Vignettes Of Black Friday

With promotions, discounts and doorbusters already well under way on Thanksgiving Day itself, many big-box retailers are making Black Friday stretch longer than ever.  The Lede is checking out the mood of American consumers in occasional vignettes Thursday and Friday as the economically critical holiday shopping season kicks off.

Shoppers waiting outside Sam’s Club in Eagan, Minn., for Friday’s 7 a.m. opening clung to free Starbuck’s Holiday Blend coffee as they endured freezing temperatures and biting winds and collected brightly colored vouchers for laptops and big-screen TVs.

The biggest draw: a 96-cent Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone.  Once inside, they also beelined for tickets for the 63 Samsungs in stock, which sold out shortly after the store opened.  Customers could make an appointment for later in the day or another day to purchase the phone, choosing from three carriers, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint.

“O.K., this is my last blue for Sprint,” an employee called out at 7:08 a.m.

Read more:  http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/22/coverage-of-black-friday/?hp

Corning Glass Poised For Massive Profits

This is some great news!  As we know, manufacturing in the United States has all but vanished.  We sell each other insurance instead of making things.

Corning Glass, based in Corning, New York has been sitting on an invention since 1962, just waiting for a practical application.  Gorilla glass was invented by Corning but at the time, no commercial use was found for it.  Corning, being wise, put this new glass product aside and bided their time.

Gorilla glass is expected to be the new face of touch-screen tablets and high-end TV’s.  The glass is extremely hard to break, dent or scratch.  Sounds like a match made in heaven for cell phones, touch-screen tablets and flat screen televisions.

Corning has already dedicated one factory to the production of Gorilla glass and is converting part of a second factory to fill potential orders.  By 2015, Corning feels Gorilla glass will be their second biggest business.  The glass is already being used in 100 devices including Driod!

I am glad to have something so positive to report about an American manufacturing institution.  I grew up not far from Corning, NY and visited the Corning Glass Center many times.  It is a marvel and I never tired of going there.  Central New York could use some good economic news!