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I recently saw the upcoming internet music site thesixtyone.com on Digg and decided to check the web start-up out.



If you havent checked it out yourself, thesixtyone.com is a self proclaimed "music adventure" where users have the chance to listen to a variety of music streaming over the internet in a flash browser. The main draw of thesixtyone is a points system where users can level up by listening to new music, inviting new users to the site, and by just logging in daily.

The site encourages you to then spend your points on "bumping" songs. If a song is new or not too popular, it costs more points to give it a bump. As songs work their way up the charts, it gets sent to the hot tab where users can find soon-to-be hits in a multitude of genres.

The site also offers random tracks at the section it calls "The Rack." Here, you are given a play button with some album art where you are encouraged just to hit play. After you play the song, you can learn how many bumps the song has and then download it in many situations. You can also add the song to your profile.



Personal profiles play an important role at thesixtyone.com. Here you can add a picture, choose a couple profile songs, or receive wall posts from your friends. The profile is set up really well, but really could use some more room for personal information so that my profile would feel a little more unique.



To listen to music on the site, a flash player is used on the top of the page. It is a simple player which shows album art, song title and artist, and volume, but this player works extraordinarily well. The music is really good quality for streaming music with no load time. The coolest feature of the little player is it's ability to keep playing songs when you surf around the website, which is a welcome addition for a site which is looking to revamp how you look at social networking.



Another little cool feature for Firefox users is the fact that if you have thesixtyone.com open in another tab, the song which is currently playing will show on the tab keeping you straight on which band and song are playing as you browse.



This all being said, thesixtyone.com still has a long way to go if it wants change the way people look at the attractive combo of free music and social networking. Here are the top five things I see the site needing to fix before it hits the big time.

1. Integration with Facebook/MySpace - The guys over at thesixtyone.com have a great website going on right now. The music player is simple and sounds amazing, which is really important for a music site but something that most other sites find ways to mess up. However, I don't see the site beating out these two networking giants in the near future. We need to see the site integrated into Facebook or MySpace apps and definitely into Google's Open Social to help spread the word about this community.

2. Music organization - The organization on the site isn't bad, but it definitely could see improvement. I see that I can choose genre or if music is hot or not, but where are my alphabetical listings? Can I see what is hot this week compared to this month? I want to be able to just sit and chart tons of different stats to see just what is being listened to. I would also like to see a longer list of genres or maybe some sub-genres. This will give me a way to find artists in my favorite genres, like skate punk or instrumental jazz.

3. Suggestions based off my musical tastes - Thesixtyone.com claims that it is a musical adventure, but it throws users onto the island without a map. Pandora is popular online because it takes bands you like and finds new music you will enjoy based on your tastes. I love my friend Cody Jones because he has similar musical tastes and knows what I like, giving me a long list of bands I would like without me having to do much searching. People don't want to listen to a hundred songs to find one they like. Wouldn't it be sweet if I could export my iTunes library, upload that file to thesixtyone, and then get recommended tracks based on the bands in my library and how many times I listen to certain tracks? Work to integrate that and I will be sold for life.

4. Integrate iTunes, the Zune Marketplace, and other music stores - I really like the ability to click a link and purchase tracks off of Amazon. It really makes it easy to legitimately purchase music I enjoy, but I don't want to use Amazon. From your site, it appears that you receive a small chunk of change for each song you sell. Do everyone a favor and put up links for other popular online music stores. You may see yourselves losing out on some purchases, but the increased traffic and user satisfaction will be well worth it.

5. Add podcasting - I know that thesixtyone is a music site, but the flash player and bump idea are really fresh. The site is really easy for artists to use and add content too, so why not podcasters? You could add tons of great spoken content for free and just add a huge wealth of audio content. Sure it isn't music, but I would love to have a podcast on the site and work for bumps. It would also draw a whole new crowd to the site and add a huge amount of visitors.

All in all, thesixtyone.com is a great music site and definitely worth a look if you are into music in the least bit. The social aspect works real well and with some minor adjustments, this site could really take off in the next couple of months. I will definitely be keeping my eyes on it for a while to come.

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Got a chance to make the trek up to Chicago yesterday, finally taking the train-ride to the city after I made promised myself to get there sometime over break.

The day started out pretty rough, waking up at 7AM after going to bed at 3AM. I really wonder sometimes why I subject myself to such horrid punishment. After some coffee, a donut, and a marginal amount of grumpy behavior, we were on the train and on our way to the Museum of Science and Industry.

Pretty much the coolest part of the day was the U-505 Submarine exhibit. When I worked at the bank a couple summers ago, I got to meet a guy named Zenon Lukosius. Zenon was an interesting guy who fought in World War II for the US Navy. To summarize his story, Zenon jumped on a sinking German submarine and replaced a sea strainer, saving the ship and helping the US learn German codes which ultimately helped lead to the end of WWII.

This was the first time I got to see the exhibit since I met Zenon, so I really enjoyed the chance to see the exhibit. It is a pretty cool piece of history and definitely worth checking out if you are in Chicago.

And if you do make the trip, be sure to check out the first floor bathroom by the escalator. Inside you can find the Dyson Airblade, which is definitely the greatest hand dryer of all-time.

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Nearly 14 hours in, 2008 is shaping up to be a pretty good year. While you should never judge a book by it's cover, I am going to jump on the 2008 bandwagon and hype this whole year up like I hope it is going to deserve.

I also didn't think that I would possible be having one of my best 2008 moments so early into the New Year. I wasn't planning an all-nighter for the New Year (hell, I wasn't planning one as late as 11pm last night), but it turned out to be a great idea and definitely worth it.

Now excuse me, I am going to pass out.

(I apologize in advance if you take the time to read this. It is way to early in the morning and the whole thing is prolly a grammatical and coherent mess. Thanks for taking the time though, I hope you find enjoyment or entertainment in it. PS, if you had a top moment of your year with me, feel free to comment this note and let me know. I may have forgotten all about it when it should be on this list.)

As I sit here on my laptop Stalkbooking the night away, I have finally come to the tremendously frightening conclusion that the year 2007 will be gone in a mere 48 hours. And what better time to come up with a top 10 list of my year's events than now? Besides, if I want to get my list out before Bud makes his, I got to get a jump on this shit.

I'm going to try to put the events in order of relative importance, 10 to 1. However, I am sure that half-way through writing this that I will think if a new event and my order will be all screwed up. I am also sure that I will forget some major happenings, so forgive me and just remind me of them if you think I should have added it.

Here is a list of honorable mentions. They will be mentioned by name only and without a summary. If they are confusing because you don't understand the inside joke, I apologize. Make up the story for it in your mind.

* World Series Champion (In the most important World Series)

* Trip to the Wrong Beach

* Sam Haanpaa, 10-12

* Rule Interpretation by Leia.

* Stomping Goodbye, Mike Lucien

* Off Constantly

* He Threw Up, Right There::point::

* Leitz - "It's A SNOW DAY" Everyone else - "STFU dude, it is 7AM"

* Man Voice

* Kissing the Knuckles

* Inspector 34

* DOWN GOES SOTHMAN!!! DOWN GOES SOTHMAN!!!

* You're YouTube? Seriously? You are YouTube?

* It's Heckler!

* Is that a guy or a girl? Is that Tila Tequilla? What are we watching?

* Are you going to tape me drinking hot sauce, or what?

* She fell over, I didn't know what to do! I went in for the kiss and she fell

* She knocked my tooth out. I tried to get it back in, but I couldn't.

* You two both owe me 10 bucks

* Laps of Victory

* "Hey Girl! Nice ___"

10. FC Lank FTW PT DOS

To some people, it is only intramural soccer. To others, it is fucking intramural soccer. After an undefeated season and the championship in my freshman year, anything less in 2007 would be a complete disappointment. After taking the regular season in convincing fashion, the playoffs would prove to be a slightly bigger challenge. The final game against the law school was an instant classic and the game winning goal by Julian was world-class. Last year, you could say it was luck. This year, we made a statement. I loved every minute of game time with you guys and can't wait till next year. Definitely keep an eye out for that undefeated streak to continue well into the next year.

9. The Nights at Augusta National

When Megan Lee invited me mini-golfing on a late August evening, she told me we would be in for a battle. After some amazing shots and that fucking guitar-shaped hole, we came out in 2nd place. A second place finish in itself isn't really worth writing home about, especially when only three teams took the field for competition. But that night wasn't only about golf, it was about life lessons, friendships, and learning to be tender. Zao Island would be home to tons of other great moments as well this summer and fall. What were the odds that we would see her there? Why is this band covering U2? And who the hell is Dillhole? Oh Zao, 2008 is so far away.

8. That night was A-MAE-ZING

I never saw myself joining the management staff at WVUR. Hell, I didn't see myself doing a lot of the amazing things which happened to me in 2007. But after an application and interview, I found myself tacking the title of news director onto my e-mail signatures and the Evening Source and NewsCenter95 became two words which are now in my Firefox auto complete list as of RIGHT NOW. Since, I have fallen fell in love, engaged, and married WVUR and it was the best decision of my life(if that sounds manly?). With the job came some sweet perks; less sleep, the ability to juggle fruit, my choice of either Nick Kovatch or Katie Coxey as the desktop backgrounds, and the chance to meet Mae. They were really sweet guys who definitely knew how to be clutch like Bryce Drew.

7. Welcome to Sun Prairie, WI

As we pulled into the O'Hare oasis for my second or third pit stop, I didn't really think my stomach(or more specifically, it's contents) would hold out for the day long trip. We were stuck in traffic, learned a great lesson in karma, and I managed to get asked by Bud roughly 284 times why we had to take a detour to a blip in the map, Sun Prairie, which some unfortunately call home. By the end of the day, we got a sweet parking spot, I ate cheese fries out of a helmet, we saw a running chorizo, and 4 months later I am still getting yelled at about those fucking mini oreo cookies. PS Emily, we never got to see the midget hall of fame.

6. Taylor Fucking Twellman

Talk about an up and down season. The Fire started off undefeated through their first handful, sucked through the late spring and early summer, and then were lead on a memorable playoff run on the feet of Rolfey, Conde, and Blanco. One game away from the MLS Cup, Tom and I would watch and cry in our Jimmy Johns colas as Taylor Twellman scored maybe what will go down as one of the greatest goals in MLS playoff history. Here is a link, take a look about 50 seconds in and see what you think for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKOeZBh1dzU&feature=related

Even though it ended on a sour note, the 2007 Fire season was a great one. Got to see Jason, Teom, and Cait DuBois get into the Fire spirit, which was great. I also got my season tickets for next year, so I got to be pumped as ever for the 08 campaign.

5. Slice That Cheese Romantically (for it will help save the children of the world)

Spot 5 on this list may contain more backstory, drama, hateful txt mssgs, and lackluster cooking than this Facebook note has room for. To summarize, Bud likes girl, girl is bitch to Bud, Bud tries everything including chicken parm, girl is still a bitch. This love story had it's moments, including a hell of a lot of pizza hut, questionable railcat attendance motives, and the saving of babies from death by car. As bitter as it was for you Bud, I don't think any other night that the one you, Jason, and I spent could have capped off the summer any more perfectly. PS, don't worry. No one could ever have made use of those items as well as you could have sir. You are and always will be my badass pimp of a friend who laid it all on the line for love. You sir, are the things of which legends are made.

4. FEILHABER!!!!!

Between working 40 hours a week (about 55-60 if you include lunch and drive time), I didn't have the free time I really wanted to spend with friends. However, if my friends and I found a connection through anything this summer, it was soccer. Jason, Av, Bud, and I followed pretty much every Gold Cup game at my house with viewing parties powered by Chipotle and Jimmy Johns. To cap it off, we added Ple to our party and hit up the Gold Cup final in Chicago. It was the second US national team game of my life and first of two for the summer. It definitely won't be a day I will forget for a long time to come, mostly due to a US win in arguably the best sporting event I will event attend live. Why was it the best? One word: Feilhaber. Just check it out and place yourself live. 60,000 people (about 50,000 of which were cheering for the visiting Mexican side), time running out, your team just suffers and injury, and you see this unfold right before your eyes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcGA2W4d5_E

3. New York times

When I got an e-mail about a lady from a PR firm on Thursday evening about the hazards brought forth by the Nintendo Wii game console, I didn't see myself in New York by Monday. During three days (with about 30ish hours in the car and about 6 in the actual city), I got to learn a lot about what myself and my friends are capable of, how to take advantage of what life throws your way, and that if you really reach for the sky, anything is within your reach. I definitely got to take the trip of my life and the experience of visiting and interviewing Eric Rhey of PC Magazine definitely will be etched in my mind for years to come. As will that hotel room, three damn blue shirts, not snatching, Rockafeller Center, the sweet Apple cube, New Jersey pizza, and that $2.99 pop-up map which got us home when we were destined to drive around the big Apple for hours. Sometimes I look back and wonder really how that trip happened and what really made us consider the journey? Then I realize that sometimes the journey is greater than the destination. Dillon and Jason, I hope you guys enjoyed it as well.

2. New York Times

I really don't know if I will ever have another moment in life as cool as this one was. I guess it may be kinda depressing to think that your capstone moment came at 19, but hell if this is it I am happy. Back in early January I got bored during Christmas break and started a smaller Blogger site to post about Apple and Nintendo (yeah, typical nerd stuff). One story about OS X and a Digg.com front page later, my blog was mentioned in the New York Times. Sure it is one paragraph with a paraphrase and a link, but to me it was the world. Running to Barnes and Noble to grab the print copy of this may have just been the greatest moment of euphoria I have ever had. Here is the online version, again not much, but enough to make my number 2 event of the year.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/06/business/06online.html?pagewanted=all

1. The Break-Up

So here I am, the number one event of my year. The list has been pretty positive so far (besides for Taylor Fucking Twellman) and you would think that I would keep up the trend as I move on to spot numero uno. Ah, but alas you are wrong my good friend. Sadly enough, this event is more somber, more life altering. Definitely for me, the most monumental event of my year was breaking up with girlfriend of four years, Jessica. It was just real hard to get over losing the emotional attachment to someone who was your best friend for a greater part of your over-dramatic teenage years. She was the only girl I ever took to a high school dance, the one who would talk to me for hours when my mom was in the hospital, the one who baked me cookies for my birthday, spent countless hours watching me play soccer just because she knew it was important to me for her to be there, made spaghetti dinner for me and her before new episodes of Growing Up Gotti, and worked through the struggles of our first year apart while I was at college with me. She was the girl who I figured would be sharing stuff like this with me forever, even if I made the mistake of never telling her that. Yeah, I prolly am making too big of a deal about it. Yeah, it was just a teen-year girlfriend. Yeah, I should never get upset over girls, dudes before hoes, don't tase me bros, and all those nonsensical rhymes. Whether I (or you, or anyone else I guess) likes it or not, this event definitely meant more to me and made more of an impact than any other single event of the year. Am I over it totally? Prolly not. Will I ever be? Hopefully, at least I feel like I am moving toward that point, even though it is months later. While this moment may be a depressing way to cap off my 07 list, it is(well, technically was) me and I really can't change that, only build off it and live with it.

Thnks fr th mmrs 2007. I hope 2008 tastes like you, only sweeter.

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I decided to start working on some new year resolutions a little early and make a couple changes to this website.

I am now going to use this as a place for me to keep a personal little blog/journal and write about whatever comes to mind.

I hope you enjoy everything you find. If you have a question or comment, e-mail me at Cameron@CameronBanga.com.

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