The Low-Tech Times

The Low-Tech Times recently published some pointed commentary saying Facebook Accounts are Completely Unnecessary.  Much of the same criticism could also apply to MySpace pages; however, I think it may make sense for bands to be on MySpace.

I admit it is nice to go to a MySpace page, immediately hear song samples playing, and often find other good bands in the same genre.  I suppose a band could also accomplish the same things with their own site, but MySpace.com probably helps with promotion.

Last Friday night, some friends joined us to watch the Hackensaw Boys perform at the Strasburg Theater.  While not traditional bluegrass, the band plays acoustic instruments with punk rock attitudes.  The band has a nice and unusual tradition of ending their performances by stepping away from their mics and performing a short set completely unamplified.

Personal favorite Hackensaw Band tracks include Oh, Girl and Baltimore from their newest release Look Out Dog.  It was a blast from the past to hear my old college roommate Ward Harrison perform again after all these years when he sang Oh, Girl.  Baltimore is a very catchy number coupling a Beach Boys-style melody with Violent Femmes-style vocals.

From their Keep It Simple album, my favorite tracks are Ruby Pearl, Nashville, and Keep it Simple.  Nashville features an energetic percussion solo in the middle played on an elaborate device worn across the player’s torso.  The Low-Tech Times featured the Keep It Simple track in the background of it’s World’s Thinnest Notebook video.

If interested, I’ve included links to listen to Hackensaw Boys song samples or purchase the aforementioned albums below.  Or check out their MySpace page.

The Low-Tech Times earlier recommended using cell phones for emergency use only.  Now, there may be another important reason to heed that advice.

The Independent’s Geoffrey Lean wrote a highly interesting article referencing a study by award-winning scientist Dr. Vini Khurana.  Here is an excerpt from the article:

Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take “immediate steps” to reduce exposure to their radiation.

While some report that the manufacturing sector in the U.S. is shrinking, the fact is that some manufacturers in the U.S. are thriving.

Furniture is generally expensive; therefore, I believe that if you’re going to spend a lot of money on furniture, you should spend your money on quality furniture.

My wife and I shopped around quite a bit before ordering our dining room set.  We found that in many cases mis-made Asian imports cost nearly as much as, and in some cases cost more than, high quality American products.  We decided to purchase chairs, a table, and a corner cabinet built by Tom Seely Furniture, which manufactures antique furniture reproductions by hand, one piece at at time.  Their furniture is manufactured in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio by expert craftsmen and craftswomen.  I expect that the furniture we purchased will last well beyond my own lifetime.

If you live in Northern Virginia and like traditional-style furniture, I highly recommend shopping for furniture at The Miller House, located in Stephens City.  The owners offer great advice, outstanding customer service, and fair pricing. Their store carries Tom Seely Furniture, as well as other quality American brands.