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/737796
OCTOBER 12-18, 2016 UCW 27 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM WEEKLY HOROSCOPE ADVICE GODDESS Wealth Care Crisis A female friend of mine just broke up with her billionaire boyfriend. She told me she wasn't happy. The guy is super-picky about whether you put things back in exactly the right spot and doesn't have the greatest sense of humor. Still, I think she's making the biggest mistake of her life. Doesn't she know how hard it is to find a decent and wealthy man? I'm a happily married woman, so why does this make me so mad? — Irate Even money is subject to what economists call "diminishing marginal utility." This is a term for how the benefit ("utility") we get from each "unit" of a thing we're consuming — like a good or service — decreases for us once we've filled our basic need for it. Norman Li, an evolutionary psychologist who started out in economics, explains this pretty simply: "Enough oxygen to breathe is a lot better than no oxygen, but extra ("marginal") oxygen is not much better than enough. Thus, oxygen has" diminishing marginal utility. Li, helpfully, took an economist's look at mating preferences, meaning he didn't just ask the open-ended question, "So…what would you like in a mate?" Li tested which attributes people would consider necessities (versus luxuries) in a long-term relationship by giving subjects either a tight budget or a generous one to "spend" on various qualities they'd want in a partner. When women (the childbearers and carers of the species) had limited mate-shopping dollars, they allocated most of them to having a Mr. Provider — a man with status and resources — saying "Oh well!" to hunkaliciousness and other qualities. Men on a tight budget disproportionately allocated their mating dollars toward hotitude — not surprising, because beautiful features are like a flashing "Fertile Myrtle!" sign. However, even on a constrained budget, women and men each saw kindness as a must-have — ranking it a close second to their top priority. Getting back to your friend, who's dumping what you see as a perfectly serviceable billionaire, consider that his pickiness and humorlessness may play out as unkindness. Apparently, for her, having, oh, 100 bedrooms on four continents to cry herself to sleep in doesn't make up for that. And consider the view from diminishing marginal utility: "Okay, a billionaire is nice, but maybe I could make do with a funny, easygoing millionaire." To stop being mad, focus on what you have to be grateful for instead of what she's, uh, squandered — a lifetime of 26-hour arguments about how she failed to use the micrometer calipers to return the loofah to its rightful position. Copyright Amy Alkon NEWS OF THE WEIRD by CHUCK SHEPPARD In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, noting a recent uptick in cases of "live-poultry- associated salmonella," repeated its earlier (apparently largely ignored) alert that people should not be kissing chickens (or ducks or turkeys). CDC noted the recent popularity of urban egg farming, but reminded "hipster" farmers and faddish pet patrons that cuddling the animals, or bringing the little darlings into the home (even those that appear clean and friendly), can spread dangerous bacteria for which humans are unprepared. [Huffington Post, 9-16-2016] Suspicions Confirmed A recent working paper by two Louisiana State University economists revealed that the state's juvenile court judges dole out harsher sentences on weeks following a loss by the LSU football team (among those judges who matriculated at LSU). The differences in sentences were particularly stark in those seasons that LSU's team was nationally ranked. (All sentences from 1996 to 2012 were examined, for first- time juvenile offenders, except for murder and aggravated-rape cases.) [New York Magazine, 9-9- 2016] The NCAA's two-year probation handed to Georgia Southern University's football program in July included a note that two football players were given "impermissible" inside help to pass a course. It turns out that even though GSU's former assistant director of student-athlete services stealthily wrote five extra-credit assignments for each of the players, still, neither player was apparently in good enough shape to pass the course. [CBS Sports, 7-7-2016] Awkward A paramedic with the St. Louis Fire Department discovered on Aug. 4 that his car, in the station's parking lot, had been broken into and was missing various items. Minutes after he filed a police report, the station received an emergency call about a pedestrian hit by a car, and the paramedic and crew rushed to the scene. As he was helping the victim, the paramedic noticed that his own gym bag and belongings were strewn about the scene and concluded that the man he was attending to was likely the man who had broken into his car. The paramedic continued to assist the man, and police told the St. Louis Post- Dispatch that they would arrest the man as soon as he was discharged from the hospital. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 8-6- 2016] COPYRIGHT CHUCK SHEPPARD ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, it is time to be on the lookout for fresh financial opportunities. Set new goals for yourself, and put your finances at the top of your priority list. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, don't bother attracting people through false advertising. Instead, be authentic and you will find you garner much more attention and adoration. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, the universe is trying to send you cues this week. But you will only receive these cues if you keep your eyes and ears open. Things may not be what they seem. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, if you want others to open up, you have to start the conversation by sharing something from your heart as well. Make an effort to be more open in the days ahead. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, this week you have the strength and motivation to accomplish your goals. You will sigh with relief when everything gets accomplished on time and in order. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 This week you have a green light to spoil yourself, Virgo. It isn't something you do often, so let loose a little bit and splurge on some luxuries. LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, a dear friend or relative could use your support right about now. Offer a helping hand or even a shoulder to cry on so this special person knows you're there to help. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, make an effort to be a social butterfly in the week ahead. This will quench your thirst to be around others this week. Don't be afraid to reconnect with old friends. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, this is a great week to establish a financial strategy that fits into your lifestyle. If this involves revisiting your professional ambitions, then so be it. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, don't be afraid to shake things up a bit this week. You may not have time to mince words, so don't hesitate to get to the point. Others will appreciate your candor. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 It's time to be your own teacher and become an expert in any subject you desire, Aquarius. Start doing your research and you may be surprised at the discoveries. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, this week you might start seeing a platonic pal in a more amorous way. The affinity you share may be the foundation for a great relationship. Amy Alkon Chuck Sheppard