|
|
Post by Jersey on Jan 12, 2009 19:34:47 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by biblesalesman on Jan 12, 2009 19:37:04 GMT -5
How will we be able to tell him and Bono apart?
|
|
|
|
Post by hoodrat on Jan 13, 2009 7:34:54 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by hoodrat on Jan 18, 2009 18:27:56 GMT -5
bruce opened with "the rising", backed by a choir. it was an excellent performance, but a surprising first performance for the concert. maybe it was because we were all frozen solid, but the song was not triumphant in that live-in-barcelona-sweaty-catharsis way, but instead was greeted with reverential silence and an audience standing at attention. errr, except me.
|
|
|
|
Post by hoodrat on Jan 18, 2009 18:30:20 GMT -5
oh, and most of the collaborations were kind of meh.
surprise successful collaboration of the evening was bettye lavette and jon bon jovi.
|
|
|
|
Post by biblesalesman on Jan 18, 2009 19:02:03 GMT -5
Did Bruce do his version of "I Was Made for Loving You" off the new album?
|
|
|
|
Post by hoodrat on Jan 18, 2009 19:09:29 GMT -5
heh. he only did the rising. and i'm pretty sure he was in on the "this land is your land" with pete seeger at the end. i couldn't see shit by that point.
|
|
essbee
Has Status
#416
Posts: 2,526
|
Post by essbee on Jan 18, 2009 19:22:26 GMT -5
Are you glad you went?
|
|
|
|
Post by hoodrat on Jan 18, 2009 19:31:43 GMT -5
yes.
it was cold. and more than a little claustrophobic. and a pain to get to and from. and the sound system was poor. and a couple of the performances were, um, not ideal.
but . . .
the emotions were running high. it was impossible to be there and not feel like you were a PART OF SOMETHING.
such celebration
such pride
from SO MANY different kinds of people.
i have rarely felt such affection and affinity for a mob mentality
yes, worth it.
|
|
|
|
Post by biblesalesman on Jan 18, 2009 19:36:16 GMT -5
Once in 1967 I was with my parents on Park Ave near The Waldorf and there was an anti war demontsration. People were getting hit and fighting the cops and some guy was thrown through a plate glass window and his comrades pulled him out and they kept fighting. Thats one "public event" I recall as being meaningful. We just happened upon it as we were walking.
|
|
|
|
Post by biblesalesman on Jan 18, 2009 22:20:38 GMT -5
Yikes. Just heard on TV that this shindig is costing 150 million dollars.Thats a lotta foreclosures averted
|
|
|
|
Post by Jersey on Jan 19, 2009 0:14:37 GMT -5
Yikes. Just heard on TV that this shindig is costing 150 million dollars.Thats a lotta foreclosures averted Yeah, but dude...it's for CHANGE.  |
|
|
|
Post by hoodrat on Jan 19, 2009 14:09:22 GMT -5
buzzkills ain't ya?
for what its worth, taxpayer money did not pay for it. the inaugural events are all funded by the presidential inaugural committee. there are a few increased federal expenses associated with any big event. security is probably the biggest example. usually security for big events in DC is provided by and paid for by the district's residents (who still don't have a vote in congress). a special emergency was declared to prevent the city from footing the gargantuan security bill for this one. also, the national guard and federal forces are helping out.
much of the crap the government spends money on is more useless than a concert. most of the crap private donations go to is much, much more useless.
so piss off or rock out.
|
|
red
True Scene Leader
you look like a kitty
Posts: 545
|
Post by red on Jan 19, 2009 14:13:58 GMT -5
|
|
essbee
Has Status
#416
Posts: 2,526
|
Post by essbee on Jan 19, 2009 14:17:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by biblesalesman on Jan 19, 2009 14:28:45 GMT -5
My understanding is that 35 million is coming from private donations and the rest is taxpayer money.
By who? The new president? Whats the emergency? Big Party in DC?
Sounds like something Cheney might say to those who disagree with him.
Look, I want Obama to succeed. I am not sure throwing a big ass party for oneself in the middle of chaos is the best thing to do. Hand me that fiddle Nero.
|
|
|
|
Post by hoodrat on Jan 19, 2009 14:58:23 GMT -5
the inaugural committee funds all of the actual events (including the concert), which is about 45 million total. it is estimated that there are around 100 million other assorted expenses, including security, split around various entities, some local, some federal.
nope, the old president -- i think at the request of the DC government, which can't afford the overtime. and the emergency is over 2 million visitors in a town with fewer than 600,000 residents. also, some number of those 2 million are expected to want to kill the rest.
i stand by the statement. and i'm pretty sure cheney just said "fuck off." rocking out was never an option with that dude.
red, you'll have to hit up jerseymike to make the teeshirt
|
|
|
|
Post by biblesalesman on Jan 19, 2009 16:03:47 GMT -5
Meet the new boss...same as the old boss.  |
|
