Tech Junkie: Hot air balloons

Summer is the season for ballooning as festivals take place across the world. Here are a few scenes of the fun and grandeur spanning from Texas to France.Pilot Bill Woodhead of Grants Pass, Ore. flies "Arky," a hot air balloon made to look like Noah's Ark, attempts to the place the ring on a target pole, after flying over two miles to the East Texas regional airport during the final race of the 33rd "Great Texas Balloon Race" in Lakeport, Texas on Sunday Morning, July 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Dr. Scott M. Lieberman)

Volunteers help inflate a hot air balloon Friday, July 29, 2011 near Maysville, Ky. during the 5th Annual Buffalo Trace Balloon Race. (AP Photo/The Ledger Independent, Terry Prather.)

A large group of hot air balloons, including a butterfly balloon, inflate early Friday, July 29, 2011, at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, N.J. The hot air balloon festival runs through Sunday. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

A large group of hot air balloons, including a large flag balloon, inflate early Friday, July 29, 2011, at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, N.J. The hot air balloon festival runs through Sunday. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Two-year-old Griffin Friend, left, helps his mother Vanessa Friend, of Annandale, N.J. , and Rick Falker, right, of Downingtown, Pa. as they gather tether lines as a large group of hot air balloons inflate early Friday, July 29, 2011, at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, N.J. The hot air balloon festival runs through Sunday. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Pilot Andre Boucher, of Quebec, wears a vintage helmet liner and goggles as he prepare to fly the Super FMG hot air balloon Friday, July 29, 2011, at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, N.J. The hot air balloon festival runs through Sunday. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Pilot Michael Blum, right, of Union City, N.J., crew chief John Fairty, kneeling, of Greenwhich, Conn., and Don Wicks, of Hicksville, N.Y., untangle lines before inflating the Beemster Gourmet Dutch Cheese hot air balloon Friday, July 29, 2011, at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, N.J. The hot air balloon festival runs through Sunday. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

A group of photographers and pilot Scott McClinton, of Prospect, KY, glow in the light of flames as he inflates the AT&T hot air balloon early Friday, July 29, 2011, at the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, N.J. The hot air balloon festival runs through Sunday. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Hot air balloons glow in the night as part of the opening ceremonies of the 33nd annual "Great Texas Balloon Race" in Longview, Texas on Friday night, July 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Scott M. Lieberman)

A hot air balloon soars over the downtown area of Maysville, Ky. late Friday, July 29, 2011. Maysville was the site of the 5th Annual Buffalo Trace Balloon Race. (AP Photo/The Ledger Independent, Terry Prather)

Hot air balloons approach the target area for the "key grab" Saturday, July 30, 2011 in the Great Texas Balloon at the East Texas Regional Airport south of Longview, Texas. The pilots try to skim the ground and put a ring around the pole in the center of the target area. (AP Photo/The Tyler Morning Telegraph, Herb Nygren Jr)

Hot air-balloons fly over Chambley-Bussieres, eastern France, Sunday, 31, July 2011, during the International Lorraine Mondial Air Ballon Festival. (AP Photo/Mathieu Cugnot)

Hot air-balloons take off from a field in Chambley-Bussieres, eastern France, Sunday, 31, July 2011, during the International Lorraine Mondial Air Ballon Festival. (AP Photo/Mathieu Cugnot)

WASHINGTON - JUNE 11: Jim Wilson of the Washington-Baltimore Chapter of the Morse Telegraph Club speaks to people about how Morse Code operators were used in observation balloons during a demonstration on the National Mall June 11, 2011 in Washington, DC. Re-enactors, Smithsonian staff and volunteers demonstrated an American Civil War-era balloon near where in 1861 Professor Thaddeus Lowe showed the technology to President Lincoln as a potential tool for spying on Confederates. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON - JUNE 11: People look at an American Civil War-era observation balloon during a demonstration on the National Mall June 11, 2011 in Washington, DC. Re-enactors, Smithsonian staff and volunteers demonstrated an American Civil War-era balloon near where in 1861 Professor Thaddeus Lowe showed the technology to President Lincoln as a potential tool for spying on Confederates. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON - JUNE 11: People pass a model of an American Civil War-era observation balloon during a demonstration on the National Mall June 11, 2011 in Washington, DC. Re-enactors, Smithsonian staff and volunteers demonstrated an American Civil War-era balloon near where in 1861 Professor Thaddeus Lowe showed the technology to o President Lincoln as a potential tool for spying on Confederates. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON - JUNE 11: Charles Brady, an Abraham Lincoln portrayer, and Kevin Knapp, a Thaddeus Lowe portrayer, pose with people in a balloon basket during a balloon demonstration on the National Mall June 11, 2011 in Washington, DC. Re-enactors, Smithsonian staff and volunteers demonstrated an American Civil War-era balloon near where in 1861 Professor Thaddeus Lowe showed the technology to o President Lincoln as a potential tool for spying on Confederates. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

Hot-air balloons fly in the sky during the first day of the Lorraine World Air Balloons festival (LMAB), on July 22, 2011 in the French northeastern city of Chambley. The LMAB is the biggest gathering of hot-air balloons in the world and about 400,000 spectators are expected to attend the event which runs from July 22-31. AFP PHOTO / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN (Photo credit should read JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN/AFP/Getty Images)

A colorful hot-air balloon takes off during the first day of the Lorraine World Air Balloons festival (LMAB), on July 22, 2011 in the French northeastern city of Chambley. The LMAB is the biggest gathering of hot-air balloons in the world and about 400,000 spectators are expected to attend the event which runs from July 22-31. AFP PHOTO / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN (Photo credit should read JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN/AFP/Getty Images)

A hot air-balloon flies over Chambley-Bussieres, eastern France, Sunday, 31, July 2011, during the International Lorraine Mondial Air Ballon Festival. (AP Photo/Mathieu Cugnot)

Tech Junkie: Festival of Speed

American TV host Jay Leno driving a 1933 Napier Rilton Special at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 2, 2011 in Chichester, England. Thousands of auto racing fans attend the annual 3 day event to see the many legends of the sport race up the famous mile-long Goodwood hill.

Red Bull Racing driver Mark Webber admires a vintage car in the assembly area prior to a run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 1, 2011 in Chichester, England. Drivers compete in a variety of cars, from vintage models to modern Formula 1 cars in the annual hill climb.

Adrian Newey of Red Bull Racing drives the Red Bull F1 showcar during the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 3, 2011 in Chichester, England.

Adrian Newey of Red Bull Racing drives the Red Bull F1 showcar during the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 3, 2011 in Chichester, England.

An elderly Fiat car races up the hill in a cloud of smoke at the Goodwood Festival of Speed near Chichester, England, Saturday July 2, 2011. Some thousands of motor racing fans attend the three day spectacular event to see many legends of the motor sport race up the famous mile-long Goodwood hill. The theme of this year's event is Racing Revolutions - Quantum leaps that shaped motor sport.

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain drives the Mclaren MP4/1 on the hill course during the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 3, 2011 in Chichester, England.

A motocross rider is pictured during the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 1, 2011 in Chichester, England.

A motorcyclist pulls a wheelie at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 2, 2011 in Chichester, England.

McLaren Formula 1 driver Jenson Button drives the new McLaren MP4-12C at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 2, 2011 in Chichester, England.

McLaren Formula 1 driver Jenson Button sitting in the new McLaren MP4-12C at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 2, 2011 in Chichester, England.

Rene Arnoux of France drives the Renault RS01 on the hill course during the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 3, 2011 in Chichester, England.

Sophie Barker,right, performs on stage for the guests of the Fiat 500 By Gucci lounge at the Festival Of Speed at Goodwood on July 2, 2011 in Chichester, England.

Damon Hill of Great Britain drives the Williams FW15C on the hill course during the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 3, 2011 in Chichester, England.

Tech Junkie: Batmobiles

The new Batmobile designed by Gordon Murray to be used in the live stage production of Batman Live World Arena Tour is unveiled for the first time at LH2 Studios on June 15, 2011 in London, England.

The new Batmobile designed by Gordon Murray to be used in the live stage production of Batman Live World Arena Tour is unveiled for the first time at LH2 Studios on June 15, 2011 in London, England.

The new Batmobile designed by Gordon Murray to be used in the live stage production of Batman Live.

The new Batmobile designed by Gordon Murray to be used in the live stage production of Batman Live.

Hollywood car creator George Barris arrives in the TV Batmobile for the Friars of Beverly Hills celebrity fundraiser dinner gala presenting their Life Achievement Award to Barris at the Friars of Beverly Hills on June 17, 2006 in Beverly Hills, California.

A police officer walks past an original 'Batmobile' from the 1960's television series parked at New Scotland Yard in London, Sunday Feb. 18, 2007. The car is understood to be the 6th produced, and built by Jay Orhrberg of Jay Orhrberg Star Cars in Hollywood, California, to promote the series. The car is likely to fetch in excess of 75,000 pounds , $150,000 at Coys Spring Classics sale on Feb. 27, 2007.

The Batmobile, left, and a car used in the movie "Grease", sit on display on Sunday, June 15, 2003 at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., during Ford's Centennial Celebration. Ford's actual 100th birthday is Monday. Ford showcased some of it's cars that were used in movies at the celebration.

Luxury-loving millionaire socialite Bruce Wayne, known to television watchers as Batman, chose a $250,000 Lincoln and converted it into the Batmobile by installing a host of anti-crime devices. The experimental Lincoln Futura (top) was built in 1955 by Lincoln-Mercury Division to test styling and engineering innovations. With the front appearance of a menacing bat face and repainted "velvet glow bat fuzz black," the Batmobile (bottom) carries Batman and Robin off on another adventure.

The Batmobile that appeared in Batman and Batman Returns.

The Batmobile that appeared in Batman and Batman Returns is displayed at the Peterson Automotive Museum auto auction June 15, 2001 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jason Kirk/Getty Images)

The Batmobile that appeared in Batman and Batman Returns.

The "Batman Forever" Batmobile.

British F1 racing driver Damon Hill climbs out of the "Batmobile" after driving to the first day of the Harrods store sale in west London, Wednesday July 12, 1995. Hill drove "Batman Forever" film star Chris O'Donnell, who plays Robin, to the sale before going to Silverstone for the start of practice for the British Grand Prix which takes place on Sunday July 16.

The Batmobile from 'The Dark Knight.'

The Batmobile, on show to mark the release of the latest Batman movie 'The Dark Night,' is seen on the tarmac at Silverstone racetrack, England, Thursday, July 3, 2008 ahead of Sunday's Formula One Grand Prix.

The Batmobile arrives at the UK film premiere of 'The Dark Knight' at Odeon, Leicester Square on July 21, 2008 in London, England.

The new "Batmobile" motorbike is on display at the Licensing International Expo Wednesday, June 20, 2007 in New York. The annual show at the Jacob K. Javits convention center is open to the licensing industry professionals and runs June 19 through 21.