Shelby's Rants

Check out http://babyboomer-directory.com/

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:59:00 +0000

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noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:50:00 +0000

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noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:05:00 +0000

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noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 11:33:00 +0000

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Guess The Gender, Win an iPad!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 17:07:00 +0000

As you may have found out…Jennifer and I are pregnant…well, she’s pregnant and I am along for the ride. We just heard the heartbeat today and MAN what a wonderful sound! We are so excited about this next chapter in our journey together as a couple and know that much like a rollercoaster, there are going to be ups and downs. But we are ready for one of the most exciting times in our lives as a couple and know that we can’t do this alone.

With that being said...we need your help. Our health insurance doesn’t start until January 1, 2011 and we are having to cash flow the majority of the cost of lab work and pay for each visit, every month until January. And as we understand that while many people have done this, the extra cost is more than we had expected and we have thought of some creative ways to help fund that!

GUESS THE GENDER OF THE BABY AND WIN AN iPAD OR MORE!!

Here is how it works. We are selling tickets for $25. When you purchase a ticket, you have to choose between a boy or a girl. In January, when we find out the gender, we will draw from that pile a winner and reward them at whatever prize level that the contest is at.

Contest Levels:

The more tickets that are bought, the greater value the prize becomes. Here is a breakdown.

Tickets Sold:

10: iPod Nano ($199)
25: iPod Touch 32GB ($299)
50: iPad 16GB ($499)
75: iPad & iPod Touch ($798)
100: 13” MacBook ($999)
125: 27” iMac ($1699)
150: iPad and 27” iMac ($2200)

This contest is running until January 1, 2011. You must put the gender that you choose in the notes section of the checkout. We will record us drawing the name and post here for all to see. Good Luck and thanks for being a part of this journey!

What is a good baby boy name? Help us decide!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 23:42:00 +0000

Replace your audience response systems with Poll Everywhere

Help Tim get to Haiti!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:08:00 +0000

My friend Tim Schmoyer got a call the other week asking if he wanted to go to Haiti. After much discussion and prayer with his wife Dana he has decided to go.

With that being said, everything is paid for on this trip with the exception of immunizations, gear, and other upfront cost to get there.

Could you help him out by donating $10 to get him on his way? He will be posting updates on his website so you can see where your money is going.

Chris Brown, you are who you hang out with!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Chris Brown is back, and he's not alone.

I guess Chris' mom never warned him to be careful who he hangs out with, because after a long period of silence since pleading guilty to assaulting Rihanna, Chris has now joined forces with a guy with a little legal trouble of his own- Lil Wayne- for a new song and video called, I Can Transform Ya.

Watch the charts, because this one will move up fast!

Today it is the #15 most downloaded song on iTunes and #1 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop chart (but watch, it will be moving up the Hot 100 very soon!) Kids are downloading this one like mad, and if parents only block songs deemed explicit, then this song will slip under the radar, because it's not explicit... it's not clean either.

Instead of whining about the "rating system" just do a quick Google search for the lyrics. You'll find this:

hehe, i take you to wherever its warmer,
then i gotta rip off your dress like a warm up,
hehe, but Im just getting warmed up...
cos her form puts me in a trance,
i transform smaller and she puts me in her pants,
Swiss on the Beat, Chris move ya feet
and we can transform a good girl to a freak

Nice Chris! See what happens when you let Wayne in on your material?

If you're curious what your kids will be seeing, you can check out the video for yourself on MTV.com in this article about the premiere of this video. I don't see the video on iTunes yet (which, by the way, has quite a few clean videos in the Top 10, including David Crowder's How He Loves at #7, Owl City'sFirefliesat #9, and Taylor Swift's Fifteen at #1. Pretty cool. Just don't look at videos 11-20... all but one are pure trash. Funny how the rankings turned out today.)

I am not afriad to go to prison!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:07:00 +0000

President Barack Obama has signed legislation that elevates homosexuals to the class of citizens that enjoy special protections under the law. With a flip of his pen, Obama added gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people to the list of Americans granted extra protections under federal law, taking a step closer, he says, towards a more perfect union.

"We must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones, but to break spirits. Not only to inflict harm, but to inflict fear," Obama said at a White House reception for prominent gay activists.

With these few strokes of a pen, my calling has been put under a microscope. What I mean is, I can no longer tell a homosexual that according to the Bible, their lifestyle is wrong and it not be a hate crime.

For example, if I preach a sermon out of Romans Chapter 1 about sexual practices and if someone or myself was inspired by malevolent intent in some way to go out and commit an act of violence, which consist of verbally telling them that their lifestyle is wrong, I could be held liable under current federal law and could go to prison!

I must say, I make no apologies to the Gospel of Jesus Christ(Rom. 1:16). It cuts going in and cut coming out (Heb. 4:12). If I am now considered a martyr in my own country because I am preaching the Gospel and it offends someone and that results in me going to prison. So be it. I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6). We have often heard of Christians persecuted in other countries, but my friends, it's coming home and we must be prepared to do what is required for Christ.

May we as Christians stand strong in our faith. May we live a life of righteousness. May we make no apologies for the Gospel. May we understand that who we vote for is important and that our vote counts. May we cling to the cross as this is the one true stronghold that we have.

How to get your Twitter @ Replies via SMS without following that person

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:40:00 +0000

So there has been a huge struggle with me that Twitter doesn't let you get your '@' replies via SMS if you don't follow the person replying to you. I usually get replies from people and then find them a day later when I actually log into Twiiter.

So I have been scouring the internet to try and figure out how I can end this problem. After months of trying to figure out what was best, I found this. Notify.me. Notify will search RSS feeds that you provide and either, email, IM, text, or download it to their app, or all of the above with the content that you have specified.

So here is how you get your '@' replies via SMS without following that person.

Go to http://notify.me/ and sign up for an account
Set up your mobile phone, validate it
Go to http://search.twitter.com
Do a search for @your_username (ie. mine would be @shelby_craig)
In the top right hand corner there is a link that says, "Feed This Query"
This will provide you your RSS feed, copy the address in the address bar
Go back to http://notify.me and click "Sources"
Paste your link in the "URL" box, Click "Add Site"
You're Set
Make sure you click the SMS icon beside your new feed otherwise they will only email you.

Well I hope that helps other people. Let me know your thoughts or any other service that you know that will do this same thing.

Shelby Craig has invited you to Dropbox

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:21:00 +0000

We're excited to let you know that Shelby Craig has invited you to Dropbox!

Shelby Craig has been using Dropbox to sync and share files online and across computers, and thought you might want it too.

Visit www.getdropbox.com to get started.

- The Dropbox Team

To stop receiving invites from Dropbox, click here

Get a FREE iPhone, HD video camera, Macbook, and more!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:55:00 +0000

Look what you can get for free!

A few months ago a youth ministry friend, Tim Schmoyer, blogged about how he got free stuff through Bonus Network. He has been doing this for years and has acquired some incredible things. In talking with him, he says the best way to win at this is to talk about...hence, this is why I am blogging this now. Tim has won everything from a MacBook, to a Xbox 360, iPhone, HD Camera and much, much, more. Here are some pictures to prove it.

How it works

1. Companies (like Blockbuster, for example) are looking for new potential customers to try out their products and services.

2. Blockbuster goes to the Bonus Network and says, “Hey, we’ll give you $80 for every customer you send our way to try out our online DVD rental service.” (Some advertisers pay Bonus Network $80, some pay them $40.)

3. So Bonus Network comes to you and says, “If you try out Blockbuster’s service and refer other people to try it through us, or one of our other advertising partner’s services, we’ll split the $80 with you for each person you recruit.”

4. You try out Blockbuster’s service and get 6 other people to try it, too (or another product/service offered through Bonus Network’s site) by giving your friends and family a special link that Bonus provides for you to share. (Of course, your friends can then get people to sign-up under their special link so they can work toward a free prize, too, but know that the people they refer have no benefit for you.)

5. After your 6 friends try a product or service, Bonus Network says, “Thanks! We’ll give you $240 ($40/referral x 6 referrals) or an iPod Touch. Which do you want?”

6. About a week later, your prize shows up in the mail, or your money shows up in your PayPal account.

Interview with co-owner of Bonus Network

Last October Tim did an interviewed a co-owner of the Bonus Network, Fehz, about his company and how it all works. Watch it below:

Right now, I am trying to get a MacBook for Jennifer and I. I believe that it can happen and I look forward to the day I can blog about it like Tim. Click below to sign up and start earning towards some free stuff.

List of Bonus Network sites

*The login you create at one Bonus Network site is valid for all the other sites.

Prizes	Sign-up Link	100% Legit
iPod Touch, Nano, Classic, Shuffle, cash	BonusiPod.com
iPhone, Apple gift card, cash	BonusiPhone.com
Wii, Wii Fit, cash	BonusWii.com
Xbox 360, Halo 3 edition, Xbox 360 Elite, cash	BonusXbox360.com
PlayStation 3 (40 GB), PlayStation 3 (80 GB), cash	BonusPS3.com
Laptops from Apple, Sony, HP, Dell, more, cash	BonusLaptops.com
Plasma TVs from Samsung, Sony, LG, more, cash	BonusPlasmas.com

Common excuses

Most people would love to earn some of these free prizes, but there’s three common excuses:

It’s a scam!
I’ll get hit with a ton of spam mail.
Completing offers costs more than the prize itself!
I don’t think I can get others to complete referrals for me.

For #1, check out the story above and the links below. It has been done several times and received several prizes, so I know it’s not a scam.

Concerning #2, I have not received one single shred of spam as a result of completing these trial offers or freebie sites, not via email nor postal mail. These companies actually have pretty aggressive privacy statements.

Number 3 also is not true. The most I ever paid for a single offer was $24.98 for a sheet of photo stamps. Most offers cost between absolutely nothing and $15. Some of the services I stuck with past the trial because I really liked what they offered. Some of them I didn’t like and canceled when the trial period was over. There’s no commitment either way, except that you complete the offer and give it a fair chance.

And about #4, check out this post that Tim wrote that gives 10 ideas for how to earn referrals for your freebie site. They work for me, anyway. It may take some patience and persistence to get the first prize (especially if you’re going for a big one), but after it shows up on your doorstep and you have physical proof for the skeptics, all the other prizes flow in pretty easily. In fact, after Tim got his Xbox 360 Elite, He tried for the 16 GB iPod Touch and it took only 5 days to get all the referrals he needed!

So, Let's Get Going!

If you have any questions about the process, I’ve done it many many times, so feel free to ask in the comments below

Five Lies Obama Will Tell Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:00:00 +0000

The President's speech tonight to Congress isn't likely to turn the healthcare debate around. For starters, we've already heard this speech—twice from him and innumerable times from his subordinates.

More than that, we already have a pretty good idea of the lies he will tell along the way. Most Americans—at least, the Americans who will watch this speech—are already familiar with these lies. And they already know our rebuttal. Still, it is to our benefit to point them out for any middle-ground squishes who haven't caught on to the President's game yet.

So here are my predictions of the five grossest untruths the President will tell Congress tonight as he trys to convince them—and the watching Americans—to let him cripple our health care industry:

(5) The President will say that there are 42 (or 47; it changes) million uninsured Americans. This one has been heard so often and debunked so often it's just white noise. In fact, this number vastly overstates the numbers of people who are inneed of health insurance. It includes some wealthy folks who choose not to buy insurance. It includes the young—college students, mostly—who choose not to buy insurance. It includes the elderly, who are eligible for Medicare, but who haven't signed up because they're not sick yet. And it includes the poor, who are eligible for Medicaid, but who don't know it. It may also include some aliens unlawfully present in the United States.

So this number—42 million—isn't the rallying cry the President would like it to be. Can you imagine him up there saying, "We need a public option for the wealthy! We need a public option for illegal aliens!" It's farcical.

(4) The President will say that his plan is "deficit neutral."This sounds nice, but it is a bare-faced lie. None of the five proposals kicked around Congress has been deficit neutral—at least, not in the first decade. Even when they are supposed to be deficit neutral—ten years or more from now—they probably won't be because they rely on wild-assed guesses about revenue from phased-in taxes on "cadillac healthcare plans" and capped tax deductions for individuals above a certain income level.

So the plans overestimate the revenue ten years down the road. They also likely underestimate the true cost of health care reform. Look at how far off projections Romneycare went. The President has gone on at length about the savings he expects to find by reducing waste, abuse, and fraud. If that money was really there, we'd already have squeezed it out of Medicare and Medicaid.

So he's going to say "deficit neutral" and we should point and laugh. It's not going to be deficit neutral. It's going to cost more than expected and the tax increases to make it deficit neutral are going to generate less revenue than expected. The only proposed plans that would be deficit neutral have been Republican plans or the suggestion of folks like the Whole Foods CEO.

Remember, the point of Obamacare isn't to be deficit neutral. He's going to be long off the stage when the bill comes due. The point of the President's healthcare reform is to put his name in the history books as the second FDR.

(3) The President will identify some "bad guys" in his speech, probably Republicans and the health insurance industry. Maybe tonsil-stealing, foot-amputating doctors, too. Whichever bad guys he goes with tonight, this will be his bogus claim about the people opposing health care reform. He will accuse them of going after profit at the expense of the little guy. He will portray them as standing athwart progress. He will, with great pomposity and gravity, assure his listeners that he is not going to allow that.

In fact, the Democrats have vast majorities in both houses of Congress. If they had wanted to ram healthcare reform through, they could have. At first, they didn't actually want to do it that way because they thought it would be nice to have Republican cover. Now they aren't doing it because I suspect they don't have the votes; they've lost Democrats.

Either way, it's not Republicans, insurers, or doctors who are holding this up. It is Democrats who realize that their constituents aren't going to be pleased by the President's attempt to cripple the health care industry.

(2) The President will say that Republicans and his health care reform opponents don't have a plan. He does this frequently. In fact, he did this Monday. He said that we want the status quo. This is patently false. The Republicans have issued a proposed framework and they have been batting around reform proposals.

Now, it's true that doing nothing would be better than the Democratic proposals. But Republicans think they can do even better than that, by making individual plans tax deductible (just like employer-bought plans) and by making them portable.

And the number one, most outrageous, most likely to set my hair on fire lie Obama will tell tonight:

(1) The President will say that the public option won't be subsidized. He's going to try and reassure people that the public option isn't a trojan horse for single-payer. And he's going to do it by saying idiotic things like "it will give people more choices when it comes to selecting healthcare" and it will "provide competition for profit-driven insurers."

It is this second point that requires the lie. Everyone—even the most retarded Democratic congressman who forgets to wipe up his chin drool—knows that if the public option is subsidized at all it will not provide true competition for the private insurance market. So he will lie and say that it won't be subsidized.

This. Is. A. Lie. There is simply no way that the President or the Democrats will allow the public option to fail once it has been established. When it starts operating in the red—and it will—the Democrats will subsidize it. They will say, "Oh, we can't take people's insurance away now and we can't raise premiums for all these people!"

More than that, four of the five bills passed by congressional committees have included individual mandates and subsidies for those who cannot afford to pay for health insurance. A large portion—not all, but probably most—of the people who receive these subsidies will make a bee-line for the public option. Which means that taxpayers will be paying for someone else's government-provided healthcare. This is Medicare and Medicaid by another name.

To sum up: the President is going to fib tonight. A lot. Don't let him get away with it. Talk about it with your friends and coworkers. Send email to your congresscritters. Go to a tea party or a town hall or a Whole foods "buycott."

Would Congress Ration Citizens' Health Care?

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:14:00 +0000

I just wanted to share this article that I found.

WASHINGTON - When Canadian doctors diagnosed that Shona Holmes had a brain tumor, she was told it would be months before a neurologist could see her.

So instead of waiting, she went to the U.S. for lifesaving treatment at the Mayo Clinic.

"I've been very fortunate that I was able to come over here," Holmes said.

Holmes' story and others like it are repeated over and over in countries with nationalized healthcare.

In Great Britain, the decision-making power lies with the National Institute of Clinical Excellence or NICE.

"Some people actually call it NASTY," joked Dr. Karol Sikora of Cancer Partners U.K. "That's the favorite joke in England."

Sikora said it often takes NICE three years to decide on cancer drugs already being used in the U.S.

"It is a nightmare that ends up with delays," she added. "And for many patients and their families a huge emotional sort of waiting area where they're not sure whether they're going to get or not get the drug."

It is known as the rationing of care but some call it playing God, because governments are making decisions on the cost effectiveness of treatments.

In Britain, the determining factor is a patient's quality adjusted life year, which is the calculation of the cost of a procedure against the amount of time a person has left to live.

"They take quality of life assessments," said Jennifer Popik, legislative counsel of the National Right to Life Committee. "They take disability, age, terminal illness for example is another one and they will say that that person's life is less worth living than a healthy person."

This is what would happen in the U.S. under under health care legislation moving through Congress. A White House advisory committee would set up a standardized benefit package.

The secretary of health would then have the power to dictate what services are covered and how often a patient could receive them.

"A lot of seniors are saying, 'Who's going to make that decision?'" said Amy Menefee, spokeswoman for Americans for Prosperity. "Is that going to be the precident? Is that going to be a bureaucrat or one of these medical boards that they're creating?"

Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., said seniors denied care would have no where to appeal. But one group of Americans will not have to worry.

"Congress is excluded from that," he said. "well, why exclude Congress from that? If you think it's good for everybody else shouldn't it be there?"

Dr. Dale Matthews, a private practitioner,said it is a question of ethics.

"I think we as doctors and certainly most patients do not want decisions made about their health care being made by impersonal bureaucrats in Washington, who don't know subtlety of the clinical situation," he said.

Now groups like the National Right to Life Committee are focused on those they say have the most to lose under the plan.

"We're talking the elderly will be most at risk," the committee's legislative counsel Jennifer Popik said. "Those with terminal conditions and they're not going to be given life sustaining treatment."

The health care legislation still has lots of hoops to jump through.

Perhaps the most challenging hurdle will be the ones lawmakers must jump next month, when they are back home answering tough questions about how their actions would fundamentally change the way health care is delivered in America.

My $.02 on American Idol

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:59:00 +0000

Tonight is the finale for this show. I have been a fan of AI since it started and my predictions have usually been pretty accurate. So here is my run down of the last few contestants that have went home and what I think the results will be tonight.

Danny: This guy can sing! But I think that America was wrapped up in his story and he was gaining a pity vote. I loved Danny, but let me tell you why he wouldn't make it. Do you remember a guy name Taylor Hicks? He too was talented, had charisma, and could sing. America voted for him, he won, and failed. His CD didn't sell and was dropped from his label a year later. Danny, like Taylor, has many of the same qualities, but I don't believe that people will buy his CD. He's too forgettable. I believe that he will be picked up by a smaller label and make a CD, but don't expect to see him for too long.

Allison: She was great, but I don't think she will be picked up. She's not ready. She's not marketable. She won't make it in this business...yet. Look for her to do something big within the next 3 years.

Matt: This guy should be picked up pretty quickly. If not already. He music was soulful, passionate and was appreciated. He is a very talented musician and I expect him to do great things. look for him to do a cross of pop and singer/songwriter. Justin Timberlake meets Gavin DeGraw mix!

Now for tonight...
I predict that Kris wins. I believe that the people that were voting for Danny, didn't like Adam and will vote for Kris. Only 1,000,000 votes separated Kris and Adam last week, yet 20,000,000 voted for Danny. Look for those to boost Kris into first and it become a "Ding-Dong" (thanks Simon).

Adam: Adam is very talented. However, I have yet to see him play an

instrument. What is a rock band without the lead singer playing an instrument. Yes, I know many bands have done it. But not in this decade successfully. If he does win, he will not sell the albums that past rocker, Chris Daughtry did. The screaming and high pitch notes went out with Aerosmith and Kiss many years ago. The problem with Adam is that he has all media backing. And we all see how that plays out. (See our past presidential election).

Kris: While Kris is "cookie cutter" to some extend, he is original in many ways. He is very marketable in the pop world. His albums also will reach a wider audience from Adults to kids. Labels will always look to that when offering a contract. He can write some amazing music and I am looking forward to hearing more of that. I believe that he is more likeable among America, but the majority of the people that like him, don't vote. This may provide a problem for him.

So here it is...Kris Allen will win. Adam Lambert will loss but will be picked up by either one of two things. Broadway or another music label.

Let's see tonight!

A Balance look at Universal Health Care pt. 4

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Today we will look at the last part of why we don't need Universal Health Care.

A long, painful transition will have to take place involving lost insurance industry jobs, business closures, and new patient record creation. A universal health plan means the entire health insurance industry would be unnecessary. All companies in that area would have to go out of business, meaning all people employed in the industry would be out of work. A number of hospital record clerks that dealt with insurance would also be out of work. A number of these unemployed would be able to get jobs in the new government bureaucracy, but it would still be a long, painful transition. We'd also have to once again go through a whole new round of patient record creation and database construction, which would cost huge amounts of both time and money.
Loss of private practice options and possible reduced pay may dissuade many would-be doctors from pursuing the profession. Government jobs currently have statute-mandated salaries and civil service tests required for getting hired. There isn't a lot of flexibility built in to reward the best performing workers. Imagine how this would limit the options of medical professionals. Doctors who attract scores of patients and do the best work would likely be paid the same as those that perform poorly and drive patients away. The private practice options and flexibility of specialties is one of things that attracts students to the profession. If you take that away, you may discourage would-be students from putting themselves through the torture of medical school and residency.
Malpractice lawsuit costs, which are already sky-high, could further explode since universal care may expose the government to legal liability, and the possibility to sue someone with deep pockets usually invites more lawsuits. When you're dealing with any business, for example a privately-funded hospital, if an employee negligently causes an injury, the employer is ultimately liable in a lawsuit. If government funds all health care, that would mean the U.S. government, an organization with enormous amounts of cash at its disposal, would be ultimately responsible for the mistakes of health care workers. Whether or not a doctor has made a mistake, he or she is always a target for frivolous lawsuits by money-hungry lawyers & clients that smell deep pockets. Even if the health care quality is the same as in a government-funded system, the level of lawsuits is likely to increase simply because attorneys know the government has the money to make settlements and massive payouts. Try to imagine potential punitive damages alone. When the government has the ability to spend several trillion dollars per year, how much will a jury be willing to give a wronged individual who is feeble, disfigured, or dying?
Government is more likely to pass additional restrictions or increase taxes on smoking, fast food, etc., leading to a further loss of personal freedoms. With government-paid health care, any risky or healthy lifestyle will raise the dollar cost to society. Thus, politicians will be in a strong position to pass more "sin" taxes on things like alcohol, high-fat food, smoking, etc. They could ban trans fat, limit msg, eliminate high-fructose corn syrup, and so on. For some health nuts, this may sound like a good thing. But pretty soon, people will find they no longer have the option to enjoy their favorite foods, even in moderation, or alternatively, the cost of the items will be sky high. Also, it just gives the government yet another method of controlling our lives, further eroding the very definition of America, Land of the Free.
Patient confidentiality is likely to be compromised since centralized health information will likely be maintained by the government. While a centralized computer health information system may reduce some costs of record keeping, protecting the privacy of patients will likely become very difficult. The government would have yet another way to access information about citizens that should be private. Any doctor or other health professional would be able to access your entire health history. What if hackers get into the data?
Like social security, any government benefit eventually is taken as a "right" by the public, meaning that it's politically near impossible to remove or curtail it later on when costs get out of control. Social security was originally put in place to help seniors live the last few years of their lives; however, the retirement age of 65 was set when average life spans were dramactically shorter. Now that people are regular living into their 90s or longer, costs are skyrocketing out of control, making the program unsustainable. Despite the fact that all politicians know the system is heading for bankruptcy in a couple decades, no one is rushing to fix it. When President Bush tried to re-structure it with private accounts, the Democrats ran a scare campaign about Bush's intention to "take away your social security". Even though he promised no change in benefits, the fact that he was proposing change at all was enough to kill the effort, despite the fact that Democrats offered zero alternative plan to fix it. Despite Republican control of the presidency and both houses, Bush was not even close to having the political support to fix something that has to be fixed ASAP; politicians simply didn't want to risk their re-elections. The same pattern is true with virtually all government spending programs. Do you think politicians will ever be able to cut education spending or unemployment insurance?...Only if they have a political death wish. In time, the same would be true of universal health care spending. As costs skyrocket because of government inefficiency and an aging population, politicians will never be able to re-structure the system, remove benefits, or put private practice options back in the system....that is, unless they want to give up hope of re-election. With record debt levels already in place, we can't afford to put in another "untouchable" spending program, especially one with the capacity to easily pass defense and social security in cost.

Why I Think Mega Red Packet Is A Recession Show Stopper

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:49:00 +0000

I've just signed up for the Video Lounge access at Mega Red Packet and before I forget, I am writing in to tell you this.

Vince Tan, Edmund Loh and Stephen Luc are teaming up to release the Mega Red Packet on 4th May 2009. In case you've not heard of these dynamic trio here's a quick background on them...

Vince Tan is a World Internet Summit speaker and the same man who pulled off the Biggest Firesale event in Year 2008 which broke the 6 figure record in just 3 days and then brought in $170,000 in only 10 days.

If you use Private Label Rights products often for your Internet Business then I suppose Edmund Loh doesn't need an introduction; he's the person behind more than 260 Private Label Rights titles under the PLRGold brand. Just late last year, he teamed up with expert video maker Stephen Luc to pull off a product launch called PLRGold: Videos and raked in $100,000 in 10 days too. Collectively, the dynamic trio has made more than a million dollars in sales.

So what is Mega Red Packet all about? (since it's 3 months after the Chinese New Year)

When I first visited the Mega Red Packet website, it branded itself as a "Recession Show Stopper". I didn't think much of it initially since a lot of Internet Marketing opportunist won't let go any chance to cash in on the latest trend. But I take back what I said when I saw the Video Lounge area.

Vince, Edmund and Stephen have produced and positioned Mega Red Packet to turn the tide for many people who are not only struggling in their pursuit of building an online business but also people who are affected by the current recession period.

Mega Red Packet is focused on this core of success: product + traffic = residual income. This is the closest definition to push button marketing where all the work has been done for Internet Marketers of all levels - whether you are new or seasoned. The Mega Red Packet team has invested nearly $100,000 and 6 months in conceiving this push button program and infrastructure, which gives the user a variety of products to get reseller and Franchise rights to new, original products and sell.

Mega Red Packet is NOT about potential. It's about empowering the Internet newbie to have his string of proven businesses in the form of Reseller Memberships for you to take full control of, and Franchise rights to proven Internet Businesses so that they can be put into the shoes of these 3 top Internet Marketers. The new Internet Marketer can now leverage off the credibility and proven model that the dynamic trio have discovered over the collective 11 years of marketing experience.

Traffic generation is another topic of great interest to some, and a great struggle to many others. The Mega Red Packet collection solves this more efficient and effectively than anyone, myself included, can ask for.

Vince, Edmund and Stephen are also taking this chance to launch their newest home study course named "Traffic Leopard" - aptly called 'the next generation of traffic building' that features a series of proven tactics to drive in traffic to your website, accompanied by a rich archive of case studies as used and experimented relentlessly by all of the 3 top Internet Marketers.

There's also the Traffic Networks where Vince and Edmund have negiotiated with some of the top traffic building site owners to give generous credits to members of Mega Red Packet.

All in all, there's more goodies in store in Mega Red Packet that I believe every Internet Marketer must look forward to. It's ground breaking and non-conventional, not something you know so well of. Literally, all the work is done and I haven't even talked about the new Private Label Rights products and software they are releasing in the Mega Red Packet event, that lets you do instant One Time Offers, Upsells and even Cross-Sells.

You can take my review with a pinch of salt but I strongly urge you to check out the site now and sign up for the free access to the Video Lounge (worth $297) and get onto their Advanced Notification List. (by the way speaking of that, they are also going to pick randomly 3 different names from the list to give free copies of Mega Red Packet on their launch day - you could be one of them!)

Click on this link and sign up for the Video Lounge and Advanced Notification List access for free now before the big event kick starts on 4th May 2009:

=> http://megaredpacket.com

A Balance look at Universal Health Care pt. 3

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Today we will look at the 2 part of why we don't need Universal Healthcare.

Government-controlled health care would lead to a decrease in patient flexibility. At first glance, it would appear universal health care would increase flexibility. After all, if government paid for everything under one plan, you could in theory go to any doctor. However, some controls are going to have to be put in to keep costs from exploding. For example, would "elective" surgeries such as breast implants, wart removal, hair restoration, and lasik eye surgery be covered? Then you may say, that's easy, make patients pay for elective surgery. Although some procedures are obviously not needed, who decides what is elective and what is required? What about a breast reduction for back problems? What about a hysterectomy for fibroid problems? What about a nose job to fix a septum problem caused in an accident? Whenever you have government control of something, you have one item added to the equation that will most definitely screw things up--politics. Suddenly, every medical procedure and situation is going to come down to a political battle. The compromises that result will put in controls that limit patient options. The universal system in Canada forces patients to wait over 6 months for a routine pap smear. Canada residents will often go to the U.S. or offer additional money to get their health care needs taken care of.
Patients aren't likely to curb their drug costs and doctor visits if health care is free; thus, total costs will be several times what they are now. Co-pays and deductibles were put in place because there are medical problems that are more minor annoyances than anything else. Sure, it would be nice if we had the medical staff and resources to treat every ache and pain experienced by an American, but we don't. For example, what if a patient is having trouble sleeping? What if a patient has a minor cold, flu, or headache? There are scores of problems that we wouldn't go to a doctor to solve if we had to pay for it; however, if everything is free, why not go? The result is that doctors must spend more time on non-critical care, and the patients that really need immediate help must wait. In fact, for a number of problems, it's better if no medical care is given whatsoever. The body's immune system is designed to fight off infections and other illnesses. It becomes stronger when it can fight things off on its own. Treating the symptoms can prolong the underlying problem, in addition to the societal side effects such as the growing antibiotic resistance of certain infections.
Just because Americans are uninsured doesn't mean they can't receive health care; nonprofits and government-run hospitals provide services to those who don't have insurance, and it is illegal to refuse emergency medical service because of a lack of insurance. While uninsured Americans are a problem in regards to total system cost, it doesn't mean health care isn't available. This issue shouldn't be as emotional since there are plenty of government and private medical practices designed to help the uninsured. It is illegal to refuse emergency treatment, even if the patient is an illegal immigrant.
Government-mandated procedures will likely reduce doctor flexibility and lead to poor patient care. When government controls things, politics always seep into the decision-making. Steps will have to be taken to keep costs under control. Rules will be put in place as to when doctors can perform certain expensive tests or when drugs can be given. Insurance companies are already tying the hands of doctors somewhat. Government influence will only make things worse, leading to decreased doctor flexibility and poor patient care.
Healthy people who take care of themselves will have to pay for the burden of those who smoke, are obese, etc. Universal health care means the costs will be spread to all Americans, regardless of your health or your need for medical care, which is fundamentally unfair. Your health is greatly determined by your lifestyle. Those who exercise, eat right, don't smoke, don't drink, etc. have far fewer health problems than the smoking couch potatoes. Some healthy people don't even feel the need for health insurance since they never go to the doctor. Why should we punish those that live a healthy lifestyle and reward the ones who don't?

A Balance look at Universal Health Care pt. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Part 2: Today we will look a third of the reasons why we don't need Universal Health Care.

There isn't a single government agency or division that runs efficiently; do we really want an organization that developed the U.S. Tax Code handling something as complex as health care? Quick, try to think of one government office that runs efficiently. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? The Department of Transportation? Social Security Administration? Department of Education? There isn't a single government office that squeezes efficiency out of every dollar the way the private sector can. We've all heard stories of government waste such as million-dollar cow flatulence studies or the Pentagon's 14 billion dollar Bradley design project that resulted in a transport vehicle which when struck by a mortar produced a gas that killed every man inside. How about the U.S. income tax system? When originally implemented, it collected 1 percent from the highest income citizens. Look at it today. A few years back to government published a "Tax Simplification Guide", and the guide itself was over 1,000 pages long! This is what happens when politicians mess with something that should be simple. Think about the Department of Motor Vehicles. This isn't rocket science--they have to keep track of licenses and basic database information for state residents. However, the costs to support the department are enormous, and when was the last time you went to the DMV and didn't have to stand in line? If it can't handle things this simple, how can we expect the government to handle all the complex nuances of the medical system? If any private business failed year after year to achieve its objectives and satisfy its customers, it would go out of business or be passed up by competitors.
"Free" health care isn't really free since we must pay for it with taxes; expenses for health care would have to be paid for with higher taxes or spending cuts in other areas such as defense, education, etc. There's an entitlement mentality in this country that believes the government should give us a number of benefits such as "free" health care. But the government must pay for this somehow. What good would it do to wipe out a few hundred dollars of monthly health insurance premiums if our taxes go up by that much or more? If we have to cut AIDS research or education spending, is it worth it?
Profit motives, competition, and individual ingenuity have always led to greater cost control and effectiveness. Government workers have fewer incentives to do well. They have a set hourly schedule, cost-of-living raises, and few promotion opportunities. Compare this to private sector workers who can receive large raises, earn promotions, and work overtime. Government workers have iron-clad job security; private sector workers must always worry about keeping their jobs, and private businesses must always worry about cutting costs enough to survive.

A Balance look at Universal Health Care

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:14:00 +0000

President Obama is moving toward Universal Health Care. It looks like it is becoming more of a reality than some might hope. Over the next few days, I am going to take a balanced look at why and why not it is needed. I will start with the yes for Universal Health Care then move to the no's in the next few days.

The number of uninsured citizens has grown to over 40 million. Since health care premiums continue to grow at several times the rate of inflation, many businesses are simply choosing to not offer a health plan, or if they do, to pass on more of the cost to employees. Employees facing higher costs themselves are often choosing to go without health coverage. No health insurance doesn't necessarily mean no health care since there are many clinics and services that are free to indigent individuals. However, any costs not covered by insurance must be absorbed by all the rest of us, which means even higher premiums.
Health care has become increasingly unaffordable for businesses and individuals. Businesses and individuals that choose to keep their health plans still must pay a much higher amount. Remember, businesses only have a certain amount of money they can spend on labor. If they must spend more on health insurance premiums, they will have less money to spend on raises, new hires, investment, and so on. Individuals who must pay more for premiums have less money to spend on rent, food, and consumer goods; in other words, less money is pumped back into the economy. Thus, health care prevents the country from making a robust economic recovery. A simpler government-controlled system that reduces costs would go a long way in helping that recovery.
We can eliminate wasteful inefficiencies such as duplicate paper work, claim approval, insurance submission, etc. Think back to all the times in your life you've had to fill out a medical history, answering the same questions over and over. Think about all the insurance paperwork you've had to fill out and submit. Our current health care system generates an enormous amount of overhead. Every time we go to the doctor, a claim must be submitted, an approval department has to go over the claim, checks have to be mailed, patients are sent co-pay bills, and so on. The thing that's especially wasteful is that each doctor's office usually maintains their own record-keeping system. A universal healthcare plan would allow us to build one centralized system. There would be no need for maintaining insurance information or wasting time submitting claims. The work savings in the banking and postal areas alone would be worth billions every year.
We can develop a centralized national database which makes diagnosis and treatment easier for doctors. Most doctor's offices maintain a separate record-keeping system. This is why you always have to fill out a lengthy health history whenever you go to a new physician. This is a problem for several reasons. First of all, it's wasteful of both time and money. Second of all, patients may lie, forget, or do a poor job of explaining past medical problems. Doctors need accurate information to make a proper diagnosis. Last of all, separate systems means we have a tougher time analyzing data at a national level. For example, are incidents of a certain disease dropping? How often is a certain illness associated with a specific set of symptoms? A centralized national system would allow us to do data analysis that we never dreamed possible, leading to medical advances and increased diagnosis efficiency. The main argument against a centralized database is that certain insurance providers may deny coverage if they find certain past medical problems. However, if the government is paying for everything, that should never be a problem.
Medical professionals can concentrate on healing the patient rather than on insurance procedures, malpractice liability, etc. Doctors have to take classes now simply to understand all the insurance plans out there; they are often restricted by insurance practices, such as what tests can be ordered. Doctors must practice defensive medicine to avoid getting sued. Some physicians are even leaving the profession rather than deal with all these non-medical headaches. A simplified universal health system would allow doctors, nurses, and other medical professions to simply focus on doing what's best for the patient. Medicine is a complex enough subject as it is. Our current system just adds to an already mentally-draining profession.
Free medical services would encourage patients to practice preventive medicine and inquire about problems early when treatment will be light; currently, patients often avoid physicals and other preventive measures because of the costs. Because many people are uninsured and those that do have insurance face high deductibles, Americans often forego doctor visits for minor health problems or for preventive medicine. Thus, health problems that could be caught at an early stage or prevented altogether become major illnesses. Things like routine physicals, mammograms, and HIV tests could prevent major problems. This not only affects the health of the patient but the overall cost of the system, since preventive medicine costs only a small fraction of a full blown disease. A government-provided system would remove the disincentive patients have for visiting a medical professional.

Let your light shine

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:25:00 +0000

I was traveling the other day while it was raining...ok, pouring. The sky was dark, it was windy and just an ugly scene.

This is a picture I took and was pretty much the scene for my 3 hour commute. However, while driving God spoke to me. You see, we look at the sky and think about how dark and gloomy it is. But behind all of that, the sun is still shining...brightly...boldly. The sun didn't go away that day, it was just covered up with the clouds. So much so, we couldn't see the sun.

Our lives are so much the same. The Son doesn't stop shining. We only have sin in our lives that cover Him up. He is still trying to shine through our dark and gloomy days, he's shining brightly...boldly. The Son never goes away, we just have so much junk in our lives that sometimes people are able to see Him.

Later on that day, the sky broke. The sun showed up and it was beautiful.

Jesus says, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" Matt. 5:16.

Are you letting your light shine or only covering it up so much that people can't see the Father through all your clouds. May you shine...brightly...boldly...for the father today!

Do you like U2?

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:45:00 +0000

There new CD comes out next week and you can pre-order it for only $8.99 on Amazon right now! What a great deal!

Money Saving Tip #1

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:44:00 +0000

I am planning a trip right now for Jennifer and I to take after she completes her last clinical and before she graduates. Because after graduation, she won't have any time off for about 6 months. So, as I find different ways to save money, I will post them for you to see.

Today's Money Saving Tip:
Thrifty Car Rental:
If you are looking to save money on renting a car. Go to Thrifty's Website and in the Corporate# put 004M001010 . This saved me about $200 on a weekly rental and FREE additional Driver. Hope this helps. Don't believe me, look up prices without that code and you'll thanks me later.

This discount comes from MagicCard .

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Jesus didn't like religious people!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Psalm 51:16
Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. (MSG)

Religion is nothing but a set of rules. Even King David said while talking to God that being perfect is nothing to a holy God. Even Jesus the Son of God hated religion.

Matthew 11:28
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. (MSG)

Jesus knew that people were tired of religion. He has nothing to do with religion and wants you to know that if you’ll have a personal relationship with Him that you can find rest, peace and discover your life, the one you have been searching for. God wants to have a personal relationship with you today. He wants to walk with you, encourage you, and give you strength during the tough times. These Bible studies are not about becoming a religious person, rather we hope you find Jesus and have a personal relationship, one that will give you the life that you have been looking for. We all have a void in our life and try to fill it with many things but there is only one thing that works a relationship with Jesus Christ. Perhaps today you don’t want religion but you are open to having this personal relationship with Christ. Pray the prayer from your heart below and begin the journey today.

"Heavenly Father, I am a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you, my life is meaningless.

I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my life as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.

I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."

Amen

How to Know God Personally

noreply@blogger.com (Shelby Craig) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Romans 10:9
For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (NLT)

Many people often make knowing God a very complicating ordeal. Having a personal relationship with God is very easy. This verse sums it up in a very simplistic way for you and me to understand. Believe that Jesus is Lord and believe God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus died on the cross for our wrong doings. The price for sin is death. All of us had a death sentence and Jesus knew that. He was willing to pay the price for our sins and die on the cross; he took the punishment for you. Know God is holding out His hand with a special gift, that is to acknowledge what He did for you and receive Him as Lord so you can accept the pardon given to you. If you are ready to have your life turned upside down for the good and know for a fact you’ll spend eternity in Heaven after you die, then reach out and receive this gift today. Just pray the prayer below and then email me so we can know you made this decision.

"Heavenly Father, I am a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you, my life is meaningless.

I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my life as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.

I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."

Amen