(FORTUNE Magazine) – The year is winding down as we tap in these bytes, so it must be time for Keeping Up's traditional (now in its second year) list of the ten ''most notorious'' businesspersons of the annum. As in the past, notoriety is certified and quantified by number of citations through December 15 in the mighty Nexis database -- each citation signifying an article or news story alluding at least once to the suspect in question. Also as in the past, we do not count Madonna or Saddam Hussein as businesspersons. Why we don't is not entirely clear. Last year's list of notorions was led by conperson Robert Maxwell, who failed to make the team this year. Also slipping overboard, albeit more metaphorically, were Charles F. Keating, Michael Milken, and Warren Buffett. Figures shown after each name represent the number of Nexis citations. The Big Ten: (1) Ross Perot (36,014) of Perot Systems Corp., whose earnings soar even when the CEO spends all his time on talk shows. (2) Lee Iacocca (3,333), departing chairman of Chrysler, possible new head of TWA, suddenly a factor in the olive oil business (his company is Villa Nicola Ltd.). (3) Robert Stempel (2,732), departed chairman of GM. (4) George Steinbrenner (2,421), soon-to-return boss of the New York Yankees, also head of American Ship Building Co., which recently avoided bankruptcy, but not by much. (5) Ted Turner (2,363), president and chairman of Turner Broadcasting Systems, spouse of Jane Fonda. (6) Donald Trump (2,310), ex-boyfriend of Marla Maples, recently allowed by the banks to assume title of CEO of New York's Plaza hotel but only on the condition that he not actually attempt to run the place. (7) Rupert Murdoch (1,811), always covered extensively by the British press (now well represented in Nexis); also got lots of ink stateside when he fired a Fox executive for putting a male stripper onstage during a company presentation. (8) Bill Gates (1,440), CEO and controlling shareholder of Microsoft, richest guy on the list (worth over $7 billion at recent Microsoft stock price) even though some of us refuse to switch to Windows. (9) Carl Icahn (1,205), departing boss of bankrupt TWA, surprised many by retaining a positive net worth himself after the recent deal in which he commits to support airline employees' pensions. (10) Robert Crandall (1,074), CEO of American Airlines, largest carrier in the U.S. but now in retrenchment mode and losing a bundle for the third year in a row as a result of industry fare wars, none of which have prevented Bob from becoming a target of the current federal probe of price fixing in the airline industry.