humane societies in need and memorializing a metal legend

I've seen, heard and read several news stories about humane societies suffering in the current economic crunch. Animal aid groups having inadequate funding to care for all nearby animals in need - well, that's pretty much a perpetual problem. But the gist of these recent tales is that people who lose their jobs, their nest eggs, their security can't afford to care for their pets. And pets can be expensive, especially once you factor vet care into the mix.

I went to a talk recently which raised the issue of the way animal protection, welfare and care issues often get set off against caring for the well-being of humans, as if it were an either/or proposition. I'm hoping that hard economic times don't worsen this false dichotomy...

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A couple of posts ago I discussed the death of my friend and metal legend Adrian Bromley. This coming Saturday, January 17th, his family, friends, colleagues and fellow metalheads will be celebrating his life and legacy (and sharing in some collective mourning) at the Opera House in Toronto. Entrance, starting at 6:30pm, is by pay-what-you-can donation. A photographic slide show, videos, and mic for memorializing are part of the evening's line-up. Bid on donated items for additional fundraising and stick around throughout the night for live performances by Detsorgsekalf, Eclipse Eternal, Endorphins, Into The Void, Musk Ox, Piledriver & Woods Of Ypres. If you're there and know what I look like, come up and say hi.

(I'll also be doing a little bittersweet celebrating when Rotting Christ plays the WreckRoom on January 12th...)

the poor, the abused, and the confused

The World Health Organization discovers the obvious: poverty and exclusionary policies are deadly.

More for the obvious file: mac & cheese is not a nutritionally balanced meal.

And, as David Suzuki points out, environmentalists and non-environmentalists may not be hard-wired differently, and they may even have some of the same concerns, but we're not going to be able to save the planet for future generations if we don't find a way to overcome our differences of priority and perspective.

I've been continuing my regular shifts at the Burlington Humane Society and while flipping through one of our information books I saw an interesting ad. Apparently the Ontario Veterinary Association has started up a program to offer short-term protection for the at-risk pets of women and children who are victims of abuse. The program is meant to save animals from danger and harm but also to help women and children get out of an abusive household sooner.

And one more heartwarming Humane Society-related note - a couple of times while I've been working at the shelter young kids have shown up with donations they've collected at their birthday parties instead of presents. Makes one feel a bit better about the young 'uns...

cats and keytars

Thanks to Adrian at The End Records I had my second chance to see Mindless Self Indulgence live Saturday night. I've been finding their new album even more ridiculously entertaining than their earlier material, and what they do translates extremely well to the stage. Actually, it might be better suited to the stage... They opened up with the classic lines "I like my coffee black just like my metal!" and the sense & sanity deteriorated wonderfully from there. I'd hoped they'd play their Rush cover, but no such luck. Ah well. All else was gut.

The show also gave me the chance to finally see The Birthday Massacre. Much more rock'n'roll than I expected, lots of bouncing on stage and even a keytar. The electronics were a little low in the mix but other than that they were excellent.

I hadn't heard that Julien-K were on the bill. They seemed very old school, like a cross between New Order and Billy Idol but with something newer, heavier, and maybe German thrown in. Entertaining though, and tight. I wasn't that surprised to find out the band included a couple of ex-Orgy dudes. In fact, I think I had known that and just forgot.

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I worked my first volunteer shift at the Burlington Humane Society this morning - cleaning cat cages, feeding, watering, and giving the cats some attention. A couple of kittens thought my leg was a climbing tree. It's a nice shelter and they seem to have a good system in place for everything, so it went very smoothly. What a range of cat types and personalities! I'm scheduled again for next week. Those kittens pictured on the main page? - yeah, they're even cuter in person.