I know thats the theory, but the results speak for themselves. The debt will be erased, but then what? these people havent been able to build an economy in tens of years, they were never even making the debt payments!! so its not going to make any difference whether the debt exists or not, it just means that they were given every oppurtunity to turn their countries around, but they never took them, and now we should just let them walk away from their responsibilities to make payments?

How rich are the leaders of these countries? how can they afford US aircraft and weapons to wage war on eachother? Unless some real solutions are devised, standing about in a state of awareness while listening to Elton "ill spend millions on clothes a year" John is going to achieve nothing.

 

Claire,

people are making money of tossers who are paying four figure sums for a pair of tickets......

 

what????

private doctors make money out of illness...so do Beechams.....as for the "stars" you think anyone under 30 would know who Geldof and Lenny Henry were if it wasnt for live aid/comic relife?...........in fact if we could go back 20 years and trade live aid for never hearing from either of those two again...hmmmm, i'd like to see a phone vote on that!

 

Has less money gone to Africa? Have less people found out about Live8 as a result (in fact it's probably the opposite)? Who has this actually hurt - please tell me, as far as I can see the only thing that got hurt was Geldof's ego.

 

lol..this is nuts! on the one hand we have the UK and its free market where tossers are free to buy and sell what they like (within the law) .......on the other hand we have Africa where they have been unable to pull themsleves out of debt, unable to avoid war with each other and unable to grasp basic "lots of people / not much grub / ******* hot/ hookers have aids" concepts..........and people are slagging off the free market that ebales us to prosper!

 

You say about all these dictators squandering the money and saying how much it is going to waste; but that doesn't mean selling the tickets is right.

You all think it is ok to sell them; I don't. I suppose it's what surrounds us, the media, our peers, the government all put across the message of greed and 'lets look out for number one' before putting out a hand and attempting to help others because there is a big chance of us failing. It's accepted in our society. Before thinking 'it'll never work, no point, might as well make something from it' give it a chance. That's all they ask for.

 

Who builds their homes? Who supplies their jets? Who supplies all the arms?

Aid is not what people think it is. It's normally a sweetener to help rape the resources of that country through an easily corruptable government.

When the European countries handed back independence to all their former colonies they didn't say let's make sure we leave a democratically elected leader in place to look after the peoples' interests, they left and propped up anyone that would still be looking after their own.

 

All I am trying to say is it's wrong to sell the tickets ffs.

If everyone came together instead of trying to exploit things it may well help, then again it might not, but we never know unless we try.

 

It's a free concert devoted to raising awareness of the plight of people in the third world and their debt. It is sad to think that so many people here think it's okay to rip people off. I'm with you eClaire.

 

YAY!

 

rip off who? the people that pay over the odds for a ticket???

heres my ANTI RIP OFF tip.......dont go to the bloody park!

 

What i would like to know is how many of those going to the concert are really going to protest about foreign policy relating to Africa, or just going to see a lineup of international stars at a cheap price ?
How many of those 2 million + txts would have been sent to raise awareness if there hadn't been the incentive at the end of it, and Geldof had just asked everyone to txt.
I know the money raised isn't going directly to Africa, with approx £1.6 million going to the Princes Trust... the rest is going to organise the event, so someone is making money somewhere as usual.

 

LOL

you're reading that wrong Tiggs

I have no problem with people profiting from the sale of Live 8 tickets. None at all. Indeed I sent the text with the sole view of doing just that

My point was aimed at Claire - if someone wants to pay a grossly inflated price, thats their look out.

 

Claire, I suppose the general consesus is that the gig is absolutely worthless, and isnt going to provide relief for the people who need it.

Because of this, it doesnt matter what happens to the tickets, if someone is prepared to pay for a ticket, then its not affecting anything in the great scheme of things, so why is it wrong?

People are really going to see the performers, not to be educated in world debt, or the tragic circumstances of the victims of dictatorship, you wouldnt go and watch a bunch of rich people playing music if you were after an education in being poor.

 

Oh but you cannot sell the tickets, it's not fair, you're going to profit from charity and that is not allowed.

Bollocks! Sell them, make some money. The world is an evil place, and As mentioned elsewhere, when Bob gives up all his money and lives like a tramp to support his "cause", that's the day I'll start caring, until then tough.

 

Why is it? It isn't breaking any law. Who gets to say that something legal is not "right"?

Same number of people will be coming together - either way.

 

no body is being ripped off, the buyers are choosing to spend their own cash to go to this awareness event. no one needs to spend the money to live, they want to spend the money.

 

I think you've answered the question in my previous post

 

Well he looks like a tramp, does that count?

 

Och well then. I might just organise a bash for cancer research and keep all the proceeds for myself.

 

Couldnt agree more Markus, how dare a bunch of bloated millionaires stand on a pedastal and preach to the masses about how terrible the situation in Africa is?
I mean, I like a lot of the music that'll be played, but its shameful that these very rich individuals feel they have the right to preach to us on world debt, all they do is the odd good deed to help them sleep and night.

The whole event is basically disgusting, and instead of raising awareness, maybe they should raise their chequebooks and lead by example.

 

The Live8 gig wasn't created as a tool for people to get the tickets and make lots of money from them, it's about going to the concert. How about for once in our lives we don't get greedy and try and make money for doing absolutely nothing, and just do it for goodwill? I guess that concept sadly eludes most people on here. As Markus says, the world is an evil place, so that makes it okay then.

 

money rules

 

Its not like that thou Claire, no one is taking money that would otherwise go to the charity.

The problem isnt a lack of awareness, its not even a lack of money, its a lack of having a long term solution to the problem, and throwing money at it clearly doesnt fix the problem.

 

But it won't raise awareness! Well, not for more than the duration of the concert and maybe a few weeks after!

This will do NOTHING for Africa. The only people who can help Africa is the Africans. If they do not get rid of their corrupt governments and try to help themselves, no amount of money or rhetoric from bullsh1t Bob is gonna make any difference.

We have cancelled debt, given millions in charity, and what has happened? Nothing.

Geezer

 

I think Markus is either on medication or having a hard time at the moment, he suggested a cull in Africa as a solution yesterday.

If that's the attitude people think we should take then I'll just go and beat the **** out of my neighbour then and take his goods.

 

What about the thousands of people who ACTUALLY wanted to go to the concert, only to be drowned out by all those who just wanted to make a quick few quid.

 

Who is keeping money that was promised for Africa? The promised money, the cost of the text has been paid.

 

Still equally immoral.

 

doesnt change the awareness factor at all, which is what this concert was setup to do. And if all the people who have tickets to sell actually went to the concert then those others wouldnt be going anyway. However this way they have a chance to buy ticket for a small sum