The Top 50 Out Power list...

What a difference a year makes: Power and Money have always been close companions, and the global economic crisis has only made them more so.

But the Out Power 50 list has never been only about person wealth: congressman Barney Frank rose to the top this year because of his power over national financial policy. On the other hand, since just about everyone from Warren Buffet (not on our list -- he's not gay) to Dolce & Gabanna (also not on the list -- they don't live and work primarily in North America) has taken a personal financial hit, changes in person wealth generally didn't affect rankings.

As last year's were, these were determined by: (1) Political clout; (2) cultural resonance; (3) individual wealth; and (4) current personal profile. New entries are marked with a star, and the arrows indicate change from last year's rank.