Forbes richest persons in the world

[von Mises]

Reading this list I found this;

Fidel Castro
Country/Title: Cuba/President
Estimated Worth: $110 million
Age: 76

Cuba's 76-year-old revolutionary doesn't advertise his opulent life. In public, at least, he dons fatigues and black combat boots. But he can afford better. We estimate that Castro has at least $110 million (roughly 10% of Cuba's GDP) at his disposal.

Well, everyone is equal but some are more equal than others.

[RedPirate]

He chooses to wear those clothes man, just like you choose to wear what want. Who cares if he has $110 Million... Lay off... and worry about you... NOt what he wears and someone else's money woes.

[von Mises]

Isn't it a bit surprising to find someone who claims to be a socialist owning $ 100 mln while his people are starving?

[deimos]

while his people are starving?
ppl are starving in capitalist latin american countries but not in cuba.

[von Mises]

I am sorry, they're just heavilly oppressed. Go and learn what liberalism really is.

[Som]

Oddly enough they say he has $110 million at his disposal.

A nice and vague choice of words they use. It doesn't mean he has $110 million in his personal bank account just sitting there, it could just as easily mean that he has the power to access and direct that wealth wherever he chooses, which could very easily be into the school system, health care, public services, or even just reserve money.

This can easily mean quite a lot of things. It's quite easy to manipulate things like 'at his disposal' into the concept of personal wealth.

[von Mises]

Well, since Cuba is technically bankrupt with a debt of around $ 32 billion, I think it is either in Switzerland or on the Cayman Isles

[Just Joe]

you've got liberalism mixed up with libertarianism, Von Mises.

[von Mises]

Well, just a more strict interpretation of the philosphy the latter is. But either calling latin american countries liberal, libertarian or capitalistic would give them too much credit.

[Spiteful]

Congratulations to all of them who appeared on the list. They've most likely worked very hard to earn that money.

[Anonymous]

Reading this list I found this;

Fidel Castro
Country/Title: Cuba/President
Estimated Worth: $110 million
Age: 76

Cuba's 76-year-old revolutionary doesn't advertise his opulent life. In public, at least, he dons fatigues and black combat boots. But he can afford better. We estimate that Castro has at least $110 million (roughly 10% of Cuba's GDP) at his disposal.

Well, everyone is equal but some are more equal than others.



Fidel doesnt have all that money...
fidel has the enough to live, just like all the other cubans, the politburo has that and more money, because it is the politburo that distributes the wealth amongst the people... in a very fair way let me say...

and one more thing, "Forbes" is not a credencial font...

(Edited by the anarchist at 12:42 am on Mar. 1, 2003)

[maxfish17]

Congratulations to all of them who appeared on the list. They've most likely worked very hard to earn that money.

Spiteful, I really hope that your joking. The vast majority of the rich got there via inheritance or ruthlessness. Many people work very hard. Sweatshop workers work very hard. CEOs may work very hard as well, but not a million times harder than sweatshop workers, and the poorest workers earn a few cents a day.

[Exploited Class]

Quote: from maxfish17 on 3:47 am on Mar. 1, 2003

Congratulations to all of them who appeared on the list. They've most likely worked very hard to earn that money.

Spiteful, I really hope that your joking. The vast majority of the rich got there via inheritance or ruthlessness. Many people work very hard. Sweatshop workers work very hard. CEOs may work very hard as well, but not a million times harder than sweatshop workers, and the poorest workers earn a few cents a day.

Man, you didn't just totally name off every description of the Walton family, who BTW rank up there above the Prince ruler of Saudia Arabia.

[von Mises]

Yes, very fair. Cuba's estimated GNP is $ 26 billion, so somewhere in the process something has gone wrong.

[Larissa]

Forbes!

No need to say more.

[Invader Zim]

Von Mises, how did you just bull shit that statistic, because i heard that Bill Gates was the richest person in the world followed by the sultan of Brunie.

[Larissa]

Quote: from AK47 on 10:11 am on Mar. 1, 2003
Von Mises, how did you just bull shit that statistic, because i heard that Bill Gates was the richest person in the world followed by the sultan of Brunie.

Oh, AK47, my dear comrade, if it's been published in Forbes magazine, then IT MUST be absolutely the ONLY RAL truth! Don't you know Forbes is Cappies' Bible?

Of course, Forbes needed to increase its sales this year so they had to publish something like that. :cool:

Honestly, I never thought there still existed people who read Forbes. But, well, there's a bunch of people who also read Vanity Fair, isn't it?

[Invader Zim]

Quote: from Larissa on 1:18 pm on Mar. 1, 2003

Quote: from AK47 on 10:11 am on Mar. 1, 2003
Von Mises, how did you just bull shit that statistic, because i heard that Bill Gates was the richest person in the world followed by the sultan of Brunie.

Oh, AK47, my dear comrade, if it's been published in Forbes magazine, then IT MUST be absolutely the ONLY RAL truth! Don't you know Forbes is Cappies' Bible?

Of course, Forbes needed to increase its sales this year so they had to publish something like that. :cool:

Honestly, I never thought there still existed people who read Forbes. But, well, there's a bunch of people who also read Vanity Fair, isn't it?

I do so apologise how could i have made such a mistake. You are entirely correct.

[Frank Quist]

So because the magazine says something you don't like it must be wrong? Very good way arguing method, I must say.

Because it is a 'capitalist' magazine it of course must be lying and publishing false things to get sales.


(Edited by Frank Quist at 1:39 pm on Mar. 1, 2003)

[Invader Zim]

Quote: from Frank Quist on 1:36 pm on Mar. 1, 2003
So because the magazine says something you don't like it must be wrong? Very good way arguing method, I must say.

Because it is a 'capitalist' magazine it of course must be lying and publishing false things to get sales.


(Edited by Frank Quist at 1:39 pm on Mar. 1, 2003)


Well enlighten me with your skilled technique of arguing.

[革命者]

it's just that everytime the Forbes ppl think someone is a dictator and he publically states what his country's government does own... (i think only Castro did this.., i don't read Forbes.) he himself owns the money, and of course("who doesn't?" would the Forbes cappies, say) uses it for own gain!!

(Edit in: and he uses it to backup his expenditures.)

(Edited by Scotty at 3:46 pm on Mar. 1, 2003)

[morkyboy]

Another example that communism just doesn't work. The leaders get richer while the people stay poor and evenbecome poorer.

Som said:

"Oddly enough they say he has $110 million at his disposal.

A nice and vague choice of words they use. It doesn't mean he has $110 million in his personal bank account just sitting there, it could just as easily mean that he has the power to access and direct that wealth wherever he chooses, which could very easily be into the school system, health care, public services, or even just reserve money.

This can easily mean quite a lot of things. It's quite easy to manipulate things like 'at his disposal' into the concept of personal wealth. "


But that is a very strange way of thinking. President Bush of The United States has over $900 billion dollars at his diposal, but he doesn't appear on the list. The European Union has around the same amount at there disposal, but the chairman of the European Commision, Prodi, doesn't appear on the list. So Fidel just has stolen the money off his people for his own personal benefit.

[Invader Zim]

Quote: from morkyboy on 3:02 pm on Mar. 1, 2003
Another example that communism just doesn't work. The leaders get richer while the people stay poor and evenbecome poorer.

Som said:

"Oddly enough they say he has $110 million at his disposal.

A nice and vague choice of words they use. It doesn't mean he has $110 million in his personal bank account just sitting there, it could just as easily mean that he has the power to access and direct that wealth wherever he chooses, which could very easily be into the school system, health care, public services, or even just reserve money.

This can easily mean quite a lot of things. It's quite easy to manipulate things like 'at his disposal' into the concept of personal wealth. "


But that is a very strange way of thinking. President Bush of The United States has over $900 billion dollars at his diposal, but he doesn't appear on the list. The European Union has around the same amount at there disposal, but the chairman of the European Commision, Prodi, doesn't appear on the list. So Fidel just has stolen the money off his people for his own personal benefit.

Hmm a clever cappi...

[Blibblob]

morkyboy obviously knows nothing of communism. Thats capitalism fool.

[Larissa]

Quote: from Blibblob on 12:15 pm on Mar. 1, 2003
morkyboy obviously knows nothing of communism. Thats capitalism fool.Bib, that's why cappies are not commies, they don't understand the differnce :cool:

[革命者]

Quote: from Scotty on 3:37 pm on Mar. 1, 2003
it's just that everytime the Forbes ppl think someone is a dictator and he publically states what his country's government does own... (i think only Castro did this.., i don't read Forbes.) he himself owns the money, and of course("who doesn't?" would the Forbes cappies, say) uses it for own gain!!

(Edit in: and he uses it to backup his expenditures.)

(Edited by Scotty at 3:46 pm on Mar. 1, 2003)


morkeyboy, just read my post, damnit!

[革命者]

mind if i quote you, Larissa??

[Larissa]

Not at all, Scotty!

[革命者]

btw, welcome to the board morkyboy!

just being curious..: from which city are you??

...no.. let me guess..; maybe Wassenaar, Laren.., RHEDEN/ROZENDAAL??:cheesy:

[Invader Zim]

Quote: from Blibblob on 3:15 pm on Mar. 1, 2003
morkyboy obviously knows nothing of communism. Thats capitalism fool.


come on he did come up with a good point...

[von Mises]

Oh yes, Scotty, all liberals are living in Laren and Wassenaar.

In that case I would suppose you live somewhere in Groningen where there are still communists running around?

[morkyboy]

No, I am not from one of the the sterotype VVD-communities, but I am from a small town between Breda and Tilburg.

Reading your reactions on my posts I have a few questions:
1: why do I know nothing about communism, acoording to you, Blibblob and Larissa?
2: How come, Scotty, that the GNP of Cuba is around $26 billion, while he owns $110 billion? How does he get the money?
3: If Fidel is indead a communist, how come he doesn't use all that money to pay the $36 billion dept of his country?

[Spiteful]

You need to be somewhat intelligent to be able to keep your money. I personally don't agree with having 40 BILLION dollars, but Bill Gates does do a lot with his money that's good. He has full scholarships available for college and things like that.

[Frank Quist]

Quote: from morkyboy on 5:19 pm on Mar. 1, 2003
No, I am not from one of the the sterotype VVD-communities, but I am from a small town between Breda and Tilburg.

Reading your reactions on my posts I have a few questions:
1: why do I know nothing about communism, acoording to you, Blibblob and Larissa?
2: How come, Scotty, that the GNP of Cuba is around $26 billion, while he owns $110 billion? How does he get the money?
3: If Fidel is indead a communist, how come he doesn't use all that money to pay the $36 billion dept of his
country?


One mistake there, according to the starting post the amount of money Castro has is $110 million, not $110 billion. If he had that amount of money he would have been the richest person in the world, I think.

BTW, people, why does this forum have posting ranks(classes)? I'd think that is against your ideals of a classless society. ;p

(Edited by Frank Quist at 6:09 pm on Mar. 1, 2003)

[Som]

But that is a very strange way of thinking. President Bush of The United States has over $900 billion dollars at his diposal, but he doesn't appear on the list.

Not strange at all, its just being on the alert for bias and ways of playing odd word games.

The truth can say many different things, you just have to look for what theyre saying. They also don't apply the same standards necesarily.

from the forbes site about it:

Some estimates are fuzzier than others. We calculate Fidel Castro's wealth as a percentage of Cuba's GDP.

It comes off as not really a particularly trustworthy figure.
I can't say for sure though.