Help Aki Get to ProgPower VI!

[AMBR]

But who is this guy, and why should I give him money to come to this show? It would be different if he was diseased and seeing this show was his dying wish. By the way this whole deal has been described, it just sounds like the guy simply can't afford the trip. He's not the only guy on the planet who has this problem. Does this mean we should start a fundraiser for everybody who wants to attend but doesn't have the funds?

It was just a cool thing to do for those who wanted to and apparently many did since it only took 48 hours to raise the funds. I think it was a real sign of metal solidarity that even people who didn't know Aki were willing to help a brother out. I did it because my Finnish friend, Petri, helped me a lot when I went over there a year ago, including buying me Stratovarius tickets. Everyone was super friendly, generous and very patient with me, so I was happy to give something back.

 

[AngraRULES]

Met-Al, he's from Finland. Therefore, he can't drive, otherwise I'm quite sure he would =)

 

[Met-Al]

It's cool that you guys are helping Aki come to Atlanta, and it's refreshing to see that there are that many generous souls out there. Yes, I do realize that Finland and the U.S. are separated by an ocean. Yes, I do realize that somebody else started up the fund. I was just thinking that I would feel like a total dork if somebody started asking people for money so I could attend a concert. That's why I save up money each year for this event. It's a priority for me. If coming to ProgPower this year was that important to Aki, I would think that he'd budget himself accordingly, just like any other person attending would. I commend you all for being generous, but just the same, you could be generous to your local charity instead of helping Joe Schmoe Finland with being able to afford going to a concert. That's just my two cents.


Stay metal. Never rust.
Met-Al

 

[13ShadesofGray]

Which no one asked for, I might add. I apologize for coming off as acidic in my reaction to your opinion. I also hope that you can understand that to post comments like this in a thread that was started by someone's unselfish kindness leaves a pretty bad taste in my mouth.

Aki is a wonderful person. Many others, including the man behind this entire festival, contributed to help get a friend out here for a very special event. I think we all know that ProgPower is much, much more than just "a concert". It's a gathering of friends unlike any other. Charity encompasses a hell of a lot more to me than just *organizations*, and I personally think you're opinion is both rude and uncalled for.

*whew* Okay, done ranting now.

 

[Harvester]

, and I personally think you're opinion is both rude and uncalled for.

I agree.

Glenn H.

 

[booB]

If coming to ProgPower this year was that important to Aki, I would think that he'd budget himself accordingly, just like any other person attending would.

riiiiiiiiight... because, as everyone knows, Aki spent all his ProgPower money this year on hookers and beer.

I commend you all for being generous, but just the same, you could be generous to your local charity instead of helping Joe Schmoe Finland with being able to afford going to a concert. That's just my two cents.

1) How do you know those of us who have helped Aki don't also give to local charities?

2) It's our money; why should you care WHO we help with it? Your comments are akin to bitching at the American Heart Association because there are so many other things they could use their donations for, in addition to heart-related research and education.

3) In the past, when I was in a poor financial situation, I had good friends who helped me get to ProgPower, because they knew that I really wanted to go, but that there was no way I could afford it on my own. Since then, now that I don't have the same financial restraints I once had, I've helped finance two different people (three including Aki) in getting to ProgPower. Call it "giving back" if you want... I don't care what you think of it, but I don't want my friends to have to miss out on ProgPower due to financial restraints. I've been there.

4) As you said, Aki is "Joe Schmoe Finland", to you. You don't know him. However, if this was a bunch of us collecting contributions to sponsor some sort of "special guest", of whom you were a fan, I guarantee your response would be different.

5) Most importantly, Aki is our friend, and we want to help him out. No one ever said that helping Aki was required for attendance this year. If you don't know him, or if you know him but don't want to contribute, fine. But you're not making any friends by chiding us for our efforts.

 

[PowerFreak]

Well said Bobby my boy.

A bud helped me out a lot last year when things were sucking the suck out suck like they've never sucked before. It meant a hell of a lot to me to know that this person cared and wanted me to be around my chosen family again.

Glad you'll be making it Aki. Let's throw back a couple while my boss has his back turned. Then we'll tap him on the shoulder and a throw back a few more.

Zilla

 

[Morticia NL.]

I think it is so sweet! I was reading this thread and it warms my heart to see how people help out one another.
We also do this back home ( Holland) sometimes. A lot of my friends are students and if they cannot come up with the money to buy a festival ticket- we will all chip in ( we are a group of about 25) Why would anyone be bitching about this??? I do not see the point.

Anyway, I am really happy to be coming to this festival- if this is the spirit of the festival, it will be great to talk to the other fans and meet some new people.

 

[Met-Al]

For those of you who donated to Aki's fund, I salute your kindness. I never meant to chastise anyone for doing so. There's absolutely nothing wrong with helping out a friend. Call me skeptical, but without having known Aki or the person who started the fund, I was afraid that it could be a scam. Speaking of scams, the thread started by Mallcore Massacre is a prime example of what I was worried about. I thought that this thread would prompt some selfish bastard to try raising money for his or herself. However, there's a big difference between this fund and that of Mallcore Massacre. Knowing this, I apologize for opening my big online mouth. Since Aki is coming, I'd be more than happy to meet him and buy him a pint. On a final note (for Boob), I would not throw down on the chance to have any special guest musician at ProgPower. That would make me very hypocritical.


Stay metal. Never rust.
Met-Al

 

[Pellaz]

For those of you who donated to Aki's fund, I salute your kindness. I never meant to chastise anyone for doing so. There's absolutely nothing wrong with helping out a friend. Call me skeptical, but without having known Aki or the person who started the fund, I was afraid that it could be a scam.

Well, actually, I wasn't sure either, so I waited until Aki confirmed it was real before I donated.

 

[mtlheart]

...and I personally think you're opinion is both rude and uncalled for.

So unlike the responses in the other "Help" thread right? :Smug:

You are pathethic! Get a job.

I don't whether to believe this thread is for real or not...

Either way...

...what a dildo!


Rock on!

What an idiot...

Gotta love an good old fashioned double standard.

 

[AMBR]

The first time set up by a friend is cool.
A copy cat set up by ones self is tacky.

 

[Curufin]

So unlike the responses in the other "Help" thread right? :Smug:






Gotta love an good old fashioned double standard.

I think you're missing the fact that the other thread was some random person asking for money for himself.

 

[mtlheart]

I think you're missing the fact that the other thread was some random person asking for money for himself.

I don't see much difference in begging or having someone beg for you. However, the double standard is that the members of this board are quick to flame someone for asking for money, while at the same time flamming someone for simply questioning why one should donate to either.

Personally I agree with Met-Al, and don't think either of them desereve a hand out. I really don't care where people choose to spend their own money. Nevertheless, all the same suggestions (frying chicken, pumping gas, flipping burgers at McDonalds etc.) that apply to person 2 apply to person 1, be they in Finland, Japan, or the US. And both had ample time to prepare.

What I take exception to is Met-Al, or anyone for that matter, being flammed for making a valid observation even though he saluted the kindness of the donators.

 

[13ShadesofGray]

Want to make a couple of things clear, here. First off, I was taken aback by the textual tone of Met-Al's initial post. Knowing it was legit, and being a friend of Aki's, I did not think it was appropriate to bash on some friends helping out a friend. I did not state that Met-Al made no valid points. He indeed had made a valid point, case in point the other ridiculous thread that began. Having just seen the recent posts today, I salute Met-Al back for being cool about it. We both stated our opinions, rather harshly. Call it flaming if you will.

Now, the other thread? Whatever grief is being set upon that person, they brought upon themselves. Haven't seen a post from me there. Why? Because, the last post I read was from Glen, stating "I think this thread should end." I'm not contributing after having seen that. I could have when I read the first post a couple of days ago, absolutely. In this instance I wasn't feeling ridiculed for wanting to help out a friend. What's the point in just adding more ridiculousness to ridiculousness, you know? (which, ironically, I feel I'm doing here.)

 

[junnie from the east]

So unlike the responses in the other "Help" thread right? :Smug:

Gotta love an good old fashioned double standard.

i don't think this is the double standard. it's based on one standard, if the person could find the good reason to donate or not. or am i wrong?

 

[booB]

I agree with you (mtlheart) to an extent; I couldn't help but cringe at people berating this MallcoreDude, when they don't know his exact situation. That's why my reply to him wasn't inflammatory; I was just giving him advice.

However, the point you're still missing, which Met-Al understands now, is that Aki is our friend. Not "friend" in the sense of "brothers of metal from around the world" or any such nonsense as that. Those of us who chose to help Aki actually KNOW him, have hung out with him in person on multiple occasions, and, in some cases, have been friends with him for five years or longer.

the other thread was some random person asking for money for himself.

What curufin said. However, this is the least important reason why the two situations are different. Think about it. If you're short on next month's rent, who are you going to ask for help: your friends/family, or complete strangers? This MallcoreGuy asked a bunch of people who don't know him for financial assistance in traveling to a concert, whereas curufin's donation page for Aki stated, specifically, that it was for friends of Aki. The reason it was here on the ProgPower board was obviously because it seems to be the most centralized place for Aki's friends to see it.

Speaking of scams, the thread started by Mallcore Massacre is a prime example of what I was worried about. I thought that this thread would prompt some selfish bastard to try raising money for his or herself.

I don't think any of us know for a fact that MallcoreGuy's intention was to scam money out of us; perhaps he's legit as well, or perhaps he's someone from this board who is just trying to "make a point" under a separate screen name. However, we're adults here, and we each have the ability and the right to differentiate for ourselves who truly needs our financial help and who doesn't. Let the scammers come; they'll be ignored, ridiculed, or deleted. Who cares?

 

[mtlheart]

I agree with you (mtlheart) to an extent; I couldn't help but cringe at people berating this MallcoreDude, when they don't know his exact situation. That's why my reply to him wasn't inflammatory; I was just giving him advice.

However, the point you're still missing, which Met-Al understands now, is that Aki is our friend. Not "friend" in the sense of "brothers of metal from around the world" or any such nonsense as that. Those of us who chose to help Aki actually KNOW him, have hung out with him in person on multiple occasions, and, in some cases, have been friends with him for five years or longer.

I didn't miss that point, but it's pretty egocentric to think that because you know something or someone that everyone else does too. The point that's being missed is that this is a larger community than the friends of Aki. Granted there are some people here who know Aki, but there are also many who don't know him or crufin for that matter.

The post didn't start with "For those of you who know Aki..." it started out with "Aki is our friend from Finland..." Who's our? Crufin's and Joe's? Crufin's and Jane's? Obviously he isn't crufin's and Met-Al's, nor crufin's and mine, nor crufin's and many others'.
I assure you that reading the post Met-Al wasn't the only one to think "What? Who the hell is this, and why should I donate?" But he's the one that typed those thoughts, and he got flammed for it.

I'm glad for you all that Aki and friends get to gather at PPVI, good for you all. I just think that Met-Al was initially treated unfairly, which was not cool. Now everyone seems to be seeing eye to eye on this thing, which is cool, so that's all I'm going to say on this subject.

 

[Curufin]

Just as clarification, I posted this on this board because a lot of the people who had previously told Aki they'd help him get to ProgPower if he needed post on this forum, so I figured it was a pretty centralized place to let those who had previously wanted to help Aki do so.

Goodtimes

p.s. Mtlheart, you missed the first 'u' in my nickname

 

[mtlheart]

Just as clarification, I posted this on this board because a lot of the people who had previously told Aki they'd help him get to ProgPower if he needed post on this forum, so I figured it was a pretty centralized place to let those who had previously wanted to help Aki do so.

Goodtimes

p.s. Mtlheart, you missed the first 'u' in my nickname

My apologies, sir.