Bill Gates America's richest for 14th year in a row

Microsoft founder Bill Gates is the richest person in America for the 14th year in a row, followed by investor Warren Buffett, according to Forbes magazine's latest list of the wealthiest Americans.
The pair's fortunes each grew by $6 billion in the past year, Forbes said on Thursday, with Gates' fortune $59 billion and Buffett $52 billion.
Buffett has pledged 85 percent of his net worth to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and family charities.
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Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson ($28 billion), head of Las Vegas Sands, and software tycoon Larry Ellison ($26 billion), chief executive of Oracle, remain at No. 3 and No. 4 on the 25th annual ranking of 400 rich Americans, which now requires a minimum net worth of $1.3 billion for inclusion.
"The collective net worth of those listed on the 400 this year rose $290 billion to $1.54 trillion," Forbes said. "Despite market jitters, nearly half of the 45 new members come from hedge fund and private equity investments."
For the first time since 1989 there are no members of the Walton family, descendants of Wal-Mart Stores founder Sam Walton, in the top 10. Four members -- Jim, Christy, Robson and Alice -- slipped to 12th and 15th place.
The Waltons were displaced by Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, who came in at No. 5 with fortunes of $18.5 billion, and brothers Charles and David Koch, who run Koch Industries, the world's second largest private company, and are each valued at $17 billion, earning them 9th place.
Investor Kirk Kerkorian was the biggest gainer on the list, his fortune rising by more than $9 billion in the past year to $18 billion. He debuted in the top 10 at No. 7 -- up from No. 26 last year.
Michael Dell, chief executive of Dell, the world's second-largest PC maker, was No. 8 on the list with a fortune of $17.2 billion.
Of the top 400 richest Americans, Forbes said 270 were entirely self-made, 74 inherited their wealth and 39 are women. There were 82 American billionaires who did not make the list.
The youngest member, and new to the list, is 33-year-old hedge fund manager John Arnold, who came in at No. 317 with a $1.5 billion wealth, while the oldest is 98-year-old John Simplot, valued at $3.6 billion and No. 214 on the list.


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If you find this Forbes article of interest, you might also find the Forbes book, “All the Money in the World” of interest as well.

This book offers a more in-depth look at the top 400 and also what they do and more importantly what they “did”[/I] for that money.

Upon reading the book and doing some of my own research, I soon discovered Bill Gates, as well as many of the current and former members of the list appeared to have one trait in common. They demonstrate a high degree of sociopathic tendencies and behavior.

“All the Money in the World” is an interesting read however, upon learning more about what many on the list did to others and are currently doing to others (individually as well as globally) to make their wealth I find it disturbing.
Especially when you compare and contrast the historical business and personal practices of Bill Gates over the years to his rather recent conversion to social activism.
Is Billy Boy trying to buy his soul back from the devil? Makes one wonder.

Billy Boy is only one of many on the current list that has and do, shall I say, “dance on the dark side of morality and ethics.”

My question is, how far would you?
What would you be willing to do for “All the money in the world?”

“They have enormous drive and ambition but few qualms about how they accomplish their objectives.” http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent/documents/health/sociopathy.html


All The Money In The World
http://www.forbes.com/2007/09/14/all-money-world-biz-cx_pb_as_0914money_land.html

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