Howard Hughes was the weirdo, flashy, self-aggrandizing "billionaire" of his day.

[Stinky The Clown]

He started out with flashy barnstorm flying that he could do because he was rich. He also had a lot to do with commercial passenger aviation as we know it today. He got richer at while doing it. He built airplanes, too. He got richer doing that. He dabbled in this and he dabbled in that.

While he indulged himself, he also created a lot of jobs - whether intended or not. I really don't think there was a lot of altruism involved. Nonetheless it happened.




This post might be a non-sequitur were it not for today's Richard Branson space flight and the upcoming Bezos and Musk flights.

[Hekate]

1. GMTA, Stinky

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215613094

[sanatanadharma]

3. Hughes was at a huge disadvantage...

...because he arrived before the Reagan decade of greed, without TV's "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous"

How much bread could a Branson bake if a Branson did bake bread?
Building billionaire amusement park rides is one way to create jobs. Feeding people is better.

[underpants]

4. Made his millions on an oil well drilling drill bit. May have been the reason for Watergate breakin

He invented a drill bit that chewed through rock.

Hughes was a Republican but he’d loan money to Nixon’s brother and the ever paranoid Nixon thought he might be dishing info to the Dems. They broke in looking for info on Hughes. At least that’s one thing I’ve read about it.

[cojoel]

17. the drill bit was his father's invention

He got royalties from that for many years that funded the other ventures.

[underpants]

19. Okay. Thanks

[Goonch]

5. HH

[moondust]

8. Tax-hating germophobe, cocaine addict, recluse.

Hughes's germ phobia revealed in psychological autopsy

As his empire grew, Hughes used every trick conceivable to avoid paying taxes to the government.

Original role model for TFG and today's GQP? I have long wondered how much influence he had on them starting decades ago.

[Owl]

9. What's up with the boxes?

[moondust]

12. 👇

He wore tissue boxes on his feet to protect them. And he burned his clothing if someone near him became ill.

From first link in post above yours.

[Owl]

14. Wow!

[Goonch]

13. germs

Howard Hughes--the billionaire aviator, motion-picture producer and business tycoon--spent most of his life trying to avoid germs. Toward the end of his life, he lay naked in bed in darkened hotel rooms in what he considered a germ-free zone. He wore tissue boxes on his feet to protect them.

[Owl]

15. Thanks for the info!

[Mr.Bill]

16. Ironic that the then richest man in the world

adapted the behavior of a skid-row junkie. Locked himself in a hotel room and shot dope into his arm. There is a lesson there somewhere.

[lame54]

6. Do you think Branson is a clone...

Made from Hughes saved toenails and urine?

[Quixote1818]

7. I just think it shows they aren't taxed enough. nt

[Scrivener7]

18. THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS!!!!!!!!!

[andym]

10. Hughes Medical Foundation has made major contributions to medical advances

Started out as a tax shelter for Hughes, but ended up advancing medicine. Has an endowment of ~$23 billion.
Much of his fortune ended up here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Hughes_Medical_Institute

[brush]

11. I wouldn't put Brandson in the same basket with Bezos and Musk.

I don't think he's an American citizen which would mean he can't vote here but remember, he's friends with Obama and Michelle and seems to be a good guy.

I know Musk is a republican. As for Bezos, no Democrat would treat their employees as Amazon does.