Billionaire Philanthropy For Everyone

If you have the time, I really heartily recommend that you read this article from yesterday's New York Times magazine. It's written by Princeton bioethicist Peter Singer, and treats seriously the idea of building an ethics-based model of philanthropy. It's a great read.

Incidentally, Warren Buffet's approach towards estate planning is, to my mind, absolutely perfect:
Buffet says he believes in giving his children “enough so they feel they could do anything, but not so much that they could do nothing.” That means, in his judgment, “a few hundred thousand” each.

He says "a few hundred thousand" flippantly, but that's because he's a billionaire. The point, I think, is to let his children pursue their own goals, but not to obviate the necessity of pursuing something. Exactly what I'd like for my own children, in the event of their existence.