Live 8

This brother was too young to remember "Live Aid" in 1985, lakini I have had good things about the concert that brought a number of international musciians together to raise awarness and money for famine relief in Ethiopia. According to figures I have seen kedo like $254.4 million was raised through the Live Aid concerts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Aid Well the organizer of Live Aid has organized a similar musical extravaganza, to be held simulatanously in 5 countries, to bring attention to the "Make Poverty History" campaign. The concerts are free and will be held on July 2 2005, about 6 days before the G8 countries meet in Scotland, for more info:
http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/media/index.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4594865.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4596885.stm

According to organizer Bob Geldof, the events shall be free and will aim to raise awareness and not money: "We don't want your money, we want you, because every few seconds a child dies needlessly of extreme poverty,Eight world leaders in one room in Scotland on the 8th of July can save millions and millions of lives, but they'll only do it if enough people tell them to."

If these concerts attract as much attention as the organizers hope (something like 2 million attending and 2 billion watching) it could serve to bring attention to very important issues affecting the world and Africa in particular, with speacial attention to the debt crisis. However, my greatest concern is that folks will simply ignore the calls for action, suffering from what some call: "Donor fatigue". But I wish them all the best, it is a worthy cause.

Deep Throat

So like a week ago I was started reading this book, my friend had used for one of his classes this past semester and I thought since I had nothing better to do I would read it. The book is pretty famous and there is a movies based on it, the book is about a scandal that brought down an American administration, the book, if the title of my post has not given it away, is: All th President's Men. I have gone through most of the book (it's 336 pg long) and I must say it is a page turner, Woodward and Bernstein detail how the came to land on the story, how the began working together on the story, how the realied on various sources and the intrigues both inside and outside the paper. It is a very interesting read and I recommend for anyone, especially at this point in time when "Deep Throat" has been identified.

From what I have read so far, I do not see how significant deep throat was, except for confirming Woodward's hunches and already developed storylines, lakini I will withhold judgement until I finish the book and probably watch the movie. However, my reading of the rest of the book will be done with the knowledge of who deep throat is, I do not know whether this will dilute or enhance my experience. However, it does blow one of my hunches, I thought - not based on any concrete evidence - the Pat Buchanan was probably deep throat, a couple of weeks ago I saw the dude on MSNBC's "Scabourough Country" vehemently speaking against the Washington Post's relentless pursuit of the Watergate story, I think he accused them of witch hunting, and bias. I thought he protested a wee bit too much, like a jamaa who may have been hiding something. Lakini that issue has now been settled.