This brings special responsibilities, reflected in the strings attached to cash injections in both America and Europe.

ECONOMIST: Bank bail-outs

Myhrvold has gotten his investors to lock up their cash with him in highly unorthodox funds with few strings attached for a very, very long time, in some cases as long as 20 years, or close to a generation, people familiar with IV say.

FORBES: On The Cover/Top Stories

Chalk it up to fierce competition and customers' continued refusals to part with cash very easily, even as they loosen the purse strings a bit.

FORBES: Retail