Bill Gates Vs. Malaria

GuanYin

Bill Gates foundation has donated 100 million US dollars to malaria research.

He's quoted as saying "Its time to treat Africa's malaria epidemic like the crisis it is".

ixoy

Interesting how, when people like to bitch about Bill Gates, they forget that his private trust is the largest in the world and that he's quite generous (and has said he'll donate up to 98% of his fortune). Well done him.

Ivan

Originally posted by ixoy
Interesting how, when people like to bitch about Bill Gates, they forget that his private trust is the largest in the world and that he's quite generous (and has said he'll donate up to 98% of his fortune). Well done him.

Bill Gates has enough money to cloth/feed/house & educate all the children of the 3rd world and still be a billionaire several times over.

100 million is probably what he spends on hats each year.

Nevyn

just think if the tax break he'll get for it, I'm sure his accountant did.

Yes it is a dlot better then doing nothing but there's more he could to ***

K2

Its his money to do with as he pleases, so if he gives some away , well done, but its unfair to say he should give more just cos he has it. And I wouldn't have thought he would have to go looking for tax breaks given how unbelieveably filthy rich he is.:)

Sarky

It may be a Simpson's quote, but it rings true:

Bill Gates: You don't think I got rich by writing a lot of cheques, did you?

chernobyl

Originally posted by Thaed

Yes it is a dlot better then doing nothing but there's more he could to ***

Fuking typical!

Yes he could give 100bil instead of mil, but its his right and not obligation to do it. 100million is generous no matter how rich anyone is.

GuanYin

Originally posted by Thaed
just think if the tax break he'll get for it, I'm sure his accountant did.

Yes it is a dlot better then doing nothing but there's more he could to ***

To be fair, its more than most governments, or even countries have done. There is a fair bit of malaria research in Ireland, much of which just got hit by a huge funding cut by Bertie and his mates.

chill

Originally posted by Thaed
just think if the tax break he'll get for it, I'm sure his accountant did.

Yes it is a dlot better then doing nothing but there's more he could to ***

Yes, but how many of us does that also apply to ?

Sarky

Let's petition Gates to provide cheap widespread broadband throughout Ireland then, shall we?

ixoy

Originally posted by Ivan
Bill Gates has enough money to cloth/feed/house & educate all the children of the 3rd world and still be a billionaire several times over.

100 million is probably what he spends on hats each year.

Oh do give him some respect. What about an article like this one which states:

In an interview with Fortune Magazine, Michael Larson, the 39 year-old fund manager who has run Mr Gates' financial affairs since 1993, has given a fascinating insight into his job.

He reveals that Mr Gates, who plans to give away nearly all his wealth in his lifetime, has shares in cable TV companies, biotech firms and Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet's investment vehicle.

Yeah, what a mean bastard he is. Here's more evidence of what a selfish cnut he plans to be:

In fact, he is well aware of the "you can't take it with you" theory of death. He and his wife have endowed a charitable organization called "Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation" with $21 billion, to help educate youngsters and the poor in computers. After speaking with close friend Warren Buffett (who used to be the richest man in the US of A), he came to understand that his future legacy is as dependant on what he achieved in the business world as it is outside of it.

Prick! May he burn in Hell!!!

Nevyn

No I ment there are other areas that could do with the money

not dising what he has done but questioning the one problem that has been slected.

what about clean water everywhere ?
what about the aids problem ect

GuanYin

Originally posted by Thaed
No I ment there are other areas that could do with the money

not dising what he has done but questioning the one problem that has been slected.

what about clean water everywhere ?
what about the aids problem ect

Excuse me?

Could it be you have a clue what you are talking about?

There are over 900,000 deaths in africa due to malaria every year.

That is 90% of the yearly mortality rate of malaria.

That works out at approx 2466 deaths per day.

That is approx 103 deaths per hour

which means 2 people die every minute on average.

This makes the HIV death rate look like flu.

Your commenst stink of anti-corporate lobbying. Grow up and acknowledge the man for seeing and helping with a problem that you yourself are obviously ignorant to.

oscarBravo

I get very mixed feelings when I see a story like this. It seems mean-spirited to criticise a move like this, especially when it is so desperately needed, as sykeirl has pointed out.

My problem is with his track record in business. He has spent so many years demonstrating what a predatory and ruthless person he can be, which leads me to wonder: what's the angle?

I'm not anti-corporate by any means, but I'm deeply resentful of everything that Microsoft stands for. That leaves me suspicious of Gates - it's his personality cult, after all.

GuanYin

Well obviously all the people dying of malaria in rural africa that would benefit from this are potential microsoft customers :rolleyes:

Nevyn

Originally posted by sykeirl Your commenst stink of anti-corporate lobbying.

wow boards install smellivision.
you are jumping to conclusions and seeing something that is not there.

Originally posted by sykeirl
Grow up and acknowledge the man for seeing and helping with a problem that you yourself are obviously ignorant to.

I was simply questioning for the Malaria problem is not one that has a high wareness level over here.

Thanks for the facts I learned something new, if you dont question you dont learn.

whosurpaddy

the only "angle" i can see is the fact that he owns some biotech stock, i guarentee u that if some miracle cure is found, it will be patented in bills name and will make him a few more billion.

but the bottom line is who cares if ends up making money, if u had malaria u wouldnt !

i still think fair play to him. as has been said before its alot more than others (govts, other bilionaires) do.

Evil Phil

I think what's really important is the malaria research got 100 million dollars extra this year. Thats a whole lot of research and care. Maybe his reasons are cynical maybe not, doesn't change the colour of his money.

Victor

Originally posted by Thaed
I was simply questioning for the Malaria problem is not one that has a high [a]wareness level over here.

And that is a serious problem. Remember the Flu epidemic of 1918 (killed more than WWI)? Malaria does that **every** decade.

Paddy20

Seems to me that any Business or Showbusiness personality that shows some humanity.

Is setting themselves up for criticism, and is well aware of this fact, before they do it anyway. Such is the world we live in.

Personally, it really lifts my heart and gives me some hope for humanity every time I hear of a real individual contributing something worthwhile that will ease the suffering of those less fortunate.

May the generosity of people such as Bill Gates be encouraged despite all the petty minded cynics and critics.

He at least takes time out to consider the plight of other human beings. I wish more people did.

P.

simu

Maybe I'm being naive here but surely anyone with even a fraction of Gates' fortune and the tiniest little spark of affection for other human beings would donate money to such causes?

I take a pragmatic approach to these things: Maybe there are more cynical reasons for his actions and sure, a lot of Microsoft's products are extremely shoddy but if this donation means that even a small number of ppl who would have died otherwise survive, it can't be such a bad thing.

Capt'n Midnight

While M$ have a war chest of $50,000,000,000 and spend litterly Billions in advertising in each year Bill does not control all of this.

But giving $100 million is not going to affect his life style in any way what so ever. It ain't giving till it hurts.. - If I remember Ted Turner gave $1bn away so Bill has a lot of catching up to do..

How much of the money will go to Americans ??
Drug companies decide what reserach is done and what price should be set for drugs.

My cynical side says it's a PR stunt or a consience salving gesture, questioning how much of that money will be spent in America etc. and which is the worst parasite, the drug companies, the m$ monopoly or the causitive organism itself.. And the fact that 0.2% of the profit on a licence might go to the Third World, when we are suppose to be sending a lot more than 0.7% of GDP there anyway...

But Malaria / TB have been long ignored and underfunded 'cos they are poor peoples diseases - lives are lives and money is money. Doesn't matter where the money comes from as long as the net result is saving lives..

Note: The worlds 500 richest people have more wealth than the poorest 2,000,000,000

Dr. Dre

But giving $100 million is not going to affect his life style in any way what so ever. It ain't giving till it hurts.. - If I remember Ted Turner gave $1bn away so Bill has a lot of catching up to do..

Eh, It's not just a once off you know. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has been around for a while now and donates 100's of millions of dollars a year to worthy causes.

He's a top bloke in my opinion.

EDIT: Just searched for more info and found this

Paddy20

Dr. Dre,

Good on ya. That is a very wortwhile link. Just hope that some other similar links to encouraging humanatarian websites will be posted here.

P.:ninja:

Capt'n Midnight

RE: my cynicism about how much of the money would be spend in the first world.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/GlobalHealth/InfectiousDiseases/Malaria/Announcements/Announce-030921.htm

$40 million over five years to the Medicines for Malaria Venture, a public-private partnership based in Geneva
$100 million over four years to the Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), based at Program for Appropriate Technology in Health in Seattle

RE: my saying Bill didn't control the $50bn - he's only worth an estimated $41 billion - that's $2m per day for the next 43years excluding income/intrest.
=============================================
From http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=235&row=1
Let me let you in on a little secret about Bill and Melinda Gates so-called "Foundation." Gate’s [sic] demi-trillionaire status is based on a nasty little monopoly-protecting trade treaty called "TRIPS" – the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights rules of the World Trade Organization. TRIPS gives Gates a hammerlock on computer operating systems worldwide, legally granting him the kind of monopoly the Robber Barons of yore could only dream of. But TRIPS, the rule which helps Gates rule, also bars African governments from buying AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis medicine at cheap market prices.
================================

He can only give money because he gets it. (the other M$ shareholders get most of it actually) He is not producing this money out of thin air - it's coming out of the pockets of compaines and invididuals who would have more disposable income and might give part of it to charity (~1% company 2% person I think is the average) except they don't have the choice..
Microsoft are worth (share value) ~ one Trillion, the foundation is worth 24Bn so it's about ~2%.. - except the fondation has not spent the money yet ...

Find out how much Peru spends on M$ software and on disease eradication...

But I still think Malaria is a worthwhile beneficary - even if it will soon become a first world problem (happening in southern Italy already) because of global warming - and I know the third world won't be used as guinea pigs for expensive patented cures..

Because our species originated in Africa more humans have probably been killed by malaria than any other disease....

ixoy

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
He can only give money because he gets it. (the other M$ shareholders get most of it actually) He is not producing this money out of thin air - it's coming out of the pockets of compaines and invididuals who would have more disposable income and might give part of it to charity (~1% company 2% person I think is the average) except they don't have the choice..
Microsoft are worth (share value) ~ one Trillion, the foundation is worth 24Bn so it's about ~2%.. - except the fondation has not spent the money yet ...

Jesus you could say the same about ANYONE who makes a profit. Anyone here own a business? Well why don't you give yourself less profit/money in case your employees/shareholders want to donate to charity!

Secondly, Bill has already said he's giving away 98% of his fortune (I quoted the link earlier in the thread) so talk about him only donating a tiny bit of his wealth isn't fair. Also you got to remember the difference between what he's worth and what he can readily access. Most of his money is tied up in shares and stocks which he can't just offload I assume without devaluing the stock and pissing off the shareholders.

Honestly, I think the fact that Bill Gates has been incredibly successful makes people very resentful. Yes, he's been ruthless but anyone who - in the end - plans to donate billions of dollars to charity - when governments (the US are particularly bad!) are too busy designing means to wipe us all out - deserves respect not condemnation.

chill

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight It ain't giving till it hurts.

I wonder if you've given to charity until it 'hurts' ?

Capt'n Midnight

Ignoring the parable about the widows pence, Bill is giving way more than most, but overall in the grand scheme of things the amount that ends up going to those who really need it is more or less unchanged.

Relative to his peers Bill is out standing, but he is at the point where has has bought all the "things" he could ever want and is working his way up Maslow's triangle.

Yes the world will be a better place because he is giving money, but its sick to think that if 499 other people (a plane load) did the same , then one third of humanity would twice as well off.

"Trade not Aid" - the cost of having to pay for branded as opposed to generic medicines is one of biggest costs in third world health care. Removing unfair pricing and allowing Grey imports would do more in the long term... (Look at the pharmacetuical industry in India)

Anyone see that docu on Channel 4 a while back about the huge number of jobs in the US dependent on GMO grain shipments to the third world...

Overall Bill is good, but he is not a Saint.
As long as the good done by the foundation outweighs the harm done by Bills part in microsoft's insistance on unfair trade agreements.

GuanYin

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
Overall Bill is good, but he is not a Saint.
As long as the good done by the foundation outweighs the harm done by Bills part in microsoft's insistance on unfair trade agreements.

The thing is, the actual publicity around the act, may actually be better than the money itself.

Malaria has been ignored by government and research grant authorities and even the media for a long time.

Think about how many people died from SARS and the press exposure.

Contrast that to Thaed thinking malaria wasn't a worthwhile issue.

Whatever about the money, if other take not and follow suit, then he's done more for malaria research then he intended.

Nevyn

Contrast that to Thaed thinking malaria wasn't a worthwhile issue

Nope never said that nor tought it
( hey you cant have been in my head you would not survive so please do not presume to know what I was thinking)

I never questioned the worthiness of the cause only where it lay in comparison to other issues.l

Paddy20

God, is it any wonder that so many well known personalities. Will only contribute anonymously to worthy causes.

If people would only accept acts of caring. Be they monetary or by any other means, in the spirit of generosity in which they are meant.

Then "Personalities" could openly feel free to do so much more, and how many more would benefit ?...

The late, Frank Sinatra continually performed all over the world with his own shows, and the profits from most of his sell out concerts were donated to charitable causes. He never wanted it known publicly that he had such a generous spirit, yet the media made sure it was leaked. Something, he did not appreciate, but he kept on groovin for those in need. May he rest in peace.

P.:ninja:

GuanYin

Originally posted by Thaed
Nope never said that nor tought it
( hey you cant have been in my head you would not survive so please do not presume to know what I was thinking)

I never questioned the worthiness of the cause only where it lay in comparison to other issues.l

Read your post again. You may see where my confusion arose.

dahamsta

The thing that gets me about the Great Gates Defenders is that they never seem to see the wood for the trees. Yes, it's great that he gives money to charity and yes, it's great that he has so much to give, but remember:

- Most people give money to charity, but most people don't send out press releases about it. There is a side benefit in publicity, but it works both ways. The cause gets publicity, but ask yourself: Is Gates doing it for the cause or for himself? Maybe a bit of both? Hmmm?

- Bill Gates' wealth has been estimated at between 40 and 60 billion dollars. This isn't Microsoft money, it's Gates money, personal wealth. Taking the lower figure, this donation in particular amounts to 0.25% of Gates' wealth, one quarter of one percent. I don't know about you, but I try to give away at least 10% of my earnings every year.

- Think for a minute about the interest 40-60 billion dollars can earn. Gates is a canny investor, his investments in Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet's investment vehicle) are testament to that. I can get a multiple of that previously mentioned 0.25% on a bog-standard savings account in my local bank. What do you reckon I could get with a million? A billion?

- Bill Gates says that he's going to give up, variously, 90%, 95% and 98% of his wealth. This is great, I admire this. When? He's been saying this for at least half a decade, and probably more. Grep the web if you don't believe me.

Don't get me wrong, he would be a lot worse of a man if he didn't give anything to charity. But a man who scrimps and saves to get by and still manages to give some of that money to charity will get a hell of a lot more respect from me than a man who sits on a mountain of cash he couldn't possibly spend in the rest of his lifetime.

adam

ixoy

Originally posted by dahamsta
- Most people give money to charity, but most people don't send out press releases about it. There is a side benefit in publicity, but it works both ways. The cause gets publicity, but ask yourself: Is Gates doing it for the cause or for himself? Maybe a bit of both? Hmmm?

Firstly, did he announce it himself? Or did we all hear about it because it's such a huge amount! That's why it's known. You can't give away such large numbers without someone finding out who you are and wanting to know. Bill Gates doesn't need publicity anyway: he's the most famous nerd on the planet. His giving to charities is unlikely to affect a manager's decision to purchase Microsoft software!

- Bill Gates' wealth has been estimated at between 40 and 60 billion dollars. This isn't Microsoft money, it's Gates money, personal wealth. Taking the lower figure, this donation in particular amounts to 0.25% of Gates' wealth, one quarter of one percent. I don't know about you, but I try to give away at least 10% of my earnings every year.

I'd be very surprised if anyone is as remotely generous as you. Why? Because most people couldn't afford it!

- Think for a minute about the interest 40-60 billion dollars can earn. Gates is a canny investor, his investments in Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet's investment vehicle) are testament to that. I can get a multiple of that previously mentioned 0.25% on a bog-standard savings account in my local bank. What do you reckon I could get with a million? A billion?

Right then. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt. He spends his life making money. Over this time he earns say, in the end, $120 billion. He gives 98% of this away - so that's, what, $117 billion?
Now say he gave away 98% NOW, when he's got - we'll say - $50 billion. That'd be $49 billion he'd give away. Which is the better figure to give away, hmmm?

As for when he'll give it away, I seem to recall it's when he's retired, so it'll be a while yet.