Last Impressions

     As the final days of my internship are here, I am very pleased with the way the semester has gone so far.  I'm even sad to have to leave!  It will be somewhat strange to not be in the office a couple of times a week after this week.  I have learned a lot and even gained some friends and future references for potential jobs.  Platinum PR is definitely a place that I would enjoy working at after my internship.  Hopefully, in the future I will be able to find employment with the same friendly but productive atmosphere as Platinum PR.  Interning here has been a unique experience and gives me a lot of hope that I will be able to find employment doing something I genuinely enjoy after graduation.  Also, I would be glad to recommend this internship to anyone else too.  In fact, one of my friends has actually secured an internship for the spring.  I hope she enjoys it as much as I did.  Although I am sad to leave, I am more focused on the different experiences I had here.  Some experiences were fun and some were more challenging but all of my experiences taught me something different.  I am very  happy that I had this opportunity and look forward to gaining more.  

Are Online Comics "Real" Comics?

     While reading "The Right Number"  by Scott McCloud, I was immediately intrigued.  This type of story is not something I would normally be interested in reading.  It is an online comic that takes you from one frame to the next in a very unique way.  The only way to fully understand the uniqueness of the graphic novel is to actually read it.  Although the format is not what I am used to reading, the story was well written and kept me very interested.  Just the concept of the story made me want to find out what was going to happen next, regardless of how it was presented.  Since I have not read very many comics in my life at all, reading an online comic was not a much different experience from physically holding a comic book and reading it.  However, normally I enjoy being able to turn pages and be able to actually see the progress I have made on any book.  This was not true for "The Right Number" though.  My first thought was that the content was so intriguing and interesting to me that it did not matter the medium it was conveyed through.  Personally, it was very hard for me to distinguish whether I liked the form of online comics without reading more.  I felt that my decision solely based on this comic by Scott McCloud was completely biased because I genuinely enjoyed the story so much.  Therefore, I set out to read another online comic to better determine my actual thoughts on the topic.

"The Man of Many Shades" Graphic Novel

     As I began investigating other online comics, I soon discovered that I, in fact, do not like this type of medium.  I had a hard time finding a comic that even made sense to me.  One graphic novel I did read was called "The Man of Many Shades".  This story is about a man stuck in a young girl's drawing and actually had a pretty interesting story line.  The pictures were well drawn and appealing to the eye.  Like most of the other comics I looked at, this graphic novel followed the traditional idea of a graphic novel more than McCloud's novel.  Each page had several frames in a specific order, unlike "The Right Number", which followed a more untraditional approach to frame lay-out.  In fact, the only real noticeable difference from this story than a print graphic novel is the lack of a physical book.  Like I mentioned earlier, this does bother me.  Since McCloud's novel was so unique, the lack of a physical book was not as noticeable as the other novels I looked at.  In addition, from the graphic novels I browsed through, conveying a story in this manner appears much harder than a print graphic novel.  Thus, McCloud's story must have been pretty exceptional and his story telling is not even comparable to any other online comic I read.  McCloud's unique experience actually enhanced his story, even though it may not fall into the specific category of a graphic novel.  This may be due to the fact that McCloud is a professional graphic novelist and the other online comics I read could have been completed by anybody.  A lot of the online comic websites seemed to encourage nonprofessionals to submit their work to be displayed, which is actually a great way for anyone to display their work.  Overall, most online comics do tend to follow the traditional graphic novel rules and I would consider them as part of the graphic novel genre.

Resume Experiences

An example of a resume

     In my tenth grade year of high school, my English teacher helped me write my first resume.  Fortunately for me, I had already held two jobs, including working at the convenient store at the end of my neighborhood and babysitting children in my neighborhood, and was able to include some minor accomplishments I had at that time.  Since I had some experiences, but not too many, writing my first resume was just simply placing my experiences where they each fit.  To this day, I use the same format I was taught in tenth grade and utilized it to obtain three different jobs and my internship.  As my experience and accomplishments grow, though, I am constantly updating my resume to showcase my best and most impressive skills and accomplishments.  Also, I am always looking for ways to better my resume.  After all, a resume may be the only opportunity to land an interview.  Thus, if my resume is not up to standard or not impressive, I may find it hard to find a job, especially after I graduate in the spring.  Since I am hoping to find a career in the communications field, I took away some helpful tips from the book, "Resumes for Communication Careers".

A Virtual Resume

     To begin, it is always a good idea to put the most important information into a resume without making it very long.  Additionally, there are some universal headings that are in many effective resumes, such as references, work experience, and education.  Other special skills and accomplishments make for effective headings as well.  A heading with contact information is another vital aspect of a resume.  Along with the actual content in a resume, the language used is also very important.  Using strong actin verbs may impress or interest the reader, which is a potential employer.  After gathering information for the resume and rewriting it appropriately, assembling it in the right place is important.  For example, my name and address should be at the top.  Furthermore, certain things are optimal but optional, like a email address or cell phone number.  For a communications career, email address may be very important, though.  Electronic resumes are another type of resumes that may prove to be very beneficial in the communications world.  Using links to a website I made or my blog may help to show my talent.  Cover letters are also an important tool to showcase specific skills for a specific job.  This could give me an opportunity to individualize a letter to an employee and may help to land an interview.  Finally, proofreading EVERYTHING is one of the most important things to do when applying for a job.  A resume needs to be completely error free so employers take me seriously.

Proofreading

     Although I already have a decent existing resume, I can use these helpful tips to improve my resume to increase my chances of obtaining an interview.  At my internship, I have learned the importance of proofreading anything that I do, especially when working for a company.  If I send out an email that isn't fully proofread, I make the whole company look bad.  These resume tips are also helpful in an everyday work environment.   

A More Indepth Look Into the Environmental iPad Game

     As I begin to think more and more about a potential iPad game dealing with environmental learning, so many different ideas come to mind.  I have begun doing some research into the current top iPad games and playing different games to see what I personally enjoy about them.  For instance, the games I stick with the longest are the ones where I am actually playing other players.  Some of those players I actually know (which makes it even more fun) and other opponents are random.  With that being said, I also enjoy playing games with individual missions.  In general, though, after several days, weeks, and sometimes even months, I become bored with those games and move on to different ones.  The games I move on from the quickest are the ones that become less challenging or the ones that I feel that I'm not making much progress.  So, with this being said, I want to design a game that encourages online play with others as well as individual challenges.  Thus, players may not get as bored as quickly with the game.  Also, it is important to keep the game challenging and keep players feeling like they are making progress in the game.  Overall, I want there to be one final goal players reach.  Once they reach that goal, they can either try playing the game on a different difficulty, try beating their top scores, or play the multi-player version of the game.  In addition, I want the multi-player version to be somewhat different than the individual version so players are less likely to become bored.  Finally, education is still the main goal of the game, so that needs to be kept in mind when actually designing it.  In my opinion, this will be a tough task to accomplish, but with some planning and determination, an appropriate game can be developed.  In the end, though, testing and experimenting are the only real ways to determine the amount of fun the game actually is; however, I am confident in my ability to produce a game that others will enjoy.

Gems With Friends

     Currently, Gems With Friends is my favorite iPad game.  This game is even appealing when just browsing through the iTunes store for different apps.  It is very bright and colorful, two of my very favorite things!  This is a great idea to attract initial interest into any iPad game.  Once that initial interest is caught, though, the game needs to keep players equally interested.  So, my first idea for my iPad game is for a very colorful and visually appealing game.  If the game does not look fun, it might not attract as much attention as a game that looks fun.  Now, the hard part is to come up with a game that is as fun as it is visually appealing so players enjoy it.  I feel that if the game is interactive with other players and is fun, players will encourage friends to download the game as well, attracting more attention. 

Food Chain

 My initial ideas for the actual game play of the game has to do with actually developing food chains or something along those lines, and obtaining more points and power-ups once that is done.  After 1 or 2 minutes of making food chains with different animals that are randomly given to players, who ever has the most points wins that rounds.  Each player would begin with five blocks that have different levels of the food chain and once those blocks are used, new ones would spawn.  The sun would be the most basic block since it is the starting point.  Then would come grass or plants, then animals, then humans.  My first idea would be that each player has to connect 3 suns and then the block would transform into grass.  Once 3 grasses are connected, it would move up the food chain again until the block turns into a human.  Once this happens, 3 human blocks can connect and a lot of points would be earned.  Players can work on developing different food chains at the same time on the board.  My other idea would be that players would have to connect food chain blocks in the correct order instead of 3 of the same.  Whoever can successfully make the most food chains would probably score more points and win.  Although these ideas are just very basic and the start, I feel that there is some potential in both of these games.

The Structure of Essex County

     The graphic novel "Essex County" is separated into three different books.  The first book, Tales From the Farm, follows the story of a young boy named Lester.  After Lester's mother passed away from cancer, he is sent to live on a farm with a relative.  Although Lester never truly connects with this man, he begins to form a close and unique friendship with another man who owns the local convenient store/gas station in the small town.  Together, the two play games and pretend to be super heros.  Also, it is revealed that Lester's friend, Jimmy, used to play hockey and can somehow easily and effortlessly relate to this young child.  The second book, Ghost Stories, is narrated by Lou Lebeuf, Lester's great grandfather's brother and Jimmy's grandfather's brother.  At this point in the story, though, Lester does not know that Jimmy is his father.  Lou is obviously a very senile older man and is living in the present, but paints a picture of his life through flash backs and memories.  At times, the story is even a little hard to follow because Lou is clearly not just living in the present.  In fact, it seems that he is better at remembering the past than the present.  His memories are clear and vivid, though.  He reveals much about his life during this book, including have relations with his brother's wife.  The final book of the graphic novel, The Country Nurse, follows the story of Anne Byrne, as she tries to take care of her son after her husband has passed away and visits Lou Lebeuf regularly.  This book also delves into the life of Anne's great grandmother, as she deals with losing her husband.

Family Tree

     Even though this graphic novel has three separate books that are about three separate people and are told in different ways, all of the books come together and interrelate.  The first book tells the story of the youngest member of the Lebeuf family and the second book tells the story of the oldest living member of that family.  A lot is learned about the dynamics of Lester and Jimmy's relationship.  He eludes to the fact that he knew his mother, but does not reveal the relationship between the family.  The second book solidifies the fact that they are related.  Also, the third book tells the passing away of Lou and even shows a family tree of the both families.  This makes all of the intricate relationships much easier to understand.  Jimmy never admits to being Lester's father; however, that conclusion can be drawn from other things that are said.  But, the family tree shows the relationship.
     Overall, "Essex County" is set up in a very strange and unusual way.  The entire novel has to be read to fully understand the complexity of the story.  Although the books discuss different people, all the people are related and these relationships are eventually demonstrated as the stories go on.  I believe that the book was set up this way to keep readers wondering and guessing.  The author could have easily just set up the novel revealing all of the information in the correct order.  However, I feel that the story would not have been as entertaining or rewarding to read.  For example, I knew Lester and Jimmy had to have a deeper connection than just friends.  Although Jimmy did not want to admit it,  clues were revealed.  The story almost was unraveled like a mystery.  Additionally, I think that showing the family tree with pictures was incredibly helpful and necessary to fully understand the graphic novel.  Any questions readers had would be answered after studying this page.    

First iPad Ideas for Environmental Game

iPad

     When deciding which content to select for the iPad game I am expected to develop and story board out, I am choosing the most interesting content (in my opinion anyway).  Thus, this will create the most interesting and fun game.  Our first assignment in class was to construct an unique and creative game to inspire learning in fourth graders dealing with specific environmental objectives.  My group constructed a simple board game outlying different environments and stressing the different food groups.  My plan for my iPad game is to use some of the same ideas but construct a touch screen, Internet and gamer friendly alternative version of the board game.  I want to utilize some of the ideas from the board game, but will have to develop new, more appropriate ideas to successfully make the game.

Words With Friends

     So, when developing an iPad game, out of the different objectives that I could chose from, the food chain is the most appealing to me.  In addition to the food chain, I may like to include extra information objectives as well to add different aspects to the game.  This type of information includes contamination and other fun things about different environments and their specific food chains.  My ultimate goal is for players to have an opportunity to gain a lot of information on several different but related topics.  Adding in different information about environments will add more of a fun element.  Using realistic and vivid graphics will allow players to feel like they are really in the game.

     Finally, after doing some research about the top iPad games and playing different games, I find that the games that provide the must fun are the ones that allow for the most player to player interaction.  Utilizing the Internet to allow players to actually play against other real players may be the most fun for players.  Personally, the games I stick with the longest are the ones where I play others, such as Words With Friends.  Keeping this in mind, at times, iPad players may not have access to the Internet all of the time or may not choose to use that feature.  Therefore, I want to create a game that allows for players to play with others but also have a version of the game without having to use the Internet.  Also, I want to offer other shorter, mini games that encourage learning.  Although I am not sure how I will completely transform my board game into an iPad game, I have some starting ideas to develop the game and will continue to develop the game.

Learning Vocus at My Internship

Logo

     One of the best skills I have acquired over the course of my internship at Platinum PR this far is learning the software Vocus.  Vocus is an incorporation that provides over 120,000 businesses with cloud marketing software.  Vocus offers software for public relations and marketing.  Although I have never used the marketing side of Vocus and am unsure of the differences and similarities to the public relations side, I have been able to use the public relations side.  From my experiences, Vocus allows users to search media contacts by name, location, outlet, specific subject of reporting, and many other qualifications.  Contact information is included with the media contact as well as additional information that may be useful to the user.  For example, if a particular media outlet does not like to be emailed then the additional information section may inform a user of that.  Then, once a list is comprised, mass emails or individual emails can be sent out to the media outlets.  Vocus is a great tool for public relation specialists who are producing press releases and pitches.  A specific group of outlets can be reach by doing some research and their contact information is given as well.  In addition to all of the wonderful things Vocus can do (and I'm sure there are many more than I just described), its headquarters are in Maryland and it offers jobs in Maryland, North Carolina, and even in other countries.  Thus, it is a great opportunity to find a job, which I am incredibly worried about after I graduate in Spring 2013.  It looks like a pretty nice place to work and the company keeps growing too.  Another great Vocus tool is that it offers free online training sessions so users can learn the software thoroughly.  I have yet to take the online class, but am planning to do so.  This way I can learn all of the benefits of functions of Vocus.  Overall, I feel that my experiences with Vocus will make me more marketable in the future.  The more skills and experiences I have, the more impressive my resume looks!  

A Personal Testimony of Video Game Benefits

Pain Killers

     As I continue to do more research about the benefits of video games, I discover more and more benefits.  Most of these benefits, though, focus on the overall and general positive aspects of video games and the things they can bring to people as a whole.  In my research, I have finally come to find some very personal testimonies about the positive benefits of video games.  Kyle, a college student, used video games to help him overcome his painkiller addiction.  When Kyle was in his late teenage years, he began smoking marijuana on a regular basis, which he believes eventually led to the start of his painkiller addiction.  Once he reached college, he began trying much harder and more dangerous drugs.  After trying LSD, he believed he could try anything and admits to trying every drug but meth and crack.  Although he used many drugs, painkillers were his favorite, giving him the best high and leaving him wanting more.  His painkiller of choice was Oxycodone and he used it regularly.  Eventually, he built up a tolerance and would consistently need more and more of the drug to feel the same blissful high he enjoyed so much.  Then, in order to finance his own drug addiction, he began selling drugs to make the hundreds of dollars a day he needed to buy the painkillers.  If he couldn't find painkillers, he would use a somewhat cheaper alternative: heroin.

Heroin

After a while, he was even arrested and expelled from school.  Fortunately, his friends convinced him to enter a treatment program and after one relapse, he found a better treatment and has been clean for months.  His counselors encouraged him to find a hobby or another activity to take up his time, so he is less likely to go back to drugs.  For Kyle, he doesn't have a specific game he enjoys more than others, but he plays several different ones.  He truly believes that if he didn't spend some of his free time playing video games, like Minecraft and Borderlands, that he would have fallen back into the scary, dark path of drugs.
     Even though this is just one story about video games helping a young person overcome a serious drug addiction, I believe that video games can help people to find a somewhat more productive thing to do with their free time.  However, video games are not for everyone so other activities can work too.  Also, some video games actually encourage and show drug use, so the type of video games being played needs to be considered.  After working in a pharmacy for over a year, I see drug addicts and sellers often.  Drugs are such a big problem in this country and are winning the war on drugs.  If more treatment programs allowed patients to find other outlets, like video games, to participate in, they may have more fun and be likely to stay in those treatments.  In addition, patients will have an activity to fill their time so they are less likely to return to drugs.  This is just one testimony of the positive effects of video games; however, I believe there are many more out there and using video games in treatment facilities may be helpful.

Video Games to help with therapy

Video Games and Physical Therapy

     As more and more research is done to determine positive benefits of video games, more and more ideas are being introduced, and some even have merit!  Some therapists are actually using video games in physical therapy and are actually showing promising results.  One physiotherapist, Belinda Lange, is leading a group to develop specific games for those undergoing therapy for strokes and other serious injuries.  The first idea these researchers tried was adapting already developed physical games.  However, researchers discovered quickly that this would not quite satisfy the needs of those undergoing therapy.  First, the games didn't give researcher enough data and they didn't always accommodate those with serious injuries who couldn't jump or 

move too freely.  Thus, the researchers began developing games centered around already developed technologies, like the Nintendo Wii.  For example, one game developed allowed researchers to reach out to grab gems, daisies, books, and other various items.  The object of the games is to pinpoint exact movements and therapies the specific patient needs.  In addition, researchers can monitor the games to determine the amount of improvement that has taken place over the course of time.  This is an excellent idea because so many people, even older people, are playing and enjoying video games already.  Combine them with the activities that therapy patients have to do anyway, and patients may actually enjoy them more and progress can be easily tracked.  This type of therapy is still in the testing phase, but hopefully after more research, the benefits will be revealed and more and more clinics will be open to using it. 

Frame Usage in Essex County Book Two and Persepolis

A more typical page from Essex County

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Essex County, specifically Book Two: Ghost Stories, by Jeff Lemire are two popular graphic novels that use similar and different frame techniques to help tell their stories.  To begin the overall feel of Persepolis is very congruent and predictable.  All of the frames feel as if they are from the same story and flow very well together, which makes reading it very easy.  Most frames are about the same size, although at times, just one or two frames utilize the entire page.  Essex County, on the other hand, has frames that are somewhat unpredictable.  However, the frames still flow very well and feel like it is one story.  It is a little bit more interesting to read, though, because the frames are more intriguing and mixed up more.  Also, more is said with pictures and there is just less dialogue, while Persepolis focuses more on text (the pictures say a lot too, though).

A more typical page from Persepolis

     One difference in frames between the two graphic novels is the size.  It appears that on average, Essex County Book Two has about 4 frames on each page while Persepolis has about 6 or 7 on each page.  In addition to the size, Persepolis uses much more squared and typical looking frames.  They appear to be more symmetrical and even with one another.  On the other hand, Essex County uses much more unusual frames.  Many frames are in the shape of rectangles rather than squares.  In fact, some pages do not even have any frames!  In other pages, some pictures actually go out of the frame and are used as a background for the rest of the page.  Also, most pages do no feel symmetrical.  On average, the frames in Essex County are bigger than the frames in Persepolis.  In addition, Essex County utilizes the space in the frames very differently from Persepolis.  Many of Essex County's frames only have one person in the frame while Persepolis has 2 or more people in many of the frames.  Overall, their appears to be much more going on in the frames of Persepolis, while ideas and concepts are spread out more in Essex County.

A page without a frame in Essex County

A picture out of the frame in Essex County

A one page frame in Essex County

A one page frame in Persepolis

Although there are many differences between the frame usage in Persepolis and Essex County Book Two, there are also some similarities too.  One similarity between the two graphic novels is the use of full page frames.  However, Essex County uses this technique much more than Persepolis.  Another similarity is that the pictures in the frames are drawn in black and white.  This is an interesting technique and allows the reader to better associate themselves with a drawn picture.  Overall, these two graphic novels use similar and different techniques to display their stories.

Middle Impressions of My Internship

Social Media

     As I continue to work more and more at my internship, I am learning many new and useful things.  So far, I have done basic office tasks, such as inputting data into an excel spreadsheet to find averages.  In addition, I have been able to do other things that are more related to public relations, such as pitching and working with social media.  So far, my favorite thing that I have accomplished is the work I have done with social media.  I have learned how to schedule Facebook updates through Facebook and Hoot Suite.  Spending a few hours one day to create several weeks worth of updates can be useful.  Those updates can be scheduled so every day someone does not have to physically update the page.  Also, I have created a LinkedIn account and am learning the usefulness of the site.   I feel that being active on that site now may help me to find employment opportunities in the future.  So far, I have not done as much work with Twitter and would like more opportunities to learn more about that site as well.  Overall, I am learning the importance of social media in this technological based society and am gaining crucial experience to better help me find a job once I do graduate.  I am very pleased with this internship and am looking forward to learning a lot more about public relations and gaining even more important skills to add to my resume.

Are Video Games Improving the Economy?

Popular Game

     Did you know that on average in 2010, SEVEN video or computer games were sold every SECOND of every day and that at least 245 MILLION games were sold in the United States in 2011?  Although the positive and negative effects on video games on specific individuals can vary, it is still a very highly debated topic.  Some tend to focus on the negative effects of violent video games, like antisocial behavior, while others see video games in a more positive light, focusing on the social interaction, stress release, and even learning that can be obtained from playing certain games.  Although both sides of this argument seem to have solid evidence for their perspective points, the effects of video games on an individual seems to stem from the amount of time spent playing the games and the types of games that are being played.  Instead of focusing on the specific effects of video games on individuals,  let's try to see a more general positive effect of the gaming industry:  the benefits it brings to the economy and society as a whole.  Although it has been said often that the first things that people give up during financially hard times is different forms of entertainment, including video games, the video game industry is still thriving and growing in this less than perfect economy.

A Negative Relationship

     According to one article, the video game industry will continue to grow at least five percent through 2015!  In 2011, computer and video game companies estimated a revenue of 25 billion dollars.  The benefit of this is the many jobs these companies provide at state and local levels across the whole nation.  The president and CEO of the Venan Entertainment, Inc. contributes the success of the video game industry to the older people who have always played video games and to the younger people who are just starting to play.  Also, new technologies and gaming systems, such as the Wii, may even spark the interest of previous non-players too.  Additionally, the game consoles can elicit more money when players buy ad ons, apps, and internet subscriptions to play online.  Once the consoles have been purchased, players can use them for other things as well, such as connecting to Netflix to watch movies.  Overall, because video games remain so popular, even in a time a recession, the industry is boosting the economy by thriving and adding to the country's GDP and by providing at least 120, 000 jobs across the nation.  Specific states that have the highest video game popularity, like California and Texas, are also benefiting from the industry.  2.1 billion dollars was added to the California economy over a four year period and 490 million dollars was added to the Texas economy.  Some other states, like Pennsylvania and Georgia, that are not key players in the video game industry are trying to entice the industry with tax law incentives to boost their economies.

Video Games and Learning

     Video games can serve many different purposes for different people.  Some people consider them an essential part of life and play every day, while others play occasionally and consider them to be just a pastime or hobby.  It is important to note, though, that video games serve a variety purposes for different individuals.  Playing very violent video games too often can lead to serious problems, including antisocial behavior and more serious problems as well.  Playing more positive and less violent games can have many beneficial effects, too.  For instance, those types of games can actually promote social behaviors and can relieve stress.  But, why not go one step further and reap even more benefits from games?  Playing the right types of video games can actually produce learning. 

Kids learning while play games

     According to one article by Tina Barseghian, new research supports the fact that learning can be accomplished through experiences.  Although this is a rather new way of thinking of learning, it is incredibly important.  Thus, the video game experience can actually produce learning.  To begin, video games can feed the learning process.  The experiences that encourage the most learning have clear goals, motivation, feedback, and other things.  Fortunately, video games hold all of these criteria.  For instance, most games make players follow certain guidelines and rules to reach the objectives.  Also, the social aspect of games allows players to interact and remember the things they have learned easier.  In addition, video games can build on previous experiences, which is an extremely important part of the learning process.
    Furthermore, video games motivate learning, promote risk-taking, and teach problem solving.  Motivation is a key component in learning.  If no motivation exists, little to no learning will take place.  Also, games promote risk-taking because players have to try different things to figure out the best way to achieve goals.  The cost of failure is much less in video games than in real life.  Thus, players are more likely to take risks.  Finally, players vague objective in all games is to solve problems.  Research supports the fact that problem solving is an excellent way to learn.  Overall, video games promote learning in many different ways.

Research on Positive Influences of Video Games

World of Warcraft

     With all this talk about video games and their effects, it is important to have real evidence to back up any claims.  In the past, most of the research has focused on the negative effects of video games.  However, newer research is devoting more attention to potential positive effects of video games.  Two studies completed by Colorado State University tried to determine some of those positive effects.  Both of these studies examined the popular online game "World of Warcraft".  This game is based on cooperating with other players to complete tasks and almost find an alternate reality.  This game gives players the possibility to interact with thousands of others.  The first research project involved observing individuals playing the interactive game.  In addition, players were surveyed about the experience and their habits.  Questions such as the level of involvement and absorption into the game and the level of stress relief from the game were included in the survey.  Participants reported feeling an escape and relief from their everyday stresses.  It is important to note that this escape most be short and temporary to be positive though.

World of Warcraft

     The second study focused more on the online aspect of this game.  Although playing with offline friends is generally considered to be healthier because others can help bring another player back to reality.  However, when playing with offline friends, it is harder to become completely immersed into the game.  Overall, playing with online friends allows a player to experience a more absorbed experience and can relieve more stress, but has a better chance of being addicted or too caught up into the game.  More and more research is supporting the fact that video games can have positive effects on players.  Although, the negative effects are apparent too, but as long as the right amount of balanced is displayed, video games can have serious positive effects such as stress relief.     

The Characters of Vladek in Maus and Lester in Essex County

An example of a flashback in Maus

     Maus by Art Spiegelman is a popular graphic novel about a father, Vladek, who describes his tragic journey through the Holocaust to his son, Artie, who is eager to learn more about his tribulations.  Vladek's character, which is very complex and has many sides, is described in a very interesting way throughout the novel.  The majority of the novel is composed of conversations, sometimes between Vladek and his son and other times between Vladek and his wife, parents, friends, or fellow Jews trying to survive the Holocaust.  The conversations essentially give the reader an incredible insight into Vladek's character.  Along with the conversations, flashbacks are used quite frequently to show and reveal more of Vladek's character.  Experiencing the Holocaust and fighting in the war was a very trying and difficult time for Vladek and his character is tried and tried again.  Although Vladek's character may seem to be harsh and rigid during the present scenes, his true character is revealed during the flashback scenes, which is one of strength, love, intelligence, and passion.  The flashbacks also give an idea of why Vladek may be the person he is in the present.  Surviving the Holocaust tells a lot about his character, but his specific experiences revealed through the dialogue is telling as well.  He yearned to see his family again and came up with schemes to survive, such as hiding and posing as another person.  Overall, Vladek's character is revealed mainly through dialogue and the story that he tells his son, but also through present with other characters and past scenes and conversations.

An example of pictures in Essex County

     Essex County by Jeff Lemire is another popular graphic novel about a young boy, Lester, who is forced to live with his uncle after losing both of his parents, one to death and the other to abandonment.  Throughout the novel, Lester's character is revealed much through dialogue as well.  Although he does not say much to his uncle, which is revealing in itself, Lester seems to find it really easy to open up to another character, Jimmy.  Jimmy currently works as a gas station attendant after a brief career as a professional hockey player.  Lester seems to become so close to Jimmy so fast because he is somewhat simple and tends to be more on Lester's level than other characters like his uncle.  Additionally, flashbacks are used to help explain background information, but also reveals some of Lester's character.  However, Maus uses flashbacks to reveal Vladek's character much more than is used to reveal Lester's character in Essex County.  At times, pictures are also heavily relied on to reveal Lester's character.  Pictures are important in Maus as well, but they are used to assist the text in telling the story.  Essex County tends to use pictures more to tell parts of the story.  Some pages actually have no dialogue on them whatsoever, but the black and white pictures can be very telling.  For example, the pictures show Lester wearing a cape from the beginning, but is not mentioned by another character until later on in the story.  Right from the start it is obvious that Lester has a vivd imagination.  In conclusion, both graphic novels use pictures, dialogue, and flashbacks to reveal the main characters in the stories; however, each story has its own preferences as to which ones are used the most.

Is Your Company LinkedIn Yet? Comm 450

As social media is continuing to expand and grow, the possibilities for it almost seem endless.  As a business or company, why not take advantage of social media?  It is true that many companies are currently using Facebook and Twitter to help promote themselves and this can result in some serious benefits (as long as your company is using it appropriately).  But the possibilities do not end there!  A somewhat less popular and newer social media website has been developed, which is arguably more business-oriented than any other out there.  LinkedIn is a great way to showcase your business, connect with other professionals, and find new clients or colleagues.  Also, a basic profile is completely free and, depending on the level of seriousness or the number of benefits its provides, you can upgrade your profile to one of two levels with fees each month to get even more out of the site.  Currently, according to socialmagnets.net, 135 million people in over 200 countries are using LinkedIn and people are signing up to use the site at about 2 people per second!  As the world is changing and more and more people are using social media, recent statistics show that one in every six employees used social media to find their most recent job, which is over 22 million people using social media to find jobs.  Overall, LinkedIn allows a company or business to discover a person's work history and to be able to find other professionals in the same field.

The Positive Effects of Video Games on Older People

Getting old is something many people dread and something that some people even fear.  However no one can stay young forever.  Over the course of time, your body goes through physical changes, like greying hair and wrinkles.  With so much emphasis put on looking young, science and technology has made leaps and bounds in preventing, stopping, or at least altering those changes. 

Physical aging

When your hair greys, it can be dyed.  Also, wrinkles, sagging skin, and other signs of aging can be fixed with a little plastic surgery and a lot of money.  As nice, or detrimental depending on specific opinions, as these advances are to society, is there a way to stop, slow down, or even prevent mental aging?
Well, science and technology have not only come quite a way in keeping people looking young, but they have also made advances in keeping people thinking young too, although there is a long way to go.  Some of the worst diseases that affect someone's cognitive condition, like Alzheimer's, don't have a cure yet.  So, since aging mentally is inevitable anyway and people are living longer than ever, some argue that playing different types of video games can actually be beneficial to an older person's mental state.  One article published in Time by Anna Hamilton argues for the benefits.  Although there is no cure or magic vaccination for memory loss yet, evidence suggests that games can at least slow the effects.  Along with eating healthy and exercising, being socially active and challenging yourself mentally are two great ways to slow down mental decline.

Playing interactive games

Today's games are increasingly a social event.  New technologies allow players to meet, socialize, and play with others all over the world.  And even if you aren't into the Internet and playing online, many games allow for multiple players and most game systems have multiple controller outlets.  Additionally, video games are such a huge part of youth culture that even if an elderly person cannot find another to play with, children and grandchildren may be happy to oblige!  Furthermore, new game systems like the Wii and the Playstation Move actually encourage physical activity.  So, if exercise does really help slow down mental decline, then playing those types of games will challenge you mentally and give you exercise.  Video games come in all types of difficulty and some are much more fast paced than others.  But, they all have one thing in common:  they are mentally challenging.  Some elderly individuals may have never played video games before and may be intimidated or overwhelmed by the technology.  However, giving it a try and reaping the benefits may prove to be very successful in the long run.

Pitching Impressions

A Phone

     As I continue my internship, I am always looking for things to do to gain new experiences in the public relations world.  Besides from writing and sending out press releases to news outlets, writing short pitch emails to different news outlets and following up with phone calls afterwards are two very important aspects of pubic relations.  Press releases are generally long and not individualized to a specific news outlet.  The purpose is to try to get information out about a story Rather, they are sent out to many news outlets with a more generalized type of information.  On the other hand, pitches are much shorter types of information that are much more specific to each news outlet.  Each potential story can be targeted to an individual news outlet, with the hopes that they will be interested in writing about it.  When an opportunity to pitch an annual event in Shepherdstown came up at Platinum PR, I immediately volunteered to write the pitches and email them out to several news outlets in the area.  I genuinely enjoyed writing the pitches and finding new ways to spin the same story to try to make different news outlets interested in it.  After successfully sending emails to many different news outlets, I was asked to make follow up phone calls to all of the outlets a couple days later.  Although I was incredibly apprehensive and somewhat intimidated to do this, I gave it my best shot and my boss even praised me for a job well done.  I was definitely nervous about making the calls, but after getting through the first several calls, I built up some confidence and it became more natural.  Most of the news outlets were friendly and happy to receive the information and some were not quite so nice.  However, I was proud of myself for doing it.  It is by no means something that I will look forward to doing in the future, but it is a prominent part of the job to better receive coverage of a story.

The Positive Effects of Video Games on Young Adults

Young adults playing games

As new technologies are developed and as video games continue to remain extremely popular, especially in youth and young adult culture, the effects of video games on those individuals is one of most interest.  More and more research is being devoted to this topic, but many researchers focus on the many negative effects that games have on young adults, such as increased aggression and drug use.  Although these effects are extremely important and should be studied, certain games, maybe even some of the more mature games, can have at least some positive influences on young adults.  One website devoted to young adult health tries to explore the many positive effects of video games:

• Help to keep young adults entertained.  Overall, video games are just fun to play and is one way to spend leisure or free time.
• Helps to improve hand-eye coordination.  Hand-eye coordination is not only a great skill to have for playing sports like baseball or basketball, but also for a lot of everyday activities like driving a bicycle or car.
• Helps to improve eye-sight.  Certain fast paced games show some evidence for positive effects on player's eye-sight. 
• Helps to promote exercise and allows players to exercise.  Many game systems currently have interactive add ons to the system which allow players to move around and physically do actions that are recorded on the screen.  For example, the Wii has tennis, baseball, bowling, and many other sports that the player actually swings to hit a ball or other actions which simulate real actions.  Additionally, some systems offer dance or exercise games where the player tries to imitate someone on the screen and gets scored accordingly.
• Helps to promote self-esteem.  Since video games are really a part of young adult culture, being successful at games can actually help players feel a sense of fitting in and appreciated.
• Help to provide brain stimulation and players will develop better problem solving skills.  Educational games are a fun way to learn but most games require some mental capacity and problems will certainly arise. 
• Help to promote communication with others in the room and new technologies allow gamers to connect with players all over the world!

A violent game

 As more and more research is devoted to the effects of video games, some positive effects can almost not be denied.  However, much research does support the fact that video games can have negative effects as well.  Being exposed to too much violence, drugs, or other negative things can really have an effect on players, even young adults. 

Positive Video Game Effects in Children

Photo by: sean dreilinger

In today's society, many parents are watchful of the vast amounts of stimuli that their children could potentially be exposed to.  Movies, the Internet, and video games are just some of the everyday things children interact with and see.  Although some of this stimuli can arguably have negative impacts on young children, video games can also have positive influences and effects on young children.  One writer argues that video games can actually promote positive development in children:

• Help to develop multi-tasking, quick thinking, hand-eye coordination, and resource management.    Not only do children have to control characters, but they are also responsible for making on the spot decisions to reach a goal.  Many sports games, like the famous Tony Hawk series, allow children to use control to do specific tricks.
• Help to establish memory, math, logic, and, reading skills.  Reading tasks and solving problems using logic is present in a lot of games.  Games like Tetris, Words With Friends, and Sudoku are great ways to use brain activities.   
• Help to give encouragement to players and teaches perseverance and determination to achieve certain goals.  Most games have some sort of ultimate goal that players work towards.  For instance, in the Mario Party games, players work to win the most stars.
• Help to encourage communication and teamwork skills.  Video games are interactive and many allow for multiple players that are either in the same room or across the county, state, country, and even world!  At times players are competing against each other, but many games have teams.  Video games are also great for family and friend bonding.  For example, a game like NBA Jam allows players to have computer teammates or real teammates.  Regardless, one player has to appropriately work and cooperate with the other to win the game.
• Help to relieve aggression rather than exemplify and promote it.  Video games can serve as a great way to allow children to relieve their aggression in a safe and structured environment.  Fighting games like Super Mario Smash Bros, which tend to be controversial and may not be right for all children, can help to relieve aggression.  Especially games that do not use guns and excessive violence.
• Help to introduce children to new technologies.  As new technological advances are developed, video games are a great way for children to learn how new technologies work.  Things like the Playstation Move and Xbox Kinect are some of the newest technology that games have released. If 3D games have not already been released, they will probably be next!

Video games aren't perfect and are not right for all children.  However, if the right type of games are selected, these games can actually have many positive effects on children. 

Transitions Used in "Maus"

     The book "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud examines the six different panel-to-panel transitions used in graphic novels.  The first transition is called moment-to-moment and requires little closure, which refers to understanding the whole picture by just observing parts of it.  When using this type of transition, frames literally transition from one moment to the next.  The next type of transition is referred to as action-to-action and features one subject who is completing some action, such as a car driving in one panel and the next panel the car has crashed into a tree.  Another type of transition is called subject-to-subject and refers to panels that remain in the same theme but move from different subjects.  Scene-to-scene is also a type of transition that refers to panels that travel across different settings or time.  A fifth transition is called aspect-to-aspect and shows different aspects of a setting.  Finally, non-sequitur transitions have no logical relationship. (McCloud, 70-72)

Photo by: mikefats

     "Maus" by Art Spiegelman is a popular graphic novel which uses some of these transitions explained by McCloud.  One example of a transition used in this graphic novel is scene-to-scene.  At one point in the story, the father is complaining to his son about the dinner they just ate.  In response, the son tells his father that he just wants to here more about his past, specifically when he was drafted in 1939.  After this scene, the next panel takes the reader right on the battlefield in 1939.  After one more panel, the son interjects to ask his father a question about his army training and the scene returns back to the present day.  Eventually, though, the scene is transformed back to the past. (Spiegelman, 44-46)
     Another example of a transition used in "Maus" is moment-to-moment.  In the story, the son and his wife are in bed when the phone rings.  From that point the panels show the son reach over to the phone, answer the phone, talk to into the phone with his father's dialogue coming out of the phone, hanging up the phone, and then speaking to his wife and getting out of bed.  There is very little movement of characters and closure between panels.  Most of the picture is drawn out for the reader. (Spiegelman,

Photo by: Virany

96-97)
     A final type of transition used in "Maus" is action-to-action.  At the very beginning of the story, the son is shown as a child roller skating home with his friends.  As he is skating, his skate becomes lose and he falls to the ground as friends quickly skate away from him.  In this scene, one subject is performing an action in one panel that leads to a consequence in the next panel. (Spiegelman, 5)  Overall, the author is effective in using different transitions to tell his story.  Although he tends to use many scene-to-scene transitions and moment-to-moment transitions, he mixes it up by using others at times as well.

Comm 450 Blog 3 First Impressions of Internship

     After being in the Platinum PR office for a few weeks now, I must admit that most of my experiences have not exactly matched my original expectations of this internship.  However, I am not saying this in a bad way.  After spending most of my summer working at my part-time job, I am unfortunately used to the strict, hostile environment I am generally forced to work in.  Personally, I tend to be much more open minded and laid back, as long as everyone is working and getting their jobs done.  The older I get, the more I realize that some people just do not feel the same way about life as I do and that is okay.

     Luckily for me, though, I feel as if I fit in more with the other employees and enjoy my work environment more at Platinum PR.  In fact, in just these few weeks I have learned a lot about the business and about public relations in general.  I have been exposed to different, effective tools public relation specialists can use and I've learned more about what a public relations business actually does on a day to day basis.  I feel fortunate that I have the opportunity to work here and learn.  All of the employees have been incredibly helpful and friendly when I have questions and I am truly looking forward to all of the important things I will learn throughout the rest of the semester.  As I continue to keep a journal of my experiences across the semester, I feel confident in saying that I will be able to share valuable and positive experiences.  

Comm 450 Blog 2 Why Businesses Should Use Social Media

Photo by: birgerking

     According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, social media is defined as "forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content".  Although this definition does not mention anything specifically about marketing your business or company, using forms of social media, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and many more, to create an online community to share your business's information can be a great way to help achieve success.  Today, so many people are using the Internet; why not get your business involved in this revolution?

If you are not completely convinced yet, here are some important reasons to start using social media:

1. Have direct interaction with customers.  The best type of interaction between businesses and customers is genuine.  If businesses stay genuine with its customers, customers will likely respond well the business.  Most people prefer businesses that take time to listen and reward customers.  Social media is a great way to achieve the type of interaction many customer want.
2. It is cheaper than other forms of advertising.  Signing up for a Facebook, Twitter, and many other forms of social media is free.  Combine this with the fact that it is pretty simple to use and quick to set up, it's hard to find a reason not to utilize the tools.
3. Has the potential for more customers.  Millions of people use the internet daily.  According to ebizMBA.com, the estimated amount of unique visitors each month for Facebook alone is 750,000,000!  Unfortunately, not every single one of those visitors will make it to your company's page, but if even a small percentage of people using Facebook see your page, your clientele will expand.  And, the great thing about Facebook is that when one person likes your page or comments on your post, all of their friends can see that, opening up so many more opportunities every single time you get a new like.  Remember, these statistics and facts are strictly for Facebook.  Using other forms of social media will enhance your potential for customers even more.
4. Become closer to customers and gain their trust.  Studies have already shown that customers are more likely to trust a company using social media.  According to an article by Curt Finch, 82% of people surveyed said that they are more likely to trust a company who communicates via social media.  Trust not only leads to more sales from individuals, but those individuals are more likely to suggest your business to others as well.
5. Receive direct feedback and ideas from customers.  Social media allows customers and potential customers to communicate directly with the company.  If this type of communication is not ignored, businesses can understand what customers are looking for and the types of things that either want or expect from your company.  They can also offer their feelings on what the business is currently doing right and wrong.  Therefore, improvements and adjustments can be made.
6. Directly explain mission of business to customers.  Studies also show that individuals are much more likely to buy from a business that directly explains its mission and values via social media, especially when that business's top officials are involved in social media.  

If you are still not convinced, many more rewards and research are out there to prove the importance of social media in businesses.  It's at least worth a shot!

Comm 450 Blog 1 Social Media

Photo by: sitemonkeysupreme

    In the last several years, social media has truly reinvented business marketing and its successful strategies.  It is not impossible to have a successful business without employing the help of social media, but it just doesn’t make sense.  Granted, some business owners, especially small business owners, may feel overwhelmed or helpless when it comes to social media.  After all, many times they cannot afford to outsource the work and may feel inadequate to fill the position themselves.  But, they may just not understand some simple steps to take to improve their businesses and marketing strategies. 

Here are some easy ways to help build any business’s social media:

1.      Put yourself out there on the web.  Developing websites can be difficult and confusing, so not everyone can do it.  Unfortunately, that may be a job for a specialist but you can always give it a try.  YouTube and Google can give a lot of website development help.  If you are not prepared to develop a website, though, developing Facebook and Twitter pages are pretty self-explanatory.  Use your Smartphone (if you do not have one I am sure someone you know does) to upload some quick photos, update statuses occasionally with important news, interact with your clients and customers, and show the public what your company is all about.

Photo by: Colin ZHU

2.      Start a blog.  Sites like Blogger.com are easy to set up and use.  You can even link your blog back to your Facebook page or your Website.  This is a great way to put your company out there and gain a following.  Readers can respond to your blog and you can show off your company’s personal style.

3.      Send out email blasts.  Once you have gained even a small following, sending out a mass email to remind customers about important information can be very beneficial for your company.  But remember, make sure to only send emails out for important information so people do not unsubscribe or become tired of receiving emails.  This is a less personal communication between you and your customers, but if used correctly can be effective.

4.      Do not over do it, but genuinely interact with customers.  Updating posts frequently and sending out email blasts often may seem like a good idea, but it can be too much.  In order for people to not become bored or tired with your company, only special announcements and information need to be updated.  Also, if you do not update every day with unimportant news, individuals will respect your posts more and will be more likely to think your posts are worth paying attention to.