Potpourri XXIX

Well, let's see what's lurking in the Bartish parts of the Internet.

This link from Nickomundo: The new 2010 version of the Tiger Woods Wii game has what amounts to Frisbee Golf (they call it "disk golf" to avoid copyright infringements). I'm sorry, but I'm going to put up my Stick in the Mud flag and say that I think that's stupid. But then I'm not a big fan of real-world Frisbee Golf, either. Glad Nick's happy, though.

Space junk might put Space Shuttle Atlantis at risk.

Blimps are back. However, the Defense Department tends to call them "airships" or "aerostats." Probably because "blimp" isn't dignified enough. This from the people who gave us the walkie-talkie (or, as one comic has put it, the "whammie kablammie").

The President's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) says the President is waiting to hear from you on how to make the government more collaborative. Along similar lines, there's a group called "World Wide Views on Global Warming," which is seeking inputs from private citizens on what to do about it. The internet will make this sort of participatory democracy more common, which will no doubt drive elitists in the world's governments up the wall. Good.

Tip o' the fedora to D2: AOL has some free music--whole albums--up on their site. This includes the whole album of "Songs Around the World," like the "Stand By Me" song I posted earlier.

There's a memo circulating out there that says someone in the White House knew that the low flybys of Air Force One might cause a panic. Obama will never take responsibility, of course. The President has said it was a "mistake," but that is not the same as an apology.

Folks are starting to say nice things about the pollution reduction obtained by an oilseed crop called camelina. Good grief! How long would a year's crop last in the high-density, worldwide aviation business? And has anyone done any long-term studies on the effects of these organic-based fuels on jet engine maintenance? How much cropland meant for growing food would be sacrificed to this...stuff?

New from Hu:

• The Indian armed forces are focusing on guerrilla warfare. They know what sorts of wars they'll be fighting in the future.
• Boeing's Airborne Laser (ABL) program is possibly facing the chopping block, but testing continues nonetheless.
• Pontiac, requiescat in pace.

Guess that's it for now. More to come, I suppose.