The Low-Tech Times

Stefanie Kranjec, of Reuters, has written an excellent article about how hi-tech addictions can ruin personal relationships.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

An inability to leave home without a cell phone, to relax without constantly checking email or to stop using the Internet are also worrying signs.

When the Internet becomes a more powerful draw than spending time with family or friends, or when someone pays more attention to gadgets than what is happening in real life are more danger signs.

The Low-Tech Times is dedicated to helping people avoid hi-tech addictions. Staff at the Low-Tech Times do not carry cell phones or pagers. The site is updated just five times per week (one for each weekday).

I met with some friends last night who went to the 2008 Washington D.C. Auto Show on Saturday. At the show, all of the major auto manufacturers bring sample vehicles from their new lines. My friends said the show was extremely crowded and that they were unable to go down every aisle. When I asked them about hand-crank windows, they said that they did not see a single vehicle with hand-crank windows.

Power windows add additional points of failure and expense to automobiles in the form of motors, switches, and wiring. It also can be very annoying to turn off an automobile, only then needing to put the keys back in and turn them just to raise the window.

Power windows, much like remote-control car stereos, are simply unnecessary. Are we that lazy that we can’t turn a crank to bring the window up and down? We have to just push a button?

I’d like to see hand-crank windows offered in new vehicles, at least as an option. What do you think?

Tim Gaynor, of Reuters, has written a great article about the Border Patrol’s use of mounted agents to secure U.S. borders.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“Most of the traffic is being pushed into these mountainous areas which are harder to work. They are very remote,” said Bobbi Schad, a horse patrol supervisor from Tucson. “With a horse you can get up in there.”

“They realized we were so much better at controlling certain areas, so they said ‘hey, let’s keep utilizing an old-school tool and go back to the basics.’”