Written by Pauldub

Esmonde presents his version of “I know you are, but what am I?”. Same column, different day.

I know from my attempts to come up with a new post that fresh ideas are hard to come by, but geez, he gets paid for this stuff!

I could go through the same discussion that was presented in other places concerning his previous article, but that would be redundant. So I’ll keep it at the same level as his article and reply: “Oh Yeah? Sez you!”

When something new comes up concerning this project, let me know Donn. Until then, give it a rest.

In this weeks edition of “Radio From A Broad” with Michele Johnson, local activists were brought on to give updates on their organizations and discuss ways that the community can get involved.

Michele’s guests included:

Harvey Garrett from The West Side Community Collaborative
Me (Chris Smith) from Buffalo Old Home Week
Eric Walker from PUSH Buffalo
Chris Byrd from Broadway Fillmore Alive and The Broadway Market

We received a press release yesterday that The Food Network would be in town to do a profile story on the history of the Buffalo Chicken Wing with Drew Cerza. A pretty simple profile news story we thought, we’ll get there if we can….

Then, a tipster called me at 11:30 to tell us not to miss it. Why? We’d have to find out for ourselves…

It didn’t seem like anything special was going to happen and the rest of the news stations left. We decided to hang out with our web guys and have a few midday wings and a couple of beers…and that’s when it happened.

Bobby Flay, nationally known chef, grill master, restauranteur, and television personality challenged Drew to a chicken wing cookoff for his Food Network show, “Throwdown with Bobby Flay“.

Bobby threwdown with his Chipotle Honey Mustard Wings while Drew countered with his Bourbon BBQ Buffalo Wings.

Who won? We know, but we’re not telling. You’ll have to tune into find out!

Our new website will be ready for primetime very shortly, so we thought we’d give you a sample of the kind of multimedia news and entertainment we’ll be showcasing…enjoy!

WNYMedia.net announces the first segment of Beer-O-Vision!

Beer-O-Vision is a monthly video magazine focusing on craft brewing scene in Buffalo, WNY, NYS, and beyond! Tune in once a month for segments on beer tasting events, interviews, brewery tours, homebrewing, general tomfoolery, ratings, reviews, news… and more!

Your host is Ethan Cox, local homebrewer, beer writer, and beer enthusiast/advocate. You may know him from his articles in Buffalo Rising, classes in beer & food pairings at Delish!, or from kicking around some of the local beery events such as Mr. Goodbar’s Goodbeer Club and lately, Ulrich’s Tavern’s Hasenpfeffer Club.

His mission is to help transform the local beer drinking culture by raising people’s awareness about the breadth and depth of beer as a beverage. He is motivated by the fact that beer is absolutely a thirst-quenching, workingman’s drink and at the same time, capable of all the complexity, subtlety, nuance and bother that is usually associated with wine and spirits.

In this inaugural segment, you’ll be traveling to the Elmwood strip to Mr. Goodbar, home of the long-running Goodbeer Club. Bobby Raab is a true craft brew hero for organizing this event for so long, nearly three years now. In doing so, he has totally transformed the reality (if not the public conception) of this bar- consider that when he began working there, there were only a few taps, but today they boast well over twenty. If you want a Gaffel Kolsh in this town, it’s to Mr. Goodbar’s you will have to travel, my friend.

Hit the video to get a taste of this fantastic Buffalo beer-event, and stay tuned for further installments of Beer-O-Vision!

Written by Pauldub

I have no clue where I will be watching the game. I have folks in from out of town, my wife, sister in law and her husband, we will probably all be downtown to look at their rental.

Brother in law and I are the only ones interested in the game and he wants to watch somewhere in the city. My plan? Ditch the womenfolk and friends if necessary, and follow the noise to a tasty beverage and a TV showing the Rangers getting their ass whupped.

Good plan eh what?

This headline just puts a hop in my step…

Written by pauldub

Spiro T Agnew used this phrase to describe the media. I thing it’s a pretty accurate description of the local blogosphere with respect to local politics. Both here, and at Pundit’s place, the announcement about Lenihan tapping Keane has people going batshit crazy.

Party hack. Lifetime at the public trough. Gerrymandering. Misguided public. Corrupt. And I am guilty as hell too.

Just about every comment tells about what is wrong with a potential candidate. People from the outside reading this could easily get the idea that the entire population of WNY has gone round the bend.

Are we actually going to base our votes on who we feel is the lesser of two evils?

A simple piece of homework for us all. If there is a candidate out there that you like for CE, leave a comment as to why they are best qualified. I don’t want to hear about what is wrong with the others, who hung out with/supported Joel Giambra. I don’t care if you think the parties are all up to no good. I don’t want to hear about opponents hiring relatives. I want to hear what is good about your candidate.

If you thing they all suck, fine. I can live with that. Just don’t comment. If you are not sure, go ahead and just let me know you are making up your mind.

This is a purely unscientific way for me to find out if anyone out there actually likes any of the candidates.

If there are no comments, well then we can draw whatever conclusions we wish about the nature of how we vote. Do we really vote for who we think will do the best job, or do we just not vote for who we dislike, for whatever reason.

Buffalo, NY - WNYMedia.net cameras were there when Erie County Executive Joel Giambra received the payoff to his bet with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi.

He received four bushels of Long Island clams after the Buffalo Sabres eliminated the New York Islanders in the 2007 NHL Playoffs.

I’m still recovering from the utterly disappointing news that Mark Poloncarz will not run for Erie County Executive and now Democratic Party Boss Len Lenihan kicks me while I’m down.

Erie County Democratic Party leaders will endorse James P. Keane for county executive, prompting a major primary battle against rival Paul T. Clark and possibly others.

This could very well be the most uninspiring choice for political office in recent memory. Keane is a machine hack from way back and brings little to the table in the way of new ideas or reform. This should not be construed as disappointment that West Seneca Town Supervisor Paul Clark was passed over for the nomination.

Clark said this morning that Erie County Democratic Chairman Leonard R. Lenihan told him Tuesday his choice would be Keane, and that he has subsequently withdrawn his request for the party endorsement. Clark made it clear he will wage a primary campaign directed against politics controlled by “bosses.”

“Yes, I wanted the endorsement, but it was my hope they would endorse a fresh face,” Clark said this morning. “They’ve just chosen more of the same. This is not sour grapes, because the voters want independent leadership and not party bosses.”

Paul Clark is a fresh face? Really? He’s been part of the West Seneca political machine for the better part of two decades as he lorded over a creeping tax rate, mediocre schools, and general stasis. He also had his lunch handed to him by Brian Higgins in the Democratic Primary for the 27th Congressional District.

Looks like Chris Collins is going to be my guy.

If you’re not listening to The Cockfight with Kevin and Mark from BFLOBlog.com, well, you’re no friend of mine. These guys talk Sabres Hockey, Bills Football, and Pop Culture while knocking back a few adult beverages in the WNYM Radio Studios.

This week, they hosted Sam Weinman, a New York Rangers beat reporter from The Journal News.

Enjoy

Buffalo, NY - This Saturday, from 9am to 1pm, the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation will be sponsoring its 10th annual Spring Clean Up. We’ve come an awfully long way since the days of removing tires and old mattresses from the grounds, not to mention the hundreds of tons of debris that has since been removed from inside the building.

Now, our clean ups are more in the line of picking up stray winter debris, sprucing up the grounds and helping the building committee with various inside projects.

Come on out this Saturday, rain or shine, and join in with the Central Terminal’s great group of friendly people. Please dress appropriately: bring work gloves, wear work shoes and bring rakes or hoes. Free hot dogs and refreshments will be available.

Buffalo, NY - Join the Buffalo Old Home Week family at McGarrett’s, one of Buffalo’s coolest bars on Tuesday, April 24th at 5:00 p.m. for Happy To Be Here Happy Hour!

Come share the Buffalo spirit (and perhaps some spirits!) and celebrate all the ways in which the Buffalo Renaissance has taken wings during 2007.
Grab every Expat, Repat, Transplant and enthusiastic Buffalo Booster that you know and head over to McGarrett’s to participate in our on-going celebration of all that is great about Buffalo!

These gatherings are a great way to meet others who share your passion for our fair city. There will be plenty of (not Old Buffalo, not New Buffalo, but) Our Buffalo energy. Enjoy the high spirits and rich stories of people who have come from or wandered all over the nation and the world and found that Buffalo is where they want to live.

There will be no shortage of warm and enthusiastic people to meet, so even if you come alone and don’t know a soul, you’ll leave with new friends and new connections. There will be plenty to talk about: what new companies are opening in Buffalo? What’s the latest on the Waterfront? Where are the hot new jobs in the city and region? Of course, we’ll also be making some important announcements about upcoming Buffalo Old Home Week events!

This is what Buffalo, does so very well: welcome, entertain, and connect. So whether you’re a Repat, a Transplant from other parts, or an enthusiastic Buffalonian who has never needed to leave to know how great this town is, you are cordially invited to come and be a part of this positive, energetic community

Buffalo, NY - How best to sell the advantages of living, working, and playing in Western New York? How does an economic development organization get past the generic stereotypes of what Buffalo-Niagara is all about? Asking Warren Buffett, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway to issue a personal video invitation to visit Buffalo is probably a good place to start.

Explore Buffalo Niagara 2007 is a joint venture between divergent public and private interests to attract new business to buffalo. The sponsors and partners span the public, private and non-profit sectors and include the National Electrical Contractors Association, New York Power Authority, Empire State Development Corporation, the United Auto Workers, M&T Bank, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, Buffalo Old Home Week, Niagara University and the University at Buffalo.

The event, scheduled for Sept. 12 to 14 of this year aims to bring CEOs, board chairmen and other key officials from targeted companies to the region to sell them on opening branch offices, relocating operations or expanding their presence in the Buffalo Niagara region. It’s a unique effort to sell business leaders not just on the economic advantages of doing business in Western New York, but to demonstrate the exceptional work life balance that executives and employees alike can find in the region.

Intel Chairman Craig Barret has already agreed to attend and the group has fielded interest from executives at Sun Microsystems, Dell, and several other leading technology companies.

In the end, Explore Buffalo Niagara aims to provide a personal introduction to our region that serves as an interactive forum, with a customized agenda for each participant.

Most importantly, this event is intended to showcase the cultural history, thriving arts community, and the unique sense of place that exists in our region that truly makes life work.

Local restaurateur, musician, and renaissance man Joe Giambra wrote a song about his love for his hometown, appropriately entitled “I Love You Buffalo”. Written almost 30 years ago, the lyrics are as true today as they were back in 1978.

While we were shooting a scene for our latest documentary, Joe asked his good friend Jackie Jocko to reprise the song he made famous in the late 1970’s.

Looks like I might have found a new theme song for Buffalo Old Home Week, eh?

Tony Bennett heard the song and wanted to record it, but Joe declined the offer. He wanted his best friend and Buffalo icon Jackie Jocko to record it.

Enjoy.

Buffalo, NY - What if someone were to tell you that one of Buffalo’s greatest assets was it’s stock of early 20th century abandoned homes and buildings? Would you think that person was drinking a bit too much of the Pro-Buffalo Kool-Aid?

Michael Gainer, Executive Director of Buffalo ReUse is that person and he believes that Buffalo’s best days lie ahead if we build upon the ashes of our early century economic boomdays. “I love this city. Buffalo has a lot of potential and when we demolish a building, we’re throwing away all of it’s potential. At it’s very core, we’re converting what many see as a civic liability into a civic opportunity”.

BuffaloReUse is a unique community effort to deconstruct abandoned homes and buildings and reuse the salvageable materials. Not only does Gainer believe that deconstruction and the reuse of materials allows us to save space in our ever growing landfills, it provides career opportunities for the city’s youth. “We’re not just talking about jobs in the trades, we’re training them in retail, sales, value added manufacturing, and community development”.

To learn more about Buffalo ReUse, click here for more information.

A fledgling non-profit needs volunteers and if you have any skills in database work, data entry, inventory control, accounting, legal, labor, assessments, volunteer coordination, grant writing, or community outreach, send an email to volunteer@buffaloreuse.org

Situated in the heart of the Rust Belt, Buffalo, New York is a city that has known the sweetness of success, as well as the ache of loss. Today, as one drives through its neighborhoods, a single story emerges from behind the broken windows and boarded-up doors: a community that once benefited from the boost of economic sustainability and regional pride must now dig beneath the rubble for what resources it has left. If history is ignored, and the potential for renewal set aside, then there is little hope for the health of our city.

Buffalo ReUse sees an opportunity to resurrect what’s been laid to rest and salvage the resources that once made Buffalo a great American city. We’ve watched while its suburbs have prospered, expanded and sprawled, leaving the urban center - and its people - with a declining population, low morale, violence, segregation and lackluster leadership. There is plenty of work to do and we have only to dig beneath the layers of dust to find opportunities for growth.