TODAY IS WEDNESDAY - MARCH 4, 2009

The Morning Show
with
Jim & Karen
on
SPIRIT FM

MARCH FOR OUR TROOPS

FOR OUR LISTENERS

During the month of March our Spirit FM listening family is invited to help make a difference in the lives of our United States Troops serving their country in various locations around the world.

Please write a card or letter of thanks and encouragement to a US soldier. Your card can be homemade or store-bought, it doesn’t matter, just send it with love and appreciation. You can send in one card or hundred cards, get your family involved, your co-workers, your Bible study or church group, even your school, and once you have your cards and letters ready send them to Spirit FM P.O. Box 800 Camdenton, Missouri 65020. We’ll see that all of these cards and letters of appreciation and encouragement will be sent to our troops “with love” from the Spirit FM listeners!
If you want to do something a little bit extra, include a long distance phone card for the soldier as well!

Spirit FM is also working with our record companies and will be sending lots of Christian music CDs along with your cards and letters!!

So get busy and start writing and then send those best wishes for our troops to Spirit FM P.O. Box 800 Camdenton, Mo. 65020. More information is also available on our website at spiritfm.org
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FOR OUR SOLDIERS

It’s time for March For Our Troops and that means if you are serving in the US Military Spirit FM wants to especially bless and recognize you throughout the next few weeks!

Be listening throughout the month of March for a series of interviews with Dr. David Stoop of New Life Ministries. Dr Stoop is a licensed clinical psychologist in the State of California. He also has his Masters in Theology and is the founder and director of The Center for Family Therapy in Newport Beach, California, where he has his counseling practice. Dr. Stoop has written over 25 books, including his latest book, Ten Minutes Together with God: A Devotional for Couples.

Dr. Stoop will be sharing with us information for military families including how to maintain a loving and faithful marriage while serving your country. Recognizing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. How to forgive and move on, as well as, a variety of other topics of interest to soldiers and their families.

These interviews will also be posted on our webpage for listening to later or downloading to your MP3 player! Plus, New Life Ministries has been kind enough to send us three gifts to give away this month, including Every Soldier’s Battle Kit which includes Every Man's Battle, Every Man's Battle Workbook, Every Man's Bible, Every Day for Every Man Devotional, and Being God's Man facing Tough Times Bible Study. So if you are a member of our military, thank you, and stay tuned, this month is all about you and helping you discover the love the Lord Jesus has for you, as well as the love your Spirit FM listening family feels for you as well!



LIFE CHANGING WORD

LOVE DARE # 18

Love seeks to understand.

How blessed is the man who finds wsdom, and the man who gains understanding. Provers 3:13

We enjoy discovering as much as we can about the things we truly care about. If it’s our favorite football team we’ll read any article that helps us keep up with how they are doing. If we like to cook we’ll spend hours searchingout new techniques and recipes. If there is a subject that appeals to us, we’ll take notice any time it comes up. In fact, it’s often like an area of personal study. So then..when is the last time you studied your spouse?

When you first started dating you studied them all the time. Finding out what they were like, what they were intersted in. It was challening and intriguing. But unfortunately, after years of marriage we tend to not put the study time in anymore. Sometimes the problems we are having with our spouse is simply because we don’t understand them now, we don’t know who they have become.

If you miss the level of intimacy you once shared with your spouse, one of the best ways to unlock their heart again is by making a commitment to know them. Study them. Read them like a book you’re trying to understand.

TODAY’S DARE: Prepare a special dinner at home, just for the two of you. The dinner can be as nice as you prefer. Focus this time on getting to know your spouse better, perhaps in areas you have rarely talked about. Determine to make it an enjoyable evening for you and your mate.

ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION: What did I learn about my spouse that I didn’t know before? What were some of the moments that made the evening memorable?


TODAY IS…..

Today is Old Inauguration Day. The first U.S. president, George Washington, was inaugurated on March 4, 1789. Until the Twentieth Amendment, ratified in 1933, changed the date of the Presidential Inauguration to January 20th, every American president was inaugurated on this date.

Today is National Grammar Day, a time to honor our language and its rules

Today is March Forth, Do Something Day. Stop procrastinating.

Today is Learn What Your Name Means Day.

F.Y.I.
The meaning of the name James is Supplanter
The origin of the name James is Hebrew
The meaning of the name Karen is Pure
The origin of the name Karen is Scandinavian
Find out the meaning of your name at www.babyname.com

Today is Sleeping On The Job Day. In 2002, the German town of Vechta reported that civil servants allowed to sleep for 20 minutes after lunch worked more efficiently and effectively. Some 22 percent of the German population napped.

Today is Hug a G.I. Day, honoring all the men and women who serve in the military .
1924: The song "Happy Birthday to You" was published.
Chinese writer and champion of women's rights Ding Ling died on this day in 1988. Ding Ling was survived by her sister, Ding Dong, the first Chinese Avon Lady.


In The News…..

Research shows that men who hug and kiss their wives before going to work each morning live an average of five years longer than those men who do not! So pucker up sweetie!

Madoff Request
Bernie Madoff is asking the federal court to allow him to keep his Manhattan penthouse. Madoff is arguing that if he loses his home, he might run out of places to hide all his stolen money.

HHS Pick
President Obama has named Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as his choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services. But it's not clear how wise it was to choose someone whose name sounds like a disease.

Blagojevich Book
Ousted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has made a deal to write a book. But anyone wanting to read it will first have to make a $10,000 campaign donation.

Cricket Attack
Pakistani terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying the national cricket team from Sri Lanka. I hate to say it but it was the first exciting thing to happen in the sport of cricket in 67 years.

It was this week in 1854 that the Republican Party was founded with only a handful of true believers. Just like today.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference, Mitt Romney was picked over Sarah Palin, in a straw poll, to be the next presidential candidate, which is kind of interesting. I mean, one is a pretty face obsessed with hair and makeup, and the other, of course, is governor of Alaska.

Big snowstorm in New York this week. The snow was falling faster than the Dow! I think Regis Philbin had to attach a snowblower to his Rascal Scooter! Of course, the good news is all that snow broke the fall of all those jumping stock brokers..so that’s some good news, right?

Researchers at Georgia Tech who managed to harness the energy-producing power of hamsters by fitting them with tiny detector jackets say that it would take 1,000 hamsters to generate enough energy to power a cell phone. Are we paying for this stuff? Seriously who pays for these studies?

Update on Ed McMahon….ED McMAHON's rep doesn't think we should count the old guy out of the game just yet. Although the former "Tonight Show" announcer is currently in the intensive care in the hospital, his publicist, HOWARD BRAGMAN, told TMZ.com that Ed will "always be a Marine who will fight to the end and confront his health
problems with strength, courage and dignity." He also encouraged fans to say their prayers, remain hopeful and send good wishes because they're looking forward to celebrating his 86th birthday this Friday


Your computer screen shows your personality:
A new study shows people's personalities, habits and ambitions can be figured out just by looking at their computer screens! Psychologist DONNA DAWSON says her Microsoft-sponsored study into desktop psychology identified several clues which could indicate a person's personality.

For instance, having a screen cluttered with icons strewn across the screen shows the owner is disorganized and tends to lose focus easily. Here’s a further breakdown:

An even number of icons on each side of the screen shows the person values balance and proportion and tends to keep a cool head in tricky situations.

Too many rows of icons shows a person who needs everything handy, likes to feel in control — but is probably slightly disorganized.

The study also says the wallpaper you use on your computer also shows what kind of person you are and what priorities you have. For instance, photos of friends show how popular you are. Plain wallpaper indicates a person who likes to keep their personal life private.

Trophy photos as wallpaper suggests somebody with a big ego and someone who revels in their past successes.



TOP TEN HEALTHIEST FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS….Wait isn’t that an oxy-moron? Healthy? Fast Food?

This economy makes it tough to ignore fast food: It's inexpensive, and satisfying.
With people looking to save every penny, it's tough to say "no" to a meal for $6 that fills you up.

Trouble is, for decades now, fast food has been written off as ultimately unhealthy and fattening. So much of it is fried, processed, or both.

But in its March issue, Health magazine tells about the top ten healthiest fast food chains in the country. It examines why they're healthy, what the healthiest meals are to eat there, and what to avoid. The chains were scored and ranked on such factors as the use of healthy fats and preparations, healthy sodium counts in entrees, availability of nutrition information, and the use of organic produce.
One big surprise: A traditional fast-food chain, McDonald's, cracked the top 10.

1. Panera Bread Over 1,230 locations nationwide
This bakery-café-based eatery wowed our judges with a comprehensive menu of healthy choices for every meal. Half-size soups, salads, and sandwiches make it a cinch to control portion size. Also, most of the chicken is antibiotic- and hormone-free, a rarity for large chains. Panera also won top honors for its kid fare.
Try it: Delicious, nutrient-packed combos like half a Turkey Artichoke on focaccia bread with a bowl of black bean or garden vegetable soup.
Danger zone: Sticky buns and cheese Danishes are on display at the counter.

2. Jason's Deli 206 locations in the West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South
This up-and-comer snagged second place largely because of its devotion to organic food: About one-fifth of all its ingredients are organic, from blue-corn tortilla chips and whole-wheat wraps to field greens and spinach. Jason's menu also highlights ultra-healthy sandwiches and provides the nutritional info.
Try it: Any sandwich on an organic whole-wheat wrap.
Danger zone: High-sodium counts on some sandwiches.

3. Au Bon Pain 280 locations nationwide
A pioneer in healthy fast food, Au Bon Pain serves up sandwiches, soups, salads, and hot entrées made with whole grains, veggies, and hormone-free, antibiotic-free chicken. New this year: Portions, a 14-item menu of nutritious small plates, all of which are less than 200 calories. Au Bon Pain also provides on-site nutritional information via computer kiosks, so before you even order you know each option's calories, fat, and sodium.
Try it: Low-calorie soups, from Jamaican Black Bean to Fire Roasted Exotic Grains and Vegetables.
Danger zone: The sodium counts can get high if you don't pay attention.

4. Noodles and Company 204 locations in West, Midwest, South
Noodles and Company isn't your typical greasy Asian food-court joint. In fact, it goes beyond Asian fare and cuts out the grease (only healthy soybean oil is used in sautéing). Lean proteins-hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken, beef, shrimp, and organic tofu-can be added, to your bowl and you can opt for a smaller sized portion.
Try it: The whole-grain linguine-usually hard to find when eating out.
Danger zone: The desserts.

5. Corner Bakery café 111 locations in West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South
A fantastic and healthy breakfast menu sets this chain apart from all others. But Corner Bakery also has healthy salads, sandwiches, and soups made with whole grains, fresh, lean meats, and vegetables, as well as great portion-controlled combinations that make limiting calories easy.
Try it: Healthy oven-roasted chicken that comes with most pastas and salads.
Danger zone: You have to go to their Web site to get nutritional info.
. Chipotle 800+ locations nationwide
Buffet-style Chipotle gives every customer complete control over her burrito, taco, or salad and you get to build it with fresh, local ingredients. In fact, Chipotle won high marks for its commitment to organics, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, and produce sourced from local suppliers, which is revolutionary in a chain this big.
Try it: Burrito Bowls, which let you skip the tortilla-and the extra carbs.
Danger zone: Make sure you go light on cheese and sour cream.

7. Atlanta Bread 106 locations in 24 states (Southeast, West, and North)
This innovative bakery features whole-grain bread, fresh sandwiches (including paninis), and hearty, healthy soups and salads. It earned high marks for great sides, too, including fire-roasted black bean and corn salad.
Try it: The entrée salads like Salsa Fresca Salmon Salad
Danger zone: Pasta entrees at some locations are offered with bread … that's a whole lot of carbs!

8. McDonald's 14,000 locations nationwide
Among the big burger-based chains, McDonald's is leading the way in overhauling its menu to offer more heart and waist-friendly fare. Take the Happy Meals, which you can order with a side of apple dippers (with low-fat caramel) instead of fries and low-fat milk or fruit juice instead of soda. And if you have to have fries, McDonald's are made in a healthy canola-blend oil and come in at just 230 calories for a small. The Grilled Chicken Classic sandwich and wraps are healthy choices, too (just skip the mayo or sauce). And our whole panel commends McDonald's for spelling out the nutritional information right on the back of its tray liners.
Try it: The chain's 260- to 270-calorie Snack Wraps (choose grilled chicken) for protein without a lot of unwanted carbs.
Danger zone: Although McDonald's made our list, this is still the land of super-sizing and giant sodas. It's up to you to request a small.

9. Einstein Bros. Bagels 649 locations nationwide
We all know that bagels are pretty high-carb, but slathering cream cheese or butter on them is what really gets you into trouble. Einstein Bros. offers healthier alternatives like reduced-fat shmears, hummus, and peanut butter-a great way to add healthy fat to breakfast (or lunch). It also serves a Good Grains bagel that has an impressive 4 grams of fiber and any salad can be ordered in a half-size.
Try it: The high-fiber Veg Out on a sesame seed bagel.
Danger zone: "Overstuffed" size sandwiches are a calorie nightmare.

10. Taco Del Mar 270 locations in 22 states
Whole grains are easy to get here, with whole-wheat tortillas available as an alternative in burritos. The chain gets high marks for its new 320-calorie chicken burrito, available at most locations. Our judges were also impressed that Taco Del Mar banned lard from its beans and bakes its fish and taco shells instead of frying them.
Try it: The 460- to 555-calorie Mondito-size burrito, which fills you up but keeps fat and sodium in check.
Danger zone: The breakfasts. In particular, steer clear of the Mondo Breakfast Burritos, which are more than 1,000 calories.



Story of King David to be Told in NBC Mini-Series

A modern-day retelling of the biblical story of King David will be premiering on NBC next month as a network television series.

“Kings,” created by Michael Green (“Heroes,” “Everwood”), centers on the drama surrounding David Shepherd, a young soldier in the war-torn country of Gilboa, who will rise to fame after inspiring the nation through his fearless rescue of the king’s son. Amid Shepherd's thrust toward destiny and peace for the kingdom, however, the country's power players will go to great lengths to see him fall, blurring the line between his allies and enemies.

The series is expected to draw the religious and the non-religious – the latter because of epic style and dramatic feel, and the former because it is expected to stick closely to the Old Testament, which Green says provides enough material to shape at least several seasons.

The biblical King David, the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel, was an acclaimed warrior, musician and poet who is traditionally credited with the authorship of many of the psalms included in the Book of Psalms.

Among Jews, David's three-decade reign represents the formation of a coherent Jewish kingdom centered in Jerusalem. To Muslims, David is a prophet of Islam to whom the Zabur, or Psalms, were revealed by Allah. And for Christians, the life of the Old Testament king was a prelude to that of Jesus Christ, whose earthly father, Joseph, was a direct descendent of David.

The show will not likely be anything like NBC’s earlier attempt at a religiously-rooted series – the short-lived “Book of Daniel,” Thank goodness….that was anything BUT biblical. And NBC has not asked the creators to “censor” the Bible.

The premier episode “Kings” will air on Sunday, Mar. 15, at 8 p.m. ET as a special two-hour event.

On the Web:
"Kings" website at www.nbc.com/Kings/



How You Can Save Money By Calling The Police

DALLAS, Texas – There are some simple steps you can take to save money on your homeowner's insurance.

In Missouri and Kansas, State Farm Insurance will give you a two percent discount if you have a deadbolt, smoke alarm, and fire extinguisher in your home. You can earn a 10 percent discount if you have those items plus a monitored security system.

Texas residents can earn a five percent discount from State Farm if they call the police to come and inspect their home.

"They're going to look for an open door, they're going to look for an open window. They're easy access in, they're easy access out," said Mike Bedrich of the Southlake, Texas Police Department.

Not every city offers the home inspections, but the cities that do, local police will check dead bolts, windows and garage doors.

"In today's economy, we're finding more and more break-ins, more and more thefts, and if people have their windows and doors all fixed up according to this discount we can apply, then it's just better for us, as well as the policy holder," said Dan Sweeney of State Farm Insurance.

The inspection takes less than an hour and could save hundreds of dollars.



A Soda That Will Help You Burn Calroies?

If there is one category of products that could use a healthier image, soft drinks, one could argue, would be it.

The beleaguered, mostly carbonated offerings have suffered various slings and arrows in recent years, ranging from charges they contain too much high fructose corn syrup to studies that back their role in heart disease and other ills.

It's an image that a drink, sold under the brand name Celsius, hopes to shatter. And if the television ad campaign launched this past weekend is to be believed, these drinks go a step beyond zero calories -- they can actually make your body burn calories after you drink them.

Steve Haley, CEO of Celsius Holdings, Inc., said the claims are backed by several clinical studies funded by his company showing that the beverage ramps up the body's metabolism -- allowing those who consume it to stoke their calorie-burning furnaces.
"[Consumers] can replace what they normally enjoy with this," he said. "We're a great replacement for soft drinks, to a point."

The method behind this boost is not magic; rather it's caffeine -- and quite a bit of it. At 200 milligrams of caffeine, a can of Celsius packs nearly twice the amount of caffeine in an eight-ounce cup of coffee.

But Haley pointed out that the calorie-burning power of the drink comes not only from caffeine, but also from other metabolism-boosting ingredients, like the green tea chemical Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), chromium and ginger. In addition, he said, the drink contains vitamins, as well as calcium to counteract the bone-robbing effects of caffeine.

In short, Celsius may be the health food industry's answer to the soft drink in something of the same way that a PowerBar stacks up to a Snickers bar.



The Next Narnia Release Is Planned for 2010

LOS ANGELES, March 3 (UPI) -- Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media say they are planning to release the third installment of "The Chronicles of Narnia" film franchise in December 2010.

Variety.com said "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is slated for U.S. release Dec. 10, 2010, returning the family movie series to winter, the season when "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion (OTCPK:LIOPF), the Witch and the Wardrobe" was an enormous blockbuster in 2005.

The second film in the franchise "Prince Caspian" was released last May but wasn't as big as a box office smash, Variety.com noted.

The first two installments were collaborations between Walden and Disney but Disney opted not to take part in the third entry, which will now be a Fox and Walden effort.

The "Narnia" movies are based on the classic fantasy books by C.S. Lewis.



Mainlow Music VS The Mall Rats!!!

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – It'll be Barry Manilow versus the mall rats.
The New Zealand city of Christchurch hopes that putting the American crooner's smooth and gentle tones into the mix of music to be broadcast through the central mall district can pacify unruly teens who congregate there_ or at least convince them to go elsewhere.

"The intention is to change the environment in a positive way ... so nobody feels threatened or intimidated," Central City Business Association manager Paul Lonsdale told The Associated Press. "I did not say Barry Manilow is a weapon of mass destruction."

A group of several dozen young people regularly spread rubbish, spray graffiti, get intoxicated, use drugs, swear and intimidate patrons at the outdoor mall, he said.
The city council, police and local property owners covering 410 businesses agree that "nice, easy listening" music like Manilow's "Can't Smile Without You," "Mandy" and other hits might change the behavior of loitering teens.But one 16-year-old told The Press newspaper that unfashionablemusic wouldn't deter them.

"We would just bring a stereo and play it louder," Emma Belcher said.

Lonsdale countered that the city would then hit them with anti-noise laws.



Those Crazy Iowans Are At It Again!

SAC CITY, Iowa -- The town of Sac City is trying to get back into the Guinness Book of World Records.

The town was known as the home of the World's Biggest Popcorn Ball in 1995 and 2004. Saturday, residents worked to get their title back.

Volunteers whipped up a 5,000-pound popcorn ball, including 1,500 pounds of popcorn, 2,400 pounds of sugar and 11 pounds of corn syrup.

The new ball will be kept at the town's museum on Main Street.

By the way, there are only 2,300 people in Sac City, which means the ball is big enough to give each person over two pounds of the popcorn ball.

GO TO THIS WESBITE TO SEE PICTURES:
http://www.kcci.com/entertainment/18837938/detail.html