U2 manager has the audacity to criticizes Irish law and defense on UPC descision.

humanji

prinz wrote: »

They've also earned more than most people on Boards ever will. It's called paying your share, not paying an equal share.

No different to Phil Green in the UK, bitching about his tax bill of a few hundred million and going off-shore to avoid... when he can pay his own family over a billion sterling.

They payed their share. If you think they didn't then report them and let the gardaí investigate.

prinz

humanji wrote: »

They payed their share. If you think they didn't then report them and let the gardaí investigate.

They've been clever and have taken advantage of a lot of loopholes to make sure that 'share' is a lot lower than it could be.. and that's their right. It's also others right to criticise them for that and for mouthing off about how tax that Joe Bloggs is paying should be spent.

General Zod

MrStuffins wrote: »

Not really GZ, it's pretty basic.

Everyone would love to work the same amount of hours and do the same job for more money. Then they criticise U2 for doing just that.

:rolleyes:

Ah the rolleyes, I am truly bested. Excelcior, sir.

MrStuffins

prinz wrote: »

They've been clever and have taken advantage of a lot of loopholes to make sure that 'share' is a lot lower than it could be.. and that's their right. It's also others right to criticise them for that and for mouthing off about how tax that Joe Bloggs is paying should be spent.

Prinz, i shall ask you the same question i asked others if that's ok?

If you could work the same job as you do now for more money..... would you do it?

humanji

prinz wrote: »

They've been clever and have taken advantage of a lot of loopholes to make sure that 'share' is a lot lower than it could be.. and that's their right. It's also others right to criticise them for that and for mouthing off about how tax that Joe Bloggs is paying should be spent.

And it's their right to criticise piracy because it takes away from their and others earnings. That's what I don't get about this thread. People are free to criticise what they want, but if you've got a smart accountant then no matter how much humanitarian work you've done, you're a hypocritical, evil c*nt.

aDeener

MrStuffins wrote: »

To put both points across, try to keep up won't ya?

yet more posting on a topic that bores you..... odd character you are

sensibleken

MrStuffins wrote: »

Prinz, i shall ask you the same question i asked others if that's ok?

If you could work the same job as you do now for more money..... would you do it?

What if the answer is no? I would be happy to pay more tax if it means the cuts to health and social welfare would be less severe. I earn far below the average industrial wage before you ask.

Its not unreasonable to ask people who live in this country to pay their taxes in this country. especially if they have criticised cuts to this countries overseas aid contributions

stimpson

humanji wrote: »

And it's their right to criticise piracy because it takes away from their and others earnings. That's what I don't get about this thread. People are free to criticise what they want, but if you've got a smart accountant then no matter how much humanitarian work you've done, you're a hypocritical, evil c*nt.

In fairness, it's not about piracy, it's about implementing a 3 strikes rule where you can be cut off from the web without ANY burden of proof - just allegations from a copyright holder. The fact that the people looking for a change in the law happen to be paying their tax elsewhere is besides the point. It just makes them bigger cnuts than an Irish taxpayer doing the same.

Have a read of Graham Linehans take on piracy. Far more pragmatic:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/21/graham-linehan-the-it-crowd

MrStuffins

aDeener wrote: »

yet more posting on a topic that bores you..... odd character you are

This is a discussion forum.

I was having a discussion.

Whereas you are now just posting off topic. Haven't got the hang of Boards yet?

sensibleken wrote: »

What if the answer is no? I would be happy to pay more tax if it means the cuts to health and social welfare would be less severe. I earn far below the average industrial wage before you ask.

Its not unreasonable to ask people who live in this country to pay their taxes in this country. especially if they have criticised cuts to this countries overseas aid contributions

Ah, so you would only pay more tax if there were your own conditions?

Come on lads! You know that you would happily work the same hours for more pay.

MrStuffins

stimpson wrote: »

In fairness, it's not about piracy, it's about implementing a 3 strikes rule where you can be cut off from the web without ANY burden of proof - just allegations from a copyright holder. The fact that the people looking for a change in the law happen to be paying their tax elsewhere is besides the point. It just makes them bigger cnuts than an Irish taxpayer doing the same.

Have a read of Graham Linehans take on piracy. Far more pragmatic:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/21/graham-linehan-the-it-crowd

Indeed, all they have to do is SUSPECT that you are guilty of piracy and can take away your service.

Ridiculous!

prinz

MrStuffins wrote: »

Prinz, i shall ask you the same question i asked others if that's ok? If you could work the same job as you do now for more money..... would you do it?

Of course I would, but then again as a PAYE I would have to pay more tax too. If I was earning more but avoiding the tax due on that then I wouldn't feel it my right to bitch continuously about how the tax other people are paying should be better spent. Especially not if I was earning more money than I could realistically spend in a lifetime.

humanji wrote: »

And it's their right to criticise piracy because it takes away from their and others earnings.

Yeah, agree with that. They can complain about whatever they want, including how the government spends tax revenue, they just cannot expect to be immune from criticism themselves.

humanji wrote: »

That's what I don't get about this thread. People are free to criticise what they want, but if you've got a smart accountant then no matter how much humanitarian work you've done, you're a hypocritical, evil c*nt.

Yes, you can be a hypocritical c*nt.

humanji

stimpson wrote: »

In fairness, it's not about piracy, it's about implementing a 3 strikes rule where you can be cut off from the web without ANY burden of proof - just allegations from a copyright holder. The fact that the people looking for a change in the law happen to be paying their tax elsewhere is besides the point. It just makes them bigger cnuts than an Irish taxpayer doing the same.

Have a read of Graham Linehans take on piracy. Far more pragmatic:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/21/graham-linehan-the-it-crowd

Don't get me wrong, I completely disagree with McGuinness on this (and I'm none to fond of U2 either). Where they pay the majority of their taxes has nothing to do with what they can criticise.

Imagine if the US said that any US citizen could legally pirate any music they wanted. Would you not think an Irish musician would have a right to complain about it, even if they didn't live in that country? Their earnings are being compromised, so I can understand why they feel agrieved. Would you call someone who did complain about that a c*nt? It hardly seems fair.

humanji

prinz wrote: »

Of course I would, but then again as a PAYE I would have to pay more tax too. If I was earning more but avoiding the tax due on that then I wouldn't feel it my right to bitch continuously about how the tax other people are paying should be better spent. Especially not if I was earning more money than I could realistically spend in a lifetime.



Yeah, agree with that. They can complain about whatever they want, including how the government spends tax revenue, they just cannot expect to be immune from criticism themselves.



Yes, you can be a hypocritical c*nt.

How is complaining that a company is allowing people to steal your music hypocritical? It would only be hypocritical if Bono was stealing music.

sensibleken

MrStuffins wrote: »

Th


Ah, so you would only pay more tax if there were your own conditions?

Come on lads! You know that you would happily work the same hours for more pay.

Your twisting my words. The options in the upcoming budget are tax hikes and spending cuts. Yes im willing to pay extra tax, and more so if means the more vunerable (pensioners, the sick, the unemployed) can avoid the the worst horrible cuts that are coming.

If my tax rate was reduced while at the same time they took more money off these people I would certainly give out and not vote for that party again.

believe it or not some people arent completely greedy. some people think that if you live in Ireland you should pay tax to Ireland, otherwise youre just squatting

Hail 2 Da Thief

elviscostello wrote: »

In fairness, he does explicitly state that he is not making these points from a U2 point of view, and says they are unaffected by it.

Exactly.
He's just stating the importance of protecting smaller artists from losing revenue due to illegal downloading.
U2 have also demonstrated in the past that they want to support future arists!

MrStuffins

prinz wrote: »

Of course I would

Exactly!

Especially not if I was earning more money than I could realistically spend in a lifetime.

why am i not surprised this kind of thinking influences your opinion?

And i'm pretty confident this and similar reasoning come into other peoples' dislike for Bono and Co. too!

MrStuffins

sensibleken wrote: »

Your twisting my words. The options in the upcoming budget are tax hikes and spending cuts. Yes im willing to pay extra tax, and more so if means the more vunerable (pensioners, the sick, the unemployed) can avoid the the worst horrible cuts that are coming.

If my tax rate was reduced while at the same time they took more money off these people I would certainly give out and not vote for that party again.

believe it or not some people arent completely greedy. some people think that if you live in Ireland you should pay tax to Ireland, otherwise youre just squatting

So, could you or anyone else tell me please, how much Bono has earned and how much tax he has paid to the irish Exchequer?

I have read lots of different figures from varying sources.

royston_vasey

If Bono et al are trying to be tax efficient then why don't they donate a significant proportion of their income to charity as opposed to trying to hoard more money by moving their operations abroad. They can achieve the same objective without facing accusations of hypocrisy - assuming of course that greed is not their motivation

http://www.solasbhride.ie/downloads/TaxEfficientCharitable_Donations.pdf

ILA

Louis Walsh was at the same yesterday. What the hell does he know about the Law or Legal System in this country?

sensibleken

MrStuffins wrote: »

So, could you or anyone else tell me please, how much Bono has earned and how much tax he has paid to the irish Exchequer?

I have read lots of different figures from varying sources.

As far as Im aware that is private so we wouldnt have access to exact figures.

Its assumed that its quite substantial. The cap was to be brought in at earnings of 250,000 a year. They earned €250m the year before they moved it.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/u2-move-their-rock-empire-out-of-ireland-133364.html

Its tax dodging. Legal, but not ethical. And if it was me I would not do it, Im not that greedy

MrStuffins

sensibleken wrote: »

As far as Im aware that is private so we wouldnt have access to exact figures.

Ah so nobody actually knows how much tax Bono does or doesn't pay?

sensibleken

MrStuffins wrote: »

Ah so nobody actually knows how much tax Bono does or doesn't pay?

way to half quote me.

If you move €250m away from the exchequer whats the tax your saving, a fiver? no, its more tax than i pay certainly. Yet were using the same roads, drinking the same water etc.

Thats my last word on this. Im off to the pub

prinz

humanji wrote: »

How is complaining that a company is allowing people to steal your music hypocritical? It would only be hypocritical if Bono was stealing music.

He can say what he likes about that. He's a hypocritical c*nt for other reasons.

MrStuffins wrote: »

Exactly!

Yes, but if you take the post as a whole there is no comparison.

MrStuffins

prinz wrote: »

Yes, but if you take the post as a whole there is no comparison.

It's not about comparison.

In comparison to a starving child, you are living it up! You've got an expensive laptop/computer, you can afford an internet connection, a house, i'm guessing you have central heating, hot water, expendable income. You could give mos tof that up and feed people who are hungrier than you, or you could give more money to the Govt. for them to do what it what they will!

But it's not about comparisons.

prinz

MrStuffins wrote: »

In comparison to a starving child, you are living it up! You've got an expensive laptop/computer, you can afford an internet connection, a house, i'm guessing you have central heating, hot water, expendable income. You could give mos tof that up and feed people who are hungrier than you, or you could give more money to the Govt. for them to do what it what they will!

Yeah I could do that. Or I could keep it all and I could turn around to someone without a laptop, with no internet connection, no heating, no water, and tell them that what little they should be contributing while contributing less myself even though I would have far greater resources to contribute from.

That would be my right, but it would still make me a hypocritical bollix.

MrStuffins

prinz wrote: »

Yeah I could do that. Or I could keep it all and I could turn around to someone without a laptop, with no internet connection, no heating, no water, and tell them that what little they should be contributing while contributing less myself even though I would have far greater resources to contribute from.

That would be my right, but it would still make me a hypocritical bollix.

Has Bono ever told you to pay more tax?