Tuesday 18 February 2014

Okla. pharmacy won't sell drug for Mo. execution

An Oklahoma pharmacy has agreed not to provide Missouri with a made-to-order drug for an inmate's execution scheduled for later this month, according to court documents filed Monday.
According to the documents, The Apothecary Shoppe, of Tulsa, will not prepare or provide pentobarbital or any other drug for use in Michael Taylor's execution. The documents ask a judge to dismiss the case that Taylor's lawyers had filed against the pharmacy seeking to stop it from providing the execution drug.
Taylor's attorney, Matt Hellman, said that as part of the deal, the pharmacy acknowledged it has not already provided any such drug to the Missouri Department of Corrections for the execution, which is scheduled for Feb. 26.
The Missouri Department of Corrections and the attorney general's office did not immediately return calls Monday night seeking comment about the agreement or the status of Taylor's execution.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon indicated last week that the state has drugs to carry out Taylor's execution. Nixon, speaking at a news conference Thursday, did not directly answer "yes" or "no" when asked about availability of the execution drug but said, "In order to complete that ultimate responsibility, that's necessary. The Department of Corrections is prepared to carry out that execution."
Taylor pleaded guilty to abducting, raping and stabbing to death a 15-year-old Kansas City girl in 1989.
The Apothecary Shoppe has not acknowledged that it supplies a compounded version of pentobarbital to Missouri for use in lethal injections, as Taylor says, and says it can't because of a Missouri law requiring the identities of those on the state's execution team to be kept confidential.
In his lawsuit, Taylor alleged that Missouri turned to The Apothecary Shoppe to supply compounded pentobarbital because the only licensed manufacturer of the drug refuses to provide it for lethal injections. That company, Illinois-based Akorn Inc., agreed to that condition when it bought the exclusive rights to the drug in January 2012 from a Danish company that had produced it under the trade name Nembutal.
Taylor contends that several recent executions in which compounded pentobarbital was used showed it would likely cause him "severe, unnecessary, lingering and ultimately inhumane pain."
Within 20 seconds of receiving his lethal injection on Jan. 9 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, 38-year-old Michael Lee Wilson said: "I feel my whole body burning." This statement describes "a sensation consistent with receipt of contaminated pentobarbital," Taylor alleges.
The lawsuit also cites the Oct. 15, 2012, execution in South Dakota of Eric Robert. Robert, 50 cleared his throat, gasped for air and then snored after receiving the lethal injection, which included compounded pentobarbital. His skin turned a purplish hue and his heart continued to beat for 10 minutes after he stopped breathing, the lawsuit contends. It took 20 minutes for authorities to finally declare Robert dead.
"These events are consistent with receipt of a contaminated or sub-potent compounded drug," the lawsuit says.
Taylor's lawsuit questions whether the Tulsa pharmacy can legally produce and deliver compounded pentobarbital. It says the pharmacy is not registered as a drug manufacturer with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and alleges that it violates federal law each time it delivers the drug across state lines to Missouri corrections officials.

Computer whizzes brainstorm for cash at hackathons

It used to be that "hacking" was just a type of crime, a computer break-in. But today, the term is also part of a growing — and perfectly legal — mainstay of the tech sector.
Computer programming competitions known as "hackathons" have spread like viruses in recent years as ways for geeks, nerds and designers to get together to eat pizza, lose sleep and create something new.
The formal, marathon group brainstorming sessions are focused on everything from developing lucrative apps to using computer code to solve the world's problems. This year a record 1,500 hackathons are planned around the globe, up from just a handful in 2010.



"A hackathon is the fastest way to actually do something about an idea," said Nima Adelkhani, organizer of the weekend-long Hack for Peace in the Middle East competition in San Francisco this month.
Law enforcement has not abandoned the term. Dozens of federally convicted "hackers" are serving prison sentences for computer fraud and other cybercrimes. And the Justice Department's cybercrime budget this year is $9 million to target offenses that include "hacking."
But the new uses have popped up with increasing frequency since a pair of tech events in 1999 where developers worked together to write programs. Yahoo gets recognition for the first official hackathon in 2005. And Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been largely credited with helping broaden the definitions by urging his staff to "hack" by "building something quickly or testing the boundaries of what can be done."
A new Facebook option that went live Thursday allowing users more than 50 ways to identify their gender beyond male and female was conceived during a company hackathon four months ago.
This month, the first global hackathon for Black Male Achievement was held in Oakland, Calif. Music Hack Day is coming in Tokyo and Hackomotive competitors will develop apps in Santa Monica, Calif., that make it easier to buy and sell cars.
During these sorts of tech-heavy, weekend competitions, teams of computer programmers, software engineers and developers huddle over monitors for hours, working up new apps for smartphones or other devices. A panel of judges selects winners, and prizes are usually awarded.
"Developers are a rare breed where they get paid a lot of money to do this job during the week, and they enjoy it so much they want to do it more on the weekend," said Jon Gotfriend, who's been going to hackathons for more than three years.
As such events have become more popular, a set of rules has coalesced. Teams are typically made up of a handful of people. Designs, ideas and even mock-ups can be worked on in advance, but everyone starts writing code at the same time. And teams own whatever they come up with.
The opening stages of a hackathon can be exciting as challenges, prizes, teams and judges are introduced. But within hours there's a quiet buzz and lots of keyboard clicking as programmers make their ideas a reality.
Participants arrive with sleeping bags, deodorant, toothbrushes, pillows and laptops. By morning's wee hours, pizza, energy drinks and bean bag chairs are in hot demand. Candy of all kinds is consumed, and by the time the buzzer goes off after 24 or 48 hours, most participants are disheveled and a little loopy.
Like the tech industry itself, hackathon participants are mostly men. But some organizers are trying to change that.
There was an unusually high number of women at a hackathon at the AT&T Developer Summit in Las Vegas last month after organizers promised $10,000 extra to any team with a majority of females. It worked; both winning teams were led by women. But in every other way, the event was typical.
"There are just four important things you need for a hackathon: food, wifi, power and people," said hackathon aficionado Mike Swift. "When you have those, people want to build together."
Swift went to his first hackathon in 2010. At an event a few months later, he and his friends created Hacker League, a program that helps organizers coordinate their events online. "Since then hackathons have totally exploded," he said. In December, Intel purchased Hacker League for an undisclosed amount.
Another well-known hackathon success story is GroupMe, a free online chat program inspired by a project conceived during a New York competition in 2010 and acquired by Skype in a reported $85 million deal.
But as these think sessions have grown from dorm room all-nighters to high-stakes events, problems have arisen.
In December, San Francisco-based Salesforce.com took heavy criticism from participants after it awarded a $1 million hackathon prize — the largest such reward to date — to a former employee who had used pre-existing code during the competition.
After reviewing the rules and judging process, the firm decided that though the prize winners didn't violate rules, they were going to choose a second team to also win the $1 million grand prize and declared the competition a tie.
"We heard feedback loud and clear," wrote Salesforce vice president Adam Seligman in a note to participants. "We didn't get this right. We should have been clearer."
Still, Seligman said the company intends hold more hackathons, using an outside firm to execute them. He said, "We want you to make awesome stuff and make money.

Run faster this spring in these new sneakers

Whether you're going for a new PR this spring or are just hot for HIIT, the latest sneakers might make you speedier without you having to do much other than lace 'em up. Undoubtedly pretty, these 10 sneakers will add a fun factor to each of your workouts.
 Courtesy of Under ArmourA Bra...For Your Feet
Like a second skin, the Under Armour Speedform Apollo, $100 (launches on 2/28), practically molds to your foot. That's because it was made in a bra factory. (No, that's not a typo.)
This sneaker is meant to fit snugly—there's no insole, no stitching. Its paired-down silhouette keeps you connected to the ground, but the abrasion rubber along the sole protects you...and the sneaker.
(More from SELF: 20 Superfoods For Weight Loss)


Sci-fi Soles


The profile of the $180 Adidas Springblade Razor sneakers summed up in a word: badass. The 16 small blades on each outsole were inspired by motorcycle suspension systems and function like a springboard, compressing on impact then snapping back, releasing explosive energy to propel you faster on your runs. This updated version has an all-new razor-wire web design upper that holds your foot in place. Wild.
 Hit The Gas
An outsole modeled after speedy, high-performance Z-rated racecar tires has grooves that keep you in close contact with the ground, giving you traction and control on any terrain. A no-sew upper and internal bootie keep your foot locked in—yep, like a seatbelt—for the fast ride. Basically, the Reebok ZQuick Run sneakers, $85, are like tiny racecars for your feet.
Everything about the Asics Gel-Noosafast 2 racing flat, $89.95, is speedy. Optional elastic laces and grips on the heel and tongue tabs make transition off the bike and on to the run as quick as possible—and a soft breathable mesh and super lightweight seamless upper means you can skip the socks for an even faster T2 time. The durable, grippy sole makes wet race day conditions or maneuvering through aid stations a non-issue, so you don't lose valuable seconds anywhere. Oh hey there, podium.



Fast. Very Fast

Go ahead, take a second to drool over this looker. It's the Nike Flyknit Lunar2, $150, a lighter and stronger version of its predecessor, the Lunar1. It pairs the powerful and ultra- light Flyknit upper with the super-soft and responsive Lunarlon cushioning. That means you can keep your quick pace up for longer.
And if you think you can create a more swoon-worthy colorway, you can customize them at NIKEiD. Oh, and Allyson Felix, you know, one of the fastest women in the world, runs in these. If that doesn't speak to their speediness, we don't know what will.



Feel Feather-Light

It's hard to be fast when your feet are heavy. That's why Brooks streamlined the PureConnect 3, $100, dropping the weight down to 6.1 ounces, but still enhancing the toe flex and rounding the heel, so you can take tight turns without losing speed and breakaway when it counts.


Ride The Speed Wave

How did Mizuno decrease bulk without losing too much cushion in their sneaks? They inserted wavy plates in their shoe soles that serve to lessen impact, mimic cushion and provide stability without a chunky heel (aptly named: wave plate technology). At 7.1 ounces, the Wave Sayonara, $120 is their lightest model yet, so runners can go faster without getting achy.


For those of you who prefer the trail to the treadmill, Merrell's AllOut Fuse, $110, will let you run wild without fear of tripping over uneven terrain. Strategically placed firmer shock pads absorb impact on hard stuff, and a grippy outsole is covered in ball-shaped lugs that move independently, so you stay in control while you zig and zag. Speed intervals through the woods? No excuse not to, anymore.

Monday 17 February 2014

10 insane rides by boutique carmakers

Today's restomodders, replica builders, and tuners take an obsessive approach to performance. These vehicles are modified to a level of detail so far beyond their original roots that they are better described as brand-new production cars and trucks rather than upgraded versions of the original.

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Hennessey Performance Venom GT
John Hennessey has been creating a steady stream of high-horsepower four-wheeled insanity since 1991. In 1993, when he turned his attention to Dodge Vipers, a legend was born. Over the last two decades, each generation of Hennessey Viper has produced some very serious numbers and taken down plenty of competitors at track tests. His latest, the Venom 1000 Twin Turbo, makes and astonishing 1120 hp and runs through the quarter-mile in 9.7 seconds.

But perhaps the company's most interesting vehicle is the Venom GT. Here is a widened, stretched, and modified Lotus wearing carbon-fiber bodywork. This featherweight no longer uses a Toyota four-cylinder engine; instead, the Venom draws its power from a twin-turbocharged 7.0-liter, 1244-hp Chevrolet LSX V-8. Woof. That pushes the car to a speed of 265.7 mph and makes it one of the fastest in the world, and one of the world's greatest thrill machines.

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Icon Thriftmaster Pickup
Icon began as a top-level restoration house for Toyota Land Cruisers back in the late 1990s, and they continue to restore vehicles to original condition. But it is Icon's wildly reimagined Land Cruisers, Broncos, and Chevy pickups that take modified restoration to an obsessive level. Company founder Jonathan Ward upgrades every aspect of these vehicles. If suitably robust and beautiful upgrade parts don't exist, he builds them—expense be damned.

Thriftmaster trucks, based on 1947 to 1953 Chevrolet trucks, are marvelous performers thanks to a modern supercharged (and emissions-legal) GM crate engine, a capable Art Morrison road race-style chassis, and a detailed and luxurious interior. Even the doors of this truck are cool: Icon redesigned the door's latch mechanism as well as all the cranks and pulls, so now this door closes with a solid thunk and the windows power up and down using the original window crank as switches. We particularly like the bison-hide bench seat filled with Tempur-Pedic foam cushions. Ward even re-created the original Chevrolet font for the Icon badging on this vehicle.

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Singer Vehicle Design Porsche 911
For 50 years Porsche's 911 has been an icon of performance. Though today's 911 is a sophisticated and evolved sports machine, plenty of purists prefer the 911s of the past. Singer Vehicle Design takes some of the best characteristics of these classic 911s and melds them with modern technology and impeccable craftsmanship to create what many have called the ultimate 911.

The chassis comes straight from the early 1990s 964-series 911, the last and most evolved of the air-cooled Porsches. The flat-six cylinder engines come in either a relatively tame 3.6-liter 270-hp version or a wild 360-hp 3.6-liter version, and both are paired to either a five- or six-speed manual.

Beyond the specs, it's Singer's details that are truly breathtaking. Though the body looks just like the classic 911, it's actually a new and subtly flared custom amalgam of different models built from carbon fiber (except for the doors), which saves about 500 pounds. Though the exterior lighting recalls the original small bumper 1964 to 1973 cars, the lamps themselves are modern Bi-Xenon units with polycarbonate lenses. The brightwork around the car isn't just reproduction chrome pieces but special nickel-plated pieces. And those wheels are cool, new 17-inch forged replicas that allow for larger tires.

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Lingenfelter Performance Engineering Reaper
For more than 40 years GM specialist Lingenfelter has produced some truly potent machines, including stock Corvettes tuned to become monsters, such as a 1000-hp version of today's C7 Stingray. Their latest vehicle, the Reaper, was unveiled recently at the Chicago Auto Show. It's a collaborative effort between Lingenfelter and Southern Comfort Automotive to produce a high-performance off-road truck based on the Chevy Silverado, one aimed to rival Ford's Raptor.

Under the hood is one of two supercharged V-8s, the more potent of which is a 6.2-liter block that's been supercharged to deliver 550 hp. The Reaper's unique look is the result of a 3-inch taller Ride Tech suspension and aggressive new body panels that are flared to make room for 33-inch tires. Reapers can be ordered and delivered to select Chevy dealers and carry a three-year warranty. We're ready to take the Reaper out to some rough terrain to see how it stacks up against the Raptor.

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Shelby American 50th Anniversary Shelby Cobra 289 FIA
The late Carroll Shelby's legendary Cobra is the granddaddy of small-batch tuner cars, though the term tuner seems a bit flip for such a storied and influential supercar. But at its roots, that's what the Cobra was. Shelby took a big Ford engine and had AC rework the chassis of their Ace sports car to accept it. To mark the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the 289 Cobra, Shelby American will be building just 50 limited-edition continuation Cobras with either a fiberglass body or a more expensive aluminum one.

Plenty of companies have built Cobra replicas over the years. But the most highly prized ones aren't replicas at all, but this kind of "continuation"—small batch production cars built by Shelby American. This anniversary tribute model is one of the coolest the company has ever created.

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VL Automotive Destino
The Destino is the one car here you can't buy yet. And frankly, we're not sure when or if it will ever hit small-batch production. But the idea behind the car is just too cool. VL wants to repurpose the leftover chassis and bodies of the plug-in hybrid Fisker Karmas (the company's assets are planned for auction on Feb. 12) by installing a new powertrain. Former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz owns half of VL and plans to use his formidable connections to create a Corvette-powered sport sedan with the Fisker's concept car looks.

Should the Destino reach production once Fisker's bankruptcy proceedings are resolved, VL says it will offer the car with either the LT1 V-8 from the current C7 Stingray or a LS9 V-8 with more than 600 hp, made famous in the ZR1 Corvette. Katzkin, an interior-parts supplier would handle the custom leathers and finishes for the Destino. And to give the car a unique look upfront, there's a more traditional grill that replaces Fisker's original.

Our fingers are crossed for this one. A four-door with Corvette power never goes out of style.

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Superformance Caterham Seven
Superformance is a small-batch builder of replica cars from South Africa whose designs represent the legendary American performance machines of the 1960s. They include Cobras (Superformance calls them Mark IIIs), Daytona Cobra coupes, and GT40s. Superformance cars are accurate and well-built. Their inventory has always been heavy on brawny American V-8 sports cars.

Now, for the first time, Superformance will be the official U.S. distributor for the Caterham Seven. It's based on the Lotus Seven, the definition of a lightweight and rewarding open-air sports car. When production ended, Caterham bought the rights to build these cars from Lotus, and the Seven has been in production more or less uninterrupted since 1957.

Caterham Sevens destined for our shores are available in five models of increasing capability and speed. And like the Superformance cars, the Caterhams will be sold as a rolling chassis with third-part installation of the powertrain. Caterham says a top-level CSR with a 260-hp 2.3-liter four-cylinder Ford engine will hit 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. We can't wait to see these Caterhams on our streets.

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Legacy Classic Trucks Power Wagon
Save for the Willys MB, no other American 4WD vehicle has a more decorated military history than the WC series Dodge trucks—Power Wagons. Legacy Classic Trucks of Jackson Hole, Wyo., has become one of the premiere restorers and restomodders of these icons. The company offers its Legacy Power Wagons upfitted with heavy-duty hardware, because Legacy intends its customers to use them as real trucks.

Under that domed hood, a buyer can opt for either a modern 425-hp Chrysler Legacy Magnum V-8 or a 3.9-liter Cummins diesel, both backed by a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Why not the 6.7-liter Cummins from today's Dodge trucks? It just won't fit. In either case, the power gets routed to a tough Atlas transfer case and down to Dana 60 front and Dana 80 rear axles with locking differentials. That's extreme-duty truck stuff. So is the standard 16,500-pound-capacity winch and optional 42-inch tires. We'd have at least one of these in our dream garage.

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American Expedition Vehicles Brute Double Cab
Jeep hasn't had a pickup truck in its lineup since the Comanche ended production in 1992. But in 2004 Jeep revived the idea with the Gladiator, a name it borrowed from its mid-1960s full-size pickups and applied to a modern concept pickup built on the bones of the modern Wrangler.

Well, it's 10 years later and we still don't have a Jeep pickup. But American Expedition Vehicle (AEV) builds the Brute Double Cab to fill the void. AEV has been building and modifying Jeep Wranglers for 15 years. The Brute Double Cab is based on a 14-inch stretched version of the current Wrangler Unlimited chassis and fitted with a 5-foot composite bed. The DC350 model wears a 3.5-inch suspension lift, 35-inch-tall tires, and a Warn winch for off-road excursions. If you have an older Jeep Wrangler and want the utility of a pickup box, AEV has a Brute conversion for the 1997 to 2006 TJ Wranglers too.

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Brabus B63S-700 6X6
We've left the wildest small-batch vehicle for last. Legendary German tuner Brabus has taken the insane 500-plus-horsepower, 6-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6X6—already perhaps the most wonderfully looney small-batch production vehicle on the planet—and gone a little further. Are they nuts? Of course. Thanks to new turbos supplying more boost pressure, the 5.5-liter engine pumps out 700 hp. That's enough to move this 9000-pound beast to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds.

There's lots more fun stuff here too, such as the exhaust valve button on the steering wheel for Loud or Quiet. There's plenty of carbon-fiber bodywork to dress this beast up too. Inside, the interior gets retrimmed in Alcantara and (in this case) fire-red leather.

LA workers break record for largest concrete pour

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A Los Angeles project laying the foundation for the tallest building west of the Mississippi broke the world record for the largest continuous concrete pour, a Guinness World Records adjudicator said Sunday.
Round-the-clock pouring started at 4:47 p.m. Saturday with 208 trucks making more than 2,100 trips and pouring 82 million pounds of concrete during an 18 ½-hour period, said Sean Rossall, a spokesman for the project building a skyscraper called the New Wilshire Grand. Ultimately, 21,200 cubic yards of concrete were poured by 11:30 a.m. Sunday, beating the existing record of 21,000 cubic yards set by The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas in 1999, Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric said.
"We just wrapped up, and we broke the world record," Rossall said minutes after blaring horns officially announced the last pour.
Empric monitored the pour overnight by smartphone before meeting with contractors and engineers Sunday to check their final numbers. Empric, who had just finished judging a successful Valentine's Day effort to set the record for the most people feeding each other simultaneously, said he has learned a lot about concrete and the challenges of such a pour.
"If they don't cool the concrete as it's poured, it'll go into this thermal reaction and crack," Empric said.
Each truck made 10 to 14 concrete drops, traveling through the night between eight different concrete plants within a 20-mile radius, Rossall said. The first batch of concrete poured onto the site came from a plant in Vernon that poured the first concrete in Southern California ever, Rossall said.
Once finished, the skyscraper will soar 1,100 feet, making it the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. It will boast a 900-room hotel, convention space and offices. There also will be an outdoor terrace and a swimming pool on the 73rd floor.
It's scheduled to be completed in 2016 and to open in 2017.
The New Wilshire Grand project, developed by Korean Air, is estimated to cost more than $1 billion and has been a huge undertaking.
For the past several months, crews have prepared the site by digging an 18-foot-deep pit and lining it with 7 million pounds of reinforcing steel.
Because the concrete must be poured within 90 minutes of being mixed, trucks had to arrive on time. In case of freeway jams, alternate routes were mapped. Rossall said traffic had a minimal impact on the pouring, which had been scheduled to last 20 hours.
Rossall said the crews "double-planned and triple-planned" to ensure no disruptions.
The concrete now must "cure," or set and harden, over the next couple weeks.
"Once that's completed, we're going to start moving vertical on the building," Rossall said. "That's the next big milestone for us."

Sunday 16 February 2014

10 famous celebrity-owned cars

Wealth has its privileges, including the ability to drive some of the coolest cars ever made. Here’s a look at 10 celebrity-owned vehicles--some of which that make us wish we had chosen a career in show business.
Hugh Laurie’s 1956 Ford Galaxie Convertible
Laurie’s character on the hit TV show House was known for embracing excess. So it’s fitting that the real-life actor would tool around town in a vehicle with a massive 428 ci V-8 engine under its hood. Hey, he can afford the gas bill.






Jay Leno’s Morgan Three-Wheeler
It’s impossible to write about celebrity-owned cars and not include a model or two from Jay Leno’s collection. This classic from 1932 weighs less than 900 lbs. and is powered by a 990cc V-twin engine. Word is that Leno will soon be out of a job, but we suspect that his retirement years will be more than comfortable.
Simon Cowell’s Model B Hot Rod
Cowell is known for his pickiness, which explains why he would settle for nothing less than a custom-built 1932 Ford modified with a flathead V-8 engine. His ownership of such a fine machine is just one more reason to despise the acid-tongued former American Idol judge.
Jay Leno’s 1909 Stanley Steamer
Alternative fuel aficionados take note: this relic of a bygone era runs on hot water and is made largely from renewable resources like wood. Perhaps that’s why the original manual offered advice on what to do if the Steamer caught fire. It suggests driving fast enough up to put out the flames.
Li’l Wayne’s Campagna T-Rex 14R
Rapper Nicki Minaj is a good friend to have; she gave her good buddy Li’l Wayne a customized Campagna 14R for his birthday. Straddling the line between car and motorcycle, this vehicle combines a BMW I6 engine with three wheels and a feather-light frame, to achieve a blistering 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds.
Jerry Seinfeld’s Porsche 993 911
For a man who did a show about nothing, Jerry Seinfeld seems to have everything going for him when it comes to amazing cars. Case in point: his Porsche 993 911, which has the distinction of being the last of its kind with an air-cooled engine. Maybe NBC will finally pick up that pilot idea he and George worked out.
James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder
I’ve never been one to believe in curses, but if there was ever a vehicle with some bad mojo in its cylinders it was this one. Not only did the young actor die in it, but the remains of “Little Bastard” (Dean’s term of affection for his death car) later fell on a mechanic who was working around them, breaking the guy’s leg.
According to reports, the car’s engine and transmission were snatched up by buyers who installed them on their own rides. Sadly, one died soon afterwards in a racing accident, while the other was seriously injured. Both were driving the vehicles containing “Little Bastard’s” parts.
Kanye West’s Lamborghini Aventador
If you didn’t already have enough reasons to hate this guy, how about this: he gets around L.A. In a Lamborghini valued at $370,000.00. Reportedly he pays $9,000.00 a year just for insurance, or roughly the price of 10 slightly used Hyundai Accent hatchbacks.
Jay-Z’s Maybach Exelero Sports Coupe
For the man who has everything, including Beyoncé, what could be more appropriate than a $450,000 vehicle with curves almost as hot as those on his wife? This guy must have done something great in a former life to get a deal like this; or maybe it was random fortune. In either case, I would love to be him for a day.
Conan O’Brien’s Ford Taurus
Just to show that not all celebrities have cars to match their egos, we round out the list with the late-night comedian’s 1992 Ford Taurus. Insurance runs him $800.00 a year, which saves him enough to enjoy an occasional Big Mac and fries. Hey, the guy works hard; he deserves it.

Running a $16 Million company from the living room

Allison O'Kelly was on the corporate fast track: She had an M.B.A. from Harvard, had worked as a CPA at KPMG, and was climbing the executive ladder at Toys "R" Us. But everything changed when she had kids. Now, O'Kelly's Atlanta-based staffing company, Mom Corps, is helping her--and other working moms--spend more time at home. Entrepreneur Allison O'Kelly  told her story to Inc. contributing editor Darren Dahl.


I was always passionate about retail, which is why I pursued a job at Toys "R" Us. After several years, I was up for a big promotion to become the only female district manager in the Southeast. Then I had my first child.
My boss was amazing. He told me I could work three days a week until I was ready to get back on track. But I found I needed more flexibility. The idea that I had to be anywhere at a specific time was challenging for me.
When I resigned, my boss was like, "I don't get it. What more could we have done?" I felt bad because there was nothing.

Eventually, I realized that there were many talented people like me who wanted to work but on their terms. At the same time, I saw that companies were short on top talent. I figured there was a market if you could match those two things up. That's how Mom Corps was born.