The Millionaire Next Door

The New York Times

America: Where Millionaires are Self Made

Recently a fellow asked me about my impressions of French economist Thomas Piketty’s new book, Capital in the Twenty-first Century.  I have not read the book, but I’ve read comments about it including a recent interview with the author.  He postulates the existence and forecasts the growth of inequality in terms of the concentration of wealth and income. In …

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Billionaire’s Big Donation Receives Little Press

Imagine that you worked hard, took much risk and became financially successful, very, very successful.  You employ thousands upon thousands of people.  You even give considerable portions of your wealth to noble causes.  Earlier this year, Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, designated a gift of $300 million to The Institute of Brain Science.  The money was …

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Salem 1692: 19 Executed-Wealthy, Not Witches

The dislike, even hatred, of the socioeconomic successful by vocal segments of our population is not new in America.  In Salem, Massachusetts (1692-1693) 19 people were executed because they were found guilty of “witchcraft.”  But  Dr. P. S. Boyer, in his highly acclaimed book, Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft, revealed the real truth.  …

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