Rearden_Steel Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) Gates pulled the surprise stunt Wednesday at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference in Long Beach, Calif. His point: to drive home the message that mosquito-borne viruses, particularly malaria, are a continuing threat to people in the developing world despite the dawning of the 21st century. "Malaria is spread by mosquitoes," said Gates, according to news service Agence France-Presse. "I brought some here. I'll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected," the Microsoft chairman told stunned observers, according to AFP. What a jackass. If I turned up at a tech conference to talk business and some A-hole kept releasing Mosquitoes and talking about third world malaria I would be done with them. Edited February 5, 2009 by Rearden_Steel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ordr Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 What a jackass. If I turned up at a tech conference to talk business and some A-hole kept releasing Mosquitoes and talking about third world malaria I would be done with them. Jesus, I thought this was a joke when I heard about it. What a douche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myself Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) Did he knowingly release mosquitoes carrying malaria into a crowded room? Isn't that grounds for arrest? Edit: Nevermind, I see they weren't infected. I still think it should count as assault. Edited February 5, 2009 by Myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake_Ellison Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) If only we had a cheap substance that kills mosquitoes, that could eradicate the problem globally. Edited February 5, 2009 by Jake_Ellison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D'Ippolito Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 If only we had a cheap substance that kills mosquitoes, that could eradicate the problem globally. I suspect you are playing straight man here but I'll bite (so to speak) Three letters. DDT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 If only we had a cheap substance that kills mosquitoes, that could eradicate the problem globally. This made me laugh. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rearden_Steel Posted February 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Say what you want about Steve Jobs but a least he never released a swarm of blood sucking insects into a crowd. That's Obama's job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidOdden Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Three letters. DDT Two letters, one used twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wrath Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 When I ran across that article, I momentarily thought I had stumbled on to theonion.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ordr Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Two letters, one used twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D'Ippolito Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Yeah, I was wondering whether to be that pedantic, but I figured I had to give David something to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake_Ellison Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 What a jackass. If I turned up at a tech conference to talk business and some A-hole kept releasing Mosquitoes and talking about third world malaria I would be done with them. I would've thrown a plastic bottle or something in his direction, before I left. Or a nice cup of whatever drink I had in my hand in his face, just to show that two can play this game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas M. Miovas Jr. Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Actually, the most horrifying thing he said was: "Malaria is spread by mosquitoes," said Gates, according to news service Agence France-Presse. "I brought some here. I'll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected," the Microsoft chairman told stunned observers, according to AFP. Poor people are infected by mosquitoes around the world because they don't have enough capitalism to civilize their neighborhoods -- and here is Bill Gates -- one time richest man in the world -- denigrating that which made it possible for him to become a billionaire. I'm beginning to think more and more that if we ever do actually have an Atlas Shrugged type of strike that it is going to be very difficult for us to get the movers and shakers of the world to follow suit. Not because they are like Dagny, who wanted to hold out against the enemy, but because they are so seeped with altruism that they don't know enough to go on strike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeatherFall Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 (edited) *** Mod's note: Merged with ongoing topic. - sN *** From Dailymail.co.uk Bill Gates released a swarm of mosquitoes in an attempt to raise awareness about the problem malaria poses to human life and happiness. Right on, Bill. Unfortunately, he wants to help by spending millions to develop a malaria vaccine. My understanding is that we already have the solution to malaria: careful, measured use of DDT (it's environmental effects are negligible compared to its potential life-saving effects). Am I wrong? Is DDT really not as effective in sub-Saharan Africa as I was lead to believe? Edited February 6, 2009 by softwareNerd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Andrew Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 What a jackass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Mac Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 Too bad someone didn't go into anaphylactic shock. A big ambulance/hospital scene would've really topped things off. (Of course, I don't wish a near death experience or death on anyone! Well, almost no one.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiberTodd Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 At least he was only gunning for a malaria vaccine. Think about possibilities for other third-world country problems... "People in Africa don't have adequate homes, so I hired a bunch of guys to wreck the shit out of your houses while you're here" "People in Africa can't afford cars, so I'm gonna drive this monster truck over all your cars right now." "People in Africa are starving, so I bought all the food in the tri-county area and buried it." "People in Africa are experiencing genocide, so I'm gonna start shooting at you all with my AK" "People in Africa have AIDS, so guess what I put in the punch you're drinking?" The list can go on forever. softwareNerd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OptimizedPrime Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Bill Gates was ruthlessly pragmatic in his business dealings. It served him well. In politics he will quickly run into a wall with this approach. Should be fun to watch (or tragic, depending on how you look at it). OP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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