The automobile industry, however, has undergone many changes since my middle school days. One of the biggest is the advent of the electric car. It seems inevitable that every carmaker will be moving in this direction. And with the electric car, comes the silent engine. Does this mean car engines will lose their signature sounds forever?

ELVIN (The Electric Vehicle with Interactive Noise) is the brainchild of Warwick Manufacturing Group, which has been working with British car makers fine-tuning the sounds of vehicles for years

Absolutely not. In fact, creating a signature car sound could become an art in and of itself. Just ask the makers of Audi. The car company is currently working towards the debut of its electric supercar, the R8 e-tron. And Audi is bringing the idea of a signature sound straight to the gas pedal…and directly out of two speakers mounted to the front of this much-anticipated car.

Audi has spent over three years working on the e-sound audio system for its silent supercar. They started out by testing an R8 e-tron prototype in an 1,100 square-foot sound lab.

“The problem is you don’t have any tool that you can buy on the market. You have to develop the hardware. You have to develop the software. And you have to find a great sound for the car and this took us more than three years.” said Dr. Ralf Kunkel, Head of Acoustics for AUDIO AG.

Check out some of the results:

For the die-hard car enthusiast, the Audi R8 e-tron has four electric motors that, together, produce 313 HP coupled with an impressive 3,319.03 lb-ft of torque. It can reportedly go from 0-62 mph in 4.8 seconds and has a lithium-ion battery with 42.4 kWh of capacity. That means the cautious driver would get about 154 miles of driving on one charge. But I’m guessing whomever is behind the wheel of this car is not a cautious driver.

And while the idea of creating signature sounds for your otherwise silent engine may seem like nothing more than a unique marketing and branding strategy, it was born of something entirely different.

A silent car is a safety hazard for many pedestrians, bicyclists, and others on the road. In fact, just last year the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 was signed into law. It requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to ensure that electric and hybrid car manufacturers add noises that alert pedestrians to their approach.

This practical technology certainly presents a unique opportunity for some awesome innovations. Hmmm…I see downloadable car-tones in our future.

The little guy's first ultrasound at 16 weeks.

As soon as I got pregnant, I had to rethink many things in my life, including one of my most prized possessions – the small case of CDs mixes I had made in high school during the glorious days when Napster was alive. With the help of free downloads, every Friday night my friends and I would cruise down the streets of downtown suburbia belting out the lyrics to a new music mix blasting from our car speakers. But here’s where it gets weird – on our way to Uptown Yogurt, we enjoyed exposing our quiet neighborhood to the nastiest songs we could find – classics like Freaks of the Industry by Digital Underground and Give me that Nut by Easy E. Looking back, I realize how inappropriate this was. But we were otherwise such good girls, which is probably why we found this activity so hilarious and thrilling.

Fast forward ten years and I still know every lyric to Snoop Dogg’s Aint No Fun and still find great enjoyment in singing along to them – windows rolled up of course so I don’t overwhelm unsuspecting shoppers in the Trader Joe’s parking lot with references to Snoop Dogg’s balls. Maybe it sounds odd or even perverted. But my love affair with these songs isn’t really about the dirty words, it’s about reliving a carefree time when outings meant frozen yogurt not the grocery store, extra sprinkles not responsibilities. Speaking of which….I was now becoming a mother, which I had heard was the biggest responsibility of all. What did this mean for myself, my husband, and most importantly, my mix CDs?

I turned to BabyCenter.com for some answers, which had been sending me vital information about my pregnancy like when my baby was developing fingernails or had reached the size of a kumquat. I found an article called Music and your unborn child, and while there wasn’t much talk about the musings of Snoop Dogg, one obstetrician said he “observed a 33-week-old fetus pattern his breathing to the beat of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.” Well, perhaps I needed to get my sh*t together then! With a protective hand over my pregnant belly, I changed my Pandora radio station from Two Pac to Beethoven and read on.

“You may have heard that exposure to music makes kids of all ages smarter in math, but Gordon Shaw [a neuroscientist at the University of California at Irvine], who pioneered this type of research, says these studies focused on older children, not fetuses. “ Janet DiPietro, a developmental psychologist who studies fetal development at Johns Hopkins University adds, “There are no studies on the effects of stimulation before birth on intelligence, creativity, or later development.” The article cautioned against wearing headphones around your pregnant belly (those new mamas sure get creative!) because amniotic fluid is a good sound conductor. Luckily, I hadn’t thought of putting my vPulse anywhere besides my ears.

So I kept the classical station going for a couple of hours – feeling smart – but when Sunday rolled around and it was grocery time, I knew this was going to be the real test. Sure enough, the instant I was back in my car and stopped at a red light, my fingers itched for my CD case – craving to feel those inappropriate lyrics and heavy beats flowing through my body.  I thought, When do I kill this habit in order to hide from my child truths about the world and about myself? I took a deep breath – pregnancy could be so exhausting sometimes. Feeling my tension rise, I gave up and slid in a tattered disk titled “Rap Mix!” I turned up the volume (not too loud) and let myself be me. If the little one was bobbing his head to the Notorious B.I.G, I decided, for now, let him jam. 

Here's my son at 20 weeks, rocking out.

This description could apply to many shows on TV right now–the compelling nature of competition is that someone wins and someone loses. But the manner in which the kids on American Idol compete is evocative of a recent literary and cinematic phenomenon called the Hunger Games. You may have heard of the series, considering the book’s been lighting up bestseller lists for the last 140+ weeks and the movie grossed $600 million internationally so far. Just in case you haven’t, the series centers around 16-year-old Katniss, a resourceful and rebellious citizen of Panem who is forced into a cruel competition that pits 24 children (called “tributes”) against each other in a highly-publicized (and televised) fight to the death. Of course it’s fictional, but it features strong parallels to the cultural TV phenomenon that is American Idol. Quick disclaimer: I don’t mean to make light of children murdering each other, nor do I wish to accuse American Idol of crimes against humanity. I do understand the difference between a voluntarily-entered singing competition and a government-mandated, homicidal tragedy. I’ve just noticed some structural similarities between the US super-hit and the most popular show in Panem. Here are some elements the two share:

Left: Ryan Seacrest; Right: Caesar Flickerman (played by Stanley Tucci)

1. Charmingly benevolent celebrity host. Caesar Flickerman, played by Stanley Tucci in the “Hunger Games” film, is charismatic, fashionably dressed, and charged with putting the contestants at ease while sussing out their stories to win them sympathy from the audience. Sound like anyone on American Idol? Ryan Seacrest has been a fixture of American Idol since its first season, and is a natural as the harmless and popular master of ceremonies. It’s his job to root for everyone, even though almost all of them will fall prey to the whims of the nation. It’s also his job to encourage audience investment in the contestants, telling viewers that they “must vote for [their] favorites.” (As a personal aside, I’d love to see the site traffic analytics for AmericanIdol.com on voting night.)

2. Elaborate strategies for winning over hearts and minds. In the Hunger Games arena, as on the Idol stage, the support of the public is vital to the success of the contestants. Gifts from sponsors often mean the difference between life and death for Katniss and the other tributes, while votes determine Idol contestants’ fates. And to win gifts or votes, contestants need to develop careful strategies for garnering favor. Your fashion choices, your touching backstory, your strategy in the competition–all of it matters, both in Panem and in the world of televised singing competitions. From song choice (Idol) to fabricated love stories (Games), moves are calculated. The thing is, it works; even though I know I’m being manipulated, I’m regularly moved to tears by the performances, just as the citizens of the Capitol wail and swoon watching the romance blossom between Peeta and Katniss. I vote for contestants who make me feel something.

Top: Eben Franckewitz, 15-year-old American Idol contestant; Bottom: Rue, 12-year old Hunger Games tribute (played by Amandla Stenberg)

3. Young and innocent contestants. The rules of the Hunger Games dictate that the tributes must be between twelve and eighteen years old, ensuring that they inspire maximal sympathy and emotional involvement from the citizens of Panem. The innocence of the contestants also contributes to the horrific cruelty of the Games, of course. The Idol rules allow for contestants between the ages of 15 and 28 (it used to be 16-24). The four remaining contestants this season are 16 (Jessica Sanchez), 18 (Hollie Cavanagh), 19 (Joshua Ledet), and 21 (Phillip Phillips). This gets to heart of the parallels I see; there’s a reason child actors are so often traumatized by the early vulnerability of the spotlight, and I feel for the youngest kids as they’re told they aren’t good enough. The guilt doesn’t stop me from tearing apart their performances or voting against them, though. Who do you think I am, a saint?

4. Cultural saturation. The Hunger Games are mandatory viewing in Panem, and much of the citizens’ lives are dominated by the ramifications of the event. Each of the twelve Districts sends two of its youthful citizens as tributes, and each District is consumed by the desire for one of their tributes to prevail. This fervor has a very different tone in the Idol contestants’ hometowns than in the fictional Districts; instead of dread, the Idol competitors’ neighbors look on with excitement as one of their own achieves fame. T-shirts, lawn signs and storefront displays are splashed with contestants’ faces; some town even have billboards made in honor of their finalist. And while Idol ratings have dropped off somewhat, the show still draws millions of viewers nationwide each week and is a regular source of water cooler discussion. Even after the show ends, many finalists achieve very real commercial success, dominating not only TV ratings but also radio waves and the iTunes charts. Idol is a cultural phenomenon 11 seasons strong, with no end in sight.

-Benevolent Siren

She may have to go back to work in an hour, but right now it's party time!

How do you stay motivated and keep your energy up during the work day? Do you listen to pump-up music through a pair of headphones? Take frequent short breaks? Sneak in a nap when the boss isn’t looking?

How does a midday dance party sound?

If your answer is “pretty freaking awesome,” you’re not alone. A new Swedish craze called “Lunch Beat” is another European trend that puts a spin on traditional dance club practices (see last week’s post by AudiOdysseus on the “silent disco”). It combines the best thing about the work week–lunch breaks–with the best thing about the weekend: getting your dance on. The concept was created in 2010 in Sweden, and has since spread to other European countries. The gatherings are not-for-profit affairs, though a small entrance fee is required to cover the cost of the venue and provided lunch.

The idea behind the lunchtime discos is to encourage “playfulness, participation & community,” according to the movement’s official website. An hour to let loose and get your blood moving has positive effects on the workday as well, giving workers a burst of energy and helping them avoid a mid-afternoon slump. Plus, in my humble opinion, dancing is its own reward. Who doesn’t need a little joy in the middle of their day?

If you’re inspired to organize your own lunch disco, check out the organization’s guidelines. If we start throwing these at Velodyne headquarters (and possibly give some DD-18+ subs a workout), you can bet offices in a 5-mile radius will want to join in on the party. Keep an eye on our YouTube channel just in case we start to get some blackmail-worthy videos of dancing Velodyne employees…

-Benevolent Siren

Velodyne's LiDAR sensor ready to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge

All of us here at Velodyne are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Our offices are located in Silicon Valley, a short driving distance from San Francisco and, arguably, the most famous bridge in the world. Of course, I am referring to the Golden Gate Bridge. And it just so happens that this American icon turns 75-years-old this month.

I was unaware of this birthday when I recently got to play hooky and take Velodyne’s 64E LiDAR sensor up to the city by the bay for a photo shoot. And I fell in love with the beauty of San Francisco and the Golden Gate all over again.

The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco

Now, let me say that I am a New York girl at heart. That’s where I was born and raised and it will always be at the center of my soul. But I spent over five years living in San Francisco and, in that time, there was one thing that always amazed me. After five years of pounding the San Fran pavement, it was a regular occurrence to stop dead in my tracks, amazed at the beauty of the scenery. Every day I felt like I was living in a painting.

And that bridge in the background of the city is, in my opinion, just about as close as something man-made can get to rivaling the beauty of nature.

So, if you are lucky enough to live in or near San Francisco, be sure to join in the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. Make sure you don’t miss the fireworks display. And if you aren’t local, I hope you enjoy the photos I’ve posted for you.

Here are some facts about the Golden Gate Bridge that you may not know:

Hold on just a second. What is a silent disco, you ask?

It’s just like clubbing, but with one major difference. Everyone is listening to the music on a pair of wireless headphones. The music is broadcast through an FM transmitter. This would present an odd looking party scene to those sans headphones, appearing as if people were dancing to the sound of nothing. These silent gatherings often feature dueling dj’s competing for listeners, as well as live musical acts.

The concept of the silent disco was born in 2005, as the result of noise restrictions at the Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, Somerset, England. A Dutch company called 433fm coined the term “silent disco” and circumvented noise restrictions by turning the festival into a large-scale wireless headset event. This was their first large-scale event, although they had been developing a plan for hosting a number of the same type of smaller music events across Europe since 2002.

A silent disco stage at the Exit Festival, 2011 in Serbia

The silent disco caught on quickly in The Netherlands with appearances at festivals like De Parade, Lowlands, and Pinkpop. And these days, 433fm takes it on the road to venues like Amsterdam’s Club 8. Each year there’s also a silent disco stage at the Exit festival, an annual summer music festival held in Novi Sad, Serbia.

After sweeping across Europe, the silent disco show is now popular in places like Brazil, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, and the United States.

The silent disco is not just for dj’s anymore. Each show is unique and can feature a variety of acts, including; live bands, comedians, rappers, actors, dancers, and video artists.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of the silent disco, be sure to check one out in your area. They seem to be popping up in major cities all across the United States.

I’ll always remember exactly how I felt when I heard the words, “America’s oldest teenager died today at the age of 82.” I as at work that day, April 18, 2012. When my co-worker told me that the legendary radio and TV personality had passed, a wave of sadness washed over me. Dick Clark is the same age as my Grandpa, who isn’t in the best of health. There is a certain time in my childhood,  my “halcyon days” of which my Grandpa, and Dick Clark, were a big part.

During the early 80′s I spent a lot of time with my Grandparents, often spending the weekend at their house. Saturday mornings were always the same. I woke up to my favorite breakfast, typically consisting of french toast or waffles. My Grandpa got up early and liked to work in his yard, so would often finish up his breakfast as I sat down. He was typically pretty serious but always had kind words and nicknames for me. My Grandma loved to spend time in the kitchen and kept a pretty tidy house. That meant that after breakfast, I got to watch cartoons and keep myself busy until her cleaning was done. During that time I always measured the time of day by what  TV shows were on. I always knew that when American Bandstand started, my TV time was soon coming to a close. Once Soul Train came on, it was time to shut the TV off and “be productive”.

I still remember the American Bandstand theme song like I just heard it yesterday. Dick Clark was a handsome man, so friendly and full of good energy. Not to mention, pretty cool too! He was bringing all these great new musicians to the small screen, right in our home. Otherwise I may have only heard them on the radio but never actually see them perform since I was still too young for concerts.  American Bandstand brought all kinds of people together to dance and have a good time. I didn’t find out until many years later but in the early days of American Bandstand these shows were some of the first to have desegregated live audiences. I enjoyed watching the attendees of the show dance and smile at the camera just as much as I enjoyed the music. As a young girl with a future ripe with possibility, I always hoped that when I was old enough I would someday make it in to the audience of American Bandstand. It just looked like so much fun.

Time moved on, and as I got older I started dreaming of other things. I spent less weekends at my grandparents. I watched less American Bandstand. However, Dick Clark was always a staple on New Year’s Eve. Without fail, for most of my life I rang in the new year watching the ball drop in Times Square and doing the countdown with Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve. If there was a year here and there where I missed the broadcast, I always knew I could count on watching the next year. Over the years, Dick Clark aged, but never lost his good looks or amiable personality. I was heart broken in when he had his stroke in 2005. That year, I was with friends in Santa Cruz, CA. We had our families together to ring in the new year and we were looking forward to seeing Dick Clark make his first appearance after spending much time rehabilitating. We were all quiet when he spoke. We had to listen intently. His speech was slurred and garbled, but he still had that friendly, happy look in his eyes. It made me so sad, because he was trying so hard, and wanted so badly to be there. It was HIS show. HIS baby. But it was clear he had  long way to go before things would be the same again.

It turns out, things wouldn’t be quite the same. Due to complications of his stroke, his appearances on  New Year’s Rockin’ Eve would be minimal and Ryan Seacrest would take the helm. The show was still entertaining, but I missed Dick Clark.  Sadly, after his massive heart attack last week, he won’t be back at all. America will feel a void for a very long time, as for most, it feels like losing a part of the family as many of us grew up with him in our  homes.

I’ll leave you to enjoy this clip of a Daytime Emmy Awards tribute to Dick Clark and American Bandstand, in which you can see how touched he was at the very end and became emotional. I’ll admit I did as well while watching the clip.  I am glad he received this tribute while he was alive, so he would know how much he meant to everyone. Goodbye, Dick. We’ll miss you.

This festival began in 2008, and quickly burst onto the scene making quite the splash. Headlined by the most killer current artists and several stages with newer, up-and-coming, supporting acts, Outside Lands is geared toward being eco-friendly. There are bio-degradable cups, plates, bowls and utensils, solar-powered stages, and a refillable water program which encourages reusable water vessels to cut down on use of cups. Outside Lands also offers a bike valet service to encourage attendees to bike to the festival. Additionally,  golf carts are not used for production/transport but instead utilize cargo bicycles to go easier on the environment and conserve resources. I have never heard of such a thing, have you? Pretty cool.

The food and beverage choices are tantalizing, with some of the best local wineries, breweries and restaurants providing the festival fare.  While the food lineup has not yet been released, based on the previous years you can be certain this won’t be your typical hot dog and cardboard-pizza concert menu.

Outside Lands offers VIP cabanas based on availability, which overlook the main stage, and include hosted alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, access to catered food, a private entrance, 20 VIP tickets and 4 parking passes. No shortage of creature comforts to enhance your festival experience!

VIP, 3-day passes  at $495 are also offered based on availability and grant VIP’s Polo Club lounge seating, special viewing areas, access to massage therapists, access to restroom facilities, VIP food selection and beer, wine and cocktails.

Don’t have the cabbage to throw down for a cabana or a VIP pass? Regular 3-day passes were offered on an early bird basis for $165 that have already sold out. The regular 3-day ticket will go on sale tomorrow for $195. It’s not clear how many of those tickets are available, but when they sell out the price will go up to $210 and then $225. Other extremely helpful passes that may be purchased are a 3-day parking pass for $149.50, and a 3-day shuttle pass from the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium for $29.50. Fortunately the Civic is also very close to other public transportation such as Bart, Muni and Caltrain.

While I love to indulge in good food and wine with the best of them, it really comes down to the music for me. Who could pass up seeing legends like Neil Young, Stevie Wonder and Metallica at the same festival as Skrillex? One of the headliners for the festival this year is The Foo Fighters, one of my all time favorite bands. I have been a fan since they were founded in 1994 by Dave Grohl, former drummer for Nirvana. While I have loved all of their albums over the years, I was immensely proud of them for cleaning up at the 2012 Grammys (6 trophies!) and especially winning Best Rock Album. I have seen them live twice, and was completely blown away. Check out the Foo’s performance on Saturday Night Live last year of their 2012 Grammy-winning Best Rock Song, Walk. Dave and the boys just BRING IT.

I am also a huge fan of Jack White, who we featured on yesterday’s post as well as Beck, Franz Ferdinand, Norah Jones and more recently Fitz and the Tantrums.

And lastly, I leave you with this soothing, soulful melody by newcomer to the scene, Alabama Shakes. The Shakes first full length album was just released for streaming this month. I am pretty confident we will be seeing a lot more of them in the future. Enjoy!

The lead single, “Love Interruption” was released last month and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. White teams up with Ruby Amanfu, a singer from Nashville. The result is exactly what I would have hoped for it to be. Gritty. Beautiful. Quirky.

In classic Jack White style, Third Man Records premiered the track “Freedom at 21″ by launching 1,000 flexi-disc records attached to helium balloons. They were set free from the label’s headquarters in Nashville on April 1.

Not surprisingly, some of those flexi-discs reportedly landed right on ebay, where they were being sold for up to $3,000. Ahhh…capitalism.

Jack White is considered by many to be one of the most prolific artists to come along in decades. The Detroit native, the youngest of ten children, was one half of The White Stripes. Formed in 1997, the band erupted onto the music scene in 2001. They made music for over a decade until they officially ended their musical union in 2011.

The band was known for using the color combination of black, white and red in their live shows and artwork. When asked by Rolling Stone Magazine during a 2005 interview if those were always his favorite colors, White gave the following response:

Jack White discussing the making of "Blunderbuss" during a recent NPR interview

“After I apprenticed as an upholsterer for a few years, I opened my own shop, Third Man Upholstery. Everything was yellow, black and white. All my power tools were yellow and black. I had a yellow van. I ran my business like a cartoon. I was making out bills in crayon and writing poetry inside people’s furniture. I didn’t care if I made any money. I was so happy to pull up in front of someone’s house wearing a yellow-and-black uniform, with a yellow clipboard. But the White Stripes’ colors were always red, white and black. It came from peppermint candy. I also think they are the most powerful color combination of all time, from a Coca-Cola can to a Nazi banner. Those colors strike chords in people. In Japan, they are honorable colors. When you see a bride in a white gown, you immediately see innocence in that. Red is anger and passion. It is also sexual. And black is the absence of all that.”

Jack White is a master of expression through words and music. That’s why he’s one of my favorite musicians. That…and my favorite number is three.

Original (Warning: This video contains some nudity, but nothing graphic or explicit.)

Glee (Darren Criss and Matt Bomer)

The Voice (Lindsey Pavao)

American Idol (Elise Testone and Phillip Phillips)

Which version(s) do you think do this song justice?