Live 8 + Col Muammar Gaddafi

All of the recent talk about forgiving the debt of African countries and the Live 8 concerts - was it a good thing or just a bunch of BS? Perhaps the Nigerian debt of $33 billion should be forgiven - heck, we've all seen those ads with little children eating rice and still hungry, right? Perhaps what you didn't see was the $25 BILLION in annual oil revenue that Nigeria takes in - while most of it's people live on less than $1.00 a day.
Rich movie stars love to have these large concerts - the last Live 8 was 20 years ago - yet they don't quite have the time to do the concerts bi-yearly, or even yearly as that would disrupt their revenue generating concert schedule. It does make them look like they are concerned right? Heck, a couple might even go to some destitute nation (with the cameras rolling of course) and make it appear that they care - while blaming all the starvation an poverty in the world on those mean capitalists. Yes, concerts like this as well as the G8 protests are orchestrated by socialists - willing to throw other peoples money toward a worthless effort. How much did these performers really care about the poor? Well in Philadelphia the performers got $12,000 goodie bags. Think performers stayed in cheap hotels while personally donating their own money to "the cause"? Noway - they stay at plush hotels, are catered to, etc. - They expect you and I to pay with our tax money. A total waste!
Canada has it right: "Aides to Prime Minister Paul Martin said there is no chance of a last-minute policy change, the Globe and Mail reported Monday." Italy, France, Britain and Germany have committed to giving 0.7 percent of their GDP by 2015. (Gee Germany - you are having problems taking care of your own people and economy!)
Enter Col Muammar Gaddafi. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has urged fellow African leaders to stop "begging" for handouts from the West. Even he knows such aid falls into the hands of corrupt government officials and war lords - some tiny tiny fraction of people might see some aid but it will be those that probably have the cameras on them to "prove" the aid works. CNN: "You have to make changes to the capacity of governments to manage programs, to write the right laws, to have the rule of law," U.S. Agency for International Development Director Andrew Natsios told CNN.
So if all these Live 8 promoters really wanted to help Africa they should move there - set up their studios there, establish business there - employ and educate the people there. Don't hold your breath on that one.