How Would You Spend $1T a year?

[thestrangequark]

That was meant to be supportive, not contradictory. Whups.

The woes of this mode of communication. It's sometimes hard to tell. No worries.

 

[USS Triumphant]

^Uh... that is exactly what I said, they are dicks, but their dickishness is to do with corporate and business ethics, and is a separate thing from the science of GMO.

Well, except for the genetic modifications that keep the organisms from producing viable seed so that you have to go back to them for more. In that instance, their poor business ethics and the mods go hand in hand.

 

[thestrangequark]

Well, except for the genetic modifications that keep the organisms from producing viable seed so that you have to go back to them for more. In that instance, their poor business ethics and the mods go hand in hand.

Terminator seeds have never actually been sold, and no company intends to introduce them into the market.

Issues are complex! Nuance! Research!

 

[Amaris]

A trillion bucks US per year of society's money. What would you do with it if it were your job to allocate this money - on behalf of society?

And if you can't think in terms of how you would "fix" the world, maybe just narrow it down to "making a positive contribution."


(Oh and the reason we don't currently have this to spend is because it is pretty much what crime costs us every year - $1T).

Also bear in mind you could have spent $1 million a day since the time of Socrates and still not have reached a trillion.

Oh, that's easy: Schools, universities, hospitals, homeless shelters, museums, nutrition programs, agricultural advancement programs, women's health clinics, and social safety nets would benefit the most from my budgetary largesse, though I would also allocate generously to research groups and technology firms directly dealing with global climate change. Not a single penny, however, would go to any military organization. They get enough blood and money as it is.

 

[thestrangequark]

@USS Triumphant , Also, it is my understanding that it is generally more profitable for farmers to buy new seed every year rather than trying to save their own (for various reasons), and that this is what most of them do.

I am by absolutely no means an expert in this field. I have a sister who runs a farm, that's what she does. And I've done a lot of superficial research (science journals, in-depth blogs sort of stuff) into where agro intersects with GMO because of personal interest, but that in no way equals expertise, so someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Terminator seeds have never actually been sold, and no company intends to introduce them into the market.

Not even Skynet?

 

[Tim Walker]

In terms of energy production, I would begin the shift away from fossil fuels.

Actually, it had occurred to me that this would have been a better idea than spending the humungous amount of money (and blood) on Iraq.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

@USS Triumphant , Also, it is my understanding that it is generally more profitable for farmers to buy new seed every year rather than trying to save their own (for various reasons), and that this is what most of them do.

I am by absolutely no means not an expert in this field. I have a sister who runs a farm, that's what she does. And I've done a lot of superficial research (science journals, in-depth blogs sort of stuff) into where agro intersects with GMO because of personal interest, but that in no way equals expertise, so someone correct me if I'm wrong.

You're right. Buying new seeds every year came with the rise of agribusiness in general, and has nothing to do with Monsanto in particular.

It's funny, but the reason Monsanto has a monopoly on GMOs is because of the heavy restrictions placed on GMOs by the hysterics. They created their own monster.

Incidentally, another thing that has NEVER yet been on the market is cross-Order foods, like the "fishmato" people were freaking out about a few years back. There were some experiments, to try to put a fish's "anti-freeze" gene in a tomato. They didn't work, the trait didn't materialize.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Fishmato...there's a horror franchise for ya

 

[thestrangequark]

You're right. Buying new seeds every year came with the rise of agribusiness in general, and has nothing to do with Monsanto in particular.

It's funny, but the reason Monsanto has a monopoly on GMOs is because of the heavy restrictions placed on GMOs by the hysterics. They created their own monster.

Incidentally, another thing that has NEVER yet been on the market is cross-Order foods, like the "fishmato" people were freaking out about a few years back. There were some experiments, to try to put a fish's "anti-freeze" gene in a tomato. They didn't work, the trait didn't materialize.

Ah, the old, "It's not natural to move genes across orders" argument. Do these people have any understanding of biology at all? It's called lateral gene transfer. It happens in nature all the fucking time. Hell, it happened in sweet potatoes thousands upon thousands of years ago -- they have bacteria DNA in their genome. You know what's natural for humans? Technology. It is where we naturally thrive.
I know I'm preaching to the choir with you, but sometimes it feels good.

I see memes of people burning GM crops and all I can think is, "If this were the 16th century y'all would be the ones burning witches." Fucking idiots.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

I read an article that said humans have undergone gene transfer. Which would make US GMOs.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

How Would You Spend $1T a year?

Get Alec a better legal team

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I read an article that said humans have undergone gene transfer. Which would make US GMOs.

More like OMGs...

 

[publiusr]

Ha!

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

-Pay off the mortgage

-House renovations

-Put some away for investments

-Give some to my mom and close friends

-New wardrobe

-Travel

 

[auntiehill]

^@janeway's Girl, I think you missed the part where the OP said,"What would you do with it if it were your job to allocate this money (one trillion dollars) - on behalf of society?"

 

[Peach Wookiee]

One trillion dollars a year... I'd see to it that a building got named after my dad...
Fund where I work forever.
Fund a few local charities forever...
Make truly affordable housing a reality.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

^@janeway's Girl, I think you missed the part where the OP said,"What would you do with it if it were your job to allocate this money (one trillion dollars) - on behalf of society?"

This is what I get for skimming!

Damn. Okay.

Divide it into portions: eye research, animal shelters, child abuse prevention, free health care to anyone who needs it.

 

[cardinal biggles]

--Make post-secondary ed in the U.S. free, whether someone wants to go to a 2-year or 4-year college, go on to do post-grad work, or attend a trade school (a category that frequently gets overlooked in the mad rush to get every American hooked up with $30K+ in student loan debt).
--Fund all public libraries
--Fund single-payer health care for every American