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.
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.
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.
Tearing a page from the Bread and Puppet Theater, the Coalition for Economic Justice staged the following skit at the condos down by the waterfront yesterday. Pictured is a great big Tom Golisano puppet.
Location: Behind Waterfront Place Condos
Date: 10/1/09
Time: 4:00 PM
A Press Conference in 1 Act:
Setting: Rally at Waterfront Condos
Designated “Cast”:
Politician played by Eric Gallion
Developer (Carl Paladino) played by Roger Cook
Condo Buyer (Stephen Barnes) played by Harrison Watkins
Foreclosed Home Owner played by Jane Piazza
Unemployed Worker played by Rachel Wilson
Activist: Eric Walker
Act 1: The Press Conference (Politician, Developer, and Condo Buyer stand next to each other, behind podium)
Politician: “We are gathered here today to celebrate the opening of the Waterfront Place Condos. It has been my honor to pave the way for these condos to be built in a tax-free zone, spurring economic development that only the wealthy can afford. This development is a perfect example of creatively using the Empire Zone program, which was originally intended to promote investment and job creation in poorer areas, to subsidize luxury condos for the entitled elite. Without further ado, I would like to introduce the developer who had the courage to take advantage of these subsidies in the third poorest city in the country when he could have built these condos with his own money.” (more…)
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The Reverend Billy of the Church of Life After Shopping delivered this brief sermon on Thursday afternoon, September 24, conveying his benediction on protesters against the G20 summit that took place in Pittsburgh last week.
Yuichiro Yamada
Everyone in this community has some opinion on our local businesses. Some of us do everything in our power to support them. To these people, local businesses might as well be a part of the family. So for these people, Yuichiro Yamada, a documentary filmmaker and graduate student at UB, made two documentaries to follow the life and times of these businesses that color our streets, speak up in our communities and act as the familiar placeholders in our routines about the city.
Just Browsing takes a look at our local bookstores such as Talking Leaves, Rust Belt Books and Second Reader, and how they do business as a small, endangered enclave of independent booksellers. Yamada’s other feature, Irreplaceable, was shot during the last days of New World Records and focuses on the loss to the Buffalo community caused by its closing. A loss that some may argue was like…well, losing one of the family.
They will be screened to the public as a part of collaboration between Hallwalls and Talking Leaves at Hallwalls Cinema, after which Yamada will be on hand to answer questions. Wednesday, September 30, 7-9pm. Hallwalls Cinema @ Babeville, 341 Delaware Avenue.
Yamada’s work focuses on local and independent businesses as members of the city landscape and how they are impacted by events in the city, the economy and the country. His films focus on these businesses both here in the US and in his native Japan.
Yamada couldn’t have picked a better place to film these documentaries seeing as how the landscape of Buffalo’s independent businesses is a sore spot for some, a pride and joy for others, but certainly a point of discussion for everyone.
—ann marie awad
The Yes Men have blanketed the streets of New York with a fake edition of the New York Post. Here’s video.
