I know Zuckerberg is rich from creating Facebook, but where did Chan find her stash of money? Or are they donating Mark's money but using both people names? Asking out of curiosity, not trying to make some dumb point.
Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
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Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#12Earlier quoted context omitted.
Fifty years ago there would be a quarantine, no travellers from Africa, and no response necessary.
There was a flu pandemic in 1957, for which I can't find any evidence that the United States initiated a quarantine or blocked travelers from Asia. So, I'd love to know why you think there would've been a quarantine 50 years ago. Would it have been in response to the flu pandemic 7 years before?
That pandemic killed an estimated 69,800 Americans. It's simply not in the same class as this Ebola outbreak, and as an airborne disease (infects the upper respiratory tract) that's easily transmitted a quarantine would have been much less practical.
That was also a period when we had a bunch of new antibiotics available to help with secondary infections, which are frequently the biggest problem with influenza.
Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#13It's pathetic that a government agency is beholden to charity from billionaires instead of being fully funded from tax receipts. What a debacle. That said, hat's off to Zuckerberg. His reaction sharply contrasts with so much of the shameful, cynical fearmongering from some quarters.
NO aspect of the US government is fully funded from tax receipts - that's why we issue so much debt and run such a deficit every year.
Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#14I know Zuckerberg is rich from creating Facebook, but where did Chan find her stash of money? Or are they donating Mark's money but using both people names? Asking out of curiosity, not trying to make some dumb point.
When you are married, all of your spouses money is your money (unless you agree it isnt).
Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#15In the US, we hear that government and process gets in the way of getting the funding needed to be prepared or respond to these types of emergencies. Somehow I feel that only 30-50 years ago, there was not so much red tape in the way (nor was there the ability for a sophisticated/organized response - so it cuts both ways). I vacillate between thinking that just giving money will not make a huge difference here, and t…
Fifty years ago there would be a quarantine, no travellers from Africa, and no response necessary.
There's a good argument out there that a quarantine just makes the situation worse -- more friction for aid organizations to do their work, for one thing.
Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#16It's pathetic that a government agency is beholden to charity from billionaires instead of being fully funded from tax receipts. What a debacle. That said, hat's off to Zuckerberg. His reaction sharply contrasts with so much of the shameful, cynical fearmongering from some quarters.
Unclear. There's somethign to be said about asking people to put money where their mouth is to set some priorities, instead of voting for other people's tax payments.
There's also a corruption concern, of course, but I don't see that in today's case.
Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#17I know Zuckerberg is rich from creating Facebook, but where did Chan find her stash of money? Or are they donating Mark's money but using both people names? Asking out of curiosity, not trying to make some dumb point.
The HN is headline is inaccurate. Zuck wrote "Priscilla and I", because "I and Priscilla" is ungramattical in American language/culture, and "I" is... uncouth.
Changing the headline's speaker from Zuck to "anonymous HN software" changes the meaning.
Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#18It's pathetic that a government agency is beholden to charity from billionaires instead of being fully funded from tax receipts. What a debacle. That said, hat's off to Zuckerberg. His reaction sharply contrasts with so much of the shameful, cynical fearmongering from some quarters.
Not sure this deserves the downvotes it's getting. Perhaps the statement is not perfectly accurate, but the fact is the CDC was decimated by the sequester, with more steep cuts on the plate for 2014 -- including emergency and disaster preparedness.
Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#19In the US, we hear that government and process gets in the way of getting the funding needed to be prepared or respond to these types of emergencies. Somehow I feel that only 30-50 years ago, there was not so much red tape in the way (nor was there the ability for a sophisticated/organized response - so it cuts both ways). I vacillate between thinking that just giving money will not make a huge difference here, and t…
I'm confused, why is this voted down? I was genuinely hoping to see what others thought about giving money and/or other alternatives? I personally feel I am not doing enough to help and not happy seeing people suffering from this disease (and many other things) in any country.
I myself want to help make a positive difference and am trying to figure out what else can be done beyond just donating to help (or whether rallying donations is really helpful) - especially in this specific case.
EDIT: I was in no way trying to downplay the kindness of the donation by Zuckerberg and his wife - if anything I was trying to understand what more can be done (or what more money can be raised).
Re: Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg Donating $25M to the CDC Foundation
#20In the US, we hear that government and process gets in the way of getting the funding needed to be prepared or respond to these types of emergencies. Somehow I feel that only 30-50 years ago, there was not so much red tape in the way (nor was there the ability for a sophisticated/organized response - so it cuts both ways). I vacillate between thinking that just giving money will not make a huge difference here, and t…
The CDC is a government organization. It's part of HHS.
Yes, of course. That is why supporting them in any way we can as citizens (beyond what we normally might do) is something I think we should consider.
The reason I worded it the way I did was that I was trying not to be exclusive to government in the US only and instead be inclusive of other governments and organizations (such as Doctors Without Borders), etc.