I've never asked for a promise before, but I'm doing it now.

[Redstone]

I'd like every DUer who has bought a ticket for that $340 millon Powerbal to promise that, if you win, you'll give half of the net proceeds away to help other people.

If you're the sole winner, you'll net about (I guess) $200 million bucks. If you give half away, that still leaves you $100 million, which is pretty much all that any rational person could spend. For God's sake, even if you just put it in the bank and got a measly 3% interest, you'd have an income of three mil a year. Think you could live pretty easy on that?

Let's have some fun with this. If you had $100 million to give away, who would you give it to, and how would you divide it up if you wanted to contirute to more than one charity / organization / whatever? Post your answers here if you would; I'd really like to see them.

Redstone

[Shell Beau]

1. I've always said if I had lots of money

I'd spend some, save some, and GIVE some. It is the only way to go. Especially with such a large sum of money. There are so many out there that could benefit from some of it. Instead of your heart growing greedy, it should grow bigger.

[Redstone]

3. So think about it, and tell us: Who would get how much?

(Disclaimer: I'm hoping for good ideas that I can use if we win. We couldn't figure out how the $100 mil would best be spent once we got past the obvious stuff.)

Redstone

[Shell Beau]

6. I'd of course have to get a finicial advisor to help me

figure. But I think with close to 200 million, I would give away 100 million to various charities. One to cancer research, AIDs research, poverty, and to animal shelters. I'd give to my church and I'd give to DU.

With the other $100 million, half would go to savings. I'd split the other $50 million with my family.

[Redstone]

10. Well, we've already made up the "family" list. Some could

use more than others. Boy, is my Aunt Pat going to be surprised when she comes back from the vacation we'll send her on, to a brand-new house!

Redstone

[Shell Beau]

15. I even have a couple of my friends in mind b/c they

are like family. But NO family that comes out of nowhere. If they weren't there for me through my life, they are SOL!

[Redstone]

28. And no anyone else who came out of nowhere; I bet you'd have an

awful lot of "old high school pals" you don't even remember, who "just appened to think about you."

Redstone

[AllegroRondo]

2. for starters - my local NPR station would never need another pledge drive

[redwitch]

4. hmmm.....

habitat for humanity
doctors without borders
local library, ems, fire dept, school
I would build a lovely community center too
regional food bank and community food bank
save the children
the project for literacy
spca
local animal protection group for a new shelter and staffing
a spay/neuter clinic and education
DU!!!!!!
March of Dimes
Nat'l MS Society
American Cancer Society
grants to researchers of sundry other diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers
Greenpeace
The Sierra Club
my brothers and sisters would have their mortgages paid off and their kids would have all college expenses covered.

That's just off the top of my head, I would have to do lots of research but boy, it would feel great to finally be able to really help. There are lots of problems that CAN be solved by throwing money at them

[Redstone]

22. That's a helluva list. Some stuff on there we didn't think of.

Mind if we borrow some stuff from your list?

Redstone

[Crazy Guggenheim]

5. First help the Katrina victims with $50 Mil.

[Redstone]

7. Specifically how? All to Red Cross, or what?

Is there one thing (like, I don't know, refrigerators maybe) that you could buy in bulk and have them distributed so you KNOW the people who need one would get one?

Does this make more sense than giving blanket bucks to an organization?

Ideas, I want ideas!

Redstone

[Crazy Guggenheim]

19. Buying things wholesale and distributing them is probably the best.

[Felix Mala]

8. I'm giving it all away, if I win, save just enough for a decent home,

and education for the little ones.

[DS1]

9. Will you spot me a buck and pickup a quick pick for me?

I'll make that promise. And get you back at the next meetup :-)

[Redstone]

13. You don't have powerball in Mass?

Sure, I'll grab you one tomorrow.

Look for an email tomorrow as well; there's another project I might need you for. The other one looks good and will get started as soon as the cheapskates get finished with their ritual carping and whining.

Redstone

[DS1]

14. No, no powerball here in MA, I checked online today

And that's good news on the projects :D :bounce:

[Shell Beau]

18. We don't have it here in Mississippi either!!

x(

[Debi]

11. My family will come first

They can choose which carities they want to give the money to. My parents raised me and my brother put up with me, they deserve financial security.

[Tafiti]

12. Well, your numbers are a little off.

With the jackpot at $340 million, the lump sum cash option will cut that in half, so you're at $170 million. Then the $170 million is taxed at 39.6% for federal, leaving you with $102,680,000. Then, depending on which state you live, that amount will be taxed by the state, let's say 7% on average. The amount you'd actually get will then be $95,492,400. Although there are a few states that don't have state income tax, so you'd be back up at the 102 mark.

Regardless, it doesn't really take away from your point, as $95 million is a shitload of money. Just throwing that into the discussion. :)

[BlueIris]

20. My state's IRS likes to take lottery winners out for a walk.

After federal, our state taxes would take another huge chunk out of the prize money. Not that the left-over amount would be anything to scoff at, but still. My calculations would leave someone like me with aroun $79 mill. Not bad, but I can't have that palatial estate in Europe I've always wanted after I do good, humanitarian things.

[Redstone]

21. Damn. Only 95 million. Still, half can go a long way.

Redstone

[Robb]

16. WHEN I win ...

:D

Step one is to pay off my town's new school. That would be a blast, and would take care of a lot of the lottery cash.
Step two I'd buy up and donate land to my little town along the river that runs through here, closing all the gaps we have in a trail down there. That would come close to cleaning it out, too.
Remainder, obviously I'd take care of my debt, put the kiddo through college, and put up a Lounge poll for where to send the rest. ;)

[BlueIris]

17. When I win, after I trash Bush on t.v., (if the t.v. folks let me)

My contributions will begin with my state's massively underfunded food bank, then Katrina relief, then Rita relief, then Pakistan relief, then more tsunami, then my governor, then our Dem congressfolk, then the PAC for my pick for President in '08, then I have to have some dental work done, then my college, then some scholarships for underpriviledged youth, then I think my parents are going to need me to pay for their healthcare...

[Redstone]

23. If the TV people won't sell you any airtime, you can hire

a hacker to hijack the satellite signal!

It's been done before.

Redstone

[flvegan]

24. Actually, I'd put $190 million in trust, and donate all the interest.

$10 mil would take care of me, my family, my friends (nice donation to DU) forever. $190 million, at the aforementioned 3% interest is almost $6 million a year. I'd give that away each year. I figure, I could donate $100 million now, or give $6 million away, every year, forever (my trust would live beyond my death, administered by trusted folks).

As to who I would give it to? Well, lots of animal shelters and spay/neuter clinics. Divvy a bunch up to underfunded animal rescues that are sponsored by the owners own dime usually.

My local battered women's shelter would need to hire somebody JUST to figure out how to spend the money I gave them.

I'm buying my local Food Not Bombs their own soup kitchen.

Probably start a scholarship for kids that have struggled that want to go to vet school or something.

[Dastard Stepchild]

30. What he said...

:)

[Redstone]

31. Now, that's a plan, all right. I hadn't thought of the idea of

throwing the large chunk into an interest-bearing trust.

If you could get the rules of the trust written clearly and unbreakably, that would DEFINITELY be the way to go.

I appreciate the idea, and will keep it in mind if we win (as if).

Redstone

[China_cat]

25. Not in this country.

I wouldn't even set up college funds for my grandchildren in US funds because I know the money wouldn't be there when needed. I'd use it to get out, to get family that wants to go out and the rest will just have to fend for themselves. Which is what they'd end up having to do if I gave them the money anyway.

Oh, and the net is $164 million, btw.

[skygazer]

26. I've been helped by so many in my life

I've always said that if I came into any money, in any way, I'd give back. First and foremost, I'd donate to the organizations that have helped me.

The Salvation Army in a town in New Hampshire which helped me out with Christmas gifts for my kids a couple of times.

The local fire department where I lived which did a toy drive for the holidays.

The organization in my Vermont town which provided new, warm winter coats, hats and mittens for the kids.

The Congregational Church whose representative showed up at my door with a turkey and all the fixings one year at either Christmas or Thanksgiving - totally unexpected.

The local food bank in my home town which saved me many a time.

The Marine Corps Toys For Tots program which provided Christmas gifts one year.

The local libraries in several different small towns - underfunded but providing reading material for a family that was poor but loved to read.

After that, it would be homeless shelters, battered women's shelters, soup kitchens and food banks. Programs that provide books to underpriveleged children. Programs that give hope. When you're poor, all you have is hope. And when the hope is gone, what's left?

[lizziegrace]

27. Pine Ridge Reservation

Not sure where I would start, but my little girl (I sponsor a child there) would get a college education. Then to work on the bigger issues...

[ChaoticSilly]

29. I'd make a list and divide it somewhat equally

Family members (including myself) would get a full share. Various friends, co-workers & charities would get half a share.

One thing I think would be really cool to do is to give 10 million or so anonymously to a someone chosen at random (throw a dart at a map while blindfolded, then get out the phone book for that city or go for a walk there & pick the 15th person you see or something) with 2 stipulations. The first is that they can do whatever they want with any interest they earn from it - buy a house, pay for college, give to charity, spend it on beer & strippers - anything they want as long as they don't touch the original money. The second would be that when they no longer have a use for it (death or whatever) they must give the original amount to another person chosen completely at random with the same stipulations.