Had to Share This Great TV Theme Show Medley

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These two young guys** from Sweden do a heck of a job covering 22 U.S. TV show theme songs in less than 7 minutes.  Quite a talented duo.  Visit their website at www.freddegredde.com to see other videos and to donate if you like their work. Or visit their YouTube Channel.  **I've been told this is just one guy, not twins. Duh! In any case, this dude is talented!

Theme songs included along with their start times on the video:

0:01 Two and a Half Men
0:22 The Simpsons
0:36 O.C
1:00 Naruto
1:11 Family Guy

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March Madness and Super Bowl Pools Still Illegal but Not Quite as Much

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I don't know anyone who has been thrown in jail or fined $5,000 for participating in a March Madness pool, but, whew, effective January 1st, at least we don't have to worry about this prospect! Thanks to California Assembly Bill 58 "Sports Betting Pools" law signed last year, the your prospects for going to jail have been reduced even further!

Well, that's not exactly the case. If you run or participate in a sports betting pool that has at least $2,500 at stake and/or is run...gulp...online, you continue to face a possible misdemeanor or even felony charges.

But even if you participate in a little $5 sports pool and fill out your selections on those printed bracket sheets, you still face the prospect of a $250 infraction.

Now I'm wondering if there are any loopholes. If everyone wagers, say, a six-pack of beer, does that

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New Rules for Roth IRAs in 2010

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New Rules for Roth IRAs

Presented by Bradley Bronk, CFP®

Roth IRAs, despite their attractive features, have yet to match the popularity of traditional Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA).  One reason Roth IRAs constitute such a small percentage of total retirement assets, just 5%, is that many wealthier individuals, who potentially stand to benefit the most from them, have been ineligible either to contribute to one or to convert their existing traditional IRAs to a Roth IRA.  As of year-end 2008, over $3.5 trillion was invested in traditional IRAs compared with a mere $165 billion in Roth IRAs.1

The Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 changed tax laws regarding the conversion of a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.  The act specifically allows anyone to convert their traditional IRA to a Roth IRA regardless of their adjusted gross income (AGI), beginning January 1, 2010.  This is a unique opportunity that was not available to everyone in the past.

What is a Roth IRA?

A Roth IRA is a retirement investment vehicle in which all earnings are tax free when distributions are taken. Other benefits include eliminating the need to take minimum distributions after age 70½ and avoiding the early distribution penalty on certain withdrawals.

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Potato Cobb Salad with Cilantro Buttermilk Dressing

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Here's the latest recipe from chef Jill Fisher! Jill, a licensed Personal Chef, teaches cooking classes at Conejo Valley Adult School and Williams Sonoma in Thousand Oaks and has written articles for local food magazines such as 805 Living. In December, Jill and her friend released their cookbook "i found my sanity in...My Best Friend's Kitchen."

CLICK HERE for other recipes from Jill published here on Conejo Valley Guide!

Happy March everyone!  Since the Irish always seem to steer me towards thinking of potatoes, here is a great take on potato salad – Potato Cobb Salad!  Fill up your platter with rows of beautiful salad fixings and toppings and let your guests pick and choose what they like.  Serve with a side of Cilantro Buttermilk dressing for a real crowd pleaser – maybe even Oscar Party worthy!  Enjoy! -Jill

Potato Cobb Salad

 3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes

¾ tsp salt

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Classic I Love Lucy Vitameatavegamin Scene

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The other day I posted the hilarious I Love Lucy chocolate factory episode which brings a smile to face every time I see it. But this scene from the 1952 "Lucy Does a TV Commercial" episode is probably the most popular I Love Lucy segment of all time.  In this episode, Lucy insists on doing a commercial on a TV show Ricky is working on. Long story short, she finally gets the job of promoting health tonic "Vitameatavegamin" but after repeated rehearsals the 23% alcohol tonic gets her drunk. Lucille Ball was a comic genius.

Local Ojai Resident Son/Father Team Up to Publish "The Promise Doctrine"

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Craig Womack / Jason WomackJason Womack is a local Ojai resident known for traveling around the world training people how to master workplace performance (in fact, a previous employer of mine hired Jason to train our management team and to teach productivity at a large conference). Craig Womack has nearly 40 years of executive experience in the consumer product industry. This father and son team combined forces to publish "The Promise Doctrine," an easy to read guidebook help us keep our commitments!  I asked them 10 questions about the book and Craig provided me these answers.  For more information and to buy the book, check out www.thepromisedoctrine.com.

1. Tell me what The Promise Doctrine is about in 1 sentence.
The Promise Doctrine is a guidebook and system that readers can use to choose, manage, and accomplish what they are truly committed to, in life and at work.

2. Why did you decide to write The Promise Doctrine?
We came up with the idea for The Promise Doctrine as we listened to our peers, employees, friends, and family discuss how “hard it is, to do it all.”  

3. What prompted you to team up with your dad in writing the book?
When we took on this project, a writing collaboration between father and son, we knew that we wanted to explore the dynamics of promise keeping. Publishing our book was the best way we knew of to share the importance of promise keeping with the world. First, we see each other as equals, with distinct strengths to share and learn from. Together, we were able to merge our backgrounds in business and in education, and bridge a generational gap that drives most people crazy. We did this through honest communication, regular check ins and meaningful acknowledgment of milestones along the way. These are principles we share and have lived by in our executive and teaching lives.

4. Is the book geared towards certain people or ages in particular? In other words, who should read this book!?
Our enthusiastic answer is: “EVERYONE should read this book”. We geared the book towards four broad target audiences:

  • Results driven individuals and leaders who realize the power of a promise made and a promise kept
  • Executives who lead successful companies
  • Leaders and teachers who promote sustainable communities
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Valentine's Day Recipe - Chocolate Bread Pudding with Walnuts and Chocolate Chips

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Here's the latest recipe from masterful chef Jill Fisher! Jill has a B.S. in Food Science and Nutrition and is a licensed Personal Chef. She teaches cooking classes at Conejo Valley Adult School and Williams Sonoma in Thousand Oaks and has written articles for local food magazines such as 805 Living. In December, Jill and her friend released their cookbook "i found my sanity in...My Best Friend's Kitchen."

CLICK HERE for other recipes recipes from Jill published here on Conejo Valley Guide!

From Jill: With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, here is a simple yet elegant dessert to share with the ones you love.  You noticed I said “ones” – kids love it too!

From Conejo Joe: ANY recipe with the word CHOCOLATE in the title not once, but TWO times, is automatically good. In fact, if forced to, I'd be willing to eat this without the bread and walnuts!

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Walnuts and Chocolate Chips

4 cups 1-inch cubes egg bread with crust (about 6 oz)

1 ¼ cups semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, divided

½ cup walnuts, toasted, broken into ½ inch pieces

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