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$500 Billion - can this solve the big problems?
A solution to that quandary of how to solve the Big Problems?
Bill and Melinda Gates set up a philanthropic venture/idea called "Give it Away" where more than a hundred billionaires have already pledged half their wealth. They have set up various research and charities to tackle malaria, polio, hunger, etc and these people will also lend their expertise to source further solutions.
An Australian billionaire has just pledged five billion with his families consent. These people are reporting how well they feel after donating, and id like to know if their health improves also as recent research indicates that helping others increases all the good things in our body and decreases things like cholesterol, etc?
this is a very substantial way to seriously address those big problems that other conversations are discussing. Just really wanted to share this good news and welcome your comments and hopefully more postings of Good News!
Please Share how you personally are making our world a better place, or your ideas and congratulations that this is actually happening?
Closing Statement from Kate Blake
Great participation, thanks everyone, and TED for the venue!
The most impressive part of this discussion was some sharing how they help others in order to make our world a better place. This is the best we can do, our own personal contribution in our own localities. What are you doing?
Was quite surprised by the number of people who were doubtful about the ability of more than a hundred billionaires to manage their funds! Wonder how they became billionaires?
Some offered interesting projects with questionable costs, but again I would imagine that this group would have their research, projects and organisation well under control.
It would be great if we could all really rejoice that they are making such a huge effort and contributing so much expertise as well as funds - that this could happen within our life! Well done "Give it Away" and all those involved!
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Lionel Leigo
Short answer... No, sorry, it will continue the status quo, the upper 1%, have 90% of the money, pay none of the taxes, the middles class have 10% of the money, pay all the taxes, and the poor are just there to scare the S#*T out of the middle class (George Carlin)
I once heard that if 1 million was 12 seconds long, then 1 billion would be 30 something years.... is that right?, not sure, anyway, $5 Billion would go a huge way to sustaining life where its needed, however at the same time, through vaccines, innoculations, and other more intrusive methods, children and adults are being sterilised, so the predicted population control is well in effect, and climbing annually.
So the whole modern philanthropy deal is conditional with designed second effects.
Kate Blake 50+
Afraid I have to agree to disagree with you on this one - cant you be grateful that they are acting?
Bob Stiglitz
http://www2.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html
Kate Blake 50+
"however at the same time, through vaccines, innoculations, and other more intrusive methods, children and adults are being sterilised, so the predicted population control is well in effect, and climbing annually."
Your figures ONLY refer to US, it might help if you realise that many of us are not from US and we are discussing this from a world perspective. Australian and I'm sure other billionaires are joing in with this great idea!
Lionel Leigo
(probably just went on a weird tangent their for a while)