Legacy: Carnegie & Rockefeller versus Bill "Nothing" Gates

[JailBush]

According to a website at http://www.carnegie.org/sub/kids/legacy.html, Andrew Carnegie is considered the father of American Philanthropy by many. His legacy includes free libraries around the world.

The twelve Carnegie trusts and institutions he created are listed at the end of this post. By the time Carnegie died in 1919, he had given away more than $350 million, almost 90 percent of his entire wealth.

I THOUGHT Bill Gates promised to give away his fortune several years ago. Yet he remains the world's richest jackass. Must be using George Bush's fuzzy math.

The very name Rockefeller conjures up visions of grandeur. I don't know enough about the Rockefellers to make a good vs bad judgment; I believe they're wealth was based on oil, and they figure in numerous conspiracy theories.

But you have to give them credit for immersing themselves in public life. Didn't they play a major role in the creation of the United Nations?

At any rate, imagine what Bill Gates' legacy would be if he died today. The king of scumware has given away billions of dollars, but it's hard to think of a single notable problem he's solved, let alone a building that is remarkable for anything other than the fact that it's named for Bill Gates.

Public education continues to decline under Gates, who excels only at exploiting children for Microsoft shares. Seattle needs another Bill Gates like it needs another earthquake. Gates' involvement in politics is shadowy and sleazy. (Republicans have been very good to Microsoft.)

I suspect Gates took on AIDS in part because he couldn't be blamed for failing to make a dent against such a vast epidemic. If Bill Gates tackled a smaller, more manageable problem, people might expect him to accomplish something.

Seattle's real heroes include Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Lee and an unsung teacher named Sally Pangborn. If Bill Gates died today, his name wouldn't soon be forgotten, but I suspect all the respect he purchased or gained through intimidation would vanish into thin air.

Future historians might recall Gates as the proverbial example of a Big Nothin'.

* * * * * * * * * *

"In order of their creation, the 12 Carnegie trusts and institutions are:"

Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall, a concert hall located in New York City opened in 1891 and is still in use today. Andrew Carnegie enjoyed music and felt New York City needed a concert Hall, so he decided to give money for this purpose. Over the last century many world renowned artists have performed there, including Peter Tchaikovsky, Igor Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel and George Gershwin. The Hall is one of the most famous concert halls in the world. The acoustics are perfect and the architecture is extravagant.
http://www.carnegiehall.org

Carnegie Institute
Established in 1895 with the purpose of celebrating art, science, music and literature. Built at a cost of $20 million, the institute has a library, art gallery, music hall and museum of natural history. Among other natural wonders, the museum displays two dinosaurs, Diplodocus carnegie and Apatosarus louisae, named after his wife.
http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/carnegie/index.htm

Carnegie Mellon University
In 1900, Carnegie endowed a few technical schools that provided technical training at the secondary level in Pittsburgh with $2 million. The schools quickly evolved into the Carnegie Institute of Technology, a college that received an additional endowment of more than $7 million. In 1967, the Carnegie Institute merged with the Mellon Institute to become Carnegie Mellon University. The university has colleges in engineering, fine arts, science, industrial administration, humanities and social science.
http://www.carnegiemellon.edu

Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland
Endowed with $10 million, this trust was created for "improving and extending the opportunities for scientific study and research" as well as providing scholarship for needy students.
http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/carnegie/carnegie.html

Carnegie Institute of Washington
In 1901 Carnegie created a national scientific research institution that would be a resource for all universities. Since then scientists at the Institution have, among other accomplishments:
• Discovered the expansion of the universe
• Proved DNA is the genetic material
• Devised applications as varied as radar and hybrid corn
• Opened Mayan ruins in Central America
http://www.ciw.edu

Carnegie Dunfermline Trust
Endowed with about $4 million, this trust was created in 1903 to benefit the 26,000 residents of Carnegie's birthplace in Scotland. The trust has since then provided village residents with social, educational and recreational opportunities.
http://www.carnegietrust.com

Carnegie Hero Fund Commission
These international organizations continue to give medals and money to those who are injured in an attempt to "preserve and rescue their fellows." Since its establishment in 1904, over $20 million has been awarded to these "heroes of peace." There are hero funds in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe.
http://www.carnegiehero.org

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Founded by Carnegie in 1905 to provide pensions for teachers, the foundation established the first widespread educational standards for the nation's colleges and universities. After 1931, the foundation concentrated on research to improve education.
http://www.carnegiefoundation.org

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Founded in 1910 with $10 million from Carnegie, the Endowment is the oldest public policy institution in the United States concentrating on issues of war and peace.
http://www.ceip.org

The Carnegie Corporation of New York
By 1911, Carnegie had given away over $43 million for libraries and close to $110 million for other causes. He formed the Carnegie Corporation of New York to give away the $150 million that remained. The Carnegie Corporation's mandate was to "promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding." Since then, it has given large grants to the other Carnegie trusts as well as universities, colleges, schools and educational entities--including public television's "Sesame Street."

For more information on Carnegie Corporation and Philanthropy, click here.

Carnegie United Kingdom Trust
The Trust was founded in 1913 with an endowment of $10 million for ìthe well-being of the masses of the people of Great Britain and Ireland. The trust has provided support for a wide variety of community services, ranging from child welfare programs to community theaters.
http://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk

Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs
The Church Peace Union which was established in 1914 and renamed the Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs in 1986, was endowed with about $2 million. Through its publications, forums and research, the organization has tried to understand important international problems and helped refugees displaced by war and natural disasters.
http://www.cceia.org

[uberotto]

1. Bill Gates has never given a penny...

to any cause other than promoting himself or Microsoft.

[el_gato]

2. no difference

can you say PR?

[frylock]

3. the gates' have given 23 billion to charitable causes.

That's over 54% of their net wealth. What have been your contributions of late?

[frylock]

4. double post.

dammit!

[sendero]

5. Here's another news flash

Despite his carefully crafted "software genius" image, he's mediocre at best in that area too :)

Microsoft has succeeded on marketing and strongarm tactics, not on products and pricing. So much for the "free market" :)