Magic Statistics

The religion of peace strikes again.

After the death of a 14-year-old Baptist in Kulanak in central Kyrgyzstan, the local imam and a village mob prevented his burial in the village, even in land allocated two years earlier for Christian burials, local Baptists told Forum 18 News Service. A mob, some of them drunk, threatened the Isakov family and the police did nothing to protect them. Instead the police forced their way into the house, stole the body and buried it 40 kms (25 miles) away "in a disrespectful manner", Baptists complained to Forum 18. Talay Jakypov of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Naryn Region told Forum 18 the decision not to allow the burial in the village came in writing from the district authorities. However, a spokeswoman for the Regional Administration denied this to Forum 18, saying "the whole village" was against the burial.

Aleksandr Shumilin, head of Kyrgyzstan's Baptist Union, rejects the district authorities’ view that the entire village opposed the burial, claiming that a group from the local mosque engineered the mob action.

This is the latest in a series of incidents in Kyrgyzstan in which converts from Islam to other religions have been denied burial.

Previous related post: Moonies welcomed in Kyrgyzstan

Some might say they can have it.  Oh, and they want over half a trillion dollars as well.

First Nation's land claim seeks $550B, entire City of Sudbury

A First Nation is seeking $550 billion in financial compensation for the loss of land and profits from natural resources in a land claim that includes this Northern Ontario city.

The land involved in the claim by the Whitefish Lake First Nation encompasses more than 1,000 square kilometres, including a significant amount of Crown land and the entire City of Greater Sudbury and nearby municipalities such as Nairn Centre, as well as parts of Killarney and French River.

The news has prompted some pointed rejoinders at the Sudbury Star’s comments box.

h/t: Walter Olson at Overlawyered, whose item reads:

A new C$550 billion land claim launched by the Whitefish Lake tribe (or “First Nation”, to adopt progressive Canadian terminology) includes the entire city of Sudbury, Ontario.

“First Nation” may have been “progressive” at one time but, as with so much else in Canadian public life, what was once progressive is now de rigueur.

The man who pioneered the transition from blues to rock and roll died of heart failure today at his home in Archer, Florida.  He was 79.

A unique talent and genuine legend, Bo Diddley's bravado style and distinctive swaggering shuffle beat decisively influenced many of the most important bands of the British Invasion, including the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, the Animals, and the Who.

Along with the legendary Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley was considered one of the most influential guitarists of the early rock era. His powerful rhythm, which became known as the "Bo Diddley beat" has been imitated by countless musicians.

Born Otha Ellas Bates in Mississippi in 1928, Bo was sent to Chicago to live with an aunt, Gussie McDaniel, who later adopted him. He dropped his first and last names to become Ellas McDaniel. His stage name Bo Diddley came from two sources; the diddley bow, an African stringed instrument, and the slang expression for a mischievous boy.
. . .
Bo signed a recording contract with Chess in 1955, and released two songs, "Bo Diddley" and "I'm A Man." Both went to Number Two on the national R&B charts. An appearance on a nationally-televised variety show earned him a spot on a national tour. Bo's next break came in 1959 when "Say Man" appeared on the pop charts.

Bo Diddley famously infuriated Ed Sullivan in 1955, when he was invited on the Sullivan Show to sing Tennessee Ernie Ford’s "Sixteen Tons" but, instead, sang his own “Bo Diddley”.  He never appeared on the show again.

The Bo Diddley beat is featured in this 1966 performance of “Hey, Bo Diddley” and “Bo Diddley”.

In 1964, the Animals recorded the six-minute saga “The Story of Bo Diddley”, which I played so much that I had it memorised.  Listen to it here.

According to his Wikipedia biography, Bo attended a “born again Christian church” after settling in Florida in the early 1980s.  Then there’s this, from today’s Reuters report:

Garry Mitchell, a grandson of Diddley and one of more than 35 family members at the musician's home when he died at about 1:45 a.m. EDT (0545 GMT), said his death was not unexpected.

"There was a gospel song that was sang and he said 'wow' with a thumbs up," Mitchell told Reuters, when asked to describe the scene at Diddley's deathbed.

"The song was 'Walk Around Heaven' and in his last words he stated that he was going to heaven."

God willing, Bo is now rockin' and rollin' where the music never dies.  Amen to that!

Allmusic’s tribute to Bo Diddley is posted here.

Warren Zevon recorded a raucous rendition of “Bo Diddley’s A Gunslinger/Bo Diddley”, for his 1981 live album Stand In The Fire.  Listen to it here.