Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Nobel Science (not Science Ig Noble )

Earlier this week I posted about Science Ig Noble, now it’s on to the real McCoy, the Nobel Prizes. You should visit the official Nobel Prize web site. The Nobel Lectures from recent year’s winners are available via webcast: (click upon any year … then select the individual … and finally the lecture link in the right hand column

For a real wealth of Nobel lectures around a particular theme, you finally need to visit the Gustavus Adolphus College web site. This Swedish Lutheran college (how appropriate!) in southwestern Minnesota has the only annual conference in the world of former Nobel laureates … and you can attend / watch any of the lectures dating back to the year 2000 via a free webcast.

Each year the conference has a different theme. The past two years themes were:

  • Medicine, Prescription for Tomorrow
  • The Legacy of Einstein

Rich Hoeg’s Screencasts

This web page contains links to screencasts tutorials created by Rich Hoeg (this blog's host) and the original postings that gave background information. As I create new screencasts, I will always add a link on this page. Thus if you like what you see … please bookmark this web page! If you like my tutorials, make certain you check out Northstar Nerd TV (NNTV).

This page was last updated on January 03, 2011

Newest Tutorial: Practical Android for the Business User


Google Tools Tutorials


Nokia Handheld Tutorials


Other Tutorials (work optimization, and selected others)

Like these screencasts? … then check our my Google Co-op eLearning Search Engines

Please also visit my engineering learning wiki!

Wouldn’t It Be Neat … Innovation!

Companies try to put a process around innovation. Use your favorite cookbook and recipe … put in the oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees … out pops innovation. Wouldn’t that be neat? However, it’s not that easy.

Innovation happens when the environment encourages free thought, and the ability to fail. Here are some neat resources to challenge your imagination:

  • What is your work environment like? What if you had a tool like ConnectBeam (8 minute demo from the Scoble Show). You will see how social networking / web 2.0 software can be used effectively in a private corporate environment.
  • Ah yes … the Scoble Show … author of Naked Conversations. This book and its writing was an innovation process in itself. The authors, Robert Scoble and Shel Israel had the blogging community help them write their book (all chapters were made available online). Listen to this IT Conversations podcast interview with the authors about the book and its development process. You’ve obviously heard of Open Source Software, but Open Source Authoring???

In a bit more of the traditional approach to managing innovation, here is an eight part innovation podcast series from Information Week. (via the Innovation Insider). It’s good too!

Science Ig Noble

I found myself laughing like crazy as I drove in to work this morning … and no, I am NOT crazy, but the podcast from Science Friday and the annual Science Ig Noble Awards that took place at Harvard made this morning’s commute to work real fun! In fact, tonight I intend to watch the awards video via my computer hookup to my TV. I think we will make it a family event … after all, it’s not every day that you can:

  • Watch "Win a Date with a Nobel Laureate"
    (or)
  • Listen to eminent scientists debate the virtues of "Yes" versus "No"

Nature magazine describes the awards in this manner: "Last, but not least, there are the Ig Nobel awards. These come with little cash, but much cachet, and reward those research projects that ‘first make people laugh, and then make them think"

Finally, here is how I listen to podcasts in my car: Drivetime Podcasts

Thanksgiving Free Web Access

Hello from Duluth, Minnesota … and the home of free wireless … sort of!

I am visiting my elderly relatives … who don’t even have a computer, let alone access via modem. No problem, turn on my laptop … walk around the house a bit … and thanks to some neighbors, I’m high speed linked. Tighten up your security, folks!

Anyhow, in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, here is a hodge podge of valuable, and fun stuff. On the eLearning side, try this screencast tutorial which introduces Del.icio.us, a web service which allows you to tag and create public bookmarks … and benefit from other netizens similar actions:

or maybe you are in the design more … a short introduction to Adobe Acrobat 8:

However, maybe you are into reading and would like to check out some of Microsoft’s latest technology. Here is a free eBook from Microsoft:

Finally, it is Thanksgiving weekend …. thus have some fun:

I learned of Guess the Google via "What I Learning Today"