Noel Gallagher of Oasis thinks the concept behind Live 8 is foolish. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but are they hoping that one of these guys from the G8 is on a quick 15 minute break at Gleneagles (in Scotland) and sees Annie Lennox singing Sweet Dreams and thinks, 'F--- me, she might have a point there, you know?'" quipped the pugnacious guitarist. "It's not going to happen, is it?" I hope not, Noel. Even if the food rotted on Ethiopian docks, the event propped up socialist regimes, and routed charity to corrupt officials, at least the spirit behind 1985's Live Aid was humanitarian enough. No one forced anyone to give anything. Live 8, on the other hand, seeks to persuade our government, and the other member states of the G8, to absolve the debts of Third World governments and compel citizens in G8 nations to make involuntary contributions to these often corrupt and socialistic governments via foreign aid. Bob Geldof is as cavalier with other people's money as he was with that bathroom mirror in The Wall. Next time he would do better to pass the hat to his rich friends than to play stick-up man to the rest of us.

He's a funny guy, that Noel.

It's just that, when I saw this article on Drudge, it said "Gallagher: Live8 will never work". I thought for an too brief minute that THE Gallagher, (you know, the guy with the watermelons?) had finally made his triumphant return to the world stage. I am, needless to say, disappointed.

Noel Gallagher spoke out of (enlightened) self-interest: Gallagher's got big bushy eyebrows. Geldof shaved off is eyebrows in The Wall. Gallagher doesn't trust foreign debt policies to rock stars who shave their eyebrows. I don't blame him.

This isn't the first time Noel Gallagher has spoken out against rock stars shilling for policies and politicians they have no clue about. He hasn't been afraid to employ Laura Ingraham's method and tell his fellow rock stars to just "Shut Up and Sing." Props to Noel, props to Woderwall. All together now, "Oasis! Oasis! Oasis!"

Just curious as to your opinion of Harry Chapin (Cat's in the Cradle). He co-founded World Hunger Year and lobbied Congress to set up a commission on hunger. Unlike others though, Harry put his own money where his mouth was. He did 200 shows a year, 100 of those all of the money went to charity. He even was about to hock his home to help out a cause, only to be given pause by his wife. That is true charity, not just attending a catered charity affair and expecting to be paid for your appearance.

Be well,

Sponge

Last January, when ringing up my purchase at a bookstore, the clerk asked, "Would you like to contribute one dollar to tsunami relief today?" (he would add it to my purchase total).
"You mean," I replied, "contribute 10 cents to tsunami relief and 90 cents to a relief organization? No thanks."

Great. The Old Right has gotten so old that now they even hate charity.