So What IS Live 8 About?
Since I first heard about it my interest has been aroused. So what is this Live 8 thing anyway?
Well it's 7 HUGE international concerts going on Saturday 2nd July and basically EVERYONE in the music business who is, or has been someone is going to be there or perform.
So they are going to do these 7 concerts with every big name ever and raise a gazillion $$$$. NOPE. They aren't going to use this opportunity to raise any money at all. Instead, they are going to put on this concert for free to raise awareness of world poverty.
Let me repeat that... To raise awareness of world poverty.
Who (other than pampered billionaire rock stars) doesn't know about poverty in the world, specifically Africa? (Funny how this all has to do with Africa when there are people starving all over the world, probably even in your hometown) What rock do you have to be living under not to know about starving children in Africa??? REALLY!
From the Official web site
"This is without doubt a moment in history where ordinary people can grasp the chance to achieve something truly monumental and demand from the 8 world leaders at G8 an end to poverty.
By doubling aid, fully cancelling debt, and delivering trade justice for Africa, the G8 could change the future for millions of men, women and children."
The trade embargoes etc should be dealt with and made more fair, no question, but cancelling debt and doubling aid does one thing... it means I pay more taxes.
It's simple, my country releases some third world nation from their debt to us, (money that was loaned to them from things like government bonds), and suddenly our government is out the amount of those payments etc and where does my government have to go to make up the missing $$$??? More taxes. And then doubling aid... again that's more taxes I have to pay.
OK, so more taxes always suck and I probably won't lose my home over this BUT here's who's telling us to do this... Rock stars, English rock stars.
These are people making multimillion's of $$$ every year, living in huge mansions, 5,10,25 cars, private jets, 20-200 people on staff to make them happy, $2000 sunglasses and on and on. We've all seen how these people live. And they are telling me, that even though I can only afford new clothes every 6 months or so (and usually from second hand stores) that I should be happy to pay more taxes. I don't see them handing out huge sums of money that they will never be able to spend within their natural lifetime to help others.
As a matter of fact MOST British rock stars are so insane about not giving away one single cent that they live out side of England for at least a year after every tour to dodge the tax man. So Elton John makes 50 million this year and lives in some freaky small country for 365 days so he doesn't have to pay ANY taxes on that money. (This is the normal for British rock stars, Elton is just an example and American rock stars do EVERYTHING in their power to dodge the IRS as well) Meanwhile the average Joe makes $35,000 and pays about a third of that ($10,000) in taxes. And the guy who dodges the taxman so he doesn't have to help with welfare, health care, road care etc in his own country is telling the average Joe what to do to help his fellow man?
It's all a huge ego trip. "Look at me, I'm an insanely rich rock star doing good. I won't give up my money, and if you download my album and rip me off for $20 I'll sue you, but I want to help the poor." If you really mean it, start living like the rest of us and use your money for good instead of $1000 champagne and $1800 facials. It's funny that one of the richest, most pampered, self-absorbed and self-indulgent groups in society once again feel that it is time for them to give the rest of us the benefit of their collective political wisdom.
And they aren't telling the whole story. Canada for example... A few years ago Canada wrote off $700,000,000.00 in third world debt out of the goodness of her heart and the tax payers (unknowingly) had to swallow the loss. Today Sir Bob and Bono are all over Canada to release more debt to the point of almost insulting the Prime Minister. Third World countries currently owe Canada something a little over a billion. Bill Gates, Donald Trump or the Catholic Church could erase that debt without even batting an eye. At $0.25 per viewer (if they had decided to charge and they got the viewers they expect) Live 8 could erase that debt, but they aren't going to raise money. They could do Live 8 concert a year, take donations and charge a little bit and focus on one country a year and have everyone with a clean slate in a decade, much faster than the speed governments work. A dozen rock stars could erase that debt out of their pockets and still live like they do... BUT who are they asking to swallow the bill? Mr and Mrs minimum wage.
Sure the concert will be a huge success.. God, knows I'll watch it, but I'm not supporting it's cause and I'm 100% sure most people don't know what the cause even is, and I think that's exactly what the organizers want. After all is said and done we can say we saw a cool concert and the organizers can use us as a statistic against the leaders of the G8 even if we don't agree with the concert's politics. (I'd even question how many acts are behind the politics and know what they are supporting or weather they are looking at it as the greatest publicity even they will ever get)
"But Mr President, 4,000,000,000,000 people watched and went to Live8, we should do something"
"Yea, but did they go to see the Pink Floyd re-union, Elton John or to support the cause? Hum... Better not risk it. Drop the debt. Double aid. Raise taxes to make up for the lost money."
And 20 years later we will still be paying taxes for dropping their debt and doubling aid, Rock stars will still be dodging taxes, corrupt leaders in Africa will have even bigger homes, and nothing will really be different... There has to be a better way... Sorry for the rant...
Well it's 7 HUGE international concerts going on Saturday 2nd July and basically EVERYONE in the music business who is, or has been someone is going to be there or perform.
So they are going to do these 7 concerts with every big name ever and raise a gazillion $$$$. NOPE. They aren't going to use this opportunity to raise any money at all. Instead, they are going to put on this concert for free to raise awareness of world poverty.
Let me repeat that... To raise awareness of world poverty.
Who (other than pampered billionaire rock stars) doesn't know about poverty in the world, specifically Africa? (Funny how this all has to do with Africa when there are people starving all over the world, probably even in your hometown) What rock do you have to be living under not to know about starving children in Africa??? REALLY!
From the Official web site
"This is without doubt a moment in history where ordinary people can grasp the chance to achieve something truly monumental and demand from the 8 world leaders at G8 an end to poverty.
By doubling aid, fully cancelling debt, and delivering trade justice for Africa, the G8 could change the future for millions of men, women and children."
The trade embargoes etc should be dealt with and made more fair, no question, but cancelling debt and doubling aid does one thing... it means I pay more taxes.
It's simple, my country releases some third world nation from their debt to us, (money that was loaned to them from things like government bonds), and suddenly our government is out the amount of those payments etc and where does my government have to go to make up the missing $$$??? More taxes. And then doubling aid... again that's more taxes I have to pay.
OK, so more taxes always suck and I probably won't lose my home over this BUT here's who's telling us to do this... Rock stars, English rock stars.
These are people making multimillion's of $$$ every year, living in huge mansions, 5,10,25 cars, private jets, 20-200 people on staff to make them happy, $2000 sunglasses and on and on. We've all seen how these people live. And they are telling me, that even though I can only afford new clothes every 6 months or so (and usually from second hand stores) that I should be happy to pay more taxes. I don't see them handing out huge sums of money that they will never be able to spend within their natural lifetime to help others.
As a matter of fact MOST British rock stars are so insane about not giving away one single cent that they live out side of England for at least a year after every tour to dodge the tax man. So Elton John makes 50 million this year and lives in some freaky small country for 365 days so he doesn't have to pay ANY taxes on that money. (This is the normal for British rock stars, Elton is just an example and American rock stars do EVERYTHING in their power to dodge the IRS as well) Meanwhile the average Joe makes $35,000 and pays about a third of that ($10,000) in taxes. And the guy who dodges the taxman so he doesn't have to help with welfare, health care, road care etc in his own country is telling the average Joe what to do to help his fellow man?
It's all a huge ego trip. "Look at me, I'm an insanely rich rock star doing good. I won't give up my money, and if you download my album and rip me off for $20 I'll sue you, but I want to help the poor." If you really mean it, start living like the rest of us and use your money for good instead of $1000 champagne and $1800 facials. It's funny that one of the richest, most pampered, self-absorbed and self-indulgent groups in society once again feel that it is time for them to give the rest of us the benefit of their collective political wisdom.
And they aren't telling the whole story. Canada for example... A few years ago Canada wrote off $700,000,000.00 in third world debt out of the goodness of her heart and the tax payers (unknowingly) had to swallow the loss. Today Sir Bob and Bono are all over Canada to release more debt to the point of almost insulting the Prime Minister. Third World countries currently owe Canada something a little over a billion. Bill Gates, Donald Trump or the Catholic Church could erase that debt without even batting an eye. At $0.25 per viewer (if they had decided to charge and they got the viewers they expect) Live 8 could erase that debt, but they aren't going to raise money. They could do Live 8 concert a year, take donations and charge a little bit and focus on one country a year and have everyone with a clean slate in a decade, much faster than the speed governments work. A dozen rock stars could erase that debt out of their pockets and still live like they do... BUT who are they asking to swallow the bill? Mr and Mrs minimum wage.
Sure the concert will be a huge success.. God, knows I'll watch it, but I'm not supporting it's cause and I'm 100% sure most people don't know what the cause even is, and I think that's exactly what the organizers want. After all is said and done we can say we saw a cool concert and the organizers can use us as a statistic against the leaders of the G8 even if we don't agree with the concert's politics. (I'd even question how many acts are behind the politics and know what they are supporting or weather they are looking at it as the greatest publicity even they will ever get)
"But Mr President, 4,000,000,000,000 people watched and went to Live8, we should do something"
"Yea, but did they go to see the Pink Floyd re-union, Elton John or to support the cause? Hum... Better not risk it. Drop the debt. Double aid. Raise taxes to make up for the lost money."
And 20 years later we will still be paying taxes for dropping their debt and doubling aid, Rock stars will still be dodging taxes, corrupt leaders in Africa will have even bigger homes, and nothing will really be different... There has to be a better way... Sorry for the rant...
Gratuitous hot chick of the day...
posted by Geeper at 6:56 a.m.
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