Comedian Paul Mecurio to perform in Bellmore May 15-16

Comedian Paul Mecurio warms up the crowd at the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Photo: SouthFlorida.com

Paul Mecurio got his start as a Wall Street lawyer but made his way into comedy after a chance encounter with Jay Leno. Now a successful comedian with Emmy and Peabody wins and his own podcast, Mecurio reflects back on how he got to where he is today, and just how he got Sir Paul McCartney to leave a voicemail on his phone.

He brings his stand up act to Governor’s at the Brokerage in Bellmore Friday May 15 and Saturday May 16.

checkout our interview below!

Celebrating Mother’s Day with ‘A Letter to My Mom’ author

With Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday, there’s no better time to reflect on what our mothers mean to us. “A Letter to My Mom,” compiled by Lisa Erspamer, a former producer of the Oprah Winfrey Show, features letters from famous names like Shania Twain, will.i.am, Christy Turlington and everyday people addressed to their moms. It’s the third book in a series by Erspamer, the first two being “A Letter to My Dog” and “A Letter to My Cat.”

She shares her inspiration with us on the Morning Wake Up Call.

Listen here:

[audio https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/191633883/HMWC%20Interviews/Lisa%20Erspamer%2C%20A%20Letter%20to%20My%20Mother%2C%205.7.15.mp3]

Strong Dollar has good and bad impact on economy

Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen, left, answers a question from International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde on Wednesday. European stocks fell earlier Thursday on the back of comments made by Ms. Yellen. PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tomorrow, the Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University will host their third annual export seminar series “Going $trong: the US Dollar and the Global Marketplace.” A panel will examine current currency trends, outlooks and the effects of currency fluctuations on US businesses operating in the global marketplace. Dr Anoop Rai, a professor of finance at Hofstra, will be speaking at the conference. Dr Rai explains how the strength of the dollar is good and bad for the domestic economy.

Check it out!

[audio https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/191633883/HMWC%20Interviews/Dr%20Anoop%20Rai%2C%20Strong%20Dollar%20Conference%2C%205.7.15.mp3]

Comedian Rob Magnotti on stand up, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2

You’ve probably seen or heard Rob Magnotti somewhere. The actor and comic was most recently seen in Paul Blart Mall Cop 2, and he also tours the country doing stand up. Magnotti shows us his impressions of Nicolas Cage, Al Pacino and Ray Romano and talks about life as a working comedian and his new web series “Surviving Sam.” Follow him on Twitter at @RobMagnotti.

Check it out here:

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Hofstra panel to discuss hurricane preparedness 3 years after Sandy

Residents attempt to restore order to their street, which experienced heavy flooding and dune erosion due to Hurricane Sandy, Oct. 31, 2012 in Long Beach, New York. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)#

Since Superstorm Sandy ravaged Long Island and the east coast almost three years ago, it’s more important than ever to assess our preparedness for another storm. Tonight at 7pm, a panel will discuss exactly that at Hofstra University. “Are We Prepared for the Next Hurricane?” will feature several experts, including Adam Sobel. Sobel is a professor at Columbia University as well as the author of the book “Storm Surge: Hurricane Sandy, Our Changing Climate, and Extreme Weather of the Past and Future.” He breaks down the impact of climate change on the probability of another hurricane.

[audio https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/191633883/HMWC%20Interviews/Adam%20Sobel%2C%20Hurricane%20Preparedness%2C%204.30.15.mp3]

What you should know about the Baltimore uprisings

Members of the community work to clean up a recently looted and burned CVS STORE in Baltimore, Maryland, United States April 28, 2015. JIM BOURG/REUTERS

All eyes are on Baltimore as the city faces intense unrest after the death of Freddie Gray, a man who died as the result of a spinal cord injury sustained while in police custody. The governor of Maryland has declared a state of emergency. The National Guard is on the scene. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has imposed a curfew on residents. School was cancelled earlier this week. Even yesterday’s Orioles game was closed off to the public for fear of rioting. But the real question is why is this happening? Dr Christina Greer, a political science professor at Fordham University breaks it down on the Morning Wake Up Call.

[audio https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/191633883/HMWC%20Interviews/Dr%20Christina%20Greer%2C%20Baltimore%20Uprising%2C%204.30.15.mp3]

Long Island Opt Out: nearly 80,000 LI kids opt out of state tests

Many desks were empty in this classroom at Valley Stream Memorial Junior High School as students opted out of taking the state’s English Language Arts test Thursday, April 16, 2015. Tens of thousands on Long Island are expected to refuse the math tests, too. Photo Credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.

Today marks the end of two weeks of controversial state testing that has parents across Long Island opting out. As many as 80,000 students did not take the exams, just on the island.

Jeanette Brunelle Deutermann is the leader of the Long Island Opt Out Movement. The Facebook page she started has over 22,000 members. She tells me how parents have started an education revolution, Governor Cuomo, take note.

[audio https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/191633883/HMWC%20Interviews/Jeanette%20Deutermann%2C%20Opt%20Out%20State%20Testing%2C%204.23.15.mp3]

NSLIJ Care Connect Insurance Company to help NYers get coverage

A piggy bank with a ban aid on it and a stethoscope. Courtesy of 401KCalculator.org

A coalition of community organizations are coming together to help everyday New Yorkers enroll in a qualified health insurance plan before the end of the special enrollment period on April 30. The North Shore LIJ Care Connect Insurance Company is one of these organizations. Bob Brown, chief growth officer at Care Connect, explains how the new program to enroll works and how they are helping those who face language barriers while navigating the complicated health care system.

[audio https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/191633883/HMWC%20Interviews/Bob%20Brown%2C%20LIJNSH%20Care%20Connect%2C%204.23.15.mp3]

NPHW event raises youth HIV/AIDS awareness

Inspirational QUOTES about HIV and AIDS. Reuters

Just 23% of sexually active high school students have ever been tested for HIV. However, youth ages 13 to 24 account for an estimated 26% of all new HIV infections in the U.S.

National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day was April 10th and Hofstra will observe it as part of National Public Health Week with a panel titled “HIV: Isn’t there a Vaccine for That?”

Hofstra professor Dr Anthony Santella talks about trends in behavioral and biomedical prevention strategies and how to engage young people in issues surrounding HIV and AIDS.

Check out what he had to say here:

Hofstra’s National Public Health Week aims to address at-risk communities on Long Island

Public health problems do not stop at the city line. The Long Island suburbs are often thought to struggle less with public health issues, but that is merely the perception, not reality of life in every suburb. Higher income areas are very healthy, but pockets of at-risk communities have very poor access to services.

Hofstra’s celebration of National Public Health Week continues today with the Minority Health Conference, which aims to combat these issues with a three part conference featuring an academic panel with local health department administrators, a documentary film contest for students and a health fair of local service providers.

Check out my interview with Dr Corinne Kyriacou, director of the Master in Public Health Program at Hofstra where she talks about how we can help underserved communities on Long Island.

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