Saddam Hussein's son Uday used to confiscate any cool car that caught his eye on the streets of Baghdad, so in those days it was best to drive the Kadett and leave the BMW stashed away. Those days are gone, but new dangers lurk for the brave Iraqi who wants to customize his ride. The LA Times has a story on three young Iraqis who have done their best under the circumstances; yes, we might cringe in horror at the sight of a pimped-out M3 or a Mustang convertible with a huge TURBO emblem on the hood, were we to run across such cars here in the US of A, but — given the context of 2008 Baghdad — we can't help but admire the determination these guys are showing. [Los Angeles Times]