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15 Rare Facts About Facebook’s ‘Mark Zuckerberg’ Before He Made His Billions

Zuckerberg was asked about his morning routine, whether or not Facebook helped him attract women, and if he preferred beer or mixed-drinks.

Every morning, 19-year-old Zuckerberg woke up at..

Various times depending on his meeting schedule.
More often than not, he pulled all-nighters and would stay awake for days at a time.
“I keep programmer time sometimes…programmers tend to stay up really late and work when everyone else is asleep. So it’s not really uncommon for me to stay up until 6 or 8 in the morning,” Zuckerberg told Current.
“But the business world does not operate between 5 pm and 8 am, so that requires some waking up for.”

For breakfast, Zuckerberg would eat…

Nothing. Teenage Zuckerberg said he usually didn’t eat breakfast.

“The only time I eat breakfast is when I have meetings that early in the morning.  Usually it’s a late lunch and then a late dinner and then a second dinner at Jack in the Box.”

In high school, Zuckerberg played two sports. They were…

Tennis and crew.

“Preppy sports,” he said.

And, of course, he programmed.

Zuckerberg thought middle school gym class was…

“Sweet!”

Zuckerberg said he played three varsity sports at his public middle school.

“I actually used to be athletic.”

When going out with friends, young Zuckerberg preferred to party at..

College parties over bars.

“I live right next to Stanford, so I go to parties there,” he said.

If the underage Mark Zuckerberg could have had beer or a mixed drink, he’d have picked…

Beer (but he claimed he didn’t drink).

He also said his friends made fun of him for not having a fake ID. “[They’d be] like, ‘You can make websites but you can’t make a fake ID?’”

Zuckerberg’s favorite gadget was…

A Sony VAIO mini computer.

“We named it Tinkerbell,” said Zuckerberg.

If Mark Zuckerberg could have had dinner with anyone, dead or alive, it would have been…

Achilles.

Young Zuckerberg said he’d reach across the table and quote the movie Troy, “Now you know who you are fighting.”

Zuckerberg started “Thefacebook” because Harvard was..

A “fairly unfriendly place.”

To make up for it, Zuckerberg said he “wanted one online directory where all students could be listed.”

When asked if Facebook helped him get women, Zuckerberg replied..

“It helps my friends pick up girls.”

He says Facebook did improve his social life. It helped him throw an impromptu party with UCLA students he didn’t know.

Zuckerberg launched Facebook at Ivy League schools first because..

It’s where Harvard students’ friends were most likely to overlap.  Zuckerberg claimed it wasn’t to be elitist.

“We had a launch plan to enter into other colleges based on where friends would be most likely to overlap, so the site spread organically based on that model and now we operate on a broad spectrum of campuses,” he said.

While on leave from Harvard, Zuckerberg rented a house near Stanford. To pay for it, Zuckerberg..

Used minimal banner ads on Facebook to cover the cost of staff, running the site, and the summer home.

“We hate banner ads…lately we’ve been putting thought into other advertising systems that would be less offensive.  Right now we put up what we need…it’s not that cheap — we have to make $40,000 a month or something, but it works.”

Zuckerberg was surprised that Facebook users..

Didn’t complain much about being stalked.

“It’s surprising, but we have actually received far less complaints about stalking than we otherwise would have expected,” says Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg didn’t like that Facebook made people..

Antisocial.

“It’s not unusual for us to receive an email from somebody saying, “I spend all of my time on your website and now I have less of a social life,’” said Zuckerberg.

“We would much rather have people meet people through the website than stay at home on a Friday night reading other people’s profiles.”

Young Zuckerberg thought Facebook was successful because…

It made an online community on top of a physical community. No social network had done that before.

“We don’t view the site as an online community — we built it as a directory that is reinforcing a physical community,” he said.  “What exists on the site is a mirror image of what exists in real life.”

The Millionaires & Billionaires Who Lost It All

As the famous saying goes, “The brightest flame burns the quickest“.  There are plenty of successful entrepreneurs who quickly rise to financial success, only to lose everything just as abruptly.

Life in the fast lane is not without its speed bumps, and here are some of the people who went from rags to riches – and then vice-versa.

The Millionaires & Billionaires Who Lost It All

1. Jordan Belfort

The once was Multi-Millionaire stockbroker had it all. Yachts, planes, women, midget throwing parties & drugs where just a few of the high life activities on Jordans agenda. Jordan was reported to be making $250 Million at the age of 25 through his stockbroking firm Stratton Oakmont which functioned like a boiler room and later served  as inspiration for the creation of the film also known as ‘Boiler Room‘, starring Vin Diesel & Giovanni Ribisi. Jordan Belfort’s multi millions where stripped from him when the FBI pinned him for securities fraud and money laundering.

After Jordan Belforts release from jail and paying back the 100 millions of dollars he owed other stock brokers Jordan decided to turn his life around releasing the New York Best Seller ‘Catching The Wolf Of Wall Street‘ which was written by Jordan himself about his Wall Street sagas and his run ins with the law. This Book has been developed into a movie which will be directed by Martin Scorsese starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort. Jordan also has toured the world discussing how to achieve success without sacrificing integrity and ethics.

The lesson here is that there is always room for change, if Jordan can change his life for the good, you can too.

2. Kim Dotcom

This German internet millionaire is most popularly known as thefounder of Megaupload, an online file sharing service. Kim Dotcom’s fall from grace isn’t really because of bad business decisions as much as he was involved in a lot of suspected criminal activities.  While his website is being accused of copyright infringement, he’s also been charged with insider trading, embezzlement, and computer fraud. The problem with Kim is not only that he couldn’t handle his rock star lifestyle, but also the fact that he amassed his fortune through suspected illegal means.

UPDATE: Kim Dotcom has returned with a more legit way of sharing with his new online company MEGA. We will keep you updated with his progress. Good on you Kim for having another go and doing things right.

3. Allen Stanford

Currently in jail and awaiting trial, this former billionaire was charged with running a multi-billion dollar Ponzi Scheme.  Having acted as the Chairman ofStanford Financial Group, he’s been accused of masterminding a financial conspiracy to rob investors out of their hard-earned money and misused their funds to sustain his extravagant lifestyle. Like Kim Dotcom, he tried living the good life at the expense of others and is now reaping the consequences of his actions.  As of today, Allen Stanford is taking a number of medications for his depression and is even partially blind after an inmate assaulted him.

4. M.C. Hammer

MC Hammer rose to fame in the 1990s and earned around $30 Million during the peak of his musical career.  Shortly after his success, M.C. Hammerwasted no time squandering his fortune on mansions, sharing money with friends and expensive toys. Before the decade was over, he filed for bankruptcy due to an enormous debt.  He’s a classic example of someone earning his wealth too fast and too soon, which made it hard for him to handle his finances. Now living as a pastor in California, he learned the hard way that one should learn from their mistakes and consider the consequences of a decision before making it.

5. Sean Quinn

Only a few years ago, this Irish businessman was worth $6 Billion.  However, he quickly lost it all after he invested twenty five percent (25%) in Anglo Irish Bank.  However, his mistake was to use money he borrowed from his own insurance company.  When a financial crisis swept his country, his Anglo Irish shares suffered and caused him billions in debt.  What people can learn from Sean Quinn’sexample is that itís alright to take risks only if youíve done your homework to avoid getting burned after taking the plunge.

6. Patricia Kluge

She’s the wife of the late John Kluge who was worth billions himself during the late 90s.  Following their divorce in 1990, Patricia Kluge began to market a 960-acre vineyard that was supposed to appeal to an ultra-rich clientele.  She loaned close to $70 million just to put up facilities, but eventually the real estate crisis in the late 2000s caused her venture to fail and the property foreclosed.  The lesson to remember here is that successful entrepreneurs shouldnít put all their eggs in one basket.  Otherwise, you can easily lose everything in one swift stroke.

7. Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson

Hailing from Iceland, this former billionaire saw his net worth dwindle down to zero after he and his son/business partner Thor got hit by the credit crisis in their country.  They were major shareholders in a bank called Landsbankiñ when it went under, so did their assets.  Like some of the others on this list, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson too was involved in illegal activities such as fraud and embezzlement in the past.Karma is b!tch, aint it!

8. George Foreman

This heavyweight champion became riddled with financial woes when his boxing career lost steam in the late 70s.  Naturally, the money stopped coming in and he became overwhelmed with credit card debt and unpaid loans.  Fortunately for George Foreman, he bounced back from his situation by getting back in the ring as well as investing in the popular TV shopping product called the Foreman Grill.

9. Johnny Unitas

This legendary quarterback earned hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time because of his unmatched prowess on the field.  He starred in professional football before salaries were measured in millions. His yearly contracts ranged from $7,000, his first in 1956 with the Colts, to $250,000 plus a $175,000 bonus in his last one with the San Diego Chargers in 1973. Johnny Unitas put his money into the different industries he dabbled in, such as real estate, restaurants, and manufacturing.  Unfortunately, these businesses failed and they were forced to file for bankruptcy by the 90s. He died 11 years later with a lawsuit from his estate hanging over all of his businesses.

10. Scott Eyre

Scott Eyre was a former pitcher for the MLB and played for likes of the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs.  He was one of Allen Stanford’s victims who invested in his fraudulent billion-dollar scheme which cost Scott almost all of his money.  As such, he is proof that we shouldn’t invest in something until we’ve thoroughly assessed the risks as well as the person or entity behind it. Steve Jobs once said that perfectly normal folks can turn into ‘bizarro people’ when they suddenly come upon wealth.

Indeed, losing control and common sense is one of the biggest risks that successful entrepreneurs face. Rich people are human and therefore just as fallible as everyone else. If you don’t want to share the same fate as them, make sure to exercise financial intelligence by either learning about it yourself or consulting with someone who can help you use sound judgment.  Just because you have piles of cash, it doesn’t automatically mean you already know how to handle it properly. Don’t fall prey to materialism.  Money is fleeting, and you may not be able to afford the finer things in life if you take a hit tomorrow.  This is why you should always make a conscious effort to live within your means and hold off buying something until you’ve thought it through.

11 Super Rich Millionaires & Billionaires Who Own A Private Island

If owning mansions, cars & yachts is not enough, then a handful of the worlds super rich millionaires and billionaires are into purchasing their own private islands.

Here is a list of the super rich millionaires & billionaires who own their own private getaway.

1) Necker Island

Owner: Sir Richard Branson - Net worth: $4.2 billion

Sir Richard Branson, who heads the Virgin Group comprising of more than a few hundred companies, owns this pristine island, located among the British Virgin Islands. Comprising of beautiful turquoise waters, coral reefs and warm sandy beaches, along with a staff of 60 people and troupe of 24 guests. Branson originally bought the island back in the 70′s for $200,000, nowadays this island can be yours for $53,000 a night. A great investment for Branson if you ask me.

2) Musha Cay Islands, Bahamas

 

Owner: David Copperfield - Net worth: $150 million

David Copperfield is best known as a compelling illusionist and magician who has used his skills to mesmerize many an audience. Located 85 miles from south-east of Nassau, Bahamas, this island played host to Google founder Sergey Brin’s wedding in 2007.

For $32,250 a night, there are five themed luxury villas, with David Copperfield’s private art collection to admire.

3) Little Halls Ponds Cay, Bahamas

Owner: Johnny Depp - Net Worth: $200 million

Johnny Depp was moved by the lifestyle of people living on the Bahamas islands during the shooting of  ‘Pirates Of The Carribean’ and decided to purchase this spot for $3.6 Million. As per recent announcements, this private island will meet its power requirements through the use of solar power, to reduce carbon footprint and maintain the eco-friendly atmosphere that the island is known for.

4) Blackadore Cay, Belize

Owner: Leonardo Di Caprio - Net worth: $200 million +

Leonardo Di Caprio is also an American Actor, known for his performance in award-winning movies like Titanic, which went into history as one of the greatest to have ever being made. This 104-acre retreat was bought for a reported price of $1.75M million by the actor-producer. Just like his fellow actor Johnny Depp, Leonardo has also taken a step in the direction of making his island eco-friendly with his plans to use solar power to meet energy needs of the island, including his plans to build an eco-resort on the island.

5) Abrahamovich island in St. Barts

Owner: Roman Abrahamovich - Net worth: $13.4 billion

Roman Abrahamovich is a Russian billionaire known for his investments in multiple ventures through his investment firm Millhouse LLC. His list of exotic assets includes this private island, which earlier belonged to Jeet Singh,  the cofounder of ATG. Even though close to half his wealth has been worn off during the recession, it did not prevent him from purchasing this $90 million property, making it one of the most expensive ever sold. Amenities include oceanic views, tennis courts and swimming pools on this 70 acre island.

6) Bill Gates Grand Bugue Caye

Owner: Bill Gates - Net worth: $56 billion

The Grand Bugue Island is supposedly the largest in the republic of Belize, and has been known to provide unparalleled opportunities for growth and return on investor funds. If one looks to enjoy their recreation time here, amenities include opportunities for water sports, and specialized fishing areas for saltwater fishes. It also has soothing views of the ocean with multiple color variances of the waters, along with a long lining of palm and coconut trees and a forest area toward the rear of the island.

7) Ile Ganon, Quebec

Owner: Celine Dion – Net worth: $400 million

“My Heart Goes On,” which is known to be one of the greatest hits worldwide, and an all-time favorite with music lovers around the world, had been crooned by the melody queen Celine Dionwhich has eventually made her one of the highest paid performers the world over. Befitting the diva, she acquired an island in the home province of Quebec, located on the sleepy Iles River, giving her opportunities to take the much needed breaks from her hectic schedule. The island houses her imposing mansion, the details of which are still unknown, due to the strict security arrangements. The closest one can get is by boat rides.

8) Bonds Cay, Bahamas

 

Owner: Shakira - Net Worth: $140 million

Shakira is a pop star from Colombia who became famous for her songs and her belly-dancing capabilities. She, along with Pink Floyd frontman, Roger Waters, have bought this sprawling 700 acre island, which they intend on developing in the years to come, and making it the most popular destination for the famous. Amenities at the island include boutique hotels, private beaches, luxury condominiums, private galleries and a 18 hole golf course, among others. The location is in popular holiday zone of the Bahamas, near the north central zone also known as Berry Islands.

9) Leaf Cay, Bahamas

Owner: Nicolas Cage - Net worth: $180 million

Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director and has been associated with more than 60 movies that he has worked in till date. Among his exotic assets is an island in the Exuma range, which also has good friend Johnny Depp’s island as a neighbor. Though yet to be fully developed, the island has 19 buildings, including hotels, a 1500-foot airstrip, a protected marina, extra power backup in solar power systems, along with the supply from the Bahamas government and pristine private beaches.

10) Mago Island, Fiji

Owner: Mel Gibson - Net worth: $600 million

Actor Mel Gibson is best known for his movies Braveheart and Lethal Weapon, and among his assets is the 5400-acre private island which he purchased from a Japanese company in 2005 for a reported $15 million. Not much is known about the island but it is said that Mel Gibson doesn’t intend to change much in the surroundings, and enjoy the natural habit as it is. It doesn’t house many people, except some Fijian caretakers and only has Mel Gibson’s private residence. The interesting fact is that the island is known to be one of the largest private islands in the Pacific.

11) Rooster Cay, Bahamas

Owner: Eddie Murphy - Net worth: $75 million

Funnyman Eddie Murphy is an actor, stand-up comedian, director and musician. This multi-faceted star is known for his various talents behind the camera, and is one of the highest paid stars around. Purchased in 2007, this island cost the actor $15 million, for its prime location and proximity to the city of Nassau in the Bahamas. Though not much is known about this island, but many say it’s ideal for resort development and recreation like its neighboring island Paradise, known for its vacationing facilities.

Article By: Born Rich

Increase Your Twitter Followers – Lady Gaga Style!

Do you want 1,000,000,000 followers onTwitter? How about 10 million? Or even 22 million?

Adam Ludwin, a Principal at RRE Ventures,along with some developer at BigHuman.combuilt a side project called “Fame” to make that happen.

Fame is a viral Twitter game that gives a random user a huge follower count once a day.

Here’s how it works: You go to Play-fame.com and connect your Twitter account. You are then entered into a something like a raffle with everyone else who connects on the site. Once a day, a winner is chosen at random. That winner is automatically followed for the day by everyone who has entered.

How is this possible? Twitter’s API actually lets a developer add and remove followers from a user’s account.

Fame will make everyone who enters a follower for the day. Then at the end of the day, those people will stop following the winner. Your account will remain the same after that. You won’t lose any followers, but you might gain some if people like what you say.

Ludwin spoke with Twitter, and it was okay with Fame. It’s smart of Twitter, because this is a way to expand the ecosystem.

Fame launches today, so the first winner will only get a few dozen new followers for the day. Ludwin’s ultimate goal is to give one random Twitter user more followers for a day than Lady Gaga. That would mean Fame has 22 million users.

To reach 22 million, Ludwin needs more and more people to sign up.

Why would you sign up if the odds are slim that you’ll win? Because, you could participate in a community. You could help give some random person a huge audience.

Ludwin is tapping into a populist vein.

“Why do you have to be famous to be famous?” says Ludwin. “Why can’t everyday people be famous?”

Go here to play Fame → & Increase Your Twitter FollowingDo you want 1,000,000,000 followers onTwitter? How about 10 million? Or even 22 million?

Adam Ludwin, a Principal at RRE Ventures,along with some developer at BigHuman.combuilt a side project called “Fame” to make that happen.

Fame is a viral Twitter game that gives a random user a huge follower count once a day.

Here’s how it works: You go to Play-fame.com and connect your Twitter account. You are then entered into a something like a raffle with everyone else who connects on the site. Once a day, a winner is chosen at random. That winner is automatically followed for the day by everyone who has entered.

How is this possible? Twitter’s API actually lets a developer add and remove followers from a user’s account.

Fame will make everyone who enters a follower for the day. Then at the end of the day, those people will stop following the winner. Your account will remain the same after that. You won’t lose any followers, but you might gain some if people like what you say.

Ludwin spoke with Twitter, and it was okay with Fame. It’s smart of Twitter, because this is a way to expand the ecosystem.

Fame launches today, so the first winner will only get a few dozen new followers for the day. Ludwin’s ultimate goal is to give one random Twitter user more followers for a day than Lady Gaga. That would mean Fame has 22 million users.

To reach 22 million, Ludwin needs more and more people to sign up.

Why would you sign up if the odds are slim that you’ll win? Because, you could participate in a community. You could help give some random person a huge audience.

Ludwin is tapping into a populist vein.

“Why do you have to be famous to be famous?” says Ludwin. “Why can’t everyday people be famous?”

Go here to play Fame → & Increase Your Twitter Following

9 Of The Wildest Gadgets That Millionaire’s & Lottery Winners Are Buying

1. Personal Killer Whale Submarine

Price: $100,000

What does it do?: If you won the lottery, why not jump into a 17-foot watercraft that resembles a killer whale? The submarine can travel underwater at 25 miles per hour or hydroplane on the water’s surface at 50 mph. The watercraft fits two people who can enjoy the watery view through the glass top or by watching an LCD screen that captures the rear view.

2. Magnetic Floating Bed

Price: $1.6 million

What does it do?: After a long day of spending your jackpot winnings, rest your head on this levitating bed. A magnetic force propels the bed 16 inches off the ground. Cables keep the bed from maneuvering away from the magnet. 2001: A Space Odyssey reportedly inspired a Dutch architect to create the “flying bed.”

3. Dinosaur Bone-Infused iPad

Price: $8 million

What does it do?: The iPad 2 Gold History Edition features a 24-carat gold Apple logo and backing, 53 gems and “sections of a 65 million year old T-REX Dinosaur’s thigh bone,” among other pricey attributes.

4. Super-Luxurious Toilet

Price: $6,400

What does it do?: The Kohler Numi is no stinker. The elaborate toilet warms your feet, plays music and cleans your behind with an adjustable spray and subsequent drying function. A touchscreen controls the settings.

5. Fastest Street Legal Car

Price: $2.4 million

What does it do?: The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is dubbed as the fastest street legal car in the world, reaching speeds as fast as 268 miles per hour.

6. Jetpack

Price: $99,500

What does it do?: The JetLev Jetpack can lift you 30 feet into the air at 25 miles per hour for four hours, according to the company’s website.

7. 24-Carat Grill

Price: $165,000

What does it do?: Say what? BeefEater Barbecues’s bedazzled grill is covered in 24-carat gold except for the cooking surfaces. The company says the cooking tool is for people who “have money to burn.”

8. Batmobile Replica

Price: $190,836

                                                                                 What does it do?: This “officially licensed replica” of the 1966 Batmobile costs $150,000 and is decked out with a Batphone, “Detect-a-Scope” radar screen and rocket exhaust flamethrower.

9. Fish Tank Beds

Price: $489,000

What does it do?: NFL Star ‘Chad Ochocinco‘ purchased one of these and claims his wife, Evelyn Lozado stairs at the fish every night before falling asleep. These custom-made aquariums are designed by Wayde King and Brett Raymer, the stars of the new reality show “Tanked” on Animal Planet.

Article originally appeared on Mashable.com