Live 8 sham

codprawn · 02 July 2005, 14:07

Just caught some of this on TV - just can't believe how many poor misguided people there are out there. Along with all the protesters at the G8 summit.

No doubt once the show is over all the people will go back to their cosy little lives in their BMWs and Mercs.

The really big stars are the worst - people like Mcartney and Maddonna - wonder how much of their millions they will give up??? Mcartney is worth £725 million - that would make quite a difference to starving kids around the world!!!

Of course it must be better for the stars to get the governments to sort it all out - then the poorer tax payers will have to bear the burden of helping the mismanaged African which will save the stars from having give up theri money!!!

Cynical??? Yes I am afraid so!!! I have lived in several parts of Africa and have some very good African friends - I don't care if people think I am racist when I say that the biggest problem with Africa are the Africans - I know I am not and so do my friends!!!

Why the hell should WE - the tax payers - suffer because debts that have been racked up by sheer theft and corruption are then just written off???

I wish someone would come along and write off my mortgage!!!!

eupa · 02 July 2005, 14:34

agree with everything you say Codders. But dont let it beat you..
I am afraid to say all these concerts are just circus acts- but it depends on the clowns involved....

jonathan

osprey__viper · 02 July 2005, 15:41

Blimey this is a first. Im agreeing with codders and eupa!!!! Still the best is to come. Slash and Duff McCregan aka Velvet Revolver

. Just about saved it for me

Martin

PeterR · 02 July 2005, 16:06

I too feel the same but it seems we are a small minority and will be ridiculed for voiceing this

Richard B · 02 July 2005, 18:49

Can I take it that none of you cynics were even just a little bit moved by Madonna's performance of "Like a Prayer" with the Ethiopian girl on stage?

PeterR · 02 July 2005, 20:31

did,nt see it. but no would,nt move me at all . By doing live aid 20 odd years ago it has only brought more suffering .To many do gooders

osprey__viper · 02 July 2005, 20:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard B

Can I take it that none of you cynics were even just a little bit moved by Madonna's performance of "Like a Prayer" with the Ethiopian girl on stage?

Sorry Richard, but Madonna trying to play rebelious rock star dont do it for me.

If we really want to make a difference, then perhaps landing a couple of smart bombs in Mugarbies(?) lap might be a start.

Martin

codprawn · 02 July 2005, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard B

Can I take it that none of you cynics were even just a little bit moved by Madonna's performance of "Like a Prayer" with the Ethiopian girl on stage?

Didn't see it Richard - wonder if Maj will now give up all her millions for the starving Africans???

To be honest I don't expect her to BUT I do find it rather hard to swallow that all these mega stars with their millions or even billions can expect all us poorer tax payers do just that.

Money alone will NOT help Africa - the vast majority of their problems are caused by wars and corruption and to be honest it is their OWN people who do it!!!

Bush and Blair were quick enough to send troops to Iraq - shame they won't do the same for Africa - or is there no money in it???

peteb · 02 July 2005, 20:48

Codders you are right, the place is seathing with corruption, it is in their blood and it will take generations to change it. What people don't understand is that you can't change things overnight, most Africans have little clue of Western culture and would be totally lost here. Thier standards are different, only because they have precious little to survive on in some places, things need to be done slowly. First we must hammer the thieving government officials who have their millions and billions stashed away for their famiy and friends, they are the scum who make the other poor people suffer. As for some of the charities they are thieving scum as well, very little gets out to the people who need it, the fat cat management live the high life off the poor who give from what little they have. Most charities want to be first into a problem area to promote their name for publicity purposes and get get more cash in, just check the accounts of some of the main charities and see that perhaps 10p in the pound if you are luck actually gets to those that need it, disgusting.

codprawn · 02 July 2005, 21:01

Agree with all these comments!!! Maybe SOME people in this world aren't so blinkered after all.

Most of these charities make me sick - the way they are run is the wages and running costs are the most important thing - if there happens to be any money left over for the poor buggers who need it then so be it!!!

I have SEEN more suffering in this world than I care to think about - from a very early age. I also know what it is like to live on the edge and almost give up the will to live - most of these do gooders have either never seen it for themselves or certainly never had to live through it!!!

Most of my African friends who live in the UK would NEVER go back - they certainly won't dip into their pockets - because they know where the money will end up!!!

peteb · 02 July 2005, 22:19

I spent 12yrs in Nigeria some time ago so nobody need tell me about the corruption out there, I was also out there working a few years ago on a couple of occassions and guess what, it is a bigger Sh.t hole than it was before, NOTHING has improved at all. The lovely home we used to have there now has part of the roof missing and is in a right old mess, I don't miss it for one minute and think of all the wasted years working to try and improve their lives, all down the pan. It is a pointless task, they must do it for themselves, the mugs over here giving money out don't have a clue at all, all these people are giving their money to what they think is a good cause, but guess what, they are paying for the ego's of the CEO's and the big cash cow that soaks up their money. Look at the fancy adverts on the telly recently, all the good money is lining the pocket of the add people, but guess what they don't give a stuff it's not their money. Now the RNLI ....Ooops better not go there

eupa · 02 July 2005, 22:50

Richard- I presume Madonna is going to explain to her children the meaning of the four letter word she used......... I am surprised she wasnt wearing her metal bra--

And Codders for the record I am disgusted with Bill Gates.. His foundation has given so far ... 0.00000000001% of what it earns in a day. What a
hypocrite.

Jonathan

codprawn · 03 July 2005, 02:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by eupa

Richard- I presume Madonna is going to explain to her children the meaning of the four letter word she used......... I am surprised she wasnt wearing her metal bra--

And Codders for the record I am disgusted with Bill Gates.. His foundation has given so far ... 0.00000000001% of what it earns in a day. What a
hypocrite.

Jonathan

Was thinking of bringing him up - it was bad enough Mcartney getting up on stage but when Bg himself appeared.........

Thw whole thing sickened me - most of them were only there cos it would have looked bad if they weren't!!!!

MarkWildey · 03 July 2005, 07:20

Seems to me that there are lots of Daily Mail readers here

Mark

Manos · 03 July 2005, 09:22

I have worked for 18 years in Africa (or with African) countries Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya and South Africa. The corruption there is something you have never seen in your life! From the last stevedore in the port to the highest energy minister or authority in the country.

Their moto is: If you don't pay (and pay well) you don't get i.e. you don't get to move our aid cargoes, discharge them without problems etc etc! (same applies with Oil for Food program in Iraq, and all of those so called aid programs). The moneys that exchange hands runs into billons of US$!!

I have also co-operated many times with European (mainly Dutch based) companies that move aid cargoes around the World and they are the same.

Corruption is so big that there is no cure for it. Everyone knows it but no one does anything about it. PMs, presidents, ministers etc they are all involved in one way or the other in it

I do not know what Mr Geldorf or all these people think but I can assure evberyone that in my estimations only a very small percentage of the money they collect actually helps these poor guys in Africa. The rest goes to Ministers, War Lords, Police, Port Authorities etc etc.

BTW I have kept a lot of that data and some day I may write a book which will be very revealing.

eupa · 03 July 2005, 14:48

[B]Seems to me that there are lots of Daily Mail readers here

thank the heavens - you did'nt mention Janet Street Porter- i would have gone mad ......... Daily Mail - what's that?

jonathan

Jimbob · 03 July 2005, 15:54

I liked most of the music, especially in the evening when we were down the pub.

I like the fact that most of the world is at least thinking about the issue

I worry that without the corruption issue being solved we will be giving our money to someone who does not need for deserve it

Andy Stevens · 03 July 2005, 16:34

When Snoop Dog is on stage wearing enough diamonds to pay for a whole village to eat for about 25 years, i decided this was a load of bollox.

Tim M · 03 July 2005, 21:33

Frank's theory of dependancy says that a less economically developed country WILL ALWAYS be behind an MEDC when it comes to deleopment simply becasue they just can't work out how to do things for themselves; they are dependant on our ideas/technology etc. If this is true, it follows that:
-They are dependant on us we should be "guiding" them in the right direction.
-They will always be behind so lets just get on with our own lives and one day they will follow.

The general feeling here seems to be the second should be adopted. I am undecided....

peteb · 03 July 2005, 22:18

A lot of the countries had the guidance years ago and opted to do it themselves, most of the countries are an utter shambles, they will never change, they have survived so far, let them get on with it and sort themselves out. There seems to be a master plan somewhere to hold back nations like ours by piling in immigrants, this brings down standards and forces people to lower standards to their level. What about the nurses and doctors from countries like these being employed by the NHS, they should be back helping their own countrymen and women. I would also like to know why the vast majority of people from countries like these who come here to train and be educated then stay here and never return home, they should be using their skills and return home to give perhaps 5yrs to their country but no, they don't give a stuff.

Utter nonsense the lot of it, no wonder there is a mass of good honest people leaving this country to live abroad because they have had enough of all this, our country is being destroyed and it is criminal.