>As the unmistakable scent of Nag Champa incense fills your nostrils, you notice the smoke and dust particles floating in and out of the gleaming light from the front window of The Mad Platter record store in downtown West Chester.

The posters on the wall, displaying images of Bob Marley, Jim Morrison and other musical virtuosos, watch as you quickly transform into the adult version of “the kid in the candy store.”

Dozens of T-shirts and other various forms of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia, adorned with band names and pop culture references, are strewn about the room and hanging like preschool art on a proud grandparent’s refrigerator ...

>One year ago, education major Kameel Alkassir, 19, got a tattoo of her name written in Arabic with angel wings located between her shoulder blades.

Alkassir is one of many young adults that have gone to tattoo parlors to express themselves through body art and piercings.

They started this publication because when they started submitting their work to professional sources they were hearing a lot of no’s ...

In 1936, Life magazine estimated that only 6 percent of the U.S. population had at least one tattoo. By 2003, the increased popularity of the tattoo was apparent. According to the Harris Poll, 16 percent of Americans (or about 40 million people) had one or more tattoos ...

Shane Toogood and Kris Fosset seem like two normal, nice and respectable looking young people- no one would know that they peddle some of the darkest horror fiction on the net.

The E-zine Tainted Tea was started in March 2009 by Toogod and Fosset, and has since received submissions from other authors of the macabre from all corners of the United States.

They started this publication because when they started submitting their work to professional sources they were hearing a lot of no’s ...

In these tough economic times, it’s hard to be well put together and fashionable. From clothing to accessories, everything is overpriced and there seems to be no way out of paying forty bucks for a wallet.

A great way to get a lot for less is going over the consignment and thrift shops in the area and dredge up some good deals.

First stop is Plato’s Closet, located on Sproul Road in Springfield. Plato’s closet is a consignment chain that originated in Columbus, Ohio, and is now become a national franchise.

Governor Edward Rendell proposed legislation on Feb. 4th that may grant an invaluable gift to all community and public college students earning less than $100,000 dollars a year. The Pennsylvania Tuition Relief Act, made possible by President Obama’s $787 billion federal stimulus package proposal, will make available a potential $7,600 dollars in relief from tuition fees, room and board, according to Rendell.

“Pennsylvania families are today wrestling with the gut-wrenching question of whether they can still afford to send their children to college. Getting a degree and being qualified to enter the working world makes all the difference in our economy,” Rendell said. “When it comes to helping young people get there, the hard truth is that right now, we are not doing nearly enough to provide students and the families that support them with the means to complete their college degrees.”

Rendell is calling for increased government spending by $300 million on education during a time of recession. Is this the mark of madness or is Rendell seeing a bigger picture? ...

Beyond an old farm gate, a deep and well-worn path leads down a hill, cutting through old oak trees and undergrowth. Following the banks of a creek, the path resurges out of the woods to the edge of a rolling meadow, where the tall grasses sway and glisten in the late afternoon sun.

This pasture, known as Hildacy Farm, located five minutes away from DCCC Main campus, is an ideal place to sneak a break between classes, study, nap, or takes a short walk to clear their head.

Once a working farm, the 55-acre site is now open to the public sunrise to sunset for hiking, dog walking, horseback riding, and other programs...