GET UPDATED WITH NYPOST.COM: THE SOURCE FOR NEWS Good morning, nelayan!
Regional News: http://web1.nypost.com/news/news.htm UNION BIG EYED IN $1M CONDO SCAM: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37266.htm By BILL SANDERSON A showbiz-union boss tried to sell more than $1 million worth of real estate bought with his hardworking members' dues to his brother and brother's girlfriend at sweetheart prices, according to documents obtained by The Post. 9/11 GAL'S NEW LOVE: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37265.htm By DAN KADISON A Manhattan woman who lost her fianc� on 9/11 is celebrating new beginnings this holiday season after marrying a childhood acquaintance who's alive only because he left the World Trade Center minutes before the first plane hit. LIRR TRAGEDY IN BROOKLYN: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37268.htm A young man was killed last night when he was struck by a train on the LIRR tracks in Brooklyn, authorities said. TRAGIC SACRIFICE: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37254.htm By JAMIE SCHRAM, ERIN CALABRESE and DAN MANGAN A "heroic" security guard suffered an excruciating death, being burned alive in an elevator on Christmas while trying to prevent an arson fire from spreading throughout a Queens apartment building. BELOVED L.I. INSTITUTION SAVED BY FIRE CREWS: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37239.htm By SELIM ALGAR A 332-year-old Long Island landmark narrowly averted destruction early yesterday morning when a blaze tore a blackened hole through its roof before being extinguished. MAIN BURSTS ON PARK AVE.: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37264.htm A water main break on the Upper East Side shut down part of Park Avenue last night, closing one track of the Metro-North Railroad, which runs beneath the avenue. SNOW COMES A DAY LATE: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37246.htm New Yorkers got their white Christmas a day late, as light snow fell over most of the tristate area yesterday afternoon. BARGAIN-HUNTERS GO SALE-ING: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37248.htm By MATTHEW SWEENEY, TATIANA DELIGIANNAKIS and DAN MANGAN Shoppers lured by cut-rate prices stormed back to stores yesterday to buy for themselves what Santa didn't bring them. PROPERTY-TAX GLITCH STIFFS CITY: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37236.htm By DAVID SEIFMAN EXCLUSIVE Thousands of residential properties are being kept off the tax rolls while the Finance Department works to straighten out glitches in its computer system, The Post has learned. 9/11 FLAP AT EMPIRE STATE: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37251.htm Tourists venturing atop the Empire State Building have been disturbed to see horrible images of Sept. 11 greeting them in the gift shop. ASPCA A LO$T CAUSE: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37256.htm By KENNETH LOVETT ALBANY � Eighteen New York State charities � including the city-based American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals � actually lost money trying to raise money last year, a new report revealed. SANTA CLAUS BANDIT KILLS HIMSELF: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37231.htm HANNIBAL, N.Y. � A failed bank robber dressed as Santa Claus shot and killed himself after he rammed a cop car during a high-speed chase. NEW LAWS DAY: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37235.htm By KENNETH LOVETT ALBANY � Dozens of new state laws go into effect on Saturday, including a hike in the minimum wage and a slight cut in the personal income tax. GUY BACK IN JAIL TODAY: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37250.htm By C.J. SULLIVAN and CYNTHIA R. FAGEN Disgraced former state Sen. Guy Velella starts a bleak new year behind prison bars today, but you'd never know he had a worry in the world judging from the bulging trash bags of Christmas cheer piled in front of his family's Bronx mansion. MAN, 72, KILLS LOVE, 60, IN XMAS SHOCKER: COPS: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37237.htm MILLVILLE, N.J. � A 72-year-old Vineland man has been charged with killing his longtime girlfriend by strangling her in her home on Christmas Eve, prosecutors said. PARENTS FIGHT STEALTHY KILLER: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37244.htm By RITA DELFINER A Manhattan couple who lost their only son is launching a new campaign in their crusade to alert other parents about the disease that killed him. SURVIVOR'S BATTLE FOR HEALTH: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37245.htm By RITA DELFINER Summer Krisel was born with a fever, and over the next two years, suffered from a string of sinus and ear infections, sudden high fevers, and boils on her legs, arms and bottom. LASER LIGHTS SPELL OUT BROADWAY WEDDING PROPOSAL: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37263.htm By IKIMULISA LIVINGSTON and CYNTHIA R. FAGEN A British drama-school teacher had her name up in lights over Broadway last night, and all she had was one line to utter � "Yes." IRAQ VETERAN'S CAR WAR: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37233.htm By ALEX GINSBERG A Queens court officer who served in Iraq has found himself on the wrong side of the gavel after a penny-pinching Long Island auto dealership sued him to get back a $750 rebate it gave him by mistake. JAIL HOUSE CROCK: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37259.htm By BRAD HAMILTON EXCLUSIVE As commissioner of the city Department of Correction, Bernard Kerik achieved his much-heralded drop in violence by reclassifying some incidents, according to a report from an internal critic. 2-COUNTY CHASE FOR SUSPECTS: http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/37249.htm By PHILIP MESSING Two men traveling in a stolen vehicle � suspects in a series of thefts from parked cars � were busted yesterday after Nassau cops chased them across the county line into Queens, police said. National News: http://web1.nypost.com/news/news.htm 'DYING' DRUNK GETS AN EARFUL AND AWAKES FROM COMA: http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/37253.htm By BILL HOFFMANN A man who drank himself into a coma and lay near death in a hospital bed suddenly woke up after hearing that his boss had commanded, "Get your ass back to work!" NEW CHURCH CREED: THOU SHALT STEAL: http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/37269.htm PITTSBURGH � Nearly 2,000 churches across the nation are robbed each year, mainly by employees taking money � and churches are starting to take precautions. ERR-LINE ANARCHY: http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/37247.htm By MARK BULLIET, IAN BISHOP and ALEX GINSBERG Delta subsidiary Comair got airplanes back into the sky yesterday, a day after a massive computer failure grounded all 1,100 of its flights. 'SUPERMAN' INSPIRED UNSER KID: http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/37252.htm By BILL HOFFMANN The gutsy young daughter of race-car champ Al Unser Jr. has a lot to celebrate this holiday season � even though it comes with a bittersweet twist. CROWDS GREET THE 'FOCKERS': http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/37243.htm By BILL HOFFMANN Forget the Kranks � moviegoers spent Christmas with the Fockers and Fat Albert. 'O' IN OVAL OFFICE: http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/37242.htm By MARIANNE GARVEY and BILL HOFFMANN Oprah for president! That's who Americans want in the White House, according to a new Harris pop-culture poll done for Parade magazine. FLORIDA HS BYTES BACK AT TARDY STUDENTS: http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/37255.htm By BILL HOFFMANN Late to school? That does not compute! A Florida school has started using a new handheld computer device to nail students who are late to class. You could call it an ATM � for Automated Tardy Machine. It can instantly pull up a student's photo, disciplinary record and class schedule. COLLEGE GRID STAR SHOT TO DEATH: http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/37240.htm TAMPA, Fla. � Vanderbilt University football player Kwane Doster was killed early yesterday by shots fired into his parked car, police said. World News: http://web1.nypost.com/news/news.htm HAMAS GAINS IN ELECTIONS: http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37258.htm RAMALLAH, West Bank � Final results of municipal elections in the West Bank showed yesterday that Hamas militants defeated Fatah, the mainstream Palestinian movement founded by the late Yasser Arafat, in nine of 26 local elections � a clear message that voters are tired of the corruption and chaos that characterized Arafat's leadership. 14,500 DEAD AS TSUNAMIS SMASH COASTLINE: http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37270.htm By ANDY GELLER The most powerful earthquake in 40 years struck southern Asia yesterday, triggering deadly, 20-foot tidal waves that smashed into coastal towns, fishing villages and seaside resorts in seven countries, killing more than 14,500 people. IRAQIS 'YEARNING' TO VOTE, SAYS TOP GOP SENATOR: http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37267.htm By IAN BISHOP WASHINGTON � A top-ranking Senate Republican predicts massive voter turnout for the Iraqi elections later next month � despite increasingly violent terrorist attacks throughout the country. MOSUL TERROR VIDEO: http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37271.htm By LEONARD GREENE The group that took responsibility for the deadliest attack on a U.S. base in Iraq backed up its claim yesterday with a chilling video of the strike, complete with the sound of the explosion and footage of a the fireball that rose from the blast site. B'KLYNITE GIVES REFORMERS MEDIA MUSCLE: http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37241.htm By BOB GRAHAM KIEV, Russia �Jed Sunden arrived here 11 years ago, fresh out of college and ready to spend six months on a research project to preserve U.S. heritage sites around the world. 'TOXIC AVENGER' ROMPS IN UKRAINE: http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37257.htm By DAN KADISON Ukrainian reform candidate � and poison survivor � Viktor Yushchenko early today claimed victory over Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych in the third round of presidential elections. FIRST FRUITS OF KWANZAA: http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37261.htm African-American New Yorkers joined millions worldwide in beginning the seven-day celebration of Kwanzaa yesterday. 17 DEAD IN GAS EXPLOSION: http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/37232.htm ALGIERS � A gas explosion yesterday killed 17 people and injured at least 40 others when a residential block collapsed in eastern Algeria, local authorities said. All Horoscopes: http://web1.nypost.com/cgi-bin/horoscope.pl ARIES The best way to solve a problem that seems beyond your ability to deal with effectively is to pretend it does not exist. To some people that might seem like a cop-out, but to you it is pure common sense. Why worry about something you cannot change? It only diverts time and energy from the many other things that you can do something about. 1-900-990-7810* TAURUS Someone in a position of authority will take himself a bit too seriously today and it will be hard for you to resist the temptation to make fun of him. But resist you must because the planets indicate you are going to need this person's support in the very near future. Make believe you're impressed. You are, after all, a pretty good actor. 1-900-990-7811* GEMINI The vibes feel good today: You can sense that the next 24 hours are going to be fun. Planetary activity in the areas of your chart that govern partnerships and friendships make this the perfect day to get together with people who share your beliefs and your slightly off-center way of looking at the world. A good time will be had by all. 1-900-990-7812* CANCER The planets indicate that if you play your cards right today, you could be a big winner. You don't have to gamble as such, but you do have to be a bit more adventurous as far as your work and business matters are concerned. The world is changing by the day and new opportunities arrive all the time, any one of which could make your fortune. 1-900-990-7813* LEO The important thing today is that you don't jump to conclusions or assume that others share the same biases and prejudices as you. Everyone has his own way of looking at the world and everyone rates what happens as "good or "bad according to his own scale of values. Your values may be different, but different does not necessarily mean better. 1-900-990-7814* VIRGO Not everyone is a go-getter or trend-setter, and if you expect others to be as motivated and energetic as you are today, you may be disappointed. Some people like to kick back with a book or a magazine and let the day go by. And why not? It's their lives, after all. You don't have to be like them, but they don't have to be like you. 1-900-990-7815* LIBRA There are times when it pays to be assertive and times when it pays to take life at a more relaxed pace, and this is one of the latter. Positive aspects to Venus, your ruler, mean you will achieve more in the long run by being a bit more laid-back now. You may not be able to see how that will work out, but it will, so have faith. 1-900-990-7816* SCORPIO You are not the sort of person to follow the herd, so steer clear of situations where everyone seems to drift in a single direction because it is unlikely to be the direction that you want to go. People tend to forget they are individuals with minds of their own when they get caught up in a crowd. Don't you forget it today. 1-900-990-7817* SAGITTARIUS You will want to be on the move today and there is no reason you shouldn't be. However, bear in mind that Neptune, planet of illusion, is transiting the travel area of your chart at the moment, so if you want to make sure you reach your destination in good time, start out early and have an alternative route ready, just in case. 1-900-990-7818* CAPRICORN You are human, like everyone else, and that means you make mistakes like everyone else, though sometimes you pretend that is not the case. Try to be a little less hard on yourself over the next 24 hours; try to accept that you cannot always get it right. Then apply what you have learned to how you deal with those you live and work with too. 1-900-990-7819* AQUARIUS You have feelings, like everyone else, and sometimes those feelings can be bruised, especially when people you think of as friends make comments you find a bit too personal for comfort. Before you make them ex-friends, ask yourself if maybe there is not an element of truth in what they say. It could be that their advice is just what you need. 1-900-990-7808* PISCES There is no point in taking anything too seriously - in fact, the more worked up others get themselves, the more you will sit back and laugh at the world and its follies. That might not make you too popular in some circles, but you know from long experience that worrying never solves anything. Ultimately, neither success nor failure are that important. 1-900-990-7809* Sports News: http://web1.nypost.com/sports/sports.shtml PATRIOTS LEAVEGREEN GROSSER: http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37214.htm By MARK CANNIZZARO If you're a diehard Jets fan who's been through it all with this flaky franchise over all the years of tears and teases, you had to figure it was going to come down to this. You had to know the Jets would be forced to win their final game of the regular season, on the road no less, to clinch a playoff berth. This is the Jets' life, come Sunday in St. Louis, where they play the Rams in a back-to-the-wall, win-and-they're-in playoff scenario. IMPERFECT 10 EQUALS ZERO: http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37213.htm ON a day when Chad Pen nington and the Jets needed to show up as big and mean as Shaquille O'Neal, they gave us Pee Wee Herman instead. NOBODY'S AFRAID OF JETS: http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37218.htm THE message was a relatively happy one, delivered by a locker room full of long faces and quiet voices. The Jets still hold destiny in their hands, even if history insists they are at least even money to fumble it away. A LOSS FOR WORDS: http://www.nypost.com/sports/giants/37223.htm One yard to make for a first down at the four and the Giants couldn't do it. One more first down to put a win away, or one more punt to cover or one lousy stinking stop to make on fourth-and-10 and they couldn't do any of those things, either, in a self-fulfilling failure to make a play that Tom Coughlin called "bizarre." TIM THOMAS TURNS CORNER: http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/37212.htm THERE are times when Lenny Wilkens looks at the size, the athleticism and the natural ability of Tim Thomas and sees the ideal NBA prototype. There are other times when Wilkens sees a player of unquestioned skill performing below his potential. Welcome to the maddening world of Tim Thomas. REMATCH NO TIME FOR TANTRUM: http://www.nypost.com/sports/37210.htm FIRST, the good news: Mike Breen, as usual, gets it. Breen worked Pistons-Pacers for ESPN, Christmas Day. And when Chauncey Billups got himself a "T' then kept complaining, Breen wondered whether Billups gets it, whether he's aware that this game, of all games, was not the one for a player to put himself above both his team and, more important, the sport. NOTHING NEW: http://www.nypost.com/sports/giants/37226.htm BY PAUL SCHWARTZ CINCINNATI - He called it "one of the most bizarre games I've ever seen in my life" but in reality, Tom Coughlin should know better. He's watched the Giants find ways to lose all season. This was simply more of the same, only worse. BACKPEDALING: http://www.nypost.com/sports/giants/37224.htm By PAUL SCHWARTZ CINCINNATI - Tom Coughlin did not react to the scathing attack on him in yesterday's Post - with players under their veil of anonymity stating they hated playing for him - for a simple reason. He did not know about the report. "I'm positive he didn't know about it," Pat Hanlon, the Giants vice president of communications, said after the Giants lost to the Bengals 23-22 at Paul Brown Stadium. ELI SHOWS PROGRESS ... SORT OF: http://www.nypost.com/sports/giants/37225.htm By PAUL SCHWARTZ CINCINNATI - Eli Manning barely completed half his throws and compiled a shabby quarterback rating of 56.2, yet the feeling yesterday was he showed signs of progress as the Giants lost 23-22 to the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. BRADY FLUSHES FLOP VS. FINS: http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37215.htm By DAVE CURTIS Hanging in his hotel room yesterday morning, Tom Brady flipped to HBO's Inside the NFL to fill an idle hour. CHREBET MAY BE GONE GREEN: http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37216.htm By MARK CANNIZZARO The Wayne Chrebet fairy tale might have played out its final act at home yesterday, and it wasn't a happy ending. GOTTA HAND IT TO PAT 'D': http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37220.htm By DAVE CURTIS The refrain was born Wednesday in a Gillette Stadium meeting room, and it returned last night in a Giants Stadium locker room. Safety Rodney Harrison sang it loudest of his victorious Patriots teammates, his voice carrying the confidence of a defense that dominated a familiar foe once again. MARTIN: RAMS WON'T LAY DOWN: http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37221.htm By MARK CANNIZZARO Curtis Martin looked like he was sick to his stomach after the Jets' 23-7 loss yesterday to the Patriots, their worst defeat since the beginning of 2002 when the Vinny Testaverde era was crumbling to a close. MOSS MISSED HIS SHOTS: http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37217.htm By STEVE SERBY Santana Moss was at a loss for catches, and then for words. But the ones he found told you all you needed to know about the frustration he was feeling after Patriots 23, Jets 7. RUNNING IN WRONG DIRECTION: http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/37219.htm By MIKE VACCARO The pity is that it seemed the Patriots were worried far more about balls in the air than feet on the ground. The Pats rarely put eight men in the box, the way so many people have defended the Jets this year. Spooked by their depleted secondary, New England all but dared the Jets to run on them yesterday. THEY'LL TAKE IT: http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/37222.htm By EVAN GROSSMAN Considering the alternative, following two straight losses and an embarrassing showing on their home court the last time out, the Knicks will take yesterday's 91-82 win over the expansion Bobcats and run with it. HOUSTON 'GREAT' IN 1ST START: http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/37209.htm By EVAN GROSSMAN Allan Houston hit his first shot of the game yesterday and said he had no difficulty starting for the first time this season � and for the first time since March � in a 91-82 win over Charlotte at the Garden. COUNTDOWN TO CARTER: http://www.nypost.com/sports/nets/37211.htm By MIKE FORDE In the Nets' world, the countdown to tonight's game against the Pistons will trump the countdown to midnight on Friday. Gossip: http://web1.nypost.com/gossip/gossip.htm : http://web1.nypost.com/gossip/pagesix.htm FIGHTING CHANCE By Richard Johnson MARK Wahlberg is in talks to star in a movie about the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Producer Trent Othick says the actor is in negotiations to beef up and tackle a role in the film about the league, in which combatants engage in bloody, bare-knuckle brawls in an octagon-shaped ring. UFC owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta are executive producers, and John Herzfeld will write and direct. The Feritta brothers recently completed 13 episodes of "The Ultimate Fighter," a reality series for Spike TV. : http://web1.nypost.com/gossip/cindy.htm A SERVICE TO CHERISH By Cindy Adams : http://web1.nypost.com/gossip/liz.htm IT IS CHRIST'S DAY By Liz Smith 'MERRY CHRISTMAS" � I know those Christian-sounding words ought to feel odd coming from my lips � I'm a third-generation atheist of Jewish ancestry and I'm almost evangelical in my lack of faith. But they feel fine. 'Merry Christmas!' " Weather: http://weather.nypost.com NEW YORK , NY Get the extended forcast here from the New York Post.: http://weather.nypost.com Traffic: http://traffic.nypost.com/ metrocommute HeadlineBronx No 5 trains between 149 and East 180 StsNo trains between 149 and East 180 StsTake the 2 insteadWeekend, 9 AM to 4 PM Sun, Dec 26 & Jan 2 Bronx Manhattan-bound 2 trains skip Jackson AvManhattan-bound trains skip Jackson AvWeekend, 9 AM to 4 PM Sun, Dec 26 & Jan 2 Queens L trains run btwn 8 Av & Broadway Junction and btwn Broadway Junction & Rockaway Pkwy trains run in two sections:1. Between 8 Avenue and Broadway Junction2. Between Broadway Junction and Rockaway ParkwayWeekend, 7 AM to 7 PM Sun, Dec 26 Manhattan Some 2 trains terminate at 135 StSome trains terminate at 135 StWeekend, 9 AM to 4 PM Sun, Dec 26 & Jan 2 Expect delays at La Guardia, JFK & Newark airportsExpect delays on airline service in La Guardia, JFK and Newark Airports due to extra volume of Holiday travel and new security measures. Please arrive 2 hours early and call your airline carrier for more information on schedules and delays. metrocommute DelayNassau County Under 20 mph on SSP-EB: 16 to 19Under 20 mph on Southern State Parkway eastbound Exit 16N to Exit 19S/N Nassau County Under 20 mph on SSP-EB: 21 to 26Under 20 mph on Southern State Parkway eastbound Exit 21S/N to Exit 26 Nassau County Under 20 mph on SSP-EB: 27 to 28Under 20 mph on Southern State Parkway eastbound Exit 27S/N to Exit 28S/N Nassau County Under 20 mph on SSP-WB: 32 to 31Under 20 mph on Southern State Parkway westbound Exit 32 to Exit 31 Nassau County Under 20 mph on SSP-WB: 23 to 22Under 20 mph on Southern State Parkway westbound Exit 23 to Exit 22S/N Nassau County Under 20 mph on SSP-WB: 20 to 18Under 20 mph on Southern State Parkway westbound Exit 20S/N to Exit 18 metrocommute Special EventNew Jersey Disney On Ice @ Continental Airlines Arena; Jan 25 - Jan 30Disney On Ice Presents "Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey" at the Continental Airlines Arena from Jan. 25 to Jan. 29. Audiences will be transported straight from their seats into the magical worlds of Disney's Lilo & Stich, The Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmations and Peter Pan. Expect delays on the Garden State Parkway, Route 34, 35, 36 and 520. Before and after the event. Doors will open around 2 hours before show. Please arrive early due to new security checks. New Jersey New York Jets vs. New England Patriots @ Giants Stadium @ 4PMNew York Jets vs. New England Patriots at Giants Stadium, Nov. 28 at 1PM. Look for heavy traffic to build on the western spur of the NJ Turnpike, Route 3, Route 17, and Route 120, starting around 11AM. Look for lots of extra traffic and delays when the game ends at about 9PM. Please allow extra travel time due to new security procedures at the stadium parking lots and stadium entrances. Manhattan Knicks @ Madison Square Garden thru November & DecemberThe Knicks host at the Madison Square Garden in the months of November & December. Expect some extra traffic on 7th Ave., 8th Ave., and in the west 30s, 2 hours before the game, after the game.*Please arrive early due to new security checks*Opponents, dates and times of games are:Atlanta Hawks, Nov. 23, 7:30 PMToronto Raptors, Nov. 27, 1:00 PMMemphis Grizzlies, Dec. 01, 7:30 PMOrlando Magic, Dec. 03, 7:30 PMDenver Nuggets, Dec. 12, 12:00 PMDetroit Pistons, Dec. 15, 8PMUtah Jazz, Dec. 19, 3PMDallas Mavericks, Dec. 21, 7:30PMCharlotte Bobcats, Dec. 26, 1PM Manhattan Radio City Christmas Spectacular @ Radio City Music Hall; November 23 thru January 2The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the world-famous Rockettes, returns to Radio City Music Hall, November 23, 2004 thru January 2, 2005 Be a part of this American tradition and enjoy such show-stopping scenes as the "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers", and the majestic "Living Nativity." Also, witness Santa's return to the Music Hall through an exciting 3-D sleigh ride. Expect delays on 5th, 6th and 7th Avenue between 48th Street and 51st Street and on Broadway starting around 2 hours before and after the show. Please arrive early due to new security measures and for parking. Visit thegarden.com site for information on showtimes.: http://www.thegarden.com New Jersey New Jersey Nets @ Continental Airlines Arena in JanuaryThe New Jersey Nets play at the Continental Airlines Arena in the month of November. Expect some extra traffic on the NJ Turnpike, Route 3, Route 17, and Route 120, starting about 2 hours before, and again after the game.*Please try to arrive early due to new security checks. Opponents, dates and times of games are:Indiana Pacers, Dec. 30, 7PMGolden State Warriors, Jan. 7, 7:30PMDetroit Pistons, Jan.11, 7:30PMMilwaukee Bucks, Jan 18, 7PMBoston Celtics, Jan.21, 7:30PM Manhattan All Access Tour @ Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden�s� All Access Tour allows fans to get an insider�s view of the inner-workings of The World�s Most Famous Arena�, providing them with little-known information and rarely seen viewpoints on the legendary showplace. Visitors taking part in the �All Access� one hour tour become a part of one of the busiest and most exciting sports and entertainment facilities in the world and are treated to a host of unique experiences. Visit the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty locker rooms; tour backstage of the Theater at Madison Square Garden; go inside the Star dressing rooms; learn how a basketball court becomes a sheet of ice; witness all the seldom seen build-up to a live event � players practicing, performers in production, casts in rehearsal or crews staging events! You�ll never know what you�ll see on the All Access Tour. Expect some extra traffic on 7th Ave., 8th Ave., and in the west 30s Business News: http://web1.nypost.com/business/business.htm : http://www.nypost.com/business/37217.htm TOYS 'R' BUST By PAUL THARP and MATTHEW SWEENEY Toys 'R' Us played the cruel Grinch with the sudden firing yesterday of an estimated hundreds of employees in a desperate cost-cutting move at the embattled toy store. The retailer booted 55 employees here at its Union Square outpost and ordered its closing in five weeks, leaving the chain just one store in Manhattan, at Times Square. GIFT CARDS GIVING STORES BELATED XMAS GIFTS: http://www.nypost.com/business/37206.htm By SUZANNE KAPNER and PAUL THARP Shoppers hit the nation's stores yesterday armed with gift cards that could be the missing ingredient for a happy holiday season in retailing. FUR FLIES OFF STORES' SHELVES: http://www.nypost.com/business/37207.htm Mitch Reily, a retired medical researcher, was so impressed with the latest styles of fur coats that he recently bought two: a full-length $3,500 mink coat as a gift for his wife and a $2,000 mink bomber jacket for himself. SAUDIS PLAN TO KEEP SOME OIL ON THE SIDE: http://www.nypost.com/business/37214.htm Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, is maintaining spare oil production capacity of about two million barrels a day to help avert shortages and control prices, the country's oil minister said. BLENDER SPINS A WINNER: http://www.nypost.com/business/37215.htm Now that everyone has listened to their fill of Bing Crosby and Jessica Simpson holiday tunes, it's a good time to see how well the music industry's main magazines are keeping track of the Eminems and Gwen Stefanis of the world. CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM: http://www.nypost.com/business/37212.htm By CHRISTOPHER BYRON A lot has happened in the half decade that has passed since the Dow Industrials touched their all-time high of 11,908 in January of 2000, then began pin-wheeling toward earth. And mostly, the news hasn't been great. GOLD RALLY BRINGS BACK THE '70S: http://www.nypost.com/business/37208.htm Gold prices, already near a 16-year high, may be headed for the longest rally since Richard Nixon was U.S. president as a falling dollar and renewed concern about inflation boost bullion's appeal as an investment. I WON'T BACK DOWN: SPITZER: http://www.nypost.com/business/37218.htm By PAUL THARP New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer vows to come down harder on the business world's wrongdoing this coming year � and not give up an inch. Real Estate: http://web1.nypost.com/realestate/index.htm RIVERFRONT BIULDING BLUES: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37139.htm By ADAM BONISLAWSKI Big plans are afoot all along the Brooklyn waterfront, but none are quite so ambitious as the current proposals to rezone nearly 200 decaying blocks along the East River in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. BROOKLYN CATCHES THE WAVE: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37138.htm If Brooklyn is experiencing a wave of popularity, it may be because waves are popular in Brooklyn. Not only does the borough offer low-key living and beautiful parks, there are countless new developments to watch along its waterfront - which stretches for 30 miles. A COUCH FOR CHRISTMAS: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37142.htm By MAX GROSS Up until the summer, Dericia Smalls had been living in a shelter. A single mother who is planning on going back to Touro College to major in computer engineering, Smalls, 20, has received a boost from the Partnership for the Homeless. The nonprofit organization found her a one-bedroom apartment in East New York. LIVE FREE OR DIE: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37141.htm By HEATHER SMITH Lee Conti has it pretty good. She lives in a three-century-old stone manor called the Conference House on the southernmost point of Staten Island. (The Conference House got its name in 1776, when its Tory owner, Colonel Christopher Billopp, invited colonists John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Edward Rutledge to meet there for a peace conference that was ultimately unsuccessful.) DON'T PANIC: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37143.htm By JANE REILLY MOUNT Q:I just changed the locks on my apartment following the departure of an evil, bad roommate. My landlord wants a copy of my new key. My question is: Do I have to give it to him? COFFEE, TEA OR BUTCHER BLOCK: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37144.htm By JACQUELINE TSUI Just what SoHo needs - another home store. The lure for this one, a Minneapolis-based retailer called Room & Board, is caffeine: free coffee and tea for browsers. Once you're in, it's pushing eclecticism, with chocolate-brown mission-inspired pieces (think Bo Concept or West Elm) plus Calder silkscreen prints ($349) and Nelson marshmallow sofas ($2,495). JUST SOLD!: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37140.htm Manhattan GRAMERCY PARK $1,085,000 305 E. 24th St. Two-bedroom, two-bath co-op, 1,700 square feet, with dining area, renovated kitchen, renovated bath, hardwood floors, central a/c, western exposure and terrace; New York Towers building features 24-hour doorman, elevator, storage, laundry and live-in super. Maintenance $1,588, 55 percent tax-deductible. Asking price $1,100,000, on market four weeks. (Brokers: Jonathan Pohl and Justin D'Adamo, Citi Habitats) HOUSES OF THE WEEK: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37135.htm Chelsea$1.095 millionBedrooms: 0 Baths: 2 Square feet: 1,365 Maintenance: $879 This decent-size loft is no cookie-cutter apartment � it's hard to find a right angle anywhere in this co-op's floor plan. The result is a collection of rooms (four in all), with adequate closets and nice windows, to be used as you see fit. Agents: Jane Kronick and Andrea Leppart, Warburg Realty; (212) 327-9650 or (212) 327-9647. DREAM HOMES: http://www.nypost.com/realestate/37136.htm Upper East Side$6.2 millionIt's one thing to have a Park Avenue address, and another thing to have an apartment along Park Avenue. This 10-room, 10-floor co-op runs along the avenue side of the building and looks down on the wide boulevard from every major room. The classic prewar layout offers grandly proportioned entertaining rooms, separated from the private chambers by an entry gallery. The layout, with four bathrooms, allows for four bedrooms or three plus a library (it's up to you � bed or books). And, of course, they all face Park Avenue, as does the living room. Not that things are so bad in the back, where you'll find the formal dining room (with its own lovely views) and the large, eat-in kitchen, plus three maid's rooms. Agent: Daniela Kunen, Douglas Elliman, (212) 891-7611. Entertainment: http://web1.nypost.com/entertainment/entertainment.htm FEMS THE BREAKS: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/37216.htm By CLAUDIA PARSONS THE follow-up to "The Nanny Diaries," the runaway 2002 bestseller about a New York nanny and her unreasonable employers, was al ways going to be a challenge for the two former nannies who co-wrote it. 'BALL' DROPS � AND IT'S NOT FUN: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/37227.htm By FRANK SCHECK OSCAR Wilde and Noel Cow ard make odd dramatic bed fellows in "After the Ball." HOMER MEETS HIS MAKER: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/37204.htm HOMER is going to die. "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening says he is going to kill off Daddy Simpson so that the star can go to heaven to argue with God. BARKER'S BACK FOR 34: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/37205.htm BOB Barker, now 81, says he's coming back next year for a 34th season as host of "The Price Is Right," according to reports. SHAQ-KOBE GAME SCORES BIG: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/37213.htm THE Shaquille O'Neal vs. Kobe Bryant show down on Christmas Day drew the largest audience in six years for a regular-season NBA game. TV QUIZ: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/37229.htm 1 What song was Janet Jackson singing when she had her infamous "wardrobe malfunction" during last year's Super Bowl? And who was she singing with? THE STARR REPORT: http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/37223.htm By MICHAEL STARR It's time again for The Starr Report's annual year-end "Wish List," in no particular order. So here goes: Movie Reviews: http://web1.nypost.com/movies/movies.htm FLAT 'ALBERT': http://www.nypost.com/movies/37017.htm By LOU LUMENICK FAT ALBERT HEY! Hey! Hey! Stay away from "Fat Albert." Resurrecting the beloved '70s cartoon "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" as a blend of animation and live action for the big screen turns out to be one of the worst ideas of the year. LOTS OF STYLE, BUT PLOT'S KEPT IN 'DARKNESS': http://www.nypost.com/movies/36994.htm By JONATHAN HOLLAND DARKNESSAN English-language chiller that oozes tech nical class but is ultimately just an efficient exercise in style, "Darkness" is a series of powerful sequences that fail to cohere. BACON SIZZLES: http://www.nypost.com/movies/36995.htm By LOU LUMENICK THE WOODSMANTHERE isn't a wasted frame in Nicole Kassell's hugely impressive debut film, "The Woodsman," starring Kevin Bacon in a career- best performance as a recovering pedophile. Lifestyle: http://web1.nypost.com/living/living.htm SNOW PROBLEM: http://www.nypost.com/living/37128.htm By JULIA SZABO Pretty soon, snowy weather will transform sidewalks into crunchy carpets of ice-melting rock salt. DR. MICHAEL FOX: http://www.nypost.com/living/37130.htm DEAR DR. FOX: As a regular reader of your column, I often see your advice that yearly vaccinations of our pets into old age is ill-advised. However, I have yet to see mention of that other medication vets routinely prescribe for dogs � monthly heartworm preventative. Some of these are geared strictly toward parasites such as hookworm, and whipworm. The newest targets these parasites as well as fleas and deer ticks. I do not want to put my two small dogs at risk, but I don't want to ply them with unnecessary drugs. What is your recommendation on monthly heartworm medications? I live in an area with mosquitoes, and my dogs are out with me for walks and play for an hour a day. � Lottery Results: http://web1.nypost.com/lottery/lottery.htm NEW YORK Midday Numbers Sun.: 705 Midday Win-4 Sun.: 5332 Evening Numbers Sun.: 339 Evening Win-4 Sun.: 0702 Pick-10 Sun.: 2, 5, 6, 7, 16, 17, 25, 36, 37, 43, 45, 46, 47, 54, 55, 67, 68, 69, 72, 75 Take-5 Sun.: 16, 22, 28, 32, 37 Lotto Fri.: 3, 16, 19, 24, 36, 57; Bonus: 8 OAS_AD('Middle'); //--> NEW JERSEY Pick-3 Sun.: 372; Pick-4 Sun.: 1446 Cash-5 Sun.: 2, 4, 8, 22, 32 CONNECTICUT Play-3 Sun.: 108; Play-4 Sun.: 7124 Cash-5 Sun.: 11, 14, 15, 16, 32 Opinion: http://web1.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/opedcolumnists.htm THE YUKOS AFFAIR: http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/37226.htm By PETER BROOKES AFTER so much promise, a political winter has de scended upon Mother Rus sia. Last week's murky, forced sell-off of parts of Russia's $40 billion oil giant, Yukos, at the bargain basement price of $9.4 billion is just the latest proof. ABE: HONEST & STRAIGHT: http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/37220.htm By ERIC FETTMANN IN the pantheon of presidents, was Abraham Lincoln a queer eye among a bevy of straight guys? IRAN'S POINTLESS PREZ RACE: http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/37222.htm By AMIR TAHERI THE turban or the hat? This is the question that Iran's leaders face as they pre pare for presidential election next spring. Celebrity Photos: http://web1.nypost.com/gossip/celebp/index.htm : http://www.nypost.com/gossip/celebp/12232004/photo01.htm December 23: 'The Aviator', 'Fat Pig' premieres:Liz Hurley, Leonardo Dicaprio, Cate Blanchett, Gisele Bundchen, Kate Beckinsale, Keri Russell, Josie Maran, Nicky Hilton, Famke Jansen...: http://www.nypost.com/gossip/celebp/12232004/photo01.htm Movie News: http://web1.nypost.com/entertainment/movies/news/news.htm News, Dec. 21: Snipes Sues New York City, Rapper Charged in Vibe Melee, Brolin Cited with Domestic Battery, More... Guylaine Cadorette -- Hollywood.com Staff Wesley Snipes sues New York City Blade: Trinity star Wesley Snipes is suing New York City over an arrest warrant issued against him in an Indiana paternity case. Style: http://web1.nypost.com/style/style.htm To modify your account settings go to: http://www.nypost.com/useradmin/useradmin.htm To unsubscribe, go to: http://www.nypost.com/newsletter/unsubscribe.htm
