This cat was saved by City Kitty.
It may not be “kitten season” yet, but it’s definitely time for last season’s batch of cuties to get spayed or neutered, in order to ward off an even bigger kitty explosion come spring. This semi-annual fundraiser helps “build the kitty for the kitties,” meaning proceeds benefit City Kitty, basically a one-woman cat rescue mission in the form of Robin Johnson. Vilardo Printing, Johnson’s business, is located at 326 Connecticut St., where she has has been tending to neighborhood strays since 2001. While the cats/kittens come in various stages of disease or neglect, at about six or seven months old, nearly all of them need to be spayed or neutered, which is the biggest cost of care for these “outdoor pets,” far surpassing medicine and flea control in expense. With approximately five cats that need “fixing” at any given time, it’s time for a fundraiser to help with costs. This one is at Nietzsche’s on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 8), from 2-8pm. Music provided by All of Them Witches, Bev Beverly, Fouren, Odiorne, and Wooden Waves on the front stage; on the back stage we’ll get Rose Bond, Susan Peters, Kathy Puleo, and Liz Abbott.
2-7pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. $10 donation plus cat food appreciated.
Tonight (Nov. 7), Artvoice is presenting a Jeff Garbaz production, in tribute to Pink Floyd and the best in audio-visual psychedelia. You don’t have to be an aficionado to know that Floyd was seriously into pigs, and featured inflatable, custom-designed porcines as props at their live shows dating back to the mid-1970s. The first Pink Floyd pig was reportedly named “Algie” and designed by Roger Waters himself for the cover of the 1977 album Animals. Reflecting Orwellian themes during the heyday of punk rock’s reign, Animals has often been tagged by rock historians as the band’s “forgotten” album, though its iconoclastic status is indisputable today. Perhaps such a deep dive into symbolism and psychedelia (the song “Dogs” on the album is 17 actual minutes long—basically the entire A side) wasn’t easy to receive in the Sex Pistols-enthralled culture of late 1970s Britain. But the album is largely dedicated to pigs, with three songs out of its five titled on that subject (Waters’s Orwell-inspired political commentary is quite fitting in these late aughties, no?), and the other two songs being the aforementioned “Dogs” and the 10-minute “Sheep.” Still, don’t expect any 10- to 20-minute overtures from the bands playing on Saturday night. The set list will be more in keeping with the kind of Floyd you don’t have to lay down in a dark room all alone to listen to. Garbaz’s head-spinning visual FX and set design will accompany choice covers from local bands Appestra, Cowboys of Scotland, Peanut Brittle Satellite, the Project, Relics of WNY, Rogue Science, Stu Fuchs, and the Vegetable Men. And even if you think you’ve heard it all before, just show up to see some pigs fly.
8pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. $6.
The Scorpio Ball is a costume party. You could, for example, dress as Tom Golisano.
On Saturday night, the Coalition for Economic Justice is hosting the second ever Scorpio Ball, celebrating Scorpios and the Halloween season, the end of the year’s elections, and another year of promoting workers rights, a living wage, accountable economic development, health are for all, and justice in general. (CEJ’s Micaela Shapiro-Shellaby writes: “Years back, the awesome leadership at the Coalition for Economic Justice had a vision. A vision of social and economic equality for all zodiac signs. Starting with Scorpio.) A good cause, a good time.
It’s a costume party. Live music by Blood Thirsty Vegans, FudgyChewy, the Gilded Masters of Club/Dance (previously known as Fashion Expo), and Dubby Gibbons on the decks.
Doors open at 10:30pm. 700 Main Street. $8 to get in/$6 with a student ID. $2 suggested donation for wine and beer.
Yesterday an anonymous commenter left this note on the long-abandoned blog of Ellicott District Councilman Brian Davis:
Good question.
Each month for the past year, 15-20 local and regional artists have exhibited their work at the College Street Gallery (which recently celebrated its 12-year anniversary), and it’s time to celebrate. The Co-op’s first anniversary celebration will be held during Allentown’s monthly First Friday Gallery Walk on Friday (Nov. 6). Besides College Street, particiating galleries this month include Allen Street Hardware, Betty’s Restaurant, Buffalo Big Print, El Buen Amigo, El Museo, Hallwalls, Hero Design Studio, Indigo, Kepa3, Merge Restaurant, Sp@ce 224, Starlight Studio, Studio Hart, and Sugar City.
Venues are scattered throughout the Elmwood/Allen area, all the way to Tupper and Delaware (where Hallwalls is, at Babeville). Back to College Street, where this month’s exhibitors number 18, the reception goes on from 5-10 pm and it’s as good a place (or better) as any to start.
According to a source in City Hall, the push for red light cameras has lost momentum since the home-rule measure was passed in Albany and approved by the Common Council this past spring.
Since then, one traffic surveillance company, Redflex, has met on more than one occasion with council members to voice their displeasure at this foot-dragging. They’d stand to make a lot of money on a deal with the city, but the city has yet to issue an RFP.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the country where such cameras are already in use, humans are revolting against the machines. Several municipalities are moving to do away with them, while vandalism of the cameras is on the rise around the globe. Tragically, the robots are even managing to turn humans against one another. According to this Washington Post report, “a technician was servicing a speed camera on Loop 101 in Phoenix back in April. An irate motorist shot him to death”
The battle, brothers and sisters, has begun.
Fire Under the Snow tells the remarkable story of Palden Gyatso, a Buddhist monk whose life tracks the modern history of Tibet: Born in 1933, Palden entered a monastery at the age of four. In 1959, after the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, he was arrested and spent the next 33 years in prison, undergoing brutal torture and re-education. Throughout, he maintained his Buddhist discipline. Released in 1992, he made his way to Dharamsala, India, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. His autobiography is the basis for the film, which makes its Buffalo premiere next Thursday (Nov. 5), sponsored by the UB Asian Studies Program and the UB Law School’s Baldy Center for Law & Social Policy. All proceeds benefit the Tibetan Children’s Village in Dharamsala.
7:30pm. Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre, 629 Main St. $10.
John Borsa at Channel 7 News reports:
Sources on Buffalo’s Common Council tell Eyewitness News that Ellicott District member Brian Davis could lose two weeks of salary on payday if he fails to show for Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting. This after Davis failed to show for a committee meeting on Wednesday.
“Avoiding state police
investigators is not a valid excuse for missing a council meeting,” one source said.
A majority vote is required for any council member who wishes to miss a meeting. A request must be submitted by 2 p.m. on Thursday, said Common Council President David Franczyk.
Franczyk said Davis’ attendance has been better since the councilman missed several meetings at the beginning of the year.
Eyewitness News has learned that investigators from the New York State Police and the Erie County District Attorney’s office were at city hall Wednesday afternoon asking to interview Councilman Brian Davis.
Frank Sedita, the Erie County D.A., confirmed the investigators were present at a committee meeting that Davis was scheduled to attend.
Sources who were at the meeting said the investigators simply wanted to talk with the embattled councilman.
Eyewitness News confirmed months ago that state police were looking into Davis and his alleged role in the One Sunset scandal.
The restaurant, which is now closed, was failing when it received more than $100,000 in city funds, some of which came from Davis in the form of a grant, a city audit revealed.
Calls to Councilman Davis were not returned.
Tonight at the Burchfield-Penney, Buffalo Spree hosts a panel entitled “Journalism on the Brink: When the daily paper becomes the daily blog, who wins and who loses?” It’s at 7pm, and it’s free.
By far the least interesting and least qualified participant on this panel is me:
Brian Connolly, web editor for the Buffalo News
Jim Heaney, blogger and columnist for the Buffalo News
Geoff Kelly, editor and blogger for Artvoice
Newell Nussbaumer, EStudent Network
Ben Siegel, editor for Block Club
Elena Buscarino, Buffalo Rising
Alan Bedenko, Marc Odien and Chris Smith of WNYMedia.net
November 05, 2009
How could you?