Leave Halloween to the Kids

This has annoyed me for years, but I have yet to mention it here; are there many people who deserve to be pelted by handfuls of candy more than the douche bags, mostly "religious" people, who keep claiming that Halloween and allowing children to trick-or-treat, wear costumes and just enjoy themselves in general, including in school, is harmful and a front for the devil?
Besides the fact that life must just be one celebration and barrel of fun after another for the kids (and sometimes spouses) of these dolts, in all of my secular decadent days of public school, evil journalism and now more evil government work, I have never witnessed one event or statement in which children or adults were advised, recommended or steered toward worshiping the Lord of Darkness.
If you believe that children enjoying themselves on Halloween are aware of the actual (Wiccan and otherwise) background of the day through school and/or public office, then you probably believe that the Buffalo Bills losing four consecutive Super Bowls was just as good as and preferable to winning one Super Bowl and makes them a great team, or that Ron Paul is a qualified candidate for President or any other office.

Peter Case Review, Photos at BuffaloRoots

Our review and photos of Peter Case's recent show at The Sportsmen's Tavern have been posted to our sister web site, BuffaloRoots. It's actually been there about a week, but I forgot to mention it here.
Look for a few more live reviews and accompanying photos at the site soon.

WBNY Alumni Weekend: Oh, Yeah

I had a great time seeing friends, being on the air and taking part in a panel discussion during the 25th anniversary WBNY 91.3 FM Alumni Weekend and New Media Weekend seminar at Buffalo State College this past weekend.
I will have more to say on this later, as well as a reprint of my play list, but it was wonderful to see old friends I haven't talked to in way too many years, those I see annually at the Alumni Weekends and the few I am fortunate enough to maintain somewhat regular contact with, and hopefully it won't be 20-25 years again to see some of them.

Listen to Me on WBNY 6-8 p.m. Sunday

Yes, friends, I will be on the air as part of WBNY 91.3 FM Alumni Weekend/New Media Weekend from 6-8 p.m. today, Sunday, October 28, so listen in either on the radio/over the airwaves or by streaming online here.
Thanks to Val, you can see me below last year's Alumni Weekend at the studios of WBNY; it's been a great weekend of seeing friends from the old days (1984-85 for me) at the station, especially some who I haven't seen in years.
I'll write more on this later, but please, if you have the chance, and yes, I know the Bills-Jets game will be in the second half by then, tune in or check through the Internet.

WBNY Reunion, New Media This Weekend

I will be seeing many old friends from my days at Buffalo State College when WBNY 91.3 FM celebrates its 25th anniversary as part of the New Media Weekend from Thursday through Sunday, October 25-28.
As I have written before, I am a proud alumnus of WBNY, having been a DJ, news anchor, talk show host and producer there from 1984-1985 under program directors Tom Calderone and Matt Moretti. I accomplished things I may never get the chance to do again, made some great friends, learned more about music than I knew beforehand (yes, even this music geek) and even got a small amount of recognition, or a least notoriety (I hosted "The Loudest Morning Show in Buffalo" from 6-10 a.m. Wednesdays).
I will be on the air from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, October 28 (circumstances precluded me from making an early and/or better shift confirmation, and yes, I know I will miss the end of the Bills-Jets game), and I will be taking part as a panelist during "New Media: What's Next?" from 3:15-4:30 p.m. Saturday, October 27, in my work role (I was a little disappointed that it wasn't for my work as a blogger and writer/editor for our BuffaloRoots web site or blog, but flattered I was asked for my government media job). The other panelists are: Elena Cala Buscarino, Buffalo Rising; Randy Bushover, producer and reporter, WBEN-AM (and longtime friend and WBNY colleague); Alice Fisher, owner, Unlimited PR, and Mark Poloncarz, Erie County Comptroller. The moderators will be Buffalo State College assistant communication professors Joe Marren (a former newspaper colleague of mine) and Lou Rera.
Information on the weekend is available at several places online and elsewhere, including: WBNY Alumni; very recent, extensive stories and a blog entry in the Buffalo News (which apparently does not find my 18 years of newspaper work, 22 years of music freelance writing and so on worthy of inclusion with other media alumni), at the Buffalo State web site and a good, extensive story by James Fink (who I worked with at my first newspaper job) in Buffalo Business First, which appreciatively does list me among the alumni.
Much of the thanks and hard work in arranging and presenting the New Media Weekend and WBNY 25th reunion goes to and was done by two friends from the WBNY days who are also former roommates of mine and program directors, Tom Calderone and Carole Fulkerson/Lambert (better know as Tina Peel). Calderone used his contacts as a upper executive at MTV/VH-1 to help in lots of ways, more than I could list, and Tina/Caroline, of WLKK-FM 107.7 The Lake, was virtually the local face of the event, and has been tireless in her work here as well as being one of the advisers of WBNY.
I could go on and, but you get the point; please listen in if you get chance, if only to hear John Hudson put up with Cal Zone's screaming and nattering from 4-6 p.m. Saturday.

Being a Sports Fan Isn't Always Pretty

You want ups and downs (at least at the Dunne-Hosey Estates), welcome to being a Buffalo Sabres' fan, a Buffalo Bills fan and and Wisconsin Badgers' fan.
The Sabres lost their first two NHL games this season, won their next three and lost their last two, and flop sweat is starting to form on some Sabres' fans; the Bills are 2-4, some fans think they could be 4-2 if they had won two close games they allegedly deserved to win (I think 2-4 is accurate and fair so far) and Wisconsin, after winning their first five NCAA Division I football games, lost two before getting back on the winning track Saturday by trouncing Northern Illinois, 44-3, but not getting back in the NCAA Top 25.
Not being a Bills' fan, Val is a little more calm with the Green Bay Packers off to a 5-1 start and having a bye week last week.

Flying Food?

Overheard at Kosta's Restaurant on Hertel Avenue recently when the leader of a group of 8-10 brunch eaters surveyed her menu:
"Oh, look, ji-rows. I love ji-rows."
Val and I had to physically surpress our laughter, which became even more difficult to do as the woman and her party proceeded to mispronounce almost every Greek style of food they saw.

3 Boys, One Happy Dad, One Tired Mom

As I hinted here a few weeks ago (and EVR stomped all over my hint/secret; thanks, Eric), Prego and Mrs. Prego are now the parents of three sons with the birth of Serge.
Prego has even started to blog again, as you can see right here. Welcome, Serge, and see if you can become a Sabres' fan before your dad hijacks your allegiance.

Peter Case at the Sportsmen's October 16

Legendary singer, songwriter, guitarist and now author Peter Case, formerly of Buffalo and Hamburg, will perform as part of the Private Party Series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 16, at the Sportsmen's Tavern, 326 Amherst Street near Grant Street in Buffalo.
Cost of the private show is an incredibly low/affordable $10 at the bar (before the show) for Case, whose solo career has earned him a Grammy Award and many critical accolades for his solo work as well as with bands. Some may remember Case as being a member of the Plimsouls and for writing and singing the classic "A Million Miles Away" from the just as classic "Everywhere at Once" album and CD.
Case is an electrifying and intense performer live, whether solo or with a band or duet, acoustic or electric, and is touring in support of his new Yep Roc Records' release "Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John."
You may not realize it yet, but you need to go see and hear Peter Case Tuesday night at the Sportsmen's Tavern. You can call the club at 874-7734.

Come See Val's Photo Exhibit Opening

It's not often that I toot my own or Val's horn, but the photo exhibit of Val's of which the opening is Monday, October 15, is fantastic. Val not only put a lot of hard work into it, but she has demonstrated once again how much artistic talent she has, so please join us.
Here is the press release we sent out to the media; thanks to all of the Buffalo bloggers who posted it.


Buffalo photographer Valerie Dunne will present her new exhibit, “Ireland and Spirit,” with an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. Monday, October 15, at Betty’s Restaurant, 370 Virginia Place, Buffalo, 362-0633. The exhibit will be on display until the end of December.

Dunne described the process of observing and choosing her subjects; the photographs, taken on a recent trip to Ireland, demonstrate the many levels of spirituality in the topics of the photographs and the effect on Dunne.

“In photographing, and subsequently printing the images from the Spirit series, I realize that there is a cultural story here. The fact that ancient, sometimes mysterious monuments are standing, mostly untouched, helps to affect the culture; they give the population inspiration to be a more spiritual/visual people,” Dunne, an Elmwood Village resident, said. “Everyday utility objects in public places have a decorative quality. For example, the City of Galway water system covers; they are decorated in ornate Celtic design, with wording in native Gaelic tongue.

“I have always been a photographer who looked for images of places and things that aren’t going to be around long, including buildings that will be torn down or reclaimed by nature,” Dunne added. “In Ireland, neither of these seems to be probable. Buildings aren’t disposable. Those that are not in use as buildings can be hundreds of years old, and left to stand. Being structures of stone, nature is certainly present, but only as an accent - not to overtake. It’s refreshing to shoot without the pressure of the structure not existing the next day.”

Dunne, a resident photographer for many years at the Buffalo Arts Studio, is also an artist member of the BAS Board of Directors, and is a member of Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, where she has shown her work in the Hallwalls’ members’ shows. She has photographed in various styles and topics, from art photography, concerts and band portraits to human and animal portraits, political events and weddings. Other of her photographs of Ireland were published in Buffalo Spree Magazine, and she was a contributing photographer to Artvoice and other publications.

The owner and operator of Barkloud Productions, a photography and graphic arts company, Dunne studied for her bachelor of fine arts degree in photography at Buffalo State College. She is married to writer Kevin J. Hosey.

And No Refund, Either

It appears that at least one big Buffalo Sabres fan acted a little too fast in his or her tribute to their favorite Sabre.
When Val and I went to dinner at Gramma Mora's on Hertel Avenue for my birthday Thursday, we saw an SUV parked just a door or two down with a large Buffalo Sabres' logo on its outer wheel cover.
We also saw that the New York State license plate, surrounded by a plastic Buffalo Sabres' frame, read "DRURY." Oops.

Carolyn Mark House Concert Set October 12

Canadian alt-country singer Carolyn Mark will perform a house concert at 8 p.m. Friday, October 12, at the home of rock and roll chef Marty Boratin and his wife, Righteous Babe Records' Susan Tanner, 7341 Nelson Drive on the Hamburg-Eden border.
Mark's new CD, Nothing Is Free, on Mint Records, is simply excellent. She performs acoustic and electric songs with country, country rock and folk sounds, and her lyrics are sharply honest and often bitter, humorous and (apparently) autobiographical. No one, current or ex-friends, lovers or rivals, are spared, nor does she spare herself.
The suggested donation for the show is a ridiculously low $5-10, and local alt-country singer-songwriter Roger Bryan, whose own solo CD, The Engine Hum, is one of the best local releases of the year, will open. For more information, call Marty at 812-4671.
Sadly, Val and I will miss this show; more on that later.

Unwelcome Return Visit

After thinking that Val had gotten rid of her flu bug (quicker than we expected), it made a bit of a return yesterday, meaning that the soup, crackers and 7-Up were back on the menu again.
Hopefully, it was just the final flare up and has run its course, so she will feel better for my birthday today and our weekend celebrations.

Walker Evans Makes It Full Circle

I go to spend more than an hour last night/early this morning with the unplanned goodness of our dog, Walker Evans, being a bit sick. There's nothing like cleaning up and trying to get rid of the smell of wet dog poo when you're tired and want to go to bed.
Fortunately, Walker Evans is feeling better this morning.

Ouch, Sports Edition

The Buffalo Bills' 25-24 at-the-buzzer loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football concluded a horrible sports weekend at the Dunne-Hosey Estates.
Along with the Bills' painful defeat, the Buffalo Sabres lost the opening two games of their National Hockey League season, Wisconsin lost to Illinois in NCAA Big Ten football action and the Green Bay Packers also lost in awful fashion to the Chicago Bears, 27-20.
Neither Val nor I are losing our faith nor stopping back our teams, but a little bit of good fortune and a victory or two would sure be nice in the next week or so.

They're Watching the Game, Not Location

With the Buffalo Bills hosting their first Monday Night Football game in years tomorrow when they play the Dallas Cowboys, the hyperbole and ridiculous media statements have started and will continue for way too long.
But the ones that annoy me the most and are the dumbest in my mind are the twins of "the eyes of the nation are upon Buffalo" and "Buffalo is in the national spotlight tonight." No, they aren't, and no, it isn't.
Unless you are a fan of one of the two teams playing, let's be honest, you and I rarely care where the Monday Night Football or any other NFL game is being played. And even if you know where the game is being played, you and I are not tuning in to experience the city. I turn to the Travel Channel or use the Internet for that information. With the game actually being played in Orchard Park and Niagara Falls always prominent among the video footage being shown, it's not Buffalo in the spotlight so much, anyway.
I assume we'll also hear about the Anchor Bar/chicken wings, the weather and the upcoming anniversary of the October 2006 storm. Any other cliched Buffalo stories you think we'll hear Monday night?

An Ill Wind Blew, Wedding Style

Things have been a bit, um, unsettled at the Dunne-Hosey Estates these last few days, and it looks like the wedding we attended Friday is the vortex.
Val and I attended the wedding and reception of Kim Dossinger (Val's brother-in-law's sister) and Jeffrey Stahl in Amherst; we knew some things were a bit dicey health wise because Brad Dossinger, husband of Val's sister Patricia (Tricia), came down with nasty flu-like bug Thursday night/Friday morning, with all of the accompanying symptoms and reactions (both Brad and Tricia were in the wedding party, as was their son, Jack). When we saw him before the start of the services, he looked very pale, was sweating and told us he wasn't sure he'd make through the ceremony. In the end, he did make it through the ceremony and some of the reception before heading home very early. Kim and Jeff's wedding and reception were very nice and quite fun.
Well, about 24 hours or so later, Val was up at about 2-3 a.m. Sunday with, you guessed it, an upset stomach that turned to puking and, well, more. She was up several more times during the night and morning, and Val was feeling horrible. To tell you how bad she was feeling, I need tell you just one word to describe what happened to her: simultaneous.
She finally made it out of bed and has actually eaten some saltine crackers and drank some 7-Up and water, but Val is still exhausted, drained and queasy of stomach; maybe we'll get some soup into her tomorrow, and her remaining strength has been spent watching her Green Bay Packers play the Chicago Bears (the score is 20-20 as I write this).
Brad and Val were not the only flu casualties of the wedding and reception. The bride and groom, Kim and Jeff, have been hit by the bug, as was the bride's father, Clyde, and we have been told that several other people have been stricken. Fortunately, it seems that the flu bug I had about a month ago either allowed me to develop enough of a resistance in my immune system or the flu gods believed I had suffered enough this summer.

NHL Opening Night Blues

As I alluded to in an earlier post, Val and I are DVRing tomorrow night's Buffalo Sabres' season-opening game at home against the New York Islanders due to a family (Val's side) wedding. This also means that we will miss some, if not all, of the opening night live thread on Bfloblog, and we do apologize for missing it.
And to think that the bride is allegedly a major Sabres' fan; come on, Kim. Val was half-jokingly considering wearing her Sabres' jersey to the wedding and reception.

Bumper Sticker of the Month

Val and I got a hearty laugh from a red, white and blue bumper sticker we saw on a car as we were out eating dinner and doing some shopping tonight:
"Republicans for Voldemort."

DVR In Action This Weekend

This should be a rather good sports weekend, but it will also be a busy one otherwise, so the DVR at the Dunne-Hosey Estates will be in heavy use.
First, Val and I have a family wedding to attend Friday afternoon/evening (the bride is a massive Sabres' fan, so this really hurts), so we will DVR the Buffalo-New York game; Val and I may have to miss the first Sabres' live thread of the season at Bfloblog. Then Saturday, Val has her therapeutic horseback riding while I have political stuff and grocery shopping for my mother Sheila, so we will be DVRing the Wisconsin-Illinois football game. Finally, we have other commitments that will probably force us to DVR the Sabres' game against the Islanders Saturday.
Technology, improving our lives every day.

Hockey, Fatherhood (Not Mine)

A couple of hockey related notes come to mind this morning:
First, man, it's only three days until the regular season National Hockey League opening game for the Buffalo Sabres, as they host the New York Islanders Friday night. If I recall, there were a couple of roster changes for the Sabres over the summer, but I still feel pretty good about the Sabres and their chances this season.
If you want to read a great blog piece on hockey, a father and a son sharing a game and life itself, check out the entry by Kevin Pritchard entitled "A Kid's Hockey Moment" at Bfloblog. Wow, that's good stuff, Kevin

Musical Memory Lane

Among the CDs I have been listening to extensively at work recently are two from local bands from about 10 years ago, and they still sound as good as ever.
The first is Michael Oliver and Go, Dog! Go's "How Does This Work" from 1996, and the other is "Princess" by OUI-73 from 1997. Each CD was the respective bands' debut CD, and I'll be darned if I can find either of my copies of their followups, Go, Dog! Go's "Pop and Circumstance" or OUI-73's "Sex, Bullets and Fire Engines."
But these two fine CDs show how far good songs and great musicians can take their music.