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/715680
AUGUST 17-23, 2016 UCW 23 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM WEEKLY HOROSCOPE ADVICE GODDESS Casual Coroner I dress like a tomboy: jeans, T-shirts, hoodies and work boots. My boyfriend of a year wants me to wear skirts and dresses more often. Nothing trashy. Just not my usual tomboy wear. This weekend, I wore a sundress to brunch. It made him so happy, and he kept telling me how beautiful I looked. I did feel a little uncomfortable because I'm not used to dressing like that. Some women in my circle are like,"He should accept you as you are. Don't change for a man." Am I giving up some important source of power? — Redressed There are women out there who still see dressing to please a man as some sort of Stockholm Syndrome thing — participating in your own (flouncy, spaghetti-strapped) subjugation. So, it's possible that those advising you "Don't change for a man!" are just trying to help you be a modern and empowered woman. Of course, one could argue that actually being a modern and empowered woman means you don't have to dress like you're hoping to get a call to clean out a sewer line. Maybe those in your advice coven really do believe they're acting in your best interest. Maybe. Social psychologists Roy Baumeister and Jean Twenge report that it's widely believed that men drive the "cultural suppression of female sexuality" — which could include shaming women for how they dress. However, in reviewing the research, they make a persuasive case that it's primarily women (often without awareness of their motives) who work to "stifle each other's sexuality." This is right in keeping with research on female competition. While men fight openly — "Bring it! I will ruin you!" — women take a sneakier approach. As female competition researcher Tracy Vaillancourt explains it, women fight for their interests using "indirect aggression," like gossip, mean looks, disparaging remarks and other underhanded tactics to "reduce the mate value of a rival." Underhanded tactics? You know — like suggesting you're selling out womankind if you wear a skirt or winged eyeliner. In other words, your best interest and these other women's may diverge — though they may not consciously intend to hurt you. As for whether you should throw on a dress from time to time, consider that if you love somebody, you do sweet things for them. Sometimes, this requires a bit of a stretch on your part — like from the teen boys' section of the department store to that rack in the women's department. A person's clothes say a lot about them, and a man will be happier if his girlfriend's don't scream, "My hobby is crushing beer cans against my forehead." Copyright Amy Alkon NEWS OF THE WEIRD by CHUCK SHEPPARD As Americans' fascination with guns grows, so, too, does the market for protection against all those f lying bullets. Texan John Adrain has introduced an upscale sofa whose cushions can stop up to a .44 Magnum fired at close range, and is now at work on bullet-resistant window blinds. Another company, BulletSafe, recently touted its $129 baseball caps (with protection against the same bullets, but only in front) — though the company admits the cap won't prevent concussions. The Colombian suit and vest designer Miguel Caballero offers an array of bullet- and knife-resistant selections, made with Kevlar and Dyneema, which are also used by clothiers BladeRunner and Aspetto (maker of "ballistic tuxedos"). [Bloomberg Business Week, 3-28-2016] [Forbes Magazine, 6-15-2016] Leading Economic Indicators Notorious French derivatives trader Jerome Kerviel was fired in 2010 after his employer (Societe Generale bank) discovered that he had made unauthorized trades worth about $55 billion and then, by forgery and fraud, covered them up. In June, however, Kerviel won a wrongful- discharge case when France's Court of Cassation concluded the bank had "no real and serious" reason to fire him. Actually, the court ordered the bank to pay Kerviel about $500,000 in "performance" bonuses, based on the profit that his rogue trades eventually earned. Even though the bank had spent the equivalent of $5.5 billion unwinding Kerviel's trades, they still made money (because, before the world economy collapsed in 2008, the derivatives business was very good). [New York Times, 6-8-2016] Ronnie Music Jr., 45, won a scratch-off lottery prize last year of $3 million in Waycross, Georgia, and must surely have thought he was on a roll — because he soon f lipped the money into a Georgia methamphetamine gang. The "bet" went sour, and he now faces decades in prison, as he pleaded guilty in July to drug trafficking and firearms violations after his associates were found with $1 million worth of meth and a load of guns. [Atlanta Journal- Constitution, 7-26-2016] COPY R IGHT CHUCK SHEPPA R D ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Focus on your finances in the coming week, Aries. This is not just something that should last this week, but for the rest of the month to get your affairs in order. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you have the opportunity to see yourself more clearly this week. This may help you focus your goals precisely and change your life for the better. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, take some time to review any aspirations you may have pushed aside, especially those pertaining to love. Open your heart instead of turning off feelings. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Surround yourself with friends and loved ones, Cancer. You enjoy spending time with those you love, and time spent that way will make you happier. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, step aside and let someone else shine in the coming days. You enjoy the spotlight, but this person can use a little positive energy coming his or her way. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, it is easy to find yourself pulled in different directions. You want to please everyone at the same time, but that's not always possible. Choose one project. LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Courage will be your secret weapon this week, Libra. When everyone else is backing out of a difficult situation, you will rise to the challenge and show your mettle. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, even if you want to pursue personal interests this week, you may not be able to get any time alone. You may need to put aside these tasks and handle what's in front of you. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Use this week to rededicate yourself to diet and exercise, Sagittarius. Don't be distracted from your fitness goals, and you will begin to feel better immediately. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, enjoy this carefree time when you have little on your plate. Such times may be few and far between, but making the most of them can ensure your happiness. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Celebrate your personal successes this week, Aquarius. You deserve any fanfare that you can get. Escape from your responsibilities and share the moment with loved ones. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Minimize any chaos in your life by trying to get into a schedule. Sticking with a routine will make it easier to juggle your responsibilities. Amy Alkon Chuck Sheppard