Donna Summer, who sang her way to fame during the 1970s disco era, is dead at the age of 63.

Summer, according to her publicist Thursday morning, had been battling both lung cancer and breast cancer. Summer, born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on Dec. 31, 1948, passed away at her home in Key West, Fla.

Summer grew up in the Boston, Mass. area and began imitating Motown groups at a young age. In 1974, Summer released Lady of the Night, which wasn’t originally released in the United States. Finding success in Europe, she went on to release Love to Love You Baby, which made her an international sensation.

Summer is survived by her husband, musician Bruce Sudano, three daughters, and four grandchildren.

It’s understandable that progressives in New York State are getting restless. As the geographic home of Occupy Wall Street, the Left wants to see progress towards reducing income inequality. It was a shrewd political move, then, for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) to make raising the minimum wage $1.25 to $8.50 per hour his signature issue in this legislative session.

New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan). Photo Credit: Times Union

Yet the context in Albany for such policies is unfavorable at best – Silver still has to contend with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), and their ‘cordial’ relationship remains unbreakable. Although Cuomo has had a ‘historic’ 17 months in office, his successes couldn’t have been possible with Skelos’s help. Together, they are the axis upon which New York State politics turns, and with yesterday’s announcement that the Governor didn’t see a minimum wage deal happening while Skelos railed against the bill as a ‘job killer’, it is clear that Silver (and minimum wage) has been left out in the cold.

In his defense, Shelly’s predicament isn’t his fault. Rather, it owes to the politics of ‘three men in a room’ and how Cuomo and Skelos have already made a deal last year to respect each other’s key legislative prerogatives and red lines. For Cuomo, he needed Skelos to stand aside and allow marriage equality to pass through the Senate to bolster his own progressive credentials (Cuomo’s austerity budgets have spurned every major constituency of the Democratic Party). For Skelos, he needed Cuomo to reverse his longstanding threat to veto redistricting lines drawn by Senate Republicans to ensure their reelection and keep control of the State Senate (never mind that such blatant gerrymandering violates citizens’ voting rights).

And so, despite Cuomo and Silver’s shared party affiliation and overwhelming support from 78 percent New Yorkers, the mother of all log-rolls ensures that the Governor has no interest in forcing Skelos to compromise on the minimum wage. Given this context, what can Shelly do in the future to gain some of his lost power?

First: accept that Cuomo doesn’t give a damn about anyone except Dean Skelos. The pair can’t survive without each other. We already know that Cuomo doesn’t think very highly of the minority Senate Democrats. Silver might as well as acknowledge that the Governor doesn’t care much for the Assembly Democrats either.

New York State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre). Photo Credit: AP

Second: go to war and retake the Senate. Mario’s kid isn’t going anywhere (except maybe the White House in 2016). So Silver might was well forge a new alliance with the Senate Democrats and support their bid for the majority. It would also put additional pressure on Cuomo if both Democratic conferences called him out for making a grand bargain with the Republicans.

Absent some future shift, Silver will remain mostly boxed in. While he may score legislative deals here and there, there’s not much he can do to disrupt the Cuomo-Skelos axis – at least not yet.

Greece will hold new elections in June following yesterday’s annoucement that its top three political parties have failed to broker a coalition government. The talks foundered over whether a new coalition would honor the terms of the bailout agreement negotiated between the existing Greek government and the ‘troika’ of lenders including the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank, and the European Union. The bailout agreement forces Greece to cut vast sums from its current budget in exchange for periodic infusions of funding needed to maintain ongoing government operations.

Syriza party leader Alexis Tsirpas. Photo Credit: Reuters

While the two center-right New Democracy and center-left PASOK (socialist) parties have already agreed to the bailout, the newly powerful far-left Syriza party has refused to implement it and seeks to renegotiate its terms. While New Democracy and PASOK have been severely weakened by their disasterous showing in the May 6 election, Syriza has been newly empowered by its strong third-place showing and is expected to win the next round of elections in June.

However, leading officials in the European Union have insisted that the terms of the Greek bailout are no longer up for discussion. Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German Finance Minister, has said Greece must adhere to the agreement or risk its inclusion in the 17-nation Eurozone. If Greece were to refuse to implement budget cuts mandated by the agreement, the troika would likely refrain from lending much needed funding and Greece would likely run out of money next month. Greece would then default on its debts and be forced out of the Eurozone.

Some leading international economists argue that a Greek bailout is inevitable and that the Greece and the trioka should prepare for an orderly default.

NYU Economist Nouriel Roubini. Photo Credit: Bloomberg

Nouriel Roubini of New York University has said that Greece’s only hope for long-term economic recovery is to abandon the Euro and return to its national currency, the Drachma. Budget cuts forced on Greece by the European Union will cause its economy to contract indefinitely unless it simply abandons European budgetary austerity and reverts to its own currency. While this would result in even more short-term pain for Greece, economists like Roubini have argued that default and an exit from the Eurozone is the only way that Greece can return to long-term economic growth.

Written By Narz.

Former State Senator Pedro Espada was found guilty today of theft in one of the most brazen corruption trials of an Albany politician in recent memory. A federal jury today found that Espada was guilty of four charges of theft related to discretionary funds funneled to the Soundview Healthcare Network but used for Espada’s own personal expenses. The jury did not report any conclusion regarding the charges pending against Pedro G. Espada, the former senator’s son and Soundview manager.

Former Senator Pedro Espada. Photo Credit: AP

Jury deliberations have been very contentious as jurors have reportedly cursed and insulted each other during their discussions of the case. On Friday, Espada displayed his penchant for drama by wearing a rosary to court and alleged that the prosecutor had arranged seats in the courtroom for spiritual reasons to affect the case’s resolution.

Espada is notorious in Albany for his audacious politicking in the State Senate. In 2008, Espada and former Senator Hiram Monserrate defected from the Senate Democratic  conference and joined the Republicans to give their conference majority control of the chamber. The palace coup left state government at a standstill for two months until the Democrats agreed to make Espada Majority Leader. Prior to the coup, Espada and Monserrate effectively blackmailed the existing Senate Democratic leadership along with Senator Ruben Diaz (D – Bronx) and former Senator Carl Kruger by demanding prime committee chairmanships and housing perks along with accompanying raises (these are known as ‘lulus’ in Albany parlance). Diaz is the only remaining senator of the ‘four amigos’ who still has his Senate seat. With Espada’s conviction, all of the other three senators have now been convicted of serious crimes (Monserrate was convicted of slashing his girlfriend in 2010 and Kruger was just convicted for accepting bribes).

Siena College released its monthly poll of New York State voters this morning and the results were not too surprising. The Siena Research Institute surveyed 766 New Yorkers by phone between May 6 and May 10. According to the poll, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo is seen favorably by 68 percent of New Yorkers. While this is a slight drop from April’s 73 percemt, it is still consistent with favorability perceptions in previous months in which Cuomo has scored in the upper-60s and lower-70s. Cuomo’s overall approval rating also remains high, with 56 percent of New Yorkers rating his performance as Governor as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.

The poll also reported the public’s perception on a host of legislative initiatives working their way through the Capitol. Respondents overwhelmingly supported raising New York’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 along with $200 million in small business tax cuts and credits. However, respondents were split on legislative proposals for fair elections through public campaign financing.

While these results are unsurprising, respondents  provided some evidence that Republican control of the State Senate may be in question. Although 47 percent said that they support the reelection of their incumbent senator, 56 percent said they would prefer that the Democrats control the upper chamber. Republicans currently have a slim majority in the Senate with 32 Republicans and 30 Democrats. However, with a 63rd Senate seat about to be created due to the recent bout of redistricting, the task of retaking the Senate will become that much harder.

Wall Street giant J.P. Morgan Chase through the financial sector into turmoil the released its first quarter report yesterday. The firm, led by CEO Jamie Dimon, reported an unexpected $2 billion loss that called into question its investment strategy.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. Photo Credit: AP

The news broke yesterday that Morgan’s risk management department known as the Chief Investment Office had placed poor bets on the market that turned against its bottom-line.  Morgan’s risk management arm known as the Chief Investment Office sought to invest in securities that ‘hedged’ against potential losses to other Morgan accounts.

To hedge against other market bets, the Chief Investment Office trafficked in securities known as derivatives, financial instruments that function as a form of insurance on a the sale of a commodity that guarantees a certain price in case its future price falls. In this way, firms can limit the risk of a financial transaction that may sour later.

However, the Morgan story suggests that the use of derivatives at an immense scale can ultimately increases risk. News reports suggests that Morgan traders in London were making huge derivative transactions that affected prices and profits in the range of trillions of dollars.

Yesterday’s disclosure invites new scrutiny on Dimon’s methods reignites the debate over the financial regulation of investments. Many commentators argue that this latest debacle suggests why the Volcker Rule needs to be implemented. The rule, named after former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, would limit banks from engaging in speculative investments not at the behest of their clients using their own funds. The rule was proposed following the 2008 financial crisis and sought to prevent ‘too big to fail’ banks from engaging speculative and risk-producing behavior that ultimately collapsed the U.S. financial system.

Written by Narz.

Remember the days when the term “gamer” defined anyone who played whatever game? If you simply played a game you were a gamer. As the times changed, and different genres and advocates of games developed, “gamer” became an umbrella where subgroups were formed. Groups like “hard-core gamer”, “pro-gamer”, and “newbie” became subcategories under the term “gamer”. Leagues, communities, and bonds are created through these self-expressed identities which bring gamers together to support and compete. There is a great sense of respect and “chilax-ness” that occurs when you are with your friends drinking beers and playing Halo again and again just goofing around blowing up, sniping, or racing the warthog over huddles doing crazy stunts, all the while laughing in camaraderie. Competitions spark an urge or passion to one-up the other and win, but when it’s over, it’s like they had been your friends for years. They compliment, bash, joke, and tease each other about the match and if the loser isn’t a sore loser, they’ll say something humorous like “you’re good, but you only won the battle but not the war. I’ll get you next time.” The winner shouldn’t gloat about his victory either, that’s just bad company and stirs spite. Gamers should game to their hearts content so that when one wins over the other, there is a sense of admiration toward each other for their skills, esteem, and abilities.

I could only imagine in any professional gaming league levels of respect for other competitors regardless if you win or lose. Gamers whom will take a significant amount of time to practice games and attend tournaments to compete are considered “hard-core gamers” while those who make a living out of playing games earning up to $100,000 USD a year are considered “pro-gamers”.  It is only natural that fellow gamers would show respect because not all can make it to the big leagues.

However, besides the term “pro-gamer”, most of these identities reflect the range of interests and level of enthusiasm of the gamer which defined them in the gaming community. For this reason, we have new titles like “casual gamer”, “mid-core gamer”, “retrogamer”, “gaymer”, and “girl gamer”. The emergence of this titles shed light that the umbrella of “gamer” is growing into vast pockets of interests and levels of gaming keenness. This is important because game developers need to have an ideal target market whenever they are in development of a game. Only creating a game that is good does not make it successful but molding it to cater to a particular group is what makes it successful.

(Continue reading at GGVogue.com )

The State University of New York has hired a new Communications Director at half the salary of his predecessor. According to Capitol Confidential, David Doyle will replace outgoing director Morgan Hook for a total yearly salary of $75,300. Compared to Mr. Hook’s previous salary of $150,000, this represents a drastic pay reduction.

However, it is not necessarily surprising given the budgetary troubles faced by SUNY as well as withering criticism from students and faculty. In response to budget cuts that led to the deactivation of five academic programs at the University at Albany, the Coalition to Save Our SUNY launched their ‘Chop from the Top’ campaign to propose cuts to administrator salaries as an alternative to reducing academic offerings.

In response to the news, Save Our SUNY member Angelica Clarke said that lower administrative salaries “can only benefit the SUNY system because those funds can be redirected to provide services that directly relate to educating the people of New York and providing a wide range of programs across the system”.

While the chatter was undoubtedly about President Barack Obama’s remarks at the sprawling College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) and how this ties in with his upcoming re-election bid, a large focus – especially by Capitol correspondents and observers – was on the interaction between this President and N.Y. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

Unlike the President’s last visit to the Capital Region, Cuomo was on full display here at CNSE, praising the President on a number of initiatives that the White House has undertaken that have made an impact on New York State. The embrace, the tour of the CNSE facility, and a 15-minute private meeting between the two Democrats were all closely examined.

“There is also no doubt, Mr. President, that your leadership has brought this nation through the storm and we thank you,” said Cuomo in front of hundreds of attendees at the half-finished clean room at NanoFab X.

This, however, is significant due to Cuomo’s perceived relative lack of enthusiasm in supporting Obama out loud. Since being elected New York’s fifty-sixth governor, Cuomo has made it a top priority to stay within the confines of New York’s sixty-two counties, thus displaying the difference between him and his counterpart in the Garden State, N.J. Gov. Chris Christie. Christie has been on the campaign trail for Republicans across the country, showcasing his blunt style of governing; whereas Cuomo has focused his priorities on restoring the Empire State’s fiscal house.

But on Tuesday, the poise and comfortable stance of Cuomo behind the presidential seal unleashed the rumor mill once again: will the son of ‘Hamlet on the Hudson’ enter the 2016 presidential race?

He has it going for him: the Washington Post recently had a ‘Sweet 2016′ bracket contest in which Cuomo won over other interested Democrats including Sens. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Mark Warner, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on top of Republicans that include Christie, Sen. Marco Rubio, and Va. Gov. Bob McDonnell. The Post says that “coupled with his fundraising ability and his championing of a same-sex marriage law in the Empire State mean that Cuomo has the political resume to make a run.” On top of Cuomo penning his own biography on top of the N.Y. Post’s Fred Dicker writing a tome as well. He’s brought in former adversaries in from the cold (see Carl McCall) and has remade New York State government in his image.

But the City on the Potomac isn’t like Fort Orange at all: What worked in Albany – the alliance with the Senate Republicans and the Assembly Democrats – won’t bode well in a gridlock-loving Washington. As a member of the Clinton administration, Cuomo saw first hand the divisiveness of bipartisanship on the federal level. Could a potential Cuomo administration continue to skirt around Washington media, which – by all means – is much more vicious that even the most damning Liz Benjamin piece? These questions remain to be answered.

For now, it seems, this governor is content with the Albany life. But now doesn’t always mean forever.

Maybe that visit with N.Y. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo made the difference, but just one day after President Obama visited New York’s Capital Region, it is apparent that he is now supports same sex marriage publicly.

In an interview with ABC News’s Robin Roberts, the President lays out his opinion of same sex marriage.

“I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” said Obama.

This comes roughly a week after Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was in support also of same sex marriage rights.

Marking his third visit to the Capital Region in his first term, President Barack Obama toured the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University at Albany facilities and announced a legislative “To Do” list for Congress to spur job growth in the United States.

President Barack Obama speaking at UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. Photo Credit: Kayla Galway, Knick Ledger.

Posing as dual hosts of the event, the CNSE Senior Vice President and CEO Alain E. Kaloyeros and GlobalFoundaries CEO Ajit Manocha gave opening remarks to a group of about 500 attendees. The speech event and tour was originally slated for Global Foundaries located in Malta, N.Y., but was moved south to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) due to “logistical purposes” acording to representatives at GlobalFoundaries.

Event attendees included local, state, and U.S. congressional officials lending their support to the President and his initiatives.  Obama recognized U.S. Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-Albany) and Christopher Gibson (R-Kinderhook), along with New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, who introduced the President. Speaker of the New York State Assembly Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari (D-Cohoes), State Senator Neil D. Breslin (D-Bethlehem), and State Senator Roy McDonald (R-Wilton) were also seen.

Governor Cuomo and President Obama praised each other’s leadership and commitment to spur middle-class job creation following the economic downturn in 2008. President Obama had maintained a clear focus on job growth and increasing American manufacturing to spur the economy, a similar message he gave on his previous visit to General Electric in 2011.

The speech came a day after Obama’s campaign released a new ad on the stability of the U.S. economy, an issue Republicans see as the President’s greatest vulnerability. The ad highlights the upward trend in job creation following the economic meltdown in 2008… “all before this President took the oath.” The ad is running in battleground swing states but not New York. Recent job growth is not particularly strong with only 115,000 non-farm payroll jobs  created last month. While the unemployment rate has fallen to 8.1%, the lowest level of Obama’s presidency, economists attribute that decline to a shrinking labor market as many long-term unemployed workers have simply given up on looking for work.

The President’s emphasis on manufacturing to drive the economic recovery was amplified by its location in the NanoFab X, a 35,000 square foot industrial space in mid-construction. The NanoFab X extension symbolizes the partnership of private enterprise, public construction, and government funding and cooperation. Once complete the space will become a clean room used for semiconductor manufacturing.

The birth of the nanotechnology industry in New York began with a $15 million state investment between 1993 and 1995. Fifteen years into development, the initial investment has grown into a $4.4 billion partnership with leading international technology firms GlobalFoundries, General Electric, IBM, Intel, Samsung , chain suppliers and entrpeneurial start-up companies. The project partners global buinesses with local manufaturing and renowned education and research facilities SEMATECH, Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, and CNSE at the University at Albany. The President said that the college and the Capital Region represents the future of the nation’s economy.

“Right now, some of the most advanced manufacturing work in America is being done right here in upstate New York,” stated the President.

Obama also challenged Congress to stimulate economic growth with a ‘To-Do list” of legislative initiatives.  ”It’s about the size of a Post-It note, so every member of Congress should have time to read it and they can glance at it every so often,” said the President. It includes the elimination of tax incentives for businesses that outsource jobs offsore, enacting new hire tax credits for business, investment in clean energy manufacturing jobs, rewarding resposible home mortgage holders by offering lower refinance percentage rates, and the creation of a job program for veterans.   As the President heads into campaign season, his Congressional To-Do list is expected to be a recurring feature of his argument to the American people as he pursues reelection.

A bill that would extend low interest rates for student loans died in the Senate this afternoon as Republicans and Democrats could not agree how to pay for it. Senate Republicans prevented the Senate from debating the bill in a procedural vote that they lost 52-45. Although Democrats had a majority, they need 60 votes to eventually close debate and end a Republican filibuster, a procedural tactical whereby a senator is permitted to debate endlessly and talk the bill to death.

The bill would ensure that the interest rate for federal Stafford loans would remain at 3.4% instead of doubling to 6.8% in July. Stafford loans are used by millions of college students and provide cheaper credit to students compared to private loans provided by private lenders at rates as high as 10%. Student loans offering lower interest rates ensure that students will accumulate less debt over their college year.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky). Photo credit: AP

Since all student loan debt in the United States topped $1 trillion last year, the prospect of an even higher rate of debt accumulation is frightening to current college students. Coupled with the weak labor market and few opportunities for new graduates to repay their debt, maintaining low interest rates is a financial necessity for many students.

Senate Republicans led by Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) refused to let the bill proceed because its cost would be paid by taxing the income of wealthy earners or ‘job creators’ as cash, rather than dividends.  Earning classified as dividends is taxed at a lower rate than an individual’s regular income, so the loophole enables the wealthy to avoid regular income taxes.

President Obama has repeatedly called on Congress to pass the extension on the lower interest-rate throughout last week at large campaign rallies on college campuses throughout the country. Although he reiterated that call today at UAlbany, he largely avoided the issue despite today’s Senate vote.

Directed by Joss Whedon, “The Avengers” brings to the screen what could be said to be the greatest ‘rock band’ ever. His latest effort brings back much of what used to make a superhero action movie good – witty banter, believable actors playing established characters, a villain who is evil but not too evil, and some surprises that happen when you least expect them.

Effectively organized in three segments, “The Avengers” begins with an attack by Loki on an energy research facility. What hope is there when the joker of the Asgard breaks in to steal the Tesseract, an alien energy portal? Will all be lost? Will Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) stop the intrusion? Nope. So begins the path… The path to putting the band together… the gathering up of those who will become earth’s Avengers.

Fury and his assistant, Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), deliver the invitations to potential band members Tony Stark / Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Steve Rogers / Captain America (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner / The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Clint Barton / Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is initially forced to join the opposing band led by Loki, so you could say his invite got lost in the mail.

Next, it’s off to practice to prepare for a battle of the bands. Fury’s Avengers work at pairing up for some awkward rehearsal sessions. Along the way, the opposing band leader, Loki, is captured and winds up exactly where he wants to be. It’s always dangerous when a superhero’s villain seems to give up a little too easy.

When it’s time to let them loose on stage to rock the world the gate is opened. Loki sends in his alien band who have to compete with Fury’s Avengers. The Battle is on. Who will win? Well, what good superhero act doesn’t build to the all out crescendo that pits two forces at each other until there is that one overpowering moment when victory seems at hand?

There is more comic book type fun in this Marvel film then other recent efforts. The Hulk seems to have worked out his comic timing and accepted his anger issues. Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) is there providing support as Iron Man’s right hand woman and the ever irrepressible Jarvis (Paul Bettany) provides Iron Man with computer support.

If you have ever had an inclination to see superheros in a good action movie, you need to go see “The Avengers” to see the next level of Marvel super hero moviedom. While you’re there make sure to stay till after all the credits. There is an extra scene during the credits and one more after all is over. Go and enjoy.

Rated: PG-13 (2 hours 23 min)