Snowtorious B.I.G.
Maybe you've heard: a city downstate of us is dealing with some snow. Stay safe out there, traveling Innovation Trail hikers.
Innovation drought?
A new study from a Canadian economics professor argues that innovation around the world is slowing to a crawl. The Globe and Mail takes a look:
Innovation is literally hitting a wall, of physical and biological limits. Larger and larger investments are netting increasingly modest and incremental gains. We’ve all been living off the fruits of what our parents and grandparents achieved.
Bummer, eh?
The study focused on four key sectors: agriculture, energy, transportation and health care. Of the four, the study says health care has the greatest potential. Even there, though, the professor concludes that we're currently "living in an age of marginal improvement rather than major leaps forward."
E-waste recycling
One day, that really cool gizmo you got this holiday season (iPad, anyone?) will be nothing more than a piece of e-waste.
New York State is preparing for that day with its new Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act.
Rochester's Democrat and Chronicle takes a look at the new law, the centerpiece of which is a free, statewide e-waste recycling program.
Such programs currently exist but consumers are typically charged a fee to responsibly dispose of their old electronics. By passing off the cost to electronics manufacturers, the law seeks to reduce the amount of toxic tech toys that end up in landfills or in burning heaps overseas.
Bull market for 2011
A panel of Buffalo-area investment advisers are predicting good times for Wall Street in 2011. The Buffalo News' team of nine local experts predicts a "slightly better-than-average year," with a 9 percent gain for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and 12 percent gain for the Nasdaq.
Last year, they predicted a 9 percent gain for both indices. How'd they fare?
But while our advisers were predicting a pretty average year for the stock market, 2010 turned out to be quite a bit stronger than that, with the Dow rising by 14 percent and the Nasdaq jumping by 18 percent entering the final week of the year.
Way to go, guys.
Marcellus Shale
A Texas company is expanding into the Marcellus Shale in Northeastern Pennsylvania. About $460 million buys you 15 wells, 11 uncompleted wells and 50,000 prospective acres. The Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin has the AP copy.
Play on player
In case you missed it, our Emma Jacobs has the story of the Buffalo company that still makes music for old-timey player pianos. This year they not only punched out rolls for some Christmas classics, they did the theme to NPR's Fresh Air.
Terry Gross would be proud.
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