HEART BREAKING!

This morning I got up early( for a change!) and like I usually do the first thing I did was log on to BBC.com to check the latest news and get my Wimbledon update. While reading about Hillary and Obama's tryst, and other run of the mill news I came across something that literally broke my heart. Please find time to read this bit of news on BBC and support these unfortunate brothers and sisters of ours in whatever way possible. The link is below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7474998.stm

NOT MY FAVORITE KIND OF PEOPLE

Ok, I know that the Bible and every other peace loving religion tells us to be loving to all. And thats all fine, but at least where preference in spending time with is concerned, there is a group of people that I'd rather not have regular contact with. Did that sound very pro-segregation? Believe me I am all for democracy and the equality of all men; in fact I believe in certain aspects of democracy that some of you might consider extreme. But in the area of company I reserve the right to chose, that too very carefully. The popular saying ' A man is known by the friends he keeps' bears a lot of truth, at least in my reckoning.

The group of people that I refer to are those people who have two traits in combination. Misery and generosity! Yes, thats right- miserable people who have a generous bent to their personality. The reason is that they find reasons in every slight thing to be miserable, but they will not be content with that; no sir, they are generous remember? In fact they are so generous that they'd rather prefer to share their misery with ever other person they meet.

Misery is a trait that robs life of it's redeeming features; and believe me there are quite a few of them if we'd care to look in the right places. It slowly takes from a person the will to live and what's left is a human that is as positive and alive as the last wisp of smoke escaping a dying candle! There are enough reasons in life to make one feel like giving up, and in this dark situation misery does not help at all. The people who have a habit of being perpetually miserable not only harm themselves but also those around them. Have you ever felt that being with certain people for a long period of time makes you self pitying and fearful? More often than not such people are those who complain unceasingly about every darned thing. It's almost as if they were carbon dioxide that sucks off the very light that sustains life!

I do not suggest that we completely abandon them; in fact they need whatever help they can get. But marinating in their company will not do a person any good. Like I mentioned earlier, there are enough reasons in life to feel bad about without adding the added burden of a miserable person's negativity to the list. Spend time with them and try to help them see the positive side to life; but when you start feeling like you are turning into them, escape! Find people who are positive and cheerful because like misery cheerfulness also rubs off on others. One very good reason to be cheerful yourself; God knows this blasted world needs it! Talk about being self contradictory!

Miserable and generous- surely a most lethal combination if ever there was one!

MEN BEING HUNTED LIKE ANIMALS!

Yes, you read the title right, and mind you it's not sensationalized. It is as honest and straight forward as the statement 'the sun rose today!'. People are being hunted for no fault of theirs in the 21st century. The reason for this hateful development is not leisure or entertainment, though one can argue that it is in fact a reality in certain places.

The place is Tanzania and the time is 8 in the morning. Little Alice* is getting ready to go to school and when her mother announces that the security has arrived she hurriedly stuffs her books into the bag and rushes out. Contrary to what this scene might suggest she is not the daughter of the president. She is not even the daughter of a rich man. Alice is an albino- that rare condition in which the skin loses it's pigmentation and becomes pale white. The condition is not contagious in any way, neither does it affect the efficiency of the patient in any way. The need for security for this little albino girl arises from the fact that her kind are being hunted for their skin and bones and other body parts!

Tanzania, like many of it's African fellow nations has a history that is deeply rooted in witch craft and voodoo. The voodoo priests still exert a huge influence on the general populace even in today's world. It is these voodoo priests that have popularized the view that the albinos have non-human powers and that their body parts will bring favor on people. Thus albinos, including little children, are being hunted like animals and their body parts are being sold as voodoo aids. The albino community is very understandably alarmed and fearful for their lives. The government has taken note of this most unfortunate development and has deployed security to protect the albino community. As a result kids like Alice have to have security even to go to their schools lest they be hunted like animals!

This is alarming and disconcerting to an extreme degree. But if we stop to consider it carefully the same seems to be the case for certain other groups of people: the difference being that we have sanctioned it. And the biggest motivator for our sanction is fear. Irrational and unjustifiable fear. In India there have been instances where entire communities of Dalits or untouchables have been lynched merely on suspicion of thefts. How can this be justified? Have we not sanctioned their deaths with our indifference to their cause? Have we not relegated them to a position that's lower than human by silently allowing these events to occur? A single case of crime in a middle class affluent society has been given wide coverage and the entire law machinery has been pressed into service. What about the more than a dozen group of untouchables that were lynched in central India this year? They have been stowed away in some corner of the print media that is surprisingly very biased in it's coverage- the media that is supposed to lay everything on an equal platform.

The perversity of the albino hunt in Tanzania shocks us only because it represents something that we have not sanctioned. But what about the daily murder of dignity and pride we silently observe only because we have learned to live with them? Their fault is only that they belong to the wrong group, but is that a fault at all? Lets be more conscious of our role in society and not act as if we are merely observers. We are not- far from it, we are society itself. It's values, it's creed, it's laws and principles- we create and live them.

HOW TO BECOME IRRESISTIBLE!

Do you want to know the number one rule of becoming irresistible to women/men? Well if you really are desperate for some gyan read on.

For starters this is not based on research of any kind. The only basis for this writing is something far less daunting- simple commonsense, and not to mention plain experience. I am actually amazed at all the trouble people go to, to prove the most mundane things when commonsense more than suffices: they even have researches on the connection between too much speaking and hair loss- actually I am being too creative here, but who knows!

So then a friend mourned his absolute lack of luck with women. I naturally asked him what he thought the problem was. Poor guy thought it was because he was not very rich- which I will have to agree he's not. But anyway though being loaded is sure an incentive, to the wrong kind of girls I may add, I told him that it was far from the truth. If all women ended up with rich men what chance do down and out guys like us have, eh. And in any case even the condemned need hope!

So I, who by the way fancy myself to be a part time philosopher, let him have my gyaan, unsolicited or otherwise.
The number one rule is...(trumpets accompanied by the blowing of horns and the sound of a heavenly choir)- BECOME INTERESTING!
Was that a little bit of a letdown? Well, don't be down because there is logic here.

The cardinal sin in the game of courtship is to become too self involved. When you become too self involved, you end up spending too much time thinking about your negatives and weaknesses. This while it obviously does no good to your self esteem, also leaves you with no time to develop your personality. On the contrary you even lose the positives because good social skills are learned through practice like any other skill. And what you learn you can also forget. What I suggested to him, that too with a fool proof guarantee, was that instead of spending all his time wondering what the problem was and uselessly worrying about it, he should make an investment- in himself.

I know this for a fact that most guys would rather spend time with someone who's interesting. Yes, a woman who looks like a cross between Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox will have our undivided attention even if she has insect brains. But not for long! The fact is that after the initial period of attraction it is the personality of a person that becomes far more involving than the appearance or bank balance. The same can be said for women too, though this might seem to be a blatant generalization. Correct me if I'm wrong ladies. Everyone prefers to be with an interesting person who does not speak nonsense every time they open their mouth.

Believe me when I say that the human personality is like the real estate business. You will get your returns in proportion to your investment. And in this case what you invest is time. Get busy finding your interests and start working on it. You will most certainly surprise yourself with what an interesting person you really are.

Ok, here are a few practical pointers,

1. Find something that genuinely interests you. It can be anything from books to jazz or culture, but find an interest. Ok, on second thoughts lets rule out collecting soiled socks- that'd be disastrous I have to admit no matter how much it interests you! Now gather information about this interest of yours and build on your knowledge volume on the subject. Before long you'll realize that you do not have to struggle to find a conversation topic anymore. It goes without saying that having varied interest naturally makes you that much more of an interesting person to know.
2. Do not take yourself too seriously! The reason for this is that doing so makes you self centered and therefore unaware of how others are reacting to you. Have a sense of humor not only where it concerns others but also when it concerns you too. You will discover that you have then become a more sensitive person.
3. Be kind to yourself. Allow yourself to make a few mistakes. This does two things. First it makes you come across as human, and secondly it takes off a huge pressure from yourself of trying to be flawless, which we are not.
4. Do not always react. Instead when the time is right ACT! This is a huge problem with most of us, and rightly so too. Some of us always seem to wait for the other person to act before we react. However, prudence and wisdom demands that we have to act too, as and when the occasion requires us to. Granted, the question of when and how to act is something that we can only learn through trial and error. But who said courting was easy?
5. The final pointer that I'd like to give you is - learn to live with failure! J.K Rowling recently said that her failures helped her become successful and I have to agree with her totally. I even came out with my own slogan ' Nothing prepares you for success like failure'. I do not mean that we should go around looking to fail so we can be successful. What I mean to say instead is that we should learn to look at failure with the right perspective. I like to think that facing failure is like being given a clean slate to start all over again! So be prepared for failure in relationships and courting too.

These are certainly not magic tricks but simple commonsense like I've already mentioned. And then I'll also have to warn you that if you have thoughts of trying them on a Hollywood celebrity you have a huge chance of being arrested on charges of stalking! So be wise and choose carefully because when it comes to relationships it involves so much more than the physical aspects. The magic words again are BECOME INTERESTING! But then again I've already told you that it's no magic... Ah, you try them and decide for yourself.

Ciao then and all the best!

KURT NILSEN

Here's something for your music fix. Kurt Nilsen is a singer from Norway who incidentally won the world idol competition. I know that seems rather corny with all that American Idol has come to be associated with- read all show and very less talent. But this guy's different if I may say so.

His first album with the rather quirky name 'I' established him as a major Norwegian singer . Other albums followed; "A part of me', 'Push Push', 'Rise to the occasion'. Now he's one of the most well known singers in Europe and seems all set to break into America as well.

Something that has been a constant thorn in his side is that he does not exactly have the good looks you might expect of a star. One of the judges in the World Idol notoriously compared him to a hobbit! But instead of taking it in a negative way he has risen above it and made some very nice music. Proving once and for all that talent need not necessarily by hijacked by looks! Very inspiring.

His latest 'Lost Highway', a collaboration with Willie Nelson, the country legend is a very nice take on the original performed by Hank Williams. ' Last storm', ' Push Push', are also some other very good tracks. If you want to explore more of this musician follow the link below on MYSPACE. Enzoyy!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=194341627

UPDATE ON THE PHILIPS HP 200

Like I promised before I am here to give you an update on how my affair with the Philips can is progressing. A week now into our relationship I am finding out more about it, and it is very much like a woman in one department- it's very temperamental!

The experience is kinda like having a multi flavored ice cream- only there are certain flavors you'd rather avoid. And truth be told it's someone else's favorite ice cream altogether. Not mine.

I had mentioned the rather good bass reproduction before. And it seems to have gotten a lil better with pink noise break in. As a result listeners of techno, trance and hip hop will probably like the sound now.

However, the part that has not gotten even marginally better is the Mids! Let me break it down for those who do not understand the concept of mids, highs and lows. They basically have to do with the sound frequencies; in that the positioning on the audio scale determines whether they are Mids , Highs , or Lows. The highs are usually associated with the word treble and the lows with bass- concepts that most people are familiar with. However mids become a lil tricky to understand. I'd say to simplify things that the mid frequencies are where the major body of then vocals lie. In short it's what gives the vocals it's thickness. The absence of mids will especially irk fans of modern rock and alternative music...

The modern rock and alternative genres are characterized by the heavy usage of overdrive in the guitars and the snare drums. The two things that this Philips absolutely sucks at reproducing! The bad mid reproduction means that the bite has been taken out of the electric guitar overdrive and the snares sound like tin cans! And since I am a very heavy listener of the alternative genre I'm naturally disappointed. It's quite pathetic really in this area.

So even though I am not a fan of techno and trance it seems like I'll be listening to these two genres quite a bit. And it's mainly because I cannot stand bad sound! Not because I am contemplating permanently switching genres. I hope that this gives you an idea of what to look for when you're looking for a pair of cans: your taste in music should ultimately determine what you buy, not the brand or cost of the headphone. Ciao!

NOSE-SENSE

Finally got that Issey Miyake perfume you always wanted? Congratulations! Now lets get on with the know how...

Did you know that like any other thing of value, perfumes also need to be treated well? Even if you buy the most exquisite perfume, without proper care it can lose it's quality and become just 'another' perfume. There are a few simple things that you can do to keep that prized bottle going on and on...

1. The first thing is to keep it in a place that's neither too cold nor too hot. A closet that's well aired from time to time would be ideal.

2. The second, and perhaps the least known fact, is that perfumes should not be exposed to sunlight. The effect of sun light on perfume is disastrous and is far worse than the effect of heat or cold. Experts suggest keeping your perfume in a dark area to avoid any loss of it's scent.

3. The correct way to wear perfume is on your pulse points, such as the neck, wrist, back of your ears. The most popular spots are perhaps the back of the ears and the neck. The reason for this is that perfumes react to body heat and your pulse points generate moderate warmth that allow your perfume to find it's base notes. This subject of top notes and base notes in perfumes is a whole new area again. But contradictory to what some people say, there is nothing like the real smell and the fake smell. Both the top notes and the base notes are as equally a part of the perfume as the other. It's just the progression from one to another that takes some time.

4. Like wine, perfumes are also known to mature and get better with time. So an investment in a good perfume makes long term sense.

5 The best time to spray on the perfume is evidently after a bath when the skin is still moist.

I think that should suffice. Ok, another thing is that the same perfume may react differently on different people; it may smell better on some people than on others. The reason is complex, but one word to explain it is pheromones. Yes, the same pheromones that are claimed to dictate the attraction quotient of people. That's a whole new science again so I wont veer into that territory. You're just plain lucky or unlucky!

Right now I am using a Roberto Cavalli perfume and a Dior 'Higher' body spray, both of which are musky and rather woody. I am getting bored and will most probably switch to Hugo Boss orRalph Lauren. I'll give you a review as soon as I get either of them. People have different takes on perumes: some say that perfumes make you more attractive while others prefer the natural smell. But as far as I am concerned I find a woman who smells good extremely desirable, and so I try to return the favor as well!LOL. Have a wonderful weekend!

SENNHEISER MX 550 AND PHILIPS HP 200 REVIEWS

Like I announced in my last post, my MX550 gave up the spirit. SO I was forced to find a replacement for it pronto since I need my music dose, like absolutely! I had narrowed down my search to the Philips SHP 5400 after reading reviews about it on the net. The reason was that I cannot afford a Shure headphone right now, which would set me back by at least 10000 bucks or 250$. Another reason was that it is supposed to deliver a huge bang for a decent price; around 1800 rs.

So me being who I am( read an impatient man who's too quick to the trigger, or wallet if you'd like) I went out to get a look at this headphone. But sadly the first store I went to had the SHP2500 and the SHP 8900, but not the model I was looking for. So I called up my good friend Ato and went headphone hunting to Connaught Place, only to find that the shops were downing their shutters, It was around 9pm already. Dejected we headed back and promptly drowned our sorrow in some good chinese food.

The next day I got up early and headed to another market place to give it another shot. Sadly here too the desired model was not to be found. On inquiring I learned that it has not been launched in the Indian market yet. Sucked totally! Finally I decided to get something with which I could make do for the moment and later, when I have money to spare, get a high end Sennheiser or Shure instead. Thus I ended up buying the Philips HP200 for a decent price, around 850rs or 20$.

I intended to introduce you to my newest purchase but after much thought I have decided to give you a short review about my last earphone and the current one. Let me start with the Sennheise MX 550.

SENNEHISER MX 550
The Sennehiser MX 550 is an in ear model. It has pretty much the regular look, though I found the buds larger than the normal ones; people with small ears would perhaps like to give it a try before buying one. It's supposed to have a bass wind technology that increases the bass response. It comes with a pair of ear cushions, which incidentally improves sound, but tends to wear out within a few months too. So getting an extra pair, if possible, would be a sound idea. It comes with a wind up case that keeps the phones dust free and safe when not in use. The wire seemed to be a bit too short for my liking. The phones also has a volume control thingy on the wire length itself, quite helpful with IPods and MP3 players that are tucked away into your pants or bags.

Coming to the sound, it punches well above it's weight! Like most other audio speakers it needs to be given some time to break in. This means that at first it may disappoint, but after about a week of usage the sound improves dramatically. The bass is pretty good for an earphone, though for the real bass and lows it cannot touch a full sized headphone. The highs are also pretty well balanced. The best thing about it though was the excellent mid reproduction- something that many fuller sized headphones cannot claim. As a result the vocal in both music and movies are very defined and well balanced. The level of detailing was also very impressive with smaller details such as small percussions that you cannot even hear in other earphones, being re produced very efficiently. Over all the word I'd use to sum the listening experience is well balanced and involving.

Now to the negatives. I discovered that after the ear pads wore out the highs became too shrill! As a result prolonged usage began to hurt my ears. The bass too is not at par with higher end phones. But then at this price range you cannot nit pick. The volume control on the wire has to be used sparingly otherwise it tends to develop faults later. As regards the durability, I used it for around a year and a half, so definitely not fragile. And believe me I am not the most gentle guy around with stuffs! If you are looking for a very decent upgrade from your Ipod supplied ones this is a hell of an investment. The sound will improve dramatically I can assure you.

PHILIPS HP 200
I have used these only for a few days and so I am not taking into account the break in factor, but I am guessing that the sound will not change radically even if it does. These are full sized headphones that are made of plastic; thankfully not very cheap looking though. The cans came with a 2 M lenth of wire that are thick and seem to be sturdy. Not many extras, but you wouldn't be expecting them anyway at this price. It came with an extra jack though for larger sized 6.3 mm using players, though I suspect that it's aimed at the amateur sound technicians and DJs. The cans swivel 180 degree, another one for the wannabe DJ I presume.

Coming to the sound, it's OKish in certain areas, very good in others and disappointing in some. The most prominent feature is the huge bass response. Like you'd expect from a full sized headphone it does a good job with the bass department, but surprisingly enough it even seems to do a good job with the lows; and here I don't mean the booms that many people associate with bass. I am instead referring to the extreme lows that you can hear in Orchestral music, provided your speakers are good. So that was a positive surprise, The highs also are pretty well delivered though there is a lack of finesse in this department. Kinda like how an Ipod and a chinese Mp3 player both do the same job, but one has more punch to it. Thats the good bit, now for the bad...

The mids are extremely disappointing, and considering that the mid range is where all the detailing usually is I am not a fan at all! As a result vocal reproduction is bland and lacks class in both music and movies. Things that are essentials where the listening experience is concerned for me. Not the headphones I'd recommend for people who are looking for a real audiophile experience, but as a filler for the time you are waiting for those high end phones I'd say it's an Ok buy. As for me I guess I'll have to lower my audio standards for some time and tolerate this can for a few months. Sigh!

Well, thats all about my headphone hunting experience. I'll keep you posted if there is any miraculous improvement in the quality of the sound. But I wouldn't bet on it if I were you!LOL. Take care Y'all and if you are into Violin listen to Paganini's 24Caprices. Lovely!

Alas! it beats no more!

Very sadly I announce that after a year and more of steady service it has finally given in to the demands of physics. My Sennheiser MX550 earphones are no more! Just an hour ago it lost it's growl and went out with a squeak...

Very faithfully it played it's part with precision and single minded dedication- now it lies in a sorry loop on my table, quite lifeless. Ah! But all things must come to an end, still as a testimony I vouch for it's unbeaten record and durability. Among many other myriad mishaps it suffered a most grievous accident when by some quirk it found itself on the floor, and had to be subjected to the humiliation of being dragged underneath the door. But after salvaging it's remaining pride it put up a brave front and continued thumping and grooving in my service. For more than a year thence it added quality to my otherwise uneventful life. Now with it's untimely departure I feel like I've lost a faithful friend and... please bear with me while I compose myself and force back these potentially embarrassing tears.

Now like all journeys in life the old must give way to the new. And thus I find myself in the most unsavory position of having to read endless reviews on the net before I finally go and lighten my wallet by a substantial degree! The MX550 were reasonable at around 1600 rs but now with it's unexpected retirement I feel pressured to upgrade to a better pair of cans; and this time I might as well go with a full sized headphone. It will give me a broader field to enjoy both my music and movies- despite my grief a not so undesirable situation really!

I had concluded that I'd need to spend at least 3000 bucks on a Sennheiser again but i read some reviews that have given my wallet some hope. The Philips SHP 5400 is reportedly a giant killer- at a bargain price. And like someone once said no other word makes an Indian as deliriously happy as the word 'bargain'! So tomorrow I'm gonna go and try to get a hold of one of these for a live review. They are said to cost around 2000 bucks but availability is going to be an issue since a lot of people seem to like them; surprisingly even audiophiles too who usually steer clear of anything outside the world of Shures and Grados.

After I've made my purchase I'll let you guys know how the relationship has taken off. I'll make sure to post some pictures too. Till then keep praying for success in my endeavor and if you have time a moment's silence please in memory of my dearly departed MX550.

" He bawled with agony- that thing of aural beauty,
yet, with it's last cry it sang- ah, surely a song consigned to posterity!"

Breathe in breathe out

While rushing through a typical day of endless 'busyness', I paused to think, and I realized that the average person hardly has time to breathe. For some reason we seem to have become so preoccupied with being always engaged that even breathing becomes secondary. You'd probably ask how in the world would we be still alive without breathing. Well, read on...

Scientists say that the human child is born with an innate ability to breathe correctly. Breathe correctly? you might ask. Yes. During the course of growing up we have become used to breathing in a shallow manner through our mouth but that's no way to breathe. The correct way to breathe is through our noses; that's where the hair in the nose comes into play and filters out dust and unwanted particles. And the focus of the breathing should not be the chest but the stomach. Vocal experts say that when a person breathes correctly one should be able to feel one's rib cage expand; this means that we are breathing with our diaphragm. And now exhale through the mouth.

Ok, but what's so important about breathing? you might ask. Think of it carefully, how long would you survive without air? They say a person can survive more than a week without food, about three days without water and- yes, barely three minutes without air, that too with practice! Air is what drives all the organs of our system, and most importantly what keeps our central nervous system working efficiently. So then do you still think that I've been making a mountain out of a mole hill?

It needs getting used to- breathing properly I mean. But what one can do is devote at least ten minutes to breathing properly before the start of the day. I assure you that you'll be feeling fresh and ready to face the day before you can say the words get go!

The simplest exercise would be to sit still, some recommend sitting cross legged but I say just be comfortable but keep your spine straight, and start breathing slowly but deliberately through your nose. Once your diaphragm feels full, hold the air and count till ten. Now slowly release it through the mouth. Do this for the next ten minutes and follow through with stretching exercises. This should be enough but in case you need other variations there are many sites on the web that will give you a quick guide; just Google for them:-) A wonderful tool, this Google! Remember though that it's not just a ten minute affair; it must become a lifestyle habit to become truly effective in our lives.

Well, I'll leave you with this this morning. I hope that y'all have a great day! Ciao'

Start an affair today!

Partick Swayze danced his way into his heroine's heart in 'Dirty Dancing', and in the process set off a dance craze. 'Grease' established John Travolta as a dance icon. Why am I going on and on about dance? Well, it's certainly not because I can dance; tell you the truth, I cannot dance to save my life! The popular expression, 'two left feet', fits me to the T...

But my inability to dance aside, I admire people who can dance. I lay a huge premium on control. I believe that life is a struggle for control- a battle that's already lost in my opinion, but still one that decides how a person lives his life. But more than control I admire instinct- that beautiful ability to react without thinking. Dancing is part control and part instinct. Unless a person is able to control his/her body and also be a being of instinct at the same time, dancing either becomes mechanical or plain silly! Which one of these traits I lack I have yet to find out.

When I look at a dancer, especially a female, I see a confidence and fluidity in their movements. An awareness of the body that transcends the normal. And cumulatively an awareness of the world too.

Now, while not everyone can become a flamenco star or rock the dance floor like Michael Jackson, it is possible for everyone to become aware of their own body. The lack of fitness that the media loves to bemoan is caused in no small measure by the lack of awareness of one's body. Just as most people live their whole lives without realizing who they really are, we can live our whole lives inside our body without understanding it. All it takes is honesty and a little hard work. However, a great body does not necessarily signal awareness. What does instead is a consistent relationship with it- a daily affair with yourself.

We may choose different methods- weight lifting, aerobics, the martial arts or pilates. The exercises themselves do not unite us with our body; it is a combination of the action and the thought. If we achieve this balance not only do we become physically aware and confident, but our whole level of interaction with the world would also change for the better. Get to know yourself; start an affair today.

THE END OF MUSIC AS WE KNOW IT?

Music has changed radically since the days of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky to the state it is in today. Some would argue that the change has been for the worse. Whatever the case it has inarguably changed, and so have it's mediums.

On careful consideration though, it seems to have come full circle. First, without the existence of audio technology, obviously the only way for people to hear music was live. Then came Vinyl records, followed by tapes and CDs and then came the low key mini discs to todays HDCDs and Mp3s. Now the way it is headed is towards live performances again.

Music as we have come to know it is about to change completely. The biggest reason is that omnipresent and almost omniscient phenomena- the internet. Because of the growth of digitalization of music and the proliferation of P2P( Peer to peer, a way of sharing files online) the perception of music has become totally re oriented. A vast majority of people with internet access prefer to download music from the internet- for free!

The corporates tried to fight this phenomena; remember apple pushing for DRM( Digital rights management)? But the overwhelming voice of the people spoke loud and clear, drowning Apple's right brigade. Now Apple has all but turned around from it's previous stance and made music from it's Itunes store compatible for any music player. A true instance of the people's trend deciding the flow of business.

In these circumstances how can the artistes be unaffected? The days when artistes could make millions through the sale of CDs and tapes is now a thing of the past. Even before the albums are officially released the music of even biggies are being leaked online for anyone with an internet connection to download absolutely free! Madonna's latest album 'Hard Candy' was leaked onto internet P2P sites almost weeks before the official release. The obvious had thus occurred; artistes are now turning to live concerts to rake in the moolah!

The latest news in the music world is Jay Z's reported 150 Mil$ deal with Live Nation, the concert promoters. This closely folows the deals with U2 and Madonna. This deal gives Live Nation the right to all of Jay Z's records and concert appearances for the next decade. While this will obviously raise Jay Z's financial health to dizzying heights, it also has very subtle, but nevertheless very obvious messages.

The first thing is that the music industry seems to have finally accepted the inevitable instead of fighting it. Jay Z was the CEO of Def Jam records, and when the CEO of a record company jumps ship to sign a deal of this nature the music industry better be listening- and well too!

Secondly it signals the trend that's gonna become the norm in the future- artistes giving away materials themselves and earning through ad revenues and live concerts. Take the example of Coldplay, the mega British band, that recently gave away music from it's new album 'Viva LA Vida' for free on their site for a week. Or Radiohead who gave away their entire album online while leaving it to the listener's to decide how much they wanted to pay... While the experiments were not total successes they are definitely a hint of what's to come.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the future of music is going to be closely linked with the growth of unconventional mediums of distribution. Myspace for example, the phenomena that created stars like Colbie Caillat and Plain White Ts. It was extremely radical and unconventional when it started, with many pooh pooing it. But today it's one of the biggest revenue generators on the net with unlimited influence on the music industry.

Where music is going to be a few years from now certainly boggles the mind given the speed with which trends are changing. Whatever the case the obvious gainers are going to be the consumers of music who seem to be getting everything their way right now! Have a great day Y'all!

SOMETHING FOR THE MUSIC LOVERS

Hey people! How's everyone's weekend been? Me, I've been developing my inner peace by staying home and lazing around, yeah, that's sure to give me peace! :-)

So I've something to share with you all. I am an ardent Youtuber and when I'm online I'm usually loitering around Youtube premises; they cant arrest me for that, can they? Ok whatever, so I was scrounging around Youtube when I came across this amazing singer. She's pretty, dresses cool, has an amazing voice, and to top it all she's just 11!

I know there are many child singers out there. Some very good, I have to admit. However, usually while I like their vocal techniques and their pitch is correct, I have nothing much to say about the voice. In this case though, I love the voice that comes out of that pretty face! There's this other singer named Charice who is also pretty amazing for a 15 year old, but somehow I find her voice a little fake... Don't sue me for saying that. Nora Foss Al Jabri, thats her name, on the other hand has such a rich voice! I prefer using the imagery of rich olive oil to describe her voice. It's fluid, warm and amazingly mature without coming across as pretentious.

I'm posting a youtube link to her rendition of 'Somewhere over the rainbow' from the musical 'The wizard of Oz' soundtrack. Diggg itttt!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MfunMfOPYOk&feature=related