If Bill Gates asked you for suggestions of what problem should be tackled next with his billions,

[applegrove]

what would you suggest? I would tell him to put a whole lotta money towards an organization that would do research and education, monitor and follow prominent psychopaths throughout their lives, especially in politics (one often thinks of psychopaths in Africa, but with Newt getting close to the presidency we can no longer make that assumption). I would suggest they release frequent reports on the actions of said people so the press is wise and educated too.

[mysuzuki2]

1. I would tell him that there is a great guy in Milwaukee

who is NOT a millionaire.

[YvonneCa]

2. Poverty. n/t

[MiddleFingerMom]

3. I've always wanted an outtie bellybutton.

[laconicsax]

5. Get pregnant. n/t

[MiddleFingerMom]

8. What problem should be tackled next with Bill Gates' billions of...

.
.
.
... sperm cells?
.
.
.

[av8rdave]

4. Education and seed money for local and community farming

I really don't think agrochemicals on a mass scale is the answer to the world's food supply. It is vulnerable because of the chemicals themselves, as well as possible transportation/supply grid issues.

[ChazII]

6. Set up an organization for funding

orphan medical disorders. Too many cyber friends, met through sites like Caringbridge and Caringpages, have lost the lives of their children or other loved ones due to little funds for research. It sucks to have a rare disorder.

[kentauros]

7. Helping researchers figure out how to step down the energy output

of a "solar antenna". Currently, the prototype design I've seen outputs electricity at almost 30 THz (thirty terahertz) and there is no existing circuit that can bring that down to a more manageable (and usable) frequency.

This technology is important because it works on infrared radiation. So, technically, it's a "solar panel" that could work at night!
It's also up to 80% efficient. That blows out of the water pretty much every solar panel out there.

research:
Design of optical antenna for solar energy collection

80% Efficient Solar Panel?! Works at Night?!

[jmowreader]

9. Fixing the Word macro language comes to mind really quickly

I don't know how many billions of dollars in damage the very, very idiotic decision to write the Word macro language in such a way that you can low-level format the startup drive on a PC with a Word file has caused, but it's quite a few.

[dimbear]

10. Overpopulation. The root of all other problems. Bill Gates knows how to make things crash. n/t

[XemaSab]

11. Polio and malaria

for starters.

Apparently polio is only still around in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria, and it's pretty much gone from the rest of the world.

Malaria used to be in the US, then we kicked some ass and took some names and it's not here any more.

[HopeHoops]

12. The hungry and homeless.

[HappyMe]

17. And low cost/no costs clinics.

[hobbit709]

13. Getting the RWers to stop being assholes.

If they started acting like human beings, the whole world would be better off.

[YankeyMCC]

14. Availability to safe, clean drinking water

[Neoma]

15. Fund Adult Education up the wazoo.

[tk2kewl]

16. Kill IE

I don't care how much it costs but please rid this world of Internet Explorer

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

18. Fix domestic adoption

Right now, it's incredibly expensive for couples who don't have employer assistance or thousands of dollars lying around. It feels too much like 'buying a baby' than anything else. All these agencies want exhorbitant fees, attorneys want fees, the birthmothers require expenses to be paid and there is no guarantee that the father or the families will not want to contest the adoption.

I've been investigating this only to find the process to be almost impossible for someone who is not wealthy. Yes, there is a tax credit, but only once the adoption is finalized. You still have to have the funds beforehand. And this is for a couple (my husband and me) who doesn't care about gender or race. We've even been told by some state and agency folk that transracial adoption may be even more difficult in some instances, which strikes me as super racist.

It is a disgrace. And for those who are wondering about why I don't try adopting from the foster care system, the state of NC requires MAPPS classes and my county - for unknown reasons - only offers them during the day for 3-4 hours, 3 days a week, which makes it difficult for someone who works to attend them. In addition, adopting infants in NC through the state is almost impossible, unless the child has medical needs that we could not be able to support.

Not to mention that there is a definite religious bias in adoption - many birthmothers request religious parents and/or agencies will only work with religious prospective parents.

The whole system needs to be revolutionized to make adoption easier, less biased and less expensive. I can see why so many people go abroad, but again even that is so costly.

Bill Gates, hear me out!

[gratuitous]

19. The nagging problem of billionaires with more money than they know what to do with

And the beauty of that problem is that it can be solved in one simple step. Now Zoidberg is the popular one!