It’s always great to stumble upon local organizations working hard to make South Dakota a better place. Today, thanks to a tip, I read the post on Reimagine Rural about Engaging Youth and Rural Education. It struck me reading their review of a program in Ontario that the same work is going on right here in South Dakota.

At 9 Clouds and at The Post we spend a great deal of our time and energy on education. We’ve had the opportunity to speak and train a number of local businesses and individuals to use the internet and new collaborative tools to find new customers, work more efficiently and to provide better service to their current customers. The Post works with skill development, helping current and aspiring journalists, photographers, videographers and creatives to have a place to practice and hone their craft. Plus, as they develop their skills they can be hired by 9 Clouds on a number of projects.

This hybrid of training and building a community is exactly what can help develop rural communities in the future. New technology enables us to live in South Dakota but work everywhere in the world. Having a grasp on the potential and learning how to harness this technology is essential for rural renewal. No longer are residents tied to opportunities in their immediate community. Instead, they are only limited by their passion, drive and internet connection speed.

Hop over to ReImagine Rural and the Rural Learning Center to see a few organizations doing South Dakota proud.

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Social Media Jobs are HOT

by john on February 25, 2010 · 0 comments

in Social Media

Here’s the link to Mashable’s Job board which is frequently updated with great opportunities. Definitely check it out as social media jobs are HOT… just like me!

You can also find this post on John’s personal blog.

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DrawnTown SF

A big thank you to DrawnTown Sioux Falls (DTSF) Edition 8 for hosting this episode of Cloud Control. DTSF is a monthly get-together on the second Tuesday of every month of local artists and art hobbyists. This month’s edition was held at Fresh Produce Headquarters.

Nerd Front

Google Buzz - Google Buzz is a social tool embedded into your Gmail interface. Much like Twitter and FriendFeed, Buzz is a constant stream of content (including pictures, links, and videos) from people you choose to follow. New updates show up in an inbox of sorts located directly below your email inbox. There is also a geo-based element of Buzz to compete with apps such as Foursquare and GoWalla.

Foursquare BlackBerry – In their constant effort to gain a massive dedicated base of users, Foursquare has just released a BlackBerry App. With the release of this app, Foursquare is basically accessible from every smart phone. Foursquare has also been teaming up with media outlets to connect the online world with physical experience.

Facebook – Facebook has been talking about getting into the email game. We know that Facebook wants to be considered a competitor of Google, and building an email platform is proof that Facebook and Google may be in direct competition soon.

Local Front

Kiel M (I dare you to spell his last name without assistance) – DTSF Ed. 8 had an explosion of participants this month while being held at the Fresh Produce Headquarters. It’s not just for artists, it’s a social gathering surrounded by creativity and conversation. You’ll see every medium and plenty of non-artists writing, typing, and talking each month.

What’s On Your Mind?

Do you use factory settings on your new tech tools, or do you customize everything to your personal style? There’s a reason for factory settings, but you might want to play around and find a way to maximize your personal use of new tech.

Sharing and Collaborating are huge parts of every business and there is a wide range of communication tools coming out that can help your business succeed. Internal communication helps everything run smoothly. What do you think? Could you completely shut down your office and maintain productivity?

Question of the Week: What is your favorite web app or tool that makes your job easier?

Drop us a tweet or leave a comment below and we’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Until next time, have a great week.

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John and Scott for Ford Fiesta Agents

February 8, 2010

ShareIt’s no secret that Scott and I like to use social media. It’s also no secret that we love all the different applications people are using social media for: wearing t-shirts for a living, dumping your boyfriend or girlfriend, watering your plants, and of course picking your NHL team (wink wink).
Scott and I hope to [...]

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What you won’t see during the Super Bowl: Pepsi

February 7, 2010

ShareWhile Peyton Manning and Drew Brees will be looking to meticulously pick apart the defenses, there is one thing you won’t see during this year’s Super Bowl: Pepsi.
For the first time in 23 years Pepsi will not advertising during the Super Bowl. While they will save roughly $2.5 million per ad spot, they will be [...]

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Tools for the Trade: Six essential tools for first-time bloggers

February 4, 2010

Share

Hundreds of bloggers fill the Blogger Lounge at SXSW Interactive 2009. Photo by loiclemeur on Flickr.
Once you decide to take the plunge and start blogging there are a lot of things to do. It’s hard enough to consistently write new posts and stay dedicated to producing content as well as monitor the analytics of that [...]

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Cloud Control at 30 Thousand Feet

January 29, 2010
 
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ShareCloud Control has officially joined the Mile High Club…of podcasting. If nobody is going to use First Class to fly, we’ll take the opportunity (well…maybe) to get you your latest and greatest from the Nerd Front, Local Front and What’s On Our Mind for the highest podcast we’ve recorded to date.
Nerd Front
Apple iPad – The [...]

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Cloud Control on the Porch

January 25, 2010
 
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ShareIt’s not often that you can sit out on the porch in South Dakota during January, but that’s where this installment of Cloud Control comes from. We’ll never reveal our cold-blooded secrets.
Nerd Front
Apple Tablet Rumors – At this point, even Steve Jobs has started to talk about the Apple Tablet and it is expected to [...]

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Creating Positive Change by Empowering Social Media

January 23, 2010

ShareAs aid money continues to flow in to Haiti driven by new media such as text messaging and social media, it is evident that technology presents a unique opportunity to create positive peace by empowering individuals. We can instantly donate, learn and act without having to leave our cubicle. Plus, we can monitor the implementation [...]

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Support Haiti

January 16, 2010

ShareI had the chance to speak with the local traditional media giant KELO yesterday about using text messaging to donate to earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. I hope this encouraged people to chip in to this important effort.
If text donating isn’t your thing, I would strongly encourage donations to Partners in Health. This is an [...]

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