Time Magazine Persons of the Year: Bono, Bill & Melinda Gates

[win_in_06]

Did you predict correctly? I'm just glad it's not Bush again.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2005-12-18T130219Z_01_MOL846921_RTRUKOC_0_US-TIME.xml&rpc=22

[GCP]

1. Pretty good picks IMHO

Say what you will about Gates - he's using his wealth in a way which should shame the US government - helping the poor and sick of the world.
Bono is just wonderful for all he does for Third World poverty.

[win_in_06]

6. You say shame on the U.S. Govt, but our system of Capitalism

creates philanthropists like Gates, or at least, provides an environment where they can thrive.

[GCP]

9. Our system of capitalism

Also tells the poor of the world to go f*** themselves.
0.6 % of GDP goes to foreign aid, we're pikers.

[ET Awful]

12. How many of them create the biggest charity in the world and fund it

with close to $30 billion of their own money?

[win_in_06]

14. Private giving is usually more efficient than public.

Even if the motivation is tax breaks, good PR or whatever. Look at what the evil Walmart accomplished:


"While state and federal officials have come under harsh criticism for their handling of the storm's aftermath, Wal-Mart is being held up as a model for logistical efficiency and nimble disaster planning, which have allowed it to quickly deliver staples such as water, fuel and toilet paper to thousands of evacuees."



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR2005090501598.html

[ET Awful]

16. Of course, but once again, how many of those philanthropists give

$30 billion of their own money (not their corporation's money) to create such a charity?

[win_in_06]

17. How many of them have $30 billion?

[ET Awful]

18. Okay, let me rephrase it, how many donate that large a percentage

of their own personal wealth?

Not many.

[win_in_06]

19. True. If all Americans (rich, poor or othewise) did that we wouldn't

need government assistance.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. Excellent

although I thought Cindy Sheehan would have been a good pick. She pulled the first card out of Bushco's house of cards.

[muchacho]

3. I would have voted for Rep Murtha

[Halliburton]

4. did POWERLIE win blog of the year again?

assholes

[Syrinx]

5. sounds good to me

Bill Gates is a criminal in business, but he's kind of like Robin Hood.

Why Melinda? Cause she sleeps with him?

Bono's cool, but should his friend Jesse Helms be selected too?

[Name removed]

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[spooky3]

8. I thought it would be the CEO of Wal-Mart.

[bklyncowgirl]

10. Not bad at all.

I have my issues with Microsoft as do all of us but as a librarian I've dealt with the Gates Foundation and they are very, very good at what they do.

[ET Awful]

11. I thought Bono was pretty much a given, there's been so much talk

about it, but the Bill and Melinda Gates thing seemed to come out of nowhere (at least for me).

I can't complain about the choice, not bad at all in my opinion.

[Deja Q]

13. The man who ditched the dollar then mocked it?

How can the unpatriotic end up with such a prestigious position? :shrug:

[Callalily]

15. The wealthy, and especially

the incredibly wealthy like the Gates' have a moral obligation to practice philanthropy. They need not be awarded, and should not be awarded "Persons of the Year" just because of their wealth.

[JerseygirlCT]

20. They could do so much less with it, though

He made that fortune, and didn't inherit it. Then he turns around and puts it to good and smart use.

I cannot fault him for that. And I think everyone has that moral obligation, not just the incredibly wealthy.