Google is Big Brother!

Okay, one sure way to piss me off is to block my email first thing in the morning on Monday after a holiday for no reason. What the hell is a Sector 6? The following a what I received after I was blocked and had to fill out a form.

Hello,

Thanks for your report. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience.
For your security, we may temporarily disable access to your account if
our system detects abnormal usage. It will take between one minute and 24
hours for you to regain access, depending on the behavior our system
detected.

Abnormal usage includes, but is not limited to:

- Receiving, deleting, or popping out large amounts of mail (via POP) in a
short period of time
- Sending a large number of undeliverable messages (messages that bounce
back)
- Using third party file-sharing or storing software, or software that
automatically logs in to your account and that is not supported by Gmail
- Multiple instances of your Gmail account opened
- Browser-related issues. Please note that if you find your browser
continually reloading while attempting to access your inbox, it is likely
a browser issue, and it may be necessary to clear your browser's cache and
cookies.

If you feel that access should not have been disabled, please visit
https://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=53897 for
troubleshooting tips.

Sincerely,

The Google Team

Okay Google Team, here's my Sector 6...Bye Bye for good. I am back to Yahoo!, remember Yahoo!, they are the company that is worth $100 billion less than Google...for no good reason!

So, after a while Google let's me receive email, then I get this error?






And, then this bullshit explaination...

Signed vs. unsigned artist

What does this mean? This is about the line between being a signed artist and being unsigned, or an Independent artist.

This line is blurred now and will completely disappear in a matter of years...as should DRM!

So, I suggest that all independent artists sign themselves. Manage your own destiny, own your content and hire a manager to do what the "labels" did...before the Internet.

• PR
• Tours
• Production
• Distribution

With MySpace, CD Baby, night clubs, Internet radio...and soon Embarka's Music Agent™, why wait?

Are David Bowie, James Taylor, White Snake, or Rush waiting? They know the game and have embraced the business side. It's not the "Man", it's your business. If you think just playing gigs or writing songs and putting out an album is what this business is about you are naive. So, sign yourself, leverage the Internet and the forces of change to exploit your career. You do not need to be signed…sign yourself and use this awesome new change agent called the Internet, MySpace and Embarka’s Music Agent™ widget to reach your full potential.

Embarka Digital Media

Clearly, this is my favorite pet project that has been amazingly difficult to fund. Maybe I just haven't found the right audience. But, Embarka has evolved nicely and is on track in spite of our bank balances. We have shifted the business strategy from being a destination web site (like all other web sites) to one that will be syndicated. This Embarka Music Agent™ has been designed to go with the artists...wherever they go physically or virtually. It's our backend and their music. It's our shopping cart and payment gateway, and their music. We promote them to clubs and enable them to book gigs online. This powerful little application is exactly what every musician, or any artists for that matter needs to run their business. It sits on their web site or blog, even MySpace profile and never, ever leaves their web site. It makes them money, manages their fan base, connects them with other artists while working behind the scenes as their virtual gig booking music agent.

This powerful tool set is set to launch as soon as Embarka has 2,000 beta testers signed up…It’s free! So…go to www.embarka.com to sign up to be a beta tester and help launch this cool tool!

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Technology

IMAGINE THIS...

A new mobile technology that serves you…using natural language and speech recognition…

…in a natural voice that learns and takes direction from you…

…your web personality…on your telephone, laptop, PC…

…wherever you go…working for you and on behalf of you.

10 years ago General Magic kind of tried this with Portico. Stay tuned, I have a bit of interesting and exceedingly exciting news about a start-up called Talktiva. This Company has a killer IVR application and is expecting to "stun" the mobile telephony world with their controversial IVR technology.

Reality Bites

I guess I just don't get it. I love independent music and have high regard for independent musicians but I can't stand American Idol. It's painful. Paula has to be drunk but is in denial about it. Simon is rude and socially unacceptable…albeit accurate most of the time and Randy, well, he just wants to fit in.

The songs they select are dated and lately all sound like a commercial for Michael Jackson…remember him? The contestants are as rough as they can be. Is this some weird attempt to show a before and after photo of how Idol can make barely talented common folk rock stars?

Host Brian is surprisingly, normal this year. He tends to comfort the verbally and emotionally whipped wannabe stars and asks nearly closed-ended and simple questions after each performance. This reality bites.

Widgets are everywhere

Yup, another technology bandwagon...

These powerful mini applications are fast-tracking a new way to advertise, connect and transact business. Watch out for a cool, newly evolved approach to help embarka race to become the leader in the new music business. So, here's our version...I can't wait for this baby to be up.

Here's the plan: Everybody wins... Got it!

Morphing can be a great thing

Great ideas never ever become great companies because the founders stayed the course. Good ideas become great ideas because great entrepreneurs and their advisor's continue to modify and evolve the idea from original concept from polished great idea to launched company.

Case study:
SnapX, a code name for an idea that has morphed so many times the only thing left is 50% of the original name. But, that's a good thing. The founder's original vision was a good idea not a big/great idea. Over a year has gone by and only one of the original three founders remains. And, only about 10% of the original idea remains too. New founders, bigger idea, better team, better timing and now it may just be a great big idea than can be financed.

Being a patient technology start-up is an oxymoron. But the reality is, in most cases, the amount of time it takes to bring an idea to market is exactly the right amount of time. Rush it and it will likely be the wrong idea, managed by the wrong team and launched at the wrong time. Ideas, like cake, need time to bake. The team must take the time to vet the concept, conduct research, take surveys, write the concept paper...again and again. Change the revenue model...again, and again. Add excited advisors...then remove them for lack of enthusiasm. Hire an attorney and a fund raiser, then fire them both. Change the name, the logo, the color, buy then sell office furniture and write the business plan...again and again and again...

Long before an idea is ready to present to the world, it must twist, change, bleed and morph into something great; otherwise it's just a good idea. The world doesn't need another good idea.