Turkey has seen an upheaval in its foreign and domestic politics, exacerbated by the near-disastrous coup attempt on 15 July.

In view of the current "frost" in the AKP government's relations with both the US and the EU, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to choose Russia for his first official visit abroad since the botched coup appears rich in symbolism.

And Western leaders will be looking on nervously.

The EU's migrant deal with Turkey has run into trouble and the US is under pressure to extradite self-exiled Islamic leader Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for the coup.

But Tuesday's visit is not a snap decision by the Turkish state in reaction to a perceived lack of visible and credible Western support in times of crisis, nor is it in appreciation of President Putin's swift support.

The history goes farther back than that.

Some years ago Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey's then foreign minister and later prime minister, coined the slogan "Zero problems with all neighbours" as Turkey adapted its policy to meet the wave of changes during the so-called Arab Spring.

By the end of last year, the Turkish leadership had problems with all its neighbours and partners and a diminishing crowd of friends, because of negative developments in Syria and Iraq as well as failures in Turkish policy.

And as Turkey's security interests have worsened in Syria, with Kurdish militants either side of the border, it has clearly become a strategic necessity for Ankara to bow to realities and look for opportunities for an honourable retreat.

This applies in particular to the Turkish government´s policy towards Russia.

Earlier relations were based essentially and pragmatically on a number of points of economic interdependence.

Turkey needed Russian petroleum deliveries, access to nuclear and other elements of technology. It also relied on access to the Russian market and a continued flow of Russian tourists.

Russia needed Turkey's energy market and its territory too, to transport energy supplies.

Both also had a joint interest in basic stability in the Black Sea area, in view of the 1936 Montreux Declaration on access to the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits.

But the downing of the Russian SU-24 fighter jet on 24 November 2015 dramatically raised Turkish-Russian tensions within weeks of Russia's military intervention backing up President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Syria's leader has become President Erdogan's sworn enemy of late. and Mr Putin's ensuing punitive actions have hurt Turkey economically and politically.

It came as no surprise when Turkey signalled a change in policy in mid-May.

Out went Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and in came Binali Yildirim, who soon announced that the time had come for Turkey to "decrease the number of enemies and increase the number of friends", clearly alluding to Russia and Israel for starters.

Since then President Erdogan has issued some kind of rare "apology", deemed politically sufficient by team Putin - although Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has insisted that sustainable normalisation will depend on how the two countries co-operate in the quagmire of the Syria crisis.

Mr Erdogan takes to St Petersburg a very broad agenda and a huge delegation. The two states are expected to reset the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, as well as cover nuclear power plant construction and perhaps other energy related items.

They will also include resuming tourism, food exports and construction, which have all been hit hard since Russia imposed sanctions in November.

Presumably some efforts will also be made to clear the way for some understanding on Syria.

But the symbolic nature of this visit within weeks of the botched coup is far from lost on those in the US and EU who are searching for signs of possible permanent policy change.

Turkey is after all a key Nato power. And it has new sensitivities since the traumatic events of 15 July, while the West has been uneasy at President Erdogan's heavy-handedness before and especially since the attempted coup.

To the delight of President Putin, Mr Erdogan is presumably happy to keep the West wondering, and sweating, for now.

By Dr Michael Sahlin, retired Swedish Ambassador and distinguished associate fellow at Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies (SUITS)

Summary: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan chooses Russia for his first trip abroad since the failed coup, as the West watches nervously.


Are Russia and Turkey about to mend ties and put behind them the spat over the downed SU-24 fighter plane?

Judging by the meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on August 9, the answer appears to be "yes".

We have already seen a build-up of reconciliatory gestures. The Turkish president's Russia Day greeting on June 12, his "sympathy and condolences" to the family of the killed pilot on June 27, the follow-up telephone conversation with Putin on June 29, and most importantly, Putin's call to express his support for Erdogan right after the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15.

As Ankara blames the self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen for both orchestrating the takeover attempt and sparking off the crisis with Russia, as a gesture of goodwill the pilots involved in the November 2015 shoot-down have now been detained by the Turkish authorities .

And last but not least, deputy prime ministers Mehmet Simsek and Arkady Dvorkovich restarted talks on the Turkish Stream pipelineÂ project in Moscow.

Ankara was recalibrating its foreign policy even before the July 15 coup attempt. The reset with Israel was followed by tentative overtures to Egypt.

Moreover, there has beenÂ speculationÂ that Turkey is also seeking communication with the Damascus regime.

Russia and Iran 's expressed support for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government in the aftermath of the coup attempt may improve chances for such (cautious) re-engagement with Syria, but one should not bank on a U-turn.

Surely Russia is in a league of its own. It remains a top economic partner for Turkey. Turkey's tourism, agriculture and the otherwise thriving construction sector have been badly hurt by the sanctions that Moscow imposedÂ in response to the shoot-down of its military jet.

OPINION: Why Turkey is mending ties with old foes

In all likelihood, it was the Turkish business community in Russia that provided the backchannel talks to mend the ties between the two governments, and work out a formula for normalisation without losing face.

Though it is probably too late to salvage the tourist season, Russia's decision to lift the ban on one airliner's flights and tour operators had a partial relief in resort towns along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.

It appears that the current rift with the West pushes Turkey closer to Russia. The US is blamed for failing to cooperate with the Turkish authorities for the extradition of Gulen - the alleged mastermind of the coup attempt.

Many in Turkey see the US as the chief culprit. The majority of Turks also berate the EU's reluctance to stand by Erdogan as he faced a life-threatening situation, and criticise Europe's exclusive focus on the clampdown that followed , ostensibly targeted against the "parallel state".

Russia needs a deal on Syria's transition - sooner rather than later - if it wants to avoid mission creep. Having Turkey on board is a necessary, albeit not sufficient condition.

The historical record shows that any time relations with Western allies are strained, Ankara tilts to Moscow. This happened after the 2003 war in Iraq; between 1997 and 1999 when the EU refused to invite Turkey for membership talks; following the invasion of Cyprus in 1974, and so forth.

We might be heading for another such moment but, as ever, there is a caveat. Turkey still needs NATO's protectionÂ to hedge against Russia's rising power near its borders.

OPINION:Â Could Turkey turn its back to the West?

Nevertheless, Russia appears to benefit from the rapprochement as well. In a sense, the Su-24 incident was an opportune moment for Putin.

He seized on the chance to demonise the Turkish leadership as "accomplices of terrorists" back-stabbing Russia.

The focus on Erdogan diverted attention from Putin's ongoing efforts to strike a deal on Syria with the US and its allies. US President Barack Obama was no longer the arch-villain that the pro-Kremlin media made him out to be at the peak of the Ukraine crisis in 2014.

But Russia has always been wary of a bog-down scenario. Having announced a pull-out from Syria in March, Moscow has its air force locked in in a fierce campaign against rebels in Aleppo.

The downing of a military transport helicopter on August 1 was Russia's biggest loss since the beginning of their military operations.

Even if Aleppo falls, Russia needs a deal on Syria's transition - sooner rather than later - if it wants to avoid mission creep. Having Turkey on board is a necessary, albeit not a sufficient condition.

Cooperation againstÂ the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) is also on top of the agenda.

OPINION: Why the West must embrace Turkey, not push it away

For all their differences, Russia and Turkey find themselves in the same boat. The June bomb attack at Istanbul's Ataturk airport has been attributed to radicals from Russia and other former Soviet republics.

Ideally, Turkey would also like Russia to scale down its support for the Syrian Kurds. In reality, it lacks the leverage needed to sway the Kremlin.

Russia and Turkey will find it difficult to make headway on the energy front as well. There is a good chance that one of Turkish Stream's four planned strings, each with capacity of 15.75 billion cubic metres (bcm), will be built to supply the Turkish market.

It is only rational for Russia and Turkey to de-escalate tensions and reset ties. But we are back to the marriage of convenience, not a newly flourished love affair.

Dimitar Bechev is a visiting scholar at Harvard University, and aÂ senior fellow atÂ Al Sharq Forum.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.

Summary: Russia and Turkey find themselves in the same boat, so it's only rational for them to de-escalate tensions.


One of the rare growth stories in retail can’t be found on Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive. It’s in a suburban strip mall.

This summer, Ulta Beauty, a chain that sells makeup, skin care, fragrances and hair products, will add 40 stores, part of plans to increase by 100 this year to more than 970 stores. At a time when many...

Summary: Ulta mixes mass brands, such as CoverGirl, with prestige ones, such as Clinique, prompting women to stay in the store with services and products to try.


It’s 10 p.m. Twenty-five-year-old “Raquelle Diva” walks into an empty room at Studio 20 in Bucharest, Romania, her plastic heels clicking against the linoleum as she powers the computer screen.

She wears a backless red dress and scrunches her hair, hustling from corner to corner. Flipping on the fluorescent lights and grabbing balloons — props for her one-woman digital peep show — she eases into the faux pillowtop armchair to face the webcam. Her clients are waiting.

As technology becomes better and cheaper and as free sexual content explodes online, live sex shows have replaced the dying pornography business. The adult webcam industry currently tops $1 billion in revenue a year and collectively, cam sites are visited by an estimated 5% of global web users daily — with top sites hosting 30 million visitors a month. At any given time, hundreds of models are performing sex shows online in specialized studios for clients across the world in real time.

While business is booming in the U.S., Romania — dubbed the red-light district of the internet — is the world’s capital of the adult cam studio industry, with an estimated 2,000 studios in operation.

Photographer Lorenzo Maccotta stands behind the camera after Raquelle Diva’s final session of the night. She is one of more than 14 models Maccotta has shot — all in an attempt to understand how technology interacts with and modifies human beings.

Raquelle Diva, who earned $48,000 in three months last year, is the most successful cam model at Studio 20. Once logged into a private chat room, her clients pay for continued connection. She receives a wide range of requests, from those who just want to talk or have a dinner or sleep with someone in real time, to those who ask her to pop up balloons or threat them like a child. She uses a dildo-like device that vibrates every time a member pays a tip.

Each staged room has a cushioned lounge chair, couch or bed facing a computer screen and camera. Three of the walls — save the bare walls the camera will never see — are covered with some hyperbolic statement wallpaper or cheap silk curtains. The rooms vary, from a stiff corporate luxury suite to something from a low-end strip club.

Studios are open 24/7, offering eight-hour shifts day and night. Some are equipped with a massage room, English teaching classes and consultants that provide advice remotely to the models when in trouble during a session. All promise the same gratification: easy money for an easy job.

While working behind the screen can have its advantages — a cam model no longer needs a pimp or protector, and real-time videos are not as easily distributed online for free — some models can still be enslaved by these virtual platforms. Some can be blackmailed, threatened to lose anonymity, and pushed into doing things they aren’t comfortable with. More commonly, models feel alienated after spending eight hours in a room.

“From a psychological point of view, the job is invasive,” Alex, a taxi driver whose wife works at a studio in Bucharest, tells Maccotta. “As a consequence of a daily duty based on pleasuring someone through a screen, you can easily identify yourself with the image you sell and get lost.”

Summary: A photographer goes behind the scenes of the online sex enterprise in Romania


NASA’s Juno spacecraft, which left Earth in 2011, will arrive at Jupiter just in the to celebrate the Fourth of July.

The craft has nine instruments that will find out more about the fifth planet from the Sun’s gravity, radiation field, atmospheric chemistry, aurorae, magnetism, and other vital signs — along with lots of pictures.

The data will be sent to earth over the course of the next few years, with the final bits of information set to arrive in February 2018.

The spacecraft is expected to settle into orbit around Jupiter starting at 4 p.m. EST. You can watch a live stream of the spacecraft’s arrival above.

Summary: Juno left Earth in 2011


When the heirs of Sir Robert Cotton selected a spot to stash the rare-book collector's priceless library, they probably should have known better than to pick a place called Ashburnham House. In 1731, a fire swept through that ill-named residence in London and forever impoverished our literary heritage.

One manuscript that escaped the blaze -- just barely -- contained an untitled poem of more than 3,000 lines. The flames actually singed its pages and destroyed bits of its unique content. In the centuries to follow, gradual...

Summary: The latest flurry of activity surrounding "Beowulf" probably owes much to the film that hits theaters this Friday. But it's a small miracle that the manuscript survived at all.


Mount St. Helens might have been a “baby among volcanoes,” in geological terms, but its 1980 eruption was the deadliest, most destructive volcanic event in U.S. history.

When the 9,677-foot peak in the Washington Cascades blew its top on this day, May 18, 35 years ago, it killed 57 people and thousands of animals, leveling 200 sq. mi. of forest. Within seconds, its symmetrical cone became a crater 1,300 ft. lower, thanks to a sideways blast that triggered a 300 m.p.h. landslide. A plume of ash shot 16 mi. into the air, and then rained back down to earth as dust so thick and fine it blotted out the sun as far away as Montana.

TIME put the natural disaster in perspective, pointing out that geologists didn’t find Mount St. Helens a particularly impressive specimen. Two weeks after the eruption, the magazine noted:

Mount St. Helens is something of a baby among volcanoes. It was born a mere 37,000 years ago, which is scarcely more than an instant in geological time. The mountain last erupted in 1857, when the area was an uninhabited wilderness. Last week’s blowup ranked as middling, as volcanic eruptions go. But the people who stumbled off St. Helens’ slopes, or were plucked to safety by helicopters, told tales that rivaled wartime survivor stories.

Although the mountain had been letting off steam since March of that year, no one knew exactly when it would blow, or how bad it would be. Residents of the surrounding foothills and forests who were surprised by the timing included a logger who would have almost surely died if the mountain had erupted a day later, when he was scheduled to be among a crew of 200 felling trees in the blast zone. Instead, he fled his home after hearing the explosion on Sunday morning.

“I heard the goldangest noise, like someone upending a bunch of barrels down the road,” he told TIME. ‘There was a roar, like a jet plane approaching, and a lot of snapping and popping. Those were the trees. We got out fast.”

The 57 people who died included loggers and miners, journalists and geologists, along with families camping in areas they believed were safe. One was an 83-year-old innkeeper named Harry R. Truman, who became notorious in the weeks leading up to the blast for his colorful crustiness and his stubborn refusal to back down from the volcano’s threats. Despite daily earthquakes at the lodge he ran at the mountain’s base, he vowed to stay there with his 16 pet cats — and a cache of whisky, according to the New York Times.

“No damn way does that mountain have enough stuff to come my way,” he told a reporter for The Oregonian, a month before the mountain buried him and his cats in scalding ash.

But, clearly, an unimpressive volcano in geological terms can still be a staggeringly destructive force by human standards. The superheated gases that bubbled up inside Mount St. Helens ultimately exploded with 500 times the force of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, per TIME. Spewing an estimated 1.5 cubic mi. of debris, the blast rivaled another volcanic event that made an indelible impression on humanity, if not geology: the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Read more about the eruption from 1980, here in the TIME archives: God, I Want to Live!

Summary: May 18, 1980: Mount St. Helens erupts


The man, a 27-year-old Somalian who was armed with an axe, was caught trying to break into the home of Kurt Westergaard at 10pm local time, police said.

Police shot the man, injuring him in his leg. He was taken into custody and is expected to recover.

Mr Westergaard, 74, was one of 12 cartoonists commissioned by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper to produce caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed five years ago. He has received several death threats since.

Mr Westergaard's cartoon was seen at the time as the most controversial, as it depicted the Prophet with a bomb in his turban.

The cartoons inflamed anti-Danish and anti-Western sentiment among Muslims across the world.

Denmark's cartoon crisis began in September 2005 when the Jyllands-Posten cultural editor Flemming Rose commissioned the satirical drawings as part of a discussion on free speech.

In January 2006, after both the newspaper and the Danish government refused Muslim demands for an apology, a wave of violence ensued during which several Danish embassies were set alight, a boycott of Danish goods was encouraged across the Muslim world and violent anti-Danish demonstrations were held, particularly in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Several demonstrators were killed in separate incidents as security forces sought to control the protests.

Summary: Danish police on Friday shot and wounded a man trying to enter the home of an artist who drew controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.


“I think he made a poor choice, but he actually believes in what he’s saying,” John MacCrossren, 63, a retired Naval helicopter pilot, said of Colin Kaepernick.

“I think he made a poor choice, but he actually believes in what he’s saying,” John MacCrossren, 63, a retired Naval helicopter pilot, said of Colin Kaepernick.

Chargers fans discuss 49ers’ Kaepernick before kickoff

SAN DIEGO - Late this afternoon, John MacCrossren, 63, a retired Naval helicopter pilot, sat in the Qualcomm Stadium parking lot enjoying a tailgate meal with his wife and son.

MacCrossren, who served 24 years in the military, had hung an American flag on the canopy under which they were eating about three hours before kickoff of the preseason finale between the Chargers and visiting 49ers.

MacCrossren was asked for his thoughts on 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who plans to, again, sit during the playing of the national anthem before kickoff tonight. MacCrossren acknowledged he was initially “pretty infuriated,” but his anger dissipated when he understood Kaepernick was staging his protest to bring attention to issues such as racial inequality.

“I think he made a poor choice, but he actually believes in what he’s saying,” MacCrossren said. “And any military guy will tell you that there are guys that die in the military all the time so that he can do that. I don’t take it as an affront to the military. It’s not great. It’s our country. That’s our flag. There’s a certain negativity to what he did, but as a military guy I’m not going to argue with his right to do that.”

MacCrossren, of course, is among a legion of retired and active military in San Diego, which has the largest concentration of military personnel and ships in the world.

And before the Chargers’ 28th annual “Salute to the Military” celebration, there were plenty of American flags dotting the Qualcomm parking lot today.

One flag was attached to be the bed of a Chevy pickup, where Crystal Brown, 24, was tailgating with her boyfriend, a Marine stationed at Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, where the Chargers held their practice Wednesday.

Does Brown plan to boo Kaepernick tonight?

“Of course, she said. “I understand his views. I understand what he’s trying to protest. I get that. But the national anthem has nothing to do with it … You’re basically standing against America. Go ahead, and stand against what you want to stand against, but not America.”

Robert Munoz, 33, a 49ers fan sporting a Patrick Willis jersey who made the trip from nearby Temecula, expects Kaepernick to receive a strong reaction.

“I’m not concerned about (his safety), but I guarantee but he’ll get booed,” Munoz said. “I mean, this is a military town and it’s military night. It’s understandable.”

Juan Valdez, 30, of Los Angeles said he’ll probably boo Kaepernick, but acknowledged he’d probably do the same for most visiting quarterbacks.

“I guess I’m like everybody else,” Valdez said. “I get it. But I don’t think that’s showing much respect for those people that have fought for our freedoms and rights. There’s other ways to protest, especially a person like him who has fame and money … Maybe speaking up in his press conferences or volunteering with a charity, he could have gotten his point across.”

At 4:55 p.m., just over two hours before kickoff, Kaepernick first stepped on the field for warm-ups in a largely empty stadium. At one point, he exchanged an embrace with Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman.

Of course, Kaepernick probably won’t be greeted as warmly once the stadium begins to fill, but MacCrossren won’t be adding his voice to the chorus.

“I wouldn’t boo him,” MacCrossren said. “That’s what I did for 24 years in the Navy was make sure he could do that. Now I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a lot of booing going on. These guys boo their own team here. They’ll boo all the 49ers just for walking on the field.”

Summary: Chargers fans discuss 49ers’ Kaepernick before kickoff  SAN DIEGO - Late this afternoon, John MacCrossren, 63, a retired Naval helicopter pilot, sat in the Qualcomm Stadium parking lot enjoying a tailgate meal with his wife and son.  MacCrossren, who served 24 years in the military, had hung an American flag on the canopy under which they were eating about three hours before kickoff of the preseason finale between the Chargers and visiting 49ers.  MacCrossren was asked for his thoughts on 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who plans to, again, sit during the playing of the national anthem before kickoff tonight.  MacCrossren acknowledged he was initially “pretty infuriated,” but his anger dissipated when he understood Kaepernick was staging his protest to bring attention to issues such as racial inequality.  MacCrossren, of course, is among a legion of retired and active military in San Diego, which has the largest concentration of military personnel and ships in the world.  [...] before the Chargers’ 28th annual “Salute to the Military” celebration, there were plenty of American flags dotting the Qualcomm parking lot today.  Does Brown plan to boo Kaepernick tonight?  [...] I don’t think that’s showing much respect for those people that have fought for our freedoms and rights.  At one point, he exchanged an embrace with Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman.


09/08/2016 AT 03:40 PM EDT

He's been accused of running the largest Medicare fraud case in U.S. history, allegedly using ill-gotten funds for private jets, escort services and to hire a pricey basketball coach for his 16-year-old son, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE.

But Philip Esformes, 47, remains behind bars, as his lawyers battle a federal judge who has denied Esformes bail until his trial for allegedly bilking government programs out of $1 billion, according to court records.

"This is the largest single criminal health care fraud case ever brought against individuals by the Department of Justice," Leslie Caldwell, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Criminal Division announced in a statement when Esformes and two others were indicted on July 21.

More than 30 family members, friends and rabbis have joined together to pledge $3 million to help Esformes obtain a bond so he can be released from the Miami Federal Detention Center, where he has been held since his July arrest, according to the

But Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres will not let Esformes out of jail, ruling on August 5 that he is a flight risk and could obstruct justice in the ongoing investigation, according to court records.

The Miami millionaire and philanthropist, who owns the Esformes Network of more than 20 skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Miami-Dade county, faces a possible sentence of life in prison if he is convicted of health care fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and other charges, according to court records.

The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Esformes used his chain of nursing homes and a network of hospitals, doctors and health care providers to fraudulently bill taxpayer-funded Medicare and Medicaid programs out of $1 billion by filing false claims for unnecessary services or services that were never rendered, according to court records.

Esformes and others also allegedly got kickbacks for sending patients to certain health care providers, according to the court records.

Also charged in the alleged scheme are Arnaldo Carmouze, a 56-year-old physician's assistant, and Odette Barcha, 49, a former hospital administrator.

Judge Torres granted them bonds, according to court records.

As Esformes awaits trial, his lawyers are appealing Torres's decision to detain their client, according to the

His lawyers say Esformes is

Esformesâs lawyer, Michael Pasano, issued a statement to PEOPLE, reading:

"Mr. Esformes is a successful and respected businessman. He loves his children and is dedicated to his religion. He is a very hard worker. Government indictments have a way of demonizing the accused and often present an unfair and incorrect image of the person charged. That is true here.

"Mr. Esformes is still fighting to be released from custody. He is also working with his lawyers to defend himself at trial and clear his name. The Government case relies on testimony of crooks who were caught and now are pointing a finger at Mr. Esformes as a means to obtain lesser sentences. We hope to demonstrate at trial that Mr. Esformes was unwittingly taken advantage of by people he trusted and not a part of their crimes."

Summary: Family and friends of Philip Esformess have pledged almost $3 million to help him get out of jail


“I’ve got Republican friends who don’t think or act the way Donald Trump does,” President Obama said Wednesday at a Raleigh rally for Hillary Clinton. That’s totally believable except the part about his having Republican friends. The president continued: “This”—meaning Trump, not Mrs. Clinton—“is somebody who is uniquely unqualified. I ran against John McCain. I ran against Mitt Romney. I thought I’d be a better president, but I never thought that the republic was at risk if they were elected.”

National Review’s Charles Cooke finds Obama’s remarks vexatious. “Democrats really have limited their ability to credibly warn against the dangers posed by Trump,” he argues, noting that Obama and his supporters treated Romney quite viciously in 2012:

If we understand Cooke correctly, he is frustrated with liberals because he largely agrees with them about Trump—note he accepts the premise about the “dangers posed” by the GOP nominee—and finds the case more difficult to make persuasively because their lack of credibility tends to discredit his argument. To put it in fabulous terms, liberals cried wolf, and now that there really is a wolf, nobody is listening to Cooke’s cries.

To judge by the Twitter exchanges we read yesterday, Cooke did not find a receptive audience on the left. Some detractors argued that Romney was a dangerous radical, which illustrates Cooke’s point without conceding it. Others claimed that the anti-Romney rhetoric then was not actually as harsh as the anti-Trump rhetoric now.

Although this column has also criticized the left (in February and September) for crying wolf, it seems to us the latter group has a bit of a point. Our (admittedly subjective) sense is that the left has been denouncing Trump more harshly than it denounced Romney. The most recent examples to cross our desk are the New York Times’s Charles Blow, who calls Trump “an existential threat,” and the New Yorker’s Adam Gopnik, who describes the nominee as “an open and committed enemy of liberal democracy and constitutional republicanism.”

To our mind, there is at least a difference in degree between the 2012 attacks and the 2016 ones. Whereas the volume of the Romney attacks was at 8 or 9, now they’ve cranked it up to 11. You can see why conservatives and liberals might experience that differently: Whereas the left needed expensive new equipment to get the volume boost, to the right it’s an intolerable racket either way.

Another difference between 2012 and 2016 is the role of the so-called mainstream media. There, the volume boost has gone to 11 from something more like 5 or 6. We’ve written often about that in the past but were surprised to find this in Vanity Fair of all places, from Ken Stern:

We’re not sure why Stern limits his hypothetical to a “non-traditional candidate.” We can easily imagine, say, the New York Times taking an openly adversarial approach to, say, John Kasich or Marco Rubio running in 2020 to succeed President Kaine. The move away from objectivity and toward partisanship didn’t start after Trump became a candidate. Press theorists have been bemoaning “false balance” (i.e., balance) for years, and the “fact check” genre—opinion journalism, often of low quality, with a pretense of authoritativeness—was invented more than a decade ago.

Stern’s analysis presupposes that Mrs. Clinton will win. That assumption also helps explain why liberals do not care to take Cooke’s argument seriously: If Trump loses, it makes no difference, at least in the short term, whether the left’s criticisms of him have been credible; and if their overwrought attacks on Romney and other past Republicans indirectly led to Trump’s nomination, that’s a win-win from the Democratic standpoint.

But wait. As this column revealed Tuesday, Trump could win. That’s not even a contrarian view anymore: FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver, no conservative, had a post last night titled “Election Update: Why Clinton’s Position Is Worse Than Obama’s,” meaning Obama’s the week before the election in 2012:

CNN notes there’s also a new Colorado poll showing the two nominees tied at 39%. As of early Friday afternoon, Silver gives Trump close to a 1 in 3 chance of winning. Mrs. Clinton is the favorite, but not a prohibitive one.

What if Trump wins? It’s a safe bet the media would remain adversarial, which is largely to the good; it would be refreshing to see journalists challenge those in power for a change. But here’s the more interesting question: What if he wins and he turns out not to be as bad as the liberals and Nevertrump conservatives fear?

We don’t mean to suggest a Trump presidency would be trouble-free, but his detractors have set an awfully high bar for awfulness. It is possible he would meet it—but if the world and the republic survive the administration of President Trump, it’ll be really hard to get anyone alarmed when the next wolf comes along.

Fox Butterfield, Is That You? “Federal efforts to preserve a level playing field are laudable but face new challenges as AT&T, Comcast and Verizon all become vertically integrated providers of digital access, media and advertising. All three have experimented with ways to manipulate data pricing to benefit their content, despite the Federal Communications Commission’s net-neutrality rules designed to provide fair and equal network access.”—editorial, Seattle Times, Nov. 3

We Blame George W. Bush “Don’t Like Donald Trump’s Piggish Prejudice? Blame Golf.”—headline,. Chicago Tribune, Nov. 3

The Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations “Economist Magazine Endorses Clinton, Says She Is ‘a Better Candidate Than She Seems’ ”—headline, FoxNews.com, Nov. 3

Anthony Weiner, Is That You? “Topless Photo of ‘RHOC’ [‘Real Housewives of Orange County’] Star Leads to FBI Complaint”—headline, New York Post, Nov. 3

To Serve Man “The ‘Leftover People’ May Deliver a Win for Trump”—headline, Boston Globe, Nov. 2

Too Much Information “John Kerry’s Rich Fantasy Life”—headline, Washington Times, Nov. 3

Someone Set Up Us the Bomb “A Virginia School Principal Dressed as Trump, Secretary Was Prison Hillary, and of Course It’s Robert E. Lee High”—headline, Salon, Nov. 3

News You Can Use “On Election Day, Voters Should Flush the Toilet”—headline, JewishWorldReview.com, Nov. 4

Bottom Stories of the Day

I’m Offended That You’re Offended “Washington [state] prison inmates will no longer be called ‘offenders,’ ” reports the NW News Network, a consortium of public radio stations:

So what do you call somebody who offends an offender by calling him an offender?

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(Carol Muller helps compile Best of the Web. Thanks to Tony Lima, Mara Gold, Irene DeBlasio, Bruce Goldman, Miguel Rakiewicz, Michele Schiesser, Mark Zoeller, Randy Riness, Wes Van Fleet, Debbie Wells, Myles Pollin, Mike Lavender, Michael Smith and Mordecai Bobrowsky. If you have a tip, write us at opinionjournal@wsj.com, and please include the URL.)

Summary: Best of the Web: What if the dangers of Trump are overstated?


Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump face the judgement of the voters on Tuesday as millions of Americans turn out on Election Day to pick the next US president and end a bruising campaign that polls said favours Clinton.

In a battle centred largely on the character of the candidates, Clinton, 69, a former secretary of state and first lady, and Trump, 70, a New York businessman, made their final, fervent appeals to supporters late on Monday to turn out the vote.

Their final week of campaigning was a grinding series of get-out-the-vote rallies across battleground states where the election is likely to be decided.

"We choose to believe in a hopeful, inclusive, big-hearted America," Clinton said in Philadelphia before a crowd of 33,000 - the biggest of her campaign.

She was joined by Democratic President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle, and Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton

Trump made one of his final appearances late on Monday in Manchester, New Hampshire, where polls showed a tight race.

"Tomorrow, the American working class will strike back," Trump said. "It's about time."

He brought much of his family on stage for his last rally in the state where he scored his first victory in the Republican nomination fight.

Clinton went into Election Day as the favourite to become the first US woman president after spending eight years in the White House as the first lady in the 1990s.

A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave Clinton a 90 per cent chance of defeating Trump and said she was on track to win 303 Electoral College votes out of 270 needed, to Trump's 235.

But Trump advisers said the level of his support was not apparent in the polling and believed the New York businessman was in position for an upset victory along the lines of the "Brexit" vote in June to pull Britain from the European Union.

While opinion polls showed a close race, but tilting toward Clinton, major bookmakers and online exchanges were more confident of a Clinton victory. PredictIt put her chances of capturing the White House at 81 per cent.

Both Clinton and Trump plan to vote on Tuesday - she in Chappaqua, New York, and he in Manhattan. They were then to hold victory rallies about 1.5 kilometres apart in the evening in New York City.

An early indicator of the strength of each candidate could come in North Carolina and Florida, two must-win states for Trump that have been the subject of frantic last-minute efforts by both the Republican and Democratic campaigns.

Races in both those states were shifting from favouring Clinton to being too close to call.

A strong vote for Clinton could also jeopardise Republican control of the US Senate, as voters choose 34 senators of the 100-member chamber. Democrats needed a net gain of five seats to win control. The 435-seat House of Representatives is expected, however, to remain in Republican hands.

Summary: As the final campaigning day of the US presidential election gets underway polls suggest Hillary Clinton is edging ahead of Republican rival Donald Trump.


Thursday was a big day for Chipotle Mexican Grill, as the burrito chain opened its first offshoot burger joint, Tasty Made, in Ohio.

But Boston-based Tasty Burger sought to spoil the occasion, serving up a complaint to the US Patent and Trademark Office Thursday morning over the new concept’s name and logo.

It’s the latest move in a restaurant rivalry that has quickly come to a sizzle.

Both restaurants offer typical burger-and-fries fare, including milkshakes. Tasty Burger’s menu is more extensive, with chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, and salads.

It’s the branding, however, that’s at the center of this dispute.

Over the summer, Tasty Burger, which operates six restaurants between Greater Boston and Washington, D.C., sent a cease and desist letter to Chipotle. Tasty Burger said the Tasty Made name and logo—white lettering on a red background—too closely mirrored its own.

With Thursday’s complaint, Tasty Burger aims to block government approval of the Tasty Made trademarks.

The Boston chain argued Chipotle’s Tasty Made marque will lead to confusion and hurt its business. In the filing, Tasty Burger said TV news programs have mistakenly referred to Chipotle’s new chain as Tasty Burger and cited questions about the two brands on social media.

“We file this opposition to aggressively protect the Tasty Burger mark and its goodwill from any mark that causes confusion amongst our customers,” Tasty Burger chief executive David DuBois said in a statement. “This type of protection is necessary against a competitor who willfully uses a confusingly similar name and marks, despite being made aware of the confusion.”

In an interview, DuBois said Chipotle, a publicly traded company worth nearly $10 billion, was attempting to overpower his much smaller business.

“For them to argue they don’t think the two things are similar is the position of a company that can outspend the little guy,” DuBois said. “I can tell you, we’re just not going to lay down for these guys. That’s what they want us to do.”

In response, Chipotle spokeswoman Danielle Moore suggested Tasty Burger’s opposition was a publicity stunt.

“We view no confusion or conflict here,” she said. “While we did discuss Tasty Burger’s concerns with them, such discussions led us to believe that Tasty Burger is simply using this as a way to build awareness for their brand and has no valid legal basis to challenge our trademark.”

Moore said Tasty Burger’s case is weak because the Boston company’s name and logo are listed on the “supplemental” trademark register.

That means the US government did not afford it full trademark protection after it launched in 2010, because the name was seen as overly simple. “In the present case, the term TASTY BURGER is commonly used in the food industry and among consumers to describe a good tasting hamburger,” the 2011 trademark office ruling read.

In August, shortly after the Chipotle feud began, Tasty Burger applied for a place on the “principal” trademark list. If approved, the distinction would afford the company greater trademark protection.

Tasty Burger is represented by Boston law firm Prince Lobel.

Summary: The Boston burger chain filed a complaint over the burrito giant’s new Tasty Made burger concept.


When is a tribunal not really a tribunal?

When it's Malcolm Turnbull's "low-cost, speedy tribunal" to deal with customer complaints against banks,.

Kelly O'Dwyer, the minister responsible for financial services, explains what the prime minister was really talking about in October was a small 't' tribunal.

That was a "catch-all for having a one-stop consumer complaints stop", she told ABC radio on Tuesday.

The difference between a "big-T" and "little-t" tribunal?

"One is far more legalistic, which means it is probably less consumer friendly and that is a 'big T tribunal," she said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will probably see it as "t" for "toothless", and a far cry from the banking royal commission Labor wants.

Ms O'Dwyer's explanation comes just two weeks after the House of Representatives economics committee recommended a new "banking tribunal" be established by July, following its grilling of the big four bank bosses in October.

The annual parliamentary review was set up to fend off calls for a royal commission.

Instead, a Financial Industry Ombudsman will replace the two financial services ombudsmen.

The decision follows release of an interim report by an independent expert panel reviewing the financial system's external dispute resolution and complaints framework.

Mr Shorten was livid the National Australia Bank and Westpac increased the rates on some of their home loans.

"Now that the parliament has risen and avoiding the scrutiny of Mr Turnbull's toothless tiger parliamentary committee ... then the next week they decided to gouge mortgage holders more," he told reporters in Sydney.

"These big banks are out of touch and arrogant."

Chair of the parliamentary committee economics committee, Liberal MP David Coleman, said one issue identified in the inquiry was a lack of competition in the banking sector.

"I do think there is a very strong case for further government efforts in this area to stimulate competition," Mr Coleman told Sky News.

The committee recommended a six-monthly review into banking competition by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Mr Coleman expects to grill the big four bank executives again in March.

Summary: Two months after Malcolm Turnbull said there would be a banking tribunal one of his ministers has revealed he meant one with a small 't'.


I better step away from the live publishing tool now.

Tomorrow we have more estimates and more lower house. Thanks to the blog feeders, Paul Karp, Gareth Hutchens, Amanda Meade, Jasper Lindell and Mikey Bowers. As well as you, dear readers.

The ABCC bill has just gone through the lower house.

NXT senator Rebekha Sharkie voted for the bill. Which gives you an idea of where Nick Xenophon is going to go in the Senate. He is looking to amend in the Senate.

Indi independent Cathy McGowan also voted for the bill.

Denison independent Andrew Wilkie voted against.

Bob Katter was not listed in the vote.

Alannah & Madeline Foundation’s CEO Lesley Podesta has been meeting with MPs in Canberra today to urge them to maintain strong gun laws.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation is calling for urgent action to ensure that our firearm laws remain strong, and asks that:

1. All states and territories pledge to ensure their gun laws are maintained in line with the National Firearms Agreement 1996, and continue to do so.

2. All firearms capable of firing multiple shots in quick succession and which could be used to harm a number of people in a short amount of time should be restricted, including the Adler A110.

The Foundation is running a petition to that effect.

The prime minister is speaking on the ABCC bill. Given most government questions spoke to this bill during question time, I won’t give you chapter and verse on it.

Legal and Constitutional is running well behind because of the marathon five-hour questioning of Gillian Triggs, who was only scheduled to appear for 45 minutes.

Summary: Labor moves to suspend standing orders after reports PM may weaken gun laws as Turnbull describes Amnesty’s claims of torture on Nauru as ‘absolutely false’. Follow it live ...


Before you go, we thought you'd like these...

You know it gives you a morning buzz and makes that wait in the Starbucks line worth it. But here's something you may not have realized about coffee: New research has concluded that

. The latest findings, cited in the trade publication

seem to reinforce prior studies that found coffee drinkers have lower rates of kidney and ovarian cancers.

"Besides caffeine, coffee contains more than a thousand chemicals," researchers say, adding that the compounds cafestol and kahweol may be protective against carcinogens that would normally damage our genes, Reuters Health reports.

used data from nine earlier experiments and compared results to tea drinkers, cigarette smokers, and others with and without cancer. Scientists discovered that the chance of getting head and neck cancers is 12% lower for coffee drinkers.

Also, the more coffee consumed, the lower your risk of getting head and neck cancers. People who drink coffee more than four times per day reduce their risk by one third. However, if you don't drink coffee as much, your risk of getting head and neck cancers are still low. Only about 1 in 10,000 Americans get this type of cancer each year.

But for those looking for an excuse not to give up that first, second or third morning cup, this might be the ticket. Now, whether you'll get caffeine jitters or weird stains on your teeth is another story.

Summary: You know it gives you a morning buzz and makes that wait in the Starbucks line worth it. But here's something you may not have realized about coffee: New research has concluded that coffee


But this isn't money for a widows' and children's fund, a lost loved one's foundation or a scholarship program.

Businessman Edward Fine, whom fate miraculously saved from the north tower's 79th floor on Sept. 11, said he's simply too busy to talk about that day - unless you dish up the kind of cash his clients pay for his time.

"I ask $500 for an hour, for two, it's $911 - and, yes, there is a significance to that sum," said Fine, who owns an investment and public-relations firm in New Jersey.

"Giving interviews takes time out of running my business. I think it's justified," he said.

The famous picture of Fine, taken by an Agence France-Presse photographer, appeared on the cover of Fortune magazine a few weeks after the attacks, and immediately became an iconic image of Sept. 11.

Fine told The Post he's given around 12 interviews for the Sept. 11 anniversary - but only to those who agreed to pay.

That means he's likely netted at least $6,000 from telling his tale.

One journalist who interviewed him said he was amazed when their talk came to an end and Fine "put his hand out straight away and asked for his check."

Fine argues he has a right to ask for money because he is no longer a news story, and if photographers make money out of their 9/11 pictures, why shouldn't he?

But journalism-ethics expert Kenny Irby, of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, says that there's a big distinction between a photojournalist who makes a salary for recording history, and his subject matter.

"Asking for money as a subject violates the implicit agreement in the United States between citizens and the media that public events in a public place are public property," he said.

"Paying for stories, especially stories that have such historic importance, is setting a bad precedent. The American media is rooted in its accuracy and authority. Paying would compromise that.

"Information in a free society and democracy should be free."

In some other countries - especially Britain - paying subjects for interviews is not uncommon, but it is generally frowned upon in the United States.

Other Sept. 11 survivors made famous by photos said they wouldn't dream of charging for interviews.

"I've no interest in making money on this," said George Sleigh - one of three businessmen famously snapped covered in debris on Broadway, after escaping from the north tower.

"It was a very terrible thing that happened that day, and to make money out of that horrible experience is just not ethical behavior," he said.

Sleigh, too, has given dozens of interviews and says now that if he doesn't have time to spare, he'll screen his telephone calls.

Staffers at a New York-based news agency that has interviewed numerous Sept. 11 victims said they were staggered when Fine demanded cash from them.

"We have spoken to dozens of victims and victims' families - not a single other person asked for money," said one reporter, who asked to remain anonymous.

Even the National Enquirer - which admits to practicing checkbook journalism - said it would not pay for Sept. 11 stories.

"Paying for some of these tales of history is really something that is unthinkable," said Barry Levine, the tabloid's New York bureau chief.

Fine was featured in the American Media/National Enquirer's Sept. 11 special edition, but the interview was conducted several months ago, before he began asking for money, said Levine.

Sources told The Post that one newspaper that did pay Fine was London's Daily Mirror, which has already stirred outrage with the anti-American slant of its Post-9/11 news coverage.

The Post did not pay Edward Fine for his quotes in this article.

Summary: New York Post Online: 9/11 Those We Lost


Sunnis generally oppose the constitution, and Anbar, with an overwhelmingly Sunni population, was widely expected to reach the two-thirds margin necessary to defeat the charter. Electoral officials in Falluja, the former guerrilla stronghold 35 miles west of Baghdad, estimated that at least 80 percent of voters rejected the constitution, based on early returns. Falluja is the second-largest city in hostile Anbar Province, and the overwhelming no vote there makes it virtually certain that the entire province will be counted as rejecting the document.

But in Nineveh and Diyala Provinces, where defeat had also seemed possible, some early vote counts suggested that the opponents were outnumbered. In Nineveh, Khasro Goran, the deputy governor, told Iraqi state television that 60 percent of voters in the province had approved the document. A Shiite political official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information, offered a similar figure, saying that of 450,000 votes counted, 350,000 had approved the charter. Nineveh's major city is Mosul, which has a large Sunni population, and the site of some of the worst insurgent violence.

Here in Baquba, capital of Diyala Province, the governor, Raad Rashid al-Mulla Jowad, said Shiite party officials in Baghdad told him that the referendum passed in the province with 67 percent of the vote.

Interviews with election supervisors in several predominantly Sunni voting districts in Diyala suggested that Sunnis turned out in large numbers, and that many of them had voted to approve the constitution. A majority approved it in at least one heavily populated Sunni district and one smaller one.

The supervisor of the polling centers in the predominantly Sunni town of Khan Beni Saad, in southwestern Diyala, said 52 percent of the approximately 24,000 people who went to the polls voted for the constitution, while 48 percent voted against.

The referendum was defeated in some other predominantly Sunni districts, but in degrees that reflected strong support among Sunnis. In the farming town of Buhriz, which is more than 90 percent Sunni and has about 23,000 registered voters, the referendum failed 57 percent to 43 percent, according to Beshar Qasim Saleh al-Dulaimi, the supervisor of its seven polling centers.

The reasons for the surprisingly strong Sunni support for the constitution remained unclear. But one possible explanation was the relative lack of violence on Saturday and in the days leading up to the vote, which may have left voters feeling freer to break with the insurgents' opposition to the document. In Buhriz, a Sunni-populated site of frequent attacks in the past, several townspeople interviewed Sunday said the improved security permitted them to leave their homes on Saturday and participate in the referendum.

Even in Anbar, viewed as the core of opposition to the constitution, a number of Sunni residents said they had voted in favor. Months of battles between American troops and insurgents have caused the quality of life to deteriorate, and residents said they were willing to try anything that might change conditions.

For some Sunni opponents of the constitution, even voting against it, though probably a losing vote, brought its own rewards. "I can say yes or no because it's freedom," said Kenan Ismael, 59, a Sunni from Baquba. "As long as there's freedom and democracy, I'm free to vote no."

Shiites and Kurds overwhelmingly support the constitution, but there were some indications that fewer voted than in the January elections, perhaps because of the perception that the document was certain to pass in Shiite and Kurdish provinces.

In eight Shiite-dominated provinces in southern Iraq, turnout was somewhat lower than expected, according to uncorrected advance figures released Sunday by Iraq's electoral commission. In Najaf Province, home to the Shiite holy city of Najaf, only 56 percent of registered voters went to the polls, said Carina Pirelli, a United Nations official who serves as a nonvoting member on the commission. In January, turnout in some Shiite areas of the south was more than 70 percent.

Summary: Early electoral returns suggested that Iraq's proposed constitution was headed for victory, with only two Sunni provinces likely to oppose the charter.


Jack McBrayer plays Kenneth, the over-eager NBC page – a highly-sought-after entry level position with the network on NBC's Emmy Award-winning "30 Rock," a workplace comedy where the workplace exists behind-the-scenes of a live variety show.

McBrayer, along with the "30 Rock" cast, was nominated for a 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

McBrayer has performed at the sketch comedy epicenters of three cities beginning with Second City and ImprovOlympic in Chicago, the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York as well as the UCB and IO outposts in Los Angeles. He has made numerous appearances in sketches on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and has appeared on "Arrested Development." He was recently seen opposite Will Ferrell in the NASCAR comedy "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

He can next be seen in Judd Apatow's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," opposite Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd and Kristen Bell, for Universal Pictures.

Summary: Jack McBrayer as Kenneth from the 30 Rock comedy TV show. Read cast bios and profiles with pictures and photos of Jack McBrayer who plays Kenneth in the 30 Rock comedy TV show from NBC.


By JOHN MARZULLI DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU CHIEF

Sunday, August 26th 2001, 2:22AM

Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik leaves tonight for a four-day trip to Israel, where he will meet with government officials to discuss anti-terror tactics and Israeli traffickers of Ecstasy pills.

Kerik was invited to the violence-wracked region by Israel's minister of public safety. Mayor Giuliani approved the trip.

The visit is considered official business, so New York City taxpayers are picking up the tab.

The commissioner said he will discuss "policing issues that we both have concerns about here in the United States, here in New York City, as well as their concerns in Israel."

"I think there are things they can learn from us and also things that perhaps we can learn from them," Kerik added.

Kerik is not bringing any NYPD terrorist or narcotics experts with him.

A police spokesman refused to say exactly who is going or how many bodyguards will accompany the top cop. When Giuliani visited Israel in 1996, he was accompanied by six detectives from his protective unit as well as then-Chief of Department Louis Anemone.

The mayor visited such hot spots as the site where Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated and rode on a bus route that had been the target of Hamas bombers.

The Police Department is not releasing Kerik's itinerary because of the intense violence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Dozens of Israelis have been killed and maimed in recent weeks by suicide bombers - 6 Israelis were slain yesterday in two attacks - and Israel has retaliated by targeting suspected terrorists and attacking Palestinian security posts.

"[Kerik is] not worried, but we are," said a high-ranking police official.

Referring to the Ecstasy issue, Kerik said, "I think I'll be giving them information with regard to seizures we've had and intelligence we've had on narcotics trafficking and see if we can coordinate better or work better together to address some of these issues."

There have been several federal and state prosecutions of drug dealers who are Israeli nationals, but authorities believe Israel is a transshipment point rather than a producer of the pills.

Kerik himself is no stranger to the Middle East and traveled to Israel before becoming commissioner. Before joining the NYPD, he coordinated security for the Saudi royal family.

Summary: Shalom, Bernie. Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik leaves tonight for a four-day trip to Israel, where he will meet with government officials to discuss anti-terror tactics and Israeli traffickers of Ecstasy pills. Kerik was invited to the violence-wracked region by Israel's minister of public safety. Mayor Giuliani approved the trip. The visit is considered official business, so New York City taxpayers are picking up the tab. The


By LAUREN RUBIN DAILY NEWS FEATURE WRITER

Thursday, March 14th 2002, 1:71AM

The crew of "Resident Evil" quickly learned not to mess with Milla Jovovich, the film's star.

"I punched a few people on this movie by mistake," says Jovovich.

While play-fighting on the set, she gave black eyes to writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson and cinematographer David Johnson.

"It feels good to connect."

Of course the 26-year-old actress didn't mean to punch out Johnson or Anderson - who also happens to be her boyfriend. But in the sci-fi thriller, which opens tomorrow, Jovovich uses martial arts and the occasional machine gun to escape ravenous dogs and kill zombies. A few bruises come with the territory.

"I said to them, 'You guys, I can't play-fight. I don't miss,' " says Jovovich, who's also a model for L'Oreal cosmetics. "When I aim at something, I don't have the kind of control where I can stop this [she holds a fist an inch from her other hand] far away."

"Resident Evil" is inspired by the video game of the same name, a genre known by Anderson, who directed the first "Mortal Kombat" in 1995. Jovovich leads a commando unit that must save the world from a virus that turns people into blood-sucking zombies.

The physical role places Jovovich among such buff actresses as Jennifer Garner ("Alias") and Jessica Alba ("Dark Angel"), who flex muscle and kick butt.

"It was a great opportunity for me to have fun, wear sexy clothes and do great stunts," says Jovovich, who became a fan of the video game while playing with her 13-year-old brother, Marco. "There's nothing more attractive than watching a girl with a really short skirt and a big gun not taking crap from anyone."

Taking a role for the fun of it is a departure for the Kiev-born actress, who describes her past roles as "intense, subterranean and very left field" - especially "The Fifth Element" (1997) and "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" (1999).

"It's more interesting to play a character that's different from me because then I look at myself from my character's point of view and maybe see things I don't like," she says. "You step away from yourself.

"One of the most important things about being an actor is losing your ability to judge. If you start judging too much I don't know how you can appreciate a whole character."

It's a lesson she began to learn as a child after emigrating to this country from Ukraine in 1980. She was only 5 years old, but witnessing her parents struggle - her mother, Gallina Loginova, had been a successful actress in Kiev - convinced her to make sure they would never have to worry about paying the bills.

She began modeling at age 11 and at 12 was named one of Revlon's Most Unforgettable Women in the World.

"I don't know where I would be without modeling," says Jovovich. "If I didn't model, I wouldn't have the money to make some of the film choices I've made ... which are [then] more honest. Films give me a great opportunity to study myself, human nature and to understand why I do the things I do."

But it took a teen rebellion against modeling and acting to appreciate what she had.

"I started in a way to please my mother," says Jovovich. "Sometimes you have to leave everything behind to come back with a fresh view of it. ... It's important to discover things for yourself."

She moved to Europe to perform as a singer/songwriter, eventually recording "Milla: Divine Comedy" in 1994.

Jovovich considers music her refuge. "It's the thing I discovered on my own," she says. "It is the truest to myself."

She admits she was initially worried about how others would react to her music, but then one day she said to herself, " 'You know what? It is what it is. This is what honestly comes out of you and be happy with it rather than always trying to be something you're not ... for better or worse.' "

Jovovich has said that last phrase twice in her romantic life. She married and divorced "Dazed and Confused" co-star Shawn Andrews in 1993, and married "Fifth Element" and "Messenger" director Luc Besson in 1997 (she filed for divorce two years later). Before current beau Anderson, she dated Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante. Jovovich looks at her romantic history as an extension of her self-discovery.

"I love creative relationships, to be able to bounce ideas back and forth, to be inspired by people," she says, adding she recently bought a white Maltese dog named Madness. "Most of [my friends] are musicians because when I have time off, most of the time I play music."

But Jovovich isn't rushing to settle down again, or become a huge Hollywood star. She's being patient about taking anything to "the next level" too soon. No play-fighting for her.

"I've got a lot of interests, that's for sure," she says. "I'm constantly trying to live my life as much as I can, to know no stone was left unturned. I don't know in the end if that's good or bad, if that's going to help or hinder me. But I'm curious."

Summary: The crew of "Resident Evil"quickly learned not to mess with Milla Jovovich, the film's star. "I punched a few people on this movie by mistake,"says Jovovich. While play-fighting on the set, she gave black eyes to writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson and cinematographer David Johnson. "It feels good to connect."Of course the 26-year-old actress didn't mean to punch out Johnson or Anderson - who also


BY LLOYD GROVE WITH HUDSON MORGAN

Friday, October 7th 2005, 6:47AM

Hollywood A-lister Will Smith wants the world to understand that he and wife Jada Pinkett Smith never, ever planned a lavish New Year's Eve celebration at their home to be paid for - to the tune of $625,000 - by corporate sponsors.

"It's not his style," Smith's spokeswoman, PR doyenne Pat Kingsley, told me yesterday, the same day word came that the Smiths had "pulled the plug" on the event after Lowdown pronounced the cheapskate scheme "tacky, tacky, tacky."

Kingsley added: "Will agrees with you - it would be tacky. ... When I talked to him about it, he was, like, dumbfounded. I hate for Will to be tarnished by somebody's exuberance in overstepping their bounds. Because this guy is very careful about what he does and he keeps his private life totally private. No one has ever been to his home professionally."

That "exuberant somebody," in this case, is New York publicist and celebrity wrangler Lori Levine.

This week Levine E-mailed a detailed pitch to company flacks on the Smiths' alleged quest for "synergistic partnerships with select corporate sponsors." Levine's E-mail gushed: "This exclusive occasion offers your brand an opportunity to create and solidify unique one-on-one relationships with Celebrities and key Hollywood influencers in a relaxed and celebratory setting."

But yesterday, Kingsley insisted: "This would just never happen" - not even to raise money for the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation. "They work very hard for the charity, but it's always associated with the work - like if there's a movie that can benefit the charity. But they're not going to open up their home."

Flying Television's Levine, meanwhile, advised this column: "I have no comment. Never E-mail me again - about anything."

JAILED DAD'S OWN 'CONFESSION': HE LOVES LOHAN TUNE

Lowdown's new guest pop music critic?

It's convicted felon Michael Lohan, who - in a letter from the Collins Correctional Facility outside Buffalo - raves about daughter Lindsay's new single, "Confessions of a Broken Heart."

"he lyrics not only brought me to tears, but they tell you what kind of a loving and caring daughter Lindsay truly is," writes the 45-year-old Lohan, serving up to four years for drunken driving, contempt of court and beating his brother-in-law bloody with a shoe. "While I always considered and expressed how truly blessed Lindsay, as well as my other children are, I never realized how blessed I AM to have a daughter as amazing as Lindsay."

In the song, Lindsay sings:

"I wear all your old clothes, your polo sweater/ I dream of another you, the one who would never (never)/ Leave me alone to pick up the pieces/ A daddy to hold me, that's what I needed/ (So) why'd you have to go ... / Daughter to father, daughter to father/ I don't know you, but I still want to."

Michael adds in the letter, "Hold onto my shirt honey, soon enough you'll be able to hold on to me! ... While the media and press love to cover Lindsay enjoying her life and successes, I hope now they will cover the kind of heart this beautiful and gifted young lady really has."

In response to Michael's record review, Lindsay's PR rep, Leslie Sloane Zelnik, told Lowdown yesterday: "We never, ever doubted Lindsay's love for her father. This song is in fact a cry to her dad, saying, 'I love you, but I'm not happy with what you did to me and the family.' "

MOTLEY J. CREW: Before his Sunday night concert at the Hard Rock Hotel, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee will lead People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals supporters in a march on the Las Vegas J. Crew outlet. Lee - who says "they should change the name to "J. Cruel" - claims the popular clothing chain is selling the fur of dogs and cats that were skinned alive in China. "Pamela [Anderson] did show me the fur video, which is what got me involved," Lee E-mailed me. "Everybody should check out jcruel.com to see why we're so p- off." A J. Crew spokeswoman told me: "We will not engage PETA on the subject." As for the concert tour, Lee E-mailed: "My favorite part is when I turn on the [breast] cam and get girls to lift their shirts and show what they've got on the big screen. But this one dude lifted his shirt and his [breasts] were bigger than any of the chicks there! It was crazy!"

YOUTH AND BEAUTY BEFORE MATURITY? Audience members of Martha Stewart's syndicated daytime show yesterday were buzzing that the younger, better-looking brides-to-be were seated in the first two rows for the wedding-theme episode, while the plain Janes were sent to the back. "It reminded me of dodgeball in grade school, where the best players got picked first and the ones that weren't good got left out," a Lowdown spy told me. But co-executive producer Rob Dauber said that wasn't true. "That's an unfortunate perception and that is never the case," he said. "We have an audience department that works really hard to be accommodating to people. Martha has told us that she wants every person to feel welcome and have a special experience from the minute they walk in."

Summary: Party? What party? Hollywood A-lister Will Smith wants the world to understand that he and wife Jada Pinkett Smith never, ever planned a lavish New Year's Eve celebration at their home to be paid for - to the tune of $625,000 - by corporate sponsors. "It's not his style,"Smith's spokeswoman, PR doyenne Pat Kingsley, told me yesterday, the same day word came that the Smiths had "pulled


BY WILLIAM SHERMAN DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Sunday, March 17th 2002, 1:71AM

Darius Safani was just shy of 4 years old when he scored in the 98th percentile of the Stanford-Binet IQ test, and his parents, Alan and Barbara, were thrilled.

The high mark meant that Darius qualified for Hunter College Elementary School, a public institution that accepts only the most intelligent youngsters from Manhattan.

Anything below that high IQ bar and Darius was out, ineligible, according to the rules at Hunter, considered the top school of its kind not only in New York City, but in the nation as well.

"I was ecstatic," said Alan Safani, an art dealer who lives on Manhattan's West Side with his family. "It was an opportunity for him to go to the best program starting in pre-K and stay in it right through high school."

Darius is a cheerful and outgoing boy with lots of friends, a perfect match for the school, the Safanis thought.

But Darius didn't get into Hunter three years ago.

And he failed to gain admission again the following year when he took the test - adjusted upward for his age - and repeated that 98th percentile score.

"We were very, very disappointed," said Barbara Safani, although she knew there were other criteria besides IQ for Hunter acceptance.

Still, there was another option.

It was the Anderson program, also for the very intelligent, with a slightly lower IQ threshold, the 97th percentile. That elite program, like Hunter, has only one location in the city. It is even closer to the Safanis' home, at Public School 9, 84th St. and Columbus Ave.

However, Darius wasn't accepted to kindergarten class at Anderson either.

Ironically, his older sister, Maia, was already in the Anderson program's first grade, even though she had scored 1 percentage point lower than Darius on the IQ test.

"It was a ridiculous situation," said Alan Safani. "It made no sense."

The Safanis learned the hard way that just because your child qualifies for the city's top programs doesn't mean the child will get in them.

For there are other hurdles to acceptance besides intelligence at Hunter and Anderson.

The first is an in-person interview with the prospective student and observation of the child playing with others, in part to detect any behavior problems.

Hunter and Anderson also require an ethnically and racially diverse entering class each year.

For example, 60% of the entering kindergarten class at Anderson in September will be of minority background, according to school sources.

But the third hurdle is the highest, almost insurmountable, not just for Darius, who is white, but for anyone who applies: There are not enough slots at Hunter or Anderson for all those who qualify.

At Hunter this spring, typical of every year, there were 2,000 children who took the IQ test for pre-K and kindergarten, according to Maria Terrone, director of public relations for the school.

Of those applying for pre-K admission, 89 passed the IQ test, but there were only 16 spots.

Of those applying for kindergarten admission at Hunter, 212 passed the IQ test, but there were places available for only 32 youngsters.

The other 180 kindergarten-age children had to go elsewhere, perhaps to other programs for the gifted and talented in local schools, maybe into the general mix of local schools, or, if their parents could afford it, to private schools.

"We don't track where they go," said Terrone.

At Anderson, which is open to youngsters from throughout the five boroughs, 225 children qualified for kindergarten entrance in September, according to the IQ test, but there are spots for only 50 youngsters, divided into two classes.

For Darius, the Safanis chose the regular program for the gifted and talented at PS 9, which takes all children who test above the 90th percentile on the IQ test on a first-come, first-served basis, with no interview or ethnic considerations taken into account.

"I don't think he's being challenged in that program, and I don't think he's being educated properly," said Alan Safani.

So last fall, Darius took yet another intelligence test, one used by private schools.

Again he achieved top scores. His application was submitted to just one of the city's most elite and demanding private schools, and a month ago, Darius was accepted.

"What an extraordinary little boy!" the acceptance letter said. "Along with Darius' intellectual abilities, we truly appreciate his natural passion for learning, his love for reading and math, his ability to make connections with ease, his superb critical thinking skills and, very important to us, the fact that Darius is such a caring and empathetic little boy."

"We'll bite the bullet on private school tuition costs," said Alan Safani.

Summary: By WILLIAM SHERMAN daily news staff writer Darius Safani was just shy of 4 years old when he scored in the 98th percentile of the Stanford-Binet IQ test, and his parents, Alan and Barbara, were thrilled. The high mark meant that Darius qualified for Hunter College Elementary School, a public institution that accepts only the most intelligent youngsters from Manhattan. Anything below that high IQ bar and Darius was out, ineligible, according to the rules


BY MITCHELL FINK WITH LAUREN RUBIN

Saturday, December 9th 2000, 2:15AM

Elizabeth Hurley is ready to open up about Hugh Grant.

Hurley split from Grant last May, but only now is the 35-year-old actress finally talking about the hurt she felt over the breakup. "Splitting up with Hugh was a very long and painful process," Hurley says in the January issue of McCall's. "After agonizing discussions, we both decided we really needed

a break to work out how we wanted to live the rest of our lives."

Yet, she readily admits, "I can't really imagine life with anyone else yet. I have to fight the temptation to look for a surrogate Hugh."

They were together for 13 years and weathered several storms, including Grant's romp with a Los Angeles prostitute in 1995. But, she says:

"Even though I felt as if I was amputating my left arm, I needed to try life without Hugh. Our separation is about trying to discover if what we had is indeed as good as it gets."

Hurley insists the breakup involved deep issues, including whether they wanted to have children together.

"Neither of us at any stage in our 13 years together thought we were ready to have children," she says. "We always relegated them to sometime in the future. But we had to acknowledge that maybe it was never going to be the right time for us."

Hurley adds that she "definitely wants to have children one day."

Despite being linked with a number of men since Grant - among them financier Ted Forstmann and screenwriter Stephen Bing - Hurley says the British actor's shoes are not exactly easy to fill.

And there are times, she says, when she thinks she could have stayed with Grant "for another 40 years."

"Our day-to-day life was very easygoing," she says, "and we both provided massive support to each other, which is possibly what we're going to have the hardest time doing without," she says.

"I know I'll never stop loving Hugh, and if we're meant to get back together, we will."

Even at age 77, Ahmet Ertegun can still blush.

At least he did in the company of Jewel. The pop singer, 51 years Ertegun's junior, was spotted fawning over the Atlantic Records patriarch at a recent poetry reading she gave at Joe's Pub.

"I'm so happy you're here," Jewel said to Ertegun. "You're always dressed so nicely. You're always such a gentleman. You could teach men my age to act like gentlemen. Could you come and teach my boyfriend to be a gentleman?"

Ertegun could reply only with a laugh.

"Oh, yeah. Sure, sure," he said.

Jewel, who appears on this month's Self magazine cover, is dating rodeo star Ty Murray.

Mikhail Baryshnikov is putting down new roots - in the Dominican Republic.

The famed dancer was at the Carriage House in Murray Hill last week to lend his celebrity support to the Punta Cana Resort and Club, a Dominican facility that is partly owned by designer Oscar de la Renta and labor negotiator Theodore Kheel.

Baryshnikov recently bought property not far from the club, and his house is now under construction.

"It's so fantastic," he said. "Last weekend, I left New York at 10:30, and I was already in the water by 2."

Â Readers have been coming out of the woodwork to say David Justice should not be blamed for leaving an autograph show last week in Secaucus before signing for everyone who had already paid his required $40 price. Apparently, Justice did stay for his allotted time. But the scene was overcrowded and a lot of people were mad they missed out. Even the promoter, Steve Hisler, admitted to faulty planning. "Too many people and not enough space," he said.

Â Bernie Williams, on the other hand, will sign autographs at the Gym Source today in Woodbury, L.I., and next Saturday at the Gym Source in White Plains. What's more, he'll do both gigs for free. Williams normally gets his exercise equipment from the fitness store, and the autograph sessions are his way of saying thank you.

Â In the coming January issue of Bon Appetit, ABC anchor Peter Jennings says his secret culinary indulgence is a sandwich made of peanut butter, Spanish onions and mayonnaise. Before you go "Yuck!", Jennings also confesses to having eaten such interesting foods as "sheep's testicles in Jordan, ants in Mexico and python in the Philippines." Gee, no wonder he gave up being a foreign correspondent.

Â Author Gay Talese told a wonderful story the other night about watching Mel Brooks in action recently on a New York City street. "It was around 4 in the afternoon, when all the taxicabs have their "off-duty" lights on, and Mel was trying to hail a cab," said Talese. "He tried convincing one cab driver to take him, but the guy just waved him off. Mel yelled out, 'I'll give you $2 above the meter!'" Well, you obviously know the end of the story: Two bucks in the year 2000? I don't think so.

Sidebar: ALFRED MOLINA Q & A

Alfred Molina is a chameleon. He has played a Russian sailor, a Cuban refugee, a Greek-American lawyer, Indiana Jones' treacherous guide in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and a coke dealer in "Boogie Nights." Now, the London-born actor is letting his senses be tempted by Juliette Binoche in the upcoming film "Chocolat."

Q: What tempts you most?

A: Like most people, I am tempted by all the things I know I should be careful of, all the foods that make you get fat, especially with things like chocolate. I go through life with that daily struggle of "Should I or shouldn't I?"

Q: What is your favorite movie?

A: I'm not a big fan of violence in film, but gangster films, I love. "The Godfather," of course, is the classic. The other favorite is "Lepke."

Q: You said "Spartacus" made you want to be an actor. Why?

A: It was the scope of it, the scale of it. I was maybe 10 or 11 years old. It was the most exciting story, and so brilliantly done. I remember thinking, "Yeah, I want to do that."

Q: What part would you most love to play?

A: "King Lear" is my favorite play. That's the part I'm looking forward to playing in another 20 years, when I'm in my 60s.

Q: When are you most happy?

A: When I'm at home with nothing to do. When I wake up on a morning knowing there's nothing required of me in that day.

Summary: Elizabeth Hurley is ready to open up about Hugh Grant. Hurley split from Grant last May, but only now is the 35-year-old actress finally talking about the hurt she felt over the breakup. "Splitting up with Hugh was a very long and painful process,"Hurley says in the January issue of McCall's. "After agonizing discussions, we both decided we really needed a break to work out


The ATF's "Operation Fast and Furious" put thousands of guns in the hands of the Mexican drug cartels. Was there a coverup, a scandal or is it all just politics; Also, The latest on the Republican Presidential race from CNorah O'Donnell, John Dickerson and Julianna Goldman; And, Bob Schieffer on the official dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.

Summary: CBS News video: This Sunday: Herman Cain - CBS News Chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer previews Sunday's show with Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain.


Heart was recently nominated again for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Ann and Nancy Wilson — the sisters at the heart of Heart — don’t need to lift a pinkie finger to justify their inclusion. But Tuesday night at the Orpheum Theatre, the duo made a compelling case for why it’s a shame they’ve not already graduated from nominees to inductees.

For 85 minutes, in front of a wildly enthusiastic crowd, Ann Wilson sang with the strength, tone, clarity, and passion she has possessed since the band debuted in the mid ’70s, and sister Nancy churned out the famed riffs that have made a clutch of Heart tunes staples of the classic rock canon.

Heart has always made strong local showings, but the Wilson sisters are clearly enjoying a sense of renewed vigor. In the last year, in addition to the Rock Hall nod, Heart has released the career retrospective box set “Strange Euphoria,” the memoir “Kicking and Dreaming,” and a strong new album, “Fanatic,” that harkens back to the hard rock of their early years.

The sisters — smiling and loose — and their solid backing band performed a handful of tunes from “Fanatic,” including the Zep-esque stomp-and-wail “Mashallah!,” and the acoustic, more pop-flavored “Walkin’ Good,” featuring Nancy on lead vocals.

The crowd was supportive of the new material but erupted at the sound of vintage tracks like the parity-demanding “Even It Up” and the irresistibly tuneful “What About Love?” from their big-haired ’80s phase. “Alone,” the power ballad from that same period — stripped back to acoustic guitar and solemn organ — earned Ann a minutes-long ovation for her powerhouse vocals.

Those vocals remained in peak form during a thrilling final run of “Crazy on You,” “Barracuda,” “Magic Man,” and a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop.”

Superb Austin, Texas, singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo and his band the Sensitive Boys warmed up with a set of his smart and wry rockers including tunes from terrific new album “Big Station.”

Summary: Heart was recently nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the second time. Ann and Nancy Wilson — the sisters at the heart of Heart — don’t need to lift a pinkie finger to justify why they should go from nominees to inductees. But Tuesday night at the Orpheum Theatre they made a compelling case for why it’s a shame they’re not already members of that particular club.


By Lauren Gordon The Daily Meal

Life is a beautiful thing, so we can live it up and celebrate every now and then.

We go out for one expensive dinner, treat ourselves to one fancy cocktail. But if you are an all-star athlete, celebrations are never few and far between. Whether an Olympian or NBA star, you can be sure to see them taking a break from training to knock back a few, and do it in extravagant style.

The world of sports and spending is nothing new to fans. Recently, ESPN featured a documentary exploring the world of frivolous sports spending in their 30 for 30 premier of "Broke."

For instance, with Curt Schilling's first paycheck, he asked to receive it in $20 bills and proceeded to scatter it on his bed before he laid down on it to watch TV. Bernie Kosnar was once paying for 60 cell phone plans at one time. Evander Holyfield dropped serious money to have two bowling alleys put in his mansion.

Though many players have gone broke from excessive spending, today's athletes aren't paying their elders any mind. In addition to grandiose homes and expensive toys, athletes drop thousands on the thrill of a good time. After all, if you became a national champion, how could you not spend $200,000 on your bar tab, like the Miami Heat?

And for your next birthday party, rent a yacht and host a mind blowing party with a celebrity guest list like James Harden. Whether celebrating a birthday, retirement or championship, professional athletes always score big on the partying field.

When you're a 27-year-old retiring from your athletic career with no less than 22 medals (18 being Olympic gold), you have earned the right to celebrate. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps did just that with celebrations at Club Surrender in Las Vegas, where the party fittingly continued on to a pool party at Encore Beach Club the following day. Phelps was greeted with USA chants by fans and cake presented by bikini-clad servers in his luxury bungalow. Fellow Olympians Nathan Adrian and Charles Houchin were in attendance, along with other close friends and family.

After the Miami Heat became NBA champions in 2012, the celebrations promptly began. The team headed to the LIV Nightclub in Miami Beach at around 2:30 a.m., and ended the evening with an estimated $200,000 champagne tab, topping their rivals the Mavericks, who dropped a mere $147,000 at the same club the previous year. The team enjoyed a performance from the original party rockers, LMFAO, and were serenaded by the rap stylings of teammate LeBron James. Reportedly, all non-NBA attendees were charged a hefty $1,000 cover charge.

The Germans are not only now the top field hockey players in the world, but they may be up for top partiers, too. After winning gold in the summer 2012 Olympics, the team took over the German cruise ship "MS Deutschland" for an insane romp of partying. The team is now responsible for paying over €500,000 for post-party damages including everything from broken windows to stained upholstery.

Michael Vick showed off his ability to make his lady happy by dropping a reported $300,000 for security alone on a white-themed wedding in July 2012. Vick spent his big day in the lap of luxury at Miami’s Fontainebleau Resort, where wedding packages start at $185 a plate. Guests were fed gourmet “chicken and waffles” and surrounded by white candles, flowers and blinged out centerpieces. Fellow NFL-ers and coach Andy Reid were in attendance and enjoyed a day relaxation, R&B tunes and available hookahs surrounding them. But after recently signing a six-year, $100 million contract, The Eagles quarterback's gorgeous South Florida wedding was just a drop in the proverbial bucket.

If you have an amazing year on the court, you have a right to break out of your shell -- at least if you are Wizards star Gilbert Arenas. In 2007, the normally tame Arenas celebrated his 25th birthday with roughly 7,500 "friends" at the Love nightclub. In addition to sports star guests like Donovan McNabb and Jason Campbell, rappers Doug E Fresh and Fabolous were also in attendance. P. Diddy served as the evening’s host featuring performances by Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, The Game and T.I. Reportedly, reserved tables went for around 4,000 clams.

More Stories At The Daily Meal: -- Road to Super Bowl XlVII -- Game-Day Recipes -- 25 Party Foods Worth Your Attention -- Celebrities and Their Favorite Champagne

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Summary:
By Lauren Gordon
The Daily Meal
Life is a beautiful thing, so we can live it up and celebrate every now and then.
We go out for one expensive dinner,...


Ken Smith long dreamed of owning a home — for his company.

While the vast majority of New York small businesses rent their space, Smith, the owner of Ken Smith Landscape Architect in Tribeca, was eager to purchase a headquarters to house his growing firm.

He looked on and off again for ten years, but this year he got lucky. With real estate prices beaten down by the recession, Smith and his wife, Priscilla McGeehon, recently paid $2.6 million for 11,800 square feet of loft-like space on W. 31st St. near the newly-opened north section of the High Line.

"It makes sense," Smith said of his decision to become his own landlord. "You are building equity."

A growing number of small business owners agree.

While still a very small market, more commercial tenants are becoming owners, capitalizing on low real estate prices, more favorable loans and a growing availability of office condo space.

"We are helping small businesses around the city buy property," said Tom Carley, business banking executive for the New York market at Bank of America, which provided Smith with a mortgage for his office space.

For small business owners, buying vs. renting can be appealing because they no longer run the risk of rent increases. At the end of the day, they could also end up with a profitable investment.

"It’s about controlling your destiny," Carley said.

While over the past five years an average of 317,000 square feet of office condo space in Manhattan was sold annually, in the first half of this year alone, businesses have already purchased 230,000 square feet, according to the RPG Office Condominium Market Report.

Prices have come down considerably: the average price per square foot of office space is $400, down 40% from the market’s peak in 2008.

"Demand is up and greater than ever," said Michael Rudder, principal, Rudder Property Group, a real estate brokerage specializing in the office condo market that<NO1><NO> represented Smith in his purchase.

The rise of foreign small-business owners is one reason office condos are gaining popularity. Owning your own space is common in countries like China and India. As immigrants open businesses here, they prefer to be property owners, too.

For doctors, there is often a clear advantage in no longer being a tenant. Because they invest considerable amounts in their offices, they are reluctant to move, giving landlords more power during lease renewal talks. By owning their own space, doctors no longer face the threat of rent escalations.

More small businesses are able to afford to purchase office space using recently enhanced Small Business Administration loan programs which allow them to borrow up to 90%.

"There is very little out-of-pocket costs for borrowers," Carley said."

Making the decision to buy requires running the numbers. In addition to mortgage payments, there will be the added costs of real estate tax and maintenance. It’s important to consult your accountant or a real estate professional before making your move.

"The annual costs of owning is generally higher for the first three to five years," Rudder noted. "But within a five- to ten-year period, the annual carrying costs of ownership is less than the cost of renting."

If there is a likelihood that you will soon outgrow your space, buying is not right for you. Smith said he had some concerns before making the final decision to become an owner.

"This is a large purchase," Smith said. "We had a lot of sleepless nights." But he believes that buying his new space will prove to be a wise move.

"Over time my costs will be predictable," Smith said. "There is a security that comes with owning your own place."

Summary: New York small business owners are opting to buy their own office spaces.


Manhattan's swanky Four Seasons hotel has run into some cash-flow problems.

Ty Warner, the Beanie Baby mogul, is having trouble getting an extension on his $345 million mortgage on four of his hotels, including the Four Seasons in both New York City and Santa Barbara, the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara and the Las Ventanas resort in Mexico, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The issue? The hotels are having cash-flow problems. They need $44.6 million in annual cash-flow to get a one-year extension on their mortgage loan, Realpoint LLC, a debt-rating company, said.

The occupancy rate for the four hotels fell 57.4% from January to June 2009. The New York Four Seasons is suffering the most with a 58% occupancy rate (down from 72%) and a 20.4% drop in revenue per room from January to June 2009. Its cash-flow also dipped from $30.6 million to $14.7 million, Realpoint said.

But Realpoint Managing Director Frank Innaurato has faith that Ty Warner will get an extension on the mortgage.

"My gut tells me the extension will ultimately be granted for something in return, to give the collateral more time to stabilize."

Warner bought the New York City Four Seasons in 1999 for $271 million. He dropped a pile of cash - $86 million - on renovating the hotel.

Ty Warner Hotels representatives did not respond to The Wall Street Journal's request for a comment.

Summary: Manhattan's swanky Four Seasons hotel has been smacked hard by the recession.