The development and exploitation of intellectual property, and participation in the global information economy, are not dependent upon geography. It can take place from anywhere, from the inside of an empty factory in Detroit, to a small country road, nestled between the rhododendron and the river. From the R&D lab at a university, to a barren plain in New Mexico. To move from coal to content, we must foster a dynamic and profitable environment for entrepreneurship, through a supportive and robust university community, through state legislation and institutional support and through effective utilization of intellectual property laws. Intellectual property and technology can be used in transitional economies to create meaningful opportunities for young people to live and to work in their communities, to make efficient use of their own resources. This issue spans art and science, business and industry, culture and environment. Twin-pops and telephones. Intellectual property can help people use traditional resources in the new economy -- the art, the music, the know-how -- and to cultivate human knowledge and creation in a manner that benefits these communities across the country. This is the American story, too - to create wealth from within.
