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The greatest executricksters of all time

Today's BlackBerry-wielding, expense-account impresario may think he's invented the concept of retiring at work. But such executricks have been around as long as people have labored at tasks they'd rather not perform. Following are some of the greats in the pantheon of tricksters.

Victoria, Queen of England
Victoria, Queen of England
The Martha Stewart of her time with a chunk of Condi Rice thrown in. She defined the morals, tastes and styles of an entire generation or three, while living in the lap of the greatest luxury attainable at the time.

True, there were no cell phones or BlackBerrys, but lacking that, there was very little this powerful potentate could not enjoy at the snap of her chubby fingers, if enjoyment was something she could have enjoyed.
Last updated July 24 2008: 3:43 PM ET

Tiberius Caesar

Cleopatra

Benjamin Franklin

Queen Victoria

Ulysses S. Grant

Winston Churchill

Dean Martin

Ronald Reagan

Arnold Palmer

William Jefferson Clinton

Madonna

Stanley O'Neal

Yoda

ExecutricksThe central question of every hardworking person's career is how to work less hard while still being able to buy an expensive bottle of wine without trembling. The answer is simple: Retire while still working! (more)
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