Can some one give me the basics on chili (chili con carne)?

Chili has thousands of different variations nowadays. About the only things required to make a soup or stew a chili is that it contain some amount of hot chilies, either dried red chilies (traditional) or fresh green chilies, in an amount entirely dependent on your taste. If you omit the chilies altogether, all you have is stew. Beans are an option. You can add any veggies you like. Meat or meat substitutes are optional, but if you're not using any meat of meat substitute, then you should use beans, otherwise you just have a veggie stew.