newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Homeless encampment in NYC getting ‘bigger’ despite de Blasio’s ‘crackdown’

An entrenched group of homeless people is making life miserable for residents and merchants in Manhattan ’ s East Village — despite Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s vow to “ do whatever it takes ” to break up such encampments .
The vagrants are living under a stretch of scaffolding along Second Avenue between East Seventh and East Eighth streets , where they ’ ve arranged cast-off furniture and set up a tarp under which two men were sleeping Friday afternoon .
“ It makes me feel uncomfortable .
It makes our city dirty and noisy , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lived in the East Village for 33 years .
“ There was one woman who was making pee-pee and caca by the bus stop .
It was very dirty and disgusting .
Nobody wanted to use the bus stop.
” The owner of an eatery across the street also said the situation appeared to be spiraling out of control .
“ They started camping out there when the weather got warmer and recently it got bigger , ” the restaurateur said .
“ Some of them have mental issues .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other .
They throw bottles.
” On Thursday , de Blasio was questioned during his daily news conference about a series of other encampments across Manhattan , following a NYPD raid that broke up the “ Occupy City Hall ” site early Wednesday morning , about month after it was established .
“ Anyone who tells us about an encampment , we ’ re going to have it addressed right away by Homeless Services , Sanitation , [ NY ] PD , ” de Blasio said .
One homeless resident of the East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solaura , 43 , said she wound up there after losing a taxpayer-funded bed at the DoubleTree hotel in Chelsea .
Solaura , whose face and limbs are covered with tattoos , said she was a transsexual sex worker and was unable to abide by rules that required her to be inside by 10 p.m. “ I am a highly marginalized individual and I just don ’ t have the same opportunity as a lot of cisgender people as far as employment goes , so the work I do is at night or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Another resident , who gave his name as Macswel Hasanoeddin , said he was registered to stay at a nearby shelter but had been living at the encampment on and off for the past two or three weeks .
“ In homeless shelters , people feel like it ’ s like a jail , ” said Hasanoeddin , 52 .
“ There are a lot of concerns about things getting stolen so a lot of people don ’ t want to go .
Curfew isn ’ t bad but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t wan na deal with , so they ’ d rather stay on the street .
”

An entrenched group of homeless people is making life miserable for residents and merchants in Manhattan’s East Village — despite Mayor Bill de Blasio’s vow to “do whatever it takes” to break up such encampments.
The vagrants are living under a stretch of scaffolding along Second Avenue between East Seventh and East Eighth streets, where they’ve arranged cast-off furniture and set up a tarp under which two men were sleeping Friday afternoon.
“It makes me feel uncomfortable. It makes our city dirty and noisy,” said neighborhood resident Olga, 78, who’s lived in the East Village for 33 years.
“There was one woman who was making pee-pee and caca by the bus stop. It was very dirty and disgusting. Nobody wanted to use the bus stop.”
The owner of an eatery across the street also said the situation appeared to be spiraling out of control.
“They started camping out there when the weather got warmer and recently it got bigger,” the restaurateur said.
“Some of them have mental issues. They drink a lot and fight with each other. They throw bottles.”
Previous 1 of 5 Next Advertisement The makeshift homeless encampment in the East Village. Stephen Yang A table with garbage at the encampment. Stephen Yang Advertisement Stephen Yang Advertisement
On Thursday, de Blasio was questioned during his daily news conference about a series of other encampments across Manhattan, following a NYPD raid that broke up the “Occupy City Hall” site early Wednesday morning, about month after it was established.
“Anyone who tells us about an encampment, we’re going to have it addressed right away by Homeless Services, Sanitation, [NY]PD,” de Blasio said.
“Whatever it takes.”
One homeless resident of the East Village encampment, who identified herself as Solaura, 43, said she wound up there after losing a taxpayer-funded bed at the DoubleTree hotel in Chelsea.
Solaura, whose face and limbs are covered with tattoos, said she was a transsexual sex worker and was unable to abide by rules that required her to be inside by 10 p.m.
Previous 1 of 7 Next Advertisement Solaura, one of the residents of the encampment. Stephen Yang Stephen Yang Advertisement Macswel Hasanoeddin, another resident. Stephen Yang Stephen Yang Stephen Yang Advertisement
“I am a highly marginalized individual and I just don’t have the same opportunity as a lot of cisgender people as far as employment goes, so the work I do is at night or I would have no income,” she said.
Another resident, who gave his name as Macswel Hasanoeddin, said he was registered to stay at a nearby shelter but had been living at the encampment on and off for the past two or three weeks.
“In homeless shelters, people feel like it’s like a jail,” said Hasanoeddin, 52.
“There are a lot of concerns about things getting stolen so a lot of people don’t want to go. Curfew isn’t bad but there are other factors that people don’t wanna deal with, so they’d rather stay on the street.”
City Hall didn’t return a request for comment.
Additional reporting by Julia Marsh


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--ScarJo, is that you? Sloppy ‘COVIDcore’ fashion has replaced celeb couture

For most of our modern history , we ’ ve abided by the social contract that people do not wear pajamas or house clothes outside of the home .
That changed as we embraced a more casual bent toward dressing — and shame .
By the mid-to-late aughts , slobs in pajama pants and shower shoes started appearing in airports and proliferating across the People of Walmart Tumblr .
And we all agreed that the only worthy accessory to pair with this look would be a black bar across your face .
But thanks to the coronavirus pandemic , wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebranded as très chic .
Call it COVIDcore .
Celebrities and once-stylish New Yorkers have emerged from quarantine dressed as if they ’ d been lying in bed for five months like “ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ’ s ” Grandpa Joe .
Cara Delevingne , one of the most in-demand models in the world , dined out in LA last week wearing shower shoes and tube socks .
In the Hamptons , Marvel movie star Scarlett Johansson sported head-to-toe sweats accessorized with athletic slide sandals .
And hotshot athletes , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ topping best-dressed lists , are taking a break , too : Former Alabama star Henry Ruggs III wore an Old Spice bathrobe on national television when he was drafted by the Raiders in April .
With no cocktail parties , red carpets or actual power lunches happening , many are dressing for a Netflix binge .
Gone are the frilly , flowery summer sundresses and neat shorts and collared shirts of summers past .
Instead , bike shorts , slip-on shower shoes and tie-dye gear now dominate our streets .
Here are some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times , model Emily Ratajkowski is known for wearing as little as possible , but lately she ’ s also become the biggest ambassador for bike shorts since Greg LeMond .
Pop stars Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes are working overtime to earn their COVIDcore cred , stepping out for paparazzi-peppered walks in floppy finery .
In a tank top , workout shorts and shower slides , Mendes looks like he ’ s trying to become a cast member of “ Jersey Shore.
” Cabello brings up the rear in sloppy hippie gear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made of my dog ’ s ear wax at the farmer ’ s market.
” Is that international sex symbol and superstar Scarlett Johansson or a Midwest soccer mom picking up Clorox wipes and toilet paper from Target ?
Perhaps the disguise earns her some anonymity , but at what cost ?
‘ High School Musical ’ heroine Vanessa Hudgens has emerged as the patron saint of all this mess .
Here she is sporting the holy trinity : fuzzy slides , a baggy T-shirt and oversize tie-dye pants that give off big @ @ @ @

For most of our modern history, we’ve abided by the social contract that people do not wear pajamas or house clothes outside of the home. That changed as we embraced a more casual bent toward dressing — and shame. By the mid-to-late aughts, slobs in pajama pants and shower shoes started appearing in airports and proliferating across the People of Walmart Tumblr. And we all agreed that the only worthy accessory to pair with this look would be a black bar across your face.
But thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, wearing sloppy duds loudly and proudly has been rebranded as très chic. Call it COVIDcore. Celebrities and once-stylish New Yorkers have emerged from quarantine dressed as if they’d been lying in bed for five months like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s” Grandpa Joe.
Cara Delevingne, one of the most in-demand models in the world, dined out in LA last week wearing shower shoes and tube socks. In the Hamptons, Marvel movie star Scarlett Johansson sported head-to-toe sweats accessorized with athletic slide sandals. And hotshot athletes, who’ve been sporting designer duds and topping best-dressed lists, are taking a break, too: Former Alabama star Henry Ruggs III wore an Old Spice bathrobe on national television when he was drafted by the Raiders in April.
With no cocktail parties, red carpets or actual power lunches happening, many are dressing for a Netflix binge. Gone are the frilly, flowery summer sundresses and neat shorts and collared shirts of summers past. Instead, bike shorts, slip-on shower shoes and tie-dye gear now dominate our streets. Here are some of the worst offenders.
Wheely bad shorts
During normal times, model Emily Ratajkowski is known for wearing as little as possible, but lately she’s also become the biggest ambassador for bike shorts since Greg LeMond.
Sliding standards
Pop stars Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes are working overtime to earn their COVIDcore cred, stepping out for paparazzi-peppered walks in floppy finery. In a tank top, workout shorts and shower slides, Mendes looks like he’s trying to become a cast member of “Jersey Shore.” Cabello brings up the rear in sloppy hippie gear that says, “I sell candles made of my dog’s ear wax at the farmer’s market.”
Pajama shame
Is that international sex symbol and superstar Scarlett Johansson or a Midwest soccer mom picking up Clorox wipes and toilet paper from Target? Perhaps the disguise earns her some anonymity, but at what cost?
Dye-r straits
‘High School Musical’ heroine Vanessa Hudgens has emerged as the patron saint of all this mess. Here she is sporting the holy trinity: fuzzy slides, a baggy T-shirt and oversize tie-dye pants that give off big hacky-sack slacker energy.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Netflix Finds Success Reviving Yet Another Genre Hollywood Gave Up On: Erotic Thrillers

From the high school love stories that put Noah Centineo on the map to the festive fairy tales whose puntastic titles ( Falling Inn Love , The Knight Before Christmas ) blatantly came before their scripts , Netflix ’ s success with the rom-com has already proven it can revive a genre long since considered passé by the traditional studios .
But the media giant now seems determined to resurrect a far more sexually-charged type of guilty pleasure – and one that fell out of fashion when content streaming was nothing more than a pipe dream – the erotic thriller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years since Sharon Stone ’ s leg-crossing scene etched Basic Instinct into popculture history and briefly spearheaded a mini wave of movies that combined hard-boiled crime with softcore bedroom action ( see Sliver , Color of Night and the nadir of Madonna ’ s acting career , Body of Evidence ) .
Only a handful of similar sex-and-death films have found their way into mainstream cinemas since the mid-1990s ( Wild Things , Unfaithful , In the Cut ) and Catherine Tramell ’ s belated return in 2006 ’ s unintentionally hilarious Basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subgenre for good .
However , thanks to Netflix ’ s cover-all-bases approach , the erotic thriller is currently enjoying something of a renaissance .
Bizarrely , it ’ s a multilingual Polish production with a 0 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes that ’ s leading the way .
Yes , despite the lack of star names , the subtitles barrier and a highly questionable premise , 365 DNI has been nestled inside Netflix ’ s Top 10 most-watched list since its premiere in early June .
The adaptation of Blanka Lipińska ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crime lord who abducts a sales director ( Anna-Maria Sieklucka ) and gives her a full calendar year to succumb to his sociopathic charms .
It sounds like the plot of a horror movie .
And yet , incredibly , directors Barbara Białowąs and Tomasz Mandes expect us to ship this significantly power-imbalanced pairing , with critics arguing that the film essentially glamorizes Stockholm Syndrome as a result .
Of course , 365 DNI ‘ s kinky sex scenes have grabbed just as much attention as its problematic narrative , with its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running time in a permanent state of undress .
In fact , their cavorting during the yacht-based montage has led some viewers to believe Morrone and Sieklucka were doing the deed for real .
But despite the performances and the dialog rarely straying above porn movie levels , 365 DNI has become nothing short of a phenomenon .
And with the two other chapters of Lipińska ’ s Fifty Shades of Grey-esque trilogy already published , expect an equally maligned sequel to be announced any time soon .
Of course , 365 DNI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streaming service has ventured into such lurid territory .
Back in 2017 it dropped Gerald ’ s Game , an intriguing twist on the erotic thriller in which a kinky session-gone-wrong finds a woman handcuffed to her remote lake house bed .
Unlike Netflix ’ s Polish import , this Stephen King adaptation boasts some fine acting talent ( Carlo Gugino , Bruce Greenwood ) , genuine nail-biting tension and a unique concept .
In fact , it remains one of Netflix ’ s highest-rated originals .
Cam , a mysterious blend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleaze set in the world of webcam porn , was even more well-received on its release a year later .
And there are elements of the erotic thriller in the noirish Alicia Vikander vehicle Earthquake Bird and one of the most deranged originals to date , the twisty revenge fantasy The Perfection .
However , Netflix ’ s other forays into the genre have been decidedly less boundary-pushing .
Little more than a glorified TV movie , Dangerous Lies ( Camila Mendes plays suspected femme fatale ) is as unimaginative as its title @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bella Thorne ’ s obsessive teen stalks one-night stand ) is essentially a poor man ’ s Swimfan .
And we ’ re not too keen on Fatal Affair ( July 16 ) , either , the Nia Long/Omar Epps vehicle which is little more than a generic bunny boiler .
This blatant attempt to lure the Lifetime audience has reaped one major benefit .
You had largely flown under the radar when it first aired on the basic cable network in 2018 but became a global hit when it transferred to Netflix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Joe Goldberg ( Penn Badgley ) , an unassuming bookstore manager by day , obsessive serial killer by night , You still contains its fair share of disbelief-suspending melodrama .
But by touching on the # MeToo movement , toxic masculinity and social media , it brings the erotic thriller kicking and screaming into the millennial age ; there ’ s a darkly comic streak which proves that it doesn ’ t take itself too seriously ; and the sex scenes range from sensual to refreshingly honest ( which other show would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just eight seconds ? )
Perhaps more importantly we ’ re not encouraged to sympathize with the villain .
Sure , Joe has been the focus of some troubling Ted Bundy-style worshipping by certain sections of the internet .
But unlike 365 DNI , You seems fully aware that its leading man is a monster that we ’ re supposed to be intrigued by but not to root for .
Netflix has also embraced the erotic thriller in several other TV shows with mixed results .
Two-time Academy Awards nominee Naomi Watts suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she played a psychologist with a distinct lack of boundaries in the much-maligned Gypsy .
Two-time Academy Award winner Renée Zellweger was deemed far more praiseworthy for her comeback turn as a seductive venture capitalist in What/If but still couldn ’ t save the show from descending into trashy soap opera .
This lackluster response didn ’ t deter Netflix from commissioning Dark Desire , a Mexican drama about a married woman ’ s passionate and tragic weekend getaway ( and one that has implanted itself in the Netflix Top 10 since its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year Simona Brown will star as a single mother who forms a love triangle with her boss and his wife in miniseries Behind Her Eyes .
All the signs therefore point to a new golden age for the erotic thriller .
It will be interesting to see whether it can arouse for longer than the last .
JonO ’ Brien ( @ jonobrien81 ) is a freelance entertainment and sports writer from the North West of England .
His work has appeared in the likes of Esquire , Billboard , Paste , i-D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Allmusic .

From the high school love stories that put Noah Centineo on the map to the festive fairy tales whose puntastic titles (Falling Inn Love, The Knight Before Christmas) blatantly came before their scripts, Netflix’s success with the rom-com has already proven it can revive a genre long since considered passé by the traditional studios.
But the media giant now seems determined to resurrect a far more sexually-charged type of guilty pleasure – and one that fell out of fashion when content streaming was nothing more than a pipe dream – the erotic thriller.
It’s been nearly 30 years since Sharon Stone’s leg-crossing scene etched Basic Instinct into popculture history and briefly spearheaded a mini wave of movies that combined hard-boiled crime with softcore bedroom action (see Sliver, Color of Night and the nadir of Madonna’s acting career, Body of Evidence).
Only a handful of similar sex-and-death films have found their way into mainstream cinemas since the mid-1990s (Wild Things, Unfaithful, In the Cut) and Catherine Tramell’s belated return in 2006’s unintentionally hilarious Basic Instinct 2 appeared to kill of the subgenre for good.
However, thanks to Netflix’s cover-all-bases approach, the erotic thriller is currently enjoying something of a renaissance. Bizarrely, it’s a multilingual Polish production with a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes that’s leading the way. Yes, despite the lack of star names, the subtitles barrier and a highly questionable premise, 365 DNI has been nestled inside Netflix’s Top 10 most-watched list since its premiere in early June.
The adaptation of Blanka Lipińska’s first novel stars Michele Morrone as a crime lord who abducts a sales director (Anna-Maria Sieklucka) and gives her a full calendar year to succumb to his sociopathic charms. It sounds like the plot of a horror movie. And yet, incredibly, directors Barbara Białowąs and Tomasz Mandes expect us to ship this significantly power-imbalanced pairing, with critics arguing that the film essentially glamorizes Stockholm Syndrome as a result.
Of course, 365 DNI‘s kinky sex scenes have grabbed just as much attention as its problematic narrative, with its two leads spending most of the near-two-hour running time in a permanent state of undress. In fact, their cavorting during the yacht-based montage has led some viewers to believe Morrone and Sieklucka were doing the deed for real.
But despite the performances and the dialog rarely straying above porn movie levels, 365 DNI has become nothing short of a phenomenon. And with the two other chapters of Lipińska’s Fifty Shades of Grey-esque trilogy already published, expect an equally maligned sequel to be announced any time soon.
Of course, 365 DNI isn’t the first time that the streaming service has ventured into such lurid territory. Back in 2017 it dropped Gerald’s Game, an intriguing twist on the erotic thriller in which a kinky session-gone-wrong finds a woman handcuffed to her remote lake house bed. Unlike Netflix’s Polish import, this Stephen King adaptation boasts some fine acting talent (Carlo Gugino, Bruce Greenwood), genuine nail-biting tension and a unique concept. In fact, it remains one of Netflix’s highest-rated originals.
Cam, a mysterious blend of psychological horror, techno-thriller and B-movie sleaze set in the world of webcam porn, was even more well-received on its release a year later. And there are elements of the erotic thriller in the noirish Alicia Vikander vehicle Earthquake Bird and one of the most deranged originals to date, the twisty revenge fantasy The Perfection.
However, Netflix’s other forays into the genre have been decidedly less boundary-pushing. Little more than a glorified TV movie, Dangerous Lies (Camila Mendes plays suspected femme fatale) is as unimaginative as its title suggests, while You Get Me (Bella Thorne’s obsessive teen stalks one-night stand) is essentially a poor man’s Swimfan. And we’re not too keen on Fatal Affair (July 16), either, the Nia Long/Omar Epps vehicle which is little more than a generic bunny boiler.
This blatant attempt to lure the Lifetime audience has reaped one major benefit. You had largely flown under the radar when it first aired on the basic cable network in 2018 but became a global hit when it transferred to Netflix later that year.
Following the exploits of Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), an unassuming bookstore manager by day, obsessive serial killer by night, You still contains its fair share of disbelief-suspending melodrama. But by touching on the #MeToo movement, toxic masculinity and social media, it brings the erotic thriller kicking and screaming into the millennial age; there’s a darkly comic streak which proves that it doesn’t take itself too seriously; and the sex scenes range from sensual to refreshingly honest (which other show would dare to show a guy climaxing after just eight seconds?)
Perhaps more importantly we’re not encouraged to sympathize with the villain. Sure, Joe has been the focus of some troubling Ted Bundy-style worshipping by certain sections of the internet. But unlike 365 DNI, You seems fully aware that its leading man is a monster that we’re supposed to be intrigued by but not to root for.
Netflix has also embraced the erotic thriller in several other TV shows with mixed results. Two-time Academy Awards nominee Naomi Watts suffered her biggest career misfire since Diana when she played a psychologist with a distinct lack of boundaries in the much-maligned Gypsy. Two-time Academy Award winner Renée Zellweger was deemed far more praiseworthy for her comeback turn as a seductive venture capitalist in What/If but still couldn’t save the show from descending into trashy soap opera.
This lackluster response didn’t deter Netflix from commissioning Dark Desire, a Mexican drama about a married woman’s passionate and tragic weekend getaway (and one that has implanted itself in the Netflix Top 10 since its release). And later in the year Simona Brown will star as a single mother who forms a love triangle with her boss and his wife in miniseries Behind Her Eyes.
All the signs therefore point to a new golden age for the erotic thriller. It will be interesting to see whether it can arouse for longer than the last.
JonO’Brien(@jonobrien81) is a freelance entertainment and sports writer from the North West of England. His work has appeared in the likes of Esquire, Billboard, Paste, i-D, The Guardian, Vinyl Me Please and Allmusic.
Watch Dark Desire on Netflix


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Another COVID-19 ‘stimulus’ bill without rhyme or reason

Congress is getting set to OK another trillion or three in spending sort of related to the pandemic , with not a lot more rhyme or reason than in prior rounds .
These are routinely called “ stimulus ” bills , even though much of the spending is more like “ life support ” for an economy dramatically slowed by lockdowns and deep uncertainty about even the near future .
That includes cash for Americans thrown out of work — which is relief money .
The Paycheck Protection Program , meanwhile , bribes businesses to keep on employees they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those companies and workers will be able to move back to business as usual .
.
.
soon ?
In that light , it ’ s just as well that payroll tax cuts are off the table : People getting paychecks don ’ t need help and wouldn ’ t do anything entrepreneurial with any windfall .
Yet relief shouldn ’ t pay better than actually working : Republicans are plainly right to object to extending those $ 600 “ bonus ” unemployment checks and insist that Uncle Sam aim to replace no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s working income .
Reopening businesses shouldn ’ t have to outbid what “ unemployment insurance ” pays .
Democrats , meanwhile , are eager to toss hundreds of billions at state and local governments — holding their employees harmless even as the private sector hemorrhages jobs .
Question : How much of the $ 100-plus billion to help schools reopen will go to areas where schools won ’ t be reopening ?
It really shouldn ’ t be too much to ask government-to-government aid to focus on clear need involving vital services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill ; mass-transit projects in most of the rest of the country don ’ t , because so few people depend on them .
Similarly , the billions being tossed at coronavirus “ testing ” belie the fact that billions dedicated to tests in past “ stimulus ” packages still remain unspent .
Given the national delays in getting tests back , maybe the cash should be going for new laboratories , instead ?
Even in an election year , Congress should at least try to look at “ emergency ” spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Congress is getting set to OK another trillion or three in spending sort of related to the pandemic, with not a lot more rhyme or reason than in prior rounds.
These are routinely called “stimulus” bills, even though much of the spending is more like “life support” for an economy dramatically slowed by lockdowns and deep uncertainty about even the near future. That includes cash for Americans thrown out of work — which is relief money. The Paycheck Protection Program, meanwhile, bribes businesses to keep on employees they’d otherwise lay off — in hopes those companies and workers will be able to move back to business as usual . . . soon?
In that light, it’s just as well that payroll tax cuts are off the table: People getting paychecks don’t need help and wouldn’t do anything entrepreneurial with any windfall.
Yet relief shouldn’t pay better than actually working: Republicans are plainly right to object to extending those $600 “bonus” unemployment checks and insist that Uncle Sam aim to replace no more than 70 percent of anyone’s working income. Reopening businesses shouldn’t have to outbid what “unemployment insurance” pays.
Democrats, meanwhile, are eager to toss hundreds of billions at state and local governments — holding their employees harmless even as the private sector hemorrhages jobs. Question: How much of the $100-plus billion to help schools reopen will go to areas where schools won’t be reopening?
It really shouldn’t be too much to ask government-to-government aid to focus on clear need involving vital services. New York’s MTA fits the bill; mass-transit projects in most of the rest of the country don’t, because so few people depend on them.
Similarly, the billions being tossed at coronavirus “testing” belie the fact that billions dedicated to tests in past “stimulus” packages still remain unspent. Given the national delays in getting tests back, maybe the cash should be going for new laboratories, instead?
Even in an election year, Congress should at least try to look at “emergency” spending to see if makes any sense.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--‘In My Skin’ mixes humor and sensitivity into teen’s journey

It ’ s tricky to mine humor from the dark shroud of mental illness , but “ In My Skin ” takes a sensitive approach to the subject — and pulls it off with aplomb .
The five-episode BBC series , premiering Thursday on Hulu , follows 16-year-old Bethan ( Gabrielle Creevy ) , a Welsh high-schooler who ’ s best friends with Travis ( James Wilbraham ) and the outrageous , game-for-anything Lydia ( Poppy Lee Friar ) .
At first blush , Bethan appears to be a well-adjusted , talented student with a flair for writing poetry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humor often targeted at the school ’ s authority figures .
But Bethan ’ s sunny facade masks a secret she ’ s kept from her friends : her home life is a shambolic mess .
She tells Travis and Lydia that her mother is “ really shy ” and that her father is a harmless “ tax officer.
” In reality , Bethan ’ s mother , Katrina ( Jo Hartley ) , is mentally ill and given to violent , psychotic episodes ( including washing her car in the dead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locked hospital ward .
Her father , Dilwyn ( Rhodri Meilier ) , is a loutish , drunken biker with no discernible income who doesn ’ t lift a finger to help his sick wife — or Bethan , who hates him .
Only her warmhearted grandmother , Nan ( Di Botcher ) , has her best interests at heart .
She wants Bethan to come and live with her for the time being and extricate herself from her chaotic situation .
As the series progresses and Bethan ’ s journey continues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain and humiliation she carries around with her , even as there are some bright spots along the way , vis a vis her poetry and expanding her circle of friends with Poppy ( Zadeia Campbell-Davies ) , one of the school ’ s “ popular girls ” whose flirtation with Bethan — at first seemingly shallow and trivial — morphs into something deeper .
There are several reasons that “ In My Skin ” won a 2019 BAFTA award in Wales for Best Television Drama .
To start with , Creevy provides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , created and written by Kayleigh Llewellyn , refracts its darkness and light .
You can feel Bethan ’ s pain and embarrassment while reveling in her successes and in her everyday teen angst , which include her brushes with knucklehead class bully Stan Priest ( Aled ap Steffan ) and her tenuous relationships with the school faculty .
Creevy ’ s chemistry with co-stars Wilbraham and Friar is believable and heartfelt ; the trio communicates in that insular way only close friends can , and Di Bothcher ’ s Nan is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to have around .
None of this would work , of course , without Llewellyn ’ s sensitivity as a writer ; her ability to mix pathos with humor is the biggest reason that “ In My Skin ” makes for an enjoyable , thought-provoking series .

It’s tricky to mine humor from the dark shroud of mental illness, but “In My Skin” takes a sensitive approach to the subject — and pulls it off with aplomb.
The five-episode BBC series, premiering Thursday on Hulu, follows 16-year-old Bethan (Gabrielle Creevy), a Welsh high-schooler who’s best friends with Travis (James Wilbraham) and the outrageous, game-for-anything Lydia (Poppy Lee Friar). At first blush, Bethan appears to be a well-adjusted, talented student with a flair for writing poetry and a keen, sometimes bawdy sense of humor often targeted at the school’s authority figures.
But Bethan’s sunny facade masks a secret she’s kept from her friends: her home life is a shambolic mess. She tells Travis and Lydia that her mother is “really shy” and that her father is a harmless “tax officer.” In reality, Bethan’s mother, Katrina (Jo Hartley), is mentally ill and given to violent, psychotic episodes (including washing her car in the dead of night) that land her in a locked hospital ward. Her father, Dilwyn (Rhodri Meilier), is a loutish, drunken biker with no discernible income who doesn’t lift a finger to help his sick wife — or Bethan, who hates him. Only her warmhearted grandmother, Nan (Di Botcher), has her best interests at heart. She wants Bethan to come and live with her for the time being and extricate herself from her chaotic situation.
Creevy’s chemistry with co-stars Wilbraham and Friar is believable and heartfelt.
As the series progresses and Bethan’s journey continues, we get a deeper sense of the pain and humiliation she carries around with her, even as there are some bright spots along the way, vis a vis her poetry and expanding her circle of friends with Poppy (Zadeia Campbell-Davies), one of the school’s “popular girls” whose flirtation with Bethan — at first seemingly shallow and trivial — morphs into something deeper.
There are several reasons that “In My Skin” won a 2019 BAFTA award in Wales for Best Television Drama. To start with, Creevy provides a multifaceted prism through which the series, created and written by Kayleigh Llewellyn, refracts its darkness and light. You can feel Bethan’s pain and embarrassment while reveling in her successes and in her everyday teen angst, which include her brushes with knucklehead class bully Stan Priest (Aled ap Steffan) and her tenuous relationships with the school faculty. Creevy’s chemistry with co-stars Wilbraham and Friar is believable and heartfelt; the trio communicates in that insular way only close friends can, and Di Bothcher’s Nan is the kind of grandmother any young adult would like to have around.
None of this would work, of course, without Llewellyn’s sensitivity as a writer; her ability to mix pathos with humor is the biggest reason that “In My Skin” makes for an enjoyable, thought-provoking series.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Fordham University’s shocking betrayal of reason

A Fordham University student says his school is wrongfully penalizing ...

Fordham University is persecuting a student for speech that shouldn’t even be all that controversial. Surely the Jesuits who run the school aren’t afraid of honest debate?
At issue are two Instagram posts last month from Austin Tong, age 21: one implicitly criticizing anti-police protests and another showing himself holding a rifle to memorialize the Tiananmen Square massacre.
The first showed a photo of former St. Louis Police Capt. David Dorn, killed by looters as he tried to protect a friend’s pawn store, which Tong captioned “Y’all are a bunch of hypocrites.” It was plainly a political statement — slamming those furious about George Floyd’s murder at police hands but indifferent to Dorn’s killing.
Also political was his other post, with the caption “Don’t tread on me” for a picture taken with a legal rifle on his own property — which he says was meant to show the Tiananmen massacre would’ve had “fewer casualties” if the victims had guns.
Yet Dean of Students Keith Eldredge claimed Tong’s posts made “members of the Fordham community” feel threatened. Does it even matter that those feelings were irrational — or that feelings aren’t supposed to trump reasoned argument?
The Jesuits should send Dean Eldredge on a long retreat: This nonsense is a gross insult to the order’s founder, St. Ignatius Loyola, and its principles.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--New York’s teachers union decides education isn’t really essential — just the paychecks

United Federation of Teachers chief Mike Mulgrew has apparently decided that his members aren ’ t essential workers after all : He doesn ’ t want them going back to work this fall without impossible safety guarantees .
That makes teachers a lot less necessary than all the cops , firefighters , sanitation workers and others who kept on showing up all through the lockdowns — not to mention the health care heroes .
Ah , but teachers can do their job remotely , you say ?
Maybe they can , at least for higher grades — but the UFT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers to do anything much when it came to online teaching during the spring .
Will it bend at all in the fall ?
And , for younger students especially , the experts — the American Academy of Pediatrics ; the National Academies of Science , Engineering and Medicine ; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — all insist that in-person instruction is vital even as the risks of COVID-19 transmission are small .
Yet Mulgrew is promising a court fight to keep his members from having to show up .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical exemptions for the fall , with many more expected .
In all , he insists , “ a minimum of 60 percent [ of instruction ] will be done remotely.
” Again , that ’ s all about teachers ’ preferences .
The pediatricians and other experts say continued remote learning is a disaster for kids ’ social-emotional well-being .
In a rational world , teachers who refuse to show up to teach — with proper social distance and other precautions — would be replaced .
At the very least , teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online classes would lose their jobs .
If the UFT can ’ t agree to any of that , it ’ s proving that it doesn ’ t really care about education , or the children , at all .

United Federation of Teachers chief Mike Mulgrew has apparently decided that his members aren’t essential workers after all: He doesn’t want them going back to work this fall without impossible safety guarantees.
That makes teachers a lot less necessary than all the cops, firefighters, sanitation workers and others who kept on showing up all through the lockdowns — not to mention the health care heroes.
Ah, but teachers can do their job remotely, you say? Maybe they can, at least for higher grades — but the UFT wouldn’t allow principals to require teachers to do anything much when it came to online teaching during the spring. Will it bend at all in the fall?
And, for younger students especially, the experts — the American Academy of Pediatrics; the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — all insist that in-person instruction is vital even as the risks of COVID-19 transmission are small.
Yet Mulgrew is promising a court fight to keep his members from having to show up. He says 3,000 teachers have already filed for medical exemptions for the fall, with many more expected. In all, he insists, “a minimum of 60 percent [of instruction] will be done remotely.”
Again, that’s all about teachers’ preferences. The pediatricians and other experts say continued remote learning is a disaster for kids’ social-emotional well-being.
In a rational world, teachers who refuse to show up to teach — with proper social distance and other precautions — would be replaced. At the very least, teachers who won’t show even for online classes would lose their jobs.
If the UFT can’t agree to any of that, it’s proving that it doesn’t really care about education, or the children, at all.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Hearst Magazines replaces CEO after employee outcry over ‘toxic culture’

The embattled president of Hearst Magazines Troy Young is out ...

Hearst Magazines installed a temporary replacement for ex-president Troy Young, who was forced out a day earlier following an explosive report that he oversaw a toxic culture at the publishing empire.
Debi Chirichella, EVP and chief financial officer, was named acting president of Hearst Magazines, and will run the owner of Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and O, the Oprah Magazine “in the days and weeks ahead,” Hearst Chief Executive Steve Swartz told staff in a Friday memo.
For the moment there are no other executive changes planned, although there is still great angst in the ranks. One source said more than a dozen staffers were preparing complaints.
“There is very definitely a sizable faction that is demanding more blood,” said one manager.
In the wild turn of events on Thursday, Young and Hearst had initially tried to salvage the situation, claiming that while the comments were crass, it was not a #MeToo case of predatory sexual behavior that had felled other executives. With the blessing of the C-suite, Young at mid-day Thursday released an apologetic memo to staffers directly apologizing for what he acknowledged were inappropriate comments quoted in an article by the New York Times.
In the initial article, a Hearst spokeswoman was quoted defending Young and saying he had taken measures to increase diversity in the company since he became president. And Young said many of the quotes attributed to him were not true, greatly exaggerated or taken out of context.
That seemed to only enflame the situation internally, and momentum built against him as the day rolled on. Said one insider, “Younger staffers in particular were really hurt and disgusted and rebelled.”
One source said the article, which detailed lewd and sexist comments, triggered others to begin preparing new complaints about bullying and harrassment. While sources said the new wave of complaints never reached the C-level, the company was in turmoil.
In addition, some staffers involved in the unionization drive with the Writers Guild of America East were making plans to reach out to Oprah Winfrey and CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King, who is also a masthead editor on O, the Oprah Magazine to get them to intervene on behalf of upset staffers.
King and Oprah had not returned calls and it was not clear if the outreach had been made.
Hearst officials didn’t immediately respond to requests for further comment on Friday.
Whatever support Young had Thursday began to erode by the end of the day. Sources said chairman emeritus Frank Bennack, who still has clout behind the scenes, was never a big Troy Young fan from the day he was tapped to succeed David Carey as president in the fall of 2018.
One source with knowledge of the situation said that as Thursday wore on, “it was clear it was not survivable. Younger women were too upset.” And some Hearst family members, who are not active in the day to day operation of the company were said to be aghast.
Finally at the end of the day Thursday, Hearst Corp. CEO Steve Swartz issued a one-sentence memo stating that Troy Young and himself had decided it was best for Young to resign “effective immediately.”
“The staff is still shocked from the roller coaster of Hearst backing Troy in the Times,” said one source. “There is lots of anger that he was elevated (to succeed David Carey in the fall of 2018) after earlier complaints when he was running digital.”
And there is speculation that others that were put into power at Hearst could follow him out the door. Particular attention is focusing on Kate Lewis, Young’s handpicked chief content officer who, like Young, is a veteran of Say Media. Young’s former boss at Say Media, Matt Sanchez, was hired by Young to run Hearst’s sizable automotive titles.
Said one executive, “Debi is not part of the Troy/Kate/Matt axis. She predates them. Known as tough but fair and exceptionally smart and competent.”
Swartz said in his Friday memo that other executives will be helping Chirichella in the “days and weeks to come” to “lead a process of listening and discussion so that we can together plot the course for the next stage of magazine company’s transformation.” Those executives will include Lewis and Sanchez, as well as SVP of digital development Brian Madden, chief business officer Kristen O’Hara and chief data officer Mike Smith. Swartz also singled out chief talent officer Keesha Jean-Baptiste, who he said “will continue to lead a number of initiatives to further diversify and make our magazine company a more inclusive place for all of us.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--NYC man filmed placing cop in headlock charged with felony assault

The dangerous grip lasts a chilling four seconds , video from ...

The Bronx man caught on camera putting an NYPD officer in a headlock earlier this month — as a cop-hating crowd cheered him on — has been charged with felony assault and is being held on $15,000 bail.
Wisnel Manzueta, 28, faces seven charges in total after allegedly being caught on camera fighting off the officer who tried to arrest him on July 1 as onlookers shouted for him to “f–k up” the cop.
Manzueta then ran off, and the officer in the scuffle suffered a gash in his head that was stitched with a staple, police said.
Manzueta was among a large group that night on the corner of Grand Concourse and Morris Avenue when a pair of police officers approached the crowd asking them to disperse.
The altercation became heated as the officers attempted to arrest a second man at the scene, identified by police as Franklin Adrian.
As the officers were detaining Adrian for allegedly failing to move his double-parked car, they allege Manzueta and several other bystanders tightly circled them.
One of the officers moved to arrest Manzueta because he “repeatedly ignore[ed] requests to keep his distance” during Adrian’s according to Manzueta’s criminal complaint.
“[The] defendant, who was standing within arm’s reach, began reaching his hands towards the officers,” the affidavit went on.
The cop can be seen in the video appearing to suddenly lunge at Manzueta, who begins wrestling with the officer.
“F–k him up! F–k him up!” an unidentified man who filmed the encounter can be heard shouting during the scuffle.
The video shows a man alleged to be Manzueta putting the cop in a headlock for several seconds and throwing a punch to the cop’s the chest.
The out-of-control man then wrestled the cop to the ground and fled.
“[A]s a result of the defendant’s aforementioned conduct [the officer] suffered a bleeding laceration to his knees, elbows, and head as well as experienced annoyance, alarm and fear for his physical safety,” according to the criminal complaint.
Manzueta, who turned himself in a week later, is also charged with setting off an illegal firework at the scene. Police allege they caught him on camera lighting a firework he had placed near the rear of the officers’ marked cop car.
Law enforcement sources initially told The Post that the officer initially tried to arrest Manzueta because he kicked the cop’s fallen body camera.
But the affidavit only accuses Manzueta of failing to keep his distance from the arrest of Adrian.
Manzueta appears to have created a GoFundMe several days ago to raise $5,000 in funds for a legal counsel — though he hadn’t found any donors as of Saturday night.
“I ask for your support in finding legal counsel in order to combat the injustice brought upon me,” the creator of the fundraiser wrote in the post.
He claims to be the victim of police “harassment.”
“I am eager to prove that I can be a positive figure in my society. Any bit of help is appreciated. May god bless you and multiply the help you serve in this cause.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Chateau Marmont warned not to ‘retaliate’ against spurned ex-staffers

West Hollywood , Calif. , community leaders are warning Chateau Marmont not to “ retaliate ” against laid-off staff who protest because the famed hotel hasn ’ t provided them with health care during the pandemic .
We ’ re told that on Thursday , 300 community members — including 32 clergy members and candidates for West Hollywood city council — sent a letter to the hot spot ’ s owner , André Balazs , reading in part , “ We are outraged that Chateau Marmont is not providing ongoing affordable health insurance coverage to workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching the hotel ’ s conduct and will not tolerate any attempt to retaliate against workers who are speaking out about their treatment at the Chateau Marmont.
” Nearly all of the legendary hotel ’ s 242 employees were let go in March without insurance or severance after the lockdown began .
In May , Balazs donated $ 100,000 to a GoFundMe that raised $ 300,000 .
He split that money among the former employees .
The hotel reopened in May and said it would rehire staff based on “ guest volume .
@

West Hollywood, Calif., community leaders are warning Chateau Marmont not to “retaliate” against laid-off staff who protest because the famed hotel hasn’t provided them with health care during the pandemic.
We’re told that on Thursday, 300 community members — including 32 clergy members and candidates for West Hollywood city council — sent a letter to the hot spot’s owner, André Balazs, reading in part, “We are outraged that Chateau Marmont is not providing ongoing affordable health insurance coverage to workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
They add, “We are watching the hotel’s conduct and will not tolerate any attempt to retaliate against workers who are speaking out about their treatment at the Chateau Marmont.”
Nearly all of the legendary hotel’s 242 employees were let go in March without insurance or severance after the lockdown began. In May, Balazs donated $100,000 to a GoFundMe that raised $300,000. He split that money among the former employees. The hotel reopened in May and said it would rehire staff based on “guest volume.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson accuser sent gushing emails after show appearance: report

Inconsistencies have emerged in the sexual harassment allegations made by a former Fox News guest against prime-time hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson , according to a report .
Emails show that Cathy Areu , who sued the cable network and the hosts earlier this week , sent two gushing messages thanking Hannity and his staff after an alleged incident that she claims in court papers left her “ completely mortified ” and “ incredibly uncomfortable , ” Mediaite reported .
“ Thanks so much for having me on .
Way too much fun , ” Areu reportedly wrote at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , following an appearance on “ Hannity.
” In another email sent at 6:39 a.m. the following day , Mediaite said , Areu attached a photo of a drink and wrote “ Please thank Sean for a fun evening .
He shouldn ’ t have !
…but We did exactly as he and Alex ’ s had bet .
Down to the pineapple martini.
” That email apparently referenced an alleged incident in which Areu claims Hannity “ threw $ 100 on the set desk ” and “ began calling out to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone take Ms. Areu out on a date for drinks at Del Friscos , ” Mediaite said .
The “ Alex ” mentioned in the email appears to be a friend who Areu brought to the set after sending a Hannity staffer an email that described him as “ my good luck charm , ” Mediaite said .
“ He does yoga .
Very calming .
I run .
I ’ m nuts , ” she reportedly added .
In addition , Mediaite pointed to Areu ’ s claim that Carlson allegedly propositioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” on his show and as he prepared to leave for “ for the annual Christmas party.
” Fox News ’ 2018 Christmas party took place on Dec. 10 of that year , but Areu didn ’ t appear on Carlson ’ s show that night , Mediaite said .
Instead , she appeared on “ Tucker Carlson Tonight ” on Nov. 30 , 2018 , and again on Dec. 28 , 2018 , although the show had a guest host that night , Mediaite said .
In a statement issued on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and host Howard Kurtz , who ’ s named in the suit , the company said that it hired an outside law firm to investigate Areu ’ s allegations and found them to be “ false , patently frivolous and utterly devoid of any merit.
” Areu ’ s lawyer , Michael Willemin , downplayed the importance of her emails following her appearance on “ Hannity , ” saying , “ The fact that a woman states a nice thing to a man does not mean that that man didn ’ t sexually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against her.
” “ Harvey Weinstein is in jail right now because a jury found he sexually assaulted women , and they said nice things about him , ” he added .
Willemin also said Areu had been mistaken in her recollection that the alleged incident involving Carlson took place in December 2018 , as claimed in her suit , and said it actually occurred on Nov. 30 , 2018 .
Willemin said the party Carlson left to attend wasn ’ t the Fox News annual Christmas party , but a smaller gathering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a co-plaintiff with former Fox News employee Jennifer Eckhart , whose sexual misconduct allegations against Fox News anchor Ed Henry led to his July 1 firing .
In the Manhattan federal court suit , Eckhart alleges that Henry — who ’ s also named as a defendant — “ preyed upon , manipulated and groomed ” her into a relationship that led to her “ violent , painful rape ” in a Manhattan hotel room in 2017 .
Henry ’ s lawyer has called Eckhart ’ s claims “ fictional ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a consensual relationship ” with him .

Inconsistencies have emerged in the sexual harassment allegations made by a former Fox News guest against prime-time hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson, according to a report.
Emails show that Cathy Areu, who sued the cable network and the hosts earlier this week, sent two gushing messages thanking Hannity and his staff after an alleged incident that she claims in court papers left her “completely mortified” and “incredibly uncomfortable,” Mediaite reported.
“Thanks so much for having me on. Way too much fun,” Areu reportedly wrote at 10:37 p.m. on March 8, 2018, following an appearance on “Hannity.”
In another email sent at 6:39 a.m. the following day, Mediaite said, Areu attached a photo of a drink and wrote “Please thank Sean for a fun evening. He shouldn’t have!…but We did exactly as he and Alex’s had bet. Down to the pineapple martini.”
That email apparently referenced an alleged incident in which Areu claims Hannity “threw $100 on the set desk” and “began calling out to the men in the room and demanding that someone take Ms. Areu out on a date for drinks at Del Friscos,” Mediaite said.
The “Alex” mentioned in the email appears to be a friend who Areu brought to the set after sending a Hannity staffer an email that described him as “my good luck charm,” Mediaite said.
“He does yoga. Very calming. I run. I’m nuts,” she reportedly added.
In addition, Mediaite pointed to Areu’s claim that Carlson allegedly propositioned her following her “final 2018 appearance” on his show and as he prepared to leave for “for the annual Christmas party.”
Fox News’ 2018 Christmas party took place on Dec. 10 of that year, but Areu didn’t appear on Carlson’s show that night, Mediaite said.
Instead, she appeared on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Nov. 30, 2018, and again on Dec. 28, 2018, although the show had a guest host that night, Mediaite said.
In a statement issued on behalf of Fox News, Hannity, Carlson and host Howard Kurtz, who’s named in the suit, the company said that it hired an outside law firm to investigate Areu’s allegations and found them to be “false, patently frivolous and utterly devoid of any merit.”
Areu’s lawyer, Michael Willemin, downplayed the importance of her emails following her appearance on “Hannity,” saying, “The fact that a woman states a nice thing to a man does not mean that that man didn’t sexually harass her or engage in sexual misconduct against her.”
“Harvey Weinstein is in jail right now because a jury found he sexually assaulted women, and they said nice things about him,” he added.
Willemin also said Areu had been mistaken in her recollection that the alleged incident involving Carlson took place in December 2018, as claimed in her suit, and said it actually occurred on Nov. 30, 2018.
Willemin said the party Carlson left to attend wasn’t the Fox News annual Christmas party, but a smaller gathering for Carlson’s staff.
Areu is a co-plaintiff with former Fox News employee Jennifer Eckhart, whose sexual misconduct allegations against Fox News anchor Ed Henry led to his July 1 firing.
In the Manhattan federal court suit, Eckhart alleges that Henry — who’s also named as a defendant — “preyed upon, manipulated and groomed” her into a relationship that led to her “violent, painful rape” in a Manhattan hotel room in 2017.
Henry’s lawyer has called Eckhart’s claims “fictional” and said she “initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship” with him.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Nathalie Emmanuel’s secret to being confident among ripped action stars

“ Fast and Furious ” franchise player Nathalie Emmanuel revealed how she got up enough confidence to act opposite hulking @ @ @ @ @ herself as a hulking action star .
Emmanuel , who was also in “ Game @ @ @ @ @ outlet Story + Rain that before she did a screen test with Vin Diesel , @ @ @ @ @ me and Vin at the screen test , exactly the same size , physically .
@ @ @ @ @ star ; he ’ s a big guy .
By comparison , I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ [ the UK town of ] Southend-on-Sea !
.
.
.
I imagined myself to @ @ @ @ @ .
And it helped me carry myself slightly differently .
”

“Fast and Furious” franchise player Nathalie Emmanuel revealed how she got up enough confidence to act opposite hulking action stars: by imagining herself as a hulking action star.
Emmanuel, who was also in “Game of Thrones,” told outlet Story + Rain that before she did a screen test with Vin Diesel, “I had to picture me and Vin at the screen test, exactly the same size, physically. Vin is a huge action star; he’s a big guy. By comparison, I’m just this little person from [the UK town of] Southend-on-Sea! . . . I imagined myself to be exactly the same thing. And it helped me carry myself slightly differently.”


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--COVID-19 may have killed the conventions, but they had a lot of co-morbidities

The Republican National Committee will sharply restrict attendance on three ...

If things had proceeded according to schedule, we’d be checking the polls this week to see if Joe Biden had gotten a bounce from his acceptance speech in Milwaukee. That’s because the Democratic National Convention was originally scheduled for July 13-16.
It was postponed, due to COVID-19, to Aug. 17-20 and will evidently be transformed into a mostly virtual event.
This makes obvious, good sense. It’s hard to imagine an environment more conducive to spreading this particular virus than a convention floor so crammed with people cheering and chanting that it takes 10 minutes to move five feet.
I know what that’s like, since I have attended in one way, shape or form 24 Democratic and Republican national conventions starting in 1968. With so many memories, I feel a certain sadness at their demise, or virtualization.
But it’s probably about time. National conventions no longer serve their original purpose or the uses the parties and the press have made of them in the past half-century.
The conventions were, for their first 130 years, a unique communications medium. They were the only place and time where politicians could communicate frankly and bargain personally, where people could discover which candidates had genuine support and which just gave lip service.
The conventions’ folderol — eloquent keynote and nomination speeches, hourlong demonstrations, multiple ballots (103 for Democrats in 1924) — were not just entertainment but ways of working out what parties from dozens of states really stood for.
Two developments in the late 1950s ended the conventions’ monopoly over frank communication: direct-dial long-distance telephoning and jet airline travel. Suddenly, politicians in multiple states could constantly speak and frequently meet with one another. It’s no coincidence that the last multi-ballot convention and the last nomination determined by a credentials challenge were both in 1952. They were also the first conventions televised to national audiences.
Conventions still had some unscripted moments — John Kennedy clinching the Democratic nomination on the last state in the alphabetical roll call, Barry Goldwater proclaiming that “extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.”
But they lost their aura of unpredictability when CBS’ Martin Plissner put together the first network delegate count in 1968. Delegate counts proved their reliability on close roll calls in 1972 and 1976.
I remember being in the hall in Chicago in 1968 keeping track of the roll call, as party rebels created the first delegate-selection reform commission. Its rule changes meant that by 1972, most delegates were chosen not in back-room caucuses of party insiders but in primaries — and, effectively, by candidates, not state and local party leaders.
Since then, conventions have mostly been choreographed by nominees’ campaigns, as television ads celebrating the candidate and winding up with a stirring acceptance speech. In the days of three-network TV dominance, audiences were huge, and pollsters recorded massive post-convention bounces.
Only occasionally was the show marred by unrehearsed dissension, as when Edward Kennedy evaded Jimmy Carter’s handshake in 1980 and Ted Cruz refrained from endorsing Donald Trump in 2016.
If the parties liked the post-1968 conventions as a campaign tool, the press loved them for the opportunity to schmooze with politicos from across the country.
But conventions this century have gotten less useful to the parties and the press. With a proliferation of TV choices, conventions no longer have captive audiences. Viewership of acceptance speeches has plateaued around 30 million, even as turnout zoomed from 105 million to 137 million. Post-convention bounces have become minimal.
As for the press, with media profits down or disappearing, the receptions have become less glittering, while electronic media have made sources routinely available outside convention sites.
Still, there’s something sad about breaking the links in an unbroken chain going back nearly two centuries. Every four years, my eyes tear up as I watch the workmen clear the balloons and carry the folding chairs off the floor. Not this year.


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Gov. Cuomo’s deadly silence on de Blasio’s policing disasters in NYC

Gov .
Andrew Cuomo just gave his favorite punching-bag another heavy workout , taking Mayor Bill de Blasio sharply to task for the anti-cop graffiti disfiguring public buildings all over Lower Manhattan .
Too bad he had nothing much to say about the anti-cop politicians uglying-up New York ’ s public square .
Or the spent-bullet casings littering city streets on any given morning .
There ’ s a connection between the two , you know .
“ I ’ m telling the mayor : Cleaning up the city is important .
You have a lot of negativity in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward , ” commanded Cuomo during a Manhattan press conference Thursday .
It was another through-the-looking-glass moment for New York , New York — where shootings are up , arrests are way down and the pols all live with their heads in the ground .
It ’ s no secret that gun crime has exploded in New York — that the city suffered through its bloodiest June in 25 years , that a 1-year-old was murdered July 13 at a barbecue in Brooklyn and that while Gotham isn ’ t quite yet Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line is terrifying .
But then there ’ s this , which hasn ’ t been getting nearly enough attention : Between mid-June and mid-July — a period when the city was wracked by the shootings , by a double-digit crime increase and by violent civic disorder — arrests were down an eye-popping 62 percent compared to 2019 .
Specifically , gun arrests were down fully 67 percent .
Normally this would indicate fewer guns on the street , but the municipal casualty count demonstrates clearly that something else is going on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ no dummies , them — recognize fully the strengthening emergence of a political movement dedicated to insulating criminals from the consequences of their crimes .
And that they are reluctant to fall victim to it .
This seems completely to have skipped the attention of both Cuomo and the city ’ s let ’ s-pretend mayor .
It also was as predictable as the sunrise .
Albany ’ s turn- ’ em-loose bail “ reform ” and the impediments to reasonable prosecution it imposed on district attorneys last year set the ball rolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement — including Cuomo ’ s overreaching executive order imposing structural changes on local police departments statewide — didn ’ t help .
And then came the City Council ’ s truly benighted criminalization of reasonable , tried-and-true arrest protocols for resisting suspects — legislation that Smilin ’ Bill de Blasio staged a road show to The Bronx to sign .
The bill horrifies law enforcement professionals everywhere — Westchester County and the State Police , for example , have warned their officers not to engage with criminal suspects in the city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ city , and Cuomo has stationed scores of troopers in Manhattan — so this is a big deal .
And while the startling decline in NYPD arrests began weeks ago , it ’ s equally true that the bill guarantees even fewer arrests in the future .
This is fine if your goal effectively is to help criminals avoid jail but maybe not so hot if your child has just been struck down by a stray bullet at a family cookout .
As for the cops themselves , it ’ s all about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecution for an errant judgment during a heated street confrontation or for a misplaced knee or elbow while subduing a violently resisting suspect .
• Or they can sit in their patrol cars and look the other way , reasonably certain that the problem will just go away .
Put yourself in that patrol car .
Make that decision — knowing full well that the problem won ’ t really go away , it will just move down the block a bit .
But it won ’ t be your problem .
Makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ?
None of this is uncharted territory .
John Lindsay , arguably the city ’ s worst mayor of the 20th century , instituted low-impact policing in the late ’ 60s , setting into motion a crime explosion that took a generation to contain .
De Blasio , a heavy morning-line favorite for the current century ’ s worst , is following suit .
That ’ s the message in the shooting stats and with the dramatic drop-off in arrests .
But while forewarned is not always forearmed , Cuomo can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been no de Blasio nit too small for the governor to pick for the past seven years , so it ’ s not like he ’ s bashful or anything .
No , a failure to speak clearly here would be an overt act of cowardice .
Graffiti cleanup is important , but lives matter more — and Andrew Cuomo needs to say so .

Gov. Andrew Cuomo just gave his favorite punching-bag another heavy workout, taking Mayor Bill de Blasio sharply to task for the anti-cop graffiti disfiguring public buildings all over Lower Manhattan.
Too bad he had nothing much to say about the anti-cop politicians uglying-up New York’s public square. Or the spent-bullet casings littering city streets on any given morning. There’s a connection between the two, you know.
“I’m telling the mayor: Cleaning up the city is important. You have a lot of negativity in the air now. Positive progress, move forward,” commanded Cuomo during a Manhattan press conference Thursday.
It was another through-the-looking-glass moment for New York, New York — where shootings are up, arrests are way down and the pols all live with their heads in the ground.
It’s no secret that gun crime has exploded in New York — that the city suffered through its bloodiest June in 25 years, that a 1-year-old was murdered July 13 at a barbecue in Brooklyn and that while Gotham isn’t quite yet Chicago, Baltimore or Philly, the trend line is terrifying.
But then there’s this, which hasn’t been getting nearly enough attention: Between mid-June and mid-July — a period when the city was wracked by the shootings, by a double-digit crime increase and by violent civic disorder — arrests were down an eye-popping 62 percent compared to 2019.
Specifically, gun arrests were down fully 67 percent. Normally this would indicate fewer guns on the street, but the municipal casualty count demonstrates clearly that something else is going on.
Perhaps it’s that cops — no dummies, them — recognize fully the strengthening emergence of a political movement dedicated to insulating criminals from the consequences of their crimes. And that they are reluctant to fall victim to it.
This seems completely to have skipped the attention of both Cuomo and the city’s let’s-pretend mayor. It also was as predictable as the sunrise.
Albany’s turn-’em-loose bail “reform” and the impediments to reasonable prosecution it imposed on district attorneys last year set the ball rolling.
Official enthusiasm for the #DefundThePolice movement — including Cuomo’s overreaching executive order imposing structural changes on local police departments statewide — didn’t help.
And then came the City Council’s truly benighted criminalization of reasonable, tried-and-true arrest protocols for resisting suspects — legislation that Smilin’ Bill de Blasio staged a road show to The Bronx to sign.
The bill horrifies law enforcement professionals everywhere — Westchester County and the State Police, for example, have warned their officers not to engage with criminal suspects in the city. Westchester cops regularly cross over into the city, and Cuomo has stationed scores of troopers in Manhattan — so this is a big deal.
And while the startling decline in NYPD arrests began weeks ago, it’s equally true that the bill guarantees even fewer arrests in the future. This is fine if your goal effectively is to help criminals avoid jail but maybe not so hot if your child has just been struck down by a stray bullet at a family cookout.
As for the cops themselves, it’s all about choices:
They can risk criminal prosecution for an errant judgment during a heated street confrontation or for a misplaced knee or elbow while subduing a violently resisting suspect.
Or they can sit in their patrol cars and look the other way, reasonably certain that the problem will just go away.
Put yourself in that patrol car. Make that decision — knowing full well that the problem won’t really go away, it will just move down the block a bit.
But it won’t be your problem. Makes a big difference, doesn’t it?
None of this is uncharted territory. John Lindsay, arguably the city’s worst mayor of the 20th century, instituted low-impact policing in the late ’60s, setting into motion a crime explosion that took a generation to contain.
De Blasio, a heavy morning-line favorite for the current century’s worst, is following suit. That’s the message in the shooting stats and with the dramatic drop-off in arrests.
But while forewarned is not always forearmed, Cuomo cannot credibly plead ignorance. And there’s been no de Blasio nit too small for the governor to pick for the past seven years, so it’s not like he’s bashful or anything.
No, a failure to speak clearly here would be an overt act of cowardice. Graffiti cleanup is important, but lives matter more — and Andrew Cuomo needs to say so.
Twitter: @rlmac2


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--The most over-the-top outdoor dining in NYC includes a rooftop garden and seaport oasis

During the summer of the coronavirus , when all restaurant meals are consumed outside , the new flex is flower-power dining .
Making the best of a bad situation , this season ’ s hot spots are wooing Big Apple foodies with explosions of stems and blossoms .
Scarpetta , an Italian mainstay famous for its spaghetti with tomato and basil , launches an al fresco takeover of 29th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues on Aug. 1 ( orange trees and a floral awning are promised ) .
Meanwhile , just opened for outdoor supping amidst an explosion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pasta mecca Marea , helmed by celebrated chef Michael White .
The folks behind the look — designer Alsun Keogh and florist Carlos Franqui — see lush exteriors as the new equivalent of mood lighting and luxe wallpaper .
“ Everybody loves flowers , ” Franqui told The Post , explaining that the uber arrangement he created for Marea aims to transport diners from shadowy Midtown scaffolding to the bright Mediterranean sea , complete with foam-topped waves and an expanse of blue ( all represented by his custom-made silk flowers ) .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that complements the food and leads people to forget that they ’ re in the middle of a pandemic .
We all need a break and a beautiful environment that makes us want to leave the house.
” Here are our favorite restaurants offering a taste of paradise right here in NYC .
It took some 5,000 feet of branches and around 2,000 silk flowers resembling hydrangeas and jasmine to transform the scaffolding in front of Midtown ’ s Michelin-starred Italian seafood restaurant Marea .
According to Ahmass Fakahany , CEO of Altamarea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The idea is to bring color back into our lives as we take Marea through its next renaissance : buzzy , playful and chic .
We want to convey positivity for the future , to show that we are still here and still relevant — with our mojo intact.
” 240 Central Park S. ; 212-582-5100 , MareaRestaurant.com At a restaurant where the modern-style sushi is accented with cherry blossom jelly and rose petals serve as a raw-fish garnish , it wouldn ’ t be much of a leap to flower up an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vibe at Sushi Lab , where a trellis spun with silk orchids will soon be complemented by plantings of real flowers .
“ While providing social distancing , we want to give people pleasant things to look at , ” said Jeremy Poon , the restaurant ’ s managing director .
Proud of his potted greenery , Poon added , “ We ’ re focusing on our guests ’ safety , health and well-being .
It goes beyond the food.
” 132 West 47th St. ; 212-432-0000 , SushiLab.nyc Inspired by the warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ namesake spot at Soho ’ s Gitano Garden of Love provides an escape to paradise just when we need it most .
“ Our garden was almost designed for this moment , ” said James Gardner of his restaurant , which serves modern Mexican food in an outdoor space that predates COVID .
” We have hundreds of palms and beautiful orchids.
” Each dining area out there , Gardner said , “ is basically a room made of tropical plants.
” 76 Varick St. ( entrance on Grand Street ) ; 917-860-6082 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of France grounded , Le District tries to be the next best thing .
“ The idea is for you to feel like you are in St-Tropez , ” said Sebastien Muller , director of operations for the Financial District restaurant by the Hudson River , which has dubbed its outdoor space Liberty Bistro .
“ We have French food , cool breezes and waterfront views.
” Trees are strung with fairy lights , while tables are surrounded by potted palm fronds and hanging strands of flowers — including petunias , dragon ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberty St. ; 212-981-8588 , LeDistrict.com Some 250 tropical plants create an urban jungle in Bushwick .
Outerspace ’ s primarily vegetarian menu features sungold tomato gazpacho , squash blossom pizza and rotisserie chicken for meat-lovers .
Launched earlier this month , it is a pandemic-perfect place in which to commune with nature while sitting at sequestered and socially-distanced tables .
Nightly soundtracks are being laid down by neighborhood musicians and artists .
99 Scott Ave. ; 718-388-3482 , 99OuterSpace.com On Soho ’ s cobblestoned Mercer Street , husband-and-wife design duo Stephen Alesch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roman and Williams ) built platforms for the outdoor version of their French eatery , La Mercerie .
They hold tables shaded by blue umbrellas , with overhanging string lights and surrounded by planters overflowing with flora — all to evoke a Parisian cafe .
“ We chose hearty plants that can survive in the heat , have lower water needs and are pest preventative , ” said Ryan Armstrong , COO of the Roman and Williams Guild .
They range from leafy greens ( Russian sage and mint ) to blooming florals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setup , which took only three days to complete , accommodates 88 people ; pre-COVID , the restaurant seated just 60 .
New dishes from chef Marie-Aude Rose include raw tuna with capers , anchovies and olives as well as a merguez sausage sandwich .
Reservations only , available via Resy , and the space is open until October .
53 Howard St. ; 212-852-9097 , LaMercerieCafe.com

During the summer of the coronavirus, when all restaurant meals are consumed outside, the new flex is flower-power dining.
Making the best of a bad situation, this season’s hot spots are wooing Big Apple foodies with explosions of stems and blossoms. Scarpetta, an Italian mainstay famous for its spaghetti with tomato and basil, launches an al fresco takeover of 29th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues on Aug. 1 (orange trees and a floral awning are promised).
Meanwhile, just opened for outdoor supping amidst an explosion of blue blossoms is the Italian seafood and pasta mecca Marea, helmed by celebrated chef Michael White.
The folks behind the look — designer Alsun Keogh and florist Carlos Franqui — see lush exteriors as the new equivalent of mood lighting and luxe wallpaper.
“Everybody loves flowers,” Franqui told The Post, explaining that the uber arrangement he created for Marea aims to transport diners from shadowy Midtown scaffolding to the bright Mediterranean sea, complete with foam-topped waves and an expanse of blue (all represented by his custom-made silk flowers).
“The idea is to create an atmosphere that complements the food and leads people to forget that they’re in the middle of a pandemic. We all need a break and a beautiful environment that makes us want to leave the house.”
Here are our favorite restaurants offering a taste of paradise right here in NYC.
Mediterranean mood
It took some 5,000 feet of branches and around 2,000 silk flowers resembling hydrangeas and jasmine to transform the scaffolding in front of Midtown’s Michelin-starred Italian seafood restaurant Marea. According to Ahmass Fakahany, CEO of Altamarea Group, which owns Marea, “The idea is to bring color back into our lives as we take Marea through its next renaissance: buzzy, playful and chic. We want to convey positivity for the future, to show that we are still here and still relevant — with our mojo intact.” 240 Central Park S.; 212-582-5100, MareaRestaurant.com
A leafy perch
At a restaurant where the modern-style sushi is accented with cherry blossom jelly and rose petals serve as a raw-fish garnish, it wouldn’t be much of a leap to flower up an underutilized rooftop space. Such is the vibe at Sushi Lab, where a trellis spun with silk orchids will soon be complemented by plantings of real flowers. “While providing social distancing, we want to give people pleasant things to look at,” said Jeremy Poon, the restaurant’s managing director. Proud of his potted greenery, Poon added, “We’re focusing on our guests’ safety, health and well-being. It goes beyond the food.” 132 West 47th St.; 212-432-0000, SushiLab.nyc
Mexican moment
Inspired by the warm, rustic beauty of Tulum, the namesake spot at Soho’s Gitano Garden of Love provides an escape to paradise just when we need it most. “Our garden was almost designed for this moment,” said James Gardner of his restaurant, which serves modern Mexican food in an outdoor space that predates COVID. ”We have hundreds of palms and beautiful orchids.” Each dining area out there, Gardner said, “is basically a room made of tropical plants.” 76 Varick St. (entrance on Grand Street); 917-860-6082, GrupoGitano.com
Easy breezy
With flights to the South of France grounded, Le District tries to be the next best thing. “The idea is for you to feel like you are in St-Tropez,” said Sebastien Muller, director of operations for the Financial District restaurant by the Hudson River, which has dubbed its outdoor space Liberty Bistro. “We have French food, cool breezes and waterfront views.” Trees are strung with fairy lights, while tables are surrounded by potted palm fronds and hanging strands of flowers — including petunias, dragon’s beard and canna lilies. 225 Liberty St.; 212-981-8588, LeDistrict.com
Concrete jungle
Some 250 tropical plants create an urban jungle in Bushwick. Outerspace’s primarily vegetarian menu features sungold tomato gazpacho, squash blossom pizza and rotisserie chicken for meat-lovers. Launched earlier this month, it is a pandemic-perfect place in which to commune with nature while sitting at sequestered and socially-distanced tables. Nightly soundtracks are being laid down by neighborhood musicians and artists. 99 Scott Ave.; 718-388-3482, 99OuterSpace.com
The Parisian cafe
On Soho’s cobblestoned Mercer Street, husband-and-wife design duo Stephen Alesch and Robin Standefer (collectively known as Roman and Williams) built platforms for the outdoor version of their French eatery, La Mercerie. They hold tables shaded by blue umbrellas, with overhanging string lights and surrounded by planters overflowing with flora — all to evoke a Parisian cafe. “We chose hearty plants that can survive in the heat, have lower water needs and are pest preventative,” said Ryan Armstrong, COO of the Roman and Williams Guild. They range from leafy greens (Russian sage and mint) to blooming florals (magnolias and hydrangeas). The setup, which took only three days to complete, accommodates 88 people; pre-COVID, the restaurant seated just 60. New dishes from chef Marie-Aude Rose include raw tuna with capers, anchovies and olives as well as a merguez sausage sandwich. Reservations available via Resy, with room for a few walk-ins, and the space is open until October. 53 Howard St.; 212-852-9097, LaMercerieCafe.com


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Why are liberals siding with Portland’s violent anarchists against law-abiding feds?

WASHINGTON — So far , one step into this sprint of ...

Despite the occasional looting, chaos, property damage, trespassing, rioting, graffiti, assaults, arson and general mayhem, the media consistently assure us that antifa “protesters” are “largely peaceful.” And since the majority of buildings in Portland, Seattle and Denver haven’t been looted yet, who am I to argue?
Of course, it takes only a sliver of the population to transform downtowns into a mess and create quality-of-life issues for thousands of law-abiding citizens. And the mayors who surrender parts of their cities to left-wing “protesters” are tacitly endorsing lawlessness themselves.
There’s little doubt that if alt-right activists had occupied a few city blocks in Seattle or tried to firebomb a federal courthouse in Portland, we’d be in for feverish wall-to-wall media coverage, engulfed in a national conversation about the perils of right-wing radicalism. Every elected Republican would be asked to personally denounce the extremists to make sure they take implicit ownership of the problem.
When a few hundred angry tiki-torch-carrying Nazis marched in Charlottesville, you’d have thought the RNC deployed the Wehrmacht. Those who led the riot were even asked to opine on CNN.
On the other hand, left-wing rioters — the people Chris Cuomo and other journalists compared to GIs landing on Normandy — are immediately transformed into apolitical actors, rogue “anarchists,” as soon as any violence starts.
Perhaps the majority of citizens and businesses in Portland, Seattle and Denver want their elected officials to let antifa act with impunity. Or maybe some will begin fleeing those cities. Whatever the case, it’s a local concern.
To a point. If mayors do nothing to stop anarchists from tearing down federal monuments or from defacing, vandalizing and attempting to burn down federal buildings, the feds have every right to dispatch agents to restore order.
None of which is to deny that there are legitimate concerns about how law enforcement is conducting itself. I’m sympathetic to criticisms of the federal officers who operate in camouflage and in unmarked vans. Cops should display badge numbers and identification — if they truly aren’t doing so right now — otherwise civilians have no real way to hold those in authority accountable.
But the claim that Pinochet-like secret police have begun snatching Portland protesters off the street and making them disappear amounts to the arrest of one man, who refused to speak without his lawyer and was released a little more than an hour later without any charges.
If it were up to me, I’d leave Portland to the anarchists and their political accomplices. But federal law enforcement — agencies such as the DEA, FBI, ICE, ATF, Department of Homeland Security and US Marshals Service — regularly operate across the country. Sometimes they make arrests, and sometimes they do so after going undercover.
This happens under every administration, every day, and it often happens for far less compelling reasons. As far as we know, cops haven’t broken any laws in the streets of Portland. The protesters who cover their faces have broken tons.
With this in mind, it’s been instructive watching many of the same characters who cheer on governors who take undemocratic emergency powers and shut down houses of worship without the consent of the people — and who sometimes arrest Americans for playing Wiffle ball, attending church or cutting hair — act as if policing portends the end of democracy. The same people who incessantly clamor to empower the federal government when it suits their purposes now act as if protecting a federal courthouse is the Reichstag Fire.
MSNBC’s John Heilemann says that Trump’s sending federal police into Portland is a “trial run” for using “force” to “steal this election.” In a piece titled “Trump’s Occupation of American Cities Has Begun,” Michelle Goldberg, somehow still allowed to freely opine at The New York Times, says that “fascism” is already here. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls the police “stormtroopers” who are “kidnapping protesters.”
All of these contentions are ugly conspiracy theories, hyperbolic allegations meant to fuel partisan paranoia before an election. Even if we accept the criticisms of law enforcement, the driving problem is that mayors are allowing “protesters” to trample on public and private property. They allow it because they share the same left-wing sensibilities. But protesting should never be a license for anarchy.
Twitter: @DavidHarsanyi


newyorkpost--2020-07-24--Could Lisa Kudrow be making a ‘Comeback’ on Broadway?

Lisa Kudrow could come to Broadway — as her character on HBO ’ s “ The Comeback , ” Valerie Cherish .
Sources told Page Six that Kudrow is being wooed to the stage by various shows after she said in a recent interview that if cult hit “ The Comeback ” came back for a third season , she envisioned Val — a formerly famous sitcom star trying to revive her career — taking on a Broadway role .
A source told Page Six that after Kudrow ’ s comments , “ the idea has sparked what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war ’ between the producers of ‘ Chicago ’ — known for ‘ stunt casting ’ the role of Roxie Hart with everyone from Lisa Rinna to Melanie Griffith — and ‘ Mean Girls , ’ which has an age-appropriate role originated in the film by Tina Fey and on Broadway by Tony nominee Kerry Butler.
” The theater pro breathlessly continued , “ The idea apparently is to get Cherish ( played by Kudrow ) to actually do eight- [ performances ] -a-week as , well , Valerie Cherish .
It would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Broadway casting director said of the concept : “ It ’ s totally meta and completely insane.
” Another insider jokingly added , “ Less qualified and , frankly , less famous TV stars than Valerie Cherish have sold plenty of tickets over the years , so why not ?
” But producers for “ Chicago ” shut down any “ bidding war ” buzz , but seemed open to the Val idea .
“ The producers of ‘ Chicago ’ confirmed the production is NOT currently in talks with Ms. Kudrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as for Valerie Cherish making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart , note to self : We definitely ‘ need to see that !
’ ” the show said in a statement when we reached out , quoting Val ’ s catchphrase .
“ Mean Girls ” also denied it ’ s in talks with Kudrow , and her rep did not respond .
Plus , of course , theaters would have to open again first .
Kudrow was interviewed as part of a “ Comeback ” reunion on Seth Rudetsky ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show , which benefits the Actors Fund .

Lisa Kudrow could come to Broadway — as her character on HBO’s “The Comeback,” Valerie Cherish.
Sources told Page Six that Kudrow is being wooed to the stage by various shows after she said in a recent interview that if cult hit “The Comeback” came back for a third season, she envisioned Val — a formerly famous sitcom star trying to revive her career — taking on a Broadway role.
A source told Page Six that after Kudrow’s comments, “the idea has sparked what’s being described as a possible ‘bidding war’ between the producers of ‘Chicago’ — known for ‘stunt casting’ the role of Roxie Hart with everyone from Lisa Rinna to Melanie Griffith — and ‘Mean Girls,’ which has an age-appropriate role originated in the film by Tina Fey and on Broadway by Tony nominee Kerry Butler.”
The theater pro breathlessly continued, “The idea apparently is to get Cherish (played by Kudrow) to actually do eight-[performances]-a-week as, well, Valerie Cherish. It would be the character playing the character.”
A Broadway casting director said of the concept: “It’s totally meta and completely insane.” Another insider jokingly added, “Less qualified and, frankly, less famous TV stars than Valerie Cherish have sold plenty of tickets over the years, so why not?”
But producers for “Chicago” shut down any “bidding war” buzz, but seemed open to the Val idea.
“The producers of ‘Chicago’ confirmed the production is NOT currently in talks with Ms. Kudrow to star in the show. But, as for Valerie Cherish making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart, note to self: We definitely ‘need to see that!’ ” the show said in a statement when we reached out, quoting Val’s catchphrase. “Mean Girls” also denied it’s in talks with Kudrow, and her rep did not respond. Plus, of course, theaters would have to open again first.
Kudrow was interviewed as part of a “Comeback” reunion on Seth Rudetsky’s “Stars in the House” show, which benefits the Actors Fund.