September 2008 Free Credit Report – Experian

Posted on September 29, 2008 by Doug Porter

Wow, I got busy and somehow a whole year has gone by since I last checked on my credit reports. I don’t recommend that. Check yours every 4 months. Hopefully I can get back into the routine. Soon I will be writing about something new and exciting from the credit reporting agencies that should eliminate almost all identity theft if done correctly. It is called Credit Freezes. It isn’t free but it will be well worth it. I’ll keep you informed once I get some free time.

So for those that don’t know, you are entitled by law to a copy of your credit report from each of the 3 credit bureaus once per year. It is a good idea to spread these out and request one report every 4 months. This lets you keep an eye on your credit report throughout the year and makes it more likely that you will quickly notice any inaccuracies or problems with the report.

I just retrieved my credit report from Experian and as I would expect, all is well. Another 4 months (January 2009) and I’ll check with Equifax.

To request your free credit report go to: AnnualCreditReport.com

The credit report is free, but the credit bureaus try and convince you to pay for additional services (credit score, credit monitoring, etc). So be sure to say No to any of these items if you want a truly free credit report.

Now go ahead and pull yours and make sure everything looks ok. Especially with the crazy market conditions we are in, you are going to need some pristine credit going forward, so time to get any incorrect information fixed if you see it.

Here is a link to the Federal Trade Commission’s site regarding your free annual credit report: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/freereports/psa.html

Oh, and remember, even though those commercials on TV with the guys in the band singing songs about how they are in dire situations due to poor credit (singing in a fish restaurant, a basement apartment, etc) are awesomely funny, the site they are representing is not for the free credit report. It is for a pay service. Don’t go to their site. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com. This is the only free site.

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Maria’s Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Posted on February 25, 2008 by Doug Porter

Last night I mixed up this recipe for stuffed chicken breasts. This is a recipe that was submitted to the allrecipes.com site by Maria Fontana. It was fabulous and extremely easy to make. It did result in lots of left over stuffing though, so tonight I made some manicotti with the leftover cheese stuffing. I served these chicken breasts with some penne pasta, brussels sprouts and a side salad.

Maria’s Stuffed Chicken Breasts

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 1 (15 ounce) container Ricotta cheese
* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
* 1 clove minced garlic
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Place chicken breasts between pieces of plastic wrap and pound until uniform and flat
  3. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. In medium bowl, combine Ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic, eggs and 6 ounces of the mozzarella cheese.
  5. Mix well and stuff chicken breasts (I did this by adding the stuffing to the top of the breast, folding the breast in half and then securing with toothpicks)
  6. Place breasts into 9×13 lightly greased baking dish.
  7. Pour spaghetti sauce over breasts and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese
  8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear
  9. Remove toothpicks before serving (the chicken will retain its shape after cooking)

Yield: 4 servings

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Baked Boneless Pork Chops In Mushroom Sauce

Posted on February 25, 2008 by Doug Porter

A nice little recipe that I fixed up for the GF the other weekend. It was greatly enjoyed by both of us and very easy to make. I served it with a side of sweet potatoes and lima beans.

Baked Boneless Pork Chops In Mushroom Sauce

* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons paprika
* 1.5 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 2 lbs. boneless pork chops
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 minced small onion
* 1 cup minced green pepper
* 1.5 cups diced mushrooms
* 2 cups milk
* juice of 1 lemon

Directions

  1. Mix 1/4 cup flour, paprika, salt, and pepper together in bowl
  2. Dredge pork chops lightly in mixture
  3. Brown pork chops on both sides in a skillet with butter
  4. Transfer to shallow baking dish
  6. Add onions, green peppers, and mushrooms to skillet and sauté until onion is soft and golden
  7. Stir remaining 1/4 cups flour into skillet along with milk
  8. Stir constantly cooking until sauce is smooth and thickened
  9. Stir in lemon juice and pour sauce over pork chops in baking dish
  10. Bake uncovered in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour

Yield: 4-6 servings

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Butch Walker – Leavin’ the Game On Luckie St.

Posted on February 14, 2008 by Doug Porter

Butch Walker is back with a 2 disc live album just released today on Valentine’s Day. The album, “Leavin’ the Game On Luckie St.”, was recorded live at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA on April 20, 2007. The concert was recorded for a DVD that will be released in March and, this is the album version of the performance.

I was at that show and this album really captures the energy and excitement that was present that night. As always Butch demonstrates during this show what separates mere musicians from real performers. He is able to grab the audience and have them at his mercy and in his complete control throughout the entire show.

The sound on the album is awesome. The Tabernacle itself had pretty poor sound quality up in the balcony where we were sitting, but the mix that was recorded sounds great. Butch is an incredible live performer and always intermixes his song performances with various musical improvisations and crowd interactions. There are some nice instances of “Story time with Butch” in which he talks about some of the songs and their inspirations and background. These are always fun moments in his shows. And of course there are some great crowd sing-a-long moments which is a staple in almost all of his live shows.

This album also marks the beginning of him changing up how he releases his albums. Before he has always worked through a major label, but this release represents him commiting to switch to independent releases. This album is only available for download as mp3’s. Currently you can get it here through Amazon.com for the bargain price of $6.99. That is almost 2 hours of entertainment for only $7. Give it a listen, and pick it up. You will not be disappointed.

This will be a busy year for Butch. He has just released this live album today. Next, he will be releasing a live DVD, followed by a new band project called 1969, and then ending up with a Butch Walker album of new material entitled “Sycamore Meadows” before the end of the year.

Update: For a limited time, you can also download this record for free from Butch’s new provocatively titled site. It is via a strange little flash widget from Musicane.com so YMMV (I could not get it to work with Firefox).

Oh, and one of the best descriptions I’ve seen of a Butch Walker live show is written up here at RockNWorld.com

Posted in Album, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Is A Full Book Really Necessary?

Posted on December 11, 2007 by Doug Porter

So I received a sales e-mail tonight from the musical instrument website Musician’s Friend (great store by the way, highly recommend them) and one of the 6 just for Tuesday only sales items they are highlighting is this:

How To Master Spinning Drumsticks

So I just have to wonder, is a full book (and DVD) really needed to learn how to spin drumsticks. Maybe there are secret techniques I’m unaware of. Could it be that the art of spinning drumsticks is like Chinese Kung Fu and can only be passed down from a Master to a Student under strict supervision? If so is this author of this book risking his life by divulging the ancient secrets of this black art? If we hear of a drummer being killed by drumstick impalation (is that even a word?), then we will know the answer.

Oh, and notice the top of the book.. Once you master these techniques, you will be a certified master of…….Spinology. Now that is rock and roll!! Spin On!

Posted in Music, Physics | Tagged , , | 1 Comment