Is it me or.....

[greg334]

Am I the only one who thinks that it is weird that -

a millionaire musician who’s band has made $255,022,633.35 in 2005 telling me that my country must give more of our tax money to help people who don’t live in my country while sending a guitar to help end hunger and feels that he deserves the Nobel peace price.

a singer (a bad one at that) who is worried that she will meet the same fate as Diane Spencer.

two millionaires who both had the same type of TV show on the same network blaming each other for their failures in ratings of the shows.

movie stars who work in an industry that is the most environmentally destructive of any in the world, driving around in gas guzzling limos, being flown in private jets, having demands that their motor homes, trailers and catered specialized food are on site where ever they go all over the world in environmentally unfriendly ways and taking land and building homes displacing nature all the while screaming that not enough is done to protect the environment, that we should not allow drilling in some parts of our country and that we as peons need to follow their wise words and change our life styles to save the environment.

that the Olympics are more about the players and their wants and needs to be in the spot light than about representing and performing for our country.

that more importance is put on people who decide to put themselves in harms way than the people out there trying to protect us.

that a former president actually thinks terrorist can be good people too.

 

[cheri1122]

It's you.

Just kidding! But it reminds me of something I heard a long time ago, & have never been able to verify - did the Supreme Court determine that "forcing" people in prison to work for the cost of their room & board constitutes cruel & unusual punishment? Because I would consider it the other way around - taxpayers being forced to support able bodied people who chose to break the law is cruel & (ought to be) unusual punishment!
Does anyone know whether this is true?

 

[tallcal101]

As Iraq continues to evaporate into secular civil war(as predicted on moveon.org and Rolling Stone,and the liberal press in 2003 )thank the good Lord there are millionaires willing to take stands to fight the real wars;Aids,hunger and the human suffereing of innocent victims of governments that have been exploited for their minerals and abandoned.
Ofcourse,losers,like Bill and Melinda Gates(non rock stars)have sided with this paticualar rock star(who refuses to ride in a Limo,do your homework)in his pusuit to end needless suffering.I think we can all agree that the Gate's have put their Microsoft money where their mouth is.Perhaps you would like to boycot Mr. Gate's products out of resentment for siding with millionaire rock stars?Then we would not have Greg to kick around any more.
Unlike the millionaires now waging a war thats starting to look alot like another unwinable war(wasting yours and my billions at the same time)and has brought death and destruction,the two individuals you refer to have distinguished themselves in ways that very few in their positions take the time and effort to do.
In a perfect world,Times Man of The Year would not be Bono and the Gates's,but political leaders from the one time super power and leader of the free world.Unfortunatly,those leaders were to busy robbing the coffers and invading sovern countries to be considered for helping humanity in ways that really matter.
Oh well,at the rate things are going,I'll settle for rock stars and computer geeks if thats the best we have to offer.

 

[Critter Truckin]

Nope... I think it's me, too...

Read my post about MTV in reply to the post "Rejected Names for Brokeback Mountain"

That shows where I'm coming from

 

[greg334]

Well Tallcal101, I see you’re a fan of Bono – Bill Gates? Well that is another story.

Actually the intent of my thread was to poke fun at these people, especially my forth statement, which I might add I expected you to respond to. But seeing you brought up the war, etc.. I have to add this.

First I have to say that these people are not who matter, they are famous and live a life that is still detached from most. Like Diana Spencer, they come in for the Photo Ops, have their entourage follow them everywhere and cause more problems – only saying a few things and back to their lives they go. The workers, the volunteers, the people on the ground everyday doing their part in these lands are the ones who matter. They know it is not money; it is stuff and government/cultural change that matter. I know that if Mr. Gates wants to really do something, he would bribe the UN to look the other way (like they are not doing this already) and pay a few of these governments to change their way of thinking. I can think of many leaders who would take $50M to allow help to get to the people who need it.

But I digress.

Lets see when a millionaire tells me that my country is not giving enough; I have to wonder what he/she has given. Out of that $255M his band made, I don’t see that Bono is doing his part and needs to give his wealth away to set the example. Not riding in Limos? Lets see - still taking private jets, still making money, still has not done what other before him have done to prove commitment; give up the wealth, show the world that you are devoted to the cause and others will follow in mass.

Being a little defensive about the US, when we see problems in far away lands, i.e. Tsunami, we give (we even have fund raisers and such to help). When we see famine and death, we give. We give more than anyone - anywhere else in the world, there is no measurement of private donations made to many of these causes outside of the US but I do believe no one comes close.

Our government sends troops to help, sends supplies to feed (even spends millions in developing “culturally correct†food for relief efforts) and even makes commitments to help governments who help our enemies.

The surprising thing that many don’t know about is that there are a great number of medical supply companies, pharma companies and other companies who secretly give but get beat up a lot for not doing their part. They give millions and MILLIONS in supplies and medicine every year to overseas causes without being asked – even Halliburton gives a lot!

I guess when you know the problems first hand, when you see the waste of supplies trying to reach people, when you see political corruption at the UN and at these places where the people are, when you are politically/culturally educated of the area and know what it will take to fix the problem(s), you simply become cynical and somewhat defensive of the country that helps others more than any other.

Who is the second person you say I am talking about? Geldof – he is a publicity w***e and I have seen his actions first hand. I never liked him and after my two encounters with him and his ‘group’ over there, I felt that he never cared outside of the ‘feel good’ syndrome.

Nobel peace prize? No way, not deserving – Bono give up your wealth, all of it before you ask for a dime more and work as others do.

 

[letzrockexpress]

I think it's not you...
The most frustrating thing about the whole issue of aiding those in need or simply having compassion for your fellow man is that to get the ball rolling, marketing must come in to play to generate cash.
How can this be done? Well, we can enlist the help of the now famous Bush/Clinton confederation to reach into the pockets of corporate america, we can appeal to our friends and neighbors on a grass roots campaign, (i.e. door to door collections,etc.)or, as obnoxious and unsettling as it may be, we can encourage the elite, the have's and have more's,the people who's faces are in the public eye everyday
to speak out about giving to whatever the cause of the day may be.
Though I share your disdain for this practice, the infrastucure for distribution of the message is already in place and besides, why not use these people for something worth while if we can?

 

[RichM]

A couple of years ago we picked up U2's instruments in Washington DC and transported them to NYC.. The roadies of the entourage were doing jibes at BONO. One jibe I remember was " When Bono wants to change a light bulb ,how many people are involved? The answer was" The Whole World" as he just stand there, holds the bulb, while the world revolves around him.
I think the best one from Hollowood instructing us and the world how to live is Barbara Streisland living in a 50,000 square foot home plus her various private planes ,limos, and Mr James Brolin who probaly has never really worked in his life.

TallCal,Would you rather go Hunting with #####, or Riding with Ted??

 

[Critter Truckin]

Is that set of ##### supposed to be Cheney???

EAT THE RICH!!!

 

[RichM]

Yes VP ##### Chenney or is ##### doesn't come up how about Richard Cheney

 

[Critter Truckin]

Or how about the ever-elusive, Richard Noggin???

 

[tallcal101]

The VP likes to drink when he hunts,and Ted likes to drink when he drives.I think I'll stay home

 

[RichM]

Finally Something I agree with you on. LOL

 

[Tennesseahawk]

All this talk made me think of three words Rush used to use during the Clinton years...

Symbolism Over Substance.

 

[tallcal101]

And is Rush ever an expert on SUBSTANCE'S!!!!!!!

 

[Tennesseahawk]

You've seriously got an axe to grind, Tallcal. The man was addicted to painkillers, not blow. I rarely listen to him anymore because, as I said in the other post, politics doesn't interest me. Rush has become a Bush apologist, and I think Bush is going the wrong direction. Regardless, Rush is a great radio personality, if you'd ever care to listen. And he's brought common sense to a huge number of issues.

That's all I got ta say bout that.

 

[Critter Truckin]

Silly, but true... Yes, Rush Limbaugh had a problem with controlled substances (I think that's where TallCal is going after). And OK, Bush II isn't the standing tall case for what the President of the United States should be. But, have we heard him bash up on Clinton anytime in these few posts??? Sure, his addicition was more tangible (and live), and although it was (for the most part) not ingested. But does that mean that Clinton's addiction was any worse or hurt any fewer people than Rush's???

We should ask ourselves that, and look into the glass house before chucking pain medication at said house.

 

[tallcal101]

Actually, I have no problem with Rush, or his drug addiction,or his radio personality either.
Rush is a very good golfer(one of my passions),and plays in the AT&T at Pebble Beach every year.I attend the tournement every year,during the slow days,Thursday and Friday.It gives one a chance to follow foursome's and get up and personal with the players.Very few in the gallerie's those days.
Last year I follwed his foursome.I had been told by Glen Frey of the Eagles that Rush is really a good guy,and the personality is just that,entertainment value only.
So after a few holes,we started to chat a little.Guess what fans,Rush puts it on when he's being Rush the radio guy,and turns it off when he's Rush the real guy.He mocks his radio personality(at least he did with me)and my sence is that America really knows very little of the real Rush.
He had a drug problem just like many of us have had,and dealt with it.Please don't patronize me with an excuse,pain killers and all that.Oxycoten is heroin under another name.Rush knows it,and I know it,and you know it to.The good news is he's over it.
By the way,I'm sworne to secrecy,so he will deny it all.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Excuse? It was a prescribed drug! Another word for heroine, notwithstanding, it is pain medication. I have a little more sympathy for those stuck on a prescription drug, than those on crack.