Go! Spend 50 billion dollars
May 31st, 2008 by LibA comment posted recently by Jonathan got me thinking. He told us what he would do in order to try and neutralise the damage we are doing to the planet (banish all air travel and non-essential goods) and the Copenhagen Consensus is inviting leading economists to do the same.
Can you imagine having that power? Well, I’m going to give it to you (I’m nice like that)
Thats right, I’m giving each and every one of you $50 billion to change the world for the better.
There are dozens of global challenges that could benefit from your philanthropy, but large as your financial resources are, they are not limitless. What would be your priorities?
Would your $50 billion be best spent on preventing the three great plagues of the modern era — malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, which claim tens of millions of lives each year?
Or might it be better to fund nutrition in developing countries, where almost 150 million children are underweight for their age and 200 million are chronically malnourished?
What about climate change, which many scientists consider to be the gravest threat of all? Should you invest in improving renewable energy technologies, to reduce reliance on fossil fuels?
Your choice would obviously be influenced by your social and political outlook, and by your perceptions of which challenges matter the most. But you might also want to be confident of getting a decent bang for your buck.
Is it possible to establish which of these challenges can be solved most cost-effectively, so that your generosity does the greatest good for the greatest number?
Go ahead, spend spend spend. Just tell me why and what you are spending your money on.
Hello all,
I would give most of it to my son, daughter and grand children
Very generous, my vote goes to you but if you had to spend it on saving the world, what would you spend it on?
Listen right, I loves me cash I does, you can spend it an all an that, on things that, like, are really dead important, like new cloves, an rings, an rent boys. But I knows this bloke see, an he spent all is dosh on charity!
But see, that money don’t not always buy you appiness right. That Mick Jagger, he’s one hundred an fifty years old he is! He’s forty years older than my mate Slapper McCacker like. An they is both Sirs like wot I am, only like that Sir Mick, he as ad loads of birds an chicks an wives an all, bit of a tart he is see.
But poor old Sir Paul, he as only ever bin wiv two birds see, that’s cos he never got is songwritin career off the ground proper like, but he is a successful roofin contractor, an when he divorced that one legged miserable bird, he ad to re roof er ouse for nuffin, just cos the judge said he ad to!
But cos he only does jobs fer cash right, no one knewed wot he was worf! Didn’t not av to give er no money, said he was poor an all, an he still lives in caravan in Liverpool 8, an all ov is cloves are like old an dirty, an he don’t not eat steaks an lamb chops wiv gravy (says he can’t afford em like) so he just eats grass from the railway embankment see.
Genius that is, genius!
Hey Sir Elton - missed you on the eurovision song contest - terry wogan (another sir) reckoned we should be polling the record companies to release a top star like your mate robbie or kylie to sing for us then we might stand a chance of winning - he even mentioned you.
What with you jet setting ways and already knowing the russian lingo - that Nikita girly - your bound to win it.
back to the subject - 50 billion is like small change to you - i’m sure if you donated it, sir bob and sir paul would chip in a few billion and then we’d be able to feed the world for another two weeks according to Blue Collar’.
That Cliff Richard, he’s a Sir an all, it’s true! Just cos he went out wiv that Sue Barker right (she taught the Queen ow to play darts an she’s on er pub quiz team – sports expert like).
An he went out wiv Ank Marvin too, he’s worf a few bob an all!
Anyways, I gots to go, I’m off down the chippy, gettin ungry I am wot wiv all this talk of feedin everyone!
Listen Elt, you are not always going to have the mono, monop, monopol (Greek thing) on the SIR you know.
I have been incident free now for well over a year and am massively on my way to becoming a Sir too you know.
In fact, I’m even putting together a safe driving campaign with the next Prime Minister (check me out!) Jeremy Clarkson.
Stick that in a joint and smoke it!
Look George, I weren’t not the first Sir anyways, so there ain’t not no big Greek thing about it wiv me right.
See when I met the Q for me investiture like she says to me, “Wotcher Elt, on yer knees you short fat poof! Now on the occasion of you bein like really special an all, an singin that proper lovely version ov your 1973 top 10 it record for our Di in er onour at er farewell bash right. Plus we all thinks youz is the tops ere at the Palace an that, I ave decided see, wot wiv the powers vested in me as Top Dog ov everyfin wot I sees, to awards you likes wiv a knighthood right!”
Then she says, “Now don’t let this goes to your ead Elt, you is not the first one, an like there may be some more too later on, only likes I can’t tell youz who theys will be just yet. But thems before youz was that Walter Raleigh bloke who invented potatoes an ciggies (gaspin for a fag I am) an that Launcelot who was a bit ov a poofter (so youz is alright) an Winston Churchill who is now dead, so you ave got is spot see. An I don’t count that Irish scruffbag Bob Geldard cos he ain’t not English he ain’t, an he don’t not ave no right to call imself, Sir or anyfin right”
“Arise Sir Elton John of Topopstarshire,” she says, an that were it like, it were!
So you sees George, I reckons likes if youz want to be a Sir an all, then likes, youz is goin to ave to start behaving yourself see, an stop laffin at my David.
50 BILLION?!
Uh …
FIFTY BILLION!?
Wow. Darling, I can’t even fathom 50 million.
So, after a bit of research (because YOU made me do it! I loves ya I do …) I came up with this from a website called The Edge [ http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/story/72.html ] when I googled “how much would it cost to end world hunger”:
“If all of us who are rich (in the sense that starvation is out of the question and has always been) want to provide the economic resources necessary to end hunger, how much should we pay? We assume that all existing government and NGO aid programs continue, but will be supplemented by a world-wide campaign for private donations to end hunger (feed your antipode).
The cost of providing one billion people with 250 kilograms of grain every year is approximately $40 billion dollars a year. That would seem to be a lot of money, but with one billion people to pay, it is no big deal: $40 a year! An even more moderate estimate is provided by the organization Netaid: Just $13 billion dollars a year and the basic health and food needs of the world’s poorest people could be met.
With $50 billion a year as an estimated cost of ending world hunger, the expense for each well-off person is one dollar a week. It is the growth in the number of rich people on the planet, while the number of poor has not grown, that results in this favorable situation, unprecedented in human history.”
Thanks for doing some research Blue Collar, tis indeed what I love about this site, it makes me read stuff and I learn a hell of a lot from other people.
Regarding hunger (or indeed any other way life saving/enhancing/multiplying act) the world is getting too small for us as far as current birth rates go so is that really the best option?
Or should we try and save the planet first and then address mortality rates?
I would spend the 50 billions on banishing hunger, work on the agriculture, plant more trees, change all the car engines from using petrol to using natural gas..
Thats all I can think of for now..
Wow, thats a lot for $50 billion.
Yeah..hahaha..probably just spend the 50 Billion so that I can build a rocket and go to Mars..
Well, right off the top 10% goes to my church. Then, I think I would like to address developmental disabilities services, homelessness/mental health and poverty. Find someone who know how to invest and make money grow, so that I can continue to address these issues by consulting with experts in the fields.
Thanks Clinically but how would giving $5 000 000 000 to your church benefit the world?
Are they all trained medics/economists/fund managers?
Surely if you are a miracle worker you don’t need that kind of cash.
Well, if it were a gift, it would go to the church which would help the world in a community sense to build ministries for outreach and help to the homeless and mentally ill. It would be used as a prototype to bring into other countries.
Unfortunately, I am not a miracle worker, but if you put the right team of people together, and the funds you can make a miracle happen…God willing. If it works in my community, then we continue to bring that into other communties, states, etc…Then, they bring it into other countries. But, obviously, a key person would be finance because that little bit will only get you so far. I’d didn’t include, but I would also want healthcare, education and recreational activities provided. Then, there is the land problem…That is my dream and always has been…To combine mental health, social needs with the church providing.
I just don’t see why you would want to channel the money through what is effectively a ‘middle man’. Why not give it to the charities directly?
As far as I’m concerned the ‘church’ has enough money and I can’t help thinking that if there were a God, we wouldn’t need $150 million dollars per annum to feed millions of starving kids.
The actual charities have lots of overhead and I want to eliminate overhead. The people involved at the beginning would be volunteers just as I would be. The money would be allocated only to begin the ministry and not for the church general fund or building fund. I’m wanting to create a new charity and/or join with another.
Well Lib you do know how to ask the though questions truly you do…
With that much cash and all the priviledge it buys me I would do the following”
firstly set up a global fund, and using the influence of the power the cash gives, prompt countries and other mega rich folks to invest in on a yearly basis.
This funds sole responsiblity would be to irrigate the drought stricken areas on our planet, using the people it would benefit to build it and then using this newly found water plant crops and get argriculture happen on a sustainable level for each area. Once the crops where established then an increase in food production could happen.
Secondly I would take a % of the money to increase the use of renewable energy sources.
This would not be done on a corporate level it would be done on a house hold level. Placing of Solar Power Panels on individual houses to become self generating power stations in their own right. Each house would be connected to the power grid and this would be fed into the system there by reducing the use of coal power electricity generation.
Those properties in areas which solar is not suitable would then have either wind turbines or water turbines connected their homes to do the same.
and Thirdly I would buy the old growth forests of Tasmania and lock them up from logging to help with the extraction of CO2 and protect our biodiversity. Other reasons here to but thats the simplest.
There is so many things which can be done with that much cash, the trick is planning it out and compeling others around you to do the same in this way you can spend minimal funds for biggest effect.
Aussie for treasurer! I want that you should be my financial mananger when I strike it rich.
You do know I will Hold you to this…
Are you expecting this soon…. The Lotto Gods just keep having a laugh at me….
I put it in and not a single number …. they are having a lend of me…. lol
I have that same dilemma.
I keep praying, “Please, let me win the lottery!”
I’ve been praying this for years now.
Maybe I should actually BUY a lottery ticket?
Well AC, I try.
I admire your strategy but one very simple but in my view crucial thing is missing.
Education.
Educate the 1st world about the dangers of overpopulation/global warming/ disease/pollution and a structure for the future can be put in place.
Educate the 3rd world about how to help themselves (you did touch on this) and the aid needed in the future will diminish.
Its interesting how no one has mentioned terrorism yet. Its quite a biggy for me.
hey there Lib…
I think the problem of over population will sort itself ie… shootings, Iraq, Iran, robo virus’s, Aids, bird flu or we might nuke ourselves…
lol
but most people are aware of these problems and are either burying their collective heads in the sand, in denial or apathatic in regards to pollution, global Warming etc because the problem does seem so large they beleive they cant sort it…
but with the countries and people who need it.. and not just in third world countries there are plenty in our own countries who suffee just as bad as those in Africa but we can teach by example, so them how to survive and when their tummies are full they can go from there and become doctors teacher etc.. but they need to learn how to feed themselves before anything else… but once that is sorted then schools and training yes, but in a sustainable way…
Hello Lib,
Fifty billion dollars
Even that would not buy the Egyptian shop keeper Al Fayed a British passport
I’d pay for a hit-man to eradicate all the third-world despot’s
Give $100 to every woman who agreed to be sterilised
Buy a 4WD with an even bigger engine than i have now
What would you do with the other $49.99999 billion?
I want to change mine? May I?
After reading an old issue of The Smithsonian earlier this morning, and the horror that the Ganges has become, I’d clean up that river. I would.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/ganges-200711.html
This is a great post Lib! My hat goes off to you. Like you said above, I think that education is the key to almost everything.
Education in the third world countries on ie: “how to make a broom and then how to sell a broom…” teaching them fundamentals so that they can make their own product and then sell it and bring in an income for their family for starters and setting up a small loan system of $100 - $150 to get them on their way.
Education in the first world countries on how to manage their finances and grow their wealth so that no one is dependent on others in their retirement age and because the majority of people are self sufficient, then the governments will be able to put taxes to better use other than to support those less fortunate.
I have no idea what that will add up to but I am willing to bet that it would come close to what you have given me… thanks