Cover Story |
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Tom Golisano vs. The Casinoby Bruce Jackson |
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Byron Brown Discovers the Senecas' 10-Kby Bruce Jackson |
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Joel Giambra: "We're Going to Court"by Geoff Kelly |
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Free Will Astrology |
by Rob BrezsnyARIES (March 21-April 19): When I was a kid, I read Highlights magazine. My favorite feature was the section that asked Zen-like questions like “Can you laugh and cry at the same time?” or “If you were a talking parrot, what words would you want to learn?” For this week’s horoscope, I’ve borrowed the spirit of that old source of inspiration. May the following passage incite your raw wonder and feral innocence. What’s more beautiful, the smell of an orange or the sight of a green hill in spring? Under what circumstances might you eat dessert before the main course? Have you ever seen a statue wink? Is it possible to fall up instead of down? Describe how you’d catch a dragonfly without hurting it. Tell a story that’s half true and half lies. Can you grow brain cells just by thinking you want to? |
Letters to Artvoice |
To this day, Toronto Island Airport is an underutilized opportunity that is fraught with political infighting battles between Government of Canada’s Toronto Port Authority and City of Toronto. A new carrier is about to launch there using Bombardier Q400 turbo prop aircraft that approach speeds close to jet aircraft. This will allow service to Ottawa, Montreal and northeastern USA cities. My personal hope is that this underutilized asset does provide some competition to the most expensive place to land an aircraft in the world—Pearson International Airport. Air Canada’s CEO and president has often been quoted in the press about the expense of landing into Toronto. |
Streetvoice |
Mayor Byron Brown: His First 100 Daysby Caroline PhelanByron Brown marked his first 100 days in office with an in-studio speech delivered on WNED’s FORUM radio show. It was a curiously closed environment, open to the public but not well advertised—an Allentown businessman who telephoned WNED to inquire about tickets was told he was one of only a handful of people who had called. In any case, Artvoice saw fit to ask a handful of Buffalonians of our own selection what they thought of the mayor’s first 100 days. Is Byron Brown the breath of fresh air this city hopes he will be or is he business as usual? Is it possible to tell just yet? |
News of the Weird |
by Chuck Shepherd■ Are We Safe? In a two-day period in March, alarming reports revealed that “dirty (radiation) bombs” easily entered the country in car trunks in tests, that one-third of U.S. civilian nuclear research reactors were insufficiently secure and that concerns were heightened about the 2,000 shoulder-fired missiles said to be unaccounted for in the world’s arsenals. On the other hand, the Los Angeles Times reported that the fishing village of Dillingham, Alaska, at least, is secure, now that a $200,000 Homeland Security anti-terrorism grant has paid for 60 “downtown” surveillance cameras, with 20 more to come. Dillingham (pop. 2,400) is about 300 miles from Anchorage, with no roads linking it to anywhere. |
The News, Briefly |
Tom Golisano and the Balance of Powerby Andrew KulykLast week at HSBC Arena, Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano held a news conference to announce his endorsements for New York State Senate and to speak on the importance of the balance of two-party power in Albany. Joining Golisano on the podium were local State Senators Mary Lou Rath (R-Amherst) and Dale Volker (R-Depew), as well as Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Saratoga Springs). |
Getting a Grip |
Casinos, Canadians, and Indiansby Michael I. NimanAs the casino argument heats up in Buffalo this spring, it’s important for us to look at the big picture when organizing our opposition to gaming establishments that prey on poor and addicted gamblers. The casino story is being played out in three sovereign nations—the United States, Canada and the Seneca Nation. Two of those nations have casinos. We live in the third. |
Artshorts |
Playing to the Roomby Cynnie GaaschThree installation pieces on view in Buffalo this spring—two at the University at Buffalo and one at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center—invite an investigation of the art form. Installation art transforms the tools of painting, sculpture and sometimes photography and video into an all-encompassing manipulation of exhibition space. Adam Cvijanovic’s installation in UB’s Lightwell Gallery in the Art Gallery at the Center for the Arts consumes the viewer with the aqua-tinted wonder of Niagara Falls. Similarly, Adam Weekley’s “Hibernation Chamber” at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center allows you to imagine yourself completely surrounded in an idyllic cell for slumber. Kelly Kaczynski’s “Scene from ‘Olympus Manger,’” also at the UB Gallery, affects the viewer physically by its sheer size and occupation of the space. |
Fine Dining |
Raised on Italian: Mangia Ristoranteby Arthur PageAlthough I’m not aware of any Mediterranean genes in my body, given the option I will always choose a meal featuring Italian dishes. |
Theaterweek |
'Night, Motherby Anthony ChaseTorn Space Theater, which performs at the Adam Mickiewicz Dramatic Circle on Fillmore Avenue, has made its reputation with avant-garde theater. With Marsha Norman’s 1983 play, ’night, Mother, however, they strike square at the center of the mainstream with a Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway drama. |
Book Reviews |
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The Book of Jon, by Eleni Sikelianosby Peter Conners |
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Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis, by Jimmy Carterby Gerry Rising |
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Enchantments, by Linda Ferriby Jill Froebel |
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Artist of the Week |
Ken Feltgesby Peter KochWhy you should know who he is: Ken Feltges has been working in and around the Buffalo poetry scene for more than 20 years. His poems, each of which draws a vivid character sketch to capture a revealing moment, have been published in several small literary magazines and in local newspapers. Though he’s also a photographer on the side, Feltges considers his true artistic legacy to be his 35-year teaching career at Kenmore West and his current stint at Mt. St. Mary’s. In those institutions, he’s made it his duty to turn young people on to poetry, to show them that poetry shouldn’t be intimidating. |
You Auto Know |
The Drop-Top Livesby Jim CorbranIf you were around in 1976, you may recall the big deal made by Cadillac when they produced the “final” Eldorado convertible. It was a big deal at the time because it was the last regular production convertible being made in the US. For a time, anyway. |
Play Ball! |
Bisons Baseball to Raise Curtain on its 121st Seasonby Andrew Kulyk & Peter FarrellIt’s here! A sign of spring…the fresh green grass, the smell of hot dogs, that sweet sound of the crack of the bat, the echo of the PA announcer and the music through the streets of downtown Buffalo, the happy kids and families streaming into the ballpark. It can only mean one thing—Bisons baseball is back. |
Film Reviews |
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Matters of Conscience: Sophie Scholl: The Final Daysby M. Faust |
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One Thug and a Baby: Tsotsiby M. Faust |
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PP&P: Land of Plentyby M. Faust |
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Birds of a Feather, Briefly: Duck Seasonby George Sax |
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Music |
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Room for War: The Flaming Lipsby Donny Kutzbach |
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Putting "The Rock" in Folk Music: Great Big Seaby Peter Koch |
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See You There |
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Dyngus Dayby Eddy Dobosiewicz |
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Greg Klyma CD Release Showby Peter Koch |
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Langhorne Slimby Joe Sweeney |
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In Circulation: Site-Specific Art at Meadby Geoff Kelly |
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Alkaline Trio/Against Me!by K. O'Day |
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Left of the Dial |
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Bedouin Soundclash: Sounding a Mosaicby Donny Kutzbach |
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Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Show Your Bonesby Jennifer Behrens |
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Richard Ashcroft: Keys to the Worldby Anthony Chabala |
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Bandwidth |
BabikAnything else you would like our readers to know about the band? When Babik plays a show we are not only improvising during our solos, but the entire show is an improvisation. We create intros and endings and segues depending on what the band and the audience is experiencing or joking about at the moment. We believe this is the spirit of gypsy swing…to follow your instincts and bring much joy to everyone. |