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Gates Makes Largest Donation Since 2000 With $4.6 Billion Pledge (bloomberg.com)
From a report: Bill Gates made his largest gift since the turn of the century, giving away Microsoft shares that accounted for 5 percent of his fortune, the world's biggest. The billionaire donated 64 million of the software maker's shares valued at $4.6 billion on June 6, according to a Securities & Exchange Commission filing released Monday. While the recipient of the gift wasn't specified, Gates has made the majority of his donations to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the charity he and his wife use to direct their philanthropic efforts. It's the largest gift of Microsoft shares that Gates has made since 2000. The 61-year-old gave away $16 billion worth of Microsoft shares in 1999 and $5.1 billion a year later, according to calculations by Bloomberg.
I make $55k doing IT support in Silicon Valley. What am I doing wrong?
"Philanthropic efforts"
He still controls all of that money, but now he doesn't have to pay taxes on it.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
So now he'll never pay taxes on that money, but can still do pretty much whatever he wants with it. Why is it legal to donate to your own charity?
That seems not charity but more like an investment and every really rich people seems have their own charity.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/39z97m/why_do_rich_people_setup_their_own_charity_rather/
http://www.salon.com/2013/04/12/10_tax_dodges_that_help_the_rich_get_richer_partner/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/georgeosborne/9195571/Wealthiest-people-abusing-tax-system-with-donations-to-charities-that-dont-do-charitable-work.html
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/12/gates-foundations-24-most-egregious-investments/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/gates-foundation-accused-of-dangerously-skewing-aid-priorities-by-promoting-big-business-a6822036.html
http://techrights.org/wiki/index.php/Gates_Foundation_Critique
He's done so much harm by selling overpriced software that consistently under-delivers, and all the other shit he did, and now he's saying "lookit meee! I'm bein' a fillytropeest!!!1!"... instead of, you know, using that fortune to fix his damn software.
I have far more respect for Steve Jobs in this respect, for he didn't announce his philantropy. And while his software sucks, it does suck quite a measurable lot less than billy gee's.
You should check on Gate's philanthropy background. Think what you may about him, he donated a shitload of money to very good causes over the world.
"or funding organic school lunches for poor-neighborhood children"
Spoke like a true alt-right suburbanite. How would you know how children in poor neighborhoods eat? Scumbag.
But I can't say that's cool without knowing who the recipient is, so 'no comment'.
Yes, I know that he has done some great things, such as exterminating polio. But he does have an Achilles-heel when it comes to coding.
Reducing the footprint of malaria across Africa is a great endeavor sure to help the world, sending some special group to summer camp where they can be told what to appreciate not so much.
Instantly triggered like a true ANTIFA member. How do you know he doesn't know? Loser.
He also made massive donations to promoting genital mutilation (instead of fighting it).
He also prefers $1000 per dose meds bought from companies he cooperates with instead of $2 per dose of the same substance produced locally. Worse, receiving those $1000 meds usually comes with strings attached where they're contingent on passing laws that shut down production of generics in the name of "intellectual property".
B&M Gates Foundation is one of worst charities.
The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
The $4.6B donation will go to the Surface team to help improve the drivers.
You seem to have some anger-related issues. That's not good for your heart.
You make it very easy for me when you call me alt-right, since it takes a very particular kind of person to skip the thinking part and jump straight to calling others alt-right. Especially when the data on obesity and its correlation to low income (hint: crap food costs less than healthy food) has been so well documented for so many years. Even the simplest form of due diligence, a google search, reveals a results page filled with studies and articles talking about the connection between obesity and low income families. Go on, try it.
You really should try the thinking part, its amazing for continuing discussions and you might even earn some respect from your colleagues.
That money should go to the Feds so it can be spend it the way it SHOULD be spent!! /S
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
How does this affect the economy. This money was basically out of circulation. Isn't this similar to printing another 4 billion and dumping it into the economy? Does this devalue our currency?
Funds his foundation by layoffs.
He could have given this stock to the people who made him rich. Nope. Can't reward those who make him rich.
Nice tax dodge, if you can get it.
You did know of that whole Michelle Obama Lunch rules thing, right?
We all know how kids on Free Lunch programs ate. Because Michelle never got tired of telling us.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
Because I know he doesn't know what I know. We don't eat coke and hamburgers.
Citations?
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
When you donate appreciated shares to a charity you get to write off the current value of the shares. This means you avoid paying capital gains on any of those shares and the donation can also reduce your tax liability on your other earnings. I haven't looked into how the alternative minimum tax affects this, but even if it limits the tax benefit at the federal level, it doesn't affect the benefit at the state level.
Give it up Timmy. You just outed yourself: "poor-neighborhood children (that will still eat hamburgers and coke for dinner and breakfast)" Disgusting. I really dislike suburbanite types like yourself who think they know what is going on the real world. Here is a hint Timmy: plenty of doughy suburbanite kids eat hamburgers and coke.
Why are you people so bent out of shape?
Jealousy, that's why. Of course he'll never admit it, not even to himself.
Maybe you should listen to her. Plenty of kids DO eat hamburgers and coke. Not just "inner city" kids (and we call know what that is code for).
I'll eat what I please, thank you very much.
Meanwhile, you can stop lecturing people on shit you apparently know nothing about.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
Go ahead and stuff whatever you want into your mouth. It is your life. The rest of us will listen to good advice.
Is this news? He's "pledged" to give away 50% of his wealth (any timescale, I'm not sure?), this is about 5%.
Who'd have thought it would be so hard to give away money and just live on the billions you have left? Just ask Monty Brewster, I suppose.
But then, supposedly he gets a tax break, so is that defined as something that Monty's lawyers would class as an asset or profit?
I highly doubt so, I see it more like an overly complex PR lobbying machine that try to align big business with some sort of humanitarian help.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/12/gates-foundations-24-most-egregious-investments/
https://www.pambazuka.org/governance/another-missionary-africa-bill-gates-myth
https://www.rt.com/news/328014-kenya-gmo-us-gates-monsanto/
http://www.alternet.org/food/bill-gates-mission-sell-gmos-africa-hes-not-telling-whole-truth
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/24/no-such-thing-free-gift-gates-foundation-philanthropy-review
That should be enough for anybody.
W Buffett used similar option to cancel huge swaths of his tax liabilities in a triple-dip dodge. He donated billions to charities he controls, sure, but he donated appreciated shares of stock. So first he deducted the charitable donation, at the same time bypassing capital gains taxes, and he significantly reduced his potential estate taxes. And he created $10B in carryover deductions for future years.
Imagine if he had simply sold his shares, paid income and CG taxes, then didn't deduct the gifts on his taxes. Or just left the money in his estate so the government could get 40%. Think of the revenue he stole from taxpayers!
Won't hear progressives complaining, instead we get BG & WB saying taxes need to be higher.
Not from anybody named Obama, that's for sure.
Spoke like a true alt-right suburbanite. How would you know how children in poor neighborhoods eat? Scumbag.
I can say with confidence from a family member who used to teach in Lancaster, a true ghetto, that McDonalds was the biggest beneficiary of Michelle Obamas push to make school lunch be healthy and unappealing. He found it amusing, but I guess he must have been an alt-right suburbanite scumbag for observing reality.
That's because you shoot coke.
Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
Didn't like the thinking part, eh? Fair enough, it's not for everyone.
You still haven't addressed the scientific consensus pointing out the strong correlation between poor-neighborhood upbringing and obesity.
The only information you are trying to convey in your post is "plenty of doughy suburbanite kids eat hamburgers and coke." which, while formulated in a way I find charming and prosaic, doesn't hold. If you want to use suburban as a proxy for "not-poor-neighborhood upbringing", then the scientific consensus is the opposite of your feelings.
And it unfortunately seems that all you are willing to contribute to this discussion is a cornucopia of feelings, most of which are no doubt harmful to your longterm health.
Oh, and the suburbanite thing was also wrong :)
Yay Bill! We applaud you for shifting money from one bank account to another. Such an amazing feat! Let's all worship you for such generosity.
You will not find citations since the people behind these charities tend to have the power to prevent these reports from being published. An ex-girlfriend of mine worked for a charity in Niger (and please this is the name of a country and is not meant as racist slur). They trained the local population to diagnose the people with the right diseases and to make their own medication. After a few years of making progress, all of the sudden armed forces claiming to represent the government came to destroy all laboratories.
The government had in exchange for free medication (and money of course) signed an agreement to respect American IP law and actively shut down piracy. The weapons were an extra bonus. Today these weapons are still used in the region by a group with the name Boko Haram (literary Western teachings are evil). Note this was in the mid nineties, and that was when Bill Gates was still busy with his job at Microsoft. But they were American charities nonetheless.
http://firstquarterfinance.com...
These are the fast food places we can confirm accept EBT cards. Yes, Papa Murphy’s, Taco Bell, KFC, Church’s Chicken, Wendy’s, Dairy Queen, McDonald’s, El Pollo Loco, White Castle, Domino’s, Rally’s Hamburgers, and Subway are all fast food places that take EBT.
http://www.salon.com/2010/03/1...
Mak, 31, grew up in Westchester, graduated from the University of Chicago and toiled in publishing in New York during his 20s before moving to Baltimore last year with a meager part-time blogging job and prospects for little else. About half of his friends in Baltimore have been getting food stamps since the economy toppled, so he decided to give it a try; to his delight, he qualified for $200 a month.
“I’m sort of a foodie, and I’m not going to do the ‘living off ramen’ thing,” he said, fondly remembering a recent meal he’d prepared of roasted rabbit with butter, tarragon and sweet potatoes. “I used to think that you could only get processed food and government cheese on food stamps, but it’s great that you can get anything.”
When you have that much money, you can randomly do weird things with it, with no risk, to get attention focused on you or to see what comes out of peoples' mouths... sort of a litmus test, if you will. I can't imagine what it would be like to have that much money and get bored enough to fuck with it just to stir the proverbial pot.
I digress.
Can't we just alt-tab the subject?
While it is great that Bill Gates is giving back to the world, it is also worth noting the source of that wealth.
Microsoft has been taxing many innovative companies for over a decade regarding "Intellectual Property". Whether it is through proxies such as Intellectual Ventures and Rockstar Group, or by funding SCO litigation through Baystar, Microsoft has done great harm to the Information Technology field.
Microsoft goes after individuals too. From Bill Gates famous 1976 letter to hobbyists to the psudo-police tactics of the Business Software Alliance, Microsoft has been treating customers like criminals for decades.
Where does Microsoft get all of their wonderful innovation? Simply by copying others. Embrace Enhance Extinguish. This applies to many of their competitors - Xerox, Netscape, Novell. Nokia, Sun (Java), and many more. Hell, Microsoft even patented SUDO in 2009!
What they don't copy, they buy. Microsoft and Intellectual Ventures has built a massive Patent portfolio, some of which was acquired from publicly funded universities. Vague patents for products that they never deploy are the ammunition that they use to shake-down other companies. With those that do not drink the MS cool-aid, FUD. Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt is the reason why so many Android vendors pay Microsoft. USB and portable media vendors pay Microsoft for exFAT (hardly an innovation).
Microsoft, a convicted monopolist, has become a tax on innovation, a detriment to the IT industry, and a parasite to all. Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, Nathan Mhyrvold, and others are personally responsible for this situation. So, call me bitter and twisted, but heed the truth of Richard Stallman's statement when Steve Jobs passed, "I'm not glad he's dead, but I'm glad he's gone." We will see history more clearly when these robber-barons are gone, even if they memorialize themselves through their foundations.
Citations?
* male genital mutilation
* intellectual property laws: some vague stuff for example here; there's so many hits for their relations to "intellectual property" that it's hard to tell the whaff away. I can't search tonight, lemme find better citations later.
The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
So, let's see... Bill Gates gives X billion bucks to himself, so he can do what he would have done anyway. This reduces his income tax burden by roughly X/2. Hey, we just gave Bill X/2 bucks! He is so smart.
The world would have been better off without Microsoft, even if that means a few villages in Sudanese Nigeristan don't get new toilets this year.
Not from anybody named Obama, that's for sure.
Now, that is true. Lots of people, especially in the US, do not listen to good advice from anybody named Obama. Their loss, but they don't. But hey, Darwinism in action.
Michelle's Lunch plan was an exercise in futility.
"Healthy" food pretty much tastes like ass unless you have talented people fixing it. That, you will not find in an inner city kitchen.
More food was being thrown away and people were dripping out (which is actually a good thing. so I guess that's a redeeming quality of her program)
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
He should've only donated 640k, it's all anyone would ever need.
If Gates wants to do something that was unquestionably sincere maybe he should give back that money to all the people he swindled so that they can be the revered philanthropists rather than use it to intentionally/inadvertently pump up his own reputation. Otherwise its just like a bankrobber donating to charity. Admittedly the money is going to a lot of good causes but its also going to some bad causes too. And the people he crushed could have donated that money all the same. When he’s as rich as he is theres nothing left to buy but your own legacy, a rational psychopath could do what Gate’s is doing so why he gets so much credit is puzzling. No doubt, he’s shown he’s very smart but he’s also shown he’s a ruthless businessman, a businessman who perhaps is still playing the same game he’s been playing just at a higher level. Instead of throwing money to buy businesses he’s throwing money around to buy hearts and minds. Maybe he’s truly changed but I’ve seen no evidence.
...and a *lot* of them never shared in the spoils as they should have.
It would be nice if he would *donate* some of it back to *them*.
Citations?
* male genital mutilation
Okay, on that one you're being ridiculous.Circumcision is a debatable practice (though I'm circumcised, as are most American men, and I don't consider myself "mutilated"), but in this case it's being done for a very positive reason, which is that it's known to reduce the transmission of AIDS. The Gates Foundation provided support to a UN organization focused specifically on saving lives. That's making the world better, even if it does (theoretically) reduce a little sexual pleasure.
* intellectual property laws: some vague stuff for example here; there's so many hits for their relations to "intellectual property" that it's hard to tell the whaff away. I can't search tonight, lemme find better citations later.
Agreed, that's a poor citation.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
Microsoft; with Bill, Steve, and Paul in control; was directly responsible for so many violations of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act that I personally can't keep track of them all. You can essentially count every instance of EEE and FUD Microsoft ever perpetrated as additional violations of the Act.
The number of companies Microsoft destroyed numbers in the hundreds, possibly thousands. The numbers of careers Microsoft destroyed numbers in the hundreds of thousands, possibly millions.
The Justice Department (DoJ) lined up a hearty parade of lawsuits intended to bring Microsoft to justice for its crimes. They figured they would begin with one of the easiest ones where Microsoft leveraged its monopoly in PC operating systems to gain a new monopoly in web browser application software. That's an obvious and clear violation of the Act.
Unfortunately, Microsoft's legal department had a budget for this single case that exceeded the DoJ's budget for all the cases they tried plus their governmental bureaucratic overhead. So, Microsoft was able to drag that lawsuit out for over a decade. As it was grinding to a halt, George W. Bush was elected President. In the first few months of his administration, he scuttled what remained of the lawsuit AFTER Microsoft was found guilty and the trial moved into the penalty phase. Sorry, this was a civil lawsuit so Microsoft was actually found "liable". It's the same thing as when the government failed to convict O.J. Simpson of murder, so the families of the victims sued and O.J. was found "liable". The important point here is the utter and complete failure of the government to enforce the law.
Bill, Steve, and Paul made fun of our criminal justice system in the press the entire time. Since I live in western Washington, the heart of Microsoft country, I personally witnessed Bill on TV smiling as he made fun of the DoJ.
Some people are still waiting for the government to do SOMETHING to bring these criminals to justice, still waiting for the dynamic trio's conviction for at least SOME of the crimes Microsoft committed, and still waiting for all of them to begin the prison sentences they so richly deserve.
Instead, we have Millennials who fall to their knees at the very mention of their names, cooing, fawning, and worshipping the ground Bill walks on. Well folks, I humbly submit for your edification a simple mathematical and economic truth: if Bill, Steve, and Paul had not destroyed so many companies and careers, the total amount of money donated to charity over the years would be greater than the amounts Bill donates single-handedly these days and makes such great sounding headlines for.
There's no donation, just a move-around.
Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
I fully expect the comment area in this post to be filled with comments from people who never even heard all the stuff the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation did over the years.
Because of course there is a predominant bias against Microsoft that will certainly contaminate and overlook all the work that the foundation has done.
Quick read here before you post your creed against it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
If you'd rather have Gates keep his money and let it go to his own family so that we have another bunch of Trumps running around, I hope you rot in hell.
Old jokes and saying this no big deal. Seriously get over your hate of Bill Gates. It makes you look silly.
in this case it's being done for a very positive reason, which is that it's known to reduce the transmission of AIDS
Nope, the preponderance of evidence say the transmission of AIDS is either unaffected or enhanced by circumcision.
Almost any claims that circumcision protects from AIDS quote the infamous Camp Orange/Orange Farms study. That study consists of an egregious list of scientific misconduct. For example, the circumcised group had received sexual education while the control group did not -- so it's not surprising that men who had a downtime and were taught safe(r) practices will have less AIDS. The researchers' bias was so strong they immediately destroyed the control group "so they can benefit too" before even the data was tabulated.
Let's take a look at other studies:small increase of risk; no effect; large increase. Or for gay men: UK, US, Scotland.
On the other hand, there's a significant increase of MtF transmission.
But, if a study is funded by the Gates Foundation, it will be stopped early "because of futility" of protection, while in fact the preliminary data show a strong increase of risk.
Or, papers outright lie about the conclusion: "Declining Rates in Male Circumcision amidst Increasing Evidence of its Public Health Benefit -- in all categories other than one the "benefit" is negative, and the only category where circumcision slightly wins (heterosexuals with syphilis) had a sample of 6.
(though I'm circumcised, as are most American men, and I don't consider myself "mutilated"
I'm sorry for you. Alas, people who suffer from some malady tend to have a strong bias that "it's the right thing to do". For example, the strongest driver for female circumcision are older women who were circumcised themselves. Same for the deaf.
even if it does (theoretically) reduce a little sexual pleasure
"theoretically", "a little"?!? While you're unable to make this test yourself, you can ask an intact friend: wear regular underwear (ie, not commando, not boxers), retract the foreskin, try walking. For extra bonus, do it where there are people around so you can't adjust (this randomly happened to me a couple times). The chafing is so strong it's a pain. If penises get so calloused such chafing is not noticeable, there's hardly any feeling left.
The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
Or, another approach: as such studies are done on a limited sample that often suffers from some sort of selection bias, let's instead compare whole countries. Here are the figures for %HIV prevalence in the entire population, and ratios of prevalence in circumcized to uncircumcized men:
(Sorry for the broken table, Slashdot considers any non-trivial <pre> to be "junk".)
country %HIV c/i =i/c
Kenya 6.7% 0.24 (1/4.20)
Burkina Faso 1.8% 0.62 (1/1.61)
Uganda 6.45 0.68 (1/1.47)
Ivory Coast 4.75 0.74 (1/1.35)
Ethiopia 1.4% 0.82 (1/1.22)
Cameroon 5.5% 3.73
Rwanda 3.0% 1.67
Lesotho 23.5% 1.50
Malawi 11.8% 1.39
Tanzania 7.0% 1.16
Ghana 2.2% 1.14
Swaziland 25.9% 1.12
As you can see, especially in countries with a high incidence of HIV, circumcized men are more affected.
There are two strong outliers: Cameroon where intact is better, and Kenya where cut it better. But, in the latter, the vast majority (84%) of men are circumcised, while most of the rest belong to a single ethnic group. That group, the only tribe in Kenya that shuns circumcision, not only practices polygamy, but also has a deeply rooted custom of "wife inheritance" -- if your brother's wife dies, you're supposed to take her (this was known in ancient Middle East as "levirate marriage"). The mortality rate in age groups that have sexual relations is very small compared to the general population, thus AIDS is the most common cause of death among sexually active people. Thus, that brother had usually died of AIDS...
All of the above countries are among the least developed. So let's take a look at rich educated countries: the US with AIDS prevalence of 0.6% vs Europe with 0.2%. Which one of them has a high circumcision rate, and in which it is hardly ever practised?
The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
in this case it's being done for a very positive reason, which is that it's known to reduce the transmission of AIDS
Nope, the preponderance of evidence say the transmission of AIDS is either unaffected or enhanced by circumcision.
The UN health organization disagrees with you.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
The UN health organization disagrees with you.
Your FCC claims that Net Neutrality kills innovation on the Internet. Our Ministry of Education's curriculum board says sexual education must preach virginity until marriage, while even high schoolers (including those who are 18) should not be teached anything about actual intercourse, and that birth control is "contrary to moral norms".
All three are political organizations, not panels of impartial engineers/doctors.
The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.