MATR Newsletter - Fri Mar 8, 2013 |
If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal. Not to people or things." --Albert Einstein
GigaPOP in Missoula
ikuw
- 10 Reasons To Be More Optimistic About Broadband Than Susan Crawford Is
Susan Crawford thinks she sees the future of the Internet--and it isn't pretty: Cable companies monopolizing broadband, charging too much, withholding content and keeping speeds low, all in order to suppress disruptive innovation.
- Do Big Cities Avoid Muni Broadband?
"Seattle and Chicago are looking around and basically saying, 'If we're the last ones to get really high-quality access to the internet, then we're really going to be screwed,'
- Telecom Firms Seek to Curb Publicly Funded Web Services
Sensing a threat to their business model, telecom companies are pushing more states to curb the spread of publicly funded high-speed Internet access, arguing the networks could squash competition.
2013 Montana Legislature
- Agile Tour Montana 2013
The momentum is building for adopting and managing projects using Agile methods like Scrum and ikuw Solutions is leading the charge in Montana.
- Innovation Roundtable: Agile Project Management & Software Development, 4/24, Missoula
This Roundtable with Kevin McManus of ikuw Solutions http://www.ikuwsolutions.com/ will introduce the overarching principles and values of the "agile methodology" and provide a comparative analysis of the most popular agile methods - including Scrum, Kanban, Lean Software Development and Extreme Programming.
Visit Montana - Montana Dept. of Tourism
- Montana lawmakers say BYOB is A-OK
The Montana House has rejected a proposal aimed at stopping people from bringing their own beer and wine into restaurants that don't have liquor licenses.
Big Sky Commerce
- Congratulations 2013 MT Tourism Award Nominees
Sixteen nominations were submitted this year for the 2013 Montana Tourism Awards. Congratulations to the people, events and partnerships that are honored by their peers as worthy of statewide recognition and thanks.
TicketRiver.com
- Office Manager Position - Big Sky Commerce
Big Sky Commerce http://www.bigskycommerce.com/ , a Montana corporation and leading Merchant Service Provider, is seeking an Office Manager at its Missoula office.
Inteneo Systems
- Montana's Ticket River
Easily create an event webpage, promote your event, and start selling tickets online now! Ticket River is a full service online ticketing solution.
Come Home Montana
- Building the business case for data governance
Why should senior executives and the Board be interested in data governance?
- Finding Hidden Side Effects, With Web Search Data
In an interview, the researchers said that they were now thinking about how to add new sources of information, like behavioral data and information from social media sources. The challenge, they noted, was to integrate new sources of data while protecting individual privacy.
- Fundraisers - Maximize Your Return on Big Data
Organizations that can integrate "big data" will maintain or improve their competitive advantage.
- Boston About Results (BAR) - Performance Management
Collecting & sharing this data keeps city agencies responsible and accountable while striving to improve quality of life for all Bostonians.
- Big Data is Here-Now the Real Work Begins
As for the managers of the future, they should be learning math and data literacy now, while they're still in school. "Companies in every industry are headed for a much more analytical future...even the fashion industry," Harris says. "There are places that are last bastion, but they're getting fewer."
- The Financial Bonanza of Big Data
Companies world-wide are starting to understand that no matter what industry they are in, data is among their most precious assets. Harnessed cleverly, the data can unleash new forms of economic value.
Hellgate Venture Network
- Philipsburg, Montana launches effort to attract more residents - teleworkers
The Philipsburg Rotary Club is spreading the word with a year-long campaign geared toward young families looking to raise their children in a small, friendly environment.
- Montana Career Opportunities - Software Engineer III, Software Engineers (I and II) - Montana State Fund
The true measure of who we are at Montana State Fund goes beyond our fiduciary responsibilities. We are Montanans, and we recognize how fortunate we are to call this place our home. Our greatest satisfaction comes from the knowledge that by working together we have been able to make a difference to the people that we serve.
- Montana Career Opportunities - Software Application Developer and a Senior Software Application Developer - Easter Seals Goodwill-Northern Rocky Mountains
Experience in C#, ASP.NET, and Java, integrated development environments, including Visual Studio, Windows, and SQL. Must enjoy building business applications and be very good at troubleshooting and problem solving. Experience with Business Intelligence applications is a plus.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Office Manager Position - Big Sky Commerce
This energetic, career-minded individual must be diligent with general office and customer service tasks. Limited travel may be necessary for key partner and client meetings, sponsored events, and trade shows.
- Video: Philipsburg, Montana Rotary Club aims to bring more families to town
The Rotary Club of Philipsburg has started a yearlong campaign aimed toward attracting younger families to the area.
Leadership Montana
- Hellgate Venture Network - Tim Christensen, 3/21, Missoula, Montana
Tim will talk and answer questions about his experience in developing the Liners mobile app (http://www.linersapp.com), recently released in the App Store and due to be launched in Google Play later this month.
Montana Ambassadors
- Stop Playing Leadership Hide and Seek
This concise article talks to behaviors which make leaders inauthentic.
Montana Business
- Strategies for Success: Teamwork is crucial to success in business
A couple of weeks ago, I was in Helena to receive the 2012 Montana Ambassador of the Year award from Gov. Steve Bullock. What an honor and privilege it was to receive the award from the governor and the Montana Ambassadors. As I mentioned when I received the award, "It is all about we, never about me."
- Arnold W. Siegel, President of Accident Reconstruction Associates, (and Montana Ambassador) Honored with SAE International Medal of Honor
Mr. Siegel is a pioneer in the field of automotive safety. His research has led to many safety features that are now common in production vehicles.
The Missoula Economic Partnership
- Video: Missoula businesses show economy on the upswing
There's been quite a bit of activity on the local economic front lately and reporter Bernie Riggs caught up with some Missoula business owners looking to take advantage of an economy that's on the upswing.
Careers
- Missoula Economic Partnership March & April 2013 Innovation Events
We are looking forward to the upcoming Innovation Initiative sessions on topics ranging from accounting and finance to Web design, human resources and marketing that will be led by highly respected local professionals.
Government
- Data Crunchers Now the Cool Kids on Campus
On campuses, at cocktail parties and in American corporations, statisticians are walking a bit taller these days.
- Be a Powerful Mentor using these 5 Simple Steps
Just as the map is never the journey and every relationship is different, these are the valuable lessons I have learned during my time working with talented and creative leaders:
Idaho Business
- Which Government Services Are Citizens Most, Least Satisfied With?
It's no surprise Americans don't enjoy sitting in traffic, driving along crumbling roads or stumbling over cracks in sidewalks.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Idaho Technology by Amit Jain: Boise Code Camp poised to make an impact in tech community
This year's Boise Code Camp will be hosted by the computer science department in the College of Engineering at Boise State University and is organized by a group of tech professionals led by Scott Nichols.
Oregon Business
- Raising Salaries for North Dakota Teachers | Video
The NDEA says the average first year teacher salary is $32,000 and that should be the new legal minimum.
Other Economies
- Lucid Energy, Portland clean tech startup, secures $650,000 investment
A Portland startup sees opportunity in all that water coursing through municipal pipes under city streets.
Regional Business
- China's real estate bubble
China's economy has become the second largest in the world, but its rapid growth may have created the largest housing bubble in history. Lesley Stahl reports.
- Cockatoo - March 2013 - Ideas, Concepts, Projects, Programs & People to Inspire You
World's economic centre of gravity shifts
- Colorado launching $150MM state venture fund for startups
Gov. John Hickenlooper, attending the Venture Capital in the Rockies http://www.rockymountainvca.com/ annual winter summit in Beaver Creek, told reporters there that $100 million had been raised from Colorado business leaders
Regional Economic Development
- The 10 Happiest States In The U.S. - Montana #7
It's not surprising that people in Hawaii are super happy. But the other states whose residents feel the best might surprise you.
Workforce Development
- Simplify Rural Definition
USDA's recommendations for how to simplify the statutory definitions of rural have generated a lot of discussion. This is an important issue, and we want to explain the value of moving to a more consistent definition of "rural area" for USDA's development programs.
- Chaining Bicycles to Economic Development
"It is commonly said among cycling enthusiasts that if you build the biking amenities, the cyclists will come," notes Bacon. "The challenge is persuading government, business and civic decision makers to put money into bicycle amenities at a time when resources are scarce and public needs are many."
- You Won't Believe What City is Ranked Best for Business
One unexpected city with a lot of internal support has risen to the top of the best-for-business rankings
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Governors Promote Employment for People With Disabilities
The National Governors Association (NGA) is targeting the issue this year and will make recommendations in an August report. The aim is to come up with plans that provide workers with disabilities not only a paycheck, but also a deeper sense of purpose and belonging.
Education
- Temple Grandin in Bozeman, Montana: Pioneer for animals and autism
"Autism is a very big spectrum," Grandin said, speaking in her distinctive, no-nonsense style. Autism, she said, ranges from people with severe handicaps to high-functioning people like Einstein, Steve Jobs and Mozart. "Half the geeks in the Silicon Valley are on the spectrum."
- Students Teaching Teachers Technology - Everyone is a leader - everyone can teach - everyone can learn.
Let the students teach the teachers, help manage the networks, repair the hardware and make the school a better place
- Schools finding a niche for digital bookcases
Welcome to the new digital bookcase, where traditional ink-and-paper textbooks have given way to iPads and book bags are getting lighter. Schools are increasingly looking to the handheld tablets as a way to sustain students' interest, reward their achievements and, in some cases, actually keep per-student costs down.
Montana Education Excellence
- Learning is Not A Place But An Activity
Who will teach us what we don't know but need to know? How do we learn what we don't know and where are the schools that teach us what we don't know but need to know? To find these answers means we need to learn how to rethink learning.
- The Game-Changing Potential of Universal Preschool
So how does the program save money? The answer is special education--or in this case, the absence of it. Effective early childhood education reduces the need for highly expensive special ed, and the savings redound almost immediately to a school district. In effect, preschool can pay for itself.
Community
- Online teacher preparation program based at MSU now accepting applications
Since the program is taught entirely online, students do not have to be based in Bozeman, or even Montana, to enroll.
Funding and Building your BusinessEnergy and Climate Change
- 10 Entrepreneurial Lessons From the 'Gang of Four'
Whether you believe his conclusion or not, you can learn a lot from the lessons he offers on how to build a competitive business model today:
- Where Can BlogHer Entrepreneurs Take You? - An Interview with mamalode's Elke Govertsen
While I was at the conference my perspective shifted at all levels. I understood for the first time that I was an "entrepreneur" and that was exactly the word for my cumulative skill set. I told my husband I had "found my people". My network expanded beyond my local business community, and suddenly included some major players in the world. Particularly in the world of media.
- Why The CIO Must Be The Chief Innovation Officer
Without a fundamental switch to a service-provider mindset, and without a set of rich, competitive service offerings, the CIO will experience fast-growing "shadow IT," as business functions contract directly with external service providers for the services they want and need.
- 8 Morale Boosters All Entrepreneurs Should Practice
Non-cash motivators may be more effective in the long term than financial incentives.
- 10 Essential Marketing Skills Every Person Should Know
Whether you are a one-person army or have a team of workers aiding you, these 10 essential marketing skills are ones you need to familiarize yourself with.
- Your First 7 Seconds Better Be Positively Memorable
Poor first impressions can be avoided, but I'm amazed at the number of unnecessary mistakes I see at those critical first introductions, presentations, and meetings.
- Kill Your Conference Room -- the Future's in Walking and Talking
"Sitting has become the smoking of our generation."
- Series Seed, an Open Source Set of Investment Documents, Moves to GitHub
Here's something new going up on GitHub: Starting today, the latest version of documents from Series Seed, a basic set of documents for companies working with early-stage investments, will be up on GitHub, too.
GIS Technology
- Crowdfunding Clean Energy
If you wanted to get large numbers of people actively engaged in helping to solve global warming, how might you go about it?
- White House, Business Community Support Investment in National Smart Grid
Since June 2011, the Obama administration has been working with energy industry partners to promote the adoption of smart grid technology. In an effort to reaffirm that relationship and make the case for prioritizing public investment in the project.
- Global temperature rise is fastest in at least 11,000 years, study says
The study's findings suggest the current warming trend cannot be explained by naturally occurring temperature variability, a lingering issue in the debate over the impact of human activity on global warming.
Government Technology
- Montana Association Of Geographic Information Professionals, 5-21/23, Miles City, Montana
Participation from GIS professionals like you makes the MAGIP Spring Meeting a place to collaborate, connect, and get inspired by others. We encourage you to share what you know to help GIS professionals of all experience levels better leverage the power of geospatial technology.
Non-Profit News
- Bozeman looking to decrease reliance on citizen advisory boards
"We want to make the process easier for citizens," she said. "We want to make it more efficient and we do want to reduce commission and staff time because those resources are scarce and there are lots of priorities."
- Can Technology Replace City Inspectors?
The company would provide infraction information to the city, in exchange for a percentage of the revenue generated by their efforts.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- #fundchat - A Weekly Twitter Chat Among Nonprofit Fundraising Professionals...
#fundchat takes place most Wednesdays at 12 pm EDT. Follow the hashtag or use our live discussion page.
- 83-Year-Old Wins Contest to Make 3D Printers Cheaper
His extruder converts plastic resin pellets into filament for use in low-cost 3D printers, is open-sourced and replicable for less than $250.
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