The Bill Cunningham Show

The Bill Cunningham Show is a daytime talk show that first hit the airwaves in September 2011. It joins a number of other different daytime talk shows trying to win your respect. Various topics ranging from sex and cheating to family crises are discussed on The Bill Cunningham Show.

--- The Bill Cunningham Show ---

Bill Cunningham himself has served as a lawyer for a long time. He is also a parent. He hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; and is a graduate of Xavier University as well as the University of Toledo Law School. Bill Cunningham brings his expertise and experience to help out guests on his show. So when it comes to some of the various issues covered on the show, it is pretty understandable about his takes with the various guests. Many of the topics involve some of the usual issues- sex, cheating, family crises, and things like that. The show is taped in New York City and produced by Tribune Entertainment and ITV Studios America.

This show, to me, is sort of a throwback to traditional '90s style daytime talk shows. It has the drama of Maury with the raunchy nature of Jerry Springer, but is all covered as casually as Ricki Lake or Jenny Jones. He'll use terminology like BFF (Best Friend Forever) and lots of other casual terms. It is a very casual and loose daytime talk show that still is about action. The action, however, doesn't get OVERLY dramatic to where it becomes something too raunchy for TV. It is a pretty entertaining show.

The show has a few segments devoted to helping out the guests. What follows at about the 40-minute mark is "Talk Back With Bill," where the microphones are dropped as audience members ask questions to featured guests. Towards the 50-minute mark of episodes, an expert offers opinions based on what he/she has heard and seen from guests featured on the show. The final segment features the "Bottom Line," Which is similar to Jerry Springer's "Final Thoughts."

Brief Review.

I think this show has a little of everything and makes for great TV. Maybe my biggest let down of the show is that I don't usually see any sort of resolution or progress on the show. Like when I watch Maury or Jeremy Kyle, I usually sense a sense of resolution with most guests on the set. I don't really see that on The Bill Cunningham Show. Otherwise, this is an entertaining show.

Video Preview.

Here is a brief preview of what The Bill Cunningham Show is about:


And that will conclude this blog post on The Bill Cunningham Show.





To learn more about The Bill Cunningham Show or get social with The Bill Cunningham Show, I invite you to visit the following:
• www.thebillcunninghamshow.com (Official)
• The Bill Cunningham Show - Facebook Fan Page
• Follow the Bill Cunningham Show on Twitter (@BillCunninghamS)!
• The Bill Cunningham Show on YouTube

• The Bill Cunningham Show - Wikipedia
• Bill Cunningham - Wikipedia


For now, thank you for reading! Take care and have a great day!

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Online Dish With Maggie

(UPDATED: April 20, 2012)

"Online Dish With Maggie" is an online program where Maggie Flecknoe dishes out her opinions on various issues ranging from news topics to various entertainment topics. Maggie's got an opinion she wants to share, and you're invited to hear her out. You're also invited to react to her opinions. Get social with this program and offer your opinions featured in each installment of "Online Dish with Maggie!" This blog post is my own sort of review of this program.

BEFORE I BEGIN: This is my own personal review of the show. All content and opinions expressed are of my own. All material presented are for entertainment and educational purposes.

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

APR 20 2012 - added another video, added another link

--- Online Dish at a Glance ---

How about we take a look at this show at a glance?

Online Dish.

The Online Dish program began as a cool little feature during back in the CW 39 News days. A brief promo during the 5:00 PM news featured Maggie Flecknoe sharing a certain issue and inviting viewers to post their responses via Email and Twitter. Facebook would be an option for people to interact as Online Dish with Maggie got a Facebook fan page. As the show became more popular, "Online Dish With Maggie" became national, airing on a number of different CW networks nationwide. The entire look and feel would later change with a new logo, but with the same beautiful blonde-haired host. "Online Dish With Maggie" now is part of CW's Eye Opener.

As for the topics expressed on the show, these can range from news issues to certain entertainment topics. Saucy sex-related topics are featured as well. Needless to say... this show's popularity is justified. Don't believe me? Check out this old promo for Online Dish With Maggie:


Now more about the host...

Maggie Flecknoe.

If you have read some of my older blog posts, Marguerite (better known as "Maggie" or nicknamed "Blondie") Flecknoe is someone whom I've featured before here on John's Blog Space. This name shouldn't be too foreign because I've featured her as one of my favorite on-air Houston news personalities. Maggie is the sassy and savvy host of Online Dish. Hailing from the state of Colorado, many people know Maggie for her anime voiceovers in a number of different anime. Among some of her work includes "Pani Poni Dash," "Highschool of the DEAD," and a number of films for Houston's own former ADV Films. Besides vocal work, she has also participated in a number of theater acts.

Maggie has a very nice voice. Her speech happens to be both silky and sweet at the same time with no compromise either way. Want to hear a vocal sample of Maggie Flecknoe? Check this out:


To learn more about Maggie Flecknoe, visit www.maggieflecknoe.com. You now know of the show and the host. Now how about some opinions? Let's go.

--- Basic Thoughts on "Online Dish with Maggie" ---

I guess it's time I dish on Online Dish. So let's do it.

"Online Dish" Review.

If you want to treat each installment of Online Dish as meals at a restaurant, then you can say that Maggie is one amazing chef at preparing such delicious helpings of Online Dish to the masses. Remorseless and real, she delivers her opinions on topics in her own unique way. It doesn't mean you have to agree with her all the time, but this is one lady who speaks her mind with almost no fear of backlash from viewers. The amount of effort put into her opinion-sharing is immense. On top of that, she shares her thoughts much like I do my videos and blog posts- casually professional- professionally discussed, but in a casual manner. Opinions are clear and concise. Again, you don't have to agree with what Maggie says, but her opinion(s) on the topics she covers are worthy of respect.

"Online Dish with Maggie" Samples.

Now that I've reviewed this show, here is a sample video I'd like to share with you all. Open this link in another tab or window to see this installment of Online Dish: Online Dish: No Hoochies Allowed! Schools Ban Scandalous Prom Dresses.

(ADDED: April 20, 2012)
And here is a video showcasing Maggie dishing on a topic:



So did you enjoy this review? If so, you're invited to get in on "Online Dish With Maggie." Visit www.39online.com/entertainment/onlinedish to get in on Maggie's Online Dish.

--- What I Would Tell Maggie Flecknoe (if she were to read this) ---

I greatly appreciate your work. Maybe I don't watch too much anime, but I greatly appreciate all of your work in all of your many different on-air and voiceover work. Your voice is as beautiful as your looks. Your personality is incredible. All I can ask for is that you keep up the amazing work with all that you do.

I kind of did this as a birthday salute since I tried to post this for your birthday. So, uh... happy birthday! Make a wish and blow out the candles on the birthday cake, birthday girl! :)

Would I Want to Meet Maggie (if given the chance)?

Absolutely! Why not?

--- Cross-Promotion/Other Material ---

Other material for you to check out, if interested are offered in this section.

Favorite On-Air Personalities in Houston News
^ I noted Maggie Flecknoe as one of my favorite on-air Houston personalities. Who else do I have as favorite on-air Houston personalities? Find out in this post!

"Eye Opener" - John's Blog Space
^ You can see "Online Dish" on Eye Opener. My thoughts on "Eye Opener" are expressed in this blog post. And for the record- I have NOT seen "Eye Opener" since that one morning I watched to review it. It really needs to be updated. Still- my thoughts on the program are expressed in that blog post.

"NewsFix Review" - John's Blog Space
^ Besides Eye Opener, Maggie is also a producer for NewsFix. This is my old review of NewsFix here. Keep in mind that this review was from back with March 2011... when it debuted. WARNING: it is a VERY long blog post!

"Proms and Prom Style" - John's Blog Space
^ The sample Online Dish I provided concerned prom dresses. As one of my more popular blog posts here on John's Blog Space, "Proms and Prom Style" is a look at fashion for prom as well as proms in general.


That concludes the cross-promotional material.





For more information about anything you've just read, please visit the following links:

• Online Dish With Maggie
• The Online Dish With Maggie Facebook Fan Page
• Online Dish on Tumblr (ADDED: April 20, 2012)
• Follow Maggie on Twitter!
• www.maggieflecknoe.com - more info on Maggie Flecknoe, including samples of her vocal work.
• Maggie Flecknoe on Wikipedia
• Maggie Flecknoe on IMDb



Thank you for reading!

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Echofon

If you have Twitter, Echofon may be the best way to stay connected to your Twitter followers without physically logging into Twitter. Echofon is available both as a standalone program and as an add-on for Firefox. You can comfortably post tweets without needing to physicaly log into Twitter. Links and replies can be done efficiently as well as Favoriting tweets. Replying to tweets is a breeze as well. I usually use the Echofon add-on to see what all Twitter followers are tweeting about. In addition to tweets, you can also check out your Direct Messages, check on your Lists, and search for the latest trending topics on Twitter. You can easily reply to others especially if you're trying to do your Follow/Favorite Friday (#ff) posts on Fridays, even if you would like to include me in your Favorite Friday tweets. ;)

It is a very nice tool for me to check on Twitter without having to physically log on to Twitter from Firefox. I have Echofon as a Firefox add-on. I can also conveniently post tweets for my lovely Shining Stars (my fans/readers/subscribers) to promote my latest blog posts as well as to post any sort of nonsense. I recommend Echofon for your Twitter needs.





To learn more about Echofon, please visit www.echofon.com. Don't forget that you can Follow me on Twitter. Just remember- I WILL block (and maybe report) any suspicious/spammy profiles. Love for you genuine Twitter folk to follow me and keep up with my posts.

I hope this review was a good read for you. Thank you for reading!

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Ranma ½

Ranma ½ was one of Rumiko Takahashi's finest masterpieces in anime. It is my all-time favorite anime series. It is very funny along with some great fight scenes. Ranma ½ is also a great romantic anime series. This blog post is just a little look at this great series. Maybe after reading this post, you'll become a fan as well.

About the Label: "Anime and Manga"

This blog label features topics or elements related to anime and/or manga. Such posts may include reviews of anime and manga series, shows, movies, characters, or some basic commentary on anime and manga.

--- Ranma ½ at a Glance ---

^ from: www.sweetslyrics.com - Various characters of Ranma ½.

The story of Ranma ½ is basically centered around a high schooler named Ranma Saotome. He and his father, Genma, were out martial arts training in China in an area full of many cursed springs. Falling into any of these springs turns you into whatever drowned into it. The curse takes form when splashed with cold water. When splashed with hot water, you return to your original form. Unfortunately, Ranma and Genma both fell into the springs. Genma turns into a giant panda when splashed with cold water. Ranma, however, becomes a girl when splashed with cold water.

Ranma Saotome is met by the Tendo sisters, as Ranma has to pick one to be his girlfriend- Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane. Kasumi is the eldest of the Tendo sisters and is very sweet-natured. Nabiki is the sly and sneaky sister always trying to make quick cash. Akane is gentle and sweet... until you get on her bad side or complain about her cooking skills. Ranma eventually chooses Akane Tendo. The two get along quite well... most of the time.

What I love most about the Ranma series are the fights. Most importantly, the battles between Ranma and Ryoga. Ryoga is my favorite character of all. He is a strong fighter, but he's... dumb. Ryoga is known as the "eternally lost boy" for a reason. What can be reached within walking distance takes him hours and weeks. He is an idiot... but, he can fight!

Various Characters.

There are also some other characters of note. I'll name a few of them.
• Soun - the Tendo family father.
• Ukyo - okonomiyaki chef. She's mistaken for a boy.
• Shampoo - Shampoo is a super-cute character. She loves boy-type Ranma and detests girl-type Ranma. Shampoo turns into a cat when splashed with cold water.
• Tatewaki Kuno - the "Blue Thunder" of Furinkan High is a rival of boy-type Ranma, but madly in love with girl-type Ranma.
• Kodachi - Kodachi is Tatewaki Kuno's sister, and is known as the black rose. She's as big of a nut as as Kuno.
• Happosai - a perverted and short old man notorious for stealing womens' panties.


In addition to the various TV episodes of Ranma ½, there have been countless other installments of Ranma that are all equally funny. Some of the other installments include Ryoga learning the Breaking Point technique- a technique where large rocks could be broken with a single point. There was also an episode where Ranma and company had to fight a legendary phoenix that was going haywire around Tokyo. Also unique were various martial arts competitions in unlikely situations, including martial arts figure skating (very funny episode!) and even a martial arts running race. There is NEVER a dull moment watching Ranma ½. It is a fantastic anime series and one of the true classic anime series.


I tried to find a brief video to showcase Ranma ½, but I was unable to find one for you. To see YouTube videos on the Ranma ½ series on your own time, click on the following link to see "Ranma 1/2" YouTube search results.


Play DVDs? Want to get into the Ranma ½ series? Check out these Amazon items and feel free to enjoy the Ranma ½ series:



THIS LINE (left to right):
• Ranma 1/2: Season One: The Digital Dojo; TV Anime Season 1 DVD Box Set (2006)
• Ranma 1/2, Season 2-Anything Goes Starring Ranma 1 and 2 (2007)
• Ranma 1/2: Season Three - Hard Battle (2007)
• Ranma 1/2 Season 4 - Outta Control Starring Ranma 1/2 (2007)
• Ranma 1/2: Season 5 - Martial Mayhem Starring Ranma (2008)


To read more about Ranma ½ on Wikipedia, check out the Wikipedia entry on Ranma ½.

--- Bonus Videos! ---

I can't find any good Ranma videos to show on John's Blog Space. However, I do want to shout out to my tomodachi ("friend" in Japanese) Yuki singing two Ranma ½ songs. The first one was the first I had seen from roconamente, and another was a more recent Ranma cover done by roconamente:


^ "Omoide ga Ippai" cover by roconamente


^ "Akai Kutsu no Sunday" cover by roconamente


If you want to see more of Roconamente's videos on YouTube, visit roconamente on YouTube. Or even read "roconamente" here on John's Blog Space to see my blog post on roconamente.





Thank you for reading!

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The Jeremy Kyle Show

(UPDATED: February 15, 2012)

The Jeremy Kyle Show is a show that has been around for some time in its native England. The show has debuted an American version in September 2011. How would I describe Jeremy Kyle? Well, think of someone with Maury's class but with Judge Judy's no-nonsense. He is unbiased and passionate towards trying to help families and couples in crisis. However, he does it an unapologetic manner. This is someone who will confront his guests straight up to convince them to change their brutal ways. While some may deem him as being controversial and too arrogant in his approach to help others, Jeremy Kyle is doing something that matters more than anything- getting results and resolution.

Here is a look at the Jeremy Kyle show. This one is the American sneak peek:


And this is a sample of The Jeremy Kyle Show in the United Kingdom:


Finally, here is a video of Jeremy Kyle on The Wendy Williams Show; where Jeremy Kyle explains his show to others. Here is a more lighthearted Jeremy Kyle expressed in this video:



Now you know about Jeremy Kyle and his show. I mentioned he's like the combination of Maury and Judge Judy. He is someone outspoken and to the point. No distractions or tomfoolery gets in his way to get through to people who need help. I speak respectfully of Jeremy Kyle, but many have considered him controversial for how he deals his brand of justice and resolution on his show.


(ADDED: January 19, 2012; EDITED: Febuary 15, 2012)
I really have to say that Jeremy Kyle (who is nicknamed "Jezza") is probably the ONLY daytime talk show host where guests are unafraid to get on the host's case. Very few hosts get hated on by guests quite like what Jeremy Kyle does. You have to see some of the British shows to see how some of the British guests have treated this guy.

I respect Jeremy Kyle because he is someone who is tell-it-like-it-is, but also someone impervious to other peoples' crap. He represents a brand of justice and resolution that is difficult to grasp at first glance. I think it is something he passionately believes in. I also respect his stance on not believing in violence or arguing to get in the way of resolving matters. In fact, there are times where he could just take people off the stage or out of the studio who refuse to be helped or are so full or problems that they can't be helped. Jeremy Kyle has the ability to get through to people in his own way. In one video piece, he mentions that others have deemed him all kinds of negative things, he claims he is just being honest.

A reason why you should care about this show is that this show is that The Jeremy Kyle Show is because it involves resolution. I guess Jeremy Kyle's mindset is about getting results and resolution. Dr. Janet Taylor is a big part in the department of helping guests start anew. Her insight and expertise helps in trying to help others. The Jeremy Kyle Show is all about trying to resolve matters in a mature matter. He really is about focusing on the task at hand rather than let silly nonsense get in the way.





Most of my blog posts are usually detailed. Here, I am just posting this one rather quickly because I didn't intend on being too detailed on this show.

Basically, I respect Jeremy Kyle for how he does his show and the results he can garner. The show's primary daytime TV opposition will mostly be Maury and Steve Wilkos, and maybe Bill Cunningham as well. Be sure to check local times and listings in case you want to see The Jeremy Kyle Show on American TV.

To learn more about the Jeremy Kyle Show, visit the following links:

(all links from the USA show)
• http://www.jeremykyleusa.com/
• The Jeremy Kyle Show Facebook Fan Page
• The Jeremy Kyle Show (USA) on YouTube
• Follow The Jeremy Kyle Show on Twitter!

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Deals

"Live Well for Less With Deals" is a half-hour show on the Live Well Network devoted entirely to saving people money. Hosted by Katishia Cosley (or Kat Cosley), this is the Indiana native's first foray into hosting and producing. Every episode features at least five segments with many ways to save money or ways to not spend as much on things in life. These can range from knowing where to shop to basic advice that can lead to big savings in the long run. Also included are things like recipes for creating certain items to help aid in not having to buy from stores all the time. There is no shortage of ideas or concepts to save money on things we use or already have. So is the concept of Deals. And with this said, this blog post is my own opinion regarding Deals.

Welcome to "John's Blog Space!"

NOTE: This blog post is not some paid review or anything. This is all personal commentary of mine regarding this program.

--- Deals at a Glance ---

Time to set the mood. Here's a picture to start things off:


^ from: (Deals' Facebook fan page) - Live Well for Less With Deals, hosted by Katishia Cosley.

Deals debuted on the Live Well Network on July 4, 2011. It is perhaps fitting the show debuted on Independence Day 2011 as Katishia Cosley goes independent in going from reporter/anchor to host/producer. She goes from the sinking ship of CW 39 News to returning to the ABC networks, where she used to be a freelance reporter for KTRK Channel 13. The only other difference is that she is now with Live Well Network as opposed to covering news stories on ABC 13.

What is Deals all about? It is about saving money. Each segment can last anywhere between two to maybe five minutes, and there are about four or five segments in each episode. There is a little of everything and a lot of ways to save money on things we do and use every day. Among the various segments, you even learn some new things, such as new uses for things you may already own or use. The diversity of topics in saving money is vast. Often times, some very fun segments are shown on Deals. Among some of the better Deals segments, Katishia Cosley went as far as to learn about making gourmet-style cupcakes on the cheap, talking about boat rentals (even piloting a boat), and things like that. The sort of surprise factor is there sometimes on Deals. You just have to tune in or watch online.

Now you have an idea as to what Deals is all about.

--- Thoughts on "Deals" ---

Most of what Deals discusses includes a combination of alternative shopping ideas, crafty ideas, and some basic knowledge being shared. All of this adds up to many ways to creatively live well for less.

Although Katishia Cosley is nicknamed "Kat," she is no ordinary cat when it comes to finding these deals. Really, Kat is the lioness of the frugality jungle. This lioness roars loudly and confidently with all of the segments and episodes of Deals. I have always thought that Katishia is at her best when discussing positive and fun material. She expresses herself quite well incorporating her sweet smile as well as some lighthearted humor often times. Since Deals is about saving money, these topics are far less depressing than most news stories you often see on the news. This allows Katishia to provide her stories and commentary in a pleasant manner. It also allows her to incorporate a bit of her fashion style as well.

It's funny that a show about saving money is so rich with priceless advice for living well for less (for lack of a better term). It is money-saving advice a lot of us can use. An observation I once made is that Deals seems to better suit Katishia Cosley as it allows her to exhibit her personality and charm more. Both of which, she has an abundance of. I have been a fan of hers in reporting/anchoring, but the host/producer role seems to be better with the mood Deals provides as well as in how Katishia presents and promotes her material in each episode and segment. I am not trying to talk about hosting and producing like being a reality TV show host. All I am saying is that Katishia does hosting/producing about as well as she's done in the reporter/anchor realm.

I think you can afford to just watch Deals to pick up on something useful in saving money. If the cards are played right, Deals may become as much of a mainstay on Live Well Network as any other program on there, such as Rebecca Spera's "Mirror/Mirror." The passion and the drive to deliver on money-saving ideas in Deals are vastly expressed and executed by Katishia Cosley as well as by the people interviewed in Deals segments. As a national TV show, people nationwide can see Deals and all of the money-saving advice offered in the show. Each episode is meant to be helpful and creative. Among the many ways to save money on things, there are no shortage of ideas or concepts to help in saving money. Viewers are even encouraged to offer their own money-saving ideas on Deals' Facebook fan page.

So give Deals a try if you're watching Live Well Network! Visit livewellnetwork.com/deals to learn more about Deals for yourself.





Most of the reviewing portion of this blog post has now concluded. However, I have more to share in this blog post. I want to share video previews of "Deals" segments as well as some extra commentary. I am providing a Jump Break to improve the performance of my blog. If you are not reading this full blog post and want to continue reading, please click on "Read More" to read the rest of this blog post (or disregard this section if you are reading the full post). But first...

Have you enjoyed what you've read so far on John's Blog Space? If so (and if you haven't yet subscribed or followed), Subscribe and/or Follow!

--- "Deals" Samples ---

These videos below give you an idea of what Deals is all about. So what's the deal with Deals? That's what you're going to see for yourself in these videos. I will feature different videos showcasing different categories of segments featured on Deals. They will be listed under a few distinct categories. I am using categories to sort these videos, but there's no real categories of advice offered. To read the articles that go with each video, please click on the provided links. These videos are all provided for educational purposes. Here are previews of "Deals" in these segments below:

On the Cheap/Saving Money.

This video is an example of getting a good deal on something. So I'll feature this video below in the "On the Cheap" or "Saving Money" category. This is one of my favorite segments of any episode of Deals. Here, Katishia Cosley discusses deals for using a Go Local card at participating businesses. Have a look:


(Article: Go Local)

Crafts/Do it Yourself.

Here, I will feature two different videos, both involve saving money by making things yourself. This category would include things like making items to modifying fashions yourself. The first video is a wonderful piece featuring floral arrangements. The second video will probably make you hungry, so watch the second one at your own risk. :)


(Article: Floral Arranging)


(Article: Pizza 101)

Consumer Advice.

This is an example of consumer advice on Deals. The sample video here pertains to spotting fake items. It is one of many different consumer advice topics on Deals:


(Article: Designer Fakes)


If you want to see more of these segments, including the full-length episodes, you are invited to visit livewellnetwork.com/deals.

--- What I Would Tell Katishia Cosley (if she were to read this) ---

I wish you nothing but continued success with Deals. This show can go a long way. It has immense promise and usefulness. Then again, what on Live Well Network DOESN'T have some sort of use? Since the CW 39 news days, it is great seeing you on television again since Deals debuted. Once again- I wish you and Deals continued success. You're a star; shine as bright as you can.





That concludes this blog post. For more:

• Deals on Live Well Network
• Deals' Facebook Fan Page
• Katishia Cosley's Facebook fan page

Thank you for reading!

Become a Fan (or Like) my Facebook Fan Page and subscribe this blog (and my others) via FeedBurner (or any other aggregator in the sidebar)! Visit (or subscribe):
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Eye Opener

News, weather, and traffic; all to get you going for the day. When the NewsFix was in for CW 39, it meant radical changes to compete for news supremacy in Houston. Another radical change was Eye Opener. Though Eye Opener has been on since May 9, 2011; my first time really seeing Eye Opener was not too long ago. It is therefore time to offer thoughts on CW 39's brand of morning news. I welcome you to John's Blog Space and another blog post on JBS!

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NOTE: This is not any paid review or anything. The material you are about to see is all based on personal commentary and my own personal review of this program. I will make any needed changes or edits needed to better service my reading audience if need be. I would encourage my loyal readers to contact me any sort of way of any changes I need to make.

--- Eye Opener at a Glance ---

I usually start off with a picture, but I couldn't find a good enough one to feature here to set the mood for this blog post. So I'll be using this one:


^ from: (Eye Opener's Facebook fan page) - Wake up to a new style of morning news. Welcome to Eye Opener!

Eye Opener is a different kind of morning show meant to compete with the other morning newscasts. Remember Mia Gradney (featured among my favorite Houston news personalities)? Yeah. Well, Mia is one of the different personalities of Eye Opener. Each weekday morning, this crew delivers up news in a very casual way. It is television morning news that is as unpredictable and as unconventional as some morning radio shows.

This is the Eye Opener crew (click on any hyperlinked names to read his/her bio):
• Sean Dowling, reporter
• Mia Gradney
• Bohuš Blahut, Casual Expert (first name pronounced "BOH-hoosh")
• Kirby O'Connell
• Adam Lee Campbell (better known as ALC), "Acapella with ALC"
• "Wrench"

These are among some of the many personalities of Eye Opener. Only Mia Gradney is the one I've mentioned previously here on John's Blog Space, among some of my favorite Houston on-air news personalities.

What You Must Know...

A few notes on this initial blog post...

• I saw Eye Opener at around 7:39 AM Central [Daylight] Time on Friday, October 28, 2011. What I discuss here is based on the 20 minutes of Eye Opener I was able to see from today and from what more I saw on Eye Opener online.


So with this out the way, it's time I make my own review of "Eye Opener."

--- Eye Opener: Basic Thoughts ---

This is really a different sort of morning show. It is surely non-traditional, as most morning news have a traditional newscast designed to get you going for the morning easily. If a usual morning newscast is like starting a day with a cup of coffee, then watching Eye Opener is like starting your day... with a can of Red Bull (or any other energy drink). The same sort of irreverent material you'd probably see on NewsFix is what you'll find on Eye Opener. To my knowledge, Eye Opener isn't all Houston-based and all Houston-operated. In fact, I read the Eye Opener material is based in Chicago with Houston news breaks. It is mostly a national show as opposed to a Houston-exclusive program.

Speaking of the aforementioned NewsFix, when I first tuned in to actually see Eye Opener for myself, there was NewsFix-style news on Eye Opener when I tuned in. And I'm like... oh, I remember this from back in March when I compiled my lengthy review of NewsFix. I can't bring myself to watch NewsFix. So I basically muted out the NewsFix part. I later saw and heard Marci Izard (reporter and sometimes anchor for CW 39 News) make mention to news, weather, and traffic. Unlike NewsFix's "f___ anchors and f___ reporters" format, Marci's voice actually discussed the weather in a brief manner. Later the attention goes from the CW 39 team to the Eye Opener team as they came along with some... interesting topics. Newsworthy topics are discussed, just not really typical stories about typical topics (like politics, for example).

Online Dish With Maggie.

At around 7:45 AM, "Online Dish With Maggie" was on. This was the first time I've seen Maggie Flecknoe on my TV since the CW 39 News format gave way to NewsFix. The beautiful blonde from Colorado still dishes on some of the most interesting and gossip-worthy topics. I have seen some of the most recent Online Dish segments from Maggie (or "Blondie") in preparing this post. No shortage of interesting topics from Maggie including her unique commentary.

IN CASE YOU'RE INTERESTED: I have noted Maggie Flecknoe as one of my favorite Houston on-air news personalities. Here are more links for you to check out to compliment this blog post:
• My Favorite Houston News Personalities (besides Maggie Flecknoe)
• "Online Dish With Maggie" on www.39online.com
• "Like" Online Dish With Maggie on Facebook

Videos Gone Viral.

Trending videos are as much a part of CW 39 News as anything else. Your taste of the most interesting Internet videos get some face time on Eye Opener. These would be those videos that get all kinds of hits online or are worth watching.


Those are the segments I was able to see on TV. To learn about other segments featured on Eye Opener, such as Your Moment of Cuteness, visit Eye Opener's website.

--- Eye Opener: Final Thoughts ---

Touted as a different kind of morning show, Eye Opener is just that. It is a morning show that is more casual and in-your-face while not severely overdoing it. Eye Opener is not NewsFix (a good thing for NewsFix haters), but some of the sort of swagger of NewsFix is instilled in Eye Opener's news. It is surely a different sort of morning news experience. For someone who used to watch FOX 26 Morning News a lot and even ABC 13 Morning News, Eye Opener is radically different. CW 39 delivers mostly casual news in Eye Opener and NewsFix while having a deeper tie to the Houston-area and Houstonians than most of the major local networks do at trying to showcase things on a local level. Eye Opener is no different.

Would I watch Eye Opener again if I were up earlier or if I wanted to see it again? If on a scale of 1-5, where 1 means "least likely" and 5 means "most likely," I would put Eye Opener at 3.5. Or at the most, 3.75 or even 4. I have basically stopped caring about TV/radio news except for weather and sports. So I can't honestly say I'd watch Eye Opener again if I wanted to.

It was pretty cool seeing Eye Opener and actually seeing what it was mostly about. Too bad I didn't get to see the lovely Mia Gradney on TV in preparing this blog post.

Take Your Pick: "Eye Opener" or "NewsFix?"

My answer: Eye Opener.





You can learn more about Eye Opener by visiting 39online.com/eyeopener. You may also "like" Eye Opener's Facebook Fan Page as well as Follow Eye Opener on Twitter.

Perhaps I should see more of the show more often so I can provide a better look at Eye Opener. This will do for now, though. Thank you for reading! That concludes this blog post. Hope you enjoyed it.

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FL Studio Thoughts

I downloaded the FL Studio demo over the weekend. I wanted to see if I could make great music using FL Studio as opposed to making tracker music. I am also thinking of what version to buy to enjoy the full experience of FL Studio. This is just a quick blog post I wanted to put out there in regards to FL Studio. This is not a review or anything, I just wanted to share some quick thoughts in regards to FL Studio in trying to maybe get back into making music. If you're reading this and have used FL Studio, maybe you can help me better make my decision as to buy whatever version of FL Studio.

--- FL Studio at a Glance/General Thoughts ---

^ from: www.housemusicessentials.com - FL Studio logo.

FL Studio (formerly FruityLoops) allows music makers various tools to make great music. It was created by a Belgian company called Image-Line. The majority of content I've heard in YouTube videos are mostly electronic dance music songs using FL Studio. It can also be used for hip-hop and pop songs as well. For almost any sort of electronic music, users are armed to the hilt with various facilities and utilities to help make great music. Items such as VST instruments, hundreds of instrument samples, and more are all offered to users of FL Studio. Songs created can be put out in a number of different formats, including OGG, WAV, MP3, and more.

Playing around with FL Studio's demo has given me a somewhat limited view on what is possible using this program. Making music and making certain inputs seem simpler in this program aside from making tracker music in MadTracker 2. I haven't yet made a proper pattern and a proper song, but I'm working on it. I'm sure I will have enough experience to make great music if I choose to buy any version of FL Studio.

FL Studio and its Editions.

From the initial download of the FL Studio demo, you already have all you need to make great music with. All you have to do is either purchase for whatever version you want to get. There are four varieties of FL Studio, and here is about as much as I understand about each one:

• FL Studio Express Edition - great for making music loops. No audio recording or piano roll.
• FL Studio Fruity Edition - great entry-level software for making songs. No audio recording.
• FL Studio Producer Edition - great for audio recording and post-production songs.
• FL Studio Signature Edition - the top-of-the-line program and most definitive version. That is... if you have nearly $300 USD to spare.

I am not sure what way to go with getting FL Studio. I mean, I'm considering getting the FL Studio Express version since it has most of what I am looking for in making music. However, I may want to get the almost $100 USD Fruity Edition just to have something solid for making music. The Fruity Edition is about the absolute maximum for me in making music. The offerings for the Producer and Signature editions are just too much for me. They are too much for me, and I doubt I have all the facilities and services to warrant use of anything higher than the Fruity Edition. So I'd be torn between the Express and Fruity editions.

Purchase of any edition gives you lifetime updates, so no more of having to pay for updates. Separate instruments and such for FL Studio can be purchased.

What is Possible With FL Studio?

Here are some music samples to showcase what you can make using FL Studio. Have a listen to these songs.

(NOTE: For performance reasons, I have provided a Jump Break. Click on "Read More" if you are not reading the full post.)

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• Dance/Techno:


• Trance:


• Pop:


• Hip-Hop:


• Rock:



Most of the music I would make mostly would be for my videos and for personal use.





You can learn more about FL Studio by visiting www.flstudio.com. Click on the link to learn more about all that FL Studio has to offer to music makers both amateur and professional. Thank you for reading!

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Speed Channel's Coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000

(UPDATED: October 10, 2011)

Speed Channel shown the Bathurst 1000 for the first time on American TV LIVE this weekend. This blog post showcases my own ideas regarding the coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000. The Bathurst 1000 is Australia's biggest racing event. If you want to liken this to a NASCAR event, you could say that the Bathurst 1000 is like the Coca-Cola 600, but with the prestige and honor of the Daytona 500. You win Bathurst, you become a legend. It's the big one. This blog post is all about how I've taken the Speed coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000.

A PERSONAL NOTE BEFORE I BEGIN:

(ADDED: OCT 10 2011) I would like to welcome all of my readers from Australia and New Zealand to John's Blog Space! Thank you so much for findind and sharing my blog. More so, I'd like to welcome people from the Australian Ford Forums for finding and sharing this post. I hope you have a good read. If you do enjoy my blog and my work, PLEASE feel free to subscribe to my blog via FeedBurner, Follow John's Blog Space, and/or even "like" my Facebook fan page. Thanks again, everyone!

--- Setting the Tone... ---

I needed to use a picture to help set the tone, so here is one I found online to help set the tone for the race that was covered this weekend (best I could find):


^ from: www.speedcafe.com.au - Bathurst 1000- legends are born for those who conquer this six-hour race around Mount Panorama. On October 8, 2011; the United States got to see this race for the first time LIVE.

The coverage began at 7:00 PM Eastern [Daylight] Time on Speed Channel. The race itself began around 7:30 PM Eastern [Daylight] Time. This was the commenting crew for Speed:


• Mike Joy - play-by-play
• Darrell Waltrip - analyst
• Leigh Diffey (one of my personal favorite Speed personalities) - pit reporter
• Calvin Fish - pit reporter


Leigh Diffey, of course, used to be the play-by-play announcer for races in the Australian V8 Supercar Series. Perhaps a bit unusual not to hear him call down this one as the play-by-play announcer.

--- Coverage Thoughts in General ---

Each bullet highlights on a certain aspect of the coverage on Speed. Have a look at these notes I've taken:

• comparing NASCAR Sprint Cup cars to V8 Supercars. Fair comparison.

• "Boogity, boogity, boogity!" - no offense, but no need to say that. This isn't NASCAR, and you shouldn't try to make an event like the Bathurst 1000 to be like a NASCAR race. We don't need to dumb down an event like the Bathurst 1000 this way.

• Good job educating the audience on various aspects of Bathurst, Australia, the race, etc. Even learned a few things about the race and the track.

• Darrell Waltrip talked about the blue oval (Ford) and the "red tiger" of Holden. Uh, Holden's logo is the red LION.

I thought the coverage was very good to me. It also was great for the explanation of the different sponsors in Australia on the cars. Some of the different sponsors were those I was familiar with. It was great to hear Marcos Ambrose during the coverage while Ambrose (two-time Australian V8 Supercar Series champion) was at Kansas.

--- 2011 Bathurst 1000 Thoughts in General ---

There is a reason why this is being featured in the United States. The Bathurst 1000 is one of the greatest races in the world. These cars and this action certainly caught on with Americans as more and more people here get to see these cars in action. To some people, not as many people know of races and series like the Australian V8 Supercar Series because some people think that Australia is too far away from the rest of the world for people to actually know anything about the series.

That awesome finish and the big fire from one of the Holdens (the #17 one, I believe) are the two biggest sights I'll take away from this coverage. This was an exceptional experience to see. I saw most of the race on Speed Channel. It wasn't like I watched every last second.

--- Final Thoughts ---

I do think the insanity of the Bathurst 1000 was captured well here. The one thing I love about Speed Channel (and still do) is that they love motorsports and is willing to provide such great material for racing fans. My first taste of Australian V8 Supercars on TV was back in 2000 or 2001 when Speed Channel used to be Speedvision. The spellbinding thing about all of this is that the Australian V8 Supercar Series was perceived and recognized so well that we not only get Bathurst coverage, but LIVE Bathurst coverage. These same V8 Supercars will race around Circuit of the Americas in 2013. So this is a win-win for any racing fan. This is a weekend you have to enjoy if you are any kind of racing fan in the United States.

Many people think Speedvision's luster was lost the more Speed has started towards becoming more about NASCAR and reality TV. Fact is, Speed hasn't entirely lost what makes the channel what it is- a world of racing and a love of racing worldwide. Even though most of the coverage on the network mostly favors NASCAR and other kinds of American racing, the network still remains in touch with most of the rest of the world of racing. This is a network that knows what the heck they're talking about and knows racing better than any other network. I'd hate for this to be some... you know, highlight-laden deal on ESPN or something with substandard coverage. If this race was going to be shown live on TV for the first time in America, it needs to be done right. And Speed has done it... right, but with a few asterisks.

To be honest... I don't agree with having native TV crews calling down certain races. I am going to watch a major international race for that race, and I don't really need to have a certain domestic crew call down racing action. I appreciate mostly the world feed crew to call races. Take MotoGP coverage, for instance. I'm okay hearing Nick Harris and Gavin Emmett with Mark Bracks for MotoGP coverage. Of course, I do love hearing Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, Steve Matchett, and Will Buxton for F1 coverage on Speed Channel. But for the World Superbike and MotoGP races in the States, we usually hear Ralph Sheheen and Freddie Spencer, and sometimes Leigh Diffey. I'd even be inclined to hear Leigh Diffey do play-by-play for this race and maybe someone else for analysis. Or in a dream scenario, you could have Leigh Diffey and Marcos Ambrose (if Ambrose wanted to return home to Australia just for the Bathurst 1000) calling the action. It just... I would be okay with the usual Australian crew call down this race. You don't have to Americanize the coverage just to appease the American fans.

One last time... no more "boogity, boogity, boogity!" to begin coverage of this race! The Australian V8's is NOT NASCAR, and Bathurst isn't Darlington or some place. So no need to use this catchphrase for a race like this in a series like this. Please?





I am not here to spoil this race. So congratulations to (the 2011 Bathurst 1000 winners) on a job well done! I hope you liked my own review of the Speed Channel coverage of the 2011 Bathurst 1000. You all are free to express your own opinions as well here. More blog posts on various other topics are in the works! So if you loved your John's Blog Space experience, feel free to Subscribe and Follow. Thank you for reading!

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Sony MDR-V150

(UPDATED: April 12, 2012)

Allow me to take some time to recognize a pair of headphones I use and still use. The Sony MDR-V150 model headphones are headphones I have bought and used before (including right now). I've owned about two or three of these total. Should you consider getting these headphones? Before going any further, here is a picture of the headphones I will discuss in this post:

Sony MDR-V150.

^ from: amazon.com - The Sony MDR-V150 headphones deliver studio-quality sound for much less than most other headphones.


Now back to the original question- should you (yes, you) consider getting these headphones? The answer I'd give you is... yes! Why? Among other reasons, the sound quality is superb for headphones that cost as much as they do. They cost about $25 US Dollars (give or take) at many stores. Three feet of cord allows you to listen to anything from a good distance. A shielded adapter is included for larger headphone jack ports. The ear cups are reversible, so you can listen to something from just one ear comfortably. Speaking of comfortable, they are comfortable to wear and adjust on the head and on your ears. I can't think of many reasons why you SHOULDN'T get these headphones.

What I love most is that these headphones deliver great sound quality while also being very durable. They deliver amazing sound quality for a pair of headphones that cost about $25 US Dollars or less from Wal-Mart. I've been notorious for messing up headphones back when I was going to my community college. These held their weight pretty well. In my view, why waste money on a super high-end pair of headphones when these do the job just fine for much less?

If you are looking for a pair of headphones, you can plunk down the money for a pair of flashy headphones with cool graphics or hyper-realistic sound quality. Or... you can purchase these fairly inexpensive and durable headphones that will last you at least a year or two. Trust me. Each pair of this model headphones have lasted me at least a year for the two or three I've owned. It is really worth the buy. They may not look flashy or have super impressive sound quality, but these do more than enough to hold themselves up for quite some time.





This is all just a recommendation for you music listeners out there. I hope you enjoyed my quasi-review of the Sony MDR-V150 headphones. Would you like your own pair (if my review has convinced you)? If so, you can find them at just about any electronics store, just about any electronics department of stores, and of course... Amazon. Have a look at these headphones on Amazon to learn more about their specifications and to buy them (I would appreciate your business if you buy from Amazon):


^ Sony MDR-V150 Monitor Series Headphones with Reversible Cups.

Again, I would appreciate it if you loved my review and want to buy these. I don't know if my blog posts mean anything to you if you don't comment back after reading. So PLEASE let me know if my posts mean anything to you. If my presence online means anything to you, please Follow and/or subscribe to my blog(s), "Like" me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter... just show me you care in a way you are most comfortable doing so. That's all I ask. Just show me you care. Make my day just 0.01% better so I can live happier each day. Thank you for reading!

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Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB Headset

Logitech's ClearChat USB headset is a headset to consider if you want a USB headset. I got it for Christmas in 2010. The Swiss electronics giant has made some quality products for what I've owned from them. Having said this, is the ClearChat Comfort USB one of those quality products, or is it a disappointing Logitech product? This blog post will let you in on my thoughts on the Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB Headset.

A Blogging Note:

I had initially planned on doing one blog post on multiple Logitech products, including this item I will review; but I have canceled those plans. So enjoy this review of this headset.

--- Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB Headset ---

Here is the ClearChat Comfort USB Headset from Logitech:


^ from: kaboodle.com - the ClearChat Comfort Headset from Logitech.

Basics.

This USB headset allows you to enjoy voice chatting, making audio recordings, and even just simply listening to audio on your computer or laptop. The left side of the headset features the microphone portion. Pull it down to be able to speak into the microphone comfortably. The right-hand side features a bunch of controls. If you do not want the microphone to be engaged, you can press a button that disengages the microphone. You will know that the microphone is disengaged if you see a red light shining on the microphone part. There is also a part of the right-hand side that has three different listening settings. The right-hand side also has its own volume control. Press on the top side or the bottom side to adjust the volume. All of this comes with an 8-foot long cable to connect to the PC via a USB port (either 1.1 or 2.0 USB).

Not only is this good for your PC/laptop, you can also engage in voice chatting on other devices. For example, I've played "Test Drive Unlimited 2" on my PlayStation 3 and used my ClearChat Comfort USB headset to engage in voice chat. My voice was projected clearly, and I was able to even intercept a few voice chat sessions while playing. I could clearly hear other players. If you do use this for gaming devices that allow for USB connections, make sure to set up everything to effectively use the headset. In fact, when I saw something online asking whether to go with a Bluetooth headset or a USB headset, the hands-down winner was the use of a USB headset.

It can also be a good headset for those of you who use Skype or any other voice chatting application. So there are a number of different usese for this headset, but it all begins with

Quality.

Vocal projection is clear and crisp when speaking. A video on YouTube I've one seen said that the ClearChat Comfort USB offers podcast-quality audio. I once considered podcasting. So when hearing that phrase, I was pretty pleased that vocal quality can be THAT crisp.

Overall Review.

Priced between $30 US Dollars and $50 US Dollars at most stores (like Wal-Mart), the ClearChat USB Headset is pretty capable and rather inexpensive to enjoy voice chatting. It is a great way to enjoy voice chatting as well as casually listening to media on your PC. Recording input and output are both solid. I had owned an older USB headset that had only one ear to it. It was great because you could set up the microphone to be on either ear. This one, unfortunately has only left-side microphone output. That's really the only deterrent to this headset. Otherwise, you can not go wrong with this headset if you want to do any voice chatting.





Did you enjoy this review and want to get these yourself? Then, I invite you to buy these on Amazon by clicking on the product link below. I hope I have convinced you with this review if you want to get these. Click on the item(s) below if you want to buy these on Amazon (I would appreciate your business if you do):



(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)
• Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB Headset.
• Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB Headset with Laser-Tuned Audio.
• Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB Headset-Black.
• Logitech ClearChat Comfort USB Headset (Wireless).

Thank you for reading!

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PlayStation Home

LAST UPDATED: July 2, 2011 - edited material

Part of my maturation with the PlayStation 3 is in getting adjusted to the many features the PS3 offers. One such thing I downloaded for the PS3 is PlayStation Home. PlayStation Home is the work of Sony Computer Entertainment London Studio and has been around since December 2008. PS Home is a social networking gaming medium where PSN users can connect to this virtual city with all kinds of features and things to do. It's almost like (though I have NO experience with it) Second Life, but it is for gaming. You are able to connect with other PSN users and check out some of their avatars. PlayStation Home is completely free (just like a PlayStation Network account is free), but there are items in the game that can be purchased either with your own money or with funds from a PlayStation Network gift card. This is a little blog post talking about my PS Home adventures so far and how I feel about PS Home.

NOTE: PlayStation Home is still a Beta as of the date of this initial blog post (June 15, 2011). The current version of Home is Version 01.50 as of this initial post.

--- PlayStation Home ---

^ from: thedriverid.wordpress.com - SCE London created PlayStation Home. Since its creation, many PlayStation Network users worldwide have connected through Home to play, interact, and have fun.

PlayStation Home is all about connecting and having fun. In case you're wondering, yes. This is the first blog post on Home since mentioning Home in "Avatars and Virtual Reality." Home allows you to communicate with others and have fun. You can play a variety of arcade games as well as real ones. Get yourself noticed by playing games. You can download extra items to help enhance your Home experience. Of course, you can also meet many new people worldwide through Home. Feel free to chat with others either by text or by voice chat. People online say that if you do voice chat, there are those who recommend you do so with a USB headset.

Here are some of the finer points of PS Home...

Getting Started.

When you have downloaded Home to your PS3, you will be presented with your own room. It's called your Personal Space. The living quarters for you is Harbour Studio, a beautiful contemporary room where the view of the water and all the boats are in the distance.

PlayStation Home starts you off with an avatar. This will be the avatar you use as your public image. Dress yourself up however you please. Re-create yourself or come up with a totally different person online. It's all up to you. More on the finer elements of avatar creation will be discussed later. What about your personal space? You are free to modify or add furniture to your personal space. Make it as fancy or as cool as you like.

Playing games and receiving items will allow you to enhance your image to a great deal. You can use items you've earned in games or in purchases to dress yourself up or your avatar up. Just downloading or visiting certain spaces can net you some items to dress up yourself or your Personal Space.

Basic Controls.

The majority of your actions are dependent on your pad. Press [Start] to access your Menu Pad. This is kind of like your iPad that allows you to access a variety of options. This includes things like Wardrobe, Navigation, Options, Alerts (when available), and more. Use your left analog stick to move your avatar around the area he/she is in. When you come across something that can be accessed in a menu, press [X] to pull up a menu with all sorts of options for you to access. Go back or cancel certain items by pressing the [Circle] button. Create your own text to use as a message to someone or to the chat room by pressing the [Triangle] button. Press [Left] on the D-pad to access the text chat, or press [Right] on the D-Pad to access the voice chat. Remember to hold down [R2] to initiate speaking. When you're done, release the R2 trigger to stop the voice chat.

Press [L1] to access your quick reactions. Whatever you select in this menu will show up in the Chat Room window. Press [R1] to access your menu of avatar actions and status updates. Who knows? You might put on enough of a show to get noticed by somebody!

Finally, press [Select] to access your safe menu. This can allow you to re-enter your personal space, or more importantly... submit reports about suspicious people on Home.

--- PlayStation Home: Avatars ---

^ Myself in PlayStation Home. I tried to re-create myself as best as I could. I was unfortunately unable to find a decent pair of glasses for my Home Avatar.

From the previous section, I will discuss more on the finer elements of Home. This section focuses in on your avatar.

PlayStation Home allows you to change up your avatar to whatever you like. You have four options when starting out:

• Presets - Can't decide on how to customize your avatar? Choose from a set of preset characters.
• Character - edit the non-aesthetic elements of your avatar. You can even choose whether to use a male or female avatar.
• Clothing - edit the avatar's clothing.
• Load/Save - Store or save your characters for future usage. You can save as many as 24 different characters.

Avatars » Presets.

Choose from one of 18 different pre-made avatars to help you get started. If you are using an existing character, all of the changes you made to it will be lost. So it's best you save your current character before using a preset. The preset models include both male and female avatars.

Avatars » Character.

The key physical attributes of your character are contained in the Character menu. Those attributes include:

• Gender - choose between male or female
• Structure - choose the structure for the avatar's jawline, nose, eyes, etc.
• Face - precisely frame your avatar's face.
• Body - adjust the width and height of your avatar.
• Skin - change skin features as well as skin color.
• Hair - choose between a number of options for hairstyle, eyebrows, and facial hair (MALE only).
• Makeup (FEMALE only) - edit options for makeup. Options include eye shadow, eye liner, blush, and lipstick. Only for Female avatars.

These options help define the physical attributes of your avatar. Re-create yourself or make your own public face on Home. It's up to you.

Avatars » Clothing.

As anyone even remotely into fashion would know, clothing is what helps you make your statement to the world. This is your chance to dress yourself up however you choose.

• Head - put on various accessories for your head including caps and hats.
• Hands - you can wear gloves or other items for your hands.
• Torso - clothes for your upper body. Choose from a variety of tops to wear.
• Legs - clothes for your lower body. Choose from a variety of bottoms including jeans, pants, skirts, and more.
• Feet - give your avatar some shoes to wear, or even go barefoot.
• Jewelry - your avatar can wear jewelry. Items can either be worn on one ear, or on both ears.
• Accessories - for your avatar, this adds items to your avatar's face and head. Face items include glasses. Head items include headphones.
• Outfits - complete outfits are available for your avatar. Whatever your avatar is wearing prior to an outfit being worn will still be available even when he/she wears the outfit. All past changes prior to the new outfit will be saved and re-accessed once you stop wearing the outfit.
• Storage - put aside old items to be used again in the future.

I made two avatars- one resembling me, and a female avatar. It doesn't really make a difference how you go. It's your avatar- do what you want and dress as you please. To get more items for your avatar, you'll need to do some shopping on PS Home.

Avatars » Load/Save.

This section is self-explanatory. Save your characters (you can save up to 24) to your PS3's hard disk drive, or load your characters you've already created.


I touched up on it in the Avatars » Clothing section- if you want more clothes, you'll need to do some shopping. That brings me to this next section...

--- PlayStation Home: Game Spaces and Personal Spaces ---

What you have starting out is good, but you can do a lot more. You need to download other spaces to be able to enjoy your Home experience. They can be downloaded to be part of many more experiences. Download these spaces to your heart's content. Extra items you explore from the Navigator can be downloaded to enhance your Home experience. I will explain a few of them to you.

Central Plaza.

Personally, I think Central Plaza is the best way to meet new people and connect with new people on Home. It is also where you can chat via text or with voice chat. Consider this the living space for many people within the PS Home universe. This is where many people among the PlayStation Home universe converge and interact. If you turn around behind you, you can re-access the Harbour Studio.

You can run around the Central Plaza to access many different items in the area. Some of them will be explained later in this blog post. You can head over to where a lot of people hang out at and dance at the "Listen@Home" area (explained later). Songs are chosen as you're able to groove to the music.

The big fountain in the center of Central Plaza can be used to play any number of available games.

Mall.

Visit the Mall to shop for items to dress yourself and your personal space. Items purchased will be available to you to access and use per your request. There are many stores to choose from with all sorts of items. Make sure to drop by often to check out the latest items available for download and/or purchase.

Theater.

The theater allows you to check out many different videos. Want to keep tabs on the latest videos to a variety of shows and programs? Want to check out the latest podcasts? You can through the Theater.

Bowling Alley.

Just chill out and go for some bowling here. If you don't fancy bowling, however, you can play games like pool or any of the arcade games. Ice Breaker and echochrome can be played among others. Not sure if games rotate or if different games are offered at different times, but this zone is all about having fun.

LOOT Launch Pad.

Enter this zone complete with many different things to see and explore. Plus... you'll go outer space!

Listen@Home.

It's an outdoor dance party, and you're invited to check out the cool music bumping with the Listen@Home feature. You can listen to a variety of tunes as well as vote on the next tune to be played. This is where you will commonly see avatars dance the day/night away.


Here are some more items:

Gamer's Lounge.

Connect with other gamers and even take part in special gaming meets with the Gamer's Lounge.

Home Mansion.

Let's face it... you may never be rich and/or famous, so leave it to PlayStation Home. Live the rich lifestyle.

The Playground.

It may be an urban jungle resembling Brooklyn, but to the urban set, this is a paradise for dancing and playing basketball. Enjoy your stay in the ghetto when you download the Playground! :)


As I mentioned earlier, the way to make the most out of Home is to access other spaces. The best way to see these places is to go to Explore from the Navigator menu. All of these extra places can be downloaded to your PS3. Many of them take anywhere between 15 MB to 30 MB to download. More complex ones may run you by about 40 MB in size or more. For what I know, these extras are completely free.

Personal Spaces can only be bought, though some may be offered for free. That leads to the next section...

--- PlayStation Home: Store ---

Shop for items for your avatar and your personal space. You can also purchase games from PlayStation Network. There are a lot of items for which you can access online. An array of items can be bought even in other spaces by accessing the Store feature. For example, the Central Plaza space has an item that looks like an ATM. By accessing this one, you can check out all available items for you to purchase through the Store.

No Money? No Problem!

PlayStation Home's store allows you to shop for items for your avatar and your Personal Space, but what if you don't have any money or funds from a PlayStation Network gift card? No worries! Look for "100 Free Items." This is an assortment of items offered for free to customize your avatar and your personal space. I am not sure how often 100 Free Items is updated. Not sure if it's weekly, monthly, or whatever. Take advantage of this opportunity if you are able to access the 100 Free Items deal for PlayStation Home store.

--- PlayStation Home Review ---

I really want to try to make my PlayStation Home fun and meet people. If Home is still a Beta (as of this initial blog post), then I'd like to imagine how it will be like when it is no longer a Beta because Home is a great way to connect with other users in a virtual space. You can receive more items either through playing games or by buying them at various stores within the PlayStation Home spaces. There is no shortage of places to visit or things to do. So go download PlayStation Home for your PS3 and have fun!

Besides friends of mine on GTPlanet, I have failed in meeting more people. I have failed to successfully chat with someone on Home (whether by text or by voice).



Feel free to connect with me on PSN if you like. Connect with me by checking out my PSN portable ID:


Get your Portable ID!

"JMarine25" is my PSN ID. Feel free to connect with yours truly.

Recommended Reading...

I mentioned avatars and virtual reality before. To read up on that, check out "Avatars and Virtual Reality" here on John's Blog Space.





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