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EXPERTS: ECONOMY PRIMED FOR A DOWNTURN PAGE 10 Sports p/19 Rangers won’t dump Jarg The Wordp/15 Cody kicks it old school AP GETTY IMAGES NEW YORK • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2008 Clemens More eyes on Roger Clemens House staffers have taken the first steps toward investigating possible perjury charges against Roger Clemens, according to a report posted on The New York Times Web site yesterday. The same might not be true of his accuser. The Times cited three lawyers familiar with the matter who said that the staffers have written a draft letter asking the Justice Department to investigate Clemens’ steroid involvement related to his denials under oath during both a deposition and hearing. METRO WASHINGTON. Read more on page 18 Obama’s tribal garb photo stirs up outrage Muslim groups call ploy ‘abhorrent’ DAVID GIAMBUSSO [email protected] A furor erupted yesterday as a photo of Barack Obama in a white turban spread across the Web, drawing accusations of fearmongering and racism from the Obama campaign and Muslim groups. ›› Entertainment page 12 Sci-fi: It’s more than Wookiees News page 02 Trial begins in Bell’s shooting Style page 11 Men on Milan During a 2006 visit to a rural area in northeastern Kenya, Sen. Barack Obama, dressed as a Somali Elder. The garb was presented to Obama by elders in Wajir. “It seems that the intention is to imply that the traditional garb of a certain culture is evil,” said Ahmed Rehab, from the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “Whether it was the [Hillary] Clinton campaign or the [John] McCain campaign, the whole intention was abhorrent,” Rehab said. The photo was taken on a 2006 trip Sen. Obama made to Somalia, and was lifted from the e-mail of a Clinton campaign staffer, according to the Drudge Report Web site, where it first appeared. The photo came in the wake of e-mail campaigns claiming Obama was raised a Muslim. Voters on the street questioned the usefulness of such attacks. “It might be a setup by his opponents, but either way it doesn’t matter to me,” said Katrina Croul, 21, of Philadelphia. Brian Anderson, 27, said, “I think it’s just a political ploy for other candidates.” “But is it really a dirty trick?” asks Raymond Smith, a political science professor at Columbia University. Smith feels if the photo is genuine, then it is fair game. “It’s better for Obama to get these sorts of photos and ideas out in the open now, before the Republicans have completely trained all their focus on him,” he said. To First Amendment advocates such as Joan Bertin, incidents like these are a necessary evil. E-mail smears In December, two Clinton Iowa volunteers resigned after forwarding a hoax e-mail that falsely said Obama is a Muslim possibly intent on destroying the United States. Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ and says he has never been a Muslim, but false rumors about Islamic ties are circulating on the Internet. “There would be major league problems if you tried to regulate the press on these issues,” said Bertin, of the National Coalition Against Censorship. “For better or for worse it is the price of freedom.” Read more on page 07 ›› metro Edited by Mark Bulliet, [email protected] 02 new york News Two hurt in Midtown stabbings MIDTOWN. Two businessmen were slashed in a Midtown office building yesterday after an altercation with a customer at around noon, police said. One victim, a 35-year-old, was stabbed in and slashed across the chest, while the other, a 41-year-old, was slashed on the right hand. Both worked at N.S.S. Diamond Inc. on the sixth floor of 56 W. 45th St, where the incident took place. Pritam Sharma, 38, of West New York, New Jersey, was arrested at the scene and taken into police custody yesterday afternoon. An employee at a travel agency across from N.S.S. Diamond said she saw blood on the floor and another man walking out of the office with what looked to her like a broken nose. TODD SLOVES/ “You know, in any three-way race, two of the three are going to be spoilers.” Mayor Michael Bloomberg, rejecting the notion that Ralph Nader is a “spoiler” for Democrats in the presidential election Teacher scandal Authorities say a middle school math teacher in Forest Hills, Queens, is accused of sending sexually explicit instant messages to eight boys. District Attorney Richard A. Brown said yesterday that the boys are 12 or 13 years old and are students of Bradley Dieffenbacher. AP At police trial, 50-shot affair called ‘criminal’ AP Dispute Tuesday, February 26, 2008 WTC bomber files Supreme suit Fifteen years after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, a Palestinian sentenced to more than 100 years in prison in the attack claims the U.S. government has blocked him from appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ahmad Mohammed Ajaj filed a suit against more than 12 officials. AP HARTFORD, CONN. The state Protesters outside Queens Criminal Court yesterday count down the 50 shots that were fired in the killing of Sean Bell. GETTY Three undercover police detectives on trial in the death of an unarmed man killed in a hail of gunfire on his wedding day were reckless and trigger happy, prosecutors argued yesterday. Sean Bell, 23, who had been at a bachelor party on the night before his wedding, was killed outside a Queens strip club in the early hours of Nov. 25. Two of his friends were wounded. Prosecutor Charles Testagrossa said in opening arguments that once the eviNEW YORK. “We’re not here against white cops. We’re against wrong cops. This is not about race.” Rev. Al Sharpton dence is heard, “It will be clear that what happened cannot be explained away as a mere accident or mistake. It can only be characterized as criminal.” But lawyers for the detectives argued that the shooting was justified because their clients had reason to believe Bell and his friends were armed and dangerous. There was evidence Bell was drunk and “out of control” when he left the club, and witnesses overheard him exchange curses with another patron and heard Bell’s friend Joseph Guzman tell someone to “Go get my gat,” slang for gun, said Anthony Ricco, an attorney for Detective Gescard Isnora. He argued that Bell, at Guzman’s urging, tried to run over Isnora with his car after the officers confronted Bell’s party and identified themselves as police. Ricco described the car as a “deadly weapon” and “human battering ram.” “When there is a confluence of alcohol and ignorance, there’s always a tragedy,” Ricco said. Isnora and Detective Michael Oliver have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter; Detective Marc Cooper has pleaded not guilty to reckless endangerment. AP Old woman: Is it your first baby, dear? Young woman: What? I’m not having a baby! At least, I’d better not be! Old woman: Oh. Oh. Sorry ... er, I’m not having one either. — West Village WWW.OVERHEARDINNEWYORK.COM TRL Prince part of Astor affair: DA A Romanian prince, on behalf of a lawyer accused of helping philanthropist Brooke Astor’s son loot her $198 million estate, asked a former maid twice to speak to the lawyer’s defense team, a prosecutor said yesterday. Prince Paul of Romania tried to get former maid Lia Opris to meet with lawyers for Francis X. Morrissey Jr., first approaching her about NEW YORK. Astor Three young children found dead in a bed after their mother called police claiming she killed them appeared to have been drowned, although one’s throat was cut and all showed signs of possible poisoning, a homicide detective said. Investigators are still trying to determine the precise cause of death for the children, but they are looking at several disturbing clues in the home. Police suspect that Leatrice Brewer drowned two boys and one girl — ages 1, 5 and 6 — and proceeded to tuck them into bed in their pajamas. AP GARDEN CITY. AP Supreme Court has ruled that a judge’s widow can’t pursue a lawsuit claiming the state worked her husband to death. The high court struck down a special act of the legislature that would have allowed Joan Kinney to pursue a lawsuit despite failing to meet a legal deadline. AP Questioned asked over kids’ deaths Why New Yorkers don’t talk to strangers ALBANY. A state task force is rec- ommending New York increase its use of wind, solar and other renewable energy sources and take greater conservation measures. Lt. Gov. David Paterson is releasing today the recommendations made by the Renewable Energy Task Force. AP L.I. tragedy Overheard in New York ANDREW GARIB/METRO News in brief The naked city a year ago, Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Loewy said at a state Supreme Court proceeding. Opris, who witnessed the signing of a disputed amendment to Astor’s will, has refused to speak to Morrissey’s lawyers. They are preparing the attorney’s defense to charges he helped Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, rob the late socialite’s estate. Loewy said Opris re- buffed the 59-year-old prince’s efforts, even after he showed up with his wife at her Brasov, Romania, home. When he didn’t find her, he sought out her sister and asked her “politely” whether Opris would speak to Morrissey’s lawyers, Loewy said. Opris, recuperating from a New York automobile accident and still “in tremendous pain,” was very upset that the prince was both- ering her, Loewy said. Morrissey’s lawyer Thomas Puccio said in court that Opris is an “important witness” and “We thought it appropriate to try to speak to her” through the prince. “Nothing improper happened.” Neither prosecutors nor defense lawyers said why the prince had an interest in intervening on behalf of Morrissey, 65. AP Singer Ashlee Simpson makes an appearance on MTV’s “TRL” at its Times Square studios yesterday. GO AHE AHEAD, AH EAD, GO USSEE US. USE We W kno know yyou oujus jus justttw want want ant us us for fffor or yyyour our body We W eekno know wwyyou ou just want or your ourbody, body,, , body andwe w we’re we ’’rrre cool with with withh that. tthat. and we’re w ee’rre eecool wit that. hat. 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Punch cards will be provided upon enrollment. ©2008 Crunch metro 04 new york Tuesday, February 26, 2008 False gun report at Stony Brook Campus police at Stony Brook University on Long Island searched the campus for a gunman yesterday and then gave the “all clear,” saying it was a false alarm. There were no reports of shots being fired. An alert on the university Web site in the afternoon said that a young man fled the Student Activity Center cafeteria and displayed a handgun. AP Airline deflects $3.2B blame in death DUMBO Color me glad GABRIELA HERMAN/METRO The amount trimmed from New Jersey’s new state budget, according to Acting Treasurer David Rousseau. AP American Airlines pronounced its staff professional and its equipment sound yesterday after a swift review of a passenger’s in-flight death, despite her family’s claims that the crew ignored her pleas until it was too late. The airline said the oxygen tanks and a defibrillator were working and noted that several medical professionals on Flight 896, including a doctor, tried to save passenger Carine Desir. But Desir’s friends and family were still left with questions. A cousin who had been onboard with the NEW YORK. Tamara Martinez and Emmanuel Philosten admire the first installation in DUMBO of a new mural — part of the Transportation Department’s Temporary Art Program. Malaysian-born Tattfoo Tan and 40 students at P.S. 307 are behind the colorful creation. South Ferry station stalled The renovation at the South Ferry subway station in Lower Manhattan was pushed back to December from August, Ronnie G. Hakim, acting president of MTA Capital Construction Committee, said yesterday. “The work is well underway,” she said. The construction at the NEW YORK. southernmost terminal on the No. 1 line started in 2005 and is part of a massive project to restore lower Manhattan’s subway system. The new station is being built underneath the current one and should drastically improve commuters’ travel time. “American Airlines, after investigation, has determined that oxygen was administered on the aircraft, and it was working.” Airline spokesman Charley Wilson dying woman said a flight attendant twice denied her requests for oxygen — an account the airline disputes. A longtime friend said the nurse had gotten an electrocardiogram just two weeks earlier and had left with a clean bill of health. Desir, 44, who was afraid of flying and was married with two children, had diabetes but was in generally good health, said her friend, who asked to remain anonymous. She had hypertension, which she controlled with medication, the friend said. A pediatrician who tried to help Desir on the plane, Joel Shulkin, said through his attorney that he could not confirm the claim by Desir’s cousin that the oxygen tanks weren’t working. AP News in brief HARTFORD, CONN. Former Wa- terbury Mayor Philip Giordano has launched a fifth attempt to have his federal convictions for sexually abusing two girls thrown out, this time arguing that his lawyer did a terrible job. He is serving a 37-year THIBAULT CHARETON/METRO WE OBSESS SO Y YOU OU WO WON’T N’T HAVE HAVE T TO. O. UP TO prison stint for violating the civil rights of the girls, who were 8 and 10 when they had sexual encounters with him while he was mayor in 2000 and 2001. AP NEW YORK. An 87-year-old woman has died during a fire at a home in Queens. Firefighters say the woman died shortly after the blaze broke out yesterday afternoon on the first floor and basement of a twostory residential building. The name of the dead woman was not released. AP injured yesterday after a man who had nearly set himself on fire got violent with rescuers. Employees at the Greenpoint Hotel in Brooklyn called cops at 10 a.m. after smelling smoke. Frank Johnson, 47, a custodian, kicked down the tenant’s door to find him passed out in the smokey room. Burning incense was singeing the bedsheets, he said. “There was feces all over him, and he started fighting me,” said Johnson. When police tried to pull the man out, he kicked and flailed, spraining the knee of an officer. The troubled guest was taken to Bellevue Hospital for a psych evaluation. “He had feces and urine and bottles all over the floor,” said a desk clerk. DAVID GIAMBUSSO/METRO I want yyouthful outhful skin... 4O% OFF SKIN A unique facial rejuvenation procedure that tightens loose skin effectively reducing wrinkles for a smoother, more youthful appearance. Smooth & Tighten Saggy Skin Stimulate New Collagen Production YOUR PACKAGE THIS MONTH expires 2/29/08 before GREENPOINT. 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AP new york 05 Mean green veggie fight AMY ZIMMER [email protected] It may seem odd that anyone would slam a bill that promises to reduce childhood obesity. Who doesn’t want kids to eat their veggies? But as dueling press conferences at City Hall yester- RIKARD LARMA/METRO CITY HALL. day showed, a war is brewing over the proposal announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in December to give 1,000 new licenses to street vendors to sell produce in areas with high rates of obesity and heart disease and low consumption of healthy foods. First, a group of chil- A blood-stained cloth and a woman’s earrings lay on the ground where a rape victim jumped from her apartment window Sunday. Queens suspect eyed in Pa. rape BRIAN X. McCRONE [email protected] Authorities identified the suspect in a horrific Philadelphia rape as David Rosario, a Queens man who may have fled back home immediately following the attack. Rosario, 34, who also goes by the name Julio, allegedly raped at knifepoint one of two women inside a third-floor apartment on South Street in Philadelpia Sunday, police said. The 31-year-old victim then jumped from her bathroom window to the concrete sidewalk three stories below. She suffered serious head and spine injuries and remained in critical but stable condition yesterday, detectives said. A bench warrant for Rosario was served by the New York City police at PHILADELPHIA. News in brief NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. Members of the Niagara Falls-based 107th Air Refueling Wing are on their way to Iraq. Military officials declined to say how many men and women deployed yesterday afternoon from the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, but say the wing has sent about 100 Air Guardsmen to Iraq since the beginning of the year. AP Manhunt Anyone with information about Rosario can call the tipline at (215) 686-TIPS. Rosario’s home on 94th Street in Queens Village. A police official yesterday said Rosario was among a small group of people who went back to the victim’s apartment after a night of partying at North lounge next door. The group continued partying at the apartment until dawn, when everyone but Rosario went home. He raped the victim at around 10 a.m., police said. After leaving the room, the victim’s roommate locked the door, but the rapist returned moments later and broke through the lock, which is when the victim jumped. $7,083 The tuition at New Jersey’s 10 four-year state colleges, up 15 percent since Gov. Jon Corzine took office in 2006. State investigator Cary Edwards said wasteful spending is rampant at the schools and urged lawmakers to impose stricter oversight, citing a “wide spectrum of serious problems and weaknesses.” AP dren’s and anti-hunger advocates stood on the steps of City Hall with mothers from East Harlem. One woman told how the best-selling items in a bodega on one block are lottery tickets. Then, more than 100 Korean owners of small groceries crowded the steps. They claimed the legisla- tion was hastily prepared without considering their rights. And without education to beef up demand for the produce, eating habits won’t change, they said. “The idea that putting fresh fruits and vegetables on sidewalks will get people to eat more healthy is a false premise,” said Queens City Councilman John Liu, who stood with the grocers. “The benefits are wishful thinking; the ramifications are very real.” Sung Soo Kim of the Small Business Congress, said that small grocers have seen their profit margins shrink from 25 percent down to 3 percent. “This is a crushing threat to their survival,” Kim said. He called for a moratorium on the vote, which is scheduled to go before the Consumer Affairs Committee tomorrow. “Wanting this is not a vote against grocers or bodegas. It’s a stand for people to have access in the neighborhoods where they live,” said Emma JordanSimpson of the Children’s Defense Fund New York. metro Edited by Mark Bulliet, [email protected] Tuesday, February 26, 2008 06 in the nation “At the rate we’re moving, we’re never going to catch up. If we’re going to take some steps, let’s take some big steps.” Greene County, Ga., Superintendent Shawn McCollough. The system is set to become the first school district in the nation to go entirely single-sex, with boys and girls in separate classrooms. AP AAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES For Clarence, justice is mute No shouting Thomas, Supreme goes 2 years without a question Two years and 144 cases have passed since Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas last spoke up at oral arguments. It is a period of unbroken silence that contrasts with the rest of the court’s unceasing inquiries. Hardly a case goes by, including two appeals that were argued yesterday, without eight justices peppering WASHINGTON. lawyers with questions. Oral arguments offer justices the chance to resolve nagging doubts about a case, probe its weaknesses or make a point to their colleagues. Left, right and center, the justices ask and they ask and they ask. Sometimes they debate each other, leaving the lawyer at the podium helpless to jump in. “I think you’re handling these questions very well,” Chief Justice John Roberts quipped to a lawyer recently in the midst of one such exchange. Leaning back in his leather chair, often looking up at the ceiling, Thomas takes it all in, but he never joins in. Yesterday was no different. He said nothing. He occasionally leans to his right to share a com- ment or a laugh with Justice Stephen Breyer. Less often, he talks to Justice Anthony Kennedy, to his immediate left. Thomas, characteristically, declined to comment for this article. But in the course of his publicity tour for his autobiography, “My Grandfather’s Son,” the 59year-old justice discussed his reticence on the bench on several occasions. “One thing I’ve demonstrated often in 16 years is you can do this job without asking a single question,” he told an adoring crowd at the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group. The last time Thomas asked a question in court was Feb. 22, 2006, in a death penalty case out of South Carolina. AP Bush Bush lobbies for wiretap protection WASHINGTON. President Bush John McCain said that to win the White House, he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. If he can’t, “then I lose. I lose,” the Republican said. He quickly backed off that remark. “Let me not put it that stark,” he told reporters on his bus. “Let me just put it this way: Americans will judge my candidacy first and foremost on how they believe I can lead the county both from our economy and for national security. Obviously, Iraq will play a role in their judgment of my ability to handle national security.” “If I may, I’d like to retract Dekalb, Ill. Remembrance CHARLES REX ARBOGAST/AP Iraq talk a little too straight for McCain ROCKY RIVER, OHIO. GETTY Security meeting Leaned on for loan The Democratic Party called on the Federal Election Commission to probe McCain’s decision to withdraw from the primary election’s public financing system. They contend he can’t reject public funds — and the spending limits that come with it — because of questions about the terms of a loan he got in ’07. AP ‘I’ll lose.’ But I don’t think there’s any doubt that how they judge Iraq will have a direct relation to their judgment of me, my support of the surge,” he added. “Clearly, I am tied to it to a large degree.” AP $275M The winning jackpot of a Mega Millions ticket that an iron worker and his wife presented to officials yesterday. They said they’ll use part of the windfall to replace their trailer home with a new house in coastal Georgia. AP Govs exit D.C. empty-handed Governors pushing for federal money to repair roads, water systems and bridges didn’t get the response they wanted from the White House yesterday. Even their own ranks are divided over infrastructure spending. Governors raised the issue during a meeting with President Bush. “It’s the best type of stimulus, even better than what was in the first package,” Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, said as he left the White House. AP WASHINGTON. Iranian President Ahmadinejad Strategy session on nuclear Iran WASHINGTON. The U.S. pre- dicted a swift vote on new United Nations sanctions against Iran following a strategy session yesterday, as Iran again denied ever trying to build nuclear weapons. Diplomats from Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany and the U. S. met at the State Department ahead of what U.S. and European diplomats say will be a week or more of debate over the third international attempt to coerce Iran to bargain over its nuclear program. Iran has defied the U.N. Security Council’s demands to roll back a nuclear program it maintains is peaceful. AP Killer Ohio cop begs for his life CANTON, OHIO. A former po- lice officer sobbed and apologized for killing his pregnant lover and their unborn child as he appealed yesterday to the jury that convicted him to spare his life. “I accept responsibility,” Bobby Cutts Jr., 30, said from the witness stand. Cutts was convicted Feb. 15 of aggravated murder. AP yesterday lobbied again for an intelligence law allowing government eavesdropping on phone calls and e-mails, as the tone of the dispute between the White House and Congress over terrorist surveillance grew increasingly sharp. “To put it bluntly, if the enemy is calling into America, we really need to know what they’re saying, and we need to know what they’re thinking, and we need to know who they’re talking to,” Bush said. “It’s essential that we understand the mentality of these killers,” Bush said. AP Lone survivor of bloodbath talks YORBA LINDA, CALIF. Investi- Northern Illinois University student Colleen Burns, 42, hugs her son, Ryan, as they visit a memorial to the five students who were killed on Feb. 14, as classes resume at the university in Dekalb, Ill., yesterday. AP gators yesterday interviewed a 14-year-old who was the lone survivor of an apparent murder-suicide in which five other members of his family were killed. Detectives talked to Ian Mercado at a hospital as he recovered from surgery for a gunshot wound to the lower torso, said Lt. Jack Conklin of the Brea Police Department. AP Satellite shootdown a success: Pentagon The Pentagon said yesterday it has a “high degree of confidence” that the missile fired at a dead U.S. spy satellite in space destroyed the satellite’s fuel tank as planned. In its most definitive statement yet on the outcome of last Wednesday’s shootdown over the Pacific, the Pentagon said that WASHINGTON. “By all accounts, this was a successful mission.” Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff based on debris analysis it is clear that the Navy missile destroyed the fuel tank, “reducing, if not eliminating, the risk to people on Earth from the hazardous chemical.” The tank had 1,000 pounds of hydrazine, a toxic substance that U.S. government officials believed posed a potential health hazard to humans if the satellite had descended to Earth on its own. The presence of the hydrazine was cited by U.S. officials as the main reason to shoot down the satellite — described as the size of a school bus — which would otherwise have fallen out of orbit on its own in early March. The satellite lost power shortly after reaching its initial orbit in December 2006. AP metro Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Melissa Curry, 36, New York, consultant It’s Josh Davis, 17, New York, student I think awareWord pretty typical for politicians when they go ness of this controversy will affect Barack negaon the to other countries to wear ethnic clothing. tively. A lot of people see into stereotypes. Jerry McCleery, 59, New Jersey, psychologist The only people this will influence are those whose minds are already made up. Nobody else will pay attention. street in the nation 07 Turban warfare for Democrats Campaigns dress each other down over mystery photo A photo circulating on the Internet of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama dressed in traditional local garments during a 2006 visit to Kenya is causing a dustup in the presidential campaign over what constitutes a smear. The AP photo portrays Obama in a white turban and a wraparound white robe presented to him by elders in Wajir, in northeastern Kenya. Obama’s estranged late father was Kenyan and Obama visited the country in 2006, attracting thousands of well-wishers. The news site The Drudge Report posted the photo- [It’s] “the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we’ve seen from either party.” Plouffe graph yesterday and said it was being circulated by “Clinton staffers” and quoted an e-mail from an unidentified campaign aide. “I just want to make it very clear that we were not aware of it, the campaign didn’t sanction it and don’t know anything about it,” Clinton rep Howard Wolfson said. “None of us have seen the e-mail in question. If anybody has independent reporting that they’ve done on it I would welcome it.” “Everybody knows that whether it’s me or Senator Poll puts Obama ahead Barack Obama has taken clear leads over Hillary Clinton among white men, middle-income earners and liberals, allowing him to catch his faltering rival in their race for the Democratic presidential nomination, a national AP-Ipsos survey showed yesterday. Clinton or Bill Clinton, that when you travel to other countries they ask you to try on traditional garb that you have been given as a gift,” Obama said. “The notion that the Clinton campaign would be trying to circulate this as a negative on the same day that Senator Clinton was giving a speech about how we repair our relationships around the world is sad.” Obama campaign manager David Plouffe accused Clinton’s campaign of “the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we’ve seen from either party in this election.” AP Dirty tricks A history of political smear campaigns vealed to be a fake. Fallout: It took a lot more “swiftboating” to bring Kerry down, but Bush prevailed for a second term. The smear: George Bush is a failed pilot When: During his 2004 re-election campaign against Kerry. 2 The setup: Dan Rather reports that Bush’s Texas National Guard service records show that strings were pulled to get Bush out of active service and into the Guard. Memos that made up report proved to be fakes. Fallout: Bush is still president (for a bit longer). Rather works for something called HDNet. Do controversies such as these make you less likely to vote? e-mail us at The smear: Dukakis released a killer When: During George H.W. Bush’s 1988 campaign against Michael Dukakis. The setup: While Dukakis was governor of Massachusetts, a killer, Willie Horton, is released from jail on a furlough program and assaults a couple in Mary- 3 land. Bush ad makes sure people know about it. Fallout: “Willie Horton” becomes shorthand for political smear campaigns, and the first Bush enters the White House. The smear: Barry Goldwater will spark nuclear war When: Lyndon B. Johnson’s 4 campaign against Goldwater in 1964. The setup: Johnson charges that Goldwater’s politics will lead to war with USSR. He runs an ad of a girl picking daisies, interrupted by nuclear attack. Fallout: The ad only aired once, but Johnson went on to win. JOSH CORNFIELD/GREG BEZANIS/METRO Who’s Taking Care Of Your Parents? Your parents took care of you when you were young, but who’s taking care of them? Nearly one third of all nursing homes have been cited for abuse. ABUS DRAMATIZATION E ABU SE Every day, vulnerable people in nursing homes, assisted living centers and people receiving home health care are abused and neglected by the very care givers we entrust with their well ABUSE being. If you have noticed any of the following symptoms in your loved one, contact us immediately: ATION DRAMATIZ • Bedsores • Unexplained Falls • Dehydration • Over-medication • Unexplained Cuts and Bruises DRAMATIZATION ABUSE Don’t wait until the nursing home abuse turns into a wrongful death. Call 1-800-454-4081 for a free consultation. ABUSE DRAMATIZATION DRAMATIZATION ATTORNEY ADVERTISING The smear: John Kerry hearts Jane Fonda When: During 2004 Democratic primary, as Kerry became George Bush’s clear challenger. The setup: A photo is released allegedly showing Vietnam war hero John Kerry at an anti-’Nam rally with super-liberal Jane Fonda. The photo is eventually re- 1 YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A CASH SETTLEMENT * Attorneys at Sanders Viener Grossman and Eric S. Rothman are licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey. *Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Sanders Viener Grossman, LLP Eric S. Rothman, P.C. Attorneys At Law Attorney At Law Mineola, NY • Bronx, NY • Bayonne, NJ CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-454-4081 metro Tuesday, February 26, 2008 08international 41 more Kurdish rebels killed in ground operation into northern Iraq Turkey’s military said yesterday it had killed 41 more separatist Kurdish rebels in clashes in northern Iraq, raising the reported guerrilla death toll in a cross-border operation to 153. AP Group under scrutiny for YouTube blackout One of Asia’s largest telecom businesses, PCCW, is facing questions about its role in the blocking of YouTube for about two hours across much of the World Wide Web. The outage happened on Sunday when Pakistan Telecommunication Authority in Pakistan deemed that YouTube was broadcasting un-Islamic material — videos depicting images of the Islamic prophet, Mohammed. It was reported that, at the request of the PTA, PCCW gave a new Internet routing for YouTube within Pakistan, which would take users there trying to access the Web site to a page denying them access. But once PCCW had established this false trail for YouTube within Pakistan, other Internet providers around the world followed suit — and within minutes YouTube was blocked to large parts of the world. “For about two hours, traffic to YouTube was LONDON. Internet providers followed Pakistan’s lead The rankings Pervasive Internet censors include: For about two hours, the YouTube site was blocked because of “un-Islamic material.” routed according to erroneous Internet Protocols, and many users around the world could not access our site,” YouTube said in a statement released yesterday. “We have determined that the source of Groups rank Web monitoring NEW YORK. The Open Net Ini- tiative and Reporters Without Borders monitor Internet censorship around the world. They rank Web censorship as either pervasive, substantial or nominal. Pervasive censors tend to block sites critical of gov- ernments, or which may cause political dissent. They also block activities such as pornography and gambling. Substantial censors block porn and gambling, as well as dating sites. Many Middle East nations block Web sites from Israel. METRO these events was a network in Pakistan. We are investigating and working with others in the Internet community to prevent this from happening again.” But experts said the incident raised questions about the ability of governments — or even corporations — to block access to Web sites they deem harmful or embarrassing. There was no comment from PCCW last night. METRO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Cuba Iran Maldives Myanmar North Korea People’s Republic of China Syria U.N. climate chief: U.S. ‘not realistic’ The U.N. climate chief yesterday welcomed statements by Bush administration officials that the United States would accept a binding international commitment to reduce global-warming gases. But he said their insistence that China and other developing nations do the same “is not realistic.” “If it’s a quid pro quo, then it’s a nonstarter,” said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the Bonn-based U.N. climate secretariat. AP NEW YORK. 4.5M Number of seeds that can be stored in the “doomsday” vault designed by Norway to protect the world’s seeds from global catastrophe. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is to be officially inaugurated today. AP Tunisia Uzbekistan Vietnam Substantial censors are said to be: South Korea Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Yemen Agency says Iran still forming nukes The U.N. nuclear monitoring agency presented documents yesterday that diplomats said indicate Iran may have focused on a nuclear weapons program after 2003 — the year that a U.S. intelligence report says such work stopped. Iran again denied ever trying to make such arms. AP VIENNA, AUSTRIA. On the long road to equality PAUL CAIN [email protected] Women in one of the world’s most conservative Islamic states have won the backing of leading clerics in their battle for greater rights. The debate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not about granting fundamentals such as the right to vote or employment equality. It is about whether or not women should be able to drive. Saudi women are not allowed behind the wheel, for fear that they would come into contact with men who were not related to them — a taboo in Saudi Arabia, where women cannot travel without being accompanied by a close male relative such as a husband or brother. It has only recently become acceptable for any woman to stay in a hotel by herself. Contact between unrelated men and women attracts the attentions of the mutaween — the religious police, the on-street representatives of The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. But now, two Saudi scholars have sparked a debate by ruling that there is nothing in Islamic law that prevents women from driving. The scholars are Abdel-Mohsin al-Obaikan — one of Saudi Arabia’s senior religious figures — and Mohsin Awaji. They warn, however, that there may be “road safety issues” if women are allowed to drive, and called for women to be protected from harassment by men. The English language daily newspaper Arab News pub- CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY IMAGES Leading scholars challenge Saudi women driving ban 15 ‘improperly dressed’ girls left to burn to death The Saudi mutaween consists of more than 3,500 officers, and thousands of volunteers. They can arrest unrelated men and women found together. They can hold people who are ‘improperly dressed,’ anyone engaged in homosexuality or prostitution, anyone not praying at RIYADH. the right times, anyone consuming pork or alcohol, and the possession of un-Islamic materials. The mutaween was criticized in March 2002 when they stopped school girls escaping from a blazing building in Mecca, because they were not properly dressed. Fifteen girls burned to death. METRO A young, affluent population begins to demand its rights Demands for more rights for women highlight tensions within broader Saudi society. lished an opinion poll of Saudi citizens, showing that a majority favor allowing women to drive. But conservative clerics dispute that they are out of touch with public opinion. Senior Saudi government figures have previously issued muted support for the idea of women driving. There have been other hints from the Saudi royal family of a broader liberalization. In 2005, King Abdullah took the throne saying he would implement reforms. But he faces a delicate task. Allowing women to drive would represent, for some Saudi conservatives, a concession to influences which have no place in their country. Saudi Arabia’s oil wealth means that its urban populations have high incomes. The availability of satellite TV and (albeit censored) Internet mean increasing Western influences. The population is very young — the country’s median age is just 21.4 years. The nation is developing young, affluent and well-educated JEDDAH. 40 20 The percentage of all Saudis under age 14 Percentage of world’s oil reserves in Saudi consumers who demand more individual rights, and the role and rights of women are increasingly debated. Other groups, while embracing Islam, are demanding more individual rights. METRO metro 10 business Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Bloomberg Market Moment Dow Jones S&P Nasdaq Winners & losers from the previous close Oil futures .............. $99.23 ($0.42) Gold contracts ...... $940.50 ($-7.30) +189.20 (12,570.22) +18.69 (1,371.80) +24.13 (2,327.48) 10-year Treasury ... 3.906% (0.102) Getty Images (GYI) $31.67 +29.5% Photo provider agreed to be bought by Hellman & Friedman for $34 a share. Citigroup (C) ................ $24.74 -1.5% Oppenheimer cut its 08 earnings estimate by 70 percent, said it may have to sell $100 billion in assets. Business&Finance AP Housing market Brace for a recession More economists now see 2008 as prime for a downturn, albeit ‘muted’ MANHATTAN. The proportion A rise in foreclosures is pushing even more unsold homes back on the glutted market. Housing slump continues in Jan. Sales of existing homes fell for the sixth straight month in January, dropping to the slowest sales pace on record. Median home prices were also down and many analysts predicted further price declines in the months ahead given high levels of unsold homes. The National Association of Realtors said yesterday that sales of single-family homes and condominiums dropped by 0.4 percent last month and was seen as evidence that the slump in housing has yet to hit bottom. AP MANHATTAN. of economists who forecast a U.S. recession this year more than doubled in three months, to 45 percent, according to a survey by the National Association for Business Economics. Of those, a majority expect the downturn to be “relatively muted,” according to the poll of 49 profes- sional forecasters taken Jan. 25 to Feb. 13. Less than 20 percent predicted a downturn in the previous poll completed Nov. 6. The spillover from the biggest housing slump in a quarter century, turmoil in financial markets and higher energy prices will cause growth to slow to an annual pace of 0.4 percent this News in brief Visa IPO could be largest in history “U.S. economic growth is expected to slow to a crawl in the first half.” Hughes-Cromwick quarter and 1 percent in the second quarter, the survey found. “U.S. economic growth is expected to slow to a crawl in the first half,” Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, the group’s president and the chief economist at Ford Motor Co., said in a statement. The economy will expand 1.8 percent in the SEATTLE. Getty Images Inc., the leading seller of stock photography and video footage, said yesterday it has agreed to a $2.1 billion buyout from the private equity group Hellman & Friedman LLC. Getty, whose nearest competitor is privately held Corbis Corp., put itself up for sale in January after taking a beating on Wall Street for two years. AP year ending in 2008’s fourth quarter, according to the survey. That compares with predictions of 2.6 percent in November. The survey’s median forecast for fourth-quarter growth compares with 2008 forecasts of 1.7 percent in a Bloomberg News survey taken this month. BLOOMBERG News in brief MANHATTAN. Gas prices at the Visa Inc. said yesterday its initial public offering could raise up to $19 billion — making it the largest in U.S. history — even though the credit card processor is entering the market at a difficult time. The San Francisco-based credit card processor exMANHATTAN. pects to see high demand for its stock, despite the housing-led credit squeeze that is threatening consumers’ spending and their ability to keep up with debt payments. But Visa, like its public rival MasterCard Inc., is a card processor, not a lender, and has a strong presence in other countries where many people are just starting to use plastic instead of cash. And Visa is the largest U.S. card company by market share with transactions outpacing MasterCard and American Express Co. AP pump added more than 2 cents over the weekend, topping a more than seven-month high reached Friday. Meanwhile, oil prices edged higher after climbing close to $100 a barrel earlier in the session. Retail gas prices rose 2.2 cents to a national average of $3.137 a gallon from $3.115 Friday. AP Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Edited by Kenya Hunt, [email protected] Make your cheeks glow MUST HAVE. YSL has taken the same functionality of their magic concealer/highlighter Touche Eclat and brought it to their new Pop Stick Blush. The best part is, it gives your skin a cool tingle as it goes on. YSL Pop Stick Blush, $42, yslbeautyus.com. METRO metro fashion 11 Metro pick! Style “I’d just pray she’s wearing thermal underwear, especially in this weather.” “She looks like she’s out of a Tim Burton movie.” From left: Prada, Burberry, D&G and Jil Sander Men on Milan: Four talk fall What four guys have to say about four collections stylish and though.” We chose four of our favorite looks from the Milan collections, rounded up four everyday men from different backgrounds and occupations, and asked them to give us their opinions on the clothing. The verdict: Most guys would still rather see a girl in just a tank top and jeans. BURBERRY PRADA Jason Page, outreach coordinator, 34: “I don’t like the shoes. I don’t like the skirt. She’s kind of weird looking.” Daniel Holloway, writer, 28: “Why is she wearing a skirt underneath her dress? I want to pull the skirt down until the waist isn’t around her belly.” Tony Metcalf, editor, 44: “This woman looks like an aesthete, someone who takes herself very seriously. If I saw her on the street, I‘d just pray she’s wearing thermal underwear, especially in this weather.” Georg Tsaros, publishing exec, early 30s: “This woman looks like she only does charity for a living. Like she doesn’t work for a living. She’s probably a rich girl. Daniel Holloway: “I don’t think men would find this outfit sexy. People might find it intriguing, Page: “I like the outfit. It’s ing?’” Page: “I don’t like it. It looks like she should put on something more comfortable. I really don’t like the pointy boots. They’re orange and patent leather. And patent is so ... sticky.” Holloway: “I love the boots. I’d want my wife to take the outfit off, but wear the boots to bed. She looks like a sexy Little Red Riding Hood.” Metcalf: “She looks like a hostess for a low cost Middle Eastern airline. Either that, or a bored corporate wife with a huge house and a flock of maids.” simple. I like classic with a little bit of flair. But the woman who wears this is obviously not trying to fit in because of the necklace and the hat. She definitely stands out.” Metcalf: “She looks like a bag lady. There’s no chance my missus would wear that outfit. She hasn’t got the thighs for those leggings. This is an outfit for an art student or a youth theater worker with pretensions of grandeur.” JIL SANDER Holloway: “I like that she’s Tsaros: “When I see this, I wearing the same think of something a hat that Rick model would wear “She’s wearing as she goes to Moranis and the same hat Dave Thomas castings” wore in ‘The Ad- that Rick Moranis Holloway: “She ventures of Bob and Dave Thomas looks like she’s and Doug wore in...‘Stran ge out of a Tim BurMcKenzie: ton movie. I’d be Brew.’” Strange Brew.’” happy with this Tsaros: “I’d say she’s a outfit if it weren’t for New York ‘Sex and the City’ the turtleneck collar. It’s too type of girl, only she has an covered up.” admin job and she isn’t Page: “The fabric looks like comfortable with it.” a squeegee.” Page: “This is a very urban Metcalf: “She looks like look. It’s also easy-going.” she’s trying to raise a few laughs at a funeral. If I saw D&G her walking down the Tsaros: “Nice. If my girl street, I’d cross to the other came home wearing this, I’d side.” say, ‘What are we celebratKENYA HUNT/METRO metro Edited by Kenya Hunt, [email protected] Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12 books “I’m shaking, like wow.” Best actress winner Marion Cotillard, left, backstage at the Academy Awards after receiving her Oscar AP Entertainment Number of foreigners who took the acting prizes at the Academy Awards. They were Frenchwoman Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), Spaniard Javier Bardem, left, (“No Country For Old Men”) and Brits Daniel Day-Lewis (“There Will Be Blood”) and Tilda Swinton (“Michael Clayton”). AP 4 Here to stay Sci-fi picks “Half the Blood of Brooklyn” Charlie Huston In this exceptional work of crime noir, readers descend into New York City, where a “Vyrus” has left bloodsuckers fighting for their turf. Imagine “The Warriors” with vampires. 1 The science fiction genre holds steady JONATHAN BENDER [email protected] For the millions of fans itching for something to read after the conclusion of the “Harry Potter” series, the science fiction genre is full of new titles looking to gain a following and capitalize on lightning-fast technological advancements. “We’re living in a science fiction culture with the intrusion of technology. Tense, tumultuous times always make for good science fiction,” says Lou Anders, editorial director of Pyr, an imprint of Prometheus Books. A growing subsection of TREND. “Science fiction is being eaten alive by urban fantasy.” Anders the genre centers on alternate histories, where authors like Michael Chabon in “The Yiddish Policeman’s Union” envision a society based on a different course of events. But the next big thing is likely to involve vampires. “Science fiction is being eaten alive by urban fantasy. It’s Joss Whedon [creator of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’] and vampires,” says Anders. At the same time, a mi- Look No Visible Incisions – Minimally Invasive Why waste time? Board Certified Podiatrists Dr. Steven Landman Dr. Dean Spellman 1800-foot-123 www.1800foot123.com Facility Accredited by National Joint Commission Office located in New York City-Uptown, Midtown, Downtown, and Wall Street Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens lieu that explores far-reaching space travel and fantastical machines was bound to be impacted by the technology that authors encounter in real life. For Jon Armstrong, author of “Grey,” it was his iPod that offered inspiration. “It’s a new way of digesting information, and it makes a lot more sense,” says Armstrong of his decision to release his novel as a serial podcast. Now he is considering taking the style he developed while recording the podcast and applying it to a prequel to “Grey,” entitled “Yarn,” which he is currently writing. “I was trying to act out NEW LOCATION, Church Ave. and Court St. in Brooklyn “Bright of the Sky” Kay Kenton A tormented pilot searches for his lost family in an alternate universe. The first in a four-part series offers a vivid look at an alien race bent on preventing mankind from crossing the space-time continuum that connects our two worlds. 2 A good sci-fi book has universal appeal. the dialogue and give tonalities to the different characters,” says Armstrong. With “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy winning a Pulitzer Prize and the movie “Cloverfield” racking up huge box office numbers, it doesn’t take a wizard to see that society is hungry for science fiction titles. “Science fiction is going mainstream. We’re casting an eye toward culture around the globe,” Anders says. “Grey” Jon Armstrong A classic love story plays out in a gripping future ruled by the fashion industry. It’s an ideal world for gossip bloggers, where wealthy families battle for control of society. Available on iTunes as a podcast. 3 metro Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Baby on board Angelina Jolie created a stir at Saturday’s Spirit Awards when she showed up with partner Brad Pitt, at right with Jolie, and a noticeably pregnant bulge. Jolie ignored reporters’ questions on the red carpet, but People.com reports that a source close to the couple confirms they are “thrilled to be adding to their brood.” AP entertainment 13 ELISABETH CAREN/NBC From online to TV ‘Quarterlife’ isn’t the only Web phenom ready for prime time Lolcats AMBER RAY [email protected] “Quarterlife” originated as an angsty soap opera about twentysomethings, posted as Webisodes on MySpace. NBC bought the series, created by the minds behind “My So-Called Life,” and is premiering the show as a one-hour drama tonight. Considering that “Quarterlife” is the first developedfor-the-Internet series to be taken seriously in prime time, let us ponder what other Interweb phenomena would make for good (or at least time-wasting) television. ROUNDUP. Dancing Baby Why we got hooked: One of Why we got hooked: “Out of control teen kitteh hanging with the wrong crowd” reads the caption accompanying a picture of a cat lounging with three dogs at www.icanhascheez burger.com. You probably have a cat. You’ve probably got lots of pictures of said cat. Because she prefers lounging on your keyboard rather than utilizing it, Lolcats is sort of the blog of her life. They may speak in Kitty Pidgin, but some of these “kittehs” have a sense of humor on par with “30 Rock.” Why it would work in prime time: Finally, a show that ap- peals to both the coveted Internet-savvy, 18- to 34-yearold demographic and felineobsessed spinsters alike. KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES the earliest examples of an Internet video obsession was a clip taking full advantage of the glorious 3-D technology of the late ’90s — in the form of a frightfully ugly baby dancing in his Pampers. Why it would work in prime time: Dancing Baby was a featured guest star on “Ally McBeal” — multiple times! Ten years after his first appearance as a hallucinatory metaphor for Ally’s biological clock, isn’t it time for a spin-off ? Calista Flockhart and the Dancing Hamsters would co-star. And really, is this idea any worse than “Cavemen”? If only Ferrell, left, and McKay would take their FunnyorDie efforts to prime time. ‘The Landlord’ Why we got hooked: Will Ferrell’s landlord, Pearl, is one broad we would not mess with. She’s demanding (“I want my money!”), drunk (“I’m just buzzed.”) and confused (“Come, mommy,” she says to Ferrell). She’s also 2 years old. The daughter of Ferrell’s co-writer/director friend Adam McKay, Pearl’s first acting gig has been viewed more than 54 million times at www.funny ordie.com. Why it would work in prime time: Pearl is Ralph Furley incarnate in a “Three’s Company”-like sitcom. Plus, she’s already got her own catch phrase that would sweep kindergarten classes everywhere: “You pay now, bitch!” The cast of “Quarterlife” metro Tuesday, February 26, 2008 14 entertainment Phil makes unprecedented visit to North Korea The New York Philharmonic yesterday became the most prominent U.S. cultural institution to visit nuclear-armed North Korea. The nation allowed a delegation of nearly 300 people, including musicians, staff and journalists, to fly into Pyongyang on a chartered plane for the 48-hour visit. AP The ebb and ’Fro of graf art Legendary graffiti artist on his evolution from subway cars to a gallery NANA EKUA BREW-HAMMOND [email protected] “I started painting afros on the train, and now I’m painting afros in a gallery,” muralist James Top marveled over the phone as he prepped for his first solo show, “Afrology.” Technically, Top, who once signed his work JEE2 as “king” of the legendary Odd Partners Crew, had his first solo show in 1973 in the A train yard, not too far from his apartment in East New York’s Pink Houses project. This is an important thing to note because, for Top, technicalities have been major forces that have shaped the course of his life. First, there was the technicality of growing up an artist in the projects. “I had nothing to see as far as art as a black man except an afro poster,” Top explains. Those afro posters have not only inspired the 17 works on display at the Essex Street Gallery starting toPROFILE. “I’m not taking people to see the art form where people didn't have permission. ... I am introducing and I am talking about the actual art form that people have labeled graffiti art. Top day, but are the foundation of his personal philosophy. “‘Afrology’ is the AfricanAmerican experience through [my] eyes,” he says. Inspired by Warhol, Top specifies, “I actually transform and change the color and silhouette of the black man,” adding, “Inside the afro, I express the black man in a variety of media, basically collage style.” Then there is the technicality of graffiti’s classification as vandalism. Top literally gets choked up when he considers, “People have actually gone to jail for the development of the art form.” He pauses to admit, “I get emotional,” before catching his breath. “People have labeled us as criminals, but we are just like every art form. The only reason we have been labeled is because it has been created and developed in our communities.” Today, Top teaches a graf-art class at Bronx’s Hostos Community College. “[I focus] on the history and those people who have given contributions to the development to the first element of hip-hop. Graffiti was well underway and started before the first MC picked up a mic,” he explains. “We get a chance to examine different styles of it and ... see the art form in all its bold colors and the energy and excitement that only raw graffiti has to offer.” Top is careful to note, “I'm not taking people to see the art form where people didn't have permission. ... I am introducing and I am talking about the actual art form that people have labeled graffiti art.” For better and worse, Top is proud of how he and others around him have transformed these labels and technicalities to their advantage. “Just the way cooks did with chitlings and collard greens, we have taken something and created a worldwide art movement.” ‘Afrology’ Essex Street Gallery 27 1/2 Essex St. www.essexstreetgallery.com LiteTouchMedicalP.C. Neil C. Goodman, MD, FACOG, FAACS Martin C. 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He announced his separation from wife of 11 years, actress Robin Wright Penn, in December. METRO TheWord TV tonight ‘The Biggest Loser’ Daniel Holloway [email protected] REALITY. One team’s luck runs ‘Nova’ DOCUMENTARY. In “The Four Winged Dinosaur,” filmmakers and scientists examine how birds evolved after surprising fossils found in northeastern China spurred new debate. 8 p.m., PBS ‘One Tree Hill’ HBO profiles Christo and Jeanne-Claude in “The Gates.” DRAMA. While we await new ‘The Gates’ episodes of “Gossip Girl,” the ladies of “One Tree Hill” will have to fill our catfight quota. And when Haley, Brooke and Peyton find themselves trapped in the old high school library with Mia and Lindsey before the basketball team’s season opener (in a totally likely predicament for women who graduated four years previous), there will definitely be more than enough drama to tide us over until the return of “G.G.” in April. 9 p.m., The CW We know what you were paying attention to during the Oscars on Sunday night: Diablo Cody’s shoes. Yes, the stripperturned-Academy Award winner (there’s a description that’s going to follow her for the rest of her life) is causing buzz with her choice of footwear — not because the shoes were super-fabulous, but because they were, well, just shoes. Last week on her MySpace blog, Cody announced that she’d been snookered by self-described shoe mogul (shoes have moguls?) Stuart Weitzman, who offered to let her wear a pair of diamond-encrusted heels valued at $2 million. The snookering happened when, without asking Cody’s permission, Weitzman used her name to drum up some publicity for himself. “I’m actually really pissed about this, now that I think about it,” Cody wrote. “They’re using me to publicize their stupid shoes and NOBODY ASKED ME. I would never consent GOSSIP. DOCUMENTARY. Work of art or annoying tourist-laden obstacle on your daily run through Central Park? “The Gates,” the 2005 art installation by Christo and Jeanne-Claude that featured over 7,500 metal “gates” draped with saffron-colored fabric throughout the Manhattan park, is examined. 10 p.m., HBO AMBER RAY [email protected] Devil don’t wear Prada VINCE BUCCI/GETTY IMAGES out when their latest challenge takes them to Vegas, where the temptation of all those 24-hour buffets seems too much to overcome. 8 p.m., NBC entertainment 15 Cody and her sensible shoes at the Oscars on Sunday to a lame publicity stunt at a time when I already want to hide. I’m sorry if I sound like a party-pooper, but Jeebus.” Jeebus indeed, homeskillet. The “Juno” scribe ended up walking the red carpet in a very un-stripper-like pair of flats. Cradle will rock Are we the only ones who didn’t know that Elle Macpherson is dating a 21year-old? Because the 21- year-old’s father, Oscarnominee Julian Schnabel, sure knows — and he’s cool with it. “They’re hanging out,” the director of “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” said to Us Weekly when asked about his son Vito’s relationship with the 44year-old supermodel. “It’s not like he’s smuggling heroin across the border! It’s not a big deal.” Well, it kind of is a big deal. After all, this has to be the most important thing to happen to 21year-olds since Zima was invented. Kids, if Vito can do it, you can do it, too. Don’t eff with ‘The View’ Like a street gang or a team of teenage superheroes, the ladies of “The View” stick up for their own. Sherri Shepherd pointed out on yesterday’s show that Whoopi Goldberg was conspicuously absent from a montage of great Oscar moments aired during Sunday night’s ceremony. Whoopi, a three-time host, then got choked up as the gals began to chatter about how unfair it was. She even stood up and gave each of her co-hosts a kiss. Whoopi, listen. The only montage worth being in was the tribute to binoculars and periscopes. You didn’t miss out on anything. metro Tuesday, February 26, 2008 16 opinion Voices Nader exists to pressure Obama John Nichols [email protected] R alph Nader is running again for president. He’s used to the slings and arrows that will be tossed his way. He is conscious and committed. He will not back off. He knows how to campaign in the face of a firestorm of criticism. Above all, he knows how to make himself heard — even when almost everyone who guides the political processes of the nation wants to shut him up. The latter knowledge will serve him well in a 2008 contest where the man — who is either a national treasure or a national frustration, or perhaps both — may find himself more marginalized than ever before. Nader is running for the same reason he has run in the past: Because the likely nominees of the two major parties do not begin to meet the standards that might reasonably be asked of progressive contenders in 21st-century America. Fundamental issues — Wall Street-defined globalization, rampant and frequently deadly corporate crime, out-of-control military spending and an imperial foreign policy — are not going to be addressed in a realistic let alone definitional manner by either Democratic nominee or by Republican John McCain. After eight years of George Bush and Dick Cheney, Nader said, “If the Democrats can’t landslide the Republicans this year, they ought to just wrap up, close down, emerge in a different form.” Presumably, the Democratic landslide that buries McCain will also sweep away various and sundry third-party and independent candidacies, including Nader’s. If he is indeed the Democratic candidate, Obama’s more nuanced platform, as well as the movement character of the Illinois senator’s campaign, is likely to leave even less space for Nader to deliver a message. That said, Nader is a determined, sometimes unrelenting, truth-teller. “(Obama’s) leaned, if anything, toward the procorporate side of policy-making,” Nader said. The consumer activist also scored Obama on foreign policy, noting that, “He was pro-Palestinian when he was in Illinois ... Now he’s supporting [rightwing Israeli policies that thwart progress toward peace in the Middle East].” Nader’s not looking for valentines from the Democrats. Frankly, he’s not even all that interested in popular approval. The public-interest crusader worries far less about poll numbers and even vote totals than about saying what he feels needs to be said — and using the forum of the electoral process to say it. “Nader’s not looking for Valentines among Obama supporters.” “I’ve eaten more of their cousins than they want to know.” L.A. water is best Los Angeles residents have the tastiest tap water, according to the judges of the world’s largest and longest-running water-tasting contest. Judges based their rankings on taste, odor, mouth feel and aftertaste. Mark Berg, a spectator at Alaska’s “Running of the Reindeer” event, in which reindeer charged the crowd Letters Today’s debate Vet: Carriage horses suffering VOORHEESVILLE. As an equine veterinarian who has inspected New York City’s carriage horses since 1988 and has also advised 15 other municipalities and states on how to create humane carriage horse operations, I am ashamed to say that New York’s version of its horse-drawn tourist attraction is by far the worst in terms of the number of unexplained deaths and the grim conditions under which the horses live and work. The current regulations fail to protect these horse in their stables and on the streets. They are dying in unacceptable numbers and at very young ages, though the public is never made aware of this fact. Currently, the best that can be said of New York’s operating conditions is that they may be survivable — barely — but they are never humane. Please urge the City Council to vote for a permanent ban on horse-drawn carriages, and eliminate this cruel 19th-century anachronism from our 21st century setting. HOLLY CHEEVER Decide yourself to choose Hillary NEW YORK. Why is the media so much against Hillary? What has she done against them? Yes, Hillary is my favorite and I’m very proud to say it, because she Which awards show do you think is “When you most relevant? listen to a Stephen Ruggieri Rachel Risco Jennifer Smith speech, pay 39, Reiki healer 17, student 41, secretary, Flat Iron District Peekskill, N.Y. Atlanta close “I would say the “I would definitely “I like the Oscars Oscars only go for the Oscars.” because of the attention to because there’s a gowns. Beautiful little more believgowns. I like to see the words, ability.” what they’re wearing.” because we are trying to elect a president, not a salesperson.” González has experience and her ideas have substance. I don’t want just words; I need facts. I don’t want a preacher; I want a person capable of handling this messy country of ours. Why is it so difficult for Americans to elect a woman? Why is it only men can be president? Do we need the media or Oprah or George Clooney to tell us who to vote for? I respect their opinion, but they are dictating to us how to vote, and that is misleading. We are intelligent enough to see that only Hillary can bring this country to the country it used to be, respected by everybody. When you listen to a speech, pay close attention to the words, because we are trying to elect a president, not a salesperson. Hillary is the real change! MARI-CARMEN GONZÁLEZ How to contact us: E-mail your letters to [email protected]. Keep them as brief as possible, preferably under 100 words. Metro reserves the right to edit all letters. Please include your name and contact information. The Metro cartoon Hutch Owen John Nichols is Washington correspondent for The Nation. Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages. Opposing viewpoints are welcome. Please send 400-word submissions to [email protected] Metro is the world’s largest global newspaper, with more than 18.5 million daily readers in 93 major cities in 21 countries. Metro New York 44 Wall St., New York, NY 10005 • main: 212-952-1500 sales fax: 212-952-1505 National News Editors Mark Bulliet and Ron Varrial Circulation Director Joe Piro • Executive Sales Director Mike Juliano • Sales Directors Clare Davis, Ed Abrams • e-mail sales: [email protected] Compete with Metro! “Would you like a barrel-o-fries with that?” Matthew V. Johnson New York E-mail us! Think you can caption a photo with more wit, style and sophistication than Metro? E-mail your suggested captions for the photo on the right to [email protected] Write a caption to this image! by Tom Hart metro Tuesday, February 26, 2008 36° 19° TOMORROW Crossword Across 1 Recompense 5 — smasher 9 A Great Lake 14 ISU locale 15 Restore to health 16 Alpha opposite 17 Did biology lab 19 Trunk contents 20 USN officer 21 RSVP word 22 Pasture entrance 23 Fans 25 “Moonstruck” star 26 Bonn connector 27 Spaghetti sauce herb (2 wds.) 30 Question 33 Yanks at Horoscope 34 Mama’s boy 36 Is incorrect 37 Daddy’s mate 38 Hay unit 39 Fictional collie 40 Nervous swallows 41 Cake-pan type 42 Clearly 44 Ginger and Fred, once 45 Warhol or Rooney 46 Good gad! (2 wds.) 50 Bedding plant 52 Synthesizer inventor 53 Disdainful snort 54 European capital 55 Tall pine 57 Juicy fruit 58 “Catch-22” actor 59 Ambler or Clapton 60 Treat unfairly 61 Chief 62 Kind of job Down 1 Nonswimmer, maybe 2 Acid in proteins 3 Painter’s undercoat 4 Mountain curve 5 Pact 6 Ballerinas’ attire 7 Raw minerals 8 Sz. option 9 Low-cost inns 10 Sports official 11 Genuine 12 Human eater 13 No, to a lassie 18 Competition 22 Timidly 24 Bathroom fixtures 25 Soothes 27 Uneven 28 Slippery — — eel 29 Do origami 30 Md. neighbor 31 Kind of surgeon 32 Lahore language 33 Name for a parrot 35 Make after taxes 37 Guitarist — Waters 38 Float 40 Tea of fabled powers 41 Protrude 43 Big gun 44 Gadget 46 Ford rival 47 Task 48 Caravan halt 49 Swat 50 Equal 51 The younger Guthrie 52 Double agent 54 Yuppie’s auto 55 Oompah- — 56 Embarrassed LASIK INTEREST-FREE FINANCING FOR 2 YEARS! For incredible vision - made incredibly affordable - call Stahl...The Eye Center today! Our world class surgeons offer the only ‘20/20 or it’s Free LASIK’ commitment in the area. So why wait any longer? Get the safest, most advanced LASIK procedure and take advantage of our 24-month interest-free financing.* * Restrictions may apply. Please call for details. 1-888-SIGHT-06 New York • Garden City • Hauppauge Pisces Feb. 20-March 20. Sometimes it is more charitable to level with an individual. Aries March 21-April 19. Commercial dealings will be a trifle more complicated than they appear. Taurus April 20-May 20. When you start seeking easy outs, you will merely find a far testier situation. Gemini May 21-June 20. If you fail to prepare, you’ll need some luck to catch up. Cancer June 21-July 22. our reasoning in a joint venture will be far sounder than that of your counterpart. Leo July 23-Aug. 22. Be prepared to handle things totally on your own. Virgo Aug. 23-Sept. 22. Guard against a strong tendency to do things in half measures. Libra Sept. 23-Oct. 23. Don’t waste money another has earned. Scorpio Oct. 24-Nov. 22. Have fun and enjoy yourself, but don’t treat serious matters too lightheartedly. Sagittarius Nov. 23-Dec. 21. Be careful about being too free of a talker. Capricorn Dec. 22-Jan. 19. Think positive and be expectant of good things to come. Aquarius Jan. 20-Feb. 19. It’s good to be expectant of having a rewarding day. BERNICE BEDE OSOL THURSDAY 31° 17° games 17 Sudoku How to play: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9. There is no math involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solution for yesterday’s sudoku. metro Edited by David Sandora, [email protected] 18 sports Sports Atlantic Division W 42 31 25 25 17 L 12 24 31 32 39 PCT GB .778 — .564 111/2 .446 18 .439 181/2 .304 26 Yesterday’s games Toronto 102, Indiana 98 Boston at L.A. Clippers, (n) Today’s games Orlando at NETS, 7:30 Tomorrow’s games Orlando at Philadelphia, 7 Minnesota at Toronto, 7 Cleveland at Boston, 7:30 Charlotte at KNICKS, 7:30 Atlantic Division DEVILS Pittsburgh RANGERS Philadelphia ISLANDERS W 37 35 32 30 30 L 21 21 24 25 26 OTL PTS 5 79 7 77 8 72 7 67 7 67 Yesterday’s games Philadelphia at Buffalo, (n) Today’s games DEVILS at Carolina, 7 Pittsburgh at ISLANDERS, 7 “We’re not out of the doghouse yet.” Houston Astros prospect Koby Clemens, on his father, Roger’s, involvement in the steroid controversy. Koby said his father will still appear at Astros mini-camp to work with minor leaguers. AP Tampa talks Bonds The Tampa Bay Rays have had internal talks about the prospect of pursuing Barry Bonds, left. Meanwhile, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa had interest in signing Barry Bonds the last two offseasons, but each time the team's front office decided against it. AP Lawyer up, Clemens Report says Congress taking step toward perjury inquiry A draft letter asking the Justice Department to investigate whether Roger Clemens made false statements to Congress has been written by House staffers, The New York Times reported on its Web site yesterday, citing three unidentified lawyers familiar with the matter. The report also said that the former trainer who accused Clemens of steroid use, Brian McNamee, was not part of the letter, though he could later be added. Both men spoke unMLB. NHL standings Mayweather to wrestle for $20M A $20 million payday awaits undefeated WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he takes on Big Show as part of WWE’s “WrestleMania XXIV.” AP PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS/AP NBA standings Boston Toronto NETS Philadelphia KNICKS Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Bush skips on talking under oath Reggie Bush failed to show up for a scheduled deposition yesterday, the latest twist in the civil lawsuit against the former Heisman Trophy winner who allegedly accepted cash and gifts from sports marketers during his sophomore and junior seasons at USC. AP der oath during depositions and at a House committee hearing. A spokeswoman for committee chairman Henry Waxman would not comment when asked about the existence of the draft letter. “We’ve not been told about a draft letter. We haven’t been told to expect one,” committee Republican general counsel Keith Ausbrook said, indicating that the two sides of the committee hadn’t been in contact about a letter or a referral. AP Male urination problems? Up at night having to “go”? Trouble starting your stream? Revolutionary new drug-free formula helps you regain your youthful prostate function so you’ll urinate less often and sleep through the night! A re you a man who has to get up once or more during the night to urinate? Do you sometimes have trouble getting your stream to start? Do you look for restrooms wherever you go? Do you ever worry that you won’t be able to hold it in? If you suffer with these types of prostate problems, don’t give up hope because now there’s good news! Introducing Prostalex Plus, the amazing new all-natural supplement for men that helps solve your urination problems, improve prostate function, and boost prostate health so you won’t need to urinate as often, you’ll enhance urination function, and you’ll finally be able to sleep through the night without any trips to the bathroom! Powerful new formula helps end your urination problems The amazing new Prostalex Plus drug-free supplement has been scientifically formulated to reduce your need to urinate by combating the natural growth of your prostate, which occurs naturally as you age and is the cause of most urination problems in men. Containing rare, high-potency, all-natural ingredients, the Prostalex Plus formula is unique because it not only stops your constant need to urinate, it helps improve your ability to urinate (so you’ll no longer have trouble getting your stream to start), and it helps you maintain a healthy prostate. 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Contact your doctor or call the company directly tollfree now and you can get a risk-free trial of Prostalex Plus (a $59.95 value; will be sent to you in plain, discreet packaging). Plus, call now and you’ll also get the all-natural sleep aid Restalex PM FREE with your order! Restalex PM helps you fall asleep fast and sleep deeply all night long! Call now at 1-800-5218764! Call now for your risk-free trial: 1-800-521-8764 Also available at these stores: Prostalex Plus is the safe, private, all-natural solution that’s giving men the results they want without drugs, surgery, or side effects. Just listen to what some of our satisfied customers are saying about Prostalex Plus: Strah’s retirement choice to come early NFL. Last summer, Michael Strahan ended up sitting out training camp while mulling retirement. He’ll go through the same process this year, but promises his decision won’t take anywhere near so long. Strahan said he will weigh his options and most likely let the team know by mid-April if he is coming back. AP Tennessee takes over as men’s No. 1 Tennessee ascended to the top of The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll yesterday for the first time in the program’s 99-year history after their 66-62 win over previously unbeaten Memphis, which dropped from No. 1 to 2. On the women’s side, Marist joined the poll at No. 25 for the first time in history. AP NCAA. Roger Clemens could join Barry Bonds among potential Hall of Famers investigated for perjury in baseball’s steroids scandal. Guys who know how to ruin it F eeling let down by a predictable night at the Oscars? Fear not! There’s been so much bad behavior on the parts of athletes in the first two months of this year, we created a few Oscar-worthy categories: BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATEY BY A CHARACTER-CRUSHING REVELATION: Darren McFadden, Arkansas. The prodigious running back ran a mind-boggling 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in Indianapolis last weekend. Lock to be the No. 1 pick, right? Except in interviews, McFadden, 20, revealed that he will be a father soon. In July, a woman will give birth to a baby of his … and then in August, another woman will do the same. ARTISTIC TRICKERATION BY A RETIRED ATHLETE: Former point guard Terrell Brandon. Brandon recently foiled an extortion attempt after a rookie robber sent the mother of Brandon’s friend a note demanding $10,000. Brandon set him up by placing $1 and trash in a plastic bag, and the cops quickly apprehended the bewildered nincompoop. MOST AGGRESSIVE RUB-UP-AGAINST A SIDELINE REPORTER: Bruce Pearl, Tennessee men’s basketball coach. Saturday night in Memphis, Pearl felt like Playing the Field Jason McIntyre [email protected] showing sideline reporter Erin Andrews how aggressively the Tigers were guarding Vols’ star Chris Lofton. Pearl squeezed both his arms around her and offered a grin. She eyed him warily with a concerned smile of her own. DUMBEST ATHLETE ARREST (THIS MONTH): Mike Patterson, Philadelphia Eagles. The defensive tackle and his older brother were riding in a car last week when they got into a tiny fender bender. While waiting for police to come, they decided to blaze a joint in the car. When the police showed up, they smelled the herb, searched the car and arrested Patterson for possession. His brother was cuffed for outstanding warrants. WORST PERFORMANCE OF FOOT-INMOUTH: Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs. Over Super Bowl weekend in Arizona, Gonzalez gave a video interview to Maxim, and he was asked about his thoughts on the number of partners women have had. “As far as somebody that I want to spend the rest of my life with, low mileage is better. That’s what men like.” Jason Raj McIntyre covers the celebrity lives of athletes for Metro. PLP022 4.625 6.5 Andrews Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages. metro Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Mara has surgery to fix face Rangers defenseman Paul Mara was to undergo surgery to repair a facial fracture yesterday and is expected to be out for two weeks, according to the team. METRO Forsberg coming back with Avalanche The Avalanche and Peter Forsberg have agreed on a deal to bring the 2003 NHL MVP back to Colorado through the end of the season. AP Dumping Jagr not in plans Rangers could be looking for scoring defenseman before today’s deadline SEAN QUINN [email protected] Even though Jaromir Jagr has had trouble finding the net this season, he won’t have to find a new home before today’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. Jagr, who has scored NHL. goals in two straight games for the first time since December, will likely remain a Ranger until his contract runs out after the season. Rangers general manager Glen Sather reportedly told an Edmonton newspaper over the weekend the team’s captain will not be shipped. Sather, though, has refused to talk with local media. “I’ve never been hesitant to shoot, so that’s not the problem,” said Jagr, who has taken only two shots in five of the team’s last seven games. A more likely move, though, could come in the form of acquiring a de- fenseman, possibly Tampa Bay’s Dan Boyle. Head coach Tom Renney has asked for more aggressiveness up the ice from his defense, and Boyle is among the leading scorers for defensemen the past several years. He finished with 63 points last season, including 20 goals. Ranger needs sports 19 Trading deadline Islanders What they need: Fire power. The Isles are second-to-last in the league in scoring. Who could go: F Miroslav Satan, F Mike Comrie, F Ruslan Fedotenko and F Chris Simon all have expiring contracts. Devils What they need: Defensmen – someone to play the point on the power play. Who could go: Mara’s injury takes him off the bubble, leaving D Marek Malik as a possibility. What they need: Fire power. Martin Brodeur can’t be solely responsible for winning games in the playoffs. Who could go: Someone like C Travis Zajac could be shipped if it means adding a veteran shooter. METRO/SQ JULIE JACOBSON/AP Brian Cashman has been the Yankees’ general manager for 10 years, but his job security could depend on the team’s young pitchers. Hank, Cash will talk deal during season Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner plans to talk about a new contract with general manager Brian Cashman before the regular season ends. Cashman, in the final year of his contract, said shortly after arriving at spring training that he wanted to keep any discussion of a deal between himself and the Steinbrenner family. “I want to concentrate MLB. At Mets camp Duaner Sanchez threw a scoreless inning, allowing a walk and two hits, in yesterday’s intrasquad game. on the season, and he does, too,” Hank Steinbrenner said yesterday. “But during the course of the season, we will talk. It will just happen.” AP Pelton Serpe LLP FAILURE TO PAY OVERTIME ~ ~ FORECLOSURE ~ BANKRUPTCY DO YOU SUFFER FROM PERSONAL INJURY ANXIETY? 111 Broadway, 9th Floor New York, NY 10006 212-725-3600 www.nyovertimelaw.com www.moderndebt.com www.peltonserpe.com DO YOU WORRY OVER MINOR MATTERS? FIEVE FEEL TOO NERVOUS, TENSE, RESTLESS OR IRRITABLE? HAVE TROUBLE FALLING OR STAYING ASLEEP CLINICAL SERVICES 212-772-3570 If you are male or female between the ages of 18-65 and currently taking medication for anxiety, you may be eligible for a research study of an investigational medication at no cost to you. 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But the more she learns about the last three years—and how she’s spent them— the more she begins to wonder: is “a perfect life” worth the price? “Kinsella iics whiz!” a com —Miami Herald “Buoyed by Kinsella’s breezy prose, this winning offering boasts a likable heroine and an involving story.” —Booklist “Winning.... Kinsella keeps things fresh and frothy with workplace politicking, romantic intrigue and a vibrant ... cast.... Readers will be rooting for Lexi all along.” www.sophiekinsella.com —Publishers Weekly* Wherever books are sold © Blake Little a l l e s n i “K * ” ! n i a g a s t h g i l e d