Have you met Pandora? If you love music - any kind of music - then do yourself a favor and check it out. Pandora is a free online radio station that plays only the music you like, because it's based entirely on your preferences.
Back in 2000, a group of musicians and music-loving technologists had the idea of creating the most comprehensive analysis of music ever. They captured the essence of music at the most fundamental level by assembling literally hundreds of musical attributes or "genes" into a very large Music Genome.
They analyzed these "genes" to capture the unique musical identity of a song - everything from melody, harmony and rhythm, to singing and vocal harmony. They carefully listened to thousands of different artists - ranging from popular to obscure - and analyzed the musical qualities of each song one attribute at a time. This music "genome" was the Genesis and GENIUS of Pandora.
It's all FREE and once you register,
it keeps your favorite artists lined up and ready to play.
Here's how it works.
At Pandora, you simply type in the name of your favorite artist, song or composer and it creates a radio station featuring that music and more like it.
Say for example you like Van Morrison. You type in "Van Morrison" and it might begin by playing "Gloria". The next song could be "Better Together" by Jack Johnson. This could be followed by "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Dylan and then "Waiting in Vain" by Bob Marley.
The Music Genome identifies the style of Van Morrison and plays complementary artists and songs one after another for as long as you want to listen. It's all FREE and once you register, it keeps your favorite artists lined up and ready to play.
You can vote thumbs UP or thumbs DOWN on the songs you hear so Pandora will only give you more of what you like. It also has a shuffle feature that lets you turn Pandora into even more of an online jukebox, by mixing your favorite artists and genres.
Pandora is 100% FREE. But, if you hear a song you'd like to add to your collection, it gives you the option of purchasing it from ITunes or Amazon (CD or download) for .99 each.
If you like your music on the go, Pandora can also be downloaded to your Blackberry, IPhone or Windows Mobile phone. It's the same Pandora you get on your computer and it's still free. If you're ever stuck between planes or on the flight from hell, it gives you a nice back up to your IPod.
Check out Pandora. Trust me. This is one Pandora's Box you won't regret opening.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
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