Showing posts with label Rank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rank. Show all posts

Monday, November 16, 2009

The World's Most Powerful People

Power has been called many things. The ultimate aphrodisiac. An absolute corrupter. A mistress. A musical instrument. But its true nature remains elusive. After all, a head of state wields a very different sort of power than a religious figure. Can one really compare the influence of a journalist with that of a terrorist? And is power unexercised power at all?

  1. Barack Obama
  2. Hu Jintao
  3. Vladimir Putin
  4. Ben S. Bernanke
  5. Sergey Brin and Larry Page
  6. Carlos Slim Helu
  7. Rupert Murdoch
  8. Michael T. Duke
  9. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud
  10. William Gates III
  11. Pope Benedict XVI
  12. Silvio Berlusconi
  13. Jeffrey R. Immelt
  14. Warren Buffett
  15. Angela Merkel
  16. Laurence D. Fink
  17. Hillary Clinton
  18. Lloyd C. Blankfein
  19. Li Changchun
  20. Michael Bloomberg
  21. Timothy Geithner
  22. Rex W. Tillerson
  23. Li Ka-shing
  24. Kim Jong Il
  25. Jean-Claude Trichet
  26. Masaaki Shirakawa
  27. Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed al Nahyan
  28. Akio Toyoda
  29. Gordon Brown
  30. James S. Dimon
  31. Bill Clinton
  32. William H. Gross
  33. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
  34. Lou Jiwei
  35. Yukio Hatoyama
  36. Manmohan Singh
  37. Osama bin Laden
  38. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
  39. Tenzin Gyatso
  40. Ali Hoseini-Khamenei
  41. Joaquin Guzman
  42. Igor Sechin
  43. Dmitry Medvedev
  44. Mukesh Ambani
  45. Oprah Winfrey
  46. Benjamin Netanyahu
  47. Dominique Strauss-Kahn
  48. Zhou Xiaochuan
  49. John Roberts Jr.
  50. Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar
  51. William Keller
  52. Bernard Arnault
  53. Joseph S. Blatter
  54. Wadah Khanfar
  55. Lakshmi Mittal
  56. Nicolas Sarkozy
  57. Steve Jobs
  58. Fujio Mitarai
  59. Ratan Tata
  60. Jacques Rogge
  61. Li Rongrong
  62. Blairo Maggi
  63. Robert B. Zoellick
  64. Antonio Guterres
  65. Mark John Thompson
  66. Klaus Schwab
  67. Hugo Chavez

http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/11/worlds-most-powerful-leadership-power-09-people_land.html
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Thursday, February 12, 2009

The World's Most Powerful Billionaires

Michael Bloomberg1. Michael Bloomberg : Mayor, New York City; Bloomberg LP
New York City's chief executive. Former Salomon Brothers trader founded financial information and services firm Innovative Market Systems; renamed Bloomberg LP in 1987. Firm now has news service, cable TV stations, radio and magazine. Today, he owns 88% of company after buying cash-strapped Merrill Lynch's 20% stake last summer. Spent $74 million becoming New York City mayor in 2001 and $85 million in 2005. Law passed in October letting Bloomberg run for third term.

Silvio Berlusconi2. Silvio Berlusconi : Prime minister, Italy; Fininvest
Currently serving his third term as prime minister of Italy. Leads a nation of 58 million people, an industrial economy with a GDP of $2.4 trillion and a military budget of roughly $43 billion. As prime minister, he lords over Italy's public TV; his diversified conglomerate Fininvest dominates Italy's private TV channels.


Lakshmi Mittal3. Lakshmi Mittal : ArcelorMittal
Controls world's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal; company accounts for 10% of crude steel production. Born in India but lives in London, where his political clout often incites controversy. In 2002, then British Prime Minister Tony Blair reportedly wrote a letter to the Romanian prime minister hinting a sale of the country's steel company to Mittal would facilitate its entrance into the European Union.

Warren Buffett4. Warren Buffett : Berkshire Hathaway
Even the faintest hint of interest from Buffett can send a stock soaring. When Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway injected billions into Goldman Sachs in September, the investment bank's shares jumped by nearly 6%. Backed Barack Obama with advice and money during last year's campaign; Obama often touted the endorsement in a campaign where the economy eventually took center stage.

Vagit Alekperov5. Vagit Alekperov : Lukoil
Former Caspian Sea oil rig worker, now president of Lukoil, Russia's largest independent energy company. The firm's reserves are second only to ExxonMobil. Alekperov owns more than 19% of the company. Friend of Vladimir Putin who lobbies Kremlin for tax breaks for Russian oil companies.

Carlos Slim Helu6. Carlos Slim Helu : America Movil, Telefonos de Mexico
Son of Lebanese immigrant was world's second richest man in 2008. His Telmex controls 90% of telephone landlines in Mexico; cellphone operator America Movil has more than 173 million customers in Latin America. Baseball fan and art collector also invests in construction, retail, banking, railroads, mining and media; bought 6.9% stake in The New York Times last year and loaned the newspaper $250 million in January.

Mukesh Ambani7. Mukesh Ambani : Reliance Industries
Heads petrochemicals giant Reliance Industries, Indian's largest company by market cap. Produces oil, gas, petrochemicals and textiles. Personally funding construction of a 27-story home in Mumbai that could cost $2 billion. With brother Anil, inherited their fortune from their late father, renowned industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani. But they couldn't get along, and in 2005, their mother brokered a peace settlement breaking up the family's assets.

8. Charles and David Koch : Koch Industries
MIT-trained brothers turned family oil refining firm into America's second largest private company. Koch Industries has stakes in pipelines, refineries, fertilizer, fibers and polymers, forest and consumer products, chemical technology. Sales in 2008: $110 billion. Brothers each own 42% of company. Employs 80,000 people and operates in 60 countries. Charles co-founder of conservative think tank Cato Institute. David gave $100 million to alma mater for cancer research in 2007. Pledged another $100 million to New York's Lincoln Center last July.

Bill Gates9. Bill Gates : Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft
World's richest man founded software giant Microsoft in 1975. Stepped down from day-to-day duties at Microsoft last year to devote his talents and riches to philanthropy. The $36 billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donates to causes such as fighting hunger in developing countries, improving education in America's high schools and developing vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS.

10. Edward and Abigail Johnson : Fidelity
Father and daughter run Fidelity Investments, America's largest mutual fund company. Family owns 49% of the company, which managed $1.2 trillion in assets at the end of 2008. "Ned" serves as chairman; "Abby" runs Personal & Workplace Investing division.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/12/most-powerful-people-business-billionaires_0212_rich.html
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Sunday, February 1, 2009

America's Best Colleges 2009

No. 25: UCLA
Los Angeles, Calif.
U.S. News Overall Score: 73
2007 Total Enrollment: 38,896
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees:
In-state - $7,034; Out-of-state - $26,102
Application Deadline: 11/30

No. 23: Univ. of Virginia (TIE)
Charlottesville, Va.
U.S. News Overall Score: 74
2007 Total Enrollment: 24,257
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees:
In-state - $9,300; Out-of-state - $26,900
Application Deadline: 1/2

No. 23: Georgetown Univ. (TIE)
Washington, D.C.
U.S. News Overall Score: 74
2007 Total Enrollment: 14,826
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $38,122
Application Deadline: 1/10

No. 22: Carnegie Mellon Univ.
Pittsburgh,Pa.
U.S. News Overall Score: 75
2007 Total Enrollment: 10,493
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $38,844
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adb92f-002c7-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 21: Univ. of Calif., Berkeley
Berkeley, Calif.
U.S. News Overall Score: 77
2007 Total Enrollment: 34,953
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees:
In-state - $8,932; Out-of-state - $29,540
Application Deadline: 11/30

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adb930-00209-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 18: Vanderbilt Univ. (TIE)
Nashville, Tenn.
U.S. News Overall Score: 79
2007 Total Enrollment: 11,847
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $37,005
Application Deadline: 1/3

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adb931-001ef-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 18: Univ. of Notre Dame (TIE)
Notre Dame, Ind.
U.S. News Overall Score: 79
2007 Total Enrollment: 11,733
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $36,847
Application Deadline: 12/31

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adb932-00163-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 18: Emory Univ. (TIE)
Atlanta, Ga.
U.S. News Overall Score: 79
2007 Total Enrollment: 12,570
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $36,336
Application Deadline: 1/15

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbb74-00234-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 17: Rice University
Houston, Texas
U.S. News Overall Score: 80
2007 Total Enrollment: 5,243
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $28,996
Application Deadline: 1/2

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbb75-001be-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 16: Brown University
Providence, R.I.
U.S. News Overall Score: 84
2007 Total Enrollment: 8,167
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $37,718
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbb76-001fb-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 15: Johns Hopkins Univ.
Baltimore, Md.
U.S. News Overall Score: 85
2007 Total Enrollment: 19,737
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $37,700
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbb77-001c4-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 14: Cornell University
Ithaca, N.Y.
U.S. News Overall Score: 86
2007 Total Enrollment: 19,800
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $36,504
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbb78-000e2-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 12: Washington Univ. (TIE)
St. Louis, Mo.
U.S. News Overall Score: 87
2007 Total Enrollment: 13,382
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $37,248
Application Deadline: 1/15

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbb79-000eb-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 12: Northwestern Univ. (TIE)
Evanston, Ill.
U.S. News Overall Score: 87
2007 Total Enrollment: 18,028
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $37,125
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd8c-00191-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 11: Dartmouth College
Hanover, N.H.
U.S. News Overall Score: 89
2007 Total Enrollment: 5,849
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $36,915
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd8d-00153-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 8: Univ. of Chicago (TIE)
Chicago, Ill.
U.S. News Overall Score: 90
2007 Total Enrollment: 12,336
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $37,632
Application Deadline: 1/2

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd8e-000ea-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 8: Duke Univ. (TIE)
Durham, N.C.
U.S. News Overall Score: 90
2007 Total Enrollment: 13,598
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $37,525
Application Deadline: 1/2

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd8f-00082-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 8: Columbia Univ. (TIE)
New York, N.Y.
U.S. News Overall Score: 90
2007 Total Enrollment: 22,655
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $39,326
Application Deadline: 1/2

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd90-00071-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 6: Univ. of Pennsylvania (TIE)
Philadelphia, P.A.
U.S. News Overall Score: 93
2007 Total Enrollment: 18,916
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $37,526
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd91-00007-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 6: Calif. Institute of Technology (TIE)
Pasadena, Calif.
U.S. News Overall Score: 93
2007 Total Enrollment: 2,133
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $34,437
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd91-00394-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 4: Stanford Univ. (TIE)
Stanford, Calif.
U.S. News Overall Score: 94
2007 Total Enrollment: 19,782
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $36,030
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd92-002de-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 4: Mass. Institute of Tech. (TIE)
Cambridge, Mass.
U.S. News Overall Score: 94
2007 Total Enrollment: 10,220
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $36,390
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd93-002f2-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 3: Yale University
New Haven, Conn.
U.S. News Overall Score: 98
2007 Total Enrollment: 11,454
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $35,300
Application Deadline: 12/31

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd94-002a0-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 2: Princeton Univ.
Princeton, N.J.
U.S. News Overall Score: 99
2007 Total Enrollment: 7,334
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $34,290
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/04/48adbd95-00283-00ff8-400cb8e1
No. 1: Harvard Univ.
Cambridge, Mass.
U.S. News Overall Score: 100
2007 Total Enrollment: 19,257
2008-2009 Tuition and Fees: $36,173
Application Deadline: 1/1

http://www.walletpop.com/college-finance/americas-best-colleges
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Friday, January 30, 2009

The Web Celeb 25

Perez Hilton1. Perez Hilton (Mario Lavandeira) Age: 30
What: Celebrity gossip blogger - http://perezhilton.com/
Hollywood stars fear the wrath of Perez Hilton, a controversial gossip blogger with a poison pen. Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, styles himself as "The Queen of Mean" and has earned a rabid following, thanks to his sense of humor, snarky voice and irreverent habits--like doodling rude captions on paparazzi photos. Perez bolsters his Web presence with frequent TV gigs, including guest-hosting The View, and hosting a series of specials, What Perez Sez, on VH1. He recently published his first book, Red Carpet Suicide: A Survival Guide on Keeping Up With the Hiltons.

Michael Arrington2. Michael Arrington - Age: 38
What: Tech blogger - http://www.techcrunch.com/
Who do savvy investors and tech-business cognoscenti turn to for help finding the next big thing? Michael Arrington, corporate attorney, entrepreneur and editor of the influential blog TechCrunch. The site obsessively profiles and reviews Internet entrepreneurs, products and services--and a mere mention of a company on its pages can make or break a start-up. Arrington's fame and influence has become so great that he's begun to experience a backlash from entrepreneurs who feel disrespected or ignored; he's received death threats, and at a conference in Germany this month, an unidentified assailant spit in his face. Arrington subsequently announced he would take a month off from blogging to "get a better perspective on what I'm spending my life doing."

Kevin Rose3. Kevin Rose - Age: 31
What: Digg founder, videoblogger
http://www.digg.com/
In 2004, geek icon Kevin Rose founded Digg, a social bookmarking site that allows users to share and vote on their favorite news stories. The site has become a focal point of the tech community, with more than 35 million members and about 6.8 million unique visitors in the U.S. during December 2008, according to comScore. Rose is also well known as a producer and host for online tech channel Revision3; his weekly video podcast Diggnation, co-hosted with Alex Albrecht, is a must-catch for the tech crowd.

Frank Warren4. Frank Warren - Age: 44
What: Online artist - http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
Got a secret? Write it on a homemade postcard and send it to PostSecret, Frank Warren's ongoing community art project. Since its inception in 2005, the project has collected and displayed upward of 250,000 original pieces of art on its blog. Audiences have fallen for the formula: A 2008 survey by market research firm Youth Trends showed it was the 10th most popular site on the Internet among female college students. Four books of collected confessions have been published to date, most recently, A Lifetime of Secrets. As for Warren, he's hardly been keeping quiet: He's appeared on Today, 20/20, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, Fox News and more.

Cory Doctorow5. Cory Doctorow - Age: 37
What: Author and blogger
http://www.craphound.com/
Cory Doctorow is a prominent activist for digital rights, and serves as a fellow of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. He's one of the editors of Boing Boing, a hugely influential and popular blog about technology, culture and politics. And he's also a science fiction novelist, particularly famous on the Web, where he gives away his novels for free (For more, see his essay, "Giving It Away." In 2008, Doctorow published his first young adult novel, Little Brother, "a fictionalized manual for how to build an underground resistance to an evil government."

Pete Cashmore6. Pete Cashmore - Age: 23
What: Tech blogger
http://mashable.com/
Tech media wunderkind Pete Cashmore started working as a Web technology consultant when he was a teenager, and founded the Web site Mashable from his home in Scotland when he was just 19. Now based in Silicon Valley, it's a must-read for the tech cognoscenti, and Cashmore is widely regarded as an expert on how to use, consume and profit from social media.

7. Beppe Grillo
8. Heather Armstrong
9. Guy Kawasaki
10. Jason Calacanis
11. Robert Scoble
12. Will Leitch
13. Jeff Jarvis
14. Wil Wheaton
15. Nate Silver
16. Om Malik
17. Matt Drudge
18. Owen Thomas
19. Dave Winer
20. Seth Godin
21. Brian Lam
22. Mark Frauenfelder
23. Steve Rubel
24. John C. Dvorak
25. Leo Laporte
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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

World's Gloomiest Countries

No. 1 - JAPAN > Grade: minus-85
No. 2 - SPAIN > Grade: minus-65
No. 3 - THAILAND > Grade: minus-63
No. 4 - FRANCE > Grade: minus-60
No. 5 - BELGIUM > Grade: minus-58
No. 6 - ARGENTINA > Grade: minus-57
No. 7 - TAIWAN > Grade: minus-50
No. 8 - IRELAND > Grade: minus-50
No. 9 - HONG KONG > Grade: minus-49
No. 10 - BRITAIN > Grade: minus-47
No. 11 - ITALY > Grade: minus-45
No. 12 - SWEDEN > Grade: minus-40
No. 13 - FINLAND > Grade: minus-40
No. 14 - NETHERLANDS > Grade: minus-37
No. 15 - U.S. > Grade: minus-34
No. 16 - Greece > Grade: minus-34
No. 17 - DENMARK > Grade: minus-34
No. 18 - TURKEY > Grade: minus-24
No. 19 - CHILE > Grade: minus-24
No. 20 - NEW ZEALAND > Grade: minus-15

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/01/0126_business_expectations/index.htm
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Friday, October 10, 2008

The World's Billionaires

Rank Name Citizenship Age Net Worth ($bil) Residence
1 Warren BuffettUnited States7762.0United States
2 Carlos Slim Helu & familyMexico6860.0Mexico
3 William Gates IIIUnited States5258.0United States
4 Lakshmi MittalIndia5745.0United Kingdom
5 Mukesh AmbaniIndia5043.0India
6 Anil AmbaniIndia4842.0India
7 Ingvar Kamprad & familySweden8131.0Switzerland
8 KP SinghIndia7630.0India
9 Oleg DeripaskaRussia4028.0Russia
10 Karl AlbrechtGermany8827.0Germany
11 Li Ka-shingHong Kong7926.5Hong Kong
12 Sheldon AdelsonUnited States7426.0United States
13 Bernard ArnaultFrance5925.5France
14 Lawrence EllisonUnited States6325.0United States
15 Roman AbramovichRussia4123.5Russia
16 Theo AlbrechtGermany8523.0Germany
17 Liliane BettencourtFrance8522.9France
18 Alexei MordashovRussia4221.2Russia
19 Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal AlsaudSaudi Arabia5121.0Saudi Arabia
20 Mikhail FridmanRussia4320.8Russia
21 Vladimir LisinRussia5120.3Russia
22 Amancio OrtegaSpain7220.2Spain
23 Raymond, Thomas & Walter KwokHong KongNA19.9Hong Kong
24 Mikhail ProkhorovRussia4219.5Russia
25 Vladimir PotaninRussia4719.3Russia


http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_The-Worlds-Billionaires_Rank.html
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Thursday, July 17, 2008

Best of the Best Places to Live 2008

Plymouth - Minnesota1: Plymouth, Minnesota
Population: 70,100
Median home price: $288,950
Average property tax (2006): $4,526
Pros: Reasonable home prices; good schools; quick drive the nation's biggest mall
Cons: Very cold winters

2. Fort Collins, Colorado
Population: 129,400
Median home price: $207,739
Average property tax (2006): $1,675
Pros: Bike lanes; Old Town historic district; brand-new cancer center
Cons: Overcrowded schools

3. Naperville, Illinois
Population: 142,900
Median home price: $369,000
Average property tax (2006): $6,402
Pros: Close to Chicago; public library ranked the best in the nation among small cities; walkable downtown area
Cons: High property taxes

4. Irvine, California
Population: 193,900
Median home price: $650,000
Average property tax (2006): $5,053
Pros: School district has won national recognition; more than 16,000 acres of green space
Cons: Very pricey homes

5. Franklin Township, New Jersey
Population: 59,100
Median home price: $319,000
Average property tax (2006): $7,648
Pros: Plenty of jobs in the area; Princeton and Rutgers Universities nearby
Cons: High property taxes


6. Norman, Oklahoma
Population: 102,800
Median home price: $133,500
Average property tax (2006): $1,095
Pros: University of Oklahoma; affordable housing
Cons: Gotta love that football -- schools close for games against rival University of Texas

7. Round Rock, Texas
Population: 92,300
Median home price: $193,931
Average property tax (2006): $3,854
Pros: Affordable housing; excellent schools; minor league baseball team
Cons: Can you take the heat?

8. Columbia/Ellicott City, Maryland
Population: 97,500
Median home price: $355,000
Average property taxes (2006): $3,208
Pros: Historic Main Street lined with antique shops and teahouses; 950-acre nature preserve; three lakes
Cons: Traffic can be a headache

9. Overland Park, Kansas
Population: 166,700
Median home price: $233,887
Average property taxes (2006): $3,345
Pros: Lots of green space; schools among best in nation
Cons: Flat terrain and grid layout don't provide much visual drama

10. Fishers, Indiana
Population: 61,800
Median home price: $200,830
Average property taxes (2006): $2,218
Pros: Strong economy; low home prices; good schools
Cons: A walkable downtown is still in the planning stages

http://www.walletpop.com/mortgages/best-places-to-live
http://www.walletpop.com/specials/best-of-the-best
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Sunday, April 20, 2008

World's 20 Most Innovative Companies

BeoingNo. 20: Boeing
The world is awaiting the arrival of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, which, manufactured with 50% composites, promises to be lighter weight and use 20% less fuel than conventional commercial aircraft. The globally sourced project has been plagued by delays, however, which have begun to overshadow excitement over the plane’s groundbreaking technology.

No. 19: Reliance Industries
The Indian petrochemicals giant made it onto our list this year thanks to fans of its aggressive growth. But its ambitious plans to reach into grocery retailing, which is dominated in India by small shopkeepers who’ve rebelled against corporate entrants, have faltered.

GMNo. 18: General Motors
CEO Richard Wagoner Jr. is making design a top priority in his efforts to jump-start GM’s struggling business, giving stylists a first crack at new models before engineers. Add in new hybrid-electric SUVs, along with plans for the ultrahigh-mileage Volt in 2010, and it’s clear GM is trying to shake its stodgy image.

No. 17: Walt Disney
Disney is Hollywood’s leader with online offerings. It was first to ship its TV shows online. These days it’s filling the Web with social networks for kids that let them become avatar “fairies” or join communities of pirate-playing gamesters. Digital revenues will jump this year by 25%, to $1 billion.

HondaNo. 16: Honda Motor
At a time when most carmakers are worrying about high gas prices, sales of fuel-efficient Hondas are growing. Next up, the automaker will introduce gas-sipping clean diesels, small affordable hybrids and, in 2010, a private jet that’s 30% more fuel efficient than rival offerings.

No. 15: Hewlett-Packard
The 69-year-old info tech company’s Innovation Program Office helps it to absorb the startup vibes from recent acquisitions. The new service “CloudPrint,” developed in a matter of months and inspired by the iPhone, helps users send documents to printers from their mobile devices.

No. 14: BMW
While other carmakers talk about hybrids and electric motors, this German maker of sports sedans has concentrated on getting the most out of existing technology. As a result, the latest BMWs and Minis challenge the Toyota Prius for gas mileage and low emissions.

Research in MotionNo. 13: Research In Motion
Twenty-eight million thumbs on 14 million devices say RIM still dominates the wireless e-mail market. The makers of the ubiquitous BlackBerry are now reaching into the vast consumer market, putting it on a collision course with iPhone maker Apple.

IBMNo. 12: IBM
With over 3,000 scientists at IBM Research, Big Blue has been the leading U.S. patent winner for 15 years in a row. Now the new head of research, John Kelly III, plans on making bigger and bolder bets. One example: trying to invent the next-generation transistor.

No. 11: Amazon.com
Now far more than an e-tailer of physical goods, Amazon.com has added the ability to download videos and MP3s. And it's selling the very Web services it uses for its own operations to hundreds of startups, which employ the back-office tech programs to run their own companies.

No. 10: Nokia
The Finnish handset maker employs anthropologists who study mobile-phone users in emerging markets. Their insights have made Nokia the leader in India and China. As it pushes beyond hardware into Web services, it’s tapping outsiders to create games and offer feedback.

No. 9: Sony
Now that its electronics business is healthy and Blu-ray is the new DVD standard, Sony's priority is online content. Its PlayStation 3 video game consoles will soon feature Home, a 3D social networking and gaming world, and PlayStation Network, an expanded channel for music and videos.

No. 8: Procter & Gamble
The world’s largest consumer-products maker has out-hustled rivals in new product launches through more spending on design and willingness to turn to outsiders for ideas. But P&G is just as creative in finding new markets: It's now pushing to sell its products in overlooked neighborhood stores in developing regions.

NintendoNo. 7: Nintendo
The video gamemaker is new to our top 25 after its wildly popular Wii console tapped an entirely new gaming audience. It recently launched a Wii fitness game that makes staying in shape a family affair. New service WiiWare will soon offer indie programmers a low-cost way to deliver games online.

No. 6: Tata Group
The Mumbai-based conglomerate jumps onto our list for the first time, fueled by its paradigm-busting $2,500 “Nano” car for the masses. The car, from its Tata Motors unit, is the world’s cheapest, thanks partly to a distribution model that sells the auto in kits to entrepreneurs who assemble them for buyers.

No. 5: Microsoft
Often mocked for following rather than leading, the software giant tapped its vast research arm to launch Surface, a new touch-screen computer that moves a step closer to the Holy Grail of natural user interfaces. To catch up with Google, it continues to pour research funds into perfecting search algorithms.

GENo. 4: General Electric
CEO Jeff Immelt is so encouraged by GE’s “ecoimagination” initiative that he’s raising the revenue target for green projects from $20 billion to $25 billion by 2010. This year, the industrial giant tapped Dartmouth prof Vijay Govindarajan to be its own in-house “chief innovation consultant.”

No. 3: Toyota Motor
Determined to retain its mantle as the hybrid leader among carmakers, the Japanese company plans to roll out a more fuel-efficient Prius in 2009. It’s also trying to match rival GM’s promise to deliver a plug-in gas-and-electric car using lithium ion batteries. Toyota is targeting 1 million hybrid sales annually by the early 2010s.

GoogleNo. 2: Google
The search giant, which last year hiked R&D spending 72%, took on Microsoft in its own backyard with a concerted push into online office software. This year Google will try to expand beyond search ads into banner and video ads with its $3.2 billion acquisition of display-ad firm DoubleClick.

Steve JobsNo. 1: Apple
Our repeat winner has rocked the wireless handset world with the iPhone, spurring rivals to imitate the touch-screen design. After just nine months on sale, it’s already No. 3 in the global smartphone market. Meanwhile some 150 million iPods have been sold since 2001.

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/04/0417_mostinnovative/index_01.htm

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Thursday, April 10, 2008

The Global Companies 2000

RankCompanyCountryIndustrySales ($bil)Profits ($bil)Assets ($bil)Market Value ($bil)
1HSBC HoldingsUnited KingdomBanking146.5019.132,348.98180.81
2General ElectricUnited StatesConglomerates172.7422.21795.34330.93
3Bank of AmericaUnited StatesBanking119.1914.981,715.75176.53
4JPMorgan ChaseUnited StatesBanking116.3515.371,562.15136.88
5ExxonMobilUnited StatesOil & Gas Operations358.6040.61242.08465.51
6Royal Dutch ShellNetherlandsOil & Gas Operations355.7831.33266.22221.09
7BPUnited KingdomOil & Gas Operations281.0320.60236.08204.94
8Toyota MotorJapanConsumer Durables203.8013.99276.38175.08
9ING GroupNetherlandsInsurance197.9312.651,932.1575.78
10Berkshire HathawayUnited StatesDiversified Financials118.2513.21273.16216.65
10Royal Bank of ScotlandUnited KingdomBanking108.4514.623,807.5176.64
12AT&TUnited StatesTelecommunications Services118.9311.95275.64210.22
13BNP ParibasFranceBanking116.1610.712,494.4181.90
14AllianzGermanyInsurance139.1210.901,547.4880.30
15TotalFranceOil & Gas Operations199.7419.24165.75181.80
16Wal-Mart StoresUnited StatesRetailing378.8012.73163.38198.60
17ChevronUnited StatesOil & Gas Operations203.9718.69148.79179.97
18American Intl GroupUnited StatesInsurance110.066.201,060.51118.20
19GazpromRussiaOil & Gas Operations81.7623.30201.72306.79
20AXA GroupFranceInsurance151.707.751,064.6770.33
21Banco SantanderSpainBanking72.2610.021,332.72113.27
22ConocoPhillipsUnited StatesOil & Gas Operations171.5011.89177.76129.15
23Goldman Sachs GroupUnited StatesDiversified Financials87.9711.601,119.8067.16
24CitigroupUnited StatesBanking159.233.622,187.63123.44
25BarclaysUnited KingdomBanking79.708.762,432.3462.43
26EDF GroupFranceUtilities81.607.69271.66170.81
27E.ONGermanyUtilities94.049.86200.84126.22
28ENIItalyOil & Gas Operations119.2713.70128.15127.38
29Petrobras-Petróleo BrasilBrazilOil & Gas Operations87.5211.04129.98236.67
30PetroChinaChinaOil & Gas Operations88.2418.21111.70546.14
31Procter & GambleUnited StatesHousehold & Personal Products79.7411.13144.40203.67
32Deutsche BankGermanyDiversified Financials95.507.451,485.5856.27
33UniCredit GroupItalyBanking63.677.191,077.2177.46
34TelefónicaSpainTelecommunications Services82.4013.00143.13138.42
35Mitsubishi UFJ FinancialJapanBanking49.497.501,591.5698.14
36Volkswagen GroupGermanyConsumer Durables149.005.64210.8890.23
37IBMUnited StatesSoftware & Services98.7910.42120.43157.62
38ArcelorMittalLuxembourgMaterials105.2210.37133.65108.82
38DaimlerGermanyConsumer Durables145.115.82199.7785.16
40BBVA-Banco Bilbao VizcayaSpainBanking54.348.94733.1478.29
41Wells FargoUnited StatesBanking53.598.06575.4496.37
42ICBCChinaBanking37.486.31961.65289.57
43Credit Suisse GroupSwitzerlandDiversified Financials83.727.531,194.7550.85
44HBOSUnited KingdomBanking100.328.101,336.1744.84
45Crédit AgricoleFranceBanking101.596.491,662.6045.73
45NestléSwitzerlandFood Drink & Tobacco94.769.3899.06188.11
47FortisNetherlandsDiversified Financials121.195.461,020.9849.04
48Verizon CommunicationsUnited StatesTelecommunications Services93.475.65186.96104.27
49France TelecomFranceTelecommunications Services77.319.20137.0987.89
50SiemensGermanyConglomerates103.205.42126.72118.47
50WachoviaUnited StatesBanking55.536.31782.9060.69
52Sinopec-China PetroleumChinaOil & Gas Operations133.796.9077.44186.38
53Hewlett-PackardUnited StatesTechnology Hardware & Equip107.677.8588.57122.04
54Lloyds TSB GroupUnited KingdomBanking58.746.53701.0850.95
55Royal Bank of CanadaCanadaBanking43.575.77629.9664.41
56Bank of ChinaChinaBanking31.135.49679.57171.45
57PfizerUnited StatesDrugs & Biotechnology48.428.14115.27152.17
58Johnson & JohnsonUnited StatesDrugs & Biotechnology61.1010.5880.95175.51
59Samsung ElectronicsSouth KoreaSemiconductors92.268.5687.4987.84
60StatoilHydroNorwayOil & Gas Operations89.007.5289.1698.36
61Generali GroupItalyInsurance102.163.17486.4360.79
62CCB-China Construction BankChinaBanking29.165.93697.44126.55
63MicrosoftUnited StatesSoftware & Services57.9016.9667.34253.15
64Suez GroupFranceUtilities64.965.37114.8983.56
65Zurich Financial ServicesSwitzerlandInsurance55.055.63387.6745.76
66Nippon Telegraph & TelJapanTelecommunications Services91.574.06149.7160.27
67Sanofi-aventisFranceDrugs & Biotechnology40.957.68104.98101.17
68Honda MotorJapanConsumer Durables94.355.04101.8256.82
69NokiaFinlandTechnology Hardware & Equip74.5410.5252.62145.66
70Munich ReGermanyInsurance67.575.63306.0337.34
71Mizuho FinancialJapanBanking32.525.281,272.1748.80
72NovartisSwitzerlandDrugs & Biotechnology40.2212.6271.89111.62
73MetLifeUnited StatesInsurance53.014.32558.5641.32
74Roche HoldingSwitzerlandDrugs & Biotechnology40.658.6067.72169.32
75Morgan StanleyUnited StatesDiversified Financials85.332.561,045.4146.53
76ValeBrazilMaterials33.2310.2674.70161.39
77Rio TintoUnited Kingdom/AustraliaMaterials29.707.31100.81165.48
78China MobileHong Kong/ChinaTelecommunications Services37.068.2962.44308.59
79GlaxoSmithKlineUnited KingdomDrugs & Biotechnology45.0710.3557.16120.05
80BASFGermanyChemicals84.605.9367.3360.96
81RWE GroupGermanyUtilities56.173.64119.5068.19
82Sumitomo Mitsui FinancialJapanBanking33.043.76850.7556.10
83BHP BillitonAustralia/United KingdomMaterials39.5013.4253.36190.62
84Time WarnerUnited StatesMedia46.484.39133.8355.83
85Banco BradescoBrazilBanking36.124.11192.6559.80
85KBC GroupBelgiumBanking35.224.66517.9843.66
87DexiaBelgiumBanking140.783.47889.9828.04
88Altria GroupUnited StatesFood Drink & Tobacco38.059.1657.21154.20
89National Australia BankAustraliaBanking38.884.06499.4443.95
90Cisco SystemsUnited StatesTechnology Hardware & Equip37.688.0755.30145.39
91Manulife FinancialCanadaInsurance33.084.01178.5859.18
92Bank of Nova ScotiaCanadaBanking28.024.25431.3048.08
93IntelUnited StatesSemiconductors38.336.9855.65115.59
94UnileverNetherlands/United KingdomFood Drink & Tobacco54.825.3053.4092.75
95Toronto-Dominion BankCanadaBanking26.514.20443.5648.38
96Nissan MotorJapanConsumer Durables89.093.92104.2037.90
97Lehman Bros HoldingsUnited StatesDiversified Financials59.004.19691.0627.05
98Carrefour GroupFranceFood Markets112.403.1575.7349.95
99Commonwealth BankAustraliaBanking26.483.80360.4251.86
100BoeingUnited StatesAerospace & Defense66.394.0758.9963.32


http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/18/biz_2000global08_The-Global-2000_Rank.html
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