newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Even North West has Fashion Week drama

Even North West has Fashion Week drama

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 ) Kanye West and Kim Kardashian ’ s daughter North West made her debut rap performance at Paris Fashion week – but it wasn ’ t without a bit of controversy .
The sudden exit of MSNBC ’ s Chris Matthews has shocked the media world .
And an update on Flavor Flav ’ s beef with Public Enemy .
Plus , Snoop Dogg is burning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ didn ’ t mean ” to not give ZaZa , a 5-year-old musical artist , credit when daughter North West performed an almost identical track to that of the young YouTube star .
On Thursday , North , 6 , made her debut performance at the Yeezy Season 8 fashion show in Paris , and shortly after , ZaZa ’ s parents called out the famous family for not paying “ homage ” to their daughter .
ZaZa ’ s parents shared their daughter ’ s “ What I Do ” video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram for comparison , and pointed out that the YouTuber worked on her song with her dad in the studio back in July 2019 .
“ We take PRIDE in creativity , and believe whether a child ’ s involved or an adult… creativity deserves RESPECT/homage !
” they wrote .
“ What @ kimkardashian ( Kanye west ) are doing with their daughter… with the inspiration of ZaZa & our family in mind is okay… we not mad BUT PLS SHOW LOVE AND SUPPORT TO THE ORIGINAL FIRST !
!
!
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Kanye West and “ adore his journey , ” but they “ don ’ t wan na feel like our daughter ’ s journey in the world of entertainment is being STIFLED.
” Kardashian , 39 , commented under the post , saying North is a “ huge fan ” of ZaZa and is “ inspired ” by her .
Chris Matthews abruptly retired from his longtime role as host of “ Hardball ” following an allegation that he “ inappropriately flirted ” with a female guest .
The MSNBC anchor shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Monday night show , announcing on-air , “ I want to start with my headline tonight : I ’ m retiring.
” “ This is the last ‘ Hardball ’ on MSNBC and obviously this isn ’ t for a lack of interest in politics , ” he added .
An MSNBC insider told The Post that network executive Phil Griffin told Matthews this weekend in Washington , DC , where “ Hardball ” is filmed , that “ he had to resign or retire immediately.
” “ The news was kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 p.m. on Monday when all the senior staff were informed Matthews would retire at the top of his show , at 7 p.m. , ” the insider said .
Matthews said he ’ s leaving his post to make way for “ younger generations ” who are “ improving the workplace.
” NBC News ’ National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki took over Monday night ’ s show after a commercial break .
On Friday , freelance journalist Laura Bassett published a column in GQ , accusing Matthews of making inappropriate advances toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear on his show .
Bassett wrote about the incidents in 2017 but didn ’ t name Matthews at the time .
Flavor Flav and Chuck D still battling over Bernie Sanders benefit concert Bernie Sanders may be struggling to unify the Democratic party — but he ’ s doing a world-class job of splitting up Public Enemy .
Hip-hop legend Flavor Flav isn ’ t taking being fired from Public Enemy over a fight about presidential hopeful Sanders lying down .
Undecided voter Flav lost it on Monday after he was booted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign with a cease-and-desist letter late Friday after it announced the “ Fight the Power ” group would perform at a rally in Los Angeles .
But it turned out Chuck D and Public Enemy Radio were actually headlining Sanders ’ rally — without Flav .
So on Sunday the group — the self-proclaimed “ Rolling Stones of Rap ” — said in a statement , “ Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav .
We thank him for his years of service and wish him well.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ insists he is yet to endorse a 2020 candidate — was still up for a fight , ranting on Twitter , amid a hail of commas , “ @ MrChuckD are you kidding me right now ?
?
?
, , , over Bernie Sanders ?
?
?
You wan na destroy something we ’ ve built over 35 years OVER POLITICS ?
?
?
, , , all because I don ’ t wan na endorse a candidate , , , I ’ m very disappointed in you and your decisions right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued in his Twitter rant , “ And @ MrChuckD , , , i didn ’ t sue you on Friday , , , i asked the @ berniesanders campaign to correct misleading marketing , , , that ’ s all it was , , , I ’ m not your employee , , , i ’ m your partner , , , you can ’ t fire me , , , there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav , , , so let ’ s get it right Chuck , , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new leaf .
Just after apologizing to Gayle King for calling her a “ dog-haired bitch , ” Snoop Dogg is now mocking King ’ s bestie Oprah Winfrey for taking a fall in front of thousands at her 2020 Vision tour stop in LA on Saturday .
She was not injured and blamed her shoes .
But Snoop commented on social media , “ Michael and Kobe blew a gust of wind .
Balance , ” after 50 Cent jokingly suggested Michael Jackson ’ s ghost tripped her .
Snoop followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like ugly.
” The “ Gin and Juice ” rapper recently sounded off on King after she brought up Kobe Bryant ’ s sexual assault charge during a Lisa Leslie interview shortly after his death .
He later apologized and said last week that he “ lost control ” and had gotten a huge dressing-down from his mother over his profanity-filled rant .
Catch up on all episodes of “ We Hear ” by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts .
New episodes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West made her debut rap performance at Paris Fashion week – but it wasn’t without a bit of controversy.
The sudden exit of MSNBC’s Chris Matthews has shocked the media world. And an update on Flavor Flav’s beef with Public Enemy. Plus, Snoop Dogg is burning more bridges.
Here’s a closer look at today’s stories:
Kim Kardashian responds to claims North West copied viral star ZaZa, 5, for Yeezy show
Kim Kardashian says she “didn’t mean” to not give ZaZa, a 5-year-old musical artist, credit when daughter North West performed an almost identical track to that of the young YouTube star.
On Thursday, North, 6, made her debut performance at the Yeezy Season 8 fashion show in Paris, and shortly after, ZaZa’s parents called out the famous family for not paying “homage” to their daughter.
ZaZa’s parents shared their daughter’s “What I Do” video next to North’s performance on Instagram for comparison, and pointed out that the YouTuber worked on her song with her dad in the studio back in July 2019.
“We take PRIDE in creativity, and believe whether a child’s involved or an adult… creativity deserves RESPECT/homage!” they wrote. “What @kimkardashian (Kanye west) are doing with their daughter… with the inspiration of ZaZa & our family in mind is okay… we not mad BUT PLS SHOW LOVE AND SUPPORT TO THE ORIGINAL FIRST!!!”
The family also said they “admire” Kanye West and “adore his journey,” but they “don’t wanna feel like our daughter’s journey in the world of entertainment is being STIFLED.”
Kardashian, 39, commented under the post, saying North is a “huge fan” of ZaZa and is “inspired” by her.
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews retires as longtime host of ‘Hardball’
Chris Matthews abruptly retired from his longtime role as host of “Hardball” following an allegation that he “inappropriately flirted” with a female guest.
The MSNBC anchor shared the shocking news at the start of his Monday night show, announcing on-air, “I want to start with my headline tonight: I’m retiring.”
“This is the last ‘Hardball’ on MSNBC and obviously this isn’t for a lack of interest in politics,” he added.
An MSNBC insider told The Post that network executive Phil Griffin told Matthews this weekend in Washington, DC, where “Hardball” is filmed, that “he had to resign or retire immediately.”
“The news was kept a secret at the network until around 6 p.m. on Monday when all the senior staff were informed Matthews would retire at the top of his show, at 7 p.m.,” the insider said.
Matthews said he’s leaving his post to make way for “younger generations” who are “improving the workplace.”
NBC News’ National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki took over Monday night’s show after a commercial break.
On Friday, freelance journalist Laura Bassett published a column in GQ, accusing Matthews of making inappropriate advances toward her twice as she readied herself to appear on his show.
Bassett wrote about the incidents in 2017 but didn’t name Matthews at the time.
Flavor Flav and Chuck D still battling over Bernie Sanders benefit concert
Bernie Sanders may be struggling to unify the Democratic party — but he’s doing a world-class job of splitting up Public Enemy.
Hip-hop legend Flavor Flav isn’t taking being fired from Public Enemy over a fight about presidential hopeful Sanders lying down. Undecided voter Flav lost it on Monday after he was booted from the band for slapping the Sanders campaign with a cease-and-desist letter late Friday after it announced the “Fight the Power” group would perform at a rally in Los Angeles.
But it turned out Chuck D and Public Enemy Radio were actually headlining Sanders’ rally — without Flav.
So on Sunday the group — the self-proclaimed “Rolling Stones of Rap” — said in a statement, “Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav. We thank him for his years of service and wish him well.”
On Monday, Flav — who insists he is yet to endorse a 2020 candidate — was still up for a fight, ranting on Twitter, amid a hail of commas, “@MrChuckD are you kidding me right now???,,,over Bernie Sanders??? You wanna destroy something we’ve built over 35 years OVER POLITICS???,,,all because I don’t wanna endorse a candidate,,,I’m very disappointed in you and your decisions right now Chuck,,,” Flav continued in his Twitter rant, “And @MrChuckD,,,i didn’t sue you on Friday,,,i asked the @berniesanders campaign to correct misleading marketing,,,that’s all it was,,,I’m not your employee,,,i’m your partner,,,you can’t fire me,,,there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav,,,so let’s get it right Chuck,,,”
Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent mock Oprah Winfrey after fall
So much for turning over a new leaf.
Just after apologizing to Gayle King for calling her a “dog-haired bitch,” Snoop Dogg is now mocking King’s bestie Oprah Winfrey for taking a fall in front of thousands at her 2020 Vision tour stop in LA on Saturday. She was not injured and blamed her shoes.
But Snoop commented on social media, “Michael and Kobe blew a gust of wind. Balance,” after 50 Cent jokingly suggested Michael Jackson’s ghost tripped her. Snoop followed that with, “God don’t like ugly.”
The “Gin and Juice” rapper recently sounded off on King after she brought up Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault charge during a Lisa Leslie interview shortly after his death. He later apologized and said last week that he “lost control” and had gotten a huge dressing-down from his mother over his profanity-filled rant.
Catch up on all episodes of “We Hear” by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes come out every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--US conducts first airstrike on Taliban forces since peace deal

KABUL , Afghanistan — The U.S. conducted Wednesday its first airstrike against Taliban forces in Afghanistan , a military spokesman said , days after signing an ambitious peace deal with the militant group in the Mideastern state of Qatar .
U.S. military spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a tweet that the “ defensive ” strike was the first U.S. attack against the militants in 11 days .
He said the attack was to counter a Taliban assault on Afghan government forces in Nahr-e Saraj in the southern Helmand province .
Leggett added that Taliban forces had conducted 43 attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leggett called on the Taliban to stop the attacks and uphold their commitments based on the agreement signed on Feb. 29 between their leaders and U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Doha , Qatar , which lays out a conditions-based path to the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan .
President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he spoke on the phone to a Taliban leader , making him the first U.S. president believed to have ever spoken directly with the militant group responsible for the deaths of thousands of U.S. troops in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Afghan Defense Ministry said in another statement on Wednesday that a Taliban attack on a checkpoint in northern Kunduz province had killed seven of its soldiers .
The statement said that ten Taliban fighters were killed in the shoot-out .
The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for any of these attacks so far or commented on the U.S. airstrike Wednesday .
However , Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told The Associated Press Wednesday that a week of reduction in violence that started midnight on Feb. 21 had ended .
Leggett said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghan allies according to agreements between U.S. and Afghan governments .

KABUL, Afghanistan — The US conducted its first airstrike against Taliban forces in Afghanistan, a military spokesman said Wednesday, days after signing an ambitious peace deal with the militant group in the Mideastern state of Qatar.
US military spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a tweet that the “defensive” strike was the first US attack against the militants in 11 days. He said the attack was to counter a Taliban assault on Afghan government forces in Nahr-e Saraj in the southern Helmand province.
Leggett added that Taliban forces had conducted 43 attacks on Afghan troops on Tuesday in Helmand.
Leggett called on the Taliban to stop the attacks and uphold their commitments based on the agreement signed Feb. 29 between their leaders and US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Doha, Qatar, which lays out a conditions-based path to the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan.
President Trump confirmed Tuesday that he spoke on the phone to a Taliban leader, making him the first US president believed to have ever spoken directly with the militant group responsible for the deaths of thousands of US troops in nearly 19 years of fighting in Afghanistan.
The Afghan Defense Ministry said in another statement Wednesday that a Taliban attack on a checkpoint in northern Kunduz province had killed seven of its soldiers.
The statement said 10 Taliban fighters were killed in the shootout.
The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for any of these attacks so far or commented on the US airstrike Wednesday.
However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the Associated Press Wednesday that a week of reduction in violence that started at midnight Feb. 21 had ended.
Leggett said US forces are responsible for defending their Afghan allies according to agreements between the US and Afghan governments.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Pierce Bush, late President George H.W. Bush’s grandson, loses Texas Congressional bid

AUSTIN , Texas — Republican Pierce Bush , a grandson of former President George H.W .
Bush , failed to advance out of Tuesday ’ s primary in his bid for a Houston congressional seat , becoming the first member of his family to lose a race in Texas in more than 40 years .
Aside from the recognition of coming from America ’ s most enduring Republican dynasty , Bush 34 , was endorsed by the outgoing GOP incumbent , Rep. Pete Olson and raised more money than many of the other 14 candidates in the field .
Troy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of President Donald Trump , advanced instead to the runoff .
That raised questions about whether the Bush family ’ s sharp personal clashes with the president in recent years turned off Republican voters .
Although Pierce Bush , 34 , made clear from the outset of his run in December that he was an ally of Trump , he didn ’ t do so with zeal of rivals who promised fierce loyalty to the president if elected .
It ’ s the first time a Bush has lost an election in Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bid for Congress in 1978 .
Since then , the family had won on the ballot in Texas in races for governor , president and , most recently , George P. Bush ’ s victories for state land commissioner in 2014 and 2018 .

AUSTIN, Texas — Republican Pierce Bush, a grandson of former President George H.W. Bush, failed to advance out of Tuesday’s primary in his bid for a Houston congressional seat, becoming the first member of his family to lose a race in Texas in more than 40 years.
Aside from the recognition of coming from America’s most enduring Republican dynasty, Bush 34, was endorsed by the outgoing GOP incumbent, Rep. Pete Olson, and raised more money than many of the other 14 candidates in the field.
Troy Nehls and Kathaleen Wall, staunch defenders of President Trump, advanced instead to the runoff. That raised questions about whether the Bush family’s sharp personal clashes with the president in recent years turned off Republican voters.
Although Pierce Bush made clear from the outset of his run in December that he was an ally of Trump, he didn’t do so with the zeal of rivals who promised fierce loyalty to the president if elected.
It’s the first time a Bush has lost an election in Texas since George W. Bush failed in a bid for Congress in 1978. Since then, the family had won on the ballot in Texas in races for governor, president and, most recently, George P. Bush’s victories for state land commissioner in 2014 and 2018.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--New York bill requiring backseat buckle up passes Legislature

ALBANY , N.Y. — New York senators moved to strengthen the state ’ s seat belt laws Tuesday and approved a bill that requires backseat adult passengers to buckle up .
The legislation , passed by the state Senate and Assembly , now moves on to Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo .
Current law requires front-seat adult passengers to be buckled , but the legislation would force adult backseat passengers to use a seat belt too — a move supporters say will save lives and cut down on the risk posed to buckled-in front-seat riders .
“ The simple fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the back seat .
So we have to make that message loud and clear by passing this legislation , ” said state Sen. David Carlucci on the chamber floor Tuesday .
Carlucci , a Democrat whose district includes Rockland County , said New York in the 1980s became the first state in the nation to require people in the front seat to wear a seat belt .
But since then , dozens of other states have enacted backseat belt laws , he said .
“ Let ’ s not be the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sponsor of the measure .
Supportive lawmakers also say people who do not wear their seat belts in the backseat put front seat passengers at risk .
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that about half of the 37,133 people killed in vehicle crashes in 2017 were not wearing seat belts .
According to the administration , an estimated 14,955 lives were saved by seat belts in that same year .
The backseat belt measure has long been stalled at the state Capitol .
The measure has failed several times to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Democrat whose district covers Sullivan County , recalled that a constituent who teaches driver safety brought the issue to her attention last year .
The bill , she said , will save thousands of lives .
“ It ’ s shocking .
It ’ s actually really shocking to me , ” she said .

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York senators moved to strengthen the state’s seat belt laws Tuesday and approved a bill that requires backseat adult passengers to buckle up.
The legislation, passed by the state Senate and Assembly, now moves on to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Current law requires front-seat adult passengers to be buckled, but the legislation would force adult backseat passengers to use a seat belt too — a move supporters say will save lives and cut down on the risk posed to buckled-in front-seat riders.
“The simple fact is you’re not any safer in the back seat. So we have to make that message loud and clear by passing this legislation,” said state Sen. David Carlucci on the chamber floor Tuesday.
Carlucci, a Democrat whose district includes Rockland County, said New York in the 1980s became the first state in the nation to require people in the front seat to wear a seat belt. But since then, dozens of other states have enacted backseat belt laws, he said.
“Let’s not be the last state,” said Carlucci, a sponsor of the measure.
Supportive lawmakers also say people who do not wear their seat belts in the backseat put front seat passengers at risk.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that about half of the 37,133 people killed in vehicle crashes in 2017 were not wearing seat belts. According to the administration, an estimated 14,955 lives were saved by seat belts in that same year.
The backseat belt measure has long been stalled at the state Capitol. The measure has failed several times to pass both chambers.
State Sen. Jen Metzger, a Democrat whose district covers Sullivan County, recalled that a constituent who teaches driver safety brought the issue to her attention last year. The bill, she said, will save thousands of lives.
“It’s shocking. It’s actually really shocking to me,” she said.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--See the moment a thief points firearm at Queens liquor store clerk

A dramatic image shows the moment a thief points his firearm at a Queens liquor store clerk in a stick-up @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of dollars worth of booze , cops said .
The brazen robbery occurred about @ @ @ @ @ liquor store on Lefferts Boulevard near 115th Avenue in South Ozone Park , police said @ @ @ @ @ men pointed the gun at the 19-year-old worker , the group stormed behind the counter @ @ @ @ @ cops said .
The crooks were caught on camera rushing out of the store as @ @ @ @ @ inside their bags .
They fled and were still on the lam early Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @

A dramatic image shows the moment a thief points his firearm at a Queens liquor store clerk in a stick-up that netted four masked crooks hundreds of dollars worth of booze, cops said.
The brazen robbery occurred about 10:20 p.m. Monday at a liquor store on Lefferts Boulevard near 115th Avenue in South Ozone Park, police said.
After one of the men pointed the gun at the 19-year-old worker, the group stormed behind the counter to steal their haul, cops said.
The crooks were caught on camera rushing out of the store as they shoved bottles of booze inside their bags.
They fled and were still on the lam early Wednesday. The worker was unharmed.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--David Quinn channels Bill Belichick in Rangers playoff push

David Quinn was doing his best Bill Belichick .
“ Move on to Washington , ” Quinn said after his team lost to the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues , 3-1 , at the Garden on Tuesday night , and with the 2018 champion Capitals coming in Thursday .
Over these final 18 games of the regular season with the Rangers still battling for the second wild-card spot , 13 of their opponents are teams currently in or tied for a playoff spot .
“ These guys know , and I don ’ t have to say it — we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Quinn said .
Before the Rangers started this three-game losing streak by being swept in a home-and-home with the Flyers on Friday and Sunday , they had won nine of the previous 10 .
Their one loss in that stretch came against the terrific Bruins , while four wins were against non-playoff teams — the Kings , Blackhawks , Sharks and Canadiens — and the others against teams on the fringe of the race — the Jets , Wild , Blue Jackets , Hurricanes and Islanders .
But they played relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they didn ’ t come out with a much-needed two points .
“ I think we took a step forward compared to the games we played against Philly , ” said winger Jesper Fast .
“ If we play this way , we have a chance to win a lot of games going forward.
” The Rangers took only one penalty — a ghostly slash from Ryan Strome — which resulted in a Colton Parayko power-play goal that tied it , 1-1 , early in the second period .
It was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strome took on Sunday , both of which resulted in power-play goals , as well , and earned him a seat on the bench for the entire third period .
Yet the Rangers penalty kill is now 3-for-6 over these past two games , and has given up at least one power-play goal in six of the past seven .
“ Our penalty kill can get streaky where we kill off 19 in a row and all of a sudden we hit a little bit of a rut , ” Quinn said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit of a rut right now.
” Defenseman Brendan Smith had a good game , and played some of it paired with the more offensive Tony DeAngelo .
That was done in part to match two of the Rangers ’ biggest defensemen , Marc Staal and Jacob Trouba , against the Blues ’ big bodies .
This was the Rangers ’ 6,500th game in franchise history .

David Quinn was doing his best Bill Belichick.
“Move on to Washington,” Quinn said after his team lost to the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues, 3-1, at the Garden on Tuesday night, and with the 2018 champion Capitals coming in Thursday.
Over these final 18 games of the regular season with the Rangers still battling for the second wild-card spot, 13 of their opponents are teams currently in or tied for a playoff spot.
“These guys know, and I don’t have to say it — we have to be ready to play Washington,” Quinn said.
Before the Rangers started this three-game losing streak by being swept in a home-and-home with the Flyers on Friday and Sunday, they had won nine of the previous 10. Their one loss in that stretch came against the terrific Bruins, while four wins were against non-playoff teams — the Kings, Blackhawks, Sharks and Canadiens — and the others against teams on the fringe of the race — the Jets, Wild, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes and Islanders.
But they played relatively well against the heavy Blues, even if they didn’t come out with a much-needed two points.
“I think we took a step forward compared to the games we played against Philly,” said winger Jesper Fast. “If we play this way, we have a chance to win a lot of games going forward.”
The Rangers took only one penalty — a ghostly slash from Ryan Strome — which resulted in a Colton Parayko power-play goal that tied it, 1-1, early in the second period. It was a far cry from the two bad penalties Strome took on Sunday, both of which resulted in power-play goals, as well, and earned him a seat on the bench for the entire third period.
Yet the Rangers penalty kill is now 3-for-6 over these past two games, and has given up at least one power-play goal in six of the past seven.
“Our penalty kill can get streaky where we kill off 19 in a row and all of a sudden we hit a little bit of a rut,” Quinn said. “We’re in a little bit of a rut right now.”
Defenseman Brendan Smith had a good game, and played some of it paired with the more offensive Tony DeAngelo. That was done in part to match two of the Rangers’ biggest defensemen, Marc Staal and Jacob Trouba, against the Blues’ big bodies.
This was the Rangers’ 6,500th game in franchise history.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Marianne Williamson calls Biden’s Super Tuesday comeback a ‘coup’

Former Democratic presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson said Tuesday night that Joe Biden ’ s 2020 comeback is the result of @ @ @ @ @ self-help guru , who dropped out of the race in January , took issue with @ @ @ @ @ s characterization of Biden ’ s revival as a “ resurrection.
” “ This was @ @ @ @ @ was a coup , ” Williamson wrote on Twitter .
“ Russiagate was not a @ @ @ @ @ a coup .
Impeachment was not a coup .
What happened yesterday was a coup @ @ @ @ @ it back.
” Biden had a strong showing on Super Tuesday , winning eight of @ @ @ @ @ .
But his campaign had been struggling up until Saturday ’ s South Carolina primary @ @ @ @ @ president then received another boost Monday after landing endorsements from former Democratic presidential rivals Pete @ @ @ @ @

Former Democratic presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson said Tuesday night that Joe Biden’s 2020 comeback is the result of a “coup.”
The self-help guru, who dropped out of the race in January, took issue with CNN anchor Jake Tapper’s characterization of Biden’s revival as a “resurrection.”
“This was not a resurrection; it was a coup,” Williamson wrote on Twitter.
“Russiagate was not a coup. Mueller was not a coup. Impeachment was not a coup. What happened yesterday was a coup. And we will push it back.”
Biden had a strong showing on Super Tuesday, winning eight of the first 12 states called.
But his campaign had been struggling up until Saturday’s South Carolina primary win.
The former vice president then received another boost Monday after landing endorsements from former Democratic presidential rivals Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Devils no match for Golden Knights in another loss

LAS VEGAS — William Karlsson scored his 100th career goal , Robin Lehner stopped 27 shots in his 300th career game and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Tuesday night .
Lehner , who was acquired in a trade with Chicago on Feb. 24 , recorded his first shutout of the season and improved to 2-0-0 since joining the Golden Knights .
He beat Buffalo is in first start for Vegas .
Max Pacioretty and Ryan Reaves also scored for the Golden Knights .
New Jersey ’ s Mackenzie Blackwood , who went 6-0-1 with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percentage and a league-best 1.27 goals-against-average during the month of February , made 29 saves but fell to 0-2-0 against Vegas .
In his two starts against the Golden Knights this season , Blackwood has allowed seven goals .
After a flawless first period by both goaltenders , the Golden Knights opened the second period by scoring quickly .
William Karlsson gathered a loose puck near the high slot in New Jersey ’ s offensive zone , and sent a perfectly placed no-look , backhand pass to Pacioretty , who raced in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top of the left circle .
Pacioretty came close to making it 2-0 with 1:43 left in the second period , but Blackwood stonewalled the attempt from in front of the net with a point-blank save .
Karlsson took care of putting Vegas up by two just 37 seconds into the third period .
Nicolas Roy carried the puck into the slot before dishing to Karlsson , who rifled a one-timer past Blackwood to hit the century mark for his career .
Reaves notched his eighth goal of the season later in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loose puck during a scramble in front of Blackwood .

LAS VEGAS — William Karlsson scored his 100th career goal, Robin Lehner stopped 27 shots in his 300th career game and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Lehner, who was acquired in a trade with Chicago on Feb. 24, recorded his first shutout of the season and improved to 2-0-0 since joining the Golden Knights. He beat Buffalo is in first start for Vegas.
Max Pacioretty and Ryan Reaves also scored for the Golden Knights.
New Jersey’s Mackenzie Blackwood, who went 6-0-1 with two shutouts, had a .967 save percentage and a league-best 1.27 goals-against-average during the month of February, made 29 saves but fell to 0-2-0 against Vegas. In his two starts against the Golden Knights this season, Blackwood has allowed seven goals.
After a flawless first period by both goaltenders, the Golden Knights opened the second period by scoring quickly. William Karlsson gathered a loose puck near the high slot in New Jersey’s offensive zone, and sent a perfectly placed no-look, backhand pass to Pacioretty, who raced in and beat Blackwood with a wrister from the top of the left circle.
Pacioretty came close to making it 2-0 with 1:43 left in the second period, but Blackwood stonewalled the attempt from in front of the net with a point-blank save.
Karlsson took care of putting Vegas up by two just 37 seconds into the third period. Nicolas Roy carried the puck into the slot before dishing to Karlsson, who rifled a one-timer past Blackwood to hit the century mark for his career.
Reaves notched his eighth goal of the season later in the third, when he punched in the loose puck during a scramble in front of Blackwood.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Joe Biden storms back into Democratic race with huge Super Tuesday

It wasn ’ t pretty and there wasn ’ t a moment to spare , ...

Ebony Bowden, Bob Fredericks, Tamar Lapin, Aaron Feis

A week ago, his White House dream was on life support, but Joe Biden roared back on Super Tuesday — putting presumptive front-runner Bernie Sanders on notice with victories in at least nine of 14 states and even pulling off an improbable, Texas-size upset in the Lone Star State.
“They don’t call it Super Tuesday for nothing!” crowed the jubilant former vice president at the Baldwin Hills Recreation Center in Los Angeles.
A cumulative 1,357 delegates were up for grabs on the most jam-packed day of primary season, which spread across 14 states that stretched from coast to coast and included American Samoa.
Maintaining the momentum of his campaign-saving victory in Saturday’s South Carolina primary, Biden got off to a strong start with an early win in Virginia on Tuesday, and topped it off around 2 a.m. Wednesday with his biggest prize, Texas.
Pollsters had predicted that the state, with 228 delegates, would be carried by Vermont Sen. Sanders.
“Those who have been knocked down, counted out, left behind, this is your campaign!” Biden said. “Just a few days ago, the press declared the campaign dead. And then came South Carolina. And they had something to say about it!”
In addition to his triumph in Texas, Biden played the victorious underdog in Massachusetts and Minnesota, home to 91 and 75 delegates, respectively.
His win in the Bay State was a crushing blow to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who placed a disappointing third on her home turf — a result that pushed her already fading campaign to the brink.
To win the state, Biden also fended off Sanders, whose far-left politics align much more closely with Warren’s.
Meanwhile, pundits had projected that Sanders would sink Biden in the Land of 10,000 Lakes after Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced the suspension of her foundering campaign on the eve of Super Tuesday.
But, perhaps due to Klobuchar’s endorsement, Biden managed to pull off the upset in a state where he had invested virtually no campaign resources.
The unexpected twin wins in Massachusetts and Minnesota were the cherries on top of the cake for Biden.
Within seconds of the polls closing at 7 p.m., Virginia, home to 99 delegates, was called for Biden. He tallied 53.2 percent of votes in the Old Dominion, more than doubling Sanders’ 23.1 percent, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.
The blowout was more than just a moral victory for the Biden camp, as delegates are dished out not on a winner-take-all basis, but in proportion to vote totals to any candidate who clears a 15 percent threshold.
To clinch the nomination — and avoid a contentious brokering process at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee in July — a candidate must get the backing of 1,991 delegates.
Sanders responded with an equally resounding early victory in his home state of Vermont, good for the biggest share of 16 delegates, but the wins kept on coming for Biden.
North Carolina (110 delegates), Tennessee (64), Alabama (52), Oklahoma (37) and Arkansas (31) all broke Biden’s way, as strong voter turnout among the African American community helped prop up his so-called firewall across the South.
But it was the stunners in Texas, Massachusetts and Minnesota that best defined Biden’s resurgence.
And he acknowledged he couldn’t have done it alone.
“We won Minnesota because of Amy Klobuchar!” Biden told his boosters in no uncertain terms. “We are very much alive.”
He also gave shout-outs to ex-Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, like Klobuchar onetime White House aspirants who abandoned their own campaigns and coalesced around the last, best hope of moderate Democrats in 2020.
The last-minute boosts for Biden came as many within the party establishment feared that Sanders — a self-described Democratic socialist — could run away with the race.
As Sanders’ momentum grew, so too did the dread among Democratic moderates and the party’s establishment that the Vermont senator’s left-wing policies and revolutionary rhetoric could not only undercut his electability against President Trump in November — but harm Democratic efforts to retake the US Senate and hurt other down-ticket candidates.
While Biden more than resuscitated his campaign, Sanders hardly left Super Tuesday empty-handed.
In addition to Vermont, he struck back in a big way out West, handily capturing California, the day’s biggest single prize with 415 delegates.
Sanders also romped in Colorado and Utah, home to 67 and 29 delegates, respectively.
In a raucous campaign event of his own in Essex Junction, Vt., Sanders didn’t sweat the early returns.
“Tonight I tell you with absolute confidence we’re going to win the Democratic nomination and we are going to defeat the most dangerous president in the history of the country,” he said.
Nor did he signal any willingness to blunt the pointed politics that landed him in moderates’ crosshairs.
“We’re not only taking on the corporate establishment, we’re taking on the political establishment,” Sanders told supporters.
“We’re going to win because the people understand it is our campaign, our movement, which is best positioned to defeat Trump,” he said.
“You cannot beat Trump with the same old, same old kind of politics.”
Where Sanders’ all-in approach buoyed him with his base, Warren limped through a nightmarish Super Tuesday as the contest increasingly looked like a two-horse race.
Warren’s third-place finish in her home state was actually her most successful outing of the night, as she was on pace to pocket 14 Massachusetts delegates, RealClearPolitics projected.
She also picked up a smattering of delegates in North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado and Tennessee, but appeared to be shut out elsewhere.
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg — a late entrant who has reportedly poured more than $500 million of his own fortune into the race — fared little better.
By early Wednesday, Maine was the only undecided state — but Biden was leading.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--How a viral scream led to Brandon Matthews’ PGA tour bid

Tiger Woods had done it four previous times in his ...

ORLANDO, Fla. — One poignant, unexpected moment sent Brandon Matthews here.
Now, one magical week can change the life of the obscure 25-year-old golfer from northeast Pennsylvania who’s playing in his first-ever PGA Tour event this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
If you’ve never heard of Matthews, you’re not alone. If you have, it’s likely because of something he did off the golf course after a devastating defeat on it.
It’s because of that moment that Matthews — so low on the totem pole that he doesn’t even have playing status on the Korn Ferry Tour — will be teeing it up alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Jason Day and Adam Scott this week at Bay Hill.
“I’ve worked my whole life for this,’’ Matthews said Tuesday. “I have a lot of self-belief in my game. I truly feel like this is where I belong and this is where I need to be.’’
So here he is.
To review:
Matthews, playing in the Visa Open de Argentina on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica last fall, was standing over an 8-foot putt to force a fourth playoff hole and keep his hopes alive for an exemption into the 2020 British Open with a victory.
“I got over the putt, took the putter back and heard kind of a yelp or a scream,” Matthews recalled. “I kind of flinched on the putt and immediately knew I missed it. I thought someone had done it intentionally. I was frustrated. I was in shock that that happened.’’
After he trudged to the locker room, eliminated from the playoff and dejected, Matthews was approached by a tournament official who apologized to him and informed him that a fan with Down syndrome had inadvertently made the noise.
Matthews immediately asked the official to bring him to the fan, named Juan, so he could meet him.
“My mom used to work in group homes, and I was around that kind of stuff my entire childhood,’’ Matthews said. “My best friend’s little sister has Down syndrome. So I saw it on a daily basis and I just kind of have a special place in my heart for it. I just wanted to make sure that [Juan] didn’t feel bad. I gave him a hug and I asked him, ‘Hey, are you doing OK? Are you having fun?’ I didn’t want to anyone to be mad at him. I didn’t want him to be mad at himself. I wanted to make sure he knew that I wasn’t mad.’’
On Tuesday, before he went out for his practice round, PGA Tour officials showed Matthews a video message from Juan wishing him well this week.
“Some things,’’ Matthews said, “are bigger than golf.’’
Matthews didn’t get that spot into the British Open with a win that day, but his gesture went viral on social media. Roy Saunders and his wife, Amy, Palmer’s daughter, were among the many introduced to Matthews via that incident. They make up a large part of the committee that hands out invitations into the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“I know that, had Mr. Palmer been here with us, he would have given him an exemption,’’ Roy Saunders told The Post on Tuesday. “For him to have his first opportunity on the PGA Tour to be at Mr. Palmer’s tournament, I think that’s a very fitting launch.’’
Speaking of launch, Matthews hits the ball farther than the biggest hitters on the PGA Tour, carrying his driver 330 yards with minimal effort, hitting his 2-iron 290 yards and 7-iron 200 yards.
The man charged with harnessing Matthews’ power into accurate consistency is his swing coach, Dale Gray, who’s been a senior instructor at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan since 2008.
“He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen,’’ Gray said Tuesday. “He’s dedicated. He’s determined to be out here. He belongs out here. He’s got talent I’ve never seen before.’’
That’s a weighty statement coming from Gray, who worked under Tiger Woods’ swing coach Hank Haney from 1996 to 2008 and was there for all six major championships Woods won under Haney’s watch.
“The biggest thing is going to be keeping him in the moment this week,’’ Gray said. “This isn’t the Korn Ferry Tour. There’s a little different vibe and energy that’s going to be going on for him.’’
Matthews said he’s stoked to “see how my game stacks up’’ against the best players in the world, “see how ready it is.’’
“I love this stage,’’ he said. “I can’t wait to compete on it.’’
For Roy Saunders, the only story that would top Matthews winning this week would be seeing his son, Sam, break through with his first PGA Tour victory.
“It would be a wonderful story and a great thing for Brandon,’’ Saunders said. “The purse is now $9.3 million and there’s a three-year exemption to the winner. Talk about something that would be a game-changer for this guy if he wins.’’


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Jeff Sessions, Tommy Tuberville head to runoff in Alabama Senate race

MONTGOMERY , Ala. — Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will face ex-college football coach Tommy Tuberville in a Republican runoff March 31 as the former Alabama senator seeks to regain the longtime seat he held .
Sessions and Tuberville won the most votes in the primary Tuesday to advance from a crowded primary field .
Awaiting the runoff winner in November is Democratic incumbent Doug Jones .
The 73-year-old Sessions served in the Senate for two decades before becoming President Donald Trump ’ s first attorney general .
Tuberville , 65 , used to coach at Auburn University .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ harshly criticizing Sessions for withdrawing from the federal investigation of Russia ’ s involvement in the 2016 U.S. election .
But during this year ’ s Senate campaign , Sessions still positioned himself as a strong supporter of the president ’ s agenda .
Tuberville also closely aligned himself with Trump , who is extremely popular among Alabama ’ s deeply conservative Republican Party .
Also in the race were U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne , Rep. Arnold Mooney , businessman Stanley Adair and community activist Ruth Page Nelson .
The winner will likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who defeated a scandal-plagued Roy Moore , a former Alabama chief justice , in December 2017 to become Alabama ’ s first Democratic senator in a quarter-century .
Jones is the only Democrat in a statewide office in the GOP-controlled state .
Sessions gave up the Senate seat when he was appointed Trump ’ s first attorney general , a position he was forced to resign after his recusal from the Russia inquiry sparked blistering criticism from the president .
Sessions had been the first senator to endorse Trump , but in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s public scolding now threatens Sessions ’ political comeback for a seat he once held securely .
The race has become a nasty slugfest to make the two-person runoff with the candidates trading barbs in speeches and over the airwaves .
Sessions has maintained loyalty to Trump , noting that he was the first U.S senator to endorse Trump in 2016 and arguing he would be the most effective in advancing Trump ’ s agenda .
“ I ’ ll have a better relationship .
I know what he campaigned on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I saw how people reacted to his strength and his vigor .
I do think he ’ ll win again , ” Sessions told reporters outside his Mobile polling place Tuesday morning .
The GOP primary has become a competition among candidates to portray themselves as the most loyal to Trump .
Tuberville , boosted by fame from years as a college football coach , has tried to portray himself as the political outsider in the race .
“ This country is in trouble .
Thank God we elected Donald Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop in Prattville .
Trump has so far stayed silent on the race .

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will face ex-college football coach Tommy Tuberville in a Republican runoff March 31 as the former Alabama senator seeks to regain the longtime seat he held.
Sessions and Tuberville won the most votes in the primary Tuesday to advance from a crowded primary field. Awaiting the runoff winner in November is Democratic incumbent Doug Jones.
The 73-year-old Sessions served in the Senate for two decades before becoming President Donald Trump’s first attorney general. Tuberville, 65, used to coach at Auburn University.
Trump forced Sessions from his Cabinet after harshly criticizing Sessions for withdrawing from the federal investigation of Russia’s involvement in the 2016 U.S. election. But during this year’s Senate campaign, Sessions still positioned himself as a strong supporter of the president’s agenda.
Tuberville also closely aligned himself with Trump, who is extremely popular among Alabama’s deeply conservative Republican Party. Also in the race were U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, Rep. Arnold Mooney, businessman Stanley Adair and community activist Ruth Page Nelson.
The winner will likely be a strong challenger to Jones, who defeated a scandal-plagued Roy Moore, a former Alabama chief justice, in December 2017 to become Alabama’s first Democratic senator in a quarter-century. Jones is the only Democrat in a statewide office in the GOP-controlled state.
Sessions gave up the Senate seat when he was appointed Trump’s first attorney general, a position he was forced to resign after his recusal from the Russia inquiry sparked blistering criticism from the president. Sessions had been the first senator to endorse Trump, but in a twist of political irony, the president’s public scolding now threatens Sessions’ political comeback for a seat he once held securely.
The race has become a nasty slugfest to make the two-person runoff with the candidates trading barbs in speeches and over the airwaves.
Sessions has maintained loyalty to Trump, noting that he was the first U.S senator to endorse Trump in 2016 and arguing he would be the most effective in advancing Trump’s agenda.
“I’ll have a better relationship. I know what he campaigned on. I was with him at those rallies. I saw how people reacted to his strength and his vigor. I do think he’ll win again,” Sessions told reporters outside his Mobile polling place Tuesday morning.
The GOP primary has become a competition among candidates to portray themselves as the most loyal to Trump.
Tuberville, boosted by fame from years as a college football coach, has tried to portray himself as the political outsider in the race.
“This country is in trouble. Thank God we elected Donald Trump,” Tuberville said in a weekend campaign stop in Prattville.
Trump has so far stayed silent on the race.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--‘Scary’ Johnny Boychuk incident brings back Islanders memories

The losses are beginning to snowball on the Islanders .
Squaring ...

Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk bolted off the ice in the third period and never returned to Tuesday’s 6-2 loss to the Canadiens after catching Artturi Lehkonen’s skate blade to his face.
Attempting to battle through a screen in front of the Islanders’ net, Lehkonen fell forward, sending his skate up high enough to kick Boychuk square in the face. Boychuk, 36, squirmed on the ice for a few seconds before jumping to his feet and immediately heading to the locker room while holding his face.
Islanders coach Barry Trotz did not have an immediate update following the loss.
“I think he’ll be OK, but it doesn’t matter, it’s a scary situation,” team captain Anders Lee said. “You hate to see that happen. It happens quick, skate to the face. I think that’s where all our minds are right now for sure.”
Boychuk sustained a similar injury just a little over a year ago, when his neck was cut by Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner’s skate.
Cal Clutterbuck played his second game back with the Islanders since a 30-game absence due to taking a blade to the wrist that required surgery. Forward Casey Cizikas, however, missed a 10th straight game as he continues to recover from a leg laceration he sustained from a blade on Feb. 11 against the Flyers.
When asked how these types of injuries can be avoided, Clutterbuck said: “I don’t know, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it. I haven’t come up with a good answer yet. Just not fun to see that at all.”
Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss was pulled for the second time in his last three starts.
After giving up three goals on 12 shots in the first period, Trotz elected to swap in Semyon Varlamov. Greiss also was pulled Feb. 13 in Nashville after allowing three goals on eight shots.
“We were good in front of him and [Montreal] got some pretty good looks,” Trotz said. “I just felt that they had 11 shots and three goals, I just needed to change something there.”
The Islanders’ family grew Monday when Lee’s wife, Grace, gave birth to their first child, Ruby.
“It was the best day of my life,” said a beaming Lee, who took a personal day Monday to assist his wife. “Grace was unbelievable and Ruby is doing well. It was just a whirlwind from the moment she woke me up in the middle of the night.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Super Tuesday just showed that Biden’s been the real leader all along

A cumulative 1,357 delegates are up for grabs : 1,338 across ...

A political junkie who had climbed into a time machine in September 2019 and emerged from it as the primary results were coming out Tuesday night — with Joe Biden winning in North Carolina as he won in South Carolina on Saturday, and in Virginia, Minnesota and across the Solid South — would not have been surprised at all by the news.
That time traveler would have missed the months since September, during which political junkies saw Kamala Harris and Cory Booker and Beto O’Rourke quit the race as Bernie Sanders solidified the left (even after his heart attack) while Elizabeth Warren slowly cratered.
We saw Michael Bloomberg enter the proceedings by tossing thousand-dollar bills into the air like Rip Taylor tossing confetti on “The $1.98 Beauty Show.” And we watched as Biden appeared shaky in several debates and then found himself coming in fourth in Iowa and New Hampshire and a distant second in Nevada.
Those political junkies figured Biden was on the road to oblivion and that Sanders was moving inexorably toward the nomination. But the time traveler would have said, “Wait a minute. Nobody thought Biden would actually win Iowa or New Hampshire. His plan was always to win big in South Carolina and use that to barrel ahead on Super Tuesday.”
The very people who wrote Biden off are now sure that Biden’s comeback is due to the endorsement of Jim Clyburn in South Carolina a week ago and the coalescing of the Democratic establishment behind him in the 48 hours after the South Carolina primary.
Maybe — or maybe it was Biden’s decent debate performances in the preceding days. Fifteen million people saw the South Carolina debate, and 20 million saw the Nevada debate five days earlier.
And it wasn’t just Biden’s work in those debates — Bloomberg’s disastrous debate flopperoos might have convinced the Democrats who were considering a vote for the former mayor to run away from him and right to Biden.
Either way, it looks like Biden didn’t need very much to get himself back on the very same track he had laid out for himself when he started running last April.
If that’s right, then there was never any Biden collapse. What happened to him was a predictable bump on the road.
In fact, the idea that Sanders was uniquely strong might have been the illusion (though I am writing this before the full results in California). After all, Sanders tied in Iowa, he didn’t run away with it. And he won by a mere point in New Hampshire, a state he had won by 30 over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Only in Nevada did Sanders really show strength, and he came out of it so cockily that he airily praised Castro’s Cuba and called Israel’s Bibi Netanyahu a bigot — just at a moment he might have thought it prudent to sound like a reasonable person rather than a caricature of an old Commie.
Let’s turn away from the caricature of the old Commie to the caricature of the wastrel billionaire. Bloomberg spent $17 million on advertising in Virginia and got 9.5 percent of the vote, which means he got no delegates. Biden spent $233,000, received 53 percent and scored 39 delegates.
The same story — millions in spending with bupkis to show for it — was repeated in state after state.
Why am I dwelling on the Bloomberg belly flop? Because there is something contemptuous about his effort to win the Democratic nomination that deserves contempt right back. It was predicated on the high-handed royalist notion that unlimited dollars could take the place of the slow, laborious and necessary work of winning the support of millions of Americans.
Still, let me be the first to congratulate Bloomberg on his triumphant victory … in American Samoa. He won the South Seas homeland of former NFL player Mosi Tatupu. He had seven full-time staffers — yes, I said seven — on the ground there.
Bloomberg has so far spent around $550 million, but he had to go 18 hours away from the American mainland to an archipelago in the South Seas to find a place to win … with — I am not kidding — 175 votes.
Enjoy, pal.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Why weight loss feels impossible in today’s world

Trying to lose weight can be frustrating .
Despite doing all the right things , like eating healthy and exercising , it can feel like there ’ s no one to blame but ourselves , and society just reinforces that feeling by judging people who struggle with their weight .
But many people don ’ t realize that accumulation of body weight is not a choice , it ’ s a result of various factors working against us .
Weight loss is not just about willpower — there are scientific , evolutionary and social components that can make it very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food has changed over time can help relieve the blame and shame often felt by those battling weight accumulation .
Throughout history , when it was common to experience food scarcity , our bodies stored energy from calories to survive .
Most people who have tried to stick to a new diet can relate to the frustration of seemingly constant hunger pangs throughout the day .
These cravings are the body ’ s way of indicating that it wants to store more energy so we don ’ t run out of fuel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ availability , calorie content and affordability of food .
Thanks to the development of refrigeration , supermarkets began appearing in local communities , facilitating convenient access to food year-round .
The demand for ready-to-eat foods drove the emergence of high-calorie processed foods , and the use of preservatives to facilitate longer shelf life resulted in less nutritious products .
As the fast-food industry grew as a key part of American culture , larger portions of high-calorie food were offered at a lower price to emphasize value .
Though food scarcity became rare in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accumulate excess energy because our bodies ’ efficient fuel storing system has not adapted to these environmental and social changes .
Our bodies aren ’ t programmed to turn off food storage , so we continue to store excess fuel as fat , resulting in extra body weight , which can be associated with serious health consequences .
Weight accumulation is a result of a misalignment between today ’ s environment and our body ’ s natural biology .
Despite the biological and social factors that can make weight loss difficult , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling to improve their health , strict diets and rigorous exercise routines may not be enough to overcome how the body is programmed .
Options exist to adjust our biology and overcome weight accumulation .
Weight management experts are specifically trained to help overcome the many challenges associated with weight control .
Scott Kahan , MD , MPH , director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington , DC says , “ The American Board of Obesity Medicine certifies physicians who have demonstrated an in-depth knowledge and expertise in weight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now more than 3,000 board-certified obesity medicine specialists nationwide.
” To learn more , please visit : NotByChoice.health .

Trying to lose weight can be frustrating. Despite doing all the right things, like eating healthy and exercising, it can feel like there’s no one to blame but ourselves, and society just reinforces that feeling by judging people who struggle with their weight. But many people don’t realize that accumulation of body weight is not a choice, it’s a result of various factors working against us. Weight loss is not just about willpower — there are scientific, evolutionary and social components that can make it very challenging. Understanding how our consumption of food has changed over time can help relieve the blame and shame often felt by those battling weight accumulation.
Throughout history, when it was common to experience food scarcity, our bodies stored energy from calories to survive. Most people who have tried to stick to a new diet can relate to the frustration of seemingly constant hunger pangs throughout the day. These cravings are the body’s way of indicating that it wants to store more energy so we don’t run out of fuel.
Advancements of the 20th century changed the availability, calorie content and affordability of food. Thanks to the development of refrigeration, supermarkets began appearing in local communities, facilitating convenient access to food year-round. The demand for ready-to-eat foods drove the emergence of high-calorie processed foods, and the use of preservatives to facilitate longer shelf life resulted in less nutritious products. As the fast-food industry grew as a key part of American culture, larger portions of high-calorie food were offered at a lower price to emphasize value.
Though food scarcity became rare in the Western world, humans continued to accumulate excess energy because our bodies’ efficient fuel storing system has not adapted to these environmental and social changes. Our bodies aren’t programmed to turn off food storage, so we continue to store excess fuel as fat, resulting in extra body weight, which can be associated with serious health consequences.
Weight accumulation is a result of a misalignment between today’s environment and our body’s natural biology. Despite the biological and social factors that can make weight loss difficult, it’s not impossible. For individuals struggling to improve their health, strict diets and rigorous exercise routines may not be enough to overcome how the body is programmed. Options exist to adjust our biology and overcome weight accumulation. Weight management experts are specifically trained to help overcome the many challenges associated with weight control. Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington, DC says, “The American Board of Obesity Medicine certifies physicians who have demonstrated an in-depth knowledge and expertise in weight management science and practice. There are now more than 3,000 board-certified obesity medicine specialists nationwide.”
To learn more, please visit: NotByChoice.health.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Frank Ntilikina’s Knicks value has never been more apparent

Frank Ntilikina ’ s value is evident on so many possessions .
On the final play of Monday ’ s win over the Rockets , the 21-year-old defensive standout prevented Russell Westbrook from getting to the rim , forcing the former MVP into a missed jumper just before the final buzzer .
Knicks interim coach Mike Miller believes Ntilikina ’ s value on the other end of the floor is becoming more apparent , too .
“ I think Frank has a really good direction to what he ’ s doing right now , ” Miller said Tuesday .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to grow .
We ’ re seeing more playmaking , we ’ re seeing more scoring , we ’ re seeing overall more command .
He ’ s done a great job of running our offense , getting us into our actions , knowing who he ’ s playing with .
I think he ’ s really done a good job and you ’ re seeing a lot of growth out of Frank.
” Ntilikina , who is averaging 6.0 points this season , has put up double-digit scoring efforts in two of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when he finished with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field , with four assists and two steals in 29 minutes .
Seven games into Maurice Harkless ’ tenure with the Knicks , his coach still has trouble seeing the forward ’ s countless contributions in real time .
“ He does a lot of things .
People use the term versatility a lot , but when I watch the game and I see things , and I go back and I watch the video again , I see more things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t even notice , ” Miller said .
“ He ’ s had an impact on our team .
Some of it has even been subtle , that you have to watch it and be like , ‘ That ’ s how that happened .
He made a cut that created that pass and that shot or he started it with his defense.
’ He ’ s done a lot of things for us.
” Mitchell Robinson was held out of Tuesday ’ s practice and is questionable for Wednesday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sore left hamstring .
Over his past eight games , the second-year center is averaging 12.1 points , 10.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks , while shooting 75.9 percent from the field .
“ Just precautionary , held him out today , ” Miller said .
“ We ’ ll see how he feels.
” Kevin Knox ( left leg contusion ) is also questionable , and Dennis Smith Jr. ( concussion ) will miss his third straight game .
Reggie Bullock ( illness ) is probable after missing the past two games .

Frank Ntilikina’s value is evident on so many possessions.
On the final play of Monday’s win over the Rockets, the 21-year-old defensive standout prevented Russell Westbrook from getting to the rim, forcing the former MVP into a missed jumper just before the final buzzer.
Knicks interim coach Mike Miller believes Ntilikina’s value on the other end of the floor is becoming more apparent, too.
“I think Frank has a really good direction to what he’s doing right now,” Miller said Tuesday. “I think offensively he’s continued to grow. We’re seeing more playmaking, we’re seeing more scoring, we’re seeing overall more command. He’s done a great job of running our offense, getting us into our actions, knowing who he’s playing with. I think he’s really done a good job and you’re seeing a lot of growth out of Frank.”
Ntilikina, who is averaging 6.0 points this season, has put up double-digit scoring efforts in two of his past three games, including Monday, when he finished with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field, with four assists and two steals in 29 minutes.
Seven games into Maurice Harkless’ tenure with the Knicks, his coach still has trouble seeing the forward’s countless contributions in real time.
“He does a lot of things. People use the term versatility a lot, but when I watch the game and I see things, and I go back and I watch the video again, I see more things that he did that maybe I didn’t even notice,” Miller said. “He’s had an impact on our team. Some of it has even been subtle, that you have to watch it and be like, ‘That’s how that happened. He made a cut that created that pass and that shot or he started it with his defense.’ He’s done a lot of things for us.”
Mitchell Robinson was held out of Tuesday’s practice and is questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Jazz due to a sore left hamstring. Over his past eight games, the second-year center is averaging 12.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks, while shooting 75.9 percent from the field.
“Just precautionary, held him out today,” Miller said. “We’ll see how he feels.”
Kevin Knox (left leg contusion) is also questionable, and Dennis Smith Jr. (concussion) will miss his third straight game. Reggie Bullock (illness) is probable after missing the past two games.


newyorkpost--2020-03-03--Joe Biden rises from the dead on Super Tuesday: Goodwin

It wasn’t pretty and there wasn’t a moment to spare, but the “Saving Joe Biden” campaign did something remarkable. It brought a dead man back to life.
For weeks, the former veep looked to be one gaffe away from elimination, but, Lazarus-like, he rose from the grave to turn in a startling Super Tuesday performance. He won all the states he was expected to win, pulled an upset in Minnesota, put up a good fight across the board and won a nail-biter in Texas.
He’ll do very well in delegates and now has Big Mo on his side at exactly the right time. With the field of candidates shrinking and most of his former rivals backing him, Biden has leapfrogged Bernie Sanders and reclaimed the front-runner spot he held almost until the voting started last month.
His victory speech Tuesday night displayed his new vigor. Full of fire and rattling off short, simple sentences from a teleprompter, he pledged to fight for every vote and heal the nation’s divisions. It’s a good message, albeit from a flawed and fragile messenger.
It’s been a remarkable journey back to the top, but Biden couldn’t have done it without Sanders — or rather the fear of Sanders that swept the Democratic establishment like a virus and spurred it to action.
Party leaders were so desperate to stop the Vermont fellow traveler that all Biden had to do was win his first primary in three presidential races and — presto! — he was anointed the savior. If he wins the nomination, he will owe it all to South Carolina, specifically to the endorsement of Rep. Jim Clyburn and the solid support of the state’s black voters.
His smashing victory there last Saturday gave the party confidence that, with the right help, Biden had a good chance to go the distance. In short order, there was a well-staged parade of support from former rivals, and while Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar are not exactly heavyweights, their serial endorsements helped to create a sense that the tide was turning.
To be sure, there are still big doubts about Biden’s ability to win the nomination. The scrutiny of his past, and that of son Hunter Biden, will resume now that he’s a serious contender again and a relapse into somnolence could be fatal.
It should also be noted that almost all of the states he has won in the South will go for Donald Trump in the fall, meaning their significance comes with a discount in the overall scheme of things. For example, the last time South Carolina voted for a Democrat in the general election was 1976, when it backed Jimmy Carter from Georgia.
There is also another wrinkle to the Biden revival. The scramble for an alternative to Sanders was all about solving a problem without admitting its cause or identifying the guilty parties.
Put it this way: Who is responsible for radicalizing the party to the extent that Sanders, a red since the 1960s, could become the front-runner?
The culprits are the very same people who were panicked over a Sanders nomination. Start with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the ostensible congressional leaders who abdicated their jobs to become followers of the hate-Trump mob.
They foolishly refused to act like adults and work with the president for the good of the country.
Instead, they joined the juvenile resistance club and launched Dems on a three-year bender that started with Russia, Russia, Russia and ended with the most shameful and partisan impeachment in American history.
The nonstop effort to remove Trump — on false charges, no less — was nothing more than a vessel for far-left activists to hijack the power of Congress to attack the presidency. At the end, the failure was obvious, but it was too late to change the course of the presidential campaign.
Shaped by the lynch-mob madness, the candidates competed to see who could come up with the most outlandish and radical positions. It’s as if they decided to express their hatred of Trump and his supporters by trying to destroy the institutions and culture of the country.
The atmosphere was tailor-made for Sanders, who simply reprinted most of his insane, unaffordable and unworkable 2016 platform. Amazingly, nearly all his rivals signed on to virtually every harebrained idea that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her ilk produced. Open borders, Green New Deal, higher taxes, impeachment and massive giveaways in health care, college tuition and even student debt. The nuttier the better.
Most striking, all the major candidates, and some, like Cory Booker, who thought they were major, agreed on the basics. Having failed to oust Trump, their answer was to parrot Sanders in calling for the reordering of American society by turning all its institutions upside down and inside out.
Sanders called it “total transformation,” and the others were 80 or 90 percent with him. Belatedly, Pelosi, Schumer and other swamp creatures realized only a sliver of the country was with them.
Desperate and running out of time, they seized on Biden as their alternative. Not necessarily because they think he can beat Trump, but because they feared that a Sanders nomination would have cost them their jobs, too.
So their man Biden is standing and taking nourishment, but getting him a majority of delegates before the convention won’t be easy. And now that he’s the top dog, his policy ideas will be a fat target for Trump.
While it’s true Biden is more moderate than Sanders, that’s not saying much. If he should become the nominee, Biden’s platform would be the party’s most radical since George McGovern’s in 1972.
We know how that election ended.


newyorkpost--2020-03-03--Two dairy protesters storm stage during Biden’s Super Tuesday speech in California

A pair of anti-dairy protesters nearly barreled into Joe Biden on stage during the Democratic presidential candidate ’ s Super Tuesday speech in Los Angeles .
“ Let dairy die !
” chanted the two the women who stormed the stage , holding signs with the slogan as the crowd rained down boos .
While a security guard swarmed the first protester , yanking her off stage , the second appeared to be wrangled by Biden ’ s senior advisor , Symone Sanders .
Animal rights protesters have made the rounds on the democratic campaign trails , pushing for candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two protesters , including a topless woman with “ let dairy die ” painted on her bare chest , confronted Bernie Sanders in Nevada last month , with one swiping a mic from his podium .
“ Bernie , I ’ m your biggest supporter , and I ’ m here to ask you to stop pumping up the dairy industry and to stop pumping up animal agriculture , ” one said .
“ I believe in you… ” Sanders quipped , “ This is Nevada .
There ’ s always a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Biden on Tuesday picked up from where he left off of his speech celebrating a host of victories across the country , as viewers on social media commended Biden senior adviser Symone Sanders ’ swift spring to action .
“ Y ’ all see Symone Sanders come off the line like a pro bowl linebacker .
Geesh , ” one Twitter user , BIlly Honor , wrote .
“ Symone Sanders for Secretary of Defense , ” another joked .

A pair of anti-dairy protesters nearly barreled into Joe Biden on stage during the Democratic presidential candidate’s Super Tuesday speech in Los Angeles.
“Let dairy die!” chanted the two the women who stormed the stage, holding signs with the slogan as the crowd rained down boos.
While a security guard swarmed the first protester, yanking her off stage, the second appeared to be wrangled by Biden’s senior advisor, Symone Sanders.
Animal rights protesters have made the rounds on the democratic campaign trails, pushing for candidates to end their support of the industry.
Two protesters, including a topless woman with “let dairy die” painted on her bare chest, confronted Bernie Sanders in Nevada last month, with one swiping a mic from his podium.
“Bernie, I’m your biggest supporter, and I’m here to ask you to stop pumping up the dairy industry and to stop pumping up animal agriculture,” one said. “I believe in you…”
Sanders quipped, “This is Nevada. There’s always a little excitement — at no extra cost.”
Biden on Tuesday picked up from where he left off of his speech celebrating a host of victories across the country, as viewers on social media commended Biden senior adviser Symone Sanders’ swift spring to action.
“Y’all see Symone Sanders come off the line like a pro bowl linebacker. Geesh,” one Twitter user, BIlly Honor, wrote.
“Symone Sanders for Secretary of Defense,” another joked.


newyorkpost--2020-03-03--What the Yankees’ pitching staff could soon look like

TAMPA — Jordan Montgomery is the prohibitive favorite to cop the fourth spot in a Yankees ’ rotation that will be without James Paxton at the start of the season and not have Luis Severino for the entirety of it .
After the left-handed Montgomery , right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga appears to have the edge for the No .
5 spot , and he strengthened that with a dazzling two innings to close out a 9-1 Yankees win over the Red Sox on Tuesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field .
“ Open or not , I just want ‘ Lo ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his delivery .
He is coming in on the attack right now and seems to have a feel for his pitches , ’ ’ Aaron Boone said of Loaisiga , who worked two scoreless innings , struck out four — including the first three he faced — and faced six batters .
“ You see that dynamic stuff so we will continue to stretch him out .
What role it ends up being , and it could be multiples , it is good to see him throwing the ball well.
’ ’ Clarke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minor leagues because he has pitched in 27 games ( 25 starts ) since being selected in the first round of the 2017 draft out of the University of South Carolina after undergoing Tommy John surgery .
The right-hander impressed Boone by bouncing back after giving up a leadoff homer to Rafael Devers on his first pitch in the fourth inning .
“ Unfazed , he attacks the strike zone with a really good curveball , a special curveball , ’ ’ Boone said of the 24-year-old Schmidt ’ s most impressive pitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really good changeup and finished his outing with a really good changeup to strike out [ Andrew ] Benintendi.
’ ’ In two innings Schmidt gave up two hits , issued a walk and fanned three .

TAMPA — Jordan Montgomery is the prohibitive favorite to cop the fourth spot in a Yankees rotation that will be without James Paxton at the start of the season and not have Luis Severino for the entirety of it.
After the left-handed Montgomery, right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga appears to have the edge for the No. 5 spot, and he strengthened that with a dazzling two innings to close out a 9-1 Yankees win over the Red Sox on Tuesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
“Open or not, I just want ‘Lo’ to be in a good place with his delivery. He is coming in on the attack right now and seems to have a feel for his pitches,’’ Aaron Boone said of Loaisiga, who worked two scoreless innings, struck out four — including the first three he faced — and faced six batters. “You see that dynamic stuff, so we’ll continue to stretch him out. What role it ends up being, and it could be multiples, it’s good to see him throwing the ball well.’’
Clarke Schmidt likely needs more work in the minor leagues because he has pitched in 27 games (25 starts) since being selected in the first round of the 2017 draft out of the University of South Carolina after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The right-hander impressed Boone by bouncing back after giving up a leadoff homer to Rafael Devers on his first pitch in the fourth inning.
“Unfazed, he attacks the strike zone with a really good curveball, a special curveball,’’ Boone said of the 24-year-old Schmidt’s most impressive pitch. “I thought he had a really good changeup and finished his outing with a really good changeup to strike out [Andrew] Benintendi.’’
In two innings, Schmidt gave up two hits, issued a walk and fanned three.


newyorkpost--2020-03-03--Trump declares Bloomberg, Warren biggest losers of Super Tuesday

President Trump declared Michael Bloomberg the “ biggest loser ” of Super Tuesday ’ s primaries in a late-Tuesday blast on Twitter — before turning and attacking Sen. Elizabeth Warren for losing her home state .
“ The biggest loser tonight , by far , is Mini Mike Bloomberg , ” Trump wrote .
“ His “ political ” consultants took him for a ride .
$ 700 million washed down the drain , and he got nothing for it but the nickname Mini Mike , and the complete destruction of his reputation .
“ Way to go Mike !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mightily on Super Tuesday , the first states where the billionaire businessman appeared on the ballots .
The ex-New York City mayor was virtually winless — save for the tiny US territory of American Samoa — despite funneling more than a half-billion of his fortune into his campaign .
Bloomberg is expected to reassess his campaign Wednesday morning .
Warren also took a hit on Super Tuesday , even coming up short to Joe Biden in her home state of Massachusetts , a point not lost on Trump .
“ Elizabeth “ Pocahontas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was the loser of the night , ” the president wrote .
“ She didn ’ t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts .
Well , now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer !
”

President Trump declared Michael Bloomberg the “biggest loser” of Super Tuesday’s primaries in a late-Tuesday blast on Twitter — before turning and attacking Sen. Elizabeth Warren for losing her home state.
“The biggest loser tonight, by far, is Mini Mike Bloomberg,” Trump wrote. “His “political” consultants took him for a ride. $700 million washed down the drain, and he got nothing for it but the nickname Mini Mike, and the complete destruction of his reputation.
“Way to go Mike!,” he added.
Bloomberg struggled mightily on Super Tuesday, the first states where the billionaire businessman appeared on the ballots.
The ex-New York City mayor was virtually winless — save for the tiny US territory of American Samoa — despite funneling more than a half-billion of his fortune into his campaign.
Bloomberg is expected to reassess his campaign Wednesday morning.
Warren also took a hit on Super Tuesday, even coming up short to Joe Biden in her home state of Massachusetts, a point not lost on Trump.
“Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, other than Mini Mike, was the loser of the night,” the president wrote.
“She didn’t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts. Well, now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer!”


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--‘Onward’ review: Magical quest is Pixar at its best

“ Onward , ” Pixar ’ s first original , non-sequel movie in more than two years , makes you wish that they ’ d finally leave Woody and Buzz in the toy chest .
The animation studio is at its creative best while introducing us to vibrant new characters and worlds , such as a family of secret superheroes ( “ The Incredibles ” ) or venturing inside a young girl ’ s brain ( “ Inside Out ” ) .
But too often , Pixar , like every other studio , milks its lucrative franchises to death , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Cars 3 , ” watching the same damn cars for the third damn time .
Thankfully , Pixar ’ s moved onward .
Welcome to New Mushroomton , a sleepy suburb populated by elves , dragons and pixies .
Homes look like giant toadstools and feral unicorns rifle , raccoon-like , through garbage cans .
The whole place is painstakingly detailed and hilarious in its specificity .
What began as a fairy-tale town — think King Arthur and Merlin — lost its magical powers through the years as the creatures invented modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ve got lightbulbs and microwaves ?
Thus , history became legend .
That ’ s until an elf named Ian ( Tom Holland ) turns 16 , and his mom ( Julia Louis-Dreyfus ) hands him and his older brother , Barley ( Chris Pratt ) , a wrapped gift from their late father — a wizard staff !
And packaged along with it is a “ visitation spell ” that will bring dad back to life for just one day .
“ Hold on !
” yells Mom .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , he may have been a wizard with balance sheets , but he was also a legit magician .
Ian , who was born shortly after his mysterious father died , recites the incantation and it works — sort of .
The kid ’ s only able to conjure up his dad ’ s lower half .
So Ian , the fantasy-loving Barley and a pair of legs go on a quest to complete the trick before sundown .
And what a blissful journey it is .
In Barley ’ s van @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lair of the Manticore ( Octavia Spencer ) , a ferocious , mythical , winged lion who , after retiring her roar , now manages a chain restaurant .
The boys use the map on her paper place mats to guide their adventure .
Along the way , we meet a fantastic motorcycle gang of tiny sprites and an awkward centaur stepdad .
Pratt and Holland , who would never be cast as brothers in a live-action film , turn out to be sensational voice actors , landing on a fun “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a loser townie , who still lives with his mom and obsesses over a Dungeons & Dragons-like card game .
To voice him , Pratt , now a trim leading man , throws back to his schlubby “ Parks and Recreation ” days .
And Holland , who became famous as Spider-Man , clearly has experience playing a character who innocently learns how to use his extraordinary powers .
As the duo figure out their brotherly connection , you may reach for your tissues .
The style and tone of writer-director Dan Scanlon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ “ Shrek ” and “ How To Train Your Dragon ” mixed with the siblings-with-secrets aspects of Disney ’ s “ Frozen.
” But “ Onward ” is better for the change-up .
That stylistic and narrative departure gives us Pixar ’ s most heartfelt story in years .

Movie review Onward Running time: 102 minutes. Rated PG (action/peril and some mild thematic elements).
“Onward,” Pixar’s first original, non-sequel movie in more than two years, makes you wish that they’d finally leave Woody and Buzz in the toy chest.
The animation studio is at its creative best while introducing us to vibrant new characters and worlds, such as a family of secret superheroes (“The Incredibles”) or venturing inside a young girl’s brain (“Inside Out”). But too often, Pixar, like every other studio, milks its lucrative franchises to death, which is how we end up with “Cars 3,” watching the same damn cars for the third damn time.
Thankfully, Pixar’s moved onward. Welcome to New Mushroomton, a sleepy suburb populated by elves, dragons and pixies. Homes look like giant toadstools and feral unicorns rifle, raccoon-like, through garbage cans. The whole place is painstakingly detailed and hilarious in its specificity.
What began as a fairy-tale town — think King Arthur and Merlin — lost its magical powers through the years as the creatures invented modern conveniences. Who needs a wand when you’ve got lightbulbs and microwaves? Thus, history became legend.
That’s until an elf named Ian (Tom Holland) turns 16, and his mom (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) hands him and his older brother, Barley (Chris Pratt), a wrapped gift from their late father — a wizard staff! And packaged along with it is a “visitation spell” that will bring dad back to life for just one day.
“Hold on!” yells Mom. “Your dad was an accountant!” Well, he may have been a wizard with balance sheets, but he was also a legit magician.
Ian, who was born shortly after his mysterious father died, recites the incantation and it works — sort of. The kid’s only able to conjure up his dad’s lower half. So Ian, the fantasy-loving Barley and a pair of legs go on a quest to complete the trick before sundown.
And what a blissful journey it is. In Barley’s van, named Guinevere, they head to the lair of the Manticore (Octavia Spencer), a ferocious, mythical, winged lion who, after retiring her roar, now manages a chain restaurant. The boys use the map on her paper place mats to guide their adventure. Along the way, we meet a fantastic motorcycle gang of tiny sprites and an awkward centaur stepdad.
Pratt and Holland, who would never be cast as brothers in a live-action film, turn out to be sensational voice actors, landing on a fun “Tommy Boy” vibe. Barley is a loser townie, who still lives with his mom and obsesses over a Dungeons & Dragons-like card game. To voice him, Pratt, now a buff leading man, throws back to his schlubby “Parks and Recreation” days. And Holland, who became famous as Spider-Man, clearly has experience playing a character who innocently learns how to use his extraordinary powers. As the duo figure out their brotherly connection, you may reach for your tissues.
The style and tone of writer-director Dan Scanlon’s movie has elements of DreamWorks’ “Shrek” and “How To Train Your Dragon” mixed with the siblings-with-secrets aspects of Disney’s “Frozen.” But “Onward” is better for the change-up. That stylistic and narrative departure gives us Pixar’s most heartfelt story in years.


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--Bernie Sanders on Obama: ‘I’m not going to say he and I are best friends’

Former Vice President Joe Biden has been airing a new ...

Bernie Sanders downplayed his relationship with Barack Obama Wednesday, after Joe Biden’s campaign denounced the Vermont senator’s new ad featuring clips of him with the former president.
“We have worked with President Obama. I’m not going to say he and I are best friends, we talk every now and then,” Sen. Sanders (I-Vt.) told reporters when asked what he hoped to achieve with the ad.
“I wanted to make it clear, because there’s a lot of statements about my relationship with Obama, to say that I worked with him and respect him and look forward to working with him,” Sanders added.
The statements Sanders was referring to stem from a report in The Atlantic published in February, which said he considered a 2012 Democratic primary challenge to Obama.
Disillusioned with Obama’s centrist policies, Sanders reportedly brought up the idea of challenging him to fellow Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy in 2011. Leahy immediately warned Obama’s campaign, according to the magazine.
The 2020 hopeful went on to make multiple media appearances that year in which he shared his disappointment with Obama’s job performance.
Biden’s campaign released an ad featuring the accusations in the article ahead of the South Carolina primary.
In Sanders’ newly released spot, Obama can be heard praising the senator, describing him as “somebody who has the virtue of saying exactly what he believes.”
“People are ready for a call to action. They want honest leadership who cares about them. They want somebody who’s gonna fight for them. And they will find it in Bernie,” Obama said in a clip used in the ad.
Biden spokesman Andrew Bates decried the ad by comparing it to one by recent 2020 dropout Michael Bloomberg.
“As recent history has proven, no quantity of ads can rewrite history — and there’s no substitute for genuinely having the back of the best president of our lifetimes,” he said.
When speaking to reporters Wednesday, Sanders offered Obama genuine praise for his restraint in getting involved in the 2020 primary.
“I have not the slightest doubt, that there is enormous pressure on President Obama to jump into this race and support Joe Biden, and some of you may have read the other day that he said no,” the presidential hopeful said, adding, “He thinks the best role that he can play, and I agree with him, is to support the winner, so he doesn’t create more division. And I think he’s right, but that’s not easy for him to do, and I very much appreciate his willingness to do that.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-04--As NYC dithers over BQE fix, the highway is getting closer to falling down

`` There are a number of trucks that are on the ...

What will happen to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway?
The city has ambitious plans to fix the falling-down roadway — so many plans that the BQE may collapse as everyone figures out what to do.
The BQE is a Robert Moses-era creation, and it is a success and a disaster, depending on how you look at it. The “success” is that it’s a link for 15,000 trucks a day, supporting industry in Brooklyn and Queens. New York has 70,000 factory jobs, and they can’t move goods on trains. The bridge also carries 135,000 cars each day, including those carrying Staten Islanders who have no good way to get to around on public transportation.
The “disaster” part is that it’s a nuisance for the people who live and work around it, even with the Brooklyn Promenade on top of its two levels as it nears Brooklyn Heights. And the drivers who depend on it hardly enjoy the experience. Designed before the feds mandated standards for highways, it has six narrow lanes (split on two levels) and no shoulders. In January, when Gov. Andrew Cuomo rescued a truck driver from a crash, it was on the BQE.
For whatever reason you hate the BQE, it could soon be a moot point, as the thing is falling apart. It will be “unsafe … within five years,” a city panel of experts warns. The BQE is a series of 1950s bridges, underpinned by aging steel buried within. It “lacks redundancy in its supporting structure.”
But the city — and the state, before Cuomo decided to make it the city’s problem in 2011 — has been trying to fix it for 14 years.
Any fix will annoy people, cost a lot of money, take a lot of time, not work as a permanent solution — or all four.
Consider what the de Blasio administration proposed two years ago: $3.6 billion to build a temporary six-lane highway to close down the BQE, take it apart and put it back together. Or, $4 billion to rebuild lane-by-lane, meaning chronic disruptions for years. The people who live around Brooklyn Heights didn’t like these ideas.
Because Brooklyn Heights has voting power in a close Democratic primary, what to build, or not, is an issue in the mayoral race.
A year ago, Comptroller Scott Stringer, a likely contender, proposed his plan: shrink the BQE’s triple deck into a two-lane, one-level highway for trucks and buses only, and cap it with a “linear park” deep into Brooklyn. This would preserve New York’s industry, but on a constrained roadway; a truck crash would create back-ups. And it would create a problem for cars — one Stringer says he would solve with better buses.
Now, Council Speaker Corey Johnson has invited consultants to present more choices: a two-level “bypass tunnel,” at a cost of $11 billion, with a small surface road to replace the BQE through Brooklyn Heights. Or, a four-lane “capped highway,” with a park on top, for about $3.2 billion.
Between the extremes of a massively expensive “Big Dig” car tunnel or no cars at all, there is a core of reasonability in the middle. New York is highly unlikely to build a vehicle tunnel through Brooklyn, whose cost, in the real world, would likely be closer to $20 billion than $11 billion, sucking up money from things like better bus service. Nor is it likely to force all cars off.
What it should do is split the difference: a four-lane highway mostly for trucks and more room for green space. The city could then divert much of the car traffic on cheaper express buses from Staten Island, as well as better bus service — and maybe, someday, rail service, and even freight rail — within Queens and Brooklyn. Congestion pricing, too, will discourage drivers from using the BQE to get to a “free” bridge rather than using the tolled Brooklyn-Battery tunnel.
Building anything will be hard; think of all the subway lines, sewers and electrical infrastructure that surround the existing BQE.
But first, we have to get through a mayoral election, and then, find the money. There is a chance the governor may want to get re-involved. Plus, eventual federal approval.
Meanwhile, hidden steel deteriorates. Back in 1973, absent a clear decision, a portion of the elevated highway on Manhattan’s West Side fell down, and the current West Side Highway, a boulevard with a park, was born. Doing nothing, too, is an option.
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor of City Journal. Twitter: @NicoleGelinas