[Edu-sig] Beyond cultural literacy

[Dethe Elza]

Jason wrote:

> USA Inc. is spending $1 billion each week for their mad war.
> That's $1653 per second = street price of a superb new 3Ghz laptop 
> computer.
>
> In 1 year, at the present Shrub spending rates, we could buy new 
> computers
> for 31,536,000 children/people. I imagine if one placed an federal 
> order for
> 31 million laptops you'd get a good deal.
> So perhaps 50 million kids this year.
>
> I know you can't eat computers, and they won't give you clean water or
> electricity. I am am not saying its necessarily the answer to 
> anything..

So what would the answer to something cost?  Here are some estimates 
circa 1995-96, in US dollars:

Eliminate Starvation and Malnourishment: $19 Billion [1]
Provide Healthcare and AIDS Control: $21 Billion [2]
Provide Shelter: $21 Billion [3]
Provide Clean, Safe Water: $10 Billion [4]
Eliminate Illiteracy: $5 Billion [5]
Provide Clean, Safe Energy via Efficiency & Renewables: $49 Billion 
[6][7]
Retire Developing Nations Debt: $30 Billion [8]
Stabilize Population: $11 Billion [9]
Prevent Soil Erosion: $23 Billion [10]
Stop Deforestation: $7 Billion [11]
Stop Ozone Depletion: $5 Billion [12]
Prevent Acid Rain: $8 Billion [13]
Prevent Global Warming: $8 Billion [14]
Remove Landmines: $2 Billion [15]
Refugee Relief: $5 Billion [16]
Eliminate Nuclear Weapons: $7 Billion [17]
Build Democracy: $2 Billion [18]

[1] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[2] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[3] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[4] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[5] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[6] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[7] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[8] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[9] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[10] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[11] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[12] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[13] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[14] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[15] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[16] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[17] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml
[18] http://www.osearth.com/resources/wwwproject/what01.shtml

While the overall dollars for these will have undoubtedly increased 
(and it may be too late to prevent global warming and deforestation), 
the overall figure is probably still in the ballpark:

30% of the world military budget.

Hey, it only too $300 Million to elminate smallpox.

--Dethe