Three momentous occasions in the history of technology and entertainment occurred this week, one dating all the way back to 1877.

The television broadcast spectrum, the oldest source of programming, is getting a spiffy new broadcast standard but may suffer from regulatory changes that would consolidate ownership and dilute local programming.

Call singer/songwriter Steve Earle a curator/progenitor of the music movement known as outlaw country, and the man also known as the “hardcore troubadour” bristles at the thought. “You know, I’ve always been kind of uncomfortable with that term,” Earle admits. “I’ve been called that for a long time, and it’s a lot to do with where I came from [San Antonio, Texas]. What I actually think outlaw music is all about is artistic freedom. That’s what it’s really about.”

MarkAudio-Sota Cesti MB Speaker
The entry-level model in a new line of finely crafted speakers, the Cesti MB combines Italian style with British engineering in a speaker designed and built in China. The company prides itself on constructing its speakers from scratch using custom drivers and crossovers and super sturdy cabinets made of laminated dual-core panels.