If you plan on voting, and you’re not yet registered, hurry! You have until Friday to register. Where?

• any branch of the Jefferson County Libraries;
• any courthouse.

For more info, visit the Alabama secretary of state site.

Also, you can check out sample ballots (PDF) for Jefferson and Shelby Counties. Warning: The Jefferson County sample ballot has 162 pages, reflecting the various districts and races. Apparently, they included “Ralph Nadar” on the list of presidential nominees — especially amusing since it’s spelled Ralph Nader.

And for those wondering who won the mayoral runoffs in Brighton, Calera, Fairfield, Gardendale, Graysville Montevallo, Pelham and Trafford … wonder no more: Here are the complete results.

It’s two weeks until Election Day!

• • •

Complete Vote 2008 coverage.

The Birmingham Museum of Art opens its top-tier exhibit, “Leonardo da Vinci: Drawings from the Biblioteca Reale in Turin,” today. These 11 drawings represent a master at work and will be the first time they’ve traveled as a group outside of Italy.

The museum held a media preview on Friday. Here’s a sneak peek …

Museum director Gail Andrews introduces us to the exhibit.

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Movie review: ‘Adventures of Power’

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By Stacy Vance

Mine worker by day, air drummer by night, he’s a man-boy with a dream. In “Adventures of Power,” our hero Power must overcome all to fulfill his musical destiny.

Ari Gold — the writer, director and lead actor — combines elements of “Rocky,” “Zoolander,” “Footloose,” “Rudy” and a heap of “Napoleon Dynamite,” not to mention most comedies and inspirational find-yourself movies.

I’m almost embarrassed to say that I enjoyed as much of this movie as I did. The plot’s not new, but it’s entertaining if you’re up for some silliness.

The movie opens the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival tonight.

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Movie review: ‘The Dhamma Brothers’

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I’m fascinated by prisons. But like most people, I don’t give them a lot of thought. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

And I certainly don’t pay much heed to meditation, yoga or Eastern alternative medicine. Give me a pill or a walk on the treadmill any day.

So what to make of “The Dhamma Brothers”? This remarkable documentary examines the first U.S. prison — just over in western Jefferson County near Bessemer — to use ancient vipassana meditation techniques with violent cons.

Vipassana comes from India, focusing on introspection for transformation, but it boils down to men sitting on cushions, utterly silent for 10 days. This potentially dull setup makes for an ultimately engaging story. I’m sure this movie will win an award or two at Sidewalk, and will likely be the best one you see all weekend.

It screens Sunday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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Movie review: ‘Crawford’

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By Stacy Vance

George and Laura Bush moved into Crawford, Texas, population 700, during his bid for the presidency in 1999. Soon after they settled in at the Prairie Chapel Ranch, the panoramas of open fields, endless skies, horses and haystacks of Crawford began to emerge in the national media.

When introduced to the people of “Crawford,” we learn about their lives before we learn about their politics, allowing us to view them as individuals first. The documentary isn’t without some bias, but it’s ultimately a story about everyday people thrown into extraordinary circumstances.

The film screens Saturday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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Movie review: ‘ ‘Bama Girl’

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By Erin Shaw Street

“At the University of Alabama, every girl wants to be homecoming queen.”

Every girl? Really?

Such is the assertion from documentary director Rachel Goslins, whose documentary “’Bama Girl” follows a black finalist for homecoming queen. Maybe not every student covets the crown, but the movie is sure to spark some interesting conversations.

The film closes the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival on Sunday.

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Movie review: ‘Goliath’

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By Chance Shirley

Watching “Goliath” cold — I hadn’t even seen the trailer — I entertained the thought that it would be a sequel to “Colossus: The Forbin Project,” a movie from 1970 in which two supercomputers, Colossus and Goliath, take over the world. After the opening credits, I realized this would be a considerably more intimate flick.

The Goliath of the film’s title is not a supercomputer, nor a biblical giant. Goliath is a cat. More specifically, “the sweetest, most wonderful cat in the whole world.”

But it’s really about the cat’s owner, an unnamed guy (played by David Zellner) who lives in an initially unnamed town (eventually revealed to be Austin) working at an unnamed job.

The film screens Sept. 28 at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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Michael McKean, Adrian Grenier star in comedy

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The 10th annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival will start with a drum roll, of sorts.

“Adventures of Power,” a comedy about a small town miner/air drummer, opens Sidewalk 2008 on Sept. 26. The movie debuted at Sundance earlier this year.

Written, directed and starring Ari Gold, the movie features Adrian Grenier (“Entourage”) and Michael McKean (“A Mighty Wind”).

The official description:

“Adventures of Power” is a comedy about an outcast mine worker named Power who journeys across America to save his hometown by air-drumming. On his journey, he gathers an assortment of outcasts who believe that their obsession could change the world.

The screening takes place at 8 p.m. at the Alabama Theatre. Tickets will be $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

Trailer and reviews, after the jump …

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Barry McCulley is out. The three-term Homewood mayor was trounced by council member Scott McBrayer by nearly a 3-to-1 margin in today’s municipal elections.

Tommy Joe Alexander won re-election for Irondale mayor with 60 percent of the vote, beating three challengers, including former mayor and convicted extortionist David Krider.

Up to five other incumbent mayors are also out in Argo, Brighton, Clay, Leeds, Lipscomb and West Jefferson. Mayors in Columbiana and Fairfield could be in runoffs on Oct. 7.

The new officials take office Nov. 3.

• • •

Complete Vote 2008 coverage.

Polls are open, as voters pick their city leaders in 40 municipalities in Jefferson and Shelby Counties.

In Homewood, incumbent Barry McCulley faces a challenge from council member Scott McBrayer. (The council members all Seven council members ran unopposed for re-election.)

In Irondale, incumbent Tommy Joe Alexander is running against council members Joan Ratchford and John Schoen, as well as former mayor David Krider. During his second term, Krider resigned, plead guilty to extortion and served two years in prison. Oy.

• More info on all the races
• Locate your polling place, or call Jefferson County, 325-5550; Jefferson County (Bessemer only), 481-4105; or Shelby County, 669-3913.

Polls close at 7 tonight.

Look for results on Wade on Birmingham tonight after polls close.

• • •

Complete Vote 2008 coverage.

Top-down and grassroots presentations prolong the conversation

Birmingham is bleeding. After a homicidal four-day stretch over the holiday weekend with nine deaths, police officers have long days and nights ahead keeping the peace. But the city continues to bleed residents, too, forcing schools to consolidate shrinking resources in an already troubled system.

Can we turn it around?

I visited two evening forums this week to hear what leaders and citizens had to say about crime and education, two issues that continue to limit Birmingham in numerous ways.

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Photo by Angelo Juan Ramos

Independence Day activities around Birmingham

The long weekend is upon us. How shall we celebrate America’s 232nd birthday?

Fireworks

Check out Friday’s shows:

• American Village | dusk (around 8 p.m.), Montevallo, daylong celebration starting at noon, $5
• Morgan Creek Vineyards | 9 p.m., Harpersville, with Tekneek performing before, $10
• Old Towne Amphitheatre | 9 p.m., Helena, with Elvis performing at 7
• Roosevelt Park | 8:45 p.m. Bessemer, giveaways to first 200 children
• Thunder on the Mountain | 9 p.m., Red Mountain (also to be broadcast live on Fox 6 and on its Web site). Check out these prime viewing locations.
• Trussville Freedom Celebration | 9 p.m., the Mall, with Three on a String performing at 8

Festivals

Eat, drink, gawk and shop before the rockets’ red glare:

• Bessemer | Marines parade, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Dickey Springs Road to Springdale Road in Greenwood
• Five Points South | bands at the fountain before 9 p.m. fireworks; food and drink specials
• Homewood | downtown festival, 6-9 p.m.; also, Jo Moore Band performing at 6 and Legends performing at 7 in Homewood Park
• Indian Springs Village | parade, 10:30 a.m.; barbecue, noon-2 p.m.
• Our Lady of Sorrows | Homewood, rummage sale 9 a.m.-4 p.m., barbecue 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• UAB Summer Band | 8 p.m., Bartow Arena lawn

June 20, 2008

City Stages
1929 Third Ave. N., No. 900
Birmingham, AL 35203

Dear Guy McCullough and George McMillan:

Thank you for your hard work for the past 20 years on City Stages, including this year’s milestone festival. While your dedication and past success have kept the event going, we’ve decided to terminate your services effective immediately.

It should surprise no one that ticket sales didn’t reach stated goals and that the event will again lose money. This follows the pattern of previous years. And though you’ve publicly stated that each year would show an improvement in revenues, even with costs under control, the event bleeds money.

And while attendees and non-attendees can continue to debate the quality of the lineup or the importance of other factors (timing, weather), your track record has been one of continued debt, unresponsive leadership and increased dependence on public funds.

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Birmingham Magazine shows off the pretty, pretty people

Each June, Birmingham Magazine singles out the fairest of them all, the city’s “Beautiful People.” You can find them all in this slideshow, or on the newsstand this month.

Ogle them, rate them, rank them.

At least one blogger has already done so:

“There is hardly any criteria to being birmingham’s most beautiful person. These ppl have normal jobs for the most part, and are semi-attractive according to the pictures. So what? Why is a magazine going to set themselves up for complete criticism by putting the word beautiful on the cover and then not deliver….AT ALL!”

So, are they Birmingham’s prettiest? Or somewhat plainest?

City Stages 2008, the historic 20th edition, has wrapped. We’ll know in a week whether or not it lost money, broke even or turned a profit to help erase its persistent debt.

Not having been since 2006, I was glad to check out the familiar sights and sounds. Not much has changed, and for those who like the feel of the downtown event, that should be of great comfort. For those who crave even modest improvement, that news is downright disheartening.

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