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.
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FEBRUARY 5-11, 2014 UCW 5 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM I am a girl, albeit a grown-up one. I know some people might be surprised by my use of that word, but over time I have come to prefer it to "woman," which I insisted upon during earlier decades. Whatever word we use, though, I have the sensibilities of many human beings of my gender, and I am astounded, not the least bit amused and almost always offended by the boneheaded comments of some of our boy, yes "boy," politicians. Already in 2014, we have had a North Carolina state senator refer to his legislative colleagues in the state House using a vulgar term for a particular part of a woman's anatomy. Just days before that dreadful remark, we heard from a former governor of another state who clearly consders himself Presidential material. This guy worried publicly —"ranted" is probably a better word — that politicians of the other persuasion are trying convince American women that "they cannot control their libido" without government assistance, what he calls help from "Uncle Sugar." That is we, you and I, he is talking about, girls. During the 2012 election cycle, we had a nationally syndicated radio host call a women's rights advocate a "slut." And who could ever forget the wannabe office holders that same year who told us that women's bodies are somehow magically able to prevent pregnancies in instances of "legitimate rape." The implication is that our bodies distinguish not only between consensual activities and rape, but between "legitimate rape," and "illegitimate rape," whatever that might be. These bozos, as many of us recognize, are Republicans. Democrats seem to have language issues under better control, but some of their behaviors are nothing short of jaw dropping as well. I will remember Monica Lewinsky and the "DNA" on her blue dress until the day I die, and the defiant Anthony Weiner will go down in virtually everyone's "Can you believe that?!" annals. The unfortunately named Mr. Weiner, then a sitting member of Congress, had such a high opinion of himself, or at least parts of himself, that he texted cell phone pictures of them to various women, none of them his pregnant wife, and none of whom 'fessed up to requesting such texts. What is more, he did it again after he had been "exposed" the first time! Puh-lease! To paraphrase the late Rodney King, can we all just grow up? … North Carolina prides herself on her many and unique assets — our beautiful coast, our dreamy mountains, our growing technology economy. Many of us, including this writer, could be accused of having high self- esteem about our state, but not everyone agrees with our assessments. Taking a cue from magazine editor H. L. Mencken and a colleague who did the same in 1931, Politico Magazine, recently ranked all 50 states in various categories using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI and the CDC, among others. Brace yourself. North Carolina's overall ranking was 40 out of 50, ahead of South Carolina but behind Florida, Texas and Virginia. Our highest rankings, which are really not that high, are highest percentage employed in technology, engineering and mathematics jobs (24th), 8th grade math scores (25th), and lowest crime rate (28th). Our lowest ranking in which we are tied with South Carolina is lowest infant mortality rate (45th). In most other categories, including wealth per capita, unemployment, poverty, obesity and life expectancy, we are solidly in the high 30s, not an impressive showing by anyone's standards. Clearly the categories selected for review are subjective, but the numbers are real. Interesting, Politico Magazine's rankings differ little from Mencken's more than 80 years ago. Politico awards best state ranking to New Hampshire while Mencken named Massachusetts and Connecticut "the most fortunate American States." And which state winds up at the bottom of the list in both rankings? Poor old Mississippi, whom Mencken described as "without a serious rival to the lamentable preeminence of the Worst American State." Maybe we should count our blessings. … As I write this I am enjoying a quiet day at home, periodically gazing at all the beautiful whiteness outside the warmth of indoors. I made the obligatory grocery run just in time and have thus far cooked two pots of soup and will be starting on split pea with ham shortly. In our neck of the woods, snow and ice pretty much stop us in our tracks, but there is something so peaceful and comfortable about having to drop out for a day or so that makes it quietly wonderful. The busyness of life will be back by the time you read this, so I have chosen to nest at home right now and relax while I have a snowy and icy excuse. I bet you did, too. This, That and the Other by MARGARET DICKSON MARGARET DICKSON, Con- tributing Writer, COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. THIS WEEK WITH MARGARET Anthony Weiner is one of many politicians who have made poor choices in the recent past. Contest&RequestLine: 910-764-1073 www.christian107.com KeepingtheMainThing...theMainThing. visitusonline FocusontheFamily 20Countdown Magazine Adventures in Odyssey Serving Fayetteville For Over 50 Years! 484-0261 1304 Morganton Rd. Mon-Sat: 6am-10pm Sun: 7am-3pm Celebrate Valentine's Day With Us! Valentine's Day Special Surf-n-Turf for Two $39.95 Reservations Accepted