Hawking made the point that a short-lived technological society (a small value for "L") means little chance of contact.

CNN: Should we fear space aliens?

Most of what has been produced has been lost due to the ravages of time, ignorance of its value, chemical decay and technological obsolescence.

UNESCO: Communication and Information

What is more, in addition to its direct returns, NASP also will provide technological spin-offs of virtually incalculable value to other civilian and military applications.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: The National Aerospace Plane

Technological advance which means that we can add more value to those resources.

FORBES: A Steady State Economy

"Despite uncertainties in Europe and concerns over the U.S. fiscal cliff creating a difficult business environment, we did our best this quarter to achieve strong earnings based on a strategic focus on differentiated and high value-added products as well as our technological competitiveness, " said Robert Yi, Senior Vice President and Head of Investor Relations.

ENGADGET: Samsung reports $8.27 billion in profits for Q4 2012 HD

"We are pleased to reach an agreement with Verizon which underscores the significant value our distribution partners derive from TiVo's technological innovations and our shareholders derive from our investments in protecting TiVo's intellectual property, " said Tom Rogers, CEO and President of TiVo.

ENGADGET: TiVo settles patent lawsuit with Verizon for at least $250 million, is 'exploring' Redbox Instant support

But whether related to fiscal or technological innovation, brands that understand that real emotional connections can serve as a surrogate for added-value will always top the list.

FORBES: Apple, Amazon, Samsung, YouTube, and Twitter Are 2012 Loyalty Leaders