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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Jan 17, 2006 |
"It is a rare public policy initiative that promotes fairness and social justice and, at the same time, promotes productivity in the economy and in society at large. Investing in disadvantaged young children is such a policy." James J. Heckman, Nobel laureate in economics in 2000
Experts say economy needs expanded early childhood education. “If businesses are stewards of their regions, they will come to understand that early childhood education will pay off as an investment.” http://www.matr.net/article-17693.html
Come Home Montana
MEDA Entrepreneur Working Group
- In Appreciation of Small Towns
Small towns can't afford to wait. If small towns want to survive, they must both retain and attract young adults.
- 4-minute CBS feature on Nye, Montana scheduled for Wednesday 1/18
The CBS "Early Morning Show" paid a visit to Nye in early December and the four-minute segment is scheduled to be broadcast a few minutes after 8 during Wednesday's "Early Morning Show."
Education
- County hoping to become 'Entrepreneur Friendly'
The Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Entrepreneur & Small Business Office provides a community-based program whose purpose is to build entrepreneur and small business strategy into the community’s overall economic development strategies.
- ‘Make things happen,’ entrepreneur, Andy Miller urges at inaugural E2 meeting sponsored by Montana West Economic Development
“Things don’t just happen to you,” he said. “You make things happen to you.”
Montana Business
- Experts say economy needs expanded early childhood education. “If businesses are stewards of their regions, they will come to understand that early childhood education will pay off as an investment.”
“Preparation works,” he said. “When kids come to school prepared, we can produce the most qualified students in the United States.
- A-L-T-E-R-N-A-T-I-V-E L-E-A-R-N-I-N-G Expands in Helena
This alternative for Helena school students combines sensory-rich environments and hands-on experiential techniques in a mixed-age classroom.
- Missoula County Public Schools unfurl $500,000 PLATO computer software to help students keep up with their studies.
Computers may take more of a leading role in Missoula classrooms as the city’s largest school district rolls out a $500,000 software system this semester.
- All wired up: University of Montana's computer network gets a new home
“This is clearly not a task to be done frequently,” Ford said. “In fact, this is the first major remodeling and relocation of the network facility in the 30-plus years since the network really started.”
- Online Courses Not So Distant
At some schools, online courses -- originally intended for nontraditional students living far from campus -- have proved surprisingly popular with on-campus students.
- Students with poor math skills more likely to drop out
Lawmakers might raise high school graduation standards
Montana Economic Development
- Billings, Montana technology company, Rocky Mountain Technology Group works with Uganda on AIDS efforts
"It's a database information storage system for the whole country," Stewart said.
- Rescuers descend on Butte to launch new business - The Peak Inc.
The center will train military and civilians under extreme conditions, such as high altitude and cold weather. It will also conduct research on ways to improve performance under those circumstances.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Young adults weigh in on the future of Butte
“How can we progress and improve our economy while preserving our cultural integrity?”
- Groups eyeing a collaborative approach to downtown Helena revitalization
City of Helena officials are taking a “wait and see” approach. Mayor Jim Smith has said he wants to be careful about the city taking the lead in the visioning effort.
- Globalization: A New Urgency for Building Digital Communities - Communicate or die
The effort to create a 21st century city is not so much about technology as it is about jobs, dollars and quality of life. In short, it is about organizing one's community to reinvent itself for the new, knowledge economy and society; preparing its citizens to take ownership of their community; and educating the next generation of leaders and workers to meet these global challenges.
- Interest in Butte properties growing out in cyberspace
Butte-Silver Bow started advertising the Sears building last week on three Web sites and already Community Development Director Karen Byrnes has fielded questions from 16 parties as far away as California, Florida, New York and Louisiana.
- Economic development done right in Butte
At a time when the county and chamber of commerce is working on a business plan, spending the metals mine money should be a piece of that puzzle. Allocation of this money needs to be clearly defined.
GIS Technology
- Angel capital helps to pave the way for Venture Capital investments
Unless there are sufficient numbers of up-and-coming deals percolating in the pipeline, venture firms won’t have ample choices about where to put their money.
Funding and Building your Business
- Renton, WA company, Naverus takes navigation system global
"There is a revolution occurring, from an old methodology of navigation to a new methodology. There was a need for a company with the expertise and resources to help lead that revolution,"
Regional Business
- Reminder - 22nd Annual Investors Choice® Venture Capital Conference, 2/8, Salt Lake City, Utah
YOU’LL WHET YOUR APPETITE AND WET YOUR PANTS
- Staff Infections: Three steps to eliminate poor performers
Employment discrimination suits often start when you treat workers in the same situation differently.
- Establishing goals is the first key to success
Recognize the importance of setting goals -- or intentions -- and January is as good a time as any to start.
- Intellections Newsletter - IP Guidance for the General Practitioner - Part 1
- McGuire: The sky is the limit for creative thinkers
One of the best ways to unleash creativity is to use what some people call a "mind map." Put your problem on the white board and then have the group "think out loud" in pictures, shapes and lines. Build off each thought and get as far out as you can.
- Dell, federation set tech use award
The winner will receive $30,000 in Dell products and services, a lifetime membership to the federation and a full day with Dell executives, including Chairman Michael Dell, at the company's headquarters in Round Rock, Texas.
- The Art of Branding
#4. # Apply the opposite test.
- Don’t Blow Your Beta
“What Annoys You Most About Betas?”
- The Venture Capitalist Wishlist from Guy Kawasaki
#6. Clean up your act.
- Latest employee perk: College admissions aid
"It's all geared at attracting and retaining the best"
Regional Economic Development
- IT Directions '06
If you thought 2006 would spell an end to compliance issues, think again.
Idaho Business
- Moving toward an idea economy
``Probably the most important ingredient of a competitive region is the workforce,'' said Doug Henton, president of Collaborative Economics, which prepared the report for Joint Venture. ``And we can either import our workforce, or we can train and support our own workforce to make sure everyone can participate. If all those pieces are in place, we can have a high-growth economy where everyone can participate.''
South Dakota Economic Development
- Public Parks More Important Than Schools in Idaho?
Governor Kempthorne had an opportunity in his final State of the State address on Monday to leave a well-funded education system as his legacy. But he chose a different legacy, proposing to spend $33 million on the state park system.
Washington State Business
- Outsourcing to the Indians of South Dakota - Jack Schultz
They are on the cutting edge of a technological change, hoping to develop a niche that they can capitalize upon. If they are successful, it will mean that young people will no longer have to leave the reservation to find employment.
Wyoming Business
- Washington Technology Center News Winter 2006
The WTC News provides timely information on WTC programs, events and initiatives.
- Seattle Biodiesel set to expand with $7.5 million in venture capital financing from Nth Power, Technology Partners and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's Vulcan Capital.
"Demand is so high that we still have not been able to meet it with our current facility,"
Other Economies
- Greybull, Wyoming bullish on job-adding call center
f business continues the way it has started during the center's first month of operations, the end of the year could see 100 people working for the facility, making it one of the largest employers in the town of around 1,800 people.
- Picture framer finds bonanza in Yellowstone Park's Old Faithful Inn.
Holstein has been sanding lots of wood lately, as business has "taken off like freight train" in the past three weeks, thanks mainly to a line of frames made from fir flooring salvaged from Yellowstone Park's Old Faithful Inn.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Silicon Valley's latest commodity: Creativity
"We have repositioned ourselves in a fiercely competitive global economy," Joint Venture President Russell Hancock said. "Creativity is the key word."
Universities and Economic Development
- Web levels dating fields: Site matches single famers
"Why would they be interested in a farm girl?"
University Business Plan Competitions
- University of Montana President, George Dennison Attends D. C. Summit on International Education
The plan focused on what the U.S. government, along with the private sector and universities, can do to better prepare students for the global economy.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Startups On Fire - The five winners of our STUDENT STARTUP COMPETITION
Eighty-two plans arrived from 66 schools, including Harvard and UCLA--up from 58 entries in 2004.
Careers
- Artists learn business skills to make their art pay
"I thought, 'I'm doing the artist thing successfully, but I'm not successful in a way to pay myself,' " he recalled. "I don't know how to market myself, sell myself, find my audience."
Non-Profit News
- Insights for Tapping into Your Creative Genius
“Ideas don't magically appear in a genius' head from nowhere. They always build on what came before. And collaboration is key."
- More Jobs Being Found Online, but That Doesn't Mean It's Easy
"The Internet is an absolutely necessary tool in your job search arsenal, but it's not your only tool,"
- Stay hungry, stay foolish - Steve Jobs
Today, I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories. The first story is about connecting the dots."
- How to Survive Being Fired
"You start to doubt yourself,"
- Three Industries Poised For Job Growth in 2006
The most growth in these industries will be seen in rank-and-file clinical and technical jobs, but opportunities for executives and professionals will increase as companies in these fields expand, say recruiters. The forecast comes amid a healthy outlook for the broader senior-level job market.
Connectivity & Communications
- Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation headquarters dedicated in Missoula, Montana
“We're losing land every day out there,” said current chairman Buddy Smith. “I have to tell you that this facility is our best chance to save that land.”
- Cuppa help - Missoula-based Non-Profit "Alliance for Coffee Excellence" directly introduces coffee growers in five countries to its network of coffee roasters in the United States.
Education and advocacy are the heart of the modest Missoula-based international coffee nonprofit.
Lewis and Clark Bicentennial
- Faster Wi-Fi Proposal Passes Hurdle
"Adoption of this specification is a huge step forward,"
- One-stop site for blogs offered. Mass. startup to pay writers
A new Boston website aims to bring order to the tens of millions of weblogs proliferating online and provide one-stop shopping for overwhelmed Internet surfers.
- Anonymity on a Disk
A disk that would offer the masses the same level of privacy available to security professionals, but with an easy user interface.
- Web 2.0: `a read and write mechanism'
The other thing is the rise of the ``edge,'' which (venture capitalist) Fred Wilson has spoken about on his blog. There is so much content being created at the edge of the network (Web 2.0)-- outside of centralized Web sites. And much of it is useless, but the people who are able to exploit that, format it, and make it structured and mash it up, are going to be really important.
- Bresnan pulls plug on rural customers in Montana
Bresnan mailed letters to customers in Victor, Alberton, Ninemile and Huson, saying the company's services will no longer be offered in those communities.
- Phone system alerted Helenans to jail van escape - Free "A Child is Missing Alert" (ACIM) system proves very effective
"I think it was very effective," she said. "The comments we got back were positive."
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Boise plans Lewis and Clark party
The eyes of the Lewis and Clark world will focus on Boise this spring.
VIRUS ALERTS
- Computer programs that react to speech gain real-world use
A vocabulary database identified each insult, while an emotion detector sampled his rage. A couple of minutes into the call, the computer came to a decision.
- Covert Crawler Descends on Web
The program comes from different internet addresses, simulates different browsers and throttles itself to human-like speeds.
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