Recurring Themes
The Economics of Class-Action Lawsuits: On Jan. 20, L’Oreal, Estee Lauder and seven other cosmetics companies offered one free item per customer (“for as long as supplies last”) as penance for having allegedly conspired with department stores to fix prices in the 1990s and early 2000s (but did not admit to any wrongdoing). The total…
Twilight
2008 Imagine a mediocre episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” without the self-awareness and humor. Now imagine a leading lady and her vampire lover who is hunky in an androgynous, cover-of-Tiger Beat way. Add a plot of the kind Jane Austen satirized 200 years ago, but adapted as a here-today-gone-tomorrow adolescent vampire romance, and the…
Least Competent Criminals
Not Ready for Prime Time: Matthew Peverada was arrested in Portland, Maine, in December and charged with attempting to rob Dipietro’s Market. His first attempt, at about 4 p.m., was rebuffed, but he announced that he’d be back at 11 p.m., and that they’d better have some money for him. He returned, and police were…
Escape to Witch Mountain
e look at the film catches up with its cast members today, and you can watch the flick with pop-up trivia. There ‘s even an unrelated Pluto cartoon thrown on for kicks. All in all, a good package for little money. “?Rod Lott
Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter
2009 With one of critics’ and audiences’ biggest gripes over “Watchmen” being its 162-minute running time, it’s a good thing the half-hour animated “Tales of the Black Freighter” pirate sequence was removed. Actually, it’s a great thing, because its inclusion would have stopped the film dead cold. That’s no slam against the quality of “Freighter,”…
Punisher: War Zone
2009 “Punisher: War Zone” is everything its predecessor was not: namely, fun to watch. The slate-cleaning pays off. Ray Stevenson takes over as Frank Castle, who’s been keen on killing crime syndicates ever since his wife and kids were murdered for witnessing a mob execution while picnicking several years earlier. His latest target is Billy…
Questionable Judgments
In January, Prince William County, Va., supervisors told Robert Bird, the longtime chief of the volunteer firehouse in Gainesville, that it would be shut down if Bird and his wife and 19-year-old daughter didn’t move out. They had taken up residence upstairs from the truck decades ago (a Washington Post reporter was not able to…
The Classic Middle Name (all-new!)
Arrested Recently and Awaiting Trial for Murder: Kevin Wayne Dunlap, Hopkinsville, Ky., October; Richard Wayne Smith, Marietta, Ga., January; Joshua Wayne Cubbage, St. Helens, Ore., February; Timothy Wayne Murray, Slidell, La., convicted on a 2005 cocaine possession charge in March 2009 while awaiting trial for a 2006 murder. Indicted for Murder: Arnold Wayne McCartney, Lewis…
A Moment in History: The Inauguration of Barack Obama
2009 Said my 11-year-old son upon spotting “A Moment in History: The Inauguration of Barack Obama” on sale at Sam’s Club, “Who would want this?” “You’d be surprised,” I answered. After all, I seem to recall that historic day on Jan. 20, standing in a small conference room at work, watching our 44th president take…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
After extensive analysis, I’ve concluded that you won’t serve any time in hell for the shock therapy you’ll unleash this week — with one caveat: The shock therapy must be motivated primarily by love, not a lust for power. My research also suggests that in dropping your bombshells you may even rack up some karmic…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
If you find yourself driving on a major highway anytime soon, there’s a better-than-usual chance that you’ll come upon a place where a truck has accidentally spilled a few tons of french fries or thousands of bottles of beer or a huge load of sex toys. Why do I say this? Because according to my…
Office rotation
The Legislature is considering a joint resolution authored in the House by Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, that would limit the terms of lieutenant governor, state auditor and inspector, attorney general, treasurer, commissioner of labor and insurance and superintendent of public instruction. Those serving in those offices would be limited to two terms, or eight years.…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Among medieval alchemists, there were some who tried to make a fortune by literally converting lead into gold. But the authentic practitioners of the art were interested in a subtler kind of experimentation: ripening and beautifying the shadowy aspects of their own psyches. That explains their motto: “For a tree’s branches to reach to heaven,…
New Hall of Fame member chose rock over rocking chair
When rock ‘n’ roll legend and longtime Oklahoma City resident Wanda Jackson dated and toured with Elvis Presley in 1955 and 1956, she said she saw nothing of the reputation he gained later in Hollywood of being an hyper-enthusiastic skirt-chaser. A BUDDING STAR ‘QUEEN OF ROCK’GOSPEL ACCORDING TO WANDATHE BOSS VISITS THE QUEEN Jackson, who…
Abe Vigoda responds to buzz with nicer noise
A little-commented key to a vibrant local music scene is a good all-ages club where future jaded rockers can shed their naïveté while honing their chops. No place is hotter this moment than Los Angeles’ The Smell, which has hosted a mini-revolution with the anarchic experimental noise-pop of No Age, Mika Miko and Abe Vigoda.…
Museum hosts cowboy poet for humorous storytelling performance
A top-selling cowboy poet and humorist presents an evening of storytelling and laughter 7 p.m. Friday at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 N.E. 63rd. Baxter Black, a ranch hand and former veterinarian, will charm and enlighten audiences with his witty, family-friendly stories and poetry, which reflect his own life experiences, said Shayla…
Oklahoma City school board chair questions if a money problem exists
The new chair of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education is still uncertain if a problem exists with the 2007 bond issue. “I really don’t know if there is a problem,” said board chairwoman Angela Monson. Before her election to the board chairman position in February, district officials were warning of serious issues…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Some of the best-selling Japanese novels in recent years have been composed by young authors entirely on their cell phones. The small screens encourage narratives that are animated by terse rhythms. Flowery descriptions are rare and character development happens fast. I believe that in the coming weeks you will have a capacity akin to the…
Singer plans entertaining visit to Norman Public Library
A surefire way to beat boredom this spring break: Head to Norman Public Library, 225 N. Webster, for a 2 p.m. Friday performance by a favorite children’s singer/songwriter. Stillwater local Monty Harper will entertain kids ages 4-12 with wacky, silly songs that involve and encourage youthful imaginations. “He is just a marvelous entertainer who really…
Oklahoma ranks as 43rd happiest state
Oklahomans like to think of themselves as some of the most blessed people on Earth. But according to one survey, the Sooner State doesn’t even rank in the top five for happiness. A recent study conducted by Gallup looked at several factors to determine a states’ cheeriness. In the final analysis, Oklahoma failed to get…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Entomologist Justin O. Schmidt drew up an index to categorize the discomfort caused by stinging insects. The attack of the bald-faced hornet is “rich, hearty, slightly crunchy. Similar to getting your hand mashed in a revolving door.” A paper wasp delivers pain that’s “caustic and burning,” with a “distinctly bitter aftertaste. Like spilling a beaker…
The Blue Note 7 brings retrospective tour to Norman’s Sooner Theatre
The Sooner Theatre is one of 50 venues nationwide selected to host the Blue Note Records 70th Anniversary Tour. Tonight’s 8 p.m. performance is the only tour stop within a five-state region for the prestigious jazz septet The Blue Note 7. The show features an all-star lineup of jazz musicians led by music director and…
Defending religious liberty
A few years ago, France decided to ban the hijab, the Muslim head scarf, in its public schools. This set off a wave of protests by the country’s Muslim population. In recent years, religion has once again become a point of public disagreement and, at times, conflict in Europe. At the time this decision about…
Reduxion’s take on ‘Pride & Prejudice’ masks its shortcomings with great comedic leads
Based on the beloved Jane Austen novel, “Pride & Prejudice” tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, an intelligent and independent woman who doesn’t play along with the typical rules of 19th-century English society, where status and wealth are paramount. If someone isn’t born into money, the goal is to marry into it. Not overly concerned…
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy reworks Cab Calloway’s biggest hits
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy caught its big break in 1996 when “You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)” and “Go Daddy-O” were featured in the hit indie comedy “Swingers.” STAPLE SONG CALLOWAY’S CATALOG The movie and the accompanying soundtrack initiated a swing revival during the late 1990s, and helped the band secure…
The Last House on the Left
Stephen King once wrote something to the effect that people read and watch horror as a dress rehearsal for death. This makes sense, even if horror characters often suffer gruesome deaths at the hands of zombies, vampires and amorphous CGI blobs. While some horror movies give death a cartoon-like polish, “The Last House on the…
YACHT seeks new club members while docking in Norman
Musician, techno-geek and unwitting pirate philosopher, YACHT’s Jona Bechtolt is some heretofore-unseen combination of enigma and open book. YACHT’s mission statement is a jumble of slightly creepy assertions about unity, individualism and politics, and it is also an open invitation to everyone to join Bechtolt and Claire Evans in becoming a member of the group.…
Syracuse indie rockers Ra Ra Riot bring a catchy string theory to OKC
Ra Ra Riot thrust itself upon the Syracuse, N.Y., music scene as somewhat of an anomaly. The indie-rock group formed over winter break and lined up a show at a Syracuse University architecture ball in January 2006 before it had even gathered together for a single practice, violinist Rebecca Zeller said. LOCAL SHOWS ACCLAIM “A…
Oklahoma Metro Football League steps up to fill football void
Are you ready for some football? Don’t be deceived by the fact we are just a few months removed from the Bowl Championship Series title game and the Super Bowl ” football in Oklahoma is gearing up again with the Oklahoma Metro Football League. CENTRALIZED GAMES INCREASING ATTENDANCE This season marks the second for the…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
The 1906 earthquake that hit San Francisco also demolished downtown Santa Rosa, about 50 miles to the north. During the rebuilding process, Frank Doyle, a local businessman who referred to himself as a “champion of the future,” pushed a radical agenda. “When we construct our new downtown thoroughfare,” he said, “let’s make it wider than…
Conference discusses sustainability with state, national leaders
Dialogue on sustainable living will unite the community as business professionals, government leaders, agricultural producers, professors and individuals gather at a conference Friday and Saturday. The eighth annual Oklahoma Sustainability Network Conference, hosted by Sustainable Edmond, will include discussions from national and statewide leaders on sustainable daily living on topics ranging from transportation and energy…
Female-fronted band emerges in Oklahoma
One of the newest female-fronted metal bands to emerge in Oklahoma, Siva Addiction, is missing a golden opportunity with its name. On the band’s MySpace page, “Siva” is translated to “the auspicious one” via Sanskrit, but how metal would it be if the band instead referenced the Hindu version, which names a deity known as…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
“Though the seas threaten, they are merciful,” says Ferdinand, a character in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. “I have cursed them without cause.” Please consider the possibility that you could honestly make a similar declaration about some influence in your world. What’s wild but mostly beneficent? What’s primal in a way that draws you back to…
Lightwell Gallery features new multimedia installation
ARGIN: auto 0in”>”While this is an ongoing project, the works featured in this show will show how the African-Americans and the Mennonites “? though sharing the same area of land “? remain largely separated from one another,” he said. “I have explored different aspects of life in each of these communities and have found differences…
Yukon anti-drug meeting disappoints officials
State anti-drug officials felt let down when a recent drug abuse forum in Yukon yielded few interested residents, according to a recent story. According to The Oklahoman, Canadian County Sheriff Randy Edwards expressed disappointment that the OKC suburb didn’t turn out more than 20 to 25 audience members. The story said the folks dotted the…
Officials have $30 million to change state’s election machines
In the coming year or so, the state of Oklahoma may say goodbye to its dear, old voting machines that have served it since the late 1980s, the Oklahoma Election Board secretary said. As of last month, secretary Paul Ziriax said Oklahoma has received up to $30 million in federal grants to change its voting…
Latest Religious Messages
Pastor Bob Book of the Church of the Common Ground in Atlanta and his wife scrub the feet of three dozen homeless men every Monday, based on the concept of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, with such pedicures including a soak, pumice-rubbing, nail-trimming and massage, topped off by a clean pair of socks. Book says…
Cultural Diversity
A member of the Singapore Parliament, Loo Choon Yong, attracted worldwide attention in February when he proposed that his already legendarily hard-working countrymen add Saturdays as a workday, to improve productivity to cover for a declining birthrate. “We should accept that, as a people, our procreation talent is not our forte,” he said, and move…
Lawmakers condemn evolutionist’s Oklahoma visit
After healing all of the woes of the state and with time on their hands, the state House, led by Rep. Todd Thomsen, R-Ada, introduced a resolution condemning leading evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins’ March 6 talk at the University of Oklahoma. The reason: Dawkins’ views (i.e., believing in evolution) apparently conflict with the views held…
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
“Dear Rob Brezsny: I really didn’t like a recent horoscope you wrote for me. I’m a Leo, and although your oracle was sort of true, I didn’t want it to be true, and furthermore I didn’t want to lend my belief energy to help make it true. So I went hunting among the other signs,…
Jewel Box Theatre presents multi-generational play that falls just short of greatness
Written by Woody Eney and directed by Chuck Tweed, “Call Me Henry” is the third world-premiere play in Jewel Box Theatre’s current season, and won the venue’s 2006 playwriting contest. Set in 1947 Fairfax County, Va., “Henry” tells the story of the Grant family and its three generations of Henrys: the warmhearted and wise grandfather;…
Tattooing eyeballs
London’s The Sun found a practitioner of a new art form in which a design is inked, with a tattoo needle, into the sclera, which is the white part of the eyeball. That volunteer (from Canada) may well be the only daredevil, or one of a tiny number, but Oklahoma state senators were alarmed enough…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Study the following terms: refuge, sanctuary, bunker, asylum, fortress, haven, shelter, safety zone, storm cellar, hideaway, retreat, halfway house, cloister, cell, ashram, clubhouse, lair, foxhole, nest, pit, inner sanctum. Now use some of those words to formulate descriptions of actions you’ll take to enhance both your freedom and security. Example: “When I’m longing for privacy…
Local prep hoops standout rebounding from life’s adversity
Smiles have not been easy to come by for Daniel Orton over the last few months. Back in early November, just days before signing a national letter of intent to play basketball next year at the University of Kentucky, he suffered a knee injury that basically wiped out his entire senior season at Bishop McGuinness.…
Documentary examines the historical roots of LA gang violence
In chronicling the evolution of gang violence in Los Angeles, “Crips and Bloods: Made in America,” which screens Thursday through Sunday at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, opens with an upside-down aerial view of downtown L.A. The image is striking, if unsubtle ” a visual announcement that this iconic sun-drenched oasis of opportunity has…
OKC Thunder fan responds to CFN Mailbag
It seems our March 4 CFN ruffled some feathers. In the first entry, “Thunder(un)struck,” we talked about Associated Press sports writer Jon Krawczynski and his deep love and respect for our very own Thunder basketball team. We’ll give you a minute to flip through your Creative Memories CFN scrapbook. Found it? Good. In it, we…
Oklahoma representative wants to ‘jazz’ up state flag
Get a load of that state flag, all rippling austerely in the breeze, its stately design proudly representing Oklahoma. How boring, right? You know what the flag needs? Some pizzazz, some sparkle, maybe a bedazzlement application or two. Luckily, Rep. Shane Jett is to the rescue, according to a recent story in the Tulsa World.…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
No one really knows when the Piscean Age ends and the Aquarian Age begins. Astrologers have been arguing about the issue for years. But here’s what to watch for: When the transition gets underway, fewer and fewer people will be invested in belief systems, and an ever-growing contingent will thrive on asking questions and keeping…
Race to Witch Mountain
“Race to Witch Mountain” is that rarest of cinema birds “? no, not a remake, which it is, because those are everywhere. Rather, it’s a picture billed as a family film that is actually for the entire family and not just for the kids. It’s also one long chase scene, which doesn’t leave much room…
