Live 8

[Something Else]

From Here
...
It was an obscene display of self-promotion. It was one of history’s larger collections of self-important blowhards, all pontificating well above their pay grade and intellectual capacity.
...
Africa must rise by its own boot straps – just as every other nation and continent has. But it, like every other nation and continent, has the capacity. Success is within its grasp and imagination.

But to succeed, it needs less European and American intervention, not more.
...
Popular musicians are the largest collection of valueless screw-ups you’re going to find. Most of them are morally bankrupt, living in a world of pretend. They can’t live their own lives, why should we entrust them with global policy? They sing and spew nonsense and debauchery for the most part.

They are nobody to listen to.

Anybody see it?

[Pino]

That has to be one of the stupidest things I've read in a few weeks :-/

Its nbasicly saying we should sit back and watch Africa 'die'

I actually cant evan be bothered writing an argument against it because its so rediculas.

And while we are on the subject of Live 8, all you people who are saying about it only being white performers with guitars, hush up they are giving there time to propmote a cause which is worthy.

end

Pino

[mendhak]

Perhaps he's afraid some of his tax money will go to Africa. That makes him the racist one.

[davebat]

they are giving there time to propmote a cause which is worthy.

Pino

Yes, increased record sales.

[mendhak]

Yes, and as we all know, if non-celebrities tried to raise awareness for a cause like this, they'd be the 'nice' ones, they'd get more attention and therefore more money.

Right?

[yrwyddfa]

Read my blog . . .

[DeadEyes]

Its nbasicly saying we should sit back and watch Africa 'die'
Pino

*Resolved* No more Africa no more problem.
Seriously though a number of people feel this way not just about Live 8 but Live Aid as well. Are we going to see Duran Duran on stage in another 20 years? Perhaps it's that some people find it hard to reconcile the fact that rich/famous people might truly support their chosen charity while at the same time enjoying lifestyle of conspicuous consumption.
At the end of the day a pop concert isn't going to change anything, neither will banging drums at rallys. The various African countries have to sort out their own problems, with the help of a level playing field for doing business. Shortly followed by bleats of complaints about outsourcing.

Pino they are giving there time to propmote a cause which is worthy.
davebat Yes, increased record sales.
It would be interesting to see that balance sheet.
Time and Effort / PR and Sales

[davebat]

Sales increase at HMV between Sunday June 26 and Sunday July 3:

1 Pink Floyd - Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd - 1,343 (per cent)
2 The Who - Then and Now - 863
3 Annie Lennox - Eurythmics Greatest Hits - 500
4 Dido - Life For Rent - 412
5 Razorlight - Up All Night - 335
6 Robbie Williams - Greatest Hits - 320
7 Joss Stone - Mind, Body and Soul - 309
8 Sting - The Very Best of Sting & The Police - 300
9 Travis - Singles - 268
10 Madonna - Immaculate Collection - 200
11 Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters - 174
12 Mariah Carey - Greatest Hits - 170
13 Snoop Dogg - Rhythm & Gangsta - 166
14 The Killers - Hot Fuss - 131
15 U2 - Best of: 1990-2000 - 116%
16 Elton John - Greatest Hits: 1970-2002 - 111%
17 Keane - Hopes and Fears - 101%
18 The Beatles - 1 - 71%
19 Snow Patrol - Final Straw - 69%
20 REM - Reveal - 50%
21 Stereophonics - Language Sex Violence Other? - 36%
22 Coldplay - X&Y - 3%

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...680518,00.html

[Pino]

Man, i'm not evan going to argue this out

Just put yourself in somones shoes, somone who lives in africa has nothing.... your going to want all you can get, aid/tools/seeds etc you would be greatful for anything from anyone black white or purple.

I'll leave it at that.

[mendhak]

Nice. I quite liked it. (yrwww's blog)

[davebat]

What africa needs most of all is the ability to trade fairly with other countries.

[yrwyddfa]

Nice. I quite liked it. (yrwww's blog)

Why thank you

[crptcblade]

I could stand to watch it up until the first bit of commercials that they ran. Then I realized the demo that the promoters were targeting.

The commercial stated that half the country's population voted in the last election...


...


...


...


...


...

and half didn't

[NotLKH]

I could not have cared less about Live 8. I didn't know when it was going to happen. I would not have even known that it was this weekend except for hearing a story about it on WHAM.

The one thing that confused me was, it wasn't a fund-raiser. I was about 16 when Live-Aid happened and I thought it was a fund-raiser. Didn't they SELL tickets to Live-Aid and give the proceeds to African charities? I asked my husband why they were giving away tickets, why not sell them? Did I miss the part where they were raising money to help? It's possible, I wasn't really paying attention.

I can't believe that they went through this whole thing to "raise awareness" about Africa and G8. Is there anyone who hasn't heard that Africa has some serious problems? I think that the fact that they didn't try to raise huge sums of money in every way possible with the concert just proves your point that this was self-important grandstanding.

Hmmm.

So it wasn't even raising any money!

[visualAd]

I didn't watch the concert but I have watched a lot of the media coverage of Africa on TV. It all points to one thing - the rich countries do their best to keep the poor countries poor.

I friend of mine went to one of the Live 8 concerts and wasn't even aware of the reason why it was called Live 8 . But I don't think it was a waste of time - the money will be going to a good cause and with any luck it has made a lot more people aware of the appalling and unnecessary suffering that so many endure at the hands of our greediness.

[dglienna]

I think they said it was the 34th concert, and that Madonna made her first appearence fully clothed? I saw about an hour and a half of it, but had to go see a live concert instead.

[Valleysboy1978]

No, it was not a fundraiser, only to increase awareness of Africa (as if we weren't aware already)

As for the popstars, how many have actually donated MONEY!?!
They are quite happy to travel to Africa to do a documentary (then stay in a 5 star hotel afterwards) with all expenses paid. Afterwards they then return to their multi-million fortunes. Only Pink Floyd have vowed to donate all of their royalties to charity. Good on them!

Is it me or does it seem hypocritical when a multi-millionaire popstar speaks about us giving to help others?

[yrwyddfa]

I liked the bit where Chris Martin (of Cold Play) spouted on about climate change then proceeded to explain that he would be jetting off to somewhere sunny for a few days 'for a rest' I wonder if he realises exactly how much C02 is pumped into the atmosphere from an aeroplane?

Still, Coldplay, were an excellent (musical) act.

[yrwyddfa]

No, it was not a fundraiser, only to increase awareness of Africa (as if we weren't aware already)

As for the popstars, how many have actually donated MONEY!?!
They are quite happy to travel to Africa to do a documentary (then stay in a 5 star hotel afterwards) with all expenses paid. Afterwards they then return to their multi-million fortunes. Only Pink Floyd have vowed to donate all of their royalties to charity. Good on them!

Is it me or does it seem hypocritical when a multi-millionaire popstar speaks about us giving to help others?

http://yrwyddfa.blogspot.com/2005/06/live-8.html

[mendhak]

A little related and unrelated too:

I find people like the late Christopher Reeve to be a bit of a moron. He cared for paralysis only after it happened to him. There was nothing valiant or brave or heroic about that. It was... selfish.

[davebat]

True I think the same way, he was acting in his own interest, but then again doesn't almost everyone.

[kfcSmitty]

its human nature to be selfish and for self survival and preservation

[Valleysboy1978]

http://yrwyddfa.blogspot.com/2005/06/live-8.html

In reply to your blog matey, yes there is a second-class. Like so:

Third-World Countries (Most of Africa really)
Developing Countries (I think the likes of India, Thailand and such fall into this category)
Developed World (Western world mostly)

[yrwyddfa]

Learn something new everyday! Cheers m8

[mendhak]

Actually, second world is "The Eastern bloc of the communist-socialist states,":

A
Albania :: Armenia :: Azerbaijan
B
Belarus :: Bosnia and Herzegowina :: Bulgaria
C
China :: Croatia (Hrvatska) :: Czech Republic
E
Estonia
G
Georgia
H
Hungary
K
Kazakhstan :: Korea (North) :: Kyrgyzstan
L
Latvia :: Lithuania :: Macedonia
M
Moldova :: Mongolia
P
Poland
R
Romania :: Russia
S
Serbia and Montenegro :: Slovakia :: Slovenia
T
Tajikistan :: Turkmenistan
U
Ukraine :: Uzbekistan
V
Viet Nam (North)
Y
Yugoslavia

So you jump straight from third world to first world, while those above stay in the second world