[The_Victor]

Something that I aways find striking about rich and powerful historic figures is their level of wealth compared to today. Three and a half centuries ago owning an 8000 sq ft home meant you were one of the most powerful men on earth. Today someone with a net worth of a billion dollars is not even rich enough to get on the Forbes 400 but could easily afford to build a 50,000 or 60,000 sq ft home.

If we had to construct in hand chiseled stone, Bill Gates would be living in <10k sq ft, I'd bet.

[Poison Pill]

I'd take that bet. The rich are richer today anyway you slice it. I don't know how much carved stone Gate's $50 billion would get him but the Queen of England has a pretty big stone house. Don't know the specs but Buckingham Palace is a whole lot bigger than 8000 sq ft.