Archive for the ‘short films/interviews’ Category

American Success Stories: Kathleen MacMillian Owner of the Cozy Corner Coffee Shop in Fitchburg MA

Posted: May 28, 2026 by datechguy in American Success Stories, business, culture, economy, short films/interviews
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Earlier this week I wrote about Hanna who had gone from being an Iraqi refugee in a camp in Syria to graduating Suuma Cum Laude from Framingham State University last week (as opposed to me who graduated Thanka da Lordie) but not all success stories come from college or from immigrants.

Meet Kathleen MacMillian who started as a waitress at a local dinner became the manager and during the Biden Administration at a time of one of the worst economies took a leap of faith and in her 20’s became the owner of her own business, the Cozy Corner Dinner and Restaurant in Fitchburg MA.

This Tuesday after closing she took twenty minutes to sit down with me and talk about her story.

The newspapers and social media get a lot of clicks from showing the young being weak and irresponsible, but there are plenty of folks like Kathleen who are does who still drive America forward.

Interviews With Immigrants: Hanna From Iraq Seven Years Later

Posted: May 24, 2026 by datechguy in American Success Stories, culture, education, short films/interviews
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One of the proudest things I did as a reporter was a series of Youtube videos called: Interviews with Immigrants.

During these interviews I sat down with a person born in another country and talked to them about their life, their coming to America etc.

One of those interviews was with Hanna From Iraq: At the time she agreed to an audio only interview: You can listen to it here:

It’s been seven years since I conducted this interview Hanna was 23 and we worked together at my former company. She moved on a while ago although we became friendly and she picked up a love of things American including pinball:

Yup that’s Pintastic 2019 back in Sturbridge on the last day as they are taking the last machines out.

Well every year I take some friends out for a Woosox game as a Christmas present so that we can enjoy not only baseball but some time together which is the real gift and Hanna was invited. It was also her graduation day from college so she attended in her cap and gown. After the game she wanted to take some pictures from center field and it hit me that it would be a pretty good sequel to our initial interview to talk to her about her journey to this point. So I pulled out my camera and here we are: Hanna from Iraq seven years later:

When Marco Rubio talked about what America is, this is what he was talking about.

The full interviews with immigrants playlist is here:

The Final Four Days Interviews with Immigrants The Best thing that didn’t Catch on

Posted: December 28, 2024 by datechguy in dablog, short films/interviews
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Over the years of the blog as a business I did a lot of things that were good and cool and I think significant, but looking back at those things I think the best thing I ever did was my series of videos called: Interviews with Immigrants where I interviewed people who came to America from all over the world.

Mary Margaret England:

Hanna From Iraq:

Joy from Nigeria:

Lucine from the Cape Verde Islands

Donald from Cameroon

Alvin from El Salvador

Maria from the Dominican Republic (Christian translates)

Paulo from Brazil

Phillipe from Haiti

Lucy from Vietnam

You’ll note that some are full videos while others were just audio because people didn’t want to be on video. People from the Fitchburg/Leominster area will recognize the old Happy Jacks Restaurant which was my favorite haunt which is alas no more. (Although as a Christmas Present this week I was given the recipe for Border Sauce!)

Thanks to the Youtube banning it doesn’t reach the audience it once did, but if I was to be remembered for one thing I did, I’d like it to be this.

Voices of Catholic Authors Paul Migliozzi Interview(s) We’re No Angels meet Papanon

Posted: June 4, 2024 by datechguy in catholic, short films/interviews
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Paul’s Two books

I spoke to Catholic Author Paul Migliozzi author of the children’s book We’re no Angels about the sequel written with his granddaughter We’re no Angels meet Papanon which comes out on July 1st. We also discussed his upcoming local FATV series first on camera.

https://rumble.com/v4yw8m2-paul-migiliozzi-were-no-angels-meet-papanon.html

And then an audio only interview that will be aired on WQPH 89.3 FM Shirley/Fitchburg as part on my radio show Your Prayer Intentions:

You can buy the first book here.

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