B-4, D-2, K-1, M-1, M-8. At times yesterday, the courtroom debate about the law that created a new civil service system for the Defense Department sounded like the judges and lawyers were playing Battleship, the game where opponents use a grid to target and sink ships.	Awoman in a rural South Asian village receives a loan of about $250 to buy a dairy cow. She milks the cow, sells the milk and improves her standard of living while repaying the loan. In much of the world, this is microfinance.	Matt Cardillo's parents were nearing retirement, and he didn't have a clue about their plans. He was only in his early 30s, but with a son on the way and a mortgage to pay, he couldn't help being concerned about their future financial stability.
Several schools have sharply increased tuition to match rivals, while also providing more financial assistance.	New York City has failed to collect on millions of dollars in water bills because of records riddled with errors and outdated information.	S??o Paulo, Brazil, overwhelmed by what the authorities call visual pollution, plans to press the ?“delete all?” button on outdoor advertising.