Our friend, Bill Farmer, who has portrayed the voice of Goofy for almost 25 years, appeared on KCAL9 news this week to talk about the D23 Disney Expo.
We just completed a project for the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program where we recorded their annual Publication Party and then created videos for each of the speakers which could then be used on their instructor information pages as well as on YouTube for the world to see.
This is a great way to promote your projects and events and you can and should do the same. Capture the content you are already creating and share it with the world!
Watch this video and others from the Publication Party on YouTube
My wife, Rosanne, and I have worked as instructors for UCLA Extension for many years so when this even was scheduled they came to us knowing that we worked in New Media. Rosanne, has taught television writing and together we have taught “Podcasting and New Media for Writers” both online and as a 1-day workshop on the UCLA campus.
I was out of town on another project during this event, so Rosanne acted as the on-site producer and our good friend, Liam Johnson (@editorliam) handled the shooting and the editing of the final videos. If you are looking for an editor for your project, I highly recommend Liam. He is quite creative and dedicated.
You can find all the videos on the UCLA YouTube channel (you will need to scroll down a bit to find the videos), as related videos to the one embedded above or on the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program Instructor Bio Pages.
A short scene from our camping weekend at Sycamore Canyon in Malibu.
For the last several days I have been back in Ohio for the kick-off of the Saturday6 program. I added 1 day to my trip in order to spend some time with my family that still lives here. I moved to Los Angeles 25 years ago and don’t get back very often. We were on our way to visit my Aunt and Uncle when it started bucketing down. It has been a very wet Spring this year and we even had some flooding along our route. I decided to capture a short piece of our ride and by accident an Amish buggy came trotting by in the other direction.
Watch “Rainy Day in Ohio” – iPod Ready Format
During National Train Day 2011 we hopped on the Gold lIne to ride a portion that was recently (last several months) opened. We rode from Union Station to Mariachi Plaza and back. I grabbed this quick video on my iPhone as our train arrived.
Watch “Gold Line Train Arrives at union Station” – iPod Ready Video
This is a wonderful video piece and really makes me want to see the film all the more.
On a new media note, this is exactly the type of behind the scenes information that fans love to see. Even if you don’t produce films, you should look for those interesting bits of what you do and share them with your fans.
You don’t have to be a proponent of survivalist training to understand the joys of preserving what food you are giving so you can enjoy it later, usually when the food would not be available otherwise. Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It runs the gamut of preserved foods. The title says it all and then you add in salad dressing recipes, beverages, candy and more.
As with most food books I read, this one has many paper markers sticking out of the binding. There are many things I plan on trying, given half a chance. The section on making your own butter and cheese caught my eye immediately. I have been exploring making my own cordials and hard cider, so a little cheese to go along with them would be a great next steps. Of course, as harvest time arrives this year, I will be well prepared to save some of the abundant fruit for those long Winter nights in the form of jams and jellys.
Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It by Karen Solomon from Amazon.com
I first heard of this book from Eric Rochow over at Gardenfork.tv. He followed some of the recipes for making his own cheeses.
How to make cheese, ricotta cheese, queso blanco: Gardenfork.tv
Product Description from Amazon.com
Do you relish the joys of hot toast spread with your own homemade butter and jam? Love to dazzle your friends with jars and tins of choice goodies–all created by you? The kitchen is a paradise for crafty cooks, and whether you’re a newcomer to the realm of amateur artisanal edibles or a seasoned food crafter on the prowl for your next batch of appetizing challenges, Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It has recipes galore for you (75, to be exact).
Projects range from perfect pantry staples (Butter, Crackers, Pasta) to festive giftables (Toasted Walnut Brandy, Lemon Curd, Peanut Butter Cups); some give quick gratification (Mayonnaise, Rumkirschen, Potato Chips), while others reward patience (Gravlax, Ricotta Salata, Kimchee). Practical prep-ahead and storage instructions accompany each recipe, several give variations (like Caramelized Onion and Thyme Butter–yum), and most share ideas on how to use it, serve it, and give it away.
Complete with color photographs and the accumulated wisdom of author Karen Solomon’s years of food crafting, Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It is your one-stop resource for turning your culinary inspiration into a pantry full of hand-labeled, better-than-store-bought creations
Karen Solomon is a food and lifestyle writer and veteran culinary tinkerer and food crafter. She is the author of The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to San Francisco, a contributor to San Francisco magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle, and a former editor and columnist for the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She has also contributed to Chow! San Francisco Bay Area, the SF Zagat Guide, and dozens of Bay Area and national publications. She lives with her partner, son, and food-focused dachshund in (you guessed it) San Francisco, California. Reach her at www.ksolomon.com.
From TechnologyIQ, another WelchWrite.com blog…
Updated (3/2/2011 @ 250pm): I have added a link to an algebra video from Khan Academy to the end of this post. One of my Facebook friends recommended it and this video is EXACTLY the type of equations that my son is studying right now. I plan on introducing him to several of these videos. They are very clear and I think they really help to develop a deeper understanding of the material.
My son is about to turn 13 and his current math lessons include the beginnings of algebra. To say the least, my knowledge of algebra is almost non-existent. I haven’t even thought about it much since I left high school, where I barely made it through the required classes. Of course, as a responsible parent, someone needs to assist with math homework and that task has fallen to me, even with my weak skills.
After struggling through a series of homework pages where I was learning as much as him, I really needed a way to check our work. While the book provides some answers, the teacher, for good reason, usually selects those problems that are not answered. How was I to know that we had come up with the right solution?
Enter WolframAlpha. WolframAlpha garnered a lot of attention at its launch due to the unique approach it took to searching the Internet. Instead of returning results as a series of web pages the reader could link to, it tries to provide answers directly on the search page. One specialized feature is that Wolfram Alpha will also solve equations. I can type in x^2+a=29 and it will solve it for me, even showing me geometrical representation, when appropriate. It understands “order of operations” and many complex mathematical concepts much better than I ever will.
The site also helps me with one of my personal math failings — dealing with negative numbers. I can put in a string of calculations from the math worksheet and be reasonably sure that I haven’t botched the typical “negative times a negative makes a positive”, etc calculations that quickly lead to a very wrong answer.
You can check under the Examples tab on the web site if you are having trouble figuring out how to enter a particular equation or problem. Mathematical notation on computer is, by necessity, a bit different. Exponents are indicated using the ^ character and square roots by sqrt i.e. sqrt2. (See more)
WolframAlpha won’t answer everything, of course, but it helps to reduce the number of questions I have to refer back to the teacher for further explanation. It also helps to tell if we are on the right track for a solution or running off into the weeds. The next time you are feeling a bit out of your element with math homework, give WolframAlpha a try.
I would love to hear about your experiences. Leave me a comment and tell me if it helps you as much as it has helped me.
Here is an algebra video from Khan Academy which is another great resource for helping your children with subjects that might be a little beyond your skill level.
Our street gets resurfaced for the first time in the 15 years we have lived here. Much appreciated!
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