One of the most enigmatic obsessions of today’s youth was their addiction on video games. This creates noise pollution as they’re fighting in front of computer and growling unnecessary words in public. It also leads the youngsters to confine his self in the virtual hubs than socializing others and learn things by reading books. However, these online games were once, an interesting thing to study. By exploring its backdrops and transitory ends, we will therefore understand how these become popularized and hence, helped out the economic state of the country.                                                                                                          

TRANSITIONS OF VIDEO GAMES

Video Games are electronic, interactive games known for their vibrant colors, sound effects, and complex graphics (Davidson & Klasen, 2006). From today’s metallic and high-class technology of playstations, Video Games were rooted on the emergence of educational videogames down to renowned “University Games” made in laboratories and research centers (Lowood). Due to the combining efforts of exploratory studies in computer science and the early making of computers, Spacewar and Adventure were popularized by various sets of consoles. These video games were made to relieve the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder among the military troops by portraying the current conditions in Iraq (The Transformation of the Video Game Industry, 2008). This served 1970’s as the Golden Age of Videogames of all times. It is where the First Generation of videogames rose up to the prevailing point of commercial exploitation of video gaming.

On this Era, the consolidated usage of machines and television in a form of arcades was utilized to attract the market. Not just the youngsters but also the youth and other age brackets. These arcades can be played by installing cartridges into a game box connected by wire to a television set (Davidson & Klasen, 2006). It was the most sophisticated technological innovation that time without exact date upon discovery. It was considered as the Golden Age of Virtual Gaming by the popularity of commercialized arcades and penny-cost gaming. Until, the diversion of various arcades started their way up to make renowned ones.

1970: The Start of Arcade Video Gaming

On this period, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Daubney complete the Computer Space video game machine. One player competes in a spaceship against the machine controlling flying saucers. Despite the name, the machine does not incorporate a computer. Nutting Associates, a small arcade games manufacturer, agrees to build and market it (Polsson, 2006). However, in the year 1949, Ralph Baer, a Loral employee who was assigned to develop a television set wanted to carry out a virtual game on television screens. After a long-wait run, he was given a chance to proceeds on this dream. On the year 1965, Baer with his team and with the help of Sander’s Associates, was able to make an extensive research on the making of the first arcade video games. They used modified toy guns to distinguish the light beam on screen while playing video games (Video Game Timeline). However, this deal has been cancelled later on.

After five years, Baer with his team was given a chance to apply all of what they’ve studied for more than 5 years. They successfully wired the television and video games and make an arcade version of Steve Russel’s Spacewar. He later named it as “Computer Space”. Meanwhile, Nutting Associate bought this and hired Nolan Bushnell for its production. He also has Ted Dabney in doing this innovated mainstream (Video Game Timeline).

1971: The Birth of Galaxy Game

On the success of Computer Space, people served it as the first video arcade game worldwide with almost 1, 500 games distributed globally. However, the public demands on much easier games since the said game was complex and difficult to play (InfoPlease, 2007). This gives the way out for the Galaxy Game machine, an updated version of Spacewar, as another pervasive means of video gaming. This was made by the Stanford University in California. By 10 cents, people would now play on this newest version of arcade gaming (Polsson, 2006). This was developed as the first coin-operated video game with up to eight consoles (Buzzle, 2012).

1972: The first home video game system – Magnavox, PONG and the Founding of Atari

On April 25^th of 1972, Baer issued his patent printing of “A Television Gaming Apparatus and Method”. This was the fruit of their study on the making of television set. Later on May 24^th of the same year, Magnavox’s Odyssey, made its first home video game system at a convention in Burlingame, CA, and is released to the public (InfoPlease, 2007).

It was also the Era of Commercialized Arcade Videogames. It was the founded year for Bushnell and Dabney’s ATARI which derived from the Japanese game “Go”. “Atari” is equivalent to “check” in a chess game (Buzzle, 2012). Al Alcorn, renowned game creator, was hired by Atari to make video games. PONG was the first game created by the said company. From the originally word of Ping-Pong, this video game became hit for its simple consoles. On this period, Sanders and Magnavox are the best rivals in Video Game Industry. Sanders therefore let Bushnell to test the competitor’s products and therefore, conclude the latter, that the said game was no-match on their Computer Space.

ANALYSIS:

Out of these major occurrences in Video Gaming Industry, the commonalities end on their marketing and sales. Since the first video arcade was launched globally and then later, succeed on its stand, the industry became more observant on the public demands, needs and wants during this time. However, due to negative feedbacks brought by in the complexity of the Arcade version of Spacewar, Baer had lost its trustees leading to Baer’s successful years in Magnavox Odyssey.

On the last two years, the issues raised upon pertaining to the market’s satisfaction than the quality of high-end videogames.

Bibliography

(2007). Retrieved February 22, 2013, from InfoPlease: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/gamestimeline1.html

(2012). Retrieved February 22, 2013, from Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-and-timeline-of-video-games.html

Davidson, T., & Klasen, M. (2006). Video Games.

Lowood, H. (n.d.). Videogames in Computer Space: The Complex History of Pong.

Polsson, K. (2006). Retrieved February 22, 2013, from VidGame: http://vidgame.info/arcade/

The Transformation of the Video Game Industry. (2008, July 16).

Video Game Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00928/buttons/interactive/timeline1.swf

(1) Identity Management – the availability of one’s (users or company itself) information;

(2) Expert Finding – the critical takings of expert research to a context;

(3) Context Awareness – the awareness of common context to the ordinary people;

(4) Contact Management – the combination of all the functionalities of personal network;

(5) Network Awareness – the awareness of the activities of the consumers on their networks; and

(6) Exchange – the exchange information directly or indirectly (Koch, 2008).

These functions rooted my analysis on this Social Networking Site.

Identity Management

SodaHead on its meaning was still obscured to its users and for others who are keen with the foundations of corporate names. The founders and makers of this site were not really open for the making of SodaHead, thematically. Thus, its contents were identified as anchored to its battlecry “Opinions…Everybody’s got one”. At this point, the meaning of “SodaHead” reflects as for a bubbling mind that pops an inquisitive thought of one’s self.

Expert Finding

SodaHead is prior for project-based content. Instead of being monitored to some research studies, it is a research medium that collects data to confer results into infographic images rather than figures and words. At this point, this site attracts more investors and clients prior for research studies by having the survey-type polling as its special features. For this, SodaHead became appealing to most of the product-based companies to gather public opinions on their purchased products as well as on the state of running electoral bodies and individuals on the coming elections. According to Cracked.com, SodaHead hit into 9 million scores with the topics pertaining Obama’s candidacy; topics like “Is Obama a socialist?” and “Will Obama ruin America?”. This greatly affects on the perception of public at large by having the major votes of mass.

Context Awareness

This site was made as combination of opinion-based online community and socially-focused medium virtually. Yet, being biased to such topics, SodaHead reflects more on opinions rather than facts. Thus, having the sense of truth coming from news reports from various class media companies make this site away from its portrayed image.

Contact Management

SodaHead, like the common Online Sites connects its users to other renowned and most used Social Media such as Facebook and Twitter. Thus, expanding its effort to touch the bloggers’ opinions, SodaHead therefore used to collaborate with Wordpress. This act will surely get the attention of bloggers that are often, have lots of things to say, issues to critique, and drudgeries to share among ordinary and average netizens. However, this site does not risk their users to socially connect to various mediums like YouTube, Reddit, Tumblr, and any other common sites unless not ranked as “popular” into markets.

Network Awareness

In terms of networking, SodaHead got a perfect score if we’re talking on its information-based content. Personally, I have my own account on this site yet, only interesting information coming from popular US news program is what I usually read on. It has a total access on news while most of its contents are merely about on opinion polling. This make SodaHead as boring stuff for common minds yet favorable for intellectuals due to highfaluting patterns. Networking in here was rarely seen.

Exchange

As means o exchanging thoughts, SodaHead gives-off the most of it to the public. It actively unites its users by having their opinions be seen and trigger other’s thirsty minds. Moreover, this site involves all its readers, viewers, and members to impart their selves by having catchy and striking must-heads.

IMPACT

This site has a great impact in all aspect. SodaHead gathers massive polls that surely affects on the way how people think on the status quo comprises on its featured issues. This might control the people’s way of thinking by portraying what are the constructive “truth” on the majority of the population.

Another is the emotional and mental effects of opinions on one’s self. Since it is opinion-based online community, people would rather think they are always right, substituting their own construction of reality, proving it right, and adhere their stands publicly. This convey on the issues of religiosity, genderlect, maturity, and races.

Politically, SodaHead is the starting point to think whom we trusted who in terms of governance (and even the way of selecting righteous perception towards certain issues). On economic concerns, this impart the greatest confidence on other entities who would like to run a business, schools, establishments and the likes by garnering all the people’s choice given in the said online site. And lastly, people will be socially perceptive on things. If you are a people person buddy, then you better find like this SodaHead to further meet people willing to talk interesting things under the sun.

WORKS CITED

(n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2013, from Crunchbase: http://www.crunchbase.com/company/sodahead

(n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2013, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SodaHead.com

(n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2013, from SocialTech: http://www.socaltech.com/interview_with_jason_feffer__founder__sodahead/s-0008088.html

(n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2013, from WebStats: http://www.webstatsdomain.com/domains/www.sodahead.com/#mark_12

(n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://techcrunch.com/2008/06/25/polling-startup-sodahead-raises-84-million/

(n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2013, from Quantcast: http://www.quantcast.com/sodahead.com

(n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2013, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking_service

Eldon, E. (2009, 11 February). Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://venturebeat.com/2009/02/11/sodahead-grows-from-polls-to-conversations/

Koch, A. R. (2008). Functions of Social Networking Services. Heisenberg, Neubiberg, Germany.

PRNewswire. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2013, from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sodahead-expands-social-newspaper-reach-by-adding-key-networking-integrations-62135932.html

Schonfeld, E. (2008, June 25). Retrieved February 19, 2013, from TechCrunch: http://techcrunch.com/2008/06/25/polling-startup-sodahead-raises-84-million/

                “Good dead are hard to find” – and I guess, not only a dead one, but also, living good peer is now hard to find.

                Personally, I really like zombie films whether by means of horrifying features, deadly views, and action-packed scenarios than love stories. I love to watch them since my insomniac mother used to be so much addicted into it. We had watched all kinds of it – Day of the Dead, Night of the Dead, Night of the living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, The Dead and Deader, The Dead and the Undead, Terror Planet, Zombieland, Shaun of the Dead and the famous Resident Evil, I am Legend, and 28 days after. These have the same genre which lies as either pure Zombie film, Sci-Fi Zombie Films or Zombie-Comedy Film. Some came from rumored stories, while others hypothesized to become real by having advancements in Science and Technology in today’s status quo. These made a distinction from the common and classic Zombie Films wherein, used to be politically attributed to the current societal realms.

MY FAVORITE FOREIGN INDIE FILM:

Plot, Settings, Climax and Characters

                Out of all films, Zombies are my beloved genre. For some, it seems like an odd and funny thing while for me, these movies have something to tell, not just to terrify on the modern era of technology but also to be more critical in what lies ahead in our society.

I used to have this foreign Canadian individual film for its simple yet sturdy plot as for my Movie review. Way back from 1950’s vista, this 2006 Zombie Film, “Fido” was thematically posed in Classic Settings. It was more likely as Resident Evil series, where virus came from scientific basis. In this film, Zombieism came from a massive radiation of space down to earth where dead people turned to be undead and be a carnivorous creature craving for human flesh. This resulting into a Zombie Apocalypse like on what we have in a TV series, The Walking Dead. Perhaps, it was ended by the government’s full effort and civilians who’d been part of the “Zombie War”.

       The storyline came from a town of Willard, the original place of Romero’s 1968, Night of the Living (Wikipedia). With the help of ZomCon Company, an established National Organization used to deal on zombies by scientific research, people are now living with the horrifying zombies as their house pets and trusted slaves. With the modernized innovations, Zombies can now either be a pet or slave by putting them a metallic collars and control them with remote control. This seems as entertaining to see that the man-eater creatures are now dominated by the living ones and provided cheaper cost of manual labor.

Otherwise, the story started out when the ZomCon Security Head, Jonathan Bottoms, moved on the street where Robinsons placed in. Due to being cognizant, Helen Robinson, a bourgeoisie and lovely housewife buys a zombie slave to blab out on their new neighbor. This results into clash with her husband Bill which is a zombiephobic due to his childhood trauma in the late Zombie War. Likewise, Timmy, their son, befriend their Zombie servant after defending him from bullies. Right then, Timmy named the Zombie as “Fido” and serve him as his pet dog, and yet, a father. He was then, so distant with his own father.Subsequently, Timmy let Fido find the ball while they are playing baseball. Fido met an old woman, Mrs. Henderson which is a die-hard Zombie antagonist. She wanted to kill Fido until it accidentally broke its collar. When Timmy came in, Mrs. Henderson was already dead. Late at night, he sneaks out to bury the woman’s corpse when later he knew, that Zombie outbreak beat up the town. Despite with this, he managed to conceal Mrs. Henderson body without knowing that there’s another victim of his hasty act.

Along the massive killings of zombies, ZomCon found out who the culprit is by having a piece of baseball thingy. By this, Fido had been taken away from Robinsons and made him as company’s servant.

         Moreover, Cindy, daughter of Mr. Bottoms told Timmy that Fido was still alive. Timmy plans to save Fido and bring it home. He connived with ZomCon’s the former Security Head Officer, Mr. Theopolis who has a zombiefied girlfriend on his house. This cause a great mad dash within ZomCon premises when he broke another zombie’s collar.

Meanwhile, Timmy looked for Fido and yet, chased by Mr. Bottoms. The latter take the child in a zombiefied zone, where zombies prowling for human flesh. Then suddenly appears the coward Bill Robinson to save his son and then, was killed by Mr. Bottoms after struggling on the ground. Fido then escaped and killed Mr. Bottoms.

Mr. Bottoms became a zombie pet of his daughter while Mr. Robinson was cremated. Mrs. Robinson has now her new baby with Fido as her beau and Mr. Theopolis as his new closest neighbor.

ACTORS:

• Henry Czerny as Mr. Jonathan Bottoms, Security Head Officer of ZomCon
• Carrie-Anne Moss as Helen Robinson, a status-conscious housewife
• Tim Blake Nelson as Mr. Theopolis, retired Security Head Officer of ZomCon - Zombiephilic
• Billy Connolly as Fido, the main character of the story
• Dylan Baker as Bill Robinson, Zombiephobic father of Timmy
• K’Sun Ray as Timmy Robinson, friend of Fido
• Sonja Bennett as Tammy, Mr. Theopolis’ girlfriend
• Alexia Fast as Cindy Bottoms, a hypocrite yet lovable daughter of Mr. Bottoms
• Mary Black as Mrs. Henderson, anti-zombie

STARTING POINT TO THINK ABOUT:

Analysis, significant contribution and impact

This film was directed and written by Andrew Currie. On his interview with Tony Farinella, he said that Zombie films are like humans with negative impressions. He said, “…they are so much like us. They look like us, and they act like some of us, because they’re sort of half way between living and dead and they’re hideous, and they’re deformed, and they’re rotting, and they’re decaying, so they kind of remind of us where we’re all going, you know? They remind us of disease and death and decay, and that all brings up a lot of, I think, primeval fears in people. And it certainly does in me. So, I think because of that similarity between us, you don’t have that same filter where you can go, “Oh, it’s a giant gorilla, or it’s some demonic creature with horns,” because ultimately zombies are so much closer to a human being.” (Farinella, 2007).

Personally, I perceived what Currie had said. Nowadays, there are many of us, and I admit that perhaps, I’ve been one of them who act like a zombie – zombie as absent-minded being. Typically, when the word “zombie” appears in our mind, it talks about the fetish brain eater or a filthy human form. It deals on decaying body of a flesh eating person without thought in mind except “eating”. This became distant to other genre wherein pure of justification ends. In here, or most of films in this genre rely only on the notion of survival with a happy or tragic finale. This opens a door way out of public interest.

According to Currie (Farinella, 2007), the story was drafted on 1994 and took some years for serious scrutiny. It was before a heavy tale of zombies and militarization when he used to dwell on various genres and mixed it up in a zombie story. It was made as semi-comedy and half-horror in a sense of portraying “horror” emblem. Like what Currie said, “…setting tone is always a matter of taste… it’s kind of finding what is funny or not funny to you and focusing or refocusing the scene, so that it kind of falls within your world… And that’s why I always think of directing, in a way, like filtering, because so much material and so much information is coming at you, and you’ve gotta be able to kind of know what your filter is and what your sensibility is. And, in terms of the humor/horror balance, I always wanted the humor to be present, even in the moments of horror. And if you’re expecting to be scared in a movie, Fido is not your movie, because it’s simply not scary at all. That was never the intent was to be like a really super gory horror film”. This film is really to scare people but to depict the horror within the natural set of the characters.

The name Fido was not yet revealed by Currie. Thus, according to some articles, Fido derived from a Latin word which means “I am faithful” (13Fe). This was commonly given to a pet dog due to its faithful traits. One of the famous dogs named after Fido was covered in famous magazines and newspapers (Fido). This dog was found by Carlo Soriani, a brick worker, on a bus stop of Borgo San Lorenzo, Florence, Italy somewhere in November 1941. He was very loyal to Soriani and keeps on waiting him every day at the place where they both meet. Unfortunately, Soriani was killed during Second World War in 1943. That night, Fido went to bus station and wait for his master. He do the same odd way of waiting up to 15 years until he died. This resulted into giving him a gold medal on November 9, 1957 by the mayor of Borgo San Lorenzo including Soriani’s wife. Fido went up to Time Magazine in 1957 (as cited in Time Magazine, Italy, 1957). This was therefore reflecting on Fido the zombie in the society and in the movie itself.

The stories behind zombie films reflect on what stated in the Apostle’s Creed, wherein literally, dead people will rise again with and live with an eternal life. On this note, Zombieism serves as one of the philosophical upturns of the holy churches. Thus, pointing out on the satirical course of social assemblages.

On the flow of the said film, I observed of various issues raise upon the story. First, as being a fable-themed movie, depictions of gender inequality, family bondage and culture of fear within the story plot.

FABLED. Apparently, Fido takes the role and the social construction animals in reality. Since zombies in this film were made as subordinated persona, it reflects on how the non-human beings treated and served in the reality of our status quo. This was linked in the Grounded Theory of Berger and Luckmann (1991) which is Social Constructionism that states “reality” as socially defined on the subjective experience of everyday life, refers how the world is understood rather than to the objective reality of the natural world (Andrews, 2012). The point is, how these ordinary animals attributed and served in the society? With their non-human thinking, animals are treated as organism with either cute or horrible faces that only eat and prey for food without any significant attributions to the totality of the society. Just like Fido, who used to be as pet and slave as well that has no power to refuse orders came from people because of his social construction as zombiefied person. In this film, I used to think, is that what animals for? Be a friend for animal-lovers and foes for its antagonists? They are also living things, why do we need to let them suffer as being what they are? And suddenly clings to an answer came from nowhere, that’s life. No one can dictate what lies here. Nevertheless, this film made an impact on viewers who valued their own “pets” whether it’s nice or dire. We cannot therefore blame their dispositions for they are being naturally made as what they are. We cannot just give our objective sets of reality when reality itself was made up of natural means.

When Fido experienced his natural “zombie” self, he then controlled his own feelings and acts. Instead of eating Timmy, he diverted it as to help the kid and save from fellow zombies (in the act where Timmy was locked up in zombiefied zone area of ZomCon as punished by Mr. Bottoms). In here, Fido has a grey role. He just outdoes the typical person. The story concludes that we, as highly intellectual creatures must know what is wrong rather than do wrong which was usually done by the less fortunate being as they are lacked of proper knowledge on things. Just be considerate.

GENDERLECT ISSUES.  I also spotted the issues raise upon the “inequalities” between men and women on the Classic 50’s. Like Mrs. Bottoms and Helen Robinson’s role as frightened wives on their dominated husbands, clearly states that women on this Era were still out of the blue waiting for their moment to shine; while men, as head of the family, always on the run especially on lifting their “egos” to represent a firm and strong-bonded family (in the scene where Bill and Jonathan tackle their accomplishments in killing zombies during Zombie War).

Another thing is on how the society treats men that lead into idealistic mindsets towards their traits. The cowardice might be harmful but in common ends, it was another “natural” characteristic that a person must have. No one was born as heroes but reality makes people to be heroes of their own lives. At the end of the story, Mrs. Robinson fights back against the zombie attacks that also reflect on how women must fight back their waving rights as women.

FAMILY BONDAGE. The notion of family ties remains in this movie. This was proved when Bill Robinson faced his own fears of zombies and killed for the sake of Timmy. Despite of being distant, he tried to get along and show his fatherly love towards Timmy at the very end. He also changed when he knew that Helen is pregnant.

CULTURE OF FEARS. On his interview, Director Andrew Currie said that societal problems raged on the fear-based culture.“It’s about men in general. I mean, the theme of the whole movie is really that Fido is this fear-based culture, just like a lot of cultures today. The government uses fear as a way of kind of justifying whatever it’s doing. As long as you keep people and the population in a state of fear, then they’re much more moldable to what you want them to do. It’s sort of been happening throughout history for thousands of years, that kind of an idea. For me, what was interesting was using zombies in that way. ZomCon uses the zombies as this great thing, but also, look, they’re this big threat, and Fido proves the theme, which is love not fear, makes us more alive. So, Fido comes in, and he actually is the catalyst for change within the family. The kid suddenly stops being so much of a loner, and Helen Robinson starts kind of feeling love and starts changing. And Bill is the guy, who because he’s so fear-based and shut down, he can’t really see beyond the fear and pays the ultimate price for it. I mean, that’s kind of intellectualizing a zombie movie in some ways. (laughs)” Currie said (Farinella, 2007).

Eventually, Fido depicts the role of marginalized norms wherein “fear” is the ultimate cause of conformity in the society. However, these fear lead to a robotic-like manner of living. In several blog, Fido resembles the Bush Regime in United States where security forces act as puppet of the government. Some says that Fido film talks about Urban Anxieties with a negative approach of “zombie” as facing for life and death realm. For me, Fido not only foretells what might happen in the future but also, to show how corporate industries mold the mindset of its consumers. Also, it reveals the enigmatic strategy of government using the power of “advertising” to wholly control its citizenry. However, these became more futile since people of today have various and wider scope of information in hand.

On this note, watching some kind of Zombie film is not bad at all. Most of it was a modicum of shocking revelation against of what we ought to be true. J

WORKS CITED:

(n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2013, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fido_(film)

(n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2013, from http://www.behindthename.com/name/fido

Andrews, T. (2012, June 1). What is Social Constructionism? Retrieved February 4, 2013, from Grounded Theory Review: An international journal: http://groundedtheoryreview.com/2012/06/01/what-is-social-constructionism/

Farinella, T. (2007, November 2). 411 Movies Interview: Fido Director Andrew Currie. Retrieved February 4, 2013, from 411mania: http://www.411mania.com/movies/columns/62605/411-Movies-Interview:-Fido-Director-Andrew-Currie.htm

Fido. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2013, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fido_(dog)

Magazines are one of the favorable hangouts in Traditional Media when in terms of new hairstyles and new get-ups. By fighting against the new advancements, this medium really   grasping all their audiences to not let it go and still be part of people’s favorite.

Personally, I don’t really like reading magazines whenever I’m in a bookshop. For me, it is one of expensive mediums that can be attained in the market. And another, most of it used to be as corporate space of advertisement. Undoubtedly, magazines are really a good source of new lifestyles to be followed for a renewed soul.

One of what I ought to be informational-driven mag was Natural Health. With its issues for the month of April up to June catches my attention to look further on what it takes.

Natural Health magazine started on the year 1971.  It was originated on Australia. For almost 40 years Natural Health has provided the most up-to-date health information to our 1.5 million readers so that they can feel good, look good, and do good. Using the most credible sources and reliable research, Natural Health provides the full spectrum of options from complementary to traditional, guiding women to take action toward a better life (13Fe1).

Natural Health has now its online trail through websites and Facebook pages. But in a handy feature, Natural Health still hit in the market by its enormous and beneficial contents towards audiences either single woman or a married one.

Typically, the major audiences can be clearly seen on the thematic sense of this magazine. It talks more on feminine “beauty and wellness”. For proper review, I have here the three (3) consecutive issues of Natural Health form April to June 2012 where summer strikes down and need to gain more tips on how to defend against it.

JUDGE ME!

- the cover layout, contents, pages

Natural Health profoundly used women to depict the feminine group in general. It has only the picture of a woman, almost sitting on the floor with prowling headlines on its sides and bottom part. These women are wearing branded suits and makeup that are almost related to the theme of the issued topic. Mainly, it has nine (9) topics given in their online site:

ü  health

ü  healthy eating

ü  fitness

ü  mind & body

ü  beauty

ü  expert advice

ü  green living

ü  pets

ü  deals

ü  blogs

While in their magazine proper, it has limited featured topics. Like for the month of April and May since it was only pertaining to summer get away. Their main featured topic lies on the health, nutrition, beauty, and environment.  It also has covered stories and other contents relating towards nature, health, beauty and wellness. For the month of June, it has the same topics except for the environment.

Likewise, Natural Health as two-time winner in Aveda Environmental Award (Natural Health, 2012) suggests its audiences to be involved on their mission for a greener Earth by recycling its pages into other new materials.

For the first pages of the mag, you can already see the various ads on its frontal part. And in page ten (10), lies the letter from the editor-in-chief which is Ms. Peg Moline. April is one of the monthly celebrations of Earth Day that’s why most of its content was merely about environment. On the page 12 has the clumped letters from various readers of the said mag. It also has coupons for subscribing it with a 50% off from all its annual issues.

It also has tips about pets and recipes of delicious food. Next to it was about beauty tips and hygienic care. Another topic was about safeties in taking relationship especially on intercourse matter that falls on Mind & Body topic. Then Good Medicine that involves medical inscriptions to fight against viruses and avoid diseases. Next in line is the portion of recycling materials and make-over tips too. These were also thematically posed in the month of June.

ANALYSIS:

Apparently, most of its advertisement deals on beauty and wellness like Olay, Meyer’s, Librey and other products for stunning beauty. Natural Health also imposes such great efforts concerning our environment. Out of 97 pages, it only has 43 stories held upon for April to June issues. Most of its ads are placed in the left-side part of the magazine and cater the whole page for solely, pure ads.

Another was the topics included. These topics are not in smooth-flow manner. It was arranged depending on the flow of advertisement within the section and therefore doesn’t make any clear view on how they strategize the usage and layout of the magazine. Just like in Natural Eating that is next to Mind and Body and then followed by Good Medicine and then latter chased by another topics pertaining to handling relationships and again, another recipe featured on the next page. These were unpredictable set of topics especially for those who are keen in the way they read articles whether it is scattered or in a good arraignment.

The said Magazine has a great impact in the environmental aspect of the Traditional Mediums. By engaging people and their own publisher, people got to know that this magazine was really a protagonist for a greener planet that also triggers on their tagline, “feel good, look good, do good”. It implicates that beauty cannot be solely seen by the naked eye but with the help of a cleansed soul and worry-free mind and body.

However, by stating “Feel good” explicate first on what to do to be beauty; “Look good” is acting the various tips in applied scenario and; “Do good” by mobilizing people to impart their selves and engage more on their envisions and mission, which is to dedicate themselves in helping readers feel good, look good and do good (13Fe1).

REFERENCES:

(n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2013, from https://www.facebook.com/NatHealthMag/info

(2012). Natural Health. USA.

“Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.”

-  Mark Twain

Secrets are one’s spices in life. Without it, everyone would be clinging with other’s shadow overhauling their own prerogatives. However, these secrets are either being a dark one or secrets that used to deal with white lies. Thus, whatever it might be, these must still bury in one’s space of thought lingering all the mechanisms that can he suppress to his widened mind.

I’m not a true-blooded bookworm who loves to read more and more specially novels. I don’t really read novels for I know that I can make a kind of it, and avoid plagiarism for my own pieces. Also, novels is really out of my league ‘cause I much prefer science books, sci-fi and did-you-know pages than reading enchanted and imaginative novels. Matter of fact, I was only influenced by my colleagues to read it more since we are in line with creative writing and some kind of analyses. Thus, as what the chance had given to me, reading is now a privilege – a privilege to entertain my mind during busiest hours, and a privilege to let my own scope be widened beyond my limits through boosting imageries. For these, I used not to demand more on what I can’t afford. To ease this enigmatic state, I found for alternatives and here is it – book shops with inventory sales and book sales as my hub of thirsty eyes.

I used not to look for best-seller books even in famous writers of all times. For I believe that reading is a kind of mind’s satisfaction and not for my own expectations. I’m also cautious on its story yet primarily with its price. I buy only for what I can afford to and later be satisfied for enticing book I read. Through these, I found myself loving the most thrilling, case-themed novels with circus of twists fudge on it. I have William Wood’s Rampage which deals on a murder case of a self-proclaimed insane suspect, Stuart Wood’s Orchid Beach – series of a woman police, and William Heffernan’s Blood Rose. I chose the latter to take part on this kind of academic requirement since the story of it, as I thought, would give a greater sense to all of its promising readers.

THE STORY ITSELF:

Settings, Plot, Characters

Blood Rose is a story of NYC cop Paul Devlin convicted to a crime killing his partner that was revealed as a serial killer (based on the previous story of “Ritual”, another Paul Devlin series). At this point, he was executed, off to a county of Vermont as the new Chief of Police. The story begins when there’s a crime concerning on the grimy death of Eva Hyde, supposedly known as the town’s beautiful tramp. Eva was killed with an opened chest and a withered flower over it. When another killing brought into scene, as Amy Little, another pretty, hardworking lass in the town, was killed the same way like Eva Hyde. This brought lots of controversies and linkages with people who might be involved on the said scene – the count’s former military weirdo Jubal Duval; slimy, lousy, and lazy-like teacher Louis Ferris; and the town’s renowned businessman and known as “sexmaniac boss”, Ray Perot with his rebelled son Billy Perot. These people have all the guts to be the serial killer. Like Jubal Duval who also known as city’s sociopath with his forlorn feature living in the woods, hunting wild animals and closing all doors on his past as Vietnam cop. He hated all pretty women since his mother abandoned their family after having an affair with another man. Another was Louis Ferris who had a rumored affair with Amy Little and was known to be a sex maniac kind for his body feature and gestures. And lastly, Ray and Billy Perot who had been struggling for one woman’s love.

Likewise, Eva Hyde and Amy Little were all connected with the Perot clan. Eva Hyde as Ray’s and Billy’s girlfriend and Amy Little as their employee. Thus, Paul Devlin can’t even accuse the two since there were no other proofs that will lead to them until there’s another killing rise upon. This time was the Billy Perot’s girl, Linnie French involved in. At this point, there was a strong speculation lying on Perot’s names on the same killings where these pretty women killed with an opened chests and dried flowers on their corpses.

Nevertheless, the story was changed when a new cast came out in Vermont, Leslie Adams and her brother Robbie. For her seeking of peaceful life away from her vicious husband, Leslie finds her comfort with Devlin’s arms. This brought a little spice in the story where Devlin had an affair with Leslie and protect her as Leslie was the newest target of the renowned killer.

Along with this enigmatic plot of crime scenes was Leslie’s fear on her lawyer husband, Jack Chambers. Jack has been part of the story when he tried to sneak out and threaten his former wife with the help of Billy Perot who is now taking his revenge to Leslie for charging him a case of sexual harassment. Yet, with Devlin as her knight-and-shining armor, Leslie feels appeasing as her husband was imprisoned then.

Heffernan used to let the readers puzzled up with lots of suspicion as he latter give Electa Litchfield, McCloud’s editor, being involved in the grossing plot. When Electa revealed her real identity as Ray Perot’s former lover, she then slain Ray, put his heart out of his chest and then kill herself at the end. This gives another view on Devlin’s investigation.

While the climax rises up, the real culprit slowly reveals his self. This was Gunter Kline, the fine and well-mannered man, owner of a fine dining restaurant who had been traumatized of killing his mother when he’s at ten. Gunter was anguish on his mother’s concubinage leading to great hatred in all other pretty women who have crinkled affair on various men. The withered flowers from his mother’s funeral are the proofs that he’s the killer on the case plotted. It was revealed when he tried to kill Leslie and yet, murdered Jubal Duval for protecting the girl in this kind of psychopath.

CHARACTERS:

-          Paul Devlin as newly assigned NYC cop in Vermont

-          Leslie Adams, a battered wife who seeks for a peaceful place to live in

-          Robbie Adams, brother of Leslie

-          Eva Hyde, known as town’s slut, the one who was first killed

-          Ray Perot, the town’s famous business man

-          Billy Perot, son of Ray

-          Amy Little as the 2^nd victim, a simple and ordinary lass in the town

-          Linnie French, employee of Ray Perot, girlfriend of Billy and the 3^rd victim

-          Louis Ferris, a flimsy-like teacher

-          Jubal Duval, former vet during Vietnam War

-          Jack Chambers, a lawyer sadistic husband of Leslie

-          Jim McCloud, the town’s journalist

-          Electa Litchfield, McCloud’s Editor in Chief, former lover of Ray

-          Gunter Kline, owner of a fine dining restaurant in the town, and  the primary suspect out of all the killings

ANALYSIS:

This book of Heffernan has lots of controversies concerning violence against women, conspiracy between corporate world and media (as Ray Perot connived with Jim McCloud, town’s journalist, on his linkage on the prevailing case regarding the consecutive killings of her employees), and brutality leading to man’s indignation. Also, this lead to the comparative efforts between Heffernan and Alfred Hitchcock’s psycho films (United Press International, 1992). Alfred Hitchcock was known to his thrilling films rand being compared to Heffernan since he’s doing most on the contemporary detective case novels.

This book of William Heffernan was one of the seven (7) series books he has (Wikipedia). Together with these are:

-          Ritual  (1989)

-          Scarred  (1992)

-          Tarnished Blue  (winner of the Edgar Award for best paperback original) (1993)

-          Winter’s Gold  (1995)

-          Red Angel (1999)

-          Unholy Order  (2000)

William Heffernan was born in August 22, 1940 at New Haven, Connecticut, and a father of three sons, and lives in Huntington, Vermont (Wikipedia). He was a former investigative journalist in the New York Daily news (13Ja). He then left his profession as journalist in 1978 after receiving his first book contract for the novel Broderick (Wikipedia). He left journalism for great money he could get in writing novels (Sharpe, 2012). He also won the Heywood Broun Award twice; Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and Edgar Award. He is also a member of the Authors Guild, The Mystery Writers of America, and was once President of the International Association of Crime Writers (Wikipedia). His works listed as:

• Broderick (1980)
• Caging the Raven (1981)
• The Corsican (1983)
• Acts of Contrition (1986)
• Blood Rose (a Paul Devlin series book) (1988)
• Ritual (a Paul Devlin series book) (1989)
• Corsican Honor (1991)
• Scarred (a Paul Devlin series book) (1992)
• Tarnished Blue (a Paul Devlin series book) (winner of the Edgar Award for best paperback original) (1993)
• Winter’s Gold (a Paul Devlin series book) (1995)
• The Dinosaur Club (1997)
• Cityside (1997)
• Red Angel (a Paul Devlin series book) (1999)
• Beulah Hill (2000)
• Unholy Order (a Paul Devlin series book) (2000)
• A Time Gone By (2003)
• The Dead Detective (2010)
• When Johnny Came Marching Home (2012)

 On his interview with Shannon Sharpe, blogger/writer, Heffernan then said “all of my detective novels (the Paul Devlin series especially so) relied very heavily on my experiences as Police Bureau Chief for The New York Daily News” (Sharpe, 2012). This simply explains that some of his experiences are being attributed on his novels. Thus, he then said that the characters he made are far from his own traits and that makes it more enjoyable upon doing his own novel…to be surprised on his own piece (Sharpe, 2012).

Out of his 18 novels, he was also nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize and won the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award (Sharpe, 2012). Otherwise, Heffernan won the 1996 Edgar Allan Poe Award for his novel Tarnished Blue. He became the New York Times bestsellers with his novel The Dinosaur Club (Hap13). I’m against with series books since it’s hard to collect all of it in hand. It was too late for me to notice that it was just a series copy. Yet, without regrets, I can still recommend it for those readers who wanted to fulfill their minds with intriguing twists of murder cases.

For its treatment, I find it as predictable upon the readers. It is due to the withstanding issues rise upon the status quo even in the contemporary techniques of thriller novel. But what I like the most is the way he, Heffernan, used to mixed the entire genre in a mild escapade. He put comedy, drama, mystery and action and even mature lines of seduction yet with minimal intervention of malicious sense. In line with my favorite theme, some people would rather think how this novel incorporates the status quo of the country? How this may effect to the readers? What is the social significance of it? And this will lie on my own prerogatives.

Blood Rose, for William Heffernan is one of the detective novels he made for the sake of entertaining the readers especially, like me with my own preference. He used to do it more fascinating yet with mild treatment of grossing scenes also with a modicum of seduction on its plot to unleash the women’s violence. With this, I find it more interesting to count up its major significance to the status quo: its psychological impact and social aspect concerning to the societal formulation.

In psychological means, this book has something to offer especially on how the kind of parenthood deters the mindset of their children. Heffernan therefore includes how Gunter Kline, on his very young age, inflicts his mother’s enigmatic views of right and wrong. His father was always in work resulting into his mom’s insurgence by having lot of romantic affairs with various guys. These create a wide impact to his mind that women with different and lots of boyfriends are like a whore and sluggish slut in the society. Also, his family issues form that killing these kinds of women will reduce the risk of having a broken family in which he suffered a lot. Through this, Heffernan obliquely tells that parenthood is really crucial in forming the mindset, and traits of their children up to their maturity stage.

Another psychological issue here was the violence in women’s lives. Form Eva Hyde down to Leslie Adams, Heffernan concerning to the most of the women’s whereabouts when they are in a relationship. However, with the bravery in Leslie’s personification, Heffernan shows that women who are in their great fears must not be frightened, and fight for their rights. They must not be hesitated for man’s strong features for they are weak in the name of legal control.

In social aspect, this book of Heffernan suggests that appearance can be deceiving. Prior to the most frequent concerns, Heffernan suggests that “the obvious guilty party turns out to be not so obvious” (13Ja1). It also states that even the finest man can be a serial killer of the filthiest crime scene we ever had in town. Also, it explicates the betterment of the old sayings “never talk to strangers” in which revised into “never trust the strangers”. Just be cautious.

Again, anyone can be a killer, anyone can be a victim…but it also happens depending on your way of thinking.

REFERENCES:

(n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2013, from http://www.harpercollins.com.au/authors/16887/William_Heffernan/index.aspx

(n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2013, from http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=atpHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CowDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6180,3971449&dq=william-heffernan+daily-news&hl=en

(n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2013, from http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0„20115769,00.html

Sharpe, S. (2012, November 12). Retrieved November 12, 2013, from SaltyEggs: http://www.123people.co.uk/ext/frm?ti=personensuche%20telefonbuch&search_term=william%20heffernan&search_country=GB&st=suche%20nach%20personen&target_url=aHR0cDovL3NhbHR5ZWdncy5jb20vcWEtd2lsbGlhbS1oZWZmZXJuYW4tb24tbmV3LW5vdmVsLXdoZW4tam9obm55LWNhbWUtbWFyY

United Press International. (1992, April 16). Retrieved January 31, 2013

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Heffernan