This is the second part of the post""Disc Jockey"
I explain here what I am best at-BEAT MATCHING, although phrasing and slip cueing are also great techniques to preserve the energy on the dance floor.
Beat matching, basically, is a technique of time stretching a track to match its tempo to that of the currently playing track. Well on a personal front, I think beat matching is not only this, but, also matching the BPMs of the clubbers heartbeat with the pace of the song. When that happens, the rhythm supposedly starts to do things to the body. Makes mine sweat a bit, but that's just me.
But body mechanics aside, you're trying to get not only to a BPM where people are comfortable dancing and really enjoying themselves, but also there's a real energetic feeling about the night. So, if you were to dip the BPM's up and down as you mixed from tune to tune, people wouldn't be able to find their rhythm - and the night wouldn't flow as well.
Of course, this isn't to say that there aren't BPM changes throughout a night, or that you must keep a bass beat going, no matter what. For a start, the warm up tunes I play float around the 126 bpm area when I first lay vinyl to turntable - for a nice gentle start before people arrive. Pretty soon you're up at 135 - and by the end of the night 140+.
There's also fluctuations in BPM that help keep a night going. Ok, so I said that slowing down a tune can put people off, but that's if it always happens, and if it happens noticeably (which, if you reset the pitch to 0 after completing a mix, it would be). If you're banging away at 145bpm and there's still 2 hours to go - you're going to wear people out, mentally and physically by playing at that kinda pace. So, slow it down a little - this is where I chuck in a genre change, maybe a more break-beauty tune, to bring things down a bit. The variation of BPM should be used as a bridge or transition of the night, not just because the artist wrote the tune at 124bpm!!
Now coming down to what actually-technically- beat matching is. The technique was developed to keep the people from leaving the dancefloor at the end of the song.
Technique
The following equipment is necessary for beat matching:
* Two turntables (T1 and T2) with pitch controls and slipmats
* At least two records (R1 and R2)
* One mixer or crossfader, capable of:
o Variably blending the outputs of T1 and T2
o Cueing the music playing on either turntable without outputting the sound to the audience
* Headphones
* A Public Address System (PA) or other form of amplification and speakers
The following skills are necessary for beat matching:
Selecting appropriate songs
Although experienced DJs often show off by beat matching songs that do not follow these rules, while learning it is best to select songs with similar BPMs. You also generally want to choose a record on T1 with an instrumental outro or a record on T2 with an instrumental intro, to avoid a sound that is too cluttered during the time in which both records are playing. These instrumental parts do not need to be at the beginning or end of the song, and many DJs like to make smooth transitions at unexpected places.
Counting
In order to recognize the tempo of music, you must be able to count beats. Most music designed for dancing has a strong, apparent beat, and is in the 4/4 time signature, which makes beat matching easier. To properly beat match you need to be able to recognize the first beat of the measure or bar, or the 1 in a count of 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 . . . If you were to continue this count past 4, one minute later you will have arrived at the BPM. A quicker way to calculate the BPM is to use the same method as counting to one minute, but count to 15 seconds instead then multiply by 4.
When counting, it is also useful to think in broad terms about the sections of the song, which will usually have a length equal to some multiple of 4 bars. Most commonly, if you count the bars in a section of a song, they will be 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 bars in length. This information helps the DJ decide at which point during T1 he must start T2 in order for the sounds of one track to fade as the other builds, or whatever effect is desired.
While one record is played over the main speakers, you must be able to find the appropriate place to come in on the other over your headphones. This is done by physically moving the record back and forth with your hand. The beat that you select should generally be a "hit" on the bass drum near the beginning of the song. This also should be the first beat of the measure. DJs will often use a sticker in center of their record to mark where the first main beat of the record takes place, to make it easier to find. Once found, you need to physically hold the record still and prevent it from spinning, thus pausing the sound. To start it again, simply release the record. You will need to physically rewind the record and start it several times, until you are confident that you have found the first beat and can start it at the exact moment that you desire.
Matching tempos
When two records are playing simultaneously, you listen to both and note which beat is running ahead or lagging behind, and adjust the pitch control accordingly. At least initially, it is best to make all adjustments on T2, so that the tempo of the music playing to the crowd is not erratic. Another technique, if you already know the BPMs for both records (because you have measured them yourself or looked them up in a reference guide or the internet), is to "cheat" and figure out how you need to adjust the pitch control mathematically. Many DJs use a combination of both, using measured BPMs to approximately match tempos and then fine tuning their adjustment by ear.
Step by step process of beatmatching
An example of one popular method of beatmatching:
1. Start record playing on turntable T1
2. Set DJ mixer to send only the audio from T1 to the main speakers
3. Start record playing on turntable T2
4. Set DJ mixer to send only the audio from T2 to the headphones
5. Let T1 continue to play, and without stopping the turntable reposition the stylus on T2 so that the needle is at the start of the song
6. Employ the slip-cueing technique to identify the first beat on T2, and halt the movement of the record with your finger, allowing the turntable platter to spin underneath (this is aided by use of a slipmat)
7. Now you have T2 "cued up", begin counting along with the beatss from T1
8. When you reach the end of a phrase, release the record on T2 so that it starts at the same time as the next beat on T1
9. Use the pitch control to alter the tempo of T2 so that it approximates that of T1
10. If the percussive intro of T2 finishes before you have matched the tempos, restart T2, repeating steps 6 to 9 until the tempo of T2 matches T1 exactly
11. Both records are now beatmatched
Once mastered, this skill allows you to layer one record over another and create smooth transitions between different songs. After you have matched beats, you can also fade in and out smoothly between songs, and cue back either song to the beginning, thus extending both songs indefinitely. The same technique can also be used to isolate breaks, using two copies of the same record to extend a short "break-down" section as long as is desired.
Well that’s all I can help you with. Till then-keep it stylish and rock the party!
Post By: DJ Bubly
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Disc Jockey
As an aspiring DJ, I am comfortable with a lot of things, but not an expert at any of them. As a beginner all you need to have is some basic familiarity with the operation of a stereo system, and some familiarity with the music you’ll be playing. And most importantly it requires your willingness to experiment, feel nervous, make some mistakes, learn from them, keep a cool demeanor, and have loads of FUN. And that’s what this blog is all about-to share whatever I know about Djing-my second love (FOOD happens to be the first)
P.S. this is not a step-by-step guide….
Basic equipment
The equipment needed to DJ consists of:
1. Sound recordings in a DJs preferred medium (eg. Compact discs computer media files)
2. A minimum of two devices to play sound recordings, for alternating back and forth to create a continuous playback of music (e.g. record players, compact disc players, computer media players such as an MP3 player)
3. A sound system for amplification or broadcasting of the recordings (e.g. portable audio system) or a radio broadcasting system.
4. A DJ mixer , an electronic two-channel mixer with a cross fader used to smoothly go from one song to another (using two or more playback devices)
5. A microphone, so that you can introduce songs and speak to the audience, and
6. Head phones used to listen to one recording while the other is playing, without outputting the sound to the audience.
You could probably find this list on any website as the basic requirement. But as I personally have been through a disaster in a show and I think these are the life saving (DJ saving) equipments you need:
• Two pads of paper and a handful of pens. You’ll need one pad for a request list, and should probably keep one handy for your own notes. Needless to say, bring a handful of pens or pencils (which you never see again, so leave anything good at home. I lost my lucky Parker).
• Masking tape. You’ll find it useful for sticking temporary labels on things, like tapes and discs which people bring for you to play.
• A small lamp. It’s likely to be dark, and it’s really hard to read the labels on CDs and equipment when it’s dark(and you cant use the light of your mobile-as you do in a bar-to look for the menu). A nightlight on an extension cord will do the trick. Don’t bring something huge; it won’t help you that much and will only annoy people at the event.
• A flashlight. You will find it useful when you’re looking for a particular CD which is out of reach of your small lamp (above)—and even more useful if you should happen to blow a circuit breaker.
• Duct tape. It’s the all-purpose miracle cure for loose cables.
• A few towels. Put them under your CD players to cushion them from vibrations picked up from the floor.
Getting there
You should remember, however, the three primary rules of event DJing:
1. arrive early,
2. arrive early, and
3. arrive early.
Preparation at the site of your event takes a long time, particularly if you’re not an experienced DJ. Allow at least an hour for a simple event; you’re probably better off allowing two hours if you have a lot to do.
CAUTION-DON’T FORGET THIS:
•If you don’t like people looking through your CDs-which they always want to do, checking out your equipment, and the like, make it difficult for them to get to your things. Set up an obstacle course of chairs and/or closely-spaced tables to make it difficult to get to your equipment. Don’t be bashful about herding people out of your way. You are in charge, at least where music is concerned, and there’s no need to put up with something which disrupts your concentration.
•Consider not stacking CD players; put them side-by-side instead. This will make it easier if you have more than one person DJing--and will also reduce the possibility of jarring the active CD player or accidentally pressing buttons on the wrong disc player.
• Music should be placed where it’s easy for you to reach, but more difficult for partygoers to reach. You’re likely to lose discs otherwise.
•No matter how hard you try, some people are going to set drinks on the front edge of your work table (particularly if the room is small). There’s the obvious threat that some moron will actually spill one of these drinks, so try to keep your equipment as close to the rear of the table as possible.
• Check all of your speaker connections for stray strands of wire which might cause the wires to short together. Use a flashlight to look for these; they can be hard to spot if the light isn’t good. Check for same thing where the speakers connect to the amplifier. If you’re handy with a soldering iron, and if your speakers support such connectors, you may want to make yourself a set of "banana plug" connectors to make the speaker connection job easier.
• If you can, place things on top of your speakers so that people won’t put their drinks on them. Better yet, put your speakers where they’re hard to reach. If you can put the speakers above the crowd safely (or anywhere at or above eye level), your sound will carry better, so you’ll be able to cover the party with a little less power.
•Unless you’re fond of headaches, don’t put speakers right in front of you
•If you know the capacity of your speakers, consider getting some fuses and fuse holders for your speaker wires. Attach them at the amplifier end of the cable, where they’ll do you some good if the far end is shorted. .
• Playing rock music for a party can be a real challenge. For many (if not most) parties, loud music is good music, so you’ll want to make sure that you have the power you need to do the job well.
Well before getting down to the techniques of DJing its better to know a little about the musical content that is required.
Remember that popular songs are not always good dance songs. A song that is extremely popular but undanceable may work well depending on the group you’re playing for, but be aware that you’re taking a pretty big risk if you decide to do so; it’s hard to recover from a floor-emptying tune.
If you have a microphone around, restrain your urge to apologize for requests which you can’t honor. It’s well-understood that this happens (for a variety of reasons); there’s no reason to call attention to the problem. Similarly, there’s little reason to apologize for minor goofs. Chances are pretty good that most people didn’t notice anyway, and even if they did, you don’t need to remind them.
Dead air is poison. Gaps between songs are irritating when you’re dancing, so try to keep things moving. Don’t hesitate to cut lengthy fade-outs short; get the next disc playing as soon as the sound from the previous song begins to fade. Obviously, it helps to know how each song ends--does it fade out, or end cold? In the case of songs which end cold, be aware that most CD players take a small fraction of a second to start. This matters because it is very jarring to listen to a loud song end, have a fraction of a second of complete silence, then the beginning of another loud song. You may want to follow a song which ends cold with one which fades up; start the second one before the first ends.
If someone brings you a "loaner" CD or tape of a song you’re not familiar with, listen to the first and last thirty seconds before deciding to play it. If you’re not able to do this, and you’re not able to audition it, you should turn down the request.
Have a CD at hand "in case of emergency;" if a song ends too early and you’re stuck with dead air, your damage control will be considerably simpler if you have a song you can slap in the CD player without looking around for something to play. If you have the luxury of a third CD player, you may want to keep this disc loaded, paused, and ready to go on short notice.
As you gain experience, you may wish to consider cueing songs to start at locations other than the beginning. There are many very danceable songs which don’t have danceable intros. With patience and skill, you can often trim these songs and eliminate the part which is hard to dance to.
The one occasion where some dead air is permissible: around a slow song played in a set of faster songs. A second or so is all you need, though. You will also want to drop the volume a bit; people expect slow songs to be quieter than fast dance music, and it’s amazingly unnerving to them if it’s not.
Plan your music in blocks of about an hour. You should have a slow song (or perhaps two if the dance is relatively formal) in the block. Your mix will sound much smoother if you plan the remainder of your set around transitions between songs; think in terms of the speed and general style of the two songs, as well as the crossfades between songs (would the end of this song sound good with the intro of the next?). This is not to say that you can’t, for instance, put a slow reggae tune in the same set as a fast techno track--but it will sound better if you out a song or two of gradually changing tempo between the two songs.
If the dance is formal, put several slow songs in the last block, but never end on a slow song. End instead with a classic energetic-sounding dance tune that everyone will like.
If you’re doing voiceovers with a microphone, don’t get carried away. It’s painful to realize that you’re talking into an open microphone to a hundred people, but really don’t have anything to say. Spare yourself the experience(I have been through this-and its painfully embarrassing). When you do need to do a voiceover, feel free to talk over the intro of a song or its fadeout. It’s also permissible to fade a song down midway, make a brief announcement (of a presumably urgent nature), then fade it back up.
Crowd reaction is generally easy to judge; it’s usually more visible than audible: people will dance to the music you’re playing if you’re doing your job well. You will encounter occasional strident whiners who aren’t pleased with anything you’re doing. Listen with an open mind, but don’t feel an automatic obligation to do anything for them other than listen politely. If the dance floor empties, you’re probably doing something wrong; time to trot out one of the warhorses of dance music to get the crowd moving again.
As a general rule, people who have had too much to drink will dance to pretty much anything. So go ahead and DJ.All the Best..
Post By
DJ Bubly
P.S. this is not a step-by-step guide….
Basic equipment
The equipment needed to DJ consists of:
1. Sound recordings in a DJs preferred medium (eg. Compact discs computer media files)
2. A minimum of two devices to play sound recordings, for alternating back and forth to create a continuous playback of music (e.g. record players, compact disc players, computer media players such as an MP3 player)
3. A sound system for amplification or broadcasting of the recordings (e.g. portable audio system) or a radio broadcasting system.
4. A DJ mixer , an electronic two-channel mixer with a cross fader used to smoothly go from one song to another (using two or more playback devices)
5. A microphone, so that you can introduce songs and speak to the audience, and
6. Head phones used to listen to one recording while the other is playing, without outputting the sound to the audience.
You could probably find this list on any website as the basic requirement. But as I personally have been through a disaster in a show and I think these are the life saving (DJ saving) equipments you need:
• Two pads of paper and a handful of pens. You’ll need one pad for a request list, and should probably keep one handy for your own notes. Needless to say, bring a handful of pens or pencils (which you never see again, so leave anything good at home. I lost my lucky Parker).
• Masking tape. You’ll find it useful for sticking temporary labels on things, like tapes and discs which people bring for you to play.
• A small lamp. It’s likely to be dark, and it’s really hard to read the labels on CDs and equipment when it’s dark(and you cant use the light of your mobile-as you do in a bar-to look for the menu). A nightlight on an extension cord will do the trick. Don’t bring something huge; it won’t help you that much and will only annoy people at the event.
• A flashlight. You will find it useful when you’re looking for a particular CD which is out of reach of your small lamp (above)—and even more useful if you should happen to blow a circuit breaker.
• Duct tape. It’s the all-purpose miracle cure for loose cables.
• A few towels. Put them under your CD players to cushion them from vibrations picked up from the floor.
Getting there
You should remember, however, the three primary rules of event DJing:
1. arrive early,
2. arrive early, and
3. arrive early.
Preparation at the site of your event takes a long time, particularly if you’re not an experienced DJ. Allow at least an hour for a simple event; you’re probably better off allowing two hours if you have a lot to do.
CAUTION-DON’T FORGET THIS:
•If you don’t like people looking through your CDs-which they always want to do, checking out your equipment, and the like, make it difficult for them to get to your things. Set up an obstacle course of chairs and/or closely-spaced tables to make it difficult to get to your equipment. Don’t be bashful about herding people out of your way. You are in charge, at least where music is concerned, and there’s no need to put up with something which disrupts your concentration.
•Consider not stacking CD players; put them side-by-side instead. This will make it easier if you have more than one person DJing--and will also reduce the possibility of jarring the active CD player or accidentally pressing buttons on the wrong disc player.
• Music should be placed where it’s easy for you to reach, but more difficult for partygoers to reach. You’re likely to lose discs otherwise.
•No matter how hard you try, some people are going to set drinks on the front edge of your work table (particularly if the room is small). There’s the obvious threat that some moron will actually spill one of these drinks, so try to keep your equipment as close to the rear of the table as possible.
• Check all of your speaker connections for stray strands of wire which might cause the wires to short together. Use a flashlight to look for these; they can be hard to spot if the light isn’t good. Check for same thing where the speakers connect to the amplifier. If you’re handy with a soldering iron, and if your speakers support such connectors, you may want to make yourself a set of "banana plug" connectors to make the speaker connection job easier.
• If you can, place things on top of your speakers so that people won’t put their drinks on them. Better yet, put your speakers where they’re hard to reach. If you can put the speakers above the crowd safely (or anywhere at or above eye level), your sound will carry better, so you’ll be able to cover the party with a little less power.
•Unless you’re fond of headaches, don’t put speakers right in front of you
•If you know the capacity of your speakers, consider getting some fuses and fuse holders for your speaker wires. Attach them at the amplifier end of the cable, where they’ll do you some good if the far end is shorted. .
• Playing rock music for a party can be a real challenge. For many (if not most) parties, loud music is good music, so you’ll want to make sure that you have the power you need to do the job well.
Well before getting down to the techniques of DJing its better to know a little about the musical content that is required.
Remember that popular songs are not always good dance songs. A song that is extremely popular but undanceable may work well depending on the group you’re playing for, but be aware that you’re taking a pretty big risk if you decide to do so; it’s hard to recover from a floor-emptying tune.
If you have a microphone around, restrain your urge to apologize for requests which you can’t honor. It’s well-understood that this happens (for a variety of reasons); there’s no reason to call attention to the problem. Similarly, there’s little reason to apologize for minor goofs. Chances are pretty good that most people didn’t notice anyway, and even if they did, you don’t need to remind them.
Dead air is poison. Gaps between songs are irritating when you’re dancing, so try to keep things moving. Don’t hesitate to cut lengthy fade-outs short; get the next disc playing as soon as the sound from the previous song begins to fade. Obviously, it helps to know how each song ends--does it fade out, or end cold? In the case of songs which end cold, be aware that most CD players take a small fraction of a second to start. This matters because it is very jarring to listen to a loud song end, have a fraction of a second of complete silence, then the beginning of another loud song. You may want to follow a song which ends cold with one which fades up; start the second one before the first ends.
If someone brings you a "loaner" CD or tape of a song you’re not familiar with, listen to the first and last thirty seconds before deciding to play it. If you’re not able to do this, and you’re not able to audition it, you should turn down the request.
Have a CD at hand "in case of emergency;" if a song ends too early and you’re stuck with dead air, your damage control will be considerably simpler if you have a song you can slap in the CD player without looking around for something to play. If you have the luxury of a third CD player, you may want to keep this disc loaded, paused, and ready to go on short notice.
As you gain experience, you may wish to consider cueing songs to start at locations other than the beginning. There are many very danceable songs which don’t have danceable intros. With patience and skill, you can often trim these songs and eliminate the part which is hard to dance to.
The one occasion where some dead air is permissible: around a slow song played in a set of faster songs. A second or so is all you need, though. You will also want to drop the volume a bit; people expect slow songs to be quieter than fast dance music, and it’s amazingly unnerving to them if it’s not.
Plan your music in blocks of about an hour. You should have a slow song (or perhaps two if the dance is relatively formal) in the block. Your mix will sound much smoother if you plan the remainder of your set around transitions between songs; think in terms of the speed and general style of the two songs, as well as the crossfades between songs (would the end of this song sound good with the intro of the next?). This is not to say that you can’t, for instance, put a slow reggae tune in the same set as a fast techno track--but it will sound better if you out a song or two of gradually changing tempo between the two songs.
If the dance is formal, put several slow songs in the last block, but never end on a slow song. End instead with a classic energetic-sounding dance tune that everyone will like.
If you’re doing voiceovers with a microphone, don’t get carried away. It’s painful to realize that you’re talking into an open microphone to a hundred people, but really don’t have anything to say. Spare yourself the experience(I have been through this-and its painfully embarrassing). When you do need to do a voiceover, feel free to talk over the intro of a song or its fadeout. It’s also permissible to fade a song down midway, make a brief announcement (of a presumably urgent nature), then fade it back up.
Crowd reaction is generally easy to judge; it’s usually more visible than audible: people will dance to the music you’re playing if you’re doing your job well. You will encounter occasional strident whiners who aren’t pleased with anything you’re doing. Listen with an open mind, but don’t feel an automatic obligation to do anything for them other than listen politely. If the dance floor empties, you’re probably doing something wrong; time to trot out one of the warhorses of dance music to get the crowd moving again.
As a general rule, people who have had too much to drink will dance to pretty much anything. So go ahead and DJ.All the Best..
Post By
DJ Bubly
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Reservation in India
This issue is the hot topic these days among the youth.Its been discussed over and over in newspapers and television and even in the canteens of various colleges.Finally,it has also found a place in my blog.
This topic isnt a new one and its history dates back to the 1920s.
History
It all started in 1921 when Madras Presidency introduced reservation of 44% for non-brahmins 16% for Brahmins, 16% for Muslims, 16% for Anglo-Indians/ Christians and 8% for Scheduled Castes.Then when India got independence in 1947 Dr.B.R.Ambedkar provided reservation for socially backward sections including schedule castes and schedule tribes.In 1979,Mandal commision was established which included another caste in reservation strata known as other backward caste(OBC).The funny thing about this commision is that it used the consensus of 1930 to determine the population of these OBCs.Total reservation quota went upto 60%.This commision was opposed by many.Rajiv Goswami, a Delhi university student attempted self immolation.
In 2006 Reservations introduced for Other backward classes in Central Government Educational Institutions. Total Reservation went up to 49.5%.
This is how the caste scenario of today looks like...
There are many arguments available for and against this reservation.We saw lots of news channels recently calling leading analysts and politicians to have a debate on this topic.Here I present both sides of the coin..
Arguments offered by supporters of reservation
1.Affirmative Action schemes are in place in many countries including USA, South Africa, Malaysia, Brazil etc. It was researched in Harvard University that Affirmative Action programmes are beneficial to the under-privileged. The studies said that Blacks who enter elite institutions with lower test scores and grades than those of whites achieve notable success after graduation. They earn advanced degrees at rates identical to those of their white classmates. They are even slightly more likely than whites from the same institutions to obtain professional degrees in law, business and medicine. They become more active than their white classmates in civic and community activities.
2.Affirmative Action has helped many - if not everyone from under-privileged and/or under-represented communities to grow and occupy top positions in the world's leading industries.Reservation in education is not THE solution, it is just one of the many solutions. Reservations is a means to increase representation of hitherto under-represented caste groups and thereby improve diversity on campus.
3.To provide social justice to the most marginalized and underprivilaged is our duty and their human right. Reservation will really help these marginalized people to lead successful lives, thus eliminating caste-based discrimination which is still widely prevalent in India especially in the rural areas. (about 60% of Indian population stays in Villages)
4.Reservations in Tamil Nadu over 30 years have worked to such a level that OBCs are able to outshine the Forward Castes (See Tamil Nadu Figure Below) and hence the overall performance of the students have increased validating the argument that reservation brings out the best from the weaker sections of the society.
5.Casteism is the root cause of the suffering of more than half (according to the disputed Mandal Commission) of India's population. To eliminate casteism we need to help underprivileged people to do well in their education and share the same social status as the upper caste people. There are Reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs in all the southern states of India and the quality of education has only increased. The fact that most of the software, Information Technology and other advanced industries are found in the southern states prove that the persons getting seats through reservations after graduation are competent.
6.Reservation is everywhere in India - The head of a big firm is always the son of the company's chair, irrespective of the fact that there is another meritious person. The post of Temple priest in some temples is reserved only for a man from the Brahmin Caste, even if there is another person who knows the mantras. There exists practices of having separate temples with Gods like Ayyanar, Mariammal etc , which are situated outside the village and the priests in these temples are not brahmins. Janitor jobs are mostly done by people from the lowest caste, with very few exceptions, which are rare enough to make headlines There is no opposition to these kind of reservations, since these are for the benefits of "upper castes". The only opposition is the reservations in education, since those would benefit people from the "lower castes" to climb the social ladder.
Arguments offered by anti-reservationists
1.Caste Based Reservation only perpetuate the notion of caste in society, rather than weakening it as a factor of social consideration, as envisaged by the constitution. Reservation is a tool to meet narrow political ends.
2.Affirmative Action can be provided at a more comprehensive level taking into account various factors of exclusion such as caste, economic conditions, gender, kind of schooling received etc. A comprehensive scheme of Affirmative Action would be more beneficial than reservations in addressing concerns of social justice. Such a system was in place in the Jawaharlal Nehru University till 1983 [called the "Deprivation Points" system] and is used by both Universities and the industry in the USA.
3.Political parties & central government paint false picture of inequality between Forward Castes and Other Backward classes without referring its own survey results . National surveys results indicate that Other backward classes are comparable to Forward Castes in many parameters. http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_nsso_rept_pubn.htm.This was pointed out by many analysts who analysed survey results and by Oversight committee in its final report.Backward classes outshine Forward Castes in important parameters like business ownership, rural employement, health indicators in many states etc. Other Backward Classes are comparable to Forward Castes in landholding pattern which is used by national surveys to understand the wealthiness of various social groups.
4.Allocating quotas is a form of discrimination which is contrary to the right to equality.
5.The policy of reservation has never been subject to a widespread social or political audit. Before extending reservation to more groups, the entire policy needs to be properly examined, and its benefits over a span of nearly 60 years have to be gauged.
6.Poor people from "forward castes" do not have any social or economical advantage over rich people from backward caste.
7.Combination of factors like Wealth, Income, Occupation etc will help to identify real needy people. Most often, only the economically sound people make use of most of the seats reserved for "backward" castes, thus making the aim a total failure.
After you have read this you might want to know what I want to say about the issue.The main problem with this reservation issue is the government itself.Even after 60 years of independence if the government says that there is still a section of society that is backward it directly reflects as to how much we have developed as a nation.Also after 60 years,instead of decreasing reservation it has increased it to accommodate more castes and sections.Anyway,we need to be optimistic and suggest some steps so that the reservation really helps the ones who need it the most.I came across a blog which has many workable suggestions.
What I want to say about the reservation thing is that reservation is absolutely necessary in view of the country's current situation.But we need to apply this reservation in an effective manner so that maybe in 20 years or so every Indian becomes equal in the educational,political and economical aspect and finally we can put an end to this reservation.At that point of time all will be treated as equal and we can put our full workforce for the development of our nation.
Source:Answers.com
This topic isnt a new one and its history dates back to the 1920s.
History
It all started in 1921 when Madras Presidency introduced reservation of 44% for non-brahmins 16% for Brahmins, 16% for Muslims, 16% for Anglo-Indians/ Christians and 8% for Scheduled Castes.Then when India got independence in 1947 Dr.B.R.Ambedkar provided reservation for socially backward sections including schedule castes and schedule tribes.In 1979,Mandal commision was established which included another caste in reservation strata known as other backward caste(OBC).The funny thing about this commision is that it used the consensus of 1930 to determine the population of these OBCs.Total reservation quota went upto 60%.This commision was opposed by many.Rajiv Goswami, a Delhi university student attempted self immolation.
In 2006 Reservations introduced for Other backward classes in Central Government Educational Institutions. Total Reservation went up to 49.5%.
This is how the caste scenario of today looks like...
There are many arguments available for and against this reservation.We saw lots of news channels recently calling leading analysts and politicians to have a debate on this topic.Here I present both sides of the coin..
Arguments offered by supporters of reservation
1.Affirmative Action schemes are in place in many countries including USA, South Africa, Malaysia, Brazil etc. It was researched in Harvard University that Affirmative Action programmes are beneficial to the under-privileged. The studies said that Blacks who enter elite institutions with lower test scores and grades than those of whites achieve notable success after graduation. They earn advanced degrees at rates identical to those of their white classmates. They are even slightly more likely than whites from the same institutions to obtain professional degrees in law, business and medicine. They become more active than their white classmates in civic and community activities.
2.Affirmative Action has helped many - if not everyone from under-privileged and/or under-represented communities to grow and occupy top positions in the world's leading industries.Reservation in education is not THE solution, it is just one of the many solutions. Reservations is a means to increase representation of hitherto under-represented caste groups and thereby improve diversity on campus.
3.To provide social justice to the most marginalized and underprivilaged is our duty and their human right. Reservation will really help these marginalized people to lead successful lives, thus eliminating caste-based discrimination which is still widely prevalent in India especially in the rural areas. (about 60% of Indian population stays in Villages)
4.Reservations in Tamil Nadu over 30 years have worked to such a level that OBCs are able to outshine the Forward Castes (See Tamil Nadu Figure Below) and hence the overall performance of the students have increased validating the argument that reservation brings out the best from the weaker sections of the society.
5.Casteism is the root cause of the suffering of more than half (according to the disputed Mandal Commission) of India's population. To eliminate casteism we need to help underprivileged people to do well in their education and share the same social status as the upper caste people. There are Reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs in all the southern states of India and the quality of education has only increased. The fact that most of the software, Information Technology and other advanced industries are found in the southern states prove that the persons getting seats through reservations after graduation are competent.
6.Reservation is everywhere in India - The head of a big firm is always the son of the company's chair, irrespective of the fact that there is another meritious person. The post of Temple priest in some temples is reserved only for a man from the Brahmin Caste, even if there is another person who knows the mantras. There exists practices of having separate temples with Gods like Ayyanar, Mariammal etc , which are situated outside the village and the priests in these temples are not brahmins. Janitor jobs are mostly done by people from the lowest caste, with very few exceptions, which are rare enough to make headlines There is no opposition to these kind of reservations, since these are for the benefits of "upper castes". The only opposition is the reservations in education, since those would benefit people from the "lower castes" to climb the social ladder.
Arguments offered by anti-reservationists
1.Caste Based Reservation only perpetuate the notion of caste in society, rather than weakening it as a factor of social consideration, as envisaged by the constitution. Reservation is a tool to meet narrow political ends.
2.Affirmative Action can be provided at a more comprehensive level taking into account various factors of exclusion such as caste, economic conditions, gender, kind of schooling received etc. A comprehensive scheme of Affirmative Action would be more beneficial than reservations in addressing concerns of social justice. Such a system was in place in the Jawaharlal Nehru University till 1983 [called the "Deprivation Points" system] and is used by both Universities and the industry in the USA.
3.Political parties & central government paint false picture of inequality between Forward Castes and Other Backward classes without referring its own survey results . National surveys results indicate that Other backward classes are comparable to Forward Castes in many parameters. http://mospi.nic.in/mospi_nsso_rept_pubn.htm.This was pointed out by many analysts who analysed survey results and by Oversight committee in its final report.Backward classes outshine Forward Castes in important parameters like business ownership, rural employement, health indicators in many states etc. Other Backward Classes are comparable to Forward Castes in landholding pattern which is used by national surveys to understand the wealthiness of various social groups.
4.Allocating quotas is a form of discrimination which is contrary to the right to equality.
5.The policy of reservation has never been subject to a widespread social or political audit. Before extending reservation to more groups, the entire policy needs to be properly examined, and its benefits over a span of nearly 60 years have to be gauged.
6.Poor people from "forward castes" do not have any social or economical advantage over rich people from backward caste.
7.Combination of factors like Wealth, Income, Occupation etc will help to identify real needy people. Most often, only the economically sound people make use of most of the seats reserved for "backward" castes, thus making the aim a total failure.
After you have read this you might want to know what I want to say about the issue.The main problem with this reservation issue is the government itself.Even after 60 years of independence if the government says that there is still a section of society that is backward it directly reflects as to how much we have developed as a nation.Also after 60 years,instead of decreasing reservation it has increased it to accommodate more castes and sections.Anyway,we need to be optimistic and suggest some steps so that the reservation really helps the ones who need it the most.I came across a blog which has many workable suggestions.
What I want to say about the reservation thing is that reservation is absolutely necessary in view of the country's current situation.But we need to apply this reservation in an effective manner so that maybe in 20 years or so every Indian becomes equal in the educational,political and economical aspect and finally we can put an end to this reservation.At that point of time all will be treated as equal and we can put our full workforce for the development of our nation.
Source:Answers.com
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Bollywood & Piracy
We all know that piracy is a crime.But I just thought of Piracy through the mind of a communist.The first question that arises is "Why do People Pirate?".Here are some reasons that I could think of.First and foremost is the business of piracy itself.Though its illegal and the pirated version of the movie has a dismal quality, this trade is flourishing and is worth crores.This makes us think "Why are pirated movies though being of low quality so popular ?" Though there are many reasons for their popularity,I want to discuss the most important one,The Cost.
The cost of one cd which has one movie can be as low as Rs.30.At such a cost at least one whole family can watch it.If we compare it to the cost the family would incur in watching the same can be anywhere between Rs.160-600(In metros the latter figure is more prominent).So the high ticket cost these multiplexes and theatres charge distance the lower middle class families from watching the movies.
The second question that keeps boggling me is "If the lower middle class and the poor class(which are a major chunk of the Indian society) are really benefited from piracy,then Is piracy really a crime ?"Then I searched for reasons as to why its a crime.The main reason is that it steals the copyright of the distributor,hence incurring a loss not only to the distributor but also to the producer.Then I analyzed how big the loss is and if it can be reduced in anyway.
First of all the budget of every hindi movie made these days is so huge(around an average of Rs.30-40 crores) that they cant recover their expenditure unless it is a smash hit.Secondly,atleast two movies are released each week,which makes the chances of a smash hit decrease.And lastly the high ticket prices in metros also discourages some cinemagoers.
I found some solutions to these problems.Firstly,the budget of the movies can be easily reduced by decreasing the money spent on filmstars.Imagine if Shahrukh's income is reduced from Rs.10 crores to Rs.10 lakhs.This will not only drastically decrease the budget but also help in reducing the economic disparities between the ultra rich and the poor.As the budget will reduce so is the loss incurred in case of a flop,whereas if the film is a smash hit then the profit can be shared with the actors so that they are accountable for the movie.
Secondly,reduce the number of movies filmed.Well this entirely depends on the producers but I sincerely think that it can be done.We are already seeing that most of the movies have non-sensical script and direction.
Thirdly,the ticket price of the multiplexes can be reduced so that more and more people are encouraged to watch their superstars on the big screen.More and more theatres can be opened so that a housefull situation does not occur.
Some might argue that no actor will accept this proposal.Surely they wont;but some negotiation can be definitely sought.These steps will not only lower the budget of movies but also discourage cinemagoers from buying pirated discs.
If we follow these steps I sincerely feel that piracy will come down.Just advertising that Piracy is a crime is not a solution.We all want piracy to end.What we have to do is to get to its root and solve it.
The cost of one cd which has one movie can be as low as Rs.30.At such a cost at least one whole family can watch it.If we compare it to the cost the family would incur in watching the same can be anywhere between Rs.160-600(In metros the latter figure is more prominent).So the high ticket cost these multiplexes and theatres charge distance the lower middle class families from watching the movies.
The second question that keeps boggling me is "If the lower middle class and the poor class(which are a major chunk of the Indian society) are really benefited from piracy,then Is piracy really a crime ?"Then I searched for reasons as to why its a crime.The main reason is that it steals the copyright of the distributor,hence incurring a loss not only to the distributor but also to the producer.Then I analyzed how big the loss is and if it can be reduced in anyway.
First of all the budget of every hindi movie made these days is so huge(around an average of Rs.30-40 crores) that they cant recover their expenditure unless it is a smash hit.Secondly,atleast two movies are released each week,which makes the chances of a smash hit decrease.And lastly the high ticket prices in metros also discourages some cinemagoers.
I found some solutions to these problems.Firstly,the budget of the movies can be easily reduced by decreasing the money spent on filmstars.Imagine if Shahrukh's income is reduced from Rs.10 crores to Rs.10 lakhs.This will not only drastically decrease the budget but also help in reducing the economic disparities between the ultra rich and the poor.As the budget will reduce so is the loss incurred in case of a flop,whereas if the film is a smash hit then the profit can be shared with the actors so that they are accountable for the movie.
Secondly,reduce the number of movies filmed.Well this entirely depends on the producers but I sincerely think that it can be done.We are already seeing that most of the movies have non-sensical script and direction.
Thirdly,the ticket price of the multiplexes can be reduced so that more and more people are encouraged to watch their superstars on the big screen.More and more theatres can be opened so that a housefull situation does not occur.
Some might argue that no actor will accept this proposal.Surely they wont;but some negotiation can be definitely sought.These steps will not only lower the budget of movies but also discourage cinemagoers from buying pirated discs.
If we follow these steps I sincerely feel that piracy will come down.Just advertising that Piracy is a crime is not a solution.We all want piracy to end.What we have to do is to get to its root and solve it.
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