The Friday File: The US economy has lost manufacturing jobs as foreigners can often make things more cheaply than we can. What manufacturing remains is increasingly high end; it’s less easily outsourced. But, there are exceptions. In Americus, GA 50 people make 2 million pairs of chopsticks/day bound for. . . .China! Turns out poplars, which are plentiful there, are ideal for chopsticks; they aren’t too hard and needn’t be treated with chemicals.