Quicken Online is Free!

I've used Quicken throughout the years, especially Quickbooks for our home and home business. But as my life and needs shifted, Quicken became the easiest program for us to use for our needs.

But it was such a pain trying to always back up the file, then if you needed to format, rebuild it and reset all of the settings. That is why I was thrilled when Quicken got an online version like Quickbooks.

At first I was disappointed, and even at only $2.95 a month it wasn't worth it because it didn't really meet our needs. However, a couple of months ago I took another look at it, and the interface has been completely reworked. In addition, several new banks have been added, and the budgeting portion is enhanced.

I'm still disappointed that you can't manually add an account, such as a bank not listed or a cash account, but overall its a great program. And, considering it is now free, you don't have anything to lose in giving it a try.

Healthy Cooking

There is one thing on my Christmas list this year, and its a George Foreman grill, so I was thrilled when I was sent this wonderful site.

My wife and I are trying to do some healthy cooking indoors and everything I’ve been told tells me I won’t be disappointed with my requested gift.

Visit today to see what a great variety is offered, and don’t worry for a minute about picking out the right grill for you. The product selector is wonderful and will make sure you get what you want at a price you can afford.

Robert's Texas Chili Recipe

When I was a teenager, my ex father-in-law (Robert), used to make the best Texas Chili on the planet using his "secret family recipe". From the time I started dating my exwife until we divorced many years later, each fall I looked forward to the winter weather setting in so we could eat a huge bowl while watching the Dallas Cowboys. Nothing taste better than a good bowl of Texas chili on a day when it sleets or snows.

Then the day came when my family relocated, and I wasn't able to enjoy it as often. I would get jealous when we'd call and he would tell me he was on his fifth bowl.

Eventually he began to feel sorry for me, so he finally released his secret recipe so I could make my own chili and enjoy it once again. And I did, then did again, and again, each time tweaking it to my taste just a little more.

On his next visit, I made him the modified version of the chili and he loved it. He loved it so much, that he wasn't able to enjoy a batch of his own for another 17 years. You read that correctly- 17 years. It took him that long to match (he says "surpass") my authentic Texas Chili. The debate goes on to this day which is better.

Below is the recipe I use, released for the first time ever to the general public. And while this style of chili might not be for everyone- I can honestly say this- I have never entered it into a chili cookoff contest where it didn't win first place. I've also been fortunate enough that everyone who tries it tells me its the best chili they've ever had.

Though slightly tweaked from his family's secret recipe, I still call this "Robert's Texas Chili".


Ingredients-

3 pounds of ground chuck hamburger meat
1 large, white onion
Salt
Pepper
Seasoning Salt
Garlic Salt
Onion Salt
Chili Powder
Oregano
Ground Cumin
1 Can Ranch Style Beans
Rotel (regular)
Flour
3 Small Cans Tomato Sauce

You'll also need a large sauce pan, a teaspoon, a tablespoon, and a large wooden or plastic spoon.


Preparation-

Chop onion and fry on medium heat with hamburger meat in the large sauce pan.

As it cooks, add a small amount of salt, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic salt, and onion salt.

When meat is brown, pour in 3 cans of tomato sauce and mix well. Set one empty can to the side, you'll need it later.

Add 3 heaping tablespoons of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of Oregano, and 1 tablespoon of Ground Cumin.

Pour in Ranch Style beans. Stir in gently- do not mash beans.

Pour in can of Rotel. Stir gently.

In the empty can of tomato sauce, fill it with hot water (HOT!), then add in one heaping teaspoon of flour. Stir briskly to remove all lumps of flour. Pour into the chili. Stir gently.


Cooking (90 minutes, minimum)-

Simmer on medium-low temperature for a minimum of 90 minutes, stirring and tasting regularly (often!). Adjust spices as needed. Do not let chili burn to the bottom of the pan.

(Note- If you need the chili finished faster than 90 minutes, you can turn it up to medium heat and it will be safe to eat in approximately 30 minutes. However, this will not taste nearly as good as a long-simmered batch. You will probably be disappointed in the taste.)

Serving-

Put a generous portion of chili into a bowl. Chili can be topped with diced onion, cheese, or both.

Chili can be enjoyed with either crackers, Mexican chips, Fritos, or any other chip or bread you desire (I prefer Mexican chips but most people enjoy crackers).

Leftovers-

Leftovers can be frozen or refrigerated, and many people claim the leftovers taste even better than the original batch. I tend to agree. Chili reheats best on the stove but can be reheated in the microwave. Add a small amount of water, as needed, to keep chili from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Vacation Rentals

Whether you are traveling in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, or other places, its not too early to start booking your vacation rentals before all your favorites are taken.

Search for rentals, B&Bs, and hotels on this easy to navigate website, and save yourself a lot of time and money. The 2009 vacation season is quickly approaching, or maybe you want to take a winter get-a-way. Either way, this is the place to go for ease and savings.

Vegas Vacation

Nearly a million people have saved when looking for hotel las vegas and this year some of the rates are up to 77% less than last year. This site’s simple two step booking process makes it easy to save and quick to find what you want and book the room you’ve always dreamed of. Search, book, then enjoy, all while saving money to spend on other things.

Toys R Us Shooting

I read the update about the tragic shooting at Toys R Us yesterday, and while its a relief to know it wasn't two idiots fighting over a toy, its still frightening that people would even think about having a shootout in such a place.

Being Texan, I really miss the old west, and I think things would be a lot better if two people with a disagreement could meet at the OK Corral and have a showdown. But in Toys R Us? No way. If two people are going to act that way, there's plenty of isolated areas in the country where they could go stand at ten paces and draw. To do it in a crowded store is ridiculous.

The good news is we don't have to worry about these two doing it again or watering down the gene pool with their DNA anymore. I guess even the most tragic of events has a silver lining.

Replica Watches

Christmas is here once again and there’s no better time to look into buying a gift for that special someone in your life. If you have a limited budget but want to get something flashy and nice I always suggest you look at replica watches as an alternative to the overpriced name brands. The one you care for can look and live the lifestyle without killing your budget at the same time.

A Black, Black Friday

I just read the news where a Walmart employee was trampled to death, and to go along with it, a shooting in a Toys-R-Us store.

I understand people are always looking for a bargain, but it makes me wonder how many of those involved feel it was worth taking someone's life? I'm sure most don't really care, they may feel slightly guilty for a short while after it happens, but honestly I don't think they care.

When one of these morons is stomped to death as a shopper, I don't usually feel too sorry for them. Anyone partaking in such behavior puts their own neck on the line and if its worth their own life, then that is a choice they make. They know the dangers of large crowds. They know the dangers of getting in front of other knuckleheads ready to stampede into a store. They make the decision to do something foolish, so they must accept the consequences.

But this poor guy was doing nothing more than trying to earn a living. And its doubtful that a temporary worker at Walmart could possibly earn enough to make the job worth giving his life. Firemen, policemen, and soldiers sign up for duty against hostile enemies. The clerk at Walmart doesn't. But unfortunately the Taliban isn't quite as dangerous as a bunch of bargain hunting crazed maniacs.

Its sad when you work at a retail establishment and you have to worry more about shoppers than you do robbers, carjackers, and drugged crazed maniacs trying to steal drugs.

And the best part is you know his family is going to sue, and Walmart will end up paying millions of dollars because it will be "their" fault, since you can't blame idiots in a crowd for their behavior. Which in turn will eat away at their profits which in turn will make everyone's prices go up. Even the smart people who stayed away today. Actually, we will be hurt more, since we didn't even get in on the bargain hunting.

Enjoy your TVs, idiots.

Platinum Engagement Rings

My wife and I just invested in a new wedding set, and after searching several stores and discussing all the options in jewelry with the experts, we decided that a platinum engagement ring and wedding ring was the only way to go. Even for me, the difference in cost was minimal, considering what all platinum has going for it.

Platinum is the timeless metal that literally withstands the test of time. A wedding ring is a once in a lifetime purchase and platinum makes sure that it stays that way. It is durable and somewhere between 90 to 95% pure, and always beautiful.

While other rings lose metal over time, platinum loses very little so it will keep its brilliant luster year after year. It will also hold your precious gems securely, lessening your worries that you’ll lose something that is not only valuable, but emotional.

Platinum will not lose its luster or fade with time. This investment will show your love that how much you value her, not because of how much you spend, but the quality that you want to give her. Buying a ring that will last a lifetime is a simple way to show her that you intend to be with her for a lifetime.

If you are in the need of a ring for that special someone, consider platinum. You won’t be disappointed.

Bad Year for the Stars

The horrible start of the season for the Dallas Stars has developed into a full blow disaster. With 20 games played, they hold the last place not only in their conference, but the entire division. Looking north on the stat board doesn't offer much relief either. They are simply one point ahead of the last place team in the league, the Florida Panthers.

For the first time in a long time, Dallas is about par for the league in points scored. Yet now that they've overcome their difficulty in scoring a few times, they are number one in the league in goals against. Toronto is the only other team to have allowed over 70 goals so far this year.

Hopefully with some players being called up and some more line shuffling, the Stars will make an early season turnaround and have a decent chance at the playoffs by the end of the year. A lot can change between now and March.

We hope.

Lucky 5

There is a question at the end of this story/riddle. Post your answer and I'll tell you if you are correct or not.

A man woke up on his 55th birthday at 5:55 a.m. He got out of bed, and 55 minutes later he left his house at 55 Fifth Street, which was 55 years old also, and headed to work, a place he had been employed for 5 years.

He took the number 5 bus to the corner of 5th Plaza and 55th Street, then went up to his office, suite 5 on the 5th floor.

As he passed a coworker's workstation, he noticed a racing form and picked it up. He thumbed through, then on page 5 something caught his eye.

In the 5th race, a horse named Nifty Fifty was in the 5th starting gate and the odds were 55:1.

The man looked through his wallet, where he found $555. Then he counted his change, he had 55 cents. Next, he called his bank, and sure enough, he had $55,555.55 in his savings account.

The man rushed to the bank then to the track, and bet every cent he owned on Nifty Fifty just 5 minutes before the race started.

So, tell me, how much did he win?

Ephedrasil Hardcore

Probably by now you’ve heard of Ephedrasil, but now there is Ephedrasil hardcore, which is a more powerful version of the same thing. In no time at all it will help boost your metabolism and make you feel like never before. Read more about it today and find out what others are saying about this relatively new product to hit the market.

TV Lifts

Import Advantage has a pop up tv that will look great in your home. Right now, with their big fall sale going on where you can save up to 25% on selected items, there is no better time to buy. Whether you need a TV lift cabinet or a bed lift for the foot of your bed, you’ll be happy with both the quality and price.

Pay Phone Ripoffs

While Annie was flying to the Philippines, she had to stop in Japan for a few hours, so she found a payphone that would use her credit card and stated they charged $4.00 per minute.

Since she was just calling to let me know she landed safely and was at the gate for her next flight, she went ahead and called, knowing it would be short. We talked for about two minutes, then we hung up.

Imagine our surprise when her credit card was charged over $63.00! Unfortunately we can't fight it just yet, we have to wait until it quits pending and becomes an actual charge. But believe me, we are going to fight it as much as we can. We'll see how the consumer protection on our credit card works first hand.

Annie did a search for the company and every website you read others were ripped off as well. They state it was an unspoken "minimal fee" that made the bill so high.

This is a ripoff and we will not lay down quietly. Hopefully soon I'll be able to post a positive outcome.

Have you ever been ripped off by a payphone?

Faucets

There’s a lot of little things you can do to make your home more attractive. Whether its for guest or for the sellers market, these minor differences can make a major impact.

One way is with a quality faucet that lights up a room and makes people say “wow” when they see your sink, whether in the kitchen or restroom. Visit today to pick yours and read about free shipping offers.

Auto Maker Bailout

Most people are smart enough to understand there will always be those who have, and those who have not. But people are getting fed up with the people that have wanting more and more, to a point that it excels past greed and into destruction for the companies they head.

A perfect example is the U.S. auto makers who want a piece of the bailout pie because they mismanaged and ran their companies into the ground. And while laborers were more than happy to sit back and let the greed flow, the people at the top have now taken it too far, and are not only taking every penny the company makes, but then asking the government to take even more from laborers and give it to them.

These people really don't want to turn their companies around, they simply want a blank check so they can give themselves an even bigger bonus while at the same time changing nothing that has got them into the predicament to begin with. This is why they are avoiding bankruptcy at all costs- they know a judge might make them give up their private jets, and actually work for a living without the golden parachutes.

The company I work for is nearly 125 years old and has weathered many financial storms. But the reason they have done so well is because they are smart. When things began to go south, the first thing they did was eliminate the majority of corporate travel. We now use teleconferencing. Inventories were taken of everything, and all excess equipment will be removed. And everyone has pitched in to save all we can- instead of yellow sticky notes, we use a sheet of paper cut into fourths. Same for the use of pink message pads. Even whiteout has gone away- we now just scratch through our mistakes on forms that will be thrown away. And we print double sided as much as possible, in an attempt to save paper.

Maybe some of these Harvard graduates need to get off their jets and come sit with the employees for a while, maybe even visit our homes and see how we budget when things get tight. I can assure them- my family knows more about how to save in a pinch than they will ever comprehend.

Ju Ju Be

Ju Ju Be diaper bags are the latest in the styles of diaper bags. No longer is it a necessity to carry the plain, old, drab diaper bags that have become the mainstream. Instead, now you and your baby can stand out from the crowd in style by carrying the Ju Ju Be diaper bag.

The Alabama Farmer

Question:

What do you call an Alabama farmer with a sheep under each arm?

Debt Collection

Pyramid financial solutions is the place to turn for all your receivables management needs. Using the latest technology and debt customization, they are able to offer their clients solutions that will fit their needs.

Basing their business on a model of integrity, Pyramid sets itself apart from other commercial collection agencies. Contact them today for more information and to see why they are one of the most rapidly growing companies in the collections field.

New Planets Discovered!

Today is a spectacular day for astronomers around the world. The Gemini Observatory on Hawaii discovered four new planets orbiting stars outside our solar system.

For years astronomers have hoped to find planets orbiting other stars, but until now those hopes have been nothing more than dreams. They've used the wobble affect to try to guess where planets are, but have never been able to directly image one. Until now.

This system, named HR 8799, is a big first step toward finding another earth-like planet, which one day may lead us to find life forms other than our own.

Unfortunately, none of these newly discovered planets is even close to being habitable to life. However, it does open the door and lets scientists worldwide know that we are not the only planet system in the world.

The system is about 130 light years from earth in the Pegasus constellation. The planets are about 10 times the mass of Jupiter.

Diet Pill Information

Diet pills have made monumental strides over the last few years, and there’s no better time than now to read up on the latest technology that will help you burn off those unwanted pounds. The holidays are fast approaching and dieting can be difficult, but with the right diet pill you’ll be able to hit your target weight in no time.

10 Things I Refuse to Do

1) Honk if I love Jesus. God is a little more dignified than having people drive down the road honking on his behalf.

2) Say "medium" when a fast food place only sells "medium", "large", and "extra large" drinks. If it's the smallest of the bunch, it's a "SMALL"!

3) Order anything a fast food place tries to push off on me, such as "Would you be interested in our barf burger deluxe meal?"

4) Accept directions that don't include the words "north", "south", "east", and "west". What if the third cow from the fifth dirt trail has wandered off? I'd be lost!

5) Shift paradigms. I have no idea what paradigms are but I am absolutely frightened to shift them.

6) Think outside the box. I feel safe in the box. It's my happy place. Remember, the box is good.

7) Watch FoxNews. Trying to convince me, to this day, that Iraq was on the verge of annihilating us, and that the economy is sound and soaring like never before, is not only immoral, it's an insult to my intelligence.

8) Go as soon as the light turns green. There is always one or more morons that are so important that they will attempt to kill themselves and others around them in an attempt to get where they are going. I'm not going until I see the cross traffic's tires come to a complete stop and they make eye contact with me.

9) Follow the trend of everyone else and have a list of 10 things. My list will only have 9, thank you very much.

What are the things you refuse to do?

Sports Gifts

Christmas is coming and do you know a sports enthusist you’d like to buy some sports gifts for? Such as an afghan or maybe a full size blanket with the team photo?

Customer service is open 7 days a week to answer questions and make sure your purchase experience is top of the line.

Don’t delay, the time to buy gifts is now.

Dallas off to horrible start

The Dallas Stars, after playing great last year but ending on a poor note in the playoffs, are off to a shaky start this year. Tied for the bottom position with two other teams, their five and seven start has already kicked off an uphill battle.

So far Turco doesn't seem to be able to find his place after some team and line shakeups that will hopefully pay off soon. We all know he has the skill and the determination. I guess it will just be a little time before he gets his pace up and back to where he needs to be for a successful season.

Dave Tippett, along with assistant coach Stu Barnes, will continue to work and try to get them back on top.

Diet Pills

Do you know how to lose weight on your own? Many people don’t, and those that do sometimes need a little help getting off the extra pounds. Visit today and read about and buy weight loss pills, and there’s a lot more interesting here as well. Don’t spend more than you have to, and don’t buy without all the facts.

Hockey!

Its hockey season once again, and I'll be following the Dallas Stars as I always do. Hopefully this year they will be able to pull it together in the end and get the cup back in Dallas where it belongs.

I've been a fan of hockey since the early 90's when Dallas got its team from Minnesota. At that time I had just purchased my first satellite and was able to pick up some games off of the New York stations. Shortly thereafter I began to follow the Stars.

Who is your favorite hockey team? Have you ever seen them win the Stanley Cup? How do you think they'll do this year? And of course- who is your favorite player?

Mine is Morrow.

Barack Obama Elected!

Barack Obama has been elected the next President of the United States!

For the next several months, and again around election time in 2012, the pundits will debate where Obama's campain excelled and McCain's fell short. Some will be right, some will be wrong, but most will end up being partially right and partially wrong in the end.

On Obama's side, the campaign simply excelled in every aspect. He stayed on message, he picked an experienced and well known VP, and they reached out to touch voters that usually don't even vote. Obama also performed spectacularly, very rarely saying something that shouldn't be said or that could be twisted enough to put enough fear in the minds of voters that they would come out in droves against him.

McCain on the other hand, I (along with just about everyone else), wonders what the heck he was doing. Considering he was more in line with moderate and conservative Democrats than Obama was, all he had to do was not upset his own party. He would have had their vote, plus the moderates on the left that might not have been ready for a younger, less experienced candidate (and yes, even black).

But instead he went out and picked someone who brought his ticket to its knees. At first the shock paid off and the poll numbers jumped. The ultra Christian conservatives jumped at the chance to get a "family woman" into Washington. But after a while, even those that originally believed the "Alaska is close to Russia" foreign policy experience, they began to doubt. And once that happened, and McCain was unable to separate himself from his party and an unpopular President, it snowballed into disaster. That, and comments such as those about Spain simply destroyed his campaign and made him look more like an elitist psychotic warmonger than Bush. Most people's feelings were wrapped up in Biden's quote in the debate against Palin- "It's Spain. SPAIN!"

Now the ball is in Obama's court. He not only has the office, he has the Congress as well. If great strides are not made, 2012 could prove to be more disastrous for the Democrats than 2008 was for the republicans. However, as President Elect Obama stated in his speech, it will take more than a year, maybe even more than one term, to fix everything the current, horrible administration has caused. Hopefully America will give him time.

Election Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is election day, and no matter who you are voting for, its every American's right and obligation to vote. Many people have given their lives to assure you this right, and to not take advantage of it is not only wrong, it also leaves you no right to complain about the way things are. I saw a quote when I was a teenager written to a local paper about people that don't vote- "I hope you enjoy my government". Nothing could state it better.

Its unfortunate when people don't vote because they are too cynical about the current political situation. Yes it is frustrating, but people need to realize that no candidate is perfect, and sometimes you have to give on some issues while holding firm on others. Its called compromise. Its called negotiating. Its called "realistic".

Unfortunately we don't provide our elected officials the respect and consideration we deny even ourselves. A politician changing his mind is "flip-flopping". Never mind the circumstances have changed- if they waiver one bit they are considered a poor leader and untrustworthy. We, as a country, put ourselves in this horrible predicament.

Everyone is busy, but take a couple of hours out of your day to vote. Its only every couple of years, and taking an hour a year to choose your government and prepare the future for your children isn't too much to ask. Its your right. Its your obligation.