kony 2012 - Making money

This is what sort of sparked it all which is not good. The video itself is a good piece of emotional porn but that's about it. It's honestly NOT worth the 30 minutes when you find out somethings about the organization that is doing this [Invisible Children].

First of all, the guy who made that film get's paid $90,000 a year. That's for him and his family. This does not include him paying costs for film equipment, video editting software, nor does it cover travel or accomodations whilst in anywhere else. Those are all covered under the ludicrous budgets that the Invisible Children organization actually deal with. Let's go to that now. Here are some expenses from CharityNavigator.:

Compensation of Leaders | % of Compensation relative to amount of money made by IC | Title

• $88,241 | 0.99% | Ben Keesey - CEO
• $89,669 | 1.00% | Jason Russell - Co-Founder/Filmmaker
• $84,377 | 0.94% | Laren Poole - Co-Founder/Filmmaker

Revenue

• Total Contributions: $10,334,060
• Program Service Revenue: $3,423,351
• Total Primary Revenue: $13,757,411
• Other Revenue $7,769
• TOTAL REVENUE: $13,765,180

Expenses

• Program Expenses: $7,163,384
• Administrative Expenses: $1,444,570
• Fundraising Expenses: $286,678
• TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES: $8,894,632

Payments to Affiliates $0 Excess (Or deficit) for the year: $4,870,548

Net Assets $6,584,811

As if that isn't bad enough, they've refused to Co-operate with the Better Business Bureau, Their transparancy rating is fairly low on Charity Navigator, and allegations of fraud.

Besides, they make a fairly large point about sending money to the Ugandan Military. This is a big no no for a couple of reasons. First of all, Kony isn't even in Uganda. Funding a military that has no real authority over another country to LOOK in other countries, is a moronic idea to begin with. Secondly, the Ugandan military is already using this as an excuse to enter other countries and exploit resources from surrouding areas. The Government of Uganda is full of criminals that are worse than Kony himself. Not to mention the bloody PRESIDENT of Uganda is responsible for millions of deaths. Then you've got allegations coming out that Kony is already dead. The LRA (Konys ragtag bunch of assholes) isn't that large, or all that active.

The worst thing about Invisible Children (In my opinion) is that they lobbies for DIRECT MILITARY INTERVENTION IN AFRICA. After all of the terrorist hunts in the Middle East, and having troops stuck in Afghanistan and Iraq, don't you think that the people would have learned by now that having troops in another country to hunt one asshole isn't exactly the best idea? Especially when some of the Republicans believe that invading Iran is a fairly good idea at the moment. There are SERIOUS issues with this group, issues that people are overlooking. I will admit that at first I was already on Twitter and ready to bitch at people about the injustice that's being served in other countries and then I decided to look into the organization. The information is there, and willing, but people are fearful to even look. Fearful, lazy, or just swept up by the movement. Injustice exists in the world. It is damn stupid, and it sucks ass, but that's the nature of this planet at the moment. Humanity, since rising from the primordial ooze, has killed people over far less than anything you could imagine. Then there's the fact that if Kony is alive, and the ICC, or International Criminals Court, manages to put him on trial, what's it going to achieve? Numerous war criminals have stood trial before the ICC. This isn't a game of chess. You don't topple a pawn and move on. The pawns replicate. It's like fighting a hydra. If you slice off one head, more are going to pop up in it's place. You remove one player, and 10 others will appear. Hell, there's a case to be made that awareness driven ngos perpetuate the current state of afafairs and are an intergral part of the current system of global unfairness. They offer placebos for guilty consciences and as such, they don't change anything. If you think of large entites such as Global Corporations, conglomorates and powerful nation states that capitalize on injustice, corruption and disorganization and exploit the poor for their resources and manpower, the best thing that could happen to them are programs such as this. There's a lot of reasons why Invisible Children has a good idea of what they're doing, but FAR too much on the opposite sides of the scales to tip myself (and no doubt others) into not bothering with this group and it's practices.

Information retrieved by use of google, and a variety of different comments spread across Kony2012 post comment fields.

EDIT: A couple of things to note

1) The majority of this post is my beliefs and some facts. I made an opinion and people are saying things, and giving me 'praise' (Can't think of another word) for something that I posted to shut some people up as well as state my opinion.

2) I'm not saying do nothing, which is what half of the people who commented to this post seem to believe. I'm saying that there are many ways you can help the world be a better place rather than subscribing bad credit loans to an organization which seems a bit shady at best. Amnesty International is one, as well as Doctors Without Borders.

3) For the love of God, read the entire thing before you comment. I had my message box flooded with posts saying "You're getting mad over them paying themselves a perfectly normal, reasonable amount of money?" That is NOT THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMENT. While I do not agree with getting paid $90k, which is twice the average income per year in America, that's not what I'm getting at. What I'm getting at is that Invisible Children is an organization that you should think twice about before having any dealings with. If you want to, then that unsecured loans is entirely up to you. I'm just trying to put some facts out there as well as stating my opinion that I am well within my rights to do so. Now. I'm going to bed. It's 4:30 in the morning and I've spent the better part of the past hour and a half going through comments to this comment and trying to explain myself and I'm exhausted. Good night and do whatever you believe is right.

Jeremy Kyle Nation

It emerged last night that the nation’s underpants are continuing their twenty-year Jeremy Kyle embargo, steadfastly refusing to be worn by television’s most accomplished moron-bater.

In an interview with The Guardian, Kyle told the reporter that he unsecured loans had not worn underwear for twenty years, and implied that this was of his own free will.

However, a spokesperson for the nation’s underpants claim that the decision was all theirs, and that the embargo shows no signs of abating.

The spokesperson said, “He may claim that he doesn’t wear underwear by choice, but a hundred million pairs of underpants will go to their grave swearing otherwise.”

“There is not a pair of underpants on these shores that would bad credit loans be willing to wrap that man’s arse, whether he wanted them to, or not.”

Embargo

There are rumours that the long-running underpants embargo has caused much distress among the trouser community, a situation for which the underpants are truly sorry.

“We realise that our industrial action has caused significant distress for our trouser brethren, and has forced them into a situation for which they are clearly not well prepared, but we had simply had enough.”

“Most people use their arse for simple matters of defecation and flatulence, but Jeremy Kyle insisted on using his to pitch ideas for TV shows and to interview imbeciles.  It was simply too much for any self-respecting underpants to take.”

“Skid-marks we can live with, but not the sort of depraved rantings coming from the arse of Jeremy Kyle.”

Louis Farrakhan Hate Speech

During an annual conference on Sunday, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said President Barack Obama has been criticized more than any other president because of his race -- and believes the racial hatred could lead to assassination attempts.

Farrakhan made the comments during a lecture at the United Center during his annual Saviours’ Day speech. The leader of the Chicago-based movement discussed politics, debt, foreign policy and other issues during the speech, according to the Associated Press.

"They have called President Barack Obama a racist, an anti-Semite, a socialist, a communist, a foreigner, an alien and some have even called him a terrorist," Farrakhan said, according to the AP. "Obama has really got them upset. Republicans are looking for some white person. Anybody. Anybody. "

The Chicago Tribune has more on Farrakhan's comments about President Obama:

Farrakhan spent much of his oration decrying what he cast as Satan's influence over racist forces in politics and society before asking a pointed rhetorical bad credit loans question: "Do you think they're wicked enough to be plotting our brother's assassination as we speak?"...
While Farrakhan called out conservatives for questioning Obama's citizenship and even criticizing the figure of first lady Michelle Obama, he also attacked the president for his support of efforts to remove Middle Eastern leaders and warned him against any potential military action in Iran. The crowd roared as he called on them to be "conscientious objectors" to any strike against Iran.

“Never has a sitting president been spoken of in the manner that President Obama and his family have had to endure,” Farrakhan continued, according to WBEZ. “Not just by the unsecured loans birthers and right-wing zealots but those in high places – people with great influence have spoken against him in a manner that has never been according to even the worst of America’s white presidents.”

He went on to say that the people who want to assassinate the president would want their "patsy" to be a Muslim.

Farrakhan's speech, titled "What will 2012 bring to America, the World, Black and Oppressed People," also touched on his September 11 conspiracy theories (he believes the U.S. government orchestrated the attacks) and the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Liverpool responds to anti racist's concerns.

 The recent and on going furor surrounding Liverpool Football Club’s handling of the Luis Suarez/Patrice Evra incident continues to illustrate the depth and breadth of racism in the UK.

 

The recent public letter sent by 18 prominent black and anti racist organisations to LFC has been the catalyst for further denial of the racist nature of this miserable affair. 

 

In seeking to bring clarity to the debate I want to make a few things clear.  There is no accusation that Suarez himself is a racist. He made racially derogatory and offensive remarks that are unacceptable in the modern British game.

 

Secondly nobody accused LFC of being a racist club. What was said is that their handling of this particular affair was extremely poor and incited further racism and that they should do something about it. Liverpool has a moral responsibility to football and the country as a whole to ensure that they set the highest standards when dealing with issues of race.

 

And what is being asked of them? That Suarez should apologise to Evra. He and the club are both, I believe morally compelled to do so.

 

In addition, that LFC make a public statement alongside others committing themselves to opposing racism and finally organise a conference on racism in football. All simple things, that would go a long way to repairing some of the damage done by LFC’s lack of leadership on this issue. Hardly a life sentence is it?

 

In response and reported on by the BBC, LFC have said they are committed to tackling racism.

 

"Liverpool FC made clear its disappointment with what happened recently at Old Trafford and both Luis Suarez and Kenny Dalglish issued apologies.”

Whilst true, LFC have consistently denied the existence of any racist element in this matter

"The player did not previously appeal the FA sanction, served his suspension and apologised to anyone he had offended”.

One assumes that the reason no appeal was made was because both Suarez and LFC accepted he was guilty. The apology issued was in reference to the failed “ hand shake” and not for using racially offensive language.

"In light of recent events, the club has met with a number of key national and local stakeholders on these issues. We are also working with Sporting Equals, an independent UK-wide charity and one of the leading experts in equality and diversity in sport to develop a strategic action plan encompassing both our staff and external stakeholders."

This sounds promising and we looked at Sporting Equals website and to our surprise we found that Dr Zafar Iqbal, 1st Team Doctor at Liverpool FC is also Sporting Equals Physical Activity Ambassador. We have written to Sporting Equals for further clarification.

We will also be requesting the names of those “national and local key stakeholders” who LFC say they are working with. Preliminary enquiries by us have not been able to establish LFC is in contact with any local black organisations in Liverpool. 

LFC continued…

"We are committed to playing our part, alongside the game's authorities and other agencies, in the fight against racism and discrimination of any sort."

Whilst we welcome this preliminary statement by Liverpool in response to our letter, their initial failure to appeal the Suarez suspension speaks volumes.

 

We hope in the spirit of reconciliation, and in line with LFC stated commitment to play it’s part in the fight against racism, that a full apology is issued.

 

Black people are reporting to me that bad credit loans Suarez name is now being used as a form of racial abuse. There can be no more compelling reason for LFC to reconsider their position.

 

It is vital that LFC are seen to be absolutely unequivocal in their opposition to racism. In this instance that requires they provide an immediate apology to Evra and unsecured loans acknowledge and repair the damage done by their mishandling of the whole affair. 

Suarez shake

Liverpool's Luis Suarez competes with Manchester United's Patrice Evra during the Barclays Premier League match at Anfield on October 15, 2011 in Liverpool, England. (FILE)

England’s Football Association (FA) on Wednesday started a disciplinary hearing into claims Liverpool striker Luis Suarez racially abused Manchester United’s Patrice Evra in a match in October. unsecured loans
Uruguay’s Suarez, following a month-long investigation, has been charged with abusing Evra, and referring to his “ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race” by the FA.
The hearing is set to last for two days, with a verdict expected by the end of this week.
Both players are due to give evidence at the hearing.
Suarez has repeatedly denied accusations of racism and Liverpool bad credit loans have insisted they remain “fully supportive” of their player.
The charge confronting Suarez relates to the 1-1 Premier League draw between Liverpool and United at Anfield on October 15.
Evra, speaking to French television station Canal Plus immediately after the match, said Suarez had racially abused him “more than 10 times” during the game.
“I was very upset,” Evra told Canal Plus. “In 2011 you can’t say things like this. He knows what he said, the ref knows it, it will come out.
“I won’t repeat what he said, but it was a racist word, and he said it more than ten times.
“He tried to wind me up. I won’t make a huge deal out of it, but it’s very upsetting and disappointing.”
But Suarez, quoted by Uruguayan media earlier this month, said: “There is no evidence I said anything racist to him. I said nothing of the sort.”
Evra voiced his complaint to referee Andre Marriner, in charge at Anfield, who included it in his match report and the FA announced the charge against Suarez last month.
Liverpool said after the charge: “Luis remains determined to clear his name of the allegation made against him by Patrice Evra.
“The club remain fully supportive of Luis in this matter.”
And only last week Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish insisted: “The staff, players and supporters will stand by him because they know what the truth is.
“We’ll stand by him. It’s only in other people’s interests that if they cannot stop him on the pitch, they have to try some other ways and means to stop him,” the Anfield great added.
Suarez, who joined Liverpool from Dutch club Ajax for £22 million in January, is no stranger to controversy, having often been accused of diving.
He earned global condemnation at last year’s World Cup by handling a goalbound effort by Ghana in the final moments of the quarter-final, then celebrating when the resulting penalty was missed and Uruguay went through in a penalty shoot-out.

Houston was underwater in tub

How did Whitney Houston die? A combination of prescription drug Xanax and other medication mixed with alcohol are being reported as the cause of death, according to a report.
TMZ reported that Los Angeles unsecured loans County Coroner officials told Whitney Houston's family that the singer didn't die from drowning. Instead, it appears that Whitney Houston died from what seems to be a combination of prescription drugs mixed with alcohol, family sources told the celebrity news Web site.

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Whitney Houston's cause of death is said to be prescription drug and alcohol combination, family sources tell TMZ.

Houston's body was found in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday afternoon. Beverly Hills Police Department Lt. Mark Rosen said the singer was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. in her room. Houston was 48 years old.
"No obvious signs of foul play and no obvious signs of a cause of death," Rosen said.
Whitney Houston was found face down in the bathtub in her hotel room and prescription drugs were said to be present because the singer allegedly took them for depression and anxiety. Reports were that the singer either drowned or died of a drug overdose, but authorities said they wouldn't comment on the cause of death on Saturday, because it was still being investigated

"We're told Coroner's officials informed the family there was not enough water in Whitney's lungs to lead to the conclusion that she drowned," TMZ's report read.
The family sources also told TMZ that bad credit loans Whitney Houston may have died before her head was submerged.
When news of the six-time Grammy winner's death hit the media, reports were that singer and rumored ex-boyfriend Ray J found her body in her hotel room. However, TMZ reported that Whitney Houston's body was found in the bathtub by her aunt, Mary Jones. Ray J reportedly got the call informing him about Whitney Houston's death while he was at home and rushed to the hotel but was turned away by authorities.
Bobbi Kristina, Houston's only daughter with ex-husband Bobby Brown, was also prevented from identifying Whitney Houston's dead body. The 18 year old was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Sunday morning and treated for stress and anxiety following her mother's death, The Associated Press reported. She has since been released.
Getting ready for the evening
Houston was supposed to appear at her friend and mentor Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday.
Jones had laid out the singer's dress for the evening on the bed and left for about a half hour, TMZ reported. But when the singer didn't leave the bathroom Jones pulled Whitney Houston from the bathtub and began performing CPR, according to TMZ.
TMZ said that Whitney's mother Cissy has made arrangements for the singer's body to be flown to Atlanta, perhaps as early as Tuesday.
"The family was told the Coroner has no problem releasing the body because there is no evidence of foul play -- and unless cops put a hold on the body, it can be flown back East," TMZ reported.
Investigating Houston's behavior before death
Detectives investigating the cause of Whitney Houston's death will be looking into the singer's behavior hours and days before her death. Her family, friends and staff have already been questioned, according to Good Morning America.
The Los Angeles Coroner on Sunday, said that toxicology reports on Houston will not be available until about six to eight weeks.
Houston struggled with drugs and alcohol for years and entered rehab last year. Reports are that she was at a bar Friday night at the Beverly Hilton hotel with a group of friends.
TMZ reported that the singer was at the bar drinking and being very loud.

the believer review

As we read of the rapid rise of anti-Semitic incidents throughout the world, it may be helpful to ponder the psychic toll this news takes on Jews and intermarried families.

Do we internalize the hatred, discovering within ourselves the stereotypes others see in us? Do we become fearful, or do we respond with courage and strength?

A profoundly disturbing film, The Believer, written and directed by Henry Bean, an observant Jew, explores the emotional damage anti-Semitism has done to one brilliant, independent-minded Jew, Danny Balint.

Although the film was made before Sept. 11, well before the dramatic international upsurge in anti-Semitic incidents, its release--on May 17 in New York and Los Angeles--is timely.

The film begins with a quote from Catallus, "I love and I hate. Who can tell me why?"

We then observe a yeshiva (Jewish school), with young boys and a teacher discussing the meaning of the biblical story in which Abraham is asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac. The young Danny interprets the story not as a test of faith, but as a demonstration of power: that God is unsecured loans proving his power in contrast to the powerlessness of Abraham.

Obviously obsessed with the issue of power, and repulsed by those who are powerless, 22-year-old Danny (Ryan Gosling) chooses to identify with Nazis as opposed to Jews.

On a New York subway one day, Danny, looking like a skinhead not a Jew, harasses a yeshiva student, and then, when the boy suddenly darts off the subway, follows and attacks him.

Given that the film is being released during a time of greatly increased anti-Semitism, I watched this scene with great discomfort, afraid that it would encourage copycat attacks.

After attacking the yeshiva student, Danny joins a neo-Nazi group, where he proposes killing Jews. When the others ask why, he spews out a ream of negative stereotypes of Jews, including "The modern world is a Jewish disease." Finally, he says, "Not for any rational reason, but because we know we hate them, because we want them gone."

Again, although the other Jews in the film are portrayed positively and its ultimate point is to disagree with the anti-Semitism exhibited, I feared that the suggestion--to kill Jews--might be taken up by some film viewers. The film even names specific, well-known Jews bad credit loans as possible targets.

After getting involved with the neo-Nazi group, Danny's obsession with Jews propels him to organize an attack on a synagogue. In one distressing scene, in which one of his fellow neo-Nazis urinates from the bimah (podium), another one discovers the ark and pulls out a Torah.

Suddenly, Danny's years of yeshiva education restrain him: He may despise Jews, but he still reveres the Torah. Although he does his best to prevent any desecration of the Torah, it is nonetheless ripped. Danny lovingly scoops the Torah up and brings it home, wrapped in a tallit (prayer shawl), where he begins to carefully repair it. He also starts wearing the tallit underneath his shirt.

Danny has meanwhile become involved with Carla (Summer Phoenix), who is the daughter of Lina (Theresa Russell), the leader of the neo-Nazi group. A rebel herself, Carla finds Judaism fascinating. At her request, Danny teaches her Hebrew and they start lighting Shabbat (Sabbath), candles together.

As the film progresses, Danny reconnects with Judaism and with former classmates, but is unable to relinquish his neo-Nazism. He now identifies as both a Nazi and a Jew, as seen by his images of a horrifying story told to him by a survivor. Earlier in the film, when he recalled the story, he had identified with the Nazi in it, but at this point in his life he identifies with both the Nazi and the Jew.

In one startling scene, Danny uses Nazi-like gestures while chanting a Jewish prayer. His double life ultimately becomes impossible to maintain, and the film concludes with the inevitable final scene.

Ryan Gosling, a relatively unknown actor, is superb as Danny, showing both his initial heartlessness, his vulnerability around Carla, and his ultimate torment. Summer Phoenix's Carla is a complex, equally brilliant and self-hating young adult. On the whole, I find The Believer a worthwhile film for interfaith couples to see in order to become more aware of the ways anti-Semitism can be internalized, but I fear the consequences if it is seen by anti-Semites.

The disturbing yet riveting film leaves viewers full of questions, eager to discuss it. Just in time to answer many of these questions, the Sundance Channel will air, on May 19 at 7:30 p.m., and on May 26 at 11 p.m., a fascinating documentary, Anatomy of a Scene: The Believer, in which writer/director Henry Bean discusses many of the thought processes that went into making the film, specific choices he made in the pivotal scene in which Danny repairs the Torah, why he chose Ryan Gosling to portray Danny, and aesthetic issues such as the use of a hand-held camera and the choice of a grainy-looking type of film.

Anatomy of a Scene: The Believer was edited by Jenny Raskin, Lisa M. Jones and Bill Shaw.

The Believer, which was inspired by a real story Bean read in the New York Times, won the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize in 2001.