Welcome to the ultimate compilation of Live Earth links and commentary on the Web!*
Click on the "read more" and scroll on down for dozens of links on individual venues, news, great quotes, reports, religiously-related stuff, and Goregasms.
Check here for updates over the next couple of days.
Well, they may have gotten numbers on the web (good for the planet, no?), but the concert venues were a disaster except for London and Jersey and Rio. Can they blame it on the awful weather? [the Gore Effect (as Glenn Reynolds put it) strikes again. ed].
MTV poles the teens and the me-generation’s take is decidedly mixed, with many critical of concert promoters and entertainers causing more harm to the atmosphere than good. From the links below, I think those kids get the picture pretty well.
First, a quick check of the weather:
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LIVE EARTH GLOBAL CLIMATE WATCH: (myforcast.com)
[Average Low /Average High – Current temps as of 1200 EST, 7/7/07] ISTANBUL [66ଏ/82ଏ – 77ଏ, sunny and pleasantly warm] SYDNEY [46ଏ/61ଏ – 52ଏ, cloudy, showers and cool] TOKYO [71ଏ/82ଏ – 72ଏ, few clouds, pleasant] SHANGHAI [77ଏ/89ଏ – 79ଏ, thunderstorms and fog] HAMBURG [55ଏ/70ଏ – 61ଏ, sprinkles and cool] LONDON [56ଏ/72ଏ – 68ଏ, scattered clouds, mild] JOHANNESBURG [42ଏ/61ଏ – 57ଏ, clear and "refreshingly cool"] NEW YORK JERSEY [69ଏ/84ଏ – 82ଏ, partly sunny and warm] RIO [67ଏ/76ଏ – 79ଏ, sunny and warm] *NEW* WASHINGTON DC [70ଏ/88ଏ – 87ଏ, sunny and warm]
NOAA Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Hurricane Warnings:Nothing significant to report. Joint Typhoon Warning Center NW Pacific/I.O. Warnings: Tropical depression south of Guam. JTWC Central-Eastern Pacific/Southern Hemisphere: Nothing significant to report.
CARBON FOOTPRINT WATCH: 74,500 tonnes. 200,000 metric tons. Catherine Claire also wants help with number crunching. [Note: Don’t worry, kids. The higher the number, the more offsets Al Gore can buy from – wait for it – his own non-profit, the Alliance for Climate Protection. Neat! ed]
MEAN GLOBAL TEMPERATURE:
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Now it’s off to the LiveEarth website, at www.liveearth.com. OOPS, or rather, the Peak Oil hijack site. I think they swiped the pic from a Hollywood disaster movie.
Appropriate. OK, here’s a handy link to Live Earth at the bottom of the hijack, www.liveearth.org. No-wait-"can’t find server" error.
Hmmmm. Google-ing…
Ah – Here they are. They’re actually at www.liveearth.msn.com, proudly sponsored by the Butterfly. Webmetricsguru is tracking the enormous sucking sound MSN.com is making in the blogosphere as it cashes in on Live Earth related links and searches. Hosting the Official Live Earth Blog as well. Makes sense, given the scope of this thing (10 million online?) but it’s sort of hard on Linux users.
MSN will be vying for eyeballs in the U.S. with NBC Universal, which is spreading its television coverage of the event across its many channels (HR 7/5). MSN also is streaming Live Earth to 25 overseas markets as localized experiences catering to the language needs of that particular area. Some nations have more than one market with a specific language, so altogether 39 markets will have simultaneous feeds available.
Such powerful marketing needs powerful underwriting. Enter Chevy, the Exclusive Corporate Sponsor of Live Earth(TM). [to the utter despair of Greenpeace, by the way. ed]
They’ll be using L/E to tout their line of environmentally-friendly vehicles, and will be utting hours of commercials on the otherwise relatively commercial-free XM Radio. If you’re one of the 7.9 million XM subscribers, you’ll find that channels 39-46 (normally rock anyway) have been hijacked to cover the different concert venues.
Not quite an exclusive lock on advertising, apparently. Philips Lighting says they also have a support piece in all of this. And Intelsat is also on the bandwagon. US recycling brought to you by PepsiCo. Well, that’s a good thing.
Before we get into the nitty gritty, Jackie Jura has a rundown of historic success in humanitarian aid concerts.
Here we go, BY VENUE:
ISTANBUL [77ଏ, sunny and pleasantly warm] – Oops, cancelled. More here, citing a lack of venue and financial support. Or perhaps a lack of business support. Since 99% of Turkey is Muslim, this is probably more like it:
A concert due to be held in Istanbul was called off due to security concerns… [religion of peace? CAIR, whither art thou! Should have called Rev Redding for help. ed]
SYDNEY [52ଏ, cloudy, showers and cool] – Sydney wraps up on the first day. At 9 p.m.?
– 50,000
– "Saviors of the world raise your hands," he shouted. – Blogger Tim Blair is covering things there. "Plastic cup use is apparently rampant." – Nice.
Some stars, like rocker Jimmy Barnes, found more colourful ways to comment on the day’s message. "Do things like get a smaller car guys … get a bigger d**k," Barnes told the crowd.
TOKYO [72ଏ, few clouds, pleasant] – Al Gore Appears In Holographic Form To Kick Off Tokyo. Al Gore as Obi Wan or Darth Vader, depending on your perspective.
– 10,000. The real draw: Rinkin Pahk**
HAMBURG [61ଏ, sprinkles and cool] – Offensive comic offends LiveEarth crowd, and Greenpeace pans the German Live Earth because DaimlerChrysler is a sponsor
– Via the Bangkok Post:
Rain marred the event in Hamburg, where many seats remained empty while the Johannesburg show started with just 2,000 people in the 12,000- capacity Coca Cola dome, before attendance swelled later…In Hamburg, Colombian sensation Shakira opened the show blowing kisses to a sparse audience that braved showers to cheer her opening act. Performers were sheltered from the weather by a big sound stage on the pitch of the big HSH-Nordbank Arena football stadium, but close- up spectators on the pitch had to hold umbrellas, pull on rain hoods or simply get wet.
Organizers said Friday they had sold about 30,000 of the 45,000 tickets and added that many people skipped the start of the nine-hour show, but arrived as dry spells interrupted the showers. The German event was also hit by competition from a techno festival in the city, the Schlager Move with 100,000 fans, and the big rock festival at Roskilde, near the Danish capital Copenhagen, only five hours drive from Hamburg.
LONDON [68ଏ, scattered clouds, mild]
– "My environmental ethic?" Beastie Boy Mike D to Grist.com when asked how he would describe his environmental ethic.
– SHHHHHHH! Justin Timberlake playing a "surprise" gig, and Madonna is playing with Gogol Bordello
– 5,000 extra seats at Wembley (of 90,000 60,000 70,000?)
– "The audience were urged to recycle their plastic water bottles and cups in bins at the stadium. Yet at the end, thousands of plastic cups lay on the stadium floor."
– Gulf News: "[P]op stars performing at today’s Live Earth environmental concerts face widespread cynicism from fans, commentators and campaigners alike."
JOHANNESBURG [57ଏ, clear and "refreshingly cool"]
– More of the Gore Effect: Fans shy away from freezing J0burg LiveEarth concert.
– 12,000
– "Africa, why are we here?" [Great question. ed]
NEW YORK JERSEY [82ଏ, partly sunny and warm]
– It’s actually in Jersey rather than NYC, but hey…
This complaint is nothing new for New Jersey, which has lived in the shadows of New York and Philadelphia for so long that even Benjamin Franklin once remarked upon it, describing New Jersey as a "keg tapped at both ends."
– The Nation liveblogs from Live Earth
Here’s one way to see the Live Earth benefit concert at Giants Stadium — and maybe, just maybe hang with your new best friends Sting, Sheryl Crow and Al Gore. Make a $5 million donation to Gore’s non-profit Alliance for Climate Protection, and you’ll score 22 luxury-box tickets and the title "Savior of the Planet." Give just $1 million, and you’ll get a similar thank-you, although you’ll have to settle for the less grand "Guardian of the Planet."
– 60,000
– Can LiveAid remove that smokey stench on the Jersey Turnpike or clean up the polluted rivers?
RIO [79ଏ, sunny and warm] 400,000! But hey, it’s the Copacabana. And it was the only concert that was free.
– Live Earth Rio goes on after a judge’s concern for safety of 700,000 people is overruled
A spokesman for Tarin did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment on her second attempt to prevent the event, but Live Earth press spokeswoman Vanessa Vasouto said Friday night that the concert "is going to happen, no matter what." [Seems sort of careless, unless of course nowhere near 700k people show up. ed]
– Live Earth Concert party on Copacabana Beach, hosted by the Union Church
SHANGHAI [79ଏ, thunderstorms and fog] 3,000 2,700 ["low key" is a nice touch. ed]
– Soggy weather and a "modicum of success…" and this chuckle:
At the opening ceremony, viewers were encouraged to bring their own chopsticks instead of using disposable ones and download music online rather than purchase actual CDs — the latter being something of a moot point due to rampant illegal downloading in China.
*NEW* WASHINGTON D.C. [89ଏ, pleasantly warm] Norris McDonald drops by and sees "A small an intimate affair…"in D.C.
Al Gore…could not get a permit for the National Mall becasue the Folklife Festival already had the space. [I thought it was eeeevil Inhofe. ed] Gore ran into opposition in Congress and could not hold the event on the Capitol grounds. So at the last minute Gore announced that the event would be held at the National Museum of the American Indian. The small stage was surrounded by a few hundred people between the stage and the musuem. The crowd was also on the sides of the stage. There wasn’t much of a sound system so people were hollering to turn it up. But there was nothing to turn up. The quickly-put-together event was probably directed more to the national television audience. [grass-roots? more like a clear case of astroturfing. ed]
– Added to the schedule at the last minute, says Celeb News
– I first found out about this through the Middle Eastern journalist organ Al Jazeera, who (no surprise) doesn’t mention the previously scheduled – and now cancelled – concert in Turkey. At least they do remember the poor chaps in Antarctica. More:
A LIVE EARTH concert is taking place in the US capital Washington DC after organiser Al Gore beat off a challenge to ban it. Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Native Roots are all performing at the hastily arranged event at The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Gore intended to host a concert on the National Mall – but US congress banned it.
– "Somewhere, Inhofe is drinking. Heavily…" ecorazzi [er, probably champagne. ed]
– AP Energy News: Al Gore Gets His Way via the Wall Street Journal
OTHER RELIGION-RELATED
– Biggest cheer of the evening: When an announcer broke the news that Rio’s statue of Christ the Redeemer was chosen as one of the new seven wonders of the world.
– Live Earth Selling Global Hype. "A look at the worship music of the Church of Global Warming"
– Recover from Live Earth – Join Apocaholics Anonymous – ecademy
– Watch "Live Earth" Events at Williamstown Congregational Church
– ‘Live Earth’: With God, no situation is hopeless – Christian Science Monitor
– Live Earth by Independent Christian Patriot
– And my favorite, Donating spam email contest winnings for the cause – DirkStar
My Christian brothers, I see it as a win-win situation for everyone involved; monies liberated from the corrupt financial institutions in Africa will be used by fiscally responsible individuals to save the planet… [outstanding suggestion! ed]
– Will Christian Aid: "biggest carbon neutral mustic festival in the world" scheduled for July 15th be cank’ed because Londoners too burned out on Live Earth?
– "Alive Earth," the "we’re the truly less-carbon alternative to Live Earth" music festival has been in the works for some time. The only requirement is not participating in Live Earth. Will it too survive? [reminds me of "taste great – less filling." ed]
– Progressive Rock Forum’s "Ten Steps to Nirvana" to help LiveEarth.
Step Nine – Adopt recycling like it was a Religion – one day it will become more important than religion anyway, so instead of wasting time going to Church spend Sunday morning at the local dump!
GOREGASMS
– "The calvary didn’t ride to the rescue, the American Indians did." Al Gore on the new D.C. concert venue.
– "Well, it’s the nuance you may have heard me repeat, but it’s one that has a purpose." Al Gore to NPR on his statement that he has no plans to become an 08 presidential candidate.
– "Harness the energy in your heart…" Al Gore
– Headline: Gore Defends "Live Earth" Concerts, Self
– Headline: Gore Defends Critics of Live Earth [huh???]
– Headline: Live Earth Going to Be the Greatest Show Ever
PUNDITRY – "WE LOVE GLOBAL WARMISTS"
– National Public Radio (we *heart* Al)
– The global warming tipping point. Not the temperature, the issue. – Chris Mooney, HuffPo
– Live Earth And The Global Warming Generation – Daily Green
– What to eat: Pinot noir and fennel porchetta with braised Swiss chard and mustard greens. [no connection to Live Earth, but his website will get swamped this weekend! ed]. Cookies for desert!
– Sign the Live Earth pledge! celcius
– Live Earth More Good Than Harm [damnation by faint praise? ed]
– Climate Change is the Terrorist to Fear (via)
PUNDITRY – "THIS IS LUDICROUS"
Audio: Al Gore, Carbon Offsets & Live Earth The Charles Goyette Show, 2007-07-06
Video: A shallow spectacle – Treehugger. And the super secret secrets behind L/E-777 (sophomoric humor alert):
- "The last thing the planet needs is a rock concert." Roger Daltrey
– Live Earth: musicians with guilty consciences?
– Rock Stars Against LiveEarth
– LiveEarth: Global warming has “jumped the shark” – John Berlau, CEI
– LiveEarth, Green Circus – Michelle Malkin
– Why LiveEarth Will Fail – Mark Levine, HuffPo
– Where’s Fairness Doctrine Fight Over NBC Airing Al Gore’s Live Earth? – Free Republic
– "No grassroots movement…" – Jordon Cooper
– The LiveEarth menace – Dave Reevely. Money quote (from linked article):
LiveEarth also plays strongly to another powerful denial strategy: the adoption of minimal and tokenistic behaviours as proof of our virtue. One concern is that people will believe that their participation in the concerts is in itself an action against climate change.
– The Church of Environmentalism suffers from a lack of mirrors. Jawa
– LiveEarth "could end up generating more carbon dioxide than was produced by all of Afghanistan in 2006." [via]
– "LiveEarth, or sticking to a false sense of priorities"
OTHER WINNING QUOTABLES BY CATEGORY:
Funniest: "I pray that this event ends global warming the same way that Live Aid ended world hunger." – Chris Rock in London
Most Like a Drug Induced Music Lyric: "It does give us a sense that we’re actually all brothers and sisters in a fairly dim planet…" – Roger Waters, formerly of Pink Floyd
Most redundant: "These events can bring a lot of attention to something like this." – Phil Collins
Most pathetic: "I can’t really talk much about being eco-friendly when I’m playing electric guitars that use electricity and drums that are made of wood. But I think we can be aware about not wasting things. My grandmother used to scare me by saying that I’d go blind if I wasted a grain of rice." – Japanese rocker Jesse
Least informed: "If we don’t do something today, then when there’s another tsunami then that cynical person, his arse is going to be on that wave." – Angelique Kidjo
Hellfire and brimstone: "We’re premiering our new song called ‘Warmer than Hell’, which takes the view of the devil coming to Britain and remarking on how warm it is." – Spinal Tap
Most Lemming-like: "It’s a groundswell we want to be part of." – Neil Finn (Runner up: Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane, "We’re really excited to be part of it because its a very big show.")
Blogger (secular): "I hope the bathrooms at all these asinine Live Earth concerts are dispensing one sheet per visit to the Loo, wouldn’t want them to get a guilt trip for using more."
Blogger (Christian): "Now the subtitle of the Live Earth concert is SOS, or Save OurSelves. The first irony is how we’ve gone from helping others to helping ourselves…The second irony is how badly our planet and the people on it need saving, and how impotent we truly are to save ourselves. " – Catherine Claire
Headline: "Live Earth DC Is a Go, Beatles Soundtrack a Diaper Commercial – Rolling Stone
And finally, the most important question not answered by Al Gore: Is it "Live Earth" or LiveEarth"?
[Don’s other habitat is The Evangelical Ecologist]
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*Forgive my lack of humility. Was momentarily swept up by the passion to do something for the planet climate. **Forgive my making fun of Japanese-English diction. I lived there for 6 years and they made fun of my English-Japanese diction once in a while too.
