Comments on: Visualizing the net worth of the world's richest people http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 18 May 2013 14:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Rick Adams http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1638096 Rick Adams Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1638096 Yeah, I guess when you think about it, even poor old Zuckerberg could only keep a $10,000-a-day habit going for a paltry eighteen-thousand years. (If he stopped making money entirely that is.) Yeah, I guess when you think about it, even poor old Zuckerberg could only keep a $10,000-a-day habit going for a paltry eighteen-thousand years. (If he stopped making money entirely that is.)

]]> By: eviladrian http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636985 eviladrian Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636985 Yeah, apparently asking someone to give away something they already have but don't need is unfair.  Telling someone they can't have something they do need but haven't been able to get before is totally ok though! Yeah, apparently asking someone to give away something they already have but don’t need is unfair.  Telling someone they can’t have something they do need but haven’t been able to get before is totally ok though!

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636960 Antinous / Moderator Thu, 24 Jan 2013 23:46:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636960 A thousand dollars a day? That's a not-quite-top-tier hooker and no blow, dude. A thousand dollars a day? That’s a not-quite-top-tier hooker and no blow, dude.

]]> By: Cowicide http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636733 Cowicide Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636733 Megalomania seems to have no cure.  Once these scumbags get it, they never really lose it. Megalomania seems to have no cure.  Once these scumbags get it, they never really lose it.

]]> By: Rick Adams http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636655 Rick Adams Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636655 When I was a kid my mother used to tell me that if you have a million dollars, and you spend a thousand dollars-a-day, you'd run out of money in three years. If you have a billion however, and you spend a thousand-a-day, it will take you almost three thousand years. Obviously it's a little off but I always think of that whenever I'm reading about billionaires. Many of these people could spend one-thousand-dollars-a-day for a longer period of time than humans have existed. When I was a kid my mother used to tell me that if you have a million dollars, and you spend a thousand dollars-a-day, you’d run out of money in three years. If you have a billion however, and you spend a thousand-a-day, it will take you almost three thousand years.

Obviously it’s a little off but I always think of that whenever I’m reading about billionaires.

Many of these people could spend one-thousand-dollars-a-day for a longer period of time than humans have existed.

]]> By: Aaron Gilliland http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636572 Aaron Gilliland Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636572 What does this have to do with information design?  What information are we meant to glean from cartoon heads that we will not get from names?   What does this have to do with information design?  What information are we meant to glean from cartoon heads that we will not get from names?  

]]> By: wysinwyg http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636557 wysinwyg Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636557  Heh, working in software gives me the opposite -- having seen what can go wrong with even the most trivial interventions into a piece of production software I have more of a "nothing ever works except by accident" mentality. My impression of Gates is a little different from yours.  It seems to me that with the amount of money he has he could approach some smaller problems and <em>solve them outright</em> instead of straining at really big ones. Though on second thought that approach is consistent with Microsoft philosophy -- never take responsibility for a problem you could actually solve.  Heh, working in software gives me the opposite — having seen what can go wrong with even the most trivial interventions into a piece of production software I have more of a “nothing ever works except by accident” mentality.

My impression of Gates is a little different from yours.  It seems to me that with the amount of money he has he could approach some smaller problems and solve them outright instead of straining at really big ones.

Though on second thought that approach is consistent with Microsoft philosophy — never take responsibility for a problem you could actually solve.

]]> By: GyroMagician http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636550 GyroMagician Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636550 This is what I was thinking about. The incredible things that are possible with that amount of cash. Immediately. Or would be possible, if the richest 100 weren't so concerned about their position on a stupid, meaningless list. This is what I was thinking about. The incredible things that are possible with that amount of cash. Immediately. Or would be possible, if the richest 100 weren’t so concerned about their position on a stupid, meaningless list.

]]> By: ChickieD http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636498 ChickieD Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636498 As someone who has worked in the software biz, there's a certain kind of "any problem can be solved" mentality that you get when you work in this field. Its one of the reasons I won't go into programming - I work with programmers, I can program, but I won't actually program for a living - because coding all day makes you see everything as a problem to be solved. I, personally, end up being hyper rational in my day to day life when I program a lot. So, I avoid it because I don't like being like that all the time and I can't turn it off when I leave work. I am already like that a lot. People don't really cozy up to someone so cooly rational; you seem like you are ignoring their feelings and over-thinking everything. I think that Gates is looking at these big, seemingly insolvable issues and saying, if we were to take a programmer's approach and we were to have enough money to try a bunch of ideas out, we could solve these problems. As someone who has worked in the software biz, there’s a certain kind of “any problem can be solved” mentality that you get when you work in this field. Its one of the reasons I won’t go into programming – I work with programmers, I can program, but I won’t actually program for a living – because coding all day makes you see everything as a problem to be solved. I, personally, end up being hyper rational in my day to day life when I program a lot. So, I avoid it because I don’t like being like that all the time and I can’t turn it off when I leave work. I am already like that a lot. People don’t really cozy up to someone so cooly rational; you seem like you are ignoring their feelings and over-thinking everything.

I think that Gates is looking at these big, seemingly insolvable issues and saying, if we were to take a programmer’s approach and we were to have enough money to try a bunch of ideas out, we could solve these problems.

]]> By: Navin_Johnson http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636476 Navin_Johnson Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636476 <i>According to the report, the combined income of the world's 100 richest persons in 2012 — roughly $240 billion — would be enough to end global poverty four times over. With the wealthiest 1% having seen a 60 percent earnings increase in the last 20 years despite major international financial crises, Oxfam calls for a "Global New Deal" that would curb this trend through measures such as comprehensive employment laws and closing tax havens.</i> <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/ittlist/entry/14467/100_richest_people_could_end_poverty_oxfam/" rel="nofollow">100 Richest People Could End Poverty, Says Oxfam Report</a> According to the report, the combined income of the world’s 100 richest persons in 2012 — roughly $240 billion — would be enough to end global poverty four times over. With the wealthiest 1% having seen a 60 percent earnings increase in the last 20 years despite major international financial crises, Oxfam calls for a “Global New Deal” that would curb this trend through measures such as comprehensive employment laws and closing tax havens.

100 Richest People Could End Poverty, Says Oxfam Report

]]> By: Navin_Johnson http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636470 Navin_Johnson Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636470 And trying to privatize public schools, promote vouchers, break public unions, and demonize teachers in conjunction with their friend up there Alice Walton, but yeah the other genuinely charitable stuff The Gate's do is pretty good at obscuring some of their more weaselly activities. Can't really say much about Buffet. He seems pretty benign, and maybe genuinely wants to do some kind of good, which for an American oligarch is like being a saint. Also, it's funny that with the exception (maybe) of Buffet that every American oligarch up there is VERY active in trying to corrupt, and undermine democracy in order to extract even more wealth from Americans. *edit*. Despite being BFF's with Larry Summers, and loads of political giving, I guess Ellison is pretty harmless, at least in comparison to the others in this rogue's gallery. And trying to privatize public schools, promote vouchers, break public unions, and demonize teachers in conjunction with their friend up there Alice Walton, but yeah the other genuinely charitable stuff The Gate’s do is pretty good at obscuring some of their more weaselly activities.

Can’t really say much about Buffet. He seems pretty benign, and maybe genuinely wants to do some kind of good, which for an American oligarch is like being a saint.

Also, it’s funny that with the exception (maybe) of Buffet that every American oligarch up there is VERY active in trying to corrupt, and undermine democracy in order to extract even more wealth from Americans.

*edit*. Despite being BFF’s with Larry Summers, and loads of political giving, I guess Ellison is pretty harmless, at least in comparison to the others in this rogue’s gallery.

]]> By: Nylund http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636393 Nylund Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636393 I was wondering about Putin as well.  I think the answer is "shhhh, he doesn't officially own/control those things." I was wondering about Putin as well.  I think the answer is “shhhh, he doesn’t officially own/control those things.”

]]> By: wysinwyg http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636301 wysinwyg Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636301 Do you think Gates' and Buffet's charitable and borderline populist pronouncements are pure PR?  I'm not trying to say it's obvious one way or the other, I'm honestly curious what other people think.  In some ways I'd rather Gates spent his money counteracting the Kochs' cultural influence but it's hard to argue with AIDS relief for Africa. Do you think Gates’ and Buffet’s charitable and borderline populist pronouncements are pure PR?  I’m not trying to say it’s obvious one way or the other, I’m honestly curious what other people think.  In some ways I’d rather Gates spent his money counteracting the Kochs’ cultural influence but it’s hard to argue with AIDS relief for Africa.

]]> By: wysinwyg http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636294 wysinwyg Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636294 Real answer: they would never go to the bank.  They would call their accountant, the accountant would trade in the least promising $5 million in investment assets owned by that person, and someone else would drive it directly to their door -- or wherever else they might want it to go. Edit: Actually, they would probably tell their personal assistants to call their accountants. Real answer: they would never go to the bank.  They would call their accountant, the accountant would trade in the least promising $5 million in investment assets owned by that person, and someone else would drive it directly to their door — or wherever else they might want it to go.

Edit: Actually, they would probably tell their personal assistants to call their accountants.

]]> By: Benjamin Palmer http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636223 Benjamin Palmer Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636223 It seems this only has the top 100 billionaires in the world. #100 has 10.7billion, so Oprah's ~3billion doesn't crack the list. So no self-made female billionaires in the top 100 of the world. It seems this only has the top 100 billionaires in the world. #100 has 10.7billion, so Oprah’s ~3billion doesn’t crack the list. So no self-made female billionaires in the top 100 of the world.

]]> By: Benjamin Palmer http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636189 Benjamin Palmer Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636189 Oh good I wasn't the only one who noticed and wondered that. He should be ~20th on the overall list if the wikipedia number is correct.  Oh good I wasn’t the only one who noticed and wondered that. He should be ~20th on the overall list if the wikipedia number is correct. 

]]> By: welcomeabored http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636188 welcomeabored Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636188 Most of those billionaries are white.  Some are brown and some are olive-skinned.  Yet all are depicted as a whiter shade of pale.  As usual, the 'news' does not like to muck up their stories with inconvenient facts. Most of those billionaries are white.  Some are brown and some are olive-skinned.  Yet all are depicted as a whiter shade of pale.  As usual, the ‘news’ does not like to muck up their stories with inconvenient facts.

]]> By: TheMudshark http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636172 TheMudshark Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636172 I now know there is a billionaire named Ka-Shing. I now know there is a billionaire named Ka-Shing.

]]> By: TRex http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636152 TRex Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636152 Where is Putin? And for sure the House of Saud is not adequately represented here. Where is Putin? And for sure the House of Saud is not adequately represented here.

]]> By: Noctilucent Studios http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636148 Noctilucent Studios Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636148 Real question. What would happen if one of them went to the bank and asked to make a withdrawal of, let's say, $5 million. How long would it take for the cash to be delivered and how would they do it? Real question. What would happen if one of them went to the bank and asked to make a withdrawal of, let’s say, $5 million. How long would it take for the cash to be delivered and how would they do it?

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636143 Boundegar Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636143 Why wait until it's too late? Why wait until it’s too late?

]]> By: EvilTerran http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636136 EvilTerran Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636136 Or a menu! Or a menu!

]]> By: GyroMagician http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636111 GyroMagician Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636111 A list of people who could really make a difference, but choose personal wealth instead. Depressing. What a broken world we live in. A list of people who could really make a difference, but choose personal wealth instead. Depressing. What a broken world we live in.

]]> By: oasisob1 http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636108 oasisob1 Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636108 Why couldn't they manage to find photos of everyone? Google image search turns up dozens of photos, many useable. And these aren't even photos anyway, just little cartoons. Fire the artist for falling behind? Why couldn’t they manage to find photos of everyone? Google image search turns up dozens of photos, many useable. And these aren’t even photos anyway, just little cartoons. Fire the artist for falling behind?

]]> By: rocketpjs http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636074 rocketpjs Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636074 Consider it a to-do list if they do manage to lead us into some from of climate or other apocalypse.   Consider it a to-do list if they do manage to lead us into some from of climate or other apocalypse.  

]]> By: Conan Librarian http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636075 Conan Librarian Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636075 oh, my tea is done!  oh, my tea is done! 

]]> By: SovereignEntity http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636051 SovereignEntity Thu, 24 Jan 2013 06:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636051 There are no "Self-made" Billionaire Women according to the filter. Try harder Oprah! There are no “Self-made” Billionaire Women according to the filter.
Try harder Oprah!

]]> By: Lexicat http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636018 Lexicat Thu, 24 Jan 2013 04:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636018 Very white. Very white.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636010 Antinous / Moderator Thu, 24 Jan 2013 04:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636010 Ssssssssssh. Ssssssssssh.

]]> By: Jake0748 http://boingboing.net/2013/01/23/visualizing-the-net-worth-of-t.html#comment-1636004 Jake0748 Thu, 24 Jan 2013 04:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=207923#comment-1636004 Gaaahhh!! Cheesy cartoon faces of world oligarchs.  Not what I need right now.  :P Gaaahhh!! Cheesy cartoon faces of world oligarchs.  Not what I need right now.  :P

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