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Amber Alerts must be protected from overuse and the RCMP's decision not to issue the high-profile public plea after a 12-year-old autistic boy went missing was the right one, says a proponent of the program.

John Fulton, whose beaming smile graces several photos released by his family, was found slain on Monday evening in a neighbour's home after he vanished from the steps of his Grand Forks, B.C., townhouse complex two days earlier.

His family became the latest anguished Canadian family to say police should have used an Amber Alert to publicize their child's disappearance.

Fulton's autism meant he couldn't roam far from the "comfort zone" of the subdivision where he lived, his family said.

"We do not know if this could have saved Johnny's life, nor do we wish to speculate," said the statement.

"However, we feel strongly that any child with autism should automatically qualify as an Amber Alert."

But Linda Patterson, who was involved in getting the program introduced in New Brunswick in 2003, said the RCMP had nothing to go on.

"As far as I'm concerned they've done the right thing because if they started issuing Amber Alerts freely, without a lot of information, people would stop paying attention to them," she said from her home in Oromocto, N.B.

"My heart goes out to the family, it really does," said Patterson, who is president of the Block Parent Program of Canada and her provincial chapter and is also chairwoman of the Crime Prevention Association in New Brunswick.

Police have defended their decision not to use the Amber Alert system in Fulton's case, saying it didn't meet the requirements.

RCMP Cpl. Annie Linteau said the case didn't meet the requirements for an Amber Alert, which is triggered when police believe a child under 18 has been abducted and is in danger.

The criteria also stipulates there be information on a suspect or vehicle so the information can be broadcast by the media or be posted on electronic highway-condition signs.

"I can say that this particular case did not meet the Amber Alert criteria because we did not have any information about the suspect vehicle or about an abductor," she said.

"You want people to really pay attention when there is an Amber Alert. You don't want to run into a situation where there is an Amber Alert every day because people just wouldn't pay attention to it."

Last year alone, police received reports of 12,000 missing children in B.C., she said, adding stranger abductions are extremely rare.

She said police sought the public's help in locating Fulton by issuing a news release.

Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said police conducted an air and dog search after the boy vanished at about 8 p.m. on Saturday and continued it on Sunday before search and rescue efforts began.

"Normally we do not do a lot of night searches but in this case on Saturday night it went on till 5 a.m. with our resources and then again the next day and then well into the next night with search and rescue," Moskaluk said.

He said police had posters of the missing boy up around the community by 8 a.m. on Sunday, 12 hours after Fulton's disappearance.

Police in Woodstock, Ont. faced the same scrutiny for not issuing an Amber Alert after the disappearance of eight-year-old Tori Stafford earlier this year.

The Ontario Provincial Police are currently co-ordinating a review of the province's Amber Alert program.

A petition dubbed "Tori's Law" called for changes to the alert criteria and gained momentum online, ballooning to over 28,000 signatures by the end of May.

Acting Insp. David Rektor said the review could be completed by the fall.

Police were also criticized for not issuing an Amber Alert when 12-year-old Karissa Boudreau of Bridgewater, N.S., disappeared from her mother's car.

Dianna Cann, executive director of Child Find Nova Scotia, said at the time that police did not have any information about an abductor being involved in the death of the girl, whose mother pleaded guilty to strangling her in January 2008.

Fulton's family also said in their statement that they urge police to work with the Autism Society of Canada "to educate themselves about the realities of autism."

Michael Lewis, president of the society's national and B.C. chapters, said the group has been in touch with the RCMP in the last year on how best to deliver information about autism and other disabilities to officers.

But Lewis said he's not sure if that would have helped the Mounties in this case.

"I guess we could have reiterated to them the family's articulation that it would be highly unusual for this boy to have wandered off," he said.

But he said that unlike Fulton, some autistic children, like his own son, do wander off, depending on the degree of their condition.

Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival updates …

• Awhile back, a long while back, we promised numbers from May’s Birmingham Shout gay/lesbian film festival. Here’s where we stand:

Sidewalk Moving Picture FestivalOfficials at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, which runs the annual event, declined repeated requests for revenue figures form the two-day event. Shout festival director Ralph Young said that attendance increased 250 percent from 2008 to 2009, though it’s unclear how he arrived at this figure.

He states that 2009 attendance was 710 (135 on opening night and 575 the following day). In 2008, the one-day festival attracted 285 attendees, but this accounts for only a 149 percent increase. For comparison, the 2009 festival had 13 feature-length films and a shorts block, while 2008 had five films and one short, and 2007 had 14 films and three shorts (over three days).

Ticket prices for 2009 were $20 to $25 for opening night and $20 for all day Saturday, or $12 per film.

Chloe Collins, Sidewalk’s executive director, said:

“The Alabama Moving Image Association [Sidewalk's umbrella organization] presents numerous events throughout the year (Sidewalk, Shout, Scrambles, Teen Filmmaking Challenge etc.), and each of these events have expenses and incomes, making up the total AMIA budget.

“Like most nonprofit organizations who host multiple events throughout the year, AMIA provides the expense and income information for the entire season, as requested by the various organizations from whom we seek funding and as required by law.”

Elvis, children's games, fingerprinting, Harleys, massages, jaws of life, and Smokey the Bear are just a few things that the Williamson County Family Crisis and Homeless Shelter (WCFCHS) is bringing to the Illinois Centre Mall on Saturday.

A family friendly event planned by Rick Hubert of Lake of Egypt, executive director of special events with WCFCHS is going to be the biggest event that the mall has held. Free food at Black Diamond Harley Davidson during a Battle of the Bands competition featuring 15 local bands is included as part of the fundraising event.

Since it costs $34 per day to feed and house a homeless individual and state budgetary cuts have eliminated much of the monies that used to support organizations like WCFCHS, the group has decided to try to obtain some of that money through fundraising.

The shelter, which is located in Herrin, was originally set up to house battered women. Today, they house families and individuals who are "down on their luck," according to Hubert.

The facility provides day care for residents' children, teaches classes on building resumes and cooking, allows people to stay for 30 days, and holds to a strict 10 p.m. curfew. While residing at the shelter, people must look for employment and it helps to get individuals in touch with the proper government agencies that may offer further assistance. All residents also have chores such as cleaning, etc.

Hubert, who used to run marathons to benefit children with leukemia, was sidelined in 2002 after inhaling mercury from a toxic clean-up site. He spent five years dependent on either a walker or a wheelchair before returning to his feet two years ago..

"I've finally been able to sit down and make a difference for people who otherwise wouldn't have a chance," said Hubert.

Planning the event has also been theaputic for him.

"When you focus on helping others through their stuff (problems), it makes you think less about your own stuff (problems)," added Hubert.

Saturday's event kicks off at 10 a.m. and continues at Illinois Centre Mall until 7 p.m. From 7 to 9 p.m. Matt Joyce, a well-known Elvis impersonator, will be performing at T-Birds near the Williamson County Airport. Joyce will also perform at the mall from 2 to 4 p.m.

Performances take place throughout the day including Andy Gibson from noon-2 p.m., "Elvis" from 2-4 p.m., Don Faulkner from 4-5 p.m., and Rocky Mountain Creek Band from 5-6:30 p.m.

Other events include "Butch" Boatright, chainsaw artist; free ice cream for kids from Humana; a silent auction, Williamson County Sheriff Department id tags for children, a demonstration of the jaws of life, free massages, free spinal exams, free chiropractic demonstrations; a presentation on how to build a first aid kit, ring toss, children's games, Battle of the Bands and free food and drink at Black Diamond. Smokey the Bear, a car show, a 50/50 drawing and a coloring contest.

The churros will be plentiful and the salsa band sizzling Sunday at the North Fair Oaks Community Festival, a popular fundraising event for local youth programs that continues to grow in its eighth year.

More than 30,000 people are expected to turn out for the free street fair in the unincorporated neighborhood near Redwood City, which will feature live mariachi music, multicultural dance groups and children's activities.

Proceeds from raffle ticket sales and corporate sponsorships will benefit San Mateo County Sheriff's Office youth programs, including the DARE anti-drug program, the STAR camp for underprivileged youths and the Sheriff's Activity League.

Despite the economic recession, donations to this year's festival have already surpassed last year's fundraising total of $80,000.

"We're just so gratified," said Catherine Tompkison-Graham, the festival director. "We know that times are tough, but that's the perfect argument for why we need the support more than ever. School districts are cutting back, cities are cutting back on their parks and recreation, and our youth programs serve some of the most underserved."

The fun kicks off tonight with the festival's first-ever "preview party," a $100-per-head private fundraising event. On Friday, organizers will crown this year's Queen of the Festival, picked out of five young women who have been named finalists.

The finalists are all graduating seniors from local high schools
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who have been competing for the crown and a $5,000 college scholarship by selling as many raffle tickets for the festival as they can. Second- and third-place sellers will win $2,500 scholarships and the final two will receive $1,000 scholarships.

The queen will join Sheriff Greg Munks in the annual festival parade at 11 a.m. Sunday, featuring dancers, classic cars and floats.

Munks, the parade's grand marshal, said the event helps unite the community while also helping support youth programs "that we think are a healthy alternative to gangs and other non-productive activities."

As live music plays and cultural dancers perform on two stages, parents can treat their kids to a San Jose Earthquakes soccer clinic, climbing wall, pony rides, petting zoo and an obstacle course. Eaters of all ages can enjoy corn, shaved ice, tacos, kabobs and pupusas.

"You name it, we're doing it," Tompkison-Graham said. "It's bigger than ever."

This is a special community of residents committed to improving the lives of their neighbors.

Proof of that statement comes in a recently released report from The Corporation for National and Community Service.

The “Volunteering in America” report shows that an amazing 43.5 percent of Thurston County residents volunteer — nearly half the population.

This community far outranks state and national averages:

Nationally, 26.4 percent of adults volunteered in 2008. (Their 8 billion hours of service was valued at $162 billion).

The statewide average was 32.6 percent with Seattle slightly ahead of that average at 33.7 percent.

But this community exceeded the statewide average by a full 10 percent.

That’s terrific and speaks volumes about the depth of caring in this community and the number of residents who want to ensure a good quality life for all South Sound residents.

Democrats will push through health care finance reform this year because the political damage from failing to do so is greater than the risk of angering opponents.

President Obama put health care reform as a high priority because he knows that escalating costs and the financial carnage faced by the uninsured and underinsured are intolerable.

Bankruptcies created by medical debt cause people to lose homes and hope.

The looming insolvency of Medicare and escalating premiums of those who are insured are political nightmares for Democrats.

Perhaps most important from a political perspective, the cost to business of employer based insurance keeps American products at a financial disadvantage relative to foreign competitors whose health coverage is nationalized. This competitive disadvantage makes economic recovery anemic and job growth difficult.

What is going on behind the scenes in Washington is anybody's guess, but here's mine.

The president believes he can push legislation through the reconciliation process, though doing so would likely end the myth of bipartisanship he continues to foster.

So the president courts blue dog Democrats and an occasional Republican, hoping to be able to stop a filibuster and leave reform to an up or down vote he would win.

The reconciliation process, however, is intended mainly for legislation that is primarily about budgets, and it is not clear (to me at least) how the process can be applied to legislation that is primarily about health care issues, albeit with major budget implications.

President Obama knows that some of the decline in polling numbers regarding his management of health care reform is coming from the dissatisfaction of progressives. But progressives won't vote for a Republican in 2012. The president also knows that he won't lose the vote of senior citizens, even those scared nearly to death by talk of death panels, as long as Medicare remains intact and no one has been put to death. By the time mid-term elections come around, the scare over death panels may even haunt Republicans who have gone to the fear mongering well a few times too often. Anybody who would still believe the death panel nonsense was never a Democrat vote anyway.

President Obama is altering his statements about health care reform to more carefully reflect what is being reformed. It is not primarily health care but the way we pay for health care that needs reform. Sure, there should be electronic records and evidence based practices. But it is the employer based health insurance system that presents the most difficulty because people lose their coverage when they lose or change their jobs. And as people age, guaranteed continuation of coverage becomes problematic because of pre-existing conditions.

So the president is gently shifting focus away from health "care" reform and onto health "insurance" reform, in part because many people dislike insurance companies about the same as they dislike government. In addition, the president knows that there are lots of votes among middle-aged Americans who are not yet eligible for Medicare but acutely aware that they are vulnerable to the whims of an insurance company that decides to terminate their coverage.

President Obama is also parsing his language carefully about the public option, saying through spokesmen that he wants a system that establishes true competition among insurance companies. Though he may believe that the public option is the best way to achieve competition on a nation-wide basis, he could end up accepting alternatives that result in competition, such as coops. Health and Human Services director Kathleen Sebelius said that the president would consider such an alternative.

Some Senate Republicans have also indicated a willingness to consider them, but others consider non-profit coops subsidized by the Federal government as creating an unfair advantage over private insurance companies.

Regardless of the merits of the coops, the political advantage for the president is that he could accept such a compromise, pass the legislation, call it bipartisan, quell the fears of seniors, placate the progressives and hold or gain ground in the mid-term elections. If the coops fail to provide the competition needed to bring insurance rates down, he could return to Congress, perhaps with a stronger voting bloc, and pass stronger legislation.

As the president has indicated, failure on health care (financing) reform is not an option. It is not an option from either an economic or societal perspective. And that means it is also not a political option.

There has been many foundations taking over these issues and raising money for helping the poor who are affected by these issues.

These foundations have set a trend of producing wristbands made of silicone which are popularly called as silicone wristbands in the market, where people buy them as a style statement.

The money collected by selling these bands are given to the certain foundation distributing these bands for helping the poor who are affected by cancer or other incurable diseases.

This also makes the poeple to think about the suffering of those people, and also make them feel proud of contributing to a good cause.

It also acts as a style statement.These bands come in different colours. They are so attractive, which makes today's youth to go forward to buy them.
It has become so popular among college going students.

These wristbands are a really good idea found by those non-profit foundations to increase the awareness over the diseases and public issues, and to provide the necessary fund for the needy from the collections made from the silicone wristbands marketing.