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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Nov 20, 2009 |
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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 |
“This year, entrepreneurs in 81 cities and towns throughout the state received a shot in the arm by SBA, fostering job creation and bolstering economies. The Montana Small Business Administration plays an important role in enabling our entrepreneurs and small business owners.” Michelle Johnston, Montana district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration http://www.matr.net/cl ... mt%2F
"Montana Talent - Sales, Production Supervision - Blaine Woodgerd" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "The new Ravalli Entrepreneurship Center in Hamilton is OPEN!" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html ---
Montana SBA
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- Small businesses in Richland County and around Montana, it seems, are faring better than expected despite an economic downturn
“This year, entrepreneurs in 81 cities and towns throughout the state received a shot in the arm by SBA, fostering job creation and bolstering economies. The Montana Small Business Administration plays an important role in enabling our entrepreneurs and small business owners.” Michelle Johnston, Montana district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration
Idaho National Laboratory
- Internationalized Domain Name Process Launched November 16, 2009
Beginning December 10, 2009, brand owners will be able to register .eu domain names in a number of non-Latin and special characters.
TechRanch
- Idaho National Laboratory fighting climate change by turning CO2 to stone
CarbFix — a collaborative effort led by the University of Iceland, Columbia University, Reykjavik Energy and France's National Center for Scientific Research — will be the world's first large-scale test study of mineral sequestration in basalt.
- Hydrogen milestone moves energy independence one step forward
The lab is also taking other steps to advance hydrogen research, including building an experiment that will allow them to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide for the synthesis of hydrocarbons.
- Idaho leaders ponder practical paths to reliable electricity
Some in the industry are making a business case for deploying small modular reactors (SMRs) in areas like the Intermountain West.
City Club Missoula
- Convoluted Deal Structure is a Sign that Something Stinks.
You can put a necklace, red dress, high heels and a Kentucky Derby hat on Olivia but she's still a pig. Good deals are simple.
MAPS™ : Media Arts in the Public Schools
- City Club Missoula - "No action is no answer for health care" - “Patch the Crack or Replace the Windshield?”
“The potential for unintended consequences is endless.”
Missoula Children's Theatre
- Hollywood Stars Come Out for Ravalli County Students - MAPS Media Institute
“If our guest lecturers can convince one student that he or she has a shot, our goal has been achieved.” Peter Rosten
Come Home Montana
- The class clown: Missoula Children’s Theatre brings makeup, acting workshops to Magic Valley
Missoula Children’s Theatre teams travel the country to host plays starring local children. This week, the pair of actor-directors is in Twin Falls to put on “ThePrincess and the Pea,” starring 58 local children.
Leadership Montana
- Great Falls named best place to raise kids in Montana
Some of the criteria used in the selection include air quality, job growth, family income, and amenities such as museums, parks, and theaters.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Director of Business Outreach and Recruitment - Big Sky Economic Development Authority Billings, Montana
This position provides leadership, establishes and implements strategies for two of the key missions of Big Sky Economic Development—the retention and expansion of existing businesses and the recruitment of new businesses to Yellowstone County, the Billings, Montana region
- Montana Talent - Sales, Production Supervision - Blaine Woodgerd
I have a proven track record for success.
Montana Business
- How to Maximize Collaboration and Reach Consensus in Under an Hour
First of all, it’s important to define what’s meant by “consensus”.
Regional Economic Development
- Montana slips to #26 in national health rankings
New statistics out today show Montana fell one spot in the ranks of the healthiest states in America.
- Triangle Communications Receives $47 Million Loan to Boost Rural Montana Broadband
These funds will be used to provide new broadband connections to rural Montana residents within Triangle's service area.
- Rivertop Renewables Announces Breakthrough Technology for Commercial Production of Renewable Chemicals
Rivertop’s technology produces glucaric acid, which has been recognized by the Department of Energy (DOE) as one of the top 12 “building block chemicals” that can be converted to a number of high-value, bio-based chemicals or materials.
- Kalispell Chamber Celebrates 105 Years with Annual Meeting
Founded in 1904, the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce is a federation of 700 businesses and organizations. These enterprises employ more than half of the workforce in Flathead County, MT.
Funding and Building your Business
- Dealing with Broadband's Rural Downside
Broadband will benefit rural communities. But it has downsides, too. Rural communities should plan now to make this new technology serve their interests.
- Small Cities Struggle Through Recession
Many families in smaller towns also are looking for jobs in larger cities because of the current recession and are rethinking the wisdom of a lengthy commute to work.
- Proof that Industrial Incentives are Poor Bet
When are we going to halt public expenditures on the "buffalo hunt" for footloose industry and instead focus our resources and efforts on the sector that produces by far most of the jobs - existing industry and homegrown business?
Incubators and R&D
- Goldman Sachs, Buffett to help small businesses - "10,000 Small Businesses"
Goldman's philanthropic effort, called "10,000 Small Businesses," includes a $200 million contribution to community colleges, universities and other institutions to give grants to small business owners to further their education.
- Some Courts Raise Bar on Reading Employee Email
Companies Face Tougher Tests to Justify Monitoring Workers' Personal Accounts; Rulings Hinge on 'Expectation of Privacy'
- Good Question! The Eight Best Questions We Got While Raising Venture Capital
Here are the questions VCs asked Redfin that changed how we think about our business.
- Seven Tips for Facebook Business Use
Today on the Social Media Minute, I wanted to talk about specific ways to utilize Facebook in your web marketing strategy.
Montana Education Excellence
- The University of North Dakota's Energy and Environmental Research Center To Start $7 Million Expansion for Hydrogen Research
The recently completed National Center for Hydrogen Technology needs more room for more research projects, focusing on renewable fuels. The funding for the expansion comes from the U.S. Department of Energy.
- The new Ravalli Entrepreneurship Center in Hamilton is OPEN!
“We have venues of community re-creation in here,” he said. “When the Bitterroot Job Service and the U of M said they wanted to come in, then we ended up with two venues in here that aim towards helping people recreate themselves.”
Utah Business
- Montana State University hopes to expand WWAMI with the hope of keeping more doctors in state.
MSU hopes to double the number of incoming WWAMI students, and to keep students in MSU for their second year of schooling, while also taking some televideo classes from UW's School of Medicine.
- Montana Superintendent Denise Juneau Celebrates American Education Week; Honors Excellence in Teaching and Learning and Urges Montanans Get Involved in Local Schools
"Our public education system does so much for every community and for our state. Public education truly is the cornerstone of our democracy and the bedrock of economic development in this state."
- Gazette opinion: Let’s start fixing up Billings schools
Billings has fallen behind in maintaining and upgrading its buildings. It is time for Billings Public Schools to move forward with a plan to start addressing deferred maintenance in elementary, middle and high schools next year.
- GEDs give young adults brighter future
"My girlfriend's parents are the reason I'm here," Albert said. "I'm pretty proud of myself. I feel great about where I'm going right now."
- University of Montana proposes cuts, tuition increase
The plan recommends cutting $1.4 million in personnel costs and $1.9 million in operations. That may mean fewer adjunct professors, less overtime pay, increased teaching loads and allowing vacant jobs to go dark.
- Montana Superintendent Juneau Announces Teaching Fields Eligible for Student Loan Repayment Assistance
"Identifying these shortage areas helps us recruit the right people for the right places," said Denise Juneau, Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction. “It is important that we do what we can to keep great teachers here in Montana so they can inspire our young leaders and help build a brighter future.”
- Montana Western professor, Rob Thomas receives national recognition
Thomas has been a faculty member at Montana Western for 16 years. In that time he helped transform the institution into the first and only public university in the United States to offer block scheduling. Under this scheduling system, students take one class at a time, three hours per day for 18 days earning the same credits over a year as students do in traditional multiple-course scheduling models. Called Experience One, it's now in its fifth year.
Washington State Business
- Utah Jobs program goes broke
"It is a big blow," said Karen Silver, an advocate with the Salt Lake Community Action Program (CAP). "A lot of people who are unemployed had been going to Workforce Services to beef up their education and training so they can compete better in the job market when it turns around. "A lot of people who are unemployed -- or about to become unemployed -- are not going to have that option," she added.
Wyoming Business
- SIRTI Technology Growth Fund Proves To Be A Critical Source of Growth Capital For Innovative Companies
Three more companies receive capital infusion, bringing total number of loans to 11
Education
- Gov won't fight University of Wyoming tuition hike
No UW student would feel next year's 5 percent increase, but all would pay 10 percent more than the current tuition in the following year.
Government
- Question for the Class Are community colleges the best source of training for 21st-century jobs?
Academics still matter, but technical knowledge may matter more.
- The School of Tech
Idaho is working to leverage its stimulus money for education technology to do more than just plunk computers into classrooms.
- Make universities public corporations
"There is no point in waiting until everything falls off a cliff to do something that could cushion the fall," Frohnmayer said in an interview. "We will fall if we don't do something dramatic."
- 3 out of 4 Americans: Innovation More Important for Future than in Past; U.S. Education is Lagging
While the importance of innovation is recognized, 81 percent of Americans believe the quality of K-12 math and science education lags behind other countries.
- Regents Raise College Tuition in California by 32 Percent
“Diversity is central to this. It’s at stake here.”
- Educators seek ways to help college students succeed
More students will go to college and survive if they are academically prepared and find adults they can connect with on campus.
Community
- Montana Governor Schweitzer Announces Cost Reduction Measure – Elimination of Regional Development Officer Program
In addition to the elimination of the RDO positions, Governor Schweitzer has also directed a reduction of 35% in out-of-state travel.
Connectivity & CommunicationsEnergy and Climate Change
- FCC broadband planners to outline hurdles to universal access
These are the problems identified by the Federal Communications Commission as obstacles in its effort to blanket the country with high-speed Internet service.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Entrepreneurship Opportunities in the Solar Industry
Currently, leadership in the U. S. has made energy independence a strategic initiative. The United States depends on foreign countries for two-thirds of its needs. President Obama believes our excessive reliance upon traditional hydrocarbons is unsustainable (Obama, 2009). Thus, he has made a commitment to renewable energy. Technology changes, coupled with strong interest in using green energy technology, have made solar energy a priority area for renewable energy development.
- University of Montana plans to reduce emissions in a warming world. Montana State University aims for sustainability
“This is going to affect all students across campus in every department. They should care because it is their future and their children’s future that is invested in this plan,” said Erica Bloom, ASUM Sustainability Coordinator.
- Thin-Film Solar with High Efficiency
Solexant is printing inorganic solar cells with nanomaterials.
- Sour Economy Slowed Growth of Climate Change Emissions - When the economy finally heats up again, so will the world.
“This data illustrates that humanity better find a way to decouple economic growth from carbon emission growth – and fast,” said Running, Regents Professor of Ecology and director of UM’s Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group. “For those who worry about slowing the economy down now, climate instability will slow the economy down more, and in ways we can’t control.”
- Michigan Legislature Authorizes $30M for Centers of Energy Excellence
To attract additional federal funds and boost job creation, Michigan legislators passed a bill authorizing the state to spend another $30 million on a program to create alternative energy clusters and support technology commercialization.
- A New Route to Cellulosic Biofuels
ZeaChem's pilot plant will make ethanol using termite microbes.
Government Technology
- IBM announces advances toward a computer that works like a human brain
Veteran computing analyst Rick Doherty at the Envisioneering Group called the scale and significance of their progress "jaw-dropping."
Non-Profit News
- 2010: NASCIO's Top 10 Priorities for State CIOs
Cloud computing, broadband connectivity and the stimulus are high risers on NASCIO's annual list of Top 10 Policy and Technology Priorities for State CIOs.
- Crowdsourcing Social Networks to Inform Public Policy
The new Expert Labs social platforms, Dash said in a statement, have the potential to “make our government better, make our society better, advance scientific research and make people feel more connected to those social institutions that serve them.”
- Nonprofit Shopthefrontier.com provides marketing opportunities for rural artists and artisans.
Welcome to the Frontier. This website, created by Stone Soup nonprofit, is our collective display window for you to explore-to kick back and shop our nonprofit rural marketplace!
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