"saint" Bono - Piss Off!!!!

bertiebowl

About a week ago, we had egotistic Saint Bono lecturing us all on how we should spend more of our tax payers money on the poor in Africa etc.

Of course the fact that Saint Bono, unlike the rest of us pays no tax (via the artists income exemption) in Ireland was not mentioned by the U2 lead singer. Nor surprisingly did we see any examples of Bono handing over any of his estimated €500,000,000.00 fortune during the year did we?

Yesterday I saw in the business pages that the Saint is to become chief executive of a venture capital firm called "Elevation Capital". Will this VC firm invest in Africa? Micro Credit for farmers?

Hell no - its going to invest in High Tech. The Saint is to use his contacts in music and politics to fundraise for Elevation capital.

Anyway to go back to last week, Paul was moaning about how a Europe that didn't spend more taxpayers' money on aid was a Europe he didn't want to live in.

My message to you is thus - PISS OFF YOU HYPOCRITE - stick those short arms into those deep pockets before you start lecturering us MISTER..........

thegills

I also read that Bono didn't exercise his right to vote as he was on a piss-up in the Merrion Hotel. I like their music but he makes me sick. Too much money and not enough things too do in his life.

kahlua

He's no Paul Newman thats for sure, $90 million to charity so far and a delicious range of salad dressing. What have you ever given us Bono?

Lemming

:rolleyes:

Lets see ... he's spend a LOT of his own time trying to highlight the problems in the 3rd world, travelled around off his own back to meet various people in power who can help & I'm fairly certain donates quite a bit of cash too.

What the f*ck have YOU ever done to help the third world? At least the man makes the effort!

shotamoose

Originally posted by bertiebowl
A
My message to you is thus - PISS OFF YOU HYPOCRITE - stick those short arms into those deep pockets before you start lecturering us MISTER..........

So you assume he doesn't give anything himself because he doesn't make announcements about it? Would you really prefer it if every celebrity went on the news to tell us every time they gave a few quid to Concern?

Third_Echelon

Originally posted by Lemming
:rolleyes:

Lets see ... he's spend a LOT of his own time trying to highlight the problems in the 3rd world, travelled around off his own back to meet various people in power who can help & I'm fairly certain donates quite a bit of cash too.

What the f*ck have YOU ever done to help the third world? At least the man makes the effort!

Yes.. very well said...

I'm sick to the teeth of people slating bono for trying to do some good...

He is highlighting major issues that are affecting the 3rd world and helping to try and drag them into a better situation by releaving them of debt...

Im sure bono does pay tax in this country.. ive heard him say it in interviews before when he was asked the same question by some smartass....

Its not up to bono to spend his wealth to help these people.... they dont owe him any money.. its the first world governments and world banks that are crippling these coutries and their people....

so before any more of you go on about how sick you are about hearing bono waffle on.... think how much you are actually doing to help these people.... nothing but a bunch of hipocrits slagging him off...

pogcica

Bono has become an unelected politicion and has been corupted by the power hungry elite.
he has lain down with the wolves and become one.

He should have stuck to music or ran for a council seat
either one would have given him more credibility than lecturing from his pulpit

Lemming

Originally posted by pogcica
Bono has become an unelected politicion and has been corupted by the power hungry elite.
he has lain down with the wolves and become one.

He should have stuck to music or ran for a council seat
either one would have given him more credibility than lecturing from his pulpit

So, pogcica, tell me .... what have you done? I love the hypocrasy. You're lecturing about him lecturing from a pulpit. At least his has a credible foundation around it.

mike65

Bono proberly has given significant monies to Africa and related causes, he does'nt have to broadcast the fact but I really hate the fact he is exept for income tax.

Mike.

I find him a cretin too but thats another thread! :ninja:

ixoy

How is it that you find Bono, who brings the issues to the attention of the world, is worse - and deserving of more scathing remarks than those who also don't pay tax and do absolutely nothing? :dunno:

Mighty_Mouse

I don't particularly like Bono (or Geldof) a whole lot. I find them a little too preachy for my liking. But thats just a personal thing. At the end of the day Bono has used his position influence and wealth to do positive things. Whether or not you like his methods, mannerisms or self-loving aura is a different matter. I would be more inclined to knock famous people who havent used their positions in society to contribute in a selfless way to society. (other than increasing popularity).

Nobody can say that Bono hasnt increased attention on African problems or that his free concert in Bosnia wasn't a completely selfless and unbelievable gesture.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Cork

Originally posted by bertiebowl
About a week ago, we had egotistic Saint Bono lecturing us all on how we should spend more of our tax payers money on the poor in Africa etc.

What % does Bono pay in taxation himself?

Has he ever said?

Lemming

Originally posted by Cork
What % does Bono pay in taxation himself?

Has he ever said?

What tax rate do you pay Cork? I've a safe bet that you'll tell me to p*ss off and that it's none of my business.

Lordy-lord! I'd be surprised at _anyone_ giving me that response ..... :rolleyes:

Lemming

Originally posted by daveirl
Bono has done good to highlight some causes but there's no doubting that he see's himself as above the ordinary Joe protestor. See Genoa '01 where him and Geldof met with the politicians and said that the protesters outside were unhelpful.

TBH, he had a point about Genoa daveirl. Rioting is hardly condusive to showing peopel that you are either reasonable or have something important to say. All it does is gives the other side of the fence the moral highground & the added leverage of being able to dismiss you as a fanatical extremist and thus sideline you & your entire argument.

The not paying tax drives me insane too.

The man lives here for more than 6 months in the year. Therefore he's not tax-exempt. And even if he's paying a lower tax rate, he still pumps a lot of money back into this country, re: the building of a new studio. Contracting out Irish resources, creating jobs, etc etc.

But we're going off-topic. Name me any ten other celebrities who are as active and try to use their status/influence in a positive manner instead of just lapping up the lifestyle?

Phil_321

Originally posted by Lemming

The man lives here for more than 6 months in the year. Therefore he's not tax-exempt. And even if he's paying a lower tax rate, he still pumps a lot of money back into this country, re: the building of a new studio. Contracting out Irish resources, creating jobs, etc etc.

Fair plate to Bono for his work on Third World issues, he's doing some really good work there. Plus he writes some top tunes.
But he doesn't pay tax on his earnings.
http://www.revenue.ie/revguide/artistexemption.htm
Basically any earnings from the sale of original works "having, or generally recognised as having" artistic or cultural merit, are exempt from income tax.

I personally think it's about time the Government ended this practice, Or at least only make it available to musicians/artists earning under a certain amount.
The exemption's has been around for years, you can thank Charlie Haughey for it.

Cork

Originally posted by Phil_321


I personally think it's about time the Government ended this practice, Or at least only make it available to musicians/artists earning under a certain amount.
The exemption's has been around for years, you can thank Charlie Haughey for it.

FG & Labour have been in government since. What did the "socialists" do to change it?

Absolutely nothing.

But Artiests have to actually to apply for exemption don't they?

DublinWriter

Bono does have to pay tax on income from touring (ticket sales, merchanise, etc) but doesn't have to pay tax on income from royalties from record sales or radio air-play.

Yes, we all are a nation of begrugers. Bono and Geldolf are very untypically Irish because they actually have the sense of outrage that most of us lack, and do actually get up off their fat arses and try and change things.

Whether or not you like Bono as a person or his style of delivery, you have to agree with his message re third world debt.

I begrudingly agree with him.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Carlitos

yes we all know bono is a complete noob,he has as much brain power as well you get the idea.i dont vote and i dont pay tax(student - i get it back)...but i dont preach to people about what they should spend their hartd earned cash on..and why does he feel he can? because he wails over a simple guitar riff or two much to the displeasure of many - i know he has fans but i really aint one of 'em...lay off the saint bit bono ya muppet

cleareyed

we all know bono is a complete noob,he has as much brain power as well you get the idea

We all don't know that. You assert it as a fact. It is only your opinion. It has very little evidence to support it: a hugely successful band and a large personal fortune might be seen as indicators of considerable brain power.
But don't let reality get in your way.

Carlitos

lol relax,it was more of a suggestive statement,it is my opinion and thats how i expressed it but at least you got that,a personal fortune is now a measure of brain power? lol shall i compile a list for you?

monument

While I agree in principle with the idea behind artist exemption, their should be a cut-off point – but is Bono actually claming artist exemption???

It should be really none of our business what TAX any one-person pays, but it is our business when people who can well afford to pay tax can be exempt.

On a side note. I have to say, I find it highly strange that Bono can ask a county that is facing massive financial trouble with an ageing population, a country that has left it up to its churches to feed what were traditionally middle class people in middle of its country, to scrap payments that are to be made to it. Quite frankly on what I know I don’t think the United States can afford to.

bertiebowl

Lets see ... he's spend a LOT of his own time trying to highlight the problems in the 3rd world, travelled around off his own back to meet various people in power who can help & I'm fairly certain donates quite a bit of cash too.

Well it seems to me that the Saint only promotes his third world work when he's got a new album to flog.

Anyone got an example of Bono promoting stuff during the 88-91 pre Actung Baby days for example?

vorbis

Well it seems to me that the Saint only promotes his third world work when he's got a new album to flog.

Anyone got an example of Bono promoting stuff during the 88-91 pre Actung Baby days for example?

so what?
He could be doing it for a massive ego boost for all I care. What matters is that his actual actions are towards doing something positive. With you twisted attitude, no one in the world should help anyone else in case they profit individually from it.

Carlitos

its true he helps alot while others just buy caddies for cribs,wouldnt call him a saint
and as a person i dont really respect him,however in the interest of this thread i agree he is doing a lot more than most artists

DublinWriter

Why don't we all just distinguish the message from the messenger and bascially STFU?

mycroft

Bono's most recent junket to the third world was with federal reserve chairman Alan Greenspan. Greenspan has been chairman of the federal reserve for five terms and has consistently argued againist the wiping out of third world debt.

To put this is context Bono touring Africa with Greenspan campaigning for debt relief is like going on a tour of the artic circle on a norweigian whaler while promoting a whaling ban.

Bono and Geldof's attendance at the genoa summit was a disgrace. The G8 still haven't gotten around to cancelling 1% of the 10% of third world debt that they promised in '00. Attending a G8 summit with leaders who's fiscial policy towards the 3rd world is nothing short of genocidial is a joke.

jank

Bono has spent a few weeks in africa as a volunter with concern in the 80's(Think it was a month)

Hands up how many people have done the same

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oh I see:rolleyes:

[point proven]

Sleepy

It's really just typical of the Irish begrudgery that has you hypocrites having a go at Bono. Yeah, sure the man seems to be a complete pratt but his heart is firmly in the right place. He's used his prominence to try and influence the peace process in the north, to reduce third world debt, played concerts in wartorn countries at huge personal losses, his wife does pretty-much full-time charity work so you can be sure he donates quite a lot of money to charity (even if only to keep Ali happy).

mycroft

Hands up how many people have done the same

I have.

It's really just typical of the Irish begrudgery that has you hypocrites having a go at Bono. Yeah, sure the man seems to be a complete pratt but his heart is firmly in the right place. He's used his prominence to try and influence the peace process in the north, to reduce third world debt,

My problem is Bono claims he's interested in reducing third world debt then hangs around with the people who could change the world but don't. It's his rank hyprocracy that pisses me off.