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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Dec 12, 2014 |
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"Two things are infinite. The universe and human stupidity. ...and I'm not sure about the universe." Albert Einstein
2014 Montana Politics & 2015 Legislature
Early Edge Montana
- Chamber of Commerce supports Gov. Bullock's Medicaid expansion plan
Montanans, by more than 20 percent, "support the state providing health care coverage for up to 70,000 uninsured childless adults whose income is below $16,100 per year."
Montana Data Focused Business Cluster
- Montana receives $10 million for preschool
Montana qualified for the grant because it does not have a public preschool program.
Sustainable Business Council
- Mathematics and Big Data at the University of Montana
We want our graduates to be productive on the first day of the job.
- Statistics & Applied Math CORE at the University of Montana
The CORE is designed to help researchers at the University of Montana and wider community of Missoula and the State of Montana with the data analysis, modeling and optimization needs.
Great Falls Development Authority
- Sustainable Business Council Newsletter
Pink Grizzly was sustainable before it was cool.
- Lessons from 10 Years of Sustainability in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Many cities have programs to reduce energy usage and protect the environment, but Grand Rapids made for an appealing case study because it wasn't considered a national leader on climate policy before the mayors initiative and the mayor's agreement might actually have made a difference politically.
Inteneo Systems
- Great Falls Development Authority Top 15 for 12/8/14
Here's the GFDA Top 15 for last week, celebrating great things happening to move Great Falls Forward!
Come Home Montana
- Without data analysis at all levels, all you have is a lot of opinions. What is your company doing?
"Consumer Data will be the biggest differentiator in next two to three years. Whoever unlocks the reams of data and uses it, strategically will win." Without data analysis at all levels, all you have is a lot of opinions.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Montana Career Opportunities - Computer Software Engineer and many more... - Montana State University
Montana State University, the state's land-grant institution, educates students, creates knowledge and art, and serves communities by integrating learning, discovery and engagement.
Montana Business
- Looking for young professionals in Great Falls, Montana
The Great Falls Tribune and the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce are profiling young professionals to spotlight the next generation of community and business leaders.
Montana Economic Development
- Billionaire Wilks brothers buy 24,500 acre ranch in southeastern Montana; take it out of block management
It's sad to see good ranch land being bought up by billionaire absentee landowners especially when they take away the ability of the public to access the land for hunting.
- Missoula-based Rivertop Renewables expands, adds more jobs
Knauf says they've already doubled their staff size in the last year. He has up to 30 employees and expects to keep hiring.
- Montana Blue Cross Paying $1 Million Over Customer Service Complaints
Lindeen said her office received three times the complaints against Blue Cross in the first half of 2014 as it did in the same period last year.
- Tourism official details industry's importance to Missoula, state economy
Locally, the spending supported 3,200 jobs and contributed $22 million to taxes
- Down to the wire: Big Sky hunter kills record elk on last day of season
"I knew when I saw the photos that it was just going to explode out across Montana and the nation," said Fred King, the Boone and Crockett Club official measurer who scored the elk. "When that happened, I knew I would start getting calls."
TEDx Events in Montana
- Results of Meat Processing Plant Study presented at Montana Stockgrowers Convention
One Montana, a Bozeman-based nonprofit organization, recently completed a feasibility study showing that it is possible to build a mid-sized meat processing plant in Montana, one that could process up to a combined 60,000 head of beef and bison annually.
Careers
- 8 TED Talks to foster creativity
TED Talks are some of today's most popular examples of the internet's power to expand learning opportunities to all.
Next Generation Broadband in Missoula
- The Science Of Personality In The Workplace
Forget everything you think you know about personality. Psychologists explain why personality is fluid & first impressions are meaningless.
- 9 Ways To Dramatically Improve Your Presentations And Speeches
Your main goal is to tell a story that will inspire your audience -- and that it will share with other people.
- 6 Management Lessons That Everyone Should Know.
Priceless....
Rural Communities
- Next Century Cities Is Now 50 Members Strong to ensure that all have access to fast, affordable, and reliable broadband Internet.
These communities represent large cities, counties, and rural towns alike, each undertaking a unique approach to reach its broadband goals.
Idaho Business
- Rural Docs Pull Ahead in Electronic Records
A newly published study shows that 56% of rural medical practices have adopted electronic records, while only 49% of metropolitan practices have done so.
- The Geography of Happiness
One place that correlates with more happiness is the line between rural and urban areas, where residents may benefit from the best of both worlds.
Incubators and R&D
- Gov. Otter: End Idaho tax on business equipment
"If you haven't got smart people coming up with the next generation of French fries, or the next generation of computer chips ... then you're not going to need the highway to get it there," he said.
Other Economies
- MSU mental health research center to receive $500,000
The Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery at Montana State University will receive $500,000 to advance its research as part of a settlement reached by Montana Insurance Commissioner Monica Lindeen and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana.
University Business Plan Competitions
- TTIP divides a continent as EU negotiators cross the Atlantic
A fear of multinationals and distrust of European governments is fuelling a growing antipathy towards the transatlantic free trade pact.
- New Map Shows Colorado's Rich Startup Ecosystem
Want a cool map of the local high tech startups in Colorado?
University of Montana & Montana State University Tech Transfer
- UM Students Win $2,500 for Business Plans at Startup Pitch
Graduate student Chad Miller, who is working toward a master's degree in business administration, won the $1,500 overall prize for his presentation on Purus, an engineering support operations management firm which bridges the technology and marketing gaps between oil and gas service companies and their customers.
Utah Economic Development
- Tech transfer office can help a professor turn intellectual gifts into gold
"One of the biggest challenges for faculty spinning off companies ... is making the right connections to find strategic partners, investors or potential customers."
Workforce Development
- State incentives to bring more than 1,100 new jobs
The Governor's Office of Economic Development announced several new incentives Thursday at its monthly board meeting that are expected to result in hundreds of new jobs over an eight-year period.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Labor Department to Award $100M to Expand High-Tech, High-Demand Industry Apprenticeships
Labor expects to make about 25 awards, ranging between $2.5-5 million, to public-private partnerships that will register, improve and expand apprenticeship programs around the country.
- President Obama Launches Competitions for New Manufacturing Innovation Hubs and American Apprenticeship Grants
To help support new advancements in manufacturing, the President will announce more than $290 million in public-private investment for two new Manufacturing Innovation Hub Competitions.
Missoula Children's Theatre
- Hour of Code Highlights the Increasing Importance of Coding in Schools
The Hour of Code campaign is gaining traction in schools as millions of students learn the building blocks of coding.
- The Growing Focus on the Dismal State of Teacher Preparation
Both a national nonprofit organization and the U.S. Department of Education have recently turned their attention to education schools that long have failed to produce teachers equipped to improve student achievement.
- The Big Bang: The Lean LaunchPad Explodes at University of Maryland
The University of Maryland is now integrating the Lean LaunchPad® into standard innovation and entrepreneurship courses across all 12 colleges within the University. Over 44 classes have embedded the business model canvas and/or Customer Discovery including a year-long course taken by every single one of its bioengineering majors.
Montana Education Excellence
- Missoula Children's Theatre & Missoula Community Theatre Ink.
The MCT tour will be celebrating the holidays with Navy families this month. Rapunzel will travel to Bahrain, Naples & Sigonella, Italy and The Secret Garden to Singapore and Guam.
Community
- Montana colleges collaborate to expand library research system
...combining all Montana college library research systems into one will help cut back on individual institution costs.
- Bozeman High succeeds for many students, focuses on those who struggle
"We are one of the best high schools in the state, based on the data we have," Principal Kevin Conwell said after the meeting. "We still have room to grow."
- Montana STEM mentorship initiative launched. More Mentors needed!
"Montana is home to thousands (of) scientists, engineers, and computer programmers. Through the Montana STEM Mentors initiative, we'll build on the knowledge of these men and women to open new doors of opportunity for the next generation," Lt. Gov. Angela McLean
- New Bozeman High center helps students find careers, colleges
Seniors often don't know if they want to go to a two-year college, or sign up for a skilled-labor apprenticeship program, or apply to a four-year college, Schmaltz said.
- MSU grad students OK historic union contract
Graduate students at Montana State University who teach and do research have negotiated a union contract that's a historic first for the state and would give them immediate pay raises.
Funding and Building your Business
- Thirteen New Grant Announcements
- WATCH: This Woman Saw A Mannequin Of Herself At A Store. How She Reacted To It Brought Me To Tears.
Who is perfect, anyway?
Energy and Climate Change
- To Manage Innovation, Manage Failure Better
Every company believes it is fostering innovation but not every company does.
- This Surprising Secret About Bamboo Could Be The Reason You're Not Successful
The truth is, sometimes you have to work at something for a long time without any apparent progress before you get a "break" -- at which point now it will seem like you've succeeded "overnight."
- Breach insurance: Not just for the big guys
Cyber breach insurance, which covers losses and costs due to hacker attacks on a company's computer system, is a relatively new type of policy. While not yet widespread, it's quickly gaining ground.
- Why Avoiding Risk Can Be Good for Managers but Bad for Shareholders
Products that have turned out to be great in the past -- someone took a risk to create that product. If managers aren't doing that, then they're not necessarily creating value.
- Meet USA TODAY's Entrepreneur of the Year
A company founder focused on helping Americans nurture the growth and evolution of their biggest asset - their homes - has been named USA TODAY's Entrepreneur of the Year.
Making the Most of the American Prairie
- The End of the Era of Cheap Water
"Water and sewer bills are increasing faster than bills for natural gas, electricity or phone service. They have been far outpacing inflation for 30 years, and there is no sign the rate hikes will slow down anytime soon."
- Montana Tech Awarded Power Systems Research Grant
The purpose of the grant is to study futuristic power systems.
- North Dakota Requires Oil Producers to Reduce Volatility of Bakken Crude-By-Rail
Bakken crude is considered more volatile than other types of oil, which presents a safety problem when moved by rail. New regulations approved Tuesday require oil producers to separate flammable and volatile liquids prior to shipment by rail.
Connectivity & Communications
- Green Drinks Bozeman, Hosted By American Prairie Reserve, 04/15, Bozeman
Join American Prairie Reserve http://www.americanprairie.org/ as we celebrate Green Drinks.
GIS Technology
- App introduces automatic password changer
Changing passwords is a pain, so password manager Dashlane has come up with an easier way to do it.
- How Facebook Knows When Its Ads Influence Your Offline Purchases
Facebook recently launched a new tool for online advertisers called Atlas, and part of the company's pitch is that it can explicitly establish a link between online ads and offline purchases.
Government Technology
- Open Data Visualization Tool Challenges Traditional GIS
Government has a data problem.
Non-Profit News
- Government Data Could Unleash Economic Growth, Expert Says
Former federal CTO Aneesh Chopra says the dissemination of government data can lead to big things
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- UM Philanthropy Class Awards $12,500 in Grants to Local
The class, which is part of UM's Global Leadership Initiative, awards grants to nonprofits that operate within Missoula County and combat hunger or address mental health issues.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Is this the gnarliest ski line of all-time?
Think you could tackle this bad boy?
Transportation
- App acts as an auto-correct for those with speech disorders
Talkitt is an app that turns any unintelligible language into understandable speech in real time.
- Lending Club nabs $9 billion valuation in IPO, challenges big banks
"I think it's going to be the beginning of a lot of new innovation in (financial) tech, because God knows we need it."
- Highway administration selects MSU's Western Transportation Institute to lead new centers
"The Western Transportation Institute is a leader in cutting edge transportation research," said Sen. Jon Tester. "I am pleased WTI won these awards to make our roads safer and train the next generation of transportation workers."
- This Plane Will Be Able To Fly Anywhere In The World In 4 Hours
If that doesn't sound utterly awesome enough, how about this: The vehicle would also be able to fly in outer space.
- Sub-$500 battery-powered wheel brings electric capabilities to any bike
GeoOrbital is the first sub USD 500 electric wheel that is compact and battery-powered, and can be attached to any bike.
- FAA lets 4 companies fly commercial drones
"The FAA's first priority is the safety of our nation's aviation system," FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said. "Today's exemptions are a step toward integrating (unmanned aerial systems) operations safely."
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