Orange State Online

Orange State, Central New York's Graduation Rates, and Education - 3-12-10

2010-04-23T02:40:00.000-04:00

It was another great week of Orange State! Don't forget to check us out on iTunes and our Twitter!

Orange State's big story was one that touches every community including Central New York. The 2009 graduation rates for the high schools around the state of New York were released. Overall, the graduation rates in Central New York are up, but not quite where they should be. (Click here for the rates over the past 3 years!) There is a glaring difference between the city and suburbs. Corcoran High School was at 53%, Nottingham High School had a 51% graduation rate, Henniger High School had a rate of 47% (Down 5% from 2008), and at the bottom Fowler High School had a 33% graduation rate (Down 3% from 2008). In comparison Onondaga High School had an 82% graduation rate, North Syracuse had an 85% rate, and Liverpool had an 81% graduation rate. Fabius-Pompey High School had a whopping 99% graduation rate. So why is there such a difference between the urban and suburban schools? Rashaud thinks that urban schools do not get as much funding as suburban schools since property taxes in suburban areas are higher.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration will be giving $4.3 million to the states with the best school reform plans next month as part of the Race to the Top Plan. The tactics the Obama administration is using is now under some heavy criticism from teachers' unions for their tactics. The best example was the tactics used at Central Falls Senior High School. The district's Board of Trustees decided to fire all 74 teachers at the school, which had about a 48% graduation rate of 4-year-students. The Obama administration supported the decision. Matt ended up going off on an epic rant that it is everybody's fault. People cannot solely blame the teachers as so many people do. The teachers work very hard, but they can tell a student to do well on a standardized test (which has become one of the most important aspects of education), but if the student doesn't care about doing well, they will not do well. Parents need to take part of the blame because they have to support their children. Finally, the administrations of school districts need to make things easier on teachers as well.

Rashaud brought us the headlines as usual. A deal has been reached on a settlement that could pay up to $657.5 million to responders who became ill by the dust from the destroyed World Trade Centers. Most of that money will be coming from a grant from FEMA. A judge still has to approve the deal. In other big news, Barack Obama has announced how he will use the prize money that he received for winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He will be giving $250,000 to the Fisher House, which provides housing for families of people being treated in military and veteran medical centers and $200,000 toward the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund. A number of other organizations will be receiving part of the prize money including the Posse Foundation, United Negro College Fund, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Finally, how long would you think is the longest marriage on record? Try 85 years. The couple is respectively 101 and 104 years old. The best part, they Tweet, that's right, Tweet marriage tips! By the way check Orange State's Twitter. Haha, we found a way to do the promo.

Locally, Syracuse has a new anti-street violence program called Operation Snug (Guns spelled backwards). The state money given to the city for the program will be used to do street mediation. A mile of I-81 is still closed because of a building that is crumbling near it. There are so many chemicals in the building that the whole buidling has to be treated as hazardous waste. That means getting rid of the building could be worth $2 million.

In the fun segments Rashaud tried to make up for his trouble with geography in the Orange State of Disarray. One story hit pretty close to home, a state senator is trying to get the state of New York to regulate salt. That's right, no salt in New York. *Sigh* In another state, a booster club at a school was having a book rummage sale, but the books included pornographic and rascist books. To make it worse, it was an elementary school classroom booster club. Anyway, nobody won OSD (Doesn't say much for us!). Jim brought the Audacity of Dopes. What would you do if you had a really espensive water bill to pay? You probably wouldn't burn your home down like one man did. And a Central Pennsylvania man has been charged for 3 different incidents with police officers in, get this, 3 HOURS!!! Finally, what would you do if a thief was in your car? One car owner kept hitting the remote-controlled lock on their car every time the thief unlocked the car. Eventually the thief gave up. Haha, nice police work. That's all for Orange State this week! Tune in in two weeks for the next episode!

Orange State and Governor David Paterson's Problems - 3-5-10

2010-04-22T00:58:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! March is finally here! That has excited the Orange State staff. Remember to keep tuning in from noon to 1:00 on Fridays. Plus check out our Twitter and podcast!

It was a great day on Orange State as the gang had Casey Seiler of the Albany Times-Union come on the show to talk about the Governor Paterson's scandals, including a possible cover up of a domestic violence charge against his aide David Johnson and the Governor's acceptance of gifts including World Series tickets. Seiler said the Governor is also in political jeopardy since the month of March is when the "heavy lifting" gets done on the formulation of the state's budget. The fiscal year starts on April 1. Right now the state of New York is facing a potential budget defecit between $9 billion and $9.5 billion through the end of March 2011. Some say this may the most crucial budget of the state in the last two decades and possibly the most crucial since the Great Depression. Some have suggested that Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch lead the way in the creation of the budget. Obviously, there have been a number of calls for Paterson to resign. Seiler says that there are many in the legislature who view Paterson's resignation as a fate accompli, either it will happen soon or when Attorney General Andrew Cuomo puts out his report on the issue regarding David Johnson. Of course, he also said that he could be found not guilty, and he should be presumed innocent until that report says otherwise.

Rashaud brought the day's headlines as usual. The House of Representatives passed a major jobs bill, which is always good to see. In some scarier story, an air traffic controller at JFK International Airport allowed his two kids, both under the age of 10 to direct air traffic (at JFK!). The pilots did not seem worried, in fact one pilot told the boy he did an awesome job. Maybe the pilots were ok, but they obviously didn't ask the passengers. The controller was suspended. While staying on airports, 11 airports are getting the new body scanners to look through peoples' clothing to detect hidden weapons. Finally, the Chile earthquake altered the Earth's axis, shortening the day by 1.2 microseconds. (That's depressing.) In local news, a mile of I-81 north is still closed and there is a fight over who should pay for the repairs for the building.

No Orange State would be complete without the Orange State of Disarray. A town is informing residents to stay indoors and has moved recess indoors after a hawk has been attacking residents. The hawk has already taken headphones off of a man on a lawn mower and attacked a car. A country is keeping their ban on chewing gum to reduce gum related litter and vandalism. CJ rolled to a victory.

In the Audacity of Dopes Jim told us about a deputy in Kentucky who accidently locked himself in jail and then tried to shoot his way out of it. (Echoes of Barney Fife anyone?) A lawyer is threatening to sue the Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport for keeping his $800 coat when he left it in the airport. Finally, a 54-year-old man who was determined to go to jail tried to steal an officer's gun after he was told the police had nothing to arrest him on. Finally, a man burned down his house when he tried to melt the icicles on his house with a blow torch.

Orange State and President Obama's Healthcare Summit - 2-26

2010-03-16T01:49:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! It was another great week of Orange State! Don't forget to check our Twitter and Podcast.

This week Matt, CJ, and Rashaud talked about President Obama's Healthcare Summit. The joint summit was done in front of C-SPAN's television cameras. Although one representative said that it was the longest he had ever seen the Democrats and Republicans sit in a room and behave in front of so many TV cameras, yet the guys felt the summit did not help accomplish much. The meeting's most awkward moment when John McCain started talking about what he and Obama were promising during the campaign. Obama reminded McCain that the election is over. Is anyone bitter? John Boehner, the House Minority Leader suggested starting over with a clean slate. The Orange State guys felt that would do nothing to help, but get the Congress back to where they are now.

Rashaud brought some breaking news that New York Governor Paterson will not be running for re-election, just shortly after announcing that he will be running for re-election. Among other gubernatorial news, the Manhattan Madame, Kristin Davis, will be running for governor. Finally, the guys talked about Tilikum the orca who killed one of his trainers at Sea World. Is it really a good idea to have killer whales in captivity?

In local news, a New York state bill was passed giving families more control over end of life care.  In other local news, the guys are excited for the Syracuse-Villanova game, the largest home crowd in NCAA history as 34,616 fans will be in attendance.

In Orange State of Disarray we had some interesting stories including a criminal being left handcuffed in a courthouse for 10 hours. (Yes, for the first time in the show's history we showed compassion for a criminal.) Plus, a country is putting up signs to protect frogs and toads. Yes, frogs and toads. You'd be surprise which country is protecting them. Jim had a great Audacity of Dopes. A couple of robbers dialed 911 while robbing a car.  A rather idea while stealing a car. In one of our best dopes stories ever, a man violated his probation to appear on the Jerry Springer Show. (Only the Jerry Springer Show.)

Of course, this week Orange State had our final Winter Olympics update. The United States is on track to their best Olympics ever with 32 medals and 8 golds. The U.S. won a Nordic Combined gold (Combination of ski jumping and cross country) for the first time ever since it has been an event in 1924. We also saluted Canadian Joannie Rochette who skated for a silver in the women's singles figuring skating despite the death of her mother just a week before.  As we go into the final weekend Orange State would like to say Go USA and Go World!  The final medals table is now listed below.

Orange State, Tiger Woods' Apology, U.S.-China Relations, and Medicaid Cuts - 2-19-10

2010-03-05T02:48:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! It was another great week of Orange State! Don't forget to check out our podcasts and Tweets!

This week Matt, Rashaud, and CJ discussed Tiger Woods' apology. This happened to be breaking news since the press conference started just an hour before our show. The Statesmen felt Woods' apology seemed a little too scripted (He was reading it off a piece of paper.). They also discussed if he really had to apologize. The crew also talked about the current state of U.S.-China relations in the wake of President Obama's visit with the Dalai Lama. The U.S. is heavily in debt to China, but both nations rely heavily on each other. Finally, the Statesmen discussed how some states are considering cutting Medicaid benefits; quite ironic considering the fight to pass healthcare legislation.

Rashaud gave the headlines of the day as usual.  In one of the biggest stories of the week, a man crashed a small plane into an IRS office in Texas.  Plus, one school district has bought every student a laptop in which the camera can be activated if the computer is stolen, but one student claims the school spied on him.

Erich returned with the CNY Local News. DestinyUSA won a court decision to get up to $100 million in tax credits. Could this mean we will see construction? We also highlighted some local Olympians in Vancouver including SU's first Winter Olympian, hockey player Stephanie Marty, who had a hat trick against Slovakia while playing for Team Switzerland. Erin Hamlin, of Remsen, New York, finished 16th in the women's luge event in Whistler. Of course there are a couple of Central New York hockey players as well. We are glad to announce that the U.S. is leading the medal count after week 1 with 18 medals (6 gold). Germany is in second with 11 medals. Lindsey Vonn, who we thought would win despite being hurt did get gold.  Rashaud called it! Some other gold medalists included Shaun White (Snowboarding), Shani Davis (Speedskating), and Evan Lysacek (Men's Figure Skating).  And the Olympics became the first television show to ever beat American Idol in the number of overall viewers. Yeah for quality television!

The guys played the Orange State of Disarray.  Believe it or not, recently a state has introduced legistlation to make it illegal to marry your first cousin. You'd be surprised to know it is actually Maryland. CJ got his first win! Jim brought us the Audacity of Dopes as always.  A man within an hour of being charged and bailed of other break-ins was out stealing from cars, offices, and a cathedral. He was caught by dropping his police charge sheet at one crime scene and the DVD of his police interview at another crime scene. Enjoy!

Orange State, the First Lady's Fight against Childhood Obesity, and the Olympic Games 2-12-10

2010-02-28T15:23:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! It was a great week of Orange State. Remember to check out our podcasts and our Twitter!

This week Rashaud brought us the top news as always. Bill Clinton was released from the hospital after having a procedure to deal with some heart problems. Mahmoud Ahdmadinejad is at it again, claiming that the government protesters are enemies of God. In some big political news, Rhode Island representative Patrick Kennedy has announced that he will not seek another term in office. This will be the first time in nearly 60 years that a Kennedy will not be represented in Congress! (Imagine that!) Plus, with Valentine's Day coming up everyone is sending flowers to their lovers, but in one case, some drug dealers were channeling 20 pounds of cocaine among 20,000 roses.

This week the statesmen discussed First Lady Michelle Obama's new goal to end childhood obesity in a generation. This is a major issue in the U.S. as about 1/3 of children and adolescents are labeled as obese. Obesity is a major issue that costs the country a whopping $147 billion in weight related medical bills. Matt, Rashaud, and CJ think that the First Lady's plan is for a good cause, but that she will be facing an uphill battle because such a change will require a change in society.

On the side of more fitness, the Orange State guys previewed the 21st Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada. The Canadians have made an Own the Podium initiative in order to perform better in the Games. A fun story from the games is that of an Olympic skiier who will be at the Games representing Ghana. (Yes, you read that right!) Plus, he's only been skiing for 5 years! The U.S.'s own skiing star Lindsey Vonn is injured. Will she ski? Rashaud and CJ think she'll ski and be a great story. We would like to send good luck the local Olympians, the U.S., and the world!

Finally, Erich made his debut on Orange State covering some local news including a brawl that included over 30 people at the Camillus Youth Basketball Association. The league will resume play February 22. Matt won OSD again. Could you believe that police officers are posing as burglars and breaking into houses in the middle of the night to teach people they should lock their doors? Finally, Jim didn't let us down by giving us some great dopes! Would you believe a cafeteria worker in Connecticut got into a food fight with a 13-year-old woman that led to a brawl? Real mature.

Remember to listen on Fridays from noon to one on Z89! Happy Valentine's Day from Orange State!

Orange State and 65,000 U.S. Flights that Should Have Never Taken Off - 2-5-10

2010-02-18T23:41:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! Sorry about this blog going up so late and the lack of a podcast for this show, but we had a few technical difficulties. We are still trying to figure out the issue and hopefully the podcast will be available soon.

It was a great episode of Orange State! We had aviation expert Bob Miller on the show to talk about a USA Today investigation that found that 65,000 U.S. flights took off that should have never left the airport due to maintenance issues. The investigation found that some mechanics did not have the proper training for the planes they were working on. Some airlines outsource their maintenance to companies, including companies outside the country. Bob Miller did point out that 65,000 flights is a very small number compared to the total number of planes that fly in a year. He also assured us that the maintenance workers are often more knowledgeable of the aircrafts than even the pilots.

Locally, that weekend the City of Syracuse hosted the Special Olympics State Winter Games. Good going to the Special Olympics and the City of Syracuse.

Jim, as always brought us a great Audacity of Dopes and Matt beat Rashaud and CJ in their first attempt at playing Orange State of Disarray.

The First Orange State of the New Decade talks about President Obama's State of the Union 1-29-10

2010-02-05T00:08:00.003-05:00

Hey everybody! Hope everyone had a great new year. Remember to check out Orange State's podcast and our Twitter. Orange State entered the new decade strong! CJ, Rashaud, and Matt broke down President Obama's State of the Union, in which the President said that the creation of jobs would be the top priority of the year 2010. Obama also challenged Congress to end its biparitisanship. The Orange State guys all agreed that Obama was right in saying that the Supreme Court should not have ruled that corporations can freely endorse political candidates, especially since this means that foreign corporations could get involved.

Rashaud brought us the day's headlines. The economy has soared 5.7%, the fastest it has soared in the past 6 years. On another positive note, the U.S. dollar rose against the Yen. The White House is eyeing moving the 9/11 Trials, which were originally supposed to take place in Manhattan due to the high costs. In a surprising note, newly elected Republican Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown is actually President Obama's tenth cousin. Obama's mother and Brown's mother are both descendents of a politician from Massachusetts who died in 1637. (Talk about a small world! Would Scott Brown vote against family?)

Becca talked about some local news including new Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner's very first State of the City Address.

Matt and Becca also went head to head in the Orange State of Disarray and Matt took the victory. Unfortunately, Matt also learned that his original home state may get an official state firearm. Plus, would you expect to be fined for blowing your nose at a traffic light? Jim also brought us the Audacity of Dopes. (Would you get so mad about the price of crab cakes that you would punch the store manager in the face multiple times and spit in his face.) Oh, and while we are creating technology to ensure people are not stuffing weapons in their clothing before boarding a flight a German man tried to board a flight with over 40 lizards stuffed in his underware. Why? Oh well, that's why they're dopes.

Headlines Extravaganza - The Last Orange State of the Year - 12-11-09

2009-12-22T00:18:00.002-05:00

It was a fantastic final week of the year for the Orange State gang! Check out the podcast and Orange State' Twitter.

Rashaud told us that Senate Democrats have dropped the government run insurance option. This was required to appease moderates and get the bill passed. Medicare may be open to uninsured Americans at the age of 55. Another topic was the Copenhagen Summit where there is a deal in the works to cap emissions. What makes this interesting is that countries that produce more emissions will have to pay for more of the cleanup. Plus, Stanford University scientists have created a paper battery that may come out some day.

Becca also brought us even more headlines since there was no major big story. On an exciting scientific note, scientists at UCLA have announced that they can engineer stem cells to attack HIV! This could be the verge of a new era of medicine! Good job UCLA. Speaking of colleges, the Statesmen talked about how a Congressional Subcommittee has sent a college playoff bill to the House Floor. The bill would say that a National Champion cannot be declared without a playoff. It this really the most important thing for Congress to be dealing with? Yes, the BCS is messed up, but really?

Grant took all the bragging rights by winning the final Orange State of Disarray. Check out the video to see it all go down!

Finally, Jim brought us the final Audacity of Dopes of the year. We even made a list of the dumb criminal acts from the season that should be avoided. They included "Don't get a DUI in your Lazyboy," "Don't leave your wallet in the house you robbed," and "Don't rob a store while going to court for robbery."

From Left: Grant, Matt, Becca, Ashley, Rashaud, CJ, Jim

Orange State will be taking a brief hiatus. Grant is heading to London for next season. Matt and the rest of the crew will be back in January. Grant will be back with Matt and everybody in Sepember. Have a great holiday season and happy New Year everybody!

Orange State and New York's Gay Rights Bill - 12-4-09

2009-12-07T21:31:00.000-05:00

Hey, everybody! Orange State was back after a Thanksgiving week hiatus and was as strong as ever!

Rashaud brought the headlines to us. On the positive side, the jobless rate dropped just in time for the holidays. Plus, we all are annoyed by snoring, but would you actually attack your father over it?  In some major media news, Comcast will buy NBC from General Electric. The price tag . . . $30 billion. A little out of our range here at Orange State.  In addition, a study shows that cell phone usage doesn't cause brain cancer. Whew!

Matt and Grant talked to the Government Editor from the Albany Times Union, Casey Seiler, about the failure of New York's gay rights bill to pass the State Senate and what is the next step in this fight.  Then Matt and Grant express their opinions on the failure of the bill to pass.

Then Matt and Grant played the Orange State of Disarray. Grant won this time in a new multiple choice format. (Matt and Grant are tied 3-3 this season.) Jim brought us some more Audacity of Dopes. Yet again we seem to be giving advice to criminals. Two criminals saw a plasma TV in a home. Unfortunately, once they were inside what turned out to be a vacant display home, the thieves realized the TV was made of cardboard. Now that's embarrassing. Plus, have trouble getting a job? One man obviously did so he held a gun to the head of a Taco Bell cashier and then the manager demanding a job. Well, that's all. Enjoy!

Orange State and the Healthcare Debate - 11-20-09

2009-12-04T00:39:00.000-05:00

It was another exciting day on Orange State!

Rashaud brought us the headlines of the week.  The University of California system has approved fee hikes, much to the dismay of some of their students. Protests have been occurring and at least 52 students were arrested on Thursday. Plus, there was the crushing news that Oprah will be ending her show in September of 2011. Where will we get our free Pontiacs?????

Matt and Grant reviewed the big week in the healthcare debate on the hill. The U.S. Senate is voting on Saturday night on whether or not to begin debating their version of the healthcare bill. Matt and Grant broke down the differences between the Senate bill and the bill passed in the House of Representatives. Both bills give a person the option to use the government health plan or to keep their own private plan.  Both bills require individuals to have some sort of health care plan.  The penalties for people who do not have healthcare are different in each bill. In the House bill, the penalties can be as much as 2.5% of a person's income, while in the Senate the fine is $750 for someone who does not have a healthcare plan. The biggest difference is the price tags on the two bills. The Senate bill is supposed to cost about $850 billion.   The House of Representatives bill is expected to cost $1.05 trillion. Both are supposed to lower the defecit. Yet, while the Senate bill lowers the defecit more than the House bill, it also covers fewer people. So, what's more important? Lower the defecit or cover more citizens?

Matt took down Grant in the Orange State of Disarray, which was co-hosted by Becca for the first time! The series lead is now 3-2 in favor of Matt! (Just is case you cared enough to keep track.)

Matt had some big CNY News. Doug Hoffman claims that the New York 23rd District Congressional race was stolen from him by organizations like ACORN and the unions. Hoffman claimed this in a page and a half letter to his constituents.  Hoffman presented no proof to back up his claims. Hoffman also rescinded his concession making him an official contender in the 23rd District race again.

And of course, we could not have a show without the Audacity of Dopes. Jim brought us some great stories and yet again it seemed like we were advising criminals how to not get caught.  This time an 82-year-old woman fought off two 30-year-old men who had broken into her house by spitting, kicking, and using a brush and a bible. Oh and of course, Sarah Palin wrote a book.

23rd District Election Issues & All the Usual Orange State - 11-13-09

2009-11-17T15:57:00.005-05:00

After a much deserved week off, Orange State was back in full force on Friday, bringing you your weekly News Fix as per usual.

Rashaud started the show with the headlines, including some about Facebook acting as a alibi, Burger King having some issues with it's franchises, AND BALLOON DAD PLEADING GUILTY TO THE HOAX!! (Grant & Matt called it!!) Check out the video of his court appearance as well:

But now to our big story for the show: An election flub in NY's 23rd District. Apparently, Bill Owens' win last week wasn't as definitive as we thought, and Doug Hoffman may have actually won some districts that were claimed for Owens! On top of all of that, Bill Owens got sworn in to the House of Representatives the Friday after the election and helped pass the House Healthcare Bill that Saturday! Was that legal? Will there be ramifications? Check out the podcast to find out!

The heated Orange State of Disarray battle between Matt & Grant waged on with some unbelievable stories from CJ & Ashley: A quadriplegic getting a hunting license, inmates being mailed marijuana, and more!

Matt brought in the CNY News headlines about Gov. David Patterson's push for a gay marriage bill in NY and some issues that are facing the changing license plates. In addition, Jordan presents in a news package about the NY State Field Band Competition, check it out on the podcast!!

And to wrap it all up, Jim came in to give us some Audacity of Dopes, and this week's got an all-star line-up A Man found in ditch with Moonshine & Rifle, Octomom's TV Show, & more.

It was another great episode of Orange State! Check out the podcast in iTunes & thanks for listening!

Local Election Pregame & More - 10-30-09

2009-11-02T15:31:00.003-05:00

Another awesome episode of Orange State!

At the top of the show, CJ, Rashaud, & Grant run through some headlines from around the world, including Hillary Clinton's trip to Pakistan, a courtroom feces-thrower, the White House reporting 650,000 new jobs here in the US, & a 112-year-old man marrying a 17-year-old girl (...and Grant wonders: "What do they talk about?")

Matt & Grant spoke with Syracuse Post-Standard political writer Delen Goldberg to preview the local elections: the Syracuse Mayor Race, the NY's 23rd District, & a little bit about governor Paterson as well.

On top of all that, Grant gets his second win in a row on Orange State of Disarray, despite not knowing where Somali is. And Jim brings in some hysterical Audacity of Dopes too.

Hope you enjoyed this week's episode & thanks for listening to Orange State!

AND MAKE SURE TO TUNE IN TUESDAY (11/3) AT 8PM FOR ORANGE STATE'S LIVE ELECTION COVERAGE!!! LISTEN LIVE AT Z89ONLINE.COM!!!

Oh, and 1 more thing. This is another Audacity of Dopes story we didn't get to. But check out this video. (Someone needs parking lessons...)

Stephanie Miner & an Incredible Episode of Orange State! - 10-23-09

2009-10-26T18:14:00.000-04:00

After one week away from it, Orange State goes right back to the Syracuse Mayoral Election with an interview with Democratic candidtate, Stephanie Miner! She, Grant, & Matt ran throught the "7 Issues in 7 Seconds" each, with the same topics as the had with the previos two candidatesm to find out where Stephanie stands on the most important issues to the Syracuse Community. Take a listen to the podcast to hear exactly what she had to say!

And as usual there was plenty more Orange State where that came from. CJ brought the headlines this week, with fascinating stories incuding a huge drug bust in the US and Mexico, and an airplane overshooting an airport by 150 miles.

Grant gets redemption in another round of Orange State of Disarray, as hosted by Jordan. Matt fills you in on some CNY Local news like Onondaga County's new electric car plant, and Sarah Palin's endorsment for NY's 23rd district race. And Jim walks us through this week in crazy people n The Audacity of Dopes.

Thanks for listening to Orange State & enjoy this week's podcast!

Healthcare Legislation & Lots More Orange State - 10-16-09

2009-10-26T14:16:00.001-04:00

Sorry, I guess we're a little behind on our blogging!

Two fridays ago, Orange State took a break from the Syracuse Mayoral Election campaign trail and had a regular-old, yet awesome show!

Rashaud started the show strong with some interesting headlines about a tragic collision of two fighter jets, Congress having to review President Obama's receiving of Nobel Peace Prize, and a brothel giving discounts for customers who "Go Green."

But Orange State tackled a tough issue too: Healthcare. Grant & Matt break down the legislation that has been passed out of committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives. What how are these bills different? How are they the same? What happens from here? Orange State brings you all of the this week.

Wait, there's a lot more in this episode! Jordan hosts a game of Orange State of Disarray; and Matt pulls of a clean sweep, 3-0! Ashley bring some Entertainment News about the Kardashians, and Matt's got CNY Local News! And for some fun, CJ has the always promising Audacity of Dopes, with A SPECIAL rant from Matt & Grant ALL ABOUT THE DOPES OF THE BALLOON BOY SAGA!!

Hope you enjoy another great episode of Orange State! Check out the podcast in iTunes!

Orange State and Syracuse Mayoral Candidate Steve Kimatian! - 10-9-09

2009-10-15T00:55:00.000-04:00

Hey Orange State fans, it was another exciting week here on Orange State as Steve Kimatian, the Republican candidate for mayor of Syracuse, joined us in studio to talk the issues with Grant and Matt! We play a game called: "7 issues; 7 Seconds Each" with him to find out his stances on Education, Urban Developement, Crime/Public Safety, Economic Developement, City and University Relations, Sustainability, & Transportation and Infrastructure.

Plus Rashad brought us all the latest headlines from around the country. Number 1, Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It surprised all of us, as well as the president. We also gave a list from a Travelocity poll about the most disliked passengers on airplanes. Did your least favorite make the list?

Oh, and here is a shocking local news bit, the Brookings Institution has named Syracuse's Hancock International Airport as the 10th worst airport for flights leaving and arriving on time of the top 100 metropolitan areas. And of course, we couldn't have a show without some Audacity of Dopes. (Would you let your child hold a box down on top of your car on the highway?)

And keep checking up on us, because the video of Orange State's interview with Steve Kimatian will be posted here soon!

Thanks for listening to another episode of Orange State!

Video Interviews of Otis Jennings on OrangeState!!!

2009-10-08T20:43:00.002-04:00

Well they may have taken a long time to get finally put together, but here are the HD videos of Otis Jennings' appearance on Orange State!! Hope you like enjoy!

Orange State & Syracuse Mayoral Candidate Otis Jennings! - 10-2-09

2009-10-06T10:27:00.000-04:00

Another awesome episode of Orange State in the books!
This week, OS welcomes Otis Jennings, Conservative Candidate for mayor of Syracuse, to the show! He and the guys run through some of the biggest issues of this election and get Otis' take on how he plans to approach them in a game called "7 Issues; 7 Seconds Each." Topics like Economic Development, Education, Crime & Public Safety, Transportation & Infrastructure, Relations with SU, Urban Development, and Sustainability. Check out the podcast to hear all about Otis' stances! And that's not all! OS even has a video podcast of the interview that will be coming your way shortly; so hang in there!

But on top of all that, there was even more Orange State in this episode! Rashaud brought us the headline news including a man who's suing Bank of America for $1700 billion trillion (and yes, that's actually a real number), babies now have a better chance at living past 100 years old, and much more!

And to wrap it all up, Matt & Grant talk CNY local news about Syracuse police and tasers, and throw some Audacity of Dopes on top of that.

Orange State doesn't get much better than that, although we certainly will try this Friday when, Republican candidate for Syracuse mayor Steve Kimatian stops by the studio to talk about his campaign.
You won't want to miss that either and thanks for listening!

International Relations Recap, OSD, AOD, & More - 9-25-09

2009-10-05T06:44:00.002-04:00

Grant and Matt recap a big week for international relations. Would you allow Muammar Gaddafi to talk after Barack Obama? Lets just say it was a rough line-up. Obama urged the nations of the UN to live up to their global responsibility while Gaddafi ranted for over an and a half about jet lag and who shot JFK (weird, we know). Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke and sparked controversy, not out of character. A number of world leaders, including those from the U.S., walked out on the Iranian President. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke and chastised those who gave Ahmadinejad a forum. Hugo Chavez pushed the U.S. to end its blockade on Cuba. Check out the links or watch the videos below to see for yourselves.
We also announced some news hot off the presses, President Obama, French President Nicholas Sarkozy, and Bristish Prime Minister Gordon Brown revealed at the G20 Summit that Iran has a secret nuclear facility that had been monitored for years. Of course, we couldn't have a show without the Audacity of Dopes (Would you fake your own kidnapping to not give your parents your report card?), Orange State of Disarray, CNY Local Headlines, & an Entertainment Report.

Thanks for listening to Orange State & Check out the podcast of this episode in iTunes!

Syracuse Mayoral Primary Recap & So Much More! - 9-18-09

2009-09-29T00:20:00.001-04:00

The Orange State gang talks about the Syracuse Mayoral Primary. Stephanie Miner and Steve Kimatian are going to be running for Syracuse Mayor after winning their respective primaries. And we also know now that Otis Jennings will be continuing his campaign. The Statesmen also talked about an interesting article from USA Today called What Happened to Civility? Are the recent outbursts by Joe Wilson, Serena Williams, and Kanye West proof that America thinks this is accepted? The Orange State guys think so. If you missed the three outbursts, check out the videos below and tell us what you think. Plus, central New York might be getting a multi-million dollar auto plant! Orange State of Disarray and the Audacity of Dopes both made it into this week's show, (Would you drive the bus route if your bus driver didn't show up??) and just a quick fact check from this show: It is true that you must be 35 to be President of the United States.

Wanna hear it all for yourself? Check out the podcast in iTunes!

Education, Healthcare, & Sept. 11th - 9-11-09

2009-09-17T00:40:00.000-04:00

Hey out there, sorry this took so long but I'm just happy it's finally all working. In this week's episode, the Orange State guys review V.P. Joe Biden's appearance at S.U. along with his pitch for education. Next, because the show was on the anniversary of 9/11, the gentlemen share their memories of the tragic day as well as what it will mean for the future. Matt covers the CNY Local news, and Mark brings the Audacity of Dopes; and as the final big story of the week, the guys talk with Health Writer Jim Mulder of the Syracuse Post-Standard regarding President Obama's speech to the joint session of Congress on Healthcare reform. Here's the video of that address in case you missed it:

Enjoy this week's podcast! And tune in to this week's show Friday @ Noon!

The Return of Orange State and the California Wildfires 9-4-09

2009-09-04T18:02:00.000-04:00

Hey Orange State Fans!
The guys opened our new season today with coverage of the Wildfires Raging in California. We did a full rundown of Central New York news and trust me, it's been a big week. The dopes returned for another go in an OS favorite, Audacity of Dopes & who'd have thought you would have to blow a condom up like a balloon to become Miss Universe? Finally, we kicked off the new era of OS with our News Knowledge Phrase of the Day. Tune into the headlines at the beginning of the show to win cool prizes for listening!

But for now, check out the podcast of today's episode & Keep up with your News Fix all throughout the week on Twitter @OrangeState!

Two Things!

2009-08-07T11:11:00.000-04:00

Hey out there! Got two very important newsflashes to let you know about:

1. Orange State is now on Twitter! Check out Twitter.com/OrangeState to find out more about us and tweet @Orange State and to let us know what you think!

and 2. It looks like we'll be back for our debut show on September 4th, with the return of your news fix! Make sure you tune in!

Live Coverage of Michael Jackson's Memorial from Los Angeles!

2009-07-06T18:05:00.000-04:00

Hey, Grant here.

I wanted to let you know that tomorrow, July 7th, I'm going to be doing LIVE COVERAGE of Michael Jackson's Memorial Service from right here in Los Angeles!! I know you'll interested in all that'll be going on out here, so for personal coverage of the whole event, check out Z89's Twitter that I'll be keeping updated starting at 8 AM. Then, for your Drive at Five, tune into Z89 & I'll be talking DJ Maestro all about it. If you have any questions/comments/stuff you'd like me to look into, Tweet @Z89Radio or @GrantRyanL.

-Grant Ryan

The First "Best Of Orange State" Podcast

2009-06-04T13:06:00.000-04:00

Hey, want even more Orange State? Well check out our first "Best of" podcast from before we started putting our episodes up on iTunes.

This one's from right before Barack Obama's inauguration, Friday, January 16th. The Orange State guys do all the usual stuff and talk to writer/historian Jim Bendat who literally wrote the book on every inauguration in history.

And in other news, take a look at this: a Guantanamo Bay video game. Some real dopes here; this just sounds like a horrible idea.

Enjoy, and stay tuned for much more Orange State right here.

Orange State Update

2009-05-28T01:24:00.000-04:00

Hey, Grant here. Thought I'd share an amazing site with you that I just learned about. If you like the goofy stories we do in our segments "The Audacity of Dopes" & "The Orange State Of Disarray," then you'll love this site: fark.com. It takes all the most ridiculous stories from around the news world and compiles them into one place for your amusement. I think it's awesome; I hope you get a kick out of it too.

Orange State Goes International

2009-05-22T04:47:00.000-04:00

Brian here from Orange State, reporting from Strasbourg, France, where the sun always shines and people talk really funny, like, a whole other, non-English language, which is even worse than what I experienced in my brief stopover in London.

I'm here to report on anti-American sentiment and how much the Obama administration has changed the perception of the United States as a big, ugly cowboy. From what I've learned, President Obama is as popular as crepes over here. Everyone wants his t-shirt (wish I'd known that: with the exchange rate and high demand, I could have brought over a truckload of them for 20 bucks each and made an absolute killing).

President Obama apparently has roots in the Alsace region of France, which the Alsatians love to brag about. Marie-Madeleine (French enough for you?), my landlord, spoke highly of the president, even though his visit in early April brought a lockdown of the city.

Six years ago I don't think anyone would have dared wave around their American passports in this area but for some reason it seems better now. I haven't encountered a single unpleasant experience, and the French have even been willing to humor me when my attempts to use French turn ugly (which they often do).

Then again, six years ago, the dollar was actually worth more than the paper it was printed on, which really sucks. The last time I was in Europe was pre-Euro and you could wave around greenbacks and people would bow to you. That's probably how I got served alcohol when I was 5 feet tall and had braces.

As for President Obama, I think it's clear to say that the promises he made when he was running for the Democratic nomination have not been kept, at least when it comes to torture and human rights. The US will still use military tribunals. He ordered the closing of Guantanamo, but that seems more of a gesture of goodwill toward Cuba than a human rights issue when we consider that policies surrounding the prison in Bagram, Afghanistan will not change. The President decided not to prosecute torturers and will not release photos of prisoner abuse (the media's cute little word for torture).

I'm sure that Obama apologists (Obamapologists?) will try to countenance this decisions and defend them in every way possible, but the fact is that these were not the promises he made during the Democratic primary. You can agree with the decisions but the only change going on here is in the positions of the President. I'm ambivalent about not prosecuting people who committed torture and I don't think that releasing the photos of torture will serve any good other than a great training tool for al-Qaeda, but I think that Bagram should be closed and I am surprised that the media are giving the President a pass on that one.

As for the backlash in France, a country whose people care very much about torture issues, I haven't seen much. I assume that the ACLU is freaking out about this back at home, and the people at MoveOn.org are Googling "How to remove a bumper sticker without scratching".

That's all for now. Germany is next.

Orange State Update

2009-05-21T14:22:00.000-04:00

Here's a little Orange State of Disarray that's happening right here in the States:

Check out what one of our own political parties it doing just to get a jump on the other one.
Some definite disarray here.

Orange State Update

2009-05-11T14:40:00.000-04:00

I know you may have been scared and/or flabbergasted to hear that Orange State would be taking a break; but not to worry, all of the guys will be keeping this website updated with news fixes just for you. Well be putting up news stories, links, "Best of" shows, videos, new podcasts, and much more. And you can check out the first Orange State Update podcast in iTunes and Grant'll break all this down for you.

But here's your first Orange State Update:
Us Orange Statesmen are major proponents of good comedy. And to our great pleasure: Obama worked his comedy chops and the White House Correspondents dinner this past weekend. It's always comforting to know the President has a sense of humor, even if some sitcom writer wrote all the jokes.

And for a little bit of Audacity of Dopes this is too ridiculous to pass up. You'll never believe the newest Obama merchandising; although I bet it's not endorsed by whitehouse.gov.

Exclusive Interview With Congressman Dan Maffei & So Much More!

2009-04-25T12:21:00.000-04:00

In a last episode before a brief hiatus, the Orange State gents do an incredible, jam packed show.

We got an exclusive interview with Congressman Dan Maffei, the Top Stories, some CNY Local News, & a Street Beat with some Syracuse University students.

And of course, it wouldn't be Orange State without some Audacity of Dopes and Orange State of Disarray.

It's all part of your weekly news fix from Orange State!

Check it out in iTunes.

Thanks for listening!

CONGRESSMAN DAN MAFFEI WILL BE ON ORANGE STATE THIS WEEK!!

2009-04-20T21:58:00.000-04:00

Hey! Make sure you tune in or check out the podcast of this Friday's episode or Orange State, because this will be the BIGGEST DAYS IN ORANGE STATE HISTORY!!

We have an interview with Syracuse's Congressman Dan Maffei!! Email with any questions you might have for the representative to orangestateonline@gmail.com and tune in Friday for an awesome show!

Tea Parties, Dan Maffei, & Local Stories

2009-04-18T15:05:00.000-04:00

Hey!

Check out Orange State's newest episode!

This week the Orange State guys talked about, tea party protests & their coverage, local Congressman Dan Maffei's Appearance on the Colbert Report, the government's plans for the high-speed rail system, and some local Syracuse News.

Enjoy!

ITUNES!

2009-04-08T21:27:00.000-04:00

Hey!

Orange State is now available in iTunes!

Check it out and subscribe today.

Thanks for listening to Orange State!

orangestateonline@gmail.com