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Saturday, June 17, 2006

If I Had a Billion Dollars -Three Questions


The other song playing in my head: Money Changes Everything

I was thinking about Bill Gates, the epitome of nerdy technogeek, having donated through the Gates Foundation $10 billion in 11 years, and how he's getting out of the rate race and, like Andrew Carnegie, another "richest man in the world", is dedicating the rest of his life to even more philanthropic work.

Meanwhile, the technopress has been having a field day with the "Microsoft after Gates" story. One loving story was a slide show of Microsoft's Top 10 Flops. So, the questions:

1. If you came into money, real money, maybe lottery or inheritance money, beyond taking care of the needs (and wants) of yourself, family and friends, what cause or causes would you spend the money on? There are any number of charities I'd like to give $1000 to outright, then evaluate further.

2. What WILL Microsoft look like post-Gates? To tell you how little I know about this, of the 10 flops, I remember only 2.

3. How much money would you want to have in order to say, "I'm done with working"? With a 2-year old going to college in only 16 years, and with an aging mother and an even more aging house, I'm guessing...$10 million?

3 comments:

EM said...

1. I'd give to groups like Move On and Democracy for America, which are trying to work within and outside the system to hold the Democratic Party's feet to the fire and return us to our roots. I'd give to PBS and other local and national arts programs, local charities, groups working on LGBT issues beyond just same sex marriage. I'd love to set up something like the Xeric foundation to help artists bring comic books to completion and marketing. Oh yeah, and free speech and anti-war groups.

2. No clue.

3. No kids here, but aging house and aging mother. if I could carefully invest and save and good chunk, then I'd think 5 mill would do the trick.

Anonymous said...

1. I would give a big chunk of money to the church that Marcia and I attended before we moved to our current domicile. The church itself is very old and in need of repair. But the congregation and Pastor are just wonderful people. Plus I would like to give money to some charities involving children with cancer. Whether the "Make Wish Foundation" or other.

2. I too have no clue. Maybe they will open up to better ideas.

3. With one child and no house (renting), I think I am in the $10 range as well before I quit work. Now for less money I might find a different job that pays less but is more fun/rewarding.

TRS said...

I would create a new United Nations and develop a global K-12 school and university.