Archive for January, 2010

The History of Emergency Radio & Current Uses

Sunday, January 31st, 2010


The emergency radio has been used for many years to communicate. It is a radio device that is designed to remain functional, even without any power flowing to it. It is a radio that can be used when the power has gone out, or when a person has no other contact with civilization. These radios are designed to be able to run on almost no power.

Emergency radios have been around as long as radios have been around. The first emergency radios were radios designed to be used by the army or in other war time situations. They were radios that could transmit signals on short wave radio waves to other parties. Indeed, these were the first walkie-talkies and were used for soldiers to communicate with others. As the radio industry flourished, and more and more people tuned into it, the emergency radio industry got even larger.

As more households got radios, people began to realize that in the case of emergencies, radios would be the best way to get word out to the largest number of people. However, since radios ran on electricity, they needed to develop radios that did not need this source of power. The reason that emergency radios became so popular is that it was realized that even when the main power was knocked out, the radio waves continued to flow. Therefore, during even the bleakest emergencies, people could still gather information on the radio.

As time progressed, battery powered radios were developed. These were the first emergency radios that could run without a major source of power. The batter powered radio allow for more than just emergency use. It also spawned a brand new generation of radio listeners, who were happy to be able to take their music and information with them wherever they went. Gradually, these regular radios turned into emergency radios.

While the regular radios cover the standard FM and AM circuits, most emergency radios are designed to cover much more than that. This is because during a major power outage, there might also be problems with the FM and AM stations, and they might not be able to broadcast as they have been. The emergency radios do cover these channels, but also cover the shortwave radio channels. This is because shortwave radio channels are easier to keep running, and in the event of a major emergency they would be the most likely radio stations to work.

Emergency radios can also cover the weather radio stations where they are available. Basically put, an emergency radio can tune into almost all of the available channels. This allows them to be able to tune into any thing that might be broadcast during an emergency.

The most important thing with all emergency radios is that they are able to keep their power for as long as possible. It is never certain when the power will come back on, or when a person will be able to find out more information from another source. Therefore, the emergency radios must last as long as possible. Developers of emergency radios have come up with several ways to make this happen.

Most of the time, these radios are designed to use as little battery as possible. They do this by having units that run on a very small amount of power, and also that have very large batteries, so that they will last a long time. However, that is not all. Some of the newer versions can create their own power, which make them even more versatile.

The newer emergency radios are actually modeled on the older versions of radios. Before batteries were small items that were easily used up and thrown away, a battery had to be manually cranked in order to be charged. Therefore, the newer emergency radios operate on this principle. They have hand cranked batteries, which means that a person can crank the battery case, and generate enough power to use the radio. The crank powers a battery that is rechargeable, so the battery can store the power until it is used again.

Also, newer emergency radios can tap into sources that used to be completely unusable. Some of the radios that are on the market today are even made to be able to recharge from wall current – even if the general power is off in a building. These remarkable radios can run almost indefinitely on this type of power. This is a major advancement, because the radios are able to tap into the power that is left in the wall even when the power is out.

Myspace Song Play Counts Are Important For A Music Promotion Strategy For Artist And Bands

Sunday, January 31st, 2010


Myspace is not just a trendy fad, nor is it just for those wanting to find long lost friends. It is a viable solution to a very real problem faced by many new bands and musicians struggling with a way to market and promote their sound. It is one of the best ways on the web to connect and interact with anyone from anywhere. Many musicians and people have found themselves on Myspace because of all these benefits.

The benefit of outweighs any prejudices about it being full of teenagers with nothing more to do than chat and exchange party pictures. Myspace represents the best way to advertise and market, using a mix of viral marketing and self promotion. It allows musicians to interact and contact not only peers but fans. A glance at some of the more successful musicians who use Myspace will reveal the benefits of this site.

One of the obvious and most sought after benefit is recognition. Knowing that your band is out there, that your band has talent, skill and a possibility of making a difference is one of the best benefits of using Myspace. It may seem a daunting task to gain this recognition but it can be easy, at least a lot easier than for those who do not have opportunity to get out there and promote their band.

More people will come to know your band if your band has a presence on the Myspace charts. Much like the Billboard Charts, these charts track popular musicians through each genre or through the overall site. Recognition starts here and the quickest way to reach the charts is by having a high play count for your songs.

While you could hope and pray that enough people will listen to your songs to earn your place among the top you can also take your fate into your own hands and use promotional tools. Use a service that is proven with the major labels and top recording artists today, one has been helping musicians increase their play count number which leads to more recognition, and has become a trusted resource for many musicians.

Keeping that recognition can be hard if you ignore your fans but musicians who are confident, friendly, and personable will not have to worry about that, with the aid of the Friend button, blogs, bulletins, and even with the ability to upload pictures to help them along.

Go out there and add anyone who you admire, anyone you know, and anyone who has expressed interest in your work. Communicate with your fans and friends and show them your band and any shows you’ve played through pictures.

This will help keep fans coming back for more and word of your hospitality and personality will spread quickly earning you more fans and more recognition. Advertise yours shows to get larger crowds and pretty soon you will find yourself playing larger events and venues.

The marketing phenomenon of Myspace should not be overlooked or ignored. The benefits of this site just might include launching your career. With enough recognition, you may just draw the attention of someone with connections that will be able to help bring your name and your music to an even larger crowd.

Halloween Songs: Get Ready to be Spooked

Friday, January 29th, 2010


October 31st, to some it’s the best night of their life. Halloween is a night filled with goblins, zombies, monsters, and witches. For children, it is also a fun holiday where they can be anything or anyone their minds can dream up. They dress up as their favorite cartoon characters, superheroes, and princesses. They go door to door collecting candy to put in their jack-o-lantern candy pails saying, “Trick or treat!”

For the parents and adults, the dark side is brought out in all of us. We get to bring our alter egos to life as we dress up in costumes. There are Halloween parties, parades, and festivals that last all night long. After the trick or treaters are tucked away in bed or safe at grandma’s house, the adults throw parties. There are common party songs that you are likely to hear at Halloween parties that will never go out of style. Here is a list of the best songs to play at your Halloween party.

The most popular song that everyone will find themselves dancing and singing to is “Monster Mash” by Bobby Picket. “He did the mash. He did the monster mash. The monster mash. It was a graveyard smash. He did the mash. It caught on in a flash. He did the mash. He did the monster mash” (Pickett, Garpax Records). The song became a hit in 1962 and has topped the list of Halloween favorites ever since.

Another popular song and music video played at parties is “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. The legendary zombie dance moves and makeup made the video a hit. The song is spooky and contains sound effects of zombies, coffins, screams, and graveyard noises. The song was released in 1982 and contained scary lyrics such as these, “It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark. Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart. You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it. You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes. You’re paralyzed” (Jackson, Epic Records).

A song sure to be played at your party is Ray Parker Jr’s “Ghostbusters.” Not only is it a great Halloween song, but it was also the theme song to the movie called Ghostbusters which came out in the early 1980s. “An invisible man sleeping in your bed. Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!” (Parker, Arista, Geffen, MCA, Indie). The song was number one for three weeks in 1984.

If you are more into rock songs, you’ll probably recognize this favorite from White Zombie called “I’m Your Boogieman.” The song is a cover that KC and The Sunshine Band originally recorded. “I’m your boogieman. That’s what I am. I’m here to do whatever I can. Be it early mornin’, late afternoon

Or at midnight, it’s never too soon.” (Zombie, Geffen Records).

What are some of your Halloween favorites?