Literacy

While a proud city played host to Buffalo’s own Pat Kane and the Stanley Cup on Aug. 13, a recent news story revealed something quite disturbing. It seems Kane is a big fan of the softcore vampire-porn series Twilight. I think we meant Chicago’s own?

Bearing Arms

Buffalo we know some of your biggest community leaders are packin’ heat (Rev. Darius Pridgin, we’re looking at you), but for God’s sake let’s put the guns down. From Aug. 14-15, 12 people were shot—six fatally—in less than 24 hours. Condolences.

"Playing to the Base

It appears Carl Paladino’s message of crazy (a.k.a. the wingnut agenda) is beginning to resonate beyond the Tea Party. On Aug. 17 Niagara County GOP leaders changed their endorsement from party line fav Rick Lazio to the pistol-packin’ Paladino.

Microstates

The Independent Republic of Sloan and the Kingdom of Williamsville voted overwhelmingly in favor on Aug. 17 of maintaining their territorial sovereignty—and the redundant municipal services, elected officials and taxes that come with it. Long live the Republic!

Reactionary Measures

One proposal floated by developer Rocco Termini at the Buffalo Place Board of Directors meeting on Aug. 18 to aid public safety was a roll back of last call from 4am to 1am. We can all agree the shootings downtown were tragic, but let’s not do anything rash.

Average debt accrued by University at Buffalo students upon graduation according to an Aug. 17 U.S. News and World Report survey. This figure ranked among the 25 “lightest debt loads” of large public universities and below the national average of roughly $20,000. In terms of academics, UB ranked 58th among large public universities.