IF YOU CAN'T FLOG 'EM ON EBAY WHY WOULD I WANT THEM?

Like unclaimed lottery tickets, there's something a little puzzling about the 2,000 people yet to have claimed their Live8 tickets - indeed, they've extended the deadline to pick them up so many people haven't come forward. Are they annoyed at discovering they can't sell them on? Have they got the huff because Status Quo won't be appearing? Or because Dido will? Spokesperson:

"We have had an overwhelming response with people registering and redeeming their tickets. However, less than 2,000 people are still yet to register to claim their tickets."

A curious use of "less than" - 2,000 people haven't shown up; they'll have a pair of tickets, so that's 4,000 tickets. We make that a sizeable 2.5% of the potential 150,000 audience have gone missing.

The lottery pulled in GBP3million, which of course leaves GBP1.4million after the Princes Trust have been paid off to stay away from Hyde Park that day. It should be interesting to see how much of that goes towards the costs of staging the event.

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