NEW YORK, NY The freakishly pleasant weather NYC saw over Presidents Day weekend is expected to continue through the week, peaking Thursday afternoon with a high temperature around 68 degrees, according to government weather forecasters.
Well be updating this post as weather predictions change, so check back. Or sign up here to receive email updates from your neighborhood Patch site in NYC.
Monday"s highs in the mid-50s will dip slightly Tuesday to around 47 degrees, forecasters said still a few degrees above the norm for this time of year.
And by Wednesday, "a warm front will be moving through," according to the National Weather Service.
Wednesday"s temps should top out around 60 degrees. Some clouds in the morning are expected to give way to sunny skies by afternoon.
Thursday will be even hotter, with a predicted high of 68 degrees.
"Thursday still looks like the warmest day of the week with the potential for record high temperatures," the weather service said.
If the mercury surges past 70 degrees Thursday afternoon on the weather service"s Central Park thermometer, the day would break a heat record set back in 1985.
(No heat records were broken in Central Park over the weekend. However, heat records set in 1997 were broken at JFK Airport and LaGuardia Airport on Sunday, where the afternoon highs were recorded at 68 degrees and 69 degrees, respectively.)
This coming Friday and Saturday should be a little cooler than Thursday, but still crazy warm for the season, with highs around 61 degrees. Some rain showers are expected to fall on both days.
Meteorologists are still relatively unsure where the weather"s whims will turn from there. However, the weather service is guessing a "cold front" will move through NYC "sometime late Saturday into Saturday night, with high pressure building for the end of the weekend. This signals a return to more seasonable temperatures."
Lead photo by Simone Wilson/Patch
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In his head, Dan Knights is thinking Russia overhears a Bostonian rebel marmoset rashly reply heavily.
But hes saying: 468440901224953430146549585.
Knights, a University of Minnesota professor, is reciting the 652nd through 678th digits of pi, the mathematical constant of the ratio of a circles circumference to its diameter. He does it with the help of what he calls his pi poem, a mnemonic device that turns random numbers into a string of words.
Were living in an age of digital amnesia, when many of us dont know our kids phone number. Why bother to remember when we carry a world of information right in our pocket?
Yet there are still some people who commit to memory vast amounts of information: pages of poetry, dozens of bird songs, whole books of the Bible. For them, remembering information that can be accessed without Wi-Fi has benefits for the head and the heart.
Anybodys brain is like a Ferrari, Knights said. What would you do if you had a Ferrari? Youd take it out on the autobahn to see how fast it would go. These were my ways to take my brain for a test drive, revving it up, seeing how fast it would go.
For others, having a poem, a passage or even a long string of numbers lodged in your mind can be a point of pride, a path to deeper understanding or a source of comfort.
On Pi Day a day associated with eating pie and/or reciting parts of an infinite sequence of digits we take a look at four of the memorizers in our midst.
The poetry of math
Even as a computer scientist studying the human microbiome, Knights really doesnt need to know pi to the 2,000th digit.
No one does.
With only the first 40 digits of pi, you could calculate the circumference of the Milky Way galaxy to the exactness of the size of a proton.
The 38-year-old Knights started memorizing vast chunks of pi as a high school student, first by rote, and then using a technique that converts numbers into consonant sounds. Add vowels and the numbers become words and the words become a weird abstract poem. Then all you have to do is remember the poem.
In college, Knights pi poem stretched to 22 stanzas, representing more than 2,000 digits of pi crammed into his brain. (He considered trying for the North American record of pi memorization, but decided he didnt have time to memorize more than 10,000 digits.)
Knights also has used his memory to accomplish other feats: He was the first kid in his elementary school to memorize the multiplication table. He made 1,500 tiny flash cards to study vocabulary words for the GRE graduate school entrance exam. And he believes he was the first person to solve a Rubiks Cube blindfolded.
Except for getting the phone number MEMORIZE PI, Knights said, he didnt really show off his memory feat.
This was really for kind of secret bragging rights for myself, he said. I didnt really do it for anybody. Its all for me.
Living works of art
Gary Westlund believes in exercising his mind while hes exercising his body. The 66-year-old Anoka resident carries laminated sheets of poetry and memorizes verse while hes running on the track or the treadmill.
Westlund, who runs a nonprofit that puts on 5K races, is known as the poetry man because he recites poems on the fly to fellow runners even during a race. (He once got a request to recite the 23rd Psalm in the 23rd mile of a marathon.)
He knows the preamble to the Constitution, passages from Augustines Confessions, parts of Moby d**k and 40 or 50 poems. He said a 16-line sonnet might take him 40 minutes on a treadmill to learn.
But phone numbers? Westlund lets his phone remember those.
Theyre not significant enough. Theyre not meaningful enough, he said.
Westlund will read remembered poems in his head when hes trying to fall asleep or needs comfort.
Ill never own any works of fine art, he said. But when it comes to great literary art, it costs me virtually nothing and I can hang it on the walls of my mind and so can you.
Learning by heart
St. Paul poet Naomi Cohn said what you care enough about to keep in your head is often an emotional decision: This poem is important. I want to carry it around.
Cohn, 53, started to lose her vision in her 30s due to retinal damage. Because she was unable to read print, she memorized practical things such as phone numbers and recipes.
But as a bird watcher, she also memorized the songs of about 100 bird species she no longer could identify by sight.
She even started a blog, Known by Heart, and led workshops devoted to memorizing and presenting poetry from memory.
Most poetry readings are just that: poets reading.
Theres a little more adrenaline when a poem is recited rather than read, she said. Maybe thats because theyre demonstrating one definition of poetry: Its memorable language.
Nearer, my G*d, to thee
Andy Naselli, 36, an assistant professor of theology and the New Testament at Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, just spent more than a year memorizing the Book of Romans. Before that, it was First Corinthians.
Each of those books of the Bible takes him about an hour to recite aloud. His eventual aim is to have the entire New Testament memorized, for a total of about 20 hours of recitation. He wants to be word-perfect.
Im trying to show reverence for the text, he said.
He said he typically spends about 45 minutes each morning memorizing verses. Like Westlund, he uses a treadmill.
Theres something about walking and memory, said Naselli, an elder at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mounds View.
In his blog post about his 14 Reasons to Memorize an Entire Book of the Bible, Naselli writes that memorizing scripture helps him to meditate on the text and really understand what it means. He can pray extended portions of the Bible while driving, walking or doing chores. Bible verses, he said, are always at hand to help resist sin.
Plus, having the text in his head lets him look people in the eye when reciting in sermons or when hes counseling or teaching. Its right there, in the [random access memory] of my brain, to pour out at the right time, he said. The way I know G*d is through his word. So memorizing his word helps me know him.
March 14 is recognized across the math world as Pi Day, thanks to the resemblance of the date "3/14" to the first three digits of mathematics" most famous constant. While not an official federal holiday, Pi Day was enshrined by the House of Representatives in a ceremonial 2009 vote.
Of course, the number Pi goes beyond "3.14" and never ends. There are all sorts of interesting patterns concealed in the first few trillion digits, give or take, but there is no constant rule governing the sequence of digits. That means just about any stretch of numbers you"re looking for is probably in there somewhere.
Like, say, your birthday. To verify this, we wrote a program to scan the first million digits of Pi and identify the first instance of all 366 days of the year, represented like "314," with the month followed by the day ("704" for July 4th for example, or "1225" for Christmas Day"). The program found the final date Dec. 3, or "1203" beginning at the 60,873rd digit. Enter your birthday or any other date below and we"ll show you how deep into pi you have to go to find it.
Not that it"s a competition, but dates before Oct. 1 tend to show up sooner since they can be expressed in three digits. The honorary top billing goes to Albert Einstein, who was born on March 14, 1879 before Pi Day, but after Pi.
Breaking: CBO Estimates Health Care Repeal Will Be A DISASTER
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich blasted the Congressional Budget Office"s report on the Republicans" Obamacare replacement plan Monday and called for the CBO"s abolishment.
"They should abolish the Congressional Budget Office," Gingrich told Fox News host Martha MacCullum on The First 100 Days. "It is corrupt. It is dishonest. It was totally wrong on Obamacare by huge, huge margins. I don"t trust a single word they have published, and I don"t believe them."
The former Speaker called the CBO"s scoring system "disgustingly wrong," and proposed replacing the office by "putting out to bid and having three to five professional firms score these things."
According to the cbo"s report, up to 14 million people could lose their health-insurance coverage by 2018 under the American Health Care Act the GOP replacement of Obama"s Affordable Care Act and that number could rise to 24 million by 2026. The report also suggested that proposed funding cuts to Planned Parenthood under the act would lead to more unplanned births.
The CBO is a nonpartisan agency that provides analysis of the budgetary and economic effects of legislation. It has long been relied on by policymakers to give estimates of the impacts of congressional action.
College basketball owns the sports world this time of year. It begins to take over after the Super Bowl and gradually crescendos into a memorable four-week run. In the just-concluded championship week, Cinderellas clinch spots in the NCAA tournament alongside traditional powers following dramatic title games (Duke-Notre Dame, Arizona-Oregon, Weber State-North Dakota).
The first week of the NCAA tournament may be the best four days on the sports calendar, packed with buzzer-beaters and underdogs with quirky mascots knocking off college hoops royalty.
The second week, bluebloods rise to the top and bracket-busting higher seeds exit.
The third week, a national champion is crowned.
Can Gonzaga own March Madness? The Zags have the requisite numbers: a No. 4 ranking, a 32-1 record and folders full of advanced metrics that support their billing as one of the nations best teams.
Naysayers will point to their soft WCC schedule and the programs inability to reach a Final Four in 18 consecutive NCAA trips.
Will the 19th be different? Here are four reasons why this could be the year the Zags reach the Final Four:
Experience matters
The Zags starting lineup of Przemek Karnowski, Johnathan Williams, Jordan Mathews, Josh Perkins and Nigel Williams-Goss boasts 548 career games. Top sub Silas Melson has 100 career games under his belt.
Transfers Williams, Mathews and Williams-Goss combined for 231 games at their previous stops, but seasoning is seasoning and they played against high-caliber competition. Mathews played in the NCAA tournament with Cal last season.
Zach Collins and Killian Tillie rarely play like freshmen.
The Zags havent overlooked opponents. Theyve been relentless with 28 double-digit victories. They appeared rattled in their lone loss to BYU but bounced back to play well in tense situations at the WCC tournament.
Balance tips scales
Four quality bigs, four quality guards. The Zags have employed an eight-man rotation most of the season. Roles were established in the first month.
The frontcourt features Karnowski, a low-post nightmare for foes. Hes one of the best post defenders in the country. Opponents have to choose between guarding him solo or with double teams. He makes them pay either way with his soft touch and passing ability.
Williams is a strong finisher in the lane and a valuable defender, capable of guarding backcourt players. Collins has the stats of a starter even though he averages just 17 minutes per game. Tillie has a nose for the ball.
One of the differences between us and Saint Marys and BYU is (Eric) Mika gets in foul trouble at BYU and (Jock) Landale is in foul trouble every time we played them, gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd said. Zach gets four fouls in seven, eight minutes and were OK.
The backcourt of Williams-Goss, Mathews, Perkins and Melson provides points and defense.
Gonzagas 3-point shooting tailed off a bit late in the season, but its season-long numbers remain strong. The foursome combined for 195 3-pointers and the team shoots 38.2 percent from distance.
Elite defense
Gonzaga has never put up more points. The Zags average 84.6 per game, three points clear of the 2001 teams current record.
Their defense may be even better. It starts with protecting the rim, where Karnowski and company swat shots and, perhaps more importantly, alter shots.
Opponents average 61.2 points, 36.8 percent shooting and just 30 percent beyond the 3-point line.
We have decent length and decent athleticism on the perimeter so were able to stick on shooters tighter, Lloyd said. But all of that is predicated on if we get beat we have somebody at the rim to contest the shot.
Three-point defense has gone from troublesome to team strength.
Years ago, if we had to take a deeper look we were prone to being upset and it seemed like the No. 1 thing was the 3-point shot, Lloyd said. Teams were able to get 10, 11, 12 made 3s and its hard to win when you give up that many. We looked back at how we were teaching it, changed some things and weve grown teaching it over the years.
A finisher
Williams-Goss has been a reliable option in Gonzagas rare close games. He torched San Francisco for 36 points and BYU for 33. He had big buckets against Iowa State and Arizona.
His 3-pointer inside the final two minutes gave GU breathing room against Santa Clara in the WCC semifinals.
At the end of those close games, its hard to keep throwing the ball inside. Its hard to run a perfect play, Lloyd said. Sometimes it takes a guard creating and being able to make a shot.
Cant get to see Hamilton? Take heart another national tour is kicking off early next year.
Producer Jeffrey Seller said Monday a second tour of the megahit musical will start in Seattle for six weeks in February 2018. It then goes to Portland, Oregon; Salt Lake City, Utah; Costa Mesa, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Des Moines, Iowa; Cleveland, Ohio; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The new company follows the first national tour, which began in San Francisco last week, as well as the Chicago production, which began in September 2016, and the London staging, which debuts in November.
Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Mirandas multiple award-winning take on the nations first U.S. treasury secretary, has a varied score and has been cheered for reclaiming the nations founding story with a multicultural cast.
amy krouse Rosenthal, a popular author, filmmaker and speaker who brightened lives with her wide-eyed spirit and broke hearts when she wrote of being terminally ill and leaving behind her husband Jason has died.
Her longtime literary agent, Amy Rennert, said Rosenthal died Monday. Rosenthal was 51 and had been diagnosed in 2015 with ovarian cancer.
A Chicago native and longtime resident, Rosenthal completed than more 30 books, including journals, memoirs and the best-selling pictures stories Uni the Unicorn and Duck! Rabbit! She made short films and YouTube videos, gave TED talks and provided radio commentary for NPR among others.
She also raised three children and had a flair for random acts of kindness, whether hanging dollar bills from a tree or leaving notes on ATM machines.
MTV Movie Awards get a reboot with addition of TV nods
The MTV Movie Awards are getting a reboot.
Network officials announced Monday that after 25 years of celebrating everything from the irreverent to the excellent in movies, they will be adding television to the lineup.
The new MTV Movie & TV Awards will air live on Sunday, May 7, from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
The network is also turning the run-up to the live show into a full-fledged Movie & Television Festival with live musical acts and a red carpet.
Chris McCarthy, president of MTV, said great storytelling and characters resonate regardless of whether they are seen in a theater or on TV.
With awards ranging from Best Kiss to Best Fight, the celebrity friendly show has also served as an annual promotional vehicle for upcoming summer blockbusters.
Ed Sheeran to guest star on Game of Thrones
Ed Sheeran will guest star in the upcoming season of Game of Thrones.
The shows producers made the announcement Sunday night during a panel discussion at the South by Southwest festival in Texas.
Producer David Benioff told the audience that theyve been trying to get the 26-year-old British singer a spot on the show for years to surprise Sheeran fan Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark on the HBO fantasy drama.
The seventh season of Game of Thrones premieres on HBO July 16.
Criss Angel blames poor eating, sleeping for Vegas mishap
Criss Angel is blaming a poor diet and lack of sleep for an on stage mishap that sent him to a hospital.
The 49-year-old magician was attempting a trick at his Las Vegas show Friday where he tries to escape from a straitjacket while hanging upside down. Angel lost consciousness and was lowered to the stage while the crowd looked on.
He tells ABC News this was the first time he lost consciousness during a show. He explains that he hasnt been eating properly, has only been sleeping about two hours a night and wasnt hydrated. Angel returned to the stage the next day and successfully completed the trick.
Obama books to be published worldwide, from Ireland to India
The publishing of the upcoming books by Barack and Michelle Obama will be a global event.
Penguin Random House announced Monday that it has lined up publishers from Ireland to South Africa for the two books, to be released by the Crown imprint in the U.S. and Canada.
Titles and release dates have not been announced.(tncms-asset)4c63cffa-f575-11e6-af01-00163ec2aa77(/tncms-asset)
The advance from Penguin Random House for the former president and first lady, whose popularity extends well beyond the U.S., is widely believed to be tens of millions of dollars.
Penguin Random House acquired the books jointly last month.
The publisher has Spanish-language editions planned for Spain, Mexico and several countries in South America. English editions will come out in the United Kingdom, Australia, India and elsewhere. Deals for other countries are still pending.
SNL skewers first daughter Ivanka Trump
The biting humor of Saturday Night Live took aim at another Trump this week first daughter Ivanka.
The long-standing comedy show skewered President Donald Trumps elder daughter with a faux perfume ad, starring actress Scarlett Johansson. The name of the perfume? Complicit.
As Johansson walks into an elegant party in a glittering evening dress, the narrator says: A woman like her deserves a fragrance all her own. A scent made just for her. Because shes beautiful. Shes powerful. Shes complicit.
She doesnt crave the spotlight, but we see her. Oh, how we see her, says the narrator as Johansson applies lipstick and sees Alec Baldwin playing Trump reflected back in the mirror.
The narrator continues: A feminist, an advocate, a champion for women, but like how?
And concludes: Complicit: The fragrance for the woman who could stop all of this but wont.
It was the first time Johansson portrayed Ivanka Trump. Actress Margot Robbie depicted her in a sketch in the fall.
Ivanka Trump was a popular surrogate for her father on the campaign trail. She stepped away from executive roles at her self-named lifestyle brand and with the family business to move her young family to Washington, D.C., when Trump took office.
For now, just her husband, Jared Kushner, has an official position, but Ivanka Trump has been an active presence at White House meetings and has been advocating for several issues, including for new child care policies. The extent of her influence over her father behind the scenes has been the subject of intense speculation.
The White House and a representative for Ivanka Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday Night Live.
With dangerously cold temperatures expected Friday morning, Patch is tracking MBTA delays here, and updating as the alerts roll in.
Plan ahead, bundle up, and check back here for updates throughout the morning.
4:01 p.m.
Red Line experiencing moderate delays due to police investigation at Harvard Square Station.
3:10 p.m.
Red Line experiencing moderate delays due to a signal problem at JFK/Umass.
2:45 p.m.
Orange Line experiencing moderate delays due to a disabled train at Downtown Crossing.
8:36 a.m.
Red Line experiencing moderate delays due to disabled train approaching JFK Station inbound. Downgraded to "minor delays," as of 9:04 a.m. "All clear" issued.
6:29 a.m.
Mattapan Trolley experiencing moderate delays due to disabled train. All clear, 6:53 a.m.
6:01 a.m.
Red Line experiencing moderate delays between Braintree and Quincy Center due to a disabled train at Quincy Adams. All clear, 6:54 a.m.
5:04 a.m.
Shuttle buses replacing Green Line B branch service in both directions between Boston College and Packards Corner due to a power problem. As of 8 a.m., normal service resumed but moderate delays persisted.
Image by Patch staff. Information courtesy MBTA text alerts.
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