How is this woman associated with solving some of the worlds most difficult problems...does she have inordinate amount of $$$(without her husband)...did she work for some Think-tanks, etc? Is she some sort of celebrity?
Other than she is married to Bill Gates, really, what does this woman bring to the table in the so called "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation".
I see this nothing more than someone who is riding on someone elses coat-tails.
What do you see?
2006-08-13 16:48:10 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Community Service
Bill Gates is on record as having said that it was Melinda who "told me" he was going to give away much of his fortune "or she would leave me." He said that it never occurred to him that he had the responsibility to give away much of his fortune until he met and married her. He was such a nerd he had never gotten outside of his own cloistered environment. Marrying Melinda saved him from becoming one of those pathetic billionaires who die with their billions going to "family." Few obscenely wealthy people end up with children/siblings who are worthy of receiving such wealth - often the direct cause of their self destruction. "Family" is a word we are taught to revere but, think about it, if a family member is little more than a greedy leech, should they be left much of anything? Of course not.
If Melinda Gates is as saintly as she is often described then she is earning her place among the most influential (for good) of Americans in her time. And I'll just bet that Bill Gates knows that and is constantly in awe.
2006-08-13 17:36:29 · answer #1 · answered by ALWAYS GOTTA KNOW 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
She used to work at Microsoft, so I assume that she's pretty smart when it comes to computers. Especially to be a woman in the computer industry in the early years is pretty impressive since there definitely wasn't the overabundance of computer engineers that there is today.... and there still aren't many women in the field.
Anyway, she is Bill Gate's husband, and they have so generously founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which is an organization with which they give away their money (that they earned.. of which they don't owe anyone a cent... except for the government in taxes), and they also take donations from others to add to the foundation's fund so they can do even more charitable works with it.
The Gates' are some of the biggest donors to scientific research. They are also big donors to help further education and cure diseases. I wouldn't insult her since she's probably done much more for the world than most people out there.
2006-08-13 17:01:18 · answer #2 · answered by Stephanie S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Melinda Gates brought the heart to the corporate body of Microsoft. I am surprised that the foundation is not called the Melinda Gates Foundation, since Bill Gates has been converted into a 'change of heart' to giving more (as opposed to, making more). If someone goes through the pains and pleasure of being married to an entrepreneur, they do not deserve a foundation, they should get a medal of honour!! To suggest otherwise, is to underestimate the value of family in a successful business!
2006-08-13 18:56:39 · answer #3 · answered by MeerKatje 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First she is Bill Gates Husband. She is a very known woman for running hers and Bill's foundation for donating their fortune for purposes like education, illness, etc. She has been running it for a while but now Bill will join her in 2008. As far as i know of she was no celebrity or famous until she married Bill.
2006-08-13 16:57:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dude behind every successful man there is a woman and it is entirely possible, though unlikely, that Billy-boy might not be such a great philanthropist and that his charity streak is due to his wife's influence on him. I personally don't care that she is riding his coat-tails or him... all that matters is that they are doing a hell of a lot more for chairty than any other person has ever done. Plus good ole Warren Buffett threw in his US $37 billion into the do-good-pot very recently
2006-08-14 00:14:19 · answer #5 · answered by fistfull-of-$ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Melinda is Bill's wife. She runs the foundation while Bill runs Microsoft.
2006-08-14 11:41:29 · answer #6 · answered by nursesr4evr 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's because unlike celebs, she doesn't want the spotlight on her as some sort of superhero, that's why most people don't know much about her. She used to work for Microsoft before they got married, so I would say she does have something to bring to the table. There was an article on her recently about this.. I wouldn't criticize, at least she's trying to help; can't say that much for a lot of people.
2006-08-13 16:57:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Melinda is very smart and did work for Microsoft before she married BIll.
She was successful by Average American Standards.
And one has to admit that she is damn smart to have landed Bill Gates...stop hating
2006-08-13 16:57:00 · answer #8 · answered by BRE 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fact is she worked at Microsoft for years with Bill Gates so she is no dummy. They also gave billions of THEIR! dollars to people. Look at Paris Hilton, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to have your face on the news.
2006-08-13 16:56:00 · answer #9 · answered by redman9250 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋