Maybe you already are. Good for you. Most investors aren't. They're still waiting for the big pay off. The problem is that most of them don't understand that there are several ways to be rich. Here are three ways to get yours.

For most people it takes a long time to gather enough wealth to feel comfortable, a great way to define rich. It takes years of saving, investing, and sacrificing for future rewards. It's not easily done, but if done correctly, it will pay off.

Continue reading Comfort Zone Investing: Why Aren't You Rich?

Comfort Zone Investing: Why Aren't You Rich? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the early history of the personal computer revolution, Dr. Edward Roberts is certainly a pivotal figure. In fact, he is considered the inventor of the PC.

Unfortunately, he died this week of pneumonia. He was 68.

Back in the mid 1970s, Roberts launched the MITS Altair computer. While it had limited capability, it still was a breakthrough.

Continue reading PC Pioneer, Ed Roberts, Dies

PC Pioneer, Ed Roberts, Dies originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft (MSFT) founder Bill Gates loves to solve extremely tough problems. For example, he is backing a startup company, TerraPower, which is trying to develop small-scale nuclear reactors. To pull this off, Gates is prepared to shell out several billion dollars.

However, he will also need a strategic partner. And according to a report from the Wall Street Journal, there are preliminary discussions with Toshiba. While the company is best known for its computer business, it also has a strong footprint in nuclear, especially with its U.S.-based Westinghouse division.

Continue reading Bill Gates Goes Nuclear

Bill Gates Goes Nuclear originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If investing were only about numbers, then the math Ph.D.s would have all the money. But they don't. While numbers are very important and provide the majority of an investment decision, other elements come into play that are critical to any stock's success. They're hard to find sometimes but always worth the effort.

If you can discover these elements in a stock and great numbers, too, you've got all the odds for investing success in your favor.

The number one, most important piece of the investing puzzle is management. Management is everything. It's where all ideas begin and execution of them is implemented. Management can turn around a bad company and make it great. Management can take a good idea and turn it into a successful business.

Continue reading Comfort Zone Investing: Successful Stocks -- More Than Numbers

Comfort Zone Investing: Successful Stocks -- More Than Numbers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Is Microsoft Floundering with Steve Ballmer at the Helm?

Is Microsoft Floundering with Steve Ballmer at the Helm? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For a quick "economic upper," check out the recent Columbia University forum on business and the U.S. economy featuring Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, which will undoubtedly be re-broadcast on CNBC during the holiday season. Amey Stone of DailyFinance has a good summary of the event.

One key takeaway: Gates, whose company Microsoft (MSFT) invented computer operating systems and software that revolutionized the business world, is now forecasting that alternative sources of energy will soon be discovered. These are not only cheaper than current energy forms, but also environmentally friendly.

Continue reading U.S.: A nation in search of a new, cheaper energy form

U.S.: A nation in search of a new, cheaper energy form originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's easy to save the world when you've already taken care of yourself. But, we rely on these mavericks -- the wealthy who realize they can make a difference -- to do what we cannot on our own. So, it comes as a relief that Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft (MSFT) believes executive compensation is still too high.

It's a murky topic, and some forms of regulation, Gates believes, won't help. In a discussion on philanthropy at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan, where many of the people Gates criticized send their kids for early education, the former CEO and still rich guy cites the $1 million executive salary cap required by law in 1993 as a big mistake. While compensation has to be controlled, he believes this measure backfired and thinks that other, similar efforts are doomed to fail now.

Continue reading Rich still too richly compensated according to richest of them all

Rich still too richly compensated according to richest of them all originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A look at the lives of the Forbes 400 implies that the most important attribute is the ability to sift through ambiguity. Contradictions abound, meaning that shades of gray hold the answer to your burning desire for riches. Should you go to a great school? Well, yes ... but only if you're going for an MBA and plan to work for a major financial firm. But, you can still go to an Ivy League school if you're not studying finance but join Skull and Bones. Of course, dropping out of Harvard can be a great way to launch a career in the technology field.

It's tricky. There are no easy answers. But, the road to billions is littered with the corpses of aspiring magnates who thought it wouldn't be difficult. So, don't just read the seven attributes after the jump. Understand them. Read them twice. Then, your future financial situation will be assured.

Or, you can just do one of those chain e-mails and wish for wealth.

[Thanks, Forbes and MSNBC]

Continue reading Seven characteristics of the rich and famous: A blueprint to uber-wealth

Seven characteristics of the rich and famous: A blueprint to uber-wealth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, you think you had a rough year? Check out what happened to Warren Buffett, who is ranked the second-richest man in America despite a drop of $10 billion in his personal wealth during the past year. The culprit for Buffet's loss is the 20% decline in Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) stock during the past 12 months.

As noted, the Oracle of Omaha maintained his second-place ranking on the list of the richest Americans. The first-place finisher is Bill Gates, who the article notes is "Buffett's friend and bridge partner." What a game of bridge that must be (I am not familiar with the game, but if there is betting involved I don't want to be sitting at that table). Gates maintained his top spot although he lost $7 billion.

Continue reading Warren Buffet loses crazy money, keeps second rank on Forbes 400

Warren Buffet loses crazy money, keeps second rank on Forbes 400 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Microsoft set to escape government oversight in 2011

Microsoft set to escape government oversight in 2011 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Over the weekend, Six Flags Inc. (OTC: SIXF) announced it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (cue sad-trombone noise here). The company was saddled with $2.4 billion in debt and is taking this opportunity for a fresh start. None of the company's 20 parks -- located throughout North America -- will be closed. All Six Flags employees still have jobs, as well, so potential patrons should not feel as though corners are being cut.

Six Flags spokeswoman Sandra Daniels told the press that "This restructuring will have no impact on families who come out to our parks."

Continue reading Six Flags bankrupt, but the rides will go on

Six Flags bankrupt, but the rides will go on originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Bill Gates reports 5.2% stake in Kodak

Bill Gates reports 5.2% stake in Kodak originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Can President Obama afford a third strike with his Commerce Secretary?

Can President Obama afford a third strike with his Commerce Secretary? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Microsoft job cuts are another sign of the times

Microsoft job cuts are another sign of the times originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our feature on Money Losers of 2008. See all 20.

There's no doubt about it -- times are tough. People are struggling to find work and to pay the bills as the value of their homes and savings dwindle. The poor get poorer, and the rich get richer.

Or do they? It's all relative, of course, but world's billionaires have been taking some big hits too. We take a look at Sheldon Adelson, Kirk Kerkorian, and Lakshmi Mittal in their own separate posts, but here are some other billionaires who have lost billions this year (courtesy of Forbes and Business Sheet).

• Brothers Anil and Mukesh Ambani of India's private conglomerate Reliance lost $32.5 billion and $28.2 billion, respectively.
• Warren Buffett, the Sage of Omaha, lost $16.5 billion. Shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A) are down about 32% since the beginning of the year.
• Microsoft (NYSE: MSFT) founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen lost $12.3 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, while CEO Steve Balmer lost $6.5 billion. Shares of Microsoft are down 46% since the beginning of the year.
• Larry Page and Sergey Brin, cofounders of Google Inc. (NYSE: GOOG), lost $11.9 billion and $11.7 billion, respectively, and CEO Eric Schmidt lost $3.8 billion. The share price of Google has fallen 55% since the beginning of the year.
• Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL), lost $8.2 billion. Shares of Oracle are down 21% since the beginning of the year.
• Media maven Sumner Redstone lost $7.2 billion. Shares of his private investment firm National Amusements fell 70% this year.

Continue reading Money losers of 2008: Billionaires who lost billions this year

Money losers of 2008: Billionaires who lost billions this year originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Bill Gates says U.S. needs a large fiscal stimulus package

Bill Gates says U.S. needs a large fiscal stimulus package originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading In new Windows ad, Bill Gates shakes his other moneymaker for Seinfeld

In new Windows ad, Bill Gates shakes his other moneymaker for Seinfeld originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to Moneyweb, software giant Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is hooking up with Jerry Seinfeld. No, they're not trying to revive the comedian's sitcom career (although that would be cool). It seems Microsoft is feeling a bit blah about its brand equity, so it's looking to initiate a hip advertising campaign that will tout the company's image and its powerful Windows Vista technology.

No doubt, the advertising campaign from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) that makes fun of the PC-Windows platform has a lot to do with it. I love those commercials, and I think it's about time Microsoft came to its senses and decided to do something serious to answer them. A campaign with Seinfeld, if done with a maximum amount of creative wit, will work wonders. But of course, that's the point -- it has to be done right. Seinfeld is a big name, and his presence carries a lot of weight with consumers.

Still, I have reservations about using him in an ad campaign. Am I the only one who wasn't impressed by his American Express commercials? I liked Seinfeld in his famous television show, but seeing him pitch charge cards didn't make me want to apply for one. I thought he was boring in the format.

Apparently, ad firm Crispin Porter + Bogusky will be doing the ads featuring Seinfeld, and they were the creative force behind the Burger King commercials with the creepy King mascot. Those commercials rock. It would be nice if the firm could do something as edgy with Seinfeld and Microsoft, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm not sure that kind of lightning could strike twice.

Continue reading Can Jerry Seinfeld improve Microsoft's brand equity?

Can Jerry Seinfeld improve Microsoft's brand equity? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money. Disclosure: I do not own shares in the stocks mentioned in this story.

Yahoo board is feeling the Icahn heat originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Will Bill Gates have to un-retire from Microsoft?

Will Bill Gates have to un-retire from Microsoft? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.