You've done it again B!

Once again, Bill Gates gets it! With world leaders in my neighborhood for the UN General Asssembly to discuss the Millenium Development Goals, and President Bush's speech totally avoiding anything to do with the MDGs and things other than terrorism, someone is actually trying to do something! Human rights groups and humanitarian organizations have long been saying that importing US/European food is not the answer to hunger around the world.

Rather than simply buying the farmers' crops outright, much of the money will go to teaching better farming methods, and to helping them store their crops in warehouses, plant higher-yield seeds, and transport their produce to customers.

What a concept! Way to go B (also WFP and Howard G. Buffett Foundation)! I hope this becomes something sustainable over time.

A love letter

Dear Mr. Gates,

Can I call you Bill? B?

Please allow me to speak candidly. You have swept in and you have captured my heart, B. Somehow you flew under my radar and you touched me deeper than any other billionaire philanthropist has before. What your foundation has done, for Malaria, for drug access around the world, makes me weak in the knees. Now you’ve retired from your post at Microsoft to dedicate your time to your foundation and you write a piece for Time that I swear is just for me. Creative capitalism would never sound as good from anyone else’s lips, B. But somehow, you pull me in. I get it, you’ve greatly benefited from capitalism and therefore want to nurture it and see it bloom. Or you at least believe that the system isn’t going to change anytime soon and therefore we should make the current system better. But, you’ve figured out how to make capitalism appealing even in times of financial hardship. How do hold such power over me?

Please, B, be gentle with my fragile heart.

With much affection and unwavering support,
The Road Less Traveled

P.S. Can I have a job?

Bloomberg/Gates Anti-Smoking Collaboration

Two wealthy men, maybe you've heard of them - Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates, are joining the forces of their very wealthy and influential foundations to discourage smoking around the world, with a focus in the developing world. I'm looking forward to hearing more about this in the future. I wonder how the tobacco industry is preparing for this. Apparently though, they can jump on the finding that tobacco can be used to help create a vaccine for lymphoma. A new market for tobacco? It would fair much better for their reputation.