Bill Gates takes the stage at Live8

Discussion in 'News and Article Comments' started by syngod, Jul 2, 2005.

  1. syngod

    syngod Moderator

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    Microsoft boss wows the Hyde Park crowd...

    Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates made a surprise appearance at the Live8 concert in London's Hyde Park today to urge world leaders to do more to ease the problem of Africa's crippling debt and extreme poverty.

    Gates' presence on a stage shared with the likes of Elton John, REM and Coldplay may have seemed out of place to some but he was also in the presence of famous friends and fellow humanitarians such as U2 singer Bono.

    Gates was introduced to the crowd by Live8 founder Bob Geldof who praised the charitable work of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and hailed the software tycoon as the world's most important philanthropist.

    Gates told the crowd and a worldwide audience of millions "if you show people the problems and you show people the solutions they will be moved to act".

    "The huge turnout for Live8 here and around the world shows that," he added.

    Gates said, if successful Live 8 will prove to be the "best thing humanity has ever done".

    For many, Gates' final task of introducing UK singer Dido will have served as evidence of slightly surreal nature of such all-star, cross cultural events.

    However, a number of the musicians and comedians taking part in the BBC's broadcast coverage of the live event also made the softly spoken and understated Gates a butt of some fairly predictable jokes.

    Comedians David Walliams and Matt Lucas who had previously introduced Elton John made light of Gates' stage presence and his failure to work the crowd like some of the other acts on the bill, while host Jonathan Ross questioned why the Microsoft boss hadn't stuck around to "explain why Windows keeps crashing".

    Source: Silicon.com
     
  2. Nic

    Nic Sleepy Head

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    If he cares so much he should just donate all his cash to help clear their debt
     
  3. Addis

    Addis The King

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    He does do a lot of charity work, which earned him his title.
     
  4. Nic

    Nic Sleepy Head

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    Yeh but he'd never give up ALL his money would he
     
  5. ninja fetus

    ninja fetus I'm a thugged out gangsta

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    he does a lot of cherity work because he figures giving money he screwed the world out of into needy organizations will help out.
     
  6. Sniper

    Sniper Administrator Staff Member

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    to be fair no one would give up all their money even if they had billions! I do know he has donated millions if not billions to charity.
     
  7. Willz

    Willz MiCrO$oFt $uK$ :D

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    he could at least donate about well 4 billion, he would still have about oh lets say 12 billion.
     
  8. Addis

    Addis The King

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    Well who would? You? I don't think so.
    The best thing coumtries could do is to CLEAR the debt and then some. You can't ask one person to donate all his money to charity. He's already donated millions while some people don't donate at all. If everyone in the country donated £5, it would make more of a difference.
     
  9. syngod

    syngod Moderator

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    Also most of his wealth isn't cold hard cash it's in stock. The SEC would have a heyday if he tried to sell all his stock, as well MS and the other companies he's invested in would suffer because that large of selloff would probably bankrupt most companies with the massive drop in share prices. I know I'd be very upset with the drop in MS and CP Rail stock if he sold off, and while I wouldn't file a lawsuit over it most investors would.

    Also the reports I've seen also have said he doesn't plan on leaving his kids his fortune because he wants them to earn everything themselves, so chances are when Bill and Melinda pass on all the money will go into the foundation and make it out to charity anyways.
     

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