Comic Relief - What happened....

sillygoose

I wish I knew more about the African countries so I could understand better. We are always shown people dying in arid places with just a manky puddle for water and no crops. The recent Attenborough documentaries covered the African regions and I was surprised to see inconceivably vast expanses of country that were lush and fertile with abounding fresh water and largely uninhabited. In simplistic terms, why do people continue living in parts of the earth clearly unable to sustain life without support? why have the people not migrated to better areas over the centuries?

Dave_C_2

My 2d worth in bullet points. OK some of it is a matter of personal taste so please be tolerant of this.

• It simply wasn't as funny as it used to be
• Michael Mcintyre is just plain annoying.
• Don't Americans have pockets in their trousers?
• Other comedians were either good or indifferent at best, nobody brilliant.
• Maybe if the multi-million pound celebs put some money in the pot instead of tax evading things would improve.
• The whole tone of the begging bits was that it was our fault that people are in such dire straits in Africa. No it isn't - we pay taxes - and the licence fee.
• Not impressed that the phone companies wanted the normal network charges. Nice lining of pockets on the back of charitable donations.
• Graham Norton did a 7-hour "marathon" show. Although it was funny, he is only doing what is a normal shift for most of us.

Other than that it was OK

Dave

Better_Off_1983

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gGCMskNB8Q

dealer_wins

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Why do people in this country without jobs, prospects or any sustainable income have kids?

We have our own version of red nose day in the UK.

Its mandatory for taxpayers, Its called payday and you dont need to phone in your tax donations, they are taken out of your earnings automatically and distributed to all the people who cant be arsed to get a job.

lucy03

frilly_knickers wrote: »

As much as I have sympathy with the causes mentioned, if any of us were to give a minimum of £2 per month to all the charities that advertise or have fund raising days we would all be needing charity ourselves.

I resent being shown pictures of dying African children in such awful conditions when this Country gives a massive £10bn each year in foreign aid, which equates to around £135 per person per year, so where does all that go, and still we are asked to give more.

It'll take generations to resolve the poverty crisis which exists around the world, so there will no doubt be similar images for many more years. Governments donate because collectively they can do a huge amount of good, especially when it's the majority of western developed nations contributing, not just a few. Some of that money will get stolen in corruption and bribes, but that doesn't mean they should stop.

But equally Governments can't do everything, so charities have to pick up the pieces where they can, and even with Comic Relief, tens of millions go back into projects in the UK. If you resent having to look at poor people who are dying, you can always turn off, but if they didn't show those images then less money would be raised.

shaun_from_Africa

paulofessex wrote: »

I just don't understand why people choose to continue to have babies when in such poverty where they struggle to feed themselves let alone babies Yes people are entitled to have children, but why in those circumstances.

After living and working in various parts of Africa for the last 25 years, I can tell you one of the main reasons.

In many places around the world, many of the elderly will get a pension of some sort along with some medical treatment. (I know that the NHS isn't perfect, but it's a thousand times better than what is available in many African countries).

For many African people, there is no chance of a pension or free/subsidised medical treatment and their children are their retirement plan.
When they can't look after themselves, they will rely on their children to ensure that they don't starve or end up at the side of the road begging for scraps.

Equaliser123

frilly_knickers wrote: »

I resent being shown pictures of dying African children in such awful conditions when this Country gives a massive £10bn each year in foreign aid, which equates to around £135 per person per year, so where does all that go, and still we are asked to give more.

.

Your resentment at seeing pictures of dying children won't actually stop them dying.

I think that people need to understand that there is a huge difference between foreign aid and charitable aid. The latter goes straight to the people who need it.

You don't have to give more. Personally, I feel happy to be able to help in whatever small way that I can.

olias

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Your resentment at seeing pictures of dying children won't actually stop them dying.

I think that people need to understand that there is a huge difference between foreign aid and charitable aid. The latter goes straight to the people who need it.

You don't have to give more. Personally, I feel happy to be able to help in whatever small way that I can.

I haven't laughed so much in ages....(At the above comment, NOT at comic relief)

If you believe that charitable aid goes directly to the people that need it, then you are sadly deluded. I have worked for charities before, and as has been stated, the vast majority of the money goes in the pockets of the management (and to corrupt overseas organisations and governments). The only charities I will ever support are small local independent ones (and even then, a lot of them are self serving).

Olias

wellused

I have trouble understanding the different types of comedy for instance Irony, is Jimmy Carr not wishing to pay his fair share of income tax some of which would go some way to helping the needy in this country but then him encouraging others who may pay their taxes to give money to the starving in Africa, is that Irony? :huh:

penrhyn

wellused wrote: »

I have trouble understanding the different types of comedy for instance Irony, is Jimmy Carr not wishing to pay his fair share of income tax some of which would go some way to helping the needy in this country but then him encouraging others who may pay their taxes to give money to the starving in Africa, is that Irony? :huh:

I think you'll find the word is hypocrisy. A well known trait of the well heeled leftards.