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What Makes This Song Great?

Three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna will be forever remembered as one of the all-time greats in Formula 1. Here are five stories that give you a glimpse, a reminder, of what made him such an iconic driver. He will never be forgotten.

For me, it is now week three of self isolation. A bum immune system has kept me from leaving my house much, but luckily, I have an absurd array of inane solo hobbies to keep me occupied (plus, you know, writing these blogs), and I’m here to share one of my favorites with you all in these boring times. This is a 12" x 12" piece of plywood populated with model railroading supplies and $7 worth of Hot Wheels/Matchbox cars that I had sitting around. This is the ultimate sweet spot hobby of dollars spent/time invested, in that it is...

Former Formula 1 and motorcycling world champion John Surtees has died at the age of 83. Surtees is the only man to have won the grand prix world championship on both two wheels and four. He won four 500cc motorcycling titles - in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960 - and the F1 crown with Ferrari in 1964. Surtees died at St George's Hospital, London, on Friday afternoon after being treated for an existing respiratory condition, a family statement said. "We deeply mourn the loss of such an incredible, kind and loving man as well as celebrate his amazing life," the...

Three-time Formula One World Champion Sir Jack Brabham has died, according to Australian media reports. He remains the only person ever to win an F1 championship in his own car. Brabham was 88. Among his other feats, he was also the first person to win an F1 championship with an engine behind the driver, which he did in 1959 with the Cooper T51. Oh, and he was also the first race car driver to be knighted after World War II.

This really shouldn't be a shock to anyone, but for the record, let's just say it's usually a pretty bad idea to set a charcoal fire under your car. A Wisconsin woman did just that, and set her 2007 Dodge Caravan on fire. Even better, she lives in an area named after a burning torch! The Lac du Flambeau woman was trying to start her minivan in some really awful temperatures, around -23°F, and after removing her battery and warming it indoors (smart), she decided to warm the engine block with a charcoal fire (not smart). The inevitable fire started...

A man named James Kirk will be the captain of the $4bn USS Zumwalt, the first of America's new stealth destroyers. No, I am not making this up.

<p>I think CNN must be hiring Amish kids on Rumspringa for its motorsports writers. That's really the only way you could explain the rich, lavish ignorance as demonstrated in this article about turbo engines returning to F1.</p> <p>The basic facts are there — F1 regulations are calling for a return to turbocharged engines, which will be returning to F1 after 26 years, and that first Renault RS01 back in '77 certainly did have its share of teething issues, and would often dramatically blow its engine, like many of the other early turbocharged cars.</p>

God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the archangel found him resting on the seventh day. He inquired, "Where have you been?" God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downward through the clouds. "Look, Michael. Look what I've made." Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?" "It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a place to test balance." "Balance?" inquired Michael. "I'm still confused." God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth. "For example, Northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity...

I’ve already had a couple of blog posts commenting on how Texas is kicking California’s you-know-what. Being a fiscal policy person, I always point to California’s punitive state income tax as an example of bad policy and highlight the absence of any income tax in Texas to explain the success of that state. But sometimes it’s just culture and attitude. Here’s a joke comparing the two states, but it’s based on something that actually happened in Texas. CALIFORNIA: The Governor of California is jogging with his dog along a nature trail. A coyote jumps out, bites the Governor and attacks...

The fuehrer received some very troubling news about his favorite team, the Fighting Irish.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to host Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and several other participants in the 2010 Chase field Wednesday at the White House. Obama, who often welcomes sports champions to the White House, will congratulate Johnson, who won his fifth straight title last year, and meet with NASCAR chairman Brian France. The White House event is scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday. Drivers will be honored there as they prepare to race at nearby Richmond International Raceway Saturday night, Sept. 10. Other 2010 Chase drivers expected to attend are Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Denny...

Three-time Indy 500 winner Bobby Unser survives in the wild when his snowmobile breaks down, only to face federal charges.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leJOsbovRTQ