FORTUNE EXCLUSIVE: The world's second richest man - who's now worth $44 billion - tells editor-at-large Carol Loomis he will start giving away 85% of his wealth in July - most of it to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

 

I know I seem to be pretty much animal focused in my thinking and concerns, but I do let the people news sink in from time to time.  I recently read a Time (or was it Newsweek?) article about the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and was absolutely in awe of what they have accomplished.  They have proven that, if you're filthy rich and want to make a difference for good, you can.  Pretty impressive.

 

On the subject of philanthropy, I'm halfway through the book Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty.  It's pretty amazing stuff, and more of what reminds me how effing lucky I was to be born into a poor Wisconsin family rather than a poor Bangladeshi one.