The Virginia General Assembly's idea man

State support  for modeling and simulation research at Old Dominion University has had its ups and downs, but this year the program may get help from President Obama, an inventor and an urban myth.

The inventor is Joe May, a Republican delegate from Loudoun County who heads up an electrical engineering and manufacturing firm. He's best known for devising the technology that creates that digital, yellow, first-down line football fans see in televised games, but he's also developed a variety of medical and manufacturing devices.

"Some people uncharitably say I'm in charge of harebrained ideas," May said. He had one of those last year while watching "MythBusters" on the Discovery Channel. The show tested whether motorists could improve their gas mileage by driving in the wake of tractor-trailers. Turns out that urban myth is true - if you don't mind risking a sudden and excruciating death.