13-Year-Old Kills Himself In 20+ Floor Jump From Bronx Apartment

Yesterday afternoon, a 13-year-old jumped to his death from his family's apartment terrace at the Tracey Towers on Mosholu Parkway. The Daily News reports that Juda Agyemang "was sent home from school for not paying attention" (according to family members) while the Post says he had been "pulled from his school's basketball team because of poor grades."

"Suspicious White Powder" At German Consulate

We're hearing that suspicious powder was also found at the German Consulate, located at U.N. Plaza, this morning. Yesterday, envelopes containing a suspicious white powder arrived in the mail at the French and Austrian Missions as well as the Uzbekistan Mission; authorities deemed those envelopes to be safe and the three incidents as hoaxes.

Cops: Columbia Prof Punched Woman In "White Privilege" Brawl

Police arrested a Columbia University architecture professor suspected of punching a female colleague in the face in a racially charged bar brawl on Friday. Professor Lionel McIntyre, 59, allegedly struck Camille Davis, a production manager in Columbia's theater department, after arguing with her and another man about "white privilege" in Toast on Broadway and 125th Street.

Despite Gay Brothers, State Sen. Diaz Still Anti-Gay Marriage

One of the staunchest opponents to same-sex marriage is a Bronx state senator with two gay brothers, a gay grandchild, and a gay chief counsel. Democrat Ruben Diaz, Sr., a Pentecostal minister, has been a die hard foe of any bill that would legalize gay marriage in New York State, despite his supposedly convivial relationship with many homosexuals. "I love them. I love them," says Díaz, who grew up one of 17 children in Puerto Rico. "But I don’t believe in what they are doing."

Chimp Mauling Victim To Appear On Oprah

2009_11_cnash.jpg On tomorrow's episode of Oprah, the woman who was severely mauled by a 200-pound chimp will appear and discuss "how she's adjusting, how she maintains her spirit, and what the future holds." Charlas Nash has been recovering at the Cleveland Clinic ever since the March incident where she "lost her nose, lips, eyelids, hands and bone structure in her mid-face and suffered significant brain, eye and tissue injuries in the attack." Back in June, her brothers said she was staying strong; more recently, her family has sued the chimp's owner and is planning on suing the state of Connecticut.

Property Sale Might Doom Brooklyn's Oldest Gay Bar

Brooklyn's oldest gay bar may be forced to close following the sale of its Crown Heights building. The Starlight Lounge — which also claims to be the city's first black-owned gay bar — might be evicted because the new owner of the property apparently wants the building "empty."

Governor Paterson Issues Depressing Warning About Budget

While addressing the special session of the State Legislature, Governor David Paterson made it clear that the state's budget problems were real—and that the lawmakers had to deal with it. Paterson, who has proposed $3 billion in cuts to, mostly, education and Medicaid, said, "I will mortgage my political career on this plan. We stand on the brink of a financial challenge of unprecedented magnitude in the history of this state. This is a historic moment. We’re going to have to make historic decisions." He also added, "Unless immediate action is taken, we are going to have challenges to our state financials and cash flow in 4½ weeks. Frankly, we're running out of money. Right now we stand on the brink of a financial challenge of unprecedented magnitude in the history of the state. That's not opinion, that's not exaggeration -- that's fact."

More Clarity (and Questions) Regarding Jerry Fuchs' Death

The man who was with Jerry Fuchs during his final moments in an elevator in Williamsburg says he hasn't been able to sleep since the incident on early Sunday morning. The Daily News talked to Stephen Alessi, who was going to the same party, but didn't know Fuchs personally. He told the paper, "I tried to reach out for him. I was too far and it happened so fast, in a split second."

Unknown White Powder Sent To U.N. Missions, Consulate

Hazmat teams descended on two United Nations missions and a consulate in midtown Manhattan last evening, after they received envelopes containing an unknown white powder. Decontamination tents were set up outside the French Mission at 245 East 47th, the Austrian Mission at 600 Third Avenue, and Uzbekistan Consulate at 801 Second AVenue.

Last Night's Action: Same Formula, Same Result

2009_11_tdoug.jpg What's a good sign your team isn't going to win? Larry Hughes tallies the most minutes. He did that Monday with 41, and his the Knicks lost, 95-93, to Utah. The Knicks continued their 2009 trend of falling behind early (by nine after one quarter and 17 at the half) before rallying furiously only to come up short. Does anyone see a pattern forming here? Toney Douglas (pictured) surprised with 21 off the bench for the Knicks, who also got 17 from Wilson Chandler. New York checked Deron Williams' scoring -- the point guard had only five points -- but not his passing. He had 16 assists.

Pagan Councilman Explains His Faith, Other Pols Demand Apology

Last week, Councilman-elect Dan Halloran (R-Bayside) narrowly defeated a Democratic candidate in one of the nation's most liberal cities. Now comes the hard part: explaining his religious beliefs to the press. For the past two decades, the cop-turned-lawyer has been a devout believer in Theodism, a pre-Christian faith rooted in Celtic and Germanic tribal religions. "Understanding my theology is a little difficult for mainstreamers," admits Halloran, who serves as the "First Atheling," or king, of a local tribe of 120 followers called New Normandy.

City Buses Collide in Midtown, Injuring 9

Two city buses ran into each other at the corner of Third Avenue and East 41st Street in Midtown, injuring at nine, according to preliminary reports. The collision occurred at around 5:30 pm on an avenue serviced by the M98, M101, M102, and M103 buses.

Driver In Fatal Taconic Crash Vomited Twice Before Collision

The woman who killed eight people, including herself, when she drove the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway vomited twice on the side of the road before the collision. Police reports obtained by the Post reveal that just under two hours before the fatal crash — witnesses "noticed an adult female outside of the vehicle with brown hair, wearing blue, knee-length shorts, bent over with her hands on her knees, as if throwing up."

Longtime Police Reporter Still Gets Guff At "The Shack"

Talk about an awkward business relationship. Former police reporter and Newsday columnist Leonard Levitt continues to visit Police Headquarters every week to gain sources and get tips — even though he was once banned from the building and had to rely on civil rights lawyers to regain his press pass. Levitt, who currently runs the website NYPD Confidential, isn't well liked by the brass at One Police Plaza. “His self-absorbed bitterness and inaccuracy remind me of the old biddy, an aging malicious gossip I knew growing up in the Bronx,'" Paul Browne, the Police Department’s chief spokesman, told the Times in an e-mail.

Our Parks Are (Allegedly) Not Recycling

Those recyclables you're throwing away in the designated recycling bins at city parks... well, they're probably just going straight to the landfills. The NY Post reports that during their investigation they found that "not only are routine recyclables like bottles, cans and paper being sent to landfills, but so is other waste that is supposed to be trashed separately, such as animal carcasses, medical waste and bins of used kitchen oil." Who goes to the park to throw away their animal carcasses? Those are for the East River!

Thompson...For Senate?

2009_11_thomp2.jpg The Daily News' Elizabeth Benjamin reports that City Comptroller Bill Thompson's name is "being floated" for various positions, including Senator. Rep. Jose Serrano says, "Billy Thompson obviously is the kind of public servant who not only who serves the public well but has proven he doesn't need a lot of money to do well in an election. He would be a formidable candidate statewide anytime." And even though President Obama personally asked other pols not to run against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a "senior New York Democrat" tells the News, "The presumption is that a White House that didn't really show strong support for Bill Thompson for mayor in this environment couldn't do that to him twice."

Woman Sues City For NYPD Horse Bite

A police horse named Mr. Biggs is at the center of a lawsuit filed against the city last week. Allegedly the member of the NYPD's Mounted Unit took a bite out of a New Jersey woman last summer, and now that woman is suing.

One Third of NYC Traffic Deaths are Pedestrians

31% of total traffic deaths in the NYC metropolitan area are pedestrians, but funding for pedestrian and bike infrastructure lags far behind even the meager amount spent in other cities. The conclusion is found a new national report on pedestrian traffic deaths, published by the Transportation for America and Surface Transportation Policy Partnership. Their analysis determined that only 1% of New York State federal transportation funds are spent on pedestrian infrastructure, and the NYC metropolitan area receives only $0.61 per person in federal funds for pedestrian and bike facilities, well below the $1.39 spent per person for metro areas nationwide.

GoCaGa, BoHo, iTri, And Other New Neighborhood Names

For a moment there, it seemed like the economic downturn was going to bring a much-needed reality check to the world of real estate. But no. The Daily News reports today on the efforts of real estate brokers to re-brand supposedly undesirable neighborhoods by giving them more marketable monikers — like "GoCaGa" for the area between Gowanus and Carroll Gardens, "BoHo" for the Bowery south of Houston, "SunSlope" for the streets between Sunset Park and Park Slope, and "iTri" for the Iron Triangle in Willets Point. "These names are great selling points for agents trying to bring clients into a neighborhood that wasn't so hip before but sounds a lot hipper now," said Jean Charles, a senior agent at Bond New York, a major sales and rental firm.

NYPD Back to Harrassing Photographers

This past July some NYPD officers defended a civilian's right to photograph when he was harassed by another civilian for snapping shots in the subway system. This was a surprising change, to say the least, in the force's previous attitude towards shutterbugs — but since it came after this department-wide memo was sent out, it showed promise for the future.

Driver in He Said/He Said Cab Hugging Case Gets Support

Cab driver Medhat Mohamed has been given a bad rep for kicking a couple out of his cab, and now the NY Post's Andrea Peyser is standing up for him — giving him a lexical embrace, if you will.

Fort Hood Shooter Had Tried to Contact al Qaeda

It was previously reported that the Army psychiatrist who went on a deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood Thursday had been on the FBI's radar over some Internet postings about suicide bombers. Now ABC News has it that Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan had been trying to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, and U.S. intelligence agencies knew about it months ago, because these al Qaeda suspects were under electronic surveillance. One of these is the former imam of a Virginia mosque who praised Hasan for the shooting on his website (cached).

Cellphone Distracts Driver Who Crashes Into Tractor-Trailer

2009_11_cellph.jpg From the Post: "A driver distracted by her ringing cellphone smashed into a tractor-trailer in Brooklyn early yesterday -- injuring her two adult passengers but remarkably leaving her baby boy unscathed, witnesses said. 'I looked away, and the car went out of control,' said Carmen Natel, 31, who'd been driving two female co-workers home from a party at their boss' house." The incident occurred at Humboldt and Greenpoint—and a security guard "pulled 10-month-old Jaydi from the mangled wreck."

Mohawk Reservation Drug Smuggling A Booming Business

Much of the primo, hydroponically-grown herb you'll find in New York comes from Canada, where an untold quantity passes across the border at the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation, which stretches five miles along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Naturally, the authorities would like to pull the plug on this source, so six weeks ago Joseph Resnick, the head of the NYPD's narcotics division, took a trip up there to see what could be done. The good news for tokers is that the Mohawk smugglers have this down to a science, and Resnik is "astounded at how lenient the border is."

Unseasonably Warm Monday

The high for today is expected to reach 70 degrees. At 15 degrees above the normal high that will make today the most warmer-than-normal day in the city since a four-day hot spell last April. The record high of 75 degrees set in 1975 is safe for another year.

A popular high school English teacher has been suspended after assigning his 11th-grade students a short story about masturbation by "Fight Club" author Chuck Palahniuk. Greg Van Voorhis, 30, issued copies of "Guts" — which details three increasingly catastrophic masturbation attempts by teenagers with props including a carrot, a candle, and the water intake at the bottom of a swimming pool — to about about 100 students gearing up for the English Regents exam. That didn't go over so well with school administrators at the Bronx School of Law and Finance in Marble Hill, where the seven-year veteran was quickly reassigned from his classroom duties while the Department of Education investigates.

Victim Of Dreier's Downfall: Ex-Copy Machine Operator

2009_11_mdreier.jpg When once prominent lawyer Marc Dreier was arrested for a $700 million scam, the lawyers at his firm fled and the company collapsed . One of the employees, copy machine operator and trainer Carlton Palmer, is featured in a NY Times "Neediest Cases" profile: "He learned of his unemployment by e-mail, and is still owed $2,000 in back wages." Palmer has been looking for work via job listings websites ("I don’t like to get up in the morning and not work. I like a paycheck.") and embarked on training to be a dialysis technician. The Neediest Cases helped him out with some tuition money, but he need a job to complete 2,000 hours before he can get a certification, "Sometimes you feel the pressure, but you hope for the best. You hope for the phone to ring with a 212 number."

Video: Coney Island, Seen From an RC Helicopter

This charming aerial video of the Coney Island amusement district is about four months old—eons in Internet time—so if you've seen it already, please do gloat in the comments. NYC The Blog spotted it today, and reports that it's the work of one Jason Lam, founder of aerial photography company Sky Shutter. Lam uses a customized radio control toy helicopter to shoot videos like these, but it's unclear where he gets the cheesy synthesized baroque music to accompany it. (We suggest muting the sound and replacing it with "Coney Island Baby.")

Mouse Infiltrates Delta Flight... Again!

One more incident like this and Delta is going to get a reputation. Just weeks after a mouse was found on board one of their planes, causing an evacuation and serious delay... it's happened again!

Last Friday, a man jumped off the George Washington Bridge—and survived and managed to swim to the NJ side, where he was taken to a hospital. According to the NY Post, "Adrian Rawn, 28, took the plunge without so much as a pause after abruptly stopping his car on the span's lower level at about 11:30 a.m." And that would be a 212-foot plunge into 55-degree water.

Times Reporter's $250K Salary

2009_11_aross.jpg New York magazine's feature on NY Times business reporter/Dealbook blogger/all-around wunderkind Andrew Ross Sorkin reports, "Sources say he earns $250,000, including a bonus that is based, in part, on the financial performance of the various DealBook properties (Sorkin disputes the number, but won’t be more specific). He is among the highest-paid staffers at the paper." Gawker, which is waiting for a comment from Sorkin, reads it this way: "Sounds an awful lot like a pageview bonus to us. Which is an ugly practice that distorts news judgment and induces reporters to chase down attention-grabbing and salacious gossip rather than substantive information and is the province of unscrupulous blogs that are killing journalism. And also the New York Times, apparently."

L.I. Pet Abuse Suspect Ran "Animal Concentration Camp"

The Long Island woman suspected of torturing and killing about 20 dogs before burying them in her backyard forced her children to take part in her animal "concentration camp," according to her son. "It was a concentration camp for the animals," Doug McDonough, the eldest of suspect Sharon McDonough's seven children, told WCBS. "My sisters and me, we got the end of it, too." Doug — who tipped off the animal rescue TV show Rescue Ink, which in turn alerted the Suffolk County SPCA — told the Post that the abuse would begin shortly after his 43-year-old mother brought a pet into her Selden home. "She would buy the dog, treat it like it was the greatest dog in the world for a few days, then they would sit in the cage until she decided to kill them. It was a power trip."

Bye Bye Baby Finger: Maclaren Recalls Fingertip Guillotine Stroller

The fashionable UK stroller company Maclaren is going to recall all the strollers they've sold since 1999, now that a dozen children have lost fingertips in the carriage hinge. The recall, which is expected to be officially announced tomorrow, affects some 1 million strollers. But for those parents who'd rather part with a child's finger than their beloved Maclaren, the company is also planning to send owners protective covers for the dangerous hinges.

Puppy Tied to FDR

fdrpuppy.jpg Pet abandoners: please do not leave animals tied to the FDR! Jennie Min of NJ says: "I went to Manhattan today and found somebody tied a small pitbull right on the FDR Drive! She looked so afraid and was crying when I found her." Min waited an hour to see if the owner would show, then tried three non-kill shelters, all of which had no space. Since she can't take on another dog, she left her with Animal Care & Control... which means it doesn't have much time to live. She asked the ACC to contact her if they are forced to put her to sleep, and is hoping someone will save her before that happens. [via GirlieGirlArmy]

NY State Budget To Be Center Stage At Special Session

Get ready for some Albany-style bickering! Tomorrow, Governor Paterson will convene a special session of the Legislature to discussion issues like the $3 billion budget deficit and—possibly—gay marriage, but the NY Times is worried enough that it has an editorial, "Albany’s toughest and most important job right now is to make certain that New York does not become another California, running out of cash, paying bills with i.o.u.’s and watching state credit ratings deteriorate."

Mugging Renews Fears That Central Park Is Unsafe After Dark

A brazen gunpoint mugging in Central Park has the papers pondering whether or not it's safe to pass through the green-space at night. The discussion comes after three muggers held up two men who were walking near the intersection of East Drive and East 102nd Street on Sunday at around 12:30 am. According to the Daily News, one of the perps pulled out a gun while his accomplices snatched a wallet and an ATM card from the victims, aged 25 and 22. When a 46-year-old passerby happened upon the scene of the crime, the robbers held him up and stole his wallet. After the perps fled, the victims hailed down a passerby and called 911. Police canvassed the area and arrested 20-year-old suspect Ramelle Moore, whose arrest record includes busts for drug possession and trespassing. The other suspects remain at large.

LT Arrested In Florida For Leaving Scene Of Accident

2009_11_LT.jpg Giants legend Lawrence Taylor was arrested in Hialeah, Florida yesterday for leaving the scene of an accident where he allegedly hit a car and then a guard rail. TMZ wants to assure us that he wasn't under the influence—police say he "was so coherent when he was arrested for hit-and-run last night , that officers didn't feel the need to perform a sobriety test." Plus "when they found Taylor, he was standing outside of his car -- which was missing a front tire. The tire was found at the scene of the crash .. which means Taylor may have driven several miles on just the axle." He was taken to the station house and released on $500 bail.

City Drops "Brain Education" School Program Run By Yoga Cult

Less than a week after it was revealed that the Department of Education paid $374,000 for a hypnotherapist consultant, it's being reported that the city has paid $400,000 for 44 schools to participate in the "PowerBrain Education" program, run by a yoga group that's being sued by former members. What's next, hiring some Breatharians to consult on the lunch program?

Scene Of Fatal Queens Fire "Not A Place For The Living"

As debate continues over whether a fire dispatcher's typo led to three deaths and four injuries in a Woodside, Queens home on Saturday, it turns out the basement apartments where the victims lived had been eyed by the Department of Buildings before. According to the Daily News, the two-family home "had been illegally converted into a five-family residence with another seven single rooms"—but when the DOB inspected it in 1990 and 2004, they found nothing wrong!

Bus Driver In Fatal Incident Was Previously Suspended For Texting

Last Wednesday morning a 22-year-old Seth Kahn was struck and killed by a bus while crossing the street at West 53rd Street and 9th Avenue. Area residents noted that the intersection was dangerous, one being hit there just two months ago. Now the Daily News reports on the bus driver's history.

Mysterious Rich Malaysian Partying Like Rich Russian

110909usher.jpg There is a geeky-looking rich guy from Malaysia who has developed quite the reputation for running up huge tabs at douchey NYC clubs, as well as flying Megan Fox to party with him "and his entourage" in Las Vegas, and sending 23 bottles of Cristal to Lindsay Lohan at 1OAK. Heads up gold diggers: his name is Taek Jho Low, and he's residing at the Park Imperial, where his profligacy is so extreme residents wish they had a rapper in the building instead. One neighbor tells the Post, "It used to be that when you saw the Cadillac Escalades outside, you knew Sean [Combs] was in town. Now it's this guy."

Lieberman To Launch Fort Hood Shooting Investigation

Senator Joseph Lieberman discussed the Fort Hood shooting on Fox News yesterday and said he would launch a Senate investigation, noting there were "strong warning signs" that suspect army psychiatrist Major Nidal Malik Hasan was an "Islamist extremist." The Independent Democrat from Connecticut added, "If that is true, the murder of these 13 people was a terrorist act and, in fact, it was the most destructive terrorist act to be committed on American soil since 9/11."

Does NYPD Detectives' Intense Schedule Encourage Drinking?

After a recent drunken driving fatality involving an off-duty NYPD detective, the city detectives union is considering changing the schedule that some say contributes to alcohol abuse. Some 2,000 of the city's 5,500 detectives routinely work two night shifts, then two day shifts, then get two days off. But because the turnover is so short between the end of the night shift at 1 a.m. and the start of the day shift at 8 a.m., most detectives who reside outside the city don't bother going home. Instead, they go out drinking and then sleep at precinct houses.

More Details On Death Of Drummer Jerry Fuchs

Early Sunday morning Brooklyn musician Jerry Fuchs died after falling down an elevator shaft at 338 Berry Street in Williamsburg. As we mentioned yesterday, Fuchs was attending a benefit party there thrown by the Uniform Project, and it was around 12:30 a.m. that the manual freight elevator in the converted loft building became stuck between the 4th and 5th floors. A friend jumped off to safety, but when Fuchs followed his clothing became stuck and he fell down the shaft.

Citibank To Charge All Accounts That Drop Below $1,500

2009_02_citibank.jpg Beginning in February, Citibank will start charging all account holders $7.50 each time their monthly balance dips below $1,500. In a move the Post dubs "Really Citi Treament," the bank will stop waiving low balance fees for customers who have direct deposit or conduct two bill payments online each month. According to Citibank, it's not punishment but a reward: "We did so to make them more simple and straightforward, by recognizing and rewarding customers for maintaining their balances with Citibank." But a Citibank manager acknowledged the fees — which could total $90 per year — were high, "Some are regular working folk who are trying hard to make ends meet and to pay their bills. Fifteen hundred dollars is a lot of money. Many don't have that kind of balance in their accounts."

"Most Wanted" Serial Subway Robbery Suspect Nabbed In N.C.

A man suspected in 14 subway robberies since January was arrested yesterday in North Carolina. Rasheem Williams, 37, who had been one of the NYPD's most wanted criminals, was apprehended, as were two other fugitives wanted by the cops, in Rocky Mount, N.C.

Last Night's Action: Giants in a Freefall

After a come-from-ahead 21-20 loss to San Diego, the Giants still have only one impressive win this season. Four of their five wins have come against league doormats. Other than a Week 2 victory over Dallas, what have the Giants done to inspire confidence?

Online Commenters Beware: "Sock-Puppeting" Could Get You Arrested

Posting online comments under multiple aliases is apparently against the law, at least in the case of Raphael Haim Golb, 49, who is suspected of using 50 different e-mail addresses and monikers — some of the names belonging to academic rivals — to bolster his arguments about the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls. To back up his belief that the relics were actually produced in Jerusalem libraries, Golb allegedly used multiple online "sock puppets," or fake identities, to make it seem like he had supporters.

Missing Greenpoint Cat Sparks Serial Catnapping Fears

2009_11_lucascat.jpg Miss Heather reports that Russian Blue kitten Lucas is missing from Greenpoint pet food & supplies store Pets on the Run—and what's more troubling is that it's the second missing cat from that area in recent days. A cat went missing from a nearby bodega—and it turned out that a woman in the neighborhood had taken the cat (and, according to another business owner, apparently has a history of taking cats). Luckily, after some neighborly intervention, the bodega cat was returned to his home and his relieved owners—we hope Lucas can have a similar happy ending.

Actor And Director Could Be Evicted By The Blue Man Group

East Village actor and director Sturgis Warner isn't just facing eviction from his apartment of more than 30 years — in a theatrical twist that adds insult to injury, he might get kicked out of his home by the producers of the Blue Man Group. In 2001, the moneymen behind the indigo-hued performance troupe purchased the building that houses their theater on Lafayette Street's Colonnade Row, where the 59-year-old thespian has lived in a fifth floor walk-up since 1978. Since then, the producers have been buying out tenants to convert the residences into their own apartments, a move that housing laws allow.

NY Post Finds One Man Who Sides With Fort Hood Shooter

You've got to hand it to the Post for being the first local paper to do its due diligence and cover both sides of last week's Fort Hood massacre. In the kind of story that simultaneously riles up its readers and shows a fundamental misunderstanding of some journalistic basics — akin to quoting the Grinch for fairness in an article about Christmas tree sales — the tabloid today gives ink to a lone Queens man who thinks that Major Nidal Hasan did the right thing when he opened fire inside the Texas base last week, killing 13 and wounding 38. "An officer and a gentleman was injured while partaking in a pre-emptive attack," Yousef al-Khattab wrote on his website, "Revolution Muslim." "Rest assured the slain terrorists at Ft. Hood are in the eternal hellfire."

What's This: Taxi Drivers (Mostly) Like Credit Card Payments!

Aha! After a rocky start with accepting credit card payments (the striking... the threatening... the chasing... the punching), taxi drivers had conceded last year that plastic payments were helping them out. Now, two years after the program was launched, the NY Times further confirms that the credit (and debit) card payment system is mostly a success.

Nets Player Stricken By Swine Flu

2009_11_cdr.jpg Chris Douglas-Roberts, the second year Nets guard, has swine flu, the team confirmed yesterday. Coach Lawrence Frank spoke to Douglas-Roberts, "e doesn't sound very good...All the measures are taken, now it's a matter of when he feels better." Players are being given Tamiflu as a precaution—forward Bobby Simmons said, "I went to the grocery store this morning, and a lot of people were coughing in there, too. It’s something in the air that’s going on right now. It just shows that it’s very serious, and we can’t take it for granted."

Racy Calvin Klein Ad Infuriates Prudes, Again

Just months after Calvin Klein pulled down a risqué billboard amidst complaints from neighbors and a Christian advocacy group, the jeans and skivvies manufacturer has installed a new ad on the same wall that has once again sparked controversy among the prudes in SoHo, according to the Daily News. Filling a space that recently depicted a denim-clad threesome (or foursome depending on your perspective), the new ad shows a sweaty Eva Mendez in lingerie tugging at a male model's briefs.

Times Reporter Takes Scientology Test, Encouraged To Join

Well, NY Times reporter Ariel Kaminer was encouraged to join until someone at the Church of Scientology Googled her name and realized that she was a reporter for the NY Times. But she still got enough material for a piece titled, "In Scientology’s Door, but Not Much Farther." Kaminer went to the group's Times Square building and took the "personality test with 200 sometimes puzzling questions":

NJ, VA Republican Wins Encourage Lazio's Gov Run

2009_11_lazio.jpg Rick Lazio, former L.I. Congressman and the guy who ran for a Senate seat against Hillary Clinon, feels good about his 2010 chances, after GOP gubernatorial victories in NJ and Virginia. He told WCBS 2, "Tuesday was, to me, very much a validation of my message. Government has become unresponsive, unaccountable and the people have lost faith." Marist pollster Lee Miringoff said, "Clearly, economic discontent is running extensively throughout the electorate as are the winds of change. If your first name is 'governor' right now, it makes it hard," adding, "People don't know who [Lazio] is, so there is not great name recognition there. So this is all potential." But if Governor Paterson's last ditch efforts don't work, Lazio may have to face...Andrew Cuomo.

UES Eateries Accused Of Racism For Not Delivering To Harlem

Two Upper East Side restaurants refuse to deliver uptown to East Harlem, but they willingly schlep longer distances downtown to service a more affluent and more white neighborhood. An investigation by the Post reveals that both Chinese Mirch on Second Avenue between 94th and 95th streets and One Fish Two Fish on Madison Avenue and 97th Street declined to deliver to addresses located 15 blocks to the north, but readily fulfilled orders 20 blocks to the south — a delivery discrepancy that "smacks of racism," according to state Sen. Bill Perkins (D-Harlem). "The difference between north and south is black and white," he said.

UPDATE: Investigators Suspect Animal Torture In L.I. Pet Cemetery

petcemetery.jpg A Long Island woman is suspected of torturing and killing as many as 20 cats and dogs — some of them belonging to her neighbors — before burying them behind her home. Animal control investigators unearthed the "gruesome pet cemetery" on Saturday behind 43-year-old Sharon McDonough's Suffolk County house after discovering five malnourished dogs kept in cramped cages inside the residence. According to WPIX, "McDonough frequently involved her children in the animal killings by asking them to hold pets down as she tortured them." Neighbors whose pets have gone missing showed up at McDonough's home hoping to identify their animals. "A couple of people have lost pets," neighbor Angelo Zotto, 70, told the Daily News. "They were up here today with pictures of their pets showing them to the SPCA, wondering if theirs had been found in the backyard."

911 Typo Misdirects Firefighters In Deadly Queens Blaze

Firefighters responding to a deadly Woodside fire that killed three and injured four in an illegal basement apartment yesterday could have arrived sooner — had they not been routed to the wrong address first. A 911 operator mistakenly entered a two instead of a five and sent Engine Company 292 and Rescue Company 4 on a "wild goose chase" to 62nd Street instead of 65th Street, a delay that cost firefighters about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, according to the fire union.

       

With a military flyover and cannons firing, the U.S. Navy's newest assault ship, the U.S.S. New York, was commissioned yesterday. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus referred to the fact that 7.5 tons of steel from the former World Trade Center was used to build the chip, "No matter how many times you attack us, we always come back. America always comes back. That's what this ship represents."

7 Train Extension Dooms NYC's Biggest Drop-In Homeless Shelter

To make room for the planned extension of the 7 train, the Port Authority will evict the city's largest homeless drop-in center at the end of March, according to the Daily News. The Open Door shelter — which every day provides meals and showers to some 200 homeless men and women — would have closed sooner, but the city was able to convince the transit agency to delay a part of the line extension project to keep shelter visitors off the streets during the winter. Though the Open Door shelter doesn't have beds, an average of 94 people slept there per night in September. One of the regulars, 63-year-old Lee Parker, told the tabloid he has slept in a chair at the shelter each night for the past two months. "It's better than sleeping out on the street," he said. "It's safe and warm."

Man Kills Girlfriend, Then Himself In Queens

2009_11_qnsms.jpg Yesterday afternoon, NY1 reports, "Authorities received a 911 call about a stabbing and found the bodies of Paul Johnson, 47, and Regina Alston, 46," in a Jamaica, Queens home. "Alston had multiple stab wounds, while sources say Johnson hung himself and had cuts on his body." The Daily News says the couple's teen daughters were present at the time and one jumped out of a second story window to escape. The landlord said they were good tenants but recently Johnson moved out after a fight.

House Passes Health Care Reform Bill, 220-215

A House Republican joined 219 Democrats to vote for the landmark health care reform bill last night in the House of Representatives, enabling the bill to pass 220 votes to 215. Rep. John Dingell (D-Michigan), who has"> introduced national health insurance in every Congress since taking office 1955, said, "It provides coverage for 96 percent of Americans. It offers everyone, regardless of health or income, the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will have access to affordable health care when they need it."

Brooklyn Drummer Dies After Fall Down Elevator Shaft in Williamsburg

At around 1:15 this morning a report came in over the newswire that a male had fallen down an elevator shaft at Broadway and Berry Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A reader sent in photos shortly after, and the building the incident took place in is actually at 338 Berry, between South 4th and South 5th streets — a former noodle factory converted into various multi-use spaces, including residential lofts. The victim was at a party in the building being hosted by the Uniform Project. After the fall he was in serious condition, unconscious and unresponsive. We'll update when we get more details.

  • Bucks 102, Knicks 87: Where to begin on this one? The Bucks shot 74 percent from the floor. They went on a 23-2 early to ice the game .They outscored the Knicks, 40-22, in the first quarter. Brandon Jennings, whom the Knicks passed over for Jordan Hill, had 22 points and eight rebounds. David Lee's 18 points led the Knicks, now 1-6 and losers of three straight.
Incoming Concrete Plant Brings Dust Storm To Red Hook

Decades back, few — if any — would oppose a plan to open a concrete plant in industrial Red Hook. But today, it's a different story. Residents of the quickly gentrifying neighborhood have petitioned and picketed in attempts to stop U.S. Concrete from opening a factory this month that they fear will scatter airborne particles "to the yellow-and-blue Ikea next door, heavily used baseball fields across the street, and a 2.75-acre farm nearby on a former playground," according to the Times. Community activist John McGettrick laid it out for the paper of record: “There’s a certain irony that we have a mayor talking about no smoking in parks, but he has no problem allowing the construction of a concrete plant that would shower cement dust on children in the park,” he said.

Reports: Taconic Crash Driver Was Regular Drinker, Pot Smoker

The woman who killed eight people, including herself, when she drove her minivan the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway was a heavy drinker and frequent marijuana smoker, the woman's sister-in-law told investigators. Despite her husband's repeated claims that his wife wasn't an alcoholic or regular drug user, Diane Schuler's in-law revealed to police that the 36-year-old "was a hard drinker" who "used marijuana daily because of the fact that she didn't believe in doctors," according to an attorney representing the families of two men killed in the July accident.

Can The Giants Get Back On Track?

The last time the Chargers came to New York the result was the infamous “Snowball Game”. While there is no snow in the forecast, Giants fans are in an ugly mood, thanks to a three-game losing streak. In many ways this team is facing its first real crisis point since Week 15 in 2007 when they had to beat the Bills to make the playoffs.

Adding In "Discouraged Workers," Jobless Rate Is 17.5%

After the U.S. Department of Labor announced that October's unemployment rate was 10.2%, one thing that was left unsaid was the number of people who have been unemployed so long they've given up looking for work, not to mention the people who are working part-time but would rather be in full-time jobs. According to the NY Times, "In all, more than one out of every six workers — 17.5 percent — were unemployed or underemployed in October. The previous recorded high was 17.1 percent, in December 1982."

Fire In Illegal Basement Apartment Kills Three, Injures Four

fire.jpg A fire claimed the lives of three men and critically injured four others when it ripped through an illegal basement apartment this morning in Woodside, Queens. The blaze broke out in the two-story home's improperly partitioned basement at around 2:45 am, according to the Daily News. When firefighters arrived at the "chaotic scene," they discovered "badly-burned victims" on the "front sidewalk, just inside the front door and beneath a basement window." The surviving victims were taken to the New York Hospital-Cornell Burn Center. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Praise For Brave Cop Who Stopped Fort Hood Shooter

A doctor says that after surgery, the first words of the civilian police officer whose quick actions stopped the gunman at Fort Hood were, "Did anybody die?" And a medic said that Sgt. Kimberly Munley, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds from Major Nidal Malik Hasan on Thursday, "was fading in and out of consciousness. She wasn't saying much," raising concerns she might not survive.

              

The prospect of seeing the World Series Champion Yankees float by during yesterday's ticker tape parade. But how did millions of people manage to take off from work or school? White lies, of course!

Ates Found Guilty In "Too Fat To Kill" Case

2009_10_ates.jpg An obese man's attempt to re-write the "Twinkie Defense" failed yesterday when a NJ jury found him guilty of murdering his son-in-law — despite claims that he was too fat to commit the crime. Williams Ates, 65, was convicted of slaying Paul Duncsak in 2006, then driving 21 hours to his mother's house in Louisiana for an alibi. Prosecutors argued that before killing Duncsak, who was involved in a bitter custody dispute with Ates' daughter, Ates "bought books detailing how to build a gun silencer [and] did Internet searches on how to pick locks and how to commit the perfect murder." The defense said the 285-pound Florida native couldn't have sprinted upstairs and accurately shot the victim — or driven all the way to his mother's home without frequent breaks. He will be sentenced next month.

Teen Pulls BB Gun On Cops, Gets Shot In The Face

A Bronx cop shot a teenager in the face after the adolescent reached for a BB gun on Holland Avenue yesterday afternoon. A plainclothes narcotics detective fired on 15-year-old Marcus Bonner at around 5 pm, hitting the aspiring rapper in the cheek after he made a move for the authentic-looking gun. "He makes like he's putting his hands up to surrender," a police source told the Daily News. "It's a fake surrender and he reaches for his gun."

After Slim Win, Bloomberg Campaign Staffers Fear Slimmer Bonuses

They say he runs the city like a business, so it's only fitting that after a poorer-than-expected performance in last week's election, Mayor Bloomberg's campaign workers are afraid they won't get big bonuses this year. In past elections, the billionaire former bond trader and media mogul has paid out-of-pocket bonuses of as much as $400,000 — "a highly unusual perk in municipal politics, a world not typically associated with lavish pay," the Times reports. But after defeating Democratic rival Bill Thompson by just 4.6 percentage points, campaign workers are starting to worry about paltry bonuses.

On New DA's Transition Team: Infamous Disbarred Lawyer!

2009_11_cvern.jpg After Cyrus Vance Jr. was elected to Manhattan DA, his campaign issued a press release noting a 30+ person transition team, made up of other lawyers, union leaders, and others. The Daily News notes the inclusion of Rev. Dr. C. Vernon Mason, best known for advising Tawana Brawley. Mason, who even ran against Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau in 1985, was eventually disbarred for "mistreating poor clients" in 1995; he's currently a deacon at the Abyssinian Baptist church and a NY Theological Seminary faculty member. Vance's team said, "C. Vernon Mason is a well-respected clergy member who cares deeply about his community and the criminal justice issues faced by youth and adults."

Woman Sentenced To 5 To 15 Years For Castration Killing

The Queens woman found guilty of suffocating her abusive stepfather and cutting off his penis in 2007 was sentenced yesterday to five to 15 years in prison — the maximum sentence for the charge of second-degree manslaughter. Brigitte Harris, 29, was acquitted of murder charges last month, but found guilty of the lesser manslaughter charge after her lawyers argued she wasn't attempting to kill the victim, Eric Goodridge, but protect her nieces from a "pattern of repeated systemic sexual abuse" perpetrated against her since she was 3 years old.

Job Market Is Literally In The Shitter

Hundreds of New Yorkers fought on Thursday to become Times Square "restroom ambassadors" — a highly coveted gig that pays $10,000 for just six weeks of employment. The toilet paper manufacturer Charmin is looking for five hosts and hostesses who will direct an estimated 500,000 loo-users to the temporary public bathrooms between Nov. 23 and New Year's Eve, when Times Square itself becomes a massive public bathroom. The ambassadors are expected to be "outgoing and enthusiastic" and detail their experiences on Twitter and Facebook.

Bank Un-Deposits $185 Million From Retired Teachers' Accounts

Uh oh! For some unknown reason, Bank of New York Mellon, which had electronically deposited $185 million in pension funds into retired NYC teachers' and staffers' accounts a few days ago, decided to withdraw the money yesterday, causing—besides overdrafts— worries, chaos, and outrage. A 70-year-old retired social studies teacher told the NY Times, "Right now I am very annoyed because I was told by the bank not to make any checks today or use my debit card." And a retired teacher's assistant fretted to the Daily News, "I was very, very upset because my husband and I depend on this money."

Heads Up: Cannon Will Fire For USS New York Today

2009_11_ussny.jpg Today, the USS New York, which was partly made from World Trade Center steel, will be officially commissioned as a naval warship today and besides the military flyover, there's also going to be a cannon firing repeatedly: "During the Commissioning of the USS New York at Pier 86 & 88 in Manhattan on 11/7/09 at approx. 11 AM, the Sewell's Point Weapons Detachment will fire a cannon in honor of the senior officials attending the ceremony. You may hear 19 consecutive loud bangs at this time." The ship will be open to visitors tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday.

Plane From JFK Drops 20-Pound Engine Part On L.I. Yard

On Thursday, a 20-pound engine tail cone fell from a Boeing 777 plane headed from JFK Airport to Tokyo and onto the front yard of Michelle Russell in Roosevelt, Long Island. The Delta crew only realized the four-foot piece of metal was missing after it landed in Tokyo—14 hours later. While airline officials say the tail cone isn't necessary for the plane to operate (it helps with fuel efficiency), Russell said, "I'm a firm believer if you take off with something you should land with the same parts you took off with."

Last Night's Action: Is It a Moral Victory?

  • Cavaliers 100, Knicks 91: Is finishing within nine points of the Cavaliers a moral victory. What about holding LeBron James to 33 after he scored 53 in his final trip in the building last year. To answer the first question, not when the team trailed by 23 at the half. As for the second, James shot 12-for-17, had eight rebounds and nine assists, so he was hardly in check. Larry Hughes had 18 (Larry Hughes!) and David Lee led the Knicks with 21. The Knicks, now 1-5, have Milwaukee on the road on Saturday.

Google Maps Upgrade NYC Subway Line Integration

Traveling by subway may be an overpriced headache (especially on weekends!) but at least now you can use Google Maps to plan your treacherous trip through it. They've just improved their NYC subway system mapping in their "Transit" layer, making it easier to plot a subway commute to the address or neighborhood of your choice.