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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Bill Gates is walking off into the sunset... well, kind of.
Today marks his last day as a full-time worker at Microsoft, the software giant he co-founded more than 30 years ago. At 52, Gates isn't totally retiring. He'll still put in one day a week at the company and will remain Microsoft's chairman and its largest shareholder.
But, Gates plans to spend more time working on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It's the richest philanthropy in the world and is focused on global health and education.
Not too shabby for the Harvard dropout, who was the richest person in the world for years. Gates was worth more than $100 billion in 1999, although he's "only" worth about half of that now because of the drop in Microsoft's shares along with donations to his foundation.
Gates leaves behind an amazing legacy – he's been known as the company's genius programmer, its technology guru, its primary decision maker and its ruthless leader. He figured out how to turn software into a moneymaking industry, and in the process it's safe to say he has changed the world forever.
Consider this: there are more than 1 billion copies of Microsoft Windows operating on PCs around the world.
It's probably safe to say you won't find Bill Gates living a run-of-the-mill retirement at some old-age home in Florida, playing shuffle board and dining on early bird specials.
Here’s my question to you: If you were Bill Gates, how would you spend your retirement?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Anthony from Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
Go to the 60 neediest countries and spend a month or two there giving out a billion at a time. After 60 months, I return to the U.S. broke. Feeling bored and challenged, I develop technology that rids our need of oil entirely. I make trillions this time. Feeling bored and challenged again, I decide to run for the highest office beating out little bro, Jeb Bush.
Michelle writes:
I would buy an island where no one could find me so that when the next crappy Microsoft product hits the market, I would be off the radar.
Michael from New Orleans
If I were Bill Gates, I'd use my retirement years to find a hair stylist.
Zach writes:
Well, Jack, I would start by buying Delaware. After that, possibly on to Utah.
Kim from Dodge City, Kansas writes:
Look, Jack, I know it's been a long week walking across the hot coals of network news, so I understand the need for a fantasy question on Friday. The answer is easy: I'd split the money with you and we would spend the rest of our lives enjoying our families in the quiet splendor we so much deserve.
Ross from California writes:
Buy all the foreclosed homes from whoever owns them now and give them back to the original owners at 1 percent interest at current value. Or buy both houses of Congress back from the corporate lobbies.
Chris from Ottawa writes:
Be careful: with today's gas prices and inflation, $50 billion might not go as far as it used to.
Craig from Tampa, Florida writes:
I’d spend my money on booze and women. The rest I would spend frivolously.
J.T. from New York writes:
I'd buy CNN and make you read my answers whether they are funny or not.