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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => The Basement => Topic started by: Justice C. Bigler on April 28, 2017, 11:34:23 PM
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I have to admit that I'm feeling just a bit of glee hearing the reports of how all the super rich millennials were duped by a couple of shyster promoters...I mean, really? A luxury music festival on a private island in the Caribbean with tickets as much as $25,000?
I think Lee posted this article on the FaceBorg page.
http://nymag.com/thecut/2017/04/fyre-festival-exumas-bahamas-disaster.html?mid=fb-share-thecut
Hopefully none of the guys here got duped these these d-bags.
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I was just about to ask who was providing production for this dumpster fire.
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I was just about to ask who was providing production for this dumpster fire.
From what I've been reading, apparently NO ONE! ;D
They didn't book shit for production, and it's a desert island so there's nothing there to begin with. And there was some other Festival going on already in the Bahamas that tied up all the local production capability.
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http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Fyre-Festival-organizer-speaks-out-We-were-a-11107688.php
"We were a little bit ambitious."
No, you were frauds.
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I can't decide which is funnier reading, the shils shitposting on Reddit, or the actual real news articles.
It's like if someone got a bunch of production people together, collected all of their stories of their worst experiences ever, and then used all of those to build a festival; that's what Fyre Festival would be.
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From what I've been reading, apparently NO ONE! ;D
They didn't book shit for production, and it's a desert island so there's nothing there to begin with. And there was some other Festival going on already in the Bahamas that tied up all the local production capability.
I've seen a couple of videos with a few party supplier trailers, gennies, restroom trailers, and a far away shot of a StageLine stage with a couple of arrays hanging off of it. Allegedly a local band went ahead and played the first night for a couple of hours.
I'm fairly certain many of us here have dealt with smaller versions of event disasters like this at least once in our careers. Never expected to see one on this level before.
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http://nymag.com/thecut/2017/04/fyre-festival-exumas-bahamas-disaster.html?mid=twitter_cut
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http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Fyre-Festival-organizer-speaks-out-We-were-a-11107688.php
"We were a little bit ambitious."
No, you were frauds.
It's a fine line...
Were they frauds? Absolutely?
But did they KNOW they were frauds?
Individuals with an exalted opinion of their abilities taking on something that they were too ignorant to know was beyond their grasp?
seems to be trending lately...
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It's a fine line...
Were they frauds? Absolutely?
But did they KNOW they were frauds?
Individuals with an exalted opinion of their abilities taking on something that they were too ignorant to know was beyond their grasp?
seems to be trending lately...
I don't think any of the people at the top had a clue as to what it took to put together an event like this. What we have is the result of collective delusions regarding time line, budget, logistics and financing. I'm not sure anyone at the top of this organization is intellectually capable of pulling off a deliberate fraud.
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My view: School fete organisation meets premium expectations.
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We had a version of this a few years ago called the Secrets Festival. Not as much at stake, but the same kind of idiocy for people with too much money. As long as nobody gets hurt and artists and vendors dont get ripped off, I welcome the comedy gold
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I don't think any of the people at the top had a clue as to what it took to put together an event like this. What we have is the result of collective delusions regarding time line, budget, logistics and financing. I'm not sure anyone at the top of this organization is intellectually capable of pulling off a deliberate fraud.
Agreed.
Doing this type of event is NOT for the inexperienced.
On the surface, it is simple-hire some talent-hire a PA and charge a lot of money and we will get rich.
UH-not so easy, when you start to consider ALL of the various pieces that MUST be in place.
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Agreed.
Doing this type of event is NOT for the inexperienced.
On the surface, it is simple-hire some talent-hire a PA and charge a lot of money and we will get rich.
UH-not so easy, when you start to consider ALL of the various pieces that MUST be in place.
Not to mention the added complexity of doing it on a desert island! I mean thats an order of magnitude over doing it in the CONUS.
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To quote someone in a different arena (pardon the pun), "Who KNEW it could be this difficult?"
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The thing that gets me was the organizer warned the VIPs and models not to come, yet said nothing to the paying crowd.
Mens rea or not, that just isn't right.
John R.
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I'll tell you from experience, it takes a good amount of time and effort to get production rocking on the Bahamas, even on a small scale. Doesn't sound like these guys were ready for that. Add to that the other festival tying up limited production on the island. This all would have had to been ferried from Miami and ready weeks before.
I think most of us working in the rock and hip hop worlds have had that "promoter" call us 5 days before a major event "needing everything" and then jerking you around about paying even though the show's a few days away. I read that deposits weren't paid to bands and production, etc.
I imagine the Fyre folks started making those desperate calls 5 days before, except there is nearly no amount of money that can get that done fast.
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Apparently the organisers are being sued for $100 million for fraud.
http://ibankcoin.com/zeropointnow/2017/05/01/ja-rule-and-fyre-festival-slapped-with-100-million-lawsuit-for-multiple-counts-of-fraud/
Cheers,
Tim
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Apparently the organisers are being sued for $100 million for fraud.
http://ibankcoin.com/zeropointnow/2017/05/01/ja-rule-and-fyre-festival-slapped-with-100-million-lawsuit-for-multiple-counts-of-fraud/
Cheers,
Tim
Sue their a$$ off!
a rapper and actor who spent two years in federal prison on gun and tax evasion charges, is estimated to be worth at least $8 million dollars
Kiss you money goodbye dickhead.
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This month's generic insult: "You are the Frye Festival of <insert field of work>!"
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Apparently the organisers are being sued for $100 million for fraud.
http://ibankcoin.com/zeropointnow/2017/05/01/ja-rule-and-fyre-festival-slapped-with-100-million-lawsuit-for-multiple-counts-of-fraud/
Cheers,
Tim
Yep, piss off a bunch of rich brats who's daddies are senior partners in Park Ave law firms. ::)
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This month's generic insult: "You are the Frye Festival of <insert field of work>!"
I'll bet if we enlisted 4Chan, we could make it seem like being called Fyre Festival was always the ultimate insult in the production world, by the end of the week.
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I'll bet if we enlisted 4Chan, we could make it seem like being called Fyre Festival was always the ultimate insult in the production world, by the end of the week.
Literally, a Dumpster Fyre...
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I'll bet if we enlisted 4Chan, we could make it seem like being called Fyre Festival was always the ultimate insult in the production world, by the end of the week.
given everything else they do, id rather not give 4chan any more lulz
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Potential felon / alleged fraudster Billy McFarland tells employees they won't get paid for the most recent 2 weeks of work, nor going forward.
https://news.vice.com/story/audio-fyre-festival-founders-reveal-to-employees-nobodys-getting-paid
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Potential felon / alleged fraudster Billy McFarland tells employees they won't get paid for the most recent 2 weeks of work, nor going forward.
https://news.vice.com/story/audio-fyre-festival-founders-reveal-to-employees-nobodys-getting-paid (https://news.vice.com/story/audio-fyre-festival-founders-reveal-to-employees-nobodys-getting-paid)
What a colossal grade A douchebag.
I see many years of lawsuits, criminal investigations, and hopefully prison time in store for McFarland and Ja Rule. Not sure why anyone would choose to stick with his company as a volunteer. I guess the cult of personality overrules logic.
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A new development.
I don't know how true this is, just passing on what I saw.
If it is true-it is bad news for somebody.
http://ampthemag.com/the-real/fyre-festival-production-manager-says-bahamas-auction-off-10m-staging-unless-customs-bill-paid/
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A new development.
I don't know how true this is, just passing on what I
If it is true-it is bad news for somebody.
http://ampthemag.com/the-real/fyre-festival-production-manager-says-bahamas-auction-off-10m-staging-unless-customs-bill-paid/
what a huge mess !
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...the harder they fall...
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The Production company needs to make a deal with the Bahamian government. Try to pay a portion of the customs bill and get their equipment back and then both of them together can go after the Fyre Festival fruadsters.
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The Production company needs to make a deal with the Bahamian government. Try to pay a portion of the customs bill and get their equipment back and then both of them together can go after the Fyre Festival fruadsters.
My WAG is that for about $1m you could pay customs bill, get the stuff off the island and hold superior rights under international maritime law.
It sounds like we need a few folks with some spare coin to buy up this package and sell it back to the owners who *might* recover enough from shitstain tech-bro McFarland and JaRule (who is being sued separately for default on a loan he took out to help finance the fest) to recover it.
Anyone like auctions?
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Group buy?
Article says they(someone) owes $390,000 to Bahamian customs. Seems like a small price to pay for a couple $million in PA, staging, and lights.
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Group buy?
Article says they(someone) owes $390,000 to Bahamian customs. Seems like a small price to pay for a couple $million in PA, staging, and lights.
I figure the Customs dept would give consideration to anyone who ponies up anything close to the total provided it's gone by the end of the week... ;)
The other $600k was for local labor to pack it all up and ship it back to the USA. At 10 cents on the dollar it's not a 'presidential' extra special deal but still very good.
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I figure the Customs dept would give consideration to anyone who ponies up anything close to the total provided it's gone by the end of the week... ;)
The other $600k was for local labor to pack it all up and ship it back to the USA. At 10 cents on the dollar it's not a 'presidential' extra special deal but still very good.
The amount of people with a million dollars to spend recovering seized assets is mighty slim. You also have the issue that whoever financed it has a valid UCC lien. As soon as you bring it back in the states the lien is still in effect.
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The amount of people with a million dollars to spend recovering seized assets is mighty slim. You also have the issue that whoever financed it has a valid UCC lien. As soon as you bring it back in the states the lien is still in effect.
There's always a catch...
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The amount of people with a million dollars to spend recovering seized assets is mighty slim. You also have the issue that whoever financed it has a valid UCC lien. As soon as you bring it back in the states the lien is still in effect.
I'm no expert in international law, but typically a taxing authority passes clear title when it sells seized property at auction. Here, the lien holders will be sure to be the high bidders at any tax (customs) auction.
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From today's New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/21/arts/music/fyre-festival-billy-mcfarland-ja-rule-criminal-investigation.html
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. . .Here, the lien holders will be sure to be the high bidders at any tax (customs) auction.
One would certainly hope so. Has it come out that the promoters didn't have event insurance?
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Looks like the big suck for the production folks that went in to do the event. . .
http://ampthemag.com/the-real/fyre-festival-production-manager-says-bahamas-auction-off-10m-staging-unless-customs-bill-paid/ (http://ampthemag.com/the-real/fyre-festival-production-manager-says-bahamas-auction-off-10m-staging-unless-customs-bill-paid/)
??? Didn't read the thread? Ivan literally posted the exact same link a few posts above.
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??? Didn't read the thread? Ivan literally posted the exact same link a few posts above.
Read the first page, forgot about multiple pages. Thanks for calling me out, though. Was trying to delete the post but can't figure out how to get that done.
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I knew there was an appropriate musical tribute...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1uwIzI3SE
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Billy McFarland arrested, charged with wire fraud.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/30/arts/music/billy-mcfarland-fyre-festival-arrested.html (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/30/arts/music/billy-mcfarland-fyre-festival-arrested.html)
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Billy McFarland arrested, charged with wire fraud.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/30/arts/music/billy-mcfarland-fyre-festival-arrested.html (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/30/arts/music/billy-mcfarland-fyre-festival-arrested.html)
The new Digital Crystal Ball (with outdoor antenna and RF amp) says there will be more criminal charges, and JaRule will not escape them.
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So, did they ever get the equipment back?
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For those who still have an inquiring mind...
Billy McFarland, fraudster behind the ill-fated Fyre Festival has plead guilty (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/06/fyre-festival-promoter-billy-mcfarland-pleads-guilty-prison) to a plea bargain that will get him 8 to 10 years.
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For those who still have an inquiring mind...
Billy McFarland, fraudster behind the ill-fated Fyre Festival has plead guilty (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/06/fyre-festival-promoter-billy-mcfarland-pleads-guilty-prison) to a plea bargain that will get him 8 to 10 years.
Good news.
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Good news.
Glad to help.
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Thanks for the update. I like happy endings. (keep your replies clean)
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I hope the $300,000 bond to appear at sentencing is enough to ensure he shows up in court again.
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I hope the $300,000 bond to appear at sentencing is enough to ensure he shows up in court again.
His accommodations in some random federal penitentiary will be better than his ticket buyers got.
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His accommodations in some random federal penitentiary will be better than his ticket buyers got.
unfortunately !
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But, what happened to all of that gear and everything else?
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But, what happened to all of that gear and everything else?
Because all that un-sexy stuff like stages and production equipment isn't *people* that have money or some kind of influence, the mass media pays no attention.
Who were the vendors? Perhaps we can get some info from them and come up with some do's and dont's of dealing with ass-wipes like McFarland.
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Because all that un-sexy stuff like stages and production equipment isn't *people* that have money or some kind of influence, the mass media pays no attention.
Who were the vendors? Perhaps we can get some info from them and come up with some do's and dont's of dealing with ass-wipes like McFarland.
Not much else to say other than "don't".
I hope all involved are made whole somehow.
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The article quoted Luca Sabatini, co-owner of Unreal-Systems in Florida.
I found unreal-systems.com and they also have a facebook page, I didn't see any updates about this.
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The article quoted Luca Sabatini, co-owner of Unreal-Systems in Florida.
I found unreal-systems.com and they also have a facebook page, I didn't see any updates about this.
The problem is that that folks with some name recognition and flash cash can dazzle a small operator into making unwise decision in pursuit of the work.
Any of the big guys are going to require proper documentation of ability to pay, deposits paid on time etc. They are not in the business of providing credit. Nor should anyone be.
If something is too good to be true it usually is. I have heard countless pitches over the years from people wanting to pay for services based on some type of future performance. I always pass.
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The latest
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fyre-festival-organizer-billy-mcfarland-sentenced-6-years-fraud-charges-n919086
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6 years in the fed up pen
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So in the end he spends 3 years in prison/vacation and he has tucked away 26 millions or so somewhere.
So, what happened with that Ja Rule guy?
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So in the end he spends 3 years in prison/vacation and he has tucked away 26 millions or so somewhere.
So, what happened with that Ja Rule guy?
The judge ordered forfeiture of about $26m.... The brief article I read about McFarland's sentencing didn't address JaRule except to indicate he also lost money to McFarland as an investor.
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If you missed out on pissing away a few grand on tix you can catch the Fyre Festival on reruns
https://boingboing.net/2018/12/11/fyre-festival-documentary-to-a.html
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Just read that Netflix is showing a documentary on this fiasco in January.
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I'll bet that the documentary of this cluster fuck will make more money than the Fyre Festival lost.
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It just popped up on my Hulu today. Having nothing to do this evening except play with a suspect 5R lamp and script a firework display for next month I gave it a watch. Interesting...
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/20/online-fund-unpaid-fyre-festival-staff-raises-tens-of-thousands
And courtesy of dvsDave from Control Booth dot com, this link to Ja Rule's attempt at deflection -
https://www.complex.com/music/2019/01/ja-rule-defends-fyre-festival-role
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Just read that Netflix is showing a documentary on this fiasco in January.
Watched both the Hulu and Netflix documentaries.
The Netflix version was more "fun", with more actual footage of the unfolding of the mess and the minions who had to try to deal with it going down. The Hulu version was more oriented towards the scammer, Billy McFarland's machinations.
It is funny that Ja Rule, the man with the Fyre Fest "idea" recent booking app emulating the "Fyre" "book your own artist" concept is called ICONN, with the tagline “Book your OWN shows... Be your OWN boss... Become an ICONN".
Another con game..
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Why not just call it iCON?
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Why not just call it iCON?
kant spull ? 8)
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It is funny that Ja Rule, the man with the Fyre Fest "idea" recent booking app emulating the "Fyre" "book your own artist" concept is called ICONN, with the tagline “Book your OWN shows... Be your OWN boss... Become an ICONN".
I wonder if Carl Icahn is investing in iConn?
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I wonder if Carl Icahn is investing in iConn?
Looks like Carl Icahn has had plenty of his own con games going on without investing in Ja Rule!
On the Iconn (short for "Ice Connect" ::) ) website it says:
"We are very excited to announce our recent partnership with S.K.A.M. Artists Management!"
I'd have thought Ja Rule had spent enough time in jail already...
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I just heard some story about McFarland trying to get one of his guys to perform sexual favors to the Bahamian Customs agents in order to get their trucks full of water out of customs holding. :o
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I just heard some story about McFarland trying to get one of his guys to perform sexual favors to the Bahamian Customs agents in order to get their trucks full of water out of customs holding. :o
That was in the Netflix doc. He was ready to "take one for the team", but the agent released the water with the promise that they would be among the first to get the import duty paid.
All the rock & roll lies were used in the making of the Fyre farce ;^)
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I just watched the Hulu documentary. I didn't realize that McFarland was in bed with Aubrey McClendon of Chesapeake Energy. I guess fraudsters run in packs, though.
I feel bad for the vendors, staff and Bahamian locals that got burned financially by these guys. I have a harder time feeling bad for the spoiled brats that spent more in tickets for this thing than I make in a year. A little hardship in a deserted island for a few days did them good I think.
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Watched both the Hulu and Netflix documentaries.
The Netflix version was more "fun", with more actual footage of the unfolding of the mess and the minions who had to try to deal with it going down. The Hulu version was more oriented towards the scammer, Billy McFarland's machinations.
I'll have to check out the Netflix version then too!
I have a harder time feeling bad for the spoiled brats that spent more in tickets for this thing than I make in a year.
One of the things I took away from the documentary is that being a "social media influencer" is a thing... If only Chauvet or ETC paid me thousands of dollars for every time I "influence" someone towards the purchase of their products! But really, how does one get to the status of being paid hundreds of thousands for a single tweet? I can think of people that I've NEEDED in my life such as plumbers, electricians, doctors...engineers and designers who's work moves society forward...teachers who helps shape the brains of tomorrow... Never in my life have I NEEDED a social media influencer, yet why is it they're paid more than those who we truly do need?
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I just heard some story about McFarland trying to get one of his guys to perform sexual favors to the Bahamian Customs agents in order to get their trucks full of water out of customs holding. :o
Seth or Billy, lol
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I can think of people that I've NEEDED in my life such as plumbers, electricians, doctors...engineers and designers who's work moves society forward...teachers who helps shape the brains of tomorrow... Never in my life have I NEEDED a social media influencer, yet why is it they're paid more than those who we truly do need?
Some of us have been asking this same question about pro sportsball players for years.
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While we buy the products they endorse, the game will go on.
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Some of us have been asking this same question about pro sportsball players for years.
I've never been a sports fan. But I especially hate football. 8 years of indentured servitude in marching band will do that.
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I've never been a sports fan. But I especially hate football. 8 years of indentured servitude in marching band will do that.
I didn't play in the band (piano is hard to march with, back in the day) but share your resentment of the Worship of Football (good thing I'm not in Texas). High school, collegiate, professional... does not matter.
As George Carlin implied, the masses must have their attention diverted so they don't realize "they're being fucked by a system that threw them overboard 35 (now almost 50) years ago."
edit - to fix Carlin quote
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I've never been a sports fan. But I especially hate football. 8 years of indentured servitude in marching band will do that.
I was in marching band back in high school - it's actually one of my favorite memories from that point in life. As far as professional sports go, I've never followed them. Growing up in Cleveland will do that to you... In fact, the last time I went to a baseball game was because I was paid to be there! I just think it's crazy though how much social media has infected society. Last month I put on a small fireworks display for a wedding on Miami Beach and the number of Instagram model wannabes polluting the area was insane! It was like a forest of zombies and selfie sticks! I just don't understand the need to share pictures of myself to feel validated by a bunch of people I don't know...
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It was like a forest of zombies and selfie sticks!
When I first heard of this "Fyre Festival" thing -long before it tanked and became worldwide news, this is what I initially imagined it would look like.
-just a fancy background for narcissists
(Years of managing "trendy nightclub" A/V taught me to be so jaded about things like that)
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I watched the Netflix movie last night-highly recommended. A roller-coaster of organizational ineptitude from an entitled, narcissistic millennial. Billy McFarland apparently started another Ticket-scam company while he was on bail after being charged for fraud from Fyre. He deserves everything he got.
-Mark
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Just watched it too.
I think he is a member of the "If you believe it hard enough and say it often enough, it will come true".
NOT!
What a douche.
Ever notice how in these things the ones that get hurt the most are the ones doing the actual work?
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There are times that I really bemoan the lack of a like button on the forums.
I didn't play in the band (piano is hard to march with, back in the day) but share your resentment of the Worship of Football (good thing I'm not in Texas). High school, collegiate, professional... does not matter.
As George Carlin implied, the masses must have their attention diverted so they don't realize "they're being fucked by a system that threw them overboard 35 (now almost 50) years ago."
edit - to fix Carlin quote
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More to come
http://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/models-face-subpoenas-regarding-missing-234252624.html
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Jurassic Fraud: Fyre edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aouBBeaLGxM&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aouBBeaLGxM&feature=youtu.be)
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Jurassic Fraud: Fyre edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aouBBeaLGxM&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aouBBeaLGxM&feature=youtu.be)
*Nice*
Chris.