Saw quite a lot of it on the BBC TV but was little impressed both with most of the performances and the production.
Since it must have been a 're-launch pad' for many of the acts, I felt that most were requiring some rehearsal, the "didn't have time" excuses don't hold good considering they, or most, consider themselves professionals.
I felt that the performances were mostly about shouting and 'blarting' rather than singing.
And that character doing his 'fill-in'and milking Amorillo was a complete distaster.

I will remember the Africa problems now for the wrong 'concert' reasons !!!

Receiving your coverage from the BBC you were most likely spared Neil Young's wailings, and his 2 note (suck/blow) harmonica solos.
And I really don't need one hit wonders like Bob Geldof trying to re-make a name for themselves.

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...shboom

[QU
And I really don't need one hit wonders like Bob Geldof trying to re-make a name for themselves.

[/B][/QUOTE]

shboom,that was a bit below the belt,( he was knighted)(sir)bob geldof,he has done more for poverty than anyone,he even stood up to our prime minister (maggie thatcher) 20 years ago when he raised millions for charity,(since then he has raised lots more)and she wanted to charge V.A.T (tax) at 17.5%,which was against the law,later she relented and said the british government will be making the donation to the people of AFRICA .whether you like him or not is not important what is ,is the amount of people he has helped,mike

No disrespect to global hunger and the poor and needy of Africa. But to be quite honest, this year alone I have contributed $1,000's to my Church, United Way, Red Cross, Tsunami Releif Fund, and the releif fund from of my local neighbors that suffered from flooding and catastrophe's.

How much has Bob Geldorf contributed and how much has all those concert attendees contributed this past year?

I know I can do more to help the world, we all can. How is the G8 going to help solve Africa's myriad of problems? We in the USA lead the world in Philanthropy yet we are the first to get blasted for not giving enough. And personally, I resent that notion.

Al

My frustration comes from the fact that Africa hasn't got it's act together with respect to government corruption...(not that the contributing countries are any better as far as corruption goes) but to pour water into a bucket with no bottom only succeeds in depleating funds for our own needy and homeless, etc. So in giving monies (millions), there's no way of ensuring that the funds in fact go towards helping those in need. A great deal is taken by gov't officials and the crumbs are dispersed to those in real need. Our Prime Minister (Martin) makes all these self-pat on the back speeches about how much we're going to contribute knowing full well that protective measures aren't in place to ensure that aid is actually received by those that need it.

It looks good on paper...but that's it.

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...shboom

[This message has been edited by shboom (edited 07-04-2005).]

i agree with a lot of what you say,the corruption in africa is unbelievable,years ago i was told that OXFAM took 97.5 % of income for expenses,(a friend of mine said well at least many millions of 2.5 pences helped),i also heard that one of the major Cancer charities with a member of the royal family who was a figure head for the charity was given over half a million pounds to her cause her name (title) generated much of the funds,anyone who gives whether its small or large helps,bob don,t need the money for his ambition ,he has already made it,its nice to know that the TOP STARS in uk like Paul McCartney Elton john,and many others,work for free no fee, will step forward and give of themselves,bob is a loudmouth,scruffy and coarse but he gets his message accross,if it means slagging off government officials HE DOES,if there is a load of red tape with officials he embarrasses them on t.v. he is not only WORDS he is ACTION ,if they say we will give ,he says when,and demands a date,he will not be pussy footed by ANYONE,as i said before it doesn,t matter if you like him or not,what matters is that what he does WORKS,mike

Hi all,
The whole point of Live 8 was not about raising money. It was about raising awareness. Given that I think it was a huge success.

I am no fan of Sir Bob Geldof but you have to hand it to him, I can't really think of anyone else that could have pulled this off.

I understand that it is frustrating that aid does not get through to the people who need it because of corruption and mismanagement BUT all that aside the fact remains that children are going to bed tonight hungry because they have not eaten for days. A significant majority of them will not be getting up in the morning.

People are dying at the rate of fifty thousand a day and the fact that they live in Africa should not make a jot of difference. As human beings they are our brothers and sisters and we have a moral obligation to help them. If it was happening in the state or county next to where you live (just imagine 50,000 a day) would you stand by and watch? I think the vast majority of you would be raiding your kitchen for food and cupboards for blankets.

OK so it might not be as easy as that BUT just because it is harder only means we have to try harder to help.

We are the lucky ones. By virtue of posting on this forum means we live in absolute luxury compared to those who Live 8 is concerned about. It is so easy for us to sit back and berate the governments and officials who allow this to happen to their people. We have the good fortune to live in a democracy and can change things we are unhappy about, most of the people in Africa don't even have that right.

These people are not concerned with who gave what and who skimmed the cream off the top. They just want to eat and to feed their children.

How DARE we give with conditions attached? To my mind saying that I won't give because nothing changed since last time I gave is tantamount to taking the food out of the mouths of the most needy. It would make me as bad as the crooked officials who live off the misery of others.

I have been offline for few weeks due to a problem with my telephone line. I was incensed that the phone company took so long to sort out my problem..... On Saturday, watching the concert I was ASHAMED that I allowed my self to imagine that my silly problem was so huge. I am willing to bet that the people who won't eat tonight would give anything to trade places with me.

This is not about resenting how other countries view you as a nation and I find it sad that you seem to offer this up as justification for not doing more. (Sorry but weigh your national pride against the grief of a mother whose child dies for want of a bowl of rice and a cup of water and the two don't equate as far as I'm concerned).

None of us should measure what we do to help against what another does. If more people concentrated on what they could do at a personal level then maybe less people would die. If all this awareness leads to even ten less people dying each day then we have made a start.

I am sorry if I have offended anyone by my comments but at the end of the day people are dying. I feel so strongly that they deserve help and even more strongly that we can have no justification for not giving that help.
Best wishes
Tony

tony,your words have not offended anyone,what you have just stated is what bob was saying and getting through to the people,when there was discussions on the tv before with bob, others were saying yes we should give ,as if talking in the future,he was saying give the F_ _ ING MONEY NOW ,because he was swearing on tv other tv programs was talking about it,which brought it even more into the limelight cause this was shown at other times on other shows,can you imagine the uproar this caused,SIR bob geldof (knighted by the QUEEN OF ENGLAND)shouting and swearing on tv?nobody else would dare,just found this site which you may want to look at,mikePDF] You Made Africa BoringFile Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Bob Geldof swearing on TV. They wore the T-shirts. and went on the sponsored run (or was it a walk?). Live Aid was a wave of popular action with its own ... www.riverpath.com/library/pdf/you_made.pdf

Tony...
I echo Mike's comment.
"Your words have not offended anyone here".
We're mainly offering an opinion, although we may have left g800miles' initial comments on the back burner.
We're family here, you already know that, and differences of opinion is what makes for good conversation, and who knows...maybe change.
....and change can be a good thing.


Your "friend" Leon.

So glad you're back Tony! And that you care so deeply.
DonM