At the Fiber-to-the-Home Conference on Sept. 30 - Oct. 3, Corning (GLW) is set to introduce its full suite of optical fiber, cable and hardware and equipment solutions based on its nanoStructures technology platform. On July 23rd, Corning announced the gigantic breakthrough in fiber optic technology- optical fiber cables based on nanoStructures technology that allows cabled fiber to be bent around very tight corners with virtually no signal loss.

Optical fiber is superior in all aspects to traditional copper cables in transmitting everything from broadband internet, TV, and digital telephone- all aspects except maintaining the quality of the signal in bends, twists, and other abusive configurations. The reason is the light used to transmit the signal travels in a straight line. Having not been able to bend optical fiber as you could copper cable, using optical fiber in tight installations such as in apartments were not possible…leaving a large untapped market. It is unclear how Corning’s geniuses figured out how to overcome this old problem handicapping the use of fiber optic cables. The nanoStructures technology used suggests the glass composing the fiber optics have been engineered to the smallest microscopic detail such that the light transmitting the data always travels in a straight line. This is similar to how a super-closeup of the edge of a circle will look like a straight line. Read the rest of this entry »

I think more important part of the Fed dropping the discount window rate by 50 basis points to 5.75% for 30 days was the accompanying FOMC statement:

“Financial market conditions have deteriorated, and tighter credit conditions and increased uncertainty have the potential to restrain economic growth going forward. In these circumstances, although recent data suggest that the economy has continued to expand at a moderate pace, the Federal Open Market Committee judges that the downside risks to growth have increased appreciably. The Committee is monitoring the situation and is prepared to act as needed to mitigate the adverse effects on the economy arising from the disruptions in financial markets.”

To me, that says the Fed has changed it’s stance from fighting inflation to addressing the economic impact from the mortgage problems and credit crunch.  Instead of having to wait for the September meeting to change it’s stance, now we have a possible rate cut in September if the data will allow the Fed to do so.  Keeping the window open for 30 days takes us to the September Fed meeting at which point the Fed can assess the effects of this move today.

With lead prices about tripling over the past year alone, what a waste it is for Chinese factories to leave lead in paint and stuff when they could be making some side cash with that lead?  Sorry, cynical joke for a down day.  In this day and age, NO ONE..NO ONE should get lead poisoning, and not just because lead prices have skyrocketed.