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Forbes Magazine is out with its annual list of the world’s richest people. And, surprisingly, Bill Gates is not at the top. The co-founder of Microsoft fell about $500-million short this year, finishing with a net worth of $53-billion as opposed to the $53.5-billion that Mexican telecom tycoon Carlo Slim Helu is worth. Ironically, Gates would have had that $500-million — and then some — if he hadn’t given so much of his money away. Good on ya, Mr. Gates!

These lists never cease to amaze me. Just imagine – $53-BILLION! It’s incomprehensible to me. I remember having this conversation with a friend one day when I said I didn’t think I could spend even a billion dollars. He said it would be easy, so he started. He listed the cars and the homes and the cottages and even the yacht. I think we got up to about $100-million. In other words, one tenth of the way to a billion. One billion dollars is one thousand millions! Imagine. And the world’s richest man has 53,500 of those millions. It is kinda cool, though, huh? I think it would be even cooler if he started donating more and more of those billions like Bill Gates and the third man on this year’s list, Warren Buffet.

The top Canadian on this year’s list, by the way, came in at the 20th position. David Thomson and family are worth about $19-billion. They were just too polite to say so.

I couldn’t help but notice as I walked through the parking lot today how many cars were sparkling clean, almost like new. I’m happy to say mine was included. Stopped at my favourite drive-thru wash yesterday at King and Northfield and there wasn’t even a line-up! The spring gods were smiling on me. A clean car is a happy car and with the sunshine here through Wednesday at least, looks like this wash will last for awhile.

So this morning I told you about a little news item out of Boston, where researchers surveyed 20,000 women over 13 years about their drinking habits. And what did they find? They found that women who drank a glass or two of red wine every day gained the least amount of weight. As a beer lover, I’m depressed. Or at the very least offended. You show me a guy who drinks a pint or two of beer every day for 13 years and manages to keep the pounds off. There’s a reason they call it a beer belly.

Sigh. Guess I’ll just have to go drown my sorrows in a pint of Keith’s. Hey, I hear that misery loves company. See you at the pub.

I’m just assuming that I met you, of course. But along with Evan, Fergus, Erica, Cristina, Ricardo and all of the others in uptown Waterloo late Sunday night/early Monday morning…I’m sure our paths crossed. I would have written sooner but it’s hard to read a computer screen with bloodshot eyes. And yes, I do believe my eyes are still a little bloodshot. But that makes them red and, by extension, patriotic, right?

In all seriousness, I must apologize for the raspy voice you’ve been stuck listening to for the past couple of days. I feel fine — 100% — honest I do! It’s just that I am yet to sufficiently recovering from all the “We’re #1,” “Sid the Kid,” and “Ca-na-da” chants we did after the game. Not to mention the spontaneous outbursts of the national anthem. I’m sure I’ll be back to normal in no time. Getting more than ten minutes of sleep at a stretch might help. But really, who could sleep after that game?? What a night and what a way to end the Olympics. I just hope the raspiness doesn’t grate on your nerves too much until I’m fixed up.

In the meantime, try to bottle some of that Olympic/Canadian spirit. It was a great two weeks and I hate to see it end. We should be more patriotic! Plus, it’s a great excuse to throw a party. Please make sure I’m invited to the next one. Or just pick me up at the corner of King and Erb. I’m sure I’ll be there again.

Is fast becoming Kevin Martin. I’m not the world’s biggest curling fan but have you watched this guy? Calm and cool on the ice, he exudes a quiet leadership and you can tell he has the respect of his teammates. With no disrespect whatever intended to our hockey players, skiers, skaters and every other athlete, I find it impossible to dislike the skip of our Olympic men’s curling team. When he improved to 8-0 in the round robin with a convincing win over the U.S. the other day, the usual postgame handshakes followed. And the TV cameras caught Martin clearly mouthing the words “nice shot” to his opponent at the end. The U.S. skip had made a nice final shot, even though Martin scored two to end the match. Acknowledging the quality of that shot rather than immediately celebrating your own victory is just plain classy. And it’s sportsmanship like that which has made Kevin Martin one of my favourite Canadian Olympians at these Games. Here’s to hoping we can celebrate the sportsmanship of this remarkable Albertan straight to a gold medal.

Did it suck losing that hockey game to the U.S. last night? Sure it did. Winning is always more fun than losing. But really, other than the fact that we now have to play an extra game in the tournament (Tuesday, versus Germany), the game was entirely inconsequential. It had no bearing whatsoever on our chances for a medal or for the medal chances of the U.S. Say what you want about the rivalry or about bragging rights, this was really just another game.

I watched it with some friends at a bar. I hate to say it, but they drove me nuts. They were on eggshells from the outset, criticizing every play Canada made. Was it a perfect game? No. But is our team the best team in the tournament? Yes. And it still has a shot of winning a gold medal, despite last night’s loss. A gold medal I fully expect them to win, by the way.

So I’ll be cheering my face off and my lungs out on Sunday afternoon during the final game. But this time I’ll probably be in my living room alone. Sorry gang, but the negative energy was just too much for me last night. Anyone who wants to cheer with me is welcome to join in. All you pessimists can go back to the bar.

OK, I admit it. I wasn’t all that excited by the Olympics. Been there, done that. Tired of drug scandals and pretty sure I don’t like pro athletes taking part in what was always supposed to be a celebration of amateur sport. But I’ve been pretty much hooked since the Opening Ceremonies on Friday. Everytime I turn on the TV, I flip to the coverage. Everytime I listen to the radio, I’m listening for a medal update (5 and counting!!!). And does it get any better than our men’s hockey team? There’s just something about that Team Canada jersey and last night’s 8-0 win over Norway was a great start. Next up, the Swiss. And on Sunday, the big game against the Americans.

Good thing the fridge is still well-stocked with beer since last week’s Super Bowl party.

You’ve gotta hand it to those researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton. As we discussed on the show today, they’ve conducted a study that finds women make lower calorie meal choices when dining with a man. Girls night out? It’s OK to pig out. But when a woman is with a man she tends to go low-cal and fat-free. Why? The researchers tell us that’s their subliminal way of sending us a signal of attractiveness. Who knew?

By the way, in the same study, researchers found that guys will eat whatever they want, whenever they want. Sorry ladies, that’s just the way we are. And for the record, I’d like to point this out in advance of the next time we’re having dinner. No, that dress does not make you look fat!

I remember running into a friend a few years ago that I hadn’t seen in a long time. We started chatting and it turned out he was out that night celebrating his engagement. I met his fiancee and asked how they met. After a short pause, he told me they met online. He seemed a little shy about it, as if it wasn’t the proper way to meet.

Fast forward a few years, and there I was Saturday at the wedding of a different friend. She met her husband-to-be in the same way, though, and was not shy about it in the least. We’ve come a long way in a short time and internet dating is almost the norm these days. And while I’m not endorsing a particular online site, I gotta say it worked for Kate and Mark. They’ve always been a great couple and they were so happy on Saturday. Way to go, guys! And enjoy the sunshine in Cuba.

I remember the days when the thought of a three-hour university lecture would have seemed a penalty worse than death. Apparently, I’ve changed. I voluntarily attended such a lecture yesterday. And it was great! Funny how much different school seems now that I don’t feel like I have to be there. Anyway, thanks to Professor Williams over at the University of Waterloo for letting me sit in on the class, just because I wanted to. None of the students mistook me for the “new kid,” though. What’s up with that?