Live 8

[goldfish]

This isn't about scalping, it's about human fucking decency. Exploiting other people's misfortune for your own profit is the behaviour of scum-sucking fuckwads.

It's just plain fucking nasty, and Bob's reaction was proportionate, and it worked; eBay pulled the sales, good on them. A pox on the cunts trying to sell the tickets in the first place, let's hope they all end up poor and homeless and in need of some charity.

Simon

[Forgotten Sanity]

...and how are people misfortunate that they have $500 and want to spend it on a ticket to a concert?

Listen, Geldof gave the tickets away and like Future Proof said, any chance of a good and solid revenue stream that could be in turn donated to the people of Africa is moot. So, it doesn't matter who pays and who profits, the most misfortunate of all won't bee seeing a dime from the sales of those tickets. And that, Mr. Fish... is what I would call misfortunate.

[BeautifulBurnout]

Originally Posted by goldfish

This isn't about scalping, it's about human fucking decency. Exploiting other people's misfortune for your own profit is the behaviour of scum-sucking fuckwads.

It's just plain fucking nasty, and Bob's reaction was proportionate, and it worked; eBay pulled the sales, good on them. A pox on the cunts trying to sell the tickets in the first place, let's hope they all end up poor and homeless and in need of some charity.

Simon

Word, Simon.

This isn't about raising money - it is about raising awareness and ultimately trying to influence an economic structure that has leeched all that is good from developing countries to the so-called developed West for centuries (including human resources, in the form of slavery). Then we sit back and tut-tut when holocausts like Rwanda and Darfur occur, thinking that sticking a quid in a collection box will somehow make it better. All it makes better is our tiny, withered consciences. It is not about money, it is about politics.

The Western world draws lines on a map to suit our purposes, empowers one tribe to the detriment of another, then raises its hands in horror when it all goes pear-shaped. Imagine what would happen if some superpower came along and decided that the Welsh were to be the ruling "race" in the UK and recentralised parliament and all economic infrastructure in Cardiff, because it suited its needs? If suddenly, to be English, or Scottish, or Irish meant that you were a second-class citizen, no longer allowed to occupy government posts, be a member of parliament? This is what we have done time and time again in other countries. And it always, always, comes back to bite us on the ass.

And the government aid that is provided to less-developed countries is almost exclusively tied up with structural adjustment policies - don't build more hospitals, build more roads and infrastructure so Western companies can transport their goods better. Don't spend more on education, spend it on tax-breaks for Trans-National Corporations who can set up factories with dirty technology and "employ" people who, erstwhile, worked quite happily on the land to provide for their families, and now have had their land "privatised" and have to work 15 hour days to earn enough money for a bowl of rice a day.

Remember the multi-billion Tanzanian Air Traffic Control System? How many Tanzanians jet off for their summer hols? It is to facilitate Western development in their country, nothing more.

This is about raising people's conciousness as to what exactly the G8 are doing in Africa and the price ordinary, hard-working people have to pay as a result of our incessant meddling.

As for the march on Edinburgh - well, 2,000,000 marched through London in February 2003 and the sky didn't fall on our heads.

Good on Bob, and Bono, I say. Someone has got to do it.





Wow! The ranting season is open!

I've missed Dirty

[Forgotten Sanity]

Originally Posted by BeautifulBurnout

Word, Simon.

This isn't about raising money - it is about raising awareness and ultimately trying to influence an economic structure that has leeched all that is good from developing countries to the so-called developed West for centuries (including human resources, in the form of slavery). Then we sit back and tut-tut when holocausts like Rwanda and Darfur occur, thinking that sticking a quid in a collection box will somehow make it better. All it makes better is our tiny, withered consciences. It is not about money, it is about politics.

...but we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the money wouldn't hurt. So why not do both, and employ the means to accomplish each cause at every turn?

Saint Bob... PLEASE. He's really doing a half-assed job with making this thing as efficient and effective as possible. If talk wasn't so cheap and was so effective, I think Saint Bono (BARF) could've convinced the G8 by himself to do his biddings. So yeah, please talk away... and then send some euros to the starving African children as well.

[goldfish]

Originally Posted by Forgotten Sanity

...and how are people misfortunate that they have $500 and want to spend it on a ticket to a concert?

Feel free to point out where I said anything about the muppets who spent $500? It's the cunts that sold the tickets that are the problem, not the idiots that bought them. There'll always be some dumb fuck easily separated from their cash, and fair enough, they've paid no less than anyone else and will contribute to the atmosphere, the experience and gain understanding etc. But people are making a conscious decision to exploit the situation. To take advantage of the scarcity of tickets to line their own pockets.

There is such a thing as personal responsibility, there is such a thing as decency and there are such things as principles. The people profiteering out of this are nasty fuckwits who lack any of the above.

Originally Posted by Forgotten Sanity

Listen, Geldof gave the tickets away and like Future Proof said, any chance of a good and solid revenue stream that could be in turn donated to the people of Africa is moot. So, it doesn't matter who pays and who profits, the most misfortunate of all won't bee seeing a dime from the sales of those tickets. And that, Mr. Fish... is what I would call misfortunate.

What is 'misfortunate'? Is it an americanism? Misfortune and unfortunate.

Why blame Geldorf for the actions of others? The tickets were offered for a fair price in a fair way. They weren't exclusive, they weren't restrictive, they just relied on you being lucky. Sometimes it just isn't about money, it's about doing what's right.

Simon

[Forgotten Sanity]

Fair enough, Mr. Fish. It is a cruel, and IMHO needlessly so. But sir, I'm not an idealist... I'm a realist. You have to protect yourself from being had, because whether you like it or not there are people out there that make their living out of conning people. But the people that bought the tickets were not conned, nor were they even sollicited. The buyers of those $500 tickets sorted out the seller, on EBay and other avenues. They wanted that ticket, they wanted to see Pink Floyd play for the first time in 24 years, and they were quite prepared to pay $500 to make that happen. The sale, quite simply put... would not have occurred, lest the buyers opened EBay, looked up Live8 tickets, logged into their account, and bid for them. Supply and demand, Mr. Fish... it's the American way, and quite obviously the English way as well.

...and doing what's right? Oh yeah, I know what you mean. You don't want to go to the show, so give away the tickets. I'm sure that Pink Floyd would be happy to know that you gave away $500 that could feed your children, bail your ass out of debt (of which none of the organizers know NOTHING about, except the cause they're peddling for), paid your wife's medical bills... don't judge the seller. And FWIW, here's my take on life, in general... when you can, be Utilitarian. When you can't... fuck everyone else, save yourself. Money keeps food on your plate, Mr. Fish... it's ALL about money.

You know, I went to Chicago a couple of weeks ago to see Doves pay, and spent $500 over the course of that evening. Had a SMASHING fun time too. But tell me... are the people that I gave my money away to thieves and con artists? Or am I a glutton with too much money to spend?

[goldfish]

Originally Posted by Forgotten Sanity

...and doing what's right? Oh yeah, I know what you mean. You don't want to go to the show, so give away the tickets.

No. If you don't want to go to the show, don't bid for the tickets in the first place. It's pretty simple. If you've got tickets you no longer need, do the decent thing and sell them to someone who wants them more for face value.

Originally Posted by Forgotten Sanity

I'm sure that Pink Floyd would be happy to know that you gave away $500 that could feed your children, bail your ass out of debt (of which none of the organizers know NOTHING about, except the cause they're peddling for), paid your wife's medical bills... don't judge the seller. And FWIW, here's my take on life, in general... when you can, be Utilitarian. When you can't... fuck everyone else, save yourself. Money keeps food on your plate, Mr. Fish... it's ALL about money.

Which is why the world is fucked and getting worse. The more people like you there are, the less chance there is for all of us to survive, you included. I'm alright jack and pull the ladder up behind you. That way lies poverty and conflict.

Originally Posted by Forgotten Sanity

You know, I went to Chicago a couple of weeks ago to see Doves pay, and spent $500 over the course of that evening. Had a SMASHING fun time too. But tell me... are the people that I gave my money away to thieves and con artists? Or am I a glutton with too much money to spend?

Swoosh, the sound of the point going over your head. The Doves are a commercial enterprise, Live8 isn't. The Doves are about making money for The Doves, Live8 is about raising awareness, pressuring world leaders and getting some money to people who deserve it a fuck of a lot more than you, your wife or your kids. Apples and oranges.

Simon

[dubman]

i think i agree with all of you.

that is, Geldof is a tard and scalpers suck.

i think the real problem is live aid/8 itself.
it's just so damn illogical.

[Forgotten Sanity]

I understand the system - it's not even about the music, it's about raising publicity to raise awareness. And that by itself is not bad, it's actually good. But if you're trying to raise awareness, why have tickets at all? Why limit the people that can go to the shows and therefore, limit the number of people that you can reach? It is like his system is cannibalizing itself.

I don't like scalpers either, but I think that if Bob wants to point fingers and start throwing condemnations, he outta start in front of his bathroom mirror for making such a fucked up and flawed mess.

[GreenPea]

Different nicknames, same arguments.