Sure Bono's probably not a bad auld sort?

MadYaker · 18-06-2013 06:14PM

I don't know why Bono gets so much abuse, mostly from Irish people too. I love U2s music, but I don't pay much attention to the other stuff he gets involved in.

crockholm · 18-06-2013 06:25PM

The man just seems to be blinded by his own sense of self-importance.Why a man who sings about a mole digging in a hole should feel that way is beyond me.

I just hope he doesn't inspire politicians to start singing now.

humanji · 18-06-2013 06:26PM

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

He's a hypocrite who bangs on about helping the poor and he wont even pay tax in his own country where people sleep on trolleys in hospitals. How could you possibly need the amount of money he has? Don't get me started on Bob Geldof...

Bono could give every cent he has ever earned to the government and there would still be the exact same people sleeping in the exact same trolleys. If I had the opportunity of keeping the money I earned or giving it to a government who will squander it on themselves, I'd pick keeping it. I find it hard to believe anyone would do otherwise.

It's sad that the fact the guy can be an annoying twat is eclipsed by his companies sound financial planning.

Earthhorse · 18-06-2013 06:29PM

Many people are filled with self hate and don't know what to do with it so it manifests in unhealthy ways like pouring scorn on a figure of hate such as Bono, Justin Beiber or what have you.

Of course, criticism of a public figure is to be expected but the sheer amount of bile and hatred directed at Bono is insanely disproportionate to his vices.

MadsL · 18-06-2013 06:33PM

pabloh999 wrote: »

Middle of the road:eek:
Some of the greatest songs ever written more like
With or without you...streets have no names...one..bad

Greatest songs ever written. Wut?

SeaDaily wrote: »

He has helped people who have to live through a lot more than sleeping on trolleys. First world problems....

Yeah, Christian Aid would disagree.

http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/deathandtaxes.pdf

Today’s dissenters, however, have no need to make their
protest in blood. Celebrities such as Formula One racing
champion Lewis Hamilton and pop star Phil Collins simply
jet off to the balmier tax climes of Switzerland, while U2 lead
singer Bono relocates his recording rights in a Netherlandsbased
tax structure.

The fortunes of these three are a small part of the truly
vast amounts of money that are now held in the world’s
70-plus tax havens. Estimates by the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2007 suggested
that the sums then parked ‘offshore’ totalled anything from
US$5 trillion to US$7 trillion (£2.5-£3.5 million million – at least
twice the amount of Britain’s gross domestic product).

I personally was very happy he never got to do this piece of cultural vandalism to the Clarence.

bleg · 18-06-2013 06:41PM

Interesting piece on his charity.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/poor_idea_bono_bsUzJMfT2mBJbqyXgp6YoO

ONE gives only a pittance in direct charitable support to its causes -- something Borochoff said the average donor might not realize.

The Bono nonprofit took in $14,993,873 in public donations in 2008, the latest year for which tax records are available.

Of that, $184,732 was distributed to three charities, according to the IRS filing.

Meanwhile, more than $8 million was spent on executive and employee salaries.

My name is URL · 18-06-2013 07:04PM

bleg wrote: »

Interesting piece on his charity.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/poor_idea_bono_bsUzJMfT2mBJbqyXgp6YoO

What does 'direct charitable support' even mean? And since when is almost $200,000 per year 'pittance'? If the ONE Foundation were out of the picture completely, I wonder if the benefacting charities would see more or less in the way of real income...

You could make the argument that people should donate directly to local causes instead of going through philanthropic groups, but that's a pretty messy way of doing it.. and there's virtually no oversight. I wouldn't give them anything myself, but if people want to; instead of not giving anything to anyone then let them at it!

Jimoslimos · 18-06-2013 07:07PM

MadsL wrote: »

Yeah, Christian Aid would disagree.

http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/deathandtaxes.pdf

Of course Christian organisations would know nothing of using their charitable status to avoid paying tax.

Hypocrisy is overwhelming in this thread, I wonder if nobody here has ever bought anything online from an overseas retailer...

The Backwards Man · 18-06-2013 07:11PM

Bono's alright

He doesn't bother me, I don't bother him.

jippo nolan · 18-06-2013 07:11PM

pabloh999 wrote: »

He does/did a lot to put this tiny island on the map

I think we were already on the map before BONO came along!

Jumboman · 18-06-2013 07:14PM

Bono preaches that other people should give money to the poor yet he wouldnt give them the stream off his piss.

michael999999 · 18-06-2013 07:17PM

So the guy that has a problem paying taxes in Ireland, had detectives escort him through the crowds in Dalkey today to get him to he's cheauffer driven Jaguar!

Who does he think pays for these guys?

MadsL · 18-06-2013 07:25PM

My name is URL wrote: »

What does 'direct charitable support' even mean? And since when is almost $200,000 per year 'pittance'? If the ONE Foundation were out of the picture completely, I wonder if the benefacting charities would see more or less in the way of real income...

You could make the argument that people should donate directly to local causes instead of going through philanthropic groups, but that's a pretty messy way of doing it.. and there's virtually no oversight. I wouldn't give them anything myself, but if people want to; instead of not giving anything to anyone then let them at it!

You are defending almost 60% of donations ending up as salaries. If 60% of most for-profit business turnover went on salaries - they'd be bust.

My name is URL · 18-06-2013 07:38PM

MadsL wrote: »

You are defending almost 60% of donations ending up as salaries. If 60% of most for-profit business turnover went on salaries - they'd be bust.

I'm not defending it, it happens and my views on it won't change the fact.

I don't agree with footballers being paid £200,000 per week either, but I'm happy enough to support my team regardless. I don't give anything to the ONE Foundation so I've even less say than others on how they should run themselves.

bleg · 18-06-2013 07:41PM

My name is URL wrote: »

What does 'direct charitable support' even mean? And since when is almost $200,000 per year 'pittance'? If the ONE Foundation were out of the picture completely, I wonder if the benefacting charities would see more or less in the way of real income...

I presume they mean pittance in the sense that the nearly $200,000 dollars given out that year is 1.2% of the nearly $15 million they took in.

Comparatively speaking it is pittance.

Jumboman · 18-06-2013 07:44PM

bleg wrote: »

I presume they mean pittance in the sense that the nearly $200,000 dollars given out that year is 1.2% of the nearly $15 million they took in.

Comparatively speaking it is pittance.

The one foundation is some "charity".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314543/Bonos-ONE-foundation-giving-tiny-percentage-funds-charity.html

pabloh999 · 18-06-2013 07:49PM

MadsL wrote: »

I personally was very happy he never got to do this piece of cultural vandalism to the Clarence.

Ah, I see, cos you didn't like the plans for the Clarence (or the tall building planned for the docks) you don't like Bono, fair enough.

MadsL · 18-06-2013 08:24PM

pabloh999 wrote: »

Ah, I see, cos you didn't like the plans for the Clarence (or the tall building planned for the docks) you don't like Bono, fair enough.

That. And the fact he's a dick. A friend of mine's hand shakes from time to time - a tic, always has. Nothing serious. He also slightly stammers. He met Bono once and the arsehole took the piss out of him for it.

Gummy Panda · 18-06-2013 08:28PM

Bring back degsy!

He'll put you all straight in regards to bono

rolliepoley · 18-06-2013 08:42PM

Apres Match-u2 spoof

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXVP1zGc-uc

TheUsual · 18-06-2013 08:52PM

They said the same about Thatcher.

fergiesfolly · 18-06-2013 08:57PM

My name is URL wrote: »

You don't get crowned the 'most politically effective celebrity of all time' by just pretending to care.

There's an oxymoron in there somewhere;)

handlemaster · 18-06-2013 09:04PM

cancel world debt was another good one for africa. Where did he this money came from. From what I see you could cancel all african countries debt and they still would end up killing themselves and starving themselves over their lack of education and like of wars.

I always found it funny that he wears heels must have a big complex over his height. I remember a few years back a photo of him on a beach with a model and he had scandels on with heels. It looked deperate.

U2 have had some great tunes aside from the bono side show.

riclad · 18-06-2013 09:16PM

LOOK on the gaurdian uk website ,re companys low tax, vodaphone etc,
its very easy for large companys to pay a tiny amount of tax ,under uk law.
ITS legal ,if ireland or the eu want to change this ,then change the tax laws.
u2 is registered as a company ,they sell cds all over the world.
Does anyone really expect them to pay 20 , percent in ireland on all their
international income.

Companys based in ireland ,international corporations pay around 4 per cent corporation tax.
ONCE a singer ,or a band makes over 100k,
they set them selves up as a limited company ,this is standard practice.
I don,t see how the british government can go on allowing
companys who make billions in the uk, to continue to avoid paying tax.

Christ the Redeemer · 18-06-2013 09:26PM

Cozying up with war criminal GWB was the last straw.

Busted Flat. · 18-06-2013 09:28PM

pabloh999 wrote: »

He does/did a lot to put this tiny island on the map

Sad the way some people think.

Sh1tbag OToole · 18-06-2013 09:32PM

I never understood the hate for Bono not paying tax.

How much a year are these haters giving to the state in the form of voluntary donations? Were they paying the domestic rates after they were abolished? Nobody pays more than the absolute minimum in tax. It's not because of Bono that the artist's tax exemption is there, blame the govt, not Bono.

kneemos · 18-06-2013 09:33PM

pabloh999 wrote: »

He does/did a lot to put this tiny island on the map

Musically nobody knew it existed beforeU2.

Cienciano · 18-06-2013 09:34PM

pabloh999 wrote: »

He does/did a lot to put this tiny island on the map

What did he do? The only people who probably wouldn't know about Ireland if it wasn't for Bono are spanish students. Probably the most annoying group of people since the gestapo

120_Minutes · 18-06-2013 09:35PM

He summed up begrudgery in Ireland pretty accurately:

bono wrote:

In America, you look up at the house on the hill, the mansion on the hill and say, "One day, that could be me." In Ireland, they look up at the mansion hill and go, "One day I'm gonna get that bastard.'

cant hate him for telling the truth.

Sure Bono's probably not a bad auld sort?

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