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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Nov 29, 2011 |
"All truths pass through three stages: First, they’re ridiculed. Second, they’re violently opposed. Third, they are accepted as common knowledge." Arthur Schopenhauer "Cracking the Entrepreneur Code" http://matr.net/articl ... .html
Are you an Internet Entrepreneur in Colorado (or any other state)? Oppose PIPA!!! PIPA is Effectively Internet Censorship http://matr.net/articl ... .html
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
Arrow Solutions Group
- Key to long-term economic success is start learning early
We know one thing that works: Investing in our future economy means investing in early education. It just makes good sense for business.
- Montana's first career academy (Health Science) to open at Missoula's Big Sky High School
"I think what's happening at Big Sky is beyond Big Sky," said MCPS Superintendent Alex Apostle. "It's influencing our culture within the district and outside the community. I think it's a game-changer."
- In Tenn., A Possible Model For Higher Education
Attendance is taken and makes up about a third of your grade. It's a lot more like high school than the typical on-again-off-again schedule of many college students.
- Virtual schools are multiplying, but some question their educational value
It's an appealing proposition, and one that has attracted support in state legislatures, including Virginia's. But in one of the most hard-fought quarters of public policy, a rising chorus of critics argues that full-time virtual learning doesn't effectively educate children.
- healthcorps.org - Empowering teens and communities to become health agents of change
HealthCorps is focused on three priorities - educating the student body; achieving community outreach through "Fit Town™" - an initiative to connect and activate citizens and organizations to bring about awareness and affect change through local projects and initiatives; and advocating for policy shifts across all levels of government that put health and physical education back into the core curriculum of the American education system.
TechRanch
- Arrow Solutions Group - Current Jobs Including: Application Developer, Senior Network Engineer, Systems Administrator - Montana/Wyoming
We are passionate about finding the right candidate for every position, and we realize it is critical to understand what is important to you as an employee.
Visit Montana
- TechRanch After-Hours Networking, 12/1, Bozeman, Montana
This after-hours networking event is a great way to meet and mingle with TechRanch http://techranch.org/ staff, entrepreneurs and other business and community leaders. Hope we'll see you there!
Come Home Idaho
- Transportation the theme of Montana Folk Festival - July 13/15, Butte, Montana
"The quality and excitement that fans have come to expect at the festival and the rich variety of the performers will continue. They should plan to come expecting to be amazed."
Come Home Montana
- Ashley Brown, Sun Valley Ski Patroller Profiled by Visit Sun Valley
Ashley Brown was on the Sun Valley Alpine team growing up. When her racing days came to an end, she found a way to keep skiing Baldy every day, to keep living the way she grew up --outdoors and carefree.
Cleantech
- Montana Career Opportunities - Infrastructure Engineers - NorthWestern Energy
NorthWestern Energy is committed to providing excellent service for our customers. In order to attract the best employees, we offer an attractive salary based on qualifications, a performance-based incentive program, and competitive benefits. We encourage employees to find opportunities to use their leadership skills to contribute to and strengthen the organization.
- Montana: You Could be Here Building Your Business and Living Your Dream
The Governor's Office of Economic Development serves to advise the Governor on policy issues related to economic development.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- The state of cleantech venture capital, part 1: The money
Plenty of late-stage financing will be available for cleantech start-ups over the next few years, but seed/Series A money is another matter.
Leadership Montana
- St. Louis draws entrepreneurs from across the country
Lured by the area's rich research assets and a growing number of funding sources, entrepreneurs have moved here from places such as Louisville, Nashville and upstate New York.
- Montana Business & Professional Women's Foundation offering grants for women entrepreneurs
Women trying to get ahead but lacking a little money for essential training or some additional equipment can apply for the aid for their professional opportunities.
- Montana Business & Professional Women's Foundation offering grants for women entrepreneurs
Women trying to get ahead but lacking a little money for essential training or some additional equipment can apply for the aid for their professional opportunities.
- Cool New Ideas Have Place To Percolate, Flourish At Institute For Young Entrepreneurs
There's a lesson here for all of Montana, a state with a rapidly aging population: Listen to young entrepreneurs because among all their ideas might lie the next billion-dollar company.
Montana Business
- What Should We Teach Our Business Leaders?
Executives must overcome moral hubris and realize they, too, might make bad choices, says Nitin Nohria. Leaders must learn to wield power to work for the greater good, not just to increase profit, says Carly Fiorina
Montana Economic Development
- Missoula Development Park weathers tough economy, 60 percent full
"It's pretty amazing when you look back at the plan, when you see people's vision to start with and how it's working out. As I drive through Montana and compare our industrial park to others, whoever was responsible for the plan, it just doesn't look like an industrial part of the plan," Curtiss said. "(People) are always jealous of our park and want to learn about how they might implement something like it."
- Rural nature of Montana presents challenges in helping veterans find work
"One has to keep in mind finite number of jobs that one is competing for. This probably means they can get some training to help have a better shot at that job, but the key is growing the economy so the number of jobs out there for everybody to go after including the veterans is a little bit bigger pie." Montana Labor commissioner Keith Kelly
- Cyber Monday proves big sales for Montana company, Vann's
"Black Friday gets Vann's http://www.vanns.com/ , some of Wyoming, and a couple of North Dakota stragglers, but on Cyber Monday, we get everybody. We get L.A., we get Texas, we get New York, and we get the Montanans."
Regional Economic Development
- Business seeks Brownfield development opportunities in Montana
We are currently looking for opportunities in the northeast and north central part of the state but are also interested in any rail road properties that could be used as an intermodal hub.
- Ravalli County moves forward on economic planning project
The strategic economic planning project is intended to provide an economic inventory of Ravalli County's private industry, public infrastructure, natural resource utilization potential and obstacles to growth among key market segments in hopes of creating more jobs in the valley.
Bill Payne
- The Geography of Stuck
The headlines cry "brain drain" but the real problem is that too few people are leaving.
- How We Built Ord's Economy where non-farm jobs increased by 42 percent from 2000 to 2008
The number of non-farm jobs increased in Valley County, Nebraska, by 42 percent from 2000 to 2008. The director of the town's economic development program explains this kind of sucess: You invest in your town and in people.
- Region turns to clusters as growth strategy
From California's wine region to Silicon Valley and North Carolina's research triangle, economic strategists rejoice whenever they can lay claim to a "cluster" - a concentration of interconnected businesses, innovators and university programs with enough critical mass to lure even more investment and jobs.
Careers
- Crowd Funding - A Critique for Entrepreneurs and Investors
Congress is considering legalizing crowd funding for equity stakes in private companies by all interested citizens, with limits on individual investments and the total monies raised per company. This is a rather controversial change in the SEC regulations. I will describe the pros and cons.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- How To Tweet Your Way To A New Job
For those who would also like to use Twitter in their job hunt, Forbes asked Nisa Chitakasem, co-author of the book "125 Twitter Job Search Tips" http://syn.verticalacuity.com/varw/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.positionignition.com%2F125-twitter-job-search-tips to compile a quick-start guide. Here's her advice for Twitter neophytes and enthusiasts.
Funding and Building your Business
- Lack of venture capital can hurt
Why does venture capital matter? Because it goes hand in hand with innovation, high-paying jobs and, often, cutting-edge technology, products and services.
Government and University TechTransfer
- How to Recognize a Great Boss, or Even Be One
Almost every one of us in business can remember that one special manager in their career who exemplifies the norm, who commanded our respect, and treated us like a friend, even in the toughest of personal or business crises.
- Crowdfunding: 5 Things You Should Know
All Is Not Well in Crowdfunding Land
- Test Your Aptitude for Business Internet Jargon
Maybe you have also heard a lot of Internet terms, but are not sure you can explain how, when, and why they are relevant to your business success. Here is a quick test of your real Internet savvy.
- The Race to Decide Who's Greenest
With more than 100 groups ranking companies on sustainability, many investors say it's time for global reporting and assessment standards.
- Cracking the Entrepreneur Code
You are the biggest obstacle to your company's success. If you cannot evolve you will fail, or not be part of your company.
- Who Owns Employees' Twitter Accounts?
"It's much cheaper to spell this out ahead of time than to litigate it after the fact."
Incubators and R&D
- Innovation Corps nurtures scientific entrepreneurs
Through the federally funded Innovation Corps, about two dozen teams from around the country have been training as entrepreneurs and studying how to turn their research into a business.
Montana Education Excellence
- Compound dissolves HIV on contact
Researchers are closer to developing a topical compound that stops HIV by dissolving the virus on contact.
Regional Business
- Generous donors moved by story of hard-working Montana State University Billings student
"It's really heartwarming that there are people that generous and enthusiastic about the next generation." MSUB Chancellor Rolf Groseth
Idaho Business
- How "Freedom Group" Became the Big Shot in the Firearms Industry
Never heard of it? You're not alone. Even within gun circles, the Freedom Group is something of an enigma. Its rise has been so swift that it has become the subject of wild speculation and grassy-knoll conspiracy theories.
- Why Your Water Bill Must Go Up
Built mostly during the late 19th and early 20th century*, much of the country's water infrastructure--from wells to dams and reservoirs; from storage tanks, aqueducts, and treatment plants to pipes and valves--is rapidly failing.
Oregon Economic Development
- Should idaho do more to lure companies?
Other states throw out deals and incentives, such as tax credits, to bring in jobs. Idaho? Not so much.
- Loan collateral offered for Idaho small businesses
The federal government has awarded more than $13 million to an Idaho agency to help businesses increase their collateral for loans.
Education
- Google, Cisco and VMware back Portland networking startup Puppet Labs
Silicon Valley's big venture capital firms began discovering Oregon startups last year. Now the Bay Area's major tech companies have taken notice, too.
Government
- The Dwindling Power of a College Degree
A general guideline these days is that people are rewarded when they can do things that take trained judgment and skill -- things, in other words, that can't be done by computers or lower-wage workers in other countries.
Ignite Missoula
- How much government is too much?
"We were a little concerned with what is the support cost of all these boards and commissions," he said. "In the interest of good government, we need to take a look and see if this is appropriate."
- Fuse Corps - Entrepreneurs matched with government leaders on grassroots projects
Fuse Corps is currently interviewing professionals from the private sector who have at least eight years of experience, demonstrated leadership skills and a commitment to public service.
Other Economies
- TED Video: The Architecture of Great Speeches - You Have the Power to Change the World
If you are a public speaker or aspire to deliver keynote presentations, this is a very useful tutorial.
- TED Video - Joe Sabia: The technology of storytelling
iPad storyteller Joe Sabia introduces us to Lothar Meggendorfer, who created a bold technology for storytelling: the pop-up book.
Connectivity & Communications
- Agency looks to spur capital
The investment program was created by Senate Bill 75 and approved by the 2011 Legislature. The fund has $50 million to invest from the state's Permanent School Fund into private equity deals, everything from startups to buyouts of existing companies.
Energy and Climate Change
- Are you an Internet Entrepreneur in Colorado (or any other state)? Oppose PIPA!!! PIPA is Effectively Internet Censorship
We urge you to take a critical view of this legislation, calling for a greater effort to balance its focus on addressing piracy with its unintended consequence on technological development and innovation.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Electric Vehicle Drivers Adopt Solar Chargers to Wean Themselves Off the Grid
It couldn't be happening at a better time.
- Trade war with China over solar technology could cut both ways
If it's war -- the U.S. government will make decision on tariffs this spring.
- Electrode for durable batteries on the grid
A new type of battery electrode could make large-scale storage for solar and wind power feasible on a grand scale.
Government Technology
- Could a Mouthwash Do Away With Dental Visits?
One dental researcher thinks he's found a way to permanently stave off the cavity-causing bacteria that lead to expensive and costly trips to the dentist.
Non-Profit News
- Obama orders digital record-keeping
The White House claims it's the most significant step to improve the management of public records since the Truman administration 60 years ago.
Transportation
- Non-profit Community Arts Center Envisioned for Missoula, Montana's Wilma Theater.
The concept is simple, at least in words: Create a nonprofit organization to purchase, renovate and run the Wilma as a community theater where the existing array of films and concerts would share time with performances by local arts groups, lectures and other community events.
- Should Philanthropies Operate Like Businesses?
Dreams without plans remain dreams. Dreams with plans become reality.
- Online service allows users to make donations to nonprofits
Shift My Gift http://www.shiftmygift.com/ enables anyone, anywhere, to celebrate any event in their lives by diverting gifts which would have been given to them, to any charities and nonprofits they care about.
- The Parkhaus: An automatic parking system could keep cars off the streets and recharge EVs at the same time.
The smart structures could do all the work so drivers don't have to.
- Self-Driving Vehicles Swarming to Future Roads Thank to Biomimicry
Influenced heavily by swarm robotics and artificial intelligence, Rattray's omni-wheeled, self-driving Autonomos would travel in tight platoons while shifting their configurations to maintain an uninterrupted traffic flow.
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