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108 Comments
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"you don't believe that donating to charities can be deducted from your tax payment?"
Um... Tax deductable charitable donations are not deducted from your tax payment. Are you over eighteen? Have you ever filed taxes or held a job?!
Deductable donations are deducted from your TAXABLE INCOME. This means that - roughly - if you earned $100,000 and donated $10,000 -- you are not getting a $10,000 deduction on your tax payment. Rather, you'll be paying taxes on $90,000 of your income instead of $10,000. If your tax rate is 35%, you just spent $10,000 to save yourself $3,500. - replica, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Amount of his money he gave: 50%
Amount he had to give: 0%
Amount everyone bitching in the comments gave: 0%
The reason everyone is being negative about his giving is that they now realize that Bill Gates is not evil. They also realize that he is a better person than they are. The truth hurts. - ptknight, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3This comes from an indepen... no, it's from MSNBC
- tanveer, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Say what you will about Microsoft and this business practices. but if you ever try to downplay, in anyway - bill's generosity and the amount of donation he'd made (and is continuing to give) and the impact of Bill & Melinda Foundation is having - you are just a COMPLETE MORON - an IGNORANT IDIOT! And I mean this the worse possible way. Period.
You simply have no idea of what it means to give away a substantial protion (in billions) of your income. And don't even talk about how to compare this to net income. You don't have to give away a single penny. So, just shut your holes.
p/s: I wouldn't want to see Steve Jobs as the richest man - I can tell you this much. - headzoo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@neenor - You're right, a $28 billion dollar PR stunt. I don't know why they didn't just call it The Microsoft Foundation, or better yet, The Microsoft Live Foundation. God knows I see so many MS ads that mention the Gates Foundation, besides all the other press I see regarding the Gates Foundation. Certainly no one gives out large sums of money just because they have it to give.
- williamjones, on 09/15/2008, -0/+1Do something different this year? Give money to a woman who will use it to make blankets for children around the world.Either buy it from the dollar store at very low price and high quality.Delivery of the product can be every where in the US at very low sipping charges.visit online store http://www.dollardays.com
- headzoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@neenor - Huh?! Do you even know what the Gates Foundation does? Your whole "teach him how to fish" point is idiotic, since a large part of Bill's donations and the workings of his foundation go towards education. You know, "teaching".
- dhughes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1 Well it's a lot better than I do. I usually run the other way when I see people asking for money in malls, on the phone, etc. I do give, but not a lot, $5 here, $10 there, kids sports team chocolate bar drive guess it adds up.
If you consider someone who making about $20,000/year giving away $10,000 of their yearly salary that's amazing, if it was 50% of their Net Worth that's even more amazing!
The point of the article isn't really about how much you have as it is the percentage you give.
The biggest honour would go to people who give away a lot of money, or their time helping, but don't tell anyone they do, giving without recognition is the most honorable way. - tonage, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1WONDERS for his public image, and that's what he's after.
You cannot say that for a fact. You may say that is probably the case. But you really have no idea. You simply look at a rich man and assume he is not doing it for a caring reason. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+8First, it's always easy for some cocksucking ***** to say how much OTHER PEOPLE should give.
Second, Warren Buffet doesn't donate much/anything, because as he has said in the past the money he has is much better being invested and reinvested by himself as long as he is alive. What's better - a billion dollars donated today or that billion dollars turned into ten billion dollars and donated in a decade? Plus, it's not like the guy is living like a ***** king. As I recall, he still lives in the same home he grew up in, eats burgers and coke and drives a crappy oldsmobile.
Seriously - I really hate ***** who talk about how much other people should give and giving until it hurts and how they're too rich and all this *****. How many of you self-rightous mother ***** are out there giving until it hurts YOU? How many of you are donating more than just a few spare hours of time and more than a spare few dollars of cash to help someone or some cause this season or this year?! Exactly as I thought - not ***** many. So shut your pie-holes and quit telling people when they make too much and how they should use it. - Reddog_x2000, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Neenor, you don't understand economics AT ALL. You don't get paid based on need. You get paid based on the value of what you produce. While we techies have a lot of valid criticisms of microsoft products, they've unquestionably created tremendous value for the world.
Think about this. If people stopped getting paid when their needs were met, why would they continue to work past that point? To support those who can't/won't produce enough to support themselves, right? Well, what if they say screw that? I'm not gonna work entirely for other people? One of two things happen. Either there's very little surplus to help those who can't support themselves or you force them to continue working for free. In the second case you are then claiming the right to make them your slaves.
Bill Gates is not an overlord. Yes, there are some valid criticisms of his business products. But, I'm pretty sure that no one has ever been killed or hurt for failing to use microsoft products.
And, Bill Gates money is in circulation. Do you think he's got it buried in his backyard? I don't know the specifics of his portfolio. But, I'll guarantee you that the vast majority of his wealth is in investments. Those investments create jobs.
This post is re: the following posting:
"Bill Gates past the point at which he could eat, clothe and house his family years ago. Whatever money he has left over is pure decadence.
Your argument is like the slavery argument. Yes this overlord may be ripping people of and hording his money but look at all the good he’s doing. Bill Gates should not have the money in the first place and if he didn't it would be free to circulate around the world economy" - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3"From the gospel of Mark:
Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning His disciples, He said to them, " I assure you: this poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed--all she had to live on.""
Since you brought up some religious ***** - it makes me wonder how much Bush, Falwell and Robertson may have donated this year? And while we're at it - your personal level of poverty has no impact on the value of your donation to someone. If you donate $50 to feed starving people - it's going to feed them $50 worth of food. If you donate $500,000, it's going to feed them $500,000 worth of food. There's no sliding scale that makes $50 from a poor person buy $500,000 worth of food. It's nice to pretend with all that fancy feel-good *****, but . . .
Plus, again, few people give until it hurts. I donate thousands per year to my favorite charity and while it makes an impact and will likely impact my ability to retire (ever - at all) it certainly doesn't "hurt". - headzoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@lettsv - I'm not saying the people you mentioned didn't have an impact, but you can't say that Bill Gates hasn't had an impact. Actually because many of Bill's donations go towards technical education for children, we won't feel his impact for many years. Once of those kids, who would otherwise end up working at Wal-Mart as an adult, could grow up and cure AIDS thanks to Bill's donations and foundations.
- TidusX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I have to agree that even though I do not agree with some of MS business tactics, I like what Bill gates has done in terms of philanthropy.
- tomaburque, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Mr. Gates has pledged more than half his fortune to charity. /bow Bill Gates. By contrast, the Wal Mart heirs, with a fortune over 100 billion dollars, have pledged less than 1% of their fortune to charity. /rude Wal Mart.
- donte, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It just baffles me how so many "I hate M$, and linux rules" people are willing to assume that anything Bill Gates does is evil and make it sound like it's such a difficult prospect that the guy wants to charitably give back to the world community. Don't give me this "he's spending 10,000 to to save 3,500" crap. Since that's off of his taxable income, not the amount he actually saves, that's a matter of a few hundred dollars that he'll see back on his tax return. So it's more like spend 10,000 to save 800. Trust me, he didn't become more successful than you by relying on that sort of math as a businessman.
Frankly, I wish he'd give "less" money away. As someone who deals with nonprofit organizations on a daily basis, it's wonderful getting millions of dollars from a donor... but it's a pain in the ass trying to figure out how to disburse and use the money without pissing most of it away in administration fees. I'd like to see him invest his money in other areas of the business world. Start up more companies or branches of microsoft. Create some more jobs resulting in a more healthy economy. This way the people in america receiving some of these charities can start working and living for themselves... even earning to the point where they can be comfortable enough to donate $100 a year, continuing the cycle.
Now you may not agree with me, but either way, I know you think you're some social/techincal revolutionary for coming up with more and more clever ways to describe how bill gates is a horrible person, but frankly you just sound retarded.
And before you start making McCarthy-istic comments about how I probably work for MS or something... I'm with a small computing firm and spend most of my time working on Sun machines programming in Java. So I should be kissing Guy Steele's ass, not Bill's ;) - JohnLockLiberte, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0What's up with all the swearing and shody logic?
God and Jesus are correct, those that have more can afford more, sorry Seumas this time you are not smarter then God this time.
Bill Gates as a percentage gives a very small amount each year less then 1%(not the numbers his ignorant defenders of him claim in here).
I donated 4% some years to charity of my small income. Bill cleverly donates to the Bill and Belinda Charitable Foundation, man I wish I could donate to my own fund (aaahhhhhhh wouldn't it be nice to have a John Locke fund to donate too). Boy I am being more and more charitable today!
Also Rom is correct, donating lowers your taxable income, just as putting money in a 401k lowers the tax basis. So Gates is greedy in that he donates to himself not some other well known fund. Gates donations do reduce his tax bill.
Finally, the Gates Foundation only spends less then 5% of the fund each year, so he donates a small amount of his money and the Foundation only spends the minimum required under law, so his donations are still there really.
Warren Buffet has given 85% of his wealth away. I do admire Warren, Gates I respect only as a clever man but not a moral person. I bet his wife made him get involved with the foundation in response to his image he was getting with this anti-trust problems and monopolistic law breaking.
I don't respect Gates product either do you remember the dark ages of computer called DOS, Bill Gates helped to produce that! - Hindu_Wardrobe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Go Billy! It really disgusts me how people call him evil all the time when he's giving zillions of dollars to charity.
You know, you might be affected by what he's doing. You might get AIDS one of these days, and because of Bill Gates you can be cured.
You never know.... - gekkokid, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0havent you people ever read a decent newspaper or time magazine????? its reallllllllly old news
- JohnLockLiberte, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Gates donates less then 1% of his income a year and wealth that was over 100billion at one point under Clinton days. Warren Buffet has donated 85% of his wealth. Gates over his lifetime has donated something like 20% of his total wealth currently, but that's over many hears donating less then 1% each year on average. Bill Gates donates to his own foundation to spend it the way he wants. Those donations are a way of reducing his taxes so he can spend the money later. Those are the facts, the rest is just mindless emotional heresay.
- nazzdeq, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0
Bill Gates is not having as much impact as Gandi or Jesus? Jesus's followers have caused more wars and death that you can name. Not sure exactly what Gandi did for other people. But, I'm sure Bill Gates money towards vaccines and healthcare in 3rd world countries has saved more lives than either Jesus or Gandi or any other religious/cult leader. - gunbuster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I hope you haters someday become wealthy, decide to donate large sums of money, only to be suggested that your generosity is meaningless and that your altruism is for ulterior motives. Screw it.
- jshabad00, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Well it may surprise you to find out just exactly how much Bill Gates donates each year. More than you think..."
Idiot. Anyone "surprised" by this needs to open a newspaper every now and then. - neenor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Bill gates has not given away 50% of his money, he has PLEDGED to give 50% of his money. That’s not the same thing.
Even if he has given away as much as you all think that wont clear his conscience for all the shady things he’s done over the years.
@headzoo - The parallels between Gandi and Binladin are there, don’t ignore them because you are upset about 11/9. Also I don’t know whom Binladin has killed? The twin towers are attributed to him but it wasn’t him directly. The only people to blame were the people who crashed the planes, they were individuals and they are responsible for there actions (being part of an organisation or corporation does not excuse an individuals responsibility). - jerbaker, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Looking at the posts by people who are ignorant enough to think that just because donations came from the Bill Gates foundation that it means Bill Gates gave that money, I see why MSNBC made this press release. It makes them look good. Like I said before, if you want to play the bigger dick game, let's look at how much personal money each donated. Let's leave out how much of other people's money they collected and then gave away as their own.
- edwardh2o, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@nazzdeg
"Not sure exactly what Gandi did for other people."
Except for freeing a few hundred million Indians from the British occupation? Except for that?
Anyhows... Bill Gates the criminal donating cash to charities to hide Microsoft's monopoly crimes and such isn't all that impressive.
If he were to anonymously donate cash through some cover foundation then maybe it would be noteworthy, until then it's just a PR move so that people can say "wow, a BILLION dollars sure forgives Bill for all his previous criminal tresspasses". - kdehead, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0why should i give a ***** about what some disgustingly rich person does? i'm sick to death of these "lets suck up to Bill Gates" stories on Digg..
- EdCAsh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I think of all the profit margins they have.
And how many persons could have MORe in this nation, if these profit mongering persons dropped there prices about 1/2...
considering that most of these charities, that less then 30% of the money GETS to the people that need it.
That the MONEY they are getting credit for was YOURS in the first place, and you arent getting the credit.
That the EXTRA profits they make, are at the cost of jobs, and over work, you have to do.
It looks impressive, until you know that the jobs they dropped in the US, and moved to Taiwan, indoneasa, pakistan at 1/100 the cost(?) and selling goods HERE, at "as if made in the US price point", IS YOUR MONEY... - drshabazz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0nazzdeg says, "Jesus's followers have caused more wars and death that you can name. Not sure exactly what Gandi did for other people. But, I'm sure Bill Gates money towards vaccines and healthcare in 3rd world countries has saved more lives than either Jesus or Gandi or any other religious/cult leader."
POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC man! This is fallacious argumentation. Just because followers of Jesus, ie the majority of the world's population for the last thousand of years have entered in wars and as a result killed people does not mean that Jesus or their religions are the cause of that. Christians are flawed just as atheists, agnostics, and other religious people are flawed. Even if some religious zeal and fervor has at anytime gotten to such a point that resulted in wrong or sinful actions taking place, the Christian or the Gandhi follower doesn't claim to be perfect or better than anyone else, we're all of a fallen nature. Christianity gives one the principles in which to live their lives it doesn't make you automatically a saint that can do no wrong. I don't see you trying to make any sort of intelligent argument to support your claim, it just sounds like you're regurgitating something you heard in college or from a buddy. Do some research man and don't be so quick to spew fallacies. - EdCAsh, on 01/30/2008, -0/+0Can I point out 1 MAJOR fact.
The money the RICH are using, WAS YOURS.
YOU bought their products, you paid for their GAS, electric, water, and THAT Money they are Giving away, probably ISNT going WHERE it could/should/or where YOU might want. Many of those charity's END uyp having Backers, with VERY familiar Names, and THOSe backers, are getting MONEY BACK. When 20-80% of the money goes to Paying the workers and doing paper work.. - drshabazz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0kdehead, what am I lying about? I made 3 statements. 1. That nazzdeg's point was a fallacy. 2. That Christians are just as flawed as anyone else and 3. Christianity is a belief based on principles that guide the follower to a specific way of life. Neither of those statements are lies. I don't see how anything I said could be construed of as a lie. I think you're wrong that Christianity is a "scourge on our civilization" (whatever that means - sounds to me like a loaded salvo with no specific meaning, ridiculously vague at best), and you may think I'm wrong, but that doesn't make either of us "liars". I wish you'd explain, and have at least a little bit more depth to your points as you're the second person in a row I'm responding to that has failed to give even a shred of foundation to the claims they're making. When you say something has been a certain way since "roman times", you have two thousand years of examples to draw from yet you choose none. But, whatever.
- JohnLockLiberte, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0This is totally wrong, Bill Gates gives less then 1% a year to charity. That charity is the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation. They control that money, how convient! Over Bills lifetime he has give a higher precentage but its somewhere areound 20%. Warren Buffet has give away 85 to 90% of his wealth. I gues the truth hurts for you.
I give far more then Gates often 5% or 10% of my income how come you don't worship me like you worship Bill Gates and rich people. Kinda telling! - atomicfireball, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0
This is an idiotic statement. Unless you have some insight that is not public knowledge, we have no idea how much Steve Jobs gives to charity. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Microsoft have to publicly disclose such things, and even if they didn't, it's obviously in their best interest to do so. Steve Jobs, as a private individual, doesn't have to tell us what he spends his money on, so we simply don't know. Maybe he's a selfish prat, maybe he's not. Unless you're his accountant, you don't likely know any more than I do.
Steve's not rich enough to even be talked about on this article, being worth only 3.3 billion dollars and not even in the top 50 richest people in the world (#67 last I checked). We do know that he's not as greedy as some people would want you to believe - he took a dollar in salary last year from Apple, took no new stock, and gave back many of his existing options.
Both Steve and Bill have enough cash not to have to worry about where their next meals are coming from, and neither one seems to be primarily motivated by increasing their personal wealth any more. Making any further comparison on this issue without more information is just idiotic, although there's obviously no shortage of idiotic jumping to conclusions in Digg comments, is there?
Personally, I'm no fan of Microsoft's products or tactics, but bravo to Bill and Melinda for being generous with their money. - tonage, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Ah, the evil rich. Wonder how much of their taxes go to charities? Usually under a name like UN or something so it is well hidden and the rich may remain hated.
- groverallnight, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Bill Gates giving away 'any' amount of money makes me respect him a bit more than I would if he didn't.
And the fact that he and his wife have set up their own charity, actively involve themselves in it, and donate obscene amounts of money makes me respect him even more.
Nearly everyone in this thread is blinded by their hatred of (and jealousy towards) the wealthy and some twisted notion that a rich man's billions are worth less to the starving or dying than a poor man's last cent. - mynameismuf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0you can never ever spend 48 billion, you can never ever spend 24 billion in your lifetime.
- vypergts, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Isn't this why they got the cover of TIME? http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1142278,00.html
- jhuebel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0jerbaker, who gives a f*ck? They donated a boatload of money to worthy causes. Does it really matter if Bill Gates donated the money from his own pocket?
I'm no fan of MS, but the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a Good Thing(tm). - SilentBobSC, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"p/s: I wouldn't want to see Steve Jobs as the richest man - I can tell you this much." Hell Ya!
I was listening to an interview with the Woz and apparently Steve had once been considered for man of the year up until the reporters couldn't find anyone with a good word to say about him (the words demanding, arrogant, and unrealistic made their share of appearances). I can believe this even more after having read some of the accounts over at Folklore. - atomicfireball, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Oops - my quote got lost from that last comment - meant to be referring to this statement:
"p/s: I wouldn't want to see Steve Jobs as the richest man - I can tell you this much." - bryantee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Go Bill.
- jerbaker, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0What they don't tell you is whether all of the money they donated was theirs, their corporation's, or a foundation that receives money from other people. They also don't tell you how much those people make. Net worth does not equal income. I want to see personal money donated versus actual income. Just because the Bill Gates foundation donated 50% of his net worth doesn't mean that money came from Bill Gates. Other people's money go to that foundation as well. This is just a corporate attempt at image boosting.
- joeyjojo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0" I like what Bill gates has done in terms of philanthropy."
Yep. Too bad, in general, the trend is that the richer you are, the less you give to charity in comparison to most middle class folks.
"I'd love to see any of you lame sob's give 50% of your net worth to a charity and keep on giving."
Anyone can do what Bill does if they had Bill Gates' money. When you have more money than you can possibly spend, it's insanely easy to give it a way. Too bad more of the ultra-wealthy aren't like Bill Gates in terms of their giving. - dontbeahater, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It really shouldn't be an issue that bill gate's giving helps his image. The fact remains he's helping millions upon millions of people and that's a lot better than hating on a rich man helping millions upon millions of people. I'm glad it helps his image so much, that should encourage other billionaires sitting in their joyless cavernous mansions to give more.
Don't be a hater! (^o^)b - DigitalAnarkist, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Where are the Linux and open-source developers on this list?
- kdehead, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0yeah - steve jobs fanboy stuff annoys the hell outta me too. there's far more interesting stuff going on in the world.
- BBSCI, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I'm more impressed when someone making $30k/yr gives a few hundred dollars than when Bill Gates overcharges me then decides where to give a infinitesimally small percentage of my money to the community. Better they lower the price of their products and let me decide what to do with the money.
- replica, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@kdehead
How can you be sick to death over one story. I am sick to death over the hundreds of Mac and Steve Jobs stories. - sunmicroman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0>>Since you brought up some religious ***** - it makes me wonder how much Bush, Falwell and Robertson may have donated this year? And while we're at it - your personal level of poverty has no impact on the value of your donation to someone. If you donate $50 to feed starving people - it's going to feed them $50 worth of food. If you donate $500,000, it's going to feed them $500,000 worth of food. There's no sliding scale that makes $50 from a poor person buy $500,000 worth of food. It's nice to pretend with all that fancy feel-good *****, but . . .
I think that Bible verse that was quoted has more to do with the Giver than the Recipient.......
Anyway, kudos to all who give to charities. I know I could learn to be more charitable than I currently am. -
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