Why the Radio?

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

This question has come up more often than any other. It seems many people wish for something like a jukebox where you select a song to listen to. This is a great idea and we have such a jukebox too, but why the radio?

To answer this question in the best way possible, it is necessary to explain between “on demand” and  “live streaming” technologies both used to listen to music online. This obviously determines the technology of choice.

• On demand technology allows you play a music or video file only when you suits you to. It will be the same file for all listerners even if they opened it at different times. That is, if user A in France clicks on the link for file “Silent night” at 6:00 pm GMT, it will play from the beginning (or designated start time) and can be stopped anytime. The same will apply to user B in USA say at 11: 00 PM GMT. Notice that the user experience is independent of the webmaster’s intervention in this case.
• On the other hand, Live streaming works almost the same as traditional radio or TV transmission (at least conceptually). The program to be listened to is controlled by an individual (or a group of individuals) remotely and whatever changes is carried out by the presenter affects all users. For instance, if user A connects at 6:00 PM GMT and user B comes at 7:00 PM GMT, the latter will be forced to pick from where the former already is (position of stream at server). Much the same way in traditional Radio transmission. I will not go in the specifics of the technology itself, given the scope of this post.

Now, what was the big idea with the Radio? Does it give a better user experience that a self serve setting? Certainly, or not depending on how you look at it. When I created praiseVoice I was excited about sharing the music but I was also concerned with copyright infringement. The Radio reduces the risk of piracy remarkably. The Reason follows from the explanation above because streaming technology doesn’t give the user much of a choice as of what they can do with files. As a matter of fact, in streaming technology you are given access to the server but not the files. On demand you enjoy the benefit of accessing both.
Another benefit of “Radio” over whatever else the user wants is uniformity. While someone may argue it’s a good idea to let people do whatever they want, it is also a good idea to do things together. So, if there are 25 listeners worldwide at any given time listening to the same song, chances are they will more than likely pray, think about, read about, . . . the same topic. Of course this has its limitations and that’s why there’s the PraiseVoice On demand.

Briefly as security is concerned, streaming is the best choice.

PraiseVoice Radio. . .The idea behind

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

In 2005 I had an opportunity to go to Africa for a small vacation. I ended up working on two albums with brothers and sisters in Christ who had helped me grow up. While I was there, I had an idea to praise God 24/7. That meant a Radio station or TV ot some kind of media sharing that would be up 24/7. I had launched  Radio ishimwe the year before with a fair success, and thought there wouldn't be any better idea that expanding the “ISHIMWE Radio” to encompass English, French and other languages than Kinyarwanda/ Kirundi.

That's the only idea behind PraiseVoice really. Sharing the gospel using the Internet 24/7, with more emphasis on Africa though.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

To believers in Jesus Christ nothing is as of fundamental value than the life of Jesus himself. He came in the world to save the lost, to give eternal hope to those who would believe in him. From humble beginnings he rose to world prominance and His church stands firm, unshakenly strong and will always do.

At PraiseVoice, I join others to celebrate the symbolic birth of our Lord and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. It is not just a holiday to be with friends and family, but also a time to reflect about what salvation given in Jesus is all about… being born everyday and humbly serve others before expecting to be served. That’s what Jesus taught, that’s what came for and ultimately died for.

To wish others a merry Christmas or simply share other greetings, please turn to PraiseVoice Greetings.

Merry Christmas.

Joel Osteen on Larry King Live

Sorry for the flood of posts today, but that’s just my writing style. When I have something to write about, I’ll post it, when I don’t, I’m not going to just blog to make things look busy. Anyway, over at Broken Messenger, there is a long post about Joel Osteen’s interview on Larry King Live. The author is a bit rough on Osteen, but nevertheless, he transcribes the interview for you to read and make up your own mind. I was, at times, impressed with Osteen’s answers. He seems to know what it takes to be a medium between non-believing and believing. I invite you to read the interview, then post your comments.

A Christian Blog update

A lot has went on since my last entry. First, two of my relatives were diagnosed with and lost the fight to cancer. One was my step-grandfather who was over 70, the other was an aunt that was in her 40’s. Both smoked. Both died within a week of each other right after Thanksgiving. With cancer, the diagnosis is the tough part, watching a person try to fight through it is even more tough. After all of that, the death seems to finally bring some peace. It was a very sad time for both families, but brought people together in a very good way. I’m glad it’s over, and I hope they are both enjoying heaven at this moment.
On a lighter note, as my regular readers can probably tell, I’ve upgraded to Wordpress 2.0. I’m really liking it so far, with the exception that plugins will be sparse for a while, and a new template will have to be designed since the other one seems to be broken. Other than that, I plan to write a post on faith this week. I’ve been planning to do it for months, but never can get the right words in my head. I’m just going to sit down this week and do it. Thank you for continuing to read A Christian Blog.

Pat Robertson 2

Just an addendum to the post earlier to today. I found this daily devotional from iEQUIP.com (John Maxwell’s organization) to be particularly fitting also. When looking at a leader like Pat Robertson, you should also question whether they should be followed. The list included in this devotional might be a good starting place.

Trading Spouses

Did anyone see this program last night? If you didn’t, you really missed Christians being represented in a interesting way. Trading Spouses is a show that takes two families, and the wives swap families for a period of time. The two families, as usual, couldn’t be more different.

____________________________
From Fox’s web site:

D’AMICO-FLISHER FAMILY
Jeanne is a specialist in hypnotherapy and uses this valuable tool to help people reconstruct their lives, Chris works with astrology to help clients find their true life’s purpose. Chris believes that astrology provides people with their personal owner’s manual and can aid them in career and relationship decisions. He is also a writer and a mandala artist who has used his experiences in life and loss to guide others through similar challenges.

PERRIN FAMILY
The Perrin family has always been a very close family and the unexpected pregnancy of Ashley brought them some rocky times but it was God and their faith that kept them close as they welcomed the birth of Abigail into the Perrin home. Abigail is now considered the heart of the household. They consider themselves Christians in a sense that they believe in God and they believe that Jesus gave his life for all of us. Marguerite is a firm believer that God loves everyone unconditionally and does not like any alternatives brought into her life or her family’s life.
____________________________

The events that unfold when the wives enter the other family’s house are very eye-opening to say the least. One is closed to other people’s ideas and beliefs, the other is open and respects others. One screams and shouts in anger when someone doesn’t believe the same things she does, the other listens intently. One got up and left during a celebration having nothing to do with religion, the other held hands and prayed when the family did. Which one do you think was positive and understanding? Surprisingly, it WASN’T the Christian. Isn’t that odd? Someone that thinks they are following God to the letter, and yet they represent God by acting like that.

Let me ask you a question. Who do you think we’re supposed to witness to?

Matthew9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?”

12On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Luke 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ‘ 35But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Now, I know that you read the Bible and read about those nasty Scribes and Pharisees. The law mattered more to them than loving and giving to others.

Luke 11:37 Now when He had spoken, a Pharisee asked Him to have lunch with him; and He went in, and reclined at the table.

38When the Pharisee saw it, he was surprised that He had not first ceremonially washed before the meal.

39But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness.

40″You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also?

41″But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.

42″But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

Have we turned into the Scribes and the Pharisees of the 21st century? It seems to me that when I see a Christian on television, it’s always about no. It’s always about what they can’t do, instead of what they can do. Have we forgotten that we follow the living God?

The episode will conclude next Wednesday at 8 CST. Watch today’s church-going Christian fight the battle of good and evil for all of us…by shutting the doors on her home to all who don’t believe like she does. I’ll leave with the same verses I referenced earlier in the week, because I just don’t think anyone has read this part of the Bible.

Luke 14:12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.

13″But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,

Pat Robertson at it again

Pat Robertson is all over the news again. I don’t ever watch the 700 Club, but it makes me think that Marguerite does (Trading Spouses). MSNBC reported “Conservative Christian televangelist Pat Robertson told citizens of a Pennsylvania town that they had rejected God by voting their school board out of office for supporting “intelligent design” and warned them Thursday not to be surprised if disaster struck.” Now my guess is, this is how these people get publicity. The news doesn’t cover boring, so to get on camera you have to do or say something outrageous, like Marguerite or Pat Robertson. That’s the problem though, I don’t think we should strive to be in the news. If we all did our job as Christians, the news would come to us.

Strangely enough, I think the verse of the day over at BibleGateway.com fits:

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. ”- 1 John 2:15-16

You can also read a lot of other comments on this at ThinkChristian.net.

Parable of the Guests

Luke 14:7And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them,

8″When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him,

9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place.

10″But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.

11″For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.

13″But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,

14and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

15When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Blog Connection — Materialism

This will most likely be a weekly part of this blog where I, oddly enough, ask you to go elsewhere to read other’s opinions about differing subjects. If a good post is made somewhere, I definitely want to recognize it.

So much more than a bowl of candy

The World is not Enough

If it looks like a duck

All of these deal with materialism, something that’s been on my mind lately. Why give my views on it though, when I can give you three? Feel free to read these articles, you can post comments here or on the author’s site. Also feel free to post your own articles on this subject or your ways of rejecting materialism in exchange for faith in God. It’s something that everyone wants to talk about, but few act upon it.

Next Page »