Thunderstruck @ G8
Through some wild and fortuitous circumstances I was able to catch a plane to Edinburgh, Scotland, with the charming and wonderful people in the One campaign. We went over for the gathering of the Group of Eight, known by those who love and loathe them as the G8. Meeting at the ultra-swanky (golf and falconry) Gleneagles Hotel, the Daddy Warbucks of the globe represent the eight wealthiest nations -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States.

The One Campaign is attempting to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty. Aside from the fact that they have a ton of celebrities, this is a really cool group. It is an alliance of 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.

DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) was co-founded by Bono. For my generation, he is the one that has put this issue on the map. Everywhere I turn there are people who are modestly aware of the travesty of African AIDS and poverty because of his efforts. God bless him.

The graphic on the right was produced from my colleagues at The Creative Group in Wilmore, Kentucky. Click on it to see a larger version.
What follows are the blog entries of my trip. Cheers, Steve

Sunday, July 3 Thunderstruck @ G-8
"Politicians and those in the chattering classes can pooh pooh the bleeding hearts for railing on about Africa, but what kind of awareness of African poverty and suffering would we have without the scraggily rock stars with a heart?"

Sunday, July 3 You Never Forget Your First Time
"Richard Branson showed up at JFK as I was snatching coldcuts and cheese wedges off the snack tray at the Virgin Upper Class lounge. He looks tanned, toothy, and exceedingly charismatic. He fits the profile of someone who has attempted to circumnavigate the globe in a hot-air balloon."

Monday, July 4 Happy Independence Day
"Sir Bob Geldof is hilarious. This guy looks as if he just got roughed up in an alley, slept there, and wandered over to the Heathrow press conference. It appears that he is wearing some kind of Chairman Mao pajamas made of hemp. His hair looks as though he has been stranded with Robinson Crusoe. Good heavens, I think he is wearing his house slippers. I love this guy."

Monday, July 4 Napping through the Revolution
"Welcome to Scotland – home of bagpipes, Sean Connery, kilts, Adam Smith, Scotch whiskey, John Knox, golf, and haggis—the food that promises to put hair on the chest of a woman, and makes even the stoutest of men whimper like a child."

Tuesday, July 5 Playing Hooky with the Right and Left
"It was a bit peculiar to be sitting at the table with articulate and capable spokespersons of the right and the left in the middle of a dungeon pub. Actually, the two of them got along famously – considering that I figure that both of them had been warned about the other."

Wednesday, July 6 Clooney, Geldof, and Bono
"When we got back to the hotel, Charmaine and I headed downstairs and asked for someone to hold the elevator. When we got on, there was Bob Geldof – scrubbed up and pinstriped for his meeting in a few hours with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George Bush. We went outside and were greeted by hundreds of fans. Of course, they were not there for us but word had gotten out that Geldof was in the house."

Thursday, July 7 London bombings, G-8 statement
"We are currently at the Edinburgh Airport. Protesters have been going nuts at the G-8 Summit. We are all sitting in the airport watching the news about the terrorist attacks on the tube station in London. We are watching this especially close because we are flying to London in a few minutes."