It’s rough going when a town is dependent on one company and it runs into tough times. The NY Times takes a look at Corning, NY where Corning, Inc. was facing a bright future, positioned to capitalize on the fiber optics boom. But although they are still managing to sell fiber, “it is not the high- profit premium kind that was so in demand last year.” They tried to make most of their 5,900 layoffs in locations with other job opportunities, but 1,000 workers were laid off in the town of Corning, population 11,000. Ouch. And that will trickle down quickly, the relationship is too symbiotic. “This is where, a decade later, what had become Corning Glass Works made the first light bulbs for Thomas Edison. This is where Pyrex custard cups were born, where Steuben crystal decanters were blown, where television tubes were shaped and where Corelle plates were proven to be practically unbreakable. This is where scientists were involved in developing products like silicones and fiberglass.”