Up & Coming Weekly

FMoA Board Member Responds to Commentary LETTERS I would like to respond to Janice Burton’s editorial. Apparently she really does not know a great deal about the Museum. I have been on and off that board for about 20 years. Of course any non-profi t needs those who can make large donations but we also need those who become Museum members for $35 as a single person. What do they get for the $35? Of course they are invited to all the opening receptions, normally eight a year. These receptions have heavy hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and music. There have also been opening receptions at Up & Coming known as Gallery 208. Members are encouraged to invite guests in the hope that they too will become members. All opening receptions are free except the special ones at the Lundy Building at Festival Park. Beyond the openings, the Museum has other programs. Many are familiar with Carnival Fun which was formally known as Pondomania. This is a free, open to the public, children’s Spring event. It is now held at Festival Park. Then there is Partnership for Children which makes Art Trunks that are lent to families. The Museum also has an Art Library which is open to the public at no charge. And members of any level get a discount at the Museum store. Many people are aware of Alive After Five which in the beginning was held on the Museum grounds. There was always a table there to try to sell Museum memberships, for several years I manned that table. We also left the Museum open & staffed so that anyone could go in to see the current exhibit, again no charge. This event is now held at Festival Park with Museum Board members and volunteers trying to sell memberships, beer tickets and making sure there is no under-age drinking. The Museum also runs an Internship program for college students. They must have a B average to participate. In the past the Museum has had programs for children such as art camps and workshops. The Museum does much more than just hang art. Yes, there are expensive events but in the past year there have been three events costing $35 per person. But that’s all over now, members of the staff have lost their jobs and the museum is locked. Major cause was the director and staff trying to comply with the demands of the Arts Council which is still holding $200,000 from the museum. — Pat Leahy Movie Reviews: Love them, hate them I have to raise the question in regards to your review of Toy Story 3. I understand the desire to push the bar and raise controversial questions, that’s just entertainment. I think your writers and magazine are desperately seeking issues where there are none. When I pick up a local review I want to get a feel for my local community, when I pick up the Up & Coming, I quickly learn Fayetteville is nothing but pretentious know it alls with an over- elevated sense of self import. — Jonathan Proffi tt Hurray for Heather!!! I LOVED your review of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. It was right to the point, funny, and let me know if I wanted to spend money to see it (No. I’m 51 and don’t need a teeny soap opera). Thank God you got it. We, the reading public don’t need to know that you are a liberal loon or crazy conservative....just tell us about the damn movie. And you did that. Thank you. Sincerely, William T. Long III I read the Toy Story 3 movie review in your July 7-13 issue of Up and Coming Weekly, and I have to say I found it patently ridiculous. I think the reviewer is a bit oversensitive and is making something of nothing. First the comments about strong female characters — it’s somehow wrong for a woman to have a romantic interest? It makes her weaker or something? In my opinion, that makes her normal. Granted, not every female is interested in love but most are and I don’t think it makes a woman any less of a strong person to love someone. If anything, it makes her stronger. Regarding the Ken doll — he (a girls’ toy) is being mocked by other toys who are boys’ toys. Of course they might consider his behavior a trifl e odd, but I don’t necessarily think it has anything to do with “heterosexualism.” Why FRESH CAFE Good Food...Naturally The SM TUESDAY… AUGUST 3rd 12:00 Noon 212 Hay St. • 910-323-4100 • Organic / Natural Salads, Sandwiches,Wraps, Quiches and Soups • Assorted Selection of Micro Beer and Wine Hours: Mon-Tue 10:30am-3pm; Wed-Fri 10:30am-8pm; Sat 10:30am-3pm, Sun Closed WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 1565 Eloise St., Fayetteville, NC (3) BR Brick Ranch Home, Well/Septic, Gas Heat, Chain Link Fence, close to shopping! Near Ft. Bragg Military Base. See our website for additional details: www.rogersauctiongroup.com Bracky Rogers, Sale Manager (336) 789-2926 (800) 442-7906 NCAL #685 JULY 21-27, 2010 UCW 5 assume Ken is gay just because he’s a girls’ toy? But the most ridiculous part of the review was the tempest in a teapot about the usage of the slang term “mongo.” Are you joking? Did your reviewer actually look that up? It doesn’t seem so. I did look that up to see what terrible connotations it had because I had never heard of any. The dictionary defi nition of the slang term “mongo” is the same as I thought it was: It just means “large”. Wow... so offensive! I have to wonder why your reviewer (Heather Griffi ths) is trying so hard to be offended? There are plenty of truly offensive things in this world without having to invent some. Sincerely, Mande H. Dickson’s thoughtful writing appreciated I read your column, “Packing our Parachutes,” over lunch today and wanted you to know how much I enjoyed and appreciated it. What a beautiful story and what a great question for all of us to consider: Who is packing my parachute and what am I packing into the parachutes of those I hold dear. It reminds me of the good old days as a counselor at Camp Seafarer. Lil Taylor was Camp Director with a unique southern grace and style. She used to tell us that “Our days are like identical suitcases, some of us just pack more into them than others.” Whether it’s the who that is infl uencing us or the what that we choose to do with our time, it matters....it all matters. Thanks for your thoughtful writing. Best, Jane Smith Dickson too liberal for this reader I just read the latest musings of Margaret Dickson in Up and Coming Weekly. I’ve sent this open letter to Mrs. Dickson in hopes that you would consider it. Mrs. Dickson: You never run out of liberal dribble. You spent fi ve paragraphs describing how horrible BP is for the oil spill in the gulf with not one word about the completely incompetent behavior of the president and his people. Then you shed a tear for the fi sherman in the gulf without one mention of the highly paid oil workers that have currently lost their jobs because of the goofballs in the white house. Do you have any idea how the loss of those jobs will affect the gulf region? Obviously not. Tell me, if there is an accident on I-95, do we shut down the entire interstate until we investigate the accident? No. There are 35,000 wells in the Gulf of Mexico and 76 are operational. These are the same wells that survived Katrina. News Flash: Al “Sex Poodle” Gore has been busted for blowing smoke about global warming. The only people left that believe that nonsense is ... well, people like you who stand to make millions off the scam. Mrs. Dickson, we will be using oil, gas and coal long after you and I are gone. We DO have the technology to use it cleaner and safer, and we Americans do it better than anyone else. (You of all people should know that since both of us have lived and traveled in Europe). I live in your district Mrs. Dickson, and have met you at the polls. I must tell you that I make it my business to vote against you every time you are up for reelection. You are a prime example of Fayetteville’s own “Limousine Liberal.” You pop off at the mouth about schools, but your kids go to private schools; you pop off at the mouth about the environment, but I doubt there is an “Al Gore” windmill anywhere near your stately home. You dear lady are a hypocrite of the fi rst order. Not to worry. Your district is fi rmly planted in a largely democrat and black (like me) area. Most democrats I know vote for the “D” at the end of the candidates name not the issues, so you will more than likely get reelected. But remember dear lady, every day, and especially during election time, I will remind everyone in line at the polls...that you are a classic hypocritical liberal whom we need to do very nice by....and dump. Sincerely, William T. Long III

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