The commerce department says we’re buying more stuff — big stuff meant to last three years or more, like cars, machinery, and airplanes. In economist speak, these things are called “durable goods,” and the government says orders for durables are up. But the headline number could be a little misleading.

Samsung reported record profits in its third quarter earnings report. The smartphone maker has sold more than 40 million Galaxy S4 phones. That makes it the biggest smartphone retailer in the world. But when it comes to branding, Apple is still number one.

The fact that more than a thousand micro-breweries are in the process of opening around the country tells us these are boom times for craft brewers. And when it comes to supporting micro-breweries, Vermont is leading the league.