I would like to hear your opinions on if the Bible has been redacted to make one passage or thought in the old testament so to be repeated in the new testament. And what is known about the JEDP theory? Then getting to the main purpose is how does these place a role [if any] in how the Bible Wheel has come about.
Last edited by Beck; 11-14-2011 at 12:46 PM.
Originally Posted by Beck
Hey there Beck,
Excellent question! For many years I had quite a bit of animosity towards the JEDP theory and those who promoted it. I never accepted it because it seemed like typical academic hubris designed to deny the divine inspiration of Scripture. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that means by which God produced the Bible said nothing about the fact that he was its designer, and I knew that he used many people without their knowledge over a span of many centuries to arrive at his final product so there was nothing about JEDP in principle that contradicted the divine inspiration of Scripture. But still, I never could read scholastic books about it without bristling because they reeked with unbelief.
But then I realized I was an unbeliever too, and one day I happened to open up my copy of Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard Elliott Friedman and man was I surprised! The book was very well written and he presented compelling evidence for the thesis. I now find it difficult to deny that there was some sort of combining of texts along the lines of the JEDP theory. But this does not impact the Bible Wheel in any way at all because the means by which it come be - it's natural history - says nothing about the existence fo the patterns or their origin except to show that it was no deliberately designed by any human or group of humans.
What's your opinion on JEDP?
Originally Posted by RAM
Well I've being looking into this off and on and haven't determine either way. All I know is that I admit that there is some redact, editing of some passages. Now to the intent I'm not sure of, but I would also say that the mayor portion of scripture used hebrew parallelism and by no means that requires an author or scribe to redact to make the passage seem to be fulfilled in the new testament.
Actually I don't have much of a disagreement about the JEDP theory it seems highly plausible. But to suggest that the old and new testaments have been redacted to aline with each other in the way that they are shown in the Bible Wheel is some what astonishing.
I think it would be more than "astonishing" to discover that the Bible Wheel was deliberated designed by some redactors. This is impossible for many reasons. The OT was essentially completed without any knowledge of how it would later fit with the NT and the Hebrew alphabet. And there is absolutely no historical evidence supporting the idea that redactors did it.
As for JEPD - the evidence for the interweaving of J and E versions of the flood is very compelling. The story naturally divides into two stories that mention either Yahweh (J) or Elohim (E). Here is the entire text of the flood story in the order it is found in the Bible. Each column forms its own self-consistent story of the flood, but when the two are put together there are contradictions (e.g. seven pairs verses single pairs of animals).
J (YAHWEH) E (ELOHIM)
Genesis 6:6 And it repented YAHWEH that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And YAHWEH said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of YAHWEH.
Genesis 6:9 Noah perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with ELOHIM. 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before ELOHIM, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And ELOHIM looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And ELOHIM said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. 22 Thus did Noah; according to all that ELOHIM commanded him, so did he.
Genesis7:1 And YAHWEH said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5 And Noah did according unto all that YAHWEH commanded him.
7:6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7:7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
7:8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as ELOHIM had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. .
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; 14 They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. 16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as ELOHIM had commanded him:
and YAHWEH shut him in. 17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. 18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.
21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. 23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
7:24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. 8:1 And ELOHIM remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and ELOHIM made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; 2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; 3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. 4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
Genesis 8:6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:
7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; 9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. 10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; 11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. 12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.
13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth:
and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. 15 And ELOHIM spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. 18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.
20 And Noah builded an altar unto YAHWEH; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And YAHWEH smelled a sweet savour; and YAHWEH said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
I was reminded of this thread today, and am surprised it has not generated more discussion. Of course, it could be that the Christians on this forum are reacting the same when I did when I was a believer. I remember well how I totally ignored the Documentary Hypothesis because I felt the "scholars" (I frequently used scare quotes when referring to Biblical scholars) were blinded by their presuppositions, so they would spend endless years tracing out any patterns no matter how tenuous if they thought they supported the idea of human authorship, but would reject any evidence, no matter how strong (such as the Bible Wheel) if it supported the thesis of divine authorship.
But now I can see why they find the evidence compelling. I just never really looked at it before (when I was a believer). The story really does natural divide into two coherent narratives based on the two divine names, and the story is quite incoherent when messed together as in our modern Bibles.
Two sides to the same coin!
Hi Richard:
I do not see any issue with the two views of the same story. The idea that a coin cannot have two sides is laughable. So isn't it possible that these "two" versions are just telling the same story from two different views? It is too much to keep insisting that venerable word inspiration is being used in the Bible. It's more like ideas are being laid down which indicate a formula to understanding the nature of man and his life journey.
I do not think that language just came about by chance. And this symbol for boat is very telling. It is found in many pre-christian writings and on oracle bone inscriptions.
[Shem's commands to Melchisedek.]
And Shem said unto Melchisedek, "Thou shalt be the priest of the Most High God, because thou alone hath God chosen to minister before Him in this place. And thou shalt sit (i.e. dwell) here continually, and shalt not depart from this place all the days of thy life. Thou shalt not take a wife, thou shalt not shave thy head, and thou shalt not pour out blood [Fol. 21b, col. 1] in this place. Thou shalt not offer up wild beasts nor feathered fowl, but thou shalt offer up bread and wine always; and thou shalt not build a building in this place. And behold, the Angel of the Lord shall come down to thee and visit thee continually." And Shem embraced and kissed Melchisedek, and blessed him, and he returned to his brethren. And MÃ¢lÃ¢kh, the p. 130 father of Melchisedek, and YÃ´zÃ¢dhÃ¢k, his mother, said [unto Shem], "Where is the young man?" And he said, "He died on the journey, and I buried him there" (i.e. where he died); and they mourned for him greatly.
[NOTES.--A scribe's note says that in the manuscript of one Makbal Melchisedek's father was called "HarklÃªÃ®m" and his mother "ShÃªlÃ¢thÃ®Ãªl " (Budge, Book of the Bee, page 34). Melchisedek wore a tunic of skin and a leather girdle, and an angel dwelt with him, and protected him, and gave him food (Book of Adam, iii. 21). When he was old, the kings of the earth heard his fame, and eleven of them gathered together and came to see him; and they entreated him to go with them, but he would not be persuaded. And when he did not conform to their wishes, they built a city for him there, and he called it Jerusalem; and the kings said to one another, "This is the king of all the earth, and the father of nations."]
[NOTES.--According to the Book of the Bee, Noah died on the fourth day of the week (Wednesday), on the second day of the month of NÃ®sÃ¢n (April), at the second hour of the day. The Book of Adam says that he was buried on the mountain on which the Ark rested. The same authority states (iii. chapter xiv) that the Ark was closed during the days of Noah, but that Noah went into it every evening to light the lamp which he had made, and which burned before the body of Adam. It is also stated that during his dying speech Noah indicated to each of his sons which part of the earth he was to dwell with his posterity. The territory of Shem extended from Jerusalem eastwards as far as India, and southwards as far as the mountains which divided Egypt from the land of the Philistines. It included Mount Zion, Mount Sinai, and the Garden of Eden. Ham's territory extended from p. 125 Aris towards the south, as far as Fardundan and Gadariun, and also to the borders of the west. Japhet's portion was very large, and extended from the angle of the west to Damatha in the south, and all the north as far as Aris. Canaan, a descendant of Ham, had seven sons, and he seized seven of the great cities of Shem, and set these sons over them; and he doubled the size of his own portion. Later, God gave these cities back to the children of Shem, and blotted out Canaan's posterity, Kebra Nagast (chapter xii).]
http://suite101.com/a/decoding-the-b...hs-ark-a358139
Decoding the Bible: Noah's Ark
Is Noah's Ark a literal or symbolic story? This article is about breaking down the esoteric symbolism behind the story of the Great Flood.
Posted by Brandon Boucher | Last updated: Nov 28, 2013
Decoding the Bible: Part III - Noah's Ark|Christopher C. Brown
Noahâ€™s Ark is one of the most prevalent stories that we know of. It's about a man called Noah who lived with his family amongst a degenerating civilization. God wanted to flood the rest of the world in order to purge it from humanityâ€™s evil. However, Noah was an exception; and God told Noah to build an Ark where his family and two of every land creature would survive from the coming catastrophe.
There are some who claim that itâ€™s an unrealistic story all together. Building such a large boat in such little time is impractical, many would claim; while others have a hard time fathoming the practicality of traveling the entire known world and rounding up two of every animal. Itâ€™s not unfaithful to agree that these speculations may be a bit, unrealistic. But sometimes speculation just raises curiosity. This article is about unraveling the possible messages behind the symbols of Noahâ€™s Ark.
The Age of Kali Yuga
Some anthropologists claim that other great civilizations may have existed before recorded history can tell us. One of these civilizations could have been the enigmatic continent of Atlantis. According to an article called The End of the Kali Yuga, Atlantis was a rich and prosperous civilization. Some say that they possessed advanced technology and an adequate distribution of wealth. Everyone was happy, or so they thought.
The article states that amongst the Atlanteans lived a wise man by the name of Vaivasvata Manu. Vaivasvata was said to be a spiritual person who practiced the virtues of the Great Arcanum and was a man of enlightenment. He perceived things that others did not, but was mocked when he tried to explain what he saw. Aside from perception, he was also very knowledgable. He knew of a solar cycle called the Sidereal Year, which is our solar systems rotation around the Zodiacal Belt. Just as the Terrestrial Year, the Sidereal Year is composed of four seasons. These seasons donâ€™t last for a matter of months, but rather a span of thousands of years. They are labeled as follows:
Age of Gold/Krita Yuga â€“ Wisdom/Spring
Age of Silver/Treta Yuga â€“ Ritual/Summer
Age of Copper/Dvapara Yuga â€“ Doubt/Fall
Age of Iron/Kali Yuga â€“ Conflict/Winter
At the end of each Sidereal Year comes a chain of planetary events that are often extremely devastating. As the Atlantean civilization reached the age of Kali Yuga, they began to degenerate toward immorality and anthropophagy. Vaivasvata Manu, being a spiritual man, realized how deeply society had begun to over-indulge in its false science. Being aware of how degenerative society was becoming, Vaivasvata tried to warn the people of a coming disaster that would destroy all of Atlantis. Yet, not to Vaivasvataâ€™s surprise, the people mocked his warnings and went back to their monotonous lifestyles.
Leaving the rest of the Atlantean society behind, Vaivasvata fled from the Atlantean continent to avoid the coming catastrophe. It wasnâ€™t long after until the predicted planetary shifts began to occur, and just as Vaivasvata predicted, the continent of Atlantis sunk to the bottom of the ocean. This resulted in the end of the Atlantean civilization, and from its demise emerged a new Root Race.
It is said that the Hebrews later changed Vaivasvata's name to Noah in order to bring a numerical value to his name. According to Hebrew4christians.com, the Hebrew language is featured with something called gematria, which is a language system that gives a numerical value to words and letters. Noah in Hebrew is written with two letters, Nun and Chet.
According to the gematria, Nun holds the numeric value of 50. This number relates to the symbolism behind God telling Noah to build the ark 50 cubits wide.
Chet has the numeric value of 8. It is said to be the letter of life, which could be taken as Tree of Life; but it can also be used to symbolize the 8 souls of Noah's family that were saved during the great flood.
The Ark(anum)
The Ark is said to be a symbol for the Great Arcanum - a universal light of spiritual wisdom that has been perpetually suppressed throughout the course of antiquity. It is said that some religious groups diluted its meaning and articulated the counterfeit teachings, while others took the true message and expressed its implications through the writings of symbolic allegories such as Adam and Eve and Noahâ€™s Ark. Each distinct allegory is a veiling cloak that is beckoning the guidance of the Great Arcanum to the rest of humanity through sub-texts and hidden messages.
The message of the Great Arcanum is the journey of storing and applying sexual energy in a spiritual manner in order to reach a state of spiritual purity. According to the teachings of the Great Arcanum, the common practice of releasing the fluids for sexual practice is spiritually forbidden. This is because it causes the individual to expel the spiritual energy that is necessary to secure a direct connection with divinity. According to the Great Arcanum, couples who defeat the urge and work together to overcome the temptation can both achieve the direct connection and develop a God-like state of being; this is known as enlightenment.
Noah practiced the virtues of the Great Arcanum. Thus, he achieved a direct connection with God and was able to receive the warning of the coming disaster which would come to destroy the sinister Atlantean civilization.
Often in Biblical symbology, water is used to symbolize sexuality. Various examples of this are the waters of the Flood of Noah, Moses separating the sea, and Jesus walking on water. All of these symbolize the individualâ€™s triumph over the temptation of lustfulness. In the story of Noah, the flood symbolizes humanity drowning in the waters of their own sexual desire. As civilization began to spiritually degenerate, immoral behavior expanded. Everybody had become out of control with their temptations; having no social limit of what was done for the unquenching drive of instant gratification.
Many spiritual advisors agree that the more an individual lives to satisfy their urges, the more they will degenerate spiritually. In the case of Noahâ€™s story, the people were drowning in their own lust and temptations without any sense of remorse, causing them to lose their connection with God. The separation from God is the spiritual death (the first death), while the second death is the physical death caused by old age or disease. Civilization doomed itself to endure the second death through the flood of their driving temptations and immoral behaviors. Noah survived the flood by conquering the urge and applying his sexual energy for spiritual development.
The Sons of Noah
Noah had three sons named Ham, Japith, and Shem.
According to a Gnostic lecture titled as, The Ark of Noah, the three sons of Noah each symbolize the three lower solar bodies of the Tree of Life. Each sphere (sephirah) of the Tree of Life represents a various level of the soul. Gnosticism teaches that one must master each of the ten spheres of the tree in order to achieve a state of spiritual perfection. In this case, we are referring to the spheres Hod, Netzach and Tiphereth â€“which are symbolized in the story as being Noahâ€™s three sons.
Shem is said to symbolize the solar body called Hod, which is the Astral Body. Astral Body is a vessel of the consciousness that is projectable from the physical body and can be used by the individual to explore the galactic planes. It is considered to be the body of emotional thinking.
Ham symbolizes the solar body called Netzach, which is the Mental Body. The Mental Body is the epicenter of art, creativity, and instinctual preference. It is a sephirah of intellectual being.
Japith symbolizes the solar body called Tiphereth, which means Causal Body. The Causal Body is the soul, and solar body of conscious will. It is the sephirah that brings balance to all three of the solar bodies.
By awakening his three solar bodies, Noah achieved his Second Birth. In Christianity, the second birth is often referred to as being Born Again. To be born again means to have spiritually â€œgiven birthâ€� to the immortal triad of the three solar bodies. Hence, upon doing this, Noah gave birth to and saved his three sons.
Genesis 6:20: â€œTwo of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.â€�
The animals seem to represent a powerful energy that is stored inside of us called the Kundalini. The Kundalini is the same sexual energy mentioned in the Great Arcanum. It is stored in the second lowest sphere in the Tree of Life called the Yesod. Kundalini can either be used to bring temporary pleasure, or it can be used to awaken the ten spheres of the tree which results in achieving enlightenment. Two of every animal symbolizes the Ida (feminine) and Pingala (masculine) energy channels of the Caduceus. Noah was able to conquer the temptation of abusing the energy of the Kundalini by applying it toward his spiritual growth as opposed to utilizing it for animal pleasure. The story symbolizes this through displaying Noah's exposure to all the animals of the world and yet still remaining resistant to their impurity. Hence, he was able to conquer the lustful waters of temptation.
Genesis 7:17: â€œFor forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth.â€�
According the gematrian system, the letter with the numeric value of 40 is called Mem .Traditionally, Mem has multiple meanings in the Hebrew language, but is most often used to signify water. As stated earlier, water is often used as a symbol of sexuality in esoteric spiritual teachings.
Hebrew4christians.com goes on to add that the letter Mem not only signifies water. It also associates with 40 days and nights of the flood, 40 days of Moses being atop Mount Sinai, 40 years of Israel being in the desert, and the list goes on.
Aside from the number 40 being associated with the Hebrew letter Mem, some spiritual scholars advocate that 40 years is the average amount of time that it takes in order to reach enlightenment through devotionally applying the customs of the Great Arcanum.
The Dove and the Olive Leaf
Genesis 8:11: â€œWhen the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!â€�
The return of the dove symbolizes spiritual victory. Olive trees are where olive oil comes from, and olive oil is a symbol of transmutation. In this case, the transmutation invokes the sexual energy of the Kundalini being transmuted into the birth of the soul, or achieving enlightenment. The white dove symbolizes the Kundalini energy of the Holy Spirit that rises in the spinal column, and spiritual purity. So the dove (symbol of purity) flying back with the olive leaf (symbol of transmutation) in its beak symbolizes Noahâ€™s conquest of storing and transmuting his sexual energy to illuminate his solar bodies and avoiding the consequence of drowning in the lustful waters of animal desire.
I do not see any issue with the two views of the same story. The idea that a coin cannot have two sides is laughable.
I agree it would be laughable to say a coin cannot have to sides, but it would be even more absurd to say that two equals seven!
So isn't it possible that these "two" versions are just telling the same story from two different views?
Yes, I suppose it could be "possible" but it doesn't seem very probable. It is quite incoherent when read as one story, but when divided into two according to the two different divine names, it flows very naturally and makes sense. Therefore, it seems much more reasonable to conclude that there were two different traditions, marked by different divine names, than to try to force it to fit an entirely unjustified presupposition of divine authorship.
It is too much to keep insisting that venerable word inspiration is being used in the Bible. It's more like ideas are being laid down which indicate a formula to understanding the nature of man and his life journey.
Now I am confused. Most people cite that Chinese character as evidence that the story of the flood literally happened in real time. But you seem to be saying that there is some sort of "encoded formula." What would that be? What "formula" does "8 people saved from a flood in a boat" encode?
As for the general idea of interpreting the story symbolically - that's great! We can all make up whatever we want. But then the book doesn't actually teach us anything. I can interpret the Sunday Comics as allegories of my spiritual journey. Now don't get me wrong. I think there is a deep mystery in the Bible and it may well encode some pretty amazing stuff from the "deep psyche" of the Universal Mind or whatever. Or not. I don't know. But I do know that our conversation keeps going in circles because you insist that the Bible - or rather, the Old Testament at least - is some sort of authoritative text and that the New Testament is too except that it's not really and it all really happened in REAL TIME but not really, except when it did ... etc.! Do you get my point? I get rather dizzy talking with you. But I enjoy it, and am really glad you are persevering.
Great chatting!
These Truths we hold as self evident....
Yes it is quite irritating talking to someone like me! You see the Taoist view of the world and life calls for a view which cannot be cerebral. It must be felt in a true way. Like a koan the mind is stilled when a dichotomy is presented to it. I believe that it is that system in which the Bible was written - hence all the seeming contradictions! It is possible that mere stupid people wrote down competing stories/myths but then stupid people ussually don't know how to write! Then we have the issue of IF there is a GOD who has to play by rules set up on some grand chess game in order to establish a "free-will" system for created beings to use. All very complicated stuff. But if it was simple then it would not have lasted this long and people would not be interested in the details. The truth is never on the surface! It is always hidden. The power to create is found in the ability to grasp the seemingly impossible position whch does exist...but is not easily found. I know we all want easy answers... But the process demands an absolute resolve which cannot be broken. "I will not let you go unless you bless me!" The cry of Jacob to the Angel who he "wrestled" with all nite... "You will find me when you search for me with ALL of your heart." These ideas indicate that whatever the truth is in the context of "saving faith" cannot be found in the same manner as reading a science book. The intent must be there to grasp the unknowable. Crazy? Yes! But I do see many a sage who has found the way and we are a better world because of them.
."As for the general idea of interpreting the story symbolically - that's great! We can all make up whatever we want. But then the book doesn't actually teach us anything.
To the contrary!... The symbolic meaning IS the lesson to be learned. And the true symbolism is not just made up by some fool somewhere anymore than the holographs are random gibberish! The fact that the flood story exists in so many ancient texts indicates that the story has a profound intent for all of mankind. The number 8 has always been a key player in numerical significance. The eternity principle comes to mind. Indicating that if we are to "save" the planet from total distruction we need to work out the issues presented in the eternity puzzle presented in the 8 people/minds/gods/universal thoughts/mouths talking the two eternal essences bonding together the circles of life/as above so below ("thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"). This idea is everywhere! And it is repeated over and over in many ways as if we are to enter in to that "eternal rest" which can only be achieved by the union of the human and the divine. The eternal principle screams out as us to be understood. In the right context the number 8 is the key to unlocking the creative healing power. It has been used to cause great change in the world. The alchemical usages are many...
Now maybe you just ignore all that and think that nothing really changes by thought processes. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible is a book of magic. And as such has the ability to create and destroy. "In the beginning was the Word." Words when applied to the esoteric principles of the Universe do alter reality. And "Saving Faith" is activated. "If you have faith the size (quality) of a mustard seed you can say to that mountain 'Be removed into the sea!' and it will happen." Jesus
So the faith that Jesus spoke about was not some mere belief in gibberish religion - it actually worked in real time and changed the reality within the structure of the world as we know it. And that is by definition "saving faith".
http://www.biblewheel.com//Wheel/Spokes/Chet_Eight.php
Eight, Baptism, and the Ark
Baptism is the Sign of the Covenant in the New Covenant. Like Circumcision, it involves a "cutting off" of the flesh - only now it is a symbol of being crucified with Christ, "buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6.4). God reveals the connection with the Number 8 in 1 Peter 3:18ff:
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 3:18ff
Octangular Baptismal Font in Pisa
There is a strong typological association between Noah's Flood which washed away the wicked people of the world and Baptism which is the symbol of the washing away of our wicked sins. The correlation is simply astounding - it is a typological prophecy that everyone can see fulfilled in Christian Baptism. Of particular beauty is the correlation with the Baptism of Christ when the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of the Dove - there very animal released by Noah from the Ark as the sign of the new beginning! We have multiple independent converging lines of association between Baptism, Salvation through the Flood, Resurrection, and the Number Eight that points clearly to the deliberate design and Teaching of God's Wisdom. It is for this reason that the Church has traditionally designed baptismal fonts as octagons.
Eight and the Resurrection
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the ultimate new beginning. In the perfect Wisdom of God, it occurred on Sunday, simultaneously the First Day and the Eighth Day of the Week. It is the temporal equivalent of the Octave, established from the foundation of the World to teach us forever the glory of the resurrected Lord of the Universe. This is reiterated yet again in Christ's appearance to Thomas on the Eighth Day after his resurrection. And what teaching did Christ give us? When I was an unbeliever, I thought that Christ was teaching blind faith when He said "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." How could this be anything but blind belief? The answer is as obvious as it profound. Faith is not blind - Faith is the fulfillment of Christ's promise that "blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." In plain English, the reason people need proof is because they are blinded by their sins and lack of faith. They are so cut off from God and Truth that they can not receive the witness of the Holy Spirit! They fulfill the words of Christ from Matthew 12:39:
An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Thomas was called Didymus which means twofold or twin (S# G1324). The natural reason for this was because it was the Greek translation of his Hebrew name (Tawom, Twin, S# H8380 - note the phonetic similarity to the English). The supernatural reason is because the fundamental characteristic of doubt is double-mindedness (see James 1:8), and this is what was enscripturated in the record of Doubting Thomas. Oh! The glory of God's Wisdom! Finally, two elements of this story link to the Number 800:
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
We have the pair of identities:
Pistis = 800 = Lord
The Risen Lord is the object of our Faith. It is by joining ourselves utterly to the Lord through faith, even unto death - the Omega Point of our natural lives - as Ruth with Naomi, that we can focus the mind, heart, and hope on the ultimate outworking of God's Creation - again symbolized by Omega - so that we can walk through this world in perfect peace. This is the marriage of the Soul with God! Note that this links to the Rainbow = 800 given as God's original sign of the covenant and the last letter of the Greek language, Omega.
All these ideas are both recognized and expounded upon in the traditional Jewish understanding of the Letter Chet. For example, on page 136 in his book Alef-Beit, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh declares (emphasis mine):
At the level of Divinity, the number eight alludes to the absolute Infinity of G-d. ... Whereas at the level of Souls, circumcision gives one the power to overcome obstacles, at this level of awareness G-d's true Infinity links one, in covenant, to His very Essence.
When linked to Infinity, overcoming obstacles, even death, the secret of resurrection, becomes self-evident and "second nature." When absolutely connected to the Infinite One, there can in truth be no obstacle.
To really appreciate the significance of this quote, it must be remembered that it comes from a Jewish Rabbi who is not trying to support the text of the New Testament, wherein we find the extremely strong Christian witness to the relation between the Number 8 and Resurrection.
Eight, Octaves, and New Beginnings
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
AV Lamentations 3:34-34
The verses above are two of the Chet Alphabetic Verses from Lamentations (vss 23 . 24). Of particular interest is the Chet KeyWord חדש (chadash, new, S# H2319) which relates to the fundamental symbolic meaning of the Number Eight in Scripture established by God in the Seven Days of Creation. The Eighth Day is the first day of the new week, precisely as the Octave is the Eighth Note that begins the musical cycle anew on a higher level. This meaning coheres with the shape of the Arabic Number 8 - the Figure Eight - which is an image of the physical shape of the standing wave of the Octave. All this naturally (and supernaturally!) integrates with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Three numbers are closely associated in Scripture with the ideas of Marriage, Resurrection, New Beginnings. Each has the form of an Octave: N x 7 . 1. Specifically, the first, third, and seventh octaves, which are given by N = 1, 3, and 7:
First Octave: New Beginnings: 8 = 1 x 7 . 1
Third Octave: Number of Spokes: 22 = 3 x 7 . 1
Seventh Octave: Pentecost: 50 = 7 x 7 . 1
The idea of the octave is very enlightening here. Books 8 (Ruth) and 22 (Song of Solomon) are deeply integrated on the idea of Marriage, which is the ultimate biblical symbol of our entrance into God's Covenant and the ultimate outworking of His Covenant when Christ receives His Bride. The Number 22 - the Number of Spokes on the Wheel and letters in the Hebrew alphabet - is the third Octave. Pentecost, which represents the fullness of God's Time, sealed by His Spirit is the Seventh Octave, in perfect harmony with God's use of the Number Seven in Scripture. These identities are discussed more in the Spoke 8 Pentecost article. They point to the everlasting Wisdom of God descending from above. The Key is knowing Jesus (888) and the power of His Resurrection (8).
English Eight
German Acht
Latin Octo
Many, if not most words for "eight" from Indo-European languages are very similar to the name of the eighth letter Chet, in the sense that it is composed of a guttural like "ch" followed by a dental like "t." The only significant variation noted in Klein's Etymological Dictionary of the English Language is the Old Slavic Osmi which - interestingly enough - is phonetically similar to the Hebrew name of the Number Eight, Shemunah (S# H8083). The value of this name integrates with the Aleph and Tav:
Shemunah = 401 = Aleph Tav
The Number 401 also coincides with the value of the name of Isaiah, the one book in the Bible that is an image of the Bible within the Bible, complete from Aleph to Tav (cf. Inner Wheel of Isaiah).
The idea of the Octave manifests in a slightly different way in the Greek Alphanumeric correlation, which begins with Alpha = 1 and ends with Omega = 800.
The Number 8 integrates with the Number 66 - the value of the Wheel (Galgal) - to yield the Key to the Bible, as revealed in Isaiah 22.22:
And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
We have the identity:
Maphte'ach = n528 = 8 x n66
Of course, the name Isaiah is itself integrated with Eight and the Aleph Tav through the identity:
Yishaihau = n401 = Aleph . Tav = Eight
Note also that the ordinal position of Isaiah in the Canon is as Book 23, which integrates with the sum of the ordinal values of Aleph (1) and Tav (22).
You Said,
"But I do know that our conversation keeps going in circles because you insist that the Bible - or rather, the Old Testament at least - is some sort of authoritative text and that the New Testament is too except that it's not really and it all really happened in REAL TIME but not really, except when it did ... etc.! Do you get my point? I get rather dizzy talking with you. But I enjoy it, and am really glad you are persevering.
Well it is a pleasure to see you having to let go of your notions which up to now have worked so well for you! Confusion is a part of life. Embrace it! The crap you call Christianity is a sad bag of bones which by itself cannot provide for the needs of the human spirit. You are a seeker... I admire that in a person.
Yes it is quite irritating talking to someone like me! You see the Taoist view of the world and life calls for a view which cannot be cerebral. It must be felt in a true way. Like a koan the mind is stilled when a dichotomy is presented to it. I believe that it is that system in which the Bible was written - hence all the seeming contradictions!
Hey there my friend,
While it's true that koans are contradictory, it does not follow that all contradictions are koans! If all contradictions are koans, you don't need the Bible, you could just as well be a Mystical Mormon or Muslim or Sunday Comics reader.
It seems to me that you are just arbitrarily (and with no good reason) declaring that the Bible is the perfect inerrant inspired Word of God no matter what it actually says, and then whenever you find an error, contradiction, absurdity, or moral abomination attributed to God, you simply treat it as a "koan" or something "symbolic" or whatever. And so the book really teaches you nothing. It's all just an exercise in creative thinking. You could do exactly the same thing with any self-contradictory text. So this then leads us back, by a commodius vicus of recirculation, to the fundamental question about which we have been turning for many months - how do you discern between truth and falsehood? Why should anyone believe the Bible is any more true than any other ancient religious text?
It is possible that mere stupid people wrote down competing stories/myths but then stupid people ussually don't know how to write!
I've never said or suggested that the writers and redactors of the Bible were "stupid". On the contrary, they were the "elite" of their time since, as you noted, "stupid people don't usually know how to write" - especially back then when it was a rare talent.
Then we have the issue of IF there is a GOD who has to play by rules set up on some grand chess game in order to establish a "free-will" system for created beings to use. All very complicated stuff. But if it was simple then it would not have lasted this long and people would not be interested in the details. The truth is never on the surface! It is always hidden.
As you know, I've always said there could be some kind of God. But I see no reason to think that the God described in the Bible is the true God, for the many reasons I've explained many times.
Though I agree truth is not always easy to find, I wouldn't say that it is "very complicated" in essence - on the contrary, once it is seen it is usually very plain and easily demonstrated. Falsehood, on the other hand, hides under a veil of "complication". This is because it takes lots of words to confuse things enough to give the appearance of justification of falsehood. I would think this should be common knowledge. Just listen to a lawyer if you don't believe me.
The power to create is found in the ability to grasp the seemingly impossible position whch does exist...but is not easily found. I know we all want easy answers... But the process demands an absolute resolve which cannot be broken. "I will not let you go unless you bless me!" The cry of Jacob to the Angel who he "wrestled" with all nite... "You will find me when you search for me with ALL of your heart." These ideas indicate that whatever the truth is in the context of "saving faith" cannot be found in the same manner as reading a science book. The intent must be there to grasp the unknowable. Crazy? Yes! But I do see many a sage who has found the way and we are a better world because of them.
I agree completely with the need for perseverance and commitment. I see nothing "crazy" about that at all.
"As for the general idea of interpreting the story symbolically - that's great! We can all make up whatever we want. But then the book doesn't actually teach us anything.
I don't think the number 8 is common to the flood stories found in many cultures.
Your symbolic interpretation of the 8 is fine but still it seems rather idiosyncratic. How many people would interpret the flood story as having something to do with "saving the planet from total destruction"? That's not what the Bible teaches! On the contrary, in the immediate context of the flood story, Peter explains that the world would SOON be totally destroyed by fire! This is what I was talking about when I said that "we can all make up whatever we want". There are no standards by which to discern between the "true" and the "false" interpretations, and they are very idiosyncratic.
There you go again! How many Bible believers would be happy to describe the Bible as a "book of magic"? The creative word in the Bible is God's not ours. You say that faith "actually worked in real time and changed reality". That's your belief. You have not shown any evidence of that. And is is the same thing folks in most religions say, so why should I believe one over the other?
<snip etc.>
Trying to hang me by my own petard, I see!
Well, that didn't work because you will note that I wasn't making up my own idiosyncratic interpretations, but rather showing correlations with things plainly taught in Scripture. It seems like you and I differ on this point. Much of what you say does not sound like things taught in the Bible. They sound more like your own private interpretations.
Well, I'm not sure I've actually "had to let go" of any notions. You haven't shown any confusion in anything I've written as far as I can tell. But I agree that the world of busy buzzing confusing amazingness is a preferred place to be. It reminds me of this variation on the Lord's Prayer from Finnegans Wake by James Joyce (which opens with the words I italicized in my second paragraph above):
In the name of Annah the Allmaziful, the Everliving, the Bringer of Plurabilities, haloed be her eve, her singtime sung, her rill be run, unhemmed as it is uneven!
Ok... In all seriousness, Think THEORIES!... NO PROOF for anything will be sufficient for you anyways so for now I am not attempting to go there! You say I am alone in my understanding of Scripture but I am not! I even reference you! You don't think your analysis is wrong or of your own interpretation per se... And just for the record - The idea that the Bible functions as a book of Magic is NOT my original idea that statement comes from a very well known Christian Leader who heads a church with more than two million followers - who I just happen to agree with that particular statement. So I think that you are trying to side-line me just because I sound so strange to you and my understanding of the Bible is NOT a typical Fundamentalist veiwpoint per se.
I wish I could wash your brain and you could start over with the Christian belief system or the Bible and its true meanings. You have too many dead ends for me to be able to convey the true meaning which is there imbedded in Scripture. This is not my interpretation per se... I think you are making the same pointless argument the big wigs made agaisnt your book! Just because you do not understand something does not mean that it is false! You keep making references to the fact that:
It seems to me that you are just arbitrarily (and with no good reason) declaring that the Bible is the perfect inerrant inspired Word of God no matter what it actually says, and then whenever you find an error, contradiction, absurdity, or moral abomination attributed to God, you simply treat it as a "koan" or something "symbolic" or whatever.
No and No! If you look at what I said I never said I believe the Bbile to be the "inerrant" anything! I said the Bible is the Word of GOD in that it reveals a system called "Saving Faith." The so called "errors" that we see in the Bible are not "inspired" per se... But despite these anomalies the holographs persit! The words are conveying a message and the Holy Spirit is still driving the enlightenment process home! It is beyond me why you keep ignoring this model! The facts become clear when we realize that the FACTS are not the issue all the time! The Truth is! And as I have said before FACTS or NOT TRUTH! The truth is a subtle thing which can only be understood through the Koan process or the meditation process. This is why I say the Bible is written as an Oriental book not as a Western book.... so that Greek is a corrupted language for the true meaning of the words to come accross like English or Latin. This is why it is absurd for Fundamentalists to insist on word inspiration of anything! The ideas however, still are peeking through the language despite all the "errors".
Morality is a made up idea. One man's trash is another man's treasure. YOU act like GOD must live up to your STANDARD of moral judgment. Ok But what if your opinion is wrong? I know it's easy to get roped into thinking that our perspective is the right one. However, in the big picture it might be different. This is why I opt for the less leathal position of looking for hidden clues as to why the GOD of Love whould appear to be so Un-loving! The story is flawed... But the truth is still there waiting to be dug up and used as a way to save ourselves from self-destuction. Perhaps the surface story is just a way to hide the truth of the holographs! Or perhaps the Enemy of Souls planted a lot of weeds in the garden! Whatever the reason for all the crap it should not get in the way of the truth as seen through the meditative process as guided by the Holy Spirit. The surface level crap is just that - crap!
Though I agree truth is not always easy to find, I wouldn't say that it is "very complicated" in essence - on the contrary, once it is seen it is usually very plain and easily demonstrated.
Totally disagree! If salvation aka truth/saving faith) was "easy" why is it called the "narrow way" - "And few there be that find it!"? Matthew 7:14
So I know we say that the way to salvation is simple like believe in Jesus and say a prayer yada yada yada but that is a pack of lies! Nothing could be further from the truth! "Many are called...But few are chosen."
Once again "Spiritual things are Spiritually discerned." You keep acting like logic can explain all truth and all processes having to do with GOD or the Bible. And that is just not the right method to understand the hidden truths in the Word which lie below the surface.
how do you discern between truth and falsehood? Why should anyone believe the Bible is any more true than any other ancient religious text?
Simple... The GOD of the WORD can raise you from the dead and give you life everlasting! No other GOD can do that! Period. I know! It happened to me. It happened to my uncle. It happened for many people who I know personally. The GOD of the Bible is real... you just have to find Him!


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Dr. José Antonio Bowen, Keynote Speaker
José Antonio Bowen is President of Goucher College. Bowen has won teaching awards at Stanford, Georgetown, Miami and Southern Methodist University where he was Dean of the Meadows School of the Arts for 8 years. He was the Founding Director of the Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music (C.H.A.R.M.) at the University of Southampton, England. He has written over 100 scholarly articles, edited the Cambridge Companion to Conducting (2003), received a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowship, and contributed to Discover Jazz (Pearson, 2011). He is an editor of the 6-CD set, Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology (2011). He has appeared in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the United States with Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby McFerrin, Dave Brubeck, Liberace, and many others. He has written a symphony(nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Music), a film score, and music for Hubert Laws, Jerry Garcia and many others. He has served on the Editorial Boards for Jazz Research Journal, the Journal of the Society for American Music (Cambridge University Press), the Journal of Music History Pedagogy, and Per Musi: Revista Acadêmica de Música.
He is also a Founding Board Member of the National Recording Preservation Board for the Library of Congress and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) in England. Bowen has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, USA Today, US News and World Report, and on NPR for his book Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology out of your College Classroom will Improve Student Learning(Jossey-Bass, 2012, and winner of the Ness Award for Best Book on Higher Education from the American Association of Colleges and Universities). Stanford honored him as a Distinguished Alumni Scholar in 2010.
For more in his teaching, see his blog at teachingnaked.com or follow him on Twitter @josebowen.
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Elemental Multiscreen Video Coverage for the 2012 London Olympics
The Summer Olympics: All about the Athletes, the Fans - and the Broadcasters
The technology and ingenuity of broadcasters with distribution rights to the 2012 Olympics were thoroughly tested in an effort to serve a wider viewing audience than ever before, measured both geographically and by sheer audience numbers. Following extensive evaluations to find the best encoding platforms for both live and on-demand video streaming, the BBC, CTV, Terra, NHK and Eurosport all selected Elemental video processing solutions to support coverage of the 2012 Olympics.
The clock ticks towards 9:00pm local time in London and the Opening Ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic Games are just minutes away. Fans in attendance and in their homes around the world await the spectacle they have been anticipating for months. Athletes prepare to enter the grand stage, a moment they have been working towards for years. These two groups—the fans and the athletes—are integral to the success of the Olympic Games and their stories are highly publicized.
Nearly invisibly in the background, a third group works to bring the event to a global audience: the broadcast rights-holders. This is the culmination of a relentless effort to provide the best possible viewing experience to an audience using a host of digital media platforms to tune into Olympic events. Seven years in the making, these next two weeks prove which networks hold the world’s attention through ubiquitous video delivery of the Summer Games.
In 2005, London claimed the right to host the 2012 Games. Seven years may seem like plenty of time for broadcasters to prepare, but the technology for streaming video was raw and unsettled at the time. U.S. television still broadcasted exclusively in SD, and the iPhone and iPad would not be released until 2007 and 2010 respectively. With London 2012 dubbed the first truly digital Olympics, broadcasters such as the BBC in the United Kingdom, Eurosport across the European continent, Terra in Latin America, NHK in Japan and CTV in Canada faced exceedingly high expectations for video delivery. How did these organizations around the world make sure coverage of this monumental event offered the best multiscreen video experience possible?
BACKGROUND: AN EVENT LIKE NO OTHER
The Olympics historically drive innovation in media coverage. As the Olympic charter states, “The IOC [International Olympic Committee] takes all necessary steps in order to ensure the fullest coverage by the different media and the widest possible audience in the world for the Olympic Games.” In 1936, this meant broadcasting the games on television, albeit only to local audiences. The 1956 Winter Olympics were the first to be internationally televised, creating high demand for broadcasting rights. The very next Winter Games saw the first sale of rights to networks.
Fast forward half a century, and the value of Olympic broadcasting rights has skyrocketed. CBS, for example, paid $375 million for the rights to air the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics in the United States. NBC followed by spending $3.5 billion for the U.S. broadcast rights to the Olympic Games for 2000 through 2012. With these rights comes the responsibility to ensure extensive public access to coverage, and the IOC has not wavered in its push for better and broader viewing options. The evolution of the technology employed by broadcasters has been rapid—it was not long ago that the tape-delayed airing of a few select events on television during primetime was sufficient, whereas now the goal is to make any event available for viewing on any platform at anytime and anywhere.
CHALLENGE: BIG GEOGRAPHIES AND RECORD VIEWERSHIP
The technology and ingenuity of broadcasters with distribution rights to the 2012 Olympics would be thoroughly tested in an effort to serve a wider viewing audience than ever before, measured both geographically and by sheer audience numbers. As the host-country broadcaster and one of the most innovative media companies in the world, possibly no organization felt the pressure to deliver a quality experience to its viewers more acutely than the BBC. Terra in Brazil, Eurosport in France and CTV in Canada faced unique challenges as well. Terra and Eurosport were tasked with regional distribution, serving more than 17 and 50 countries, respectively. CTV was tasked with multimedia delivery of the Games across Canada after logging record-breaking numbers airing the 2010 Vancouver Games.
One of the more lofty goals set by broadcasters for the 2012 Olympics was to provide subscribers with the opportunity to view any given event live. Whether it was an American who wanted to watch a team handball match at 2:00am or a South African interested in tuning into a volleyball game in the middle of the day, if the event was live, a viewing platform would be available. No one waits in today’s multiscreen world. Viewers expect events on demand on every platform—in some broadcasters’ cases, even while the event was still in progress.
However, with 34 Olympic venues and 26 sports (many of which were scheduled to occur simultaneously), it would take very powerful video processing systems to make streaming vast quantities of content to an array of devices possible. High expectations were set with regard to availability of high quality video on televisions, PCs, tablets and smartphones, both live and VOD, via fast Wi-Fi connections and 3G networks. Certainly this was an extensive set of requirements, but the BBC, CTV, Terra, NHK and Eurosport knew one thing: coverage of the Olympics was not a project in which they could make tradeoffs. With millions of eyes glued to screens, there was no margin for error.
It was up to the broadcasters to select a partner with technology powerful enough to handle numerous streams in a single system and robust enough to prevent workflow failures come show time.
SOLUTION: ELEMENTAL ENTERS THE GAMES
Following extensive evaluations to find the best encoding platforms for both live and on-demand video streaming, the BBC, CTV, Terra, NHK and Eurosport all selected Elemental video processing solutions to support coverage of the 2012 Olympics. Although the products’ feature set, including throughput density, video quality, protocol support, Linux-based operating system and REST APIs, played a major role in making Elemental the right choice, product functionality was just one of many selection criteria.
Covering the Olympics is unique because it is such a massive event—every four years it becomes the biggest sporting experience the world has ever seen. Much as athletes train for years to win events that last mere minutes, broadcasters build and prepare for Olympic broadcasts long before anything reaches the public. Each broadcaster begins with functional testing, but that is only one dimension of the evaluation process. Less tangible elements prove the strength and wisdom of the vendor during the process including timely communication, commitment to issue resolution and the overall responsiveness of the working relationship. Truthfully, these factors always have a role in an evaluation process. But in the case of the Olympics, nailing them was paramount. With knee-buckling pressure in the final months leading up to London, broadcasters had confidence that Elemental would deliver reliably every time. It gave broadcasters one less issue to worry about.
As a software solution running on powerful off-the-shelf hardware, Elemental immediately held an advantage over hardware-based encoding solutions. In the case of the BBC, Elemental rolled out several major software releases between the time of its selection and the start of the Games. Being able to move quickly, make updates and work through issues with customers in real-time showed broadcasters the strength of Elemental’s technology.
“Elemental’s solution provides a level of quality that is unmatched in the market without sacrificing the traditional tradeoff of density and cost,” noted Werner Michels, engineering director at Terra. “We chose to partner with Elemental because compared to the vendor we used for the Vancouver Olympics, with Elemental we were able to increase our coverage of the games and throughput by more than 50% in less than half the rack space while improving quality.”
The BBC used Elemental® Live for its adaptive bit rate streaming service. The Web player took advantage of the archive feature of Elemental Live to provide VOD and catch-up TV capabilities, enabling viewers to rewind and have instant access to replays. The BBC also created a mobile application for iOS and Android devices that supplied access to live coverage, statistics and commentary. Lastly, it produced streaming content specifically for connected televisions and Sony PS3, giving viewers a plethora of platform options to tune into their favorite event at any time.
Terra, CTV and Eurosport similarly leveraged Elemental Live by distributing streams to an array of devices, though each broadcaster had its own unique infrastructure for video delivery. Terra directed incoming HD and SD fiber optics and satellite feeds into Elemental Live for video processing and tightly integrated social media into the viewer experience, as did CTV. Eurosport, meanwhile, converted 42 live video streams in more than five bit rate profiles each, representing a global bandwidth of 400 Mbps. The sports media company made its streams available within its Yahoo! portal.
Additionally, Elemental provided file-to-file transcoding for over-the-top viewing of on-demand events in the U.S. as well as live streaming coverage of the Games in Japan, managed by broadcaster NHK. When all was said and done, Elemental powered Olympic coverage in more than 70 countries across four continents, delivering an estimated 600 million streams.
BENEFIT: A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT
For nearly all rights-holding broadcasters, the road to covering the 2012 Olympics started years ago. In several cases, Elemental played a large role in these journeys, offering unwavering support and technical guidance along the way. By leveraging Elemental systems, BBC, Terra, NHK, CTV and Eurosport delivered some of the most accessible and high quality video experiences the Olympics has ever seen.
The Olympics were an unquestionable success for each Elemental customer. In total, customers using Elemental products streamed thousands of hours of the Olympic Games:
BBC The BBC announced that in the UK, data delivery peaked at 2.8 petabytes of content, featuring a peak rate of 700 Gbps when Bradley Wiggins took home the gold in men’s cycling. 34% of daily viewers used mobile devices, resulting in over 12 million mobile requests for video.
CTV CTV reported 31.9 million viewers tuned in across all platforms in Canada, up 88% from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and reaching an incredible 95% of Canada’s population. Users logged over 662 million hours of content, an average of 21 hours per viewer.
EUROSPORT Eurosport.com averaged 5.6 million daily visitors in France and across continental Europe during the Olympics, up 36% over its normal site traffic. Video viewership, on the other hand, increased 80% during the Games with a peak of 13 million viewers.
NHK NHK reached more than 26 million online viewers in Japan and streamed up to 20 events each day across eight simultaneous Internet channels. In Tokyo, 38% of households viewed the Opening Ceremonies live despite a 4:30am start time, with many using IP connected devices to tune in.
TERRA Terra hit 97.8 million total viewers in Latin America and streamed 122.4 million videos through its online portal, both live and on demand.
With their choice of which event to watch, when to watch it and how to watch it, Olympic fans shattered viewership records. Through the unmatched density of Elemental systems, broadcasters delivered the fullest, most complete Olympics viewing experience to their subscribers without incurring substantial cost.
Olympic Games 2012 in London - A Review
Olympic Games London
Elemental Technologies


Dig on Oslo Punkers Dark Times’ Chilling Video for ‘Dirt’
Zoe Camp
Courtesy of Torgeir Nordbø
Oslo punk crew Dark Times made a big splash back in 2014 with their debut album Give, a candidate for the gnarliest LP nominated for a Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy). Three years later, they're gearing up to release a new full-length, due out this fall. In the interim, they're keeping things hyperactive with an appearance at SXSW, followed shortly by a 7" consisting of a new song titled "Dirt," and covers of Melvins and Wipers songs.
No need to wait until release day (March 27) for the new stuff. Dark Times have unveiled their video for "Dirt," which will be released on digital formats this Friday. Directed by Vebjørn Guttormsgaard Møllberg and shot in Copenhagen, Denmark, the chilling clip follows a strange woman as she clambers around the countryside in a New York hoodie and leggings, foaming at the mouth and — true to the song's title — digging in the dirt like a rabid dog. (She might want to get that checked out.) Check it below.
"Dirt" will be released digitally on February 17, with a 7" to follow on March 27.
Eisley Are Still Only Dreaming
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Live 8, a large, international series of benefit concerts staged in 2005
A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis.
Benefit concerts can have both subjective and concrete objectives. Subjective objectives include raising awareness about an issue such as misery in Africa (such as Live 8) and uplifting a nation after a disaster (such as America: A Tribute to Heroes). Concrete objectives include raising funds (such as Live Aid) and influencing legislation (such as Live 8 or Farm Aid). The two largest benefit concerts of all time, in size, were the Live 8 and the Live Earth events, which both attracted billions of spectators.[1] Scholars theorize that the observed increase on concert size since the Live Aid is happening because organizers strive to make their events as big as the tragedy at hand, thus hoping to gain legitimization that way.[2]
The Concert For Bangladesh (1971), the first modern, large-scale benefit concert
Examples exist in musical history of concerts being staged for philanthropic purposes. In 1749, the composer George Frideric Handel wrote his Foundling Hospital Anthem, and put on annual performances of Messiah, to support an orphans' charity in London.[3] While many composers and performers took part in concerts to raise donations for charitable causes, it was also not unusual in the 18th and 19th centuries for musicians to stage performances to raise funds for their own professional work, such as Ludwig van Beethoven's 1808 Akademie concert.[4][5]
The modern understanding of a benefit concert is of a large-scale, popular event put on to support a charitable or political cause. In the modern era, the first benefit concert is generally held to be the Concert For Bangladesh, a programme of two events held at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1971, which were organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar.[6] However, the format of most modern concerts was established in 1985 by Bob Geldof's Live Aid event.[1]
Bob Geldof, who led the Live Aid event in 1985
Benefit concerts are a major example of celebrity charity for they involve popular musicians; actors and actresses; and other kinds of entertainment figures volunteering to a greater cause. The efficiency of celebrity charity is explained by the theory of Catalytic Philantihropy designed by Paul Schervish. His thesis explains that it is more beneficial to a cause that celebrities do not contribute by only donating their money, but by participating in event like benefit concerts. That way stars can inspire hundreds of thousands of others to give.[7]
The presence of celebrities can draw criticism, but that is outweighed by the benefits. Some argue that pop stars only take part in charity to improve their public image. That, arguably, may be a motivation, but their participation can be essential to the event's success. Celebrities not only promote catalytic philanthropy, they can produce an effect some call Geldofism: "The mobilization of pop stars and their fans behind a cause."[8] Therefore, because of their visibility, celebrities are used by organizers as a mean to gain support to the cause in hand.
Furthermore, the success of benefit concerts is tightly related to the quality of entertainment offered by them.[9] To gain space and legitimization in the media, benefit concerts must have a large audience, the kind of large crowd attracted by famous music stars. Bob Geldof himself responded to criticisms about the lack of African artists on the Live 8 by stating that, although those musicians produce great works, they do not sell many albums--and, for the sake of reaching as many people as possible, his concert had to include only popular artists.[10]
Finally, the quality of entertainment is key to the creation of a public sphere where discussions about the concert's cause can occur. The better the entertainment, the more people watch the concert, and thus the more people become aware of the cause.[11] Furthermore, the music played in the concerts can lead spectators to interconnect and become more likely to act towards the cause. According to a theory, by Jane Bennett, when people sing in the presence of other people, and that happens in benefit concerts, they become connected to each other and are more likely to work together towards a goal.[12][13]
Critics also say that benefit concerts are just a way for the rich West to forgive itself by helping the poor and distressed. These critiques argue that concerts like the Live Aid "rob Africans of agency, reinforces Western ethnocentrism and racisms and see famine as a natural disaster rather than as a political issue".[14]
Benefit concerts are an effective form of gaining support and raising funds for a cause because of the large media coverage that they usually receive.[15] In addition to the results they generate themselves, benefit concerts also generate a kind of cascading effect. That is, larger benefit concert motivate smaller concerts and other kinds of charity initiatives.[2]
As media events
Large-scale benefit concerts attract millions of viewers and are usually broadcast internationally. As powerful means of mass communication, they can be highly effective at raising funds and awareness for humanitarian causes. Media scholars Dayan and Katz classify benefit concerts as "media events": shared experiences that unite viewers with one another and their societies.[16] In fact, in their book Media Events: The Live Broadcasting of History, the authors suggest that the song synonymous with the Live Aid benefit concert, "We Are the World," might as well be the theme song for media events, as it nicely encompasses the tone of such occasions: "these ceremonies (media events) are so all-encompassing that there is nobody left to serve-as out-group".[16]
Dayan and Katz define media events as shared experiences that unite viewers and call their attention to a particular cause or occasion.[16] They argue that media events interrupt the flow people's daily lives, and that such events create a rise of interpersonal communication or "fellow feeling".[16] Furthermore, they propose that media events transform the ordinary role of the viewer into something more interactive where they adhere to the script of the event.[16] All these principles of media events are true of benefit concerts. Benefit concerts interrupt the routine of people's lives because they occur (in most cases) for only for one night or for one week-end. Furthermore, they are broadcast as television spectacles that interrupt the regular scheduled programming on a given television network. Often, this kind of announced interruption has television viewers discussing the event with others beforehand, generating excitement around the event.[16] Moreover, benefit concerts encourage audiences to adhere to their script, such as by phoning in donations or signing an online pledge.
Benefit concerts and para-social interaction
As media events, benefit concerts are widely broadcast and seen by millions of people. (The Live Aid charity concert in 1985, for example, was seen by an estimated 1.5 billion viewers worldwide.)[17] However, this mass dissemination is only one of the factors that contribute to the success of benefit concerts. The people who send the message for collective action are essential to a benefit concert's effectiveness.
Dayan and Katz suggest that media events are an expression of a "neo-romantic desire for heroic action", meaning that media events produce leaders who inspire collective action with belief in the "power of the people" to change the world.[16] Benefit concerts, therefore, have the potential to raise enormous sums of money for a cause because of the para-social interaction that occurs between the performing celebrities (the leaders) and the spectating fans (the people).
Dan Laughey describes para-social interaction as "the apparent familiarity between media personalities and audiences".[18] Seeing a favourite celebrity support a cause can influence fans to support the same cause--not because the cause is significant to the fans, but because it seems significant to the artist. To feel connected to a celebrity, fans are likely to participate in activities the celebrity considers important. For example, if a benefit concert starred unknown musicians performing songs for unknown people in Africa, the incentive for viewers to donate would be minimal. Bob Geldof, the founder of Live Aid, is aware of the need of familiarity and para-social interaction on behalf of the viewer. When criticised for not inviting enough African performers to play at Live Aid (of which the main purpose was famine relief for Africa), Geldof commented that only popular musicians were invited to play at the show because unfamiliar artists would cause viewers to lose interest and "switch off".[17] In seeing the familiar face of their beloved artist on stage endorsing a cause, fans feel more compelled to support the cause.
Criticisms against benefit concerts go further than just criticizing the intentions of the celebrities involved. Some argue that benefit concerts are a wrong response for tragedies because the atmosphere involved on them is hardly one of mourning.[19] Further criticism comes from those who argue that Geldofism turns celebrities into the only legitimate spokespeople for a cause, robbing the NGOs of the possibilities to speak up for a cause.[20]
Notable examples
In chronological order, beginning with the earliest date:
The Foundling Hospital Anthem (1749) and annual performances of Messiah (1749-59)
Staged by the composer George Frideric Handel in support of the Foundling Hospital, a children's charity in London.[3]
Historic Concert for the Benefit of Widows and Orphans of Austrian and Hungarian Soldiers (1918)
January 12, 1918 - The Historic Concert for the Benefit of Widows and Orphans of Austrian and Hungarian Soldiers was held at the Konzerthaus, Vienna. Its patrons were Kaiser Charles I of Austria and Empress Zita of Bourbon-Parma, with posters designed by Josef Divéky. An estimated 1,100,000 Austro-Hungarian men, mostly unmarried, were killed in the war.[21]
The Concert for Bangladesh (1971)
August 1, 1971 - The Concert for Bangladesh took place at Madison Square Garden, New York City. Conceived and produced by George Harrison, performers included Harrison, Ravi Shankar, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Leon Russell.
Festival of Hope Rockfest (1972)
August 12-13, 1972 - The Festival of Hope Rockfest took place at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, New York. It was sponsored by the Nassau Easter Seals Society to benefit crippled children. The performers were: Ike & Tina Turner, Sly & The Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane, Chuck Berry, James Brown, The Shirelles, Sha-na-na, Billy Preston, Dr. Hook, Looking Glass, Bo Diddly, Stephen Still, McKendree Spring, Elephant's Memory, The James Gang, and Commander Cody.[22]
A Poke in the Eye (With A Sharp Stick) (1976)
April 1-3, 1976 - Amnesty International staged the first in what became its long-running Secret Policeman's Ball series of events raising funds for - and awareness of - human rights issues. The show titled A Poke in the Eye was staged at Her Majesty's Theatre in London over three consecutive nights. It was primarily a comedy gala starring Monty Python, Peter Cook, Beyond The Fringe and others. Produced by John Cleese and Martin Lewis.
A Gift of Song: The Music for UNICEF Concert (1979)
January 9, 1979 - The A Gift of Song: The Music for UNICEF Concert was held at the United Nations General Assembly and broadcast worldwide to raise money for UNICEF and mark the International Year of the Child. Performers included ABBA, Bee Gees, Andy Gibb, Olivia Newton-John, John Denver, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rita Coolidge, Kris Kristofferson, Rod Stewart, Donna Summer. The concert was the idea of impresario Robert Stigwood, the Bee Gees, and David Frost.
The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)
June 27-30, 1979 - Amnesty International staged the third of its Secret Policeman's Ball benefits. The show titled The Secret Policeman's Ball was staged in London over four consecutive nights. In addition to the usual comedic performers from Monty Python, producer Martin Lewis secured musical performances from Pete Townshend and Tom Robinson.
The No Nukes concerts (1979)
September 1979 - The No Nukes concerts in New York
The Concerts for Kampuchea (1979)
December 26-29, 1979 - The Concerts for Kampuchea were held at the Hammersmith Odeon, benefiting the citizens of Cambodia who were victims of the tyrannical reign of dictator Pol Pot.
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1981)
September 9-12, 1981 - Amnesty International staged the fourth of its Secret Policeman's Ball benefits. The show titled The Secret Policeman's Other Ball was staged in London over four consecutive nights. This show expanded on its 1979 predecessor with appearances by multiple rock musicians including Sting, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Phil Collins, Donovan and Bob Geldof.
Nuclear Disarmament Rally (1982)
June 12, 1982 - In New York City, 750,000 people marched from the UN to Central Park to protest nuclear weapons -- in what was probably the largest single protest in U.S. history. NYC was shut down for the day. The concert featured artists including Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, and Bruce Springsteen. Keith Haring created a poster for the event, which was handed out free to the audience.
Live Aid (1985)
July 13, 1985 - The Live Aid benefit concerts - conceived and organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure - took place in London and Philadelphia. Similar concerts were held in Sydney and Moscow.
Farm Aid (1985)
September 22, 1985 - The first Farm Aid concert, organized by Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp to raise money for family farmers in the United States, was held in Champaign, Illinois. There have been 19 Farm Aid concerts as of 2007.
Self Aid (1986)
May 17, 1986 - The Self Aid concert held in Dublin, Ireland aimed to highlight the chronic unemployment problem in Ireland at the time. Performers at the event included U2, Van Morrison and The Pogues.
Conspiracy of Hope US Tour (1986)
June 4-15, 1986 - The Conspiracy of Hope US tour of six rock concerts for Amnesty International. Performers included U2, Sting, Joan Baez, Lou Reed, Jackson Browne, The Neville Brothers and, at the final three concerts, a reunion of The Police.
Heart Beat 86 (1986)
March 15, 1986 - The Heart Beat 86 concert was held near Birmingham England to raise money for the Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Human Rights Now! World Tour (1988)
September 2 - October 15, 1988 The Human Rights Now! World tour of rock concerts for Amnesty International
The Wall - Live in Berlin (1990 July 21) Roger Waters (Memorial Fund for Disaster Relief)
A live concert performance by Roger Waters and numerous guest artists, of the Pink Floyd studio album The Wall, itself largely written by Waters during his time with the band. The show was held in Berlin on 21 July 1990, to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall eight months earlier. The event was produced and cast by British impresario and producer Tony Hollingsworth. It was staged partly at Waters' expense. While he subsequently earned the money back from the sale of the CD and video releases of the album, the original plan was to donate all profits past his initial investment to the Memorial Fund for Disaster Relief, a UK charity founded by Leonard Cheshire. However, audio and video sales came in significantly under projections, and the trading arm of the charity (Operation Dinghy) incurred heavy losses. A few years later, the charity was wound up, and the audio and video sales rights from the concert performance returned to Waters. The show had a sell-out crowd of over 350,000 people, and before the performance started, the gates were opened, which let at least another 100,000 people watch. Guest artists Rick Danko, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson of The Band, The Hooters, Van Morrison, Sinéad O'Connor, Cyndi Lauper, Marianne Faithfull, Scorpions, Joni Mitchell, Paul Carrack, Thomas Dolby and Bryan Adams, along with actors Albert Finney, Jerry Hall, Tim Curry and Ute Lemper. Cheshire opened the concert by blowing a World War II whistle.
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert (1992)
April 20, 1992 - The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert was organized by Queen, which took place at Wembley Stadium, London, to pay homage to their deceased lead singer Freddie Mercury and to raise money for the Mercury Phoenix Trust, a fund for victims of AIDS. Among the performers: David Bowie, Elton John, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Extreme, Robert Plant, Liza Minnelli, Roger Daltrey and George Michael.
America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001)
September 21, 2001 - America: A Tribute to Heroes was a telethon in the style of a benefit concert organized in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon by the four major United States television networks.
The Concert for New York City (2001)
October 20, 2001 - The Concert for New York City was a benefit concert organized as a tribute to the heroes and survivors of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York. It was initiated by Paul McCartney and produced by a team including Harvey Weinstein and Jann Wenner.
The SARS Benefit Concert (2003)
July 30, 2003 - 450,000 spectators saw The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Rush, The Guess Who, and others at the largest concert in Canadian history, the SARS Benefit Concert in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, held to prove that the city was safe from SARS.
Live 8 (2005)
July 2, 2005 - Bob Geldof and Midge Ure organised Live 8, a set of 8 concerts held in 8 cities around the world on the same day - as part of a campaign to persuade the G8 member governments to increase their fight to eradicate poverty in third-world countries.
Live Earth (2007)
July 7, 2007 - Al Gore inspired and helped organize Live Earth. During its first year, it consisted of a series of concerts held on all seven continents of the planet on the same day.
A Billion Hands Concert (2008)
December 5, 2008 - Anoushka Shankar and Jethro Tull held A Billion Hands Concert in Mumbai, India. All proceeds from the concert went to victims of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.[23]
Rockdrive (ongoing)
December 11, 2010 - Max Lugavere held Rockdrive for its third year in Los Angeles, California at the Troubadour. Proceeds from the concert went to charities supporting public education, generally the Los Angeles Unified School District.[24] In 2011, the Rockdrive movement was initiated in Nashville and Miami.
12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief (2012)
December 12, 2012 - 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Proceeds went to the Robin Hood Relief Fund to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy.[25]
MDA Show of Strength (2012-2014)
The former Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, which aired each year every Labor Day weekend, was dramatically reformatted over the course of 2011 and 2012; from the program's founding in 1966 until 2010, the program aired as a traditional long-form telethon over the course of 21 hours. By the time of the 2012 edition, its name was changed to the current moniker, its longtime host was ousted, and its format was reduced to a three-hour benefit concert for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The MDA announced the event's discontinuation in May 2015 in order to focus on other ways to raise support for the organization via mobile and digital media.[26]
One Love Manchester (2017)
June 4, 2017 - Ariana Grande organised a concert in dedication to the 22 victims killed at her concert that was held on 22 May 2017 at the Manchester Arena.
Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief (2017)
September 12, 2017 - A one-hour, commercial-free benefit concert television special for the relief efforts from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma (with later benefits also going to victims of Hurricane Maria the following week).
List of benefit concerts
The following is an incomplete list of benefit concerts with their own popflock.com resource page. For a more descriptive and inclusive list focusing on historically notable events, see the list above. Note that while some of the listed concerts feature only one headliner and several supporting acts, other benefit concerts feature diverse lineups and are also considered music festivals. This list may have some overlap with list of free festivals, which are rock festivals that often have a social agenda or fund-raising focus.
Rock and pop concerts
John Sinclair Freedom Rally (1971)
Wattstax (1972)
Aloha from Hawaii (1973)
Concerts for the People of Kampuchea (1979)
Party in the Park (annual from 1982)
Hear 'n Aid (1985)
Bridge School Benefit (1986)
Democratic songs dedicated for China (1989)
Music for Montserrat (1997)
NetAid (1999)
United We Stand: What More Can I Give (2001)
Thrash of the Titans (2001)
Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto (2003)
46664 (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008)
Tsunami Relief Cardiff (2005)
Tsunami Aid (2005)
A Concert for Hurricane Relief (2005)
Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast (2005)
From the Big Apple to the Big Easy (2005)
Concert for Diana (2007)
Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert (2007)
Cocierto Alas (2008)
Sound Relief (2009)
The Clearwater Concert (2009)
Hope for Haiti Now (2010)
Stand Up To Cancer (biannually)
A Concert for Charlottesville (2017)
^ a b "A world of charity concerts". 2007-02-16. Retrieved .
^ a b name="Wells"
^ a b Howell, Caro (13 March 2014). "How Handel's Messiah helped London's orphans - and vice versa". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 July 2017. Retrieved 2017.
^ Carnelley, John (2015). George Smart and Nineteenth-Century London Concert Life. Boydell & Brewer. pp. 72-73. ISBN 9781783270644. Retrieved 2017.
^ Moses, Don V.; Demaree, Robert W.; Ohmes, Allen F. (2004). Face to Face with Orchestra and Chorus: A Handbook for Choral Conductors. Indiana University Press. p. 178. ISBN 0253216990. Retrieved 2017.
^ Pieper, Jörg (2009). The Solo Beatles Film & TV Chronicle 1971-1980. Lulu.com. p. 31. ISBN 9781409283010. Retrieved 2017.
^ Forbes. "The Truth About Celebrity Benefit Concerts". Last modified: January 26, 2010. https://www.forbes.com/2010/01/26/haiti-clooney-wyclef-business-entertainment-charitable-celebs.html
^ Hague, Seth, John Street, and Heather Savigny. 2008. "The Voice Of The People? Musicians As Political Actors." Cultural Politics (Bloomsbury Publishers) 4, no. 1: 5-23.
^ Wells, Paul. 2005. "Songs For The Suffering." Maclean's 118, no. 3: 56. MAS Ultra - School Edition.
^ name= "Street 2007"
^ Street, John, Seth Hague, and Heather Savigny. 2008. "Playing to the Crowd: The Role of Music and Musicians in Political Participation." British Journal of Politics & International Relations 10, no. 2: 269-285.
^ John, Street (2012), "Politics as music: the sound of ideas and ideology", in Street, John (ed.), Music and politics, Cambridge, U.K. Malden, Massachusetts: Polity Press, p. 150, ISBN 9780745635446, The repetition of songs and the experience of singing, suggests Bennett, can conjure up the meanings, identities and collectivities that enchant us and motivate our commitments. Bennett (2001: 133) detects in music the 'sonority' of language - in its (literal) sound effects.
^ Bennett, Jane (2001), "Ethical energetics", in Bennett, Jane (ed.), The enchantment of modern life: attachments, crossings, and ethics, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, p. 133, ISBN 9780691088136
^ Reed, T.V., (Author). 2001. "Famine, Apartheid and the politics of 'Agit-Pop': Music as (anti)colonial discourse." Cercles: Revue Pluridisciplinaire Du Monde Anglophone no. 3: 96. RILM Abstracts of Music Literature.
^ MacAskill, Ewan, Patrick Wintour, and Larry Elliott. 2005. "G8: Hope for Africa but Gloom for Climate". The Guardian, July 9, 2005. Accessed April 4, 2012, http://www.peopleandplanet.net/?lid=28053&topic=23&section=51
^ a b c d e f g Dayan, D., & Katz, E. (1992). Media Events: The Live Broadcasting of History. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
^ a b Davis, H. L. (2010). Feeding the World a Line?: Celebrity Activism and Ethical Consumer Practices From Live Aid to Product Red. Nordic Journal of English Studies, 9(3) 67-87
^ Laughey, D. (2007). Key Themes in Media Theory. New York, NY: Open University Press
^ "Historical Concert for the Benefit of Widows and Orphans". World Digital Library. 2014-02-10. Retrieved .
^ Heckman, Don (August 11, 1972). "Rock Festivals on Upbeat Again". The New York Times.
^ A Billion Hands - Join The Fight Against Terror and For A Better Tomorrow
^ - Locals Take Center Stage At Rockdrive 2010 Archived October 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^ Bauder, David (12 December 2012). "12-12-12 Concert For Hurricane Sandy Victims Includes Music Royalty". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2012.
^ "MDA ends Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon". USA Today. May 1, 2015.
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Lauren M. Stroupe
Research Associate, Emerging Technologies
Email vCard +1 202 857 2935
Lauren is a research associate with the Emerging Technologies Practice in McGuireWoods Consulting’s Washington, D.C. office. In this role, she provides policy updates, legislative and regulatory monitoring at the state and federal level, as well as in-depth research for clients in the developing digital economy.
Lauren works for several industry-led coalitions and trade associations as well as individual companies within the travel, unmanned technology, and consumer products industries.
Prior to joining McGuireWoods Consulting, Lauren served as a policy and administrative intern for Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) in the Capitol Hill office. During that time, she was responsible for researching and drafting legislative summaries across a variety of policy issues, as well as responding to constituent service requests. Lauren has also served as a Governor’s Fellow for Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, an intern for former Representative Robert Hurt (R-VA-05), and an intern for Senator Mark Warner (D-VA).
In her current role, Lauren draws upon her experience monitoring and summarizing legislation and regulations in order to provide detailed, timely analysis of issues relevant to clients.
Lauren graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia (UVA) with a degree in American government and religious studies. During her semesters at UVA, Lauren interned at the University of Virginia Center for Politics and served as a research assistant for Dr. Larry Sabato during her final academic year. She was also a member of the Raven Society and Phi Beta Kappa, and received the UVA Intermediate Honors Award.
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