Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway, new DEP Commissioner Strickland and Mayor Bloomberg. (via @CourtneycGross)

2012: "Could someone else jump into the race, a primary-free independent with deep pockets and an Obama-like ability to get people to listen and think?" [IdeaTipper / Daily Kos]

2013: "Bloomberg advisors don’t expect [Quinn] to stray too far from his orbit." [Adam Lisberb / City Hall News]

NY-9: Candidate forum on 8/22 in Queens (70-11 150th Street). [Queens Gazette]

NY-9: Amazingly harsh op-ed from Rabbi slams Weprin. [William Handler / Yeshiva World]

Transporting Cuomo: "The stories are just wrong, Fred," former Cuomo aide Steve Cohen told Dicker, about the AP stories detailing Cuomo's use of state aircraft. [Nick Reisman / Capital Tonight]

Polls: Bloomberg's low approval rating is down 9 points from last year. [Maria Diamond / WCBS]

Campaign Donations: Higher limits, thanks to cost-of-living adjustment. [Jimmy Vielkind / Times Union]

Education: Bill Thompson and Eva Moskowitz among the panelists for 8/25 talk. [City Hall News and Gotham Schools]

Diversity: Vito Lopez said he'll help diversify the finance department. [Celeste Katz / Daily News]

LGBT: More info on what happens "After I Do." [Dan Squadron / nysenate.gov]

Audits: Port Authority paid $85.7 million of overtime to 5,360 of 6,977 employees, according to State Comptroller. [Tom DiNapoli / osc.state.ny.us]

Staffing Bloomberg: New DEP Commissioner is Carter Strickland. [nyc.gov]

City Council: Bills voted on today re: sale of meds and wearing religious clothing. [@DanGarodnick]

City Council: New bill to bolster 1977 law decriminalizing 25 grams or less of pot. [Ben Yakas / Gothamist]

City Council: Dan Halloran is restless. [Facebook]

Layoffs: Still possible for professors, correction workers; "slow to engage" in negotiations. [Nick Reisman / Capital Tonight]

Lawsuit: "[F]ederal judge has dismissed claims that [Bloomberg LP] engaged in a pattern of discrimination ageist pregnant women who took maternity leave." [David Chen / New York Times]

Lawsuit: Judge said Bloomberg LP "increased compensation for women returning from maternity leave more than for those who took similarly lengthy leaves." [Bruce Golding / NY Post]

Lawsuit: "Some individual cases will still be allowed to proceed." [NY1]

Staff: Cuomo spox Milgrim goes to Inspector General's office. [Jimmy Vielkind / Times Union]

Young Men's Initiative: Expanding paid internships. [Kelly Virella / Dominio of NY]

Pictures: Phil Goldfeder and PJ Kim party with DL21C. [Facebook]