LiveEarth Concert, coming to Shanghai

I admit. I like Al Gore, and I think he's making a tremendous effort to make people aware of the growing climate crisis. His movie, "An Inconvenient Truth" is a real eye-opener, and I highly recommend watching it.

His latest project is Live Earth, a 7-country, 24 hour concert to raise awareness of Global Warming. So who's playing at Live Earth in Shanghai? Here's the rundown:
Sarah Brightman
Eason Chan
Winnie Shin
Evonne Hsu
Huang Xiao Ming
Anthony Wong
Joey Yung
12 Girls Band

Ever heard of them? My wife hasn't. Sarah Brightman, and her overplayed Darude mix I suppose, but the rest, pretty typically Chinese (or Hong Kongese as it were.)

So how do you get tickets for Live Earth Shanghai? MSN is hosting the pages for Live Earth. On that page is a link on where to get tickets, which leads to www.ticketpro.biz. From there, click on "China" and that'll lead you to www.ticketpro.cn. And there you go! "Buy Tickets Now!"... which leads you to the page where MSN is hosting the pages for Live Earth. Circular logic at its best I must say.

The information concerning Live Earth Shanghai was pretty much non-existant up until recently, suggesting all the performers who wanted to participate were vying for the US, UK and other closer to home venues. What did we get? Sarah Brightman. Even Japan scored Linkin Park. Funny too, as Linkin Park would be a HUGE success in this country. But Shanghai is not last. There's still Turkey, where, even with only a couple weeks to go, has yet to announce a line-up.

In the US, the tickets through Ticketmaster are $362.95 for a Global Warming Survival Handbook & the best seating at the Meadowlands Arena in New York (where the New York Giants & New York Jets NFL teams play... in case you were wondering). The price here in Shangers?

RMB 1100- nearest seats to stage.
RMB 550- left & right of the stage.
RMB 220- to the left.

Scouring the Intarwebs has netted me nothing in regards to the actual layout of the concert area, so if anyone could push & shove me in the right direction, it'd be appreciated. Also, if ANYONE has actually seen this advertised anywhere in Shanghai, let me know, because I've seen it NO WHERE!

Sorry Shanghaiist. No Robin Gibb or Cui Jian.

Flopsy Isn't Alone in his Plight

I work at this place that claims to be a center of learning for the youth of Shanghai (and Anhui & Xinjiang too, apparently) and in general, it's a decent place. It's not the best in Shanghai, but probably not the worst either. They generally treat people well, pay well & provide a contract before your last day of work (which is always helpful.) At least I thought that until a few weeks ago when I saw this:



Looks like a typical building. Dance classes on the top floor. Some classrooms below. Right?

But wait! What's that?

From Shanghai, Chi...

Can it be? Do my keen bloodshot eyes spy a worker of the harmonious society halfway up that monolithic cliff of urban concrete? Is there life here after all?

From Shanghai, Chi...

Yes, there! My eyes deceiveth me not! A worker of the harmonious society, and of the blue collared nature if I’m not very much mistaken! Well I'll be damned, up in the sky, fixing the school air-con, no straps, no nothing to save himself from a plummet-ty death. (The white thing around him is debatable... see below).

From Shanghai, Chi...

One Week Later...

From Shanghai, Chi...

Not the same worker, nor aircon, but someone came to the rescue! Kind of hard to see, but this time it's there in white. A harness held by another worker, possibly from the week before. Do ya think he may be a bit bitter for not getting the same courtesy a week prior?

Two Weeks Later...

From Shanghai, Chi...

Same Air-con, possibly the same worker, again with help. Workers' rights are looking up in this side of town. There may be hope yet!

I'll look for the red stains next week on the basketball courts below to see the end results.

Some of this post was gratuitiously ripped off from Sinocidal. 88|