Today the Live 8 concerts are kicking off around the world. Here is what the Live 8 web site says:

Every single day, 30,000 children die, needlessly, of extreme poverty.

On July 6th, we finally have the opportunity to stop that shameful statistic.

8 world leaders, gathered in Scotland for the G8 summit, will be presented with a workable plan to double aid, drop the debt and make the trade laws fair. If these 8 men agree, then we will become the generation that made poverty history.

But they'll only do it if enough people tell them to.

That's why we're staging LIVE 8. 10 concerts, 100 artists, a million spectators, 2 billion viewers, and 1 message... To get those 8 men, in that 1 room, to stop 30,000 children dying every single day of extreme poverty.

We don't want your money - we want you!

Concerts are being held around the world in:

Where and when

An estimated 5.5 BILLION PEOPLE can see LIVE 8 the greatest, greatest show on Earth

Here's where the concerts are taking place and who is performing:

When: Saturday 2nd July, 2005.

Where:

UK – Hyde Park, London

Edinburgh - Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push

France – Palais de Versailles, Paris

Germany – Siegessäule, Berlin

Italy – Circus Maximus, Rome

USA –Museum of Art, Philadelphia

Canada –Park Place, Barrie

Japan –Makuhari Messe, Tokyo

South Africa –Mary Fitzgerald Square, Newtown, Johannesburg

The Russian Federation - Red Square, Moscow

One thing I can't help feeling is we still haven't found long term solutions. Even thought I feel the concerts are a great start and are definately a start to a positive solution, they may not provide enough motivation. Somehow leaders of the world are being held hostage by the economics of the world. I think there must be something we all can do.

Don't get me wrong. I think any movement with a positive message are great. The concerts are incredibly cool. The awareness of global issues increases in the populations of the world through stuff like this. And if ONE person from each country starts something (rather than slipping back into apathetic laziness) - it might be almost worth it.

Rex Murphy has slammed the Live 8 events. In the Globe and Mail in June Rex said:

But in the end it will be just one more self-absorbed, pretentious, hollow celebrity shtick, another moment for ex-punk stars and rock maestros in decline to strut before the world's lights and cameras for a moment more.

Celebrity will seek more celebrity, and when the hits start to fade, celebrity will discover a cause. That's all Live 8 is, and that is all it and its successors will ever be. The pop-star missionary is a contradiction in terms. As well as a furious irony.

I suppose I support some of what he said, but not because of celebrities. William Shatner has already showed us how someone can return from a pronounced dead career and show people there is much more going on in his head than what Star Trek has portrayed.

But, I don't agree entirely with what Rex Murphy said about Live 8. He feels Live 8 is just a celebrity excuse for has-beens to return to the stage with a sinister kind of feel about it. I don't know. He is right but he is wrong at the same time.

There is never an easy answer for situations like this. People are starving in this world and the North American world is so far removed in a lot of ways. It is too easy to complain about the service at a restaurant when every three seconds a child in a foreign country dies from starvation.

Again, there are no easy answers.

Oh, gak.

Celine Dion is currently performing for Live 8. She was introduced by Dan Ackroyd in Barrie, Ontario and the crowd booed her. Dan tried to tell everyone to be proud of those who were Canadian. But, the crowd disagreed. Dan tried to make nice with the crowd but it wasn't working. So, they cut quickly to the performance from Vegas.

Canadians love to hate Celine Dion because of her success in Las Vegas. And seeing Dan on stage being killed by the crowd was strange was a little disturbing. Dan looked confused and a little pissed. He switched into French and repeated that Canadians need to be proud of a Canadian - especially someone from Quebec.

But, here is what I think the crowd had correct: her sincerity. She made a little speech before her little performance (which was horrible) and it was incredibly false. It was like watching a "movie star" from a film doing some fake presentation and then turning to another character off stage and mouthing off about the crowd.

I didn't believe that she cared. She was just going through the motions. I suppose she might change her mind when she hops into her helicopter back to her million dollar home in the desert. Celine, I am sorry, but you were faking and it pissed me off.

So, good on the crown in Ontario. They saw through her before she even showed her face. Sorry, Dan. You rock, but the crowd had it right this time.

Make Poverty History is a campaign in Canada with a goal to make poverty a thing of the past.

The Make Poverty History campaign is supported by a wide cross-section of charities, trade unions, faith groups, students, academics, literary, artistic and sports leaders. It is part of a 70 country international campaign called the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.

Internationally it is supported by hundreds of organizations and by well known individuals such as Desmond Tutu, Brad Pitt, Bono and Bob Geldof. In Canada, prominent Canadians including Stephen Lewis, Sarah McLachlan, Mary Walsh and John Polanyi have all endorsed the campaign.

Here's what we want in 14 words: More and Better Aid. Trade Justice. Cancel the Debt. End Child Poverty in Canada.

In 2005, world leaders - including our own Prime Minister - will be gathering in a series of landmark meetings. It's time for them to live up to their commitments to end poverty and hunger, enable every child to attend school, create decent jobs and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The symbol of the campaign is a simple White Band. By wearing it you'll be part of Make Poverty History, a unique worldwide effort to end extreme poverty - for good.

You can purchase a wrist band for awareness from their web site.

Just a quick note about the band Jet. They are a classic feel band and this is the first time I have seen or heard of them. Watching them is like watching a band from the 1970s. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a time machine hiding out back. I recommend them highly and I will be picking up their newest album.

The One Campaign is a program with a goal to spread information about poverty issues a person at a time - ONE by ONE.

What is The ONE Campaign?

ONE is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans – ONE by ONE – to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. The ONE Campaign is engaging Americans through a diverse coalition of faith-based and anti-poverty organizers to show the steps people can take, ONE by ONE, to fight global AIDS and poverty.

Why is The ONE Campaign needed?

Right now, the US government is making decisions about how much money to spend on humanitarian assistance next year and the UK is poised to lead the world’s wealthiest nations at the G8 summit next July. By joining the ONE campaign, we will show our leaders that we want to do more to respond to the emergency of AIDS and extreme poverty. More>

What is the goal of The ONE Campaign?

The ONE Campaign seeks to give Americans a voice, to ring church bells and cell phones, on campuses and in coffee shops, for an historic pact to fight the global AIDS emergency and end extreme poverty. We believe that allocating an additional ONE percent of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food, would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation of the poorest countries.

Who founded The ONE Campaign?

The ONE Campaign was founded by Bread for the World, CARE, DATA, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, Oxfam America, Plan USA, Save the Children US, World Concern, and World Vision, and works closely with the National Basketball Association, Rock the Vote, and the Millennium Campaign.

The ONE Campaign is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

How does ONE link to international agreements to fight poverty?

ONE links directly to the international effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. 1% more of the US federal budget would help save millions of lives and be a major commitment towards achieving the internationally agreed upon United Nations Millennium Development Goals. If it is delivered, we would achieve 0.35% of national wealth going to Official Development Assistance - half way to the international commitment to achieve 0.7%. Longer term, so long as we can prove the money is working, the goal is for the US to continue to increase effective assistance until it meets the international commitment to give 0.7% of the national wealth. This is an appropriate goals for ten years time, or 2015, the deadline for achieving the Millennium Goals.

Another organization to be aware of is DATA.

DATA aims to raise awareness about, and spark response to the crises swamping Africa: unpayable Debts, uncontrolled spread of AIDS, and unfair Trade rules which keep Africans poor.

DATA is part of a rising tide of action by people like you to beat back these crises.

The organization was founded in 2002 by Bono, the lead singer of U2, along with Bobby Shriver and activists from the Jubilee 2000 Drop the Debt campaign. At the core of DATA's mission is a view that these issues are not about charity, but about equality and justice.

DATADATA calls on the governments of the world's wealthy nations — the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan — to put more resources towards Africa, and to adopt policy that helps rather than hinders Africa in achieving long-term prosperity. We also call on Africa's leaders to strengthen Democracy, Accountability and Transparency toward their own citizens- to make sure that support for African people goes where it's intended and makes a real difference.