Friday / Weekend Open Lines

Given what seems to be the ever-growing profusion of coffee vendors, imagine what a crisis it would be if coffee were suddenly rationed. That’s exactly what happened this month in 1942, because the Second World War had interrupted shipments and people were hoarding coffee. But rationing lasted only until the next summer. It’s thought that coffee was introduced into America by Captain John Smith, one of the founders of the Jamestown Colony in Virginia. Its popularity jumped after both the Boston Tea Party and the beginning of Prohibition. For those who don’t make their own coffee, there are just over 19,000 coffee shops across the country, and they sell more than $10 billion worth of coffee a year. You can find current data on the country’s economy by downloading the America’s Economy mobile app at <www.census.gov/mobile>.

Saturday, November 29th. One of the comforts most Americans take for granted while driving was displayed for the first time this month in 1939 at the 40th Automobile Show in Chicago. The Packard Motor Car Company unveiled the first U.S. car with air-conditioning. The cooling and heating equipment in the Packard was located behind the rear seat in the trunk. Treated air reached the passenger compartment through ducts mounted between the seats and the rear window. Air-conditioning did not become a widely available, affordable option until well after World War II. Starting in 1969, the majority of new cars and trucks made in the U.S. have been equipped with air-conditioning. While Packard is long gone, the remaining manufacturers produce almost $109 billion worth of automobiles annually. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Sunday, November 30th. As National American Indian Heritage Month winds down, attention is drawn to the increasing role American Indians and Alaska Natives play in the country’s economy. Businesses owned by this 5.2 million strong population grew in a recent five-year period and now number more than 237,000. They generate nearly $34.5 billion in annual revenue. Just over half of these firms are in construction, retail trade, and wholesale trade. The largest number of firms owned by American Indians and Alaska Natives — nearly 46,000 — is in California. Over 26 percent of civilian-employed single-race American Indian and Alaska Native people 16 and older work in management, business, science and arts occupations. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>