Jimmy Vielkind | The New York Observer

Elsewhere: DiNapoli's Message

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:53:24 -0500

Below, Tom DiNapoli says it's important for a deficit reduction plan to "set us on a course of responsible budgeting."

DiNapoli also wants consumers to ask questions about gift cards.

A measure to crack down on employer retaliation went into effect.

Tiger Woods crashed his car.

James Howard Kunstler hates on Skidmore College.

Jay Gallagher tries his best at charades.

Snow tonight in Albany!

Hillary, no pants suit.

I can't see where Bloomberg is sitting,...

Ruben Diaz Sr. Will Return Monday to Vote Against Things

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:37:37 -0500

ALBANY—A good (?) harbinger: State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. says he will be coming to the Capitol for Monday's session.

"They sent me the governor's budget proposal, so we have something to negotiate, so I'll be in Albany. They just delivered it to me at my house. UPS," Diaz told me just now, enjoying some turkey with his wife. "That means that we have something to talk about. So I'll come to Albany to...

Assembly Colleagues Wish Ball Luck Elsewhere

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:21:54 -0500

ALBANY—Assembly Republicans are wishing Greg Ball the best in his bid for the State Senate.

"Is he? Oh, I thought he was running for Congress," Assemblyman Ron Canestrari, a Cohoes Democrat, said, referencing an already-begun race against Representative John Hall that included robocalls and town halls on health care. "As long as he's out of here I don't care."

"Greg Ball's running for State Senate. Ummm, what would you like to know?" Assembly Minority...

Morning Read, Upstate: Down to $36 Million

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:58:17 -0500

"Do your job yourself and let's not give me phony remedies," David Paterson said, referring to legislators, on Thanksgiving Day.

Paterson was joining volunteers helping at the annual Equinox dinner in Albany.

New York will only have $36 million in the bank by the end of December.

State Senator Vincent Leibell said he spent Thanksgiving reading a budget bill.

The chairman of the Commission on Public Integrity panned an effort to restructure ethics enforcement.

...

Thanksgiving Without Turkeys

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:15:43 -0500

ALBANY—Sheldon Silver's Turkey is sweet and unroasted.

"I enjoy Thanksgiving by getting a Baskin-Robbins turkey-shaped ice cream cake," the Assembly speaker said yesterday. "My children don't like turkey."

State Senator John Sampson, the leader of that chamber's Democratic conference, told reporters yesterday on the floor that "I don't eat Turkey," and said he was a vegetarian, when asked.

David Paterson, according to an aide, is expected to spend Thanksgiving in Albany at the Governor's...

Morning Read, Upstate: Thanksgiving Deficit Break

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:11 -0500

Westchester Republican Liz Feld is mulling a run against Kirsten Gillibrand.

David Paterson proposed a new plan with less-drastic cuts.

"Cut this deficit with me or I will do it myself," Paterson said. "If the Legislature is unwilling to make the necessary cuts, I will. If the Legislature is unwilling to do what needs to be done, I will. If the Legislature is unwilling to endure the criticism and consequences, I will."

He also...

Elsewhere: Duane's Promise, Lazio's Claim, Bloomberg's Deal

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:53:13 -0500

Michael Bloomberg announced a major labor deal that's supposed to create thousands of construction jobs.

A Thanksgiving poem from NYCLU.

Roger Stone says if they get Joe Bruno, they'll get Sheldon Silver.

New Yorkers are not optimistic about the economy.

Rick Lazio says David Paterson's plan to give himself authority over the budget was Lazio's idea first.

Andrew Cuomo accuses the U.H.O. of fraud.

It's Judith Enck's last...

Paterson Planning for Brooklyn Meeting Tuesday Night

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:27:36 -0500

ALBANY—David Paterson to Brooklyn, Take Two.

The governor will appear at a "community conversation" in the borough of Vito Lopez, not exactly a Paterson supporter, on December 1 at the First A.M.E. Zion Church on MacDonough Street. The forum is organized by Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, Representative Ed Towns, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery and City Councilman Al Vann.

"It'll be a good community conversation with a good cross-section of people," said Assemblyman ...

Felton Admits Troopergate Role, Won't Be Fined

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:26:24 -0500

ALBANY—Preston Felton, the acting director of the State Police during the Troopergate affair, has settled with the Commission on Public Integrity. Felton admitted he violated the Public Officers law but will pay no fine because the commission does not have the power to levy one.

Barry Ginsberg, the executive director of the commission said that Felton "received the same treatment as his boss and his boss's boss," William Howard and Rich Baum.

Darren Dopp,...

Paterson Softens School Cuts in New Plan

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:14 -0500

ALBANY—It appears there's some compromise in David Paterson's deficit reduction bill.

The 440-page document proposes to soften the proposed cut to schools by "spinning up" funds appropriated in the federal stimulus package that were set aside to reduce education cuts next year. The new cut is $295 million; Paterson originally proposed a cut of $686 million to school aid. That's a $391 million spin-up, also included in a plan offered by Republicans in the...

The Senate Unites, For Now

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:59:34 -0500

ALBANY—David Paterson has succeeded in uniting the State Senate.

"As I said, Leader Sampson and I have been working very well together, we will continue to do that," Republican Senate Leader Dean Skelos said in a joint scrum with Democratic Senate Leader John Sampson on the chamber floor. "We just need the governor to stop thinking poll-wise, and realize that our minds are there to get something done--he should be in the same room."

...

Reaction to the Paterson Declaration

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:24:00 -0500

ALBANY—The first reactions to David Paterson's "executive option proposal" are mostly not positive.

"What's next, martial law?" Assemblyman Rory Lancman, a Queens Democrat, asked.

Paterson's proposal would, temporarily, give him the power to make spending and revenue decisions to bridge a multi-billion dollar mid-year imbalance. Article VII of the State Constitution describes New York's budget process. The governor has the power to submit an executive budget, but the...

'What's Next, Martial Law?'

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:12:48 -0500

ALBANY—The first reactions to David Paterson's "executive option proposal" are mostly not positive.

"What's next, martial law?" Assemblyman Rory Lancman, a Queens Democrat, asked.

Skelos: Paterson Wants a Credit Downgrade

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:09:57 -0500

ALBANY—Dean Skelos, the Senate Republican leader, just suggested that David Paterson doesn't really want to act on something that would plug the state's budget deficit.

"We need the governor to stop the hysterics, to stop looking at his poll numbers," Skelos told Fred Dicker on WGDJ. "I think, quite frankly, he hopes that Moody's downgrades us. He's hoping we don't get an agreement."

Dicker asked Skelos about the prospect of unilateral action by Paterson--furloughs,...

Paterson: Cut My Way, Or Give Me the Power to Cut My Way

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:49:33 -0500

ALBANY—David Paterson today sent the legislature two bills to consider: his $3 billion plan to bridge the deficit, as unveiled in October and an "executive option proposal" that seems like a fiscal version of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution.

"This would grant me, as governor, a one-time authority to balance our budget, preserve our credit rating and keep New York afloat," Paterson said in a four-minute speech webcast speech. "Please note the fate...

Morning Read, Upstate: Deliberating Bruno

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:10:40 -0500

Negotiations have once again failed to produce an agreement on deficit reduction.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is thinking about cutting a deal with David Paterson on the budget deficit.

Silver writes in an opinion piece that he and his fellow Assembly Democrats were "prepared to make those tough choices."

The Post says Silver is the only adult in the room.

The Times Union says we should listen to Moody's.

Paterson was in Buffalo at...

Forget the Senate?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:50:06 -0500

ALBANY—Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver refused to rule out a two-way agreement with David Paterson to act on the state's budget deficit.

"My members would like to, and we do agree with the governor that it's a serious situation and we have to make serious cuts, and nobody likes to make serious cuts to anything but the reality is the fiscal situation is that you have to make cuts," Silver said, leaving a closed-door leaders...

Paterson Teeters, and Cuomo Shoves

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:28:16 -0500

ALBANY—After lunch with some lobbyists, the chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee, Jay Jacobs, visited the party’s offices on South Swan for a session with the leaders of several local county organizations.

It was two weeks after Election Day, and Mr. Jacobs was contending with something of a black eye. Republicans had won back the Legislature in Mr. Jacobs’ home county, Nassau, and County Executive Tom Suozzi, a Democrat who was thought...

Elsewhere: Gillibrand Hovers, Schumer Ages, Diaz Protests

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:59:07 -0500

NYC Magazine expects layoffs from Michael Bloomberg.

Hotline notices a Kos diarist's unhappiness with Chuck Schumer's health care plan.

By the way: happy birthday, Senator!

Anthony Weiner said he'd want Schumer on his side "maybe even more than the president of the United States."

"Help Elect Andrew Cuomo in 2010."

Kirsten Gillibrand's approval ratings are stagnant.

Nobody likes the legislature.

The RNC's mouthpiece is leaving.

Ruben...

'A Two-Way Is Better Than a No-Way'

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:41:47 -0500

ALBANY—Several members of the Assembly Democratic conference let their frustrations with what they see as State Senate's inability to coalesce around a deficit-reduction agreement boil over in a closed-door conference this afternoon, sources said. Some members suggested cutting an agreement with David Paterson and leaving it on the Senate's desk. That chamber is at loggerheads with David Paterson about school cuts, which the Assembly is seen as willing to pass.

"The goal is a...

Paterson: Sampson's a 'Friend'

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:44:43 -0500

ALBANY—David Paterson said he's getting along fine with John Sampson, the Democratic conference leader, with whom he is butting heads over a deficit.

"I don't think that Senator Sampson, who's the conference leader, is a lightweight," Paterson told reporters after an economic development announcement in Niagara County. "He's a friend of mine outside the process. I think he's doing the best he can trying to get the sides to come to the table."

Fred...

Man Cave Supervisors Faulted

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:44:04 -0500

ALBANY—The case of the Man Cave is not quite closed.

After the guilty pleas by Louis Marciano and Gary Pivoda, who turned a break room in the Empire State Plaza into a den of drug use and on-the-clock napping, Inspector General Joseph Fisch issued another report concluding three men responsible for supervising the pair "failed in their responsibilities."

"The most shocking example of the lax supervision that pervaded the Plaza was the payment...

Senate Returns to Non-Session Sessions as Deficit Negotiations Drag

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:23:39 -0500

ALBANY—The State Senate just convened, and then adjourned, without doing anything.

Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson gave a two minute speech after a longer invocation by Fr. Anthony Mellace of St. John the Baptist in Rome, N.Y., which included pleas for bi-partisanship and a recitation of Emma Lazarus' poem from the base of the Statue of Liberty.

"I understand the anxiety everyone has that we need to get this done," Sampson said. The body...

Nadler Endorses Gillibrand

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:07:41 -0500

ALBANY—Representative Jerry Nadler, the "progressive champion" whose district spans the West Side and Brooklyn, endorsed Kirsten Gillibrand's election bid.

"From protecting a woman's right to choose and standing up for issues of pressing concern to the LGBT community, to fighting for a robust public health insurance option and protecting our environment by working to reduce harmful emissions, Kirsten Gillibrand has been a great partner on many progressive causes," Nadler said in a statement put...

Morning Read, Upstate: A Third Extraordinary Week

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:35 -0500

Malcolm Smith won't step aside gracefully, Fred Dicker's sources tell him about how bitter budget negotiations have become.

Jerry Nadler endorsed Kirsten Gillibrand in her Senate bid.

There's still no agreed-upon plan to deal with a mid-year budget deficit.

David Paterson is rattling his saber, sending a letter to legislators and blasting them at a press conference Saturday.

Joe Bruno never disclosed his financial interests when deciding who would run the Saratoga Race Track.

...

Elsewhere: Cuomo Rising

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:30:40 -0500

Mark Page told agency heads that "head count reductions should generate additional fringe benefit savings."

NARAL no longer considers Rudy Giuliani to be pro-choice.

Andrew Cuomo raised $16 million.

Dean Skelos wants a bill to vote on.

David Paterson is talking doomsday.

Organizing 2.0

Bob Gorman still feels like a hostage.

Joe Bruno won't testify.

Michael Bloomberg cashes in on his bet.

KT McFarland suggests...

Paterson Campaign Attacks Cuomo for 'Shadow' Operation

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:56:21 -0500

David Paterson's campaign just attacked Andrew Cuomo's campaign for "plotting" in the "shadows," after a week's worth of reports about Cuomo's favorable poll standing, his quiet construction of a statewide campaign apparatus, his discussions about shaping a ticket around himself as governor and, today, his aggressive fund-raising.

"Mr. Cuomo has a voracious appetite for vacuuming up political money and, according to recent reports, plotting his political future from the shadows," Tracy Sefl, an adviser...

Delphic Chairman

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:06:13 -0500

Ed Cox is an oracle, or maybe just a particularly effective underminer.

Either way, the new chairman of the Republican State Committee was way ahead of the curve in floating the idea of Rudy Giuliani making a U.S. Senate run against Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010 rather than a run for governor in September. Now that Giuliani has told supporters he will not run for governor, there is an expectation he will, in fact, seek...

Marist Pollster: Cuomo Has 'Clear Path' to Governor, Paterson Ads Not Working

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:17:27 -0500

A Marist Poll released today echoes other surveys showing Andrew Cuomo's relative impregnability, and shows that David Paterson's recent television ad blitz is not having an effect.

Fifty-six percent of the 805 registered voters surveyed said they had seen one of the two ads Paterson's campaign began airing two weeks ago, but of that subset, 65 percent still do not believe Paterson should run for governor. The overall number slice of voters surveyed who...

Professors Union Launches Newspaper Blitz

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:34:21 -0500

Late in the budget game, the NYSUT offshoot representing SUNY and CUNY faculty and staff is taking out ads in newspapers statewide aimed at parents with students returning for Thanksgiving, decrying proposed cuts which mean "she won't graudate on time."

"What? Another year of college! How are we going to afford that?" the ad, paid for by United University Professions, reads. "You're happy she's home for Thanksgiving, but what she just told you about...

Morning Read, Upstate: Senator Rudy?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:05:49 -0500

Rudy Giuliani will not run for governor.

He's leaning toward a run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Kirsten Gillibrand.

"I definitely believe he is seriously rethinking the Senate," one source familiar with the situation told The Buffalo News. "I'm 98 percent sure he will run for the Senate."

Republican leaders seem to share this expectation.

Recall: there are only two years left in that term, and a presidential election in 2012.

Some...

What Giuliani Means for Paterson

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:24:19 -0500

One thing that disappears along with Rudy Giuliani's threats to run for governor: an excuse for Democrats to get rid of David Paterson.

Paterson's poll numbers are low, and his fund-raising is anemic, but much of the talk about getting Paterson out of the race was, at least publicly, premised on the notion that a credible Republican candidate in the general election--that would be Rudy Giuliani--could snatch the governorship away from Democrats. And...

Elsewhere: Giuliani

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:03:08 -0500

Rudy Giuliani's spokeswoman denied he's running for Senate.

He may want to, after seeing his poll numbers compared to Kirsten Gillibrand's.

George Pataki may run too.

Guy Molinari said Albany doesn't suit Giuliani.

Reid Wilson: "Most aides to Giuliani, current or former, believe he is likely to stay in the private sector."

Chris Cillizza agrees. "Giuliani stays in the private sector, biding his time for a race that's a better fit."

Lee Miringoff: "His...

The Legislature Has Left the Building

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:49:46 -0500

ALBANY—It's official -- they're gone.

The Assembly just recessed until Monday at 2 p.m. State Senators did not bother to gavel into session today; at least half a dozen of the members of the Democratic majority left last night. The Senate is expected to return to session Monday afternoon.

Republicans in both chambers have called press conferences to decry this. Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos unveiled a plan that he says is "in a...

Rudy Drafter Says Other Gubernatorial Candidates Are Fine, Too

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:28:02 -0500

ALBANY--So what's a Rudy Drafter to do now?

"I've heard from one of his former commissioners when he was in City Hall that, in fact, Rudy has decided not to run for governor," said Craig Eaton, the Brooklyn Republican chairman. "I'm disappointed, because I was one of the first people to start that draft Rudy campaign. But there are other qualified candidates out there."

"I'm disappointed and sorry to hear that he's not going...

Skelos 'Interested' That Giuliani Was Silent on Senate

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:27:49 -0500

ALBANY—Is this a shift toward Senator Giuliani?

Ed Cox, the Republican State Committee chairman, has suggested as much. He won the chairmanship over Henry Wojtaszek, who was backed by Giuliani and his surrogates Jake Menges and Tony Carbonetti. (Menges told Liz Benjamin that a Times report that Giuliani will not seek the governorship is "premature.") The door was left open to Giuliani as a senatorial candidate.

Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos, a Cox...

Long on Giuliani Report: Told You

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:49 -0500

ALBANY—The Times is reporting an unsurprising piece of news: Rudy Giuliani will not run for governor, according to conversations he is having with associates.

Giuliani's spokesman Maria Comela said that to say a decision has been made is "premature," but many in Republican circles were not holding their breath for a Giuliani gubernatorial bid.

"If you remember, I was one of the lone voices that said consistently that I didn't think he was going...

Monday. Monday Monday Monday.

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:37:08 -0500

ALBANY—The Assembly is planning to be back on Monday.

Members are recessed until 4 p.m., and have been told to prepare to return to Albany on Monday to deal with a $3.2 billion deficit.

"Theres no way we won't be back Monday," Assemblyman Bill Parment, a Democrat from western New York, told me just now. Majority Leader Ron Canestrari said as much to the Albany Business Review this morning.

I listened to...

Collateral Inconvenience: Bruno Case Ties Up Senate Computers

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:05:10 -0500

ALBANY—There's a computer shortage in the State Senate because federal investigators seized over 100 terminals in connection with their investigation of former Majority Leader Joe Bruno, whose trial is now underway.

"Due to the allegations against former majority leader Joe Bruno, the feds confiscated a number of Senate computers, which left the senate short in the number of available computers it had for staff and office use," said Austin Shafran, a spokesman for the...

Paterson Doesn't Take It Personally, If You're a Legislator

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:42:23 -0500

ALBANY—David Paterson doesn't take the legislative inaction on his proposed deficit reduction package personally.

"With the legislators I honestly don't think it's personal," Paterson told John Gambling this morning on WOR. "I think that they are just too afraid or just too chagrined to address the problems that we need to be addressing and I would tell you that I don't know...remember: I've gotten them to balance both budgets that I've been here on...

Morning Read, Upstate: $500,000 for Not Much

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:08:16 -0500

Lawmakers struck a deal to tighten control over public authorities, and the Assembly passed it.

The Senate passed and David Paterson signed Leandra's Law.

But there was no deal struck on the mid-year budget deficit.

"To me, it isn't the quantitative agreement on a number," Paterson said. "It's the quality of actually hitting the target in ways that will be real and recurring."

"It's discussions, discussions, discussions, and no action," Assembly Majority Leader Ron...

Elsewhere: Parsing the Rogue

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:20:25 -0500

The Washington Post indexed 'Going Rogue.'

Slate's version is funnier.

We'll know the truth about her wardrobe.

John Shadegg apologized to Michael Bloomberg.

Andrew Cuomo and Ray Kelly v. Staten Island mobsters.

Streetsblog isn't happy with the City Council.

Assembly Republicans want to take out Janele Hyer-Spencer

Eric Holder got grilled about 9/11 trials.

Mike McMahon says the G.O.P. is "playing politics."

Robert Harding says Melanie Hartgraves is underqualified.

Doug Hoffman needs 92 percent...

Paterson: Not Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:19:06 -0500

ALBANY—David Paterson said there will be no deficit agreement passed tonight.

"I think that if there's enough hard work tonight, then tomorrow we might be able to reach an agreement. That's not a prediction that we will reach an agreement tomorrow. It's just that I feel that we're continuing to negotiate and we just have to lock this down as quickly as possible," Paterson said after a press conference to announce an agreement to...

Diaz Excuses His Absence

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:16:30 -0500

ALBANY—State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. is "sorry" he missed a vote on Leandra's Law, which cracks down on people who drive drunk with kids in their car, but he has other business to attend to.

"I am distributing turkeys to my seniors in the Bronx," Diaz told me by phone. He said he's distributing 2,000 turkeys. Last year, he was being wooed by both Republican Leader Dean Skelos and Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith in...

Agreement Reached on Authorities Reform

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:14:54 -0500

ALBANY—Assemblyman Richard Brodsky just swung by to announce an agreement between legislative leaders and David Paterson to increase oversight of public authorities.

"It's an idea that is about the control of rogue institutions. I've called them Soviet-style bureaucracies. This is the end of that era," Brodsky said. "For people worried about debt reform or who are worried about secretive decision making or who ware worried about people taking political orders and about people lobbying...

Jerry Jennings Hosts Cuomo Luncheon

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:56:43 -0500

ALBANY—Mayor Jerry Jennings is hosting a luncheon Friday with Andrew Cuomo, one of several events the attorney general has on the docket in these critical months of fund-raising.

Cuomo 2010 is asking a minimum of $500 a head, and offering the title of "chair" for $25,000. Cuomo insists his only political plan "at this time" is to run for attorney general, and office for which he has no declared opponents, but he is laying...

Senate Dems Insist They're Getting Close

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:28:29 -0500

ALBANY—It seems the State Senate Democrats are coalescing around a deficit reduction proposal--the question is whether it will be acceptable to everyone else.

"I said last night we're only $200 million apart on a $3.2 billion DRP," State Senator Liz Krueger said this morning. We've gone back in this morning with a number of additional proposals, as the governor himself has said that he would come back with."

"I hope that we get this...

The Jay Jacobs Tour

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:49:12 -0500

ALBANY—Jay Jacobs will be in Albany today, meeting privately with party officials and lobbyists as part of an ongoing listening tour around the state.

Jacobs will have a private lunch with several lobbyists and interest groups and then meet this afternoon with the chairs of local county party organizations.

"This is all over the state, I'm trying my best to get acquainted with people who I haven't yet," Jacobs told me Tuesday night. This...

Morning Read, Upstate: Warding Off Drunk Drivers, Rudy

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:22:21 -0500

Lawmakers still haven't reached a deal to bridge the mid-year deficit.

Legislators strived to look busy.

Rick Lazio says the governor, whose job he wants, should have the power to make mid-year spending reductions to avoid this kind of mess.

The News is struck by the contrast between the state and New York City as they approach deficits.

Paterson is ready to push for a law favored by labor unions that will put wage...

No Deal, Mixed Messages After Leaders Meet

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:20:54 -0500

ALBANY—Emerging from a thirty-minute closed-door meeting with David Paterson, legislative leaders said they are still working on a deal on the mid-year deficit and hoped it could pass soon, but Paterson insisted we're still in Armageddonous territory.

"I don't know why people are walking out of here saying they're very close to a deal. I don't know why people are leaving here happy and I don't know why it is so difficult to understand...