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Last post Author Topic: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime  (Read 17437 times)

wraith808

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Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« on: February 08, 2013, 09:38 PM »
Bill Gates had [sic] donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime.

Even more impressive -  he's convinced 92 of his billionaire peers (including Mark Zuckerberg, Ted Turner, and Warren Buffett, and George Lucas) to sign his Giving Pledge and commit to donating the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

kyrathaba

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2013, 09:43 PM »
That's awesome! It's nice to know there are still philanthropic, magnanimous souls.

Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2013, 10:15 PM »
That's awesome! It's nice to know there are still philanthropic, magnanimous souls.

I'm a bit more skeptical there.

Merely questioning things a little bit. i.e. Being offensive.

The world today has 6.8 billion people... that's headed up to about 9 billion. Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent.
-Bill Gates on population reduction

Advocates what could easily be interpreted as eugenics? Buys stock in Monsanto? Pays for newspaper articles for positive coverage?

I smell smoke.

Put the following alphabetically arranged words in their proper order:

  • a
  • clothing
  • in
  • sheep's
  • wolf

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Rover

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2013, 10:55 PM »
The best I can say about W. Gates is, that compared to Steve Jobs philanthropic ventures,  W. & B. are saints.   :P

I have issues with their choices, motivation, etc.  But at least he's giving back.

I'm significantly not impressed by the amount.  After you have a few billion, what's the difference?
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wraith808

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2013, 11:00 PM »
I'm a bit more skeptical there.

Has anyone ever actually asked him what he meant by that quote?  And if he meant birth control being delivered knowingly in vaccines in areas where the population growth is out of control, is that a bad thing?  Just playing Devil's Advocate here.

I'm significantly not impressed by the amount.  After you have a few billion, what's the difference?

If it's half of his reported wealth, that's not impressive?

Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2013, 11:15 PM »
Has anyone ever actually asked him what he meant by that quote?  And if he meant birth control being delivered knowingly in vaccines in areas where the population growth is out of control, is that a bad thing?  Just playing Devil's Advocate here.

I'm content to sniff wafts of smoke here. :)
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Rover

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2013, 11:29 PM »
I'm significantly not impressed by the amount.  After you have a few billion, what's the difference?

If it's half of his reported wealth, that's not impressive?

Pfft!  No!  Half of 100x more than I could ever spend* in a lifetime?  No!  Not impressed.  Conversely, I am saddened by by the number of financial moguls that seek to establish family dynasties that survive their deaths.  

It's my opinion and I'm entitled.  ;)

*Seriously!  Unless you piss money away, 10 million $ would keep 99.9% of Americans happy and healthy for 100 years.  And American's piss away $ faster than anyone.
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Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2013, 12:42 AM »
Pfft!  No!  Half of 100x more than I could ever spend* in a lifetime?  No!  Not impressed. 

I can understand that.

I'm not impressed because I've looked into what his money is doing, but that's another question.

But as for giving away half? Seems like an impressive number to me. I think it's just that after a certain amount, "more" becomes basically meaningless. If you have $10 billion, will another $10 billion really change your lifestyle or do anything for you that you can't already do? Well, other than perhaps funding wars & coups and other things that most normal people don't really think of as a part of their lifestyle. :D
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wraith808

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2013, 01:14 AM »
So... there's a lot of billionaires that don't give anywhere near as much.  And when one does, we say 'whatever, it doesn't mean anything anyway'?  Hmmm...

Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2013, 02:31 AM »
So... there's a lot of billionaires that don't give anywhere near as much.  And when one does, we say 'whatever, it doesn't mean anything anyway'?  Hmmm...

I vaguely recall a parable about a poor old woman and a rich merchant. They both donate to something and the resultant praise at the end is for the poor old woman because she gave so much compared to what she had, and that not being much at all. (Maybe someone recalls the parable better, or has a link.)

I think that's the thing pointed out above. Someone correct me if I've missed the point or misrepresented anything.
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Shades

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2013, 04:14 AM »
@Renegade:
That story is even mentioned in the Bible. But that is a bit of reverse psychology, if you ask me. After all, there is a magnitude of difference in the amount of people with low income and the rich. Still, getting a little from lots and lots of people is still a lot of money.

Plus the guilt trip that is the catholic church, made sure anyone would keep paying for their subscription to heaven.

[/off-topic]

It is an impressive sum Billy G. gave away. But I always get the feeling it is that (at least) 75% of the reasoning behind it is tax deductions and PR. Cannot blame him for that, though. And compared with Steve "Ebenezer" Jobs, Billy G.'s stairway will eventually reach the sewege lines under heaven.

There is a saying in Holland...Preacher says to banker/major/CEO of biggest company in town: You keep 'em poor, I'll keep 'em stupid. All based on the golden (Roman) rule "give the people bread and games".

4wd

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2013, 05:15 AM »
If it's half of his reported wealth, that's not impressive?

Isn't he just giving back what he was given years ago?

Bill Gates to Get Half
Redmond, WA--In a move designed to hasten the inevitable, billionaire Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates announced yesterday that from now on, he will be getting half.

Gates, whose savvy and aggressiveness propelled his Microsoft Corporation to the top of the business world and made him America's richest man with an estimated fortune of $18 billion, announced his plan at a press conference yesterday from his Seattle-area compound. "I get half," he explained.

It has not yet been decided if Gates' half will be taken straight down the middle or by liquidating all assets and dividing up raw capital. The question will be settled later this week by a special session of Gates' half of the U.S. Congress.

"Don't touch anything until you're sure it's not part of my half," Gates instructed the world's citizenry yesterday via the several million 40-foot-high projection screens he has scattered throughout the globe. "I don't want anyone messing up stuff in my half."

Until everything can be clearly divided between Gates and persons who are not Gates, measures will be taken to ensure the integrity of Gates' half.

Citizens are instructed to remain in their homes, consuming a carefully monitored minimum of their perishables and subjecting their personal possessions to as little wear and tear as possible.

In the event something belonging to Gates is consumed or damaged, Gates announced he will take punitive action, levying fines of up to $14 billion, and may even insist that offenders themselves be included in his half.

"Don't take from my half," the 36-year-old Gates said. "Ice cream and cool cars are part of my half." Gates also expressed interest in possessing Apple, IBM and the former Soviet Union.

"You know, I own the Bettman Archive," Gates said. "You can't look at it unless I say so."

Gates' half will be collected via an advanced subroutine built directly into Windows 95. Computer users without Windows 95 will have it automatically sent to them, with the cost of the program deducted from their half.

Those without computers will be directed to special Gates-owned DNA-resequencing centers where a special bio-silicate form of Windows 95 will be injected directly into their bloodstreams. Once in the bloodstream, the Windows program is designed to breed virally at the base of its host brainstem and to begin work on calculating Gates' half.

"Everyone must contribute to my half," Gates said. "Any number, no matter how small, can be divided into two halves, one of which will be mine."

Gates would not comment on the possibility of eventually increasing his share from a mere half to a controlling interest.

Sources close to Gates would neither confirm nor deny rumors that Gates might offer up to 15 percent of his half in exchange for the other half of the world.

"The transitional period may be difficult," Gates said. "But it will be quick. I hope that this time will be remembered pleasantly in the half of people's minds that remain their own."

Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2013, 05:29 AM »
Re: Bill Gates to Get Half

BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHA~!  :Thmbsup:

"Everyone must contribute to my half," Gates said. "Any number, no matter how small, can be divided into two halves, one of which will be mine."

That was excellent! :)

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4wd

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2013, 05:39 AM »
Re: Bill Gates to Get Half

BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHA~!  :Thmbsup:

What?!  You haven't seen that before?

Sheesh....I am getting old  :-\

kyrathaba

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2013, 07:36 AM »
I vaguely recall a parable about a poor old woman and a rich merchant. They both donate to something and the resultant praise at the end is for the poor old woman because she gave so much compared to what she had, and that not being much at all. (Maybe someone recalls the parable better, or has a link.)

Luke 21:1-4...

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #15 on: February 09, 2013, 07:42 AM »
I vaguely recall a parable about a poor old woman and a rich merchant. They both donate to something and the resultant praise at the end is for the poor old woman because she gave so much compared to what she had, and that not being much at all. (Maybe someone recalls the parable better, or has a link.)

Luke 21:1-4...

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

There we go! Thanks for that!

I thought it was in the Bible, but also figured I was butchering it enough that I'd better not get the reference wrong as well. :)
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Fred Nerd

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #16 on: February 09, 2013, 07:59 AM »
The parable isn't meant to be a guilt trip to give more, but to stop the rich from thinking they are holier than thou because they can afford to give more to charity.

So exactly; it means more for an average person to give $5 to a homeless person than for Bill Gates to give away many billions.

Having said that, I have always been pretty impressed that he never made too much fuss about it. I mean, the donations could have come from Microsoft and then have all MS products branded as 'supporting cancer research' etc. (which would really give them leverage over Ass'le)

We know about his donations mainly just because media likes to talk about him, so I think; God Bless him for it, it may not mean as much as what a normal person does, but he should be rewarded for it rather than just told that it's not enough. Plenty of people give none and are not criticised for it.

wraith808

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #17 on: February 09, 2013, 10:39 AM »
We know about his donations mainly just because media likes to talk about him, so I think; God Bless him for it, it may not mean as much as what a normal person does, but he should be rewarded for it rather than just told that it's not enough. Plenty of people give none and are not criticised for it.

Not necessarily rewarded per-se... but it just struck me as odd when someone does something and it's like "it's not enough".  I remember when Oprah opened a school in Africa (not saying anything about what happened after), but people criticized her saying she should have given it to the education board in Chicago.

In response to that, I remember when someone in a bad neighborhood where the police had old vests (they give out- I didn't know that before then), and one officer had actually been killed with a vest on because the protection provided was inadequate.  He bought the top of the line vests for each officer in the department.  They said that any contributions had to be in cash and given to the department, not the officers, to do with as they would.

But I always get the feeling it is that (at least) 75% of the reasoning behind it is tax deductions and PR.

In every instance that it's brought up (including this one), I've had the impression that the information hasn't come from him on amounts, but from investigation.  And the amount that he's given is well beyond the cap based on his income.  The IRS will only let you donate a certain sum before they don't count towards deductions.

Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #18 on: February 09, 2013, 11:04 AM »
Having said that, I have always been pretty impressed that he never made too much fuss about it. I mean, the donations could have come from Microsoft and then have all MS products branded as 'supporting cancer research' etc. (which would really give them leverage over Ass'le)

We know about his donations mainly just because media likes to talk about him, so I think; God Bless him for it, it may not mean as much as what a normal person does, but he should be rewarded for it rather than just told that it's not enough. Plenty of people give none and are not criticised for it.

How much does he pay for media coverage? (Hint - it's not nothing. ;))
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wraith808

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #19 on: February 09, 2013, 12:03 PM »
How much does he pay for media coverage? (Hint - it's not nothing. ;))

But does he seek it out?  And to what end?  Is he still doing something commercial?

40hz

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #20 on: February 09, 2013, 01:43 PM »
Not necessarily rewarded per-se... but it just struck me as odd when someone does something and it's like "it's not enough".  I remember when Oprah opened a school in Africa (not saying anything about what happened after), but people criticized her saying she should have given it to the education board in Chicago.

+1 :Thmbsup:

One unfortunate side effect of our holier-than-thou culture is the growing number of people who would rather see nothing good get done if the act and motivation didn't meet their own personal standards for selflessness and moral purity. And should a charitable act ever be done in a manner that doesn't meet with their approval, they're often quick to criticize.

But tthe ruth is, very little of what passes for altruistic behavior is ever totally lacking in at least a hint of self-interest - or some hidden motive.

To which I say: So what?

I'll take somebody up on doing something good whenever they offer. And I'm sure the beneficiaries of that sort of largess won't be complaining much either.
 ;)



Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #21 on: February 09, 2013, 09:24 PM »
How much does he pay for media coverage? (Hint - it's not nothing. ;))

But does he seek it out?  And to what end?  Is he still doing something commercial?

Here's a bit on how the BMG Foundation "donates" to media agencies:

http://seattletimes....sfundedprojects.html

Just to give a single example from there - The Brookings Institution. That is the same one that wrote "Which Path to Persia?" in which they outlined how to overthrow/invade Iran:

http://landdestroyer...-path-to-persia.html

This is the kind of organization that the BMG Foundation is helping to fund?

Now, would anyone like a smoking gun? The BMG Foundation supports USAID (Renegade begins loading gun...):
This might not be the world view that you're looking for - consider moving along :D
http://www.gatesfoun...ect/Pages/usaid.aspx

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent U.S. federal government agency that partners with groups worldwide to build infrastructure, promote global health, and offer humanitarian assistance

That all sounds good until you know that it's little more than Orwellian newspeak. But what does it really mean? (Renegade cocks the hammer...)

https://duckduckgo.c...forced+sterilization

(I lied... I'm firing fully automatic here...)

USAID SUPPORTING FORCED STERILIZATION IN PERU? | LifeSiteNews.com
...(PRI) which has found evidence that the Peruvian government is using money from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for forced sterilization of women.

Justice delayed for Peru victims of forced sterilization | Fox News
22, 2011- Aurelia Paccohuanca talks during an interview in Lima, Peru. Paccohuanca, who heads the Association of Women Affected by Forced Sterilization in Cuzco...

USAID Supported Fujimori Sterilization Campaign; Seeks to Cover-Up...
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) joined forces with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to support Peru's Sterilizations took place in filthy, USAID-funded clinics.

Compulsory sterilization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This statement comes in reference to some charges of forced sterilization and abortions in Linyi city of ^ "USAID Testimony: House International Relations Committee, Subcommittee on International...

U.S.-U.K. Foreign Aid Tied to India's Forced Sterilization Campaign | Daily...
"British aid has not been used for forced sterilization now or in the past," a DFID A spokesman for USAID, Alex Glass, said it is "committed to improving the health of vulnerable people in India.

Rwanda Forced Sterilization Bill Sparks Controversy
Lisa Graas » USAID Poised to Launch Nationwide Sterilization Campaign in Rwanda. Cry for Freedom in Rwanda: Stand up Against Forced Sterilization in Rwanda.


Then there's Uzbekistan and Thailand as well...

This is "health care" and "humanitarian aid".

Is it any wonder that the BMG Foundation needs significant support from the media to create a positive image?

When you start to look behind the scenes, you see that these kinds of organizations are all highly interconnected and networked.

I should give fair warning though... Digging up information on this topic is a bit harder than other topics. It's not well reported on. The doctors that have tried to blow the whistle have been marginalized and ignored.


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Lashiec

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #22 on: February 14, 2013, 08:07 PM »
I'm a bit more skeptical there.

I read that as "better life conditions usually mean lower birth rates".

Renegade

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #23 on: February 14, 2013, 08:36 PM »
I read that as "better life conditions usually mean lower birth rates".

I've also read that. But I'm not sure that I buy it. There are a lot of other factors in play that are completely ignored and no control groups to account for any of those other factors. e.g. When you have an economy that forces the majority of households to have 2 incomes instead of 1, could that just possibly maybe perhaps be a mitigating factor in the birth rate?

I'm still very skeptical.
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app103

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Re: Bill Gates has donated over $36,854,000,000 in his lifetime
« Reply #24 on: February 14, 2013, 08:49 PM »
When you have an economy that forces the majority of households to have 2 incomes instead of 1, could that just possibly maybe perhaps be a mitigating factor in the birth rate?

As opposed to an economy that requires more than 2 incomes per household, and therefore requires having multiple children, so you can send them to work in the sweatshops?