The Human Centipede
Those who likely would call “The Human Centipede (First Sequence)” the most disgusting movie they’ve ever seen aren’t likely to see it at all. A mere scan of its plot summary would send a majority of moviegoers fleeing for far lighter fare. That’s completely understandable, but those with strong stomachs and a jones for horror…
Cooperation worked
What a beautiful story on the rescue of the miners in Chile. What a perfect example of government, the citizens and industry working together to save these people. Then I got to thinking: Where was the Environmental Protection Agency? Where are the lawyers? Where are the lawsuits? Where are the protesters? Whose fault is it?…
With new members and a unique new album, The Smashing Pumpkins get over their Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins with The Pretty Black Chains and Cherri Bomb 8 p.m. Friday Cain’s Ballroom 423 N. Main, Tulsa www.cainsballroom.com 866-977-6849 Sold out The Smashing Pumpkins album is massive. In fact, the effort is so expansive it’s only arriving piece by piece. The first “Teargarden by Kaleidyscope” tune, “A Song for a Son,” was…
More than 300 works by kids can be seen at Firehouse Art Center
“Children’s Summer Art Program 2010 Exhibition” Firehouse Art Center, 444 S. Flood, Norman 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Through Oct. 16 329-4523, www.normanfirehouse.com free By summertime, school is usually the furthest thing from children’s minds. But this was not the case at the Firehouse Art Center,…
Suck
There should be a ban on all visual parodies of The Beatles’ “Abbey Road.” There’s one in writer/director/actor Rob Stefaniuk’s vampire comedy “Suck.” Come to think of it, there should a ban on vampire comedies, too. Wasn’t the last good one in, like, 1979? One online review of “Suck” I saw simply read as follows:…
The Experiment
What’s Paul Scheuring’s deal with jail cells? After his Fox TV series “Prison Break” ended, his first project out of the gate is a movie set in, well, prison: “The Experiment ,” a remake of the 2001 German film “Das Experiment.” The idea behind it is the best thing about it, in which men apply…
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Rightwing talk show host Rush Limbaugh is a person whose ideas and attitudes repel me. But in the dream I had last night, I enjoyed hanging out with him. He was affable and humorous. We had several fun adventures together. Here’s how I interpret the dream: It doesn’t necessarily mean that Limbaugh is a better…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
You have entered a phase in your astrological cycle when your best lessons will come from doing hard work. I mean that in the most literal way: intensifying your commitment to doing your job with maximum integrity and intelligence and excellence. But I also mean that you should concentrate on what needs fixing, refinement, and…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
I’m getting excited to see what you’ll create in the coming weeks. You’re slipping into the most expressive groove you’ve been in for a while. I’m guessing that any minute now your imagination will start churning out a wealth of fresh perspectives and new approaches. Half-rotting problems that have just sat there immobile for weeks…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Albert Einstein was extremely famous during his lifetime. Although he had no publicity machine promoting him, his face became an iconic symbol for genius. “Einstein” was, in effect, a brand name that made people think of creativity, wisdom, and imagination. There were times that bothered him. “I am no Einstein,” he said, preferring to be…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
My proposed assignment for you would be fun, but it wouldn’t be easy. It would require you to dissolve at least one of your fixations, escape at least two of your habits, and override at least three of your dogmatic beliefs. I’ll completely understand if you’re not up for the challenge. But if you’re game,…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
I love to listen to DJ Schmeejay on San Francisco radio station KUSF. Like a throwback to the Golden Age of FM radio in the 1970s, he plays a “visceral, cinematic” mix that delights you with a flow of unpredictable juxtapositions. Unlike some music experts who harbor haughty elitist prejudices, the dude is an open-minded…
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
I’m not a big believer in the idea that dreams are prophetic. I’ve recorded thousands of my own dreams, and just three of them have foreshadowed waking life events that actually occurred. However, I have often found it valuable to regard my dreams as pointers on how to develop unripe aspects of myself. For example,…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
In his opening comments on an episode of his TV show, Stephen Colbert announced, “I have butterflies in my stomach. I just ate a cocoon quesadilla.” If I’m reading the omens correctly, you, too, will soon have fluttering sensations in your gut, but not because of your food choices. Rather, you’re likely to be quivery…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
If we wish to outline an architecture that conforms to the structure of our soul, wrote Friedrich Nietzsche, “it would have to be conceived in the image of the labyrinth.” I take this to mean that clarity, assuredness, and single-mindedness are luxuries the ego may indulge in, but they are not the natural state of…
Redman Triathlon evolves into ‘world-class event’
When Thomas Hill founded the Redman Triathlon back in 2005, he had one goal in mind: to see it become one of the best ” if not the best ” triathlon event in the world. As Oklahoma City prepares to host the sixth-annual edition of the Redman, that goal is definitely within sight. Athletes worldwide…
Questioning 744
Regarding Emily Jerman’s “An education,” Aug. 25, 2010, Gazette: Passing State Question 744 would increase funding for public education by an estimated $1.7 billion over a three-year phase-in period. If we don’t bring in more state revenues through substantial tax increases, SQ 744 will force deep spending cuts to other critical areas of state government,…
Limited by size, 150 Oklahoma artists find their own square route to Saturday’s annual ’12×12′ art show
12×12 7 p.m. Saturday Fred Jones Industries Building 900 W. Main $24 www.ovac-ok.org 405-879-2400 With a ceiling on square footage, comparing art at “12×12” is a lot like looking at real estate: When size isn’t an issue, shape and texture take focus, and the eye shifts toward differences in material, construction and color. The annual…
Yes, yes! Oh, baby, yes!
Finally! A national ranking Oklahoma City can be proud of. Toss aside those lists of obesity and teenage smoking. A new study should make Oklahoma City climax with glee. According to the October issue of Men’s Health magazine, Oklahoma City took the No. 8 spot on the list of America’s 100 most sexually active cities.…
Unable to accept ABLE’S ‘flawed logic’
Has John A. Maisch, the general counsel for the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement (ABLE) Commission, ever been to a grocery store? By reading his Sept. 8 Oklahoma Gazette Commentary “Alcohol in grocery stores,” you wouldn’t think so. The proposed amendment is to make it legal to sell wine somewhere other than at liquor stores,…
Beelzebub hubbub
Remember that Satanist group that caused all that hubbub a few weeks ago? Well, they’re back. This time, however, it isn’t some crazy new ritual that’s causing headlines but internal strife. According to a NewsOK.com article, the Church of the IV Majesties is no more. But don’t worry, they shed a little weight and have…
A years-old winning design for a bus stop will jump from sketch to street
“Hey, what is it that you like about this stop?” “What do you think could be done here to improve being on public transit?” And so it went, from the mouth of David Brewer, an architect at Glover Smith Bode Inc. His reason for giving the third degree? Research. Brewer served as captain of a…
Devil
For me, one of 2010’s most memorable cinematic experiences occurred at a packed advance screening for “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” Not for the movie itself, but for the “Devil” trailer that unspooled beforehand. You could tell the largely 20-something audience was really into it, grooving on the concept. Then the credit “from the mind…
Singer/songwriter Daniel Walcher finds inspiration in his friends’ lives and from music of all faiths
Most musicians preach the therapeutic values to songwriting, and Daniel Walcher is no different. His early journey led from foster home to foster home after he was removed from his family at 6 months old, eventually landing into a strictly religious home in Enid. A falling out with his adopted parents left Walcher struggling on…
Easy A
cter actors old and new, including Thomas Haden Church (“All About Steve”) and Lisa Kudrow (“Hotel for Dogs”) as married faculty members who get sucked into Olive’s shameful reputation, Stanley Tucci (“The Lovely Bones”) and Patricia Clarkson (“Shutter Island”) as Olive’s perfect parents, Malcolm McDowell (“Halloween II”) as the principal who needs to have his…
Designer Johnathan Kayne will share his new designs for Regional Food Bank fundraiser
Fashion designer Johnathan Kayne still remembers designing a gown for Miss USA, establishing his studio in Norman and, of course, his 2006 stint on the hit reality television show “Project Runway.” Kayne also can remember watching his single mother go without so that the family could eat what little food they had. He credits the…
In your Face
You talk, we listen! Here’s what readers said on some of last week’s Oklahoma Gazette stories, via unedited comments left on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/okgazette: On State Question 747, on term limits: “”People say they ‘don’t get involved in politics’ but they need to pay attention … the people that get elected run our…
CFN Mailbag
The following unedited comment is regarding the Sept. 15 CFN “Out of touch,” which referenced a Sept. 7 e-mail sent by Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee founder Charlie Meadows about state Rep. Sally Kern’s transgender opponent, Brittany Novotny, being a “confused ‘it'”: “We’ve had Charlie over for dinner a few times, and he’s a nice…
Local moms start lice removal business to help other exasperated parents
Lara Greear’s 5-year-old daughter was only a few days from starting kindergarten when she began complaining that her head itched. It turned out to be that time-honored parental nightmare: head lice. So Greear did what any parent would: She rushed to the drugstore and grabbed every product that promised to kill lice and the nits,…
Peace activist should apologize
In “Wesselhöft should take a deep breath” (Letters, Sept. 8, Gazette) regarding a previous letter from state Rep. Paul Wesselhöft, Nathaniel Batchelder, director of The Peace House, claims that the “proposed Islamic community center in New York is at least two blocks away from Ground Zero (it’s not ‘at’ Ground Zero, as Beck and Wesselhöft…
Allow wine, strong beer in grocery stores
Rather than being a front man for the wholesalers, shouldn’t Mr. John A. Maisch encourage ABLE to enforce existing law rather than trying to influence things and help maintain the profitable status quo? It is high time Oklahoma joined much of the rest of the country and allowed wine and high-point beer sales in grocery…
OMG-man
This is just sad. An Oklahoma City man was charged last week with impersonating an FBI agent. And not just once, either, but on several occasions. We here at CFN agree that the FBI is super-cool and everything (and Bucky still insists on donning a red wig and sensible shoes every Halloween to play Special…
Would a commission proposed in State Question 748 depoliticize redistricting or create a new set of problems?
While some questions appearing on the state ballot this November are getting lots of attention ” like State Question 744 mandating increased funding for education ” there are other, lesser-known questions that could have great impact down the road. One is State Question 748, which would change the rules concerning legislative and congressional redistricting. Currently,…
A judge in Washington, D.C., determined that an airlines worker was wrongly fired after complaining about a lack of training
All Steven Gray wanted was to be properly trained as an airline ramp agent for Delta and Northwest Airlines at Will Rogers World Airport. The Oklahoma City resident just wanted to know the correct procedures for below-wing aircraft handling, like marshaling planes, loading baggage and boarding passengers. But apparently, Gray was asking too much from…
‘Urban Abstractions’ currently line the walls of Nault Fine Art in Midtown
Urban Abstractions Nault Fine Art, 1114 N. Walker 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday through Oct. 14 642-4414, www.naultfineart.com Artists Tony Dyke and Susan Morrison each combine their everyday surroundings into abstract works of art. Both moved to Oklahoma from New York City and have since made their mark, literally, on the Sooner…
Award-winning musical ‘Rent’ finds a place at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma University Theatre and Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, 8 p.m. Sept. 29, Through Oct. 3 Rupel J. Jones Theatre 563 Elm, Norman 325-4101 $30 Considered a classic of modern theater, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning “Rent” played Broadway for a decade. The University of Oklahoma’s…
The newly opened Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur stands less as a monument to bygone days and more as a marker of a contemporary culture
Amanda Cobb-Greetham reads them regularly: the notes from community meetings the Chickasaw Nation began having a decade and a half ago, asking its citizens the best way to honor their culture. “They wanted to make sure that whatever they did met the vision and desire of the Chickasaw people,” said Cobb-Greetham, the administrator of the…
The Town
Back in 1997, Ben Affleck and his pal Matt Damon became wunderkinds by co-writing and starring in a movie nominated for several Oscars, one of which they won for writing. They had appeared in several movies before then “? some obscure, some pretty good “? but “Good Will Hunting” put them firmly in control of…
Hawks and doves
I find it ironic that a religious body that refers to itself with the dove metaphor, Dove World Outreach Center in Florida, is gleefully desecrating the Muslim holy book, but at the same time desecrating the image of the dove, a profound religious symbol of peace and goodwill! Denigrating the Muslim community is just the…
The Pretty Black Chains play plenty of new songs, but you won’t hear them on the debut album
The Pretty Black Chains with The Burning Hotels 9 p.m. Saturday the Conservatory 8911 N. Western www.conservatoryokc.com 607-4805 $7 A band writes, records and tours to support an album. It begins again, and the musicians start writing a new album, and the process continues. Only, The Pretty Black Chains aren’t about cycles, expectations or doing…
NPR’s news-parodying game show ‘Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!’ comes to town for a live taping
Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! 7:30 p.m. Thursday Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker www.okcciviccenter.org 297-2264 $30-$75 The popular NPR program “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” makes an Oklahoma City appearance Thursday night for a live recording at the Civic Center Music Hall. The weekly quiz show brings together callers, celebrity panelists…
Snake Lightning’ Venom Shock
It’s probably impossible to describe “Venom Shock” more aptly than one of Snake Lightning’s Facebook fans. “It’s like The Darkness mixed with the ‘South Park’ dudes,” a follower wrote a few days after the 10-song album was unleashed on iTunes earlier this month. That’s exactly what the Oklahoma City act sounds like. The rock-comedy duo…
Race and the University
ans on the college’s campus “? one that went largely untold for many years. Henderson found that this annual tradition marked the beginning of his new memoir, “Race and the University.” The manuscript was an opportunity to reintroduce himself on the pages to old friends, such as Oklahoma football legend Bud Wilkinson and civil rights…
Funk-reggae musician and activist Michael Franti advocates the simple joys of life on ‘The Sound of Sunshine’
Michael Franti and Spearhead 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Coca-Cola Bricktown Events Center 425 E. California $25 advance, $29 door www.ticketstorm.com 866-966-1777 It was a strange place for Michael Franti to find himself. In a quarter-century of making provocative, thought-provoking music with his college avant-punk band, The Beatnigs; industrial hip-hop’s Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy; and for 16…
Commentary: The small elements
I’m a firm believer that we should give credit where credit is due, and the City of Oklahoma City is due some credit. In a June commentary, I stated that, “Every major U.S. city to which we are losing graduates and professionals has a vibrant downtown living environment. For Oklahoma City, the key element to…
Vicious thrash act Anthrax is always virulent, but the infection is more severe with its sickest front man, Joey Belladonna
Anthrax with Horse Called War, Forte and Anti-Mortem 8 p.m. Thursday Diamond Ballroom 8001 S. Eastern www.diamondballroom.net 866-977-6849 $19 advance, $24 door It’s one of thrash metal’s signature acts, alongside Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth. One thing that characterized Anthrax, particularly early on, was a playfulness and sense of humor mixed within the churning, rhythmic mosh…
Statewide nonprofits conference set for Oct. 6
The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits will host its statewide conference, “Full Speed Ahead: Evolving. Empowering. Impacting,” from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Skirvin Hilton. John Baldoni, author of multiple award-winning leadership books, will serve as keynote speaker, with a talk titled “Leading from Hard Times to Good Times.” The conference will feature speakers,…
The Climb for Life scales 36 flights of stairs to raise money for cystic fibrosis research
Climb for Life 8 a.m. Saturday Oklahoma Chase Tower 100 N. Broadway www.ccf.org 787-0056 Climbing stairs isn’t easy. With each flight, the breath becomes faster, harder to suck in. The chest tightens and sweat trickles down with each labored step. After 36 flights, taken at a brisk pace, a person may have an idea of…
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: 35th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition
Thirty-five years after its release, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” still resonates with undeniable emotion and power. Now that’s what you call a classic. Although Milos Forman’s film may have been the first brick in the wall that is star Jack Nicholson’s now-clich
Spartacus: Blood and Sand: The Complete First Season / Party Down: Season Two
ie=UTF8&tag=oklahgazet-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003PIUBZS”>Spartacus: Blood and Sand” and “Party Down.” Yet the two couldn’t be more different. The former, a guilty pleasure and ratings hit. The latter, critically acclaimed and a ratings loser. The former, currently beset by its leading man’s battle with cancer. The latter, canceled. And both, now on DVD sets worth saving your pennies for.…
Bored to Death
In HBO’s half-hour comedy “Bored to Death,” Jason Schwartzman plays a writer named Jonathan Ames. The series itself is created by the real writer Jonathan Ames, author of several books, including the acclaimed graphic novel “The Alcoholic.” But the onscreen Ames has only written one novel, and is struggling mightily with his second. He harbors…
The Slumber Party Massacre Collection
Or, if they do have the sense, they stupidly return to the house soon after. The “SPM” movies don’t have a grip on our pop-culture consciousness like the “Friday the 13th” or “Halloween” series, probably because the villain changes in each one. In fact, the films are only barely related; any can stand on its…
Frozen
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=oklahgazet-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0034G4OVS&fc1=000000&IS2=1 On his commentary for the new “Hatchet” Blu-ray, writer/director Adam Green notes that he doesn’t want to be typecast as just a horror guy, so he wanted to do something else before “Hatchet II.” That something else is the thriller “Frozen,” and well, mission accomplished, my friend. “Frozen” operates on the same “people…
