Bring the Entertainment and Check Out LNS Philly!

Are you ever looking for something to do on a Thursday night? Or maybe you want to see a live show but you do not want to pay? Check out Late Night Series Philly here at Drexel—every Thursday in the Flux (the basement of the Intercultural building) from 8:30 pm to 11 pm!

Last Thursday was my first time attending the open mic night. There was a stage on the left wall of the basement with amplifiers, microphones, and speakers. A couple rows of chairs were lined up right in front of the stage and plenty of tables with chairs for more seating. To my surprise, the place was pretty much full when I arrived!

A single man, Post Midnight, who welcomes the group of attendees and performers, hosts the whole show. His humor and mockery of random current events gives the place a feeling of comfort and just plain fun! Midnight introduced every individual or group by first sharing some ridiculous occurrence that just happened in the news in the last week in order to break up the acts.

The talent up on stage impressed me. The night consisted of several different singers with their guitars, a beat boxer, a female rapper, a male rapper, and even comedians. The audience reacted so kindly and graciously toward the performers! These young adults have talent and they aren’t afraid to show it! LNS provides them with a place to display their abilities without ridicule or shame.

There is even a feature every Thursday!  The featured band was Temple Riot when I attended. The group is a trio that consists of a female singer, a bassist/keyboardist/harmonica player, and a lead guitarist. The band’s sound is a blend of blues, country, and rock—which if you like any of those genres, you would enjoy Temple Riot! The lead singer, Kelley, has a very strong and powerful voice—similar to someone like Kelly Clarkson or Miranda Lambert—that blew me away!

Their set was about 7 songs long, which was a change of pace than the previous performers who were five minutes each. Temple Riot’s lead guitarist played an acoustic guitar and the bassist played an electric bass. During some songs he played the harmonica, and others he played the keyboard. The group has an array of talent in each member and the variety of songs they played included a self-written song by the lead guitarist, Will, called “Will’s Song,” covers from Creedence Clearwater Revival—“I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” and even “No Rain” by Blind Melon.

It was a great show and really made me regret never having gone before! The Drexel community has incredibly talented individuals that have a perfect outlet to display their abilities: LNS. Check it out! You might end up enjoying it more than you would think!

PHOTOSHOP 101 - WHY YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT TARGET

Target recently ran Photoshopped images of overtly skinny models wearing their bathing suits on their website. From a distance, it just looks like your typical size 2, skinny model. If you take a closer look, you can actually see the Photoshop errors of the image. The images received a massive amount of criticism from the media nationwide and the photos went viral on the Internet.

Target was quickly apologetic on the matter “This was an unfortunate error on our part and we apologize” They thus removed the images from their website following their statement. When asked how the mistake occurred, a company spokesman said, “It was the result of a photo editing error on our part.” Well, DUH!

Target went too far when it came to editing the gap that exists between our thighs. The error on the image is so extreme that it looks like part of the model’s pelvis is missing. The error also occurred on the same model in the space between her arm and body, wearing a midkini.

So why is this scandal such a big deal? Doesn’t everyone know that marketing images are edited before being advertised? The only thing worse than photoshopping adult models is photoshopping juniors, who specifically market to young girls and promote a certain body image. This scandal should make consumers more aware that not everything they see is real, and that you are beautiful no matter your size. 

Watch the following video and you can see the power of Photoshop.

A 5 minute Demo Retouch

Tips From Experienced Freelancers

Ever thought about freelancing as a career? It sure does seem appealing- control over your schedule, choosing whom you want to work with, and no need to report to an unappreciative manager. The independent lifestyle seems great, but kick-starting your self employed career is not as easy as it seems.

The recent “Senior Series- Freelance Panel” presented by the Steinbright Career Development Center at Drexel University was packed with diverse and knowledgeable freelancers. From the film and video industry, to fashion, event planning, and graphic design, the panelists were all eager to share their various experiences and insight. Here were just a few of the tips shared by the experts.

Find your Niche

All of the industries mentioned above have an abundance of skilled workers. To ensure a growing business as well as upcoming projects, set yourself apart by determining your competitive advantage; and then market that to potential clients.

Prepare an Elevator Pitch

You never know when you may meet a potential client- on the subway, at happy hour, or waiting in line at Starbucks. Therefore, it is essential to have your elevator pitch ready at a moments notice. Nail your pitch by expressing it with confidence and conviction.

Create a Pricing Structure

Do this ahead of time! Go into a meeting or phone call with potential clients with a set pricing structure. One panelist suggested determining your costs per month and looking into what others charge for the same services as a starting point. From there, create a pricing structure for friends and family, non-profit companies, and for profit companies; you will be prepared for all budgets and expectations.

Brand Yourself

One panelist pointed out the powerful combination of a business card, website, and Twitter handle. Use these platforms to create a cohesive image and reputation for yourself. Clients will be impressed by your professional and engaging presence.

Consider a Part-Time Job

Particularly for novice freelancers, your network will be small and you may not always have another project lined up, meaning your income will greatly fluctuate. Consider getting a part time job to buffer monthly expenses when there is a shortage of work.

Network

Networking is essential no matter your industry or work environment, but for freelancers, it is the main source of projects and income. One panelist suggested going alone to events. This will prevent you from taking comfort in a companion and shying away from conversation with strangers.

Joe Fresh and the Fast Fashion Fix

With a slew of retail stores currently catering to a market idealizing the latest trends, ‘fast fashion’ has become a term most Americans are familiar with. It’s the notion that trendy clothes do not have to be designer to make the cut and can be purchased by your Average Joe (or Jane) without breaking the bank. It gives the consumers the flexibility to try out different styles and personas while allowing them to make rent as well. This fast fashion notion works well for businesses like Zara, H&M and Forever21, all of whom cater to a wide demographic and feature the latest trends right off the runway. Styles in these stores don’t last long, and passing up on a purchase means that within a few weeks that clothing is gone for good. The production is fast and the turnover is fast.

Canadian company Joe Fresh is the latest clothing store to enter into the fast fashion world, with currently about 700 locations around the US. They plan to expand more around the country and have a bold plan for building a plethora of stores overseas as well.  The company has big plans to open stores in 24 countries altogether in the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and South Korea. Founder and Creative Director Joe Mirman says they want to be meaningful in foreign markets, starting with Asia, and will be opening its first Asian store in Seoul this upcoming spring before opening stores in the Middle East.

These major plans are surprising to those in the fashion industry and business alike, with Joe Fresh only selling e commerce in Canada and having only six stores in the US that are not located in malls or shopping centers.