A billionaire bachelor's playground

By: Overtime Staff
Topics: Overtime Original

What would you do if you suddenly became a billionaire with the means to indulge your every whim, no matter how extreme?

If you're Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, and you liked space travel, Jacques Cousteau, and Jimi Hendrix during your youth, why not go for a personal space rocket, build yourself a submarine, and buy the guitar Jimi used to play "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock?

Watch Lesley Stahl's report.
More from "60 Minutes Overtime:" Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Unplugged

Unlike Allen, Bill Gates has been in the public eye for decades and we all know how he spends his billions. But as you'll learn in Lesley Stahl's "60 Minutes" report, Allen has been more reclusive (Lesley compares him to Howard Hughes), pursuing eclectic personal interests and battling cancer since he left Microsoft in 1983. With the release of his new book, "Idea Man: A Memoir by the Co-founder of Microsoft," Allen allowed "60 Minutes" cameras in to capture what billions have bought for this bachelor, as well as access to his personal home-movie archive. Tonight's television broadcast report on Allen, produced by Shachar Bar-On, and our web-only "60 Minutes Overtime" features are a rare peek into one man's very unique life.

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by Dario D. May 4, 2011 3:32 AM EDT: That spaceship would pay for TED Talks to get their own TV channel.; Reply to this comment


by devilfly1 May 1, 2011 8:18 PM EDT: OOPS! I did not realize that I made a huge mistake to Aheadsd as "Mr. Know it ALL". Whatever you said is correct!

Thank you for your insight criticism. It surely helped me a bit to know you a bit. Definelty, I will go back to school to polish my English skills only if you pay me!!! DUH! Thanks again for the compliment.

Whatever whom did invented the computer programming code. I did my homework eventually.

Actually, I did changed my educational major because Computer Science is not my subject anymore after i learned that my primary advisor has personal issues and bias toward me. I was thinking about majoring in English. Does it sounds good to you? Aheadsd?

Well, I guess better get off from CBS News forever because I could care less about the misleading news and facts.

Bye for now!!!!!!!!!!!!!; Reply to this comment


by toncuz April 23, 2011 2:20 PM EDT: as if the corporate fascists haven't murdered millions and continue to do so TODAY...idiots...whom do you think the Egyptians were revolting against??? THE LEGACY OF REAGAN AND HIS ENTIRE CORPORATE FASCIST PHILOSOPHY; Reply to this comment


by toncuz April 23, 2011 2:17 PM EDT: Many of the 47% ARE THE RICH WHO PAY NO TAXES ...dolts!!!; Reply to this comment


by wardross April 23, 2011 5:33 AM EDT: Perhaps it was just the way the documentary was edited, but I sense Mr. Allen is a rather lonely guy. If relationships bring meaning to life, then excessive wealth must be a curse...; Reply to this comment


by huangsx April 22, 2011 5:30 AM EDT: I think it's all for the better in the end. I think you cannot judge someone by the amount of money they have. While I object to the growing class inequality in the USA, I don't see either Allen of Gates as being part of that. Gates in particular is an ardent supporter of the estate tax, and believes in redistributing his wealth. Allen believes in investing heavily in his community and the arts and sciences. So <a href="http://www.converseenfrance.com/ ">Chaussures Converse</a> I think you cannot put them in the same class as someone like Ben Bernanke, who just invests in exploiting people and doesn't care if he bankrupts America while he's getting his greed on.; Reply to this comment


by Brockflock April 21, 2011 4:28 PM EDT: A guy who made a ton of money producing a mediocre product that works when no one uses it. And his every whim gets indulged? Anything bad that happens to him, I have no sense of sympathy for.; Reply to this comment


by rjparkerjr April 21, 2011 4:01 PM EDT: Paul, if you're still interested in investing in web technology that has the potential to change the way people use the Internet, then contact me. It's actually quite shocking to me that it hasn't been done yet, but it hasn't. I've worked for a number of dot com start ups and I've just been sitting on the idea. Then I saw your 60 minute segment and thought, man if he could only hear my idea. My email address is ronnieparker@gmail.com.; Reply to this comment


by flusched April 21, 2011 3:37 PM EDT: The rich man entering heaven is as difficult as passing a camel through the eye of a needle because wealth keeps the attention outward on possessions and objects and the kingdom of heaven is within. It's the self. Know thyself.

The Objectivism philosophy of Ayn Rand is the bed-rock of the Republican Party. Objectivists hold that laissez-faire capitalism is "the only moral social system.

Objectivism states: that which has no nature or attributes does not and cannot exist.

The self has no nature or attributes. The self cannot be heard, touched, seen, tasted, or smelled. When the self is known all that can be said of it is, "I am that."

The Hearst legacy and legacies of the monumental and memorial things left behind by the super rich are measures of the suffering that their accumulation of things produced. A tour of the Hearst Castle should make the skin crawl of any person with any sense of human decency. Looking at Mr. Allen's things is more of the same.; Reply to this comment


by kate1song April 21, 2011 1:50 PM EDT: Well, the cost of living in China is much less than in the USA. I do not think one can really compare them too well.; Reply to this comment

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