May 4, 2004

SLOW GROWTH, HIGHER INFLATION PUTS FED IN A SQUEEZE

AS the Federal Reserve meets today to decide on interest rates, it finds itself in an unenviable position where it will be damned no matter what it does. In a...

PROBES SHAKE COKE & PEPSI

Coke and Pepsi are slugging it out in a new war - against federal investigators who are threatening their wholesome images. The two soft-drink giants are mired in separate fights...

$465M DEAL DONE AT 140 B'WAY

THE closely watched sale of 140 Broadway to a German real estate fund has closed for $465 million, The Post has learned - a near-record price per square foot for...

CNBC'S RUKEYSER TAKES MEDICAL LEAVE

Louis Rukeyser, the dean of television financial reporting for three decades, is taking an extended leave of absence from the airways for health reasons. The 71-year-old economics commentator and author...

NASDAQ LOWERS COSTS, HOPING RIVALS BLINK FIRST

Nasdaq is going to war. The tech-heavy stock exchange is taking on electronic rival Archipelago and arch rival New York Stock Exchange at the same time. Nasdaq is lowering some...

FRANK IS GUILTY; FACES JAIL TERM

Super-banker Frank Quattrone's own bubble has burst. The former head of Credit Suisse First Boston's global technology group will likely spend a year or two behind bars after being convicted...

MAG UNIT LINES BLUR INSIDE NEWHOUSE EMPIRE

The walls are coming down inside the three separate magazine divisions inside the media empire of S.I. Newhouse Jr. The lineup includes the glitzy Conde Nast, the business-like Fairchild Publications...

NEW BAUER CELEB MAG LAUNCH SET

Bauer Publications said it will launch a new celebrity-friendly magazine, Life & Style Weekly, on Nov. 1. The new magazine will be priced at $1.99 - lower than established competitors...

-QUATTRONE STILL FACES THE NASD (M)-NEXT UP FOR QUATTRONE: NASD (S, LCF)

Frank Quattrone faces other legal problems, as well. The former power banker still must defend claims made by the NASD in March 2003 that he handed out hot IPO allocations...

PUMPED UP MARTS - ECONOMY GAINS, BUT GAS, OIL COSTS ARE A DRAG

Factories are their busiest in 20 years, and construction spending has hit an all-time high this spring - but the rising cost of materials is putting a crimp in the...

JUNGLE MEDIA GETS SAVOY

Time Warner did not show up, clearing the way for the Jungle Media Group to win the bankruptcy auction for Savoy, a magazine aimed at upscale African-American males. Jungle Media...

BIG PAY CUT FOR NYSE BIGS

NYSE co-presidents Robert Britz and Catherine Kinney - the two highest-ranking holdovers from the reign of former chief Dick Grasso - saw their 2003 bonuses slashed more than 70 percent,...

'O.C.'S ROUGH SEAS - SO MANY CRISES, SO LITTLE TIME

'IT'S been nothing but drama since you got here," a character on the Fox hit "The O.C." complained in a recent show. As its first season draws to a close,...

BEAUTY & THE BOOTY - BOTTOM LINE NO LONGER BUTT OF JOKES

MY rear was letting me down. Swimsuit season approaches, but my butt wasn't as buff as it could be. The solution: a butt facial - microdermabrasion of the derriere, combined...

HITTING THE HIGH NOTES

THE story lines of "The O.C." may be getting tawdry, but its music is as edgy as ever - giving unknown bands valuable airtime. " 'The O.C.' has given us...

QUAKE SHOW SHAKES UP RATINGS

THE earth moved for "10.5" Sunday night. The first part of NBC's earthquake movie notched 20.4 million viewers from 9 to 11 p.m. - the best viewership numbers for any...

KELLY'S MAN LANDS PART OF 'LIFETIME'

MARK Consuelos is thrilled that his new role on Lifetime's "1-800 Missing" takes him only as far as Toronto - meaning he's only a 55-minute plane ride from wife Kelly...

TODAY AT TRIBECA FEST

TWEEN fans of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen will turn out in force for a glimpse of their idols at this afternoon's red-carpet premiere of the twins' new film, "New York...

DYLAN: BLOWIN' INTO 'IDOL'?

Dylan: I wanna be the next SimonBob DylanSO what happened to Bob Dylan - rebel folk-rock hero? Not only is the '60s anti-establishment icon appearing in a commercial for Victoria's...

STARR REPORT

Carla's altared state Fans of "Scrubs" know that nothing is ever certain when it comes to Carla (Judy Reyes) and Turk (Donald Faison) - including their much- anticipated wedding, scheduled...

'FRIENDS' FOR SALE - FAN'S GUIDE TO THE RIGHT STUFF - AND HOW TO GET IT

CENTRAL Perk latte mugs and "Friends" trivia games are for geeks and losers. Don't waste your time with cheesy commercial "Friends" memorabilia, when you can show you're a true fan...

CABLE TV GETS A HORROR CHANNEL

THAT thing that went bump in the night might be the new all-horror cable channel Scream. It's the latest high-profile channel slated to be winging its way into living rooms...

FEMININE TOUCH FOOTBALL - BEER-TOSSING SPORTS BABE TAKES OVER 'MONDAY NIGHT' SIDELINES

QUICKLY admitting its mistake, ABC Sports has relieved Lisa Guerrero of her "Monday Night Football" sideline reporting job after just one awkward season. Guerrero will be replaced by the more...

WHERE TO GET A SUMMER BODY WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT; LAZY DOES IT

WITH swimsuit season just around the corner, New Yorkers are scrambling for the latest ways to lose weight. Fast. "During the early spring months, current members and non-members looking for...

NEATO QUITO

HE buzz on non-Gala-pagos Ecuador has slowly been building, and for proof that things are heating up, check out the recent flurry of discounted trips. One of the best just...

FAR FROM ROME - WHEN IN ITALIA'S CRAZY CAPITAL, IT HELPS TO CATCH YOUR BREATH. MARK ELLWOOD PICKS FOUR QUICK ESCAPES, SO YOU CAN GET AWAY AND BACK

THE Eternal City is romantic, fascinating - and eternally rushed. While city (ours) for the pleasures of Roma is always worth the effort, it helps to do it with with...

POLS EXTEND CLOTHING TAX

ALBANY - Those summer clothes you're getting ready to buy will have a state sales tax attached to them for at least an extra month. Gov. Pataki and state lawmakers...

MATH-TEST SCANDAL - KIDS GOT SNEAK PEEK: TEACHER

A Brooklyn elementary school violated testing rules by stockpiling numerous copies of prior years' exams - and then giving the materials to teachers and students to prepare for new exams,...

WEIRD BUT TRUE

Gawking can be hazardous to your health, as 60 people on a Texas barge found out when they rushed to one side to see naked sunbathers, causing the craft to...

NYPD DAILY BLOTTER

MANHATTAN * A gunman critically wounded a man inside a Hamilton Heights building yesterday. The victim, Kelvin Genoa-Rosario, 28, of Washington Heights, was shot in the head on the fourth...

FATAL BLAZE IN BROOKLYN APT.

The body of an unidentified victim was found last night after a fire ripped through a Brooklyn apartment, authorities said. The fire broke out shortly before 10:30 p.m. in a...

'OVERTAXED' MIKE SEEKS MORE TIME

He may have more money than just about anyone, but when it comes to doing his tax returns, Mayor Bloomberg is in the same boat as millions of other Americans:...

KERRY'S SWEET SPOTS - ADS PLAY UP SERVICE & 'HEART'

WASHINGTON - John Kerry yesterday launched two new biographical ads to introduce himself to voters - and they focus almost entirely on his Navy service in Vietnam. The 60-second spots,...

BROOKLYN TEACHER DENIES BITING PUPIL

A Brooklyn science teacher accused of biting a student on the nose during an argument pleaded not guilty to assault in Brooklyn criminal court yesterday. Bryant Murphy allegedly bit an...

-B'KLYN LADY ENTERS PLEA IN 'CAT BURGLARIES' (M)-WOMAN ENTERS PLEA IN 'CAT' BURGLARIES (S, LCF)

A Bensonhurst woman who allegedly robbed banks to get money for her sick cat pleaded not guilty to third-degree robbery yesterday in Brooklyn criminal court. Catherine Kaczanowski - a 44-year-old...

U.N. BIGS 'SEAL' THE OIL DEALS - BLOCK SCANDAL FILES

WASHINGTON - The United Nations yesterday threw up a stone wall in the oil-for-food scandal, insisting that contracts between the world body and private companies should not be turned over...

NETS GOOD $PORTS - CITY WOULD BAG BIG BUCKS: STUDY

The Nets will be a net gain. Developer Bruce Ratner's proposed arena for the New Jersey Nets in Downtown Brooklyn would pump more than $800 million into city and state...

-PARKING SCAMMERS IN WHEEL TROUBLE (M)-DOT TARGETS PARKING-LOT SCAMMERS (S, LCF)

The phony parking-lot attendants who've been scamming drivers at a downtown municipal lot had better find a new con. Officials say they're coming down hard on the five-man scheme team...

LONGING FOR 'NAM - PRISONER ABUSE IN IRAQTHRILLS ANTI-WAR LEFTIES

FOR many of us, the words "Vietnam War" evoke only a sense of loss and a painful acknowledgement that this country suffered a dreadful defeat, with tens of thousands of...

SHARON TO SEEK NEW GAZA PLAN

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowed yesterday to find an alternative plan for the withdrawal of settlers from the Gaza Strip that has wider political support than the...

SUSPICIOUS FIRE HITS POL'S SUITE

Firefighters were running for political office, so to speak, after a suspicious fire broke out in a Brooklyn assemblywoman's headquarters. The blaze Friday in Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein's Sheepshead Bay district...

B'KLYN SCHOOL STOCKPILED OLD EXAMS TO PREPARE KIDS: TEACH

A Brooklyn elementary school violated testing rules by stockpiling numerous copies of prior years' exams - and then giving the materials to teachers and students to prepare for new exams,...

FARE CALL, FOUL TIP - CAB HIKE HAS RIDERS SKIMPING

Taxi riders started paying more for a yellow cab yesterday - and they're taking it out on the drivers. The fare increase was accompanied by a drop in tips from...

CAR-SERVICE COMPANIES SAID BUSINESS WAS LOOKING UP YESTERDAY ...

Car-service companies said business was looking up yesterday after the price of a yellow cab ride from Kennedy Airport to Manhattan shot up $10. "Business has been very, very good....

RAPPER NABBED IN SLAY - COP SPOTS HIM - ON TV

A sharp-eyed Florida cop nabbed an aspiring rapper wanted in the killing of a Brooklyn record producer, after spotting him on Fox's "America's Most Wanted" - and realizing the fugitive...

ARMY VOW ON ABUSE OF IRAQIS

WASHINGTON - U.S. military commanders assured an angry President Bush yesterday that any soldiers responsible for "despicable" acts of abuse on Iraqi prisoners will be punished. Before departing on a...

RACING'S A DRAG: COPS

Drag racers got a stern warning yesterday: The NYPD's crackdown on the deadly practice is not going away. "If drag racing has been considered a tradition in New York City,...

HIT-RUN GAL WEEPS -HAMPTONS DRIVER GUILTY OF KILLING POTATO PICKER

The Hamptons real-estate agent who killed a migrant potato picker in a hit-and-run accident was convicted of manslaughter yesterday. Leslie Jennemann, 46, broke down in tears after the jury foreman...

JURY BURIES GHOULISH GRAVE THIEF

A New Jersey woman accused of being a high priestess in a religious cult was convicted yesterday on charges she ran a ghoulish, grave-robbing gang of thieves. After only 90...

CHELSEA SLAMS DOOR ON BUYERS

There goes the neighborhood - what's left of it. The number of apartments for sale in Chelsea has dropped 73 percent since last year, indicating it is the most sought-after...

BUBBA BUMBLING TO FINISH BOOK: REPORT

The publisher of Bill Clinton's forthcoming memoir is "despairing" that the ex-president hasn't churned out enough pages - and that the book is too full of self-justification and blaming of...

TEARS AT ROOF-FALL TOT'S WAKE

The mother of a toddler who was accidentally pushed off a Brooklyn roof wore a T-shirt with the words, "We'll always love you" to his wake yesterday. The inscription was...

-MAN SLEW NEIGHBORS 'FOR APTS.' (M)-2 APTS. TO DIE FOR: DA (S, LCF)

A homeless man went on trial in Manhattan yesterday for strangling two residents of Dyckman Houses in Inwood - first the woman in 7G, then the man two floors up...

RIGHTEOUS RAGE IN THE FACE OF A TERRORIST DIRTBAG

OFFICER Louis Pepe is, in many ways, as close to being dead as you can be without lying in a casket. His father, Franklin Pepe, puts it more succinctly: "What...

CAPTIVE'S CRY: 'I'M AMERICAN' - HAMILL AWAITING WIFE AS NEW ESCAPE DETAILS EMERGE

Thomas Hamill was holed up in a windowless stone shack 6 feet square when he heard Humvees approaching. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know what day it...

CITY WELFARE ROLLS RISE FOR 4TH MONTH

The city's welfare rolls - which have been decreasing steadily since 1995 - are slowly inching upward. New figures posted yesterday show that 438,012 people were receiving public assistance in...

'DEAD' TENANTS SCAM SMASHED

Twelve people were arrested yesterday for allegedly pretending their dead friends or relatives were still alive so they could live in public housing - including two brothers who forged their...

4 HURT IN MIDTOWN CAB CRASH

A cabdriver, his passenger and two pedestrians were injured yesterday when their taxi swerved onto a Ninth Avenue sidewalk after it was cut off by a small shuttle bus, cops...

BARBER SHOT DEAD IN AMBUSH

A city barbershop owner with five kids was gunned down in a chilling ambush in his driveway just after midnight yesterday, authorities said. The baffling shooting involved two gunmen who...

GANG-COLOR KILLER GETS LIFE IN GIRL'S SHOOTING

A callous gunman who killed a 14-year-old Long Island girl because she was wearing the wrong color clothing was sentenced to 25 years to life behind bars yesterday. Judge Joseph...

COP-SHOOT VICTIM'S KIN WANT JUSTICE

The family of an unarmed African immigrant gunned down in a police raid on a Chelsea warehouse demanded justice as the cop who fired the fatal shots testified before a...

FIERY-HELL ANGEL - HERO PULLS MAN, 90, FROM QNS. INFERNO

A fearless firefighter crawled through a burning Queens house to rescue a frail 90-year-old man who'd fallen out of his wheelchair and was minutes from death. Thick black smoke was...

SPITZER SNIFFING PAY-PRAY CASH TRAIL

ALBANY - Attorney General Eliot Spitzer began his investigation of Gov. Pataki's prayer-breakfast "trust fund" yesterday, seeking spending records and corporate documents relating to the sponsor of First Lady Laura...

TRAGIC RIVER FIND - BODY LIKELY MISSING PARK AVE. WIFE

A partially decomposed body of a woman - believed to be the missing wife of real-estate mogul Fred Rudd - was discovered yesterday floating off a small island in the...

JEALOUS KILLER SENT UP - SHOT GAL PAL'S LOVER

An illegal immigrant who copped a plea to killing his girlfriend's new lover as a jury was about to find him not guilty was sentenced to five years in prison...

'PROM' GIRL DOESN'T KNOW FRIEND'S DEAD

A bubbly high-school cheerleader critically injured in the same accident that killed one of her male pals just before their junior prom has not yet been told of his tragic...

'DEAD' MAN TALKING - VICTIM'S DRAMATIC OUTBURST

A prison guard who suffered brain damage when was stabbed in the eye by an al Qaeda terrorist screamed, "I am dead" as he was tossed out of the courtroom...

SHUT SCHOOL LEAVES KIDS IN THE LURCH

Parents of students at a failed Harlem charter school that's being shut down charge that education officials are trying to force their kids to return to even worse neighborhood public...

MAN KILLS EX, SELF - VICTIM'S GIRL, 7, RUNS IN HORROR

An upstate man yesterday forced his way into his ex-girlfriend's car, shot her dead and then blew out his brains - as the woman's 7-year-old daughter fled in terror. The...

BUSH BOMB PLOT - QAEDA CELL SMASHED BY COPS; TURKS FOIL THUGS' PLOT TO KILL BUSH

A terrorist bomb plot to kill President Bush was thwarted yesterday when Turkish police nabbed 25 members of an al Qaeda-linked cell who planned to assassinate world leaders in Istanbul...

EATERY 'KILLER' DENIED BAIL

The once-homeless porter who allegedly killed celebrity restaurant manager Tim Moore was ordered held without bail yesterday. Lerome Hilson, 28, of The Bronx wore a black T-shirt and an anxious...

MICHIGAN OR BUS: BUSH CAMPAIGN COACH TOURS MIDWEST

WASHINGTON - In a sign the campaign season has already moved into overdrive, President Bush hopped aboard a red, white and blue bus yesterday to barnstorm through Michigan and Ohio,...

LARRY LOSES AGAIN - $$ WOES SPUR WTC JITTERS

A Manhattan jury dealt a severe blow to World Trade Center leaseholder Larry Silverstein yesterday, saying the largest Twin Towers insurer does not have to cough up a double payout....

THRUWAY 'ROCK DROP' MAN BUSTED

A 40-year-old Bronx man has been busted for hurling rocks from a Yonkers overpass onto the New York State Thruway, Westchester officials said yesterday. Frank Fox, of 3450 Wayne Ave.,...

RUDY NIXES SECURITY GIG AT GREEK OLYMPICS

Rudy Giuliani has decided to spend the Olympics on the bench. The former mayor turned down an overture to become the security guru for the 2004 summer games in Athens,...

DRIVER NABBED AFTER VAN KILLS BIKE RIDER

A Queens man riding a bicycle a block from his home yesterday was struck and killed by a van that ran a stop sign, police said. Police said Kenneth "Ricky"...

GOV'S MANHATTAN AIRTRAIN PLANS

Gov. Pataki is expected to outline two plans tomorrow that would bring the AirTrain into lower Manhattan, including one that calls for building a new tunnel under the East River,...

FIREFIGHTERS PLUNGE INTO HUDSON TO RESCUE MAN

Two Manhattan firefighters battled strong winds and driving rains - along with a victim who didn't want to be saved - in a dramatic rescue in the Hudson River last...

ISRAEL PUTS PRESSURE ON ARAFAT

JERUSALEM - Israeli soldiers took control of several houses opposite Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah as military vehicles encircled the compound early this morning. Soldiers...

CLASSROOM EXTRA: WHAT'S UP IN THE SKY

If you thought the sky was boring, think again. Our galaxy is full of surprises. Here's a quick rundown of the exciting things that happen up above. Our sun is...

MAN BUSTED IN THRUWAY ROCK-DROP

A 40-year-old Bronx man has been busted for hurling rocks from a Yonkers overpass onto the New York State Thruway, Westchester officials said yesterday. Frank Fox, of 3450 Wayne Ave.,...

KENYON FAILS TO FLEX HIS MUSCLE

AUBURN HILLS - When times are good, he is the face and the voice and the aura of Net prosperity. His roar can be heard across the NBA, his audacious...

'D' IS FOR DETROIT

AUBURN HILLS - It's alarming when Jason Kidd is already comparing the Pistons' defense to San Antonio's championship "D" of last June. "They're a very good defensive team," Kidd said...

MOTOWN STINKER - JERSEY WRETCHED IN GAME 1 DISASTER

GAME 1: Pistons 78 - Nets 56 AUBURN HILLS - Just relax and wait. Any minute now. Hang on. Be patient. Grab a cup of coffee and a seat. OK,...

JEFFERSON SUFFERS 1-FOR-12 NIGHT

NET NOTES AUBURN HILLS - Richard Jefferson made his first shot of the game last night. He missed his next 11, finishing 1-for-12 as the Nets fell, 78-56, to the...

K-MART FULLY FOCUSED THIS TIME

NET NOTES AUBURN HILLS - One year ago yesterday was one of the happiest days of Kenyon Martin's life. But it also began one of the toughest periods of his...

SO FAR, SO PERFECT FOR SUPER LOOPER

MET NOTES This isn't a good appearance, inning or game anymore. This is Braden Looper's season, and so far it can't be going much better. Looper, you see, just finished...

TURNING THE CORNER - A-ROD FINDING COMFORT ZONE WITH YANKS

We keep waiting for Alex Rodriguez' first momentous hit as a Yankee, a game-winner or grand slam that launches his season into the stratosphere. A defining hit that officially puts...

NO SMALL MATTER - JEFFERSON VS. TAYSHAUN WILL BE KEY

AUBURN HILLS - Last year, the Nets' Richard Jefferson started a bit of a firestorm when an old quote that had him claiming the Pistons were "overrated" was dredged up,...

GIANT DISAPPOINTMENT - O'DONNELL SAYS 'NO' TO BACKUP QB OFFER

The veteran quarterback asked by the Giants to tutor Eli Manning through his inevitable rookie growing pains will not be Neil O'Donnell. He was the Giants' first choice to fill...

TELFAIR READY TO ANNOUNCE CHOICE TODAY

Danny Turner, who has been by Sebastian Telfair's side for most of the Lincoln High star's basketball career, will be there today, as well. "I wouldn't miss this," said Turner,...

EL DUQUE DERAILED

YANKEE NOTES Orlando Hernandez encountered a setback on his return to New York. After experiencing shoulder tightness during his rehab start last Thursday for Class A Tampa, El Duque was...

KENYON GROWS UP

AUBURN HILLS - Everyone waits for the explo sion, for the collision, for the inevitable coupling of fire and fury. It all makes Kenyon Martin laugh, to tell the truth....

COLLINS' TASK: STOP BIG BEN

AUBURN HILLS - Prevent the surf from reaching the shore with a sponge. Stop the 8:15 out of Grand Central with a piece of twine. And then try the really...

PREP STAR SMITH JUMPS INTO NBA

When J.R. Smith transferred to St. Benedict's Prep in Newark two years ago, his dream was to take over the family business as a contractor. Now, the 18-year-old has a...

SOME RIMSHOTS, PLEASE . . .

THE E-limo-nator's verdict is the ultimate example of Jay Walking. Hide your wife and her boyfriend; I hear O. J. Simpson's moving to Somerset County. Let's try to comprehend the...

WILD ABOUT BARRY - BONDS BRINGS SHOW TO SHEA

Right now he's the circus, the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras all rolled into one. He's Barry Bonds. And with all due respect to Ringling Brothers, feel free to call...

THIS POSTSEASON HAPPIER FOR K-MART

NET NOTES AUBURN HILLS - One year ago yesterday was one of the happiest days of Kenyon Martin's life. But it also began one of the toughest periods of his...

THIRD NET MAY JOIN TEAM USA

AUBURN HILLS - U.S. Olympic coach Larry Brown dropped a big hint that Kenyon Martin will be invited to play in Athens for the Summer Games. Martin was an emergency...

FANS DELIGHT IN MARTIN'S FUTILITY

AUBURN HILLS - The folks in the courtside seats started in with him early, battering Kenyon Martin with their teasing and their taunting. You might think that for all the...

BIG BEN TALL ORDER FOR COLLINS

AUBURN HILLS - Prevent the surf from reaching the shore with a sponge. Stop the 8:15 out of Grand Central with a piece of twine. And then try the really...

'D' IS FOR DETROIT - NETS CAN'T PIERCE PISTONS' DEFENSE

AUBURN HILLS - By late in the third quarter, even the officials felt sorry for the Nets. Or maybe the refs could not believe the defensive precision the Pistons were...

PISTONS ARE HUGE ON GLASS

AUBURN HILLS - When in doubt, Detroit coach Larry Brown always refers to the teachings of Dean Smith. Never fails. Look at last night. "My old coach used to tell...

PISTONS: WE'RE NOT 'BAD' ... YET

AUBURN HILLS - Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups was flattered by the notion, but knows it's too early to anoint them "Bad Boys II." ESPN Magazine featured the Pistons on...

TEAM USA MAY GET A THIRD NET

U.S. Olympic coach Larry Brown dropped a big hint that Kenyon Martin will be invited to play in Athens for the Summer Games. Martin was an emergency replacement for Karl...

'SMARTY' RIDER ON CLOUD NINE

Stewart Elliott walked out of the jockeys' room at Philadelphia Park and down the steps into the paddock, something he's done thousands of times in the past. But it never...