Road Trip at Home

Powering San Francisco's cable cars

SAN FRANCISCO--For almost anyone who's visited Baghdad by the Bay, a ride on one of the city's iconic cable cars is pretty much a must.

What most people don't know, however, is that, once upon a time, these wooden vehicles, which are pulled along their routes by thick, heavy, metal cables, could be found in cities all over the world.

From Paris to Melbourne to Bogota and elsewhere, the cable car was once seen as a fantastic alternative to having horses pull cars of people around. But when electric power made trolley cars efficient, most cities made … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Week, 11/11: What is this?

Update (Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. PST): The answer to last week's challenge--which 93 people got--is Point Bonita Lighthouse, in the Marin Headlands, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, directly west of the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back Thursday for this week's challenge.

What a gorgeous scene. And what ominous rocks. But what is it, and where is it located?

If you know, you could win a prize in the CNET Road Trip Picture of the Week challenge.

If you have those answers, … Read more

Building a green empire, one Tiny House at a time

GRATON, Calif.--As most people know, a major reason for the current housing meltdown was millions of people buying homes far bigger than they needed, let alone could afford. To Jay Shafer, the answer is tiny.

Shafer is the creator of Tumbleweed Tiny Houses, a company based in this, yes, tiny town about an hour north of San Francisco, that designs and sells very, very small homes.

How small? Tiny Houses' most petite model, the XS-House, is just 65 square feet. Yet, while you might expect to find little more than a rabbit warren inside, what you actually experience when … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Week, 11/4: What is this?

Update (Monday at 11:24 a.m. PT): The answer to last week's challenge--which 86 people got--is the Old Post Office Pavilion, on Pennsylvania Avenue, in Washington, D.C. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back on Thursday for this week's challenge.

What a majestic building. Surely, something very solemn went on here. But what is it? And where is it located?

If you know, you could win a prize in the CNET Road Trip Picture of the Week challenge.

If you have those answers, please e-mail them to me no later than 6 … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Week, 10/28: What is this?

Update at 12:12 a.m. PDT November 4: The answer to last week's challenge--which 290 people got--is the Encounter Restaurant in the Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport. Many more people knew it was LAX but incorrectly thought it was the aircraft control tower. To all who played, thanks for participating, and to everyone, please do the same in this week's challenge later today.

That sure is a lot of scaffolding. But what is it that's being worked on here? And where is it located? If you know, you could win a prize in the … Read more

At the World Series, outside looking in

SAN FRANCISCO--Like a lot of people who live in or near the city by the bay right now, I'm trying to figure out the answer to a really tough question: how in the heck can I get a World Series ticket?

The answer, of course, is not pretty: you must have money, and lots of it. And since I don't really have any, and wouldn't really be willing to fork over hundreds and hundreds of dollars for a single ducat anyway, I'm having to face facts: I likely won't be getting to see the World … Read more

At SRI, developing an expertise in R&D, innovation

MENLO PARK, Calif.--If you've never seen a robot climb straight up an entirely flat vertical wall, I dare you not to be impressed the first time you do.

That was my certainly experience when I watched a wall-climbing robot do its thing at SRI International here the other day. Indeed, my host, who had been with me through several product and project demonstrations over about three hours, noticed how excited I was by watching this little device go straight up the wall, and, I think, began to wonder if I was actually interested in any of the other … Read more

High-tech exhibits shine at Walt Disney museum

SAN FRANCISCO--It's hard to imagine anything in a museum featuring hundreds of original Disney concept sketches and art pieces, including dozens of Mickey Mouse, being as impressive as the art itself.

But try visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum in the Presidio here and not coming away with the strong impression that the way the facility was designed, with its wide variety of beautiful digital displays, imaginative use of video screens, innovative touch-screens, audio clips of Walt himself nearly everywhere you go, and much more, is nearly as compelling an experience as the opportunity to see first-hand the origins … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Week, 10/21: What is this?

Update (Monday, 10:31 a.m. PDT): The answer to last week's challenge--which 79 people got--is the First Division Monument, in President's Park, just south of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, in Washington, D.C. The monument honors soldiers who fought in World War I, though it has additions which honor soldiers who fought in subsequent wars. Thanks to everyone who played, and to all, please come back Thursday for this week's challenge.

If there's one thing certain about this, it's that it honors a group of people who gave a lot of themselves. But … Read more

Road Trip Pic of the Week, 10/14: What is this?

Update (Monday, 11:47 a.m. PDT): The answer to last week's Picture of the Week challenge--which 28 people got--is the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on October 25, 2009. The concert, part of the band's 360 tour, was said to be the largest ever at the Rose Bowl, and was also said by YouTube to be the largest live-streamed event in history. Thanks to all who played, and to everyone, please come back on Thursday for this week's challenge.

That sure is a lot of people, and those are some bright lights. … Read more