Equity First Foundation Announces “Open-Invitation” to Special Evening Supporting “Dancing for a Cure”

October 24, 2017 by Christopher Boyle

(Huntington, NY) On Wednesday October 25^th 2017 Rhonda Klch, founder of Equity First Foundation invites local residents and executives to join her as she hosts an incredible evening with Social Life’s own Christine Montanti.

Christine Montanti. Photo Credit: Equity First Foundation.

Equity First Foundation works with families facing economic challenges. During the season of breast cancer awareness, Rhonda and Christine have paired to support families that have fallen victim to cancer and assist in lending aide to their medical bills. This event is offered as a grant by the foundation.

The evening will include selected wine and cheese platters graciously provided by Elegant Affairs, food from PortoFino and entertainment from World Professional Ballroom Dancers Marina Palacios and DimitriySaykovskyy. Performances will include a “special guest” and local breast cancer survivor in honor of her recovery.

Special thanks to all sponsors and supporters.

For more information or to be placed on a special press list please call (631) 714-4822 or (516) 984-4889.

Keep Safe This Halloween Season With These Tips from Local Personal Injury Law Firm Cohen & Jaffe

October 23, 2017 by Christopher Boyle

by Christopher Boyle

LONG ISLAND, NY – Halloween has always represented one of the most fun-filled times of the year for many youth, but unfortunately, it also represents a period of both danger and avoidable injuries when the time-honored traditions of trick-or-treating and costumes are not approached with a degree of caution and care as well. There are a great number of issues that can rear their ugly heads during Halloween, and it only takes a split-second error or distraction to result in unfortunate circumstances and serious injury for a child simply out to have fun.

There are a number of time-worn safety tips to adhere to come Halloween, courtesy of law firm Cohen and Jaffe and their years of experience in the realm of personal injury lawsuits. While parents want to keep in mind that Halloween is meant to be a fun and frightening experience for youngsters, taking heed of these simple guidelines will drastically reduce the chances of bumps, bruises, or worse while infringing on the excitement as little as possible.

Halloween Season Tips Trick-or-treating can make for a great time, but it also can expose children to a number of properties, homes, and individuals they are unfamiliar with; with unknown can come danger if caution is not taken. Photo credit: Pixabay.

Trick-or-Treat with an Adult: Encounters with strangers can be a major issue when engaging in Halloween festivities, so children ages 12 and under should never go out alone on Halloween for trick-or-treating; they should always have a responsible adult walking with them at all times, especially if they venture into a neighborhood that is unfamiliar. Children older than 12 that are allowed to trick-or-treat should nonetheless adhere to common sense safety practices, including remaining in neighborhoods that they know, staying in a group, and sticking to well-lit areas.

The hazards posed by strangers cannot be overstated; older children and some adults are known to be pranksters on Halloween, and there are numerous reports of frightened children suffering an injury while fleeing from a particularly bad scare, even one made in simple jest. In addition, the Halloween season also gives rise to the number of incidents involving both bullies and predators, many of whom prey upon the younger set, so remaining with a responsible adult at all times (or a group of friends or guardians if an order child) is a must for kids when it comes to playing it safe on Halloween.

Exercise Traffic Safety: With the excitement that comes with Halloween may also come a moment of neglect or carelessness; when this happens in an area with a high concentration of automobiles, that’s a recipe for disaster. Always cross streets at corners while using traffic signals ad crosswalks, and make sure to look left, right, and left again before crossing. Cell phones and other electronic devices should be put away so as to not distract attention and eyesight elsewhere when crossing any roadway, and making eye contact with stopped drivers before venturing out into the street is highly recommended. Always remain on sidewalks and pathways, and remain vigilant for cars that may be backing up out of driveways.

Make Sure Costumes are Both Creative and Safe: Be it a store-bought costume or something home-made, costumes are a major staple of the Halloween season. However, care should be put into making sure that they do not represent a danger to your children by interfering with their vision or mobility when they head out for an evening of Trick-or-Treating with friends or family members. If possible, decorate costumes or treat bags – which should be light in color, if possible – with reflective decals or tape so that they stand out to approaching motorists; in addition, glow sticks are helpful as well. Masks can obstruct a child’s vision, making it hard for them to see vehicles and other potential threats; face paint makes a festive and safer alternative. And finally, sizing when it comes to costumes is vital; one that is too big can present a tripping or falling hazard, and one that is too small can restrict mobility when it’s needed most.

Distracted Driving: Now more than ever, drivers are faced with a plethora of distractions while driving; cell phone calls, texting, and GPS use are among the many every-day things that may pry concentration away from the roadway and are to be avoided at all costs. However, add in the additional issues that driving during the Halloween season may present – including elaborately decorated homes, front-yard parties, and groups of people sporting eye-catching costumes – the odds of a potential accident are increased exponentially. It is the responsibility of drivers to remain cognizant of the road and everything in it at all times while not engaging in unlawful distractions such as cell phone use; likewise, it is the responsibility of parents to make sure that their children are properly supervised and exercise good traffic safety sense.

Drivers should drive slowly in residential neighborhoods come Halloween time, as kids can often move with unpredictability; also take extra time stopping at stop signs and intersections, as well as when entering and exiting driveways and alleys. Popular trick-or-treating hours are typically between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

Animal Encounters: Last but not least, trick-or-treating can make for a great time, but it also can expose children to a number of properties, homes, and individuals that they are unfamiliar with; and with the unknown can come danger if caution is not taken. While most homeowners are well-meaning, the frequency that doors open and close while tending to young trick-or-treaters can result in a family pet – such as a dog, who may react negatively to a perceived trespasser – if getting loose, the results could be a painful animal bite or worse, so children and their parents or guardians should always be wary about approaching an unknown house, and they should never go near or pet a dog or other animal that they do not personally know. According to reports, over 800,000 people every year – nearly half of that number being children – suffer from animal bites that result in a trip to the doctor at Halloween time.

Hurt During Halloween? Contact Our Team of Personal Injury Attorneys: Above all else, Halloween should be a source of family-friendly excitement and wonder for kids and adults of all ages, and by adhering to our aforementioned common sense safety tips, you should keep your risk of any issues at a minimum. However, should you become hurt or injured through no fault of your own – or the neglect, indifference, or willful act of another – while out enjoying the Halloween holiday, call the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP at 1-866-878-6774 now or fill out our simple form for a free consultation.

Museum of American Armor Announces Lawrence Trivigno of Bethpage Federal Credit Union Appointed to Board

April 11, 2017 by Christopher Boyle

(Long Island, NY) President and founder of the Museum of American Armor, Lawrence Kadish, has announced that Lawrence Trivigno, Assistant Vice President of Business Development for Bethpage Federal Credit Union, has been appointed to serve on the museum’s board. He joins former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Ed Blumenfeld of BDG, Ltd., Michael Polimeni of Polimeni International, Frederick Daum of PSEG Long Island, Michael Sapraicone of Squad Security, Steve Napolitano of Amtrust Title Insurance Company, Rev. Calvin Butts, president of SUNY at Old Westbury, and Reese Dameron, Esq., an attorney with the New York law firm of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP.

Lawrence Trivigno. Photo Credit: Jim Lennon.

Lawrence is a graduate of SUNY Farmingdale with a degree in Computer Programming & Information Systems and is currently pursuing an additional degree in communications. A Deer Park resident, he is active in a broad range of volunteer organizations that underscore his personal commitment to worthy causes and the support his employer, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, offers to organizations across the region.

Museum trustee Michael Sapraicone stated, “Lawrence and Bethpage Federal Credit Union (BFCU) represent the powerful corporate commitment our region has to honoring the courage and valor of our veterans. We are delighted to welcome him to the board so that we may be assured of continuing to expand our role as a destination for families to learn more about their own citizen soldiers and to serve as an educational center for our thousands of annual visitors.”

Mr. Trivigno said, “I am deeply honored to be associated with a museum that has breathed life into our American military heritage and the family history of so many New Yorkers. I believe we have a responsibility to keep their individual stories alive and this institution has effectively harnessed armor vehicles for the purpose of achieving that goal. Having participated in one of its programs I know firsthand just how effective it is in fulfilling its mission, and I look forward to building on that success.”

The Museum of American Armor at Old Bethpage Village Restoration, 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage, is a living tribute to every American who has worn the uniform and those who continue to defend our nation today. Its collection includes World War II tanks, artillery, armored cars and weapons that broke the back of the Axis powers over seventy years ago.

It is open Wednesday through Sunday, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults; $8 for children 5 – 12 (under 5 admitted free); and $8 for seniors, volunteer firefighters and veterans. Admission provides visitors with access to both the armor museum and the adjacent Old Bethpage Village Restoration. More information can be found at www.museumofamericanarmor.org and on Facebook.

Are Suffolk Residents Defacing Their License Plates to Beat Red Light Cameras?

October 12, 2016 by Christopher Boyle

(Long Island, NY) In response to growing negative sentiment against Suffolk County’s infamous red light camera program, local residents and businesses may be taking matters into their own hands in an attempt to find a way around having their vehicles identified – and fined – by the cameras.

In 2009, 50 automated red light cameras were installed in intersections throughout Suffolk County, with the idea being that motorists who flagrantly violated the law by continuing onward when the signal was against them would be caught and appropriately punished for their actions; that is, they would have their license plates photographed and would later receive an $80 fine in the mail.

On paper, it’s a solid plan – after all, countless accidents, injuries, and deaths can be attributed to people who run red lights – but some Suffolk residents started noticing that they were receiving fines issued via the red light camera system that they felt were unfair.

Some tickets were issued because a driver may have made a right on red without waiting long enough before doing so, or because a yellow light was allegedly shortened in an intersection, forcing the driver to either try and beat the red or chance setting up a rear-end collision with the car behind them by slamming on their brakes.

More than one bus has had its plate defaced. Photo Credit: Eric of Northport.

Soon, allegations were thrown about that the red light camera system was more a cash-grab on the part of Suffolk County then any real measure to improve safety on the roads, something that County Executive Steve Bellone and multiple Legislators – including Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory (D-Amityville) and Legislator Rob Calarco (D-Patchogue) – have denied. However, some lawmakers, such as Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), have come out publically against the cameras, and some residents – such as the infamous “Red Light Robin Hood” Stephen Ruth of Centereach – have claimed that the cameras are causing more accidents than they prevent.

Ruth has thus far been arrested by Suffolk authorities twice after having sabotaged numerous cameras in order to get his message out, and while his actions have not inspired any copycats as of now, it appears that some residents and businesses may be attempting to combat the cameras in a lower-profile manner.

Eric, a concerned citizen from the Northport area recently contacted LongIsland.com, having emailed us pictures of what he described as a growing phenomenon he’s noticed on Suffolk roadways in his area – vehicles, including passenger cars and even school buses, whose license plates have the appearance of having been deliberately defaced in such a way as to render them illegible, with paint seemingly stripped or scraped off of numbers and letters.

“While driving on the Northern State while about a year ago, I noticed a lot of license plates damaged. I noticed the paint was coming off, but it didn’t seem to be accidental. Just part of the plate, never the entire plate,” he said. “When I started to see it on buses and on multiple cars in parking lots, I began to get the feeling these were intentional. To date, I’ve seen this on anywhere between 50 to 100 license plates. I started taking pictures of this because it’s not right.”

A bus with a defaced plate stops in a parking lot. Photo Credit: Eric of Northport.

Eric insists that the most obvious reason people are purported to be doing this is to worm their way out of receiving red light camera tickets; after all, if the camera can’t read a car’s license plate number, it surely can’t send that car’s owner a ticket, can they? But while admitting to not being a fan of the cameras, Eric still feels that damaging your license place opens up additional safety issues for motorists, especially if school bus companies are allowing it to transpire amongst the vehicles in their fleet.

“They are defacing their plates because of the red light cameras. There is a direct correlation. People don’t want to change their habits… they want to blow lights and not get tickets. So, people deface their plates to break the law intentionally,” he said.

“As much as I don’t like the red light cameras, they are damaging state property, the plates, and making our roads even more unsafe. If a person with a defaced license hits me or someone else and drives away, we are more likely not to get the number, and someone gets away with it. Now, the school buses are doing it. Our children are on these buses with people who do not want to follow the law. Do we want these people in charge of our children? What if there is an accident because they feel they can get away with blowing a light and then something happen with your kids on those buses?”

LongIsland.com identified two school bus companies from the pictures supplied by Eric – Acme Bus Lines and Logan Bus Company, neither of which returned phone calls for comment on the condition of the license plates on some of their school buses as of press time.

Maggie Saunders of Hauppauge noted that she’s seen several vehicles on the road in recent weeks that appeared to have been deliberately altered – all in the same exact way as described above – and said trying to beat the red light cameras – a program that she personally believes is working to help prevent road accidents – just creates more problems than it solves.

“All things being equal, people shouldn’t be blowing red lights anyway…if you’re adhering to the posted speed limit and not texting or something else you shouldn’t be doing, you should have ample time to react,” she said. “Vandalizing your own license plate isn’t helping anyone, and actually can cause problems if someone needs to identify a car that was involved in a hit-and-run or something. And I’m sure if a cop saw it, they’d give you a ticket. I’m sure there are laws that cover your plates being legible.”

It would likely be difficult to read this plate from a distance. Photo Credit: Eric of Northport.

Saunders is actually correct. LongIsland.com spoke with Suffolk County Assistant Police Commissioner Justin S. Meyers, who confirmed that police are aware of the issue – he noted that is it only considered to be a minor problem at the moment – but stressed that any action that renders a license plate illegible, either deliberate or accidental, can get a motorist pulled over and issued a summons.

“Though it is not a prevalent issue, the methods we have encountered to obscure license plates include removing paint or utilizing black electrical tape to purposely change the appearance of the license plate digits; and placing plastic license plate covers over the plates which distort the ability to see the plate information,” he said. “Obscuring the ability to see a license plate in any manner is a violation of section 402.1b of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, which is a traffic infraction. This VTL section also covers plates that are dirty or damaged to an extent where it is difficult to read the plate.”

In the meantime, if you are a motorist and are considering taking a belt sander to your license plate in order to stick it to the man, so to speak, you might want to think twice; not only are theSuffolk Police keeping an eye out for such activity, but citizens such as our tipster Eric are as well.

“As someone who shares the roads with these people, I don’t feel it is safe,” he said. “I have to point this out. Enough is enough.”

This article is an opinion piece that does not necessarily reflect the views of its author, the views of the site itself, or the views of the owners of Long Island Exchange. For more information please view our terms of service.

VOIP: What Is It, and How Can It Help Your Business?

January 21, 2016 by Christopher Boyle

(Long Island, NY) As technology has progressed at a fast and faster pace over the years, the world in many ways has become a smaller and smaller place; advances in communication have put resources half a planet away within the palm of your hand, and this phenomenon only growing more effective and efficient with the advent of VoIP.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. In layman’s terms, this basically means that you are placing a call over the internet as opposed to the call going over copper wires. Coming to prominence in the mid-2000’s with the widespread use of broadband Internet access, VoIP technology struggled initially but has quickly matured into a major boon to the wireless communication market, according to Eric Goodstein, Director of Sales for VoIPX International, Inc., a leading firm in the field.

Eric Goodstein, Director of Sales for VoIPX International, Inc. Photo Credit: VoIPX.

Eric Goodstein. Photo Credit: VoIPX International, Inc.

“In its infancy VoIP did not have the best call quality. Like every new technology there was an adjustment period where bugs and kinks were worked out,” he said. “Now call quality on VoIP tends to be very clear. In fact most people don’t know it but almost every call they make in the United States is VoIP at one point or another. Calls don’t always go from Eric to Dan, they might go from Eric to John’s Switch board to Joe’s switchboard to Dan. At some point along the way the call will be converted to VoIP.”

As far as its business applications go, Goodstein noted that VoIP has a number of advantages over TDM (Time Division Multiplexing), an aging phone technology used primarily by corporate phone networks, and these advantages can be summed up with one very clear word.

“Features! Features! Features!” he said. “You can do so much more with VoIP services than you can do with your traditional phone system. “

VoIPX International has laid out six specific areas where VoIP services leapfrogs over the abilities of current TDM systems to provide a cutting-edge communication experience for businesses the world over:

Click To Call: The ability to click any phone number on a web browser and have the phone dial that number
CRM Integration: The ability to integrate Customer Relationship Management (CRM)software functions into the phone system; users can automatically record when calls are made and received, save recordings to the CRM, and much more.
E-Fax: Many services include or offer E-Fax as a solution; send faxes straight from your email browser, and receive faxes in your email as opposed to having to use that pesky fax machine.
Call Accounting: The ability to create an on-demand report about the amount of time that you were on the phone with certain customers based on an account or case number; great for lawyers, accountants or anyone else who bills based on time.
No need for costly roll over numbers: VoIP lets you use one phone number, and there can be unlimited calls in bound or outbound; the customer will never get a busy tone again.
Multi-location capabilities: The ability to interconnect multiple offices cheaply and easily. Dial extension to extension between offices…you can even take a phone home with you, plug it into your internet router, and it will just work.

PBX, or Private Branch Exchange, is a private telephone network used within a company. Users of the PBX phone system share a number of outside lines for making external phone calls. According to Goodstein, there are two types – hosted or cloud PBX, and on-premises PBX – and each holds distinct differences, and business owners should weigh the pros and cons of each to see which works best for their situation.

“On-premises PBX is when the PBX physically resides on the customer’s site. Basically the customer has a PBX in a server room / closet. This is in addition to the phones on their desks,” he said. “Hosted or cloud PBX is when the PBX and the telephone service that operates it is hosted in the cloud; basically, there is no equipment required on-site. The customer simply has a phone on their desk. It is then plugged into power and the internet (cable coming from their router). There is no need for a server room or equipment on site; the equipment is hosted in the provider’s data center.”

Goodstein notes that, with so many communication options out there these days, it can be difficult for a company to nail down just which one is the best overall fit for their varied and complex needs; he notes that a number of factors must go into making any such decision, but there should be one unifying thread binding those factors together – the power and versatility that only VoIP services can offer.

“The best option for a modern company is something that is VoIP enabled for sure; it is usually cheaper and increases functionalities. But that said, there are premise-based options and cloud/hosted options. Which option is better really depends upon the company?” he said. “Premise based options are a much bigger investment up front. Typically this is a cap-ex expense. Hosted options are usually an op-ex expense with a monthly recurring fee. For larger companies with an in-house IT staff, a premise-based solution might make sense.”

“For companies without an IT staff, cloud-based is probably more economical as if they had an on-premise system they would have to hire an IT consultant to help them with it, if they need to make advanced changes or updates,” Goodstein continued. “Hosted Cloud options also often provide disaster recovery because even if you lose power in a storm, a good hosted provider won’t and calls can still be answered and sent to alternative phones if you have a power outage in your office.”

Staying at the forefront of technological developments can make or break any company attempting to secure a foothold in today’s highly competitive worldwide business market; a reliable, versatile, and effective communications network can be a key factor for any business – large or small – looking to succeed; VoIP, by all accounts, is the mean to that end for discerning professionals looking to take their companies to the next level.

VoIPX International, Inc. is a 100% U.S. based company established in 2009, and dedicated to small, medium and enterprise businesses that are focused on cost savings and time management when it comes to their telecom needs. VoIPX has at its fingertips a conglomerate of engineers, developers and entrepreneurs to support the needs and growth of its enterprise customers. Fanatical about the customer experience and led by industry veterans, VoIPX International, Inc. is changing the way businesses communicate by combining the best voice and video communications technologies, while integrating applications that companies need and use every day.

‘Turbulence’ Debuts At Farmingdale’s Adventureland; Officially Opens for Business Memorial Day Weekend

May 19, 2015 by Christopher Boyle

LONG ISLAND, NY – Farmingdale’s Adventureland is set to encounter Turbulence; however, unlike on an airplane, this is the kind of Turbulence that people will definitely want to experience first-hand.

Turbulence is an exciting and new roller coaster attraction set to debut at Adventureland on Memorial Day Weekend 2015, at which time the thrill-seeking public will get a truly one-of-a-kind experience, according to the Farmingdale-based amusement park’s manager, Steven Gentile.

“Turbulence replaces our previous coaster, The Hurricane, which had been in the park for 22 years,” he said. “We felt it was time for Adventureland and Long Island to have something special, and I think that we delivered with Turbulence.”

Turbulence, an exciting new roller coaster attraction set to debut at Adventureland on Memorial Day Weekend 2015. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com

Steven and Joe Gentile (L to R): Steven and Paul Gentile, Adventureland Park Managers at Adventureland’s special press preview of Turbulence on May 18, 2015; Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com

The main idea behind Turbulence, Gentile said, was to create a new ride for Adventureland that was more accessible to families and yet retained a sense of unbridled excitement for those seeking an adrenaline rush; once you have laid eyes upon Turbulence’s 1,210 feet of yellow and green track, with its impressive array of three banking turns and one immelman turn, its easy to see that they have succeeded in achieving that goal.

However, Gentile explained what it is that makes Turbulence, which reaches 55 feet tall at its highest point and has a top speed of 45 miles per hour, truly unique among its amusement park ride brethren.

“The idea behind Turbulence is that you’re getting a different ride experience every time,” he said. “Each car is spinning independently of each other, and how they spin is different each time depending on who is sitting in the car and how much they weigh. There are three cars per train, and there are two trains, each weighing five tons apiece.”

Turbulence replaces the previous coaster, The Hurricane, which had been in the park for 22 years. There are three cars per train, and there are two trains, each weighing five tons apiece. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com

Each car of Turbulence spins independently of each other with how they spin different each time depending on the weight of each passenger. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com

Gentile and his crew conducted a great deal of research when initially looking to replace the park’s long-standing Hurricane ride, and to that end they found themselves traveling a great deal; first to California, where they tested out a coaster similar in concept to Turbulence, and then all the way to Germany, where famed roller coaster manufacturer Mack Rides constructed Adventureland’s newest addition, shipped it over to Farmingdale in pieces, and finally oversaw it’s assembly.

A brutal winter delayed construction the Turbulence project, pushing back the original opening date by six weeks, but in the end, after all the time and effort and expense, Gentile said that the end result was more than worth it.

Famed roller coaster manufacturer Mack Rides constructed Adventureland’s newest addition Turbulence in Germany where it was then shipped over to Farmingdale in pieces. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com

“Turbulence has been a two-and-a-half year project, and the cost was close to $5 million, which usually not normal for a park of our size to make such an investment,” he said. “However, we planned properly with ride companies, planned financially properly, and we are very excited that we were able to do this for ourselves and for Long Island.”

The very first members of the public who will get to experience Turbulence when the ride officially opens for business on Friday, May 22, at 2 p.m. will be winners from the First Ride for a Cause contest and an auction hosted by Cox Media and Adventureland’s Helping Hands Foundation, with the proceeds benefiting the Long Island Chapter of the juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism.

A brutal winter delayed construction the Turbulence project, pushing back the original opening date by six weeks. Turbulence officially opens for business on Friday, May 22, at 2 p.m. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com

Turbulence Adventureland is located at 2245 Broadhollow Road in Farmingdale, NY. Photo credit, Christopher Boyle, LongIslandExchange.com

While members of the press were not allowed to ride the new roller coaster at Adventureland’s special press preview of on May 18, Turbulence was initially run with empty cars to give attendees an idea of the excitement and fun the public has in store for them come Memorial Day Weekend; however, a few lucky employees of the park were allowed to give the coaster the proverbial whirl, and the reviews were indeed glowing.

“I’ve never been on something like that before, honestly,” said Chris Mule of Levittown. “It was really cool and fun, and really smooth…when you were spinning, it was just a great experience.”

Matt Liguori of Babylon said that he’s a connoisseur of coasters, and that Turbulence easily ranks up there with the very best of them.

“It was really awesome compared to some of the other rides I’ve been on,” he said. “The whole factor that it spins all of the time…it offers a completely different experience every time. If you look at it, it doesn’t seem all that fast, but when you’re on it, it’s just a completely different feel. It’s amazing.”

Adventureland is located at 2245 Broadhollow Road in Farmingdale, NY. Visit their website at www.adventureland.us.

CEO, Founder Chris Pati’s Independent Streaming Music Video Network; IndiMusic TV, It’s All About the Music

March 3, 2015 by Christopher Boyle

LONG ISLAND, NY – Seemingly overnight, one man’s vision – to put independent music back into the hands of its creative talent– is currently on the verge of kicking the music industry onto its collective ear.

CEO/Founder Chris Pati explained that IndiMusic TV, a website that he launched in 2012, is a social media broadcast network with an emphasis on music and the artists that create it.

“We came up with the concept of taking a social community model, such as Facebook, and marrying it with a 24-7 HD broadcast channel…all in one place,” he said. “It is independent music videos…some big artists, some unknowns, and everything in-between, and we’re the number one provider of this content in the world.”

CEO/Founder Chris Pati, a Smithtown resident, explained that IndiMusic TV, a website that he launched in 2012, is a social media broadcast network with an emphasis on music and the artists that create it.

Users can upload one video to IndiMusic TV for free, ten videos for a fee of $30, and 100 for $99. But whether a user pays or goes with the no-cost options, Pati said that it’s not how much you spend – everyone has an equal shot at exposure regardless – it’s the quality of your content and how it’s received by the community that will get you noticed or not.

“The quality of the music videos uploaded to our site is very high…this isn’t YouTube,” he said. “Anyone can upload a video to our site, but we don’t keep every video. What we’re trying to do is establish a top-shelf broadcast network that showcases up-and-coming and established artists through their music videos and their video content. We’re trying to keep the quality high.”

For those mistaking IndiMusic TV for something akin to YouTube, however, Pati makes a point that his creation is much, much more.

CEO/Founder Chris Pati is himself a talented musician playing the bass, drums, guitar, keyboards and violin, and has been playing professionally since he was 13 years old. Eventually, he went into sound engineering/production and video production.

“Only one part of what we do is like YouTube…YouTube is VOD, not a streaming, linear channel. You go on Youtube, look through all the videos, and you play the ones you like. That’s it,” he said. “However, if you go to IndiMusic TV, in the top right-hand corner you see a live broadcast that streams 24 hours a day.”

Pati, a Ronkonkoma resident, is himself a talented musician from childhood onward; a multi-instrumentalist, he said that he knows how to play the bass, drums, guitar, keyboards and violin, and has been playing professionally since he was 13 years old. Eventually, he went into sound engineering and after that, producing and video production where he managed to successfully straddle both creative and promotional aspects of the music business at the same time.

In addition to music videos and other user-generated content, IndiMusic TV also features a variety of original programming as well, including airing the entire back catalog of the former hit A+E music series “Private Sessions”, which Pati said has been licensed from the famous cable television network AETN; IndiMusic TV will is slated to produce new installments of the show as well.

Pati noted that IndiMusic TV is now a brand that is available in over 260 countries and boasts traffic in the 100,000+ visits a day range to the site. Clearly, this is the place to find out what’s what in the world of music; and, with future forays into similar web-based content centered on other forms of entertainment, such as fashion and sports, as well as possible television deals looming, Pati said this is only the beginning.

“For users, IndiMusic TV is a great place to come and find new talent,” he said. “And for artists, it’s a great place to come and post their content, get exposure, and hopefully sell their music.”

To find out more, visit http://IndiMusic.tv.

IndiMusic TV Website IndiMusic TV, a website that Pati launched in 2012, is a social media broadcast network with an emphasis on music and the artists that create it.

National Dental Awareness Event for Underprivileged Draws 1,600+ to Cradle of Aviation in Garden City

February 6, 2015 by Christopher Boyle

LONG ISLAND, NY – On Friday, February 6, Garden City’s Cradle of Aviation Museum was packed to the rafters with a gaggle of children as part of the 12th annual Nassau County Dental Society (NCDS) “Give Kids A Smile” event, which promotes the benefits of dental care for youngsters who otherwise might not have access to it.

Joseph Brofsky Co-Chair of NCDS event, said that “Give Kids A Smile” is a national endeavor aimed at children from disenfranchised areas who may have never seen a dentist at all in their short lifetimes. The event took place on February 6 at venues from coast-to-coast; however, Garden City lays claim to the title of the biggest of them all, Brofsky said.

Nassau County Dental Society and Long Island McDonald Help to Give Kids A Smile On Friday, February 6, Cradle of Aviation in Garden City was packed to the rafters with a gaggle of children as part of the 12th annual Nassau County Dental Society (NCDS) Give Kids A Smile. Kids were thrilled to see Ronald McDonald who left goodie bags including a certificate from McDonald’s for a free Happy Meal.

Nassau County Dental Society and Long Island McDonald Help to Give Kids A Smile On Friday, February 6, 2015, the national dental awareness event Give Kids A Smile drew over 1,600 to Garden City’s Cradle of Aviation Museum.

“There’s about 2,000 events put on by Dental Societies across America today for Give Kids A Smile, and this is the number-one venue in the country. Today we’re expecting a turnout of over 1,600 children,” he said. “Children are bused in from under-privileged areas on Long Island; some of them have never been to a museum or a dentist. We provide them with a tour of the Cradle of Aviation as well as dental checkups and, if needed, follow-up care.”

Over 100 volunteer dentists were set up at stations on the Cradle’s second floor, providing check-ups, cleanings, and fluoride treatments, temporary fillings, and general dental advice to tykes from all over Long Island; in addition, there were 350 student volunteers from high schools such as Long Beach, Lynbrook, Freeport, Farmingdale, and more, each of whom helped chaperone and manage the large throngs of kiddies present.

Nassau County Dental Society and Long Island McDonald Help to Give Kids A Smile On Friday, February 6, Cradle of Aviation in Garden City was packed to the rafters with a gaggle of children as part of the 12th annual Nassau County Dental Society (NCDS) Give Kids A Smile.

However, the NCDS also receives a great deal of help from a variety of other organizations; in addition to receiving donated dental supplies from Henry Schein Dental of New York, mascots and representatives from popular local sports teams such as the NY Islanders and the NY Mets were present to entertain the kids waiting for their checkups; however one certain clown clearly was the star of the show for these youngsters, Brofsky said.

“Ronald McDonald is a big star here with the kids…in fact, he’s the most popular character we have here today. The kids love him,” he said. “And Long Island McDonald’s has been tremendously helpful to us. They’re doing some wonderful work for the children of Long Island.”

Nassau County Dental Society and Long Island McDonald Help to Give Kids A Smile Posing for the camera are (L to R) Joseph Brofsky, Co-Chair of the Nassau County Dental Society’s “Give Kids A Smile” event, and Luciana Montuoro, LI McDonald’s Marketing & Public Relations Director, Friday, February 6, 2015, at Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.

Luciana Montuoro, LI McDonald’s Marketing & Public Relations Director, said that getting involved in the “Give Kids A Smile” event is just their way of continuing their tradition of giving back to the community; and the success of their involvement has enabled McDonald’s to extend their backing of this important cause to other areas of Long Island as well, she said.

“Long Island McDonald’s has been supporting Give Kids A Smile at this event for five years now, and each year it’s gown and grown,” she said. “They bus in children from all areas of Nassau and Suffolk County to get free checkups. And based on the success of this event, McDonald’s has also begun attending the Give Kids A Smile event held in Stony Brook University’s School of Dentistry and Farmingdale College as well.”

Nassau County Dental Society and Long Island McDonald Help to Give Kids A Smile On Friday, February 6, 2015, children from all areas of Nassau and Suffolk County were bused in for free checkups. Kids were thrilled to see Ronald McDonald who left goodie bags including a certificate from McDonald’s for a free Happy Meal.

Montuoro noted that the inclusion of the one-and-only Ronald McDonald at the Give Kids A Smile events serves two very important purposes.

“First, the kids are thrilled to see Ronald, but he also puts them at ease because they are nervous about getting a checkup,” she said. “And, after their checkup, each kid gets a goodie bag and we include a certificate from McDonald’s for a free Happy Meal.”

The Cradle of Aviation was abuzz with activity that day, with the mammoth lobby transformed into a jubilant waiting room of sorts, complete with chairs, music, snacks, and video screens everywhere you looked. Also, kids got free tours of the museum while they were waiting to have their teeth looked over by one of the many volunteers present.

Seven year-old Devon was indeed a bit apprehensive about going in for his check-up; however, with some encouragement from Ronald McDonald – and the promise of a Happy Meal to come – he soon found the courage to go in for a quick exam.

“The dentist told me I had good teeth,” he said. “I really liked that they gave me a checkup and made sure that I’ve been brushing right. And I really can’t wait to get a cheeseburger Happy Meal when I get home later!”

At The Movies: The Raid 2: Berandal (2014)

April 21, 2014 by Christopher Boyle

(Long Island, N.Y.) The Raid 2 is a great movie, to be sure. However, I found the first one (The Raid: Redemption) to be a slightly more exhilarating experience, personally; when I reviewed the 2011 original, an Indonesian martial arts action film written and directed by Welsh newcomer Gareth Evans, I called it “the best action movie I had seen in the last decade.” I still feel that way.

The original was the very definition of simple: a SWAT team takes on a building controlled by a local crime lord, fighting their way from the bottom all the way to the top, videogame-style. There was little in the way of plot or dialogue; however, where The Raid delivered was in the departments of personality and bone-crushing, mind-searing action. Featuring the grittiest, most hard-hitting and complexly choreographed fight scenes – starting first with gun-play and eventually giving away to brutal hand-to-hand combat centered on the Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat – The Raid practically left me breathless throughout its entire running time, coming as a relief after being force-fed the limp offerings that Hollywood has been passing off as “action” for years now.

To me, the sequel really didn’t get quite to that level of pure intensity until the last 30-45 minutes or so of the movie; once the Rama/Hammer Girl/Baseball Bat Man fight starts, the flick really goes into overdrive and gets pretty crazy.

The Raid 2 picks up right where the first movie left off; Rama (Iko Uwais), one of the surviving SWAT team members from the building assault (mostly due to his superhuman martial arts skills), is recruited to go undercover into the criminal underworld to flush out corruption in the police department. He soon finds himself in deep…REALLY deep, and unable to pull out for fear of putting the lives of his family at risk. As they say, the only way out is through…and in this case, “through” means “spilling every drop of blood that can possibly be spilled.” Needless to say, lots of people are maimed and/or killed throughout the course of the movie.

At The Movies: The Raid 2: Berandal (2014) When The Raid 2 was first announced, Gareth Evans spoke extensively of expanding the bare-bones story and adding more drama and actors to the mix, which had me concerned; unfortunately, some of my fears held true when watching the final result. Adding additional story and tons of characters to The Raid 2 really only served to take away some of what made the original so damn effective as a pure, unbridled action movie; breakneck intensity and non-stop action, with a bare-bones story that served to move things along while at the same time not bogging things down. While I don’t mind the idea of a more in-depth story line, the one presented in The Raid 2 was perhaps one of the least original ever- the ol’ “guy goes undercover into the mob by going to jail and befriending the mob boss’ son after demonstrating his fighting abilities to him in a prison brawl and saving his life” kinda deal.

Still, not the end of the world – there are tons of action movies with derivative scripts – and for the most part, it’s conveyed pretty decently here, although the glut of new characters tends to make the proceedings a tad convoluted until the end, where things are tied up rather well. But overall, the story is told in an in-depth way that doesn’t really do it any favors because, at its core, it’s not very interesting; for the most part, you’re just waiting for the talking to end so you can watch the next fight.

Another issue I had with The Raid 2 were the majority of the early action scenes, which almost all for the most part involved variations of one man fighting entire gangs of people in wide-open spaces. While these fights were good, a major action movie flaw reared its ugly head in the form of gang members who politely take turns attacking the hero, one-by-one, instead of rushing him en masse. Awfully nice of them to wait until he had dispatched the guy he was fighting before having a go at him, I must say, but it really killed the realism of it. There were similar fights in the first movie, but since that flick took place in enclosed hallways for the most part, having the hero fight mostly one guy at a time worked better simply because of the lack of space. However, I do recall Rama fighting multiple guys at once – the machete fight comes to mind (he fought 4-5 guys at once with some very complex choreography), and the two-on-one final fight scene with diminutive villain Mad Dog as well, and there’s precious little of that in R2; there’s just fight after fight where one person fights gangs of killers, one at a time.

Don’t get me wrong, however; there’s A LOT to like (hell, love) about The Raid 2. There are TONS of fight scenes in the movie, and they’re all really good. The plot is paced well enough that it doesn’t make you wait too long between fight scenes, and taking the action out of the high-rise building and onto the streets (including a fairly innovative car chase scene) really keeps things fresh. The cinematography is pure art throughout, and the acting is pretty good…at least, as far as I can tell, since everyone is speaking Indonesian and Japanese; but while I’m reading the subtitles, the actors seem to be emoting in a fairly respectable way, so I’ll just assume they’re carrying their weight. Most of the new characters introduced in this installment are cool as well, and the blood/violence level is actually kicked UP a few dozen notches from the first movie, if that was possible. Brutal ain’t the word, kids.

And like I said, things get better as the film goes along, and the last third or so just goes totally berserk starting with Rama vs. Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Man (WOW, that was good), and then goes on to an absolutely EPIC fight in a kitchen featuring some dude with knives. If the whole movie was like the last third, it would have been the greatest action film ever made, easily. These scenes got my heart pumping like most of the original Raid did for nearly its entire length.

Speaking of Hammer Girl, she’s an excellent new character played by Indonesian actress Julie Estelle…it’s just too bad she’s barely in the movie (the promotion material would lead you to believe she’s one of the stars). The awesome Yayan Ruhian, who played the very memorable character of Mad Dog in the original movie, is back, playing a different character named Prakoso; but while he’s still amazing and tough as nails, he’s not in the movie much either, sadly. Another stand-out among the massive cast was Arifin Putra, who stars as Uco, the upstart son of a wise old gangster desperate to get out from his father’s shadow.

Series lead Iko Uwais still brings the goods, displaying some fantastic martial arts skills, although his character really seems played for a chump by the detective he reports to while undercover. By the end of the movie you really wonder why he’s even bothering continuing with the assignment. The man kicks much tushy, however, so we can forgive him for being gullible. Besides, the guy’s just trying to protect his wife and kid, after all.

The Raid 2 would have been better if The Raid 1 didn’t exist, and if the media hype train wasn’t running full-speed for the sequel, building expectations for it to unobtainable levels. No, it’s not the greatest action movie ever made, but it is a DAMN good one; however, I still contend that the first Raid is the best action movie I’ve seen in the past ten years. Sometimes less IS more.

At The Movies: Ender’s Game (2013)

November 7, 2013 by Christopher Boyle

(Long Island, N. Y.) I like sci-fi, especially when it’s thought-provoking. I never read the original Orson Scott Card novel that Ender’s Game is based on, but that didn’t stop the twist ending from being spoiled for me by some inconsiderate denizen of the internet…a mere three word denouncement ruined everything for me. Lesson learned…if I want to go into a movie-watching experience blind, avoid the internet. Easier said than done, but people are jerks, man.

Anyway, Ender’s Game (both the book and the film adaptation) have been the target of gay rights groups due to homophobic remarks made by author Card in the media over the years, but from what I could tell, his ignorant sentiments don’t seem to appear in any form in the film, so that’s a moot point, I guess. The tale of an unusually gifted child who is sent to an advanced military academy in outer space to prepare for a future alien invasion from an alien race called the “Formics.”

Ender’s Game stars Asa Butterfield as Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, the aforementioned child who is put through the paces at the academy, enduring all manner of tests, simulations, and lessons to prepare him to the ultimate combatant in the upcoming war with an unspeakable alien threat. However, life at the academy is filled with all manner of trials, deceptions, and backstabbing, laced with mind games and conflicts with his fellow students; soon Ender questions what he’s actually being trained for to begin with- is he being bred to be humanity’s savior, or just a cold-blooded killer and pawn of the military?

enders_game Ender’s Game, whose ensemble cast also includes Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Viola Davis, Abigail Breslin, and Ben Kingsley, is a solid but overall unremarkable sci-fi film that’s probably getting more attention over the boneheaded remarks made by its source material’s author than its inherent quality. True, it’s got a hell of a cast, but honestly, when was the last time Harrison Ford wasn’t phoning in a performance for a quick paycheck? 16 year-old Asa Butterfield as the eponymous Ender acquits himself well, but overall, the film just feels flat, the characters bland and uninteresting, and – from what I’ve been told by those who have read the original book – the originally thought-provoking narrative is rather dumbed-down for the masses in favor of shiny CG explosions and action scenes.

However, things get more interesting as the film reaches its conclusion, but at that point I was so burnt out from the sensation that I was watching nothing but a glorified Nintendo game for the previous hour that I really had trouble caring one way or another. They say a good ending can salvage an otherwise bad or bland film, but when that ending has been spoiled by some dope on the Internet, even that can’t save the day. Of course, a twist is only good once; the film in question has to hold up to repeated viewings without its benefit. Ender’s Game really doesn’t.

So, overall, Ender’s Game is a solid but forgettable sci-fi romp (did I really just call it a “romp”? Oh man, what is wrong with me?), but unless you’re starving for entertainment, I’d advise you to save your hard-earned dollars and wait for Thor: The Dark Word, which opens this week. I’m sure it’ll be worth it.

Half Star

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