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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Feb 19, 2008 |
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"Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings." -- John F. Kennedy
North Dakota shows how a small, largely rural state can become a player in the high tech, knowledge-based economy. It's a tremendous story of how government, universities and industry can cooperate to build a high-tech economy in rural communities. "North Dakota Leads Nation in R&D Increase" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- This workspace provides a knowledge community -- a hub -- where practitioners can share their knowledge an insights about "what works" to integrate education, workforce development and economic development into regional strategies that promote innovation. "WIRED Nation - A knowledge community of WIRED Grant winners" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Boomtown Institute
Come Home Montana
- The Agurban from Boomtown Institute - Generational Housing Bubble
What will happen when boomers begin to sell off their high-priced homes to relatively smaller and less-advantaged generations?
Come Home Wyoming
- Montana Career Opportunity - Community Manager / Web Editor - Flathead Beacon
You will act as the primary point of contact for community organizations, and users that contribute their own content.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- In Wyoming resort, affordable housing takes on a completely new meaning
"Affordable housing has basically allowed us to have a family here. Because I can guarantee you that the minute we had a kid, if we couldn't find a place to live, we would have probably moved somewhere where we could."
Funding and Building your Business
- PBS series features local business whiz kids
Now a new nationwide public-TV series spotlights this sort of inventiveness by the MySpace/millennial generations. Called "Biz Kid$" and produced by the same Seattle-based team behind the Emmy-winning "Bill Nye The Science Guy," the show aims to teach youth financial literacy.
Education
- A Start-Up Says It Can Predict Others’ Fate
Is your start-up worthy of investment? Ask the venture investor in a box.
University TechTransfer
- Microsoft has suite deal for students - FREE Software
The software, including Visual Studio, the company's suite of programming languages, and Expression Studio, a tool for designing user interfaces and Web pages, would cost thousands of dollars to buy.
Connectivity & Communications
- Proof of Concept Centers: Accelerating the Commercialization of University Innovation
University research is a key component of our nation’s innovative capacity. In an increasingly dynamic and global economy, the institutional infrastructure is inefficient at moving university innovations to the marketplace.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Cell Phone Use Linked To Increased Cancer Risk
A recent study says frequent cell phone users face a 50% greater risk of developing tumors of the parotid gland than those who don't use cell phones.
- Verizon to offer flat-fee unlimited wireless plans
The new "Nationwide Unlimited Anytime Minutes Plan" could rewrite the competitive rules of the wireless industry, which has long embraced the idea of selling "buckets" of minutes for a set monthly price.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- The 10 Emerging Technologies of 2008
This is work ready to emerge from the lab, in a broad range of areas: energy, computer hardware and software, biological imaging, and more.
Montana Business
- Film rolling in Lincoln, Montana. "Call of the Wild" with Christopher Lloyd
“It’s a Montana movie”
- Havre, Montana documentary film festival focuses on social issues. 2/22-24
Organizers hope that the festival will grow as more filmmakers learn about it from around the country and submit their films. Donations and grants have helped festival organizers bring films to Havre, outside of the usual blockbusters played at the local theater.
Montana Economic Development
- Chisel Industries wins 6 Montana ADDY awards for University of Montana campaign
Chisel Industries, which has produced 11 ads for UM, is a Montana-based marketing and production company with Hollywood experience.
- Missoula: Internists are not in
“We have been behind the curve on this, but it's a problem that is occurring nationally,” said Dr. Tom Roberts, the clinic president. “It's finally here, and it means that it's very difficult for us to hire certain kinds of doctors. If we didn't explain that to patients, that's unfortunate.”
- The Butte Local Development Co. sues Sheep Mountain Electric over loans
Smitham said Evankovich tried to work out a payment plan with the BLDC and was making interest-only payments for a few months, then stopped working with the development corporation.
- Masking the cold - Talus Outdoor Technologies of Missoula develops product that helps keep outdoor enthusiasts warm
Right now, he's courting stores that sell ski and mountaineering equipment, and he's looking forward to the day when the ColdAvenger goes national through a company like REI. “It's a process, but we feel like it's working for us,” he said. “And we're going to keep doing it right here in Missoula.”
- Eco-tour company, Adventure Life Journeys of Missoula wins employer award
The eco-tour company organizes group trips to Antarctica and Latin America. It also offers expedition cruises on ships carrying between 50 and 100 people to Patagonia, Galapagos, Antarctica and other destinations.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- "Building Strong Communities: Asset-based Strategies And Tools", 3/25, Bozeman, Montana
In this workshop, you can learn more about community-based asset development, including how to mobilize the skills and interests of individual residents, local voluntary associations, local institutions, the physical assets of the community (e.g. land, buildings, transportation), the economy, the community's culture and stories.
- Proposed study would map fiberoptics, gaps in cell service in Western Montana
BREDD is looking for about $1,000 from Mineral, Ravalli and Missoula counties, as well as a lesser amount from a host of municipalities to cover 20 percent of the study's cost. The rest could be funded by state and federal grants, Allen said. Total cost of the study is estimated at around $30,000.
- Eastern Montana loses rural air service but Big Sky Airlines employees try to keep flying
Now Big Sky Airlines, the only regularly scheduled airline to serve seven remote Eastern Montana cities, including Glasgow, is going out of business.
- Grants targets Montana logging to help retrain wood-products workers for other jobs.
The money will help coordinate workforce training from the Labor Department, economic development from the Commerce Department and education from the state colleges of technology to help retrain wood-products workers for other jobs.
- Welcome to the world of Wi-Fi in Bozeman, Montana
CNET.com, one of the nation’s premiere online technology publications, lists at least 36 Wi-Fi hotspots in the city. And that number continues to grow.
- The Big Sky Economic Development Authority drops lobbyists
The staff could find no evidence that the lobbying firm had succeeded in bringing additional money into the community.
- Community Friendly (CF) Grant Opportunities
A total of eleven NEW CF grant opportunities have been added in the last week
Regional Economic Development
- North Dakota Leads Nation in R&D Increase
North Dakota shows how a small, largely rural state can become a player in the high tech, knowledge-based economy. It's a tremendous story of how government, universities and industry can cooperate to build a high-tech economy in rural communities.
Idaho Business
- Xigi - Mission: To increase the flow of capital to good.
The xigi site features a searchable database containing information about people, organizations, and investment offerings in sectors such as social enterprise, microfinance, affordable housing, fair trade, and clean technology.
- WIRED Nation - A knowledge community of WIRED Grant winners
This workspace provides a knowledge community -- a hub -- where practitioners can share their knowledge an insights about "what works" to integrate education, workforce development and economic development into regional strategies that promote innovation.
Washington State Business
- Gov. Otter: Idaho economy dimming, leaving his 2009 budget $82 million short
“There's a lot of stuff there that we're going to have to trim.”
Government
- Trickle-down effect: Boeing club helps fuel winery boom
"Companies are trying to differentiate themselves from the competition for talent. They're providing a social network that transcends a paycheck."
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Lack of money, not lack of conflict shuts down Montana Consensus Council
The council, created by Gov. Marc Racicot by executive order in 1994 to help groups and agencies resolve conflicts and reach consensus on issues, hasn’t made enough money in consulting fees to continue.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Two Great Stories - BOTH TRUE - and worth reading!
How about forwarding these great stories of human mistakes, attempts at reconciliation, and heroic actions.
Careers
- Building boom could be boon to Montana education
Builder Ron Bartsch has thrown down his hammer. The owner of Sussex Construction is giving $100 to the Helena Education Foundation for every lot he sells or home he builds, and he’s challenging other area builders to do the same.
Non-Profit News
- Reach out at work during tough times
In these often scary economic times, workers should climb out of the foxhole and connect as much as possible with others in the workplace.
- Montana Career Resource Network February newsletter
Sometimes unemployment is simply a problem of not having enough jobs, but often it is a problem of balance.
Energy
- Seattle Division of Safeway Inc. Announces Charitable Contributions Exceeding $32.5 Million in 2007 in Montana, Washington, Idaho and Alaska
Our priority has always been to invest in the communities who invest in us.
- The third annual Missoula Community Brew is sponsored by Big Sky Brewing (BSBC) and the Zoo
"Everyone in the club enjoys doing the Community Brew, and then getting a chance to help out the community and work with Big Sky Brewing is a great reward.
- Montana's Going to the Sun Rally
One of the most important aspects of Going to the Sun is that 100% of the $98,000 entry fees are given to charities, such as the Montana Highway Patrol Fallen Officers Fund; the Madison Valley Hospital in Ennis, Montana; and The Clark Fork Coalition, dedicated to protecting and restoring the Clark Fork River basin.
Making the Most of the American Prairie
- Startup re-engineers the humble turbine in pursuit of distributed wind generation
The equipment Marquiss makes is designed to generate wind power in crowded urban areas, which today remains an untapped market for the wind power industry.
- How America's Greenest Cities Got Green
Does your city make the list? Look inside as we uncover the innovative projects that keep the top cities running cleanly
- World first: U.S. city, Spokane, WA fights climate change and peak oil together
Spokane, Washington has become the first to tackle climate change and global oil depletion together, marking a new step in local government responses to these increasingly urgent challenges.
- Solar Integrated's BIPVs. Most inexpensive photovoltaic solution in the world today?
what makes Solar Integrated really, really interesting is they very likely have the most inexpensive photovoltaic solution in the world today.
Lewis and Clark Legacy
- Wyoming is protecting a 'rare piece of the world'
The fundamental value of Wyoming, as well as its heritage, can be found in the state's mountainous landscapes, its immense prairies and its vast diversity of wildlife.
- Cross-border studies reveal secrets of pronghorn antelope migration
"It's a canary on the prairie."
- Author Gives Lewis and Clark Slave York a Voice
- Native, Lewis & Clark Route Sixth Most Endangered Historic Site in Missoula County
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