[ExI] Google funding opportunity

[Adrian Tymes]

http://www.project10tothe100.com/

Basically, they're looking for ideas that will help a lot of people.  They
think stuff like water rollers that will help a few thousand* villagers
in a certain few developing countries is big-impact stuff.

I wonder if a good enough presentation of the Methuselah Foundation's M
Prize, and/or similar initiatives by the Foresight Institute - just to
name a couple groups who I know had members on this list at one point and
hopefully still do - might change their mind about what is a "big" impact.
Part of the reason we pursue the technology that we do, is because of its
potential positive impact for all (or just about all) of humanity - and if
they really will be judging by what can help the most people, something
aiming to help billions of people should merit a fairly high rank.

(*They're apparently distributing $2 million to each of 5 projects.  The
Hippo Roller cited as a specific example of what they're thinking of - and
illustrated in the video on their site - would, given the costs involved,
help at most a few hundred thousand with that amount of cash.  Also, the
project is limited mainly to southern Africa, and the rollers apparently
have an average life of under 10 years.)

Just thought I'd pass this along.  Of course I intend to submit at least
one of my own ideas as well.  Given the odds (and given as I suspect most
serious world-changing R&D proposals will be dismissed out of hand as
"impossible" or "impractical", with evidence to the contrary ignored), I
doubt we'll wind up "competing" for the prize money in any serious sense.