Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/128844
NEWS OF THE WEIRD by CHUCK SHEPPARD The Precocious Tots of Finland: A University of Kansas professor and two coauthors, in research in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Finance, found that children age 10 and under substantially outperformed their parents in earnings from stock trading in the few days before and after rumors swirled on possible corporate mergers. A likely explanation, they said, is that the parents or guardians were buying and selling for their children's accounts using illegal insider information that they were cautious about using in their personal accounts, which would more easily arouse suspicion. While the parents' accounts had nice returns, the kids' accounts (including those held by the very recently born) were almost 50 percent more profitable. (The study, reported by NPR in April, covered 15 years of trades in Finland, chosen because that country collects age data that the U.S. and other countries do not.) [NPR, 4-9-2013] The Entrepreneurial Spirit One of the 12 Canadian foods chosen to accompany the country's International Space Station astronaut in December is the limitedissue dry cereal especially noted for its fiber, organic buckwheat and various nontraditional ingredients. "Holy Crap" Chuck Sheppard cereal is available throughout Canada and in 19 other countries. [WBRZTV (Baton Rouge, La.), 2-19-2013] [Newswire Canada, 12-14-2012] "Even to Icelanders accustomed to harsh weather and isolation," reported The New York Times in March, the city of Grimsstadir "is a particularly desolate spot." Nonetheless, Chinese billionaire land developer Huang Nubo has announced he intends to build a luxury hotel and golf course in the area for his countrymen seeking "clean air and solitude." Since snowfalls often run from September until May, locals are skeptical of Huang's motives, but he continues to press for a long-term lease covering about 100 square miles for a project estimated to eventually cost about $100 million. [New York Times, 3-22-2013] Frontiers of Science Since gastrointestinal noroviruses are so infectious and can be fatal in countries with marginal hygiene, scientists at the U.K. government's Health and Safety Lab in Derbyshire needed to study the "reach and dispersion" of human "vomitus," especially its aerosolizing. Working with nauseous patients would be impractical, and thus, researcher Catherine Makison created "Vomiting Larry," a puke-hurling robot with a range of almost 10 feet. (According to a University of Cambridge researcher, one can be infected by fewer than 20 norovirus particles, each droplet of puke can contain 2 million particles, and the virus remains active on hard surfaces for 12 hours.) [Reuters via The Register (London), 1-3-2013] COPYRIGHT 2011 CHUCK SHEPHERD WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM WEEKLY HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY For the Week of May 12, 2013 ARIES (March 21-April 19) "Doing" is an active form of "being." Don't fall into the trap of doing too much this week. It could cause you to digress, and then you'll have to spend your precious time trying to undo what's been done. Sometimes it's enough just to be there. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Others may not know why different rooms give off different feelings, but you have a keen sense of ambiance, and you'll immediately sense what gives off good and bad vibes. You'll spend some of your week making this talent work for you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You believe that owning one or two high-quality items is much better than laying claim to a heap of junk. The problem is that expert sales forces have conspired to make some junk look like quality. In order to tell the difference, you may have to see things in a different context. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21) Your emotions speak in a language you'd be wise to learn. Note that you really can't help what does and doesn't make you happy. If you're unhappy, don't waste time denying this because you think you should be happy. Trust that there are reasons, and then get busy finding your "happy" again. GEMINI (May 21-June 21) There are those who have stolen your heart like a thief and others to whom you have thoughtfully given yourself. This week it's better to be more guarded with your affections, choosing carefully whom to love. Where your love goes, your time follows. . SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) You'll be even more aware than usual of the give and take of relationships. Your wisdom is apparent in your decision not to take on certain issues. Sometimes when you back off and let others have their way, it shows not weakness but strength. CANCER (June 22-July 22) Some uncomfortable feelings are just passing minor irritants that can be chalked up to life as usual. But persistent emotional discomfort warrants investigation. The reflective mood this week will encourage you to explore the message inside your feelings. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Strong-willed people often experience high levels of frustration as they come up against opposition to their goals. This week's frustration is a sign that you're capable of great things. When frustrated, make yourself comfortable. Solutions will come to your relaxed mind. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Life is exciting enough. People don't have to do anything extra to make it more so. In fact, this week you would prefer they didn't. You value loyalty, closeness and the predictable comfort that comes from being around those who do what they say they're going to do. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Like a concert violinist who spends a good deal of life practicing, you prefer to learn lessons in private and not in front of a packed auditorium. But life isn't like that. Don't try so hard to control your public image. You won't get it right every time — and that's natural. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) "Who cares?" can be a dismissive question or an earnest way to get to the heart of what you're doing. Ask who cares, and you'll get to the heart of the marketability, relevance and social usefulness of an endeavor. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) A steady, responsible, reliable person will complement the dramatic mood you will find yourself in from time to time this week. Later, you'll return the favor by being the reasonable one. By Holiday Mathis ADVICE GODDESS Smells Like Libertine Spirit I got involved with my cohost on my Web show — a woman in an "open relationship" with her live-in boyfriend of two years. Things were light and fun between us until we developed actual feelings for each other and he got jealous and she became guilty and torn. Two weeks ago, after we had an amazing date, she texted to say she was "falling apart" and quitting our show. She's since made our friendship conditional on our not being involved anymore and my not questioning her quitting or discussing what happened. I either abide by these rules or "watch (her) walk away." I said she was being emotionally manipulative, and she got really angry. She knows I care about her and want her in my life, but it seems unfair that I have to constantly worry about saying the wrong thing and having her cut and run. — Eggshells Monogamy might not be "natural," but neither is watching your partner run around on you and being all "no problemo!" about it. A couple who decide to have an open relationship Amy Alkon may tell themselves they can intellectualize their way around jealousy (and insecurity, possessiveness and other such fun) without really working through how, exactly, they'll manage that. This guy, for example, maybe got so excited about "having his cake" that he neglected to consider what would happen if his girlfriend really, really liked her cake. These two actually had a responsibility to anybody they got involved with to do their open relationship homework and figure out that they could only manage "happily ever afternoon," not "after." It would be nice if she took responsibility now for failing to take responsibility then, maybe with an "I'm really sorry" and a "We probably shouldn't see each other," but she prefers to extend her history of denial with the notion that you can be "friends." Oh, and P.S., feel free to ask her anything, as long as it's about nothing more emotionally sensitive than the time. As for whether you should stick around and meet her terms, well, with friends like her, who needs bar fights? Also, it's hard to stop wanting somebody when you don't stop seeing them, at least for a while. It seems your time would be better spent pursuing a woman who doesn't already have a boyfriend. You and she can try the sort of open relationship you're looking for now — one sans conversational restrictions — as opposed to the sort that, for a good many people, works out like the hen becoming BFFs with the coyote. (Eventually, somebody's going to end up a pile of feathers.) Amy Alkon all rights reserved. MAY 8-14, 2013 UCW 19