What would you do if you were Bill Gate$ ?

[shakti5385]

We all could do a lot more. If we all did our bit rather than waiting for Bill Gates to spur us to action then maybe some of the worlds problems could be eradicated sooner.

Quote of The Day

[kregg]

More like Quote of the Lifetime!

[Torc]

I may be reading it wrong, but looking at the foundations aims they are working on
Global Health, Global Development, but Education only in the US.

I would have thought that aiding Education across the world would do a lot for both
the Global Health and Global Development.

[Valleysboy1978]

True
Better education is needed more in the developing worlds, especially Africa. Supposedly the education is so poor that many South Africans believed that havng intercourse with a virgin would cure your of HIV

[nemaroller]

This is what I would do:

Say you're in a fast food drive-thru, and the twit behind the counter drops a Coke in your lap as he's handing it to you. I would violently shake my first back and forth while declaring in an Ebenezer voice - 'You'll pay for this!' and drive off.

The next morning when he came to work, he would be frightened to find that I had bought the company and was now his boss. I would 'accidently' spill drinks on him all day while he was forced to clean the bathrooms with a toothbrush.

Then I'd buy all the people of Britian some Prozac and put up big banner signs everywhere with smiley faces with the caption 'It's ok!'.

[Torc]

Thinking about what I would do with the money Bill earns, outside of the Foundation.

After setting up a trust with most of it allowing me to give amounts to various
small charities from time to time I would hire a cruise ship for a slow world cruise, and invite VBF members to come along for free.

[brad jones]

I would hire a cruise ship for a slow world cruise, and invite VBF members to come along for free.

Depending on the members you invite, that could be a reward or a punishment.....

Brad!

[kleinma]

I may be reading it wrong, but looking at the foundations aims they are working on
Global Health, Global Development, but Education only in the US.

I would have thought that aiding Education across the world would do a lot for both
the Global Health and Global Development.

doesn't building global libraries count as aiding Education across the world?

[Valleysboy1978]

No because they first need access to a PC which many of the developing countries do not have....let alone a fast connection

[Torc]

doesn't building global libraries count as aiding Education across the world?

Nope, You could have the greatest library in the world, but if you do not
know how to use it, or what you want to research then it would just be a
huge pile of Waste Paper.

With Education you would not only be able to use the Library, but also
be able to work without it, or even contribute to it.

[Torc]

Depending on the members you invite, that could be a reward or a punishment.....

Probably both, in any case perhaps I should start a little list.

One other thing that I would like to do, is option a number of Series of books,
and film them the way I would like them to be filmed.

In the hopes I will be able to do this someday, I won't declare which series.

[kleinma]

No because they first need access to a PC which many of the developing countries do not have....let alone a fast connection

Yeah you are right.. I am sure the Libraries built by Microsoft have no computers or internet in them

[Valleysboy1978]

Yeah you are right.. I am sure the Libraries built by Microsoft have no computers or internet in them

What!?!

[tommygrayson]

Yeah you are right.. I am sure the Libraries built by Microsoft have no computers or internet in them

But at least they have XBOX 360.

[shakti5385]

Depending on the members you invite, that could be a reward or a punishment.....

Brad!

Punishment

[kleinma]

What!?!

you said that building global libraries does not count as helping education in other parts of the world because those people don't have PCs and internet in their homes. That is the whole point of the library, in addition to having books, they also have computers and internet. That is just my old crappy public library. I am sure a new one built by a technology company like Microsoft will have computers and internet out the butt!

[timeshifter]

But no books...

[Valleysboy1978]

Indeed, no books. So they would require PCs to access the online libraries. They would also require education to use the PCs. Education is one of the aspects that is severely lacking in third world countries, and indeed developing countries. Typical of M$ to think technology will sort everything out

[brad jones]

Typical of M$ to think technology will sort everything out

Again Microsoft is not the same as Bill Gates and Neither are exactly the same thing as the Gates Foundation. Let's not mix them up and let's be careful 'painting them with broad strokes'.

Based on transcripts I've read on what Bill Gates has said, I'm comfortable assuming he knows what is needed in Africa regarding education. He seems to have made the poor assumptions earlier in his life and now has a better grasp of what people in 3rd world countries truly need. One of the threads (maybe this one) linked to his speech for getting a "man of the year" type award where he talks about the computer he gave at one point to an African school. It had some interesting insights. That combined with some other interviews of Bill Gates tells me that he isn't just jumping in or throwing money at education and disease, but is approaching it as if it were the 90s and it were Netscape and he was Microsoft.... (You know, back when Netscape had the browser share that Microsoft has today )

Brad!

[penagate]

Indeed, no books. So they would require PCs to access the online libraries.

As I understand it, they're physical libraries; not online.

[chocoloco]

I will fill up my gas tank.

[Valleysboy1978]

fair enough, you have to wonder though how many can actually read? and how many GO to their library?