The MSN Live Earth site is pretty cool. I'm heading down to New York right now. It's going to be fun! I'm going with 4 other friends (who aren't true treehuggers - just fans of singers), but maybe they'll learn something. It's going to be awesome!

Live Earth in Hamburg Going Kaputt

From Die Welt, the Hamburg-based national daily.

"Continued weak demand for the singing saviors of climate change
With the worldwide "Live Earth" concert on July 7, Hamburg wants to protect the climate and take its place next to other metropolitan venues such as London, Tokyo and Sydney. But only half of the tickets have been sold. Hamburg tourist officials are giving away the tickets in promotional packages.
Five days before the concert, just 22,000 of the show's 45,000 available tickets have been sold, Die Welt reports. Frank Erich, spokesman for the Comtent Agency, sees little cause for alarm: "We're assuming that the ticket sales will increase dramatically in the last few days before the concert," he said. And there's a surprise guest expected on stage!"

Still...

"Despite the big lineup, the modest ticket sales raise the question of whether the city of Hamburg will wind up with financial obligations. The sponsors alone, Hamburg Marketing, bear the risk if the concert falls into debt. The costs of the concert are supposed to be covered by the international sponsors as well as ticket sales. Tickets cost between 45 and 55 Euro. At this point, no one's quite sure whether the revenues and the expenses will balance out. "That's still completely unclear," said Johannes Everke, spokesman for Hamburg Marketing GmBH. "Only after the show will we be able to determine if the calculations work out.""

And here's the kicker.

"To boost business even further, there are numerous promotional packages being offered for the event. Included among these promos is an idea dreamed up by Hamburg Tourism. They're not selling the concert tickets, they're giving them away as part of a package with the motto, "A Getaway -- And Protect the Climate!" The complete "Live-Earth-Package" with a pricetag of 69 Euros includes an overnight stay in a hotel (with breakfast), Hamburg Card [a public transportation pass], as well as a free entrance ticket to the benefit concert."

If we follow the article correctly, tourism officials aren't actually mentioning the fact that the promotional package can be used at other times, and really for 69 Euros, you could just skip the 55 Euro "Live Earth" concert and still be ahead of the game.

Oh, and the environmentalists in the city legislature are unhappy.

"The opposition is criticizing the city Senate for lack of professionalism and false advertising. "The Senate isn't Karsten Jahnke [a big concert promoter -- think Bill Graham] and neither is it a believable sponsor for a climate concert, what with its construction of a big coal-fired power plant," said Farid Mueller, spokesman for the GAL [the Greens and the "alternative" lefties]. "Now everyone is Hamburg is paying for their foolishness.""

link is broken for me here. try without the WWW.

http://liveearth.msn.com/green/gorewebcast?GT1=10227

"Gore will offer simple tips and tricks you can start using immediately"
He can state by practicing what he preaches!

Here's my question: Why do you lie to people all over the world about global warming. Why don't you tell them the facts (i.e. the temperature increase over the 20th century was about .6 degrees celcius with more than half of that coming pre-1950 (when there weren't big honking SUV's driving around)). Then again, I thought all these global warming idiots would realize that you personally account for more emmisions than I ever will in my lifetime by flying all over the place and telling people they need to cut back. What a joke. The biggest joke is that some of these people actually believe you!

Save this in your computer and when your grand kids say remember when some one invented a car that could run on H2O.

We should see if Vegas will put a bet on this? Will this ever hit the market or will someone pay to keep this off the market. Some one put Al Gore on this! Ok Al here is your answer let see if you are willing to solve the probem instead of taking about it? Thats what I want to hear....Please let me know if this is what your about?

http://altnews.com.au/drop/node/6318

"there but by the grace of God go I???"

Al Gore is an arrogant S.O.B. He's not a professor and has no scientific background WHATSOEVER.

The earth changes over time. It's not our fault, and you if you think it is, you are a Dumb a##.

i dont have to get told what to do by a celeb about a few lightbulbs how much energy do they use for their mansions jumbo jets and there world tour coachs
how much energy did all the fans use to get there and why dont the celebs not get paid and pay some money huh