Agreement "will end the crisis" with cuts of $2 trillion in deal to avert disastrous default.

HT Marquil at EmpireWire.com.

Without analyzing a debt/deficit/spending/cuts deal that was cut just yesterday and I haven’t had an opportunity to review, I continually ask myself over these last several days why Washington is so willing to cut on the backs of the elderly, the poor, and the middle class, and why it so adamantly refuses to ask the very wealthy to pay, e.g., what they paid in income taxes back during the roaring 90s.

What will the tea party fad be replaced by, and when?

’65 Pontiac Bonneville, Sanborn, N.Y. Here’s a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville convertible resting comfortably in the front yard of a Sanborn home. This was the year the entire Pontiac line was named Motor Trend magazine’s Car of the Year, which was a pretty big deal back then. It’s unusual with that red top (which needs a [...]

As the fabled and star-crossed ocean liner RMS Titanic sank beneath the frigid Atlantic, it is said that the crew compulsively rearranged the deck chairs for the comfort of the first-class passengers.  This action has survived as a metaphor for tinkering with the symptoms of a problem while ignoring the root causes and possible solutions.  Erie County is in many ways similar to the Titanic; while certainly there are many wonderful developments in our community, the ultimate trajectory is not good with continued population loss, unsustainable sprawl, declining infrastructure, a broken urban schools system, and little hope for serious economic growth.  Collectively, these problems cause a hard-to-shake malaise, a “sinking feeling” if you’ll allow.  While each of these problems can be fixed, the solutions require hard diligent work, strong leadership, and a deep-seated positive outlook.

Chris Collins is unwilling to provide any of these qualities, and instead campaigns on an “us vs. them” message pitting the county’s “have-a-lots” vs the county’s “have-nots.”  It doesn’t matter if you bought a first class ticket, or if you’re in steerage, the ship is sinking.  I, for one, believe that it can be saved, but it requires the united efforts of our community: cities, suburbs, and rural towns; government, not-for-profits, and businesses small and large; white, black, Latino, Asian, and Native American; white collar and blue; people who prefer the drumstick part of a chicken wing and people who prefer the flats; chicken wing agnostics and vegetarians.  If the ship sinks we all get wet, but if we can lift it up, we get one hell of a story to tell our grandchildren (without having to visit them in Atlanta or Charlotte).

Instead of a leader trying to save the ship, though, we have Chris Collins.  I imagine him as the venal first mate of this ship, angling for a promotion to captain (governor in this case) and trying to earn it by playing off of the basest instincts of some of those in first class.  While the maitre d’hôtel worries about the deck chairs and keeping the band playing, Collins slips into the payroll office and cuts the rat control budget from the ship’s books.  “The rats spend their time below decks with the third-class passengers and the greedy over-paid crew!” he exclaims “If I never see them in first class then it’s like they don’t even exist.”  He chuckles as he imagines an Irish child with a foot swollen from a rat bite.  “It’s not like that child would need those feet to dance in the fashionable Duke of Clarence ballroom anyway.”   Similarly, the handful of books available to the third-class passengers are to be thrown overboard.  “This ship has got to be run like a business,” Collins thinks.  “Those lazy urchins below-decks won’t be buying tickets in the future.”

The ship groans as the structural steel is pushed to its limit.  “But how to run a surplus on this trip?” Collins wonders as he looks at the ship’s books.  An accounting gimmick comes to mind; “Certainly we won’t burn up all the coal we have on board…  If I count the cost of the coal as a credit… Aha!  The maiden voyage of the ship Titanic will run a surplus!  Surely I deserve a promotion!”

A pencil rolls of the desk as the ship lists further.  A line has formed outside of the office window as women and children are placed in lifeboats by the crew.  Suddenly Chris Collins panics.  He flings open the door, knocking over a passenger in a wheel-chair and charges past the queued passengers to launch himself into the first lifeboat.  “Chris Collins waits for no man,” he yells as those still on board look at him in

"Good help is so hard to find these days."

astonishment, but he can only see them for a moment as the lifeboat is lowered away.  Surveying those in the lifeboat, he sees a lowly seaman, dirty from hours of hard labor as he diligently rows the boat from the sinking monstrosity.  Around him are society ladies swaddled in furs and frosted with diamonds.  Chris Collins smirks at his own cleverness as he tightly grabs the amended accounting book.  “It’s so hard to find good help these days,” he announces to no one in particular.

It was one year ago that Lloyd the taco truck arrived on the Buffalo food scene. Lloyd has experienced a tremendous amount of success since then for a very simple reason - the food is great. 

242 properties taken off federal abatement plan.

Backup quarterback had his best season in 2008 while playing for Bills coach in Kansas City.

Rookie and veteran work together amid competition for starting spot.

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Ending a perilous stalemate, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders announced agreement Sunday night on an emergency deal to avoid to avert the nation's first-ever financial default. The arrangement would cut more than $2 trillion from federal spending over a decade.

Bills GM Buddy Nix this past week said that patience was the approach in this most unusual free agency period. He also talked about keeping an eye on the waiver wire to see what kind of talent shoo...

Upon hearing that The Canvas Bar was opening on the 500 Block of Main Street, I was really excited - especially when I heard about the concept. As time went on, hope began to diminish when no apparent activity could be seen taking place. Then I heard that the deal was dead. While on our way to brunch at Empire today we passed something that looked remarkably familiar to the branding that I had seen for Canvas on Main Street. As the awning drew closer, and the printed letters became clear, I could suddenly read, "Canvas @ 1206". On the window I found a couple of notices on the wall that read that Canvas @ 1206 would be a 'vibrant bar, restaurant and music venue'.

The business sounds to be exactly what the 500-block concept was supposed to be. Cafe in the morning, catering to the business crowd at lunch and then becoming a 'sassy' bar at night. With live down-tempo music, a large patio, a modern interior redesign with facade opening onto the street (project rendering), and all-around swank bistro flare, Canvas @ 1206 looks like it's going to add a lot to the Hertel streetscape while offering plenty of pizazz for customers looking for something new and different. As much as I'm bummed that this did not open downtown, I'm glad that the owners decided to stick with the plan somewhere else in the city. Canvas @ 1206 will open this September.

Congressional negotiators "very close" to striking deal with President Obama according to Senate minority leader.

Six new wind turbines will provide more clean energy for the region, and pump more dollars into local coffers.

By Joe Cascio:

Over the last 22 years I have had the pleasure of seeing the boys from Kingston, ON countless times, from small clubs in Vancouver, BC to Cleveland down on the flats and in the Much Music Studios on Queen Street in Toronto.  Last night's show on the water at Canalside was right up there at the top.  

The weekend started with a great dinner provided by the folks at Encore & Chef Chris Daigler where we all sat around relaxed eating good food and drinking some great wine, sort of the calm before the storm.  In talking with Gord Downie, T-Hip's front man, he told me they wanted to come in and do the show of the summer, something really big and unique, I think they hit the nail on the head.  They are not pushing a new release - they just felt the need to do a smaller tour of the places they love most - to get out there, play and have fun.  Hats off to Funtime Presents for pulling it together and making it happen.  The tour wraps up tonight in Montreal.

The Arkells from Hamilton, ON opened the show and while I didn't get to see them from in front, it sure sounded like they rocked out and the crowd enjoyed them as well.


^Click to enlarge

The Hip took the stage shortly after 9pm and the crowd erupted to "Blow at High Dough", off the 1989 "Up to Here" release, and you could tell right from the start that Gordy was on fire.  The set rocked, usually with an intermission, this time not.  Fireworks provided by the folks at the Outer Harbor Fest threw Gordy and the band a little curve ball but they embraced it and kept rolling, if they would have only broken into "Fireworks".  He remarked "Ah, finally the fireworks we paid for!" and had fun with one of the many Chinese lanterns that were being launched from the boats out in the harbor - he rambled about that for a few verses.  Wheat Kings as part of the encore was fantastic. 

Well I, "the non-writer" photographer, have rambled long enough.  Hope you enjoyed the show and I hope you enjoy a few of the pics.



For a full gallery of images please visit www.facebook - JoeCascioPhoto.