What are your thoughts on Bill Gates? Is he evil like some people (EV) suggest, with shady business practices trying to form a monopoly? Or is he a typical business man with a large amount of luck and skill? I just read that he donated a third of his income to various charities. Can he really be that bad?

He's a'ight.

Bill Gates IS the American Dream.

I've never had a huge problem with Gates.

one thing that really bugged me was how Ed hates Gates.... fuck, Gates donates SO MUCH of his money it is unbelievable. He is a great guy from what I gather.
The amount of time and money he donates to various charities is just mind-boggling.

Good Man

I don't recall Ed bashing Gates--can someone link me or reference a boot?

I do remember Ed bashing Paul Allen when he was trying to get public funds for a new stadium for the Seahawks (and rightly so, I might add).

I can't say enough good things about the musical gifts that Ed has given to this world.

That said, most of his politics are wack and I don't pay much attention to them at all.

he mentioned it before playing Soon Forget in a 2000 bootleg. I'll try and find it. he basically made fun of the rich techies in Seattle and said that their life is devoid of meaning

Exactly what I was going to say. I don't recall Ed evr saying anything about Gates. I have read he flies coach, and drives a average family car. everyone knows his charity history. there are definately worse people in the world.

It was said on Nov. 6, 2000 in Seattle. Just before Soon Forget he says: "this song was written with some people in mind"....

then someone yells "bill gates" to which Ed responds "everyone hear that? I guess they're such an easy target... it's definately, like, Bill Gates and Paul Allen. It's such a love-hate relationship with rich people. I mean, compared to those guys, I've got a little bit of money, and even that just makes me hate myself.."
then he goes on to talk about how good it feels to give money away, or just to give in general... then says: "those guys could actually be the happiest guys in the world if they just..." then he drifts off and starts playing the song


Phew, did my research!!

I like Bill Gates, I just saw an interview on CNBC, which made me like him even more. He seems like a super smart guy that was in the right place at the right time. Paul Allen hasn't done shit since he left Microsoft and that kind of backs up my theory that all of those guys spotted an opportunity and pounced on it. They really aren't the visionaries a lot of people make them out to be. I think in 10 year we'll be saying the same things about those dopes at Google.

I don't know why people bash Gates while Carly Fiorini and Larry Ellison escape. Talk about corporate scum bags.

Heh.

Gates has his own plane and has 3 Porsches. There was a recent article in Fortune about the cars of the rich and famous that laid them out. He's got a couple old ones and one from like 2002.

Anyhow, Gates donates an unfathomable amount to charity. Anyone knocking him is a turd. Paul Allen on the other hand, is a moneygrubbing bastard that manipulates the local politicians to give him public money for his private interests. Allen's the asshole @ Microsquish, not Gates.

EV dates a supermodel now, so he can't really talk about rich guys as "those people."

Ed's also sold like 50 million records and has done a decade worth of sold-out arena touring. He's doing A-OK.

Yep yep yep

Man, did Carly Fiorini fuck up HP or what.

And Lucent.