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Billionaires

Unlimited Sand and Money Still Won’t Save the Hamptons

How much sand can a half-billion dollars dredge up? Almost certainly not enough.

Polly Mosendz, Eric Roston Bloomberg Green Oct 2021 15min Permalink

The Secret IRS Files

How billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffett pay so little in income tax compared to their massive wealth—sometimes, even nothing.

Jesse Eisinger, Jeff Ernsthausen, Paul Kiel ProPublica Jun 2021 30min Permalink

Business

The Rich Vs the Very, Very Rich: The Wentworth Golf Club Rebellion

When a Chinese billionaire bought one of Britain’s most prestigious golf clubs in 2015, dentists and estate agents were confronted with the unsentimental force of globalized capital.

Samanth Subramanian Guardian Mar 2021 Permalink

Business Politics

On Behalf of the Plutocrats

Kathy Wylde’s winding path from community organizer to “lone defender of the billionaires.”

David Freedlander Curbed Nov 2020 30min Permalink

Crime

Homicide at Rough Point

In the fall of 1966, billionaire Doris Duke killed a close confidant in Newport, Rhode Island. Local police ruled the incident “an unfortunate accident.” Half a century later, evidence suggests she got away with murder.

Peter Lance Vanity Fair Jul 2020 35min Permalink

Business

Covid Conversations With One of America’s Richest Men

How a pandemic unfolds when you’re a Wall Street billionaire.

Max Abelson Bloomberg Businessweek Jul 2020 15min Permalink

Business

The Gospel of Wealth According to Marc Benioff

The Salesforce founder has donated a fortune to right capitalism’s wrongs, and he thinks his fellow billionaires should too. Why can’t we just be grateful?

Chris Colin Wired Dec 2019 30min Permalink

Tech World

Why Silicon Valley Billionaires are Prepping for the Apocalypse in New Zealand

How an extreme libertarian tract predicting the collapse of liberal democracies – written by Jacob Rees-Mogg’s father – inspired the likes of Peter Thiel to buy up property across the Pacific

Mark O'Connell The Guardian Feb 2018 25min Permalink

Music

James Dolan Wants You To Love His Band

The second richest musician in the world, behind Paul McCartney, is James Dolan, owner of the Knicks and Madison Square Garden, whose band JD & The Straight Shot toured opening for Jewel behind an album that sold 113 copies.

Dave McKenna Deadspin May 2016 25min Permalink

Politics Tech

Q&A With Larry Lessig On Why You Should Have Faith In Silicon Valley

The Harvard Law professsor on billionaires, politics and Uber.

Nitasha Tiku Valleywag Jun 2014 15min Permalink

Science

Tom Steyer: An Inconvenient Billionaire

“If we do nothing, we’re dead! We’re toast!”

Joe Hagan Men's Journal Mar 2014 20min Permalink

Business

How Brazil's Richest Man Lost $34.5 Billion

Oil and iron-ore baron Eike Batista’s very bad year.

Juan Pablo Spinetto, Peter Millard, Ken Wells Businessweek Oct 2013 15min Permalink

Business

Our Billionaire Philanthropists

On the moral failure of über-wealthy do-gooders.

Maria Bustillos The Awl Jun 2012 25min Permalink