Hanke and Henry would have twelve months with same names as those we use now. The year would have 364 days. The first two months of each quarter would have 30 days; the last, 31.The week would remain the same, with Sundays every seven days as a nod to the devout. However each date would share the same day of the week each and every year. Since Dec. 25 was on a Sunday this year, in their calendar it would always be on Sunday.

Why reform? One reason is that giving every fiscal quarter the same number of days would eliminate uncertainty about how much interest investments earn over short periods. From Hanke/Henry's article in Globe Asia.

The best example comes from calculating accrued interest between February 28th and March 1st in a non-leap year. A corporate bond accrues three days of interest, while a government bond accrues interest for only one day. The proposed permanent calendar — with a predictable 91-day quarterly pattern of two months of 30 days and a third month of 31 days — eliminates the need for artificial day count conventions.

The universe, of course, refuses to be put in such a square box. Like other reformers Hanke and Henry have to true up their calendar every few years to stay in sync with the seasons. The calendar we have now is 365 days with a leap-day every few years to catch up to elapsed and uncounted fractional days. They propose what looks like a leap-week every five or six years to keep their neat structure of weekly blocks intact.

They also want to eliminate time zones and put everybody on Greenwich Mean Time.

She was the only girl to have ever asked questions about his obsessive interests — chemistry, libertarian politics, the small drone aircraft he was building in his kitchen — as though she actually cared to hear his answer. To Jack, who has a form of autism called Asperger syndrome, her mind was uncannily like his. She was also, he thought, beautiful.

So far they had only cuddled; Jack, who had dropped out of high school but was acing organic chemistry in continuing education classes, had hopes for something more. Yet when she smiled at him the next morning, her lips seeking his, he turned away.

“I don’t really like kissing,” he said.

However I can't say, as some readers seem to be prepared to do, that ever-proliferating speed cameras used under almost any conditions are a great thing. The feedback from yesterday's column was pretty evenly divided between readers with their own horror stories (check out the guy who got a school-zone speed-camera ticket in Catonsville the day after Thanksgiving, when schools were closed), who were sympathetic to Jim Hunter, whom I quoted, and those who believe speed cameras increase safety and are a force for good. I agree that ticketing speed violators is a good idea. I don't agree that speed cameras should be allowed just about anywhere, with little warning to drivers.

Hunter's main gripes are that the camera that nailed him wasn't well marked and it didn't seem to be in a genuine construction zone. Those points seemed to have been lost on some readers. Here's a sample of my email feedback on Monday:

It really grieves me that a Connecticut businessman was booked by a speed camera going 67 in a 55-mph zone and given a $40 fine. And that you yourself were snapped going 43 in a 30-mph school zone.

What is this? No one can read anymore? You exceed posted speed limits by 21 and 13 miles per hour and bellyache that you got a ticket? And that it’s the fault of the State of Maryland that needs to fill its coffers with money from innocent drivers?

IMHO (In my humble opinion, for those who don’t use email shorthand), your only reaction should be gratitude that Maryland allows a generous 11 miles over the limit leeway before issuing tickets and that you didn’t hit or kill someone.

Give us a break. Speed cameras do their job of getting “I’m above the law” drivers to slow down and avoid accidents. IMHO, there should be one at every corner.

And:

I received my third speed camera ticket in the last three weeks last night for going 48 mph on a 35 mph stretch of Northern Parkway. The other two were for the same stretch of road next to the State Office Building on Preston Street where it is a 25 mph street on Howard. I have heard they give you a break for up to 12 mph over the speed limit, and I believe each and every one of my tickets were for 13 mph over. It is a big drain on my non existent cash flow, where I live from paycheck to paycheck and have to drive about 25 miles each way to my job. Thanks, Jay. It was very gratifying to know I am not the only one who is suffering and I was shocked to realize it is only Maryland that is doing this on the East Coast.

And:

GREAT piece, Mr, Hancock. Here is the comment I added.

The only reason that Maryland CAN be the notorious speed trap state and red light camera trap state is that the traffic safety engineering parameters are deliberately and maliciously done improperly to reduce safety and facilitate more ticket camera revenue.
If all main roads were posted with the speed limits that produce the greatest safety, the 85th percentile speed of free flowing traffic under good conditions, speed cameras could not issue enough citations to even pay their own costs of operation.
If all traffic lights had yellow intervals long enough for the ACTUAL 85th percentile speeds of approaching traffic to produce the minimum number of violations and the greatest safety, they could not issue enough citations to even pay their own basic costs of operation.
Speed and red light cameras are just cynical means to make money with improper engineering and unethical traffic management policies.

And:

The portrayal of Mr. Hunter’s reaction, criticism and subsequent behavior appears self-centered and “possibly” hypocritical to his own employee business behavior expectations. Regardless whether the speed zone was posted as 55 and or 65, his driving behavior and lack of attention caused him to exceed the max limits on that highway. In his business, I’m sure, if one of his employees behaved out side the parameters of company work rules, there would be a supervisory mention or verbal warning up to written reprimand/termination. I also wonder if he communicates as well as he expects MD by follow-up employee relations best practices to once a year re-briefed employees and have

And:

I understand how out-of-state drivers feel when they get a speeding ticket in Maryland. I once developed a serious grudge against Delaware for the same reason. It's natural to feel angry at those who punish us.

That doesn't mean the punishment is not merited, however. The man described in your column deserves more ridicule than support. His claim that he never goes more than five miles per hour above the speed limit is very hard to believe, as it would be a big coincidence if the one time he happened to break that practice was right in front of a speed camera. His contention that the speed limit wasn't well marked is equally implausible considering that this was on an interstate highway. He broke the law; it's a reasonable law; the state is justified in enforcing it strictly; in other words, he should take his punishment like a man and be happy he got off with a small fine and no conviction.

And:

Love the hypocrisy by Mr. Hunter in your column today. If you never go more than 5 miles per hour over the speed limit how did you get a ticket for doing 67 in a 55 mph zone? What was even more precious was his comment "The picture clearly shows no barricades" in the area where he was fined. "It looks like an open road. I don't doubt I was speeding (here we must remember he never goes more then 5 mph over the speed limit), but it wasn't clearly marked". Here Mr. Hunter forgot to add that since it looked like an open road and wasn't clearly marked (I travel that section on 95 every day and it is definitely clearly marked) then it is okay for him to drive at any speed he wishes, but of course not more then 5 mph over the speed limit. I don't think you were trying to make him look like a fool, but you sure did. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO ONE SIMPLE THING. IF YOU DON'T WANT A TICKET, DON'T SPEED.

And:

Mr. Hancock, James F. Hunter should be glad he didn’t get his pockets picked by our “Taxation Without Representation” neighbors to the south. In October 2010, I got a $300 speed photo ticket for going 53 mph on the 6 lane DC295 freeway. It was supposedly a work zone posted at 35 mph although neither my memory nor the photo shows workers, equipment or construction zone signs. I have been a big fan of traffic light cameras and I believe speed cameras can be a good thing to improve safety but my only experience indicates just a greedy way to produce revenue. Similar to Mr. Hunter, I too have boycotted DC for over a year.

And:

I had to respond to your article in today's paper about speed traps. Last year my son was visiting from Ohio, and we went to Lorraine cemetery in Woodlawn. On our return to Catonsville passing by Woodlawn high school he received in his mail a ticket for speeding in a school zone during school hours. But here is the catch. It was the day after thanksgiving and the schools were closed. The speed was not excessive as in addition to me, he had his young son in the car.

And:

You're probably being besieged with speeding ticket stories so I'll spare you mine ... from the Eastern Shore. But one of the "proof is in the pudding" angles I see regarding speeding tickets is that the Maryland Legislature never treats it as found money but rather it's budgeted money!

Were it "found money" there'd be this "oh wow" moment sometime in the first quarter of every fiscal year when they realize that they have all of this unexpected revenue on hand.

But no, I don't believe it works that way. Speeding tickets are in fact a budgeted revenue item and they're lying through their teeth every time they tell you [us] that radar/speed cameras are anything but.

Good column!

And:

Good article on the speed traps in MD; good insight on the topic and I’m glad you put it out there because it appears this is being taken far beyond what was originally expected from citizens. Remember the famous bogus parking tickets in Baltimore a few years back? I’m not into conspiracy theories but after seeing what’s going on with the cameras I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t something going with those tickets. I know the Sun did a number of articles on the parking tickets; but I wonder if that question ever got answered??

And:

Excellent article about Maryland's reproducing-like-rabbits speed cameras. I received a dubious citation in May 2010 for going 65 in the EB work zone on 695 near Charles St. It was 6:30 a.m. on a Sunday and there wasn't a worker in sight - save for the gentleman operating the stationary vehicle that snaps photos of drivers exceeding the temporary, reduced speed limit. That got me thinking: if his primary purpose was to nab motorists driving at speeds that put highway workers at risk, then his only reason for being there - alone - was that he was ... there. In other words, the state sent out a guy to enforce highway work zone speeds to ensure his own safety. Talk about a "make work" job.

And:

Read your column this morning dealing with the gross number of "speed cameras" being used to pad the local income. Last Christmas Eve, on my way home from the store, I managed to get a ticket for excessive speed by one of those cameras, over 30 mph in a school zone. This was on Putty Hill Ave. just east of old Harford Road. The school was closed for the holidays and I was the only car on the road at that time. But that stealthy camera was still on duty, and it cost me $40 bucks to find that out. It would appear that if the camera was only for traffic control it would be turned off when it is not needed. But they need the money I guess.

And:

Hi Jay, enjoyed your article Welcome to Maryland the 'Speed Trap State'. I find it rare and rather refreshing to read an article in the Sun actually critical of the O'Malley administration. I have lived in Maryland for 22 years and I question if I can afford to live here many years longer. I love living here but it seems I have to put up with more and more bullshit from the state on the way they tax and seek other sources of revenue. The speed camera issue reeks of unfairness, deception, and restriction of driver's rights. The letter you quoted from Mr. Hunter was very descriptive in calling speed cameras, picking my pocket. That is exactly how I feel. Great job!

From the column:

Maryland is also one of the few states with speed cameras on interstate highways — seven camera vehicles rotating among 10 locations. (Check safezones.maryland.gov to see where.)

Gathering state and local data, StopBigBrotherMD.org calculated this month that Maryland speed cameras generated $77 million in revenue for the fiscal year that ended June 30. That's twice as much as the state collected in alcohol taxes.

Here is the stopbigbrothermd link. Here are the locations of speed cameras on the Baltimore Beltway and other Maryland interstate locations. Here is the IIHS's maps and lists of states and localities with speed cameras and red-light cameras.

To see where the cameras are in your locality, check with the county. The places keep changing.

On closer examination, it appears that what Congress really wants is to keep making the big bucks that come from trading on inside information but to trick those outside of the Beltway into believing they are doing something about this corruption. For one thing, the rules proposed for Capitol Hill are not like those that apply to the rest of us. Ours are so broad and vague that prosecutors enjoy almost unfettered discretion in deciding when and whom to prosecute.

Congress's rules would be clear and precise. And not too broad; in fact they are too narrow. For example, the proposed rules in the Stock bill are directed only at information related to pending legislation. It would appear that inside information obtained by a congressman during a regulatory briefing, or in another context unrelated to pending legislation, would not be covered.

But the turnout for the race seems to have been encouraging enough to generate some interest. Would-be investor Felix Dawson would seem to have the wherewithal and the contacts to turn the thing around. He worked at Constellation Energy and Goldman Sachs, and perhaps he has the Rolodex to find a sponsor to underwrite next year's race.

That doesn't necessarily mean all the debts will get paid off. I don't have any inside information, but this wouldn't be the first insolvent but promising business venture to sort itself out through a Chapter 11 proceeding. Another question, as The Sun's editorial board raises today, is whether or not the city will have to invest more in the local Grand Prix. The editorial board says: Don't do it. But I wouldn't rule that out, either.