back to article Carlos Slim is world's richest man, Bill Gates now number two

Mexican telecoms bazillionaire Carlos Slim is the world's richest man, pushing Bill Gates into second place. Gates has been at or near the top of the Forbes Rich List for most of the last 15 years - he retook the top spot from uber-investor Warren Buffett last year, despite retiring and starting to give away his massive …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Adrian Jooste
    Thumb Down

    And...

    ...the rich get richer.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Gates Halo

    Poor old Bill

    Does this mean we're allowed to like Bill since he'll now be sitting outside Kings Cross with an old rug, a mangy dog, one hand held out speculatively, the other holding a can of special brew?

  3. GilbertFilbert
    Gates Horns

    Which is worse?

    Ecclestone is on the same list as Zuckerberg OR Zuckerberg is on the same list as Ecclestone

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Inbreeding pays

    #29 Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor - inherited wealh

    The first British citizen, er, sorry, subject to *not* have inherited wealth comes in at #98.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Gates Halo

      Could you define inherited wealth?

      I mean Gates' parents were millionaires, but he's now worth $53Bn.

      Or was Grovesnor JUST inherited wealth or maybe $10M here and there on top of his Billions from good investments, that sort of thing?

      Angel Gates because a glance at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has absolutely nowhere that you can donate money- so it's not just a money-grabbing trick but a genuinely good organisation.

      Well done that Bill!

  5. MinionZero
    WTF?

    What a world...

    Ok so now we have 70 people with over $10 billion each (in some cases far more than $10B) plus over 900 more people with $1B or more.

    Yet on the other hand almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.

    So much for morality or empathy in a world that allows such horrific inequality. For a start, I wonder how many this year will die from their poverty.

    Its getting out of all proportion. Millionaires is one thing but now we have dozens of multi-billionaires.

    I wonder what future historians will make of that level of world inequality. Current world distribution of resources is so far from fair its jaw dropping.

    Ok so we have 1000 billionaires and 3000000000 in poverty. So thats 1000 vs 3000000000 in which case, I would like to take each of these billionaires in turn and put them in a huge stadium surrounded by 3 million people living in poverty and then let the billionaires explain why the world is so insanely unfairly setup, just for the benefit of such an incredibly small number of people at the expense of the vast majority of the human race.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Title

      And here we see yet another person that shouts off without understanding how this all works.

      Allow me to explain:

      If we have here a person with $40 billion fortune you could argue that they should give all that money away to the world's poor. The problem there is that for most people almost none of that money will consist of cash in hand but is instead shares in companies or physical assets such as property.

      Great you could say, sell it all and give the money away. The problem here is that in order for this to happen you need to find one or more people with, between them, about $40 billion cash in hand to buy them. At which point you have to ask why you're even bothering with the billionaire, why not just get those people that actually have the cash to give it to charity instead? Afterall it's not like they need the money if they can spend it on things that wont feed them like shares.

      The fact of the matter is that someone has to own these companies and properties and that 'money' is now tied down and cannot be used. What is more important is what they do with the profits from that investment. Mr Gates, for example, puts a lot of it into his charitable foundation. You could argue that those that spend it on luxuries like super yachts are evil, but the thing you must remember here is that the money spent on them doesn't disappear, it all goes to paying people eventually, some of these may need it to satisfy basic needs, others might again spend it on luxuries, at which point another round of people get paid.

      I could go on and on, but I'll stop. Just please actually think about things before 'speaking' in future.

      1. MinionZero
        Big Brother

        @AC : 11th March 2010 22:51 GMT

        Anonymous Coward, the depth of your ignorance is astounding. You've got it stuck in your head its about give all the money to the poor and then you go off into an endless straw man argument berating your initial fundamentally flawed premise.

        To compound your error, you show you are completely ignorant about political power. To you its not even about power, its simply about counting money like some kind of exercise in apportioning money. You show you don't even have a clue how people use power *against* other people.

        To use your own words, "Just please actually think about things before 'speaking' in future." ... because it is you Anonymous Coward, who doesn't "understanding how this all works". Try reading my post below, i.e. http://forums.theregister.co.uk/post/714634 ... then come back when you have a clue about how some people use power against others. Then imagine a world where each country suffers an endlessly forming hierarchy of power, constructed and maintained over generations by laws designed by Narcissists and used by Narcissists to trap everyone into the tyranny of these same kind of Narcissists throughout the world and throughout history. A hierarchy of power where Narcissists have a competitive advantage to fight to get high up the hierarchy of power, so Narcissists naturally form the majority of the higher parts of the hierarchy of power. Narcissists have a relentless desire to gain power over others and Narcissists are fearful of anyone else ever gaining power over them, so they endlessly fight, bully, lie and manipulate to increase their power over others and worse still the Narcissists even think themselves as wonderful for being so good at what they think is winning over trusting fools with their lies. So over time the Narcissists power over everyone else gets ever worse. Until society finally can take no more and has to fight to reset the Narcissists level of power over others. Then the Narcissists battle repeats again where they form another hierarchy of power with them all infighting to get as high up in power as they can and so the vicious circle repeats. Every few generations throughout history suffering the extremes of the Narcissists until the Narcissists can be brought to justice every few generations, then it repeats again, where a few generations forget the dangers and don't believe the dangers then their ignorance of the attitudes of Narcissists allows the Narcissists to abuse society ever more, until it gets so extreme that no one can any longer fail to see just how harmful the excesses of the Narcissists is getting, but by then its to late to stop the harm the Narcissists cause everyone else. So its a fight to bring them to justice and reset their level of power over others. Is it any wonder why we are sliding into a Big Brother Police State because its what the Narcissists want.

        Do you finally start to get it? The human race is trapped in an endless battle with a minority of society who have a Narcissistic Personality Disorder and this minority is relentless and very quick to be ruthless.

        Frankly its narrow minded morons like you Anonymous Coward, who act like a drag factor on every attempt to speak out, to finally get this world changed for the better.

        1. rciafardone
          Stop

          Dont waste time...

          This is the endless moronic communist agument: "Some people is rich because they take away from the poor". It will never end, no matter hjow much suffering and poverty socialist goverments caused (i mean the real marxist breeds like Cuba, China, N. Korea, Venezuela, ect, ect, not the current european socialist parties).

          1. asdf
            Flame

            to step in the horsesh_t

            Actually I have found it is the middle manager 100k/yr. white wasp suburban republican ahole suit types that defend the system more passionately than the super rich. I guess its the same concept as the house slave (little better off than field slave and will do anything to keep it so).

    2. Magnus_Pym

      It is fair ... honest

      Slim obviously works a billion times harder than the average Mexican tenant farmer. Probably puts in a fourteen million hour day in the office.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Down

      @MinionZero

      You really don't have a clue do you.

      IF you could let the poor feed or clothe themselves with the bricks and mortar of buildings, or share certificates, then you would have a point. But you can't - so you don't. SOMEBODY (or lots of people) will OWN company assets. You say that having one person own it is somehow immoral - how so. OK let's assume Bill G sells his shares and houses..who does he sell them to? Would you then go after THAT person (or people) - do you see the problem! The only was is to destroy the wealth which, helps nobody.

      THINK before you write.

  6. Idiots _Quotient
    Alien

    Once upon a Time .........

    They said that.........................&............Also This......................... That

    the $UN Never $ets in the British Empire .................................

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Shouldn't that read

    Carlos Slim, world's fattest cat!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Condoms ?

    "So much for morality or empathy in a world that allows such horrific inequality. For a start, I wonder how many this year will die from their poverty"

    If you handed each of those dirt-poor people a dollar they would be encouraged to have yet another kid, in addition to those nine they already have. And in less than ten years time the problem would be even bigger. As a matter of fact, in third-world countries there is an equillibrium of food supply and population. As long as culture does not change, this will persist. More or less money makes zero difference.

    A good start would be to distribute condoms and when/IF they actually worked it would make sense to pour in money. Money alone will only make for a much bigger problem.

    It was not different here in Europe until ca. 1920, btw.

    1. Matt Bradley
      Flame

      Education

      Condoms maybe, Education, yes. Education requires money: not just to build schools and pay teachers, but a road infrastructure which allows children to get to school, and an economy which allows children to go to school, rather than working to keep their families afloat. Unequal distribution of wealth makes raising these standards impossible.

      Ideed it was like that in Europe until ca. 1920 - but the change started because of social, cultural reform, and also the efforts of rich factory owners such as Robert Owen and Titus Salt who changed the distribution of wealth, education and living standards in their communities.

      Blaming the poor for their problems is a cheap get-out. I guess the homeless would only go spend it on booze too, right? Weak.

      1. MinionZero
        Big Brother

        A crash course lesson in Money and Power ...

        @"third-world countries there is an equilibrium of food supply and population"

        Just because the food exists it doesn't mean the people get the food!. You have totally ignored the corruption in these countries that means the food is kept in short supply!. You have also overlooked the desperate quality of life they are forced to live because of the corruption where death of children is commonplace. Also a large percentage of aid even gets stolen and ends up being sold to the people, yet again because of corruption. The rampant corruption is why its not improving.

        Birthrate is used as condescending propaganda to blind us from the real reasons life is so bloody difficult in these countries, which is corruption and its why life is so bloody difficult in every country.

        The reason corruption exists at all in any country is yet again the power hungry Narcissists. Narcissists lack empathy towards others and are utterly self centered. Also Narcissists have a competitive advantage in gaining power over others, as they are so two faced and manipulative. Narcissists as in Narcissistic Personality Disorder. They will also tell you anything to distract you from seeing their real goals. Worse still they even consider themselves better and smarter than other people, because their lies win over people. Ultimately Narcissists want power and they will do and say more or less whatever it takes to get power. They are utterly manipulative two faced scum bags.

        Narcissists want power, i.e. money is power over people who need money to live. Even food is power over people who need food to live. Power is controlling how people live. We are back to the problems caused by the minority who personally gain from having power over the vast majority of people. The same minority who want Big Brother technology, yet again because they want power over people.

        The world is geared towards the wishes of the minority in power over everyone else (because these control freaks in power make the rules) and by everyone else, I don't just mean 3rd world countries I mean you, me, everyone else. Thats what the morons who voted my other post down fail to see. They just see the propaganda thats used to distract them from seeing how such a minority of the population have the vast majority of the resources and they never have enough money and power. They are forever fighting for more.

        The Narcissists in power decide the laws that everyone must live by and for generations this arrogant minority have made the rules so every society in the world is by now, totally geared towards what the rich and powerful want and what they want is ever more money and power. Get it yet? Its why elections don't solve these problems because you just replace one lot of power hungry control freaks with another lot of control freaks and they all want control. They all want power over others. Hence why we are rapidly descending into an Orwellian world where they want Big Brother technology.

        Until everyone learns to recognize the behavior and desires of the Narcissists we will never break free of their control and all the time we fail to break free they will continue to construct ever more ways to control us all. Orwell tried to warn us about them yet we still suffer some who fail to understand. The desire that is creating Big Brother isn't about technology its about the psychology of the people in power who want Big Brother because they want power and they want the personal gain they get from having such power.

        Its no surprise the rich list is filled with people who have some control over their industries. Again there is that need for power and control. If you control something people need or desire you will become incredibly rich and Narcissists seek to control, so is it any wonder that they become incredibly rich and powerful. Is it therefore any wonder the Narcissists seek to control resources. Just look at the oil industry, we even fight wars to control these resources. So countries go to war and people die so the rich and powerful can control the resources. All wars are ultimately fought over who wants to be in control and Narcissists seek to be in control.

        But then people are a resource as well, so is it any wonder Narcissists also get rich and powerful controlling people.

        Remember what George Orwell said about the true nature of power and then compare that to the arrogant greed and lack of empathy of Narcissists.

        1. Goat Jam
          Thumb Up

          @MinionZero

          If you haven't already read this, you might want to take a look.

          http://rossco.org/HumanNature.pdf

          1. Magnus_Pym

            Human Nature PDF

            Don't bother.

  9. Paul Smith

    Old News

    This headline should have the word AGAIN tagged onto it. Slim, Gates and Buffet have been the top three for years, simply changing places now and again.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Big Brother

    yet no one from the Bilderburg group shows up

    There are some problems with your post.

    The post is required, and must contain letters.

  11. Ned Fowden

    the thing about rich lists

    they never say how much they actually have in cash, it's almost all virtual money .. shares, that could be worthless tomorrow

    it's all bollocks !

    1. David S

      ...and yet...

      ...they'd still manage to be fabulously wealthy and smug, somehow.

  12. Laie Techie

    Charity

    Bill Gates could have still been on top if he didn't donate so much to his Bill and Mellisa Gates Foundation.

    Also, I wonder how much is in stocks. Remember Black Wednesday when Bill lost $40B when the stock market crashed?

  13. This post has been deleted by its author

  14. Daniel B.

    Oh dear.

    Every time I make a phone call, Slim's pockets get richer. At least he does have some social programs, but it seems most of the top rich people have them as well.

  15. Rex Alfie Lee
    Pirate

    Steve's in 33rd possie...

    He must be humiliated. Perhaps his little monkey-dance didn't get him the recognition he so deserves, or perhaps it did. Monkey-boy with no money. Oh, well he's got a few billion left it would seem. Perhaps he should buy himself a Google Nexus & find out what's going on in the world.

  16. Mark 65

    Can't help but wonder

    Can't help but wonder whether the 3rd world country dude's wealth is a bit like that of all the Russian oligarchs - we're constantly told about how rich they are and then suddenly it doesn't exist.

  17. Ed Gould
    Flame

    Gates's Billions

    I do not care for any person who got wealthy through one item, be it software, telecom or some other one shot deal. It sounds like Gates & Slim's and a few others are 1 invention rich people. There will no people in the succeeding generations that (presumably) will be able to match the wealth and or ideas of their fathers. I am sure in 50 years all of these super rich people will be dead and long forgotten, Why should we care? We shouldn't.

    The Gates foundation will soon be out of money and not really doing anything to help the world.

    And do not fool yourself Gate's wife will be one of these rich later that once a month gets out a checkbook and says here is 10,000 and to someone else the same thing, That is still being done by rich women all over the country.

    Good for them They can spend their money as they see fit.

    1. asdf
      FAIL

      not quite

      Was following your post until you said the Gates foundation will run out of money. Considering Andrew Carnegie's foundation is still around a century later and Gates probably has even more initially in his foundation (even adjusted for inflation) its not hard seeing this fund being around for a very long time. It is not all that hard to beat inflation with investments especially with that much money so it may well become largely self perpetual.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Makes sense

    Bill Gates has always been a number two in my books.

    /Mines the one with the toilet roll in the pocket.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like