|
|
|
| MATR Newsletter - Thu Dec 18, 2014 |
|
This MATR newsletter sponsored by: Add an event... Upcoming Events MATR supporter: New Events
MATR supporter: To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page |
“I am different, not less.” ― Temple Grandin
2014 Montana Politics & 2015 Legislature
AAA Mountain West
- Dillon Republican Jeff Welborn to sponsor Gov. Bullock's $450M infrastructure bill
"Montana is lucky to have statesmen like Jeff Welborn who are eager to get something done on behalf of all Montanans and who will work across the aisle to do it," Bullock said in a statement.
- Michael Wright and Madelyn Beck from the University of Montana's School of Journalism will cover the 2015 Montana Legislature
"This project is a win-win for citizens of Montana and our journalism students,"
- Join Us For MEDA Day In The Rotunda, 1/14, Helena, Montana
Notify your Legislators of this event and plan to attend!
- Montana House leaders OK simple dress code
Lee Newspapers of Montana reports the new House dress code says simply that representatives and others on the House floor are asked to dress in professional business attire that is befitting the honor of the institution.
- A look at the issues headed to the 2015 Montana Legislature
Job No. 1 will be funding state services for the next two years, but there's plenty on lawmakers' plates besides that. More than 1,900 pieces of legislation have either been introduced or are in the drafting stage.
Northwestern Energy
- Tipsy Tow offering free rides, tows home during holidays
"The holiday season can be a particularly dangerous time for motorists because more people are out celebrating and some choose to drive impaired," said AAA spokeswoman Anna O'Donnell. "AAA MountainWest hopes Operation Tipsy Tow encourages people to make the responsible choice not to get behind the wheel after drinking."
Sustainable Business Council
- NorthWestern Energy and Missouri-Madison Recreation Trust Announce 2015 Funded Public Recreation Projects
NorthWestern Energy and the Missouri-Madison River Fund have announced funding next year for eight public recreation improvement projects on the two rivers where the company operates nine of its 12 hydroelectric facilities.
- Split PSC shoots down NorthWestern Energy's agreement for wind power project
"It was a proposed joint settlement and negotiated contract ... that would benefit ratepayers and reduce carbon," he said Thursday. "We're hopeful that the commission will continue their analysis and review what is a pretty straightforward proposal."
Inteneo Systems
- Be Local Bucket List
Sing-a-long caroling at the Buttercup Market on December 23rd! 4-6 pm
Come Home Montana
- HR Analytics at Thomson Reuters - James Rule, CIO
Get the right people, doing the right thing, at the right time whilst staying engaged, motivated, committed and hopefully enjoying the experience and having fun.
- Analytics is no longer a choice for any operation - Here's What You Must Know
If you aren't using analytics to increase your efficiency, cut waste and make better business decisions - you are in danger of being left behind.
Montana Business
- Montana Career Opportunities -IT Analyst/Support Tech, Corporate Staffing Recruiter, VP Sales - Sterling Bank Services
SBS is growing and is always looking for talented individuals to serve in many capacities.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Marketing/Proposal Coordinator - Envirocon
Develops and writes content for marketing purposes including project descriptions, articles, brochures, advertising, website, social media, etc.
- Charter planning to hire 100 new workers in Billings, Montana
Wages would start at about $35,000 a year, depending on experience, and include training, benefits, incentive pay and free cable and Internet service.
Careers
- Take Montana Home - When You Just Gotta Have Some of the Big Sky
If You Can't Be in Montana Then Take Montana Home With You -
- Missoula's Mamalode is in Forbes Magazine. Congratulations!
"If we don't know what to do, we do the opposite of the big guys."
- Missoula's Rivertop ramps up
"What's really cool about this is that it's technology that was developed by Dr. Don Kiely at the University of Montana," says CEO Mike Knauf. "We're so proud of that. Finding commercial success with technology that comes out of the university is a pretty rare occurrence."
- Bozeman-based Bridger Photonics awarded a $1.5 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to build a mobile system for finding methane leaks.
Bridger Photonics already makes laser and radar measuring equipment that its CEO, Pete Roos, said does the highest resolution distance measuring in the world, so the project will essentially add methane detection to that, Roos said.
Government
- 60 Minutes - How Mindfulness is Good For You
Anderson Cooper reports on what it's like to try to achieve "mindfulness," a self-awareness scientists say is very healthy, but rarely achieved in today's world of digital distractions
Incubators and R&D
- Senator Jon Tester gifts his homegrown Montana safflower oil to fellow Senators
Senator: 'Need a little oil to break the gridlock in Washington'
- Montana gets $1m grant to examine state's health-care system
The Bullock administration said it will use at least part of the funding to create a Council on Healthcare Innovation and Reform, which will help create a "statewide health transformation plan."
- Agencies look to Montana corruption probe as model
The Montana campaign, known as the Guardians Project, began three years ago. So far. it's netted felony convictions of 35 individuals and companies doing business on five reservations.
- Montana Tax News You Can Use- An e-newsletter for tax preparers and those interested in the state's tax system
Volunteers Needed to Provide Free Tax Help
University of Montana & Montana State University Tech Transfer
- New supercomputer available to Idaho researchers
"Partnering with Intel® through its 'Early Adopters Program' allowed us to get this highly anticipated architecture early in the release cycle to meet an important milestone."
Washington State Business
- Universities Push Harder Into Realm of Startups
'The financial resources and expertise venture firms bring to bear are critical.' --Andrew Nelson, assistant professor of management at the University of Oregon
Workforce Development
- ALTEK enables customers to take advantage of different custom manufacturing processes under one roof.
Our turnkey operation can dramatically reduce your supplier base and our cutting-edge technologies and timely implementation reduce your time to market and ensure the highest quality products every time while improving efficiency and eliminating the familiar hassles associated with managing multiple suppliers.
Montana Education Excellence
- Montana's two-year colleges to address shortage of manufacturing workers
"We're experiencing a severe skills gap and workforce shortage for many of us requiring skilled welders, machinists and other manufacturing positions."
Community
- MSU vice president for research and economic development Renee Reijo Pera honored by National Academy of Inventors
"She is developing technologies that will not only change the way infertility and neurodegeneration is diagnosed, but also the way it is treated. And along the way, she is creating new companies that will economically benefit our region and state."
- The Miles Community College is looking for community teachers
Have you ever sat in a classroom, convinced you could do a much better job of teaching the subject than the current instructor? Here's your chance to prove it.
- Montana moms of kids with disabilities seek schooling until age 21
Chris Pope, elected last month as a new House member from Bozeman, said he has asked that a bill be drafted to raise the graduation age to 21 for students with disabilities, saying it could "substantially improve" the lives of those who are less fortunate.
Funding and Building your Business
- NINE New grant announcements
- Could Crosswalk Gaming End Our Dangerous Jaywalking Habit?
The ActiWait traffic light allows pedestrians to safely have a little fun playing 'Pong' while waiting for a Walk sign.
Energy and Climate Change
- The One Thing Everyone Knows, But Only Successful People Practice
If research proves that the intention to create value for someone else is so beneficial, then why isn't everyone doing it?
- Airbnb Invents a Call Center That Isn't Hell to Work At
"In a typical environment, the cubicle is your world and the rest is the company's world, and they're very territorial about the cubicles. We wanted to evaporate that territorialism and turn it into a collective place."
- The Sharing-Economy PR Stunt That Turned Into a Real Business
"There are hundreds of thousands of people that constitute an emerging workforce, and there's no one who has their back," he tells me. "That's what we want to do."
Connectivity & Communications
- Fuel cells power systems on the rise
The clean energy attributes of fuel cells, which are electrochemical devices rather than relying on combustion of fuel and produce almost nothing in the way of pollutants, will surely see them widely used eventually. For the moment, state support programmes continue to close the funding gap.
- No More Faking It: Companies Ditch Green Credits, Clean Up Instead
"These voluntary green power markets have no significant effect on how much renewable energy is generated."
- The World's Biggest Car Company (Toyota) Wants to Get Rid of Gasoline
The car can double as a mobile power station: A socket in the trunk can electrify the typical Japanese home for about a week in the event of an earthquake or other emergency.
- Major wind farm breaks ground near Bridger
Construction of a 120-turbine wind farm is underway in Carbon County as developers scramble to benefit from a last-minute federal tax credit passed this week.
GIS Technology
- Skype Real-Time Language Translator Preview Goes Live
The translator application uses machine learning, which means the more the technology is used, the more it improves.
Government TechnologyNon-Profit News
- How Government Can Unlock Economic Benefits from Open Data: Part I
In Duluth, Minn., open data helped city residents decide if the local bus offers a better alternative to driving. The result: Bus ridership is up 12 percent, traffic congestion is down and the cost of transportation has dropped for many passengers. In 2012, San Francisco opened up access to real-time transit data, resulting in 22 percent fewer 311 calls, saving the city $1 million.
- How to Unlock Economic Benefits from Open Data: Part II
"Data becomes more valuable when you can link it with other data sets. It can result in insights you wouldn't have had before."
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- 2 Boise leaders share lessons of running a nonprofit
Building partnerships with businesses and educating the public are keys, say the leaders of two recently honored groups.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Goodbye, Nation. Goodbye, Blowhard Self. Stephen Colbert Prepares Final 'Colbert Report'
When he puts the character to rest for good on Thursday night, he may have to resort to comicide. The Grim Reaper is his last guest.
- 17 Perfect Presents for People Who Work Out of Coffee Shops
Step into my office. And would you like whipped cream on that mocha?
- Could death someday be optional?
We live in such exciting times; I couldn't imagine a better time to be alive.
- Five best laptop deals for the holidays
We're a week away from Christmas Eve, and if you're still on the lookout for a notebook, this week's best laptop deals can help.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page