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[Update: 20200210_181822 UTC] The original source of the story reported the cost of the yacht to be £500; there were conversion errors in the stories quoted here. Click the spoiler for the details:
The Telegraph (a UK publication):
- Reports the price was: £500m
ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
- Referred to The Telegraph as its source.
- Apparently gets the value wrong and thinks the £500m was $US500.
- Then converts the $US500 to Australian dollars.
- Being an Australian publication, it converts the $US to $AUS.
- reports it as (local $AUS) as: "$747 Million".
BBC then steps in and reports:
- that there was no such deal
- and states the amounts to be: £500m ($644m)
According to https://www.x-rates.com/, the current exchange rates are:
- 1.00 GBP = 1.291 USD
- 1.00 USD = 1.498 AUD
- 1.00 GBP = 1.935 AUD
Which then gives us:
- 500 GBP = (500 * 1.291 USD) = $646 USD
- 500 USD = (500 * 1.498 AUD) = $750 AUD
[The original, unmodified, story appears below.]
Microsoft founder Bill Gates is one of the world's richest men, so it's no surprise that he can afford to splash out on luxury items every now and then. But, even for him, $US500 million [$747 million] is a large chunk of money.
And what has he spent it on? A hydrogen-powered superyacht, that he won't take possession of until the year 2024.
The yacht, designed by Dutch company Sinot, will be 112 metres long and run on liquid hydrogen.
It will feature an infinity pool, helipad and spa and will have room for up to 14 guests.
The yacht was first revealed in Monaco in 2019 and advertised as being suitable for a "forward-looking" owner.
"For the development of Aqua we took inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner, the fluid versatility of water and cutting-edge technology, to combine this in a superyacht with truly innovative features," marine designer Sander Sinot said at the time.
But Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story reported by the BBC:
Billionaire Bill Gates has not commissioned a hydrogen-powered superyacht from designer Sinot, the firm has told the BBC.
It has been widely reported that Mr Gates ordered a £500m ($644m) luxury vessel, based on the concept which was displayed in Monaco in 2019.
Sinot said it had "no business relationship" with Bill Gates. It added that that the concept yacht, called Aqua, was "not linked" to either him or any of his representatives. "Aqua is a concept under development and has not been sold to Mr Gates," a spokeswoman said. She added that it was shown "in Monaco [and] meant to build a better future, and inspire clients and the industry."
Bill Gates has been contacted by the BBC for comment.
Also at:
https://nypost.com/2020/02/10/bill-gates-orders-644-million-hydrogen-powered-superyacht-with-gym-helipad-infinity-pool/
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/feb/09/bill-gates-orders-500m-hydrogen-powered-superyacht
Meanwhile escquireme.com is supporting the BBC story and reporting that this is not true.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by fustakrakich on Monday February 10 2020, @05:15PM (8 children)
But, what the hell, let's put it up on the front page anyway
Sorry, didn't mean to be so harsh, but, you know...
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 1, Troll) by aristarchus on Monday February 10 2020, @07:02PM (1 child)
We could have had a very nice, and true, aristarchus submission, instead of this news on fake news. And Some AC says Gates invented the internet? This is the same level of ignorance that says Donald is the greatest Precedent ever. (And yes, I know, the comment was sarcasm. But Runaway and khallow might not know that.)
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Monday February 10 2020, @07:12PM
(Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Monday February 10 2020, @07:08PM (2 children)
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Monday February 10 2020, @07:29PM (1 child)
The initial story had already been processed and released before the submission was found that claimed it was inaccurate.
The original was an earth shaking scoop was it?
I kid I kid... I just didn't know that the Robin Leach estate was sending in submissions
I kid! I kid!... I'm sure he thought he was posting to Slashdot's Idle section
No wait! I didn't mean that! A little bit of celebrity gossip never hurt anyone.
Damned if we do, and damned if we don't.
Not be me! just having a bit of fun with it.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Monday February 10 2020, @07:41PM
(Score: 2) by canopic jug on Monday February 10 2020, @08:03PM (2 children)
But, what the hell, let's put it up on the front page anyway
Articles about Bill Gates just don't happen by themselves and spread through the media by accident. Waggoner-Edstrom and others marketing firms get several hundreds of millions of dollars per year to do just that. The issue here, and the actual story, is how and why an intentionally false narrative was spread so far and wide without question. Maybe to burn up public attention quota on the topic of Bill's improprieties on fictitious trivialities so none is left for the foul stuff possibly coming down the pipe.
Money is not free speech. Elections should not be auctions.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 10 2020, @09:22PM
The issue here, and the actual story, is how and why an intentionally false narrative was spread so far and wide without question.
No, What? It works like a charm. It worked well enough to sell the war in Afghanistan, so, why not here? Or everywhere? It's the new normal.
(Score: 2) by arslan on Monday February 10 2020, @09:55PM
This is on the Australian ABC news, which is fairly reputable in Oz, so its even more surprising that they have tabloid-like fake news articles like this.