NYPD’s new $750M home has a water contamination problem

This academy is not going to win any awards.

The NYPD's brand-new, $750 million supposedly state-of-the-art Police Academy in Queens now has a water contamination problem —-just months after the building's high-tech gym floor buckled and needed to be replaced.

Thirsty cops and recruits were handed bottled water on Friday, after officials deemed the building's water unsafe to sip on, according to documents obtained by The Post.

NYPD Chief Surgeon Dr. Eli Kleinman warned that the water shouldn't be used for washing dishes or showering either, until a further investigation.

Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins called the situation "troubling" — and said he'd received numerous calls from concerned cops.

"They seemed to think there's E. coli in the water," he told The Post.

"People are in a panic there, because they don't know what's going on."

Signs have been posted around the Academy since Thursday, warning employees and recruits not to drink the water.

"Water testing in progress. Please do not drink from this fountain," read one sign.

A water truck delivered fresh H20 to the Academy for cooking and cleaning.

The problem isn't with the water supply.

"The water that currently enters the building is clean, so it has to be getting contaminated somewhere further down the system," the documents said.

Staff are flushing the building's water system over the weekend, so it can be retested on Tuesday.

This isn't the first time the Academy's facilities have proven faulty. In October, the building's high-tech gym floor started buckling only a few months after it had been poured, sources said.

"In a state-of-the-art facility, this shouldn't be happening," Mullins insisted.

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Jennifer Aniston shakes off Oscar snub with famous gals

Jennifer Aniston isn't letting being snubbed for an Oscar for her lead role in "Cake" get her down.

She was spotted "laughing and having a great time" on a girls' night out with Chelsea Handler, Sandra Bullock and three other women at Craig's restaurant in West Hollywood on Thursday night.

Others seen there at separate tables included Adele, Candy Spelling, Barbara Davis with Nikki Haskell, Larry King, and Jimmy Kimmel, who dined with Kevin Costner.

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City to pay parents $3.9M over son’s fatal 2012 shooting

The city has agreed to shell out $3.9 million to family members of slain Bronx teenager Ramarley Graham to settle a wrongful death lawsuit over his fatal 2012 shooting, sources confirmed Friday.

The unarmed Graham, 18, was killed by undercover police in February 2012, after he rushed into the bathroom of his mom's home and tried to flush marijuana down the toilet, police said.

Officer Richard Haste, who shot Graham, has said he believed the teen was carrying a gun.

Richard HastePhoto: Tomas E. Gaston

Haste was initially indicted on a manslaughter charge, but a Bronx judge tossed that indictment in May 2012 on a technicality after ruling that a prosecutor from the Bronx DA's office wrongly instructed the grand jury to disregard whether other cops had told Haste the teen was armed.

Haste testified before a second grand jury in August 2013 that chose not to indict him.

"This was a tragic case. After evaluating all the facts, and consulting with key stakeholders such as the NYPD, it was determined that settling the matter was in the best interest of the City," said city Law Department spokesman Nicholas Paolucci.

Sources familiar with the agreement said Graham's estate would receive $2.95 million. His brother will receive an additional payment of $500,000 while his grandmother will get $450,000 and his mother $40,000.

Haste won't have to pay anything towards the settlement.

The lawsuit was initially filed in Bronx civil court in February 2013.

The family's lawyer, Royce Russell, claimed he was unaware a settlement was reached despite the city's confirmation.

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Despite slump, here’s why Rangers’ St. Louis isn’t blue

A pair of duds coming out of the All-Star break has Rangers coach Alain Vigneault considering making some changes heading into Saturday's game against the Hurricanes at the Garden.

"I'm contemplating that right now," Vigneault said after practice on Friday. "Any time you don't get the desired results as a coaching staff, you always analyze the personnel individually and collectively."

The results from the last two games include just one late, meaningless goal in the waning moments against the Islanders and a shutout by the Canadiens' Carey Price on Thursday — not the way the Blueshirts wanted to start a four-game homestand. That's one of the reasons why Vigneault wanted to wait, perhaps until Saturday, to decide on who will play where.

Still, one of the recent culprits, Martin St. Louis, isn't prepared to panic just yet.

"Can we produce more chances? Absolutely," St. Louis said. "But I saw some good things [Thursday] night. You're just not going to score all the time, no matter what you do. You're going to go through stretches like this."

St. Louis is going through one of those stretches right now. Since notching goals in back-to-back games on Jan. 8 and 10, St. Louis hasn't found the back of the net in seven straight matches.

"You look at a game like Montreal, the game was so tight," he said. "It's not so much what you get, it's what you give, so you play cautious. We're fine playing those games. I thought we stayed pretty patient, we just didn't get that goal."

The Rangers have scored more than three goals only once in their last eight games, which coincides with the end of their five-game winning streak.

"It's just a matter of us getting inside more," St. Louis said. "In the Islanders' game, we had shots, but too many were from the outside. There weren't enough quality chances. We got inside more and had some tips against Montreal."

But no goals — and another loss.

It's not the first time St. Louis has had a rough time since joining the Rangers less than a year ago.

"We had a lot of adversity last season," St. Louis said of the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final. "When I got here at the trade deadline, I felt this team was built for the playoffs. I still feel that way and that winning streak we had before the break was a good sign."

But the Rangers continue to be in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference.
"We have what it takes to give ourselves another chance in the playoffs," St. Louis said. "But we can't just dwell on the past or rely on what we've done before. It's a new year. You have to make your own history with your own team and that's what we're trying to do now."

Last-place Carolina has played well recently, something Vigneault made sure his team was aware of on Friday.

And Vigneault, like St. Louis, insists he has seen some positive signs.

"I think our process in the last few games, other than the first period on Long Island … has been good offensively and defensively," Vigneault said. "We've been playing well without the puck. … The last couple of games have been a little bit more challenging. I've got a lot of faith and confidence in this group."

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Nets blow comeback, fall in heartbreaker to Raptors

This one hurt.

After digging themselves out of double-digit deficits in the first and second halves, the Nets couldn't hold onto a lead late in regulation and suffered a 127-122 overtime loss to the Raptors in front of 17,062 at Barclays Center on Friday night.

Jarrett Jack had 35 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists in a herculean effort for the Nets (18-28), playing all but 47 seconds because of Darius Morris' ineffectiveness and Deron Williams' fractured rib cartilage that once again left him in street clothes.

But despite Jack's explosion and a huge game from Brook Lopez (35 points, 12 rebounds) off the bench, the Nets couldn't close this one out. They repeatedly failed to secure defensive rebounds both at the end of regulation and overtime, which led to second-chance baskets for the Raptors and let what could have been their best win of the season slip through their fingers.

Before fans could even get settled in their seats, the Raptors had jumped out to a 12-0 lead, as the Nets missed their first five shots and committed a turnover before Jack knocked down a 3-pointer almost four minutes into the game to put them on the board.

That didn't stop the bleeding, however, and coach Lionel Hollins was forced to call a second quick timeout after a Kyle Lowry layup gave the Raptors a 16-3 lead halfway through the first.

The Nets eventually got back in the game, even taking a brief early second-quarter lead, but the Raptors took control of the game again late in that quarter, going on a 16-6 for a 10-point lead. Toronto went into halftime up 66-54 after shooting 59 percent in the first half and going 15-for-16 from the free-throw line.

Trying to get a spark, Hollins started the second half with Bojan Bogdanovic and Lopez in place of Alan Anderson and Mason Plumlee. Instead, the Nets opened the second half like they did the first, giving up a quick run to the Raptors. Toronto equaled its largest lead of the game when a Patrick Patterson jumper with 5:29 remaining in the third made it 84-67.

Once again, though, the Nets dragged themselves back into the game. Although the Raptors couldn't miss for most of the third quarter, the Nets managed to make enough shots to stay close, and then scored the final six points of the quarter to make it 90-82 heading into the fourth.

From there, the Nets took over, opening the quarter with a 15-3 run, with a pair of Jack free throws giving them a 97-93 lead and capping a 30-9 run. The Raptors opened the fourth quarter with eight straight misses to lose control of a game that once seemed firmly in their grasp.

Toronto eventually got its act together, getting 10 straight points from DeMar DeRozan to keep pace with the Nets, who got three straight buckets from Lopez to remain in the lead, including a lefty layup with 2:58 remaining that gave them a 108-105 advantage.

The Nets cooled off, though, missing a couple of shots in a row and then failing to secure a defensive rebound three times inside the final two minutes, allowing Toronto to retake the lead at 111-110 on a Patterson tip-in.

A Joe Johnson step-back jumper with 33.5 seconds left gave the Nets the lead once again at 112-111, and set up the frantic final seconds of the game. But after DeRozan missed a pull-up jumper that would have given Toronto the lead, the ball went out of bounds to the Nets.

Lopez, however, only managed to knock down one of two free throws after being fouled on the inbounds, giving Toronto the ball back with 21.8 seconds left and the Nets ahead, 113-111. That proved to be costly, as DeRozan drew two defenders and hit Amir Johnson for a wide-open dunk to tie the game with 12.1 seconds left.

After the initial play for the Nets wound up with the ball going out of bounds, Lopez got a wide-open look to win it at the buzzer — but the shot to clanged off the front of the rim, sending the game to overtime.

The Nets briefly took the lead on a Lopez shot in the lane that made it 117-116, but the Raptors got two straight baskets — one from DeRozan, and the other from Amir Johnson on a putback — to take a 120-117 lead with 1:41 remaining in the extra session.

Lopez then converted an and-one to tie the game, and after DeRozan was fouled on a made jumper and missed the free throw, Jack tied the game again at 122 with a floater in the lane with 56.6 seconds left.

But Johnson cleaned up another miss, this time on a block of DeRozan by Plumlee, and after Jack missed a jumper in the lane and Bogdanovic missed an open 3-pointer in the corner after an offensive rebound, the Raptors made their free throws and pulled out the win.

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Dan Loeb missed his shot to profit from ‘American Sniper’

After activist investor Dan Loeb confirmed that "American Sniper" Chris Kyle was once his shooting instructor, everyone on Wall Street wants to know exactly how good a shot Loeb is.

Chris Kyle in 2012.Photo: AP

Bloomberg reported he was introduced to Kyle by J. Kyle Bass, a hedge funder who had allowed Kyle to live at his Texas ranch, where he taught marksmanship. Kyle schooled Loeb after an economic summit there.

The report adds Loeb helped Kyle make "American Sniper" by introducing him to agents and producer Peter Morgan.

But Loeb passed on a chance to invest $250,000 in the movie, which has grossed more than $213 million.

Loeb, famed for picking fights in the financial world, declined to comment on his own marksmanship skills.

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Battle-tested Pats rate narrow edge

Football expert Phil Steele is the owner and publisher of Phil Steele's College Football Preview, regarded as the college football bible. Get in-depth coverage of college and pro football 24/7/365 at PhilSteele.com.

Patriots (-1) over Seahawks: The polarity of the Patriots has overtaken what should be a fascinating contest with tons of historical implications. While Tom Brady against the Legion of Boom will get most of the attention, the Patriots have their share of edges, too. The Patriots held Jay Cutler, Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Ryan Tannehill (in the rematch), Joe Flacco and Andrew Luck (twice) to 286 yards per game, 56 percent passing, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and a modest 6.9 yards per attempt in going 8-1 with a 37-18 average score, while Seattle feasted on weak quarterbacks.

The Patriots also have a healthy Rob Gronkowski, my fifth-rated special teams (Seattle's is No. 17) and have proven to be a power team with RB LeGarrette Blount on hand against a Seahawks run defense that can be bullied. The Patriots are two plays away from being 5-0 in Super Bowls with Bill Belichick. They secure the win by a field goal late in the game.

TWO WEEKS AGO (NFL): 1-1

SEASON: 17-23

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Tough Seahawks ready to re-Pete

Including the 1997-2013 seasons in The Post, Cat's record in print stands at 501-424 (54 percent) against the spread.

Seahawks (+1) over Patriots: Seattle has right-tackle issues on the offensive line, legitimate concerns about the health of Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas (especially), the Packers' Eddie Lacy gashed 'em on the ground (a requirement, to stay with the Seahawks), and Rob Gronkowski figures to do business.

But Russell Wilson can make athletic plays Tom Brady can't. Marshawn Lynch will amass yardage in great chunks after Seattle's taken the starch out of the Pats' "D." Pete Carroll was let go in New England by Robert Kraft in favor of Bill Belichick, and we challenge you to identify a secondary better-suited to the modern game than is Seattle's.

Belichick will need a Merlinesque bag of tricks to outwit the tougher athletes Carroll has on call. While key Patriot faces awkwardly strain to make public debating points, 'Hawks calmly await their day in court. Champs make good, back-to-back (+1), for one unit.

TWO WEEKS AGO: 0-1. Seahawks (minus one unit).

SEASON: 22-21.

To contact Cat about his comprehensive advisory service, write P.O. Box 739, Hightstown, N.J. 08520, or visit http://www.playbook.com.

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Bob Ojeda denied raise, bolts SNY after 6 years

Bob Ojeda won't be returning to the Mets' pregame and postgame studio shows on SNY, an industry source confirmed Thursday.

The outspoken former pitcher was seeking a raise in new contract negotiations. A source called the gap "not substantial," but the two sides failed to reach agreement.

Ojeda, who earned a World Series ring pitching for the 1986 Mets, spent the last six seasons in the SNY studio. A source called the split "amicable," and Ojeda is expected to pursue other broadcasting opportunities.

Nelson Figueroa, a journeyman who pitched for the Mets in 2008 and '09, is the lead candidate to replace Ojeda, according to a source, but SNY also recently auditioned former outfielder Cliff Floyd.

It's possible SNY would give the lead role to Figueroa, with Floyd — who frequently appears on MLB Network — receiving a significant number of assignments in the backup role.

Marlon Anderson, who twice played for the Mets, could also be a consideration for a studio role with SNY.

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Offensively challenged Rangers blanked by Canadiens

Apparently the Islanders aren't the only team that can keep the Rangers offense in check.

Max Pacioretty broke up a scoreless deadlock with 4:17 left to lift the Canadiens to a 1-0 victory over the Rangers on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Pacioretty sent a wrist shot from above the right circle that appeared to surprise Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and squeeze inside the right post for his 22nd goal.

That was enough to give Carey Price his 26th win and third shutout of the season in a stellar 24-save effort for Montreal, which has won four in a row — three with Price in net.

Lundqvist made 25 saves for the Rangers, who have lost two straight following the All-Star break and managed only one goal. They were beaten 4-1 by the Islanders on Tuesday.

A game between Original Six rivals that was billed as a prime goalie duel proved to be every bit of that.

The netminders took turns in making spectacular saves. Lundqvist snared a shot by Pacioretty with a lunging reach of his glove in the first period that had him staring skyward. Price was every bit as impressive, stopping good chances in front by Kevin Hayes and defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal.

Price truly shined in the third period, first when he denied Rick Nash on a short-handed breakaway, and then when he turned aside Martin St. Louis with a twisting, sprawling save that left him flat on his back.

Montreal thought it took the lead with 1:56 left in the first when former Ranger Dale Weise ripped a shot that Lundqvist stopped with his pad. A video review ensued, and it appeared Lundqvist's pad was in the net at the time, but there was no conclusive evidence.

The Rangers held an 11-10 shots advantage after one, but trailed 19-16 through two periods.

The opening frame was particularly testy, a somewhat unusual scenario considering the teams hadn't met since New York's 5-0 home victory over Montreal on Nov. 23. The Canadiens won 3-1 in the first game of the season series on Oct. 25.

While there was only one fight in the first period — a bout between former Rangers forward Brandon Prust and Tanner Glass with 1:22 remaining — there were several other skirmishes and a near-fight between New York's Chris Kreider and physical Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban.

The two came together with 6:55 left in the first. Kreider was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Subban was whistled for embellishment. When the two finished serving their penalties, they jawed at each other as they left the box. Kreider dropped his gloves and grabbed Subban, who kept his gloves on and showed no real interest in fighting. The two returned to the penalty box because of more unsportsmanlike conduct.

The first-period ended with a rough scrum along the boards in the Rangers end that featured Montreal's Lars Eller throwing punches at Derek Stepan. Both were sent off for roughing, but Eller received an extra 2 minutes that gave New York its first power play.

---

RW Lee Stempniak and D John Moore rejoined the Rangers lineup after being healthy scratches against the Islanders. They replaced C J.T. Miller and D Matt Hunwick.

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$18 billion earnings has Icahn biting tongue on Apple

Carl Icahn is still prodding Apple CEO Tim Cook — but he's doing it more gently now.

"I don't want to go into my discussions with Tim — we think very highly of Tim," the hard-charging billionaire said in a TV interview Wednesday.

The tempered criticism comes one day after Apple easily beat Wall Street forecasts for fourth-quarter profit and revenue — making any hard attack impossible.

In fact, Icahn — who was much harsher on Cook 15 months ago, pressing the CEO publicly to buy back $100 million of stock — was relatively laudatory about Apple on Wednesday.

The Cupertino, Calif., company is one of the best buys in decades, Icahn told CNBC.

"The only criticism we have, if you can call it that, is the fact that they don't do a bigger buyback," said Icahn who, with 52 million shares of Apple, is one of the company's largest shareholders.

Apple shares, which surged 6.2 percent Wednesday to close at $115.88, are still trading at nine times earnings — half of the S&P 500 Index, Icahn noted.

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Court takes a $4.5M ‘Wiz’ on defunct chain’s co-founder

The disgraced co-founder of defunct, but iconic, electronics chain Nobody Beats the Wiz is heading to prison with empty pockets after a federal judge Wednesday ordered him to shell out $4.5 million to victims he fooled to fraudulently obtain bank loans for a bogus business venture.

Marvin Jemal, who was sentenced to three years in prison in November after copping a plea to filing phony documents to dupe a bank into lending his luggage company millions of dollars, was ordered by Manhattan federal Judge Valerie Caproni to pay $2.73 million to lender Israel Discount Bank of New York and another $1.77 million to Nelson Brandt, a Coast Guard lieutenant commander also victimized by the crime.

Brandt reportedly inherited $20 million from his father, who owned Broadway hotels and theaters, and sunk nearly all of it into Jemal's failed business ventures.

He was declared a victim because he guaranteed a bank loan for Jemal — who had declared bankruptcy in 2005 — that wound up defaulting because of the Jemal's shady activities.

Brandt testified that Jemal's fame running Nobody Beats the Wiz had little to do with why he agreed to help him financially — rather it was because Jemal had the same color eyes as Brandt's deceased dad and that Jemal's middle name, Louis, is the same as Brandt's father's first name, Crain's New York previously reported.

The government had recommended Brandt receive more than $454,000 in restitution.

During his November sentencing, Caproni told the career military man, "My heart goes out to you . . . but I don't have the power to make everything right."

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Sanitation workers overdo storm cleanup to reap overtime

The overhyped blizzard was a forecasting bust — but a boon for Sanitation Department snowplow drivers, who were still raking in the overtime Wednesday, scraping the black asphalt hours after the white stuff had been cleared from city streets.

"The city kept plowing our street in 30-minute intervals all day and well after midnight, long after the streets were snowless and plowed bare," said Lara Vitiello, who lives on East 86th Street between East End and York avenues.

"Sometimes three trucks in a row were bumping along — with sparks flying from the plows.

"I saw them plowing nothing. I was watching and there was absolutely no snow. They just kept on plowing," Vitiello told The Post.

Vitiello, 44, said she and her neighbors believe the only reason the drivers stayed on a job that had already been completed — was to fatten their wallets with as much OT as possible.

"We all assume this was an overtime scam that was happening everywhere [in the city]. The guys had to actually plow to get the overtime, even though there was no snow, because that's what the OT was authorized for. It was getting me incensed last night. This is insanity. Obviously they were running up the bill," the stay-at-home mom fumed.

Across town, other New Yorkers echoed her complaints.

"I have seen the plows pass by, put the plow down, and there is no snow," griped Jean Luc, 60, walking on West 79th at West End Avenue

"They are overdoing it with the plowing. Where is the snow? I saw three plows going down Amsterdam Avenue and they weren't pushing any snow. I thought it was ridiculous," added the super of a building at West 80th and West End Avenue.

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New York City subways were closed to the public starting at 11 p.m. Jan. 26.

New York Post/Christina Santucci

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"There is no snow but they're plowing anyway. I could hear them grinding on the blacktop. I think they are just trying to bank OT."

Department spokeswoman Kathy Dawkins did not answer questions about why drivers continued to plow cleared streets, but she said in an e-mail to The Post:

"Today [Wednesday] we are continuing to salt and plow where necessary. The department is also opening up corner caps, intersections, removing snow from fire hydrants and bus stops. Salting and plowing where necessary [continues]. "

And, adding a malodorous insult to injury, garbage and recycling pickups were pushed back until 7 p.m. Wednesday night — because trucks and personnel were being used for the plowing — allowing tons of trash to pile up across the city since Monday.

"They have to take it out! It's no good over here! My customers can't come in. Some customers come in a car and they can't stop here to get their clothes," snapped Ely Baeza, manager of Broadway Cleaners at 344 Broadway, where a mountain of snow-topped garbage covers the sidewalk.

Dawkins said 2,400 workers per shift had been working 12-hour shifts round-the-clock since early Monday.

Additional reporting by Sophia Rosenbaum.

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Paltrow’s mom doesn’t get ‘conscious uncoupling’

Even Gwyneth Paltrow's mom doesn't fully understand the star's much maligned "conscious uncoupling" from rocker Chris Martin.

We spotted Blythe Danner at a VIP dinner for her Sundance film, "I'll See You in My Dreams," this week and asked how Paltrow was doing. "Wonderful," she said, adding, "People make fun of this, um, what do they call it? What is that thing that they've been doing? Separating, but being?"

"Conscious uncoupling," we reminded her, of the peculiar phrase that inspired endless think pieces and tweets since Paltrow announced the politically correct breakup in March.

"Yes," Danner said, "but it's called 'conscious' . . . not 'conscious uncoupling.' Conscious…" We assured her we were regrettably, but intimately, familiar with the phrase that was, as one national outlet put it, "mocked round the world."

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin in 2003Photo: Startraks Photo

She abandoned trying to recall the exact term and summed up the uncoupled couple: "They are so smart…both incredibly brilliant. They're making it work, they're great friends and the kids are in wonderful shape. So I have to take my hat off to both of them."

Danner had just managed to catch the last flight out of Newark before the "blizzard." "I was supposed to be inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame [Monday night] and that was canceled, thank God, so that allowed me to be here for this."

In her film, co-starring June Squibb, Danner, 71, plays a widow who starts dating. But she told us of her own love life after the death of her husband Bruce in 2002: "June says in the movie, 'When you've had the best, forget the rest,' and I kind of feel that way. I had an incredible husband. It would be great if somebody fell in from the sky…because you do get lonely as you get older. But I'm very grateful that I have grandchildren on both coasts and they fill my heart.

"This is the first leading role I've ever had and I've been in the business for 50 years! I've done many leading roles in plays, but never in a movie. I'm an actor who has been in a lot of films, but always in a supporting role, so it's been a thrill to be selected to play this wonderful woman."

More stars out and about at the Sundance Film Festival:

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Brooklyn Decker looks chic in a cape at the premiere of "Results" during the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 27.

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Jason Sudeikis bundles up in green during the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 27.

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Constance Zimmer (left) and Cobie Smulders attend the "Results" premiere on Jan. 27.

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Adrian Grenier takes some time off to ski in Park City, Utah.

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Keanu Reeves is spotted in Park City on Jan. 24, in town for the film "Knock Knock."

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Adam Scott attends the "Sleeping with Other People" premiere.

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Actors celebrate with their actors: SAG afterparties 32 Photos

See how your favorite celebs celebrated after the 2015 SAG Awards.

It's showtime! Stars head to SAG Awards 13 Photos

Hollywood primps its way to the SAG Awards.

Nicole Richie's biggest hairstyle hits and misses 21 Photos

From wild child to boho beauty to bright and bold, Richie has done it all ... with her hair, that is.

Star snaps of the day 31 Photos

Miley Cyrus and Kerry Washington salute LA style, Beyoncé and Jay Z get cozy courtside, Julianne Moore stuns under an umbrella and more.

The beautiful ones: Prince's funkiest fashions ever 24 Photos

Let's go crazy and take a look back at the Purple One's most bizarre (and beautiful) looks through the years.

Star snaps of the day 29 Photos

Olivia Munn stuns, Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are nice guys, Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Guzman chat, Justin Bieber grabs a handful and more.

Paulina Gretzky: From model to mom 32 Photos

She went from Maxim to motherhood (and looked great doing it).

Star snaps of the day 26 Photos

Kevin Costner celebrates, Elizabeth Hurley and Katie Holmes giggle, Christina Milian is a knockout, Kristin Chenoweth hangs with J. Lo and the boy next door and more.

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FXCM to write off losses for 90 percent of customers

FXCM, the bailed-out currency broker, is willing to forgive and forget.

The company is going to write off losses for 90 percent of its customers — most of them smaller day-trader-type accounts — that amount to about 40 percent of the total company losses, according to a company announcement.

FXCM had to get bailed out earlier this month by Leucadia National, the parent company of investment bank Jefferies, after the Swiss central bank changed its policy, and its currency made unprecedented gains against the euro.

FXCM's forgiveness is targeted mostly toward its smallest customers, according to the release.

The other 10 percent of clients, which makes up the majority of balances owed to the broker, are made up of "institutional, high net worth, and experienced traders who generally maintain higher account balances," according to the announcement.

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The $1,000 parka that quietly took over Hollywood fashion

Daniel Craig stands proudly on a snow-covered mountaintop, braving the cold in jeans, hiking boots and a $495 cobalt-blue puffer jacket. This Bond needs no gadgets or high-performance skis here.

Because emblazoned on his sleeve is the only status symbol for freezing fashionistas: A red, white and blue circle marking the brand Canada Goose.

Dini von Mueffling and husband Ted Sann sport their matching coats.Photo: Christian Johnston

If you live in New York and you haven't had your head in the snow for the past year, you'll know the label. Where in the past, a simple black sleeping bag coat was considered enough to protect stylish city folk from the chill, a status parka beloved by celebrities — Jimmy Fallon, Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper, among others — is now the only way to bundle up.

Who cares if the jackets range in price from $445 to $1,195?

Made with a water-resistant shell and coyote-trimmed hood, and filled with coveted Canadian down, the coat is cozy, while lending the owner the air of a badass arctic adventurer.

"I haven't taken it off since I got it," says Dini von Mueffling, a 40-something founding partner of HvM Communications and co-founder of the nonprofit Love Heals. "The styling is so right for New York. It's understated, there's only one logo. And what it says is, 'I want to be warm and I want to look good.' "

Von Mueffling originally bought a $595 "Constable" Canada Goose two years ago for her husband, Ted Sann, a retired BBDO ad-agency exec, but held off on making a purchase for herself until this season.

"I was really, really resistant to getting one because I don't want to wear what everyone is wearing," says von Mueffling, who lives on the Upper East Side. But after one too many bone-chilling dog walks in the park, she caved — and hasn't looked back. "It's life-changing."

Canada Goose coats have been standard issue for US Antarctic Program researchers and for film crews in nippy locations for decades. In recent years, the jackets migrated to the US, where they are favored by everyone from bankers to babies.

Emperor penguins in Antarctica check out the cozy Canada Goose outerwear on Italian biologists in 2007. The coats were first popular with those working in the arctic.Photo: Vittoriano Rastelli/Corbis

This is the rare trend that appeals equally to guys and gals — after all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Ben Rosow, a 15-year-old sophomore at the United Nations International School, says he hasn't shivered in 18 months — ever since his father bought him an $845 "Citadel" parka.

Rosow's 18-year-old brother, Gabriel, also rocks a Goose, as do gaggles of their UNIS classmates. The brothers guesstimate more than 70 kids at the high school have them, including their 17-year-old buddy Markus Miranda, who went to more than five stores last month in his hunt for a $745 black "Langford." His mom finally scored one on moosejaw.com.

Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield (left) and Bradley Cooper (top right) are all crazy for Canada Goose's cozy down coats, which range in price from $445 to $1,195. Bottom right: Jason Schwartzman makes the rounds at Sundance, where film industry people were lamenting the popularity of the coat.Photo: LISVETT SERRANT/startraksphoto.com; Alo Ceballos/GC Images

"Last year I was skiing with Ben and Gabriel, and they were practically sweating while I was freezing, so I was like, all right, this could be a good investment," says Miranda. "All I have to wear under it is a short-sleeved T-shirt."

Founded in Toronto in 1957 under the name Metro Sportswear Ltd., by the 1970s the company had made its name producing private-label down parkas for Canadian park rangers, police officers and workers in the Canadian high arctic. In 2000 the name was changed to Canada Goose, and in December 2013 the company sold a majority stake to private investment firm Bain Capital.

Canada Goose's US sales have been on the upswing for the past 15 years, but they have spiked in the last three years or so, according to Dani Reiss, president and CEO of Canada Goose and the grandson of its founder, Sam Tick.

Indeed, US sales last year soared 30% over 2013 to top $50 million, Reiss says.

The craze picked up steam when Kate Upton went "polar bare" on the cover of the 2013 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, ditching her bikini top for a white Canada Goose bomber jacket, worn open over string-bikini bottoms. Her glam squad also sported Canada Goose parkas during the six-day shoot in Antarctica — but the lucky team was permitted clothes.

Now the jackets are roosting on every street corner.

Actor Ansel Elgort sports a Canada Goose coat as he passes through New York en route to Sundance.Photo: 247PapsTV / Splash News

"We're the Land Rover of clothing," says Reiss. "We're built to be used in the harshest climates, but we've also transcended into the fashion world."

Canada Goose is part of the booming "premium-down" category, along with its main competitor Moncler and a handful of outdoor brands like the North Face and Patagonia.

"The trend of these parkas continues to gain in momentum," says Colleen Sherin, senior fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue. "Canada Goose is an important brand for us. It's quality, it's an investment piece, and it's practical."

Bob Gilman, COO of Paragon Sports, the company's primary dealer in New York, added that Canada Goose is a "great seller."

But the label is so ubiquitous that many trendsetters feel the Goose — as with Uggs, another former winter "must-have" — is finally cooked.

Ben Rosow (from left), Gabriel Rosow and Markus Miranda are among an estimated 70 students at United Nations International School in NYC who own the pricey parkas.Photo: Brian Zak/NY Post

This fatigue was felt particularly keenly at Sundance this week, where Canada Goose is among the sponsors of the indie-film extravaganza/freebie fest for the third year running. The company has even set up a gifting suite where $550 limited-edition black "Hybridge Lite Hoody" jackets are being handed out for free to directors.

"I feel like a bit of a d - - khead," admits director Matthew Bate of being part of such a raging trend after scooping up a free Goose at the suite. "But it's warmer than my other jackets."

"I would wear a Goose, but they're definitely over," adds 33-year-old entertainment personality Ben Lyons, who was hanging out on Sunday at Sundance's Stella Artois Cafe. "You see them everywhere."

Additional reporting by Dana Schuster

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Nets’ Hollins: Aversion to stats ‘dumbest thing I’ve ever heard’

When Lionel Hollins wasn't brought back to coach the Grizzlies last season — after leading them to a franchise-record 56 wins and a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2013 before his contract expired — it was rumored a main reason was because of a disconnect between an old-school coach and a new-school front office that believed in the power of advanced statistics.

But when that question was posed to Hollins recently, he made it clear he didn't share that view.

"I'm going to take a breath," Hollins said after a long pause, "and say it's the dumbest thing I've ever heard because every coach uses stats.

"Now, do I understand some of the stats that are out there that are new? No. But I can learn them."

As a former player — Hollins was the starting point guard of the 1977 NBA champion Trail Blazers — and longtime member of the league, it's easy to assume Hollins has no interest in looking at the advanced stats that have become a key part of how the league is analyzed, viewed and run.

But Hollins has referenced advanced statistics throughout the season, particularly in terms of lineup data, and said he uses stats to try and reinforce why he's making various decisions with his players.

"When I talk to a player about his play, I have to have stats to show him," Hollins said. "When I talk about lineups, I have to have stats that show why I'm making a change and not just because I'm making a change. Players like to know that.

"It's a part of the game. I know which combinations play well together from stats. I look at stats just about every day. So it's a misnomer, and it was what it was and it's over."

With the rise of information technology impacting basketball in many ways — from new player-tracking technology that registers every step and movement players make to shooting statistics that show where each player is most effective on the floor — there is a vast amount of information available.

But just because teams have all that information doesn't mean they'll always use it. Hollins said he doesn't try to overload his players with such information going into games.

"The stats are basically for the coaches, because if you threw all of those stats at the players, they would walk out on the court and they would be spinning in a circle. I remember we were in the playoffs and we had stats for what percentage a guy goes left, what percentage he goes right, what percentage he shoots over here on this side and what his shooting percentage is in this position.

"So, when you get in the game, can you make a guy get in that opposite corner from where he's good at?

Probably not. I think it's knowing your personnel, in terms of knowing his strengths and weaknesses, is good, but to put all of those stats on players, it's overload, and during the course of the season you probably do more of it than during the playoffs."

But even with all the information available, and while acknowledging it as a useful tool, Hollins said advanced stats aren't something he's going to use if they go against how he feels his team should operate.

One such instance has been playing Deron Williams and Jarrett Jack together, something that doesn't work out well for the Nets according to the numbers, but is a combination Hollins has said he believes in.

"As I used to say in Memphis, you can tell me that this lineup is better without Zach [Randolph], but Zach is going to be in the game the last two minutes of the game," Hollins said. "I don't care what the stats say. He's the guy that I trust is going to give me the best chance to win.

"It's the same way here. There are lineups that don't work, but I like and trust what I believe in versus just looking at the numbers, because you have players that are first-quarter players, some players that score in the middle of the game, and some players that score and do what you need them to do to win the game, and that's more important than anything."

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Spy games now a family affair in ‘The Americans’ Season 3

When Soviet spy drama "The Americans" ended its second season last May, it did so with the bombshell that the KGB is starting a program for second-generation illegals — and that the Center wants to recruit Paige (Holly Taylor), the daughter of undercover agents Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell) Jennings.

That conflict is still brewing when the FX series returns for Season Three Wednesday at 10 p.m., with the premiere digging into her parents' opposing views on turning their first-born into a spy.

"It causes a lot of strain between both of them," Taylor, 17, tells The Post. "Elizabeth is obviously for it a little more than Philip is."

Her father's opposition stems from his realization that he was forced into a life that he didn't choose— and won't have same fate befall his daughter.

"He doesn't want her pushed into something at such a young, vulnerable, impressionable age where in a few years she's up over her head, because it's not a job you can quit overnight or walk away from," Rhys says. "He doesn't want her to have to do the many awful things he has to do in order to stay alive and therefore keep the family alive."

But Elizabeth — who is more staunchly committed to Mother Russia's cause — sees a groundwork for Paige's possible future in Soviet espionage through her church youth group, where Paige has campaigned against nuclear weapons.

In Season Three, Paige's passion for religion and politics continues (Philip is surprised to see her reading the newspaper one morning), though her parents have become more supportive of her faith.

"She's less snappy and snarky towards them," Taylor says. "She's starting to come into her own and realize who she is, so her parents aren't as annoying to her as they were before."

There are other normal teenage problems — including a possible love interest and constant homework (something to which Taylor, a junior at her New Jersey high school, can relate). But Paige's curiosity about her parents' odd behavior continues, with the risk of her discovering their true identity a constant threat.

Taylor (right) says her character Paige's potential recruitment by the KGB is causing friction between her mother, Elizabeth (Keri Russell, left), and father, Philip (Matthew Rhys).Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/FX

"I think it would be really hard for Paige to understand and to absorb if she did find out," Taylor says. "That's such a huge thing to hear, that your parents aren't who they said they were for the past 13 to 14 years.

"Hopefully eventually she would … start to respect that her parents are doing the same thing that she's doing with the church — they're fighting for something they believe in and want to have a motive to live for."

With her parents' opposing views on Paige's future set to be the predominant arc for Season Three, Taylor for one is hoping her character gets brought into the fold.

"I'm just excited to hopefully be a spy; that would be awesome," she says.

"I don't know if they'd have me kicking butt like Elizabeth and Philip do … or wearing disguises. I'm up for anything. It would be so exciting to join their family business."

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Pete Carroll explains ‘unpopular’ decision to trade Harvin

PHOENIX — It might not look like it now, considering they're in the Super Bowl, but the Seahawks really did pay a price for abruptly shipping Percy Harvin to the Jets in October.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll on Monday described the Oct. 17 trade as something Seattle "had to endure," and the immediate aftershocks nearly wrecked the Seahawks' chances of defending their title.

But with Seattle ready to take on the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, the extremely costly decision to dump the talented-but-temperamental wide receiver and kick returner now looks like little more than a speed bump.

"It was a very difficult choice," Carroll said Monday of the decision to trade Harvin for a conditional 2015 pick barely a year after giving up three picks — including a first-rounder — to the Vikings for him.

"It was an unpopular choice from the outside in, but it was the only choice that we could make at the time to do the right thing for us, and hopefully it'll work out for him as well," Carroll said. "There was a big impact of that, but we had to endure that and since we've come out of it we've found what we were looking for really in that decision."

The impact was felt right away, as the Seahawks promptly dropped their first game after the Harvin trade in a 28-26 road loss to the Rams just two days after the deal.

Harvin was fiercely popular in parts of the Seahawks locker room, and several players immediately bemoaned the deal on social media. Marshawn Lynch reportedly was so upset he almost didn't get on the team bus to the airport, although the Seahawks later denied that.

Seattle's passing game immediately suffered, too. Russell Wilson failed to throw for more than 177 yards in four of the next six games and the Seahawks stood just 7-4 and third in the NFC West on Nov. 23.

But Seattle hit its stride after that, reeling off seven consecutive victories to reach the Super Bowl. That rebound included big contributions from the now Harvin-less receiving crew, which wideout Doug Baldwin said Monday thrived on what he described as the disrespect showed to them with Harvin and 2014 free agent Golden Tate — now with the Lions — gone.

"I think we just got the negativity and the disrespect in a different way, saying we miss Percy, we miss Golden or the no-names that are out here at receiver,'' Baldwin said Monday.

"We enjoy that. It adds some motivation, it adds some flair to it and we embrace it. I've got a shirt underneath my sweatshirt that says 'Pedestrians With Attitude.' So we enjoy the label because we embrace it.''

Harvin had a couple of big games with the Jets, including an 11-catch, 129-yard day against the Chiefs in Week 9, but he will be sitting home watching Sunday after a 4-12 season and appears likely to be a free agent this offseason.

If Harvin has any regrets about the poor behavior that reportedly forced his exit from Seattle, the Seahawks certainly don't have any regrets now about getting rid of him.

"We made a big statement going after Percy and he's an incredible football player and an amazing competitor," Carroll said Monday. "As it turned out, we just thought it was better for our team to move on."

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Regis‘ ‘Late Late’ gig brings back talk show pain

Regis Philbin continues his two-night guest-hosting gig on Tuesday's "Late Late Show," with scheduled guests David Letterman and Tony Danza.

Reege corralled A-listers Susan Sarandon and Alan Alda for Monday night's show (both shows taped here in New York City).

"It was fun. I enjoyed it. There's not an audience there — it's me just talking to guests across a table — so it's an altogether different feel," Philbin said, alluding to his 25-year run co-hosting "Live" with both Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly Ripa.

"An audience makes you want to be better, try harder. I'm glad I did ["Late Late Show"] but I don't know if I'd like to do that for the rest of my life."

I asked Reege if he misses being on TV every day. "Not really," he said. "I'd forgotten what a pain it is to go to the studio every day!"

James Corden joins "Late Late Show" March 23.

Jerry's "perfect" ending

Fans of NBC's "Parks and Recreation," airing Tuesday at 9 p.m., are no doubt anticipating the show's Feb. 24 series finale.

Jim O'Heir, who plays office schlub Jerry Gergich — or Larry/Terry/Gary Gergich (the name changes often) — knows how the series ends for Jerry. But revealing that would be, well, a typical Jerry thing to do.

"They wrote Jerry the perfect ending," says O'Heir. "When I heard what the idea was, and heard what they were thinking and heard from [series star Amy Poehler] I was like, really? She was like, 'This could still change' but I said 'Oh my God, that's the most amazing thing I ever heard.' I'm so proud of how they're taking care of Jerry in the finale … I got chills.

"It's the perfect ending to 'Parks and Rec.' "

Stay tuned.

NOLO on "Nightwatch"

Dick Wolf's newest cable reality series, "Nightwatch," airs its second episode Thursday on A&E (9 p.m.), tracking emergency responders in New Orleans.

It's Wolf's fourth show currently on the air, in addition to NBC's "Law & Order: SVU," "Chicago PD" and "Chicago Fire" and TNT's "Cold Justice" (Kelly Siegler and Yolanda McClary).

"One of the phrases that leaps to mind is 'You can't make this stuff up,' " Wolf told me about "Nightwatch."

"Obviously we have an interest in first responders. You can't pay people enough to run into burning buildings. The scripted shows are able to explore the complications of longterm human relations — the unscripted shows are more focused on the immediacy of events unfolding in front of the camera."

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Poe musical ‘Nevermore’ looks great but overstays its welcome

More than its plot or score, what you'll remember from the Poe musical "Nevermore" is its look.

Bretta Gerecke's costumes, makeup and props are part Edward Gorey, part Tim Burton and mostly in ghoulish black and white — as were several members of the audience recently, who looked as if they'd stepped out of a Siouxsie Sioux concert. The whole thing gives off a spooky steampunk vibe perfect for a show subtitled "The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe."

Writer/composer/director Jonathan Christenson set out to treat Poe's biography like one of his tales. It helped that the macabre scribe's life was as tragic as it was short.

As told here, Poe (Scott Shpeley) just couldn't get a break — everybody he ever loved either went insane or died, or both. When the forlorn teen finally met a girl, Elmira (Shannon Blanchet), who shared his morbid imagination, her father nipped their romance in the bud.

No wonder Poe took to writing stormy poems — and to the bottle.

"Nevermore" first played in NYC in 2010, at the New Victory Theater, which specializes in fare for young audiences. Though the production's been revised since, the tone is often cartoonish — starting with our hero's hair, gelled up into a spike that recalls Ed Grimley's, the Martin Short character.

Shpeley also plays young Edgar with a dazed innocence that makes him look like a passive ninny. That wild-eyed demeanor helps soften the blow when the 20-something Poe marries his 13-year-old cousin. Spoiler alert: She dies early, too.

This avalanche of calamities grows tedious, and even the visual riches and late references to Poe's writing can't break the monotony. You may find yourself wishing the show, like so many of its characters, had ended prematurely.

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Former Apple CEO being sued by ex for ‘hiding millions’ in divorce

The man who famously fired Steve Jobs from Apple, John Sculley, is being sued by his ex-wife of 32 years, Carol Lee Sculley, who claims he "secretly and furtively" hid more than $25 million of his assets when they divorced.

Sculley — the former Apple CEO who reportedly now has a net worth of $200 million — settled his divorce with Carol, known as Leezy, in 2011. But she sued him in Palm Beach in 2013 claiming he "lied" to her and the court, "submitted a false financial affidavit . . . and failed to fully and honestly disclose his assets."

According to the court papers, Sculley had claimed that their total marital assets at the time of their separation in 2010 were $4.8 million. But he allegedly didn't disclose "substantial private equity investments and investments in privately held companies and ventures around the globe."

The filing states that around 2000, Sculley "started an extramarital affair" with a former aide from Apple, and "at this point [he] secretly and furtively began hiding assets from Leezy."

From left: Steve Jobs, John Sculley and Steve Wozniak co-founder of Apple, unveil the new Apple IIc computer in 1984.Photo: AP

He allegedly enlisted his brothers Arthur and David, with whom he had started investment firm Sculley Brothers, "to help him transfer assets" or "simply hide these assets from Leezy."

Marketing whiz Sculley — played by Jeff Daniels in the upcoming Aaron Sorkin Steve Jobs film — became CEO of Apple in 1983, and fired Jobs two years later after they clashed. Sculley left Apple in 1993 and Jobs was reinstated in 1997.

Leezy's 2013 court papers said Sculley had hidden marital assets "in excess of $25 million." One of those assets, Pivot Acquisition Corp., is now said to be worth more than $100 million alone, according to a source. The case has proceeded slowly because of the complex financial discovery.

Upping the legal stakes, Leezy has now hired New York power attorney William D. Zabel to join her team, which includes Florida's Ed Patricoff. Zabel, who's repped George Soros and golfer Greg Norman, said he is pursuing the suit "on the grounds of [Sculley's] failure to disclose valuable assets." Sculley's rep declined to comment. His attorney Martin L. Haines III didn't respond.

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Carmelo raves about Okafor — who’s ‘big fan’ of Melo

Tucked in among the 19,812 highly exuberant fans at the Garden Sunday were some very interested observers. They wore neither Duke blue nor St. John's red, but bled Knicks orange and blue. And they no doubt were watching Jahlil Okafor, universally projected as the No. 1 pick in the June draft.

Carmelo Anthony was among those observers who included Knicks president Phil Jackson and general manager Steve Mills. Anthony came away impressed.

"I like him, I like him," Anthony said. "He's got a great feel for the game and a great touch. He's a big body for sure down there, he's a load."

The Knicks All-Star said he only was "here as a spectator" and gave an assessment from a player's perspective of the Duke stud whom Knicks fans pray awaits them in the draft. Okafor is just a freshman and while everyone expects him to be a one-and-done guy, it would be frowned upon if NBA players started spouting things like, "Yeah, I can't wait to be his teammate."

Okafor, for his part, was thrilled to hear Anthony was impressed. Anthony was one of the guys he grew up watching — and how old do you feel right now, Carmelo?

"It means a lot," the 6-foot-11 Okafor said of Anthony's praise. "Especially for me being a basketball fan and me looking up to a guy like Carmelo Anthony since I've been playing the game, it means a lot."

Okafor, who fashioned a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double Sunday, said he didn't know he was under the watchful eye of Jackson and Anthony until after the Blue Devils had completed a 77-68 victory to give Coach Mike Krzyzewski his 1,000th career win.

"I was not aware," Okafor said. "I feel like they were here to witness history to watch Coach K get his 1,000th win."

And to watch the probable No. 1 pick.

"It's great," Okafor said. "I'm a big fan of Carmelo Anthony. So if you guys are asking him about me, for him to know who I am, it's a great feeling. I'm still 19 years old and Carmelo Anthony, one of the best players to play basketball, I'm a big fan of him."

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Coach K sheds some light on potential end to career

Mike Krzyzewski has seen it all, even the things that have never been done before.

Back at center court of the World's Most Famous Arena, college basketball's most famous coach was being celebrated for becoming the first men's Division I head coach to reach 1,000 wins — following No. 5 Duke's 77-68 comeback victory over St. John's on Sunday at a sold-out Madison Square Garden. The latest milestone came a little over three years after the longtime Blue Devils coach became the all-time winningest coach at the Garden, breaking the record of his former coach, Bobby Knight.

There were hugs and handshakes, and smiles and salutations, as the strong contingent of Duke fans yelled, "Coach K! Coach K!" in unison. The team's players were given T-shirts which read "1,000 and Kounting."

As the coach entered his press conference, with two of his daughters and seven of his grandchildren, Krzyzewski said he was glad the circus surrounding the milestone would finally end, allowing the team to return to regular games.

How many games are left in his career? Not as many as many people think.

"There's an end in sight," said Krzyzewski, who has won 927 games at Duke after beginning his career with five seasons at Army. "I'm going to be 68 next month and it'll end sooner than later, but hopefully not real soon."

After four NCAA titles, 11 Final Four appearances and 40 seasons, the end is approaching. Until then, Krzyzewski said he will remain as passionate as ever, as if 1,000 wins hadn't come before.

"That's what you're supposed to do," Krzyzewski said. "Energy is not a matter of age, it's a matter of commitment to your position, to what you do. As long as I'm doing it, I'm gonna bring energy. I want people around me to give me energy too, and when my guys started going, it was really beautiful to see them fight and win."

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Sheldon Silver to step down temporarily

Sheldon Silver agreed on Sunday to step down temporarily as Speaker of the Assembly as he fights federal corruption charges, according to sources.

"Shelly will withdraw as speaker," one source said.

A coalition of up to five assembly Democratic will take over his duties.

Two of them — Herman "Denny" Farrell of Harlem and Joseph Morelle of Rochester — will handle the budget negotiation with the governor and state senate.

Silver, a Democrat from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, was arrested Friday on a series of sweeping corruption charges.

He was accused of steering real estate developers to a law firm that paid him kickbacks.

The assembly speaker was also accused of funneling state grants to a doctor who referred asbestos claims to a second law firm that paid him fees for referring the clients.

Under the deal, Silver can return to his speaker post if he beats the corruption charges.

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Nixed guilty verdicts a blow to Preet’s Wall Street crackdown

Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara's ambitious Wall Street crackdown was dealt another blow Thursday when a federal judge tossed out four insider trading guilty pleas.

US District Judge Andrew Carter threw out the guilty pleas of four men who had admitted trading on insider information on IBM's $1.2 billion purchase of software firm SPPS.

Carter's ruling was the first since a stunning appeals court decision in December reversed two key insider-trading convictions — and upended insider trading rules and limited prosecutors' powers in the process.

"It's not a happy day for the government," said Stuart Slotnick, a white collar criminal defense lawyer. "It might be the first shoe to drop."

Indeed, another convicted insider trader — former Galleon Group trader Zvi Goffer — said on Thursday that he will ask to have his conviction and 10-year prison sentence reversed, too.

Zvi Goffer

The guilty-turned-innocent decisions are turning Bharara's near-perfect record of insider-trading convictions much more pedestrian. In just a few weeks, six of his 83 convictions have been overturned.
More are expected.

The six reversals stem from a December federal appeals court decision throwing out the convictions of hedge fund managers Todd Newman and Anthony Chiasson.

The two weren't guilty because they did not know that the source of the inside information got a financial benefit, the appeals panel ruled.

That ruling challenged the theory of insider trading that prosecutors had used in a wide-ranging crackdown that convicted those who were several people removed from the original illicit tip.

"Prior to 'Newman' certain elements of insider trading … were a little bit hazy," Carter said at a December hearing. "It just so happens that the circuit has indicated that legal theory doesn't work."

On Thursday he threw out the pleas of former Euro Pacific Capital traders Daryl Payton, Thomas Conrad and David Weishaus, along with Grent Martin, a former analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland.

Martin had learned about IBM's pending merger from a friend working at its law firm who expected him to keep it confidential. But the analyst bought SPSS stock and told his roommate, Condrad, who told his co-workers Weishaus and Payton.

They pled guilty in December 2013.

Michael SteinbergPhoto: R. Umar Abbasi

Another conviction expected to bite the dust is that of Michael Steinberg, the former SAC Capital money man nailed for insider trading in December of 2013. His appeal has been put on hold until the government decides whether to ask for a rehearing of the Newman case — and possibly even take it to the US Supreme Court.

Steinberg was part of a circle of friends who were passing around tips that eventually ensnared him, along with Newman and Chiasson. One of the cooperating witnesses in those cases, Danny Kuo, has said he might withdraw his plea, too.

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Pats — and Seahawks — ball boys won’t handle Super Bowl balls

The NFL will use independent equipment managers for Super Bowl XLIX, not those from the participating teams — but that has nothing to do with the ongoing Deflategate controversy.

This procedure was established before allegations of underinflated balls in the AFC Championship Game, though an NFL spokesman said Thursday the league "expects that the competition committee will review all of these procedures in the offseason."

Bears equipment manager Tony Medlin has been selected to secure the game balls for the Super Bowl, with a staff of ball boys — none of whom are affiliated with the Patriots or Seahawks.

"Like many aspects of our policies and procedures, there are modifications for the Super Bowl," NFL spokesman Michael Signora said. "At the Super Bowl, the equipment manager of another team [Medlin] is in charge of the game balls and arranging for the ball attendant crews, which are hired before the Super Bowl teams are determined. The officials will maintain strict control of the game balls for the Super Bowl.

"Many aspects of the regular-season process are in place. The Super Bowl teams receive balls to work with during practice as per our policies. The balls are then returned to the league late next week. We would expect that the Competition Committee will review all of these procedures in the offseason."

Among the things the NFL's competition committee is expected to review is the chain-of-custody issues related to the pregame inspection of footballs — certainly spurred by the Patriots' incident.

It's possible the NFL will put league-appointed ball attendants in place at all games, handling possession of the footballs after they're inspected by the game officials prior to games.

The current way it works — up until the Super Bowl — is the footballs are returned to team-appointed ball attendants after they've been inspected by game officials.

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Former Rodale Headquarters sold to town for nearly $3 million

Civic leaders in Emmaus, Pa., voted 6-to-1 last week to buy the former headquarters of Men's Health publisher Rodale for $2.95 million.

Although that was about $500,000 less than the $3.49 million the company sought when it moved out 2 ¹/₂ years ago, a Rodale spokeswoman told Media Ink said the company was "happy" with the price.

"We haven't occupied the building since 2012 — and we're thrilled that the original headquarters will become the new home of the Borough of Emmaus — the company's hometown which we have a deep love for," she said.

Part of the structure, which sits on a 5-acre plot, was being rented to a charter school with three years left on its lease. The rest was unoccupied.

Emmaus plans to house police and fire departments there.

The cash from the selloff may come in handy this year as CEO Maria Rodale is taking the risky move of suspending publication of the company's original title, Organic Gardening, with plans to use the subscription list to launch a new lifestyle magazine to be called Rodale's Organic Life.

It debuts in mid-April with a May/June issue.

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Supposed Colts whistleblower denies noticing deflation

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The NFL's Deflategate investigation took on added mystery Thursday when the person reportedly responsible for starting it denied any role.

Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson told reporters at Pro Bowl practices in Arizona he didn't think the Tom Brady ball he intercepted in the first half of last Sunday's AFC Championship Game was deflated.

"I wouldn't know how that could even be an advantage or a disadvantage," Jackson said. "I definitely wouldn't be able to tell if one ball had less pressure than another."

ESPN and other outlets reported this week the cheating allegations against the Patriots started when Jackson picked off a Brady pass in the second quarter, kept the ball because he thought it felt underinflated and had the Colts ask the NFL to inspect all 12 of New England's primary batch of balls at halftime.

Unless Jackson was lying, his claims throw the origin of the controversy into question because no other explanation for what prompted the league's halftime inspection has been made public.

The NFL once again refused comment Thursday on Jackson's comments and its investigation into why all 12 of the primary footballs supplied by the Patriots against Indianapolis were found at halftime of that game to be at least one pound per square inch (psi) and in most cases two psi below the NFL's 12.5 psi minimum.

A league source said the NFL had investigators on site here Thursday, although Brady surprised reporters at his afternoon press conference by saying no one from the league had interviewed him yet.

The apparent leisurely pace of the NFL probe called into question whether the league even wants to announce a decision before the Patriots face the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1 in Glendale, Ariz.

NFL vice president of operations Troy Vincent told NBC this week that the league hoped to conclude its investigation by Friday. But that aggressive target appeared in doubt Thursday, especially after Brady and Bill Belichick strongly denied any responsibility.

If the NFL decides to punish the Patriots, they would face a minimum $25,000 fine and a possible loss of draft picks.

Roger Goodell could also opt for even harsher penalties because the Patriots would be considered repeat offenders after the 2007 Spygate scandal.

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Bob Dylan gives exclusive interview to…AARP magazine?

Bob Dylan says that real rock 'n' roll died in 1961 or 1962.

The remarks from the raspy-voiced folk rocker may not be that surprising — but the media outlet the music legend picked for an exclusive interview is: AARP Magazine.

"They sought us out," said Editor Bob Love, who spent 20 years at Rolling Stone before landing at the official magazine of the aging baby boomer lobbying group.

When the 73-year-old singer, who is notoriously stingy with interviews, came knock, knock, knockin on AARP's door, Love conceded he still had to double check — even though AARP is the largest circulating magazine in the country.

"I said, you realize I am not with Rolling Stone anymore?" said Love.

The catch: AARP had to figure out how to attach a CD of Dylan's soon-to-be-released new album, "Shadows in the Night," to 50,000 randomly selected readers — out of AARP's 22 million circulation.

All 10 songs on the CD were previously recorded by Frank Sinatra.

When Love asked Dylan if he thought a CD covering songs made famous by Ol' Blue Eyes was a risky musical gamble, the singer snapped: "Risky? Like walking across a field laced with land mines? Or working in a poison gas factory? There's nothing risky about making records."

Regarding the thought that real rock 'n' roll met its demise in the early 1960s, Dylan said early versions of rock music were heavily influenced by black music — and that upset the establishment, which pushed for changes.

"When they finally recognized what it was, they had to dismantle it, which they did, starting with payola scandals," Dylan said. "The black element was turned into soul music, and the white element was turned into English pop."

The AARP magazine with the Dylan interview will come out Feb. 1.

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The last B. Smith Manhattan restaurant closes its doors

Dan Gasby and B. Smith in AugustPhoto: Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images

Restaurateur B. Smith, who is battling Alzheimer's, has abruptly closed her last remaining eatery.

Her husband, Dan Gasby, posted an announcement on his Facebook page early Monday.

He told Page Six the reason for the West 46th Street shutdown wasn't her illness but the rent, which had tripled over 14 years to $40,000 a month.

"You go from a point where your landlord goes from being a partner to a pimp," Gasby told us. "When . . . your landlord becomes your pimp, then you know what that makes you."

Gasby says they will look for a new site. B. Smith, a former model who launched a successful restaurant chain and lifestyle brand, last year closed her Sag Harbor eaterie after shuttering their DC outpost as the couple eyed a move to a warmer climate.

Smith, who is living in the Hamptons, went missing for a short period in November, sparking a huge search. She was found safe after 12 hours in a Manhattan diner.

B. Smith's first restaurant opened in 1986 on Eighth Avenue at 47th Street. "After we left, three restaurants failed in that space. Now it's a Duane Reade," Gasby sighed.

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Family of slain cyclist fighting to get trucker off the road

A traffic-court judge will decide whether a hit-and-run truck driver will finally lose his license years after he killed a Brooklyn artist, the victim's family told The Post.

Relatives of victim Mathieu Lefevre discovered late last year that a judge threw out two traffic tickets against the driver who killed their son in 2011 — and a routine hearing on whether the man should keep his license was never held.

The driver, Leonardo Degianni, was not charged criminally with leaving the scene after he told police that he did not realize he had hit someone.

He was ticketed for minor infractions, including failing to signal.

A white bike commemorates Lefevre's death at the scene where he was hit.Photo: Stephen Yang

But in every traffic fatality, the Department of Motor Vehicles, which manages traffic court, is supposed to hold a special hearing to decide whether the driver should stay on the road. That never happened.

Lefevre's relatives, who are suing Degianni, are members of the advocacy group Families for Safe Streets, which went to bat for them when it was revealed that the DMV had similarly thrown out tickets against a motorist who killed a 3-year-old Queens girl.

The DMV then set a date for a hearing on Lefevre's case to decide whether Degianni should stay on the road.

Video showing the driver running over the 30-year-old cyclist in Williamsburg and then leaving the scene will be shown for the first time publicly at the Jan. 27 hearing.

"It's been three years; it's very difficult," said Lefevre's mother, Erika, who will fly from western Canada to New York for the hearing. "You're doing everything you can, waiting for justice to happen."

Lawyer Steve Vaccaro said the hearing is very important for Mathieu's parents.

"It's symbolic, but they also feel a very direct connection to other parents," he said.

"They feel if a driver is shown to be reckless, that he should be taken off the streets for at least some period of time to understand the gravity of what he's doing and the importance of taking great care."

He added that the justice process is so flawed that NYPD investigators don't always come to the traffic hearings — and he hopes the police who handled the case will testify.

The DMV did not comment on the cases.

Mathieu Lefevre Crash–CAUTION GRAPHIC CONTENT from Vaccaro and White on Vimeo.

This surveillance video from a warehouse on Morgan Avenue shows, at time stamp at 6:50, that the truck driver who killed Mathieu Lefevre did not signal his turn.

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Emmy Rossum cozies up to director boyfriend at Hollywood Hills party

Emmy Rossum looked cozy with her writer and director boyfriend Sam Esmail at a party for Carbon38 founder Katie Warner Johnson Saturday night at Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss' Hollywood Hills home to celebrate the e-commerce site's second anniversary.

"Emmy and Sam looked extremely happy in love," says a witness. "They stuck close together and looked inseparable."

Page Six first revealed the pair, who met on the set of "Comet," were dating in August 2013.

The Winklevii are investors in fashion active-wear online retailer Carbon38.

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Is James Franco working on another MoMA exhibit?

Art buddies James Franco and Klaus Biesenbach could be collaborating on another project.

The two were spotted at the Whynot bistro in the West Village Monday morning, where spies told us "The Interview" actor Franco — without the burly security guards who were at his side at the time of the controversial movie's opening — and Biesenbach, the MoMA PS1 director, were admiring artist Jeremy Penn's massive painting of Brigitte Bardot from his "Hot Lips" series, which was hanging in the back of the cafe.

Franco and Biesenbach took pictures of themselves nestled in a corner booth, then outside of the IFC theater, and posted the images on Instagram.

Franco, who counts Marina Abramovic as a close friend, has participated in several performance pieces at MoMA PS1.

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Proposed parking ban would put the squeeze on out-of-towners

Nights will be a living dread for out-of-state motorists if one New York lawmaker has his way.

Queens Assemblyman Michael Miller has proposed a law that would prohibit cars with out-of-state plates from parking overnight on city streets. The bill would make it illegal to park with non-New York plates from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. Violators could have their vehicles towed.

"In the City of New York and other areas throughout the state, we have become inundated with out-of-state vehicles taking up parking spaces on public streets to the detriment of local residents," Miller said.

"By registering out-of-state, you are either committing fraud by not registering your vehicle in New York state or you are avoiding paying state Department of Motor Vehicles fees."

Under the Democrat's proposal, visiting out-of-town guests could apply for an "exemption sticker." A resident who owns property in another state — and has a car registered there — could also apply for an exemption.

According to Miller's estimates, one of every five parked vehicles in his district — encompassing Woodhaven, Glendale, Ozone Park and Richmond Hill — is registered outside New York state.

"We have lots of cars with Florida plates, Jersey plates, Massachusetts, Georgia, you name it," he said.
Miller said he's heard numerous complaints about out-of-state parking freeloaders, particularly from the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association.

"We want to have parking for residents who pay insurance and motor-vehicles fees here," Miller said. "It's only fair."

But the AAA is raising a red flag.

"To have a provision that prevents people from coming to New York City and parking on the street during some given hours seems totally shortsighted and unfair," said Robert Sinclair, New York spokesman for the nonprofit automobile service organization.

There are about 2 million cars registered in the city and 10 million in New York state.

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What the Nets can do to make a second-half surge

The Nets spent Sunday licking their wounds after failing to complete a home-and-home sweep of the Wizards Saturday, a loss that put them at 17-24 at the halfway mark and with losses in eight of their past nine games.

They return Monday to their New Jersey facility for the first of two days of practice before kicking off the season's second half with a three-game Western swing beginning Wednesday in Sacramento. The Nets have with plenty of work to do if they still want to salvage something from what has been a tumultuous season.

"Well, in the first 41 we didn't win enough games," Nets coach Lionel Hollins said in typically blunt fashion. "In the second 41, I hope we win a lot more."

If the Nets are going to do that, they're going to have to overcome many of the distractions that cropped up over the first 2 ¹/₂ months.

Deron Williams and Brook Lopez have both dealt with injuries and trade rumors, with Williams likely to remain sidelined for at least a week while Lopez was close to being dealt before scoring 26 points in Friday's win at Washington and adding 15 more in Saturday's loss to the Wizards.

Meanwhile, the potential sale of the team by Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov continues to hang over the franchise, while the Nets also have to worry about the potential of sending a high draft pick to the Eastern Conference-leading Hawks because the second of two pick swaps as part of the Joe Johnson trade in July 2012.

"It's still a work in progress," Johnson said. "[It's] obviously not what we expected at this point, but we just need to get better and have the team work hard and pull for one another each and every day."

But it will take more than simply pulling for each other for the Nets to remain in one of the final playoff spots in the East. They currently sit one game ahead of both the Pistons and Hornets, and are in the midst of a brutal stretch where 13 of their next 16 games are against playoff teams.

They've been stuck in a season-long slump offensively, ranking near the bottom of the league in offensive efficiency despite a roster full of skilled offensive players. With Williams sidelined, they have just one player (Johnson) hitting more than 35 percent from 3-point range.

Finding a way to hit more of the open shots they're clanging would go a long way toward solving those problems, but there's plenty of evidence to prove that isn't exactly going to be something the Nets can snap their fingers and do.

Still, they remain upbeat they can find a way to get their season back on track despite deserved pessimism from outside the locker room that such a turnaround is possible.

"It's a typical first half of the season, [full of] peaks and valleys," guard Jarrett Jack said. "But, at this point, this is where most teams hit their stride. They pretty much show who they are, and if they're going to be a team worth talking about, worth mentioning as we go into the later stage of it, and I think our group is ready to do that."

Whether they are able to do so, however, remains to be seen.

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Leveling the field for great schools

On a bone-chilling morning just before Thanksgiving, fourth-graders from Bronx Charter School for Excellence bundled up and happily sat in Bowling Green under a tent, a "classroom without walls."

The public-school kids were hoping that, through the howling Lower Manhattan winds, state leaders would hear the important message their little voices were sending: Provide fair and equitable funding for all charter schools, particularly when it comes to facilities funding.

These children attend a nationally recognized Blue Ribbon School — one so high-performing that more than 4,000 children are on the waitlist. The school's doing so well that the state chose it to collaborate with and guide a nearby traditional (district) school on how to achieve great results.

But Bronx Excellence is denied any state funding for facilities. It must use money that should go for teachers, books and materials to instead help pay rent and other building costs — all because an omission in state law leaves charter schools in private space out in the cold.

These fourth-graders know exactly why this is important and why the law needs to be changed in the next state budget.

They already know they're treated differently than "regular" public-school, and even some other charter-school, children.

Last March, many charter-school students from "co-located" schools (that is, ones that get "housed" in buildings owned by the city Department of Education) braved Albany's sub-freezing cold — and inspired state leaders to take a step toward funding charter schools more fairly.

They passed a new law giving new or expanding charter schools guaranteed space or funds to help pay for space.

But that law left out half of all charter schools in the state — the ones, like Bronx Excellence, housed in private space.

They already know they're treated differently.

That includes every single charter school outside of New York City in cities like Buffalo and Rochester, and also excludes 40 percent of charter schools in New York City.

Some governments outside New York do provide charters specific support for facilities.

Washington, DC, with one of the nation's very best charter systems, gives $2,940 per pupil. Massachusetts, another state with thriving charters, gives nearly $900 per pupil for facilities. Funding inequities remain in these areas, but every bit helps.

The Bronx Excellence scholars know they were left out in the cold once before. They want to make sure they're not left out again. The children know it's wrong that they're denied funding for their buildings — even though all New York children at district schools get funding for their buildings.

At Bronx Excellence, nearly 650 young scholars are provided an exemplary, world-class K-8 education. Our graduates have gone on to highly selective high schools, including Bronx Science and Ethical Culture Fieldston School.

On the most recent state exams, our students outperformed their host district and the state average by double-digit margins in both math and English. They're on the path to success.

Through the state's Charter School Dissemination Grant program, Bronx Excellence was chosen to work collaboratively with nearby PS 85 to help increase the performance of its students.

Like PS 85, we must make difficult decisions about where our budget dollars are spent — a situation made more challenging by the state's funding laws.

First, we only get about 67 percent per-pupil compared to what district schools receive.

Second, because we are denied state facilities support, we must divert more than 17 percent of our budget away from learning and into facilities.

That means Bronx Excellence has only about half as much money for education as our neighboring city school. Imagine the excellence we could provide if we had this money to use on more teachers, classrooms and materials.

We shouldn't have to pay for our school's buildings at our students' expense when other schools, including many charters, do not.

Charters in New York have proven their worth. If we're serious about breaking "cycles of failure," about funding what works, then all charter students deserve equal access to public funding for their school buildings.

One of the little girls who sat outside on that cold morning said with a smile that she wanted to be an engineer or a fashion designer when she grows up. The boy next to her wanted to be a rocket scientist. I have no doubt that these children and their classmates will become anything they want to be.

Our children are too young to vote, but not too young to have a voice. We hope our state leaders can hear them.

Joyce Frost is vice president of the Board of Trustees of Bronx Charter for Excellence.

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Romney’s third run will be no charm

After his third loss, in 1908, as the Democratic presidential nominee, William Jennings Bryan enjoyed telling the story of the drunk who three times tried to enter a private club.

After being tossed out into the street a third time, the drunk said: "They can't fool me. Those fellows don't want me in there!"

Mitt Romney might understandably think that a third try would have a happy ending in a successful presidency. First, however, he must be a candidate.

In 1948, when Democrats considered offering their presidential nomination to Dwight Eisenhower, the former and future Democratic speaker of the house, taciturn Sam Rayburn, said of Eisenhower: "Good man, but wrong business."

Two landslide elections and an admirable presidency proved that Rayburn was spectacularly mistaken, but he was right that not every good man is good at every business.

Romney, less than nimble at the business of courting voters, lost a winnable race in 2012.

The nation was mired in a disappointing recovery, upward mobility had stalled and the incumbent president's signature achievement was unpopular and becoming more so. Barack Obama, far from being a formidable politician, was between the seismic repudiations of 2010 and 2014.

Running against Romney, Obama became the first president to win a second term with smaller percentages of both the popular and electoral votes. He got 3.6 million fewer votes, and a lower percentage of the electoral vote.

Yet Romney lost all but one (North Carolina) of the 10 battleground states. He narrowly lost Florida, Virginia and Ohio, but even if he had carried all three, Obama still would have won with 272 electoral votes.

If it seemed likely that the Republican field of candidates for 2016 would be unimpressive, this would provide a rationale for Romney redux.

But markets work, and America's electoral system is a reasonably well-functioning political market, with low barriers to entry for new products.

For all the flaws of a nominating process that begins with the Obnoxiously Entitled Four (Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, with 4 percent of the nation's population), those states don't require immediate substantial financial muscle, and they reward retail campaigning, so lesser-known and underfunded candidates can break through.

Furthermore, campaign-finance laws designed to limit competition are, fortunately, porous enough to allow a few wealthy contributors to enable marginal candidates to be heard.

These are among the reasons the Republicans' 2016 field will have more plausible aspirants than any nomination contest since the party's first presidential campaign in 1856.

America does not have one presidential election every four years, it has 51 — in the states and the District of Columbia. A Romney candidacy, drawing on his network of financial supporters and other activists, might make sense if the GOP were anemic in the states.

The Republicans' 2016 field will have more plausible aspirants than any nomination contest since the party's first presidential campaign in 1856.

But Republicans as of this week control 31 governorships, including those in seven of the 10 most populous states (Florida, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia and Ohio — all but California, Pennsylvania and New York).

Republicans control 68 of the 98 partisan state legislative chambers. (Nebraska's unicameral Legislature is chosen in nonpartisan elections.)

In 23 states, with 251 electoral votes, Republicans control the governor's office and the legislature. (Democrats have such control in only seven states.) Republicans have their most state legislative seats since the 1920s.

This mirrors Republican strength in Congress. The party holds more House seats than at any time since 1931. (Democrats, after winning the House in 20 consecutive elections 1954-1992, have lost it in nine of the last 11.) Republicans are one Senate seat shy of equaling their highest total since the 1920s.

In the six presidential elections beginning in 1992, Democratic candidates have averaged 327 electoral votes, Republicans just 211. Republicans have lost the popular vote in five of the last six and have not won a decisive popular vote victory since 1988.

And no candidate before Romney lost while winning 59 percent of the white vote, which was almost 90 percent of his support. George H.W. Bush won about that portion in 1988 but captured 426 electoral votes. Romney got just 206.

The white portion of the vote has shrunk 15 points to 72 percent in the six presidential elections since 1992. With the fastest-growing ethnic group, Asian-Americans, Romney did even worse (21 percent) than he did with Hispanics (27 percent).

One more discouraging word about Romney 3.0: Massachusetts. Only two presidential candidates, James Polk in 1844 and Woodrow Wilson in 1916, have been elected while losing their home states.

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