We watched the last Formula One race of the 2008 season at Ferrari of Washington.   Massa won the race, but Hamilton passed Glock on the last lap in the rain and won the championship by one point.

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The movie is just ok, but I liked the introduction.

“When I was a kid I knew the secret to a happy life.

Play by the rules, work hard in school,

and if you work hard in school, then your reward is more school.

And after more school, then you are given the best life has to offer,

a job, and money, and a future,

filled with the unending singular pursuit of more. “

I stumbled upon the following YouTube videos reciently, and I thought I would share my find.

This miss teen U.S.A. video does not improve the image of beauty pageant contestants.

As of 2007 only three countries, the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar (Burma) had not adopted the metric system.

On May 20, 1875 an international treaty known as the Convention du Mètre (Metre Convention) was signed by 17 states (including the United States).   

The metric system has been around for more than a few years, and the United States seems to be little behind the rest of the world in adopting the standard.   Does this say anything about the United States, its willingness to adopt international standards, or the U.S. government’s preoccupation with matters less constructive (war, partisanship, scandal) ? 

Is the failure to adopt the metric system related to:

• Failure to define an energy policy during the last 20 years  
• Abismal US primary and secondary education scores
• Over half the the degree science and engineering works are over 40 years old

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system 

http://www.todaysengineer.org/2004/Apr/outlook.asp

http://4brevard.com/choice/international-test-scores.htm

Blue-ray emerges triumphant.  HD DVD joins Betamax in the format graveyard.   Sony wins this time.    

Reference:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_definition_optical_disc_format_war

The United States is the world’s third largest oil producer, largest oil consumer, and largest oil importer.

Oil Producers and Exporters, 2006

NOTE: OPEC members in italics.
1. Table includes all countries with total oil production exceeding 2 million barrels per day in 2006. Includes crude oil, natural gas liquids, condensate, refinery gain, and other liquids.
2. Includes all countries with net exports exceeding 1 million barrels per day in 2006.
Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA). www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/ .

Oil Consumers and Importers, 2006

3. Includes all countries that consumed more than 2 million barrels per day in 2006.
4. Includes all countries that imported more than 1 million barrels per day in 2006.
Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA). www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/

Maryland Governor O’Malley led a charge to increase Maryland taxes:

Governor O’Malley’s proposed property tax decrease was rejected by Maryland legislators.

The Sales tax was also expanded to cover certain computer related services, including programming. I can see the traffic increasing on the American Legion bridge right now

Apparently, several other states (9) already apply sales tax to computer related services.

“The group of legislators agreed to revisit the issue in five years to determine what effects the [computer services] tax has had.”  So much for due diligence.

It feels good to be a Virginia resident these days

References:
Md. Lawmakers Approve Tax Package

Pictures | Results
 
My autocross goal for the year was to finish 3rd or better in a WDCR SCCA Autocross. 

I missed the autocross over labor day along with several other people in my class (SS).  Steven Henri came in first place, and we are usually very competitve.  I suspect I would have been able to place in the top three, given the number of absent drivers.

The last WDCR autocross of the season in a members only event. The course was setup on the A lot, which has more elevation change that the E & F lots.  It was a long course, and a good course.

I managed to take 2nd place, behind Brian Conners.  

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