what's the best use of $50 billion?

That's what a bunch of expert economists known as the Copenhagen Consensus debated last year. Despite the furor over global warming lately, these economists ranked solutions to the climate issues facing the world as much lower in priority and benefit compared to addressing HIV/AIDS and malnutrition, potential solutions to which have a much higher cost/benefit ratio and deserve a majority of any outpouring of resources intended to improve global welfare. Even as an individual, my $1 will go further in developing countries that need this kind of assistance than anywhere else, especially if it's given as part of a microloan program, as Slate points out today.