History, Security

What’s authentic in Vegas?

Leave a comment

I find this story highly amusing.

Nevada has become the latest US state to make it illegal for musicians to falsely claim they are connected to well-known groups.

Perhaps that’s to be expected, but here’s the funny part:

Maxine Porter, manager for original Drifter Bill Pinkney, said: “In a town like [Las Vegas], where you have a constant flow of tourists, this is a place where people expect to have authenticity.

Eh? Vegas is a place where people expect authenticity? Elvis, for example, is a complex case:

The darling of Vegas, the real Elvis himself, was arguably just a tribute act, if not an outright impostor. Prejudice helped facilitate denial of any connection to the well-known (black) groups and artists that he emulated, so it raises interesting questions of how we come to terms with authenticity of an act.

While Elvis rocketed to stardom, resentment grew among talented musicians whose similar-sounding records weren’t getting the same play. The hip swiveling that merely disgusted conservative whites amounted to theft for blacks. More than one player laid claim to Elvis’ gimmicks.

Blues shouter Wynonie ‘Mr. Blues’ Harris told Sepia: “I originated that style 10 years ago. The current crop of shouters are rank impostors. They have no right to call themselves the kings of rock and roll. I am the king of rock and roll.”

In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, guitarist Calvin New born said Elvis hung out in a black bar outside Memphis where he played. “He would sit there and watch me every Wednesday and Friday night,” he said. “I’d wiggle my legs and swivel my hips and make love to the guitar.”

In 1956, the Amsterdam News said Elvis had “copied Bo Diddley’s style to the letter.”

[…]

“The Elvis that died wasn’t the same Elvis that was coming up”, Chuck D said. “They said he was king. Based on who and what? Based on the quality of the people judging or the quality of his music? What does ‘King of Rock and Roll’ mean growing up in a black household? My Chuck Berry records are still in my house. Little Richard is still in the house. Otis Redding and James Brown. The King of what?”

Certainly not the King of authenticity, but perhaps the King of Vegas.

Security

Bush faces potential Czech arrest

Leave a comment

President Bush is named in a Czech criminal complaint, in advance of his visit:

It says the person demands the police to start an investigation into the suspicion of the criminal offence of propagation and incitement of war.

[…]

“With regard for the fact that person George Bush, whom I reasonably suspect of responsibility for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and who incites to waging the war with his repeated statements, threatens with it and propagates war, will visit the Czech Republic on June 4-5, 2007, I ask you to launch criminal proceedings on suspicion of the criminal offence of propagation of and incitement of war,” says the criminal complaint according to the server.

Interesting complaint, but what should one reasonably expect from the leader of a country in 96th place in the Global Peace index?

Poetry, Sailing, Security

Brandy

1 Comment

Reflections on identity, as recorded by Looking Glass

There’s a port on a western bay
And it serves a hundred ships a day
Lonely sailors pass the time away
And talk about their homes

And there’s a girl, in this harbor town
And she works, laying whiskey down
They say “Brandy, fetch another round”
She serves them whiskey and wine

The sailors say “Brandy, you’re a fine girl
What a good wife you would be
Yeah your eyes could steal a sailor
From the sea.”

Brandy, wears a braided chain
Made of finest silver from the north of Spain
A locket, that bears the name
Of a man that Brandy loved

He came, on a summer’s day
Bringing gifts, from far away
But he made it clear, he couldn’t stay
No harbor was his home

The sailors said “Brandy, you’re a fine girl
What a good wife you would be
But my life, my lover, my lady
Is the sea.”

Yeah Brandy used to watch his eyes when he told his sailor’s story
She could feel the ocean fall and rise, she saw it’s raging glory
But he had always told the truth, Lord he was an honest man
And Brandy does her best to understand

At night, when the bars close down
Brandy walks through a silent town
And loves a man, who’s not around
She still can hear him say, she hears him say

“Brandy, you’re a fine girl
What a good wife you would be
But my life, my lover, my lady
Is the sea”

Is Brandy married, or not?

Security

American Football and Risk

1 Comment

There are so many angles to investigate when it comes to risk and American Football, that I could probably write a whole book. I will never forget when a professor one asked me to analyze the sport in terms of the industrial revolution (repeatable programs with failure analysis, along the lines of the Shewart Cycle).

Anyway, I have found interesting the discussion related to head-injuries and the percentage of retired players suffering from serious forms of dementia.

NFL and union officials say the correlation between NFL players and Alzheimer’s is anecdotal rather than scientific, and experts in the field agree.

But the heightened interest in the subject follows the death of Andre Waters, who committed suicide last November at 44. Reports concluded he had brain damage that resulted from multiple concussions during 12 years as an NFL safety. In addition, The Boston Globe and The New York Times reported in February that 34-year-old Ted Johnson, who spent 10 years as a linebacker with the New England Patriots, shows early signs of Alzheimer’s.

[…]

Those involved with the program say they can’t demonstrate clearly that dementia among football players correlates with football.

“I’ll leave it for the doctors to decide that,” Upshaw says. “A lot of the guys we’re talking about are pretty much up in age, so it’s hard to know why they have the problem.”

Barkan agrees but notes: “Just from what doctors tell us, there is a strong correlation from multiple concussions and the onset of problems.”

Correlation does not imply causation. But I think it odd to say there is no mutual relation between playing football and dementia. Seriously, if someone is subjected to a high risk of head injuries then what amount of evidence is required to convince the “experts in the field” that helmets should be worn while playing, and that the helmets must provide a measurable level of protection?