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GCFLASH
Hot Off the Press!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - Edition #455
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Weekly Spotlight
TRAVELING ABROAD? Due to a series of fraudulent VISA Card transactions originating outside the United States, GCF is restricting the use of our ATM/Debit card outside of the country. You can rest assured that GCF Bank is doing all we can to protect you, our valued customer. Here are the details on what you need to know before you travel in order to use your card while you're away.
1st Flash:
UNSUNG HEROES
Fortunately for the rest of us, every generation yields young people who rise to a nobler cause. Brave men and women who risk everything for the greater good are to be commended. Without them, we couldn't enjoy the freedoms we so closely treasure. Mike Christian was one such man. Born in a small town near Selma, Alabama, he didn't even wear a pair of shoes until he was 13 years old. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at 17 and later earned a commission by going to Officer Training School. A Naval Flight Officer, he was shot down and captured in Vietnam in 1967. Prisoners of War didn't have many privileges. But their treatment was changed drastically in 1971 through the efforts of Americans back home. Part of the change was that some prisoners were allowed to receive packages from home. Clothing, handkerchiefs and scarves were some of the items they were allowed to keep. Mike Christian got himself a bamboo needle. Over the period of a couple of months, he created an American flag that he sewed on the inside of his shirt. Every afternoon, the prisoners in his cell would hang Mike's shirt on the wall and say the Pledge of Allegiance. For those prisoners, reciting the daily Pledge of Allegiance was the most important event in their daily routine. During a periodic search by the Vietnamese, the flag in Mike's shirt was discovered. It was immediately removed. Later that evening, they returned to beat Mike severely for a couple of hours as an example for the rest of the prisoners. His fellow POWs cleaned him up as best as they could. Late that night, Mike Christian sat under a dim light bulb in the corner of the room, his eyes almost shut from the beating. His friend saw him, bamboo needle in hand, making another American flag. Not for himself, but for the morale of his cellmates. He knew how important it was to be able to pledge allegiance to our flag and our country. His friend and cellmate, presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain, still shares this story today to remind us of the sacrifice and courage that thousands of Americans have made to build our nation and promote freedom around the world. The Iraqi War has its share of heroes. Meet Marine 1st Lt. Brian Chontosh of upstate New York, who was awarded the Navy Cross. Brian was a platoon leader rolling along in Baghdad in a humvee when the vehicle came under enemy machine gun fire. He gave the order to attack, instructing his driver to floor the vehicle and aim it directly at the machine gun emplacement that was firing at them. A guy on top unloaded a .50 caliber on them. Brian continued his advance, heading directly into the Iraqi trench that was attacking his platoon. He jumped out the door carrying an M16 and a Beretta, firing until he was out of ammo. He then picked up two AK47s belonging to fallen Iraqi soldiers and continued firing until they, too, were out of ammo. He saved the lives of his men. Yet the ones we hear about on the nightly news are fallen heroes. Courageous souls who place our country and the freedoms we represent above their very lives. America only devotes one special day to honor them. Yet we reap the fruits of their sacrifice every day as we are free to live and work where we please, worship, travel and elect public officials without fear of oppression. 2nd Flash:
THEY GAVE ALL
The terrors of war are well-documented. Yet, like all things on earth, there is good along with the bad. We know the body count by heart, but rarely hear about the advances made in rebuilding efforts. Anti-war protestors make the evening news, but humanitarian efforts go unnoticed. War, with all its horror and atrocities, brings us together as Americans both in spirit and action. Our hearts go out to those who so unselfishly serve our nation and their loved ones anxiously awaiting their safe return. But even those of us who sit back in the comfort of our own home can aid the cause by supporting their efforts. The Wounded Warrior Project honors and empowers wounded warriors by raising public awareness of the unique needs our injured service men and women endure. They offer various programs to severely injured service members that help them adjust to life as an amputee, retrain them to lead a productive, active lifestyle and handle combat related stress disorders. Perhaps their greatest accomplishments come through the example these wounded heroes serve to each other. One of the most moving sites I've witnessed was a parade of bicycles rolling down the highway where I live. These weren't your average bicycles, they were modified to accommodate each wounded warrior's disability. Folks lined the streets to cheer on the bikers as they made their trek south. Amputees pedaled the bikes by hand, other disabilities were less noticeable. For that short time, my own aches and pains seemed trivial. Learn more. Bureaucracy can cause more problems for returning veterans when their benefits are held up in red tape. Veteran's Help Network offers free research, forms and information to help those most in need get the aid they've earned. They also post stories from veterans free of charge. Their prime focus right now is trying to find a way to help our established system move more efficiently. Find them online here. Not all foundations that claim to provide resources to veterans actually do. Scam artists also use events that touch the heartstrings of Americans to make a quick buck. Remember how many of them suddenly appeared after Hurricane Katrina? The Military, Veterans and Patriotic Service Organizations of America (MVPSOA) is a nonprofit organization that pre-screens charities and presents them for your giving consideration. They research organizations assisting veterans and their families, providing scholarships for the children of military personnel, funding memorials and museums to honor those who have served their country and more. If you would like to donate to help a veterans' program but not sure where to start, they can help. Visit their Web site to conduct your research in a safe and secure environment. Financial News
Oil prices continue to take the headlines as crude oil finished last week at a record $127.05 a barrel! We are paying an average of $3.79 a gallon of regular gas, according to a survey by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Diesel is an average of $4.52 a gallon. These high prices are reflected in the consumer sentiment index, which came in at 59.5, below the estimate of 62.5. There have been some interesting responses to the high fuel costs, including the expected decrease in driving. People have also used more foot power by walking or biking. Last week, the Bush administration proposed that the next generation of new cars and trucks will need to meet a fleet average of 31.6 miles per gallon by 2015. This concern over global warming seeks more fuel-efficient vehicles combating high gasoline prices as well! It's a far cry from the 17 MPG my SUV gets! Housing starts came in higher than expected at 1.032 million compared to the expected .940 million. This is a positive upturn, though one month does not yet make a trend! Today's National Market Rates
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In This Issue... 1st Flash: UNSUNG HEROES 2nd Flash: THEY GAVE ALL Today's Market Rates On the World Wide Web Tip of the Week Financial News Past issues of GCFlash: May 13, 2008 Edition #454 May 6, 2008 Edition #453 April 29, 2008 Edition #452 April 22, 2008 Edition #451 Looking for articles from a past issue of GCFlash not listed above? Find them in our Knowledge Base!
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