Prince Charles in Car Attack

Prince Charles was attacked in his car in London by student protesters rioting over tuition hikes.
His wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was also in the car.
According to the Palace, neither is hurt.
The couple eventually got to their destination, the Royal Variety performance in London.
A spokesperson for Prince Charles tells Gossip Cop, “They’re fine.”
The royal Rolls Royce was smashed by rioters who kicked in the side, broke the back left passenger window, and threw paint over the car.

The incident occurred on Regent Street in the heart of the city’s shopping district.
Rioters are vandalizing nearby stores and smashing windows at the UK Supreme Court.
An eyewitness said the couple became separated from their police escort as they drove up Regent Street towards the London Palladium, and found themselves in the midst of crowds who had just left the protest in Trafalgar Square. Protesters bombarded the car with bottles and bins.
When the royal couple arrived at the London Palladium they appeared relaxed and smiled and joked with Kylie Minogue, Take That and N-Dubz, some of the acts that performed for them tonight.
Another vehicle, which had been travelling behind the royal car, also had a cracked window, but its occupants, who work for the couple, were also unharmed.
There was a heavy police presence around the entrance to the Palladium on Oxford Circus.
A Clarence House spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that their Royal Highnesses’ car was attacked by the protesters on the way to their engagement at the London Palladium this evening.
“Both their Royal Highnesses were unharmed.”

liu xiaobo, nobel prize 2010

Today: is the 344th day of 2010. There are 21 days left in the year.

On this date
^ In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for helping mediate an end to the Russo-Japanese War.
^ In 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. received his Nobel Peace Prize.
^ In 2009, President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize with a humble acknowledgment of his scant accomplishments and a robust defense of the U.S. at war.
Today's birthdays
Actor Tommy Kirk is 69. Actress Susan Dey is 58. Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is 54. Rock musician Meg White (The White Stripes) is 36. Violinist Sarah Chang is 30.
The sun sets 4:33 p.m. today, rises 7:15 a.m. Saturday.
The moon sets 9:37 p.m. today, rises 11:05 a.m. Saturday. It is six days after the new moon.
100 years ago today
1910: Long arm of the law: "After a chase for a year, James Kelly, of Rockaway, N.J., was captured this morning at Brainerd's, N.J., opposite Martin's Creek, by Detectives Rodenberger and Gray, of the Central Railroad Company. The defendant is wanted on a charge of having stolen a locomotive. The engine was standing on the track at Rockaway when Kelly is said to have boarded it, run the locomotive to Hibernia, four or five miles away, and then run the engine back to Rockaway again. Although he is not an engineer the young man is said to have handled the locomotive like a veteran engine driver. Realizing that he was liable to arrest, the young man left home at once and has been in various places since that time, always managing to get away before the officers arrived, until he was finally trapped this morning. He is in custody in Phillipsburg."
50 years ago today
1960: Christmas Candle milestone: "The orange glow from the city's towering Christmas candle appeared over Centre Square for the tenth straight season as the focal point of downtown Easton Christmas decorations. About 200 spectators stood in the sub-freezing air for the ceremonies. Mayor George S. Smith threw the switch that lighted the 85-foot candle and the four smaller candles at its base. The 2,000 lights strung through the evergreens arranged around the candles also were turned on."
^ Baptism of new highway: "The first accident on newly reconstructed Route 45 occurred when two cars collided in the four-lane section near the entrance to the 25th Street Shopping Center. No one was hurt."
25 years ago today
1985: Tasty windfall: Richard and Vivian Noll, of Williams Township, hit the Pennsylvania Lotto lottery game, winning a jackpot of $5.6 million. Richard Noll, a Tastykakes deliveryman, bought the winning ticket at the Ridge Street Market in Allentown while making his rounds earlier in the week. Noll said he chose the six winning numbers at random. "Mr. Noll, who has worked for Tasty Baking Co. for 24 years, said he and his wife will use the money to travel. Mrs. Noll, a periodicals librarian at the Easton Area Public Library for the past 19 years, said they will donate a portion of their winnings to their church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church on Easton's South Side. The couple's three grown children and other relatives also will receive portions, Mrs. Noll said."
Quote of the day
"Beauty is not caused. It is." -- Emily Dickinson, American poet (born this date in 1830, died in 1886)
Almanac is compiled by Pete Brekus, Express-Times news assistant. He can be reached at 610-258-7171, or at pbrekus@express-times.com.

barbara walters interview with oprah

fascinating people of 2010 are sought after today, I will find accurate information about Barbara Walters most fascinating people of 2010. Although it does not know exactly about what and how the full story of this news.

It seems there is also a wish to seek Video Barbara Walters 10 most fascinating people 2010 - Justin Bieber sneak preview in youtube. For the 2nd hour of the Barbara Walters Special, Barbara will reveal her list of the 10 most fascinating people of 2010.

Stars who have already been revealed on her list are Justin Bieber, Kate Middleton, the entire Jersey Shore cast. Barbara Walters revealed her 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010 list Monday morning on The View. Making the list this year are Betty White, Justin Bieber, Sandra Bullock, Lebron James, Sarah Palin, Jennifer Lopez etc.Oprah Winfrey has once again stated flatly: “I’m not a lesbian.”
“I’m not even kind of a lesbian,” the talk-show queen, 56, tells Barbara Walters in an upcoming interview on ABC. “And the reason why [the rumor] irritates me is because it means that somebody must think I’m lying. That’s number one. Number two … why would you want to hide it? That is not the way I run my life.”
The rumors have focused on Winfrey’s friend Gayle King. But Winfrey says that relationship is extremely close in a whole different way.
“She is … the mother I never had. She is … the sister everybody would want. She is the friend that everybody deserves. I don’t know a better person. I don’t know a better person,” Winfrey says while choking up.
“It’s making me cry because I’m thinking about … how much … I probably have never told her that. Tissue, please. I now need tissue. I’ve never told her that.”
Wither regard to her lover for YEARS, Stedman, Oprah had this to say:
“I made a conscious effort around 2003 to pull back on my public appearances with Stedman.”
Oprah says Stedman is “the love, the lover, the man, the partner, the mate… I cannot say that I know of another man on this planet who could have lived this life with such dignity, grace and respect… and still hold his own and be his own.” —- and she is right!

American Country Awards Main Events

It's the first ever American Country Awards coming to you live from Las Vegas with Trace Adkins as the host. The show was created by FOX and is entirely voted upon by fans. Zap2it is here to bring you the best and worst moments of this inaugural awards show.

Trace and Nancy are no Brad and Carrie

The opening video sequence introduced host Trace Adkins, who was "enjoying" Las Vegas while his hit "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" was playing in the background. Huh. Nancy O'Dell is on hand as the co-host and while she looks just smokin' in her little black dress, we miss Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley singing funny parodies.

This isn't your dad's awards show

Blake Shelton kicked things off with his "Kiss My Country A**" song. This definitely isn't the CMAs. Viva Las Vegas? And barely a moment passes before Easton Corbin performs, followed by Rascal Flatts (the biggest country group of the decade). This show promises more performances per minute than any other awards show and so far, we believe them. Not much filler in sight.

Rascal Flatts have been around how long?

It doesn't seem like Rascal Flatts have been around for 10 years, but we guess they have. Not criticizing, it just doesn't seem like it's been that long. They're great, though -- did you see their "I'll Be Home for Christmas" on the "CMA Country Christmas" special? It was amazing.

Who let the Irish country peasants on stage?

"If I Die Young" is apparently the no. 1 country song in the country right now, but we'll be honest -- it's not our favorite. The Band Perry doesn't quite have the hearty singing the chops that other country groups have. They remind us of T-Swizzle that way.

What happens in Vegas ... apparently has to be included in the show

Why is there a live update during a live show? We're confused. Jeff Dunham is very talented, but that was not funny at all. Move it along, show.

It's "We Didn't Start the Fire" with dancing

Josh Turner's "Why Don't We Just Dance" performance had some adorable dancing-through-the-decades backup dancers to go with his swinging little ditty. Fun song. When he goes through his list of thanks after his performance, we are astounded by the bass in his speaking voice. Wow. He could sub for the bottom part of the Oak Ridge Boys.

Me read good one day

Vegas magician Criss Angel presented a special award to Toby Keith and ... uh ... Criss had a little trouble with the reading-the-teleprompter thing and it sounded like he maybe forgot the name of the guy he was introducing.

Will Reba McEntire ever age?

We don't think Reba ever will. We're pretty sure she'll be 82 and have fiery red hair, alabaster skin and decently toned arms. She's the Madonna of country music.

Um ... what?

Rodney Carrington's little stand-up set was terrible. Not only was it not funny, but he flubbed his joke about his wife wanting "a little Mexican" to explain the way he was dressed.  Instead of implying that his wife wanted Mexican food, he said that his wife "wants a Mexican," like she's just hankering for someone from Mexico. *head smack*

Somewhere, Olivia Newton-John is crying

Steel Magnolia may be a fine country duo, but their "Grease" send-up for their song "Keep On Lovin' You" was awful. The sound was terrible and Meghen Linsey's outfit and hair looked absolutely ridiculous. No, thank you.

Rock that jukebox, Alan Jackson

The Greatest Hits Award went to Alan Jackson and that sounds about right for the last 20 years or so. We're a fan of his and in a night of not-so-hot performances, his medley was a highlight.

Off-the-cuff works for Trace Adkins

Host Trace Adkins has seemed pretty stiff all night, but when he won Music Video of the Year with Blake Shelton, his impromptu thank-you speech because they were running short on time was funny. We were pleasantly surprised.

Rock my world, little country boy

What did you think of Jason Aldean's rock-country duo with Luke Bryan? It was definitely more hardcore than we're used to seeing during a country awards show, but we kinda dug it.

Carrie Underwood cleans house

Color us stunned that Carrie Underwood beat out Taylor Swift for an award the fans vote on. Carrie took home the most hardware of the night with six awards. Well done, lady.

This ain't no typical ending

Host Trace Adkins was the final performance of the night and the producers hilariously put some "credits" over top of his song. The credits read: "The producers would like to thank Trace Adkins for being such a 'cooperative' host. No animals were harmed during the production of tonight's show -- with the possible exception of Trace's meat chaps. Absolutely no trophy girls were harmed either. We actually saw trace's full body scan. Frankly, we were not impressed." Hee.

So what did you think of hte first-ever American Country Awards? We aren't sure we need to watch these again next year, but since everytihng is in reruns right now, they probably did pretty well for FOX. Overall, though, we'll take the CMAs any day.

All About Josh Turner

Josh Turner is up for a handful of awards at the inaugural American Country Music Awards, including Album of the Year for 'Haywire,' as well as Single and Music Video of the Year for his four-week No. 1 song, 'Why Don't We Just Dance.' While he is thrilled with the amount of nominations he has received, he has been a bit curious to find out more about this new awards show.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I've been wondering about this awards show, because I've managed to have a successful career without winning an award and sometimes even getting nominations thus far," Josh told The Boot. "I'm here with five nominations and that's never happened before, so I'm getting a little nervous. I don't know what that's about. I'm thankful for those nominations, and I know the fans have been responsible for that in a huge way ... It's just fun to be able to go on there and play a part in it."


Besides his contribution on the musical side of things, he may also have a hand in helping himself to an award. "I've been online voting for myself," Josh laughs. "I'm not ashamed to tell you that."

The American Country Awards, hosted by Trace Adkins, will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas tonight (December 6) at 8:00 PM ET on FOX.
The World Series is over and spring training is a couple months away — baseball is in the heart of its offseason. That doesn’t stop Josh Turner from talking about it.
Josh and his wife, Jennifer, have two boys already — Hampton, 4; and Colby, 17 months — and another baby is on the way. Their third child is due in January, and Josh has been using baseball as a metaphor for the eventual size of his family.
“I’ve been jokin’ that we have the outfield covered now,” Josh says, “but this is just another inning. And we’re just takin’ it an inning at a time. It’s like a baseball game — you never know how many innings it’s gonna be until the game is over. But so we’re just gonna take it an inning at a time and just kinda see how she does and where we are and how much space we have.”
While Josh waits for the latest family expansion, he’s got a little work to do over the next few days. He performs Friday on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” and he’ll appear Monday on the American Country Awards, a new FOX ceremony in Las Vegas.

Elizabeth Edwards Latest News: Cancer Spreads to Liver; Elizabeth’s Facebook Message

In the Elizabeth Edwards latest news, Elizabeth Edwards has been told that further treatment for the cancer that has spread to her liver will not help her. Elizabeth Edwards has stopped treatment, and is resting comfortably at home with her family and friends surrounding her. In the wake of the Elizabeth Edwards latest news, is John Edwards feeling remorse for how he treated her?

John Edwards had a highly public affair with Rielle Hunter, while his wife Elizabeth Edwards was battling cancer. Not exactly a role model husband if you ask me. But honestly, John Edwards isn’t exactly a role model “anything” for that matter.
Elizabeth Edwards is being brave about her cancer, and issued a statement on her Facebook page that indicates she has come to terms with the fact that her disease is terminal.
Is John Edwards feeling any remorse after the latest Elizabeth Edwards news? Will he support her and their kids? And even if he does, isn’t it too little, too late?

Edwards’ cancer has spread to her liver, reports People.com. I’m so incredibly saddened to hear about Elizabeth’s health taken a turn for the worse.

The Edwards family released the following statement to People: “Elizabeth has been advised by her doctors that further treatment of her cancer would be unproductive. She is resting at home with family and friends.”

Elizabeth Edwards took to Facebook to post the following message:

“I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces ­ my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope. These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined. The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that.”

“It isn’t possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know. With love, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth Edwards, is the estranged wife of presidential candidate John Edwards, who made headlines for his affair with another woman.

Elizabeth, 61, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2004, it spread from breast to bone to liver. Last week she was briefly hospitalized.

Our thoughts are with Elizabeth Edwards and her family.

Tasya Van Ree and Amber Heard

Tasya Van Ree and Amber Heard

Actress Amber Heard has come out as a lesbian, proudly walking the red carpet with her partner Tasya van Ree at the GLAAD 25th anniversary bash in L.A.
Heard has appeared in films like The Informers, Zombieland and Pineapple Express, and will be Johnny Depp's leading lady in his upcoming 
Amber said she had to ask herself if by being closeted, she was part of the problem in denying "millions of hard-working, tax paying Americans" their rights.
"I think GLAAD is one of the many reasons that I, as a 24-year-old, can come out now," along side Tasya van Ree, who is a photographer and artist.
She and Heard have quietly been together since 2008. "She is beautiful," Heard said of van Ree.  "I mean, you'd have to be crazy not to want to go out with her!"
We're happy for Amber and wish the couple the best.
 Amber Heard has come clean about her sexual orientation. The actress who is tapped to play Johnny Depp's love interest in movie "The Rum Diary" tagged along her lesbian partner Tasya van Ree, walking proudly on the red carpet of GLAAD 25th Anniversary Party on Friday night, December 3. She wore red ensemble in contrast of her partner who opted dark outfit.

Heard decided to come out of the closet because she doesn't want to be "a part of the problem." She told AfterEllen.com, "When millions and millions of hard-working, tax paying Americans are denied their rights and denied their equality you have to ask yourself what are the factors that are an epidemic problem and that's what this is."

"Injustice can never be stood for. It always must be fought against and I just was sick of it being a problem. Because I'm in the media I was aware of it and I luckily was introduced to GLAAD and am honored that they wanted me to be a part of tonight because it is such an important organization."

During the event, she managed to speak on the podium and presented the Founder's Award to GLAAD/LA Founder and First Executive Director Richard Jennings. "I think GLAAD is one of the many reasons that I, as a 24-year-old, can come out," she said. "I personally think that if you deny something or if you hide something you're inadvertently admitting it's wrong. I don't feel like I'm wrong. I don't feel like millions of people are wrong because they love who they love or they were born how they were born."
Finally Amber Heard confessed she's lesbian. The actress appeared along her lesbian partner Tasya van Ree, walking on the red carpet of GLAAD 25th Anniversary Party on Friday night, December 3.
"When millions and millions of hard-working, tax paying Americans are denied their rights and denied their equality you have to ask yourself what are the factors that are an epidemic problem and that's what this is. Injustice can never be stood for. It always must be fought against and I just was sick of it being a problem. Because I'm in the media I was aware of it and I luckily was introduced to GLAAD and am honored that they wanted me to be a part of tonight because it is such an important organization", she told AfterEllen.com,
During the event, the actress presented the Founder's Award to GLAAD/LA Founder and First Executive Director Richard Jennings. "I think GLAAD is one of the many reasons that I, as a 24-year-old, can come out. I personally think that if you deny something or if you hide something you're inadvertently admitting it's wrong. I don't feel like I'm wrong. I don't feel like millions of people are wrong because they love who they love or they were born how they were born", she said.

Click Here for Tasya Van Ree Photography

What is the immaculate conception?

 

In the happy debates between Protestants and Catholics, we Catholics are often charged with holding to un-Biblical beliefs, then when we give the Biblical support for those beliefs we are charged with 'twisting Scripture'; 'taking Scripture out of context'' or the Protestant simply says (on no authority other than the 'proof text' displeases him) but "But that's not what that passage means."

Here's an example: Protestant says, "You Catholics hold to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but it's totally un-Biblical." So we refer them the story of the annunciation where Mary is greeted with the term 'full of grace'. (Luke 1.28) We conclude that if she was 'full of grace' then she had no sin for the Biblical definition of sin is to "fall short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23) If she was "full of grace" then we only have to ask when this fullness started and we conclude logically that it must have started when her life started, and life starts at conception so she must have been conceived without sin. We refer to Genesis 3:15 where God says that as a woman has given in to Satan, so a woman will trample the head of Satan, and we refer to Justin Martyr and Irenaeus and teh other Fathers who refer very early on to the Blessed Virgin as 'the second Eve' and conclude that as the first Eve was created perfect, so was the second. Now, we are happy to admit that this does not amount to Jesus Christ himself saying to his apostles, "My mother was conceived without sin and thou shalt believe this and teach it until I come again in glory." We also admit that the doctrine (while implicit in Scripture) was not defined formally until fairly late. That's okay. We believe in the possibility of the development of Doctrine, and we have theologians who help us define how and when that happens validly.

Compare this however, with the Protestant doctrine of sola Scriptura which has no Biblical proof texts, no evidence from the early Church fathers, and was invented by the sixteenth century reformers and is held to by all their followers as a foundation tenet of their belief system, and this from people who deny that doctrine develops, believe every doctrine must originate in the primitive Church, and say "If it's not in the Bible you're not to believe it." The same applies to the Protestant bedrock doctrine of sola Fide or faith alone. The only reference to faith alone in the Bible is James 2:24 where such a concept is formally repudiated.


Without any agreed interpretative authority the Bible means whatever people decide it means. Here are a few other 'Biblical interpretations' I've heard over the years. I have deliberately chosen a range of Protestant traditions so the conservative Evangelicals can't say, "Yes, but those are the kooky liberal Anglicans." and the Anglicans can't say, "Yes but those are the kooky American fundamentalists."

First--one of my favorites--the snake handlers. They interpret Mark 16:18 literally and so they pass around rattlesnakes and vipers at their worship services and they drink poison to see if they will survive. We know Christians who insist that their women cannot wear trousers because of a verse in the Old Testament and Seventh Day Adventists who only worship on Saturday because they don't find Sunday worship in the Bible. Lest people think I am only giving radical, way out and insane examples, we have to include the vast majority of Evangelical Christians who take the whole package of late-invented dispensationalist 'end days' Biblical interpretations with the utmost seriousness.

Then there was the Anglican vicar who counseled a friend of mine to have an abortion because Jesus says, "Let the little children come unto me and forbid them not." There's the female Baptist minister who admitted that her abortion was killing but quoted the Old Testament idea of sacrifice and one person laying down a life for the good of another. Another Anglican friend explained quite sincerely how homosexuality was okay because Jonathan and David loved one another and John was the disciple Jesus loved. The incident when Peter had a dream of unclean beasts and was told to 'kill and eat' has been used to convince people that the otherwise forbidden innovation of women priests was okay after all, and the 'youth who ran away naked' from the garden of Gethsemane has been used to support Christian naturism.

I understand how non-Catholics may not see or accept the Biblical basis for Catholic beliefs, but what I don't get is how they miss the lack of Biblical support for some of their foundational beliefs and the amazingly weird Biblical interpretations some in their own ranks hold to with utmost sincerity. 

 

 

Glorious and immortal Queen of Heaven, we profess our firm belief in your Immaculate Conception preordained for you in the merits of your Divine Son. We rejoice with you in your Immaculate Conception. To the one ever-reigning God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three in Person, one in nature, we offer thanks for your blessed Immaculate Conception. O Mother of the Word made Flesh, listen to our petition as we ask this special grace during this novena...

(State your intention here...) 

 
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will. Amen.

Download Cartoon Pictures For Facebook Profile

Large numbers of Facebook users, especially children replace their profile photos with the images of old cartoon characters. The trend seems to have gone viral as a step to prevent child abuse, through hiding real photos and thus the identity.

Many a Facebook members are resetting their profiles now. As per statuses message of Facebook members, it looks that they switch from real photos to cartoon images primarily to save themselves from child abuse and to recall their old cartoon memories.

Interestingly most of Facebook users place images and graphics of old cartoon characters instead of their photos. It shows that Facebook users largely pick their profile images up from the characters of old cartoon series like Doug, Recess, Rugrats, Animaniacs, Ren and Stimpy, Aaahh!, Real Monsters, Angry Beavers, Rocko’s Modern Life and Strawberry Shortcake.

A user suggests his friends to change their profile images on his Facebook status until December 7. “From now until December 7, change your profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood. The objective of this is not to see any human faces on Facebook but an invasion of memories for the fight against Violence to Children. Remember we were kids too: D,” said a Facebook enthusiast.

According to reports, child abuse is on a low in the United States. However, things are not completely safe especially on Internet. There are several cases in which children are led to abuses through their social networking and chatting profiles. So a Facebook campaign against such growing trends can reset things into a better situation, analyst hope.

Cartoon Pictures For Facebook Profile Cartoon Characters Cartoon Pict

Tags: cartoon characters, cartoon pictures, cartoon pictures for facebook, cartoon characters from the 80 s, classic cartoon characters

Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world

He may not be as famous as Microsoft's Bill Gates, but Mexican oligarch Carlos Slim Helú is wealthier – and much more ruthless, says Tom Leonard. 

Winds of change from the developing world may be sweeping new contenders into the highest reaches of the mega-wealthy, but so much about the first non-American in 16 years to become the globe's richest man seems reassuringly familiar. Carlos Slim Helú is portly, loves Cohiba cigars and his idea of winding down at home with the family used to be sitting his teenage sons down for an economics lesson.

The 70-year-old Mexican's path to an estimated $53.5 billion (£35.8 billion) fortune is resolutely "Old School", too – buy companies cheap, turn them around and then ruthlessly drive the competition out of the market.

On Wednesday, Slim was named by Forbes magazine as the world's richest person, ousting Bill Gates. He has been compared to the American "robber barons" of the 1890s, only all of them – Rockefeller, Carnegie and J P Morgan – rolled into one. For even John D Rockefeller's grip on the oil industry does not come close to matching the monopolistic power that Slim exercises over his fellow Mexicans and, increasingly, others. Whether he is making a phone call, buying a soft drink or coffee, smoking a cigarette, going out in the car or using a cash machine, it is unlikely the average Mexican can avoid patronising a Slim-owned business and contributing to the almost $30 million he is estimated to earn each day.

Through a sprawling empire of more than 200 companies – he has said he has "lost count" exactly how many – which encompass banking, retail, airlines, mining, printing, construction, restaurants and particularly telecoms, he has developed an economic stranglehold on his native country so vice-like that a new word – Slimlandia – had to be created to describe it.
A modest lifestyle is often mistaken for a disregard for money, when it is in fact a healthy regard for conserving the stuff. Although he claims not to care about rich lists, the king of Slimlandia, who likes to wear a cheap plastic watch that doubles as a calculator, is certainly parsimonious.
The son of a poor Lebanese immigrant, he still keeps the ledgers in which his father made him note down his management of his weekly five pesos pocket money. (He still prefers paper and pen, does not use a computer and insists that advisers confine their briefings to one sheet of paper.)
Slim lives a life far removed from the conspicuous consumption of, say, Russian oligarchs. One of the latter might have indulged Slim's passion for baseball by buying his favourite team, the New York Yankees. Slim, however, is content to remain a fan, albeit one with a computer-like memory for player statistics. Other indulgences are also understated – he likes to stay up late reading history books, particularly about Genghis Khan. His Mexico City home has just six bedrooms and a small swimming pool, even if it is filled with art by Renoir, Van Gogh, Rivera and his personal favourite, Rodin.
Visitors to Mexico City will find few grand monuments to its richest son. Slim's telecoms giant, América Móvil operates out of a former tyre factory. The main offices of Inbursa, his financial business, contain a somewhat down-at-heel art gallery where Slim often likes to eat his lunch on a fold-out table in the middle of the room. His companies are famously obsessed with costs and loathe to borrow, a legacy that might go back to the days when he would write Confucian-style strictures such as "Maintain austerity in prosperous times (in times when the cow is fat with milk)" in staff handbooks.
The Slim pennies are not only pinched in his businesses. A contributing factor to Slim overtaking Gates (by just $500 million) in this year's Forbes rich list was that the Microsoft founder has recently given much of his fortune away to good causes. Slim is a relative latecomer to grand gifts to charity.
Although he recently pledged $6 billion for his three foundations, which devote much of their work to health, education and economic development, hopes that he will become what one of his former executives described as "the Rockefeller of Latin America" still look distant. Some recall his unfortunate remark in 2007 that he had no intention of "going around like Santa Claus" giving away his money; or an earlier, vague but selfish-sounding statement to a New York dinner that while others wanted to leave the world a better place for their children, he wanted to "leave better children for my world".
Of those children, his three grown-up sons are increasingly taking a prominent role in the family empire, especially after Slim Senior had heart surgery 13 years ago. Slim – whose wife, Soumaya, died from kidney disease in 1999 – meets them, along with his two sons-in-law, every Monday for a simple home-cooked meal at his house where they discuss business. In keeping with his homespun image, the boys were never packed off like their peers to expensive foreign business schools but went to Mexican colleges and then learnt on the job.
Some observers have protested that Slim owes much of his business success not to financial genius but to his development of cosy ties with successive Mexican governments (and he does not just restrict his political funding to one party).
Slim instead attributes much of his achievement to his father, Julian, who was 14 when he emigrated from the Lebanon to avoid military service in the Ottoman Empire and built a fortune from a general store during the 1910 Mexican Revolution. Jean Paul Getty was also an early role model after the younger Slim read an article in Playboy about Getty's business success. By 11, he was investing in government saving bonds; by 15, he had bought a small shareholding in Mexico's biggest bank.
He was worth $40 million by the time he was 26 but really struck gold during Mexico's 1982 recession when he was able to hoover up businesses at knock-down prices. In 1990, he received his second big break when Mexico privatised its national telecoms company, Telmex, and Slim beat off the American giant Southwestern Bell and France Telecom to snatch it up. Telmex now operates around 90 per cent of Mexico's telephone lines while its mobile phone network is the biggest in Latin America. He has a growing list of American interests, including an 18 per cent stake in the department store group Saks and a one per cent share of the Citigroup bank.
Cynics might say he dropped any aversion to charity when, in January last year, he revealed plans to inject $250 million into the New York Times newspaper – upping his previous 6.4 per cent stake in the liberal publisher. If nothing else, his Times stakes pulled him out of the shadows and enhanced his public profile.
At home, he has his critics, as one might expect of a billionaire getting so rich in a country with so much poverty and social unrest. Slim has been taken to task for charging steeply for phone calls in a country where the minimum wage is 50 cents an hour. This connects with a popular criticism that monopolistic oligarchs, such as Slim, are stifling Mexican economic efficiency and its ability to compete internationally.
While he has a reputation as usually personable and unassuming, Slim is known to have a short temper and to be thin-skinned over press criticism. Detractors note that he would have to contend with rather more unflattering scrutiny if he lived in a country where the media were less worried about the commercial risks of offending him.
Meanwhile, rivals grumble – privately of course – that he has become too greedy since the loss of his wife left him with nothing to think about other than business. Slim, $18.5 billion up on the year according to Forbes, affects to be unmoved by the swings of his and his fellow multibillionaires' outrageous fortunes. As he observed recently: "It's not a competition."