|
|
|
| MATR Newsletter - Fri Jun 8, 2007 |
|
This MATR newsletter sponsored by: Add an event... Upcoming Events
New Events
MATR supporter: MATR Web services provided by:  To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page |
"Work is the refuge of people who have nothing better to do." -- Oscar Wilde
Economic development is made up of many pieces. The quality of transportation and community life are integral to attracting and retaining innovative individuals. If you're interested in a discussion on something as simple but as crucial as biking in a community, please join the discussion in Missoula next Friday: "City Club Missoula-The Future Of Bicycling In Missoula, 6/15, Missoula" http://matr.net/events ... =1959 --- Also, two great stories about the economic impact of non-profits. $34 Million in Missoula is a measure of the creative spirit and vitality of the community - http://matr.net/news.p ... +News --- which fit nicely with the comments from Bill Gates as he finally gets his college degree from Harvard. Good words for all of us to consider. http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Boomtown Institute
Come Home Montana
- The Agurban from Boomtown Institute - Lickity Split Chocolate Studio
Entrepreneurship can begin at a young age. And it can have very sweet rewards!
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Montana Career Opportunity - Chair, New Communicative Sciences - University of MT/Missoula
Earned doctorate in SLP or AUD, clinical certification, excellence in teaching, scholarship & service, leadership ability. Successful higher education administrative and CAA-ASHA accreditation experiences preferred.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Finance Officer - The Montana Association of Counties
THE MONTANA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES IS SEEKING A FINANCE OFFICER. BACHELORS DEGREE AND FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. EXPERIENCE WITH INSURANCE POOLS PREFERRED.
Montana Education Excellence
- Outsourcing Your Life
Outsourcing has already trickled down from big corporations to small businesses, which now send everything from secretarial work to graphic design to back-end legal research overseas.
- Tacoma’s new role: Consultant to college-town wannabes
"The reason we are here in Tacoma is we want to be like you when we grow up," said Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson
- "Office with a view -- but a doozy commute" - Climber continues to run his accounting while scaling Mt. Everest
That's right: telecommunication has evolved to the point that it's possible to keep working, even from the roof of the world.
- More Kids Not Allowed To Go Out And Play
Fewer and fewer parents are allowing their children to leave the house unattended. Citing safety concerns, nearly half of parents prefer to keep their kids home.
- Do Rural Areas Offer An Alternative To Offshoring?
Researchers at Virginia Tech are looking at ways to attract companies considering moving overseas to relocate to low-cost rural areas of the U.S. -- a concept dubbed "farmshoring".
Education
- Montana’s Governor Schweitzer Named One of Nation’s Most Innovative Education Leaders. Receives 2007 Cable’s Leaders in Learning Award
“We believe education is for life in Montana. We want our young children to have the best start on their education and college to be an affordable dream for all students.” Gov. Brian Schweitzer
- University of Montana Professor Johnnie Moore's Work about the Clark Fork River to Air Nationwide on NPR
He and Hochella will be featured in seven "Pulse of the Planet" episodes that will span their work from gathering the uncontaminated water of Rock Creek to act as a control to testing the heavy metal-laden water of the Clark Fork in state-of-the-art Virginia Tech laboratories.
- Nearly 70% of University of Montana Graduates Will Start Their Careers Here in Montana
At $300 Million, our economic impact is Montana-sized.
- The University of Montana Research View Spring 2007
Everyone has heard of the canary in the coal mine, which sways or drops dead in the presence of poisonous gas, alerting miners to get out. Now a University of Montana research team has learned to understand the collective buzzing of bees in their hives, which can provide a similar biological alert system.
2007 Montana Legislature
- The Posse Foundation identifies, recruits and trains student leaders from public high schools to form multicultural teams called “Posses.”
One of the primary aims of the Posse Program is to train these leaders of tomorrow.
- Stark picture seen in Montana school dropout rates
OPI last year began implementing a statewide student identification system that tracks each student with a number. The system should provide more accurate information on students' public school careers, said Madalyn Quinlan, chief of staff for State Superintendent Linda McCulloch.
- Data suggest states satisfy No Child law by expecting less of students
Almost every fourth-grader in Mississippi knows how to read. In Massachusetts, only half do.
- A laptop for every child - Beneficial or Superficial?
"Trying to connect laptop use and test scores is a narrow viewpoint," Hardy said, adding that many variables determine increased learning. "(High test scores) doesn't tell us a student can go into the world and get a job using his laptop, nor do they tell us if he now has the skills at a community college to research a report and make a video presentation.
- Bitterroot Valley / UM plans concern college backers
Bitterroot Valley residents have already voted a resounding “yes” to establishing their own locally controlled community college. But University of Montana President George Dennison insists on moving forward with a proposal to bring a UM-run Higher Education Center to the Bitterroot.
- Gates Delivers Speech to Harvard Graduating Class
“I’ve been waiting more than 30 years to say this: “Dad, I always told you I’d come back and get my degree,” Gates remarked at the beginning of his speech.
Montana Business
- The 2007 Montana Legislature and Business. Is Montana "Open for Business"
Just saying that our state is “Open for Business” is hollow when businesses are constantly playing defense in Helena.
Montana Economic Development
- Xionetic Locator Web of Bozeman, Montana to Power TomTom's Retail Locator
The program enables TomTom customers and web visitors to search more than 18,000 retailers in the TomTom database to easily and quickly find pertinent store information nearest them, including store locations, hours and phone numbers.
- Searching for co-packer of sauces in Montana - any ideas?
Searching for a co-packer for kitchen sauce, similar to BBQ sauce, in Montana.
- Powered by nature: Missoula company, Solar Plexus harnesses sun, wind, water for home energy
After a decade of testing Missoula’s interest in solar-powered merchandise, the folks at Solar Plexus think they’ve seen the light.
- State of Montana Brings Much More Than Just “SOME Info” to 13,000 Employees
“At the State of Montana, Human Resources wanted to help our 13,000 employees – and almost 6,000 retirees – efficiently and effectively manage their HR, policy, work/life and compensation/benefits issues. We began by deploying self-service solutions with PeopleSoft 8.9, but understood that this would provide for self-service transactions only.
- Computer ER of Missoula, MT is Recognized as an Industry Leader in New Technology
Using sophisticated software tools, Computer ER is able to monitor and manage customer’s networks 24x7x365.
- Montana farmers hope to stimulate local biodiesel fuel source. "Earl Fisher Bio-Fuels"
The idea is to grow the oil seed for biofuels in Chester, and locally produce and sell the fuel, and the animal feed byproduct, said Brett Earl, one of the company's partners.
- Art pays: Study document's Missoula's expanding arts economy is worth $34 million annually
“The key lesson is that communities that invest in the arts reap the additional benefit of jobs, economic growth, and a quality of life that positions those communities to compete in our 21st century creative economy,” asserted Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts.
- Research indicates international trade supports more jobs across Montana
"Montana is reaping the benefits of international trade," said John J. Castellani, president of Business Roundtable. "The study suggests that trade is part of the reason Montana has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation."
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- MWTC's International Business Luncheon: Increasing Trade And Investment Between Montana And Canada, 6/25, Missoula
Please join Canada's Senior Trade Commissioner, Monica Heron, Honorary Consul of Montana, Shirley Ball, and the international trade staff of the Canadian Consulate General-Denver for a discussion on how your company can get a share of the profit!
- Wanna be an entrepreneur? Just stay here (Idaho)
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s advice, based on its reading of The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, is to move to Montana.
- Helena and Lewis and Clark County considering revamping economic development incentive process
Bartel envisions a “menu” that can be provided to local and prospective new businesses, outlining all the incentives available and what firms should be prepared to invest to gain those incentives.
- Montana-Dakota to build wind generation in Montana
This will be our first wind farm in this region. There is a lot of interest by wind developers in this region right now.
Funding and Building your Business
- Angel investing tops $100 million.... in Wisconsin - the result of tax credits enacted for investors in young companies.
The increase in early-stage investing is the result of tax credits enacted for investors in young companies, the formation of the Wisconsin Angel Network and other efforts to spur entrepreneurship, said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Starting a Business? Don't Do This
"Most start-ups make a ton of mistakes."
- Start-Up Lures Talent With Creative Pitch
When companies don't have a lot of money to spend, it's important that they focus on the right pool of candidates.
- Why 'Social Enterprise' Rarely Works
The report advocates a new model that embraces the entrepreneurial spirit of the business world without expecting social-service groups to be self-supporting.
- S.F. doctor, CalPERS seek health investments. $700 Million available
"Our focus is to turbo-charge a portion of our investment portfolio and identify companies for investment that will create products and services that have the effect of reducing the cost of health care,"
- Starting a small business depends more on fortitude than a fortune
You don't need to have friends in the banking or venture capital business to build a successful enterprise.
- Amp Up Recruiting With Online Videos
So how do you standout on a shoestring budget? One solution: Film an online video about your business.
- Employers: Better adapt to young job hoppers
Facing the loss of the baby boom generation, now ages 47 to 64, employers must adjust to younger workers.
Utah Business
- In North Dakota: Farmers share in $2M from carbon credits
North Dakota Farmers Union President Robert Carlson said about 650,000 tons of carbon dioxide was sequestered under the state program last year — about the equivalent of the carbon emissions from more than 130,000 cars.
Utah Economic Development
- Top Utah innovators honored
Utah has the hottest economy in the United States, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said Thursday, adding that it's largely due to the kinds of people who assembled to hear him say it.
Washington State Business
- Utah's tourism Web site ranks fifth for most hits
Utah was behind only Michigan, Virginia, Colorado and Arkansas. Utah had 4.83 percent of all traffic to the 50 state tourism Web sites during the month.
Other Economies
- Telect of Liberty Lake, WA eyes home market, evolves
Telect, which for all of its nearly 25 years in business has focused solely on serving telecom companies, now wants to take what it knows about sophisticated signal connectivity and cable management to the residential market.
Incubators and R&D
- Governor creating a council on innovation
"Our chances of getting it right increase exponentially if we are together on this," Lingle said, adding, "We can't afford not to be together on this."
University TechTransfer
- Concerns about climate could boost Idaho National Laboratory
The head of Idaho's nuclear research lab said global warming concern is one of the reasons nuclear power is poised to make a comeback.
- Universities score well in report on research - They carry as much economic punch as more noted areas in nation
"When business, government and universities pool our assets and collaborate as a team, we turn ideas into action more rapidly, accelerate economic growth and create the new jobs that will return Michigan to prosperity,'' U-M President Mary Sue Coleman said in a news release.
- Research Roundup at Montana State University (#270), Antarctic purity, Sharks, crocs and dinos, Buddhists in Bozeman, Lamb chop potential
Antarctica is known for ice and penguins, but scientists have also found rivers, soggy soil and more than 145 lakes below the glaciers.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- University researchers cashing in on work - Institutes devote more resources for commercial applications
"Universities have a new mode of technology transfer. We're doing additional development work on campus, keeping technologies in-house longer. At the same time, we're doing smaller things with smaller potential value, but getting them out faster. We're not just going for the home runs."
Careers
- Integrating Adult Workers Into the College System. Nearly 34 million have no college experience at all
Using the findings from 80 interviews and 1400 survey responses of post-secondary students and administrators, the report advocates for creating credentialing pathways using career-related courses and increasing financial aid options for adult students.
Non-Profit News
- Just tell me I didn't get the job
Think about it: Do you really want to work for a company that shows so little respect for job-seekers that it leaves them in the dark for weeks on end?
Energy
- Local arts groups rev an economic engine. Non-profits generate $330 million annually in Seattle area, study finds
“Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year—$63.1 billion in spending by organizations and an additional $103.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences,”
- Study Shows $34 Million in Economic Activity and 1174 Jobs are Generated Annually by the Nonprofit Arts and Culture Industry in Missoula
“This study clearly shows what the arts and cultural community have known for years: that the arts industry in Missoula contributes mightily to the local economy,” said Tom Bensen, MCC’s Executive Director.
Connectivity & Communications
- Calif. sees sprawl as warming culprit. State Needs To Follow Sacramento's Regional Planning Model
California is pioneering what could be the next battleground against global warming: filing suit to hold cities and counties accountable for greenhouse gas emissions caused by poorly planned suburban sprawl.
- From Turkey Waste, a New Fuel and a New Fight
The power plant is a novelty on the prairie, the first in the country to burn animal litter (manure mixed with farm-animal bedding like wood chips). And it sits at the intersection of two national obsessions: an appetite for lean meat and a demand for alternative fuels.
- Is Biofuel Water-Positive?
Evaluating whether or not a biofuel crop could be “water positive” is even more subjective to calculate than whether or not that crop is energy positive, but here goes:
City Club Missoula
- Verizon Wireless Customers in Montana Get Faster Wireless Broadband Network
Verizon Wireless customers in Montana can now access e-mail, everyday corporate data, the Internet and more at faster speeds – and upload files up to nine times faster than before.
- Bringing public Wi-Fi to small-towns
"I think towns are putting out RFPs faster than the industry can respond. I mean, there are several thousand cities pursuing this; there are only so many vendors pursuing smaller cities,"
- Could US repel a cyberattack?
Evidence is mounting that cyberwarfare tactics are part of the 21st-century arsenals of powers like Russia and China, yet the United States has not made Internet defenses a major priority.
- New Online Alert System to Enhance NY Emergency Response
NY-ALERT will allow state and local governments to provide notifications to select groups through a secure web portal. This feature will utilize email, facsimile transmissions, text message and dial-out voice messaging.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- City Club Missoula-The Future Of Bicycling In Missoula, 6/15, Missoula
What’s the future of bicycling in Missoula as the city grows? At City Club Missoula’s next lunchtime forum on June 15, six cycling specialists from various bicycle arenas will discuss the possibilities and the realities.
- Cars and Bikes Can Mix, When the Rules of the Road Are Clear - Make driving cars less desirable and alternatives more appealing
Learning to share the road safely is especially important in light of efforts to reduce the nation’s energy needs and greenhouse gases and to increase energy expenditure by overweight Americans. More and more people are riding their bikes to work or for exercise, and cities are frantically trying to keep up by building bike paths on or alongside of roadways.
- City Club Missoula to feature bicycle forum June 15.
City Club Missoula’s June 15 forum will discuss the future of bicycling in Missoula as the city grows. Six bicycling specialists from various arenas will discuss the possibilities and the realities.
- Scientists make equivalent of stem cells in mice
In a significant step toward a long-sought goal, scientists say they've converted mouse skin cells into the apparent equivalent of embryonic stem cells. That may lead to a way around the controversy about using the embryonic cells to treat disease.
- A Wirelessly Powered Lightbulb
Researchers at MIT have created a revolutionary device that could remotely charge batteries and power household appliances.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page