Wednesday bits

Have a bunch of stuff queued up, but no time to make a substantive post on each piece. So here are some bits worth mention:

• Things I find cheering:
  
  
  
  • Scotty's remains are to be launched into space soon. So apt.
    (via boing boing)
    
    
  • Solar-powered trash-compactors debut on the streets of Boston. Less overflow mess, less frequent emptying, large capacity. Everybody wins.
    (via boing boing)
    
    
  • "An Inconvenient Truth" winning over real people, and seeing the benefits paid forward in real time. yay!
    
    
  • This Mideast buddy list at Salon is strangely funny, even as it's sadly informative. I'm impressed anybody can keep track of the alliances and feuds.
    (via Philly Future)
  
  
• Things that perplex or dismay me
  
  
  
  • Monopoly games replacing phony money with ATM cards. You must be kidding. Don't miss Tom's snarky commentary.
    
    
  • Digby points out that Americans are worried about debt, especially the middle class. Important for the future of the nation, and especially for those who hope to change national politics.
    (via Medley)
    
    
  • Speaking of change, Democrats need to find unity and win elections, but if that's what they sell as their motivation, nobody will believe anything that they say. Talk about ideals, already!
    (via Atrios)
    
    
  • Air marshalls have a quota for adding people to a watch list? Shouldn't it be about the threat? Unsurprisingly, the result is that innocent bystanders get added, and pay the price.
    (via boing boing)