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openeyes · 02-04-2007, 10:04 PM

So many great ideas on this thread. I particularly like smallstar’s way of thinking: “research. Especially: new forms of energy, transportation, materials, communication and medicine. Then, when one of my companies makes a key discovery, I'll be even richer.”

Even if I felt I didn’t yet know what to do with a billion dollars, I’d still accept it, and seek out the best people to help it grow while I (with the aid of others I hire) figured out the best things to do with the interest of 50 to 100 million+ per year. Spending more than the interest would be shied away from, as I’d be focused on building something that could go on indefinitely, at least for a couple centuries (or however long money is used).

My personal lifestyle could likely be covered for just a few million per year (a few houses in nice areas around the world, private helicopter to bypass traffic and small things like a driver, cook, gardener, maid, several sports cars, an aerobatic plane for recreation, first class travel whenever and wherever I want, and the simple ability to be able to buy most anything I come across without worrying about cost).

I have friends that have recently graduated college who are already working with non-profits who I would give healthy stipends (50 to 100 grand yearly) to do whatever they saw the most potential in for helping others (while providing advisors to help them figure out how best to direct their energy), and much more funding would be available if/when necessary.

There are many excellent charities such as Carolina for Kibera that need only a million dollars or so in order to form a trust that would sustain them indefinitely (60 to 100 grand per year). Such charities are often considered too small for the likes of Gates to look at.

I would seek out visionaries with great ideas such as Win Wenger and see what they could do with the proper funding. Much of my focus would be on technological developments, particularly in the longevity (~ immortality) field, along with medical remedies that would be too cheap (and possibly not even patentable) for pharmaceutical companies to finance.

To me, even a billion dollars is less than I could use for some developments. Funding for a space elevator, which would make entry into space affordable for the masses, could be only a few Billion $. Faster air travel, such as scram jets, would also be a sweet option.

02-04-2007, 10:04 PM	#38 (permalink)
openeyes Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Posts: 1,209	So many great ideas on this thread. I particularly like smallstar’s way of thinking: “research. Especially: new forms of energy, transportation, materials, communication and medicine. Then, when one of my companies makes a key discovery, I'll be even richer.” Even if I felt I didn’t yet know what to do with a billion dollars, I’d still accept it, and seek out the best people to help it grow while I (with the aid of others I hire) figured out the best things to do with the interest of 50 to 100 million+ per year. Spending more than the interest would be shied away from, as I’d be focused on building something that could go on indefinitely, at least for a couple centuries (or however long money is used). My personal lifestyle could likely be covered for just a few million per year (a few houses in nice areas around the world, private helicopter to bypass traffic and small things like a driver, cook, gardener, maid, several sports cars, an aerobatic plane for recreation, first class travel whenever and wherever I want, and the simple ability to be able to buy most anything I come across without worrying about cost). I have friends that have recently graduated college who are already working with non-profits who I would give healthy stipends (50 to 100 grand yearly) to do whatever they saw the most potential in for helping others (while providing advisors to help them figure out how best to direct their energy), and much more funding would be available if/when necessary. There are many excellent charities such as Carolina for Kibera that need only a million dollars or so in order to form a trust that would sustain them indefinitely (60 to 100 grand per year). Such charities are often considered too small for the likes of Gates to look at. I would seek out visionaries with great ideas such as Win Wenger and see what they could do with the proper funding. Much of my focus would be on technological developments, particularly in the longevity (~ immortality) field, along with medical remedies that would be too cheap (and possibly not even patentable) for pharmaceutical companies to finance. To me, even a billion dollars is less than I could use for some developments. Funding for a space elevator, which would make entry into space affordable for the masses, could be only a few Billion $. Faster air travel, such as scram jets, would also be a sweet option.