In many ways, going green is like going electric was a century ago: The challenge isn't just to invent technologies; it's to create an entirely new industry. Thomas Edison's approach to electricity was a blueprint for industry creation, with its four interdependent components: an enabling technology, an innovative business model, a careful market-adoption strategy, and favorable government policy. By coordinating all four elements, companies can effectively test the viability of their cleantech concepts in the right context, with sufficient scale and minimum investment. Full Article.  

Companies in the U.S. added more jobs than forecast in August, easing concern the world’s largest economy is sliding back into a recession. President Obama said there is “no quick fix” for the economy and urged Congress to pass a package of measures to help small businesses, including tax breaks and aid to ease credit. Full Article. 

Singularity University, the academic institution with the goal of preparing the next generation of leaders to address humanity's grand challenges recently announced the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has joined as Corporate Founder. The partnership will leverage Singularity University programs and Kauffman Foundation research and initiatives to support entrepreneurship and innovation focused on the challenges such as sustainable water, energy and poverty. Full Article.  

Stark differences exist between the oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico and the blast that led to the massive BP spill. Most notably: no one died and no crude gushed into the water. The Coast Guard initially reported that an oil sheen a mile long and 100 feet wide had begun to spread from the site of the blast, but hours later said crews were unable to find any spill. Houston-based Mariner Energy, did not know what caused the fire. Full Article. 

TV shows are emerging as a new front in the war over digital media between Amazon and Apple. Hours after Apple said it would begin renting some shows for 99 cents per episode, Amazon cut its price on a similar set of shows. And—unlike Apple, which rents the videos, Amazon lets its customers buy the shows. Some media executives worry low prices could eventually undermine the existing TV business. Full Article.  

Kleinpeter Farms Dairy made Dairy Foods magazine's list of 100 biggest dairy producers in North America. Kleinpeter is the only Louisiana dairy included in the list. Full Article. 

A federal judge who overturned the Obama administration's initial six-month moratorium on deepwater oil drilling rejected the government's bid to have the court challenge thrown out. The Justice Department asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review Feldman's earlier ruling overturning the first moratorium. Full Article.  

The alligator season recently opened, but alligator hunters are crying more than crocodile tears because of fallen prices for hides. When there was a worldwide demand for luxury items made from alligator hides, prices soared as high as $60 per foot but averaged around $40 per foot. Today, the demand for luxury items has dropped the price of alligator hides. Full Article. 

Burger King Holdings Inc., the nation’s perennially No. 2 hamburger chain, is selling itself to little-known private equity firm 3G Capital in a deal valued at $3.26 billion. Analysts indicated that Burger King struggled to keep up with its rival during the economy’s rollercoaster of the past two years, and may need to try a slightly different approach to turn things around. Full Article.   

The US Coast Guard reported that daybreak brought no reports of oil leaking from an offshore oil platform that erupted in flames on September 2. Thirteen people were rescued after the fire on the Vermilion 380 platform owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy. Full Article.   

The U.S. Coast Guard reported that a mile-long sheen is now visible where an offshore petroleum platform exploded and burned off Louisiana. Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Coklough said the sheen, about 100 feet wide, was spotted near the platform owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy Inc. The fire on the rig is contained, but not extinguished. Mariner Energy deployed three firefighting vessels to the oil rig explosion site and one already was in place fighting the fire. All 13 people aboard the rig were found floating in the water in survival gear. Full Article.  

Building strong emotional ties with our allies and organizations can be a challenge for most leaders. Many of us are more naturally inclined to lead with our heads through strategic planning, extensive analysis, and a steady temperament. In hard times—and we're living through them right now—leading with our heads is not enough. People also want honesty and humanity, and they crave authentic connections to their leaders. Full Article.  

Law enforcement authorities indicated that they plan to launch LA’s first statewide crackdown on drunk driving that will include an expanded “no refusal” component aimed at suspects who refuse to take a blood alcohol concentration test, or BAC. The effort will cover Labor Day weekend — from Friday at 6 p.m. to Tuesday at 6 a.m.  Full Article.  

Gov. Bobby Jindal recently spoke to a crowd of about 360 at a Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce luncheon in the Crowne Plaza hotel. The audience was clearly receptive to Jindal’s message that the moratorium must be lifted to spare the state from an economic fallout from stalled drilling — particularly the oil-fueled economy of Lafayette. Full Article.  

Predictions from market research company Forrester are that, by the end of this year, 10.3 million people are expected to own e-readers in the United States, buying about 100 million e-books, the predicts. The trend is wreaking havoc inside the publishing industry, and the publishing industry is paying close attention, trying to figure out how to market books to households that read in different ways. Full Article.   

The 7th annual LA Looking Up program, which showcases successful entrepreneurs, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at LSU's Lod Cook Alumni Center. Participants include Randy Ewing, owner and president of Ewing Timber Company; Holly Clegg, president and CEO of Holly Clegg Inc.; Perry Franklin, president of Franklin Industries; Tony Simmons, executive vice president of McIlhenny Company; and Thomas Teepell, chief marketing officer for Lamar Advertising. Full Information.   

The second annual CHRISTUS Cabrini Baby Fair & Family EXPO will be held Saturday, September 11, 2010 at the Alexandria Riverfront Center. The show will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will end at 3:00 p.m. Full Article. 

Amazon's looking at offering a new subscription service that would deliver TV shows and movies over the Internet. It's a move that would compete with such companies as Netflix and Google as they seek to broaden their influence in the digital delivery marketplace. Full Article.   

The US Coast Guard confirmed there was an explosion on a rig owned by Mariner Energy in Gulf of Mexico. Around 9:30am, September 2, a rig 80 miles south of Vermillion Bay caught on fire. There were reports of people in the water, and all of the 13 people on the rig are accounted for. Full Article.