MATR Newsletter - Tue Dec 3, 2013 |
“A zip code should never predetermine the quality of any child’s educational opportunities." Barrack Obama American 15-Year-Olds Lag, Mainly in Math, on International Standardized Tests http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Missoula Co-Working Co-op Open House, 12/6, Missoula, Montana http://www.matr.net/ev ... =4837
Montana Data Focused Business Cluster
Montana Economic Development Summit - 9-16/17, Butte, Montana
- URM Stores stop cyberattack, credit systems back online
These measures won't protect customers who used their cards at the stores prior to Nov. 25.
- Oklahoma Cybersecurity Operation Battles Hackers
Big brother isn't the only one watching. Little brother is, too.
TEDx Events in Montana
- Why Pushing People to Code Will Widen the Gap Between Rich and Poor
There's still plenty of room for our contemplation -- and deeper consideration -- of how to advance our future without leaving anyone behind.
Arrow Solutions Group
- TED Talks - Andreas Raptopoulos: No roads? There's a drone for that
Andreas Raptopoulos and his colleagues are building the flying internet of things, using drones to carry essential goods to otherwise inaccessible areas.
- Today's TED - Talk Toby Eccles: Invest in social change
Toby Eccles has created a radical financial instrument that helps private investors contribute to solving thorny public problems.
Great Falls Development Authority
- TecNet Is Thursday - December 5th Register Now!, Billings, Montana
TecNet is a networking group for people who work in the technology field in the Billings, MT area.
Come Home Montana
- Great Falls Development Authority Top 8 stories and events for the week of 12/1/13
GFDA Investors! Get involved in our business development efforts. Help us identity and contact companies looking to expand and open new facilities. Contact Jeremiah Johnson at [email protected] or 1-406-750-3285.
- GFDA Development Coffee, 12/6, Great Falls, Montana
Please join GFDA and the City for our monthly development coffee!
Montana Business
- Montana Career Opportunity - Executive Director - Head Start, Inc.
Provide leadership to the organization and staff resulting in provision of the highest quality services to low income children and families.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Director, Center for Advanced Mineral & Metallurgical Processing - Montana Tech
In the context of Montana Tech's mission in graduate education, CAMP research is expected to result in doctoral dissertations, master's theses or projects, and/or peer-reviewed publications.
- Montana Career Opportunity - IT Manager - Glacier Bancorp
Lead a team & act as the technical authority for the design & maintenance of infrastructure projects & platforms.
Montana Economic Development
- Effort underway to bring clean, sustainable energy to Montana - Funding needed
Ryan Best has a brilliant idea to convert manure into clean sustainable energy, he just needs the funding to do so.
- Judge Orders Stinger Cranes to Stay in Libby, Montana
Lincoln County filed a restraining order against Stinger because it believes the port authority owns the equipment that was purchased with government grants.
- Montana Health Co-op gets $25M federal loan to expand into Idaho
"This is great news and we are very excited about the opportunity to bring our consumer-operated and oriented health insurance plans to Idaho," said Co-op President and CEO Jerry Dworak.
- Property-tax case against cable firm Bresnan Communications decided in favor of State of Montana
The court's majority concluded that the Revenue Department had legally and correctly reclassified Bresnan's properties and lumped them together in a single property tax classification.
Rural Communities
- Plans move forward for new Missoula development
The Old Sawmill District may not look like much now but we found out Monday plans have finally been approved for commercial and residential development and should take at least a decade to complete.
Government
- Online Rural Arts Project Expands Work
A "collaborative organization" whose goal is to "help build the field of the rural arts."
Regional Business
- City of Missoula to remove, replace 1,200 high-risk trees
Studies in other cities have found a connection between tree cover and income levels. The greater the density, the studies have found, the higher the income of those neighborhoods.
- Montana Department of Revenue Director, Mike Kadas sets sights on tax simplification
As he completes his first year as director of the state Revenue Department, Mike Kadas is looking ahead to some goals he has for the agency: tax simplification, transparency and more effective service.
- Fiscal Responsibility in the Rustbelt: When Management Trumps Politics
Much like the way the ancient Greeks defined female virtue, not being talked about could be considered a mark of distinction for an American city these days. Too often, whenever a previously obscure city attracts the nation's attention, the reason is that it's going bust.
- You're Secretly Subsidizing A Fast Food CEO's Million-Dollar Salary
Fast-food giants save money by paying their typical workers very little, but they also save money by paying their CEOs millions, thanks to a quirk of the tax code. In both cases, American taxpayers cover the cost.
Regional Economic Development
- As Hospital Prices Soar, a Single Stitch Tops $500
A day spent as an inpatient at an American hospital costs on average more than $4,000, five times the charge in many other developed countries.
- Supreme Court won't halt N.Y. internet taxation
Monday's court action means "it might be the last Cyber Monday without sales tax," said Joseph Henchman of the Washington-based Tax Foundation.
Workforce Development
- Economic development can only buy happiness up to a 'sweet spot' of $36,000 GDP per person
Once income reaches a certain level - around $36,000, adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) - life satisfaction levels peaks, after which it appears to dip slightly in the very rich countries.
Education
- Industry and Education Partnership - Factory Apprenticeship Is Latest Model From Germany
Inspired by a partnership between schools and industry that is seen as a key to Germany's advanced industrial capability and relatively low unemployment rate, projects like the one at Tognum are practically unheard-of in the United States.
Community
- Colleges are teaching economics backwards - "The world has changed, the syllabus hasn't."
Reversing the order in which introductory economic classes are taught today might be the easiest way to respond to the crisis in undergraduate education.
- American 15-Year-Olds Lag, Mainly in Math, on International Standardized Tests
The United States' underperformance was particularly striking in math, where 29 countries or education systems had higher test scores. In science, students in 22 countries did better than Americans, and in reading, 19 countries.
- Idaho falls further behind in early-child education spending
Idaho is one of nine that has refused to put taxpayer money into running preschool programs. The other eight are Arizona, Montana, Indiana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
- States Make Turnaround in Higher Ed Funding
After incurring some of the steepest cuts in recent state budgets, many states are beginning to route more funds back into higher education.
Funding and Building your Business
- Amazing 3-D Tool from Cupola Media Might Transform Street Planning
When people can't understand something, the status quo usually wins.
Connectivity & Communications
- The Old Ways Of Social Media Marketing Are Broken
If you want to get current, here are a few of his bits of wisdom along these lines:
- Why CEOs Should Destroy Their Own Businesses
What is going to destroy your business, and are you taking steps to do it yourself before others do it to you?
- House and Senate Bills to Curb Patent "Trolls" Include AICPA Recommendations
CPA firms and state CPA societies are among the many small- and medium-sized businesses that have been targeted by PAEs.
- Performance Reviews Don't Have To Be Absolutely Awful
"I wanted to build a team of people who would work together and whose only focus would be on making great software," said Bill Hill, a former manager. "But you can't do that at Microsoft."
Government Technology
- Ultrafast broadband connects rural America to the world
The high-speed capability that's an afterthought in big cities and regional centers is spreading ever deeper into the nation's countryside, nudged along by billions in federal stimulus dollars and state efforts to expand a key amenity for both quality of life and business competitiveness.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- California Lt. Governor Wants Cloud and Open Data Policies
If Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has his way, California will be operating under a "cloud first" technology procurement policy in the near future.
Transportation
- Amazon envisions eventually delivering packages in 30 minutes via drones
Emblazoned with "Amazon Prime Air," the flying robot has a claw at the bottom that allows it to scoop up packages at Amazon fulfillment centers and carry them to customers' front lawns:
- Volvo Is About to Unleash 100 Robo-Cars in Sweden
Customers will be selected next year during a research program, with 100 drivers hand-picked to participate in the autonomous vehicle trials.
- Cycle-friendly University of Montana bringing Missoula along for the ride
While UM continues to rank among the nation's best universities in way of education and value - and while Missoula continues to rise among the nation's best cities to live, work and play - recognition as a bike friendly university (and city) was a long-time coming.
- Next electric cars burn rubber, not just save gas
At auto shows here and in Tokyo last month, Audi showed a new A3 that will come in a plug-in version; BMW and Porsche displayed production versions of their sexy electric sports cars; and Nissan offered a futuristic electric concept.
- Governor Bullock applauds decision to bring Cape Air to rural Montana
"Ensuring there is reliable and consistent air service to all corners of our state helps to support Main Street businesses and ensures that rural Montanans have access to health care," Bullock said.
- Bozeman, Montana direct flight to New York City area expands
United Airlines announced Monday it plans to add another flight this summer to its nonstop service between Bozeman and the New York City area.
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