Top 10 Brands

If you canvass the Internet for lists of top brands, you’ll most likely see the following breakdown: Coca-Cola, Microsoft, IBM, GE, Intel, Nokia, Disney, McDonalds, Marlboro and Mercedes. Now these are amazing companies, but we see top brands offering more than longevity, tradition and clever creativity. Today’s standouts are turning categories on their ear. Affecting cultural shifts. And making us gasp at their innovative aspirations. Who might these brands be? Here are our Top 10 Brands:

10. Coca-Cola®

Unless you grew up on Mars, you know what Coca-Cola is. This carbonated, caramel-colored beverage has consistently been an American favorite, despite the intense competition that arrives annually on supermarket shelves. How does it seem to hold onto its crown in the face of so much liquid brand competition? This is not just an American brand. It’s a global phenomenon. It even spawned the song, “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing.” Coca-Cola, the world continues to sing your praises.

9. Disney

This is one company that does not rest on its laurels. Disney has their fingers in practically every proverbial pie from theme parks and movie making to hotels, cruise ships and more. Just the merchandising aspects alone are mind-boggling. Disney is one of those classic American brands we all grew up with and hold near and dear to our collective heart. It would take something fairly cataclysmic to knock Disney off its rarified perch.

8. Whole Foods Market ®

Walk into any Whole Foods Market and your eyes are dazzled by the perfection of fruits and vegetables tumbling from bins and barrels, aisles of interesting foods with brand names you’ve never heard of and a bakery and deli that makes you think you just walked into Mom’s kitchen. This unique shopping experience takes going to the market from chore status to fun adventure. Fueled by the growing natural and organic food industry movement, Whole Foods’ business methodology of “Conscious Capitalism” is most definitely resonating with a population yearning for something more in tune with our planet… and ourselves.

7. Nintendo®

“Wii™ would like to play.” This tiny little statement has caused a large-scale revolution in the competitive world of video gaming. Nintendo, having performed sluggishly over the last decade, found the right formula for success. By providing a social gaming experience, family and friends are now playing games together (yes, even Mom and Dad). As a result, Wii has outperformed both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, giving consumers considerable angst because Wii flies off shelves faster than you can say “Nunchuk.” Nintendo’s vision has the gaming industry turning another corner, yet again.

6. BMW

It goes without saying that the “ultimate driving machine” is a BMW. Performance coupled with aggressive styling has been BMW’s unique selling proposition for decades, and the brand has consistently and relentlessly delivered on this platform. The A-type attitude exhibited in product design and in advertising campaigns resonates with buyers who see themselves not just as BMW owners, but BMW enthusiasts. Talk about brand advocates. This is one mean branding machine.

5. Starbucks®

Ah… the aroma of a brand that started a coffeehouse revolution. Of course, we’re talking about that Seattle powerhouse, Starbucks. Whimsical and quirky with a corporate culture that practices environmental sustainability, this brand upgraded coffee from beverage status to fashion statement – Blackberry® in one hand, Grande Latte in the other. When you actually find yourself saying things like “barista,” “frappuccino,” and “double shot with soy hold the whip,” you know you’re not just buying coffee – you’ve bought into a cultural movemen

4. Target®

Every brand needs a dog with a bulls-eye. This company decided it no longer wanted to be lumped with the KMarts and Wal-Marts® of the world. There was a whole audience out there clamoring for cheap chic and Target delivered with red and white panache. Right on target.

3. Nike

Can anyone forget the 1984 Orwellian runner or the Lemmings campaign? It wasn’t just jaw-dropping genius. It literally broke the advertising mold. Ever since, Nike has attempted to one-up themselves with bold products and campaigns that offer enough attitude to spare, and they’ve done a pretty smart job of it. You know your brand’s doing just fine when you can remove the name from the logo and consumers can still identify the company. Swoosh!

2. Apple

Apple subscribes to the “less is more” theory and uses it to powerful effect, both in product design and advertising. Anything not absolutely necessary is stripped away to reveal purity and a sense of magic. From their iconic logo to iPod’s campaign of gyrating silhouettes against a kaleidoscope of color, Apple is more than a brand—it’s a culture.

1. Google™

When an actual brand name becomes part of our daily vernacular, it has achieved the epitome of brand recognition. Google, once dubbed the search engine for business, has leapt past Yahoo® into the communal pool where everyone swims for information. Tools like Google ADWords, Ad Sense and Analytics have become so widely proliferated and used, that the term “Just Google It” no longer sounds silly. In fact, it’s quite sensible.

10 Extremely Dangerous Gangs

The word gang has taken on many meanings throughout the years. Originally, the word was just used to express a group or band of people. You probably have heard someone talk about the local gang of boys or something of that sort. In older times, the word gang didn’t have such the negative tone that comes along with it today. As time has gone on, the word gang has grown to be a word that many worry about when they hear it. It seems a “gang” has evolved from just being a group of people to a group of people that associate for some criminal or other antisocial purpose.

Depending on where you live, you have probably heard about gang crimes. If you don’t live too close to a big city, it is sure that you have read or watched the news and heard about some sort of gang activity. Gangs exist all over the world, not just in your own country. Here are the top 10 of the most dangerous gangs that you definitely don’t want to come into contact with.

Aryan Brotherhood (AB, The Brand)

Another jailhouse gang for you. Even though they are not one of the biggest prison gangs, the Aryan Brotherhood is known to have murdered many prisoners in jail. The gang only makes up about 1% of prison populations, but size doesn’t matter to the AB. In fact, this gang is known for at least 26% of the murders that occur in prisons around the U.S. The AB is split into two groups, usually those in federal prisons and other members that are located in some of the smaller state prisons, especially those in California. In order to join the Aryan Brotherhood, one has to kill or assault another prisoner. This is known as blood in, blood out. Any who try to leave the gang are generally assaulted or murdered by a member. The AB is known for organized crime, extortion, inmate prostitution, drug trafficking, and murder-for-hire.

Mexican Mafia (La eMe)

The Mexican Mafia is a gang that has its strongholds in many prisons throughout the U.S. The gang was started in the 1950s in Tracy California. La eMe is well known for its drug trafficking, extortion, and murder. Closely knit with the Aryan Brotherhood, La eMe has made many contracts with ally gangs in order to kill other gang members from rivals. The gang doesn’t have many rules for its members: no exposing the gang, no homosexual acts, and no cowardice. Mexican Mafia gang members also cannot practice the Christian religion. Once your join the Mexican Mafia and are released from jail, members are expected to send some of their earnings to those lead gang members who are still in jail. The gang isn’t known to kill random civilians.

The Mungiki (Kenyan Mafia)

This gang isn’t one that you’ll find in the U.S. The Mungiki is mostly found in poor parts of Kenya, especially Nairobi, which is one of Kenya’s largest cities. The gang was formed during the 1980s and has since grown, but not much. The gang is known to work in “cells,” each of them consisting of about 50 members that get involved with racketeering. The Mungiki are extremely against Christianity as well as any type of Westernization. The gang believes in forced female genital cutting, beheading, and mutilation. As many as 50 people have been killed because of clashes with the Mungiki, two of these people being Kenyan police offers who were beheaded. The gang is said to have some ties in the U.S., but this has never been concretely proven.

Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC)

A Brazilian gang, Primeiro Comando da Capital comes in at #7. This gang is one of the newest Brazilian prison gangs to be formed. Founded in 1993 by eight prisoners, PCC is one of the smallest prison gangs around today. Primeiro Comando da Capital is extremely against government establishments like police stations, justice forums, and even buses. Since the middle of 2006, the gang is known to have carried out about 300 attacks, all of them being against public establishments. The gang is mostly funded by its members. All members have to pay a monthly fee to be in the gang, which is about $27 if the member is in jail, and $270 if the member is out of a prison. Most of the money is used to buy weapons as well as drugs. Some of the money is put towards bailing out members. In order to become part of the Primeiro Comando da Capital, you have to be introduced by a regular member of the gang. An oath must also be accepted.

Black Guerrilla Family (Black Family, Black Vanguard)

Founded in 1966 by a man named George Jackson, located in Marin County, California, the Black Guerrilla family is one of the many gangs that is associated with the African-American race. The gang was established in order to maintain Black dignity in prison as well as planning to overthrow the U.S. government. Standing as one of the most politically influenced gangs, the Black Guerrilla Family has very strong emotions towards Marxism. Today, the Black Family has about 50,000 gang members, many of which who are associated with other gangs. In order to join the gang, one must be black, and must be nominated by an already existing member. Recently it has been said that the gang is experiencing internal conflicts between old and new members.

La Nuestra Familia

La Nuestra Familia is a Mexican American prison gang that originated in Northern California. The gang has been around since 1968 and has always been a rival of the Mexican Mafia. Many speculate that the gang was created just to deliver a blow to their rival gang. The gang puts a high focus on protecting as well as preserving the Chicano culture, especially while living in a society that is dominated by so many different races. La Nuestra Familia is known to control intra-prison drug and sex trades. From the prison, high-up gang members call to those outside of the prison to prefer hits. The gang is known to kill anyone, sometimes members of the gang. Members of La Nuestra Familia are known to be serious criminals because the gang requires a two year time period to join. La Nuestra Familia requires that all gang members put the gang above family, money, drugs, and women. Women cannot join the gang but are sometimes used for running drugs.

Texas Syndicate (Texas 7)

Texas Syndicate is a California State Prison gang that was created in response to other Californian gangs like the Mexican Mafia and the Aryan Brotherhood. Because these gangs were preying on inmates, especially those in Texas, prisoners saw a  need to have a rival gang to protect these Texas prisoners as a means for self-protection. The Texas 7 doesn’t allow any members that are outside of the Hispanic race. Caucasian members are extremely frowned upon. The gang is made up generally of Mexican immigrant prisoners, not Mexicans who were born and raised in the U.S. In 2000, the gang was said to have about 1,000 members in jail, and about 830 outside of jail. Texas Syndicate is known for contract murder, gambling, prostitution, extortion, and drug trafficking. Many of the gang’s leaders are imprisoned due to drug charges.

Crips

The Crips was started in 1969 by a 16-year-olds Stanley Williams and Raymond Washington. The two started the gang as a playoff of the Black Panthers. The gang started off small and was a loosely connected network of individual gangs. Since its origination, the gang has grown to be one of the largest as well as one of the most powerful gangs that exist in the U.S. Today, the gang is said to have over 300,000 gang members both inside and outside of jail. The Crips are known for wearing the color blue. The gang is known to carry out murders, robberies, as well as drug deals. The Crips are extremely bitter rivals towards the Bloods as well as many different Hispanic street gangs. The gang is known to be extremely violent and sometimes brawls and fights explode within the gang, which usually end up in deaths of Crips members. While fighting other gangs, the Crips also fights against itself. This gang is so big that it has even spread to other countries like Canada.

Bloods

The Bloods is a Los Angeles based gang that is known mainly for its rivalry with the Crips as well as for wearing the color red. The gang started in 1972 and grew slowly by taking over territory that was controlled by other L.A. street gangs. Because the Bloods were so fearless, many of the gang members that they encountered decided to band together and join the Bloods. The gang is separated into “sets,” which have their own tactics, especially when it comes to recruiting. The gang overall is known to recruit members through those who volunteer while the Bloods’ sets are known to send threats to people to join the gang. Bloods members often combine with other gangs in order to carry out criminal activity, especially drug trafficking.

Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

Mara Salvatrucha makes all of these other gangs seem like foolish people selling drugs. MS-13 is in fact the deadliest gang that anyone will ever come into contact with. The gang mainly consists of Guatemalans, Hondurans, Salvadorans, and other Central Americans and was started in the 1980s to protect immigrants from other big gangs.  The gang has been able to spread beyond Central America into Spain, U.S., Great Britain, Germany, and even Canada. MS-13 is well known for drug smuggling, black market gun sales, theft, contract killing, human trafficking, and assault, especially on law enforcement. In the U.S. alone, the gang has 10,000 members. This gang has no remorse for killing anyone. Mara Salvatrucha is known for hunting down and killing anyone who speaks to law enforcement about the gang. MS-13 is known for its extremely violent crimes, especially against innocents. The gang has gone as far to set a bus full of children and women on fire which ended in 28 deaths.

Top 10 Most Notorious Cursed Diamonds

The diamond has been called a girl’s best friend, but in many cases these diamonds were their worst enemy. Throughout the ages diamonds have symbolized beauty and the women who wore them were some of the most beautiful and powerful women to grace this earth. Unfortunately these diamonds also carry with them death, sorrow and misfortune.

10. Taylor Burton Diamond

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor shared a romance full of passion, scandal, infamy, and…expensive jewelry. Elizabeth stole Eddie Fisher from Debbie Reynolds, earning the harsh judgment of the world press and then, after meeting Burton, quickly tossing Fisher aside. Richard Burton also left his wife, Sybil, for Elizabeth, who he nicknamed “Ocean”, for her ability to drown out everything else in his life. This magnetic couple traveled the world in style, dining with royalty and the elite of Hollywood. Burton bought Taylor a series of fabulous gems, such as the teardrop-shaped La Peregrina pearl, but none were more notorious than the 69 carat, pear-shaped Taylor-Burton diamond. This gem became a symbol of the couples’ larger-than-life presence. The Taylor-Burton diamond cost over a million dollars and Taylor wore it proudly to Princess Graces’ 40th birthday party in Monaco. Burton often found Elizabeth in her boudoir, the contents of her jewelry box arrayed around her. When he asked her what she was doing, she would reply, “Playing with my jewels.”

Idea for list provided by Danforth Diamond, experts in engagement rings.

9. The Sancy Diamond

The Sancy is 55.23 carats in size, and it has a distinctive pale lemon yellow coloration. The Sancy diamond’s origins are hazy, but it is thought to be of Indian provenance. This diamond gained notoriety when King Henry the Third chose to wear it on his cap. He always wore a special cap to hide his balding head, and he was said to be very capricious and vain. The Sancy diamond worked its way through many generations of English royalty, and Henry IV “borrowed” it in order to guarantee his expenses when putting together a new army. Unfortunately, the diamond, which was carried by a trusted messenger of the king, did not arrive at its destination. Instead, it was later found in the belly of the dead messenger, after an autopsy. The Sancy then passed through the hands of many more kings, both English and French, until arriving at its current home, The Apollo Gallery, at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

8. The Regent Diamond

The Regent Diamond gained its fame when Napoleon chose to decorate his battle sword with it: the stunning, mammoth diamond is 140.64 carats in size, with a very slight, blue cast. The diamond was said to be discovered at the Golonda mine in India, and spirited out secretly by a slave, who hid it within a cut on his leg. In 1792, all the Crown Jewels of France were stolen, and the Regent Diamond was among the missing gems. Napoleon retrieved the stone for his own use in 1801. Napoleon married twice, and his latter wife was an Archduchess of Austria: she went back to her home country after her husband’s death, and the Regent passed into Austrian ownership. In time, the stone returned to France, as the generous gift of the Archduchess’ father. It now rests in the Louvre, with many other spectacular gems.

7. The Hortensia Diamond

Our next notorious diamond also has a Napoleonic connection: it was named for Hortense, the daughter of Napoleon’s stepchild, the Empress Josephine. The Hortensia is twenty carats in size, with a pale coral cast. This diamond also disappeared, along with other French Crown Jewels, during the theft that took place in 1792. It was later recovered, along with the others, only to be stolen again in 1830. After the theft, the diamond was rapidly located and returned to its rightful owner. This diamond has a crack along its pavilion, unlike the other diamonds on our list. However, it is so steeped in French history and Napoleonic legend, that it retains its pricelessness despite the flaw. The stone now rests in the Louvre, a glittering symbol of France and of the courage of Napoleon, with whom it will always be linked.

6. The Star of Africa Diamond

This diamond is the largest on our list, with an almost unbelievable carat size of 530.20 carats. The stone is also know as the Cullinan I, and it was cut from the original Cullinan diamond, which was over 3000 carats in weight. It is rumored that the diamond was studied in detail for almost 12 months before the cutter felt prepared to facet the stone, which was crafted into a teardrop shape with 74 facets. The Star of Africa gains its notoriety from its inclusion in the Royal Scepter of the British Crown Jewels, which rest under heavy guard at the Tower of London.

5. The Shah Diamond

This diamond was discovered in India around 1450, and it has become a potent symbol of the royalty, war, and history of India from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This diamond weighs 88.7 carats, and it is known for it’s crystalline clarity. The yellow diamond was seized, lost, and reclaimed by three different Shahs during ancient times, and it retains the inscriptions that they left there over time. One Shah, Jehan, chose a telling description of himself to be engraved upon the diamond: “ruler of the world”. However, he too would eventually lose the diamond as it was once again seized by another Shah. After the murder of a Russian member of the diplomatic corps in 1829, the reigning Shah offered the diamond to the Kremlin, as a way of pacifying them and ensuring no violent retribution towards him by the Soviet Union. In this manner, the ownership of the Shah diamond was lost to India forever.

4. The Darya-ye Noor Diamond

This diamond has some other romantic names: it is also referred to as the River or Light, or the Ocean of Light. This pale-rose colored diamond has a carat weight of 182, and it is an important addition to the Crown Jewels of Iran. This diamond was discovered in India, and it has remained there, in the ownership of mughal emperors. As it was passed down from generation to generation, it was eventually adopted as an armband decoration by the reigning Nasser-Al Din Shah Qajar. Various members of Indian royalty would adopt the gem to adorn their headpieces or clothing over the years: when not in use, it remained carefully hidden in the Golestan Palace.

3. The Eureka Diamond

This diamond was the first ever discovered in South Africa, one of the world’s most prolific sources of diamonds. The diamond was found by a young boy, while he worked as a shepherd, along the shores of Hopetown’s Orange River. This diamond weighed in at 231 carats before being faceted. The Eureka diamond eventually traveled to England for the inspection of Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. This famous diamond, like many on our list, was destined to change owners many time, before being purchased by the diamond conglomerate, De Beers, in 1967; it is now on permanent display at the Kimberly Museum in South Africa, where it remains a symbol of one of South Africa’s most lucrative national resources.

2. The Dresden Green

This extraordinary and rare pear-shaped stone weighs in at 40.7- carats, and is named for the capital of Saxony: its unique, deep-green color sets it apart. The Dresden Green came from India, and it was sold to Frederick Augustus II, son of the ruler of Saxony, Frederick Augustus I. Known as Augustus the Strong, Frederick’s father commissioned the construction of many fine buildings in Dresden, and filled them with all manner of glorious art treasures he collected from around the world. Although Frederick Augustus I admired the diamond for years beforehand, Frederick Augustus II was the first to actually own it. The Dresden continued to be passed through royal ownership and admired for its flawless, emerald-green hue. It currently rests in the Albertinium Museum in Dresden: it was once displayed alongside the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian Museum, at the request of noted jeweler Harry Winston, who felt that the Dresden was the only other stone in the world that could hold a candle to the Hope Diamond.

1. The Hope Diamond

No diamond remains more notorious and more renowned than the infamous Hope Diamond, which is surrounded by legend and history. Some believed that this huge, deep-blue diamond, which came from India, was cursed and would bring bad luck or even death to its wearer.

The first famous owner of the Hope Diamond was Louis XIV, the King of France. He bought the diamond from a French gem merchant named Jean Baptiste Tavernier, and its initial size was a staggering 112 3/16 carats. Louis chose to have the stone cut down to 67 1/8 carats, for use in the French Crown Jewels.

Its second owner was the next King of France, Louis XV, who reset the diamond in another royal jewelry piece, the Emblem of the Golden Fleece. During the French Revolution, the diamond was stolen during the looting and it did not surface again for 20 years. In 1812, the diamond reappeared in England under mysterious circumstances, and was snapped up by a wealthy collector, Philip Henry Hope. It remained in his family until it was sold again, and for years afterward, the Hope Diamond bounced back and forth between collectors.

Evelyn Walsh Mclean purchased the diamond in 1912: again, it was reduced and re-cut, this time to 45.52 carats, to suit Walsh’s taste. She relished tales of the Hope Diamond curse, even thought they were unfounded, as it pleased her to own such a notorious gem. She was rumored to keep the stone within the cushions of her sofa as a hiding place.

After her passing, the famed jeweler Harry Winston bought the Hope Diamond and donated it to the Smithsonian Museum, and, from its origins deep with the earth of India, over a billion years ago, it now belongs to the American people.

The Top 10 Museums in London

London, England is full of museums. There are large museums and smaller museums. Many are quite good and some are ever-so-slightly crappy. If you only have time to visit ten of London’s many interesting museums, then below are the ten museums that Spoonfed would recommend. Even if you have time to visit as many as you like, we recommend you check out these ones first.

1. Victoria and Albert Museum

Probably one of the greatest museums in the world, the Victoria and Albert Museum is a perfect choice as the Spoonfed number one. The permanent collections are a tribute to some of the finest art and artifacts that civilization has produced. Books, art, glass, ceramics, fashion, furniture: it’s all here, housed in mid-19th Century splendor. With late openings, live music, and sumptuous temporary exhibitions, there’s really not a bad word to say. Viva le V&A!

2. Science Museum

How come scientists are always mocked for being geeks, and yet everybody loves the Science Museum? Basically, because it’s full of fun, exciting, weird things that you don’t really need to understand in order to appreciate. Great for the kids and ideal for pseuds like us.

3. Wellcome Collection

This place is pretty much heaven. Chock to the gunwales (love this word) with peculiar (mainly medical) artifacts, it also holds consistently innovative and almost relentlessly fascinating exhibitions. Sleep, death, and the aesthetics of the atom have all been covered lately.

4. Natural History Museum

Dinosaurs: is there anything better? When I was a kid I bought an orange triceratops pencil-sharpener from the Natural History Museum. I’ve still got it today – that’s how great this place is. If, for some terrible reason, you don’t like dinosaurs then there’s loads of other strange and interesting animal facts and things in here too.

5. London Zoo

If there is anything better than dinosaurs, then it’s probably animals that are still alive and can move about and do stuff. And where better to see them than London Zoo? Well in their natural habitat obviously, but you don’t get walruses on the Hackney Road. Yet. London Zoo is a wee bit pricey though, so if you’re really poor, then just stand on the road outside and peer at the giraffes. Mmmm giraffes.

6. Design Museum

Buying stuff is great. Buying beautifully designed stuff is even better. But if you can’t afford to fill your house with beauty then head here and drool over sleek hoovers, snazzy chairs, and a whole variety of clever and elegant bits and bobs. From the pointless to the essential, if it’s been designed well, then it’s probably here.

7. British Museum

It’s always a bit odd that everybody makes such a big deal about the British pinching the Elgin Marbles, especially when almost everything else in the British Museum has been nicked too. But set aside your views on imperialism and marvel at the incredible breadth of riches that fill this enchanting place.

8. National Maritime Museum

If however, you happen to be a fan of the Gweat Bwittish Empire, you’ll know it was founded on trade (kind of). And being an island, boats and sea-faring things were pretty important for old Britannia. You can learn all about it at the aptly named National Maritime Museum, which has some brilliant temporary exhibitions too.

9. Imperial War Museum

More Empire, and this time it’s war. There’s lots of big tanks and planes and guns but also a strong desire to communicate the horror rather than the glory of humanity’s most pointless pastime.

10. Museum of London

This is a list of the best London museums after all, so a museum dedicated entirely to our fair capital seems like a rather apt way to finish. Discover the long and absorbing history of Old Londinium (or whatever the Romans called it) and check out the really lavish temporary exhibitions while you’re at it. If numbers 1-9 weren’t enough, then this’ll surely persuade you what a peculiarly exciting city London can be.

Top 10 Richest Billionaires in the World

The 10 Richest Billionaires in the World, and Where They Got Their Money

The recession has taken its toll even on the wealthy. Recently, the World Wealth Report found that 2009 was ushered in with fewer billionaires than previously. However, there are still plenty of billionaires in the world. Indeed, even though people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett lost billions due to the stock market crash that followed the financial crisis, they are still ultra-high net worth individuals. Forbes offers a list of the 10 richest people in the world — and how they got their money:

10. Amancio Ortega

With a net worth of $18.3 billion, Amancio Ortega rounds out the top ten wealthiest people in the world. Like most of the people on this list, his fortune is self-made. His father was a railway worker, and Ortega worked in a shirt store in Spain. He and his wife at the time began making their ownlingerie and dressing gowns. They did this in their living room, creating chic designs. They formed a company called Inditex, and grew the brand so that there are more than 4,000 stores around the world. Ortega also has a brand of inexpensive fashions, Zara. The euro’s weakness has sapped some of Ortega’s fortune, so his wealth is down even as stock in his company is up. Ortega grows his fortune with investments in real estate, tourism, gas and banks.

9. Theo Albrecht

Like his older brother, Karl, Theo Albrecht is an intensely private person. (The fact that he was kidnapped in 1971 probably contributes to this fact.) He is worth $18.8 billion, and is three places below his brother on the list of world’s wealthiest billionaires. However, his fortune is nothing to sneeze at. Albrecht has the brand rights to the discount grocer Aldi in the north part of Germany and in all of Europe except Great Britain. Part of the reason his brother, who helped develop the Aldi brand out of their mother’s corner grocery store, is richer is doubtless due to the fact that Karl has the rights to the Aldi brand in the U.S. However, Albrecht has been able to start his own brand, Trader Joe’s, which is gaining some inroads in the U.S. His stake in Supervalu is also probably helping.

8. Lakshmi Mittal

An Indian immigrant to the U.K., Mittal is the wealthiest person living in Great Britain. Mittal inherited a great deal of his fortune, working in his family’s steelmaking business. He founded his own company, Mittal Steel, and has been aggressive in developing his business prospects. With a hostile takeover, the company became ArcelorMittal, and is the largest steel company in the world. Mittal is worth $19.3 billion, having lost some of his money as steel price have fallen in the last year. While Mittal’s fortune is heavily reliant on stocks in his company, he still has substantial cash holdings. He has also diversified into other holdings, such as Macarthur Coal. He sits on the board of Goldman Sachs.

7. Mukesh Ambani

It is telling that we have made it to #7 on the wealthiest billionaires list before getting to someone who inherited a fortune. Mukesh Ambani, along with his brother, inherited the conglomerate Reliance, one of the most valuable companies in India, upon the death of their father. Control issues forced Ambani’s mother to broker a deal between them, and split some of the assets. Ambani has been working to grow his fortune, however. He merged Reliance Petroleum with Reliance Industries, and has an agreement to buy Chevron’s stake in Reliance at $1.20 per share — which is less than it is trading for right now. Ambani is worth right around $19.5 billion, and is the wealthiest person in the country of India.

6. Karl Albrecht

This billionaire is extremely private. He is the wealthiest person in Germany. His net worth is $21.5 billion. There is not a great deal known about Albrecht, but it is known that he is another self-made billionaire. His mother owned a small grocery store in Germany. However, after World War II, Albrect, along with his brother Theo transformed the shop into Aldi. Now, Aldi is known for its discount prices on groceries. Albrecht and his brother divided up ownership of the stores. Albrecht took the rights to the brand for the U.S., U.K. and Australia, as well as the south part of Germany. Aldi is actually doing reasonably well as people turn to inexpensive foods during the recession.

5. Ingvar Kamprad

Most people probably haven’t heard of Swedish entrepreneur Ingvar Kamprad (net worth, $22 billion). But they have probably heard of the brand he is associated with: Ikea. Kamprad is the child of Swedish farmers. One of his first jobs was selling cards, matches, pens and fish from a bicycle. He learned early that he could buy in bulk for cheap, and then mark up prices so that he made a good profit — even while offering good prices to customers. Eventually, he began selling furniture. After learning a bit about it, he opened his own furniture store. He got the name Ikea from his first and last name, the name of the family farm, and the nearest village. His furniture brand is known for its affordability and modern style. Instead of living too lavishly, Kamprad takes economy class when he flies, eats at inexpensive restaurants and furnishes his home mainly with what Ikea has to offer.

4. Lawrence Ellison

The man that started software giant Oracle is worth $22.5 billion. Even though he was born in the Bronx, Ellison was adopted and raised by his mother’s aunt and uncle in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. Ellison’s adopted father lost his small real estate fortune during the Great Depression. Like Bill Gates, Ellison is a college dropout. He made his money in software design. His database project for the CIA, as part of Ampex Corporation, was called Oracle. He founded his company using only $2,000 of his own, and grew it into one of the industry leaders. However, there have been several tugs of war. But Oracle’s focus on database and server technology has allowed to remain in relatively good shape.

3. Carlos Slim Helú

Along with his family, Carlos Slim Helú is the wealthiest man in Latin America. He has $35 billion, even after losing $25 billion. Slim is also a self-made billionaire. He has an interesting history. Even though he lives in Mexico City, he is the son of an immigrant from Lebanon (his father’s original surname was Salim). He studied engineering, and made his money in the telecom industry. He was the leader in a group of investors that bought two telephone companies from the Mexican government in 1990. His diverse holdings include real estate, technology, oil, gas and even a stake in The New York Times Company. He even loaned the company money earlier this year. Slim’s wealth is worth about the same as 2% of the economic output of the entire country of Mexico.

2. Warren Buffett

One of the most famous investors in the world is Warren Buffett. After losing $25 billion, his net worth now is right around $37 billion. Most of his fortune is self-made, coming as an outgrowth of a textile firm, Berkshire Hathaway. His father was a politician in Omaha, and Buffett delivered newspapers for his first job. (He also took a $35 tax deduction for his bicycle at age 13.) When Buffett bought Berkshire, he spent some years transitioning it to a holding company. Then he began using it to buy other businesses. Buffett is known for his business sense and investing savvy, and his obsession with checking into companies for their sound fundamentals before making a buying decision. Berkshire owns stakes in Geico, Dairy Queen, See’s Candy, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo and other well-known companies.

1. Bill Gates

Even after losing $18 billion, Bill Gates still has a net worth of $40 billion. As you might know, Bill Gates is a self-made billionaire, earning his money as an entrepreneur. Gates was one of the early disk operating system pioneers and started a software company with some of his peers. The company became Microsoft. One of the main breaks for Gates was an agreement with IBM for an operating system for $50,000. Since he did not transfer the copyright to IBM, he was able to continue making money of the MS-DOS system as other hardware vendors cloned the system. Gates has been accused of unsavory business practices in the past, and was recently involved in anti-trust proceedings in the European Union, but there is no denying the success of Microsoft. Gates now devotes a great deal of money and time to his philanthropic efforts, through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.