Thursday, March 31, 2016

Masonry Workshop at Kenan Center April 7th

Preservation Buffalo Niagara and Brian Daddis of Brian Daddis Masonry will hold a workshop on April 7, 2016 at the Kenan Center's Taylor Theater Meeting Room from 6pm-7:30pm. Brian Daddis will be the presenter.

"Historic Masonry Fundamentals for Homeowners and Property Managers," will teach the fundamentals of maintaining historic stone and brick structures found in foundations, porches, chimneys, and facades of Western New York homes. The workshop will include basic maintenance, simple repairs, repointing, trouble shooting, hiring contractors, and other best practices.

The workshop is free for Preservation Buffalo Niagara members and $10 for non-members. Space is limited and pre-registration is required via Brown Paper Tickets: http://masonrylockport.brownpapertickets.com/


For questions, please contact Laurie Stillwell at (716)852-3300, or at lstillwell@pbnsaves.org

When Music Mattered - Meet The Beatles! (1964)

I could very easily say that this album is an immortal classic simply because it the first Beatles album on an American label, but there is so much more to this album than simple guilt by association. With George Martin producing and helping to write part of the songs and the Beatles showing off the songwriting skills that would make them world famous, this album is just one in a long series of works that benefited from being part of rock-n-roll's first perfect storm.

None of the songs on Meet The Beatles! were three minutes long, but that is just one of the many things that helps to make this album perfect. One of the reasons that the Beatles were referred to as perfect rock song writers is their ability to make their songs the ideal length. Each song had a point to make, and it made that point concisely and then ended. Unlike much of the prog rock that the Beatles inspired, such as Pink Floyd, the Beatles dealt more with story telling than emotion. That means that they told their story and ended the song. There were no wasted notes with the Beatles, and that was especially true on Meet The Beatles!

This is the album where the world first go to hear songs such as "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," "I Wanna Be Your Man," and "All My Loving." These were talented boys talking directly to the girls they wanted to woo. Judging by how the Beatles' career ended up, I would say that the girls were sufficiently wooed by this record.

The music is catchy, the lyrics are fun, and the entire tempo of this album is perfectly measured. While the Beatles did not release Meet The Beatles! as a concept album, it is very easy to see a story line in the way the songs are laid out. Under the guidance of George Martin, the Beatles were one of the first bands to actually care about how songs were ordered on their records, and that changed the music world.

Martin taught the Beatles how to follow a song in one key with a song in compatible key to keep the flow of the album moving along. The Beatles, for their part, understood that musical hooks and lyrics people can sing along to were critical to the success of any pop band. With the success of Meet The Beatles!, the band managed to create a road map to success that thousands of other bands would follow. After five decades, it is still easy to say that there never will be another band quite like the Beatles.

Meet The Beatles! and its catchy tunes and purposeful song list still holds up today. Even though it contains half of the amount of music you would find on today's albums, the content on Meet The Beatles! is more valuable than all of the new music put together. This was how the world met a legendary band that had been England's pride and joy and, as is proper, that introduction still impacts bands today.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Lockport Express to Hold Rookie Camp

With the 2015-2016 hockey season barely over, it's time to think about the 2016-2017 season in Lockport for the Lockport Express.  The Express will be holding a Rookie Camp on April 9 and 10, at the Cornerstone Ice Arena.

Each day will consist of two sessions, off-ice training and on-ice training. Off-ice for both days will take place at 1:30pm, while on-ice activities will  begin at 3pm. The cost is $40 per player, and players should attend both sessions.

The Lockport Express is a Junior A hockey team playing in the NA3HL. The goal of the league is to develop student athletes so that they are prepared to move on to the next level of hockey, whether that be NAHL, USHL, or at the collegiate level.

In two years of playing in Lockport, the Express has had three players make commitments to ACHA D1 hockey schools. Jacob Burford committed to playing at Rochester College in Michigan, while Frank Vecchio II and Christopher Gasiewicz both committed to Niagara University.

Any questions should be directed to Head Coach, Brian Becker, or General Manager Frank Vecchio.


A Warning About the Emergency Room Insurance Coverage

In March 2000, the staff at the emergency room in what was then Lockport Memorial Hospital saved my life. I had a rapidly spreading infection that threatened to prevent me from seeing the sunrise the next day, and the staff went to work prepping me for surgery and bringing in a talented surgeon to take care of the job. Ever since then, I have been one of the hospital's staunchest supporters. But that support took a big hit recently over something I think should be illegal for any hospital to do.

That hospital has always been there whenever I needed it, and I never had an issue with anything that went on there. The unofficial Facebook page for ENH has a long list of one and two-star ratings that I simply could not understand. In my eyes, that hospital could do no wrong. Even in my recent experiences with ENH, I found it to be a good hospital. I had a friend of mine go in there for treatment and, from what he told me, he was treated pretty well.

I know ENH has undergone some changes over the past few years, but I did not see those changes affecting the level of service. I personally know people who have gone back and forth with ENH on employment issues because ENH was constantly trying to find the cheapest way to provide care for the community. One of the most important services ENH offers to the community is its emergency room, and this is where I noticed most of the problems were happening. Now after what has happened to me, I think it is time to become more educated on health insurance and how it works.

I have stage 4 kidney cancer and had my right kidney out in early January. Since then, my entire life has changed. This type of surgery also has a tendency to mess with your body, and changes are inevitable. During my adjustment period after my surgery, I started to have issues with my digestive system. It got so bad that my son rushed me to the ENH ER in late January with what can only be described as the worst pain I have ever felt in my life.

On the way to the hospital, I started to get a metal taste in my mouth, which I know is not good. To their credit, the people at ENH got me into an examination room immediately. I was begging for a doctor to come look at me and finally, almost 45 minutes later, one did. He diagnosed the problem and fixed it. I was extremely grateful and left ENH with yet another high opinion of its ER. 

Two weeks ago I received the co-pay bill from the hospital. It was twice as much as I was expecting, but that is because of changes in my insurance that I was not aware of. I was all prepared to pay my bill this Monday when I received another bill for the treatment I received that day. It was a bill that completely changed the way I feel about health insurance, and it is a bill that prompted this warning to the public.

I had no idea that the doctor who treated me that day was out-of-network for my insurance company. The hospital never told me, and the doctor never told me. Last Saturday I received a bill for nearly $650 in doctor fees for what amounted to 30 minutes worth of treatment. I looked it up, and the bill could very well be legit. I am still going to fight it because I had no idea that such a thing could happen.

My point about ENH is more of disappointment than anything else. When you go to the emergency room in pain or serious discomfort, you must chose to get treated by the doctor on-call regardless of the insurance situation. In some cases, the insurance company will pay that extra bill. But in many cases they won't. How is that fair to people who legitimately need to use the emergency room? Here was the perfect chance for ENH to be a pioneer and develop a system that could at least warn patients about this possibility instead of just putting it in the fine print like everyone else. But instead, ENH chooses the covert method and their patients all suffer.

I hope this warning helps people in some way. I hope people learn to ask questions to prevent a potential healthcare bill they cannot afford. I also hope that hospitals such as ENH seize on an opportunity to improve their status in the eyes of their communities and do what they can to prevent their patients from being taken in by an act that can only be described as deceit on the part of the healthcare provider and the powerful insurance companies.

George N Root III is a Lockport resident who learned a lesson about health insurance the hard way. Follow him on Twitter @georgenroot3 or send him a message at georgenroot3@gmail.com. Sorry ENH, you left me no choice with these business tactics of yours.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Literally the Best Reviews: The Girl Without a Name

The Girl Without a Name - Sandra A. Block
Grand Central Publishing
368 Pages

Last week, I introduced Sandra Block in a review of her debut novel, Little Black Lies. This week, in preparation for her visit to the Lockport Library on April 12th, I am bringing you the review of her eagerly anticipated follow-up, The Girl Without a Name. It is not typical for me to review two books by the same author in such quick succession, but in an effort to bring more attention to the event at the library, I am breaking my own rules.

We meet Dr. Zoe Goldman for the second time in two books. She still suffers from ADHD, and makes sure to let us know as often as possible. She is still recovering from the revelations unveiled in the previous book, and the collapse of a relationship that continues to rear its ugly head. Amidst all this turmoil of Goldman struggling to maintain some semblance of sanity, a new patient is assigned to her.

A young, African-American woman is brought to the hospital after being found catatonic on the streets of Buffalo. A team of doctors work tirelessly to determine the identity of the girl. However, despite a bevy of medications, her past remains a mystery. Dr. Goldman takes it upon herself to attempt to uncover the secrets behind the mute patient.

While treating the girl, a new, handsome doctor oversees all that Goldman does in the course of her work. Tensions are still high with regard to her emotional well being after the end of the last book, and officials want to keep a close eye on her. But, is Dr. Berringer all that he seems at first glance? And who is so desperate to ensure that Jane Doe keeps her silence and their secrets safe? Goldman must traverse all the obstacles set before her and get past multiple dead ends.

Sandra Block returns on her sophomore effort with the same magic that enthralled us in Little Black Lies. Zoe Goldman is still that slightly manic hero who’s world we are firmly ensconced in while reading. Again, the outlying characters are merely placeholders that accentuate the life that is Dr. Goldman.

Just like in the first book, we are overexposed to Goldman’s ADHD diagnosis and treatment. It seems slightly subdued the second time around, but still takes up quite a bit of time in the narrative. In my opinion, after setting the stage in Little Black Lies, her affliction is already well established. There’ no need to continue to dwell on it.

Some of the scenery in this book will be readily recognizable to the Buffalo area reader. That makes it that much more readable for those of us from the area. It does make it fun to read sometimes when you know what’s being described.

Sandra Block continues to write a compelling tale of a young doctor just starting out in her career. Block’s own history in the medical profession adds credence to what she is writing. The Girl Without a Name continues the excellence put forth in her debut novel, Little Black Lies.

An added benefit to reading this novel is that you can ask the author all about it at the Lockport Library on April 12th at 6:30pm. I know I’ll be in the audience. I hope to see you there. In the meantime, find your comfy reading spot, grab the book, and enjoy.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Craig Bacon is still crazy after all these years. No need to be coy. Follow him on Twitter at @hippieboy73.

Next Week: Time & Time Again - Ben Elton

Monday, March 28, 2016

Looking at Movies (First Run) - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

I am glad I had some time to sleep on this review before I wrote it because my original review was going to be merciless. Let me just start off by saying that if this is the movie that DC is going to hang its hat on as the launch of its Justice League series, then it may want to re-think some of its strategy. Whatever possessed DC to think it could compete with the Avengers Universe could be the same thought process that bankrupts the company.

I am not saying any of this to be mean, I am just being realistic. As much of a Marvel fan as I am, Batman is my favorite superhero. I lamented the day that Christian Bale stopped being Batman and cringed at the thought of Ben Affleck taking over this role (When I talk about Batman, my wife knows I am talking about Bale.). Thankfully, Affleck was not the reason this movie was terrible. But he certainly did not help.


This is an abomination of a superhero movie that looks like it was written to try and re-develop many of the main characters. The Batman character in this movie is almost unrecognizable. Affleck does what he can with what he is given, but what he is given is confusing and jumbled. Little details like Batman shooting bad guys to death and even swearing are out of place. Why is DC trying to re-invent its most popular character when it doesn't need to?

What I did like about Batman in this movie is what Affleck did to put his own twist on the character. As Bruce Wayne, Ben Affleck was superb. The producers of this movie wanted a Batman with a muscle-bound silhouette and Affleck delivered that. Affleck was intense as Batman, and he showed the never-say-die spirit Batman has.

The first 90 minutes are a mish-mash of what seems like random scenes loosely tied together by the thinnest of strings. If you like slow-motion shots of bullet casings exiting a gun, then you will go crazy over this movie. The movie opens with what has to be the 10th or so interpretation of the Batman origin story, which offers absolutely nothing new. From there, the movie loses focus.

One of the things I found strange about this movie is the way in which Batman and Superman are switched around when it comes to their emotions. Batman is the clear thinker who is focused and on his game, while Superman is conflicted and irrational. It doesn't make sense, and I would think even hardcore DC fans would have to agree with that.

While I cringed at the thought of Affleck playing Batman, I have to admit that he does pull it off well. Henry Cavill remains the perfect Superman in that he is an actor who can remain completely boring, even while doing an action scene. Aside from Affleck and Cavill, the casting for this movie is horrible.

Batman v Superman is supposed to be a sequel to Man of Steel (2013), but the writers managed to throw in details here and there that are not even hinted at in Man of Steel. Did you know that Metropolis and Gotham City are like San Francisco and Oakland in that they are opposite sides of a huge bay? In all of my years of watching DC cartoons and reading DC comics, I don't remember ever seeing that Gotham and Metropolis were in such close quarters. I'm not saying that this idea is not part of the Justice League universe, I am just saying that after seeing every Superman and Batman movie ever made, this geographic piece of information is news to me.

Laurence Fishburne, in my opinion, is a talented actor that is not used properly at all in this movie. He stomps around the newsroom like a cliche news editor and never changes character (Fishburne offered Perry White a lot more range in Man of Steel). It was almost embarrassing to watch Fishburne in this movie after seeing him in films such as Othello and even What's Love Got To Do With It. When a director has talent in his cast, he should maximize that talent.

This movie makes leaps not even Evel Knievel would have attempted. Of course you suspend disbelief with a superhero movie, but there needs to be a sense of logic. The amount of nonsensical material in this movie made it difficult to follow. And when did Wonder Woman get an accent? When you add the absolutely horrible casting of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, you get quite a mess.

Batman is an old man, and Lex Luthor is a young kid. Batman is focused and calculating, and Superman is off his nut. The quick scenes with the Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg were pretty cool, but not enough to save the movie. Between butchering the very basics of two of the most famous superheroes ever made and creating a story that felt like they were making it up on the spot as they filmed it, I would say that DC is not off to a very good start with its Justice League universe.

Rating: 1/2 out of 5

George N Root III is a drive-in maniac who is well aware of the fact that you probably disagree with his opinion. Follow him on Twitter @georgenroot3 or send him a message at georgenroot3@gmail.com.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

REMINISCING: I Went to Washington Hunt, part 1.

I went to Washington Hunt. I am a proud alumnus of that little, brick school from behind the hospital. Three out of four daughters were privileged enough to roam the halls of that old schoolhouse as students. Unfortunately, my youngest missed out, and all the girls were transferred to Roy B. Kelley on High Street. With the closing of Washington Hunt, the good, old days of neighborhood schools were effectively over, although that is a story for another day. I’m here to reminisce about the good times at the Rogers Avenue School.

When I started kindergarten on that warm, fall day in September, 1979, I had no idea that the others kids I met that day would be lifelong friends. Thirty-seven years later, I still count Ben Benedetti, Brian Stevens, Adam Wertman, and Joey Anderson among my group of friends. There have been moments that we get together and the laughs just don’t stop. There have been a couple times while at Mills that Brian and I laughed so hard we were both almost crying.

To this day, I can still remember almost all of my teachers there. I have questions about my first grade teacher. The class photo I have says her name was Mrs. Kunzmann, but I believe she was a long-term substitute for the actual teacher I was assigned at the start of the year.

Kindergarten Mrs. Gala
1st grade Mrs. Kunzmann
2nd grade Mrs. Xapsos
3rd grade Mrs. Veltman
4th grade Mrs. Dellaccio
5th grade Mrs. Cardone
6th grade Mrs. Moran

Of course, there were some favorites who I’m sure many of you will remember. Miss Calhoun was the gym teacher who lived right across the street on Rogers Avenue. Mr. Stefano was the art teacher. And who could ever forget Herb, the custodian? He was a great guy.

From the earliest days of kindergarten, all the way through the end of sixth grade, we walked to school everyday. It was very rare that we actually got rides to school. By my mother’s rules, there was only one way to walk home -- all the way down Harrison Avenue to Walnut and then home. When we got older, we would sneak down Massachusetts or Autumnvale to get home, but it was almost always Harrison for the walk home. One time in kindergarten my neighbor, Mark, walked me home down Massachusetts. He was trying to be a good older friend. Boy, did the two of us ever get in trouble for that walk home!

Those were the days that we had the opportunity to walk home for lunch. Since my mom didn’t work, I was one of those kids who occasionally went home. I’d run all the way home, down Massachusetts (shhh!--don’t tell my mother!), to have lunch each day at home. Then I’d run all the way back to the school. Sometimes on the way back I’d sneak over to the gift shop at the hospital.

We could get candy and soda at the gift shop. I think for those reasons alone we were not permitted to go there. Still, we’d try to sneak over once in awhile to get some treats. Some of us did it on the run back to school after lunch. Some brave souls would jump the fence during recess. Inevitably, some snitch would tell on us and we’d have to face the wrath of our respective teachers. Still, no matter how many times we were caught, we’d still take that illicit trip over the fence in the never-ending search for goodies.

Looking down the hall to the gym.
It was at Washington Hunt that I fell into really hard “like” for the first time. I liked this girl so much that I told her mother that we were getting married. When asked how I could support her daughter, I told her we could live in my parent’s basement until I was old enough to get a job and rent a place of our own. I had all the answers. That girl’s name? Shannon Salmeri. I have no idea what happened to her after she moved away in second grade, but if anyone knows her, tell her I said “hi.” I doubt she even remembers me, though. It was a long time ago.

Probably the best memory I have of going to school at Washington Hunt was the playground. That was one of the greatest playgrounds in the history of playgrounds. Of course, today we’ve gotten smarter about letting children play with or on dangerous things, so that grand old playground has since been replaced. We all survived the old one with minimal scarring to remind us of the good, old days.

Remember the tower of tractor tires that was the highlight of the playground? The higher on the tires you were, the more powerful you were. We used to jump off the top, if we dared, or hide inside the tires when they were dry. After it rained the tires were generally full of water, and sort of smelly after a couple days.

It's through teary eyes that it's time to go.
There used to be a pair of concrete culverts set up to be twin tunnels. Racing through them was always a cool adventure. These culverts were the one time I ever saw a kid get hurt on the playground. I remember someone with a bleeding head, but I have no idea who it was. It happened at lunch time. That’s about all I remember.

Speaking of playgrounds, it used to be a real treat when our gym class went across the street to Rogers Avenue Park. They had a basketball court, the taller slides, and the dreaded merry-go-round. I only say dreaded because, before and after school, it was an instrument of torture. The idea was to sit on the iron bars while a group of your so-called friends pushed the thing as fast as they could get it to go. And then they’d stand just inches from the spinning death machine, occasionally adding a little more speed as they saw fit. It’s a wonder none of us never died, especially small kids like me who had to hold on with all our might.

There are so many great stories about Washington Hunt that I’ve decided to make the story of my alma mater a two-parter. Join us next week when we discuss climbing ropes, field trips, and my debut on stage in the Washington Hunt cafetorium. I’m sure the suspense will keep you checking our website for an unexpected update. Maybe it will happen.

Next Week: I went to Washington Hunt, Part 2

Craig Bacon once accidentally really punched a friend while trying to fake a fight to impress a girl -- at Washington Hunt. He does even more stupid stuff on Twitter at @hippieboy73.

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Catching Up With The Lockport Express - Season Two Finale


Good News of the Week: Safe From Bunnies

George and I were discussing the other day that we would like to have a weekly column dedicated to the good news of the week. When almost every outlet seems to be fixated on the horrible things that are happening in the world, we decided to focus on those good stories that seemingly always get ignored. We put a call out to all our followers to keep us informed of some good stories that they'd like to see printed. While we got a grand total of none, we're hoping that as we go forward, you'll participate. Just email us at niagaraswatercooler@gmail.com

In no particular order, here are the good stories of the week of March 20-26:

These bunnies keep staring at me. They must be rabid!

1. Thanks to an earlier report in The Cooler, there are far less rabid, chocolate bunnies on the streets of Niagara County this morning. According to George Root, he has been inundated with bunnies to be tested. So far, none have been confirmed to be rabid, but as Root says, "It's better to be safe than sorry." George also notes that he will continue to test chocolate bunnies for the ensuing week.

Jo displays the new gap
in her smile
2. Josephine Bacon lost her first tooth on Friday afternoon. It had been loose all week, but Grammy assisted with the final extraction. According the Josephine, the Tooth Fairy left her "one dollar, all for me!" In an interview with the Tooth Fairy, she stated, "I'm glad that the price of teeth have not increased at the rate of inflation." We at The Cooler wholeheartedly agree.

3. Niagara's Watercooler will soon be having a guest columnist joining our ranks. Check our page on Saturdays for a new column about college life from SUNY Stony Brook freshman, Derick Sears.

Remember, if you have any ideas for a good news story, please let us know. Leave a comment on our Facebook page, or simply email us at niagaraswatercooler@gmail.com.

Craig Bacon always looks on the bright side of life. (Admit it, you were just whistling.)

Friday, March 25, 2016

Cover Versus Original - Have A Cigar

Music is a moment in time. It is a message created by emotion and broadcast to anyone who will listen. When a band attempts to cover a tune by exactly re-creating that tune, then they really do not understand what music is all about (with the exception of tribute bands whose job it is to re-create exactly a band's music). An original song is one artist's interpretation of an event, story, or message that is done in the way that artist deems it appropriate. A good cover of that song is altered to fit another artist's perception.

Sometimes you find a cover that is so perfectly matched to the artist covering it that you wonder if the cover artist would have eventually written the song themselves if someone else had not beat them to the punch. It can never be said that Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters do not understand music. If there was ever anyone in perfect touch with their inner artist, it is Dave Grohl. When he and the Foo Fighters covered Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar," Grohl and the Foo Fighters proved that they not only understand music, they respect it deeply.

When we listen to Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar" two things become immediately obvious:


The first is that precise musicianship is not only a concern of the band, but it is one of the things the band built its reputation on. The other obvious element of this original version of the song is that Roger Waters has a very different disdain for the music business than Dave Grohl does. Through Roy Harper's vocals (which Waters later regretted using), Waters gives a cynical and sneering accounting of the entire music business for how it chews up young artists and spits them out. It is incredibly obvious that Roger Waters is upset at the music business for what it had done to Pink Floyd's founder Syd Barrett, and for what it tried to do to Pink Floyd.

When we listen to the Foo Fighters version of "Have a Cigar," we get a very different perspective.



Dave Grohl has been through a lot in the music business, and much of his early career was filled with anger and sadness. When he was first coming up, he was a starving kid who was one of millions who thought he could carve out a career in a business that is little more than a dream to others. When he was very young, he lost his best friend to suicide and blamed, in part, the music business.

Grohl's version of the song is extremely aggressive and, in parts, downright angry. Where Waters is apprehensive of the music business because of the way it treats young bands, Grohl is pissed off at the music business because of the type of environment it creates for some of the young stars who cannot really handle the attention. Grohl is shouting at the music business, where Waters is talking down to the music business through his teeth. Two perceptions of the same subject using the same words, but coming from very different directions.

Verdict: Both 

These are two very different songs sung to the same subject, but from two different perspectives. Where the Pink Floyd version is musically precise because it needs to be to give off that snarky and cynical vibe, the Foos are extremely aggressive to match their feelings on the subject. From this perspective, this one is a tie. But don't mistake that for me saying that the Foos are comparable to Pink Floyd, because that would be making a serious error in judgment on your part.

George N Root III is a musician and once played in a Pink Floyd tribute band. Follow him on Twitter @georgenroot3 or send him an email at georgenroot3@gmail.com.


Thursday, March 24, 2016

BREAKING NEWS: Health Officials Warn of Rabid Bunnies

Area Health Department officials are warning residents of a rash of rabid chocolate bunnies across Greater Niagara County. Peter McGregor urges caution when encountering any and all chocolate bunnies.

“For your own safety, you should wrap the bunny in plastic and bring it to our labs for testing.”

George Root, the official Greater Niagara County rabid chocolate bunny tester, is well prepared for the influx of said bunnies at the laboratory. The laboratory is  located on Garden Street just beyond the fence. Mr. McGregor is directing all residents who encounter any chocolate bunnies to immediately bring them in for testing.

Craig Bacon contributed to this report and is willing to assist Mr McGregor and George Root in testing chocolate bunnies. Happy Easter!!

When Music Mattered: Miles Davis - "Bitches Brew" (1970)

The only thing I looked up for this review was the date the album was released. Other than that, I am going to write this review the same way Miles Davis wrote Bitches Brew - by feel. When Davis decided to record Bitches Brew, he brought in the best jazz and improv musicians he could find and only gave them outlines of ideas. Miles had some bass riffs thought out and he had some parts pre-arranged, but the large majority of Bitches Brew was recorded live in the studio with everyone following Miles. The result shows just why Miles Davis will always be considered one of the most brilliant musicians to ever live.

Bitches Brew is one of those albums that people either love or hate. It is an album that people either feel the groove, or think the whole thing is just noise. I have to admit that when I first listened to it, I was one of those people who thought it was noise. Then I put on a set of headphones and cleared my schedule to give Bitches Brew a real listen. I wound up listening to it three or four times in a row that day, and I listen to it at least once every day since then.

It is really hard to describe to people who don't understand Bitches Brew why it is so great. I will admit, there are moments it is obvious that Miles has stumbled onto something and the rest of the band is trying to catch up. But once they do, the music shoots off into its own stratosphere and stays there just long enough. Is this Pink Floyd type improv? No, this is something completely different that speaks the same language as a band like Pink Floyd, but in a different dialect.

Once you allow yourself to be immersed in the music, it starts to trigger images in your mind that clash and dance together at the same time. When you like this album, it is because it has an emotional effect on you. It is an experience to sit and listen to this album, and no two listenings are exactly the same. No matter how many times you listen to Bitches Brew, you get something new out of it every time.

From its provocative cover art to its legion of 5-star reviews, Bitches Brew blazed a trail for jazz fusion to become something acceptable by mainstream listeners. The people who do not understand Bitches Brew, probably never will. I know a lot of people who love this album, and they cut through many aspects of the musical spectrum. The only thing you need to be to appreciate Bitches Brew is a serious music fan. Even Deadheads appreciate Bitches Brew, and I have first-hand knowledge of this from someone we all know.

Bitches Brew climbs at the right times, stays in one place when it needs to, and propels itself to new dimensions from time to time. The great thing about Bitches Brew is that the part that sent you into outer space yesterday, won't even get you started when you listen to it tomorrow. Bitches Brew is one of those unique albums that offers a different emotional impact each time you listen to it, which is why everyone should listen to this album at least once in their lives.

Rating: 5 out of 5

George N Root III prefers to live in the past, and his choice of music proves that. You can follow him on Twitter @georgenroot3 or send him a message at georgenroot3@gmail.com. When Miles is done melting George's mind for the day, George may return your message.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The Fix Is In

Yesterday I was watching CNN (don't judge me) and Wolf Blitzer clearly introduced Hillary Clinton as the "Democratic nominee for president." It's only March. Obviously a slip of the tongue, right? Maybe not. Is it possible that the Wolfman knows something we do not when it comes to this presidential election? If all you watch is CNN for your news (you shouldn't - but some do) then you are inclined to think that Trump is the Republican nominee and Hillary will be wearing the uniform of a Democratic nominee for president. Is the fix in?

There are several elements of the presidential election cycle that seem suspect to me. First, let's talk about the 24-hour news media and their meddling in the election process. Remember when CNN gave Florida, and the presidency, to Al Gore before any other network did? CNN has claimed that it has since cleaned up its projection act, but I don't know. I distinctly remember CNN calling winners in this year's primaries with not even one percent of the vote counted. I understand that CNN does exit polls, but maybe there is a chance that the public is messing with CNN and giving them wrong exit poll information. If that is the case, then did Hillary really win all of those states on Super Tuesday?

Ever since the 24-hour news networks have been around, the idea that votes on west coast count in a presidential election has all but disappeared. The election is usually called long before the California votes are in, which kind of takes a lot of the fun out of the process. If I lived in California, I would wonder what the point would be in voting. When was the last time California or Oregon decided a presidential election?

Now let's talk about this completely unbalanced coverage CNN and Fox News give the candidates. CNN is infatuated with Hillary Clinton and has completely forgot that Bernie Sanders is drawing tens of thousands of people to hear him speak in large hockey arenas and stadiums around the country. Bernie gives a speech over the weekend to 30,000 people in Seattle and Hillary is named the Democratic presidential nominee by CNN just three days later. It would be interesting to see what this Democratic race would look like if the news networks actually did cover the campaign for all of the candidates.

If you watch Fox News, you would swear that Trump is running for Pope and winning. The guy can do no wrong, and none of the other Republican candidates are getting any coverage at all. These 24-hour news networks know that they can influence who becomes president, and they are using that power to their maximum abilities.

Now let us talk briefly about the scam that is the Democratic superdelegates. Please keep in mind that the Republicans have about 168 superdelegates in this presidential election campaign, but GOP superdelegates usually follow their state's vote. The Democrats have a 712 superdelegates and they consist of Democratic congress people, governors, and even Obama himself. These superdelegates are not bound to any criteria, and can vote for whomever they want. While they must commit their vote by the convention, they can go back and forth all spring and summer long and influence the vote in many ways.

As of yesterday, Hillary has a total of 1,630 delegates, while Bernie has 870. But Bernie only has 26 very intelligent superdelegates, and Hillary has 467 uneducated superdelegates on her side. There are still a lot of state primaries left, but if the remaining 219 superdelegates commit to Hillary before the convention, then the race is over. Let's say that Bernie grabs the majority of the remaining state delegates and the superdelegates wind up deciding the race in Hillary's favor. Did the Democratic Party give the people the candidate they wanted? Nope, they didn't. But that is exactly what will happen.

Between the 24-hour news networks and the corrupt superdelegate system in place with the Democrats, it is almost time to swear in another President Clinton. But we have months to go yet, and anything could happen. Or could it?

George N Root III is a Lockport resident who doesn't trust politics. Follow him on Twitter @georgenroot3 or send him an email at georgenroo3@gmail.com.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

BREAKING NEWS: Root Stops Following Bacon

According to sources close to the situation, George Root has stopped following Craig Bacon on Twitter. In this stunning turn of events, the partners of Niagara's Watercooler seem to be virtually separated. Our reporters quickly tracked down Bacon at a local watering hole. When asked about the situation, Bacon responded with, "Next beer, please."

In an exclusive interview with Root, he explained the situation from his own point of view. "Listen, I can't see how anyone can fathom that I should be following Craig Bacon. If anything, he should be following me. I think we all know who the brains of the whole thing is."

In a follow up interview, Root responded with, "We're talking about Myspace, right?"

We will provide further details about the situation as they become available.



Lockport Family YMCA Swimmers Compete at YMCA New York State Championship Swim Meet

Lockport Family YMCA Swimmers traveled to UB pool over the weekend (March 18, 19 & 20), to compete with over 1,200 swimmers from across New York State.  The YMCA hosted 38 teams with swimmers from 6 to 19 who will be heading to YMCA Nationals in April, and the Lockport YMCA team ranked 25 overall.
Pictured is Logan Ramos, Aiden Moran, Madison Rosenberg,
and Lydia Lamont

The YMCA Top 16 finishers:

Mark Crocker 2nd in 100 fly with a new YMCA record of 57.45
Mark also finished 4th in the 50 free and 7th in 200 free
Aiden Moran 3rd in 100 free, 4th in 50 free and 11th in 25 fly
Madison Fragale 3rd in 50 breast, 10th 100 IM, 12th in 50 fly
Elizabeth Swartz 8th 100 free, 7th 200 free, 4th 50 free
Jacob Schnure 16th 50 free, 23rd 50 fly, 25th 100 free
Lydia Lamont 8th 25 back , 33rd 25 free
Madisen Rosenberg 16th 25 fly, 31st 25 free


The YMCA team also had amazing swims from these swimmers:

Gina Artieri 21st 500 free, 33rd 200 free
Skyler Masse 24th 100 fly
Meghan Mietlicki 29th 50 free, 35th 200 free, 33rd 100 free
Logan Ramos 23rd 50 free, 19th 25 back, 24th 25 fly
Megan Tatro 22nd 100 fly & 200 IM, 26th 100 back
Pictured is Mark Crocker, Gina Artieri, Skylar Masse,
Meghan Mietlicki, Megan Tatro, Elizabeth Swartz,
Lydia Lamont, Madison Fragale, Aiden Moran, Jacob Schnure,
Logan Ramos (missing from photo: Madison Rosenberg)

The YMCA Stingrays swim team will be celebrating the 2015-2016 swim season at an awards banquet held on Sunday, April 10.  Contact Darcee Hughes if you’re interested.  The YMCA is located at 19 East Avenue in Lockport, or contact the Lockport YMCA for more details at 434-8887.

Literally the Best Reviews: Little Black Lies


Little Black Lies -- Sandra A. Block

Grand Central Publishing
352 Pages
This week’s review will be the first part of a two part book review series consisting of Little Black Lies and The Girl Without a Name. Both books feature Dr. Zoe Goldman as the protagonist, and are written by Sandra A. Block. She is the author who will be speaking at the Lockport Library on April 12th in the Orchard Room at 6:30pm. As a lead up to that event, I have decided to review her two novels.

Imagine a psychological thriller that keeps the reader guessing with each turn of the page. Then, add in that most of the scenes are readily recognizable to the average person from the Buffalo area. When put all together you get a thriller that we can all say, “Hey, I know that place!” That’s exactly what you get with Sandra Block’s debut novel, Little Black Lies.

Zoe Goldman is a resident at a hospital in Buffalo. The patient assigned to her in the psychiatric wing is a young woman around her own age who killed her own mother. As a very young girl, Goldman was the only survivor of a fire that killed her mother, so the fact her patient killed hers makes Goldman think about her own past. How much did she miss out on after her mother’s death. Luckily, she did have a loving and supportive adoptive mother.

Zoe continues to suffer from nightmares about the fire so long before, and her new patient makes her question even more of the foggy memories of that fateful night. Her adoptive mother, suffering from an onset of Alzheimer’s, is not much help. Slowly she starts to piece together some of the events of the night of the fire and comes to a startling conclusion.

Little Black Lies explores the dark side of our personality. Some of that darkness is closer to the surface in some people than in others. Block uses her own experience with psychology to develop a novel that is as frightening as it is entertaining. Those 352 pages will fly by quicker than you realize.

Block develops her main character very well. As the lead in the novel, we are exposed to much of her inner feelings and how each piece of her history affects her as it unfolds in the narrative. Her other characters move in and out of the story with not a heck of a lot of substance, but for the settings of this novel, it works very well. The story is about the life of Zoe Goldman, not of the others.
Probably the most annoying part of the book for me, and this is true for both books, is Goldman’s incessant acknowledgment of her ADHD. She repeats herself over and over again about how her thinking is affected by the disorder. By the first hundred pages, the reader has encountered it several times. At one point, I wondered aloud to my wife if Block was getting kickback from the pharmaceutical companies for each time she mentioned their product. But, honestly, this does little to detract from the overall readability of this novel.

If you’re looking for a thinking thriller that will keep you turning pages while taking place in areas that we all know and love, Little Black Lies by Sandra A. Block is the book for you. She develops a character that we immediately empathize with in Dr. Zoe. Goldman, and sets up a mystery that is revealed, speck by speck, as each page turns.

An added benefit to reading this novel is that you can ask the author all about it at the Lockport Library on April 12th at 6:30pm. I know I’ll be in the audience. I hope to see you there. In the meantime, find your comfy reading spot, grab the book, and enjoy.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
 
Craig Bacon is crazy for books, especially good books. You can read more of his zaniness on Twitter at @hippieboy73.
 

Next Week: The Girl Without a Name -- Sandra A. Block