PatentBaristas.com: President-elect Barack Obama and his Vice President, Joe Biden, plan to make many changes during the next 4 years, some of them more difficult than others to enact, but according to a timely post by Stephen Albainy-Jenei, the duo are very pro-science/technology with strong statements to back up this leaning. In What Will The New Administration Bring to Patents and Technology? Albainy-Jenei lists the incoming administration's policies on these important areas with encouraging news on intellectual property, the fight against piracy, and a firm promise to increase both R&D funding and the pursuit of scientifically-sound advice when making legislative decisions. Here's just one example of the what the future holds for US patent and IP efforts abroad and at home: "Protect American Intellectual Property Abroad: The Motion Picture Association of America estimates that in 2005, more than nine of every 10 DVDs sold in China were illegal copies. The U.S. Trade Representative said 80 percent of all counterfeit products seized at U.S. borders still come from China. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will work to ensure intellectual property is protected in foreign markets, and promote greater cooperation on international standards that allow our technologies to compete everywhere." Hear, hear and "Yes, we can!"

 YesToMe.com: Sometimes inspiration comes from unlikely sources, in this case, an interview with entrepreneur and life coach Tom Volkar courtesy of Akemi Gaines. YesToMe is a bit new-agey and healing crystal-ish, but that doesn't keep it from hitting a homerun with a encouraging bit of reporting. Coaching The Freedom Of Self-Employment: Tom Volkar highlights Volkar's journey from working stiff to self-employed small businessman with the requisite hard times and hard-fought victories that come in a classic tale of Horatio Algier-esque struggle. Takeaway: "I totally agree with the importance of authenticity! I also like his advice on how to choose the supports and advice with care. The moral encouragement from friends and family is nice, but if they are not entrepreneurs themselves, do take it with a grain of salt. That kind of free advice can cost you a lot in terms of your time or missed opportunities. So thank them with grace, and find other entrepreneurs and real pros for advice." Be sure to read the entire interview (it's quite compact!) for more wisdom on how one startup managed to navigate the rocky waters of going it alone.

Gizmodo.com: Gimmick or 21st-Century technology at its finest? The holographic interviews conducted by CNN on Election Day 2008 might appear on the surface to be a bit showy or even creepy, but they were, without much question, a technology tour-de-force that pushes the limits of current computer ability and paves the way for three-dimensional television. Get all the details in How the CNN Holographic Interview System Works and be prepared for more holographic interaction in the near future. What's next, "Beam me up, Scotty?"

DigitalNomads: Business people travel a lot in pursuit of the next deal or while making routine sales calls, but often times this puts sensitive and critical data at risk due to the high incidence of laptop theft where travelers tend to frequent. Think rental cars, hotel rooms and airports; prime places for thieves to spirit away your favorite road warrior lappie, data and all. The good folks at DigitalNomads suggest you take the advice of the CIA and protect one of your business' most valuable resources with a multi-step program to ensure your data remains secure and inaccessible to prying eyes. A tip to get you started on your laptop security program: "[D]igital nomads must be careful about which networks they use to transmit data. Open Wi-Fi access points might seem to be a handy bargain, but they have also been used to gain access to sensitive data. Hotel and corporate guest networks can also be used in this manner. It is better to rely on 3G modems which are harder to snoop. One should also always use VPN software or secure web sites when dealing with sensitive data." If you are not already implementing these measures, the sooner the better. Read The CIA Model for Digital Nomadsby Stephen Foskett for additional ways to keep your bits and bytes in order.

Entrepreneur.com: Non-profits are one of many ways to pursue your goals of changing the world as a business owner. There are numerous legalities to keep in mind, however, before you make the jump from for-profit to not-for-profit, and Jeffrey Steinberger, veteran trial attorney and the founder and senior partner of  The Law Offices of Jeffrey W. Steinberger, has some excellent information on what a non-profit is, exactly, and what it means to do business as one in Can I Operate my Business as a Non-Profit? From Steinberger's article: "[A] non-profit is an organization that has no owners and that has as its purpose the promotion, advancement and achievement of a specific mission. Like a business, a non-profit can take the form of a corporation or an unincorporated group of persons banded together to achieve their mission. The missions of non-profits can be as varied as the human experience. For example, non-profits are formed to advance local, national or international missions such as charitable work, disease prevention, humanitarian relief and environment goals. Non-profits also can be as simple as a group of concerned citizens who want to fund a neighborhood watch or parents who have bake sales, car washes, or pancake breakfasts to earn money to finance their children's little league teams or scout troops." There are some examples of non-profit organizations that are a bit more complicated than bake sale fund-raising, so be sure to read the entire piece for at least a basic primer on non-profits and at best, a road map to achieving your mission.