Interesting reading for February 23, 2007
New York Times: Microsoft in MP3 patent spat
Mercuy News: Google set to start filtering YouTube videos
BBC: Emotion robots learn from people
NY Daily News: Britney turns into a monster
Paula Zahn’s Special On Hip Hop Prompts Flurry of Activity
Paula Zahn’s recent segment on hip hop/rap ignited many searches on Google, AOL, Yahoo and other properties. I wasn’t expecting my recent entry about her show to be so well received, and I believe it’s a real indicator about the state of hip hop, its presence and future.
There are some who believe I dislike the genre as a whole, which is simply untrue. There are some great, socially conscious artists promoting positive messages in their music. I am mad crazy about Black Eyed Peas’ “Where Is The Love” — not only is it catchy, but lyrically, it sends a profound message: “Where IS the LOVE?” It’s an infectious number and I was immediately drawn to the track when I first heard it.
So, no, not all hip hop/rap is bad. Yet, there has to be a line drawn when the industry promotes violence and other harmful ideas and concepts. Also, for those who are consuming the “bad stuff”, I ask this question:
How do you expect to be taken seriously in a world that’s full of stereotypes and ignorance? How do you expect to be treated with respect, when you disrespect yourself with degrading music? Yes, I know, it’s not degrading to you because the beat is “tight” and the lyrics are “right”. It’s cool to be “droppin’ it like it’s hot” in the club or in your car with the windows down.
There’s nothing cool about it. Reconsider what you’re injecting into your mind. It’s more harmful than you realize. It’s easy to become what you consume.
Ronald Lewis Dot Com Valued at $94,278.18
There are a number of “domain appraisal” tools available online to assess the value of a website. Through digg.com, a popular website, I found Dan Carlson’s blog and his much talked about appraisal tool. As we are all aware, the Internet is quite a valuable space and if you don’t have something already established, it’s time to get to work.
As of today, ronaldlewis.com is worth an astounding $94,278.18! I did not expect this number, however, it is the best indicator of the work which has gone into my website over the past year or so. Even though my website has been in existence since 1999, it was only in 2005 when I got serious about pursuing the Internet as a full-time gig.
Perhaps this number is convincing enough that I mean business and more people will take the hard work I’ve put into my blogging and podcasting more seriously. As many of you are probably aware, I am still looking for a major sponsor of the Interviews Podcast. From now own, I guess I’ll refer people to the value of my web presence, rather than trying to sell them on the likes of Craig Newmark (Craiglist), Southwest Airlines, and other prominent entrepreneurs and industry titans that have appeared on my podcasts as a “selling point”.
My blog is worth $94,278.18.
How much is your blog worth?
Barack Obama isn’t an ‘African-American’
I am tired of our nation’s obsession with irrelevant and unfounded PC terms — I could blow a gigabyte about right now! And unfortunately, Barack isn’t helping the problem by identifying himself as ‘Black’ and ‘African-American’.
I’d prefer Barack NOT play up the race labels or try to appease groups of people identifying with these irrelevant labels. The only thing Barack needs to concern himself with is securing a seat in the White House. To my knowledge, Barack was NOT born in an African country. Thus, he isn’t an ‘African-American’, and again, nor is he ‘Black’.
Contrary to popular belief, one’s skin color is a poor indication of one’s background. Does my skin look ‘Black’ to you? Hell, I don’t belong to a damn tribe, I’ve never even set foot on the African continent. How the hell can anyone presume Barack or myself — because of skin color — belong to a continent we weren’t born on?
Let’s get real Barack, and America! I know Barack’s heart is in the right place for our nation — which is why I’m supporting him for President — but please, Barack, if we’re going to fix the problem which is race and division in our country, you cannot go around campaigning as something you’re NOT. That’s backwards! You’re BETTER than this. Don’t fall prey to the sensitivities of those who are ’stuck’ on the concepts of our nation’s past.
And to the media: Stop spreading the nonsense! You support and encourage the brainwashing of our nation on a daily basis. Put an end to it — NOW!
CNN: 25 Startups To Watch
CNNMoney.com just published their “25 Startups To Watch” list. The Top 5 from the list:
1. StumbleUpon
2. Slide
3. Bebo
4. Meebo
5. Wikia
I do not agree with the #6 placement of Joost, the upcoming Internet Television service from Kazaa and Skype co-founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis. This easily deserves at least the #2 spot, as their service will redefine the way we watch and receive traditional broadcast television content. It’s the world’s first global TV/IPTV platform — that counts for something.