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The world's top billionaires 2013

Mexico's Carlos Slim Helú holds on to the title of world's richest man for the fourth consecutive year, according to the latest ranking of billionaires by Forbes.

By Luisa Kroll and Kerry Dolan, Forbes

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sickofhollywood
Mar 4, 2013 9:49AM
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Why are people so jealous of those who have more than them? Many regular people from everyday families have made it rich, one example is the founders of Apple. Some people take a idea and make it into something great like Apple and Microsoft and others just spend every penny plus some they don't have like using credits to buy the latest gadget then blame everyone else for their problems. The so called American Blue Bloods invested in railroads, electricity and telephones and other things that changed our lives. Instead of being jealous of those who have do your best to make it your savings better. I know 3 regular grocery store cashiers that instead of spending their bonus checks on the latest gadget put the money in company stock and retired early as millionaires! Am I jealous? NO, I am using their example to make my life and children's better someday.....jealousl​y can destroy a part of you.
Dale Lilly
Mar 4, 2013 10:33AM
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That is very interesting.  Yes, that's news!!  I am glad for them.  I am especially pleased that Slim, Gates, Buffet and others give great sums of money to worthy causes.  May they be blessed.  However, I would not want to trade places with them.  Until I lost my first wife of 58 years we lived comfortably on about $35,000 a year.  Our home was/is paid for and is  comfortable on 3/4 of an acre.  We own boats, cars and all the things we need.  I am remarried and now we make a bit more money and live quite comfortably.  We owe not one red cent to anyone and we don't worry about what's happening to our 'portfolio' [have none].  Unless the country collapses, we will be able to continue our carefree lifestyle until we join others of our 'clan' in eternity.  Is it essential to have lots of money?  No! No! No!  It is essential to adjust your wants/needs to what you have... and to share some of it with those less fortunate.  We have given away a motor home, a home in small town America, and a tithe to our church.  We are blessed!  Probably you are also if you quit focusing on what you want and enjoy, now, what you have.  May God bless you... and our wonderful United States of America. 
NDLaxMan
Mar 4, 2013 10:14AM
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Folks, get used to it. The USA of the 50s, 60s & 70s is dead and will not return, no matter how optimistic we are.  The American dream is dead and the our "empire" is dying just like great Roman Empire did. The gap between the rich and the poor grows greater every year. The rich get richer and the poorer have to deal with less & less.  There's a sad future ahead for this once great nation. Corporate America is in love with China and India where the future of markets are infinitely greater.  The only thing left in America is our resources and guess who owns them? Our time has come and gone.  If we haven't destroyed the planet by 2050, the USA will be no more than a third world country.  History repeats itself.

realitycheck303
Mar 4, 2013 10:15AM
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My concern with the government today is that they are causing the middle class to struggle.  The more the middle class struggles, the more the top 1% will grow.  Buy making it tough to own your own business you play into the hands of large corporations.  As we burden the small business owners down with higher costs to run their business we leave the door open for Big business to take over.  For every billionaire we create we knock 100 people into an even lower tax bracket. Not to mention 1000 employees into minimum wage. Help the entrepreneurs survive!
demonslayar194
Mar 4, 2013 9:04AM
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These guys are poor compared tot he foundation families. But every so often you guys are told to show the Buffets of the world so that we don't concentrate on the Morgans, Rothschilds and other blue blood vipers that control the resources of this planet. And who control our lives and futures. 
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. lol But no worries, most people don't and won't get it no matter how much  it is mentioned.
Jim in LaQuinta
Mar 4, 2013 10:07AM
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I Like Rich People..  I never Worked for a Poor Man. !
ZEEBART
Mar 4, 2013 10:37AM
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just looked something up most of the billionaires  are liberal  democrats. also out of the 10 riches in  congress 7 are democrats 3 republicans so who is protecting  who
dustyeagle
Mar 4, 2013 10:22AM
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I will be the first person to stand up and say that I am happy for the guy next to me that does better than me. I also know there is so much corruption in this world that no common Joe will ever break through that wall of conspiring wealthy organizations that control the world. They will always find targets and labels to divert the working class away from finding out the truths about how they control this world to get what THEY need to stay IN CONTROL of the WHOLE WORLD. A few examples: Drug distribution, Porn, Music, Oil, these are all examples of how they distribute commodities to keep us occupied and spending our hard earned money, while they carry on with their plans of corruption.
Norman Allen (Norman1234)
Mar 4, 2013 10:44AM
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What percentage of their income is taxed?  How much benefits they get from government indirectly protecting their assets: police (protecting their real assets and persons), military (protecting their markets and expanding them), the legislature (finding them tax loopholes and their tax breaks), executive (creating broad policies in their favor and using the might of the US government to protect and expand their markets at any cost, even going to wars), judiciary (ruling their favor when disputes are with any commoner)?  
memyselfandI317
Mar 4, 2013 10:35AM
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Nobody is jealous of these people "sick of hollywood" I don't know where you get that but that is far from the truth. What people are sick of is politicians being bought by people and using the words "freedom,liberty,Ame​rican dream,and others" as a method to justify what it is that they are doing. The truth is that we don't live in a democracy anymore. A democracy is supposed to be for the people by the majority of people and unless your bank account has a lot of commas you are not one of them. This country is ran by the elites for the elites and until people see that we are a lost hope. Many people like to use the word "free market" but really have no knowledge of what that means. If people read Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations they will see we fall way short of that. The gap between the rich and poor continues to grow at a vast rate and people think that is ok because after all the rich work hard for it. Let me put it to you to like this....what is the best way to get ahead in this world? My opinion is an education. What is the biggest problem that plagues this country...yes that is right a decent pre college education. We rank among the last as a superpower. Isn't that an issue. There is a education gap in this country. You can't expect two people to finish a race with only one of them wearing shoes(education are the shoes).

MarcusW-NY
Mar 4, 2013 10:40AM
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It isn't these individuals' wealth per se that puts many ordinary people at unease. It's not that the ultra-rich can live a life of luxury and opulence. Ordinary people know of no such things and know not, want not. What unnerves ordinary people is the undue influence and sway on their democratic government ultra-wealthy individuals have. When there is such great concentration of wealth (and consequently power), it undermines democracy. Take a few lessons from the history books.  
jprhedd
Mar 4, 2013 10:04AM
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Have to admit my favorite is Tory Burch who made her billions by making an old fashioned shoe and then passing it off as innovative. Anyone who pays $200 for a $5 shoe from the old Woolworths deserves what they get. Kudos to her. At least she won't be killing women's feet like the "fashionable" stilettos that women stagger around on.
sncknbrg
Mar 4, 2013 10:13AM
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They are all too fat to get through the eye of a needle.
David McElroy (David McElroy)
Mar 4, 2013 11:11AM
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The most truly and ruthlessly wealthy never appear on these lists because they have a long multi-generational history of concealing their assets under various corporate shells and foundations, and the power to command the editors and researchers that they are not to be investigated or listed. The list fails to note a few incredibly powerful oligarchs who command TRILLIONS of dollars in wealth, people with names like Rothschild, Rockefeller, and Windsor. You might recall how David Rockefeller claims to own nothing!
myblackdaddy1
Mar 4, 2013 10:17AM
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Not to worry, under the new Socialist movement coming out of DC we will all be equal someday. Take from the wealth and give to the poor. That is becoming the American way of life. And since they want to take our guns there will be little we can do to prevent a hostile takeover by the Socialist Elite.
Richard-NC
Mar 4, 2013 10:51AM
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I bet the Saudi princes are worth more than any of these guys and gal.
ZEEBART
Mar 4, 2013 10:06AM
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tell old BEN to keep pumping money into the market.  the only ones  benefitting from it are the wealthy  example buffet when  bank of america stocks were going threw the  bottom  he bought 5 million  at 3 something not  sure  next day it was up 2.00 a share  not bad  money for  one  day  so who is controlling the  market it sure is not the people in 401k  yes  most are even  or at least those who stayed in  but  if i was you  get  out  because there is no  money  or  gold to cover  this.  its all on  paper  and would you play poker with someone who keeps writing IOUs.

DAN BYRNE (DOWNTOWNDAN1)
Mar 4, 2013 9:34AM
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i agree pay no attention to the man behind the curtian
victimofpain
Mar 4, 2013 12:30PM
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" sick of hollywood" misses the point on so many fronts it's hard to know where to begin. Jealousy is a personality trait of everyone to a certain degree. To what degree it manifest's itself is a complicated issue best left for the analyst's couch. SOH's unconditional defense of the rich or super rich ignores the fact the many of "our" captains of industry have reached their lofty status by any and all means necessary. i.e.: Bill Gate's lifting of the programming/software​ model developed at great taxpayer expense by the military. The trail of broken and destroyed lives by the "american bluebloods" is horrific. i.e.: The pittston coal miners strike is another example. Sadly the old adage about working hard and getting ahead has become somewhat of a myth as witnessed by the millions of "working poor" who are doing 2 or 3 jobs and still not able to make ends meet. Bonus checks for cashiers who  are often paid minimum wage being substantial  enough to invest in a publicly traded company and later retiring millionaires ? Great story but I don't think so. 
floyd473
Mar 4, 2013 10:17AM
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well  its  just  that  warren  buffet  is   a  net jets   co--sucker......he  has no  intention  of  paying  more  in  taxes... he  just  wants  "other  people  to  pay  more in  taxes
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