CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Writing in the magazine sub-TERRAIN, John More makes the following declaration: “Captains of industry, great generals, artists of genius, even politicians, are often just people who have discovered that alcohol can enable them to make economic, tactical, creative, or political decisions whose implications would paralyze a sober individual.” Your assignment, Capricorn, is to find an…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Once a year I hike into the hills above San Anselmo, Calif. and perform a concert for the trees, birds, insects, and sun. If clouds happen to show up that day, I include them as part of my audience. The show typically consists of 80-minutes’ worth of a cappella songs and ecstatic poems, along with…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
After my psychic reading in Santa Rosa, I waited in the parking lot for a friend to pick me up. To entertain myself, I watched a robin as it pecked at a small patch of grass nearby. I applauded when it snagged a fat worm for its meal. Minutes later, I cheered and whistled as…
The Aristocrats!
In three instances reported in August, American kids were found living in such filthy squalor and isolation that authorities feared they were nearly as developmentally stunted as feral children raised in the wilderness. A 36-year-old man in Lavonia, Ga., was arrested for having imprisoned his wife and three never-schooled children inside their small trailer home…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
To get a read on how democracy and human rights are faring on the planet, check out the research of an organization called Freedom House (freedomhouse.org). In its most-recent annual report, it declared that 90 countries are free. They represent 47 percent of the world’s population. Fifty-eight countries, accounting for another 30 percent of the…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
Your funny bone isn’t a bone at all; it’s actually your ulnar nerve. A firefly is a beetle, not a fly. A lead pencil has graphite in it, but no lead. A cucumber is technically a fruit, not a vegetable. Is there anything in your life that might be mislabeled like these things? Anything that’s…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
It’s Let It Go Week, Scorpio — also known as Just Drop It Week. This is a fertile moment in your astrological cycle, a time when you’ll be rewarded with a creative influx if you surrender your tight grip, give up your obsessive hold, and stop clinging to your hardened expectations. So I urge you…
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
It’s a perfect moment for you to try the kind of money mojo that worked for one of my readers, Tamara L. of Las Vegas. Here’s her testimony: “I never believed in any of this mystic mumbo-jumbo before. But I was desperate. I was paying the price after indulging in the sick pleasure of telling…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
On his Bad News Hughes blog, Patrick Hughes warned his readers never to use a mini-vacuum cleaner to suck up the contents of an ashtray. Speaking from experience, he said the rapid intake of air could reignite waning embers and create a fiery mess. I suggest you make that your metaphor of the week, Libra.…
Recurring Themes
Insurance companies, especially in Europe, seem game for underwriting almost any odd risk anyone is willing to pay for, and thus News of the Weird has reported on people insured against alien invasion, the Loch Ness monster, and, for three Scottish nuns, the expense of Jesus Christ’s second coming if he were born to any…
Crime Pays
Kenneth Moore, 49, admitted that he was the one who shot his friend Darrel Benner to death in 1995 during a beer-drinking binge, in front of two witnesses, in Piketon, Ohio, but an appeals court later ruled that he was entitled to a new trial because prosecutors had withheld evidence. At a new trial, with…
Unclear on the Concept
Landlord Richard Ott, 30, was arrested in Newark, Del., in August after he finally snapped in anger at his tenants, who were behind in their rent. According to police, Ott hopped into his Hummer in the middle of the night and crashed into the “tenants’” front door. In July, a guest at the Delta Beausejour…
Least Competent Criminals
Spectacular Failures of Prison Rehab: Michael Ogle, 29, was arrested for allegedly robbing the BBT Bank in Seymour, Tenn., in August, right after his release from jail for robbing the same bank last November Timothy Wallace, 38, was arrested after allegedly robbing the Superior Bank in Elkmont, Ala., in July, after his release from prison,…
Air No. 1
Vertigo Take a leap with the premiere issue of “Air,” written by G. Willow Wilson and drawn by M.K. Perker. As home to “The Sandman,” “Fables” and a host of visionary graphic tales for grown-ups, Vertigo is known for taking chances, and “Air” is among its riskiest, but potentially quite rewarding. Since Sept.…
Jason Boland & the Stragglers – Comal County Blue
Jason Boland, leader of Stillwater-born country outfit The Stragglers, has penned a collection of songs soaked in the deepest red to date. “Comal County Blue,” the group’s sixth album, was released last week and is already finding its way among the top slots of the Texas Music Chart, garnering critical and fan praise for its…
Death Race
Reviewer’s grade: F In “Death Race,” Jason Statham (“The Bank Job,” “War”) stars as Jensen Ames, an honest man who never had a fair chance in life. In a dystopian future in which the United States economy has collapsed and work is scarce, Ames still manages to support his wife and baby daughter working in…
Hope and promise
DENVER ” I write this from the Democratic National Convention in Denver as a Clinton delegate representing Oklahoma. Only halfway through the week’s events, I have heard Sen. Hillary Clinton at three events already, Michelle Obama at two, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. I’ve also heard speeches from numerous other male and female dignitaries, both elected…
Space Pirate: Sardine in Outer Space – Emmanuel Guibert and Joann Sfar
Square Fish With “Space Pirate: Sardine in Outer Space,” preteens have the first in an intended series of graphic novels concerning young girl Sardine, her friends and her uncle, who’s a pirate named Capt. Yellow Shoulder. Together, they all fly through space (as if the title didn’t clue you in) and have six short adventures…
Sen. James Inhofe’s nephew creates anti-Obama ad
President George W. Bush talking about leadership; Sen. James Inhofe walking down a road to show stubbornness. These are images that have been ingrained in minds of Americans and Oklahomans. They are the images from one of the most successful political advertising producers for more than a decade ” who also happens to be from…
The Continuing Crisis
As Denton, Texas, Pizza Patron employee Stephanie Martinez complied with a disguised robber’s demand for money at closing in July, a co-worker jumped the man, knocked him down, and began beating on him. As the robber’s sunglasses and wig fell off, Martinez recognized him: “Don’t hit him again! That’s my dad!” Police later charged Stephanie’s…
Oklahoma Rising?: Part one, Walkability
State pride swelled and the nation took notice as Oklahoma celebrated its first 100 years in 2007. After sweeping up the confetti, our state embarks on a new century invigorated with promise and hope. While the state leads the nation in many respects, Oklahomans face significant hurdles that continue to challenge our spirit and resolve.…
Panelist details debate, deliberation, decision with selecting state’s rock song
Editor’s note: Phil Bacharach, Gov. Brad Henry’s press secretary and a regular Gazette contributor, was among a group of panelists chosen to pick potential official state rock songs on which Okies could vote. Public service can be heady stuff. I’ve worked in state government on and off for a number of years now, but only…
Transsiberian
Reviewer’s grade: A Roy (Woody Harrelson, “Semi-Pro,” “No Country for Old Men”) rescued his wife (Emily Mortimer, “Lars and the Real Girl,” “Match Point”) from a misguided life of substance abuse and aimlessness, but it’s clear that Jessie misses the adventures life out of control once afforded her. Jessie and Roy meet a nomadic train…
Horton redefines victory
The official motto for the Olympic Games is “Citius, Altius, Fortius” ” Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” After watching University of Oklahoma gymnast Jonathan Horton compete in the men’s horizontal bar competition during the Beijing games, I think it’s time to add Horton’s motto to all the official paraphernalia: “Go big or go home.” Horton…
Family Values
Former British glamour model Jayne Bennington, 31, says she spends the equivalent of $600 a month on treatments and frills to make her daughter Sasha, 11, into the beauty queen she almost was herself, according to a July profile in London’s Daily Mail. However, Mom has done such a good job that Sasha can’t get…
State of the prostate
At the Oklahoma County Commissioners meeting, the commission approved an item to pay for a prostate test at an upcoming health fair for county employees. It was clarified to the commission the prostate test is a blood test, not the other more physical test, which prompted Commissioner Brent Rinehart to respond: “Since I’ve been here…
Oklahoma DJ puts ‘monster’ toast on Ebay
The eBay seller “ekrecords” prides himself as being “the best online breakbeat music source!” But recently, he achieved national recognition for being an online breakfast item source, thanks to one piece of toast. Fox News wrote that the “unbecoming beast” known as the “Montauk Monster” appeared on a piece of toast in an Oklahoma kitchen.…
State’s wine industry sees possible salvation from lawmakers
Like bubbles rising through a glass of champagne, Oklahoma’s fledgling wineries are taking several paths to achieve the same purpose ” no matter how odd the environment for them. Owners and representatives of the state’s wineries still surviving tough state liquor regulations met Aug. 26 with staff of the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission…
Collecting strands of hair of famous people
What was once a gentleman’s hobby among a few dozen enthusiasts at the turn of the 20th century,” wrote The New York Times in July, “has evolved into a multimillion-dollar industry,” namely, collecting strands of hair of famous people. Mastro Auctions of Chicago sells $100,000 worth of hair a year, and in October, a tuft…
Publinx event presents rare opportunity for Oklahoma golfers
A trip to Augusta National and an opportunity to play for the coveted green jacket ” it’s every golfer’s fondest dream. But for 99 percent of those who play the game, the Masters will always be an unobtainable dream. The qualifying standards just to be a part of that elite field are so demanding, there…
Sealed records shield court cases from public scrutiny
District court judges in Oklahoma have sealed at least one record of a case in more than 2,300 court cases between 2003 and 2007 ” typically because attorneys in the cases had simply asked, the Tulsa World recently reported. Wrongful-death, medical malpractice and product liability lawsuits were among the cases the newspaper found with at…
Eat to raise money for the arts at festival
Only seven more months until Festival of the Arts! So how’s about getting a one-stop fix for arts and eats at the 5th Annual Appetite for the Arts Festival, scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday in El Reno? A mere 20 miles west of the metro on Interstate 40, the town’s historic district will…
Trading Places: The Best Move You’ll Ever Make in Your Marriage – Les and Leslie Parrott
MsoNormal style=”MARGIN: auto 0in”>HarperCollins/Zondervan According to Les and Leslie Parrott “? the wedded directors of Seattle Pacific University’s Center for Relationship Development “? today’s couples automatically argue over the silliest, most minute things, without taking time to understand our significant others’ position. This results in fights that shouldn’t happen in the first place, which lead…
Shout It Out Loud
Mr. Thomas Furlong provided interesting comments about the state of poverty and the so-called “mantra from the left” regarding the ever-widening gap between the rich and poor (Letters, “Poverty ‘a transient state,’ reader claims,” Aug. 6, 2008, Gazette). Furlong also went on to note that “numbers and graphs are largely irrelevant, especially when looking at…
Rocks’ name beats ‘Thunder,’ reader says
If they named the team the Oklahoma City Rocks, there would be tons of theme music to choose from. The Thunder sounds like a WNBA name, at best. The Rocks, as a noun, pays tribute to our energy heritage and our toughness. As a verb, it says a lot about how we feel about our…
Valencia gives fans a ‘reason to believe’ pop-punk can grow up
Throughout the last decade, the pop-punk landscape has increasingly resembled a musical version of Neverland ” an escape where bands could live forever young, cracking sophomoric jokes and reveling in adolescent heartbreak. BASEMENT SHOWSTRAGEDY Unlike Peter Pan, however, musicians live in the real world, where aging is inevitable and relevance in a youthful genre often…
Funny But Sad’
The Aug. 6, 2008, article in Chicken-Fried News, “Outlaw the outlaws,” about state Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Moore, was funny but sad. Evidently, he has never been around gangs. He needs to talk to the cops that deal with gangs before he makes any more rash statements. I worked nights 25-plus years in printing houses in…
Stillwater’s energetic five-piece Colourmusic reaches for new sonic wavelengths
When Stillwater’s white-suited concept band Colourmusic took the stage at Oklahoma Creativity Project’s fund-raising gala last winter, the band’s fiery front man Ryan Hendrix knew it would be a difficult crowd. ODD GROUP OF EXPERIMENTERSBASING MUSIC ON COLORSIN-STATE GIGS The five-member act followed a set comprised of American Indian folk music and an opera singer.…
The Traitor
Reviewer’s grade: B+ “Traitor” is the kind of movie that makes you think a little about serious things. It delivers the goods as a political/spy thriller, but like the novels of Len Deighton and John le Carr
Oklahoma delegates plan Will Rogers for President campaign
CFN thought about nominating Bucky to cover the Democratic National Convention. After we googled Denver and found the Flying Dog Brewery in close proximity, we abruptly withdrew our endorsement. Speaking of endorsements, Gov. Brad Henry announced a “Will Rogers for President Day” Aug. 25 during the Democratic National Convention, Editor & Publisher reports. Huh? We’re…
Oklahoma River hosts wakeboard event
Helping make waves as the Oklahoma River turns into more of a go-to venue for all get-wet sporting events is the World Wakeboard Association’s Wakeboard World Championships, to be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at the river, S.W. 17th Street and Western Avenue. With nearly 4.4 million people participating in the…
Critic looks back at Carpenter Square Theatre’s 25 years
It was a chilly night in January 1985, in the drafty Carpenter Paper Co. warehouse on Robert S. Kerr Avenue, near where the Oklahoma County jail now stands. Some people came out of morbid curiosity, but many sensed the excitement of something new. The event was the opening of Carpenter Square Theatre’s first production, “The…
Jason Reese needs a history lesson
When I was in graduate school, one of the biggest problems confronting the United States was Third World debt. One of my graduate teachers was appointed to a panel to investigate the causes and try to develop some solutions to the problem. In the first meeting of leading economists and bankers, the question arose: “Why…
Phantasm IV: Oblivion
1998 With “Phantasm IV: Oblivious,” writer/director Don Coscarelli didn’t made so much a proper sequel as he did a loose string of weird, dream-like imagery and an anything-but-lucid narrative. This thing makes so little sense that you’ll halfway wish for one of those flying metal spheres to slam into your skull. Our heroes, Mike and…
Local artist creates an illuminating collection of shadowy art
With “The Illusion of Mattering,” currently showing in the East Gallery at the Oklahoma state Capitol, Marc Barker discovered “what’s missing” to create paintings and prints that are literally and figuratively layered. “Every one of the marks is very intentional,” Barker said. “I’m seeing what’s missing and then what to add next. I like to…
Oklahoma officials misplace decimal on employee’s bonus check
It’s not every day that you get an $850,000 bonus in your paycheck, but that’s the many-zeroed surprise that recently dropped into Jo Harris’ lap, according to an Associated Press article. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission employee was on the receiving end of a “longevity bonus” for staying with the commission for seven years. Seven…
Brotherhood of the Wolf: Director’s Cut
2001 Here’s proof that the French can be just as crazy as other countries when it comes to cinema. “Brotherhood of the Wolf” isn’t sure “? purposely, I believe “? if it wants to be a period costume drama, a Gothic horror film or an Asian-style action extravaganza. To its credit, it works as all…
Oklahoma hoops legend loses leg in cancer battle
For those who grow up in the Eighties watching University of Oklahoma basketball, the news of Wayman Tisdale having part of his leg amputated is difficult to comprehend. Not only was Tisdale the greatest basketball player ever to wear crimson and cream, but he instilled a passion for Sooner hoops that equaled football fanfare. Coming…
Museum, library join forces for Roman event
For kids raised on “Rambo,” “Rock Band” and Raven-Symoné, perhaps it’s time to get a little Rome in their diet. From noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art will join forces with the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library for Roman Art from the Louvre Family Day. Held at both sites, the…
Oklahoma County employees now have birth-control options
No matter what form of birth control is chosen, Oklahoma County employees now have full health care coverage to avoid pregnancy. Last week, the Oklahoma County Board of Commissioners approved changes in the county’s health insurance plan which not only covers the costs of contraceptives, but the medical procedures associated with some of the birth…
NBA’s OKC team unveils new identity
The owners of the National Basketball Association’s Oklahoma City franchise announced the team name ” Thunder ” and its colors and logo today at a Downtown press conference. After being first reported by local television station KOCO in July, the actual Thunder announcement was not nearly as surprising as the colors in the team’s logo: Blue,…
Risky Business: 25th Anniversary
1983 Time to feel old! “Risky Business” just celebrated a quarter-century of existence. And you know what? To quote this sleeper hit, the dream is always the same. As Tom Cruise’s first huge role, the movie remains the smartest, sharpest sex comedy ever made. While Joel Goodsen’s (Cruise) parents are away for the weekend, extenuating…
