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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Jan 3, 2006 |
MATR
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"There is a special and unique character in small towns. There is a sense of place that makes the surroundings worth caring for." -- Conservation Fund vice president and land-use program director Ed McMahon
Here's an excellent discussion of the things that small communities should consider for their success: "Agurb® Trends for 2006 by Jack Schultz of Boomtown USA" http://www.matr.net/article-17559.html
MEDA Entrepreneur Working Group
Education
- Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth
The impact of entrepreneurship on economic growth is far more pervasive than is generally acknowledged.
Montana Business
- Schools ask parents to pay up before kids log on. one laptop per student is the hottest trend in educational computing.
"I said, 'What? You must be joking,' " Sutherland says. "I think it's unfair that the (school district) is requiring us to 'pay to learn.' "
Montana Economic Development
- Neptune Aviation planes from Missoula head South to fight fires
It may be winter here in Montana, but it's fire season down south in Texas and Oklahoma.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Agurb® Trends for 2006 by Jack Schultz of Boomtown USA
How will rural communities survive and thrive in the future? Here are 10 great focus areas.
Funding and Building your Business
- State of Alaska Permanent Fund Dedicates 8% (could be more than $2.5 Billion) to Venture Capital
Earlier this year, the state legislature passed House Bill 215, which removed a list of allowable fund investments and authorized less public disclosure of fund activities.
Regional Business
- Small-business owners need solid strategy to keep things afloat
''Most small-business owners work from the seat of their pants and don't realize that a good plan will help them,''
- Lawsuits affect more than finances
"Litigation causes not just financial loss but also substantial emotional hardship and often changes the tone of the business."
- Guy Kawasaki on the 10/20/30 Rule of Powerpoint for Business Plan Presentations
I continuously struggle with founders about their powerpoint addictions: too many bullets, too many slides, too many words, too many metaphors, too many taglines... just too much.
Regional Economic Development
- BBBOnline Reliability program checks Web sellers - Businesses in Eastern Washington, North Idaho and Montana that are interested in qualifying are encouraged to contact the BBB
Businesses that are interested in qualifying to display the BBBOnLine Reliability seal may contact TheLocalBBB at: 509-455-4200 or 800-356-1007 or visit http://www.thelocalbbb.com for enrollment information.
Government Technology
- New Web site helps travelers explore smaller communities in New Mexico
The site -- which bills itself as "transparently opinionated" -- is aimed at letting travelers know what to do and see in less-traveled places. The other side of that is the economic boost those downtown districts get from tourist dollars.
Idaho Business
- Digital Communities Solutions Starter Kit
Digital communities are towns, cities, and regional areas that are working with technology leaders to plan and deploy digital services that improve citizens’ lives and transform the way government conducts business.
Wyoming Business
- Idaho's Newest Planned Community Continues to Move Forward
Controversial community's developer says it's all but a sure thing; others could be on the way
Other Economies
- Should Wyoming bolt internet tax plan?
Through a barrage of full-page newspaper ads, a Casper couple is hoping to derail a years-long, multistate effort to collect taxes on Internet purchases.
Careers
- Mining Coal Country for Tech Workers
Along with cutting their costs, the companies saw in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia a way to improve their chances of winning state contracts, and -- in the case of CGI-AMS -- a way to turn the promise of jobs into millions of dollars in government concessions.
Energy
- Mark your calendar to plan month-by-month self-improvement
Get out your calendar and begin marking down these important dates:
- Recruiter Interview: The Outlook For High-Level Hiring in 2006
What personal attribute is getting more emphasis when evaluating executive-level candidates these days?
Connectivity & Communications
- Judith Gap wind turbines go online
When Billings residents plugged in their Christmas lights this year, there's a chance the glow was compliments of a steady breeze through Judith Gap. In late November, the first of Invenergy's turbines at the Judith Gap Wind Energy Center started fueling the grid with wind power.
- N.D. officials fear wind ‘ghost farms’
“If it’s difficult for me to figure out who’s doing what (in wind development), the average person doesn’t have a chance,”
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Yahoo shapes up online video project. Reality series pilot to be broadcast on the Internet
No longer would show times be dictated by television networks. With online video, Yahoo's millions of users could stream or download programs whenever they want from a range of channels.
- Tech will be the top story in the way we get news. Webcasts, blogs allow flexibility
Look for all three networks to work harder at giving viewers their news whenever and wherever they want, to engage them with personal blogs from anchors and correspondents and to lift the veil on what goes into producing network news.
- Web promises to become more pervasive in 2006
"The real message here is that the Web is migrating to devices we carry in our pockets. The Web is moving beyond the desktop — it's still on the desktop but it is moving beyond into our lives wherever we are,"
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