BajaNomad

Guess Who? The Man Everyone Loves to Hate

Bajahowodd - 3-10-2010 at 04:37 PM

According to Forbes, there is a new "World's richest Man"

Gates no longer world's richest man

Mexico's Carlos Slim Helú takes the No. 1 spot on Forbes' annual list of billionaires as the number of 10-figure titans swells to more than a thousand.


For the third time in three years, the world has a new richest man.

Riding surging prices of his telecom holdings, including giant mobile outfit América Móvil (AMX, news, msgs), Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helú has beaten out Americans Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to become the wealthiest person on the planet and nab the top spot on the 2010 Forbes list of the world's billionaires.


Carlos Slim Helú
Slim's fortune has swelled to an estimated $53.5 billion, up $18.5 billion in 12 months. Shares of América Móvil, of which Slim owns a $23 billion stake, were up 35% in the period.

That massive pile of scratch puts him ahead of Gates, the Microsoft (MSFT, news, msgs) co-founder who had held the title of world's richest for 14 of the previous 15 years. (Microsoft is the publisher of MSN Money.)

Gates, now worth $53 billion, is ranked second in the world. He is up $13 billion from a year ago, as shares of Microsoft rose 50% in 12 months. Gates' holdings in his personal investment vehicle, Cascade Investments, also soared with the rest of the markets.


The Oracle of Omaha shrewdly invested $5 billion in Goldman Sachs (GS, news, msgs) and $3 billion in General Electric (GE, news, msgs) during the 2008 market collapse. His company also recently acquired railroad giant Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26 billion.

Last month, in his annual shareholder letter, Buffett wrote: "We've put a lot of money to work during the chaos of the last two years. When it's raining gold, reach for a bucket, not a thimble."
Forbes: World's wealthiest people
Go to CNBC
Many plutocrats did just that. Indeed, last year's wealth wasteland has become a billionaire bonanza. Most of the richest people on the planet have seen their fortunes soar in the past year.

This year, the world's billionaires have an average net worth of $3.5 billion, up $500 million in 12 months. The world now has 1,011 10-figure titans, up from 793 a year ago but still shy of the record 1,125 in 2008. Of the billionaires on last year's list, only 12% saw their fortunes decline.

U.S. billionaires still dominate the ranks, but their grip is slipping. Americans account for 40% of the world's billionaires, down from 45% a year ago.


The U.S. commands 38% of the collective $3.6 trillion net worth of the world's richest, down from 44% a year ago.

Of the 97 new billionaires on the list, only 16% are from the U.S. By contrast, Asia made big gains, adding 104 moguls. The region now has just 14 fewer billionaires than Europe, thanks to several large public offerings and swelling stock markets.

Among the new billionaires are American Isaac Perlmutter, who flipped Marvel Entertainment (MVL, news, msgs) to Disney (DIS, news, msgs) for $4 billion in December. The "Spider-Man" mogul netted nearly $900 million in cash and 20 million Disney shares in the transaction.

C

DENNIS - 3-10-2010 at 04:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
That massive pile of scratch puts him ahead of Gates, the Microsoft (MSFT, news, msgs) co-founder who had held the title of world's richest for 14 of the previous 15 years.


Slim has been there before and it was within 15 years. Perhaps not for a full year , but for a quarter, anyway.

Debra - 3-10-2010 at 05:08 PM

He's the guy that was in Bahia last summer (if not since) in his huge yatch crusing for land to buy.

BajaWarrior - 3-10-2010 at 05:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Debra
He's the guy that was in Bahia last summer (if not since) in his huge yatch crusing for land to buy.


He'll probably buy all of Baja and throw away the spots he doesn't want...

This is why

wessongroup - 3-10-2010 at 05:18 PM



[Edited on 3-11-2010 by wessongroup]

Bajahowodd - 3-10-2010 at 05:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaWarrior
Quote:
Originally posted by Debra
He's the guy that was in Bahia last summer (if not since) in his huge yatch crusing for land to buy.


He'll probably buy all of Baja and throw away the spots he doesn't want...



I actually feel a bit nostalgic about your post, in that way back in the 19th century, Mexico offered Baja to the US as part of what has become known as the Gadsden Purchase which consisted of land that finalized the Southwest border. The US passed. In addition to Baja, what today represents most of Sonora was also included. Just think of what Baja would look like today had the US acquired it. No cheap retirement for so many!

Santiago - 3-10-2010 at 05:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wessongroup


[Edited on 3-11-2010 by wessongroup]


OK - it's clear that the VP has been photo-shopped in, but I wonder who the guy is to the left of Joe? Top half of his face is in the shadows. And if you look really, really carefully, you can see other people in the shadows that look disturbingly Frenchy. Roth-something, Roth-something -- oh yeah - Rothlisberger, that's it! Did I guess it gnukid?

Bajahowodd - 3-10-2010 at 05:47 PM

I was thinking T-Bone Burnett.

BajaRat - 3-10-2010 at 09:34 PM

No! Parish the thought. They would never do that!
World for sale...Do I here 500, 550....going once.

Gadsden

MrBillM - 3-10-2010 at 10:31 PM

What I've read said that the Baja Purchase was one of the various U.S. proposals that Santa Anna rejected rather than the other way around. Congress wouldn't have approved it anyway at the price.

No matter. It didn't happen and that's probably for the best.

Carlos Slim Now World's Richest Man

tjBill - 3-11-2010 at 11:48 AM

Forbes Magazine released its 2010 Billionaire list yesterday, and its no surprise that Mexican Carlos Slim is now the world's richest at $53.5 billion.

http://www.forbes.com/

Santiago - 3-11-2010 at 03:03 PM

Shouldn't it be pronounced "Sleem" and not "Slim"?

Bajahowodd - 3-11-2010 at 03:05 PM

That's the Lebanese pronunciation. :lol:

mtgoat666 - 3-11-2010 at 03:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Guess Who? The Man Everyone Loves to Hate


Who says he is hated?

I think he is interesting, can't say much else about him.

I did note that in 2009 he teamed with world wildlife federation and others to put up $100M US for conservation efforts in Mexico. So maybe he is a tree hugger, which explains Nomad hatred of him?

Woooosh - 3-11-2010 at 03:55 PM

I do think he charges Mexicans too much for landlines. More than four times the USA for basic service. He even gets a fee for every incoming and outgoing cell call to a land-line That adds up fast- on the backs of poor Mexicans. Yeah, I know he has other companies- so why not cut Mexicans some slack.

Does this number take into account philanthropy? I know Gates and Buffet teamed up to give away most all their fortunes for the better of the world? Slim does that also- but no one matches the world-changing efforts of Buffet and Gates.

DENNIS - 3-11-2010 at 04:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Woooosh

Slim does that also- but no one matches the world-changing efforts of Buffet and Gates.


If he does, it's not because he wants to. Charity isn't his thing.

Bajahowodd - 3-11-2010 at 04:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mtgoat666
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Guess Who? The Man Everyone Loves to Hate


Who says he is hated?

I think he is interesting, can't say much else about him.

I did note that in 2009 he teamed with world wildlife federation and others to put up $100M US for conservation efforts in Mexico. So maybe he is a tree hugger, which explains Nomad hatred of him?


I only used that for a title because I've observed so many folks griping about him. Personally, I have a great deal of admiration for him. He was not born into any significant amount of money. His parents were merchants, emigrants from Lebanon. He drove a cab in Mexico city as a youth. And I do think that folks should research his charitable foundations before cursing him. To curse someone just because you think your phone bill is too high does him a disservice.

That said, be it Bill gates, Warren Buffet or Carlos Slim Helu, when one acquires such an amount of riches, if there is not a major effort to invest in eliminating hunger, poverty and pain, then Al Diablo!

DENNIS - 3-11-2010 at 04:43 PM

For those who arn't really sure who Slim is:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0JQP/is_368/ai_n61435...

Bajahowodd - 3-11-2010 at 05:33 PM

Hey Dennis. That article was like 6 years old. Did he ever hook up with Rudy? Gawd!

bajalou - 3-11-2010 at 05:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Woooosh
I do think he charges Mexicans too much for landlines. More than four times the USA for basic service. He even gets a fee for every incoming and outgoing cell call to a land-line That adds up fast- on the backs of poor Mexicans.


Don't know where you get these figures, but I have a land line in San Felipe that costs 156 pesos a month plus tax. That's about $12 US. I pay for calls after the first 100 which are free. I think about 1.5 pesos per call after 100.

A land line in T or C, New Mexico where I have a home is $34.99 a month (includes 100 min long dist.) plus tax.

My internet from Telnor costs 129 pesos per month, or about $10 US. It is not very fast, but I cannot get ANY internet dsl service for anywhere near this cost.

DENNIS - 3-11-2010 at 06:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Hey Dennis. That article was like 6 years old. Did he ever hook up with Rudy? Gawd!


Jeeeezo.....The basics don't change. Besides, It wasn't a book report. :biggrin:

tjBill - 3-11-2010 at 06:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalou
Quote:
Originally posted by Woooosh
I do think he charges Mexicans too much for landlines. More than four times the USA for basic service. He even gets a fee for every incoming and outgoing cell call to a land-line That adds up fast- on the backs of poor Mexicans.


Don't know where you get these figures, but I have a land line in San Felipe that costs 156 pesos a month plus tax. That's about $12 US. I pay for calls after the first 100 which are free. I think about 1.5 pesos per call after 100.

A land line in T or C, New Mexico where I have a home is $34.99 a month (includes 100 min long dist.) plus tax.

My internet from Telnor costs 129 pesos per month, or about $10 US. It is not very fast, but I cannot get ANY internet dsl service for anywhere near this cost.


When I had a land line last year in Tijuana it came to about 230 pesos a month for basic service including taxes and fees.

Now I exclusively use a telcel phone and spend about 100 pesos a month.

[Edited on 3-12-2010 by tjBill]

DENNIS - 3-11-2010 at 07:12 PM

My bill today is 379 Ps each month. Basic phone and 256 DSL. That's 30 bucks today. I keep the bill down by using Magic Jack.

flyfishinPam - 3-12-2010 at 05:53 AM

Denise Dresser talks about the Slim monopoly (its in English)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkVV3Ode3Ok