Douglas on New Media Tea Time Ep. 19 - Limoncello, Ning.com and more

From New Media Tea Time...

"Where high tech meets low tech for tea and chocolate. Part 2 talking with the amazing Douglas Welch about Ning communities, how he set his up and how the rest of us can do so too."

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Download New Media Tea Time Episode 19 - iPod Ready Video

Douglas guests on New Media Tea Time...again!

From the New Media Tea Time web site...

"Our resident New Media Expert, Doug Welch (DouglasEWelch.com) is back! Hosts Tracy Pattin and Danielle Gruen talk about eBooks and eBook trends (good news!) widgets, websites, blogs, themes, and of course tea!"

Watch New Media Tea Time Episode #18 with Douglas E. Welch

Video: Mathemagician Art Benjamin on the Colbert Report

Our friend, Mathemagician Art Benjamin, talks about his book, The Secrets of Mental Math on Wednesday's Colbert Report.

CareerCampLA Registration is now open!

CareerCampLA 2010

Saturday, March 27, 2010
The Congregational Church of Northridge
Northridge, California

A hybrid conference/unconference dedicated to "helping you build the career you deserve". The day will include scheduled speakers, ad hoc presentations and breakout sessions on all aspects of building your career. CareerCamp is for anyone who wants to build and/or improve their career.

Visit the CareerCampLA Web Site to register!

Please note, there are special fields for people who would like to volunteer and people who would like to speak at CareerCampLA. Make sure you fill those in if interested.

I look forward to seeing many of you at CareerCampLA.

At the end of the day Ep. 1 - Viruses and how much we learn when we teach

Watch "At the end of the day Ep. 1 - iPod Ready Video

This is the "pilot" episode of a new series I am working on where I take a few moments at "the end of the day" and think about something that has happened, thoughts that have arisen that day and what lies ahead.

In this first episode, I talk about viruses and my computer consulting clients and also a little bit about how we learn a lot when we reach out to teach others.

Mathemagician Art Benjamin on the Colbert Report - Wed, Jan 27, 2010

Our friend, Art Benjamin, is scheduled to appear on the Colbert Report this Wednesday, January 27, 2010. I assume he will be talking about his work as a Mathemagician and his book, The Secrets of Mental Math.

Here is a re-post of the blog and video I write when Art was doing a book signing here in Sherman Oaks.

Previous Post:

In case you missed his presentation last night at Barnes & Noble Encino, here is a short video of Art Benjamin, Professor at Harvey Mudd College and Mathemagician, presenting "magic squares", just one of the concepts taught in his book. The Secrets of Mental Math.

Watch Mathemagician, Art Benjamin - iPod Ready Video

Art regularly performs his MathMagic act The Magic Castle in Hollywood and is a frequent speaker around the country. He also presented at this year's TED Conference in Monterey, California.

Video: Places LA - Malibu Pier

We had dinner tonight down at the Ruby's on the Malibu Pier, just to see and the hear the ocean for a little while. I grabbed this short video to give a little feeling of what it is like.

Watch Places LA - Malibu Pier (iPod Ready Video)

Recipe: Douglas' Christmas Chili

Friends recently asked for the recipe to my Christmas Chili that I make each year for our annual Cookie Party Open House. I have never really written down the recipe, as I tend to wing it each year. I have made it enough that I sort of "know" what goes in it. That said, since I typed it up for our friends, I figured I might as well share it with you, as well. The recipe scales up nicely. I regularly make 20 quarts for our party, as seen in the photo.

Douglas' Christmas Chili

2 Tbls Olive Oil
1 Large onion
4-5 cloves garlic
1 lb ground turkey
1 - 12oz package Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage

Finely chop onions and garlic (I use a food processor) then saute until lightly browned in the olive oil
Add turkey and sausage and brown until no sign of pink

Add 1/2 cup red/white wine

Cook until wine is absorbed

(Here is where it goes a bit by look and feel. Add more sauce and beans if you want to make more chili and then adjust the spices accordingly)

Add 5-6 14oz cans of your favorite plain tomato sauce. I get Hunts from Costco, which we always keep around the house.

Add 4-5 cans of black beans

Spoon up the meat, sauce and beans mixture and look at the ratio between the 3. You want to get a good mixture of all three in each spoonful.

If needed, add more black beans

Add splash of vinegar (under a tsp, probably. I have used everything from apple cider to balsamic, It just adds a little "tang" to the final taste.

Spices:
(again, taste this as you add the spices until you get taste you like)

5-6 Tbls Chili powder (not mexican chili powder, but the traditional one with cumin, etc included)
2 Tbls Dried Basil
3 Tbls Oregano
PInch Red pepper flakes
Small pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp Black pepper

Bring pot up to boil and then turn down to low simmer

Typically, it will cook down by about 1/3. The longer you simmer it, the better it tastes. It also tastes better the second day when you reheat it. (SMILE)

I serve this with extra sharp cheddar cheese. Some people like chopped onions on it.

I usually eat this by itself the first day, then have it over some sort of pasta the next and then chili dogs after that. It freezes well so make as much as you want and then store it away in meal-sized containers for a quick dinners.

Video: Train plowing snow off tracks

The snow has to be removed from the rails and this video shows us exactly how it is done. Quite a dramatic video.

Blue Dog Beer Tavern in Sherman Oaks

This post over at FoodGPS, Blue Dog Beer Tavern and Boneyard Bistro, prompted me to write this short comment.

I have been enjoying regular visits to the Blue Dog Beer Tavern since it opened a few months ago. I live nearby and find myself taking lunch there whenever I want a special treat. I like the fish and chips a lot and I have also tried the burgers and sampled the mac and cheese with chilies.

I also like the chance to sample the out of the ordinary beers along with the food. It is slowly becoming my regular “local” either alone, with family or friends.

Visit the Blue Dog Beer Tavern

Top 10 Posts from My Word for 2009

Here is a list of the Top Posts of 2009 for My Word.

1. Elsewhere Online: 10 Ways to Add Variety to Your Digital Photography
   
2. Norton Internet Security Problems
   
3. Deceptive Food Packaging - Welch's Concord Grape
   
4. YUM! - Ferrero Rocher reviewed on CandyBlog
   
5. Protection (and style) for your iBook
   
6. Video: Arduino + Chumby = Fun! with Brian O'Connor
   
7. Palm Trees Sketch from May 2006
   
8. The Ultimate Paper Airplane
   
9. Web: Free Paper Organizer Templates
   
10. A rare warning - Avoid 1and1.com web hosting
    

Video: Douglas and some friends play "Brown Eyed Girl"

Douglas and some friends play "Brown Eyed Girl" at a end-of-year jam session at David Fortin's art and music studio.

Watch Douglas and friends play Brown Eyed Girl - iPod Ready Video