December 30, 2013
Huge fireworks blast rattles Bronx
A massive explosion rocked the Bronx tonight when a box of fireworks detonated in Pelham Bay Park at about 11:15 p.m., an FDNY spokesperson said. The explosives were in a...
The toughest job: Running NYC's schools
To our new Schools Chancellor, Carmen Farina: Welcome to the toughest job in America. The new chancellor arrives at a key moment in the history of school reform. Today New...
Families: The two-parent factor
The family is not what it used to be, as my former American Enterprise Institute colleague Nick Schulz argues in his short AEI book “Home Economics: The Consequences of Changing...
Mike the Mensch
Today is Mike Bloomberg’s final day as mayor. So we make this confession: He surprised us. We had our doubts when Mike was elected. Bloomberg, we noted, was a “life-long...
Carrie Keagan leaving VH1's ‘Morning Buzz’
Carrie Keagan, host of VH1’s “Big Morning Buzz Live” is leaving the morning show she has hosted since its launch in 2011, deadline.com reports. Keagan taped her last show Dec....
Feds announce test sites for drone aircraft
LAS VEGAS — Six states were named Monday by federal officials to develop test sites for drones — a critical next step for the burgeoning industry that could one day...
Netflix losing a ton of shows & movies Jan. 1
Goodbye 2013, and goodbye “Roman Holiday,” “Titanic” and “Braveheart” on Netflix. The video streamer is losing licenses to a host of classic TV shows and movies, according to a blog...
Warner Bros basks in box office success sparked by 'Hobbit'
“The Hobbit,” and a solid $300 million domestic box office, are becoming a habit for Warner Bros. “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the 90-year-old Hollywood studio’s latest release in...
‘Sell' report fails to chill Herbalife
Herbalife shares look to be wrapped in Kevlar. The controversial diet-shake seller’s stock, one of the hottest this year with a gain of 136 percent, barely budged Monday after getting...
My 2014 predictions -- on Wall Street and other things
There’s a saying in Hollywood that “nobody knows anything.” That was famed screenwriter William Goldman ’s way of admitting that neither he nor anyone else knew what makes a movie...
The 2013 Pop Culture Awards: The good, the bad and the ugly
What a wild year it’s been in the worlds of books, movies, TV and theater. Teen stars getting busted for drugs, zombies conquering the tube, would-be talk show hosts being...
Life support extended for girl declared brain dead
OAKLAND, Calif. — A California judge on Monday ordered a 13-year-old girl who was declared brain dead to be kept on life support until January 7. Alameda County Superior Court...
Holmes expects 'two more years' with the Jets
Wide receiver Santonio Holmes walked out of the Jets locker room Monday, perhaps for the final time, carrying a garbage bag filled with his belongings. Holmes is under contract through...
Work to do: Geno not taking future for granted
If you hope and believe Geno Smith is, indeed, the Jets franchise quarterback of the present and future, you should be encouraged by these words that came from him on...
Cracker Barrel says it won't sell itself
LEBANON, Tenn. — Cracker Barrel says it won't consider selling itself, rejecting a push from its biggest shareholder. The company said Monday that it will continue pursuing its own business...
Giants won't count on injured Wilson being top back
David Wilson played in only five games this season before a herniated disk in his neck landed him on injured reserve and the uncertainty about his physical health led Giants...
Manning: 'I need to play better'
It was Eli Manning’s ankle that had him hobbling and in a boot Monday, but one couldn’t blame him if his shoulders were sore as well — worn out from...
The craziest calendars for 2014
Hunky firemen hugging poles are sooo last year. Nowadays, weird, ridiculous and even mean-spirited images make the best fodder for calendars in 2014. Behold the six strangest date books for...
Rex proved his worth, time for Idzik to do the same
Now it’s your turn, John Idzik. Batter up. Your coach, your team, your organization, your franchise, your long-suffering fans, all need you to knock one out of the park. Your...
Teen sues over electric shock at pool after Sandy ‘rush-job’
A Bay Ridge lifeguard who was hit with a massive electric shock in front of horrified swimmers at a Breezy Point pool over the summer is suing the public facility’s...
NYC's most obnoxious food and eatery trends of 2013
Happy 2014. Poor 2013 wore out its welcome by Labor Day — a year that saw a handful of great new restaurants outnumbered 6-1 by $500-a-head counter-seating places, pretentious tasting-menu...
'Real' Kramer sues comedian over 'gay taunt' allegation
Not that there’s anything wrong with that — or is there? The real-life inspiration for “Seinfeld’s” Cosmo Kramer slapped a fellow comedian with a $1 million defamation lawsuit for portraying...
Ryan tells Jets to be prepared for a playoff run in '14
A day after finding out he’d be back with the Jets in 2014, head coach Rex Ryan began talking to his team about next year. Players said the message of...
Is Jerry Reese up to biggest challenge with Giants?
Jerry Reese made it clear what he thought about the Giants 2013 season. “7-9 sucks,” he said Monday as players cleaned out their lockers at the team’s training facility following...
'Sopranos' actor Lillo Brancato to be freed
“Sopranos” actor Lillo Brancato will begin the new year a free man after spending eight years in the slammer for a botched Bronx break-in that ended with his pal killing...
College music department run like a sleazy frat house: suit
The music department at a Westchester liberal arts college operated more like a frat house than an academic proving ground for young musicians, a former staffer claims in a $1.5...
5 offseason issues facing the Giants
A look at the key offseason issues for the Giants: 1. Determine who's running the show There are indications offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride might not survive the bottoming-out of his...
Rising stars hit the boards for downtown theater festivals
Don't even think of hibernating: What used to be the deadest month of the year is now a cultural cornucopia, thanks to two downtown theater festivals. What’s surprising is how...
Yankees still could dip below $189M with in-season selloff
If the Yankees sign Masahiro Tanaka — as they badly want to do — then they would all but eliminate any chance of getting under the $189 million luxury threshold....
Official in charge of Healthcare.gov retiring
WASHINGTON – A top Obama administration official in charge of the disastrous rollout of HealthCare.gov has suddenly decided to retire, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Monday. Michelle Snyder,...
Put some pop in your New Year’s with these bubblies
This New Year's Eve you can drink like a French aristocrat without spending like one. There are plenty of high quality alternatives to Champagne that are made in the same...
'Betrayal': J.R. Smith appears to take shot at Knicks over brother
The move to cut his brother was not yet official, but J.R. Smith took to a social media outlet Monday apparently to vent. Smith posted this photo Monday on Instagram...
Lab tech 'fired over beliefs' -- had miscarried fetuses buried: suit
A lab technician says her bosses at a Catholic hospital on Long Island fired her over her beliefs as a fundamentalist Christian after she started a program to give miscarried...
Coughlin not thinking retirement, has 'unfinished business'
Tom Coughlin says he’s just getting started. Well, not quite just getting started, but the 67-year old head coach said Monday, “I’m just a young guy in this business,’’ and...
5 offseason issues facing the Jets
A look at the key offseason issues for the Jets: 1. What to do at quarterback Geno Smith gave the Jets a lot to think about in his rookie season....
Happy renew year! Start 2014 at a pair of East Coast spas
A slice of pecan pie contains around 800 calories — even before the whipped cream. Given all the fattening holiday cheer you’ve just gone through, plus scant exercise, you, friend,...
Post's Top 25: Repeat unlikely for Louisville
The defending champions hardly look poised for another title run. Sure, Louisiville has a tidy 11-2 record, but they have played two ranked opponents -- North Carolina and Kentucky --...
First flight in 50 years from Key West to Cuba takes off
KEY WEST, Fla. — The first commercial passenger flight from Key West to Cuba in more than 50 years landed Monday in Havana, capping several years of efforts to reunite...
Dining on dog in the South Korean capital
Tomorrow night, I’m going to eat dog. That is, if I take up a local friend-of-a-friend’s invitation to visit what he assures is Seoul’s “best restaurant for dog.” I debate...
Carmelo: Ankle injury was 'worse than I thought'
When Carmelo Anthony sprained his left ankle in Orlando last Monday, he thought the mishap was a temporary setback, one that would not keep him out of the Christmas Day...
Fiery train derailment leads to evacuation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxkUhVswF5U CASSELTON, N.D. -- A mile-long train carrying crude oil derailed just a mile before it would have cut through the heart of a small North Dakota town, shaking residents...
Tim Tebow signs multi-year ESPN deal
Tim Tebow’s next career starts in a week. ESPN announced Monday they have hired the quarterback as an analyst for the SEC Network, which launches in August. He will make...
Smoking activists light up in City Hall
Diehard smoking activists defiantly lit up their cigarettes in City Hall on Monday as a send-off to their anti-tobacco nemesis, outgoing Mayor Bloomberg. But City Hall cops immediately removed the...
Gilbride likely to take fall after Mara calls out Giants offense
John Mara called what just transpired “a very disappointing season, as disappointing as any in my memory’’ and, while expressing full confidence in general manager Jerry Reese and stating Tom...
The 10 biggest memes of 2013
To think that just a year ago, Manti Te’o had a real girlfriend, Miley Cyrus was mostly known as a squeaky clean Disney star and we were unaware of the...
Spurs’ Parker apologizes for photo of ‘Nazi’ gesture
https://twitter.com/Lana93390/statuses/417021588513382401 SAN ANTONIO — Spurs All-Star point guard Tony Parker issued a statement Monday apologizing for a photo that shows him making a gesture with anti-Semitic connotations. In the photo, Parker poses with the French...
The dead can vote in NYC
Death doesn't necessarily disqualify you from voting in New York City. Investigators posing as dead voters were allowed to cast ballots for this year’s primary and general elections, thanks to...
The day in photos
An attack in Russia, an igloo hotel, a trapped ship, a tiny monk, baby pandas, and more.
Former teacher Carmen Farina named school chancellor
Incoming Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina said Monday her first priority would be getting parents more engaged with their schools — a common refrain among new chancellors. But the lifelong educator...
Woman struck by car, killed crossing the street
A woman was killed crossing a Brooklyn Street Monday morning, authorities said. Marise Clerveau, 41, was walking across Foster Avenue near East 80th Street in Canarsie at around 7:45 a.m....
A-Rod's alleged emails with Yankees president got pretty weird
Alex Rodriguez invoked The Boss' name in asking the Yankees to leave him alone. According to emails obtained by New York magazine, the beleaguered Yankees third baseman told team president...
'Excited' Marc Staal returning to Rangers lineup
BRANDON, Fla. — Marc Staal was not about to mince words when he had good news to deliver. “I’m in,” the Rangers alternate captain and defensive stalwart said at the...
Latest Justin Bieber documentary movie a flop
After four years, Beliebers may finally be growing tired of Justin Bieber. “Justin Bieber's Believe” — the second concert documentary featuring the 19-year-old pop star — earned a measly $3.1 million over...
Why you should resist the temptation of Geno Smith
To Jets Nation today, the eve of a New Year, Geno Smith is the Hope Diamond in the rough. There might even be some Jets fans who go through life...
Time Warner Cable, LIPA rank among most despised companies in US
Time Warner Cable and the Long Island Power Authority are among the most despised companies in America, scoring remarkably low customer-service ratings according to a consumer study. The Ann Arbor,...
Soccer star to quit 'anti-Semitic' goal celebrations
WEST BROMWICH, England — West Bromwich Albion striker Nicolas Anelka has agreed to stop performing a controversial goal celebration that has anti-Semitic connotations and caused an outcry in his native...
Fewest police deaths by firearms in 2013 since 1887
WASHINGTON — The number of law-enforcement officers killed by firearms in 2013 fell to levels not seen since the days of the Wild West, according to a report released Monday....
38 busted at Phish concert
It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Police said they arrested 38 people at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night during the first of four concerts by the hippie rock...
Blown call likely put Chargers in, kept Steelers out of playoffs
Steelers Nation will not be happy with this. Pittsburgh was one Ryan Succop 41-yard field goal away from miraculously reaching the playoffs. The Chiefs kicker missed, though, and the Chargers...
Parks Dept. employee arrested in alleged underage sex assault
A Parks Department employee was arrested for sexually abusing an underage female relative, sources said Rene Herrera, 57, was cuffed Sunday at his Queens home and charged with three counts...
Someone on 2010 Nuggets was super stoned at practice: report
A member of the Nuggets was a mile high at practice on the morning of a 2010 playoff game, according to a report in the Denver Post. The player was...
Shark photobombs beach snap
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152099269029614&set=a.440942949613.222741.72391084613&type=1 It’s a great white photobomb! This menacing shark sneaked into a mom’s snapshot of her son and a friend paddling in the waters off Southern California. “It was quite...
Italian distributor apologizes for '12 Years a Slave' posters
MILAN — The Italian distributor of the film "12 Years A Slave" has apologized for promotional posters attacked as racist for featuring Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender, despite their relatively...
Swine flu makes a comeback as flu cases spike
Flu season is making its miserable presence felt across the United States, with a sharp jump in cases last week propelled by a comeback of the nasty swine flu virus...
ObamaCare signups pass 1 million mark
HONOLULU — A December surge propelled health care sign-ups through the government's rehabilitated website past the 1 million mark, the Obama administration said Sunday, reflecting new vigor for the problem-plagued...
'Violent bank robber' made threats against Obama in 2010: Secret Service
PHOENIX — The Secret Service says the man authorities have linked to a three-state bank robbery spree, the killing of one Mississippi police officer and the wounding of another was...
Shanahan, Schiano, Schwartz, Frazier fired on Black Monday
It's as much a part of the football calendar as Thanksgiving Thursday or Wild Card weekend: Black Monday, the grim annual rite when NFL coaches are fired in droves on...
Crocs shares up on Blackstone investment
Ailing footwear brand Crocs, whose shares are down 7.4 percent in 2013 amid lower profits and soft sales in Japan, will get a $200 million investment from Blackstone Group. News...
Samsung sells a TV for $150,000
SEOUL, South Korea — Samsung said a 110-inch TV that has four times the resolution of standard high-definition TVs is going on sale for about $150,000 in South Korea.The launch...
Celebrate New Year's at Applebee's -- for $375 per person
The pitch: Sure, you may think of Applebee’s as an affordable casual-dining chain, famed for its whiskey-flavored steaks and two-for-$20 dinner specials (and also for its memorable part in the...
Giants Blitz: WR Jernigan steals show
HERO Third-year wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan made the most of his opportunity, catching six passes for a career-high 90 yards, hauling in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning and...
Jets Blitz: Bilal the hero of the day
HERO Jets running back Bilal Powell rushed for 76 yards and completed a 30-yard pass to tight end Jeff Cumberland in the fourth quarter. But his best play of all...
Report: NSA intercepts computer deliveries, bugs machines
LONDON — A German magazine lifted the lid on the operations of the National Security Agency's hacking unit Sunday, reporting that American spies intercept computer deliveries, exploit hardware vulnerabilities, and...
NYC to track traffic deaths on Web site
A new Web site will list everyone who dies in a traffic accident in New York City. It will be divided into four categories: vehicle drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians....
Cabbies worried about de Blasio reversing TLC gains
City cabdrivers are ready to battle Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio, who raked in thousands in campaign donations from an exploitative taxi honcho — causing concern among hacks that he will...
Brooklyn man shot for 2nd time this year
A Brooklyn man was shot on Sunday for the second time this year. Richard Dunbar, 53, was struck in the back when a gunman opened fire at 4:00 p.m. on...
The most entertaining workplace books of 2013
Say what? They didn’t have a class in career management where you went to school? Fear not. Here’s a look back at the year’s most entertaining workplace books that also...
Spoiler alert: Rules for discussing plot twists, finales
To spoil or not to spoil, that is the question. It’s a given that people no longer watch television shows when they are actually on. They watch them the day...
Jerry Seinfeld loves freedom of ‘Comedians’ web series
There’s a good reason that Jerry Seinfeld’s Web series, “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee,” has the loosey-goosey feel of an unscripted, fly-on-the-wall conversation. “It’s 100 percent improvised. No scripts. No...
Daily blotter
Manhattan A man robbed an Upper East Side drugstore at gunpoint, forcing the pharmacist to fill a bag with Viagra, Cialis and oxycodone tablets before fleeing, authorities said Sunday. The...
Rangers' Staal: Hope is to play Tuesday
TAMPA, Fla. — Marc Staal was in a terrific mood on Sunday morning — so much so, he admitted the hope is he plays on Tuesday in Sunrise, Fla., against...
Spitzer & Lis overshadow de Blasio announcement
Bill de Blasio’s choice for the city’s top lawyer was overshadowed Sunday by his spokeswoman’s affair with Eliot Spitzer and his daughter’s history of drug abuse. The mayor-elect said flack...
Mark-Viverito leads charter-halt suit
A group of public-school parents and politicians — led by council speaker front-runner Melissa Mark-Viverito — is suing to block Mayor Bloomberg’s last-minute approval of dozens of charter-school locations. The...
Cuomo pushing to block de Blasio speaker pick Mark-Viverito
Gov. Cuomo, in his first major battle with Bill de Blasio, is engaged in a last-ditch effort to block leftist Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito from becoming council speaker, Democratic insiders have...
DA son of TV’s Judge Judy probed in forgery case: report
The controversial prosecutor whose mom is TV’s Judge Judy is reportedly under investigation in a forgery case. Adam Levy, the Putnam County district attorney, is being probed for his role...
Bloomberg's last act: Ban e-cigs
Smokers, barred from lighting up in public places under Mayor Bloomberg, may be celebrating his exit from City Hall. “We love to be rid of him. Don’t let the door...
1 in 5 are bullied in NYC high schools
Nearly one in five city public high-school students has been a victim of bullying, a new study reveals. The Health Department found that 18 percent of students said they’ve been...
Wrongly-jailed mobster to take stand, hope for 'sympathy' in new extort rap
A reputed Columbo crime-family mobster who spent 22 years behind bars for a rape he didn’t commit is planning to play the sympathy card with jurors at his extortion trial...
Spitzer call girl: ADA was my pimp
After hooking for the city’s two most famous madams, turncoat call girl Rebecca Woodard says she suddenly found herself with a new pimp — the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. The...
State Dept. whistleblower has email hacked, deleted
WASHINGTON — The personal e-mail account of a State Department whistleblower was hacked, and four years worth of messages — some detailing alleged wrongdoing at the agency — were deleted,...
Knicks re-signing Tyler likely means waiving Chris Smith
As the Knicks negotiate a deal to re-sign big man Jeremy Tyler and have him for Monday’s practice, the team is expected to release point guard Chris Smith to make...
Jerrel Jernigan nails his big audition for Giants
The Giants got a glimpse into their future at wide receiver Sunday afternoon, and Big Blue must have liked what they saw. While free agent-to-be Hakeem Nicks (the almost certain...
‘Crazy year’ for Giants’ depleted offensive line
By the end of the afternoon, there were no offensive linemen left on the Giants sideline — symbolic of the injury-riddled season for Tom Coughlin’s team up front. “It was...
Dee Milliner’s time comes in the end
MIAMI — This just in: Dee Milliner is no Darrelle Revis. But he’s no bust either. “I guess there’s another Dee Milliner sighting, it’s amazing that happens, ’cause you guys...
Bilal Powell comes up big for Jets — even without the ball
MIAMI — Bilal Powell rushed for 76 yards on 21 carries and he completed a 30-yard halfback option pass at a critical moment in the Jets’ 20-7 win over the...
Jets relish spoiler role vs. Dolphins
MIAMI — The Jets played down the idea of spoiling the Dolphins’ postseason hopes this week. But after Sunday’s game, it was clear they relished knocking Miami out of playoff...
Spurs’ Parker under fire for 'Nazi' gesture
https://twitter.com/Lana93390/statuses/417021588513382401 San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker is embroiled in controversy following his alleged use of what a Jewish human rights group believed was an anti-Semitic gesture. The Simon...
Bill de Blasio makes schools chancellor pick
Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio will appoint former top schools official Carmen Farina as the city’s next chancellor on Monday, a source told the Post on Sunday. De Blasio will make...
Second bomb blast rocks Volgograd
MOSCOW — A suicide bomber killed 14 people aboard an electric bus in the southern Russian city of Volgograd during the Monday morning rush hour, and authorities believe it was...