THE RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD

1. William H. Gates III

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.

So to get onto our list of the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Billionaires, you must: join Microsoft (preferably early on), be an oil baron, drop out of college, get married, have 3.1 kids, inherit lots of money, and bleed your people dry. Tell your friends!

2. Warren Edward Buffet

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.

3. Paul Gardner Allen

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.

4. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah

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.

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