Summer Still Life

Summer Still Life
Originally uploaded by dewelch

Lunch at friend's house today. Hot dogs and chips by the pool. This tableau seemed a quintessential still life of an American Summer.

Clear Channel Cleans Up Billboard in 2 business days!

After posting about this graffiti-covered billboard near my house and sending emails to Clear Channel Communications I am amazed with their follow-up. Two business days after posting and emailing, the billboard had received a new ad, covering up or removing the graffiti that had been there for over 6 months.

I must say that I am quite impressed with Clear Channel's action on this and will make it a point to bring any further troubles to their attention immediately, instead of waiting for someone else to make a report. I think this is great advice for your, too, whenever something is not right in your neighborhood.

For the original story visit, Clear Channel, Clean Up Your Billboard!

He's watching you! - am LOLCat

more cat pictures

Video: Dinosaur at the LA Natural History Museum

Wow! Not much to say here expect Wow! I need to check this out in person with the boy.


Extinct, my ASS! from The Original Joe Fisher on Vimeo.

New Media Interchange Meeting: Franklin Canyon - July 27

Sunday, July 27, 2008
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

RSVP via Upcoming.org

Franklin Canyon Park
2600 Franklin Canyon Drive
Beverly Hills, California 90210

Category: Social
Website: http://newmediainterchange.com

Join us for a picnic day in the park to have some fun and talk New Media and Traditional Media. Bring your family, your chairs, your food and great conversation. Some picnic tables may be available. We'll be gathering on the lawn at the ranch house, at the south end of the canyon. See http://www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=14 for information and directions.

(Thanks to Jason Casper (http://jasoncosper.com/) for the great idea to have a meeting outside, during the beautiful summer months)

The focus of New Media Interchange is to bring together New Media Tech folks like Flash animators, podcasters, videobloggers,etc together with creatives like writers, actors and directors so that we can share information on producing New Media.

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Also, coming soon to Arizona!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

RSVP via Upcoming.org

Ravenheart Coffee
1370 West Highway 89A
Sedona, Arizona 86336
Category: Social
Website: http://newmediainterchange.com

New Media Interchange was recently founded in Los Angeles to bring traditional media and new media creatives together. You can find out more by visiting the web site at http://newmediainterchange.com or email douglas@welchwrite.com.

I (Douglas Welch) am the founder of New Media Interchange and will be visiting Sedona and Phoenix from August 1-9. From previous visits to Sedona, I know there are many creative people there and many of you would like to know more about new media (YouTube, Podcasting, Streaming video, web sites and more).

Join me for this informal meetup to talk everything new media!

Additionally, all you Twitter (http://twitter.com) users out there. This is a great opportunity to hold a Tweetup in Sedona. If you are a Twitter user, come and meet other "Tweets" face to face. My Twitter ID is dewelch. Follow me for updates on this Tweetup.

Billboard Cleanup

Returning from dinner tonight, I noticed that the billboard mentioned in my previous post, Clear Channel Clean up Your Billboard has been recovered. It is a new ad, for a new radio station, but it is certainly better than what was there.

Now begins the countdown to see how long it will go before being tagged. I hope that they put some thought in to preventing further access to the billboard.

Pictures of new billboard coming tomorrow. I will shoot them when I take my daily walk.

Clear Channel, Clean up your billboard graffiti!

(Update: July 18, 2008, 225pm: I must admit, I am surprised at the response my email has elicited. The problem is not solved by any means, but it looks like the right people have been informed.

This morning I received email replies from Ellen and Russ at Clear Channel Communications, Inc. and Ellen stated "I have issued instructions to have the copy at this location changed out." This is great news.

Secondly, Laura from Councilperson Wendy Greuel's office called a few minutes ago with some information on the issues involved in removing graffiti from billboards and any other places more than 8 feet above the ground. The various graffiti removal organizations can't handle anything higher than 8 feet, I assume, due to safety issues. Also, since this billboard is considered private property, and its height, it is up to the owner to remove graffiti. I thought this might be the case, which is why I sent my email to Clear Channel, as well.

Now that it seems that the right people have been informed, I will keep a watch to see when the billboard is cleaned up. I guess one important lesson I have had reinforced is that if you see something that needs doing, and you can't do it yourself, do your best to bring it to the attention of those that can fix it.

I'll offer additional updates when I receive more info. -- Douglas)

I typically don't use this blog for any form of activism, but after 6+ months of seeing this Clear Channel Communications Inc. billboard several times a day, I think it is time to take some action.

This billboard is located atop storefronts on the southwest corner of Van Nuys Blvd and Hatteras Street in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles.



(Click the photos for larger images)

I have reported this to the LA City graffiti email hotline, but unlike most other graffiti cleanup requests, there is something holding this up. It is probably the fact that this billboard is considered the private property of Clear Channel Communications, Inc. or so the sticker on the base of the pole claims. It seems amazing to me that his has gone on so long, since this billboard is only a mile from the Van Nuys Government Center with its City Hall field offices and in clear view of thousands of people every day.

Last week, I contacted the office of my Councilperson Wendy Greuel and was told to contact Laura in the North Hollywood field office at 818-755-7676. There was no answer at that number, so I left a detailed message with my contact information and callback numbers. As of today, I have not heard back from the office.

So, here are my next actions. I am posting these photos and this description here and then I am going to email the field office, as well as the Ms. Greuel's main office, with a link to this site. I am also going to send an email to the press contact at Clear Channel Communications, Inc. to see if they have some explanation for this long term blight on my neighborhood.

If you have any additional ideas of who should be contacted regarding this problem, let me know using the comments link below.

Wish me luck!

My office and the jackhammer

Working from home has its moments.

IndyMac Bank, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and You - July 17, 2008

Want to understand what the current mortgage and banking mess is all about? This show, which I produce and co-host, helps to explain what is going on and why. -- Douglas

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This week brought the collapse of Indymac Bank. Their collapse wreaked havoc in the financial markets, but it can have a greater effect on individual depositor's stress levels. This could be witnessed in the unnecessary bank run on Indymac this week.Many people do not realize they should not keep more than $100,000 in any bank. Insurance only covers up to $100,000 in deposits, any amount over that is negotiable to as low as 50 cents on the dollar. But for those who have a smaller amount on deposit, don't worry, you will get every penny back.

We also discuss Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's current troubles and why they are so important to the housing market.

Listen to "Indymac, Fannie, Freddie and You?"

If you have any questions you would like us to answer on our show, please call our listener line at 714-519-7833 or email mortgagepodcast@gmail.com.

Tags: podcast podcasting mortgages loan loans bank home finance money mortgage

Hey look! It's Doug

Douglas Welch Head Shot
Originally uploaded by dewelch

I needed a newer, hi-res head shot for the promotional materials for devLearn 2008, where I will be giving an all-day podcasting workshop and a conference session in November.

As is often said of me, I clean up well, don't I? (BIG SMILE)


Here is the info on the 1-day workshop...

Audio and e-Learning: How to Turn Sound Files into Training Podcasts

Tuesday November 11, 2008 08:30 AM

Doug Welch, The WelchWrite Company, Inc.

As e-Learning professionals, you create content everyday. Much of that content is lost when you fail to capture it, or when you fail to edit and distribute it to your audience. Audio is already a big part of your e-Learning, but you could be using it for so much more. Learn new ways to capture audio content, and how to distribute it via internal and external systems and services like blogs, RSS (Real Simple Syndication), and Podcasting.

In this workshop you will be immersed in sound, and learn how new audio technologies can be used to enhance your learning solutions. You will learn how to capture, edit, and distribute sound files, as well as learn which tools are best for you. You will be learning about Podcasting from an industry veteran who specializes in new media production. If you already know the learning theories related to audio in your e-Learning courses, then this workshop will get you to the next level, and help make your corporate learning Podcast dreams a reality.

In this session, you will learn:

* How to capture good audio, and what tools you can use
* How to edit audio to produce a complete, professional sounding, show
* How to use a blog and RSS to distribute your work
* How to share your work with the world using the iTunes Podcast directory (and other products) can share your work with the world


Audience: Intermediate Designers, Developers, Project managers, and Managers who have Only basic computer knowledge is required. Additional experience with audio production is helpful, but not required.

A Gardener's Notebook Featured on iTunes Store front page

I happened to hit the front page of iTunes today and see that A Gardener's Notebook is featured on the front page. This is the first time for AGN, although Career Opportunities has been featured in the past.



Welcome all new listeners and viewers! Thanks for joining me in my garden.

Friend with a new camera

IMG_0255
Originally uploaded by dewelch

My friend, Michael Lawshe, snapped this pic of me today with his fancy new Canon Digital SLR. I like this photo a lot as I think it captures the "real me" you might meet in person. I was talking with a friend on my headset as I walked up to his house, and I am laughing at something they said. This is probably one of the "truest" pictures ever taken of me.

Elsewhere in LA: L.A. Times closes two sections, to start

Every day I wonder a little more why they don't just shut the doors at the LA Times and just walk away. LAObserved reports on more cuts at the paper and I can't imagine how much more there is left to cut.

It is sad to see a newspaper die such a slow and painful death, but doubly so when they are committing business suicide. Surely, there is someone around who can figure out that some combination of paper and online-based reporting can still be a moneymaker today instead of trying to hold onto a newspaper world that no longer exists.

I still read the LA Times every day, but I cannot say how much longer that will go on. Perhaps the paper will disappear completely before I have to make my choice.

L.A. Times closes two sections, to start

With Sam Zell and Randy Michaels in town and making everybody antsy, and speculation raging in the newsroom about the future of Publisher David Hiller,...

(Via L.A. Observed.)

Hanging out in Lively.com

Hanging out in Lively.com
Originally uploaded by dewelch

Had a nice time hanging out in my room on Lively.com and chatting with Josh Cooper today.

Voice Registry Podcast- Tracy Pattin Talks To New Media Expert Doug Welch

This interview was recorded a while ago, but I am so glad it is being released. It sounds good and I get a chance to talk about all things podcasting with host, Tracy Pattin.

Voice Registry Podcast- Tracy Pattin Talks To New Media Expert Doug Welch

Doug Welch has been podcasting since September 24, 2004, making him a veteran in the New Media industry. He is the founder of the New Media Interchange and produce/co-host of Mortgages Made Simple with Rick Gundzik. He also co-teaches with his TV writer wife, Rosanne Welch, at UCLA for Podcast and New Media for Writers, a 10-week course educating writers and others how podcasting, YouTube, Facebook and others can be used to further work and career.

right + click here to download podcast (9.8 MB)

(Via Voicebank.net's VoiceRegistry Blog.)

What I'm Reading...

I've been watching a lot of anime with my son lately and this got me wondering about the kanji I see within the show itself. Sometimes, they do translate these phrases, but in other cases, you are left on your own. So, I have started to request some books on Kanji from the library to see if I can translate some of it myself.

Soon after picking up this book, we were watching an episode of Naruto where prisoners have escaped. I was so pleased to realize that I could read the kanji on the back of their uniforms. In this case, as you might expect, they were prisoner numbers, so it was a really basic translation, but after only a few minutes with the book I opened up a new language. Very cool!

More Kanji books coming!

Understanding Kanji Characters by Their Ancestral Forms by PIng-gam Go

Video: Maker Faire - Life Size Mousetrap

One of our favorite sights at Maker Faire, back in May -- a Life Size Mousetrap game, including a 4oo lb safe which drop on the mic at end. Very, very, very cool!

From the Maker Faire web site...

The LIFE SIZE MOUSETRAP is a fantastically hand crafted, 16 piece, 50,000-lb. interactive KINETIC SCULPTURE set atop a 6,500-square-foot game board. This giant Rube Goldberg style contraption comes complete with a VAUDEVILLIAN style show, original MUSICAL SCORE by The one woman band Esmerelda Strange, Sexy Mice CAN-CAN DANCERS, Clown workers, acrobatic HI JINKS, and other SPECTACULAR SCENES dedicated to the pursuit of spectacle-laden FUN!

Web site: http://lifesizemousetrap.org



iPod Ready Video

Audio: Prelude to Revolution Part 3 - Happy 4th of July!

A July 4th Gift from WelchWrite.com

“I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore” -- John Adams

Prelude to Revolution - May 1775, to July 4th, 1776

[audio: http://eclipse-1.blogspot.com/2008/06/prelude-to-revolution-final-installment.html]

A live audio production of Eclipse-1 Media.

"Live your liberty, don't lose it in a history book."

Listen: Prelude to Revolution Part 3
Listen: Prelude to Revolution Parts 1 & 2



View these photos on Flickr.com