montana

At FireLab, studying how fire works in order to battle it

MISSOULA, Mont.--If you're going to decide how to fight fire, then you'd better know as much as possible about how it works.

That's the idea behind FireLab, a U.S. Forest Service program at the Rocky Mountain Research Station here, where scientists spend their days studying, among other things, the dynamics and behavior of fire, as well as ways to better predictively model how fire might spread.

And while, as scientists, the folks here don't set policy, it is their job to give those whose jobs is to set policy the best data possible. The … Read more

Road Trip 2009: What time is it, anyway?

MISSOULA, Mont.--There were two points Sunday when I had absolutely no idea what time it was. It wasn't that I didn't have any timepieces. Rather, I had several, and they were all telling me different things.

The first time it happened, I was on my way up to the top of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in western Idaho at 7,400 feet above sea level, as part of Road Trip 2009. From high up there, it is possible to see four states: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Down below, in Riggins, Idaho, where I'd … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1001: All your Face Page accounts are belong to us

Bozeman, Montana, has decided they need everyone's social network log-ins and passwords to conduct background checks on prospective employees. So cute. They call it Face Page. Plus we talk about the iPhone lines, and go to town on the need for copyright laws. Turns out we may not need them.

Listen now: Download today's podcast Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | iTunes (video) | RSS (audio) | RSS (video) Episode 1001

Live blog: iPhone 3G S launch day http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10268140-37.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10268774-37.html

How to tether your iPhone running OS 3.0 without jailbreaking, for … Read more

Road Trip 2009: Across the Rockies and Great Plains

In the United States, the major east-west Interstate highways are denominated by multiples of tens: I-10 goes from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, Fla. I-40 goes from Barstow, Calif., to Wilmington, N.C. I-80 goes from San Francisco to New York.

The north-south Interstates, meanwhile, are denominated with fives. I-5 goes from the U.S.-Mexico border, through San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., and Seattle and ends at the U.S.-Canada border. I-15 goes from from San Diego to the Canadian border near Sweetgrass, Mont. And I-95 heads north from Miami all the way to northeast Maine.

Over the … Read more

Sony PSP infected by purple pop star bug

Word of a new attempt to impress female gamers showed up Tuesday on Sony's official PlayStation blog. This year, a "lilac"-colored PSP will be released.

At $199, the console will come in a bundle that includes a Hannah Montana game, episodes from the show, and stickers for an added girly touch. For the same price, Sony will also sell an "Assassins Creed" bundle that includes a black console and other unannounced content.

Lady gamers were peeved last November when a pink "Guitar Hero" controller was released, compliments of the tween band Aly &… Read more

The 404 271: Where we refuse to ever DP a Christian Bale movie

Why are so many celebrities such DIVAS!? We start off today's show with a heinous recording of Christian Bale freaking out on an innocent director of photography on the set of the new terminator. We also refuse to accept Michael Phelps for getting his herb on, but we do give Miley Cyrus a grand slam for slanting her eyes in a photo.

I really hate how this controversy is becoming the latest trend in the public spotlight. Why do people think it's OK to make racist poses in photos? First the Spanish basketball team, and now Miley Cyrus. … Read more

Blu-ray releases for the week of August 19

This week we have another Oliver Stone film, Nixon, starring Anthony Hopkins as our former president. The first season of the highly acclaimed TV series, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, is available on Blu-ray but unfortunately without the Governator making an appearance. And for the young girls, rabid fans as they may be, Walt Disney has rushed out a Blu-ray compilation, filled with their favorite Hannah Montana moments from her world concert tour. But this time you won't have to throw down three grand on eBay for tickets. The disc includes a behind-the-scenes documentary and a 3D viewing mode. &… Read more

Are Internet ads better than TV ads?

BURLINGAME, Calif.--Here's a figure you want to remember: 80 percent retention rate.

Approximately 80 percent of people who watched videos on the Web site of broadcaster ABC (through the company's player) could remember the sponsor/advertiser of the program, said Brad Davis, senior vice president of online media sales and marketing for the Walt Disney Internet Group, during a presentation at the Digital Living Room conference taking place here. The study was commissioned by Walt Disney Internet Group and ABC. (Walt Disney is the parent company of ABC.)

As a result of the recall issue, the cost … Read more

A memo to Disney, re: Hannah Montana nonsense

To: Disney executives From: Michelle Meyers, an aggravated mom Re: Your Hannah Montana shenanigans

Cut it out.

Are you intentionally trying to drive us parents crazy with what seems like the latest ploy to squeeze profit out of your youngest and most passionate consumers?

I'm referring to the Hannah Montana 3D concert movie, which you promoted last week as an exclusive seven-day theater release. The film subsequently broke online sales records, sold out in many venues, and sent parents into a frenzy amid concerns they might not get tickets for their excited young tweens. Some had to settle for … Read more

Bravia phone is from old Sony playbook

Sony sometimes reminds us of a battered Hall of Fame quarterback in his final season: Although both are in decline, every once in awhile they still manage to show flashes of style if not brilliance.

That was our first reaction, at least, upon seeing the photos of Sony's new phone, which it is marketing under the Bravia insignia alongside its expensive line of high-definition TV sets. The 3G flip handset includes an MP3, a 3.2-megapixel camera, 1GB of storage space, and an LCD display that's supposedly based on Sony's HD screen technology. But what really caught … Read more