We already updated you on our web traffic recently, but we thought we should warn you about the more traditional traffic downtown Buffalo is expected to take on tomorrow in regard to the Get Motivated seminar at HSBC Arena -- just like it did in Pittsburgh.
From 7 AM to 9 AM tomorrow, expect delays on the 190 and the 33, and again from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, when the seminar lets out.
The seminar itself is a veritable "Who's Who" of influential and successful individuals like Joe Montana, Gen. Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Zig Ziglar, and more. Officials are fully expecting 15,000 people to pack the arena for the event.
People are also being encouraged to use the Park & Ride feature at UB South campus, LaSalle station, or to carpool downtown.
For those attending the seminar, free shuttles to and from the arena are provided at UB North campus, and the Amherst Pepsi Center. At UB, park at the Stadium lot, Special Event lot, and Center for Tomorrow lot.
Now I have to figure out how I'm getting to the office.
View image
From 7 AM to 9 AM tomorrow, expect delays on the 190 and the 33, and again from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, when the seminar lets out.
The seminar itself is a veritable "Who's Who" of influential and successful individuals like Joe Montana, Gen. Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Zig Ziglar, and more. Officials are fully expecting 15,000 people to pack the arena for the event.
People are also being encouraged to use the Park & Ride feature at UB South campus, LaSalle station, or to carpool downtown.
For those attending the seminar, free shuttles to and from the arena are provided at UB North campus, and the Amherst Pepsi Center. At UB, park at the Stadium lot, Special Event lot, and Center for Tomorrow lot.
Now I have to figure out how I'm getting to the office.
Be on the lookout for raging conservatives and capitalists in the area surrounding the Arena! They may enthusiastically try to sell you anything and everything, including your own soul and those of others! You have been warned!
^^ you are a jackass!
have fun on Tuesday!
Enxu... in a way you're correct. I suspect people attending this have jobs, and some will go there hoping to hear something that might make them more productive.
Similar to how those on the left would enjoy hearing from their leader how he will provide more for them, while they do as little as possible.
To each his own.
Kind of funny though that while you'll poke fun at those capitalists (the few that remain) the whole system collapses without them.
"Kind of funny though that while you'll poke fun at those capitalists (the few that remain) the whole system collapses without them." Really? Where did they go?
I'll give somebody $3.47 for a pic of Rudy G speaking WITHOUT a megaphone.
And to sum it all up: please look up the word "sarcasm".
Thank You, Good Night!
...they've gone where taxes are lower.
Those on the left do much of the real work in America. Construction trades, manufacturing workers, road crews, healthcare workers, etc, tend to be left of center.
Those on the right might be Wall St traders, mortgage brokers, bankers, executives, and the beneficiaries of inherited wealth.
Who would you trust after witnessing the past years events?
As for this motivational crap, you gotta be a sucker to believe in this magic. Then again AM 930 has been running adds for this thing nonstop, they do know how to target their audience.
Actually the left is made up of self-identified liberals and moderates, church non-attenders, and lower-income and young adults. But why let the facts get in the way of your spin.
Maybe you've been squestered in New York too long which doesn't have Republicans, outside of Long island, but go down south or the Midwest, etc. and talk to those construction workers, road crews, manufacturers and try to take their gun away. We'll have one less liberal in Blackrock.
Karl- Just got back from Colorado and also spent some time in Montana. Have a lot of friends down south and even in the midwest.
Most are regular working people and most are moderate. What truly amazes me is that somehow the republican right has managed to get these people to vote against their own best interest. I guess God, Guns and Gays is all you need to sucker working people into supporting a party that is pretty much the lobby for the rich and powerfull.
You would never know your worldliness based upon your oversimplifications. My guess is you hang around the people you are like and this shapes your opinion regardless of your setting. How long has Buffalo been run by left Democrats? It has gotten us far hasn't it. Keep up the good work. Collins is a bum, right? Another surplus..
BTW DMZ, Vegas has it at 12.
Karl- Obviously some of my comments are meant to provoke debate and I admit to pushing the discussion to the left because few on BRO offer this viewpoint.
As for "Buffalo being run by left Democrats" you have got to be kidding. The last few mayors were solidly center right and I can't think of one area politician that would be considered left wing by any stretch of the imagination. I guess from the far right everyone looks like a lefty.
Collins is a suburban centric narrow minded businessman that fails to see the big picture, that BUFFALO IS WNY and only with a thriving center can this region ever again regain its prominence.
Blackrock: The last few mayors have been center right in Buffalo. Hello! Frankly I don't know what to say.
Let's take your logic. In Bush's second term he ruled arguably from the center left, so we have had a democrat as president for almost 5 years now? We had a 20 year run of republican presidents recently from Reagan to Clinton to Bush. I'm on your page now brother.
How far left do you have to lean to think that Byron Brown or Jimmie Griffin lean to the right?
How far right do you have to be to think Jimmy Griffin wasn't a conservative?
He was a social conservative but not at all an economic conservative. That might explain the difference in labeling if people are talking about different aspects.
Well said again. I wonder where the GOP would be if it didnt fear monger working class whites for votes to advance their otherwise elite adgenda. Watching these some of these sorry fools literaly scream and cry like pre teens to stop a healthcare sytem that would benifit them the most is disgusting.
pit>"I wonder where the GOP would be if it didnt fear monger working class whites for votes to advance their otherwise elite adgenda."
Sour grapes. Dems and the left also do fear mongering, screaming, and crying. All that balances out. The pro-govt media finds the most outrageous protesters to highlight, and so far even that isn't helping Obama maintain high approval.
Recent polls report majorities of Americans opposing the big (much bigger than happened under R's) growth in govt spending and power that the Obama-Pelosi faction is trying to make happen.
They're overplaying their hand with rushing through pork-filled stimulus, auto co takeovers, cap-and-tax energy restrictions, and growing govt's role in health care. Time will tell if they change course and moderate their agenda as Bill Clinton did after a similar rocky start.
Sour grapes? Nah. Im not in agreement with everything the Dems do but I have been waiting for a modern heathcare system for a while and it looks like we are going to get it. Repubs on the other hand havent been this pi$$ed off since Watergate. Whenever Obama or Healthcare are hinted on this board all of the "me first", "hate the govt unless I need them" types go crazy. Its okay though, the anger will go away the day they get treatment for an illness and are not screwed by their grubbing insurance company.
Pro govt media? Do you watch CNN or Fox news? I think crapping on the Obama admin is in thier mission statments.
As far as the poll data goes the last one I saw on healthcare reform was about 50-50. That in spite anti reform propoganda spewed out over cable news and talk radio. Not great news for reform but not "the majority of Americans" as your post implied. The bad news for repubs is americans dont think much of them either.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/118528/gop-losses-span-nearly-demographic-groups.aspx
The rightward march of the Republican Party is going to push it so far to the fringe that they will have a tough time getting the white house back. They will gain seats in places like Iowa and Montana but they have to broaden their appeal from just the filthy rich and the Nascar crowd.
That being said, and to tie this back in with the original article, repubs would be wise to move towards someone like Colin Powell. He and the late Jack Kemp seemed like the only ones who understood that Republicans needed to reach out to minorities in order to prosper. CP wouldnt get my vote if I had to pick between him or Obama but he certainly has more appeal to me as well as moderates and minorities than some fire breathing right winger
pit>"the last one I saw on healthcare reform was about 50-50. ...Not great news for reform but not "the majority of Americans" as your post implied"
What I wrote is true about majorities opposing Obama-Pelosi plans for big growth in govt spending and power. 59% say Obama's full set of proposals call for too much govt spending and 38% disagree. 59-38 is a very good majority.
It's here: http://tinyurl.com/gallup-obama
"...a new USA Today/Gallup poll shows that 59% of Americans say President Obama's proposals to address the major problems facing the country call for too much government spending, and 52% say Obama's proposals call for too much expansion of government power."
And as of last week about the plan in Congress for health care changes, 54% say doing nothing is preferable and 35% disagree. That's also a big majority.
http://tinyurl.com/aug15-poll
"... 35% of American voters say passage of the bill currently working its way through Congress would be better than not passing any health care reform legislation this year. However, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that most voters (54%) say no health care reform passed by Congress this year would be the better option."
I dont doubt that healthcare reform support is slipping for a second. The right will badmouth anything Obama says no matter what and now he may have distanced himself from his liberal base by backing off the govt option. So now hes got anger on both sides of the spectrum. Liberal disent is eroding support for reform nationwide. He didnt realize that the right isnt looking for a compromise, they are thinking total obstruction.
As far as Obama spending too much money period you can count me as one of the majority who are disaprove. Again I think Obama is trying to be everything to everybody. He is advancing an ambitious healthcare overhaul while continuing the frivolous ways of former president cowboy. He is pandering to the war hawk types by escalating our involvement in a pointless war and the corporate welfare sypathists by continuing the bailout mess. What is becoming clear is the bitter partisan right wing will not side with Obama no matter how hard he tries. He ought to pull the plug on both wars. That would free up plenty of money for healthcare reform.
I can see that you dont approve of "growing govt's role in health care". How many times in BRO discussions have you lamented what you precieved to be the State being "soft on crime". You are against govt involving themseves in a broken health sytem that ranks in the toilet compared to the rest of the world...
(http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html)
...but you want govt to start the process of implementing a police state? What infringes on our freedom more helping the sick or taking away civil liberties?
I think many on the "con" side of reform are a okay with big government as long as it taxes and negatively impacts people who arnt them. Thats selfish.
You're both wrong - the right and the left are made up of people with diverse backgrounds, diverse occupations, diverse religious beliefs and diverse reasons for leaning one way or the other politically.
Lets make this dialog more enlightened by not speaking in generalizations or over-simplifying the other posters' points of view.
Do you consider labor the only 'real work'? Is that because you are a laborer? If you have no real experiene in running a company or department or have no direct experience to what it takes to use your mind instead of your back, then you really cannot judge objectively.
I happen to know mortgage brokers, real estate professionals, managers, directors, entrepreneurs, investment analysts, and other typically white collar professionals who are profoundly liberal. I also know many laborers and tradesmen who are profoundly conservative. It isn't as simple as "blue vs. white" collar anymore. Well that is unless you are a union stooge who can only see things as my people vs. everyone else. You are either in the union or you are against the union. That sums up the black and white nature of most of your comments.
Actually I have been in management most of my life as a department head overseeing plant operations and engineering. Never belonged to a union though I support them. I presently serve as the Director of Facilities Services for a large hospital system which I suppose makes me senior management. Sorry to disappoint you but I did start at the bottom in the building trades so I have used "my back' and I am very familiar with the pros and cons of both worlds.
You are the HVAC guy and head custodian. I work with you, remember.
No, I think you are mistaken.
You've proven my point. I'd expect most liberals to be dreary pessimists that don't believe a single individual can achieve much, so why bother. The rich are connected, or have inherited wealth.
Those of us on the other side are generally happier, optimistic, and in some cases creating new businesses, or more to the point of this website, rehabbing old structures. That takes some initiative, which is related to motivation, but in your words, that's all just crap, right?
Ben says- "more to the point of this website, rehabbing old structures, that takes some initiative"
You must be unaware that I completed an award winning restoration of a condemned Federal style house with my OWN MONEY and my OWN LABOR.
If I was a right winger I would have exploited the system for tax breaks and hired undocumented workers at slave wages.
Congratulations on your restoration. At some point between the time you first saw the condemned building, and the time you began working on it (acquiring the property?), you must have imagined the finished project and this, in some small way at least, helped you to move forward on the project. Wouldn't you consider that some form of motivation? Considering all motivation to be 'crap' (your description) would seem to come from a smaller mind than one that could concieve of a significant restoration, and be able to carry it out (especially without the help of slave labor). Perhaps there are two blackrocklifers?
Ben- I'm all for motivation, My comment was about these motivational speakers being nothing more than happy talkers aimed at dreamers and schemers.
All conservatives hire undocumented workers at slave wages and won't work on anything without state or federal incentives? WHAT? I hope you are being sarcastic, because no one can be that far out of touch with reality.
dbl- Yes, you caught me, I am being sarcastic just like some of your posts.
I had to ask. You seem to believe the partisan bullsh*t that you post.
re: your expectation of liberals being dreary pessimists: Typical right wing rant (those on the left just want gov't handouts; those on the right stand for Truth, Justice and The American Way). Forget nuance, simple is easier to understand, right?
The black and white portraits of the world promoted by simpletons on both sides of the political divide serve little use in constructing an understanding of (and improving the operation of) the real world. I suppose ideological purity is a comfortable place to let your mind atrophy. Too bad so few like to actually think. I give a lot of credit to Blackrocklifer; his comments never devolve into idle banal prejudices about contrary points of view.
Your opinions reveal as little critical thought and as much uninformed vacuous misguided prejudice as Heather's.
Interesting that 'dreary pessimists' drew such ire, did I touch a nerve? On second reading, the rant appears to be all yours.
Bini>"I give a lot of credit to Blackrocklifer; his comments never devolve into idle banal prejudices about contrary points of view."
Huh? With all due respect to Bini and BRLifer... is there a new defintion of "never" that I haven't heard about?
BRLifer is obviously well informed, articulate, and writes a lot of interesting commentary about Buffalo and Blackrock. And he's also a frequent aggressive attacker here of right-leaning points of view, and a big time stir-the-pot type of commenter. He proudly goes out of his way to express prejudices against conservatives, suburbanites, corporations, Republicans, etc., even if they're not yet part of a discussion. One need only look up a few comments to see he wrote "If I was a right winger I would have exploited the system for tax breaks and hired undocumented workers at slave wages."
Seriously, Bini, I wonder what you're talking about with the "never"?
whatever- In can't argue with that since your description of my comments is pretty fair. As I have said before my comments are sometimes meant to provoke discussion and I admit to pushing the envelope to the left.
I think Bini meant that I don't do the personal attacks and at least keep to the issue being debated. (you also avoid the mud wrestling that sometimes passes for debate here on BRO)
That may have been his thinking - but it's not at all what Bini wrote.
True, you don't attack comment writers on a personal basis.
However, often your comments make harsh broad brush attacks against groups of people (groups which of course include BR commenters) who have political or economic ideas different than yours. It's a fine line.
I'm not complaining in the least - you have every right to push very hard for your views and to fervently condemn people who have other ways of looking at things. You do a good job at both. I just found Bini's description of your commentary very inaccurate.
I overreached in my comments.
Im with you on 930am. How in a nothern automatic blue state do we have a radio station dedicated to spouting right wing conservatisim? I tune in every now and then to laugh at those smug, turned frustrated hacks boo hoo about, the Kenyan president, socialisim in health reform, gun stealing judges, death squads, mummies, wolfmen and other fictional tales that ruin the lives of white, politicaly conservative, "good" citizens. 930 sucks.
Baurele was on today poor bashing about the $200 school supplies stipend. He failed to mention that a majority of the dollars were going to low income WORKING poor. He told story after story from his dittohead listeners (all unsubstantiated). Same old tired tales of welfare queens driving 50 thousand dollar vehicles and living large off the rest of us. Fuuny thing as I was driving down Broadway near Fillmore I didn't see anything like that, just dismal poverty.
The ledgend of the wealthy "Welfare Queen" is what helped get repubs both houses in '94. I cant believe people still believe that crap. Bauerle is the worst of all. Smugly insults WNY to make himself look high and mighty and pi$$es an moans whenever tax dollars are used for anything.
Where are these welfare queens, Like I said didn't see any on Broadway today and here in Black Rock I don't see any Cadillacs, Lincolns or Hummers. In fact not all that many poor people even own cars here. (about 40% in the last census do not have a car)
Not saying there is no abuse, just that it is small potatoes.
There is no leader for the left. Everyone in America has the same leader in Barack Obama, and he is leading us to a new age for America. We have seen the damage that the greed and elitism of capitalism has done to America. We have seen the growth of the untouchable class of less fortunate who have been used and abused by a system created by the elitist capitalists. Capitalism is a system that only benefits that elite few who take more from those around them than they contribute to the system. If someone is going to complain about the poor taking more in welfare than they give in taxes, then the same should be said of the greedy capitalists. They are taking more out in labor and effort from employees than they are paying in wages or contributing in taxes. It is not a sustainable system because it only benefits the few who are at the top of the pyramid, and benefit is only gained at the detriment of those below.
I don't know why we should worship the icons of greed and oppression? People like Colin Powell who oversaw the mass execution of thousands of people in the early 90s, or Rudy Giuiliani who marginalized the poor and mentally challenged in an effort to "clean up" NY City. Robert Schuller turned his back on his son when his son failed to maintain the revenue expectations of the church. Steve Forbes is the poster child for making the most of inheritence from rich and connected parents. The only reason he had a bid for President is becase of his connections. Joe Montana made millions just because he could throw a football, yet he gave very little back to the community.
People are starving in the streets and living in squalor while others live in their crystal palaces and sneer at the poor. It is a flawed and incomplete system that needs to change. The rich and greedy capitalists need to give more back and take less from those who are not as able.
Queue the violins and roll in the tanks.
First off Heather, I drink Champagne when I sneer at the poor and my palace has a lot more marble than crystal.
Second, Colin killed a lot more people than you give him credit for. Don't forget all the people he killed in Montreal during Bush One. The Canadian mass kilings always get swept under the rug. Shame on you, Heather! You're starting to sound like a Chicago School alumni
Heather>"We have seen the damage that the greed and elitism of capitalism has done to America. ... Capitalism is a system that only benefits that elite few who take more from those around them than they contribute to the system."
Heather, is a good example of the greed of the "elite few" somebody who buys a $1,650,000 house for a small family of four, with 6,400 square feet including six bedrooms, six bathrooms, and a wine cellar for 600 bottles?
Ref: http://tinyurl.com/boston-globe-obama-house
Say for example a house like this one?
http://www.zillow.com/blog/files/2008/09/obamas-house.jpg
Do you consider Barack and Michelle to be greedy members of the elite few?
whatever- I do support most of Obamas policies but it does make me uncomfortable that he choose such a large and expensive home. I guess it is just the old hippie values that I still believe in coming through.
Mr. Obama is leading me to the same extent Mr. Bush led you.
Undoubtedly he is attempting to take us in a new direction, gratefully, it appears he was better misleading the voters before election, and less apt at it as president.
The political pendulum swings, the further the current administration pulls it to the left, the further the reaction in the coming elections will be to the right. Thankfully it appears that most of his good intentions will be undoable, as he squandered the large amount of good will he entered office with.
Hold on tight Heather, in 40 months we'll be back to the 'greedy' who will expand the pie for all, which is the only way we'll get out of the debt we are sure to be in.
I think you are right about a backlash to some degree. Keep in mind a lot conservatives are trying to put as much distance between themselves and the word "Republican" as possible. Its kind of funny how a lot of former repubs are now insisting on being called libertarian. Is it because of bailout burnout or the shame of 8 years of pres dummy? Im not sure.
One thing I am fairly sure about though is that the GOP will gain some seats where conservative "blue dogs" now sit in '10 but if the current trend contiues they have no shot at taking the white house in '12. If they continue the way Rush Lambaugh would like to take them they will be strong in places they are traditionaly strong (South, Plains, Rockies) but they will be too right wing to win over the nation as a whole.
I think 'backlash' would be giving the electorate too much credit. A significant portion of those labeled 'independent' will vote against the party in power just because it's so easy for the out of power party to push the idea that things are awful, and the current administration has to go.
I'd like to think they'd be voting for smaller government, but I think they'll be voting differently because we may not see the millions of jobs lost return any time soon. That's a competitive issue with us vs. the world that has little to do with what president/party is in office.