It’s almost 2011 and we may finally get our flying car

I’ve done plenty of blogging (and joking) about flying cars, but this news is pretty fascinating. Jumping the fed approval hurdle is huge.

From the link:

The Federal Aviation Administration in the US has given approval to the Transition, a two-seater flying car developed over the last four years by Massachusetts Company, Terrafugia.

The flying car, or “roadable aircraft” as the company calls it, was designed by a team of engineers trained at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It can drive like a car at normal highway speeds but can also unfold its wings and fly.

The vehicle runs on normal unleaded gasoline and has a cruising speed in the air of around 185 kph (115 mph). Its flying range is 740 kilometers (460 miles). When driven like a car with its wings folded the fuel consumption is around 7.85 liters per 100 km (30 mpg). The use of normal fuel instead of a reliance on aviation fuel will make the Transition the most environmentally friendly plane in the air. The vehicle will have features of regular road vehicles, such as crumple zones and airbags.

On the ground …

… and in the air.

Daschle to be named Secretary of Health and Human Services

This comes in a presser later today.

From the link:

Barack Obama will be holding a press conference in Chicago on Thursday. And it’s safe bet that most of the political world will be watching to hear Obama give his first extended remarks about the Rod Blagojevich scandal.

But Obama will be making news of another sort, too: He will, according to transition sources, make official the appointment of former Senator Tom Daschle as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. And while that’s not exactly news–sources had fingered Daschle as the likely nominee some time ago–Obama’s broader statements about health care will be.

Cato praises Obama’s transparency

Cato-at-Liberty, the blog of the libertarian Cato Institute, had this to say about Obama’s transition to date.

From the link:

The President-elect’s Change.gov Web site announced a new feature on Friday, called Your Seat at the Table: “The Obama-Biden Transition Team will be hearing from many groups over the next several weeks. On this page, you can track these meetings, view documents provided to the Transition, and leave comments for the team.”

Says a memo from transition head John Podesta, itself posted online, “[A]ny documents from official meetings with outside organizations will be posted on our website for people to review and comment on.”

This is a very good start at transparency. John Wonderlich at the Sunlight Foundation wonders what this might look like across the entire executive branch. If the default rule were online disclosure of documents submitted to government agencies, that would make a big change in the conduct of the public’s business.

Obama announces national security team

Obama’s fast-tracking his cabinet and I don’t blame him. Bush 43 is leaving the executive branch of this nation in shambles. It’ll be nice to have adults back on Pennsylvania Avenue to clean up this eight-year frat party.

From the link:

President-elect Barack Obama called for “a new dawn of American leadership” on Monday as he formally introduced his national security team, led by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as his nominee for secretary of state.

“We will strengthen our capacity to defeat our enemies and support our friends,” Mr. Obama said in Chicago. “We will renew old alliances and forge new and enduring partnerships.”

He introduced his team one by one, starting with Senator Clinton, his former bitter rival for the Democratic presidential nomination; then Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who will stay on, at least for a time, in the new administration; Gen. James L. Jones, the former NATO commander, to be national security adviser; Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona to be secretary of homeland security: Susan E. Rice to be ambassador to the United Nations, and Eric H. Holder Jr. to be attorney general.

Sad parsing on the Corner …

… where there’s fewer hands to pass the ripple these days and apparently DTs are kicking in already.

The title of the linked post is “Re: Will There Be an Obama Derangement Syndrome?,” and I’d have to say yes, but not quite in the intended usage. This bit by Byron York is one huge stretch to hope the lefties get a little heartburn. And really reading a lot into a mundane piece of writing from Rove.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and right now I’m guessing the left is still smoking too many hand-rolled Cubans in celebration to give a flyin’ eff what Rove thinks about Obama’s economic team.

From the link:

Putting Geithner and Paulson together, and then Summers and Phil Gramm together, along with efforts to reform Fannie — nicely done.  And it has the added advantage of being true.  And then there’s the issue of Rove knowing that it will drive some on the left crazy if Karl Rove says something positive about the Obama team.  All in all, a perfectly reasonable piece that was entertaining in its subplots, as well.

Obama’s keeping Gates at Pentagon helm

This should be good news to both Obama supporters and detractors. And very bad news for our enemies abroad.

From the Political Punch link:

Sources tell ABC News that Defense Secretary Robert Gates will be staying on in the top Pentagon job, for at least the first year of the Obama administration. “It is a done deal,” a source close to the process tells ABC News.

Gates, while a registered independent, has served numerous Republican administrations. President George W. Bush nominated Gates to replace the Donald Rumsfeld after the 2006 midterm elections, when the war in Iraq was spiraling out of control.

The former Eagle Scout is expected to be rolled out immediately after the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend as part of a larger national security team expected to include Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, as Secretary of State; Marine Gen. Jim Jones (Ret.) as National Security Adviser; Admiral Dennis Blair (Ret.) as Director of National Intelligence; and Dr. Susan Rice as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

As CIA Director for President George H.W. Bush in 1992, Gates conveyed to incoming President Bill Clinton that he wished to stay on in that role. Clinton did not keep him on, replacing him instead with Jim Woolsey.

– Martha Raddatz and Jake Tapper