Bill Gates Gives $51 Million to New York Schools

[demdave]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The world's wealthiest college drop-out on Wednesday donated millions of dollars to help New York City students stay in high school.


Bill Gates (news - web sites), chairman of Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) and co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation (news - web sites), gave $51.2 million to the city to help create 67 small new high schools for minority, low-income students.


The aim of the gift is to "take students in high schools and prepare them for college," Gates told a news conference at a Bronx high school.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=569&ncid=738&e=1&u=/nm/20030917/tc_nm/tech_microsoft_schools_dc

[searchingforlight]

1. Good for them.

I would love to know how the Gates feel about GWB. Has anyone read or seen anything?

I did read that they were against doing away with inheritance taxes.

[Uzybone]

15. His Dad...

was one of the most strident voices against Bush tax cut of inheritance taxes. Oh and its cash he is donating, you dont build schools with software. I admire the guy.

[GregW]

2. Quick all you Microsoft bashers - pile on now

Tell us more about this evil empire and what a monster Bill Gates is.

I can hear it now ... "He has billions of dollars, and all he gave was a measly 51 million. What a whistle-ass.

:eyes:

[el_gato]

3. Okay I'll be happy to pile on

Whenever MS donates this "money" it is not
actually money but licenses for usage of ms products.

So pardon me if I don't stroke ol' bill over this one.

[ender]

8. ITS NOT MSFT DONATING...

its billg donating.

billg is very liberal in his philanthropic activities... its just that he's a ruthless businessman, and used the system to gain everything he has...

i'm very anti-msft, but i think that billg is a bit of a hippy.

[TahitiNut]

22. Bill isn't the philanthropist; Melinda is.

Until he got married, Bill didn't do shite.

[Myra]

24. And I'll pile on to the existing pile

Gee, Bill Gates is helping support education,
a couple of weeks after co-sponsering a fund
raiser for stupidity (aka Dumass Bush).

When Bush came to Seattle recently to blow
by the public (while still making taxpayers
foot the bill) and attend his $2,000 fund raiser
in the McCaw's mansion in the area's most exclusive
neighborhood, Bill Gates and his Microsoft PAC
crawled all over themselves to kiss that asses ass.
They were instrumental in arranging the session
of legalized bribery, and were sending mail all
over MS basically telling employees they should
support Bush (as they're aggressively outsourcing
jobs to India).

To come full circle back to the subject line,
Bill Gates is a huge steaming pile.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

13. OK, allow me...

<pileon target="Microsoft">

Today I made a US$ 10 donation for a local church charity. That's a higher percentage of my assets than BillG's.

Which proves nothing, I could be a complete S.O.B. and still have done this, for reasons of my own.

In the eye of the public, BillG = MS. So I count this as tax-deductible advertising expenses. Why didn't he donate anonymously?

Another thing: haven't these schools just been slightly discouraged to pursue MS software alternatives, if only for the shame factor? "How dare they replace Windows with Linux after all Saint Bill has done for them?"

</pileon>

[joe mondo]

16. Sheesh

>> In the eye of the public, BillG = MS. So I count this as tax-
>> deductible advertising expenses. Why didn't he donate anonymously?

If I were doing development at the school system I'd do everything I could to advertise it - it helps to promote the cause and leverage additional contributions.

Also, was the gift through Gates personally or the Gates Foundation?

If it's through ther Foundation there is even less reason for it to be anonymous.

It's a good thing, and the Gates Foundation does a LOT of good things with its money.

And though as a relative amount it may be less than your $10, the fact remains that in absolute terms this is a tremendous gift that can have a tremendous impact.

[newyawker99]

17. Hi joe mondo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

18. All right, all right

"Why didn't he donate anonymously?" was a rhetorical question. Of course it would be next to impossible for him to actually do it, unless it was a nonspecific cash donation.

But please tell me with a straight face this isn't, for Microsoft, functionally equivalent to advertising.

[Poiuyt]

4. Money or software?

Is he giving the $51mil in the form of cash or Microsoft software?

[rabid_nerd]

7. Cash..

Bill's not as bad as the evil anti-corporate anything empire makes him out to be.

[searchingforlight]

9. I don't know how it could be software.

If you read the article, it is to finance a program to develop smaller schools which have a better record for turning out graduates.

Giant though he may be and I am sure he is ruthless in business from time to time, I admire the fact that he funds many programs to help the disadvantaged. I especially admire the work the foundation has done in the developing nations.

Give me Microsoft over Coca-Cola any day.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. I'll take Coke, please

Drinking Coca-Cola doesn't make your like difficult if you suddenly decide to drink orange juice. There's no EULA in the can, either. And it only freezes if you forget it in the freezer.

[demdave]

11. I know I am being a radical here, but........read the article

or at least the portion I posted.

[Nottingham]

5. Well Bill Gates Better start investing in THIS COUNTRY

or he can move his mansion to India right Next China & Russia

Adios Amigo!

[MGKrebs]

6. Saw him on one of the morning shows.

The first question that popped into my head was; how do they select the students who get to go to these new, smaller schools?

I'm not intending to be critical, but this has the potential to be a pseudo-voucher system if they are not careful how it is done.

[toopers]

10. What's wrong with a voucher system?

[indigo32]

12. I don't know if this qualifies as a pseudo voucher system

but I do know that the only thing a voucher system does is drain money from public schools we all need. NO VOUCHERS. If you want to go to a private school... pay for it.

[barbaraann]

19. OMG.

"...Gates was joined by his former adversary Joel Klein, who is chancellor of the New York City Department of Education (news - web sites). Klein was head of the U.S. Justice Department (news - web sites)'s antitrust division and launched the case to break up Microsoft, charging it was a monopoly...."

[NewYorkerfromMass]

21. like i said below.... (nt)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

20. Bloomberg has friends in high places

Color me cynical but I'd say this is mainly about Mayor Mike calling in some favors. Yeah, the rich take care of their own. (yawn)

[barbaraann]

28. Yes they do.

And they use the rest of us for slave labor, cannon fodder, and sex work.

[Selwynn]

23. Wow people... you are the most cynical people I've ever met..

Forbes magazine reported last year that by the time Bill Gates retires instead of being worth the projected 140 billion dollars he will be worth only 60% of that - the single reason is because of his choice to be the largest individual charitable donator in the world. Bill Gates will is currently set up so that upon his death, a certain percentage of his assest remain with MS, a certian ammount of money is give to his family, but the bulk of his personal fortune is distributed to various charities and medical research programs that he supports.

No, none of these things have anything to do with whether or not Gates is a "nice man." But there is also a limit to how much you can "write off" for tax purposes and the level of giving is well beyond that. Whatever his reasons, Gates chooses to give, and it costs him to do it. And I think we ought to at least have some respect for that.

And even if you can't respect that, you should at least be thankful he does it reguardless of reasons - becasue his money has helped a lot of organizations that I believe in an awful lot.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

25. Re: Wow people... you are the most cynical people I've ever met...

Thanks for the compliment. :evilgrin:

[FlaGranny]

38. Well, he's right, you know.

Nothing like spitting in the face of someone trying to do good.

[Nottingham]

42. His OutSourcing Jobs to India and His Windows XP is Spy stuff

He has No respect from me! Actions speak louder than words and he better hand out more than 50 million to get it!

Microsoft is going down! and HE IS PART of the PROBLEM

He is a Greedy individual and don't ever forget that!

a man who Software is on 90% of the computers and is allowed the government access and terrorist access to your computers is NOT A NICE MAN!

[sattahipdeep]

26. Here's why can you say payoff

Gates was joined by his former adversary Joel Klein, who is chancellor of the New
York City Department of Education. Klein was head of the U.S. Justice Department's
antitrust division and launched the case to break up Microsoft, charging it was a monopoly.

[MGKrebs]

27. I have gained a lot of respect for Bill

since he finally saw the light and started giving something back to the community.

I merely want to know more details about this program. It might be great, I don't know.

[demdave]

29. The man donates huge sums of money to charity

and still people in here find room to carp and moan. Sometimes there is good news you know.

[sattahipdeep]

30. geeeeee this means you can BUY respect? n/t

[demdave]

33. No, it means that people who are not blinded by hate can see

an act of charity and recognize it for what it is.

[sattahipdeep]

36. Not blinded by hate but by common sense

anyone who believes Billy gives his money
away for nothing should read his past history.

[Nottingham]

43. We know charity! The ? is Bill Sincere or saving his BUTT

He better quit outsourcing to India and Better Wake up that if he doesn't start giving money to this country which helps give him his Billions!

He is a Bush Butt Boy!

[catzies]

31. Part of the deal.

It was negotiated as part of the anti-trust settlement. Had to wait awhile so the two wouldn't appear to be connected.

[Selwynn]

32. I don't care.

It's good for NYC.

[catzies]

34. Please, don't misunderstand me.

I'm all for schools having all the money need (the Air Force should have a bake sale to buy a bomber!)

I just don't feel that Bill should get philanthropy points for this. He deserves it for other things, but this was part of a negotiated settlement.

If the kids win, nothing else much matters. My comment was pertinent more upthread where the debate on Bill's philanthropy is.

[Selwynn]

37. That's a fair point

(nt)

[sattahipdeep]

39. Bill's philanthropy?

Check out when this "philanthropy" started.

The "foundation" was started because of public complaints
about msn as a promotion of billy and free advertizement

Created in January 2000

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/

Annual Report 1998 (PDF) so why is there an annual report
like this if it was created jan 2000

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/AnnualReports/default.htm

Now when was he being examined for anti-trust?

[catzies]

41. I hope I'm not putting words in your mouth,

but I think what you're saying is that you're skeptical of his donations as being less philanthropic and more pragmatic. If that is correct, I don't disagree.

I too viewed his massive monetary contributions with a jaundiced eye, because I know he is smart enough to think more about his bank account than actually saving the suffering peoples of the world. That said, though, I still think he "gets it." I give him credit for finally seeing the light, even if it's a deathbed confession.

I'm not sure, though, if I understand your question about when he was examined for anti-trust. I want to say the DOJ investigation went on through most of the 1990s. :shrug:

[Nottingham]

44. Lets check out the Outsourcing of Jobs to India ..so he could get

Bigger profits and then give chump change to NYC schools

AHHHH how nice!

What you see is a Guy realizing Americans are ticked off at their Computers being monitored and being hacked into by Terrorists and Hackers compliments of Bill

Americans are also ticked off at seeing their jobs going to India Russian and China

Bill has woken up that Linux is hot on his tail!

[sattahipdeep]

45. billy an bush

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,57245,00.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/17/tech/main536929.shtml
guess they didn't pay the 5 cents

[hatrack]

35. Do the math, folks

51.2 divided by 67 = $764,179 for each of the schools this plan calls for.

This is certainly not chump change, but what's the going price for a small high school in NYC these days, not counting the price of the land it stands on? $5 million? $10 million? Maybe a little bit more?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

40. we're in major league crisis here in NYC

this will cover a lot of salaries. What I see is Gates bailing out Bloomberg's (and by extension, Pataki's) ass. The mayor has made the school system his battleground as an institution to be reformed.