The Low-Tech Times

My dad tells stories of how his family would put out two empty glass quart bottles on their back porch and the milkman would come to deliver two new quarts of milk and take the empties.

Those days were well before my time, but I do remember when Gatorade was sold in glass bottles instead of plastic.

The move to plastic bottles was due in large part to the fact that plastic bottles are significantly lighter than glass bottles. With less container weight than glass, plastic bottles have lower associated shipping costs versus glass.

However, concerns are now emerging with the safety of plastic bottles. Lisa Farino of MSN Health & Fitness reports:

Responding to growing consumer concern, sports-bottle maker Nalgene announced today that it will be phasing out the use of the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in its plastic containers over the coming months.

BPA is a common building block of hard polycarbonate plastics (such as sports bottles, baby bottles, and eye glasses) and is also found in the resin lining of metal food and beverage cans.

Because BPA mimics estrogen, there has been increasing concern that exposure, especially by fetuses, newborns, and infants, may cause long-term health impacts such as early puberty in girls, reproductive problems, and cancers later in life.

The article makes me wonder, in addition to bisphenol-A, what other potentially harmful chemicals are in hi-tech plastic bottles? In a health conscious society, will old-fashioned glass bottles make a comeback?

The Low-Tech Times, via Gizmodo, has learned that a new big-budget motion picture is in the works:

While few specifics were mentioned, and no formal announcement has been made, it’s extremely promising that the man with the power to make the film is getting the ball rolling.

The announcement is noteworthy because, although MacGyver was certainly not afraid of technology, he often employed low-tech ingredients (e.g. duct tape and a swiss-army knife) in coming up with creative solutions. I have fond memories of watching the hit show on free tv when I was younger.

Amazon.com sells MacGyver tv episodes on DVD if interested:

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.