Touched From Afar

 Funderwear underwear the new way to get close with your significant other miles away...

Isaac Brock on bipolar producers

Isaac Brock and Modest Mouse have been cornerstones in the indie rock world since their debut in 1996. At the turn of the century the band gained mainstream notoriety with two major-label releases. Brock, the lead singer, sat down with music media website Toazted.com to discuss the production of Modest Mouse's second major-label album Good News for People who Love Bad News.

NASA's Newest Spacecraft Orion Almost Ready For Launch

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA officials recently held a press conference where they shared new details about Orion, the new spacecraft designed to take humans back into space, and beyond. During the conference NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and other officials discussed the technical capabilities of Orion, as well as why the first human launch is over 7 years away.

50 cent neglects something that we all fear.

We all know famous rapper 50 cent as one of the best to ever break into the music scene when he took the music culture by storm back in 2003. He is a man who has been through the toughest of times growing up in south side Jamaica  queens, ny. 50 has been through the pain of his mother being killed, to selling drugs, being locked, and even getting shot. When you hear all those things, you must wonder, how does a man continue to live life with such joy and confidence the way that 50 cent has. In a recent podcast interview, 50 lets us know why he has made it through life, and why he has been so successful. He lets us know that the main thing that holds many people back in life from accomplishing what they desire is the thing that we all fear the most, "fear" it self. Wether its the fear of losing, being embarrass or, simply just the fear of being wrong, 50 cent says that we must over come and face it head on, and by doing that, we will get far in life and accomplish the things we want.

Watch the raw-uncut original version of the interview

One Of Her Last Interviews

Aaliyah died August. 25.2001 in the Bahamas from a plane crash. Before she passed she made music and films over the course of her short years that enchanted everyone. This is one of the few interviews she did before her tragic death. Check out the visual of the interview and you can see her one last time speaking on her journey to success. Aaliyah's Interview  Enjoy!!

Nicki Minaj, How She Made It

         Nicki Minaj made her way to fame in 2010 with her debut album Pink Friday. She talks about growing up and what makes her truly happy. She gives us a side of her you may have never thought you would see.  Click here to see the original source video.

Kim's Big App

Is there anything this family can't do? Kim talks about her unexpected success with creating a mobile game.


 Source:

Tupac Shakur now and forever

When it comes to music there is much debate on who was and or is the greatest rapper to ever do it.  Many say Tupac Shakur fits that bill; the strength and power of his poetry rings as true today as it ever did.  The source for this project came from here.

Kevin Hart Discusses New Projects

 Comedian Kevin Hart sat down to discuss his new movies "Ride Along" and "About Last Night." During the interview, Hart discussed his excitement regarding the success of these new films and what they may bring to him personally. Though excited about how much money "Ride Along" generated for he and co-star Ice-Cube, Hart was more excited about his other project "About Last Night." Hart was excited that he was able to take a classic and put his own "edgy" spin on it. Above all else, Hart was most excited about the fact that this new release may elevate him to "sex symbol" status. It should be noted that the background music set to this interview is Kevin Hart's one and only single "Frost Without You." The original interview was conducted on Shade 45 Radio (Eminem's radio channel) and is available via the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYN7mjYKqzU

Beyonce Brings the "Heat" !

Beyonce is bringing the “Heat,” her new fragrance designed to appeal to all women across the world. Beyonce says it makes you feel fearless, sexy, and empowered. It's created by fusing a combination of oils that claim to have a mystical aroma, giving women the ability to be mysterious. In this interview from 2011, the superstar singer talks about her pregnancy and how her heightened senses helped enhance her product. 

For this project I used this video as my source material. 

Asher Roth Talks New Album & Early Stardom

For this project I watched an interview with famous rapper Asher Roth. In the interview he is discussing how it felt to release a hit single and have his whole life change before his eyes. Along with that, he goes on to talk about what he's been doing lately and the release of his new album "RetroHash". He also discusses his priorities and the importance of family and relationships in his life over anything else. He has always been a laid-back, down to earth artist and it is truly an experience just seeing him do what he loves to do and growing as a person. If you haven't heard anything from Asher Roth, I definitely recommend you download his newest album "RetroHash" right now from iTunes. 

Below is the link to the "SheKnows" interview with Asher Roth that I used in this podcast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mK7XGDgfMM

Into the world of Divergence

    Theo James and Shaliene Woodley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lClyTz_8m3M give us the inside scoop on what it was like to make Divergent and watch it unravel before them for their fans. They give us insight on the meaning of the movie and why it could have the possibility of becoming as popular as other films, such as Twilight, since it is also an adaptation of a book. Theo and Shaliene even get a little personal and share their thoughts on what affect fame might have on their lives.

Leonardo Dicaprio Speaks On The Wolf of Wall Street

In order to do this project I viewed an interview starring Leonardo Dicaprio. Dicaprio discussed

topics regarding The Wolf of Wall Street. I focused on his opinions of the honesty of the story,

Scorsese, and what people will take from this film. I personally loved this film, because it starred my

favorite actor, Leonardo Dicaprio, and was directed by my favorite director Martin Scorsese. Despite

the 3 hour length of the film, I strongly recommend everyone take the time to watch this motion

picture.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hUV8ejPW8E

The Nerdist

The podcast that I chose to listen to is The Nerdist. The Nerdist is a show hosted by Chris Hardwicks. In the episode that I listened to, he interviewed actor Benedict Cumberbatch star of such work as Sherlock, Star Trek: into Darkness and Dr. Strange (2016). Chris interviews Benedict about his new film The imitation game.
The show covers topics that are all over the nerdy spectrum; from Lord of the Rings down to comic books. The way they cover it is unique though, as they put a slightly more comical spin in it. I think this makes it more interesting, as a regular nerd-related podcast may be boring by comparison.
I like this podcast because you almost feel like you're getting to know the subject. I like the interview style because it is more laid back and gives more of a personal perspective. As Hardwicks states in the interview "it's a podcast, you can say whatever you want." I think this is key. Because it is an internet podcast, they can do and say what they want on the air. This gives them more freedom to properly articulate their thoughts better which I think makes the interview and the overall podcast more genuine.
The Nerdist- Benedict Cumberbatch

Episode: Elevator leads to higher education.

       

 In this episode of “The Brilliant Idiots”, Charlemagne Tha God and Andrew Schulz discusses whether or not you need education to be successful; and if you have a higher education and graduated college: does that mean you will make more money than those with a lower education. Andrew Schulz says that it does, while Charlamgne took the opposite side and says that it doesn’t. Schulz argument was that if you take the majority of people who have a high education and pare them to the people who have a low education or no education at all, then you will see that more people in society make more money than the people with very little education. Charlamgne argument was that there is a difference between education and certification, and stated that “Just because you go to college and get a degree does not mean you will get a job”, in which Andrew Schulz agreed with and said “You’re right”. But the discussion did not stop there as they continued on with Schulz using famous wealthy established people who needed education, while Charlamagne reference back to his endeavor in life of trying to make it in radio without an education, in which he did. This episode is definitely an episode that I would come back to, and most certainly recommend to other those people who are unsure what rout to take take in life to achieve their goal because, the Brilliant Idiots can help clear up their minds.

Episode: The Process.

   On this episode of “The Brilliant Idiots” Andrew Schulz and Charlamagne Tha God brings on special guest Carolina Bermudez to discuss the process it takes to get where you want to be in life. Carolina speaks about how she was a young female who left Ohio and moved to California to endeavor her dreams of being in the radio industry. Unfortunately for her, she winded up having to go back to Ohio and live with her parents for a while, not by choice, but because she needed to, being that your career path was not working out for her and she could not find a job. Then, she eventually got a job in Miami where she and met a guy by the name of Eric Decker, who took her into radio and became her mentor. Now Carolina is at the point of her career where she can go were ever she wants in the industry. This episode was particularly filled with humorous as the two comedians Charlamagne and Andrew joked about being on the casting couch to perform sexual favors and sleeping around with huge names and executive to make it in the industry and gain your success. This was a typical episode of the Brilliant idiots that you can learn from and gain some knowledge, all while laughing.

Episode: On Credit and Cheating.

    

  On this hilarious blunt episode of “The Brilliant Idiots”, Andrew Schulz and Charlamagne Tha God debates what’s more important: getting credit for your ideas or, getting paid. Also, Andrew tells us why he is faithful in his relationship, and Charlamagne tells us why he has not been. This episode was very articulated on both sides, and I found it not only entertaining but interesting. This episode was slightly different than other episodes as with this episode Andrew and Charlamagne debated, not in heated moments, but in a normal/neutral, relax and something’s expecting-sarcasm.  It is no wonder why they call themselves “Brilliant Idiots” it’s true, because there’s times when they are making sense with their strong points, and are very intelligent about it. But, at the same time while listening to these two comedians speaks you may not be sure if you should take them serious, but, they are just too entertaining not to stick around and come again.

RadioLab

A specific podcast that stuck with me was "Words" (one of the few I listened to by RadioLab). It is about a man who was born deaf, and a woman who was trying to get him to understand that words exist, even though he can't hear them. She tries to teach him that things like time and thoughts exist, even though he can't grasp the language everyone else uses to describe them. She helps him through what's happening to him, which is something he is completely unaware of, he thinks everyone is born deaf. It was like teaching a child because there was such a barrier between them of what he didn't know and what she was trying to show him, while repeatedly smacking against the invisible wall of how. In between telling this story not only did it make me feel because it's a refreshing topic because we daily take for granted what we have that others don't (such as senses and the ability to walk) but, it was also useful because it shows that almost anything can be overcome with the right attitude and perseverance. There were breaks in between the story with meaningful silences and background sounds, such as the animation of a light bulb being turned on. It makes you feel lucky because as a person your life is good, while at the same time feeling bad because this happens to a lot of people in our world and then happy because it can be overcome. RadioLab podcast is something that I would definitely listen to again. It made an impression on me and there episodes flow very well in narration because of there ability to control there volume, pitch and duration while at the same time keeping it interesting and relevant to life in general.

http://www.radiolab.org/story/91725-words/

"The Brilliant Idiots" with Charlamagne The God & Andrew Schulz

For my assignment I decided to look into the weekly segments of comedy tag team "Charlamagne The God” and Andrew Schulz in their podcast titled “The Brilliant Idiots”. What interested me in choosing this specific podcast had much to do with my fascination with 105.1 Power Fm radio personality, Charlamagne The God. I’m also a fan of actor/comedian Andrew Schulz as well from his television show ‘Guy Code’. I’m actually a new listener to the show but I instantly got attached with the fearless attitude and ability to have fun with their podcast. Opposed to the common structure of most podcasts nowadays it is refreshing to listen in on one where the two hosts are simply just speaking their minds. Of course they have topics lined up to talk about, but there are absolutely no restrictions on their freedom of speech. The listener learns this after the first 30 seconds of an episode. 

Although they both come from comedic backgrounds and have an unorthodox scheme for titles such as “Prejudice is Wack and These Hoes Ain’t Loyal” and “Is Steven Seagal About To Rape Me?”, The Brilliant Idiots are far from two jokers simply blabbering bias opinions. Both co-hosts are very down-to-earth, opinionated people who have no problem in explaining themselves. 

A nice feature to the show is when they bring in other personalities, musicians, etc. They go about their interviews in a very friendly, respectable manor. I listened in on one of their more recent episodes where they interviewed a female rapper named ’Snow The Product’. I’m a fan of hers so naturally I wanted to look into it. I know Charlamagne is notorious for being offensive and insulting things he doesn’t like, but I was happily surprised when I listened to him treating her with respect. He was a fan of hers and showed praise to her music as well as her personality. Both hosts of course were throwing one-liners and other jokes throughout the interview but the mood of the whole session was a calm and friendly one. 

I can happily say I was not disappointed when I tuned into 'The Brilliant Idiots’. I will definitely be tuning in on a regular basis and look forward to the upcoming conversations and interviews they host. To anyone who enjoys sarcastic humor and opinionated self-confidence will definitely get a kick out of this series!

"The Reed" with Kid Fury & Crissle - Podcast Assignment

Podcast Assignment

'The Reed' Starring Kid Fury and Crissle

If you were to come across podcast episodes titled “Butt Fingers”, “U tried it”, or even “The 40 Year-Old Stoner”, what would be your first perception? A bit ghetto? That is EXACTLY what it would be. Popular Youtube Guru Kid Fury and journalist Crissle join forces in their podcast titled ‘The Reed’, established in 2013. Fueled by social media, the podcast consists of explicit humor with politically incorrect commentary on everyday-life situations and entertainment breaking news, to also keep the listener updated on what’s going on. Although some of their opinions may come off harsh and insensitive to unfamiliar listeners, their opinions are very interesting and may even cause the listener to think about these issues as well. ‘The Reed’ broadcasts every Wednesday on their site.

This podcast is by far, the funniest podcast I’ve ever listened to. Being that I am a fan of the videos Kid Fury posts on YouTube, I became a regular listener to their podcasts. Being that Crissle and Kid Fury are to very different individuals, their chemistry is amazing as they feed onto one another’s energy; it’s relative to hearing two best friends talking about life opposed to two strangers forced to conduct a radio show. It’s not as though they allow disagreements to turn into heated arguments, Kid Fury and Crissle laugh it off and even laugh at each other’s stupidity (humor). What I admire about this podcast is the order of segments; In one episode in particular titled “Butt Fingers”, Kid Fury opens the show with a brief sponsoring advertisement, they both discuss how their day went, Kid Fury starts a segment titled “Black Excellence”, in which he shows recognition to black people that have achieved something, then a “Hot Topics” segment (very similar to Wendy Williams) in which they inform their audience on recent social media or entertainment news then create a discussion with their opinions, then end it with fan mail (fans send in emails asking for advice on their issues). I would love to give more examples on how humorous their discussions are, however it is too graphic and explicit. 

THE REED

• The Reed.com 
• I chose the podcast The Reed, because of the host Kid Fury and Crissle.The chemistry between the two is like no other.  They say things that people think but would never have the guts to say.  Kid Fury and Crissle are hilarously funny and feed off of each others hyper direct energy.    Although they come from different backgrounds, they have a common love of gossip,saying what they feel and being apart of the gay community.  Kid Fury being a gay man and Crissle being a gay women.  So with all of that combined they come together for a weekly show titled the reed.  I listened to three episodes and could not stop laughing, they joked on each other and everyone in the entertainment world.  That is why I liked the episodes because the celebs are who they go after telling all their business on what they seen and or heard.  The episodes was raw and juicy thats the part I liked.  Although I love to hear the gossip at times it became to much.  I would say it was well made they are just sitting there being themselves and talking a lot.  I found myself getting a little annoyed listening to the three episodes I was over it.  I guess it can be useful for promotions of concerts, information on the next up and coming events.  All and all I liked the podcast  and I will visit again maybe not often just when I need A laugh that my life in it self doesn't give.  

The Steve Austin Show- Unleashed!

     For my podcast assignment I chose Stone Cold Steve Austin's podcast called, "The Steve Austin Show-Unleashed!". Stone Cold Steve Austin came out of retirement and created a podcast for wrestling fans like myself that includes interviews with future and current superstars of wrestling along with shows that discuss general wrestling topics such as events. I've watched a number of episodes but the three that caught my attention were the two episodes with Paul Heyman and the first episode with legendary commentator Jim Ross. I'm a huge fan of both Jim Ross and Paul Heyman I believe they're geniuses at their craft. The interviews really gave you an understanding of the business and backstage drama. Stone Cold is a talented interviewer and this was put together nicely which makes sense to me because he's been in a business that required him to be interviewed on a number of occasions. This certainly allowed him to develop the skill himself by having it done to him for so many years.
     As a wrestling fan the podcast is as entertaining as it gets. Like I said earlier, interviews with superstars especially allow you to understand and find out things about them that you would of never known. I was always a big fan of behind the scenes facts and finding out information about real life wrestling situations.
    I took a bit of a break with this podcast, but this assignment has brought my attention back towards it and I will find time to listen to his weekly episodes again. I am a big fan of these podcasts and getting an in depth look into the business from a legends perspective. The WWE and wrestling business is filled with drama, they call it a high school on wheels at times, and this podcast is best to dig up the dirt because its hosted by a man who simply will say whatever he feels.
http://podcastone.com/Steve-Austin-Show

60 Second Earth

/http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/60-second-earth/

I'm interested in science and while I was searching for podcast nothing really caught my eye. I finally found 60 second earth, its a weekly podcast discussing the science of the environment and the future of energy. I like the fact that the length of the videos are 2 minutes or less and they get to the point. The podcast is well made and does have a written works below the audio of what was said. The information is useful and I learned things that I didn't know before. For example the pattern in the blue ray disc can improve solar power and there is an app for illegal wildlife trade to notify government officials. This would be a podcast that I would visit again to get updated on new things.

Fashion at it's Best Podcast Assignment

Fashion At It's Best

     What interests me is fashion; I love to hear about the hottest trends, newest styles, and the most amazing designers that put these creative looks together. The Mod-TV video podcasts have completely inspired me to take interest in the Fashionista world. The first podcast was on Micheal Kors, one of the worlds top name brand designers. He took us behind the scenes to witness his top accessories, and picks his most daring pieces for the runway. The theme was all-natural, portraying their extraordinary features, and clothes that "catch the breeze." The second podcast was on Anna Sui. This was interesting to me having never seen any of her fashions. Her models were put together similar to Micheal Kors, with an all-natural theme. The girls wore nude make-up with long, flowing dresses; the designer wanted her models to resemble a princess. The last designer I witnessed was Robert Cavalli, one of the best looks I've seen thus far. It's more trendy, youthful, and it gives off a Hollywood glow that everyone is looking for. The models had metallic gray's mixed with pastels.



     This podcast is absolutely great ! It helped inform me on the hottest trends and some of the biggest names in the business. It had me wanting more, so I progressively watched more podcasts, and learned something new everytime. Looking behind the scenes was very entertaining. It gave me an inside look on what it takes to put together their big productions. The camera angles in the video podcast were great; they shot each model at a close-up, so I could really see the make-up quality and detailing on the models. They had some wide-shots in there which helped give the models character while walking on the runway. After watching these podcasts, I would definitely recommend Mod-TV and watch them again.

Cheyanne Hardeen

Podcast

I started skimming through podcasts at first I could not find one that appealed to me, the idea of only being able to hear people discuss soccer was not too inviting. I wasn't fond of the thought of only being able to listen to someone discussing plays or games and not being able to see what was going on which is weird because I read about the same topics without images. Maybe it was just that I hadn't found a good podcast. Most were really boring and some of the speakers weren't too knowledgable but today I gave it one more try and I found a good podcast called "world soccer talk" I like this podcast because they have a show about every seven to ten days which allows them to keep the audience updated, this was my favorite part. The speakers were fluent in soccer and weren't boring, they have guest speakers ranging from physical trainer to managers. I also feel like they aren't biased towards teams, yes they make fun of each other's supporting teams but they will also speak about the strengths from the team I enjoyed this podcast, I also liked being able to multi task while hearing it definitely a good thing. I guess it just took the right people speaking to capture my attention.

World Soccer Talk

Psychobabble with Tyler Oakley

The podcast that I chose for this assignment was Psychobabble. Psychobabble is a podcast create by a guy named Tyler Oakley, and his best friend Korey Kuhl. They talk about basically anything that is on their minds. Holidays, celebrity gossip, whats going on social media, etc. I picked this podcast because i knew of Tyler Oakley already. He has a youtube channel, and I have watched some of his videos.

Tyler Oakley's Psychobabble podcast gives you an inside look on how he is as a person, and how him and his friends interact. His best friend and him, remind me a lot if me and my best friend. They get along so well and just have good chemistry throughout the podcast.

I believe that this podcast was done well, and effective because he really captures your attention straight from the beginning. They may not talk about what you want to hear about, but they do talk about interesting things. This podcast almost makes it feel like you can interact with them by the way they talk to each other and also ask the listeners questions.

I liked this podcast from the start. I listened to a few episodes and i just like how they are together, and how they are able to be so good behind the ears of a listener. Tyler Oakley really does a good job in just painting a picture of what is happening for you. I enjoyed how both him and Korey are able to keep the podcast flowing and how great they are together run general. Even though the podcasts are random and about something different every week, they are very enjoyable.

https://www.youtube.com/user/psychobabblepodcast1

Serial Podcast

After I first heard that a new podcast was being developed that would chronicle a murder, I was intrigued. I'm the type of person who has always been hooked on true crime stories, starting from my childhood (and admittedly, current) obsession with Nancy Drew stories and continuing through the countless Dateline Mystery episodes I've consumed. There is something so enticing about a non-fiction story because it often turns out that truth is stranger than fiction in a lot of ways. For regular listeners of NPR and also listeners of a very successful podcast called This American Life, the Serial podcast has another appeal: it is hosted by Sarah Koenig, a journalist who has been featured on This American Life multiple times and has the calm voice and narration style commonly found on NPR. The concept of the podcast might seem unappealing at first because people unfamiliar with podcasts might not be able to picture how a murder story can be told through just audio (I had my doubts as well). The first episode begins with Koenig explaining how she came to create this podcast in the first place. She was contacted by the close friend of a man who has been in prison for 15 years for killing his high school girlfriend. This friend, and many others, believe strongly that Adnan (the alleged killer) is innocent and had a botched case that landed him in prison for something he didn't do. So Koenig herself is intrigued and decides to spend the past year going back over the details of the trial and talking to those involved in the story to see what she can find. And what she does find, through her own extensive research and conversations with dozens of people (including many with Adnan himself in prison), is that glaring inconsistencies with evidence and testimonies may actually point to Adnan being completely innocent. She presents her findings during one new episode every week and brings the listener through the journey for answers along with her. Everything she presents is extremely clear and easy to follow, eliminating the need to have a visual component to the audio. I actually personally prefer that the show is audio only because I almost feel like if I saw what all these suspects and witnesses looked like I might make unfair assumptions about each of them based on their appearance. This is what I think the addicting quality of this show hinges on, that the listener can decide for themselves whether they think Adnan is guilty and lying or telling the truth and innocent as they hear the facts of his case, Koenig herself is open about her doubts of both his innocence and his guilt. Even though she is presenting facts and events that happened in 1999 to the listeners she does it in a way that makes you feel like you are a detective alongside her trying to piece together a mystery. Occasionally I'll get lost in the story and forget that these are all real people who really lost a dear friend (two dear friends if you count Adnan) years ago. I am thoroughly addicted to this podcast and cannot wait for the next episode to come out this week. I would seriously recommend it to anyone looking to get wrapped up in a story and promise you wouldn't be disappointed.

http://serialpodcast.org/

Metsblog Multiple Mets Podcasts

http://metsblog.com/page/2/

Life gets rough for a Mets fan, but Metsblog's hopeful speculation provides some respite from the team's shortcomings.

Metsblog features two podcasts: Metsblog Q&Acast and Mostly Mets. The first is a 10 to 15 minute Q&A with either a player (current or former), coach, or sports analyst. The second is a general podcast about all things Mets. Currently, with the off-season in full-swing, both podcasts are focusing on trades, potential signings and plenty of speculation.

  Mostly Mets, the broader of the two shows, features quality analysis from its hosts Tony Hyde and Robert Brender. The two hosts do, however, speak as fans as well as analysts, which, I think, helps them establish an effective connection with listeners. The podcast does well to transition smoothly from one segment to the next.

In its most recent episode Mostly Mets discussed the team's shortstop deficit. The show began with breaking news, the Red Sox's acquisition of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval. The discussion turned to how these seemingly remote transactions would affect the Mets and their shortstop situation. The conversation ran right into the show's first guest, Nick Piecoro, a beat writer from potential trade partner Arizona Diamondbacks. This well-designed flow made apparent the preparedness of the producers.

The interview itself--as was the case with the rest of the show--was informative, respectable commentary, a quality source of information. In my opinion, the podcast did well relating to fans, tossing humor in here, and, above all, provided strong insight from credible sources on what may be a busy off-season for the Mets.
  

WCC Students Style for Comfort

As the only community college in the lower Hudson Valley, with a Fashion Merchandising Program, Westchester Community College is unique. Only 30 miles north of the fashion center of the North East, trendy eccentric styles rub off on many of the students.  With the colder months heading through, students say, they are looking more for comfort rather than style.

Andrew, a WCC student, says "I'm perfectly comfortable showing up in my PJs". He's not alone. Plenty of students say the same. "It gets really cold sometimes and walking from building to building is no joke." A fellow student, Dakota says.

No matter the weather, certain students without a doubt will make a fashion statement out of even sweats."Its never about the trend or what celebrities are wearing here." Says Fashion Major, Sabrina. "Its 'I'm going to survive today and look cute too.' That's the type of mentality you need." Sabrina walks around campus wearing a studded detail jacket and leggings paired with thigh high boots. Sabrina is just one of the many examples of students fighting the cold with style.

It Rhymes With Passion...Can You Guess What It Is?

I had the chance to sit down with Tyler Taylor, a breakout designer, to talk about Showgirl, her new line filled with clutches and dresses. At first, Tyler's passion for fashion inspired her to find different affordable ways to enhance her personal wardrobe. This later cleared way for her to start making duplicate designs for others.

Taylor, a young blossoming entrepreneur, blogs about new innovative ways to add that fashionista touch to everyday items. Taylor told me that she has been influenced by many big names but Chanel's detailed yet simplistic style is what inspired her to feel as though her dreams could come true. Knowing that Chanel had started from scratch helped motivate that "I Can Do It" attitude, allowing Tyler to realize her passion could become a career.

Showgirl Tyler Original Strapless

Heres a little secret taylor told me about her clutches.. every Showgirl clutch  has a different fabric to line the inside! Tyler feels it gives her purses that individual touch.

Beer From Your Backyard

If you knew the beer you were drinking was made in a basement a few blocks away, would you be surprised? This is exactly the appeal of locally brewed craft beer, a trend that appears to be on the rise not only in Westchester but across the country. Beer has always been popular amongst even casual drinkers, but why has this trend gained so much traction in recent years? What exactly is craft beer?

The Brewers Association defines a craft brewer as small (producing less than 6 million barrels of beer per year), independent, and traditional in their production methods. While the methods and process of brewing are the same as regular beer, craft brewers are innovative in their approach to ingredients and flavors. The result is a unique beverage that can be wildly different depending on the source.

Breweries rely on local support to be successful. It seems as though one local brewery, Peekskill Brewery, has filled a need for such an establishment in our area. At first glance it looks like a trendy restaurant, but its ground floor holds incredibly large stainless steel vats that brew many of the beers served just a floor above it. Its menu states “We’re craft obsessed from the top down. Craft is clever, quality and fresh. These are the elements we use to deliver innovation to your table each and every day. Authentic and without pretense. Our mission is to deliver the comforts of a thoughtfully sourced menu in an inspired brewery atmosphere.” Their passion is exemplified by their creation of the annual Hudson Hop and Harvest Festival, a craft beer festival that has been held in Peekskill for the past three years. The enthusiasm of local beer drinkers for the beers of Peekskill Brewery and Captain Lawrence of Elmsford is evident by the strong turnout at this year's festival on October 4. A demographically varied crowd of patrons sampled the many craft beers available, a break from the most common beers found in stores. The support for local businesses and local breweries in particular is likely a promising sign for other potential brewers to get started and contribute to the continually growing beer market.

Tattooing His Heart On His Sleeve

       

     Sitting in between both a Subway and a Chinese restaurant, this small tattoo shop "Winky Dink Ink" has caused quite a buzz in town. It's known as one of the best tattoo shops with the best accredited tattoo artists in the Rockland County area. While it's typical for a tattoo artist to not say much nor show enthusiasm while tattooing, they would be quite surprised with what I discovered when I walked into the shop late this September.

   What surprised me the most was the humility of Matthew Graham, 18-year veteran tattoo artist who has his heart tattooed on his sleeve when it comes to his profession. As it would be typical for a tattoo artist to show enthusiasm and speak highly of all their art pieces, Matthew distinguishes himself as one artist who 'will never be satisfied until it's over'. I sat down with him recently for a brief chat, in which he surprisingly gets candid about his confidence as an artist. "There is way, way, way too much ego in this industry. It's not about making the customer 'my canvas', its about the person sitting in my chair and making them feel good", says the accredited artist who values more than the success of sketching a perfect tattoo; he values the customers who give him permission to create art on their bodies. There's not one tattoo I've ever done that I've ever been 100% satisfied with", he confesses. "I'll do something and both the client and I will like it, then I'll look at a picture of it 6 months later and I'll see ways I could've done it better". It's rare for an artist, regardless profession, to admit they are open for improvement in their work and share an emotional connection with every tattoo.

   

 Coming in personal contact with a stranger's body is risky to many, however Graham takes it with a grain of salt. Jumpstarting his career in 1996 as a photographer-turnt-tattoo artist, he values the beauty behind the simplest art, the connection between himself and the person's artist vision before anything. Looking at some of his masterpieces on the left image, Graham takes a more characteristic approach in his art, as he specializes in bringing dark characters to life with such bright color.

    Located on 54 Route 303 in Valley Cottage NY, Winky Dink Ink is open Monday through Friday from noon to 8:00pm, Saturday noon to 10:00pm, and Sundays noon to 6:00pm. All of the tattoo artists welcome anyone with open arms whether it be Bobby C, Matt Truiano, Kaiser, or Matthew Graham himself. Looking beyond the ego in the tattooing business, there are few artists such as Matt Graham who value the emotional impact tattoos have on others. If you are located in or near the Hudson Valley area and want a tattoo, call in Winky Dink Ink at 845-353-4465 and book an appointment soon. Next time you sit in an artist's chair, never be afraid to ask them their process of creating your tattoo and the artistic ideas that go through their head. Tattooing seems to be a fun, artistic profession, but it's more complex - (Valley Cottage, NY)
 

The Ray Rice People Don't Know

Arguably the best athlete to come out of the Hudson River Valley, Ray Rice, has been one of the most talked about people in the world beginning in February of 2014, and all for the wrong reasons. But one local man is talking about Ray Rice in a perspective that the world might of missed. I sat down with Alex Pickel and he told me about a side of Ray Rice many do not get to see. 

 Ray Rice was video taped hitting his wife in an Atlantic City casino elevator in February. When the video was finally released was when people had the most to say about him. All of the sudden that Super Bowl winning all-pro running back who build a name for himself not only on the field but also of the field was quickly forgotten for his success and kindness, and remmebered for the assault charge he received from this incident. That was only the beginning of his nightmare, followed up with a long suspension from the NFL, being dropped from every single endorsement deal, and probably the most negative one, peoples opinions completely taking a change. 

Igniting The Flame Of The Word "No"

Two letters.
One word.
No.

The word no is international and can be used by everyday people. This word can be used under any circumstance without the need of requiring justification for its use. It is a symbolic determiner that holds power by allowing a person to voice their stance in any situation.

In the comfort of her own home, I interviewed college student Michelle Imbruglia, giving her the opportunity to unveil her take on the word "no". In this interview the word "no" begins to unfold and its meaning is interpreted by how she views the world in her eyes. While explaining how she perceives this word and the effect it can have on people, the video follows her train of thought as she divulges into specific examples of how she thinks the word "no" can be both appropriate and inappropriate depending on the type of situation it is used in.

Who Has The Best Pan Pizza In All Of Westchester...?

...Michael's in Port Chester, that's who! Michael's has been around for over 60 years, servicing all of Port Chester and surrounding areas with its famous pan pizza. "Why is their pizza so famous?", you're wondering? Well, mostly because of the owner's secret family recipe, kicked-back family orientated atmosphere, and a great top shelf bar.  So I stopped by Michael's the other day and spoke with Carol, who has been bartending there for the past seven years. Carol gave me the inside scoop on why she feels Michael's pizza is number one.

Spotlight: Port Chester’s Own Clothing Boutique “Native Goods”

Native Goods is Port Chester’s one of a kind streetwear clothing boutique, owned by town natives Jormar Castillo (25) and Luis Mendoza (21). Opened in 2012, Native Goods offers a variety of hats, shirts, sneakers, and sweatshirts from brands like Diamond Supply Co, 5Boro, and Pink Dolphin (just to name a few)! Jormar wanted to give back, “bring something new”, to the town both young men grew up in. Native Goods offers something different in retail opposed to the big corporate retailers in town like Marshalls or Kohl’s. The boutique is steadily popular with the youth in town, and even got the likes of fellow Latino comedian, George Lopez when he was last preforming at the Capitol Theater as seen on the store's Instagram page.

Native Goods is about bringing style and flair along with a positive spotlight to a small suburban town like Port Chester. Check them out next time you’re at a show at The Capitol Theater! Native Goods is conveniently located across the Port Chester train station, and a street behind the Capitol Theater: 136 Irving Ave, Port Chester, NY 10573. Native Goods is opened from 12pm to 8pm Tuesdays though Saturday, and 12pm to 5pm on Sundays.

You can follow Native Goods on Facebook and Twitter. Support local businesses! 

The Customer Is Always Right?

     Retail work is hard, according to Jake from PotteryBarnKids in The Westchester Mall, and he says working with customers isn't always an easy task. In retail, workers may encounter numerous unreasonable customers so they learn proper mechanisms to approach everyday consumers while hopefully maintaining excellent service. And, as the holiday season approaches and the crowds get bigger by the day, workers see more of those customers every employee has grown to "love".  

    Jake gives us an inside look at the employees' views on customer service, and we get a virtual tour on the store itself. Sometimes where you work can make a big difference and the more expensive the store, the more demanding the consumer. And according to Jake, at PotteryBarnKids they try their best to achieve their goals and get to "yes" for each customer.

Ab-Soul Sells Out Irving Plaza...Again!

     For the second time in 12 months, popular rapper Ab-Soul sold out NYC's Irving Plaza, and some  inspiring fans say they're ready to start a revolution. It was October 6th, 2014, a chilly fall evening in New York City. Excitement was in the air as a plethora of fans stood outside Irving Plaza chanting "Hii Power". The statement they were chanting not only showed praise to the headliner of the show, but the term "Hii Power" itself describes a social movement, or somewhat of a new religion to follow. Ab-Soul is more than just a popular rapper in todays world, he is more focused on creating a response to the ever-increasing destructive nature of the culture in the US. Soul has been traveling all around the country lately on tour promoting his most recent album "These Days". 

     Along for the ride were fellow label mates as well as musicians from other camps. The openers for the show consisted of the independent group "Earth Gang" along with Dreamville artist "Bas".  The Album was backed and financed by Souls record label T.D.E (Top Dawg Entertainment). This label has been seeing great success as of lately largely due to the rise of fellow label mates Schoolboy Q, and Kendrick Lamar. But the success of Q and Kendrick certainly does not take away anything from the ability of Ab-Soul. It is safe to say he proved his worth by selling out one of the more popular venues New York City has to offer, along with many others across the country.

     As a music reporter, it's always exciting to get a chance to talk to people who appreciate the same type music you do. It didn't take much to get a couple fans to really open up and express how they feel about music in today's world. As long as artists as passionate as Ab-Soul continue to exist and create, it's certainly looking bright for the music industry in the future.

Through The Eye Of The Director

     Many wonder, "what exactly is the job of the director?" Usually people see the director standing on set and assume that he just yells at people. Well, Ralph Puma is putting those assumptions to shame as he directs his new TV web series comedy-drama, "Nerdtourage".
     The production of the comedy-drama was shot around Ralph's neighborhood in Yonkers, NY.  This series was a small production, so Ralph had to work with limited crew, cast, and equipments. But being the good director he is, Ralph's was able to manage the entire production, and captured his vision onto the camera with the performance from his actors that we worked very close with. I took a look at what Ralph Puma is doing as he is hard at work on sets, endeavoring to get the job done and finish the production.

Click here to watch the Nerdtourage teaser trailer and episodes yet to be released.

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Customer Says EcoATM Fails At Theft Policies

     EcoATM is supposed to be a user-friendly and automated machine that consumers use to recycle old cell phones, MP3 players, and tablets for cash. Shomari Marbury experienced the not-so-friendly side of this EcoATM kiosk.  When his phone was stolen at an unconventional place...church. Once noticing that his iPhone was missing, he used the application Find My iPhone to locate his phone. He found it at the Galleria Mall in White Plains NY in the EcoATM Kiosk. Mr. Marbury talked with the Galleria Mall's security about his situation and for them to release his phone from the machine. They told him he had to contact EcoATM, which he did and their representative told him to follow the Theft Policies. 

     After following the instructions, Marbury says EcoATM gave him many excuses on why his phone is not in his hands. They told him he needed a police report and fax them the documents. Mr. Marbury sent a police report incident number to EcoATM, but EcoATM refused to take it and stated that the incident number wouldn't  be acceptable as a police report, even after the police contacted EcoATM and told them that they are the same document. At this point Marbury is at a standstill without his cell phone for a year and counting and left wondering, "What is EcoATM really? A place where consumers can go green and recycle their devices or a place where criminals can get green."

Chappaqua Residents Fear New Development

Since 2011, more and more fears have arisen over plans to revitalize the site of the former 'Readers Digest' headquarters in Chappaqua, NY, now called 'Chappaqua Crossing'. The new owners, Summit Development and Greenfield Partners, bought the 120 acre property in 2004 hoping to transform it into a one-of-a-kind multi-tenant campus that would offer, retail, and residential amenities. However, every plan submitted to the town of Chappaqua has been shot down amid fears that future development of the site would have negative impacts on the town's traffic, crime rate, local businesses, and education system. I recently sat down with a local student to talk about her concerns.

Exploring Hiking Spots Around Yorktown

The video took place at Sylvan Glen Park Preserve. This hiking place is located in Mohegan Lake and also has a dog park as long as its nature trails. I interviewed my friend in this video because there had been hardly anybody there. There are many different hiking places not too far from Yorktown, such as Turkey Mountain and Break Neck or Anthony's Nose. Most of these places are open from March to November and are visited by many people on the days possible. Sylvan Glen is a little more amateur than the other hiking spots around here, and doesn't have much of a view. Many people go to these places for hiking, snowshoeing, camping in the woods, and biking too, but not all the places allow all of the activities listed. All of the trails and hiking places vary from size and distance. Sylvan Glen has 4 different trails, each with different lengths and terrain. Some have hills and are a longer distance than others. Many trails vary from 1.4 or so miles to 6 miles. Sylvan Glen Park Preserve is only 1.4 miles. All the hiking places are open from dawn to a half an hour after dusk.

http://www.yorktownny.org/community/sylvan-glen-park-preserve

http://alltrails.com/us/new-york/yorktown-heights

Bronx Boy On Jeter's Legacy

 

     When the legendary Derek Jeter played his final home game as a New York Yankee, one Bronx fan was especially excited. The twenty-two year old Robert Wischers has watched Derek Jeter's career from start to finish witnessing every Derek Jeter moment from his flip play in Oakland, diving into the stands against the Yankee rival Red Sox team, and all four of Derek's World Series Championships.
     Derek's final home game was no different for him, Robert witnessed his childhood hero end his career in dramatic fashion with a vintage opposite field single to right field to beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5. Robert and I took a walk around Morris Park in the Bronx to discuss his feelings of the end of the monumental career of our Yankee Captain.

Soccer Is The Apple Of Their Eyes.

Street Soccer USA is a non-profit organization in the United States which helps combat homelessness through soccer. They put together a tournament once every year in New York City, 42nd St. in Times Square is transformed into two beautiful soccer pitches. The tournament is held from 8 in the morning until 8 o'clock at night.  However preparations begin at 4 in the morning.
  The tournament is opened up to anyone who wants to register a team. After all who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to play the world's favorite sport in the city that never sleeps.
  The tournament is used to raise awareness for homelessness. As teams began playing people would stop and watch the games. Some had no idea what was happening or that it was happening that day and in Time Square. None-the-less they were awed and intrigued completely curious and entertained. The bleachers started filling out so spectators began to form around the perimeters of the pitches. Some didn't speak english, others didn't speak at all but they all understood the language of soccer or fútbol, football no matter what you call it, you know it's motions, sayings rules, its universality. The spectators watching it weren't the only ones who were from every corner of the world.
  The teams playing also transcended boarders, players from Futbol Calle who were hand picked to represent their country from Chilean Street Soccer teams and Greek Players who play for NY Greek American Atlas, a team from The Cosmopolitan Soccer League. All came from their own sides of the world to play together even though they couldn't communicate with each other verbally because of the language barriers, they still congratulated each other and played together for one goal, to play for their country, each other and the homeless all around the world.
 SSUSA firmly believes that sports help embed fundamental characteristic in people needed for vital daily routines like jobs, schools as well as communicating and functioning properly in a private and public environment.
   Characteristics like respect, will, dedication and determination, which are all taught while being part of a team. SSUSA states "Our mission is to improve health, education, and employment outcomes for the most disadvantaged Americans by using sports to transfer the skills necessary so that they can achieve these outcomes for themselves."

Ab-Soul Concert - Oct. 6th, 2014

For my project I've  decided I will attend a hip-hop concert at Irving plaza in New York City. One of my favorite rappers Ab-Soul is performing with a couple others. I plan on interviewing the fans and getting their opinions on the artist and converse a little about what has been going on in the hip-hop world lately. I plan on including live shots of the show and plenty of b-roll of the marquee and the line going in.

Ariel JnBaptiste Topic

My video story concept is 'Ink is Art: A tattoo artist's love for art'. I will
be interviewing 2 tattoo artists at a tattoo parlor in Bronx, NY about the
beauty in tattooing and how they are influenced by modern-day or ancient art in
their artwork (sketches).

Gino Raguso Topic

For my assignment, I will be covering Derek Jeter's final game at Yankee Stadium. Celebrating 20 years of excellence.