Gifts from the Gods

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Guest · #1 Post by **Guest** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 02:09

I read that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated $200 million to accelerate research on Grand Challenges in Global Health.
Irrespective of what we think of "Microsoft", one has to give credit where credit is due.
Bill Gates has to be admired as being one of the great Philanthropists of our time.

I think the foundation has donated in total around 7bn dollars for Medical research and other related issues.

I for one say "Good on you Bill".

Lobster · #2 Post by **Lobster** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 02:44

Have the saintly Bill and Melinda been so elevated?

Yes indeed - this will do more to alleviate suffering than every Om Mani Peme Hung the Dalai Lama has ever chanted and every prayer the Pope has ever inspired . . .

However I am even more generous with other peoples money and I commit The Puppy Foundation to ensure everyone gets at least one meal a day. We already bought Google (little do they know)

I recently read an article about how many millions MS is spending on proving it is not a "big corporation" - maybe they will be using guireulla - how do you spell that? - marketing? Maybe it has started?

http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,701 ... =rss.index

#3 Post by **Flash** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 02:50

Mr. Gates' concern for our health is admirable. The leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. is smoking. Is he doing anything about that?

Guest · #4 Post by **Guest** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 03:54

I have no argument with WG (multi billionaire) donating to worthwhile causes, we have to make a distinction between his M$ juggernaut, and the B&M Foundation. He gathers with the one hand and distributes with the other.
We in the West live in a capitalist driven society. Let those with the means give to those without the means.
To those who have problems with our current society, propose an alternative approach.
I guarantee the masses (the great body of the working people) will look you in the red eye, and say get nicked.

Auda · #5 Post by **Auda** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 04:47

Didn't some one say, its easier for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a camel to. Something like that anyway.

My guess is that Bill hasn't heard this and is preping himself for heaven, doing good deads so he looks good. I still think he's a bastard. Giving away a few billion of his ill gotten gains doesnt help.

Auda

Guest · #6 Post by **Guest** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 06:04

I wonder if the disadvantaged people who are getting help from the B&M Foundation, have the same opinion of Bill as you do Auda.
Maybe it's not Bill who is a bastard (your description not mine), but we conceited, greedy individuals who are the biggest B's.

Guest · #7 Post by **Guest** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 07:21

I couldn't agree more

conceited, greedy individuals who are the biggest B's.

Who does that make you think of in the computer world ?

Auda

Guest · #8 Post by **Guest** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 13:41

<Who does that make you think of in the computer world ?>

You and Me!

muggins · #9 Post by **muggins** » Thu 02 Feb 2006, 14:00

read that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated $200 million to accelerate research on Grand Challenges in Global Health.

down here in the antipodes there's a gardening show, on abc tv, called "gardening australia", run by an expat-british gardener that i admire, called peter cundall. as down-to-earth bloke as you could ever see, pushing 80 years, full of vigour, and he last saw a doctor when in the army in 1951!

his solution to global health...simple...organic gardening.

also have to mention the only oz to win an alternative nobel, bill mollison, co-originator of permaculture.

Dougal · #10 Post by **Dougal** » Fri 03 Feb 2006, 10:48

muggins wrote:down here in the antipodes there's a gardening show, on abc tv, called "gardening australia", run by an expat-british gardener that i admire, called peter cundall. as down-to-earth bloke as you could ever see, pushing 80 years, full of vigour, and he last saw a doctor when in the army in 1951!

I sure enjoyed Gardening Australia when I had the chance to watch it. Especially liked the old man in Tazzie- is he the one you were referring to?
GA and the agriculture news programme are some quality weekend telly!

As for BG, couldn't we assume that he's just making an investment? If people don't die they're around longer to buy a new version of Wind'oh!

muggins · #11 Post by **muggins** » Fri 03 Feb 2006, 12:32

yeah dougal,

that's the bloke. he's a true radical cos he actually suggests people get out there & grow plants without buying anything!

Guest · #12 Post by **Guest** » Fri 03 Feb 2006, 22:01

Auda wrote:Didn't some one say, its easier for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a camel to. Something like that anyway.

Actual statement: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."
-Jesus, Mark 10:25 (English Standard Version)

Nobody knows for sure what BG's motives are, but experience has told me it's always best to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. I am always a bit disconcerted at people slamming anyone else because the other person is rich. Everybody on this forum wants money. Gates knows how to market a product, you have to grant him that. Programming is another issue...

If I don't like Microsoft, it's because something is wrong with their product, not simply because they have something -money- I don't.

Andrew Carnegie put forth the idea of philanthropy. I think it would be a good idea for the good people here to study.

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