I’ve outlived at least two of the industry giants of my generation. It once again proves that you can’t buy longevity, and that the stress of success is a killer. Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, died at 65 of cancer, while Steven Jobs, of Apple fame, only made it to age 56.  Allen was born in 1953 and Jobs in 1955. I had at least a two-year invention edge over both of them, but failed to produce. It was ironic today that I received a bill for a Microsoft Office renewal and needed to do a password update on my Word Press account, plus my I-Phone required an update to IOS 12.0.1. Both of these remarkable men had an influence on my daily activities despite their untimely deaths. As far as I’m concerned, Bill Gates, at age 62, is the last man standing on my Mt. Rushmore of Technology. 

According to usatoday.com, the richest in the world now include:

  • Jeff Bezos. | Amazon. | $112 billion/Age 54 
  • Bill Gates. | Microsoft. | $90 billion/Age 62
  • Warren Buffett. | Berkshire Hathaway. | Age 88
  • Bernard Arnault & family. | LVMH. | Age 69
  • Mark Zuckerberg. | Facebook. | Age 34
  • Amancio Ortega. | Zara. | Age 82
  • Carlos Slim Helu & family. | telecom. |$67.1 billion./Age 78
  • Charles Koch. | Koch Industries. |$60 billion/Age 82

I will never be as wealthy as any of them, but I still have a chance to outlive them all. At age 34, Zuckerburg is by far the youngest, while Warren Buffet is the oldest. It seems almost ridiculous for me to even put myself in their elite category, but I have the power of the pen (or the computer processor thanks to “my big three”). I have to admit that I’ve often wondered what it would be like to be in their Gucci shoes, but now I’m grateful that I’m not. Rest in Peace.