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        “Father God I am clay in your hands, help to stay that with through all of life’s demands because they chip and they nag and they pull at me and every little thing I make up my mind to be …. And I pray that I’m an artist that rises above the road that is wide and full of self-love.”
        Those are the words that kick-off Toby Mac’s “Lose My Soul,” one of the singles from his latest offering Portable Sounds. The singer/songwriter, who has been called “one of the 50 most influential evangelical leaders in America,” will headline Winter Jam 2009, one of the biggest Contemporary Christian tours to hit the roads. The 10-week tour brings together some of Christian music’s biggest names for a “house party” that is more about touching the soul than raising the roof.
        {mosimage}In addition to great music, the tour brings evangelist Tony Nolan to the stage to share the word of God in an environment designed to open hearts and change lives. Nolan, the son of a homeless, mentally-ill prostitute, was put in foster care where he suffered unspeakable abuse at the hands of his own foster parents. For the first three years of his life, he was repeatedly sexually abused, brutally beaten and thrown down flights of stairs for sport and burned with cigarettes when he refused to perform perverted sexual acts. At age 3, Tony was adopted by a poor and dysfunctional family for only $200. His adopted father beat and verbally abused Tony regularly. In drunken rages he would often look at Tony in disgust and demand, “Is this all my $200 got me?! I wish I’d never bought you.”
        By the age of 13, he was hooked on drugs and looking for a way out. While contemplating suicide, Nolan was given the word of God, and it not only touched his life, it changed it. Since then, he has seen his role as “helping people get it about God’s great love and salvation.” One way he does that is participating in events like Winter Jam.
        {mosimage}Since its inception, Winter Jam has consistently led Pollstar’s rankings in attendance. This past year was no different. In 2008, the tour averaged 9,172 in nightly attendance, which gave it a ranking of fourth in Pollstar’s first quarter ticket sales, topping Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus, the Police and the Foo Fighters. More important to the event organizers than the numbers is the people whose lives are changed — and that goes beyond ticket sales, but unless people are there, organizers understand they can’t hear the “life changing” gospel of Jesus.
        When you look at the sheer number and fame of the bands on the lineup, you would think the tickets would be through the roof. But that isn’t the case. Winter Jam has, from the beginning, had a “no tickets” policy that allows concert attendees to pay a flat $10 fee at the door for admission. That’s a lot of  bang for your buck.
    Winter Jam comes to the Crown Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 10. The show starts at 6 p.m.
        This year’s lineup includes punk pop group Hawk Nelson, Brandon Heath (the GMA New Artist of the Year,) Francesca Battistelli and Stephanie Smith. At select dates, The Afters, Family Force 5 and BarlowGirl will also be on stage. That kind of lineup makes the wait at the box office well worth the price.
        TobyMac says it is his passion that keeps his music relevant. “Passion for my art drives me so long as I feel the Most High breathing new songs through me,” he said. “Over the years, I have noticed some consistency in what I appeal to God for, like ‘Help me remember what this is all about … God, I don’t want to be that jaded man. I don’t want to be that hardened artist. I want to remain soft in your hands, so that you can shape me into a vessel that you can breathe through’ … I expected great, amazing things while recording this record. I’m not talking about sales or first week numbers or critics. I’m talking about people’s lives being touched.”

    Contact Janice Burton at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

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        By the time this publication hits the street, many of you will be winding down from your holiday shopping and focusing on spending quality family time with your family and friends. For those of you who are not finished with your shopping, good luck!
        At Up & Coming Weekly, we will be finishing up our New Year’s edition, and then taking a much deserved break to spend time with our families. We’ve already had the privilege and pleasure of spending this year with you, our friends.
        Holiday celebrations vary for many in our community, but they all focus on the joy of the season. At my house, the weeks leading up to Christmas are always a little chaotic. We grab hold of every aspect of the season and try to wring every bit of joy out of it. I have to say, for the most part, we succeed.
        {mosimage}We are fortunate. Unlike many in our community we have the benefit of home and hearth and have the economic security to celebrate the season. That isn’t the case for many in our community. This season, as you reflect on your good fortune and the security of family and friends, take a moment to pause and think about those who are less fortunate. Remember them in both word and deed.
        While you are thinking of them, add another thought: Think about our soldiers and airmen who are far from home. Remember their sacrifice and the sacrifices of their families. If you know a military family who is alone this season, think about opening your home to them and welcoming them into your family.
        And when you sit down to share your Christmas feast, say a prayer for those men and women who are standing a line. Pray for their safety, for their well-being both physically and mentally, and give thanks for their willingness to protect all we hold dear.
        As you watch your children or loved ones open their presents with a sparkle in their eye, remember that no matter our faults, we have the gift of freedom. And then remember those who will never understand what an awesome responsibility and privilege that is.
        From the staff at Up & Coming Weekly — Bill, Jean, Tim, Shani, Suzy, Maureen, Sam, Barbara, our distribution team and myself, we wish you and yours the happiest of Christmases and all the best in the upcoming year.
        Merry Christmas!

    Contact Janice Burton at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

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        The Dicksons moved to a new-to-us house in the summer of 2007, after 25 years of raising three children in what I will always think of as our family home.
        I understood then and there that we Dicksons have way too much stuff.
        Too many clothes. Too many books and magazines. Too many appliances. Too much of just about everything.
        {mosimage}None of us could explain where all these belongings had come from, who bought  them and why, even who was using them, if anyone. Why, for example, did my little family have a half dozen hair dryers stashed in various bathroom cabinets and more gift bags at the ready than we were likely to have gifts to give? Why had I continued to buy cans of tuna when I had more than 10 in the pantry, some of which had been there so long, their expiration dates had passed? Why did we still have broken toys and video games which fit into players we no longer had even though the children were in college or beyond?
        It was a real learning experience in the American way of excess.
        Now we are, again, in the season of what has become even more glorious excess. This financially trying year, though, there will not be as much stuff for many of us. Retailers, of course, see that as a negative situation, and slower sales will have repercussions across our troubled economy.
        Those of us who have become accustomed to massive holiday receiving may be disappointed this year, but I am trying hard to see opportunity here, an opportunity to take stock of what we do have and how and why we got it and what we really need.
        Many of the gifts I did buy this season, I bought with various credit cards. This has not always been the case, though. As a teenager shopping in downtown Fayetteville, everything I bought I had to pay for with cash. When I got a little older and into the working world, I paid for my purchases with checks. Either way, I had to have the cash in hand to make my purchases.
        Easy credit changed all that.
        With the simple whipping out of a little plastic card, we can now become proud owners of our heart’s material desires whether we really have the cash to pay for them or not, which is how many of us wound up with all our stuff. We have become a nation with little self-restraint about what we purchase. That “stuff” has taken on an importance far out of proportion to what it really means in our lives. That fact came home to me in the most visceral way when I heard the news story about the Wal-Mart greeter, a man over 6 feet tall, who was trampled to death on Black Friday by a crowd of shoppers who literally killed for a bargain.
    What earthly possession could possibly be worth participating in that?
        Our preoccupation with consumption is paradoxical. While millions of Americans have stuff, we are also in need. We have possessions galore at the same time really basic and critical needs are not met. This season we are seeing people with plenty of the paraphernalia of modern American life heading to food banks to provide for their families. We see our fellow Americans losing their homes full of stuff to foreclosure because they took advantage of too-easy credit. We see people with plenty of possessions foregoing needed prescriptions because they cannot afford them and have no health insurance coverage to help. We see students, many of them first generation college goers, who will not return to their institutions of higher learning for the coming semester because student loan monies have dried up.
        As difficult as all this is right now, I believe that it is our opportunity, even if we are being forced to look at it kicking and screaming, to take stock of what is really important to us. My family is healthy, and we are together this holiday season. We have a house, and we are warm and anticipating another meal. We have vehicles to get us places and, at least for now, gasoline available to power them.
        Life is not perfect to be sure, but many of us are increasingly thankful our basic needs and many of our wants are being met. The coming year and perhaps beyond is going to bring tough days for many Americans and for millions of people in other parts of the world, and none of us can take our own well being or our material possessions for granted.
        My hope for the days ahead is that we will emerge from our financial distress, whenever that may be, a country refocused on the values that made our nation great, and that American families will be reminded that the most valuable possessions are not things, but the time and care we give each other.
        As you ponder what is most dear in your life, I can almost promise you it will not be something you bought with a credit card.

    Contact Margaret Dickson at editor@upandcomingweekly.com








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        Let us now consider Christmas foods. It takes a big man to admit when he is wrong. So I seldom can admit to being wrong even when confronted with overwhelming evidence. The pecan log in my eye is seldom as noticeable as the fruitcake in the eye of my neighbor. However, I recently heard John Lennon’s Christmas song and had a moment of clarity. Ponder John’s lyrics: “So this is Christmas/And what have you done/Another year over/A new one’s just begun.”
        {mosimage}After hearing John, I resolved to start the year by getting right with fruitcakes.
        I admit to being an anti-fruitcakeite. It’s an ugly admission but I want to move on. I hereby and forthwith offer my sincere and humble apologies to fruitcakes everywhere. Many individuals actually enjoy making their own fruitcakes at home. The king of all fruitcake producers is the Claxton Fruit Cake company in Georgia. I particularly apologize to the Claxton Fruitcake Company — a company about which I have made bad jokes for periods of time from which the memory of man runneth not. I vow never to make another joke about fruitcakes. I do not extend that courtesy to the state of New Jersey, however. Whenever I am introduced to someone from New Jersey I will always ask them “What exit?” This stupid joke never fails to amuse me and irritate some innocent Yankee.
        In the interest of full disclosure, let me explain my long and tortured history with fruitcakes. When I was a lad, my sainted mother Sally Dickey would always obtain several Claxton fruitcakes for the Christmas season. We were compelled to eat fruitcake. I lived in a fruitcake nightmare. She would give fruitcakes as Christmas presents. I cannot remember a time in which Santa and fruitcake did not share equal Christmas billing in our home. The fruitcakes always beat Santa to the house and remained long after he had reindeered off to the North Pole. Fruitcakes would lurk in our refrigerator in July.
        As I grew older, I became suspicious of fruitcake. I realized that unlike fruitcake, not all cakes had the consistency of concrete. I began to wonder what those little green things were that inhabited the fruitcake. There are no clear green fruits in nature. Could they be thin slices of space aliens from Mars? Were fruitcake companies conducting some hideous biological experiments on secret farms surrounded by armed guards in which they raised clear green fruit to feed Americans? How could fruitcakes remain just as good two years after they were purchased as they were the day they came home from the grocery store? Was fruitcake one word or two? Should people eat a cake that can double as a door stop or be used as a baseball bat? The house of fruitcake has many unanswered questions.
        At Christmas we would travel from Fayetteville to my grandparent’s home in Washington, D.C. This trip meant stopping at Stuckey’s. I will always associate the elegant and delicious Stuckey’s pecan log with Christmas. We would purchase a pecan log and share it in the car on the long trip in the days before President Eisenhower created the interstate highway system.
        Stuckey’s was the home of the most amazing Christmas presents imaginable: ceramic donkeys, goofy license plates and the magic drinking bird who would repeatedly dip his beak into a glass of water. My personal favorite was the chicken with the thermometer protruding from his tail feathers. The chicken thermometer was truly the epitome of western civilization. Any nation which could mass produce chicken thermometers was guaranteed by Manifest Destiny to invent adjustable rate mortgages. What boy would not want a chicken thermometer? A chicken thermometer was hilarious and yet totally functional to measure the Fahrenheit around a slice of fruit cake.
        My reason to apologize to fruitcakes is that the lowly fruitcake is the only thing that has held its value all these years. Consider the stock market and your house. Are they worth as much now as last Christmas? The fruitcake holds its value. You can build a house out of fruitcakes if you have enough. If times get really tough during the coming deflation you can even eat fruitcake. Fruitcakes of America I salute you.
    Merry Christmas.

    Contact Pitt Dickey at editor@upandcomingweekly.com
     
     

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        Contaminated water flowing into the homes of some Cumberland County residents could soon receive a clean bill of health thanks to action taken by the Cumberland County Commissioners.
    At last week’s regular meeting, the commissioners pledged $47,000 to study the feasibility of bringing clean, public water from Robeson County to more than 100 homes in the Southport subdivision; residents of that community had complained of tainted, foul tasting drinking water.
        The $47,000 will be paid to Lumberton engineering firm Koonce, Noble and Associates to design a water transport system that would go out for bids. Early estimates for the system are in excess of $650,000, though the county hasn’t announced plans on how to pay for the system. If the homes that will receive the clean water are required to foot the bill, it would cost each household approximately $5,700.
        Public Utilities Director Tom Cooney says that if the cost is to be covered by the affected households, the more than approximately 100 homes making up the Southport subdivision could have help: Cooney said a number of people living on or near Chickenfoot Road have called his office to say they would be interested in a public water hookup.
        “There are some problems with water quality in that area and the folks are very much interested in it,” said Cooney.
        {mosimage}A subcommittee will be formed to make recommendations to the commissioners about the payment options for the extension of water service to the Southport subdivision.
        Cooney said Koonce, Noble and Associates evaluated five possible options for the Southport subdivision, including extending water from Bladen County or having Cumberland County install a well system and storage tank on its own and provide limited water service to that area; Cooney said these options were considered unfeasible because Bladen is not prepared at this time to provide the needed water, while the latter option was considered too expensive to implement — such an option would cost an estimated $855,000. There was also an option considered to extend service from PWC’s line from Chickenfoot Road; however, Cooney said that option was deemed unworkable because that location is two miles further from the Southport subdivision than Robeson County and would not include a large number of residences or properties on it to help offset the costs.
        Cooney said the Robeson County extension has the potential to serve 113 properties along the route.
        The contaminated water issue came to the attention of the commissioners last February, motivating the board to form a Safe Water Task Force.
        The commissioners and the Safe Water Task Force have since discussed the feasibility of a countywide water system. Counties surrounding Cumberland, including Hoke, Robeson, Bladen and Harnett, already have countywide water systems. It is expected that the county will request that Koonce, Noble and Associates look into the cost of such a system.
        “Ten months ago, we just found out about this, and tonight we’re addressing it,” said Commissioner Breeden Blackwell. “I think that’s remarkable for us to bring about that quick a turnaround. I ask the county’s residents to be patient with us because I know we’re all interested in eventually getting a countywide water system.”

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com




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        Chad Collins is the winningest and most highly decorated goaltender in Fayetteville FireAntz history. He is playing in his fifth season with the club and has accumulated quite an impressive 83-48-14 record. In addition to the wins and losses, Collins has racked up quite a list of accomplishments while wearing a FireAntz jesey.
        The 2004-05 campaign — Collins’ rookie season and first with the FireAntz — was a productive one for the young netminder. He ended the season with a 25-13-0 record, a 2.48 goals against average and a .922 save percentage. Collins also collected some league hardware during his rookie year. He won Goaltender of the Year, Rookie of the Year, First Team All-SPHL and two Player of the Week awards, as well as a Player of the Month Award.
        {mosimage}After a highly-decorated rookie campaign, Collins spent the majority of the 2005-06 season in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), splitting time with three teams. He returned late in the season to the FireAntz and was superb down the stretch for the club. Though he posted an 8-5-3 record, he had a miniscule 2.06 goals against average with a whopping .941 save percentage.
        Collins entered the 2006-07 season with his mind set on one goal: the SPHL President’s Cup. The goaltender played in an astonishing 45 of the team’s 56 regular season games and broke his own franchise record for wins in a season with 27. He ended the regular season with a stellar 27-12-5 record, an .897 save percentage and a 3.34 goals against average. But it wasn’t in the regular season where Collins would shine the most, it was in the President’s Cup Playoffs. He was an “iron man” in between the pipes for the club, going 7-1 with a 2.60 goals against average and a .924 save percentage en route to leading his team to the championship and earning the Most Valuable Player award.
        Collins’ impact on the FireAntz extends well beyond the confines of the ice rink of the Crown Coliseum. He has served as the spokesman for the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center’s blood drive campaign for the past two years; making several appearances throughout the community urging people to donate. Children in the community have always been high on Collins’ priority list, and he has made dozens of appearances at local schools and youth functions during his tenure with the club.
        Collins returns to the FireAntz with renewed vigor this season to continue to be a star on the ice and a role model off of it. Expect to see a lot of  Collins with the FireAntz this season and, hopefully, many seasons to come.

    Contact Jason Fleming at editor@upandcomingweekly.com 

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        There are many traditions that are held dear in the celebration of the new year, but none is as ingrained in the Southern psyche as the traditional meal of black-eyed peas, collards and pork. For many, it’s a tradition that has been handed down for generations. For J. Lee Warren, the Cumberland County Register of Deeds, and Ed Grannis, the district attorney, it’s a tradition worth savoring.
        {mosimage}On Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009, the duo will host the 16th annual Black-Eyed Pea dinner at the Crown Expo Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. And yes, before you ask, there will be plenty of black-eyed peas, collards, barbecue and candied yams, all designed to bring a prosperous 2009 to the residents of Cumberland County.
        “It is not a political event,” said Warren, who actually organized the event 16 years ago with Owen Spears of the N.C. House of Representatives. “Both Ed and I agree that too many times politicians are only seen when they are running for office. We don’t want to be associated with that idea — so we host this annual dinner to let folks know we care about them and what they have to say.”
        The dinner, which cannot be put on without the help of a lot of volunteers, brings the community together for an afternoon of fellowship and fun. “A lot of people come year after year,” said Warren. “When you’re standing there in line talking to people and shaking hands, you realize that for many of those people, this is the only hot meal they are going to get that day. So it makes it very important to us.”
        Warren said in addition to the great food, there will be great gospel music and conversation. Several thousand people attend each year, with the numbers going up significantly when New Years falls during the middle of the week or on Sunday. “If New Years is on a weekend, attendance drops a little because people go out of town,” said Warren. “That isn’t the case when it’s in the middle of the week or on Sundays.”
        While Warren can’t really give you the origins of the traditional foods, he is quick to tell you the origin of the dinner. “Sheriff Otis Jones and Willis Brown, a local attorney, held the dinner for years and years at the coliseum,” he explained. “After the sheriff died, the event stopped as well. When I was first elected in 1992, I was sitting in my dad’s office with Owen talking about the fact that we wanted to do something with the community. My dad said, ‘Boys, the black-eyed pea dinner would be a good event,’ and we’ve been doing it ever since.”
        After Spears dropped out of the political arena, Warren asked Grannis to join him, and for the past 13 years they’ve been bringing in the new year in style. The event is free and open to the public — no matter what your political leanings may be.
        As to the reason behind the traditional foods, Snopes.com explains it this way: The eating of black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will attract both good luck and financial prosperity. While collards and pork are added to the mix, the peas seem to be the key. That’s not to knock the pork. Pork is considered lucky because “poultry scratches forward, a cow stands still, but a pig roots forward, ergo those who dine upon pork will be moving forward in the new year. Conversely, the eating of chicken or turkey on New Year’s results in poverty as fowl scratch in the dirt for their dinner.

    Contact Janice Burton at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

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         A time of gathering, a time of reverence, a time of commemoration, a time of commitment and a time of celebration — these are the fundamental beliefs that mark the celebration of Kwanzaa.
        For those not in the know, Kwanzaa is an African-American holiday that celebrates family, community and culture. In the United States, the holiday is celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. Locally, Kwanzaa will be celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 27, from 5-8 p.m. at Reid Ross Classical School.
        {mosimage}The annual event brings the community together to honor its heritage and culture. It is sponsored by the Umoja Group, which is dedicated to preserving and celebrating African-American history and heritage. The group, whose name means “unity” in Swahili, organizes annual Kwanzaa and Umoja festivals and a commemoration of the birth of Malcolm X. There will be traditional dancing, food, a parade of kings and queens, as well as the lighting of the seven pillars, which are the foundations of the celebration, according to event organizers.
        The event has its roots in ancient Egyptian and Nubian celebrations of the harvest or first fruits. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “Matunda ya Kwanza,” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. While it is celebrated throughout the African word, Kwanzaa celebrations began in America 42 years ago. Kwanzaa was established in 1966 as an offshoot of the Black Freedom Movement. The Organization Us founded Kwanzaa celebrations in the United States under the leadership of Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of African Studies at California State University, Long Beach, to reaffirm and restore the African-American roots in African culture, to serve as a communal celebration to reaffirm and reinforce bonds between African-Americans as a people and to introduce and reinforce the Nguzo Saba (the Seven Principles) that are communitarian African values.
        The seven principles celebrated during Kwanzaa are: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).
        The last day of Kwanzaa is Jan. 1. Historically, as it is in all cultures, it has been a time for African people to reflect on what has happened and what has to be done. It is a time of self-reflection. In the modern celebration of Kwanzaa, the new year is deemed a Day of Meditation.
        There is no cost to participate in the Kwanzaa celebrations; however, participants are asked to bring a covered dish to share with their neighbors. For more information, call 488-7130 or 488-6152.

    Contact Janice Burton at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

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        With Christmas plans probably locked in, you might want to start focusing on the best way to ring in the New Year.     For some, that might be a quiet night at home with friends and family or maybe a trip to the beach. For those who want to ring in the New Year with a little flair, you don’t have to look too far. Many of Fayetteville’s eateries and night spots are primed to help you celebrate in style.
       {mosimage} If your idea of a wild night stops at dinner time, why not try out one of Fayetteville’s newest dining establishments? At Locks Creek Seafood Grill and Oyster Bar, the staff is offering a few New Year’s specials: prime rib, salmon filet stuffed with crab meat or a pork dish. Seatings for the New Year’s Eve meals are at 6, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Seating is by reservation only, with each dinner running $29.99. Call 323-5625 for more information.
        If you are more of a night owl, you may want to check out one of these fabulous events:
        The Holiday Inn Bordeaux is offering the most extensive, and probably most formal affair in the city. According to Ramona Moore, the director of sales, this is the third annual New Year’s Gala at the hotel. “It is a dressy event,” said Moore. “Not formal, but it’s not jeans either. It’s the kind of event where you can dress up and have fun.”
        The party starts at 8 p.m. and runs through 1 a.m. It features heavy hors d’oeuvres, party favors, souvenir champagne glass and a pony bottle of champagne to toast in the New Year.
    Perennial favorite Northtower will peform a mix of Top 40, Oldies, Beach and Rock music for dancing. And, if you party a little too hard, you can purchase an overnight ticket that not only guarantees you room at the inn, but also brunch the next day.
        Tickets for the event must be purchased in advance: Couple tickets for the overnight package are $209. Tickets without the overnight option are $159. Single tickets are $159 and $109 respectively. All members of the military receive a 10 percent discount.
    “The party keeps growing every year, and we look forward to a great event,” said Moore.
    For reservations, call the Holiday Inn at 323-0111.
        Down on Hay Street, things are going to be jumping as well.
        At the Keys Piano Bar three piano players will be on hand to entertain and delight the crowd. Steve Monroe, Frankie Allen and Richard Wojack will be taking requests all night long. Owners of the establishment are quick to point out that the bar and the show are all about audience participation. So, if you head to the Keys, be prepared to sing, clap and dance along.
        The evening’s entertainment will include a countdown at midnight with a champagne toast, heavy hors d’oeuvres and party favors. There will also be drink specials all night long. The bar is currently taking reservations for tables, but they are going fast. The standard reservation fee of $25 is still applicable, but there is an additional $25 admission fee.     For more information, call 483-3854.
        Up the street at Docks, you’re going to want to put on your dancing shoes, as Pete Everett and the Total Package take the stage at 7 p.m. After you are warmed up, Deejay Rayn will take over and will rock the club from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. Tickets are $40 for couples and $25 for singles. A $15 upgrade includes a breakfast buffet after the complimentary champagne toast at midnight. For more information, call 423-6257 (DOCKS).
        Just down the road, The Rock Shop is celebrating its second anniversary with New Year’s Evil. Not one, not two, but five bands will help you ring in the New Year. Featured that night are Malicious Intent, Gasoline, All She Wrote, Bound ‘n Gagged and Rot Gut Likker. There will be a mixed-drink toast at midnight, according to Sean Adkins, The Rock Shop’s owner. “It’s going to be big. You might want to get in early before it sells out.”
        The music will start at 8 p.m. and there is a $10 cover. Oh, one thing you might want to know — dressing up evil is strongly suggested. For more info, call 321-7625.
        Across town at the Big Apple, the deejay will spin tunes all night long. The party will start early, with early bird tickets (admission from 9-11 p.m.) costing $15 and tickets purchased after 11 costing $20. Free party favors, a champagne toast and balloon drop with prizes will be the highlight of the evening. For more information, call 868-5559.
        At Legend’s Pub there will be food, party favors and a midnight toast. Deejay Little John will keep the party going with a mix of rock, some dance and a little country. For the real party animal, the pub opens at 1 p.m. in the afternoon, so go early and stay late — of course, the real party won’t start until 8 p.m. For more info, call 867-2364.
        On Owen Drive, The Fifth will ring in the New Year at the Doghouse Bar & Grill. There will be the customary champagne toast at midnight and party favors for the  $10 cover. The kitchen will be open all night long for those who get a little hungry. The party should kick off in the afternoon, but The Fifth won’t come on until 10 p.m. There is no dress code for the event, and you will be able to watch the ball drop on one of the club’s many televisions.
        Over at Huske Hardware, there will be a live deejay, dancing, drink specials and a New Year’s Countdown.
    The Blue Moon Cafe will offer a full menu, as well as tappas specials and a wine and champagne toast at midnight.


    You can contact Janice Burton at editor@aupandcomingweekly.com

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        In a holiday season known for families and friends getting together to renew old ties, it’s only fitting that a group of musicians united by deeply planted Fayetteville roots and a love for all things rock ‘n’ roll would come together for a little Christmas “jam” to go along with the traditional fruitcake and hot cider.
        {mosimage}On Dec. 26, a host of rockers, bluesmen and soul stirrers will come together at Broadstreet Café and Billiards for the Holiday Reunion Jam — an event that has brought musicians who share a Cumberland County connection back to Fayetteville to rock the season for more than 25 years.
        The event has become the lovechild of local musician Morris Cardenas and producer/soundman/stagehand extraordinaire Terry Shea of i4i Productions for the past six or seven years, with the pair — along with an army of volunteers and sponsors — bringing music to the masses in this season of merry making and mistletoe.
        “Many moons ago me and Terry met another guy who was having a holiday or Christmas jam,” said Cardenas, who will be rocking the event with his group, the Borderland Band. “He left town, so to keep tradition going and keep the spirit of all people who are in town for Christmas and New Years, we sort of picked it up and ran with it as a way to reunite all these diverse musicians who are from Fayetteville or who got started here.
    “We don’t mean just a musical jam but a jam of people because a lot of us don’t see each other unless, it seems, at some special event or a funeral now. These are people we’ve all known since we were kids. And now we’re just big kids.”
        In addition to Cardenas and the Borderland Band, which performs original songs, as well as jamming on classic rock concoctions by such heavyweights as the Allman Brothers and Santana, bands that will be laying down the bottom and the beat at the Holiday Reunion Jam include:
        •Joyner, Young, and Marie — a soulful and hard rocking trio famous for its tight three-part harmonies and bluesy guitar sound. Danny Young and Bill Joyner are both Fayetteville musicians who joined up with vocalist Marie Dennis to form one of the region’s most popular acts.
        •The five-piece outfit Big Mama E and the Cool hails from Raleigh and plays rock ‘n’ roll with a Southern rhythm and blues influence. Guitarist Mike Edwards is a Fayetteville boy known for his fiery chops. The band has been performing in the Triangle area since 1997.
        •Helping you get your Christmas blues on will be local guitar slinger Bob Steele, who will “steel” around the strings, bringing gritty ax work and even grittier vocals to the stage.
        •Superdrive will keep the tradition of such power trios as Cream and Beck, Bogart and Appice alive when it takes the stage to perform a mix of blues, soul and funk. Superdrive is comprised of Bryan Shaw (bass, lead vocals), J.D. Shaw (drums, lead vocals) and Clay Singletary (guitar, backing vocals); the Shaw brothers were raised right here in Fayetteville.
        •Bringing some young blood to the event is Raleigh-based Fathers & Sons, which boasts a pair of “old fogies” — Richard Allman and David Diffee, backed by their sons, Derek Allman and Allen Diffee — playing original songs that smack of influences as diverse as Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Neil Young and Ben Harper. Their excellent CD, Temporarily Breathing, was given a four star rating in these very pages several months ago.
        •Local legendary guitarists Don Euler and Steve Watson will also be joining in on the jam, while singer-songwriter and local radio personality Dave Stone —  aka “Stoney” of FM 96.5’s  “The Drive” — will do the hosting duties.
        Though the guys behind the show bring in “new blood” every year to spice up the musical mix, as well as encouraging younger music fans to attend the event, longtime participants such as guitarist Cliff Bender of the Borderland Band say it’s the blasts from the past that really make the show what it is.
        “We all get to hear music we haven’t heard for years,” said Bender. “Some of these bands will get together and we’ll get in the audience and just listen to these bands. You don’t get to hear live music anymore … you don’t get to hear stuff like old Little Feat.
        “It’s so much fun we (the Borderland Band) cut our Christmas vacation in Ohio short and drove 16 hours and walked right on the stage. It’s just cool to hear the old music and see the old guys.”
        Danny Young, guitarist for Joyner, Young, and Marie, also looks forward to reuniting with old friends to play some of that good, old time old rock ‘n’ roll.
        “The thing I love about the jam is seeing old familiar faces,” said Young. “People that I grew up with seeing them play or being in bands with.
        “I am really looking forward to seeing and playing with Steve Watson this year,” said Young. “He and I played together back in the early ‘70s. I am really looking forward to the jam this year. The last two years I was so sick I couldn’t stay to enjoy the rest of the music as much as I wanted to. But I took my flu shot this year and so far so good!”
        Young’s bandmate, Bill Joyner, has similar feelings about the Jam.
        “I’ve been at most of them and, to be honest, listening is as much fun as playing,” said Joyner. “Although Fayetteville has had its share of exceptionally talented musicians, there have been very few successful bands to come out of the area. Right after Christmas is our time for a special fellowship. It’s almost like the way you wish your high school reunion would be. I saw some people there last year that I haven’t seen in 25 years, and I can’t wait to see what’s happening this year.”
        Getting back together with old friends and fperforming live music is the only compensation the musicians receive — no one is paid for the gig. They do it for the love and the music … and the appreciation of a live audience.
    Several hundred people showed up for last year’s show, and Cardenas says he’s looking for an even bigger turnout this year — a turnout that he says is vital not only to help support the musicians, but the entire Fayetteville music scene.
        “If we don’t have an audience for this show and other shows in Fayetteville, live music won’t be around much longer,” said Cardenas. “The community has to show its support for these types of events. We already know we can play, but we want people to come out, especially the younger generation, to see us play.”
        You can heed Cardenas’ pleas by showing up at Broadstreet Café and Billiards around 3 p.m. The show goes on until 1 a.m. And unlike past years, the “jam” will be put back into the Holiday Reunion Jam, with an hour to two set aside for the band members to get together onstage and show just how well they play with others.
    For more info on the Holiday Reunion Jam, visit www.myspace.com/theholidayreunionjam.

    Contact Tim Wilkins at tim@upandcomingweekly.com














     
     






     
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  • Details
        {mosimage}For several weeks the city-appointed Fayetteville Museum of Art Task Force has been meeting to resolve issues surround the location for the new museum. Other than answering questions directed to them by the task force, museum officials have had little to say about the process. Museum Director Tom Grubb sat down with Up & Coming Weekly recently to talk about the task force, the vision of the museum and the state of the arts in the community.
        “The task force was established politically,” said Grubb, “and as such, it has a political agenda. What everyone seems to be missing is that there is a contract between the city and the museum. In a contract, both parties agree to move forward and make things happen. The task force doesn’t fit into that.”
        According to Grubb, when the initial agreement was reached between the museum and the City of Fayetteville, the city asked that the museum provide additional parking for the park and other infrastructure improvements at the site.
        “The museum has only done what we thought the elected officials and the community wanted us to do,” he said.
    He contends that behind the scenes and “closed door” meetings were held with the express purpose of preventing the museum from receiving the deeds to the property. Grubb said the first deed was turned over to the museum in April ‘07. When the second deed was not forthcoming, he made numerous trips to the city hall to check on it, finally being told by city staffers that they were told not to ask about the deed again. “It was at that point that the idea of the task force came up and the press became involved,” said Grubb, adding that prior to, and since its formation, museum officials have been pressured to return the first deed to the city.
        Of the task force, Grubb noted, “It’s hard to control something like a task force once it gets started. We let the city know that we would participate and cooperate with the task force, but we really see it as an obstacle to the fulfillment of the contract.”
        He noted that the since the task force has started deliberating sites, the sites they are focusing on are either in the park or close to the park. “It will be really interesting to see if the city listens to the task force if they recommend the museum be built inside the park,” said Grubb.
        He added that the museum has already agreed to a compromise on the location of the museum, with the site moving back closer to Ray Avenue. “There seems to be some growing support for that site,” he said.
    When asked about the museum’s ability to support the facility financially, Grubb explained that the museum board had taken a hard look at the financial ramifications of the move. “We had experts come in and help us develop a business plan and a budget,” said Grubb. “We programmed more than 12,000 square feet of revenue-generating space into the design. This museum is not going to be a box with art in it. That’s the old design for a museum. This museum is going to be a gathering place.”
        The revenue-generating space Grubb referenced is a full-service restaurant, a cafe, a catering service and a multi-purpose meeting room, which can be rented out for meetings. Acknowledging that the museum knows art, not the restaurant business, Grubb said the restaurant, cafe and catering service would all be business partnerships with experts in those fields running those businesses. The leases for those facilities would help cover the additional costs of operating the new facility.
        Grubb acknowledges that many in the city are afraid of getting burned if the museum cannot fund the facility. When asked if the museum could find itself in the same position as the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, unable to pay its debt to the city, Grubb said he doesn’t believe the museum will ever be in that position, but noted that the city has benefited and will continue to benefit from the ASOM, despite its initial financial problems.
        One of the many questions that has been raised over the course of the discussions concerning the museum is: Who would actually own Festival Park? Many people are concerned that the museum would program, and thus control the park. Grubb said that is not the case. “We would not interfere with events in the park,” he said. “There is nothing that is currently done in the park that won’t be able to be done when the museum is there.”
        He said museum officials are aware of people’s concerns regarding the International Festival and the Dogwood Festival. “From the beginning of the design of the park, it was never expected that the whole festival would be held in the park,” he said. “For events like that, it’s all about staging. Both events have moved further up Ray Avenue and closer to Hay Street. We could be an asset to those events by bringing world-class exhibits that tie in with the themes.”
        When asked about the museum’s ability to raise the $13 million needed to construct the facility, Grubb noted that the task force and the controversy has put a damper on fundraising, but feels that once the issue is resolved the museum can be successful. “In July people were paying $147 for oil, now they are paying $43. So we don’t know what’s around the corner. If we put together a good product, and if the community works together, we can make it happen,” he said. “We have a good product. We are flexible. We have been providing a wonderful service to this community for 35 years, and it’s sad to see that being undermined and discredited. That’s what I find shameful in this whole process.”
        And while Grubb can’t pinpoint the source of the discord or the agenda, he is excited about the discussions. “Can you imagine this kind of discussion and dialogue about the arts occurring in Fayetteville?” he said. “We may be in the dark here, but when we get this right, the museum is going to be a light that shines brighter than anything.”

  • Details
        I went out briefly (three months) with an unbelievably charming and confidant man who treated me horribly and turned out to be a major player. He canceled dates at the last minute, constantly flirted with other girls when we were out, and had a pattern of ignoring me for weeks, then texting “What’s up?” at 2 a.m. to see if he could come over. I finally stopped seeing him. Two years later, out of nowhere, he nonchalantly sent me a birthday message on Facebook: “Happy birthday, lady.” I was enraged. My impulse was to write back asking why he thinks he can treat me so badly, then casually saunter back into my life with such a generic message. Should I? A friend thinks so, as this guy has gotten away with treating women terribly for too long, and somebody needs to take a stand!
    — Not Having It

        Come on, do you really think this guy is only a player because he has yet to get written notification of the error of his ways? I guess it’s like hitting a pedestrian while driving. Sometimes you simply have no idea until you stop at the light, and somebody frantically motions you to roll down your window, then breaks the bad news. “Gee, thanks!” you tell him. “I thought I was just in serious need of a car wash until you pointed out the bleeding victim spread-eagled across my windshield.”
        You were seeing this guy of your own free will; you don’t mention him arriving at your house, pulling a gun and snarling, “Dinner and a movie or your life!” Yet, two years later, you must have one tired finger because you’re still pointing it at him. The leopard showed you his spots. In fact, he repeatedly rubbed your nose in his spots, then texted you at 2 a.m. to see if he could pop by for an hour or two to do it again. While it’s easier on the ego to blame him, let’s be honest - the guy doesn’t treat women badly; he treats women who put up with it badly: “Hi, my name is Welcome, need a good place to wipe your feet?”
        As for why he thinks he can “casually saunter” into your life after treating you like his backup booty call; frankly, his thinking probably isn’t that complex. Either he was cruising around Facebook and saw your birthday alert  — “Oh, yeah...her” — or, like a used car salesman in a slow period, he went back through his customer list to see who might be in the market for the same old crap.
        Go ahead and write back — if your goal is giving him and his buddies a good laugh about how, after all this time, you’re still emotionally rooted in his shallow soil. But, you protest, “Somebody needs to take a stand!” Sure they do - against genocide, world hunger and people who pull out of parallel parking, scrape your back bumper and drive off. You, on the other hand, need to take a seat and figure out why you stuck around as he constantly canceled dates, macked on other girls right in your face and ignored you until he needed a little something at 2 a.m. Sadly, self-reflection doesn’t offer the weight-loss opportunity of a hunger strike or the media coverage you’d get by taking up residence in one of his trees. But, reform is reform: Give peace a chance! Speak truth to power! When the phone rings, and it’s him, let it go to voicemail! (“Hey, hey, ho, ho! ‘Hey, ho!’ has got to go!”)

  • Details
        Change Oregonians Believe In: The voters of Sodaville (pop. 290) elected Thomas Brady Harrington, 33, mayor in November, notwithstanding his criminal rap sheet showing robbery, eluding a police officer, felon in possession of a gun and other crimes (with his electoral success perhaps due to voters’ confusing him with his father, a respected town elder).
        And the voters of Silverton (pop. 7,400) elected as mayor Stu Rasmussen, 60, an openly transgendered, longtime resident who previously served as mayor while a man but who now sports breasts and dresses exclusively as a woman (especially miniskirts and cleavage-enhancing tops). Actually, Rasmussen still describes himself as a man and lives with his longtime girlfriend, but explained his switch as just his particular “mid-life crisis.”

    Compelling Explanations
        “I’m really sorry.... I thought he was just tired,” said Lynne Stewart, who was arrested in West Melbourne, Fla., in October and charged with stealing items from a 56-year-old, unconscious man who in fact had just suffered a fatal heart attack during sex with Stewart. She blamed her larceny on a cocaine binge that impaired her judgment such that (according to a police commander) she had sex with 20 men that weekend. (However, she was not charged with prostitution. Said the commander, “No, she just likes sex.”)
        Lame: A woman being interviewed for jury duty on a murder case in Bronx (N.Y.) Supreme Court in October asked to be excused for the reason that she was once murdered, herself, by her husband (but had somehow been revived by a doctor). (She was dismissed from the jury, but on other grounds.)
        In a recent report of DUI excuses in the Swedish newspaper, Nerikes Allehanda, a 56-year-old woman had asserted that, though she had been drinking, her driving was not affected because she had remembered to keep one eye closed so as not to be seeing double.

    Ironies
        Hummer H2 driver Yvonne Sinclair, 29, was convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter in November in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., from a 2006 crash that killed two people and in which her intoxication was a major factor. Sinclair had bought the Hummer from proceeds of a lawsuit settlement over the 2003 death of her boyfriend, who was killed by a drunk driver.
        Strange Justice: The Saudi Arabia delegation to the United Nations sponsored a conference on religious tolerance in November. (Not only does the kingdom employ a police force “on the prevention of vice and the promotion of virtue,” but it is accused of widespread internal discrimination against disfavored Islamic sects.)

  • Details
        Want to make it a Merry Christmas for your favorite motorcyclist?
        Looking for that perfect gift for your Harley ridin’ guy or gal?
        It’s that most special time of the year at Cape Fear Harley-Davidson, and Parts Manager Duke Durham says the dealership, located on Sycamore Dairy Road, has something for every level of rider and every budget.
        “Some of our hottest sellers include bike covers and cleaning products,” said Durham. “And a big seller for us is a cycle dryer, which looks like a lawn blower and sells for about $40. It really gets the nooks and crannies of your bike dry after you wash it. I won a cycle dryer in a contest and I use it all the time.”{mosimage}
        Durham says that in the parts department, he finds that a lot of bikers come in this time of year to treat themselves to new exhausts or horsepower upgrades — he cited a customer who recently purchased $4,000 worth of new wheels.  Other items of note that are hot this time of year include new windshields, timer and derby covers, and, for the undecided or uninitiated in the world of motorcycles, Durham says gift cards are always a good idea, especially for the wives of bike owners.
        “A lot of wives come in and buy gift cards and other stuff for their husbands,” said Durham. “And we get a lot of secretaries who buy stuff for their bosses who ride, especially the cycle blowers.”
        Over in the customer service portion of Cape Fear Harley-Davidson, Sabrina Hunt says you can find just about anything you want affixed with a Harley-Davidson logo.
        “We’ve got Harley-Davidson-licensed versions of the board game Monopoly and Jenga, as well as clocks, cabinets and other unique gifts with the Harley-Davidson logo,” said Hunt. “Our collectibles are really hot sellers this year, as is jewelry, and, of course, there’s always gift cards.”
        Hunt says items such as helmets and leathers and other articles of clothing are often too “personal” to buy for riders, as they generally need to be tried on by the rider.But everything else is fair game, said Hunt.
        “If we don’t have it, we can order it,” said Hunt. “And you wouldn’t believe some of the things we can order that are licensed by Harley-Davidson. We can get pool tables, pool balls, juke boxes, refrigerators... you name it.
        “We’ve got everything for customers looking for that unique gift,” said Hunt. “And we strive to satisfy all our customers with the best possible customer service.”

  • Details
        You asked for it Fayetteville … and you got it! If you were one of the people looking for an upscale restaurant to enjoy a wonderful dinner, it’s here in the form of Morgan’s Chop House.
    Morgan’s Chop House is located on McPherson Church Road in a building that has housed several previous attempts at bringing upscale dining to Fayetteville, including The Vineyard and Trio Café.
    The outside looks basically the same as it has in years past, however, a new sign let’s people know that a change has come. Parking is plentiful.
        Things may look the same from the outside, but inside it’s a whole new ball game. The completely overhauled interior is fresh, modern and welcoming. There is a bar just to the right with oversized leather couches perfect for an afterwork get together. The bar offers a full martini and bar- food menu, as well as any type of drink you might desire. The dining area seats 150 and the restaurant and bar are completely nonsmoking.
        {mosimage}Service is a huge part of any dining experience. The waiter came to the table no more than three minutes after my dining companion and I were seated. He was professional, polite and seemed quite knowledgeable about the menu. After we ordered our drinks he returned almost immediately. He explained the featured menu items and gave us a minute to decide. We looked over the menu and ordered an appetizer — the spinach and artichoke crab dip. Shortly thereafter, the waiter returned with fresh bread with oil, vinegar and herbs for dipping. We decided to order the surf and turf. Professional, prompt service is a great part of a wonderful evening out. Our waiter definitely set the stage for the best part.
        The menu was clear and simple, displaying just the kind of food you would want to see on an American chop house menu. The appetizer dip was hot and fresh. A lot of vegetable dips like this tend to be juicy and runny this was not the case. The flavors were nicely balanced with a smooth, creamy texture.
        I am a steak snob. Once I tasted the steak, it was all over. I was hooked. The steak was wonderfully grilled and very, very tender. The seasoning on the steak was very unique, but not overpowering at all. There was a thought in my head that I was trying to fight back. Could I be eating one of the best steaks I have ever had? I didn’t want to admit it, but it was true. The six large shrimp that accompanied it were very good as well. They seemed pretty fresh considering they are really not in season right now. They were juicy and perfectly cooked. No one likes chewy shrimp. They were served on a few pieces of garlic crostini, which lent them good flavor and looked very nice. However, I could have done without the crostini which were soggy due to the juicy shrimp that had been sitting on them. The red potatoes we chose as our side item were a nice rustic balance to the rest of the meal. At this point I was very impressed. We finished off our meal with a piece of caramel cheesecake with ice cream and fresh strawberries. It was obvious by the presentation of this dish that the chef was creative, skilled, and passionate about his food.
        The food portions were plenty for two of us — I’m 6’2” weighing in at 205 lbs. and I like to eat.
        If I had to put a summary on my dinner at Morgan’s, I really couldn’t believe I was sitting in my hometown of Fayetteville enjoying a dining experience that would rival many fine restaurants in metropolitan areas. I was blown away. Out of the whole evening, there was only one thing I saw as a possible negative — the menu seemed pricey to me. The appetizers were $8 to $10. The feature we ordered was $24. The rest of the entrées ranged from $18 to $37. The dessert that was so nicely presented was $9. Add two sweet teas to it, and our grand total was $51 without gratuity. Of course, keep in mind this is a fine dining restaurant and you get what you pay for.
        All in all, if you were looking for a great place for a date, to celebrate an anniversary or simply to enjoy dinner with some friends, Morgan’s is it!

  • Details

    Con artists play God in Leverage

        It’s a Christmas miracle: a series that isn’t in reruns in late December. Not only does TNT gift us with a new episode of Leverage(Tuesday, 10 p.m.), but a great episode. Just three weeks old, this dramedy is already one of my favorite shows.{mosimage}
        Timothy Hutton is Nate, a former insurance investigator who turned Robin Hood after being betrayed by his company. And this wasn’t any old betrayal — the company denied coverage for his ailing son, who subsequently died. Nate’s grief gives Leverage poignancy around the edges, but at its heart it’s a con-artist comedy. Nate has assembled a team of grifters and thieves to foil corrupt millionaires and corporations Mission: Impossible-style. They construct elaborate scams involving disguises and deceit, and it’s pure pleasure to watch their plans unfold.
        In this week’s episode, a priest tries to save his church from an unscrupulous developer who plans to turn the property into a mall. The developer sends out thugs to scare him into backing down. That doesn’t sit well with Nate. “This guy beat up a priest,” he tells his team. “We’re not going easy on him.”
        They determine that the quickest way to save the church is to fake a miracle there. Pilgrims will flock to the place, the Vatican will declare it holy ground and the mall will be thwarted. They trick up a statue of a saint in which tears appear to drip from the eyes. Computer specialist Alec (Aidis Hodge), however, has grave reservations about the plan. “We’re all going to hell,” he says.
        Maybe, but TNT is going to heaven for bringing us this wonderful series.

    WWE Tribute to the Troops
    Saturday, 9 p.m. (NBC)
        Professional wrestling stars head to Iraq to salute the troops in their own special way. Nothing says “we love you” like slamming someone head-first to the mat, grinding a foot into his neck and twisting his ankle 360 degrees.

    Million Dollar Password
    Sunday, 8 p.m. (CBS)
        William Shatner, the aging oddity who’ll do anything for a buck, is this week’s celebrity contestant. The password is: “shameless.”

    10th Annual A Home for the Holidays with Faith Hill
    Tuesday, 7 p.m. (CBS)
        Faith Hill, Melissa Etheridge, Martin Short, Tim McGraw Gavin Rossdale, Kristin Chenoweth, Rene Russo, Patricia Heaton and Jamie Foxx appear in the annual special that raises awareness of foster-care adoption. The broadcast is usually pretty solemn, befitting the subject. If Martin Short can get any laughs from a foster-care theme, I’ll proclaim him a comic genius.

    Rediscovered
    Tuesday, 9 p.m. (ABC)
        The guy who discovered Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell and JC Chasez created this showcase for wannabe child stars who never made it big. Now all grown up, five could-have-beens have a chance to perform for a $50,000 prize and a fresh chance at fame.     Creepy hosts Donny and Marie Osmond are on hand to suggest that, hey, maybe child stardom wouldn’t have worked out so great anyway.
        To fill out the hour, Rediscoveredshows the kiddie audition tapes from Spears, Timberlake, Aguilera, Gosling, Russell and Chasez. Just think of all the pain we would have been spared had Spears been rejected at square one.

  • Details

       Four Christmases (Rated PG-13) 3 Stars

        Critics HATED it. It opened the week after Twilight, which is number three in pre-sold ticket sales on Fandango. The plot is actually pretty stupid, yet somehow, Four Christmases (82 minutes) is maintaining its number one earner spot from week to week. It shouldn’t be. On the surface, this showed all the makings of a disaster…director Seth Gordon’s only major previous credit was The King of Kong (a documentary about an arcade game) and there are four writers, which is never a good sign. It should have quietly disappeared, and after watching it, I really wonder why it hasn’t. {mosimage}
        Of course, there are some powerful forces at play here. Last year’s writer’s strike slowed movie production, and there are fewer movies out than usual, which means less competition. It’s a Vince Vaughn movie, and that name alone will bring out a sizeable chunk of audience. It’s a holiday movie with no competition, and it works as date movie. So, for those of you biding your time between holiday parties while you wait for The Day the Earth Stood Still(and I hate to break it to you, but no way will the remake be as good as the original) and The Tale of Despereaux, you could do worse. 
        The film introduces Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) as two strangers meeting at a party. There is some not very clever shtick, VERY Vince Vaughn, which Witherspoon doesn’t quite manage to pull off. We transition to a nice plot build-up with Brad and Kate scaring other singles about marriage and expressing their “exit strategy” for holiday gatherings. 
        The pair head to the airport, but as expressed so succinctly by the title of the movie their flight is grounded and they end up headed to four Christmases in order to appease the family they avoided for so long. It is during this scene that the audience must take a moment to pause and realize that Witherspoon is a very little person. Seriously, she is in six-inch platform sandals and she doesn’t even hit Vaughn’s shoulder. He’s monstrously huge!
        First, they head to Brad’s dad’s and a set of family stereotypes lifted straight out of Talladega Nights. Brad’s dad is played by Robert Duvall, and slimmed down/buffed up Jon Favreau cameos as one of the brothers. Next, it’s time to visit Kate’s mother in her “cougar den.” Wow. OK. Mary Steenburgen should never, ever, ever, attempt to play the sexy older woman on the prowl. I feel a little sick. Wait!  It’s Kristine Chenoweth playing the sister! I like her! 
        Once Brad and Kate wrap up some awkward moments, they head to his mother’s place. Sissy Spacek plays the mother, and she seems as out of place as every other female character in this movie (Except Chenoweth, who holds her own). In a shocking and completely unexpected twist, they finish up their evening with a big fight about their relationship. Kate ends up with her Dad (Jon Voight) and the rest of her family for Christmas dinner. Which begs the question: if her entire family was just going to head over to her father’s, why not just call the movie Three Christmases? Bottom line, there are a few legitimately funny moments, but five minutes after you leave the theater you won’t care about the plot of the characters.  

  • Details
        {mosimage}This time of the year, the strains of Christmas music echo through the air in stores, offices and homes. Some of it is good, some of it is not so good. Some of it — usually the loops you hear playing over and over in stores — really gets on your nerves. I have a suggestion for those stores: Get rid of your pre-recorded tracks and slip in Faith Hill’s Christmas album, Joy to the World.
        Hill, who is without a doubt one of country’s shining stars, has put together a solid Christmas offering that reasonates with the true spirit of the Christmas.
        “I had a very clear vision for the type of Christmas album that I wanted to make,” said Hill of the album at its release in September. “Indicative of the big band orchestras of the ‘40s and ‘50s, with a full compliment of horns, stings, woodwinds, percussion and chorales. (The) orchestrations were a gift. They embodied everything that I could have imaged; unique and beautiful, and yet they seem as though they were always intended for these songs.”
        To get the sound she wanted, Hill reached out to The Nashville Orchestra as well as the London-based choirs Metro Voices and The London Oratory School Boys Choir. This album definitely isn’t your grandmother’s idea of a country music Christmas album. That’s not to say that it isn’t chock full of Christmas classics, because it is. The 11-track album has 10 of the most beloved Christmas songs in the world, and its 11th track is probably destined to become a Christmas classic.
        Hill’s voice soars on songs like “O Holy Night” and “Joy to the World.” I was not expecting the anthem-like rendition of “Joy to the World,” but the symphony’s backing, coupled with the majesty of the choir truly announces the joy of the birth of the Christ child.
        Hill’s voice doesn’t need a lot of trappings to help it soar. Take her execution of “O Holy Night.” The only instrument used in the majority of the song is Hill’s voice, and it is breathtaking. It is perhaps one of the best versions of the song I have ever heard.
        I have to say that while the traditional Christmas carols that celebrate the birth of Jesus are among my favorites, I am also a big fan of the secular songs as well. I am the first to belt out “Blue Christmas” or “Rudolph.” Don’t believe me, sit down and watch a Christmas show with me. But the inclusion of three of those songs — “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” — is a little jarring. Not because they aren’t good. They are great. They are playful, and are enthused with a swing beat that leaves you wanting more. It’s more where they are in the CD that makes them problematic. You have these beautiful, heartfelt songs of adoration and then BAM — just like that — you’re hearing “You better watch out, you better not pout.” It just doesn’t flow. I think Hill should have committed to either having one or the other — but not both.
        But back to that song that I think is destined to classic status: “A Baby Changes Everything.” The first few lines of the song lead you to believe it is going to be a country song about an unwed mother. And, to a certain extent, it is. But it’s not about an unwed mother in our time, but rather an unwed mother who makes a trek to Bethlehem.
    The song begins with these words: “Teenage girl, much too young / Unprepared for what’s to come / A baby changes everything;” and ends this way: “My whole life is turned around / I was lost and now I’m found / A baby changes everything.”
        To quote Faith, “Hallelujah.”
        Check out Joy to the World, you may find that it’s a favorite in your family, just as the songs are favorites with the Hill-McGraw family.

  • Details
        Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that palm oil, common in snack foods and health & beauty products, is destroying rainforests? If so, what can consumers do about it?             
                   —Emma Miniscalco, via e-mail

        It’s no wonder that worldwide demand for palm oil has surged in recent years. Long used in cosmetics, palm oil is now all the rage in the snack food industry, since it is transfat-free and therefore seen as healthier than the shortening it replaces.
        {mosimage}But to produce palm oil in large enough quantities to meet growing demand, farmers across Southeast Asia have been clearing huge swaths of biodiversity-rich tropical rainforest to make room for massive palm plantations. Today palm oil production is the largest cause of deforestation in Indonesia and other equatorial countries with dwindling expanses of tropical rainforest. Indonesia’s endangered orangutan population, which depends upon the rainforest, has dwindled by as much as 50 percent in recent years.
        The clearing of these forests is a big factor in global warming, given how much carbon dioxide (CO2) trees store when left alone. Once forests are cut, tons of CO2 heads skyward where it does the most harm. Also, when not replaced by palm oil plantations, rainforests help maintain water resources by absorbing rainfall and then releasing it into streams and rivers, thus minimizing flooding and soil depletion.
        Simply boycotting palm oil and the products containing it may not help, as reduced demand could force the companies behind the plantations to instead initiate more intensive timber harvesting and a widespread conversion of the land to agriculture, which would add a heavy pollution load onto the already compromised land, air and water. It is up to the countries involved in palm oil production to regulate the industry and budget sufficient funds for enforcement. But with huge profits coming in from the sale of palm oil, public officials in Indonesia and elsewhere are loathe to clamp down on their golden goose.
        Several of the largest palm oil producers have joined forces with banks and nonprofit groups to try to green up the industry. In 2003, some 200 commercial entities in the global palm oil supply chain met and established the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to promote the growth of palm oil in an environmentally friendly manner. RSPO works to develop definitions and criteria for the sustainable production of palm oil, while facilitating the adoption of more green-friendly practices throughout the industry. The group celebrated its first shipment of “sustainable palm oil” to Europe this past November.
        Despite progress, many green leaders are skeptical that RSPO has the teeth to make a positive impact on the fast-growing palm oil industry. Greenpeace International considers RSPO to be “little more than greenwash,” pointing out that at least one RSPO-certified producer — United Plantations, a supplier to Nestlé and Unilever — is deforesting Indonesia’s vulnerable peat land forests. And Sinar Mas, another major RSPO player, has cleared tropical rainforest all over the country for its palm oil plantations, and is still expanding rapidly. Greenpeace is calling for a moratorium on deforestation throughout Indonesia so that the RSPO and the government can take stock and then proceed accordingly.

    CONTACTS: RSPO, www.rspo.org; Greenpeace, www.greenpeace.org.

    GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.

  • Details
        N.C. State University economist and Carolina Journal columnist Mike Walden is one of North Carolina’s most-influential public intellectuals. Through print, radio, television, and personal appearances, Mike works tirelessly to educate the public about basic economic concepts and their application to the issues of the day.
        {mosimage}His new book, North Carolina in the Connected Age: Challenges and Opportunities in a Globalizing Economy, represents Mike Walden at his best. You won’t find a better primer on our state’s economic past, present, and future.
        The heart of the book is his discussion of what he terms the Connected Age, the period beginning in 1970 during which a combination of new technologies, expanded international trade, and demographic changes transformed N.C.’s economy. The familiar strategic triad of the state’s manufacturing base — furniture and wood products, textile and apparel, and tobacco — declined in employment and share of output during the period, for myriad reasons. As late as 1977, these industries made up 20 percent of the gross state product and nearly a quarter of total employment. By 2005, they accounted for only 7 percent of GSP and 5 percent of employment.
        So what are the core private industries in today’s North Carolina economy? Mike describes a Big Five consisting of banking and finance, information technology, pharmaceuticals and other chemical products, food processing, and vehicle manufacturing. Collectively, they made up almost as much of the GSP in 2005 (17 percent) as the traditional industries did in 1977. But their share of employment is modest at 7 percent. In the labor force, the real explosion has been growth in the service sector, including health care, along with relatively rapid growth in construction and government employees.
        Using data such as growth rates of employment and economic output, Mike puts these 21 regional economies into three different categories: New Economy, Transitional and Stagnant. The New Economy category includes urban regions such as the Triangle and Greater Asheville, small city regions such as Greater Boone and the Northeast, and rural regions such as the Highlands and the Far West. Transitional economies also span the spectrum from urban (e.g. Greater Greensboro) to small city (e.g. Greenville-Jacksonville) to rural (e.g. Greater Wilkes). There is only one Stagnant region, the Roanoke (Halifax, Northampton, Hertford and Bertie). That helps to explain that whole Randy Parton Theater thing.
        While there are public-policy insights to be gleaned throughout North Carolina in the Connected Age, Mike provides an extended discussion of policy implications in his next-to-last chapter. His general observation is that N.C.’s fiscal house is in a tremendous state of disorder.
    The cost of desired spending programs — ranging from educational improvement and infrastructure investment to universal health care — greatly exceed projected revenue from our current tax system. He describes three approaches that N.C. leaders could choose in response to the dilemma:
    Finance future public services through higher general tax revenues, to be generated by hiking tax rates, broadening tax bases or adding new forms of taxation.
    Finance future public services to a greater degree than the state currently does through user fees and other pricing mechanisms.
    Finance future public services through productivity gains, rather than a more rapid growth through revenues.
    I like Door Number 2 and Door Number 3, personally. But you don’t have to agree with me to enjoy Mike Walden’s interesting new book.

  • Details
        I always tell my wife I love her and buy her gifts I can’t afford. I know she loves me. She works so hard at school, and works to pay her tuition, and still washes my clothes, cooks and cleans. And I never ask her to. When I buy her things, I don’t expect anything in return; I just like to see her happy. I buy her roses for no reason. Recently, because her friends wear so much jewelry, and I know she wished she had some, I bought her a second diamond ring. For our four anniversaries, I’ve given her a gold bracelet, an iPod, a laptop, and most recently, a cell phone she really wanted. In return, she gave me a card with a letter promising to go to the gym and get back in shape. (She’s not fat, but knows it means a lot to me when she’s looking good.) I loved the commitment, but this is something she owes herself, not a real gift. I’m not materialistic, but it hurt that she didn’t take the time to get me something...I don’t care what...a couple T-shirts.
    — Let Down

        What does this woman have to do to show she loves you, put a big red bow around your neatly folded tighty-whities? Leave a gift card floating in the sparkling bowl? Here she is cooking, cleaning and doing your wash while going to school and working to pay her tuition, to boot. Yeah, clearly she’s all take, take, take. You, on the other hand, went to the mall and got her gold, diamonds and portable electronics, and picked up roses on the way home. You are sweet to always be thinking about what she might need at the jeweler. But now, you’re actually feeling bad because she’s trying to look good for you instead of looking for a shirt for you? Hey, just say the word, and she could be waddling around Target.
        There are a lot of men out there who’d line right up to be taken for granted the way you are. Your mistake is expecting your wife to show she cares in the same way you do - tit for tat, iPod for iPod. If you think somebody is fundamentally cheap, that’s one thing. What you should look for is generosity of spirit. She seems to show it, and then some — even if “diamonds are forever” and those dinners she cooks for you are really just in one end and out the other.
        You claim you don’t expect anything in return, but it seems you do — maybe because you’re insecure, and your gifts aren’t just laptops and gold bracelets, but down payments on having her stick around. You might also consider the effect your giving has on hers. Buy a girl a diamond, and do you really think her first thought is “Wow! I can’t wait to dig through the clearance T-shirt bin and find something really special for him!”? You know your wife’s way short on time and money, and it sounds like she has a bit of a muffin-top. She can’t possibly do more for you around the house, so what better way to show you she cares than by offering to pick up a few things for you at the gym? You know, those 25-lb. iron things, 5,000 or so times.

  • Details
        The Brazilian designer Lucia Lorio introduced women’s lingerie in October containing a global positioning device to enable the wearer to be tracked by satellite. The creator said the password-protected lace bodice would make it easier for women kidnapped by thugs or terrorists to be located and rescued. Critics called it a virtual chastity belt, primarily of service to insecure males curious to know where their women are. (However, the wearer can manually turn the device off.)
        Another anti-terror lingerie product may also surface someday, based on a 2007 U.S. patent, issued to a Plainfield, Ill., company for a bra whose cups could also function as air-filtration systems in case of chemical attacks. 

    Government in Action
        Facing a state budget crisis in July, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger fired about 10,000 temporary and part-time workers and ordered the 200,000 permanent employees to be paid only the minimum wage of $6.55 an hour until the legislature passed a crisis-solving budget. However, a week later the State Controller John Chiang pointed out that state payroll records could not be changed to accommodate the cut because they were written in the antiquated COBOL computer language, and virtually the only state employees who knew the code were some of the part-timers Schwarzenegger had just fired.

        London’s Daily Mailprofiled two 10-children British families in October to illustrate the inconsistencies of government benefit awards. Sean and Anne Tate and their children live on Sean’s truck-driver salary of the equivalent of about $23,000 a year, plus the government’s standard per-child benefit. Harry Crompton has been out of work for 15 years, and his wife, Tracey, has never held a paid job, yet they receive the equivalent of $48,000 in various government benefits, which The Daily Mail said would require a tax-paying family to earn the equivalent of $68,000 a year to draw.

    Dying for Help
        Two of Oregon’s unique public health markers clashed dramatically for resident Barbara Wagner this summer when she was informed that the universal medical care available to everyone in the state (but with certain service restrictions) would not pay for her expensive lung cancer drug (because her five-year survival likelihood was poor), but was told, at the same time, that the state would pay for any necessary drugs under its Death With Dignity Law (i.e., suicide).

  • Details
        Finally, winter is upon us and it’s time to look into how you can keep nice and warm while wheeling around on your bike.
        Hypothermia can happen very quickly if you’re not dressed properly. What happens is your body senses the core temperature drop and begins cutting off blood supply to your hands, feet and your head. When the blood flow to your brain slows down, your decision making abilities start to slow down as well. Just like an intoxicated person has problems performing two tasks at the same time, as in clutching and braking, so does a person with the beginnings of hypothermia. You would usually first notice your hand getting numb then your feet, and last but not least, your forehead, which can even make you feel like you’ve eaten ice cream too fast. If you’ve got all these symptoms, I guarantee your judgment has become impaired. If you prepare for a cold weather ride, you should never have to worry about or suffer from hypothermia.{mosimage}
        First, start with a good pair of insulated gloves. Cold, numb fingers can make for a miserable ride. I’ve got three pairs of gloves — lightweight, uninsulated medium leather with Thinsulate and a somewhat bulky leather pair with heavy insulation. If using the bulky type gloves hurts your throttle clutch and braking abilities, get yourself some heated grips. Heated grips work wonders and may be enough with just a pair of light leather gloves. The warmest thing you can put on your hands are electric gloves but they can be a little bulky.
        For your feet, the best boots I’ve found are Cruiserworks. These boots have a special waterproof insulation which not only keeps your feet warm in the winter, but they’ll keep you cool and dry in the summer and they’re extremely comfortable.
        To keep your face and head warm, a balaclava or ski mask will do the trick, especially when combined with a full face helmet.
        To keep the wind from getting inside your jacket, there are many types of neck wraps available, from fabric to leather — even a bandanna helps. Your main concern is the jacket. When your chest is warm it’s much easier to keep all your extremities warm. A thick leather jacket or one made of Cudora, which is also waterproof, along with a couple of layers underneath, is the way to go. An electric vest will keep you warm as toast in even the coldest weather and eliminates the layers you’ll otherwise need.
        If you’re ever caught without all the necessary gear and find yourself shivering, pick up a newspaper and a plastic bag. Shove the paper down your jacket and wrap your neck with the plastic bag and grab a hot cup of coffee. That should make the ride home at least bearable.

  • Details
        If you’re anything like my family, breakfast is one of your favorite meals of the day. I’m not talking the breakfast you eat when you first get up — I’m talking the breakfast you eat when the craving hits you for BREAKFAST.
        There are a few restaurants in town that offer you the chance to get breakfast any time of the day and there’s a new restaurant to add to the list: Langley’s Famous Pancakes.
        The restaurant, located at 1424 Bragg Blvd., is a little off the beaten path — it’s located in the old International House of Pancakes building. A couple of other restaurants have come and gone in that location — but it is our sincere hope that this one stays in business a long, long time.
        Langley’s isn’t your run-of-the mill restaurant. The folks who own and operate the restaurant really, really believe that their customers come first. On my first visit to the restaurant, the owners brought out free pecan pie to all of their guests. I quickly found out this wasn’t a one time thing. When the Up & Coming Weekly staff put an order in for breakfast, the restaurant staff was completely willing to go off the menu to cook whatever the staff wanted.
        Up & Coming Weekly’s administrative assistant, Suzy Patterson, craved a little something different, and the restaurant staff was only too happy to oblige. Suzy ordered a scrambled egg sandwich, with melted cheese, topped with a tomato. (I know, it sounds a bit odd to me, too.) But the folks at Langley’s didn’t blink. “It absolutely melted in my mouth,” said Patterson. “It was so good.”
        On that particular morning, Up & Coming’s graphic artist Shani Lewis was particularly hungry, she was also particularly busy, so her breakfast had to sit a while before she got a chance to eat it. “You know when you eat your breakfast, and it’s cooled down, and it’s still really good... that it’s really good,” she said.
        Lewis ordered a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. “It was delicious,” she said. “A lot of restaurants skimp on the bacon — but they didn’t skimp. My sandwich was covered with it.”
        Now, so you don’t get it in your head that the only thing you can eat at the restaurant is breakfast, I have to tell you about my experience. I met Up & Coming’s publisher, Bill Bowman, at the restaurant one day for lunch. He chose breakfast, while I chose to order off the lunch menu.
        I ordered a hamburger, and while I was debating on what kind of side, our waitress, Abbey, quickly informed me that the breakfast potatoes couldn’t be beat. I took her at her word, and ordered them as a side. Boy, was she right.
        The potatoes are cut fresh into chunks, and seasoned with a delightful mix of seasonings. One bite and I was sold. I am not alone. The entire Up & Coming staff is hooked on the breakfast potatoes.
        My hamburger was also a surprise. Instead of the expected frozen patty I had anticipated, I received a fresh, hand-patted burger. It was cooked to perfection, and was one of the juiciest burgers I’ve had in ages.
        I found out that Langley’s purchases all of its meat fresh from a local butcher — including the T-bones, which is one component of their breakfast special. In addition to the freshness of the food, there is also a plenitude of it. There is more food on your plate than you can shake a stick at, but don’t let it deter you from sticking your fork in it.
        The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., so make a run down the boulevard, you’ll be glad you went off the beaten path.

  • Details

       America Falls for Football in The Greatest Game Ever Played

        The Greatest Game Ever Played(Saturday, 9 p.m., ESPN) uses archival TV footage and radio broadcasts to re-create 1958’s National Football League championship game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts. Glancing at the title, you say, “No way.” But ESPN emphatically answers, “Way.” With its dramatic reversals, its unprecedented sudden-death overtime and its titanic players (Johnny Unitas, Rosy Grier, Alan Ameche), this was the game that made America fall in love with pro football.
        {mosimage}In interview segments, current players from the Colts and Giants chat with survivors of the ’58 game. They marvel over the differences between then and now: few red flags, goal posts right on the goal line, more mud than grass on the field, no instant replay, fans who stream out of the stands, and a dorky halftime show with cheerleaders dressed up as reindeer. But there’s nothing dorky about the game itself, which pitted the Colts’ irresistible offense against the Giants’ immovable defense. We see stunning throws, impossible catches and thrilling goal-line stands. ESPN even brings in a forensics expert to analyze a first-down decision that’s been contested for the past 50 years.
        Super Bowl ’09 has its work cut out for it if it hopes to match this exciting broadcast.

    It’s a Wonderful Life
    Saturday, 8 p.m. (NBC)
        Once again, NBC broadcasts the 1947 movie about a small-town Job who triumphs over hardship; once again, we all cry. As if the financial crisis weren’t enough, here’s yet another reason to hate evil bankers.

    The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
    Saturday, 9 p.m. (Hallmark Channel)
        A beautiful single mom wastes her time with a soulless businessman (you know he’s soulless because he’s always taking cell phone calls). She has a lovable uncle (you know he’s lovable because of his thick Brooklyn accent), who meets a free spirit in the airport (you know he’s a free spirit because of his vest and stubble). The free spirit follows the uncle home for the holidays, but he perceives that Christmas isn’t what it ought to be in this household (he knows because of the artificial Christmas tree). Can he set things right by…oh, I don’t know, winning the mom away from the bad boyfriend, even though she initially hates his guts?
        No, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year doesn’t miss a single cliché. Any other time of the year I’d flatten it like a pancake, but the holidays must have put me in a forgiving mood. Henry Winkler is a lively presence as the uncle, and Brooke Burns and Warren Christie are so gorgeous as the couple-to-be that two hours pass before you know it.
        I’m gonna let The Most Wonderful Time of the Year off the hook, Hallmark Channel. But don’t get too smug, because after Christmas it’ll be back to scathing reviews as usual.

    Cat Dancers
    Monday, 8 p.m. (HBO)
        Married dancers Ron and Joy Holiday started one of showbiz’s first exotic-tiger acts in the 1960s. They hired a circus guy named Chuck Lizza, who became the lover of both Ron and Joy. This documentary chronicles the unique relationship of the three entertainers with home video footage and TV interviews. Their careers were going great until a white Bengal tiger ate Chuck in 1998. Five weeks later, it ate Joy.
        Bummer of an ending, unless you look at it from the tiger’s perspective.

    DRAMA High: The making of a high school musical
    Monday, 9 p.m. (ABC)
    ABC milks the High School Musical phenomenon with this two-hour special about a real Virginia high school mounting a production of The Wiz. We’re privy to casting calls, rivalries, triumphs and disappointments — in other words, stuff that is of no interest to anyone but students from this particular school. Unless the star of the show is as charismatic as Zac Efron, it’s gonna be a long two hours.

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