One driver is the big outfits' desire to reduce expenditure on fixed assets.

FORBES: Ghost cars, ghost brands

Drop-offs from last year include boxer Floyd Mayweather (has not fought since December 2007), NFL players Ben Roethlisberger and Dwight Freeney (both made the 2008 list after inking contracts with big signing bonuses) and Formula One driver Fernando Alonso (just missed the cut).

FORBES: Sports Valuations

She and they managed for the most part to do what they wanted (one of her girlfriends is a racing driver) without making a big fuss about the multiple absurdities.

ECONOMIST: Tehran memoir

Sure, we need to switch off the phone and lay off the Big Macs while driving, but we also need to keep our attention tightly focused like a Formula One driver careening around a racecourse at 150 miles per hour.

FORBES: Forget Phones Or Fast Food, More Drivers Cause Their Own Distractions In Crashes