Sport Relief : How long before a celeb dies ?

[Luke93]

The biggest bugbear for me is that there are so many charities and there is so much cash floating about.

According to Forbes, there are 1,565 people worth more than $1bn (One thousand million).

Who needs that much cash?

(I know that is an over-simplistic viewpoint)

Even with half that fortune, those people can live exactly the same life of luxury. Why more isn't given by these people eludes me.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Even with half that fortune, those people can live exactly the same life of luxury. Why more isn't given by these people eludes me.

I know wealth creates wealth and wealth creates jobs and so on. But, I'm not sure I would feel entirely comfortable with billions in the bank when there are people lacking basic needs such as drinking water or eye drops or what-have-you.

However, I am pleased that charities exist. I would be far more trusting of the Red Cross to spend my money in Zimbabwe than Robert Mugabe. There is an overwhelming need though and there shouldn't be.

A friend of a friend is a trader and earns silly amounts of money. His annual rent in London is £60k. Who is benefiting from his work and expenditure?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Life is unequal it is unfair. That is the deal and it will will never change, certainly with a capitol model. All we do can as individuals is do all we can do ourselves to make the World a better place, in our own small way as if we do this in our own small way it will be a big way, McCall did that and for me she has my respect, she maybe a celeb but she put herself on the line and pushed it hard, far harder than so many in her position do, so rather than slag her off I will respesct her and applaud her for that.

 

[Creaky]

I know wealth creates wealth and wealth creates jobs and so on. But, I'm not sure I would feel entirely comfortable with billions in the bank when there are people lacking basic needs such as drinking water or eye drops or what-have-you.

However, I am pleased that charities exist. I would be far more trusting of the Red Cross to spend my money in Zimbabwe than Robert Mugabe. There is an overwhelming need though and there shouldn't be.

A friend of a friend is a trader and earns silly amounts of money. His annual rent in London is £60k. Who is benefiting from his work and expenditure?

The mega-rich don't have billions or even millions sat in the bank - most of them owe the banks very large amounts as they use their other assets as guarantees against loans.

Bill Gates for instance saw his fortune increase last year by a staggering $16B - most due to the increase in the value of his Microsoft shareholding. Were he to sell those shares to raise cash that would drive the price down and so be self defeating - he can however borrow against the value of those shares.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

The mega-rich don't have billions or even millions sat in the bank - most of them owe the banks very large amounts as they use their other assets as guarantees against loans.

Bill Gates for instance saw his fortune increase last year by a staggering $16B - most due to the increase in the value of his Microsoft shareholding. Were he to sell those shares to raise cash that would drive the price down and so be self defeating - he can however borrow against the value of those shares.

My disclaimer was a 'over-simplistic' view. I'd like to know how much every person is worth. Has that ever been calculated?

Wealth - debt. What is the figure? Is it zero?

 

[Washie]

The mega-rich don't have billions or even millions sat in the bank - most of them owe the banks very large amounts as they use their other assets as guarantees against loans.

Bill Gates for instance saw his fortune increase last year by a staggering $16B - most due to the increase in the value of his Microsoft shareholding. Were he to sell those shares to raise cash that would drive the price down and so be self defeating - he can however borrow against the value of those shares.

To be fair to gates though, he does give a lot to aids research.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

My disclaimer was a 'over-simplistic' view. I'd like to know how much every person is worth. Has that ever been calculated?

Wealth - debt. What is the figure? Is it zero?

Wealth is unfortanately the only currenecy.

 

[desprateseagull]

stuff wot I have done, for charidee.. no tv crews ever saw me.

Had head shaved, for 'children in need'. in winter. big mistake (a tad chilly).

LDN-BTN bike ride 3 times, for British Heart Foundation. I enjoyed it, until it rained.

various other rides / jogs, around Brighton.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

Can't remember Beefy crying at any point.

Exactly. Him peeling off his socks (and most of the skin from his feet) at the end of a day remains one of my childhood's most vivid tv memories.

 

[dazzer6666]

My point is all the criticism is from people who would probably get in a weeze reaching for their remote tv control pad. She did very very well.

I criticised as I felt the programme was a bit contrived. I do struggle reaching for the TV remote after a long run (just under 15 hours being the longest) including the many I've done for my local charity. Running total is only £18,000 and not Davina's £2m or so but I don't have any TV cameras following me.............

 

[vegster]

Exactly. Him peeling off his socks (and most of the skin from his feet) at the end of a day remains one of my childhood's most vivid tv memories.

Very true, Beefy's story of how he discovered how little was understood and done for children's cancer shows how far we have come since he started his " walks " . A richly deserved knighthood.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Very true, Beefy's story of how he discovered how little was understood and done for children's cancer shows how far we have come since he started his " walks " . A richly deserved knighthood.

Could not hear a bad word about Ian Botham. Played hard on and off the pitch, been there done it, seen it yet still went through considerable personal discomfort on more than one occasion not always in the spotlight for a cause beyond question. A true 'gent'.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

met Ian Botham in Adelaide 1994

legend is over used,not in this case

 

[desprateseagull]

I think I saw a pic of him playing pool with the locals in a pub, somewhere in Patcham (Long man? had a lion theme..)

 

[desprateseagull]

http://jamiemcdonald.org/
A bit o/t, but this guy just ran 5,000 miles across Canada, for children's charities..

check out #whosethedaddy on youtube twitter etc..