hGuitarist urges others to join him in donating

hGuitarist urges othersto join him in donating
LONDON -- Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour says he will donate profits from his Live 8 appearance to charity -- and has urged other artists to do the same.
Retailers have reported a huge upsurge in Pink Floyd sales since the band reunited for last Saturday's concert in Hyde Park. The concert was one of 10 around the world designed to pressure leaders of the G-8 nations to strike a deal for impoverished African countries at their summit in Scotland this week.
HMV said sales of Pink Floyd's album "Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd" had gone up by 1,343 percent since last weekend.
"Though the main objective has been to raise consciousness and put pressure on the G-8 leaders, I will not profit from the concert," Gilmour said.
"If other artists feel like donating their extra royalties to charity, perhaps then the record companies could be persuaded to make a similar gesture and that would be a bonus," he said. "This is money that should be used to save lives."
Saturday's Pink Floyd set was the first time Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason, keyboard player Richard Wright and bassist Roger Waters had appeared onstage together since a concert at London's Earl's Court in 1981.
Spielberg receives honoras 'Patron of Culture'
WARSAW, Poland -- The city of Krakow has recognized Steven Spielberg for his efforts to preserve parts of the former ghetto where he filmed much of his Oscar-winning "Schindler's List."
Spielberg was named a prestigious "Patron of Culture" for 2004 in a ceremony earlier this week, Krakow spokesman Filip Szatanik said.
The city cited the director's donation of $40,000 to preserve the former Pod Orlem pharmacy, whose owner risked his life to help Jews of the ghetto.
Director Roman Polanski, who is a survivor of Krakow's ghetto, also has donated to the preservation of the pharmacy, which was converted into a museum in 1983.
Krakow is helping to build a museum in the factory where Oskar Schindler -- the subject of Spielberg's 1993 film -- shielded more than a thousand Jews during the Nazi Holocaust.
Fight? What fight?
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Former "American Idol" contestant Corey Clark will not face criminal charges for a hotel food fight that got out of control. "They decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him," Lana Wyatt, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento County district attorney's office, said Wednesday.
Wyatt said the decision not to pursue a misdemeanor battery count against Clark in the June 25 incident was made by the lead prosecutor in the office's domestic violence unit. Clark, 24, would have faced up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if charged and convicted. "Coming on the heels of a huge misunderstanding, Corey is obviously thrilled," said Clark's representative, Jed Wallace. "I think the major lesson here is, when you're on the road and want to blow off steam, go for a jog."
Notable death
LOS ANGELES -- Ernest Lehman, a six-time Oscar nominee whose screenwriting and production credits include such classics as "North by Northwest," "West Side Story" and "The Sound of Music," has died. He was 89. Lehman died Saturday at University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center from an undisclosed illness, according to a statement posted on the Web site of the Writers Guild of America.
Today's birthdays
Singer Jerry Vale is 73. Singer Steve Lawrence is 70. Actor Jeffrey Tambor is 61. Ballerina Cynthia Gregory is 59. Actress Kim Darby is 58. Children's performer Raffi is 57. Actress Anjelica Huston is 54. News columnist Anna Quindlen is 52. Actor Kevin Bacon is 47. Rock musician Andy Fletcher (Depeche Mode) is 44. Country singer Toby Keith is 44. Rock musician Graham Jones (Haircut 100) is 44. Rock singer Joan Osborne is 43. Writer-producer Rob Burnett ("Ed") is 43. Actor Corey Parker is 40. Actor Billy Crudup is 37. Actor Michael Weatherly ("Dark Angel") is 37. Singer Beck is 35. Country singer Drew Womack (Sons of the Desert) is 35. Christian rock musician Stephen Mason (Jars of Clay) is 30. Actor Milo Ventimiglia is 28. Rock musician Tavis Werts (Reel Big Fish) is 28. Singer Ben Jelen is 26. Actress Sophia Bush is 23.