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I think it's amazing what's happening around us technically. From the way we get our news, entertainment and communicate with each other is radically different from how our parents did only a few short decades ago. I mean, what would Hosni Mobarak be doing right now without FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube?
Which brings me to my fourth tech-love: PANDORA. This iPhone App has changed the way I listen to music. Depending on my mood, and I have mood swings, I chose a channel on the list and off it goes. You can select a genre or an artist. If I hit the Ozzy Station, I'm sure to hear him as well as bands he was in as well as those who sound like him like Preist, Metalica and Deep Purple. If I want to chill out, I select Portishead and enjoy tracks from Massive Attack, Morcheeba and Pink Martini. Who knew?
Think about traditional radio. It's their job to introduce you to new music while convincing you that you like what they're playing. It’s natural. That’s what they have to do to stay in business. The pop music world is about convincing people that’s how you belong, that’s how you are cool. People are insecure about their musical taste because of the music industry. The broadcast world is essentially a one-playlist world. Radio can run only one playlist at a time.
The reason I bring this up in a Blog post today is because Pandora is about to go IPO. The company co-founded by Tim Westergren and Joe Kennedy, has stopped losing money and about to turn dollar #1. Those of us who enjoy the online program appreciate the significance of such a threshold. How will the medium change? Will we be singled out for more focused advertising? Would any of that matter to any of us who'd like to continue our musical isolationism?
So what's so special about Pandora? The Music Genome Project. That's it. As you play one of your "stations", you give a thumbs up or down on the choices Pandora thinks you'd like. It "learns" what you like as you participate.
I have a Genesis station on my iPhone list. If they or something close to it ever played on my Ozzy station, I would hit the thumbs down symbol. Same goes for Ozzy showing up on the Genesis station. in either instance, that song would never play on that particular station again. Not that I would expect either example to occur. The Genome Project already deters such an occurrence by default. But it's fun to imagine.
According to a quote from WikiPedia: The Music Genome is a collection of the most basic attributes that collectively define a song. Without the right word choice for describing the parts of a song our business wouldn’t have worked. We try to break down every dimension of a song to its most basic building blocks—like melody, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, vocal performance. Vocal performance gets probably 30 attributes. Tom Waits is a gravelly baritone, with almost no bravado. Beyoncé, she’s an alto with bravado galore.
According to Newser.com: The Internet radio service filed for an IPO it hopes will raise $100 million and give it the chance to turn a profit for the first time. Though some 80 million listeners tune in, Pandora is largely free; it lost $16.8 million for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2010, but only $300,000 from that period through Oct. 31, 2010. It coughs up 60% of its revenues to pay performance royalties.
Anyone within my readership looking for something fresh to invest in, might want to have a good look at PANDORA. I'm just sayin.
Believe it or not, I have a soft side. Pictured here with me is Paul Michael Gilbert. Born Wednesday morning May 6th at the Kingston Hospital. His proud parents, Mark and Michele live here in Kingston and plan to raise all three of the kids within the Kingston School District.
When people ask me what motivates me to continue serving on the Common Council, I could just point to Paul Michael. Indeed, all of us who share the passion to serve in political office, at least at the onset, do it to make tomorrow better and save what's worth saving for the future.
Mark and Michele, like all young families, want the same quality of life and opportunities that all of us desire. There may be hundreds of people looking at this blog per day, but I bet you and all of the residents in Kingston would agree.
Ironically, Mark is one of those self proclaimed geeks everyone is talking about lately. Working with me on some small projects while getting Tempest Media off the ground, a new born changes the paradigm.
The push to enlighten the masses to the wonders of the Digital Corridor Initiative and the regional investment in solar energy product manufacturing couldn't be a better reason for tech savvy entrepreneurs like the Gilbert family to settle down in Kingston.
The passion to serve in any capacity of our city is not limited to one party, economic demographic or educational level. I have great respect for anyone who volunteers on the school or library board, planning or zoning commission, Alderman or Legislator. Little Paul Michael, and all the next generation, is who fuels our desire to make a better tomorrow.
As you see, even a big ogre like me has a soft side. Indeed we all do. I do however, [to a fault] expect others to act upon those noble goals when we engage each other in committees and on the street. I am sometimes disappointed. But will continue to look for the better in everyone because the mission to make tomorrow better demands it.
Note: Mark and Michele would like to convey just how wonderful their experience at Kingston Hospital was during the prenatal, delivery and recovery. Paul being the third child for Michele, ranks the service a 12 when given the choice of 1 to 10.
The future delivery wing and renovations should only secure this reputation for Kingston General.
KUDOs to the hospital staff.
