NationStates Jolt Archive

I think Billy has lost it. But which billionaire hasn't?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090205/ts_alt_afp/usitinternethealthfinancegates

LONG BEACH, California (AFP) – Microsoft founder turned disease-battling philanthropist Bill Gates loosed mosquitoes at an elite Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Conference to make a point about the deadly sting of malaria.

"Malaria is spread by mosquitoes," Gates said while opening a jar onstage at a gathering known to attract technology kings, politicians, and Hollywood stars.

"I brought some. Here I'll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected."

Gates waited a minute or so before assuring the audience the liberated insects were malaria-free.

TED curator Chris Anderson fired back at the legendary computer software maker, joking that the headline for the video of his talk to be posted online at Ted.com would be "Gates releases more bugs into the world."

As he has in travels on behalf of his eponymous charitable foundation, Gates detailed the strides made in dealing with malaria in affluent countries and the need to fight the disease in impoverished nations.

"There is more money put into baldness drugs than into malaria," Gates quipped, triggering laughter. "Now, baldness is a terrible thing and rich men are afflicted. That is why that priority has been set."

Gates called for aggressive distribution of insect netting and other gear proven to protect people from disease-transmitting stings.

He also shared that a malaria vaccine backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation should start Phase Three testing in a few months.

"I am an optimist; I think any tough problem can be solved," Gates said.

Ingenious way though, of getting a message across. Comments?

OMG He turned into a Bond Villian! :eek:

They ought of been carrying malaria.

I think Billy has lost it. But which billionaire hasn't?

Ingenious way though, of getting a message across. Comments?

They made sure the mosquitoes had no diseases before they released them (I hope), but what about the guy sitting next to me. What is going to get transferred to me from him by the mosquitoes?

Creative? yes
Effective? maybe
Safe? well, it's probably not unsafe, but it's not entirely safe either.

Good way of making his point, really. It's disgusting that more money goes into baldness treatment than malaria.

Ingenious way though, of getting a message across. Comments?

At least one of the mosquitos should have been carrying malaria. Then he could have made a nice sarcastic statistics statement, like "if stung, you only have a 1% chance of malaria. Nothing to worry ourselves about, right?".

Statistics like that become so much more.. tangible.. when they directly concern you ;)

They ought of been carrying malaria.

Why?

I always knew he was deliberately releasing bugs. :p

Safe? well, it's probably not unsafe, but it's not entirely safe either.



http://www.pbones.com/images/blobimages/20061129morbo.gif
MOSQUITOES DO NOT WORK THAT WAY, GOOD NIGHT!

Why?

Nothing engenders one's desire to end a threat like being threatened by it.












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I always knew he was deliberately releasing bugs. :p

More than we already have. *nod*

Nothing engenders one's desire to end a threat like being threatened by it.

So that's why when a guy take people hostage, he usually gets what he wants. :p I realize this makes no sense, sue me.

TED curator Chris Anderson fired back at the legendary computer software maker, joking that the headline for the video of his talk to be posted online at Ted.com would be "Gates releases more bugs into the world."

This part made me laugh.

So that's why when a guy take people hostage, he usually gets what he wants. :p I realize this makes no sense, sue me.

If the people being held hostage were making that decision, definitely.

http://www.pbones.com/images/blobimages/20061129morbo.gif
MOSQUITOES DO NOT WORK THAT WAY, GOOD NIGHT!

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd80/AwXomeMan/morbo.jpg

looks like Microsoft is now trying to set up a monopoly on international development as well!

They ought of been carrying malaria.

and Bill Gates has only one antidote...

http://www.pbones.com/images/blobimages/20061129morbo.gif
MOSQUITOES DO NOT WORK THAT WAY, GOOD NIGHT!

?

Well, explain it to me then. I thought that was the point: that mosquitoes spread disease from one creature to another. Isn't it that the mosquito spreads the disease that it has ingested through its saliva when it bites a new victim? It probably won't happen quickly, and the chances are low, which is why I said it probably can't be called unsafe. But it is exposing them all to a potential health risk, so I don't think it can truly be called safe.

?

Well, explain it to me then. I thought that was the point: that mosquitoes spread disease from one creature to another. Isn't it that the mosquito spreads the disease that it has ingested through its saliva when it bites a new victim? It probably won't happen quickly, and the chances are low, which is why I said it probably can't be called unsafe. But it is exposing them all to a potential health risk, so I don't think it can truly be called safe.

It doesn't always work like that; HIV and hepatitis, for example, can't be spread by mosquitoes AFAIK.

It doesn't always work like that; HIV and hepatitis, for example, can't be spread by mosquitoes AFAIK.

No, of course not. But West Nile is and malaria is and I'm sure there are other things.

AFAIK?

No, of course not. But West Nile is and malaria is and I'm sure there are other things.

Maybe he imported them from an area where mosquitoes are disease-free. Here in Aus they're safe.

AFAIK?

As Far As I Know.

Maybe he imported them from an area where mosquitoes are disease-free. Here in Aus they're safe.


Well, I'm sure they tested them for disease, but West Nile is here is Southwest Pennsylvania and the symptoms range from none to death. And there's the possibility that there's the man with no symptoms sitting on the other side of the room who gets bit. And the mosquito finds someone later in the building and she becomes horribly ill. Maybe I don't understand how mosquitoes spread disease. I'm not saying it was unsafe or dangerous, just that he probably should have done something else.

As Far As I Know.

Thank you.

I'm normally not a fan of Bill Gates (clearly, given my sig and my avatar, I'm a supporter of software freedom), but I have to give him kudos for this. An amusing way to get the point across.

"After the wonderful job we did of eradicating mosquitoes last year after my lecture, I have decided this year to highlight the terrible problem of tiger attacks..."

"After the wonderful job we did of eradicating mosquitoes last year after my lecture, I have decided this year to highlight the terrible problem of tiger attacks..."

<bursts into giggles>

Luckily i've got my tiger-attack-protection-rock with me :D

Obviously Microsoft is starting to move into the pharmaceuticals market. Starting with vaccines and antibiotics.

:D

Obviously Microsoft is starting to move into the pharmaceuticals market. Starting with vaccines and antibiotics.

:D

and the pills will only work half the time! But don't worry, there will be a service pack released to fix the pills! :D

and the pills will only work half the time! But don't worry, there will be a service pack released to fix the pills! :D

If not, there's a new section of Geek Squad called Bio-Med Team. They're ready to deal with your outbreak problems, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.:D

and the pills will only work half the time! But don't worry, there will be a service pack released to fix the pills! :D

Of course, after taking the pills, you have to die and then be resuscitated before they work at all.

OMG He turned into a Bond Villian! :eek:
Finally, I might add!
http://cache.hyves-static.net/images/smilies/default/smiley_bond.gif

The world needs more super-villains à la Auric Goldfinger, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and Hugo Drax! :eek2:

Obviously Microsoft is starting to move into the pharmaceuticals market. Starting with vaccines and antibiotics.

:D

If you don't take the meds, do you go blue in the face?

and the pills will only work half the time! But don't worry, there will be a service pack released to fix the pills! :D

However, it will only be available to users that activated their official subdermal implant.

"After the wonderful job we did of eradicating mosquitoes last year after my lecture, I have decided this year to highlight the terrible problem of tiger attacks..."

I wanna see what he's gonna do to highlight the AIDS problem... :D

Obviously Microsoft is starting to move into the pharmaceuticals market. Starting with vaccines and antibiotics.

:D

hate to read their EULA.

How is there not a thread on this already? And if there is, why isn't it in the list of threads that have been updated within the last day?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,488348,00.html

He released mosquitoes on people. That's awesome.

Microsoft founder turned philanthropist Bill Gates released a glass full of mosquitoes at an elite technology conference to make a point about the deadly disease malaria.

"Malaria is spread by mosquitoes," Gates said while opening a jar onstage at the Technology, Entertainment, Design Conference — a gathering known to attract technology kings, politicians, and Hollywood stars.

"I brought some. Here I'll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected."

First reported on social networking site Twitter, Facebook's Senior Platform Manager Dave Morin blogged, "Bill Gates just released mosquitos into the audience at TED."

Gates then waited a minute or so before assuring the audience the freed insects were malaria-free.

The unusual presentation on malaria prevention was confirmed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's media office. A spokesman said the insects released were not carrying malaria.

Gates retired as head of Microsoft last year to focus more on his foundation. One of its key projects is ending malaria and it has spent millions on fighting the disease.

The philanthropist has been pushing to reduce malaria deaths through the nonprofit. In September, Gates announced that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would provide $168.7 million to the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative to help develop a vaccine for the deadly disease.

Gates is deliberately releasing bugs again. There's a shocker.

What a God.

The conference wasn't bugged; it simply had extra features.

The conference wasn't bugged; it simply had extra features.

*Stones*

The conference wasn't bugged; it simply had extra features.

As to be expected from the Microsoft mogul. We got extra features, regardless of wether you need them or not.:tongue:

As to be expected from the Microsoft mogul. We got extra features, regardless of wether you need them or not.:tongue:

It was bundled with the package to create a buzz.

How is there not a thread on this already?
There is (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=582554)
if there is, why isn't it in the list of threads that have been updated within the last day?
Who knows? Just one of those things, I guess.

It was bundled with the package to create a buzz.

:D
And what a buzz.

There is (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=582554)

Who knows? Just one of those things, I guess.

Merged the two.

So, wait...

I haven't read the article, but from the name of the thread, I'm assuming that he re-released Windows ME with new features...?

So, wait...

I haven't read the article, but from the name of the thread, I'm assuming that he re-released Windows ME with new features...?

From what I read, it now comes packaged with malaria.

"Gates waited a minute or so before assuring the audience the liberated insects were malaria-free."
But had he assured the audience was malaria free? Otherwise the mosquitoes might not be free of malaria for long.

From what I read, it now comes packaged with malaria.

Oh, good. So now I don't have to mess around with it to have delerium-induced rage.

A minor upgrade.

I just want a reason to unleash a swarm of killer bees during a presentation and/or final exam.

I just want a reason to unleash a swarm of killer bees during a presentation and/or final exam.Do a presentation on killer bees? Or on the psychology of panicked crowds?

http://www.ubersoft.net/files/comics/hd/hd20090206.png

Vaguely amusing.

Wow, fucking zing ~ "Gates releases more bugs" bwahaha

I love those dear hearts and gentle people...

Shame he wasn't pushing for a more effective method for dealing with Malaria. There was a time that it was projected to go the way of smallpox and polio (though that's still kicking around outside the western hemisphere) and then it was banned because some raptors were getting thin eggshells. That sucked but instead of trying to find a real solution to both problems (the thinning continued for years after the ban on DDT) through modifying the pesticide or introducing something to the birds to counter the effect it was banned and poor countries swarmed with malria mosquitoes have been fighting for the savior poison ever since.

Priorities. Some people need to reconsider theirs.