Dragon's billionaire says we must give more cash!

[jimslip]

I read with interest in the Sun today that "Dragons", multi-billionaire James Caan has stated that we should all give ?20.00 each towards the Pakistan Disaster Appeal.

I am curious to know what peoples feelings are towards the very rich telling us to donate our money to these causes?

Bob Geldorf, Bono and now Caan. I am of a mind that says such peoples misguided attempts at raising money actually allienate many other people from helping and maybe it is counter productive. Why do the rich seem to feel that they must raise the flag of generosity for all of us to rally behind?

I would take much more notice of a Red Cross volunteer than some Bentley driving twat, thanks very much!

I remember Bono being elected, "World's Biggest Tosser" after having legged it to the South of France to avoid tax, stood there shouting at the rest of us, to dig into our pockets and give generously.

[justincyder]

I'm always dubious about giving money to any country when it has a natural disater when said country can afford nuclear weapons and a big bastarding army. I know its not usually the common persons fault how their Government spends cash etc but nonetheless....

[Flat_Eric]

The rich can *afford* to give generously, Jim !laugh!.

On the one hand fair play to him for actually going out there and getting his hands dirty. And of course we'd probably be criticising him and his monied ilk if they just sat on their arses and said "let them eat cake".

But I know what you mean about ponitifcating pop stars like Bono and the extremely boorish Bob Geldof. 'Antiseptic' Annie Lennox is another one who royally gets on my tits. These days I just turn those cunts off when they appear on my screen banging on about this or that Third World "ishoo". Because with them I think it's mostly just about image and boosting their already over-inflated egos by trying to come over all saintly, with their fucking ribbons and the like.

Have you noticed as well how it's always the same "fashionable" bandwagons that they jump aboard (primarily hiv/aids and natural disasters). It's never malaria, beri-beri, dengue fever or something like that. The day Bono gets up and starts waxing lyrical about diarrhoea (as opposed to just spouting the verbal form of same) or measles - both of which take a terrible toll in lives every year in poor countries - I might start to listen to what he has to say and take him a bit more seriously.

I think that a lot of people are reluctant to give to disaster appeals for the simple reason that every time, a lot of it seems *not* to end up where it's supposed to end up.

- Eric

[jimslip]

What about Sting and that FUCKING TRUDIE STYLER!!!!! Why isn't she called Mrs Sting, what's all this TRUDIE FUCKING STYLER shit about?

[Dick Moby]

Maybe if they didn't fly all the camera crew over and sent the money saved to the needy, I'd take a bit more notice.
I may be a bit cynical, but I think these people just like to be in the public eye.
Did we really need to see him dishing out food ? or was it just to show people what a caring person he is ?

[Hugh Jampton]

as fans of Mitch Benn already realise...

Waving at the Poor - from the album "Crimes Against Music"...


So, I'm standing in the desert getting gradually fried,
I hope these bloody cameras get my good side.
These starving people have an arrangement with me,
They make me look good, I get them on TV.
I make my best sad face and try not to look too bored.
I might act like a saint, but I know that I ain't,
I'm just waving at the poor, waving at the poor.

[jimslip]

I like to give a bit to Medicins Sans Frontiere cos everytime there is some shit going down in the World, they always seem to get there before everyone else! Also they never get a mention by anyone.

[frankthring]

Completely agree Jimbo ! Right on the nail ! I actually find it offensive
that these rich twats pontificate to the rest of us. I think in many cases,
eg Bono, that there is a large streak of publicity self-interest at work. It
keeps their name in the Media which is what a lot of them are after.

[we8derby]

im afraid charity begins at home im currently on a 4 day week so giving money to any charity's is at the back of my mind! and to be honest if i had the money i would rather give it to the RSPCA than send it abroad!