Who Invented Karaoke

For those looking for a good time, karaoke is right up there with other popular pastimes such as bowling, billiards, and dancing. Yet it was only as recently as around the turn of the century that the concept started to catch on in the U.S. It was a somewhat similar situation in Japan, where the very first karaoke machine was introduced exactly 45 years ago. While the Japanese have customarily enjoyed entertaining dinner guests by singing songs, the notion of using a jukebox that simply played back background recordings, rather than a live band, seemed a bit odd. Not to mention that choosing a song was equivalent to the price of two meals, a tad pricey for most. The Invention of Karaoke Even the idea itself was born out of unusual circumstances. Japanese inventor Daisuke Inoue was working at coffeehouses as a backup musician when a client requested that he accompany him on a visit to see some business colleagues. â€Å"Daisuke, your keyboard playing is the only music that I can sing to! You know how my voice is and what it needs to sound good,† the client told him. Unfortunately, Daisuke couldn’t make the trip, so he did the next best thing and supplied the client with a custom recording of his performances to sing along to. It obviously worked out because when the client returned he asked for more cassettes. That’s when inspiration struck. He decided soon after to build a machine with a microphone, speaker and amplifier that played music people can sing along to. The Karaoke Machine Is Produced Inoue, along with his technologically savvy friends, initially assembled eleven 8 Juke machines, as they were originally called, and started renting them out to small drinking establishments in nearby Kobe to see if people would take to them. As I mentioned earlier, the systems were seen mostly as a novel alternative to live bands and appealed mainly to wealthy, affluent businessmen. That all changed after two club owners from the area bought the machines for venues that were opening locally. Demand shot up as word quickly spread, with orders coming all the way from Tokyo. Some businesses were even setting aside entire spaces so that customers can rent out private singing booths. Referred to as karaoke boxes, these establishments typically offered multiple rooms as well as a main karaoke bar. The Craze Spreads Through Asia By the ’90s, karaoke, which in Japanese means empty orchestra, would grow into a full-blown craze that was sweeping across Asia. During this time, there were several innovations such as improved sound technology and laser disc video players that allowed users to enrich the experience with visuals and lyrics that were displayed on screen -- all in the comfort of their own homes. As for Inoue, he didn’t make off as handsomely as many would have expected due to having committed the cardinal sin of not making the effort to patent his invention. Obviously this opened him up to rivals who would copy his idea, which cut into the company’s potential profits. Consequently, by the time laser disc players debuted, production of the 8 Juke was halted altogether. This despite having manufactured as many as 25,000 machines. But if you’re assuming he feels any remorse over the decision you’d be gravely mistaken. In an interview published in Topic Magazine and re-published online at The Appendix, an online â€Å"journal of experimental and narrative history, Inoue reasoned that patent protection would have likely hindered the evolution of the technology. Heres the excerpt: â€Å"When I made the first Juke 8s, a brother-in-law suggested I take out a patent. But at the time, I didn’t think anything would come of it. I was just hoping the drinking places in the Kobe area would use my machine, so I could live a comfortable life and still have something to do with music. Most people don’t believe me when I say this, but I don’t think karaoke would have grown like it did if there had been a patent on the first machine. Besides, I didn’t build the thing from scratch.† At the very least, though, Inoue has begun receiving recognition rightfully as the father of the karaoke machine, after his story was reported by Singaporean TV. And in 1999, the Asian edition of Time Magazine published a profile naming him as among The Most Influential Asians of the Century. He also went on to invent a cockroach-killing machine. He currently lives on a mountain in Kobe, Japan, with his wife, daughter, three grandchildren, and eight dogs.

The Gold Mining Industry in South Africa Essay - 1011 Words

Gold mining in South Africa has a large impact on the environment, the economy and social structure in South Africa. The environmental impact of gold mining on the environment includes water, air and noise pollution. The mining industry in South Africa is one of the largest in the world. It provides jobs for hundreds of thousands of people in the mining industry alone. The mining industry also indirectly provides jobs for about 400 000 with the goods and services that the mines require to run successfully. Some of the typical impacts that mining in South Africa has on the environment are that it can lead to a loss of biodiversity because of a transformation in the natural habitats and ecosystems. The mining industry also usually requires†¦show more content†¦The environmental damage a mine causes lasts for a long time, even after the mine has been closed for long the effects can still be seen for example the places where rock has been dumped, the tailings (the material that is left over after the valuable part of the ore from the worthless part.) dams, and the old shafts that have not been removed are likely to have long-term effects. Other side effects of mining such polluted water and solid waste can continue damaging the environment long after the mine has been shut down. Mining can also cause the loss of productive land, air pollution from harmful chemicals released into the air as well as general safety risks that are associated with mining. It can also negatively affect the people living in settlements near the mines. As harmful as gold mining is to everything and everyone around it, it is very important for the economy. South Africa has a large amount of mineral resources and is one of the leading countries when it comes to exporting raw materials. Gold is one of the biggest raw material exports and it makes up a third of all of South Africa’s exports. For over a century South Africa produced more gold than any other country in the world, but in 2007 China took over as the leading gold producer. Gold was once the foundation of South Africa economy, but as the economy has grown it has become less dependent on gold mining. In the 1970’s and 1980’s gold mining was very important to the South African economy, itShow MoreRelatedHeading East From The Netherlands, Dutch Traders (Afrikaners)1149 Words   |  5 Pagesheaded north taking land from indigenous inhabitants and founding their own republics. With the discovery of diamonds and gold, immigration intensified and indigenous inhabitants were expelled from the country now known as South Africa. 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Research Essay on Being Pro Abortion Free Essays

Research Essay on Pro-Abortion Every woman should have the opportunity to determine if they would want to keep their child or abort it. Growing up in today’s society, I find myself in an environment where kids are having kids, parents who aren’t capable to raise a child are having kids, and victims of sexual assault are having kids. And in most cases, the child ends up living a life that isn’t too well. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Essay on Being Pro Abortion or any similar topic only for you Order Now This leads to children being neglected, abused, homeless, hungry and more importantly unloved. Imagine a woman not being allowed to have an abortion. Abortions eliminate the risks of all of those tragedies happening. The problem shouldn’t be killing an egg that isn’t fully yet involved into a baby. The problem should be having children but later neglecting or mistreating them to the point where they can’t be a happy child. Sometimes you hear parents saying, â€Å"I wish I would have waited. † or even worse â€Å"I don’t think I can do this. † For a lot of pregnancies, they aren’t planned. If we don’t allow for abortions to continue to be legal that simply means we are allowing for unfit parents to have kids and by doing this we are failing our children. I was taught to eliminate a problem before it escalates or before it becomes too late. We often hear stories about parents harming their children because the child might have cried too much or whined too much. Why should the child have to suffer? Why should a child be harmed in the first place? We can’t justify abortions not being legal. I feel that a human is born. Until then, you should be allowed to make the decision on whether or not you want to abort your child until it is too late. It’s a women’s right. A father can run away from his child but the mother will be there forever. The grandma might not care or the uncle might not be there but the mother will always be around. When we actually think about it, abortion isn’t as bad as we make it seem. It’s simply an alternative for a lifestyle that a person is trying to avoid. A person can’t raise a child to their best abilities if they never wanted the child to begin with. There will never be true happiness or true love for that child. This is why I take the stand for pro-abortion. Every woman should have the right to decide what they want to do with their body. With shows like â€Å"16 and Pregnant† or â€Å"Teen Mom†, we’re showed the struggles of being a teen mother but, we also notice that most of the mothers on Teen Mom are well off. Not only are they getting paid for being on the show but they have the assistance of others- most of them. But that’s not the case for many teens in the real world. USA Today reported that, â€Å"About 7% of teen girls got pregnant in 2006, a rate of 71. 5 pregnancies per 1,000 teens. That’s up slightly from 69. 5 in 2005, Guttmacher says. In 1990, when rates peaked, about 12% got pregnant. USATODAY)† Teen pregnancies are on the rise whether we can accept the fact or not. We shouldn’t be allowed to push a child into becoming a mother by eliminating abortions. Not only are we risking an unfit life for the child, we are also telling our teens that once you get pregnant having the bay is the only option when that is certainly not true. Amongst the group of teen pregnancies, we can’t forget about the minority group that isn’t lucky enough to get help from their parent. Prochoice states, â€Å"Low-income women and women in diverse communities are more adversely affected by limited access. For example, low-income women often lack the funds necessary for an abortion, which can delay their care(prochoice). † These teens have to rely on government assistance and fast money(stripping, drug dealing, prostituting, stealing, etc). The odds are already against them for the simple fact that they are minorities, they don’t have it all and they have to work harder than the next person. Having a child that they wouldn’t want makes the situation worse for both the child and the mother. Struggling to pay for an abortion beats struggling to raise a child for eighteen years. USA Today also states that, â€Å"The issue here is clearly that we have a lot of teenagers who are having sex, but they aren’t careful enough at contraception to avoid pregnancy,† says Sarah Brown, executive director of the nonprofit National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, who has seen Guttmacher’s numbers. (USATODAY)† If teens aren’t wise enough to practice safe sex, how can we assume that that they will be wise enough to make the right decisions when raising their child. If we become anti-abortion, we’re sealing the deal for teens to have kids whether they want too or not. With the issue of abortion, one’s attitude toward it is going to be based on many things such as religious background and personal morals. There is no black and white answer to the abortion issue. Luckily we live in a country where we are able to decide for ourselves whether something is morally right or wrong. Thus, ultimately, the choice is ours. As with the many other ethical issues which we are faced with in our society, it is hard to come to a concrete answer until we are personally faced with that issue. All we can do is make an effort to know all of the aspects which are involved so that we may be able to make a sound decision if we were faced with this problem in our own lives. In conclusion, it is clear that although some things are important in order to save a life, I truly believe a woman should have the right to end the life of her unborn child if it’s any inconvenience at all. Even though it is stopping a beating heart, and the baby can feel pain at 20 weeks, I feel the convenience of the irresponsible mother is WAY more important. How to cite Research Essay on Being Pro Abortion, Essays

Cemeteries and Robots free essay sample

After seventh grade, I learned I would be transferring to a small school settled across the street from one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in the United States. How fitting. The gloomy and eerie atmosphere of the cemetery was an implication of the foredoom I’d face inside the building. Initially, I wondered why all the other students were so restrained and robotic. Promising myself not conform with my insensate peers, but my efforts proved useless. It was impossible to express myself or have any original thoughts. Unconventional ideas and methods were frowned upon. The austere administration reprimanded those who didn’t abide by the rules or caused disturbances of any kind. Do not dare inform the math teacher he spelled logarithm incorrectly, or you would be his prime victim of targeted sarcastic remarks for the next few weeks. Moreover, the small size and dull personalities didnt sanction many friends, and I decided Id rather be solitary and focus on my work than pretend to like my environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Cemeteries and Robots or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Having plenty of alone time allowed me to truly get to know myself. I turned to books and music to fill the empty human contact and fell in love with fictional characters who had the exciting lives I craved like Alex DeLarge from the novel A Clockwork Orange. Incidentally, during my sophomore year we miraculously reaped a new, young English teacher. Unfamiliar to the schools strict, G-Rated standards, (one had to skip word breast if reading Emily Dickinson’s Her breast is fit for pearls,† out loud in class) my new savior encouraged me to rev up my abandoned motorcycle of creativity in the tool shed that had become dusty. We were allowed to speak freely, initiate debates, and not be afraid to test our analytical abilities. English class became the only class period where I could think for myself. I began to heavily dissect a myriad of literature pieces, from the contradicting phrases of Charles Dickens to the neurotic sanity of Chuck Palahniuk novels. As my independent studies sunk me deeper into a literary world, everything in my daily life took a new route. It was amazing to unveil all the subtle things I had bluntly ignored before. I noticed how companies exaggerated and mislead the public on advertisements by cleverly wording certain phrases. My mother used polar statements to trick me into agreeing to things she wanted me to do: â€Å"Do you want to not visit Uncle Jimmy?† (Huh?). I hated that my school’s inadequate library carried books that were so horribly detailed in their plots that I wondered how on earth they got published in the first place. I noted how my physics textbook used metaphors to explain difficult concepts. History came to be just one long nonfiction story about important events. On uneventful days, I’d write fictional stories and news articles, pretending to be the editor of a prestigious magazine. Later, I didn’t have to pretend. I had so many ideas built up inside and became an active contributor to online teen magazines. In my senior year (after transferring schools), I became the editor-in-chief for the school’s newsletter. Writing manifested to be my greatest passion. I had forgotten what it was like to engage in creative activities outside of a suffocating environment. My new enthusiasm for learning left me with an aura of positivity that spread through my schoolwork and interactions with family and friends. It was at the end of this odyssey that I learned the importance of connecting my mind with the minds of others. It has given me the combination to the safe of life. If only the authors Ive studied knew how much of a difference their writing has made in my life. I want the chance to impact someone else’s mind with my own literature. As much as I loathed the obstinate school, I do not have any regrets about the experiences I went through. Each school year allowed me to mature into a rational thinking adolescent. Although I was not able to choose my dream high school, I am ultimately able to have the choice for my college academics. College is my gateway to finally doing what I want to do, because a college education isn’t simply learning a set of facts. You are your own person and must utilize skills that go beyond a textbook by learning to be resourceful and creative. Coming from a school where my cultivation was limited, I will certainly not take for granted the freedom and opportunities college can offer.