Thursday Thirteen #8: 13 Richest Americans
I finally have my income taxes done. I am actually quite early this year as I am usually one of the April 15’ners standing in line at the post office making sure my envelope has the necessary date stamp. It is an oddity that I procrastinate filing my income taxes – you see I used to own two H & R Block franchises. So I am more than aware of the need to file early, especially since I have a refund! Yes, that’s right. I do not owe the IRS money, they owe me. The friends I have made, and they are the same people every year, while waiting in line at the post office all have a check enclosed in their envelope addressed to IRS. I guess I am doing my part in helping the government by allowing them to draw interest on my money. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Anyways, since my taxes are done and I have all this time on my hands, I got to thinking about the money I make working 9-5 all year. I wondered how my earnings compared to the wealthiest of the wealthy in America. A quick Google search revealed the Forbes 400 Richest Americans, and I can assure you, there is no comparison to be made between my pocket book and theirs. Pocket change is what my salary is to these disgustingly filthy rich people. What does one do with billions (with a B) of dollars? I guess I will never have this worry.
And for the record, do you know what a billion dollars looks like? Let’s put this into perspective, shall we. . .
And I didn’t even get to the “B”illion dollar picture! Like I said . . . disgustingly filthy rich! Oh well, I am sure their money brings many headaches and more taxes than mine. I hope you enjoy learning about the 13 Richest Americans.
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Thirteen Things about Cricket’s Hearth 13 Richest Americans 1. William Gates III – $59.0 billion- made his fortune from Microsoft – Harvard dropout 2. Warren Buffett – $52.0 billion – made his fortune from Berkshire Hathaway (property and casualty insurance) – Masters degree 3. Sheldon Adelson – $28.0 billion – made his fortune in hotels & casinos in Las Vegas – city college dropout 4. Lawrence Ellison – $26.0 billion – made his fortune in Oracle (computer software, technology)- college dropout 5. Sergey Brin and Larry Page – $18.5 billion each – made their fortunes in Google – both have Masters of Science 6. Kirk Kerkorian – $18.0 billion – made his fortune in investments of buying and selling hotels, resorts, airlines, MGM to name a few -high school graduate 7. Michael Dell – $17.2 billion – made his fortune in Dell computers – college dropout 8. Charles Koch and David Koch – $17.0 billion each – made their fortunes in oil, commodities – both have Masters of Science degrees 9. Paul Allen – $16.8 billion – made his fortune in Microsoft and other investments – college dropout – 54 yrs old & single, likes rock & roll music, gives to charities – hmmmm, better keep an eye on this one – nahhh, probably gay – I don’t know though, Gates didn’t get married until recently – what do you think girls??? 10. Christy Walton, Jim Walton, S Robson Walton – $16.3 billion each – made their fortunes the old fashioned way – inheritance! from none other WalMart 11. Alice Walton – $16.1 billion – she must be the black sheep of the family to have been cut out of $200 million from the WalMart dynasty 12. Steven Ballmer – $15.2 billion – made his fortune in Microsoft – another Microsoft dropout but this time from the Master’s program at Stanford 13. Abigail Johnson – $15.0 billion – made her fortune in the family business of Fidelity Investments, America’s largest mutual fund company. I should call her – I bet she could give me some advice on my pre-tax 401(k)! |
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Cricket's Hearth 
It’s hard for me even to imagine having those amounts of money…
Thanks for visiting my inspiring people TT!
Those are obscene amounts of money. I mean really who needs a billion dollars?
Interesting….. that’s a lot of moola!
I noticed that most are college dropouts, and the ones that are made computers. It’s probably, honestly, something to do with the way they think.
Interesting list, by the way. That is a lot of money. I’m not doing TT this week! Happy early Thursday! 🙂
That much money just boggles my mind! Great list!
TM
do they share?
That’s just sick.
Happy TT though 🙂
I agree with pjazzypar. After you reach a certain level of wealth,all you are doing is hoarding it. No one can spend that much money.
I was thinking of leaving my husband for Sergie Brin, but he keeps saying that if I go, he’s going with me. Sigh. 😉
You know what’s cool to me? #1 and #2 have donated almost all of their money to improve the world. The Google guys are building businesses to do the same – like creating a business to mine the UN data to solve health care issues (never done before!). They also have a charity. For the first time in the world’s history, the money is going for good – that’s cool.
It would be nice to have just a small amount of that. Do you think they would miss a million or so? 🙂
The graphic is amazing. You never think how much a Billion is. I would be interested to know what percentage of their incomes they give to charities….maybe next week………LOL
I can tell you that Larry treats his employees like crap. Or at least fosters a culture that encourages poor treatment of employees. Happy TT.
If I could convince just one of these that I am a worthy cause…
Someone just pointed me to this site http://www.globalrichlist.com/
We’re all richer than we think we are. Great list.
That kind of money will buy a lot at the dollar store. 😉
So in other words I pretty much wasted my graduate degree, huh? LOL
I so relate to your opening paragraph. It would behoove me to file early and get my refund … but I often procrastinate these days and even occasionally file for an extension! Now that’s foolish I know … but it’s the truth. Your ‘graphic’ certainly puts things in perspective and the list is informative.
Hugs and blessings,
You’ve given me my mantra for the day:
I’m not jealous – I’m not jealous – I’m not jealous …..
Obscene indeed, but fascinating nonetheless. Thanks.
i’m surprised jk rowling hasn’t made it there yet.
completely amazing list…I do NOT want the headache from that much money, but a little more WOULD help the headache I already have… Great T-13!
Since I do a blog called The Abundance Place, you can tell I plan to be on that list someday soon! (hey, positive thinking, you know?!)
Thanks for stopping by my TT-13.
Smiles,
Holly
http://theabundanceplace.com
It’s just not even possible to spend that much money. They should give some to me.
I agree…too much money for one person to have. There are entire countries who don’t have as much as some of these people.
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Good list! Can’t be mad at rich folk though — a lot of them have worked for their riches, no harm in that. Thank goodness we live in a country that allows us to work for such riches, at least for the time being, ha! More power to ’em! Interesting visuals of the moola! Happy TT!
My brain just can’t comprehend access to that amount of money. I don’t get how you can have a handful of people with so much and then have entire countries with so little. *Headshake*
Thanks for the visuals.
Happy TT
~X
What a fun list. I can only dream of that much money.
Good list. Did you ever read “The Millionaire Next Door”? It’s interesting and would fit with your list. Happy TT!
u shud come do a research in africa you’l be suprised at the number of super rich you’l find here!but chill out guyz at the end of the day peace of mind is all that counts!u have that…n your the happy a B or not!:-)