946 Billionaires in the World

[Marnie]

What could a Chinese dumpling maker and Mexican telecom mogul possibly have in common? They're among a record number of wealthy people who held the title of billionaire over the past year. The tally of billionaires around the globe reached a high of 946, their combined wealth growing 35 percent to $3.5 trillion, according to Forbes magazine's 2007 rankings of the world's richest people.

The rich cashed in on strong equity markets, real estate and commodity prices worldwide, according to Forbes billionaires co-editor Luisa Kroll.

"It's just been kind of an extraordinary year for markets worldwide," she said.

Leading the list are two men who manage to keep getting richer as they give more and more money away. Microsoft founder Bill Gates ranked No. 1 for the 13th straight year, beating out friend and fellow philanthropist Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRKA)

Gates's fortune rose $6 billion to $56 billion last year, while Buffett garnered in an additional $10 billion to boost his net worth to $52 billion.

Only five Americans ranked in the top 20, though they account for 44 percent of the overall list.

Breathing down Buffett's neck was Mexican telecom giant Carlos Slim Helu, who added $19 billion to his existing fortune, the largest one-year gain over the past decade. With $49 billion to his name, Helu was just $3 billion shy of the No. 2 spot.

Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) chairman Howard Schultz and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner joined the ranks of the world's richest for the first time, behind new faces Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, Canadian co-chiefs of Blackberry maker Research In Motion Ltd.

Self-made mogul Li Wei, founder of Synear Food Holding, made the list for the first time along with a dozen other Chinese newcomers. Her company, one of the country's largest producers of frozen food, including sweet and meat dumplings, is an official supplier to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

All bets were off for online gambling moguls Ruth Parasol, Russell DeLeon and Calvin Ayre, who dropped from the list after recent crackdowns limiting offshore gambling Web sites.

Bumped from the top 20 were the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) heirs, who saw their company's stock languish, and Michael Dell, founder of computer maker Dell Inc. (DELL) Losing billionaire status entirely was Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, the once-powerful Japanese industrialist who first topped the tally in 1987.

Japan surrendered its title as Asia's leading billionaire locale to India, which boasts 36 megarich on the list. Russia contributed 53 billionaires and now challenges Germany as home to the most billionaires outside the United States.

Among three Indians in the wealthiest top 20 are Mukesh and Anil Ambani, feuding brothers who got even richer after dividing their fortunes in 2005. Mukesh Ambani ranked 14th with a $20.1 billion fortune, while brother Anil came in four places lower at No. 18 with his $18.2 billion.

The methodology of the rankings remains similar to previous years, Kroll said. The magazine confirmed the worth of an individual's holdings in public companies by using the Feb. 9 closing stock price, and estimated the value of private companies by evaluating comparable public firms in the industry and by consulting with experts in the field.

AP

[Guest]

Oh! Oh!

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

I'm Rich! I'm Rich!

"And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads."

"And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelations 22:4-5)

Jesus is Mine and I'm His!

"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine."

"And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them." (John 17:9-10)

Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!

Glory! Glory! Glory!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Thank You Lord for saving my soul

Thank You Lord for making me whole

Thank You Lord for giving to me

Thy Great Salvation so rich and free

Amen!

Come Quickly Lord Jesus, Come Quickly!

Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!

Love, Joe

[Press Forward]

Proverbs 11:4 NIV

[Marnie]

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10

Uh huh. It ain't always a bad thing, prosperity. But, I mean, if you really don't want it, send it over here.

[Guest lnj]

And children still hunger and live in poverty.

[Guest Biblicist]

Holly Golightly ~ "Send me a list of the 50 richest men in Brazil. The 50 RICHEST!"

Holly Golightly: I'll tell you one thing, Fred, darling... I'd marry you for your money in a minute. Would you marry me for my money?

Paul Varjak: In a minute.

Holly Golightly: I guess it's pretty lucky neither of us is rich, huh?

Paul Varjak: Yeah.

Holly Golightly: "It's Rusty Trawler, the nineth richest man in America!"

[Marnie]

And children still hunger and live in poverty.

What does that have to do with billionaires?

[Marnie]

Holly Golightly ~ "Send me a list of the 50 richest men in Brazil. The 50 RICHEST!"

Holly Golightly: I'll tell you one thing, Fred, darling... I'd marry you for your money in a minute. Would you marry me for my money?

Paul Varjak: In a minute.

Holly Golightly: I guess it's pretty lucky neither of us is rich, huh?

Paul Varjak: Yeah.

Holly Golightly: "It's Rusty Trawler, the nineth richest man in America!"

Help me. What am I missing here??

[Guest Biblicist]

Breakfast at Tiffanys!

[Marnie]

Breakfast at Tiffanys!