Like most philanthropies, the Gates Foundation gives away at least 5% of its worth every year, to avoid paying most taxes. In 2005, it granted nearly $1.4 billion. It awards grants mainly in support of global health initiatives, for efforts to improve public education in the United States, and for social welfare programs in the Pacific Northwest.It invests the other 95% of its worth. This endowment is managed by Bill Gates Investments, which handles Gates' personal fortune. Monica Harrington, a senior policy officer at the foundation, said the investment managers had one goal: returns "that will allow for the continued funding of foundation programs and grant making." Bill and Melinda Gates require the managers to keep a highly diversified portfolio, but make no specific directives.By comparing these investments with information from for-profit services that analyze corporate behavior for mutual funds, pension managers, government agencies and other foundations, The Times found that the Gates Foundation has holdings in many companies that have failed tests of social responsibility because of environmental lapses, employment discrimination, disregard for worker rights, or unethical practices.
Hey hey hey. Microsoft can have a Vista launch without us jeering and deriding the process. This is, of course, provided that it's from Cape Canaveral, and aimed somewhere in the general proximity of Sol.
and anyway, printing it out is simply helping to fund the deforestation of the world to make way for mcdonalds to raise cheap steroid bred cattle, and for uncle ben to waste the world's water growing rice in equatorial regions.
After all, running Windows without a decent anti-virus is like walking through a Red Light District after eating five metric tonnes of Viagra.
