Bill Gates Comes in at No. 2 on Forbes Rich List

[tonydu]

[citation][nom]RobinPanties[/nom]First of all, smart large corporations and intelligent rich people use tax attorneys instead of accountants, ... numbskulls like you don't get to find out about their private financial details, ... NOTHING is risk free... attempts to maximize gains and hedge losses. It's not quite as 'evil' as you make it sound, because they do it within the limits of the law. I[/citation]

I was referring to the Big Five Accounting firm providing advice. They call themselves an accounting firm, so I did the same. And do you think that no other executives are involved with these executives? That is not true, so other know about these things. Ownership in offshore companies is often shared, so not everything is as secret as they might hope. Offshore companies are sometimes used as "distributors" of Chinese goods to US corporations. That means that they set price to US companies to minimize US profit and keep profit offshore for the executives and investors who hold those offshore companies. That is a sure thing, at only a cost to customers and taxpayers. This is not the "optimistic American dream", it is a system created of, by, and for the wealthy. This is the very opposite of opportunity, it destroys our society while using the education, transportation, and legal system that was created by the very society being destroyed -- and then we praise Bill for returning a portion of the booty.

 

[Guest]

the idiot above who thinks that Microsoft uses offshore accounts should consult a doctor. I can bet my life that he has absolutely no idea of Microsoft's accounts. I will pay him $10 million if he can prove that.

Secondly Bil Gates don't need a PR stunt as mentioned above, He is not working for Microsoft, He ain't singer or actor. Anyone who suggests that this is a big PR stunt is a fool.

People who complain about the way Bill made money are LOSERS who never managed to fulfill even a single dream. Stop crying about how he made the money. He is not the first one to monopolizing the market neither he'll be the last so just Shut Up.

 

[falchard]

Economically speaking, the best thing a billionaire can do for a country with his wealth is spend it selfishly. It generates a higher GDP and greater growth then sending it to a charity. Giving your money to a government body is the most innefficient method towards increasing a countries wealth as proven throughout the last century.

Take Mexico and South East Asia for instance. In the last decade Mexico's poverty level has been cut in half. It has one of the lowest unemployment levels in the world. It imports nearly as much from the US as it exports to the US, and it has climbed the ranks as one of the wealthiest nations. In this time there has been a growth in private markets. Then you look at the most capitalist countries in the World, Singapore and Hong Kong. They were the first to rebound from the 2008 economic crysis, and have the largest GDP growth in the world. Unlike other wealthy countries, the wealth is split more evenly despite a very capitalistic approach to wealth distribution.

 

[falchard]

Also billionaires tend to buy a greater percentage of domestic products and services then people who are less affluent. When that money is instead being spent on charity, the bulk of that goes to foriegn countries where it is often lost.

 

[tonydu]

[citation][nom]Max Summers[/nom]...Bill Gates don't need a PR stunt ...anyone who suggests that this is a big PR stunt is a fool...Stop crying about how he made the money. He is not the first one to monopolizing the market neither he'll be the last so just Shut Up.[/citation]

Bill does need a PR stunt. Back in the mid-1980's when Bill was becoming very rich he was quoted numerous times as saying that he want to be involved in any charity, and that he is only a businessman. This went on for years. Finally, a group of public investors got together and started selling Microsoft stock. Now they got his attention. Suddenly, Bill's story changed, and his PR machine started to work on painting him as a philanthropist, even if billions of his charity were tied to geographic locations where Microsoft planned to invest.

So Bill learned that there is a business cost to appearing to be a robber baron. He understands this. Apparently, the public doesn't.

 

[SteelCity1981]

[citation][nom]molo9000[/nom]Gold doesn't pay interest.[/citation]

Really? So investing your money in gold focused mutual funds isn't going to pay out interest. Yeah i can see you spend a lot of time in the gold exchange markets.........

 

[AMD_pitbull]

I'm so glad so many people seem to follow things well on here. Bill is out of MS, and in with power now: the gold mine of the future. He's spending money to make money. Where's the problem? He has ideas that got him to where he is, he protects himself and his net worth best he can, I say more power to him. If any of you had the chance to do what he did, I doubt even HALF the people in this forum would've done it as well. He's a good business man, he donates money, and he's a family man which. His family hasn't ever said anything negative about him, not even small jabs, that's a good sign. I'd love to meet the man, if for no other reason, to say good job.

Now, for you people complaining that he has too much money? Go come up with ideas that can bring you up to his level. Stop wasting time trying to bring others down so you can feel better and move on with your life. Please. That's probably my biggest pet peeve. I have a saying: Perfection is all improvement accomplished. You know what that means? Better yourself. Education, skills, w/e it takes. If you better yourself every day, you can become the best version of you that you can be. Which, in most eyes, is perfect. ALL of us have room for improvement. Go try it sometime, you might like the end results. /endrant

 

[vir_cotto]

[citation][nom]marraco[/nom]That's a joke. Nobody is richer than the owners of the Federal Reserve. That do not belongs to the government. It's private, and their owners are far, far, far richer than Gates, Slim and all of the top 100 joined.Watch this, and open your eyes:http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXt1cayx0hs[/citation]


That is very interesting very long though be sure you have some time if you are going to watch it.

Our Federal reserve is able to act independently of our government, scary we need to get rid of it.

 

[Nightskeeter]

1,200 people accounting 4.5 trillion? holy shit batman. I can't even imagine how many STATES of people in the U.S. added together can't even come CLOSE to that amount of money. That's sad in a way that they have enough money *Almost* to put a huge dent on all these serious health issues and heath research, well, Least Bill gates is a "Nice man" he donates. no idea how many others do, but obviously they could give away ALOT more than that.

I could live a GREAT life with shit, with 1 million maybe 2 million in the state of Kansas for the rest of my life, and probibly never ever ever have to work.

 

[Guest]

ok as good mexican, i can make a point here:

First Bill Gates doesn't own that much money from Microsoft Only...i think 55% of his fortune is from several investments in other things and the 45% from MS.

Bill Gates donates to charity millons...Billions of dolars as does many others...bill gates is richer than many...but with a good heart...i mean how many of you truly will give 1/2 of your money.

on the other hand,Carlos Slim: He bought Telmex, the 1º telephony company in mexico, he buyed it from the goverment in late 80's i think 1990 it's the right year :S... he owns Telmex + Telcel. Telmex for telephones and isp. And Telecel for movil communications (cellphones) truly his monopoly, he owns i think close to 200 companys in mexico & the world... some of those are:

Carso Group(President) a part of the next companies:
Condumex (Electronic Cables),
Nacobre (Distribution of products made of Aluminium, Copper and PVC),
Porcelanite (ceramic floors),
Calinda Hotel's
Frisco (Railways and mining)
Cigatam (Tobacco)
Sanborns (Shops)

And Owner of this:
CICSA(infrastructure and construction)
Telmex Telephony
Telnor ISP (a division of Telmex ISP)
Eidon Software Solution
Comertel Argos (another division of telmex they supply equipment and things like that to telmex)
Red Uno (an isp from colombia...they introduced telmex there too)
Uninet (Guess waht...another ISP)
Sanborns shop & restaurant
América Móvil Telefonía Cell Phones
Sears Roebuck (yeap...Sears Mexico)
Saks Fifth Avenue Concesión in México
Telcel Telefonía móvil Cell Phones
Dorian's (same as sears...but with another name :S)
IDEAL (Driving the Development and Employment in Latin America)
Inbursa Grupo financiero (a Bank)
Compusa (was the owner now it's an shareholder)
Volaris (an airline)
Mixup Record Store

The next one is gonna make say WTF:
Apple Inc. Possible successor to Steve Jobs on Apple's presidency (shareholder)

Technological University of Mexico UNITEC (Landlord and property developer via IDEAL)

and do you guy know whats the only charity i know form all the enterprises of this man? trough Telmex if you are a worker the give you a netbook for your children.

we have a phrase here on mexico: No pasa dia sin que carlos slim no le robe a todos los mexicanos...that its traduced to: No day passes without Carlos Slim does not steal all Mexicans.

of course, i only pay to him trough my cellphone because...i got a diferent service provider (telmex give you for 120 dollars 100 "unlimited calls" internet speed up to 4mb (most zones 1mb & 2mb its a luxury) and a dish converter with 25-35 channels.

my services provider for 60 bucks at month give me unlimited local call ver very cheap long distance call (as cheap as skype realy) i got 2 modems one for my brothers at 2.5mb and my own modem its at 14mb oh and +160 channels on 3 tvs ...oh and since the forbes list came up he was sued by 25 companys (my services provider is on that list xD) for practicing monopolic actions.

i hope they win and slim loses becuase if he do, the services are gonna be wayyy cheaper and better and of course more...competitive...like u guys does with verzion at&t and others...oh did i mention that telmex provides the structure to at&t in this country to operate as telephony provider? and that the at&t ISP (alestra) it's virtually and physically the same as telmex. They just say "alestra good afternoon" instead of "telmex good afternoon", when they pick up the phone

any way sorry for my terrible english i don't know if this is understandable for everybody.

 

[11796pcs]

Bill Gates I'm sure doesn't care at all about this stuff. If he did, he wouldn't be giving away money like it's going out of style.

 

[mayankleoboy1]

$60 billion is just a number. cant imagine that much money

 

[eddieroolz]

The difference of 1st place and 2nd place is just "bleh" for most of us lol.