Live8 - Discuss (rich demanding an end to poverty!)

Kersh

Anyone think its 'funny' that people who have the combined wealth of a country, are demanding an end to poverty, then hopping back in their Bentleys and heading off to parties. I dont have an opinion on it, I want to know yours though. ( I couldn give a s*** about live8 tbh)

the_syco

I find it funny that most of the money from the original Live8 peoberly went to a swiss bank account, and alot of the money since has done just that. Unless there is regime change, the n*ggers(racist, but more offensive than black bas7ards, which they are) in charge will ensure that they stay rich, while everyone else stays in poverty.

Lots of money goes in, they've stayed rich, and if the G8 countries do any restrictions, they know the people will suffer, but the money they pump in doesn't seem to reach the people.

Billions & billions of dollars of aid in, and no improvements.

Fair trade I say, is the only way. The French better listen when Blair yells!

StupidLikeAFox

They have influence and power. The bones of the situation is that theyre trying to do good. Let them on, theyre doin more for poverty stricken people than i am anyway

alleepally

Let's face it. We're billionaires compared to billion+ living on less than a dollar a day. But I hear what you're saying and whilst it may seem incroguous, as ColHol says they have influenfence and power and if it makes the G8 leaders think that little bit harder well it's a job well done.

Kersh

What if the G8 leaders say..' if we put in 500million, then you guys do it too' - do you think the popstars would?

axtradub12

Its all just another Rock Show and a walk in the park.

OLDYELLAR

sO WHAT if the people organising it have money and wealth , their doing their bit , at least their doing something , jesus christ this is whinge nation , people aernt doing anything whinge , then when people try to do something people whinge about them too , ffs .

RuggieBear

i think it's funny that all the celebs and "stars" have got special treatment and have the primo spots right at the front of the stage (and back stage)....while the common people had to queue over night to get anywhere near the front....

axtradub12

Very few African millionaires sent money to Africa.

alleepally

OLDYELLAR wrote:

sO WHAT if the people organising it have money and wealth , their doing their bit , at least their doing something , jesus christ this is whinge nation , people aernt doing anything whinge , then when people try to do something people whinge about them too , ffs .

I think we Irish think we're the whingeist nation on earth - we're no different than the British, French, German, American....As a discussion topic this iss as relevant as anything else and I didn't see it as a whinge. Chap was just asking a qeustion.

OLDYELLAR

well to answer the question no I dont think its funny , there doing more for poverty than I am anyway.

Tar.Aldarion

bill gates ga\ve alot of money that was good

Flukey

I didn't watch it. I spent much of the day splitting timber, making large pieces of wood history. I did see a small piece of the Wimblegrunt final, but only a few games, before settling down to watch Limerick beat Carlow this evening in the All-Ireland Football Qualifiers. Then I went out and split some more timber. A very satisfying day it was.

A lot can be done to help Africa. Maybe the stars playing are wealthy, but no one is forcing them to do what they are doing in raising these issues and they should be commended for it. They are using the profile they have, so that is a good thing. Don't knock it.

eth0_

Yes, fair dues to Bill Gates. He and his wife give a huge amount of money to charity, especially AIDS charities.

I really wished someone had yelled out 'NEEEEEEEEEEEERD!' when he was on stage though.

Beekay

I would have.

Tar.Aldarion

ya lol! neeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrddddddddd
would have went down well!
then bills snipers would have taken care of the problem.

aidan_dunne

Nah, would have been funnier to yell out "Hey, Bill! WINDOWS IS SHíTE!!!!"

OFDM

the_syco wrote:

Unless there is regime change, the n*ggers(racist, but more offensive than black bas7ards, which they are)

Why bring race into your argument at all? Couldn't just have said "the bas7ards in charge of the regimes"??

And like Flukey said the celebrities should be commended for raising the issues in the first place. Sure they could donate heaps of money, but firing money at dictatorships isn't going to fix anything.

Anyone see the "If... We Stop Giving Aid to Africa" docu-drama on BBC2 this week - it highlighted those issues very well.

county

most of these people performing at the live 8 concerts only do so to better their names

Thrasher

To all the cynics: What have you done to make the world an even slightly better place today? :mad:

The fact of the matter is that a bunch of (celebrity) musicians can sway people's opinions more than any other group - whether or not they are credible and whether or not they can afford a nice car is hardly relevant... (they're pop/rock stars, FFS).

It's easy to take them down, especially when you do nothing yourself.

Oh yeah. People are dying on another continent. Again. Still. *yawn*

:mad:

DAEDULUS

the_syco wrote:

I find it funny that most of the money from the original Live8 peoberly went to a swiss bank account, and alot of the money since has done just that. Unless there is regime change, the n*ggers(racist, but more offensive than black bas7ards, which they are) in charge will ensure that they stay rich, while everyone else stays in poverty.

Lots of money goes in, they've stayed rich, and if the G8 countries do any restrictions, they know the people will suffer, but the money they pump in doesn't seem to reach the people.

Billions & billions of dollars of aid in, and no improvements.

Fair trade I say, is the only way. The French better listen when Blair yells!

some1 please ban this retard..?

aidan_dunne

the_syco wrote:

.....the n*ggers(racist, but more offensive than black bas7ards, which they are)

Hey, I've got a great idea. Why don't we just nuke the entire African continent so we can get rid of all "black bastards", as you call them? Kill two birds with the one stone; we put an end to poverty in Africa by getting rid of all the "n*ggers" there once and for all, plus it'll make all you stupid rascist cúnts happy, won't it? :rolleyes:

Jesus Christ, some people, eh? :rolleyes: :mad:

StupidLikeAFox

I think it was aimed at the people in power, sure it was done poorly but ya know what he was going for. Lay off him ffs, the leaders and dictators are bastards. Dont get bogged down in that one comment, let the discussion continue

Tar.Aldarion

DAEDULUS wrote:

some1 please ban this retard..?

it wasn't really a comment with rascism behind it,he was just looking for a harsh word to use agaist corrupt people you cracker!

axtradub12

OLDYELLAR wrote:

sO WHAT if the people organising it have money and wealth , their doing their bit , at least their doing something , jesus christ this is whinge nation , people aernt doing anything whinge , then when people try to do something people whinge about them too , ffs .

We Irish are the Biggest Whingers in the world.

aidan_dunne

ColHol wrote:

I think it was aimed at the people in power, sure it was done poorly but ya know what he was going for. Lay off him ffs, the leaders and dictators are bastards.

Yes, they are bastards (Mugabe is a complete cúnt, for example, starving his own people and the like. Wish someone would take that f**ker out once and for all! :mad: ) but why did he have to put in "black bastards" and "n*ggers" into his sentence? He could have just said "the bastards in power" or whatever on it's own, bringing race and colour into his argument wasn't necessary to get his point across and was deliberately put in there to make his feelings about black people (in general, not just those in power in Africa) perfectly clear.

D-Generate

Yeah it wasn't a catch all umbrella term for them and more aimed towards such kind folk as Mugabe and his cronies.

Bill Gates rocks and is one of the most charitable men of our time, and I mean percentages of wealth donated, not gross amount. He plans to wipe out Malaria which is one of the world's biggest killers and if he does this then well done Billy. However he doesn't go around on tv feeling its necessary to tell us to give all our money to charity like Bono does or waving his hands about everytime he has a camera on him like freaking Chris(t) Martin.

I and probably many other people think that Bono and Chris Martin are utter twats. They brow beat it in to us about what we should do and how it is our job yet we never see them with big novelty sized cheques going to charities.
Bono tells us to donate as much as we can to "Make Poverty History" and then appears in the Sunday Times Rich List. Yeah I'm sure he's following his own advice.

At least Bob Geldof organises big events such as Live 8 along with the help of Midge Ure (bet a lot of you never heard of him) and only pops up on tv every couple of years to berate us for not donating a tithe.

DadaKopf

It's amazing to think 10 years ago you would have been considered a communist loony to be so crazy as to call for debt cancellation, fair trade and more aid. Now it's all gone mainstream.

Seems like those so-called do-nothing, D4 crusties were on to something.

I just hope people's passion doesn't evaporate after the Live8 event and the G8 leaders, once again, trick people into thinking positive steps have been made to develop Africa.

aidan_dunne

D-Generate wrote:

Bill Gates rocks and is one of the most charitable men of our time, and I mean percentages of wealth donated, not gross amount. He plans to wipe out Malaria which is one of the world's biggest killers and if he does this then well done Billy.

Agreed, but I still can't forgive him for the piece of shít that was Windows ME!

D-Generate wrote:

.....Midge Ure (bet a lot of you never heard of him)

He means nothing to me......... yes, he means nothing to me....... oh Vienna!

Christ, I'm really showing my age now!

Romo

The scale of corruption and chaos in Africa almost beggars belief. Slavery is rampant on the Saharan fringe of Sub-Saharan (Arabs have never stopped enslaving Black Africans). Almost all African governments and their officials are corrupt and/or deranged. Even the so called success stories like post-apartheid South Africa are myths. I detested apartheid, but the idea that so kind of rainbow nation has emerged is ludicrous. Its become the most violent country on earth (and that includes insurgent Iraq). Interpol have estimated that there are between 50,000 and 54,000 murders PER ANNUM in South Africa. Yet, because of some kind of myopic naivety, they are awarded the World Cup.

Like the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, HIV/Aid’s is rampant. Its health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, is deranged. She’s a believer in the writings of William Cooper. In case you don’t know Cooper was killed in a shootout with police 2001 when they turned up at his bunker/compound in Arizona. He wrote a book called “Behold a Pale Horse” where he accused the West of having introduced Aid’s into Africa via the smallpox vaccine. Tshabalala-Msimang distributed his book around the South Africa health ministry. Apparently, she believes that antiretroviral Aid’s drugs are being used for the same purpose.

Aid’s is rampant in Africa for four reasons.

1. VD has never been tackled in Africa, so people are more prone to having sores and lesions on their genitals.
2. Africans are wildly promiscuous.
3. Anal sex is central to African male sexuality.
4. Africans are in total denial.

Yes, aid and trade justice are important. However, unless there is a complete and total transformation in Africa, it will achieve little more than creating a tiny rural elite. Who will promptly oppress and crush their African brothers and sisters.

_blank_

Romo wrote:

2. Africans are wildly promiscuous.

All of them??

:rolleyes:

aidan_dunne wrote:

He means nothing to me......... yes, he means nothing to me....... oh Vienna!

Ha, had to comment on this, brilliant!!

Romo

Yes, a huge proportion are. Hence, the staggering infection rates. The official figure for HIV/Aids in the South African military is about 25%. Unofficially, around 70%.

RuggieBear

Source (official or unofficial)?

johnsmith

aidan_dunne wrote:

Nah, would have been funnier to yell out "Hey, Bill! WINDOWS IS SHíTE!!!!"

Best thing of all would be if they put a BSOD in the background on the big screens.

Kersh

Great discussion guys. You are hitting it right on the head with comments about Gates not advertising the fact he gave Billions, and Bono advertising the need for aid yet appearing on the rich list. I know its his business about HIS money, but what if he said.. I Bono will give 100million to this cause, if the public, and the G8 match it.
I havent really 'sided' n this argument yet, but Keep the discussion going.

kstanl

I think in fairness to Bono, any contribution he could make wouldn't be enough. He's trying to bring attention to the fact that a global effort is required. And I'm sure Bono does donate millions... he'd be a hypocrite if he didn't.

the_syco

aidan_dunne wrote:

Hey, I've got a great idea. Why don't we just nuke the entire African continent so we can get rid of all "black bastards", as you call them? Kill two birds with the one stone; we put an end to poverty in Africa by getting rid of all the "n*ggers" there once and for all, plus it'll make all you stupid rascist cúnts happy, won't it? :rolleyes:

No, because not all South African's are n*ggers. Most of them are hard working people. If I say white trash, I don't mean every single white person. The same with when I say n*gger, I don't mean every black person.

True, I could have said the "bas7ards in power", but some smart ass may have come along and pointed out that all the (white) bas7ards are no longer in power.

The black ones which are live damn well. A few months ago, to "stop corruption", the shanty towns were demolished. The people were not given anywhere to go. If the goverment were not corrupt, they'd have built somewhere for these people to go to, but they are, so they didn't.

=-=

Apartheid is still there. Sure, it has switched sides, but its still there. But because its the whites getting kicked out, its all ok...:rolleyes:

=-=

[OT]

johnsmith wrote:

Best thing of all would be if they put a BSOD in the background on the big screens.

Google it. It has happened during a presentation of his.
[/OT]

Sandals

aidan_dunne wrote:

Nah, would have been funnier to yell out "Hey, Bill! WINDOWS IS SHíTE!!!!"

No that woul djust be stupid.

bpm

hey i think the fact that this discussion is goin on means the concert has made a difference, even if it only makes people more aware its better than nothing, bit i think it tis a bit ironic that all celebs and "special people" got to sit up the front, away from everyone else in a special VIP area, it contradicts the whole idea of what they were trying to do in the first place.

i dont beleive that this concert will cause G8 to cancel debt completly but i guess its a start.

ps fair play to brad pitt

joejoem

OLDYELLAR wrote:

sO WHAT if the people organising it have money and wealth , their doing their bit , at least their doing something , jesus christ this is whinge nation , people aernt doing anything whinge , then when people try to do something people whinge about them too , ffs .

Read this op, this is the sound of the nail being hit on the head

stevejazzx

the_syco wrote:

No, because not all South African's are n*ggers. Most of them are hard working people. If I say white trash, I don't mean every single white person. The same with when I say n*gger, I don't mean every black person.

n*gger is derogatory term regardless of the context
by using it you put a huge red arrow over your head which says i'm ignorant
the english language offers us a multitude of alternatives to express any given idea so use it

stevenmu

What I find funny about live8 is that they're trying to cancel the debts of people who can't pay them back anyway. I seriously doubt that the various starving peoples of Africa care one way or the other, instead of being poor and hungry they'll now be slightly less poor and just as hungry.

Secondly they want fair trade, so basically they don't have enough food yet they still want to sell it to people like us who have too much ? Again it'll make them slightly less poor and a whole lot hungrier.

pickarooney

stevejazzx wrote:

the_syco wrote:

No, because not all South African's are n*ggers. Most of them are hard working people. If I say white trash, I don't mean every single white person. The same with when I say n*gger, I don't mean every black person.

n*gger is derogatory term regardless of the context
by using it you put a huge red arrow over your head which says i'm ignorant
the english language offers us a multitude of alternatives to express any given idea so use it

Of course it's a derogatory term, he was using it to derogate corrupt politicians, using one of the nastiest terms possible. Thing is, it makes sense when Chris Rock or Arrested Development use the word in an offensive way but because everyone assumes the_syco is not black it makes him a racist. There's irony in there if you mine a bit.

D-generate wrote:

I and probably many other people think that Bono and Chris Martin are utter twats. They brow beat it in to us about what we should do and how it is our job yet we never see them with big novelty sized cheques going to charities.

Maybe they send normal-sized cheques off-camera because they know they'd be castigated for their ostentatious display of charity?

Loobz

Id like to add a little input, not sure if Im correct but here it goes.
This is more about donations to Africa - not about cancelling the debt.

Remember when Indonesia was struck by a tsunami in December 04? How much money was raised by both the mega rich and the public? How long did it take? Im not exactly sure but it was a staggering amount in a short amount of time. All day, everyday, Sky news reported on nothing but the tsunami, how many people died and how much has been raised. People were glued to the TV as the phenomenal event unfolded before our eyes

I think that because the problems in Africa has been there for sooo long, people tend to block it out. There is a subconcious message saying 'heard that one before'. Im sure there are a few people amongst us who change the channel whenever they see an ad about starving black children (I do, I admit it).
However, when a natural disaster strikes (ie tsunami) people stay tuned in until Sky or whoever find another top story. The majority of people dont realise how bad things in Africa really are. Maybe im wrong.

I tried to make myself as clear as possible there. If I knew my numbers maybe it would have been a bit better.

prospect

eth0_ wrote:

I really wished someone had yelled out 'NEEEEEEEEEEEERD!' when he was on stage though.

Yes, and being the wealthiest person on the planet, and probably one of the most powerful, I am sure he would have been terribly distressed...

Kingsize

i have no problem with geldof & ive really warmed to him over the years, admittedly (rightly or wrongly) live aid was the making of him, but ive no doubt his heart (as well as everything else) is in the right place.
im very cynical about this especially when you see (relatively) unpopular bands appearing - trying to fiurther their career.there are plenty of african acts doing the rounds to have appeared too.
& having little token "african" kids come out at the end was embarrassing.
Having said that,how else could you gain that public support or get that amount of folk to turn up???Most people these days would rather vote for a reality tv show than vote in an election.When the history books are written this & the original live aid will probably only appear in the same sentence- no one is going to be talking about whether peter kay was pissed or whether velvet revolver were shyte- but hopefully this will end up being seen as one of the catalystis to the beginning of Africa's recovery & not just a cynical promotional oppurtunity by big record companies.
One thing that never seems to make it into the news along with all the starving kids is that the governments of some of these countries are absolute scumbag ,pieces of sh-it whitout acknowledging & tackling this im afraid it'll be the same old story,i also think that SOME charities main priority is about keeping themselves going &/ or spreading the "word of god" rather than actually making impoverished people take back their lives.

stevejazzx

pickarooney wrote:

stevejazzx wrote:

Of course it's a derogatory term, he was using it to derogate corrupt politicians, using one of the nastiest terms possible. Thing is, it makes sense when Chris Rock or Arrested Development use the word in an offensive way but because everyone assumes the_syco is not black it makes him a racist. There's irony in there if you mine a bit.


well if chris says its ok to call bad black people n*iggers then thats ok
i wish i'd known this b4 i made my outragous comments

cheers