[stevesnj]

Check this out.... National Telecommunications & Information Administration

I would rather this money be spent towards putting computers in school or towards helping those affected by hurricane Katrina.

[ghporter]

Tell Congress. THEY are the ones who allocate EVERY PENNY of every program they fund.

On the other hand, TV is about the only way a lot of people get important information about floods, tornadoes and such, and if they force broadcasters to use digital signals exclusively, then how are folks going to get this information?

[cjrivera]

If I had $990 million....



I'd buy you some art... a Picasso or a Garfunkel.

[Ghoser777]

Maybe a Llama... or an emu.

[earthlings]

• Spend on schools
• Disaster funds
• Buy another country.
• Environment
• But HARPO away from Oprah

else

1. Castle in Switzerland
2. Buy an island in Europe
3. Yacht

[zro]

With gusto.


I'd do my best to secure my and my family's future. Probably give a lot away, too.


And buy a ****load of gadgets and toys.

[Agasthya]

I'd buy Aston Martin

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Ghoser777 

Maybe a Llama... or an emu.

A 450 story solid gold llama.

Actually, I'm going to vote for that too.

[Footy]

I'd try to keep what I have on the down low and secretly give to those who need.

Of course I'd also buy a new car, nothing to exotic but fully loaded. Then rebuild our house in the same location from the bottom up. Well maybe I'd buy across the street and build a new home there so I wouldn't be inconvenienced during construction, then just walk the few things I'd want to keep right on over.

Gym in the morning for an hour or two, donate my time here and there, and sit at my desk most of the evening.

[Footy]

If the initial funds are used up, the Act permits funding to increase by $510 million, upon certification to Congress that the initial allocated amount is insufficient to fulfill coupon requests.

I think we'll be spending that extra 510 million too.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally Posted by Agasthya 

I'd buy Aston Martin

yup, beat me to it.

[kernokerno]

i'd buy, after buying some stuff my family needs, a home, a car, a mbp, i'd pay some master studies i want to make and build my own nice design firm space.

the rest i would use it for charity, traveling, traveling traveling.....also save it for my parents, my brother and sisters and for my children when i have them.

It would be great :-)

[tutelary]

with 990 million dollars:


I'd hit it.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by tutelary 

with 990 million dollars:


I'd hit it.

Spoken like a true nerd.

[tutelary]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

Spoken like a true nerd.

says the guy with 6800 posts.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by tutelary 

with 990 million dollars:


I'd hit it.

Apparently all you have to do is just sign your name with a dollar sign.

[far200]

I'd buy a mac for everyone I know to show them that computing can be fun... then with the left over 989 million I'd buy my own island where I'd have kraft dinner ( fancy kraft dinner )

[Aron Peterson]

I would buy power and change the constitution to make myself a de facto tinpot dictator.

[Madrag]

I would buy this thread.

[JonoMarshall]

I'd make everyday for the rest of my life.. "Hot Penny Day"

While moving ahead with the times, Honiton still has a foot in the past, and many historical events are still celebrated.

July sees the annual 'Hot pennies' day - where hot pennies are thrown to the crowds of onlookers from the windows of the town's hostelries.

The custom dates back many years to the days long gone when the wealthy of the town would 'aid' the poor.

The town crier along with the Mayor usher in the celebrations surrounding the town's annual fair.


The strange custom surrounding Honiton's 'Hot Penny' day
The strange ceremony entails a floral baton topped off with a golden glove being carried around before the assembled crowds.

The town crier announces the beginning of the annual proceedings to cries of "The glove is up, God save the Queen." Honiton fair has commenced!!!

It is said that whilst the golden glove is raised thieves and criminals are immune from prosecution. source

[dcmacdaddy]

I would set aside $100 million of it for me to live on then move the hell out of NYC--maybe to someplace rural in Vermont or a secluded sea-front village in Nova Scotia or someplace in West Cork or Galway in Ireland--and then set up a foundation to give away the rest. I would want to fund groups that support sustainable development in Africa, pet adoption in the United States--Why do we have so many shelters for abandoned animals?--and give a HUGE chunk of money to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy here in the States so they can buy up old abandoned rail-beds and turn them into multi-purpose bike/pedestrain pathways.


Oh, and do two chicks at the same time.

[Dakar²]

I'd buy all the pants in the world and then burn them. Then no one could wear pants.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Beats spending it on some more missiles.

[Paco500]

Cheese.

[Doofy]

$990 million? That's like twenty quid with the exchange rate like it is, no?

So... ...a third of a tank of gas. And a Snickers bar.

[centerchannel68]

Originally Posted by tutelary 

with 990 million dollars:


I'd hit it.

With that much money I'd create clones of her.

[imitchellg5]

I'd give $985 million away then never work and retire.

[nredman]

990 million drug crack rock?

- i would give away at least 90% of it. build a nice home and never work again.

- and if i wasnt married - two chicks at the same time

[PB2K]

i would have my face etched in the moon, so every earthly person would see me

forever

[angelmb]

I don't understand -albeit respect- how much people answer to this question with stuff like "never work again…". I think it would be way better to say I would try to get a work I really love… with such amount of money that can't be that hard… if you need to go back to school, do it, be surrounded by the best people at the field you love and at least give it a try. I can not imagine just living without doing any work no matter how much money you have. If money can give you a better home, a better car… why not a better job you love ??

Needless to say I would give away a huge amount of it, mainly aimed to education and health and animals care.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by angelmb 

I don't understand -albeit respect- how much people answer to this question with stuff like "never work again…". I think it would be way better to say I would try to get a work I really love… with such amount of money that can't be that hard… if you need to go back to school, do it, be surrounded by the best people at the field you love and at least give it a try. I can not imagine just living without doing any work no matter how much money you have. If money can give you a better home, a better car… why not a better job you love ??

1) You'd be taking a job away from someone who needs it.

2) You have hobbies, right?

[Dakar²]

Originally Posted by PB2K 

i would have my face etched in the moon, so every earthly person would see me

forever

Didn't Cobra Commander try and do that?

[Monique]

I would pay off my debts, go back to school even at my age, establish a business in London or Paris, put 20 million away for my retirement, then I would take the rest and establish a foundation in Russia to help the poor people who never had a true opportunity for a better life, like the homeless, the retired people that have to sell pencils on the street, etc.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

Didn't Cobra Commander try and do that?

I hated that guy! I always wanted to see what he looked like without that stupid mask. He had a stupid voice too.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

Didn't Cobra Commander try and do that?

I like you.

[blueleaf]

i'd buy steve jobs.

[Dakar²]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

He had a stupid voice too.

Do not mess with Starscream! That was the best irritating voice ever. Too bad that guy died.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

Do not mess with Starscream! That was the best irritating voice ever. Too bad that guy died.

You mean, the voice actor died?

[Dakar²]

Yes.

[centerchannel68]

Originally Posted by nredman 

- i would give away at least 90% of it. build a nice home and never work again.

- and if i wasnt married - two chicks at the same time

Yeah, nobody needs that much. I would buy a badass house/building/complex and have all my friends stay rent free though. And as for the two chicks at once... well... I'm pretty sure if you had your wife totally happy maybe she'd be open for experimenting.

[centerchannel68]

Originally Posted by angelmb 

I don't understand -albeit respect- how much people answer to this question with stuff like "never work again…". I think it would be way better to say I would try to get a work I really love… with such amount of money that can't be that hard… if you need to go back to school, do it, be surrounded by the best people at the field you love and at least give it a try. I can not imagine just living without doing any work no matter how much money you have. If money can give you a better home, a better car… why not a better job you love ??

Needless to say I would give away a huge amount of it, mainly aimed to education and health and animals care.

Well said, and exactly why I quit my dental lab technician job and went to school for industrial design. The dental job was okay, but it doesn't rock my socks off. I figure even if I'm the worst industrial designer in the world, I should still be able to pull 20Gs and be happier than working at walmart. Heh.

[centerchannel68]

I think it'd be sweet to hire a whole bunch of badass doctors/geneticists and cure cancer. That'd be ****ing badass also.

[olePigeon]

I'd open up a Stem Cell Research facility in San Francisco and start it off with $200 million, plus an additional $200 million to be invested, with the interest awarded as grants and scholarships to related fields. Another $200 million donated to space exploration and research, with $50 million invested and interest awarded as grants and scholarships.

$100 mllion distributed to my immediate family.

$100 million invested in a "family trus." Half the interest earned would be redistributed in 200 years.

$100 million towards research to stop the aging process.

And the last $50 million or so for me to start my dream business.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

I'd give $985 million away then never work and retire.

Anyone thinking they're going to get a nice house and retire to the life of the idle rich on $5m is delusional.

[angelmb]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

1) You'd be taking a job away from someone who needs it.

2) You have hobbies, right?

Well, I understand what you mean with your first point but I think that We lose one to gain many would apply here.

Hobbies?, anyone is talking about 100% time aimed to work, but just think about working with people like Sagmeister (if your field is being a designer) and so… I laugh at hobbies.

[osiris]

I'd provide for Mom and Dad, take care of my closest friends, donate a few mil to charity, then disappear from civilization for a year or two to write screenplays, books, etc. Probably on an island off Okinawa...

[centerchannel68]

Originally Posted by angelmb 

Well, I understand what you mean with your first point but I think that We lose one to gain many would apply here.

Hobbies?, anyone is talking about 100% time aimed to work, but just think about working with people like Sagmeister (if your field is being a designer) and so… I laugh at hobbies.

Lots of rich people turn their hobbies into jobs. Look at Prodrive, Spyker, Konisig (however you spell that stupid name), the Aero by SSC, and lots of other cars. Even the ariel atom.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by centerchannel68 

Lots of rich people turn their hobbies into jobs. Look at Prodrive, Spyker, Konisig (however you spell that stupid name), the Aero by SSC, and lots of other cars. Even the ariel atom.

... or Apple Computer.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

Anyone thinking they're going to get a nice house and retire to the life of the idle rich on $5m is delusional.

You can get a nice house (not a huge mansion, but a pretty darn nice house) around here for maybe $2 million. Invest the remaining $3 million. If you're getting a 10% ROI, that's $300,000 a year to use for whatever you want. I believe I could retire on that.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

You can get a nice house (not a huge mansion, but a pretty darn nice house) around here for maybe $2 million. Invest the remaining $3 million. If you're getting a 10% ROI, that's $300,000 a year to use for whatever you want. I believe I could retire on that.

Nice house: At least $5m (anywhere), last time I looked.
ROI: No more than 2% if you want to make 100% sure that you don't end up broke on a bad investment. That makes your $300,000 into a very average wage of $60,000. $40,000ish after tax.
And you're forgetting about inflation. In 10 years, that'll be the equivalent of $20,000. In 20 years, that'll be $10,000. Assuming you're around 30, by the time you're at national retirement age, you'll be down to $5,000. Let's hope the grandkids have good jobs.