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Artist Nicole Pritchett Birmingham Artwalk September 8-9,2006

Nicole Pritchett is a participating artist in the
Birmingham Artwalk,September 8-9.
Nicole 's art is truly unique and natural.
You would certainly find a surprise in each one of the Batiks,
silk prints and pencil sketches.
Find a sample of her art - www.birminghamartwalk.com.
Better yet, visit Nicole at
THE AVENUES, 2316 1st Avenue North
Art perfect for the home or office!!

Rising Star Marc John Jefferies Stays Grounded in Education

What does a young actor pursue after he’s worked with a list of actors that include Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, Jessica Lange, Michael J. Fox and Geena Davis? What if he could add to his resume’ that he’s been seen in blockbuster hits like “Spiderman-2” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” as well as performing on Broadway with Matthew Broderick? Many rising stars would bask in the awe of success, but not Marc John Jefferies. This teenage acting phenomenon is using his notoriety to stress education to other students his age.

In 2005, Marc John Jefferies introduced an educational Chapter Book series entitled “Secret Agent MJJ” published by Big Smile, Inc. The first three books are already in bookstores around the nation and another seven are currently in production.

“I think it is great that kids my age can learn history and geography and have fun doing it,” says the young actor. “Not to mention, I get to be a secret agent and do ‘James Bond’ kind of stuff.”

Each book is based upon the ideas of young Mr. Jefferies and possesses detailed information on subjects that fascinate all young readers, including Marc, himself. In the back of each book, Jefferies supplies a Director’s Sheet consisting of a glossary of words that the young readers may not know, and a Gyroscope, which serves as an encyclopedia entry for the information used in the plot of the story.

“This book series uses intriguing facts of history, science and geography and puts them into a context that is interesting and exciting,” says Robert Denson of Sunpiper Literary. Sunpiper serves as a consultant for Big Smile and the “Secret Agent MJJ” book series. “It provides facts and theories on subjects such as the Bermuda Triangle, Ancient Egypt, the Fountain of Youth and the Nile River. It’s a great way for young readers to learn about the wonders of the world.”

Marc John Jefferies is not a stranger to giving back to the community. Marc is proudly involved with the organization “Kids with a Cause”. The organization visits sick children in the hospital, helps to fund different schools and give food, clothing and toys to kids in need. He also participates in the “Build-A-Bear Workshop” which helps fund research aimed at unraveling the mysteries of autism and the families that are devastated by this disorder.

Marc can currently be seen on-screen as the young Marcus in the movie “Get Rich or Die Tryin’”. For more information on this extraordinary young actor, visit www.marcjohnonline.com. To learn more about Secret Agent MJJ, visit www.secretagentmjj.com.

The fourth edition of “Secret Agent MJJ” entitled “The Lost City of Atlantis” is to be released in December 2005.

Samford Basketball

Catch the opening Samford Men's and Women's Basketball season on Thursday, November 10th. The women tip-off at 5:00 p.m. with UAB, and the men follow at 7:00 p.m. with Berry College.

Christmas Pops At The Alabama Theater

CHRISTMAS POPS AT THE ALABAMA THEATER

An evening of Music, Memories and Magic for the Entire Family!

Hosted by Fox 6 News Anchor Sarah Verser

Sunday, December 11, 2005
6:30 p.m. at the Alabama Theater
1817 3^rd Avenue North

Featuring the Shades Mountain Baptist Church Celebration Orchestra

Tickets
$10
To order call 822-1670 or visit our website at www.christmaspops.com
Tickets also available at the door on the night of the show

Local fiddler gets Grand Master Invitation

Roy Crawford of Cullman Alabama recently received an invitation to The Grand Master Fiddle Championship in Nashville, Tennessee. A great honor for a fiddle player as only twenty written invitations are sent out each year Nationwide.
Roy has competed twenty years and placed or won twelve of them (in the Opry Land Version). Now in his early 70s, he is surely a Grand Master. With so many awards they will not all fit in one room. Alabama will be well represented in this competition. The contest dates are friday oct. 28th, and Saturday oct. 29th 2005. For more information their website is: Grand masters fiddle Championship
Roy and the Cullman County Bluegrass will be playing locally October 7-8: Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention at Athens State University / Athens, Alabama.
Roy's website lists all the shows (one near you!) and competitions he will be in (on page 2), his biography along with the bands, free music from his new CD (Front Porch Fiddlin' in Alabama), an album of traditional fiddle tunes that is attracting a lot of attention, list of referal sites growing to include fiddle and banjo instructional sites, Alabama historical, cultural and arts will be added soon. If you feel you have a site that should be included, please email us the information. Address on site. www.roycrawford.net

The EPA and Industry Team Up to Protect Profits in Florida Study

Poison, Protection, and Children

The EPA and Industry Team Up to Protect Profits in Florida Study, Leaving Children Behind

Robina Suwol & Ashley Posner,Esq. - California Safe Schools ( Non-profit)

They call it CHEERS. The "Children�s Environmental Exposure Research Study" is a cooperative agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency and the American Chemical Council. The Chemical Council will provide $2.1 million of the $9 million dollar study�the rest coming from our federal government.

But there�s nothing cheery about CHEERS. The acronym is deliberately misleading and, when examined, downright scary. This time, the government is protecting an unethical study that actually exposes children, including babies, to some of the chemical industry�s most noxious poisons. Who is the EPA protecting? The health of American children? Or the profits of American corporate interests?

Parents of children in the CHEERS study must agree to routinely spray or have pesticides sprayed inside their homes during the two-year study period, according to Chemical & Engineering News. Chemical concentrations will be measured in air, dust, and urine samples of the children, and by analyzing chemicals absorbed in clothing before and after pesticide applications.

The chemicals EPA and their corporate partners want to expose these kids to are already known to cause serious health problems. Along with pesticides, which are known to damage neurological and reproductive development, the study includes phthalates, (chemicals used to soften plastics). Phtalates have been linked in animal studies to damage to kidneys and liver and are considered a probable human carcinogen.

EPA also wants to expose Florida kids to brominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants). Animal studies indicate that these chemicals may harm neurodevelopment, and a recent study determined of exposure of these chemicals to fetal and newborn mice showed a permanent effect on spontaneous behavior, learning, and memory. Still another chemical category under CHEERS is perfluorinated chemicals, which have shown a statistically significant association with bladder cancer.

In return, the parents of the young test subjects will receive up to $970 and a free video camcorder for participating. And, revealing their target demographic of infants, they are offering a �study bib�. A review of the protocol, however, suggests that they won�t receive health care, during or after the study. In fact, the study seems to entirely ignore any potential for serious injury to any of its participants. Participation of the Centers for Disease Control and Florida�s County Health Department appear to be only window dressing.

If it�s not already obvious why this study must be stopped, consider the following. Floridians are already dispraportionally burdened by toxins. Due to the state�s humid conditions, it uses fungicides extensively�some reports claim that Florida�s fruits and vegetables can be sprayed with 5 or more active ingredients shown to be male reproductive toxins in animal studies, and the cause of birth defects. Adding additional pesticides and chemicals to the already overburdened bodies of Florida�s children raises additional serious health issues. According to EPA's own Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment, children receive 50 percent of their lifetime cancer risks in their first two years of life. And because children are growing, they are more vulnerable than adults to toxins. Nonetheless, EPA is proceeding to add a prescription of select poison to the infants used in this study.

Furthermore, EPA�s study is inherently unethical because children cannot legally give their consent to participate in such experimentation. CHEERS directly violates the Nuremberg Code Directives for Human Experimentation arising from world condemnation of the Nazis� experimentation on human subjects without their consent. Using children without their consent violates their constitutional right to equal protection under the law. Moreover, this study suggests that participating parents are fully informed and competent to rely on the judgment of the individuals conducting the study or applying the pesticides on their own behalf as well as for their babies. Furthermore, the use of government funds to underwrite such tests may create a liability to the government (and the American people) for any future problems attributable to the study.

There may be a glimmer of hope. A recent release was sent out from EPA advising that the study had been suspended while study protocol was reviewed. However nowhere has it stated it's been cancelled, or stopped.

A New York Supreme Court Justice Edward Greenfield ruled in T.D. v The NYS Office of Mental Health (1995), "Parents may be free to make martyrs of themselves, but it does not follow that they may make martyrs of their children." The promise of $970 and a camcorder to potentially permit parents to cripple their infant children leads to the inescapable conclusion that the subjects of the CHEERS study are uneducated, poor and vulnerable.

When the government�s protection agencies fail to protect our children, we, as citizens, must insist that they do the right thing. This unconscionable study must be stopped.

----------------------
References

Concern over "Phthalates"In Food Packaging � plasticizers Paper, Film, & Foil Converter, Feb 1, 2003 by Richard M. Podhajny (COPYRIGHT 2003 PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media Inc. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group)

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Maternal and Fetal Blood Samples

Anita Mazdai,1 Nathan G. Dodder,2 Mary Pell Abernathy,1 Ronald A. Hites,2 and Robert M. Bigsby1 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; 2Department of Chemistry and School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA

Proposal for Regulations on PFOS-Related Substances Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment prepared for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Chemicals and GM Policy Division in association with BRE Environment, September 2004

For further information:

Robina Suwol, Executive Director
California Safe Schools
Box 2123
Toluca Lake, California 91610
www.calisafe.org
818-785-5515

Fall Festival and Gift Market--Crafters Wanted!!!

Crafters wanted for the most exciting new gift market to hit Birmingham! Sunday, October 17, 2004 from 1-5. 3960 Montclair Road, Levite Jewish Community Center. Fall Festival will include kiddie train, moon walk, hayride and much more! This will be the best place for all of your holiday shopping needs, from kids to grandparents and everyone in between! A bake sale and food items round out this perfect event for the whole family. This is a fundraiser to help the LJCC preschool, a United Way funded agency. For more information, please email btraweek@bhamjcc.org or contact her @ 879-0411.

SniperWatch LAN

SniperWatch LAN is coming up on July 17th here in Birmingham. PC Gamers from all over the state will be there. All the details are at http://lanparty.sniperwatch.net

11th Annual Creek Bank Festival

The 11th Annual Creek Bank Festival, sponsored by the Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce, will be April 24 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Music acts include: The Stoney Road Band, Cedar Grove Celebration Choir, Walter Hamlin. Ron Dometrovich

Exhibitions by American Family TaeKwonDo and Dance Xpress.

Food, fun, kiddie rides, pony rides, Dinar Grotto Clowns and crafts.

Crafters STILL WANTED! Booth Space is only $40.00 (12X12 Space) Call 205-699-5001 for application or e-mail leedschamber@alltel.net

Location: Leeds Memorial Park off Highway 119, Leeds, Alabama

Admission: FREE

' Not a Day Goes By ' appearing at Boutwell Auditorium

E. Lynn Harris's bestselling novel ' Not a Day Goes By ' has been adapted into a play. ' Not a Day Goes By ' tells the story of what happens when lies and betrayal meet fear and greed. An extravagant wedding has been planned for what looks to be the 'perfect' couple, but just before the marriage ceremony, the dreadful past and the deceitful present jeopardize the ideal couple's future. Emmy-award winning actress Jackee Harry from "Sister, Sister" and Trenyce from "American Idol" are starring in the play, which will be appearing at the Boutwell Auditorium from January 13-14. We hope you will attend!

Now on sale at all area Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.ticketmaster.com