The Power List 2010

Maybe I've been away to long, and I'm not paying close enough attention, but I feel like Style is slipping. This is a very uninspired list. And the ranking seems entirely arbitrary. The usual suspects are there–and perhaps they should be–but there's very little explanation for why. Worse, it doesn't seem like the writers even understand what these people do.

Another point: the writing in these pieces comes off very restrained. Why write a piece about power, if you're going to be so removed from the content. It's just boring!

Whoops, guess I did miss that they were active links...

I just followed the Byrd Park link! The photos and the comments say it all. Most definitely a shameful statement about the people running Richmond Public Schools. When will RPS ever get it right? :(

http://byrdpark.net/2010/07/14/get-to-know-clark-springs-elementary/#comment-1109

I find it difficult to believe that there are so few women in "power" in Richmond. This list is an embarrassment.

I have a suggestion: next time Style does the "Power List," ask readers to nominate people and say why they think that individual is "powerful." Think of it as a "People's Power List" in the spirit of the late Howard Zinn and the late Molly Ivins.

Of course, Style would continue to include all the usual suspects/politicians and the corporate Grand Poo-bahs, but by opening the list up to reader participation you would expand your notion of power and you just might "meet" some people in our community who are quietly making a difference and helping the Richmond region become a stronger and more diverse place to live and raise families.

Hey Obreinmeg, move your mouse over the names on the list and click on individuals you want to know more about . . .
or pick up the print version.

This was a snooze of a read. Might be more interesting if there was actually some explanation offered on "why" any of these people are on the list or changing rank from previous years. Otherwise it looks a bit like just a random list of elected officials and heads of area's larger businesses. How is their power affecting Richmond? Let's get more of a story here.

Style clearly needs to RETHINK its definition of POWER. Here's some food for thought. Power is:

"Ability to act, regarded as latent or inherent the faculty of doing or performing something capacity for action or performance capability of producing an effect, whether physical or moral: potency might as, a man of great power the power of capillary attraction money gives power.

"Ability, regarded as put forth or exerted strength, force, or energy in action as, the power of steam in moving an engine the power of truth, or of argument, in producing conviction the power of enthusiasm.

"Capacity of undergoing or suffering fitness to be acted upon susceptibility called also passive power as, great power of endurance.

"The exercise of a faculty the employment of strength the exercise of any kind of control influence dominion sway command government.

"The agent exercising an ability to act an individual invested with authority an institution, or government, which exercises control as, the great powers of Europe hence, often, a superhuman agent a spirit a divinity."

This has become a tired feature and is really just a list of the richest people in Richmond. (yawn) While they are powerful behind the scenes, there are so many more people doing positive things, and more often than not, actually more visible.