newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Sam Darnold is struggling to give Jets much reason to keep him

If this is indeed a tryout for Jets quarterback Sam Darnold to convince the team to stick with him in 2021 , it is not going well .
Darnold played another blah game on Sunday , completing 14-of-26 passing for 132 yards and no touchdowns in the Jets ’ 40-3 loss at Seattle .
He was not intercepted , but that is only because the Seahawks dropped three passes he threw their way .
“ They were doing a good job of disrupting our flow , ” Darnold said .
“ They were doing a really good job of stopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pass the ball , we couldn ’ t do it efficiently enough to win the game.
” Here ’ s the thing : This is not the Seahawks defense of old .
The Legion of Boom is only a memory .
Seattle entered Sunday as the No .
31 defense overall and No .
32 against the pass .
They shut down Darnold and the offense .
The third-year quarterback has now failed to throw a touchdown pass in five of his nine starts this season .
With the Jets at 0-13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick and , potentially , Trevor Lawrence , Darnold ’ s days with the Jets appear numbered .
“ Losing ’ s not fun .
We ’ ve just got to be better , ” Darnold said .
“ We ’ ve just got to find a way to continue to improve and get better and do all the things we need to do to win a game.
” Kicker Sergio Castillo killed the Jets with three second-quarter misses on Sunday .
Maybe the game would have been a blowout anyway , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game at halftime if Castillo had not missed from 37 , 41 and 43 yards , after making his first kick from 45 yards .
“ Mentally , I felt ready to go on each kick , ” Castillo said .
“ Mentally , I was good .
I was calm .
I was collected .
It was just one of those days where I didn ’ t do my job .
This week , [ I will ] get back to basics and perform better next week.
” We ’ ll see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jets may be in the market for a new kicker .
The 37-point loss was the Jets ’ largest since Dec. 24 , 2016 , when they lost , 41-3 , to the Patriots .
… The Jets scored a field goal on their opening drive .
It is the seventh straight game they have scored on their opening possession , a new team record .
Things tend to go downhill after that .
… Former Jet and Giant Damon “ Snacks ” Harrison forced a fumble .
… In three visits to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not scored an offensive touchdown there .
… DB Saquan Hampton left the game with an ankle injury .

If this is indeed a tryout for Jets quarterback Sam Darnold to convince the team to stick with him in 2021, it is not going well.
Darnold played another blah game on Sunday, completing 14-of-26 passing for 132 yards and no touchdowns in the Jets’ 40-3 loss at Seattle. He was not intercepted, but that is only because the Seahawks dropped three passes he threw their way.
“They were doing a good job of disrupting our flow,” Darnold said. “They were doing a really good job of stopping the run game. When we needed to pass the ball, we couldn’t do it efficiently enough to win the game.”
Here’s the thing: This is not the Seahawks defense of old. The Legion of Boom is only a memory. Seattle entered Sunday as the No. 31 defense overall and No. 32 against the pass. They shut down Darnold and the offense. The third-year quarterback has now failed to throw a touchdown pass in five of his nine starts this season. With the Jets at 0-13 and barreling toward the No. 1 pick and, potentially, Trevor Lawrence, Darnold’s days with the Jets appear numbered.
“Losing’s not fun. We’ve just got to be better,” Darnold said. “We’ve just got to find a way to continue to improve and get better and do all the things we need to do to win a game.”
Sam Darnold AP
Kicker Sergio Castillo killed the Jets with three second-quarter misses on Sunday. Maybe the game would have been a blowout anyway, but the Jets would have been in the game at halftime if Castillo had not missed from 37, 41 and 43 yards, after making his first kick from 45 yards.
“Mentally, I felt ready to go on each kick,” Castillo said. “Mentally, I was good. I was calm. I was collected. It was just one of those days where I didn’t do my job. This week, [I will] get back to basics and perform better next week.”
We’ll see if Castillo gets that chance. The Jets may be in the market for a new kicker.
The 37-point loss was the Jets’ largest since Dec. 24, 2016, when they lost, 41-3, to the Patriots. … The Jets scored a field goal on their opening drive. It is the seventh straight game they have scored on their opening possession, a new team record. Things tend to go downhill after that. … Former Jet and Giant Damon “Snacks” Harrison forced a fumble. … In three visits to the current Seahawks stadium, the Jets have not scored an offensive touchdown there. … DB Saquan Hampton left the game with an ankle injury.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--‘Threats of violence’ prompt closure of Michigan legislative offices

Michigan state legislative offices will be closed Monday due to safety concerns as presidential electors are expected to cast their @ @ @ @ @ for President-elect Joe Biden , a new report said .
“ Due to safety and @ @ @ @ @ and all Senate spaces in downtown Lansing will be closed Monday , December 14 , @ @ @ @ @ , which was obtained by The Detroit News .
The state House is only allowing @ @ @ @ @ the Electoral College vote to go to the Capitol , according to its notification .
@ @ @ @ @ recommended by law enforcement , said Amber McCann , a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader @ @ @ @ @ , McCann said the decision was based off “ credible threats of violence , ” @ @ @ @ @ according to the report .

Michigan state legislative offices will be closed Monday due to safety concerns as presidential electors are expected to cast their vote in the state Capitol for President-elect Joe Biden, a new report said.
“Due to safety and security concerns, the Senate and all Senate spaces in downtown Lansing will be closed Monday, December 14,” the Senate notification said, which was obtained by The Detroit News.
The state House is only allowing staffers “needed” in the Electoral College vote to go to the Capitol, according to its notification.
The government office closures were recommended by law enforcement, said Amber McCann, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey.
Without elaborating, McCann said the decision was based off “credible threats of violence,” and not anticipated protests, according to the report.
Biden won Michigan by 154,000 votes, claiming the state’s 16 electoral votes.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Nets not committing to Caris LeVert being a starter

After 552 days , Kevin Durant was finally back on the ...

Steve Nash concedes Caris LeVert is definitely a starting player, but he won’t commit to whether LeVert will be starting for the Nets when he comes back.
LeVert sat out Sunday’s preseason-opening win over Washington with a left knee contusion, with Spencer Dinwiddie getting the nod and playing well alongside stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. When asked if LeVert would automatically go into the lineup when available, Nash was noncommittal.
“Still working through it. Caris is a starter. Will he start for us? I’m not sure,” Nash said. “He’s so good with the ball in his hands. There’s a case to be made that he plays that [Manu] Ginobili role, where he’s clearly a starter. Manu played in All-Star games, started on the bench, ran the second unit and closed games. We’ll see. We’ll see how it goes. It’s a great luxury to have.
“There’s a thought that he could have more reps with the ball in the hands if he captains the second unit for huge portions of the games and then plays with the starters in moments where you’re close. All that stuff is to be figured out. But great decisions for a coach to have.”
Caris LeVert sits on the bench. Getty Images
Irving — who again declined media requests — is a high usage player, and there are questions as to whether LeVert would be a fit next to him. Meanwhile, Dinwiddie acquitted himself well with 11 points, seven assists, six rebounds and was a plus-11 in a complete performance.
“For sure, I feel like I’ve always viewed myself as a starter, even when y’all were laughing at me three years ago,” Dinwiddie said. “But whatever role it takes, you always want to do whatever it takes to maximize the win and try to make the collective the best possible. A well-rounded game, whatever it was across the stat sheet, is kind of my position on this team now.”
Dinwiddie’s all-around effort left a good impression on Nash.
“Spencer’s a talented player, but he can also play the game quite simply, which is great,” Nash said. “He doesn’t over-complicate things, he can play off the ball, he can play on the ball, he can make plays for his teammates, he can guard multiple positions.
“Spencer was great out there. I thought he gave us a lift in certain moments where we needed to up the pace and force. And he has lot of versatility, he does a lot of different things for us, so he did great.”
Irving and LeVert were a minus-59 in 284 minutes together last season. Dinwiddie and Irving were plus-42 in their 305, and Dinwiddie would love to get more time in that loaded starting unit.
“Stress-free. That’s the best I can put it,” Dinwiddie said. “I’m trying to win, so if you can throw it to either one of them and get a bucket, and then you get the third defender, fourth defender trying to check you, and you’re like, ‘Alright, I guess I’ll go score now.’ Stress-free. This is fun. This is good for my health. I need this type of situation.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--NJ native Haason Reddick cried after dominating Giants for Cardinals

The wounds from the Giants ’ ugly showing Sunday only gaped ...

Haason Reddick grew up in the part of New Jersey reserved for hating the Giants — and he played like it on Sunday.
Reddick tortured the Giants and their hobbled quarterback, Daniel Jones, for a Arizona Cardinals-record five sacks and three forced fumbles — maybe the NFL defensive performance of the year — to fuel a 26-7 victory at MetLife Stadium.
“I cried at the end of the game — filled with joy, felt blessed,” Reddick said. “This whole year has just been important to me, seeing things go the way I want them to go. To see today happen is amazing. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”
Lightly recruited out of Haddon Heights High School, Reddick grew up an Eagles fan before starring at nearby Temple and becoming the No. 13 pick in the 2017 draft. His first three seasons were a bust — 7.5 total sacks — but he has come alive in the final year of his contract with 10 sacks in 13 games.
“This is my first time ever having a game like this,” Reddick said, “where everything was just working for me on all cylinders.”
Haason Reddick sacks Daniel Jones one of five times against the Giants. Getty Images
Reddick victimized Giants rookie left tackle Andrew Thomas — who took a step backwards after four straight good performances — for at least two of his sacks. There only have been seven individual performances since 1982 of more than five sacks in a game — none since 2017.
“I have to do a better job of getting the ball out on time,” Jones said, “and taking some of the pressure off the guys up front.”
The Cardinals finally canned a three-year attempt to turn Reddick into a stand-up linebacker and let him get back to his roots. Four of Reddick’s five sacks essentially killed drives — only once were the Giants able to recover to gain a first down.
“Haason came in Wednesday and said he was going to get after the quarterback this week,” teammate Markus Golden said. “The look in his eyes this week, I knew he was going to have a big one. I didn’t know it was going to be that big.”
The Cardinals’ eight sacks were started by the ex-Giant Golden, who was traded back to his original team for a draft pick in October and announced his return by beating right tackle Cam Fleming for a strip-sack of Jones to end the Giants’ first possession.
The Giants’ offense (159 yards) flailed like it did in a 2018 game against Washington, when Eli Manning was sacked seven times.
It is unclear if the defensive game plan was specifically designed around Jones’ rushing limitations because Cardinals public relations cited a team policy in not permitting The Post to ask a question in the postgame Zoom interviews. It appeared the pass rush was going to tee off until Jones proved he could execute a zone-read keepers around the edge.
“We knew that he was going to either end up throwing the ball away or take sacks at a certain point,” Giants coach Joe Judge said. “These guys [Cardinals] did a really good job in terms of their packages and movement. We have to play better. We’ll take a look at that tape and adjust what we have to.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Jamal Adams’ record night includes surprise Adam Gase hug

The breaking point was coming .
How much more disappointment , after ...

Jamal Adams forced his way off the Jets, but he may think of them fondly now that they helped him make history Sunday.
The Seahawks safety entered the NFL record books Sunday when he was credited with a sack of Sam Darnold, breaking the single-season record for a defensive back and putting the cherry on top of Seattle’s 40-3 win over the Jets at Lumen Field.
“It’s a pretty cool feeling when you put your mind to something,” said Adams, who fell short of the record last year when he finished with 6.5 sacks for the Jets. “I told myself and I told everybody last year, when I did fail … I was going to break the record. Some people thought I was crazy. Some people believed in me. But the only thing that mattered is that I believed in myself.”
Adams’ second-quarter sack of Darnold — which came when he forced Darnold out of bounds on a scramble behind the line of scrimmage — gave him 8.5 sacks on the season, passing the Cardinals’ Adrian Wilson, who recorded eight in 2005. Adams broke the record in just nine games after missing four games earlier this season with shoulder issues.
Jamal Adams hugs Frankie Luvu. Getty Images
The rest of Adams’ day was largely reminiscent of his time with the Jets — except, of course, the end result.
Darnold tried to gift him an interception when he threw it right at him in the first quarter, but Adams dropped it, which may have given Jets fans flashbacks from his time in New York. He had just two interceptions in three seasons with the Jets, leaving a handful more on the field.
“Golly, I suck,” Adams said jokingly. “That was horrible.”
But Adams was in the backfield early and often on blitzes and finished with five tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and one pass defended. He was also in on a tackle of Frank Gore before former Jets and Giants defensive lineman Damon “Snacks” Harrison forced the fumble, which the Seahawks recovered and turned into another scoring drive.
Adams’ performance was worthy of a game ball from the Seahawks. Coach Pete Carroll said they usually don’t give ones out, but considering he broke the sacks record for a defensive back, thought it was justified Sunday.
Adam Gase, whom Adams ripped on the way out of town, said he hugged his former safety after the game and told him “go try to get one,” meaning a Super Bowl.
“At the end of the day, I don’t have any hate towards — not even just Gase, toward the organization,” Adams said of the franchise that drafted him sixth overall in 2017 before trading him this summer. “Everybody just had different views. We had to move different. We had to take a different leap. Obviously the trade happened and I’m happy to be here.
“I wish those guys nothing but the best, I really do. I mean that. I know a lot of Jets fans don’t really think I’m coming from the heart, but I really am. I’m thankful for my time over there because I don’t take it for granted.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--‘Snow alert’ to suspend outdoor dining in NYC starting Wednesday

Outdoor dining will be suspended in the Big Apple beginning 2 p.m. Wednesday , as the Department of Sanitation issued @ @ @ @ @ ahead of an impending winter storm that may dump more than 8 inches of the @ @ @ @ @ Department projected the outdoor dining closure would last until Thursday night — but warned it @ @ @ @ @ Friday , depending on total snowfall and road conditions .
Restaurants will not be forced @ @ @ @ @ setups for this storm , the agency said .
But , eateries are required to @ @ @ @ @ , urged to secure roadway tables and chairs , and encouraged to remove overhead coverings @ @ @ @ @ outdoor dining to help with their snow clearing efforts , the Sanitation Department canceled alternate @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
The temporary outdoor dining suspension comes two days after indoor dining was banned @ @ @ @

Outdoor dining will be suspended in the Big Apple beginning 2 p.m. Wednesday, as the Department of Sanitation issued a “snow alert” ahead of an impending winter storm that may dump more than 8 inches of the white stuff.
The Sanitation Department projected the outdoor dining closure would last until Thursday night — but warned it could be pushed back to Friday, depending on total snowfall and road conditions.
Restaurants will not be forced to dismantle their outdoor dining setups for this storm, the agency said.
But eateries are required to put away all electrical heaters, urged to secure roadway tables and chairs, and encouraged to remove overhead coverings.
In addition to suspending outdoor dining to help with their snow clearing efforts, the Sanitation Department canceled alternate side parking for Wednesday and Thursday.
The temporary outdoor dining suspension comes two days after indoor dining was banned in the city.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Caroline’s on Broadway’s holiday card brings laughs to a terrible year

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens @ @ @ @ @ to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Even though Caroline ’ s @ @ @ @ @ since March , the legendary comedy club is still sending out its annual holiday card @ @ @ @ @ it does every year , “ May the holidays bring … ” Highlights this year @ @ @ @ @ Kornacki signature line of khakis at the Gap , ” “ The Robert Kardashian hologram @ @ @ @ @ did it , ” and , “ The hope that Jeffrey Toobin and Louis CK @ @ @ @ @ call together.
” The greeting also references the late Alex Trebek , ( with the @ @ @ @ @ hosts we love and will miss for $ 1,000 ” ) , and also memorializes @ @ @ @ @ and Chadwick Boseman .

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
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Even though Caroline’s on Broadway has been closed since March, the legendary comedy club is still sending out its annual holiday card.
It begins, as it does every year, “May the holidays bring …”
Caroline’s on Broadway’s 2020 Christmas Card Caroline's
Highlights this year include: “A Steve Kornacki signature line of khakis at the Gap,” “The Robert Kardashian hologram admitting that he knew OJ did it,” and, “The hope that Jeffrey Toobin and Louis CK are never on a Zoom call together.”
The greeting also references the late Alex Trebek, (with the wish for “game show hosts we love and will miss for $1,000”), and also memorializes John Lewis, Kobe Bryant and Chadwick Boseman.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Shane Coopersmith Fully Understands Why He Got Fired on ‘Below Deck’

The writing was on the wall for Shane Coopersmith as the deckhand was officially fired from the yacht early in the latest episode of Below Deck .
He was called to meet with Captain Lee and bosun Eddie Lucas , and as Captain Lee explained to him , “ Lotta people underestimate the amount of work that gets put in here and I don ’ t have time for you to catch up.
” Eddie then proceeded to list off his three strikes ( complete with damning footage ) by saying , “ You ’ re a good guy but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ middle of cleanups , and then this morning missing an alarm , it ’ s kinda the final straw.
” “ Unfortunately the time has come for us to part company , ” Captain Lee said , making it official .
For his part , Shane admitted in his interview , “ I feel empty , like a vacuum just sucked everything out inside of me .
I was giving everything I knew I could give , it wasn ’ t good enough.
” “ I take no pleasure in firing anyone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ But you don ’ t get a participation trophy in yachting , you didn ’ t do what you said you were gon na do .
Yachting ’ s not all fun and games.
” “ I know by the end of the season I would ’ ve exceeded your expectations , ” Shane tells Eddie as he packs his belongings , but his supervisor doesn ’ t beat around the bush .
“ We don ’ t have that time , ” Eddie tells him .
“ I needed you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so Shane aka Sunshine takes his surfboard and says goodbye to the crew ( minus Chef Rachel , who simply couldn ’ t be bothered ) , and assured us all he would be just fine by saying , “ I ’ m getting picked up by my girlfriend and I ’ m headed straight to the closest beach.
” Decider recently spoke to Shane to get his take on the firing , and this is what he had to say about the moment it all went down .
“ To tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got up there , I was still like , maybe they ’ re going to fire me , maybe they ’ re not .
From a work standpoint , I totally understand that they wanted me gone .
I had no idea what I was doing .
I learned a lot in the couple of weeks that I was there .
Actually , Eddie came up to me one of the nights at the bars .
This was actually one or two nights before I got let go .
He was like , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really improving .
I really think if you work hard , you ’ ll become the lead deckhand by the end of the season.
’ And I was like , ok , sure .
But I guess that wasn ’ t the case.
” “ Yeah , actually after watching the episode , it seems like Captain Lee wanted me gone more than Eddie did , ” Shane continued .
“ At least I had a relationship with Eddie , so I think he had somewhat of a soft spot for me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for that a little bit .
But Captain Lee , all he saw was me as a worker bee .
Obviously , I wasn ’ t a good worker bee .
I had completely not enough experience.
” And as far as leaving the yacht goes , Shane admits , “ It was a bummer .
I was really excited to be on the boat , talk about sustainability , environmentalism .
Make this industry that isn ’ t really sustainable that much more sustainable .
I felt like I got most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , biodegradable sunscreen , biodegradable shampoo , bringing sustainable cooking items .
I even helped some charter guests ; she was going to take home a bunch of shells that were from a marine-protected area .
I told her , ‘ Hey , you actually can ’ t do that .
Those are protected.
’ And she was really thankful .
She said , ‘ Thank you so much , I had no idea.
’ So I was just really bummed on that point .
I didn ’ t really care about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care about the career of yachting , ” though Shane said he “ absolutely ” feels good about his time on the show and what he was able to accomplish .
Below Deck airs Monday at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo .
Where to stream Below Deck

The writing was on the wall for Shane Coopersmith as the deckhand was officially fired from the yacht early in the latest episode of Below Deck. He was called to meet with Captain Lee and bosun Eddie Lucas, and as Captain Lee explained to him, “Lotta people underestimate the amount of work that gets put in here and I don’t have time for you to catch up.”
Eddie then proceeded to list off his three strikes (complete with damning footage) by saying, “You’re a good guy but sleeping in, taking naps in the middle of cleanups, and then this morning missing an alarm, it’s kinda the final straw.”
“Unfortunately the time has come for us to part company,” Captain Lee said, making it official. For his part, Shane admitted in his interview, “I feel empty, like a vacuum just sucked everything out inside of me. I was giving everything I knew I could give, it wasn’t good enough.”
“I take no pleasure in firing anyone,” Captain Lee said in his interview, “But you don’t get a participation trophy in yachting, you didn’t do what you said you were gonna do. Yachting’s not all fun and games.”
“I know by the end of the season I would’ve exceeded your expectations,” Shane tells Eddie as he packs his belongings, but his supervisor doesn’t beat around the bush. “We don’t have that time,” Eddie tells him. “I needed you up and running two charters ago.”
And so Shane aka Sunshine takes his surfboard and says goodbye to the crew (minus Chef Rachel, who simply couldn’t be bothered), and assured us all he would be just fine by saying, “I’m getting picked up by my girlfriend and I’m headed straight to the closest beach.”
Decider recently spoke to Shane to get his take on the firing, and this is what he had to say about the moment it all went down. “To tell you the truth, even when I got up there, I was still like, maybe they’re going to fire me, maybe they’re not. From a work standpoint, I totally understand that they wanted me gone. I had no idea what I was doing. I learned a lot in the couple of weeks that I was there. Actually, Eddie came up to me one of the nights at the bars. This was actually one or two nights before I got let go. He was like, ‘Hey man. You’re really improving. I really think if you work hard, you’ll become the lead deckhand by the end of the season.’ And I was like, ok, sure. But I guess that wasn’t the case.”
“Yeah, actually after watching the episode, it seems like Captain Lee wanted me gone more than Eddie did,” Shane continued. “At least I had a relationship with Eddie, so I think he had somewhat of a soft spot for me. Maybe he wanted to keep me on for that a little bit. But Captain Lee, all he saw was me as a worker bee. Obviously, I wasn’t a good worker bee. I had completely not enough experience.”
And as far as leaving the yacht goes, Shane admits, “It was a bummer. I was really excited to be on the boat, talk about sustainability, environmentalism. Make this industry that isn’t really sustainable that much more sustainable. I felt like I got most of my message across through the paper straws, biodegradable sunscreen, biodegradable shampoo, bringing sustainable cooking items. I even helped some charter guests; she was going to take home a bunch of shells that were from a marine-protected area. I told her, ‘Hey, you actually can’t do that. Those are protected.’ And she was really thankful. She said, ‘Thank you so much, I had no idea.’ So I was just really bummed on that point. I didn’t really care about the money. I didn’t really care about the career of yachting,” though Shane said he “absolutely” feels good about his time on the show and what he was able to accomplish.
Below Deck airs Monday at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo.
Where to stream Below Deck


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--2-year-old boy abandoned at Mississippi Goodwill drop-off

A 2-year-old boy was abandoned at a Mississippi Goodwill drop-off location with a bag of clothes and a note on @ @ @ @ @ Officers with the Southaven Police Department found the youngster at about 10 a.m. and turned @ @ @ @ @ Services , authorities said .
Surveillance footage from the Southaven location showed the boy was @ @ @ @ @ fled the scene on foot .
The FBI joined the investigation .
Police said by @ @ @ @ @ suspect into custody in Memphis , Tennessee .
Authorities did not immediately provide any information @ @ @ @ @ confirm if it was the man seen abandoning the boy .
The SouthHaven Police Department @ @ @ @ @ boy “ is well , and being taken care of and will be reunited with @ @ @ @ @ is proper .
”

A 2-year-old boy was abandoned at a Mississippi Goodwill drop-off location with a bag of clothes and a note on Monday, police said.
Officers with the Southaven Police Department found the youngster at about 10 a.m. and turned him over to Child Protective Services, authorities said.
Surveillance footage from the Southaven location showed the boy was left by a man who fled the scene on foot.
The FBI joined the investigation. Police said by 3:30 p.m. they took a suspect into custody in Memphis, Tennessee.
Authorities did not immediately provide any information on the suspect, or confirm if it was the man seen abandoning the boy.
The SouthHaven Police Department wrote on Facebook that the boy “is well, and being taken care of and will be reunited with family when CPS determines this is proper.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--This silence should terrify Jets

This silence should terrify Jets

The waters are rising around him , but Sam Darnold is ...

Perhaps the most stunning part of Sunday’s 40-3 Jets loss to the Seahawks was just how little it stunned anyone.
Losses like this have become expected and accepted for the Jets now. That is the state of this 0-13 team. The Jets can get their doors blown off and look completely uncompetitive and we shrug. It was not that long ago that a loss like Sunday’s would elicit rage among the fan base. They would be calling for the coach to be fired before he could get to the airport. They would be screaming for the backup quarterback.
Now? Ho-hum.
In fact, there is now happiness among the fan base after these losses. The loss moves the Jets one step closer to Trevor Lawrence. And those who are not celebrating the loss are at least numb to it.
The only sound that should scare team CEO Christopher Johnson more than outrage from fans is silence. The Jets have become Rutgers, at least when Greg Schiano is not around. The expectation is for them to lose each week and when they play a quality opponent, the expectation is a butt-kicking. When the Jets are competitive, that is the surprise these days.
All of it has led us to sort of gloss over just how really, really, really bad this team is. We’re talking historically, epically bad. You know the Jets are on their way to becoming the third team ever to go 0-16. The sting of that humiliation should run deep for anyone inside the organization. The fans can take solace in the prospects of having Lawrence on the team.
But dig on just how bad these Jets are, and a case can be made that they are one of the worst teams ever to wear shoulder pads. Their point differential stands at -210 after Sunday’s debacle. Only 38 teams since 1940 have a worse point differential. The Jets have three games to go, so they can pass many of those teams. Their average loss has been by 16.2 points this year. If they stick to that average over the final three, their final point differential would be -258, tied for the fifth worst in the history of the NFL. They will likely move past the 1976 Jets (-214) this week for the worst in franchise history.
The thing about these Jets is they do everything poorly. One person can blame the offense. Another can blame the defense. Everyone would be right.
The Jets have scored just 183 points this season. It is going to be a contest to see if they can fall short of the 220 points the 1992 Jets scored. That is the franchise-low for a team in the 16-game schedule era.
On defense, the Jets have allowed 393 points. The 1996 squad, the former worst Jets team ever, gave up 454 that season. The Jets are allowing 30.2 points per game, so they are on pace to blow that mark away.
The Jets have been a bad team for the last decade. They are 57-100 since the 2011 season. Their postseason drought is at 10 years and counting. But they have not been this bad before. They have never been so bad that no one blinks when they lose like they did in Seattle. Think back to even last year when they lost 33-0 to the Patriots on a Monday night. There was a huge reaction. There have been losses in recent years that have enraged fans. Todd Bowles was finished after his 2018 team lost 41-10 to the Bills.
The first rumblings to fire Bowles began in 2016 after another 41-10 loss to Andrew Luck and the Colts.
None of those teams were good, but an NFL team should not get blown out and those losses drew the appropriate reaction. The 2020 Jets have lost by 20 points or more five times.
Most fans started dreaming of 2021 months ago. Maybe that is why the reaction to these losses is muted. Adam Gase has been a dead man walking for weeks. Sam Darnold has seemed destined for a new team since before Halloween.
Still, it should be troubling for those running the Jets that this is what this team has become. When they lose by 37 points, it elicits shrugs instead of screams.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Caris LeVert’s knee no longer a Nets concern

Nets fans worried that Caris LeVert has suffered another injury can exhale .
After the young wing was held out of the preseason opening win over Washington with a patella contusion , he ’ s not only fine , but likely to scrimmage in Tuesday ’ s practice .
“ Caris is great .
He said his knee feels as good as it ’ s felt in a long time , ” coach Steve Nash said Monday via Zoom .
“ We ’ re going to probably scrimmage [ Tuesday ] , and he ’ ll play .
So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LeVert ’ s injury history and importance , it ’ s easy to see why the Nets would be cautious .
Some view him as either a potential third star or Brooklyn ’ s biggest asset to land aforementioned star .
Still , Spencer Dinwiddie played well Sunday starting alongside Irving , and Nash had left open the possibility of LeVert serving as a sixth man .
Now he says between rest , injuries and COVID-19 , the roles may not end up being that draconian .
“ I may not get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be a continually evolving season where injuries , COVID , the density of the schedule will present all types of opportunities , but not necessarily by design , ” Nash said .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s going to be like , ‘ We ’ ll start Joe [ Harris ] for five games , then Spencer for five games , then Caris for five.
’ I think it ’ s a scenario where we ’ re going to figure it out as we go .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and having that versatility and not necessarily having to make hard stances or make a situation into a truth that doesn ’ t need to be one or the other .
That ’ s the way I ’ m thinking about it : Let ’ s not get in a race to cement any roles or ideas , because this is not the season where it ’ s going to be like that.
” “ We ’ re going to use all of them in all these roles , and if it becomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But we ’ ll also be fine because of the versatility and depth for it to be constantly changing and for players to be adaptive .
Versatility is so important in this league , and the more adaptable we can be , the more successful we ’ ll be .
On the topic of rotations , Nash said Bruce Brown not playing Sunday was simply him drawing the short end of the stick .
“ It ’ s just tough , ” Nash said .
“ We ’ ve got so many guys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could play them all , but it ’ s just tough because we ’ ve got a lot of guys.
” The Nets got a look at Reggie Perry , and the second-rounder had five points and seven rebounds in just 16 minutes of playing time .
“ He gives us a different profile at the center position .
He ’ s more skilled and mobile than the traditional 5 , so he ’ s able to put the ball on the floor , make plays for his teammates .
He has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Where his gap is in adjusting to the NBA game , and we wanted to see him against someone else .
He earned those minutes and he did pretty well .
”

Nets fans worried that Caris LeVert has suffered another injury can exhale. After the young wing was held out of the preseason opening win over Washington with a patella contusion, he’s not only fine, but likely to scrimmage in Tuesday’s practice.
“Caris is great. He said his knee feels as good as it’s felt in a long time,” coach Steve Nash said Monday via Zoom. “We’re going to probably scrimmage [Tuesday], and he’ll play. So, really positive news for Caris.”
Considering LeVert’s injury history and importance, it’s easy to see why the Nets would be cautious. Some view him as either a potential third star or Brooklyn’s biggest asset to land aforementioned star.
Still, Spencer Dinwiddie played well Sunday starting alongside Irving, and Nash had left open the possibility of LeVert serving as a sixth man. Now he says between rest, injuries and COVID-19, the roles may not end up being that draconian.
“I may not get the chance. I have a suspicion this is going to be a continually evolving season where injuries, COVID, the density of the schedule will present all types of opportunities, but not necessarily by design,” Nash said. “I don’t think it’s going to be like, ‘We’ll start Joe [Harris] for five games, then Spencer for five games, then Caris for five.’ I think it’s a scenario where we’re going to figure it out as we go.
“We have to be adaptable, and having that versatility and not necessarily having to make hard stances or make a situation into a truth that doesn’t need to be one or the other. That’s the way I’m thinking about it: Let’s not get in a race to cement any roles or ideas, because this is not the season where it’s going to be like that.”
“We’re going to use all of them in all these roles, and if it becomes a fully formed template, fine. But we’ll also be fine because of the versatility and depth for it to be constantly changing and for players to be adaptive. Versatility is so important in this league, and the more adaptable we can be, the more successful we’ll be.
On the topic of rotations, Nash said Bruce Brown not playing Sunday was simply him drawing the short end of the stick.
“It’s just tough,” Nash said. “We’ve got so many guys competing for minutes. I wish we could play them all, but it’s just tough because we’ve got a lot of guys.”
The Nets got a look at Reggie Perry, and the second-rounder had five points and seven rebounds in just 16 minutes of playing time.
“He gives us a different profile at the center position. He’s more skilled and mobile than the traditional 5, so he’s able to put the ball on the floor, make plays for his teammates. He has a great feel defensively,” Nash said. “Where his gap is in adjusting to the NBA game, and we wanted to see him against someone else. He earned those minutes and he did pretty well.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Mets’ pursuit of J.T. Realmuto was derailed by time

J.T .
Realmuto won ’ t be a Met , although team president Sandy Alderson said they had “ great conversations ” with his representatives — but the failure to land the top free-agent catcher wasn ’ t a matter of money .
Instead , it was about striking a deal quickly .
“ I think more than anything else , this was a timing issue for us , ’ ’ Alderson said on Monday ’ s Zoom call to introduce new GM Jared Porter .
“ We have a number of needs .
We can afford to wait to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t afford to wait to fill all of them.
” So while Realmuto remains available , the Mets have agreed to a four-year , $ 40 million deal to bring in McCann , who was designated for assignment by Detroit in 2018 but blossomed the last two seasons with the White Sox .
And Alderson insisted they got the player they wanted .
“ This wasn ’ t a compromise pick , ’ ’ Alderson said .
“ We ’ d been engaged with James for a considerable period of time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about James.
” McCann improved on both sides of the ball with the White Sox and comes considerably cheaper than Realmuto .
The Mets are still looking to upgrade their rotation and outfield — and perhaps their bullpen .
Manager Luis Rojas will have a new bench coach this season — Dave Jauss , someone he ’ s already got a history with .
“ One of the reasons we brought Dave on was because Luis wanted him , ’ ’ Alderson said of Jauss , who previously served as Jerry Manuel ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louie has known him a long time.
” The Mets are hoping that relationship pays dividends in the dugout in 2021 .
Porter said he ’ s spoken with Rojas since taking the job , but has yet to meet him .
Rojas is currently in the Dominican Republic .
Porter added he ’ s yet to talk to any of the Mets ’ current players , but plans to do so in the near future .
And he praised two of the organization ’ s top young players in Dom Smith and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted his “ defensive versatility ” and he called Alonso “ one of the best first basemen in baseball .
… It ’ s a huge plus to have both those guys on the team.
’ ’ How they fit on the roster with the uncertainty regarding the universal DH is up in the air .
Asked about that uncertainty heading into next season , Porter said teams have to be “ flexible ” and “ prepared for multiple outcomes .
”

J.T. Realmuto won’t be a Met, although team president Sandy Alderson said they had “great conversations” with his representatives — but the failure to land the top free-agent catcher wasn’t a matter of money.
Instead, it was about striking a deal quickly.
“I think more than anything else, this was a timing issue for us,’’ Alderson said on Monday’s Zoom call to introduce new GM Jared Porter. “We have a number of needs. We can afford to wait to fill some of them. We can’t afford to wait to fill all of them.”
So while Realmuto remains available, the Mets have agreed to a four-year, $40 million deal to bring in McCann, who was designated for assignment by Detroit in 2018 but blossomed the last two seasons with the White Sox.
And Alderson insisted they got the player they wanted.
“This wasn’t a compromise pick,’’ Alderson said. “We’d been engaged with James for a considerable period of time. There’s a lot we like about James.”
J.T. Realmuto Getty Images
McCann improved on both sides of the ball with the White Sox and comes considerably cheaper than Realmuto. The Mets are still looking to upgrade their rotation and outfield — and perhaps their bullpen.
Manager Luis Rojas will have a new bench coach this season — Dave Jauss, someone he’s already got a history with.
“One of the reasons we brought Dave on was because Luis wanted him,’’ Alderson said of Jauss, who previously served as Jerry Manuel’s bench coach in 2010. “Louie has known him a long time.”
The Mets are hoping that relationship pays dividends in the dugout in 2021.
Porter said he’s spoken with Rojas since taking the job, but has yet to meet him. Rojas is currently in the Dominican Republic.
“We had a good conversation,’’ Porter said. “He’s energized.”
Porter added he’s yet to talk to any of the Mets’ current players, but plans to do so in the near future.
And he praised two of the organization’s top young players in Dom Smith and Pete Alonso.
Of Smith, Porter noted his “defensive versatility” and he called Alonso “one of the best first basemen in baseball. … It’s a huge plus to have both those guys on the team.’’
How they fit on the roster with the uncertainty regarding the universal DH is up in the air. Asked about that uncertainty heading into next season, Porter said teams have to be “flexible” and “prepared for multiple outcomes.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Biden says ‘Democracy prevailed’ hours after Electoral College vote

Joe Biden told Americans that “ Democracy prevailed ” in a prime-time speech on Monday , as he criticized President Trump ’ s attempts to undermine the results of the 2020 race .
The president-elect — who gave his most forceful attack on Trump ’ s post-election tactics to date — cleared his throat throughout the address , delivered hours after the Electoral College solidified his victory .
“ Once again in America , the rule of law , our Constitution and the will of the people prevailed , ” Biden said from his home of Wilmington , Delaware .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , threatened — proved to be resilient , true and strong.
” With a record turnout of more than 155 million , the election “ should be celebrated , not attacked , ” Biden said .
“ The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago .
And we now know that nothing — not even a pandemic or an abuse of power — can extinguish that flame.
” The Democrat suggested that his Electoral College win of 306 — two more than Trump ’ s in 2016 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should finally accept his own defeat in this year ’ s election .
“ At the time , President Trump called the Electoral College tally a landslide .
By his own standards , these numbers represented a clear victory then , ” Biden said , “ and I respectfully suggest they do so now.
” The president-elect noted the “ dozens and dozens and dozens of legal challenges ” brought by the Trump campaign , saying : “ They were heard .
And they were found to be without merit.
” “ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it was fair , ” Biden said .
He specifically called out a lawsuit from Texas — struck down by the US Supreme Court on Friday — that had sought to overturn the certified votes of four swing states Biden won .
“ It ’ s a position so extreme we ’ ve never seen it before , ” Biden said .
“ A position that refused to respect the will of the people , refused to respect the rule of law , and refused to honor our Constitution.
” He added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signal to President Trump and his allies that they would be no part of this unprecedented assault on our democracy.
” Biden also praised state and local officials and election workers for standing by the results despite facing political pressure and threats .
“ We owe these public servants a debt of gratitude .
They didn ’ t seek the spotlight , and our democracy survived because of them , ” he said .
Biden ended the speech on a unifying note , vowing once again to be “ a president for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different places and hold different beliefs , but we share a love for this country .
A belief in its limitless possibilities , ” he said .
The US has “ always set the example for the world for the peaceful transition of power , ” Biden added , “ We will do so again .
”

Joe Biden told Americans that “Democracy prevailed” in a prime-time speech on Monday, as he criticized President Trump’s attempts to challenge the results of the 2020 race.
The president-elect — who gave his most forceful attack on Trump’s post-election tactics to date — repeatedly cleared his throat throughout the address, delivered hours after the Electoral College solidified his victory.
“Once again in America, the rule of law, our Constitution and the will of the people prevailed,” Biden said from his home of Wilmington, Delaware.
“Our democracy — pushed, tested, threatened — proved to be resilient, true and strong.”
With a record turnout of more than 155 million, the election “should be celebrated, not attacked,” Biden said.
“The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago. And we now know that nothing — not even a pandemic or an abuse of power — can extinguish that flame.”
The Democrat suggested that his Electoral College win of 306 — two more than Trump’s in 2016 — is a signal that his Republican opponent should finally accept his own defeat in this year’s election.
“At the time, President Trump called the Electoral College tally a landslide. By his own standards, these numbers represented a clear victory then,” Biden said, “and I respectfully suggest they do so now.”
The president-elect noted the “dozens and dozens and dozens of legal challenges” brought by the Trump campaign, saying: “They were heard. And they were found to be without merit.”
“This election was honest. It was free and it was fair,” Biden said.
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
He specifically called out a lawsuit from Texas — struck down by the US Supreme Court on Friday — that had sought to overturn the certified votes of four swing states Biden won.
“It’s a position so extreme we’ve never seen it before,” Biden said. “A position that refused to respect the will of the people, refused to respect the rule of law, and refused to honor our Constitution.”
He added: “The Court sent a clear signal to President Trump and his allies that they would be no part of this unprecedented assault on our democracy.”
Biden also praised state and local officials and election workers for standing by the results despite facing political pressure and threats.
“We owe these public servants a debt of gratitude. They didn’t seek the spotlight, and our democracy survived because of them,” he said.
Biden ended the speech on a unifying note, vowing once again to be “a president for all Americans.”
“We may come from different places and hold different beliefs, but we share a love for this country. A belief in its limitless possibilities,” he said.
The US has “always set the example for the world for the peaceful transition of power,” Biden added, “We will do so again.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Dasha Zhukova, Stavros Niarchos expecting first child together

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens @ @ @ @ @ to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Dasha Zhukova and Stavros Niarchos @ @ @ @ @ together , sources exclusively tell Page Six .
The couple celebrated their nuptials in January @ @ @ @ @ reported , in front of 300 guests .
They got engaged last July and had @ @ @ @ @ for family that October .
Pals tell us that the pair is thrilled about the @ @ @ @ @ Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich amicably split in 2017 after 10 years together and two @ @

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
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Dasha Zhukova and Stavros Niarchos are expecting their first child together, sources exclusively tell Page Six.
The couple celebrated their nuptials in January in St. Moritz, we reported, in front of 300 guests.
They got engaged last July and had a small ceremony in Paris for family that October.
Pals tell us that the pair is thrilled about the happy news.
Zhukova and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich amicably split in 2017 after 10 years together and two kids.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--RJ Barrett’s promising Knicks glimpse comes with caveat

For the last week , RJ Barrett has partnered during the ...

After missing his first six shots of the preseason, RJ Barrett put up dynamic scoring numbers in Detroit — 15 in the opener Friday, 25 on Sunday.
The 20-year-old is still not hitting his 3-pointer, but Barrett has begun his second season attacking, banging in mid-range jumpers and playing with pace. His rookie season was something of an inefficient mixed bag, though it was still shocking the third overall pick wasn’t selected to one of the league’s two all-rookie teams.
“It’s a little slower, a little more comfortable, knowing what to expect a little more,’’ Barrett said after Sunday’s 99-91 loss. “You know how certain teams and coaches, what their schemes will be. I’m just getting more comfortable.’’
But not comfortable enough to eliminate turnovers. Barrett had four to go along with his 25-point night. He raised the subject on Zoom — a good sign. Barrett also had two turnovers in the opener. It’s not all about his points.
“I need to do a lot better job,’’ Barrett said. “My teammates are ahead of me in great positions. I [have] got to do a better job getting it to them. I had too many turnovers. That kills the team. I’m just trying to get back to film again to help my teammates more.”
Barrett was also 1 of 5 from 3-point range Sunday after going 0-for-4 in the preseason opener. Last season, Barrett shot a subpar 32 percent from 3-point land and now is 1-for-9.
“I’m not worried about it,’’ Barrett said. “I just got to play basketball. If the shot is there, take it. I’m trying to make the right reads and right play.’’
Barrett’s 25-point night was also hurt late in the contest after Nerlens Noel made a terrific steal and fed it ahead for Barrett, who blew the breakaway layup in a clutch moment that would’ve cut the deficit to two points with 4:30 left. Instead, it was the beginning of the end for the Knicks.
“I want to make the right plays,’’ Barrett said. “I’m watching a lot of film [in which I’m] having too many turnovers. I want to make the right play so the team can be successful. It doesn’t matter if I score, get a hockey assist or assist, it doesn’t matter.’’
New free-agent signee Alec Burks, who earned a starting role Sunday as one of the few 3-point marksman on the squad, said he can’t wait to play at the Garden as a Knick. They host the Cavaliers on Wednesday and Friday to close out a preseason without fans.
“I’m excited. The rest of my teammates are excited,’’ Burks said. “I love playing at the Garden. To be a Knick, it’s just going to be amazing, fans or not fans. I can’t wait for the moment.’’
When the Knicks were on the road, they weren’t allowed to leave their hotel under NBA protocols.
“I was in the bubble,’’ said Burks, who finished last season with the Sixers. “I was kind of used it. It was an adjustment to players not in the bubble. Stay around teammates and staff and don’t go to places you’re not supposed to be at.’’


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart’ on HBO, A Visually Rich Ode To

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart’ on HBO, A Visually Rich Ode To The Pop Music Lifers

Now on HBO , The Bee Gees : How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is a terrifically rewarding journey through the rise , fall , and disco-fueled rise again of the Brothers Gibb .
THE BEE GEES : HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT ?
The Gist : The pop music journey of Barry , Robin , and Maurice Gibb has been a tumultuous one , and How Can You Mend A Broken Heart puts it all on the table .
They broke loose in 1967 , alongside the British Invasion and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ churned out a string of hit singles based around the formula of their immaculate three-part harmonies and knack for earworm pop melodies .
Even by then , the brothers Gibb had been singing professionally for years , mostly in Australia where their father had hustled to find them gigs .
With the advent of pop stardom , and the pressure to keep up with the music industry demand for more more more , the Bee Gees ’ career began to swing on a pendulum , back and forth between high profile hits and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they broke up in 1970 , but by 1971 had their first US # 1 in the ballad “ How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.
” It was a wild ride , and that pressurized environment exacerbated the perpetual push-pull at the heart of the group , which was the tussle between Robin and Barry to be king of the mountain .
Maurice , always in the middle , did his best to be George Harrison and mediate between the two would-be frontmen .
The documentary utilizes the talking head format pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ archival ones with Robin and Maurice ( who have both passed away ) tell the story of the group ’ s undulating career arc , and their backing band and various record producers fill in the margins .
Present too are observations from Nick Jonas about the nature of singing in a brotherly band , Eric Clapton on the joys of recording a record in 1970s Miami , and Chris Martin , commenting on how backlash is inevitable when you ’ re the biggest thing going .
As it turns out , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career hit like a hurricane right when they really needed it .
While they had explored funk-adjacent sounds and soul melodies on earlier 1970s records , it was the demos they recorded for a little movie their manager was backing called Saturday Night Fever that inserted them into disco ’ s bloodstream .
And disco was an animal .
But the Bee Gees ’ relationship with disco is torturous .
On one hand , it revitalized their career ( again ) , emerging fully formed and funded-up just as they were searching for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other hand , it saddled them with being the face and voice of the genre as it reached new zeniths of popularity .
Nothing that burns as hot as the disco sun did can sustain itself forever , and when disco ’ s star collapsed , it took Barry , Robin and Maurice down , too .
What Movies Will It Remind You Of ?
The 2013 film The Secret Disco Revolution takes a revealing look at the genre ’ s roots , and includes a wealth of interviews with disco scene heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Top : That Little Ol ’ Band From Texas profiles a much different band , but one with a similarly lengthy and storied 50-year career .
And the Academy Award-winning 2013 documentary 20 Feet From Stardom was a great look at the music industry from the perspective of backup singers .
Performance Worth Watching : Barry Gibb ’ s feathered hair is a marvel .
It makes one disoriented .
You wish to dive in .
It ’ s like looking at a Degas and getting lost in the subtleties of the brush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justin Timberlake , Barry Gibb ’ s voice is the “ Human embodiment of a brass section.
” Sex and Skin : None .
Lots of chest hair , though .
Our Take : As the only surviving Gibb brother , Barry , now 74 and living in Miami , his hair thinning but still rock star long , becomes the emotional center of How Can You Mend a Broken Heart .
The Gibbs were very close .
Despite his rivalry with Robin , Barry says he ’ d give it all up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the fame , if he could only have Robin back .
That sincerity infuses a nice undercurrent of personal history into a doc that on its surface is very much about the mechanics of stardom , and its wealth of 1960s and 70s footage is terrific .
Like the best music documentaries , once you ’ re hooked on the storyline , every little detail is another morsel from the era .
Rollicking through the British Invasion , the excess of the early 1970s , and the heady joy of disco , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is informative and emotional .
Of particular interest to Bee Gees heads and music fans in general will be the absolutely fascinating studio breakdowns of the stone-cold classics from the band ’ s catalog , iconic songs such as “ Jive Talkin ' ” ( Barry explains how the rhythms of driving across a steel bridge informed its percolating beat ) , the sumptuous keyboards of “ How Deep Is Your Love , ” and the studio experiments with looping and sampling that led to the inescapable , titanic grooves of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Couple all of that with vintage footage of radio stations at work , including the legend Casey Kasem , and How Can You Mend a Broken Heart becomes a meta indulgence not just in the Bee Gees themselves , but in the look and feel of an entire era , and how music was made , played , and promoted .
It ’ s engrossing .
Our Call : STREAM IT .
The Bee Gees : How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is an informative , revealing look at the interpersonal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest pop music groups of the 20th century .
Come for the music and interviews .
Stay for the feathered hair and satin jackets .
Johnny Loftus is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland .
His work has appeared in The Village Voice , All Music Guide , Pitchfork Media , and Nicki Swift .
Follow him on Twitter : @ glennganges Watch The Bee Gees : How Can You Mend A Broken Heart on HBO Max Watch The Bee Gees : How Can You Mend A Broken Heart @ @ @

Now on HBO, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is a terrifically rewarding journey through the rise, fall, and disco-fueled rise again of the Brothers Gibb.
THE BEE GEES: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
The Gist: The pop music journey of Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb has been a tumultuous one, and How Can You Mend A Broken Heart puts it all on the table. They broke loose in 1967, alongside the British Invasion and the Beatles’ worldwide takeover, and churned out a string of hit singles based around the formula of their immaculate three-part harmonies and knack for earworm pop melodies. Even by then, the brothers Gibb had been singing professionally for years, mostly in Australia where their father had hustled to find them gigs. With the advent of pop stardom, and the pressure to keep up with the music industry demand for more more more, the Bee Gees’ career began to swing on a pendulum, back and forth between high profile hits and slumming for work. For example, they broke up in 1970, but by 1971 had their first US #1 in the ballad “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.” It was a wild ride, and that pressurized environment exacerbated the perpetual push-pull at the heart of the group, which was the tussle between Robin and Barry to be king of the mountain. Maurice, always in the middle, did his best to be George Harrison and mediate between the two would-be frontmen.
The documentary utilizes the talking head format pretty heavily. Contemporary interviews with Barry and archival ones with Robin and Maurice (who have both passed away) tell the story of the group’s undulating career arc, and their backing band and various record producers fill in the margins. Present too are observations from Nick Jonas about the nature of singing in a brotherly band, Eric Clapton on the joys of recording a record in 1970s Miami, and Chris Martin, commenting on how backlash is inevitable when you’re the biggest thing going.
As it turns out, the biggest undulation of the Bee Gees’ career hit like a hurricane right when they really needed it. While they had explored funk-adjacent sounds and soul melodies on earlier 1970s records, it was the demos they recorded for a little movie their manager was backing called Saturday Night Fever that inserted them into disco’s bloodstream. And disco was an animal. But the Bee Gees’ relationship with disco is torturous. On one hand, it revitalized their career (again), emerging fully formed and funded-up just as they were searching for a new stylistic direction. On the other hand, it saddled them with being the face and voice of the genre as it reached new zeniths of popularity. Nothing that burns as hot as the disco sun did can sustain itself forever, and when disco’s star collapsed, it took Barry, Robin and Maurice down, too.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of? The 2013 film The Secret Disco Revolution takes a revealing look at the genre’s roots, and includes a wealth of interviews with disco scene heavy hitters. The recent Netflix doc ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band From Texas profiles a much different band, but one with a similarly lengthy and storied 50-year career. And the Academy Award-winning 2013 documentary 20 Feet From Stardom was a great look at the music industry from the perspective of backup singers.
Performance Worth Watching: Barry Gibb’s feathered hair is a marvel. It makes one disoriented. You wish to dive in. It’s like looking at a Degas and getting lost in the subtleties of the brush work.
Memorable Dialogue: According to Justin Timberlake, Barry Gibb’s voice is the “Human embodiment of a brass section.”
Sex and Skin: None. Lots of chest hair, though.
Our Take: As the only surviving Gibb brother, Barry, now 74 and living in Miami, his hair thinning but still rock star long, becomes the emotional center of How Can You Mend a Broken Heart. The Gibbs were very close. Despite his rivalry with Robin, Barry says he’d give it all up, the hit singles and the money and the fame, if he could only have Robin back. That sincerity infuses a nice undercurrent of personal history into a doc that on its surface is very much about the mechanics of stardom, and its wealth of 1960s and 70s footage is terrific. Like the best music documentaries, once you’re hooked on the storyline, every little detail is another morsel from the era. Rollicking through the British Invasion, the excess of the early 1970s, and the heady joy of disco, Broken Heart is as visually rich as it is informative and emotional.
Of particular interest to Bee Gees heads and music fans in general will be the absolutely fascinating studio breakdowns of the stone-cold classics from the band’s catalog, iconic songs such as “Jive Talkin'” (Barry explains how the rhythms of driving across a steel bridge informed its percolating beat), the sumptuous keyboards of “How Deep Is Your Love,” and the studio experiments with looping and sampling that led to the inescapable, titanic grooves of “Night Fever” and “Staying Alive.” Couple all of that with vintage footage of radio stations at work, including the legend Casey Kasem, and How Can You Mend a Broken Heart becomes a meta indulgence not just in the Bee Gees themselves, but in the look and feel of an entire era, and how music was made, played, and promoted. It’s engrossing.
Our Call: STREAM IT. The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart is an informative, revealing look at the interpersonal dynamic at work inside one of the biggest pop music groups of the 20th century. Come for the music and interviews. Stay for the feathered hair and satin jackets.
Johnny Loftus is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift. Follow him on Twitter: @glennganges
Watch The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart on HBO Max
Watch The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart on HBO Now


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Amy Schumer and more celebs help out local restaurants

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) A-List celebs are helping restaurants stay afloat during the pandemic — and feeding those in need at the same time .
They ’ re working with the Plating Change program — set up by the “ Profit ” host Marcus Lemonis — which does double duty by helping struggling restaurants make money by paying them to cook for people who don ’ t have enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and other stars picked their favorite mom-and-pop eatery , then Zoomed the owners with Lemonis to place orders of up to $ 40,000 .
The meals are set to be given out in the community through charities and shelters .
Schumer chose Brooklyn restaurant Emma ’ s Torch — which helps provide refugees with culinary training — with the program purchasing 3,000 meals for $ 30,000 for those in need .
“ My quarantine diet is over , ” Schumer joked about buying that much food .
Matthew McConaughey chose Mr. Catfish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , with the program giving $ 40,000 .
Of that , $ 2,000 is earmarked specifically to help the staff .
Others participating include A-Rod , who chose Sanguich in Miami ; Williams , who picked Eddie ’ s Chesapeake Bay Crabhouse in Norfolk , Virginia ; and Kristen Bell , who chose Kismet in LA .
Donations can be made on Lemonis ’ website , World Central Kitchen and by donating your change on order through Grubhub .

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A-List celebs are helping restaurants stay afloat during the pandemic — and feeding those in need at the same time.
They’re working with the Plating Change program — set up by the “Profit” host Marcus Lemonis — which does double duty by helping struggling restaurants make money by paying them to cook for people who don’t have enough food.
Amy Schumer, Pharrell Williams, and other stars picked their favorite mom-and-pop eatery, then Zoomed the owners with Lemonis to place orders of up to $40,000. The meals are set to be given out in the community through charities and shelters.
Schumer chose Brooklyn restaurant Emma’s Torch — which helps provide refugees with culinary training — with the program purchasing 3,000 meals for $30,000 for those in need. “My quarantine diet is over,” Schumer joked about buying that much food.
Matthew McConaughey chose Mr. Catfish in Texas, where he used to work, with the program giving $40,000. Of that, $2,000 is earmarked specifically to help the staff.
Others participating include A-Rod, who chose Sanguich in Miami; Williams, who picked Eddie’s Chesapeake Bay Crabhouse in Norfolk, Virginia; and Kristen Bell, who chose Kismet in LA.
Donations can be made on Lemonis’ website, World Central Kitchen and by donating your change on order through Grubhub.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Ann Reinking, Tony winner and star of Broadway’s ‘Chicago,’ dead at 71

If there is one thing that the Hunter Biden laptop ...

Ann Reinking, a Tony Award-winning actress and star of Broadway’s “Chicago,” died Saturday night, reports Variety. She was 71.
“The world and our family have lost a vibrant, amazing talent and beautiful soul. Ann was the heart of our family and the life of the party,” her family said in a statement to Variety on Monday. “She was visiting our brother in Washington state when she went to sleep and never woke up. We will miss her more than we can say. Heaven has the best choreographer available now. I’m sure they are dancing up a storm up there! Annie, we will love and miss you always!!!”
Dancer and choreographer Christopher Dean also memorialized the Broadway legend in a Facebook post. “The lights on Broadway are forever more dim this morning and there is one less star in the sky,” he wrote Monday. “The good news is that heaven has the very best choreographer on earth now.”
The Seattle native got her start in acting in 1965 in a Seattle Opera House production of “Bye Bye Birdie.” Reinking, who was also a dancer and choreographer, first graced the Broadway stage in 1969 when she was cast in the ensemble of “Cabaret.”
However, Reinking was best known for her role as Roxie Hart in “Chicago” when she replaced Gwen Verdon in 1977. She played the part again in 1996 when the Broadway hit was revived, and she won the Tony Award for Best Choreography for the revival.
Ann Reinking in 2018. Getty Images
Of course, Reinking had deep ties to Bob Fosse, who choreographed the original “Chicago” production and was his rumored lover. She can be seen in “All That Jazz,” a 1979 film about the legend, and she co-created, co-directed and co-choreographed the musical “Fosse,” a revue of his work, which earned her an Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer.
Actress Ann Reinking and director Bob Fosse Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Margaret Qualley, Andie MacDowell’s daughter, played Reinking in the 2019 “Fosse/Verdon” limited series on FX.
Over the years, she also graced the Great White Way in “Annie,” “Sweet Charity,” “Over Here!” and “Goodtime Charley.” Her last time on the stage was in 2001 as a replacement ensemble member in “Fosse.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Woman killed picking up friend’s daughter from ‘controlling’ boyfriend, report says

A mother of two young children was fatally stabbed Friday night by a 17-year-old male in Syracuse , a report said .
Franchelli Almonte , 36 , was attempting to pick up her friend ’ s daughter as a favor when the girl ’ s teen boyfriend attacked her , Syracuse.com reported , citing a friend and police .
The girlfriend ’ s mom –Almonte ’ s friend — went along for the ride .
“ All she was doing was giving her friend a ride , ” Amy Larrieux told the news outlet , referring to her Almonte — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a son , 11 .
When Almonte and her friend arrived , the boyfriend was reportedly refusing to let his girlfriend leave .
He tossed a brick at Almonte ’ s car when his girlfriend managed to enter the vehicle .
He then targeted Almonte , stabbing her as she tried to defend herself with a stick she kept inside her car for protection .
Almonte drove away after being stabbed , but stopped the car less than a mile from the scene and lost consciousness , the report said .
Police have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Larrieux , another friend of Almonte , said the boyfriend was “ controlling ” and “ disrespectful ” during his three-year relationship with the girl .

A mother of two young children was fatally stabbed Friday night by a 17-year-old male in Syracuse, a report said.
Franchelli Almonte, 36, was attempting to pick up her friend’s daughter as a favor when the girl’s teen boyfriend attacked her, Syracuse.com reported, citing a friend and police.
The girlfriend’s mom — Almonte’s friend — went along for the ride.
“All she was doing was giving her friend a ride,” Amy Larrieux told the news outlet, referring to Almonte — the mother of a 7-year-old daughter and a son, 11.
When Almonte and her friend arrived, the boyfriend was reportedly refusing to let his girlfriend leave. He tossed a brick at Almonte’s car when his girlfriend managed to enter the vehicle.
He then targeted Almonte, stabbing her as she tried to defend herself with a stick she kept inside her car for protection.
Almonte drove away after being stabbed, but stopped the car less than a mile from the scene and lost consciousness, the report said.
Police have made no arrests in the fatal stabbing.
Larrieux, another friend of Almonte, said the boyfriend was “controlling” and “disrespectful” during his three-year relationship with the girl.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Biden can’t ignore Hong Kong and other commentary

Team Trump was quick to speak up for the “ brave freedom fighters ” in Hong Kong , and as China continues to punish and arrest its dissidents , The Wall Street Journal editorial board hopes “ the Biden crowd ” remembers “ it ’ s important that the world not forget ” the opposition .
The arrest of pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai , among other repressive steps , is part of Beijing ’ s “ ferocious effort to stop all criticism — at home and abroad.
” President Trump “ called out these tactics , ” but now “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drop all of this in return for a climate deal.
” Still , it ’ s a good sign that soon-to-be National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan tweeted that he is ready “ to help those persecuted find safe haven.
” How about green cards for the lot of them ?
Big Tech censorship has newly awakened many conservatives to the dangers of corporate dominance .
Yet , Oliver Bateman and Malcom Kyeyune argue at American Greatness , “ what we see in the West today is not a project aimed at censoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse than that : The ultimate aim is “ insulating the elites from the opinions and complaints of the growing mass of plebs , rendering them ‘ untouchable.
’ ” That ’ s an “ extraordinarily dangerous development , ” since it breaks the feedback loop between power and populace .
“ An elite class insulated from the signals coming from the rest of the society is as dangerous as an athlete who can no longer feel pain : because pain signals are the body ’ s way of telling us that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or kill ourselves.
” Forget climate change — the “ greatest threat ” to humanity is “ too few people ” having offspring who will produce ideas that make the world more “ hospitable , ” warns Glenn Stanton at Quillette .
A major study this year predicts that “ the world ’ s population shortfall will be markedly more dramatic and sooner than anticipated.
” Population growth is largely responsible for economic growth , because more people lead to more life-sustaining technological advances .
“ Death happens , ” Stanton argues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” — which is why current “ progressive thought ” is contrary to growth .
The correct progressive prescription : “ Be fruitful and multiply.
” From the right : Shame on the Media News that Hunter Biden “ is under federal investigation for his financial dealings in foreign countries , ” notes RealClearPolitics ’ Mark Hemingway , “ shouldn ’ t have been surprising.
” But then , “ the media steadfastly refused to cover ” and Big Tech censored the story weeks before the election — “ though neither Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of e-mails obtained by The Post .
The story was “ damning enough ” that reporters “ should have demanded Joe and Hunter answer a slew of pointed questions.
” Instead , “ they immediately asserted ” The Post story “ was part of a ‘ Russian disinformation campaign.
’ ” The “ media suppression ” may “ have helped Joe Biden win , ” setting a “ chilling ” precedent for the press to “ actively censor legitimate reporting ” on public graft ahead of a national vote .
Conservative : How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hackers have penetrated the Treasury and Commerce departments ’ e-mail systems reminds National Review ’ s Jim Geraghty that the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , which is supposed to handle such issues , has seen “ a lot of turnover .
.
.
since the election.
” President Trump fired its chief , Christopher Krebs , Nov. 17 “ after Krebs publicly declared that the election systems were secure and that there was no evidence ” anyone “ had changed votes from Trump to Biden.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for other issues .
DHS itself “ has an acting secretary , an acting deputy secretary , an acting chief of staff ” and several other top “ acting ” officials .
“ No one whose duties don ’ t specifically involve cybersecurity cares about the topic until something goes wrong .
But the way you prevent something going wrong is to care about it before something goes wrong.
” With the president otherwise obsessed , “ everything else .
.
.
is way down on the priority list and easily ignored .
@

Foreign desk: Joe Can’t Ignore Hong Kong
Team Trump was quick to speak up for the “brave freedom fighters” in Hong Kong, and as China continues to punish and arrest its dissidents, The Wall Street Journal editorial board hopes “the Biden crowd” remembers “it’s important that the world not forget” the opposition. The arrest of pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai, among other repressive steps, is part of Beijing’s “ferocious effort to stop all criticism — at home and abroad.” President Trump “called out these tactics,” but now “China will be lobbying the Biden team to drop all of this in return for a climate deal.” Still, it’s a good sign that soon-to-be National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan tweeted that he is ready “to help those persecuted find safe haven.” How about green cards for the lot of them?
What Corporate Censors Want
Big Tech censorship has newly awakened many conservatives to the dangers of corporate dominance. Yet, Oliver Bateman and Malcom Kyeyune argue at American Greatness, “what we see in the West today is not a project aimed at censoring conservative ideas.” It’s much worse than that: The ultimate aim is “insulating the elites from the opinions and complaints of the growing mass of plebs, rendering them ‘untouchable.’ ” That’s an “extraordinarily dangerous development,” since it breaks the feedback loop between power and populace. “An elite class insulated from the signals coming from the rest of the society is as dangerous as an athlete who can no longer feel pain: because pain signals are the body’s way of telling us that we should stop doing something before we hurt or kill ourselves.”
Fertility watch: How To Save Humankind
Forget climate change — the “greatest threat” to humanity is “too few people” having offspring who will produce ideas that make the world more “hospitable,” warns Glenn Stanton at Quillette. A major study this year predicts that “the world’s population shortfall will be markedly more dramatic and sooner than anticipated.” Population growth is largely responsible for economic growth, because more people lead to more life-sustaining technological advances. “Death happens,” Stanton argues, “when competing ideas are shut down” — which is why current “progressive thought” is contrary to growth. The correct progressive prescription: “Be fruitful and multiply.”
From the right: Shame on the Media
News that Hunter Biden “is under federal investigation for his financial dealings in foreign countries,” notes RealClearPolitics’ Mark Hemingway, “shouldn’t have been surprising.” But then, “the media steadfastly refused to cover” and Big Tech censored the story weeks before the election — “though neither Joe Biden nor his campaign disputed the authenticity” of e-mails obtained by The Post. The story was “damning enough” that reporters “should have demanded Joe and Hunter answer a slew of pointed questions.” Instead, “they immediately asserted” The Post story “was part of a ‘Russian disinformation campaign.’ ” The “media suppression” may “have helped Joe Biden win,” setting a “chilling” precedent for the press to “actively censor legitimate reporting” on public graft ahead of a national vote.
Conservative: How Not To Prevent Hacking
News that Russian hackers have penetrated the Treasury and Commerce departments’ e-mail systems reminds National Review’s Jim Geraghty that the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is supposed to handle such issues, has seen “a lot of turnover . . . since the election.” President Trump fired its chief, Christopher Krebs, Nov. 17 “after Krebs publicly declared that the election systems were secure and that there was no evidence” anyone “had changed votes from Trump to Biden.” His No. 2 was forced out for other issues. DHS itself “has an acting secretary, an acting deputy secretary, an acting chief of staff” and several other top “acting” officials. “No one whose duties don’t specifically involve cybersecurity cares about the topic until something goes wrong. But the way you prevent something going wrong is to care about it before something goes wrong.” With the president otherwise obsessed, “everything else . . . is way down on the priority list and easily ignored.”
— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--US intel veterans lied about ‘Russian plot’ — and the media bought it hook, line and sinker

A subpoena issued to Hunter Biden seeks information about his ...

If there is one thing that the Hunter Biden laptop episode has proved, it is that former directors of the CIA aren’t as adept at evaluating evidence as advertised.
Five former directors or acting directors of the CIA signed a letter asserting that the laptop, first reported by this newspaper in the weeks before the election, “has all the hallmarks of Russian information operation.”
More than 50 former senior intel officials, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, signed the letter, which was used by the Biden campaign and the media to discredit the damning e-mails about Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
The signatories should have thought better of their missive when they felt compelled to include the line, “We want to emphasize that we do not know if the e-mails, provided to the New York Post by President Trump’s personal attorney, are genuine or not, and that we do not have evidence of Russian involvement.”
That also should have tipped off reporters to the fact that the letter was rank speculation masquerading as informed analysis. But true to form, they happily ran with it instead.
In a complete reversal from the Cold War era, journalists in the Trump years have not only reflexively believed representations from national-security professionals about nefarious Russian plots, they have actively sought them out and promoted them.
In this case, it was former US intelligence officials who were spreading disinformation in an attempt to mislead the American public about a consequential matter touching on the front runner in an American presidential campaign. The call came from inside the house.
Anyone believing the officials, who used their past titles and long experience to lend credibility to their letter, would have been shocked to learn last week that Hunter Biden is under federal investigation for tax crimes.
According to news reports, the laptop hasn’t advanced the investigation, but the feds have looked at it, and there’s no indication that it’s foreign disinfo.
The provenance of the laptop wasn’t, to paraphrase Winston Churchill’s famous line about Soviet foreign policy, a puzzle inside a riddle wrapped in an enigma, but as simple as Hunter Biden — not the most careful person — accidentally leaving it at a Wilmington, Del., repair shop.
The idea that the Russians were behind the laptop was always far-fetched. Certainly, no one would ever accuse Rudy Giuliani, who brought the device to light, of being a credible source of information. But if the Russians were behind it, they would have had to fabricate the laptop, drop it off at the repair shop, hoping that the owner would eventually look at it and be alarmed enough to tell someone about its contents — or compromise the repair shop owner and make him a tool in their operation.
This might have been plausible, if we, indeed, have been living in a Russian spy novel for the last five years. We haven’t.
Still, Democrats and the media relentlessly hewed to the Russian disinformation line. Of course, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Adam Schiff spouted it: “We know that this whole smear on Joe Biden comes from the Kremlin.” Biden used it to deflect during a debate with Trump: “There are 50 former national-intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plan[t].” And the press, like Lesley Stahl of “60 Minutes” did in an interview with Trump, insisted that there was absolutely nothing to see here.
We don’t know where the Hunter Biden story ends up. But if he gets indicted, it’s at least going to be a significant distraction for President Biden and raise questions about how much he knew about his son’s sketchy dealings.
This is the kind of story voters should be aware of when choosing a president. And they would have been if there hadn’t, in effect, been an American conspiracy to misinform people, led by former US intelligence officials who shamefully abused the public trust.
Twitter: @RichLowry


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--As vaccines roll out, doubters rush to take credit

“ We ’ re looking to get it by the end of the year if we can , maybe before , ” President Trump said at a May 15 Rose Garden event .
He added on Twitter : “ Vaccine work is looking VERY promising , before end of year.
” CNN analyst Jessica Huseman retweeted his remark , adding : “ Go ahead and flag this tweet for when we do not have that vaccine by the end of the year.
” Many outlets ran stories on how meeting Trump ’ s timeline would require a “ miracle.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Queens critical-care nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first person in the country to receive the vaccine , thanks to Operation Warp Speed .
As we note elsewhere , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo rushed to bask in the glow , after months of sowing seeds of doubt about any “ Trump ” vaccine .
But he wasn ’ t the only one .
In September .
Kamala Harris said of vaccine work : “ There ’ s very little that we can trust that .
.
.
comes out of Donald Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the denial train , too , saying : “ I trust vaccines .
I trust scientists .
But I don ’ t trust Donald Trump .
And at this point , the American people can ’ t , either.
” Now watch Democrats take credit for the hundreds of millions of vaccinations to come , and the miracle that wasn ’ t suppose to happen .

“We’re looking to get it by the end of the year if we can, maybe before,” President Trump said at a May 15 Rose Garden event. He added on Twitter: “Vaccine work is looking VERY promising, before end of year.”
CNN analyst Jessica Huseman retweeted his remark, adding: “Go ahead and flag this tweet for when we do not have that vaccine by the end of the year.” Many outlets ran stories on how meeting Trump’s timeline would require a “miracle.”
Well, on Monday, Dec. 14, Queens critical-care nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first person in the country to receive the vaccine, thanks to Operation Warp Speed.
As we note elsewhere, Gov. Andrew Cuomo rushed to bask in the glow, after months of sowing seeds of doubt about any “Trump” vaccine. But he wasn’t the only one. In September. Kamala Harris said of vaccine work: “There’s very little that we can trust that . . . comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth.”
Joe Biden was on the denial train, too, saying: “I trust vaccines. I trust scientists. But I don’t trust Donald Trump. And at this point, the American people can’t, either.”
Now watch Democrats take credit for the hundreds of millions of vaccinations to come, and the miracle that wasn’t suppose to happen.


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--NYC’s suffering from delusion that you can maintain order without coercion

Raise taxes on the rich , who are already heading for ...

New York is about nothing if not over-the-top drama, and that especially includes the city’s pathologies.
Exhibit A: The Amsterdam Avenue steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Devine about 3:45 p.m. Sunday — when a well-armed, apparently insane career criminal capped a heavily attended public Christmas carol concert by opening fire while shouting, “Kill me! Kill me!” at police, who obliged.
Tragic, yes, but also an amalgam of two of Gotham’s most vexing crises — aggressively expressed public mental illness and uncontrolled gun violence. The result was one undeniably dramatic exit.
Interestingly, if not critically, New York’s political leadership had no comment beyond platitudes — and even then, only because the event attracted so many TV news cameras. Plus, how often does a suicide-by-cop require a reaction from the head of the Episcopal Diocese of New York?
The sad fact is that the threat of lethal violence hangs over far too many New Yorkers, whose leaders pretend as if it’s all an act of God, rather than the entirely predictable result of a shameful loss of official will.
Gotham’s weekend butcher’s bill included a spate of shootings in Brooklyn. Last week, the illegal-gun victim list was at a 14-year high; an old man in a nursing home was hit by a stray bullet, and a FedEx driver was shot at in Brooklyn. Nobody, for a change, had been shoved onto subway tracks, but everybody who stands on a platform worries about that, or should.
So the issue as New York enters a mayoral-election year isn’t that there is a public-safety problem in the city — that much is clear — but that nobody seeking to succeed Bill de Blasio is willing to do anything about it.
Or even to talk about it, let alone to acknowledge that there is a role for coercion in the maintenance of public order.
Indeed, it’s a little astonishing that this is even an issue, let alone a point of discussion, but civic tranquility depends upon restraint of the dangerously mentally ill; on the imposition of order on a city’s vagrant-packed public spaces and, most especially, on vigorous garden-variety policing.
As New York discovered almost two generations ago, paying attention to the petty offenses pays big dividends. Life-preserving dividends.
But while next year’s mayoral race is coming to resemble a cavalry charge, not one of the candidates is speaking realistically about public safety. If a consensus on the issue is forming, it’s that Rudy Giuliani’s approach to crime — kinetic contact — was too mean. Mike Bloomberg’s strategy — maintenance of effort — lacked humanity. An “enlightened” social-services-led approach is the way to go.
That would be an intensification of the de Blasio strategy, the results of which can be seen most days on the Upper West Side’s vagrant-cluttered Broadway median; in skyrocketing property-crime rates, especially auto theft; and, most tragically of all, in the ballooning gun-violence statistics.
The mayoral field’s two front-runners, city Comptroller Scott Stringer and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, have been around long enough to know better; indeed, Adams is a former cop. But neither has had much good to say about the NYPD. Stringer, in fact, wants to strip tens of millions from the department’s budget.
The others, generally ankle-biters of the sort that appear early in mayoral campaigns when there is no incumbent, are either openly antagonistic to reasonable law enforcement, speak in heavily racialized terms or are otherwise incomprehensible on the subject.
All this reflects startling contempt both for crime victims and for the notion of navigable public spaces. But for better or worse, it does reflect New York’s current political sensibilities.
Albany, after all, was the architect of the bail “reform” debacle that NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea largely blames for the city’s bloody streets. And it now appears that the state’s newly veto-proof Democratic Legislature is poised also to “reform” the parole system — no doubt with the encouragement of Gov. Cuomo, who is always happy to go along when he has no alternative.
Still, empty jails are no antidote to rising crime, just as granting free reign to the aggressively mentally ill won’t cure chaotic, unsafe public spaces.
The public knows this, intuitively. So the mystery is this: Why is there no one in the burgeoning mayoral field willing to say so out loud. One needn’t necessarily win to make a difference — and to make a name, or maybe a career, for one’s self.
New York won’t be insane forever.
Twitter: @RLMac2


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--MeToo double standard: Evidence required when accused is a Democrat

Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is lucky he ’ s a Democrat — otherwise Lindsey Boylan ’ s charge that he “ sexually harassed ” her might lead to political challenges and media shame .
“ Yes , @ NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years .
Many saw it , and watched , ” the former Cuomo aide , now running for Manhattan beep , tweeted .
It ’ s a serious charge , one Cuomo flatly denies .
The details ?
Boylan won ’ t say .
She cites no specific allegations and provides no evidence .
She won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment .
“ I have no interest in talking to journalists , ” she declares .
“ I am about validating the experience of countless women and making sure abuse stops.
” Clearly Boylan thinks it ’ s now OK to level a broadside against a famous man without having to back it up with .
.
.
anything .
But don ’ t blame her : The left often embraces the idea that “ believing the victim ” means skipping things like evidence and context — and what the accused has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on college campuses for years and was the standard they tried to impose at the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings .
Faced with a blanket accusation , Team Cuomo leaked bits of Boylan ’ s work record , undermining her claims .
An internal memo obtained by The Post shows she quit her job with governor after allegations of harassment by her .
But if a Republican leaked such a defense , it would be offered as only more evidence of his willingness to treat women despicably .
You have to regard Boylan ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers no details or back-up and won ’ t even discuss the matter .
But will the left and the media be so skeptical next time it ’ s someone from the political right facing such charges ?

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is lucky he’s a Democrat — otherwise Lindsey Boylan’s charge that he “sexually harassed” her might lead to political challenges and media shame.
“Yes, @NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years. Many saw it, and watched,” the former Cuomo aide, now running for Manhattan beep, tweeted.
It’s a serious charge, one Cuomo flatly denies. The details? Boylan won’t say. She cites no specific allegations and provides no evidence. She won’t even respond to requests for further comment. “I have no interest in talking to journalists,” she declares. “I am about validating the experience of countless women and making sure abuse stops.”
Clearly Boylan thinks it’s now OK to level a broadside against a famous man without having to back it up with . . . anything.
But don’t blame her: The left often embraces the idea that “believing the victim” means skipping things like evidence and context — and what the accused has to say. This has been the default on college campuses for years and was the standard they tried to impose at the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings.
Faced with a blanket accusation, Team Cuomo leaked bits of Boylan’s work record, undermining her claims. An internal memo obtained by The Post shows she quit her job with governor after allegations of harassment by her. But if a Republican leaked such a defense, it would be offered as only more evidence of his willingness to treat women despicably.
You have to regard Boylan’s claims with skepticism, since she offers no details or back-up and won’t even discuss the matter. But will the left and the media be so skeptical next time it’s someone from the political right facing such charges?


newyorkpost--2020-12-14--Jared Porter embracing Steve Cohen’s bold World Series timeline for Mets

The Mets found a lack of access or interest at ...

Jared Porter was part of a Red Sox front office that snapped an 86-year championship drought in his first season in the front office.
And the Cubs ended more than a century of misery with their first title in 108 years after Porter arrived in 2016.
The Mets hope Porter, who was introduced as their new general manager on Monday, can provide the same result in Queens — although this time, he’ll be running the show, rather than working for Theo Epstein.
Porter’s new boss — besides team president Sandy Alderson — owner Steve Cohen has already said he’d be disappointed if the Mets don’t bring home a title in “three-to-five years,” and Porter didn’t shy away from that idea.
“I don’t really want to put numbers or timelines on that,’’ Porter said. “Hearing comments like that motivates me. It really excites me. It shows a strong commitment from ownership that really wants to win. I want those expectations.”
His résumé, which included the stints in Boston and Chicago before Porter spent the last four seasons with the Diamondbacks, is what helped land him the job with the Mets. Alderson said Monday he didn’t know much about Porter other than his previous stops before interviewing him.
“Jared has, in my mind, a vision very close to mine and to that of Steve Cohen, in a variety of different ways,” Alderson said.
Jared Porter Screen grab
Alderson also mentioned how “well-liked” Porter was throughout the game and that “being well-liked goes a long way to being successful in this business.”
The two spoke Monday about bringing in a new “culture” to Queens and utilizing Cohen’s billions not just in free agency, but in building an infrastructure that included improvements in player development, analytics and roster depth.
The team has been aggressive when it comes to mid-tier free agents like Trevor May and James McCann, but it remains to be seen if they go after more expensive prizes like Trevor Bauer and George Springer this offseason.
Alderson warned again the team wouldn’t spend “like drunken sailors,” but wouldn’t rule out signing a player because of the money involved.
“I think what the fans want is not that we win the offseason,” Alderson said, “it’s that we win the season.”
To that end, Porter, 41, stressed “lengthening” the rotation to add to Jacob deGrom — which might take them out of the Trevor Bauer sweepstakes — although he added “never rule anything out.”
Porter also said he valued versatility and being strong up the middle, a notion that might make DJ LeMahieu or center fielder George Springer an intriguing option.
Alderson added they were “trying to be judicious” with how they spent.
And Porter is focused on “a cultural shift.”
“It’s important to create a situation where you’re a hard team to play against,’’ Porter said. “I think that’s something we can attack right away. It’s important to start to build a winning culture.”
They’ll need to add to the coaching staff and Alderson noted that some parts of the free-agent market have moved slowly, so there’s time for them to add more players.
Porter got the GM job after the Mets failed to hire a president of baseball operations, unable to get permission to interview their desired candidates.
With Porter’s arrival, Alderson said he would hand over some of the baseball operations and he looked forward to “many years of connection and collaboration.”
That process started over the weekend when Porter took the job. And the clock is ticking.