The New York Times-20080127-Will Cars Fly as Fast As the Metaphors-

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Will Cars Fly as Fast As the Metaphors?

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Old habits apparently die hard for Alan R. Mulally, the chief executive of Ford Motor, who spent most of his career at the jet maker Boeing.

During a speech at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit last week, Mr. Mulally drew several parallels between the challenges at Ford and at Boeing, even referring to Boeing's current work force at one point as we. He likened technology that would one day allow vehicles to self-diagnose problems to an airplane's autopilot system, noting that planes can constantly be aware of their status and surroundings.

And when asked about the future of Ford's perennially money-losing British brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, which are for sale, Mr. Mulally offered this aeronautical assessment: They're ready to take off and go flying. NICK BUNKLEY

FEWER FREE APPLES In a move that might come to be known as the Al Gore rule, Apple is paring back the freebies for its outside directors.

Until this year, Apple has given computers and other equipment it makes to its directors who are not executives of the company. Last year, Mr. Gore accepted free merchandise that was worth $15,245, more than double the value of products accepted by any of Apple's five other outside directors, Apple's latest proxy shows. (Eric E. Schmidt, the chief executive of Google, accepted none.)

Starting in 2008, the proxy says, Apple will limit the giveaways to directors to one of each new product it introduces. Beyond that, the proxy says, the directors can purchase additional equipment at a discount.

Asked to explain the change, Kristin Huguet, an Apple spokeswoman, said, We would like all of our directors to gain hands-on experience with each of our innovative products. Kalee Kreider, a spokeswoman for Mr. Gore, declined to comment. PATRICK McGEEHAN

QUALCOMM'S GUARDS Qualcomm spent about $265,000 last year to post guards at the homes of the company's billionaire chairman, Irwin M. Jacobs, and its chief executive, Paul E. Jacobs. But the shareholders who were billed for the unusual protection may never know why.

Qualcomm, which makes chip sets for cellphones, temporarily provided the guards to address a potential threat to the two men, according to the company's latest proxy statement. The proxy provides no detail on the threat or whether the Jacobses, who are father and son, were even targets. It simply states that the protective action was taken after an incident with another high-profile business executive in the same residential area.

Irwin Jacobs, who founded the company, is one of the most prominent residents of La Jolla, Calif., the affluent community where he has lived for decades in an oceanfront estate. A Qualcomm spokeswoman declined to answer questions about the matter. PATRICK McGEEHAN

A BUNDLE FROM BAUSCHRonald L. Zarrella, the chief executive of the eye care company Bausch & Lomb, retired last week with a tidy pay packet.

Last October, the company was bought by the private equity firm Warburg Pincus, and Mr. Zarrella, 58, received $30 million for his outstanding share options. He will receive an additional $10 million for his severance package and become chairman emeritus.

The company, which Mr. Zarrella headed for six years starting in 2001, was named last year as a defendant in more than 500 product liability lawsuits involving its ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution. An inquiry by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the lens solution was a potential root cause of an outbreak of fungal eye infections in the United States.

In April 2006, Bausch & Lomb voluntarily withdrew the cleaner-disinfectant solution, which was used by about five million people.

Gerald M. Ostrov, also 58, was named chief executive and chairman of the company. He is the former head of Johnson & Johnson's vision care business. ELIZABETH OLSON

PUTTING THE CASE BEHIND HIM Andrew J. McKelvey, founder and former C.E.O. of the online job company Monster Worldwide, settled a case last week involving backdated stock options. Mr. McKelvey, who is terminally ill, will avoid a jail term, prosecutors said.

His illness was not specified at a hearing in federal court in Manhattan, where a judge approved a deal in which conspiracy and fraud charges against Mr. McKelvey will be dropped in a year if he avoids legal trouble. He also issued a statement accepting responsibility for participating in the scheme.

In a related case filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, he will also pay $276,000 in profit and interest. Mr. McKelvey did not admit or deny wrongdoing and was not fined, but he was barred from serving as an officer or director of a public company. ELIZABETH OLSON

[Illustration]PHOTOS: A RICH LIFE: Christie's is auctioning some of the contents of three homes of the late hotelier Leona Helmsley, including one in Greenwich, Conn, right. Proceeds will benefit the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. (PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTIE'S IMAGES); Andrew J. McKelvey (PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN CHERNIN/GETTY IMAGES)