Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#1

Post by DanielBMarkham » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:06 PM UTC

This is basically the title on CNN's site right now, and I thought what a great question to ask you guys.

Me? It's got to be a lunar base. Always wanted one.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#2

Post by noodle » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:15 PM UTC

i'd probably take one or two billion and buy myself a giant island to live on and forever take care of my personal needs. and fly into space a few times, too.

after that, i'd take the half of the remaining and invest it in technology and fields that i'd like to see improved (i.e. space travel, science, alternative energy, etc etc)

i'd take the other half and invest/give it to more charitable devices (poverty relief & research, disease research, land preservation funds, etc etc)

basically, try and make the world a better place.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#3

Post by rokhayakebe » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:19 PM UTC

Release the hundreds of drugs some people will not approve because that will hurt their financial interest.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#4

Post by sfamiliar » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:20 PM UTC

give $11,000 to each of the 62 million households in the u.s. making under $50,000. watch the ensuing chaos with glee.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#5

Post by yan » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:21 PM UTC

noodle wrote: post #2

i'd probably take one or two billion and buy myself a giant island to live on and forever take care of my personal needs. and fly into space a few times, too. after that, i'd take the half of the remaining and invest it in technology and fields that i'd like to see improved (i.e. space travel, science, alternative energy, etc etc) i'd take the other half and invest/give it to more charitable devices (poverty relief &…

Taking an entire giant island for one person would make the world a better place?

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#6

Post by no_body » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:22 PM UTC

I would bootstrap the asteroid mining economy, invest in micro-terraforming and nano-technology so that each asteroid could become it's own self sufficient republic. Yay Anarchy !

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#7

Post by ivankirigin » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:26 PM UTC

Build a space elevator and start mining the asteroids. This involves a robot army that would need to be built as well. No, I'm not joking

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#8

Post by jcapote » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:26 PM UTC

Super Crack Party.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#9

Post by pchristensen » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:27 PM UTC

yan wrote: post #5

noodle wrote: post #2

i'd probably take one or two billion and buy myself a giant island to live on and forever take care of my personal needs. and fly into space a few times, too. after that, i'd take the half of the remaining and invest it in technology and fields that i'd like to see improved (i.e. space travel, science, alternative energy, etc etc) i'd take the other half and invest/give it to more charitable devices (poverty relief &…

Taking an entire giant island for one person would make the world a better place?

Giving $698 billion to tech research and charity probably would.

Re: Ask HN: What would you do with $700 Billion?

#10

Post by Jasber » Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 4:27 PM UTC

Nation-wide high-speed wireless. Computers for schools. Spend the rest on paying down our debt.