New album from ex-Groupon CEO fails to crack iTunes Top 100
I confess that I have never bought a Groupon, because it always seemed to require paying money to do something I didn't want to do.I feared I might feel the same way about listening to former Groupon CEO Andrew Mason's new album "Hardly Workin'."I had understood that Mason was a bit of a wag and a prankster, and I thought that when his opus hit iTunes Tuesday morning there might be, well, a Groupon. Or at least a deal.With only seven tracks, there was surely that possibility.And yet, when I went to the iTunes store, I discovered that the price of these seven little ditties was $9.99 (or $6.93 if you buy the tracks individually -- but then you don't get the no doubt unmissable "digital booklet" that comes with the album). This struck me as something of a Group(Turn)off.I therefore listened only to snippets. But I had been told the lyrics were quite outstanding. They are already being analyzed at RapGenius. Moreover, Mashable told me this was a serious work of art. Indeed, it was as if Tom Peters and Bob Dylan had enjoyed a brief romance and decided to span the business/poetry continuum.Here is a sample from the song "Look No Further": I see you look at my bookshelf Eyeing 'Catcher In The Rye' Jack Welch didn'tNeed no 'Tipping Point'And friend neither do II was climbing Machu Picchu As I beheld the splendid view An idea came for 100 million of shareholder value. Having read these inspiring words, I felt sure that "Hardly Workin'" would have already broken into the iTunes Top 100 and spawned a self-help book or 10.Sadly, the chart is currently free of rambling Masonry. Instead, it is full of albums by bat-eaters, alleged child molesters, and the Beatles.Becoming a rock star, like becoming a rock star CEO, can take time. Mason majored in music. However, in listening to the previews (you didn't really expect me to pay the 10 bucks, did you?), even the briefest moments did bring a touch of discomfort.The track "My Door Is Open" involves what sounds like a child actor, down on his or her luck. In response to Mason singing "Where do you think great ideas be coming from?" this prepubescent voice offers: "From people like me who bring them to your door."It's as if someone had dragged Shirley Temple into a recording studio and made her recite the collected works of Tony Robbins.I worry that a work that is allegedly intended to be motivational may not create the conditions for sufficient motivation to purchase.Still, like all great artists, Mason has penned a blog post to accompany this new release. He explains that he's taking all his vast learnings from business and "packaging them as music."He adds: "Executives, midlevel management, and front-line employees are all sure to find valuable takeaways. I've probably listened to the album over a dozen times now, and with each spin I feel like I learn something."Oh, of course it's a joke. Isn't it?
Bill Gates shares his notes
Bill Gates shares his notes
SEATTLE--Now you have a chance to compare notes with Bill Gates.The Microsoft chairman is launching a Web site on Wednesday designed to to share his thoughts on everything from his foundation work to musings on other topics including energy and the environment.Dubbed Gates Notes, the site is launching with postings from Gates himself, and in the works are plans to allow for more discussion on the topics he raises.Bill GatesMicrosoftIn an exclusive interview, Gates told CNET that he missed having the kind of Web presence he had at Microsoft."The Internet is tailor-made for the kind of activities I am involved in," Gates said. "When I take a trip, we have all these photos. People want to see that and it's very easy to put it up there. If I read a book, some people are considering whether to read that book or want a short understanding of what that's like."Gates said he plans to post content about three times a week, with some posts being brief and others being more in-depth."I think it's going to be a lot of fun to share on an ongoing basis," Gates said, adding that he is looking forward to the feedback. "It will help guide me."In its initial form, the site features articles on education reform, lessons from the swine flu pandemic, and the need for help in Haiti. There's also a podcast series with Gates speaking on climate change and the challenges of developing friendlier alternatives to today's energy sources. (Along with being available for download from the Gates Notes site, the podcasts will be on both iTunes and the Zune Marketplace, I'm told).Although energy and climate issues are not something the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has directly focused on, it is an area of keen interest for Gates and will be the focus of his talk at next month's TED conference."The interest in some of the energy things I have been doing has been very high so I will elaborate on that," Gates said.Gates Notes also features a section on Gates' travels, where he narrates some of the video footage taken on trips, such as last year's visit to India. Another section includes notes on some of the books Gates is reading.Another section, dubbed "conversations," is designed to include both interviews with Gates as well as excerpts from some of the long e-mail exchanges he has with various thinkers as well as question-and-answer sessions with students from around the world.The launch of Gates Notes comes a day after Gates joined Twitter, where he quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of followers.Although Gates Notes draws on work from the foundation, as well as from Gates' work at Microsoft and at Nathan Myhrvold's Intellectual Ventures, the Web site is a project of his personal staff.In a note, Gates welcomes visitors to the site.CNET
SEATTLE--Now you have a chance to compare notes with Bill Gates.The Microsoft chairman is launching a Web site on Wednesday designed to to share his thoughts on everything from his foundation work to musings on other topics including energy and the environment.Dubbed Gates Notes, the site is launching with postings from Gates himself, and in the works are plans to allow for more discussion on the topics he raises.Bill GatesMicrosoftIn an exclusive interview, Gates told CNET that he missed having the kind of Web presence he had at Microsoft."The Internet is tailor-made for the kind of activities I am involved in," Gates said. "When I take a trip, we have all these photos. People want to see that and it's very easy to put it up there. If I read a book, some people are considering whether to read that book or want a short understanding of what that's like."Gates said he plans to post content about three times a week, with some posts being brief and others being more in-depth."I think it's going to be a lot of fun to share on an ongoing basis," Gates said, adding that he is looking forward to the feedback. "It will help guide me."In its initial form, the site features articles on education reform, lessons from the swine flu pandemic, and the need for help in Haiti. There's also a podcast series with Gates speaking on climate change and the challenges of developing friendlier alternatives to today's energy sources. (Along with being available for download from the Gates Notes site, the podcasts will be on both iTunes and the Zune Marketplace, I'm told).Although energy and climate issues are not something the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has directly focused on, it is an area of keen interest for Gates and will be the focus of his talk at next month's TED conference."The interest in some of the energy things I have been doing has been very high so I will elaborate on that," Gates said.Gates Notes also features a section on Gates' travels, where he narrates some of the video footage taken on trips, such as last year's visit to India. Another section includes notes on some of the books Gates is reading.Another section, dubbed "conversations," is designed to include both interviews with Gates as well as excerpts from some of the long e-mail exchanges he has with various thinkers as well as question-and-answer sessions with students from around the world.The launch of Gates Notes comes a day after Gates joined Twitter, where he quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of followers.Although Gates Notes draws on work from the foundation, as well as from Gates' work at Microsoft and at Nathan Myhrvold's Intellectual Ventures, the Web site is a project of his personal staff.In a note, Gates welcomes visitors to the site.CNET
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