BelieverNet

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 21:27:00 +0000

It's April 2016 and the Race to the White House is down to 4-6 candidates, depending on how you view it.

On the Democratic side, there have always only been two real contenders; Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Although some would argue that Bernie never stood a chance since the Democratic Super Delegates greatly tilt the scales in Hillary's direction. But, that's a topic for another post!

On the Republican side, what once was a football team, a basketball team and a coach (maybe a descriptive stretch; but I trust you to figure it out!) has now seen the majority sidelined leaving only 3, Trump, Cruz and Kasich to continue the race. Some would argue that Rubio is still in the running since he controls delegates and some would argue that Kasich doesn't really matter since he has only won his own state of Ohio and doesn't appear to be able to win any others. Even though his campaign continues, Rubio has more delegates as I write this.

But, the number of scenarios that can emerge is still startling. Mostly this is due to the fact that there seems to be no one who can describe to us the true nature of the events which are even in the realm of possibility at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July.

I have questions. I want answers. I'm not sure if I can handle the truth but here's what I would like to know;

1. Some say that any rules of convention can be changed.

A. Let's deal with 40B first. Can rule 40B be modified?

If yes? some have said that 40b is a rule that only affects who can speak at the convention during prime time. Is this true or does it concern weightier issues affecting the nomination?

B. Can other rules which affect the nomination be changed at convention?

For example, the means by which a candidate is nominated. Currently, some say a candidate must have won at least 8 states. Talking heads are constantly wondering aloud why Kasich is still running since it doesn't appear he can win any more of the primaries.

But, on Tuesday April 5 on Fox News' Hannity, Reince Priebus, RNC Chairman made a comment that makes it sound like a candidate doesn't need to win the state on election day but can still qualify by collecting the delegates of these states at convention.

- a. How should we understand this rule, and

- b. Could someone possibly change or remove this requirement at convention?

2. If changes in the rules concerning the nomination CAN be made, Who is able to make these changes?

We hear talk about "they", "the establishment", "Romney and others" as if there's a smokey backroom where the true movements and decisions of convention are made. I don't know who "They" are. Is there a "they" that could make significant changes to the rules?

3. Do the candidates with fewer delegates (Kasich and Rubio) have power over their delegates to assign them to another candidate on the first ballot? Do they have any determination on their votes at all at convention? Or, are the delegates free to make their own decisions once released by their states' laws?

4. Newt Gingrich mentioned in his Q&A today that the RNC Chairman, Priebus stated clearly last night on Hannity that the nominee would be one of the three. But, actually, Priebus said, "I believe it will be one of the three." So, did he leave room for a rules change that would allow someone who is not running to come in? Or, do the rules already leave room for this to happen?

5. Why do some Trump supporters continue to beat the drum that the nominee will be someone the establishment parachutes in and not one of the three? Is this fear-mongering to force the GOP powers (again, the "they") to "play fair" and give the nomination to the candidate with the most popular votes to avoid potential chaos in the party? Surely they know that this is how it has worked for decades! There have reportedly been nine instances where the candidate behind in the count received the eventual nomination.

Why does no one answer these questions with the thought that American is a Republic and our leaders are chosen by delegates and not by popular vote?

6. Do the states' delegates have any power to change the rules of convention?

7. Why DID the founders set up this system by which the nomination would go to a candidate chosen by delegates (instead of popular vote alone)?

If you know, and I mean KNOW the answers to these questions, I would love to hear from you. Please state your sources or credentials to support your answers. I'd love to hear from Newt Gingrich, Reince Priebus, Mitt Romney or anyone else who can shed light on this. If you have the power to pose these questions to a significant player (how 'bout it Greta Van Susteren, Megyn Kelly, Wolf Blitzer?) please do!

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:35:00 +0000

Here’s a chart showing the SP500 since July ’96. You can see that it has been in a range from 700 to 1600. The obvious problem with investing long term over that time period is that a person could have made a lot of money on the way up but then it reversed for such a long period, again and again. Let’s test it.

Using the monthly chart below for buy/sell signals over the last 13 years:

Buy: 800 (May ’97) -

Sell and go short: 1247 (March ’01) = 55% gain (10,000 becomes 15,590)

Buy back and go long: 1055 (Nov ’03) = 18% gain (15,590 becomes 18,427)

Sell and go short: 1,380 (Feb ’08) = 30% gain (18,427 becomes 24,103)

Buy back and go long: 1060 (Sept ‘09) = 30% gain (24,103 becomes 31,380)

Total: 200% increase in 13 years (10,000 became 31,380) = 15% per year (or 9% compounded)

Buy and hold: 1,048 / 800 = 31% ($10,000 became $13,000) = 2% compounded over 13 years

The chart is hard to read but each point above was chosen because it was the price on the last day of the month after the price crossed (over or below) the pink and blue lines. If you compare the points I chose you can see that they weren’t even close to the tops and bottoms because catching those points would be next to impossible. Even though we could have bought lower or sold higher, these buy/sell points are made only after a trend direction has been determined.

Since that chart uses only monthly points each candlestick is very long meaning the SP500 price varied greatly during the month. Using a monthly chart we limited our buy/sell points to very long-term trends and missed a log of smaller trends that are buried within the monthly candlesticks. What I’m trying to say is that there are smaller trends within these trends that could be traded to create even more entry/exit points and potentially catch the trend earlier than we did in this example. Imagine waiting a full month (or 3 months) to make sure a trend is underway before selling. A weekly or bi-weekly chart could identify trends even earlier.

Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:33:00 +0000

Everyone is expected bad news and even saying that it's priced into the market but bad news is suddenly being taken seriously. Yesterday, existing home sales were down 27%. This was supposedly expected because we were just coming off the first-time home buyers tax credit deal of a lifetime. But, the market still moved down about 1.5%.

Today the headline is "U.S. durable-goods orders rise a less-than-forecast 0.3% in July" and the futures are responding negatively.

Investools (IT) shows this Market forecast chart:the green (intermediate) line is close to entering the oversold area. If it does while the other shorter-term lines are still in that area this is a bullish signal. The SP500 shows the 30 MA moving toward a declining trend.

US Treasury yields are at their lowest since 01/09 at 2.44%. There's no money to be made there yet people are still moving their money into UST. Why? They are afraid of the stock market and are avoiding risk.

I can't see any reason to be optimistic - other than the possibility that the Fed resumes Quantitative Easing policies to artificially hold up markets.

So, for now, I reiterate my short stance. Already in TZA and added to that position yesterday at SP1055/ TZA @ 39.50.

Bought JOYG @ 57.58. F1=7/0; PPatt: 4.0; At bottom of range so expecting bounce to 62.50 (8.5%).

Watching to go short CROX based on industry downtrending and TL analysis

New Direction?

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:28:00 +0000

Yesterday the SP500 moved to a new August low of 1076 (-1.7%) on poor unemployment data and news from the Philly Fed Chairman. It's rare that the market responds negatively to bad news these days but there just isn't anything to cheer about. There have been some positive earnings news this week but it has mostly been a mixed bag.

The news today; "Treasury yields reach new lows on safe haven shift." This has been the main factor I've been sitting on to maintain my short bias.

On investools, the SP500 maketforecast chart has the intermediate line moving lower (has just recently moved from overbought to reversal) and the near-term line reversed before entering overbought. They interpret this as short-term negative.

TZA - I'm going to remain in TZA this morning since the daily and 2-day is below TL (Trend Line). The weekly price is split between my TL (1030 bullish) and Allan's TL (1132 bearish). but the vortex(14) is still short. ITools SP500 posture is bearish (3 red arrows on 8/14ish).

So far, this morning the futures are -.6% indicating a lower start.

Positions:

HAR 30.50 (short): IT has 2 G arrows and positive insider trading. 2day TL still short and sitting just below 20 MA. Daily TL short. I'm behind 1% so let's see how the morning goes.

JDSU 10.37 (short): point higher premarket. TL daily and 2day short. Itools still short with heavy -ITrading. Keep watching.

MMRF .12: 2 red arrows, price pattern .5. I need a move to .14 to get profitable. I'll wait for now. No bounce on positive earnings and no news expected. Not good here.

NNVC 1.28. Price pattern at 4.0. Let's watch

BVN 37.90 Between TLs Vortex tied. Red arrow on MA. Price pattern 4.0. Is this a toss up or what. Down 1.75%. Hanging on for more direction.

MON Got out at 59.19 now at 56.87 premarket. Out with 11% profit. Best trade in a while.

New Watches:

NTRS (IT, Red Arrows Search) Premarket down 1.5%

Edit: The sp500 moved down another 4 points during this session (on a 12 point range) so for now we're still downward biased. Monday's are almost always up days so we could take some hits on short positions on monday. TLs: Weekly is still split, 1 and 2 days are both negative.

Har - slightly up against us.

Jdsu = up .5%; No signal changes

mmrf - up 7% to .13. Not significant and no signal changes

nnvc - no change

bvn - up slightly - no decision change

ntrs (watch) started down and recovered through the day. may still be good short candidate

Is this Investing?

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:45:00 +0000

Yesterday the markets spent the whole morning in the red waiting the Fed report. Why would the market be down in anticipation? Either investors felt a) the Fed would indicate the economy is bad (really?) and do nothing leaving investors holding the bag, or b) the Fed would say the economy is rallying - knowing that it isn't really - and do nothing. So, when the Fed reported that it would act to keep interest rates low the market rallied. Why did the Fed feel the need for more economic support? The economic rally is stalling out and needs a new push. So, the real news is bad (slow economy) but the new action is good. The market will take a handout with pleasure and so markets move up.

Then we sleep and forget yesterday. Today, the Asian markets are providing bad news and an indication that global economies are stalling. So, futures are down 1.5% this a.m.

Though the markets are making strong moves up and down (resulting in mostly sideways movements) quietly in the background the Treasury markets may be providing guidance. Here's a snippet from FundMyMutualFund:

Meanwhile as equity investors drink (Fed provided) Kool Aid, the bond guys continue to send warning shots - the 10 year is now down from 4% (in April) to under 2.8%! Shades of mid 2007 when giddy equity investors had not a worry in the world as they sent the S&P 500 to all time highs in October of that year... while they whistled past the graveyard. I have a feeling we're going to be looking back at this chart in Q1 2011 and talking about similar whistling.

The 10 Year Treasury yield is dropping because investors are moving money to Treasuries which force the purchase price higher. The yield is at 2.72 prior to market open.

In my view, the economy still seems very slow. There will be no recovery until people get back to work and those who are working feel some security. The treasury yield indicates that people are opting for bonds rather than stocks right now. So, in spite of the fact that the SP500 daily Trend is upward and the weekly trend has now crossed above the Trend Line (bullish), it just seems like we should be moving down.

My strategy is going to be to play along with the market (long) but hold very short leashes keeping stop-loss orders close. I won't be viewing any drops as buying points to go long but will watch these as potential short opportunities. In otherwords, my bias is to the short side.

Keeping all long positions for now.

Investing Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:44:00 +0000

Last night I got out of TNA (mostly) before the jobs report. Today, need to decide on a new direction.

Big picture: The SP500 is at 1120.77 this morning (-5 points) after the unemployment report. The SP500 has spent the last 13 weeks under the Trend Line. I use two different Trend lines and expect both to be breached before making a decision. It's actually sitting on the reversal decision line (pink) but about 11 points short of the second one. So, we could treat this a couple of different ways. We could wait to see if it crosses above which would generate a new buy signal on the SP500. Or, we could trust the TL and expect that this is the top of the range. The second option lines up better with the latest news of the day (negative unemployment news).

The Asian markets provide no insight today but the European markets are all down between .5-1%. The 10T note yield is dropping this morning (2.90) meaning again that people are moving money into Treasuries (and other bond funds).

The Daily SP500 is above the daily TL and has been for 21 sessions. At 1121, it would have to drop to about 1091 to create a true TL Sell Trigger. However, it is appearing to become parabolic. The 200 days SMA (~1115) would provide support.

Normally, taking the thoughts that the weekly is bumping resistance, the daily is parabolic up and the news of the day is negative, I would consider a TZA buy. But, the market is only slightly responding to this. TZA at 10:15a is only up 1.5%. TNA daily is TL up with vortex support.

Individual positions:

Drys - daily up strong at 4.94 reversal at 4.41. 200 day resistance at 5.55. continue long. set stop at 4.44.

Banr (JM - reg bank WA)- Daily up at 2.33, reverse 2.10. JM Target=3.25. Stop at 2.08

mmrf (health records) - Today (.14) released letter to investors about upcoming prospects. Sounds great (PR is) but I will hold. Even .01 move is 8%.

nnvc - in TL sell mode. Today at 1.17. Thinking about putting more in to average down. Not yet. Maybe on a new move up.

IPXL (LNav)- supposed to double in the blink of an eye from 17.01. Now at 16.99.

Sold LPSN at 7.05. Today down to 6.73. Good sell.

MON - @ 60.89. Up 13.5% since purchase. Still moving up. 200d Resistance at 68.

At this point, I can find no changes to make. We'll watch how this plays out today. If we see a huge drop today, we could go long (TNA) at close to take advantage of the bounce and Monday's normal optimism.

The Market

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:18:00 +0000

As expected, the stock market is moving higher. It is Monday you know! The only question now is, "will it stay in positive territory?" That's anybody's guess but I do have an opinion (which is worthless). The market is going to respond up and down all day long to any news - whether expected or not - that may have any bearing on stocks.

The pros (and/or the computer systems) will determine the final outcome probably in the last 30 minutes of trading.

At this point, I'm mostly invested in stocks that seem to be moving upward regardless of the "play of the day." But, I'm ready to go into short investments (i.e. TZA, SDS) when the market gives some clear indication that it is ready to pull back. Baring major market news, that signal will probably not come today.

One stock of note: GDP moved above the Trend Line (see AllAllan.blogspot.com) and created a buy signal last Thursday. Today, it appears that others have noticed the trend and are pushing GDP significantly higher.

Improvising

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 21:30:00 +0000

If you don't have scissors you can fold paper and rip it against a corner of a table.

If you don't have a screwdriver you can use a dime or a piece of metal.

If you don't have a flashlight you can redirect light with a mirror.

If you are MacGyver ;-) and need to plug a leak, you can use chewing gum. Didn't he always seem to have chewing gum?

If you don't have another car fuse you can use aluminum foil (don't try this at home).

If you don't have a Q-Tip, what in the world can you use? There just doesn't seem to be a replacement for a Q-Tip in a wet ear!

I'm just sayin'

Stock Market Speculation

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 02:22:00 +0000

This market is very difficult to predict. Every day, the market players react (or overreact) to some news that seems to be already obvious. For example, the news could be that housing sales are up. But, the stimulus plan requires buyers to close prior to June 30. It dictates that sales will be squashed into a shorter time frame than would otherwise be natural. What will happen in August when the news hits that home sales were lower in July than in June? You can bet the market will react as if it didn't know that would be the case.

Today, the market dropped 3-3.6% on disappointing jobless data. My guess is that everyone already knew that would be the case. But, yesterday President Obama guaranteed good numbers. He established a high water line that didn't even come close to being reached.

But, the market doesn't tend to drop two days in a row - especially when the first day's drop was this dramatic. You can't really count on any "normal" action but Mondays have been good for weeks. I'm guessing that Monday will be like a rubber band stretched to far by today's drop. There should be some rebounding.

Jon Markman pointed out that the market (S&P500) is setting up for a head-and-shoulder top which began in January 2010. The right shoulder "bounce" should make it to 1140-1150 if the pattern plays out correctly.

I'm just concerned that people are so disenchanted with the market and it's strong volatility that the right shoulder may not come about. I do believe the movements will continue to be choppy but I'm thinking down is the dominant direction.

I'm going to use SDS (twice the inverse of the SP500) to take advantage of any moves downward. I'll use stops to make sure the radical moves don't do too much damage in case the shoulder does appear. For now, I'm going to wait until some confirmation - probably until Wednesday of next week - before going "short" the market with SDS.

More later...

Deal: Norton Antivirus 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:24:00 +0000

Every once in a while you come across a deal that is just too good to pass up. If you've got a couple of PCs at home or office that need better virus protection, this deal may fit the bill for you.

"Norton Antivirus 2008 - 3 User" retails for $89.99 but you can find it online for about $60. Buy.com has it for only $2.99 when you use a couple of rebate offers. I normally don't like rebate offers because I'm not real good with the paperwork.

There's a bonus: FREE 1GB Kingston Data Traveler USB 2.0 Flash Drive.

If you're interested check it out here.

On Track!

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:22:00 +0000

Before the New Year arrived I decided I was going to make some resolutions and stick to them this year. In the past my resolutions had turned to dust by the end of January. To make this year different I wrote out my resolutions and set intermediate goals (though I’ve not been real dedicated to reviewing them as often as I would like).

If you’ll recall from this inaugural post I set an intermediate goal to “drop 5 pounds by February 15”. I set this goal because it’s the first day of our Sunday School class’ marriage retreat. It gave me 4 weeks (didn't start until 1/14) to make some progress and since I really wanted to look and feel lighter for this get-away with my wife it also was a natural motivator.

All along I’ve been telling you how I would reach these goals and encouraging you too. So, I feel that I should also let you in on the results. As of this morning I have lost a total of 9 pounds. (queue crowd noise!) That actually puts me within 1 pound of my next intermediate goal so I’m ahead of schedule. I plan to lose a little ground during the weekend with some chocolate covered strawberries and maybe even a hamburger! But, I’ve found that the momentum is on my side now and even a couple of cheats aren’t going to stop the train.

I hope this post encourages you to continue on your journey. It’s no sprint and you don’t have to cross the finish line tomorrow. Just take a step in the right direction.

I want to encourage you as you go, so please let us know (in the comments) how you’re doing.

If you’re just joining us you can see “the plan” (mostly encouragement) here.

God is Sooo Good!

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:54:00 +0000

After starting a new diet I altered my drive to work to avoid passing my favorite bakery. I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning, and as I approached, there in the window were a host of goodies. I felt this was no accident, so I prayed ... "Lord, it's up to you, if you want me to have any of those delicious goodies, create a parking place for me directly in front of the bakery." And sure enough,

On the eighth time around the block ,
there it was!

"God is so Good!"

(Sent to me by Christi)

Success Takes Time

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:54:00 +0000

I love success. Who doesn’t? It doesn’t matter the arena. We love success.

I enjoyed watching the Tennessee Vols basketball team put the hammer down on the Gators in the second half Tuesday night. Success!

For me, it happened so quickly. I turned on the tube and watched it happen. But for the Vols it was a long time coming. This season’s 20-2 start is the best ever – ever - for the basketball Vols. Behind the backdrop of this succsess you’ll find sweat and hard work. And behind that? A passion for success.

You and I have been determined (at some level) to claim success as we strive toward an improved diet for life. And from that some weight loss for 2008. Maybe you’ve already seen great success over the last few weeks. My guess is that it's just possible that your determination has wained ever so slightly as Jan 1 fades into the timeline of recent history and your resolve with it.

Remember today, that success takes time. You're on a journey with many steps. Today is a step in the right direction. Don’t try to “arrive” today. Today is simply a step. Take that step today!

2008 Resolutions – Credit Rating 101

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:19:00 +0000

In addition to my weight loss goals for 2008 (which are currently on track – prior to lunch plans with Larry and Bill) I’ve also made some financial goals for my family. These are going to be much harder than my diet goals as, for me, they take more time and discipline.

Credit Ratings probably wouldn’t be on the top of any expert’s financial goals. More likely the top of the list would be to calculate net worth, to begin saving or eliminating debt. But considering that improving a hampered credit score could take years – I think this may be the place to start.

I’ve not given much thought to my credit score in the past but more and more lenders are relying on our credit scores to determine a credit risk. That plays in to the amount of money a lender is willing to lend and the price (or interest rate) they will charge (see the chart for the impact of your credit score on borrowing).

You may not be in the market for a loan at this time but remember that when you need it, it may be too late to change it.

The first step in fixing your credit or improving your already good score is to find out what is lurking in the closets of your credit report. I completed this first task and it’s very easy – and free. I was erked to find a late merchant card payment on my report. Although, probably a minor deduction it will affect my score for years.

Just visit www.annualcreditreport.com and answer a few quick questions and you’ll have a very interesting report.

You’ll be asked which credit report you would like (TransUnions, Experian or Equifax). You can get each of these once per year for free. So, just choose either to get started. I choose Experian.

How to Weigh Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:36:00 +0000

This was sent to me by Larry…

I can't believe I was doing it wrong all these years.

We must get the word out.

Assignment: Find me 1 pound!

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:17:00 +0000

Straight Up; this has been a bad weekend. I relaxed. I forgot. I succumbed. I made excuses.

After having a good week of eating and exercising the way I hope to for life and seeing the results of those good choices on the scales, I gave in. I don't know exactly what happened. Mr. Gatti's Pizza happened at one point. I pre-determined in my mind (never speaking this to Christi so I would have an "out") having only 2 pieces and a salad. "But, the pieces are small", I internally coaxed. I had determined to drink water with my pizza but "one Coke won't hurt too much." And then the refills were just - too - easy. Cookies and chocolates homemade by my daughters can't be skipped – can they? Of course, 2 or 3 may be just a little much – but whose counting?

Needless to say, I backslid! Enough about the past! I start the week with new resolve and those 2 pounds I put back on are on the top of my list. This morning I woke at 5:30 and took to the treadmill (and a good book). A good breakfast and a packed lunch and I'm ready to tackle it again.

I'm considering the possibilties that you may have had this occur in your diet attempts already this year. If you've faced a setback, a disappointment, a moment of weakness I want you to know you're not alone. We've all done that. But, once you've fallen off the horse you can't just "waller" in the mud. As we've all heard hundreds of times,"you've got to get right back on that horse." So, giddy-up!

Do you know how many calories are in 1 pound? 3,500. To lose one pound you have to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume. Sound like a lot? Only 500 calories per day to lose 1 pound per week. Can you eliminate 500 calories in a day?

To get back on track I have an assignment for you. I want you to find me one pound.

Get rid of the easy calories – the ones we don't even need. If you regularly drink a softdrink a day, you can eliminate 140 calories per day just by switching to water. Do you drink more than one? Even easier. Small bag of Doritos for lunch? Another 140. Cut a couple of portion sizes and voila – you're there.

Don't know how many calories you're consuming in a certain product? Check the label or go here.

Do it today! Find me 1 pound. You may be surprised at how easy this can be. Report back here. I've already heard from many who have a renewed desire to win this battle after reading this blog and YOUR comments. You are helping others. So, join in - it's essential to our success.

Creation Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:26:00 +0000

The Natural Wonders series on the Travel Channel caught my attention recently. Most of us enjoy learning new things and these programs are entertaining and informative. Our kids liked watching Nature programs on PBS when they were younger. Kratz Creatures led the way. But if you're like me you prepare your face for the "evolution cringe" that will occur at least by the end of the program if not sooner. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a great animal program only to have it spoiled with a forced statement like "and billions of years ago" or "and that's the story of our ancestors".

No longer presented as theory, it's becoming more and more common to hear evolution voiced in a factual context. There are few of us who can even attempt to stand against the "great" scientific minds of our day. Try it and you'll see – people have bought into evolution without even thinking it over. But, Answers in Genesis answers the call in a big way.

Our family just returned from a visit to the Answers in Genesis Creation Museum in Hebron, KY (very close to the KY/OH border). Stuck away in no-man's land, this unassuming (from the outside) building contains hours of scientific and Biblical answers to questions of evolution vs. creation.

The museum has a themed path. It takes you through the "7 C's". From Creation to Consummation you'll learn of the Fall, death and destruction and a God who loves you. Yes, the gospel is as firmly presented as I've ever seen it. A major focus of the museum is the global flood of Noah's day. Dinosaurs and the universe are also greatly presented.

It may not be as large as a Smithsonian but the facilities are every bit as emaculate and entertaining.

We questioned whether we should visit the planetarium – mostly due to the added cost. We opted to see it and most of the kids said it was their highlight. I've only been to a couple of planetariums but this was much better. Like everything else in the museum, the universe is presented from a Biblical world-view I'm sure you'll not find at most planetariums. And the purely-video (dome-view) presentation is top notch. One definitely gets the feeling that the universe cannot be by chance and it can't be billions of years old.

I'd really recommend this to everyone – especially if you are interested in the ongoing Creation vs. Evolution debate.

Trip Notes

About 250 miles from our house (200 miles from the TN/KY border). It took us 4 hours to get home in bad weather.

We stayed in a Country Inn and Suites in Hebron. A couple of notes on the hotel: Complete with indoor pool and an extensive complimentary breakfast that was very good (included make-it-yourself-waffles) this "suites" was perfect for our large family. They have complimentarty cookies at the front desk at almost all times. They were out of Chocolate Chip but had a chocolate/cranberry that was pretty good. The chlorine level in the indoor pool must not have been right as the kids' skin turned red one night after swimming (ouch!). All in all, we would stay there again (and maybe test that chlorine). It's only about 10 minutes from the museum and 15 to Cincinnati.

We spent ~$110 on admission (including planetarium). Kids get in free on Tuesdays (during Winter) with purchase of adult – but you have to mention it or bring your coupons (pdf) because they won't bring it up first!

Lunch was great in the Noah Café at the museum and was not too expensive.

It’s like a Blog Inbox

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:31:00 +0000

I've noticed that very few people ever find a new Blog post unless I email an update notice. I understand that. Who has time to cycle through all your favorite websites to see if they've changed since your last visit?

The solution is to use an RSS "reader" and it's real easy.

I use Google Reader because I can access my "Blog Inbox" from any computer (or my cell phone).

Here's how to set up Google Reader: (2 minutes):

Go to http://reader.google.com
Sign in with your Gmail account. If you don't have one, create it from this page first. (An added benefit - you get a free email account.

If you already know the web address you want to subscribe to just click "Add Subscriptions" and type (or paste) the address (ie. Believernet.blogspot.com) in.

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Just Hose Me Down!

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:20:00 +0000

I've already prodded you to "do no harm". If you acted on that advice and gave up "Cokes" last week, you're either choking down your spinach or washing it down with - Diet Coke! May it never be!

Water is Essential. Not just for your diet - but for life! Did you know that most Americans are dehydrated? Your body is made up of about 60% water and you lose about half a gallon of water through natural processes every day. But most of us don't drink that much per day.

The first 7 chapters of "The Seven Pillars of Health" are all about drinking water. I can't tell you all the "symptoms" Dr. Colbert claims can be reversed by drinking more water. Do you suffer from migraines, joint pain, arthritis, asthma, high blood pressure and problems with skin and digestion? We take pills to "fix" these problems but he claims often these can be solved by giving our body the water it needs. Not to mention the weight control benefits.

I'm guilty of opting for a more tasty liquid. I usually get coffee at work. Drink it. Refill. Sip until cool. Lunch time! Maayybe water - maybe Coke. Nothing 'til dinner. Tea! Where's the water?

But, I'm making the switch. I have a hard time remembering to drink water once I've begun my day. And sipping doesn't get it. So, I'm drinking a tall glass of water first thing in the morning - about 20 minutes before breakfast. The water replenishes what I've lost during the night AND it fills my stomach. By the time I'm ready for breakfast I'm not so hungry.

And, after 1 cup of coffee I switch to water. Big headstart on the day.

Dr. Colbert) "prescribes" a formula for the amount of water we should have in a day. Your current weight (in lbs) divided by 2. Drink this in ounces. Example: Current weight 150 - drink 75 ounces. Sound like a lot? Then you too should get started early in the day.

Robin put it into perspective for me: "Don't drink your calories."

Action: Drink half your weight in ounces of water. Try it for one week - report back.
You can do it!

Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

“Primumu Non Nocere”

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:49:00 +0000

Ok, I said this would be practical and right off the bat, I’m feeding you Latin phrases I can’t even pronounce. We could start off with “Carpe diem” but as appropriate as that is it is just too easy.

“Primumu non nocere” means “first, do no harm.” Hippocrates, a Greek physician practicing around 300 B.C. , systemetized the study of medicine and is today known as “the father of medicine”. He may be best known for establishing the oath bearing his name. The phrase, “first, do no harm”, is attributed* to the Hippocratic Oath, which has become a basis for many oaths taken by new physicians.

As far as diets go, this has been a recurring problem for me. Treadmill for 30 minutes followed by, “Sure, I’ll have a milkshake!” A banana for breakfast, and later I’ll “Super size that value meal.” An hour at the gym rewarded with chocolate chip cookies for bedtime snack – my Achilles Heel!

But, we’re not supposed to dwell on a negatives. Society now seems to say to stress the “Do’s”, not the “Don’ts” - the positives, not the negatives. But, it’s just a matter of fact; Good physical condition and French fries, cookies and sodas don’t go together.

I wish I could count all the times I’ve asked someone “How did you lose all of that weight?” only to have them reply, “I just cut out cokes.” (which for us here in the South just means “sodas” or “pop”). Or, “I stopped eating potato chips.”

Low-Hanging Fruit
Think about pool (billiards). After the break you don’t look for the most difficult combo or bank shot – you look for the sure-shot, the low-hanging fruit. We’re going to go after that low-hanging fruit starting today.

What is your Achilles tendon – your worst offense? Is it cokes, Little Debbie’s (the Swiss Cake Rolls are my favorites), handfuls of chips while watching the tube, milkshakes from Chic-fil-a, Micky-Ds Value Meals? Think about this; most of these foods have tons of calories and they are completely empty – worthless. They taste great (no doubt) for a few minutes and then there is no benefit to them.

Say goodbye! Adios! This isn’t the fuel God intended for our lives. And, with that one step, we’ll begin to make progress.

Action: First, do no harm. If you’ve made progress either by exercise or thoughtful eating, don’t offset it with a quick decision to endulge. Make a decision right now that those things are gone!

“Primumu non nocere!” (And, carpe diem, too!)

* Actually, this wording is not in the Hippocratic Oath, but a similar phrase carrying the same meaning is; “make a habit of two things – to help, or at least to do no harm.”

The Mind of Christ

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:01:00 +0000

What are your goals for 2008? Really, I'd like to hear about them.

One of mine is to read more rapidly through the Bible. I'm a very slow reader because I tend to study even the pronouns of a sentence. I have a hard time getting through one verse without cross referencing it to other passages.

But, much of the New Testament was written as letters to believers which were meant to be read aloud. Some letters were undoubtedly read in one sitting. Although that seems like a long time to spend reading a letter, we could do it if we made it a priority and had fewer distractions in our lives.

So, I want to spend more time this year just reading chunks of the Word. My hope is that the words I read in chunks (without the deeper study) will work better together and help me to better know my Lord.

This morning, I turned to 1 Corinthians. In chapter 2 it says, "For who among men knows the concerns of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the concerns of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God." And, "For: 'who has known the Lord's mind, that he may instruct Him?' But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. 2:11-12, 16 HCSB)

Exactly my hope in 2008!

All of my goals aren't so lofty. So, click the "comments" link and share with us your goals or resolutions for 2008.

Motivation and Commitment

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:41:00 +0000

Losing weight is no easy task. It’s going to require a great amount of dedication. So, you must have a very good reason for being here.

Have you ever experienced some amount of success only to regress into old habits? It seems every time I make progress I find myself rationalizing a small reward or succumbing to a “treat”. It’s a slippery slope. Looking back, I can see that the problem was in my resolve or motivation. I thought I wanted it, but I couldn’t prove it with any consistent actions.

Motivation Sentence
When the going gets tough you’ll to need to remember the reason you first decided to start this journey. The reason needs to be firm. A few of these are mine:

My closet is full but I can only wear 3 outfits
I want my energy level back
Summer vacation is coming and I want to be comfortable in my swimsuit
I want to play with my kids again
I want to be more effective in ministry
My health is deteriorating
I’m borderline diabetic
When I look down at my shoes I can’t see them
My reunion is coming up and I want to look my best
Long-term quality of life

Put it on down on paper. Post it inside your cupboard or near the refrigerator – wherever your worst temptations reside. Tape it to your dressing mirror so you’ll remember that you’re working on it and to keep you from discouragement.

Full Throttle Commitment
As a summer camper I was required to have a “buddy”. I wasn’t allowed to go swimming without my buddy. The “Buddy System” was designed to ensure the safety of the campers. I was glad to have a buddy because we always brought out the best in each other. Whatever one would try, the other would try too. It was just more fun with a Buddy.

I encourage you to get a Buddy or Buddies. Don’t swim alone – it’s no fun. Tell someone about your new goal. Ask him/her to check on you periodically to see if you are staying the course and to encourage you. This will also give you a way to brag on your progress.

Practical Step One
It’s about motivation and commitment. Write out the reason you want to lose weight. Refer to it often as a reminder. And tell it to a friend who’ll encourage you. Ok, so it’s two actions, but I know you want to get going!

"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Eph. 5:13

Getting Started

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:06:00 +0000

There are a few things to deal with before we get started.

First, I have to get it into my head that this is not just a diet. The reason I’ve yo-yo’ed in the past is because I’ve temporarily changed my habits until I saw some success. Then, I relaxed and went back to my original eating habits and you know the rest. So, I want to repent (change my mind) about eating. I want to view food (mainly) as fuel for my body - not merely pleasure.

If you’re joining me on this quest, you’ll know that these suggestions are just that – suggestions (here comes the disclaimer). I’m no doctor and I’ve never played one on TV. And I don’t normally stay in a Holiday Inn. So, before you get started and before you try any of this you should consult your doctor.

Setting Goals
Don’t plan to look like Zack Efron or Vanessa Hudgens. Be realistic. I don’t want to get hung up on a certain weight but I know I feel better when I’m within a certain range (I'd like to wear pants without a 2 inch expandable waist). Actually, my wife found a picture of me from about 6 years ago and I was lookin' good! I’m going to put that near my desk to ward of the snack attack.

Keeping Track
When you go to Rand McNally, MapQuest, or Google Maps to get directions you first have to provide your starting point. I use Outlook to record just about everything so I’m recording my starting weight in today’s box. I may even go home and put on my speedo (sorry for that image) or swimming trunks and take a “before” picture. You may use a wall calendar, pocket calendar, notepad, etc. But, I would encourage you to record your progress.

The Weigh-In
I like to see how I’m doing - maybe too often. Some people get discouraged when they see daily fluctuations – I’m not one of them. I know that somedays I’ll be down a little and other days I may be up. Some of that may have to do with water retention, etc. It doesn’t harm my resolve to see those fluctuations. If you’re liable to get down on yourself with those fluctuations then just weigh yourself once a week. Weekly weigh-ins will smooth out those fluctuations and show a more reliable pattern.

Rev. 2:5 says, “Remember how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” Remember a time when you felt good and strong. Remember when you had energy to do all that you needed and wanted to do. Take courage and Remember.

Holy Socks

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:33:00 +0000

My kids (4) are currently being homeschooled. Today, Joshua (9) was getting ready early to go with me to work. He came into my room to put on his shoes - why? That's just Josh. As he started to put on the first shoe he said, "Wait, I've got to change this sock. It's got too many holes in it."

New Year's Resolution - The Dreaded Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Link McGinnis) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:33:00 +0000

OK – I’ve got to get a better start on this weight lose plan. For me, putting things into words and "to do" lists just keeps me on track better. So, I'm making some notes to MYSELF first and for any friends who would like to come along beside me. I'll sure need the company, encouragement and suggestions.

I'll tell you up front that I don't have a lot of weight to lose. I currently weigh 188. But, given my frame (I could "balloon" up to 210 and my ankles would be no larger than the size of my 9 year old's ankles) 188 is just too much for me. I'm setting a goal of 175.

I would like to get drop 5 pounds by February 15 which is the start of our Bible Study's Marriage Retreat. 10 pounds by March 10 and the remainder by April Fools day.
I won't be too concerned if this doesn't pan out - as long as I'm heading in the right direction. My ultimate goal though is to be able to leave this one off of my New Year's Resolution list in 2009.

I hope you come along for the ride. Comments are welcome and encouraged. I don't expect you to announce your specific weight loss goals as I did, but let me know you're on board and ask me how I'm doing as we go.

Thanks!