Today's Feature

Crisis Center Fundraiser.

The Precious Moments Supporting Foundation and the Woodshed in the Emporium are proud to partner in sponsoring a special Blue Grass Gospel concert to raise funds for the Carthage Crisis Center. "Fellowship From Across The Northern Border" will be held at the Woodshed in the Emporium on March 14th, 2009 on the Carthage Square. The cost is $10 and all money raised will go directly to the Carthage Crisis Center.

There will be two special groups donating their musical talents. One is coming all the way from British Columbia Canada to fellowship with our community. "Back Porch Gospel" is from Summerland Baptist Church in Summerland British Columbia Canada. They have a couple of CD’s and tour when they have time. They love to minister through music.

Also performing is a local favorite called "No Apparent Reason".

"Pastor Del Riemer of Summerland Baptist Church contacted me about the ministry of the Precious Moments Chapel. After speaking with him and finding out about his group, he jumped at the chance to minister through music while helping such a wonderful organization in Carthage" said Donna Bura, Marketing Manager for the Precious Moments Chapel. "I recently took a tour of the Carthage Crisis Center and am very inspired by what the leadership has been able to accomplish. It is truly incredible to see how our community has band together to provide shelter and services for our families in need".

The concert starts at 7:30 and space is limited so it is recommended to come early to get a seat.

"For every ticket purchased at the concert, your name will be put in a drawing for a Precious Moments Gift Basket worth over $300, said Bura. Come fellowship with our Canadian Brothers and Sisters. Everyone attending will receive a small gift in appreciation of helping our community."

For more information you can email chapel@preciousmoments.com or call 417-350-2937.

Third Bank Says It Will Return Bailout Funds…But 487 Banks Keep Theirs

by Paul Kiel, www.ProPublica.org

Signature Bank of New York says it wants to give that $120 million it received from the government three months ago right back. Put that together with announcements from two other banks that they’ll be returning the money and you’ve got a trend, right?

But so far there seem to be far more banks eager to get their hands on Treasury Department funds than there are to get rid of it. Every week, the Treasury invests millions more in 20 to 30 banks. Last week was no different: The Treasury invested $285 million in 22 banks. Setting aside the auto companies and floundering giants like AIG, Citigroup and Bank of America, the Treasury has so far invested $152.6 billion in nearly 500 banks. So while three banks say they’re going to give the money back soon, 487 won’t be.

Treasury official Neel Kashkari testified to Congress that 500 to 1,000 more banks are "in the pipeline" for an investment, meaning that Treasury’s weekly injections will likely continue for several more months.

Signature’s CEO Joseph DePaolo announced that his bank would be returning the money at an investor conference [4] yesterday, but said that he was still waiting for federal regulators’ OK. The law requires that banks give the Treasury 30 days’ notice before returning the funds. He did not explain why the bank was returning the money, and a spokeswoman declined to comment.

The New York Times first reported the announcement in a story last night on banks seeking to return bailout money. (The list of banks that have expressed a desire to return the money is much longer than those that have actually begun the process.) The main motivation, the paper reported, is the growing number of strings attached to the money. Banks are pressured to lend and have to watch their expenses, lest a soiree or junket prove outrageously swanky. The most aggressive and concrete new terms are the executive compensation limits [6] included in the stimulus bill. Under those terms, Signature’s five highest compensated executives would have seen their bonuses limited.

Of course, neither Signature nor any of the banks returning the money have been crystal clear in just why they’re doing it. TCF Financial’s CEO, for example, only said that "recent actions" from Treasury and "possible congressional or regulatory restrictions/mandates" had "changed the rules." No mention was made in TCF’s announcement that the new compensation rules will affect bonuses for TCF’s five most senior execs and 10 next highest compensated employees.

First Stimulus Transparency Docs Arrive Thin on Details

by Christopher Weaver, www.ProPublica.org

Federal agencies began sending their initial reports to the Office of Management and Budget last week, and the White House posted them on the official stimulus Web site, Recovery.gov.

For a Web site with the stated goal of allowing "citizens to hold the government accountable for every dollar spent," there’s not a lot of information there. The agencies aren’t required to report financial data until April 6, and in the meantime, the reports seem relegated to general pronouncements about "major actions," stripped of most specifics.

The reports tell us that the Department of Defense has created an "internal governance structure," but the only detail divulged is that its members meet daily. The Department of Health and Human Services describes one planned initiative: "We could possibly announce and/or begin releasing funds under operating plans for additional [stimulus] programs."

When Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, described his requirements for the initial weekly reports in a memo last month, it was clear that expectations would not be that high at the get-go. The first reports are "to help populate early phases of Recovery.gov," he wrote. The plan is to ramp up as more projects break ground.

Even if more information were available, there would still be a couple of obstacles to making sense of these reports. For one thing, the expenditures and appropriations are described by "treasury account code" rather than plain English.

The reports will be submitted to Orszag’s office every Tuesday and will cover the activities and expenses of the week ending the previous Friday. Judging by this first installment, it appears the White House will be posting these as Excel spreadsheets. Not all agencies are following the exact same format, but they all comply with the requirements Orszag laid out in his memo.

Mornin'

I can’t remember who showed me how to make a weapon out of a two by four and a slice of tire inner tube. I do know we spent a lota hours slicin’ up old tire innards and chasin’ each other around.

We didn’t make anything fancy. Tack a strip of tube on one end of the board and there ya go. ‘Course the longer the board the farther you could shoot, but that all depended on your ability to stretch the huge rubber band. We could be seen sneakin’ through the neighborhood with those bands looped over our belt in large numbers. The handy thing was if someone shot at ya and missed, you could always recover their ammunition and fire it back. Lackin’ the proper printin’ equipment, we seldom attached suitable warnin’ labels.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Journey Along the Wellness Path

Sponsored by Robinson Family Health Center

Ok no more denial! We know we have to do the work to reap the benefits. There is no magic pill that will do it for us. Thoughtful eating and proper exercise are key components to our health. So let’s get to work! We can optimize any physical activity program with some basic practical steps.

*HYDRATE. Water is essential which means we must take it in to get what we need. Hydration should be consistent throughout the day. Your working body will require twice as much as a person who lives a sedentary lifestyle. Consider drinking 4 ounces every 30 minutes and understand you may need more in times of great physical excursion.

*POSTURE. Dr. C. Norman Shealy says that "posture affects and moderates every physical and mental function in the body." Posture sense, also known as proprioception is all about proper brain communication. Paying attention to your body position also guarantees you are focused on your workout and not just going through the motions. Keep your shoulders back, your abdomen tucked in, and your head level. Stand tall!

*EAT. You will hear it again from me. Thoughtfully eat those foods designed by God not those designed by man and fuel your body.

*BREATH. Deep breathing allows a sufficient supply of life-giving oxygen to reach vital areas of our brain, muscles, and organs. Breath deeply the breath of life!

Real wellness requires actions that maximize life inside your body. No fads, no magic, no false promises; just practical and intentional living from the inside out.