I am (in a union,) but that doesn't mean that I don't see both sides of the argument. I was also a HDQ mgmt type and a front line supervisor (as well as a union rep.) I like the fact that the union has posted rules, and less subjectivity of superiors inconsistent application of rules, I don't like it that mediocrity is rewarded to the same extent that superiority is. I wouldn't trade in the lack of subjectiveness though for the ability to be rewarded for my performance.

Yes, the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation started in 1994, with less than 100 million of Gates's $$ (then just called the William H Gates foundation. In 2000, it got an addl 126 million. It has grown significantly since. Buffet has pledged 85% (30 billion) of his $$ to the Bill and Melinda foundation. Bill didn't start giving big money until after retirement, and Warren isn't a spring chicken now.

I find it ironic that Warren told Bill to give it away sooner...Warren is much Bill's senior (25 yrs older) and didn't contribute until 2006, at age 76, while Bill's big gifts started coming out at about 45, around retirement.


Charity aside, this still supports my initial statement that the top dogs don't give it away until they are done climbing to the top. Be it today's uber rich, or the robber barons of 100 years ago, be it 30 billion dollars, or certs. When you can no longer use it all for yourself, charity opens up.

All that trivial stuff aside, even with the "good karma" in CC, most still choose to use what they can, and give away what they won't use. True altruism wouldn't share the patterns of SWU and CR1's being common at/near expiration dates, but would have more of them on the CC board at issuance than near expiration. Perhaps the new system of getting them at threshold marks will provide an added benefit to the cert traders of providing a more uniform supply vs peaks and droughts.