By now, the barely distant US Government Shutdown of 2013 has been diffused into our consciousness, and the majority of us have already forgiven and forgotten! Who cares? Well, there were a variety of odd programs that were not able to function (poison ivy-eating goats, anyone?) but the biggest outrage for many Americans was the blacked-out panda cam.

Yes, you heard right–the National Zoo’s panda cam was shut down (N.B. the cam is up and running after the end to the shutdown on October 16).

So how are our cuddly friends touched by the actions of Capitol hill? Since a government shutdown is when “non-essential” agencies (such as parks and museums) close in order to conserve federal money, the federal-run “non-essential” Smithsonian Institution, and therefore the National Zoo, were shut down as well. The camera, however, is actually run by volunteers. However, during a government shutdown, the only people allowed on federal property are “essential employees”. Though volunteers go unpaid, the operation of the cams require resources and staff that were unavailable during the shutdown. But in the end, it all boils down to this: no panda streaming.

Many people, though lamenting the ineffectiveness of the government, were up-in-arms about this facet of the shutdown. Apparently, most of the population uses the panda cam as a way to de-stress and coo over fluffy blobs of fluff. But fear not, panda fans! There are still many other panda sites out there for you. Just google away. The San Diego, Memphis, and Atlanta Zoos all have panda cams, and TIME Magazine even ran a satirical stuffed-panda version during the course of the shutdown.

We’re Talkin’ Proud, Buffalo! Unlike back in the 80’s when the City of Buffalo found it necessary to wallpaper the street signs and other public areas with this campaign, big-time Buffalo businessmen and city officials are claiming that we really do have a reason to be proud again.

The talk all over town recently has been about the Buffalo Waterfront area- and for good reasons, too. In recent decades this part of the Queen City has been largely abandoned while centuries of history rotted away and precious wildlife was neglected where it needed tending. However, a new revitalizing spirit has struck a chord with developers and preservationists around the area and in the state that has begun to sow the seeds of change.

One of the latest signs of this redevelopment process hatched this past June. According to The Buffalo News, four men from Frontier Industrial Corp. teamed up to purchase 12.5 acres of land along the waterfront at 1515 Fuhrmann Boulevard. David and Dennis Franjoine, Craig Slater, and Rob Zuchlewski paid $475,000 for the property that includes 66 tall grain silos and a Cargill, Inc. grain mill from the 1920’s. Due to the location of the land at the outer harbor, the new owners also gained access to 6.5 acres of deep-water, not to mention all of the transportation amenities made available by the city itself.

However, this sale does not come without controversy. After acquiring the land early this summer, the men declared a vague plan for the South End Marina that has sparked what has become a very heated argument. They intend to preserve and use the grain silos going forward, possibly by converting them into high-end commercial, residential, and recreational purpose facilities. To history buffs and Buffalovers who see the grain silos as a rich part of this city’s past, news of a hopeful conservation of their landmarks caused jubilation and drew a lot of support. For those who see the grain silos as massive, ugly, concrete barriers blocking the view of the harbor, this was not such welcome news. It seems that there are just as many people who want to demolish the rusty eye-sores as there are those who want to keep them a part of the skyline of outer Buffalo.

Regardless of this ongoing debate, the mere purchase of 1515 Fuhrmann Boulevard is just another sign to city officials that Buffalo is on the upward swing of things. Howard Zemsky, the co-chairman of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, thinks this, the establishment of the first state park in Buffalo along Gallagher Beach and Small Boat Harbor, and the Harbor Center are all part of a positive trend that has only just started and that will escalate into the future.

So, while they’re at it, maybe the City should consider restoring the campaign signs, because Buffalo is talkin’ proud.

Many people stood outside the Capitol building on Tuesday, October eighth to push Congress to pass broad immigration legislation, including a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally. During this protest eight members of the House of Representatives were arrested due to their participation in the event. Protesting members included Joseph Crowley and Charles B. Rangel of New York, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Al Green of Texas, Luis V. Gutierrez and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, Raul M. Grijalva of Arizona and John Lewis of Georgia. Contrary to popular belief, they were not the only ones arrested; more than 150 other protesters were arrested during the course of the day.

The protest arose due to the government’s full attention on the (now defunct) shutdown and health care reform, a mindset that has pushed the matter of immigration to the backburner. The arrests began while the thousands of people gathering in the middle of the National Mall in support of immigration. Though all “non-essential” government institutions, such as all national parks, museums, and monuments, were supposed to be shut down along with the government, some House Republicans tried to reopen some national parks and monuments while keeping the federal government closed.

The National Mall, a national park with a misleading name, was still open, allowing protests by people from labor unions and immigration organizations to continue. The Parks Services declared that the right to protest was a “First Amendment right,” giving an explanation for the incongruency with the rest of the closed parks in the nation.

The eight Congressional representatives were arrested because they had been standing quietly in a line in the middle of a street that borders the Capitol lawn, blocking traffic in the process. As the police handcuffed them and led them away, protesters began chanting, “Let them go!”

Their efforts paid off around midday when House Democrat leaders broke off from their tense debates inside the Capitol building to tell the people that they would press for a vote on a bill in the House this year. Democrats stated that they were confident that there would be enough votes in the House, from Democrats and Republicans, for such a bill to be passed. There had, in fact, been put forth a bill in the House about a week before the protest that closely matched broad legislation passed by the Senate in June. But that bill had no Republican sponsors and seemed unlikely to advance. Democrats are still putting forth their efforts on the issue of immigration rights with many of the immigration organizations at the rally. Surprisingly, during the rally, a few House Representatives arrived to express their interest in working towards passing immigration laws side by side with the Democrats. We will have to see how, when, and if the House Democrats and/or the House Republicans go through with what they have said, now that the government shutdown has elapsed.