It’s Good to Be a British Prisoner (continued)
According to a recent report in Britain’s Police Review Journal, the government’s “Intensive Alternatives to Custody” pilot program has recently assigned young offenders, in lieu of incarceration, to attend skill-building classes in gardening, fishing and learning how to apply for government benefits. The U.S. Department of Justice, with British government cooperation, has been trying for…
Recurring Themes
Drivers Who Were Run Over by Their Own Cars: A 21-year-old man in Santa Fe, N.M., inebriated, shifted into reverse, thinking it was “park,” and fell out the driver’s door (November). A 52-year-old man in Tobyhanna, Pa., ran over himself after falling out of his truck trying to reach the controls of the access fence…
Recurring Themes
Drivers Who Were Run Over by Their Own Cars: A 21-year-old man in Santa Fe, N.M., inebriated, shifted into reverse, thinking it was “park,” and fell out the driver’s door (November). A 52-year-old man in Tobyhanna, Pa., ran over himself after falling out of his truck trying to reach the controls of the access fence…
It’s Good to Be a British Prisoner (continued)
According to a recent report in Britain’s Police Review Journal, the government’s “Intensive Alternatives to Custody” pilot program has recently assigned young offenders, in lieu of incarceration, to attend skill-building classes in gardening, fishing and learning how to apply for government benefits. The U.S. Department of Justice, with British government cooperation, has been trying for…
The Continuing Crisis
Not What They Were Looking For: Rescuers searching for a missing tourist on China’s Taishan Mountain in April failed to find him but inadvertently discovered the corpses of seven other people. Los Angeles Police detectives, frustrated that a 1980s-era South Los Angeles serial rapist-killer is still at large, set out recently to painstakingly trawl for…
Kath & Kim: Season 1
2008-2009 On the bonus features’ gag reel for “Kath & Kim: Season 1,” Selma Blair tells Molly Shannon that they make quite the comedy team. She says it in jest, but I don’t: They’re great together, and this comes from someone who usually finds Blair to be repellent. She’s quite funny as Kim, the belly-bearing,…
Least Competent Criminals
Jose Villarreal, charged in Georgetown, Texas, with assaulting his girlfriend, decided to take his chances at trial and rejected the prosecutor’s offer of five years in prison. In May, the jury deliberated one minute before finding him guilty, and he got 16 years. Charles Dumas, 37, insisting on his innocence, was convicted of raping a…
People Different From Us
When Christina Vanderclip dropped by the house of her former boyfriend, Travis Schneller, in Greeley, Colo., in June, they soon began to argue. According to police, Travis hit her and pulled her hair, then Travis’ mother jumped on Christina’s back and pulled her hair, then Travis’ younger brother Michael and father, Robert, jumped on Christina,…
Eastbound & Down: The Complete First Season
2009 Seeing as how “The Foot Fist Way” was my least favorite film of last year, I approached the creative team’s HBO series “Eastbound & Down” with trepidation. Luckily, the show has things the movie doesn’t: depth, story, character development and, thus, genuinely earned laughs. Danny McBride (“Land of the Lost”) stars as Kenny Powers,…
The Continuing Crisis
Not What They Were Looking For: Rescuers searching for a missing tourist on China’s Taishan Mountain in April failed to find him but inadvertently discovered the corpses of seven other people. Los Angeles Police detectives, frustrated that a 1980s-era South Los Angeles serial rapist-killer is still at large, set out recently to painstakingly trawl for…
Least Competent Criminals
Jose Villarreal, charged in Georgetown, Texas, with assaulting his girlfriend, decided to take his chances at trial and rejected the prosecutor’s offer of five years in prison. In May, the jury deliberated one minute before finding him guilty, and he got 16 years. Charles Dumas, 37, insisting on his innocence, was convicted of raping a…
People Different From Us
When Christina Vanderclip dropped by the house of her former boyfriend, Travis Schneller, in Greeley, Colo., in June, they soon began to argue. According to police, Travis hit her and pulled her hair, then Travis’ mother jumped on Christina’s back and pulled her hair, then Travis’ younger brother Michael and father, Robert, jumped on Christina,…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows,” said journalist Sydney J. Harris. That would be an excellent motto for you to live by in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Whether or not you’re enrolled in school, you’re in a phase when your capacity for attracting learning experiences is at a peak. To…
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
What scares you or perturbs you in the coming week could, by August, become what fuels you. What makes you feel unsettled and out of sorts could turn out to be good medicine. But of course you’re under no obligation to submit yourself to this experimental sequence, Leo. The fact is, you could probably run…
For 40 years, alt-press covers unreported news, stories of struggle
One of the marks of any community striving for greater recognition and visibility is the creation of media outlets geared toward that community. While nationwide magazines for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community such as The Advocate and Out are widely available, regional publications have come and gone. Oklahoma City has seen its share…
Sonia and Oklahoma’s senators
While Republicans want Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor to fork over more records before confirmation hearings begin July 13, Sen. Tom Coburn recently met with Obama’s pick for a “philosophical discussion,” according to The Oklahoman. What did they discuss? Do tell! “General stuff,” Coburn, a Judiciary Committee member, told The Oke. “What she likes, what…
UCO graduates exhibit individual, collaborative art
Two local artists will exhibit pieces they created individually and as a collaborative duo Thursday night at Six11 Creative, 611 N. Broadway. Individual works made by longtime friends Joy Baresel and Kelly Koenig, both University of Central Oklahoma graduates, will be on display at the show, which has a unique twist: Some of the works…
Barnes & Noble hosts kid-friendly band concert
Families can enjoy the unique and eclectic sound of children’s music outfit Gustafer Yellowgold at a Friday concert at Barnes & Noble, 6100 N. May. The kid-friendly band has a series of DVDs featuring a strange little creature named Gustafer Yellowgold who lives on the sun, said Brian Pearl, a group spokesman. Gustafer Yellowgold has quirky…
The Greencards opens up with ‘Fascination,’ a broad new album
There isn’t as much opportunity to make it as a musician in Australia as in the United States. It’s just one of those things that comes when a performer lives on a continent with 1/15th the potential audience ” a fact that partially prompted The Greencards singer/bassist Carol Young and mandolin player Kym Warner to…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
A guy I barely know critiqued me at a party recently. “You haven’t suffered enough to feel intense passion,” he said. “Your life has been too happy, too easy.” I didn’t want to get into a debate about whether my life has been too happy and easy, so in my reply I didn’t mention my…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Do you have a subconscious urge to escape the constraints of your customary behavior? Have you ever wished you could be someone else for a while? If so, this is your lucky week, Taurus. The cosmos is granting you a temporary exemption from acting and feeling like your same old self. From now until July…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt used to be skeptical about the power of prayer. But his wife Heidi, herself a devout believer, urged him to keep his mind open. Then, as an experiment, Spencer asked God to help him and Heidi get a double date with teen pop star Miley Cyrus and her boyfriend, despite…
Church in ‘Gay Strip’ defies notion one cannot be Christian, homosexual
One of the most common tropes of the coming-out story is the one where someone struggling to come to terms with his or her sexual orientation must, at some point in the journey, go to the mat with the Big G: God. BIBLE STUDY GLBT CHURCH VISION STATEMENT Questions of faith and sexuality lie at…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
You are entering a phase when you’ll have more power than usual to influence people. Your charisma will be waxing and the light in your eyes will be growing more intense, making it more likely that your point of view will be heard and appreciated. Your powers of persuasion will be increasing, as well, and…
Oklahoma senator disputes weather report
Let’s keep the good news train chuggin’ down the track, shall we? So, the negative Nancys over in the Obama White House have released a report warning that climate change is going to lead to heat waves, drought and heavy rainfall for Oklahoma, according to an article in the Tulsa World. John Holdren, the director…
Counterpoint: Preserving traditional marriage
For centuries, traditional marriage has been the bedrock institution of society, providing stability and sustainability. Only traditional marriage produces children, which perpetuates future generations. While same-sex couples can adopt or be inseminated, this is not the norm. For posterity, society has a vested interest in preserving traditional marriage. Countless studies prove that children thrive best…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows,” said journalist Sydney J. Harris. That would be an excellent motto for you to live by in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Whether or not you’re enrolled in school, you’re in a phase when your capacity for attracting learning experiences is at a peak. To…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
A delicious forbidden fruit will be more available than usual in the coming weeks. You can choose to ignore it, of course. You can pretend it’s not even there and instead concentrate on the less forbidden fruits that are tasty enough. Or, on the other hand, you can sidle up closer to the forbidden fruit…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Here’s a preview of the accomplishments I expect you to complete in the next four weeks. Number of karmic debts paid off and canceled: Number of bad habits replaced with good habits: Number of holes blasted in your theory about why you can’t do more of what you love to do: 300. Number of “necessities”…
Night Train
2009 Being set in locomotion, “Night Train” brings many other films to mind. Among them: “Runaway Train,” “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Transsiberian” and even “Terror Train,” all of which are superior to this well-intentioned but budget-hampered effort. No sooner as the film opened than the story starts, with a train passenger discovered dead, presumably…
Point: Equal protection before the law
It was a beautiful, sunny evening on Saturday, June 6, as my husband, Michael, and I were married here in an Oklahoma City park in front of 200 of our family and close friends. The officiating Baptist minister pronounced ” emphatically, I might add ” at the conclusion of the ceremony: “With the power invested…
Counterpoint: Preserving traditional marriage
For centuries, traditional marriage has been the bedrock institution of society, providing stability and sustainability. Only traditional marriage produces children, which perpetuates future generations. While same-sex couples can adopt or be inseminated, this is not the norm. For posterity, society has a vested interest in preserving traditional marriage. Countless studies prove that children thrive best…
Donning gowns, crowns and body glitter, daring drag take center stage
Although one might not think that drag shows would be a popular nightlife attraction for metro citizens, the business is almost as big as these ladies’ hairdos. Hi-Lo Club1221 N.W. 50th843-1722Danae Daniels hosts Hi-Lo’s 11 p.m. Friday drag show, a night stuffed with insults, comedy and, of course, ladies in fabulous outfits dancing to Lady…
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt used to be skeptical about the power of prayer. But his wife Heidi, herself a devout believer, urged him to keep his mind open. Then, as an experiment, Spencer asked God to help him and Heidi get a double date with teen pop star Miley Cyrus and her boyfriend, despite…
Away We Go
Burt and Verona make a good couple, but together, they’re not great at all those details other adults seem to have worked out. Goofy Burt (John Krasinski, “Leatherheads,” TV’s “The Office”) never finished college and now works in insurance “? a job he largely conducts from the phone, where he changes his voice and pretends…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Here’s a preview of the accomplishments I expect you to complete in the next four weeks. Number of karmic debts paid off and canceled: Number of bad habits replaced with good habits: Number of holes blasted in your theory about why you can’t do more of what you love to do: 300. Number of “necessities”…
Competitive Facial Hair
At the biennial World Beard and Moustache Championships in May in Anchorage, Alaska, four local heroes “defeated” the usually dominant German contingent in the 18-category pageant, including overall champ David Traver of Girdwood, Alaska, whose woven chin hair suggests a long potholder. Said Traver, of the Germans, “They were humble, and you have to respect…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Congratulations, Scorpio. You’ve reached the end of the Big Squeeze. You’ve served your time in the bottleneck. And so I invite you to relax your pinched expression, loosen up your puckered expectations, and let the Season of Experiments begin. According to my projections, you will soon be receiving a host of invitations to wander into…
Church in ‘Gay Strip’ defies notion one cannot be Christian, homosexual
One of the most common tropes of the coming-out story is the one where someone struggling to come to terms with his or her sexual orientation must, at some point in the journey, go to the mat with the Big G: God. BIBLE STUDY GLBT CHURCH VISION STATEMENT Questions of faith and sexuality lie at…
Yikes!
Men Who Get Around: Thomas Frazier, 42, was jailed in Flint, Mich., in April after his unpaid child-support tab reached $530,000 (14 children with 13 women). He told the judge that he was only trying “to find someone who would love me for me.” The total tab of Desmond Hatchell, 29, of Knoxville, Tenn., was…
New York punkers The Casualties refuse to die
Mohawk-sporting shout-along punk rockers The Casualties aren’t so much a nostalgia act as a throwback. It’s the difference between visiting and living there. The Big Apple quartet has remained true to its old-school, street-punk style for close to two decades, crisscrossing this country an untold number of times to share a riotous, high-energy show to…
Library class teaches art of henna
Teens will learn the ancient art of henna Thursday at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library. The small class of 15 will explore the history of the ancient body art, how to apply it to their skin and where to get the supplies locally to do it themselves, said young adult librarian Kimberly Edwards. Henna…
OKC attorney, activist undergoes gender reassignment transformation
Brittany Novotny was born and raised a boy, but from the time she was little, knew she was different. The 29 year old is transgendered, or someone whose internal gender identity doesn’t match the outside. TRANSITION DECISION TRANSWOMAN IN OKLAHOMA TRANSGENDER TERMINOLOGY “The first time I really can recall a moment “¦ there was something…
Minutes Too Far plans final show performance
For many, a Minutes Too Far farewell concert has come far too soon. The beloved Bethany-based rockers will say goodbye with a final show Friday at The Conservatory, 8911 N. Western. Lead vocalist Danny Black and drummer Kris Monier founded the group in 2000 and were joined along the way by guitarist Blake Fischer and…
Local climbing gym scales new heights for charity
Every major city in the United States has at least one. College campuses all over the country have joined in the fun as well. Over the last decade or so, climbing gyms have become popular destinations for athletes and non-athletes. Maybe it’s the challenge or the adventure, or just an escape from the ordinary “…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
It’s Fete Your Feet Week, Gemini. Your soles definitely need more attention, pampering, and contact with nature. (So does your soul, and hopefully that will happen as you carry out the more literal assignment.) So abstain from wearing your shoes and socks at every opportunity. Get as much contact as possible between your naked feet…
Harley-Davidson enthusiasts revel in two days of bike culture
Biker culture’s Old West mythos tempt successive generations to leave corporate America, hop on a steel horse and tear across America ” even if just for the weekend. For members of the Harley Owners Group, or H.O.G., the national rally is the highlight of the year as thousands of bikers of all shapes and sizes…
Oklahoma couple faces puppy charges
Last week, prosecutors in Muskogee County charged two people with animal cruelty after allegedly killing a puppy and skinning the pooch. Why would anyone want to do that? Well in this case, it was to use the puppy’s skin to make a belt. According to a story on NewsOK.com, local authorities said 26-year-old Austin Michael…
Fiberworks’ features exhibition of dynamic, multidimensional work
While bases of paint and clay carry most art exhibits, thread and stitches are the hems and seams of the annual “Fiberworks” show. “Fiberworks,” a juried fiber art exhibition, is showing through July 3 at the Individual Artists of Oklahoma Gallery. Only pieces made from fiber are allowed, although the restriction is far from a…
Year One
On Fox TV’s long-defunct “The Ben Stiller Show,” one of the more inspired sketches featured Janeane Garofalo as a B- high school student who travels back in time, but is rendered helpless by her nominal knowledge of history. That fictitious doofus could well have written “Year One,” a slapdash comedy that boasts far too many…
OKC gay youth can gather with newly formed group
A new organization in Oklahoma City is creating a place for gay or questioning teenagers and young adults to find support and friendship. Oklahoma City Youth United meets at First Unitarian Church, 600 N.W. 13th, every week to give young people a chance to connect with their peers. LIMITED CHOICES FIRST MEETING Ken Carl, one…
Veteran actor/director leads class, directs Lyric’s production of ‘High School Musical 2’
Lyric Theatre starts its summer musical season with a production of Disney’s “High School Musical 2,” in which Troy, Gabriella and their friends find summer jobs at the Lava Springs Country Club, which is owned by the father of meddling Sharpay, who hopes to win over Troy and get all of his friends fired. UNIQUE…
Union organizers from out-of-state casino markets eye Oklahoma
There is a great disturbance in the Indian casino force. They have a new enemy ” organized unions. That was the message conveyed during a session at the Sovereignty Symposium, an early June event hosted by the state Supreme Court. At one point, a panel discussion on various gaming issues focused on one topic and…
They Actually Pay People to Do This Research
Two scientists from Britain’s University of Oxford, on a three-year study costing the equivalent of nearly $500,000, found that ducks may be even more comfortable standing under a sprinkler than paddling around in a pond. Lead researcher Marian Stamp Dawkins concluded that ducks basically just like water. According to research announced in May by pediatrics…
Freelance developers keep OKC in tech game
Sam Soffes is 20 years old and didn’t need college to become a publisher of the Bible in 30 translations ” from colloquial Japanese to synodical Russian ” that are used by more than 1 million people worldwide. THEORY INTO PRACTICE WE ‘GET IT’ SURROUNDED BY ÜBER-GEEKS SILICON CIVICS Instead, Soffes took a fifth-grade class…
Ethics committee wants Oklahoma senator to pay STD/pizza lunch tab
A long time ago in a Capitol far, far away (actually, it was Washington, D.C.), non-galactic Sen. Tom Coburn continued a tradition borne when he was a House of Representatives member: a lunch-and-learn about the horrors of sexually transmitted diseases. Episode 2005: Revenge of the STDs: It is a period of sexual disease, with syphilis,…
The Proposal
As a subgenre, the romantic comedy seems out of surprises. The template is simple: Two mismatched people, brought together through a series of coincidental and increasingly unlikely events, discover that despite their many differences they love each other in that special (i.e. nonexistent) way that keeps the diamond and wedding industries in business. The arc…
Competitive Facial Hair
At the biennial World Beard and Moustache Championships in May in Anchorage, Alaska, four local heroes “defeated” the usually dominant German contingent in the 18-category pageant, including overall champ David Traver of Girdwood, Alaska, whose woven chin hair suggests a long potholder. Said Traver, of the Germans, “They were humble, and you have to respect…
Organizations, activists urge FDA to allow gay men to donate blood
charge of recruiting donors,” Cich said. “We want a chance to make our case.”
OKC Pride celebrates support, equality, one colorful community
Thousands will crowd Oklahoma City streets, parks and clubs this weekend at the state’s largest pride event, a three-day celebration of solidarity championed by gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered, and their families, friends and straight supporters. The 22nd annual OKC Pride event kicks off 7 p.m. Friday with a block party at “The Strip,” along…
Confessions of a Shopaholic
2009 Isla Fisher stars as Rebecca Bloomwood, a young journalist in New York who has never met a sale price tag she didn’t like and has run up a credit card bill of more than $16,000. She has no way to pay her debts and still can’t resist the siren call of 30 percent off…
Burn Notice: Season Two
2008-2009 “Burn Notice” is lightweight, but purposely so. And, with the exception of one or two comedies of discomfort on NBC, it may be my current favorite show on television. Pick any of the 16 episodes from its second season “? now compiled on a four-disc set “? and you’ll see why. Jeffrey Donovan owns…
