Failure to develop another QB could ultimately cost Ryan

Rex Ryan got this job because he made a career out of ruining quarterbacks. But when your latest franchise quarterback is in ruins, when your so-called Quarterback of the Future goes so deep in the tank that he and everyone else no longer knows whether he is the Quarterback of the Present, it isn't the rookie general manager who drafted him who becomes the fall guy. It will be the coach who failed to develop him and have a viable backup quarterback in place and missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

By the time Dolphins 23, Jets 3 mercifully ended, it was impossible not to reach the conclusion that with Ryan's future in the trembling hands of either Geno Smith or Matt Simms, he is doomed, and his team is doomed, all of them destined to be sleeping with the fishes at the bottom of Idzik Ocean.

I have championed the cause of patience with Smith, fully expecting him to fight through the growing pains most young quarterbacks endure, but he looks so lost, so inept, that it has become unfair to the team to keep trotting him out at a time when he has presided over a playoff pipe dream that has gone up in smoke, and I can no longer defend him.

Smith (4-for-10, 29 yards, 1 INT) played himself to the bench Sunday after yet another half of amateur hour football. The odds are against a change making a difference, but Ryan should keep Smith on the bench next Sunday against the Raiders, give the ball to Simms (9-for-18, 79 yards, 1 INT in the end zone) and see what he can do and let Smith look in the mirror and try to figure out why his quarterbacks ratings over the last three weeks are 10.1, 22.3, 8.3. Why, in his last 36 possessions, he has engineered one touchdown drive. Why, since Oct. 13, he has one TD pass against 11 interceptions.

Of course the blatant lack of playmakers around him hasn't helped one bit. But it's no excuse for making the boo birds yearn — gasp — for the pre-buttfumble days of Mark Sanchez, who met his Waterloo when Ryan threw him to the wolves in a desperate effort to win the Snoopy Bowl.

"I think I am the best option for this time," Smith said.

He has been the best option for 12 weeks. He has optioned himself to the bench.

"I look myself in the mirror and I own up to my own mistakes, I didn't get it done. … We haven't scored points. That all falls on me. … I'll keep plugging at it, I'll get better, and there will be some light at the end of the tunnel," Smith said.

In the meantime, he is enveloped in complete darkness, blinding Jets fans with his skittishness and decision-making and one ball that only a member of the Flight Crew had a chance to catch. It is your defense that is supposed to be bend-but-don't break, not your offense. BOOOOOO.

"I block that stuff out," Smith said. "That's just NFL football, and quite frankly, that's going to happen. Hey, it's fine. I block it out and I move on."

It is of no solace to Smith that in their rookie seasons even Hall of Fame quarterbacks — perhaps John Elway rings a bell — have been sat down for a timeout. He isn't interested.

"I want to be on the field," Smith said. "Maybe down the line I can say there was something gained from it, but right now I don't see it."

Ryan was noncommittal on his starter.

"It's a tough decision, it's a tough situation for everybody, especially in New York City, especially when we're in the playoff hunt," he said.

Smith, asked his reaction when Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg informed he was getting the hook, said: "I had none."

He began having one when Simms began directing his offense.

"It's tough not to be out there with my guys fighting, no matter what the score is. But you got to suck it up, and you got to be a man about it," Smith said.

A roar went up when Simms trotted out to the huddle. It wasn't long before he and Bilal Powell botched a handoff and lost the ball.

"Just a lack of focus really on both me and Bilal. … That's my fault, and we'll correct that," Simms said.

He isn't Phil Simms, and no one should expect him to be. But he isn't Geno Smith right now either. And the Ryan Watch is officially on.

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Lopez’s return gives Nets big boost

For anyone who needed proof of just how much the Nets missed Brook Lopez while he was out for seven games with a sprained left ankle, all the evidence was on display in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's 97-88 win over the Grizzlies.

With the Nets trying to maintain their lead midway through the fourth quarter — something they have struggled to do several times this season — they rode their big man to the win.

At one point, the Nets fed Lopez in the post on seven consecutive possessions, the first five of which — while being single-covered by Grizzlies center Kosta Koufos — resulted in either Lopez baskets or trips to the free-throw line. Then, once the Grizzlies finally started bringing double-teams to try and stop him, Lopez, smartly kicked the ball out to Mirza Teletovic and Joe Johnson for open 3-pointers.

Lopez finished with 20 points and nine rebounds, including 12 points in the fourth quarter, as the Nets took advantage of arguably the league's best scoring big man.

"When Brook is out there, it's simple," Teletovic said. "You get him the ball, and they have to double-team. If not, he's going to score every time.

"When you have me and Joe outside and [Kevin Garnett], who can shoot, on the high post, they have a lot of difficult things to defend."

That was the situation the Grizzlies found themselves — stuck between not wanting to leave the Nets' shooters on the perimeter, but knowing Koufos couldn't handle Lopez down low.

That was something the Nets were missing in a big way when Lopez sat out for two weeks after spraining his ankle late in regulation of the Nets' 100-98 overtime win in Phoenix on Nov. 15. The Nets went 1-6 in the seven games Lopez missed.

"The nice thing about the offense down at the end is going inside, and we were getting wide-open looks on the perimeter, but also Brook understanding when to take it," Nets coach Jason Kidd said after Saturday's game. "I was joking with him that we have to get you to the free-throw line, but he's just getting back in the rhythm of things, but [he showed] his dominance, and being a guy we can throw the ball and play off of."

With Lopez sidelined, the Nets lacked a true inside presence at both ends of the floor, missing his scoring in the low post offensively and his ability to protect the rim defensively. It was his defensive presence, in particular, that hampered the Nets. They have performed like a Top 10 defensive team when he's on the floor, giving up 100.6 points per 100 possessions per NBA.com's stats page. Without him, they have been the worst team in the NBA, allowing 110.1 points per 100 possessions.

But with Lopez back and a favorable slate of mostly home games on tap for the first few weeks of this month, the Nets have a chance to ride their now healthy big man back to relevancy in the pathetic Eastern Conference.

"Brook's huge, man," Garnett said. "I've been on his bandwagon since I got here and kind of witnessed it first-hand, so I'm going to keep encouraging it."

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Once resurgent Jets now head for disaster

The Jets, playing the part of Jonathan Martin, were bullied in their own home by the Dolphins, who played the part of Richie Incognito.

How is it possible that — in their own stadium where they were 4-1 this season, with their playoff lives hanging in the balance and after a week of practices that players insisted had a "sense of urgency'' — can Dolphins 23, Jets 3 take place the way it did Sunday at MetLife Stadium?

This is how: The Jets, losers of three in a row and looking progressively worse with each game, have morphed into exactly the bad team we thought they would be when the season began — a team with no franchise quarterback, limited offensive skill position players and an overrated defense.

A team with no direction.

Four games ago, after a home win over the NFC-power Saints, we praised the Jets and coach Rex Ryan for their collective overachievement and talk of a stunning playoff berth and a Ryan contract extension escalated.

Now, after what we've witnessed the last three weeks while they've been outscored, 79-20, and watched their offense become so anemic it would struggle to score touchdowns against Summit High School, the Jets look like a team that might not win another game this season.

Ryan? Just three weeks after so many of us sang praise for the job he has done this year, Ryan is now on the John Idzik's clock and no one but the perpetually unavailable general manager knows how many ticks before that clock strikes midnight for Rex.

Ryan's future now seems as murky as the future of the team's franchise quarterback. Geno Smith was benched in the second half after completing 4-of-10 for 29 yards and an INT.

Rookie cornerback Dee Milliner, the Jets top draft pick, was benched in the third quarter after whiffing on Miami receiver Mike Wallace on a 28-yard touchdown pass.

Hall of Fame-bound safety Ed Reed, the mid-season pickup who was supposed to be a key piece to push the Jets toward a playoff berth, has been a rumor since his arrival. Reed, who's supposed to be the best "center fielder'' since Willie Mays, whiffed on an attempted tackle of Dolphins receiver Brian Hartline on a 31-yard touchdown catch-and-run.

The Jets defense, even with its stout front, is a myth. If not for the Dolphins' self-inflicted gaffes (a missed field goal and two failed fourth-down plays in the first half), Miami could have doubled its point total en route to amassing 453 yards of offense and controlling the ball for 38:52.

The 5-7 Jets have lost all the credibility they accrued with the 5-4 start. To be so out-played by an ordinary team like the Dolphins in a game they positively had to have is as inexplicable as it is inexcusable.

"It's sickening, man,'' linebacker Calvin Pace said. "It's getting to the point where everything is stacking up against us and we're not responding. Only we can fix it.''

If the snapshots from inside the Jets postgame locker room Sunday are any indication, it's difficult to believe they can or will fix this season.

•  Rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, perhaps the most exuberant soul on the roster and one of the team's best players, sat alone facing his locker dressed in only a towel with his head down and his eyes closed for some 15 minutes before slowing walking out of the locker room declining to speak to reporters.
• Veteran right guard Willie Colon, one of the most amicable, available and intelligent voices on the team, uttered, "I'm not talking today,'' as he walked away from his locker — obviously afraid of the damning things he might say.
• Reed pulled the age-old and tired "I've got to go to the trainer's room'' slip when approached by The Post, never returning to the locker room to speak.
• Receiver Santonio Holmes, who's supposed to be a star on this team that really doesn't have one, droned on in double-talk to reporters about why he was on the field for only three plays — calling it a "coach's decision'' he didn't play more often.
•  Smith delivered the "huh?'' quote of the day when he said, "I think I am the best option for this team with the way I work and the progress we've made as an offense.''

Maybe he was just punch drunk from the afternoon of bullying administered by the Dolphins.

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The best of the holiday shopping mags

The turkey leftovers are gone and it's back to work. Now comes the hard part — dreaming up gift ideas that will wow family and friends.

Consumer Reports' ShopSmart is top of our list for the most inventive and unusual gift ideas that won't bust your budget. Among the smart recommendations are using sites that serve up suggestions based on personalities. Gifts.com is one. ShopSmart also suggests trying Etsy.com and Uncommon.com for more unique gift ideas. But give the 25 gifts for under $25 a miss, we don't know anyone who even uses USBs anymore, let alone wants a wearable one. There's also a section on making your own gifts, with the inevitable suggestion to bake your own cookies. The mag also conducted a survey about where the best deals are — unsurprisingly they're all online, although ShopSmart reminds us to haggle with the brick and mortar folks.

In our imagination, Real Simple is staffed with the most efficient, organized, informed writers who spend their waking hours finding the perfect gifts. How else could they know to recommend so many tasteful presents in their well-known annual "50 under $50" section? Our favorite: "The Most of Nora Ephron." Males of the family are typically a nightmare to buy for, but Real Simple delivers some spot-on suggestions. Hip flasks, grooming kits, pocket squares: Perhaps. But please no flash drive cufflinks. Yes, even Real Simple gets it wrong sometimes. The prize for most useful gift idea — the baseball cap with an LED light for shoveling snow at night or walking the dog.

InStyle editors clearly shopped themselves to the brink of death to come up with hundreds of suggestions in five different budget ranges. To give an idea of the swath of ideas: women's PJs, must-have cookbooks and layer cakes, men's slip-on sneakers, evening clutches, perfume sets and pea coats. What kind of bubbly were these editors drinking when they decided to conclude the gift guide with a host of wacky fashion designer-inspired gift wrap ideas? If you want to wrap your gifts in pastel colored paper rhinestones and feathers who are we to laugh at your love affair with designer Dries Van Noten?

Thinking of giving a faux fur vest for Christmas? Then pick up the People StyleWatch gift guide. The exclusive discounts for The Gap, Henri Bendel and New York costume jeweler Sequin were a nice idea, and list likers will go for the best in gift sites and trendy gadgets. Then there are party tips on when to appear, how to pose when being photographed, and, of course, what to wear. No tips on going to the family dinner, though.

New Yorker Editor David Remnick, who slapped a Google car on the cover a few weeks ago to go with a story on the vehicle, is definitely developing a taste for business. This issue, follow the path — if you can manage some of the dry-as-dust writing in the 13-page article — trudged by Merck scientists as they prepare to meet the FDA's approval of a new blockbuster insomnia drug. It's a good set-up, but it is easy to get lost before the unexpected payoff. For a political read, the lead Talk of the Town reveals how social activists are rewriting labor contracts and winning a fair number of referendums backing minimum-wage increases.

New York reads like the best of the old Village Voice with two solid street reporting features. In the cover story, the reporter goes to Miami, tracking down those tied to "anti-aging clinic" Biogenesis, where Yankees superstar A-Rod is alleged to have gone to get juiced. Then comes a feature on how a family makes a fortune by running an organization that distributes city shelter funds and then gives the money to associates who barely maintain these shelters, which house 11 percent of the homeless population.

Rather than the too-familiar Time cover story on how towns are legalizing hunting as wild animals encroach on them, turn to the feature on Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and her fight to rid the military of sexual abuse, which might lead to higher office for the New York state pol. Elsewhere, Fareed Zakaria argues that Obama's deal with Iran has to be better than President Bush's 2003 decision to reject one. During those 10 intervening years, the columnist writes, the regime's nuclear program increased its 160 centrifuges that enrich uranium to 19,000.

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Hardaway’s breakout night wasted as Knicks fall to Pelicans

If you can't beat the Pelicans at home while New Orleans plays without its best player, Anthony Davis, who can you beat?

Right now, nobody. The Knicks wasted a breakout night by rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. and got sloppy down the stretch with turnovers as the Pelicans stole a 103-99 victory at the Garden to send the Knicks to their ninth straight loss.

It was also their seventh straight loss at home as the Knicks can't remember how to pull out close games and coach Mike Woodson doesn't seem to be making the right decisions late. It is a scared team right now that looks to be playing tight in the most pressurized moments.

Hardaway scored a career-high 21 points, banging in 5 of 8 3-pointers, but the defense let up in the fourth quarter. Carmelo Anthony had another quiet fourth, finishing with 23 points but missing key shots late.

The Knicks fell to 3-13 (0-5 in their new orange uniforms) and next play in Brooklyn, where a loss would probably put Woodson in hot water despite owner James Dolan's recent vote of confidence.

Davis left the game with a fractured left hand late in the first quarter, but Ryan Anderson picked up the slack and burned the Knicks with 31 points, making 7 of 11 3-pointers.

Hardaway's emergence came after Iman Shumpert was benched for most of the fourth quarter. Shumpert was spotted during a time out yelling at Anthony, who ignored him.

The game became a scramble at the end. During a 10-0 run by New Orleans midway through the fourth quarter, the Knicks were haunted by late turnovers on three straight possessions. Raymond Felton tried feeding J.R. Smith at the perimeter, but it was broken up by Tyreke Evans, who got fouled on the fastbreak. After the free throws, New Orleans led 98-93.

Anthony then missed an up-and-under layup and Felton bricked a 3-pointer. After Ben Gordon swooped past Andrea Bargnani for a layup, the Pelicans led 102-96 with 58 seconds left.

Hardaway looked as if he would be the hero. He banged in three 3-pointers in the opening six minutes of the fourth quarter, giving him 18 points. The Knicks led by six and Pablo Prigioni was igniting ball movement. But soon, Prigioni was on the bench.

Then, the breakdown occurred. Bargnani lost his man on a pick-and-roll as Evans received a lob in the lane and scored uncontested, giving the Pelicans a 96-93 lead with 2:45 left. Woodson called time out.

Bargnani finished with 17 points and six blocks.

The Knicks played with a lot of energy on defense in the first quarter, holding the Pelicans to 23.8 percent shooting in taking a 20-16 lead.

The Knicks didn't land back home from Denver until 5:45 a.m. Saturday and occasionally energy is an issue on the first game back from a week-long trip. But these Knicks were desperate and they squeezed out a 49-44 halftime lead. It was clear they wanted to spread the offense away from Anthony early on to perhaps keep him fresh down the stretch.

The focus was Bargnani, who scored six of the Knicks' first nine points. He finished off a rare fast break with a slam dunk after Shumpert initiated the pace and led him perfectly.

Bargnani scored 12 points in the half with four rebounds and also had four blocks, including one on Davis and one on a driving Jrue Holiday.

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Andrew Schulz: My pick-up New York

Andrew Schulz knows a thing or two about New York's dating scene. The local comedian just wrapped Season 1 of his new MTV dating show, "The Hook Up," in which he sets up young singles based on their social media profiles. He also dishes out advice on MTV's "Girl Code," airing Wednesday nights. Born and bred in the East Village, Schulz admits meeting people in the city is tough. Of course, he's ever the funny guy about it. "You can't go out hunting with your hunting gear and your bow and arrow — then it's too obvious," he jokes. This is his pick-up New York.

Trader Joe's, 142 E. 14th St., between Irving Place and Third Avenue
"There's the line culture here, which is kind of cool. So if you're in line next to someone cute, I love the idea of letting her win you over. Let her teach you about food. You can say something like, 'Oh, you need to be my nutritionist.' It's not all formal, like, 'I'd really like to take you out sometime.' Now you're just talking and having fun, but you're not afraid of her knowing that you're interested."

Urban Outfitters, 628 Broadway, between West Houston and Bleecker streets
"My girlfriend pointed out to me that girls are always trying to use the guys' changing room at this location, because the line isn't as long on the men's floor. Plus, I love a female's opinion on clothing. So if you're shopping there and you see a girl you're interested in, simply ask her opinion on an item."

Gansevoort Hotel, 18 Ninth Ave., at 13th Street
"Everyone wants a cougar. They're awesome. They have experience. And they don't say things like, 'I don't do this on the first night.' The Gansevoort is good for meeting cougars because no chick in her 40s wants to go to a sports bar for wing night. They're used to nicer stuff, so they're going to be around nicer stuff. You also find a lot of [out-of-town] cougars traveling to New York City with their friends, staying in expensive hotels. Twenty-two-year-olds can't afford that s - - t."

Yoga to the People, 12 St. Marks Place, between Second and Third avenues
"I've done yoga here before, and it's 99 percent women. If you're a straight guy, the odds are so in your favor. Only go if you're going to take it seriously, though. It's a community you want to get involved in — you don't just go once to pick up a chick. In New York City, women avoid strangers because they assume everyone is a serial killer — that's what you're competing against as a guy. You have to dig yourself out of 'potential serial killer.' "

Pianos, 158 Ludlow St., at Stanton Street
"There's a main floor where you can talk — the music isn't that loud, so conversation is easy. They have live music in a separate room. On the second floor, they have a DJ bumping, so you can dance. There's a lot of variety. Striking out at the bar? Check out the band. Striking out there? Go upstairs."

Veselka, 144 Second Ave., between St. Marks Place and Ninth Street
"This place is great late at night. You're going there after everything's closed. If there are girls [who] planned on meeting someone that night, and they're there — they didn't. So nobody has an ego. Everybody is drunk and a little bit uninhibited. You can yell across the place — there are no rules. You can be three tables down and you can just start yelling, 'We want you to buy us pierogies! Two potato, two spinach and cheese!' "

Olive Tree Café, 117 MacDougal St., between Minetta Lane and Third Street
"A lot of people go here after going to the Comedy Cellar. There's a bar there, there's food there. And you're feeling good. You just laughed for an hour and a half — it's euphoric. It's such a great casual environment. If you went to the comedy show that night, there's common interest. You can talk about the show — it's so easy. You can [say], 'Did you guys see the show? How funny was that Andrew Schulz guy, huh?' And now you're already talking — boom."

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An ending we’ll never forget

Nobody rushes to judgment more than sports fans. We love what we just saw. We want to sanctify what just happened by giving it historical context, and as a result we jump to conclusions easily: THIS was the best Super Bowl ever. THIS was the greatest Final Four of all time.

Mostly, given time to digest it all, we sheepishly come around to the fact that maybe we got a little carried away.

Just not this time. This is fact:

The ending to Saturday's Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn was the greatest ending in the history of sports. There. I said it. There are many reasons. Here are eight:

1. The play itself. On television, for a moment, the kick by Alabama's Adam Griffith (its own amazing story; Griffith, a freshman, was only in the game because starter Cade Foster had one of the worst days a kicker can have) looked as if it were straight and true. But it wasn't. It was short. And when Auburn's Chris Davis fielded the punt 9 yards deep in the end zone … well, we all saw Davis line up there before the kick. But did you really think he would get a chance to bring it back 109 yards to the house? Could you?

2.The fact the play itself ever happened. It looked like the game — already a classic — was headed to overtime before the referees, after review, determined there was still one second left when T.J. Yeldon stepped out of bounds. Had Griffith nailed the kick, the depression that would have descended upon the Auburn campus would have lasted until roughly 2027.

3. Who was beaten. Alabama was No. 1 in the country, the Tide have won three of the last four national titles and have looked borderline unbeatable for most of this season, swatting away all comers.

4. Who was beaten II. Nick Saban. Who is a genius, who may well be the best football coach alive (it's either him or his old boss, Bill Belichick), who before it's all over may stand with the very best who ever lived. And who is remarkably easy to root against unless you are Alabama born, bred or Bear-ed.

5. Who did the beating. Sometimes the Iron Bowl is lost among the better rivalries in the sport, lost behind Army-Navy or Notre Dame-USC or Ohio State-Michigan (who played their own classic Saturday that nobody remembered by 7:30). But Alabama and Auburn have been playing each other since 1893 — just 16 years after the end of Reconstruction.

It is a bitter in-state feud that in recent years has inspired fans to kill beloved oak trees at Auburn's Toomer's Corner.

6. Who did the beating II. Gus Malzahn was a high school coach for 16 years. That's putting in your dues. Last year Auburn was 3-9, 0-8 in the SEC, and lost this game 49-0 in its last game under Gene Chizik.

7. What are the other worthy candidates? That Cal-Stanford game? Sure, it was crazy, with the trombonist getting clocked at the end and all.

But that was a lousy team against a mediocre team. Christian Laettner?
Incredible game (also voiced by Verne Lundquist, lucky for him and luckier for us) but in the end it was a buzzer-beater, and there have been plenty of those. Bill Mazeroski? Joe Carter? The fact there have been two walk-off World Series homers should eliminate both automatically. You have any others? I'm all ears. vac@nypost.com.

8. The call. The same way we forever have Russ Hodges to narrate the Shot Heard 'Round the World — No. 2 in my book, by the way — has always helped that moment's legacy. Now we have Auburn radio play-by-play man Rod Bramblett and his partner, Stan White:

WHITE: I guess if this thing comes up short he can field it and run it out …

BRAMBLETT: All right, here we go … [57] yarder … it's got, no, does NOT have the leg … and Chris Davis takes it in the back of the end zone … he'll run it out to the 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, FORTY!

FORTY-FIVE! FIFTY! FORTY-FIVE! THERE GOES DAVIS!

WHITE: OH MY GOD!!

BRAMBLETT: DAVIS IS GONNA RUN IT ALL THE WAY BACK!!!

WHITE: OH MY GOD!!!!

BRAMBLETT: AUBURN IS GONNA WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME! AUBURN IS GONNA WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME!! HE RAN THE MISSED FIELD GOAL BACK! HE RAN IT BACK

109 YARDS! THEY'RE NOT GONNA KEEP 'EM OFF THE FIELD TONIGHT! HOLY COW!!!!!

Yep. It'll take some convincing that anything's been better than this. Ever.

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Ex-Goldman employee turned US soldier launching activist website

They're not all bloodsucking vampire squids at Goldman Sachs; some actually do God's work.

Greg BehrmanPhoto: Twitter

Some of them have used their wealth and social connections to try to make the world a better place. Take Greg Behrman, who quit Goldman and later headed for duty in Afghanistan to serve his country.

Now he's launching a new site — along with a movement — called Nation Swell. The idea is to create an activist media business to fix America's problems, with the help of small communities, and he's got a slew of Goldman and KKR guys on board to help.

Backing the service with personal investments are KKR partner Jonathan Smidt; Goldman Sachs merchant banking partner Scott Lebovitz and KKR head of credit Nat Zilkha.

New Ground Ventures is also providing the seed-round funding. The for-profit site is hoping to tap corporate social responsibility dollars while connecting good ideas to the cash to support them.

Behrman has already snagged some top media folk, including BusinessWeek's Greg Romesh, to get involved.

Journalists from Time magazine have also joined to help curate content to attract interest in a host of projects such as tackling homelessness and solving energy issues.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal showed up in support of Behrman at a launch event downtown, insisting that he simply be called Stan.

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Design label tests new strategy with Soho pop-up shop

A New York fashion label, Hatch Collection, which makes chic maternity wear designed to be worn before, during and after pregnancy, is reassessing its retail strategy.

The company has the attention of celebrities including Gwen Stefani, Jaime King, Halle Berry, Jessica Joffe and Molly Sims, who all wear the label.

Company founder Ariane Goldman, a young New York mom, launched twobirds, selling bridesmaid dresses that can be worn several ways, before she began Hatch two years ago.

She just launched a pop-up shop on Howard Street in Soho, featuring designers including Serena + Lily, Mayron's Goods and Ariel Gordon jewelry; it will be up through Dec. 9.

The pop-up is testing the waters for potential stand-alone retail stores in New York in the next 18 months.

Goldman says she spent half a million to launch Hatch and has had no outside investment so far. Her projected sales are around $2 million, all from the website.

She says it has been profitable, with all of the money being invested back into the business. Because of the rapid growth, she believes it is time to bypass wholesale and go straight into a retail strategy for Hatch.

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‘Fast and the Furious’ actor Paul Walker dies in fiery car crash: report

Paul Walker, the actor best known for his role in the supercharged auto flick "The Fast and the Furious," was killed in a what is reported to have been a fiery crash Saturday in California.

TMZ first reported Saturday evening that the 40-year-old actor was killed when the Porsche he was riding in slammed into either a pole and burst into flames in Santa Clarita, Calif.

Publicists later confirmed on Facebook and Twitter that Walker and the car's driver were killed.

"It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide. He was a passenger in a friend's car, in which both lost their lives. We appreciate your patience as we too are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news. Thank you for keeping his family and friends in your prayers during this very difficult time. We will do our best to keep you apprised on where to send condolences," a message on Walker's official Facebook page said.

Investigators gather evidence at the burned wreckage following a car crash the killed actor Paul Walker and another man in Santa Calrita, Calif. Saturday.Photo: AP/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal

The local Santa Clarita Valley Signal described how some spectators tried to extinguish the burning car.

"Him and his buddy, his brother in arms at heart just decided to joyride, take a spin. Something we all do. We're all car enthusiasts," Antonio Holmes, who said he was a friend of Walker, told the paper.

"We all ran around and jumped in cars and grabbed fire extinguishers and immediately went to the vehicle. It was engulfed in flames. There was nothing. They were trapped. Employees, friends of the shop. We tried. We tried. We went through fire extinguishers."

Spectators and auto enthusiasts near the scene of the accident told the Valley Signal that Walker and the other man who was killed are known as experienced drivers.

Walker, a native of Glendale, Calif., has appeared in "The Fast and the Furious," a sequel, "2 Fast 2 Furious," and "Timeline," among other films.

Paul Walker and VIn Diesel in 2001 film "The Fast and the Furious."

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