Warren Buffet/Bill Gates= generous Americans

Originally posted by Wheely
While I take your point and think the guy should be applauded let's not make him out to be a saint. He has still left himself with several billion dollars which will probably allow him to buy the the odd house, car and island should he wish to.

He hasn't actually lost anything except a large number on his bank balance.

If I remember right, his life style doesn't even include all that rich crap, he leads a relatively simple life, I mean for sure he doesn't drive a '69 VW microbus but compared to what he COULD have, its simple.
Look at BG's house, 40 million and change!

Originally posted by Wajoma
Obviously a product of the state education system.

Please point out where I said close down Universities. I'll give you 100 dollars if you can.

Ah, okay. So you think that Universities should be filled with academics who don't do research? Or perhaps that only do industrially funded research? You know, there would be an aweful lot less educated people out their in the world if that were the case.


[edit; I actually find it both amusing and strange that you call me a parasite yet I've actually brought more money into the university than the total cost of my project and my wages.]

[edit 2; of course, there is also a good correlation between research funding by governments and the socio-economic wellbeing of Joe Q Public. Governments that invest in research get that money back in terms of increased investment by industry, which benefits whom exactly? It's no coincidence that the US and Japan have the two best economies in the world and the both invest heavily in R&D. If we look at research funding, then the amount contributed by industry is tiny. The government is the major provider in most countries of the type of money required to run major research projects.]

Originally posted by rwingett
Warren Buffett should be sent to the guillotine. A 30 billion dollar bribe does not exonerate his guilt.

Sweet Jesus, here we go again. Are you mad that he didn't send it to Steve Jobs?

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Of course, one would point out that this is only 2 people, not the entire nation. And that money was made on the backs of others.

Bill Gates making money off peoples' backs? The man is a genius! You are definitely a socialist! And, I did mention that most Americans give $$ to charities...did you not read that part, or is your socialist anti-"capitalist" filter set at max filtration....😲

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
I wonder what the Bible would have to say on this issue?

Pick it up and read it, or are you afraid your hands might get "burned"?

Originally posted by Sambo69
You refer to Americans with billions of dollars to spare but probably don't sacrifice much of their own time (life) in the process.

Fred Hollows is an example of an Australian without billions of dollars who sacrificed his own time (life). Fred Hollows Foundation is now a non-government organisation which seeks to eradicate avoidable blindness in developi d
Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation
The Vizard Foundation
Voiceless, the Fund for Animals

Nope...never heard of him, so he must have done little and you did a lot of writing....🙄..

Is that all the Ozzies you could come up with? I could canvass my neighborhood and get a longer list from common working stiffs...your list is insulting to working-stiff OZZIES....

Bill Gates travels the world visiting 3rd-world countries...what rock have you been hiding under, STANG!?

Even the Hollyweird duo Pitt and Jolie adopt 3rd-world babies...they happen to be American

Originally posted by chancremechanic
Pick it up and read it, or are you afraid your hands might get "burned"?

I have. Have you?

Originally posted by Pawnokeyhole
I think you are imagining a Euro-Straw man opponent. Which European believes there aren't at least a few generous Americans? And if you identify a few generous Americans, does that mean that Americans are in general generous or not? It implies neither.

I also imagine at least 90% of Americans, Europeans, Iranians, etc. would salute Buffet's generosit ...[text shortened]... ? Remember, it isn't worth saving the destitute if a bunch of spongers can thereby profit.

Spongers aren't going to benefit...didn't you read my post carefully? 3rd-world malaria-infested countries will. To prove a point, which I didn't want to do to because I like anonymity, I'm conservative and give to many charities, both at home and abroad. "Smiletrain" is one that I donate to..check out their website and see if you aren't moved to donate. I also give $ to homless people on the street, and I see MANY Americans doing the same thing, not that generosity is ubiquitous soley in the U.S., but Americans ARE generous...I see it; you may not. I'm sure people all over the world are just as generous with their poor.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
I have. Have you?

Well, what's your point? Elaborate, so I can reply......🙄

Originally posted by chancremechanic
Bill Gates making money off peoples' backs? The man is a genius! You are definitely a socialist! And, I did mention that most Americans give $$ to charities...did you not read that part, or is your socialist anti-"capitalist" filter set at max filtration....😲

Well, when was the last time Bill Gates actually wrote any code, do you think? If he's so rich, why does he have to charge so much for Microsoft goods anyway? Perhaps reducing the price of his software might be more philanphropic for most people.

Originally posted by Derfel Cadarn
I wish people would stop dwelling on what country someone is from. The guy donated 30 BILLION dollars...If you had 30 billion dollars to spare, would you donate it? No, you wouldn't. You'd buy a big house, nice cars, probably your own island. Stop criticizing.

I bet Buffett didn't even want the attention that came with his donation.

Wrong...I'd donate it but anonymously. My point in announcing this good deed is to counteract all the criticism the U.S. gets from across the world for not being generous people. Now, government-wise, that may be true, but average Americans match any country when it comes to charirity, and when it ALL (counting private donations) gets added up, we meet or exceed all other nations. There is no data point of reference to back up my statement with regards to private citizens, but polls taken indicate that lower-middleclass Americans are more generous than wealthy Americans....I hate big cars, tropical islands; however, I'd buy a nice farm in Tennessee with the nearest neighbor at least 5 miles away....😉

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Well, when was the last time Bill Gates actually wrote any code, do you think? If he's so rich, why does he have to charge so much for Microsoft goods anyway? Perhaps reducing the price of his software might be more philanphropic for most people.

The price I paid for microsof software 4 years ago is half of what it is today. The Dell computer I bought in '02 for $1,000 is now about $500.00. The man has to recoup his research, testing, marketing costs before he can lower the cost of the product, right?...that's even the way they do business in socialist countries, no?

Originally posted by shavixmir
Is Warren Buffet who gives 30 billion dollars to charity more benevolant than an unemployed single mother who gives a dollar to that same charity?

So you know the Bible...good for you. To answer your question from a capitalist, and blunt standpoint, yes, he is more generous because he "earned" it, and the welfare (I know you said unemplyed, so I'm assuming she is in Holland receiving welfare and saving it for her French Riviera holiday) mother was "given" that dollar by the tax-payer, especially in lazy-friendly Holland. Now, if one is working poor and gives his last dollar, that is a different story....

Originally posted by chancremechanic
Well, what's your point? Elaborate, so I can reply......🙄

Well it could be:
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Matthew (ch. 6, v. 3-4)

Or:
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.
Mark (ch. 12, 41-44)

Take your pick really.