Top Ten Richest People In The World

Looking over our list of the top ten richest people in the world, a few similarities jump out. Perhaps by looking at these similarities, we can create some kind of formula for how to get rich in the modern world. The main criterion seems to be that one has to be male - sadly, there is not a woman in the bunch. The other two secret ingredients for wealth are, in no particular order, working for Microsoft and/or being an oil baron. Oh, so that's all! Go out, become a high-ranking executive at Microsoft, buy a bunch of oil wells, and you'll be in the money. Please keep in mind that these numbers, while insanely high, can rise and fall with incredible ease, so these figures are accurate as of February 9, 2000.

Age: 34 Nationality: American Marital Status: Married Children: 4 Education: U. Texas Worth: $16.5 Billion

Just barely squeaking in at number ten is the youngest of all of our billionaires, the young pup who founded Dell Computers. Mike dropped out of U. Texas at 19, put up his BMW to get a business loan, and started selling people PCs by mail order. The day his former classmates were graduating, his sales had already hit $70 million a year. Today, of course, he sells $2 million a day, and the company revenues are about $7.8 billion a year. He has passed IBM in annual sales, and is closing in on industry leader Compaq. The bastard.

Age: 59 Nationality: American Marital Status: Married Children: 3 Education: Kansas Worth: $16.5 Billion

Phil is the kind of guy whose father was a rich oil billionaire, but decided he didn't like the family business. Phil preferred real estate and railroads, and he still made a bundle. Rather than just being born lucky (although we're sure that didn't hurt), Anschutz is a savvy businessman. He has interests in fiber optics companies such as Qwest Communications International, LA sporting interests, huge cattle ranches in Wyoming, and lots of downtown Denver real estate interests. But let's face it: the biggest chunk was inherited.

The man's money is in oil, investments, property, and the sweat of his people. And this is just what's left over since we kicked Saddam Hussein out of the neighborhood. Imagine the filthy stinkin' riches that he had prior to the burning of thousands of his oil wells. This is why we recommend Microsoft or oil baron as the best way to becoming a billionaire. You're born, you inherit oil fields, you live the easy life in the Middle East… you just can't beat it.

Age: 43 Nationality: American Marital Status: Married Children: 2 Education: Stanford and Harvard Worth: $19.5 Billion

The first of the Microsoft Billionaires on our list, Steve actually lived down the hall from Bill Gates at Harvard, and is now the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mr. Bill's little venture. Many revere/blame him for the supposed monopoly Microsoft Corp. now holds, because of his tenacity and amazing business know-how.

He joined the company in 1980 and has held a number of positions, starting as Bill's personal towel boy, and leading up to VP of Sales and Support before becoming the Prez in '98. Ballmer was appointed CEO of Microsoft on January 13, 2000. Not a bad little gig.

Sheikh Zayed's home country of Abu Dhabi has grown over the last half century into one of the richest in the United Arab Emirates. Educated by local clerics and later by wandering Bedouin tribesmen in the desert, the Sheikh's defining achievement has been the management of supply and distribution of water. This is an important thing in the desert, so you can imagine he is quite popular there.

All of his money is in oil, investments, vast property, and the sweat of his people. And water. For the love of God, don't forget the water.

Age: 77 Nationality: Saudi Arabian Marital Status: Married Children: 1 Worth: $28 Billion Born in Riyadh in 1923, the King has spent his life on one diplomatic mission after another. He has also held such posts as Minister of Education, Minister of the Interior, and, of course, the King. He was present at the signing of the United Nations Charter in 1945, the coronation of Queen Liz the second in 1953, and a meeting with Richard Nixon in the U.S. in 1974 (taped recordings of this meeting still exist to this day, but no one knows where).

He came to power in 1982, and all of his money is in oil, investments, property, and the sweat of his people (sound familiar?). All because of the great defining factor of birth. Yes, birth and dumb luck. Ya gotta love it.

Age: 53 Nationality: Bruneian Marital Status: Married Children: 10 Education: Sandhurst Royal Military Academy Worth: $30 Billion

The 29th Sultan of Brunei was educated in his early years by tutors and private institutions before winging his way north to Britain. There, he entered Sandhurst Royal Military Academy as an officer cadet. The training seems to have paid off, as he is now Sultan and Ruler of Brunei, as well as Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Finance Minister, Religious Figurehead, and Grand High Poobah. All elected offices. Kidding! This guy can go to the bathroom and still have a cabinet meeting.

All of his money is in, say it with me now, oil, gas, investments, and yes, the ever-popular sweat of his people. Especially that oil thing, which has made so many billionaires in the Middle East. The illustrious Sultan also has two wives and ten kids. So lets see… 6 jobs, 2 wives, 10 kids, 2 turtledoves, 1 dictatorship, and he's an avid polo player. So much accomplished, and a mere 53 years old.

Age: 46 Nationality: American Marital Status: Single Children: 0 Education: WSU dropout Worth: $30 Billion

Another Microsoft billionaire, Paul Allen is the buddy who dropped out with Bill Gates to build the software company that now holds a monopolistic stranglehold on the world. Paul dropped out of Microsoft some time ago to spend his time privately investing his money and sipping piña coladas, but he still holds a stake in the company. His current baby is Vulcan Ventures, with which he pursues his dream of a "wired world" by buying up cable operators and other technology-related companies.

It's not all boring tech stuff, though. Paul was also smart enough to invest in sports teams like the Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Seahawks. Single guy, 30 billion, owns a couple sports teams, knows Bill Gates personally… poor baby.

Age: 68 Nationality: American Marital Status: Married Children: 3 Education: Columbia Worth: $36 Billion

A distant second, Warren Buffet also has a quarter century on Mr. Gates, so he's had lots of time to build up his not-too-shabby cache of $36 billion. Frankly, we don't know what he's been doing with his time… apart from heading up investment conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, that is. Warren took over 30 years ago, and the company has averaged a 25% annual rate of return since.

Strangely enough, Buffet's investment style is conservative, leaning more to the long-term buy. Warren owns about 40 percent of the company, and at over $47,000 a share, it will be a while before anyone buys him out. Much better to try to get in at Microsoft, or strike oil, where you don't need money up front.

Age: 43 Nationality: American Martial Status: Married Children: 2 Education: Harvard dropout Worth: $90 Billion

We should all just face the fact that Bill Gates will one day rule the world. By the time Windows 2015 comes out, all will fear Bill's wrath. But you gotta admit that it doesn't look like it went to his head; the richest human on Earth, and he has the dorkiest haircut money could buy.

The son of a lawyer father and teacher mother, Gates dropped out of preschool to devote all of his time to inventing Microsoft with chum Paul Allen, then just 3 years old. After drooling all over the HVAC tubes, Bill decided to go back to school for a few more years, eventually dropping out of Harvard University to work on Microsoft.

The rest, as they all too frequently say, is history. Microsoft became this huge international corporate behemoth, and is currently fighting off anti-trust investigations and accusations that it holds a monopoly. When Bill rules the world, he's going to come down and fire those federal court judges with extreme prejudice. They'll never work on his planet again!

Gates relinquished his role as President of Microsoft in 1998, and as CEO on January 13, 2000; both posts are now held by Steve Ballmer. However, Bill remains Chairman and "chief software architect" of the company, as well as its largest shareholder. So they still let him come to board meetings.

Mr. Bill once gave $17 Billion to charity, which makes Ted Turner's paltry offering of $1 billion to the UN look like chump change. He's also written a couple of books and is heavily invested in biotechnology and cellular and satellite technology. Investors, call your brokers.

British, Russians and Chinese seek controlling interest in global energy sources.

Who would be rich from HIGHER foreign prices? Stockholders/investors etc.

Who continously prevents US atomic plants/domestic oil exploration/extraction? Dims.

Yet it must be Bush's fault. Ff--150, you need to discover oil on your spread ;o)

"British, Russians and Chinese seek controlling interest in global energy sources."

Certainly. However, maestro has nailed it that the British are more or less controlling these high prices through refining--there's a piece missing to this puzzle, linked to BP??????

"Who would be rich from HIGHER foreign prices? Stockholders/investors etc."

That's a big 10-4, goodbuddy. It ain't goin' down short term.

"Who continously prevents US atomic plants/domestic oil exploration/extraction? Dims."

Uh-oh! 4CJ is catching on :-)

"Yet it must be Bush's fault. Ff--150, you need to discover oil on your spread ;o)"

Tuesday, Silverwoman1 and me will be sleeping on the largest natural gas pocket in the world [hope it doesn't leak=-(]. Have a nice view with a small ranch a mile off and three gas wells, with pipelines big enought to walk through bent over.

It is Bush's fault--he's 50 miles away.

In 1976, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to devote full attention to his start-up venture. Bill Gates and Paul Allen signed a partnership agreement in 1977 and by year end Microsoft had nine employees in its Albuquerque office. Microsoft began 1981 with 60 employees, all younger than age 40. The partnership also graduated to a privately held corporation during 1981. Microsoft did not go public until 1986, eleven years after formation. By 1998, Microsoft had revenues of $14+ billion and 27,000+ employees. Bill Gates still owns 18.50% of the stock, with a market value in excess of $75 billion.
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The tale of how Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft in Albuquerque in 1975 but had to move home to Seattle in 1979 when he could not get a bank loan to pay legal fees is sometimes viewed as the state's greatest missed opportunity, sometimes as a narrow escape.

Obviously refinement is the chokehold (and the source of the 'pucker' factor), absent real competition.

Once you drill I can say I knew you when! We've got enough natural gas and coal to fuel the country for centuries.

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