I think that this is a really good piece. Vaughnjareya's story is very interesting and engaging. I find myself wanting to ask him more questions and to have him tell me more about his experiences growing up.

The cuts that made it into the piece were very well chosen. I was listening in to when Irina was interviewing Vaughnjareya, and the whole interview was filled with amazing stories. I have to really compliment Irina for the cuts that she chose. It definitely couldn't have been easy. For example, I love the part when Vaughnjareya tells us about stealing a bottle of mascara and painting on a mustache. I can really imagine him standing there, nervous and excited. I think that this is exactly what interview cuts should be like: interesting, relevant, and concise. The cuts were also mixed very well into the song. Where the interview was cut off, where the song came back up - great!

It makes me sad that a lot of the reviewers didn't really understand the piece. It wasn't a piece about how much Vaughnjareya liked the song; it was the experiences, memories, and feelings that it brought up inside of him. I agree with the idea that this song is very much a celebration of his life, and being able to listen to this piece and share in his story makes me feel very special.

I like how the piece opens not with the narrator describing how this ?accident? happened, but with a poem that a boy in his old high school wrote. I think it helps bring people in. Martin has an interesting story to tell. It?s amazing (and so lucky!) that his schedule had gotten lost. This happy accident let him go into horticulture and discover his passion. When he?s talking, his voice is often shaky, and at times it seems that he is reading from a piece of paper. Even when he expresses his feelings, it doesn?t seem sincere. Other than this small detail, I think that this piece is great.

This is an interesting piece about a special day camp focused on raising ecological awareness. Exploration is the main theme here. Campers get to explore and learn more about their environment, and it sounds like they have lots of fun. I would love to hear more about this amazing camp idea, and how it came about. It's not every day that you hear about a camp that is so environment-focused. It would be great if we could hear from the campers or from their families - what motivates people to send their kids to this camp? What do the campers like about it? I think that this piece could be made into a really cool larger one.

I like this piece! Adrian explores the history of the slogan, its rise to fame, and what other people think about it. The background of the Durham slogan is very interesting to hear and it is blended well with people's opinions about the phrase. Some think that it's cheese-y, others think that it's great. The tone of the piece is very playful and Adrian's clear, outgoing voice is easy to listen to. I especially like the rap at the end of the song. It is fun and quirky and definitely added to the overall feel of the piece.

This is an amazing piece dealing with identity and what it means to be black. The three stories are fascinating and skillfully interwoven. The poem that one of the students reads is very powerful, and I loved the use of repetition in it. I think that the background music is beautiful and haunting and complements the piece so well. Everything just works here. I feel so lucky to have come across this piece.

Jennol talks about a new craze in dieting: eating organic food. People actually approach employees in organic food stores seeking diet tips! I thought that this was very interesting. I knew that there was a trend towards healthier foods and more sustainable agriculture, but I had no idea that people ate those foods as part of this new diet. How weird! Another diet is the no-diet diet, which calls for people to accept themselves, to eat balanced meals, and to exercise. I really enjoyed listening to Jennol's piece. Her voice is steady and confident. There isn't any background music, but we do get to hear the noises of the organic food store she visited.

Ah, parents talking to teens about sex - so awkward, so embarrassing, so funny. It's definitely something most of us can relate to. It was fun listening to people's recollections of being given "the Talk." Johanna picked some great clips. Some made me laugh, some actually made me cringe, but they all felt real. In the end of the piece, she talked to her own parents about sex. It felt very intimate, as if I was sitting right there with them. This is a great piece, and I hope people get a chance to listen to it.

This piece is an interesting montage of voices, ranging from news channel reporters to the owners of the company being forced to close and the people of the local community. I would love to hear more from the people being interviewed. I think that these snippets would make a great beginning to a larger piece. I haven't heard anything before this about the closing of the N.K. Hurst Bean Company, but I would certainly like to know more now!

So many schools across the nation are trying to offer healthier food to students. Katie's piece is full of interesting bits of information, like how at one school that she talks about, only 70% of the snacks sold in its vending machines have to be considered healthy according to the program. I can't help wondering how well this will work. (30% of the food sold will remain fatty, sugary, and whatnot.) Still, it's great to hear about initiatives to give students healthier options. I only wish that Katie were able to get nicer cuts. There's often noise in the background, which takes away from the otherwise polished feeling of the piece. I also wonder how students at these schools reacted to the changes. It would have been nice to hear their perspective too.

I think being open about sex is extremely important, and Aiofe and her mom both agree. It was really nice listening to them talking about, um, talking about sex. The piece was short and simple: it was just the two of them, no music, no distractions, nothing. They were calm and comforting, which I thought was great since this topic makes just about everyone nervous. (Seriously, how comfortable do you feel talking to your parent or your child about something as intimate and personal as sex?) They definitely made me feel more comfortable with the idea of bringing up sex with my parents. I felt that a lot of the time Aoife and her mom were speaking without any emotion or feeling, as if they were just reading from a piece of paper. At one point, it got almost ridiculous. After her mom spoke about the importance of being willing and ready to talk about sex, Aiofe said something like, "As a result, our relationship is very open and we both feel comfortable discussing whatever we need to, even sex." The way she said that line, it was as if she meant the exact opposite.

So how well informed are Americans? Um, not very, and the choice of media might be to blame. *cough* Fox News Channel *cough* Chase is very opinionated and passionate, and I love his writing. It’s refreshing to hear someone express himself so freely. He’s not another one of your liberal friends ranting about why the Democrats lost the election. I love his sense of humor and the catchy beat sometimes playing in the background. The first two minutes of the piece are a bit unclear, though. He speaks too quickly and some of his words end up getting slurred together. But afterwards, it feels like Chase gets more confidence and energy and really comes out. I’d love to hear more of his pieces.

“If this had been an actual emergency, you would run, duct-tape your rooms up, and hide with your American flag.” This is such a great line, describing how many things now are often a frenzy of patriotism and fear. Ray Charles’s slow, beautiful song comes up and then the alert siren goes off over it several seconds later, followed by bombs. The irony works so well here. It reminds me of what Michael Moore did in Bowling for Columbine, where he combined footage of violent overthrows with languid music. It all starts to feel a bit prolonged and just when you’re wondering if the war will ever end, Ray Charles abruptly gets cut off by the nuclear blast. It’s powerful and intense and definitely disturbing. So click and listen.

The piece starts off with a t-shirt that says, “Voting is for old people.” It’s a funny message, but is it true? Antonia, the narrator, doesn’t believe it is. She interviews people from the Bush and Kerry campaigns about youth voters, and does a great job at integrating the interviews into her piece. Her cuts are wonderful. You hear everything you need to from the person, and the less concise stuff gets summarized. Her tone is playful but sometimes serious. She brings up a really interesting point: Politicians spend a lot of time visiting college campuses, but often ignore other youth populations, even though more than half of young voters aren’t even in college! She shows us through a cool collage of student voices that youth aren’t just concerned with malls and videogames. They care about the same issues as adults. This is a great piece to play before and during elections. It certainly reminds me how much I want to vote in the next ones.

In “Personals,” Casey flips through a bunch of local personal ads, including one titled, “I make passes on women who wear glasses.” Listening to the voicemail ads was definitely entertaining, and I especially loved “Episcopalian Guy.” His tone was just so great. However, when I clicked to listen to the piece, I thought that I would soon be rolling on the floor laughing. But I just sat in front of my computer, not really feeling anything. The piece tries to be funny, but Casey sounds too detached for anything to happen. Come on and say something! The last thirty seconds felt a bit loose, and I wasn't sure where she was going. I think the piece would also benefit a lot from more upbeat and humorous background music.

Yay! It’s almost Valentine’s Day again, but instead of hearing the lovey-dovey side of it, the piece is about breaking up. Still, it’s light and cute – perfect for this holiday. I really liked the song playing in the background, and the mix of all the different responses was great. I wish I could hear more from these people. The narrator of the piece, however, sounded a little bored and even like she might have been reading off a paper. But maybe I’m just negative because Valentine’s Day is coming up and I don’t have someone to be with.