How a man who complains bitterly for a living is this important to the American socio-cultural landscape is genuinely something to analyze. Ralph Nader, who's been called no less than a political fly in the ointment—particularly after the contentious 2000 presidential election in which critics say he siphoned votes from Al Gore handing the presidency to George W. Bush—is still running for president. Again. Becoming famous for his relentless and tireless crusades as a consumer activist, Nader is the first Arab-American to ever run for President of the United States.

It's hard to believe that this pocket-sized second baseman for the now perennial World Series contenders Boston Red Sox just completed his second full season with the team. If there ever was a little engine that could in baseball that would be Pedroia. He swings harder than men half-a-foot taller and his productivity and, most importantly, discipline at the plate make him a throwback player that recalls another era. It would've been fun to watch Pedroia and Pee Wee Reese turn a double play.

One of the most influential men in Silicon Valley, Michael Arrington heads TechCrunch, a blog covering the nation's technology start-up communities. Forbes and Wired have both named Arrington to their respective lists of most powerful people on the Internet, Arrington also nabbed a slot in Time's 100 most influential people in the world.

As tough as a culinary master chef could probably be, Anthony Bourdain is host of the Travel Channel's popular culinary and cultural adventure program Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations as well as the best-selling author of his unconventional cookbook, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. His home base restaurant is Manhattan's Brasserie Les Halles.

The recent earth shattering accomplishments of Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics were that much more impressive because of whose records Phelps broke, those of Mark Spitz, until this summer, America's most decorated swimmer. It is also amazing how long Spitz's records stood—since 1972—confirming that what Spitz did in the Munich Olympic games, winning an unheard of seven gold medals, was a feat without comparison.

Bollywood's answer to Brad Pitt, Shahrukh Khan has won an incredible—and unprecedented—thirteen Filmfare Awards, seven of which in the Best Actor category. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Chak De India and Om Shanti Om, movies that he starred in, remain to this day some of Bollywood's biggest hits.

Jay-Z, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Ginuwine, Missy Elliot, OneRepublic, Duran Duran, 50 Cent everyone wants a piece of him. Timbaland—actually Timothy Mosley—is the American record producer, composer, rapper and singer who has captured this moment as his. In the pop cultural zeitgeist that is popular music, Timbaland has gained praise for his risks and respect for his commercial success. Who works with Ashlee Simpson and 50 Cent and still gets love from everybody? Welcome to Timbaland's moment. Doesn't it sound good?

How does a guy go from winning an Academy Award for portraying the effete American writer Truman Capote to playing the terrifying cold-blooded killer torturing Tom Cruise? Easy, if you're Philip Seymour Hoffman, the best character actor of his generation. Unassuming to the point of invisibility at times, his performances in the likes of The Talented Mr. Rippley, Charlie Wilson's War, Happiness and Boogie Nights always ring of scorching truth. What more can an actor—a real actor—want than authenticity in his performances? Philip Seymour Hoffman is a real actor.

"Statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen" was how the official Formula One website describes Michael Schumacher. A seven-time world champion racer, Schumacher consistently wins "most popular driver" among Formula One fans.

Widely credited with keeping the waters calm as the head of the world's largest entertainment company, TimeWarner, right after the colossally terrible merger with AOL, Parsons' light touch and easy intellect served a company well in its time of flux and falling stock prices. As an African-American Republican, Parsons' name is often mentioned as a possible candidate for Mayor of New York City.

When did a CEO in Detroit take on a persona somewhere between Harry Truman ("The buck stops here") and Clint Eastwood ("Make my day")? When that CEO is one Lee Iacocca who single-handedly was credited with reviving nothing less important than the American car industry in the 1980s when he led the revival of the embattled Chrysler Corporation. For more than a decade and a half, Iacocca championed American talent and ingenuity and became this country's biggest (and most passionate) advocate of U.S. business exports. Even the Chrysler commercials he starred in, Iacocca would look right at the camera and talk directly to you. It worked, and how.

Hollywood's long tradition with bad boy visionaries has been well served by one Quentin Tarantino. This Academy Award-winning director, screenwriter and producer—whose directorial style is so singular and authentic leaving little doubt who the man behind the camera is—has helmed instant classics Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. His movies are notorious for sharing nonlinear storylines and the sexification of violence. Tarantino is a bad boy all right, and Hollywood—and his audience—loves it.

A career that has always been marked by exaggerated musical innovation, reinvention and striking visual presentation; David Bowie is always—always—interesting. From his early days of "Space Oddity" through his flamboyant, androgynous Ziggy Stardust years and later as a pop-dance singer, Bowie has always influenced numerous recording artists with his daring choices and unmistakable baritone.

If anyone has seen one of Frank Gehry's master works, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, one has seen sheer genius. He struck again with the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, bringing culture and pizzazz to a part of town desperate for both. This Pritzker Prize winning architect has had a number of career-defining commissions but none as close or dear to him than his own house in Santa Monica, CA that has become a tourist attraction. Frank Gehry as rock star? We say yes.

Marc Jacobs is the head designer of Marc Jacobs, his secondary line Marc and is the hugely successful Creative Director of the prestigious French design house Louis Vuitton. Jacobs was the youngest designer ever to be awarded fashion's highest honor, the CFDA in 1986 and has gone on to become a permanent fixture in the celeb-filled world that is New York City after dark. But beyond the sizzle that is his life, when it comes down to it, Marc Jacobs is a genuinely gifted fashion designer. And that's what we'll remember.

A risk taker in a medium known for followers, Steven Bochco is one of the most successful American television producers with a long string of revolutionary and groundbreaking programs including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and NYPD Blue. A winner of 10 Emmy Awards, Bochco remains a seminal figure in this nation's popular culture.

It's impossible to believe that Steven Patrick Morrissey—that Morrissey—will be 50 next year. Well, since Madonna reached that magic number recently as well, I guess anything's possible. As the lead vocalist, lyricist and conscience of the hugely influential 1980s alt rock band, The Smiths, Morrissey has reached cult status in his lifetime by simply not giving an inch. The single whose title best represents Morrissey in and out of his career is "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get." To this day, Morrissey remains an enigma wrapped in a riddle. And that's just the way it's always going to be.

You've heard this a million times about a million different guys: Guys want to be him; girls just want him. But no one—no one—wears that cliche more comfortably than movie star George Clooney. Getting his big break after an impressive list of TV failures on ER in 1994, Clooney catapulted into the American mainstream after leaving the hit program after four years and take his chances on the big screen. The guy has it all—women, talent, intellect—and to top it off, the hard-working humanitarian has also won an Academy Award. Life is good for Clooney.

America's Oldest Teenager, as Dick Clark has always been known, hosted the groundbreaking dance program, American Bandstand, for three decades. He's also known for Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve, a show he's hosted from New York City's Times Square since 1972. He also created the American Music Awards in 1973 to compete directly with the more established Grammy Awards. Though a stroke has slowed him down these past few years, Dick Clark just keeps on being Dick Clark, a genuine television legend.

English artist Damien Hirst has a thing about death. His most iconic work is called "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living," a 14-foot tiger shark immersed in formaldehyde in a vitrine. When he sold that piece in 2004, it made him the world's second most expensive living artist (only Jasper Johns beats him). Hirst is the most prominent member of a group of artists that were known collectively as "Young British Artists" last decade.

The most notorious owner in professional baseball, George Steinbrenner took his billions of dollars to good use as he single-handedly changed America's pastime by reinvigorating the sport's most storied franchise, New York Yankees, to many pennants and World Series titles. How he did it—by using his vast wealth to entice the best players to his club—remains his enduring legacy.

One of the planet's best known kung fu action stars, Jackie Chan is associated with his acrobatic fighting style on film, his razor-sharp comic timing, innovative stunts and use of improvised weapons. Appearing in more than 100 movies—including the popular Rush Hour trilogy with Chris Tucker—Chan hails from his native Hong Kong and is considered nothing less than a cultural icon.

How did this award-winning sportscaster—most notably with ESPN's SportsCenter—turn around and become the "Voice of the Left" on his nightly show on MSNBC Countdown With Keith Olbermann. Olbermann also co-hosts, with Bob Costas, NBC's Football Night In America on Sundays. But it's Olbermann's highly intellectual, left-of-center editorial on-air essays that have become his trademark. President Bush is, naturally, a particular favorite target of his.

Born Edison Arantes do Nascimiento in Brazil, Pelé is simply the greatest soccer player who ever lived. No less prestigious an organization than the International Olympic Committee gave Pelé the title of "Athlete of the Century." Pelé's talent is so vast—his dribbling of a soccer ball is stuff of legend— that just mentioning that he is the only footballer in the world to be a part of three World Cup-winning teams, with his native Brazil.

Not since Spike Lee has an African-American movie director struck such a collective nerve with his audience, particularly with his original character Mabel "Madea" Simmons, a large (physically imposing), overbearing but well-intentioned woman who serves as both comic relief (she's mad funny) and the voice (often shouting loud) of conscience in many of Perry's films. Perry is also a playwright, screenwriter, producer and actor and is well on his way to conquering all of Hollywood with his particular brand of funny.

Where to begin about this living legend? As a member of The Beatles, Paul McCartney and his band mates led a global musical revolution. McCartney is listed in Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful musician and composer in popular music history with more than 60 gold discs and sales exceeding 100 million singles. His song "Yesterday" is the single most covered song in history.

Ridiculously talented, Sir Elton John has been charting hit singles for more than four decades and, together with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, has scored an unheard of 59 Top 40 songs, an armload of Grammy Awards and even an Oscar. But what makes Elton John ultimately fascinating is the undying passion for everything around him, not least of which is fighting AIDS with his enormous foundation that bears his name. Elton John, the artist, matters; Elton John, the man, rocks.

Andre Agassi is only one of five tennis players of all-time to win every Grand Slam tournament at least once (he won eight). His flamboyant style made Agassi an instant fan and a sponsor's dream when he burst into the pro tour as a much-hyped teenager and later, as his deeply engrossing rivalry with fellow American Pete Sampras intensified, he emerged as one of the game's best tacticians and relentless fighters. Andre Agassi simply made tennis cool again.

Not since Rush Limbaugh inflamed Democrats with his partisan Republican proclamations on his daily radio show has a political pundit received more high praise and resolute condemnation than one Bill O'Reilly. With his highly rated program on FOX News Channel, The O'Reilly Factor, showing no signs of slowing down, the people who love the guy and the folks who can't believe he exists will have plenty of time to hash it out.

Vidal Sassoon is a master hairstylist whose influence is still being measured worldwide. The hairstyles he created include the geometric and the wash-and-wear perm. Selling his name and becoming a huge international brand via his myriad products, Sassoon was the first hairstylist who turned his love and talent for his craft into a multi-million dollar global enterprise.

Best known, of course, as the blunt, overly critical and often-obnoxious judge on the country's most watched television program, American Idol, Simon Cowell repeats his cheerful cattiness on the British popular talent shows The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. His stinging wisecracks about singing aspirants lack of musical ability has certainly made him famous, but it's Cowell's business sense as a television producer and music business entrepreneur that will give this particular Brit staying power.

John Roberts is the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and is a solid member of the conservative majority wing of the court. Appointed by George W. Bush in 2005, Roberts is a young Chief Justice at just 53 years of age and could serve for a very long time. He was appointed to the court after serving as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for two years.

The mastermind behind music peer-to-peer file sharing platform Napster, Shawn Fanning is the dude that literally let the genie out of the bottle for the entire music industry. Think about how different the music business was before Napster existed. Seems like a long time ago. Fanning went on to launch social networking tool for gamers called Rupture and sold that venture for a reported $30 million.

What does the truth look like? Have you ever seen a Spike Lee joint? She's Gotta Have It, Crooklyn and, especially, Do The Right Thing, which garnered Lee an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay in 1989, is the truth all there laid out to see. What Woody Allen is to Manhattan, Spike Lee is to Brooklyn. Not a bad way to carve up the town.

The U.K.'s biggest male pop star after George Michael, Robbie Williams is in the Guinness Book of World Records when in one day he sold more than 1.6 million tickets for his 2006 world tour. 1.6 million tickets. In one day. After leaving the huge British boy band Take That—which sold 25 million records—Williams launched his solo career and, to date has sold more than 55 million records worldwide. Though not a big name in America, not unlike David Beckham in soccer, Williams hopes to leave his mark on our shores as well.

The creator of the epic Star Wars saga is also the master behind Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones) and is chairman of his ultra successful movie studio Lucasfilm. The Academy Award-winning producer can claim early success in film when he produced the classic American Graffiti in 1973. Living the life of a billionaire in Marin County, CA, Lucas has been associated with many visionaries of his time including director Steven Spielberg and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. When George Lucas has an idea for a project, everyone in the room sits up a little straighter.

The founder of Motown records, Berry Gordy bucked conventional wisdom and ignored white artists by discovering the likes of future musical legends The Supremes (with Diana Ross), Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, The Jackson 5 (with Michael Jackson) and a whole slew of other talented acts churning out chart-toppers from Motown's Hitsville USA headquarters that all came to be known as the "Detroit Sound." By taking a calculated risk, Barry Gordy became an American music legend.

Forget the network news anchors—that's so 20th Century. Where do we turn for no bull, call it straight-as-he-sees-them dead-on analysis this presidential season? None other than Bill Maher, the brilliant and seriously funny HBO mainstay with his hit political analysis show Real Time With Bill Maher. Maher's an intellectual who dates Playboy centerfolds. A lot of them. And if that wasn't ballsy enough, check out his recent movie, Religulous, where he manages to piss off a lot of people but make the rest of us laugh our collective asses off. No wonder's this guy's a hero to guys under 40.

Prince Rogers Nelson is a musical prodigy with few peers in his generation. The Minneapolis native has won multiple Grammy Awards, an Oscar and is already inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Using R&B, soul and funk as his musical foundation, Prince expanded into pop and rock with his unforgettable hits "Purple Rain," "When Doves Cry" and "Kiss." The Artist, as he's sometimes known, is just that, an artist.

The best known African-American politician for the better part of three decades, Jesse Jackson has been a two-time presidential candidate as well as the most prolific civil rights activist since Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. An ordained Baptist minister, Jackson was the founder of both the Rainbow Coalition and Operation PUSH before merging both entities as Rainbow/PUSH in 1986.

It's an amazing thing in you think about it: the single greatest diver in the history of that proud sport is not best known for achieving the impossible: back-to-back Olympic gold medals on both the three-meter and the 10-meter platform events. But rather for not disclosing his HIV positive status when he cut his head drawing blood in the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Louganis went on to write a New York Times best-selling autobiography, Breaking The Surface, about his struggles coping with sexuality, adoption, dyslexia, spousal abuse and even rape. He's led quite a life but through it all, he has remained light of spirit and a real inspiration for countless millions.

As host of his own daily and hugely popular cable news show on CNN, Anderson Cooper, has come a long way in a short time. The son of socialite and fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt, Cooper skyrocketed to fame during his opinionated, often searing reporting from New Orleans in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. Passionate, telegenic, intelligent and self-deprecating, Cooper helped introduce emo-journalism where a reporter doesn't necessarily leave his humanity reporting legitimate news events. Anderson Cooper is the answer to what a newsman in the 21st Century should be.

As chairman and CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz is widely credited with helping to change—seemingly overnight—how America first, then the world drinks coffee. The ubiquitous java chain broke ground by reinventing how coffee can be served, in what language (venti frappuccino?) and how much they can charge. Schultz is also the former owner of the NBA Seattle SuperSonics before selling the team for $350 million in 2006.

So Steve Wynn is worth $4 billion, single-handedly revitalized the Las Vegas Strip with his signature properties the Golden Nugget, The Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, Wynn and Encore and owns an impressive world-class art collection including works by van Gogh, Matisse and Picasso. In a town full of high rollers, Steve Wynn bows to no one. Now that's really impressive.

In a career highlighted by many, many stellar performances—At Close Range, Hurlyburly, Before Night Falls, Mystic River, I Am Sam and, of course, Fast Times At Ridgemont High—his crowning achievement was his jaw-dropping turn in Dead Man Walking. Famously surly with the paparazzi, Penn's intelligence onscreen is matched by his passionate socio-political views he often imparts on the public. He next stars in Gus Van Sant's biopic, Milk.

REG-GIE! REG-GIE! REG-GIE! That's all the scoreboard in old Yankee Stadium kept flashing as Mr. October stepped to home plate during Game 6 of the 1977 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers after hitting two consecutive home runs off two different pitchers. On the first pitch—for the third time in a row—Jackson sent a massive shot over the fence to cap off an incredible, clutch performance immortalized in the annals of baseball history. Flamboyant, outspoken and good, Reggie Jackson earned his nickname by performing when he had to the most.

By co-creating the single biggest, best, longest running and funniest late-night comedy sketch show in the history of television, Saturday Night Live, Lorne Michaels has secured his spot in the annals of the medium. Discovering and promoting the careers of such notables as John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell and Jimmy Fallon to name a few. This guy knows funny. The show has won 18 Emmy Awards for performing and writing and, as evidenced by Tina Fey's return to play her doppelganger Sarah Palin, SNL, still under Michaels' tutelage, seems as fresh and relevant as ever.

Bruce Springsteen was born to become The Boss. Of course he was also Born To Run and Born in the U.S.A., but in a career that spans more than three-and-a-half decades, the guy still matters. With the horror of September 11, Springsteen's melodic plea for a national reconciliation embodied in his beautiful album, The Rising, New Jersey's best ambassador still sells out stadiums by never, ever selling out.

A radio god to his millions of fans, Howard Stern became synonymous with the term "shock jock" for his perpetual—and undeniably funny—use of scatological, sexual and even racial humor. The self-proclaimed "King of All Media," still believes that his show was never meant to shock anybody but just to air his honest-to-goodness opinions and insights about a whole range of issues. Stern is the highest paid—and most fined—on air personality in radio broadcast history.

The Maverick of the U.S. Senate is on perhaps his final great quest: to become President of The United States. McCain, a legitimate American hero who spent nearly six years being tortured in a Vietnamese prison camp, has been a long-time advocate for lobby reform, zero tolerance on "pork barrel" spending and "winning" the war in Iraq. His controversial pick of the unknown governor of Alaska Sarah Palin to be his running mate also energized the presidential campaign as it goes down to the wire. McCain would be the oldest person elected to the land's highest office.

Not since Robert F. Kennedy's late entry into the 1968 Democratic Presidential primary season has a U.S. politician so captivated so large a segment of the American populace. Currently in the home stretch in a tight race with fellow U.S. Senator John McCain for the highest office in the land, Barack Obama's meteoric rise through the political landscape can be firmly traced back to his riveting and widely-praised keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Obama is the first African-American to be nominated by a major political party for president.

More poet than singer, Bob Dylan is as identified with his generation as anyone in popular culture ever has. Dylan, in his musical heyday in the 1960s, became an informal chronicler and a reluctant figurehead of growing American unrest. His songs instantly became anthems for a generation, including "Blowin' In The Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changing." Besides, with his raspy, non-singer voice, Dylan gave musically challenged karaoke aspirants an entire body of work we can feel good about belting out.

Call him Puff Daddy, P. Diddy or just plain Diddy, Sean Combs is the most diverse entrepreneur to emerge from the hip hop world. Record producer, rapper, actor and men's fashion designer, Combs has won three Grammy Awards and his fashion line won the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Award. With his finger in every pop cultural pot, sometimes it feels like it's Puffy's world and we're all just living in it.

As one of the longest-tenured frontmen in rock-and-roll history as lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones, Jagger has expanded his repertoire to also become an actor, songwriter and record and film producer. The Stones' classic songs including "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up" became party anthems for an entire generation. Jagger is also a poster boy for longetivity, endurance and tenacity as he's been leading The Stones for nearly half a century with no signs of slowing down.

This guy is funny. When political satirist and TV show host Stephen Colbert left his successful stint as a correspondent on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show in 2005, he took a risk by launching The Colbert Report, a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows. He's been a huge hit delivering Comedy Central with enormous ratings every hilarious episode.

Ask a fan of country music—a real fan, not a Jessica Simpson can twang so I like her fan—about Willie Nelson and watch their face light up. This superstar that rose up during the outlaw country movement of the 1970s is by anyone's standards a living legend who continues to influence an entirely new musical generation of singer-songwriters. "On The Road Again" and, most curious, "To All The Girls I've Loved Before," his what-the-hell duet with Spanish superstar Julio Iglesias—remain Nelson's biggest hits, but his work as establishing the Farm Aid concerts in 1985 is arguably the man's single greatest contribution.

Where, exactly, did this guy come from and how, exactly, did he take over Hollywood in, like, a minute? Seth Rogen—along with his partner in cinematic mischief, director Judd Apatow—have gone from The 40-Year-Old Virgin to Knocked Up to Superbad to Pineapple Express. Not exactly blessed with traditional Hollywood leading man looks, the aesthetically challenged Rogen is laughing all the way to the bank. Good thing he makes us laugh, too.

The recent movies Judd Apatow is responsible for is quite impressive: Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Step Brothers and Pineapple Express. Amazing, really. His brand of cinematic comedy has not only resonated with American audiences but also launched the meteoric rise of frequent star Seth Rogen's career. There's no stopping Apatow now.

The ultra conservative radio host of his top-rated nationally-syndicated talk show, The Rush Limbaugh Show, is widely credited with reviving AM talk radio in the U.S. and is the nation's best known—and most controversial—Republican political commentator. Rarely a day goes by, particularly during the presidential campaign season, that Limbaugh doesn't inject himself into the fray.

How amazing is it that one game can change the course of a man's life? Without first predicting that his heavily overmatched New York Jets would indeed upset the mighty Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III—and then going out and actually doing it—Joe Namath would've simply been a footnote in professional football, albeit a very, very colorful one. Broadway Joe would go on and be voted to football's Hall of Fame and become one of the first mega-watt pitchmen for those mad men of Madison Avenue advertising. This quarterback earned his reward by backing up his talk with action.

Remember when Al Gore was this wooden, almost impossibly robotic politician who couldn't get his mind out of the "lockbox"? It's amazing what a pesky Constitutional crisis of a general election for President can do to a man. That, and giving a face and voice to one of the most important issues facing the earth, climate change. The former two-term Vice President under Bill Clinton has gone on to win an Academy Award for his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, and went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on behalf of the planet. No lockbox talk for this superstar ex-pol who, finally, has found his voice. And just in time.

The greatness of Tiger Woods is best measured by what, or rather whom, he's chasing: The Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus. The winner of an incredible 18 major championships, Nicklaus is the reason why golf is the huge spectator and recreational sport it is today. Tiger notwithstanding—and time will tell, of course—but Jack Nicklaus is the nearly undisputed, unanimous pick as the greatest golfer who ever played the sport. That's whom Tiger is chasing. Good luck.

As founder, president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Amazon.com, the largest online retailer boasting "Earth's biggest selection of goods," Bezos unquestionably changed how we shop. Worth nearly $9 billion, now Bezos wants to change how we read books with his revolutionary Amazon Kindle, an electronic device that he hopes will leapfrog over earlier attempts at e-readers and become the "moment" in a transformation toward Book 2.0. Whatever. If Bezos is behind it, it's gonna work.

Even though his mind-boggling career stats truly speak for themselves, Hank Aaron showed what he was made of as he pursued baseball's Holy Grail, Babe Ruth's all-time home run record when the elegant slugger received numerous death threats from folks that didn't want to see baseball's most important record broken by a black man. Through it all, Hammerin' Hank proved what a man of substance is really all about.

There's something you have to know about David Geffen—record executive, film and theatrical producer—he will not be ignored. Geffen has been making headlines since he formed his first record company, Asylum Records, in 1972 and signed legendary acts The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and many other music icons. For his second act he teamed up with with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg, to form DreamWorks SKG and became a force in Hollywood as well. Geffen is never far from the center of the action, and that's just the way he likes it.

Ask most actors of a certain age and ask them whose work do they admire. A lot will say Robert De Niro (for good reason) but most will invariably mention the Oscar winning embodiment of manhood: Al Pacino. As Michael Corleone in The Godfather films or Frank Serpico in Serpico or, most fantastically, as Tony Montana in Scarface, what Pacino brings to film cannot be easily explained or certainly replicated. When actors want to become actors, they're usually saying they want to be Pacino.

Forget how impossibly difficult it is to become the best in any one discipline, Arnold Schwarzenegger has mastered three. First, he became the planet's premier bodybuilder, an international superstar in the world of muscle. Next up, Hollywood, where he quickly became a movie action icon and its unparalleled star with roles such as The Terminator. And now, as Governor of the country's most populous state, California, Schwarzenegger has managed to be the true compassionate Republican and govern from a sensible middle, much to the surprise (and dismay) of many of his potential critics on the left. Can Arnold be stopped?

Eminem—or Marshall Mathers or Slim Shady, if you prefer—is one of the highest-selling rappers of all time. His aggressive, lyrically complicated and often-humorous songs have garnered him an Academy Award as well as Grammy Awards with no end in sight. The always-controversial artist's album, The Marshall Mathers LP, became the fastest-selling hip hop album in music history.

As host of Comedy Central's anchor hit program, The Daily Show, Jon Stewart's smart, sardonic take on all things political has resonated with his huge audience to such a degree that it's nearly impossible to think of going through an American presidential election cycle without Jon Stewart right dab in the middle of the whole funny mess. Stewart has also hosted the Academy Awards a couple of times and received, unsurprisingly, glowing marks from critics and fans alike.

What a life. Ted Turner, founder of CNN, the most ubiquitous news channel on the planet, and founder of WTBS, a station that pioneered the superstation concept in cable television, is also a serious philanthropist recently donating $1 billion to the United Nations for its many charities worldwide. His reach is still broad with TNT and Turner Classic Movies; it's hard to imagine Ted Turner not being at the helm of something that matters to all of us.

Now tell me again how did the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air become one of the planet's biggest movie stars? Huh? Will Smith has starred in so many blockbuster movies—Men In Black, Independence Day, I, Robot, Bad Boys, I Am Legend, Hancock—that's it's easy to forget that the guy has real acting chops, as evidenced in his more nuanced performances in Six Degrees of Separation, The Legend of Bagger Vance and, most notably, Ali. Will Smith ain't playin', y'all.

One of the most respected American movie directors of all time, Woody Allen has helmed some of the most critically acclaimed films in cinematic history including Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah And Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway and Match Point. His singular take on every genre—from intense dramas to screwball comedies—have made Allen a film director with few peers. No single person in popular culture has chronicled New York City quite as often—or as well—as Woody Allen.

Already a winner of 10 Grammy Awards, this intensely confident singer and rapper has captured the attention of critics and audiences alike with his infectious, unrelenting monster smash hits such as "Stronger" and "Gold Digger" and shows no signs of slowing down. Controversial, fearless and mad talented, Kanye West is the perfect musical star of the new millennium. Don't believe me? Ask him.

Pretty safe to say that Karl Rove reinvented the role of Deputy Chief of Staff in his own image and along the way becoming, by far, the most notorious, often vilified political operative working inside the White House for George W. Bush. His ethics-don't-matter, way outside the known bounds tactics during the 2000 and 2004 presidential election campaigns have been coined as "Rovian" by political opponents. For Karl Rove, the end always—always—justifies the means.

How did this British guy change the way America watches television? By doing nothing less than introducing the reality genre to U.S. living rooms. When he launched Survivor and later The Apprentice, Burnett tapped into such a basic need TV watchers love: competition. Can you believe it's only been eight years since the birth of reality TV in this country, save for MTV's long-running The Real World? In a way, we can thank Burnett for Omarosa, Richard Hatch and, yes, even Donald Trump's media comeback.

It's definitely a cool trick the popular two-term mayor of New York City has pulled off. How does one of the richest guys on the planet actually convince cynical New Yorkers he's on their side? Because he actually is. A straight shooter who's not beholden to any special interest group—in a city defined by special interest groups—Bloomberg has become that rarest of political animals: relevant.

A hip hop pioneer, Russell Simmons was the man behind early breakout rap acts such as Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, Tupac Shakur and later Jay-Z culminating in the creation (with Rick Rubin) of Def Jam Records. Simmons has been instrumental in bringing hip hop culture across myriad platforms. With his many business ventures, Simmons is the most influential mogul in hip hop.

Rupert Murdoch has become a symbol for impending global media domination. Through the vast holdings of his News Corporation he has become the planet's preeminent media magnate. Making no bones about what his intentions are, Murdoch has methodically and consistently gobbled up some of the most notorious and important media properties on Earth. Starting in his native Australia, then moving on to the U.K, Murdoch now has his choke hold firmly around America's information neck: FOX, F/X, FOX News Channel (television), New York Post, The Wall Street Journal (newspapers), MySpace (social networking) and on and on. Mr. Murdoch has not only come to America to prosper, he has come to America to win.

Nelson Mandela is the first President of South Africa to be elected in fully democratic elections. Known as the country's anti-Apartheid chief activist and leader of the African National Congress, Mandela spent 27 years in prison for crimes he committed in the struggle against apartheid. A former recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Mandela is revered globally as a symbol of civility and dignity in the most trying of circumstances.

It suspends belief that the same man who directed Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Raiders of the Lost Ark also helmed Schindler's List, The Color Purple and Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg's directorial talent is so staggering, so all encompassing that suffice to say that—with the possible exception of Alfred Hitchcock—Steven Spielberg genuinely has no peer in the history of filmmaking. Not bad for a nerdy kid from Scottsdale.

Now what? That may be a fair question for Michael Phelps winner of 14 Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympian. Ever. If watching him glide over water—and marvel at his powerful "dolphin kick" while turning—wasn't thrilling enough, Phelps' genuine humility and his aw-shucks about it all attitude makes for an irrestible combination. So, Michael: now what?

How could this list not include The Donald? If Donald Trump didn't exist, we would've had to invent him. The quintessential American business magnate and larger-than-life personality, Trump is the Chairman and CEO of the Trump Organization as well as hardly shy host and Executive Producer (with Mark Burnett) of the hit NBC show, The Apprentice. Known for colorful lifestyle as much as for his many real estate holdings—most of which bear his name—Trump is almost certainly never going to hear his own famous refrain from his show: "You're fired!"

The single-most famous athlete in the world—certainly at least when it comes to those who play a team sport—David Beckham's phenomenal success on the soccer field (or football pitch, as they say over there) is unmatched in recent times. Certainly huge enough prior to meeting "Posh Spice" and marrying her, the Beckhams became Europe's gold standard for style, sizzle and, well, sex. Question remains: Can Beckham make soccer huge in America? Who knows; in the meantime, America has helped David Beckham get even bigger. And that's big.

America's greatest investor, Buffett is widely regarded as the wealthiest person in the world with assets north of $62 billion. His vast fortune doesn't mean he leads a rather peculiar frugal existence. Two years ago he vowed to give away his entire fortune to charity, most notably a whopping 83% of it to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. When Buffet talks money, Obama and McCain stand ready to listen. You should, too.

Let's put aside his staggering talent for a moment, what Michael Jordan has done to elevate and change how we perceive athletes—as pitchmen, as role models, as global goodwill ambassadors—cannot be understated. Simply the greatest basketball player in the history of the world, Jordan's beauty on a basketball court was unrivaled in his time. Single-handedly popularizing a sport in need of a superstar, Jordan—and his Chicago Bulls—became the team of his generation, thanks entirely to one Michael Jordan. Now that's cool.

Before a certain Barack guy came around, Bill Clinton was as close to a deity the Democratic Party has seen since anyone not named Kennedy. The 42nd President of the United States, Clinton became the only Democrat in the Oval Office to win re-election since FDR. Besides the pesky dealings with a White House intern, Clinton left office more popular than when he entered. Since leaving the White House, he's been widely praised for heading up efforts to fight AIDS worldwide and poverty and childhood obesity here at home through his successful foundation. It's amazing really how this chubby kid from Arkansas became the coolest dude in the room. Any room.

What's left to say about "The Greatest?" Boxing demigod Muhammad Ali personified what the men on this list embody: talent, fearlessness, confidence and charm. Has an athlete ever captivated an entire galaxy exactly quite like this three-time heavyweight champion has? No they haven't. And no one ever will.

The man who brought us Apple computers, the iMac, iBook, iPod and, now, the iPhone, has simply revolutionized how everyone in the world relates to their computers, to their music, to their friends and family. It's not hyperbole to call Steve Jobs a masterful visionary whose reach is only limited by his imagination and, reportedly, his failing health. It's no coincidence why Forbes dubbed Steve Jobs the "most powerful businessman" last year. If power is influence, Jobs has all the power. Even his detractors have to admit that when it comes to toys we want, Steve Jobs gets it.

The gold standard for "Mr. Luckiest Dude On The Planet," Hugh Hefner was first the poster boy for sexual freedom and promiscuity, then a visionary media and business executive who launched Playboy, the magazine preferred by men who also read the articles. After the silk robe, the pipe and the slew of beauties all around him, what one gets from High Hefner is a sense of honesty and integrity about sex, the one topic Americans still shy away from.

If you think about a man who lives life to the fullest every day, someone who defies convention and breaks the rules of expected behavior, you have one Richard Branson. His creation, "Virgin," has become, of course, one of the most recognizable brands on the planet with nearly 200 companies under the Virgin tent. He's accomplished much, much more than any reasonable man could ever dream of—even being knighted by Queen Elizabeth—but Sir Richard is anything but reasonable.

Jerry Seinfeld became an American comedy institution with his groundbreaking and laugh-your-ass off NBC sitcom, Seinfeld. His humor—often called "observational"—is casual and conversational but unmistakable. On Seinfeld, where he played a semi-fictional version of himself, the laughs came from unexpected places, often at the expense of one of his characters' friends Elaine, George and Kramer. "The Contest," arguably one of the series' finest moments, remains a classic. Go on YouTube and laugh your ass off.

When Tom Ford got the assignment in 1994 to revive the aging and increasingly irrelevant Gucci line, he more than met the challenge; he captured the imagination of stylish women in every corner of the planet. Overnight, he became a fashion god. Ford also caused a sensation when he took over the house of Yves Saint-Laurent, winning numerous CFDAs (fashion's top accolade) and continuing his signature and overt sexuality in the advertising campaigns of both Gucci and YSL. He recently launched his own men's line called, simply, Tom Ford.

Arguably the most diverse and eclectic leading man working in Hollywood today, Johnny Depp is best known for his long collaboration with director Tim Burton is such films as Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The three-time Oscar nominee also starred as Jack Sparrow in the global sensation of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Smart, introspective and never predictable, Depp continues to fascinate movie audiences worldwide.

The coolest, badass James Bond. Period. Sean Connery, everyone's idea of a man's man, went on to win an Oscar in 1987 for his role in The Untouchables and was later knighted becoming a "Sir." Incredibly—impossibly—at 78 the Scottish actor is still widely regarded a sex symbol. But it's his stamp as James Bond, a role he played in seven unforgettable films that gave Sean Connery his power.

As if it's not cool enough to lead a major European nation after being voted in to office in 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France, also just married Carla Bruni, international super hot model and singer. It's nuts: He divorces his wife and marries Bruni while in office. Can you imagine if some U.S. President divorced his wife and married Madonna while in office? Yeah, right.

When Tiger Woods is wearing that dark red polo shirt on the last Sunday of a given golf tournament, it nearly always spells trouble for the rest of the field. In simple terms Tiger Woods is awesome. Just how awesome remains to be seen but what that man has accomplished thus far—in such a brief time—defies convention. Last year alone Woods raked in a whopping $122 million in prize money and endorsements and for good reason. Not yet 33, Woods has 14 majors (second only to Jack Nicklaus) and 65 PGA Tour events. There's no telling what the numbers will look like when he's done, but for now, it's just fun watching him play, particularly when he's wearing that killer shade of red.

Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th Dalai Lama and is head of the Tibetan government-in-exile and the most public foe of China's rule over Tibet. A charismatic, forceful symbol for peace, the Dalai Lama is a revered spiritual leader among Tibetans. As the first Dalai Lama to travel to the West, he has promoted ethics, religious harmony and tolerance as well as spreading Buddhist teachings.

When Larry Page and Sergey Brin were still attending Stanford University they came up with the idea for Google and launched the then privately held company in 1998. Now their baby is the largest online search engine in the known universe. Page and Brin are still innovating and pushing forward as the company recently marked its decade of existence. It's hard to remember what any of us did before there was Google. We better Google it.

Has anyone changed the world more significantly than Bill Gates, the American business magnate who (along with Paul Allen) founded Microsoft, earth's largest computer software company? Currently boasting the title of wealthiest American, Gates—and his wife Melinda—have moved beyond the boardroom to become, through their foundation bearing their names, one of the planet's biggest and most generous philanthropists. We'd like to think that if we had that much money we would do what Gates is doing with his. We'll never know, but Bill Gates is actually doing it. And good for him.

When does fronting the most important rock band on the planet for several decades seem like kid's play? When you're Bono, the Irish superman who's as smart as he is talented and who remarkably moves beyond the photo opp with world leaders to feel right at home among them working to solve everything from poverty and fair world trade practices in the developing world to AIDS in Africa and famine relief. Bono should be your hero. Seriously.