Basement Outpost

We’ll Get There – By: Connor June 20, 2018 By: Editor Kyle

I was born and raised in Southwestern Pennsylvania – a middle class yinzer with no real struggles in childhood other than an early parental divorce. I recently went through my first-ever real heartbreak a month ago, on top of (and feeding into) the ongoing anxiety and depression I experience on a day-to-day basis. The perfect storm for an objective thinkpiece on being a 20-something in today’s age, right? Well, luckily some friends of mine are tremendously driven, creative, and supportive, and gave me this opportunity to contribute my experiences on a platform like this for the first time, so here goes nothing.

It’s 9:30 on a Friday night. You’re sitting at home all dressed up for the night out, perusing Twitter as the next pregame drop of alcohol continues to numb you. Within a minute of scrolling, you manage to scan over two Xanned out rappers beefing over who makes shitt…

Introducing Wicked Pittsburgh Artist: Brittney Chantele January 5, 2018 By: Co-Editor Mike

Wicked Pittsburgh recently signed on it’s latest addition – singer-songwriter, visual artist, poet, and activist, Brittney Chantele.

Craft: Visual Artist and Musician

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Bio: Brittney Chantele aspires for her art to inspire people emotionally, mentally, and physically. While some of Brittney’s work is approached in an abstract connection with her PTSD from military service, other works are more boldly politically-charged in such a way that openly addresses many issues within the armed forces.

Follow Brittney on Instagram @brittneychantele – or view more of her work on Wicked Pittsburgh here.

Hell or High Water – Culture Implicating Structure December 25, 2017 By: Editor Kyle

If you want an unflinching insight into the rotting core of America, the neglected and left-for-dead rural and backwoods regions of our country, take the 1 hour and 42 minutes to watch “Hell or High Water.” David McKenzie directs this neo-Western/heist/thriller, with the backdrop to the action providing a portrait of a Texas still ravaged by the 2008 financial collapse. The political and socioeconomic undertones are less than subtle. As our redneck Robin Hoods drive beat-up old cars through bleak desert landscapes the camera lingers on billboards for payday loans and other predatory lending advertisements – the vultures circling the carcass of a starved cow. “Hell or High Water” is a fresh take on an old genre and a brilliant depiction of the soul-crushing nature of poverty. The audience isn’…

Training Day: Inside SCI Greene Maximum Security Prison December 21, 2017 By: Co-Editor Mike

Twelve maximum security inmates, seven community volunteers, and five puppies. This is the group of dedicated individuals making up the Canine Partners for Life(CPL) training program in SCI Greene Maximum Security Prison.

The non-profit program enables inmates in Pennsylvania and Maryland to train prospective service dogs for 12-18 months inside the prison before the pups move on to formal training at the Canine Partners for Life headquarters.

After graduating from the two-year program the service dogs go on to assist the handicapped or mentally disabled. Over the course of their 26-year existence Canine Partners for Life has placed over 650 service dogs in 45 states across America.

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The Thanksgiving Showdown: Stop Worrying About “Winning” Arguments November 20, 2017 By: Editor Kyle

November is here, and in its wake arrives the barrage of Thanksgiving-themed prepper articles for how to deal with familial tensions that arise from the annual proximity of individuals with perspectives spanning generations.

In other words, it is time for your epic showdown with your gun-loving, Kaepernick-hating Aunt Marsha.

The Internet has no shortage of articles to prepare you for this brewing confrontation. Huffington Post, ever in-tune with their young liberal audience, offers 5 ways to discuss politics with the presumably Republican elder statesmen of your family. The LA Times has ways to counter your…

Letter From the Editor November 12, 2017 By: Editor Kyle

The internet is the place we go to be someone else. Our online personas are often vastly different than our “irl” personalities. In some instances, this place is an escape from reality.

Not really a profound observation, right? What this common sentiment misses, though, is that we do the same exact thing even when we’re away from our glowing screens and clever usernames.

When then, are we genuine? How do we find out who people really are? One of the most authentic forms of communication is artistic expression. That’s why Basement Outpost wants to create a space that allows you to submit your thoughts and artistic creations for the world to see. Your submissions will be reviewed by our editor (me) and/or staff and later posted on the blog. They can be displayed with your name if you wish or with a username if you’d rather remain anonymous. The…