This is an interesting development. In order to attend the big Tom Waits show in Edinburgh, fans will have to show their passports. From the BBC.
Thousands of concert-goers in Edinburgh are to be asked to show photo ID in a new bid to tackle ticket touts….
The names printed on the tickets will be checked against the photo ID, such as passports, to ensure they have not been bought via internet auction sites….
Fans were only allowed to buy two tickets each for the concert - and had to name themselves and their guests.
Tickets, with the names printed on them, were sent out to home addresses only a week ago and concert-goers will have to show their passport alongside their named tickets to gain entry to the concert.
I remember being offended the first time that I had to show a photo ID to get on a plane. I mean, I just might not want somebody to be able to track my moves after the fact, you know? But, it’s easy to sell the idea to the public especially after 9/11. We may have to track down some terrorists so, anybody that flies anywhere, has to go on record. No anonymity for the greater good and, we all accept that.
But, a Tom Waits show!!?? Waits has spent a good deal of his career writing songs from the perspective of one who is familiar with skid row. Obviously, some of the characters Tom writes about aren’t the folks that make up his core audience. Could you imagine the guy in “Heart Attack And Vine” or the hooker in “Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis” even having a passport?
The idea behind this whole thing is to protect the fans. The idea is to keep scalpers from buying blocks of tickets and selling them on eBay at inflated prices.
The other side of the argument: If I’m paying this kind of dough for a ticket, I ought to be able to sell it, transfer ownership the same as any other property. What if something comes up and I can’t attend then, I’m out the cost of the ticket.
What do you think about this? Is this a proper solution to the scalping problem? Is there a scalping problem (if people are willing to pay)? Is there such a this as a right to anonymity?
hey charlie i think i’m happy
for the first time since my accident
and i wish i had all the money
that we used to spend on dope
i’d buy me a used car lot
and i wouldn’t sell any of em
i’d just drive a different car
every day, dependin on how
i feelhey charlie for chrissakes
do you want to know the
truth of it?
i don’t have a husband
he don’t play the trombone
and i need to borrow money
to pay this lawyer
and charlie, hey
i’ll be eligible for parole
come valentines day“Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis”-Tom Waits
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Tags: anonymity, auction sites, christmas card from a hooker in minneapolis, scalpers, Tom Waits
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
The new passports in the US will have an RFID, radio frequency identity device embedded…. HERE and elsewhere…!
Link | July 27th, 2008 at 11:17 am
J wrote,
RFID, like in Sputnik 2? Poor doggie!
http://www.quickstopentertainment.com/podpress_trac/web/7264/0/jonathan_coulton-space_doggity.mp3
http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2008/07/24/song-fu-final-challenge/
Link | July 27th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Pribek wrote,
Pretty clever what Jonathan did there, no?
Good song.
Link | July 27th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
That is brilliance… I agree guys. It is a Dog’s Life!! What is a puppy’s last thought?
I don’t speak russian
and Laika don’t speak latin
but lands o’ goshen she said
couldn’t they have sent a Rat in ..stead? (dog lament, me)
Link | July 27th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
J wrote,
All that your doin’ is wastin’ time
All that you can think about
Might lose your mind
But you know
It don’t mean a doggone thing
You’ll find tomorrow
It sure don’t mean a doggone thing
There ain’t no one thing
I know for sure
That’s just what I seen baby
And I don’t worry ’bout what I heard
But you know
It don’t mean a doggone thing
You’ll find tomorrow
It sure don’t mean a doggone thing
- from “Doggone Thing” by John Mooney
;-)
Link | July 27th, 2008 at 10:05 pm