(04-26-2005) When in Seattle, Bono bunks with Bill Gates - News.com*

[HelloAngel]

When in Seattle, Bono bunks with Bill Gates

By Reuters

When U2's lead singer came to Seattle over the weekend for a concert, there was only one logical place to stay--the home of Bill Gates, who shares Bono's passion for Third World development and relief efforts.

"I was one of 20,000 screaming fans," Microsoft's co-founder Gates told Reuters. Gates, the world's richest man, said he got to know Bono through his philanthropic work.

Gates said that Irish rocker Bono was staying with him and that the two hung out together after the concert in Seattle.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with an endowment of $28 billion, is the world's biggest charitable organization and aims to improve the health of people in the developing world.

"We're big believers that more needs to be done in developing countries," Gates said. "Let me tell you, Bono has had a huge impact."

Bono is a vocal advocate of Third World debt relief, and Gates' foundation has given out more than $4 billion for global health since its inception to fight diseases such as AIDS and malaria.

Asked if their friendship would entice him to buy one of Microsoft rival Apple Computer's black-and-red U2 edition iPods, Gates said: "Absolutely not."


Story Copyright © 2005 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

http://news.com.com/When+in+Seattle...l+Gates/2100-1014_3-5684782.html?tag=nefd.top

Thanks to Jon!

 

[YusufZ]

Wow, those are two incredibly powerful people working for the common good. It's inspiring.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i hope bill picked up the bar tab...

 

[Judah]

Speaking of Microsoft billionaires, isn't that Paul Allen's ginormous yacht "The Octopus" moored in Vancouver's harbour.

Any Vancouverites see that?

...ya think Bono & Co. are staying there while they're here?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Asked if their friendship would entice him to buy one of Microsoft rival Apple Computer Inc.'s black-and-red U2 edition iPods, Gates said: "Absolutely not."

 

[Infinity]

Speaking of Microsoft billionaires, isn't that Paul Allen's ginormous yacht "The Octopus" moored in Vancouver's harbour.

Any Vancouverites see that?

...ya think Bono & Co. are staying there while they're here?

Yea U2 and Paul Allen are friends. He has a recording studio on his yacht and U2 stop by once in a while.

 

[gareth brown]

anybody else getting mental images of Bono and Bill Gates at breakfast in Gates' kitchen in DRESSING GOWNS [bono in shades] having Orange Juice and croissants discussing world poverty...

How COOL would that be to sit in on?!?!

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

28 billion dollars?! Damn!!!

I like Bill Gates. It's good to know Bono has this kind of people by his side. I agree with you YusufZ it's very inspiring to know that powerful people like Bill and Bono are working together for the same reason!

 

[u2girlcj]

It's only 1:30pm the day after the show - do I head over to Medina/Bellevue with hopes of catching the band somewhere...or, better yet, get my dad to take the boat out and cruise by the Gates'!

hmmmmmmm

The only downfall is that that house is so huge there's probably no reason for them to ever leave until it's time to head to Vancouver!!

Oh well.

 

[speedracer]

I don't think I'll ever forgive Bill Gates for Windows ME.

 

[Shade]

I don't think I'll ever forgive Bill Gates for Windows ME.

I'll never forgive him for Windows ANYTHING. I think he's earned every cent he's got, but Microsoft is one of those scary corporate monopolies that people aren't supposed to have.

 

[wizard2c]

reply

 

[linda_j_p]

It is weird hearing the ultra-rich talk about fighting poverty. If Bill Gates was truly serious about it he could probably give away much more. He really needs to atone for the sin of selling such crappy operating systems

 

[speedracer]

It is weird hearing the ultra-rich talk about fighting poverty. If Bill Gates was truly serious about it he could probably give away much more. He really needs to atone for the sin of selling such crappy operating systems

Perhaps. But Bill Gates doesn't hold $40 billion in cash; his net worth consists mostly of Microsoft stock. He couldn't liquidate large portions of it without sending ripples through the world economy. Something to keep in mind.

 

[speedracer]

I'll never forgive him for Windows ANYTHING. I think he's earned every cent he's got, but Microsoft is one of those scary corporate monopolies that people aren't supposed to have.

Yeah, but I never felt sorry for Netscape back when they were complaining about IE. Netscape sucked for years before and after the invention of IE, on every platform.