Missoula News | New West Network

<< Newer articles <<    Home     >> Older articles >>

Inside the Network

You've probably noticed some changes this week here at New West, mostly on the city pages. Here's the rundown:

Environment and You

Things get dicey when Montanans start talking about land. We love it, and guard it ruthlessly. From our wide open spaces to our access of rivers. This debate, the push and pull between industry and envorinmentalists, locals and tourists, has even piqued the interest of the New York Times. [more]

Podcasting

I need a laugh. When that happens there is only one thing I do: I turn on Dawn and Drew. “Oh, yeah man they are good, what channel are they on again?�. Sorry , but they aren’t on TV nor can they be dialed in on the radio.

Instead, they are pod-people. Podcasting their quirky comedy, cut straight from their farm in Wisconsin, out onto the worldwide web. They are young, racy and a huge hit. Oh and they are damned funny too. But, what is that, you don’t know of this “Podcasting� thing? Well, start learning fast because this new medium could very well revolutionize communications . [more]

Sex, Money and Meth Addiction

Flathead businessman Richard A. "Dick" Dasen, the man convicted last spring of luring numerous women -- many of them methamphetamine addicts -- into a ring of sex-for-money agreements, will spend 20 months in the Montana State Prison for the crimes.

Dasen was sentenced today in Kalispell to two years in Deer Lodge without paroll, but with credit given for the 117 days he's already spent in the local jail. He was also sentenced to 18 years to the Department of Corrections but all of that sentence was suspended.

Last May, a jury convicted Dasen on one misdemeanor and five felony charges, including promotion of prostitution and sexual abuse of children. He was acquitted of seven other charges, including two of the most serious -- sexual intercourse without consent and aggravated promotion of prostitution. The sexual abuse conviction alone carried with it a 100-year maximum sentence but no minimum.

Tech Junkies

Most college kids can talk and walk. But now you can be the ultra-cool, talker, walker and ROKR. That's right the devils at Apple have debuted the iPod-esque device, joining with Motorola to bring us a cell phone with an iTunes library. Now, college kids seem to be the likely target of all things Apple and so it is no different with this. Only problem is, not many people like it. Could this be an iBomb? Inside, I hope so. Many reviews of the product have not been good. Read this one, where the reviewer only gave it only 2 of 5 stars, getting the response, "It's not an iPod, it's a ROKR!" from Motorola customer service when they were having trouble with the iTunes.

Plus, who wants something that only holds 100 songs. That won't even last me through my morning. It was a bummer that the iPod cell phone that was rumored came to this conclusion. FutureMusic.com was thought the phone was a serious disappointment and that is looked like a beer can. Funny, it actually does.

Hip-Hop in Missoula

There are very few people that can legitimately claim to be underground. But those who have continue to live the life many either gave up on or sold out of. But, to understand the lifestyle of a hip-hop artist living on the fringe, with his lyrics flowing even farther to the margins, you need to forget what you thought you knew, because this is Slug. [more]

Developer U

University of Montana President George Dennison and a team of real estate developers are determined to forge ahead with the idea of a housing project on the univeristy golf course - but so far he has little to say about what the revamped plans might look like.

Last year, Dennison proposed building a retirement village on the golf course with almost 600 housing units, touting it as a way to diversify the university's income and thus help keep tuition costs down. But the proposal met with vociferous opposition from many Missoula residents - and, more importantly, the state Board of Regents was peeved that Dennison had not consulted them sufficiently in the planning process. The Regents ended an acrimonius debate by categorically rejecting the proposal.

But the developer, Walt Brett, an alumnus from Park City, Utah, had already ponied up more than $350,000 to create the plans, and thus it's no surprise that the project is not going to die easily. The discussions have since been resurrected, Dennison said in an interview today, though at this stage they are just discussions. [more]

Calling Bush OUT!!

Mayor Ray Nagin is actually saying what needs to be said. He is blasting the federal government for their handling of this disaster. Listen to his fiery interview here. This is a politician that is cutting through the murky waters of bureaucracy and is going after the President for his inaction and calling him out. What is going on with our government? As Bush fiddles, Rome burns. [more]

A Total Failure

Where is the water? Where is the food? Where is the help? But most importantly where is Bush? The lack of action and coordination by the Federal government is disgusting. Reports are flooding in of governmental mismanagement. These poor people survived the hurricane, they survived the flooding and now when they need help the government lets them die, baking in the streets. Who do you blame? Bush. The leader of the country has failed his citizens. [more]

Survival of New Orleans

If you are at all interested in what is happening in New Orleans, there is a blogger on the inside, writing his posts from the 10th floor of an office building. What is coming out of there is a very real account of what is happening as it happens. Check out this blog here.

There are photos linked up and a truly first hand account of the chaos that is surrounding and people of New Orleans. The blogger is updating very often so you can really feel what is going on. Reading this gave me the most intense feeling of helplessness. Check it out.

<< Newer articles <<    Home     >> Older articles >>