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/201420
NEWS OF THE WEIRD by CHUCK SHEPPARD A 61-year-old Texas man admitted to a hospital not long ago appearing to be falling-down-drunk, even though denying having had even a single drink, was discovered to be unintentionally manufacturing beer in his stomach. With "autobrewery syndrome," stomach-based yeast automatically ferments all starches (even vegetables or grains) passing through, converting them into ethanol. Normally, natural stomach bacteria control the yeast, but if, for example, antibiotics had inadvertently eliminated the bacteria, the yeast would prevail. The case was reported in a recent International Journal of Clinical Medicine. [NPR, 9-17- 2013] Government in Action Update: As several additional states debate permitting marijuana use by a doctor's prescription, Irvin Rosenfeld Chuck Sheppard presented his own experience in August to a packed house at Kentucky's state capitol. Rosenfeld suffers from painful bone tumors (diagnosed, with a poor prognosis, in 1963) and began smoking dope in the federal government's Compassionate Investigational Drug program in 1982 — since then consuming 130,000 governmentsupplied joints (12 per day, carefully measured), which he said absolutely had prolonged his life. "I didn't ask for my bone disease," he said. "All I asked for is the best medicine possible." [WLKY-TV (Lexington, Ky.), 8-20-2013, 8-21-2013] WEEKLY HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY For the Week of November 2, 2013 ARIES (March 21-April 19) When your environment is lovely, you think differently. It becomes easier for you to picture beauty and attract more of what you find so pleasing. This week brings inspiring environments, and you'll feel right at home in fantastic settings. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You won't be interested in increasing the number of shallow relationships in your life. One profound connection will do more for your soul than a million friends on a social networking site ever could. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You may drift off task more often than usual, but you can trust that it's a wise part of you that is driving the action. This part of you is instinctual and can make sense of all that's happening on a subconscious level. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21) When you do something that takes courage, you gain confidence in return. This is true regardless of whether the courageous act ultimately was successful or not. The risk you take will have long-term positive effects. GEMINI (May 21-June 21) Your abilities are very different from the abilities of those you work with this week, and that's what makes a project successful. Use your gifts without comparing them. Compete only with yourself. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) In the past, there have been times when you gave up too soon. You admire people who push through tribulations and keep going, and this week you will be such a person. You'll inspire others to have greater willpower, too. CANCER (June 22-July 22) An act of temporary passion ultimately may cause unhappiness, and the action that seems more like duty than fun may contribute to long-term happiness. It benefits you to try on different perspectives before you make a decision. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) You could use a bold new idea this week. The way to generate or inspire truly creative thoughts is to practice the art of humble inquiry. In other words, ask a better question, and ask it in a way that makes the world open up. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You will be even choosier than usual about the jobs you take on. You know that if you're going to do something, you're not going to merely do a good job. To everything you do, you bring a wow factor, and it takes time and energy to go the extra mile. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) At the center of your being is the you who knows what's good and right for you. When you engage this center-being in conversation, you won't always hear what you expect or even what you'd like to hear, but you can trust the value of the message. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Your words will create a soft glow around whatever you speak of. This is all part of your charm, which the stars amplify this week. The latter part of the week calls for a more direct approach. Don't be afraid to ask for what you want. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) You are not only easy to get along with this week, but you're also the person who helps everyone else get along. Mostly you accomplish this by setting a positive tone. You'll derive a great deal of pleasure from teamwork. By Holiday Mathis ATTENTION CITY RESIDENTS Watch your mail Nov. 5-9 for this envelope from the City of Fayetteville: Std Class Pstge PRESORTED U.S. POSTAGE PAID FAYETTEVILLE, NC PERMIT NO. 478 ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 455 Grove Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 While Congress struggled recently to pass a budget or an increase to the national debt limit, one program made it through rather easily, according to a September New York Times report: farm subsidies for inactive "farmers." The subsidies were renewed, based on a 2008 law, virtually assuring that more than 18,000 in-name-only farmers (who received $24 million last year) will not be cut off. Included, according to a 2012 Government Accountability Office report, were recipients at 2,300 "farms" that had not grown a single crop in five years (including 622 without a crop in 10 years). [New York Times, 9-10-2013] AY! OW AW T THR rmation NO SE DO portant info PLEA ins im nta eville. This co City of Fayett e from th What's Inside? • Loose leaf and holiday collection schedules • Stormwater and Solid Waste services information • Recycling do's and don'ts There will NOT be any stickers or hang tags placed on your carts. www.cityoffayetteville.org COPYRIGHT 2011 CHUCK SHEPHERD 40 UCW OCT. 30 - NOV. 5, 2013 ADVICE GODDESS Mouse Ado About Nothing I've tried to be open-minded, but I've decided that men are givers and women are takers. I study at my local coffeehouse. I am interested in this woman who comes in and often unplug my computer and offer to let her use the outlet. Two weeks ago, I decided to make my interest clearer by buying her coffee. She said, "Oh! Thanks!" Then she put her nose back in her books. The next time she came in, I offered her my large table because she had tons of books. She blushed as girls do, asking, "Are you sure?" I said, "Of course!" I then worked at a small, cramped table next to her. She made no effort to talk, except when she asked me to watch her computer while she went to the restroom. Finally, I decided to be really clear and asked if she'd like to grab a bite sometime. She smiled and said she'd just see me here, but thanks. Yeah, she'll see me there and expect me to give her my big table. I'm sick of this take, take, take. A woman needs to tell a man right away if she's not interested and not let him sit there like an idiot, planning to make her life easier. Amy Alkon — Irate Why go after what you want when you can dance around it, do it favors, and hope it figures out that you've made a secret agreement with it in your head? There are girls who would respond in a way you'd consider honorable --who would not only show appreciation when you provide them with complimentary food and beverages but even follow you home. Unfortunately, they're the sort of girls who catch a Frisbee in their teeth. Like the sign spinner on the corner in the Statue of Liberty suit, you think you need to lure women with a special offer, except instead of "Cash for gold!" it's "Snake your drain for a date!" You're apparently convinced that no woman would want you for you. This probably isn't entirely off base, since the "you" you currently are is a guy who thinks instilling a sense of obligation in a woman for favors rendered is your best hope of having sex again before you forget where the parts go. Stop grumbling that women are conniving takers, and work on accepting yourself, flaws and all. Once your self-respect is no longer trailerhitched to whether women want you, you can be direct — just talk to a woman, let her see who you are, and ask her out. She may turn you down, but if you feel okay about yourself, you'll see her rejection as your cue — simply to find the next girl to hit on, not to storm out behind the coffeehouse, shake your fist at the sky, and yell, "Hey, weren't the meek supposed to inherit the earth? Where's mine?!" Amy Alkon all rights reserved WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM