<p>Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates became the latest person to answer the “Ice Bucket Challenge” on Friday, dunking a bucket of ice-cold water and ice cubes over his head in a bid to spread awareness about a neuro-degenerative ailment called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), popularly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Gates, responding to a challenge from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, went about the task of getting soaked in typical geeky fashion. In a video uploaded on YouTube, he is shown planning the entire thing out, so that it is different from what the others have done.<br /><br />After watching Zuckerberg simply lift the bucket over his head to douse himself in a video and then challenge three people, including Gates, the Microsoft co-founder brings out the drawing board, intending to build a contraption that would help him fulfil the challenge conditions “better”.<br /><br />The video shows him draw lines as he makes a blueprint—sort of—of the contraption he has in mind. Then we see a stick-and-paper prototype of what he has in mind.<br /><br />Then, the video shows him put finishing touches to the actual contraption, so that when he finally pulls a rope in the end, the bucket, suspended above him, upends its contents on the world's richest individual.<br /><br />The Ice Bucket Challenge has become a viral craze in the United States in recent weeks.<br /><br />It involves celebrities soaking themselves in icy water before challenging other well-known personalities to follow suit.<br /><br />Zuckerberg, who was nominated for the challenge by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, laughed as he tipped the ice over himself before daring Microsoft titan Bill Gates, to emulate him.<br /><br />Gates, on his part, passed on the challenge to SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, TV personality Ryan Seacrest and TED curator Chris Anderson.<br /><br />Television star Jimmy Fallon, singer Justin Timberlake and actor Mickey Rourke have all taken the challenge in recent weeks.<br /><br />Even Ethel Kennedy, the 86-year-old widow of Robert Kennedy, has taken the challenge—urging US President Barack Obama to follow suit. Obama declined, but made a donation instead.<br /><br />The rules are simple. The challenge for a person is to record himself on video in continuous footage while being doused in icy water. This has to be done within 24 hours of receiving the challenge. <br /><br />After the dunking, the individual has the option to donate at least $10 to a charity of his or her choice and call out others with the challenge.<br /><br />Those who decline the challenge are urged to donate at least $100 to a charity of their choice. <br /><br />The ALS Foundation, which is the chief benefactor of the donations from the challenge, has said it has collected around $7.6 billion in the two weeks since July 29 to bolster research into Lou Gehrig's disease.</p>
<p>Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates became the latest person to answer the “Ice Bucket Challenge” on Friday, dunking a bucket of ice-cold water and ice cubes over his head in a bid to spread awareness about a neuro-degenerative ailment called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), popularly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Gates, responding to a challenge from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, went about the task of getting soaked in typical geeky fashion. In a video uploaded on YouTube, he is shown planning the entire thing out, so that it is different from what the others have done.<br /><br />After watching Zuckerberg simply lift the bucket over his head to douse himself in a video and then challenge three people, including Gates, the Microsoft co-founder brings out the drawing board, intending to build a contraption that would help him fulfil the challenge conditions “better”.<br /><br />The video shows him draw lines as he makes a blueprint—sort of—of the contraption he has in mind. Then we see a stick-and-paper prototype of what he has in mind.<br /><br />Then, the video shows him put finishing touches to the actual contraption, so that when he finally pulls a rope in the end, the bucket, suspended above him, upends its contents on the world's richest individual.<br /><br />The Ice Bucket Challenge has become a viral craze in the United States in recent weeks.<br /><br />It involves celebrities soaking themselves in icy water before challenging other well-known personalities to follow suit.<br /><br />Zuckerberg, who was nominated for the challenge by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, laughed as he tipped the ice over himself before daring Microsoft titan Bill Gates, to emulate him.<br /><br />Gates, on his part, passed on the challenge to SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, TV personality Ryan Seacrest and TED curator Chris Anderson.<br /><br />Television star Jimmy Fallon, singer Justin Timberlake and actor Mickey Rourke have all taken the challenge in recent weeks.<br /><br />Even Ethel Kennedy, the 86-year-old widow of Robert Kennedy, has taken the challenge—urging US President Barack Obama to follow suit. Obama declined, but made a donation instead.<br /><br />The rules are simple. The challenge for a person is to record himself on video in continuous footage while being doused in icy water. This has to be done within 24 hours of receiving the challenge. <br /><br />After the dunking, the individual has the option to donate at least $10 to a charity of his or her choice and call out others with the challenge.<br /><br />Those who decline the challenge are urged to donate at least $100 to a charity of their choice. <br /><br />The ALS Foundation, which is the chief benefactor of the donations from the challenge, has said it has collected around $7.6 billion in the two weeks since July 29 to bolster research into Lou Gehrig's disease.</p>