As a reader of this journal, you know that you work in the largest energy-consuming sector of the U.S. manufacturing economy. You should also know some of the details and nuances of what this can mean.

My family settled in “the valley” (Shenandoah) in the 1640s. Later, the “war” devastated the entire area, to the extent that it took 90 years (1960) for the local population in northern Virginia to return to pre-war levels.

We hear the phrases “deep state” and “nanny state” in the media every day. Where did this all come from, and what does it mean?

America is involved in a trade war and will suffer losses, as will every nation on the planet. But it is worth examining what can be done to minimize problems.

An interesting topic for readers is tied to oil-and-gas production. Why? Because U.S. manufacturing companies making metal pipes and materials/machines to produce, transport and process these fossil fuels is a major activity in our world.

Most readers make stuff from metals or make equipment to make that stuff. So, let’s look at what and where we get some of the more unusual metals, most of which are scarce and costly.

Some readers could help the U.S. and the world by manufacturing a different kind of furnace. Let me explain.

The National Association of Manufacturers promotes many facts about our manufacturing sector.

This column has addressed issues of climate change four times in the past 11 years. Let’s do it again, but this time get to the factual heart of it.