Our province is clearly making a mark on the IT world stage.  This year's I-3 Competition winner, Tether, has been awarded a $100,000 prize package by Innovacorp.  This little company has already attracted worldwide media attention, including coverage in The New York Times, for its simple, inexpensive way for laptop users to connect to the web.  Here in Zone 3, Clare Machine Works was declared the regional winner for its innovative mobile approach to refurbishing oil and gas drilling components.

For all those of you out there - municipal leaders, tourism operators, farmers, fishermen and retailers alike ? who are still wondering how geomatics can actually help build your business or better manage your tax base, the November Tech Social is a must-attend event. Here's your chance to become familiar with an emerging technology that, with NSCC-COGS as our jewel in the crown, is primed to become an economic cornerstone of our region. This informal presentation will concentrate on the fundamentals of GIS, drawing on real life examples and demos, all in the relaxed atmosphere of a homey pub with lots of time to ask all the questions you want.

Now in its second year, NSERD's voucher program provides small and medium-sized businesses with vouchers, worth up to $15,000, to work collaboratively with publicly funded institutions, such as NSCC-COGS. Businesses use the vouchers to obtain assistance in areas such as applied research, engineering services, prototyping and field testing. This might be just the way to incorporate geomatics into your business!

Today's I-3 Competition Launch at NSCC in Middleton kicks off with a presentation by InNOVAcorp president Dan MacDonald.  With only three weeks to complete your application, it's important that you join us for today's Pitch Session.  We'll help you polish your concept and presentation!  Here's everything you need to know about the competition, with event details here.

Believe it or not, the I-3 Competition prize package is on par with that which is offered by the likes of tech giant Google.  And InNOVAcorp's scope includes innovations that are not just from the IT field - it can be practically any kind of technical innovation, such as Roland Swift's $100,000-prize winning banding machine, an idea born and bred in Digby County.  Timelines for entering this year's competition are extremely tight, so we encourage you to pitch your idea to us right away.

In today's economy, spending money on advertising is often thought of as an extravagance.

However, there are bargains to be had.  As economic numbers go down, radio listenership goes up.  And with ad revenues low across the media board, this is the perfect opportunity to negotiate time on your local radio station.  For small business owners, or anyone offering value for money, this could be just the ticket to create sales.

I am fascinated by advertising, good and bad.  Always have been.  How could I not be?  I grew up watching reruns of 'Bewitched' and 'The Dick Van Dyke Show.'  The lead characters both worked in advertising.  It seemed like the coolest job around.

Get your feet wet with DSWNA's new co-op radio promotion -- a really great and inexpensive way to explore radio advertising!

Here's more info.

Urban studies theorist, professor and author, Richard Florida, today spoke with Jillian Findlay on CBC Radio's The Current.  A transplanted American, and now a permanent resident of Canada, Florida talked about the differences between the economic situation here versus the US. He began by remarking that he is "happy that our little nest egg is all in Canadian banks."

We are indeed fortunate that the banking system in this country is stable, and that while we can justifiably gripe about bank fees, I would also argue that our national banks did not succumb to the grandiose greediness that has run rampant in the US. 

Most certainly we are witnessing the decline of the old industrial economy.  However, we are perfectly positioned to benefit from the emergence of the knowledge based economy.  The key is creative energy:  identifying it, investing in it, and harnessing it, with the goal to build a stronger, sustainable future.

It's a weekday morning. You fire up the computer and brace yourself for the onslaught of email. You're not alone.

But have you ever wondered what happens to all this digital information? Where does it come from? Where does it go? How does it affect our lives?

Grab a coffee and take 5 minutes to watch this video. Forget the fast line. We live on the Information Highway. We just have to get on and start driving.

Since arriving here in Annapolis Digby last year, I've been asked for my best marketing advice many, many times. It quickly became my mantra to respond: "In terms of marketing, the best thing you can do for your business is to get a website up and running." Lately, I've added a caveat: "If creating a website is out of reach at this moment, then build yourself a blog -- it's free, all it costs is your time."

If you are a small business owner who wears many hats, technology is not a thing you're likely to conquer.  The average person simply can't keep up with the speed at which technology grows these days.  However, with free options like blogging, e-marketing is at least becoming more democratic and not just an option for those with pots of money. So the idea then is to make the internet your friend, a tool that can help you build your business.

There are a growing number of blogging formats available at no cost: Check out blogspot.com, typepad.com, wordpress.com, and there are others. Find the one that suits your style and comfort level. If you still feel uneasy about the process, give the job to a teenager -- they'll have it done in no time!