Up and away

Though I have little faith in the ability of my fellow Americans to drive so much as a Toyota Corolla, this LA Times article says there are still people working toward a future when we will buzz around in Jetsons-like air cars:

"One day, 'The Jetsons' could be the answer" to our traffic woes, said aircraft design engineer Sid Siddiqi, referring to the 1960s cartoon series featuring a suburban future full of flying cars. Siddiqi works for the National Consortium for Aviation Mobility, a Virginia-based nonprofit that is working with NASA to develop its Small Aircraft Transportation System — technology that could serve as a precursor to the long-envisioned "highway in the sky."

Another pursuer of the dream is Paul Moller of Davis, who has spent 40 years — and millions of dollars — trying to leave his own mark on aviation history. Moller, 67, has devoted his life to the Skycar, a personal aircraft that he believes could replace the automobile. "People say I'm nuts, and maybe I am. But I'm looking for something that will change mass transportation as we know it."

Leaving aside any misgivings, that's about the most fun thing I've heard in a while. Certainly a lot more fun than the Segway.