Bill Gates: The Man that keeps on giving

“I heard something interesting today. Everyody thinks of Bill gates as a huge software tycoon that is trying to monopolize the industry. Did you know that it is his personal goal to give away all his money by the time he dies? He gives over a million dollars a day to foundations that are for the purpose of curing or stopping something. So he will donate money to a foundation searching for a cure for AIDS but not one that is simply trying to comfort current AIDS victims. How can you bad mouth him and his corperation now?”

“Who's that junk bond king (Michael Milken?) who stole millions of people's money, bankrupted lots of folks but was a huge philanthropist? Didn't Clinton pardon the ba$tard? Not that Gates' situation is related...

Gates is the man in that respect...but he did try to monopolize the computer industry. Is this a quid pro quo thing? Probably not, but in time it just may be that!”

“#1 I believe he only started giving money to charities after the court suits and all the bad publicity.

#2 Even the people we think of as Saintly tend to have bad sidesm and the people we think of as evil have good sides. Hitler helped advance a great public health program in Germany and his health program was way advanced for breast cancer screening.

I don't think Gates is an "all star" evil doer, but I don't for a moment believe that he is a billionaire with a heart of gold.”

“Actually (not to defend him, I don't know him) I remember him giving away money for stuff before the law suit.”

“I don't have a direct line to Bill & Melinda Gates to know there real heart and attitude. However, some people who become wealthy do develop a strong philanthropic side. For example, Wade Phillips who started Phillips Petroleum (His older brothers started Phillips 66). Phillips sold his company for millions and then spent most of the rest of his life giving away money. He donated his ranch in New Mexico to the Boy Scouts of America along with an office building in Tulsa (to generate revenues to support the ranch). They named it Philmont.

It would not surprise me if someone here knows a lot more about the Gates Foundation since we have a lot of TT posters from Washington. I have looked over the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation website in the past, and it is very impressive. They have a way of dealing with grants that seems quite personal. They are big funders of educationally related projects.

Most donations to colleges, private schools, and non-profit instituitions are from people with money. There are lots of small donors, but institutions thrive on the major gifts.”

“Isnt there such a thing as NOBLESE OBLIGE? It reminds me of folks talking about how Oprah is so wonderful for giving away so much money, well geeze she makes $75 million a year I hope she would give a bit. And no I dont hate the rich, I just believe in being generous.”

“Honore de Balzac said that "Behind very great fortune is a great crime." Maybe Bill Gates gives away money assuage guilt.”

“Let me correct that quote. It's "Behind every great fortune is a great crime."”

“Every, very, it's all good.

Ever hear the one about God ending the world, so he sends for Gorbechev, Bush, and Bill Gates?”

“Aren't these gifts write offs? It's the gift that keeps on giving, lol.

Remember that brain dead Kathy Lee from "Live" with Regis & Kathy Lee? She's was always talking about what the charities she started, and put down Jay Leno one day for not giving up any of his money for charities?

Well, she stepped in it again. Jay had already wrote a book and gave the proceeds to a children's group to help them and then donated $5,000 to Kathie Lee's charities, even after her erroneous remarks.

Moral of the story, not everyone wants to constantly praise themselves for what they are doing like Kathie Lee. Some people donate, and don't want anyone to know who they are.”