Live 8: Can musicians stop hunger?

[Perry1977]

It's just a bunch of hippies jerking off.

[mattos]

The purpose of the concerts are to persuade politicians in G8 to lend more help against the fight against hungry...

er, make that persuade politicians to take people's hard earned money by force and then inefficiently pass that money into the hands of various oppressive governments. hurrah for live 8!

were the point of this to actually encourage real charity, that is people giving out of their hearts i would applaud it. as it is, i hope it fails miserably.

[y2cragie]

Until the likes of Mugabe are ousted from power, any efforts by the rest of the world will be nary bu a drop in the ocean.

I'm not saying that the US or UK should go through another 'regime-changing' exercise, but the first step to the improvement has got to be the removal of these tinpot despots. Cancelling debts, for example, just allows them to line their own pockets even further off the back of their people.

I can assure you sometime in the next 18 months there will be a military force in Zimbabwe. Its unlikely there will be a US soldier there as its not really their problem. The UK and i believe France seriously messed up with the country and its upto us to fix it.

[Booker T]

The biggest problem with a country like africa, is the populated areas, are just not habitable. They are dry desert lands, where you just cant grow anything to support a community. This is where the problems start.

That could be said about the U.S and Australia too yet no one is starving on the same scale there. They just need more money for development.

[Den21-Bal19]

Until the likes of Mugabe are ousted from power, any efforts by the rest of the world will be nary bu a drop in the ocean.

I'm not saying that the US or UK should go through another 'regime-changing' exercise, but the first step to the improvement has got to be the removal of these tinpot despots. Cancelling debts, for example, just allows them to line their own pockets even further off the back of their people.

[Snk16]

For the starving children in Africa, we don't need money, we just need your awareness. We just need your awareness. Just a little bit. If you can not afford to give some of your awareness, just a simple, "ah" will do.

[Jared]

G8 countries are willing to forgive $40 billion in foreign debt, so whatever gets collected at the concernts is a drop in the ocean compared to what these governments have already committed to do. I see it as mainly publicity mixed w/ a bit of hyprocisy. I mean, ads seeking aid always show these malnutritioned KIDS... and our hearts go out to them. But what these ads fail to say is that these kids grow up.... and once they are no-longer-cute-looking adults, we don't give a damn about them. Rodney Allen Rippy effect.

We got to help them be self-sufficient, not just give them hand-outs. Unfortunately, there is no incentive to do this: A self-sufficient Africa means more competition in a global market. But relief of debt is a huge start for African economic independence.

Well, I know that some of the artists have talked about teaching or enabling self sufficiency. I cannot speak for the the actual G8 participants, since I hav not heard any of them say anything about that. Only teh debt reduction.

And as far as I know, nothing is being collected at the concerts. Not any gate receipts anyway. I don't know if donations are being accepted. Just names on a petition.

[Sevenis7]

G8 countries are willing to forgive $40 billion in foreign debt, so whatever gets collected at the concernts is a drop in the ocean compared to what these governments have already committed to do. I see it as mainly publicity mixed w/ a bit of hyprocisy. I mean, ads seeking aid always show these malnutritioned KIDS... and our hearts go out to them. But what these ads fail to say is that these kids grow up.... and once they are no-longer-cute-looking adults, we don't give a damn about them. Rodney Allen Rippy effect.

We got to help them be self-sufficient, not just give them hand-outs. Unfortunately, there is no incentive to do this: A self-sufficient Africa means more competition in a global market. But relief of debt is a huge start for African economic independence.

[y2cragie]

the true effects of this wont be huge. However it will help. The biggest problem with a country like africa, is the populated areas, are just not habitable. They are dry desert lands, where you just cant grow anything to support a community. This is where the problems start.

[LiquidBlue]

It doesn't mean the result will be the same now.

[Battlex]

Its been done 20 years ago. Shows how much it did.

[IZAAK]

If you don't know what Live 8 is, turn on Mtv or VH1 right now... It is being aired all day long...

Live 8 is a series of 11 concerts, located in 9 different countries...

The concerts are free to the public and non profit... The purpose of the concerts are to persuade politicians in G8 to lend more help against the fight against hungry...

For more info go here..... www.Live8live.com

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My question is: Do you think that this will actually do any good? Or will the politicians still do whatever they want?