CALDEIRÃO DE BOLSA

Two-year delay for revamp of U2 hotel

THE €150m redevelopment of U2's Clarence Hotel will not get under way for another two years.

After a protracted planning application process, Bono and The Edge are willing to wait before closing down the Dublin city centre hotel.

A spokeswoman for the project told the Herald the Clarence would operate as normal for the next two years.

"The owners are currently working on the design and pro-ject management requirements. For the next two years, the Clarence Hotel is fully operational as normal," she said.

The hotel will re-open again following the redevelopment in 2012 or 2013, the spokeswoman added. An Bord Pleanala gave the go ahead last July to the Norman Foster-designed pro-ject, which has been going through the planning process for over a year and a half.

The decision was hugely significant as the redevelopment will involve gutting a series of protected buildings, including the Clarence itself, leaving just the facades.

Revised plans will have to be submitted to Dublin City Council as the planning board directed certain changes.

The massive revamp was granted permission by Dublin City Council in November but that decision was appealed.

An Bord Pleanala then directed that an oral hearing take place.

DEMOLITION

Permission was granted despite the Department of the Environment saying it did not believe the plan was of such architectural merit as to justify the demolition of six protected buildings.

The U2 band members, along with property developers Paddy McKillen and Derek Quinlan, will transform the 44-bedroom boutique hotel into a 141-bedroom, five-star hotel and spa, complete with restaurant, bar and fresh food market.

During the oral hearing, The Edge, whose real name is David Evans, said: "If it goes ahead, it will be the ninth different version of a hotel on that site. We want to keep the infrastructure in the city -- we don't want it to turn into apartments. We don't want it to be lost."

But the plan caused controversy as it involves a massive reconstruction of the Clarence, an art deco building dating from 1937, four Georgian buildings from the early 19th century and Dollard House, built in 1886.

All are listed buildings and only the facades along Wellington Quay in the south inner city will be preserved.

It is proposed to re-use skirting boards, fireplaces, floorboards and all other internal features in the new building.

A huge glass atrium, which will be accessible to the public, will be at the heart of the hotel, with a skycatcher allowing light to enter the hotel.

Bjork Turns Venture Capitalist

Icelandic singer partners with financial services firm to launch sustainable investment fund.

The quirky singer and actress Bjork is hunting for investors to inject capital into her economically troubled country, whose financial system collapsed in October.

Nominated for 13 Grammy awards, an Oscar and two Golden Globe awards, she has become a venture capitalist, teaming up with Reykjavik-based Audur Capital to raise money to invest in sustainable businesses in Iceland.

Fundraising won't commence until January, but Bjork's involvement in the project has triggered such interest that the fund, which carries the 43-year-old singer's name, is expected to raise as much as 2.0 billion Icelandic kroner ($16.5 million) by the end of March, after an initial investment from Audur and Bjork of 100 million Icelandic kroner, Audur's chief executive, Kristin Petursdottir, told Forbes.com.

"We believe there are some interesting investment opportunities related to our nature and green energy. We need to pursue these investments even in the current crisis because that's really our future and we need to do things differently than how we have done in the past," Petursdottir said. "We want economic return but in a sustainable matter."

Iceland, with a population of 320,000 people on an island the size of Kentucky, is one of the hardest-hit victims of the global financial crisis. Its banks, which have been seized by the government, hold debts that are approximately six times Iceland's annual gross domestic product of 14 billion euros ($19.0 billion).

Sect Escreveu:... o dinheiro dos impostos servem para ajudar aqueles que se encontram mal tal como um dia nos podemos vir a tar e para melhor a qualidade de vida de todos nós.

Rui12ld Escreveu:Esse o Bono, não é aquele que passa o tempo a apregoar que deviamos dar o nosso $ aos outros? Porque não dá ele o dele? Se fosse Português votava no Bloco de certeza.

Abraço

Rui12ld Escreveu:Era só a brincar da minha parte, pois o Bono decidiu não pagar os impostos que devia (se calhar até não devia mas isso é outra conversa, de qq modo não justifica o acto de ter ido para um paraíso fiscal e apregoar as suas bondades aos 4 cantos do mundo choramingando $ (pois foi/é isso que ele faz!!)). Isto pode ser comprovado com qq irlandês pois criou uma imensa polémica no país.

PERGUNTA: NINGUEM VÊ A HIPOCRISIA DO HOMEM? ou sou só eu?

Abraço

PERGUNTA: NINGUEM VÊ A HIPOCRISIA DO HOMEM? ou sou só eu?

Certo dia uma mãe foi ver o filho no Dia de Juramento da Bandeira . Em plena parada , conseguiu descortinar o filho que , inserido no batalhão , marchava no meio de 600 homens . Gritou para a mãe do lado " É o meu filho !! " , ao que a outra respondeu " Qual deles ? " , " Aquele !! Aquele ali !! É o unico que acerta o passo da marcha ao contrário dos outros 599 ...!!! " disse embevecida...

Rui12ld Escreveu:Eu não sou nada contra a criação de riqueza, nem disse que quem tem muito deve dar muito, só não creio é que devam dizer aos outros para dar quando eles próprios não dão!!

Recognition
This section may contain proseline.
Please help convert this timeline into prose or, if necessary, a list. (help)
Bill Gates, Bono, and Melinda Gates on the cover of TIME Magazine.
Bill Gates, Bono, and Melinda Gates on the cover of TIME Magazine.

* In 2004 Bono was awarded the Pablo Neruda International Presidential Medal of Honour from the Government of Chile.[33]
* Bono was a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, 2005 and 2006.[34]
* Bono is the only person in history to be nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Grammy, and Nobel Peace Prize.[35]
* Time named Bono one of the "100 Most Influential People" in their May 2004 special issue, and again in the 2006 Time 100 special issue.
* In 2005 Bono was named by Time as a Person of the Year along with Bill and Melinda Gates.
* In 2005 he received the Portuguese Order of Liberty for his humanitarian work.[36]
* Bono was named in the United Kingdom's 2007 New Years Honours List as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[37] He was formally granted knighthood on 29 March 2007 in a ceremony at the residence of British Ambassador David Reddaway in Dublin, Ireland.[38]
* He is listed at #86 on 100 Greatest Britons, a poll conducted by the general public. Bono being one of three Irish, and a list that includes Shakespeare, Charles Darwin, and Queen Elizabeth I.[citation needed]
* Bono received the NAACP Image Award's Chairman's Award in 2007.[39]
* On May 24, 2007, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia announced that Bono will receive the Philadelphia Liberty Medal on September 27, 2007 for his work to end world poverty and hunger.[40]

Humanitarian work

In a 1986 interview with Rolling Stone magazine Bono explained that he was motivated to become involved in social and political causes by seeing one of the benefit shows staged by Monty Python's John Cleese and producer Martin Lewis for human rights organization Amnesty International in 1979. "I saw 'The Secret Policeman's Ball' and it became a part of me. It sowed a seed..." In 2001 Bono arranged for U2 to videotape a special live performance for that year's Amnesty benefit show. Introducing the performance, Bono referred to The Secret Policeman's Ball as "a mysterious and extraordinary event that certainly changed my life..."

Bono and U2 performed on Amnesty's Conspiracy Of Hope tour of the United States in 1986 alongside Sting. U2 also performed in the Band Aid and Live Aid projects organised by Bob Geldof. In 1984, Bono sang on the Band Aid single "Do They Know it's Christmas?/Feed the World" (a role that was reprised on the 2004 Band Aid 20 single of the same name). Geldof and Bono later collaborated to organise the 2005 Live 8 project where U2 also performed.
Bono with President Lula da Silva of Brazil
Bono with President Lula da Silva of Brazil
Bono & U.S. President George W. Bush
Bono & U.S. President George W. Bush

Since 1999, Bono has become increasingly involved in campaigning for third-world debt relief and raising awareness of the plight of Africa including the AIDS pandemic. In the past decade Bono has met with several influential politicians including United States President George W. Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin.[28] During a March 2002 visit to the White House, after President Bush unveiled a $5 billion aid package, he accompanied the President for a speech on the White House lawn. He stated, "This is an important first step, and a serious and impressive new level of commitment. ... This must happen urgently, because this is a crisis."[28] In May of that year, Bono took US Treasury Secretary Paul H. O'Neill on a four-country tour of Africa. In 2005 Bono spoke on CBC Radio alleging Prime Minister Martin was being slow about increasing Canada's foreign aid.[29]

Bono spoke in advance of President Bush at the 54th Annual National Prayer Breakfast, held at the Hilton Washington Hotel on 2 February 2006. In a speech peppered with biblical references, Bono encouraged the care of the socially and economically depressed. His comments included a call for an extra 1% "tithe" of the United States' national budget. He brought his Christian views into harmony with other faiths by noting that Christian, Jewish, and Muslim writings all call for the care of the widow, orphan, and stranger. Bono continued by saying much work is left to be done to be a part of God's ongoing purposes.[30]

Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa was established in 2002 by Bono and Bobby Shriver, along with activists from the Jubilee 2000 Drop the Debt Campaign. Some of DATA's goals are to eradicate poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. DATA encourages Americans to contact senators and other legislators and elected officials to voice their opinions.

In early 2005, Bono, his wife Ali Hewson, and New York-based Irish fashion designer Rogan Gregory launched the socially conscious line EDUN in an attempt to shift the focus in Africa from aid to trade. EDUN's goal is to use factories in Africa, South America, and India that provide fair wages to workers and practice good business ethics to create a business model that will encourage investment in developing nations.[31]

Product Red is an initiative begun by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Bobby Shriver has been announced as the CEO of Product Red, whilst Bono is currently an active public spokesperson for the brand. Product Red is a brand which is licensed to partner companies such as American Express, Apple Computer, Converse, Motorola, The Gap and Giorgio Armani. Each company will create a product with the Product Red logo and a percentage of the profits from the sale of these labelled products will go to the Global Fund.[32]

Rui12ld Escreveu: O Homem do boné não paga impostos (pelo menos os que deve) e diz publicamente que eu devo aumentar a minha contribuição para ajudar os outros!!??

arnie Escreveu:eu adoro esta ideia de que quem luta pelo direito dos pobres, dos desfavorecidos não pode gerar fortuna em nome proprio.

é daquelas coisas que eu acho simplesmente genial.

para ajudar os pobres, os desfavorecidos é necessario dinheiro

os maiores responsaveis pela fome e pela miseria no mundo não é o Bono, ou o Bill, ou o Buffet, mas sim os homens do poder, os presidentes, os generais, os politicos, que roubam os paises e as pessoas que governam

não falem do negocio do Bono, falem de angola, falem do seu presidente que durante anos juntou uma fortuna incalculavel enquanto o povo morria e morre à fome, falem da china e da opressão que esta tem feito no tibete e falem de tantos outros corruptos

o Bono ganha milhões? e depois? por acaso ele está a roubar? se surgir uma oportunidade de negocio para voces e se puderem, voces não a aproveitam? qual é a diferença? porque razão voces são mais que ele que podem ganhar dinheiro com negocios e ele não?

as vezes acho incrivel como é que é possivel andar-se nesta vida de mercados financeiros, de investimentos e depois dizer mal daquilo que eles mesmo fazem, mesmo sendo numa escala muito menor


um abraço
arnie