Archive for February 14, 2012

A History of DJ Turntables

It seems that modern culture has found a replacement for the guitar in the form of the DJ turntable. Not long ago, pop bands featuring guitars and drums were the most popular form of musical entertainment. People would go to clubs and bars in order to hear these bands play original music as well as the popular hits of the day. These days, DJs have replaced bands and solo musicians as the most popular sources of live musical entertainment. Much of the popularity can be attributed to an increased demand for electronic music, but the evolution of the DJ turntable might be the most important reason for the emergence of the DJ as the most common provider of musical entertainment.



The Early Days of DJ-ing


Many years ago, disk jockeys, or DJs, would use standard turntables to play records. In most cases, the DJs would use two turntables so a track could be queued while another song was playing over the P.A. system. These songs were played straight through from beginning to end, and the start of the next song would occur once the previous song ended.


After some time, DJs began to demand more from their equipment. This was because they began to change the formats of their performances to include scratching records and operating the turntables as if they were musical instruments. DJs started to create their own works by manipulating the records of other artists, but they required turntables that could handle constant manipulation while also providing great sound quality.

Hip Hop and the Importance of Turntable Drive Systems


The first DJ turntable choices were standard record players. These machines were not much different from the turntables used commonly in family homes. While these turntables performed adequately for DJs throughout the majority of the 20th century, new innovations were needed as the hip hop musical style began to emerge in the 1970s. Fortunately, turntable drive systems had been improving steadily up to that point. Older turntables made use of idler-wheel drive systems, which were not always accurate at reproducing sounds. Also, they contributed unwanted noise. Additionally, these turntables were not suitable for the hip hop turntable techniques which were becoming popular.


The DJ turntable advanced significantly when belt-driven models were introduced in the 1960s. These machines were more accurate, less noisy and better suited to DJ performances. However, the most important innovation was the introduction of direct drive turntables in the late 1960s. These machines started to become affordable as the hip hop movement gained steam, and a new musical style was born.


Turntables in the Modern Age


These days, turntable traditionalists still prefer to use direct drive turntables. Though these models are expensive, they offer great sound, plus they are built to be able to handle modern DJ techniques without strain. While direct drive turntables are the standard, new technology is starting to become more popular. The newest DJ turntables are completely electronic, and they allow for users to play MP3s and other electronic audio files while manipulating the sounds using common DJ techniques. Although some people refuse to acknowledge the turntable as a musical instrument, the evolution of the DJ turntable is very similar to the development of many other beloved musical instruments. The turntable has a very rich history, and DJs have used the machines to create some of the world’s best-loved music.

Workers Compensation: An Introduction

If an employee is injured while at work, they have legal recourse in most cases to claim workers compensation. The amount of compensation that they receive varies from case to case and the form that the compensation takes may also vary. For instance, if the individual is hurt while working, they may receive payments that are similar to disability payments, but if they are killed while at work, their employer may give their family compensation that is similar to life insurance. In most cases, when an individual agrees to take these types of compensation, they forfeit their right to sue their employer for negligence.


The History of Workers Compensation


Although Workers Compensation was not part of Australian law until the beginning of the twentieth century, the country’s workers were working toward it and other measures for over fifty years leading up to that point. Australia has one of the world’s richest histories of worker’s rights. In 1855, stone masons went on strike and were successful at getting an eight hour work day. For the next forty years and more, many unions were formed, and these unions worked hard to protect the rights of their members. Many people who did not belong to unions belonged to so-called friendly societies who were groups of people who pooled their resources to insulate the effects of illness and missed work on their members.


When the labour government was ushered into power at the beginning of the twentieth century, workers achieved many more victories. For instance, they established pensions and maternity allowances as well as compensation for injured workers. The movement continued to grow and evolve through the rest of the twentieth century and in 1988, the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act was signed into law. These laws have continued to evolve into the current century.


Workers Compensation Today


The history of the labour movement has played a big role in this issue. However, the issue did not stagnate in the twentieth century. Today, workers compensation has been designed in ways that allow it to deal with the needs of present day citizens. Currently, compensation programs are defined by the legislation of each territory.


Each territory has their own set of legislation and their own governing body to deal with these issues. These organizations work to help employees get the compensation that they need, and they insure that the compensation is delivered promptly. However, they also help employers to create a safe work environment, they enforce worker safety laws, and they even help employers to find affordable injury insurance plans. To help employees, they take steps to help them avoid injuries at work. If an employee is injured, they assist them in getting compensation, and when appropriate, they also help them to find new jobs.


Injuries That Are Covered By Workers Compensation


Not every injury that occurs at the workplace is covered under the workers compensation scheme. For instance, in most cases, a heart attack or a stroke that occurs in the workplace will not make an employee eligible to receive compensation from their employer. The argument in most of these cases is that the employer or the working conditions did not cause the heart attack or the stroke.


To ascertain whether an injury is eligible to merit compensation, the employee should speak with an attorney or a workers compensation specialist. In general, some of the following issues are often compensated:



  • Diseases that are contracted by the employee during the course of their employment

  • Pre-existing injuries or conditions that tend to reoccur, become aggravated, exacerbated, or that deteriorate due to working conditions

  • Injuries sustained at work

  • Injuries caused by the nature of the work

  • Industrial deafness

  • And Others

Workers compensation is an interesting and complex issue. Individuals who have questions about their rights can speak with an attorney, or they can contact the governing body in their territory.