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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 12, 2014 8:54:20 GMT
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Post by Dave on Sept 12, 2014 9:55:12 GMT
To be fair to the guy he's always been a philanthropist, even when he was running Microsoft. He and his foundation have given millions away to good causes over many years which is why my opinion of him changed for the better around ten years ago after this became public knowledge...
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 12, 2014 11:54:19 GMT
I only heard about him in the last few years
He's not just giving money away he's seriously running a 'business' and seriously involved
No big PR job, just doing it
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Post by danielquinn on Sept 12, 2014 12:33:01 GMT
It is analogous to any of is giving 20 quid. Microsoft business practices which have allowed boom to accumulate such wealth hardly bold him out to bea hero
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 12, 2014 14:09:54 GMT
Disagree
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Post by Chris on Sept 12, 2014 21:08:42 GMT
Sort of agree and disagree. A lot of what he does is for tax reasons but at least he DOES do stuff. Fair play to the guy.
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Post by MartinT on Sept 12, 2014 22:57:52 GMT
Microsoft business practices which have allowed boom to accumulate such wealth hardly bold him out to bea hero If by that you mean the practice of having made THE industry standard Server product, SQL product, Exchange product, Office product and some of the most popular OS products of all time (including MS-DOS that started it all), then yes he has made a lot of money from making Microsoft a centre of excellence in certain fields. He could have ended up like so many other billionaires, keeping it all, but instead he set up a foundation to give it away in large chunks. I think you do him a disservice. |
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Post by danielquinn on Sept 13, 2014 7:29:27 GMT
Nope I. Meant the restrictive practices which have seen governments worldwide rule against them
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Post by dvh on Sept 13, 2014 9:07:47 GMT
It's a well-established trait amongst US businessmen; make a huge amount of money, often through restrictive practices/monopolies, then use some of it for charitable purposes. The public library I used when I lived in London was originally established from funds donated by Andrew Carnegie, who made a fortune in the steel industry, then gave most of it away. Andrew Mellon made his fortune in the banking industry, then establised a charitable foundation which is still going strong.
In terms of moral value, it's surely 'better' to do this sort of thing with accumulated wealth than to keep it in the family, or squander it all on gambling. Whether it is A Good Thing that wealth can be accumulated in this way in the first place is a trickier question, and one which leads inexorably to politics, whereof we must remain silent.
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 13, 2014 9:14:29 GMT
Sort of agree and disagree. A lot of what he does is for tax reasons but at least he DOES do stuff. Fair play to the guy. I remember a while ago reading an article, probably New Scientist Had to reread it a few times as I assumed my brain was misfiring He put $7 billion into something (might have been Malaria) Kept seeing the billion and brain would not accept, as it had to be "million" "$7 billion" is rather a large amount for tax reasons Plus he runs the foundation like a business. Employing some hot shots who will do it right and from what I read somewhere he doesn't suffer fools even in his foundation He has always said he will give all of his money away. So far he seems on target |
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Post by Dave on Sept 13, 2014 12:02:45 GMT
So tell me, if YOU had far more money than you needed to live on what would YOU do with it? This is a question for everyone incidentally. Personally I would do exactly what Mr Gates has done as it would be my greatest wish to better the lives of those less fortunate than myself.
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Post by MikeMusic on Sept 13, 2014 12:19:37 GMT
It's a plan I intend to at least partially implement.
Not knowing when you are going has it's limitations of course
My 'silver spoon' was a loan from my parents to buy my first car - and yes I did pay it back !
I think everyone deserves a leg up and help but not a free ride for life
Leonardo de Caprio has a foundation going as well.
Good to know there are some spreading it around to those that need it
Actors earn such mad amounts of money
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Post by MartinT on Sept 13, 2014 12:56:45 GMT
So tell me, if YOU had far more money than you needed to live on what would YOU do with it? This is a question for everyone incidentally. Personally I would do exactly what Mr Gates has done as it would be my greatest wish to better the lives of those less fortunate than myself. My first port of call would be to the Basingstoke Hospital, for whom I have the highest regard and which undoubtedly saved my life. I would ask them what they need: new wing, MRI/CT scanner, whatever. That is a debt I would like to be in a position to repay one day. |
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Post by dvh on Sept 13, 2014 13:09:27 GMT
I'm investigating ways of taking it all with me.
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Post by Slinger on Sept 13, 2014 13:22:21 GMT
Sort of agree and disagree. A lot of what he does is for tax reasons but at least he DOES do stuff. Fair play to the guy. +1 |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 13, 2014 13:49:47 GMT
I'm investigating ways of taking it all with me. That's easy (given a large enough coffin or understanding crematorium). Using it would be more problematic. |
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Post by dvh on Sept 13, 2014 14:06:36 GMT
I'm investigating ways of taking it all with me. That's easy (given a large enough coffin or understanding crematorium). Using it would be more problematic. Which reminds me of an old Irish joke I heard many years ago. It was apparently the custom in days gone by during the wake for mourners to place some money in the coffin as a tribute to the deceased. Joe McGinty, a wealthy farmer, was heard boasting that he could afford to place more money in Paddy O'Brien's coffin than anyone else present. The other mourners were all poor, and no-one could spare more than a few coppers, so McGinty was thinking of putting in a few pounds. Suddenly, a stranger whom no-one had noticed, spoke up.'Whatever amount Joe McGinty puts in, I'll double it'. McGinty is determined not to be outdone, so he goes back to his own cottage, gathers up all the money he can find. He places the bundle of notes in the coffin. 'There's £500 from meself' he says. Everyone gasps at this, thinking there's no way the stranger can match, let alone double, that amount of money. The stranger smiles, borrows a pen from someone, and drops into the coffin a cheque for £1,000 payable to Mr P O'Brien. |
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