Curbed reports that the Soho penthouse belonging to billionaire businessman Leonard Stern is back on the market. 

Stern, who NYU's business school is named after, purchased the place located at 459 West Broadway for $14.25 million, the report said. 

It's currently being listed at $17.25 million. 

It's a stunning apartment and now we're going to take a tour. 

The great room in this Soho penthouse features a fireplace, hardwood floors and really high ceilings

The dining room...

Here's the kitchen.

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The Shanghai Auto Show is in full swing this week, and automakers from around the world are showing off their latest products.

The Chinese auto market is a young one, but it is already the world's biggest, and a key region for an industry that is still recovering in the U.S., and collapsing in Europe.

But to sell cars there, it's more than a question of translating manuals and opening a few dealerships.

Over the last 30 years, according to the New York Times, the Chinese public has also formed some very strong opinions as to who drives a particular make and model and why — and those views are often at odds with how brands are perceived in the U.S.

For non-Chinese automakers, understanding those perceptions is key to putting more cars on the road.

Audi in America: The new luxury.

While other luxury makers carry a stigma of old money and old age, Audi is quietly becoming synonymous with younger age and "new luxury." 

Fast fact: In England, the perception is quite different. Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson told 60 Minuteshe believes Audi drivers are "psychologically unfit to drive anything more powerful than an electric razor."

Audi in China: For the government elite.

In China, Audi's are seen as the car of the government and elite.

They are the choice of the power class, Beijing taxi driver Wang Zhi told the New York Times: “It’s always best to yield to an Audi — you never know who you’re messing with, but chances are it’s someone self-important.”

Fast fact: Audi gained access to the Chinese market nearly 15 years before BMW, thanks to a shrewd partnership parent company VW made with Chinese automaker Yiqi.

BMW in America: The cars are great, their drivers are aggressive.

In America, BMWs are known for driving excellence. However, the buyers have often been seen as pretentious people as well as overly aggressive drivers.

Fast fact: BMW opened their first U.S. manufacturing facility in 1994 in Spartanburg, SC, to build the X5 and Z3.

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Nike just released a bunch of pictures of the new Jacksonville Jaguars uniforms.

We aren't the biggest fans of them.

The teal-black-gold color combo might just be inherently gross, so it's not all Nike's fault.

But the futuristic lettering is a little odd, and that helmet is just awful.

The plain black standard uniform

The helmet fades from gold the black, seriously

The teal alternate uniform

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The Flatiron School is a full-time, 12-week intensive coding program that teaches normal people how to code, no experience required.

At the end of the program, graduates are full fledged web developers.

In New York, the Flatiron School is known as the Harvard Business School of coding because of its very selective application process. Only 10% of applicants are admitted, but 100% of its students secured jobs after the inaugural semester. Flatiron School teaches coding like creative writing unlike traditional programs.

Click here to check out a behind the scenes look at the Flatiron School >

"We find great people and then teach them how to code, not the other way around," says Avi Flombaum, Flatiron School's dean.

The Flatiron School costs $10,000 but graduates typically net starting salaries upwards of $70,000, after the intensive 12-week program.

If a student accepts a position through Flatiron School's job placement program it will refund $4,000 of the tuition and there are also scholarships for underrepresented groups like females and minorities.

The Flatiron School was started in July 2012 by Avi Flombaum and Adam Enbar. Flombaum has a passion for teaching others to code. Before starting Flatiron School Flombaum organized a ton of developer meet ups and held online classes in the New York City area. At just 20 years old he became the CTO of a hedge fund and his credentials go on and on from there.

"[Flatiron School is] totally bootstrapped," Flombaum said. "I don't think investment and education mix because investment is about scale the second you take money." 

Flombaum's goal for the Flatiron School is to create a talent pipeline of developers in New York City and he has already established a tight-knit community. Despite running a successful school, one of the biggest challenges facing the bootstrapped company is finding high-quality teaching talent. But this challenge is all right for now because Flombaum wants Flatiron School to grow slowly, "to ensure quality is tremendously better than all the other schools." 

Last week the Flatiron School held its second ever job fair where students showed off the projects they have been working on for the past 8 weeks. 

To kick off the job fair, Flatiron School Dean, Avi Flombaum, gave a presentation on the school's mission and an overview of projects the students have been working on.

Here's Flombaum explaining his teaching philosophy.

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea."

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Jacob Pabst is the globe-trotting CEO of Artnet, the art world’s premier trading platform.

Given China’s cultural boom, it is not surprising that he is often called to Beijing from his New York base.

Jump right to the crazy perks >

On his first visit there, Pabst, a Centurion cardholder, booked a fast-track greeting service via American Express.

While fellow passengers boarded a bus to the airport terminal, Pabst stepped into a limo on the tarmac, which took him seamlessly through immigration and customs. “I could sit in the car and call a couple of friends, then I was on my way to the hotel,” he recalls. “I felt like President Obama sitting in the back of that car.”

Such discreet services have become an increasingly important lure for the traveling elite, whether offered in airports, on planes or at hotels.

See how American Airlines subtly launched an entirely stand-alone service—Concierge Key—from its AAdvantage loyalty program (aa.com). Made famous by George Clooney’s character in the film Up in the Air, this is a frequent-flier Fight Club with an order of omertà. Its reported benefits are crave-worthy, though, and include a personal in-terminal escort, dedicated phone line and VIP pre-boarding.

According to Nina Flohr of fractional flying firm VistaJet, one driving factor lies behind the boom in such ultra-exclusive travel amenities: “The art of travel is disappearing fast—it’s no longer Pan Am, when the whole thing was a special, luxury experience,” she says. “Today it’s about getting from A to B quite effectively. But you want people to feel more comfortable on the way.”

Niche amenities, Flohr says, aren’t simply boldfaced blandishments. Rather, as the elites travel more often and go farther, “it all relates back to time: Everybody is busy, so how can we make more time available for you, yourself, your family?”

We traveled the world to unearth ten enviable, exclusive travel benefits. Each of them cuts corners in the most luxurious of ways, from saving time on shopping via unique in-flight treats to a private check-in at Europe’s busiest airport to a private elevator straight to a Presidential Suite—if standing in a hotel lobby for even an instant is unbearable.

More from Departures:

World's Top Steaks

Where To Eat And Drink In The New Year

Top Farm-To-Table Hotels

Limited Edition Brewery Collaborations

Friday Brunch In Dubai

Heathrow By Invitation: Travelers slip inside the airport via a dedicated entrance at Terminal 5 before being transported to a private lounge.

Heathrow has long offered its ultra-exclusive By Invitation check-in experience to select VIPs and heads of state, but it recently started offering the benefit—the earthbound equivalent of a private jet—to an elite few paying passengers.

Travelers slip inside the airport via a dedicated entrance at Terminal 5 before being transported to a private lounge, where passport control, security and luggage collection all take place in discreet comfort.

Guests then board the plane before anyone else. A handful of London hotels, including The Lanesborough (rooms, from $757; Hyde Park Corner; 44-20/7259-5599; lanesborough.com), have partnered with the service to expedite their premium travelers for about $2,250 for six guests.

The Boulders, Carefree, Arizona: This Arizona hideout has its own on-site helipad.

This Arizona hideout has plenty of intriguing offerings—ask about the shaman on staff at the spa—but its most lavish convenience is the on-site helipad.

It creates the ultimate in privacy for those jetting in to Scottsdale or Sky Harbor. After hopping a helicopter directly to the resort, guests can transfer via golf cart to a villa without ever tackling the masses.

Another bonus: Thanks to the helipad, the hotel can offer private aerial tours of local sights, like the Sedona Red Rocks or the Grand Canyon, directly from the compound. Rooms start at $450; N. Tom Darlington Dr., Carefree, Arizona; 480-488-9009; theboulders.com.

Eurostar VIP Check: Partnering with the fully restored St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel nearby, it offers guests of the 38-suite, club-level-style Chambers annex the ultimate in easy check-in.

Now that the Brits have been kind enough to switch the Eurostar (eurostar.com) terminal from Waterloo to the somewhat more politic St. Pancras, the train company is also offering upgraded amenities from its new home.

Partnering with the fully restored St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel nearby, it offers guests of the 38-suite, club-level-style Chambers annex the ultimate in easy check-in.

While the hoi polloi must check in and clear security 30 minutes before departure, St. Pancras guests can lounge in their suites until that time.

A butler then totes luggage to the terminal, fast-tracks security and personally escorts each guest to his or her seat on the train. Rooms start at $620; Euston Rd.; 44-20/7841-3540; marriott.com.

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Camping season is finally upon us, and whether you're headed to a campsite or hiking into the wilderness, there are a few essentials everyone should bring.

A warm jacket, camp futon, and a fully-charged lantern can make the difference between a great time outdoors or an uncomfortable night spent waiting to get home.

So just trust us — you're going to want to bring along these 15 camping essentials on your next adventure.

The North Face Windwall Jacket is great for chilly spring or summer nights. It's an anti-windchill, environmentally friendly fleece, and is 100% wind-proof.

Buy it from The North Face for $120

These UCO Stormproof Matches are good to have on hand in rainy or windy conditions since they're impossible to extinguish and burn for 15 seconds.

Buy on Amazon for $5

If you're planning to truly rough it, the Solarmonkey might come in handy. It's a solar charger that works even in low lighting conditions.

Buy it through REI for $129.95

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Critics may not be sold on Tom Cruise's latest Hollywood blockbuster "Oblivion" but it's pretty unanimous that director Joseph Kosinski delivered another gorgeous world in his followup to 2011's "Tron: Legacy."

The crew filmed in eight locations ranging from California to Iceland to capture some of the movie's breathtaking landscapes to make a desolate Earth look both barren and majestic at the same time.

Kosinski told the Los Angeles Times he set out to depict a world that looked ravaged by war but full of light feeling black holes and space have become ubiquitous in the science fiction genre ever since the late '70s. 

“’Alien’ put sci-fi into the darkness — in the hulls of ships, dark planets, always seeming to be night," said Kosinski. "I was interested in inverting that, shooting a daylight film.”

As Cruise said in a featurette for the film, the result is a haunting beauty.

Director Joseph Kosinski set out to do a daytime sci-fi film since he believes so many films in the genre focus on darkness.

(Source: The World of "Oblivion" featurette)

He based the film around the phrase "beautiful desolation."

(Source: The World of "Oblivion" featurette)

Kosinski says he set out to depict the Earth the way it looked a million years ago.

(Source: The World of "Oblivion" featurette)

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"Black Swan" (and more recently, "Antifragile") author Nassim Taleb is known for, among other things, his impassioned arguments against his detractors (especially on Twitter and Facebook).

Yesterday, Taleb sent out a tweet that caused a few other tweeters to poke fun, including Joe Cotterill, a reporter for the Financial Times; Lorcan Roche Kelly, Chief Europe Strategist at Trend Macrolytics; and Karl Whelan, an economist who worked for several years at the Federal Reserve and the Central Bank of Ireland.

To make a long story short, Taleb didn't find the jokes funny.

The whole thing quickly devolved into a pretty heated exchange that ended up running all the way until this afternoon.

We have chronicled the conversation here.

It all started with a simple generalization, as Twitter conversations often do

Never buy a product that the owner of the company that makes it doesn't use (Generalized Skin in the Game) facebook.com/permalink.php?…

— Nassim N. Taleb (@nntaleb) April 22, 2013

Of course, as is also common on Twitter, the jokes began immediately as fellow tweeters thought of clever counterexamples

Undertakers MT @nntaleb: Never buy a product that the owner of the company doesn't use

— Joseph Cotterill (@jsphctrl) April 22, 2013

This was followed by some additional analysis of said counterexamples

@dsquareddigest @jsphctrl @nntaleb hard to make a purchase from the owner after he has used the product though

— Lorcan Roche Kelly (@LorcanRK) April 22, 2013

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In early April, news emerged that 46-year-old fast food restaurant worker John Horner was sentenced to 25 years in prison for selling $1,800 worth of painkillers.

Sadly, the father of three is just one example of a drug addict put away for decades because of a mandatory minimum sentence.

A lot of drug crimes like Horner's carry mandatory minimum sentences that force judges to give harsh punishments even if they want to show mercy to vulnerable defendants.

There's been a push to do away with mandatory minimums, which critics call both unethical and expensive. Recently, a group of celebrities including the Kardashians, Demi Moore, and Jim Carrey called on President Obama to rethink the nation's "enforcement-only War on Drugs."

The advocacy group Families Against Mandatory Minimums is trying to reform these Kafkaesque drug laws by telling the stories of families impacted by them. We asked FAMM to share some of the most outrageous sentences handed down.

Scott Earle got 25 years in prison for selling painkillers to a beautiful woman.

Scott Earle got addicted to painkillers after a high school sports injury. As an adult, he was still an addict but managed to hold a full-time job at an auto dealership in Florida.

Earle went his local emergency room in 1995 for a painful diverticulitis attack and was given Vicodin. Days later, Earle met a beautiful woman at a bar who turned out to be a police informant.

She asked him to give her Vicodin for her back pain, and he eventually hooked her up with a friend of his who gave her 100 pills at a time.

The state of Florida initially passed mandatory minimums to target violent drug trafficking operations, FAMM's Florida director Gregory Newburn told Business Insider. This law has an unfair impact on people who sell painkillers, which come in pill form and weigh more than drugs like cocaine.

"What happens is it's almost universally the law of unintended consequences," Newburn says.

The judge in Earle's case, Mark Speiser, seemed to agree his sentence was unfair. "I have to express my deep concern about this particular situation," Speiser said at sentencing, according to FAMM. "This punishment does not fit the crime."

When he was just 19, Ronald Evans got life in prison without the possibility of parole.

When he was still a teenager in 1993, Ronald Evans got life in prison without parole after being dubbed a "leader" of a conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine.

Evans was raised by a single mom in Norfolk, Va. and joined the drug conspiracy when he was just 15.

He started out as a "lookout" who made $50 a day and later moved on to distributing drugs.

Prosecutors estimated the amount of drugs he was responsible for based on testimony from his co-defendants, and gave him the life sentence based on that amount and the assertion that he was the "organizer" of the conspiracy. Evans, who's 39 now, has already spent the majority of his life behind bars.

Telisha Watkins got 20 years in prison for setting up a single sale of crack cocaine.

When Telisha Watkins was 33 years old in 2007, she got a 20-year prison sentence for arranging a cocaine deal for an old neighbor who was actually a police informant.

Watkins thought the deal she was arranging just involved cocaine, but it turned out there was also crack in the package.

She was then given a sentence that was three times as severe as it would have been if she'd only arranged a cocaine sale, according to FAMM. Watkins also got a severe sentence because she had three prior drug convictions.

Watkins had a troubled life. She was addicted to drugs by the age of 14 and dropped out of high school after her freshman year because she was pregnant. Her brother was murdered in 1994, and she appears to have spent most of her life struggling with drug addiction.

Her projected release date is 2024. The dealer who actually sold the drugs was released from prison in March 2008.

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Its been a banner decade for modern military fighting. In 2010 alone there were more than 70 armed conflicts across the globe from Sangin to Ingushetia.

As different as each of them were, they all had one thing in common, at some point one side wanted more troops.

Most battles eventually come down to boots on the ground and rifles in the field. So when commanders are building their ranks it's often with professional soldiers who know how to fight, and get paid well to do it.

The idea of a mercenary may seem a bit quaint in the 21st century, but those forces make a difference and are often all that stands between a leader and his fate.

Security giant G4S is the second-largest private employer on earth

With more than 625,000 employees, this listed security giant is the second-largest private employer in the world (behind Wal-Mart). While some of its business is focused on routine bank, prison and airport security, G4S also plays an important role in crisis-zones right around the world.

In 2008, G4S swallowed up Armorgroup, whose 9,000-strong army of guards has protected about one third of all non-military supply convoys in Iraq (it's also notorious for its wild parties and for having Afghan warlords on its payroll).

But the combined group has a security presence in more than 125 countries, including some of the most dangerous parts of Africa and Latin America, where it offers government agencies and private companies heavily-armed security forces, land-mine clearance, military intelligence and training.

Unity Resources Group is active in the Middle East, Africa, the Americas and Asia

With more than 1,200 staff worldwide, the Australian-owned Unity Resources has been able to grow its presence in Iraq as sovereign armies withdraw. Its management consists of veterans from Australia, the U.S. and Great Britain.

The private military firm is best-known for guarding the Australian embassy in Baghdad, where, as of 2010, it had trained Chilean soldiers to man gates and machine-gun nests. Unity personnel were also responsible for two controversial car shootings in Iraq: one killed an Australian professor, another resulted in the deaths of two civilian women.

Outside Iraq, Unity has assisted with security during parliamentary elections in Lebanon and helped evacuate private oil companies from crisis zones in Bahrain. The firm also operates throughout Africa, the Americas, Central Asia and Europe.

Erinys has guarded most of Iraq's vital oil assets

Erinys has also followed U.S. State Department contracts to Iraq. Its biggest mission in recent years took 16,000 of its guards to 282 locations around the country, where they protected key oil pipelines and other energy assets.

The group also maintains a presence in Africa, where it has traditionally focused its operations. Erinys was recently awarded two contracts in the Republic of Congo, for security at major iron ore and oil and gas projects. 

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The BlackBerry Q10 is the newest phone from BlackBerry running the company's new operating system, BlackBerry 10.

It's also the company's newest keyboard-equipped phone, a relic of the good old BlackBerry days. You can read our full review of the BlackBerry Q10 here, and check out its coolest features in the gallery below.

The Q10 has a 3.1-inch touchscreen, which is smaller than most smartphones. But that's because it needs extra room for the physical keyboard.

They keyboard is incredibly solid and very easy to type on.

There's a camera on the back. You can also slide off the rear cover.

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The Galaxy S4 is Samsung's newest flagship smartphone.

The 5-inch Android device is one of the most hyped gadgets in the past year, and is definitely one of the best phones you can buy today. 

You can read our full review of the Galaxy S4 here, and check out photos of the coolest features in the gallery below.

Here it is! The Galaxy S4. It has a beautiful 5-inch HD display.

There's a single speaker on the back. You can also see the USB charging port here.

It has a 13 megapixel camera.

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In his last start, 24-year-old Matt Harvey out-dueled Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals, striking out seven and allowed just one run in seven innings.

In the last month, Harvey has single-handedly brought hope back to a Mets franchise that has been treading water on the field and sinking off of it.

For the first time since CitiField opened, the Mets are once again a must-see team. And once every five days, Harvey's starts are must-see events.

The Mets are a franchise rich in pitching history with Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, and Johan Santana, among others.

If everything goes right, we will be able to add Matt Harvey to that list.

The Mets took Harvey 7th overall in the 2010 Draft, and give him a $2.5 million bonus. But they weren't the first team to have a shot at him...

Like most MLB stars, he was drafted out of high in school in 2007 by the Angels.

But he chose to go to college instead of the pros. Harvey pitched at the University of North Carolina for three seasons before re-entering the Draft.

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We recently spent some quality time with the Mercedes-Benz GL550, the top of the line SUV that starts at $86,900.

After some city driving, we took our $108,830 version of Motor Trend's 2013 SUV of the Year on a road trip from New York to Washington, D.C.

In most cars, the five and a half hour drive would have been a pain. But it gave us the time to fully appreciate the many features that make the GL550 a true luxury car.

Go straight to our full review, or take a look at what makes the SUV special.

Up close, the GL550 is imposing.

It's not the sleekest car — but the interior is much more impressive.

Acceleration is great, thanks to the 4.6-liter V8 biturbo engine, which produces 429 horsepower and 516 pound feet of torque.

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China's rise to global prominence is one of the most compelling narratives of our time.  In the last 30 years we have seen the greatest sustained reduction in poverty in human history.  Hundreds of millions of Chinese have moved from an impoverished rural existence to a increasingly prosperous and ambitious urban middle class.

There are lots of interesting sub-stories around China's rise.  Why was China so poor for so long?  What catalyzed its dramatic rise out of poverty?  Where is China today?  How does China's economy affect the rest of the world?  And what does the future hold?

Recently I pulled a number of datasets from Quandl's rich collection of China statistics to create simple, data-centric overview of China's dramatic growth and its ongoing challenges. This slideshow is the result.

For over a thousand years, China was one of the richest countries in the world.

But while the industrial revolution saw many Western European nations embark upon explosive growth...

...China suffered from multiple upheavals...

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New York City is constantly evolving.

As the city has grown, classic structures have been destroyed to make way for new development, or replaced with more contemporary versions.

New York Architecture keeps track of these vanished buildings, which include iconic hotels, businesses, and private homes. This list was compiled using information from the website. 

An early incarnation of Madison Square Garden was located between Fifth and Madison Avenues, and 26th and 27th Streets. The arena was demolished in 1926.

Source: NYC Architecture

The Knickerbocker Trust Co. building was completed in 1903 at the corner of 34th Street and 5th Avenue. In 1921, the building got an upgrade and an additional 10 stories, but it lost its columns, which had been a memorable feature.

Source: NYC Architecture

The Hippodrome stood on 6th Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets from 1905 to 1939. It was one of the largest theaters of its time, with a seating capacity of 5,200.

Source: Library of Congress

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Karlie Kloss is Victoria's Secret's latest Angel. 

The 20-year-old could take the place of Miranda Kerr, the longtime brand ambassador who just confirmed her departure. 

While 40 models walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show every year, only about 10 models hold the coveted title of Angel. The gig involves constant appearances on behalf of the brand. 

Kloss is known for her distinctive walk and her distinguished fashion career. She's the first Angel in memory to appear in an ad campaign with short hair. 

She also has a fancy apartment and rich boyfriend to boot. 

Karlie Kloss grew up in St. Louis, and is a trained classical ballerina. She told W Magazine that at over six feet tall, she was a foot taller than her prom date in heels.

Source: W Magazine. 

She was discovered at a local fashion show at 13 and signed with IMG Management.

Source: Vogue.

Soon, she began walking in fashion shows around the world and became known as the "panther" for her distinctive prowl.

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Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) heads down to planet Earth — or what’s left of it anyway — to find a downed surveillance drone that has landed in the charred remnants of the New York Public Library’s Rose Reading Room. It’s only when Harper hits the ground of this cavernous space that he realizes he’s entered a trap. Someone — or something — wants to capture this drone repairman alive.

See the storyboard art for the film here >

Whether he’s rappelling into a forgotten old library, flying through a lightning storm in his space age Bubble Ship or driving a motorcycle across the hulk of a George Washington Bridge long ago destroyed by alien invasion, each of Harper’s movements (not to mention the camera’s) was choreographed thanks to a sequence of storyboards.

Based on a graphic novel that he wrote in 2010, Oblivion is just the second feature film for director Joseph Kosinski. A trained architect and visual effects designer, Kosinski has always understood the importance of storyboarding to visualize each frame of a movie before the cameras start rolling. And while putting pencil to paper (or stylus to tablet) may seem positively old-fashioned in the world of nine-figure blockbusters, a talented team of storyboard artists remains the first step in making any film unforgettable.

“You can draw it really quickly, put it on the wall and you kind of have a movie,” says one of Oblivion’s storyboard artists, Phillip Norwood, who counts The Abyss and Terminator 2 among his credits. “It doesn’t move, it has no sound, but if you know what you’re looking at, you see it.”

Each of Oblivion’s storyboard artists wore many hats — director, cinematographer, set designer, editor — in taking a first crack at bringing Kosinski’s screenplay to life. “Everyone sees something in their head when they read a script, but they don’t see the same thing,” adds Norwood. “You’re taking the words and visualizing them in a way so that everyone knows what the director wants to see.”

Sometimes Kosinski will have a crystal clear idea in mind, relaying his vision shot-by-shot to the artist tasked to draw that particular section of the film. Other times he’ll have only part of a sequence in his head, encouraging the storyboard artist to fill in the blanks. In either case, the process is one of trial and error, with the artists chipping away at the film one tiny chunk at a time until a finished product emerges.

For a director as visual as Kosinski (see his debut, Tron: Legacy, for proof) the process is vital. “Joe really values the importance of having everything on paper or the computer screen before shooting,” says Richard Bennett, an Oblivion artist who has plied his trade on smash hits like 300 and The Avengers. “If it doesn’t work on paper, it most likely won’t work for the real thing.”

Whether they’re using old-fashioned pencil and paper or Cintiq, a combination monitor and tablet that lets an artist draw directly onscreen, the team knows not to get too attached to anything they create. “The idea is not to fall in love with the drawing,” Norwood explains. “You’ve got to feel free to say, ‘OK, these 25 aren’t working,’ rip them off the wall, throw them in the trash and start over.”

“I always say we don’t get paid to do nice drawings; we get paid to come up with interesting ideas,” adds Bennett, who learned from his 10-year career in comics that not even the best art can make up for a weak story. And as much as Oblivion’s art department pre-designed the film’s signature elements — like Harper’s iconic Bubble Ship, which was made into a 3D model the artists could play with for reference — Bennett and Norwood were free to add to the film’s concept design.

In a film that features firefights with rogue drones, pulse-quickening space chases, chillingly beautiful vistas of a post-nuclear Earth and even a sexy skinny-dip (hey, you’ve got to find a way to blow off steam after an alien invasion), it was the emotional range of Oblivion that was the highlight for artists like Bennett.

“To see it translated into real, live action is very fulfilling. I’m always blown away. Hopefully whatever you’ve done is reflected in the final cut."– Richard Bennett, "Oblivion" artist 

“I’ve always liked the idea of being able to handle anything that comes to my table,” he explains. “Joe gave me stuff that tended to be a little more moving, and that’s fine by me. I like action, but I like emotional scenes that let me work with shadows and reflections.”

For Norwood, it was the challenge of creating a post-apocalyptic Earth in 2073 that stood out. “I was a big fan of Planet of the Apes,” he explains, “and Oblivion really felt like the first part of that film where Charlton Heston is wandering around by himself.” (Director Kosinski would no doubt agree. If you look closely, what’s left of the Statue of Liberty’s torch zooms by in one chase scene — clearly a wink to Apes fans.)

Norwood and Bennett have moved on to new projects, but each will head to the theater to experience their handiwork firsthand. “To see it translated into real, live action is very fulfilling,” Bennett explains. “I’m always blown away. Hopefully whatever you’ve done is reflected in the final cut, but you learn by seeing how much of what you did is retained and how much is changed.”

True, it can be hard not to notice when the director opted to go in another direction — and just as jarring when Tom Cruise strikes the exact pose you dreamed up on your drawing table. But either way, it’s impossible not to get swept up in the action. “When a movie’s working you don’t care,” laughs Norwood. “You’re just along for the ride.”

Jack (Tom Cruise) repairs a drone.

The drone takes off.

Jack descends into the Rose Reading Room at the NY Public Library.

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On the eve of the 2013 NFL Draft, we took a look at what some of the most notorious busts ever are up today.

Some flamed out of the league and fell on hard times.

But to our pleasant surprise, many of the most infamous draft busts have had successful second careers.

Ryan Leaf was picked No. 2 overall by the Chargers in 1998

Now he's in a Montana prison on felony drug charges

Source: ESPN

Tim Couch was picked No. 1 overall by the Browns in 1999

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It's hard to believe now, but at one time — 1996, in fact — Hotmail was the best email available on the web. Microsoft acquired the former "HoTMaiL" in 1997 for $400 million, back in the day when looking at your email on the web, as opposed to a dedicated desktop client, was still a wild new idea.

Hotmail quickly dominated web-based email. It's still hugely popular, with roughly 360 million monthly users. Google's Gmail has only just overtaken it in popularity.

Of course, that's all history.

When Google launched Gmail in 2004, Google offered more storage, larger attachment sizes and a search function that allowed you to look through your email without, you know, actually looking through it.

In the same period, Hotmail became a living example of the way the web can quickly create and then destroy hugely popular products: Microsoft took it through several rebrandings:  as Microsoft Hotmail, Windows Live Hotmail, MSN Hotmail, and now Outlook.com. (Even though web users keep their Hotmail.com addresses.)

The new Hotmail, under Microsoft's Outlook redesign, is actually fantastic. It's super-fast, and super-easy to use. Aside from one key flaw, it makes Gmail feel out of date.

This was the old Hotmail. It was pretty awful. Everything on this page was slow to load. The red arrow indicates the little icons that were often tough to click on. You had to hit them just right. And note the hopelessly small 25MB storage space.

Before the redesign, Microsoft tried to fix the upload problem with a system called Silverlight, which it asked all users to install. This thing never worked properly, and at times sending attachments in Hotmail was almost impossible. HotFAIL at its worst!

This is the new Hotmail. It's totally stripped down. Super simple. No instructions needed. Note the ads are discreetly off to the side

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