This week’s couple: Dating games

Having something in common is never a bad thing, but is it possible to have too much in common?

For Raven, 26, and Denis, 25, that might have been the case.

Over dinner and drinks at Kingside restaurant in the Viceroy Hotel in Midtown, they hit it off right away, largely due to a mutual love for sports. But the night wasn't quite a home run — both ended the night thinking they'd like to get together again to watch a game, not go out on another date.

She said:

Denis beat me by two minutes, and was at the bar having a beer. I thought, he's my kind of guy — and he's tall and handsome with bright, blueish-green eyes, a great smile, and a generous hairline.

We talked about sports, family, careers, and traveling. I also noticed his manners were probably better than mine. He didn't touch his phone, and he made eye contact when he spoke.

The service at Kingside was incredible; our wine glasses stayed full. The food was fantastic. I recommend the crispy artichokes! We shared everything, which I loved.

We exchanged numbers. Since we are both soccer fans who root for the Tottenham Hotspur F.C. I'm sure I'll see him again, but I think it will be in the friend zone. I didn't feel a romantic spark, even though he was fun to hang out with.

He said:

My first impression of Raven was positive. She was warm, welcoming and easy to talk to right away.

When we started talking sports, the rest of the night became easy. We talked about our college intramural sports days and traded horror stories about seeing people getting hurt playing simple games like kickball or pickup football.

Kingside at the Viceroy Hotel treated us great. We shared wine and all our food. She had steak and my scallops were great too.

My date with Raven was a nice experience. We had a lot in common though it all felt platonic. At the end of the night, we exchanged numbers, and I wouldn't mind hanging out with her again. She seems to be a lot of fun to be around.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hey pet owners, stop leaving Fido tied-up while you shop!

On a chilly Saturday night in the West Village, Gia Russo, 35, spotted a French bulldog tied up outside restaurant Louro. But when she inquired with the host inside, none of the patrons appeared to be the pet's owner.

"[The dog] was sitting out there for a very long time in the extreme cold," gripes Russo, a dog-owning attorney from Hoboken, NJ, who eventually received a text from the host confirming that the Frenchie had been retrieved by its owners. "As an animal person, you can't not say something."

Pet pooches tied up on the sidewalk are as frequent a sight in NYC as yellow cabs or corner bodegas — but
recent subfreezing temperatures have got some New Yorkers lashing out at dog owners they consider negligent for leaving Fido exposed to the elements unattended.

"I saw a beagle tied up outside of a cafe the other day — it had only six inches of leash to its tether, was standing on a piece of ice, and it was whining," Jaime Brandenstein, a design director who lives in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, recalls. "So I went into the coffee shop and asked around."

When a woman admitted to being the owner, Brandenstein, 34, told her that her dog was crying. But the owner dismissed her concerns.

"She said, 'Thanks for letting me know,' then turned away from me," Brandenstein angrily remembers.

Photo: Getty Images

Despite her outrage over the situation, Brandenstein says she does tie up her own dachshund outside from time to time — but only if the weather permits and if she can keep an eye on her pooch from indoors.

"It crosses the line when you don't have a visible line of sight or when you're tying them up in the cold," she concludes.

Michelle Wakefield, 47, partner at Cowgirl Hall of Fame in the West Village, knows that her customers are often accompanied by their pups — and goes the extra mile to make sure the pets are happy and healthy.

"We have a bench out front that people will tie their dogs to," Wakefield says. "If someone wants food to-go, then they can tie up their dog outside, come in to order, and we will bring the food out to them."

Leaving your pooch outside for too long can have dire consequences, especially when the temperatures dip and spike in the winter and summer, respectively.

Photo: Getty Images

"If an animal is shivering, it's at risk of being hypothermic," says Dr. Mark Gibson, medical director and owner of Animal Kind Veterinary Hospital in Park Slope. "Huskies and sled dogs may be perfectly fine, but a short-haired breed can freeze to death."

In the summer months, dogs at risk of overheating show signs such as excessive panting or difficulty breathing, drooling and vomiting, according to the ASPCA.

Of course, there are concerns other than the weather when it comes to leaving your pet unsupervised.

The American Kennel Club reports that 637 dogs were "dognapped" across the nation in 2014.

For puppy parents who still opt to tie up their furbabies, sidewalk confrontations may be the least of your worries.

"These days, if you see an animal shivering in the cold it's not long before someone calls the NYPD to investigate," Gibson adds. "And let me tell you, the police take animal abuse very seriously."

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

My First Time… Watching ‘Ali’ and Thinking Will Smith Should Have an Oscar

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With Will Smith's Focus opening this weekend, I was perusing the actor's filmography and was reminded of one remarkably glaring blind spot. It's strange that I've never seen Ali for a lot of reasons. For one, Will Smith is maybe the biggest movie star in the country, and it's strange that I haven't seen one of his most notable movies. For another, it's supposed to be quite good. Perhaps the strangest aspect of my not having seen Ali is that it nabbed Will Smith his very first Oscar nomination, and I always like to see the Oscar nominees.

What can I say? This one got past me. Maybe it was the two-and-half-plus-hour running time that kept me away. Maybe it's that Michael Mann-directed movies never seem to appeal to me as much as they do everybody else (not even a little sorry, Collateral). Regardless, it's a gap that has needed to be closed for a long time, and no time like the present.

It's not that I expected to dislike Ali, but I sure wasn't expected to like it as much as I did. This is an EXCELLENT movie, and Will Smith should probably have an Oscar on his mantle for it. …But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The movie opens with nearly ten minutes of the young Cassius Clay (Smith) training, set to the music of Sam Cooke. Sometimes we see Cooke performing his act on stage. Two men who were such important figures to the black community of the 1960s. Oh, and here's a third, as Cassius takes in a speech by Malcolm X (Mario Van Peebles) about the Nation of Islam. Cassius seems intrigued and would like to subscribe to his newsletter:

This is one of those blessedly smart biopics that takes a slice of a man's life rather than starts with the character as a child and takes him into old age. So the first major event of the movie is Clay's big flight against Sonny Liston. We get a sense early of what an entertaining loudmouth he is during the weigh-in, when he makes fun of Liston for being a "big ugly bear."

Suddenly, from the back of the press gaggle, comes a man wearing a Nixon mask …

Wait, no, that's Jon Voight in character as Howard Cosell, Ali's biggest ally in the press. Voight was also nominated for an Oscar, but suffice it to say I don't think he should have a trophy on his mantle.

Michael Mann films the match with Liston so beautifully, I can hardly appreciate it properly. His mixture of close-ups and long shots has such a rhythm to it, and his camera dances around the fighters in a way most boxing movies simply can't manage. Some of the best work of his career.

So Clay beats Liston, becomes the champ, and then changes his name to Muhammad Ali, via his association with the Nation of Islam. He's got a colorful entourage around him, and they're almost all familiar faces, which is always nice. Ron Silver as Ali's trainer Angelo Dundee; Jamie Foxx as his eccentric pal Bundini; Jeffrey Wright as a photographer friend; Giancarlo Esposito as Cassius' father.

There's an interlude that winds itself around the periphery of Malcolm X's estrangement from the Nation of Islam, and while a part of me was thinking I'd seen all this (and better) in the movie Malcolm X, it becomes very apparent why we see all this strife, including Malcolm and Ali traveling to Africa. By the time Malcolm is assassinated, the impact on Ali is pretty profound. This was not only his close friend, but also a public figure who helped to form Ali's public conscience. It's a loss that's deeply felt in the movie.

Around this time, Ali starts seeing Sonji, played by Smith's real-life wife Jada Pinkett Smith. It's a short-lived relationship, mostly because the Nation disapproves of her character and inability to be meek and humble. But they sure could dance.

The next major event for Ali is his getting drafted into the Vietnam War. Mann's structuring of the scenes thus far make sure the audience knows how much of this was a political culmination of the establishment's fear of Ali as a black militant figure. Everybody knows Ali refused military service, but Mann and Smith put the fiery words into Ali's mouth as he defends his decision.

If the movie ever slows down, it's this middle period, where Ali is barred from boxing inside the United States (and barred from traveling outside the country). There's a lot of haggling over logistics here, trying to stay out of jail for draft-dodging, plus a lot of time spent with Bundini's substance abuse and Nona Gaye as the woman who would be Ali's wife.

Before I get to why Will Smith should have an Oscar, I need to shout out what a great job everybody in this cast is doing. Even though I still think Voight got nominated less for a great performance than for playing a well-known character and wearing a lot of makeup, the Cosell/Ali scenes have some great back-and-forth dialogue and are hugely entertaining. Jamie Foxx was not a very well-regarded In Living Color alumnus before this movie turned him into a critical fave, and suddenly three years later he was winning an Oscar for Ray. Jeffrey Wright has one line-reading I absolutely adore, as Team Ali watches the famous "down goes Frazier!" fight where Frazier gets upset by George Foreman. His delivery is so low-impact and mumbly, like he imagined he had a hugely impactful thing to say and just forgot it. Very "The jerk store called, and they're running out of you!"

Also I absolutely adored Mykelti Williamson (who will probably always be known for Bubba from Forrest Gump, even though he's done so much good work in his career and also Final Destination 4) as Don King, promoter of Ali/Foreman's "Rumble in the Jungle" bout in Zaire. The press conference announcing the match is a joy to watch, though Mann makes sure to contrast King's cartoonishness with Ali's creeping doubts that he can beat Foreman.

Course, they can't all be winners. Of all the actresses Mann could've cast to play reporter Veronica Porsche, who draws Ali's eye away from his wife (and ultimately becomes his third wife), he went with … Michael Michele? Who'd already so thoroughly bored us on E.R.?

In Zaire for the fight, Ali once again finds himself in the middle of political struggles; between King and Foreman; between Mobutu and Idi Amin and everybody else looking for an upper hand in Africa. Mann keeps reminding us of all the ways Ali couldn't just be a man or a boxer. The Rumble in the Jungle is given a whole lot of build-up, and rightfully so. Smith plays Ali's uncertainty riding just under the surface of his braggadocio.

Again, the boxing scenes for the Rumble in the Jungle look exquisite. The cinematographer on Ali, by the way, was Emmanuel Lubezki, who just won the last two cinematography Oscars, for Gravity and Birdman. This movie is one of the reasons he was so overdue two years ago.

The fight is epic, building to a climactic knockout and downpour, and the part of me that loves sports and drama and crescendos was all about it. Way to go, Michael Mann. You earned the right to end your movie on a freeze frame.

Final Thoughts: At the 2001 Oscars, Denzel Washington and Halle Berry took home Best Actor and Best Actress for their respective films. It was the first time black performers ever triumphed in both those categories at once. That Washington won for Training Day, a harsh, violent dirty-cop movie without a whole lot of prestige appeal, always seemed kind of odd. Not that the Oscars shouldn't look outside the prestige genres (they should!), but that they did so for Washington felt like a narrative in search of a performance. That narrative being: Denzel Washington, consummate leading man and former winner for Supporting Actor (for Glory), should have a Best Actor trophy and should be the first black Best Actor winner since Sidney Poitier. As acclaimed as his Training Day performance was, it almost didn't matter. He was Denzel.

It's always puzzled me that no such narrative built up around Will Smith that year. He was nominated. He was a hugely popular star, having made billions for Hollywood studios in summer blockbusters. He had managed to make the leap from frivolous action films to Serious Work, which, as I discussed earlier this week, isn't the easiest thing. I always assumed it was because his performance in Ali wasn't that great. But it is! I'd watch Ali one hundred times before I ever pick up Training Day again.

Who knows why momentum never built behind Smith's performance? Maybe voters couldn't bring themselves to award two actors who guest-starred in the same episode of Martin. The world may never know.

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23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

RuPaul talks his wild and crazy ‘80s club kid days

These days, RuPaul is most famous for his reality competition show, "RuPaul's Drag Race," which returns for a seventh season Monday at 9 p.m. on Logo. But before the drag superstar's rise to fame, RuPaul Charles, 54, was an '80s club kid — performing his own music, emceeing and go-go dancing.

"I'm from San Diego, Calif. I knew that for my star to shine, I would have to move to New York, become an Andy Warhol superstar and then make my way back to Hollywood," RuPaul tells The Post. "I didn't become an Andy Warhol superstar, but everything else is pretty much how it worked for me. New York, I knew, would get my energy."

Now RuPaul, who splits time between LA and a place in the West Village he's had for 20 years, looks back fondly at his wild and crazy times in the mid- to late-'80s and early '90s.

This is his party New York.

1. Pyramid Club, 101 Avenue A between Sixth and Seventh Streets

Photo: Christian Johnston

"Because I was sleeping on people's couches, I kept most of my costumes and my stuff in the basement at the Pyramid . . . The Pyramid was the mecca for [Lady Bunny and me]. There was one time when I was go-go dancing [in 1984], and I came down [the] corkscrew stairs that led from the stage to the basement, and I was sweaty. When I got down there, Madonna was holding court with all of her friends in the basement. I remember they all looked at me like I was some jungle person who had invaded their space, because, you know, I'm dressed in some tribal something or whatever. She was that classic mean girl from high school who would turn her nose up at you. It wasn't like she was Kylie Minogue, who is obviously kindness and sweetness. That's not what Madonna was at all — but that's really part of the appeal with her, honestly."

2. Jane West Hotel (now The Jane), 113 Jane St. near West Street

Photo: Helayne Seidman

"[In the beginning,] when I did have money, I would rent a room at the Jane West Hotel — when I was getting some go-go dancing gigs or I could perform to my own songs. It was a dump. It had that distinctive New York smell — it's like a mixture of mold, soot and grime. The only place you can smell that now is in the subway."

3. 333 Rector Place, at South End Ave.

Photo: Lorenzo Ciniglio

"On my new album, 'Realness,' I reunite with the producer I recorded [the 1992 hit] 'Supermodel' with. His name is Eric Kupper, and I recorded 'Supermodel' at his apartment. He had a studio in his living room. I remember looking out the window and I could see the Statue of Liberty during the recording session."

4. Image Production Center, 727 Eleventh Avenue at 52nd Street

Photo: WireImage

"There was a studio there where we filmed the VH1 talk show ['The RuPaul Show,' which premiered in 1996]. We did 100 episodes. Diana Ross, my childhood idol, was my first guest. For me to have made this leap from just a few years prior sleeping on my sister's couch to having my own show and interviewing my idol was quite a reward."

5. Area, formerly 157 Hudson St. between Laight and Hubert Streets

Photo: Getty Images

"I'd see Andy Warhol at a club called Area. Everyone would be talking, 'Oh my God, Andy's here!' because he was the god of our world. His mentality and his philosophy was what we had based our whole lives on, which is this postmodern, punk, create-your-own celebrity. Anyone could be a celebrity with the right clothes and the right attitude."

6. The Hudson Piers, between Charles and West 10th Streets

Photo: Christian Johnston

"I moved to New York in 1984, and I lived here for six months, sleeping on couches or on the piers before the city spit me back out and I went to Atlanta [for a while]. There were people who were hooking up in cars, because back then you could park your car facing the Hudson, right at the river's edge."

7. Save the Robots, formerly 25, Avenue B between Second and Third Streets

Photo: Christian Johnston

"[There were] illegal after-hours clubs in the East Village, like Save the Robots. The party scene was gay, straight, lesbian, black, white, rich, poor, uptown, downtown. It wasn't so polarized. You could see the girl on the cover of Vogue and some artist who lives on the street."

8. Tompkins Square Park, Seventh through Tenth Streets between Avenues A and B

Photo: Brian Zak

"I became an overnight downtown star in 1989 when I did Wigstock [in Tompkins Square Park]. I lip-synced to 'Don't You Want My Love' [from] the 'Ruthless People' soundtrack. I think I also did Whitney Houston's 'So Emotional' and that tore the house down too… I had done a lot of campaigning and had been all over the place looking great. People were receptive because I had laid the groundwork for my ascension."

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Anthony Mason dead at 48

New York Knicks great Anthony Mason died early Saturday at age 48, his family said.

"Overnight New York City and the world lost a legend, a friend, a brother … but more than anything our father," his son, Anthony Mason Jr., said in a statement.

"As you all would expect, our father — Big Mase — put up an incredible fight, dealing with severe heart issues," the statement said.

"I'm wishing this was something else I was writing, but Pops, we've got to let you know we love you and know you'll always be with us."

The bruising 6'7″ power forward was diagnosed earlier in February with congestive heart failure.

Mason, a star at Springfield Gardens HS in Queens, was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1988, and went on to play for the Nets and the Denver Nuggets before he joined the Knicks in 1991.

Mason was a member of the 1994 Knicks team that reached the NBA finals. During the 1994-1995 season, he won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award.

Mason left the Knicks in 1996, and played for the Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks before he retired in 2003.

Mason lived in New Rochelle. His youngest son, Antoine, is a senior basketball player at Auburn University. His oldest son, Anthony Jr., was a star at St. John's University.

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Here’s a plan to bury corpses in pods, grow trees

There's no denying it — burying bodies is a huge waste of space that could be used by the rest of us who are still breathing. Even cremation, though cheaper and easier, can produce a lot of toxic waste.

But what if your dead body could be turned into a tree instead? Italian designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel are proposing just that, in the form of a biodegradable burial-pod project.

A diagram of the burial seed pod conceptPhoto: Courtesy of Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel

The "Capsula Mundi," as it's known, would encase a corpse in an egg-shaped seed capsule and then be buried underground with trees on top of them. As your body decomposes, the tree would gather nutrients from the decomposing pod, and the circle of life would march on.

The idea is just a hypothetical sketch at this point, but if it ever came to be reality, cemeteries would be replaced with lush memorial gardens.

Your dead body could nourish a beautiful tree.Photo: Courtesy of Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel

"No designer ever thinks of a coffin," the designers wrote on their Web site, "but this becomes a way of reflecting on how distant we are from Mother Nature."

Interest piqued? Read more about it here.

23.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

ABC teases second season of ‘How to Get Away With Murder’

There was no doubt that "How to Get Away With Murder" would be renewed for a second season, but ABC made it official during Thursday's night's season finale.

In a promo that aired at the end of the episode, the Viola Davis drama teased that it would return with a new season this fall.

The "Murder" renewal had been all but assured given that it premiered to 14.3 million viewers last September and has averaged nearly 9 million viewers a week this season.

ABC typically hands out renewals in mid-May ahead of its upfront presentation to advertisers. Both "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal" are also expected to be given another season, keeping Shonda Rhimes' three Thursday-night dramas on the network.

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How ‘The Hunting Ground’ uncovers the campus rape epidemic

"The Hunting Ground," the new documentary out Friday from Kirby Dick ("The Invisible War," "This Film Is Not Yet Rated") was one of the buzziest films at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The movie takes on the epidemic of rape on college campuses and the systematic institutional coverups that have discouraged students from reporting and derailed their lives in the aftermath. The Post spoke with Dick and producer Amy Ziering about the film before its release.

Post: Your last film, "The Invisible War," was about sexual assault in the military. Were you surprised to find so many similarities in the university system?

Kirby Dick: Yeah, that was what was so shocking about this situation. The problem was as severe in higher education as it was in the military. You have the perfect storm here: These are serial offenders just picking someone to assault. After an assault, they feel so entitled at these colleges, and people are so unwilling to hold them accountable in any way. And the schools — it's to their benefit to not investigate, or to cover it up, because their reputation is so important.

The activist movement on campuses has become more vocal, organized and visible recently. To what do you attribute that change?

Amy Ziering: A couple of things. Social media has allowed survivors to communicate. That's unprecedented historically. Trauma survivors tend to self-isolate, but now you can isolate and still know you have someplace where you can find information and connect with other survivors. That's radically different. I think it's really helped fuel the movement. And the president speaking out about this issue — that's never happened before, so it's become more [a] part of the cultural discussion.

KD: I don't think we should assume, though, [that] because there's more discussion that change is complete, by any means. There's been a lot of response against the survivors that was just like what the activists were fighting against 40 years ago.

AZ: A survivor we interviewed went to Dartmouth in the 1990s and in her words, it's like "Groundhog Day" — she saw the stories in the press like history repeating itself.

Did universities attempt to stop you making this film?

AZ: They didn't find out. We tend to make our films discreetly. We don't show anyone any cuts early. Some schools knew we were making a film, but there wasn't much or any detail given, so there wasn't real pushback. We obviously gave quite a few schools the opportunity to respond, and for the most part they either didn't respond or declined to be interviewed — which is very typical; school presidents have historically tried to avoid this.

You open the film with a montage of reaction shots of students getting acceptance letters. Why was this important to include?

KD: When you interview so many survivors — and we spoke to over 150 — you just keep hearing the same story over and over. Most of these women have spent their whole lives looking forward to going to college. And then being not only assaulted, but then betrayed by their school — this is something any feeling person would want to see changed, and changed quickly.

You include the name of only one accused rapist — football star Jameis Winston from Florida State. Why did you decide not to name any others?

KD: That was a deliberate choice. There has been incredible reporting on his story; it's very widely known. You couldn't cover that story without mentioning his name. We decided not to name the other assailants because we didn't want people thinking, when they left the film, "Well, if they only apprehend this person, this problem will be solved." It's a systemic problem.

What positive change do you see happening now, and do you think there will be more in the wake of this film?

KD: There are some schools that are starting to take first steps. One thing we think is really important is for schools to have annual, regular surveys of their students to find out what the rate of assault is, and how comfortable students feel reporting, and how these crimes are investigated and prosecuted. Unfortunately, very few schools do this. Yale is starting to do it twice a year, which is impressive. The University of Michigan has put a lot of money into survivor services. That's one way of encouraging survivors to come forward.

AZ: I got a really nice letter inviting us to screen the film from Amherst President Biddy Martin. And I've gotten many letters already from survivors and parents of survivors. It had such a seismic response at Sundance, from the audience — we got this outpouring of letters and support. We very much hope it will have that transformative effect when it gets released in theaters.

23.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rita vs. Kim: Who wore it better?

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February 27, 2015 | 11:07am

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Kim Kardashian (left) and Rita Ora were spotted wearing very similar looks on Thursday. Photo: Squirrel/Splash News; David M. Benett/Getty Images for Annabel's

Things got racy Thursday night in London, where singer Rita Ora showed face at Mert & Marcus House of Love party for Madonna wearing a fetish-inspired latex look by Atsuko Kudo. Kim Kardashian had the same idea, sporting a high-neck version of the skintight dress (plus a fur stole, taking after North West). So, who wore it better?

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Man charged after ‘digging 40-foot-long hole’ in road

Kyle Calabria

PRATTSBURG, N.Y. — New York State Police say they've charged a Rochester man with using excavating equipment to dig a 40-foot-long, 12-foot-deep hole in a rural road in the middle of the night and not telling anyone about it.

Investigators say 32-year-old Kyle Calabria is charged with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment for last November's damage to a lightly traveled road in the town of Prattsburg, 45 miles south of Rochester.

Eaton says Calabria had been hired to do excavation work on property along the road. For some reason investigators still haven't figured out, Calabria used a backhoe to dig up a 15-foot-wide section of the road at night.

Police say Calabria abandoned the backhoe after it got stuck in the hole. No motorists were injured.

Calabria is free after posting bail. It couldn't be determined if he has a lawyer.

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Couple wounded in Boston Marathon bombing separates

A couple who tied the knot after surviving the horrors of the Boston Marathon bombing together have separated after 10 months of marriage, according to People.

Just weeks before the first anniversary of the terror attack, Rebekah Gregory and Pete DiMartino wed in a storybook ceremony furnished by wedding planning website TheKnot.com, according to People.

Gregory broke the news of the split in a statement to the magazine.

"After the decision was made to amputate my leg in November, I found myself having to make an even more painful choice — to separate from my husband Pete," Gregory said.

"Over the last several months, I've come to realize that going through such a horrific event together put a fast-forward on our relationship that we each handled differently."

Gregory, who has a 7-year-old son from a previous relationship, added, "While my heart is beyond broken, I have a certain peace knowing from day one, I truly gave it my all, and have been fully invested in keeping this marriage, and my commitment before God."

"I still love Pete with all of my heart and ask that everyone respect our privacy as we try to figure out our next steps," she said.

The Asheville, North Carolina couple were waiting for DiMartino's mother to cross the finish line on April 15, 2013, when a pair of pressure cooker bombs ripped through the throngs of onlookers.

Three people were killed, and hundreds more wounded, including the couple.

Gregory, now 27, suffered severe injuries to her left leg, and doctors were forced to amputate the limb after she underwent 17 surgeries to try to save it, People reported.

DiMartino, 30, lost 90% of his Achilles tendon to shrapnel, and also suffered a ruptured eardrum.

DiMartino has yet to comment on the break-up.

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Christie’s: Elizabeth Taylor’s trust owes us $8.8M

Auction house Christie's is battling over money with Elizabeth Taylor's trust.

The trouble began when a buyer backed out of a $8.8 million dollar deal to purchase Taylor's Taj Mahal necklace (gifted to her by Richard Burton) at a 2011 auction. But the auction house pre-paid the trust ahead of receiving money from the buyer, who canceled the sale.

Now Christie's wants their money back.

Taylor's trust claims in a lawsuit that Christie's is withholding millions of dollars from other auctioned off items until the company receives the money from the Taj Mahal necklace.

Collectively, the late Hollywood legend's items sold for $183.5 million during its auction.

When asked about the lawsuit, Christie's said in a statement to Page Six, "Christie's was pleased to create a landmark auction event on behalf of the Elizabeth Taylor Trust that produced over $183.5 million in proceeds for the beneficiaries of the trust — the friends and family of Elizabeth Taylor. This suit stems from Christie's seeking the return of a small portion of these proceeds due to the cancellation of a single item from that sale, and Christie's looks forward to a speedy resolution of this matter."

A request for comment from Taylor's estate was not immediately returned.

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Fashion magazine faces backlash over emaciated model

A Danish fashion magazine has made a public apology after running an image of an underweight model in its latest issue.

The photo in Cover magazine started trending on social media via the hashtag #covergate and spawned a Reddit thread called 'Corpse or model?', where thousands expressed their outrage over the model's emaciated frame.

Even politicians weighed in. Danish Tax Minister Benny Englebrecht took to Twitter to voice his disapproval.

"I seriously thought that the fashion industry had understood that anorexia is a problem that should be taken seriously," he wrote.

Cover magazine's founder Malene Malling apologized on the magazine's Facebook page, calling it a "sad day".

"I have not lived up to my responsibility as a publisher, woman and mother and am truly sorry. "At Cover we have, in all the years, worked to show an expanded beauty ideal," she said. "[To] show that you can be beautiful in various ages and various sizes. We have always sought to work with healthy girls. Just two months ago we had plus-size model Diana Graham on the front of the Cover, so it is certainly a subject we focus on."

French model Isabelle Caro posed in an Italian ad campaign called "No Anorexia" in 2007. She died in 2010 due to complications from anorexia nervosa.Photo: AP

The fashion industry is frequently criticized for featuring underweight models in runway shows, magazines and ad campaigns.

In 2010, French model Isabelle Caro died due to complications from anorexia nervosa.

She famously posed naked for an Italian ad campaign called 'No Anorexia' when she weighed just pounds, to highlight the dangerous and deadly effects of eating disorders.

In April last year, Aussie fashion designer Alex Perry said he made a "serious lack of judgment" by sending stick-thin model Cassi van den Dungen down the runway during Fashion Week.

Former Marie Claire editor Jackie Frank wrote to van den Dungen's modelling agency at the time, demanding to know why they had allowed her to work.

"When I saw those legs I nearly died. I rang the model's agent and said 'Why is that girl walking down the runway when she's clearly not healthy?," Frank told The Daily Telegraph.

Cassi van den Dungen denied she had an eating disorder, posting a photo of food to Instagram with the caption, "Lunch. Nice to have a break between shows. #lovefood #ilovemyjob #modellife #iamwhoiam #dealwithit."

This article originally appeared on News.com.au.

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Will Smith’s Movies Ranked By Chemistry With His Co-Stars

February 26, 2015 // 11:00am

Photos: Everett Collection; Art: Jaclyn Kessel

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Will Smith hits movie theaters again this week with Focus, a movie that kind of sounds like the studio credit you see before a movie, and also kind of sounds like the instructions you'd give movie theater employees before the movie, but in actuality is a romp about con artists starring Smith and Margot Robbie (The Wolf Of Wall Street).

From the looks of it, this is a movie that's going to sink or swim based on the chemistry between the two leads. Which got us to thinking about Will Smith's film history: who have been the co-stars with whom he's sparked the most? The least?

12

'After Earth'

Photo: Everett Collection

Technically, Smith's romantic counterpart in this sci-fi clunker of a movie is Sophie Okonedo, but since we really only see her in flashbacks, it's safe to say that Smith's true counterpart here was his onscreen (and offscreen) son Jaden. And no matter how many times stern papa Will told his son to take a knee and control his fear, Jaden still performed like he still hadn't removed the cardboard inserts from all his clothes. They were nominated for a Razzie for Worst Screen Pair.

11

'Wild Wild West'

(c) Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Col

Once again, the idea that Salma Hayek is the romantic foil to Smith's James West is a bit of a red herring. The real co-star, and object of Smith's leading-man chemistry, is Kevin Kline. And they're terrible together (another Razzie nomination).

10

'Enemy of the State'

©Buena Vista Pictures/courtesy Everett

This one isn't so much Will Smith's fault. The plot of Enemy of the State doesn't really require that he spend very much time with his semi-estranged wife, played by Regina King. Plus, if you look at the female co-stars that come up later in this list, King seems a bit too much of an alpha to really click with Smith anyway.

9

'Ali'

(c) Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection

Smith's most acclaimed role included some storyline dedicated to Muhammad Ali's infidelity, requiring chemistry between Smith and Nona Gaye (as Ali's wife) and Michael Michele (as his mistress). Neither one of those women were any great shakes as actresses, and Smith had Oscar statues in his eyes while he was making this movie anyway, so no surprise that neither pair was all that scorching.

8

'Seven Pounds'

©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Colle

This is a ridiculous movie. Let's just put it out there. So was Men in Black III, for that matter. But in both films, Smith finds himself romantically inclined towards women played by Rosario Dawson. And since Rosario Dawson could have chemistry with a tree, it's enough to elevate these movies from the bottom third of the list.

7

'Men in Black'

©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Here, again, the female lead, played by Linda Fiorentino, isn't what's worth talking about when it comes to Will Smith's chemistry. Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K, however, joined with Smith to form an incredibly likeable pair. Ditto for Men in Black II, just replace "Lara Flynn Boyle" for "Linda Fiorentino."

6

'Bad Boys'

(c) Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection

Again, don't talk to me about Tea Leoni or Gabrielle Union (seriously! Tea Leoni is the third lead in Bad Boys! That's like Debra Messing being the third lead in the next Fast and the Furious movie) (okay, now we're all going to be thinking about Debra Messing in a Fast and the Furious movie, sorry about that). This is all about Will Smith and Martin Lawrence and the MTV Movie Award-worthy chemistry. They're only not higher on the list because Michael Bay didn't have the courage to take them all the way.

5

'Six Degrees of Separation'

Picture it: 1993. A young Will Smith, our reigning Fresh Prince, taking his first stab at legitimacy with a stage adaptation where he plays a homosexual con artist looking to grift Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland. And while Smith says he got so into the Method acting of it all that he actually fell in love with Stockard Channing, his main onscreen love interest was played by Anthony Michael Hall. Only when it came time for their characters to kiss onscreen, Smith refused. Still, there's a stripping scene!

4

'Hancock'

©Sony Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

The great thing about Will Smith and Charlize Theron in Hancock is that when it starts out you think they're on their way to some kind of romantic indiscretion … until it's revealed that she's his nemesis … except it's not so simple. This movie was kind of unfairly forgotten, which is too bad, because Smith and Theron were kind of on fire.

3

'Independence Day'

Tm and Copyright (c)20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights re

Probably Smith's most iconic on-screen romance came with him as an Air Force pilot and her as a dancer. Ballet? No, exotic.

2

'Hitch'

(c) Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection

It's kind of strange that Will Smith has done so few outright romantic comedies, right? He's so handsome, and he came up through sitcoms. Still, he and Eva Mendes were pretty great together in this one.

1

'I Am Legend'

©Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection

Oh, there was nobody left in all of New York City for Will Smith to have chemistry with, you say? HOW DARE YOU. You clearly forgot Sam, the dog, the best part of the movie and the film's true lead. Obviously this is the Will Smith co-star that all other co-stars aspire to when it comes to having perfect chemistry as co-leads. Best of luck living up to Sam's high standard, Margot Robbie.

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Tags Margot Robbie ,  Will Smith ,  Amazon Instant Video ,  Netflix ,  Decider Lists ,  Focus (2015) ,  Hitch ,  I Am Legend ,  Independence Day (1996) ,  Men in Black ,  Six Degrees of Separation

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Try to avoid goosebumps at Garnett’s homecoming cheers

Kevin Garnett made his triumphant return to the Timberwolves on Wednesday night, starting at power forward in a 97-77 win over the Wizards in Minneapolis.

It had been more than seven years since his trade to Boston, after he played in Minnesota for the first 12 years of his Hall of Fame-bound career. Garnett, 38, was traded from the Nets at last week's trade deadline after agreeing to waive his no-trade clause for the homecoming. Garnett finished with five points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes.

"I've been back before, and I never paid attention to how much love is here for me still because I'm too busy being focused on the game," Garnett said. "And tonight it was just over the top.

"I did not know the city missed me like this. … But to see it is reality, and I'm very appreciative."

Garnett was introduced last, with a lengthy video tribute playing before his name was announced to a thunderous ovation from the sellout crowd. Garnett sat on the bench with his head down the entire time, but popped up as his name was announced.

"I looked into the crowd and saw my friends and family," Garnett said. "I'm glad my daughters were here to see that. It was just a special time. I can't even put it into words."

Garnett's Timberwolves teammates were floating on the energy created by his reception.

"That game was a tribute to the great Kevin Garnett," said Kevin Martin, who scored 28 points. "He helped us get through the nerves in the first quarter and we took off from there."

Ricky Rubio said: "I was jealous about this crowd. I want this crowd every day. "

In New Orleans, Thaddeus Young, who was traded from the Timberwolves in exchange for Garnett, finished with 19 points in the Nets' loss to the Pelicans, one more than Garnett scored in any of the 102 combined regular and postseason games he played for Brooklyn over the past year-and-a-half.

With AP

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Drones are mysteriously hovering over Paris landmarks

Drones have been spotted mysteriously hovering over landmarks across Paris — including the US embassy and the Eiffel Tower — sparking an investigation.

At least five unmanned aerial devices were seen flying in Paris airspace Monday night and authorities are trying to find out if they could be linked to other sightings in recent months, AFP reports.

"It could be a coordinated action but we don't know for now," a police source explained.

The first drone was spotted near the US embassy in Paris just after midnight, officials said.

French police followed the aircraft towards the Invalides military musuem before they lost sight of it. Four other drones were seen at the the Place de la Concorde, the Eiffel Tower and the Monteparnasse tower — which is the tallest skyscraper in Paris.

"We did everything to try and catch the operators but they were not found," another source close to the case said.

Drones like this one were spotted flying over Paris on Monday night.Photo: AP

Despite the sensitivity of the targets, police say the drones currently present no threat, according to The Guardian.

But authorities still don't want to take any chances, so the National Gendarmerie — a branch of the French Armed Forces — say they have launched an investigation to discover the intention of the mysterious overflights.

Between October and November, military facilities and nuclear plants were targeted by at least 20 flyovers despite local laws which ban drones from such areas.

Back in January, an unmanned aircraft briefly hovered over the home of French President Francois Hollande — less than two weeks after Islamic terrorist attacks had the nation on edge for three days.

Between Jan. 7 and Jan. 9, Islamist terrorists killed 16 people in Paris during attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher grocery store.

Drones were later spotted at the end of January flying near a bay in Brittany, which houses four nuclear submarines and serves as one of the most protected sites in France, according to AFP.

In response to the mounting drone sightings, French officials say they have launched a million dollar scientific program aimed at developing ways of detecting and intercepting the aircraft, which are capable of recording hi-definition video footage.

The L'Hôtel national des Invalides in ParisPhoto: Getty Images

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Bank robbery suspect nabbed after stopping at Dunkin’ Donuts

America may run on Dunkin' – but this alleged bank robber should have bypassed the coffee shop.

A Queens man knocked-off a Lodi, N.J. bank with a BB gun Monday and got $4,000 but was caught by cops when made a put stop at a Dunkin Donuts just a block away.

Michael Cassano, 38, approached a teller at a Hudson City Savings Bank, plunked a BB gun on the counter and demanded cash, NorthJersey.com reported.

Apparently in no rush to flee with the $4,000 proceeds, the thief took a coffee break about a block away from the scene, police said.

Maywood police Sgt. Timothy Moran spotted Cassano near the entrance of a Dunkin' Donuts about 20 minutes after the heist, matching the description of the suspect, Maywood Police Chief David Pegg said.

Cops recovered the "proceeds of the robbery" and a BB gun, Pegg said.

Cassano was charged with robbery and two weapons offenses. Federal charges were pending.

With bail set at $250,000 and he will to be transferred to the FBI on Tuesday.

He also is suspected and faces charges in a Toms River, N.J., bank robbery, Lodi police Capt. Donald Scorzetti told The Post.

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Magnate who survived assassination attempt offers $100K reward for shooter

A Long Island campaign donor, who survived an assassination attempt last year, has announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of his shooter.

Oheka Castle owner Gary Melius, 70, was shot in the head by a masked gunman who fired off three rounds, missing twice, around 12:30 p.m., Feb. 24, 2014.

"There is a $100,000 reward now to get the information to solve this crime and bring to justice who is responsible," Melius said.

The Queens-born construction magnate released his own video of the shooter fleeing on Tuesday, in hopes that it might produce some leads.

Suffolk County police have not made any arrests and have not identified a suspect. The motive is still unclear.

Melius had just sat down behind the wheel of his Mercedes last year to leave his 100,000-square-foot estate in Huntington when the assailant walked up and tried to execute him, according to police.

Oheka Castle owner Gary Melius made a video statement after his attempted murder.

Just one of the three bullets grazed Melius' head and the gunman fled in a Jeep. The victim stumbled back to his home, where his daughter, Kelly found him and rushed him to North Shore University Hospital. There, doctors found that the bullet had not penetrated his skull.

The political power-broker contributes to campaigns for both Democrats and Republicans on Long Island and lives in the second-largest private home ever built in the United States.

Oheka Castle was built in the 1920s and hosts weddings and other events.

The reward is being offered by family and friends, Melius said.

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Kobe Bryant’s tremendous reaction to Lakers celebration

Give this to Kobe Bryant: Even in the midst of one of the most trying seasons of his career, he's maintaining his almost-unrivaled intensity.

On Sunday night, in the Lakers' overtime victory over the Celtics, a Lakers TV reporter was interviewing Jeremy Lin (25 points) when Nick Young and Jordan Hill crashed the interview.

The three of them — plus Carlos Boozer, who makes a brief cameo — clowned it up for the cameras, one of the few bright spots in a miserable Lakers season that has them at 14-41, the fourth-worst record in the league.

On Monday night, Bryant, appearing on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," was asked by Kimmel if there would have been a celebration if he were there.

Cue death stare:

Bryant, who is out for the season after suffering a torn rotator cuff in late January, was suffering through a miserable season by his standards, averaging 22.3 points per game — his lowest since 1998-99 (not counting last season's six-game cameo) — and shooting 37.3 percent, far and away the worst percentage of his career.

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Mystery Solved! Exclusive Interview With Oscar Night’s Little Red Riding Hood Photobomber

Who was the big winner on Oscar night? Believe it or not, it wasn't Best Actress winner Julianne Moore, and it wasn't Birdman writer-director Alejandro González Iñárritu. The Oscars MVP was the mysterious red hooded woman who photobombed ABC's red carpet coverage. This modern day Little Red Riding Hood's name is Alyssa Shiller and according to her, "there's a lot more to Little Red Riding Hood than people understand."

Shiller is a student at Elon University and she's currently studying communications in Los Angeles as a sort of "study abroad program." She mentioned that she got entree into Hollywood's biggest night through simple college networking. "We had an Elon alum out here who got us the hook up."

When we spoke to Shiller on the phone, she was all business. "People should know the truth about Little Red Riding Hood. She's someone of talent and more than just a silly face in the background." And how did she pop up in the Oscar telecast background? What great spark of inspiration came over her being and compelled her to pop up and wave in the background?

"I mean, I was just being myself," she explained. "Legally Blonde is my favorite movie and I've seen it a million times. So, when I saw [Reese Witherspoon], I kind of freaked out. Of course, I want her to notice me and I think that this was a good way to get her to notice me."

Shiller says that the whole "Little Red Riding Hood" persona "happened naturally." She said, "I mean, this is my favorite Michael Kors coat and it just kind of worked that way." Shiller has aspirations to be a model and shared images from a recent photo shoot with us.

Shiller had one final message she wanted to share: "I want to say, Reese Witherspoon, I love you, but I wanted to share the limelight and get some of the publicity, too." Shiller never mentioned recognizing the other celebrity she photobombed, Taya Kyle, the widow of the real life American Sniper.

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[Photo: courtesy of Alyssa Shiller; Gif: ABC]

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Beyoncé and Jay Z renting $150K a month LA home

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Beyoncé and Jay Z new Holmby Hills rental.

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Beyoncé and Jay Z new Holmby Hills rental.

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Beyoncé and Jay Z new Holmby Hills rental.

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Beyoncé and Jay Z new Holmby Hills rental.

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Beyoncé and Jay Z are one step closer to becoming full-time California residents.

The couple, 33 and 45 respectively, who've been house hunting in Beverly Hills, signed in a year-long rental lease for a Holmby Hills home, reports TMZ.

Beyoncé and Jay ZPhoto: Getty

Last summer, they rented the same pad for $200,000 a month, but this time managed to get the price reduced to $150,000 month after negotiating directly with the owner.

The 16,000 square-foot home, which features seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms and sits on a 1.32 acre lot on an exclusive street, is also on the market for $35,000,000, according to Realtor.com.

Other amenities in the home include a 75-foot gallery, a large screening room, massage room, infinity pool, outdoor kitchen and a tennis court.

As previously reported, the Carters have enrolled Blue Ivy, 3, into an elite private school in the Los Angeles area which costs $15,080 a year.

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Embattled CTPartners faces potential takeover by rival

CTPartners, the embattled Wall Street head-hunting firm at the center of a sexual discrimination complaint, now has a takeover-hungry rival as its fourth-largest shareholder as acquisition talks have entered into a third week.

The rival firm, Chicago-based DHR International, owns 5 percent of CTPartners' stock, the company said on Monday.

That puts DHR's stake in New York-based CTP just a few notches smaller than reclusive investor Austin Marxe and the company's CEO Brian Sullivan — the two largest shareholders in the company.

Sullivan and CTP made headlines last year after The Post reported allegations of a boozy, nude romp at a company function held at Sullivan's Florida waterfront estate — allegations contained in a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a copy of which was obtained by The Post.

News of the EEOC on Dec. 8 complaint sent CTPartners shares down nearly 20 percent, to $14.00. The shares continued to fall over the next seven weeks — and closed at $4.35 on Jan. 29.

DHR announced on Feb. 5 that it hoped to buy CTPartners for $7.00 a share. Since then, the company has hovered at or around that price, closing on Friday at $6.71. It was trading at $6.62 a share early Monday.

There has been little news from either company since on the proposed acquisition and it is unclear how talks between DHR and CTP are progressing.

"Lawyers are negotiating non-disclosure agreements," David Hoffmann, chairman of DHR, told The Post on Feb. 17.

Derek Creevey, a spokesman for CTPartners, didn't immediately return a request for comment.

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Would-be jihadists detouring through Europe to reach ISIS

Wannabe jihadists bent on reaching Islamic State's stronghold in Syria are taking circuitous routes from Europe to evade authorities, according to a report.

Some of the would-be warriors take meandering routes through various countries to reach the more porous Bulgarian border en route to Turkey, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Others engage in so-called "broken travel" – to visit relatives and reach tourist sites – before setting off to their final destination.

Hayat Boumeddiene, wife of Paris terrorist Amedy Coulibaly, used the strategy to reach Syria before her husband slaughtered four people in a kosher supermarket last month. She first drove from France to Spain then flew to Turkey to join ISIS in Syria.

Most of the ISIS-bound Europeans still try to hop on direct flights to Turkey, where they then try to slip into bordering Syria, the newspaper reported, citing diplomats and intelligence sources.

European Union officials are being challenged by the growing sneaky tactics – particularly since European citizens are no longer subject to border checkpoints and passport checks in many areas.

Hayat BoumediennePhoto: AP

At least 3,400 Europeans are among the roughly 20,000 foreign ISIS fighters. Only about 100 jihadists came from the US, the report said.

EU officials from various countries are meeting this month in Brussels to strengthen counter-terror efforts and increase information exchanges to close the loopholes. Last week, officials seeking to stop potential jihadists from leaving agreed to include passenger flight details in law-enforcement databases.

But some countries are concerned that sharing too much personal information about citizens could violate privacy laws, EU and United Nation officials told the newspaper.

Among the weak points is Turkey's 170-mile border with Bulgaria. Hundreds of Europeans have crossed from Bulgaria into Turkey en route to Syria, Bulgarian Interior Minister Veselin Vuchkov said last month, the paper reported.

Bulgaria has approved expanding its border fence with Turkey and agreed to deploy troops on the Turkish border. The US military also has begun to train Bulgarian border police.

"We are doing as much as any EU nation to boost security, but with the added surveillance of arrivals at Istanbul airport, more people are coming to Bulgaria," a senior Bulgarian official said, the paper reported.

Before the terror attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, Bulgarian cops arrested Fritz-Joly Joachin – who was believed to have had ties to one of the murderous Kouachi brothers – as he tried to enter Turkey.

Fritz-Joly Joachin was picked up by Bulgarian cops as he tried to enter Turkey.Photo: Getty Images

But Turkish officials said Joachin was en route to Syria with three others who were not stopped. They were later arrested by Turkish authorities and extradited to France.

"The Bulgarians missed these people, and they shouldn't have," a senior Turkish foreign ministry official told the Wall Street Journal . "It's not the first time this has happened, and it's a problem."

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Cuddyer: Mets, Tulowitzki would make great match

PORT ST. LUCIE — Michael Cuddyer won't lobby the front office for a reunion with a Rockies teammate, but dropped a hint Monday that Troy Tulowitzki makes sense for the Mets.

"I think he could be a fit here for sure – there is absolutely no question in my mind that he could be a fit here," Cuddyer said. "Whether or not [the Rockies] eventually trade him, I don't know. Nobody in baseball has a player like Tulo except for the Colorado Rockies, so in my opinion you never let a guy like that go."

The Rockies and Mets briefly discussed Tulowitzki in the offseason, but talks never gained traction. Last summer before the trade deadline, the Rockies sent a group of evaluators to Triple-A Las Vegas to watch Noah Syndergaard pitch. The Mets' top prospect almost certainly would be needed in any deal to acquire the All-Star shortstop, who is still owed $118 million and is coming off significant hip surgery.

The Mets are set to begin the season with largely untested Wilmer Flores at shortstop. There is some thought the Rockies might actively look to deal Tulowitzki once he proves the hip is healthy.

"[Tulowitzki] is a great player, and he's tenacious out there in the field," Cuddyer said. "He has no interest in anything but winning. I think that type of player and attitude is a fit everywhere, not just here, but I don't know if that will ever come to fruition, because I don't know if the Rockies will ever trade him. If I was the Rockies, I never would."

Cuddyer said he didn't pay much attention to the Tulowitzki trade talk over the winter.

"I don't tend to caught up too much in the rumors," Cuddyer said. "I read them. I enjoy them, because I'm a fan first, but I don't put too much weight to rumors until it actually happens."

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Kanye West crosses the pond and more star snaps of the day

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Kanye West steps out in London on Sunday.

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Gomez is shedding her good girl image once and for all.

Julia Roberts has a sob story and more star snaps of the day 27 Photos

Lady Gaga hides her rock, Julia Roberts gets weepy, Sienna Miller and Alan Cumming take a bow, Mindy Kaling glows, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend party it up and more.

Kylie Jenner: From cute kid to crazy lips 26 Photos

Kylie Jenner (and her recently plump pout) have come a long way ... especially when you remember she's only 17.

Stars celebrate Mardi Gras 28 Photos

These celebs have earned their beads during Fat Tuesday celebrations.

LoveGame: Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney through the years 15 Photos

Look back at Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney's rock star romance.

Rita Ora wigs out and more star snaps of the day 23 Photos

Rita Ora gets colorful, Tom Hanks dances with Carly Rae Jepsen and Justin Bieber, Charlize Theron and Sean Penn stun, Alex Pettyfer is under wraps and more.

Nick Jonas goes G-A-Y and more star snaps of the day 27 Photos

Nick Jonas takes the stage, Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill are all-stars, Margot Robbie and Will Smith head to Italy, Christina Aguilera hangs with Rockettes and more.

Beyoncé stuns on her way to 40/40 and more star snaps of the day 27 Photos

Beyoncé steps out, Bear Grylls crashes a studio, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson promote 'Fifty Shades,' Doutzen Kroes hits the beach and more.

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Man sues ex-friend for $15M for allegedly spreading lies about him

It's the grown-man version of "Mean Girls."

Attorney Stephen Drummond claims in a $15 million lawsuit that his onetime bestie and former Marine buddy George Savage, a California obstetrician, has been spreading lies about him to all their friends.

The friendship became strained when Drummond entered private practice with a law partner whom Savage didn't like, Drummond charges in Brooklyn federal court.

In 2013, Savage tried to hire Drummond to represent him but the lawyer claims Savage never paid his retainer.

When Drummond then declined the case, Savage allegedly called many of their mutual friends and accused Drummond of stealing from his own clients.

Drummond is now suing his former pal for defamation and breach of contract.

Savage could not be reached for comment.

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Fariña principal pal gets free pass after ripping off taxpayers

It pays to be the chancellor's pet.

Principal Linda Hill of IS 49 in Staten Island was caught red-handed ripping off taxpayers in 2013 — after years of double dipping into overtime funds.

But Chancellor Carmen Fariña — Hill's mentor when she became principal — has yet to discipline Hill or even require her to pay the money back.

Hill admitted she collected simultaneous overtime on multiple occasions for attending IS 49's School Leadership Team meetings and for supervising an after-school program.

In testimony in a teacher's lawsuit last October, Hill said she faced no fine or other discipline.

"I'm going to have to pay back whatever they decided the amount," Hill said, but added she wasn't told how much to repay or when.

Hill, whose salary last year was $146,713, has raked in an extra $55,700 in overtime in the last six years, records show.

Francesco Portelos, a former IS 49 teacher and member of the School Leadership Team, blew the whistle on Hill after obtaining overtime records in a Freedom of Information Law request.

The Department of Education completed a probe in 2013, but has kept it under wraps. The DOE refused to release its report to The Post, saying only, "The matter is pending."

Portelos was banished to the rubber room for two years while the DOE probed charges lodged by Hill after he questioned her handling of school finances. Now a temporary teacher at IS 24 in Staten Island, he is suing the DOE in Brooklyn federal court, charging retaliation for raising his concerns.

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Meet the New Jersey woman who could become a Martian

This New Jersey woman could get a one-way ticket to Mars.

Cassandra Morphy, 32, is one of 100 finalists vying to become the first humans to colonize the Red Planet as part of a Dutch nonprofit's planned mission.

More than 200,000 people worldwide applied to the Mars One project, but only 50 men and 50 women will make it to the next round — including 38 people living in the United States, with 33 of those born here.

Morphy, a data analyst and self-described sci-fi geek who lives in Keasbey, knows there's no return trip: All participants expect to die on the faraway planet.

"I love the idea of going to this place that nobody's been before," she told The Post. "It's a blank slate for humanity."

The future Martian said she has wanted to leave Earth since reading the "Red Mars" trilogy — about humans settling on the planet — as a teen.

"I've always been the weird one in the family," Morphy said. "My sister ­always thought I was an alien. My family figures this is an obvious choice."

Mars One plans to launch its first four-member crew in 2025 for an estimated cost of $6 billion.

Morphy has no qualms about leaving Mother Earth, except she'll miss pizza and television.

"Most of my friends, I contact them online anyway, so it's not going to be a big difference between contacting them on Earth and on Mars," she said. "It's just a slight delay in the conversation."

23.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Obama’s refusal to face Islamic terrorism ‘very dangerous': Giuliani

Rudy is doubling down.

Former mayor Rudy Giuliani acknowledged his speech criticizing President Obama's patriotism last week "hit a nerve" but went even further Sunday denouncing the president's foreign policy agenda.

"I said it maybe 30 times before but somehow this time it hit a nerve, maybe because the president is on such defense for his unwillingness to face Islamic terrorism," Giuliani told John Catsimatidis on 970 AM The Answer.

"We need a American president more like Ronald Reagan who gave us a sense of optimism," said Giuliani. "There's something about his unwillingness to talk about Islamic extremist Muslims that is not only wrong, it is becoming very dangerous."

Giuliani said Wednesday that he did not believe President Obama "loves America."

"He doesn't love you. He doesn't love me. He wasn't brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up: to love this country," said Giuliani.

Critics around the world accused the former mayor of making racist remarks.

Hizzoner even earned a rare rebuke from the White House whose spokesman Josh Earnest said he "feels sorry" for the one-time presidential candidate who "tarnished his legacy."

"It's sad to see when someone who has attained a certain level of public stature and even admiration tarnishes that legacy so thoroughly," said Earnest.

Giuliani backpedaled Friday telling reporters Obama was brought up in a white family but was raised with communist and socialist values.

Giuliani told CNN on Saturday his secretary has received death threats because of his speech.

But Giuliani launched additional attacks on the White House on Sunday, arguing the President "turned on Israel," refused to back Arab allies in the Middle East against the threat of Iran, and botched relations with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

"I want a president who is not embarrassed to say America is the strongest power on Earth and we're going to assert ourselves and I want our enemies to be afraid of our president," said Giuliani.

"That's the only way we will defeat these people," he added. "We're not going to defeat with this namby pamby stuff about not being able to say 'Islamic terrorists.'"

Catsimatidis, who invited Giuliani to his dinner at the 21 Club, said the former mayor received a "double take" from guests when he said his unprompted remarks.
But he defended Giuliani's right to bash the president.

"I think everybody is entitled to their own opinion," Catsimatidis told 970 The Answer's Frank Morano on Sunday.

"I think he just got it off his chest. Maybe that's the way he felt personally. This is a free America, everyone can say what they want," said Catsimatidis.

23.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Terrorist threat calls for attacks on American shopping malls

WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson warned Sunday Americans should be "particularly careful" mall shopping this weekend following a specific terrorist threat.

Terrorist group Al-Shabaab released a video calling for attacks on shopping malls in the US, Canada and the United Kingdom, which included mention and images of the Mall of America in Minnesota.

"I would say that if anyone is planning to go to the Mall of America today, they've got to be particularly careful," Johnson said on CNN's "State of the Union."

The al Qaeda-linked group was responsible for the deadly Nairobi, Kenya mall attack in 2013. The Mall of America has responded by beefing up security.

Johnson said federal authorities are taking the threat "seriously" and asked Americans to be more "vigilant. If they see something suspicious, Johnson said, they should say something.

The threat, much like the social media calls from ISIS, represents "the new phase" in the war on terror where foreign terrorists call for domestic sympathizers to carry out attacks in their hometowns. "We're beyond the phase now where these groups would send foreign operatives into countries after being trained some place," Johnson said.

Armed members of the militant group al-Shabab attend a rally on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Somalia.Photo: AP

The video surfaced just as the White House wrapped up its three-day summit on combating violent extremism and radicalization of young people.

President Obama took heat for not calling such terrorists "Islamic extremists" and therefore not fully acknowledging the threat.

Johnson defended the language choice.

No matter what you call them, ISIS is "a dangerous terrorist organization that has to be dealt with," Johnson said on "Fox News Sunday." The concern is Muslim Americans say they "resent" ISIS for tying to "hijack" their peaceful religion, Johnson said.

Calling the terrorists Islamic "gives the group more dignity than it deserves," he said.

Johnson made the rounds on Sunday talk shows to put pressure on Congress to pass a budget for his department which will run out of funding this week over a GOP-led effort to de-fund President Obama's immigration actions which they exceed his executive authority. Democrats in the Senate are filibustering that provision and calling for a "clean" funding bill without such riders.

The immigration fight is now caught up in federal courts after a Texas judge put the deferred deportations programs on hold. Johnson said they'll head to appeals court as early as Monday to seek reversal of the decision.

Al-Shabaab was responsible for the 2013 attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya.Photo: AP

If a funding bill isn't passed by Friday, 30,000 workers will be furloughed and the vast majority border security and homeland security workers would have to go work without a paycheck.

"It's absurd that we're even having this conversation about Congress's inability to fund Homeland Security in these challenging times," Johnson said.

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