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- elfjuice, on 10/12/2007, -9/+119Say what you want about the Evil M$, Bill Gates and his wife have given a lot of money for medical help in Africa. For that alone, hats off to Bill Gates.
You may now resume bashing M$. - catullus, on 10/12/2007, -26/+121i'm assuming he means he'd want to be the richest...woman?
- hardcle, on 10/12/2007, -19/+68Hey, Bill I'll take a few of those dollars off your hands!
- Neme, on 10/12/2007, -4/+43Uh, did you read the article?
"Gates is doing his part to share the wealth. His Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the world's largest philanthropy, with an endowment of $29.1 billion." - spc2226, on 10/12/2007, -9/+45DEAR BILL: REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION. THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF ITS NATURE AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND 'TOP SECRET'. I AM SURE AND HAVE CONFIDENCE OF YOUR ABILITY AND RELIABILITY TO PROSECUTE A TRANSACTION OF THIS GREAT MAGNITUDE INVOLVING A PENDING TRANSACTION REQUIRING MAXIIMUM CONFIDENCE.
WE ARE TOP OFFICIAL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN IMPORATION OF GOODS INTO OUR COUNTRY WITH FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY TRAPPED IN NIGERIA. IN ORDER TO COMMENCE THIS BUSINESS WE SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE TO ENABLE US TRANSFER INTO YOUR ACCOUNT THE SAID TRAPPED FUNDS.
THE SOURCE OF THIS FUND IS AS FOLLOWS; DURING THE LAST MILITARY REGIME HERE IN NIGERIA, THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SET UP COMPANIES AND AWARDED THEMSELVES CONTRACTS WHICH WERE GROSSLY OVER-INVOICED IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES. THE PRESENT CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT SET UP A CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF INFLATED CONTRACT FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY FLOATING IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA READY FOR PAYMENT.
HOWEVER, BY VIRTUE OF OUR POSITION AS CIVIL SERVANTS AND MEMBERS OF THIS PANEL, WE CANNOT ACQUIRE THIS MONEY IN OUR NAMES. I HAVE THEREFORE, BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY COLLEAGUES OF THE PANEL TO LOOK FOR AN OVERSEAS PARTNER INTO WHOSE ACCOUNT WE WOULD TRANSFER THE SUM OF US$21,320,000.00(TWENTY ONE MILLION, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND U.S DOLLARS). HENCE WE ARE WRITING YOU THIS LETTER. WE HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE MONEY THUS; 1. 20% FOR THE ACCOUNT OWNER 2. 70% FOR US (THE OFFICIALS) 3. 10% TO BE USED IN SETTLING TAXATION AND ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN EXPENSES. IT IS FROM THE 70% THAT WE WISH TO COMMENCE THE IMPORTATION BUSINESS.
PLEASE,NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% SAFE AND WE HOPE TO COMMENCE THE TRANSFER LATEST SEVEN (7) BANKING DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIOM BY TEL/FAX; 234-1-7740449, YOUR COMPANY'S SIGNED, AND STAMPED LETTERHEAD PAPER THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL ENABLE US WRITE LETTERS OF CLAIM AND JOB DESCRIPTION RESPECTIVELY. THIS WAY WE WILL USE YOUR COMPANY'S NAME TO APPLY FOR PAYMENT AND RE-AWARD THE CONTRACT IN YOUR COMPANY'S NAME.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS BUSINESS WITH YOU AND SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS TRANSATION. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER USING THE ABOVE TEL/FAX NUMBERS. I WILL SEND YOU DETAILED INFORMATION OF THIS PENDING PROJECT WHEN I HAVE HEARD FROM YOU.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR CLEMENT OKON - rm999, on 10/12/2007, -1/+35If you combine Bill Gates' wealth with what he has given to charity (~30 billion) over his lifetime, you'll have around 80-90 billion dollars (depending on what his stock is worth). There are 5 waltons who have about 15 billion each, which is on par with gates. I don't see how that matters anyway, because each of those people have their own families and stuff. Why should it matter that they have the same last name?
I don't like what Bill Gates has done with the computer industry, but I think people don't give him enough credit for not being *entirely* evil. He gives a larger percentage of his money to charity than anyone else out there, including the rest of the top 10 richest people. - uWergo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+32@chewie
just pray it isnt that day when the stocks fell and he lost 3 billion haha - Sukino, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21See, that's why you won't even be rich, not to mention the richest.
- hardcle, on 10/12/2007, -6/+23Isn't what? The richest man in the world? Bill Gates has been that for a number of years now.
- TheTankengine, on 10/12/2007, -3/+19Perhaps he actually enjoys and is passionate about his work?
Whether that shows in the product or not is subject to debate... - venusian, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18except MSFT has paid over 4 billion in taxes each of the last few years
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=MSFT&annual - Chewie67, on 10/12/2007, -5/+20"Hey, Bill I'll take a few of those dollars off your hands!"
Yeah, I'll get in that line too. Just give me what you earn in ONE DAY. Thanks. - nathanstarr, on 10/12/2007, -3/+17Why does everyone feel the need to bash Gates everytime there is an article about him giving money. Are you guys heartless? How many posts has there been with other business leaders giving money? 0 maybe?
He has the largest charity in the world.
All of you who are saying that he only gives a huge amount of money because of his wife are wrong do. When Gates was growing up he was close to his mother and she was a very charitable woman. So it rubbed off on him.
If I remember correctly last year Forbes gave percentages of the ammount of their income that the richest people in the world gave to charity. No one was even close to Gates. Last year I believe he gave around 60% of his income to charity and it keeps rising every year.
Someone made the comment that he should just stop working. Haven't you ever heard of passion? If you look at the richest men in the world they all have one thing in common, passion. He wouldn't be the richest if he didn't have it. He didn't start writing BASIC because he wanted to be the richest man in the world. He did it because he had passion and a love for it. It's like his drug now, he can't live without it. - duniyadnd, on 10/12/2007, -5/+17To Alphabet: There's a big difference between Microsoft and "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation". One is a commercial asset which Bill Gates is chairman and a stock holder. The second is a personal foundation set up by Bill Gates and his wife. Check out their official site, no mention of Microsoft on the front page anywhere - don't mix the two claiming it's all about saving Microsoft taxes, that's Steve Balmer's problem now.
- brhad56, on 10/12/2007, -9/+20I'll gladly take the spot of richest man. Trade ya salaries?
- dclowd9901, on 10/12/2007, -11/+20"i'm assuming he means he'd want to be the richest...woman?"
No, he just wants to be Chuck Norris. - jrbrewin, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11@alphabet
"Business or not, giving money to charities takes off a chunk of what taxes you have to pay."
well, you could give taxes to the government, and help them wage yet another pointless, bloody war, or you could donate it to charities and good causes. Hrmm, tough chouce. ¬_¬ - cbrack, on 10/12/2007, -4/+13He can't give all his money away. Do consider the fact that he owns many many companies. If something goes wrong, there needs to be funding for those companies. Not to mention, as some have said, he is already a huge philanthropist, which is a good thing.
- smorzander, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9just watch me pass him up in 20 years. i got $500 so far. bill, im coming for ya.
- theotheragentm, on 10/12/2007, -8/+16Three words. Mozilla Foundation Donation. Come on, Bill!
- kavaliro, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12Waaah. I'm crying in my soup for you, Bill. But hey, if you don't want to be the richest man in the world, you're about the only man in the world who has the means to do something about it: Spend some of that cash and build yourself a space program that kicks ass. Go mine asteroids, or the moon. Build a space station that doesn't suck. Then you can be the richest man in space.
- schapman43, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12Whether you like his software or not he seems to be a pretty good guy.
- Mitchl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7@alphabet
>>Except paying taxes, and getting it refunded doesn't mean the same thing. For instance, I may pay 3000 in taxes, but after my refund of 3000, it's like I paid 0 dollars in taxes
That is not the case with Microsoft. According to their public financial reports, they have paid on average $4.3billion per year for the last 3 years in Income tax. They may have got some refund, yes, and it might have even been a billion dollars-- but only if they paid $5.3 billion in their estimated tax payments. The annual reports disclose the actual income tax expense, not the gross paid before any refunds-- and if their accountants, BTW were $1 billion off on the estimated payments, then they would not have the same accountants 3 years in a row-- you can't go writing checks like that by mistake and stay in your job.
As far as Bill being the richest person- I think he won't be before too long. At the rate he is giving, and that MS is not growing like they once did-- his shrinking fortune will fall below someones whose is growing. Unless things have changed, he stopped taking stock and options a while ago, and does not take a huge salary like many executives. His income is mostly derived from dividends and stock growth. As he donates those shares to the foundation and various charities, his income from both those sources diminishes. He also cannot go and give away too much too quickly-- he still wants to ensure that he has control of the company, and he would not want to negatively impact the stock price. (Although, I think part of the reason that my MSFT has stayed in the $23-28 range for so long is at least partly due to him selling off) - umbra, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Hasn't Gates created a health care system for the poorest country in the western hemisphere (Haiti)? God damn some of you are heartless. Listen, he's stated on many occasions he'll donate more aswell, if the system takes off. He's not stupid, he won't just throw money at developping countries. He also single handedly double the worlds supply of vaccinations for children.
I've got an idea, how about he helps our 3rd world health care and insures the 50million Americans with none. Btw, that number is up 5.2million from 2000. (http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=173900)
Get a clue. - liquidizer, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9Most people say they'll donate to charity in the unlikely event of them having more money than they could spend in their lifetime. Do you donate what you can afford to good causes now? If not, that's unlikely to change if you get rich. (That's a discussion point, not a dig at you personally).
- cawpin, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9Spyderman - They do help developing countries. They also support open document standards with the new Office 12 formats. They are completely open XML documents.
- turnlikeawheel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5"Gorgeous supermodel wife"? Melinda Gates?
http://www.jancipolla.com/blog/uploaded_images/Bill%20and%20Melinda%20Gates14Jan-740681-742416.jpg - dWhisper, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6A business donating does not give double a break, per se. It would alter dividend and reporting, which factors into stock price, which can be taxed both on the business and on the stock owner.
That being said, Microsoft isn't the one doing the donations in question here. The "Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation," the medical and developing countries donations, and everything else come from his own pocket. Regardless of how much he gives as a percent, or who he works for, he does some outstanding things for charity. - aniseed, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6@AngryPenguin47
Or maybe to something that ACTUALLY matters like cancer research or literacy programs. Wait.. he already did. - Promantarius, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I dunno mate, a little bit you could deal with, but if you were in his position the constant threat of family members being abducted and held hostage for a ransom wouldn't sit well with me. He must spend a fair bit of cash on security escourts for his family...
- Barlo_Mung, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Sure. That would be better. Let us all know how that works out for you.
- setrajonas, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6@Spanky2112
If you read up a bit, at nathanstarr's comment, Forbes reported that Bill Gates gives away 60% of his income per year. According to Wikipedia, it's 51%. No matter how you slice it, he gives away far more than that measly 1% figure you just made up. A little research is truly an amazing thing. - schapman43, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7"so my question is why aren't you sharing the wealth Bill? Maybe hire a team to fix Vista?
I thought the spam mail posted above was funny."
??? Are you serious? Did you not read this part of the story?
"Gates is doing his part to share the wealth. His Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the world's largest philanthropy, with an endowment of $29.1 billion."
How much of your paycheck are you giving to charity? Besides, what makes you think that he should have to share his money? Are you part of some new socialist movement? - moosebumps, on 10/12/2007, -5/+9at cat: Think outside the comment boxes on this page.
- wistar, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7It's very difficult to give away 20 billion in a considered and responsible manner. The foundation has been carefully planned and is operated by some very well-chosen and talented people. They are pioneeering in spirit and have created many new funding models.
- turnlikeawheel, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4It was interesting enough for you to comment on it. Lame-o.
- mancat, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7Way to have a sense of humor you two.
- sfacets, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3He should invest in real estate. Buy a country.
- saisumimen, on 10/12/2007, -7/+10Well... if you want to get technical about it, then yes he is the richest *individual*, but there are families out there that make Billy G.'s cash look like chump change. For example, don't the Waltons (owners of Walmart) have an estimated 100 to 200 Billion or some other ridiculously large amount of money? Unofficially, the heads of those wealthier families are richer than Bill Gates.
- amhed, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8darkdantae, you should take your foot out of your ass and just laugh at the joke :D
- caluml, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I wonder if rich people think: "I don't want to give away all my money, because then people that are nice to me just cos I'm rich will tell me what they really thought all those years, and my gorgeous supermodel wife who tells me that she's with me for who I am will leave me."
Is there something wrong with my thought processes? :) - Kashey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I will rather see Bill to be a richest man then some corporate trouser stain. At least he is doing something not reselling some stuff made in 3r countries for a profit.
- catoutfit, on 10/12/2007, -12/+14"You may now resume bashing M$."
I'm pretty sure at the point you posted this message no one had made any negative remarks about Microsoft..hmmm - airship, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Bill really, truly doesn't care about the money. Ask anyone who knows him. To him, money is just a way of keeping score. WIth Bill, it's all about winnning. When Jobs is homeless, Bill will feel a warm glow, and then will probably buy him a home. When Linux is dead, Bill will do a little dance, even if he never earns anything from it. He. Has. To. Win.
- Barlo_Mung, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Could be wrong but I think I remeber reading that Windows is run up there.
- yahoofrom, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Since when does computer geeks need economic help from charity? Only few privileged people has access to computers compared in the entire population of the Earth.
- tropicalsean, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Gates may be the richest man ever to walk this planet, but most of his money (30 Billion) has been put into charity. Hes a good man in my book though some people say he should put more into charity's, think about what you would do with all his money would you be greedy or give it all away.
- tidejwe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yeah, he def is the richest man, but being extremely rich has its downsides. People always trying to exploit you, kidnap your family or friends for ransom, making bomb-threats for ransom, etc. Having to worry about someone trying to rob you or find ways to threaten you into giving them what they want, etc. I want to be rich....but being the RICHEST could be such a crappy life forcing you to watch your back and the back of your family and friends all the time.
- TVarmy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Probably refering to that Ikea rumor that turned out to be false
- axemachine, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Apple gave it to you. Go whine there.
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