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Cover Story

The Five Labors of Buffalo

by Bruce Fisher

Rob Ford, the aggressively anti-tax, anti-government mayor of Toronto, is proof positive that size, sophistication, prosperity, and even a world-class reputation for good regional governance can’t prevent frustrated voters from making choices they come to regret.

Special Report

A Fast Passage or A Fast Buck?

by Dan Telvock, InvestigativePost.org

Public Bridge Authority officials say they’re focused on expanding the Peace Bridge Plaza on the American side because it will improve traffic flow. But a look at the authority’s books reveals another possible motive: money.

Week in Review

BarCamp Buffalo: A Conference of New Ideas By, Of, and For the People

by Chris Smith

Building a regional culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity requires more than capital; it requires a community of like-minded people to foster ideas. To that end, Buffalo’s burgeoning startup and creative technology movement takes another step forward this weekend as members of the tech community will spend Saturday, February 2, at Medaille College.

Guest Essay

The Myth of Sustainability

by Jay Burney, Greenwatch

We are hearing references to “sustainability” on an almost daily basis now. In Western New York we have “sustainable” economic development conversations, proposals, and a growing body of events purporting to move our region forward.

Art Scene

Whorls Without End

by Jack Foran

The Western New York Book Arts Center basement is chock-full of old letterpress elements, donated items mostly, related to the printing process that was standard from the era of Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the process in the 15th century, until the early and mid 20th century, when it was gradually replaced by more modern processes, such as photo offset.

Theater Week

The Man With a Plan

by Anthony Chase

It has been thrilling to watch the steady 10-year rise of Road Less Traveled Productions. Fueled by a diet of high risks and bold gestures, the theater company has worked to engage its audience with new work by local writers, and plays by internationally celebrated American masters that have never been seen in Buffalo.

Artvoice B.O.O.M!

Round 2, Week 1: Scarlet Embrace vs. CrashFuse

Congratulations to the Randle and the Late Night Scandals for winning the first BOOM live showdown this past Saturday at Nietzsche’s. It was a packed house and a close contest, but in the end the vote count doesn’t lie—they proceed to the BOOM Grand Finale with a chance to win the big prize described below.

Classical Music Notes

From Quebec With Love

by Jan Jezioro

BPO music director JoAnn Falletta will be on the podium at Kleinhans Music Hall for a pair of performances this Friday morning at 10:30am and Saturday at 8pm. The program begins with a rare BPO performance of Aaron Copland’s Dance Symphony, a work which made its only other Kleinhans appearance in 1968, with the composer himself appearing as conductor.

Puck Stop

A New Life for Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens

by Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell

Two great hockey barns and sports and entertainment venues: Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium and Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens. They both opened roughly around the same time. Work projects of the Great Depression. They both served the public well for over six decades. And they both ceased being the home of their primary NHL tenants within two years of each other, in the late 1990s.

Film Reviews

Parker, Movie 43

by M. Faust

Stand Up Guys

by George Sax

Academy Award-Nominated Shorts

by M. Faust

Listings

On The Boards Theater Listings

Movie Times (Friday, February 1 - Thursday, February 7)

Film Now Playing

Featured Events

See You There!

Artvoice's weekly round-up of featured events, including our editor's pick for the week: Between the Buried & Me, performing on Wednesday, February 6th at Club Infinity.

Letters to Artvoice

"Green Code" Information Forum Raises Many Concerns

by Art Giacalone

Can't We Vote on the Bills' Lease?

by Aaron Walker

Offbeat News

News of the Weird

by Chuck Shepherd

California activist Jonathan Frieman finally got his day in court in January, but a Marin County judge quickly rejected his argument that he is entitled to use the state’s carpool lanes accompanied only by a sheath of corporate papers in the passenger seat.

Horoscopes

Free Will Astrology

by Rob Brezsny

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Poet Jacob Nibengenesabe was a member of the Swampy Cree, a First Nation tribe in Canada. He wrote shamanic poems from the point of view of a magical trickster who could change himself into various creatures.

The Back Page

Comix: Pat Kewley

Pat Kewley is a writer and artist who lives in Buffalo. You can see more of his work at patkewleyisgreat.com.