Thread: "I Wish I wans't The Richest Man In The World", Sa

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/artic ... 75,00.html
The Times May 05, 2006

I wish I wasn't the richest man in the world, says Bill Gates
By Joe Bolger

BILL GATES’S wealth may afford him one of the most valuable houses on the globe, ownership of some of the rarest books and audiences with the most powerful people on the planet, but the world’s richest man isn’t happy with his lot.

The Microsoft chairman and co-founder, said to be worth $50 billion (£27 billion), has revealed that he wants to drop the title. “I wish I wasn’t [the world’s richest man]”, he told an audience in Seattle.

“There is nothing good that comes out of that.”

The billionaire executive, just weeks after hosting a dinner at his home with Hu Jintao, the Chinese President, said that he disliked the attention his wealth attracted. “You get more visibility as a result of it,” he said.

Forbes magazine rates him as the world’s richest man ahead of Warren Buffett, the investment guru behind Berkshire Hathaway. Mr Gates said the billionaire investor had been a key influence in his life, pointing to his integrity and “very refreshing, simple way of looking at things”. Mr Buffett eschews the fancy cars, yachts and spacious mansions that his wealth could buy.

Mr Gates, meanwhile, has a 40,000 sq ft lakeside home in Washington state, said to include a private library, 18-hole miniature golf course, a cinema and 24 bathrooms. His collection of art and books includes the Codex Leicester, the writings of Leonardo da Vinci, bought for $30.8 million. Since stepping down from the day-to-day running of Microsoft five years ago, Mr Gates has focused on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, his philanthropical trust. He has committed to give away 95 per cent of his wealth before his death.

Economists have long debated whether there is a link between wealth and happiness. James Montier, an equity strategist at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, claimed this year that above £25,000 — a level at which people can cover basic costs of living — money becomes increasingly irrelevant to genuine happiness.

Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
I realise, of course, that it’s no shame to be poor.
But it’s no great honour either!
So, what would have been so terrible if
I had a small fortune?

Tevye, in Fiddler on the Roof

He need not worry as Mexican Carlos Slim Helu is gaining on him fast. Slim Helu is the owner of TelMex the Mexican telephone company which was privatized by the Mexican government under the PRI.

Slim Helu and his relatives originally Lebanese dry goods dealers owns a group of small to middle size industrial bsinesses and the largest stock brokerage firm. He is now a major player in telcom in Central America and Brazil.

TelMex which is a regulated utility inside Mexico makes most of it's money by the receipt of telephone calls from the United States. Slim Helu has been one of the loudest proponents of the granting of amnesty and creation of gustworker programs. Hardly suprising as he is the largest beneficiary of Mexican illegal immigration.

Bill Gates shame on you

Code:

The Microsoft chairman and co-founder, said to be worth $50 billion (�27 billion), has revealed that he wants to drop the title. �I wish I wasn�t [the world�s richest man]�, he told an audience in Seattle. 

�There is nothing good that comes out of that.�

Poor thing! Boo Hoo!