MATR Newsletter - Fri Jan 8, 2016 |
"Our educational system—which routinely tests kids on their ability to recall information and demonstrate mastery of a narrow set of skills—doubles down on the view that students are material to be processed, programmed, and quality-tested." - A Radical Way of Unleashing a Generation of Geniuses - http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
City Club Missoula Presents: Developing Missoula, 1/11, Missoula http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Big Sky Economic Development
Early Edge Montana
- Montana leaders seeking meeting with GE to save Billings operation
We’re trying to convey how important this is to the state of Montana, our partnership with GE. I’m hoping in 2016 we’re going to get it all resolved.” Steve Arvescoug, president of Big Sky Economic Development
Montana Data Focused Business Cluster
- New Federal Education Law Includes a Focus on Early Education
"Provide more children access to high-quality preschool, giving them the chance to get a strong start to their education."
PrintingForLess
- FTC warns companies that 'big data' comes with the potential for big problems
The agency on Wednesday released a new report that advises companies on how to avoid hurting the most vulnerable as they push further into the booming "big data" economy.
Energy and Climate Change
- PrintingForLess Newsletter: Ringing in the New Year
One of the best ways to stick to your business resolutions is to invest in some fresh new marketing material. Calendars? Rack Cards? Booklets? Whatever you need, we're ready to print and deliver.
Come Home Montana
- Governor Bullock announces 27-member Montana Clean Power Plan advisory council
The governor implored the council to focus not on their differences and divisions, but the future. "As Montanans, value the perspective of folks who may not always see things the way that we do," he said.
- Clean Power's Overlooked Tool
In meeting a new federal initiative's ambitious goals for reducing carbon emissions, states should focus on never emitting them in the first place.
Leadership Montana
- Pearl Jam co-founder Jeff Ament's Quiet Contributions to the Big Sky State
In the lotus land of rock-stardom, a model day for Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament stands out in stark relief against the glitzy conventions of the celebrity-establishment.
- Montana Career Opportunities - Data Specialist, Transmission Analyst, Asset Management Engineer and more... - Northwestern Energy
NorthWestern Energy is committed to providing excellent service for our customers.
Montana Business
- Why it takes a team to coach a leader.
Companies around the world are spending billions of dollars every year to coach their leaders despite estimates that coaching fails as often as it succeeds.
- There's an 'invisible' trait that makes leaders more effective -- here's how to develop it
Why are some leaders able to captivate and motivate their audiences wherever they go, while others struggle to get their message across?
Montana Economic Development
- First Call Computer Solutions Marks Its 17th Year With New Websites
Please take a moment to visit our new websites that reflect the latest in our solutions and services.
- Helena based Treasure State Internet unveils Montana fiber-optic internet service with financial services company SoFi as the first recipient
Treasure State Internet is a new ISP startup in Montana. We are committed to providing the fastest internet speeds, the best prices, and the best service available.
- Helena based Treasure State Internet unveils Montana fiber-optic internet service with financial services company SoFi as the first recipient
Treasure State Internet is a new ISP startup in Montana. We are committed to providing the fastest internet speeds, the best prices, and the best service available.
- Missoula Named Host City For 2017 - 2018 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championship
Ben Horan, race director for the Missoula XC, worked very closely with the Destination Missoula and Missoula TBID team to present competitive course maps to the USAC to prove Missoula is the perfect destination for these events.
- Red Ants Pants founder Sarah Calhoun to headline Havre Chamber annual meeting on Jan. 20.
Calhoun has been called a woman of courage, a community mobilizer and an inspiration. The unlikely story of a farm girl turned national award-winning entrepreneur has struck a chord with audiences across the country.
- The Penny Conference For Women - Monica J. Lindeen, 1/20, Missoula, Montana
Warning: this event may shift the way you think about money, and maybe even your life.
TEDx Events in Montana
- For the Flathead Valley, A Big Year of Economic Development Awaits
"From what I'm hearing out there, this year is going to be even more growth than last year. For me, I'm going to have a better year in 2016 than last year," said Chad Graham, a Kalispell city councilor and builder. "I think it's going to be a busy year."
- Ravalli County Food Processing Center Survey - Round 2
We closed the previous survey and have published this new one so that we can get additional information from those who wanted to respond. Please note that this will not be a poultry slaughter or meat packing facility.
Rural Communities
- Today's TED Talk- Sebastian Wernicke: How to use data to make a hit TV show
Competitive, data-savvy companies like Amazon, Google and Netflix have learned that data analysis alone doesn't always produce optimum results.
City Club Missoula
- The Gone Generation: Turning the rural brain drain into a gain
"You hope if you build it, they'll come, Black said. "We felt good about it, but you really just don't know until you get it off the ground."
Government
- City Club Missoula Presents: Developing Missoula, 1/11, Missoula
On Monday, January 11th, join City Club Missoula to hear Mike Haynes discuss the reasons why and solutions provided in the creation of the department, its component parts and the wide range of services it provides to the community.
Idaho Business
- Billings looks to scrap its ethics ordinances in favor of a statewide standard
McKee said that last year, board members were "making major decisions about people and complaints, and it seemed to me it went beyond advisory," which is prohibited under city charter.
- Sex Between Lobbyists, Lawmakers Would Be Publicized 'Gifts' Under Missouri Bill
A Republican state lawmaker has filed a measure that would list sex between lobbyists and lawmakers or their staff as gifts that must be reported to the state ethics commission.
- Bozeman's new mayor on bond measures, jobs and managing growth
The big overarching issue that's related to all of these things is, "How do you manage growth in a way that's sustainable?"
Regional Economic Development
- Idaho Governor Otter hints at help for sagging graduation rate - Idaho’s graduation rate is lower than all but eight states
Governor was surprised to see the rate drop so sharply
- Boise virtual-reality startup IonVR lands partnership with Intel
IonVR is a member of Trailhead, the new Boise nonprofit that provides experts and resources to help member startups grow. Executive Director Raino Zoller said the Intel partnership makes IonVR attractive to the kinds of people the company needs to grow.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Be Nice, It May Help Your City's Economy
Leaders should promote policies that open their cities' economies. Culturally, he says, leaders should encourage, through political rhetoric at least, a more welcoming atmosphere.
Education
- Lego's new toy robot teaches kids coding and engineering
The Lego Education WeDo 2.0 system is a combination of hardware and software that gives elementary school children more than 40 hours of hands-on projects.
Montana Education Excellence
- Credible: How to Compare Lenders to Refinance or Transfer Parent PLUS Loans
Through NerdWallet's partnership with refinancing marketplace Credible, you can compare refinancing offers from the lenders who participate in Credible's platform so you don't have to shop around. We broke down the differences among the eight lenders available so you can see how they compare.
Community
- Annual Economic Outlook Seminar Headed to Nine Montana Cities
This year's program focuses on property tax growth across the state, an issue of importance to many living or doing business in Montana.
Funding and Building your Business
- Ways to Think About Sprawl--and to Critique It - City Club Missoula Presents: Developing Missoula, 1/11
I have a mental conception of what sprawl looks like: mostly air with vinyl exoskeleton and asphalt driveways--the ubiquitous 'burbs.
- New Report: Building Cities for People - City Club Missoula Presents: Developing Missoula, 1/11
Cities succeed by making life better for the vast majority of their citizens. This requires less of a focus on grand theories, architecture or being fashionable, and more on what occurs on the ground level.
Government Technology
- Society for Human Resource Management Panel Unveils 2016 Trends in Technology
Better-educating employees, achieving technology compliance, developing talent insights and improving social media communications are among the 10 technology trends HR will grapple with in 2016, according to the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM's) Technology and HR Management Special Expertise Panel. The trends will be part of SHRM's upcoming Future Insights research report. Comprised of HR practitioners, software vendors, and HR technology professionals with small and global organizations, the group spent nearly a year devising the list.
- Employers show bias against people with disabilities
Employers expressed interest 26 percent less often in candidates who disclosed disabilities in cover letters.
- 6 Entrepreneurs Share The One Idea That Inspired Their Work
The power of great ideas knows no boundaries.
- 10 Important Web Design Best Practices and Tips for Small Business Websites
We'll point you to great resources and examples and highlight recent changes in web design. And if you already have a website but are considering a website redesign, it's a good idea to start with your homepage.
- Why autistic workers make better employees
Frustrated by young employees who spend more time texting than doing their jobs? Want to find an employee who gets immersed in their work and pays close attention to details?
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- 4 Govtech Trends to Watch in 2016
OpenGov Co-founder Zac Bookman identifies key drivers in government tech, including open data and local services.
- How Palo Alto, Calif., Brought the Amenities of a Startup to Government
"It's like government as a startup. It's just been a success on multiple levels."
Transportation
- Jack Dorsey hints Twitter to lift 140-character limit
The character limit for tweets could grow to 10,000, the same limit on direct messages on its service, a source familiar with the situation said.
- MasterCard lets you order groceries from this Samsung fridge
MasterCard recently teamed up with General Motors to enable payments in the key fob you might use in your car. It is enabling payments on all sorts of connected Internet of Things items, from the ring on your finger to other wearable devices.
- Presenting the Class of 2016: 600 of the brightest young entrepreneurs, breakout talents and change agents in 20 different sectors.
The 600 women and men featured in the Forbes fifth annual 30 Under 30 are America's most important young entrepreneurs, creative leaders and brightest stars. Name a business sector, social issue or essential institution, they are taking it on and changing the rules of the game- or creating entirely new playbooks.
- The 10 edgiest innovation ideas of 2016
This year's responses converged around a few key themes - the human brain, the human genome, space exploration and artificial intelligence.
- New wearable translator aims to smash language barriers
Logbar says the next version will include French, Thai, and Korean, while the third will include Spanish, Italian, and Arabic.
- CES: New scanning tech could appeal to doctors and do-it-yourselfers
The technology is able to provide three-dimensional images of rooms, people, tissues inside the body and structures inside walls. It can also act as a kind of spectroscope, able to identify the amount of fat, say, in a glass of milk.
- Scientists Have Invented A New Material That Harvests And Stores Solar Heat
The material could enable self-warming clothes and even increase the driving range of electric vehicles.
- The 7 Best Ideas From CES 2016
Cars aren't the only autonomous vehicles of the future, and drones will come in every size.
- Urbanophobia: A Growing Threat to Public Transit in America
The campaign has become subtler in its approach. But it is making its presence felt almost everywhere public arguments are taking place over urban design and public transportation.
- The Lyft-GM Deal and Why You Probably Won't Buy a Self-Driving Car
"Selling individuals a self-driving vehicle isn't as game changing as getting people to use self-driving cars they don't own." James McQuivey, Forrester
- 3 early morning Delta flights causing headaches at Missoula terminal
"I travel twice a month and I think I've seen it all, other than a plane crash," Dave Kendall of Missoula said Tuesday. "This is not the kind of random act of craziness. This is a planned debacle."
- Chinese drone maker unveils human-carrying drone
After setting a flight plan, passengers only need to give two commands, "take off" and "land," each controlled by a single click on a Microsoft Surface tablet, the company said.
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