[NYTr] Bill Gates Amerika's richest for 14th year in a row

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

[Proving once again H.L. Mencken was right-on, in spades, when he said:
"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the
American public."  

Point and click! Drag and Drop!  -NYTr]

Reuters - Sep 20, 2007
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2041143920070920

Bill Gates America's richest for 14th year in a row

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft founder Bill Gates is the richest person
in America for the 14th year in a row, followed by investor Warren
Buffett, according to Forbes magazine's latest list of the wealthiest
Americans.

The pair's fortunes each grew by $6 billion in the past year, Forbes
said on Thursday, with Gates' fortune $59 billion and Buffett $52
billion.

Buffett has pledged 85 percent of his net worth to the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation and family charities.

Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson ($28 billion), head of Las Vegas Sands
Corp, and software tycoon Larry Ellison ($26 billion), chief executive
of Oracle Corp, remain at No. 3 and No. 4 on the 25th annual ranking of
400 rich Americans, which now requires a minimum net worth of $1.3
billion for inclusion.

"The collective net worth of those listed on the 400 this year rose $290
billion to $1.54 trillion," Forbes said. "Despite market jitters, nearly
half of the 45 new members come from hedge fund and private equity
investments."

For the first time since 1989 there are no members of the Walton family,
descendants of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. founder Sam Walton, in the top 10.
Four members -- Jim, Christy, Robson and Alice -- slipped to 12th and
15th place.

The Waltons were displaced by Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry
Page, who came in at No. 5 with fortunes of $18.5 billion, and brothers
Charles and David Koch, who run Koch Industries, the world's second
largest private company, and are each valued at $17 billion, earning
them 9th place.

Investor Kirk Kerkorian was the biggest gainer on the list, his fortune
rising by more than $9 billion in the past year to $18 billion. He
debuted in the top 10 at No. 7 -- up from No. 26 last year.

Michael Dell, chief executive of Dell Inc, the world's second-largest PC
maker, was No. 8 on the list with a fortune of $17.2 billion.

Of the top 400 richest Americans, Forbes said 270 were entirely
self-made, 74 inherited their wealth and 39 are women. There were 82
American billionaires who did not make the list.

The youngest member, and new to the list, is 33-year-old hedge fund
manager John Arnold, who came in at No. 317 with a $1.5 billion wealth,
while the oldest is 98-year-old John Simplot, valued at $3.6 billion and
No. 214 on the list.

) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved.