Linh Dinh

This Saturday (Jan. 30) Just Buffalo presents Big Night featuring poet Linh Dinh at the Western New York Book Arts Collaborative (468 Washington St). The event begins at 8pm and will feature a media performance by Al Larsen, fiction by Ken Sparling, and food by Geoffrey Gatza.

Dinh is a Vietnamese-born poet, fiction-writer, editor and translator who currently resides in Philadelphia. Since coming to the U.S. in 1975, Dinh has been widely published, including Best American Poetry 2000, 2004 and 2007. His latest novel Love Like Hate is set for release in May by Seven Stories Press. His books of poetry include American Tatts (2005), Borderless Bodies (2006), Jam Alerts (2007), and Some Kind of Cheese Orgy (2009). Dinh has also written Fake House (2000) and Blood and Soap (2004), two collections of stories, the latter of which was chosen as one of the books of 2004 by the Village Voice. He is editor of two anthologies, Night Again: Contemporary Fiction From Vietnam (1996), Three Vietnamese Poets (2001) and translator of Night, Fish and Charlie Parker (2006) by exiled poet Phan Nhien Hao. Dinh’s work, which has been translated into many languages including French and Spanish, has allowed him to read in such cities as London and Berlin.

Ken Sparling is an Ontario-based writer whose work includes Hush Up and Listen Stinky Poo Butt, a novel self-published with the help of his wife, two children and duct tape. Hush Up is available from Artistically Declined Press (artisticallydeclined.net). Sparling first gained attention in the early 1990s when his stories were published in Blood & Aphorisms, a Toronto literary journal. His other work includes Dad Says He Saw You at the Mall (1996), For Those Whom God Has Blessed with Fingers (2005) and Book, which will be released later this year by Pedlar Press.

Al Larsen has brought his unique brand of media art and music to festivals such as YoYo-A-GoGo and the What the Heck Fest, along with venues like CBGBs Record Canteen in New York City. He is no stranger to performing on street corners and in basements.

Geoffrey Gatza, a Kenmore native, has written several books of poetry including Kenmore: Poem Unlimited and Housecat Kung Fu: Strange Poems For Wild Children. Gatza graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and Daemen College. He was also sous-chef at The Mansion (414 Delaware Ave.) and current editor and publisher of BlazeVOX Books. Gatza served under the U.S. Marines during the First Gulf War.

—peter vullo

On Monday night, in an old industrial city 60 miles from here, a philanthropic leader gave a remarkable speech. In it, he announced a goal for his old city: to create more mixed-income housing and so end the isolation of social classes from one another.

The speaker was Terry Cooke, the ex-politician who now heads the Hamilton Community Foundation. Cooke is the former elected official who led the consolidation (in Canadian, they say “amalgamation”) of the city, county and suburban governments there about ten years ago. After some time in business, he’s now in charge of Hamilton’s biggest foundation, and he has his board’s endorsement to focus the community’s philanthropy to work preventing poor kids from falling through the cracks. But instead of the usual approach, Cooke and the foundation are going to try to do what Syracuse University’s Gerald Grant described in his book Hope and Despair in the American City, namely, ending the isolation of the urban poor.

Stay tuned: Cooke got interested in city-county merger, and then led the charge to get it done in his home town. Then Cooke read a review of Grant’s book in Artvoice, and now he’s got buy-in to tackle the problem that’s been killing snowy old industrial cities on both sides of the Niagara River. Buffalo may be the city where sound policy ideas go to die, Hamilton may be where they go to live.

Here’s Cooke’s speech.

—bruce fisher

Today Glenn Gramigna posted an account of a conversation with Pastor Darius Pridgen, in which Pridgen diagnoses the dysfunction of City Hall. Pridgen says:

If you look at the City Charter, the Mayor is supposed to be the one who lays out a vision for what Buffalo should be and then the Common Council provides checks and balances. But, we haven’t had that in recent years. We’ve had 10 Mayors, one real Mayor and nine little Mayors. And, I really think that this is part of what has been holding us back.

He’s wrong about that: While Buffalo does have strong mayor system—one in which the chief executive prepares and implements the city’s budget and has broad discretion to hire and fire department heads—there is nothing in the charter that isolates “vision” to the executive branch or which relegates the Common Council to providing “checks and balances.” Pridgen should know this: He served for a spell on the city’s charter revision commission 10 year ago, before resigning. (In part, according to fellow commissioner George Arthur, Pridgen resigned because Mayor Tony Masiello would not endorse his successful run for a seat on Buffalo’s school board. A seat from which Pridgen also resigned.)

In fact, the Common Council is invested with immense powers (including approving the mayor’s hires and budget), and is capable of setting a citywide agenda. That’s more difficult since the downsizing referendum of 2002 stripped the Council of its three citywide-elected at-large members and president, but it’s still possible. The powers invested in the Council by the city charter make it possible. Their failure to do so is the consequence of political division on between councilmembers and between the Council and the mayor’s office.

In a hypothetical world in which the Council tried to legislate into policy and budget priorities its own “vision for what Buffalo should be,” of course, it would rely on the mayor to implement that legislation. That’s the mayor’s job (“to enforce the laws therein”), but our strong mayor has the ability, like many chief executives, to subvert the will of the legislature by choosing not to execute its orders. A strong, independently elected mayor has the political cover to do so, too: Byron Brown, for example, was re-elected handily and so can claim that his policies have been approved by the majority of the city. If this Common Council, controlled by a majority that often stands in opposition to the mayor on the perhaps five percent of issues before them where there’s room for debate, decided to assert its will on one of those issues, the mayor could make a good argument for ignoring their actions.

I tend, perhaps irrationally, to believe that legislative bodies—despite their frequent chaos, horsetrading, parochialism, posturing—ought to be more powerful than the executive branch. They tend to be closer to the people they represent, and the need to build consensus protects the governed, I think, from both tyranny and truly boneheaded ideas.

That’s why I went to last night’s meeting of the Frontier Democrats at J.P. Bullfeather’s, to hear North District Councilman talk about one of his favorite ideas: Golombek believes the city should turn to a city manager form of government. In his “vision for what Buffalo should be,” the Common Council would hire an independent city manager certified by the International City/County Management Association. The city manager would run the day-to-day operations of the city: budgeting, hiring, firing, performance analysis and optimization, etc. A citywide-elected mayor would fill a largely ceremonial role. The citywide-elected city comptroller would continue to monitor government spending and procedures. And the Common Council would set the agenda.

The idea is to isolate personnel practices and the execution of city services from the vagaries of political wrangling. Police are deployed where they are needed most, not preferentially to districts that produce high voter turnouts. Capital expenditures are directed where they’re need, according to a master plan, not as political favors to friendly legislators and contractors. It may seem a radical idea, but it’s not: Nearly half of US municipalities larger than 2,500 people use some form of city manager/council government.

Golombek admits the idea is not popular in political circles—certainly not with his friend the mayor. “Opposition clear across the board,” Golombek says. “People are opposed to this, and I believe it’s because people lose power”—the power to give jobs, to direct contracts, to subvert good governance to political considerations. If so many in our dysfunctional City Hall are opposed to the idea, it must bear examining.

This press release  just in:

In response to last week’s devastating earthquakes in Haiti, The Good Neighborhood has teamed up with Asakivle – Buffalo Friends of Haiti, El Buen Amigo, DTR45, and a diverse group of local musicians to present Good Neighbors Helping Haiti, a benefit for American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development taking place at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery this Friday, January 22nd.

Local artists DJ Cutler and members of Lazlo Hollyfeld will be joined by Gruvology and Buffalo Music Hall of Famer Emile Latimer in an impromptu collaboration that summons the spirit of Asakivle – a Haitian Creole term meaning “Let whoever will participate.”

Asakivle serves to create a strong connection between the people of Buffalo and Western New York with the people of Haiti, supporting the basic human needs of our Haitian neighbors through fair trade, education, and infrastructure.

“For now we are focusing on raising money for immediate relief efforts,” said Asakivle’s Sabine Van Wyck. “Everything we raise will go to bigger and more capable non-profits like Red Cross.”

In addition to music, the event will feature a multimedia window into Haitian culture; a silent auction and 50/50 split; and an outpost of clothing and crafts from El Buen Amigo, with proceeds going directly to the Red Cross effort on the ground in Haiti.

The Good Neighborhood is a Buffalo-based company that pairs performers with common causes to create Gatherings for the Common Good.

Santa wasn’t terribly good to moviegoers this holiday season (and how ironic that the Oscar people chose to double their pool of nominees to ten in a year when it’s hard to think of five candidates for Best Picture!) Thank god the Buffalo Film Seminar will be resuming to boost our weekly selection of movies made by adults for adults. As usual, the series begins with a silent classic, in this case Buster Keaton’s 1926 comedy The General. Don’t believe anything so old can be funny? Well, it’s rated #18 on the American Film Institute’s list of the top 100 comedies, ahead of His Girl Friday, A Fish Called Wanda and When Harry Met Sally. Other highlights in the weeks to come include Night of the Hunter (1955), the only film directed by Charles Laughton (Feb. 9); Peter Yates’ long-neglected The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973), starring Robert Mitchum (March 16); and on March 23, John Cassavetes’ alternately maddening and fascinating A Woman Under the Influence (1974). And if you’re surprised to see the likes of Stanley Kubrick’s Steven King adaptation The Shining or Michael Mann’s Collateral in this company, you can be sure seminar presenters Bruce Jackson and Diane English will make a compelling case for them. Visit buffalofilmseminars.com for full screening schedule.

—m. faust

Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre, 639 Main St. / Tuesdays at 7pm, Jan. 12 – Apr. 20 / $8.50 adults, $6.50 students (with ID), $6 seniors, discount series tickets available / 855-3022 / buffalofilmseminars.com

What might a 1900 American farmer have in common with a 21-century American doctor?

Read this interesting piece in The New Yorker by physician Atul Gawande. Gawande observes that fixing America’s health care system might take more than the current 2,074 pages of legislation and hot-headed ideological battles. If history is a guide, it might even require real changes, ongoing cooperation, and hard work, darn it. You know—the sort of qualities that made the country great, once upon a time.

It takes a fair amount of pluck to try to start a new tradition in this town, but Steve Poland and his partners have got a running start. Last year’s inaugural Ice Ball—a New Year’s Eve alternative to the city’s venerable bar and restaurant celebrations—absolutely packed the Marcy Casino at Delaware Park. So Poland has doubled down this year, moving the event to the resplendent and more capacious Statler Golden Ballroom. There are three ticket prices, ranging from $95 to $225, with appropriate accoutrement for each grade of admission. Everyone, however, enjoys a generous open bar, a buffet, music by the Michael Bly Band, free valet parking, and a host of other enticements. (Go here to learn more.) Needless to say, everyone gets champagne, and if the bubbly clouds your memory of the evening, never fear: Prom-like souvenir photos will memorialize the evening. for better and for worse. It’s a class act, the Ice Ball, the sort of New Year’s soiree this city has been sorely lacking. Move quickly—the event is nearly sold out.

—geoff kelly

Rus Thompson sends us this email:

SSGT John Stanz arrived back home in Buffalo on Tuesday. John has been in rehab in Germany and now Pennsylvania, since he was injured in Afghanistan. This came as a surprise to his family but of course he is welcomed home, his parents home is just not ready.

Thank You Jackie Walker for getting his sister in contact with me, we now know just what they need to accommodate his needs for the next couple years. He needs an addition built on the parents home with a bathroom. I just recorded a commercial at WBEN which was donated by the Financial Guys, Mike Lomas and Glenn Wiggle. I would not have been able to do this on my own. This is where we need your help.

Buffalo/Erie County is a place with a huge heart. When they know of a need especially someone from the Military, they will come out in droves to help. We need something along the lines of another home make over. An addition to a house is really an easy project but it comes with expenses that none of us can afford on our own.

I will be contacting my suppliers from over the years to help and possibly donate building materials for this. A local contractor told the family it would cost $70,000 to complete the job. We have already had contractors ready to donate labor and I am one of them. I will do what ever it takes to help SSGT Stanz, he came very close to giving the ultimate sacrifice, two of his friends did, they were killed in the IED explosion that injured Stanz.

Marine SSGT John Stanz fought for us, now it is time for us to stand up and fight for him.

Will you consider helping us promote this and helping us ask  for help? When I found out how badly SSGT Stanz was injured and how little the government is willing to help, I decided this is a worthy cause. Seems once more the government has failed to take care of their own. He was sent to war, he fought, almost died and now he needs us.

Christmas for a Hero

The Palms at Tandori’s

Friday the 18th from 7 pm till 9

Tickets $25.00

Thank you for your consideration.
Rus Thompson

Click here for directions to the place.

The Buffalo Ruse’s international crossing correspondent, Hardy Astrom, breaks the news on a new plan for the new Peace Bridge:

The City of Buffalo has announced that it has obtained an agreement in principle with Bass Pro to construct a new bridge replacing the outdated Peace Bridge.  Bass Pro officials, who have yet to break ground on a superstore at the site of the recently deconstructed Memorial Auditorium, are excited about the prospect of building a signature bridge.

Mark Cornwall, spokesman for Bass Pro, made the announcement Tuesday.  “We’re pleased to announce a letter of intent indicating our probable intention to build ‘Bass Pro’s Ugly Stik Spinning Rod Bridge’.”   The bridge, named for Bass Pro’s top selling ultra lite fishing rod, has yet to be designed.

Mayor Byron Brown, speaking from his International Bridge Resource Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, expressed his excitement, and welcomed the outdoor giant’s fresh ideas.

“We have decided to dismiss all of the previous designs for structures that might have someday joined Canada and the U.S.” he said in a telephone interview.  “In our dealings with Bass Pro, we have come to expect great expectations.  And the City expects to anticipate a great plan that Buffalo and Fort Erie can look forward to expecting to enjoy looking ahead to in the years to come.”

Opponents to the joint business enterprise between the City and Bass Pro needed only to reflect on the lack of progress with the pair’s first unfinished venture.

“Unstarted, actually,” commented Dominic Fragale, founder of ‘ResponsAccounailiTy”, or RAT, a local political watchdog group.  “At our most recent organizational meeting, which was called in response to this announcement, we spent the first 45 minutes in silence.  A group of over 150 activists were literally speechless, if you can believe that.”  Fragale added that his group would begin organizing protests immediately, perhaps even beating Bass Pro to the punch.  “One suggestion was to see if we could build our own bridge before Bass Pro gets started.  We could probably build it using the bodies of citizens who have died since Bass Pro first promised us a store.”

Mayor Brown strongly disagrees with Fragale’s group.  “Logistically speaking I have serious doubts as to whether Buffalo based corpses would make for a structurally sound bridge.  I’m no expert, but just considering decomposition….I mean….I don’t think that would work at all.  Though if Bass Pro presented us with a carcass signature bridge I would certainly sign on. In the context of Bass Pro at the helm of a dead body bridge, I find it rather exciting”

Most Buffalonians take pride when they read articles in the New York Times describing various fights to preserve our city’s heritage, like this one from last year.

But once upon a time—not too long ago—we were getting this kind of ink in the New York Times.

Could anything so embarrassing ever happen again? You betcha!

This Sunday, December 13, from Noon-1pm, The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is requesting the support of everyone who believes in the work they’ve been doing. Everyone is invited to gather at the bust of Martin Luther King, Jr., near the corner of Best and Fillmore—with friends, family, voices, and signs. Free hot chocolate!