Lunchtime Links: Mark Zuckerberg’s $500M Gift

Just in time for the holidays, Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg decided to be a foundation’s not-so-secret Santa. The gift is Zuckerberg’s largest gift so far, worth nearly $500 million in stocks. What other generous acts have you seen lately? Is it the giving season?

That and more in today’s Lunchtime Links.

Facebook Elf: Mark Zuckerberg is giving a rather large gift  (opens in a new tab) to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation: almost $500 million in stock, to be exact, the LA Times reports. Eighteen million shares will be earmarked for health and education issues, which is Zuckerberg’s largest to date. The move comes after Zuckerberg joined the Giving Pledge  (opens in a new tab), where the nation’s richest people pledged to donate most of their riches to society.

Geek Think: Technology makes the world go round, or so it might seem. One thing’s for certain: It definitely makes an association. But what technology mindset  (opens in a new tab) do you have in your association? From an “app-4-everything” to a “techno-maniac,” Jeff Hurt’s blog post names five different types of techies. Which one are you?

Best in Show: What makes your company great? Jamie Notter’s blog post  (opens in a new tab) offers a couple of reasons, based on the Forbes list  (opens in a new tab) of best places to work. Some of his ideas? A company’s continued commitment to a hacker culture, trust in its top dog, and employees who describe the company as “exciting” or “fast growing.” Bottom line: Opportunities for career advancements and a solid company culture can contribute to very happy employees. What’s your association doing to make itself the best it can be for its employees?

Time of Your Life: Just how does TIME pick its Person of the Year? From more generalized picks such as “the protestor” or even a planet of the year “Endangered Earth,” TIME has spoken this year with President Barack Obama on its cover as the 2012 Person of the Year  (opens in a new tab).  Though it’s been labeled a “no-brainer”  (opens in a new tab) by CNN, not everyone has to agree with the decision, whose runner-ups included Apple CEO Tim Cook and Yahoo’s Marissa Meyer. Do you think that TIME magazine made the right decision?

What are you reading over lunch? Let us know in the comments.

(AN illustration/iStockPhoto/Thinkstock)