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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Nov 18, 2016 |
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"There are three kinds of men. The ones that learn by readin'. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
Big Sky Commerce Winter Promotion to enable your business to fully accept chip cards and NFC payments http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Gov. Steve Bullock
Montana Politics & Legislature
- Governor Bullock Releases Budget that Builds on Fiscal Strength and Makes Responsible Investments to Grow Montana's Economy and Create More Good-Paying Jobs
"It's time to put Montana jobs ahead of Montana politics and get this done."
Montana Code Girls
- Montana Infrastructure Coalition Adopts Legislative Package
"Montana hasn't adjusted our revenue tools and infrastructure funding formulas in decades, and we are unable to keep pace with growing physical and regulatory demands. Our goal as a Coalition is to identify sustainable funding for the essential infrastructure required to build and maintain healthy communities and a robust economy."
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- 16 Tech Jobs That Have A Gender Pay Gap
Despite widespread recognition that women are paid less than men for the same jobs, the gender pay gap lives on.
Montana Office of Tourism & Economic Development
- Improvements to technology used in your business are eligible for patenting--it's not your business.
Since the Supreme Court's recent Alicei decision, a new challenge has appeared: expressing software in a patent eligible way.
Visit Montana - Montana Dept. of Tourism
- Governor Bullock Announces Funding to Grow Businesses, Create 310 New Jobs across Montana
Governor Steve Bullock today announced $266,800 in grants to help businesses in six Montana communities, supporting the creation of 310 new jobs for hard-working Montanans and help Main Street Montana businesses plan for future growth.
Big Sky Commerce
- Mamalode - Learn how two supermoms are making their dream of raising a family and building a publishing empire come true in Montana.
Mamalode Magazine founders Elke and Dori are embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. See why Montana makes it all possible.
Energy and Climate Change
- Big Sky Commerce Winter Promotion to enable your business to fully accept chip cards and NFC payments
Is your business still not accepting chip cards while assuming related liability from fraud and chargebacks?
Come Home Montana
- How Spokane Is Building a Smart City From the Grid Out, With Transactive Energy Included
Avista and Itron are undertaking a hometown smart city project, from smart meters, streetlights and air sensors to distributed energy trading. Here's how it will work.
- Dan Rather: Now, More Than Ever, We Must Stand Up for Science
"What the (insert the popular profanity of the future)?" they will likely ask. "Why was there hardly any mention of climate change?" Or will the future inhabitants of Earth be so distracted by survival that they won't even care what happened in 2016 when the greatest country on the planet at that time denied this problem existed?
- Tesla's solar roof will be cheaper than a regular roof, Musk says
Musk claims the solar roof will cost less to manufacture and install than a non-solar roof, even without the electricity savings.
- The North Pole is an insane 36 degrees warmer than normal as winter descends
The Arctic is super-hot, even as a vast area of cold polar air has been displaced over Siberia.
- France to shut down all coal power plants by 2023
Ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy went even further, suggesting that France should apply a "carbon import tax" on all US goods should Trump renege on the treaty.
- Solar-powered street light charges electric vehicles
Smart energy design company Totem Power introduced the Totem, a connected energy hub that provides light, EV charging, wifi and 4G.
- Montana Power Storage Project From Absaroka Energy Gets Positive Review from Feds
During times of peak consumer demand or when the wind stops blowing, the water would be released to turn hydropower turbines and keep electricity flowing.
Montana Business
- Montana Career Opportunities - Inside Sales Professional, Software Engineer, Mobile App Developer and more... - Orbital Shift
With offices in Missoula and Bozeman, Montana, Orbital Shift strives to be a great place to work by providing an exceptional experience and culture that encourages team happiness and health.
Montana Economic Development
- Next Frontier Announces Fifth Montana Investment, Orbital Shift, Leader in Workforce Management
Successful Closing of a $1.25 Million Strategic Round of Investment, Led by Next Frontier Capital, Will Help Propel Orbital Shift Product Development, Customer Service Forward
- S&K Technology's Global Success Story in Polson, Montana - Has earned more than $25 million since 2002 for the CSKT tribal government
From its headquarters in Polson, a small tech startup has developed into one of the most successful tribally owned companies in the nation with a leading role in aerospace innovation
- Bozeman-based Wisetail Earns Spot on OUTSIDE's Best Places to Work Montana's Fastest Growing Tech Company Earns Spot on "National Dream Job List"
"This recognition validates our commitment to adventure often and enjoy Montana's wide open spaces so we can be a healthier, more inspired and a higher performing team," said Wisetail CEO, Justin Bigart.
- Missoula based Audience Awards launches small business video contest for GoDaddy
The submissions for this contest are documentary-style shorts of actual small businesses from your town.
- New Overtime Laws Causing Confusion for Local Businesses
Businesses, especially those based in the outdoors, are trying to figure out how new law will affect them
- Blue Cross losing about 2 percent of Montana workforce amid parent company's IT restructuring
Information technology and server jobs will be included in the layoffs.
Rural Communities
- Growth the answer to Bozeman's low wages, consultant says - It's all about very focused industry clusters
"That's why wages are low," she said. "You don't have a lot of competition right now."
- Tester Announces $90 Million to Strengthen Business and Boost Economy
Senator Jon Tester today announced the Montana Community Development Corporation has received $90 million in New Market Tax Credits to help create jobs and grow rural communities across the Treasure State.
Canada Business & Economic Development
- In New Mexico, a way out of the boom-bust cycle?
Seeking to capitalize off its reputation as an energy producer, Lea County rebranded itself as "The EnergyPlex," and started recruiting nuclear, solar and wind energy firms.
- Intensely Local: How Some Rural Hospitals Thrive
Under myriad pressures, an increasing number of rural hospitals are either shutting their doors or joining up with large systems. Some, though, continue to do quite well as independents.
Business Plan Forums
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Calls for Investment in Youth, Women in Entrepreneurship
"The Government of Canada is committed to helping Canadian entrepreneurs grow their businesses and thrive - here at home and abroad."
Government
- EPIC Pitch Competition, 12/7, Missoula, Montana
The goal of the competition is to encourage innovative and creative thinking as well as prepare students for the John Ruffato Business Startup Challenge. This is an opportunity for teams to present early-stage, exciting ideas for new businesses or social entrepreneurship ventures.
Idaho Business
- Colorado Governor's Plan to Poach Corporate Leaders
John Hickenlooper hopes to recruit high-level talent for the next generation of public officials.
- Forecasts predict strengthening Montana economy, revenues
"These improvements do not imply a boom, but simply that Montana, generally, will see better economic conditions than those that have prevailed over the last couple of years," the governor's report said.
- The Role of Government in Job Creation
Contrary to campaign promises, the federal government has little power to directly create jobs. State and local governments, however, have a few more cards to play.
Oregon Business
- In Twin Falls, Idaho, co-dependency of whites and immigrants faces a test
Twin Falls is now a testing ground for whether the bitter cultural divisions intensified by this year's presidential campaign can recede in favor of the co-dependency that marks many communities with large white and immigrant populations.
Regional Business
- LinkedIn's new 8-megawatt data center in Hillsboro will serve as a template for others
LinkedIn would not say how many people work at the site, but even large data centers typically employ no more than a few dozen - and some have just a handful of employees.
Regional Economic Development
- Cable TV is dying. Here's what comes next
Your cable company is hearing funeral drums.
- Airbnb hosts can now also make money as tour guides
The announcement came as efforts to regulate its rentals in San Francisco and elsewhere took another spin through the court system, reflective of the protracted tussle between Airbnb and other "sharing economy" companies and the municipalities that want to tax and regulate them.
- Table service, touch-screen order kiosks coming to all U.S. McDonald's
With the ability to customize, upgrade and add-on items themselves, customers also tend to spend more per visit, Easterbrook said.
University of Montana & Montana State University Tech Transfer
- Center for Economic Development Newsletter - November 2016
In honor of Veterans Day, this month's Map of the Month shows the percent of impoverished veterans by county.
- I'm not worried about Millennials taking over. Just the opposite. I'm excited about it.
We need to be planning now to ensure that they have access to the next-gen mobile technologies they need.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- MSU's Director of Special Projects Rebecca Mahurin elected to nonprofit board that supports and advances the transfer of academic technology
"We think creating jobs is a big part of our mission. Certainly, transferring the technologies so they will help the intended customer or client is also a mission."
- Montana State University Technologies Available For Licensing
Is there a Unicorn in this inventory?
Montana Education Excellence
- If We Don't Act Now, Who Will Teach Our Kids?
America's schools are in crisis, and the only people who can give our kids the education they deserve are underappreciated and underpaid. Think it doesn't matter? Think again.
- Today's TED Talk - Help for kids the education system ignores
Define students by what they contribute, not what they lack -- especially those with difficult upbringings, says educator Victor Rios.
- Innovation in Education: Unleashing the Talent
As one successful experiment has shown, giving educators the discretion to perform is key.
Funding and Building your Business
- University of Montana Journalism School Joins New Google News Lab Initiative
The network is the latest effort by the School of Journalism to deploy technologies to tell and distribute stories in new ways.
- Montana's 1st GOP superintendent of public instruction in 28 years outlines agenda
"Children are not a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent - they're our kids."
- MSU program to recruit, educate American Indian school leaders receives $1.3 million
Today, more than 100 American Indian educators are licensed as school administrators in Montana, and about 90 percent of these administrators are I LEAD graduates and serve in key leadership positions
Montana Biotech
- How to Find Employees in the Era of the "New Passive"
Let's face it--recruiting and finding new, qualified employees isn't getting any easier.
- Small Biz Health Insurance Deal Beats Obamacare
Because of a little-known "quirk" in the Affordable Care Act this allows small businesses a chance to offer employees - even if as few as one employee enrolls - a job -based plan that is equivalent to the best deals offered by major insurers.
- How to Form a 'Mastermind' by Sharing Ideas To improve your business, learn from those around you.
In this video, Entrepreneur Network partners Chris Haddon and Jason Balin discuss the power of forming a mastermind and how it can benefit you and your business.
- Educate employees today to generate profits tomorrow - Wisetail
Creating a culture of constant regeneration results in a virtuous cycle of learning more, teaching more, and creating higher-quality relationships.
- Global business requires a different mindset
To be a global business, you'll actually need to visit the places where you want to make money, and you'll want to have some knowledge of the area when you go.
- The End of Digital Advertising as We Know It
Facebook officials' comments recognize that advertising has its limits online and may have peaked.
Connectivity & Communications
- Butte's BioScience Laboratories gives public a peek inside
Kapperud said BioScience isn't conducting any weird experiments involving Frankenstein.
Non-Profit News
- SpaceX just took another step toward delivering superfast Internet from space
SpaceX has asked the government for permission to test what could someday be a massive network of satellites that will beam Internet service down to Earth.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- 'Guardian Spirit' - Disabled Montana man starts autism non-profit
"I want to help families to get help for their family members."
Transportation
- Today's TED Talk - How the blockchain will radically transform the economy
The blockchain will eliminate the need for centralized institutions like banks or governments to facilitate trade, evolving age-old models of commerce and finance into something far more interesting: a distributed, transparent, autonomous system for exchanging value.
- These 6 new technology rules will govern our future
Life will be so affordable that survival won't necessitate having a job.
- Google app to digitize boxes of old photo prints
Still trying to figure out what to do with that big box of old photos.
- Google's new website lets you play with its experimental AI projects
The site offers hands-on demos that allow you to interact with projects created by Google researchers that show off their AI technology.
- Cognitive computing can lead to thoughtful solutions, expert says
Supercomputers already are being used to tackle problems in disciplines such as medicine, education, energy exploration and criminal investigation
- Facebook's status update: broadband bets, chattier bots, stricter security
"A constellation of these will eventually provide the Internet backbone we need over suburban areas."
- Exoskeleton Systems Will Change the Workplace Forever
Versatile, low-cost bionics can reduce muscle strain and prevent injuries across multiple industries.
Events
- Autonomous vehicles could get broad bipartisan support
He thinks autonomous vehicles (AVs) are about to usher in a major breakthrough for our society--no matter who's in the White House.
- Google patent shows vision of self-driving cars flocking to pick up customers
"It's clear that the car companies including Ford and GM and the German makers are thinking deeply about this, plus Tesla. They're all pushing to see how far they can get by 2020."
- Which electric car is greener: Battery or fuel cell?
"Studies such as these are needed to identify the lowest cost and most efficient pathways to deep decarbonization of the global energy system."
- How Sensors, Smartphones Can Bring the Road Solutions We Need
Some cities are turning to digital monitoring to replace traditional processes, enabling more frequent and accurate assessment of infrastructure quality.
- App to Summon the Closest Taxi to Launch in St. Louis
The app will link all licensed cabs in the area and allow passengers to hail taxis the same way they summon an Uber car.
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