The Stars of The Recession.(companies and persons who survivde the recession)

It's only when darkness falls that the stars start to twinkle. Similarly, sometimes it takes a pitch-black economy to reveal who and what in the business firmament really shines. Although they're not likely to get their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the people, companies and places on our list have shown that they can not only survive an economic tsunami, they can surf its crest to the top.

INVESTORS

John Paulson: Paulson & Co.

John Paulson is the King Midas of the hedge-fund world. In 2008, a year in which the average fund was down by 18 percent, Paulson's funds increased by as much as 25 percent, after a smart decision to short bank stocks. That's nothing compared to his 2007 performance, though, when bets against subprime mortgages paid off--big time. His funds returned 600 percent that year, earning him a $3.7 billion payout, the industry's largest ever.

25% portfolio gain

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: Universa

These days Taleb, a former Chicago options trader, is more of a public intellectual than market player. But as an adviser to Universa Investments, a California-based hedge fund, he still has a playground to test his theories. His big idea is that humans misjudge the possibility of huge market movements, preferring to believe in the lie of predictable returns. Last year proved him wildly right, and by exploiting this mental block, Universa's investors doubled their money.