Posted on 07/02/2005 9:32:18 AM PDT by Mike Bates
What's the difference between today's Live 8 concert to combat poverty in Africa and the Live Aid benefit held 20 years ago?
U2 lead singer Bono says Live 8 is much more about getting people involved and less about getting charitable donations.
Others say this year's benefit concert is also distinguished by its use of the Internet as a tool to bring together a global community.
Live 8 refers to the Group of Eight summit, next week's gathering of leaders of the world's wealthiest nations, to be held in Gleneagles, Scotland. The concert is aimed at getting those leaders to commit more aid money to Africa.
Concerts to be performed by 150 musicians in 10 cities are already being beamed on the Internet by America Online, the event's only online sponsor. The online concerts are free, even for non-AOL members. The company has said it will also make Webcasts available for 12 weeks.
But apart from being a virtual venue for the concerts, the Internet has played a role in everything from circulating an online petition, to coordinating a program of street gatherings called "The Long Walk to Justice." The main Live 8 site offers, among other features, a comprehensive list of performers, footage of starving children and the opportunity to upload photos for a gallery that's been posted along some two miles of railings in Edinburgh.
Cell-phone technology has also been in the Live 8 spotlight, with free tickets to the London concert offered through a text-messaging promotion. Those tickets ended up on eBay, until the company's U.K. director removed the listing at customers' urging when the price hit 1,000 pounds.
Bloggers, too, have made themselves a part of the Live 8 action. As of 3 p.m. PDT Friday, the blog search engine Technorati had tallied up 9,877 Live 8 related blog items.
The concert venues include London; Edinburgh, Scotland; Paris; Berlin; Rome; Philadelphia; Barrie, Ontario; Tokyo; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Moscow. AOL will be Webcasting from only a handful of those cities.
The BBC is the host broadcaster from London. Partner TV and radio broadcasters, such as MTV, will also be airing the concerts.
Some Live 8 headliners include Madonna, U2, the Who, Coldplay, Sarah McLachlan, Maroon 5, Dave Matthews Band, Elton John, Pink Floyd and R.E.M.
Ho hum....I'll be watching Nascar tonight.
I do not care about the people of Africa, North Korea, Cuba and fifteen other countries and their dictators. They contribute nothing and can not save themselves and I'll be damned if some washed up drug addict is going to tell me to cry over it.
Yeah, I'll fess up. It is currently playing on my TV in the background while I sit here on the internet.
But not one red cent is leaving my pocket.
I hope to see the reunited Pink Floyd (just as 20 years ago I watched to see a reunited 3/4 of Led Zeppelin).
That bears repeating! You have a way with words - please accept my compliments!
VH-1 is broadcasting partial songs interrupted by various pontifications about how we can change the world and all that crap. The commercials are pretty funny too! Nothing like being constantly reminded about how life is hell for most of the world to make me truly enjoy this Independance Day weekend!
Now I think I'll go grill a steak, eat till I pass out and ponder all of the suffering and injustice in the world.
And that $20 bill in my wallet that could be spent to feed an African for a month? Well, that same $20 bill will provide me with a lap dance at "Showgirls." Sorry, Bono, but a man has his priorities!
You're most kind. Thanks, and have a great Independence Day!
. . .
The concert is aimed at getting those leaders (G8) to commit more aid money to Africa.
Above one of the stages is a scrolling marquee. One of the messages reads, "We Don't Want Your Money." At least the first Live Aid solicited donations from willing individuals. This one seeks to rob the taxpayers as a whole! Bob Geldof is quite a thief!
If the USA falls for this garbage I'm gonna be pissed!
The "stars" here are all about love and peace, man. But I'll bet they've got tighter security than the president of Afghanistan.
Of course they don't. It reminds me of something from the late Senator Long of Louisiana:
"Don't tax you
Don't tax me
Tax that fella behind the tree."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.