A reminder that tonight the Providence Children’s Museum presents this documentary at Temple Beth-El, followed by a panel discussion.

The provocative documentary film examines an issue of growing concern among pediatricians, mental health experts, educators and environmentalists: more and more children are growing up today with few opportunities for unstructured play, especially outdoors.  An audience discussion about the ideas explored in the film will follow each screening. Panelists include Providence Children’s Museum director Janice O’Donnell; Jewish Community Day School assistant head of school Renee Rudnick; Tufts University child development professor Dr. W. George Scarlett; and Grow Smart Rhode Island director Scott Wolf.

This was discussed in a post last week where a commenter drew this recent NYT article to our attention regarding a company that now runs and manages school recess programs. And while I was a bit surprised to find that recess even exists anymore, this is hardly the ‘unstructured play’ that it once was. Go here for more info about the movie and the second screening scheduled for March 30th at URI.

7pm to 9pm, Tuesday, Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Avenue

If you said ‘absolutely nothing’ (or ‘fat children’) congratulations, you get it. If you said ‘adult supervision’ or ‘helmets’ then you are a tedious fool. I have not seen the movie Where Do the Children Play? but I’m pretty sure I’m on board with the central theme.

This thought-provoking documentary examines an issue of growing concern among pediatricians, mental health experts, educators and environmentalists: more and more children are growing up with few opportunities for unstructured play, especially outdoors.

You don’t even see kids playing outside in the snow any more. Children used to be kicked out of the house by their parents and told not to come back until dinner. They then roamed the neighborhood in noisy gangs — usually with a pack of dogs — got into trouble, made up contests and games, staged plays, devised money-making schemes, formed weirdass clubs, and learned how to navigate social situations and become autonomous and independent citizens of the world. (And that world is not a scarier place, parents just do not assess risk properly.) The movie will be shown at Temple Beth-El next Tuesday evening and will be followed by a panel discussion. It will screen again on March 30th down at the URI Kingston Campus.

[I originally had this incorrectly slated for tonight. The event takes place one week from tonight. My apologies to the commenter and anyone else who has been inconvenienced. I usually check and double check, but I was rushing. BC]

Tuesday, March 16, 7pm to 9pm, Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Avenue

Robert J. Healey, Jr., lawyer, businessman, and founder of the Cool Moose party is once again running for the office of lieutenant governor for the sole purpose of eliminating it.

Should he win, he has the same plan he pitched the last time he ran: He’ll take no pay, hire no staff and work to abolish the office.

“Four years ago when I proposed savings Rhode Islanders $1 million a year just by getting elected, people would say, ‘It’s only a million dollars,’” Healey said in a news release. “Now, in these economic times, I hear ‘It’s a million dollars.’”

He’s right. You know he’s right. I know you know he’s right. And you know I know it. Vote for Healey.

Once upon a time moviegoers always got a short film before the main feature. Theater owners soon figured out that they could have more showtimes and make more money without them. It’s a pity because they can be wonderful. So it’s really great that the Cable Car Cinema is running a mini-festival of sorts so people can see the five live action and five animated films in two-hour bundles. This special package, produced by Shorts International, is running in theaters across the country and these Oscar categories can actually mean something to viewers again. Michael Janusonis in the ProJo says it’s a strong field — it even includes a ‘Wallace and Gromit’. Starts tonight, Friday, at 6:45pm with the Live Action group, with more showings scheduled of both groups through Wednesday the 24th. (Trailers)

Cable Car Cinema, 204 South Main Street, 272.3970, Friday through Wednesday

Having trouble with rent, utility bills, food assistance, health care, housing, foreclosure? Dial 211 and get help. In these extraordinary economic times people who have never before needed assistance, now find themselves in serious trouble paying bills and no idea what help is available and where to find it.  With this in mind, the United Way set up an emergency phone number so that people can be directed to the appropriate health and social service agencies and programs. But according to a piece in today’s ProJo, ‘United Way 2-1-1 in Rhode Island’ director Cristina M. Amedeo thinks the helpline needs more publicity. Glad to help.

Today’s very moving article by staff reporter Paul Davis opens with a day in the life of Tony Medeiros whose job is to field these calls all day long. I know there must be great satisfaction in knowing you are helping people . . . still.

Phone calls are handled from 6am to midnight by local call specialists, later calls are forwarded to a similar operation in Maine.

According to a report out of London roughly 87,000 drunken Brits are smashing each other in the face each year with broken pint glasses (I can name at least two). The powers-that-be are tackling the problem head-on and, as always with such things, identifying the problem is half the battle.

The shatterproof pint glass was proudly unveiled by the government yesterday. Officials swore the country would save billions in health care costs by coming up with a glass that does not double as a lethal weapon.

I suspect that many people will start hoarding the original, shardy glasses for special occasions like Boxing Day with the family and soccer matches.

I was happy to see the editorial board of the Providence Journal throw its support behind Reed Cosper, Rhode Island’s mental-health advocate.

Operating out of crumbling offices in the Howard Complex in Cranston, Mr. Cosper, a lawyer, has relentlessly sought to help people suffering from illnesses still heavily stigmatized by many in society. These people find it difficult to obtain the quality of treatment that those with physical illnesses receive — although serious mental illness has physiological causes, too.

The Governor has indicated that it is “time for a change”. Those lucky enough to have made Mr. Cosper’s acquaintance are startled to find this intellectually nuanced and compassionate advocate in state government at all. He is quiet and unassuming and is probably surprised that he has been noticed. It is not possible to find a better person for this position and as long as he will agree to stay he should be allowed to stay.

[Additional note: Columnist Bob Kerr agrees. Read his piece in Sunday's paper for the background of this dedicated and capable public servant.]

Yeah, I know George Clooney is doing that thing on Friday night, and he’s an okay guy, but these things always feature an endless parade of self-absorbed dummies saying things like “I just had to do something.” And that ’something’ just happens to involve lots of television cameras. Here’s another option: Maurice (rhymes with ‘loris’) Collins proprietor of the Wild Colonial Tavern and noted trivia quizmaster sends along this invitation.

The Wild Colonial, with a little help from our pals at Narragansett Beer and Guinness, will be running the bar at a fundraiser for Haitian relief and for the social justice programs at St. Michael’s — the folks who helped bring us hits like The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence,  AIDS Care Ocean State,  Southside Community Land Trust, CityArts and Community Boating. Cultural programming all day, headline act in the evening, kids games, etc.  And, for a measly buck you can buy a chance to win a week at a fabulous house in Ireland — our fabulous house in Ireland.

The event is Brigids Fire — the first party of the St. Patrick’s Day Season! And this picture here is taken from the above-mentioned fabulous Collins house in County Kerry, the Aunts House at Derrynane Bay. This place is unbelievably beautiful with mountains, surf, golfing, monastery ruins, and you can ride horses on the beach which is the best thing anyone can ever do.

Brigids Fire, Sunday, January 31st, 3pm to 9pm, $10 adult, $5 student, Roger Williams Park Casino

Meghan Grady of Rhode Island Young Democrats sends out this invitation.

Mayor David N. Cicilline and the Rhode Island Young Democrats will co-host a Day of Service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 18th.  The Day of Service will kick off at 9 a.m. with a rally led by Mayor David Cicilline at The Jewish Community Center.  Volunteer service projects will take place at the Bannister House, Jewish Community Center and the Capital City Community Center.  We are encouraging all participants interested to RSVP for the event to riyoungdems@gmail.com.

Participants will receive snacks, lunch, and a very nice t-shirt designed by John Berard (I had to crop the image a bit to size). You may be put to work painting or cleaning up so dress accordingly. Get out there and make the world a better place.

Monday, 9am, Jewish Community Center, 401 Elmgrove Avenue

Haiti needed all our money before the earthquake. Just don’t respond to unsolicited emails with sad pictures, or open any links in same. Scammers taking advantage of this dire situation have got to be the lowest form of life. Two charities with excellent reputations are Oxfam America and Doctors Without Borders.

Even in tight economic times, we need things like this. The City of Providence, the Summit Neighborhood Association and the Champlin Foundation are coming together to fund the restoration of the  fountain in Lippitt Park, first erected in 1940. It is here, at the north end of Hope Street and Blackstone Boulevard, that the Farmers’ Market is held in the warm months. Think how nice that will be. So how much for all this? According to the ProJo,

Mayor David N. Cicilline’s office said on Monday the Parks Department was recently awarded a $58,900 grant from Champlin. It will be added to about $112,000 the department has allocated for the project and $10,000 that the neighborhood association raised.

The $180,000 project, which will be put out to bid in late February, calls for installing new plumbing, lighting and a water recirculation and filtration system. The fountain has been in disuse since 1982, when the city shut off its water due to rising operating costs, according to city Parks Supt. Robert McMahon.

RIFuture has a good post up on the veto overrides we’ll be doing on Tuesday.  At least a handful of them are pretty interesting — letting 16 and 17-year-olds pre-register to vote; requiring elections to fill federal Senate vacancies; letting domestic partners plan each others’ funerals; and requiring advance-notice to homeowners of pending foreclosure, along with information about mortgage counseling.  It’s nuts that any of them were vetoed, and it’s nice that we’ll be pushing them through.

Unfortunately, we’ll not be overriding the veto of the probation reform bill that we’ve been working on for a few years, but I’m hopeful that we’ll be passing it early on this session, after a small change is made.

John Cucco of the Rhode Island Department of Health wants to get the word out to young Rhode Island residents and college students — the swine flu vaccine is now available.

Young adults through the age of 24 can now get H1N1 flu vaccine from their healthcare providers in Rhode Island. Vaccination is your best defense against this virus, which continues to affect young people across the state. Even if you consider yourself healthy, you are still at risk. The H1N1 vaccine is safe. It is made by the same manufacturers who produce seasonal flu vaccines, which millions of Americans receive every year.

Contact your healthcare provider for vaccination as soon as possible. Information about the public H1N1 vaccination clinics that will be held in the coming months will soon be posted on the website of the Rhode Island Department of Health (www.health.ri.gov).

Register for upcoming clinic — There will be a clinic making the vaccine available to out-of-state college students returning for holidays, but you must pre-register by December 21st. The ‘when’ and ‘where’ will be emailed to those who have pre-registered. (Click here to register.) Video of rapping anti-flu teen poets after the jump.

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Attention nerds, geeks, and sci-fi freaks; this one’s for you! Tickets always go fast for this annual production, a fundraising event to benefit Perishable Theatre Arts School. This year’s theme — A Space Odyssey — promises “holiday cheer from across the Milky Way and beyond!” How about an homage to Barbarella performed by Miss BettySioux Tailor? Or Blitzen Von Schtupp’s interpretation of Dr. Who? This is gonna be good. In the past, the ‘Belles and Balls’ revues have been a crazy amalgam of naughty and goofy, and while you can’t see everything, it’s pretty risqué. The holiday theme just makes it weirder (Miss Honey Pot does an alien Blue Christmas this year) with stripping Santas and such. It is staged just like a classic burlesque show, the strip tease acts interspersed with some real dopey comedy bits, and last year there was a little something for the ladies.

Tickets for the ‘Santa Claus Gala Celebration’ on Friday, December 11th (two shows; 7pm and 9:30pm) are still available but space is limited. Your $50 ticket also gets you into The Starlight Lounge for the Risqué Raffle, a cool T-shirt and swag bag and the cash bar.

‘General Elf Shows’ will run at 7pm and 9:30pm on December 12th and 13th — tickets $20.

Perishable Theatre, 95 Empire Street, 401.331.2695 X103. Complete schedule go here.

I am calling for a boycott of all stores that stay open on Thanksgiving day. This is a little different from the No Shopping Day declared by many for Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. That was an equally valid reaction to the annual displays of grotesque consumerism as shoppers rushed the doors in pursuit of more useless junk. That issue is somewhat complicated this year by the horrible economy — we do after all need businesses to turn a profit and stay afloat.  But this boycott is about the workers. People need the occasional day off — all together! So just plan ahead. What do you really need by tomorrow? Go get it now. Everything else can wait. And while I’m at it, Black Friday shouldn’t start at 12:01am. Make Thanksgiving an unprofitable day to stay open and this insanity will end.

Good news for map lovers. As reported here last September, the building that houses the Map Center was the scene of a pretty impressive fire, but Andrew Nosal is up and running again and he has some great deals. Now thru November 28th — 50% off on his smoke-exposed merch, and everything hanging on the walls. I saw this stuff, it’s fine. (All website sales are new merchandise.) Maps are cool.

The Map Center, 671 North Main Street, 421.2184