*Sir* Bill Gates

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From BBC today: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3428673.stm

Microsoft creator to be knighted

The king of computer software Bill Gates is to receive an honorary knighthood from the Queen for his contribution to enterprise in the UK.

Mr Gates, the world's wealthiest man, is also being honoured for his work on poverty reduction around the world, said the Foreign Office.

As an American citizen he cannot use the title "Sir" but will be entitled to put the letters KBE after his name.
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:eek: :confused: (where is the vomit smile?)
 
LOL... nice, Sam! :)

At least Bill's not being honored for the advancement of computing... I mean, sure, he did invent Visual Basic or whatever, but come on—Microsoft has been a (really, really big) thorn in the side of the computer world since, well, forever. And you have to admit that donating to charity is still honorable.
 
She knighted the Beatles, she knighted Mick Jagger, now she knights Bil Gates: is nothing sacred in this world?!? ::rolleyes::
 
Honorary knighthood. He can't use the word Sir before his name. American law. Citizens can't be officially knighted.
 
Nitpicking: Randman › british law. Even we Canadians can't be knighted (see: Conrad Black).

Knighted for poverty reduction eh; who's next, Bono? ;)
 
If Bob Geldof got one, Paul Hewitt deserves one. And the Beatles weren't knighted, just McCartney. And the queen usually gets a list of people done up from some government office. No big deal.
 
OK, ok the Beatles were not really knighted as such:
On June 12 1965, it was announced that the Beatles were each to receive from the Queen the MBE - Membership of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

"I thought you had to drive tanks and win wars to get the MBE," John Lennon said. "I think it's marvellous," said Paul McCartney. "What does that make my Dad?" "I'll keep it to dust when I'm old," was Ringo Starr's response. "I didn't think you got that sort of thing," said George Harrison, "just for playing rock and roll music."
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But indeed: who's next? Michael Jackson? Steve Jobs? Linus Torvalds?

That reminds me: in Italy Berlusconi was nominated "knight" too ... well, he's in good company now, let's hope he doesn't give any funny ideas to Bill Gates to become president ...
 
Gia, I think Steve and Linus need to give just a little more to charity. I'm a firm believer in the anti-Chri$t theory, but they have given a bit of cash to charity. And unlike Ted Turner, the checks have seemed to clear. :)
 
I read that it looks like a case of Gordon Brown saying, "look at all my important friends". The thing is, to those outside the computing world I don't think it's a big deal given his donations to chairty etc. But to the rest of us (I incude Windows users here), it seems a bit silly.

And you're right Cat, the Beatles got MBEs for making huge amounts of money. Lennon gave his back a few years later and only McCartney got knighted later on. As did Mick. Personally, I'd have liked to see Keith getting knighted.
 
Bob Geldof got knighted? For what? He's done like one major thing in his entire life, and even the movie of The Wall is a love-it-or-hate-it deal.

Zora: nope, it's been on the news and everything. :rolleyes:
 
Yeb, Bob got an honorary knighthood (he's Irish) for the Live Aid stuff. And presumably for his record period of not bathing.
 
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