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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Feb 23, 2010 |
“If a man speaks his mind in a forest and no woman hears him, is he still wrong?” Sir Ken Robinson http://matr.net/articl ... .html
Great upcoming events to put on your summer "must attend" calendar. : "Montana Ambassador Annual Conference - Montana’s Recovering Economy: Where Do We Go From Here?, 2/25-26, Great Falls" http://matr.net/articl ... .html --- "The Wheeler Center - "The 'Next' Economy: A Public Discussion On Jobs And Innovation", 4/5-6, Bozeman, Montana" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Western Governors Annual Meeting, 6/27-29, Whitefish, Montana" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Montana Sen Baucus Will Host 5th Statewide Job Creation Economic Summit, 9/13-14, Butte, Montana" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Ignite Missoula
Missoula Public Schools Excellence
- Brain Exercise: The Top 10 TED Talks - These presentations are truly amazing!
Do you ever just take the time to learn about something that may have nothing to do with your immediate job or personal life?
Montana SBA
- President Obama enlists governors to raise the education bar. Proposes New Reading and Math Standards
"Because too many students are not learning the basic skills needed to succeed in college or work while they are in high school," the White House said in the statement, "the nation sacrifices more than $3.7 billion a year in lost productivity and remedial education costs."
Idaho National Laboratory
- Statement from Administrator Mills on Continuing Support for Small Businesses through SBA Recovery Programs
The SBA advocates for small businesses across the federal government and will continue its efforts to keep America’s small businesses on a path to recovery and long-term success.
The Burton K. Wheeler Center
- Idaho National Laboratory - Roasting biomass may be key process in bioenergy economy
Biorefineries may soon rely on a process akin to roasting coffee beans to get more energy-dense biomass.
Bill Payne
- The Wheeler Center - "The 'Next' Economy: A Public Discussion On Jobs And Innovation", 4/5-6, Bozeman, Montana
With the collapse of a number of businesses, projected revenue shortfalls, decreasing stimulus funds, and 6% unemployment, how will we rescue our economy in the short and long term? What is "next" for our economy?
Highway 12 Ventures
- Angel Group Deal Flow Statistics
It’s a GREAT time to be an angel. Find a group and jump in!
Come Home Montana
- So What Is Your Start-Up Worth?
So how do we do it? At Highway 12 Ventures, we like to start at the end. What does that mean?
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Montana Career Opportunity - The United States District Court for the District of Montana is currently seeking contract Spanish Interpreters.
The United States District Court for the District of Montana is currently seeking to hire contract Spanish Interpreters for translation during Court proceedings.
Montana Business
- RISE finds ever more ways for startups to get going, growing
The idea behind RISE — which stands for Relationship and Information Series for Entrepreneurs — is to provide a forum for aspiring, new and veteran entrepreneurs to connect and exchange ideas in small group sessions.
Montana Economic Development
- First Interstate Bank may sell public stock by July - Scotts face long odds in trying to pass on business
In 42 years, Billings-based First Interstate BancSystem Inc. has grown from a single bank in Sheridan, Wyo., to a group of 72 banks in Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota. And, since 1998, the bank’s assets have grown from $2.2 billion to more than $7 billion at the end of 2009.
Regional Economic Development
- Montana Senator Tester to introduce bill to ‘level the playing field’ for Montana businesses
“The Level Playing Field Act will open the door for smaller companies to get some skin in the game,” Tester said. “All too often we see the bigger firms at the head of the pack, competing for—and winning—the biggest contracts. This bill will change that.”
- Missoula business leaders tell Senator Baucus: Pass health reform, loosen bank regulation
"Well, it would be nice to have a business person on his cabinet," Sen. Baucus said in pointed criticism. "We have all those people there, and not one of them has run a business or had to meet a payroll."
- Economic Summit Focuses on Tourism Potential for Glacier National Park Centennial
It’s up to the cities and businesses to help themselves, Fisher stressed, and the time to start is now.
- GOP hopes Oregon tax increases mean Montana business
It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and these days, jobs may be the bone.
- Montana Sen Baucus Will Host 5th Statewide Job Creation Economic Summit, 9/13-14, Butte, Montana
"Since I first started hosting these summits ten years ago, they've just gotten better and better. I have a feeling this is going to be our best summit yet. More than ever before, Montanans are working together to get our economy back on track. We are working to create good paying jobs that will keep Montana families right where they belong- here in Montana."
- How America can create jobs
Just saving American business from catastrophe was a heroic enough task over the past two years. Now, however, the focus has shifted to that one-syllable mantra that is the fundamental building block of economic growth: jobs.
Careers
- Economic revitalization starts on the community level.
“There’s positive recognition of the value of a regional economy with a base in the local community. Regions are now working together for efficient knowledge sharing, which is resulting in a flow of capital and expertise. It’s these regional efforts that are priming the pump for local community economic development." Steven Mercil
- Pivotal Investments Seeks to Build Northwest Regional Network of Future Cleantech Leaders
Pivotal Investments, an early-stage venture fund focused on cleantech and sustainability, is organizing what it’s calling Pivotal Leaders—a new network of community-nominated entrepreneurs and executives who will be voted the most promising candidates to lead new companies in this emerging sector.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Top Seven Things a New CIO Should Know
Being an effective CIO isn't all about IT, industry leaders say. It comes down to balancing the lure of technology with current business trends and keeping staff motivated.
Funding and Building your Business
- Do Tax Credits for Angel Investors Boost Innovation?
With a growing community of medical innovation, Minnesota is attempting to play catch-up with its neighbor state Wisconsin whose similar tax credit has provided rocket fuel for innovation.
- Private Equity and Venture Capital to Forge the Way in New Economy
The global economic crisis has cut across all sectors, but in its aftermath, private equity and venture may well emerge as leaders in the financial world.
Incubators and R&D
- Three Ps increase chances of raising capital
Rather than luck, a great idea or networking, it’s these three ‘musts’ that help entrepreneurs attract venture capital.
- A tale of two Silicon Valley startups, one classic and one quirky
LensVector and Kwedit both happen to be based in Mountain View and both came out of stealth mode early this month. More striking is the way these companies, each in its own way, exemplify the valley's capacity for innovation and resilience against economic trouble.
- The ABC's Of RFP's, 03/11, Helena
Responding to RFP's before your competition does may give you the EDGE you need.
Montana Education Excellence
- Montana State University team developing new way to fight influenza
If it works in humans the way it does in mice, people will prepare for a respiratory viral assault by inhaling an aerosol spray containing tiny protein cages that will activate an immune response in their lungs.
University TechTransfer
- Student-built house in Missoula, Montana to be raffled off for $100 a ticket
In addition to the Grand Prize home, three other prizes will be awarded: first prize, a $20,000 car; second prize, a $10,000 boat or recreational vehicle; and third prize, a $5,000 home entertainment system.
Idaho Business
- North Dakota State University, Fargo and Triton Systems, Inc., Partner on Tech Transfer Coatings Research
“Establishing this facility at this juncture, in partnership with the State of North Dakota, strongly complements the commercialization path that we're on,” said Ross Haghighat, Triton president and CEO. “Our customers will benefit immensely from the synergy between Triton and NDSU.”
- CU-Boulder Tech Transfer Office squeezed by recession
In past years, CU's tech transfer has doled out about $2 million annually to help develop CU technologies that have led to start-up companies, or are headed in that direction. This year, the office will award only about $800,000, said David Allen, executive director of CU's tech transfer.
- Defending the University Tech Transfer System
American universities create more than two startup companies each working day, according to a 2008 AUTM survey, and such startups have longer life spans and raise more capital than non-university affiliated startups.
Oregon Business
- River’s Edge Energy, Inc To Build Small Scale Vertical Wind Turbines in Eastern Idaho
River’s Edge Energy, Inc. has contracted with All Bright International to sell and install wind turbines in all 50 states.
Education
- Oregon startups find success -- some find it elsewhere
Oregon's struggles at nurturing startups are well-known and well-documented. Entrepreneurs complain they can't find enough talented executives here, or enough financial backing, and so they go elsewhere.
Making the Most of the American Prairie
- High schools can compete to have President Obama at graduation
The winning school must demonstrate how it's helping prepare students to meet Obama's goal of the U.S. having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.
- Fifty Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do)
The idea behind this new book by Gever Tulley and Julie Spiegler is that by allowing our children some exposure to slightly dangerous things (with supervision and care, of course) we can help foster creativity, teach problem-solving, and have some good old-fashioned fun at the same time. Read More http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2010/02/gever-tulley-talks-about-fifty-dangerous-things-you-should-let-your-children-do/#ixzz0gBUmMHVg
- New TV show makes science cool for girls
It's a worthy goal. While science and engineering jobs are set to grow twice as fast as other jobs by 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women only make up a quarter of those in science and engineering.
- Levy would finance battle against Spokane high-school dropout rate
A high school dropout can cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in social services, one study shows. Dropouts are 63 times more likely to be institutionalized and three times more likely to be unemployed than high school graduates.
- In reality, simulation is key to math education, says Stanford mathematician
"The textbook is perhaps the worst possible medium for teaching mathematics," says Stanford mathematician Keith Devlin.
- Textbooks That Professors Can Rewrite Digitally
Professors will be able to reorganize or delete chapters; upload course syllabuses, notes, videos, pictures and graphs; and perhaps most notably, rewrite or delete individual paragraphs, equations or illustrations.
- Tuition-free, online education? Try University of the People
It is a grand vision: a global college with no tuition, accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.
Government
- Montana's grasslands considered for protection
The Northern Montana prairie contains some of the largest unplowed areas of grasslands in the world and some of the best habitat regions in all the Great Plains.
Other Economies
- Montana Public Invited to Comment on Proposed State Budget Cuts
"We have limited time for comments at the meeting," said Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, who chairs the committee, "and we want to make sure everyone gets an adequate chance to give us their feedback before the governor makes his budget decisions. So we want to encourage people to contact us by e-mail."
- States Have Not Yet Seen the Worst of Economic Times, Governors at Meeting Say
“State revenues continue to deteriorate, as most states are witnessing monthly totals lower than their recent forecasts, which have been revised downward.” Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont
Energy and Climate Change
- The Cost Conundrum - What a Texas town can teach us about health care.
Some hundred thousand people die each year in the U.S. from complications of surgery—far more than die in car crashes.
- Report suggests strategies for Ohio to compete in global economy
Ohio needs to shed a third of its school districts, invest more in its metropolitan areas and grapple for more federal cash to lift itself in the post-recession global economy, says a report being released today.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- It’s Official: Google Can Sell Power Like a Utility & Google PowerMeter
The order grants Google Energy the power to sell energy, capacity and services at market rates.
- Greenpeace puts heat on Facebook over coal use for new datacenter
"If your Facebook page is being powered by coal, then it's contributing to climate change."
- PG&E to spend millions to pass Prop. 16 to keep cities and counties out of the public power business
PG&E Corp. is the parent company of the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. utility, which is fighting efforts by Marin County and San Francisco to start their own power agencies.
- Montana State University CoB Clubs Host Business Energy Panel, 2/24, Bozeman
Come to the free Business Energy Panel sponsored by the Finance and HR Management Clubs and gain a better understanding of how business and energy interact with each other.
- The Controversy About Smart Meters
Complaints about smart utility meters are on the rise.
- Startup develops fuel-cell-based power supply
A Silicon Valley startup plans to unveil this week a fuel cell capable of producing clean energy in amounts sufficient to power homes and corporations and possibly costing around $3k.
Legislative Newsletters
- Augmented Identity - Point and Click Identity Finder
A new app makes it possible to identify people and learn about them just by pointing your phone.
Government Technology
- Montana Senator Max Baucus - My Week at Home
As always, it’s great for me to hear directly from you about how I can help get our economy growing.
Non-Profit News
- What's The Next Breakthrough In Government IT?
Here are five such initiatives.
Transportation
- Yellowstone Club forms new foundation to support the Greater Big Sky Community
“As a major employer, Yellowstone Club is an intrinsic part of the Big Sky community’s economy. We also want to partner with the community to make it a better place to live and work. We are aware of the needs here, and the opportunities to make a difference,” said Sam Byrne, principal, CrossHarbor Capital Partners, LLC, and president of the YCCF board.
- Glimpse the Wireless Future of Transportation
The coming convergence of how we communicate and how we travel is spawning technologies that will change how we get around — and make transportation safer and more efficient, at the same time.
- United Airlines adds non-stop flights from Bozeman to LA, San Francisco
Airport Director Brian Sprenger says the flights give the airport the best service to California it has ever had.
- New Electric Car Pays For Itself
U.S. researchers unveiled a vehicle Thursday that earns money for its driver instead of guzzling it up in gasoline and maintenance costs.
- United unveils daily flights from Missoula to San Francisco
"We are excited to enter the California market with this flight," said Cris Jensen, Missoula's airport director. "Eight of our top 30 destination markets are in California and over 65,000 passengers travel from Missoula to California each year, so we believe this new nonstop service will offer an immediate benefit for the Missoula community."
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