NationStates Jolt Archive

I was asked this once, and it came to me I actually knew what I would do with a billion dollars: I would found an institution of higher learning.

There's a lot I have in mind about how colleges could or should work, after all my years as a student, and while I'm aware that getting a project of that size set up would take a monumental effort and might not succeed, I would probably try anyway.

So what would you do with a billion dollars?

Id put it all on red.

I would give a good portion to charity, use a fraction to buy plenty of art music, and use the rest to finance a political campaign.

Set up a school for children/teens the way I think it should run.

Buy Iceland.

Import penguins.

Go on a killing spree and buy off the jury so I get away with it.

Go on a killing spree and buy off the jury so I get away with it.

You might experience an "Al Capone jury switch".

Use it to make even more money, and with that, lobby almost every mainstream politician to support my views, after conning opposing lobbyists out of their funds, and thus, in effect, controlling the government.

You might experience an "Al Capone jury switch".

Maybe just a rape spree then?

If that's a billion Zimbawean dollars then it might just be enough to purchase a loaf of bread...

I would use it to buy supplies for when the war comes.....

Pay off all my student debt, build a nice, big house, set aside $10 million to spend on stupid crap I probably don't need, set aside $100 million into various interest-bearing investment vehicles to ensure I'd never have to work another day in my life if I didn't want to, and then donate the rest ($800 million or so maybe) to cancer research.

If that's a billion Zimbawean dollars then it might just be enough to purchase a loaf of bread...
Let's say that it's USD, or if the USD falls too much in the next few years, Euros. Or Pounds.

I'd probably purchase one of those massive old 5 or 6 floor mill buildings that stand lonely, empty and forgotten in many parts of the Northeast and gut it, turning it into the largest indoor Fun House/Maze ever built. It would be fun, crazy and slightly dangerous. Just like me. :)

Then I'd invite people who can appreciate such a work of art.

I'd probably purchase one of those massive old 5 or 6 floor mill buildings that stand lonely, empty and forgotten in many parts of the Northeast and gut it, turning it into the largest indoor Fun House/Maze ever built. It would be fun, crazy and slightly dangerous. Just like me. :)

Then I'd invite people who can appreciate such a work of art.

I demand a 30 foot deep ball pit!

I would try to collapse the capitalism.

For example, I might try to buy as much rice as possible with it.

Think about it.

edit:
Perhaps choclate bars instead...hmm...

I have to ponder about this. :D

I was asked this once, and it came to me I actually knew what I would do with a billion dollars: I would found an institution of higher learning.

Honestly, I would make more or less the same.
A compound high school-university focused on hard sciences, maths and logics.

I demand a 30 foot deep ball pit!

Done! :)

I would either

- keep 1 million for myself to live off
- donate 499 million to an environmental NGO (probably WWF)
- use the remaining 500 million to increase awareness about overpopulation and encourage birth control around the world

or

build the world's biggest library and try to collect everything that has ever been written. It would be an underground bunker, built to survive all possible catastrophes.

a billion is really too much for me to have a plan to spend.

i would set up trusts for everyone in my family including brothers and sisters and their children and grandchildren. enough for them to live nicely but not enough for them to be obnoxious about it.

then i would set up a little art colony here in town with fellowships so that struggling artists can take a year or 2 to do nothing but art. it might include novelists.

i would set up a book scholarship for graduates of the local area (just the local 6000 square miles) to pay for their hideously expensive college textbooks.

the rest (minus my personal use money) would have to go to programs that fight poverty around the world.

I demand a 30 foot deep ball pit!

:rolleyes: You need to think larger, we have a Billion here....filled with Crystal and strippers!

Done! :)

And a slide connecting it to my home in Iceland for me and my penguins?

build the world's biggest library and try to collect everything that has ever been written. It would be an underground bunker, built to survive all possible catastrophes.

It would be easier to store it on an ultra-durable digital format. Perhaps encoded onto tungsten disks. *nod*

And a slide connecting it to my home in Iceland for me and my penguins?

That would be a prohibitively tall slide. What about a giant slingshot instead?

I would buy this (http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/sale/site/html/cms_de-sale_detail_en-1428/Narara%20Island.html) island, and invite a group of people (not sure of numbers) and set up a money-less, free, utopian society.

If there was any money left from buying the neccessary equipment for food production, farming, shelter etc. I would give half of it to my local CND group, and the other half would go to Cancer Reasearch UK.

If that's a billion Zimbawean dollars then it might just be enough to purchase a loaf of bread...

If that were the case, I'd probably eat it...the money, that is.

:rolleyes: You need to think larger, we have a Billion here....filled with Crystal and strippers!

I can't damnit! Why must you be so cruel!?

Are we talking an American Billion (10^9) or a True Billion (10^12) here ?

Are we talking an American Billion (10^9) or a True Billion (10^12) here ?
american billion.

Are we talking an American Billion (10^9) or a True Billion (10^12) here ?

Metric Billion. Nobody uses the old Imperial Billion anymore.

I'd give 900 000 000 dollars of it to certain charities, and live like a king on the remaining 100 000 000. Who the hell needs that much?

Are we talking an American Billion (10^9) or a True Billion (10^12) here ?
10^12 dollars would probably be enough to make G3N13's plan realistic.

Why did that whole billion, trillion thing had to get so confused?

At least the American system is uniform. A thousand thousand is a million. A thousand million is a billion. A thousand billion is a trillion. See? Nice and uniform.

But noo... people had to make a more confusing system where a thousand thousand is a million, a million million is a billion....then a million billion is a trillion?!? It makes no sense! To maintain uniformity, a Billion billion should be a trillion!

It hurts my brain. :(

Hm...I'd probably start by paying off my college debt, and then paying my sister and all other younger relatives through college as well. Honestly, beyond that, I'd probably just make sure that I and my immediate family could live in comfort for the rest of our days, and then donate the rest to various charities. People have made some good suggestions here, like cancer research.

A 30 foot deep pit of strippers could easily clean you out. Youd wake up Monday morning with a hangover ,hazy images of something that happened on Saturday and a billion lighter.

Why did that whole billion, trillion thing had to get so confused?

Let's use M$, G$, T$ so it's clearer...

Metric Billion. Nobody uses the old Imperial Billion anymore.

Eeehm - us Dutchies do. 10^9 is a "miljard", 10^12 a "biljoen". Similar rules hold true for several other languages.

But 10^9 then. Lemme ponder.

That would be a prohibitively tall slide. What about a giant slingshot instead?

Do I try to force my version of reality onto you?

Okay, perhaps I've tried to do so in the past.. I do remember something about helium filled testicles but I did not crush your dreams!

Of course if you mentioned the ass blisters you'd recieve from an 3200 mile (yes I've done the calculations!) long slide then perhaps you'd have a valid point but no! Too high, you say! What are you!? Reality's bitch!?

I hate you..

Do I try to force my version of reality onto you?

Okay, perhaps I've tried to do so in the past.. I do remember something about helium filled testicles but I did not crush your dreams!

Of course if you mentioned the ass blisters you'd recieve from an 3200 mile (yes I've done the calculations!) long slide then perhaps you'd have a valid point but no! Too high, you say! What are you!? Reality's bitch!?

I hate you..

Nothing is too high if you have carbon nanofibres, so just do some research on those first.

Do I try to force my version of reality onto you?

Okay, perhaps I've tried to do so in the past.. I do remember something about helium filled testicles but I did not crush your dreams!

Of course if you mentioned the ass blisters you'd recieve from an 3200 mile (yes I've done the calculations!) long slide then perhaps you'd have a valid point but no! Too high, you say! What are you!? Reality's bitch!?

I hate you..

It will pass when you go for a ride on my giant slingshot. ;)

$100m Make sure noone in my immediate family has to work again
$2-5m Poke a stick at the Russians until they sell me a T-80
$5m Purchase a Private Island
$250m Open a resort on said island (somewhere cold)
$25m Enforce laws using Blackwater Worldwide

Probably use the rest for Investing in companies and giving to charities.

$100m Make sure noone in my immediate family has to work again
$2-5m Poke a stick at the Russians until they sell me a T-80
$5m Purchase a Private Island
$250m Open a resort on said island (somewhere cold)
$25m Enforce laws using Blackwater Worldwide

Probably use the rest for Investing in companies and giving to charities.
you want an island someplace COLD?

you mean like in hudson bay?

$100M to the Church.
$1M to an account to cover my kids' expenses for education and their missions.
$500M to taxes
$1M to build a house in Colorado
$5M to live on for the rest of my life

The rest in a Swiss Bank account.

you want an island someplace COLD?

you mean like in hudson bay?

Somewhere freezing cold, but still liveable.

10^12 dollars would probably be enough to make G3N13's plan realistic.

Now, now...Even a short billion would buy several million tonnes of rice.

This would be, for example, around half of yearly consumption in the USA (Wikipedia).

Think of the havoc it would cause in the market :D


Of course, in case of chocolate...A billion dollars would buy 380 thousand tonnes of cocoa - That's more than 10% of world production...The sheer hilarity of having a world chocolate free for a month!


Alas, the fun that could be had with the fortune of Bill Gates.... :D


(yes, yes, I know the price & demand would impact the plans but...)

Why did that whole billion, trillion thing had to get so confused?

At least the American system is uniform. A thousand thousand is a million. A thousand million is a billion. A thousand billion is a trillion. See? Nice and uniform.

But noo... people had to make a more confusing system where a thousand thousand is a million, a million million is a billion....then a million billion is a trillion?!? It makes no sense! To maintain uniformity, a Billion billion should be a trillion!

It hurts my brain. :(
Hurt mine too, prefer not to think about it.

If I have a billion US dollars, I'd buy an island, build a nice house, invest the remainder so that the interest will sustain me and my philanthropy.

Somewhere freezing cold, but still liveable.
ICELAND! you can fnord could go in together on it!

With a billion dollars, I'd probably buy a daily newspaper, my own house, and a brand new car.

$100M to the Church.
$1M to an account to cover my kids' expenses for education and their missions.
$500M to taxes
$1M to build a house in Colorado
$5M to live on for the rest of my life

The rest in a Swiss Bank account.

Neo your also not thinking large enough.

$100M to build and lead your own church.
$10M to politicians to convince them your a tax free organization.
$100M for your own compound in Colorado.
$1M annual strippers and vodka budget
$10M in printing costs for pamphlets to spread the word of Neo.
And make your kids Arch Bishops of Neo and give them a $1M annual salary

And the rest to start your own Bank.

With a billion dollars, I'd probably buy a daily newspaper, my own house, and a brand new car.
Newspapers seem to be on the way out now, why a newspaper?

Maybe keep 1 million or a few and give the rest away. No-one personally needs that much money.

The sheer hilarity of having a world chocolate free for a month!
What you mean is: the horror.

Maybe keep 1 million or a few and give the rest away. No-one personally needs that much money.

You can't even get a nice house in the city with that.

What you mean is: the horror.

No, the hilarity.

I have a feeling people would get mighty annoyed by it - An' I'd be laughing at them raving on about it.

My money, my cocoa! :)

edit:
I haven't decided though which good would I eventually choose...

Chips, other candy, soda, french fries...so many goods, so little money!

Newspapers seem to be on the way out now, why a newspaper?

I wouldn't try to compete with the big boys. It'd probably be a small daily newspaper.

I'd like to see if I could do a better job at owning a paper that does quality journalism than most of the idiots who do so now.

I wouldn't try to compete with the big boys. It'd probably be a small daily newspaper.

I'd like to see if I could do a better job at owning a paper that does quality journalism than most of the idiots who do so now.
Like a small town paper?

No, the hilarity.

I have a feeling people would get mighty annoyed by it - An' I'd be laughing at them raving on about it.

My money, my cocoa! :)

edit:
I haven't decided though which good would I eventually choose...

Chips, other candy, soda, french fries...so many goods, so little money!

No, if you choose salt licorice I can't have any of it! That would be so horrible!

You can't even get a nice house in the city with that.

Assuming I want to live in 'the city'?

Assuming I want to live in 'the city'?

Well, even so, assuming that what you need is a nice house in the countryside, with enough to live comfortably and settle down with a family(?) and not have to do any serious work for the rest of your life, you'll probably need about $10,000,000.

I would buy a nuclear warhead - arm - prime it - launch it. and send it on its way to Israel.:D

By a billion dollar hooker or a billion one dollar hokers. ( if such a thing exists)

I would buy a nuclear warhead - arm - prime it - launch it. and send it on its way to Israel.:D

Don't you mean Palistine?

So what would you do with a billion dollars?

I'd pay off all my bills, get everything on my house fixed, and buy one of these:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/TKS_P1010141_2.jpg/800px-TKS_P1010141_2.jpg

I'd pay off all my bills, get everything on my house fixed, and buy one of these:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/TKS_P1010141_2.jpg/800px-TKS_P1010141_2.jpg

That's so diddy.:D

Why did that whole billion, trillion thing had to get so confused?

At least the American system is uniform. A thousand thousand is a million. A thousand million is a billion. A thousand billion is a trillion. See? Nice and uniform.

But noo... people had to make a more confusing system where a thousand thousand is a million, a million million is a billion....then a million billion is a trillion?!? It makes no sense! To maintain uniformity, a Billion billion should be a trillion!But the British (and, apparently, also Dutch) system is uniform: A million to the power of 2 is a billion, a million to the power of three is a trillion, a million to the power of four is a quadrillion, and so on...

Like a small town paper?

You got it.

You'd know it when I'd have it.


- Free NSG for all.
- Secretly fund a black persons presidentials campaign.
- World Domi...

errr.....

Neo your also not thinking large enough.

$100M to build and lead your own church.
$10M to politicians to convince them your a tax free organization.
$100M for your own compound in Colorado.
$1M annual strippers and vodka budget
$10M in printing costs for pamphlets to spread the word of Neo.
And make your kids Arch Bishops of Neo and give them a $1M annual salary

And the rest to start your own Bank.

Clearly I need someone like yourself on staff to feed me these ideas. Would $20M a year be enough?

Clearly I need someone like yourself on staff to feed me these ideas. Would $20M a year be enough?

That and a guaranteed appearance in our annual Super Bowl commercial.

I'd by you a green dress.














But not a real green dress, that's cruel.

$100 mil for myself
$2 mil each for my niece and nephew
$2 mil each for my brother, his wife and my mom and dad
$100 mil for my favorite charity

Then with the rest of it, I'd buy a large plot of land in USA, and start my own Pagan colony. :D

I would relax - at first.

Then realizing the horrendous, appalling responsibility involved in maintaining that kind of money, I'd establish a foundation. Money would be available to me whenever needed, but the bulk would go to low-no interest loans for small business startups, scholarships, and help in building up my community.

http://www.pjlighthouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/iron-man-movie-trailer-coming-soon.jpg

that or become Batman.

Id put it all on red.

Always bet on black -_-

I would design my own mansion, drive a concept car, and never worry about anything ever again.

It will pass when you go for a ride on my giant slingshot. ;)

I honestly don't think you've thought this through. Have you taken wind into consideration? What about the force and acceleration needed to propel a human the appoximate 2500 miles? Will it be enough to rip my clothes off? Will it be enough to rip my skin off? How fast will I be travelling when I land? It's probably my fault for not mentioning it but my internal organs work better when not laminated across some forn landscape. How high will this catapult send me? What if I run into a flock of geese? What if they don't like me? Have you ever been savaged by a goose? Will there be an in-flight meal? Will it be fish? What if I end up in Canada? What if they don't like me? Have you considered any of these things?

Probably buy some new mud&snow tires for my truck, a couple of acres out in the BC interior to park an Airstream trailer and I'd guess I'd splurge on a new Arctic Cat M8 sled. Maybe a splitboard from Prior. After all that I'd be good and could die happy.

I have actually given this some thought:
Around a 1/3 to 1/2 would be given to charity.

Pay off all my debts and the debts of my loved ones.

Purchase a private island, at discount, of about 120 acres and invite my friends and family to live there.

Build all the facilities on the island so they are eco friendly and are appropriate for the bioregions of the island in which they are located.

Said housing and other facilities in such a way that they would be accessible, regardless of paralysis, blindness, deafness, or other disability.

Fund a small private school based on Christian values for low income families with children that have special needs, which includes gifted students btw and others that do not fit in with the traditional public school system.

So I would do some things for myself, but I would remember that the money was a tool that God entrusted me with to glorify him through service to others.

So what would you do with a billion dollars?
My own currency obviously

I honestly don't think you've thought this through. Have you taken wind into consideration? What about the force and acceleration needed to propel a human the appoximate 2500 miles? Will it be enough to rip my clothes off? Will it be enough to rip my skin off? How fast will I be travelling when I land? It's probably my fault for not mentioning it but my internal organs work better when not laminated across some forn landscape. How high will this catapult send me? What if I run into a flock of geese? What if they don't like me? Have you ever been savaged by a goose? Will there be an in-flight meal? Will it be fish? What if I end up in Canada? What if they don't like me? Have you considered any of these things?

Yep. Yep. Yep. Maybe. Depends how many times you skip across the ocean. Assuming my calculations are correct, whatever is left of you should come to a nice soft landing on the eastern coast. Internal organs huh? Got any spares? Not too high or you won't skip right. Geese aren't a problem, seagulls are. If in the eventuality you do run into geese, feed them gummi bears. Yep. The in-flight meal is probably a bad idea due to explosive vomiting. You will be given gummi bears though. Fish will attract more seagulls. If you end up in Canada, tell them what happened. If they don't like you, buy them beer. Yes. I have considered all of it. Despite my misgivings and the high probability of catastrophic failure, I am willing to risk your life anyway. :)

1) Buy Lunatic Goofballs a lifetime supply of tacos.

2) Donate 75% to charity.

3) Buy a nice house in a foreign country, get married, retire, and live happily ever after.

Id bail out a Bank.

Things I would spend it on:

My education, and enough to live comfortably on for the rest of my life (say, ten or twenty million dollars).

Quite a bit for my Mom (since she's paying for university, I owe her extra, besides one's ordinary obligations to family). Other family as well.

Various charities.

Making my films (I'm a film student)

Investing in science and technology, specifically space research. Hell, I could establish my own foundation.

Start a decent news organization, fund it with my money if it fails, if it succeeds, rake in more while driving the scum at Fox into the ground.

As much as I can legally donate to quite a few political candidates.

You see, unlike some people, my goals actually would require a good deal more than a billion over the course of my life if I were to single-handedly fund them. Thus, some of my ventures would be geared partly towards profit.

Id bail out a Bank.

A billion's not nearly enough. Invest it in something that will produce long term results, not buying off ten percent of a company's debt for a few months.

A billion's not nearly enough. Invest it in something that will produce long term results, not buying off ten percent of a company's debt for a few months.

I was thinking for a medium sized bank.

Buy a big plot of land up north and live there indefenitly.

Things I would spend it on:

My education, and enough to live comfortably on for the rest of my life (say, ten or twenty million dollars).

Quite a bit for my Mom (since she's paying for university, I owe her extra, besides one's ordinary obligations to family). Other family as well.

Various charities.

Making my films (I'm a film student)

Investing in science and technology, specifically space research. Hell, I could establish my own foundation.

Start a decent news organization, fund it with my money if it fails, if it succeeds, rake in more while driving the scum at Fox into the ground.

As much as I can legally donate to quite a few political candidates.

You see, unlike some people, my goals actually would require a good deal more than a billion over the course of my life if I were to single-handedly fund them. Thus, some of my ventures would be geared partly towards profit.

Seems like we have similar goals in that regard. I would actually need perhaps 3 billion 1990USD to afford some of my more, um, 'audacious' schemes, like establishing a strong Christian Socialist party in the United States, or if that does not work...Korintar go buy bigger island and makes his own country:D Actually, I might just do both...

On second through buy weapons and plot to over throw the government is a better idea.

On second through buy weapons and plot to over throw the government is a better idea.

You better hope none of their agents are reading this thread.:mad:

Seems like we have similar goals in that regard. I would actually need perhaps 3 billion 1990USD to afford some of my more, um, 'audacious' schemes, like establishing a strong Christian Socialist party in the United States, or if that does not work...Korintar go buy bigger island and makes his own country:D Actually, I might just do both...

Given the Constitution of the United States (sepperation of Church and State), would an openly Christian party even be legal? I certainly doubt its goals would be.

Leading a Christian Socialist Party in the US also seems a fair way to make yourself an assassin's target.

The island thing might work, if you could get any nation to extend official recognition of your government. Of course, I would be busy condemning your nation if the "Christian" part reffers to a theocracy.

You better hope none of their agents are reading this thread.:mad:

Good shoot them now.

Good shoot them now.

Not funny at all, asshole.

You are advocating violent revolt. Presuming you are living in the US, I'm not sure weather that's illegal or not, but it makes you a low, despicable person to encourage a course of action that, if successful, would result in death and suffering for a large number of people.

I may get in trouble for this, but I'll say it anyway: you are scum, who is unworthy of respect beyond the basic, legally required level that is the due of every human being. Any claim you have to moral superiority over those you wish to overthrow is questionable at best, a self-delusion or lie at worst. Presuming again that you are American, I wish to remind you that I have friends and family in the US who might be among the victimes of your "revolution," and that I will keep that in mind if I ever suffer a bout of temporary insanity and feel inclined to treat your opinion on this matter with any shread of respect.

First, I'd disappear for several years. Get myself established with weapons and followers.
Then, I shall unleash a wave of terror and confusion upon the world the likes of which it has never seen. I'd be sure to name my organization something inane, and produce lots of literature that is purposefully self-contradictory and incomprehensible. I've already got some good ideas for manifestos, like:
"We are the Human Liberation Front, and we are here to liberate you of your humans."
Or,
"We are the Human Liberation Front, and we will not stop killing until we have Liberated all Humans of their Fronts. The pointless everyday scurryings, useless lies that fill daily activity and empty promises of a better future. This will probably mean a lot of killing. :( So sorry."

Given the Constitution of the United States (sepperation of Church and State), would an openly Christian party even be legal? I certainly doubt its goals would be.

Leading a Christian Socialist Party in the US also seems a fair way to make yourself an assassin's target.

The island thing might work, if you could get any nation to extend official recognition of your government. Of course, I would be busy condemning your nation if the "Christian" part reffers to a theocracy.

Actually, it would not be theocratic in the sense that you are probably thinking. Basically the political party would have the following platform:

Gay Rights: as homosexuals are too the children of God, as heterosexuals are, it is immoral for those that God entrusted authority to in a society to discriminate against gays for being sinners, as all fall short of the glory of God and are in need of forgiveness. Indeed, Christ stated "judge not lest thou shalt be judged," so it is most foolish to judge someone based on such a petty act or emotional state, as those passing such judgements would be judged by their standards and be condemned at their judgment, as God, who is merciful, is the judge of all.

Social Security/welfare, etc: We are called to help those who are incapable of helping themselves, to not do otherwise is sinful. Now charity may be fine and good, and in fact should be encouraged, however it has been demonstrated that through charity, society does not adequately address the issue of human suffering. The reason is that we are a fallen humanity of great depravity so that the efforts of the individual often prove in vain, thus the state has a moral responsibility to step in as far as charity is incapable of providing for the least of these.

Abortion: Though immoral and wrong it may be, it is a greater wrong to bind an individual's free will and restrict their rights. Abortion should not be covered by government health plans, however the state must provide incentives for single, often times working, mothers who choose to keep the child or to put him/her up for an open, rather than closed, adoption if they are unable to raise the child on their own.

Capitalism: Capitalism is based on that most shameful human motive, greed. Capitalism rewards the baser angels of human nature. It is this aspect of human nature one must overcome, and it is a sad thing that a supposedly Christian society would promote such a sordid thing as morally just.

Democracy and Foreign Policy: All are equal before God, so no man or woman should promote themselves as superior to everyone else, lest they be condemned by God. Thus the best government for humanity that is of humanity is a democratic one that protects the rights of the minority. Further more the institutions of democratic governance should be promoted at all levels and branches of government to hold those individuals accountable for their actions. Proportional representation, sortition, line item veto, initiative, referendum, recall, campaign finance reform, and non-partisan judicial elections must be promoted. It is the moral responsibility of the United States to support democratic liberation movements around the world so that tyranny is no more.

War and Peace: We support an admendment to the constitution that requires a nation wide referendum on whether or not war should be declared, as we must not use our might if better methods could be used. Such a referendum must allow for multiple plans of action, along with the option of no confidence in the proposals. In order for the declaration to be valid, there must be at least 51% who vote that warfare is the proper path. This can only be declared void in the event of a current, ongoing invasion of the United States of America by a foreign power. Enhanced interrogation tactics, and other tortuous methods are forbidden as they violate just war doctrine.

Draft: National service is honorable and life affirming. All individuals should complete at least two years of said service. If they are deemed unfit for the military (this includes conscientous objectors), than those individuals should be permitted to engage in other actions as a substitute, such as Peace Corps or Americorps.

School Prayer: Students may lead prayer groups in public education facilities. Faculty are permitted to join only if they are invited to join, to which they have the right to decline, or if they request to join in, and the voluntary, general concensus is to permit them. However faculty may not lead a student prayer group. Faculty also reserve the right to form their own prayer groups made up of faculty members if they so choose. As long as it is a freely engaged activity, it should be permitted.

generally a communitarian world view:)

That also would be roughly how I would set up said island government, look at my sig to get a general idea...it pretty much describes my ideological beliefs quite well.

Unless it freely allows other religious practices within its boarders, and non-Christian political parties and freedom of expression, it is still a damn theocracy.;)

Of course other practices would be accepted. If they were not, I would alienate a large number of my close friends, which I do not wish to do. As for non-christian parties, why not? It is a democracy after all, other parties should be encouraged, so that all voices are heard and accounted for. Also I would permit freedom of expression, in fact I probably would be half tempted to abolish the Federal Communications Commission for violations of the 1st admendment of the United States constitution!

Sounds good to me. And hey, if you're new nation wants to start a space program, I could throw 500 milion or so your way.:)

I was asked this once, and it came to me I actually knew what I would do with a billion dollars: I would found an institution of higher learning.

There's a lot I have in mind about how colleges could or should work, after all my years as a student, and while I'm aware that getting a project of that size set up would take a monumental effort and might not succeed, I would probably try anyway.

So what would you do with a billion dollars?

I'd go back to school, taking courses to learn how to be a machinist (manual and CNC). Then I'd spend the rest of my days making new toys to play with and/or sell (custom paintball markers, custom firearms, custom R/C car parts, custom computer cases, etc).

Not funny at all, asshole.

You are advocating violent revolt. Presuming you are living in the US, I'm not sure weather that's illegal or not, but it makes you a low, despicable person to encourage a course of action that, if successful, would result in death and suffering for a large number of people.

I may get in trouble for this, but I'll say it anyway: you are scum, who is unworthy of respect beyond the basic, legally required level that is the due of every human being. Any claim you have to moral superiority over those you wish to overthrow is questionable at best, a self-delusion or lie at worst. Presuming again that you are American, I wish to remind you that I have friends and family in the US who might be among the victimes of your "revolution," and that I will keep that in mind if I ever suffer a bout of temporary insanity and feel inclined to treat your opinion on this matter with any shread of respect.

Was not the Us founded on Revolution that at best 30% of the population supported ? How many people today complain about it today ? Naturally I would try not to kill innocents in my grab for power, but my right to tell everyone what to do shall not be oppressed.

@OP: I'd probably invest in subprime mortgages, because I have no better use for it :D

First, I'd disappear for several years. Get myself established with weapons and followers.
Then, I shall unleash a wave of terror and confusion upon the world the likes of which it has never seen. I'd be sure to name my organization something inane, and produce lots of literature that is purposefully self-contradictory and incomprehensible. I've already got some good ideas for manifestos, like:
"We are the Human Liberation Front, and we are here to liberate you of your humans."
Or,
"We are the Human Liberation Front, and we will not stop killing until we have Liberated all Humans of their Fronts. The pointless everyday scurryings, useless lies that fill daily activity and empty promises of a better future. This will probably mean a lot of killing. :( So sorry."

A little death never killed anybody. :)

Why did that whole billion, trillion thing had to get so confused?

...

It hurts my brain. :(

Precisely. *cackles*

With that sort of money, aside from setting 10% of it to trust funds, I'd use most of it trying out a lot of promising ideas. Vertical farms, maybe more funding into orbital solar power R&D, that sort of thing.

I'd buy a yacht, fly in friends from everywhere, load up with everything required to just blow out that billion in the most decadent way possible and sail around international waters as an advertisement for everything uptight Colonel Blimp's from Kent hate. Loud thumping dance music, straw hats and sandals, just wasteful living really.

I'd like to be the poster boy for the most selfish, decadent, immoral, likely leading to early death, way to spend a billion.

On running out of money, I'd beach the yacht wherever I was and walk off penniless.

Precisely. *cackles*

With that sort of money, aside from setting 10% of it to trust funds, I'd use most of it trying out a lot of promising ideas. Vertical farms, maybe more funding into orbital solar power R&D, that sort of thing.

Hippie. :p

On second thought, I'd buy myself a small 3rd world country and actually build it up, like some kind of benevolent dictator.

Or use about 100M for personal use. And then put 800M in micro loans and other things so that in the future my kids can also have some nice money to play with.

And the last 100 Million is used to film Jennifer Government.


Also, I'd probably pretty much would exchange it for Euros before actually spending it.

Is this billion Dollars before or after Taxes ??

Is this billion Dollars before or after Taxes ??

Ah, good question. If it was before taxes and I'd manage to move it to say, Sealand or somewhere else, then there will be no problem with my plans.

Otherwise, it looks like this: Pay taxes, then go to the McDonalds, buy a happy meal and donate the 5 cents left.

Ah, good question. If it was before taxes and I'd manage to move it to say, Sealand or somewhere else, then there will be no problem with my plans.

Otherwise, it looks like this: Pay taxes, then go to the McDonalds, buy a happy meal and donate the 5 cents left.

Yeah if it was before Taxes I would likely try to hide most of it in Switzerland.

Stick that son of a bitch in a high-yield annuity account and live off of the $35 million or so of real income it would produce in perpetuity. I think I could get by on that.

Hippie. :p

A hippie would make things free for everyone. I never said anything about making it free. Vertical farms would allow me to eliminate most transportation fuel and energy costs associated with factory farming while providing literally farm fresh goods. I'd also be able to cut costs with pesticides since it would be a controlled environment.

Solar power satellite systems on the other hand, have a variety of significant benefits if they can be made to work. Really expensive to start, but very cheap to run, and with oil dwindling, alternatives not really being up to mark to provide the energy required, and fusion a long way off, I'd be in a pretty good position to name my price for a great many years.

With the money and technology generated from those ventures, I'd start funding the construction of an arcology as a technological and social experiment. I might even make you the arcology manager.

Stick that son of a bitch in a high-yield annuity account and live off of the $35 million or so of real income it would produce in perpetuity. I think I could get by on that.

Too bad they were insured by AIG. You account now went to CEO bonuses.

With the money and technology generated from those ventures, I'd start funding the construction of an arcology as a technological and social experiment. I might even make you the arcology manager.

That could be fun. When I have them all trained to my liking, we can pour out like bees from a hive and spread my lunacy to the World. :)

too bad they were insured by aig. You account now went to ceo bonuses.

ffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuu

ffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Dont worry its going to be taxed at 90% some how.

That could be fun. When I have them all trained to my liking, we can pour out like bees from a hive and spread my lunacy to the World. :)

And with the arcology, I'd institute a secret external lockdown command and self destruct module. With soap.

I would fund my own army with it.

Sounds good to me. And hey, if you're new nation wants to start a space program, I could throw 500 milion or so your way.:)

Could always use another micronationalist:)

What I envision is a participatory economy, and the state would be made up of a collection of semi-autonomous polities. There would be a unicameral legislature chosen by sortition. This body would be the primary organ of the state, however I would have a powerful nonpartisan, elected supreme court. The people who would could be elected would have to be local judges. These local judges would be chosen by merit: they would fill out an application to become a judge and then have to pass a rigorous written exam on matters of the constitution, religion, and the legal system. Only the top 10% of scorers could be hired as judges. They would get a small stipend as government office would be considered a part-time job, rather than full time, thus they must work. I would furthermore make every legislator, mayor, and judge subject to recall. As far as term limits are concerned, a person may serve up to as many terms as he/she is willing to commit to, but no one could serve two consecutive terms- they would have to be nonconsecutive.

Capitalism: Capitalism is based on that most shameful human motive, greed. Capitalism rewards the baser angels of human nature. It is this aspect of human nature one must overcome, and it is a sad thing that a supposedly Christian society would promote such a sordid thing as morally just."Ahem!" Have you forgotten the 'Parable of the Talents'?

War and Peace: We support an admendment to the constitution that requires a nation wide referendum on whether or not war should be declared, as we must not use our might if better methods could be used. Such a referendum must allow for multiple plans of action, along with the option of no confidence in the proposals. In order for the declaration to be valid, there must be at least 51% who vote that warfare is the proper path. This can only be declared void in the event of a current, ongoing invasion of the United States of America by a foreign power.So it would have been in keeping with your principles to just sit back while either Hitler, or Stalin took over all of Europe? Wouldn't such isolationism actually contradict the teachings of Jesus? I'm thinking of the "Who is my neighbour?" situation here...

it is a greater wrong to bind an individual's free will and restrict their rights.

...

National service is honorable and life affirming. All individuals should complete at least two years of said service.

lol wut

War and Peace: We support an admendment to the constitution that requires a nation wide referendum on whether or not war should be declared, as we must not use our might if better methods could be used. Such a referendum must allow for multiple plans of action, along with the option of no confidence in the proposals. In order for the declaration to be valid, there must be at least 51% who vote that warfare is the proper path. This can only be declared void in the event of a current, ongoing invasion of the United States of America by a foreign power. Enhanced interrogation tactics, and other tortuous methods are forbidden as they violate just war doctrine.

You support making declarations of war based on majority rule only? I don't see how this could possibly go wrong...

I've heard it costs 50p for a river blindness jab, so I could donate $50 million to that, effectively wiping it out. Pay off my debts (oh, how I can dream), buy houses for all my family, get my uncle a new car, get myself a new car, money to cancer research, AIDS research, that sort of stuff.

Well, even so, assuming that what you need is a nice house in the countryside, with enough to live comfortably and settle down with a family(?) and not have to do any serious work for the rest of your life, you'll probably need about $10,000,000.

This is still assuming I would stop doing any kind of work to gain an income. I don't think suddenly gaining a million or two would cause me to stop working.

lol wut



You support making declarations of war based on majority rule only? I don't see how this could possibly go wrong...

It would not be an issue if the military chooses not to bring up the possibility. As for the post on Nazi Germany, I would hope that the American people would find it in their hearts to demand some sort of action. If the top brass go before Congress and testify that the most effective method for stopping Hitler would be warfare, and Congress agrees, then war would be declared after the referendum passed. It is not good to commit the people to a war they are unwilling to fight. Such warfare would be justifiable under Just War Doctrine as it would be a war of limited aims (kicking those bastards asses), be defensive in nature (Hitler had the intention to invade America, however he did not expect the British and Soviets to put up as strong a resistance as they did.), it would be protecting innocents (Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, gays, socialists/communists, trade unionists, disabled persons, political dissidents, Lutherans, etc), the risks associated with not going to war would be greater than going to war, the agressor's actions would have a lasting, grave effect on the community of nations (Third Reich, anyone?), other methods had failed (Chamberlain tried appeasement, but that failed. Hitler would stop at nothing to attain his goals), the chances of success are high (Hitler was dumb enough to fight a war on multiple fronts, and many powerful empires were infuriated by his actions, so success rate- though massive casualties would be inflicted- was high). Considering the criteria for Just War, both originally and in modern interpretations, I would hope that the American people would have fulfilled their duty by voting to beat back Hitler.

In terms of how WWII was carried out, it was not a just war, even though the reasoning was just for entry. As far as modern wars, Iraq is a major stretch especially when considering all the criteria involved. War with Al Qaeda is just, but the actions taken should be mitigated (so called 'enhanced interrogation techniques' violate the principle of just war.)

As far as national service is concerned, one does have a choice in how they wish to carry it out (military, peacecorps, or other government organization... even choosing to work as a volunteer fire fighter or organizing a neighborhood watch program would count.

So what would you do with a billion dollars?

Buy a small island... then invite my friends over to help design it's development.

I'd bring myself and family to a nice area of the world (not sure where), and secure my finances for I nor none of my family would ever have to work again. Then I invest the rest in humanitarian aid.

Yep. Yep. Yep. Maybe. Depends how many times you skip across the ocean. Assuming my calculations are correct, whatever is left of you should come to a nice soft landing on the eastern coast. Internal organs huh? Got any spares? Not too high or you won't skip right. Geese aren't a problem, seagulls are. If in the eventuality you do run into geese, feed them gummi bears. Yep. The in-flight meal is probably a bad idea due to explosive vomiting. You will be given gummi bears though. Fish will attract more seagulls. If you end up in Canada, tell them what happened. If they don't like you, buy them beer. Yes. I have considered all of it. Despite my misgivings and the high probability of catastrophic failure, I am willing to risk your life anyway. :)

I have no confidence in this plan whatsoever!

I would buy an island in the Pacific and create a new country.