Granny Ranny's Coming Attractions

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the most common cause of poisoning deaths in the United States, resulting in an estimated 50,000 annual emergency department visits. In 2008, Hurricane Ike hit the Texas coast, knocking out power to over 2 million residents. The study, “Dying to Play Video Games: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning From Electrical Generators Used After Hurricane Ike,” examines incidents where gasoline-powered electrical generators were used to watch television or power video games, resulting in the CO poisoning death of one child, and the poisoning injuries of 15 other children. The study authors agree that generators continue to be the cause of many CO poisonings, and education is still needed, especially in states at risk for hurricane-related power outages. For more information, contact Caroline Fife, MD, at [email protected] or 713 305 2971, or Neil Hampson, MD, at [email protected] or 206-583-6543.]

June is Internet Safety Month. The AAP offers a microsite to help parents with many aspects of keeping their kids safer online at http://safetynet.aap.org/ New tips on social media and “sexting” will be available in late May for the campaign.

Thousands of children are treated for lawnmower injuries each year. The AAP is partnering with the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons for their annual lawnmower safety campaign. Check back at www.aap.org for more information and tips during the last week of May.

The AAP is a partner in National ASK Day, which will take place on Father’s Day, Sunday June 21, 2009. Held annually on the first day of summer, a time of year when children play more often in other homes, ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day reminds parents about the importance of asking if there are guns in the homes where their children play. For more information, go to http://www.paxusa.org/

SUMMER SAFETY TIPS – PART 2

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers tips on boating and swimming safety, fireworks and off-road vehicles. Tips are available in English and Spanish at http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips-p2.cfm

ART CONTEST DEADLINE IS JULY 31
“Protecting children from tobacco smoke” is the theme of the American Academy of Pediatrics 2009 art contest for children. Children in grades 3 to 12 are invited to submit original pieces of art for a chance to win cash prizes and a trip to the 2009 AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC, on October 17, 2009. First-place winners will receive a $500 prize, with an additional $500 for the child’s school, and a trip to Washington, DC, for the child and his or her guardian. The second-place winners will receive $250, with another $250 for the child’s school. Winners will have their artwork featured on AAP’s Web site and in other promotional materials. Entries should be mailed to American Academy of Pediatrics, Art Contest, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. All entries must be postmarked by Friday, July 31, 2009. Entry form, rules and guidelines are available at http://www.aap.org/artcontest/

Now in its’ fifth year, the Freshi Film (FiF) Camp is coming again this July to the John Anson Ford Amphitheater in Hollywood, California for three creativity-filled weeks-

Unlike other filmmaking camps, the Freshi Film Camp has always been a totally immersive experience, 100% produced by the young filmmakers themselves. Although mentors are present to guide each of the participants, the campers handle all of the filmmaking experience themselves from creating a script to shooting the story, editing and, finally, scoring their films. The finished films are authentic to the creators and 100% original. This FiF Camp allows kids to find their own voice and tell their own stories- they are not the actors in someone else’s film, they are the filmmakers! The last day of the FiF Camp each producing group completes a Copyright Form to be submitted to the US Library of Congress to protect their authentic creations.

The campers are organized into small production units on the first day of camp, and each production unit works to create their script, and then storyboard the script on the first day. The second day is the location scouting day with considerations of casting, costuming, make-up, props and sets. The film is shot on the third day and the editing is done on the fourth day. The final day of camp is scoring, titling and editing out-takes in preparation of the “Family and Friends Film Showcase” held the last hour of the FiF Camp on the last day.

The completed films will be posted on the www.freshiflix.com website and shared with other young filmmakers worldwide. There are filmmakers aged 8-18 worldwide, and Freshi brings them together through the sharing of their creations and the possibility of future collaborations.

The FiF Camp is $525 for the week but Freshi, in an attempt to help with the recession, is offering a 5% discount if space is reserved by June 5, 2009.

There are even more discounts available for multiple family members attending the FiF Camp and for those young filmmakers attending all three camps. As an added bonus, all of the completed films from all three camps will be entered into the Freshi Film Festival for FREE. The FiF Camp is sponsored by the non-profit International Family Film Festival (IFFF) www.iffilmfest.org.

To enjoy footage of past FiF Camps and read more about the fun of Freshi Film Camp use this link to visit
the http://freshifilms.blogspot.com/.

To reserve space in the Freshi Film Camp visit the website at www.freshifilmcamp.org and download an application. For more information call (661) 257-3131 and speak with Patte Dee McKee, Program Director, or e-mail [email protected].

The International Family Film Festival (IFFF) has a long association with producing the Freshi Film Camp and the Freshi Film Festival and working with young filmmakers for the last fifteen years, and making these events premiere summer destinations for creative youth.

Summer is the time to set young imaginations free and there is no better place to do that than with the Freshi Film Camp!

The nominees for the 36th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards, a presentation of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) in cooperation with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS), were announced yesterday.

The Daytime Emmy Awards include a large number of children’s programming.

The nominees are in for the 36th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards, slated to air on August 30.

Nominees in the category of Outstanding Children’s Animated Program are Curious George (PBS), Little Einsteins (Disney Channel), Sid the Science Kid (PBS), The Backyardigans (Nickelodeon) and WordWorld (PBS).

For Outstanding Children’s Series, nods went to Adventure Camp (Discovery Kids), Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman (PBS), From the Top at Carnegie Hall (PBS) and Postcards From Buster (PBS).

Outstanding Preschool Children’s Series nominees are Between the Lions (PBS), Johnny and the Sprites (Disney Channel), Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies (PBS), Sesame Street (PBS) and The Wonder Pets! (Nickelodeon).

Nods in Outstanding Writing in Animation went to Back at the Barnyard (Nickelodeon), The Backyardigans (Nickelodeon), The Future is Wild (Discovery Kids), The Mr. Men Show (Cartoon Network) and WordWorld (PBS).

And Outstanding Writing in a Children’s Series nominees are Between the Lions (PBS), Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman (PBS) and Sesame Street (PBS).

This year, the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Sesame Street in celebration of its 40 years of educating and entertaining kids. For the full list of nominees, check out http://www.emmys.tv/

The awards will be announced during the live 36th Daytime Emmy Awards from the Orpheum Theater in LA, on August 30, 2009 on The CW.

Kidtoons is bringing family friendly animated movies to the big screen every weekend at participating theatres across the country. Currently, they are playing Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery.

Participating Kidtoons theatres showcase a fun, affordable family friendly matinee movie and provide a family experience filled with entertaining, kid-friendly characters, as well as cartoon shorts, music videos and sing-alongs before each movie. To find a theater near you, visit their website: Kidtoons