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This from Bill Gates is not helpful... (Original Post) pbmus Feb 2019 OP
LibreOffice Hermit-The-Prog Feb 2019 #1
+1. dalton99a Feb 2019 #3
Yes!! dragonlady Feb 2019 #9
Gee, thanks for the letter Bill, now pay your taxes. We don't want handouts. PeeJ52 Feb 2019 #2
Unlike some billionaires, he pays his taxes and he's given a large share of his wealth pnwmom Feb 2019 #16
THANK YOU!! Gates is what billionaires should be like. nt USALiberal Feb 2019 #19
Gates is a thief. You should read up on him some time. PeeJ52 Feb 2019 #40
IF, and I say IF.. MicaelS Feb 2019 #45
Not in the corporate environment you can't. PeeJ52 Feb 2019 #46
OK, so what? MicaelS Feb 2019 #60
No answer... Just pay their taxes and stop this philanthropy BS... PeeJ52 Feb 2019 #64
I'm a hard core Linux guy and socialist. hunter Feb 2019 #50
You can run Linux on Microsoft systems! flyingfysh Feb 2019 #52
Oracle... oh my. If anyone thinks Bill Gates is bad, check out Larry Ellison. hunter Feb 2019 #57
So it's all about you eh? Loki Liesmith Feb 2019 #17
That part struck me also. nt Blue_true Feb 2019 #25
This message was self-deleted by its author PeeJ52 Feb 2019 #39
It is considered bad form to call another duer an "asshole." Tipperary Feb 2019 #41
But it's good form to gang up on nonsense attacks? OK PeeJ52 Feb 2019 #42
Did I say that anywhere? Tipperary Feb 2019 #43
Goodness gracious... I get sick of these posters that thinks its funny to attack other posters... PeeJ52 Feb 2019 #47
Don't attack me. How about I piss on you? PeeJ52 Feb 2019 #38
I wish you had written it that way to begin with. Blue_true Feb 2019 #65
I had to reboot my computer several times until the video would play. nt madinmaryland Feb 2019 #4
LoL... pbmus Feb 2019 #5
Ha! Kurt V. Feb 2019 #7
Get rid of your Mac, that would solve your issue. nt USALiberal Feb 2019 #20
If Bill Gates wants to help with the issue of Climate Change Brawndo Feb 2019 #6
Excellent idea... pbmus Feb 2019 #8
The same goes for the rest of the billionaire philanthropist class Brawndo Feb 2019 #12
Right on...and Welcome to DU.. pbmus Feb 2019 #14
Thanks! Brawndo Feb 2019 #15
Yes, I wish this too. JudyM Feb 2019 #29
What do you think they'll do with all the money? pimpbot Feb 2019 #37
How many big problems do you know that have permanent solutions? Brawndo Feb 2019 #44
Any agreement customerserviceguy Feb 2019 #59
Maybe when Murdoch dies exboyfil Feb 2019 #51
The Disney merger is for Fox Entertainment, not Fox News Brawndo Feb 2019 #54
That is my point exboyfil Feb 2019 #55
Sorry Bill when I tried to watch the video my computer performed an illegal operation and had Downtown Hound Feb 2019 #10
Just type in that you're a republican Quackers Feb 2019 #27
The point isn't to bring emissions to zero. watoos Feb 2019 #11
Actually, less people on Earth helps with climate change enormously. Blue_true Feb 2019 #28
That was dumbed down Leith Feb 2019 #13
Don't you think it needs to be dumbed down for climate change deniers pnwmom Feb 2019 #21
No Leith Feb 2019 #22
Have you listened a few MAGATS? I am not sure about your premise at all. nt Blue_true Feb 2019 #30
Or, you could... you know, do something on your own instead LanternWaste Feb 2019 #53
Please don't criticize what I posted Leith Feb 2019 #63
... lpbk2713 Feb 2019 #18
Perfect. nt littlemissmartypants Feb 2019 #49
We have a capitalist economic system which is based on unlimited growth while we live in an jalan48 Feb 2019 #23
The vast majority of the world's population. Blue_true Feb 2019 #31
The United States has one of the highest per capita emissions rates of any country in the world. jalan48 Feb 2019 #32
There can be only one problem, apparently. Igel Feb 2019 #33
The burning of fossil fuels is the problem. Look at the numbers. We are energy pigs, plain and jalan48 Feb 2019 #35
Capitalism also creates advanced societies radius777 Feb 2019 #34
It can but we are running out of time and making no serious effort to make it happen. jalan48 Feb 2019 #36
per capita rates are meaningless Mosby Feb 2019 #56
Well, I think it's better to at least try and do what we can in our own country. What will our jalan48 Feb 2019 #62
Matter of opinion. I think that he was trying to illustrate the enormity of the challenge ahead of Blue_true Feb 2019 #24
birth control is the biggest help. not mutating mosquitos dumbass. pansypoo53219 Feb 2019 #26
Neither Billo nor Duhlinda are helpful in any way. littlemissmartypants Feb 2019 #48
His video doesn't address a huge environmental polluter -- the livestock industry. Doremus Feb 2019 #58
I don't want a word from Bill Gates until he pays his fare share of taxes. sarcasmo Feb 2019 #61
I don't think I'm cynical enough to see the problem with it. Sapient Donkey Feb 2019 #66
 

PeeJ52

(1,588 posts)
2. Gee, thanks for the letter Bill, now pay your taxes. We don't want handouts.
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 08:21 PM
Feb 2019

You never pick me anyway. At least if you pay your taxes, I get some benefit from it.

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
16. Unlike some billionaires, he pays his taxes and he's given a large share of his wealth
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 08:50 PM
Feb 2019

to his charitable foundation, and he's promised to give the vast majority of what he has left to the foundation at his death.

Also, he's in favor of a wealth tax on top of a higher income tax. So, as billionaires go, he's not one of the worst.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/21/bill-gates-has-paid-10-billion-in-taxes-and-says-he-should-pay-more.html

"I've paid more taxes, over $10 billion, than anyone else, but the government should require people in my position to pay significantly higher taxes."

Gates' comments came on the heels of a criticism of 2017's GOP tax reform.

"It was not a progressive tax bill, it was a regressive tax bill," he told Zakaria. "People who are wealthier tend to get dramatically more benefits than the middle class or those who are poorer. It runs counter to the general trend you'd like to see, where the safety net is getting stronger and those at the top are paying higher taxes."

 

PeeJ52

(1,588 posts)
40. Gates is a thief. You should read up on him some time.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 10:56 AM
Feb 2019

He stole what Microsoft owns. He's not really that admirable. I've been in computers for quite a while. I wasn't an adopter of Microsoft until I was forced to be. I experienced them sabotaging DR DOS so Windows wouldn't run on it. I experienced them them coding Windows so WordPerfect wouldn't run on it. Oh they fixed it so they eventually would work, after they drove most of the market away from them.

MicaelS

(8,747 posts)
45. IF, and I say IF..
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 11:14 AM
Feb 2019

He stole anything, which I do not believe just on your word, the statue of limitations probably expired a long time ago. People have choice other than Windows. The fact that Apple and Linux have such a small market share is proof people want to use MS products.

 

PeeJ52

(1,588 posts)
46. Not in the corporate environment you can't.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 11:28 AM
Feb 2019

You have to give your client Word, or Excel documents. Do some research on the evolution of DOS it's interesting.. go down the rabbithole...https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/07/kildall_unforensic_ieee_smear/

MicaelS

(8,747 posts)
60. OK, so what?
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 03:38 PM
Feb 2019

The corporate market has chosen Windows a long time ago. Complaining now is like a DVD-HD fan complaining about Blu-ray.

So precisely what is your answer to the problem?

 

PeeJ52

(1,588 posts)
64. No answer... Just pay their taxes and stop this philanthropy BS...
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 04:00 PM
Feb 2019

Don't talk stupid to me with squishy toys. Bill Gates isn't God. He isn't a rags to riches story. He's a cut throat business man. More power to him. Just pay your taxes, so all benefit and not only those that you pick and chose. That's all I'm saying.

hunter

(38,264 posts)
50. I'm a hard core Linux guy and socialist.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 01:32 PM
Feb 2019

I don't buy Microsoft products for personal use. I don't buy Apple products for personal use. I don't buy new computers for personal use.

When I first joined DU in 2002 I was using a very minimal and highly modified installation of 98SE on a salvage computer. That was to run my favorite browser, Opera. When Opera came out with a Linux version I was done with Microsoft. Before Opera I was a BSD, Atari and DR-DOS user. Since then I've been a Debian and BSD guy.

Bill Gates is a shark, but I've never lived in his ocean.

All billionaires are "thieves" to some extent, some much more than others, but I don't include Gates among the vile billionaire class, maybe because I've never felt any coercion to use his products. And he seems to have an optimistic inclusive vision for the future, not some Zardoz dystopia.



flyingfysh

(1,990 posts)
52. You can run Linux on Microsoft systems!
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 01:45 PM
Feb 2019

If you hate running Windows, you can run on Microsoft Azure (cloud), and never touch Windows. They support several versions of Linux. Hate SQL Server? They support several open-source database systems. They will even run Oracle for you (part of what you pay in that case goes to Oracle, of course).
Microsoft is happy to make money off anybody.

hunter

(38,264 posts)
57. Oracle... oh my. If anyone thinks Bill Gates is bad, check out Larry Ellison.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 02:22 PM
Feb 2019
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Ellison

And Microsoft isn't the monster in the cloud, Amazon is.

Even competitors like Netflix are served from Amazon Web Services.

Response to Blue_true (Reply #25)

 

PeeJ52

(1,588 posts)
47. Goodness gracious... I get sick of these posters that thinks its funny to attack other posters...
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 11:30 AM
Feb 2019

I was posting to the topic, not attacking another poster.

 

PeeJ52

(1,588 posts)
38. Don't attack me. How about I piss on you?
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 10:48 AM
Feb 2019

I'm commenting on the philanthropy thing so many billionaires like to justify. They pick an choose who they help. Taxes help all. Not just me. Taxes help build roads, schools, supply clean water. Yes, it's about me, it's about you. It's not about their favorite charity as we saw tRump give his money too, his paintings of himself. So why not get off my ass.

Blue_true

(31,261 posts)
65. I wish you had written it that way to begin with.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 04:09 PM
Feb 2019

You are 100% right. I apologize, I misread your post as you being selfish, but instead, you were referencing larger societal needs.

Brawndo

(535 posts)
6. If Bill Gates wants to help with the issue of Climate Change
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 08:28 PM
Feb 2019

he should use his limitless fortune to buy controlling interest in Faux Noise, shut it down, replace it with programming designed to educate the public and deprogram them from anti-science propaganda.

Brawndo

(535 posts)
12. The same goes for the rest of the billionaire philanthropist class
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 08:41 PM
Feb 2019

If they really want to use their fortunes for benevolent ends I can think of no more effective measure than to buy up and end right-wing media's poisoning of our society.

pimpbot

(937 posts)
37. What do you think they'll do with all the money?
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 12:54 AM
Feb 2019

You propose Bill Gates pay Rupert or whoever controls FoxNews a ton of money so he can shut it down. What do you think Rupert is gonna do with all the cash? Build out a new network of disinformation of course.

Brawndo

(535 posts)
44. How many big problems do you know that have permanent solutions?
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 11:13 AM
Feb 2019

After shutting down Fox/Rush the re-institution of the Fairness Doctrine should be lobbied for, that would help to end the cycle. I'd give up MSNBC if it meant that Fox would be gone too.

customerserviceguy

(25,183 posts)
59. Any agreement
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 02:33 PM
Feb 2019

would have to contain a non-compete clause. But, someone not part of the deal would be free to start a Faux Fox.

exboyfil

(17,857 posts)
51. Maybe when Murdoch dies
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 01:40 PM
Feb 2019

Right now the Disney merger means he has got even more resources and more time to with his toy.

Maybe his kids will want the cash, but Foxnews allows them to leverage the political situation. It is almost a perfect mechanism for rent seeking.

Brawndo

(535 posts)
54. The Disney merger is for Fox Entertainment, not Fox News
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 02:04 PM
Feb 2019

One thing you wont lose money on is betting on republican greed to win out over all else. They'd even give up their propaganda machine if the price is right. I say we use their greed against them.

exboyfil

(17,857 posts)
55. That is my point
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 02:08 PM
Feb 2019

He gets Disney shares for the entertainment portion, but he won't have any management control at Disney. He has the cash though.

What he does have is a reduced organization where Fox News is a much larger portion of the remaining organization.

Downtown Hound

(12,618 posts)
10. Sorry Bill when I tried to watch the video my computer performed an illegal operation and had
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 08:36 PM
Feb 2019

to be shut down.

Quackers

(2,256 posts)
27. Just type in that you're a republican
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 11:02 PM
Feb 2019

Then you can do all the illegal operations you want without getting shut down.

 

watoos

(7,142 posts)
11. The point isn't to bring emissions to zero.
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 08:39 PM
Feb 2019

I thought Gates was a smart guy? The goal is to bring emissions to a net zero. Bill, you can squeeze your squeaky toys just plant a tree.
Bill is a big depopulation guy, he wants less poor people on earth.

Blue_true

(31,261 posts)
28. Actually, less people on Earth helps with climate change enormously.
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 11:06 PM
Feb 2019

The issue that I have with depopulation is that historically, humans have set upon eliminating "others", and depopulation most likely will turn out to be that on steroids.

Think about it, if we depopulate, who gets to have babies to sustain the human race? Do procreation gets limited to couples that have "made it?" Will poor couples be allowed to reproduce? Do people get paid not to reproduce, if so, how will who get paid be decided?

So Gates is going into a dark area with depopulation. Everytime selection of people has happened in history, it has turned into a murderous situation. Better to let people happily keep having sex and focus on another way to deal with climate change.

BTW. I like your ideal about planting a tree. I would add, plant a tree and as many succulent plants (aloe, agave, ect) around it's base as possible. The succulents can act as a water storage facility for the tree to make drought periods less damaging to the tree, and the succulents take in and convert CO compounds and VOCs into nutrients for themselves and they release Oxygen 24/7 during that process.

Leith

(7,802 posts)
13. That was dumbed down
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 08:42 PM
Feb 2019

Did he make that video for elementary school students?

Does he have some kind of accent that makes him pronounce "gigantic" like that?

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
21. Don't you think it needs to be dumbed down for climate change deniers
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 09:15 PM
Feb 2019

and the majority of Americans, who didn't make it past high school?

Leith

(7,802 posts)
22. No
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 09:24 PM
Feb 2019

Let people rise to being treated like intelligent adults. They know most of the big words, even if they don't use them.

 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
53. Or, you could... you know, do something on your own instead
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 01:59 PM
Feb 2019

Or, you could... you know, do something on your own instead of empty criticisms that mean nothing and accomplish even less.

Seems we invest more time in tearing down what others do than building up our own accomplishments.

But I get it... one is much more convenient, and allows us the opportunity to advertise our own pretense of wit at the expense of others.

So yeah... I get it.

Leith

(7,802 posts)
63. Please don't criticize what I posted
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 03:54 PM
Feb 2019

Gates made a video that was too simplistic. I said that I would not treat someone who does not believe in climate change like they were incapable of understanding English.

There were no empty criticisms, I was not trying to be witty, and I said nothing that tore down anyone else. "Some others" (ahem) are more guilty of that than I was.

jalan48

(13,798 posts)
23. We have a capitalist economic system which is based on unlimited growth while we live in an
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 09:32 PM
Feb 2019

world of limited resources. We're not ready to change our lifestyles but it's probably going to be forced upon us by necessity. Socialism is coming one way or another.

Blue_true

(31,261 posts)
31. The vast majority of the world's population.
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 11:17 PM
Feb 2019

In particular the fastest growing populations ARE NOT capitalistic, and THAT is a big part of the problem. It has been shown over and over that women in advanced societies have fewer babies, helping with the population and resource use issues.

Gates has a point, to deal with the issue of climate change, we are going to need some bigtime innovation. As one poster pointed out, we can also do simpler things like plant trees and other CO compound using plants. I will add that we can stop destroying our oceans, which are responsible for 70% of carbon compound reduction on Earth.

jalan48

(13,798 posts)
32. The United States has one of the highest per capita emissions rates of any country in the world.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 12:09 AM
Feb 2019

2015 per capita carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion (metric tons)

Saudi Arabia 16.85
Australia 15.83
US 15.53
Canada 15.32

Also,

The United States, with less than 5 % of the global population, uses about a quarter of the world's fossil fuel resources—burning up nearly 25 % of the coal, 26 % of the oil, and 27 % of the world's natural gas.


WE are a big part of the problem because of our incessant need to consume, not the 3rd world. Capitalism is based on consumption. If you don't consume you don't make money. The current capitalist system will not be able to function as it has if we are to reduce Co2.


https://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/science-and-impacts/science/each-countrys-share-of-co2.html#.XG9yK4hKgrI

Igel

(35,197 posts)
33. There can be only one problem, apparently.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 12:20 AM
Feb 2019

Doesn't mean there is really just one, but let's define it that way.

"I declare that there is only one problem."

See. Now overpopulation, the increase in standards of living for 7 billion people, their increased use of energy and consumption of things like meat, poof. Gone. Defined away.

Notice that the increase is carbon dioxide can be detected back to the neolithic cultural revolution. It's not just a new thing. And it's not the US per se that's bad, it's the US population at the average standard of living that Americans enjoy. The other 7 billion people may only use 3/4 of the other resources, but that's as long as they're either in poverty or if they only use renewable energy resources. Like that's going to happen.

But they're not a problem. I said so.

The current capitalist system was set up with a base that is different from today. That's the problem--it's hard to separate culture from economics. If you have an individualist culture, socialism is difficult because it's collectivist. You change the culture that had capitalism--even if it was just the cultural ideas that a significant subpopulation didn't abide by well--and you change the nature of the system. It's convenient to pretend there is no linkage between the two. But only because we declare it to be so.

jalan48

(13,798 posts)
35. The burning of fossil fuels is the problem. Look at the numbers. We are energy pigs, plain and
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 12:39 AM
Feb 2019

simple. Carbon emissions started going up during the industrial revolution when the internal combustion engine was invented. The way we are currently living will not work, energy is going to be rationed for future generations. That will definitely change the culture. No more driving when we want, no more mass consumption (driven by advertising). What we take as our freedom to consume today will no longer exist for future generations. We are living at the end of the capitalist, Disneyland fantasy era.

radius777

(3,624 posts)
34. Capitalism also creates advanced societies
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 12:33 AM
Feb 2019

and innovates it's way out of problems, what Gates was alluding to, that it can be a partner w/the gov't in creating green energy, which helps to solve the problem.

jalan48

(13,798 posts)
36. It can but we are running out of time and making no serious effort to make it happen.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 12:41 AM
Feb 2019

Climate change should be the #1 story in the news each and every day. It should be the #1 issue in the upcoming primaries as well, let's see how much air time it gets on the campaign trail.

Mosby

(16,168 posts)
56. per capita rates are meaningless
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 02:19 PM
Feb 2019

The top co2 producer in the world is China. They produce almost twice as much as we do. Rounding out the top five in pollution is India, Russia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

China and India are in the business of building coal fired power plants in other countries so they clearly don't give a shit.

Best thing to do now is prepare.

This isn't exactly news, here is Fareed Zakaria from 11 years ago

https://www.newsweek.com/global-warming-get-used-it-104789

jalan48

(13,798 posts)
62. Well, I think it's better to at least try and do what we can in our own country. What will our
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 03:53 PM
Feb 2019

grandkids and great grandkids say if we do nothing? I think per capita does matter. What it tells us is that the US, for its size, is a major carbon emitter. Just because China is bad does mean it's OK for us to do nothing.

Blue_true

(31,261 posts)
24. Matter of opinion. I think that he was trying to illustrate the enormity of the challenge ahead of
Thu Feb 21, 2019, 10:29 PM
Feb 2019

us.

littlemissmartypants

(22,418 posts)
48. Neither Billo nor Duhlinda are helpful in any way.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 11:41 AM
Feb 2019

They have more money than brains.

Please take a moment to learn about the toxic birth control they peddle, Essure.

https://essureproblems.webs.com/home

Original Post.


https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11760180

Doremus

(7,261 posts)
58. His video doesn't address a huge environmental polluter -- the livestock industry.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 02:30 PM
Feb 2019

Eschewing meat is one of the easiest, most effective ways we can help the environment.

With the added benefit of improved health. Win-win for all involved.

Sapient Donkey

(1,568 posts)
66. I don't think I'm cynical enough to see the problem with it.
Fri Feb 22, 2019, 04:10 PM
Feb 2019

Yeah, it's simplistic and basic, but it seems geared toward kids or something. I'm sure with a bit effort we can find some blog post, paper, or whatever from Gates that goes into this topic in a more "mature" and detailed way.

https://www.gatesnotes.com/Energy/My-plan-for-fighting-climate-change


A quick search of the term "climate change" on his site gives lots of results from him. I dunno, I'm not going to hate on him delivering a positive message just because Windows ME sucked.

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