A Lively Experiment: Year in Review (Best & Worst of 2010) and Predictions for 2011

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

This week's show is the annual year-in-review and predictions program. Panelists will share their thoughts on last year's biggest news stories, the year's winners and losers, and the best and worst in politics. The panel will also look ahead with their predictions for 2011 and the people to watch in the coming year...


Panel
Jim Hagan – moderator
Ian Donnis – political reporter, WRNI public radio
Jim Hummel – executive director, The Hummel Report
Bernard Jackvony – attorney, former Lieutenant Governor and former chair of the R.I. Republican Party
Maureen Moakley – URI political science professor

Topics

• Top Local Story of 2010
• Top National Story of 2010
• Biggest Winner (2010)
• Biggest Loser (2010)
• Best Political Moment (2010)
• Worst Political Moment (2010)
• Only in Rhode Island Moment (2010)
• People to Watch in 2011
• Predictions for 2011

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next afternoon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

A Lively Experiment on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Thu., 12/23 at 7 P.M. (Sun., 12/26 at noon)

A Lively Experiment airs on Thursdays at 7 P.M. on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (digital 36.1), with re-broadcast on Saturdays at 7 P.M. on WSBE Learn (digital 36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS. Here's this week's panel and the topics:

Panel

Jim Hummel – moderator
Maureen Moakley – URI political science professor
Joseph Paolino – former mayor of Providence and former U.S. ambassador to Malta
Robert Weygand – URI vice president; former Lieutenant Governor and former U.S. Congressman
Bernard Jackvony – attorney, former Lieutenant Governor and former R.I. Republican Party chair

Topics
Governor-elect Chafee’s cabinet appointments
Governor Carcieri’s legacy
Expectations of the Taveras administration
Bringing the America’s Cup back to Newport

*NEWS* YouTube now permits videos longer than 15 minutes in duration. That means we can upload the entire episode of "A Lively Experiment" in just one video, rather than breaking up the show into segments. Thanks, YouTube!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Our Best Wishes to You

At the end of the day,
lose the stress of
the pushy crowds,
the hectic rush,
the biting cold,
and the frantic search
for that elusive parking spot.

Come home.
Kick off your shoes. Relax.
You provide the need;
we provide the quiet.
For you. For your family.

After the day you had,
you deserve a little pampering.
Where else but here?

Welcome home to
Rhode Island PBS.

"Drinking, Driving, Lethal Choices" on WSBE Rhode Island PBS

Just in time for holiday parties and New Year's Eve toasts, WSBE Rhode Island PBS airs Drinking, Driving, Lethal Choices. The subject of the film's title is explored through powerful stories told by family members, victims and offenders, and those who have survived catastrophic crashes with debilitating brain and spinal cord injuries. The film will air on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Sunday, December 26 at 11:30 P.M. and Wednesday, December 29 at 10:30 P.M.

Drinking, Driving, Lethal Choices is the second in a drunken driving educational series targeting youth by award-winning producer and director Deborah A. Hoch of Seekonk, Massachusetts. Her first documentary, The Impact of Your Choice: Underage Drinking and Reckless Driving, won a New England Emmy award and was honored with four Bronze Telly Awards for outstanding achievement in Film and Video in the categories: Education, Social Issues, Documentary and Education (for academic use). For more information about Drinking, Driving, Lethal Choices, visit www.megastarproductionsinc.com.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS Joins Effort to Harness Grassroots Enthusiasm of 170 Million Americans

WSBE Rhode Island PBS has joined with public television and public radio stations across the country in an unprecedented effort to harness the enthusiasm of the 170 million Americans who watch, listen to or use the services and programming of public media each month.1 The centerpiece of the campaign is a web site – 170MillionAmericans.org – that represents the beginning of a grassroots effort to engage the support and energy of viewers and listeners in local communities in all 50 states.

The 170 Million Americans campaign was founded on the belief that now, more than ever, the country needs a strong public media system as a source of non-partisan news, local cultural programming, and non-commercial educational programs. Public funding ensures that public media will continue to enhance the quality of life of local communities through its offerings of children’s programming, news and public affairs, music and culture, and more.

"Rhode Island PBS is proud to participate in the national 170 Million Americans campaign," said David Piccerelli, WSBE Rhode Island PBS president and chief executive officer. "WSBE has a strong local focus, and a national campaign such as 170 Million Americans gives our viewers a chance to express on a national level their enthusiasm for local public television."

Piccerelli said the station will include on-air and online efforts that urge members, viewers and supporters of public media to visit 170MillionAmericans.org and join the movement. The 170 Million Americans is not a fund raising campaign.

“2011 will be the year when a vigorous debate over the importance of public media will take place,” Piccerelli said. “We’re proud to be a driver in this coordinated grassroots efforts to harness the support and energy of public media supporters in America.”

1 Source: http://170millionamericans.org/numbers

A Lively Experiment 12/16 at 7PM (12/19 at noon) on WSBE Rhode Island PBS

Panel

Jim Hagan – moderator

Denise Aiken – attorney, former (D) state reperesentative 

Representative Joseph Trillo – (R) state representative, Warwick 

Louis Pulner –  attorney 

Jim Hummel – executive director, The Hummel Report

Topics

• Judge Pfeiffer’s recommendations to fix the Central Falls budget deficit 
• Rising tensions at Central Falls High School 
• Should Rhode Island institute a runoff election system?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next afternoon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

Cook Political Report's Jennifer Duffy is on this week's A Lively Experiment, Thu 12/9 at 7

This week's panel on A Lively Experiment includes Jennifer Duffy of the highly regarded Cook Political Report; Wendy Schiller, political science professor at Brown University; Maureen Moakley, political science professor at URI; and Scott MacKay, political reporter for WRNI. Jim Hagan will host. Tune in on Thursday, December 9 at 7 P.M. We rebroadcast this episode on Saturday night, December 11 at 7 P.M. on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sunday December 12 at noon.

The Cook Political Report is a nonpartisan online newsletter that analyzes congressional, gubernatorial and presidential races. It is one of the most respected political handicappers in the business.

The Cook Political Report is "... a newsletter that both parties regard as authoritative."

—The New York Times

(This has all the makings of being another great show!)

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next afternoon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

A Lively Experiment Line-up for Thu. 12/2 at 7PM (and Sun. 12/5 at noon)

Panel
Jim Hagan – moderator
Maureen Moakley – political science professor, URI
Representative John Loughlin – (R) Tiverton, former congressional candidate
Representative Deborah Ruggiero – (D) Jamestown, Middletown
Dennis Langley – executive director, Urban League of Rhode Island

Topics

• State Representative John Loughlin’s recent run for Congress
• The state budget
• NEA teachers union official charged with impersonating a state representative
• The agenda for the upcoming General Assembly session

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available to watch on the next afternoon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

RI Stories: Old House Soul on December 18

This month, even with all the seasonal specials we are airing, we've managed to tuck in one installment of Rhode Island Stories. And if you love old architecture and the importance of preserving our past, you'll love Old House Soul. It airs on Saturday, December 18 at 7 P.M. (rebroadcast at 11 PM Sunday, December 19).

Don Manley and Michel Schtakleff’s documentary, Old House Soul, examines the life and work of Steve Tyson, Sr. (1942-2008), a Rhode Island preservationist whose company has restored and preserved hundreds of historic buildings and houses across Rhode Island, including such Rhode Island landmarks as Slater Mill in Pawtucket, Smith's Castle, the Towers in Narragansett, and several buildings in Rogers Williams Park. The documentary pays tribute to Tyson, his legacy and the tradition of architectural preservation in Rhode Island.

View a raw-footage video clip from the documentary, and learn more about Steve Tyson and the filmmakers at oldhousesoul.org. There's even a video journal of filmmaker Don Manley's own old house move. Fascinating!

Traditional Italian Cooking in the Electronic Age - Ciao Italia's new Web site

Wow! That's all I can say about the new Web site rolled out by Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito.

Looking for a recipe for one of Mary Ann's traditional and authentic Italian dishes? Click the electronic recipe file and browse by category - very easy navigation. Many of the recipes have video in addition to the text recipe.

Missed an episode? Want to see one again? Or maybe you've just discovered Ciao Italia and want to catch up on previous shows? There are 18 - yes, eighteen - seasons of episodes online.

Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito is the longest running cooking show on television. WSBE Rhode Island PBS is proud to co-produce the series, and to be the location of Mary Ann's Ciao Italia cucina (kitchen) every summer. Each year for two weeks in June,  the crew rolls in from New Hampshire to tape a new season of shows. I'll tell you, those are the two most aromatic weeks of the year at the station!

Andy Williams and Celtic Thunder: Christmas Past, Christmas Presents, and Christmas Future

December is chock full of Christmas specials, including Christmas episodes of regular series. In the beginning of the month, to thank our loyal supporters and encourage other viewers to become new members, WSBE proudly presents a number of nostalgic and contemporary musical specials.

Why is membership so important? Because all of that terrific, unique programming you enjoy all year on WSBE (programming you will not see on other PBS stations) is only made possible by your financial support directly to WSBE. Donations to any other PBS station do not benefit WSBE. We are all independently owned and operated, no matter how close we seem geographically.

If you become a member in December, you get two thank-you gifts (hence the "Christmas Presents" in this blog's title). Keep one or both for yourself or give to someone else: Christmas Lights DVD and a gold-tone snowflake ornament from Adornment by Campany & Thornton Fine Jewelry in South Kingstown.

On Monday, December 6 at 7:30 P.M., join us live in the studio (that's always fun!) as we present memories of Christmas Past:
 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS: THE BEST OF THE ANDY WILLIAMS CHRISTMAS SHOWS features classic clips of various Christmas specials from The Andy Williams Show. Filling homes with seasonal cheer, the specials became a cherished holiday family tradition. The digitally re-mastered production numbers are complete with magnificent sets and costumes and a cast of singers, dancers, and skaters. Quintessential moments include Williams’s solos of “Silent Night” and “Ave Maria,” as well as performances with his brothers for “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and with the Osmonds for “Silver Bells.” Interviews with Williams, and Bobby and Donny Osmond are interwoven with the show clips.

If you miss the first broadcast, look for re-broadcasts on Thursday, December 9 at noon, and Friday, December 10 just after midnight, at 12:30 A.M.

As for Christmas Future? Well, with such youth among the members of Celtic Thunder, I figure fans can look forward to years of future Christmas specials from these performers. *smile*

The heart-warming new CELTIC THUNDER CHRISTMAS features holiday standards such as “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas,” “Let It Snow,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Silent Night” as well as a few specially-written originals, “Going Home For Christmas," “Christmas Morning Donegal” and “Our First Christmas Together." Filmed in Poughkeepsie, NY, in front of a live audience, Irishmen Damian McGinty, Keith Harkin, Paul Byrom, Ryan Kelly, and Scotsman George Donaldson of Celtic Thunder bring together their affinity for a great popular song with outstanding live performances, pay homage to cherished holiday favorites. The show is a holiday celebration for all the family, performed with Celtic Thunder magic. CELTIC THUNDER CHRISTMAS airs after HAPPY HOLIDAYS: THE BEST OF THE ANDY WILLIAMS CHRISTMAS SHOWS special: Monday, December 6 at 9 P.M., with on Thursday, December 9 at 1:30 P.M., Friday, December 10 at 2 A.M. and 8:30 P.M.

Happy Thanksgiving, but there's a new episode of A Lively Experiment for Sunday, 11/28

From all of us at A Lively Experiment and WSBE Rhode Island PBS, we hope you enjoyed a bountiful Thanksgiving... and that any debates about politics were kept to a minimum at the dinner table.

Although our panelists enjoyed Thanksgiving with their families (and we aired special programming on Thanksgiving evening), the panelists did come in to the studio at another time to tape a new episode of A Lively Experiment for broadcast on Sunday at noon.

Here's who gathered around the table, and what they served:

Panel
Jim Hagan – Moderator

Bernard Jackvony – attorney, former Lieutenant Governor and

        former chair of the Rhode Island GOP
Maureen Moakley – Professor, University of Rhode Island political science
Catherine Taylor – former Republican candidate for Secretary of State

Robert Walsh - executive director, National Education Association RI and

        member of Governor-elect Chafee’s transition team

Topics

• The role played by the Moderate Party during the recent gubernatorial race
• The agenda for the upcoming General Assembly session

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; Comcast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; Comcast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, Comcast 819.

This Thanksgiving, go to the CIRCUS!

So, how are you enjoying CIRCUS so far? The final two episodes are coming up...

What? You haven't seen it yet?

Well, good news for you! WSBE Rhode Island PBS presents all six dramatic hours - including the final two brand new episodes - on Thanksgiving evening, starting at 5 P.M.

After the Thanksgiving feast is done, and before the pie is completely devoured, join the legendary Big Apple Circus. It's an unforgettable journey from the big top to the "back lot," where nail-biting drama unfolds both high in the air and down on the ground, and the real heart of the circus beats.

CIRCUS goes behind the scenes to explore a distinctive world with its own rules and lingo and no fixed address. The documentary reveals the sights, sounds, and stories of the fascinating cultural legacy of the circus in unprecedented breadth and scope. Escape into a place of passion, excitement, perseverance and even heartache. From the training and rehearsals to the bravery and the intensity of life - and work - in the circus, the cameras capture it all. And you have a front-row seat, as members of the Big Apple family experience life-changing moments.

5 P.M.:   "First of May"
6 P.M.:   "One Ring Family"
7 P.M.:   "Change On!"
8 P.M.:   "Survival of the Fittest"
9 P.M.:   "Born to be Circus" NEW
10 P.M.: "Down the Road" NEW





WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

"It's so difficult finding a kindred spirit these days."

It was many years ago, in 1986, that I first saw that wisp of girl with infinite fiery spirit under a shock of red hair burst upon the lives of an elderly couple of siblings to "help" on their farm. I, like millions of others, was immediately captivated, and tuned in for each episode of the series, Anne of Green Gables.

This Thanksgiving weekend, back by popular demand, the award-winning Anne of Green Gables will be shown in its entirety - all four hours - in a mini-marathon of charming storytelling. The film is based on the book of the same name by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery and stars Megan Follows as the title character, Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla Cuthbert, and Richard Farnsworth as Matthew Cuthbert.

Anne of Green Gables starts at 4 PM on Friday, November 26, on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (digital 36.1). It repeats on Saturday at 12:30 A.M. on Rhode Island PBS, and on Sunday, November 28 at 1 P.M. on  Learn (digital 36.2).

You might also like to visit this Web site by Sullivan Entertainment - the production company that brought us Anne of Green Gables. Producer Kevin Sullivan is seen in several short behind-the-scenes videos, and there are teasers trailers you might find interesting!

There's a New 'Big Bird' at Rhode Island PBS!

PROVIDENCE, RI – (November 22, 2010) – David W. Piccerelli of Barrington, RI, has been named president and chief executive officer of WSBE Rhode Island PBS. Michael B. Isaacs, chairperson of the Rhode Island Public Telecommunications Authority (RIPTA), made the announcement after the board voted to approve Piccerelli's selection at its meeting on November 18. The Authority is the governing body that owns and operates WSBE and holds the broadcast license for its two channels: Rhode Island PBS (digital 36.1) and Learn (36.2).

"The board's unanimous decision demonstrates our confidence in David’s leadership," Isaacs said. "David has the right combination of management skill and business acumen, as well as a clear appreciation and enthusiasm for the station's mission. It's that balance of qualities that impressed the board, and will serve the station's best interests now and into the future."

Mr. Piccerelli joined WSBE in 1998, and was promoted to vice-president and chief financial officer in 2003. He has been serving as acting president since March, when the station's former president, Robert Fish, left the position on extended medical leave. Mr. Fish passed away in July.

Isaacs said the vacancy was advertised nationally. The Authority's search committee screened some 24 applicants – including a number from within the PBS system - interviewed candidates and narrowed the field. Isaacs noted that Mr. Piccerelli's familiarity and experience in the station's day to day management were advantages, but Isaacs said the board was most impressed by Piccerelli's competence and commitment. "David successfully demonstrated to the search committee and the board that he understands the station's important role in education, in the community, and in delivering uniquely Rhode Island programming and services to the residents of our state."

"I am honored to have been chosen," said Piccerelli. "My two predecessors were local broadcasting legends, who left indelible marks on the station," he said, referring to Susan L. Farmer, WSBE's president for 17 years, and Bob Fish, who was a commercial radio and television executive before joining the station in 2005.

"The broadcast media landscape continues to change rapidly," observes Piccerelli, who shepherded the station's complex multi-year $3.8 million conversion from analog to full digital broadcasting in 2009. "WSBE has been Rhode Island's source for educational media for 43 years. But it's not just about great television anymore. It's about expanding the traditional definition of education and moving existing programs and services in new directions – on-air, online, and in the community."

Piccerelli said the station's greatest limitation has only ever been financial, not a lack of innovative ideas and talent among the staff. "We've faced many obstacles and challenges over the years, and have always emerged stronger and better than before. I see enormous opportunity for expanding educational media on various platforms. I'm excited to lead WSBE into this developing frontier, while preserving our distinctly local identity," Piccerelli said.

A Rhode Island native and Barrington resident, David W. Piccerelli holds a BS in Accounting from Bryant University. Mr. Piccerelli serves on a number of professional public broadcasting committees and associations. Prior to joining WSBE, Mr. Piccerelli was vice president and manager of the mergers and acquisitions division at Centerbank in Waterbury, Connecticut. His previous position was vice president and corporate secretary at Capital Strategies Group, Inc., in Providence.

Mr. Piccerelli is also an avid golfer, and serves as treasurer on the board of the Brad Faxon Junior Golf Foundation, and president of Rhode Island Country Club.

A Lively Experiment on Thurs., 11/18 at 7 PM, and Sun., 11/21 at noon

Panel
Jim Hagan – moderator
Representative Jon Brien – (D) Woonsocket
Maureen Moakley – political science professor, URI
Senator James Sheehan – (D) North Kingstown, Narragansett
Representative Robert Watson – (R) House minority leader

Topics

• Changes in the General Assembly and the upcoming session’s agenda 
• Governor-elect Chafee’s appointment of Richard Licht to head the Department of Administration 
• Governor-elect Chafee's intent to rescind Governor Carcieri's executive order requiring E-verify for state employment and state contractors 
• Governor-elect Chafee's intention to impose new state sales taxes on nontaxable items

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available for watching on the next afternoon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

Leaders of RI's Two Major Political Parties on A Lively Experiment - Thu., 11/11 (and Sun., 11/14 at noon)

Panel
Jim Hummel - Moderator
Giovanni Cicione - chair, Rhode Island Republican Party
Dyana Koelsch - DK Communications; former TV political journalist
Edwin Pacheco - chair, Rhode Island Democratic Party

Topics

• Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's vulnerability in 2012
• Gubernatorial election results
• Power and influence exerted and money spent by public sector unions in the elections
• Governor-elect Chafee's challenges with the General Assembly:
• expanding the sales tax
• "gay marriage"
• Economic Development Corporation
• Education Commissioner Deborah Gist
• New dynamics in Congress as a result of the mid-term elections

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

RI Society of CPAs: Prepare by December 31st to Save Taxes on April 15th

The holidays are around the corner, but don't let your preparations for the festivities distract you from your preparations for April 15th!

Yes, the filing deadline is five months away. But do you know what to do now to prepare for April 15th? You will, thanks to the Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants. Each November for more than 20 years, the Rhode Island Society of CPAs presents relevant tax code updates and essential information about what to do by December 31st to save money - and avoid pitfalls - when filing income tax returns. Subject areas include income, business, gift and education taxes. Also, representatives from the Rhode Island Division of Taxation discuss various changes in this year’s state tax laws.


WSBE Rhode Island PBS airs the one-hour Tax Planning Forum 2010 on Sunday, November 21 at 2 P.M.




Panel
DAVID C. MORGANELLI, Esq., CPA – Host
LINDA RIENDEAU – Rhode Island Division of Taxation
GAIL McNAMEE - Rhode Island Division of Taxation
JACQUELYN H. TRACY, CPA, MST
JAMES FEROLITO, CPA
LEIGA LANDRY, CPA, MST
ANTHONY V. RICCI, CPA, CITP, CFP

Vintage Look at Elegant Cooking at Hammersmith Farm

I love discovering new things, especially when they are unexpected. Today, I might say a discovery found me.

It isn't exactly new. In fact, it's something quite... not new. It's a pilot episode of a cooking show, Be My Guest, produced by Carolyn Horan, in association with WSBE... in 1991!

This vintage gem features Chef Michael Dupre, the personal chef to Janet Auchincloss (mother of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis) at her Newport home, Hammersmith Farm, in the 1980s. In Be My Guest, Chef Michael prepares an elaborate meal fit for a... President. Hammersmith Farm was also known as the "summer White House" during President John F. Kennedy's term.

As we watch Chef Michael whisk, fold, spoon, and slice, the voice of veteran radio host Peter Pratt narrates. The episode nicely showcases Chef Michael's professional cooking techniques.

The episode is also a stark reminder of how much cooking shows have changed and how impatient we have become, especially when consuming electronic media. By today's standards, the episode is slow-paced, even though Chef Michael never stops. I guess it's the result of bombardment by 15-second commercials, 30-second news bites, and skim and skip blog reading. Be My Guest definitely invites a more leisurely pace to savor the experience.

Here is the vintage pilot episode of Be My Guest.

 

 

 

Panelists review mid-term elections on A Lively Experiment 11/4 at 7 (11/7 at noon)

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1). 

PANEL

Jim Hummel – Moderator
Maureen Moakley – Political Science Professor, URI
Scott MacKay – Political Reporter, WRNI
Robert Weygand – Vice President URI; former U.S. Congressman (D)
Bernard Jackvony – attorney, former RI Lieutenant Governor (R)

TOPICS

Panelists review of the Rhode Island and U.S. mid-term elections.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).


WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Halloween Night: Local Spooky Stories!

After the candy's been inspected, the goopy Halloween makeup's been scrubbed off, and pajamas have replaced the costumes, put the kiddies safely to bed and settle in for a couple of stories about real life spooky characters - just for grown-ups.

At 10 PM on Halloween night, Ghost and Vampire Legends of Rhode Island examines the origins of mysteries around the Ocean State, including the wandering monk at Belcourt Castle, specters on Benefit Street, a burning ship off Block Island, and several more. Ghost and Vampire Legends of Rhode Island was nominated for a New England Emmy Award and won a first-place national Telly, and was the first independent documentary for 3rd Story Productions, Maria and Scott Saracen.

At 11 PM, we re-broadcast Lizbeth: A Victorian Nightmare, a documentary film by Bristol Community College film instructor, Ricardo Rebelo. The film explores the legend and lore of Lizzie Borden, the woman accused - and acquitted - of killing her father and stepmother with an ax. The documentary looks at not only the facts of the murder, but at the "popularity" of the crime and the culture of those who follow it.

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

"Come Home to Rhode Island PBS"

Fall season preview of programs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS. What do you think of the spot?

"Lizzie Borden took an ax..." Did she really? Watch Lizbeth: A Victorian Nightmare

On the hot New England summer afternoon of August 4, 1892, a brutal double murder took place in the  Victorian city of Fall River, Massachusetts, home to some of the wealthiest people in America. More than 100 years later, the crime is still one of the most studied in history. The woman at the center of the crime has become one of the most infamous personalities in American history, too. Her name: Lizzie Borden.

Lizbeth: A Victorian Nightmare is a documentary film about the legend and lore of Lizzie Borden, the woman accused - and acquitted - of killing her father and stepmother with an ax. The documentary looks at not only the facts of the murder, but at the "popularity" of the crime and the culture of those who follow it.

The film started as a master's thesis project two years ago by the director, Bristol Community College film instructor, Ricardo Rebelo. He said people are drawn to Lizzie for different reasons. For some, it's the Victorian-era that draws them; for others, it's the fact that an upper-class woman is at the center of the murder controversy. For still others, they like a good spooky story, or true crime element.

Lizbeth: A Victorian Nightmare will air on Rhode Island PBS on Halloween weekend, Saturday night, October 30 at 7 PM as part of Rhode Island Stories, and on October 31 at 11 PM.

"A Lively Experiment" Panelists Offer Their Analysis of the Races - Tonight (10/21) at 7; (Sun., 10/24 at noon)

Due to a scheduling conflict, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Frank Caprio will not appear on A Lively Experiment. (Special thanks to Denise Aiken for agreeing to appear on short notice.) 

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1). 

Panel

Jim Hagan - moderator
Denise Aiken - former state representative
Dennis Langley - president, Urban League of RI
Scott MacKay - reporter, WRNI public radio
Maureen Moakley - political science professor, University of Rhode Island

TOPICS

Panelists look at the Rhode Island governor’s race and the use of negative advertising. They also offer analysis of the races for 1st Congressional district and lieutenant governor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).


WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Independent Gubernatorial Candidate Ronald Algieri on "A Lively Experiment" 10/31 at 11:30 AM

This special edition of A LIVELY EXPERIMENT airs on Sunday morning, October 31 at 11:30 AM

Panel
Ron St. Pierre– moderator
Mark Murphy – editor, Providence Business News
Maureen Moakley – political science professor , URI
Dennis Langley – executive director, Urban League of RI
Ronald Algieri – Independent candidate for Rhode Island Governor

Topics
Independent candidate for governor Ronald Algieri discusses his background, qualifications and political philosophy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.
WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; Full Channel 109; ComCast 294.
Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Can't get to the TV? Watch the episode online anytime and anywhere on our YouTube channel. Episodes of A Lively Experiment are generally available on the next afternoon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and YouTube will notify you when a new episode is uploaded.

GOD IN AMERICA series begins October 20

WSBE Rhode Island PBS airs a new 6-hour PBS series from the producers of American Experience and Frontline: God in America at 9 PM on three consecutive Wednesdays, October 20, October 27, and November 3 (with series re-broadcast at 1:30 AM on October 22, October 29, and November 5.) 

What follows is the introduction to an interview with the producers of the documentary, Michael Sullivan and Marilyn Mellowes, courtesy of pbs.org: 

What was the genesis of God in America? Why take on this subject now?

You don't need to look any further that today's political/religious controversies -- over President Obama's personal faith, plans to build an Islamic center in lower Manhattan, or threats by a Florida pastor to burn copies of the Quran -- to sense the relevance of a series on how religious ideas and spiritual experience shaped America's public life.

However, the genesis of God in America did not occur in the crucible of today's headlines, but during a conference WGBH convened several years ago to discuss, with a room full of scholars and thinkers about religion, what direction public broadcasting could take to do more about the role of religious faith for an American audience.

The consensus at that conference was that America had a religious literacy problem. Several scholars define the problem this way: "Although many Americans are deeply religious, man can also be profoundly ignorant about religion -- about other faiths and sometimes even their own, as well as the religious history of the country."

Out of that conference five years ago came the idea for God in America -- to tell the often-neglected historical story of how religious ideas and spiritual experience shaped the public life of the country.

And undergirding the effort is a simple idea: In America, religion matters. In American history, it has always mattered, and we can't fully understand the American story without also understanding our religious history.

The rest of the interview...

Gubernatorial Candidate Ken Block on "A Lively Experiment" Thu, 10/14 at 7PM (Sun, 10/17 at noon)

Panel

Jim Hagan - Moderator
Maureen Moakley - University of Rhode Island Political Science
Bill Haberman - 630 WPRO-AM News Director
John Hazen White, Jr. - President and CEO of Taco, Inc.
Kenneth Block - Moderate Party Candidate for Rhode Island Governor

Topic

Ken Block discusses the campaign issues and his candidacy.


Part 1







Part 2

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A Lively Experiment airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1) Thursdays at 7 PM, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 7 PM on WSBE Learn (36.2) and Sundays at noon on WSBE Rhode Island PBS (36.1).

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.


WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

It's Clear (or colored, or twisted, or frosted, or etched) as Glass!

Gallery Belleau

Creative individuals work in all kinds of media, including some that may not readily come to mind when discussing the subject of art.

Take glass: We carry liquids in it and drink from it. It keeps the weather out of our houses; and in our cars, it protects us wind and debris as we drive, while letting us clearly see the road ahead. Yes, glass is practical.

But it's also beautiful, a medium of artistic expression. Artisans like Chris Belleau shape it while molten, creating beautiful objects like flowers and the Permanent Wave (shown above), capturing fluid motion in a solid object! Larry Winslow turns it into exquisite stained glass lamps. Dorian Webb and Bonnie Perry use it to create fine jewelry. Fire and Ice Studios and Tracy Glover make the practical beautiful. And Alice Benvie Gebhart creates decorative interpretations of everyday surroundings.

So, let's lift a glass to the creative spirit expressed in the Arts Auction!

Larry Winslow

Dorian Webb

Bonnie Perry

Fire and Ice Studios

Tracy Glover

Alice Benvie Gebhart