March 26, 2002

9:18 PM

Long Bets.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--In 28 years, commercial airline passengers will routinely fly in pilotless airplanes. Sound ludicrous? Not to Microsoft Chief Technology Officer Craig Mundie, who recently bet Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt $2,000 that the prediction will come true. This site is all about, well long bets. Oh, and it's all for charity.
posted by Zool (10 comments total)

I enjoyed that. Thanks, Zool, for the link!
posted by scottymac at 9:49 PM on March 26, 2002

Rules: Minimum bet is $1,000. There is no maximum amount. The bet money is treated as a donation to the Long Bets Foundation, tax-deductible immediately.

Is it paid immediately, or is tax fraud the purpose of this?
posted by rschram at 10:01 PM on March 26, 2002

Bets are "donated" immediately, (look under 'Putting the Bet On the Record'), but aren't paid to the charities until the bet ends.

Interesting link, but looks more like a bunch of interest-free loans for the Long Bets folks more than anything else.
posted by cyniczny at 10:25 PM on March 26, 2002

Those questions are pretty compelling. Could potentially lead to hours of informed discussion. But who would want that? And here? Ha, ha. Nice link.
posted by pinto at 10:45 PM on March 26, 2002

You guys might want to check out Foresight Exchange. You can sign up and bet on the future, though not with real money. There's a tutorial here and K5 had a good writeup about the site awhile ago.
posted by ODiV at 10:48 PM on March 26, 2002

Sorry, but I wouldn't want to fly in a plane powered by Mcirosoft...

I can imagine it now... if it failed, it wouldn't just be one BSOD you'd be seeing...
posted by robzster1977 at 5:21 AM on March 27, 2002

Blue Sky of Death?
posted by rodii at 5:55 AM on March 27, 2002

Pinto, discuss away if you have something to contribute. No one's stopping you.
posted by rodii at 5:57 AM on March 27, 2002

The regional phone company going bankrupt is a sucker bet. Qwest is almost there already. They won't last to 2004, let alone 2007. Andy Chapman's money is safe.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:59 AM on March 27, 2002

No it isn't. It's going to charity.
posted by ODiV at 9:11 AM on March 27, 2002