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Dear Americans, Be Less Stupid

It’s not about Tom Cotton; it’s about the other 46. Ignorance alone is no crime. It’s denying ignorance, even loving it, that ruins political discourse.

Poetics Plus: Jocelyn Saidenberg and Brandon Brown

[POETRY] There is a rich tradition of experimental poetry in the Bay Area that dates back at least to the 1950s “Berkeley Renaissance” circle of Jack Spicer, Robin Blaser, and Robert Duncan, through the “Beat Poetry” scene of the late 1950s and into the 1960s, a tradition that intertwines with UB’s storied Poetics Programs on many fronts. With their passion for small press activity, poets’ theater, and challenging poetry that involves translation and linguistic experimentation, Joceyln Saidenberg and Brandon Brown are two of the most adventurous avatars of that tradition.

Steve Rannazzisi

[COMEDY] Steve Rannazzisi’s acting career began on Ashton Kutcher’s Punk’d where he was almost punched in the face by A-Rod on his first day. After appearing in multiple films and television shows, Rannazzisi began writing and starring in FX’s hit series The League in 2009. The League Commissioner proves to be an ace in the stand-up arena as well in his Comedy Central special, Manchild.

Northern Faces

[ALT ROCK] Surfacing circa 2012, Northern Faces’ 2013 EP, Southern Faces, went from Foo Fighters to Black Keys in six bluesy cuts peppered with classic and pop rock. They teased us with two promising singles off their forthcoming (April 21) debut: “Wait, Wait, Wait,” a buoyant toe-tapper charged with eighties’ British pop-rock hooks, and “Cops Come,” which rallies the outlaw as it buzzes with sizzling energy.

Neil Diamond After Party with Rumourz

[CLASSIC ROCK] Local tribute band, Rumourz, may not own their songs, but they undeniably own their execution. Harnessing the spirit of Fleetwood Mac’s most profitable album—in terms of both capital and overall music quality—the local tribute act incarnates the raw energy of the Mac’s greatest hits from “Tusk” to “Chain.” Stacey Givan on keys and vocals is every bit the White Witch from her pipes to her cascading blond hair.

Horse Feathers

[INDIE] Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Horse Feathers is ostensibly an acoustic guitar-playing lead singer with gentle vocals atop a folky swath of strings.

Poloncarz Unveils Anti-poverty Plan

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is taking on one of Western New York’s most pervasive problems: poverty.

Poloncarz announced a sweeping plan Friday morning that aims to better coordinate services, update technology and foster communication between agencies that work with the poor to provide more effective help to those in need.

Film reviews: '71, The Gunman

The title of ’71, now playing at the Eastern Hills Cinema, refers to the year in which it takes place. The setting is Belfast, and the escalation of British armed forces in the city has not yet peaked; it’s about a year before the date known as Bloody Sunday.

Film review: Viva la Liberta

If any present-day nation deserves to have its politics satirized, Italy must be near the top of the list. The country often seems never to have achieved full nation-state status since Garibaldi’s nineteenth-century uprising. It more resembles a fractious, unwieldy amalgamation of regions and big, entrenched interests: the mafia, the Church, north vs. south, etc.

The Decemberists

[INDIE ROCK] Portland, Oregon band The Decemberists knew they had truly made a wave in the rock world when they found themselves cartoonized as characters on The Simpsons.

Kristen Becker's Five Reasons to Take a Comedy Class

If Buffalo has a queen of comedy, it is surely Kristen Becker. As a comedian, she received formal training from the Humber School of Comedy in Toronto, ran Buffalo’s longest running comedy open mic, Doin’ Time, and became the GM of the Buffalo chapter of Helium Comedy Club.

"Right to Work" Don't Work

If Right to Work is unchecked it will destroy the unions. We must fight RTW as if our very existence is at stake…because it is.

Buffalovenotes, Spreading the Love Anonymously

We, the Buffalovers, are taking over. Who doesn’t love a heartfelt note? Who didn’t pass notes in grade school? Well, note passing is back and stronger than ever spreading the new brand of love that we have become so accustomed to in the Queen City: Buffalove.

UB Basketball, With Dummies

We don’t know anything about UB basketball and neither do you, so come down to Acropolis and watch the game with us!

Talking Common Core, Part 2 with Eric Mihelbergel

Eric Mihelbergel is a parent and education activist involved with the opt-out movement. We spoke with him because he’s been on the front lines of the movement for the past several years and has been an integral voice in helping parents make informed decisions with respect to their kids’ testing. His writing can be found here.

Dino Fudoli: Redskin 4Evah!

God bless Dino Fudoli, the Lancaster town supervisor. Having solved every other problem that exists in his town, he’s taken on the very important work of protecting a racist school mascot name. He even went on the air at WBEN, that brave enabler of anachronistic racist ignorance, to put his foot down about this critically important issue.