My friend Marion died last week. Her memorial service was at our Buddhist community center on Saturday. Every time I saw Marion she always encouraged me and gave me her undivided attention. I really am going to miss her and her amazing spirit.

This photo really shows how high of a life condition she had right up until the last breath. Her type of breast cancer was particularly painful as it ate away all of her chest. It was like being burned alive very slowly. In this picture she was on Morphine and Methadone. Despite this she was so alert and so determined to overcome her illness. When her doctor told her that she only had two weeks left (at the time of this photo), she fired her doctor.

I dreaded going to the memorial service. It turned out to not be as painful as I thought it would be and at one point it really felt like she was sitting next to me with her arm around me. When she died in her daughters house, all of the lights and cell phones went dead. I'm really not surprised considering the amount of energy she had stored up. Marion has six, very loved children.

I'm very excited about the new changes to the recycling program for city residents. Especially the fact that they will be expanding what we are able to recycle. I'm hoping that the city will try a bit harder at education this time, as I really can't believe the kind of crap people are putting in their recycling bins. Below is the latest from Buffalo News.

Changes to city recycling program include pickup every two weeks

By Brian Meyer

NEWS STAFF REPORTER

Published:
November 4, 2010, 12:00 AM





Get ready for an extreme makeover of Buffalo’s recycling program.

The Common Council voted, 7-1, Wednesday to approve a five-year contract that includes major changes in recycling practices.

Next spring, the city will distribute new 65-gallon totes to every property. The larger containers will replace those tiny blue bins that property owners have used since the program was implemented citywide in 1990.

The city also will reduce recycling pickups to every two weeks. Currently, recyclables are picked up every week.

Another big change will involve Buffalo’s move to “single-stream” recycling, which will allow people to toss more types of items into their new totes. Crews will not have to perform curbside separation chores.

The new plan is built into a contract that lawmakers approved at Wednesday’s meeting. Allied Waste Services, the city’s current recycling vendor, submitted the lowest of three bids. The city will pay Allied $1.2 million and will absorb the costs of buying new totes.

Crews will begin distributing the totes in April or May, so the conversion will not take place during snowy weather, Public Works Commissioner Steven J. Stepniak said.

Even some Council members who back the changes acknowledged that the city faces challenges. Majority Leader Richard A. Fontana said it will be tough for some people to remember which weeks they are supposed to recycle.

“You have one person on the street who puts it out [the wrong week], then you’ll have a whole street put it out because they saw someone’s tote out,” Fontana said.

He thinks the city should distribute calendars that would stick to the top of people’s totes. Stepniak said a number of strategies will be used to make sure people understand the changes, including an aggressive public education campaign.

“It’s worked in other communities, and I think our residents are just as sharp as other communities,” Stepniak said after the meeting. “We can make this work.”

Some lawmakers worry that homeowners who have small lots won’t have enough space to accommodate two totes. Properties already have one city-owned trash container.

Will crews continue to pick up recyclables that are placed in the little blue bins? Stepniak said problems will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Voting against the contract was South Council Member Michael

P. Kearns, who said there are too many unanswered questions. Kearns wanted the city to consider taking back operation of the recycling program, which was privatized in 2003. Stepniak said such a move would not be cost-efficient.

In other Council action, lawmakers unanimously adopted a resolution that encourages waterfront planners to consider building a state-of-the-art Great Lakes-themed aquarium on the Memorial Auditorium site. Advocates believe the attraction would be a catalyst for attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and new businesses to the inner harbor.



bmeyer@buffnews.com

More specifically, Antoine Thompson's office is harassing me. The first time they called I said I was not going to vote for him and that I did not want them to call me again. The second time they called I reminded them that I already asked them not to call me anymore and I added that Antoine disgusts me. They called me again today and left a message that I received after I voted for Mark Grisanti. I really hope this jerk loses.

I really had to seek this cuteness out. Sooo cuteee!!!

‘Gasland’ documentary sheds light on hydraulic fracturing
Published:
October 24, 2010, 12:00 AM

Updated: October 24, 2010, 6:47 AM

A free showing of the documentary “Gasland” and a discussion with filmmaker Josh Fox will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday in Buffalo State College’s Bulger Communications Center.

The documentary about the natural gas drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing—which is causing controversy in Collins and other parts of Western New York—was awarded a special jury prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

The presentation is sponsored by the college’s Communications Department, Students for Peace and State Sen. Antoine M. Thompson, D-Buffalo.