I just found out today that I received the Bill Gates Achievers Scholarship. It's a free ride to any 4 year college here in Washington. If it doesn't cover all the costs, then financial aid fills it in. I'm excited. Thanks Bill! It was a long process though, it lasted from October.
The man is a great humanitarian, and I think it would be nice of you to buy something Microsoft (Xbox, Windows, etc.) or at least tell others to buy it. I don't give a f--- about copyright laws or ethics when it comes to copying CDs, but I will support him financially (though he does not need it) out of respect for him.
There are only a few people's work and software I'd buy, and Bill Gates is one of those people. The others are Tupac and Michael Jackson.
Not long ago, the Fortune 500 placed him as the richest man alive with $45 billions.
I assume you just came back from Mars (welcome back). He has been the richest man on Earth for at least 10 years now. I've heard estimates anywhere from $40 to $50 billion.
The second richest man is the owner of BerkShire Hathaway, Warren Buffet. He owns such companies as Geico and Fruit of the Loom.