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View BusinessWeek’s slideshow of the
20 Most Important Inventions of the Next 10 Years.

“Things are looking pretty bleak right now. But, the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. So BusinessWeek asked several futurists, including Futurist.com’s Glen Hiemstra, consultant David Zach, and author Howard Rheingold, to describe what they’d like to see arise from the current downturn. Notably, our experts didn’t think of innovation merely in terms of products or services. These ideas will change the way humans interact with the earth—and with each other.”

In a nutshell:

1. Ocean-driven hydropower
2. Miniaturized medical equipment
3. 3D printing
4. Even smarter mobile applications
5. Next-generation bio-fuels
6. Electric vehicles
7. Truly “on-demand” entertainment
8. Nanotech computing
9. Cure for cancer
10. Futuristic science & math toys
11. Using the body’s natural energies to power electrical equipment
12. Harnessing the power of the crowd
13. Social media literacy
14. Far-reaching overhaul of the global financial system
15. Pop-up businesses that tackle a single project before disbanding
16. Reformed urban transit systems
17. Cure for Alzheimer’s
18. Pop-up housing: Refurbishing leftover shipping containers into housing units
19. Super-high-speed internet
20. Super-charged batteries

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Good press for Youngstown! Follow the link below to listen to the National Public Radio (NPR) broadcast that played Februay 17th about the Youngstown Business Incubator and the positive effect the program has had on the Youngstown area economy.  I recently spoke with James Cossler, Chief Evangelist for the Youngstown Business Incubator, about the news story at YSU’s STEM dinner. He says the response to the story has been overwhelming.  Many people originally from Youngstown that are now living in other cities have contacted him to tell him how excited they were to hear the story. Many wanted more information about what’s going on here and asked about visiting the Incubator when they’re here for a visit.

story.php?storyId=100762987

“In the Rust Belt city of Youngstown, Ohio, a high-tech incubator is producing successful software companies. Nearly 300 people are working for a cluster of companies that have huddled together to create cutting-edge products. Even in this extremely depressed area, in the midst of a deep recession, entrepreneurship is flourishing and creating jobs.”

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New print reference resource:
The Directory of Business Information Resources 2008!

This directory is available in the Reference Room at call number HF54.52 .U5 D567 2008.

The fifteenth edition of The Directory of Business Information Resources is a premier reference book for business researchers covering 98 industries, from Accounting and Advertising to Water Supply and Wholesale Services. Each chapter includes a variety of valuable industry-specific resources, including Associations, Magazines, Journals, Newsletters, Trade Shows, Directories, Databases and Web Sites.

This edition includes 21,800 listings, including hundreds of brand new listings and thousands of updates. It’s the most comprehensive guide to business information on the market today. A quick look at the Table of Contents shows this 2008 edition covers all the largest industries, including Healthcare, Drugs & Pharmaceutical, Computers & Data Processing, Banking, Financial Services, Credit & Lending Services, Internet, Broadcasting, Communications & Media, Environment & Conservation, Safety & Security, Management, Marketing, Hotels & Motels, Performing Arts, Restaurants, Sports & Recreation, Direct Marketing, Insurance, Libraries, Retailing and Travel.

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New print reference resource: Everyday Finance: Economics, Personal Money Management, and Entrepreneurship!

The 2-volume work is available in the Reference Room at call number HB171 .E93 2008.

The purpose of this book is to introduce the field of economics, as well as its related topics personal money management and entrepreneurship, in a simple, meaningful way. It shows that economics, personal money management, and entrepreneurship are related to our ordinary everyday lives. The word finance, which has several meanings, is used to describe anything related to money and the economy. Everyday Finance was motivated by the growing awareness in the United States that economic literacy is essential for functioning in the modern world.

To explain the world of money, Everyday Finance features 300 articles, organized by subject into three major sections. The first, How the Economy Works, contains essays within several broad areas: macroeconomics, describing the economy as a whole; microeconomics, focusing on individual parts or forces in the economy; international trade, or buying and selling between countries; and the government’s role in the economy. Some essays relate to more than one area and were placed where they would be most useful to a person not familiar with economics.

After the first section introduces the basic ideas of economics, the second and third sections explain how people are personally involved in the economy, either as consumers or business owners. The second section, Personal Money Management, is broken down into four typical consumer roles: buying, borrowing, saving, and insuring. The third section, Entrepreneurship, discusses running a business, attracting customers, managing money, working with employees, and business ethics and the law.

Everyday Finance also includes biographies on seven influential economists throughout history. The book has over 220 images, as well as nearly 50 tables, charts, and graphs; a glossary of financial terms; a further reading section; and a subject index, listing all the topics featured in the book.

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