newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Mick Jagger and Paul Mescal reveal the Rolling Stones’ drunken ‘Scarlet’ video

The premiere of the Rolling Stones ’ “ Scarlet ” video Thursday on YouTube was preceded by a chat between its sole star , Paul Mescal — currently an Emmy nominee for “ Normal People ” — and a jovial Mick Jagger , who appeared happy to have left the heavy lifting ( or the spontaneous stunt work ) to someone else .
“ You were obviously having so much fun in this empty hotel , ” said Jagger , 77 , referring to the use of the currently unoccupied Claridge ’ s hotel in London as a set for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I thought you were going to kill yourself when you jumped down the stairwell.
” The “ Scarlet ” video is a bit like a more happy-go-lucky — or happy-go-drunky — version of “ The Shining , ” with Mescal left to his own devices in Claridge ’ s to leave lonely voice messages for the title character , drink , pull his bow tie loose , dance , drink some more , draw on the mirror with lipstick , dance and drink further still , and finally collapse with a crash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the pandemic and hotels being closed , the production team could kind of aim big in terms of the location , ” Mescal says , and “ the staff of Claridge ’ s were amazing.
” Room rates will no doubt go up when quarantining is over and Stones- or Mescal-loving tourists ask for the “ drunk-dialing your ex suite.
” “ What do you think of the video itself ?
” Mescal asked at the beginning of the convo with Jagger .
“ And if it ’ s mean things , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefly and then open it back up again.
” Jagger , obviously , signaled his approval .
Mescal and Jagger interviewed each other for a few minutes , with the actor asking the rocker ( or , actually , rocker-actor ) why “ Scarlet ” sat on the shelf for so long .
The track is from an upcoming box set celebrating the Stones ’ 1973 album “ Goats Head Soup , ” and is one of three completely unreleased compositions in the collection .
It ’ s notable for subbing out some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a second guitarist to Keith Richards , and including Rick Grech on bass , in what was clearly intended as a demo .
“ I mean , remember doing it in many versions , ” Jagger said .
“ I remember doing it with lots of different people .
( But ) I don ’ t remember doing this .
And I talked to Jimmy Page and he said , ‘ Oh yeah , I remember doing it .
We sat in Ronnie Wood ’ s recording basement , and it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I remember being there , but that ’ s all.
” Jagger added , as explanation for its nearly 50-year shelving , “ It wasn ’ t really a Rolling Stones record.
” Mescal asked how the lockdown has been for the Stones .
“ I think it ’ s not been too bad , because we were sort of hallway through an album , ” Jagger replied , and we released a song called ‘ Ghost Town ’ that was one of the songs that we were working on that we finished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the middle of doing vocals on some of the other ones , trying to finish those off , and then write some new ones as well .
So it ’ s not so bad for musicians.
” Mescal responded , “ I envy the kind of process that writers have , or maybe musicians .
Because for you I imagine it ’ s got two kind of edges — it ’ s the writing side and then the live gig side — and you ’ ve still got one side that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that our job is totally related to an audience , be that on screen or on stage.
” The conversation included a brief bit of banter about current musical inclinations , with the Stones ’ frontman noting that he had recently done a playlist which included a lot of African music , heavy on the Somalian side , along with listening to “ lots of current pop music to know what ’ s going on now.
” Asked about his music tastes , Mescal did not butter up his host by citing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Predominantly , sad music is my go-to .
Sad indie music would be my general taste.
” “ How much do you think you ’ re like your character Connell in the TV show ?
” Jagger asked .
“ Like , internally , definitely quite different , ” Mescal answered .
“ I think on the surface , in terms of like his trajectory through secondary school and college , probably similar .
But thankfully I ’ m a little bit better at maybe articulating how I feel about a situation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think Connell is incapable of doing .
He can ’ t do it .
He just simply can ’ t say how he feels at any kind of critical moment .
Which is fun to play , but thankfully I don ’ t walk around my life permanently indecisive emotionally.
” Given his ruinous attitude toward his own health and the hotel ’ s in the “ Scarlet ” clip , there ’ s little danger of anyone mistaking Mescal riotousness for reticence at the moment .

The premiere of the Rolling Stones’ “Scarlet” video Thursday on YouTube was preceded by a chat between its sole star, Paul Mescal — currently an Emmy nominee for “Normal People” — and a jovial Mick Jagger, who appeared happy to have left the heavy lifting (or the spontaneous stunt work) to someone else.
“You were obviously having so much fun in this empty hotel,” said Jagger, 77, referring to the use of the currently unoccupied Claridge’s hotel in London as a set for Mescal’s seemingly drunken shenanigans. “I thought you were going to kill yourself when you jumped down the stairwell.”
“So did I,” confessed Mescal, 24.
The “Scarlet” video is a bit like a more happy-go-lucky — or happy-go-drunky — version of “The Shining,” with Mescal left to his own devices in Claridge’s to leave lonely voice messages for the title character, drink, pull his bow tie loose, dance, drink some more, draw on the mirror with lipstick, dance and drink further still, and finally collapse with a crash on the lobby floor.
“Due to the pandemic and hotels being closed, the production team could kind of aim big in terms of the location,” Mescal says, and “the staff of Claridge’s were amazing.” Room rates will no doubt go up when quarantining is over and Stones- or Mescal-loving tourists ask for the “drunk-dialing your ex suite.”
“What do you think of the video itself?” Mescal asked at the beginning of the convo with Jagger. “And if it’s mean things, I’ll just shut the laptop briefly and then open it back up again.” Jagger, obviously, signaled his approval.
Mescal and Jagger interviewed each other for a few minutes, with the actor asking the rocker (or, actually, rocker-actor) why “Scarlet” sat on the shelf for so long. The track is from an upcoming box set celebrating the Stones’ 1973 album “Goats Head Soup,” and is one of three completely unreleased compositions in the collection. It’s notable for subbing out some members of the Stones for Jimmy Page as a second guitarist to Keith Richards, and including Rick Grech on bass, in what was clearly intended as a demo.
“I mean, remember doing it in many versions,” Jagger said. “I remember doing it with lots of different people. (But) I don’t remember doing this. And I talked to Jimmy Page and he said, ‘Oh yeah, I remember doing it. We sat in Ronnie Wood’s recording basement, and it was these people…’ He remembered everything. I remember being there, but that’s all.”
Jagger added, as explanation for its nearly 50-year shelving, “It wasn’t really a Rolling Stones record.”
Mescal asked how the lockdown has been for the Stones.
“I think it’s not been too bad, because we were sort of hallway through an album,” Jagger replied, and we released a song called ‘Ghost Town’ that was one of the songs that we were working on that we finished off. And now I’m in the middle of doing vocals on some of the other ones, trying to finish those off, and then write some new ones as well. So it’s not so bad for musicians.”
Mescal responded, “I envy the kind of process that writers have, or maybe musicians. Because for you I imagine it’s got two kind of edges — it’s the writing side and then the live gig side — and you’ve still got one side that you can work on. Whereas I think that our job is totally related to an audience, be that on screen or on stage.”
The conversation included a brief bit of banter about current musical inclinations, with the Stones’ frontman noting that he had recently done a playlist which included a lot of African music, heavy on the Somalian side, along with listening to “lots of current pop music to know what’s going on now.” Asked about his music tastes, Mescal did not butter up his host by citing the Stones, but answered instead: “Predominantly, sad music is my go-to. Sad indie music would be my general taste.”
“How much do you think you’re like your character Connell in the TV show?” Jagger asked.
“Like, internally, definitely quite different,” Mescal answered. “I think on the surface, in terms of like his trajectory through secondary school and college, probably similar. But thankfully I’m a little bit better at maybe articulating how I feel about a situation that I’m in, which I think Connell is incapable of doing. He can’t do it. He just simply can’t say how he feels at any kind of critical moment. Which is fun to play, but thankfully I don’t walk around my life permanently indecisive emotionally.”
Given his ruinous attitude toward his own health and the hotel’s in the “Scarlet” clip, there’s little danger of anyone mistaking Mescal riotousness for reticence at the moment.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Seth Rogen Almost Smoked Weed With Himself in ‘An American Pickle’

Seth Rogen didn ’ t have a problem tapping into his dramatic side for An American Pickle , which premiered on HBO Max on Thursday .
He did , however , find it slightly more difficult to do so while acting with an earpiece and a tennis ball .
An American Pickle—directed by Brandon Trost , written by Simon Rich , and produced by Rogen and Evan Goldberg—is about a Jewish immigrant who falls into a vat of pickle brine in 1919 in Brooklyn and wakes up 100 years later to a whole new world .
Rogen plays both that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own great-grandson , Ben Greenbaum .
Rogen didn ’ t want to don a fake beard , so he filmed the entirety of Herschel ’ s side of the movie first , shaved , and then went back and read Ben ’ s lines .
This time , he had to respond to his own pre-recorded take .
“ At times , it was incredibly frustrating , ” Rogen admitted in a short phone interview with Decider on Thursday ( August 6 ) afternoon .
Though the plot may sound like a goofy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprisingly serious comedy , especially for Rogen and Goldberg .
Themes include death , heritage , grief , religion , and prayer .
And , for the first time in nearly a decade for the producing duo , the movie is rated PG-13 , rather than R. The 38-year-old star spoke to Decider about that shift , acting with himself , and the weed-smoking scene in An American Pickle that got cut .
DECIDER : Congratulations on the movie , I really loved it .
Are you watching people ’ s reactions roll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : [ Laughs ] I do not have that type of constitution , necessarily .
No .
I peek in .
I read that you filmed all of Herschel ’ s parts first , and then filmed all of Ben ’ s parts with an earpiece .
How did you approach that challenge as an actor ?
It was a challenge .
The actual execution of playing two different roles was not incredibly scary to me .
As an actor , you play a lot of different characters .
Even though I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vastly different characters , in my head , I do .
But the logistical and technical side of executing it was very daunting .
At times , it was incredibly frustrating .
It had to be so precise and so specific , but also have the appearance of being completely effortless and off-the-cuff .
Which it was anything but .
I would get frustrated at myself .
I would watch [ it back ] and see that you can tell I ’ m waiting for this cue .
Or my eye line is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m being a little rigid with my physicality because I ’ m not with another person .
I was hard on myself , as far as really wanting it to come across as naturalistic as possible .
The actual technical side was pretty difficult .
And the most annoying thing is , if we do our job well , it will seem really easy .
[ Laughs . ]
Would you ever take an acting role that relied that heavily on the technical side again , having done it ?
Yeah , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I don ’ t plan on endeavoring in a Klump-esque career path from this point on [ the fictional family played by Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor ] , but I did enjoy the technical side of it .
And honestly , I do enjoy the technical side of filmmaking .
I enjoy precise filmmaking .
Probably because I was brought up in such an imprecise environment when it came to certain elements of filmmaking .
It ’ s fun for me to do that type of thing .
Maybe we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irishman 2 .
The screenwriter , Simon Rich , based the original short story on himself and his own great-grandfather .
How did you work your own family history into playing Ben ?
Our family histories are pretty similar , honestly .
It was more , I think , the themes of grief and how we abandon our religion .
How we might be abandoning things that are helpful to us in moving on .
Becoming happy , functional people .
Those were kind of the themes that I tried to bolster .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dramatic compared to the R-rated stoner comedies that you and Evan Goldberg are known for .
I felt the same way about Long Shot—definitely R-rated , but it felt like a slightly new direction for you .
Is this an intentional shift ?
No , I wouldn ’ t say it ’ s intentional .
It ’ s interesting , we ’ re also making things like Good Boys and Blockers .
By nature , I star and am in a lot of our movies , so therefore , they are about people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get older , the star of our movies is getting older .
Or some of them , at least .
And that ’ s why it is nice to be able to make things like Good Boys , where I ’ m not in them and they don ’ t have to serve my age group in any way , shape , or form , necessarily .
But just as I get older , and we all get older , I think by nature , we try to be true to that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ What we want out of a movie changes and develops .
As we deepen our own emotional wells , I think we look for our films to hopefully do similar things as well .
Some of them , at least .
Not all of them .
But some of them .
Was there any temptation to include a scene in An American Pickle where Ben introduces his great-grandfather to recreational drugs ?
[ Laughs ] There actually was a scene where they smoke weed together .
And it honestly seemed like we just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never shot it .
It was in the script .
But it just seemed like at this point , you know , do people need this ?
Interesting !
Was An American Pickle originally an R-rated comedy then ?
It kind of was an R-rated movie until we started filming it .
Not to say there was anything in it at any point that was like—there were like , maybe little jokes here and there that technically were R-rated .
As we were filming it , we were like , “ I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be R-rated.
” And that is how we approach it .
Some movies want to be R-rated , and some movies don ’ t .
If you ’ re making Sausage Party , it wants to be R-rated .
But this movie , it kind of has this fairy tale vibe to it a little bit .
To that end , our more subversive , edgy jokes didn ’ t feel like they fit in it , necessarily .
There are some nods to Trump in the movie , but Herschel never flat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Ben doesn ’ t try to catch him up on American politics .
Was that left out on purpose ?
Yeah .
Some of our movies we are very firmly trying to anchor in the real world that the audiences live in .
Other movies , not as much .
This was a movie that I think does not 100 percent take place in the real world .
To that end , dating it too specifically was not serving its interest necessarily .
We felt like maybe it wanted to feel a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the time that it ’ s existing in .
Last question : We got an update on Pineapple Express 2 recently , but is there an update on a third Neighbors film ?
I don ’ t think the second film made nearly enough money to warrant a third Neighbors film .
[ Laughs . ]

Seth Rogen didn’t have a problem tapping into his dramatic side for An American Pickle, which premiered on HBO Max on Thursday. He did, however, find it slightly more difficult to do so while acting with an earpiece and a tennis ball.
An American Pickle—directed by Brandon Trost, written by Simon Rich, and produced by Rogen and Evan Goldberg—is about a Jewish immigrant who falls into a vat of pickle brine in 1919 in Brooklyn and wakes up 100 years later to a whole new world. Rogen plays both that immigrant, Herschel Greenbaum, and his own great-grandson, Ben Greenbaum. Rogen didn’t want to don a fake beard, so he filmed the entirety of Herschel’s side of the movie first, shaved, and then went back and read Ben’s lines. This time, he had to respond to his own pre-recorded take.
“At times, it was incredibly frustrating,” Rogen admitted in a short phone interview with Decider on Thursday (August 6) afternoon.
Though the plot may sound like a goofy set-up, An American Pickle is a surprisingly serious comedy, especially for Rogen and Goldberg. Themes include death, heritage, grief, religion, and prayer. And, for the first time in nearly a decade for the producing duo, the movie is rated PG-13, rather than R. The 38-year-old star spoke to Decider about that shift, acting with himself, and the weed-smoking scene in An American Pickle that got cut.
DECIDER: Congratulations on the movie, I really loved it. Are you watching people’s reactions roll in on Twitter today?
SETH ROGEN: [Laughs] I do not have that type of constitution, necessarily. No. I peek in.
That’s probably healthier.
Yeah, exactly.
I read that you filmed all of Herschel’s parts first, and then filmed all of Ben’s parts with an earpiece. How did you approach that challenge as an actor?
It was a challenge. The actual execution of playing two different roles was not incredibly scary to me. As an actor, you play a lot of different characters. Even though I’m not known as someone who plays vastly different characters, in my head, I do. But the logistical and technical side of executing it was very daunting. At times, it was incredibly frustrating. It had to be so precise and so specific, but also have the appearance of being completely effortless and off-the-cuff. Which it was anything but. I would get frustrated at myself. I would watch [it back] and see that you can tell I’m waiting for this cue. Or my eye line is a little funny. Or I’m being a little rigid with my physicality because I’m not with another person. I was hard on myself, as far as really wanting it to come across as naturalistic as possible. The actual technical side was pretty difficult. And the most annoying thing is, if we do our job well, it will seem really easy. [Laughs.]
Would you ever take an acting role that relied that heavily on the technical side again, having done it?
Yeah, for sure, if it was called on. I don’t plan on endeavoring in a Klump-esque career path from this point on [the fictional family played by Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor], but I did enjoy the technical side of it. And honestly, I do enjoy the technical side of filmmaking. I enjoy precise filmmaking. Probably because I was brought up in such an imprecise environment when it came to certain elements of filmmaking. It’s fun for me to do that type of thing.
Maybe we’ll see you de-aged in The Irishman 2.
Exactly. [Laughs.]
The screenwriter, Simon Rich, based the original short story on himself and his own great-grandfather. How did you work your own family history into playing Ben?
Our family histories are pretty similar, honestly. It was more, I think, the themes of grief and how we abandon our religion. How we might be abandoning things that are helpful to us in moving on. Becoming happy, functional people. Those were kind of the themes that I tried to bolster.
An American Pickle feels especially emotional and dramatic compared to the R-rated stoner comedies that you and Evan Goldberg are known for. I felt the same way about Long Shot—definitely R-rated, but it felt like a slightly new direction for you. Is this an intentional shift?
No, I wouldn’t say it’s intentional. It’s interesting, we’re also making things like Good Boys and Blockers. By nature, I star and am in a lot of our movies, so therefore, they are about people that are our age. As I get older, the star of our movies is getting older. Or some of them, at least. And that’s why it is nice to be able to make things like Good Boys, where I’m not in them and they don’t have to serve my age group in any way, shape, or form, necessarily. But just as I get older, and we all get older, I think by nature, we try to be true to that. Our sensibilities change a little bit. What we want out of a movie changes and develops. As we deepen our own emotional wells, I think we look for our films to hopefully do similar things as well. Some of them, at least. Not all of them. But some of them.
Was there any temptation to include a scene in An American Pickle where Ben introduces his great-grandfather to recreational drugs?
[Laughs] There actually was a scene where they smoke weed together. And it honestly seemed like we just didn’t need it. We never shot it. It was in the script. But it just seemed like at this point, you know, do people need this?
Interesting! Was An American Pickle originally an R-rated comedy then?
It kind of was an R-rated movie until we started filming it. Not to say there was anything in it at any point that was like—there were like, maybe little jokes here and there that technically were R-rated. As we were filming it, we were like, “I don’t think this movie wants to be R-rated.” And that is how we approach it. Some movies want to be R-rated, and some movies don’t. If you’re making Sausage Party, it wants to be R-rated. But this movie, it kind of has this fairy tale vibe to it a little bit. To that end, our more subversive, edgy jokes didn’t feel like they fit in it, necessarily.
There are some nods to Trump in the movie, but Herschel never flat out asks who the president is, and Ben doesn’t try to catch him up on American politics. Was that left out on purpose?
Yeah. Some of our movies we are very firmly trying to anchor in the real world that the audiences live in. Other movies, not as much. This was a movie that I think does not 100 percent take place in the real world. To that end, dating it too specifically was not serving its interest necessarily. We felt like maybe it wanted to feel a little more timeless than like: this is the time that it’s existing in.
Last question: We got an update on Pineapple Express 2 recently, but is there an update on a third Neighbors film?
I don’t think the second film made nearly enough money to warrant a third Neighbors film. [Laughs.]
So sad.
It’s okay. We’ll make other movies!
Watch An American Pickle on HBO Max


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Beirut blast probe to consider ‘external interference’: Lebanon president

`` Everything was shaking in a way that I really ca n't ...

Lebanon’s president said Friday the investigation into the massive explosion in Beirut that killed at least 154 people and injured some 5,000 would seek to determine whether a rocket, bomb or other “external interference” had a role in the disaster, according to a report.
“The cause has not been determined yet. There is a possibility of external interference through a rocket or bomb or other act,” President Michel Aoun said in comments carried by local media and confirmed by his office, Reuters reported.
He said the probe was being conducted on three levels. “First, how the explosive material entered and was stored … second, whether the explosion was a result of negligence or an accident … and third, the possibility that there was external interference.”
Aoun previously blamed negligence in the storage of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for years at the capital city’s port.
Meanwhile, the son of an assassinated Lebanese prime minister pointed a finger at the terrorist group Hezbollah, the Daily Mail reported.
“The question we have to ask is how come for six years this combustible material was allowed to remain in the middle of this city of two million people?” Bahaa Hariri, whose father, Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in 2005, said Friday.
“It is crystal clear Hezbollah are in charge of the port and the warehouse where the ammonium nitrate was stored,” he said, adding that nothing goes through the port without them knowing, according to the Daily Mail.
“Their decision to put it there in the middle of a city of two million people was an utter disaster. And now we have a destroyed city center,” he said about city officials, adding that it was inconceivable authorities were unaware the sodium nitrate had been stored in a warehouse at the port.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah promptly denied “preconceived” statements that the Iran-backed group had arms warehoused at the port and called for a thorough investigation into the blast, Reuters reported. I n a televised speech, Nasrallah said the explosion required internal unity and calm, and that it should not be politicized. While the US has said it did not rule out an attack, Israel, which has fought multiple wars with Lebanon, has denied any role in the explosion, Reuters reported.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan also said the cause was unclear, but compared the explosion to the bombing that killed Hariri.
At Beirut’s Mohammad Al-Amin mosque — next to Hariri’s grave — chief cleric Amin Al Kurdi told worshipers Friday that Lebanese leaders bore responsibility, according to Reuters.
“Who is the criminal, who is the killer behind the Beirut explosion?” he said. “Only God can protect, not the corrupt … The army only protects the leaders.”
Rescue workers Friday continued to search for bodies after the massive explosion.
At least four more bodies were recovered in the last 24 hours and many people remain missing after Tuesday’s blast, which destroyed a large grain silo, ravaged the port area and left large swaths of the city in ruins.
The atomic bomb-like explosion was apparently sparked by the ignition of the ammonium nitrate — a chemical used for fertilizer and explosives — that had been stored at the site since being confiscated from an impounded cargo ship in 2013.
Previous 1 of 5 Next Advertisement A French rescue worker rests during search efforts in the devastated Beirut port. JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images Rescue teams survey the site of this week's massive explosion in the port of Beirut, Lebanon. AP/Hassan Ammar Advertisement A rescue team carries a body on the site of the explosion in the port of Beirut, Lebanon. AP Advertisement
The government’s investigation into the disaster is being conducted amid mounting criticism from many Lebanese who blame the catastrophe on negligence and corruption.
Lebanese investigators will begin questioning a former cabinet minister and the head of the port.
A person familiar with the probe said the questioning of Ghazi Aridi, who was public works minister in 2013 when the ammonium nitrate arrived in the country, and Beirut port chief Hassan Koraytem will take place Friday.
Later in the day, Aoun rejected calls for an international investigation, saying it would “delay the truth,” while pushing back at any suggestion that he bore responsibility, the Washington Post reported.
“I know every house, and they know me,” the president told reporters. “They know I will not stop short of taking responsibility or defending my country, which is my people.”
The US Embassy in Beirut on Friday said Washington has pledged over $17 million in initial disaster aid for Lebanon, including food, medical supplies and financial assistance, the newspaper reported.
Several countries have sent search-and-rescue teams to help locate survivors. Among those located in the debris near the silo was Joe Akiki, 23, a port worker who had been missing since the blast.
French and Russian rescuers with dogs searched the port area Friday, a day after French President Emmanuel Macron visited the site, promised aid and vowed to press for reforms by Lebanon’s political leaders.
The explosion injured some 5,000 people and left 300,000 — over 12 percent of Beirut’s population — unable to return to their uninhabitable homes. Officials have estimated losses at $10 billion to $15 billion.
Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan on Friday said nearly a quarter of those injured required hospitalization, the Washington Post reported. At least 120 were in critical condition, he added.
“There is no way we can rebuild this house. Where is the state?” said Tony Abdou, an unemployed 60-year-old, sitting in his home in Gemmayze, a district that lies a few hundred meters from the port, Reuters reported.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement A French rescue worker leads a dog as they search for survivors at Beirut port. JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images Zeinab Zer Eldin (left) and her sister-in-law show a photo of her missing husband near the site of the explosion in the port of Beirut, Lebanon. AP/Thibault Camus Advertisement
“Do we actually have a government here?” said Nassim Abiaad, 66, whose taxicab was crushed by falling building wreckage just as he was about to get into the car.
The UN human rights office is also calling for an independent investigation, insisting that “victims’ calls for accountability must be heard.”
Spokesman Rupert Colville of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights cited the need for the international community to “step up” to help the country.
He said Lebanon is facing the “triple tragedy of a socio-economic crisis, COVID-19 and the ammonium nitrate explosion.”
With Post wires


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--New Movies + Shows to Watch this Weekend: ‘Selling Sunset’ on Netflix + More

Can we just take a second to hit pause on the emails , Zoom calls and endless demands and look up from our computer screens ?
It ’ s Friday .
The weekend has arrived .
Okay aaaaand now back to those screens ; but not your work windows this time , your streaming screens !
There are a ton of new movies and shows to watch this weekend that will help you get to that ideal state of mind .
And to make it even easier to decide what to watch , we here at Decider would love to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whether you ’ re scrolling through Netflix , Hulu , Amazon Prime , HBO or all of the above , we believe that starting with the newest and hottest titles is the best way to go .
And with any luck , these highlights will help you decide what to watch and where to stream it this weekend !
New Movies and Shows to Stream This Weekend : Selling Sunset Season 3 , Work It and Howard The list of the best new movies and shows to watch this weekend is so large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picking out select favorites !
But we endure , so let ’ s jump in : Netflix is boasting some stellar original content this weekend , from the new teen dance dramedy Work It to a brand-new season of the real estate reality series , Selling Sunset .
Over on Amazon Prime Video there is The Fight , the inspiring and energizing documentary about the ACLU and the scrappy young lawyers who have made history fighting for big causes like voting rights and abortion rights .
And then on Disney+ is the premiere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heartfelt and honest ode to Disney legend Howard Ashman , the man behind the amazing lyrics in musical films such as Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast .
We could keep raving about the impressive titles new on streaming this weekend , but instead we will shut up and let you check them out below : Get ready to buy into the sweet life , because Selling Sunset is back for another luxurious and drama-packed season !
For those new to the show , this reality TV series is about a group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sunny lifestyle to affluent buyers in Los Angeles .
But the real center of the show lies not in the houses but also in the dramatic , interpersonal relationships between the brokers themselves .
And in Season 3 , that could not be more true .
Big deals will be closed both on the housing market and in The Oppenheim Group members ’ personal lives through weddings , career decisions and , of course , the main story being Chrishell Stause ’ s very public divorce from This Is Us star Justin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to watch this month on Netflix , Selling Sunset is prepped and ready to entertain .
New on Netflix August 7 : Work It Sabrina Carpenter and Liza Koshy star in Work It , the foot-tapping dramedy now available to watch this weekend .
This Netflix-original film tells the story of Quinn Ackerman ( Sabrina Carpenter ) , a high school senior who learns that her future at the college of her dreams depends solely on her performance at a dance competition .
Determined to get admitted to that dream school , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take on the best squad at school .
The one problem ?
She does not know how to dance !
Also starring Jordan Fisher , Keiynan Lonsdale and more , Work It will get you off the couch and dancing to the sick beats in no time !
Any Disney fan — or pop-culture fan , really — knows the soundtracks to legendary films like Beauty and the Beast , Aladdin and The Little Mermaid , but not many know the man behind the beautiful words : Howard Ashman .
But now viewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time through Howard , the documentary about the late , great lyricist that is new on Disney+ this weekend .
Through archival footage and interviews with his former colleagues , friends and family , director and veteran Disney producer Don Hahn ( The Lion King ) deftly tells the intimate story of Ashman from his humble beginnings in Baltimore to his start on Broadway and his eventual meteoric rise with his musical partner , Alan Menken .
This biography is far from being Disneyfied , as it honestly depicts the highs and lows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventual defeat against AIDS .
Every Disney lover should watch Howard , and we are thankful to know that while his legacy has never been forgotten , his story is finally being shared with the world .
New on Amazon Prime Video August 7 : The Fight New on Amazon Prime this weekend is The Fight , the inspiring documentary about a scrappy group of ACLU lawyers who take on the Trump Administration .
From LGBTQ+ rights and abortion rights to voting rights and immigration , these underrated lawyers are the people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the world stage .
Meet the real people behind the tenacious organization by watching The Fight , the new movie to watch this weekend .
Full List of New Movies and Shows on Streaming This Weekend The options above only scratch the surface , so you know that this weekend ’ s full lineup will have amazing options for what to watch this weekend !
For the full breakdown of the best movies and shows to stream now , or if you ’ re still undecided on what to stream this weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below : Alta Mar / High Seas : Season 3 *NETFLIX ORIGINAL Berlin , Berlin *NETFLIX FILM The Magic School Bus Rides Again Kids In Space *NETFLIX FAMILY ¡Nailed It !
México : Season 2 *NETFLIX ORIGINAL The New Legends of Monkey : Season 2 *NETFLIX FAMILY Selling Sunset : Season 3 *NETFLIX ORIGINAL Sing On !
Germany *NETFLIX ORIGINAL Tiny Creatures *NETFLIX ORIGINAL Wizards : Tales of Arcadia *NETFLIX FAMILY Word Party Songs *NETFLIX FAMILY Work It *NETFLIX FILM The Promise We Summon the Darkness The New York Times Presents : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Big Thing ?
” : New Episode ( FX on Hulu ) Disney Family Sundays – Series Finale Episode 140 – “ Goofy : Pencil Cup ” *Disney+ Original Hidden Kingdoms of China Howard *Disney+ Original ( Movie Premiere ) Muppets Now – Episode 102 – “ Fever Pitch ” *Disney+ Original One Day At Disney – Episode 136 – “ Ryan Meinerding : Marvel Studios Creative Director ” *Disney+ Original Pixar In Real Life – Episode 110 – “ WALL·E : BnL Pop-up Shop ” *Disney+ Original Prince of Persia : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Edge : Adventure Awaits The Peanuts Movie UFO Europe : The Untold Stories ( S1 ) X-Men

Can we just take a second to hit pause on the emails, Zoom calls and endless demands and look up from our computer screens? It’s Friday. The weekend has arrived. Okay aaaaand now back to those screens; but not your work windows this time, your streaming screens! There are a ton of new movies and shows to watch this weekend that will help you get to that ideal state of mind. And to make it even easier to decide what to watch, we here at Decider would love to do the heavy lifting for you. Whether you’re scrolling through Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO or all of the above, we believe that starting with the newest and hottest titles is the best way to go. And with any luck, these highlights will help you decide what to watch and where to stream it this weekend!
New Movies and Shows to Stream This Weekend: Selling Sunset Season 3, Work It and Howard
The list of the best new movies and shows to watch this weekend is so large, even we had a hard time picking out select favorites! But we endure, so let’s jump in: Netflix is boasting some stellar original content this weekend, from the new teen dance dramedy Work It to a brand-new season of the real estate reality series, Selling Sunset. Over on Amazon Prime Video there is The Fight, the inspiring and energizing documentary about the ACLU and the scrappy young lawyers who have made history fighting for big causes like voting rights and abortion rights. And then on Disney+ is the premiere of the exclusive documentary Howard: the heartfelt and honest ode to Disney legend Howard Ashman, the man behind the amazing lyrics in musical films such as Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. We could keep raving about the impressive titles new on streaming this weekend, but instead we will shut up and let you check them out below:
New on Netflix August 7: Selling Sunset Season 3
Get ready to buy into the sweet life, because Selling Sunset is back for another luxurious and drama-packed season! For those new to the show, this reality TV series is about a group of real estate brokers who thrive at selling the sunny lifestyle to affluent buyers in Los Angeles. But the real center of the show lies not in the houses but also in the dramatic, interpersonal relationships between the brokers themselves. And in Season 3, that could not be more true. Big deals will be closed both on the housing market and in The Oppenheim Group members’ personal lives through weddings, career decisions and, of course, the main story being Chrishell Stause’s very public divorce from This Is Us star Justin Hartley. One of the top shows to watch this month on Netflix, Selling Sunset is prepped and ready to entertain.
Stream Selling Sunset: Season 3 on Netflix
New on Netflix August 7: Work It
Sabrina Carpenter and Liza Koshy star in Work It, the foot-tapping dramedy now available to watch this weekend. This Netflix-original film tells the story of Quinn Ackerman (Sabrina Carpenter), a high school senior who learns that her future at the college of her dreams depends solely on her performance at a dance competition. Determined to get admitted to that dream school, she forms a ragtag group of dancers to take on the best squad at school. The one problem? She does not know how to dance! Also starring Jordan Fisher, Keiynan Lonsdale and more, Work It will get you off the couch and dancing to the sick beats in no time!
Stream Work It on Netflix
New on Disney+ August 7: Howard
Any Disney fan — or pop-culture fan, really — knows the soundtracks to legendary films like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, but not many know the man behind the beautiful words: Howard Ashman. But now viewers can learn the tale as old as time through Howard, the documentary about the late, great lyricist that is new on Disney+ this weekend. Through archival footage and interviews with his former colleagues, friends and family, director and veteran Disney producer Don Hahn (The Lion King) deftly tells the intimate story of Ashman from his humble beginnings in Baltimore to his start on Broadway and his eventual meteoric rise with his musical partner, Alan Menken. This biography is far from being Disneyfied, as it honestly depicts the highs and lows of Ashman’s relationships and his eventual defeat against AIDS. Every Disney lover should watch Howard, and we are thankful to know that while his legacy has never been forgotten, his story is finally being shared with the world.
Stream Howard on Disney+
New on Amazon Prime Video August 7: The Fight
New on Amazon Prime this weekend is The Fight, the inspiring documentary about a scrappy group of ACLU lawyers who take on the Trump Administration. From LGBTQ+ rights and abortion rights to voting rights and immigration, these underrated lawyers are the people who fight the nation’s biggest battles on the world stage. Meet the real people behind the tenacious organization by watching The Fight, the new movie to watch this weekend.
Stream The Fight on Amazon Prime Video
Full List of New Movies and Shows on Streaming This Weekend
The options above only scratch the surface, so you know that this weekend’s full lineup will have amazing options for what to watch this weekend! For the full breakdown of the best movies and shows to stream now, or if you’re still undecided on what to stream this weekend, then check out the complete list below:
New on Netflix- Full List
Released Friday, August 7
Alta Mar / High Seas: Season 3 *NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Berlin, Berlin *NETFLIX FILM
The Magic School Bus Rides Again Kids In Space *NETFLIX FAMILY
¡Nailed It! México: Season 2 *NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The New Legends of Monkey: Season 2 *NETFLIX FAMILY
Selling Sunset: Season 3 *NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sing On! Germany *NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Tiny Creatures *NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Wizards: Tales of Arcadia *NETFLIX FAMILY
Word Party Songs *NETFLIX FAMILY
Work It *NETFLIX FILM
Released Saturday, August 8
The Promise
We Summon the Darkness
New on Hulu- Full List
Released Friday, August 7
The New York Times Presents: “This Is Dominic Fike: The Next Big Thing?”: New Episode (FX on Hulu)
New on Amazon Prime- Full List
Released Friday, August 7
*Jessy & Nessy – Amazon Original Series: Season 1B
The Fight (2020)
New on Disney+ – Full List
Released Friday, August 7
Disney Family Sundays – Series Finale Episode 140 – “Goofy: Pencil Cup” *Disney+ Original
Hidden Kingdoms of China
Howard *Disney+ Original (Movie Premiere)
Muppets Now – Episode 102 – “Fever Pitch” *Disney+ Original
One Day At Disney – Episode 136 – “Ryan Meinerding: Marvel Studios Creative Director” *Disney+ Original
Pixar In Real Life – Episode 110 – “WALL·E: BnL Pop-up Shop” *Disney+ Original
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge: Adventure Awaits
The Peanuts Movie
UFO Europe: The Untold Stories (S1)
X-Men
New on HBO- Full List
Released Friday, August 7
Habla Now, 2020 (HBO)
Released Saturday, August 8
Richard Jewell, 2019 (HBO)
Released Sunday, August 9
Perry Mason, Season Finale (HBO)
New on Starz- Full List
Released Friday, August 7
Coda (2018)
Young Guns (1988)
Young Guns II (1990)
Released Saturday, August 8
Bloodshot (2020)
Released Sunday, August 9
P-Valley – Episode 105
New on Showtime- Full List
Released Friday, August 7
Jexi (Premiere)
Released Saturday, August 8
Countdown (Premiere)
New on BritBox- Full List
Released Friday, August 7
Moving On: Seasons 1-9|Exclusive, North American Premiere S 8&9 | 50 X 45


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Woman stabbed in random attack at Upper West Side subway station

Terrifying video shows the moment before a stranger stabs a woman in the shoulder during a random attack in an @ @ @ @ @ this week , cops said .
The 40-year-old victim was standing at a MetroCard kiosk @ @ @ @ @ and 3 station at 72nd Street and Broadway just before noon Thursday when her attacker @ @ @ @ @ approached from behind and stabbed her in the right shoulder , cops said .
The @ @ @ @ @ late Thursday shows the suspect , wearing a blue shirt and bright yellow shorts , @ @ @ @ @ knife .
No words were exchanged before the attack .
The attacker bolted from the @ @ @ @ @ , cops said .
The woman was rushed to Mount Sinai West for treatment .

Terrifying video shows the moment before a stranger stabs a woman in the shoulder during a random attack in an Upper West Side subway station this week, cops said.
The 40-year-old victim was standing at a MetroCard kiosk at the 1, 2 and 3 station at 72nd Street and Broadway just before noon Thursday when her attacker exited through a turnstile, approached from behind and stabbed her in the right shoulder, cops said.
The surveillance footage released by cops late Thursday shows the suspect, wearing a blue shirt and bright yellow shorts, approaching and lunging with the knife.
No words were exchanged before the attack.
The attacker bolted from the station and remains at large, cops said.
The woman was rushed to Mount Sinai West for treatment.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--TikTok threatens legal action against Trump’s executive order to ban app

Apple has no interest in acquiring TikTok , the company said ...

TikTok has threatened legal action following President Trump’s late-night executive order banning transactions beginning in 45 days between American firms and the Chinese parent company of the popular social media app.
In an unsigned blog posted on its website, TikTok said that it was “shocked” by the president’s order, which it said was “issued without any due process.”
“For nearly a year, we have sought to engage with the US government in good faith to provide a constructive solution to the concerns that have been expressed.
“What we encountered instead was that the Administration paid no attention to facts, dictated terms of an agreement without going through standard legal processes, and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses,” the company said.
Trump’s executive order began a 45-day countdown clock for TikTok to find an American company to purchase its US business, or find itself banned from American shores.
The app may have been used for disinformation campaigns that benefit the Chinese Communist Party, and the United States “must take aggressive action against the owners of TikTok to protect our national security,” Trump said in the order.
TikTok in its post says that it “has never shared user data with the Chinese government, nor censored content at its request.”
It argues that Trump’s order “risks undermining global businesses’ trust in the United States’ commitment to the rule of law” as well as “sets a dangerous precedent for the concept of free expression in open markets.”
Microsoft confirmed earlier this week that it is in discussions with TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company ByteDance over a potential acquisition, which it said it is looking to accomplish within the 45-day timeframe.
Trump said this week that he does not mind if Microsoft or another company acquires the popular video app, so long as they are “a big company, a secure company, a very American company.”
ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming told employees in an email Tuesday that a forced sale is “unreasonable,” and said the US wants to see TikTok fail.
“[A sale] is not their goal, or even what they want,” he wrote. “Their real objective is to achieve a comprehensive ban.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Inside Benjamin Bifalco’s alleged plot to fix an NCAA basketball game

Benjamin Bifalco graduated from Wagner College on Staten Island last year with a major in finance and minors in government and political science .
But he did his most intense research for a senior project at which he failed miserably : attempting to fix an NCAA college basketball game .
For this , he is now facing up to six months in prison .
In February , Bifalco , 25 , pleaded guilty to attempted sports bribery involving a basketball game between two unidentified Division I schools .
Sources say the contest in question was a Dec. 16 , 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the heavily favored St. John ’ s University Red Storm played at the Johnnies ’ home court at Carnesecca Arena in Queens .
In a tape-recorded talk four days before the game , Bifalco told his childhood friend , Colombo mob-family associate Joseph Amato Jr. , that he had been dreaming about fixing a basketball game since freshman year .
He also told Amato that he ’ d already paid $ 7,500 to three Seahawks starters he ’ d known since they were freshmen and that he was going to bet $ 50,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bifalco told Amato that his cash outlay was half of what he had promised the players if they agreed to lose the game by more than 20 points .
When he won his bet , he said , “ I ’ ll give them the other half each .
They each got $ 2,500 , and I ’ ll give them the rest of the money when it ’ s done with , ” according to a transcript of the conversation .
Amato knows a little about sports betting — he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a related 16-defendant case — and human nature , too .
He asked his college buddy with a touch of sarcasm if he was sure the players would deliver “ because everyone is really personable and everyone will tell you the truth ?
” “ No , ” Bifalco stated seven times .
“ They ’ re my f–king boys since f–king freshman year and we ’ ve always talked it , ” he said , explaining that in their early years at the small liberal-arts Staten Island college , the team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an opportunity because Wagner never had a spread [ betting line ] ” on its games .
Amato also wondered where Bifalco got “ 50K to bet on a game ?
” He was still “ trying to figure out ” where to get the cash to bet , Bifalco replied .
And in an apparent effort to convince his friend to front it to him , he explained that he did “ research on like how to throw a game ” and knew what he was doing .
“ You have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ball for more than 30 minutes in the game , ” he said , and decided that “ just to make myself safe ” he would “ get three people that touch the ball more than 30 minutes in the game.
” Bifalco said that he had told his No .
1 Seahawk that he needed him to “ get me two people that play more than 30 ” because they have “ the biggest impact on the game , so he called them down to his dorm room , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were like yo , ” he said .
“ Let me explain the scenario , ” Bifalco continued .
“ Wagner is 4 and 4 ; that ’ s their record .
They ’ re playing St. John ’ s .
St. John ’ s is 9 and 0 .
I said , ‘ If you guys lose by one point or you guys lose by 100 , it don ’ t make a f–king difference .
You ’ re gon na lose to St. John ’ s. ’ They ’ re f–king @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even make the NCAA tournament.
” “ Wagner versus St. John ’ s ?
” asked Amato , who likely didn ’ t believe what he was hearing from his college buddy .
“ Yeah , ” said Bifalco .
“ St .
John ’ s is home , so this is why it ’ s gon na work , ” he said : “ They ’ re gon na have the refs on their side already .
Wagner ’ s team sucks .
They honestly suck .
So , if we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most , miss free throws , bring the shot clock down to one [ second ] before every shot , control the pace of the game , so it ’ s not high-scoring.
” For Wagner to lose by a lot of points , it would make sense for his charges to shoot quickly — and also miss , of course — when they got the ball so St. Johns would have more chances to run up the score .
But Bifalco was thinking out of the box .
“ To hedge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m gon na take St. John ’ s ’ spread , and I ’ m gon na take the under , ” or bet that the two teams would score less than the “ over /under number ” which was 148 .
“ I told them , ‘ I need you guys to score the least as possible.
’ They were like , yo .
They were like , ‘ You have our word , we are going to do everything in our f– king possibility to do this.
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” asked Amato .
“ No , they ’ re not like that , bro .
You could even come and meet them with me , ” he replied .
“ I ’ m snapping them back and forth ; they ’ re snapping me right now , they ’ re like ‘ Yo , we ’ re honestly gon na do everything we f–king can , ’ ” he said , indicating they were texting each other using Snapchat .
On game day , a couple hours before tipoff , Bifalco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were go and that he had “ personally ” bet $ 17,500 on the game .
The betting line ended up at 17 , a few points less than 20 , so Bifalco had a cushion .
But he was “ worried ” that one , or maybe two of his players might “ foul out.
” That was “ not going to be f–king good , ” he said , but he was confident he ’ d still win his bet and be able to “ put a down payment on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bifalco was all talk .
Bifalco wasn ’ t able to pay off any of the Wagner Seahawks and didn ’ t wager any money on the game , either .
That was perhaps the luckiest thing about his harebrained scheme .
That ’ s because St. John ’ s , after leading by only a single point at halftime , went on to win easily , 73-58 , but not by enough to cover the 17-point spread .
He did have the right idea about betting the under , though .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t trust Bifalco to fix the game and , therefore , never bet any money — meaning Bifalco wasn ’ t sideways with the Colombo family .
Bifalco admitted to Brooklyn federal Judge I. Leo Glasser that he did “ communicate through Snapchat ” and “ offered a sum of money to a player to lose by a certain amount of points , ” but when “ the player refused to accept the money , nothing further was done.
” “ Had you actually made an offer of payment to this basketball player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there somebody else involved in the scheme ?
” “ It was just you and the basketball player ?
” Bifalco had taken a job out of college working for local Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis but was fired the day he was indicted .
Technically , Bifalco faces up to five years in prison on Aug. 18 — and up to six months behind bars , according to part of a plea agreement with the government .
But Bifalco ’ s lawyer is hoping for leniency .
“ Mr .
Bifalco ’ s activities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else , ” said attorney Vincent Martinelli .
“ We are hoping for a non-jail sentence.
” This is an edited version of an article by Jerry Capeci that first appeared on ganglandnews.com .

Benjamin Bifalco graduated from Wagner College on Staten Island last year with a major in finance and minors in government and political science. But he did his most intense research for a senior project at which he failed miserably: attempting to fix an NCAA college basketball game. For this, he is now facing up to six months in prison.
In February, Bifalco, 25, pleaded guilty to attempted sports bribery involving a basketball game between two unidentified Division I schools.
Sources say the contest in question was a Dec. 16, 2018, game that the Wagner Seahawks and the heavily favored St. John’s University Red Storm played at the Johnnies’ home court at Carnesecca Arena in Queens.
In a tape-recorded talk four days before the game, Bifalco told his childhood friend, Colombo mob family associate Joseph Amato Jr., that he had been dreaming about fixing a basketball game since freshman year. He also told Amato that he’d already paid $7,500 to three Seahawks starters he’d known since they were freshmen and that he was going to bet $50,000 on the game.
During the discussion, Bifalco told Amato that his cash outlay was half of what he had promised the players if they agreed to lose the game by more than 20 points.
When he won his bet, he said, “I’ll give them the other half each. They each got $2,500, and I’ll give them the rest of the money when it’s done with,” according to a transcript of the conversation.
Amato knows a little about sports betting — he’s charged with several illegal gambling counts in a related 16-defendant case — and human nature, too. He asked his college buddy with a touch of sarcasm if he was sure the players would deliver “because everyone is really personable and everyone will tell you the truth?”
“No,” Bifalco stated seven times. “They’re my f–king boys since f–king freshman year and we’ve always talked it,” he said, explaining that in their early years at the small Staten Island liberal arts college, the team was so bad, “there was never an opportunity because Wagner never had a spread [betting line]” on its games.
Amato also wondered where Bifalco got “50K to bet on a game?”
He was still “trying to figure out” where to get the cash to bet, Bifalco replied. And in an apparent effort to convince his friend to front it to him, he explained that he did “research on like how to throw a game” and knew what he was doing.
“You have to get at least two people who touch the ball for more than 30 minutes in the game,” he said, and decided that “just to make myself safe,” he would “get three people that touch the ball more than 30 minutes in the game.”
Bifalco said he had told his No. 1 Seahawk that he needed him to “get me two people that play more than 30” because they have “the biggest impact on the game, so he called them down to his dorm room, and we f–king met and we talked and they were like yo,” he said.
“Let me explain the scenario,” Bifalco continued. “Wagner is 4 and 4; that’s their record. They’re playing St. John’s. St. John’s is 9 and 0. I said, ‘If you guys lose by one point or you guys lose by 100, it don’t make a f–king difference. You’re gonna lose to St. John’s.’ They’re f–king unbelievable this year, and they might even make the NCAA tournament.”
“Wagner versus St. John’s?” asked Amato, who likely didn’t believe what he was hearing from his college buddy.
“Yeah,” said Bifalco. “St. John’s is home, so this is why it’s gonna work,” he said: “They’re gonna have the refs on their side already. Wagner’s team sucks. They honestly suck. So, if we can have three people that impact the game the most, miss free throws, bring the shot clock down to one [second] before every shot, control the pace of the game, so it’s not high-scoring.”
For Wagner to lose by a lot of points, it would make sense for his charges to shoot quickly — and also miss, of course — when they got the ball so St. Johns would have more chances to run up the score.
But Bifalco was thinking out of the box.
“To hedge myself,” he said, “I’m gonna take St. John’s spread, and I’m gonna take the under,” or bet that the two teams would score less than the “over/under number,” which was 148. “I told them, ‘I need you guys to score the least as possible.’ They were like, yo. They were like, ‘You have our word, we are going to do everything in our f– king possibility to do this.’ ”
“What if they screw you over?” asked Amato.
“No, they’re not like that, bro. You could even come and meet them with me,” he replied. “I’m snapping them back and forth; they’re snapping me right now, they’re like ‘Yo, we’re honestly gonna do everything we f–king can,’ ” he said, indicating they were texting each other using Snapchat.
On game day, a couple hours before tipoff, Bifalco called Amato and said all systems were go and that he had “personally” bet $17,500 on the game. The betting line ended up at 17, a few points less than 20, so Bifalco had a cushion.
But he was “worried” that one or maybe two of his players might “foul out.” That was “not going to be f–king good,” he said, but he was confident he’d still win his bet and be able to “put a down payment on a house.”
But as it turned out, Bifalco was all talk.
Bifalco wasn’t able to pay off any of the Wagner Seahawks and didn’t wager any money on the game, either.
That was perhaps the luckiest thing about his harebrained scheme. That’s because St. John’s, after leading by only a single point at halftime, went on to win easily, 73-58, but not by enough to cover the 17-point spread. He did have the right idea about betting the under, though.
Also lucky was that Amato didn’t trust Bifalco to fix the game and, therefore, never bet any money — meaning Bifalco wasn’t sideways with the Colombo family.
Bifalco admitted to Brooklyn federal Judge I. Leo Glasser that he did “communicate through Snapchat” and “offered a sum of money to a player to lose by a certain amount of points,” but when “the player refused to accept the money, nothing further was done.”
“Had you actually made an offer of payment to this basketball player?” asked Glasser.
“Yes, Your Honor,” Bifalco replied.
“Was there somebody else involved in the scheme?”
“No, Your Honor.”
“It was just you and the basketball player?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
Bifalco had taken a job out of college working for local Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis but was fired the day he was indicted.
Technically, Bifalco faces up to five years in prison on Aug. 18 — and up to six months behind bars, according to part of a plea agreement with the government. But Bifalco’s lawyer is hoping for leniency.
“Mr. Bifalco’s activities were more of inappropriate braggadocio than anything else,” said attorney Vincent Martinelli. “We are hoping for a non-jail sentence.”
This is an edited version of an article by Jerry Capeci that first appeared on ganglandnews.com.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Highway built around house of woman who refused to move

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Think living near a highway is tough? Try living between two. A new freeway was built around a house in Guagnzhou, China, after the owner, Ms. Liang, refused to move. See the 107-square-foot property — sandwiched between a pair of two-lane roads — which is attracting tourists gawking at the unusual real estate.
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newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Blackout hits large area of NYC, including Upper West Side and Harlem

A widespread power outage left about 130,000 customers in darkness across a large area of Upper Manhattan early Friday , a Con Edison spokesman said .
Three networks in the utility ’ s transmission system in Manhattan lost their electricity supply at 5:13 a.m. , Con Ed spokesman Philip O ’ Brien told The Post at 6:30 a.m. , adding that the power has been restored .
“ And we ’ re back !
Here ’ s the moment electricity returned to upper Manhattan , ” @ kendisgibson said in a tweet .
The blackout affected the Upper West Side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O ’ Brien said .
The cause is being investigated .
Subway service was affected by the outage , according to the MTA , which said the 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , N , Q and R trains were disrupted .
Also impacted were the A , B , C and D lines .
“ Expect delays as we are getting reports of power outages in some parts of uptown Manhattan , ” the MTA said in a tweet .
“ This is also affecting stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ed ’ s website , 42,097 customers have still been without electricity across the Big Apple since earlier this week .
Pandemic weary New Yorkers took the blackout in stride , injecting some dark humor into the matter .
“ Who had # NYC # blackout on their 2020 bingo card ?
” @ FordMcCartney tweeted .
“ I did I think I named about 20 things that were going to happen .
I told my family I have a plan because , by December we might be in full # TWD Walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ NYC # blackout for 20 minutes and y ’ all flip send some love to CT we ’ ve been without power for going on four days , ” @ Kraustastrophe wrote .

A widespread power outage left about 130,000 customers in darkness across a large area of Upper Manhattan early Friday, a Con Edison spokesman said.
Three networks in the utility’s transmission system in Manhattan lost their electricity supply at 5:13 a.m., Con Ed spokesman Philip O’Brien told The Post at 6:30 a.m., adding that the power has been restored.
“And we’re back! Here’s the moment electricity returned to upper Manhattan,” @kendisgibson said in a tweet.
The blackout affected the Upper West Side, Upper East Side and Harlem, O’Brien said. The cause is being investigated.
Subway service was affected by the outage, according to the MTA, which said the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q and R trains were disrupted. Also impacted were the A, B, C and D lines.
“Expect delays as we are getting reports of power outages in some parts of uptown Manhattan,” the MTA said in a tweet. “This is also affecting stations and third-rail power.”
According to Con Ed’s website, 42,097 customers have still been without electricity across the Big Apple since earlier this week.
Pandemic-weary New Yorkers took the blackout in stride, injecting some dark humor into the matter.
“Who had #NYC #blackout on their 2020 bingo card?” @FordMcCartney tweeted.
“I did I think I named about 20 things that were going to happen. I told my family I have a plan because, by December we might be in full #TWD Walking Dead mode,” replied @CrystalTweets19.
A Connecticut resident put the Big Apple blackout into perspective.
“NYC #blackout for 20 minutes and y’all flip send some love to CT we’ve been without power for going on four days,” @Kraustastrophe wrote.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Gary Sanchez finally belts homer after being dropped to eighth

PHILADELPHIA — No doubt , no debate , over where the worry ...

PHILADELPHIA — One homer doesn’t mean a hitter has escaped a horrific slump, but when it comes to the disappointing start to Gary Sanchez’s season it provides a glimmer of hope.
After getting hit by a pitch on the left elbow in the second game of Wednesday night’s doubleheader against the Phillies, Sanchez informed Aaron Boone the hinge was good enough to start Thursday night.
Then the frigid-swinging catcher found himself hitting eighth for only the sixth time as a big-league starter.
“For me it is about playing. If I have the uniform on and I am out playing I am not going to pay attention to anything I might be hurting from,’’ said Sanchez, who hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning that cut the Phillies lead to a run in what turned into a 5-4 loss.
“I was definitely due. It was my time to put a really good hit on the ball. They were getting me out,’’ added Sanchez, who struck out in the second and fourth innings to hike his season total to 18 in 29 at-bats.
As for Sanchez hitting eighth, Boone said it was more a matter of wanting to move Gio Urshela up a notch than dropping Sanchez.
Boone was asked if hitting Sanchez eighth was in any way designed to lessen the pressure on a hitter who has batted third in 113 big-league starts, in the fourth spot 91 times and fifth 72 times.
“He has been hitting seventh so I just kind of flipped him and Gio. I don’t know hitting him eighth over seventh puts any less pressure on him,’’ Boone said. “I think he wants to do well and the bottom line is when he starts to string together … winning at-bats and that good feeling, then he will take off whether he is hitting fourth, seventh, ninth or whatever. It’s getting Gio up a spot as he is stringing together a lot of at-bats.
Entering Thursday night’s action Urshela was 9-for-18 (.500) with three homers, 10 RBIs and a 1.582 OPS in the previous five games. He went 1-for-4.
Boone didn’t have Aaron Judge and DJ LeMahieu in the lineup against Phillies’ Zach Eflin and it wasn’t because of any physical problem for the Yankees’ two best hitters.
“They are OK. Just through this stretch of games, doubleheaders and going to Tampa over the weekend with four [games] and three [days] just kind of strategically pick a day to get guys a little bit of rest through this opening couple of weeks,’’ said Boone, whose team will have played seven games in five days by Monday.
Judge struck out to end the eighth hitting for Brett Gardner against Phillies closer Hector Neris and LeMahieu, hitting for Tyler Wade, kept the ninth inning alive with a ground single up the middle off Neris.
Mike Tauchman started in right field for Judge and hit leadoff, which is LeMahieu’s spot in the lineup. Tauchman went 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the second. Wade started at second base and batted ninth. Luke Voit hit second in Judge’s absence.
After the Marlins and Cardinals ran into an outbreak of positive tests for COVID-19, MLB implemented stronger safety protocols for all teams.
Traveling parties have been reduced to essential employees, masks are mandatory on the road in public places, staff and players are forbidden to meet in hotel rooms without permission and surgical masks are required to be worn on buses and planes. In order to leave a team hotel a staffer or player must notify the teams’ compliance officer.
A team employee and a representative from MLB will monitor the protocols such the wearing of masks and social distancing. Plus, players and staff must stay with the team on the road even if they have family in that city.
That is in play this weekend when the Yankees play the Rays in St. Petersburg. Several players and staff members live in the Tampa area but will have to stay in the hotel.
“We will be at the hotel,’’ Boone said. “I don’t know that it changes that much. It is just another level of, ‘Hey this is a strict policy.’ There is obviously more eyes and people monitoring at the hotel and in the clubhouse. They are going to be checked on that more than just from peer to peer.’’
According to Boone, Aroldis Chapman’s next step on the road back from the COVID-19 IL will take place next week.
Chapman threw a bullpen session in Scranton on Wednesday and is scheduled to repeat that exercise on Saturday.
“Probably start facing hitters early next week,’’ Boone said.
Masahiro Tanaka’s second start of the season is Friday night when he will face countryman Yoshi Tsutsugo for the first time.
“When I was pitching in Japan I think he had yet to become a starter for the team. That is probably the reason I haven’t faced him,’’ Tanaka said. “I really don’t know much about him.’’
Tsutsugo, a 28-year-old left-handed hitter, is in his first season in the majors. In 10 games this year he is batting .182 (6-for-33) with a .593 OPS.
As for his second outing, Tanaka believes his pitch count will rise from the initial outing last Saturday against the Red Sox when he threw 51 in 2²/₃ innings.
“I haven’t really spoken about the exact number of pitches but I think it will be more than 50,’’ Tanaka said.
Tanaka gave up two runs [one earned] and allowed four hits in that debut. He said he took some good from it and is looking for improvement in other areas.
“The fastball velocity, I thought that was pretty good,’’ Tanaka said. “But I think I can do a better job with the command. Going into [Friday] I would like to see myself execute and command both the fastball and the off-speed pitches a little bit better,’’ Tanaka said.
In 18 career games against the Rays, Tanaka is 10-4 with a 3.20 ERA.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Blake Martinez glad to finally meet new Giants teammates

There is no Eli Manning now in front of him ...

Yes, they have bodies.
This is what Blake Martinez confirmed after a spring and early summer spent away from his new team facility. Martinez arrived from the Packers to direct the Giants defense, but for months all he could do to connect was through Zoom meetings on his laptop.
It was not until he reported for training camp last week that Martinez finally got to be in the same room — with proper social distancing, of course — with his new teammates.
“Walking in it was just having to see the guy’s face for the first time in person,’’ Martinez said Thursday. “Being like, ‘Oh sweet, that’s what you look like, it’s not just your face, I get your whole body now.’ That portion was different, but overall, it was cool to walk in and make it seem like we have been friends.’’
This is quite an indoctrination for Martinez. He signed a three-year, $30 million contract to not only start at inside linebacker but also to make the defensive calls, get everyone lined up correctly and make any last-second adjustments at the line of scrimmage. He is on board to be the brains of the operation, working in sync with coordinator Patrick Graham.
Martinez said his job is to be “that calming factor.’’ Before he can calm anyone else, without the requisite practice time or preseason games, he is going to have to prove he knows what he is talking about on the field.
“Overall, for me it’s just being able to allow those guys to understand that I’m going to be on top of everything,’’ Martinez said. “I take every single day to keep chipping at that. Whether it’s walk-throughs, talking in meetings, guys start to recognize this guy knows what going on, this guy is going to allow me to not have any freak moments. If things are moving fast, he’s the guy that I can turn to and calm myself down.’’
Daniel Jones lost his blindside protector when left tackle Nate Solder — who has a 5-year-old son battling cancer — opted out for the 2020 season.
“It’s important to realize that everyone has different circumstances, whether it be family related or personally or whatever it may be,’’ Jones said. “I certainly don’t have those situations. I live by myself and I’m healthy. Obviously Nate made a decision to opt out, and he’s got an extremely tough circumstance and he’s got to do what’s best for his family. All the respect in the world, all the support in the world to him.’’
The Giants are offering their season-ticket holders the chance to have their names printed on “branded signage’’ — banners — behind the end zones this season at MetLife Stadium. There will not be any fans attending games at the start of the season.
“Giants fans are always with us — in our hearts, our minds and our thoughts’’ the letter to season-ticket holders stated.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--The one weakness that could derail Yankees’ title hopes

PHILADELPHIA — No doubt , no debate , over where the worry can be found within this Yankees paradise .
Even after committing a record sum to an elite starting pitcher last winter , even as that well-compensated , elite starting pitcher has performed well out of the gate to help the Yankees win nine of their first 12 games as the schedule hit the 20 percent milepost , the Yankees ’ Achilles ’ heel remains their starting rotation .
The defending AL East champions departed Citizens Bank Park late Thursday night , headed for Tampa Bay to face their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the losers of a 5-4 nail-biter to Joe Girardi ’ s Phillies .
They lost two of three here in Cheesesteak City , after winning the first game of a doubleheader to open the series , thanks primarily to ineffectiveness from their starters .
And they enjoy this cushion , four games over the Rays ( 5-7 ) , by and large despite their non-Gerrit Cole starters .
“ The way our roster is constructed , it does allow us to have obviously a couple more arms in the bullpen .
But … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that give you length , that really kind of preserve and set everyone up down there in that ’ pen , ” manager Aaron Boone said .
“ Obviously a couple of guys , we ’ re working back .
Masa [ Tanaka ] , building him up .
Hoping to get [ James ] Paxton rolling like he ’ s capable of .
“ On the long haul , we ’ ve got to do a better job of that.
” Young left-hander Jordan Montgomery assumed the culprit ’ s position in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start ( one run in 5²/₃ innings against the Red Sox on July 31 ) with a pair of 1-2 pitches that bit him badly .
J.T .
Realmuto smoked a first-inning curveball over the left-field wall for a three-run homer , and Phil Gosselin ripped a third-inning changeup into the left-center field gap for a two-run double .
Montgomery exited after four innings and 95 pitches .
“ I either had a really good inning or a really bad inning , ” Montgomery said , and that adds up to a bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four-inning start by the Phils ’ Zach Eflin and a serviceable five innings from Eflin ’ s beleaguered bullpen mates , and the nightly pinstriped conversation centered on the struggles of the guys whose importance grows in October .
The Yankees ’ starters have compiled a 5.44 ERA in 46 ¹/₃ innings to date .
When you subtract Cole ’ s three starts , all wins in which he has totaled five earned runs allowed in 17 ²/₃ innings , the ERA climbs to 7.22 .
The good news for these guys is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as long as he ’ s healthy .
Yet they wanted to slot Cole in front of the good group that took them to last year ’ s AL Championship Series , not see him stand out like Denzel Washington at a bad high school play .
With the Yankees ’ bullpen delivering another four innings of shutout work Thursday , that unit boasts a 3.31 ERA in 51 ²/₃ innings .
The Yankees ’ offense , its relatively quiet night notwithstanding , ranks as one of the best such units in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that out , then Tanaka , on his way back from a concussion , must keep working back toward his old self .
Paxton , his velocity having dropped precipitously in his first two starts , must figure out what the heck is going on .
J.A .
Happ must fix whatever ails him .
And Montgomery must learn from the good innings , as he put it .
Or at least two of these developments .
Otherwise , it ’ ll be Gerrit Cole and No One Else to Extol .
Which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madison Bumgarner and the 2014 Giants , but you wouldn ’ t recommend it .
“ We were battling out there tonight , ” Gary Sanchez , who slugged his first homer of the season , said through an interpreter of he and his battery mate Montgomery .
When it comes to their starting rotation , the Yankees would like more peaceful conquests and fewer battles .
The opposite might well lead to their paradise being lost .

PHILADELPHIA — No doubt, no debate, over where the worry can be found within this Yankees paradise.
Even after committing a record sum to an elite starting pitcher last winter, even as that well-compensated, elite starting pitcher has performed well out of the gate to help the Yankees win nine of their first 12 games as the schedule hit the 20 percent milepost, the Yankees’ Achilles’ heel remains their starting rotation.
The defending AL East champions departed Citizens Bank Park late Thursday night, headed for Tampa Bay to face their top challenger, the Rays, as the losers of a 5-4 nail-biter to Joe Girardi’s Phillies. They lost two of three here in Cheesesteak City, after winning the first game of a doubleheader to open the series, thanks primarily to ineffectiveness from their starters.
And they enjoy this cushion, four games over the Rays (5-7), by and large despite their non-Gerrit Cole starters.
“The way our roster is constructed, it does allow us to have obviously a couple more arms in the bullpen. But … nothing beats several outings from your starters that give you length, that really kind of preserve and set everyone up down there in that ’pen,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously a couple of guys, we’re working back. Masa [Tanaka], building him up. Hoping to get [James] Paxton rolling like he’s capable of.
“On the long haul, we’ve got to do a better job of that.”
Young left-hander Jordan Montgomery assumed the culprit’s position in this finale, following a strong first start (one run in 5²/₃ innings against the Red Sox on July 31) with a pair of 1-2 pitches that bit him badly. J.T. Realmuto smoked a first-inning curveball over the left-field wall for a three-run homer, and Phil Gosselin ripped a third-inning changeup into the left-center field gap for a two-run double. Montgomery exited after four innings and 95 pitches.
“I either had a really good inning or a really bad inning,” Montgomery said, and that adds up to a bad game.
Throw in an effective, four-inning start by the Phils’ Zach Eflin and a serviceable five innings from Eflin’s beleaguered bullpen mates, and the nightly pinstriped conversation centered on the struggles of the guys whose importance grows in October.
The Yankees’ starters have compiled a 5.44 ERA in 46 ¹/₃ innings to date. When you subtract Cole’s three starts, all wins in which he has totaled five earned runs allowed in 17 ²/₃ innings, the ERA climbs to 7.22.
The good news for these guys is they need not subtract Cole, not as long as he’s healthy. Yet they wanted to slot Cole in front of the good group that took them to last year’s AL Championship Series, not see him stand out like Denzel Washington at a bad high school play.
With the Yankees’ bullpen delivering another four innings of shutout work Thursday, that unit boasts a 3.31 ERA in 51 ²/₃ innings. The Yankees’ offense, its relatively quiet night notwithstanding, ranks as one of the best such units in the business.
If they want to round that out, then Tanaka, on his way back from a concussion, must keep working back toward his old self. Paxton, his velocity having dropped precipitously in his first two starts, must figure out what the heck is going on. J.A. Happ must fix whatever ails him. And Montgomery must learn from the good innings, as he put it. Or at least two of these developments.
Otherwise, it’ll be Gerrit Cole and No One Else to Extol. Which can work on occasion, like with Madison Bumgarner and the 2014 Giants, but you wouldn’t recommend it.
“We were battling out there tonight,” Gary Sanchez, who slugged his first homer of the season, said through an interpreter of he and his battery mate Montgomery.
When it comes to their starting rotation, the Yankees would like more peaceful conquests and fewer battles. The opposite might well lead to their paradise being lost.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Texas Tech women’s coach Marlene Stollings fired after report of abuse

Texas Tech women ’ s basketball coach Marlene Stollings has come under ...

LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech fired women’s basketball coach Marlene Stollings on Thursday, a day after a scathing newspaper report alleging a culture of abuse in her program.
Athletic director Kirby Hocutt announced the firing in a one-sentence statement while adding that he planned to address the decision Friday.
Players made claims of abuse over the past two years in season-ending exit interviews that were obtained through an open records request by The Intercollegiate, an investigative media outlet for college sports. The details were published by USA Today.
Players dreaded a heart monitoring system they said was misused in punitive ways, had to endure demeaning and threatening comments and were subject to sexually suggestive behavior from a strength coach who has since resigned, according to the report.
Players said the coaching staff demanded that they maintain a heart rate of at least 90% of capacity during games and that they faced loss of playing time or more conditioning work if they didn’t. A pediatric sports medicine director said maintaining a heart rate that high would be “very difficult” to do.
Over two years, 12 of 21 players left the program, including seven recruited under Stollings, according to the report. She defending her program in a statement to the newspaper.
Hocutt initially defended the coach as well, saying he was confident steps were being taken to improve communication in the program following a review of the program by a four-person committee.
After the report was published, Hocutt said he spent more than an hour meeting with players and more than two hours in talks with players and coaches and that those discussions would continue Thursday. The firing was announced late Thursday.
The pandemic-shortened season that ended in March was Stollings’ second at Texas Tech. She had previously turned around the programs at Minnesota and VCU and has done the same with the Red Raiders, a once-proud program that has fallen on hard times. Texas Tech finished 18-11 in Stollings’ second season after going 7-23 the year before she arrived.
Emma Merriweather, a center who transferred to Kansas, said she was mocked about her weight in front of men’s basketball players and admonished over showing signs of depression. She was later diagnosed with depression.
Brazilian center Marcella LaMark said she was called “dangerous” by Stollings because the coach said her fitness lagged so far behind her teammates. LaMark transferred to Pittsburgh.
Several players said coaches and staff berated post players with remarks such as “fat pig” and “grossly out of shape” and “gross disproportional.”
Strength coach Ralph Petrella sometimes threatened players with violence and made sexually suggestive remarks, players said. One player accused him of reaching under her sports bra and spandex shorts as part of a technique to recover from physical exertion.
Petrella, who denied the allegations through his attorney, resigned about the same time the player reported the incident to a Title IX administrator.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--A Daniel Jones Year 2 leap would energize the Giants

New Giants coach Joe Judge , who is entering his first ...

There is no Eli Manning now in front of him on the depth chart, no Eli Manning in the quarterback room, no Eli Manning in the socially distanced locker room, no awkward Eli Manning questions for Daniel Jones to answer.
But because icons leave giant footsteps to fill when they retire, there will be Eli Manning questions that follow Daniel Jones everywhere every year, starting this year, way too prematurely:
Can you deliver for the New York Giants that elusive fifth Super Bowl championship? And for Daniel Jones, it will all be like water off a Duke’s back.
The signs that he is a worthy successor to the throne are only growing one day at a time.
No. 8 is enough.
He is 228, 229 pounds — 8 or 9 pounds of muscle more than a year ago — undaunted by the reality that he has been forced to learn coordinator Jason Garrett’s new offense during a virtual offseason without the benefit of a preseason game.
If his rookie coach, Joe Judge, refuses to use the pandemic as an excuse and view it as a disadvantage for him, no way his young franchise quarterback will.
“It’s on me to learn the system as quick as I can, as effectively as I can,” Jones said. “Use the time we have, use the practice we have to do that, and come in prepared and ready to go.”
This is a young man who is driven not to fumble away the opportunity of a lifetime, on the New York stage he craved.
It was as seamless a transition as the Giants could have hoped last season under the searing microscope, and now Daniel Jones stares unblinkingly into the great expectations.
No one expects him to win a Super Bowl just yet, no one should dare expect him to be Patrick Mahomes.
But that second-year leap that would electrify a fan base starving for a return to glory?
Yes, it is Leap Year for Daniel Jones.
Jones raised the bar for himself much higher than it should have been after engineering that crazy Week 3 comeback win at Tampa Bay in his first start. Even still, it made Big Blue hearts race, and Manning didn’t have a game that enthralling when he was a rookie.
Danny Dimes, they called him.
I remember Frank Mara and Chris Mara standing in the visitors’ locker room marveling over what they had just witnessed.
“I was absolutely shocked,” Frank Mara said. “I’ve never seen a rookie quarterback, on our team, come in and play like that.”
For what it’s worth, Jones’ 61.9 completion percentage last season was higher than each of Manning’s first five seasons. It will head higher when he remembers to check the ball down more to Saquon Barkley and Dion Lewis.
Jones embraces the leadership role and showed a natural-born ability as a rookie that will only grow considerably this season. He is mature beyond his years. He is deliberate answering questions and, like Manning, is The Natural, stiff-arming even the hint of controversy.
“I think it will be easier this year for him to kind of step up as that leader,’’ Manning said.
Jones has an inner fire and raging competitiveness that is infectious. Which means he is his own man, because Manning was a different kind of leader. He reminds you of Manning in this way: Jones is poised, he is tough, he is the same guy every day, and he wants the ball in his hands during winning time.
Jones worked diligently, if not obsessively, to fix his fumbling issues (18 last season, 11 lost) and throwing on the run during the virtual offseason with Anthony Boone, another former Duke quarterback.
In the wake of left tackle Nate Solder opting out, it falls on offensive line coach Marc Colombo to construct an improved group of blockers — are you listening Andrew Thomas and Nick Gates? — that can help Jones feel more comfortable in the pocket.
“To get there the right way, I think we want to focus on what we’re doing day-to-day in this camp,” Jones said.
No one questions his pinpoint accuracy, and he checks the mobility and escapability boxes for the modern-day quarterback. As well as the braveheart and lionheart boxes. He never stops keeping his eyes downfield. If you dare him to attack, he won’t be afraid to attack. He believes in himself the way a quarterback needs to believe in himself.
“He’s pretty heroic in his attempt to make every play,” former coach Pat Shurmur said during last season.
Giants fans who were in an uproar when GM Dave Gettleman appeared to reach for Jones with the sixth-overall pick in the 2019 draft should be encouraged. It was invaluable for Jones to observe Manning up close and personal. But those who know him best assure that he was Manningesque all along. Jones is the one entrusted now with bringing the Giants back. The life-after-Eli Manning fears have subsided. Boy to Mann now.
No. 8 is enough.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Ex-aide pleads guilty to murder of Arkansas state Sen. Linda Collins

The former aide of an Arkansas state Senator pleaded guilty to the murder of her boss on Thursday , according to local reports .
Rebecca Lynn O ’ Donnell , a former aide to the late Republican state Sen. Linda Collins , copped to first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse during a court hearing Thursday , after previously maintaining her innocence .
“ I went to Linda ’ s house and I intentionally killed her and then hid the body , ” O ’ Donnell said , according to KATV-TV .
Collins was found stabbed to death and wrapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arkansas , home on June 4 , 2019 , by her son Butch .
“ I will never not be able to see that picture burned into my brain , ” he said in a statement to ABC News , adding that he believes O ’ Donnell had been stealing money from his mother and stabbed her boss when confronted .
“ The plea deal was not what my first choice would have been , but at least we do have a guaranteed amount of time that she will be imprisoned for and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victim ’ s family to argue against her release at her parole hearings.
” Originally charged with a capital offense and facing the death penalty , Thursday ’ s deal could now send O ’ Donnell to prison for 50 years .
“ No amount of punishment will ever fill that void that Rebecca O ’ Donnell made in our lives the day she killed our mother , ” Collins ’ daughter , Tate , said after the hearing .

The former aide of an Arkansas state Senator pleaded guilty to the murder of her boss on Thursday, according to local reports.
Rebecca Lynn O’Donnell, a former aide to the late Republican state Sen. Linda Collins, copped to first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse during a court hearing Thursday, after previously maintaining her innocence.
“I went to Linda’s house and I intentionally killed her and then hid the body,” O’Donnell said, according to KATV-TV.
Collins was found stabbed to death and wrapped under a tarp outside her Pocahontas, Arkansas, home on June 4, 2019, by her son Butch.
“I will never not be able to see that picture burned into my brain,” he said in a statement to ABC News, adding that he believes O’Donnell had been stealing money from his mother and stabbed her boss when confronted.
“The plea deal was not what my first choice would have been, but at least we do have a guaranteed amount of time that she will be imprisoned for and we will have the ability as the victim’s family to argue against her release at her parole hearings.”
Originally charged with a capital offense and facing the death penalty, Thursday’s deal could now send O’Donnell to prison for 50 years.
“No amount of punishment will ever fill that void that Rebecca O’Donnell made in our lives the day she killed our mother,” Collins’ daughter, Tate, said after the hearing.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Brooks Koepka in position to pull off PGA Championship 3-peat

SAN FRANCISCO — There was much scrutiny — as there ...

SAN FRANCISCO — I’m not here to pronounce the 2020 PGA Championship as done, dusted and decided after one round at TPC Harding Park.
But what I am here to advise is this: Don’t bet against Brooks Koepka, who’s three rounds away from making history.
Koepka’s form, missing for the better part of the past nine months, appears to be very much back. His quiet, confident swagger has returned. And he’s in his element — playing in a major championship.
This all was very evident in Thursday’s first round when Koepka, who nearly stole the WGC-FedEx St. Jude from winner Justin Thomas on Sunday, opened with a 4-under 66 to sit a shot off the lead of Jason Day and Brendon Todd.
Three more rounds similar to what he posted Thursday and Koepka will win this week and become the first player since Peter Thomson in 1956 at the British Open to go back-to-back-to-back in a major and first to do it at the PGA Championship since Walter Hagen, who won it four consecutive times (1924-27) when it was a match-play event.
It would be Koepka’s fifth career major championship victory — all of which have come since his 2017 U.S. Open win.
“I feel right where I should be,’’ Koepka said after his round. “I feel right where I need to be. I’m excited. I’m ready to play.’’
Three rounds away from history.
“Has anyone won the same major three times in a row?’’ Justin Rose asked. “I don’t know, has that been done?’’
Told it hadn’t been done in more than 60 years, Rose shook his head and said, “Yeah, it’s phenomenal. It’s a hell of an achievement. He seems to have that knack for it for sure. [He] obviously caught fire there at Memphis [last week] and looks like he’s on that same kind of biorhythm again this year.
“Listen, any major that comes along, it’s tough to find [great form]. If it’s the Masters, someone might be particularly suited to that golf course. But when you’re winning on obviously different tracks — U.S. Opens, PGAs — you’ve got to kind of respect that game. That skill set travels really well.’’
It still sticks in Koepka’s craw that he was unable to match Willie Anderson, the only player to win three consecutive U.S. Opens, when he fell just short of winner Gary Woodland in 2019 at Pebble Beach.
“It would mean extra because I wasn’t able to do it at the U.S. Open,’’ Koepka said of a PGA three-peat. “That drove me nuts a little bit. I mean, I played good golf, but I just got beat by Gary. To do it here, it would be special. I think there’s — what? — six guys that have ever won three in a row. Yeah, not a bad list to be on.’’
Koepka was unable to match Anderson, but he now has Hagen in his sights.
“Walter Hagen is a name every golf fan knows,” Koepka said before the tournament. “To even have a chance to put my name with his would be incredible and it would be super special.’’
Rory McIlroy has four career major championships and hasn’t defended any of them.
“To win two majors in a row, to defend a title is impressive,” McIlroy said. “To win three major championships back-to-back, and the run of golf he’s played in the majors has been incredible.
“He seems to find his comfort zone in these tournaments, in these environments, for whatever reason that is. I think we are all just lucky that he doesn’t find it every other week.’’
To add context to just how difficult and rare a feat Koepka is chasing is to look at the other players on the list who’ve accomplished a three-peat in a major and how long it’s been since it was done.
Thomson won his third British Open in a row in 1956. That was 29 years after Hagen did it at the PGA. Hagen’s four-peat came 22 years after Anderson’s three U.S. Open wins in a row. The other three were from the 19th century at the British Open — Bob Ferguson (1880-82), Jamie Anderson (1877-79) and Young Tom Morris (1868-70) — when the fields were about 40 players.
Three rounds from a three-peat. It’s a tantalizing thought, but one Koepka insisted on tamping down Thursday — at least just a little bit.
“It’s only 18 holes right now,’’ Koepka said. “I feel good. I feel confident. I’m excited for the next three days. I think I can definitely play a lot better, and just need to tidy a few things up, and we’ll be there come Sunday on the back nine.’’
Yes, but it was a telling 18 holes. Koepka looks like Koepka again.
That tells me he’s going to be raising the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday evening for the third consecutive year.


newyorkpost--2020-08-07--Florida man spits on boy in restaurant, says ‘you now have coronavirus’

An intoxicated Florida man allegedly spat on a child ’ s face and told the boy “ You now have coronavirus , ” according to a report .
The disturbing encounter took place last Sunday night at Ricky T ’ s restaurant in Treasure Island , Fox 13 news reported .
Jason Copenhaver , 47 , first told the boy to take his mask off at the eatery and asked if he could shake his hand , police said .
Copenhaver then grabbed the boy ’ s arm and put his face next to the child ’ s , telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to police reports .
“ Victim stated that ( Copenhaver ) was in such close proximity that spit particles from ( Copenhaver ’ s ) mouth landed in his face , ” an officer wrote in the police report .
The man later tried to hit an employee twice , but the worker grabbed Copenhaver and escorted him outside until cops arrived , the report said .
Copenhaver was charged with simple battery and disorderly conduct .
Police said Copenhaver told them he didn ’ t know if he had coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @

An intoxicated Florida man allegedly spat on a child’s face and told the boy “You now have coronavirus,” according to a report.
The disturbing encounter took place last Sunday night at Ricky T’s restaurant in Treasure Island, Fox 13 news reported.
Jason Copenhaver, 47, first told the boy to take his mask off at the eatery and asked if he could shake his hand, police said.
Copenhaver then grabbed the boy’s arm and put his face next to the child’s, telling the boy he now had the coronavirus, according to police reports.
“Victim stated that (Copenhaver) was in such close proximity that spit particles from (Copenhaver’s) mouth landed in his face,” an officer wrote in the police report.
The man later tried to hit an employee twice, but the worker grabbed Copenhaver and escorted him outside until cops arrived, the report said.
Copenhaver was charged with simple battery and disorderly conduct.
Police said Copenhaver told them he didn’t know if he had coronavirus and has never been tested.
With Post wires