Literally the Best Reviews: Lafayette in the Somewhat United States

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States -- Sarah Vowell

Riverhead Books

288 Pages

A lot of times I try to avoid history books as a means for review. I work with history all day, and sometimes I just need a break. However, when I saw this book on the “New Releases” shelves at the Lockport Library, I had to bring it home. Marquis de Lafayette plays a special part in Niagara County history. In his travels around the country 1824-1825, he visited Niagara Falls and Lockport. In fact, upon his visit, he declared, “I give you the county of Niagara -- the first in the wonders of nature, and the first in the wonders of art.”

Looking at Movies (First Run) - X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

The one superhero movie franchise that Fox Studios seems to get right is X-Men. Even when Fox is mutilating the Fantastic Four series, it still manages to put together some pretty entertaining X-Men movies. But what Fox seems incapable of is understanding how story timelines work, and how important it is to make firm decisions when those timelines change.

REMINISCING: Memorial Day in Washington DC

This week’s column is dedicated to the men and women of our nation’s military who never came home. As we “celebrate” the start of summer this Memorial Day, let’s keep those people and their families in our thoughts.

Original Versus Cover - Whiskey In The Jar

To be fair, neither of these bands wrote this song or recorded an original version. Whiskey in the Jar was a live performance staple for the band Thin Lizzy since the early 1970s. It was released as a single in 1972 and immediately became a hit for the band. It was the first song the band had that fans would instantly recognize the moment that first lick was played, and it was the first in a long string of hits for the group.

On the Homefront: Exercising Parental Control

My daughter turned seven last weekend. In those few short years she has given my wife and I plenty of enjoyable memories to reflect upon in quiet moments...and of course a handful of memories with which to embarrass her once she starts dating in 30 years. I'm sure as this regular contribution continues, you'll read about some of them.

When Music Mattered - Electric Ladyland (1968)

Jimi Hendrix accomplished more in three albums than most artists get done in an entire catalog spanning dozens of years. He completely altered the world of rock music, and changed the way that guitarists utilized their equipment. He was an innovator but, more than that, he was one of the greatest artists of all time.

Bacon to Introduce New Column

As if you already didn't get enough Bacon in your diet, he's decided to add another column to the lineup at Niagara's Watercooler. That's right, Craig Bacon will be adding "These Old Walkin' Shoes" to Thursday's columns.

Free Is Not Always Free

For some reason, I still see people angrily lamenting the loss of the "free" concerts we used to have downtown. I went to a few of them when they first started and they were nice. But I also know that plenty of downtown businesses had issues with the concerts, and many businesses had to hire extra personnel for security reasons. But that is something people would expect with a sudden influx of people to our downtown area.

Literally the Best Reviews: The Man Without a Shadow

The Man Without a Shadow -- Joyce Carol Oates

Ecco Publishing

384 Pages

Books by Joyce Carol Oates are sometimes hard to review. There is no neat category to fit her works into, which can make reading them difficult if you're used to once type of novel. I've found that many of her works are less than thrilling while others shine. With her new release, The Man Without a Shadow, Oates has delivered a book that kept my interest all the way to end. As a semi-regular reader of her novels, this is a sort of redemption in my eyes after Jack of Spades.

Looking at Movies (First Run) - Angry Birds (2016)

Since not many three-year-olds own smartphones, it is safe to assume that companies develop game apps for teenagers and adults. Every once in a while, a game app comes along that somehow finds an audience with really young children, like three-year-olds. My grandson is three and he is obsessed with Angry Birds. He loves the games and he loves the cartoons. But he is still not the target market for the game. That is why game apps live in this confused and strange world that makes marketing a disaster.

REMINISCING: Weekend Getaways

I love this time of year. The sun is out and the leaves are coming out. The yards are drying, and gardens are being planted. It also means that campers and tents are being aired out for a long summer of outdoor adventures. (I know some people camp in the winter, but I'm not talking about those crazies.) So, in this week's "Reminiscing," I've decided to talk about those weekend trips with family and friends.

Original Versus Cover - Nothing Compares 2 U

Some day it will come out that Prince wrote thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of songs throughout his prolific career. When you write a ton of songs, there are going to be the songs that are not quite what you wanted them to be. But in the world of music, everyone has their own point of view, and sometimes all a song needs to go from being average to being great is a different point of view.

When Music Mattered - "Weird Al" Yankovic

If "Weird Al" Yankovic had not been born, some producer somewhere would have created him and instantly regretted it. But seriously folks, the music business needs "Weird Al" desperately, and most of the music business knows it. There were parody songwriters before "Weird Al," but "Weird Al" was the first parody artist to play an accordion, and make music videos. One of those two things, or the two together, helped to propel him to becoming a superstar.

2016-2017 Palace Season Unveiled

This year marked the third consecutive year that Wendy and I attended the “Evening With the Stars” performance at the Historic Palace Theater in Lockport. Once again, we waited in eager anticipation of the unveiling of the newest theater season. This year, somehow, we made it to the show amid a ton of craziness in our family life. Because of that craziness, my review of that show has been severely delayed. But, never fear. The review is here.

Dick Gallagher Featured in Art Exhibit

The Niagara Art Trail is pleased to present “The Aerial Artist” , an exhibit of photographs by local photographer/pilot Richard "Dick" Gallagher.  The exhibit is on display through Saturday June 25 at the Erie Canal Discovery Center, 24 Church Street, Lockport.  Come see a “Bird’s Eye View” of scenes from around Niagara County.  Many of the photos on display were selected purposely to illustrate a different perspective of familiar locations, while all were chosen for their “artistic” value.  These aerial views give an unimaginable panorama of shapes, textures, and perspective which we could never realize from the ground.

Genealogical Society to Talk DNA May 25th

The Niagara County Genealogical Society will be hosting a free program, "DNA and Genealogy" on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at 215 Niagara Street at 7pm. Board member, Carol DiPirro-Stipkovits will explain the basics of DNA, how to chose the right test, what to do with the results, and how it can help you to continue your research.

A Paranoid World

I don't understand why this transgender issue a problem. If a woman dressed as a guy walks into a public men's room and has a seat in a stall, I could care less what they are hiding under their knickers. Being a guy, I have never been in a ladies' room but I can assume that there are only stalls in there for everyone to use. So this situation would never come up with a guy using a women's restroom either.

To every guy who is paranoid about this situation, I can tell you that you have probably shared a public restroom with a transgender person at least once in your life, and your young daughters have probably shared one as well. Ladies, I will say the same to you. No one has ever been attacked by a transgender person in a public restroom, and I doubt they ever will.

Literally the Best Reviews: This Was Not the Plan

This Was Not the Plan - Cristina Alger

Touchstone Publishing

352 Pages

Sometimes I pick up a book at the library that really aren’t books that I would normally read. In these instances, I’m looking for something outside my normal reading in order to bring my readers a varied set of examples to try to find a book that they may want to read. Occasionally, I find an author that I like and a whole new set of books to fill in on my reading list. Jonathan Tropper was one of those authors. Now it looks like Cristina Alger is another one.

Laura Pedersen Makes Library Audience Laugh

If I haven’t said it before, I’m going to say it now. Even if I have said it before, it bears repeating. The programs at the Lockport Public Library are always fantastic, especially when they bring in authors to speak about their books. Just think of some of the authors who have spoken there, like Joyce Carol Oates, David Ebershoff, or Laura Pedersen. So, this past Tuesday, May 10th, we had a return visit by Laura Pedersen.

Looking at Movies (Classic) - Animal House (1978)

(Note: The drive-in is a family experience and when I make decisions about the drive-in, I do so with my family in mind. My little ones are extremely susceptible to bad weather and getting sick, so I had to weigh the movie being released this week - Money Monster - with the potential for sick babies. The decision was a simple one. If it was still just my wife and I, then we would have gone. But the drive-in experience is a family one, and I made the right decision for my family. That is why this week's review is a classic movie. Thanks! GNR)

When a comedy marks the big screen, big studio debut of people who would go on to become comedy legends, then there is a good chance that movie is something special. Animal House showed that John Belushi could act in movies, and it also acted as the predecessor to great films such as Caddyshack, The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, and Ghostbusters. Many of the cast and crew from Animal House went on to become huge stars or important people in the movie business, but that is not the only thing that makes this movie great.

REMINISCING: The Dating Life

Dating. We’ve all lived through those horrors. Some of us haven’t done it in a very long time. Some of us are still playing that game. I very clearly remember my first date. How about any of you? Was that first date with the boy or girl of your dreams everything you thought it would be? I’m sure the girl who was blessed with my presence on that fateful day would most likely rather forget it, if she hasn’t already. Thinking on that now that I’ve written that sentence, I have no doubt she forgot about it two minutes after she got home. I guess I just have a way about me.

Joel Beyer Awarded 2016 Key to the Locks

Traditionally, at least at the Erie Canal Discovery Center, the kickoff to the new Erie Canal navigation season lands on the first Saturday in May. It is on that day the Key to the Locks is awarded to for the year. The Key to the Locks Award was developed in 2006 to commemorate the twinning of the cities of Lockport and Thorold, Ontario. From 2007 onwards, the award was given to recognize Niagara County residents who exemplify community spirit and promote the heritage of the Erie Canal.

On the Homefront -- The Neverending Job

My name is Howard Balaban.

Some of you know who I am. Some of you don't. Some of you think you know who I am. Some of you have heard things about me, and others of you have actually heard me on the call for Lockport Express games on the internet.

So consider this column an introduction of sorts, with more semi-regular entries to follow.

Original Versus Cover - Hey Joe

Did you ever see the Neil Diamond version of The Jazz Singer where that coked-up rock singer ruins Diamond's song by playing it too fast? When Neil Diamond steps up to the mic and the band plays the song at the right tempo, it sounds great. The exact same thing happened in the story of the song Hey Joe, except backwards. When Jimi Hendrix heard the original version of Hey Joe for the first time, I have no idea how he picked a classic song out of that mess. But he did and, once again, Jimi Hendrix creates a cover that is light years better than the original song.

INTRODUCING Howard Balaban

Some of you may know Howie Balaban as the voice of the Lockport Express. Others may know him as the fourth member of that infamous trio, Shenanigans. Now you can all know him as the newest member of Niagara's Watercooler.

Howie will regale readers with the adventures that come with being a stay at home dad. Having served in the same capacity after the birth of my twins, I can assure you that frustration and hilarity go hand in hand.

You will be able to see Howie's column every other Saturday, starting tomorrow, May 14th. The column by Derick Sears will be moving to the opposite Saturdays.

Craig Bacon wrote this article. No, seriously. He did. Was it the twins that gave it away?

When Music Mattered - Paranoid (1970)

To say that the band Black Sabbath was prolific early in their career would be an understatement. The group released five albums between 1970 and 1973, with two of them being released in 1970. It is one thing for a band to release a bunch of albums in a short period of time and have most of those albums be terrible, but all five of Sabbath's early albums are classics and Paranoid really stands out.

A Delicate Situation

The recent events involving the musical legend Prince have affected me in ways I did not expect. Prince's music was a huge part of my childhood, and I always get huge flashbacks to my college days whenever I listen to his early stuff. When Prince passed away, it felt like a part of my past passed away as well. Yeah, I know it is silly to associate part of my life with someone I have never met, but it was his music more than him that got to me.

The media continues to pick at Prince's carcass for headlines, and now some very nasty things are starting to come out. I try to ignore these stories, but they are all over my Facebook wall. The latest one that I had read was that the pain killers found on Prince's body were not prescribed to him. In a country where getting pain killers is relatively easy (especially for a celebrity), I find it impossible to believe that Prince had to get his medication on the black market. But the media loves a good story (true or false), so they ran with it.

When Dr. Gosy was busted by the authorities, the anti-opiate voices shouted to the heavens. When it was revealed that Prince had been on pain medication for years to avoid having the hip surgery he badly needed, the anti-opiate voices once again shouted to the heavens. I feel like, as a person who needs pain medication and uses it responsibly, that an opposing voice should be heard as well.

Literally the Best Reviews: Life in New York

Life in New York -- Laura Pedersen

Fulcrum Publishing

202 Pages

 

This evening, author Laura Pedersen will be at the Lockport Public Library to discuss her new memoir, Life in New York. The free event will take place in the library’s Community Meeting Room 6:30-7:30. Pedersen is a humorist, author, and playwright, with much of her influence drawn from her formative years in Western New York. With this latest output, she regales the reader with stories about her life after she moved to the Big Apple.

Looking At Movies (First Run): Captain America: Civil War

Disclaimer: This review deals with the content of this movie. This is in no way an endorsement of the Marvel or Disney Corporations. The tactics used by the Disney Corporation on movie theaters around the world are ruining the theater industry. For the love of movies, I will still review Disney's movies. I hope the mouse chokes on its own greed some day.

The long-awaited new Captain America movie has finally been unleashed, and it is good. Before we get started, let's just cut through the red tape and call this what it is - an Avengers movie. The idea that this is a movie starring Captain America is kind of crazy when Iron Man gets just as much screen time as Captain America. And yes, I will be referring to the characters by their names and not by the actors who play them.

REMINISCING: Down to Earth, Or How I Learned at NCCC East

Today, I’m looking back at a time of life that many people look back on with great fondness. I’m talking about those college years. No, I did not go away to college. I didn’t even stay at a local dorm. I was a proud Niagara County Community College student. Well, maybe student was stretching it just a little bit. I had great grades, but I didn’t always make it to class.

DERICK SEARS: Laughing at Philosophy

As we develop, we start to ask questions. Not the sort of questions with easy answers, but the uncomfortable questions that look at life on a broader sense — the philosophical questions. I recently started reading from philosophers and listening to their talks or reading summaries of their work. There was discussions on gender binaries and other complex social issues; issues I will not go into detail too much with yet. I’d like to build my audience before I start to destroy it. The point is philosophy goes much further beyond just the enlightenment philosophers that I, and others, probably learned about in high school.

Original Versus Cover - The Sound of Silence

Once again we are going to discuss an original and its cover in terms of how they are different and not whether one is better than the other. The band Disturbed has a style that was one of many similar styles in the 1990s. I mean, let's be honest, Disturbed followed a trend that helped a lot of bands make a lot of money in the 1990s. Did you know that Disturbed disbanded for four years between 2011 and 2015? Of course you didn't, because they were one of many. But with their cover of The Sound of Silence, Disturbed may have helped to separate themselves from the other 1990s rock bands that populate the free concert circuit.

The Music Never Stopped

The sun is shining. It's warm enough to take my morning walk in shirt sleeves. I guess everyone knows what that means, right? You betcha! It's concert season. (Actually, in my opinion, anytime is the right time for live music.) Buffalo Harbor Series and Artpark have released their lineups for the summer, and caravans of hippies are hitting the road for the summer. I can't wait.

When Music Mattered - Moving Pictures (1981)

There are albums that take time to grow on you and become classics, then there is Moving Pictures which was a classic from the first moment I heard it. Moving Pictures is perfect because the first side is filled with songs every rock fan from the 80s and 90s knows, and the second side is something Rush obviously did just for the hardcore fans. When you put the whole thing together, you get an album that still sells really well in an era of musical geniuses like Beyonce (editorial note for sarcasm).

Visions of Lockport, Volume II

If you're into Lockport history, you might just want to keep on reading. This might just be the thing for you. Who doesn't love history? I know I love history. It was exciting to take a look through groups of old photos trying to determine which ones would be the most fun to include in this publication. So, I am excited to announce that "Visions of Lockport, Volume II" is ready for you to purchase and show all your friends.

In the fall of 2015, I had a book published as a followup to my 2010 "Visions of Lockport." This new book, "Visions of Lockport, Volume II," helps to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lockport as a city. In 150 photos, we trace some of that history of our fine city.

From old pictures to modern photos, pieces of Lockport history are brought to light. Some of my favorite memories are depicted in this publication. Maybe some of yours are, too. Even if they're not, there are bound to be photos in it that will jog your memory and have you thinking of and talking about the "good, old days."

Books are $16.95 (plus tax). If you're interested in getting a book, you can contact us through our email, niagaraswatercooler.com.

Just a sample of the photos you will see in the book.
Here's an interior shot of Harrison Radiator from
the Main Plant on Walnut Street.

Why Disney? Why?

There was a small furor raised by the release of the new Marvel movie Captain America: Civil War. It was so small that most people didn't even realize a furor was going on, but everyone will feel the effects of this furor in the very near future. When your local movie theater closes because of a lack of business, you can thank the Disney Corporation for that. For some reason, the Disney Corporation hates your small town.

Literally the Best Reviews: The Bones Will Speak

The Bones Will Speak -- Carrie Stuart Parks

Thomas Nelson Publishers

331 Pages

Just over one year ago, I reviewed the first book in the Gwen Marcy series, A Cry in the Dust, by Carrie Stuart Parks. I thought it was a magnificent debut novel that brought us an unlikely heroine. Parks explored a piece of nearly forgotten Mormon history and brought it to the reader in an amazing “what it” scenario. At the end of my review, I eagerly anticipated her follow up, The Bones Will Speak. Well, fans, here is that long-awaited sequel.

Looking at Movies (Classic Movie) - Team America: World Police (2004)

What?? Team America: World Police?? A classic movie? Why, this is an outrage! I am calling my congressional representative! I am calling the real police! Rabble rabble rabble rabble!!

Calm down, Trigger. Not every classic movie has to be all serious and have a serious message. Team America: World Police meets all of the criteria of a classic movie. It is groundbreaking (name the other funny movie with marionettes), it is well-written, it has the perfect cast, and it is timeless. For those of you that demand seriousness with your classic movies, this one even has a serious political message.

REMINISCING: Ready for a Sunday Drive?

Well, the weather is finally starting to get nice after a very odd start to the month of April. With the sun shining today as I type this, I can’t help but think of those days when I was a kid and dad said it was time to go for a ride. Where were we going? Who were we going to see? No one really knew, but we were going out as a family for a Sunday drive.