The New York Yankees don't intend to offer third baseman Alex Rodriguez an extension on his 10-year, $252 million contract.
The decision leaves him the option of opting out of his deal and becoming a free agent at the end of the season. He has four seasons left on the record contract he signed with Texas before the 2001 season. Rodriguez is owed $27 million in each of the final three seasons.
Rodriguez also can stay for 2008 and have the right to opt out of the last two seasons if the Yankees don't boost his salary to $32 million annually for the final two years.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Letterman Regular 'Bud' Melman Dies
Calvert DeForest, the white-haired, bespectacled nebbish who gained cult status as the oddball Larry "Bud" Melman on David Letterman's late night television shows, has died after a long illness. The Brooklyn-born DeForest, who was 85, died Monday at a hospital on Long Island, Letterman's "Late Show" announced Wednesday.
He made dozens of appearances on Letterman's shows from 1982 through 2002, handling a variety of twisted duties: dueting with Sonny Bono on "I Got You, Babe," doing a Mary Tyler Moore impression during a visit to Minneapolis, handing out hot towels to arrivals at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
"Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself - a genuine, modest and nice man," Letterman said in a statement. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."
The gnomish DeForest was working as a file clerk at a drug rehabilitation center when show producers, who had seen him in a New York University student's film, came calling.
He was the first face to greet viewers when Letterman's NBC show debuted on Feb. 1, 1982, offering a parody of the prologue to the Boris Karloff film "Frankenstein."
"It was the greatest thing that had happened in my life," he once said of his first Letterman appearance.
DeForest, given the nom de tube of Melman, became a program regular. The collaboration continued when the talk show host launched "Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS in 1993, though DeForest had to use his real name because of a dispute with NBC over "intellectual property."
Cue cards were often DeForest's television kryptonite, and his character inevitably appeared in an ill-fitting black suit behind thick black-rimmed glasses.
DeForest often drew laughs by his bizarre juxtaposition as a "Late Show" correspondent at events such as the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway or the anniversary Woodstock concert that year.
His last appearance on "Late Show," celebrating his 81st birthday, came in 2002.
DeForest also appeared in an assortment of other television shows and films, including "Nothing Lasts Forever" with Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
The skywalk over the Grand Canyon
Afraid of heights? You might tread carefully, then, if you visit Grand Canyon West, a tourist destination whose main attraction is The Skywalk. The cantilevered walkway, which is making its media debut Tuesday, is a mere 4,000 feet above the bottom of the canyon. It opens to the public on March 28.
The open-air skywalk extends 70 feet out from the rim of the canyon, where it's anchored in part by the visitor center. It will be open from dawn to dusk, and the price of admission is $25 per person. (No word on whether that price includes an airsick bag.) As many as 120 people will be allowed on the bridge at any given time; each will have to wear special shoe covers to prevent slipping and scratching.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Saturday, March 17, 2007
There AT IT AGAIN !!!!.....Jet Blue....
Flights Canceled in Newark, NYC, Throughout NortheastJetBlue on Friday canceled nearly three-fourths of all scheduled flights across the country -- most in the New York area -- because of a winter storm on the East Coast.Aiming to avoid criticism that followed a storm last month, the discount airline had canceled about 400 of its 550 flights by mid-afternoon. Included in that total were about 160 flights out of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport; 14 out of Newark Liberty International Airport, and seven out of LaGuardia Airport, said JetBlue spokesman Todd Burke."It's a strategic move to cancel your flights in advance to help you position aircraft and crews for a quick recovery when the storm is over,'' he said. "Our plan is working beautifully.''
He said most of the customers in the New York area were notified of the cancellations in advance, except for Newark.
"Newark is an unusual circumstance where we had last-minute cancellations,'' he said. "The vast majority of flights that are canceled were notified well in advance.''
Overall, about 1,400 flights at the three New York area airports were canceled by mid-afternoon, said Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airports.
He said the Port Authority deployed extra customer service agents to Newark to assist passengers with canceled JetBlue flights and others. Many customers there, though, fumed as they tried to rebook tickets.
Karen Opdyke, her husband, three young children and mother were trying to get to Miami after their 9 a.m. flight was canceled.
He said most of the customers in the New York area were notified of the cancellations in advance, except for Newark.
"Newark is an unusual circumstance where we had last-minute cancellations,'' he said. "The vast majority of flights that are canceled were notified well in advance.''
Overall, about 1,400 flights at the three New York area airports were canceled by mid-afternoon, said Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airports.
He said the Port Authority deployed extra customer service agents to Newark to assist passengers with canceled JetBlue flights and others. Many customers there, though, fumed as they tried to rebook tickets.
Karen Opdyke, her husband, three young children and mother were trying to get to Miami after their 9 a.m. flight was canceled.
Over 200 NYC Restaurants Failed Health Inspection Since Rats
City records show that at least 235 New York restaurants failed a health inspection in the nine days after video of rats in a Manhattan fast food joint embarrassed officials into suspending an inspector who had given the eatery a passing grade.
Health officials deny that a crackdown is under way, but acknowledge that some inspectors wary of additional media attention might be giving kitchens extra scrutiny.
Overall, nearly 100 restaurants have been shuttered for health code violations in the past three weeks - a shocking total considering that inspectors closed only 558 restaurants in all of 2006.
Scores more have been allowed to stay open, but hammered with citations that will lead to big fines.
Among the unlucky was the trendy Coffee Shop in Union Square.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Grand Jury Indicts 3 Cops
A grand jury on Friday indicted three of the five officers in the 50-shoot barrage that killed an unarmed man on his wedding day, lawyers told The Associated Press. The lawyers said Marc Cooper (pictured, left), Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver (right) had been indicted, but they did not know the exact charges. The three officers fired the most shots -- Cooper, 4, Isnora, 11, and Oliver, 31.
Gunman's Trail Of Terror In NYC
A gunman rampaged through a strip of restaurants and bars in a trendy Manhattan neighborhood, killing a pizzeria employee and two unarmed volunteer police officers before other officers shot him to death, the mayor said.
Gunman David Gavin had a fake beard, two guns and 100 rounds of ammunition, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said early Thursday.
"Tonight was a horrible night for the New York Police Department and for our city," he said. "Two men who volunteered their time to make our city the safest big city in America lost their lives helping to keep it exactly that way."
The shooting began around 9 p.m. Wednesday, the mayor said. Gavin, 32, went into a Greenwich Village pizzeria, asked for a menu and then shot an employee 15 times in the back before fleeing, Bloomberg said. Police identified the employee as Alfredo Romaro, 35.
Apple iPhone on NYC STORE
Looks like Apple is continuing to build awareness for the Apple iPhone. On Monday March 12th, workers at the 5th Avenue Apple Store in New York City posted a large iPhone ad on one full side of the glass structure.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Leopard Release In Mid/Late April?
According to multiple anonymous sources, Apple's next installment of Mac OS X (named Leopard) will arrive in mid to late April with an exact shipping date being announced later this month, perhaps alongside Adobe's Creative Suite 3 event.
While the sources are anonymous and cannot be confirmed at this time by other known and traditionally reliable means, agreement from such a variety of sources is rare. Still, Leopard's release has been prone to much hype and speculation, and we hesitate to place too much hope in such rumors (yet).
While the sources are anonymous and cannot be confirmed at this time by other known and traditionally reliable means, agreement from such a variety of sources is rare. Still, Leopard's release has been prone to much hype and speculation, and we hesitate to place too much hope in such rumors (yet).
Apple's multi-touch technology seen spawning "mega-platform"
Financial experts at UBS Investment Research say they believe Apple Inc. is developing a "mega-platform" based around its recently introduced multi-touch display technology that will facilitate broad growth opportunities through an assortment of future products.
In a research note issued Tuesday, analyst Ben Reitzes encouraged his clients to look past the minute details of the initial iPhone and focus on the power that lies in the 'unannounced' multi-touch ecosystem that will eventually find its way into several products across the company's product portfolio.
"We believe this 'Mega-Platform' could help Apple become an 'open-ended' growth story once again with a logical chronology of new products for years to come," the analyst wrote.
In a research note issued Tuesday, analyst Ben Reitzes encouraged his clients to look past the minute details of the initial iPhone and focus on the power that lies in the 'unannounced' multi-touch ecosystem that will eventually find its way into several products across the company's product portfolio.
"We believe this 'Mega-Platform' could help Apple become an 'open-ended' growth story once again with a logical chronology of new products for years to come," the analyst wrote.
Yoko Ono's Driver Allowed to Leave U.S. Voluntarily
A federal immigration judge has signed an order that allows Yoko Ono's former driver, who pleaded guilty to charges of trying to extort money from her, to leave the United States voluntarily rather than be deported.
Judge Alan A. Vomacka signed the order Wednesday for Koral Karsan, who has been in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security since his guilty plea in February, to return to his native Turkey without further legal proceedings.
The voluntary departure resulted from an agreement between Karsan's lawyer, Jonathan Avirom, and DHS attorney Victor Yee. Leaving voluntarily makes Karsan's re-entry into the United States less difficult than if he were deported.
Judge Alan A. Vomacka signed the order Wednesday for Koral Karsan, who has been in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security since his guilty plea in February, to return to his native Turkey without further legal proceedings.
The voluntary departure resulted from an agreement between Karsan's lawyer, Jonathan Avirom, and DHS attorney Victor Yee. Leaving voluntarily makes Karsan's re-entry into the United States less difficult than if he were deported.
Poised to Regulate Pedicabs, Bloomberg Hesitates
A bill to regulate the bicycle taxi industry hit a surprise bump in the road on Wednesday when Mayor Michael Bloomberg had second thoughts just before he was to sign it into law.
Bloomberg was on board as the measure moved through the City Council and was approved last month. But he shifted into neutral during a bill-signing ceremony at City Hall, where a group of pedicab drivers and other opponents told him why they disagreed with the bill.
Last year throughout the hearing process, which was contentious at times, many in the fast-growing pedicab industry said they welcome some regulation, such as licensing and safety standards, to weed out freewheeling drivers and operators. But when the council passed the bill, it also capped the number of pedicabs allowed on city streets at 325, which many drivers said was unfair and would cause them to lose their jobs.
Bloomberg was on board as the measure moved through the City Council and was approved last month. But he shifted into neutral during a bill-signing ceremony at City Hall, where a group of pedicab drivers and other opponents told him why they disagreed with the bill.
Last year throughout the hearing process, which was contentious at times, many in the fast-growing pedicab industry said they welcome some regulation, such as licensing and safety standards, to weed out freewheeling drivers and operators. But when the council passed the bill, it also capped the number of pedicabs allowed on city streets at 325, which many drivers said was unfair and would cause them to lose their jobs.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
NY'ers Enraged at Creep Who Attacked Elderly Woman
NEW YORK (AP) -- Here'a a tip for the guy who beat up a 101-year-old woman in a walker and took off with her purse: Get out of New York.
The vicious mugging, caught on surveillance tape, has sparked outrage in a city where people are accustomed to hearing about strange and violent crimes. Police have launched an all-out manhunt, but it's not just the cops who want the villain's head.
"I could hold him, and let the woman beat him up,'' said Joe Sarju, 59, who lives in the Queens neighborhood where the attack occurred. "I'd love to beat him, but then they would lock me up.''
The heartlessness of the March 4 attack is clearly conveyed on the grainy, black-and-white videotape, which has now been broadcast well beyond New York.
In it, 101-year-old Rose Morat is trying to leave her brick apartment building to go to church. The mugger, a man who looms over the senior citizen and is holding on to a bicycle, pretends to help her get through the vestibule.
The vicious mugging, caught on surveillance tape, has sparked outrage in a city where people are accustomed to hearing about strange and violent crimes. Police have launched an all-out manhunt, but it's not just the cops who want the villain's head.
"I could hold him, and let the woman beat him up,'' said Joe Sarju, 59, who lives in the Queens neighborhood where the attack occurred. "I'd love to beat him, but then they would lock me up.''
The heartlessness of the March 4 attack is clearly conveyed on the grainy, black-and-white videotape, which has now been broadcast well beyond New York.
In it, 101-year-old Rose Morat is trying to leave her brick apartment building to go to church. The mugger, a man who looms over the senior citizen and is holding on to a bicycle, pretends to help her get through the vestibule.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
8-core Mac Pro Leak at Apple UK
Apple's UK Store offers a small slip which may indicate that 8-Core Mac Pro's are coming soon. "Now quad-core or 8-core processing power. Configure yours today."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
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