Pieces of Thinking

Our guest has traveled the world as a professional billiards player. She is a world champion, having won several titles in Billiards, 9 Ball and Trick Shot competitions and tournaments. She also has done double duty as a commentator for ESPN in some of the world tournaments.Now, we get to talk with Ewa Mataya Laurance in a more personal setting, to find out what it takes to not only become a powerhouse world champion, but also stay grounded with her family and how the early years shaped up with her daughter.

A wonderful walk down memory lane with Chuck, who is 92 years old. We talk about things from the Great Depression, his memory of listening to the radio when the bombing of Pearl Harbor happened, his time in the military during the Korean Conflict and much more. This show was like talking to a living history book.

Our guest for this show is an individual who works for the New York City Police Department. His views are his own, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, opinion or position of the State of New York, New York City or the New York City Police Department.

What happens when you seize an opportunity & apply an unearthly drive for accomplishment? If you answered the result is success, I think this weeks guest might both agree, and disagree, with you.Our guest this week is Dimitris Agrafiotis, an entrepreneur through many different aspects of business, as well as the types of business. A few simple things you might need to know: he was neither born with a silver spoon in his mouth nor is English his native language.Join us as we're going to have a very candid conversation with Dimitris about business, the mindset it takes, what he classifies as determination and some other questions people may (or may not) want to hear the answers to.

How do entrepreneurs get to where they are? Did they magically just arrive there? Do they have a different mind set than so many others?This week we get a rare opportunity to ask those, and many other questions, to Phil Busardo. From early days to now, we're going to take a look at his path that has brought him to traveling the world for the products he and Dimitris Agrafiotis created.** This show contains some foul language. **

In the world of radio dj's, this is one man who has seen it all. A career spanninng more time than might be polite to say, in cities from tiny specks to huge metropolitan, his wealth of the industry is rivaled by few.How often have we been driving down the road, tapping our foot to the music, when the DJ comes on the radio and tells us about the news or new place to hang out? Yet, how often did we ever stop to think what the guy behind the microphone actually does in order to make the radio show sound good, or how hard he really works?That's part of tonight's show, talking with Rod about the behind the scenes kind of thing that happens every day on the radio.We're also going to look at where his career began to where it is leading him today. However, it's the underlying story we're going to dig into that is the key.Rod has been able to witness some incredible transformations in the industry as it happened. How did they affect him as a dj, how did it affect his audience, and how have those transformative items changed the landscape of radio forever?

What has 110 to 150 beats per minute, played in sets by various DJ's, where the music is non stop for hours at a time? If you said electronic music, you're right. Trance, House, Jungle, Deep House, Ambient, Hardcore, Industrial... and this is only mentioning a few of the genre’s that are known collectively as electronic music.Yet the evolution of the genre (like many things time has changed) has lost some of it's roots, meanings and perhaps even traditions.This upcoming Monday, we're going to be talking with professional DJ, Ian Mariano, who has been a dj for more than 30 years. From settings of small parties to residency in major clubs, from rave's in the middle of nowhere to places you might never think, the history he expands on is both diverse and immense all at the same time.His own evolution through the years as compared to his playing music for thousands of people might seem to some people like he leads a double life, but it's not. It’s part of a culture that not many people either know about or have heard of before.Join us as we find out what dancing through the years might mean, Monday at 9pm EST.As an ‘After the Show’ kind of note, if you are interested in how the electronic dance music scene in Cleveland Ohio (as well as Akron Ohio) began and evolved, Ian was instrumental in forming that with a club called Metropolis. The conversation might seem like a stroll down memory lane, yet it is filled with rich history of the beginnings for a genre of music that would change the lives of thousands of people.

Many people have the aspiration of climbing the corporate ladder. Director, Vice President and then the top, CEO.That’s where the buck stops, the position of ultimate authority within any company or organization.Yet many may not be ready for the pitfalls that are attached to that very same position. Fewer still would come to the conclusion that being a CEO is much more than a career move. Like most jobs, you either seem to have a knack for a job, or you don’t.Our guest tonight is a man who has been the CEO of two multi-million dollar, world wide companies. He’s been in that seat making the tough calls, the gut wrenching decisions and taking the heat and pressure that goes with them.We’re going to talk with Austin Hopper about his rise to those positions, what his drive was for taking on those roles and the difference between what people believe and the reality of job.

They can be some of the ugliest words in the english language: anxiety, depression and PTSD.We all know someone who is currently trying their best to deal with depression. They put a glad face on it when we see them, but in their own home, they feel trapped, unable to go on.We also know someone who is having issues with anxiety, not knowing what is happening next. They live their lives with a suffering we just don't see.Ranking right up there with the worst of these things are those people who have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and struggle every day trying to function in a society that often seems to not care.On Monday, we're going to talk with Dr. Baust and find out how to recognize these items, what we might be able to do to help these people, or how to help them get the help they deserve.

She's a Vet from the US Army. She's a mother of two. She's also a professional photographer who owns and runs The Gallery 360 at the Eastwood Mall.Who is she?Michelle Lynn Ascano.Her path in life has been challenging, moving from being in the Army to that of a Professional Photographer. Growing her vision has, at times, taken her to almost rock bottom in her life, and yet she not only overcame the hurdles, she now runs her studio in the mall.We'll talk with her about some of those early trials that could have ended in chaos, what has helped drive her vision of the future and success as a professional photographer and also learn a few tips and tricks on how to take better photos this holiday season with the equipment we have on hand.

Back in the heyday of the 80's and 90's when big tobacco companies could run print adds, there was Joe the Camel, the Marlboro Man and this guy, the Winston Man, David Goerlitz.From being the face of Winston cigarettes to today, his life has taken several radical changes. Speaking out against the large tobacco company left him demonized and publicly shamed, he has taken his fight to even greater lengths.We're going to be speaking with David about his journey, the ups and downs, the trappings of corporate lies and greed and also about his upcoming documentary being released soon.Also, David has mentioned he will be bringing a few guests of his own onto the show.

You see them on TV, you see them in the movies, in commercials, they're everywhere!What are they? Actors, and actresses.People often think it might be an easy job, or a cushy job, or a job with fame and fortune. Often, we do not take time to think of the entire cast you see on the screen. The people there, just in the background. The job they have? Multi-faceted, demanding, long hours and so much more.This week, we're going to talk with a professional actor who made his career in those rolls, and guess what? He loved it!