Vol. 61 NO. 20
ubspectrum.com
Friday, October 14, 2011
Campaign Official: Collins Money Returned No details about UB-attended political fundraisers
Student Robbed After Swiping Suspects Into Dorm Victim speaks to The Spectrum
LUKE HAMMILL Senior News Editor This article is a follow-up to Wednesday’s top story. County Executive Chris Collins’ reelection campaign returned the $2,560 it got from the University at Buffalo, according to a top campaign spokesman, but UB officials have declined to reveal much else. The controversial political contribution – shown on New York State’s website as two payments of $2,500 and $60, respectively, from UB Foundation Activities, Inc. (UBFA, a tax-exempt not-for-profit) – was initiated by The Center for Industrial Effectiveness (TCIE), according to TCIE Executive Director Timothy Leyh. TCIE makes up “the business arm of UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences,” and it uses UBFA for its accounting services, Leyh said. Collins, a Republican, will run for re-election against Democrat Mark Poloncarz in November. The latest polls show the race to be close.
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LISA KHOURY Staff Writer Two female suspects attacked and robbed a UB student on Sunday morning after he let them into Red Jacket Quad on North Campus where he lives. The strong-arm robbery occurred at 6:05 a.m. The suspects forcibly pushed the victim into a wall after he let them into Red Jacket Quad, removing his wallet from his back pocket and stealing $100. They also took his iPhone. “I went out Saturday night with a couple of friends, and we got back pretty late Sunday morning” said the victim, who wished to remain anonymous, in an email. “Thinking I had left my laundry in the dryer, I went to the laundry room to retrieve it. On my way to the laundry room, past the glass doors, I didn’t see the girls, as it was pretty dark out. But I did see them on my way back. “Thinking they were UB students who probably didn’t have their IDs, I opened the door to let them in. What happened next, however, was completely unexpected and took me by surprise. Within moments of opening the door, I was being assaulted and robbed of several of my possessions, like cash and my iPhone.” As the student was being attacked, he said multiple things were running through his head, including the thought that the girls could be armed.
Collin’s’ campaign returned the $2,560 donated in the UB Foundations name.
Courtesy of Chris Collins
“These girls had the audacity to try to rob a guy, and I’m assuming they were confident in their chances of success; otherwise, they wouldn't have tried it,” the victim said. “That led me to initially believe that they might have a weapon,
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Foreclosing on the American Dream ERIN MAYNARD Staff Writer “No one is the enemy,” shouted Victoria Ross to the members of the Occupy Buffalo movement who had gathered at Niagara Square on Thursday afternoon to march to 350 Main St.: the Middle Market Regional Headquarters of Chase bank. However, Chase is one of the enemies – or at least one of the targets – of the growing Occupy Buffalo movement.
Breaking the Ice with Polar Bear Club Polar Bear Club stops in Buffalo Saturday night at Mohawk Place
Courtesy of Polar Bear Club
JAMESON BUTLER Senior Arts Editor
album captures the raw feeling that comes from living in a depleted city.
Climbing out of the frozen tundra that is Upstate New York, Polar Bear Club has quickly become on of the premier names in the punk world with their D.I.Y work ethic and high-energy live shows.
Clash Battle Guilt Pride is a vague album title, but that’s exactly why PBC chose it.
PBC have members from both Rochester and Syracuse. Both cities, like Buffalo, have fallen on hard times, and the tough environment clearly comes through in PBC’s music. “I think there is something to be said for being from a small city, a sort of identity-less place,” said main singer Jimmy Stadt. “Honestly, I feel a little like a middle child to the sort of country. I’m from this east coast city that feels a lot like the Midwest and doesn’t have a strong identity. So I think that gave me, early on, a blank slate to fill with any type of music I wanted.” Alongside Stadt in Polar Bear Club are Chris Browne and Nick Morris on guitar, Erik Henning on bass and newcomer Tyler Mahurin on drums. Polar Bear Club released its third full-length album, Clash Battle Guilt Pride, last month. The new
“We chose it as an album title because we felt that they were some of the more important lyrics on the record, and it sounds a little ambiguous in a way and we thought it would grow into whatever it would become,” said Stadt. “Much like our band name, Polar Bear Club, it doesn’t really sound like any type of band. But it’s become ‘Polar Bear Club.’ It means something now and it didn’t at face value, and that’s what we went for with the album.” Through the rigorous touring, the band has met some of their closest friends, and has learned from every band they have toured with. Stadt explained that when PBC first started out, there were two bands that helped them out more than others. The Gaslight Anthem taught PBC it’s not all about sounding good on stage – a band needs to have a good stage presence as well. Four Year Strong also left a lasting impression by letting PBC sleep on their hotel room floor so that they didn’t have to buy their own.
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Weather for the Weekend: Friday: Rain/Thunder - H: 64, L: 48 Saturday: Showers/Wind - H: 53, L: 48 Sunday: Showers- H: 58, L: 46
Approximately 100 people gathered in front of the Main Place Tower to protest Chase’s business practices, which the marchers called fascist, classist and shameful. ”We are here to bail out the teachers, the nurses, the librarians, the children. We aren’t here to get anything; we are here to give everything. We are the people you took everything from,” said Natalie Luczkowiak, a Citizen Action representative participating in a “Chase got bailed out, we got sold out” chant led by Albert Brown. After a series of rallying cries, the protestors entered the lobby of the Main Place Tower, where they were met with a wall of resistance in the form of four security guards who barred entrance to the 23rd floor, where Chase’s offices are located. While there was security in the office building, there was no police presence during the event. The Occupy Buffalo movement has been unmarked by the violence that has been seen in New York City and Boston, with the biggest issue thus far being the condition of the grass in Niagara Square.
On Thursday, Oct. 13, Occupy Buffalo protesters stormed Chase bank headquarters on Main Street as a part of their recent movement to reform the capitalist system. John Koury /// The Spectrum
Protestors had wanted to deliver a letter to the corporate office en masse but were denied. Ultimately, only two representatives were permitted upstairs by security. Organizers then planned to make photocopies of the original letter so that each individual with a grievance could schedule an appointment and hand-deliver a copy of the letter. Ross promised that the contents of the letter will also be mailed to The Buffalo News and be made available on the Occupy Buffalo movement’s Facebook page. During the entire hour-long event, many onlookers were supporting the protestors with clapping, cheers, and honking horns. Not everyone supports the Occupy Buffalo movement, though. “[The protestors] all want $25 an hour,” said a man named Gilbert, who declined to reveal his last name.
As a local vendor at the farmers market, he contends that if he offered the protestors a job, they’d all turn him down. “You’ve got to start on the ground floor if you want to get somewhere in this world,” Gilbert said. “You have to start at $10 an hour and work your way up to $25 an hour.” Martin Wolanyk, a passerby, was also critical of the protestors. “It seems to be a waste of time,” Wolanyk said. “They don’t have any suggestions. They’re just mad that all the jobs have gone overseas for the past 20, 30 years.” But, there are some suggestions. Gene Grabiner, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor at Erie Community College, offered up several alternatives. He suggests a cap on interest rates, nationalizing
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