HAL Bazaar: A duo band performed at Pogue Mahone's Bar

               Rock out with HAL Bazaar
An," acoustic rock duo with the Big sound" is how Adam Danesi, the lead singer and drummer describes his band.

  David     Singer and guitarist Steve McCurdy and

 Buckler   Danesi get their instruments ready for the

----------  long night.

   Music          An electronic tuner prepares the

  Review    guitar, and warm up stretches for the drummer and the men start. At first the audience was modest in their involvement with the music, occasionally a woman in the far corner would dance for a few minutes than sit down.

       Two hours later the bar became louder, free drinks were being given to the talent, and the crowd started to dance. The duo played all types of Rock from Bob Marley, Fuel, Kings of Leon and much more.

       Their talent as musicians become clear as you witness them change styles and replicate any artist from the past and present. Energy from the men was great and their stage presence was entertaining but could be better.

       As for the crowd they were absolutely into the music being played. I could tell by the discussions being held around me. Their involvement could of been better, I was hoping for some good dance scenes to get video of but this was not the dancing crowd, they were perfectly happy in their seats except for a select few woman.

        One lady behind me said "this song was played at her prom when she was in high school and I love this song!" Another man on my right was singing along to the words of another oldies song.

--------------------------------------           As the night went on the smell of beer and sweat took over the

"HAL Bazaar" will be performing soon   place. The music was heard from any area of the bar even outside
call Adam Danesi (267)-226-8092        which was nice when I wanted to go outside to give my ears a
for tickets and bookings. or email them   break from the loud music.
halbazaar@comcast.net                                 Overall the men were great performers, and worth a visit. Price to get in is free so that is a bonus for anyone looking for affordable entertainment. I enjoyed my time there even though I'm not a drinker I can safely say I had a great time thanks to these men.

Amerikick Internationals Held Extreme Form Competition

"Ke-Ya" the competitors scream!

Karate Students compete in Amerikick Internationals competition.

                      By David L. Buckler 

           Intro to Journalism student writer

Official trade mark of the competition. 

Shortly after 3 p.m. Friday March 30th, competitors at the Convention Center in Philadelphia broke out in loud screams as they mentally prepared themselves to perform: the winners shared in Friday's fifty thousand dollars in awards.
      Men and women, boys and girls strapped up, suited up, and warmed up as their turns to compete were getting closer.

      "Alot of guys get sponsored at this event," said Mike Recinto, one of two directors for the competition. He has been running the show for 32 years and has a 7th degree black belt in Kenpo which makes him qualified and dangerous.

Photo by amerikickinternationals.com
Main Judge left and winner of extreme forms right

.

      Recinto's pleasant personality and confidence attracts people around him at all times.  Answering everyone's demands was a chore as  he rushed to satisfy each person's questions at the same time.
      "Continuous sparring" started the 2012 Amerikick Internationals off with a bang.  Two people are matched together in the same age group and they go at it for 45 seconds of pounding fits and rib cracking kicks.
       The first two men were a foot difference in height with the same rank of 2nd degree black belt. The two men went at it strong right from the start.
       spectators watching thought the taller man was going to win but the underdog came through with fist and to all of our surprise, kicks to the face!
       The taller man left the mat smiling with blood on his face saying to his father, "He is a great fighter, but I'll win the next match."
       It was a great way to start the competition and the audience seemed to agree. Cheers of excitement and yells of encouragement filled the room up as each space was filled with a different age group sparring at the same time.
        The woman were no exception to the excitement, in some cases they were more vicious than the men. Whoever said women cant fight were wrong, very wrong. Thundering punches were slamming hard on each woman's chest and face. They had little or no reaction to the blows, and continued to fight back as hard as they could.
        Some of the competitors waiting around to compete cheered their team mates on, and others continued to warm up as they waited.
       "My name is Jhalani Williams, you will see me on UFC someday," said Williams a first time competitor. Williams said,  "I don't know what to think yet about this competition, but I'm excited and I know I'm going to win."
        Williams took this competition very seriously, he continued to practice his moves as he wanted, even when being interviewed. Williams later competed in the continuous sparring and appeared to be able to back up his words. He dominated in his first two fights crushing his opponents in the first round.
        Chad Flick a father of a second degree black belt son said, "you really see the best of the best, the kids really are phenomenal." Flick and other supporting parents watched as their sons and daughters fought with everything they had to win in the three rounds of kick boxing.
        Extreme forms or "CMX Forms" was next after the sparring. Video of some of the forms is posted on the top of this article.
        The audience seemed to be enjoying themselves as the competitors used all of their energy and skill to impress the three judges at each station. Some of the audience members were yelling in support of their son, daughter, or friend.
       Volunteers were a huge part of the success of this event, many of the volunteers wore blue as they ran around making sure each station was ready for the next fight or extreme form.
        Darthon Newman a volunteer for the eighth year in a row is also supporting a friend who is a  competitor this year.  He said, "To survive in this competition you have to take risk, it's ok to be worry some but no risk, no reward."
        Photo journalist, Mary Shoulty works for the Kansas City Star, weaving herself in and out of the crowd, taking pictures of each event with great speed. She gave me tips on who to look out for and the upcoming stars that will put on a great show.
        Explore Talent, a company that helps upcoming actors get a job attended the event.  Competitors freely handed out business cards that had a head shot of themselves, their name, number, email, and Explore Talents logo.
        Stephannie Figueroa, one of the Explore Talent competitors handed out her cards to spectators before she performed her extreme form with a sword. Video of her can be found in the video above around the 3:40 mark.
        The competition ended with awards being handed out to all the winners. Sponsors waited for the winners to walk off the stage before talking with them about deals.
        Interested in going to a competition? The next one is the 18th and 19th of May, Gator Nationals in Daytona Beach, FL. 
      
        

     

Philadelphia Flower Show Hosted a Hawaiian Themed Event

One of the beach displays 
Photo By: David L. Buckler

 The fresh smell of flowers, the vivid color of Hawaii, the soft feel of leafs between my fingers, and the sound of people talking are all part of the flower show experience.
      This past March, The Pennsylvania Convention Center hosted a Hawaiian themed Flower Show for the Philadelphia area. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, or PHS has been funded by the proceeds of this event.
       PHS is an organization focused on urban greening programs, such as "City Harvest" which feeds Philadelphia families in need. Tickets cost $32, which is a steep cost for many but it helps PHS feed the hungry and plant in Philadelphia.
       Bob Ward, a front gate employee has been working the flower show for eleven years. He said, "Every year they do an amazing job here and every year thousands of people come to see the beautiful displays." He said around "300,000 people" attend each year over eight days.

Wedding Ideas 
Photo by: David L. Buckler

      Volunteers are a huge reason this is successful every year. Sharon Lentz has been volunteering for the last three years. She says, "It takes a lot, alot of volunteers to pull this off." Lentz also said, "The isles are bigger than ever before as is traffic flow because people  complained, which is a good thing."
         Being a volunteer comes with it's benefits. Free admission to the show is one benefit that Lentz said is why she volunteers. If interested in volunteering for the show contact PHS.
          John Tanouye, a first timer at the show said, "This is pretty amazing." The look of awe and amazement struck Tanouye's face as we walked by the table on the right.
          The people who show up to this event all seem very happy and relaxed. Maybe it's the pleasant smell or the eye striking colors. Or maybe it's an escape from everyday life. One thing is certain this is a colorful event to attend.

An actual beach built indoors
Photo by: David L. Buckler

          No event comes without it's criticism. Caitlin Pasarelli a long time member of PHS and photo enthusiast said, "I am disappointed with the lack of colors this year, I wanted to see hibiscus and more variety of flowers but it's mostly leaf work this year." Like Lentz said, when people complain things change. Next year the colorful display of Hawaii might be even more colorful as spectators demand for more flowers.
         Three shows were scheduled throughout the day in the PHS studios, located on the far left side of the building and directly in the center of the building. The first show was the PHS Gardeners studio where professionals gave the audience advice on gardening methods, to optimize their yards potential.
          After lunch time The Philadelphia Zoo hosted an event for the children. They brought a parrot, a turtle, and a sneak with them for children to see and touch. Parents seemed relieved to sit down as their children ran to the stage to pet the animals.
      Around dinner time the last show was at the PHS Designer's Studio where professionals gave the audience tips on how to make beautiful bouquets. They also demonstrated by making several bouquets with flowers from the show, and flowers that were on sale.
      By the end of the day most of the people filtered out of the doors exhausted but happy. "A day well spent" said Audrey Strother as she slowly made her way out of the building.
      

       

Donald Glover apologizes to Swarthmore College students

Swarthmore College students dancing to the music!
Photo by: David L. Buckler

The lights go out with a thick layer of fog rolling off the stage. Students Cheer in anticipation for their end of the year concert.
         Donald Glover, the lead rapper for the group, "Childish Gambino" performed at Swarthmore College Saturday, April 27th for what was supposed to be a five hour show.
          He was scheduled to begin at Seven Thirty pm, and end early the next morning. Clover did not come out until close to 8:30pm and he ended at 11:30pm due to technical difficulties.
           JWM Entertainment group, was in charge of the lights and sound for the artist.  John M. Wolk the president of the company attended the concert and said, "The stands holding the lights and speakers is over fifteen hundred pounds. When the students were jumping I saw them shaking and my heart skipped a beat and I had to stop the show for the safety of the students."
           Mame Yarukara, a Junior, was with her friends after the show venting over the "awful event planning." said, "They choose to put this show indoors in a room that can only fit 300 people with a weight limit for all the equipment." She further explains that the show should of been outside because there would of been no issue with the equipment and everyone would be able to attend."
           Glover, later posted on his Twitter page, "Swarthmore, I apologize. I was told during the show that jumping could cause a collapse. Come to the Philly show to see a full performance."
           Besides the objection towards the planning the show was full of energy, and excited college students were jumping and singing along to the lyrics of Glover's songs. The short show seemed to be of no concerns to the majority of Swarthmore students. It appeared everyone was satisfied by the end and ready to party afterwards.
           Nick kushner, a Junior, was inviting everyone to a party after the show.  In the middle of a song he said, "This concert is {profanity} awesome!" and after leaving the building he said, "It was a blast dude." Others in the crowd agreed.
                   

Daniel Pope Spoke with care in this {Exclusive Interview}

International Master -

                   Business Manager

                                                                                          

Exclusive Interview!

6^th degree black belt Daniel Pope talks about his history in the business, his tips on being a successful instructor,and street defense.

Interview by David L. Buckler

Martial artists would agree that operating a self-defense studio is challenging. Just being a good martial artist is not enough to succeed in the business world. Dreaming of running your own studio comes across many martial artist minds during their physical, mental, and spiritual pursuits. Master Pope believes to operate your own studio you must be a people person, an instructor, a business person, and a motivator.

 Provide me with a brief history of Daniel Pope Karate and how this all started?

http://www.danielpopekarate.com/
The Trademark for Daniel Pope Karate

Daniel Pope Karate originated at the Lansdowne Racket ball club in the early 80s.  My son rented space there and eventually purchased a building on Baltimore Pike, 88 Baltimore pike in Lansdowne to accommodate the larger student body. Through competitions, advertising, and marketing our name recognition  built up the business.1991 I had an opportunity to leave the corporate sector so I left and we leased this building here in Springfield, Delaware County and from there I built the business up through excellent lessons, teaching children and reinforcing what they learn from their parents. Live a good Christian life and sound advice and good technique and from there our reputation built and we are still here and we are celebrating our 30 years as a karate institute.

Your son and you have won competitions. Which one was your favorite?

Dan Jr. competed throughout the United States he was ranked number 1 in 1993-95 in the tri-state area (Greater Philadelphia Area). He was also ranked #3 in NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) and he traveled all over the middle Atlantic Region, and I competed 15 times. My biggest thrill and honor was when we competed in 1991 World Tang Soo Do championship in the Civic Center and the greatest honor and thrill, thrills actually the word is that we were fighting side by side in my division and his division and we were both going for the number one spot.

Mr. Pope Sr. left with grand daughter and Mr. Pope Jr. right.
http://www.danielpopekarate.com/

He is in ring number 1 and I’m in ring number 2 and the people were saying Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey. Father and son I proceeded to win the championship fighting five opponents, I won the grand championship.  I fought students from china, Mexico, Japan, England, and the United States. My last opponent for the championship was from the United States, New Jersey, that was ironic and Dan he came in second because he knocked out his opponent. They were exchanging and the other person got the worst of it. There is a point in point karate where things get very physical at our level but you can’t knock a guy out. It wasn’t deliberate it was just the heat of the action. Being with my son and seeing the crowd and the people it was just unbelievable. I would say that is one of my highlights.

What are the titles of you and your instructors?

I am an international master now, 6^th degree black belt. I’m general manager of this studio. Four years ago I sold out to my son, I am semi-retired, and I teach three days a week so I still run the studio. We have other masters that run classes. There are only masters teaching here which combined is about 70 years worth of experience. Master Kunis is a 5^th degree black belt, Master Walters is a 5^th degree, I’m a 6^th degree, and my son is a 6^th degree.

Do you have any future plans for Daniel Pope’s Institute to expand out?

No the worst thing you can do in business is keep opening up other businesses without really establishing yourself, even though we are very established here we are not going to expand. If you are going to expand you have to have very good instructors. Not only do you have to have very good instructors you have to have very good business men because when you sit here I am an instructor, martial arts instructor, but I am a business man and also you have to have a skill set of motivating children, and adult students, you got to counsel, you have to know how to market, you have to know customer service, you have to wear a lot of hats. Just because someone can jump six feet and do full splits doesn’t make him open up a school. Many schools have done that and many schools have closed but we are still here because first of all you have to be a people person plus know your product and our product is martial arts. So you just can’t open up a school and put someone in there because he is a very good martial artist. If he is not a good business person, good people person you’re not going to succeed. I raised children, I have a granddaughter, I know how to motivate, and I know how to teach. The only way you get that way is through experience. Through years no matter what you do in life.

What you would say makes your school stick out from other schools, you are a good business person, and you have the karate skill to teach self defense.

Absolutely and we have a solid foundation. Right now it’s our reputation, we don’t even have to advertize.  People say oh we trained with so and so our neighbor or you taught our children so its reputation.

So you’re relying heavily on word of mouth?

Yup by being here all these years proves it. Before here 4 businesses here have failed. Before I took over in 1991 so I’m still here. My son uses Facebook primarily to keep in touch with his students and if he wants to Market it. And also as you know he is an author and he has written two books, it helps. The only advertizing we do is called reach local that when you key in karate or martial arts our name will pop up so that is the extent of the marketing, and the Facebook has some value. No twitter.Testimonials

What do you teach here?

Character, self-defense, we teach good health, and we teach violence is not the answer. Violence is never the answer, violence creates more violence and that we only use our martial arts if we have to. If we have to is a last resort and especially today with bullies. We teach them how to deal with bullies, because bullies right now are an epidemic, major epidemic. Also you have these flash mobs where they are beating up on people 5-6 kids beating up on elderly seniors.

Or the veteran who has one eye…

Isn’t that horrible? I just hope that never happens to me. First off you have to be aware, and that poor guy wasn’t aware, you always have to be aware of your surroundings.  We always talk about that no matter where you are in life you just have be aware even when I walk out this door I look you just never know.

They can be waiting for you by yourself at night time.

Yup absolutely you never know

That must be scary when you’re running a business sometimes

Sure always, and you just have to be aware and that’s what I teach people to be aware of your environment. And unfortunately today its changed so much from when I was younger you know you never heard too much of teenagers beating up on senior citizen.

And there’s no such thing as a fair fight anymore its knife or gun

This just happen over here in Springfield, did you read it? At the Wawa last month (January 2012) two boys made an arrangement to fight at the Wawa, and the one was losing and the other one pulled a knife and stabbed him. 15 years old, and that’s why I teach the knife to my black belts how to defend against it. 15 years old, imagine you say fair one. Well this guy he was losing and he just stabbed him. Where are the parents? See everything. There’s no such thing as a bad child its parenting , if the parents do their job at home, the schools do their job, and the activities, these positive activates like the martial arts at the right school we all do our job in a community we will be successful with our children. But it all starts at home what is a kid carrying around a knife for? A parent doesn’t know that. Doesn’t a parent know what they put on Facebook? Stabbing in Sprinfield

So we know that you teach self defense, fitness, respect, and not to fight, violence is not the answer, and how to deal with bullies. So could you give me an example of how you would teach any particular one just one particular example like how would you go about teaching let’s say a normal self defense like a headlock?

My philosophy, my system I created by studying different techniques of all the disciplines out there. It’s sometimes very difficult to learn self-defense, I made it easier. And I made it easier by coming up with these principles. Diversion shot, break away, finish him off, or run. And the diversion shot is critical in my system. Diversion is that you loosen the opponent up with a diversion shot, you take his mind off the hold so if somebody grabs you in a head lock the other one of my philosophies is closest weapon, closest target. So  if somebody grabs you in a headlock you visualize that now  what’s the closest you know, so he has you in a head lock, I want you to turn your head toward his chest so you can breath and it doesn’t affect your larynx and you put your hand there between your throat and the larynx and you can hit him in the groin and then we can just take him down by just pulling his leg out or pushing it down and at that time I teach the students you either finish him off,  or if their bigger run way cause safety is first, safety’s first, and there’s nothing wrong with running away if you see something, you know if they are too big, if they are bigger than you, or if there are more than one do what you can to avoid the problem by running away.  Don’t be stupid, don’t stand there.

How do you decide what to teach?

I don’t share anything unless I know it’s proven, I work it out first. Any new technique I work it out first. I test it; I test it with other masters. And then unfortunately you can only teach my really advance stuff to the older students now a lot of them have left and gone off to college and everything so I watch what I teach the students. Its depending on the maturity level, depends on how long they have been with me what’s their rank, and if they are psychology ok I always want to make sure. The main thing is violence is never the answer I constantly preach that no matter if it is a child or an adult cause it isn’t. I’ll walk away and I’ve walked away many times. There are plenty of times in the car you get the Italian salute you know, you know someone’s tooting a horn and you just bite your tongue and you go ok.

When do you have classes throughout the week?

We have classes Monday through Thursday and we have 12 classes Mon-Thurs now down at Lansdowne we have more students and there are more classes and more instructors. but here in Springfield it seems there involved in a lot of different activities that AA association in Springfield they are playing baseball, Soccer, on Saturdays we used to be up to about a year ago we were open on Saturdays but it didn’t pay cause nobody was coming on Saturdays because of all the other activities the students the children are involved in so that’s just being good business  you don’t pay somebody X dollars an hour to teach to sit here and nobody is coming in, our masters do very well.

Master Pope has a very welcoming personality, entering with a hug and a quick tour around the studio made me feel at home. His students are energetic and enthusiastic about what they are learning. It is apparent that he loves what he teaches by the sheer detail he was giving me. An interview that was scheduled to last 30 minutes lasted over an hour. It's apparent this man could talk about self-defense all night. If you would like more detail about Master Pope Karate his website is listed below.

Check out their website!

Daniel Pope's Karate

“All images provided by their website.”

Get It Right, Get It Tight- Karate At Daniel Pope Karate Institute!

Blog Intro

 BREATH ART NOW

That's me at the Philadelphia Flower show! 3/11/12

 Art is extremely complex to define and that is exactly what I'm set out to do. Follow my blog and explore the world of art with me. According to Dictionary.com Art is defined as, the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. Paintings, and sculptures were once the only forms of art considered by society. Today our definition of Art is so broad I might as well name this blog "Life"! So welcome to my blog, I hope you enjoy because I know I will.


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