mark Ingram (2009) and Derrick Henry (2015) were the Tide’s first Heisman winners.
Lawrence was the preseason favorite to win the award, but missing two games after contracting COVID-19 slowed his campaign. The junior quarterback and presumptive first selection in the next NFL draft did not play against Boston College and at Notre Dame.
He did play in Atlantic Coast Conference championship rematch against the Fighting Irish last weekend and led the Tigers to a blowout victory. On the season, Lawrence has thrown for 2,753 yards and 22 touchdowns in nine games, helping Clemson reach the playoff for the third time in his career.
No. 2 Clemson plays No. 3 Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl semifinals on Jan. 1. Lawrence would be the Tigers’ first Heisman winner.
Trask leads the country with 43 touchdown passes and 4,125 yards. The senior is trying to join Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow as Heisman-winning quarterback from Florida.
The rest of the top 10 was revealed in order, starting with Alabama running back Najee Harris. The Crimson Tide is the second team to have three players in the top five in Heisman voting.
In 1946, Army running back Glenn Davis won the Heisman, fellow running back Doc Blanchard finished fourth and quarterback Arnold Tucker was fifth.
Iowa State running back Breece Hall was sixth this year, followed by Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.
Pitts is the first tight end to finish in the top 10 of the Heisman voting since Notre Dame’s Ken MacAfee was third in 1977.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Cuomo staffer hit in head with cinder block during random NYC attack

No wonder it was forbidden fruit .
A modern-day bootlegger who ...

Larry Celona, Bernadette Hogan, Tamar Lapin

A staffer in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Manhattan offices was bashed in the head with a cinder block on a Midtown street in a random and terrifying attack on Christmas Eve, police and sources said.
Lisa Cavanaugh, 51, had just left work and was passing a construction site at Third Avenue near 48th Street at around 2:15 p.m. when a stranger crept up behind her, according to the NYPD and the sources.
The man hit her in the back of the head with the concrete block before fleeing west on East 48th Street, cops said.
Cavanaugh was temporarily knocked unconscious by the assault, law enforcement sources said.
She was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, some 20 blocks south of the scene, with several gashes to the back of her head.
The shocking daytime attack took place about six blocks from the governor’s Third Avenue offices.
Previous 1 of 6 Next Advertisement The suspected attacker. DCPI Lisa Cavanaugh, the Cuomo staffer who was attacked with a cinder block. LinkedIn Advertisement The cinder block used in the attack. The scene near where Lisa Cavanaugh was attacked with a cinder block in Manhattan. Peter Gerber Advertisement
The sources said it’s believed Cavanaugh was heading home from work at the time.
Two witnesses saw the assault and alerted cops, law-enforcement sources said.
Cavanaugh required stitches to close up the wounds, according to a source with knowledge of her situation, adding that, all things considered, she was doing OK.
She was conscious and hospital staffers were “taking care of her,” the source said.
The assailant, meanwhile, was still on the loose as of Thursday night, cops said.
The NYPD released photos and surveillance footage of a man near the scene who police said was wanted for questioning.
Cavanaugh has worked as a recruitment and appointments officer in the governor’s office since at least September, according to her profile on LinkedIn.


newyorkpost--2020-12-24--Lululemon launches holiday specials for ‘You Don’t Want To Miss This’ event

If you ’ re already looking for some exciting post-holiday specials , then you ’ ll be beyond excited for @ @ @ @ @ ’ t Want To Miss This event .
It is full of items that you @ @ @ @ @ to your athleisure collection .
Whether you ’ re shopping for your bestie , parent @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want to miss these awesome finds .
You can stock up on @ @ @ @ @ accessories and more items across Lululemon categories .
And these finds will keep you stylish @ @ @ @ @ whether you ’ re relaxing with your favorite book , running quick errands , or @ @ @ @ @ workout .
We already know Lululemon is loved for its top-rated activewear and accessories .
@ @ @ @ @ the You Don ’ t Want To Miss This event and add some new faves @ @ @ @ @

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If you enjoyed the first round of post-holiday specials from Lululemon’s You Don’t Want To Miss This event, you’ll be excited to take a look through the brand’s latest round of finds from the extended event.
The new drop of specials is packed with stylish athleisure you’ll be excited to add to your wardrobe.
You can stock up on its super luxe leggings, accessories and more items across Lululemon categories.
These finds will keep you stylish and comfortable this winter — whether you’re relaxing with your favorite book, running quick errands, or kicking off a new at-home workout.
So take a look through the You Don’t Want To Miss This event and add some new faves to your Lululemon collection.
Lululemon
Sale price: $69.00
Original price: $128.00
Lululemon
Sale price: $99.00
Original price: $178.00
Lululemon
Sale price: $39.00
Original price: $78.00
Lululemon
Sale price: $59.00
Original price: $98.00
Lululemon
Sale price: $29.00
Original price: $68.00
Lululemon
Sale price: $99.00
Original price: $198.00